River's black world was spinning, though she didn't see any evidence, she could very well feel it. She could hear murmurings too despite the heat in this dark place giving her a headache. These mumbles formed familiar sounds that she recognized but couldn't remember the sounds they could be through this dreariness.
"Tran-….-icle…-eck-ce….sh-,…-ou…"
Her mind grew tired of trying to identify these noises and retreated back into the darkness and towards the movement on her chest.
Mustang pulled carefully at the string at the woman's shoulder Edward had pointed out. He wanted to see this "portable transmutation circle" at the end of this necklace.
In a matter of seconds; before Mustang was able to see it, River jerked upright and bit him. Mustang didn't let go but stood up in ready escape. He wasn't able to take one step before her leg shot up and kicked him in the ribs. He landed on his lower back; sending the impact wave up his spine to his unprepared neck; it jerked back his head and it hit the floor.
The momentum of River's kick had brought her upward in the bed and she glanced her hammered fist off Edward's head. It didn't hurt him but it was hard enough to stun him. Then she sat still; glaring at Havoc.
He froze with Kino on his knee at the end of the bed and stared into her eyes. She looked like she was glaring but Havoc saw no threat; the lively green of her orbs from his brief memory weren't what he saw in front of him now. They were vacant; open but not seeing. Then they closed and her body flopped back onto the bed.
Havoc looked down at Mustang to see him in a fetal position; breathing slow and easy. Kino crawled onto the bed and Havoc leaped to Mustang's side.
"Sir, are you alright?"
"Sure," Mustang breathed, "I just got another bruise from Hell…"
"Do you need the doctor?"
"No, I just need a minute…"
Havoc sighed with relief that nothing was broken. Mustang wouldn't have been able to talk if she did break him. After that wave, he thought again about River's eyes. "Was she still unconscious? She didn't look fully alert."
"No," Edward came around the bed while he checked his head for an impossible bump, "but she said something to me last night that may explain what happened. It's just a hunch though."
Mustang rolled slowly onto his back to look up at Edward curiously.
"She said that she's its puppet."
"How?" Mustang exclaimed and winced.
"I don't know," Edward retorted, "when she told me, I couldn't believe it either."
"What's going on?" Havoc knew some things about alchemy but couldn't configure the assumption in their conversation.
"Alchemy is a science," Mustang whispered, "it only follows laws."
"Basically," Edward said, "the alchemy she carries around her neck," he shook his head once, "is alive."
"Hi Mama,"
Havoc and Edward turned around to see Kino lying on top of River with his arms in an attempted embrace. She groaned and Kino kissed her cheek.
"Do you feel better? The doctor came and shot you so you wouldn't hurt so much."
"He gave you a small shot," Havoc began to explain as he stood, "that's a needle in your arm to inject morphine." He explained and gestured to her arm.
"Miss White Alchemist,' Mustang said carefully from the floor, "do you remember kicking me?" He knew that whether or not this alchemy was alive, he'd get his answer through her response.
Havoc helped River sit up after her own painful attempts; she looked down at Mustang lying on the floor and Edward standing near his right shoulder. Her eyes enlarged and her breath caught in her throat until she finally choked, "Oh no," her voice shook, "I fractured it."
Mustang's eyes widened, "How would you…"
"I'm so sorry," River closed her eyes briefly and when she opened them again, her apology was clearly invalid. Now she only stared at him; ignoring Kino crawling into his lap.
"What?" Mustang was disturbed.
"What did you try to do?" River's question was sharp like a parent interrogating their guilty child.
"He just wanted to see the necklace," Edward answered, "it wasn't like he was going to steal it."
River's optics shifted from Edward back to Mustang, "That's why it doesn't want to heal you."
The two tried not to show and surprise now that it was confirmed that alchemy could really have a mind of its own. However, they both still wanted to know how this was possible. Alchemy just didn't go beyond its own boundaries; that was how it was, it didn't think or posses like this alchemy did. Obviously, this alchemy must've always existed but had never been shown until now, so where did it originate? Deep within the Gate, perhaps?
"I don't understand," Havoc's eyebrows creased, "don't you think that's a little harsh not to heal him? He was only curious."
"No one can touch this necklace without me watching or else it assumes robbery and it will defend itself." River turned her face to Havoc next to her, "I'm its puppet." Her eyes softened.
Havoc gazed into the live green forest of her gentle orbs. She was sort of thin and pale but clearly gaining a healthier complexion; a beautiful one too. The lights on her hair showed the tint of red mixed with the blonde and brown. She had such a unique hair color along with such deep green irises.
Havoc felt his heart stutter in his chest and he couldn't look away. Something about her made his soul come alive and stir his insides. She wasn't just a pretty face but an angel from a heaven he never thought existed.
Everyone jumped at Riza's sudden entrance. Her body was tense and her brown eyes were hard, "Company, sir."
As Mustang cursed, Havoc came to his side to help him stand and explained what he configured: Mustang didn't know he wasn't to touch live alchemy so possessing River, it kicked him and fractured his rib.
"It's only a hairline crack near the sternum," River rationalized hopefully, "it'll hurt a lot for a while but that's nothing morphine can't help. Don't be reckless and it will heal in two weeks."
Mustang twisted around gingerly to the woman in the hospital bed, "How do you see-?"
"General," Riza interrupted from the doorway, "Western Command General Crofter is coming this way."
Mustang cursed again, "Havoc, hide the boy and watch the White Alchemist." He stood up straight and gently tugged his blue coat straight.
Havoc went around to other side of the bed; picked Kino up and set him on the ground, "Stay under the bed no matter what, okay?'
"Okay," Kino's blue eyes were curious but he obeyed.
General Crofter was a really tall and lean man with small glasses resting at the end of his large hooked nose (Edward disliked him even more). At his flanks, there were two young men: one had a gentlemen look but the features of his face said, "General's pet"; the tell-tale kid from elementary, all grown up. The second was his opposite: bright red hair with ear piercings; the punk kid from high school with the dog tag.
Crofter cleared his throat and politely excused himself behind his fist; being formal. "I believe you have something of ours," Crofter's voice drowned, "as you know the Life Mender was on our territory when you succeed in your capture."
"We didn't capture her," Edward defended, "she voluntarily came with us."
Unexpectedly, Crofter's eyes narrowed and his face reddened, "You stole her within OUR jurisdiction!" he yelled as he loomed over Edward like a traffic light to a motorcycle.
However, Edward wasn't intimidated, "She WALKED out of your jurisdiction!"
Mustang stopped him by clasping a hand on his shoulder, "Does it matter? She is now under close surveillance by the entire military command. We are merely keeping her here." He calmly reasoned.
Crofter's eyes narrowed, "The Life Mender belongs to me," he stated clearly around his growl, "get her ready so Randall and Sirkis can pack her up." He gestured his head to the red head at the right flank.
"Why do you refer to her like she's luggage?" Edward glared, "She's a human being if you can't see that." He stopped himself from finishing with, "beyond your thick nose".
Crofter glared menacingly down his lean chest at Edward. "If you have any brains or decent air in your head, you'll shut that trap of yours before you get into trouble. Get her ready."
"She's not going anywhere," Mustang took a step between them.
Crofter's mouth slowly stretched into an uneven grin, "Then I'll take her by force."
"No!"
The tidy-looking boy whistled and five bouncer-like men came rumbling in and almost ran over Riza as they shoved Mustang and Edward aside with pounding force. Havoc grabbed an empty cart behind him and threw it over River's bed; hitting one bouncer but not stopping him.
Suddenly, they all stopped; looking towards the ceiling.
Edward, Mustang, and Riza realized the silence and looked.
River floated above the bed in the white robe from the hospital; glowing in pure alchemy light. She stared straight ahead at nothing as her eyes were calm and empty of all consciousness.
Everyone jumped and ducked as thunder boomed above their heads. The sound waves shook the ground and shouts came from everywhere. Edward's heart leaped up in his throat; he knew that sound. The lights through out the building flicked off but came on again as the floor ceased its shaking. Now there was nothing but silence.
Everyone rose up from the floor, looking around at each other and glancing over the walls. All in the room gasped as they looked above the bed.
River was gone.
Edward stared past floor before his feet; horror creasing his mouth and forehead.
Crofter and his bouncers scrambled to their feet and ran; except for the red headed punk.
"What the-?" the red head gaped at the space above the bed.
Kino crawled out from under the bed and climbed onto the matress. His face was upset but there were no tears as his eyes watched the pillow in front of him. Kino scratched his head, "Where'd Mama go this time?" The boy turned to look at the adults who looked awed in fear; then smiled at the red head. "Hi Sirkis,"
Sirkis tried to smile, "Hey Fry, what happened just now?"
Kino took a long glance at the pillow then back to Sirkis. "It saved her again."
"This has happened before." Mustang stated and winced as he stared at the little boy.
Kino nodded vigorously after some thought. "Last time, after we woke Jake up, we went looking for Mama. She wasn't far away."
"So," Havoc put his hand on Kino's head, "we can find her somewhere close? As in, she hasn't left the building?"
Kino shrugged, "I don't know but probably."
"Hawkeye," Mustang put a hand against the wall as a wave of pain washed his chest, "I want everyone in teams looking; leave no room in this base left unchecked."
"Are you sure she's not on the other side?" Edward's question made everyone halt.
"What are you talking about, Full Metal?" Mustang was skeptic
"That big noise we heard," Edward stared Mustang in the eyes with almost evident tears, "that was no random clap of thunder from alchemy. I know because I've heard it before," he swallowed, "it's a door being shut."
"A door?" Havoc asked.
"Elric…" Mustang shook his head with surprise and denial, "that couldn't be possible."
"Yes," Edward closed his eyes to steady the shaking of his heart, "I'm sure of it; that was The Gate."