The Elric Sister: Those Golden Eyes

Chapter 10: The Phantom Thief

Al aged 14, Ed and Van aged 15.
Van POV:
I watch as Ed and Al play a game of cards. I know Ed's cheating but I won't say anything, I want to see how it plays out when Alphonse catches him.

'Dammit, I know for sure Mustang is gonna chew us out for Liore. I really thought it'd be the real deal.' I sign at them.

"Yeah, I know how you feel." Ed says.

"Come on, don't worry about it guys. Is the Colonel really that scary?" Ed and I sink into our seats at Al's question.

'It's not that he's scary.' I sign.

"It's that we already know what he's gonna do." Ed's furious, of course. "I can see his sarcastic grin now. It makes me sick."

Ed goes on about about how he and Mustang are complete opposites and how they'll never get along.

I know better. Those two, they're more similar than they'll ever know. In fact they're basically two of a kind, not including their looks of course, because in that department they are nothing alike. But then it comes down to personality. I guess I can act the same as them but I'm not like that at all times, I'm just like them, yet, not the same at all. I feel so out of place. Ed, Al... mom, dad... Mustang... I'm so so sorry for it all. Everything, but most of all I'm sorry for being born.

Just as I feel tears starting to rise in my eyes I sign at Ed and Al.

'I'm gonna go get some fresh air.' they nod and then I'm off.

We arrive at a city called Aquroya and decide that we'll stop here for a little while, mostly to avoid Mustang for as long as possible. I realize a single screw is missing from my automail arm which makes me fume.

Winry!!! What if I died?! I think to myself.

It's been 3 years since I lost my arm to the man with a scar on his face. 3 years that I've been lugging this arm around. I don't mind it as much as Ed, he wants Al and his bodies back as soon as possible along with my voice. I want my voice back more than anything. I don't mind having this arm, not at all. I know I'll never get my arm back from the gate, after all, how can it give me something it didn't take in the first place?

I watch as Ed and Al talk, I'm not listening to what they're saying until,

"It's kind of like we're playing hookie." Al says.

"What?! Stop being so-" Ed turns around and all of the cards fall out of his sleeve.

This is what I was waiting for.

"Well, what do we have here?" Al says sarcastically while bending down to look at the cards.

"Ed! You cheater! Come back here!" Al yells while chasing after him.

I laugh to myself and start to run after them. I laugh while I run, I laugh like I haven't laughed since before mom died. I know nobody can hear me and I know I probably look weird but I don't care. As I continue to run after them I feel the breeze run through my hair and there's nothing that can stop my happiness from shining through. Why did that make me so happy and then I remember when the 3 of us were children, that always happened. No matter what Al did, Ed cheated and not just in cards. Whenever we played games, he was the cheater while we tried to play fair. Winry would be there to and when Ed started cheating, I'd cheat right back. I smile at the memory.