Sorry it's been awhile. I did warn you guys that I might only be able to update on this every other weekend. I was just having problems with this chapter and things not coming out the way I wanted them to so I had to work on it for awhile. I will try my hardest though to update next weekend but I make no promises!
I have recently realized just how obsessed with FMA I am. For my Spanish class we had to draw a map of the neighborhood where we live and apparently I live down the street from Central Headquaters. XD Which is on Edwards Street, that lets out on Mustang Drive.
Thanks goes to Roku for editing this. I heart my editor!
Chapter 8
(-Serah-)
She awoke to a stinging pain in her shoulder. She hissed and flinched away.
"Sorry, but it needs taking care of." someone told her.
Serah snapped her eyes open and launched herself from the couch where she had been laying. She stood in what appeared to be the living room of a house. The man that she had met earlier sat on the coffee table in front of the couch. In his hand he clutched a wet cloth.
"What the hell were you trying to do?" she asked him, alert.
The man, who's name she couldn't remember, eyed her warily, "Cleaning your wounds. They need to be bandaged."
Without thinking about it, Serah touched the throbbing area of her shoulder. She had received this injury, along with many others, in that fight with the scarred man. She could remember perfectly how helpless she had felt. How she thought she would die then and there. How she had become so weakened that her animal features had shown through. Thankfully, she was in control enough now that she looked like an average human.
"What did you do to me?" Serah demanded. She wanted answers as to why she was in some unfamiliar house. She couldn't recall how she had gotten there. That unnerved her.
His brows rose to his hairline, "Nothing. You passed out and I carried you to my home. You should be thanking me for not leaving you on the sidewalk."
Damn, Serah growled at herself internally. She despised the fact that she couldn't control her body. Instead, she was too weak and fainted like a wussy.
"I don't need your help." she spat at him. "I don't need anyone's help. I can take care of myself."
"Then why are you covered in cuts and bruises?" he challenged her.
Serah grumbled a few choice words under her breath and said, "That's besides the point."
He smirked, "Sure it is."
Serah muttered to herself again and discreetly scanned the room for escape routes. Behind the couch there was an archway into the main hallway that held stairs to the second floor. To her left was a smaller archway leading into the kitchen. If she were Kayla then she would have ran for the hills the moment she had woken up in this strange house. But Serah had a more risky personality. There stood only one man against her. There were no others as far as she could tell. She could take him on if it came to that. Though, he had showed no hostility towards her. She would take that as a good sign but watch this guy like a hawk.
"Are you going to be good and let me help you now?" he asked.
Serah scowled at him and snatched the first aid supplies away from him, "I'll do it myself. Just point me to the nearest bathroom where I can clean myself up."
He frowned but pointed towards the hallway.
"Thanks." Serah said cause she wasn't a complete bitch. She sauntered off down the hallway to find the bathroom. She didn't keep glancing over her shoulder to check that he wasn't sneaking up behind her. Instead she simply kept her ears open for any signs of attack.
The bathroom wasn't anything flashy. The room was nice and adequate. And it had a sink and a lock on the door and that's all Serah needed. She set to work quickly and cleaned her wounds and bandaged them. Even before Serah had become a lab experiment she always had some sort of injury. She got into fights constantly and had to patch herself up all the time. Serah either got along with people splendidly or not at all. Usually she wouldn't get along with people. Kayla had to be the only person she had never been angry at. When they met in the lab it was as if they were long lost sisters. Serah had never had siblings, nor had Kayla, but Serah felt like a big sister to her. She felt this overwhelming need to be by her side and protect her. What could be happening to her kitty right now?
Filled with worries, Serah finished up in the bathroom and came back into the living room. She set the first aid kit back on the coffee table beside where the man was still perched.
"Do you feel better?" he asked.
She nodded, "I guess." With a sigh, she flopped down onto the couch.
"Good." he nodded. "How old are you?"
"Seventeen." she answered, wondering why he had asked.
"And who are you're parents and where do they live?"
Serah narrowed her eyes at the man, "Why do you want to know?"
He seemed unfazed by her glare, "So I can call them and tell them you're here."
"Look, Mr…"
"Roy Mustang."
"Roy," she nodded. "That's my business and you don't need to know."
Roy replied in an icy tone, "As you are in my house right now it is my business. And if you want to be uncooperative I have other ways of getting information."
"Like how?" she raised a brow skeptically.
"I'm afraid I didn't properly introduce myself. I am Colonel Roy Mustang."
A shiver ran down Serah's spine, "You're in the military?"
Roy nodded, pleased at her reaction.
Shit, Serah screamed in her head. Now that he mentioned it, the clothes under his coat were that of the military's standard uniform. How could she have not noticed before? This changed things. This man could not be trusted. If he discovered what she was then it would be back to her cage in the lab. It was a good thing that she could blend so easily with other humans.
"So even if you don't tell me then I will still find out. You can make this easier on yourself if you tell me now."
Serah bit back a rude remark. She hated this nosy man. But fate just loved to put her in crappy situations. She had no other choice. She had to tell him something. It was a good thing that lying was one of her many talents. "I don't live with my parents. They died some time ago. I've been living on my own for awhile here in Central." The truth was that her parents were alive and well. She may not have always gotten along with them but she loved them as much as she loved Kayla. They resided in a small town called Arcadia which was about a day-and-a-half's worth of a train ride away from Central. When Serah had been taken she had come on a special trip to Central to pick up a package for her mother. That day felt like ages ago.
She shook herself out of the memories. She couldn't get sidetracked. She had to remain focused on the here and now.
Roy let out a heavy breath, "That changes things somewhat. Tell me at least how you got injured."
Serah ruffled at his demanding tone but forced herself to comply…somewhat. "I was attacked."
"By who?"
"What makes you think it's a who? It could have easily been an animal or something." Serah said insolently.
Roy paid no mind to her impoliteness and answered her seriously, "I assumed that a person had dealt those wounds but now that you mention it there are others that could have done it."
Serah had been joking but now she saw that Roy was seriously considering it. And whatever he had in mind, she didn't like it. "What do you mean? Something…not human?"
Roy watched her with a thoughtful expression. She could tell that he was deciding whether or not to talk about it. He finally gave in, "There have been some reports sent in about creatures being spotted around the city. They were dismissed at first until a subordinate of mine saw one himself."
"Creatures?" Serah cocked her head to the side.
He nodded, "They're called chimeras. Chimeras are part human, part animal."
Serah feigned surprise, "You've gotta be kidding me. How would that even be possible?"
"They were made by alchemy." he spoke with a darkness in his eyes. "An alchemist blended together various subjects to create the chimeras, using both animals and humans as lab rats. This, of course, is extremely illegal and was done in secret. The lab were they were being manufactured was discovered by my same subordinate and it's been taken care of, though a few of the chimeras have apparently escaped. We're working hard to make sure that this never happens again and I have personally assigned someone to find any and all escaped experiments and apprehend them."
Serah took it all in slowly. She already knew some of this but other bits were new. Eventually, she asked, "Why would you tell me all of this? I would think that you would want to keep this kind of thing secret."
He narrowed his eyes at her knowingly, "I have a feeling that you can help me."
She tensed. Does he know? How could he? I look normal, like any other human. But still… "Help you how?"
Roy smirked, pleased that she appeared willing, "Describe to me exactly what the chimera looked like that attacked you."
She blinked, "Oh…it was…the chimera you called it?" Serah purposely acted as if she had never heard the word before. He nodded and she went on, "It looked human for the most part but something was off, I could tell. It was strong and put up a good fight. I got away though." Serah could have cleared up Roy's assumptions and went ahead and told him that the scarred man had nearly killed her. But this way, she could possibly figure out what the military knew on the subject.
"Could the chimera pass for an ordinary person?" Roy asked. The answer to this question was critical.
She eyed him suspiciously, "I suppose. Is there a reason you want to know?"
"I wanted to know if it would be possibly for them to blend into society. They may be too…wild to do that but if their's a chance that they could have sustained their mind then they could certainly do this. Most of the chimeras ever made were all imperfect. The ones I've heard about lately are the most advanced subjects ever seen."
"Have you found any of them yet?" Serah asked while trying not to sound to eager for an answer.
He shook his head, "No, but it's just a matter of time."
She stifled her sigh of relief. Happiness flooded her system that the military hadn't gotten a hold of Kayla, but she couldn't let this show on her face. She played the part of the hurt victim. It would be more expected for her to be disappointed that they hadn't found any.
"Sounds like you've got your hands full." Serah commented.
He nodded tiredly, "Yes. And now I'm even more concerned about this with what you've told me." She gave him a questioning look and he explained, "Not only are they hostile, they can also be anyone on the street."
Serah bristled at the 'hostile' comment, but nodded understandingly, "Yeah, that's some creepy shit."
"Where did you encounter the chimera that attacked you?"
"I honestly can't remember. I was just walking by, minding my own business, and the next thing I know is that some weird, psycho, red-eyed, thingie majig is trying to bite my face off. As soon as I could I ran like hell."
Roy lifted his eyebrows at her choice of words. He shrugged and continued interrogating her, "You mentioned earlier that you were looking for someone. Who?"
Kayla, her thoughts said. Aloud she answered, "A friend."
"And this friend's name is?"
"Kiss my ass." she fluttered her eyelashes innocently.
Roy bristled, "I don't enjoy your attitude. If you want I can throw you behind bars."
"For what? Refusing to tell the name of a friend of mine? That's a load of shit and you know it." Serah crossed both her arms and legs and looked away from him snootily. "The only reason I'm not saying is so that they don't have to put up with your dumb ass like I am now."
"That's the thanks I get for helping you?" Roy asked disbelieving.
"I never asked you to help me. And because I didn't I feel no need to be anymore forthcoming. I've already told you about the chim-thingie. Now, fuck off old man."
Roy's jaw dropped, "I don't think I've ever met a woman so uncooperative an stubborn as you."
"A girl's gotta be tough to survive. And I'm not the type to share my life's story just because a person asks nicely. Or in your case demands. I've always lived by the principle of 'trust yourself before anyone else'. I just met you and, quite frankly, I don't like you. And I especially don't like the military. Never have. Never will. So I'm not going to tell you anything more than I want to so you can just deal with it or I will happily kick your ass."
"You would assault an officer of the military?" he asked, part incredulously, part amused.
"You bet. If someone wants to pick a fight with me then I'll fight them right back. My momma raised me to stick up for myself. I don't take shit from no one."
Roy shook his head, "I feel sorry for your mother."
Serah narrowed her eyes, ready to defend herself and her mother when a loud banging noise sounded.
"Rooooy! Buddy, where are you?" a cheery voice called.
"And here I thought this day couldn't get any worse." Roy moaned.
"There you are!" the voice exclaimed. Serah twisted on the couch to see the man. He wore glasses over his green eyes, had black hair, and a huge grin on his face.
"Who's this dude?" Serah whispered to Roy.
"My worst nightmare." he answered, not even bothering to whisper.
"Oh, come on, Roy. Don't be like that." the man pouted. "Who's your lady friend? I have to say she looks pretty young for you to be bringing home."
"You idiot. She's not my date. And do you really think I would have relations with a minor?"
"I wouldn't be surprised." Serah snorted. "You do kinda come off as a pedophile."
"I am not a pedophile!" he shouted.
"A bit defensive there, are we?" she teased.
The green-eyed man whistled, "You two sure seem to be getting along." He extended a hand towards Serah, "Hi there. My names Maes Hughes. How'd a sweet girl like you end up with a grump like Roy?'
Serah smiled, liking this man already. She shook his hand firmly, "I'm Serah. And the big grump over here brought me to his house against my will."
"You make it sound like I kidnapped you." Roy commented.
"For all intents and purposes, you did." Serah snapped.
"Shame on you, Roy!" Maes scolded. "Don't you know you need to treat a lady with respect? If you keep acting like this you'll never get yourself a wife."
"Give it a rest!" Roy ordered Maes.
"But what would be the fun in that?" Maes smiled mischievously. "I know a way to lighten the mood! How about I show you my new pictures of Elysia?"
"How about I burn you to a crisp?" Roy retorted, a vein on his forehead throbbing.
"Who's Elysia?" Serah asked. As soon as she had finished the question she regretted it. Maes began shoving pictures of the 'adorable ray of sunshine' that was his daughter. He brought out an endless supply of pictures. Serah had no idea where he kept them all.
"Okay, okay! I get the point! She's cute! I can't take anymore!" Serah pleaded.
"I know. Elysia's cuteness can be too great for some people." Maes grinned but thankfully removed the photos from her face. Despite her annoyance, Serah smiled a small smile at the adoring father.
"Hughes, did you actually come to my house for a reason or did you just come to gush about your daughter?" Roy asked, irritated.
"I didn't just come to gush about my daughter…I came to also gush about my wife!" and, God have mercy, he pulled out yet another bundle of pictures.
"Alrighty then!" Serah interrupted, getting to her feet. "I'm just gonna leave you guys to it and be on my way."
"Wait! We're not finished here." Roy called to her.
"Yes we are." Serah said definitely, not bothering to glance at him as she walked away.
As Serah slammed the door shut, her shoulder burned at the movement. She winced, saying colorful things under her breath. She walked down the simple walkway, hoping the night air would soothe her. The fox chimera instinctively knew that the sun had recently set and the night had just begun. She felt no fear of the dark. She could see perfectly fine where most people would only see blurs and shadows. Her lungs breathed in the crisp air. Her skin tingled as the animal inside her relished the various scents.
The front door to Roy's house opened again, catching her attention. She hadn't even realized that she had stopped walking to take in the night. Now that she did, she resumed her earlier pace.
"Hold up!" a voice called.
Serah stopped. If it had been Roy she would have kept on walking. But the one calling to her was Maes. She allowed herself to hear what he had to say. Though, if he brought out one more picture she would turn tail and run.
"Need something?" Serah asked.
He shook his head as he came to stand in front of her. "I was just going to offer you a ride."
She glanced at the car he had gestured to. Then back to him. "What if I'm not going the same way you are?"
He shrugged with a smile, "I'll still take you. You shouldn't be walking around by yourself at night."
The way he said it made her smile, as if he cared if she got hurt. She was about to accept his offer when her stomach growled viscously. She cursed at it.
Maes lifted an eyebrow, "When's the last time you ate because I've never heard a stomach growl that loud before?"
Serah chuckled lightly, "Yeah, my stomach's funny like that. It goes one day without getting any food and it's like it's the end of the world."
"You haven't eaten since yesterday?" he asked, shocked. "Then why didn't you say so? You're coming with me!" He then proceeded to dragging her towards his car.
Surprised, she demanded, "Where are you taking me?"
"Back home to my wife so she can fix you a proper meal. There's no sense in a kid going around starving. Not when I can help it."
"I'm not a kid." Serah protested.
He didn't comment. Maes let her go by the passenger side and went around the car to the driver's side. He opened his door and waited there for her to get in. "Well? Do you need me to open the door for you or what?"
Serah shook her head, exasperated. "You're an odd duck, you know that?"
Maes gave her a goofy grin and slid into the car. Groaning, Serah did the same.
I absolutely love Serah's character. She's such a smart ass. And I like how when she meets people she either instantly hates them or likes them. Like, how she can't stand Roy and likes Maes right off the bat.
Reviews? Please? Pretty please? With a cherry on top?
