Disclaimer: I do not own any Full Metal Alchemist characters. Rei and Kai are mine.
The eyes of blue he saw, so crisp and clean, slowly turned to onyx. The soft black of the hair hardened. His angel, in all her glory… the one he liked to think about, became his enemy. He fell asleep, dreaming of Rei, she was the light in his dark dream. His dream lightened, softened, and a more familiar face replaced Rei's distinctive features. The eyes of this character, a beady onyx, glistening on the pale face. The hair of this person, a deep black, so short.
Alphonse shook Edward awake. Ed was shaking, and covered in cold sweat he thought was from his nightmare. "Brother, what's wrong?"
Edward looked up at his brother, barely managing to form the words he stammered. "R-Roy… Mustang." Ed couldn't understand what this dream meant. If he had been dreaming of the person he-- It had gone terribly wrong. Why was he thinking of that bastard Colonel now? Was he actually dreading going back to headquarters? Or was it something about that smile… that laugh… Did he really miss the Colonel?
Ed convinced Al they had time, so they wandered the streets of Central for a while. Ed felt sick, I'm sick because of that nightmare, he mused. Ed tried to shake his dream from his mind, but he couldn't get rid of the image of Roy's smiling face, the twinkle of his eyes in the light. The pristine uniform clashing against his carefree features. Back up. What's wrong with me?
Ed consulted his pocket watch. The pocket watch Roy had given him. Again that flash of the smile… It was a quarter to 12. "Al, what time to we have to be back?" Ed wasn't sure of anything anymore. He knew his brother was though.
"We have to be there at 12." Al could remember anything. Ed was sure Al was right… but that meant…
"Al, we have fifteen minutes to get across town!" Ed screamed urgently. They really shouldn't be late again. Ed felt the cold air rushing by as he sprinted the long way. The wind, as it came, was like icy knives that cut his skin. The wind pulled the air from his lungs as if it was magnetized, and left Ed gasping for air. Ed wondered why he ran so fast. Was he really worried about pleasing Roy Mustang? Did he really want to see the strong, powerful Colonel that badly? The Brothers Elric burst into Colonel Mustang's office at exactly 12 o'clock, panting for air.
When Ed entered the office, he stopped dead in his tracks. In front of him, sitting talking to Roy, Ed saw the familiar angle of soft black hair; he saw the same strange bag. The same shape, curves, scent… "Oh, Full Metal, come in! Come in! Have you met Reichel and Meikaiel Volana?" Roy's smile was as manic as ever. His eyes lingered on Edward for a moment. Eyeing him… hopefully?
Rei and Kai turned around in their seats, no doubt expecting some fabulous (tall) state alchemist. Meikaiel looked slightly annoyed. "Oh, it's you pipsqueak!" Kai turned back to the Colonel, ignoring Ed completely. Al had to restrain the cursing Ed from attacking Kai.
"Hi Edward!" Rei smiled at him. One of her smiles... then, turning back to the Colonel, "We've already met, Colonel Mustang. Now what is it that you called us here for?" Ed had that feeling again, staring at Rei. Staring into the void of her eyes… Behind her he could see Roy's expression, and once again Ed saw the picture of Roy in the dream. Once again he wondered whether he really loved this office because of what it stood for, or because of its inhabitant?
What's going on with me? This feeling... so cold... Ed thought he was simply frightened by the dream, but he knew it was more than that. The way Mustang looked at him... Ed could see he would punish him for something... Ed wondered how harsh the punishment would be. He had known Roy to punish him in more ways than just making him to grunt work. He wondered if it would be settled now, or later, when it was just them… He imagined all he could imagine. He imagined everything the Colonel could do to him. His lips quivered, and slowly turned up into a smile as he imagined…
Roy smiled once again, his beady eyes narrowed maliciously. He's up to something... Ed thought, but his imagination was interrupted by the Colonel, who began to speak. "I have called the four of you together to go check on something for us. It is very important and this job can not be taken lightly. Can you handle it Full Metal?" He seemed to sneer at Ed when he said this last bit. The sneer was not meant to be rude, Ed realized. It was to mask what he wanted to say, it was to mask something more…
"We're supposed to go with THEM?" Ed burst out. He couldn't, he wouldn't go with Rei and... Kai. "We don't need them, we've done plenty on our own!" Rei looked at him darkly. Ed looked up at the Colonel. You know I've done more. So much more…
"So you don't need us?" Rei asked coldly, indignantly. Any traces of her smile had vanished from her face, her stare icy. "We can do it alone too. But we don't need to make a point of it. Just because you're a little short-tempered doesn't mean you don't need help." Ed' eyes flashed violently, with anger and with hurt. He started cursing her use of the word short, silently admitting that he hadn't meant to upset anyone. Except maybe Kai...
Roy politely asked Rei and Kai to leave the room for a moment. They stalked away swiftly, they couldn't wait to leave. When Roy spoke again, it was in an angry whisper. "Now listen here Full Metal. You've just upset an extremely talented State Alchemist, and more importantly, me. You'll do as I say and you'll keep your comments to yourself. Think of this as payment for that time on the street... You remember..." Ed did remember. The time he'd tried to get Roy's attention by screaming 'Dad!' and walking up to him. "I'm only putting you with them because you could learn some humility, maybe even some obedience. And," he added, the glee not hiding in his voice, "I'm sure that your hot-headedness and Kai's easily-annoyed temperament will clash perfectly!!" He went back behind his desk and called Rei and Kai back in. In the moments between their 'chat' with Roy and when Rei and Kai entered the room, he vaguely recalled the feeling when he'd first seen Rei, the fluttering in his stomach, and felt the exact same way, staring at the Colonel. He remembered the last time the Colonel and him had seen each other, and remembering all the details… Ed let his mind wander, let his eyes wander, lingering maybe a second too long on the Colonel.
When Rei and Kai had been seated, Roy began explaining their task. Ed listened to his voice drone on, he seemed tired. Tired of what though? His duties as an alchemist? Or one of his other 'activities'? "You four need to travel to Xenotime. There has been many disturbances in the area around the lab, and due to the strange circumstances we expect homunculi involvement. The Tringam brothers will meet you there and will assist you any way you need. You will need to take the first train."
"Strange circumstances?" Rei and Al asked at the exact same time, their voices mingled... perfect harmony. "What do you mean?" Ed's attention was snapped away from his thoughts, and focused on the matter at hand. Ed and Kai looked around quizzically.
"You'll see when you get there..."
