A few acknowledged my Gate teleportation thingy. Thank you. But it wasn't entirely my idea. I thought it was completely original at first until you guys reminded me. I guess I kind of borrowed it. But is it considered borrowing an idea if you didn't know you had borrowed the idea until after it was borrowed? Wait, I just called it borrowing, so it must be borrowing… Or is it? … Are you still reading this? …Sorry to have wasted your time…
I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.
Ed couldn't remember the last time he felt so useless. As soldiers raced around to 'clean up', all he could do was wait beside an equally dejected Al. Even Winry and Rose were of more help than them. The two women had insisted on treating the wounded in the military hospital while Ed and Al, who could only fight and not save, stood off by the side.
Then Al spoke up, "So, how did you get here so fast?"
Ed fidgeted. "Well… Um… Uh…"
He was saved from telling a blatant lie by the Führer. "Vic? I thought you were in Resembool! You left a few days ago, did you not?"
Vic cursed silently. Al might be lenient enough to ignore his obvious nonsense, but the President was another thing altogether.
When Vic failed to answer, Führer Hinreich was about to pass off the subject to return to current matters in need of quicker assistance. Then his mind caught something rather upsetting. It was obvious that Vic couldn't have made it back here in time; hence he probably never even left Central. So if he wasn't in Resembool, where was he? And how coincidental it was for Vic to have disappeared right before the rebels made their move…
The President glanced over at Vic. He didn't seem like the type to join in bloody rebellions, but that's just it. Isn't this Vic a bit excessively innocent? To Führer Hinreich, it appeared as though it had been rather too easy for Vic to gain trust from basically everyone he has met. The President knew very well that the hermetic Mustang and his bunch had an impenetrable defense; it didn't seem possible for anyone to elude their guard. But Vic had done it in a few weeks. No average person can be that good unless he was trained to be. As much as the Führer tried to reconsider, it seemed clear that Vic could be counted as a suspicious person.
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Führer Martin Hinreich was keeping a cool head as he strategized in his office. It seemed logical to share his concern about the newly recruited Vic Alrec with his subordinates, but the President was still dwelling on that. He was fairly just when it comes to cases like these; he wanted to be sure he was reprimanding the right person.
Still immersed in his train of thought, the President wasn't expecting an envelope to alchemize out of his desk until after the feat has been done. He took the letter in his hand, recognizing his name on the front. And the senders are none other than the rebels themselves.
Well now, it was time to call a meeting with his trusty subordinates.
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Mustang followed Hakuro out of the meeting room with grace as expected of the Flame Alchemist. While he seems nonchalant, his concern was on several things—the business with Vic, for example. The Führer had brought that subject up in the middle of explaining the letter.
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Winry slumped into a chair beside Vic. She looked around the little office they were taking a much needed break in. Not surprisingly, Al and Rose were the only other ones here. Not many men and women had been willing to excuse themselves. In an effort to calm herself, Winry was about to ask Vic about his automail. She was rudely interrupted by nine soldiers marching shamelessly into the room. Leading the little parade was Führer Hinreich himself.
The President didn't waste any time in getting to the point. "Vic, you'll be spending the next couple weeks in jail."
There was a stretched silence which Vic broke with a, "What?" He leaped out of his chair, taking a few steps forward to make sure he'll catch the Führer's next words correctly.
"I'm sorry, but you are under suspicion of being a spy." President Martin stepped aside to allow his men to surround Vic.
"I repeat. What?"
As understanding sank in, Winry and Al jumped to Vic's defense.
"How could you accuse him of that?" Winry glared furiously at the Führer, angry that her day was getting worse and worse by the second.
Al wasn't taking the news any better. He's also has had enough gibberish in one day. "With all due respect, Sir, I honestly don't think Vic could be charged with such an absurd accusation."
"There's no need to worry. I'm not going to court martial him until I know for sure what's going on." Then the President turned to Vic. "If you truly are innocent, then I'm sure you'll cooperate with us without dispute."
Vic crossed his arms at the Führer's last statement. "What kind of a ridiculous concept is that? If I really am innocent—which I am—, then what the hell makes you think I'll let myself be jailed?"
"You think this'll get easier if you insist on the alternative?" The President tried not to sound like he was declaring a threat.
Unfortunately, that's how Vic sees it. He might've actually been persuaded to go without complaint, but there was no way in hell that he'll take a threat from an old geezer. "You think you can take me on?"
"Not me, but I have ten men at my disposal, you only have yourself."
"Do the math Mr. President. You have nine men, and I've got Alphonse to back me up."
The Führer smiled regrettably. He didn't want to make this harder than it has to be but what must be done must be done. "Last time I checked, Alphonse Elric, the Soul Alchemist, is under the command of the military and thus, under the command of the Führer."
Al stared in horror. No way. The President couldn't possibly be trying to put him up against Vic. That's just…unimaginable.
Vic's new surge of anger nearly overwhelmed him to attack the President. How could the Führer even consider abusing his power in such a way? Vic knew the President was aware of how close Vic and Al has become, so why is he doing this?
Winry and Rose glanced at each other nervously. They new full well that Al wouldn't betray his friend, and they also knew Vic wouldn't be so selfish as to put his own wellbeing before Al's.
"Damn…" Vic sighed exasperatedly. "How long is my sentence again?"
President Hinreich inwardly exhaled with relief. So there was no need to spill extra blood after all. "You haven't been proven guilty yet, so I would refrain from using the word 'sentence'."
"Don't bullshit me, old man. If I'm being jailed, I'm being sentenced."
Out of the blue, a soldier to the left of Vic groaned.
"What's your problem?" Vic asked the man.
"Well," the guy started, "I'll be guarding you during your…uh…sentence. Are you going to be screaming profanities at me 24/7?"
Vic grinned. "No, but now that you've requested it, I will."
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Roy walked side by side with a sergeant sent by the President to escort him to his office. Mustang was wondering when the next meeting was going to take place. In times of war, it wasn't surprising for there to be a meeting held every three days.
Mustang stepped through the office door, acknowledging his fellow comrades. Several nodded back as Roy took his seat beside Hakuro. He looked up at the President sitting at the head of the long table, the military flag hanging proudly behind him. Now that everyone was here, the Führer felt compelled to start.
"As you all know, I've been sending letters back and forth with the rebels." Fuhrer indicated to the stack of wrinkled papers in front of him. Everyone along the lengthy table turned their stares to the stack, wondering what compromises their President has been offering. Führer Hinreich seems to have noticed their curious looks. "They've denied every single offer I've given."
"They're not even in the position of compromising!" exclaimed Grumman. "They failed during their last attack."
"According to them, that had merely been the beginning." The Führer continued without stopping. "They've told me the vision they have for this country is one without a normal President, but a chosen one."
Roy wondered how much more 'chosen' a man can get if he wasn't selected by the people themselves. Führer Martin commenced to answer that question.
"The President they want must be a State Alchemist elected by other State Alchemists."
Half a dozen eyebrows flew up. "What kind of an absurd requirement is that?" Hakuro glanced sideways at Mustang as though daring him to object.
The Fuhrer noted the accusing gesture and quickly explained. "Do not suspect every State Alchemist just because of the actions of a few. We can't list all State Alchemists under one category based on a small portion of the whole." Nods from around the room agreed. "Besides," the President added, "I know for a fact that the Flame Alchemist is not with the rebellion."
Roy sat up at the sudden trust his Fuhrer had placed on him. He quickly found that it wasn't a blind faith as the Fuhrer continued.
"One of the last letters I sent to the traitors had also been a last resort. I had offered my seat in office."
His confession was quickly followed by an uproar of objections.
"Let me finish. I had given them a choice of a new Fuhrer. I proposed that the Flame Alchemist replace me. He meets the condition these rebels have set, after all. Yet they still refused. It appears that they already have a leader ready to take over after they dictate Central."
"Who is it?" General Grumman inquired.
"Anonymous. These traitors didn't want me to know. But just by explaining that there is a leader, they gave us a chance to make a comeback."
Roy caught on to what the Fuhrer was suggesting. "If we find and capture this leader, it'll end the rebellion. Or at least stall it."
The President smiled at his subordinate. "Exactly. But do you not see a problem with this supposition?"
Of course Mustang was suspicious. How could these State Alchemists be so careless? Either they truly were idiots or they were trying to get a memo through. They're tipping off that this leader of theirs is so powerful, it doesn't matter what the military does. It'll all be the same in the end.
I kinda ripped off silken's idea of jailing Ed. Kinda, not the entire idea, but still kinda… Sorry silken. Please forgive me.
I've never taken part in a military meeting, especially not one in FMA, so I don't know how these people address each other. If it sounded informal, then I'm sorry. I honestly don't know how else to put it.
My politics are terrible, so please excuse my lack of professionalism in this chapter. I don't even know if I'm Democratic or Republican, so I'll probably be really off in this story.
I'm still really grateful to my readers. I have something planned already, and I promise that I'll make sure it's satisfactory. Please just wait a little longer. If you're not content by the next chapter or two, you may feel free to beat me with a stick. (But you'll have to find me first. Heh heh.)