Today's Menu, 1000 Dishes

Beta Read by: Kalliel

Word Count: 227

--

Long after the Elrics and quite a few military persona leave the remains of Laboratory 5 and return home-- or, in Edward's case, to the hospital-- Maria Ross goes up to the Elrics' room. The papers Marcoh wrote have not been touched, still strewn across the table with shameless haste and general disarray.

She begins straightening up the room, not because she wants to spy on their research—no, of course not-- but because she's considers herself a pragmatic woman and she needs order and rules and regulations to be at peace.

As she stacks the papers, her eyes catch the phrase "Roast Chicken". She remembers the victorious glint in Edward's eyes when he said, "He disguised his work as a cookbook…"

As she scans the recipes, they look edible. Quite good, actually. She decides, well, it's worth a try to test them out. There's no point in leaving the papers here, because of the chance that an unauthorized visitor might wander in and see the priceless documents. The military wouldn't want these papers to fall into the naïve hands of the public, and it's Maria's duty to see that they do not. After all, they are in the possession of the Elrics and it's her duty to keep them safe.

Plus, her mother's coming over for dinner tonight. But that has nothing to do with borrowing these, you understand. Nothing whatsoever. Taking custody of the research is a wholly professional precaution. Maria tucks the papers under her arm and turns to the open door, striding smartly through the headquarters.

--

Later that night, her mother remarks on Maria's wonderful new recipe, and perhaps, the Second Lieutenant decides, life-threatening, top-secret military secrets taste quite good, if nothing else.

fin