Geek out moment; FMA Chapter 107 WOW!
Thanks for reading and really thanks for the reviews
Disclaimer: I have not managed to estrange the diary farmers of Japan, yet, so no the characters are not mine
Last Chapter
Both men, in just that look, had agreed that Miss Winry was not the type to give over to fits of hysteria and that they would have to do something soon for the over stressed girl. They had also both agreed that there was no way that they were going to allow the crazed girl to run to the station and possible capture or worse.
And now on to the story:
"This is the worst thing I've been forced to do for you yet," Colonel Roy Mustang said as he pushed his dark sunglasses back up the bridge of his nose, "and considering everything that has happened lately, that is really saying something."
"Sir, you've mentioned that several times already," Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye said from the seat beside the Colonel. In fact this was at least the twelfth time Mustang had repeated his opinion of this endeavor since leaving Central City a week ago.
"Idiot. Who else could do this?"
"That is true Colonel," Riza reasoned with infinite patience, "it would be your duty after all."
"But there has to be..." Mustang's ongoing arguments were interrupted by the sounding of the train's steam whistle followed by a soft rap at the compartment door.
"Excuse me Sir," a young enlisted man stuck his head through the now open door and looked nervously between the people seated on either side of the small train compartment, " we'll be coming to Resembool soon."
The Colonel didn't bother to glance at the boy who had just spoken. Instead he threw the Private a dismissive wave and continued to glare at the occupants of the seat across from him. The Private took quick measure of the atmosphere in the tiny compartment and beat a hasty retreat. There was no way he wanted to get involved in a dispute between his superior officers. The door shut with a barely audible click and the group was alone again.
Before Mustang could pick up the argument, the train whistle sounded again signaling the quickly approaching station.
"Try not to screw this up, moron."
"Hmp," Mustang grunted as he rose. "Let's go Lieutenant, it seems we have a job to do."
Lt Hawkeye followed the Colonel into the narrow corridor without glancing back at the people still seated in the compartment. It wasn't as if she didn't understand both sides of the argument, but she had to wonder about the future of a country with such stubborn leaders. She pulled the windowless door closed behind her and looked up to scold Mustang for being so difficult. The Colonel stood leaning against the steel hatch that lead into the next passenger car. It was almost as if he hadn't noticed Lieutenant Hawkeye, though she now stood close enough to her commanding officer to see the look on his face. Mustang stood with his forehead pressed against the door, hands braced on either side of his head. His face was tense, lips pressed together in a tight line, brows low and knitted. It wasn't often the Hawkeye caught Mustang in a moment like this with all of his confidence, his posturing, stripped away.
"It's alright, Roy," Riza said with her hand on his shoulder. If he was going to be exposed and emotional than she would be as well. "None of us expected or wanted this outcome. We're all angry, we're all confused, and no one wants to have to do this. But, you truly are the only one who can."
"I know Riza, I know." Roy rolled his head so the side of his face was pressed against the door and locked eyes with his subordinate. They stood together like that for another moment before the train whistle interrupted yet again.
"Hard to believe that just yesterday you were complaining that this mission was taking too long, Sir," Lieutenant Hawkeye said with a sad smile.
"Was that yesterday?" Colonel Mustang gave her the same smile before straightening himself and resetting his face. "Let's go get the men in order."
Mustang and Hawkeye handed out directions automatically, though at this point it was mostly unnecessary. It had been a long and tedious assignment and it was only about half over. There had been a lot of chaos in Central City following the Promised Day. Both Mustang's group and the Eastern soldiers had tried their best to avoid major propriety damage and civilian involvement, but the Central and Northern soldiers had not operated under the same principals. Several major hospitals had been damaged during the fighting along with most of the main roads. Even with the majority of the military's alchemists working nonstop, it'd taken days to restore the city to an operating condition. Casualties had been unfortunately high, particularly in the capitol building where rampaging homunculi and souled dolls had wrought havoc on the military. The undamaged hospitals had been overrun quickly and several tented triage units had to be organized throughout the city in order to treat the wounded as a massive search and rescue mission was undertaken among the rubble. There had also been the delicate and ongoing matter of weeding out the Fuhrer's remaining supporters.
Secretly Mustang was glad that he had agreed, along with General Armstrong and General Grumman, to come together and form a temporary council to govern the country. Apparently leading a revolution involved a mountain of paperwork and Mustang was glad he could share it with others. Still, even with all three members of the council working in nonstop shifts, it'd been weeks before the new government could reach out to the civilians of Amestris. So finally, with the Central City roads repaired and the hospitals restored to working order, military trains had set out from Central toward the four major cities. Each train was loaded with medical supplies, nonperishable food stuffs, and a small peace keeping brigade. All four trains were charged with stopping at each train station along the line and distributing supplies and comfort to the villagers near by. The mission was the same for the train Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Hawkeye commanded, but with two major differences. Only this train, the one headed toward East City, carried several high ranking officials of the New Government. And only this train would be making an extended planned stop in a particular sheep herding, mountain village.
"Forward group," Lieutenant Hawkeye called out, "the Colonel and I will disembark the train first. I don't want any incidents like the last time..."
Several soldiers saluted in response. 'The last time' referred to the last town the train had stopped in. The forward group had stepped from the train with a cocky indifference born from repetition. The people of the village, who had been plagued already by marauding bandits, took one look at the armed soldiers and had reacted rather badly. The relief group had been pinned in the station for two hours before they had managed to calm the panicked villagers and complete their relief mission. Though none of the other stops had been quite that extreme, the majority of the Amestris people seemed to be in a similar state of panic. In many of the towns, there had been a rush of people to meet the train. Some were begging for food, many were desperate for medical supplies, all wanted news from Central. It had often become necessary to hand out supplies with riffles at the ready. More than once, it had come to near riot anyway. And who could blame the citizens of Amestris for being frightened? Since The Promised Day, there had been no way to send news to people in the rural villages and towns. When the rebel forces had taken over the official state radio station, the Fuehrer's men had responded by cutting off radio communications in a spectacular way. Apparently the Central City forces hadn't wanted to leave anything to chance and had blown the entire radio transmitter array. Communications had been effectively wiped out, not only in the city, but to the entire country as well. Most likely, Sergeant Major Fuery was still trying to sort out the mess left behind.
The train whistle sounded again, this time accompanied by a warning over the loud speakers, "Ten minutes until Resembool station."
"All right men, prepare to disembark," Mustang ordered.
Long lines formed along the length of the passenger carrier. A group of men would follow the Colonel and Lieutenant through the main exit, while two other groups would exit on either side of the car. The train began slowed as the Resembool station crept into sight. The soldiers peered through the narrow windows in an attempt to assess the situation waiting for them.
"What the hell?" Mustang mumbled.
Despite everything Hawkeye and Mustang had come across the last few days, the sight that met them at the Resembool train station still managed to shock the two veterans. The platform was crowded, not with panicked masses, but an odd assortment of determined looking men. Most appeared to be farmers, their clothes powdered with dust from their fields, faces hard and wrinkled from the elements. What was real cause for confusion and concern though, was the fact that each man was discreetly armed. Here there was a casual riffle slung across the back, there a pistol holstered beneath someone's arm. These men had not come to throw themselves on the mercy of the government. These men were here to pick a fight.
"Snipers," Hawkeye mumbled, her hand already drifting toward her own weapon.
"I noticed," Mustang responded, "but calm down. We don't know what this is yet."
The train lurched one more time before it finally came to be a complete stop. The men at the platform attempted to look nonchalant, but for the most part failed miserably, as tense eyes turned toward the passenger cars. Mustang could feel the brigade of soldiers behind him tense in response. A metallic click was followed by another as safeties were switched off in a domino effect.
"Calm down," Mustang repeated, this time speaking loud enough for the entire passenger car to hear. "They're farmers for God's sake. Quit being so pathetic."
Several nearby soldiers turned their eyes to the ground in what was clearly embarrassment . Mustang could only hope now that he was correct in assuming that the men at the station would prove not to be as threatening as they seemed.
"At the ready," Mustang said and the order was passed down through the car as the train finally came to a lurching halt in front of the platform.
The New Amestris Army took on what was supposed to be a non threatening, reassuring stance as Lt Hawkeye moved to slide open the car's doors. She stepped forward and down from the train, eyes everywhere at once. Mustang knew that Riza Hawkeye had already assessed every man at the station (ten men in all), picked which she would shoot first (probably the snipers), and what cover could be found (precious little). Naturally, this was not the first time they had exited the train like this in the last week. This was, however, the first time they had been in danger of being slaughtered by sheep ranchers.
Worst thing ever, Mustang thought again as he stepped onto the top step of the train. Out loud he said, "People of Resembool..."
"YO! Colonel Mustang!" One of the snipers had stood from his position on the train station roof and waved his arm in what could only be considered a goofy manner. " 'Bout damn time you showed!"
"Armstrong's men?" Mustang squinted into the the sun, trying to confirm Riza's question, but it was no use in the afternoon light.
"Get down here you idiots," he shouted frustrated.
The first man jumped easily from the low roof and landed in a crouch on the platform. The other sniper lowered himself more carefully using a gutter to slow his descent. Both men approached the train and snapped to attention in front of the Colonel.
"Lieutenants Bricker and George of the Northern Army, Briggs Post, Sir!"
Mustang rolled his eyes at the belated sign of respect. Surely Armstrong had tortured him enough for one lifetime without her subordinates being in on it as well.
"At ease," Mustang ordered. The men took him literally, dropped their salutes, and took on lazy slouches. A little over a month away from Briggs and look at them, Mustang thought. Armstrong will murder them.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Mustang yelled as Hawkeye directed the soldiers disembarking from the train. "What were you planning to do with less than a dozen farmers?"
"Well sir," Bricker answered in completely the wrong tone, "we weren't sure who'd be on this train so we directed these men that if things went wrong to throw off a couple of shots and then evacuate the village. There's a lot more men than you can see too. We've got them scattered all over the town. Sir."
"Ok. But why, Lieutenant, would you bring civilians into this situation in the first place?" Colonel Mustang was not a patient man and this thing was just too much.
"Well Sir," Lt George answered this time, perhaps sensing the danger Bricker's cooky attitude had put them in, "these men actually had volunteered, Sir. As Bricker said, we didn't know who would be on the train but we had to come down here with her, Sir."
George gestured behind him to the "her" in question. The farmer's, apparently reassured that the train held no dangers, had moved toward the opposite end of the platform where the soldiers had begun to unload supplies. Now that the majority of the men had cleared off, Mustang noticed that there was another person waiting at the station, a girl half hidden near the station manager's office. She didn't bother to look at the soldier who had indicated her presence, but instead continued to stare at the train. She looked small standing there, her face was pale and her forehead had wrinkled. Mustang cursed his stupidity. Of course Winry Rockbell would be there, exposing herself to whatever dangers the train might have brought to the sleepy village. Of course she would never expect a promise made by that damn kid to be broken. And of course she would immediately see the truth of the situation. Mustang brushed past the slouching Northern soldiers as he approached Winry.
"Miss Rockbell," this was the standard script for this occasion, "regretfully..."
Winry finally turned to look at the Colonel and for a moment he thought she might punch him. Mustang thought that he truly deserved it for addressing her like that. For a moment he hoped she truly hit as hard as Edward had let on. But instead she simply asked, "Did you bring medical supplies? We're running low."
"Winry," Hawkeye tried cautiously, "what the Colonel is trying to say is..."
"Do you think that I am stupid?" Winry's voice was dull, her eyes dry.
No you're not, but I'm a fucking moron, Mustang thought.
Because there was no one who knew better than Winry Rockbell. If the Elric brothers had been able to come home then Mustang and Hawkeye would not have been first off the train. Alphonse would have been. He would have jumped down the steps and rushed forward and laughed as he flung his arms around Winry. He probably would have cried, all emotion, as his older brother would looked on with hidden amusement. After a moment, Edward would have come over and put his hand on the side of her head before pulling her into a rough hug. He would have said something shockingly sweet, followed by something idiotic and Winry would have answered that by punching him in his flesh right arm. They would have laughed and cried and ate apple pie.
"I'm not doing this here. I'm not going to listen to this here," and she gestured not so much at the station itself but at the men standing near the freight cars. She called back to the farmers,"Bring the medical supplies to the house as soon as you can."
Mustang, Hawkeye, and the soldiers from Briggs turned to follow the girl up the hill to the waiting yellow house. She didn't speak to or acknowledge the group trailing behind her. She didn't look back as soldiers continued to step out of the passenger cars. She didn't call out anymore orders to the men unloading the crates. Mustang sighed in frustration. Of course, of course, of course Winry Rockbell knew right away
The Elric Brother's were not going to get off that train.
Worst thing ever, Mustang thought again.
