Sins

As he neared, Ed started to hear parts of the Colonel and the girl's conversation. "Sir, I don't feel comfortable going through with this mission."

"What seems to be the problem?"

"This mission goes against my re—" the girl's eyes fell to Ed and Al standing right next to the Colonel. "Yes?"

"Oh! Uh, yeah…Colonel?" Mustang turned to Ed. He smiled.

"Nice to see you, Fullmetal. Alphonse. How are you boys?"

"Good, Sir!" squeaked Al.

"Wait a minute…" murmured the girl. "Fullmetal…The Fullmetal Alchemist!" a look of disbelief crossed her face. "But you're a kid—"

"I'M SEVENTEEN!"

"Okay, whatever. The point is, I expected you to be older. Or at least a bit taller…"

"HEY!" Ed was fuming by now, so Al thought he'd step in.

"What are you doing here, Colonel Mustang?" he asked.

"Following a lead." He answered.

"What kind of lead?" Ed asked, still calming down.

"A lead on Mayes Hughes' death." Ed looked down.

"Colonel…it's been over a year since the Brigadier General's death. Don't you think that we should focus our manpower on the Deadly Sins?"

"That is exactly what I'm doing, Fullmetal." There was impatience in his voice. "Our Intelligence believes that the Brigadier General was murdered by the Deadly Sins in order to cover up the identity of one of their own within the military." Ed and Al gasped.

"Are you sure, Colonel?"

"I'm sure. By further examination of Mayes' notes and materials, it looks like he was on to discovering the identity of one Jordan Limfour."

"Any idea who this Limfour guy is?"

"I have my theories. I believe that Limfour, who died on October 14th, 1890 could not have signed up for the army's service as a secretary on September 19th, 1912."

"So you believe that this impostor Limfour is possibly Envy shape-shifting into Limfour?"

"No, I believe that the impostor is another Deadly Sin. Possibly one that we do not yet know of. PerhapsWrath, Greed, or Sloth." His eyes shifted uneasily to the girl whom he was talking with. She automatically looked down. "They seem the most likely, in my opinion."

"Okay, so have you located the impostor Limfour yet?"

"Yes. It is working as the General's secretary."

"Then why don't you arrest it?"

Mustang shook his head. "If I had support on my theory I wouldn't be looking for evidence here, would I?"

"I guess not, Sir. Um…who is this charming young lady?" Ed smiled at the young woman next to Mustang.

"This 'young lady' is two-hundred and fifty-seven years old." Responded the girl.

Ed and Al recoiled out of shock.

"B-B-But—! Y-You look…sixteen!" stuttered Ed.

The girl rolled her eyes. "That's what everyone says." She turned to the Colonel. "I'll be going now, if there's nothing else that I am needed for."

"You are free to go, Sin."

"I will check up on you within the next twenty-four hours, Sir."

"Good. I will see you then." With that, she left the three of them standing by the bar.

"S-Sir?" Al stuttered. "Who exactly was that?"

"That was Kraya Ami'ish. You will refer to her as Sin. She is your superior, and has been an alchemist much longer than you or I have been."

"But sir, how can Sin be so old? She looks like she hasn't aged a day."

"Sin, as her code name suggests, has done many things in her life that she regrets horribly. Perhaps sometime you will be able to ask her what they are, but I will tell you this: her unnaturally long life is one of many side effects."

"You mean she's messed with things that she should have? Like us?" Ed asked.

"I said you'd have to ask her that one day."

"But Sir," piped Al. "If she's a State Alchemist, where's her watch? Usually I can see it, maybe it was hidden, but—"

"No, Alphonse. You were correct in assuming that her watch was not on her person. Sin is working undercover for us in some black market dealings. It's natural that she shouldn't have her watch on her person. She used to be one of the Seven Deadly Sins, did you know that?"

"No, Sir!" they both exclaimed in unison. Al added the 'Sir' bit.

"Sin used to be the leader, until...things came up.Lust threw her out and claimed the title."

"Which Deadly Sin was she?" Al inquired.

"Pride…" Ed answered. "Wasn't it?" Mustang nodded. "I could feel it…her eyes were full of pride…pride in her job and in herself. Didn't you feel it too, Al?"

Al shook his head. "Nuh-uh."

Mustang shifted to look at his pocket watch. "I had better go."

"Sir?"

"I have to keep looking for clues to link the Deadly Sins to Mayes' murder." Ed stopped him.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but since Sin used to be a Deadly Sin, shouldn't we assume that she might still be in with the Seven and might try to cause trouble?"

"Sin is two-hundred and fifty-seven years old, has been an alchemist for two-hundred and forty-five, and has been in the army as a state alchemist for two-hundred and thirty-seven."

Ed and Al just stood there, eyes wide and mouths open.

"It's natural to think that a person would convert back to their old ways, or an old group that they used to hang out with, but Sin is not that type of person. She has learned from her mistakes as both a homunculusand a person." When he saw Ed's look of disbelief, he added, "And we often run tests on her, from time to time. Her run-ins withthe Sevenhave been catastrophic, and it is necessary that we monitor her bodily functions. During that time, we often slip a bit of truth serum into her medicine and ask her questions about her loyalty to us. The military keeps up with its loose ends, Fullmetal."

"Yessir." Ed saluted, and Al mirrored him. Mustang returned his salute.

"I'll see you boys some other time." And he walked off.