Winry was still totally focused on the automail, having tuned out their conversation as one she'd heard before.

Ed shrugged. "Not everyone can," he admitted. "I'm not sure what decides if a person can or not, but some people can and some people can't."

"Like some humans are spiritually aware and some aren't," Naomi mused quietly. "Interesting concept."

Ed nodded. "Pretty much." He looked over at Winry when she straightened.

"Done! Now hold still." Winry got it all put back together and slid the automail back into place. Ed waited for a moment before flexing his fingers. Much better.

"Such a backwards place," Naomi muttered, grinning a bit. "Cyborg limbs but no planes."

Winry blinked. "What are planes?" She looked at Ed for clarification.

Ed paused for a few seconds, looking to Naomi for rescuing.

"Flying machines," Naomi said cautiously. "Uses physics to fly under their own power." Great, now Winry was paying attention.

Winry blinked and then frowned. "I've never heard of those."

"That's because they don't have them here. Naomi's visiting from somewhere way off on the other side of Shamballa," Ed interjected quickly.

"Oh, okay." That seemed to placate Winry some. She'd heard they had strange things out there.

Naomi nodded. She could run with that.

"We don't have automail where I'm from," she explained. "Technology took a different route at home than it did here. You all perfected alchemy while we went more of a combustion-engine kind of way." That was as close as she could explain without giving away things such as computerization and demons.

Winry looked briefly dreamy. "That would be so much fun to investigate..."

Ed just snorted. That was typical for Winry and any type of technology.

Naomi grinned, but didn't offer Winry her cell phone. She was fond of it and wanted it to work when she got home again.

"I've seen cars that can top a hundred and fifty miles an hour," she offered instead. "Yours here can go, what, sixty-five?"

"Something like that, if they're well taken care of," Winry said. "Over a hundred and fifty?" That was faster than the fastest train or car she'd seen or heard of. That was just... mind boggling.

"Stop giving her ideas." Ed glared weakly at Naomi.

Naomi just grinned innocently.

"I'm not doing anything of the sort," she replied cheerfully. "I'm just sharing culture."

Ed was very tempted to facepalm, but he managed not to and instead just got down with a grumble.

"Come on. I'll show you more about alchemy, if you want."

"Sure," Naomi replied, getting up. She waved to Winry and followed Ed out of the room.

Ed went outside, since there was more room out there. And then he started gathering up some things to show her how it worked. Although he noticed that she was quieter than normal and didn't seem as relaxed as he remembered.

Naomi just sat down and watched as Ed walked her through the steps of transmutation. She didn't understand it all, but it couldn't be too hard... She looked at him when she realized he'd been studying her for a few minutes.

"What?" she asked.

"You're very quiet. Why are you forcing yourself to be so cheerful?" Ed's eyes narrowed a little as he looked at her.

"What makes you say that?" Naomi asked in return, raising one eyebrow slightly. Damn geniuses always figuring things out.

"I may not know you really well, but I can tell this isn't normal. You're forcing yourself to be cheerful, and you're too quiet. Why?"

"Do you want to know why, Ed?" Naomi asked, looking at him. "Because I went cold last time I was home. I had a required visit to my father's place, and I was pushed to snapping. I lost control and tried to kill one of my half-sisters. If I hadn't been stopped when I was, she would have torn me apart." She looked down and forced her hands to unclench. "I don't like going cold, Edward, because it scares the shit out of me to be that out of control."

Edward was quiet for a few moments. "I see," he said quietly. "But you were stopped. And you're still here." Yes, he could sympathize with not like being out of control, but he also knew that she had a lot to be thankful for, too.

"You sound just like him," Naomi commented, looking at Ed as he spoke. The similarity in that moment was uncanny.

Ed blinked. "Who?" He looked at her evenly. Yeah, okay, so she'd lost control. So what? Didn't change his opinion of her.

"Hiei," Naomi replied. "Just sounds like something he said before. Quite a few somethings." She paused. "Well, when he decides to speak, at least."

"What, you mean the guy all in black? I'm surprised he has a voice." Ed snorted. "You've seen them since?" Now he was just curious.