Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. For the other one-shots I have forgotten, my deepest apologies.
"Alphonse, that man, the Fuhrer, he's a homunculus!"
Martel's last words shocked the young alchemist, leaving him dazed and surprised as he turned around to see the Fuhrer standing right behind him. In one swift movement, the black-haired man had slid his sword in between the plates of Al's armor, driving it deep into the snake-chimera's body.
"I hope that chimera didn't hurt you, Alphonse." The Fuhrer faked concern, unknowing that Al already knew what he was. "But now the fugitive chimera has been executed, and I thank you for your help." He walked away, leaving Al to fall to his knees, confused, shocked, and hurt.
Alphonse didn't want to be thanked. Martel had been murdered in his empty body, and because he didn't move, she was impaled upon the colorless blade. There was no way for her to dodge the fatal blow, and in the end, it was her blood that coated his armor, leaking through the cracks to form an endless pool of the crimson liquid around his legs.
He felt guilty.
He should have moved, ran as soon as he heard her news. Or better yet, he should have never brought her along in the first place.
Now she was dead.
He couldn't even cry at her death. Because he was armor, and a suit of armor had no face or way to express human emotions, it was only his soul that cried out for her.
When Colonel Mustang and the others had found him, stricken with grief and covered in blood, they had worried. Gently, they removed Martel's body from his shell, and covered her with a blanket on the ground.
They identified who she was, but they didn't really know her, and they didn't really care. She was just the last of the chimeras from Lab 5.
They cleaned him out as best as they could, but he was still stained, in both ways. He had a part in her death, and so his hands were stained forever. Physically speaking, some of her blood still tainted his silver and gray body.
The Military refused to bury her, instead they burned her corpse, throwing the ashes to the wind and let them fall wherever they may. In his own sadness, Alphonse erected a small mound of earth where they spread her remains, marking the spot with a rocked shaped from his alchemy. It was a small stone snake, curling protectively around the top. After surveying his work, Al stayed there a moment longer, giving Martel one last gift.
The gift of affection.
Sometime later, when there was no war threatening to destroy the world, he would bring Edward there, and they would have a proper funeral for her.
That was his promise. His promise made by his soul's shed tears.
Just so you people know, THIS IS NOT A PAIRING FANFICTION!!!!!!!!!! I merely think Alphonse was devastated by her death, and because it took place inside of his body, he feels worse. Interpret this as you will, but know I did not intend this to turn out like a sappy love one-shot. My interpretation is that Al is giving her the respect and credit Martel never got.