Hello! I don't own anything except the plot!

Edward Elric shuffled his newspaper to the next page as he tried to find a comfortable way to sit on the train's seat. In his lap he held a suitcase full of scientific research papers: parallel dimensions, time travel, other world theories, even stories about lost ancient cities that had seemed to disappear from the world all together. After getting thrown through the gate into this new world, his only goal was to somehow find a way back to his friends and family. So far it had been completely unsuccessful.

Which led to train ride 113. He had crossed all over Europe, speaking with scientist and philosophers, trying to see if their research had any promise, or if it was as futile as everyone else's. There were a few interesting ideas, but in the end, there didn't seem to be much that could get him closer to Amestris.

Edward was drawn out of his musings by a refined, but quiet voice, "Excuse me, I believe my seat is the one next to the window."

He looked up (not too far, damn it he wasn't short!) and saw a boy who looked to be fifteen or sixteen wearing a dark hooded jacket which covered most of his face and hair. The boy gave a quick grin, and with a shrug Ed nodded and moved so he could pass.

"I'm Christopher, Chris," the boy smiled, and held out his hand.

"Edward Elric," Ed shook it and moved back to his newspaper.

Chris smiled again, "Anything interesting going on?" he nodded at the paper in Ed's hand.

"Just a bunch of lunatics running around shouting about the end of the world," Ed groaned out, and finally decided the paper wasn't worth it, "You want it? I have some journals to look over."

The boy shrugged and Ed handed him the newspaper.

Both settled down for the long haul.

Allen Walker, or Christopher, as he was going by, took another quick glance at his traveling companion. The other teenager was probably around his age...well, he could only really tell from the facial structure as he was quite...short.

Allen glanced at the picture on the second page of the paper and winced. His own face was staring back, bold words underneath stating "Traitor of the Church, if found, do not engage." He winced at the words again and forced his breath calm.

The Order had decided he was better off dead. The Noah was too big of a risk, and with the power he held with his innocence there was too much at stake. There was supposed to be a trial, but Allen had known since the guards seized him and threw him into a cell that it was all a joke. He had hoped, prayed even, that someone would help him, that his friends would come down to his cell, and in the last second it would all work out.

No one came.

It was on the third day before his "trial" that he finally realized that he had to leave. A quick flick of his fingers and the lock was gone, another, and he had disappeared from the Order altogether. If the Order wasn't going to let him keep walking, he would just have to try it on his own. Again.

He had covered his scar with make- up, but had yet to dye his hair, thus the hood of the jacket that he had…found. Allen folded the paper, up making sure to hide his face, and pull out a deck of cards. Somehow, even through all of the chaos, he still had Tyki's set. He thumbed through them and started shuffling and flipping them, not even paying attention as he watched the scenery go by.

"Hey."

Allen flinched and nearly started a game of 52 card pick up, but quickly stopped his fiddling and looked over at his seat partner.

Ed was smiling at him, with a lot more teeth than strictly necessary.

"Yes?" Allen hedged glancing at the other teenager, swearing he could see flames dancing in the background.

"You wanna play cards," Ed gestured at Allen's deck.

Allen's grin soon matched Ed's.

"Only if you are ready lose," Allen gracefully laid the cards out in front of them.

"As if."

"DAMN IT"

"And that looks like another win for me," Allen chuckled and gathered up the deck to reshuffle.

Ed grumbled and threw his hand down, he had lost again, and he knew that Chris was cheating, he just had to figure out how.

"Not fair, you have to be cheating, there is no way anyone can be that lucky!" Ed growled.

"I know you aren't good at cards, you don't need to take it out on other people," Allen grinned that evil smirk that Ed knew he would have nightmares about.

"I AM GOOD AT CARDS! LET'S GO, THIS TIME I DEAL!" Ed grabbed the deck and started to shuffle, movements awkward because of his right arm, but manageable enough.

"If you insist," Allen smiled and leaned back.

"Well look at this rowdy bunch," a voice near Ed had him turn around, a man was standing in the middle of the aisle, with two other men flanking his sides.

"You got room for three more?"

Ed and Allen looked at each other.

Instantaneous shudders were felt down the back of every Black Order member and Alchemist.

"Of course," Allen smiled wide, grabbing the deck from Ed, "Place your bets, gentleman.

They would never know what hit them.

20 minutes later and the three men were down to their undergarments, as well as owing Allen and Ed all of their first and second born children.

"You-you brats! Cheats!" the man who had first talked to them was now glaring down at them, his fists clenching.

"Now, now," Allen smiled, "you just seem to have some bad luck, want to try just one more round?"

Ed bit his lips to stop himself from outright cackling.

"You, you fucking emo brat, shut the hell up," the man roared, looking absolutely terrifying(not) in his skivvies.

Ed couldn't take it, he fell forward and howled with laughter.

The man whirled around and shouted, "Shut up midget I know yo-"

*WHAM*

Allen stared in shock as Ed suddenly sprang from his seat and kneed the (much) taller man in the face.

"Who are you calling a super ultra hyper midget who is so small that even if you stepped on him he would be able to hide in the grooves of the tread of your shoe!?" Ed yelled, seemingly at the world as the man fell down, most likely concussed.

Allen was really starting to like this guy.

The two other men looked in shock at their friend, and back to Edward.

Ed looked at the two of them, "Something you want to say?"

One of the minions scowled, "Yeah, no need to duck, shorty," and quickly tried to punch Edward in the face.

The other thug came at Allen with a slow, ungraceful, unsteady vengeance. Allen quickly stepped aside and used a light punch to the solar plexus and his opponent was down.

He glanced over at Ed to see the teen grab a marker from the inside of his coat and start doodling all over the downed men's faces.

Suddenly, they both heard a commotion from the adjacent train car, and shot looks at each other. During their fight, they had apparently reached a station, and soon people would be entering the car… which had three grown men knocked out on the floor.

Allen picked up his suitcase, lifted the window open, and neatly jumped out. He patted himself, and started to walk away when he heard another thump, and saw Edward manage to quickly shut the window and catch up to him. The boy grimaced as his left foot hit the ground, but seemed to ignore it and catch up to Allen.

"So Chris, any idea where we are?"

"Nope,honestly, I was just traveling to...wander I suppose, so I don't really care, you?"

"I was supposed to meet with someone...but I think I'll wait for tomorrow's train," They both quickened their pace as they heard the yelling from behind them.

"That is probably a good idea," Allen juggled his suitcase around, and looked toward the village. A quick glance at the sky shows that the afternoon light was already starting to fade.

"Probably need to see if there is any place left to stay here," Allen nodded towards the village and began to walk towards it, Ed following his footsteps.

It wasn't hard to find a small hotel, and both boys entered.

"Excuse me, Ma'am?" Allen called out to the middle aged women who was cleaning a small table.

"Can I help you dears?" The woman looked over at the two and stowed the rag away.

"Yes, ma'am, are there any rooms available for the night, my friend and I had a mishap with our train, and have to wait for tomorrow's," Allen smiled and the woman just laughed back.

"Of course dears, happens all the time," She moved behind desk and began to shift through papers.

"It looks like we only have one room left for tonight, boys, but it does have two beds if that works for you."

Allen looked back at Ed, who just shrugged.

"Works for me," Ed stepped forward.

"All right dears, here is the key, the room is 13, just down the hall." She handed over the bill to Allen, who paid the deposit from the wallet of one of the souls they had run into on the train.

"Thank you ma'am," Allen bowed and walked towards, the room.

Edward flopped on his bed and looked around the room, it wasn't to large, but the beds fit in well enough and there was more then enough space for the both of them. He grimaced as he felt his upper leg muscles twinge. His automail had definitely seen better days but with no one there to fix it, he just had to live with it.

Ed rolled off of the bed and landed on his feet, "I'm going to explore the town, see ya."

"Bye."

In the two hours that passed Ed managed to only get into two fights and spend half an hour discussing the finer mechanic of train engines. It had gotten dark suddenly, and he was headed back to the room.

"Excuse me, young man!"

Ed looked up to see an old woman approaching him.

"Yes?"

"You wouldn't have happened to have seen my darling Mimsy have you?" the old lady seemed to be peering around his shoulder down the street.

Ed looked back over his shoulder as well, the road was completely empty, "No, sorry, I haven't seen anything or anyone lately."

"Oh good," the old woman suddenly purred out, "the less witnesses the better."

Ed quickly jumped back, in time to see the old woman's skin fall into pieces and some kind of machine emerge from the shell.

"HOLD STILL HUMAN I'M FALLEN BEHIND ON KILLS LATELY!" The machine leveled a large cannon right at Edward.

'WHAAAAAAAAAT!' Ed mentally screeched, and propelled himself down a side alley, barely missing the bullet.

"Some kind of transfigured human, human transmutation-WHOA" Ed managed to twist his steps to evade the second bullet, and he noted that where it hit suddenly broke out into a pattern of pentagrams.

"There isn't any alchemy in this world, how can it exist!" Ed dodged two more bullets, before leveling himself up on a roof. He started leaping from one building to the next, gaining distance between him and the former human.

"BRAAAT!"

Edward took a quick glance over his shoulder, and slipped as his automail foot didn't fall properly. 'Shit, SHIT' he glanced back just in time to see the incoming bullet.

And then there was white.

"I'm surprised that you decided to come out of hiding, Akuma, you should have known better," a strong determined voice rang out.

With a flash the figure in the white cloth that had saved Ed's life sprung forward and stabbed the machine. The machine screeched and then quieted, and then started to disintegrate.

The figure approached Ed, who levered himself up and took a defensive position.

"Who are you and what the hell was that?" Ed stated, holding himself up and ready to fight if necessary.

The figure quickly threw up his hands in the common gesture for surrender, "Ah..um..well..you...you're not hurt are you?" A surprisingly familiar voice rang out.

"Chris?!"