Chapter 13 "A Clue Named Rollo"

Disclaimer: I do not own anything involving Full Metal Alchemist.

Note: …I'm really surprised this now has over a 100 reviews, no seriously I am. From the first day I started this I imagined that it might get a couple dozen reviews, and that's when I completely finished it. But no, I was clearly off. So really, thank you all very much!

Enjoy the read!

"Kidnap me?"

Ode wasn't sure how to feel about that. Was she supposed to be afraid of him or not?

If anything, she was startled from seeing Ling's eyes for the first time. Small irises shaded a dark grey stared devilishly at her in interest. They were nowhere near close to his friendly narrowed look that would smile goofily on their own. But a subtle shine around the black rim softened his mischievous demeanor to seem like light teasing…Though, was it really light teasing?

"That's right, in case your friends are able to fend off my body guards, I'll have you. I'm sure they'll tell me about the Philosopher Stone with you around." Ling explained so casually.

His words disturbed Ode as chills rushed through her body, and bumps formed on her half bare arms. His plan was unpleasantly similar to the last kidnapping; even deeper than that, it was similar to Greed's. The kidnappings were both related to the boys; they both tried talking, to only result in violence, they both wanted a bargaining chip to use against said boys, and were both after the impossible. To become immortal.

Ode barely whispered loud enough for Ling to hear, while she shook her head discouragingly, "No, they won't."

The Xingese prince scrunched his eyebrows together, confused. "What?"

"The brothers. They won't tell you anything, if I'm with you or not." she said much louder this time, "Making trades…it…it doesn't go too well, and I don't want to hear Edward scream that loud again."

Nobody does.

Ling pulled his brows apart and raised them up, making his slanted eye-shape grow wider. "Really, he can scream louder than he did today? He must've been really mad, huh?

"Yes…he's sort of okay now, I think. Well, maybe not, he might be mad at me…" Ode admitted, as she thought more on the shorty and his constant scoldings. He certainly didn't like her much. "Anyway, the point is it failed. So, please. Don't go through with your plan. You're only wasting time…please."

Ling's crooked smirk dropped, almost like he was looking for an important clue written across her gloomy face in hidden ink, before eventually closing them. The rest of his long face turned blank, appearing to have fallen asleep on his perched arm, with his palm holding his jaw. And then…

He burst into hysterical laughter.

The Xingese prince threw his head up to the clear blue sky, his eyes returning to their smiling manner while his arms held tightly onto his stomach. His amusement overwhelmed the confused girl as she stared at him deadpan. She didn't get it; she wasn't even being funny to her knowledge.

"Why do you keep laughing at me?" She inquired solemnly, watching the foreigner opposite of her continue his fit of laughter. He attempted to stop once he heard Ode, letting out a little less noise each time he breathed.

"So—sorry, sorry! You're so serious— it's too easy! Y-you really don't know when I'm kidding with you~" Ling spritely said, finishing off his last laugh and grinning widely.

He was kidding? Why? And what about being serious? What's wrong with that?

"Is that bad?" She hesitantly pushed.

Ling caught the anxiety in her almost single toned voice, and hastily waved a hand to stop any insecurity that might bloom, "Now, now, don't take it personally. I just mean you're sincere, that's all."

"Oh." The teen girl frowned. She thought it was weird how he believed she was humourous. Apparently she was too easy as well, too easy for what? Well, he did call her sincere, so it must be good…whatever sincere meant, that is.

Suddenly a tanned skin man in a green apron approached the two, carrying a silver tray of dishes she could only assume were for Ling, to the crate-like table. He set them in the middle, uttering a gleeful phrase or two, and then left to continue with the rest of his work.

"Doesn't this look delicious?"

Curiously, cinnamon eyes drifted down to food on display. Sure enough, the Xingese prince was right. On top of the white plates were a couple pastries. There was a chocolate bit, drizzled in a frosty glaze that dripped over the edge, and was topped with a bright red strawberry. Another was a whitish-yellow cup, filled with several fruit inside, then smothered in clear syrup. Though the best by far (according to Ode) were the round orbs toppling over each other in a bowl. She could tell by the colour, they were meant to be a creamy chocolate and vanilla, but what they were exactly, she didn't know.

She watched Ling hungrily scarf down his meal, the sound of his chewing and the occasional hums of approval were all she could hear…Then it hit her.

Taken by surprise Ode glanced left to right, trying to find the blue lightning bolts dancing in the distance. Before, the teen could hear them as white noise, though now, she couldn't even hear that.

"What's wrong?" She heard Ling ask. He stopped eating and was looking at her quite puzzled with a plate and fork in both hands.

"I don't hear Edward or Alphonse," Ode said, "I don't see them, either."

Ling twisted his body half way to gaze behind him, as he too searched for a sign of alchemy. There wasn't so much as a loud clap echoing around the town; just a few murmurs of civilians, and the banging of metal against metal in nearby shops.

"Looks like they may have stopped fighting," he observed, returning back to face his nearly finished chocolate pastry.

Ode's good ear perked and she rose to her feet abruptly, pressing her hands on the edge of the table while she beamed at the prince, "Did they? It's safe to follow them?"

"Well let's just wait a moment," Ling cautioned, though it was clearly heard literally on a deaf ear. She pushed off the table and raced down the long road, rounding the corner of a tall building, and trailed after the destruction left behind.

Ling could easily free his hands of the western dining ware and catch up to her, he was fast enough, but he was struggling. He glanced down at his wonderful food, then to the spot he last saw Ode, then back to his food, then back to the spot, then back to his food, then back the spot again!

"This decision is killing me." The prince whined, crossing his arms on the crate surface and crashing his head on it, "Why did you have to do that Ode?"

-x-x-x-

The Elric's pathway of chaos and ruins was making it easy for Ode to reach them faster. She could tell it was Edward who stretched out buildings to climb up rooftops, and mangled street poles so he could jump high. And any place she found a circle with a strange design, it was definitely Alphonse causing that disaster. Oh, those boys weren't subtle in anyway, unlike the Xingese bodyguards. Despite that the teenage boys were roughly attacking them, the two dressed in midnight black showed no sign that they were fighting rough too,(except for the random spear-like knives embedded here or there.)

After traveling onward from alleyway to alleyway alone, Ode finally stumbled upon four people lurking among the shadowy rifts and debris left by the brothers. But they weren't who she was looking for.

Instead, there were three boys appearing to be around Ode's age hanging by a brick wall with several spikes extending out. Typically, she noticed they all had one or two artificial limbs attached to their torso, as she swept her eyes over them. They seemed normal at first glance, but something was off about those boys once she found the fourth figure in their group. In the center sat a younger boy leaning his back on smooth grey bricks, looking terrified.

"Enough games, Rollo!" A shaggy brunette sneered, lifting his automail leg and kicking the kid in his knee. The boy named Rollo hissed through clenched teeth as he pulled his knees close to his chest, and covered them with his arms.

"We know you did it. Just fix the wall before Mr. Avery gets back, you bastard! " the tallest boy demanded, before he too launched a kick at him.

Ode held her breath. She was enduring an edgy feeling, soaking in the shallow moves used on a defenseless boy. Whatever the boy had done, he didn't deserve to be beaten for sport.

No one does.

Edward and Alphonse would have to wait awhile as she decided to walk over with blind courage. She stopped a foot apart from a short blonde haired boy and lightly poked his mechanical shoulder until he turned.

"'The hell do you want?" He snapped, which caught the attention of the other two, including the poor kid.

Ode gave him a stunned expression by his uncouth greeting. Apparently this guy wasn't nice to anyone; however, she shrugged it off and opened her mouth, speaking coolly, " You know, what you're doing is wrong."

"Pff, what are you, a saint?" the shaggy boy retorted, "Piss off will ya? No one wants you here!"

She didn't listen. Instead Ode stepped to the side, walking past the vulgar blonde,and entering the narrow space where the boy sat. Rollo had to be no older than thirteen, judging by his child-like figure. He was a twig wrapped in an elegant dark sleeved shirt, with two rows of buttons sewn on the front, worn with matching shorts and knee-length socks. A crimson tie hung from his collar, pulling the whole wardrobe together neatly. To finish his clean appearance, his light brown hair had been combed out to give it a soft wavy touch.

"Rollo," she called, assuming the bullies were saying his name correctly, " Let's go."

The boy seemed like he was confronting a ghost. He turned his head side-to-side, inspecting Ode's appearance. Anyone could simply gaze into his eyes to know he was bewildered, and possibly, frightened. Was he scared of her?

"You're not...but...no, you're not her. Are you?" she heard him say slowly.

No, he wasn't scared, from what he said, it sounded like...he knew her.

Ode didn't get to dwindle on this matter, for a second later the guys' intervened.

"Didn't you hear him?" the short blonde growled, losing what little patient's he had left, "He said for you to piss off!" Right as he said 'off' he violently yanked on her loose clothes, throwing her backwards and causing her to fall on her bottom.

Ode managed to stop herself from landing completely on her back by smacking her hands to the ground and locking her elbows to keep steady. Her palms stung and throbbed painfully, wincing as she tried to rub the fierce pain away using her black jacket.

Once the sting had weakened, she rallied up enough strength in her legs to push off the ground, and arose. She then turned her palms upward and briefly studied the top layer of skin, instantly finding fresh scrapes swelling red. Ode sighed, "That really hurt."

"Oh, what a shame!" she heard one sarcastically reply.

Ode wasn't certain, but she thought she heard false pity in the boy's voice, and of course, she needed to make sure, "…You know, I don't think you mean that at all."

Her suspicions were spot on as the boys snorted in laughter.

"No shit! Did ya figure that out by yourself?"

Um, Yes...

"How about guessing what I mean when I say this," the shaggy boy mocked ever so 'sweetly', before pausing to clear his throat. His giddy voice then dropped, and was replaced with a nastier one. "Back the hell up, and leave us alone, dumbass."

That was a new one. Ode was called a smartass once by Dolcetto, but never a dumbass. It was a simple word—and it truly was a simple word, yet in a matter of seconds, a spark suddenly ignited deep inside. A flaming pressure burned her chest and slowly heated her skin. Her eyes narrowed on the dirtiest-looking boy of the bunch.

"I'm not dumb, or an ass. And I won't watch you call me names that I know are lies,"she said dryly, then flickering an eye to Rollo and then back to the dirty teen, "I also won't watch you blame Rollo for a mess that Edward made."

"Wait, what?" the tallest teen cried.

"There's another alchemist?" a shocked shaggy teen asked.

"Who the fuck is Edward?" the blonde snarled.

"How do you know it was this Edward guy and not him?"

"Did you see him do it?"

"For crying out loud, are you going to spit it out or what?"

This was also a new one. Never had Ode been bombarded with so many questions all at the same time. Usually it was she who was blurting out her curiosities to everyone else. She wasn't sure which one to respond to first, as their voices attacked her, and expected her to reply. Ode then widened her mouth, only to close it as another chorus of inquiries were thrown at her.

"Hang on, if you know the alchemist who did this, why didn't you stop him?"

"Hey, that's right! Why did you watch him destroy property huh?

"Did you get a kick out of it? Or maybe you were apart of that bastard's little trick?"

"Seriously? that's pathetic! You were apart of it?"

"Came back to bask in the glory, huh? I bet that's why you're here, isn't it?"

The trio of boys were no longer focused on their previous victim. They had found a new target, as each member of the small gang closed in around Ode with a hostile look.

This wasn't what I thought would happen...

Ode inched her heel's very cautiously in the other direction, hoping to get as far away as she could. That feeling of a burning fire in her chest died under the pressure of their rage filled glares, and a nervy emotion replaced it.

She jumped in surprise as the short blonde roughly snatched her arm, squeezing his metal fingers into her skin. Ode panicked; an image had flashed of an older man in uniform lunging his arms at a bleeding Ode. He gripped her arm just as tightly, while he slammed her down to the pub's hallway, his other arm outstretched for her gun...and through all her desperate thrashing, she grabbed the gun first. She pulled the trigger.

On impulse, Ode brutally swung her foot into blondie's exposed thigh, making him grunt and slacken his hold. She took her chance and wrenched her arm away, unfortunately, she didn't pull her leg back fast enough. In a counter attack, he caught her ankle and pushed her leg up, the rest of her body went crashing down. Ode let out a cry. Her shoulder blade had hit the ground first, shooting an incredible pain that left her cringing in agony.

He wouldn't get away with that. Through the pain, Ode kicked her right limb high, and viciously dug her black shoe in his stomach. The short blonde couldn't tolerate pain like Ode, and clumsily dropped her lower half to nurse his injury.

Ode needed to rely much on her right side, while she carefully propped herself up on her knees. She didn't get further than that on her own, though. The shaggy boy violently went for the back of her head, and sharply tugged on her neat bundle of hair, she yelped. Not wanting to endure anymore pain, she forced herself to follow his arm upward, clutching a hand to her head to ease the strain.

"That's enough of that,"shaggy said.

Ode ignored him and attempted to pry his hand off her by scratching her nails across it, yet to no success. He merely yanked her to the left, and released her (and released her hair from its bun too.)Her body was thrown like a rag doll to the wall, with her left shoulder hitting it hard. The next thing she knew she was dealing with an awful pain throughout her shoulder blade.

"So guys, what do you think we should do?"

"I think we should hang her, along with the brat," a recovering blonde huffed, "Give them some time to think about messing with alchemy."

"Good idea!"

The teen girl wondered what they meant, though she was about to find out. She was taken from the wall by a pair of filthy arms, and was led to several of the sharp spikes. Then those very arms lifted her off the ground to be strung up a couple feet in the air. She wasn't choking, luckily, as the spike was snug in between her shirt and jacket, with her body facing the grey bricks instead of the opposite wall. A shadow suddenly appeared beside her, hanging in the exact position as Ode, except she heard the sound of a shirt ripping when he was put on a spike.

"Have fun up there you two! Oh, and give our regards to Mr. Avery, okay?"

After that, a hum of laughter erupted and gradually disappeared, leaving the two alone in a fairly embarrassing predicament.

For a long time it was silent.

Ode would occasionally sway her feet in a circle, and sometimes try to touch the alleyway floor with the tip of her toe for entertainment. And Rollo...Rollo just hung there. There were moments where he would scratch his nose, or kick a foot to the wall, while he shoved his hand in his tiny pocket, but that was really it. He was sort of boring to have for company.

That changed; however, when a noise of cloth tearing was heard. Rollo was holding the spike above him, and was creating a larger hole in his handsome shirt, while he pushed himself downward. Finally, the last of the thread holding it together tore, and he dropped nicely to solid ground. Ode blinked.

"Why didn't you do that sooner?" she asked to the elegant boy who was dusting his sleeves off.

Rollo turned to Ode, revealing dark chocolate eyes as large as Winry's. He took a step near her, keeping his eyes on her. Though, out of nowhere, he smacked her bare leg.

"Why didn't you listen when they told you to leave?" Rollo cried angrily, speaking for the first time since Ode saw him,"What were you thinking?"

"What was I thinking?" Ode copied him gently, shifting her eyes to the wall, before responding, "I thought we would leave together. But they didn't look like they would let us do that anyway...Now that I think about it, I knew they were violent, and I'm not a good fighter-"

Another smack to her leg brought her out of her daze,"You're not a good fighter, and you still challenged them? you idiot!"

"I'm not an idiot," Ode said, but he was still going.

"Who does that? Who throws the first hit knowing they won't win? That's ridiculous, I can barely comprehend someone would be so idiotic!"

"I'm not an idiot," she said again.

"That wasn't brave, that was foolish! You could've been beaten to a pulp! Then your heroic plan would be gone, and you wouldn't have saved me! No, you didn't save me, you idiot!"

"I'm not an idiot."

"Do you know how idiotic you sounded? 'You know, I don't think you mean that at all', that wasn't helping you or me! I've never seen someone so oblivious! What is wrong with you? Are you ill? Your brave act was atrocious. Look where you are now, you're hanging like a dead man! You idiot, idiot, idiot!"

"I'm not an idiot-"

"—I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME, STOP SAYING THAT!" He bellowed, his voice amusingly cracking halfway. Realising what he did, Rollo straightened himself out. He smoothed his face, and readjusted his pretty red tie, taking a few calming breaths, and finished with a frustrated sigh.

"I'm Ode." she greeted randomly, too randomly for Rollo as he gave her a gaped look.

"Again with the idiocy," he muttered under his breath, before he dove his hand in his pocket, rummaging his fingers around. He tugged his hand out, and cased an object in his balled fist. Unraveling his grip, Ode noticed it was a piece of chalk.

"What are you doing?"she said, watching Rollo start to draw a white circle on the bricks.

"I'm getting you down from there," he explained as he kept drawing complex lines, "Bare with me for a moment. I'm not fast at drawing like other alchemists."

Indeed he was very slow. He made a lot of mistakes in his drawing, each time he'd have to use his sleeve to erase it. But after awhile Ode figured out he was done when he lightly touched the circle. It glowed a purplish-light, and soon all the spikes were pulled back into the wall. Ode was freed of her own spike, and landed to the ground with a loud clank coming from her shoes.

"That's why I didn't use alchemy to fight those vermin off. They would have stopped me before I could complete the circle," he told her, while he crossed his arms, " Those three never fight fair. I can't really blame them though."

"Why is that?"Ode stared.

A snobbish smirked curved his lips, "It's because I don't fight fair. We've had a rivalry since the first day I visited from Central."

He lives in Central? Hmm, well if he's from there then maybe that's where-

Her thought was cut off as Rollo turned his back to reveal the ripped hole on his shirt. With a wave of his hand he headed to the mouth of the alley, "Well if you'll excuse me, I'll be going back to my aunt's. Thanks for, er, well nothing."

"Wait, Rollo!"Ode called out urgently, causing him to whirl around.

"What is it?"

It was now or never. There was a reason why Rollo looked shocked by her presence earlier. She had to ask him or risk never having another chance,"Rollo. Do you know who I am?"

Rollo stared her down, clearly straining over what to say. Eventually he found the words, but even then he sounded unsure of his himself, "No, I don't."Curiously, his dark eyes flashed up and down Ode's figure, before he went on, "But you look a lot like her, and I'm a little curious as to why. Tell me, does Nora sound familiar?"

Nora?

Ode knew she never heard it before,no one's image was coming to mind, yet for some reason, it felt like she once knew. It was like a forgotten dream, or lost facts learned long ago. This mystery girl was becoming very interesting by the second.

"I think it does,"she said, though sounding as unsure as he did.

Rollo paused to think, cupping his own chin and standing there quietly for awhile, before replying, "If you happen to be in Central anytime after this week, don't hesitate to stop by my home. Perhaps we can solve this small mystery together."

His offer was insanely convenient, so much that it was a little frightening. Up until that moment, Ode wasn't searching for her past. She was content living in a present that taught her about the world at its own pace. The lost past was meaningless, she wasn't missing it. All she needed to do was look forward to gain knowledge. But then she met Rollo, and it all changed. He held the forbidden fruit in his palm, and Ode wanted to taste it. The odds were slim, but if it was possible, why not try to discover this Nora, and a potential connection between them? She had nothing to lose.

"Alright," she agreed with a nod, "Though how will I find where you live?"

Rollo fought a smile that was creeping at the edge of his mouth, "Ask around for Roland Locke." He to take steps backwards as he peered at Ode, "I'm sure someone will know."

Right as he was about to leave for good, Ode shouted to him one last thing, "Oh, Rollo? Who is Nora?"

Rollo left her with three words. "She's my sister."

-x-x-x-

"That was close," Ling grinned in relief. He claimed to speak little english to the furious mob like he did on several occasions, during his stay in Amestris. These Amestrian's weren't the smartest people he's met.

He had found Lan-Fan and Fu battling on rooftops with the brothers, after fruitlessly hunting for Ode. Even when he followed the direction she went, he still tracked where the fight was first, despite her leading with a head start. He wouldn't doubt that she likely strayed off the path, but that did annoy Ling a bit. All that sweet food he scarfed down so he could race after her was a waste. He didn't get to take his time and enjoy each bite as he wanted to.

Oh well, at least he wasn't cleaning the town like the alchemists were. And he was alright with waiting for the brothers to complete their community service. After watching the end of the fight, the prince had to admit, they had impressive skills. He would have to try to recruit them again...maybe when they aren't so mad that he sent his bodyguards after them.

For now, Ling was strolling across town being observed by his faithful servants from above. When he located the main road, in the distance he saw the very person he originally sought out. Ode was walking with her arm messaging her opposite shoulder, eyeing the road as her hair hung loose. From how she carried herself, Ling could tell she stumbled upon her own little fight, making his fox-like smile turn to a frown.

"You've been playing rough,"He noted, once he decided she was close enough. Her head retracted up, wearing a surprised look that relaxed at the sight of him, "Here I thought, you wanted to find your friends."

"Oh. Right, I forgot about that," she admitted, still gingerly rubbing her shoulder.

Ling didn't bother to ask, and harmlessly moved her massaging hand. Delicately, he touched the layer of cloth covering her skin, only to have her squirm a little. She wasn't simply punched there, she was hit by a blunt force.

"Rubbing it won't do much good," He informed. Raising his fingers off her shoulder he bent them in a gesturing motion, "Come on, we need to put ice on it. Where are you staying?"

"I'll show you,"she said, obviously baffled, but led him back to Winry's automail shop. Ling had to ponder that she probably wasn't expecting him to help her wound, but at the rate Ode was getting hurt, he may have to treat her often. He would especially have to if he intended on joining her group. And by joining her group, he meant following them around until they accept him in.

Ling was determined to gain immortality, and the best approach to retrieving it is to stick with these they liked it or not, Ling was going to stay with them until he got what he wanted.

-x-x-x-

You know I always thought that Ling would be the kind of guy to never waste a meal, unless he absolutely has no other option. So I really couldn't resist putting him in a tough situation; stuck between what he loves and what he knows will go terribly wrong if doesn't stop her. XD

And how about that Rollo character? I know he's gonna be tons of fun in future chapters!

Well once again guys, I have to say thank you very much~ And now I'm off to write Chapter 14!