The small faction sat around the table in one of the many conference rooms at Central headquarters staring at the folder that lay open on the table. Colonel Armstrong, Lt. Colonel Havoc, warrant officer Fahlman, weapons armorymaster Fuery, Major Breda, and Sciezska sat wearily unsure of what they could have possibly missed. General Roy Mustangs grave had been robbed, his body stolen simultaneously Colonel Riza Hawkeye seemingly dissapeared with out a trace. There were no witness's in the area at the time and the actual 'time' that it happened was unclear. The question had come up about Hawkeye possibly having something to do with the dissapearence which resulted in the heavy silence. Sciezska looked at the folder pulling it closer to her. She had been approached by Colonel Armstrong almost immediatly following the grim discovery because of her uncanny memory. She went to the site and stared at the evidence, being the general's grave site, and took the photographs in her mind taking them with her to pull them up as needed. There had been a bullet hole on the headstone, the bullet however was no where to be found but judging from the size of it and the way it impacted on the stone it was a standard military handgun. Aside from that there was no other evidence. Colonel Armstrong stood up and walked to the large window that looked out into the court yard. He sighed heavily placing his hands behind his back.
"I've been informed by the higher ups that this case is soon to be closed." He said his voice wavering for a moment. All eyes turned to him as gasps filled the room.
"Closed? B-but I don't understand...how can they..?" Sceizska stammered before being interrupted.
"Five months is too long. What ever leads there may have been have gone cold, it's fruitless to pursue this any longer. At least that's what I was told." He replied.
"So that's the word huh? I was wondering why you were in that conference for so long earlier Colonel." Havoc said his cigarette dangling from a corner of his mouth as he spoke.
"Yes. We're to place all of our files and evidence into holding." Armstrong continued.
"Up on a shelf to collect dust." Fahlman stated blandly.
"The investigation on Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye is to end as of tonight gentlemen and Ms. Sciezksa." Armstrong said clearing his throat before and after he finished.
"Where the general and Colonel will be forgotten. Wiped from the records? Is that what they want to do?" Breda questioned feeling his stomach at unease. Silence pursued around the room.
"So what do we do now, forget?" Fuery asked after a moment sadly. Armstrong turned around to face his men, once under the command of Roy Mustang, and shook his head.
"I will not forget. I refuse to simply look past this and move forward. I don't know about you gentlemen but I intend to find out what became of the general your either with me or not." Armstrong said unpinning his status pins from his lapel and placing his silver pocket watch on the table. With out another word he walked out of the room.
"Wait Colonel, uh I mean Mr. Armstrong wait for me!" Sceizska said the first out the door. The next day a soldier walked into the conference room and stared at the pins that lay on the table in a silent act of defiance.
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Each time Gluttony accompanied Pride and Wrath she became more of an irritant to the young boy. The way she acted around Pride was sickening but what bothered Wrath more was the fact that she could get Pride to smile. Not just a slight tug of the lips as Wrath had been able to before but an actual smile. His heart would skip beats before taring into a hard beat that felt as if it would leap out of his chest. He sat some feet away staring at his bare feet and playing with a string on the denim shorts that he wore leaving the two alone to discuss whatever it was they were talking about uninterested.
"Alright. I'll be right back." Gluttony said stretching causing her long hair to tumble off her shoulders onto her back in the process. Pride nodded.
"Hungry?" He asked. Gluttony smiled licking her lips and nodded.
"Be back." She said running down the hill pushing down the short skirt she wore as it rode up on her.
"Why do you put up with her?" Wrath asked edging closer to Pride once she was gone. Pride glanced at him before looking back down the hill Gluttony had gone down.
"I like her I guess." He replied. Wrath took Pride's hand in his and sighed.
"More than you like me?" He asked.
"It's not that I like her more Wrath just differently." Pride replied.
"How so?" Wrath asked.
"I don't know I just do." Came the soft reply. Wrath glanced at Pride seeing in his eyes a hint of light that crept in and out reminding him of a caged bird trying desperately to break free and take flight. Screams erupted from the village below them.
"Mary-chan what is the matter?" A mans voice called out.
"My sister! It's my sister!" A young girls voice yelled out as horrified gasps and screams were heard.
"It's as if her life were sucked away!" A woman shouted.
"What creature could have done such a thing?" Someone else shouted. Gluttony walked up the hill appearing content.
"Well now that I'm all set we should head off." She stated. Pride stood up quickly letting go of Wrath's hand, much to his dismay, and walked after her faithfully. Wrath got to his feet brushing of his pants feeling an anger unlike no other burn deep in his stomach. He gritted his teeth clenching his fists as he pounded them against each other.
"She will pay for taking Pride from me! She will pay and pay and pay some more!"
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"What exactly will I get in return for this information there beautiful?" Lust sat on the bar stool sitting close to the table smiling seductively.
"I can't tell then it won't be a surprise but I can tell you it will be worth your while." She stated low in a husky voice. The bartender smiled widely taking her body hungrily in with his eyes.
"Well I don't know too much about this philosophers stone but I do know where there are two alchemists who may know something about it are." He stated.
"And where may that be?" She asked trailing a finger down the mans chest.
"Uh, Zenatiine. Fletcher and Russell Hingham I believe their names are." He said gasping for air and grabbing his throat as a small pinhole appeared. Lust held up another tooth pick piercing the mans left eye then the right before he collapsed on the floor as the sharp objects lodged deep in his brain. Lust stood up brushing her hands against her pants before turning around.
"Greed! Let's go." She commanded. Greed stood in a corner of the room fully engrossed in a poker game with a few other patrons. Lust was at least grateful he had preoccupied them so she could get her work done.
"You fold or you in pretty boy?" One of the men asked his hair graying on the sides.
"Nah man I am in." Greed stated putting in some more chips.
"Greed!" Lust shouted. Greed put up a hand as if brushing her away.
"Yeah, yeah in a minute sweetheart I'm busy." He said in his best womaninzing tone.
"Alright let's see what you got." Another man said before gagging and falling face first onto the table. The other three followed suit. Greed threw his cards down on the table and stood up angrily.
"Damn it Lust we were in the middle of a game!" He shouted.
"Just take their money if you want it so bad." She retorted back uneffected by his outburst.
"That's not the point! The point is to play the game and gamble! It's not about the money." He yelled stalking over to her his dark eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Yeah whatever." She said. "Come on we need to get to Zenatine by tomorrow." Lust stated walking out.
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Wrath had gone his seperate way from Pride and Gluttony doubtful they had even noticed. He walked angrily thinking on the problem and getting angrier about it.
"I'll rip those damned stones out of her and then I'll kill her!" He shouted at the darkening sky. He came across what appeared to be an encampment. He slunk low in the shadows watching from a safe distance. Two men he could make out clearly as well as some shadows in a tent, three more.
'What are they doing out here?' He wondered to himself pushing the bushes he hid behind a bit further apart.
"Alphonse?" A shaky voice said from behind him. Wrath turned to be faced with a young woman with long brown hair that she held in a ponytail. Her brown sweater hung off her loosely and the sleeves were pushed up past her elbows. The pants were a light blue and clung to her legs like a second skin. Her glasses cast his reflection back at him and he looked scared. He didn't like the look he wore on his face so he decided to change it into a dangerous smile. The woman backed away some clearly afraid opening her mouth to scream. Wrath pounced on her placing his hands around her throat and straddling his legs over her hips. She kicked the ground desperately clawing at his hands as she tried to breathe. Wrath stared at her seeing no one but Gluttony the one who took his brother away from him. "I hate you!" He spat releasing her throat once she had passed out. Dark angry marks appeared against her pale skin as she gapsed for air in her induced sleep. Wrath smiled pleased with himself and picked the woman up.
'If Pride could make himself a new friend then so can I but not before we have some more fun.' Wrath thought to himself before leaving with his prize.