((I was rolling! I love Mustang's face X333
"EDWARD!!! EEEDDDDWWWAARDDD!!!" ROFLWAFFLE *Wags imaginary tail that I wish I had* X3))

Edward sighed, his head against the cool brick ahead of him as a street light flickered on. He couldn't sleep, he could't relax, he couldn't even think of eating...so he walked, around and around town, he waved to people that he'd waved to, two or three times already, and stared into the same windows that he'd stared into only minutes before..searching for an answer, a sign, anything to get Shiba off his mind.
"Fullmetal you need to get your act together! You should have known that it would end up like this." He mocked the Colonel's voice and pounded his head into the building with every word.
"Shut up Mustang." He told the spectre.
"I don't need your smart mouth right about now."
"Oh? Do you need Shiba's?" He jerked upright, and blushed furiously, yes, it would have been something that the Colonel would have said, but for it to come out of Edward's mouth? He shook his head and headed for the creek...at least the water was cold there.

Alphonse came back a little later, dirt and bark covered him from head to toe and limbs stuck out from his hair.
"I'd forgotten what a pain it was to have hair." He muttered laying aside all his kindling.
"How's everything coming?" He asked as he piled wood on a base and then began to strike flint against tinder.

[XD Im so bad at drawing Roy LOLz LMFAO "ROFLWAFFLE" thats a first for me XD]

I glanced up at him and laughed.
"yeah, im doing okay..c'mere and watch, I'm almost finished..." I wiped my wet face on my arm and continued on painting; the sun was now halfway down; I brought up the pace.
Finally finished, I handed it to him. It was the sunset, and Kiri standing in front of it, smiling. I sighed and walked to the creek to wash my brushes and hands.
"I've been thinking about her alot lately..and this place reminds me so much of her.." I rubbed the pigment off into the water it just faded into the clearness. I jerked the excess water from my brushes and stood, walking back to the log and plopped down on it.
"Usually I sell my work, but I really like this one." I looked to the sunset again, my face glowing pink from the rays. I then looked to Al again and laughed, pulling a twig from his hair.
"Looks like someone will have to get a bath in the hot spring with me when we get back" I let out a chuckle and looked back to the water.
"It's so peaceful here... I feel like my mind has completely cleared... thanks for the idea, Alphonse.." I sent him a warm and loving smile and then glanced back to the horizon.

[Amanda posted this on my Myspace:

(( X3 Looked good to meh. WHATT!!! No ROFLWAFFLE Mr. Anderson? What about LOLLERSKATES? Gomen last one.))

Alphonse smiled as the blaze leapt to life and he rubbed his hands to warm them before moving beside her.
"AAaahhh..." He breathed in amazement.
"Shiba...that's beautiful!" He turned his head to watch her move to the creek and then looked back at the painting.
"I don't blame you for that..." He looked around smiling faintly.
"This place holds a lot of memories for us doesn't it?" He handed the canvas back to her and pointed to a spot under the closest tree.
"That's where we had her set when Scar left her behind....I didn't know what to think at the time..I honestly thought she was going to kill you." He chuckled and flopped beside the fire, warming his hands. It was cold..and going to get colder..he was sure.

Edward lay his shoes and gloves aside and then plunged headfirst into the cold creek. He burst back to the surface with a cry and then ran his wet hands over his face, he thought that maybe a dip here would clear his head...but as he climbed back out onto the shore, he realized the only thing that it'd done, was cause his fingers to hurt, and his nose to run.
"Damn..." He shivered as he pulled his coat on and wrapped it around him tightly.
"What a waste of time this was..." He sat on the bank for a moment or two and stared at the setting sun.
"They're both probably back at the Inn...and here I'd come in looking like a cat dragged me in from the gutter...no thank you!" He stood in a huff and headed back into the city, he would just find someplace else to sleep tonight.
He was about halfway into the square when he began to feel dizzy, his vision was blurring, and he coughed more and more, the closer to the Inn he got. Finally, he leaned against a light pole and rested a moment, but when he tried to take another step, he fell forward.
"UGhn....Shiba...Al....what's..what's going on?" He managed to remove a glove and then pressed his chilled hand to his forhead, it was on fire. He lay his head down against the ground and coughed.
"I guess...that's what I get huh? S-S-Should've...s-s-tayed in the h-h-otel." He sighed once before allowing darkness to creep into his vision..just..just a little rest...then he'd go back to the Inn.

[who the f*** is Mr. Anderson??? XDDD Lollerskates, yeah but not as funny at ROFLWAFFLE. How about.. ROFLMAOWTFBBQ? HAha that my new fave one XD I hope to see you on tomorrow...and Monday Ill FLOOD you with long emials about Tandokucon and pics of Vic and me <3]

I smiled at him and pulled off my smock and stuffed it and my supplies back into the box. I threw my coat back on and shivered, pressing my hands between my thighs, to warm them.
"Thanks Al, that means alot." I smiled at him and nodded, looking to the blaze before us.
"It does... I just wish... she were still here.. and it feels kinda weired without Ed here too.." I closed my eyes softly and shivered.
"okay Al, I know you just started the fire, but u mind if we head back to the hotel? I hear a hot spring calling us to get warmed up!!" I smiled at him, teeth chattering. I took the canvas and looked it over. The place where my tear had fell...was in the part where Kiri was painted. smiled to myself and placed the painting in my lap.
I nodded in agreement.
"I thought she was gonna kill all of us... she had so much hatred in her eyes, I didn't know what to think. I was never attacked with Alchemy before her; I had to think fast."
I yawned as the sun finally disappeared; there was only a faint pink sky now.
"You think we should head back? I'm sure Ed is worried sick about both of us.."

((YAYYY Flood.))

Alphonse turned and started to say something, but his stomach growled louder than his voice could carry.
"Yeah...okay, let's head back...I forgot that I haven't eaten lately." He placed a hand over his stomach and frowned.
"How much do you want to bet that Edward's stuffed his face all day?" He sighed angrily as he kicked dirt over the blaze, dousing it completely.
"I know what you mean...I've dealt with Alchemists before...but never one like that....Kiri and you have completely different and unique talents...I didn't even think that they could exist in the world." He nodded once he was sure the fire was out and turned back to the city.
"Want me to carry anything?" He asked helpfully.

I smiled at his growling stomach; it was louder than Ed's normally was; then mine chimed in as well.
"Hehe..I did't eat anything all day either... when you left the food... Me and Ed just talked, then I left." I handed him my Artbin, which was heavy full of paints and supplies and sighed, slinging my canvas' under my arm, beginning the walk towards town.
"You shouldn't be so hard on your brother, I know he's dense, but he's been thorough so much, maybe he's... afraid to love someone, ya know? I understand... I feel the same way when it comes to love, especially him."
I looked at the tall grass.
"I.. don't understand why my abilities are so powerful, but maybe I do have the Philosophers stone.. but I don't want to think about it.. lets just head back." The lights of the town started to flicker on and I looked to him, yawning. We hadn't had any sleep in 2 days.. I was exhausted.
We seemed to walk along a trail of wet foot prints, I shrugged it off as we entered town square.

((XDDD I'm rolling over the comic! "You're just mad cuz you don't know the words." OMG pure awesomeness!!))

"Maybe.." Alphonse conceeded taking the bin, and falling in step behind her.
"But there are times I think he's always like that." He smiled and nodded. He couldn't do much by way of matchmaking, but at least he could be there for Shiba when she needed someone to talk to.
As the pair entered the town, Alphonse kept looking around, the footprints that glistened in the streetlight seemed oddly familliar...but he couldn't place where he'd seen them before.
"Shiba...do these...seem...do those footprints look familiar?"

[XD Im glad you like it, its one of my best accomplishments of compiled sequential illustrations]
I looked over at him.
"Well I can't tell you if he's always like that, only you can, youre always with him"
I looked back forward, the footsteps are getting more bold then I saw a foot... then a whole body laying in the street.
"Os.. that Ed?" The familiar red coat made me wonder and I knelt down beside the limp body and pulled up the jacket that covered his face a little.
"Oh my God, it is! C'mon, help me get him up, and back to the room!" I laid my palm on his head; he was burning! I slung his soaked arm over my shoulder, adjusting his weight and the grip of my canvas'. His body was soaked, head to toe! What the hell happened?? His face rested on my shoulder as I started towards the inn.

((:3 Yep, gotta finish it today.))

"EDWARD!" Alphonse quickly placed the bin on the street out of the way and ran to help Shiba with his brother.
"EDWARD! Shiba, what's wrong with him?!" He took up the other side and almost stumbled under Edward's dead weight.
"Ughnnn.." Edward stirred and blinked, looking up as much as his heavy head would allow him.
"Al? Shi..." A coughing fit cut him off and he jerked the two around as his body spasmed.
"Al....."
"I'm here Big Brother, Shiba's here too...don't worry, we're taking you back to the Inn."
"Shiba? ....Shi..ba...is here?" He sighed, smiling faintly.
"T-that's good...I..I thought..I'd chased her off....again...." With a sigh, he fell silent once more.

I looked to him worriedly and placed an index finger over his quivering lips.
"Shh now Edward, we'll take care of you, save your energy.." I hefted his weight over my shoulder and adjusted my canvas' under my other arm.
"Alphonse, I think he may have a fever... he's soaked, I can't imagine what happened to him!" His drenched body got me a little wet as well, and he was so cold... I looked to his exhausted and pale face and grew worried.
"Ed.. I can't leave you.. I'm not going anywhere for a while... not until youre better."
I made my way to the inn, holding Ed as close and carefully as possible.

Edward slumped in between them and let himself be dragged back to the warm inside of the room, where he collapsed onto the floor before Alphonse and Shiba could get him to a futon.
"You're an idiot Brother...I swear, you'd have died long before if you didn't have a keeper." Alphonse muttered to himself, draping the coat over him.

I looked down at him, still shivering on the floor and looked to Al, kneeling beside Ed, I put Al's' dry coat to the side.
"We need to get him out of these soaked clothes, thats the issue.." I draped my arm around his shoulder and cradled his limp head, leaning his weight against my body, I pulled his coat off the best I could with one free hand.
"Al, gimme a hand here, will yah?" I adjusted my position so my legs were out before me and I kicked off my shoes to dig my toes into the back of Ed's to get them off him. They practically flew across the room as I finally got one loose, then the other.

((FINALLY! XDDD Had a der-der-der moment there XDD))

"Ah...right!" Alphonse took his position beside Edward and tugged at his overshirt, muttering as he struggled to loosen it from Edward's pants.
"Blast it all Edward....the only time you tuck your shirt in is the only time we need to get it off!"
Plop
Squish Alphonse sighed and left the wet shirt where it had fallen, and got to work loosening his vest.
"Al.." Edward murmured dancing in and out of conciousness. He felt Phantom hands brush over him and saw shadows of faces, but none of it registerd in his mind.
"Am I going to die?" He asked the nearest shadow.
"I hope not...after all that to get my body back...just to die of a fever.."

I looked to him from the side as his shirt was pulled off. I stroked his cheek gently, to soothe him.
"No sweety, youre not going to die, we're gonna make you all better... so no worries, save your strength..we're here for you okay?" I laid my warm palm on his cold cheek and pressed his head to my shoulder to rest and looked to Ed's soaked socks. I maneuvered my toes into the back of the sock and pulled it off, then then other. I blushed and looked up at Al.
"Uhm, his pants are soaked..uhm.. do you have another pair of pants for him?? Do you think he'd mind if we left him in his underwear while we brought him into the hotspring? I know that'd make him warm right up?" I looked around frantically; he was still shivering, and his lips were still a pale color of blue.

Edward smiled faintly and nodded.
"That's good to know...I think...the Colonel...would kill me if I left without handing him my resignation...more..paperwork for him to do.." He laughed idly and then slipped back into darkness.
"I don't think he'd mind, I don't even think he knows what's going on, other than he's sick..if you want, I can help him out there." He nodded and scooted the wet clothes out of the way, and slid his arm under his brother's shoulders.

I blushed and let go of him.
"Uh, here, Ill hold him from behind while you pull them off... I wont look." I blushed and moved behind Edward, kneeling behind him, I rested his weary head on my breast and held his weight up by his armpits, sprawling his body out straight. I closed my eyes and turned my head.
"Go head... my kimono is on the floor, if his shorts come off by accident..." My hear raced... he was still so damn cold... we had to get him in the spring, and fast...what the hell was he thinking? How did he get so wet?? I just wanted him to feel better and warm soon.

"Okay." Alphonse scooted Edward around and left him to Shiba, taking note of where her kimono was should he need it.
Sqqqquuuiiiisssshhhhh Alphonse all but grimaced as he wrung out what water he could out of his pants after removing Edward from their icy grip.
"Ewww.." He shuddered.
"It's almost like he jumped in a river with all his clothes on..."He turned a critical eye on his brother and sighed.
"You don't think he did that do you?" He moved back to help Shiba carry him out to the hot spring.

I slung an arm over my shoulder...he did seem to have some dirt particles stuck to his once clean body.. did he really?
[im guessing he's in his boxers]
I looked to Al.
"I dont advise both of us to go in with our clothes on... maybe I should stay inside? There aren't any washing machines or basins here, we don't need to get our clothes dirty and wet... I already need to clean Ed's..." I slid open the door and looked around; it was so dark, I had to find some matches to light up the tiki lights; it was our only light source out here.
"He may feel more comfortable with you instead of me.." we approached the water slowly and I brought Ed's arm from around my shoulder, but still held a tight grip on his upper body until Al was ready to go in the water.
"It's dark out here... so, just..undress and I promise I won't look, and then I'll carefully hand you Ed, alright?" My glasses glistened in the moonlight, and it was all that reflected from the waters calm surface.

Alphonse looked over Edward's head and stared at Shiba with a nod.
"Mmm...you're right."

Outside was still chilly, despite the warm air that floated from the spring. He relenquished his hold on Edward's arm as Shiba took over keeping both of them standing, and hurriedly undressed, hopping into the water before turning back and waiting for Edward.
"You're amazing Edward, you really are." He was exhasperated. He raked a wet hand through already messy hair so that chunks stood upright or flopped over to one side.
"Shiba...I'm sorry...." He lowered his gaze and focused on the rippling waters.
"Even after everything...we're still causing you trouble...and here I thought that if you and Ed got together...then you wouldn't worry anymore..and now...all it's done is made you worry more."

I heard a sploosh and looked back to him.
"Al..don't worry about it.. I just worry about you guys... boys have a tendency to not take care of themselves like they should..." I shuffled myself forward, Ed's back leaning against my front and I slowly slid him into the water, and the awaiting hands of his brother.
I shook my head and leaned back, cracking my back, I looked down at him.
"No worries Al... things happen for a reason..." I said softly.
"I'm..going to get us something to eat... watch over him alright? And when.. and if you want.. give me them boxers of his and I'll wash the dirt out of them as well. I'll bring out some towels and clean yukatas for the both of you. Do you need anything, Alphonse?" part of me wanted to join them, but another part of me told me not to and it was wrong.
"If you need me, just holler. I'll be inside if you need me... and if you want the tiki lights on, let me know, otherwise, you'll keep your privacy in the dark."

He took hold of Edward and leaned him against a rock, looking back with a concerned gaze. He shook his head, and thanked Shiba for all her trouble.
"Leave a few on...I don't want to trip when I try to haul him out." He smiled awkwardly and then hunkered down into the warmth as he shivered and rubbed his hands up and down Edward's arms trying to get the blood flowing to his pallid face.

Edward stirred after a few moments and slowly opened his eyes.
"Ugn...Al? What..what's going on?"
"You're burning up that's what. Shiba and I nearly had to drag you back here to keep you from getting any worse."
"Really?" He struggled to sit up straight, finally leaning on Alphonse's shoulder to look around.
"The last thing I remember..." He said laying his forhead on his hand.
"Well, remember clearly...was starting to head back to the Inn after trying to clear my head..."
" 'Trying to clear your head' didn't include jumping in the creek did it?" Alphonse asked insinuatingly.
"Why wouldn't it...the water was cold enough...but it didn't help..all it did was make me cold."
"I was right." Alphonse sighed and nudged Edward to the deeper part of the spring.
"Stay there until you don't look as pale...then we'll head back inside."
"Geeze.." Edward said with a sniff, and then a cough.
"You're both out to make me feel like a jerk aren't you?"
"Maybe." Came the laugh.
"But for now, rest."

I came back outside and lit a tiki light; I was unaware Ed had awoken, but I kept my gaze averted from the boys, as to preserve their privacy, and I made my way to the other side of the spring and lit another light and blew out the match. I kept my gaze to the ground and made my way back inside. Then I heard him speak and I stopped in my tracks for a second and smiled to myself, letting out a sigh of relief.
He's alight... Im so happy.. My back was to them and i made my way back inside, sliding the door shut quietly behind me. I sighed and looked around and then walked to the entrance of the room, ringing the bell. In about a minute the service lady came in.
"Uhm, hello, may I order some food? id like 2 full steak dinners, complete with side dishes and one huge bowl of chicken noodle soup. Two iced teas, and one wine cooler for me."
The service lady bowed and left. I sighed and picked up Ed's soaked clothes and headed to the bathroom, picking up my soap on the way in.

I threw his clothes into the tub and ran the hot water, filling up the tub. I sighed deeply and rinsed off his coat and clothes before starting to scrub. I then noticed... his pocket watch was still attached to the pants, submerged in the water! I let out a small shriek and pulled his pants out and unhooked the watch. I hovered it over my ear... it stopped ticking. My eyes swelled and I looked around frantically and stuffed it into my pocket...I'll tell him later about it... My heart raced and I began scrubbing his clothes, getting the dirt and mud out the best I could.

He was glad for the heat, Alphonse leaned back against one of the rocks and sighed. He'd always wanted to visit one of these places..but with the way things were going..he thought he'd never get a chance. He smiled faintly and chuckled. So much for worrying about that. He leaned forward so that his chin brushed the top of the water and felt his mind slipping away. He yawned and shook his head, he didn't realize that he was this tired.
"Al?" Came a soft question.
"Hmm?"
"What are we gonna do?"
"'Bout what?"
"About when we really do have to leave, we act like we're not going to have to go anywhere..but even if I do resign..they're going to keep me on call for another year or so." A sobering thought. Alphonse raised his head and looked across at Edward.
"I...I hadn't really thought about it. If the Military does need you back..would you go?"
"Would they give me a choice?"
"Edward...then what are we doing? If there's a chance, any chance at all, that you're going to be called away again...why are we here? Why are we staying with Shiba? All that's going to do is hurt her...I'm starting to think that this was all a bad idea..."
"Do you regret it?"
"No...I just don't want to cause her any more trouble...that's all."
"I know what you mean...but it's either that..or leave her alone again..which is the lesser of the two evils?"
"Neither one..." Alphonse dunked the lower half of his face into the water and blew bubbles around his chin.
"This sucks." He muttered.

Finished with cleaning his clothes, I brought them out of the bathroom and to the screen that separated my and Ed's futons and I threw the clothes over the top neatly to dry. I sighed and looked around at the dimply lit room and moved to the table and looked at Ed's gloves that were left there. I closed my eyes half-way.. i heard them speaking, but couldn't make out the words. I decided not to listen and yawned, then a knock came to the door.
I went to it and opened it slightly.
"h-hello?"
"Hey there" Came a familiar voice.
I blushed and poked my head out.
"W-what are you doing here?" I said frantically.

((Na Gomen, Last one. 'Night))

Edward glanced down. Things...maybe things were just meant to be like this..Equivalent Exchange...he'd spent so long searching for something so small..that he'd just about shut everyone out of his life. He'd formed bonds that were ultimatly helpful in achieveing his final goal...so why not? Why shouldn't things be hard when it came to other types of realtionships? He lolled his head back and let it settle against the rocks behind him.
"Blast you Water Bug...you snowballed one big mess for us to pick through didn't you?"