A/N I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist
Chapter Three
4:35 pm
East City Headquarters
Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang's Office
Inside the office there was a form of silent expectation. There was roughly twenty five minutes until the end of the work week and everyone was watching the clock, Some more openly than others. Hawkeye and Falman were still typing away at their desks. Breda and Havoc were openly staring at the wall mounted time piece. Fuery was restacking completed paperwork in the corner of everyone's desks. Mustang was staring idly out of the window as he attempted to stay awake.
Everyone jumped slightly as Maes Hughes burst into the room. The collective groan that followed was ignored as he rushed to Mustang's desk. "Roy! I just received word that the 1:45 to Central was Hijacked."
They all looked to Mustang with concern, Fullmetal had been scheduled for that train. " Have we heard anything about a conflict with the passengers?" Mustang asked, showing no outward concern.
"Not yet." Hughes responded. "The train should arrive in Central in about three hours. I have Major Armstrong awaiting it's arrival."
"I see. Have Armstrong inform Fullmetal that I expect a full report."
Hughes nodded in agreement before leaving for the communication center. Mustang returned his attention to his desk, pulling a stack of neglected paperwork in front of him to begin signing. Slowly the room returned to normal as the others resumed their previous activities. As the clock inched half past five no one spoke.
Whenever someone ran into trouble in the field, Mustang would stay at his desk diligently filling out the intentionally neglected paperwork. Never showing concern or voicing worry. The others could see it in the stiffness of his shoulders but said nothing. Instead, they to would stay and work until they revieved word that everything was clear.
The clock slowly crept forward and the completed work grew higher. Every once in awhile Riza Hawkeye would wander around the room, collecting completed forms to give to Mustang to sign. She's place these on his desk and collect his forms to file.
"Havoc." Mustang said at six, startling Fuery and Breda by breaking the silence." It appears we were further behind than I assumed. Go collect dinner, we will be here a while yet I assume."
"Yes sir." Havoc saluted before leaving the room.
"Fuery. You appear to have caught up. Once you have eaten, you should offer your services to the communication center. I hear they could use more hands this evening." Mustang added, blatantly ignoring the stack of paperwork still in Fuery's inbox. Hawkeye removed the stack to divide among the others as Fuery agreed.
By seven every field report, expense account, budget statement, and requisition form in the office had been typed, reviewed, signed, and filed. Mustang was now working on next quarter's budget (not due for another month, and he had no intent to file), Falman was washing the already cleaned windows, Hawkeye was cleaning her gun, and Havoc was emptying the trashcans.
They had officially run out of busy work by eight, so when Fuery and Hughes burst back into the room at eight fifteen, it was to the almost comical sight of the four officers on their hands and knees washing the wainscoting.
"The train arrived, and the situation is neutralized. " Hughes began.
"The boys weren't on it!" Fuery interrupted.
"…Then were the hell are they?!" Mustang demanded.
…
Dusk was swiftly turning into nightfall as three figures slowly made their way down the train tracks headed East through a small forested area. The smallest of the trio stomped a head of the others, his long blond hair coming lose from it's braid and sticking out everywhere. His arms crossed over his chest. His black leather pants and black jacket were covered in dirt and twigs as he favored his left side with each step. Following the angry young blond, was a black haired girl in a long pink dress. One long braid hanging over her right shoulder, as the left half hung freely and full of twigs. The red coat normally wore by the boy ahead of her covered her shoulders. She to was covered in dirt and debris and was walking with a noticeable limp. Intentionally taking up the rear to watch for trouble, and help the others should they fall was a hulking suit of armor. The armor stood seven feet, and was slightly battered at this point.
The girl broke the silence as they limped along. "I still fail to see how any of this is my fault, Edward."
" Well, I'm not the one who announced to a group of thugs they were going to regret kidnapping a princess and a state alchemist." Ed growled. "Al was that you?"
"No Brother, please leave me out of this." Al said with a long suffering sigh.
"So. If it wasn't me, and it wasn't my brother, then it must have been you who announced who we were." Ed said as he stopped to point in her direction. "THEN we were THROWN from a MOVING train. In the middle of nowhere. That's how it was your fault."
"We were fine. There was only twelve of them." Chen said dismissively before she stomped a head of him.
"…Dammit! Wait up! I'm supposed to be babysitting you!" Ed yelled as he rushed to catch up with the angry girl.
Chen froze in place anger radiating off of her. " I am not a child Edward Elric. I am a princess of Xing and will be treated with the respect I deserve."
"Respect is earned not inherited!" Ed yelled back at her. "You're supposed to be on some diplomatic mission, and you've spent this entire time acting like you're on holiday."
"I am on holiday! If anyone is on a diplomatic mission it's you!" Chen said. " Let me tell you, you are failing at it."
"I am NOT a diplomate…or a babysitter!" Ed yelled.
"You NEED a babysitter. Are you even out of diapers yet?"
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE CAN DANCE ON A PINHEAD?!"
"I DIDN'T CALL YOU SHORT MORON I CALLED YOU IMMATURE! AND YOU JUST PROVED MY POINT!"
Al stepped between the pair before they could continue. "Both of you need to stop please. We have a really long walk a head of us and I don't want to listen to this the whole way there."
"Alright fine. Sorry Al." Ed said.
" I am sorry Alphonse. Chen said.
Al sighed with relief as they began walking once more. After a few minutes of silence came what he had been dreading. "I still don't see how this is all my fault."
