To Thine Own Self Be True
Chapter 24 - Them Bones Them Bones Them, Old Bones
The following day, like planned, Mustang meet up with his Subordinates outside of the dorms. They were dressed in their military clothing for this was considered a military issue. They walked down the morning streets and went to the location the men claimed they saw the 13th warehouse. They walked around the empty lot. There was some rubble and junk like all typical empty lots. It was big enough for a child's playground, not a warehouse. In the middle of the lot was a large rock. Mustang climbed on this rock, turned to trace the men and threw his hands up in the air.
"Unless the 13th warehouse is invisible, THERE IS NO 13TH WAREHOUSE!"
The men all sighed as mustang jumped down from the rock and they left. They decided to take the back alleys home thinking it would be faster. They continued to walk until they came to an only abandoned street neither of them have seen before. There was another empty lot. Across from this lot was the street that lead to the back door of the dorms. As they walked across the dust lot, Fuery tripped on something and fell flat on his fast.
"Nice move grace."
The other men turned around and watched as Fuery leaned back on his legs and began to brush himself off while standing.
"I tripped..."
"On dirt!"
Havoc laughed as Fuery attempted to find what he tripped on. He found it, picked it up and threw it at Havoc. Havoc fell backwards on his ass.
"Nice."
Havoc rubbed his face and looked at what was thrown.
"Colonel... is this a bone?"
"What do I look like a do...-"
It was a bone, a long bone. Havoc stood up and the men examined it. Breda was standing at a distance, he began to back up. Bones meant dogs and he hated dogs. He began to backed up, when he kicked something.
"Sir..."
Mustang turned around and sure enough, Breda was holding another bone.
"Fuery and Breda, go fetch some shovels."
Fuery and Breda saluted and ran off. They soon returned with four shovels. The four military men began digging. It was a hot day in August and soon, Mustang was shirtless and his jacket was tied around his waist. The other men had only removed their jackets. As they dug and dug, the day got later and later. Mustang leaned on his shovel and sighed.
"We've only found a total of five bones, an empty water bottle, a new dog toy and a child's old broken toy."
The other men stopped digging as well. The sun was just about down and the moon was becoming the only light in the alley. Fuery and Breda slumped to the ground and sat their shovels next to them. Havoc lit up his cigarette and puffed out some smoke as he took a long drag.
Woof!
A black dog came walking up to Mustang. He looked down at it then around for any person. No one was around. The dog walked over to one of the wholes and sniffed it. He dropped a bone he was carrying and buried it. He then walked over to the pile of bones and junk and pulled out the dog toy. He walked away happily and disappeared. Mustang and the men watched with a sigh.
Two days later, the men were sitting in their office at HQ when Hawkeye and Hayate walked in. They all froze as they watched the dog happily walk in and jump on the sofa. In his mouth was a new dog toy. Mustang stared at the toy. It was the toy from the lot. He leaned his head back and sighed as the other men cried milk-like tears leaning backwards. Hawkeye looked at them strangely.
"You okay men?"
They replied with an unpleasant grumble as she entered the office and closed the door.
"Damn dog..."
Mustang mumbled as he watched the dog chew happily on the toy.
"Lieutenant, does your dog wander around at night...alone?"
"Yes sir."
"When?"
"Saturday nights when we walk through the park."
"Do you keep an eye on him?"
"No sir, I read a book while he runs off to play."
Mustang grumbled again.
"Keep him on a leash..."
"Sir...?"
"Never mind."
He sighed again. Later that day, Ed showed up. As Ed and Mustang argued, some surveillance photos are brought in and dropped on Mustang's desk. They look over the photos and discover that Lior is in ruins and Scar has drawn a giant transmutation circle thought out the city.
"I'll go check it out, 'sir'."
Ed smiled evilly and ran from the room.
"Fullmetal!"
Mustang called, but Ed kept running away. The office door opened again. The person entering the office was none other then Fuery who was returning from walking Hayate. Mustang closed his eyes and thought. He then opened them and turned to look at Hawkeye. He seamed to send her a message though brain waves about their conversation a few years ago when Marco was in the picture. She understood and remembered...
FLASHBACK
...Out in the hall, Hawkeye greeted Mustang with a smile.
"See, no worse for wear."
He smiled as they approach each other halfway.
"Sometimes, I think it would do you good to get your hand slapped."
Hawkeye's smile faded. Mustang turned to face the closed office door where the Fuhrer was.
"I don't know. I don't understand him. He's like a wall."
Mustang turned back to Hawkeye who was thinking about slapping him as the punishment the Fuhrer didn't give. They stared at each other for a moment, like he was trying to tell her something...
END FLASHBACK
The following day, Hawkeye walked into the office around 1900.
"Colonel sir."
"Yes Hawkeye."
"You have a memo, sir."
"Thank you Hawkeye."
Mustang took the memo and read it. It was from Edward warning him not to go to Lior and about Scar's plans to use the military as a way to create the philosopher's stone. Mustang replied with another memo and it is sent out.
"SIR!"
Havoc ran back into the office from his tenth smoking break of the day. He's not allowed to smoke in the office as much because Hayate gets sick.
"What is it Havoc?"
"It's Lior. A band of Chimeras are wreaking havoc...(no pun)..."
"Let's move out men."
So Mustang and his crew headed off to Lior. Once in Lior, they separated. Armstrong, Mustang and Hawkeye ran off in the direction of some loud commotion while Havoc and Breda went to the center of Lior to aid in destroying the chimeras.
"In here."
Mustang ran up to a dark building and kicked in the door. The three walked in, behind them the door closed. They all jumped and turned around. All light was gone. Mustang snapped his fingers and threw flames down the hall. It was a long hallway.
"Sir, thats not the smartest thing to do. There could have been explosives in here."
Mustang sighed. She was right. Just then, Frank Archer appeared as light around the large room lit up. Hawkeye pulled her gun as he began chuckling in an evil way.
"Archer!"
"Hello again Mustang. Lovely to meet you here!"
Hawkeye fired off her gun and he disappeared. He reappeared in the doorway behind them. He laughed again as Hawkeye aimed her gun.
"Have fun."
As Hawkeye fired off again, Archer ran through the door and closed it.
"Hawkeye."
"On it sir."
Hawkeye ran to the door and attempted to open it.
"Sir. It's locked."
Just then, they heard the sound of gates opening. They turned their attention to the hallway where they saw thousands of Chimeras walking to them.
"Sir."
"I don't know."
The three stood next to each other, ready to fight.
A/N - I got the title from a song Doctor Ducky was singing during an episode of NCIS. It's a really cool show. Tuesday nights at 8pm on channel CBS. You should watch it. It's like CSI only military style!
Please review. No FLAMES (Thats Roy's job only). Please look in my profile oo0AnimeChild0oo for all my other stories. And again, thanks for reading.
"Write a wise saying and your name will live forever"
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