I've finally managed to post ch 25! :D

DISCLAIMER: Ed Elric, Al Elric, King Bradley, Maes Hughes, Lust, Maria Ross, Denny Brosh, etc. © Hiromu Arakawa / Marina, Araphon © author / Shukaku © Masashi Kishimoto

Key:

Normal text - speaking/narration

Italics - thoughts

Ch 25: Flight of the Passing Fancy

"Excuse me."

Both state alchemist and Lieutenant Colonel looked from Ed's sketches to the opened door.............which revealed my uncle. "F-FUHRER–PRESIDENT KING BRADLEY!!!" Hughes had enough sense to immediately stand up, salute, and bow.

"Quiet down. You can be at ease."

Still bowing, the Lieutenant Colonel questioned, "Your Excellency, may I ask why you are here?"

"Why I am here? To drop off a get-well present, of course." He turned to the blond. "Are you fond of melon at all?" My uncle held out a melon contained within a gift-basket, pink ribbon and all.

Ed stared at it for a moment, not knowing how to react, then decided to receive his gift melon. "Oh..........thank you."

"Seems like you've been doing a lot of investigating of the military leadership, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes."

"Wha? Well, that––How did yo––?"

"Don't underestimate my intelligence network. And you, Edward Elric; your relationship with my niece............" Bradley loomed over the state alchemist, who looked more than a little apprehensive. "Just how sincere is it? Depending on your answer, I may have to........." Silence descended upon the room as Ed and the Fuhrer had a staring contest, which was broken a second later by; "WAHAHAHA! I'm joking! No need to be so tense." My uncle patted Ed on the shoulder in a reassuring manner.

Needless to say, the blond was dumbstruck and at a loss for words. All he could come up with was, "What?" He directed his wide-eyed stare towards the door, which opened again.

I yawned and cracked an eye open, somewhat awake but not really. It was absolutely silent until; "WAHAHAHA!" The sudden outburst of laughter jolted me from half-awake to totally-and-completely-awake. Who in the world? Araphon nudged my hand, now a weasel. I moved around to accommodate my summon and in doing so, felt something slide off of me a bit. My eyes widened when I saw that the 'something' was, in reality, Ed's red coat. I smiled and snuggled into it. Thank you Ed-kun! I love you!

"Ah, you've finally come around! Welcome back to the world," Brosh joked.

I stuck my tongue out at the Sergeant and yawned again, stretching my arms as far as they would allow themselves to be stretched without hurting myself. "Mmmmm, that nap felt so good!"

"Nap?! You were asleep for two days straight!"

"I was? Wow, that's gotta be a record. Where's Lust-san?"

"I think she headed to the cafeteria," Ross answered.

I got up from the bench, folding the makeshift blanket over my right arm. "Ah. I'm going to see what Ed's been up to."

"B-but the F––"

Ignoring my spluttering escort, I opened the door..............to be met with a wide-eyed stare from Ed. ".............And hello to you too?"

"Marina-chan, you're awake!" His mood immediately brightened.

I returned the coat to its owner. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Ed gave me a smooch. "How's your hand?"

After unwrapping the bandages, I slowly clenched and unclenched the hand in question, wincing only when opening it. "Hmmmm, it definitely feels better, but I'll have Lust take another look at it when she gets back."

"My own niece doesn't even say hello to me," the Fuhrer mock-sulked.

"Ah, sorry Uncle! It's just.......there were............other.............things........." My voice tapered off as my unruly brain threatened to go on strike. "What are you doing here? Don't you have papers to sign or something?"

Wow, eloquence at its finest. Shukaku decided to voice his opinion.

Araphon had transformed into a scorpion and was currently hiding in one of my pockets. You dare insult Marina?! My displeased summon whipped his barbed tail back and forth in agitation, taking care not to poison me while he was at it.

Who the hell are you? The tailed beast demanded.

That's what I should be asking you! Araphon retorted.

I sighed, already fed up with their squabbling. "Guys, cut it out!" Silence reigned once again while everyone in the room gave me a weird look. Did I just say that out loud? Hahaha, oops.

Shukaku face-palmed. Good job.

".........No one said anything, Marina."

"Sorry............"

"Your Excellency! Where are you, Sir?!"

Bradley quickly saluted. "Ah drats! My annoying subordinate has come after me." He calmly made his way over to the window and proceeded to climb out. About halfway through, he stopped and bid us adieu. "This is because I snuck out of my office. We shall meet again! Farewell." The leader of Amestris dropped to the ground, walking away as if he totally wasn't playing hooky from work.

Ed. Hughes, and I rushed over to the window, watching the Fuhrer further elude his assistant. Lust chose that exact moment to barge through the door, stopping when she saw where everyone was. "Um, what are you guys doing?"

I sweat-dropped. "Let's just say.........a storm went by."

"........Right then." Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a house sparrow on Ed's bed. "Hey, what are you doing in here little guy? Let's get you outside." She began to gently coax it towards the open window, but the sparrow flew to a spot further away from said opening.

"Not that way, you stupid bird!" Lust lunged at the sparrow, intent on forcibly correcting its path.

I cried out, "No, don't to––" As soon as the homunculus seized the bird, an overwhelming shock swept through my body––knocking the wind right out of me––and I had to steady myself against the nearest wall.

Ed rushed to my side. "Marina-chan! Are you OK? What happened?!"

Taken aback by my unexpected reaction, Lust loosened her grip and the sparrow wriggled out of her grasp, turning into a mouse and scurrying up to my shoulder in a flash. "S-she touched me!" Araphon crouched on my shoulder, indignant and trembling from the trauma he had just gone through.

"Shhhhhh, it's OK." I soothed my summon as soon as I consulted gravity and reached a consensus with it.

"No it's not! What she just did was the worst breach of etiquette imaginable! How the hell is that OK?!" the mouse demanded.