All right, now that I've finished my oneshot, I'm on to my next story! Like the others, this one is Parental! RoyEd towards later chapters.
This was greatly inspired by "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer". I watched the movie a week ago and for some reason it's all hazed together with Fullmetal Alchemist now. (Stupid Mountain Dew!)
Well, here's the first and not-so-great chapter! I promise the others will be better, and the end will be super fluffy! Yay fluff!
Disclaimer: I do not own FMA. If I did, there would be no expensive DVD sets out.
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It did not take a genius to know that Edward Elric was not amused.
Arms crossed impatiently across his chest, slumped in his train seat, and golden eyes crackling with the message "I really wish I weren't here" look, Ed certainly was not in the mood for being on the train to Central now. And yet here he was, and he was better than showing he didn't like it.
Across Ed's seat was a seven-foot tall, menacing looking suit of armor. The red eyes didn't leave Ed, and a small sigh managed to find its way out of the armor.
"Brother, why are we going back to Central? We have a lead on the Philosopher's Stone now. Why do we have to leave?" he asked.
"I told you, Al. I'm a dog of the military, and Mustang called me, so I have to see what he wants," Ed said impatiently, brushing his golden bangs out of his eyes. "Besides, apparently it's urgent." The words dripped like acid out of his mouth, mirroring his bad outlook on the whole thing.
"We should be there any minute," Al observed, looking at the escaping scenery out the window. He had always liked to travel on trains, to watch the world go by in a flash of green. But today Ed was being impatient, and he could understand. After all, getting called out on a mission for the military once you were close to the thing you wanted most was extremely inconvenient, to put it lightly.
"NEXT STOP, CENTRAL!" yelled the conductor on the train. Ed yawned, stretched out his arms, and jumped out of his seat.
"Come on, Al. Let's make this as quickly as possible," he growled, stamping off the train.
"Brother, wait!" Al wailed, following the impatient older brother off of the train.
Ed stopped and waited for his little brother to step off the train. His eyes softened slightly. Good old Al, always so kind and polite no matter how sticky the situation. This whole search for the Philosopher's Stone was for him. Ed had promised him his regular body, to let him feel and eat and dream again.
Of course, he was always afraid of letting Al down. He had already done a terrible thing to his little brother by bonding his soul to a suit of armor. He was in a dangerous business, though, working for the military. If he should die while on a mission…
Ed shuddered as Al caught up to him. He would not let his brother down, no matter what.
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Central was a bustling city. Unlike Ed's hometown, the quiet rural Risembool, there was always something going on. Vendors flocked the streets, and people crowded on the sidewalks, eager to get to jobs or stores on time.
Central was also home to the military's main base. Ed was less than thrilled to see the familiar place. He had so many memories…on these steps he had almost been killed by the notorious serial murderer Barry the Chopper. Here, he had fought Colonel Mustang for information on Dr. Marcoh, an alchemist who had used the incomplete form of the Philosopher's Stone to heal injuries. And that alley was where his friend, Nina, who had been turned into a chimera, was killed.
Ah, the pleasant memories of Central.
He walked down the familiar hallway, positively dreading the moment where Colonel Mustang would start bludgeoning him with the smart remarks. He tried to slow his pace, but for some reason kept getting closer to the door, until he was finally there.
Let's get this over with, he thought miserably to himself as he extended his hand and rapped on the door three times.
Lieutenant Hawkeye answered the door. She smiled pleasantly at Ed and pulled it open further to let him in. "Hello, Edward," she said in her business-like voice. "The colonel has been waiting for you. Come in."
Ed nodded at her. Hawkeye had always been kind to him, so his bad mood couldn't be blamed on her.
It was the infuriatingly soft voice that his bad mood could be blamed on. "Sit down," it said in a would-be inviting tone.
Ed took a seat on the plush, black leather couches. Colonel Mustang turned around in his chair and looked at him, his onyx eyes sparkling with the sarcastic comments.
"Well, Fullmetal, it looks like you actually decided to show up," he said tauntingly.
"Don't start with me. I don't feel like arguing right now," Ed snapped. "We had a good lead on the Philosopher's Stone and you called me on some "urgent mission". So hurry it up."
The colonel sighed and hid his eye-roll from Ed. "You're just as impatient as ever, Edward. But this really is urgent." He shifted in his seat uncomfortably. The ambiance of the room was somehow more tense than it had been just moments ago.
"There were rumors of an Ishbalan refuge forming in a place called Yock Island," he began calmly. Ed sat bolt upright.
"That's where teacher made me go. For a month!" he shouted.
"You may want to refrain from yelling, Fullmetal. Anyway, there were rumors of an Ishbalan refuge camp forming there, so the military, on a campaign to help rebuild Ishbal, is building a new city for the Ishbalans there. The settlement has only been active for a month. However, there have been three killings there. All of them had been civilians."
"It's probably some power-hungry military soldier who fought in the rebellion," Ed pointed out, the sarcasm in his voice not wavering.
"Maybe so, but there have been no eyewitness descriptions on this murderer," Mustang said. "Any answer to that one, Fullmetal?"
"No…" Ed said, but his voice trailed off. "No eyewitness descriptions…that could only be…"
"Only be what, Ed?" the colonel asked.
"No…it's nothing…" Ed said, but his voice was still slightly surreptitious. He had a theory, but it was stupid and impossible. He hoped Mustang didn't try to prod the answer out of him…it would only lead to more sarcastic comments.
Luckily, Mustang did not prod. Instead, he laced his fingers on his desk and continued. "Our mission is simple…our unit will travel to Yock Island to investigate for any suspicious killings."
"We have to go all the way to Yock Island?" Ed groaned, exasperation written on his face.
"Yes, Fullmetal, and that's an order. We're leaving tomorrow. I suggest you pack your bags and say your good-byes," Mustang said coolly.
"Who do I even have to say good-bye to?" Ed muttered.
"Well, Edward, this serial murderer on Yock Island is extremely dangerous. He killed a civilian who was presumed to have worn armor. Whatever he used…a dagger or sword…had cut through the metal. There were no burn marks on the civilian's armor, so fire must not have been used. We're still trying to figure out how he or she does it," Mustang said.
"So, Al would be put at risk there?" asked Ed slowly. He had never really gone anywhere without Al.
"That is correct. Anyway, the island is pretty much restricted to military personnel now, so he wouldn't even be allowed there," Mustang replied.
"Whatever," growled Ed. He looked as if this whole thing was a great annoyance instead of a great risk, being alone on an island with a serial murderer that could cut through metal.
That just showed how loyal he was to his brother. He was so loyal, he would be willing to go on an island in the middle of nowhere with a dangerous killer to continue looking for the Philosopher's Stone.
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Ugh. I HATE this chapter. It is soooo boring! Whatever. I just pretty much explained what was going on, so in a few chapters the action shall begin!
Just to clear things up, the military is helping to rebuild part of Ishbal because that would pretty be their next camp to set up for the Ishbalans. Sorry for any confusion on that.
Yeah, just stick with the story is you can. I promise it will get better soon. Review please and you get a virtual hug/handshake/cookie!