Strength! The Idiot Joins the Military

A Chapter by Emunah June.

When the Elrics were out of sight on the edge of the road, I broke down and cried again. I had gotten sick 3 times and used up 2 boxes of Kleenex. "T-T-T-They're g-gonna be gone a l-l-long time, Win-Winry," I sniffled as I took another tissue. Winry sighed as she stroked the back of my head. "You're just upset cuz Ed's gone," she said, trying to joke. "No! I'm gonna m-m-miss both of th-them W-W-Winry, a-and I know you w-will t-too!" I sniffed as I blew my nose. After I excused myself from the room to get sick, I heard Winry say "Yeah sure."

When I came back, Winry was still sitting there. "Oh Koda, just admit it. You're still head over heels for Ed, I know you are!" Winry bugged the second I came in. "No! No I am not! But I think Ed has a thing for you," I said, fighting back. Winry's face got red. "What?! No way!" she argued. "Don't say 'No way' just yet Winry. I think you'ved noticed how he looks at you. I had to take him shopping for him to look at me! And besides..." I said, happy I now had something to fight back with. Winry coughed. "Ahem....well, maybe....I mean....maybe..."

So Winry liked him too, huh?

Remembering that day I had told Winry, I acted just like her. "Well, I'll get you to like him too! Then you guys can kiss--just like in the grownup movies!" I said, quoteing her. Winry blushed. "No way!"

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"Okay," Al had said when Winry whispered something into his ear. "Great!" she said, then she looked at me. "My plan is in action!" she told me. Al smiled. "I'll ask Brother if he likes you too! I promise!" he said, saluteing me. I gasped. "Winry! You told him?! It was a secret!" I cried, feeling betrayed. She shrugged. "You'll thank me when Ed says he does like you," she'd replied, draping her arm over my shoulder. I gulped. "Don't tell anyone else Al. Okay? Be a spy!" Winry instructed. "Allright. I won't even tell Brother you like him!" Al promised. I nodded. Al then cleared his throat. "How's this?: Brother, do you like Koda? Why do I want to know? It's just a question, that's all," he practiced. Winry and I clapped. "Good job!" Winry complimented.

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The next morning felt empty and quiet. Even though the Elric's had only been here for 4 days, it still felt like they were meant to be here. That morning at breakfast, I saw Sama sitting happily on the kitchen counter. Grandma was already making breakfast, mumbling something to herself. "Grandma? Um, Grandma? Would you like me to help you with that?" I asked. She looked at me. "Thank you very much Koda, but I need to think," she replied. "About what?" I asked. She smiled, then sighed. "You and Winry are very nosy young women. Well, if you must know, we're in a bit of a rut finacially, so I'm trying to think of ways to earn more money," Grandma answered as she stirred the rice in the pot. "Why don't we sell more AutoMail? I can go around town selling steel and silver. Or making repairs," I offered. "Winry offered the same thing, but the finances are my burden to bear alone. Now be a dear and go get the newspaper outside, will you?" she asked. I nodded solmenly, and walked out to the front lawn. Like always, I skim through the paper to see if I'd like to read anything. But today, I went straight to the JOBS column.

BAKER= $50.00 a week

JUNKYARD CLEANER= $70.00 a week

GAME TESTER= $75.00 a week

MILITARY BACKUP ASSISTANT= $100.00 a week

I paused. The jobs weren't too promising today. But then the $100.00 a week seemed to popping out at me. Pros: I'd get $100.00 a week! Cons: I'd hardly ever see Winry and Grandma. Worse yet, what if Al and Ed visit while I'm at work? I swallowed the lump in my throat and told myself to look up the military job. I looked below to see a small phone number with the words "ASK FOR ROY" in bold letters. Trying to be sly, I took the newspaper in and left it on the table. I ran up to my room and rushed around for a pen. If I hurried, I could write the number on my palm before Grandma read it.

Too late. Grandma was already sipping coffee and reading the paper, letting the rice simmer on the stove. Winry was sitting next to her. "So you heard about our finacial problem? Well, you and I have to do something about it!" she told me when I walked in. I nodded. "Grandma, let us sell steel and silver to the blacksmiths!" I begged, but she shook her head, giving me the same response as earlier: "The finances are my burden to bear alone." Winry puffed a sigh. "Well Grandma, let us do SOMETHING! We can repair, we can build, and we can design! Let us do something!" Winry cried, shaking the table. I nodded. "Winry's right Grandma. Let us do something, please!"

Grandma shook her head. "No, and that's final."

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That night, I snuck out of my room to locate the newspaper. When I had found it, I felt myself sweating. I couldn't get caught now.....I reached over for the paper, the sound of my heart beating wildly in my ears. When my fingers just rolled over the newspaper, I heard Winry's door open and her footsteps going into my room. I gasped.

"Koda?"

I moved quietly and swiftly, stuffing the newspaper into the pocket of my PJ pants. It didn't fit, but in the dark I prayed Winry wouldn't noticed the buldge as I covered up the rest of it with my shirt. "Koda? Is that you?" she whispered when she saw me. "Yes, it is Winry. I'm allright," I answered. She turned on the light, and I held my breath.

Immedietly, she noticed the buldge. "What are you hiding?" she asked, and I gulped. Darn, I'd been caught. I pulled the newspaper and showed it to her. "This," I said sadly. Winry took it from my hands. "You were going to look at the jobs too, weren't you?" she asked. I sighed. "I already have, and I chose one. I was trying to get the phone number," I admitted. Winry sighed. "Good! I thought it was just me! Show me which one," she asked. I rolled the newspaper out on the table and searched for the job. When I found it, I said "There!" and she looked. "Koda, no! You want to be a military dog? I know it pays pretty good, but..." she said. I swallowed hard. "Winry, I'm doing it for Grandma," I said. She was quiet. "Fine. I'll test games," she said solemnly. "Will you tell Grandma?" I asked. She shook her head. Then she smirked. "I'm doing it for Grandma," she quoted me. I smiled, and we both copied the phone numbers on our palms.

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ASK FOR ROY. I looked at the large letters I had written the next day when I woke up. The numbers had stayed in contact pretty well through the night, so I immedietly went to the phone. Grandma was up, but I heard Winry talking to her. She was distracting her. I told myself to thank her as I dialed the number. Bringing the phone to my ear, I heard the long dialtone go on for a while. Then, a squeaky voice answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello, my name is Koda. I saw the ad in the newspaper and I wanted to apply. May I talk to Roy?"

"Sure."

Things were going better than I thought. I heard some shuffling around, and then a deep voice answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Yes, um, is this Roy that I'm speaking to?"

"Yes it is. How can I help you?"

"Your ad in the paper...I'd like to appy, please."

"Allright then. I just need to ask you some questions."

The interview went on longer that I had hoped, but Winry held on for me, giving Grandma random topics to talk about. When I heard Roy sigh, I told myself Thank you Lord as he spoke one more time.

"Allrighty. There's a car I'm going to send from Central to your town. Meet it in Town's Square so we can finish our meeting in person," he said. I swallowed. "Allright. Thank you sir."

"No problem."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone and gave Winry the signal to let Grandma go. "Grandma! I need you!" I called. When Grandma came down the stairs, I was already washing my hands free of pen ink. "Yes darling, what is it?" she asked. "I'm going to take a trip out of town. I just wanted to let you know," I said. She paused. "Why, where are you going?"

I froze.

"Oh, uh, that's easy. I'm going to...go and....fix Ed's automail! Yeah, he called and asked for some assistance. He's not too far, so I wont be gone long," I lied. My mouth burned. I had never lied to Grandma before, so it hurt my chest. "Should I come with you?" she asked. I shook my head. "Grandma, you or Winry have always helped me with a repair, so I'd like to try one on my own," was my curt reply.

"Well, okay, if you think you can handle it..."

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