Ch.2

Mustang tapped his pen on is desk as his men filled out his paperwork. The man who had attacked him hadn't shown himself for several weeks now, and Ed had been able to start going places without bodyguards. The situation had Mustang racking his brain night and day. He hadn't had a good night sleep in almost a week. He grunted and put his pen down as Riza walked in with his morning coffee.

"Good morning Colonel." Riza stated as she put the steaming mug on the desk.

"Morning." Mustang grabbed the mug and drank deeply. He stared at the only thing of paperwork that he hadn't pawned off on his workers. It was an old report about one his best friend's being murdered. He hadn't been able to forget that day, even after he had killed the one who had murdered Hughes. Riza noticed the paper and chose to ignore it. She knew that painful memories that that must have brought up.

"Colonel, maybe you should go for a walk today?" She suggested, seeing Mustang's eyes start to space out. He nodded in response and got up. Suddenly, a blond headed boy rushed into the room. He was panicking as he stopped in front of Mustang.

"Colonel!" the boy shouted. "It's Ed! He's been attacked!"

Mustang growled as he glared at the boy. "Where is he Al?"

'He's at the train station!" Al said. "He was going to visit Mom's grave and out of no where a man attacked him."

Mustang turned towards Riza. "Let's go."

Riza nodded and checked her guns as the three hurried towards Riza's car. As the got in and sped off, Mustang began questioning Al.

"Al, what did the man look like?"

"He was about six inches taller than Ed. He had long, dark hair that looked like it hadn't been washed in weeks." Al said. "Thinking about it now, I would say that it gleamed in the light. He kept tapping an alchemy circle on a necklace around his neck to perform his alchemy. It was strange. I've never seen a circle like it."

"What was he wearing?"

"A light colored shirt and jeans. You wouldn't be able to tell him from the average guy on the street."

"Good Al. Just one more question." Mustang steered hard into Al's eyes. "Did he have a scar right above his right eye?"

Al looked down at his seat. "I'm sorry Colonel. Ed kept his attention so I could run and get help. I didn't see his face too clearly."

Mustang sighed. "That's alright Al. You did a good job on getting a general description."

'Colonel." Mustang looked up to meet Riza's eyes in the rear view mirror. "You may want to look outside."

Mustang turned his head towards the window, shocked by what he saw. Almost all of the buildings were destroyed and the street had holes of every size in it. Riza was having problems keeping the car out of the holes on the road.

"Colonel," Riza stated, "we have to stop the car and walk from here."

"Alright."

Every exited the car. Al led the way at a dead run towards were Ed was last fighting. Mustang tugged his gloves on prepared to fight whoever was behind the corner. Riza had drawn her military issued gun from its holster and was prepared to defend her superior. As the three rounded a curb, they spotted Ed with his back to them in a defensive position. It seemed that he was looking for someone.

"Ed!" Al called out to his brother. Ed spun around and blinked at the three people.

"Al?" Ed muttered. "Al! I told you to get help and stay away! You never listen1"

An explosion happened two feet from Ed, causing him to spin back around. A guy with long, greasy looking hair backed away from the sight of the explosion and growled. Mustang chuckled.

"Looks like I'm having to save your ass again shrimpy." Mustang said, walking out a few feet from his comrades. "You never know when to pay attention to the danger."

"I AM NOT A SHRIMP!" Ed shouted. He grunted and turned towards the enemy. "By the way, who are you?'

The man looked from Ed to Mustang and then to Riza and Al.

"Good." he whispered. "I can get both sons at once."

The man touched a necklace hanging from his neck and blue alchemy sprang from it. Two cages made from the earth sprang up around Ed and Al. Both Elric brothers clapped their hands and touched the cages, causing them to fall apart. Mustang snapped his fingers causing the man to explode. When the smoke cleared there seemed to be no body or even a sign of anybody being burned.

"Damn it." Ed muttered. "Colonel, do you know who that man is?"

"Not his name, but I know that he has something against your father." Mustang answered.

"Doesn't everyone?" Ed muttered.

"No one has a problem with your father more than me!" a voice hissed. Everyone looked to the top of a building to see the enemy standing on the edge. The man glared down at all of them. "Maybe you remember me, Edward. I am Sin. I was your father's experiment, something gone horribly right."

Sin jumped off the building and landed like a cat on the ground. He stood up, a weapon forming in his hand.

"He abandoned me, all those years ago." Sin whispered. "But now I can have my revenge."

Sin lifted the weapon, a small dagger perfect for throwing. "Now die."

A bang sounded through the street and the dagger went sailing from his hand. Sin took a step back in shock and glared at the woman who had done it.

"Ahhhh. I remember you." Sin hissed coldly. "You're the woman that shot me the other day. I grow tired of you. You're only getting in my way."

Sin quickly formed another dagger and through it at Riza. Mustang grunted and quickly went to move in front of her. Within seconds, blood spurted the ground.

"Riza." Mustang gasped. "Are you o.k.?"

"…IDIOT!" Riza shouted and started shooting at Sin. "Why did you get in the way Colonel! You need to stay out of the way of danger, not get in the way of it."

Ed dashed forward with his auto-mail knife out. He and Sin began fighting hand-to-hand as Riza pulled Mustang to the side.

"Why did you get in the way Colonel?" Riza scolded, tearing away his sleeve to reveal the knife embedded deep in his arm.

"If I didn't, you would be dead." Mustang kept his voice flat and lifeless. What he had just said was a lie. The dagger was only headed for her trigger hand. It wasn't meant to kill. So why had he leapt in front of it? Mustang's heart throbbed a little bit. He ignored the feeling.

Riza sighed and pulled the dagger out. Mustang winced at the pain that shot through his arm. The wound was quickly tied off with a bandage. Mustang looked down at the wound then back up at Riza. Her attention had turned to the fight that was still going on. Al had joined the fight to help his brother who at this point, was beginning to grow tired. Mustang's heart throbbed again as he looked at Riza. A small blush spread across his face. He looked at the ground and ignored the feeling again. He had felt this so many times, and always chose to ignore it.

Riza, pulling her gun out, shot at Sin. The bullet landed in the middle of his forehead. Sin stumbled back, and grabbed his face. He growled again.

"Damn it." he muttered. "Seems as if I have another person to get rid of."

Mustang growled at the statement and quickly snapped his fingers. A fire column rose out of no where and surrounded Sin. He just cackled and laughed.

"Four people that needs their blood spilled!" Sin continued to laugh. "So long everyone! I'll be back and then you'll die!"

The fire disappeared along with Sin. Everyone stared at his spot and quietly pondered where he had went.

"Well," Mustang said, "that was fun."

Ed looked over at Mustang.

"By the way," Ed said, "WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT CALLING ME A SHRIMP! I'M TALL ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF! I'M NOT SO SMALL THAT I CAN FIT IN A MOUSE HOLE!"

"Brother," Al grabbed his brother's arm, "no one said anything about a mouse hole."

Ed fussed and fumed as the group made there way to the hospital. Riza had grown used to driving everyone she worked with to the emergency room. It had become an almost weekly happening during the time that they fought the Homuncui. Riza went back in her memory of when she thought Lust had killed Mustang. She remembered the anger she had felt, the loss of hope, the deep sorrow, and much more…the emptiness. She hadn't realized that she needed him so much. She had never told him her feelings from that day, but she didn't want to ruin her relationship with him now. Besides, he would never love someone like her, an inferior officer. She sighed as she pulled into the emergency room, ready for Ed to explode as Mustang commented on his size related to the size of something else he owned.

"Damn it!" Sin shouted. He had appeared in front of his tin cabin that he had built only a few weeks ago. "I almost had them! They were there, right there! I ALMOST HAD THEM!"

"Patience." a calm voice whispered in the darkest corner of the cabin. "They have not truly tasted your power. Hohenheim may have created you, but I have made you perfect. There will always be another time."

Sin sighed. "If you say mother."

"Good." the voice said. "Now, go fetch us some food. We need to eat to gain strength and kill those people."

Sin grinned evilly, showing a mouth of razor sharp teeth.

"Blood or meat?"

…...

Note: Thank you for reading Chapter 2 of Flaming Passion. If you see any mistakes, please let me know. I wasn't aware of the fact that the last chapter was mostly in italics. I'm proud of this chapter, and can't wait to start the next one. The last paragraph was based on a song from Sweeny Todd.

Till next time! =3