SailorStar9: This is Chapter 2 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny and my OC.

Chapter 2: The Signs of a Counterattack

"Guys!" Rose called, the able-bodied men working to rebuild Reole. "Lunch is served. Please line up."

"Excuse me…" Hohenheim moaned, dying on hunger on the ground. "Can we have some, as well?"

"Thank you." Rainee nodded, as Hohenheim gulped down the stew. "You saved us. That was great."

"Where did you come from?" the food vendor inquired.

"That's a difficult question to answer, since we've been wandering all over the place." Hohenheim replied.

"But why Reole out of all places?" the food vendor asked.

"You've heard of the riots that happened here, right?" Rose pressed. "There's nothing left of this town because of it."

"There are delicious meals here, are there not?" Hohenheim reminded.

"I'm flattered by your compliment." Rose admitted. "But this is all I can do to help."

"That's not true." Rainee corrected. "Both the warm meals you serve and the bright smile on your face motivates everyone to work. That's right, I know you saved our lives, but we're actually looking for a church."

"A church?" Rose echoed.

"The headquarters of the Leto religion, the cause of the riot." Rainee confirmed.

"It's just as you see." The food vendor stated, having brought the pair to the ruins. "Even if you go in, there won't be anything left."

"Is there a passage that leads underground?" Rainee asked.

"There is, but…" Rose replied.

"What's this?" Hohenheim peered at the underground toxic spring.

"A poisoned reservoir." Rose answered. "It was already like that when we found it."

"So, an ordinary person won't be able to get past this." Rainee mused.

"You'll die if you step into it." The food vendor warned as Hohenheim stepped forward.

Rainee ignored the warning, her pacifier flaring up in power, "Harmonix Sphere." She encased both Hohenheim and herself within the hardened 'Sky Flame' orb and moved them across the poisoned waters.

"A miracle…" the food vendor gaped, recognizing the high-collared sleeveless white battle dress the young woman wore.

"You mean…" Rose was stunned.

"'The True Heir'." The food vendor confirmed. "The Queen of Xerxes has returned."

"Queen?" Rose echoed. "But she isn't crowned yet."

The aged vendor grinned, "Just because she is not crowned does not mean she is not the Queen. It flows in her blood and you can see it in her eyes. True Queens are not made, Rose, they are born."

"We're going to go a bit further." Hohenheim shouted back. "Could you wait for us here?"

"Wow…" Hohenheim noted, blasting through a wall to find train tracks before them. "This place is huge." He remarked, lighting the way with his lamp. "Damn him, making something so large."

"That was quick." Rainee mused, stopping in her tracks, 'Pride' rushing towards them a second later. Summoning her hardened 'Sky Flames' on her heels, she retreated, with Hohenheim behind her.

Hohenheim transmuted spiked obstacles to buy them time, only to fail at preventing 'Pride's destructive powers. "Uh oh, that wasn't even enough to slow you down." He remarked. "In that case, why don't I trap you?" he transmuted some more stone spikes from the walls, trying to stop 'Pride's assault. The shadows merely smashed through the stone and charged towards the pair.

"Dragon's Embrace." Rainee summoned her barrier as the pair retreated back towards the tunnel.

"What's wrong?" Hohenheim taunted, Rainee recalling her shield, 'Pride's hands stopping short from the tunnel. "Aren't you going to kill me?"

"You're… Von Hohenheim, aren't you?" 'Pride' growled.

"Looks like this is as far as you can go." Hohenheim pointed to the tunnel border. "You'll die if you go any further? Going past this line will result in your death, right? Kind of like that flask. So, my conclusion is you can only move within this tunnel in the center portion of Central. What do you say? Am I right? What's wrong? Why don't you say something, Mr. Can't-Leave-His-Home? You mad?"

"There's no such thing as wrath within me." 'Pride' insisted. "Not just wrath. I left all unnecessary emotions within Father. My name is 'Pride'.

"'Pride'…" Rainee voiced. "So that stands for 'avarice'. They say man is embodied by seven deadly sins: lust, greed, sloth, gluttony, envy, wrath, and pride.

"So the emotion he let go first was you, 'Pride'." Hohenheim snorted. "Funny how he detached you to look exactly as he did when he was in the flask. So that appearance is the true nature of that arrogant, self-adulating father of yours.

"I'm going to ask that the two of you visit my father." 'Pride' requested.

"No need to rush things." Hohenheim assured. "Don't worry; we'd visit him even if we weren't invited." The pair turned to exit. "Tell him this: 'Slave Number 23 will accompany the 'Sky Princess' to see you soon. Throw yourself back in your chair in Central while you wait for them.' Got it?"

"They're back." The food vendor remarked, the bright orange orb alerting them that the pair had returned. "Find anything?"

"Yeah." Hohenheim nodded. "People shouldn't go near this place. It's dangerous. Please tell everyone not to go in."

"What were you doing down there?" Rose inquired.

"Just a little declaration of war." Rainee smiled mysteriously.

SailorStar9: Suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome. Flames, on the other hand, especially the one-liners types, would be given to Roy Mustang as additional ammunition.