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Chapter 3 - The Collective Coalition

"I love the rain," she smiled up at him.

Laiba slowly stood up as though it took her great pain to do so. She moved with decorum and grace, however, she kept on holding onto articles of furniture for support. "Why does she seem so weak," Roy thought to himself. Roy thought that to show weakness in any shape or form was an absolute negative. He knew his weakness and concealed it by an inclination for striving far and beyond his necessary goals. However, his concealment did not bring upon the best consequences. For, he knew that his need to hide his weaknesses rendered him arrogant to others. But, he felt that it was all for the best. "Better to be thought of as cocky," Roy thought to himself. For, he did not wish his foes, if he had any, to know any of his weaknesses. Roy hated it, for, he felt that hiding himself made him seem one-dimensional, however, he knew it was necessary for his career.

Roy's eyebrows rose in concern when Laiba nearly stumbled, however, she braced herself and made it look as though the cuff in her trousers had snagged upon the edge of her heeled boots. "I don't know why I wear these boots. They're disastrous," Laiba quietly commented as she looked down at her shoes. Roy did not respond, for, he noticed how slowly she was moving and tried his best to conceal his doubtfulness about her health. Nevertheless, he stood up as though in fear that she would, in fact, fall down. Laiba stopped moving and turned for a moment; fearing that she had been too obvious.

The Flame Alchemist sat down upon the arm of the couch and looked down at his hands. For, he thought it best to conceal his worries. He found himself drawn to the ring upon his left ring finger. The blaze from the fireplace glinted upon it making the ring look like a band of fire. It was a reminder of his promise to the State. He looked over at Laiba and then back down at the ring. "She loves the rain," he thought to himself. "However, I am the Flame Alchemist. Fire can't prosper when rain is present."

How true were these words that, for a moment, it haunted the Flame Alchemist's mind. "Everyone is holding me back," he whispered. He found that he was looking down at the ring and clenched his fists so that this band of fire was not visible by his eyes. Guiltily, he stood up and walked over to Laiba, "Why do you like the rain so much?"

Laiba did not respond to him. She blinked and closed her eyes for one moment as though she were dizzy. Then, proceeded to lean upon the windowsill for support. "What was it that you said? Did you say something," she asked in a sleepy voice. Roy shook his head and did not answer. It seemed as though he did not wish to disturb her. Rather, she did not wish to ruin her peace at that moment. For, her features took on a rather thoughtful nearly pensive look. This was a change that Roy was not prepared for. Laiba had always been a kind and blissful creature, however, a solemn look upon her features made her look her age. Unfaltering from the gloom of the dark clouds; she watched as the rain beat heavily upon the windowpane. Roy glanced side-long at her and turned towards the window, for, he did not wish to disturb her from her only moment of peace. He stood beside her and watched the rain though it irked him to do so.

After a few minutes, Laiba slowly turned around, "See, isn't the rain beautiful?"

"No." Roy honestly added in, "It's cold. It's annoying. It's --"

"Annoying?" Laiba raised an eyebrow up, "Since when does rain have a personality?"

"I'm not done yet," he continued. "I don't want to watch rain during my day off. It's boring." Laiba looked away as he continued his rant, "I come home only to find that the only people that visit me are my parents' friends and you. Where are my other friends? Where have they gone?"

Laiba turned around in humiliation, for, she felt embarrassed to have stood in front of the window. Guilt set in the pit of Roy's stomach as he watched her sheepishly move away, however, he was not one to apologize. Slowly, she walked back towards the couch and sat down. She looked down at the ring upon her left finger and unconsciously began to turn it around and around. He walked towards the couch opposite her and sat down.

"They've all gone," Laiba replied as she looked down. "They've all gone." Laiba turned her ring around and around, "Some have gone to the neighboring towns to pursue careers in whatever they're interested in. Others have bigger dreams," Laiba looked at Roy, "like you." Laiba looked back down, "Amaya is gone. She left the day after you went to training."

"Amaya?" Roy asked, "Wasn't she your friend?"

"Yes." Laiba paused, "No. I don't know." Laiba shrugged, "At least, I thought that she was. She's changed a lot, Roy. I used to write to her. But, now, her letters have become so strange. They're cryptic. I feel as though she is writing in some sort of code. But," Laiba looked away from Roy's inquisitive features, "I don't know. I'm probably just paranoid." Laiba nervously laughed and turned to look at the window, "You always say that I am." She kept her eyes fixated upon the window, "I don't know what to think. She visited me last month with a few of her friends. They didn't stay for long. Amaya has become," Laiba sighed, "very different."

There was a brief moment of silence as Roy stared into the fireplace. There was something wrong. He had known it all along, however, he was waiting for Laiba to tell him. However, he did not wish to force the story out of her.

The vertical lines between Laiba's eyebrows appeared as she looked down at her ring. "Roy?"

"Yeah," Roy looked back at her.

Laiba fished through her coat pocket and pulled out about twelve envelopes, "These are the letters from Amaya. You'll notice by the date that her letters started out normally. But, for the past six months," Laiba pointed at the latest letters,"everything has had a strange symbol upon the stationery." Laiba handed the envelopes over to Roy, "The latest envelopes say Collective Coalition upon them. Roy, is that a new branch in your military?"

Roy's eyes widened when he looked at the symbol, "Laiba, I want you to stop writing to Amaya."

"Why?"

"I can't explain it without frightening you." Roy could not take his eyes off of the symbol on the envelope. "Just don't write to her. You have to be safe. Have you written to her under this Collective Coalition address?"

"Yes."

"Then you'll have to leave town like the others did," Roy commanded.

"But, I don't want to move," Laiba's features took on a stubborn nature.

"Look, do I have to explain everything to you? You're not safe here." Roy took in a deep sigh, "You don't understand this is a military order. You will have to leave town."

Laiba opened her mouth to protest, however, Mrs. Mustang walked into the sitting room and replied, "Dinner is ready."

- - -

"Tomato soup," Laiba squealed as though she were a child at the candy store. "Mrs. Mustang, is that where you've been all day? The kitchen?"

"Yes, I confess," Mrs. Mustang blushed the same color as her tomato soup, "that is where I have been."

Laiba sighed, "It smells heavenly. But, you know, you could've asked me to help."

Mrs. Mustang smiled, "We know very well that you need your strength back. You must not overexert yourself." Mrs. Mustang exchanged looks with her son as she continued speaking to Laiba, "Now, just relax and eat all that good soup."

Roy turned towards his mother, "Why is Laiba unwell?"

Laiba looked at Roy as she continued to eat her tomato soup. Mrs. Mustang continued, "We all do not know exactly what happened. However, many people believe that it all happened once Amaya came back for a visit."

- - -

Back At Training

The Training Room was full around this time. Roy and Maes sat outside upon the grass as they stared off into space. Catching onto any subject that passed their way was the only way to spend time as they waited for the Training Room to become less crowded. Hughes sighed, "I don't think it's going to become empty because the finals are tomorrow."

Roy sighed, "I know." Roy smirked, "Hey, listen, why don't we make our own Training Room over here?"

Hughes raised an eyebrow up, "Using alchemy?"

"It couldn't hurt," Roy shrugged.

"Strictly forbidden," a voice replied from behind them. It was Riza Hawkeye, "I asked if it was possible and --"

Maes groaned, "That's not something you want to ask."

Roy nodded, "I can't believe you asked."

Riza blushed as she sat down upon the grass; joining them, "I didn't think it was a big deal."

Roy smirked, "It's really not."

Roy looked up as he saw Melina approach him and he placed his hand over his eyes to block out the sun. Melina looked down at the three teenagers who were trying to hide their mischievous grins. "It seems," Melina sighed as though she were exasperated, "that the final examinations have been postponed for two days."

"Why," Riza asked in concern.

"Who cares," Hughes shrugged.

"We have not been told the true reason." Melina sighed. "However, there is an uprising in a distant town. We believe that this is the reason that the examination has been postponed for two days."

Melina walked away as though this issue had brought her much frustration. Roy watched Melina leave and replied, "I think I'm going to check and see if the Training Room is empty now."

"To study," Hughes raised up an eyebrow. Hughes moved in front of Roy and felt his forehead to see if he had built up a temperature, "Nope. No fever. Seems as though you're well. Maybe it's psychological. Care to step into my office?"

Roy groaned, "Not today."

Riza stood up and said, "Let's see if it is empty."

Roy felt for the envelopes in his coat pocket, for, the Collective Coalition's symbol was still embedded in his mind. It horrified him that such a symbol would exist and he oddly wondered to himself, "How could this faction exist? How could the State not know about this? Are they good or bad? Could they be good if the military has not looked for them?" He touched the envelopes in his coat pocket, for, the symbol was forbidden.

Please review! Wonder what the symbol is?