It had been two years since Al had gotten to stand on his own two legs. It felt so good to feel anything really, even if what he was feeling was an unbreathable hot desert between Amestris and Xing. He had finally come the conclusion that it was time to try and enhance people's lives with Alchemy rather than destroy it. However, it would be good to get a new take on things by studying Alkahestry with May.

This was his and Ed's new plan, to split up the map and try to find all the properties of Alchemy to help mankind. Although if he was honest with himself he was also excited to see all of his friends in Xing, especially May. He had developed a soft spot for the young princess and her "cat" as brother liked to call the poor panda. Traveling with him were two of the men who had broken ties with even worse people in hope of regaining their bodies as Al had. Currently they were Chimeras, the same as Nina just far more advanced. After everything that had happened to her, brother and him were determined to find a way to help others in their situation.
Finally the trio was approaching their destination. Al couldn't wait to wash all the dirt and sweat off of his face and get something to eat. For him it was hard to believe just how delicious food was now that he could eat again. It was easier to understand why brother spent so much time stuffing himself.

Al started walking up to where he would be staying with May and her clan. For a reason he couldn't put his finger on he was nervous to see May, not that he had a reason to be. Surely May wouldn't even still think of Al like she used to. She was young and those types of crushes pass quickly. She had dismissed Ed quickly enough once she saw him and knew him better. In fairness Ed could rub girls the wrong way sometimes. Al walked up to the door and knocked. Quickly it was answered by an elderly lady that in that knowing cantankerous way reminded him of Granny.

"Hello! My name is Alphonse Elric and I'm here to visit May." He almost extended a hand but remembered that wasn't a popular custom here.

"It's nice to meet you Alphonse, I've heard much about your upcoming arrival, and who are these gentlemen? I am getting an interesting sense from them." Al wondered if maybe this older woman also had knowledge of Alkahestry.

"This is Jerso and Zampano, we came to learn Alkahestry from May to see if we can't get them back into their ordinary human bodies. What are you sensing from them?"

"A feeling of imbalance, animal influence and impurity. I have no aptitude for Alkahestry, just excellent womanly instincts. My name is Yun, I have been watching May and her sisters since infancy."

"Well, it is great to meet you! I'm so glad we finally made it. Once Amestris finishes the railway this will sure be an easier trip." He said while wiping his golden brow, further smudging his dirty face.

"So much is changing, I can only hope it's for the good of all people. But we can talk more later, let me show you to your rooms so you can clean up some." She ushered them in the doorway tipping her head to the floor where she had left her shoes and expected them to do the same.

"Thank you very much Yun."

She led the men through quite a spacious dwelling. There was wood and crisp green plants that he didn't recognize everywhere. Smelling fresh cut flowers he walked on lovely floors like nothing he had seen before. The whole house had a very earthy, natural feel.

"I hope you two don't mind sharing a room I didn't have anything prepared ahead of time. I will have something by tomorrow ready for you."

"Oh it's not a problem at all, thank you for allowing us to stay here as well." Zampano gave the woman a sweet smile as he shut the paper door.

"And Alphonse this is your room, dinner will be in two hours, feel free to clean up and make yourself comfortable." She extended her arm into the room showing him the space.

"Thank you very much Yun, see you at dinner."

Al walked into his room and set his things down. After filling a basin he cleaned his filthy face, he had no idea that it had gotten just that covered in dirt. While he was washing down his arms he wondered how or if May had changed at all. Last time he saw her she was just a small spitfire full of energy and unafraid of anyone. He quickly changed his clothes and combed his hair so he was more presentable. Stepping out into the hall he recognized that he didn't have a clue where May would be, luckily right then a girl went running past him. The braided dark hair and small stature led him to believe that it was May.

"May! How are you? Where are you going in such a hurry?" She hadn't changed a bit! He watched he run off and a woman step into the hallway.

"Ayame! Stop running around like a heathen right now! You have a mess in your room to pick up before dinn-AL!" This couldn't be May...this was certainly not the little girl he had last seen in Amestris. She was a woman grown into her charms. Did he really just think that? He had yet to really be interested in any girls yet but May was stunning. Her dark hair shined against her ivory skin and complimented her almost too perfectly ruby lips. AHH her dress wasn't buttoned all the way, exposing just how well shaped she had become. "Sorry I was just coming out to reign this one in, let me finish getting dressed real quick. Ayame, you need to go pick up your room now please." May gave the young girl who looked almost exactly as she had a stern look that just cracked him up to see come from her of all people.

"But May won't that be awful heavy to pick up?" Al couldn't stop the smirk that broke through his tightened lips, the girl was sure quick witted. Clearly May was not amused at her shenanigans. As she slipped back into her room Al was trying to pull himself together after seeing May all grown up and looking like that. What was wrong with him? They were friends! Besides she was probably seeing someone who lived nearby and not wasting her time thinking about a boy she had seen in the flesh a couple of times.

"Okay, sorry to keep you waiting Al, I didn't think you would be up and about until dinner after a trip like that but I'm so glad to see you again!" At this she gave him a warm hug. When she stepped back he was blushing. Instead of 'friendly' thoughts he was focused on how amazing the crush of her chest felt on his.

"N-no it's fine really, I'm so happy that you are allowing me to be your student." He needed to pull himself together and quit sounding like the boy he was instead of the man he had grown to be. If he started stuttering and turning red every time she was near, he might as well head back now because he was certainly not going to learn anything with all of his blood flowing away from his brain.

"Well student makes you sound very young and being that you tower over me and have an extensive history in Alchemy let's go with apprentice instead." She gave him a brilliant smile, with bright white teeth.

"Sounds great to me, I'm eager to learn more about Alkahestry and hopefully be able to help people with my combined knowledge. So you think I'm tall now even out of the armor?" He said this while smiling down at her cheekily.

"Haha silly I am standing in your shadow currently, so I would say yes. I will be glad to teach you, you've always been looking out for everyone else, I hope you have learned to balance that much care into yourself as well now. Speaking of self involved pains, how is Ed?" Al noticed the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled up to him was endearing and still gave her a childlike quality. Not that she was old or anything...AH! He needed to stop thinking in tangents or she would think he was addled or not listening. After seeing what happened to Ed when he didn't listen to Winry he preferred to not find out what May would do if she thought he was spacing out.

"He's doing well, he finally let the beans spill that he has feelings for Winry. I am hoping to be a best man and an uncle in the next year. What about you? Do you have anyone special in your life now?" He couldn't believe he had just asked her that! Could he be any more obvious?

"Well one of the wives of the emperor's sister wants to align our houses together by marriage..." Clearly May was not big on this idea. "I suppose he could be nice enough but I've always wanted to pick my own husband not have one assigned to me. I haven't met him yet and negotiations haven't been finalized so there is a chance that it may fall through anyway. At least that's what I am hoping for." With this statement she gave Al the strangest look, almost expectant...no that wasn't quite it, maybe hope? "What about you, have you met anyone who is good enough for you?"

"Good enough?" Laughing Al raised an golden brow at May to continue her statement.

"Yes, good enough. There are no people that have a heart as pure as yours. I wish you could sense your life force and the pull of it on others. You are always attracting friends and there is definitely a correlation." Upon her statement Al was turning red again.

"Well you have a good heart and attract friends and I don't even need to sense yours to know that it must be incredible. You even got Scar to like you and that's really saying something, that man doesn't like his favorite food. Speaking of friends, where's Shao May?"

"She's around somewhere, she usually doesn't go too far away from wherever I go. She's even gotten a little easier to see than she used to be."

"I could definitely say the same for you-" She was looking at him with a face that said, 'I think you need to rephrase your last statement.' "Uh, no not that you've gotten large, just er...that you are far more grown up than I expected you to be. Not that you look old! Hmm maybe more womanly? Oh this is just not what I'm trying to say...you look great, beautiful..." Redness was officially covering his entire body.

"So you think I'm a beautiful woman? I think that's what I'm hearing." Al was trying to blend in with the curtains, perhaps then she wouldn't see him burning alive with embarrassment.

"Um, yeah you are...anyways I'm going to check on the guys before dinner I'll see you then!" He didn't even wait for her answer, he had made an utter fool out of himself and she was probably going to end up with some other man who older and more manly than him. A man who would know the right things to say and do and how to make her feel special. Hadn't he grown up at all in the last two years? Wasn't he always the one pushing Ed to express his feelings to Winry? Why could he give advice and not take it himself? He knocked on the door to Jerso and Zampano's room.

"Hey Al! This room is awesome there is a fountain outside the room, I feel right at home!"

"Good Jerso, then how about you sleep in it so both of us are comfortable tonight?" Zampano got a kick out of making that frog jump.

"So I just told May that she was womanly and beautiful on accident." He looked down sheepishly.

"Hey, hey! Well done Al! What'd she say to that?"

"Um, I'm actually not sure I said it then ran away...more or less."

"What!" Jerso and Zampano exclaimed in unison. "Why did you run away?" Zampano ended his question with a light punch in Al's arm.

"Well I just didn't mean to blurt it out, and I'm sure she thought me saying that was odd and not something she would be flattered hearing coming from me. I'm just her friend."

"Any girl would be lucky to be with a guy like you. You are probably one of the most genuine men I know!"

"Yea maybe, I don't even know what to say to her next time I see her. I didn't even realize I felt like this, it was like being punched in the stomach but in a good way if that's possible. I've just never had feelings one way or another for any girls except Winry when I was a kid and that didn't even count."

"Just be yourself and the worst thing that could happen is you stay friends and study Alkahestry then go home and meet another nice girl." Jerso always had a way of making everyone feel better.

"That's true, maybe I just reacted like that since she's the only girl who ever had a crush on me before I got my body back." Al knew that wasn't it and wasn't really sure why he had even said it. She was earth shatteringly alluring and there wasn't a way to downplay it. "I'm going to rest some before dinner. I'll see you guys then." Closing the door behind him he turned to look at the massive glass wall that showed a gorgeous garden with a pond full of large colorful fish. The greenery was vibrantly lit with cherry blossom blooms. He could see why Ling had wanted to be the emperor of such a place, it was calm and enchanting.

As he started to leave he saw May move in the back by one of the blossom trees. Sitting by the tree was a bench that blended in with surroundings. Really it seemed like an exaggerated root that raised just for the purpose of providing a shady place for May. She was so different than any girl he had ever known, not just her looks but her energetic personality and calming influence. Bending down to seemingly tease him she gave him a glorious display of her creamy breasts. She smiled to herself as she smelled the fragrant blossoms. Hell, how was he supposed to sit across from her at dinner and suppress the thoughts that were assaulting his common sense. Seeing her like this was making him experience feelings he had never had the chance to embrace before. Of course he had thought of how exciting having a girlfriend would be, but now he knew why. May made him want to blurt out all of the silly things he thought privately, to pull her close so he could see her smile at him with such happiness. He wanted to watch over her and make her smile like that everyday. She must have felt eyes greedily consuming her because she looked up to where he had been standing seconds before he scuttled away and to his room.