Chapter Ten: Eruption, Part Two

A sigh escaped the lips of Lieutenant Marie Sinclair, as she paced back and forth in the second floor's eastern corridor. She hated not knowing what was going on, and it made her feel as though she were left behind on purpose. She couldn't help but be curious; she wanted to see these chimeras up close, with her own eyes. She'd never seen one before, only the wounds their claws had left on soldiers from time to time.

As she turned around in the corridor for the fifteenth time, she felt a strong pair of hands fall on her shoulders. Looking up, she found herself staring into the eyes of Lieutenant Francis Dubois, who could easily read the confused expression on her face. "Calm yourself, madame. You vill leave a trail in ze carpet."

Marie sighed. "I just...I don't like being stuffed up in here. We're supposed to be a part of the unit too, right? Why aren't we out there with Colonel Elric? And...and why are we even here in the first place!" She felt herself getting angry, but she had trouble caring. She needed to vent, and Francis was a decent enough person to vent to. "I mean, we're standing in a military installation. East City is a military city; we're in a military base right now! I can hardly believe that they needed a handful of soldiers from Central to take care of this problem when they've got a military branch STATIONED here. There is no reason for us to be here."

"That's what I said," a man spoke from around the corner. As he stepped into view, his short, blond hair and dark eyes were easily visible. Dressed in the standard military garb, he withdrew a small cigarette from his mouth before he spoke. "Colonel Dave Madison's the name." Marie quickly snapped to her salute. Francis, disoriented, whipped his left hand up over his eyes, not realizing the implication.

"FRANCIS!" Marie whipped Francis's hand away quickly, with a slightly frightened glare in her eyes. "Don't do that! Saluting with your left hand is insulting; it conveys disrespect. The colonel could have you court-martialed for that!" Francis's eyes boggled at the new information. Clearly he still had much to learn, and ignorance could be dangerous.

Colonel Madison only laughed. Standing with his back against the wall, he chuckled. "Don't worry too much about it. You guys won't be here long, and I can tell by your friend's face that he's not from around here. Frankly, right hand, left hand, I couldn't care less. You could give me the one-finger salute, I wouldn't care. You're not my men."

Francis, confused by the colonel's words, started to ask. "One finger–"

"Don't," Marie hissed, and that was the end of that.

Madison, turning to gaze out the window at the downpouring rain, returned to the point. "In any case, I asked the same question when they told me they were shipping you folks out here. A few chimeras is nothing compared to the power of the military. I could have this cleaned up before long, but General Mustang was insistent. He pulled rank on me."

Francis and Marie exchanged glances, attempting to process this new information. "Mustang insisted?" Marie asked. "I don't understand. Why does it matter who takes care of the chimera problem? He made it sound to us like it was some dire emergency."

Madison laughed. "You don't know Mustang very well, do you? He says what it takes and he does what he wants. He called it a "learning experience" for your colonel, but off the record, I think there's more to it. I think he's pushing for some public attention, by being the guy that cleaned up the problem."

"Vhat do you mean?" Francis asked. "Ze general isn't even 'ere. 'Ow could 'e get recognition vit'out being 'ere?"

"Because he sent you guys here," Madison pointed out. "You're his little pet project, and he's trying to show the nation just how good his project is. Most likely, he's doing this for the political race. You're from Central, I'm sure you've heard about the controversy in the Parliament."

Francis once more looked like the odd one out, so Marie explained for him. "Yeah, I've heard about it. There's been a conflict in the Parliament over the last four years, trying to determine who will succeed Fuhrer Bradley. As the fuhrer had not left behind any specific instructions for after his death, the Parliament's been faced with the issue of what the people want."

Madison nodded his head in confirmation. "Most of East City is pushing for General Hakuro. He's a good man. A hero to the people of the East for years. The general led us to victory against the savages of Liore, not to mention countless other uprisings he's quashed in other parts of the country. I, personally, had the pleasure of serving with General Hakuro during the early days of the war in Liore."

Marie remembered Hakuro well, though her memories were not as positive as Colonel Madison's seemed to be. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Granted."

Marie sighed. "I served during the war in Liore as well. I took care of our wounded here in East HQ. But...with all due respect, colonel, the General Hakuro I remember wasn't as heroic as you suggest. We had a prisoner in the lower floors, a young woman from Liore that they were attempting to get information from. Every so often, they would send me in to treat her wounds. From cuts and gashes to burns, even a broken leg or arm from time to time. Maybe my memories of him are tainted by those images, but..."

"Oh, come now," Madison snickered as he turned back to face Marie and Francis. "You're not actually starting to feel sorry for those savages, are you? They attacked and murdered our men for no reason. They picked the fight, then tried to play a pity game because they lost. And don't you forget what happened to Colonel Archer's battalion. They're animals, Lieutenant. Wild beasts and monsters deserve no remorse. You would do well to remember that."

"Yes, sir," Marie surrendered.

Confused and not knowing much of what was being discussed, Francis attempted to return to the point. "So, vait, if General 'Akuro is so vell loved, vhy is zere a problem? Vhy 'asn't 'e been made fuhrer?"

"Because," Madison sighed, "not everyone is a fan of the general. Therein lies the controversy. The public is torn between the two candidates, General Hakuro and General Mustang. There are many, especially in the outlying villages, who believe in Mustang. Insurrectionists and idiots who would hand the nation over to the very man that murdered our beloved fuhrer." Marie could see Madison's hands balling up in anger as he spoke.

Marie sighed, not knowing what to follow. She'd heard so many different stories and so many different tellings, she wasn't sure who was right. "I've heard that the fuhrer was attempting to oppress the people, and that's why Mustang attacked him. I don't know if that's true or not...it's just one of the stories I've heard."

"Insurrectionist lies," Madison snarled. "They devise all manner of stories to hide their guilt. I don't know about you, but I have met Fuhrer Bradley face to face. He was a good man, a strong man. He truly believed in our nation, and he only wanted what's best for our people. I am so sick of those damned insurrectionists and their accusations. I will not stand by and watch a man like Mustang destroy our country. I would sooner die."

CRASH

The window burst open in a shower of falling glass before anyone could register what had happened. Madison turned quickly back, just in time to see the gaping maw of a massive serpent, before its jaws snapped shut on his head.

"COLONEL!" Marie freaked, falling back on her butt as she gazed at the monstrosity that had shattered through. A massive anaconda snaked its body around Madison's torso and ripped its head upwards, tearing the skull from his neck and swallowing it whole, while Marie watched in horror at the beast before her. Vile, bony wings protruded from its body, with leathery membranes and disgusting little hairs growing across them, the wings of a bat grown to a 20-foot wingspan.

Francis moved quickly in front of Marie, moving into a position she had never seen before. His left foot poised delicately behind his right, while he held his hands up before him. His hands were curled into fists, save for his first two fingers, which stood proudly up from the rest. She didn't know this position, didn't understand its meaning. "Run avay," Francis ordered back to her. "Get 'elp. Ve may need it."

The anaconda opened its maw, its fangs hungry for more flesh. As it turned its gaze to Francis and Marie, all she could think about was running. The creature hissed its deep, throaty hiss, before it lunged, whipping through the air with its 30-foot tail end snaking across the ground, slithering faster than any snake Marie had seen. As its head pushed forward to devour, Francis pivoted on his heel, bringing his left foot up and around and slamming it down on the creature's head, smashing it into the ground and pressing it there. "Go! Now!" He could already see the silhouettes in the distance. More were coming.

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"Panzlef!" A shot rang out through the night, echoing in the dark, dead street. A beast, a lion with the wings of a hawk sprouting from its back, fell sharply to the ground with blood pouring from a nasty wound in the side of its head, carved out by a small piece of lead. Smoke rose from the rifle of Lieutenant Josef Grueder, but before he could react, he was bodily slammed to the ground from behind, trapping his weapon beneath his own torso.

He could hear the snarl of the beast above him, a gray wolf split at the midsection, with a snake's tail end coming out the back. He felt the dripping of its saliva against the back of his neck. Quickly, he tried to lift his left arm up, but the creature had pinned it down with its paw. The beast opened its maw, raising its jaws high, before it–

Another gunshot, and the beast fell to the side, losing its grip on Grueder. Panzlef stood confidently enough with his handgun smoking, but the freaked expression on his face, the large eyes and frightened sweat, was easy enough to read. "Chimeras?" he asked out of confusion, though the answer was obvious.

A vicious roar cut through the air like a blade through butter. Another ripped through from behind, and then another from the left. These creatures were everywhere, with their golden eyes glittering in the dark. Grueder and Panzlef backed towards Massner, surrounded by the creatures around them. A lion came into view on the left, a tiger with vicious bull horns on the right. In front, a massive bear with a snake head and neck glittering out, ten feet long from shoulders to snout.

Another shot, and the bear backed up a step, but it wasn't enough. The lion, the tiger, both lunged, with snarling teeth ready to tear into whatever fleshy creature they could lock their jaws on. Panzlef fell back, staring up into the mouth of death in the air above him. The air felt cold and dim, as time seemed to stop. The beast hung in the air above him, ready to strike, and Panzlef could feel his life about to drain away.

CLAP

A spike tore up from the street beneath, puncturing straight through the lion's torso. More rippled up from the ground, in a semicircle around the streetlamp. The bear, the tiger, all manner of creatures were punctured by these deadly spikes lifting from the ground. Snarls and agonized roars could be heard all around them, as the chimeras faced the power of the pavement beneath their claws.

One hand pressed against the pavement. One figure crouched at the central point, between all spikes. As he rose, Colonel Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, gazed at the destruction his power had brought about. The creatures he had crushed here were powerful, but nothing compared to the power of the Homonculi, power he had witnessed firsthand. Compared to Greed, Wrath, Sloth, Envy...compared to them, these creatures were nothing. He had faced them all. "Like I told Mustang," Edward's voice resonated through the minds of his soldiers, "I can handle this myself."

"My god," Panzlef's voice shook as he tried so hard to speak. "That...that was..."

"Never seen a State Alchemist in action, eh Erwin?" Grueder smirked, though he was not fool enough to lower his guard. There could still be creatures among the spikes. Another clap was heard, Ed could be seen crouching back down and pressing his hand back against the pavement, and the spikes lowered themselves back into the road below. Soon, there was no sign they had ever been there, save for the punctured chimeras that lay dead in the street.

The night was still and quiet once more, and after two minutes of cautious watch, the team started back towards East HQ. Grueder sighed as they walked, scratching his head. "Something didn't seem right about that. They had us clearly outnumbered, so why did they take so long to strike?"

Panzlef shuddered at the question, not wanting to think about it. "Maybe they weren't as hungry as they thought they were?"

"No," Ed answered. "You're right, something did seem off about that. It was almost as if they were testing us." Looking up, he saw something in the distance, something that made him freeze. There was something up higher, something stalking them from the rooftops. He could almost see it, but it was just too small to make out. Whatever it was, it looked big, and almost human.

"Colonel? Is something wrong?" Panzlef asked carefully.

"...no, it's nothing," Ed responded after a moment's thought. The figure had vanished once Ed spotted him, and he couldn't be sure he had actually seen anything at all. "Head back to HQ. There's something I need to check out."

"But colonel, are you sure that's–"

"That's an order," Ed remarked, before he raced down the alleyway to his left. He was sure he'd seen something, and he was going to find out what it was. He had to admit, though, being able to get rid of unnecessary followers with just those few words was definitely convenient. Perhaps there really was something to this colonel thing after all.

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A whistle escaped the lips of Josef Grueder, as he passed through the gate. "What the hell happened here?" Bodies littered the field outside East HQ. Numerous chimeras lay dead on the ground, with the corpses of a few soldiers. It looked as though another battle had taken place here, though it appeared to have been fairly one-sided. A chimera assault was no match for the military force of East City.

"'ey boys! You missed ze party!" There was only one voice they knew with that accent, and to no one's surprise, Francis Dubois came running out the front door, followed shortly by Marie Sinclair. There were several cuts across Francis's left cheek, but aside from that, he looked fairly unharmed. Marie followed behind him, lacking even the cuts that Francis had.

"We were attacked," Marie explained. "Three different angles at once. One wave came through the windows, two from outside."

Erwin's eyes followed the ground to one of the chimeras laying dead in the grass. Taking a few steps forward, his eyes had little difficulty in the bright light of the HQ identifying its form. It was a horse, with a snake head and neck emerging from its shoulders. "Whoever this guy is," he started, "he seems to like snakes. He's sticking them onto everything."

"Something bothers me," Josef thought aloud. His last point had been a good one, so Erwin stood back to hear what he was going to make this time. "There are too many of them for this to be an amateur operation. It almost looks as though they're soldiers being trained for war. I've fought my share of battles, but I've never seen anything like this. So many chimeras, in this part of the country..."

"Huh," Erwin wondered. "Y'know, you have a point. This guy is certainly making a lot of these things. As I recall, a chimera is an alchemical fusion of two animals, right? So where's he getting the parts? How the heck is he smuggling so many animals into East City?" He pondered for a moment, taking a seat on the grass. "And where would he be making these beasts? I'm sure someone would notice if there were chimeras wandering around their neighborhood."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Marie asked, "but where is Colonel Elric? I thought he went with you?"

Eva waved off the question. "The colonel's gone off on his own. I'm sure he's fine."

Erwin nodded his head in agreement. "I think he might have saw something. He probably didn't want us getting in his way."

Francis whistled. "Sure 'ope it wasn't ze Dark Volf."

Josef raised an eyebrow at Francis's words. "Dark Volf? What the heck is a Volf?"

"Wolf?" Erwin asked. "Dark Wolf?" Francis nodded his head. "What's the Dark Wolf?"

Francis turned his head back at the headquarters for a moment. "I spoke vit' some of ze soldiers stationed 'ere. Zey tell stories of ze Dark Volf, ze most vicious of ze chimera predators in ze city. Zey say 'e takes on ze form of a man, to lure 'is prey into 'is claws. And vhen 'e least expects, 'ow you say, Vam!"

"Faerie tales," Josef scoffed. "Nothing to be concerned about."

"Still..." Marie sounded worried. "Maybe we should go after him. I mean...it's not safe out there. Whether or not this 'Dark Wolf' thing is really out there, there's still all sorts of chimeras that could still be lurking in the shadows. We should go find him; it's not safe."

"Tell you what," Eva smiled. "I'll go see if I can't track him down, okay? You guys...go inside, catch a break. I'll be back in three minutes, tops." She laughed, but before she could move, she was cut off by another voice.

"I'm going too," Marie insisted. "No one should be out there alone, alright? You boys can come or go, but I'm not staying here."

Eva sighed, recognizing that it would be futile to argue. "Fine, come along if you must. But I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't slow me down, okay?"

"In boot camp, I got the record for distance running," Marie grinned. "Don't you worry about me."

"Eva!" Erwin climbed back to his feet, from his crouched position inspecting the body of the horse/snake chimera. Walking towards her, he drew the small handgun from his holster and pressed it carefully into her hands. "Take this, just to be safe. You don't know what you'll run into out there."

Eva caught Erwin's eyes, returning the glance for only a couple seconds before she took the gun in her hands. "Thanks, Erwin. You're always watching out for me." She glanced back at Marie, then tossed her head at the gate. "Come on, let's get going. We'll have the colonel back here before you can say "Fullmetal"."

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The figure was definitely moving now. Ed's boots splashed through puddles in the ground as he raced after the figure. Most of its body was concealed by something large and green that it was wearing around it, but he could tell just by looking that it was big. Humanoid, no doubt, but more than that, it was simply bulky. It kinda reminded him of Major Armstrong, the Strong Arm Alchemist, if he was still a major, that is.

The creature leapt from rooftop to rooftop, leading Edward down a winding trail through streets and up and down the roads, before it disappeared entirely from sight. "Dammit," Ed cursed, for he had lost the beast. He found himself standing in the dim light of a streetlamp, in the middle of a wide, main street. As he cast his gaze around to figure out where the heck he was, he noticed several bodies lying all around the road. Chimera beasts lay littered across the road, with various puncture wounds through their body. Ed's eyes blinked a few times before he registered the faded creatures. "Dammit!" he cursed louder. He knew where he was; the creature had led him in a friggin' circle! These were the chimeras HE HAD KILLED.

"Frustrating, isn't it?" A voice whispered from the shadows, a familiar sound that sent a chill down Ed's spine. The sound ran his memories back, and as he tried to deny it, he knew that this time he couldn't. He was here and this was real, and that voice was the very same. The voice of something he had been trying since he'd seen her to deny was true.

The faded light didn't do her justice, as her feet stepped delicately out of the shadows. The woman that had met him only a couple days ago, that had sent him spiraling into horror. With tender, black heels lifting her feet from the ground, and black, leather pants that rose up to meet her satin, black top, she slipped out of the shadows of Edward's memory, and back into the horrifying truth of his reality.

This creature whose existence he hadn't even known now stood before him with horrifying clarity. No matter how he'd tried to deny her, how hard he'd tried to tell himself that it had been nothing more than a dream, this was her, standing proudly in the dim light of the streetlamp. It was real, it had been real, and now he could not deny that. The woman whose name had passed on without his even realizing she'd been there. Who now took the name that her brethren had given her, a name passed down through generations. Opening his mouth, he found only one word, one name, could slip past his lips. "Greed."