Colonel Mustangs Plan Chapter 3
Prequel To RoyxEd Panthers

The next day there came a knock at Edward's door, he was still sleeping. Alphonse of course heard it he stood up. He looked through the peephole to see it was a female Panther lady with a very serious look on her face dressed in military blue with her arms crossed.

Alphonse went over to the sleeping Edward and shook him, "Brother," Edward didn't move. "Bother wake up there is some really scary panther lady in blue at the door!" He said louder and shook him again.

Edward snorted awake and sat up. The knocking at the door came again, Edward quickly scrambled up, "Just a Second!" He called out he grabbed his pants and tried to put them on but fell down on his face with a thud hitting his chin. "Ouch," He muttered, Alphonse picked him up and this helped him slide into his pants as Al set him down. "Thanks Al don't tell anyone about that." He warned and Alphonse put his hands up in defense.

"Brother your secrets are safe with me," Al said stepping back Edward quickly went to the door and opened it. To see just the site Alphonse had described she was tall and had red eyes and a very fierce look on her face.

"Hello I am Lieutenant Hawkeye, I was sent by Colonel Mustang, to bring you to his office so he can give you a message." Hawkeye spoke softly, "My I come in?" She wondered since Edward was still kind of staring at her as she spoke then he blinked and shook himself out of his stupor he had just woken up after all.

"Oh yes sorry," Edward said stepping to the side and she entered the room looking around. Indeed Roy was right this was no place for young children the wall paper was some color she couldn't even tell what it was anymore. The carpet was ripped up and she could smell piss and blood and sexual fluids all over the room. "If you want a seat go ahead while I wash up and get ready."

"Thank you, Mr. Elric," She said sitting down still keeping her straight poster and very serious look on her face. She had noticed Alphonse of course he was hard to miss. "And you must be Mr. Elric's Little Brother Alphonse?" She wondered Al bowed a bit swiftly.

"Yes, yes that is me," He chuckled a bit nervously as those red eyes seemed to bore past his armor and right into his soul. "So um do you like books?" He wondered.

Edward had closed the door of the bathroom, he quickly got cleaned up and dressed though the water in the shower had only come out at a sprinkle at first, then Ed fixed this as well with Alchemy he needed a washing he stunk after three days of traveling. Once he was clean he dried off and brushed his hair tell it was dry enough then braided it back and had gotten dressed in his normal black shirt, black pants and red jacket. He stepped out of the bathroom yawning and starching and looking much more shinny. "Alright I am ready to go." He said in mid yawn he curled his blonde tail. Then flicked it straight getting some of the remaining water of the tail.

"Alright then," Hawkeye stood up and put her hand out to Alphonse, "It was nice Meeting you." She said still in a monotone voice.

"Um Yes Like Wise Lieutenant Hawkeye!" Alphonse nodded he shook her hand. "Brother will you bring me back some more books afterwards? I am just about done with the the last one."

"Of course Al don't you worry," Ed winked and gave him a thumbs up, "Alright Lieutenant Please lead the way." Hawkeye nodded they walked out the door and Edward once again put an alchemy lock on it so no one could get in and steal anything or hurt Alphonse. Hawkeye stood next to the car and opened the door for Edward who hopped in, he had not ridden in that many cars in his life time. So he was looking around at the interesting motor car. As Hawkeye sat down and started the car. Ed looked at her, "You know we don't seem to see as many cars where I come from, maybe its a big city thing?" He wondered sure he'd see one or two mainly trucks taking milk or hay some place far away. He shuttered at the thought of milk though.

"Hmn Perhaps that is so," She answered him, "So Mr. Elric do you mind telling me how old you are?" She wondered she could not help herself she had never known the Colonel to help children out before. He really didn't say a whole lot about Ed aside for the fact he needed his help and Roy was going to give it to him.

"No I don't mind, and you can just call me Edward," Ed shrugged, she nodded, "I am fourteen years old." He answered her, Hawkeye was a bit shocked she had guest 10 or 12 with how short he was but she didn't say such a thing didn't want to offend him.

"Wow Fourteen years old, where did you come from that would not have auto cars?" she wondered turning down North Central boulevard.

"Oh I come from Resembool," Edward told her she nodded that was a long ways away she thought. She pulled up to the front of the building and got out, Ed opened his door before she could come around and let him out. He hopped down and went around to the sidewalk.

They walked in silences to the Colonel's office "I'll wait out here, Its suppose to be a private conversation." Hawkeye told Ed who looked up at her he nodded. He always felt a bit nervous going to see The Colonel for some reason. Maybe its just cause he is a Colonel they don't take shit from anyone least this is how he felt Colonel Mustang was. Edward knocked on the door Roy's deep voice could be heard telling Edward to enter. Ed opened the door and came inside and shut the door.

"Good Morning Edward," Roy said standing up from his desk, "Care for some tea maybe some toast or something?" He said walking over to the coffee table with what he offered to Edward. Roy sat down and started to pore the tea.

"Um sure thank you," Edward walked over and sat down and took some of the toast and put some jelly on it then munched it down. Like he was a ravished puppy, he didn't have breakfast he didn't know if he was going to get any today, he was only able to get one meal a day on the budget he was running on. Most the time it was not a full meal just maybe a sandwich or an apple. Edward happily drank the tea he was the only demon panther that seemed to have a vendetta against cream.

Roy watched Edward eat about three piece of toast then down three cups of tea, he was only on his first cup of tea. "Well," He said breaking the silence that seemed to have become stagnant in the air. "I am sure your ready for me to tell you how I can help you?" Roy spoke up Edward was licking his left finger of the crumbs he had his glove still on his metal hand not wanting to get it crumby he did get a red jelly stain on it which he cursed mentally about.

"Yes," Edward said sitting up straight he put his messy gloved hand into his pocket he perked his ears up waiting to hear what Roy had to say, Edward still had a bit of jelly also smeared on his face along with some crumbs.

Roy tried not to chuckle, he had not much dealings with children or teenagers but the site was amusing to him none the less. "Um here," He said handing Ed a napkin. "You got some jelly on your face."

Edward snagged the napkin quickly and licked his face and cleaned it off, his face was very red now, "Um thanks" he nearly choked out... "Anyways. Tell me I really wanna know." Ed said recovering quickly least he didn't just not tell him.

"Well you should be come a State Alchemist, of course to do that you'd have to join the military you would be under my wing. I'd make sure you'd only answer to me, If you become a state Alchemist you'll have Free access to anywhere you need to go. Go into libraries Travel the country on the trains freely with out much cost. Also you'd get paid of course by the military to do missions and stuff. Which would be what you'd have to do, as an undercover thing. So everyone else won't know what your real objective is. How does that sound?" Roy wondered he had been sitting up leaning on his knee he sipped his tea it seemed everything Roy did was with grace in Edward's eye, Roy then he leaned back waiting for what Ed would say.

"Join the military?" Edward turned his nose up at the very idea, "but I don't want to kill anyone I hate war, I hate violence unless I have to do so to protect myself or Alphonse." Ed said crossing his arms. "I never wanted to be under any ones control I don't like it. I like doing what I wanna do!" Edward stood up and started to pace with his fists clinched his tail swishing.

"Well Edward this is the best Idea I could come up with, its the only way you'd be able to keep getting free meetings with me. After awhile people will start to wonder why a blonde cub is coming into the Colonel's office, you'll need to have a solid reason." Roy said standing up as well he put his hands on his hips as he watched the young boy seeming to think, about everything Roy has said.

"Is there anyway I can think about this and get back to you? I need to talk to Alphonse about all of this." Edward finally decided and had stopped walking and truned to look up at the black panther Colonel.

"Alright Edward I give you one week, Then your boot camp will start three weeks after that." Roy told Edward who sighed and nodded.

"Alright thanks Colonel," Edward had a lot to think about with in one week, this would be a big change for him, to be tied down and told what to do. He thought if he was under Mustang's command perhaps it wouldn't be so bad one part of him said. As he walked out of the office then another part the more fiery side was saying we don't need the god damn military we can find our own way...

Edward thought about all of this while Hawkeye was driving him back to the motel... "So did you want me to Drop you off by the Library?" She wondered breaking into Edward's world of thought he blinked he looked at Hawkeye.

"Oh sure thank you, I need to find more books for Al. Also myself." Edward nodded looking over at the blonde lady she parked next to the side walk. "Whelp thank you!" He said getting out.

"You sure you don't want me to wait for you?" Hawkeye wondered after him.

"Nah its ok I am sure you have other things to do, then worry about me. So thanks again Later Ms Hawkeye!" He waved she gave a soft nod before she drove off though she had half a mind to just stalk him to make sure he was ok.

After Edward had gotten a few good books from the Library he came down the steps, it was going more toward late afternoon, he wanted to eat something this time at home. So he stopped by the Super Market and got himself some bread and meat along with some juice. Once he was through there he walked out of the shop with books in one hand and a bag of food on the other. He wasn't paying attention so much as it was a nice day it was a blue sky. Also he was deep in thought of what his answer would be to the Colonel. He didn't really notice he was coming around the Corner Of Green Street. Then he felt something painful hit him on the top of the head through the fog of his view he saw those same panthers from the night before laughing, then his world went black.