IN CENTRAL…

"What the hell happened to you!" Mustang yelled at the sight of white bandages surrounding Ed's head, arms, and face.

"We had a…little encounter with Scar." Ed said taking a seat in front of Roy's desk.

"W-Well, I wonder how Sparky dealt with that problem…" Mustang said pinching the bridge of his nose. Just then, Erika walked in with a piece of cloth strung over her nose and a bandage on her arm. "What the hell happened to you!"

"I was too exposed to blood." Erika replied. "My sense of smell can be a real pain in the butt."

"What are you? A freaking blood hound!" Ed yelled. Erika shot him a glare.

"No, I am not moron." Erika said. "Eyes of the Soul remember?"

"I still don't know why the hell you'd have a sensitive nose due to the Eyes of the Soul…" Roy said shaking his head.

"I can pass through the Spirit Realm, it basically is filled with the smell of death, decay, blood, etc." Erika said. "Because of that, Eyes of the Soul have grown a sensitive nose to detect it before others. So we know when a spirit is passing on and so on and so forth."

"Oh…" Ed and Roy said in unison.

"Well, what do you want from us now Mustang?" Erika asked and then broke out into a fit of coughing. She started to wobble and almost fell to the side.

"Evans!" Ed said running over and draping her arm around his shoulders for leverage.

"I'm *cough* fine…*cough* *cough.*" Erika said coughing some more.

"You're not okay Sparky." Mustang said and sighed. "Well, I can't have you on missions in that condition. How long does this usually last?"

"Like *cough* hell I *cough* know!" Erika said coughing some more.

"Can't you even talk without coughing?" Mustang asked.

"Well, maybe if *cough* someone didn't *cough* try to burn their *cough* paperwork!" Erika said.

"You can smell that?" Mustang said.

"The smell of smoke *cough* damn it!" Erika said and then had a final cough leading a small amount of blood to the floor.

"Now you're coughing blood?" Hawkeye asked. "We've got to get you to the hospital."

"No!" Erika protested and shoved away from Edward and Hawkeye.

"Don't be stupid Evans." Edward said.

"I'm *cough* not!" Erika protested coughing more. She fell on her knees and started coughing even more.

"I think you've got damage on your lungs Erika." Hawkeye said.

"Damage on her lungs?" Ed asked.

"Yeah. I have no idea how she got it but she does." Hawkeye said. "She has to get to the hospital. This is very critical."

"I'm fine Riza." Erika said and stood up. "Just had a coughing spell. Nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure?" Hawkeye asked.

"Yes. I'm sure." Erika said and ripped the piece of cloth from her face. "In the meanwhile, what's our mission?"

"Are you sure about that?" Mustang asked.

"I'm fine." Erika said. "Now, what's our mission?"

"You're mission is to not get killed. Scar's been popping in and out killing state alchemists. We'll give you escorts to protect you. Meet lieutenants Maria Ross and Denny Brosh."

"Nice to meet you State Alchemists Sapphire Spark and Fullmetal ma'am and sir!" Brosh and Ross said in unison and saluted.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Ross and Mr. Brosh. I'm Erika Evans." Erika said bowing.

"Edward Elric. Nice to meet you." Ed said with a lazy wave. Erika elbowed him in the ribs. He mouthed 'what?'.

Ross and Brosh turned to each other. "Did you hear that? The State Alchemist Sapphire Spark just called us Mr. and Ms.!" Ross whispered.

"She even bowed! What type of game is she playing?" Brosh whispered.

"Hm?" Erika asked.

"Nothing ma'am!" The lieutenants said in unison. Erika blinked her eyes.

"Well, shall we go to your dorm?" Maria asked.

"Um…we don't share a dorm Ms. Ross." Erika said.

"My room's 77. Hers is 72." Ed said.

"FIVE ROOMS APART?" Brosh exclaimed.

"Yeah. Sorry bout that." Erika said with a sympathetic smile.

"No! Please don't apologize!" Ross said. "We'll just split up!"

"Of course! I'll take Sapphire Spark and you'll go with Fullmetal!" Brosh said.

"No. House full of girls. I'm a girl so I take Sapphire Spark. You're a boy. So you take Fullmetal." Ross said and shoved him in Edward's direction.

IN ERIKA'S ROOM…

"Hey Ms. Ross?" Erika called in through the kitchen.

"Yes?" Ross asked saluting.

"You can sit down if you like. It's not like you'll get electrocuted." Erika said and continued baking her cake.

"U-Uh…sure." Ross said and took a seat on the couch. It was soft and felt like home.

"AHH!" Erika screamed.

"Sapphire Spark!" Ross called and came running over with her gun at ready. "What's wrong Sapphire?"

"M-My cake!" Erika shouted and showed Ross her cake. "I-Its ruined!"

Ross sighed with relief as she looked over her cake. "What's wrong with it?"

"It got slightly burnt at the edges!" Erika cried out in horror.

"It's burnt?" Ross asked looking over the cake. "I don't see anything wrong with it."

"See? Right there!" Erika said pointing at the edge which had the smallest burnt spot in the world. "I fail as a baker!"

Ross smiled as she stood up straight. "It's fine. So what if there's a little burnt spot? Everyone has that happen to them every now and then. Besides, some people actually prefer it that way."

"T-They do?" Erika asked. She took a big sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I thought I really ruined it there." Ross laughed.

"It's alright Sapphire Spark ma'am." Ross said.

Erika blinked her eyes. "Why do you call me that?" Erika asked with slight disgust.

"Hm? Isn't that your title?" Ross asked. "I mean I can call you something else if you'd prefer Ma'am."

"Stop that." Erika said.

"Stop what ma'am?" Ross asked.

"That." Erika said. "This is my home and as long as you are in it, I am not State Alchemist Sapphire Spark. And you are not Lieutenant Maria Ross."

"A-Are you firing me!" Ross cried out. "Please! Please don't do that! I'll do better I swear!"

"I'm not firing you." Erika said.

"You're not?" Ross asked confused.

"Look Ms. Ross. My name is Erika Violet Evans, not Sapphire Spark no matter who gave me that name. You can call me by my name. None of that military crap." Erika said. "That's an order!"

"Yes ma'am!" Ross said and saluted.

"Now let me start over. I'm Erika Evans." Erika said with an outstretched hand.

"Maria Ross." Ross said with a smile and shook her hand. "You can call me Maria."

BN: Filler chap! Okay people. Here's the deal. I am expecting to accept ideas from you. Any ideas you want me to add in this story. I may not choose all of your ideas but I will choose a few. Such as: should i turn Al back to human? shall i make The Gate appear? Should someone get automail? Should Winry tell Ed her feelings? And so on and so forth. Submit your ideas in your reviews! Well, until next chap! =:D