So, that took me quite a while... But I'm back because I finally knew how to get the chapter the way I wanted. I have written and deleted about 2000 words or so with ideas that I wasn't entirely too pleased with after all. But inspiration struck yesterday, and so here I am!
Also, I will be re-editing the other chapters at some point, just to fix some minor mistakes and add some things to improve the flow of the story. (The first chapters are dialogue-heavy in my opinion) But I won't be changing the story, only add a bit more description in between dialogue.
And please keep reviewing! (But no flames, they can be very uninspiring)
And so I hope you'll all enjoy this chapter!
Chapter twelve
"So, Ed, how long's yer limbs goin' ter need repairin'?" Hagrid asked him, pouring a third cup of tea for only Ed and Mustang as Al had told him that because of his illness (the same one that left him with all the scars which was the reason he wore the armour in the first place) had also affected his throat and mouth so that warm food and drink very easily scalded him. That was also why he wasn't present at dinner or lunch because he didn't want to draw attention to it, as well as why he went to breakfast so early. Then he could just prepare his meals for the day and then eat up in his room so that nobody would see the scars when he ate without his helmet on.
The lie wouldn't have been accepted so easily back home, and people would have inquired insistently just what the name of the disease was. Here, however, Al had spent the morning reading in the library and had looked up magical maladies, and with all that crazy wizard stuff, their lie seemed to be very easily accepted. After all, these people had no clue about Muggle illnesses in the first place. Alphonse had even come across a book that had described chickenpox as something that "temporarily causes young Muggles to sprout feathers and cackle for about a week, which is primarily caused by their mothers returning from hen nights." Hagrid had shed tears at hearing about Al's misfortune and had given him a whole wicker basket of rock cakes so that he didn't have to eat sandwiches all day. The gesture was appreciated, but later on Ed was going to transmute those things so that they became edible and then share them with Winry. The components were all there after all, they just needed to be reconstructed into something less likely to break your teeth.
"About a week," Edward answered. "It might take a bit longer now because Winry decided I need something called "Northern automail" so she can't follow the regular design."
"Wha's the difference?" Hagrid had some obvious concern and confusion on his face.
"Apparently they're made from different metal alloys because my regular automail's not meant for temperatures below a certain point. It makes it stiffen and the metal that's touching my flesh can even cause frostbite if it's bad enough."
The man seemed shocked. "Yeh shoulda told her then before yeh left! It can get freezin' up 'ere!"
Edward groaned. "Can we talk about something else? Winry's already shouted at me for about an hour about it." He began subconsciously rubbing the back of his head at the memory.
Mustang put a hand on his shoulder, speaking pleasantly. He still wasn't quite used to the whole uncle-y way of acting. But he supposed that they had reached some sort of alliance during these past two months. Basically just because they were scientists in between wizards and witches. "What Edward means to say is that Winry has already informed him thoroughly about the importance of adjusting his automail for the cold. However, it was something that neither of us thought was an issue before we left. Back in Amestris, the only place where the temperature is that low is in the Northern Area. With me stationed in East City, that has never been something we have had to consider before. What with the discovery that magic exists and needing to make preparations for leaving for ten months, the thought simply escaped us both." The Colonel was obviously a smooth talker.
Ed, however, got an idea and could barely repress the smirk as he spoke before Hagrid could. And so instead he looked up at Mustang with an excited smile. "Oh, but Uncle Roy, you know what this means?"
"What, Ed?" He somehow kept that uncle-y smile on his face.
It was hard work to keep himself from smirking, the corners of his mouth were almost aching with the strain already. "The traditional sparring match!" Ed said gleefully, looking towards Hagrid to explain to him what he was talking about. But he hd to do so without the phrasing seeming to explain to Mustang something that was supposed to be already well-established between them. "When I have my automail maintained, we always spar to check that it's in perfect order," he therefore explained. "We usually spar daily, but we've both been too busy for the past two months." He then turned back to Mustang. "But we have got to make it work now that I'm getting my brand new automail, right, Roy?" Ed finished, smiling brightly, giving him a look saying "I'm gonna kick your ass, Old Man!"
Ed was both relieved and disappointed that Mustang didn't lose his composure, but just smiled again. "Of course, Edward."
He was still barely repressing his evil grin as they returned to the castle for dinner, and Al made his way towards Gryffindor tower. Mustang nodded at the others before heading straight for the Great Hall, leaving Ed to meet up with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Winry. Ron and Harry were both looking like they had studied themselves to the point where they were too tired to speak in anything more than monosyllables, their right hands trembling with exhaustion. Winry looked irked that she would have to leave her precious automail, but her eyes were mostly alight with joy. It was quickly explained as Ed got close enough to hear that she was speaking animatedly with Hermione about Rush Valley, which Hermione actually seemed very excited to hear about.
Ed walked over to Ron and Harry, and Ron looked at him with triumphant exhaustion. "Did it."
"Did what? You really had that much homework?" Edward asked in alarm. He was getting seriously afraid that he had neglected to help his friends out with their homework in favour of sleeping and giving detentions to students. Some of the other teachers had, after clearing it with Ed, asked that he took charge of the ones from their class too. Apparently both Professors MacGonagall and Flitwick had been very impressed as it seemed that those students who received physical exercise were performing better during classes in other subjects too. So now Ed currently had a group of seventeen students who would have to be trained by the Colonel instead while he was out of commission himself.
"We completed the homework for the next week too," Harry explained, before leaning forwards and whispering confidentially. "Because we can't really know how much help we can get out of Hermione next week, what with her being so caught up in learning everything she can about automail, and we didn't wanna have to ask you because you're hardly going to get to be with Al this year."
There was hardly time to be touched by the statement before Ron added, "and it's kinda unsociable having visitors and doing homework instead of talking, you know?"
Ed smiled a bit. "That's pretty nice of you, but seriously, you didn't need to exert yourself like that. Al understands and he loves this magic stuff of yours, he'd love to learn more."
It was Ron's turn to lean forwards, whispering, "yeah, but if we get behind on our homework again, we're a bit afraid that Hermione's gonna threaten us with a wrench."
Ed didn't know if he ought to laugh or not, because Ron didn't actually seem to be joking and Harry looked just awkward enough about it that he seemed to be thinking the same too.
...He suddenly found himself to be highly grateful that his instinctive response to homework was, courtesy of Izumi Curtis, "learn or die", resulting in him being a highly proficient student. "I see..." Ed said awkwardly.
"Yeah, mate, now let's get dinner, I'm starving," Ron said equally awkwardly, but some of his spirit returning at the promise of food.
"Ah, Edward, Harry, Ron," came Percy's voice from down the corridor to their left. "Do you mind if I accompany you during dinner?"
Ron cursed quietly. "Percy's playing bodyguard," he muttered under his breath.
Ed paused. That was something he'd rather prevent. "Uh, sure... But you don't have to feel like you need to be my bodyguard."
Percy puffed out his chest importantly, making his Prefect pin even more noticeable. "As one of the Prefects of Hogwarts, it is my duty look after all students. As you are a prime target as a Muggle, as well as for your commendable work in assisting our staff with detentions, you ought not to be left alone in the corridors, now that you cannot clap to transmute and your prosthesis keeps you from running."
Ed just raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, and their only option is to kill me if they want to get away with it. Unless they want me to tell their professor, the guy who can create bombs by snapping his fingers, that is, that they hurt his nephew."
He was getting a bit miffed at how he was now using Mustang as a shield. But it was all a part of their uncle/nephew cover. Ed not seeming to trust his uncle would be suspicious, after all. He supposed that the Colonel was therefore rewarding his patience by letting him chase his fellow students with a club.
Equivalent exchange, in other words.
Percy nodded stiffly. "Maybe so, Edward, but that doesn't change the fact that people have specifically sought out detentions from Professor Mustang today. By them targeting you, he is far more likely to serve out the detentions himself."
Ed looked at him in confusion. "Why would anyone do that?"
His question was met by a large, indignant and exasperated sigh. "Because a fair few of the older female students see it as a good way to get some more attention from your uncle."
Edward groaned. "Don't tell me that there are a lot of girls having a misplaced crush on him and find physical exercise a necessary evil?"
The dignified frown of disapproval told him everything he needed to know. "I even overheard a girl from the seventh year talking to one of her friends. As I understood it, she was planning to twist her ankle in hopes of being carried by Professor Mustang all the way up to the hospital wing."
Ed just stared in horror. This needed to stop.
...And he knew the perfect person to do so.
He turned towards his companions, including Winry and Hermione who had paused their discussions regarding Rush Valley. "Okay, you need to let as many people as possible know that my uncle's assistant is coming here to help him supervise his classes, now that people will be learning how to start to transmute. And make it very clear that she is the best sniper in the entire country and also Roy's bodyguard. I'm gonna go up to the teachers' table and have a word with my uncle and Dumbledore so that we can get this stuff fixed as soon as possible."
The others looked at him in surprise.
"Sure, Ed," Ron and Harry said.
"I shall inform the other Prefects," Percy announced and headed for the Great Hall in a dignified and swift manner.
And so the six of them made their way to dinner as well, although Ed kept limping forwards and all the way up to the teachers' table. The loud chatter began diminishing as it became clear that Ed wasn't planning to sit down anywhere. Instead, people began whispering to each other, obviously wondering what was up with the crippled Muggle.
Ed didn't really pay them much attention.
"Edward, is there something wrong?" Dumbledore asked pleasantly once Ed came within earshot.
"Sort of, which is why I came here with a solution. So if I could talk in private with you and my uncle as soon as possible, then that would be best."
Mustang looked at Ed in a way that made him pretty sure that his boss was a bit worried and a bit sceptical as to just what would happen now.
"Oh, of course, Edward. I'm sure we could have some dinner brought afterwards if it's such an urgent matter," Dumbledore said kindly, although a bit worried, as he stood up from his chair at the same time as the Colonel did.
And so they made their way inside the same room that Dumbledore had magicked the magic to stop messing with the internalised engines in his automail the day they came.
Dumbledore shut the door behind him as Ed limped his way inside the room. "Well, Edward, what is it that's worrying you?"
"Mustang's older, female students are intentionally getting themselves detentions so that they can spend some extra time with him, now that I'm not conducting the workout sessions myself. Percy Weasley even overheard someone planning to twist their ankle so as to be romantically scooped up into the Colonel's arms and carried to the hospital wing."
"I swear, Professor Dumbledore, that I have definitely not tried to inspire any such behaviour," Mustang said quickly, looking very awkward and just a tad guilty.
Dumbledore didn't look like he thought that Mustang was lying, and no matter how much of a womanising bastard the guy was, he still wouldn't flirt with his students who happened to be minors. Ed would give him that much credit.
"I believe you, Colonel Mustang, don't you worry. Had you been doing such a thing, then I am certain that someone would have alerted either myself or the faculty in general about it," Dumbledore said reassuringly, but he was still frowning, obviously still not satisfied with the situation. "However, it does still pose a problem. You said you had a solution, Edward?"
Ed nodded. "Yeah. We'll just go fetch Lieutenant Hawkeye. It's easy to just say that having an assistant to help the Colonel keep a better look at all his students during transmutation is better."
Mustang's eyes widened slightly.
With a slightly evil grin, Ed cut him off before he could reply. "And there's no one better suited for it than Colonel Mustang's scary, but nice, assistant-sniper-bodyguard-nanny!"
"She is not my nanny, Fullmetal!" Mustang said indignantly.
Ed just smirked at him. "No... She's just the one who makes sure that you do your paperwork and get to work on time. And she gives you all the forms and reports and everything else that you need to sign. And so you can find all that nice paperwork lying there on your desk... You know, it's almost like magic."
He received a glare that promised him a lot of boring missions once they returned to Amestris, with even longer mission reports.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Well, she does sound like the perfect solution."
Also, I've begun responding to interviews in the bottom author's note of my stories, so here we go! :)
wardenprincess: I am so happy to hear that, I can assure you that I love writing this as well.
mc-squishy: I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations! It always warms my heart to hear that people consider my fics as binge-worthy!
Kora: Thank you for saying that, I hope you enjoyed this update as well!
Guest: I can already promise you that I won't ever abandon this fic, it's just too much fun to write.
1020: I hope you'll keep finding this story to be fun, and I too am excited for the new chapter, I have a lot of ideas for the future chapters, so I hope my muse will allow me to write them soon.
Tetotetoautochan: Wow, just wow... That means so, so, so much to me, thank you!
Akita-J: I'm really glad to hear that you find this story great :)
Realmwalkerdragon: Fun fact: after receiving your review out of the blue like that a few days ago, got my mind working on the story again, so thanks! I hope you enjoyed this update.
And thank you to all you readers, favouriters and followers too!