Chapter 4: Blizzards, Snow, And A Girl
The sun was shining brightly as Sonata followed Riza to the office, a joyful skip in her step. She held Black Hayate's leash, without a care in the world. As Riza walked into Roy's office, Sonata continued to follow. Riza sighed when she saw Roy, once again, ignoring his paperwork as if it wasn't there.
"Colonel, you need to work on your paperwork." She scolded. He huffed.
"I've been busy with other affairs that are more important than papers that aren't even due for another month." He insisted.
"You shouldn't be lazy… being lazy is bad… And if you do bad things, you become a bad person… and bad people make me angry…"
Sonata's words were more than enough to make Roy snap to attention. He looked at Riza, and looked at her in a way that meant 'we-need-to-be-alone-this-is-serious". Riza nodded.
"Sonata, why don't you go take Black Hayate for another walk? I'm sure he'd enjoy it." Riza suggested gently. Sonata nodded.
"I'll be back!" She promised, leaving the two alone. Riza sighed, and turned back to face Roy.
"What is it, sir?" She asked.
"I was thinking last night about what to do with her, and in all honesty, I can only think of one woman who can safely handle her sadistic alternate persona without being outright traumatized." Roy began. Riza's eyes widened at the hints Roy was dropped. She looked at him with a frown.
"Sir, she won't take Sonata up front. She'll see Sonata as nothing more than a burden." Riza pointed out.
"I know, but it wouldn't take much if she were up there to provoke a transformation. I've heard that Fullmetal is heading up there, which will help prove to her that Sonata isn't just some brat she can dump at Northern Command until someone picks her up." Roy said, dropping more subtle hints in his tone and expressions. Riza looked down, and let out an exasperated sigh.
"I guess we'd better go shopping for snow coats…" She droned, walking out.
"Aaah, snow! Snow, snow, snow! There's so much of it! Haha!"
Sonata happily ran out of the train station, running through the snow faster than Riza could keep up. She let snowflakes fall on her tongue, grinning like the child she was.
"Wait for me, Sonata! You'll get lost-damnit!" Riza yelled as she ran, seeing that she'd lost Sonata. She looked down and groaned.
"Somehow, I have a feeling this is going to end badly for someone…" She droned. Nonetheless, she caught her breath, gathered her bearings, and once again took off, looking for the wayward girl.
"Brrr…. It's really cold…"
Sonata, as expected, was hopelessly lost in a blizzard that had suddenly started out of nowhere. She was shivering, and was clutching her coat tight around her body. She was staggering as best she could through the thick, heavy, slick snow.
"I heard the weather changes fast in the mountains, but I don't like this… It's so cold and wet and icky…"
She looked over, blinked, and then smiled. She picked up her pace, a surge of joy hormones driving her further.
"Ah! It's Ed! ED!" She called enthusiastically. Edward and Alphonse turned, and were completely shocked to see Sonata running towards them. She tackled Ed in a bear hug, laughing gleefully.
"Sonata! What are you doing here?!" Ed demanded, looking at her.
"Miss Riza brought me here… but then I got lost… so I saw you and figured you could help me!" She explained, smiling. Ed raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Why would Miss Riza bring Sonata up here?" Alphonse wondered.
"Ummm… I remember her saying something about a lady named Olivi… Olivia… Olivie… Um…" Sonata tried, the name's pronunciation escaping her.
"Olivier?" Alphonse corrected. Sonata nodded vigoriously.
"Yea, her! I'm supposed to meet her. Miss Riza said that she was supposed to take care of me. But why would she be up here?"
The soldiers (aforementioned Ice Queen included) and brothers all deadpanned.
"She really doesn't know…" Ed droned.
"Well, let's talk about it inside, where it isn't as cold, okay?" Alphonse suggested. Sonata nodded again, and they all went inside.