Paul Stones couldn't stop smiling when he put the receiver down. He had been lucky that Alphonse Elric had picked up the phone yesterday, because it had made things much easier. Paul wasn't stupid, and he had figured that he would need to visit the Fullmetal alchemist personally, but thanks to Alphonse it wasn't necessary anymore. But now the next problem was…
"How the hell I'm going to get rid of the four other candidates?" He covered his face with his hands in frustration and shook his head. He couldn't offend former state alchemists; it would be his one way ticket to uncomfortable life. Sighing, he let his hands fall to his sides and he leaned backwards in his armchair. His brain was blank and he figured that he needed a break that he would never get. For how long had he been the vice-headmaster? Five years? And it was already wearing him out… Lyon really wasn't the best employer. Stones ran his fingers through his short dark brown hair and grimaced at the thought of the headmaster.
"Damn!" 'I don't have time for this.' Paul shook his head to wake himself up like many times before and stared at the phone, forcing himself to come up with a plan. Time was money, money was power, and he didn't want to lose none of them.
'Time for some manipulating', a mischievous grin spread to his lips.
Paul Stones had always been a good liar and an actor. Even when he was young, he always got what he wanted, because he had learned how to tie people around his little finger without them even noticing. If Amestris would have been a democracy when he started thinking about his future plans, he would've become a politician, but because he didn't dare to mess with the military, he chose to become a teacher instead.
"Hi again sir, about that position as an alchemy professor… yes… I just wanted to be sure that it is really okay that you will work with a minimal salary, when the recession is coming and all... What, I didn't remember to tell you about it? Oh, yes, I understand. We'll just find somebody else. Thank you for your time." Paul smirked and rubbed his hands together in excitement. One down, three to go and next was lieutenant colonel Hans Chadwell, who was famous for his pride as a good leader. But he had never been good at obeying orders.
"This is me, Paul Stones. Do you have a minute? Good, I just called to inform you about the fact that you are supposed to read all of the rules of the university. And we have a meeting every Friday, where headmaster Lyon gives us orders for the next week. He really likes to be in charge… I hope you won't arrange anything for Fridays, if you take the job. … Oh, really? That's a shame. Well, thank you anyways. Goodbye."
It didn't take long to get rid of all the other candidates, as Paul knew their weaknesses. After the calls, he was in such a good mood that he brought a cigar to his lips and lighted it in delight. His good mood was ruined though when he answered to the ringing phone and Lyon screamed in his ear.
"Finally! Now that you were kind enough to answer the phone, would you please bring your lazy ass to my office?!"
"Right away." Paul was so offended for Lyon ruining his mood that he smoked his cigar before leaving his office in no hurry. Lyon was already mad, so there was no point pleasing him with obeying when Paul would get the same scolding anyways.
"And what took you so long?" Lyon fumed when Stones finally decided to show up.
"I got this really important phone call…"
"Oh will you shut up! Just listen what I have to say, and be gone."
"I wasn't lying. A state alchemist called and said that he could come the day after tomorrow to meet you." Lyon stared in disbelief, before he squinted his eyes and hissed: "You've called the Fullmetal alchemist, haven't you?"
"I certainly have not! But I tell you, he is a very important person, and you have to make a good first impression", Stones stated and stepped outside before Lyon could even realize that he hadn't got a change to tell the thing he called Stones for in the first place. But he had to admit that this mysterious state alchemist had caught his interest. 'I'll persuade some information out of Stones tomorrow.' One glance at the clock told him that it was time to call it for quits for today. The day after tomorrow, eh..?
The next day passed quickly for both Ed and Stones, as Ed was gathering his things and Stones avoided Lyon's questions about the mysterious alchemist with the most exotic excuses.
"Brother, are you ready? We should start heading to the station already…" Al glanced at the clock nervously, and listened as Ed knocked something over and cursed loudly.
"I should have remembered that I and brother always ran to the station at the last minute… ", Al sighed and smiled apologetically to his wife and daughter.
"I'm ready!" Ed came behind the corner with the suitcase in hand and stormed out of the door, diving into Al's new black EZO-20 car. Al, Winry and Nina were right on his heels and soon they were driving towards the station.
"So, brother, have you called Gracia and Elysia and told them that you're coming for a visit while you're at Central?" Al gave quick glance towards Ed, who looked everywhere else than Al's eyes.
"I kinda… forgot. I had a lot of things in my mind, you know."
"Okay. I'll call them. Did you even sleep last night?" Al asked when Ed yawned, and Ed just shook his head and covered his wide open mouth with his hand.
"Nuhhuh. I guess I'll just sleep in the train… if somebody doesn't hijack it."
"Well, this time I won't be there to wake you up, so make sure you won't end up in Lior…" Ed looked worried for a second, before he shrugged and scratched his head.
"I'll try."
"Oh, and brother. About the questioning. Try not to be too sarcastic."
"Al, that's like telling me to hold my breath." Al rolled his eyes and focused on the road ahead, not wanting to start an argument with his brother.
Paul Stones arrived to the station early and sat to a nearby bench to read a newspaper that he had brought along. He was a little nervous, but he surely wasn't showing it. The biggest problem would be indentifying Edward Elric, as he wasn't a 15 years old boy anymore. Of course, blond hair and golden eyes were hard to miss, but he was worried about the fact that if Elric was still short, he wouldn't notice him in the crowd.
People passed him all the time and there were no quiet moments in the station, as people shouted to one another, trains' whistles rang in their ears and hundreds of feet were walking on the paved platforms.
"Train from Resembool to Lior arrives to the platform 4", Stones jumped out of his seat when the woman's monotone voice rang throughout the station and his heart started racing. This was it; the Fullmetal alchemist was coming… There he stood, glancing now and then to the distance, waiting to see the small silhouette of the train. First he thought that it was only his imagination, but when the other people standing at the platform seemed to notice the train as well, he smiled happily and hoped that the train would stop already and people would start going in and out. Slowly it sreeched to a halt and he waited, trying to keep an eye on every door. He soon realized that it was impossible to see when Edward Elric would step out. He figured that he had to wait till the crowd scattered. But he had this nagging feeling that something was wrong. There were less people now, but no sight of Edward Elric. Is he even in the train? He hesitated; should he go and check the carriages if he had fallen asleep, or would he wait? But from which carriage should he begin? The whistle blew, announcing the train's depart and slowly it started creeping forward. Paul panicked. Where was he?
"Geez, thank you for waking me up", Stones heard someone grumble and turned his head to see a young blond man jump out of the moving train with his luggage in one hand and a black long overcoat in another. He almost lost his balance, but he kept running forward, till he regained it and slowed down. There were only the two of them at the platform 4, and both were staring at each other. Stones cleared his throat and walked forward.
"You must be Edward Elric. Paul Stones, nice to meet you", Paul offered his right hand for Ed to shake, and he took it, mumbling something like "nice to meet you too", as he crushed Paul's palm with his automail. When Ed finally let go of Paul's hand, he pulled it back quickly and Ed laughed. "That's what you get from offering me your right hand", he said and raised his eyebrow, waiting for Paul to lead the way.
"Ah", how stupid he was for forgetting about his automail, "this way." Paul kept an eye on the ex-Fullmetal alchemist as he made his way through the mass of people and to his surprise he realized that Elric was almost a head taller than him. He was also getting some attention from the women as they passed by. Somehow it seemed that Elric didn't even notice, or just acted oblivious to the long glances and approving smiles.
"Is this like, if the poor guy doesn't get the job, at least he will get to sit in a real limousine?" Ed asked with a smirk and a cocked eyebrow as he watched the black, stylish limousine glide in front of them. When the driver was going to get out of the car to open the door for them, Ed lifted his right hand up and opened the door with his left one. He really didn't like when he was treated like some big celebrity, he could open a door by himself, thank you very much. He wanted respect, but not people who worshipped him.
"So, is this your own, or did you hire it to pick me up?" Ed asked, not caring if he seemed blunt. He just wanted to show that he wasn't impressed. Stones laughed nervously.
"You saw right trough me. I guess I just wanted to show that with the university's salary you can afford things like this." Ed shrugged, not really knowing how to continue the conversation without making a fool out of himself.
"So, have you visited the university before?" Ed looked thoughtful for a moment, before he snapped his fingers when he remembered.
"Oh yeah, I have visited your library when I was fourteen. I can't remember much, though. But I did get lost", he laughed. Paul chuckled and shook his head.
"That won't be your last time. The university's is quite big and it took me three months until I could stop asking for directions."
"You sound pretty confident that I'll get that job", Ed cocked his eyebrows.
"He has no other choice than to choose you." Edward didn't know what he should think of Stones' smirk, but it did send shivers down his spine, because it reminded him of that manipulative bastard colonel.
Lyon marched around his room nervously and once in a while stopped to look at his reflection in the mirror before starting to pace around again. He knew nothing about the former state alchemist, even though he had tried to ask about him from Stones multiple times. That sneaky bastard had avoided him the whole day. All Lyon knew was that he had this gut feeling, which told him that everything wasn't under his control. The clock on the wall showed 12:00am, when there was a knock at the door. 1 point for the state alchemist, he was on time.
"Come in", Lyon said and stared at the door intensely, waiting to see the former state alchemist's face. He knew every one of them by face, because secretly he almost worshipped every one of them. Stones stepped in first, and Lyon spotted a tall figure hover behind him, who had blond long hair… "Edward Elric", he hissed under his breath as his grey eyes met golden. Minus ten points from Elric. Lyon gave Stones a murderous look, but didn't dare to say anything in front of the legendary Fullmetal alchemist. But to be honest, he looked older than 29. Well, maybe not physically, but the way he carried himself, his scarred face and cunning eyes made him look much more mature.
"You probably guessed already who I am. Nice to meet you, headmaster Lyon", Ed extended his right arm for Lyon to shake, but the headmaster hold out his left, which Ed eyed in amusement and shook it with his own left hand.
'He has a firm shake… Now, what to do? I don't want to get to his wrong side, because he is a good friend of the president's and even knows personally the emperor of Xing.'
"Please sit." Edward sat down to the red armchair in front of Lyon's table, but Stones preferred to stand in the corner. Lyon gave his vice-headmaster a quick glance before sitting his own leather chair and challenging the intense stare of golden eyes with his own.
"So, why do you want this post?"
"Because I'm the best you can find", Ed stated bluntly, keeping his trademark smirk hidden, because he thought that it wouldn't work on Lyon.
"And why might that be so?" Lyon scoffed and leaned back in his armchair like he was forced to do so. Elric's gaze was overpowering his.
"Unlike other former state alchemists, I'm evenhanded in all alchemy fields so I can give well-rounded lessons and I am demanding." Lyon looked at Stones to avoid Elric's eyes even for a second, before gathering his strength and shooting the alchemist back.
"And what are you going to do about your temper?" Ed refused to back down and he squinted his eyes in a threatening manner.
"I've learned to control it."
"No, you've just gotten taller", Lyon said and rolled his eyes, but to his surprise his words didn't have any effect on Elric.
"Our lessons last for one and half hours, and every teacher has 15 of them in a week on average." Now it was Ed's turn to roll his eyes.
"Are you trying to scare me off? How many all-nighters do you thing I pulled off when I was doing my research?" Lyon didn't like Elric's attitude, and tried to come up with something that would end this questioning quickly.
"I'm sorry, but I'm positive that you're not suitable as an alchemy professor…" Stones cleared his throat loudly and opened his mouth to speak.
"Actually, I think he is perfect. And you might want to know that all the others have informed that they're not willing to take the post anymore." Lyon's eyes widened and he asked hoarsely "what?" before the pieces fell together inside his head. Stones had done it again, and didn't leave any choices for Lyon.
'If he wasn't so good at his job, I swear I would fire him…' The headmaster growled and extended his left hand. "Congratulations, you have been accepted as the alchemy professor of the Central University of Mathematics. Vice-headmaster Stones will show you around." The Fullmetal alchemist laughed in amusement as he grabbed the headmaster's hand and shook it firmly.
Here you go, chapter 2! Next time: Ed visits Elysia and Gracia.
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