Please see Prologue for warnings, etc...

Short chapter...sorry...) More to come...

Felis Catus

Circle Two:

"Hmmm. Kitty Chow or Kitty Tidbits?" Ed asked the black cat perched on his right shoulder. Ed needed both hands to hold the groceries, so he'd promoted Spitfire up to his shoulders. Roy's claws dug into Ed's red overcoat to keep from falling. He was balancing quite admirably if he did say so himself. He did wish Ed were taller though…it was very difficult to see over the crowd sitting like this…

Roy eyed both and gave a disdainful little flick of his head. Ed shrugged. "Okay fine, neither. How 'bout Kitty Kibbles?" The cat rolled his eyes at Ed. Ed chuckled. Finicky little thing…he could get to really like this cat. It had personality.

"You have to eat something, you know," Ed said to the cat reasonably. Roy looked pointedly at the food Ed was buying. "You can't eat human food, it's bad for you," Ed informed the cat by way of reply. Roy sniffed. He'd be the judge of that, thank you very much.

"Ah, whatever…if you throw up, it's on the Colonel's carpet, not mine…" said Ed, grinning as he picked up more human food. Roy felt insulted. Like he didn't know enough to jump onto the toilet rim or the sink if he really needed to throw up, which he was sure he wouldn't.

"Okay, that's everything I think we'll need for a week. Oh yeah, kitty litter…" Ed sighed, heading off towards one of Central's pet stores with Roy in tow.

Roy was not a happy camper.

"Cheer up, cat – at least you're with me, and not one of the others," Edward said cheerfully. Hmm. That was a good point, Roy conceded grudgingly. At least with Fullmetal he was treated with the semblance of dignity a cat should always be afforded. And surprisingly, Ed was even talking to him civilly. Amazing. He really shouldn't let himself get accustomed to this…

"Here we go…" Ed pulled open a door with his usual brisk efficiency, shifting his grocery bags over to one hand momentarily.

The elderly owner of the store looked up. "Ah, welcome, young man," he greeted Ed, peering at him with dim eyes through a pair of heavy spectacles. "Something for your friend?"

"Yes please – some kitty litter," Ed said, putting Roy on the counter. Roy was annoyed. Couldn't Ed stop advertising the fact that he needed…kitty litter? It was insulting!

The owner looked at Roy more closely. "That's a lovely, lovely cat you have there," he praised, raising a gnarled old hand to scratch under Roy's chin. "Such a sleek, shiny black coat, and those little gloves are such a perfect addition to his coloring," he continued.

Roy was ecstatic. Ah…a true connoisseur of beauty! Umm and more scratches…yes...oh yes, right there…there… He was in seventh heaven. Damn…Roy Mustang, brought low by scratches…but he really, really couldn't bring himself to care all that much about it right now…

"Yeah, he's a rare one, alright," Ed grinned rather proudly.

"What's his name?"

Edward laughed ruefully. "Spitfire."

The owner chuckled. "It must be appropriate."

"Oh yes."

Turning behind the counter, the owner lifted up a small container. "You'll need a litter box. Please wait here while I go get some litter from the back of the room."

"No problem…take your time," Ed smiled at the kindly old man. "We'll wait."

"I'll be right back." The old man carefully reached for his walking stick and made his way to the back of the store.

Ed looked at Roy. "Do you think he needs help?" Roy meowed at him. Yes, help him out, the cat seemed to say. "Okay, sure." Ed followed the owner, leaving the cat on by the register to guard the grocery bags on the floor.

"Oof," the owner said, trying to lift a 20 lb bag of kitty litter.

"Here, let me get that for you," Ed said helpfully, hefting the bag easily to his shoulder. Roy was pleased. His human was a good person. Then he widened his eyes. He did not just think that. No. He didn't. Satisfied that he hadn't thought that, Roy settled down on the countertop to wait for Ed and the owner to return.

"Oh wait! I have something for your cat," the owner said with a smile, heading towards another shelf. "Such a handsome cat needs a handsome collar," he said, returning.

Ed laughed. "A collar? Oh that's perfect," he grinned. Roy retreated to the corner of the counter and put one ear back, a snarl of derision appearing on his face involuntarily. A collar? A restrictive, choking, undignified collar? On a cat! On him! Be damned!

"Oh come now, it's not a bad collar," the owner informed Roy, holding out the collar for the cat's inspection. It was a lovely dark blue, very nearly the exact hue of his uniform, Roy noted critically. It was also very light and appeared to be more in terms of a decoration instead of a choker. Hmm. Not too bad, he thought. Like being decorated with another medal, almost. He grudgingly gave his version of shrug.

"Here," Ed said, slipping the collar over his neck with one smooth motion. "Not bad…you look good, cat," Ed smiled. Roy purred. Of course he looked good. He always looked good. Even the Blending Alchemist couldn't change genetics. Just alter forms.

"Will that be all then, young man?" the owner asked pleasantly.

"Huh? Oh yeah, that'll be all," Ed agreed, pulling out his wallet and paying the old man.

"Thank you! Please come again!"

Ed waved at the old man as they left the store, with Roy perched on his shoulders again, wearing his new collar like a badge of honor.

"Okay Spitfire – let's go home," Ed said, trying to balance all of the new bags he was carrying and Roy at the same time.

Home. Roy liked the sound of that.

To be con't...