A few years had passed since she had officially become part of the Hughes family. She spent most of her days listening and waiting for her cue. Eventually, she started taking walks around the neighborhood to listen for any signs of what she knew to come.
Princess hated to worry little Elicia, but she always returned a few hours before sunset.
These little walks also gave her time to reminisce. She missed Hazuki and their friend group so much it was almost physically painful. They had become a family away from home for her. It was nice to be a part of such an accepting group. Especially when they're just as otaku as you are.
She chuckled at that. Their love for anime is what brought them together. However, as time went on, it wasn't the only thing. Most of them were in AP classes together. If they didn't have the same hour it was usually the same teacher. Some had even joined sports and often rooted for each other during games and meets.
Then there were dances.
The wolf's sophomore homecoming was something she'd never forget. All who could afford to go met up at the dance and hung out. They spent all that time dancing, talking, and just enjoying one another's company. Then, a few of them had gone to a restaurant for breakfast after the dance. Eating and hanging out like that till one in the morning was fun.
She sighed and shook her mind clear of the memories. There would be time for that later. Right now, she had a mission.
Today, it was raining as she padded down the street. It reminded her of when the Elrics got attacked. An explosion sounded a few streets down and her eyes widened in realization.
In a blur of speed, she raced down the street, following the sounds of battle. Unfortunately, it took longer than she thought it would. By the time the wolf arrived, Ed was laying in the street with one arm.
"Brother! Get up!" Her eyes widened in realization. Ed must've already asked for Al's life in exchange for his own. "Brother, you need to run!"
Enraged, she barked to get Scar's attention before launching herself forward. Her fangs extended as she bit into his unmarked arm, bringing some of her power to the surface. He tried to pull her off, but the freezing sensation spreading through his arm was making it difficult. It raced through his veins and his movements began to slow. The wolf scented his panic and fear, smiling to herself because of it. When Princess released him, he tried to attack her for the damage but a gunshot drew their attention.
"That's enough!" All four turned to face the Flame Alchemist and his subordinates. They were standing in a line, guns up and aimed at their attacker. The scent of determination brought the wolf to her feet. "I'll be taking you into custody, Scar, for the death of at least ten state alchemists."
"Alchemists pervert things from their natural form and turn them into grotesque things; destroying God's image." Scar stood to his full height and faced the people he was addressing. "As an agent of God, I've come to pass his judgment on those. If you interfere, you will meet death."
With a cocky smirk on his face, the colonel passed his gun to Riza, taunting the murderer. Unfortunately, he forgot what rain did to his gloves - rendered them useless. Hawkeye didn't forget though. She tripped him right as Scar lunged forward, saving him from death. Everyone else began to shoot at the scarred man. He leaped backward to avoid the onslaught only to jump back again from a spiky gloved punch.
Major Armstrong complimented his speed and engaged him in battle.
Panther ears twitched as her power flared. Twin rubies briefly flashed gold as she stood from her chair and walked outside.
Something was happening.
The scent of rain blowing from the north sent her mind reeling. She'd only seen the anime once so her memories were a bit scattered. If she could just…
A gunshot echoed through the air as a military squadron aimed at a tan-skinned man wearing glasses.
That was it! Which means they'll be here in a few weeks. Hazuki could only hope Kendra was there somewhere. The brunette hated what happened in the Elrics' absence from Central. It was a tragedy that brought even the most stoic of their friends to tears.
The panther could only hope she would see her friend soon. This world was already changing her. Most of the changes didn't bother her. But-
Hazuki's fists clenched in determination. There was no time to think about that. Soon, her plans would be forced into action. She would be ready.
Riza ran over to the Elric brothers, confused by the wolf's protective stance in front of them. It growled before sitting down upon recognizing the woman. Good, they're safe. A few more soldiers rushed over to give the boy a hand as Scar continued to fight.
"Who is he," Ed asked as Havoc helped him sit up.
"That's the man who murdered Mr. Tucker and Nina." The blonde teen gasped in shock before his attention returned to the battle. Armstrong had transmuted spikes in the street only for Scar to destroy them. "Hey, watch it major! Don't destroy the city now!"
The burly man merely gave Havoc a haughty look. "What do you mean?"
His shirt ripped as he dove into an explanation of creation and destruction being naturally opposing forces. Hawkeye and the others stared at him in consternation, not unused to the man's antics.
Princess watched in awe as the people she'd seen so many times slowly appeared before her one by one. Until now, she hadn't realized just how real these people were - how real her changes were. It was a bit comical really. She'd lived through so many centuries, and yet it still hadn't sunk in.
Staring at the sky, she hoped for enough power to protect the Hughes family and find her best friend. Hopefully, Hazuki didn't have to wait as long as she had. She was impatient, but her best friend took it to a different level.
When the rain finally eased up, Scar had escaped. The discovery of his alchemy use and Ishvalan heritage shook many soldiers to the core. They now understood his reason for targeting state alchemists.
"Sorry Armstrong, but thank you for buying us some time."
"It was all I could do to keep myself from being killed, Colonel." Princess walked toward the shattered armor and set her head on the remainder of his lap. She knew her owner would be here soon.
"Hey, is it over now?"
The two commanding alchemists turned to the investigations officer in annoyance. "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, where have you been?"
"I thought it best to lay low."
"You didn't think about maybe backing us up?" The wolf rumbled a chuckle at the Flame Alchemist's response.
"Of course not! Getting into a fight with you people is bad for my health!" Hughes turned to his subordinates. "Don't just stand there, we've got things to do!"
"Sir!" They set about organizing a search party and circulating Scar's description.
Ed rushed to his broken brother's side, unaware of the wolf staring at him. "Al, talk to me, are you alright?"
The wolf picked up the low conversations of the adults not far off. This is when the others they work with are let in on the secret. She watched curiously as everyone jumped in surprise when the armored soul punched his brother and started yelling at him.
"Why didn't you run away when I told you to? What kind of idiot are you!"
"No way," Ed returned as he sat up. "I'm not just going to run away and leave you behind!"
"That's exactly why you're an idiot!" Al punched his brother again.
"What do you keep punching me like that for!" He held his cheek trying to ease the ache forming. "If I'd run away you could've been killed, you know that!"
"And maybe I wouldn't have been." Ed stared at Al in disbelief as he continued. "Making the decision to die is only something an idiot does."
"Hey! Easy on the 'idiot' stuff, I'm still your older brother!"
"I'll say it all I want to!" Al grabbed his brother by the collar and pulled him forward. "Survival is the only way, Ed. Live on. Learn more about alchemy. Find a way to get our bodies back and help people like Nina. You can't do that by dying! I won't let you throw your life away like that!"
Suddenly, the arm holding his brother fell off, making the wolf yelp and jump back in surprise.
"Oh great! And now my arm's come off because my brother's a big, fat idiot!"
"We're falling apart, aren't we brother." Ed looked down at his lap in acceptance. "We look like we belong in a junkyard."
She gave a low bark to get their attention and licked each of their faces. The two brothers blinked and stared at her bewildered. She pushed her nose under the leather glove of Al's armor. It took him a moment to realize she wanted him to pet her. Princess barked in delight and her tail wagged as she turned to Edward. He smiled tiredly at her.
This was her way of telling them they would be okay. She knew they would be a little worse for wear for a while. No doubt they would be getting lectures when they finally returned to Resembool. She chuckled. Too bad she couldn't go with them to see that.
"Good grief, I've stumbled into an extra special freakshow, huh?" The wolf perked up at the sound of his voice and removed herself from Al's lap. She trudged over to Maes and Roy, sitting down between them.
The alchemist gave Hughes an apologetic look. "Yeah, sorry."
"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone upstairs." She barked to get his attention, amusement dancing in her teal eyes as he stared at her in shock. "What're you doing here?"
"You know this dog?"
"Yeah, she's my dog." Princess barked again and Hughes crouched down to pet her. However, he failed to notice the ring of fuchsia around her pupils. "Why are you out here by yourself?"
"She raced in and bit Scar before he could reach Fullmetal," the Colonel relayed, still a bit bewildered that it was his friend's dog. "He couldn't get her off."
"What?" Green met coal in shock before turning back to the wolf in front of him. Hughes began to wonder just how the dog had known to protect Edward. He had always seen intelligence in those teal eyes, but he never thought something like this would happen.
There's been a strange sense of foreboding hanging over her lately. With every passing week, it grew heavier on her. Time was slowly creeping up on her. She didn't like it. Not one bit.
"Hey." She jumped from her seat at the bar and turned to Greed. "What's got ya down, Hazuki?"
The dark-skinned beauty sighed. "I have a feeling something bad will happen soon."
"Oh?" He laughed a little, "I think we'll manage fine."
If only it were that simple. But it was never simple where homunculi were involved. Or so Kendra had often told her. She could only hope her plan would work.
Princess followed Maes to headquarters and listened patiently as Mustang explained the Ishvalan War to the brothers. Needless to say, they were outraged when he made a side comment of justification for vengeance. But all vowed to be careful and fight with everything they had the next time Scar appeared.
Hughes turned to the broken boys. "Well Ed, Al. What's your plan now?"
"We're going to keep moving." He placed a hand on the armor's shoulder. "We have to get my arm back so I can fix you up. After all, I'm the only one who can do it."
Everyone smiled at two. Those brothers would be okay.
The wolf hung her head in shame as she and Hughes walked home, knowing Gracia would probably scold her for wandering. However, when they got there, the woman merely sighed in relief with a warning not to walk so far from the neighborhood next time. After all, she'd been wandering when they first found her.
Surprisingly, the lieutenant colonel never specified where he found her. The wolf was thankful for his silence but knew he would eventually have questions.
That night, Princess awoke with the urge to transform. Knowing everyone else was asleep for now, she did just that. The familiar tempest of chilling white spread through her as she stood tall. As it dissipated, the wolf stretched her limbs.
She'd been walking around as a canine for almost five years straight. Not getting to change for so long had taken a toll on her. Her beast was more placated, but the necessity of it had stiffened her muscles.
Moonlight shone through the living room window and fuschia looked up. As a being of the night, she was drawn to its light. The longer she stared, the more her urge to run and hunt grew. Heeding it, she quietly opened the window and leaped out. Princess relished in the wind rushing through her hair as the humid heat of night gave way to a slight chill from speed. The way it rushed through her snowy waves brought a smile to her face. She darted across rooftops and slid between alleys until she finally reached a forest.
Tilting her head to the wind, she sniffed for her prey. The scent of wild boar reached her senses. She smiled wickedly and quietly raced toward it. Once found, Princess made short work of it using her claws. It hadn't had a chance.
Princess smiled as she leaped back toward the city. Her hunt had been successful and she'd feasted on quite a few wild boars, leaving naught but their bones behind. The nutrients she gained helped to ease her muscles.
I need to stretch more in the coming weeks. For her plan to work, she'd need this form fully functional. The last thing she needed was a flaw because of malnourishment.
As she reached the city limits of Central once more, she turned back into a wolf. Princess silently slipped through the open window to find Maes sipping a cup of coffee in the kitchen. Her claws clicked against the wooden floor as she approached, having closed the glass just moments before, and sat at his side as she had done for the last few years.
He sipped rather loudly before placing his mug on the table.
"You really helped the Elrics today." She glanced up at him in silence, urging him to continue. "According to Gracia you always wander around the neighborhood in the afternoons before I come home. Guess I shouldn't really be surprised."
There was something in his eyes, something she had seen before, but what was it? It was gone before she could figure it out.
"Wait." He looked at her inquisitively, finally noticing something different about her eyes. Leaning closer, he inspected her eyes shocked by the ring of fuchsia bleeding from her pupil into her iris. "When did that happen?"
"Earlier." Hughes jumped at the voice, looking around but spotting no one else present. He thought maybe it came from his dog, but he brushed it off. That was ridiculous. Or was it?
"I must be tired." He sighed and stood up to wash his cup. As the water ran, Princess looked around the room until something in the corner bookcase caught her eye. She padded over to it, thoughts swirling in disbelief as gentle fangs carefully pulled a book out. When it clattered to the ground, she stood in disbelief.
It was a story about her. A legend of a white wolf who watched over families of its choosing. Every family it protected were often those who were targeted for some reason or another. Despite this, the wolf's guardianship kept them safe. More times than not, something of ice kept them safe. Each family suspected the ice came from the wolf, but none were able to prove it.
She sat down. Princess hadn't known much about the families she chose over the last few decades - merely that she was drawn to them. It was like a call that couldn't be ignored and wouldn't go away until she followed it. She'd been drawn to the Hughes family too. Reading this somewhat explained what that draw had been.
"What's that you got there?" Hughes crouched behind her, reaching to pick up the book she'd knocked from the shelf. She watched as a nostalgic smile spread on the man's face. "This old legend, huh?"
Princess whined softly, pawing at the book and then at his foot.
"Hm?" He stared at her through his glasses, unsure of what she was trying to say. Her head tilted as she pawed again and he finally caught on. "I always liked this story as a kid; made me wonder if I'd ever see meet it."
Hughes chuckled and shook his head. "You never know."
He stilled. This time he sighed and closed the book. He decided it was time to go back to sleep. As he walked away, fuchsia bled further into teal, overtaking half of her irises.
'Soon.'
A few weeks later, Princess perked up as her beast grew restless. She followed her instinct and darted out the door. White paws raced across cobblestone at inhuman speeds as they took her to the Fifth Laboratory. The sounds of metal clashing immediately warned her of the visitors there.
With a speed she hadn't used in decades, Princess jumped the fence and darted through the fighting suits of armor. She jumped into the vent and followed the scent of oil and wiring. Despite her white fur, she was able to lay low until voices alerted her to act fast.
Just before Envy could knock the blond unconscious, a blur of white attacked his arm. She sent a speeding venom of ice up his arm until he was frozen in place. Landing on the ground sent a path of ice toward Lust until it took over her form and left her both paralyzed and blind. Knowing her venom wouldn't last long, Princess dragged Edward by the sleeve out of the laboratory. A scream of rage echoed into the night and the building collapsed as it fell silent.
"You…" Ed trailed off, not believing his eyes. Once again, this dog had come to his rescue out of nowhere. When they got out and Al ran over, he couldn't stay conscious.
Hughes was called out to the collapsed remains of the Fifth Laboratory. Again, he watched in shock as his furry family member trotted beside the people carrying the elder Elric to the hospital.
This time, he took notice of her eyes. More fuchsia had leaked into her teal and he knew. He knew she was more than just a simple dog. Suddenly, his thoughts turned to the book she'd pulled out a few nights ago. Hughes adjusted his glasses as a knowing look as he followed them to the hospital. That wasn't just a coincidence.
Something told him it was more than that. Whoever or whatever Princess was, he would figure out why she was here.
Author's Note: Hey there! I realize I don't have much for Hazuki's POV but I promise that will change in coming chapters. I really didn't want to cover her perspective until the brothers reach Dublith. But this way, there's at least a little something. Anyway, please read and review! Tell me what you think.
