Ah, chapter 4.

Harpygirl91: Hahahaha! While that would be a good idea, he's gonna get a target painted on his chest by a certain blond alchemist.

Anyway, on with the show!

Oh, and sorry if it's short. It's still time frame as last chappie, just different point of view.


Harry Potter/Sailor Moon

Full Metal Alchemist

"Harry Potter and the Living Stone"

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Chapter 4:

"Enough is Enough"

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"Wonder what's takin' Hotaru so long." Edward muttered, looking around. Alphonse was half picking at his food, wishing his brother would stop match making, the pain in the ass. "She's usually here by now."

"Does it matter, Ed?" Al asked, a bit down. "She said she had to take care of something first."

"Yeah and that was about 20 minutes ago. It's lunch, little brother." Ed shot back distractedly. He looked at Al and noticed his expression. "Al, what's wrong?"

"I can't do it, Ed. I just can't." Al admitted, looking up at his brother. "I can't tell her. I—I can't get up the nerve and every time I do, something cuts in. It's like fate's telling me to give up."

"No, that would be that annoying little voice at the back of your mind, Al." Edward corrected. "You just need to be a little more determined." A fine tremor of power snapped through Edward, alerting him to something that shouldn't have happened. "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what?" His little brother inquired cluelessly as Ed got up from his seat. "Brother, where are you going?"

"I'll be right back. If she gets here before I do, tell her to just sit down."

Edward half strode across the Hokkaido lunch room and into the hall. He stopped for a minute, trying to locate that power he had felt. Locating it, he hustled down the hall to the stairs and took them 3 at a time, going up 6 floors before turning left and hustling to a half opened door. It was one of the infirmaries in the school, each floor having their own for immediate treatment. If Ed remembered correctly, this was one that he helped Mustang equip with alchemic reversal circles on the floors, walls, ceiling and the furniture.

He crouched by the door, noticing the light was on. He knew someone was inside and that power led him straight to it. Keeping his back to the all by the frame, Edward took his folding knife from his boot and flicked it open to use the blade like a mirror to see inside the room.

"You're lucky to only come away with 4 little gashes, Miss Tomoe." The unmistakable voice of Doctor Tim Marcoh replied as Ed angled his blade just right to get an idea of what was going on. It had been common knowledge amongst the alchemists that Marcoh had come to the school on the request of Headmistress Iyase Hirahito but why he was administering medical attention to Hotaru was beyond Edward.

Hotaru was only half dressed, her left—no, right arm and shoulder exposed and being treated. There were bloody tears in her crimson blazer and white dress shirt, her blood making the red of her blazer only darker. The Hokkaido headmistress was perched on a spindly silver chair with three legs, her usually flowing shawl around her shoulders across the room where it was half hanging out of the sink.

Edward never could get over the fact that this 30-plus-year-old woman was actually in her 600s and was the most powerful sorceress in all of Asia. She dressed in a dark silver kimono styled dress that easily spilled around her feet, a silver obi with a bow that resembled fine fairy wings and half of her long silvery white hair in a bun, pinned with fine silver combs. Her bright mercury eyes were lined with a fine metallic gray and shadowed with a smoky shadow. Her lips were a fine shade of rose pink and she wore the lightest of silver hues as polish on her long nails.

Her earrings were most unusual, each having four chains. The longest chain on her left earring only reached her shoulder, that of the right reached her hip with the others going to the end of her ribs, her mid bicep and her shoulder. Around her slender neck was a silver silk choker with her own personal pass crystal framed in intricate weavings of silver cherry blossom sprigs.

Now, as surprised as he was to see the headmistress, Edward was soon drawn to Marcoh treating the four slanting gashes in her right bicep. When the man cleaned the blood from her arm, Ed could swear he saw bone despite the restrained blood that was no doubt the headmistress's doing. What in God's name would hurt Hotaru so badly?

"You'd think I'd learn to stop insulting him to his face." Hotaru smiled softly, mournfully.

"I hope you understand, Hotaru, but I can't let this slide." Hirahito replied as Marcoh picked up a curved needle and sterilized it. "He swore that he wouldn't harm a student as long as I let him and his murder roost on this island. He has gone against our agreement."

"He's right, though." Hotaru mumbled as the Crystal Alchemist threaded the now sterile needle. "I screamed, I showed weakness. I belong to him."

"You were 14, Hotaru. He had no right to give you those nightmares." The headmistress said firmly, the usual dreamy and young purr absent. Was Ed getting to hear her normal voice?

"This may hurt a bit, Miss Tomoe." Marcoh warned before he stuck the girl with his needle. Edward was both disgusted and transfixed as he watched Marcoh slowly and tightly stitch the first gash.

"He's under a lot of stress. He's the leader of the prominent demon population on the Mystic Isle and that's the only reason he's able to keep the other demons and fiends to agree to that 'no harming students' policy." Hotaru was actually defending her attacker? Was she insane?

Hirahito sighed softly. "I know you don't want the tengu to get hurt, Hotaru, but Kurotengu went too far this time. He needs to understand the meaning of 'restraint'."

Kurotengu? Wasn't that the name of the Blood Talon of the Isle's murder of tengu? They roosted somewhere so far undiscovered on the island and it was apparently a bitch to get to. Wherever it was, the tengu were amazingly safe so they had grown to a surprising number and were now the reigning demon collective. Any demon who dared to mess with the school or the fine agreement between Hirahito and Kurotengu, found themselves meeting the crow demon leader in person and finding out the hard way that you didn't go against him.

And Hotaru was defending the bastard when he hurt her!

"He's still new to his position." Hotaru tried to explain. "He has yet to find the stride that works."

"Hotaru, you're not going to talk me out of finishing what he started when he threatened you." Hirahito responded, undaunted. Marcoh cut the thread after tying off his work on the first gash, rethreaded the needle and got to work on the second in line.

Hotaru sighed softly. "I know but he's still the sweet bird I remember."

"Perhaps he is but it didn't change what he did." The headmistress said gently. "He needs to understand that you're still a student and until you graduate, you're under my protection. You're 16, Hotaru, and a very brilliant girl. You know what I'm saying rings of the truth."

Edward had enough. He couldn't just stand there. He closed his knife, tucked it in his boot and stalked to the stairs. Hotaru was going to tell him what was going on, even if Ed had to inflict more damage to that wound of hers. She and Al would probably kill him but Ed wanted straight answers—like where Kurotengu and his murder of crow demons were roosting. It was about time someone put that damned bird in his place.


Wow, don't get in over your head there, Edo-chan.

Ed: What's with the "chan"? I'm older than you.

So? I'm the writer.

Envy: Nuu-chan!

AAAAAAH! -runs away- ANYONE BUT YOU!

Envy: -in hot pursuit- Come back, my feline angel!

SOMEONE CALL MAJOR GENERAL ARMSTRONG! I NEED BACK UP!

-skids to a stop and bows- please read and review!

Envy: NUU-CHAN!

SHIT! -runs off again-