Fullmetal Alchemist's Daughter

Chapter 4

"I take it this is where she lives?"

"Yeah," Maes said with a smile. "I've known her all my life and try to visit when I can. Mom and Dad say I've been in her life since before I was born."

After a couple knocks on the door, a woman answered it. She appeared to be older than Maes and I by only a few years. She had long, dark blonde hair and bright, green eyes. She was wearing her military uniform. I vaguely wondered if she could perform alchemy. When she saw Maes, I think her eyes lit up more.

"If it isn't Maes Mustang," she said as she opened the door the rest of the way. She places a hand on her hip, under her gun holster. Screw her being an alchemist, she might be a sharp shooter like Riza was. "It's been a long time since I've seen you."

"Yeah, well," Maes started as he scratched the back of his head and started to turn a shade of pink. "I was helping a friend study for the State Alchemy exam. Sorry, Elicia." He jerked a thumb in my direction.

Right then, I wanted to kill the boy that resembles his father but with his mother's deep caramel eyes. I didn't want her to notice me so abruptly. Now, I was suddenly aware that I might look like crap. My side braid, that is usually neat and cascades down my right shoulder along with my side-swept bangs, was falling part from numerous bouts of want to run my fingers through my hair, or me wanting to tear my hair out. I think that was about the time I was forgetting everything. My brain was still fried from the written exam and with the worry of what they were going to do for the interview. On top of that, not that it could get much worse, I probably looked more like my dad than before. I was almost thankful I still had most of my mother's light blonde hair color.

"Oh, and do they have a name?"

I held out a hand. "Hi, I'm Trisha Elric."

She stared at me. I had no idea if it was a good thing or a bad thing. " Are you related to the Elric brothers?"

"Edward and Alphonse Elric? Yeah, I'm related to them." I smiled a litte remembering Dad and Uncle Al. I knew there are times when I look more like them than some people would have liked.

Instead of beating me off her porch, she smiled. I wasn't expecting a smile. Most people don't have that fond of a memory of the Elric side of my family. "I met them when I was younger. They knew my father and came by as often as they could."

I was taken back. "They never told me." Maybe this was part of what Uncle Al wanted me to find out about him and Dad.

"Actually, I think I share a birthday with one of them. My mother used to tell me all about the day I was born. Oddly enough, the Elric brothers were there and this little girl, Nina," she said. She looked like she was happy to remember something like that.

I smiled. "Maybe. Dad was a State Alchemist and had been to near about everything in the country."

"Won't you two come in?"

We stepped in and her place seemed like I was back home in Risembool. It was small and cozy and almost everything about it made me think of home; maybe it was the smell of apple pie. In an instant, it was like I was back in Risembool and Mom was baking her apple pie for dessert. Most of the time it meant Uncle Al was coming over for dinner; he loved Mom's apple pie. Damn, Mom's apple pie was to die for.

"Have a seat anywhere," she said as she walked into the living room.

"You have a great place," I said as I sat next to Maes.

"Thanks," she said as she sat down in the chair across from us. She stared at me again. I had a feeling she was trying to remember the Elric brothers. "You look exactly like an Elric. I even think there was a brother that wore a braid. God, I was so young to begin with when I'd see them. I think I remember your mother too. Winry, right? She might have wore a braid, I don't know. I just remember someone wearing one."