Summary of chapter one:
Envy transforms into the colonel to perform Wrath's (Fuhrer's)' to make Roy try doing Human Transmutation. (Although Envy's still very irritated that Fuhrer hasn't killed Roy). Roy was sent to (rather im)possible Scar location and Riza has tones of paperwork to do. So when Roy ( Envy, pretending to be Roy), comes and asks her to help him in releasing doctor Marcoh who's imprisoned by Homunculi, Riza follows him without hesitation (and probably becomes first hostage in the world that doesn't know about being kidnapped). Accidentally, Envy gets to know from her about Ross being alive. Envy also manages to be first homunculus who has seen Riza blushing as well as first homunculus pretending to be ill (sore throat…). When Roy comes back to his office and hears from Fuery that Riza left with someone looking just like colonel, he rushes to help her and almost runs over Ed, who comes out of shop after buying Winry a wrench, because of driving speed (and only has enough time to jump on the colonel's car).
Chapter two will probably be short, because I have almost none free time, but I hope it won't be too bad.
If someone had told Ed that colonel Mustang will almost kill him, he would have laughed in that person's face. If someone had considered the possibility of Roy begging for Fullmetal's help, he would have laughed even more. But now, he couldn't deny reality. So he was wondering if everything was alright with colonel's mental health or if he was completely drunken.
„Why are you staring at me like that?" – these were colonel's first words after ten minutes of driving car in silence, still at extremely high speed and for Edward it seemed that colonel didn't really care for his answer. That was so irritating, since Ed didn't even know what's going on!
„Better watch out the road, because I don't want to have Major Edward Elric, age 16, died in car accident caused by one stupid colonel written on my grave!" he responded angrily.
„Age 15, you're not 16 yet." – Roy corrected him automatically.
„That's beside the point!" – Ed yelled – „You kidnapped me and I don't even know what are you going to do!"
„Fight Homunculi" – Mustang hissed.
„You could say it from the beginning, I'm going to help you if that's how it is." – Edward agreed, excited. When he looked at Roy, colonel seemed to be absent-minded again.
Fullmetal sighed and started to repair car's roof (using alchemy) since he had nothing better to do at the moment. Speaking to colonel now would be useless. He knew from Roy's eyes that Roy doesn't want to reveal anything. Ed hoped nothing bad had happened. Now that he was with colonel ,whom he had to prevent from doing anything stupid... like driving car as if he was insane speeder, he was worried!
No matter how Roy tried to avoid it, he couldn't stop himself from wondering what to do if she is already dead. After all, it had already been two hours since she had left with that shapeshifter who certainly didn't intend to go to café with her. What will he do if he finds her cold body when he comes... No, he couldn't let something like that happen, he had to be there in time...
„But what if I fail... if I'm already late and am just under illusion that I still am able to save her..." – he thought desperately.
Imagining the world without her was as awful as imagining world without air. Then he remembered that there's something he can ask Ed about. Because, if he understood correctly, Alphonse had died and Fullmetal still was able to successfully transmute his soul although he lost his arm in the process. Roy knew he wouldn't hesitate to do it in critical situation, no matter what price he would have to pay. And he realized that loosing some limbs would be nothing in comparison with loss of his first lieutenant. Obviously, he was afraid of dying, but in critical situation he wouldn't care.
"Hey, Fullmetal…"
"What? Do you want to thank me for perfect roof repair, colonel? No need to do so, don't forget that you're talking to Edward Elric, the most talented State Alchemist ever!"–Fullmetal exclaimed proudly and smirked.
"Fullmetal, sorry that I ask about it, but…about soul transmutation…. Edward, how long had it been between your brother's death and sealing his soul? Can you remember details, can you tell me?"
Ed's eyes widened as he looked at Roy, not sure if he heard thought the boywould be less surprised if whole army attacked him.
"Why? Why are you asking me about that all of sudden?" – Ed managed to say after some heavy silence. "And, out of sheer curiosity, how much did you have to drink before behaving like that?" he added.
"I don't need your speculations about state of my brain, Fullmetal, I'm dangerous madman if that satisfies you." – Roy responded sarcastically. – "Now, I just need you to answer to my question."
"To be honest, I don't even know if Al's body is alive or dead." Ed shrugged. "So, as you can see, I'm not able to answer. But I have a theory that it's alive, somewhere. Satisfied?"
"How come you don't know for sure?" – Roy couldn't understand. "You've seen his body, haven't you?" – Roy insisted on questioning him.
"Nope, it was taken. Don't ask how, but it definitely had been taken as a fee. And his soul was for the moment in that creature we produced. But than rejection happened."
"Barry's body also was kept alive for some reasons. Maybe it means there is no possibility to seal souls of dead people?" – Roy wondered aloud.
"Yeah, I thought that kind of thing too." – Ed told him. "But why did you ask… why the heck are you staring at me and not at the road! There are people on the street, for heaven's sake!"
"I hope they will get out of the street in time." – colonel replied.
There was a large demonstration on the street.
"You ARE going to slow down, aren't you?" – Ed demanded to know. He couldn't believe Mustang was so irresponsible!"
"No, we've got to be in some place in time, so…I entrust that task to you. Didn't you say you're most talented member of army?"
It was enough to piss Ed off. He looked out of the car's window and shouted in demonstrating people's direction – "HEY! LOOK OUT! He's not going to stop the car!"
"Why! – screamed old man, one of people taking part in demonstration.
"HE'S DRUNKEN!" – Ed shouted. The distance was getting dangerously small.
"I'm drunken too! – Exclaimed one young girl who was taking part in demonstration – "And that doesn't bother me!"
People looked at her with irritation. Ed sighed. He decided he has to use stronger arguments to convince them to leave the street.
"He's… he's INSANE….well…HE'S PSYCHOPATIC MURDERER WHO KILLED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN ISHVAR!
People glared at him as they rushed out of the street instantly. Ed finally felt relief. He wiped sweat out of his face. Then he realized that Roy will kill him for saying such things for sure.
"Fullmetal…you overdid it." – He heard Roy irritated voice. "I hadn't murdered so many people and I'm not… but thank you, anyways."
"Now you've got to admit that I'm best!" – Ed said proudly, trying to erase his astonishment and bad feelings. Roy was behaving as if he was very worried about something… or someone? Colonel asked about soul transmutation, so maybe…Ed shivered.
"Did someone die?" – he asked straightforward.
"No. Nobody didn't. Probably… as far as I know" Roy's voice was trembling.
"Somebody is in danger? Is that why you asked you about soul transmutation! Hey! Say something! I hate learning things from newspaper!" – Ed exclaimed.
"Hadn't anybody told you that you shouldn't annoy the driver?"
"Oh… sorry."
In the meantime Riza, unaware of discussions about her, followed colonel to the building she believed doctor Marcoh was in.
"We haven't met anyone yet. Does it mean that they don't know we're here? Or opposite?" she wondered aloud.
"Don't worry first lieutenant, just stay close." She heard hidden irritation in Roy's voice. Was he irritated about her asking stupid questions?
"I hope second lieutenant Maria Ross is safe" – colonel said.
"She will certainly be safe in Xing." – she assured him. He smiled. She was happy to see him so content and self-confident.
But Envy wasn't really feeling well. He was annoyed that he has to wait for Flame before killing that irritating blonde-haired woman according to Bradley's plan. The advantage of that situation was that he got to know some secret information. Disadvantage was that he…felt strange sensations in his stomach.
"I bet that medicine and its side effects hadn't been tested on Homunculi" – he thought – "I should have vomited it". And the fact she had no suspicions about his identity meant that either he had done so perfect transformation or she is so naive. Personally, he preferred first option.
When the corridor they were walking split into two side corridors, they stopped.
"We should go together, but she may find it suspicious because she thinks we're searching Marcoh. I'll go left, Gluttony is over there and Pride should also be nearby" – Homunculus thought.
"First Lieutenant, we shall divide to find him" – he ordered.
"Yes, sir" – she responded and turned left without asking him. Geez.
He followed her quickly and found her when she was facing Gluttony and just realized she had no bullets in her guns. Gluttony seemed confused because according to the plan he wasn't allowed to kill her.
"Can I eat her?" – Gluttony asked when he saw Envy. Annoyed Envy shot him twice or more, hoping that's enough of answer and escaped with frightened and shocked Hawkeye.
After some running he heard that she has problems with caching up with him, so he stopped. "We can rest a little bit, Hawkeye. That stupid fatty Homunculus with no brain won't find us. And we will go right, because… well, I was doing some investigations and I think doctor Marcoh is over there."
"You saved me from him again, colonel.." She seemed really grateful. Maybe that wasn't so bad that Gluttony showed up? Envy was able to gain her trust completely and now she won't have any suspicions. Besides, it would look ambiguous if they were alone in huge building. Handsome man and innocent woman… Or was it opposite… She could have thought that he seduced her. Or maybe not? "I had probably spent too much time with Lust" – he thought.
"First lieutenant, what's wrong with your gun?" – he asked.
"I lost all my bullets, sir… but I don't know how... I'm very sorry."
Envy sighed and despite his irritation gave her some of his because it would look strange if he didn't. He rarely hated someone, but he really hated that woman. He wondered if simply shooting her will satisfy him.
Roy was hanging onto the steering wheel since he had last talked with Ed. Fullmetal also was silent, because he felt offended that colonel didn't told him what had happened. "And what exactly could I tell him? That I don't know if Riza is alive or not? That I should have called reincefortments? That we are probably heading into a trap?"
"DO YOU WANNA KILL US!" – Ed screamed when they miracously avoided breaking into a truck.
Roy didn't respond anything. In the moment, he could only think about Hawkeye.
"I'm leaving this car right now." – Fullmetal interrupted his thoughts suddenly.
"No, shrimp, you can't! I don't know if I alone am able to save her this time, I don't know how many Homunculi are in that place!"
"Hey, it worked! You finally spoke something! She? Does it mean that first lieutenant is in danger? Don't call me shrimp, by the way"
"Right now she is with shapeshifter who looks like me. I'm going to burn him as soon as we arrive there."
"He's annoying brat, he kicked me when… wait, have you just said he looked like you! That's great! You really can rely on my help now, colonel" – wide green gave out how excited Fullmetal was. Roy looked at him in pure astonishment. Didn't that kid understand seriousness of their situation?
"You know, that's fantastic!" – Ed exclaimed – "You almost killed me, you broke my precious watch, you treated me like fool and didn't tell want to tell me anything! And now I can have my revenge on somebody who has your stupid face! I'm going to slap him across his face, beat him up, cut his head and whatever else I'll manage to do to him!"
"Oh.." – Edward realized something after a while – "But it will be unpleasant if he transforms into Alphonse when he sees me."
"Where has all your battle spirit vanished, Fullmetal?" – Roy asked giving Ed sarcastic smile. He hadn't met shapeshifter before but he decided that he won't hesitate to burn that Homunculus no matter what his appearance will be.
"Appearance doesn't matter, when I know everything. There isn't anybody in the world whose shape he can take to escape my flames." – he thought.
After some time, Roy and Edward could see that building they were heading to.
"Fullmetal, be careful. I'm going to stop the car now." – Mustang announced.
"Don't treat me like a child, colonel!"
Colonel stopped car veryviolently in front of the building. Ed hit the windscreen shattering it, hurting his forehead and loosing consciousness.
"Shit!" – cursed Mustang while carrying Fullmetal out of car – "I really have bad luck today."
"Well, everything is alright with him except he's bleeding a little" – colonel said while dressing the wound – "but it's such a waste of time, dammit! I bet he should go to hospital now."
Roy took a sheet of paper and wrote several words to Edward. Then he entered the building. When he came to point were the corridor split he chose left way because he saw bullets lying on the floor over there. Now he really was in panic.
Edward Elric woke up after several minutes. "My head aches like hell" – he grimaced, touching bandage.
"Where are you, you colonel shit!" – he shouted. Than he noticed the piece of paper and read it.
Repair window
Call reincefortments
Pray to God
Go to hospital
"Like hell I will!" – Ed shouted – "Fullmetal this, Fullmetal that, I'm not his servant!"
He entered the building. "I didn't have to scream so loud" – he realized – "nobody hears me anyways. Maybe except my mother if she doesn't have anything better to do in heaven."
Elric randomly turned right, he was too mad to give it some thought.
After half an hour, Roy walked into one room and met that fat Homunculus he had already fought once. But today, he wasn't the biggest threat. Roy had to find that Homunculus who transformed into him and deceived Hawkeye.
"You killed Lust, but they won't let me eat you…" – said that stupid Homunculus with obvious signs of disappointment.
"So, you aren't allowed to kill me" – colonel said before rubbing his gloves, creating sparks and burning Gluttony. "But that doesn't mean I'll go easy on you."
"Wrath ordered not to eat you…" – cried Gluttony after regenerating himself.
"I don't care about Wrath and his orders, whoever he is! Where are Riza and shapeshifter, Envy or whatever his damned name was! Tell me immediately if you don't like to play with fire… with greatest fire you've ever seen in your life!"
Several minutes after Envy and Riza went intosome room, Envy heard quick steps. He assumed that Flame was finally coming to rescue. At last! He was so happy when he realized that the whole performance with him pretending to be colonel Mustang will finally end. Wonderful! He was so eagerly waiting to kill that annoying woman. When the doors were opening, he took out the gun and loaded it… only to hid it with disappointment when he saw Fullmetal walking into the room. Forthe moment he wanted to shout "You useless shrimp, why are you here! Why did you stick your nose into it! Bring Flame immediately or I'll kick your ass!" but he controlled himself.
Riza was also surprised to see Elric. "You're here to help us, Fullmetal?" – she enquired.
"Hey, colonel, I'm glad everything is alright! It seems you didn't have to worry so much for your lieutenant." – youngest State alchemist grinned.
"Thanks for everything, Fullmetal, but your help is no longer needed now. We're fine. You can go home." – Envy was hardly able to hide his irritation.
Edward glared at Roy and Riza. "You ARE Roy, aren't you? Or maybe you are a shapeshifter who…"
Before he finished the sentence, Hawkeye slapped him across his face. He stared at her in shock, touching his cheek. Even Envy was surprised with her sudden aggressive behavior, since he thought about her as calm woman.
"Edward, how dare you accuse him of being someone who he hates most? Besides, he has saved me from Homunculus, isn't that enough of evidence!" – Hawkeye exclaimed. "Furthermore… who on earth would think of Homunculus with sore throat?" - she added.
Envy forced himself not to laugh. "First lieutenant, please calm down." - Colonel Mustang asked. "He should be careful for his own good."
"But Colonel, what about possibility that he's the shapeshifter? For Homunculus pretending to be Edward Elric would be very convenient indeed." – she said.
Blond-haired alchemist with braid stared at her in huge astonishment. How could Hawkeye suppose he's shapeshifter! And is Roy here real? If not, where is that bastard when he's needed!
"What… you… who do you call Homunculus! I've come here to help you! Are you crazy!" – elder Elric brother outcried.
In his mind, Envy completely agreed with Fullmetal on that matter.
Edward was silent for a moment, thinking about something.
"I've got a brilliant idea!" – Fullmetal smirked suddenly – "Why don't we ask him some questions to check his identity? Hey, what about it, lieutenant Hawkeye?"
"But how can we be sure that you aren't trying to make us spill out some important secret information!" – Riza protested.
"Give me a break…" – Ed moaned – "who on earth would like to transform into somebody as….into somebody not so high, I mean…By the way, Hawkeye, don't you see I'm injured!"
"You've got a point here, Fullmetal" – Roy admitted and sighed.
Winry went to shop to buy new tools. But before she entered there, she saw something broken lying on the street. She took it automatically and screamed from surprise – "Ed's State alchemist's watch! What could have happened to that idiot!"
She ran into the shop.
"Mister, have you seen a midget!"
"You mean the one who jump into a car! That was so shocking! He bought the wrench, left shop the shop, and jumped into the car! If he is some friend of yours, you ought to tell him it's dangerous!" - shop assistant responded.
"Oh no.. does he have some troubles again?" – she sighed. And an idea came to her mind. "He's going to bust his arm again! I won't let him! In which direction did he drive! I'm going to the military and I will tell them to stop him from making me work whole night again!" – Winry exclaimed.
End of chapter two
