Okay, forgot to post this so have to do a quick re-order! This covers chapters 71 through to 73...or something along those lines. Arakawa owns this manga and these characters, I just play around with them
For Mei to fall so head over heels in love with Al in the form he was in proved what a good soul she must be. She had seen past the physical to the soul within. Winry almost swooned with the romance of it all, but now was not the time to start getting sentimental.
'Mei-Chan, are you all right? I heard you scream…'
The voice came from a man who had been horribly disfigured by what looked like burns. She had seen many horrific injuries connected with her line of work, but never such substantial damage to the face. It must have been impossible to recognise him as the man he was before he had been so cursed.
Suddenly another character joined in the discussion. It was in moments like this that Winry recalled what an extensive group of people the brothers met on their travels. Here they were in the midst of the most unique group of people and they all seemed to know them quite well.
'Can we all just calm down?' Al finally chipped in, 'let's talk while we can.'
After finding an empty building they gathered in a circle and Winry pulled up a crate to sit on. She tried not to tire as they began to talk about alchemy as she knew it was important at this stage. It was hard to concentrate when she clearly wasn't a part of the conversation and was easily pulled away by the sound of one name and a commotion near-by.
'What was that?' Marcoh, the burned man asked.
'No idea,' Ed mumbled, looking out of one of the windows, 'Winry, Marcoh and co. stay hidden. We'll go take a look.'
'The Northern Army is here looking for Scar. They might have made contact,' Al added before the pair of them disappeared.
She hadn't misheard before. The being that had caused her so much pain was once again near to her; he was once again taking them away from her! Not again, her heart couldn't take it again.
With her eyes transfixed on the doorway they left through, her legs began to take slow and unsteady steps to follow them. Her brain became a nightmarish whirl of all the outcomes that could occur if the brothers met with Scar again. The scenes played over and over in such a rush that nothing was clear anymore.
'Where are you going, Winry-chan?' the young and gentle voice of Mei asked behind her.
'Air…' she sighed in reply, 'I need air.'
In such an open space it was clear she was lying but they didn't question her. Only moments ago she was a stranger to them, even a love rival, but the childhood friend of the Elric brothers was given the respect of a good friend and left alone.
*****
They weren't far. She could hear the fighting and see flashes of alchemy. Even at this point she wandered in a daze at a slow and uncalculated pace. It was instinct alone that pushed her into danger and toward that inevitable meeting with the man who had taken so much from her.
'You idiot, why did you come?'
She was brought back into the present by the sound of his angry voiced. The brief flash of his golden eyes clashing with Scars red stare brought out the illogical need to run to him. She didn't get far before a stern looking man in a military uniform stopped her in her tracks. It stopped the fight and restarted her heart.
Edward had secured Scar's right arm thus he was momentarily not in danger.
It was at this point she finally took in the alien creatures lying battered on the floor. The man in the dark uniform, referred to by one of the other men as Miles, commented about their origin. They were not human but they are not what kept her gaze. When she saw Miles point a gun at Scar she became all too aware of what she must do to finally let go of the anger she had been holding on to.
Once again letting her legs do the thinking she walked straight at Scar with a steely determination and a calm resolve. Even when Al's hand grabbed her shoulder and Ed snatched at her arm she didn't flinch.
'Winry,' Al cried.
'Stupid! Don't go near him!' Edward added.
She took a breath, 'Let go, it's okay.'
Though Alphonse complied, Edward gripped even harder and shouted once more.
'Like hell it's okay!'
'Please, let us talk,' she sighed, 'I've been wanting to talk to him face to face.'
With one final last squeeze she felt Ed let go of her arm. She couldn't blame him for being angry with her after what happened last time. She wasn't sure if she could detect panic in his voice but as she took another tentative step forward he remained quiet.
With her eyes looking deep into his, she asked Scar, 'Why did you kill mom and dad?'
He paused for a moment, 'No matter what I say it would only be an excuse. It is a fact that I killed the husband and wife doctors named Rockbell. I have no right to say anything on this matter. However girl, you do have the right to judge me.'
She wasn't sure what answer she had expected. He hadn't set in stone the real reason for his actions but something in his reply told her this was all she would ever need to know. Oh she could demand him to clarify but she knew he would never relinquish a reason.
Her eyes broke away from his face and fell on his left arm, which was bleeding profusely. Before she really knew what she was doing she had torn a strip of material lose and found herself kneeling before the man who had taken so much from her.
'You're arm,' she told him, 'if we leave it like this you'll bleed do death.'
She barely heard Ed call out her name and didn't turn to him when he dropped down beside her. Aware his expression was one of worry but unable to look at him she set to her task. As she pulled the tourniquet tight she mumbled;
'Mom and dad would probably have done this too. And you're someone that they let live. I think there must be some kind of meaning in that.'
'Are you saying, you'll forgive me?'
She flared up and met Scar's eye's again, 'Don't misunderstand me! I won't forgive something so outrageous.'
She looked away once again and finished tying the final knot. She had barely stood upright before Ed's arm was across her chest and easing her slowly backward and out of harms way. He had control of her body now for she was too tired to fight anymore. She could feel two pairs of eyes on her, staring at her expectantly.
'It's okay, I won't cry,' she reassured them, flashing a weak smile, 'because we promised that the next time I cry, they'll be tears of joy.'
With those words she felt the world lift itself off her shoulders. As she drooped with the sheer weight of it all she felt Ed's hand affectionately on her head and she allowed her body to fall against his. His arm slid down round her shoulders and she rested her head slightly on his shoulder. There was a peace in her soul she hadn't known before and all she wanted at that moment was to envelop herself in his protection.
'Her Scar,' Ed growled, keeping Winry secure by his side, 'Winry might be fine with this, but as for us, we still want to punch your lights out and drag you in front of the graves of the Rockbells if we can.'
He meant every word of it and with Scar trapped he had every opportunity to carry his threat out. With Winry feeling so small under his arm though he knew it was time to let it go. For today at least. Keeping one ear on the conversation between Major Miles and Scar he turned back to look at Winry. He ducked his head lower to try and catch her eye. She raised hers to meet his and gave a gentle nod to indicate she was all right. He could only admire her strength and hope she never lost that heart.
'Why does one with Ishbalan blood take part in the National Military?'
Scar's question made them all turn to look at Miles. They waited expectantly and the Major took a deep breath.
'To change the way people think about Ishbalans from within the country.'
Scar didn't seem taken aback by this, 'I don't think that peoples minds can be changed so easily.'
'You're right,' Miles accepted, 'I don't know how long it will take. But it is because it is I, one of mixed race, that it can be done. Let us say that my body is one stone of Ishbal that has been cast into Amestris's National Military. Before long, that ripples that arise from the one small stone that was cast will grow into a great ring. And as for the one that made me realise that it's worth throwing my life into the Military…ironically she's pure Amestrian.'
Winry watched the words soak in to Scar and wondered how one who so hated the military would take the words of one of his own that was part of that hate.
'I am a pus named hatred that was born in that rebellion,' Scar started with a dark voice, 'I don't prey to God or look back. As pus it would be suited for me to be like pus and rot without hope of being saved by God and disappear into the gutter,' he glanced up at Miles, 'I'm glad people like you exist.'
As the Major called for back up, Winry lost herself in thought. Scar had a self-loathing she never could have believed. She had thought someone who took life as he did would hold some sense of great importance. This was a man who loathed his own existence.
'Miss, hurry and get away from here,' Major Miles called out, waking her up, 'we can't let you be captured by Kimberly again.'
'Please! Please don't take that man away!'
They all whipped round at the sound of Marcoh's voice. Its painful rasp was highlighted by volume and panic. Just behind him stood Mei with an unsettled look on her face.
'Who are you?' Major Miles inquired with a gun pointed in Marcoh's direction.
Ed took a sharp breath, 'No-one special…'
'It's okay Edward Elric,' Marcoh interrupted, 'I shall explain.'
Major Miles listened carefully as their new guests were explained to them. He nodded and fell silent as he considered all their problems.
'Let's wrap things up here,' he finally said, 'They can't know about Marcoh being here and if we're going to decipher this research, Scar can't stay here either.'
He sighed and turned toward Winry, his glasses shading his now tired eyes, 'We must also help Miss Rockbell escape her situation as Central's hostage and we can't have them find out about our alliance with the Elric brothers. Finally,' he said, turning to Mei, 'I have been ordered to take the alchemy girl back to the fort.'
Mei tucked herself behind Al and in a terrified whisper asked, 'What are you getting at?'
'Relax, we'll treat you with the uttermost courtesy,' Miles replied. Turning back to look at the group he suggested, 'Our best option would be to get to Briggs in one group and hide there.'
Ed leaped to action after realising the suggestion was they take Scar alone. Winry understood why they had to take him along and willed her inner demon to hold off its lust for justice. She even leaped to the defence of the chimera's when it was suggested they should be killed. She didn't have to explain why they deserved to live for Al did that for them. Another explosion was enough to really out them into action and a stroke of genius from the other man, Yoki, had saved them.
All they had to do was get to the tunnels safely. Winry's mind went into overdrive when she realised the plan might fall apart right before it was carried out. How exactly would they get out without arousing Kimblee's suspicion?
'This…is kinda hard for me to say,' she mumbled, 'but what if he see's Scar taking me hostage. Would that work?'
Even when Ed's face contorted with disgust she still saw the logic in her plan.
'You want to release this freak?' he cried.
Undeterred she carried on, 'The scenario's basically "Scar runs off with me while you try and stop him.'
'Are you nuts?' both brothers cried.
'Our lives are in danger!' Winry retorted, 'If I need to risk my life so that everyone can escape, then I will! I'm sick of sitting around doing nothing!'
'We are not letting you go with Scar!' Ed snapped.
'Right, you don't need to take such a huge risk,' Al added.
The words as the frustration flowed through Winry as easily as her boiling blood.
'You told me I was involved now too!' she cried, and with a deep breath screamed, 'Stop trying to handle everything yourselves!'
She kept her eyes glued to Edwards. As people around them pushed him to make a decision she saw his face twist and turn with the confusion of feelings inside of him. He ducked his head and mumbled something to himself, before cursing so loudly she nearly jumped out of her skin. To her relief he turned away from her toward Scar.
'Scar! You try anything funny and…'
'I know,' Scar calmly interrupted, 'I'll keep my word.'
A small part of her wanted to smile in victory. She had finally let out those feelings she had bottled up for so long. It was now her time to help save the lives of others and not even Ed's glare could dampen her spirit. She began to follow Scar when one of the soldiers stopped her.
'Wait Miss! Your earrings! They're metal right? If you leave them in they'll freeze and you'll get frost bite!'
How could someone who had to understand metal in cold climbs have forgotten something like that? She fiddled with her earrings to remove them as Ed yelled at her to get a move. It was then she guessed why she had made such a silly mistake. These earrings had been a part of her ever since Edward had given them to her years ago. She'd even put extra holes in her ears so she could wear all of them at once.
'Ed!' she called before running down the stairs to him. Grabbing his hand she dropped her precious items into his palm before once again making her exit. Seeing he was looking down at them confused she added.
'Hold on to those for me. I'll see you at the fort.'
'R...right,' he called over after as she disappeared from sight. With a shrug he secured them in his pocket and prepared to meet Kimbley. All that anger he had felt before was still bottled up inside of him and he needed a release. Leaving Winry in Scar's care was the last thing he would have dreamed of doing…but he couldn't argue with the logic of it.
