I noticed a few mistakes in my previous chapters. For one, I got Elysia and Gracia's names backwards so just ignore that and from now on I'm using the correct names. I'm just too lazy to fix it right now. This chapter took me forever to write as I just could not find my muse. After two weeks I managed to get something remotely close to acceptable. I don't know. This chapter just feels kinda choppy. Doesn't flow with the same pace as the others. Could be the fact that I didn't have the energy or patience to write with quite as much detail as the previous ones. Mabey I'm just being picky. Could also be the fact that I do my writting after 11 at night so my brain's a little fuzzy. Anyways, hope you guys like it. Lots of action in the next chapter. It will probably be two weeks before I write the next one as I got a job this week and only have half the time to write.
In this chapter Sage gets to meet Havoc, Feury, and the rest of Mustang's gang!
P.S: I'll try to work Ed back into future chapters. So far comic relief has been his only duty but he's going to get a little more of a part soon.
Enjoy!
The Sage Alchemist CH4: Dogs of the State and the Wolf on a Leash
It would still be several days before Sage's enlistment papers were processed. Only the Colonel, Hughes, and to a lesser extent Hawkeye knew about the young woman's predicament and for her own safety, they had sworn a pact of secrecy. Riza felt like there were pieces of information that her superiors were not letting her in on. She did not really believe in all this nonsense about alternate realities and worlds that she had heard bits about. For starters, this theory was full of holes and very vague. Still there was something... intiguing about the idea that there was some faraway exotic land. As far fetched as it seemed, she could offer no other explanation for some of Sage's strange habits and traits. Deep down she felt the girl was being honest although her conscious mind still needed convincing.
At the moment she was in charge of keeping watch of her as part of a security compromise Mustang had arranged. He had done away with the armed escort and room arrest, giving Sage some level of independence by allowing her to wander the general access areas of the base. It was Hawkeye's job to check on her from time to time and make sure she was behaving, not that she was concerned about her. Unless Riza was with her, Sage rarely left the housing complex except to make occasional raids on the cafeteria. From time to time she would come up to the office to visit if she got too bored. She seemed much more at ease around the Colonel, almost like they had come to some sort of an understanding. Riza had a feeling it had something to do with the previous night. She still acted wary around him, studying him constantly with a calculating eye softened by a casual, relaxed posture similar to what she saw so often in her superior.
It was a beautiful day outside; the sun was shinning, the air was warm, the earth was dry. Sage was in the courtyard outside the dorms enjoying a little fresh air and exercise underneath the boughs of a particularly large tree. Riza found her going through a series of disciplined martial movements of a style that she had never seen before. At first it seemed meditative in nature but the movements would suddenly become a blur of motion and precision. The clothes she was wearing, a black fitted shirt like the one Riza herself wore underneath her uniform and a pair of white lenin drawstring pants, really showed off her form and strength. She was muscular but lean with a hint of youthful litheness. Her extreme dexterity and flexibility was complemented by her natural grace of movement. Riza watched as Sage leaned slightly with her leg held high in the air, heal bent outwards, and slowly pivoted effortlessly while holding her striking position. Her expression was one of complete relaxation, centered focus, and peace.
"I'm guessing that's the maneuver that got you put in jail?" Riza stated with an underlying touch of humor. Sage opened her eyes and grinned.
"Naw, that was just the move that started the fight." She stretched and plopped down on the ground for a break. "Checking in on me?"
"The Colonel wants to see you but I thought we could get some lunch first." Sage's face brightened at the thought of food and she quickly gathered up her random belongings.
Riza took her off base to a restaurant not far from headquarters. It was nice sitting outside on such a lovely day, chatting with someone besides the guys at work. There were not many women in her department and they were all pretty boring, dull people. Her foreign culture aside, Sage was still unlike anything she had ever encountered before. Never before had Riza seen anyone so so completely relaxed and at ease with themselves. She was comfortable with her environment yet constantly fascinated, thrilled, and even suprised by every little thing around her. She was expressive and spontaneous but at the same time laid back and reserved. But most of all she was genuine. Riza found her company refreshing to say the least. She was such a charming, likable young woman. But Sage was also deceptively intelligent. The whole time she took in everything, studying Hawkeye closely in an attempt to get a feel for her personality and character while remaining undetected by her subject.
"Wait..." Sage suddenly darted off after they were heading back. She followed the woman to a market where she was busy rummaging through isles of stuff. What's she up to now? Sage ran off again to the checkout counter with a handful of stuff, a big grin on her face.
"Afternoon Colonel!" Sage said merrily as she waltzed into the office in front of Hawkeye.
"Your feeling better." Mustang replied curtly over his paperwork. Sage just smiled.
"That's no way to talk to the woman that brought you lunch." She mused teasingly as she dangled a bag in front of her soon to be superior, which the Colonel promptly snatched. Riza was amused by their little exchange. "Ok, so what's so important that you're skipping your lunch break?" Roy smiled and pulled a box out from underneath his desk.
"Your getting fitted for your uniform."
Riza helped Sage take measurements and try on various sizes while Roy inhaled his sandwich. He smiled and laughed from time to time at his new recruit's enthusiasm, how she jumped around excitedly and carried on in a girlish manner. Hawkeye too seemed to be having a lot of fun as she and Sage chatted away as if the Colonel were not even in the room. It was a rare but nice departure from her usual stoic, militaristic composure. Roy found it quite fetching.
"Hello? Earth to Mustang..." Sage prodded, shaking Roy from his daze. She jumped back from his desk and turned, showing off her new tails. "What do you think? Do they fit ok?"
"Its a good length for you. Any longer and you might step on them." Sage smiled as Riza rummaged through the box for an appropriately fitting jacket. Roy suddenly remembered the other reason he had asked her to his office. "As long as we're all here, I'd like to know more about your home country."
"Oh!" Sage seemed to brighten, a touch of pride to her expression. "I almost forgot. I'm from the United States of America." Roy raised his brow and Sage chuckled. "Yeah I know the name must sound strange to you." It seemed a history lesson was in order. She talked about her home country's history of immigration, the nation's colonial past, the American revolution, and other necessary things to give her superiors a foundation of information to build on.
"Interesting..." Roy mumbled to himself. Sage sat down in a chair and propped her feet up.
"For better or worse Americans have always had a reputation in my world for being bold, tough, and proud." She mused nonchalantly, taking a bite out of the apple Roy had yet to touch. "After all, we not only dared to challenge the British but actually defeated them! Imagine! Farmers with pitchforks defeating the largest and most powerful empire in the history of the world!" Sage burst into a fit of laughter at the thought. Although Roy and Riza had no idea who these "British" were, they couldn't help but laugh at the idea of a ragtag group challenging empire for their independence. He was starting to see why these 'Americans' were known for their spirit, boldness, and tenacity.
"I wish I could see this country of yours." Roy mused. Sage got an idea.
"Mabey you can. Got a map?" Roy followed along and pulled out a map of the Amestris.
Sage concentrated on the paper and willed the picture to change. There was a brief flash of white light as the ink rearranged itself on the page. After a moment, there lay a map of the United States. Riza smiled at her superior's excitement as he poured over the map. Neither of them thought to question how she produced the item.
"You think that's cool you should see the rest of the world." Roy quickly handed her another map which she changed into a map of her world."
"This is unbelievable..." Riza gasped. It was huge! The scope and size of Sage's home country was made all the more apparent when shown in perspective with the rest of the world. "How many countries are on this map?"
"Oh I don't know, I can only name about one hundred of them off the top of my head."
"One hundred!" The Colonel and Hawkeye shouted together. Sage laughed.
"Well, last time I checked, there were just under 200." (author's note: There are 193 nations in the world. 192 according to the US state department because due to continuing political conflict, Taiwan is not at this moment recognized by the United States)
The three of them continued to pour over the map and discuss the geography while Sage continued to get fitted. By the end of the hour Sage was wearing a complete officer's uniform. Roy was intrigued by her expressions; how she laughed, how she smiled. He liked it when she smiled. It tore at his heart to see her like he had the previous night though he did not know why. He couldn't explain what he was feeling as he watched her show off her new uniform. Was it pride?
"Well, what do you think?" Sage asked as she stood straight in full attire, eagerly waiting the approval of her two superiors.
"A perfect fit." Said Riza
"You almost look normal."
"Ha. Ha. Ha." Roy enjoyed the flash of humored annoyance in his subordinate's eyes.
"And... I know I told you it would be a few days but..." The Colonel grinned slyly. Sage gave him an I know your up to something look as he stood only inches from her and fastened something onto her uniform. Her officer's cord. And something else. Her badge of rank. "Congratulations Corporal Morrison." Roy was caught off guard as Sage suddenly jumped up and grabbed his shoulders in a crushing embrace.
"I gotta go tell Maes!" Before Roy could respond she darted out like the wind with the two maps in hand, making a shortcut by vaulting easily over Havoc's empty desk. Riza couldn't help but laugh.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing."
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Maes nearly cried when she showed up at his office across the compound wearing a crisp new uniform and her badge of rank. He gave her a big hug, congratulating her in a chipper manner that was uniquely his. He doted on her like a second daughter and beamed with the pride of a father who was watching his girl graduate. Hughes had been fond of the girl since the day they found her but that connection had grown into a deep affection. Sage was flattered and deeply touched that anyone would care for her in such a way. It was as if a huge hole in her life were being filled. She had never had a father figure in her life and Hughes knew it. In fact he knew everything. During her stay in prison she had felt comfortable enough to confide in him and told of her life on the other side of the vale, and it had been a hard life. He never once pitied her but instead looked at her with compassion, providing her with firm reassurance and comfort when painful memories moved her to tears. They had been very close since then. Sage and Hughes visited for a while, laughing and joking around while the camera rolled. Sage struck a few dramatic poses as she bounced around the office, even standing still against a blank wall for a formal shot. Before she left, Sage handed the maps off to Hughes. It was perhaps the only thing in the world that could have brightened his day even more.
The Colonel's office was full of people when she came back an hour later. Everyone stared at her as she entered uninvited.
"Um... hi?" She stiffened nervously as they closed in on her. Riza was in the room and officially introduced her.
"Guys, this is Corporal Sage Morrison. Sage, this is Lieutenant Heymans Breda," Sage shook the large man's hand. Riza motioned to a young man not much older then herself. "Sergeant Major Kain Feury" Kain grinned sheepishly as he shook her hand. Sage smiled warmly and his grip relaxed. Last was the tall blond haired man. "Lieutenant Jean Havoc..."
"Hello..." Havoc purred in his most charming voice.
"Pleasure" Sage suddenly stiffened, blushing fiercely as he gingerly took her outstretched hand and kissed it. Hawkeye shot Havoc a warning glance. What followed was a barrage of questions.
"Your not originally from Amestris are you?" Damn! Even with the uniform they can tell?
"That Accent! Where is it from?" New Orleans, but you wouldn't know where that is.
"What department are you?" I'd like to know that myself.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" Ha!
Sage interrupted. "No, the South, uh...Mustang's department, and none of your business." Havoc slouched in a pouting motion and Sage sighed. "No, I don't have a boyfriend." Seeing a window of opportunity she made a mad dash into the Colonel's office.
The half asleep Mustang jumped, quickly running his fingers through his unkempt hair in an attempt to look presentable. He may have been able to fool some of his other subordinates but not her.
"Relax, its just me." The Colonel let out a huge exasperated sigh. Slouched back in his chair, his exhausted features were particularly highlighted. With the rings and dark shadows framing his eyes he vaguely resembled a raccoon, especially with that messy black hair and drained complexion. "Get up." she more told then asked her superior. He gave her a warning look but for some reason could not bring himself to object when Sage pointed to the couch. "Lay down" she barked, taking residence in his vacant desk chair. Roy was completely confused by her behavior but too tired to confront her frank insubordination.
"What are you doing?" Sage began to tackle the huge stack of work.
"My job." Already finishing the first page, she was moving on to the next, carefully reading each line of text.
"You mean my job."
"Until I get my first assignment, we're stuck together so I suggest you stop whining and take advantage of having a secretary. Jeez, I've never heard a man complain about someone doing their work for them." Roy admitted defeat and took advantage of his involuntary R&R, verbally dictating to his self appointed scribe from time to time and opening his eyes only to add a signature to select hand delivered documents. Out of the corner of her eye, it looked like the Colonel was asleep but she could sense he was still awake. With her head down she could feel his eyes occasionally wander her way but he always pretended to be resting whenever she looked up from her work. Twenty minuets passed in complete silence, no dictations, no signatures. The only sound was the scratch of a pen or the shuffle of paper. There was something about silence that makes one introspective and contemplative, causing the mind to wander to things normally pushed to the back of the conscious mind.
"You never told me his name."
"...Roy Morrison." was her emotionless reply.
"What was he like?"
"Nothing like you." Her tone had a slight edge to it but after a pause Roy decided to test his luck.
"Tell me about your brother, about yourself." Sage stopped her work and looked at the man who stared passively at the ceiling. She could sense his troubled thoughts and conflicting emotions; apprehension, overwhelming curiosity, even a little nervousness and hesitation.
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything..." Roy glanced over at his subordinate, faltering at her saddened, downcast look.
"Its ok, I don't mind." She reassured. "But be warned, this knowledge is potentially dangerous and your not going to like everything you hear. I understand your desire but don't let your curiosity affect your judgment. Be absolutely sure your prepared to face the consequences of such information, whatever they may be." Even from their brief acquaintance, Sage could tell Roy was a not only a prideful man in personality but also a natural leader. To be visibly intimidated would be beneath him on grounds of both occupation and character. In the silence that followed she knew her words had hit him hard and she could feel a momentary waver in his resolve. A nod was his only reply.
Her brother was the exact opposite of the Colonel. Made sense. After all, they were two different people living two separate and very different lives. For starters, the word 'restraint' did not exist in Roy Morrison's vocabulary. Her brother had been bold, brash, and loud; saying and doing whatever he wanted, when he wanted. Notoriously impatient and short fused, in reality his infamous temper was mostly for show as deep down he was one of the most amiable and relaxed people on earth so. But boy did he have a mouth on him! His cocky, smart ass attitude and sharp tongue was matched only by his whit and sense of humor. Morrison lived every day like it was his last and enjoyed every moment with fervent passion. He was a man of extremes: he drank too much, he swore too often, he gambled, he was reckless and fond of taking risks, he was mischievous, he was a flirt. Some even had the nerve to accused him of being lazy. Wrong. Roy Morrison worked hard and played hard. He proudly wore his emotions on his sleeves for everyone to see and spoke to everyone, friend or foe, with the same open frankness. It was not in his character to keep his thoughts to himself and he expected no less of everyone else. He'd rather be royally pissed with the truth then pleased with a lie any day. But despite being a little rough around the edges, ok very rough, he was a gentleman to the core; always considerate and understanding of others, always doing everything in his power to help those that called on his favor.
Morrison grew up an only child in a wealthy family but unlike others in his situation, his sense of compassion towards others was made greater by his position. He had just turned fifteen the week before Sage came to live with him and Mr. Morrison at the young age of six. Vacationing in New Orleans, Roy had found the girl wandering the French Quarter. In a system that was overtaxed, it was easy for a child to get lost in the cracks and end up with unfit people. Sage did not do into detail about her experiences with foster families or with the institutions, only that they had been bad experiences. Mr. Morrison had reluctantly agreed to allow the orphaned girl to come back with them to South Carolina but the double standard had been set before Sage ever set foot in her new home. Life with the Morrisons was far from easy as Mr. Morrison considered her little more then a pet or a community service project but life was good. She had a food, clothing, shelter and for the first time in her life someone was concerned for her well-being, someone thought she was worth protecting. Despite being skittish and frightened at first, she quickly warmed up to the young man who 'literally' took her under his wing. Roy Morrison was a pilot.
"I think that's enough for now." Sage ended.
Roy was silent for a long time, digesting the information. Some of it was sobering to say the least. His contemplation was broken as Sage shoved the final document in his face for reviewing and signing.
"Maes and I are going out to dinner to celebrate. Come with us. My treat. You should come too Riza!" Sage shouted at Hawkeye who had been standing on the other side for quite some time.
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"Ok, Ok. Now what is this?" Maes asked excitedly. They had the map laid out along with the sketchbook, matching landscape and architectural pictures with the proper nations.
"Oh, that's Lake Genieva in Switzerland. Uh... on here it is!"
"Fascinating"
"Beautiful" Riza whispered. Roy wished he could share in the enthusiasm but at the moment his attention was split.
"Alright now what's this?" Hughes pointed to a beautiful oil pastel of the emerald isle.
"That's Ireland." Sage said between bites of food, pointing to the island on the map with her fork. "Its a landscape study."
"Have you really been to all these places?" Maes was in awe.
"A few. My brother took me to a lot of places when he was a pilot."
"A pilot of what?" Roy asked impatiently. Sage flipped to the pictures of airplanes she had sketched; an old biplane, a P-51D, a crop-duster flying over a field.
"My brother was one of the best aviators around. Earned his first certification at fourteen and in record time too!" Sage beamed. Maes smirked faintly at the Colonel's almost unnoticeable twitch. "He was an extremely skilled mechanic too. All the farmers used to bring their crop-dusters to him for maintenance."
"These things can't possibly fly." said Riza. Sage was spared the looming task of explaining how flight worked as the manager interrupted.
"You, young woman. You were the person performing in the market last week were you not?" Maes raised his brow and Roy crossed his arms with a smirk, mused by the sheepish look on his subordinate's face. "I've had people asking around for you all week! Please miss, I would be honored if you would play a few of those exotic tunes." The man practically shoved a guitar in her face, even offering to pay for their tab.
"Yeah Sage, let's hear some of those 'exotic' tunes." Roy teased. Not one to falter in the face of a challenge, she smiled politely and took her place at the front of the room. One measure was all it took to wipe the smug grin off the Colonel's face. She opened with a one manned rendition of the Greek song Ragizi Apopse by Children of the Revolution (I love that song!). Her hands moved like lightening in order to play the part of two guitars simultaneously. She wrapped up the set with one or two more Greek pieces, only this time she stuck to strictly instrumental. There was a nice Arab influenced piece she remembered that was very beautiful and relaxing to listen to. The standing ovation she received afterwards spoke for itself.
"Greece." she pointed to the map with a smug, satisfied grin. "What? No thank you?" her superiors suddenly snapped out of their stupor. Any doubt that Riza still had about the validity of Sage's claims was erased from her mind.
She raised her glass. "To the dogs of the military." She toasted. "And the poor saps that get stuck with this wolf on leash." Sage laugh, gesturing to herself. "May the gods have mercy on their soul." They all laughed but secretly Riza wondered if anyone else caught the deep meaning behind her symbolism.
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The weeks passed and Sage still was not given any orders. Hughes and his family had gone back to Central a while back and Mustang had gone back to being an arrogant jerk.
"Now you take care Sage and promise me you'll stay inconspicuous and out of trouble." Hughes pleaded at the train station.
"You have my word. And I'll try not to piss off the Colonel... too much." Hughes laughed and reached out the window to give her a hearty pat on the back.
"Don't be a stranger. You come visit us in Central sometime." Elysia climbed over her father's lap for a goodbye hug from her favorite playmate. "Oh, and one more thing..." he grinned slyly. What are you up to? "A little parting gift for my favorite scholar." It was a book of beginning Alchemic practices and theory.
"Thank you Sir!" Sage smiled from ear to ear, saluting proudly in perfect military form as the train pulled away. It just would not be the same without him.
On the bright side, she was very popular with the guys at the office.
"So beautiful, so exotic, so... mysterious." Havoc daydreamed out loud. Feury also seemed a little smitten with the foreigner Corporal.
"Morning boys." She greeted warmly over her tray of caffeinated beverages. "Lets see what I have for you Lieutenant..." A fresh pack of cigarettes, his favorite brand no less, and a dark roast coffee made to his specifications
"Oh what have a done to deserve you!" Sage used her foot to hold him off while going about her routine.
"Sergeant Major..." Kain met her halfway as she held Havoc at bay.
Over the last month Sage had gotten to know everyone very well. Havoc, though obnoxious from time to time, was a cool fun loving guy and despite his flirtatious ways he was a respectful person. Ever on the lookout for a girlfriend, the only friction they had was his constant adoration though after a while she suspected he did it just for jest. Still, he was always trying to impress her. Havoc was sure the car would be a surefire hit but he never expected Sage to be so well versed with automobiles. He had been a little confused when she referred to it as an 'antique' and horrified when she began to take it apart. But I put it back together!
Feury was very cute and charming but kind to a fault. Sometimes people took advantage of his compassion and generosity. As the unofficial technician of the gang, he was always the one who got stuck fixing everything. Despite his young age he was an old fashioned kind of guy; always holding doors open for her, never forgetting to greet her in the morning and say goodbye in the evenings, always appreciative of everything she did for him. Even though he was soft spoken, gullible, and easily intimidated by his superiors, deep down he was an intelligent, strong person. He was just young and a bit of a dope.
At first Sage felt like an outsider. There was a camaraderie among Mustang's group that she was not a part of. Everyone loved her but she was still not 'one of the guys'. What finally won the respect of her colleagues was her fiery no nonsense resolve. She did not take shit from anyone, especially not the Flame Alchemist. Hawkeye was the only person who ever challenged the Colonel and lived but that was due to their long history together. She had kept him out of trouble and in line for years and he respected her opinions. But Sage... the guys wondered if she had a death wish. Sometimes it almost seemed as if she was intentionally picking a fight with the Colonel. They argued and shouted and fought all the time but amazingly never killed each other. Even stranger their spats often defused themselves, like in some bizarre way the two naturally canceled each other outIt was just plain weird. There was definitely something going on between them but no one could put their finger on.
"Morn'n Colonel, Lieutenant Hawkeye!" Sage beamed as she handed out daily caffeine rations.
"Morning Corporal." Roy acknowledged passively but the faintest of grins told her he was happy to see her. She helped herself to a chair and kicked her feet up on the end table. It used to bother him but he had given up on trying to correct the girl. He knew how to pick and choose his battles and Sage was equally skilled in knowing when she needed to be serious and professional. In actuality he had gotten used to her casual, laid back composure.
"So what's new this morning? Any leads on that case?" Sage commented over the lip of her tea mug. Roy had opted to take the Chimera case after less then discreet allusions of promotions by Hughes.
"No." Sage swung one of her feet freely and rolled her head back. She vaguely remembered sneaking a peek at the file. Something about a rash of disappearances in Central City the southern townships.
"So what's on the agenda for today?"
"A whole lot of paperwork."
"So same as everyday pretty much." Sage drank her tea, waiting for Mustang to engage in their usual morning chit chit before starting the day's work. Never again did she discuss her past as she did that first sobering night. Instead she talked lightly about miscellaneous things as they became relevant and slipped information into the context of casual conversation. Most of the information was pretty useless but it was still very interesting. This morning their routine was broken when the Colonel found something unusual in his stack. He frowned, reading it over carefully.
"Here." He shoved the portfolio in her face. It was her transfer papers.
"Well this is unexpected."
"Your being sent to the Southern border." The Colonel spoke in a low detached voice. If memory served her correct, Amestris had skirmishes quite frequently with its neighbors to the west and south. She read her papers very carefully. Conflicts surrounding the closing of trade routes between the two nations had led to an increasing level of violence as tensions rose on both sides. She was being sent south as a peacekeeper and to help secure the border between Areugo and Amestris. Her new commanding officer would be Brigadier General Lyon.
"Their expecting you in Pascolo in one week." (author's note: Pascolo means grassland in Italian.)
"It just had to be the southernmost city in the country. Really wish I had an airplane about now. Multi, single, sport. Hell even an ultra light would be faster then the train. Man, its going to be a long ass trip."
"You better go pack if you want to make the train." Sage raised her brow curiously at his hollow tone of voice. She had expected to get a rouse out of her superior with her whining but he continued to act indifferent and unreadable.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were disappointed to see me go." She smiled reassuringly, saluting as she dismissed herself.
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The train eased to a stop like a slow moving dragon, steam billowing from its iron fangs. She stood in her green cloak clutching the small bag that contained all she had to her name. In the month or so since she arrived, Sage had managed to acquire some correct clothing. Her simple outfit of dirt brown pants, her military boots, and a fitted white shirt was efficient and comfortable attire. A never ending sea of people pushed and shoved their way by as she waited patently for her boarding call.
"Sage!" She looked for the voice and saw her friends in the distance. "Sage wait up!" Havoc yelled breathlessly. Hayate ran up and jumped into her arms as Riza waded through the crowd in front of Feury.
"You didn't think we'd let you leave without saying goodbye." Sage gave Riza a hug with her free arm as the dog snuggled into the crook of her neck.
"How on earth did you convince Mustang to let you come?"
"Well, he kinda doesn't know." Feury tugged on his shirt collar sheepishly. The boarding call came all too soon. Hayate licked her face one last time, whimpering as she put him down.
"I know. I'm going to miss playing with you too Hayate."
Feury, who had been quiet the whole time, suddenly ran up to the compartment window but promptly forgot what he wanted to say. She chuckled and smiled at his nervous stuttering, pulling him forward into an embrace and kissing him on the cheek.
"I'm going to miss you too."
"Hey! How come he gets all the attention!" Sage grinned mischievously, grabbing Havoc around the neck and ruffling his hair. Everyone laughed at Havoc's antics as he tried to beg for a goodbye kiss. Eventually she gave him a playful, meaningless smooch for being a good sport.
"So long wolf." Riza smiled and Sage nodded, acknowledging the deeper meaning behind her words.
Hayate howled as the train pulled away and Sage could not resist the urge to howl back, a fairly realistic wolfish sound. The guys joined in and howled back in response at the departing train. Laughing, she waved them all goodbye one last time and tipped a casual salute to the Colonel lurking in the far corner of station.
Tada! What cha think? What adventure awaits Sage on the southern border? Will she keep her promise to Hughes and stay out of trouble (yeah right) Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out!
CH 5: Trial by Fire