SHONEN ALLIANCE
BOOK OF THE SHADOWS
EPISODE 44
On to Randgriz
Opening Theme: Asu e no Kizuna (Valkyria Chronicles)
"I see, so that's what's been happening in Amestris," Welkin declared as sat across from Vine, who, along with Alicia, had just finishing Welkin the trush behind the Valkyrian Incarceration Act.
"To the best of my knowledge, yes," Vine replied, "sorry you had to be left in the dark over this. In order for deception to be truly effective, you have to fool allies as well as enemies. If the Gallian military had known, it would have been a lot more difficult to take the empire by surprise."
"Unfortunately, Selvaria Bles' escape means you've lost the element of surprise anyway," Largo replied, "so how'd she manage to get away from you of all people. I thought you were a specialist when it came to fighting Valkyria."
"Yeah, I don't wanna talk about it," Vine replied, "the fact is the same. I don't know why the Imperial army isn't knocking on Bruhl's front gate yet, but if we don't act fast, we're done before we even begin, we've gotta…"
"Apparently, you're not very up to date on Gallian current events. The Empire's not coming," Largo declared, "they don't need to."
"Uhh, what do you mean?" Ed asked, "if the Empire knows we're on our way here to raise an army to fight them, why wouldn't they come to stop us?"
"Cause they know you're not going to get an army," Largo replied.
"Not going to get an army?" Alphonse repeated, "why not?"
"Listen Vine, I'm sorry. It's not that we don't want to help, but right now, we're powerless to do anything," Welkin revealed.
"Care to elaborate on that one?" Vine asked, obviously a little surprised by Welkin's revelation.
"Well to put it bluntly, the Empire has our hands tied," Largo replied, "after he took over, Maximillion took Princess Cordelia Randgriz and made her is 'queen', but it's more accurate to say he made her his hostage." Vine sat silent for a moment.
"Okay, say that again," he finally said.
"Vine, Maximillian has Princess Cordelia as a hostage," Welkin repeated, "we can't do anything to him without endangering her."
"Great, so I did hear right," Vine sighed, "so, I can't imagine you guys don't have a plan. What can we do to change that fact?"
"Ah how I've missed your naivety, Raging Blast," Largo declared.
"We do have something in mind, but we lacked the ability to pull it off. With you guys around though, we stand a much better chance of success," Welkin declared.
"Heh, well then, what's your crazy plan?" Vine asked.
….
"Okay, when I said 'crazy plan' I had no idea you had something this crazy in mind," Vine declared.
"I know it's risky, but it's the only chance we've got," Welkin replied as he pointed at a map of Randgriz lying on a table between them. "Our sources in Randgriz have confirmed that both Maximillian and Cordelia will be joining the parade that passes through Randgriz for the feast day. There's no better chance than this, because the only security he's going to have on his parade float, is Selvaria Bles."
"The feast day, as in the Feast of All Spirits? Ah man, just once, can't the feast day come and go without us having to fight some sort of life or death battle?" Ed groaned.
"So if security's gonna be so loose, why don't we just assassinate Maximillian?" Kakashi asked.
"Believe me, if the opportunity presents itself, I won't hesitate to take him out, but that's not the top priority right now. We can't risk a failed assassination endangering the princess," Vine replied as he looked over the map.
"We're not gonna be able to give you much help," Welkin revealed, "the only people who are here in Bruhl are the former Sevens."
"What happened to Gallia's regular army after the war?" Mustang asked.
"Any of the commanders who didn't swear loyalty to the empire were executed. Most of the soldiers were arrested and put in Imperial work camps like the ones in Fouzen," Largo replied.
"There are a few stragglers, but like us, their hands are tied right now and they can't do much against the Empire," Welkin finished.
"What about my squad," Riela suddenly blurted out, "what happened to squad 422?"
"You were from the 422nd?" Largo repeated, "we have one member from their squad here in Bruhl with us, but I'm pretty sure she's the only survivor. The rest of the squad was entirely wiped out by an Imperial group that called themselves Calamity Raven."
"Man, the bad news just keeps coming," Havoc sighed as Riela fell silent with disbelief.
"Alright, let's see," Vine said as he sized up the map, "alright, I know what we have to do, everyone gather around."
….
"Yeesh, and you said Welkin was crazy," Ed declared after Vine had finished explaining his plan.
"Can it runt. I'm well aware it's crazy," Vine replied, "but…"
"But it also looks like fun," Ikkaku declared, "I say we go for it."
"We don't have much of a choice," Welkin replied, "I can try to round up some volunteers. A lot of Vine's closer friends from the squad still hold him in pretty high regards, so I can probably get a few, but…"
"Unless you can get us a tank, any extra personnel are just going to be in the way at this point," Mustang replied.
"Just have everyone ready to go once we get back," Vine ordered, "let's go, we don't have a lot of time to make it before the parade day."
"I have someone who'll drive you most of the way. She'll probably be anxious to see Vine anyway, so let's go talk to her," Welkin suggested.
"She? Another girl friend of yours? Sheesh, who's he talking about this time?" Ed teased.
"I can honestly say I have absolutely no idea," Vine replied as he walked out the door into the hallway.
"Moink! Moooiiinnnkkk!" a loud squeal suddenly filled the teams ear. Ed and Vine looked up just in time to see a pink blur fly out of nowhere and knock Vine over. Vine shot to his seat as the form leapt off of him. The two saw that the figure was a small piglet with what looked like small wings growing from his back. Clutched in the animals mouth was a small doll hanging of a string that looked too familiar. Vine lifted up his cloak to discover that the doll was indeed gone.
"You've gotta be kidding me, do I look like I have time for this!" he shouted angrily as he shot to his feet, "alright, stop that breakfast meat!" he shouted as he took off after the pig.
"Hans! Bad piggy, bad!" Alicia shouted as she joined the pursuit. The pursued piglet rounded a corner Vine couldn't see around.
"Vine, slow down, there's a…" Welkin shouted to late as Vine rounded the corner. Almost instantly, his feet became tangled in a length of rope that was on the ground and he tripped and flew over a guard rail and began plummeting towards the bottom floor. "Heh, I guess he found out the hard way… never mind."
Down on the first floor, Vine found himself hanging upside down several feet above the floor and staring into the annoyed eyes of a young woman whose brown hair was tied up in two buns.
"What're you doing?" the woman asked.
"Oh, I'm just hanging around," Vine replied, giving the woman an equally annoyed look.
"I swear, how someone like you can be such an idiot is beyond me," the woman declared as she turned and began to walk away.
"Nice to see you again to, Ms. Stark," Vine replied.
"I've told you before, just call me Rosie," Rosie replied in the same annoyed tone.
"Yeah, yeah, okay, I really need to get down now, all the blood is running into my head," Vine declared as he tried to pull himself up to cut the rope that held him up, "you gonna help me or do I get to start firing pot shots around all of Welk's valuable looking stuff."
"You do, and I swear you'll regret it," another woman's voice said, causing Vine to look in the other direction. Three young girls were standing nearby. All three had short, dark blue hair. The littlest one had a giant smile on her face as she looked up at the alchemist. She had a red headband and cloak that looked identical to Vine's and a silver, plastic chain hung out of her pocket that Vine knew was attached to a plastic pocket watch inside the pocket of her dark blue dress. She almost looked like a smaller, female version of Vine. The second was wearing a red colored shawl with the Darcsen spiral embroidered across the bottom. Her hair was short and well groomed, especially when compared to Vine's and the smaller girls. Vine was very familiar with both of these girls, but it was the third, the one who had spoken that held Vine's attention.
"Big Brother! Is it really you! I'm so glad you're back!" the littlest girl shouted excitedly as she jumped up and down with glee.
"Did I hear someone say big brother?" Ed asked as he and Al looked over the edge.
"Hey, it's Lara and Karen," Alphonse replied as they spotted the Darcsen girls below them.
"Looks like it, but who's the girl whose with them?" Ed asked as Havoc approached the edge. His eyes and mouth opened wide at the sight of the third girl, causing his cigarette to fall from his mouth.
"It… it can't be," he gasped in disbelief. Down below, Vine still had the same look in his eyes as he stared at the girl, as though waiting for her to disappear suddenly.
"Hey, bud, cat got your tongue?" Rosie finally asked, "say something, will ya."
"Vine? Hello, earth to Vine," the girl said as she waved her hand in front of Vine's face.
"It… can't be. I… Isar… ahhhhhh!" he shouted suddenly as Ed cut the rope, dropping him flat on his head. He shot up to his feet glaring up at the Fullmetal Alchemist. "What the heck! Haven't I had enough headaches for one day!"
"I'm sorry," Ed replied sarcastically, "I was under the impression you wanted down."
"Why you little… that does it, I'm shoving you in a jar and putting you with the other insects in Welk's collection!" Vine shouted.
"Who're you calling a tiny little cockroach!" Ed shouted down angrily.
"I'm calling you a tiny little cockroach!" Vine shouted.
"I didn't think it was possible, but I think he's actually gotten more annoying," Rosie sighed.
"Who's your cute friend, Vine?" Isara asked, chuckling joyfully.
"I'm definitely gonna ignore that remark," Vine sighed.
"Wow, he's pretty calm given that he's talking to someone whose supposed to have been dead for 4 years," Havoc declared.
"Don't get the wrong idea," Mustang replied, "he's acting cool because he knows we're the only ones who remember that fact, but I bet you it's about all he can do not to cry right now."
"I guess. Maybe we should have warned him," Havoc declared.
"Warned him of what, that I had a theory Isara was still alive since Envy never existed to kill her?" Mustang replied, "This scenario seems a lot more desirable then to have told him only to find out I was wrong."
"Alright, you win," Havoc replied, "so, I guess something good came of all this after all."
"Wait, so that's Isara, as in the same Isara who died?" Al asked.
"Something good huh?" Ed repeated, "well let's hope it stays that way this time."
….
"So, let me get this straight Welks, you want me to drive all the way to Randgriz with Vine and his friends?" Isara asked as she walked through the house's front yard with Welkin and the others.
"I'm sorry, Is, I know it's sudden, but given the circumstances I thought you might enjoy a chance to…" Welkin began to explain, but he didn't need to finish the explanation.
"It's alright, I'll be glad to do it," Isara replied, "it'll be nice to be able to visit with Vine and Mr. Havoc for a while. Besides, it'll be nice to get out for a while."
"Thanks kid, we owe you," Havoc declared as he lit a new cigarette. Isara shot Vine a rather serious glare, causing Vine to sigh and cut through the freshly lit cigarette with a small blast. "Ah come on. I'm just about to head off for what could be a certain suicide mission with no Gallian support. I think I deserve at least one cigarette for that."
"You need to be in your best shape if you don't want it to be a suicide mission, so you'd better not smoke," Isara replied, smiling happily.
"Man, she always did make a good point," Havoc sighed in reply.
"Well, good. I'll let you guys talk for a while. I'm gonna go talk to Largo about borrowing his truck," Welkin declared as he left to find Largo.
"Gotta admit, I'm glad to see not much has changed with the old bug nut," Vine declared, "I was a bit worried that…"
"He's better now. I haven't seen him like this in a long time. He's been so… depressed lately." Isara replied, "I'm glad," she sobbed as tears began to fall from her eyes, "I'm so glad."
"Is… are you?" Vine began to ask, stopping short as Isara suddenly turned and buried her face in his cloak.
"First you and Alicia left, then my brother… changed. I've felt for so long like my entire family had just left me again," she sobbed, surprising Vine, "I'm so glad you're back. I've… I've been so lonely. It's like I lost both my brothers when the Empire took over."
"Is… I…" Vine tried to think of how to respond. He was interrupted as Welkin returned.
"Alright, good news, you're ready to go," he revealed.
"Alright, well what're we still waiting around for?" Isara said, suddenly as chipper as before, "we've got a long ways to go!"
"Sure do," Vine replied, obviously grateful for Welkin's rescue.
"That was… weird," Ed declared.
"You have no idea," Vine declared, "alright, let's saddle up and get ready to move. I think we'll leave Alicia and Riela here for the time being."
"But Vine, if you're worried about how we'll react w/ Selvaria, I…" Alicia began to protest.
"It has nothing to do with that. If this goes south, I'm counting on the two of you to get things rolling here in our place, you got that?" Vine replied, giving a confident thumbs up, "now, Ali, are you coming with me or staying with Licia?" he asked, turning his attention to the younger Valkyrur. She stood completely still as though she were pondering the question. Her expression became a bit mischievous as she turned her back on Vine, folding her arms as though she were still angry. "Still mad at me, huh?" Vine said, smiling a bit mischievously himself as he walked behind the younger Valkyrur. Pulling his foot back, he lashed forward and gave his young friend a solid kick to her rear end, turning quickly before she could turn to face him.
"Hey!" she shouted angrily.
"That's fair enough. You and Mizore can both stay here. This battlefield is gonna be no place for a couple of little girls," Vine declared as he waved farewell to the Valkyrur and the snow witch and left with the others to depart for Randgriz.
"Why you…" Ali growled.
"Ali, are you really still mad at Vine? What if something happens?" Mizore asked with concern as she turned to face her friend.
"Please, this is Vine we're talking about," Ali replied, "of course I'm not mad at him, but this is the first time I've really had a chance to get even with him. He'll be fine without me for one day."
"I guess if you say so," Mizore replied.
"Besides, Vine said he didn't really need us, and it'll be nice to sleep under a roof tonight," Ali said, smiling like she was trying to reassure herself.
"I guess so," Mizore replied.
"Mooink," a small, muffled grunt next to the two kids caused them to look down at the small piglet who still held Vine's doll clutched in its teeth!
"Oh no! Vine's good luck charm!" Ali shouted frantically as she lunged for the pig who bolted, "no, bad piggy! Vine needs that!" she shouted as she and Mizore both bolted after the fleeing piglet.
….
It took a few days even by car to travel to Randgriz, but soon, Vine, Ed, and Mustang stood on a hill overlooking the outer wall of the Gallian capital.
"Alright, we're here, and just in time to," Vine declared, "when does the parade start."
"Three hours," Isara revealed, "you should have just enough time to get in position and get everything ready."
"We owe ya one Is," Vine declared, "now get your butt back to Bruhl before the fireworks start. One thing's for certain, whatever happens today, we're going to be giving Maximillian one heck of a show."
"Maybe I should wait here. I can take you back to Bruhl after you…" Isara began to protest.
"It's too risky for you to wait here. I'm not gonna take the chance that the Imps'll find you. Just leave it to us from here," Vine replied.
"Fine," Isara replied, obviously disappointed, "but you'd better not do anything stupid."
"Please, remember who you're talking to here," Vine declared, giving her a thumbs up as she started the car again.
"That's what worries me!" she called back as she drove away.
"So," Ed finally spoke up after a few moments of silence, "how do you feel?"
"Better than I have in a long time, squirt," Vine replied, "now, let's do this."
(A.N. Sorry about the large number of rather dull chapters. Even I have to admit these last chapters have been frightfully dull as I've tried to set things up for a new series to join the alliance, but now that things are set, be ready for the heart stopping action to recommence as the war with the Imperials begins, next time on SHONEN ALLIANCE: BOOK OF THE SHADOWS).
Cue Ending Theme: Shunkan Sentimental (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood)
