Shouts and screams echoed all around me. It was hard to see, hard to hear. People rushed around, trying hard to get nowhere. Yet in all the commotion I could see a boy crying. His hair was short and dirty, as was his clothes. He was moving farther away yet not moving at all. Wait, what was going on?
I jolted awake as the train screeched to a stop. Just outside my window was a side that read Central. This was my stop. I grabbed the bag from the rack above my seat and stepped off the train. People bustled around me, hurrying to and from the ticket station and train. I yawned heavily. Apparently I was still a little tired.
"Lieutenant Phillips!" Someone called from within the crowd. He was a tall, broad and muscular man, with only a small curl of blonde hair on his entire head. He wore a military uniform so I made my way toward the officer.
"Major Armstrong I presume?" I greeted as I neared the man.
"Lieutenant Phillips, it's a pleasure to meet you. Please come with me." He turned and led me through the crowd and out of the station. Just down the front stairs was an old, black car with the back door held open by what appeared to be the driver.
I nodded to the Major and followed him down the steps. The driver took my hand as we stopped at the last step, greeted me, and then helped me into the back seat. It seemed I'd be riding in style to the military headquarters. I only wonder what the Colonel might be like since I had been treated like royalty thus far.
It was only a ten minute ride before the car stopped at the foot of a huge white building. An infinite number of stairs made their way up to the front entrance. Just above the main doors, hanging from the roof itself, was a large tapestry with the military's emblem neatly stitched for all to see.
The stairs were empty save one military official coming to greet us. He was still too far off to see but he did look handsome so far. As he neared, I noticed the slightly shaggy dark hair that just barely covered his dark eyes. He was young still, probably not even in his thirties yet. His uniform was crisp and added to the authority atmosphere he gave off. He wasn't just handsome, he was downright gorgeous.
"Greetings Colonel Mustang, have you come to greet the new lieutenant in person?" The major asked.
I looked between the two men completely caught off guard. "Wait, he's Mustang?" I asked trying not to give away my surprise; not that it worked, however.
Major Armstrong turned towards me, arching his golden eyebrow slightly. "Yes. Lieutenant Phillips, I'm pleased to introduce you to Colonel Roy Mustang."
Mustang smiled, making me blush slightly. "Lieutenant Krystal Phillips, am I correct?"
I nodded. "Please, just call me Krystal. I'm not really into the formal thing." There was something oddly familiar about his smile. A quick vision blurred in my mind. Again with the little boy crying. How was he linked to my new boss though?
"Well Krystal, please follow me to your new office. You'll be working alongside Lieutenant Hawkeye and me." Mustang grinned a little more. Then he extended a hand out to me. "By the way, you're an alchemist, right? Do you specialize in any particular element?"
I nodded again. "Fire." For a moment he looked surprised but then the emotion vanished.
"Then I'm happy to be working with you, Krystal." He smiled before leading both the major and me up the white marble stairs.
The military base was huge from the outside. The inside was a different story. It was still pretty extravagant for the most part but the main lobby reminded me of the usual waiting rooms and offices. Mustang led us over to the elevator shaft, pressing the "up" button. It was only a matter of minutes before the metal doors opened to a small enclosed space. The three of us squeezed in and I watched as Mustang pressed another button. The doors opened again on the twenty-first floor. A long hallway stretched forward, seeming endless. Doors decorated the sides like polka dots.
"Our office is just down this way; room 2143." Mustang smiled once more.
It didn't take long to arrive. Mustang opened the door to a large workspace with only one other person inside; a woman who must have been Lieutenant Hawkeye. She smiled and greeted us each by name as we entered.
"You must be Lieutenant Phillips. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Hawkeye smiled, shaking my hand. She showed me to my new desk, which was already cluttered with paperwork. "I thought you said you had her desk cleaned up." She growled to Mustang, who merely smiled back at her sheepishly. You would think their roles must have been switched. "Well there are only a few things you have to do today but they can be done later. I'll let you get used to things around here and if you have any question, ask the colonel or me."
I smiled and nodded to her, glancing at the workload on my desk. Her definition for a few things must have been different than my own.