A/N: Sorry it's been so long, I've been really busy. I was asked by someone (I don't remember who) what my update-ing schedule was. Well…I don't have one. I update whenever I have the time to write.
Also, I have an announcement. I re-read this story and I found that quite a bit of it annoys me, so after I've finished the whole thing, I'm going to rewrite it. I'm also planning on rewriting my other fan-fics as well. So, the reason I tell you all this is because I'm trying to find a beta reader. So far, none of the people I've asked have given me any response. If any you would like to be my beta reader, please message me. Thank you.
Thanks to trollypop, j.d.y., Songbird Alchemist, alm0stxfam0us, kasuki-dono-ojou-sama (aka cassady), Queen NekoChan, Sakruafan12, Valinor's Twilight, AmoreVampirev-v, kiba takaiwolf, tanks60808, kou32, Blackfire Kitsune, Gihzinha, Kamen Rider Lynx, Nightblader1021, UltraGenius,
Now on to the story:
Scott didn't really care for being squished in the back of a car along with Ed and Al. Thankfully, Kimbley was going to ride in another car, so they wouldn't be like a can of sardines.
"Everyone scoot over!"
…Never mind…
Winry suddenly appeared out of nowhere and forcibly shoved her way into the backseat along with the three that were already there. Scott ended up partially on Al's lap and partially on Ed's.
"What the shit are you-!" Ed tried to yell. He was blushing slightly since Scott's legs were on his lap.
"There's no room back here!" Winry complained, ignoring Ed. "Move over Al!"
Kimbley put one hand on the roof of the car, and leaned in the open car door.
"Miss Winry, I'd prefer you stay in the base. We're not going for a joyride." Kimbley warned, frowning a bit.
"I know that!" Winry huffed. "It's just, you know how I just changed Ed's automail to work better up here?" She reminded. "I've never made frigid-weather automail before, and I'm worried it might break down. I have to go with him, in case it needs maintenance." Winry argued. "I want to be absolutely sure he's got the best possible equipment! When I attached it, I just said, 'Okay I'm done!' but if it breaks down, the Rockbell name will be tainted forever!"
"Jeez, woman, you're a workaholic! You're crazy!" Ed complained.
"You bet your ass I am!" Winry said firmly. "I take pride in my work! We've been in business since my Great-Grandfather's generation!"
"Okay, okay, I get the point." Kimbley said, sounding mildly exasperated. "You may come." He turned to one of his men. "Darius, Miss Winry will be riding in your car as well."
Darius nodded, getting into the front of the car. The convoy began to move.
"Sheesh." Darius complained as they drove to their destination. "You should be back at the base, girl!" he growled.
"I'm sorry…" Winry apologized. "I know I'm in no position to make demands…but I can't-I can't just sit around waiting…" She covered her face with her hands and her body began to shake. "I just want to be here for these two…s-sorry…" She said.
Everyone else in the car glared at Darius.
"Way to go you ass." Scott said with at glare. However, Scott sensed that Winry was totally playing the stupid man.
"Err, uh…Just be quiet and, uh…do what we say, and it'll be okay!" Darius said, now sounding nervous and guilty for making Winry upset. "All-alright?"
Scott almost laughed at the evil gleeful look on Winry's face.
Finally they got to the town where Scar had been last spotted.
It was huge, more like a city than just a town. Everyone got out of the cars.
"The witness said he saw someone resembling Scar come this way." Major Miles said.
"This is a big place." Kimbley noted.
"It used to be a mine…there's tons of place to hide." Major Miles.
"We'll never find him." One soldier they had with them complained.
"This is the kind of place that it would be easy to set a trap." Scott told Ed.
"Let's hope Scar hasn't set one up for us." Ed said. Scott and Al nodded.
"Team Andrew will search Area C3. Team Benjamin, C5." Someone said (Scott wasn't paying attention to who).
I assume Kimbley will be in charge of C4? Scott thought drily.
"Kimbley, why don't you stay at the main base with Team Charile?" The person offered.
"Very well." Kimbley said. "Contact me immediately if you find Scar."
Two of Kimbley's men, one who was Darius, the other was the one wearing glasses, walked up to Ed, Al, and Scott.
"We'll go with you, Elric Brothers, and Ms. Mustang." The goon with the glasses said. Scott noticed he also had a ridiculous mustache.
"Yeah, yeah." Ed grumbled.
"That's Lightning Alchemist to you." Scott sneered at them, already not liking the men.
From the expression on the men's faces-the feeling was mutual.
A small group of soldiers went along with them to help look for Scar.
As they explored the town, the trio tried to think of some way get rid of Kimbley's cronies.
"A shadow!" Ed and Al yelled. "Someone's over there!"
Scott went along with it. The three of them ran up some stairs.
"This way!" Scott shouted to the men behind them.
"C'mon!" Ed encouraged.
"W-wait up!" A soldier gasped, having trouble keeping up.
Ed, Al and Scott ran up another flight of stairs.
"Hurry it up! He's getting away!" Ed shouted.
"Slow down, damn it!" The Kimbley goon with the glasses and goof mustache ordered, puffing out breaths. "St-!"
The moment they rounded the corner, Ed and Al clapped their hands. They made a wall, making it appear as if there was just a dead end. "-Op?"
"Where did they go?" One guy asked, totally confused.
"Maybe down this side path?" Another offered.
"Right, let's go!" Someone else said.
"Don't lose them." Somebody ordered.
Ed, Al, and Scott carefully snuck away as quiet as mice. They reached the roof of the building.
"Well, we got away." Scott said.
"But this place-is way-." Ed paused when he jumped to the next roof. Al and Scott followed him. "TOO BIG!" Ed complained loudly.
It was true, for a former mining town, it was monstrously huge. "If they don't come to us, we'll never find 'em…" Ed sighed, referring to Scar and the little girl.
Suddenly, it was as if Ed predicted the future. They heard an odd sound.
"AL….PH…."
"You're kidding me…" Al said in disbelief.
"ON..SE….SAMAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The little girl they had been hunting, came out of nowhere and tackle-hugged Al.
She actually came! Scott thought, completely shocked.
"What are you doing here?" She asked Al, ignoring Ed and Al.
"Mei! This is great, I can't believe we actually found you!" Al cheered. Mei looked at him curiously.
"'Great'? 'Actually found me?'." Mei repeated. Then she began blushing. Apparently she had a crush on poor Al.
"Yeah! I've been wanting to see you, so I can ask you about Rentanjutsu." Al said, the last part being whispered. It looked as if Mei only heard the first part of what he said anyway, because she swooned like the love-struck little girl she was.
"Alphonse-sama-!" The little girl was interrupted in her gushing by Ed.
"I've been looking for you," Ed began to act super creepy. "Little Giiiirl!"
Mei screamed in fright. Scott smacked Ed upside the head.
"Don't terrorize the kid!" Scott scolded. Ed rubbed his head and looked a little disappointed.
"W-what do you want?" Mei asked uncertainly.
"Never mind, just come with me!" Ed ordered.
"Y-you're chasing me too? Oh! You brothers are feuding for my hand!" Mei exclaimed.
Ed shouted:
"What the hell are you talking about?" at the same time that Scott shouted:
"How in hell did you come to that conclusion?"
"I'm sorry, Edward-san! You're just not my type!" Mei told Ed.
"Shut up!" Ed said.
There was a knocking noise.
"Knock it off Al!" Winry said. Al opened the front of his armor. "I hit my head!"
Winry crawled out.
"Whoops, sorry." Al apologized. Mei did not look pleased to see her.
"Aah! Wh-who is she, Alsphonse-sama?" Mei gasped.
Scott glanced at Ed, and did a double-take when she saw Mei's strange cat attacking Ed. "How could you? You have me!" Mei cried.
"No, no, no, she's just a friend-." Al paused for a moment. "Wait, why am I making excuses? We're not dating!" Al said.
A man appeared from around a corner. His face was horribly scarred.
"Mei, are you alright?" He asked, worried about the little girl. "I hear you yell-." He stopped for a second when he saw Ed and Al. "Hey, the Elric Brothers!"
"Huh? Who're you, old man?" Ed asked.
"I suppose it's a good thing you don't recognize me." The man chuckled. "Look, it's me."
"That voice…" Both brothers seemed to recognize it.
"Doctor Marcoh! What're you doing here?" Ed asked him.
"I'd ask you the same question!" Marcoh said.
Scott saw another man come up; this one had a silly, really thin mustache.
"The Elric Brothers?" He shouted. He didn't look happy to see them, unlike Marcoh.
"Huh, who're you, old man?" Ed repeated the question he had asked Marcoh.
"Don't you dare say you forgot!" The thin-mustache man yelled.
"I forgot." Ed deadpanned.
"Don't you remember what happened in Youthwell?" The man demanded.
"Brother, did we meet any hobos in Youthwell?" Al asked uncertainly.
"You call the great Yoki a hobo?" The man shrieked.
"Okay, but who are you?" Al asked seriously. Yoki screamed in frustration. Scott laughed at the ridiculousness of it all.
Yoki and Marcoh then both looked at Scott.
"Who are you, miss?" Marcoh asked politely.
"I'm Scott Mustang, the Lightning Alchemist." Scott introduced herself. Marcoh gapped at her.
"Mustang!" Marcoh gasped
"As in Colonel Roy Mustang, I didn't know he had a child!" Yoki said in a voice as high as a girl's.
Scott rolled her eyes.
"Yes, Roy Mustang is my father. I originally become a State Alchemist in hopes to someday beat him into comma. Now that you know my life story, can we move along?" Scott asked in annoyance. She's was beginning to find it silly that everyone knew of her father, and yet it took her years to find him.
Marcoh ushered everyone into a nearby building, where they sat on discarded boxes and began to talk.
"It's been a while Dr. Marcoh." Al said.
"Thanks for helping us out last time." Ed said. He remained standing, unlike the others.
"Don't mention it…I haven't done anything to deserve your thanks." Marcoh said softly. "Did you research the Philosopher's Stone?"
"Yeah." Ed said. "We learned how to make it."
Marcoh sighed heavily at that. "And from there, we were able to figure out a lot of things." Ed told the man. "Something's strange about this country's origins, and its alchemy." Ed looked at the ground. "We thought Xing's Rentanjutsu had a lot of potential to help us, so we started looking for Mei."
"Well done." Marcoh applauded. "I feel more reassured now that you two are here as well." He pulled out an old, slightly tattered book. "We have these research files, and Rentanjutsu, now all we need is Scar."
"Scar?" Al asked.
"That's right…" Ed said, remembering something.
"We need to find him." Scott said. Ed nodded.
Then, there was a loud, sudden explosion.
"What was that?" Marcoh wondered.
"Dunno." Ed said, looking out one of the windows. Everyone else went to the windows as well. There was a lot of smoke in the air. "Winry, Dr. Marcoh, Mei-you three stay here. We'll go check it out." Ed told the old man and two of the girls.
"The Northern Soldiers are up here looking for Scar too." Al said.
"They may have already found him." Scott suggested.
Al and Scott followed Ed out into the street, and off into the direction of the smoke. Eventually they came to a building where the fighting was in.
Scott had a hard time not staring stupidly at the scene. There was a man-sized monster that looked like the illegitimate child of a pig and a porcupine, and another creature that looked like a mutated amphibian of sorts.
Scott guessed that they were chimeras of sorts.
"-After I slice you up a little more, I'll drag your half-dead body to Mr. Kimbley." The Spiky Pig said.
Scar looked pretty scuffed up. His right arm was bleeding badly and his left was trapped in some weird slimy goo that stuck is hand to the floor. He was crouching.
"Hooooo boy." Ed said as he, Al, and Scott stepped into the building. "We sure have good timing, don't we?"
"No kidding." Scott scoffed.
"Eh? The Elric Brothers?" Spiky Pig seemed to know them, but Scott was pretty sure she would have remembered if she had met someone who looked like that.
"They caught Scar. Niiiice." Ed said, walking towards them.
Scott noticed the chimera's uniforms…or at least what was left of them. It was the uniforms that Kimbley's cronies were wearing. She glanced at Ed and Al and saw they were drawing the same conclusion she was.
"You're a little late." Spiky Pig said. "We've already apprehended Sca-."
That's when Ed and Al rushed him and hit the chimera as hard as they could.
"AAAAH! It's a monster!" The brothers yelled.
"A disgustingly ugly one at that!" Scott added, pretending to actually be afraid and hiding behind Ed.
"What the hell are you doing?" Spiky Pig yelled. "We're your allie-."
"We're not working with any of you inhuman freaks!" Scott snarled, jumping over Ed and cracking the chimera in the head with her staff.
The trio retreated a few feet.
"This is scary!" Ed exclaimed, clasping Scott's hands. "This is scary! They're acting like our friends so they can eat us!"
"Like pedophiles!" Scott gasped in horror.
"Like Kimbley!" Ed muttered in his breath. Scott had a hard time not snickering.
"That Fatso back there has such a big mouth! He'll swallow us whole!" Al whimpered.
"You stupid kids!" The Mega Toad growled. He spat the same sticky goo that was holding Scar's hand down, at the trio. Ed dodged each glob with ease, got right in front of the Mega Toad.
The two of them began to fight, Ed's speed because of his lighter automail showing easily. When the two jumped apart for a moment, Ed froze.
Then he began to man-giggle.
"Uhh…what's so funny, Brother?" Al asked, worried.
Ed's giggles turned into loud laughter and he charged Mega Toad. Mega Toad swore rudely when he could hit Ed with a sticky glob.
Ed then smashed a fist into Mega Toad's face. Mega Toad fell to the ground backwards.
"It's light!" Ed cheered. "It's sooo light! My arms and legs feel like they've turned into wings!"
Scott sighed when Ed almost fell over.
"The lighter metal is throwing you off balance." Al told Ed.
"Dumbass." Al and Scott grumbled.
"You little shit." Mega Toad growled, getting back up. Ed looked at his automail hand.
"Ahh. My punches must've gotten lighter too…" Ed observed.
That's when a glob hit his arm with a splat.
"Ha, ha, ha!" Mega Toad laughed. "My mucus won't come off that easy!"
"Snot? Gross!" Ed yelled in disgust. Then he got an idea, and clapped his hands. "But if this is snot…" Ed rushed Mega Toad again and slid under and behind him. "Then it's most made out of water!" Ed held out his automail hand, the snot on it turning into water and splashing Mega Toad. Ed looked at Scott, who nodded.
"It's cold-Damn you-what'd you do?" Mega Toad snarled as he tried to touch his back. His stubby arms made it impossible.
"Eat this!" Ed yelled pointing at Mega Toad. Scott snapped her fingers and electrocuted Mega Toad.
With a howl, he fell to the ground unconscious.
Spikes flew through the air and hit a column right next to Ed.
"Stop getting in our way, Fullmetal Alchemist!" Spiky Pig snapped.
"Oi!" Scott shouted.
"You too, Lightning Alchemist!" Spiky Pig said.
"Thank you!" Scott said. "Sheesh, sure Ed's more famous, but I should at least get an honorable mention-!"
"Scott-now's not the time!" Al interrupted.
"I knew it!"Spiky Pig said suddenly. "You were just pretending to be our allies!"
"Shut your mouth, you stupid pig! I've never seen you before in my life!" Ed yelled, pointing angrily at the Spiky Pig. "You're clearly not human, you caused all those huge explosions and…you look like an enemy!" Ed decided. "If you're an ally, prove it!"
"Fine, I will!" Spiky Pig growled. Slowly, he began to look more human. "Just let me change back, then you'll-."
"Sucker!" Ed shouted, slamming his foot onto the chimera's head.
"You never lower your weapon in front of an enemy, Little Piggy." Ed scolded at the unconscious monster, doing a fighting stance.
Scar chose this time to release his hand using his power. He stood up and looked at the trio wearily.
"More of the Army's dogs have sniffed me out, eh?" Scar grunted.
"He's recovered…" Ed said.
Al slowly walked in a wide circle around Scar one way, while Scott did so in the other, with Ed standing in a fight positing and just watching Scar.
"This has gone on long enough!" Ed said.
"We're taking you in!" Scott said.
"It's time to pay for your crimes, Scar!" Al finished their little speech.
"Those in my way will be struck down." Scar told them cracking his knuckles one handed.
"Oh yeah?" Ed asked, rushing Scar and swing a fist at him. Scar met his fist head on with his destroying hand.
"That steel arm of yours," Scar growled. "Is mine now!"
Scott idly thought that, that was the most she had ever actually heard Scar say. Then again last time he didn't say a word and was just trying to kill Ed.
There was a crackle of light.
Ed's automail arm was still intact.
"Gotcha." Ed said. Scar had a look of surprise on his face. Ed swung a foot out and kicked Scar in the leg.
Scar jumped away, but hobbled a little on his now injured leg.
Ed and Al both clapped their hands. Before they could do anything, Scar slammed his destroying hand on the ground and destroyed the floor beneath the boys.
Ed and Al fell into the ruble. Scar charged at the fallen brothers.
Scott ran towards Scar, staff ready to bash in whatever she could reach the moment she got close enough.
Winry appeared in the doorway.
Much to Scott's surprise, Scar skidded to a stop.
However, Ed, Al, and Scott didn't hesitate. Ed kicked Scar in the side of the head. Al hit Scar's arm away. Scott slammed her staff into Scar's stomach. The three of them made Scar fall to the floor where Al used alchemy to pin Scar's arm to risen part of the ground.
"You moron!" Ed yelled at Winry. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Winry was about to say something, taking a step towards them when someone behind her put a hand on her shoulder. The person behind her was Major Miles, along with a few Briggs soldiers.
"Stay back." Major Miles told Winry.
"W-what the heck?" One soldier gasped when he saw the chimeras.
"Major Miles…" Ed stared at the man, surprised to see him.
"Major, sir, take a look." Another soldier said, looking at the chimeras.
"Huh," Major Miles looked down at the monsters. "Blue uniforms…these are the guys from Central. The Upper Echelons must be conducting some crazy experiments."
"They were Kimbley's bodyguards?" Al asked, pretending not to know.
"Well I'll be darned! Did you know that Scott?" Ed asked Scott.
"I had no idea." Scott lied along with them.
Major Miles smiled at them.
"Relax. You don't have to play dumb in front of me." Major Miles told them. "Major General Armstrong, myself, and everyone else in the Fort are on your side."
The soldiers with Major Miles smiled warmly as well.
"Huh? She's not working with General Raven?" Al asked.
"General Raven has mysteriously disappeared." Major Miles said. "Quite a situation."
Scott rolled her eyes.
I'll bet money Major General Armstrong killed that Raven guy. She thought.
"Disappeared?" Ed asked.
"Tie those things up." Major Miles told the soldiers, not answering Ed's question. Miles turned to Scar, pointing his gun. "Your time has come, Scar." Miles said. "It pains me to have to arrest my kinsman, but you cannot be allowed to live."
Scar stared at Miles from his sitting position on the floor.
"Kinsman?" Scar repeated. Major Miles looked back at Ed, Al, and Scott.
"Elrics, Mustang, you have my thanks for capturing Scar." Major Miles told them.
Scott was getting annoyed with everyone calling her by her last name. It kept making her think of her irritating father. "We'll take it from here." Miles said.
Everyone looked in surprise when Winry walked into the building and went past them.
"Winry!" Al yelled in warning.
"Get away from him, you idiot!" Ed shouted, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Let me go." Winry told Ed. "It's okay."
"It is not okay!" Ed argued.
"Miss, step away please!" Major Miles said.
"Let me talk to him." Winry asked quietly. "I've wanted to talk to him, face to face, for so long."
Winry and Scar looked at each other. "Why did you kill my parents?"
There was pause.
"…anything I could possibly say would just be an excuse." Scar told her. "I killed the Rockbells…the doctors…the husband and wife. I have no more right to speak about my actions."
Scott was worried that Winry might cry. "But you, young woman, you have every right to take your revenge on me."
Winry slowly turned away from him, walking to a discarded box. She ripped a strip of cloth off it and walked back up to Scar. She knelt down, much to everyone's surprise.
"Your arm," Winry said. "You'll bleed to death if we don't bandage it."
"Winry!" Ed said in shock.
Winry used the cloth to wrap up just above where the wound was along with a couple of sticks she found.
Scar had the dumbest look on his face, that it weren't such a cool moment, Scott would have laughed at him.
"This is what my mom and dad would have done…" Winry told Scar.
Now Ed looked like he might cry. "…If they were still alive today. That has to count for something."
"Are you…forgiving me?" Scar asked Winry, his expression slightly not as harsh as usual.
Winry gave the man a look that Scott didn't know she could do.
"Get real." Winry snapped. "I could never forgive a monster like you." She said.
Scar actually reminded Scott of a kicked puppy as Winry finished with the makeshift bandage.
Winry stood up and walked over to Ed and the others. Ed immediately put an arm over the front of her shoulders, kind of blocking her from Scar.
Scott had to crush a feeling of blossoming jealously. Now was not the time for such things.
"Shall I contact HQ?" A soldier asked.
"Yeah." Major Miles said. Ed and Al looked at Winry in worry.
"I'm okay." Winry told them, stepping away from Ed. "I won't cry." She smiled at Scott. "Remember? We promised that the next time I cried, it'd be because I was happy."
Scott had to admit it, although Winry wasn't a trained fighter of any kind, she was still one tough girl.
Ed put an arm around her shoulders.
"Hey Scar," Ed said, turning to look at the man. "Winry is how she is," Ed's teeth were gritted. "But if it were up to us, we'd pound your face into a bunch of wet chunks, and drag your dead ass to Mr. and Mrs. Rockbell's grave."
Scar looked down after Ed said that. Then, he turned to Major Miles.
"You…Miles right?" Scar asked. "I have a question for you."
"What?" Miles said, still pointing a gun at the Ishbalan.
"You called me your 'kinsman', did you not?" Scar asked.
"I did." Miles said. "I lived in Ishbal during our grandfathers' time." Then Miles took off his glasses. "Too bad we had to meet like this, my red-eyed brother."
"Why is an Ishbalan conspiring with the Amestris military?" Scar asked, looking slightly confused.
There was a tense silence.
"I'm working from the inside to change this country's perception of Ishbal and its people." Miles told Scar.
"I think you'll find people don't change so easily." Scar warned him.
"True." Miles agreed. "There's no telling how long it might take, but in anyone can do something, it's a bi-racial person like me. This body of mine is just a small drop of Ishbal that was poured into the Amestris military. But even just throwing a small stone into a lake can cause a large ripple." Miles put his sunglasses back on. "Ironically the person, who showed me that it would be worth it to serve in the military, was a pure-blooded Amestrisan."
Scar frowned at the ground.
"The hatred that was born in me during the war has reduced me to little more than festering pus." Scar said. "I do not pray…I do not reconsider the path I've taken. Pus is not saved by God…pus oozes and rots…and eventually washed down the drain."
What a charming why to describe oneself. Scott thought.
"I'm glad that there are still people like you." Scar told Miles.
Miles grabbed the phone from the radio-pack one of the soldiers was wearing.
"HQ? This is Miles." Miles said into the phone. "We've found Scar and are trying to delay him. He's in a large building, Section D-5. We need back up!"
"Pl-please wait!" Marcoh came out of the place he had been hiding. "Please, don't take that man away yet!" Mei and her cat were with him.
Miles pointed his gun at Marcoh.
"Explain yourself!" Miles ordered.
Marcoh explained everything about why he was with Scar.
"Let's wrap this up." Miles said afterwards. "First, we absolutely cannot let them know Marco is here and we can't let them catch Scar here for the sake of translating the research notes. We've also got to get Ms. Rockbell free from Central's grasp, and we can't let them know the Elric Brothers and Mustang are in on this." Miles summarized. "I was even told to take the Rentanjutsu girl back to HQ."