Disclaimer: 'Full Metal Alchemist' and the song 'I'll Follow You into the Dark' is not mine.
Love of mine someday you will die
But I'll be close behind
I'll follow you into the dark
No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasp so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark
Edward suddenly hears a beautiful voice singing, it was smooth, soft, almost ethereal yet melancholic. He feels a certain tug in him that he couldn't quite explain. He wants to know whose voice it belongs to. So he decides to follow the sound leading him into one of the rooms across the hall. He leans an ear towards the door and hears the voice clearer somehow. As he was about to open the door he hears Al call him at the end of the hallway from where he came from. Al informs him that Colonel Mustang wants to talk him about some new assignment on a far wayward village. He looks frustratingly at the door with his hand hanging on the air already about to grab the handle. He shakes his head, sighs and walks off not noticing that the singing has stopped. Next time, he thinks, maybe next time he'll hear it again and know whose voice that was
When he enters Mustang's office he casually sits on the couch looking expectant and bored at the same time with Al by his side. The colonel finishes signing the papers and stacks them up in a pile in front of him. He stands up and sits on the couch opposite to where the brothers are sitting. Roy Mustang, the Fire Alchemist, purses his lips and looks at him with eyes of a raging storm as if what he is about to say is such a burden.
"You'll be going to Thebel in two days. We received reports about someone who can control the weather there, the villagers believe that person to be some kind of deity. Look into it." Edward raises his brow.
"You think it could be something like in Lior?" He asks, remembering that time when he was accused to be some kind of 'unbeliever' or along the lines of heretic.
"Yes. It can also be something different and" Mustang pauses, "big."
"I see, so anything more?" He must have sounded rushing, but he couldn't help it he's hungry, he hasn't eaten lunch yet and it's already passed noon, alchemists could die out of hunger too.
"There is. You're assigned with a new colleague in addition to your team with Al." He couldn't have heard that wrong, but to say that he was surprised is an understatement. Edward frowns.
"Is there something wrong with our work? I perfectly remember that our performance is positively well taken and our missions are successful, although there mostly are casualties but I don't see it to be much discrediting. Al and I can manage by ourselves."
"Of course everyone knows that. Don't take this negatively. The higher ups decided that you need this particular kind of assistance for this kind of mission. Personally, I wouldn't want her going with you but they see it would be very helpful." Roy uncharacteristically rakes his hair with his right hand as if exasperated.
"Her? Are you referring to Miss Hawkeye?" Al asks suddenly, his silence broken with curiosity.
"No. Not her, you're just about to meet who."
As if on cue, a knock sounds from the door with Riza Hawkeye's voice addressing her or rather their presence. She opens the door and immaculately steps inside the office with a girl in tow, her light footsteps in contrast with the officer's firm one.
Edward tilts his head sideways and sees a girl about a year younger than him, her waist-length silver hair framing her face and shoulders elegantly, the pitch blackness of her dress highlighting her pale snow white skin, and her red eyes, he notices, are gazing intently on him.
His mouth goes dry and he feels like there is a lump on his throat. There is nothing really special on how she looks at him, but her eyes pierces him, holds him captive as if he lays naked in front of her, his knowledge and alchemy stripped away from him. He clenches his fist and stiffens to stop a shiver that was about to run down his spine. It had only been a minute, but to Edward it felt like she's already seen all years of his life with just a single stare, with just a moment of locking of eyes. He tears his gaze away from her and sees that both Riza and Roy (who seems to be amused) are measuring his expression. He looks at Al and finds his brother mesmerized with the same pair of mystical bloody orbs.
"This is Alice, the Hymn Alchemist, or mostly referred as The Witch." Mustang introduces the girl and in a split second she bows her head in acknowledgement. Al jerks awake in his stupor, his body of armor rattles slightly.
"The Full Metal Alchemist Edward Elric and his little brother Alphonse Elric." The colonel motions a hand towards them.
"I know." The girl, Alice, answers softly.
"Of course, It's for formalities sake Alice." Edward remarks that Roy's voice was almost light unlike his usual tone, almost. She looks at Roy and her small pink lips curve upwards as if to resemble a smile, although it wasn't. She returns her gaze towards him and Al; however it has a different feel to it unlike earlier he realizes; now it was welcoming and warm like a tender embrace. She blinks and Edward snaps out as if he felt a connection break.
"I'm pleased to meet you. I hope to not be a burden." Alice tips down her head again and does not look up anymore. It was only then that the information sinks in.
"Wait, witch?" He mutters with confusion in his eyes, but Roy does not hear him for he was already briefing them once again. He wants to ask Roy the questions going two miles a minute on his mind, wants to tell him to repeat what he's said, but Edward doesn't and he wonders to himself what did that girl do to him to cause this sudden lapse of brain functioning. The last words he hear from the colonel was even a blur.
"Use those two days to accustom yourselves with each other."
A/N: My first FMA fanfic. Please review and if you want flame away.
I'll Follow You into the Dark is by Death Cab. To know what the voice sounds like, search for katethegreat19 at you tube and look for her fan cover. She sounds very beautiful.