Disclaimer: Characters in this fic are all SquareEnix branded. Fullmetal Alchemist was created by Hiromu Arakawa and Reno, Rude and Elena were created by Tetsuya Nomura…
And in the corner is a Moogle leading the way…
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A Note from Fenice E… I was completely bored when I decided to start this crossover fic, then it kinda found a plot… so I decided to work on it more. It helps when something gets a plot… don't you think? Oh… I gave Reno something special, since he is my special friend… With benefits…
I'm not sure how long this fic will last, chapter-wise. I hope it has a formidable conclusion that I can be pleased with. I've mapped out bits and pieces of the plot in my head. And I know that if I decide to write it down before I add them into this, I'll lose what I want to do. Hooray for spontaneity!
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Those who Fight Further
"All the bloodred carpets before me, behold this fair creation of God!" – Nightwish, Planet Hell--
The morning sun shone bright on Central's Military branch, precariously located in the center of the city. Colonel Roy Mustang couldn't be happier as he sat at his desk, feet propped onto the nice hardwood top. He yawned loudly, causing the First and 2nd Lieutenants to glance his way. Yup. Today was going to be a good day. And then he had to show up.
The door slammed open, causing Roy to fall out of his seat onto the floor. A tall, powerfully built man with a large golden moustache and a single golden curl of hair upon his forehead entered the room and searched around for Roy. "Colonel, are you here?"
"It would be nice if you could warn me before you arrive, Major Armstrong," the Colonel mumbled as he lifted himself from the floor. Armstrong looked at Roy, puzzled.
"Did you drop your pen?"
"… Yes."
"… But it's right on your desk…"
"… I see that now…"
"…"
"Is there anything else?" Roy asked impatiently, "For I have much to do and little time to do it." The First and Second Lieutenants rolled their eyes.
"I have a message from the Fuhrer," Armstrong replied as he cleared his throat. He walked over to the Colonel's desk and set down an envelope with the Fuhrer's seal.
"Thank you; you are dismissed."
"Sir." Armstrong said curtly and walked out, closing the door behind him. The First Lieutenant walked over to Roy's desk.
"Hn, that's interesting."
"What is it, sir?"
"Apparently we're to be having three transfers, Lieutenant Hawkeye. There'd been a mishap at a country east of us and only these three militants survived."
"Only three?" the Second Lieutenant muttered as he chewed on his cigarette. "Sounds like they're trying to dump troublemakers on you, Colonel."
"It seems so…"
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"We've been walking for hours! When are we getting to this "Central" place!"
"We've only a few more miles to go, Elena, so stop whining."
"…"
Elena huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. " … Why did this have to happen?"
"I don't know, now shut up."
"…"
"Poor Tseng… I can't believe that… who was he again?"
"He called himself… Scar?"
"Scar… yeah, he was going on and on about how Alchemy is the devil's handiwork…"
"We're not Alchemists…"
"You two aren't… I… may have a problem."
"Hey Reno…"
"What!" he snapped as he looked at her.
"Umm, look out for that pole."
-thud!-
"Who put that there!"
"…"
Reno rubbed the spot on his forehead where the pole hit and adjusted his sunglasses.
"Anyways," Elena began, "Who's to know you had "special treatment" after they found you?"
"Right."
Reno looked around, "So yeah, don't mention it." He looked up towards the sky; but was met only with giant buildings. "So, what time is it? Rude?"
"11:30."
"Close to noon. Let's go get smashed."
"Wait," Elena spoke, "What about Central?"
"Bah!" Reno scoffed. "They can wait! I've been sober for hours now, let's go!" And off he ran towards the nearest bar and inn. Rude and Elena sighed and followed.
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"Here's to our fallen comrades, Boss, Tseng and all," Reno replied softly as he raised his glass and down his alcohol in one shot.
"Hear, hear… Elena… do you want to say something about them?" Rude looked over at the youngest comrade who was stirring her White Russian with her straw; barely touching the drink.
"You okay, 'Lena?" Reno leaned over towards her. "There's nothing we can do, 'Lena. They're gone and we survived. That's why we're having a drink in their name."
"That man is a monster…" Elena sniffed. Her brown eyes turned fiery. "He'll pay for what happened to—"
"Calm down." Rude merely replied and placed a hand on his comrade's shoulder. "Reno's right. There wasn't anything we couldn't do."
"But we can now. We'll do some intense planing when we get to Central."
Elena agreed and stood up. "I have to go to the bathroom before we leave," she said and walked away towards the restrooms. The boys looked at each other, shrugged and ordered another round.
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"Stupid boys," Elena muttered as she washed her hands in the sink. She glanced up at her reflection in the mirror and felt the tears swarm in her eyes. "Boss, Tseng… everyone… we will find a way to avenge you." She laughed darkly as she thought of Reno and Rude at the bar. "They've probably ordered another round for themselves. Idiots."
"You shouldn't say stuff like that about your superiors."
Elena looked off to her left as she spied an equally tall woman enter the bathroom. Her straw-blonde hair was pinned up with a banana clip, showing her amber-brown eyes. She wore a military uniform, not unlike all the men Elena saw as they headed inside the bar. She was speechless for a minute. "You heard my mutterings from out there?"
"I didn't mean to." The woman looked at Elena skeptically. "You're new here, aren't you?"
"Yes. My name's Elena Whitlefe and my comrades and I are heading to Central…" The woman smiled.
"Well, you're in luck."
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"You know," Reno began while nursing his fourth drink, "Elena seems to be taking it the worst."
"Mm well, next to you," Rude grunted. "She's taking too long. We need to head out now."
"Bah, she's a woman. They always take their time gabbing in the bathrooms. Don't you watch TV?"
"Apparently you watch too much of it," Rude replied. Reno shot him a glare and downed the rest of the glass he had in his hand.
"I watch enough." Reno stretched and glanced near the restrooms to see Elena and another woman exit. "By Gods she's multiplied!" Rude, hearing Reno's exclamation turned his head to see that both women were heading their way.
"Reno! Rude! Good news!"
Reno tilted his head a bit. "You've found your long lost twin sister and are leaving me behind?"
"Even better. This is Lieutenant Hawkeye. She's here to escort us to Central!"
"Wait… how'd they know we'd be here?"
"Beats me," Rude simply said and stood up. Reno followed suit and paid the small tab, which Elena thought, was quite peculiar for Reno.
"Right. Let's go, then."
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"So what happened to get you three transferred?" First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye asked. The two men and woman sat silently. She studied them carefully. The redhead acted a lot like the leader of the three. He shifted his green eyes toward the side window. He seemed more disheveled than the other two, and not just his demeanor. Her gaze drifted over to the young woman in the center, her eyes cast downward. Riza already knew a little from when they met in the restroom. She looked like the youngest of the three, maybe 21 or 22. So young… The tall, bald man with the goatee finally muttered, "We were attacked…"
"Sorry?"
"He said we were attacked. By one person," the redhead replied. He gritted his teeth, "One person… destroyed all we've known. Our boss, our leader, our home…" he went silent and the tall man named Rude scratched the back of his head.
"He was dark-skinned with a white "x" on his forehead."
"Scar," Riza exclaimed. "And only you three survived?" The redhead named Reno glared at her, and blatantly ignored her question.
"I was this close to killing him," Reno held up his left hand, minimizing distance between his thumb and forefinger. "I…"
Riza shook her head as the train slowed. "We're here. Follow me, I'll show you to Colonel Mustang."
"Mustang? Why does that sound familiar?" Reno muttered too low for Riza to hear.
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Riza Hawkeye flung the doors open to Mustang's office and stepped in, followed by Reno, Rude and Elena. The dark-haired Colonel was sitting and talking to a boy, who stood at his full height of 5'1". He wore a red overcoat with a symbol of a snake with wings wrapped around a cross. His long, blonde hair was loosely braided. And as the door swung open, the boy turned his head towards the newcomers.
"Sir," Lieutenant Hawkeye started, "The transfers are here."
"Hn."
Reno craned his neck to see the man who would be his new employer. And his eyes darkened. His whipped his left arm and pointed at the man.
"You!" The colonel looked up from his work and his eyes widened as if seeing a ghost. He also stood and pointed his left hand at Reno.
"What are YOU doing here!" Mustang questioned. Elena looked at Reno as Riza gazed at Mustang.
"You know him?" they asked in synchronized voices. The two men turned their backs on each other and folded their arms, huffing.
"We were in the war together. I was nearly killed no thanks to him," Reno growled. He turned and tried to charge at Mustang, only to be held by Rude. "You and your stupid alchemy flames nearly fried me!" he yelled.
The boy stepped back slightly as Mustang whipped around and slammed his hands on his desk. "If you weren't in the way, you moron…" he retorted with equal anger. He stopped and sat down, taking a couple breaths. Rude kept onto Reno for good measure. "Thank you, Lieutenant Hawkeye. I'll see to them later. In the meantime, I want you and Lieutenant Havoc to show them around."
"Yes sir." She replied and walked out, Elena following. Rude picked the redhead up and slung him over his shoulder. Reno glared at Mustang and as Rude walked out the door, Reno flipped Mustang the bird. Roy held his head, feeling a migraine forming.
"Now, Edward, what were we discussing?"
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"You can set me down, Rude. I'm… feeling better now."
"Can't." Rude replied curtly. The tall blonde named Havoc looked over at the two and stopped in front of an apartment building door marked "4".
"This is where you'll be staying." Havoc unlocked the door and allowed the three entrance before him and Riza entered the small apartment. Rude dropped Reno onto the couch. Elena looked around and smiled apprehensively.
"This should do. Um, what about clothing, since somebody decided we leave immediately before we could pack?" she glared at the man on the couch as she spoke. Reno waved her off and made himself comfortable.
"Of course. I'll show you where you need to go," Riza replied and her and Elena left, leaving the boys alone. Reno looked at Havoc.
"Cable?" he asked. Havoc stammered.
"I'm not sure. I almost assume you have it."
"Booze?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Cigarettes?"
"This is my last one, sorry."
"Damnit. You suck." Reno pouted and slouched on the couch. Rude turned to Havoc and bowed curtly.
"I'm sorry about my partner. He was quite close to our boss and leader." Havoc waved it away and said, "Nah, it's okay. Well anyways, I have to get back to the Colonel. Wants me to help the younger Elric out with something."
Havoc got to the door when Reno stopped him. Havoc looked back as Reno sat straighter on the couch to talk to him.
"How far is it to Resembool?"
"A train-ride's away, why?"
Reno sank back down onto the couch. "No reason, really." Havoc shrugged and shut the door behind him. Rude sat down next to Reno.
"… You have family?"
"Well…" Reno started. He didn't know how to put it that he did, in fact, have some family in the small town; even though ever since him and Rude had known each other, Reno had never mentioned any relations whenever asked. "It's just someone I want to see, is all."
Rude lifted his sunglasses up in order to rub his eyes. "You never mentioned anything about knowing anyone in Resembool. We could've stayed to live with them."
"Yeah, I kinda wanted to break ties with them anyhow. Since they were KIA in the Ishvarlan war."
"… So he did know you. Scar." Rude muttered. Reno sat up and stared at Rude.
"I didn't do anything to the Ishvarlans. I didn't even want to be there! But they and the military dragged me there to help them. We were separated and…" Reno sighed. "Last thing I remember was seeing their bodies and then… getting in-between Roy and this crazy guy named Kimbley."
"And then you woke up in Midgar?"
"So they've told me. And I was mended." Reno sighed and stood up. Then he muttered, "I wonder if Gram knows."
"What'd you say?" Rude inquired. Reno waved his question away and headed for the door. "Where're you going?"
"To see that someone in Resembool." Reno replied and shut the door behind him. Rude sat in silence for a few seconds. He then got up, wrote a note for the girls, and followed the smaller redhead.
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"Thank you for coming shopping with me, Riza," Elena said as she unlocked the door to the apartment. Havoc had given Riza the keys earlier before they had left to go shopping.
"You're welcome, but are you sure that you should have picked clothes out for the boys as well?" Riza asked. Elena laughed and opened the door, juggling bags of clothes from "The Gap" and "Old Navy", plus a few bags from "H&M" and "Hot Topic".
"They won't mind. Reno might but I'm pretty sure that Rude won't."
"Speaking of whom, why is his name Rude?"
Elena paused for a minute in thought. "It's short for something. Reno told me once, but I can't remember. It's the same with Reno's name." Elena stepped inside and set the bags of clothes on the couch. "Hey guys, I'm back!" she called. No answer.
"They're nicknames then. I was wondering why someone would name their son after the Latin word for "Womanizer"… and Rude's fits him perfectly," Riza replied. She stepped over to the small kitchen area as Elena headed upstairs to look for her partners. A note on the table caught Riza's eye. She read it swiftly and picked up the torn piece of paper, walking to the bottom of the stairs. "Elena. I know where they are."
Elena peeked over from the railing on the second floor. "Really?"
"Rude left a note saying that he and Reno were heading for Resembool. I'll take you there," Riza replied. Elena nodded and descended the stairs. As they headed out the door, Elena let Riza walk ahead of her. She grabbed hold of the door handle and took one more look at their new temporary home.
"I wonder who they know there…"
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End Note from Fenice… I find it a lot easier to write a fic that I can make up as I go along. This is why I write with characters that don't have much of a backstory. And I like to muddle things up. Quite a lot, actually.Now watch me lose interest in this one as I have the others… Although I am working quite slowly on both of them.
If you've been reading Mitternacht, you'll notice a small pattern I've started. It's much easier to do a fan-fiction crossover when the characters are also from the same company. For instance, Devil May Cry and Biohazard Code: Veronica are both Capcom… as Fullmetal Alchemist and Final Fantasy VII are both SquareEnix. (It also helps to be an Otaku of the things you are to write about…)
I'm finding it quite easy to write this one, to be honest. I hope to get another chapter out soon.
Fenice