Chapter 10 Hughes, part 1
(A/N: Ok peoples! The votes are in. And the winning vote was...A! So Saige will try and save Hughes, but what will happen to him will be a surprise. Alright, since you all are dying to find out what happens, on with the story!)
Saige and Al quietly walked back to Ed's room once their little talk was over.
"By the way Saige, how did you know what was bothering me?" Al asked. Saige jumped a bit from hearing that.
"Crap! I was hoping he wouldn't notice that." Saige thought.
"Oh, never mind. You can't tell me right now." Al said. Saige clearly relaxed after hearing that.
"For once I'm glad my voice is gone." Saige thought. Just as the two of them reached Ed's room, they came just in time to see everyone, Ross, Brosch Armstrong, and now Winry, ganging up on Ed about him not drinking his milk.
"Oh, hey Al, hey Saige." Winry said, smiling even thou she was stopping as she was pinching Ed's cheek.
"Um, hi Winry." Al said. Saige silently waved at her. Once things finally calmed, Winry finally got to work on Ed's arm.
"Um, excuse me? Is Saige Tamanaka here?" a nurse said, poking her head into the room. Saige simply walked forward to stand by the door.
"The doctor says it's about time for you to come back to your room. Your stiches are ready to be removed." the nurse said.
"Oh great, how fun." Saige mentally groaned.
"Good luck Saige." Ed said, just as Saige opened the door.
Before leaving, Saige looked over her shoulder and smiled at Ed before leaving his room. It quite awhile before the doctor completely removed the stiches from Saige's front and back. Saige was a little sore, so she waited a bit before leaving her room again. And, just as she was, Saige hear Lieutenant Colonel Hughes' voice coming from the room. Waiting a few moments, Saige finally entered the room.
"Saige, it's good to see you again! Heard you saved Ed's life the other day. Good job." Hughes said, ruffling Saige's hair. Saige nervously smiled until Hughes was done.
"Glad to see yo up again." Al said. Saige nodded at him before looking at Ed who was just being scolded by Winry.
"...Well, it's nothing that concerns you." Ed said. Hearing that, Saige walked over to Ed and bonked him on the head.
"Ow! What the heck, Saige!?" Ed complained. Ignoring Ed, Saige walked around his bed and towards Winry. She grabbed Winry's hand and wrote on it, 'Sorry about Ed. We just don't want you to get involved and hurt.'
"I see. Thanks for that Saige, at least you were nicer about it." Winry said, giving Saige a hug while glaring at Ed. Saige hugged back, but felt a little tinge of guilt.
"I explained it to her in a nicer way and am receiving a hug, even though I may be in love with the guy she'll end up with. Some friend." Saige though, a sad smile on her face.
"Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow. I have to go and see if I can find some place to stay tonight." Winry said, picking up her things. Saige then remembered what happens next and has to cover her mouth to hide a grin that was coming up.
"Come on, need for that. Why don't you spend the night at my place?" Hughes offered.
"Really?" Winry said.
"Yes, of course. My wife and daughter will be delighted to have you." Hughes said.
"Heh. Still as loveable as ever." Saige thought.
Once that was said, Winry had no say in the matter as Hughes took her things to carry and began dragging her out of the room. Saige waved with her hand that wasn't covering her mouth as she tried not to silently laugh.
"Now that I don't feel guilty for." Saige thought.
Soon it was already sunset, and Saige now had no reason to stay in the hospital besides the Elrics being there. So, Saige decided to go out for a walk. She changed out of her hospital pants and shoes to put on her old one. Her shirt was still blood stained and had a hole in it. She obviously let at least Ross know she was leaving.
"Tomorrow...Tomorrow Hughes will..." Saige thought, looking down the whole time, only paying enough attention to not get lost.
Snapping out of her trance, Saige finally realized just where she had walked to. It was the small pathway with the phone booth where Hughes would die. A sad expression crossed her face again. Saige had always hated that episode, Hughes had a family for Truth's sake!
"...No. To hell with being canon, no one like him deserves to die like that!" Saige thought, tightly clenching her fists.
After resolving that, and since it was getting dark, Saige hurried back to the hospital. She made it back some time after the sun had gone down. Ross and Brosch were sitting outside of Ed's room, both practically asleep. Saige quietly entered Ed's room, to find Al, naturally awake, and Ed now asleep.
"Saige. I was starting to get worried." Al said. Saige smiled at him before walking over to Ed's bed and getting on her knees while resting her arms on the bed.
"Brother fell asleep awhile ago. And, of course, he originally fell asleep with his stomach out." Al chuckled. Saige smiled at him before putting her focus back on Ed's sleeping face, which had smile on it for a short. Just by looking at Ed, Saige almost became entranced.
"I want to keep that smile there for as long as I can. I promise to make you smile, Ed." Saige thought, a warm smile on her face as she moved some stray strands of hair from Ed's face.
"Saige, you really like brother, huh?" Al teased, snapping Saige out of her trance. She blushed brightly, burying her face in blanket before just barely visibly nodding her head.
"For someone who's just a soul, he's way too vigilant." Saige thought, barely looking up from the blankets.
"Hehe. Don't worry. I'm sure he probably feels the same about you, but you two are just so much alike he won't admit it either." Al said. Saige looked back at Al, being able to tell that Al was smiling at her. Seeing that, she looked back at Ed.
"Him liking me like I like him...Yeah, well, a girl can dream." Saige thought, a mixture of happiness and sadness in her eyes. Before too long, Saige ended up dozing off right beside Ed's bed.
"Yeah, those too are definitely alike." Al muttered.
When morning came, Al woke up Saige before Edward. After doing that, the three of them waited everyone, mainly Armstrong, Hughes, and Winry, to show up. Small things happened, Ed getting a meal, Saige taking Ed's milk that wasn't going to drink, before they all did showed up. Hughes, Ed, Armstrong, and Al all quickly got to talking.
"Today's the day. I have to be more careful than ever, especially since I can't exactly ask someone to help me." Saige thought, sitting on the bed as she watched everyone. Her thoughts were interrupted once she and everyone else heard a knock on the door.
"Sorry to interrupt." a familiar voice said. They all quickly recognized the voice and face of the man who just walked in. Fuhrer King Bradley. While Ed and the others were shocked and surprised while saluting him, Saige had to tightly grip the blankets under her to keep from getting up and attacking him.
"Wrath. That lying piece of crap, fooling the whole country, just like another Homunculi who hasn't been introduced yet." Saige thought angrily.
"Calm down gentlemen. This is just an informal visit." Bradley said.
"Yes sir, but may I please ask the occasion, sir?" Hughes asked, bowing his head as the Fuhrer walked towards Ed.
"This young man. Heard you're injured, I thought a nice melon might cheer you up." Bradley said, giving Ed a basket with a melon in it.
"I guess...Thank you sir!" Ed quickly said. Sitting right behind Ed, Saige ended up catching the Fuhrer's attention.
"My, my, who's this young lady?" Bradley said. Hearing him talk like that to her made Saige clench her teeth, trembling with rage.
"Lucky I don't have my voice, or I'd be growling at this point." Saige thought.
"Oh! That's Saige Tamanaka, sir. She's traveling with the Elric brothers at the moment." Armstong answered.
"Haha. Then you must be a strong girl to go through all of this." Bradley said, patting her head. Saige looked down clenched her teeth and the blanket even more.
"Don't smack him, don't smack him, don't smack him." Saige repeated in her head.
Once he was done patting Saige's head, Bradley went back to talking to Ed and the others, letting Saige finally relax. She only completely calmed down once Bradley made his 'little joke' about asking Ed about the Philosopher Stone.
"I know that there's been some suspicious activity within the Military lately, and I believe it's necessary for something to be done about it." Bradley said, picking up the note on the small table beside Ed.
"Oh, uh, that's just, uh-" Armstrong tried to explain.
"A list of the research assigned to study the Philosopher's Stone. Every person listed in this document has been reported missing." Bradley said.
"They all vanished several days before the fifth laboratory collapsed. It seems the enemy is always one step ahead of us. Even with my vas network of informants, I have no way to determine how far our ranks have been infiltrated. The most we know about them, is that they know a lot about us." Bradley explained.
"In that case, this is proving much more dangerous than we imagined." Hughes said.
"Major Armstrong, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, Elric brothers, you've all proven yourselves to be men of a trustworthy character. From this point forward, I am giving you the direct order to forget this matter and all that it concerns. At this time, suspicion is our strongest line of offense. And our only form of defense is discretion. Do not trust anyone." Bradley said, sparing a visible glance at Saige, making her quickly look away while letting out a silent 'tch'.
"I guarantee he trusts me as fast as he could cut me." Saige thought.
"Keep this to yourselves at all cost. However, when I deem the time is right to confront the enemy, I expect to see you join me in the effort. " Bradley said, earning a salute, from the Major and Lieutenant Colonel. Not even a minute later, the Fuhrer was leaving through the window.
"Hey Ed- What the?" Winry said, coming in once the guy left, only to be met with the Ed and other men in the room in a daze.
"What's going on? Did I miss something?" Winry asked. As Ed answered Winry, Saige quickly stood to walk to the wall at the opposite end op the room to lean her head against it.
"Dammit, dammit, dammit! No being able to tell the truth of that smiling piece of crap is eating me alive here!" Saige thought.
"Saige, are you alright?" Ed asked, breaking Saige's train of thought.
"It's just, you seemed really tense the whole time the Fuhrer was here. Is something wrong?" Ed said. Saige stood up straight before turning to give him a reply by writing on his hand again, 'It's nothing. I just don't trust that man.'.
"You don't trust King Bradley? Jeez, some trust issues you have." Ed said, trying to be playful. But, seeing Saige's troubled face means that she didn't find it funny.
"Don't worry Saige. The King is a good man, I promise. So there's no need to worry, ok?" Ed said, grinning at her.
Saige just couldn't be angry or sad once she saw Ed smiling like that. Calming down, Saige waited as Ed and Al explained their plans to leave soon to go see their old teacher, while whimpering and shaking like little kids.
"Oh yeah. They're going to Rush Valley and then Dublith...Greed, he's going to show up there. I better make sure to save Hughes quickly to lend a hand." Saige thought.
Her thoughts were broken when she saw Winry asking Ed and Al to take her to Rush Valley. Once Ed finally agreed, and Hughes making the painful to hear wife joke, Saige walked up to Ed to tell him something again. Taking his hand, she wrote, 'I won't be able to go with you guys. I have something to do here.'.
"What? Just what do you have planned that makes you stay here?" Ed questioned. Saige just nervously smiled while waving her hand.
"Brother, I'm sure she'll be fine on her own for a day or two. Maybe she could meet us in Dublith." Al suggested. Happy to hear the idea come from Al instead of her, Saige eagerly nodded head. She just barely noticed Ed staring uncomfortably at his feet.
"Fine. She can meet us in Dublith. We'll give you call when we get there, ok?" Ed said.
Saige nodded her head in response once again before writing one last thing on Ed's hand. 'You'd better not get yourselves killed out there. I still need you two.', she wrote. Ed barely blushed at that before smirking at Saige.
"Heh. You don't need to tell us twice, we'll definitely come back to you." Ed said.
"And Saige, if you're planning on staying in Central by yourself, you're gladly welcomed to stay at my place just like Winry." Hughes said. Knowing Hughes, that meant he had already decided on it happening. And to make things even worse, Saige couldn't even protest against the idea.
"He never changes. Still, now I get to meet Gracia and Alicia." Saige thought.
Saige finally arrived at the Hughes' house after seeing Ed, Al, and Winry off that day. She came by herself, but Hughes said he already told Gracia that she was coming. After only knocking once, the door opened only for it to be Alicia answering the door.
"Mommy! It's the girl daddy talked about!" Alicia exclaimed, already clinging to Saige's leg.
"Alicia, come now, let the girl in before you cling to her like that." Gracia said, coming to the door.
"Hi. You must be Saige, right? It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Gracia, and you've already met Alicia." Gracia said with a bright smile. Saige nodded her head while shaking Gracia's hand.
"And don't worry. Maes already told me how you can't talk, so I'll try to ask yes or no questions for the time being." Gracia said.
"Wow. She's so kind, just like I always imagined." Saige thought.
Saige spent most of her time doing chores and playing with Alicia. Throughout the whole day, Saige kept a close eye on the time and on the position the sun was in. When the sun was close to setting, Saige decided to let Gracia know she was going out for a walk.
"Oh, alright then. Just come back soon." Gracia said.
"Bye bye!" Alicia said.
Smiling at the two nice girls, Saige closed the door behind her. Putting on a serious expression, Saige dashed to the park where she saw the telephone booth at since she didn't know the precise location of where Hughes was at the moment. The sun was completely down by the time Saige reached the place she needed to get to.
"Now I just need to wait for Hughes and Envy. No matter what, I have to stop Envy from pulling the trigger." Saige thought, hiding behind a random bush behind the booth.
Luckily, she didn't need to wait too long before an injured Hughes came to the phone booth. Saige waited patiently as Hughes began to try and call Mustang. She really became tense and ready when a familiar fake face appeared behind Hughes, pointing a gun at his back.
"I need to ask you to put down the receiver. Please. Go on, just hang it up." Envy as Maria Ross said.
"You look just like...But you're not. Who the hell are you lady?" Hughes asked.
"I'm Second Lieutenant Ross, sir. You've lost too much blood." Fake Ross said.
"Drop the act already. You're not Second Lieutenant Ross, she had mole under her left eye." Hughes said. After standing there with a shocked expression for a few seconds, Envy let out a low chuckle.
"You're observant. I can't believe I forgot." Envy said before adding a mole to his face.
"There, how do I look now?" Envy said. Seeing that, Saige finally made her move by transmuting a crystal dagger just as she jumped out of the bushes.
"What?" Envy exclaimed, only able to see Saige for a second before Saige charged at him, plunging her dagger where his heart would be. That was enough to make Envy drop the gun and fall to the ground.
"Saige!? What're you doing here!?" Hughes said. Ignoring his question, Saige grabbed his wrist and began pulling Hughes behind her as they ran away in some random direction.
"Saige, wait a minute! Where are we going!?" Hughes tried saying.
"Envy will be right on out tail in a few minutes. I don't exactly remember, so please, let Mustang, Armstrong, anybody be at the Military base here, please!" Saige thought.