Hello everyone! For those of you that also read my Inuyasha fic on Sesshomaru and Rin I updated it as well. I had fun writing this chapter and I hope you have fun reading it. I tried to make it funny when appropriate so feel free to laugh.
Thanks for everyone who reviewed it means a lot to me!
Please continue to review!!
Kaida
"Thanks for the ride!" Al yelled as he waved frantically to the people riding in truck that slowly disappeared into the distance. "So brother will you tell me now, why we came all the way here?" Al pleaded as he eyed Edward expectantly.
"Do you remember the man I told you about that helped me get into the professor's mansion the night the gate was opened?"
"The one who let you jump from his plane?" Al asked still fuming over his brother's careless tactics.
"That's the one. I've heard rumors lately that a big time movie producer was in this town. More than likely it's my dear friend Fritz Lang or 'Mambuse' as he likes to call himself." Ed answered as they entered the bustling city.
"Do you think that he can help us close the gate?" Al asked as he scanned the crowd for anyone that looked suspicious. "Officer Hughes and Noah can't guard it forever."
"I know that Al, which is why I have to find him. I'm actually looking for Mambuse for a couple of reasons. The first is about the gate, which you have already guessed. The second is about the uranium bomb, that nut job Huskisson made in our world. You see Al 'Mambuse' showed me this book that Professor Haushofer had written a few years back in Japan that explained the concept of parallel worlds. In his book these worlds coexisted in perfect balance along side each other, both connected by an unseen force. As you and I know that book has more truth to it than these people here are ready to admit. Then during the same sitting he showed me a picture of the professor holding the uranium bomb. This is when I first found out about the Thule society's plan to use our world as a tool for conquering their own. I'm almost positive he can help us." Edward said as he stuck his hands in his pockets and kicked at a couple of loose pebbles.
"Brother when you speak of this Mambuse I can't help but notice how uncomfortable you seem to be when referring to him. Has he done something to you?"
"No he hasn't done anything other than help me Al. It's just…"
"It's what? Tell me."
"Well it's just that he looks exactly like Fuhrer King Bradley." Ed said as he watched his brother's face contort into a look of surprise.
"He's not a…a homunculus is he?" Al asked his voice seemingly rattled.
"No Al. That's the first thing that I thought too when I first saw him. I even knocked out his driver and made him show me his left eye. It only makes sense now that someone who looked like the Fuhrer would be here in this world as well. Especially since homunculi are based off of the real people used to create them."
"That makes sense. Now where exactly are we to look for Mambuse?" Al asked scanning the town.
"For starters the local theater would be a good idea." Ed replied as walked up to a little boy crouched down playing with his toy in the middle of the sidewalk.
"Hello there I was wondering if you could tell me where the theater is?" Ed asked as the child looked up from his toy car and focused his light green eyes on Edward.
"It's about two blocks from here next to the supermarket." He replied cheerfully as he watched the blonde headed man pull something out of his pocket.
"Thanks for your help and here's a little something for doing so." Said Edward as he handed the small boy a gleaming keychain with a colorfully painted rocket on it.
"Thanks!" The boy exclaimed as he admired the small trinket.
"You see Al were almost there." Ed said as they walked away leaving the child to swoon over his new possession.
"Where did you get that?" Al asked as he eyed his brother suspiciously.
"From Dr. Oberth. He had them made when Alphonse and I were studying rocketry under his guidance. I still have a couple more left if you want one."
"No thanks brother I was just curious." Al replied as they turned the corner and began to walk down Zieden Boulevard.
Ten minutes later Ed and Al stood in silence gazing at the impressive architecture that composed the entrance to the prosperous looking theater.
"Are you ready to meet Mambuse Al?" Ed asked smirking at the younger of the two.
"Ready if you are." Al replied as he watched his brother pull open the door and followed him inside.
"Warrant Officer Falman." Came the strong rich tenor of General Mustang as he walked into his injured subordinate's hospital room. Upon entering Roy did all he could not to frown at stuffiness of the small space.
"General. It's nice of you to visit me sir." Falman replied as he gave his superior a quick salute from his position in bed. It wasn't a formal salute by any means but it showed his respect for the raven-haired alchemist all the same.
"The nurse has informed me that you will be released Wednesday of this week. I will expect you to be in my office no later than eight o clock Friday morning. I will brief you on your new assignment then." Roy said as he watched the gleam of surprise flash across the somewhat uptight officer's eyes.
"Yes sir." Falman replied as he snapped off another salute.
"Relax Falman, and just in case you were wondering why you will be reporting to me and not back at eastern headquarters, it's because I have requested that you be transferred to central to serve once again under my command. I received word from General Hakuro yesterday that your transfer has been approved."
Roy noticed the man's eyes light up for the first time in a long time and took pride in knowing that he had hopefully brightened the man's day. When it came to Roy nothing was more rewarding than having a team of faithful subordinates that truly enjoyed working beneath him.
"Get your rest Falman I want you in top shape when you return." Roy said as he turned and walked out of the room a smile gracing his perfect lips.
Vato Falman sat somewhat stunned in his slightly lumpy hospital bed as he watched his alchemic superior saunter out of his room. 'The general is acting as if everything is back to normal. I am honored that he wants me back on his team. I wonder what he has on his mind now that the homunculi have been defeated.' He thought as he ran his hand through his rapidly graying hair.
Ed blinked his eyes several times and tried to tell if what he was seeing was actually there. From what he could deduce Mambuse had drastically changed the appearance of his 'dragon' from the last time he saw it. It was almost a spitting image of exactly how Envy had looked. 'Creepy.' He thought as he looked over his shoulder at Al.
"Do you see that dragon looking thing Al?" Ed asked as he pointed to the giant serpent in the middle of the set.
"I don't think I can miss it brother." Al replied smiling at the look of annoyance that flashed across Edward's face.
"That thing is almost the spitting image of the way Envy looked when he landed here after passing through the gate."
"Really? So does this mean that this is where Mambuse is filming?"
"No doubt about it. Let's go and have a look backstage." Ed replied as he began walking down the isle way to the left.
Al followed behind his brother not knowing exactly what to expect. From the looks of that dragon created based off of envy's characteristics he wasn't sure just how trustworthy this man might be.
"Well if it isn't Edward Elric. I was wondering when I might see you again." Came the all too familiar voice of producer Fritz Lang. Which to Al sounded eerily identical to that of the Fuhrer.
"Mambuse I guess you must have landed that plane alright seeing as how you are fully intact."
"Of course Edward. It would take more than a hunk of machinery to get rid of me." Mambuse said laughing as his gaze wondered over to Al. "Who is this young lad with you? I haven't seen him around before."
"This is my brother Alphonse Elric." Ed replied watching as Mambuse's eyes lit up with curiosity.
"It's nice to meet you Alphonse. I'm sure your brother has told you all about me." He said as he walked over to the table in the back of the room. "Would you two care to join me for lunch?" He asked motioning them to sit at the table.
"Sure." Ed replied. "I have some business to discuss with you anyway."
"Business? What kind of Business? You don't plan on going into film making do you Edward?" Mambuse asked jokingly as he took his seat and spread his napkin out evenly over his lap.
"No I'm afraid not. What I have to talk about is serious and I think that you may be the only one who can help us." Said Ed as he and Al both took their seats and spread their napkins across their laps.
"I have a feeling that this has something to do with that middle of the night visit to the professor's mansion a couple of days ago?" Mambuse asked with an air of absolute certainty.
"Yes it does, but before I can ask you what I came for, I'm going to have to explain everything that has happened since Al and I were children. I'm afraid if you don't understand from the beginning you will be clueless in answering what I have to ask in the end. I hope you have no plans for the rest of the day Mambuse this is going to take awhile."
"Very well then, you may begin. Just think Edward you may be having dinner with me as well."
Roy Mustang walked hesitantly into the waiting area as lieutenant Hawkeye followed closely behind him. The flame alchemist almost immediately spotted the blue open armchair and found it vital to plant himself in it as quickly as possible. Riza rolled her eyes at his childish antics and walked over to the receptionist's counter.
"Good afternoon, I'm lieutenant Hawkeye and I made an appointment this morning for General Mustang." Said Riza as she glanced over at her superior who was leaned back with his hands resting behind his head feigning sleep.
"Good afternoon lieutenant. I have you down for a one o clock appointment. The doctor shall be with you shortly." The receptionist replied as she glanced past Hawkeye and rested her gaze on a very handsome general. 'What I wouldn't give to be his lieutenant.' She thought. 'That Hawkeye sure is lucky.'
"Thank you." Riza replied as she turned and walked towards Mustang who was still pretending to be asleep. Riza sat down in the equally comfortable blue chair next to him and leaned forward to where she was just inches from his ear.
"You know sir for such a brave man I would have never thought that you would be afraid of the doctor." She said as she watched his eye instantly spring open and his onyx gaze slant her way.
"I'm not scared lieutenant. Going to the doctor just isn't a high priority on my list of things to do." He whispered as he once again closed his dark eye.
Riza couldn't help but smile on the inside. Roy could have just let her make the appointment and then came alone keeping his secret safe, but he had asked her to accompany him instead. 'Roy has only let two people seem to get close to him…Maes…and me.' She thought as she reminisced about the times that the three of them had worked late or hung out together. She knew Roy must still be hurting over losing his best friend even though several years had passed since that fateful night.
"Lieutenant the doctor will see you now." The receptionist called, bringing Riza out of her internal musings.
Hawkeye looked over at Mustang and waited for him to move. When it looked like the general was going nowhere soon the lieutenant stood up and moved directly in front of him retrieving her weapon from her belt. All it took was the sound of her safety switch being released to make the general open his eye and sit up.
"You wouldn't dare shoot me in this waiting area." He said as he stared at her long and hard, noticing that the weapon wasn't being put away despite his awakened state.
"We are in a hospital sir. I'm sure that there are plenty of doctors around who could treat you if something were to happen." She replied as she motioned for him to get up. "The doctor is ready to see you now. You might as well get this over with sir."
Roy knowing that he was once again left with no choice begrudgingly got up from his comfortable spot on the old chair and walked towards the doctor's office with Riza close on his heels.
Once they had disappeared into exam room one and the door was securely closed, the receptionist couldn't help but release a giggle at the unique display of dominance the lieutenant had exerted over the general. 'He must take her seriously to let her push him around like that. I have a feeling he values her judgment more than he should.' She thought as she placed the general's charts into the box on the front of the door.
Roy sat on top of the cold but plush exam table in the middle of the room his boots dangling as Riza sat contently on the bar stool beside him. The room was rather small, appropriately decorated with several posters relating to the anatomy of the human body. There was a rather large scale positioned in the corner opposite the door and the stainless steel countertop was littered with containers full of medical equipment.
Just sitting in the small medical room was starting to make the flame alchemist feel nauseous. Roy quickly focused his gaze on his subordinate and tried to think about anything that would get his mind off of where he was currently sitting. He soon began to wonder about why he had asked the lieutenant to come. Realizing that he couldn't kid himself, Roy let the reasoning for her company force it's way into his thoughts. The flame alchemist had always found visiting the doctor to be an unpleasant experience. He discovered it to be even more so after his battle with the Fuhrer when he was forced to occupy a hospital bed for several weeks. It was then when Riza sat peeling his apples and feeding him his dinner when he realized that having her beside him made the experience a whole lot easier to endure. So for that reason he brought her with him today. He wanted to make whatever the doctor was going to do or say easier to bear.
The heavy metal door swung open several minutes later and a rather short, skinny, and balding little man walked in hastily. It was doctor Todd Myers for Roy had seen him many times before.
"Hello General. Lieutenant.' He said as he placed Roy's medical files on the stainless steel countertop next to the bright red sharps container.
"Doctor." Roy said in his most unenthusiastic tone.
"Doctor Myers." Riza acknowledged.
"What shall I start with first? How about that nasty looking laceration you came in here with the other day general." The good doctor said as he approached Mustang and tilted his head to the left to get a better look.
"Just as I had hoped. The sutures have closed the wound and it has healed perfectly so far. You should be glad to know that I am going to be removing them today." Myers said as he smiled down at the general.
"I'm Euphoric." Roy said dryly as he gave Hawkeye an 'I'm hating my life look.'
"Are you always one to be so overly optimistic general? I take it that you do not enjoy our time together?" The doctor asked as he smiled knowingly.
"Enjoy it? Doctor I loath it." Roy replied as he watched Myers walk over to the stainless steel counter top and open a cabinet door.
The doctor reached enthusiastically into the cabinet and quickly found what he was looking for. He grabbed a suture removal kit and sat it on the counter along with some alcohol prep pads and some two by two gauze squares.
"This won't take long Mustang just relax." He said as he opened the suture removal kit and a couple of the alcohol prep pads.
"Lieutenant would mind helping me during the procedure? The general seems to be more relaxed with you around. I made this observation when I was taking care of him in the hospital."
"Sure doctor what do you need me to do?" Riza asked as she walked over to the boxes of gloves on the wall and removed a pair of smalls.
"I am going to pull up on each individual suture and I want you to cut them with these." He said as he held up a tiny pair of scissors. "Then after you cut them I will pull them out."
"Sounds easy enough." Riza replied as she walked over and stood next to Mustang and the doctor.
As soon as Myers had handed Hawkeye the scissors she felt a familiar hand encompass her own.
"You better know what you are doing lieutenant." Roy said as he held onto Riza's hand for dear life. "Like I said before I can't afford to have my handsome features set askew now can I?"
Riza broke free of his grasp and shot him a dirty look. She was about to counter him with a smart-ass remark of her own when the doctor's words cut her short.
"Don't worry about that general. I think that the lieutenant wishes to save your good looks almost as much as you do."
Riza felt her cheeks go warm and tried to hide her reaction but before she could compose herself the doctor had already noticed.
Seeing the lieutenant's obvious agreement with his statement the doctor couldn't help but give her a knowing smile. He had watched the peculiar relationship of the general and the lieutenant during the several weeks Mustang had spent under his care in the hospital. The poor man had survived a rather brutal battle and the determined lieutenant had rarely left his side. It was easy to tell that they had feelings for each other even though they did their best to ignore them.
"Ok let's begin shall we?" Myers asked as he pulled the forceps out of the kit and took hold of the first stitch. "Ok lieutenant it's ready to cut."
Riza reached up and carefully ensnarled the black twine in the crook of her scissors and watched as she easily sliced it into.
After watching the lieutenant cut the first suture perfectly Myers then slowly began pulling on it until the entire piece was released from beneath the general's skin.
They repeated this procedure four more times until all the sutures had been successfully removed.
All the while Roy sat as still as a concrete statue giving no indication of the plethora of colorful words that were coursing throughout his mind.
"Take this alcohol prep pad and clean the area lieutenant. I must warn you general this is going to sting a little."
Riza took the prep pad from Myers and paused just before applying it to Roy's skin. For some reason she knew that he wasn't going to react well to this.
"Ready sir?" She asked as she gazed into his onyx eye.
"Just get it over with Hawkeye." He said as he strengthened his grip on the exam table he was sitting on.
Riza doing as she was told, applied the pad and scrubbed gently to remove all the dried blood from around the cut.
Roy sat in silence, his face as indifferent as ever as Hawkeye cleaned out and around his wound. It stung, and stung like crazy. Roy would admit that, but hell would have to freeze over before he was going to let Hawkeye see his pain.
While the lieutenant was busy cleaning out the general's wound Myers was busy filling out Mustang's chart. His male intuition had told him that the general would much rather have the lieutenant cleaning out his wounds than having him do it.
After Riza had cleaned all the blood out of the general's cut she took the two by two out of the doctor's hand and applied the antibacterial ointment that was on it.
"You see general it wasn't that bad." Said Myers as he threw away the prep pads, and other used materials.
"Lieutenant will you get the lights for me please?" The doctor asked as he turned on his penlight and held it in his left hand.
Hawkeye walked over to the light switch and flipped it off. After a few seconds of allowing her eyes to adjust she walked back over to Mustang and stood by his side.
"Now general if you would remove you eye patch so that I may get a look at your eye." Myers asked as he watched Roy remove his patch while still keeping his eyes closed.
"Ok now open your eyes." The doctor commanded as he shown the light at Roy's chest level.
Roy opened his eyes and took a few seconds to adjust. Amazingly he could see just as well with his left eye as he could with his right.
"Try to focus straight ahead. Do not look at me or the light I'm about to shine in your eyes."
Roy amazingly did as he was told as he listened to a series of grunts and hmns. Just when the flame alchemist thought that the doctor was finished he felt unfamiliar hands on his delicate skin as he was told to look up down and to both sides.
"Ok now I want you to close your eyes again and I'm going to turn back on the lights. When I give you the ok I want you to open your eyes again." Myers said as he motioned for Hawkeye to flip the light switch back on.
After the lights had been back on for about two minutes, the doctor asked Roy to once again open his eyes.
Roy opened his eyes slowly and the result was just the same as in the dark although his left eye was a tad bit fuzzier than the vision in his right eye.
"So general tell me what you see?" Myers asked as the raven-haired man's gaze met his.
"Everything, although my vision is slightly fuzzy in my left eye. Honestly I can't really tell much of a difference." Roy said as he watched the doctor smile.
"You were very lucky general. Whatever grazed your eye narrowly missed your cornea. If the cut had been just a few more millimeters to the right you could have very well been blinded for good."
The general had to endure the same procedure with the penlight all over again and was greatly relieved when the doctor said that he was finished with him. Roy watched as the doctor walked back over to the counter where he began to write in his charts again.
"So lieutenant how do I look?" Roy asked as he turned his head and locked gazes with Hawkeye.
"Great sir. You can barely see the line that runs diagonally from your eyebrow to beneath your eye. I say within a few weeks that will fade too and you will look just as handsome as ever." Riza said blushing when she saw the general genuinely smile at her.
"That's good to hear Hawkeye." Roy replied as he hopped down from the table and stood in front of the doctor who was now several inches shorter than he.
"You will need to come back in a week general so I can monitor your progress. I want to make sure that we didn't take that patch off too soon." Myers said as he watched what looked similar to a frown appear upon Mustang's face.
"Don't worry doctor I will schedule his appointment and makes sure that he gets here." Riza replied as she eyed the raven-haired alchemist.
"Thank you lieutenant. You two have a good day now." He said as he opened the exam room door and watched them leave.
"You see sir that wasn't so bad now was it?" Hawkeye asked as they were exiting the hospital wing.
"I don't know what you are talking about lieutenant." Mustang replied as he looked at her with his trademark smirk. "I find going to the doctor somewhat enjoyable."
'You really are full of yourself Roy.' Riza thought as she just shook her head and continued to walk by his side in silence.