Aftermath of Sin: This Machine

chapter 6: Back in Amestris...

Jean took a drag out of his cigarette, holding Ed's annual research papers in his hand, using the other hand to scratch his head. He looked towards Fuery. "Yo, Fuery... any idea where the Chief is?"

"Brigadier General Mustang? I have no idea, he wasn't here yesterday or the day before..."

"And Colonel Hawkeye is missing as well," Falman piped up from behind his desk.

Ed looked around in confusion, then at Al who was standing behind him, his research papers ready as well. "So old Colonel Bastard's not here?"

Breda directed a glare at him and pushed some papers to the side in the 'finished' tray. "Don't go dogging on the Brig, Ed, he's the reason Bradley's out of commision. You should be grateful; he risked his life to do it, and he almost lost it. And Colonel Hawkeye... I have no idea where she could have gone. Though I suppose she's Colonel Mustang now."

Ed goggled at him. "What do you mean, 'Colonel Mustang'?"

"Wha? Didn't you hear? The two of them got married right after Mustang was raised to Brigadier General, had a kid too."

"WHAT?" Ed screamed. Havoc blew out a long stream of smoke and sighed. "Yeah... she was a sweet kid, but... she died a couple of days ago..." realization seemed to dawn on him and he stood up from his desk quickly. "Right before they stopped coming to work! Oh no... what if they've tried to commit suicide or something? C'mon guys, we have to see what's going on at their estate!"

"'Estate'?" Ed howled, and Al smacked him in his head.

"Focus Ed! They might be in trouble!"

"Ah, so what!" Ed scowled, though inside he felt differently. He looked up at the angry faces of the others and coughed. "Oh alright... I'll come."

They knocked down the only locked door in the estate besides the front door; the door on the uppermost story, and Ed and Al groaned at what they saw.

Roy and Riza's seemingly lifeless bodies were on the floor, next to the sprawled out body of a four year old girl, surrounded by a gigantic transmutation circle. Ed put his hand over his face and groaned again.

"Colonel... you idiot! You knew... you knew what would happen..." Al tugged at his sleeve as he bent down by the circle.

"Brother... look. It's not... the same. It looks different; and their bodies... they're still warm, the girl's too. Didn't you say she died days ago?" he asked Falman and the others. They nodded in unison, and Havoc held up a hand. "On my honor she died a couple of days ago! I remember it well... Mustang was in his office when it happened, you know, just being Roy, refusing to do his paperwork, putting his feet up on the desk, barking orders, or just going to sleep. The Colonel was at home still tidying up the house, she said, and I guess she was waiting for their daughter to come back home from playing but... well... she called the office around lunch time and the Chief picked up the phone. He was smiling and laughing at first, but then... his face sort of fell, and he looked like he was about to throw up. He asked her something, but I couldn't quite catch it, and she answered and he put the phone back down.

"Then he got up out of his chair and kind of staggered out of the office, but he just broke downbefore he evengot to Falman and Fuery's office. He just... he couldn't talk a straight sentence to tell us what happened, so I drove him back home; I thought it was the best thing I could do right then. But now..."

Al looked up at Ed. "We could go after them, Brother." But Ed shook his head.

"No Al... whatever Mustang was trying to do, it was obvious he didn't want anyone following him. But... we need to get out of here... now!" Jean turned and stared at the stairs as the started to slide into one another, forming a smooth slide, and the other doors in the house started to lock of their own accord. Something growled beyond his point of vision, low and deep, menacing, and Jean backed away. "Uh... guys... I forgot to tell you... Mustang's house is filled with traps... we'd better get out before the traps that are intended to kill us start coming out!"

The others nodded quickly and Ed cast one quick glance at the circle. "We'll just have to leave them there..." he muttered. "Mustang might have found a different way to bring back the dead." Black Hayate growled and barked at Ed as he ran into the room, and he licked Riza's cheek once before whining pitifully. A little white dog, Roy's White Hayate, came in and did the same to Roy before whining and sitting down next to him, pawing at his face, and three little pups bounded into the room, yipping and bouncing, followed by Roy's cat, Belcini, who meowed worriedly and scratched gently at their faces.

Ed sighed. He guessed he would have to be petsitter too... Jean looked thoughtful. "If they're still warm... they have a chance of coming back, so the Brig and the Colonel are fine! At least... I hope so. I'm going to go research this with Armstrong if you don't mind, Ed."

"Sure sure, whatever."

Just for clarification, Ed still calls Roy 'Colonel', even though he is now a Brigadier General, and Al is back in his original body (Yay!). Now Jean is going to be researching with Armstrong on Roy's new transmutation circle; can Jean even research? Is he that smart?

Okay okay, that's enough Havoc bashing. I really like Havoc though, he doesn't get enough credit in fanfics.

-T A