"Fortunately I don't have to deal with him very often." Ed started walking again. "Hey Al, how about you and Osanna go look over the books? And Naomi and I can go look around." He looked at Naomi to see if that was okay with her.

Al nodded.

"Sure," he said. He gestured to Osanna. "Come on, I'll show you."

Naomi shrugged a bit. Sure, she didn't mind.

"This is Osa's trip now," she said. "As long as she gets what she wants."

Osanna nodded and trailed after Al, looking around some.

Ed shrugged. "Those two will be fine. Al's a better teacher than I am, anyway." He looked over at her. "I can show you around town if you want."

"What will people say when they realize you're showing a girl around town, Edward?" Naomi teased. "Especially with how obvious it is that you and Winry are into each other?" She grinned, letting him know she was joking.

Ed snorted. "Who cares?" he said with a little grin. "Besides, you're going to help me out with getting things for Winry so she won't be mad at me."

Naomi snorted.

"Very sneaky, Ed," she replied, grinning a bit. "As a starting point, then, do you know of anything she likes and doesn't have?"

"She loves tools. She has a lot of them around, but she's always looking at new ones. Anything she can take apart and put back together is good too, especially if it's something new." Ed shrugged. "She'd love to see one of your cars, or something like that."

Naomi thought about that for a moment. She didn't want to go all the way home again to get something, but it gave her an idea. Digging into her bag, she pulled out the Book and opened it.

"Quick question," she said to it. "How difficult would it be for you to grab items and bring them here?"

The Book fluttered its pages a little in sheer indignation. I don't know. I've never tried. I've only moved people, not things.

Ed looked at the Book warily. Okay now he wanted to toss it to Mustang and tell him to torch it. Except he didn't want to strand Naomi and Osanna.

Naomi saw Ed twitch.

"I know," she said to him, nodding. "Trust me, I know. You get used to it." She turned her attention back to the book. "Well, things should be easier then, since they aren't alive."

That's what you say. Have you ever tried hauling anything between worlds? It's more difficult than you'd think. You seem to think this is all easy, snap of the fingers and it magically happens type thing. Because clearly the Book could snark and bitch with the best of them.

"You threw us around readily enough before," Naomi said dryly. "I know bullshit when I read it, you know."

People are different. Because the Book was never going to tell her outright that of course it could bring things across. It really wasn't that difficult.

"Mhmm," Naomi replied doubtfully. "You can't fool me. If people are easy enough to throw around through four or five dimensions, inanimate, non-living objects should be no trouble."

That's what you think. The Book clearly grumped, ruffling its pages again.

"It's freaking me out," Ed grumbled. "Can't you just make it do what you want?"

"I have to out-bitch it sometimes," Naomi replied to Ed distractedly. She looked at the book. "Seriously, items. Yes or no. Truthfully."

I can, the Book admitted slowly. But I don't like to. And I don't have to put them down in the same place.

"You don't put us down in the same place, either, that's nothing new," Naomi replied. Now she just had to think about what she was willing to give Winry in Ed's name.

The Book ruffled its pages again. Are you actually going to have me do anything or can I go back to being productive?

"I'm thinking, give me a second," Naomi retorted. "You know, us flesh-and-blood creatures need to actually process thoughts."

Ah yes, that waste of time. I don't even know why you bother with brains anymore, half of it is never used. If the Book could manage to sniff condescendingly, it would have.

"Quiet, you," Naomi replied. "And I need you to bring over my old knockoff MP3 player. Not the iPod, the knockoff." She made sure to specify that, not putting it past the book to bring her good one instead.

The Book grumbled but did as she said, the old one landing at her feet. Anything else, o mistress?

"Lack of sarcasm, maybe," Naomi replied as she bent down to pick up the music player, "but I know it would be too much trouble to argue over that, so no."

The Book flipped itself shut at that, clearly saying it was done working for the moment.

Ed blinked and peered at the MP3 player. "What is that?" He poked it cautiously.