Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or Legend of Korra
Ayana
Upon returning to the fort, the group parted ways. General Armstrong left to meet with General Raven, and everyone else followed Buccaneer to a room filled with radio equipment. After closing and locking the door, Buccaneer pulled one of the radios down from its shelf, blew off the dust, and turned it on. He explained that the microphone was connected to a specific room nearby, and that's the one Armstrong would talk to Raven in. They waited in silence, hoping that Ed's plan was going to work.
They heard voices coming through the speaker as the two Generals entered the other room, and the scraping sound of chairs being pulled back indicated they had seated themselves. General Armstrong apologized to Raven for the disarray in the fort. She blamed it on the 'immortal monster' that had broken in.
"I believe the monster is a Drachman spy. The Elric brothers seemed to know something about it, but they wouldn't talk." Raven must have looked surprised because she added, "Didn't I mention? They're here. They said they're researching human transmutation or something. I distrusted them instantly. Obviously, if one of our State Alchemists is doubling as a Drachman spy, that is a major problem. I considered torturing them for the information, but the thought of hurting those boys… Let's just say I couldn't do it."
"Ha, that's rich. She would have tortured you in a second!" Buccaneer laughed heartily. Ed and Al didn't have a response to that aside from looking a bit mortified.
Ayana missed some of Raven's words due to Buccaneer's loud outburst, but she heard Armstrong continue, "Just like everyone else, my body is getting older and weaker. But that Drachman monster, it had an immortal body, like something from a dream." Everyone leaned forward expectantly.
After a short pause, Raven's voice came over the speaker. "What if I told you that very soon, it wouldn't be a dream anymore? General, would you be interested in a legion of immortal soldiers?"
"He took the bait!" Ed whispered excitedly.
The General didn't get much more out of Raven after that, since a soldier showed up to report something was wrong with the tunnel exploration party. Both the Generals left to investigate.
"All right, lets go." Buccaneer stood, turned off the radio, and placed it back on the shelf. Using some ropes that Ed transmuted, he tied her and the boys up, and together they left the room. It was a good thing they'd used the ropes, because they ran into a stranger walking with Major Miles in the hallway.
As they approached, she was hit with the same sensation she remembered feeling at Marcoh's. It caught her so off guard that she tripped over her own feet as the feeling enveloped her. Buccaneer shot her an inquiring glance but didn't say anything, and it seemed neither of the boys noticed because they didn't react.
"Buccaneer, what are you doing.?" Miles inquired.
"Prisoner transfer, sir, I'm moving the Elric brothers and their friend from the east cells to the west. May I ask who this is?" He responded, indicating the stranger.
"This is Solf J. Kimblee, honored guest of Lieutenant General Raven."
She studied Kimblee. She was positive he was the source of the muted chi she sensed. He had long black hair, pulled back into a ponytail. He wore a professional looking suit, completely white in color. Even his hat was white, which he raised away from his eyes to get a better look at them.
"You're the Elric brothers? As in the Fullmetal Alchemist?" Kimblee asked. "Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."
Ed gave a reluctant-sounding hello in reply.
Kimblee examined her with a curious gleam in his eye. "And who might this be? A friend of the Fullmetal Alchemist? You wouldn't happen to be Ayana, would you?" He said it nicely enough, but she detected something else in his voice. Something that raised the hair on the back of her neck.
"Yeah, that's me." She replied shortly. Kimblee smiled widely.
"I've heard a lot about you, as well. It's nice to meet you, young lady." He removed his hat in greeting. She simply nodded in acknowledgement.
They continued to the cells, where Buccaneer untied them and locked the door. He turned and left without another word.
"I don't like how that Kimblee guy seemed to know who I am." She shared her concern as soon as Buccaneer was out of earshot.
"He's the Crimson Alchemist. He's a State Alchemist, known for his brutality in the Ishvalen War. He was in prison for mutiny for a long time; I have no idea how he got released." Edward explained. "If he's in league with Raven, then he's probably connected to the homunculi's plans."
"Hm. I don't like it." She repeated. "And I'm positive he has a Philosopher's Stone on him."
The brothers both looked up sharply at that. "What? Are you sure?" Alphonse asked in shock.
"Yeah. I got the same feeling that I got months ago, back at Marcoh's." She replied. Neither one of them said anything as they absorbed this.
It wasn't long after that that they got another visitor to their cell, but it was one they didn't expect. They heard the hallway door open, and General Raven appeared in front of the bars.
"Hello there! I've heard a great deal about you from the Fuhrer. It appears you've stayed in line and kept your mouths shut."
"Do you think you could let us out of this cell, then? The deal was if we cooperated, you'd let us continue our journey." Al asked politely.
"No need to worry, I'll get you out of here soon." Raven assured him.
"That tunnel. Is it part of whatever you're planning?" Ed asked. He didn't even attempt to hide his contempt for Raven as he spoke.
"Again, don't worry. I've spoken to General Armstrong, and she's going to put the homunculus, Sloth, back in the tunnel and seal up the hole. She's on our side, now."
All three of them managed to respond with surprised enough reactions that Raven didn't suspect anything amiss.
Several days went by, and still they were not released from the cell. They didn't receive any visitors, either, besides food deliveries. The hours dragged by, and without a window, their only real way to tell the passage of time was by the meals they were brought. She figured now would be a good time to go visit Raashu and see if he found anything. She waited until after one of their meals to make the suggestion to the boys.
"I think I'm going to check up on Raashu. Either of you want to go? I think at least one of us should stay here in case someone shows up. We can't all three be unresponsive."
"I'll stay." Al volunteered. Ed looked surprised and Al explained, "I've had more trips than you, Brother. You should go."
"If you say so." Ed agreed, and together, they meditated.
She appeared on the plateau and pulled Ed in next to her. Raashu was there, and so was Bum-Ju, along with three other dragonfly bunnies. She also recognized a few of her other spirit friends. Word must be getting around that this was the place to see her. They all greeted their appearance in various ways, mostly with squeaking or excited noises.
Greeting them all, she pointed at Ed. "This is my friend, Edward." They made their various greeting noises again, and Ed just waved. "Raashu, have you found anything?"
The wolf padded up to her and touched his nose to her head, showing her a mental picture of a copse of trees with a black, glowing orb in its center. "You found it! How far is it from our portals?"
Again, he touched her to show images of the route, which surprisingly didn't look to be too far. At least, not when you have four legs, and your stride distance is several feet in length. He showed her a path around a mountain range, passing several peaks, before finally descending into the valley where the Tree of Time and the other portals were located.
"Have you told Jinora yet?" The wolf shook his head. She turned to the dragonfly bunnies. "Could one of you go get her? Please?"
Bum-Ju trilled in response, and promptly he and one of the others disappeared.
"Where'd they go?" Ed asked.
"To the physical world, to get my friend Jinora. She can relay what Raashu's found to everyone else there. We'll just have to wait a bit and see if she comes."
Ed nodded, then looked around curiously at the other spirits. She took mental attendance of who else was present. Along with the wolf and the dragonfly bunnies, there was Zotu, a dragon moose, and Kin, a goat dog. She hadn't seen either of them in a few years but was happy to see them turn up now.
Pulling his hand, she led Ed over to them. "Ed, these are my friends, Zotu and Kin." Addressing the spirits, she asked, "Haven't seen you two in a while! How have you been?"
"Been trying to stay out of trouble, but it's getting harder now-a-days. There's a lot of dark spirits around lately." Kin responded, and Ed's eyes widened in surprise. He must have been expecting him to communicate the same way Raashu did. "The world could really use you right now, Avatar."
She grimaced. "I know. I'm working on it. Thanks for coming and showing your support, anyway."
"Of course. If there's anything we can do to help, let us know. You need only ask." Kin replied formally, and Zotu nodded in agreement.
Bum-Ju reappeared, trilling and buzzing around happily. She waited expectantly and, sure enough, Jinora appeared shortly after. She stood and hugged Ayana in greeting. "Who's this?"
"This is my friend, Edward. Ed, Jinora." They shook hands.
With her prompting, Raashu showed Jinora the images he'd shown her earlier. She looked excited. "That doesn't seem like it's too far from our portals. I wonder why no one's ever found it before?"
"Probably because most of the people who come here don't do it via the portals. Let's go check it out." She grabbed Jinora and Ed's hands and pictured the spot. The world shifted, and they appeared in front of the portal.
She approached it, overwhelmed. After all this time, it was right here, in front of her.
"So…" Jinora began uncertainly. "Now that we've found it, what's the plan?"
"I have to find and open it on the other side. Then my physical body can pass through, and I'll head to our portals to pass through one of them. Maybe one of you will be willing to give me a ride when that day comes?" She asked the spirits, all of whom had followed them here. They either nodded or made agreeing noises. "Let's make this the new meeting spot. I don't know that there's much point in coming to the spirit realm anymore, but I'll try to come every now and then, if only to exchange news with you." Jinora nodded. "I have a lead on the location of the portal, but… well, it's complicated. It may be a while still. But I'll do my best to get back soon."
"I'll let everyone back home know. We'll be in Republic City for a while, so I should be available if you need me. I'll keep Furry-Foot and his friends going in the rotation to watch for you. They don't mind; they actually seem to enjoy it." She laughed. "I'll see you soon, good luck!" Jinora closed her eyes and disappeared. All the bunny spirits went with her except a green colored one, its name unknown to Ayana.
"Well. I guess that's that. Want to head back?" She asked Ed as she turned to look at him. She was surprised to find he wasn't next to her anymore. She glanced around and spotted him off a ways standing next to Zotu, closely examining his body. Zotu stood posing proudly for him with Kin observing nearby, laughing softly.
She walked over to join him, and Ed looked up at her approach. "It's a hybrid, the moose is obvious. But what's the other animal?"
"A dragon, of course!" Kin replied, flummoxed, before she could. "You've never seen a dragon moose before?"
"Uh, well…." Ed stammered.
"No, he hasn't. He's from a different world, remember? Their creatures are different there. They don't have goat dogs either." She informed Kin sternly.
"No goat dogs? The horror!" Kin cried overdramatically as he winked at them both. "How interesting. Maybe when you open the portal, I'll go take a gander at this new, unexplored world."
"You think I should keep the portal open afterwards?" She hadn't considered that idea.
Ed and the goat dog both looked at her, surprised. "Why wouldn't you?" Kin inquired curiously.
"Well… I guess I hadn't thought that far ahead. They know absolutely nothing about this world, and to suddenly be overrun by curious spirits…"
Kin looked at her thoughtfully. "You may be right; it might be best to keep it closed. Or perhaps it will benefit their world, to open the doors to new opportunities and knowledge. You're the only one who can make that decision, Avatar. If I were you, I'd think carefully on it so that you are prepared when the time comes."
Edward
After returning from the spirit world, Ayana seemed quieter and more withdrawn than usual. She was probably thinking about what Kin had said. He knew that's what he was thinking about. If she kept the portal open, then anyone in Amestris could pass through, right? And any spirit could also come here. He supposed he didn't mind that part, since the spirits seemed harmless.
But if she closed the portal when she left, it would mean he'd never see her again. That thought made him unbearably sad. He understood that she couldn't stay. She was obviously an important person in her world, and they needed her. She was important to the spirits, too; the way they addressed and treated her was proof enough of that. They needed her, too. His desire for her to stay was selfish.
He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes as she sat to his right on the cot. Her eyes were unfocused as she stared at nothing in particular, and he could practically hear the gears turning in her brain. He reached over with his automail and took her hand in his, and she jerked slightly from the sudden, cold touch. But she recovered quickly, and her eyes came back into focus as she looked up and met his gaze. She gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand a little. He couldn't feel it, but he saw the muscles in her hand move.
They sat in silence for a while. Al was sitting across from them, lost in his own thoughts. The door opening at the end of the hallway startled them all, and a soldier appeared to look in at them.
"I'm here to tell you that General Armstrong has disposed of General Raven." He turned to leave.
"Wait, what? She killed him?" Ed jumped up and stuck his face in the bars to try to look down the hall at the soldier.
"Yup, that's all I was ordered to tell you."
"When are you gonna let us out of here?" Ed shouted after him.
"Who knows? Take it up with the General." The hallway door slammed shut, and the soldier was gone.
"Damn it!" He gripped the bars harder, wishing he could burn them with the hot anger he was feeling. Wait…
He turned to glare at Ayana. "Why have we been sitting here for days on end when you could have melted these bars ages ago?"
She gave him with a blank look. "If I'd done that, where would you have gone afterwards? We're in the middle of a fortress, Ed, with hundreds of soldiers."
"The walls are stone. You could have earthbent us out of the fort." He pointed out.
"The outer wall is layered in metal. I can't bend metal. Besides, we'd be sitting turtle ducks out in the snow like that. They'd catch us in a heartbeat."
"Ugh. Fine." He huffed.
The hall door opened again, and they all waited to see who it was this time. He hoped it was the General coming with the keys to release them. He was disappointed when he saw it was Kimblee.
"Hello, boys. I was hoping I could have a word with the Fullmetal Alchemist." Kimblee drawled.
Ed groaned in response. He really didn't want to talk to Kimblee.
Kimblee continued, unabashed, "Oh, don't tell me you have some reason to hate me, too. You should be thanking me, I brought a visitor to see you." They heard more footsteps down the hallway, and Winry Rockbell walked into view.
"Winry!" Ed gasped. "Why did you come here?"
"Why? You need to adjust your automail for the north, you idiot! Someone from the military contacted me and…."
"The military!?" He choked. What kind of game are they playing? Raven had told them that they were being good, so why were they bringing their hostage here like this?
"Don't be so hard on her, Edward. The Fuhrer was just concerned about you. He wanted to make sure you were taken care of." Kimblee intoned.
He was seething. Kimblee had brought her up here for a reason, and it wasn't just his automail. He was sure it wouldn't take long to find out what his motive was.
Kimblee let him out of the cell and escorted him and Winry to the automail shop so that she could upgrade his limbs for the cold weather. They left Al and Ayana behind in the cell. Winry, being the professional that she is, completed her adjustments quickly. She was just as swiftly distracted by the local mechanic's automail mods, which he eagerly showed her. Damn gearheads.
"Well, now that your upgrade is out of the way, why don't we find someplace private to talk? I'm eager to discuss our business." Kimblee gestured toward the door vaguely.
Ed gave him a curt nod, and then followed him out the door. They didn't go far; the room next door was a small conference room, which Kimblee entered. He stood aside to let Ed pass, then closed the door behind him. There was a table with a few chairs in the center of the room. They both approached and sat, facing each other.
"Now then. I have a few jobs for you. Three, actually, all straight from the Fuhrer. First, he wants you to hunt down Scar, who's been sighted in a nearby mining town. You just find him, and I'll take care of the rest. Second, he wants you to locate Dr. Marcoh, who has most likely fled with Scar."
"What? Why is Marcoh with Scar?" He was surprised. Marcoh was supposed to be hiding out in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. How'd he get mixed up with Scar?
"All you need to worry about is finding them. Third, he wants you to carve a crest of blood here."
"A crest of blood?" He didn't like the sound of that.
"It's very simple." Kimblee had an evil twinkle in his eye. "Similar to what I did in Ishval. We kill everyone and soak the land in their blood."
"What?! I'd never…" He shouted, but was shushed by Kimblee, who pointed at the door behind him. Damn... Winry… He crossed his arms in a huff.
"You really joined the military and expected not to have to kill anyone?" Kimblee accused.
"I was determined not to kill." He replied with determination. All life is valuable, it's not his place to take that away from anyone.
"How noble. But that kind of thinking will get you in a lot of trouble someday."
He met Kimblee's gaze fiercely. "Why are you even helping them? Do you have any idea what you're helping them achieve?"
"I'm curious to see how the world will change." Kimblee returned his gaze with a stern one of his own. "Both sides clashing; life versus life. Will the homunculi prevail, or will the Avatar and the alchemists triumph? Will humanity survive? Which side does the world prefer? The homunculi like to think of themselves as the next step in evolution, but that's for the world to decide. I'm just trying to help it make up its mind."
"What? Have you forgotten that you're a human? How can you side with them?" He replied incredulously.
"Because they've given me liberty to use my alchemy however I see fit." Kimblee answered bluntly. He held his palms open as he spoke, showcasing the transmutation circles tattooed there.
"You're insane, Kimblee. You don't make any sense."
Kimblee reached into his pocket and withdrew something. He held it hidden in his fist. "If you do what we ask, I'll give this to you. Something you and your brother desperately crave." He opened his fist and dropped the object on the table.
A Philosopher's Stone. Ayana had been right, Kimblee had been hiding one in his pocket all along.
He stared at it. A real Stone. Conflicted, he sat back in his chair and bowed his head so his bangs obscured his face. He told Kimblee softly, "I need to consult with Al, Ayana, and Winry."
"Why tell Winry?" Kimblee asked.
"She has no idea she's involved, and I refuse to hide the truth from her."
Kimblee looked at him thoughtfully. "Okay then, but you're not telling her anything without me there. I don't want you spilling too much."
He was escorted back to the cell, and Winry showed up shortly after. The two girls and his brother sat on the beds, looked at him expectantly as they waited for him to update them on what was happening. Kimblee stood off to the side outside the cell, listening.
He sighed. "Winry, you were only brought to Briggs as a hostage." She gasped. "There's more. I've been ordered by the Fuhrer to fulfil my duties as a State Alchemist, as a human weapon. They're ordering me to commit mass murder."
Winry jumped to her feet and faced him. "Why don't you just refuse!?" He dropped his gaze to the floor, unable to say anything, but Winry connected the dots quickly. "Oh. I see." She sank back down onto the bed. "They're using me against you. I'm sorry. I'm… I'm just upset for being so naïve. You just want to get your original bodies back…"
"About that." He cut her off and moved his gaze to Ayana. "They actually offered me a Philosopher's Stone as payment."
She didn't look surprised at her suspicion being confirmed, but she remained silent. Al exclaimed loudly. "Really? A Stone?"
"Yes, Kimblee has one." He confirmed.
"We can't, Brother! The ingredients for a Stone are…"
"I know, Al!" He interrupted. He gazed into his brother's soulfire eyes, communicating with him silently. He knew they couldn't use the Stone; they'd promised each other they wouldn't use one to get their bodies back. But Kimblee was forcing his hand; he couldn't outright refuse his demands without risking Winry's life. Just trust me, Al.
Al slumped his shoulders and looked away. He replied in a resentful voice, "Go ahead and do what you want."
"I will." Ed was glad he had understood his look. Turning to face Kimblee, he informed him firmly, "I want to go after Scar first. He killed Winry's parents; they deserve vengeance." Kimblee nodded in agreement. "I need Al and Ayana with me, they're both handy in a fight."
Kimblee gave him a calculating look. "You can pick one. But the other has to stay here."
Ed looked back at them, unsure what to do. Al was his brother, an amazing alchemist, excellent in hand-to-hand combat, and his armored body was an advantage. But Ayana was the Avatar; there was no denying the raw power she possessed, and she was also an excellent fighter.
He met Ayana's gaze and watched her very subtly incline her head at Al, flashing her eyes towards him before returning her gaze to his.
"I'll take Al with me." He announced.
Early the next morning, Kimblee released him and Al from the cell. They now stood outside the fort, waiting for Kimblee's signal that he and his men were ready to leave. Apparently, Scar had been recently sighted in a northern town called Baschool, which wasn't all that far from Briggs.
It was sunny today, but the wind still blew cold, chilling him to the bone. The new automail was an improvement, though. It moved better in this temperature, and it was more lightweight than his last models.
He glanced up at the catwalk of the fort and spied the long blonde hair of General Armstrong, who stood watching their departure. Buccaneer was positioned next to her, and Major Miles was talking to them both. He was coming along with them to Baschool, so Kimblee must be waiting on him.
Gazing up to the higher levels of the wall, he could see another figure watching, her wavy brown hair dancing in the wind. The only reason he knew her identity was by the bright red glider she held propped next to her. He smiled to himself.
Finally, they were ready to go, and he shoved himself inside a car with Al. Winry rushed over and squeezed herself in, too. Kimblee objected at first, but she berated him with having just done complicated, first-time upgrades to his automail and she needed to be around to fix them if something went wrong. Kimblee relented and slammed the door closed.
As the cars pulled away from the fort and headed down the road, he turned his head for one last look at the wall. The figure with the red glider was gone.