Chapter 17 Imminent Battle
(A/N: I LIVVVEE! That's right, the virus and boredom have not claimed me yet! Hopefully I'll get to more chapters soon. Won't make promises, don't wanna accidentally break 'em, but I'll do my best!))
Once Greed's head was fully grown back, he began his little conversion with Al when he was made to sit back down by Roa. It was Greed's signature speech, how he demanded the finer things in life. While that was going on, Saige leaned on the wall beside Alphonse, constantly looking over everyone in the room.
"Not being able to feel anything I touch, I couldn't imagine that. In the end, maybe I got lucky." Saige thought, holding her hand over her throat as her gaze fell to Alphonse.
Between being mute or never being able to feel anything she touched, Saige probably wouldn't be able to pick. She refocused on Al and Greed's conversation once he gave his signature speech on demanding the finer things in life, including immortality.
"Aren't you already immortal?" Al asked.
"Well I guess I was built a little sturdier than most. I am almost 200 years old. But I wouldn't exactly say I'm immortal." Greed answered.
"Hmph. He's immortal alright, just with a limit." Saige thought, somewhat rolling her eyes.
"So, I've spilled my guts all over, told you my darkest secret. Now it's your turn. How'd you get your body?" Greed asked, more like demanded. Before Al even thought of giving a reply, Saige transmuted a message on the floor in front of Greed, "You're asking the wrong person. It was his brother."
"Well, if that's the case, we'll just ask him then." Greed replied, rising to his feet. His gaze suddenly turned to Saige, making her unconsciously flinch back. He leans close with his typical smirk across his face.
"This can be your chance to be useful, princess. Why don't you go and fetch that brother of his?" Greed said. Saige can't help but scowl at his rude nickname again, but she knows better than to go against him. All she can do is begrudgingly nod her head, never breaking eye contact with Greed.
"Good. And just so you know, if you aren't back with him soon, we'll have no choice but to take Mr. Armor here apart." Greed says, turning his back to her to purposely put his hand on Al's shoulder.
That small act got a rise from Al and Saige, both simply from worry. With a nervous nod, Saige casts her gaze to Alphonse for one last moment before she runs out of the concrete room. Anyone she passes doesn't even glance at her as Saige runs out to the streets.
"Crud, crud, crud! There's no telling what Truth could mess up here, so I have to Ed quick!" Saige thinks in her panicked race through the town.
Her destination is simply Izumi's shop, or at least close to it, in order to find Ed as soon as possible. Lucky for Saige, her search doesn't take nearly as long as she dreaded. That became clear the moment she turns a corner, being met with a familiar set of golden eyes and hair up close.
"Ah crap!"
*Thud*
Ed and Saige's thought were the exact same as Saige is unable to stop, ending with the two slamming into each other. Opening their eyes, the sudden reunited pair instantly sees the eyes of the other. Their faces were now mere inches apart, the only thing keeping them apart being Saige's arms when she instinctively attempted to stop herself from hitting the ground. The situation finally dawns on both of them, the rush of red across both of their faces making that clear, before they both scrambled apart.
"Saige, you- I mean- I didn't-" Ed rambles in a frenzy from obvious embarrassment. Clapping her cheeks several times, Saige huffs before pulling Ed back onto his feet and yanking on hid hands.
"Hey, hold on, what is it?" Ed questioned. Being in a rush, Saige takes his hand and writes the quick answer, "It's Al."
That alone got Ed moving. Saige was leading the way with Ed's hand in her own, but Ed rushed enough that he was almost beside her rather than behind her. Luckily, it took just as little time as it took for Saige to find Ed as it did for the two of them to return to the Devil's Nest. Once there, Ed took it upon himself to step forward before kicking the door to Greed's room open.
"Saige, Brother!" Al called out to said people.
"Never really crossed my mind that you could get kidnapped." Ed says as he steps into the room, Saige quick to move from behind him to next to him, relieved to see Al still in one piece.
"Brother, this guy's a Homunculus!" Al states. Ed's surprise and disbelief was clear when he heard this.
"Hey, way to ruin it. Unless you ratted me out first, princess." Greed says as his gaze goes to Saige, who once again flinched from irritation, and actually, so did Edward.
"Cliche or not, he of all people should lay off that stickin' nickname!" Saige thinks, raising her fist momentarily.
"We might be able to get some leads from him on how to get our original bodies back." Al says to Ed, breaking Saige's thoughts. She sees Greed show off his Oroborous tattoo
"Aren't you observant. I was hoping that I'd only have to deal with the little armored giant. And don't worry, it's not my style to hurt a lady." Greed says with a signature smirk at Saige, making her shudder enough to make her shuffle just an inch closer to Ed.
"Why don't you just ask your partners whatever you want to know? The ones from the fifth lab. They had a couple of armor bonded souls with them as well." Ed says, not batting an eye when Greed moves between Ed and Al.
"You don't say. Well, it's kind of a long story. We don't talk much anymore." Greed explain.
"Makes sense Greed wouldn't work for that Father guy, or anyone else for that matter. Honestly, I wonder why Pride never revolted either?" Saige wonders to herself.
"I've got a little proposal for you. You guys are pretty desperate to get your bodies back, right? Because I could teach you how to fabricate your own Homunculus in no time at all. In return, all I ask is you teach me how to transmute a soul. Classic Equivalent Exchange." Greed offers. Saige glares at him already, understanding how Ed and Winrey must feel when hearing people bring up Al's condition.
"But I really don't understand why you'd want your other body back. Seems like you've got one that perfect already." Greed says, beginning to earn a rise from Ed.
"No I don't!" Al protests. Saige keeps herself behind Ed, considering what's going to happen next, no matter how badly she feels for Al.
"You're joking, right. You don't need to eat, you don't need to sleep, you don't even need to use the toilet! Sounds great to me." Greed goes on. Saige back up from Ed, remembering how he's about to snap, which actually will give her the perfect opportunity she needs.
"That's enough, shut your damn mouth!" Ed says, his words escalating to a shout.
All eyes on Ed now, Saige leaves the room, but only goes into the hallway before transmuting a hole in the ground that goes under the room. Her goal is to reach the hall that leads to the sewers where the three Chimeras die at Bradley's hands. She dashes through her personal tunnel, barely hearing Ed's tyrade.
"I must be out of my mind, but I just can't help it! Bradley, that son of a- he kills them in cold blood! I'll figure out Martel's part later, but the other two, I can save them, that I'm certain of." Saige thinks to herself before screeching to a halt. Transmuting a hole in the ceiling above, she finds herself around the corner of the hall Al's about to be taken into.
"Perfect. They probably won't listen to me for long, so I better leave my message quick." Saige makes plans to herself.
Pulling herself up, she prepares herself for them to come down with Alphonse. However, her own mission is quickly delayed, when a chill runs down her back. It's a feeling she's become accustomed to in this world- Someone's behind. From the wall, she transmutes a crystal shield, one the size of her torso, on instinct. Saige simultaneously turns and jumps away from whoever is behind her. When she see's who it is though, her heart either sank or was about to burst.
(A/N: Nyahaha! I've missed my cliff hangers! And I miss hearing from you guys, so, I wanna see if anyone can guess who from the Fullmetal series is about to make an appearance!
I'm picking between two options, but these hints will define both just in case. And now, I shall give the 2 hints!-
1)They are exclusively from the Original series
2)They tough, physically and alchemy wise I suppose
Feel free to guess as many times as you want, and add your own ideas if ya want. Also, for whoever gets it right, as long it's not a guest, I'll be sure to give a personal shout to ya. Anyway, for now, goodbye my peoples!)