InsaneJournal

Apples in Fall [FMA, Ed & Al, G]
Title: Apples in Fall
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Rating: G
Genre: Comedy
Words: 300
Notes/Warnings: Done for 'a pint too short' @ 31_days
Summary:One of the less-glamourous missions of the Fullmetal Alchemist.
Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist copyright Hiromu Arakawa/Studio BONES and this derivative work was created without permission.


"Al, hurry up with that ladder." Ed said, perched in the branches of an apple tree.

"Yes, Brother." Al carried the spare ladder over to the tree, carefully stepping over the broken remains of the first.

Sometimes the life of the Fullmetal Alchemist was all dynamic missions against those who wanted to profit from Alchemy. But sometimes, it was a false lead for the Philosopher's Stone that ended with helping an old military widow pick her orchard before the first frost.

"This is the last tree. How many apples do we need?" Ed said, helping Al adjust the ladder. This one wasn't going to break.

"We have one more bucket." Al passed it up to him. "Are we going to be short?" He paused, slouching a bit at his choice of words -- he was embarrassed. Ed tried not to let his little brother see the twitch he had at the offending word.

"There's not many more apples here, but we'll manage." He could try to make some apples via alchemy, but they never lasted as long as ones that once were living. Plants were complicated. There were some more apples on the higher branches. "Al, does the ladder go any higher?"

"Not unless we expand it, Brother." Al answered, holding the base.

"I think I can reach them without that -- just hold the ladder." Ed balanced on the top of the ladder, then took a couple of steps onto the branches. And, when he heard the branch snap under his automail, he instinctively clapped his hands together as Al ran to catch him.

They ended up a bucket too short of apples, and some money left just in case the apple tree died from Ed transmuting the dying leaves into a landing pad.