Chapter 2 - Goes The Clock

Havoc slide the door to their train car shut before moving to settle himself down beside Breda. Across from the pair was Alphonse and Falman. "Alright, chief, brief us. What's the story?" Al reached into his coat pocket before whipping out a small journal and shuffling through the pages. "I found a list of all the people that had recently left Alyesnix in the last four months. Most people that leave only do so to trade out the minerals they gather from the mines before heading back. Can take some time because the people of Alyesnix don't just sell to anyone." The others nodded before waiting for the little blond to continue. "Well, I found an older man, Joseph, he informed me about certain rumors spreading around his town. Apparently someone has been abusing alchemy there." Breda cuts Al off. "Isn't alchemy forbidden in that town? I mean, they kill anyone who gets caught using it, right?" "Correct!" Alphonse smiles wide before he quickly continues on. "That's originally why Edward had been heading there in the first place. He was supposed to find out any information he could about these rumors and try to find any truth to them." He swiftly flipped a few pages in his journal. "Apparently, Joseph also said that about a month after the train wreck a stranger appeared in town as if out of no where and get this! They had tan skin, blond hair, AND gold color eyes! He even gestured to my own eyes saying, 'just like you have yourself'." He set back, realizing he had begun speaking faster in his excitement to get the others on the same page as him.

"Well, I can see why Mustang agree to this trip back to Alyesnix now. That all does come off pretty odd and the timing does keep it where if this sudden stranger to the town was Ed, then it would explain why we didn't find him. He only appeared just out of all of us actually being in or around the town." Falman cuts off Havoc now, almost excitedly himself through out his on take on this bit of information. "And since the town is so hush hush to the everyone else it explains why we couldn't get any information." Alphonse nods along before interjecting himself. "Who ever is abusing alchemy in the town had to been the cause of the train crash as well as why we were unable to find brother. They probably were informed he was coming, used alchemy to cause the crash, and they stole him away for whatever reason!" The others merely nodded along. It would sound far fetched to most likely anyone else, but for this group it honestly was more believable then Edward actually dying in the crash.

It had been a long four days, but it gave the group enough time to figure out how they were going to go about this. Firstly, Alphonse had to transmute his hair to brunette as well as wear a special pair of eye lens to make his golden eyes appear brown. The point was to simply come across as a group of travelling traders looking to set up a form of trade with the people of Alyesnix. Alphonse was a well known face, much like Edward, and the group couldn't risk getting caught with a talented alchemist, let alone scaring off the possible alchemy abuser. Even if the town was as closed off as it came across, they didn't want to take the risk. They abandoned their military garb in exchange for common clothes normally worn within this particular area.

Secondly, they had to be discrete and watch who they chose to question, be it about anyone using alchemy in town or Edward. If they spoke to the wrong person they would be as good as caught, maybe even killed. Before they reached the town, Havoc had set up a base of operation within an old inn near the center of town. Since the train wreck months back the weather had become less freezing and more tolerable, though snow still covered most of the area as it almost always did. They were far enough north that even in the warmest of weather one would still need a sturdy coat. When the small group had left the train it was late into the night. They made plans over dinner in their room to head out first thing. Breda and Falman would head to the mining areas of town and look for traders to maintain their cover, while Al and Havoc would head to the circus area of Alyesnix.

Alyesnix didn't have much outside of their mines, but it was a beautiful and large town surrounded by snowy mountains on all sides. The circus area was a place people would most often spend their free time. It looked almost like an actual circus with all the tents and buildings huddled together just outside the main part of town. A large circle like area in the center was were they would have plays and shows held a night, they even had rides. Their were more inns and a few bars scattered about as it was more the heart of the town then any other part. This was the area that Joseph had seen the person with blond hair and golden eyes, but after being in the area Alphonse realized that someone like that, though rare for this town, was not uncommon for this part of town.

There were all kinds of people, most dressed like the snow wasn't even on the ground. In dresses, shorts, some nearly naked, but covered in tattoos. People with hair colored in vibrant pastels and in the craziest styles. People so small you'd think they were children if it wasn't for the voices that were clearly those of adults. Trapeze artists flinging themselves from ropes fastened high above. You could almost say this area wasn't actually part of the town. You could clearly tell the circus folk from the towns people. Most of the people that seemed excited to entertain the crowds of people or lore them to a booth for a round of fun all wore masks or had their faces painted in beautiful or horrific ways. It was honestly amazing and certainly something Alphonse and the others had ever seen. By the time that dusk was settling over the town, little had been learn for Alphonse and Falman on their part and the pair had no choice but to call it a night and head back to the inn to regroup with the others.

x

It was the sound of Havoc's snoring that woke Alphonse. He rose with a stretch and a yawn before he swift dressed and wrote out a note for the others. Al planned to wander about and try and find someone that could help him find the person with eyes like him. He made sure his actually eyes were properly covered before quietly slipping out. Within the hour the youngest Elric found himself at the circus like part of town once again. The sun was still a ways from being fully up and a glance to his watch proved it to be just half past nine in the morning. The area was already bustling with life, but more the circus folk then anyone else. It was interesting how one could tell these people were clearly the outcast people of Alyesnix. The people moved about cleaning or setting up things as if getting ready for the day like most businesses.

As Al moved about he kept his eyes peeled, looking for anyone to fit the description the man, Joseph, had given him. Though the blond turned brunette kept getting distracted with all the activity around him and it wasn't long before he found himself tripping over a small child. With a cry and a crash, Alphonse found himself all but crushing a tiny girl. He moved off her quickly, trying to assess the damage and hopefully help her to stop her wailing cry before he drew too much attention to himself. looking her over as she sat there he realized her tears for more over the shattered glass face of the doll she must have been holding before he tripped in his lack of focus. Her tiny fingers carefully hugging the remains to her chest while also attempting to gather the pieces.

In the next moment he was scooping up the doll's bits and shushing the girl who, luckily, did just that. Curiosity brimming in teary eyes. "I'm really sorry, but I can fix her up for you no problem, if you can just give me a single moment then I promise your doll will be as good as knew. The girl starred, looking over Alphonse's face before letting a smile ripple across her face as she gave a slight nod. "Okay, but be careful. Tilla is old and doesn't like to be held by strangers, but she won't mind if you're gonna help her feel better." Al chuckled and nodded, promising to be very careful. He set Tilla down with her other pieces before pulling out a pair of reading glasses from his overcoat. Without a second thought, Alphonse clapped his hands and transmuted the doll back to it's original self. The light bright and pulling all the attention of those around to stare before the next moment when beads where falling around him and the girl that burst into colorful clouds of smoke.

A hand shot through the pink and purple clouds gripping at the back of Al's jacket and jerking him onto his feet. The next second he was being pulled, swiftly, through the crowds to a back alley where the unknown savior slammed the youngest Elric against a wall face first. "You REALLY are stupid, aren't ya?" The voice was muffled, probably covered, but Al had no clue even as he tried to peek over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of the person who covered his mistake. The stranger simply shoved him further into the wall before releasing him and stepping back. "Risking death over a child's doll? All because you got lost sight seeing. Really.." The voice came off sarcastic, yet amused at the same time.

The second he could, Al turned to face the other. The stranger was.. a girl, about his height if not less. She wore a soft blue dress that stopped about the mid calf to show off black Victorian style heel button spat ankle boots and wool black stockings. An over sized open black sweater draped over her like the biting cold meant little to nothing to the girl, though she had her face covered in a scarf that only opened enough for anyone looking to see her smirking back at them. Her arms snapped over her chest a moment after to cross them as Al realized he hadn't answered her in any fashion while he ogled her. Her boot tapped the cobble ground as a sign her patience with him was wearing thin. The next moment Alphonse was bending over in a somewhat bow. "Forgive me for starring and causing such trouble. I lost myself when I heard that girl crying and I had only thought about fixing my mistake and nothing else." As he straightened so did the girl, as if his answer seemed to please her. "Such manners, how rare, you truly MUST be a stranger, perhaps part of that little group that came in on the train?"

Alphonse blinked in surprise which caused the girl to chuckle before she moved to pull her scarf down to its proper place about her neck and shoulders. "I saw you arrive on my way to help mamma." The youngest Elric's mouth would have hit the cobblestone at his feet if it were possible. "EDWARD!?"