Welcome back to The Water Alchemist. I don't own any of the intellectual property of Fullmetal Alchemist.
Chapter Forty-Five
The Chase
"Marina!" Isabelle cried excitedly. She stood and enveloped me in a hug, squeezing me tightly. "It's been so long! What are you doing here? How are you doing, dearie?" I tried to move past the strangeness of the situation a moment to greet her properly.
"I know, I've missed you so much. I was a few towns over, and I decided to come by to visit," I said, returning the embrace, inhaling her familiar and comforting scent. I was feeling inexplicably unnerved and somehow at ease at the same time, remembering what company we kept. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had guests."
"No, it's quite alright! Mr. Kimblee here was actually here about you," she said, and I stiffened, pulling away and looking at the man, who smiled a sickeningly courteous smile. He seemed far too comfortable for my liking, and it put me on edge. The fact the military was here at all perpetuated the fears I had that spurned my travel here to begin with.
"Is he," I said, looking to him for an explanation.
"Yes, you see, it's protocol to conduct a follow-up on such... interesting reports," he said with the wave of his arm. I couldn't help but think there was something more to it he wasn't disclosing. The warm unease in my stomach was gradually increasing with each passing moment.
"With so many men?" I asked, glancing around.
"Well, technically, I'm conducting a primary investigation and simply stopped along the way," he shrugged, moving back to sit.
"I really appreciate you checking in on an old woman like me," Isabelle laughed, patting my arm. "You know, Mr. Kimblee was just telling me about your citizenship! I'm so happy for you, but I have so many questions! How are your memories? What kind of trouble have you been getting into? Oh, and I got your letter; how are the boys?" I laughed nervously, giving her hand a slight squeeze.
"Maybe we can catch up in a bit after you've finished your business with Mr. Kimblee. I don't mind waiting," I said, looking pointedly at the man. He curled his fingers in and folded them over the table.
"Actually, we were just about finished. Although, if you wouldn't mind Mrs. Isabelle, I'd like to have a quick word with Marina— for the report," he said, gesturing to me. I bit the inside of my lip to keep from frowning.
"Oh, not a problem at all!" she said, collecting the empty cups and teapot on the table. "I'll refresh these while you all talk. I'll be in the other room if you need me."
She nodded her head to me with a smile which I tried to return, and she shuffled from the room, the door closing gently behind her. She seemed to be acting quite normally, despite the situation— hell, she was downright hospitable. So, what exactly did that mean? Were they really just there to do a routine report? No, there was no way. Not with two armed men at the door, and from what I counted earlier, at least five more in the parlor. Not with the threats the Homunculi have made. Not with this man with the face of a snake sitting in front of me whose mere presence unnerved me, inviting me to sit. I took the seat, feeling very small under his gaze.
"Well, I think I'll cut to the chase," he said casually, leaning back into his chair, granting him more height. "It's not exactly a coincidence we're here, but judging by the look on your face, you've already guessed that."
"You anticipated me coming here?" I asked.
"Let's just say I've got eyes just about everywhere," he said coolly. I blinked a moment; the man I thought was following me returning to the forefront of my mind.
"I was followed," I concluded, feeling vindicated in my initial judgments. Kimblee made a coy face.
"When it was apparent you were heading to Bethanie I figured that you'd come straight here. Heading you off was quite simple, really," he sighed, seeming a bit bored by the whole thing. I frowned, hearing the clattering of dishes being washed a room over.
"What do you want?" I asked, my voice low.
"Not much, really," he said, tapping the table. "I've heard an interesting rumor; it seems that you may have something pretty valuable. I'd like to take the burden off your hands." I inhaled sharply, my mind racing to the worst-case scenario. Did he know about the stone? How?
"You can't always trust what you hear," I breathed out, sounding more shaken than I had hoped to. He smirked and stood, rounding the table. I didn't look directly at him, but I followed his movements with my eyes as he came to a halt beside me. He reached for my backpack, and I spun in my chair from him. He rose his eyebrow a moment before leaning in too close, his voice low and threatening.
"Wouldn't want to cause a commotion now, would you?" he edged, his eyes cutting to the door, the aroma of fresh tea starting to permeate the stifled air.
"I can do it," I said, and he pulled back. I carefully removed the straps of my bag from my shoulders.
I handed him the bag, and he set it on the table, carefully removing its contents. I tugged absently at my collar, making sure the chain of the necklace was covered, and I watched in silence as he laid out my belongings. He had removed nearly everything from the bag, and I was getting more and more anxious with each passing moment. He paused, nearing the bottom, and he grinned, pulling my father's journal from my bag.
"Now, was that so hard?" he asked, bouncing the book in his hand. I furrowed my brow a moment as he inspected it. So, that's what he was after, I thought, a bit relieved, recalling Father asking me if I had the journal. He was likely ordered to deliver it to them. It put a bit of a damper on continuing deciphering it, but it at the very least meant the Homunculi still didn't know about my necklace. I'm sure they'd have taken it long ago if they had known. Though, I still wasn't sure why they needed my father's journal. The reason couldn't be good.
"If that's all," I said, moving to return my items to my bag. Kimblee slammed the book to the table quite loudly, and I recoiled, pulling away.
"Patience," he said, opening the book, flipping through it. I sat back a bit nervously. He opened it to the page in the book I had tucked the instructions to remove my necklace into, and he unfolded the paper. My heart was racing rapidly in my chest, but I knew that the paper he had found didn't explicitly mention the stone or the necklace. Mustang only knew it would be of use to me because it was the only page that spoke of alchemic jewelry and its creation. But Kimblee didn't know about the necklace. The page would be useless to him. His grin only widened as he glanced at me. "Holding out on me, were you?" I blinked at him a moment, genuinely confused.
"I don't know what you mean," I said, and he gave me a look. I didn't say anything further as he pulled the rest of the contents of my bag out until there was nothing left. He even went so far as to shake it out over the table before he looked to me expectantly. He sauntered over, placing the paper with the transmutation circle for my necklace in front of me.
"Where's the necklace?" he asked. My throat went dry, and my heart sank as I stared blankly at him. How did he know?
"I don't know what you—"
"I've read the report quite thoroughly, Miss Wayde. Shall I recount it to you? 'A young lady fell from the sky, engulfed in a red light.' Curiously, there's no explanation behind this mysterious light in the official report, but Mrs. Bagher was more than willing to disclose to me the existence of your necklace. Now, it's up to you whether you give it, or I take it," he said. I was so shocked I barely knew how to react. I sat there in stunned silence a moment as he shook the paper at me, bringing me back to my senses. I glared up at him, and I took a deep, grounding breath before I took the paper. I pulled my necklace from the confines of my shirt and placed it over the circle, gritting my teeth. In a flash of blue, the chain fell from my neck and into my palm. Kimblee had a satisfied smirk on his face as he plucked the necklace from my hand and inspected the stone a moment, shining it in the light. "Finally, back where you belong."
"You have what you came for, right?" I snapped, unsettled by his musings. I was so angry I was shaking, I realized. "Now, please leave us alone." He slipped the necklace into the pocket of his jacket along with the torn sheet, grabbing up the journal and tucking it under his arm.
"I'm afraid there is another matter we must discuss," he said, queuing a soldier to begin re-packing my bag.
"What?" I asked.
"I'll have to ask you to come with us," he said, and I shook my head.
"What? Why? I've done everything you people have asked. You have what you want. You don't need me," I countered.
"That may be well and true, but surely you don't believe me naïve enough to think you came here just to catch up, do you?" he asked snidely. I dug my nails into my palms.
"You're that scared of a little girl?" I asked, and he frowned just slightly.
"I've underestimated your type before. I won't make the same mistake twice," Kimblee said, and I furrowed my brow at him, unsure of what he had meant by that. "Besides, what good is a hostage if you interfere?"
"She has nothing to do with this, and you know it," I growled.
"Well, then an easy way to ensure it stays that way is to cooperate, wouldn't you agree?" he said confidently, sitting back in his chair as the soldier who had been re-packing my bag handed it back, but not before confiscating my dagger. Of all the days I don't have it on my hip, I griped inwardly, though I doubted I would have kept it awfully long even if I had. I took my bag with a disgruntled grumble. Another soldier entered the room and spoke to Kimblee in a hushed whisper, to which he nodded. The soldier drew back, and Kimblee stood, taking up his coat and replacing his hat to his head. "We'll be heading now."
"Wait, now?" I asked frantically. I had no idea where we were going or why I had to go, and it was all happening way too fast. Worst of all, I couldn't do anything to stop it.
"Yes, we'll be off shortly," he said, and I sat back in my chair.
"Alright. But you should know, people are waiting for me to return. If they don't hear from me, they're going to come looking," I said. Kimblee seemed to think a moment.
"I'll allow you to say your goodbyes, and while I'm sure you already know this, I'll remind you that you are not to repeat a word of what we discussed here. I'll be present to be sure you don't."
"You want me to lie, then?"
"I'll explain to Isabelle that we need you for further questioning. She seems an agreeable enough woman. You have about an hour before we go," he said, leaving the room, his soldiers behind him. I sat in silence a moment before I slammed my fist against the arm of the chair. My jaw was so tight from grinding my teeth I could barely think straight.
"Damnit!" I cursed, tapping my fist to my forehead, trying to regain control of myself. Now wasn't the time to panic. I had to utilize every second I had before they came back. I stood, pacing a moment, trying to kickstart my brain. What would be the best course of action? My cooperation guaranteed everyone's safety for a little while, but how long would my value in that last? It wasn't enough. There had to be something that would protect them from getting further caught up in this mess. But what? I paced a moment more before my eyes fell upon my bag, and an idea came to mind. I dug through my bag, carefully tearing a page from my journal, writing quickly. I looked back to my chair and crouched down, getting to work.
"Elias? It's Marina," I said, waiting anxiously for his reply. There was a tick of silence before he answered.
"Marina?" Mustang asked, clearly confused. I took a swift breath, grateful I had memorized the direct line to his office. He had snuck it into the folder with all the documentation he had made for me when he granted my citizenship.
"Yeah, I just wanted to let you and Winry know that I made it to Isabelle's alright," I said.
"Wayde, you do realize who you've called, right? It's Colonel Mustang," he explained.
"Yeah, I know, but hey, listen, something came up, and I won't be coming back to Rush Valley," I said, twirling the cord of the phone anxiously around my finger. There was another pause— a bit of shuffling.
"Alright. I'm not exactly sure what's going on, but you sound a bit out of sorts. Can you talk freely, Wayde?"
"No, I know I said I'd be back earlier. I'm sorry."
"You said you were at Isabelle's?" he asked.
"That's right," I said.
"Are you or Isabelle in danger?"
"Her more than me. I'm worried about you two getting along, though," I said, hoping he'd catch the insinuation.
"Do you think Elias and Winry are in danger?" he asked, right on the mark. Good old Mustang, I thought.
"Mhmm," I hummed. I was willing to bet that whatever tail they had on me was still in Rush Valley, watching them.
"What about the Elrics? Are they with you?" he asked.
"No," I said. There was a much longer pause than the others, and I could feel a drop of sweat fall from my temple. "You still there?"
"Is it them?" he asked, and I knew he meant the Homunculi.
"Yeah. I think so," I said as I looked to Kimblee, who stood at the other end of the kitchen, listening carefully to my end of the exchange. Even though he had given me the length of the room, I felt like I was suffocating under his gaze. He didn't look like he'd caught on, but with him, it was kinda hard to tell. He waved his hand as if to tell me to wrap up. "Alright, well, I won't keep you. I'm not sure if I'll be able to call again, so don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone." I gripped the receiver a little tighter. I didn't want to hang up.
"Just hang tight, kid. I'll try to sort this out," he assured me, and I took a shuddered breath.
"Alright, Elias, thanks for passing the message along. Take care," I said, and I hung the phone up with a click.
"Alright, now that that's settled, let's be off," Kimblee said, leaning forward from the wall. I followed him into the living room where Isabelle sat, sipping the tea she had made. I looked on solemnly, disheartened I wouldn't be spending the time with her I had planned on. She stood, placing the cup down, embracing me tightly.
"Do you really have to go so soon? I'm disappointed we didn't get to talk more, dearie," she said, her voice wrought. I nuzzled into her shoulder, letting out a weary sigh.
"I know, I'm sorry," I lamented, slamming my eyes shut. If I started crying, she'd know something was wrong, and I couldn't have that. I swallowed hard. "But I'll come back soon, and we can catch up and reminisce, okay? I promise."
"Well, alright," she said, pulling away and pinching my cheek. I huffed a laugh, and she patted my face gently. "Take care of yourself. And write me."
"I will," I said, pulling away. I looked over to Kimblee, who bowed, removing his hat.
"Thank you for your hospitality, ma'am," he said.
"I'll entrust her to you," she said, releasing me. I dug through my bag a moment and handed her the danish I had purchased for us.
"I planned on sharing this with you. Let me know how you like it," I said with a strained smile.
"Thank you, dearie," she smiled.
"Of course," I said with a wave as the soldiers, Kimblee, and I made our way out to the porch. She flicked the light on as we stepped down into the darkness, and I turned before stepping off the last step. "Oh— and check the leg of your chair. I think it's broken."
"Ah, thank you," she said, looking into the house. I nodded and followed Kimblee and his men to one of the many cars that had lined the road. I climbed into the back of a car as Kimblee slid into the front. The engine hummed in the night alongside the noise of the crickets and the frogs, an unnatural addition to a perfectly balanced harmony. I watched helplessly as Isabelle's kind face disappeared over the hillside.
Mustang hung up the phone at a bit of a loss. He tapped his pen against the notes he had managed to jot down. He had picked up on the fact that something was wrong, and that for some reason, Marina was being held hostage by the Homunculi. It seemed that she had traveled alone from Rush Valley to Bethanie— likely checking on Isabelle after their chat with the Fuhrer. Mustang remembered very clearly the threat he had made against her. By the way she addressed him, her message was intended for Elias and Winry, who were together in Rush Valley, it seemed, though it was a strange pairing. However, it didn't answer why she was traveling without the brothers, who he last had heard to be headed North at his suggestion. Beyond that, Mustang wasn't sure if she had been lured there or maybe just found trouble as soon as she got there. There were a lot of questions swirling around in his mind. Mustang rubbed his temple, gathering his thoughts. He missed having the Lieutenant around to bounce his ideas off— and he missed having the people around he trusted. But Marina had called him for help, had put her trust in him. He wasn't going to let her down. He sighed and stood from his desk, emerging from his office to a nearly empty Central Command. Most people didn't stay so late, and he certainly hadn't planned on it, but without the Lieutenant over his shoulder, not a lot of paperwork was getting done, resulting in a late-night stay. Marina had gotten lucky he was still there. He made his way across Central grounds to a phone booth, stepping in and dialing a number.
"Havoc?" he asked as the line picked up on the other end.
"Colonel?" a sleepy voice asked back. "You know how late it is?" Mustang smiled, leaning against the glass.
"How's the East treating ya?" Mustang asked, ignoring his gripe, to which he groaned.
"Oh, just swell," Havoc sighed. There was a pause and a ruffling. Mustang thought he heard a woman's voice a moment. "Waddaya want?" It sounded like he had a cigarette between his teeth as he spoke and took a deep inhale. Mustang chuckled.
"You sound like you're adjusting quite well," he noted.
"Yeah, well, what can I say? The women here are beautiful. Way more exciting than in Central," he laughed.
"Well, if it's excitement you're looking for, I may have a proposition for you," Mustang said.
"I'm listening," Havoc said, perking up.
"Marina should have called by now," Winry said, pacing the front room. Elias scratched the back of his head.
"I'm sure she's fine. She probably got held up at the station or something," Elias said.
"They have phones at the station. She would have called," Winry said, chewing on her nails. "I mean, she was supposed to get in last night."
"Look, if you keep worrying, you're gonna get wrinkles," he said, and she glared at him, reaching for her wrench.
"What was that?" she asked threateningly. Elias had learned very quickly that the girl wasn't against abusing even her patients. He waved his arm defensively.
"Nothing," he said quickly, and she lowered the wrench. Elias breathed a sigh of relief, but she still had that worried look as she slumped into the chair across from him.
"It's just not like her. I mean, even Ed and Al called, and getting them to call is like pulling teeth! I couldn't tell them anything either. I just have a bad feeling, you know?" she said, tapping the table in rapid, nervous succession. Elias opened his mouth to say something, but just then, the phone rang. Winry sprang up from her seat and was at the phone in a flash, settling it in the crook of her neck. "Marina?"
"Is it her?" Elias asked, but she didn't look sure. There was a muffled voice over the phone Elias couldn't make out, and she deflated a bit.
"Yes, this is she," she said, and Elias furrowed his brow. So, it wasn't Marina. But who was it? "Uh-huh. Wait, what? She what? Is she alright? I— yes, we are… What? He just had surgery. Alright. Yes. Okay, right. No, thank you. Right. Okay, goodbye." Elias watched her with interest, barely following what exactly had transpired over the phone. Whatever it was, she looked pale as she set the receiver down.
"What's wrong?" Elias asked, standing as she leaned her weight on the counter. She turned to him.
"That was Colonel Mustang," she said, and Elias rose a confused brow. "Apparently, we're in danger here. Marina called him last night and… he thinks she's been taken hostage, and we could be next." Elias blinked.
"You're kidding," he said. Winry shook her head. He ran his hand over his face a moment, wondering how Marina had gotten herself into trouble a day after leaving, but that was a thought that was easily explained; she was an idiot. There were plenty of other questions running through Elias's mind, like how she had contacted him or what any of this had to do with him and Winry, but his focus was drawn to Winry as she slid down the counter, her back against it. He watched as the panic set in her eyes, as she started breathing a bit erratically. Elias swallowed hard as he stepped to her, crouching. She was trembling. "Hey, it's alright. It's going to be fine."
"But Marina—"
"Marina can handle herself," he assured her, reaching out to grasp her shoulder. If Marina was good at anything, it was escaping being captured. He should know. He shook his head. "What else did he say?"
"H-he said that someone would meet us at the station to make sure we weren't followed— he wants to send us East."
"East?" Elias asked.
"He said there was a safe-house there," she said, looking at her trembling hands. "He said to leave immediately. Elias, what do we do?"
"Are you sure that's what he said?" he asked, giving her shoulder a light squeeze, and she looked up to him with glassy eyes. She nodded. "Alright. Then we go."
"But your shoulder isn't healed, and I haven't even attached the limb yet," she sniffled.
"I'm already feeling much better," he lied, patting his metal shoulder. He managed to hide a grunt. Truthfully, his shoulder still hurt like hell, and at best, he'd probably last two minutes tops in a fight if it came down to it, but that was probably a bit generous. Not to mention, he wasn't exactly sure that Mustang was the type of person he should trust. But that frightened look on her face was disquieting. He didn't want her to look at him like that.
"Elias, I'm not going to lie. I'm a bit freaked out here," she said shakily. He nodded.
"Listen, I won't let anything happen to you. I think all three of your friends would finish me off if I did," he assured her. She chuckled a moment at that, and Elias felt the corner of his mouth lift just slightly. "If this is what we must do, then we'll do it. Okay?"
"Okay," she said. She patted her cheeks until they turned red, and she took a breath. "We can do this." She seemed a bit braver than before.
"Right. What do we need to get out of here?"
It was strange riding in a train with a suite all to myself. Usually, when I'd travel with the boys, we'd make do with the seats if we planned on sleeping, and I had gotten accustomed to it, as uncomfortable as it could be at times. Sleeping in an actual bed on a train was a wholly better experience, but the circumstances undoubtedly ruined it. We had driven to the station that night and boarded a private military train. I was confined to a room, shackled at my wrists. It wasn't ideal by any means, but the down bedding made it a bit more bearable. I could have gone without the cuffs, though. They already had Isabelle's and everyone else's well-being over me— I understood caution, but I wasn't dumb enough to make a move when I couldn't guarantee their safety. I sighed, turning over. I hadn't slept much at all, but the day still broke, and there was a knock at my door. A soldier came in with food, setting it on a table just within reach. He undid my shackles and let me eat and drink the porridge and water provided, his gun at the ready, but he didn't say or do anything beyond that. When I finished, I handed him the tray,
"Thank you," I said, and he grunted, replacing my shackles.
He left, and I sighed, flopping back on the bed. We were still in motion, heading West last I heard, but really, I wasn't sure where we had ended up. That primary task Kimblee had mentioned was tracking Scar and Marcoh, and I was told I'd be going along for the ride, though that was about all the information I had on that. I hadn't encountered Kimblee since we departed Bethanie, which I was somewhat grateful for. Every time I was around him, that awful churning in my stomach returned, almost to the point of nausea. What he had said back at Isabelle's was a bit disquieting, and it was floating around in my mind. He sounded like he'd seen my necklace before— like he had even owned it at one point.
I sat up quickly with a gasp. No, I thought, shaking my head. That can't be it, can it? I knew the stone was stolen from the military but was it possible that Kimblee was who my father had taken the stone from? Thinking about it, the Homunculi didn't seem to know about my necklace, especially since Mustang left it out of the official report— but I had the feeling Kimblee knew about it even before Isabelle had confirmed it for him. I tucked my knees to my chest tightly as the possibility sunk in, exhaling a sharp breath.
I closed my eyes, wondering how things were going on the boy's end. I had thought to use my phone call to contact them, but I knew if I'd have done that, Ed would probably come storming back. It was pointless to worry them when I didn't even know where I was, much less where I was going. If need be, the Colonel could contact them. Besides, I couldn't rely on them when they had their own mission to accomplish. I turned over, watching the hills roll by. I hope everyone is alright, I thought. I shivered, the dream I had of Ed re-surfacing a moment. I pushed it aside. They'd be alright. I hugged my knees tighter to my chest, feeling utterly helpless. I just had to keep my head down and put my trust in the Colonel's experience and capability.
I was awoken from a short nap by a new soldier, a female this time, and I realized we had stopped. I looked around as she entered.
"We're going to be here for a bit. Would you care to freshen up?" she asked, far more cheerful than the previous soldier. I nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes, please," I said, and she led me from the train and into the station we had stopped at, a train station reserved for military trains only. She showed me to the locker rooms and, much to my contentment, allowed me to remove the cuffs.
"You can't really shower with these on," she said, unlocking the padlock for me. I rubbed my wrists gingerly, already feeling better. "I've laid out some towels for when you're done. I'll have to stay here, though, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't do anything rash."
"Right, thank you," I said, wasting no time hopping in the shower.
It was nice and warm, and for a moment, I could just focus on the water and forget the situation I was in. I finished up as the water ran cold, but luckily, she didn't say anything about how long I had stayed in the shower. I let her re-cuff me when I finished and we didn't speak further as she led me to where Kimblee was, discussing coordinates with his men. The burning in my stomach plagued me as I was forced to wait for him to map out where Scar and Marcoh could have gone. From what I gathered, we were somewhere in the Western area, but still no Scar. I had half a mind to ask why they were looking for them, but I could guess. The Homunculi didn't exactly like Scar, what with the whole killing off State Alchemists thing, and I could only imagine what secrets Marcoh had. Secrets I would love to know myself.
"Trains slow down when they turn, but how much speed do they lose? Is it possible the two we're looking for could have jumped off?" Kimblee asked. Jump? I thought, paling. I couldn't imagine jumping from a train. A soldier stood.
"It would have been very dangerous, sir, but yes, it's possible," he answered.
"You don't say," Kimblee said, looking back to the map. He grasped his chin. "Alright then. After they jumped off, which way would they go?"
"We're here, but now what?" Winry said, looking around the empty platform, flipping the edge of her hat over so she could see.
Back at Rush Valley, a man named Fuery had met them at the station and handed them some quick disguises to change into. She had pulled her long blond hair into a bun and covered it up with a floppy hat, wearing a long sundress. Elias had popped on a pair of sunglasses and a cap and wore a long jacket, stuffing the empty arm with socks, tucking the end of it into his pocket, miming an arm. It wasn't the best of costumes, but they had managed to lose their tail after changing in the station's bathrooms. When Fuery was sure they'd be set, he sent them to a platform to board a train headed East to a town called Girifalco. It was a small town a little farther North from Resembool that neither of them had heard of. It was so small they were the only two who departed the train— a good sign.
"I'm not sure what I was expecting," Elias grumbled, looking around. They had been instructed to wait there for someone to pick them up, but there wasn't a soul in sight. The place was a ghost town.
"Yo! Winry!" a chipper voice called, echoing around the station as the train pulled out.
Winry turned, and her breath caught as she watched a man across the platform calling for her. Elias looked at the man in plain clothes. He had spikey hair with a greenish tint to it. He had a five o'clock shadow to match, and he wore glasses over his face. He was smiling and waving, heading toward them, and Elias leaned in front of her.
"You know him?" he asked lowly, but when she didn't respond, he turned to her, surprised to see tears running down her cheeks. "Winry?"
"Mr. Hughes?" she said quietly as the man approached. "Do you… do you remember me?" He stopped before them and sighed.
"It's been a while," he said with a giant grin, and she cried harder, leaving Elias very confused as she ran up to hug him.
"You really are alright!" she sobbed, and the man patted her head in a fatherly fashion. "I knew you would be."
"I'm sorry to have worried you," he said softly, letting her cry. He looked up at Elias, who froze, a little disquieted by the sincerity and sweetness of their interaction. "I heard you kids were in a bit of a pickle." Elias nodded to him as Winry wiped her face, pulling back.
"Are you who we were sent to for help? We're not really sure what's going on," Winry admitted with a sniffle.
"Don't you worry, kiddo. I might be retired now, but I'm always happy to help out an old friend," he said, wrapping his arm around her jovially. He tilted his chin up at Elias. "And who's your boyfriend here? You taking care of her?"
"He's not my—"
"Yes, sir," Elias answered, only processing the last question, and Winry turned a funny shade of red, staring at her shoes. He seemed to realize how what he said could be interpreted and spoke quickly. "Taking care of her, I mean. Trying to. Not dating." He scratched the back of his head, feeling strangely warm.
"Yet," Hughes said with a laugh, and Winry looked as if she'd explode from the embarrassment.
"Mr. Hughes!" she cried, hitting Hughes's arm repeatedly.
"Alright, alright, sorry, kid," he laughed, and she turned with a huff, crossing her arms. Hughes held his hand out to Elias. "Name's Hughes, and you?"
"Elias," he said, taking the older man's hand. The shake was lasting a little too long, and his grip was tightening as he loomed over Elias.
"Hurt her, and you're dead," he said, his tune changing at the drop of a hat. He looked genuinely scary. Elias gulped.
"Right," he said, his voice cracking just slightly. In an instant, the man's cheerful demeanor was back as he hooked his arms around both their shoulders.
"Well, let's get going!" he said, beginning to walk them out of the station. "We've got some other guests waiting for us. Oh, and I have so many new photos to show you of Elicia!"
Kimblee set the stone and the journal down at the desk. He sat back in the chair, examining them a moment before producing the parchment he had been holding onto all this time. He unfolded it, smoothing it out over the table, his blood rising in excitement. He had waited six long years for this moment. To be reunited with the stone he had used to ravage Ishval after such a betrayal was exhilarating. It affirmed every move he had made up until that point. He'd be on the right side of history— the winning side, with this. He placed the stone down to the center of the paper, in the middle of a transmutation circle. He grinned wickedly as he slammed his hands down to the table, red sparks flying wildly around the enclosed space.
The light in the room popped loudly and went out, leaving only the red of the stone to illuminate the room. He laughed maniacally, watching as the carvings he had helped develop rise on the surface of the stone. He could feel the power flowing through his veins but stopped short as he felt a sudden and striking tingle in his palms. Without warning, he was sent flying across the cabin, crashing into a bookshelf before falling to the floor, trembling from the transmutation still coursing through him. He grunted, removing the books from his back that had fallen over him before looking up at the desk. He crawled toward it, his legs unsteady before he hoisted himself up. The stone still glowed, perhaps a bit indifferently, but something was wrong. Why had the transmutation backfired? He threw the book open, scouring its pages, looking for an answer. Why had something he had a hand in developing not respond to him, as if he weren't partly its creator? He scanned through the journal as the stone lost its luster. He grumbled at the lack of light, trying to light the lamp on his table. He managed to light it, though it was too dim for him not to squint at the pages.
"What went wrong?" he cursed to himself, nearly tearing the pages from the book with each swipe of a page. There was a knock at the door, and two soldiers entered, their guns aiming into the room, only the light of the hallway illuminating the enclosed space.
"Are you alright, sir?" one asked, scanning the room. "We heard a loud noise." Kimblee sighed.
"Yes, yes, everything is fine," he said, shutting the journal. It seemed he wouldn't be making as much progress as he had hoped being interrupted, but that wasn't the bulk of his concern. No, he was wondering why the stone had responded as it had. The transmutations matched; it should have fused with him. Was he simply incompatible? That couldn't be it. His eyes cut to the wall, his mind trailing to the girl a few cabins over. She hadn't tampered with the stone, had she?
"Uh, Sir," the second soldier called, pulling Kimblee from his musings. "I asked if you were ready? The train should be approaching station soon."
"Right, yes," Kimblee cleared his throat, straightening up, composing himself. "Let's catch a criminal."
Alright! Bit of a shorter chapter this week, but I'm pretty satisfied with it. There's a lot of important back and forth going on, so I hope it wasn't too confusing. I knew if I did more than I already had, I'd just end up bogging down the pacing, and with what's to come, I'm trying to make sure the action can keep up moving forward. I had an especially fun time writing out the scene between Kimblee and Marina. Trying to get into his head and in his charisma has been quite the task, but one I let myself have fun with. He's crazy, no doubt, but he's always got this cool exterior that rarely breaks down, so it'll be interesting to mess around with that. And there's a little more information on Kimblee's past and his relationship to the stone. While it may not make sense now, I promise it'll come to light later down the line. Also, I'm really enjoying exploring how Winry and Elias interact. Not only that, but our good friend Hughes is back! I was so excited to bring him back, and kinda give yall a glimpse of what he's been up to, so look forward to that. I'm very excited about what's next. I will be taking a break from uploading next week, both because my birthday is next week and because the next chapter is going to have a lot of elements in it that I want to nail. So, I hope you all have a wonderful two weeks, and I'll see you on the first anniversary of TWA! Take care.