Chapter 16: A Midnight Retreat
Mason placed a cold automail hand on her shoulder, "You can tell us anything, Charlotte." Alphonse nodded. "That's what we're here for. " Her forlorn form sat up a small bit as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, this was the first time her right eye had ever been visible. The fair-haired girl smiled and exhaled heavily. "Thanks guys." Mason leaned back in his chair, proud that he could be so understanding to a girl whom he had saved. There went his ego. Mason offered charlotte a set of cards, which she declined. She instead left the apartment and returned to her own, hoping Winry would return soon. And she was right, they would. Edward and Winry were walking back to the hall that held their occupied apartments, and it just so happened that charlotte was doing the same. They came to a halt once they met, charlotte scanning their bodies in the awkward silence. Edward had ahold of Winry's hand, just as he would hold her's when something went wrong. Edward released her wrist, he wasn't angry like before, instead he looked almost happy to be around her. Edward simply alisema "Hi" as he swept kwa charlotte to return to his room, Winry alisema nothing, but she scowled at her and entered her own room. charlotte was alone in the hall once more.
"There wewe are." alisema Alphonse as Edward entered the room and removed his coat. "I told wewe guys Winry wanted me to take a walk with her." Mason shook his head in disgust. "How dense can wewe be Ed?" His face quickly turned from a confused scowl to a full out idiotic smirk. "Whaddya mean kwa that?" The words were spoken in a long drawl, he honestly had no idea what he meant. Mason sat, lock jawed, and lied down his cards calmly without taking his disapproving eyes off Edward. "I-I-I think it's time for kitanda guys!" alisema Alphonse in a shaky voice as he waved his hands, trying to prevent a fight. "yea....." Edward alisema as he rose from the meza, jedwali in confusion. Mason took off toward his room that was farthest from the kitchen, Edward returned to his that was directly across from the kitchen. And there sat poor Al, always being the mediator.
It was impossible to sleep, rolling over, kicking off covers, pulling them back on, rolling over again, flipping pillows.... Damn it was hard to get any sort of rest, mainly because she was antsy, antsy about everything. About telling the boys how she had felt toward Edward, then having her moyo corroded kwa the sight of him and Winry together, it made her sick. The apartment had consisted of three bedrooms, Winry was sleeping in the one closest to the kitchen, while charlotte tossed and turned in the room closer to the door. She decided to make her escape.
"Honestly, how fucking dense is he?!" Mason growled under his breath all the way to his room. He didn't even bother to shut off the bedroom light, he wasn't going to sleep anyway. He just sat at the small meza, jedwali in the corner of the room with his door closed, examining his automail. "Damn thing's rusting. Must be all the rain we've been getting." He clapped his hands together and placed one over his arm, drawing electricity from the room as the light surged. He was still pissed off, though simmering down quickly, he wasn't one to hold a grudge. He attempted to get some sleep, resting his head in the bend of his elbow at the table, but to no avail. Mason decided it was good for him to clear his head. He wandered through the moonlit house, trying to be as quiet as the creaking floors would allow him, sneaking out the door.
Mason had retch the roof of HQ, after stumbling around in the darkness of the corridors he had finally found the top, where he intended to think some things over in the crisp autumn air. Though it seemed like somebody had already beat him there. The small form was leaning on the edge, it's body outlined kwa the light of the moon. "Who are you? onyesha yourself!" Mason withdrew his kantana and readied himself for battle. The figure turned to face him. "Oh, hujambo Mason...." He recognized that voice, though it was small and hollow. Mason let down his guard and put away his sword, following the shriveled voice to the guard rail of the rooftop. "What are wewe doing up here?" alisema her shaky voice as she sniffled and cleared her eyes of tears. "A better swali is; what are wewe crying about?" She convulsed as a cool breeze blew though the rooftops. "Remember, wewe can tell me anything." He grabbed her hands that were rubbing her eyes, looking over her features. Her tear-stained face was illuminated kwa the moonlight, lighting up every stream of tears as she continued to cry, she must have been for a while, since her eyes were bloodshot horribly. Even the collar, alama of her pajama shati was soaked with tears. "What's wrong? Are wewe hurt?" He asked softly as tears streamed down her cheeks. She swallowed hard. "Not ph-ph-physically." She did one of those jerking motions with her head that occur after wewe have cried long and hard. In that instance, he knew exactly what she was so upset about. "It's Edward isn't it?" He asked calmly as her eyes overflowed with tears. He took it as a "yes". "He's just being a jerk right now, its what he does. When he see's what he's missing..." He wiped a tear away from her cheek with his thumb. "He'll come around." Her eyes became glassy again and he pulled her into his chest, surprising her. "Why can't he s-se-see me like wewe do?" She gasped inaudibly into his chest. He just felt soothing and warm against her moist skin, she could just stay there forever. Mason sat her down safely and covered her shaking form in his jacket, he was now only wearing a wife-beater and sweats. "N-n-n-no. wewe h-have it-t." Mason shook his head and removed the Katana from his jacket, placing it inayofuata to him. The two sat in silence, save for the few sniffles and whimpers from the melancholy blonde, it was like a haunting melody emitting from her. He had never felt so terrible for somebody like he did for her.
After a while, her crying dissolved away and left the pair in a strange spot. Mason pulled out his watch, '1:56' it read. "You were out here crying for over two hours?" Instead of an answer, she came back with another question. "Can I tell wewe something? Something I haven't even told Edward?" Her voice was still slightly warped from the never-ending bawling. "Thats what I'm here for." She never looked at him, she was too ashamed to, after having him save her once again. "You won't laugh? You'll believe me?" He scooted over to her huddled form and leaned his head back against the railing of the roof. "I swear." Her long hair covered her face that was still wet with tears, but she opened up to him anyway. "I had a past life," She spoke slowly. ".....and I was....killed." Mason's curiosity was piqued as he glanced over to her. "How do wewe know? I thought wewe had amnesia." She shook her head, hair moving with the rhythm of her head shaking. "I have recurring dreams about the siku of my death. I've died twice." She peeled back right sleeve of the koti, jacket and revealed her Ourousbourous marking. "The sekunde time, I got this I don't know what it is." He furrowed his brow and grabbed her hand to get a closer look "That's the mark of the homunculus, it means you're an artificial human." He held her poor shaking hand, folding his beneath her's sideways so he could still see the marking. "See, your body is just a vessel, it's your soul that's bound to it. Like Al and his armor." She nodded and didn't tear her hand from his, she allowed it to to linger there in peace. "The three people who came after wewe have the same marking." "So, I'm one of them?" She tucked the shorter of her hair behind her ears. He tucked the other piece for her, revealing that her eyes had changed from bight green, to a cloudy baby blue. "You don't have to be." Now it was tine to explain the bizarre part of her past. "And I was shot here." She pointed to the mduara, duara in the center of her chest, pulling down her tee to reveal it. Mason's face turned a shade of pink. "That's why the homunculi were after me, i had a philosopher's stone there." She released the collar, alama as it bounced back up to her neck. "It dissolved into my system apparently." He looked to her with concerned eyes as she bowed her head. "And I was murdered kwa my boyfriend, I always seem to do things wrong...." Here came water works again. He put his arm around her and pulled her in again. She was now huddled against his chest, feeling it rise and fall with every breath he took. "And the strange thing was...." He held her hand tighter and leaned his head on hers. "He looked just like you....."
Mason placed a cold automail hand on her shoulder, "You can tell us anything, Charlotte." Alphonse nodded. "That's what we're here for. " Her forlorn form sat up a small bit as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, this was the first time her right eye had ever been visible. The fair-haired girl smiled and exhaled heavily. "Thanks guys." Mason leaned back in his chair, proud that he could be so understanding to a girl whom he had saved. There went his ego. Mason offered charlotte a set of cards, which she declined. She instead left the apartment and returned to her own, hoping Winry would return soon. And she was right, they would. Edward and Winry were walking back to the hall that held their occupied apartments, and it just so happened that charlotte was doing the same. They came to a halt once they met, charlotte scanning their bodies in the awkward silence. Edward had ahold of Winry's hand, just as he would hold her's when something went wrong. Edward released her wrist, he wasn't angry like before, instead he looked almost happy to be around her. Edward simply alisema "Hi" as he swept kwa charlotte to return to his room, Winry alisema nothing, but she scowled at her and entered her own room. charlotte was alone in the hall once more.
"There wewe are." alisema Alphonse as Edward entered the room and removed his coat. "I told wewe guys Winry wanted me to take a walk with her." Mason shook his head in disgust. "How dense can wewe be Ed?" His face quickly turned from a confused scowl to a full out idiotic smirk. "Whaddya mean kwa that?" The words were spoken in a long drawl, he honestly had no idea what he meant. Mason sat, lock jawed, and lied down his cards calmly without taking his disapproving eyes off Edward. "I-I-I think it's time for kitanda guys!" alisema Alphonse in a shaky voice as he waved his hands, trying to prevent a fight. "yea....." Edward alisema as he rose from the meza, jedwali in confusion. Mason took off toward his room that was farthest from the kitchen, Edward returned to his that was directly across from the kitchen. And there sat poor Al, always being the mediator.
It was impossible to sleep, rolling over, kicking off covers, pulling them back on, rolling over again, flipping pillows.... Damn it was hard to get any sort of rest, mainly because she was antsy, antsy about everything. About telling the boys how she had felt toward Edward, then having her moyo corroded kwa the sight of him and Winry together, it made her sick. The apartment had consisted of three bedrooms, Winry was sleeping in the one closest to the kitchen, while charlotte tossed and turned in the room closer to the door. She decided to make her escape.
"Honestly, how fucking dense is he?!" Mason growled under his breath all the way to his room. He didn't even bother to shut off the bedroom light, he wasn't going to sleep anyway. He just sat at the small meza, jedwali in the corner of the room with his door closed, examining his automail. "Damn thing's rusting. Must be all the rain we've been getting." He clapped his hands together and placed one over his arm, drawing electricity from the room as the light surged. He was still pissed off, though simmering down quickly, he wasn't one to hold a grudge. He attempted to get some sleep, resting his head in the bend of his elbow at the table, but to no avail. Mason decided it was good for him to clear his head. He wandered through the moonlit house, trying to be as quiet as the creaking floors would allow him, sneaking out the door.
Mason had retch the roof of HQ, after stumbling around in the darkness of the corridors he had finally found the top, where he intended to think some things over in the crisp autumn air. Though it seemed like somebody had already beat him there. The small form was leaning on the edge, it's body outlined kwa the light of the moon. "Who are you? onyesha yourself!" Mason withdrew his kantana and readied himself for battle. The figure turned to face him. "Oh, hujambo Mason...." He recognized that voice, though it was small and hollow. Mason let down his guard and put away his sword, following the shriveled voice to the guard rail of the rooftop. "What are wewe doing up here?" alisema her shaky voice as she sniffled and cleared her eyes of tears. "A better swali is; what are wewe crying about?" She convulsed as a cool breeze blew though the rooftops. "Remember, wewe can tell me anything." He grabbed her hands that were rubbing her eyes, looking over her features. Her tear-stained face was illuminated kwa the moonlight, lighting up every stream of tears as she continued to cry, she must have been for a while, since her eyes were bloodshot horribly. Even the collar, alama of her pajama shati was soaked with tears. "What's wrong? Are wewe hurt?" He asked softly as tears streamed down her cheeks. She swallowed hard. "Not ph-ph-physically." She did one of those jerking motions with her head that occur after wewe have cried long and hard. In that instance, he knew exactly what she was so upset about. "It's Edward isn't it?" He asked calmly as her eyes overflowed with tears. He took it as a "yes". "He's just being a jerk right now, its what he does. When he see's what he's missing..." He wiped a tear away from her cheek with his thumb. "He'll come around." Her eyes became glassy again and he pulled her into his chest, surprising her. "Why can't he s-se-see me like wewe do?" She gasped inaudibly into his chest. He just felt soothing and warm against her moist skin, she could just stay there forever. Mason sat her down safely and covered her shaking form in his jacket, he was now only wearing a wife-beater and sweats. "N-n-n-no. wewe h-have it-t." Mason shook his head and removed the Katana from his jacket, placing it inayofuata to him. The two sat in silence, save for the few sniffles and whimpers from the melancholy blonde, it was like a haunting melody emitting from her. He had never felt so terrible for somebody like he did for her.
After a while, her crying dissolved away and left the pair in a strange spot. Mason pulled out his watch, '1:56' it read. "You were out here crying for over two hours?" Instead of an answer, she came back with another question. "Can I tell wewe something? Something I haven't even told Edward?" Her voice was still slightly warped from the never-ending bawling. "Thats what I'm here for." She never looked at him, she was too ashamed to, after having him save her once again. "You won't laugh? You'll believe me?" He scooted over to her huddled form and leaned his head back against the railing of the roof. "I swear." Her long hair covered her face that was still wet with tears, but she opened up to him anyway. "I had a past life," She spoke slowly. ".....and I was....killed." Mason's curiosity was piqued as he glanced over to her. "How do wewe know? I thought wewe had amnesia." She shook her head, hair moving with the rhythm of her head shaking. "I have recurring dreams about the siku of my death. I've died twice." She peeled back right sleeve of the koti, jacket and revealed her Ourousbourous marking. "The sekunde time, I got this I don't know what it is." He furrowed his brow and grabbed her hand to get a closer look "That's the mark of the homunculus, it means you're an artificial human." He held her poor shaking hand, folding his beneath her's sideways so he could still see the marking. "See, your body is just a vessel, it's your soul that's bound to it. Like Al and his armor." She nodded and didn't tear her hand from his, she allowed it to to linger there in peace. "The three people who came after wewe have the same marking." "So, I'm one of them?" She tucked the shorter of her hair behind her ears. He tucked the other piece for her, revealing that her eyes had changed from bight green, to a cloudy baby blue. "You don't have to be." Now it was tine to explain the bizarre part of her past. "And I was shot here." She pointed to the mduara, duara in the center of her chest, pulling down her tee to reveal it. Mason's face turned a shade of pink. "That's why the homunculi were after me, i had a philosopher's stone there." She released the collar, alama as it bounced back up to her neck. "It dissolved into my system apparently." He looked to her with concerned eyes as she bowed her head. "And I was murdered kwa my boyfriend, I always seem to do things wrong...." Here came water works again. He put his arm around her and pulled her in again. She was now huddled against his chest, feeling it rise and fall with every breath he took. "And the strange thing was...." He held her hand tighter and leaned his head on hers. "He looked just like you....."