Bandit- I hope everyone's pleased with this chapter, cause I had to rewrite it three times! That means this chapter's gonna suck.
Roy- All your chapter's suck. This one's no different.
Bandit- (pouts) Thanks Roy. You sure know how to make a girl happy.
Ed- Heh. He only knows how to make me happy, and even then he still messes up.
Disclaimer- Yeah. I dreamed up FMA… the same day it aired on Adult Swim.
(A/N) I'm so excited to get this chapter out. Everyone better like this. It took forever to type, and I'm not too good at explaining the horrors of war and junk. I hope I did at least an okay job. But if it does suck, trust me. I understand. And I will say this now and at the end of the chapter. No death threats. Just read and you'll understand. ;p
'Damn! Of course she's in the village! She probably went there just to spite me…' His aggravation didn't overturn his worry though, and Mustang kept up a constant hope that his friend was alive. And judging by how fast Ed was running beside him, he was twice as worried.
"She better be there, otherwise I'm kicking her ass," Ed growled. Roy choked on a laugh and forced himself to keep up.
The pillar of smoke loomed steadily closer, already the screams and gun shots biting constantly at Roy's ears. He had to take deep breaths and place his mask firmly on, because he already knew the horror they were about to see; he hoped Ed could handle it. Roy had made it his duty to shield the Elrics from any inkling of war whenever possible, and while he never doubted his decision, he never once thought Ed would have the chance to see the Ishbal Massacre.
With the village finally in sight, Roy heard Ed gasp and stop in his tracks. "Fullmetal," Roy started, purposely using his second name, "I need you to keep going. Finding Shayla is our first priority, not matter what… Ed?"
Ed couldn't hear him. His eyes were glued to the scene before him. Hundreds of soldiers, all armed, killing any Ishbalan they came across, most of which were of no danger, only women and children trying to escape the flames and smoke and death that was once their village. Those who did fight back were surrounded and immediately gunned down in cold blood.
And the fire itself was devastating, leaping from house to house, eating whatever happened to be in its path, whether home or human. Powerful alchemic light beamed out at random intervals, soon followed by a series of screams for mercy, along with the never ending sound of guns and explosions.
A mother and child were making their way up the sandy slope, being pursued by a lone gunner. Ed wanted to move his legs, to help them out any way he could, but he was paralyzed. His mind pounded at him, screaming for him to get moving, to help them out or they would die. He dimly realized Roy was shaking his shoulders, but his eyes wouldn't move. 'Run! Please, run!' The gunman aimed at the mother first.
"Roy, stop him…" Ed pleaded weakly. The child tripped on the sand, screaming out for his mother. Realizing their fate, the woman grabbed blindly for the kid and held he him close, covering his body with her own. The gunner didn't stop his advancement, even with the woman started pleading. "Roy… please…"
He turned around to look at what Ed was watching. It made his heart ache, but there was nothing he could do. "If I attack, I'll kill the woman and child as well. I'm sorry, Ed."
The yells were cut off instantaneously as soon as the firing started. Roy and Ed both watched as the body stiffened then slumped to the side, jerking only with the rain of bullets. Ed fell to his knees, having to hold down the pile rising in his throat. Roy simply turned his head.
When the sound of fire stopped, Ed chanced himself to look up. The man was returning to the village, his objective finished, and he left two new corpses in the desert. Making sure he was gone, Ed stood up and tried to make his way over to the dead bodies.
"Fullmetal, don't."
"They could be alive!"
"They're not. I already know. And the boy's dead as well." Ed growled in frustration while the man just stared off in space.
"What's wrong with you? What's the harm in checking! I just ne--"
"I already checked." Ed stopped and stared at him in confusion before golden eyes widened in understanding. "We need to find Shayla." Ed nodded dumbly, in no position to argue anymore, and he quietly followed Roy to the town.
Being as inconspicuous as possible, Roy ran into the battle field, keeping his mind focused and blocking out any screams for help or the sound of guns and the dying. He repeatedly glanced over his shoulder to make sure Ed wasn't lagging. Even if he knew what the boy was going through, they still needed to find Shayla get out of the memory as soon as possible.
Up close, the village was even more in ruins. Almost all the building had gone up in flames, and there was a constant stream of bullets coming from all directions. And bodies lay strewn all over, some not even recognizable as to what was once a human being. Ed kept jumping over them, now only obstacles in his way to find his missing friend. But it didn't make it any easier to see.
'How can the military allow this? Just because the Ishbalans have a different perspective, doesn't make them any less human… None of them deserved to die this way…' Maybe Roy could block out the noises, but Ed couldn't. Everywhere he looked, another child screamed for their parents, another woman died in the street, another elder dropped dead from smoke and grief… It was beyond words.
"Mustang!" Roy become rigid and got his hand ready to snap, but it was only Musaki. The young man ran over to the two, blood and sand spattered all over his uniform, his face bleak and grim. "You shouldn't have come back, man." He clutched to his rifle like a lifeline. "Gran's gone nuts. He was so pissed over you gettin' away, he ordered no prisoners taken." The disgust and anger was obvious by his tone. "They're killing babies. Babies. They couldn't even hold a toothpick, let alone a gun!"
"Musaki, have you seen Shayla?" Roy asked urgently.
"You mean the hot chick? Yeah, she was in the temple…" His voice trailed off, and a wave of sadness passed over his face. "It's blocked, Roy. The front caved in, and there's a fire inside. Everyone probably suffocated by now. I'm sorry."
"No… Shayla." 'She can't die… She can't!' "Where's the temple?" Musaki took a few steps back, startled by the vehemence in Ed's voice.
"Kid, she probably did--"
"Where's the temple, Musaki?" Roy asked. The man sighed in defeat and pointed behind him.
"Just keep walking that way. It's the huge burning inferno; you can't miss it." Taking a good look at them both, Musaki tried one last time. "Are you sure there's no way to change your minds?"
Ed didn't even listen, already a good ways ahead. As fast as he moved, you'd think he'd teleported. Roy let out a dry laugh.
"I'm sorry, Musaki, but we can't leave her." The youth nodded, even if he didn't understand.
"You'll probably die, you know that?" He asked quietly.
"I was supposed to die at sunset, what are a few more minutes?" Roy clapped Musaki on the back, knowing he'd never see his friend again.
The blonde man grinned and did a mock salute before turning away.
"Musaki?" Roy hesitated a moment, then continued. "Don't go inside the building. There's no child in there." He left quickly after that, leaving his very confused and possibly saved friend alone.
"I don't like this," Havoc confessed out loud. His anticipation was shared by Hawkeye and Fury as well, even if they were better at hiding it.
"I know, but we have no choice. We have to trust him." Hawkeye kept a passive mask on, but inside she was worried as hell. 'It would have been safer if I went with him…'
"Hawkeye," Fury began, "You never told us what was in the book you and Hughes found." Havoc looked up from his spot on the wall, realizing what Fury had said.
"Yeah, shouldn't we at least know what's going on?"
'That may be true, but I don't think you really need to know… I shouldn't know, and neither should Hughes.'
"I'm sorry, but it's classified now." She didn't look them in the eye, expecting a fight. Oddly enough, Havoc nodded in consent. Fury appeared like he wanted to argue, but knew better. If Hawkeye said they shouldn't know, then it was best to go along with her decision.
"Hawkeye, he'll be alright, won't he?" Hawkeye did glance at Fury before staring back at the two bodies lying silently on Hughes' bed.
"I hope so, Cain. I really hope so."
Roy heard the clap before he reached Ed. The boy sure worked fast. Already the rubble blocking the temple entrance was cleared away, the stone statues standing again to witness the destruction of the village. Smoke poured out in thick clouds, but the fire was deeper inside. Ed's retreating form mixed in with the smoke until he disappeared.
"Fullmetal!" 'Damn, can't he wait?' Roy took off after him, covering his mouth with a corner of his jacket. His eyes watered, and he could barely see anything, let alone find Ed. "Fullmetal?"
"Roy!" Ed's voice sounded muffled. "I hear people further in!" Navigating through the smoke, Roy followed Ed's voice, and soon a large arc shaped door appeared. He ran through, the smoke and intense heat increasing rapidly. And now that he concentrated, he could start to make out some feeble shouts up ahead.
The hallway was an endless chasm of swirling gray, and by the time Roy finally caught up with Ed, he was already clapping his hands to move the newest pile of debris. The elaborate carvings came to life once more, resuming their place on the walls, and a fresh wave of smoke came piling out. The shouts Roy had heard erupted into a frenzy, and a stampede of bodies rushed through the slightly cramped hallway. Roy pressed himself against the wall, damning Ed once again for not waiting.
"Roy! I can't find Shayla!" That got Roy moving, and he pushed his way against the crowd and into the main structure of the temple.
The raging fire came into view, already eating up the back half of the dome temple. The tall statue of Ishbala was charred black, rows of benches now cinders, and the ground was littered with corpses of those not lucky enough to escape the fire or smoke. Roy barely made out Ed's moving form, turning over rocks and dead bodies.
"Shayla!" Roy called out, his mouth immediately filling with smoke. He coughed what he could out, then tried again. "Shayla, where the hell are you?" 'You better be alive, damn you.'
"R-roy…" A small voice just barely registered, sounding muddled through the smoke. "Ed…" Roy climbed over a pile of rocks to his left, finding a dip in the ground that was almost completely covered by wreckage. A slender wrist was poking out.
"Ed! I've found Shayla!" Ed's head peeked out from under a somewhat intact bench and he darted over. "Shayla, is anything broken?"
"N-no," she rasped. Roy saw her fingers twitch slightly as Ed performed his alchemy, the wreckage returning to another statue. As soon as Ed was done, Roy reached in and grabbed Shayla's waist, pulling her body out. Nothing was broken, as she'd said, but she held on weakly to Roy's jacket.
"Come on. Let's go, Ed." Roy hoisted Shayla in his arms, cradling the small woman and made a break for outside.
Clearer air awaited the trio outside, and they hid in a nearby abandoned house that was miraculously untouched by the fires. Roy walked over the a bed, and gently put Shayla on it. He was concerned at how little she was coughing; with all the smoke she'd inhaled, she needed to attempt to get it out of her lungs.
"Is she alright?" Ed walked over quietly, bending down so he could get a good look at her face. "She's way too pale. And why isn't she coughing? There was too much smoke in there." Ed fretted over her like a worried mother. If Roy wasn't as troubled himself, he'd think it cute.
Shayla's face squinted up a bit, and then hazy orange eyes opened slightly. Roy and Ed both breathed a sigh of relief. "Alive?" Roy asked.
Her eyes flicked back and forth, before they finally settled on her friends. "Yes dumbass. I'm dead." Her smile gave her away. "Nice to see you alive as well, Colonel."
"You bitch!" Ed's sudden outburst got their attention. "I thought you told me it was hopeless to help these people! And then you ran off when Roy needed you! If you'd died…" Ed trailed off, turning away from her, a few tears trying to leak out. "Would've served you right…"
"Ed…" Roy started, but Shayla interrupted him.
"No, he's right. I screwed up big time." She coughed loudly, her body convulsed under the strain.
"Shayla, you're too weak right now. Try and rest."
"Just let me have my say, Roy." Shayla forced herself into a sitting position, despite the glare Roy gave her. "I know I shouldn't have left Roy… I'll admit that much. It's not his fault he was involved in this war. I guess I was just so surprised…"
"And disappointed," Roy added. Shayla shot him a look. "It's true. And it's my fault, not yours. No one bothered to tell you the shit I was in during the Eastern Rebellion, so don't blame yourself. And I doubt you actually abandoned me."
"Whatever gave you that idea?" Shayla asked sarcastically.
"Well, we all know Ed doesn't have trouble saving my ass alone. And you had your own agenda to fill, correct? Some things are just more important than me, after all. Or is there something you still need to tell us…" Ed watched the two adults curiously. Roy was obviously hinting at something he wasn't getting, but Shayla met him with a steady gaze. The tension in the air rose a notch as well.
"Stop reading me. I'm too tired to battle it out with you," She finally answered, waving off any suspicion. The tension disappeared. "But Ed… I'm sorry, even it that won't make you forgive me. But I promise that whatever was bothering me earlier is done and gone." She attempted a weak smile at him, before her body couldn't take any more and she slumped back down onto the bed.
"Shayla!" Ed rushed back over to the bed. "Are you okay?" Her breathing had become more ragged.
"F-fine," She wheezed. "But we n-need to get out of here, right?"
"I'd forgotten about the portal," Roy muttered.
"Yeah. We were too busy looking for your ass." There was no bite in Ed's tone, and Shayla grinned, knowing she'd been forgiven. "Where is it?" Shayla winced, and closed her eyes.
"Back in the temple…" She got ready for the explosion.
"You. Are. Kidding." Roy looked ready to set something on fire. "Then we have to leave now. The temple might not even be there now." Roy began to pick Shayla back up, when the door to the house opened. Ed clapped his hands, his arm transmuting into a blade.
"I'm surprised to see you alive," Scar commented. His shirt was ripped to shreds, and blood was spattered all over him, though none appeared to be his. He nodded at Roy and Ed, then walked over to the bed. "I guess you were correct. Your friends would save your life." Shayla opened her eyes and glared at Scar.
"What are you doing here?" She snapped. He didn't answer her, instead focusing on Roy.
"I think you need to take care of Gran first. He's looking for you." It was Roy's turn to glare. "I don't know where you're running off to, but I doubt Gran will let you leave here alive."
"What, so you want us to fight him?" Ed asked.
"You're the reason he's on this tirade. He's already killed more of my people than I can count. I suggest you do something about it, or I'll take the payment out of your hide."
"You've got some nerve!" Shayla yelled, despite the heavy pain in her chest. "You told me that it would be no use trying to move the Ishbalans away, after we warned you of tonight. And I know Gran would kill everyone even if he wasn't upset about Mustang. You have no right to blame Roy for your own damn ignorance." Scar narrowed his eyes.
"That applies to you as well, kayamna." Shayla's eyes widened, but she refused to look away.
"I never said it didn't." Ed and Roy watched the hidden battle between Scar and Shayla, until finally Scar bowed his head.
"Enough. We'll still make a break for the temple," Roy addressed Scar, "but if we run into Gran, we'll fight him. That's the best you'll get from us." With Shayla still in his arms, Roy walked out the house, Scar and Ed following.
He couldn't have picked a worse time.
'Damn it all to hell!' Gran's back was to him, but that didn't make him feel any less exposed. And judging from the way he was searching, then destroying all in his path, Musaki's words rang true. Gran was having a hissy fit
"I warned you," Scar said, his voice grave. "I trust you'll make good on your promise." Ed turned to him.
"Convenient how you didn't tell us he was out here!" Ed yelled, alerting the whole village of their position. Gran's back stiffened and he turned around, sneer in place.
"Well well. I've been looking for you, Mustang. I trusted you to be stupid and come back here." His fist glowed with an alchemic light, his glove turning to steel. "I guess I'll just have to kill you my favorite way!" He charged at them. "I won't even waste my amplifier on you!"
"Ed!" The teen was already causing the ground to rise as a protective wall, at least a foot thick. But a second later, an enormous crack split through, and a metal fist poked out, almost toppling the wall.
"Damn!" All three, with Shayla in tow, ran full speed and made it behind the abandoned house for safety. "I forgot how hard he hits…" Ed muttered.
"Scar. Keep Shayla safe," Roy instructed. He handed over the woman, ignoring her protests that she was being manhandled. "Me and Ed will take care of Gran." He nodded to Ed, and they left the other two alone.
Scar watched them go, before swiftly carrying Shayla away from the battle. "They love you very much, kayamna," He mused.
"Would you stop calling me that?" Shayla snapped. "And yes, they do. You have a problem with that?"
"You haven't told them."
"Why should I? It won't matter." Scar stopped running.
"So, you are going to run away, kayamna?" He gazed down at her. "How typical."
"Shut up!" She struggled out of his hold. "And I don't run away from anything! Take me back!"
"So much fire." Scar grinned a bit, then turned around, complying with her request. "Odd. I'm eager to see what you can do, kayamna of the moon."
"Okay, what's the plan?" Ed asked. They were already back at the wall, ready to face Gran, but of course the bastard was nowhere to be found.
"Don't die," Roy answered. A stout laugh erupted behind him. Roy turned around, but he saw nothing but fire and shadows… But one shadow was moving at him. Fast.
"Shit!" Ed and Roy dodged the boulder, each going in a different direction. It crashed into a nearby building, and if Roy hadn't have moved, it would have ripped his head clean off. Roy climbed to his feet, just barely managing to duck another flying projectile.
"You move fast for a coward, Mustang!" Gran's voice rang out.
"Why the hell is he attacking this way? It's almost like Armstrong…" Ed kept moving, watching for anything sailing his way. Luckily for him, most of the attacks were focused on Roy. Gran seemed hell bent on killing the Colonel. But instead of being grateful for the break, Ed was starting to get pissed. 'Well, I'll let him see just who he's ignoring!'
Roy was still dodging every boulder thrown his way when he made out Ed running in the direction toward the projectiles. 'What the hell is he doing!' But he didn't speak out. He didn't know Ed's plan, but if he had the element of surprise…
'Left. Right. Right. Lef-- no! Right!' Ed concentrated on dodging each boulder at the last second, letting the huge chucks of rock hide his small body. A long piece of wooden debris was hurled at him like a stake, and Ed nimbly jumped onto the wood with it still flying through the air. And that's when he finally spotted Gran, standing next to a pile of endless rubble ready for throwing. The look on his face when he spotted Ed sailing through the air was priceless.
His arm already transmuted into a blade, Ed landed on the ground and kept moving, running up to the startled Gran and slicing him on his chest, blood immediately pouring out and staining the uniform. 'Score one for me.' He swerved around, preparing to rebound attack, but was met with a fist in his chest. An iron fist.
"Ed!" Roy watched Gran's punch lift Ed clear off the ground and into the air, where he landed somewhere out of his range of sight. Gran had his back to Roy since he was preoccupied with Ed at the moment, and Roy ran over without hindrance, having a clear shot at the huge man. 'Don't miss.'
He snapped, watching his flames leap out and meet Gran head on. Feeling the heat behind him, Gran turned around and to his chagrin took the attack in the face and chest. He hollered out as the flames licked his new wound and created a few new ones, but Roy didn't stop. He kept up his series of snaps, keeping the burly man off beat and hoping the burns would eventually bring him down.
Ed groggily got to his feet, his insides feeling jumbled and out of place. Lights flashed in front of his eyes, and it took him a while to realize it was Roy's explosions. 'Just what we need. More fire.' But from the looks of things, Roy was trying to barbeque the man. Ed mentally cheered him on. 'Fry that bastard!'
Roy finally let up, wanting to see his progress. If Gran couldn't stand up, Roy would leave it at that. As much as he hated the man, he was on a time limit. And the future Scar probably wouldn't appreciate having his prey killed before he got a chance at him. The smoke cleared, and Gran was still in place, but the damage wasn't quite what Roy had hoped for…
"That the best you can do, Mustang? A sniveling fool like you will never amount to anything!" Gran's uniform was in ruins, blackened pieces falling off his badly burnt body. The wound where Ed had got him was smoking, the burn so bad it was actually cooking his flesh, but Gran didn't seem fazed in the least. "It'll take more than a few firecrackers to kill me!" He held out in his hand, revealing a small reddish crystal. Roy sucked in his breath. 'Fuck, how could I forget that!'
"With this, I'll have more than enough power to annihilate you and the boy, along with this entire city!" (1) Gran smirked as Roy made a dash for him, as though he could prevent him from using the amplifier crystal. And even the blonde boy's fast alchemy wouldn't save them now. He'd have his revenge. Holding the crystal over the array on his glove, he prepared to fuse it with the array…
Only to have it snatched by a brown haired bitch.
Shayla grinned jauntily, extremely pleased with herself at the moment. "Now, I want a clean fight. So no power boosts," she scolded. She danced out of his reach, enhancer tightly in her hand; after all, she'd seen the punch he'd delivered to Ed.
Ed himself couldn't help but laugh at the brunettes antics. No matter what, she always seemed to bail them out of tough spots. Scar himself watched nearby, a tiny smile playing on his face. 'It seems this kayamna has a lot of fire in her.'
"YOU!" Gran's glove lit up again, and Roy recognized the attack.
"Shayla, move!" He bellowed. The woman only looked at him quizzically, not understanding the danger she was in. She'd never seen Gran's alchemy before.
Gran raised his arm, hatred glazing his eyes over, and he aimed his now transmuted gun at her. "You'll pay for that with your life, bitch!" He hissed and the gun went off.
Shayla's shock spread all over as she looked death in the face. The bullet caught her right between her breasts, the force propelling her backwards. The world danced in front of her eyes, all types of reds and oranges and grays and blacks... 'So many colors…' Vaguely, she could hear Ed's screaming, but only vaguely. The pounding of her blood was louder. And she still had the crystal in her hand. 'I can't let him have it. Won't let him… can't… I-I'll never give in… m-mother…'
Gran watched in sick satisfaction, the small body falling listlessly to the ground. A roar of anger directed his attention else where; he'd forgotten the short brat.
In a fit of blind fury, Ed charged. He didn't care about the fact he was running straight into a loaded gun, or that he was still wounded. All he could think about was Shayla's lifeless body falling. 'NO! She can't die! I'LL KILL YOU!' "GRAN!"
Instead of using the gun, Gran transmuted it into a steel blade, matching Ed's current weapon. "You wanna fight, boy?" He motioned with his new sword. "Did that bitch mean something to you?"
Roy let Ed handle it. Right now he couldn't move if he wanted to. 'Shayla… I told you not to die!' He fell to his knees and squeezed his eyes shut. 'No! NO!'
They met with a clash of metal, Gran quickly parrying and stabbing Ed in his side. But Ed's rage gave him immunity to pain, and he lashed out with his own blade, cutting deep into Gran's arm. The taller man grunted in pain, but ignored it as well, pulling out his weapon only to drive it back into Ed's leg. But he hit the metal one, and the metal slid off, giving Ed a chance to deal a second blow in the shoulder. Before long, both opponents were covered in sweat and blood, with tears spilling down Ed's face, distraught over the death of his comrade.
"I'll make you pay!" Ed hollered. Gran just sneered at him.
"I'd like to see you try!" With his foot, Gran tripped up Ed, the boy stumbling slightly. But it was enough. In a shout of triumph, the Iron Blood Alchemist whipped the knife against Ed's throat, the blood spilling freely in the air. Ed's last thought was of the philosopher's stone, and all the friends it had given him.
Then nothingness exploded into Ed's vision, and he dropped dead to the ground.
"NO! EDWARD!" Roy's feet dug into the ground, his soul overcome with rage and grief. 'No! Ed you can't-- oh god no!' "ED!" Gran heard him coming, laughing all the while at the sight of the enraged man.
"Oh yes! It's your turn, Mustang! Let's see how well you fight with your anger!" Mustang kept running.
Gran readied himself, holding out his blade and waited for Roy to attack, but the man did the last thing he expected.
Roy impaled himself on the blade.
The shock alone was enough time for Roy to hold his glove right up to Gran's face, letting the man get a good look at death.
Roy snapped.
And then there was nothing but pure light, overpowering all of their senses, until they could feel, see, hear, smell, and taste nothing but light.
Kayamna of the moon… Ishbala does envy your shadow's light...
Scar carried the limp figure over to the temple, barely feeling the dimming heartbeat against his chest. 'Seems this kayamna is not as powerful as I thought.' Shayla's breathing was almost non existent, her chest rising and falling at an extremely slow pace.
The temple was still standing, but now the flames were trying to force their way through the entrance. It seems the boy and Mustang wouldn't be about to make it through, as he'd predicted. And now with death looming over the woman…
He set her down gently, keeping her away from the suffocating smoke. Not that it mattered. She was to die anyway, and why did he protect this kayamna anyway? It went against everything he was taught. But he was drawn to her fiery spirit, how someone of the moon could be so full of life. It was intriguing, to say the least…
"I w-won't l-let h-him…" Scar looked down at the woman. He hadn't expected her to speak anymore. "N-never. M-m-mother, I-I…"
"Rest, kayamna. Your time is almost done," Scar said gently. But his words had little effect.
"N-no… Roy… E-Ed… Ed! NO!" A powerful light shot out of her hand, and the Ishbalan man realized too late that Shayla still had the amplifier in her hand. The blinding whiteness covered her entire body, beams shooting out from her mouth, eyes, ears, and any other opening possible, including the gunshot wound. Scar staggered back, eyes wide with fear as he took in the sight before him.
The light began to recede back inside her body, and her eyes closed. She stood up silently, almost weightlessly, walking to the temple entrance. The smoke didn't touch her body, instead flowing around her like a wave. She then turned around, so that she was facing Scar. White eyes, suppressing the unstable alchemy within her, opened and stared down at the man quietly.
"Kayamna…" Scar breathed. She smiled at the name, then closed her eyes once more as the white poured out of her, enveloping the building behind her. The flames froze, the smoke stopped. Everything held its breath.
Then the world was consumed by blinding light.
Kayamna of the moon… Ishbala does envy your shadow's light…
(1) I bastardized Gran a lot, but I truly think he did that Ishbal Massacre because he thought it was the right thing to do. And he ordered Winry's parents killed because of his men. Yeah, he's a power grubbing low life, but he might actually have morals in the anime. I hate his guts, but I'm at least trying to understand how his mind worked…. But as of now, let's make him the donkey's ass, yes:p
Cliffys make the world go round! (dodges rotten food) Yes, I was evil for once, cause I already have the next part written, but you won't get it yet! (cackles evilly) And before you all send me death threats on how I killed Ed, just wait until the next chapter. That's all I'll say… Shout outs!
Uniasus- I can't tell you anything, but I bet you're having a field day with this chapter! Confusing my readers is what I do best!
Anonymous- Thank you very much! It makes me feel better knowing there are people appreciating the work I do. I really hope you love this chapter, because it's one of the few I'm proud of. I'll keep writing as long as you keep reviewing!
Akumako- I like that idea. But it probably won't make an appearance in THIS fic. (snickers to herself) I won't say anymore.
Asaka Kiseragi- Thank you for the plushies! I shall add them to my collection! And I did like adding Scar. He made the fic a lot more fun. Plus I worshipped the ground he walked on in the series… especially when he killed Gran. (cheers) And yep, Shayla's got my stubborn personality. I love her! But enough about that. The dub for One Piece I do watch, but for entertainment purposes only. I like to laugh at the cruddy voices! Sanji means three o'clock? Cool! Thanks for the info and review!
Orenji Yoh-chan- Yay! You guessed right on Scar! (showers you in more Cudo points) And I worship Scar. I wish there were more fics on him… (sigh) But I'm happy you won't diss your stories, even if I'm constantly complaining about my own chapters. Heehee! And I love you too! Keep writing!
Cat- There's another cliffy! I couldn't stay away from it! And there's a lot of problems with Shayla right now, as you can tell. But all will be revealed soon!
Seeker Carter- Yes, I liked my Ed and Roy moment. I was cursing myself when I didn't let the kiss happen. And there is no fluff in this chapter… (wails)
Hallahello- Yeah, the last chapter was as dark as I thought I was gonna make it. And of course I needed my fluff!
scarletsun- ….huh? Thank you?
inuyashabooklover5188- you're gonna be one of the people cursing my existence, I know it… there was no fluff! (wails) I couldn't help it, I had to have da action come back, I just didn't expect the angst along with it! I make no more promises… but I hope you still enjoy this chapter. And no poking!
alchemistgrl09- You might figure out what's happening to our favorite OC, but it might be hard. To me, it looks painfully obvious, but it's my story, so of course it would seem that way. And I like the name Danielle, even though I'd do the same thing as you and have everyone call me Dani. ;p
hiei08- Don't die! Then you won't be able to read my wonderful story! (grins)
Ed- WHO ARE YOU CALLIN A TINY PIECE OF LINT THAT YOU CAN INHALE?
Bandit- (sighs) Ed, please calm down…
LegacyRBluesummers- Oh, you'll be even more shocked in this chapter, I promise. ;p
Torii- I like that. I should have Havoc the one who's blushing like mad… inspiration! (light bulb over head goes off) Err… never mind. And you'll hopefully find out why Hughes did alchemy, because I can't see him doing it either, but it was necessary. Trust me.
One last time. NO DEATH THREATS. I want to live and see a new day, thank you. But praise is nice, even if I doubt I'll be getting any for this chapter… Is it a bad thing I love this chapter to pieces? Review!