If life were different, Kain Fuery would have been in college

If life were different, Kain Fuery would have been in college. His last year, actually, if he had gone right after high school, as he had planned. But no. His father told him that "A degree is worthless, get a job" and that he wouldn't pay for another four years of uselessness. So, he got a job in the military as a communications operative.After all, somebody had to keep all the phones running in Eastern HQ, right? Eventually, he caught the attention of Colonel Roy Mustang, who figured that Fuery's talents could be useful in getting him to the position of Fuhrer. Thus, Master Sergeant Kain became one of the Colonel's closer subordinates.

Today was a Monday, the one day of the week when everybody was in the office because none of them had the day off. It wasn't that loud, but the sound of shuffling papers, pens writing, and the clock ticking were all getting on his nerves.

" I'm gonna take a walk." Kain said, getting up.

" But it's gonna rain." 2nd Lieutenant Heymans Breda said, looking away from the window.

" If he wants to go, let him go." Lieutenant Jean Havoc said. He reached in his desk for a cigarette, but found none. " Can you grab some cigs for me while you're out? And some flowers for my girlfriend? I have a date later."

" He's not your errand boy, you know." Roy said without looking up from his stack of papers. " Besides, Taylor would like them better if they were fresh. Get them after work." He looked up at Havoc, laughing. " Any fool would know that, even if their last girlfriend dumped them on the first date."

" It wasn't the first, it was the fourth!" Jean almost yelled as Kain grabbed his lightweight black coat from the coatrack. It was located inconveniently near the Colonel's desk opposite the door.

" Same thing." Roy said.

" Is not!" Jean retorted.

"Shut up..." Lt. Riza Hawkeye said, feeling another migraine coming on.

" This is why I hate the rain." Warrant Officer Vato Falman said. " It puts all of you on short fuses." Kain shut the door, and walked down the hall, faintly hearing Jean yell. " Wait a minute, how did you know I was going out with Taylor?"

The sky was gray and overcast. There was hardly anyone around, they were all inside because of the coming rain. He walked down the steps, the turned right. All the stores were in that direction, since thats' where the main square was. Suddenly he remembered; there were no flowers shops on the main square. His head met his palm, and he turned around and walked two steps back the way he came. Kain turned around again and kept walking. Jean could get his own flowers.

As Kain entered the store, he saw the Elric brothers exiting an alleyway on the other side of the square. Another reason for the Colonel to be in a bad mood. If only he was as easily please as the Lieutenant, then he would buy him some cigarettes too. The Master Sergeant looked at the rack full of boxes, trying to remember what brand Havoc liked. After about three minutes, he grabbed a green and white packaged one, hoping that he got it right. Kain walked up to the counter and bought the cigarterres, tossing them in his pocket as he left the store.

It was now drizzling, so Kain walked quickly down the street that led to Eastern HQ. He stopped at the mouth of an alleyway, certain that he heard a noise. It sounded like a "woof."

" Woof." The dog said again. He came out from behind a cardboard box. It's pitiful yip was almost drowned out by a roll of thunder and the sound of rain beating harder against the cobblestones and sidewalks. The dog was black with a white stomach, paws and face. It yipped again and came closer. Fuery picked it up, stroking its' wet fur.

" Okay boy," Kain said. " Let's go home." And he continued walking back to the office.

Author's notes:

Never, ever go to Eastern HQ if Jean dosn't have cigarettes. Jeez, I guess his addiction is worse than we thought. Any volunteers for helping him quit?

When I say "the lieutenant" in this story, I mean Jean, not Riza. Poor Riza, I didn't get to write about you yet. Also, Breda's rank is just a guess. If it's wrong just point it out politely, don't yell at me.

This story goes before the extra story in vol 4. of Full Metal Alchemist. All characters are property of Hiromu Arakawa. So is the city. Even the cigarettes, even though their based on the kind my Grandpa uses.