The Flowing Alchemist [FMAB Fanfic]

8} Helping Gets You Hurt <edited>

this may not stick to the exact storyline so don't kill me if its a little off.

I also just noticed that I missed out the whole episode with father Cornello so let's just pretend that never happened :P
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(Y/n)'s POV

I met Edward and Alphonse the next morning and we went back to the library to read. By the afternoon we'd read at least half of the books in that room and Alphonse wasn't focusing, playing with Nina and Alexander again.

Ed and Al left a few minutes ago to have a stretch and relax a bit, I stayed behind but now I regret it. I'm SO BORED!!!!!

I think I'll go check on Mr Tucker, see if he needs anything. I leave the library and make my way down the corridor and towards his office, knocking gently on the door.

"Come in." A tired voice calls.

I enter and close the door behind me, heading over to the desk Shou sits at with his head in his hands.

"Having trouble?" I ask softly as I look over his shoulder at the notes I barely understand. "Looks very... Interesting."

"Haha, yes it's quite challenging. Sometimes even I don't understand my own research!" He chuckles but it soon turns sinister. "How many days left to my examination?"

"I believe it's the day after tomorrow, I think Mustang and a few of his men will come here for the inspection." A look of worry crosses his face and I feel my own soften. " if you need any help finishing or drawing circles then I can try and help you."

He looks up at me ,smiling and nodding his head.

"Maybe I'll call on you later. I could probably use some help tomorrow once I've got all the research out of the way." He turns back to his work. "For now you should help fullmetal and his brother find whatever they're looking for in my old research."

I nod and leave the office, shutting the door quietly behind me.

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We left again that evening and came back the next morning, by then we had read almost all the books in the library. We finished all the reading by 4pm and Ed and Al decided to go home.

"You coming (y/n)?" Ed asks hopefully.

"I promised Mr. Tucker that I'd stay to help him finish off preparation for his review tomorrow so I'm staying a little longer." Ed looks disappointed but smiles anyway.

"Well, we'll see you around then," he calls over his shoulder as the two of them walk away towards a car waiting for them.

I head back into the house and into Shou's lab/workroom, this time it's full of animals in cages. As I walk into the centre of the room I hear the door slam shut and lock behind me.

"(Y/n)(l/n), such a strong heart and will. I know you'll be able to do this for me. You see, I need you to pick one of these animals- any one of them. Choose...wisely. Choose whichever one you feel most compatible with." He walks to my side and I feel a shiver go down my spine.

There are many animals in the room, I have to choose one? Why?

"Wh-?"

"Just choose (y/n)!" He yells and I jump again.

I look at each and every animal trying to gauge any connection between even one of them.

The owl turns its head, as do the monkey and the snake. The cat hisses and its hackles rise. A ferret runs away to the back of the cage. The dog whimpers in the corner, along with the mouse and a small bird.