When Char woke up the next morning, she rubbed her eyes and sat up, yawning. She looked around, realising no one else was in the room. "Guys?" she called, standing up and looking around. The door opened and Ed looked in.
"Oh, morning Char. You sleep well?"
"Uh huh. What time is it?"
"About nine-ish. Listen, Winry wants to fit me some new parts on my automail, so I wondered if you wanted to go look around town with Al? He says he doesnt mind." Char nodded.
"Sure. I still need to find my souvenir, so this'll be the perfect opportunity to look for one." A thought occured to her. "Oh wait, I dont have any money," she said with a sheepish grin. Ed considered, then walked over to his bag and rummaged around before picking up a small bag. He tossed it to her and she caught it.
"There's some money in there. Use it if you want, just dont go mad buying stuff we cant carry." Char nodded and grinned before skipping out. Al was waiting by the door.
"You ready to go?" he asked.
"Yep!" Char said with a laugh, grabbing his hand and dragging him behind her as they ran out of the hotel. Ed watched them go with a shake of his head.
"Apparently Char didnt notice she slept in my bed last night instead of me," he murmured.
Char skipped through the town, looking at anything that took her fancy, though most of it was automail. "Is there a library?" she asked Al. He shook his head.
"The people here arent mad on books. They go more for the engineering side of things." Char sighed, then continued to look around.
As she was walking past one alley, a feeble bark caught her attention, and she turned. A wolf stood in the darkness of the alleyway, it's fur matted and dirty. It's eyes were dull, and it was so thin, it looked like it was about to collapse. Char walked over to it cautiously, Al walking ahead without realising, and it led her down the alley where a small wolf was curled up.
Char looked at it in surprise. It seemed more full than the older wolf, and it's silver fur shone a little. It looked up when she crouched over it and gave a little yap, standing up and licking her hand. Char turned to ask the older wolf something when it suddenly fell on it's side. Char gasped and the puppy yapped in concern, running over to it's side and snuffling it. It didnt respond and the puppy looked sad before howling.
Char looked from the puppy to the wolf and realised something. "That was your mum, wasnt it. She was giving you all the food she could find to keep you alive, right?" she murmured, stroking it. Al finally came back.
"Char what are you doing down here?" he asked. Char looked at him, then at the puppy, before showing him. He looked surprised.
"Is that a...wolf?" he asked.
"Yeah..The mum showed me her baby before she died. Please Al, we can keep it, right? I cant leave it to fend for itself."
"I dont know..."
"Please!" Char looked so desperate, so Al sighed.
"We'll take it back to brother. He can decide," he said eventually.
"No way."
Char looked upset. "Why not?" she asked.
"It's an animal, Char. It needs feeding, exercise and a lot of attention."
"We can give him all of that! We'll just take some of the stuff from you and give it to him." Ed shook his head, and no matter how much Char pleaded, he refused to change his mind. Finally she sighed. "Can it at least stay with us tonight?" she asked. Ed considered, then nodded.
Char lay curled up on her bed, the wolf cub lying across from her, curled up. She reached out and stroked it, her eyes sad. The cub lifted it's head and looked at her, giving a little whine before snuggling up against her. She gave a sad smile. "I'm sorry. But Ed wont let me take you," she murmured.
The cub soon fell asleep. Char tried to think of a way around the situation, but there was none. "It's not fair. You've never had to fend for yourself before, but now that your mum's dead and I cant take you, you'll have to learn. But what if you die? It'll be all my fault," she murmured. Winry lay across from her on the other bed, her back turned to Char, but her eyes wide.
The next morning, Char woke up late. The wolf was still cuddled next to her, and she didnt want to wake it. Finally she steeled her heart and nudged it awake. It gave a confused yap then yawned before following her out of the room. She crossed over to Ed's, knocking on the door before opening it. As she did, she noticed the slight change of Ed's and Winry's expressions, turning from angry to cheerful. Instantly she was suspicious.
"Morning," she said cautiously, closing the door behind her once the wolf had run in.
"Morning Char. Listen, I've been thinking. Maybe we can bring the wolf along," said Ed after a glare from Winry. Char's eyes brightened. "But you have to be the one to look after it, okay?" he added sternly.
"Okay!" Char sang, leaping into his arms and hugging him before picking the wold up and spinning it a couple of times.
"You should give it a name," Winry suggested. Char considered, then smiled.
"Fenrir," she said. Ed baulked.
"Why are you naming it after a vicious wolf, dog, thing?"
"Because Fenrir was loyal to his master. *Might not be true* So, I think a loyal wolf should have a loyal name." Ed sighed.
"Fine. Anyway, are you packed? We're leaving about about midday." Char nodded, then something occured to her.
"Actually, can I got to the shops quickly?" she asked. Ed sighed and nodded, throwing her a pouch with some money in. She grinned and ran out of the room, Fenrir following beside her. They ran out of the hotel and looked around at the shops.
"I know I saw one selling leather stuff..come on," she muttered, glancing around, then spotted it and gave a triumphant whoop before running towards it, Fenrir at her side. She walked in and was surprised to find the entire shop was empty. "Hello?" she called.
There came the sound of banging, then a man came out from the back room. "Whaddya want?" he asked.
"I was wondering if you sold any dog collars?" asked Char as politely as she could.
"Yeah, we do. You wantin' one?"
"Um, yes please." The man gave a snort and turned back before returning with a collar. It was blue with dark blue flowers patterning it, and a heart shaped piece of metal hung from it.
"That good enough for ya?" he asked. Char nodded and he handed it over. She quickly paid him, then hurried outside. She knelt down infront of Fenrir.
"Okay, I'm going to put this on you, alright? It's so that people know that you're a pet, instead of a wild animal." Fenrir stood there patiently as she slipped it onto his head. It fitted him perfectly, and she smiled as he investigated it before being seemingly please. "Alright, we better hurry up or Ed'll leave without us," she said with a giggle.
Char leaned out of the window, waving to the dissapearing Winry. When the station was completely out of sight she came back in, looking at Ed. "Why did Winry stay behind?" she asked. Ed humphed.
"She said she wanted to learn more about making automail, so she'd apprenticed herself at one of the shops," he said in a bored voice, but Char saw the flicker of unease that ran through his eyes before fading. Char smiled and patted his head.
"I'm sure she'll be fine," she said. Ed looked at her in annoyance.
"I never said I was worried," he retorted. Char giggled then sat down on the seat, patting the seat beside her. Fenrir jumped up and curled down, falling asleep quickly, his ears twitching. Char smiled then settled back, closing her eyes as well and quickly falling asleep.
Ed glanced at her, then sighed. "Man, she's a handful!" he muttered. Al chuckled.
"Just like you then, brother," he said. Ed looked at him then turned away.
"Shut up," he muttered, leaning back and closing his eyes to think. Al turned to look out of the window as the scenery rushed by, then started when he heard a light snore and turned back.
Ed had also fallen asleep, lightly leaning against Char, who simply shifted slightly and leaned her head on top of his. Al shook his head. "They're like twins," he murmured
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She looked around in surprise. "It's so busy!" she cried. Her dad smiled.
"That's because it's a good place for business." They walked through the streets, her gazing at the shops in wonder. She glanced down an alley and spotted a female wolf.
"Daddy, Daddy, look!" she squealed, running towards it. It growled and backed away a bit. She saw thin it was and looked upset. "Daddy, cant we give her some food?" she asked. Her dad considered, then rummaged in his bag and brought out some bread. He gave it to her and she broke a bit off, lowering it on the floor infront of the wolf. It sniffed it then gulped it down.
When the wolf had finished eating the bread it gave a little yap and licked her cheek. She giggled before it turned and ran off. She stood up, linking hands with her dad, and they began to walk again. "Daddy?" she asked after a while.
"Yes?"
"Will I..Will I get to see them soon?"
"Of course, darling. I know you miss your brothers and mum, but it wont be long before we've finished what we came to do, and then you can go home to them." She looked up.
"Wont you be coming?" Her dad considered.
"Maybe, but I'm not sure how they'll react to me. Your mum would welcome me, but Edward...Well, if he only had a simmering anger, I would be lucky."
"Dad I-I miss Edward. Lots."
"I know you do. You would do, being twins." She nodded and clutched his hand tighter.
"As long as I get to see him soon. And you know?" Her dad looked at her and she grinned. "I'm proud being Charlya Elric."
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Char jerked awake, falling down on her other side. Moving had jolted Ed awake and he scrabbled to steady himself as he lost his balance, and then Char landed on Fenrir, causing him to leap up with a slight yelp and whine. Al looked at her.
"Are you okay Char?" he asked. She was shaking slightly, and had turned pale. She looked at Ed.
"Ed, tell me what your dad looked like," she ordered. Ed looked surprised, but nodded.
"Well, he had golden hair, and really light brown eyes. He always wore his hair in a ponytail. He was tail and muscular...oh yeah, and he wore glasses. Why?" Char had gone even paler. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves.
"Okay, since we went to Izumi's house, I've been getting random fragments of my memory back. It's always just me and this man who's my dad. I've also misjudged my age. I'm not thirteen, I'm fifteen, the same age as you, Ed." She began to get faster, wanting to get it all out. "The type of Alchemy I use was created by my dad, and it's called Light Alchemy. Basically it lets me control light, but let's not get into that right now. And.." she trailed off, not sure how to put it.
"What? What's up?" asked Ed expectantly. Char looked at the floor, then sighed and met his golden eyes with her own.
"I'm your twin."
AN: Dun dun dunnn. How'd you like that little twist? You know what, I was actually considering making her either a little sister, a cousin, or not related in any way, but twins work for me! :3 (Also, comment on how you're liking the story and if there's anything you want me to change or add - eg: side adventures - as long as it's not plot important)