I do not own FMA
The Storm Front Alchemist
Chapter 9 Where's Hawkeye?
John walked groggily into the office.
"Hey morning John." Called Havoc working at his desk. John walked up to Roy's desk.
"No disrespect sir, but I don't have to be in for another two hours, so why am I here?" asked John.
"Well John, you see Fullmetal is on business in Youswell, so while he's away I need someone to do his paperwork for me." Said Roy with a smirk. John just stared at him blankly. He sighed.
"I'll get on it, but you do know I'll get you for this." John went to the desk normally reserved for. "Remind me to kill Ed when he gets back." He picked up the stack of papers off Ed's desk and walked over to his, there was a stack of papers there as well. "What the hell is this?"
"Your paperwork."
"You want me to do Ed's and my own paperwork?"
"Of course."
"Fine, just don't be surprised when your gloves are soaking wet and useless." John started working on his forms. When he finished Ed's paperwork he got up and stretched. "Hey Roy I'm going to make a coffee run you want anything?" He looked and saw Roy was staring blankly out the window. He sighed and brought out his metal rod and gave Roy a slight shock.
"Damn it Winrain, what was that for?" yelled Roy.
"I'm going for a coffee run, you want anything?"
"You shocked me just to ask if I wanted coffee."
"That and you weren't doing you your work. I don't know how Hawkeye puts up with you." he looked around. "Speaking of which isn't she usually hovering over you about now?"
"She called in sick this morning."
"Okay." John started to leave the office but then stopped and walked back to Roy. "You said she called in sick, right?"
"Yes, does that strike you as odd?"
"She never calls in sick, that's what's odd."
"What are you talking about John?" called Havoc. "She's had sick days before."
"But she's never called in sick. She comes to work then we usually force her to go home after I assure her I'll keep Roy in line."
"I resent that remark, but you are right it is unusual, but she maybe was so sick she wasn't going to bother coming in today."
"She was fine yesterday, did she sound sick when she called in."
"Well not really." John picked up Roy's phone and dialed. "What in blazes are you doing?"
"Calling Hawkeye." John listened for awhile and hung up. "No answer."
"I said she's sick she's probably asleep."
"I'm going over there." Said John walking toward the door.
"Winrain sit down that's an order!" Yelled Roy
"Court Marshall me." John ran out the door. He ran down the hallway only to be stopped by a burst of flame in front of him. He turned to see Roy walking up to him.
"Winrain, what the hell is wrong with you? I can understand concern, but you're overreacting."
"Sir there's something wrong I just know it." He sighed. "You know that I sorta kinda like Hawkeye, and there are people who might use her to get to me."
"But why now? She could be perfectly fine."
"The past couple of weeks I've had the strange feeling I'm being spied on. Besides, when have my instincts been wrong?"
"Fine, we'll go, but if you're wrong you do my paperwork for a week."
"Deal."
"Havoc, I'm going to Hawkeye's if you need to reach me."
Hawkeye's apartment
John and Roy were standing outside her door. John knocked on the door franticly, but no one answered.
"She's probably asleep let's head back." Said Roy.
"No, now I know something is wrong."
"What you mean? Everything looks fine."
"Look at the door Roy, it looks new compared to the rest, and I mean very new, as in this door was repaired alchemically." John brought out his rod and zapped the doorknob unlocking the door. John ran inside. Roy ran after him.
"John what are… what happened here?" the entire apartment was in disarray, slash marks were everywhere. "But how could this have happened, someone should have heard this and called the police."
"Because nothing did really happen here. You and I both know that Hawkeye wouldn't be caught in her apartment this easily, he set it up to look like a struggle."
"Who set it up?" asked Roy looking at the slashes. "The Chimera, these are claw marks." John looked at the gashes.
"No it's not Grendel, the marks are two small, and as crazy as it sounds I don't think he would do this."
"Then who."
"There are two marks Roy, claws and long slashes, and there's only one person who could have made these, someone who hates both me and Hawkeye."
"Who?"
"Maki, he hates Hawkeye for blowing off his hands, and now he's using her to get to me."
"Well where is Hawkeye? He didn't leave a note."
"It won't be that easy to find him, he's testing me. He knows I won't be able to figure out where he is." The phone rang. Mustang answered it.
"Hello, Hughes what is it." Mustang paused for a moment. "We'll be back right away." He hung up the phone. "A package was just delivered to HQ from Maki."
"Well what the hell are we doing here? Let's get back there." They both left the room.
Unknown Location
Blade (Maki) was sitting in a dark room.
"I've laid my trap, now where is the power you promised Me." Roared Blade to Lust in the corner.
"Don't worry, Envy and Betrayal should be here with it any second." Said Lust calmly.
"Can I eat the girl Lust? She looks tasty." Said Gluttony looking out the door into another room.
"No, she is the bait for John, and close that door before she wakes up and sees you. I thought you Homunculi were trying to stay hidden." Yelled Blade at Gluttony.
"Quit your yapping. We're here." Said Envy. Blade looked and saw Envy and Betrayal standing there. Envy was holding a large jug. "Here." He handed the jug to Blade. Blade opened it and peered inside.
"Red Water."
"Yes you can use it to increase your alchemic power, make a better blade."
"Or, I can just do this." Blade set down the jug and clapped his hands together; the circles etched into the back of his automail hand glowed. He placed his hands on the jug, a vacuum formed around it and the jug shattered and the Red Water was suspended in the vacuum. Blade shaped the liquid until it was a very sharp katana. Blade held up the sword. "Nice."
"A Red Stone blade, very unique." Said Lust
"Can I eat it?" asked Gluttony inching toward the sword.
"No you little freak, can't you think of anything but your stomach?" shouted Blade pointing the sword at Gluttony. "You know, I've heard Homunculi can't die, do you think I could test it out?" he said with a smirk, his sword glowing slightly.
"Go ahead." Said Envy. Gluttony started to back away from Blade.
"Wait, Lust help." Blade swung his sword and it unleashed an alchemic shockwave that blew off Gluttony's upper body, he watched as it grew back. Gluttony backed away.
"Such power, to experience the pleasure that is the pain of death and live to feel it again. That is the power I desire, the power of a Homunculus." He turned toward Lust. "Tell me how do I acquire this power?" They heard Hawkeye moaning. "Excuse me." He walked out of the back room.
"It's not fair." Pouted Betrayal.
"What is it now Betrayal?" sighed Lust.
"Why does he get to kill John? I should. He created me and then abandoned me. I hate him so much."
"Hey come on kid, don't get down too much. The bastard that created me abandoned me, and I'll tear him apart if I get the chance. But that person says you're not ready for serious action, so that's why we have him. But we don't actually think he'll succeed, John is a prime candidate to pursue the Stone."
"Okay."
"That's good why don't you go back to base and bother Grendel for awhile, Gluttony take her."
"Yay, c'mon uncle Gluttony, let's go play with Grendel." She dragged Gluttony away out of a second door.
"It's hard to believe that little girl is the strongest of us all." Sighed Envy
"Yes, but on another matter. What do you think of Blade's request to have our power?" asked Lust
"We are short a sin, and his quality's are perfect, anger, hatred, fury, and rage."
"Yes, the perfect Wrath, perhaps we should indulge his desire."
"We'll have to ask that person, but it does sound like a wonderful idea."
With Blade
Blade walked into the large room. Hanging from the wall was Hawkeye tied up with ropes, her hair was down and was wearing nothing but her bra and underwear. He mouth gagged.
"Well look who's finally awake." He walked closer to her and stared at her defiant eyes. "You remember me bitch? No. then what about these." He scratched her along the stomach leaving a thin line of blood. She didn't flinch. "Oh your tough bitch I'll give you that." He slashed her shoulder. "But I will break you, and when I do, I'll kill you." he bared his sharpened teeth and lunged forward.
Central HQ
John and Roy practically broke down the door to the office.
"Where is she?" both John and Roy shouted.
"We don't know Roy, Maki just sent a package." Said Hughes. John ran to the desk and opened the package. John gasped.
"What is it?" asked Roy. John dumped out the box, Hawkeye's guns and uniform fell out along with a note. John picked up the note.
"Go back to where it all began, where it all started. For where our rivalry started, today it will end." Read John.
"What the hell does that mean?"
"The abandoned warehouse in the south district, when Maki and I would come to Central we would always spar there. That's where Hawkeye is."
"Well let's get a squad there now."
"No! If we take too many people he'll kill her. I should do this alone."
"There's no way you're going alone, he almost beat you last time. Hughes if you don't here from us in half an hour send a squad." He walked over to the door. "Let's go John."
"Right." John and Roy ran downstairs and outside. John got in the drivers seat.
"What are you doing?"
"Do you know where this place is? No, I'm driving." Roy got in the car and closed the door. "I suggest you buckle up."
"What?" John peeled out Roy gripped the dash board as John weaved in and out of traffic until they reached the warehouse. Roy stepped out shaken. "I've seen every possible horror of war, but that was probably the single most terrifying experience in my life."
"Yeah, not bad for someone without a license. But let's go." John ran inside forming his lance followed by Roy readying his glove.
With Blade
Blade was standing in front of Hawkeye, she was covered in small scratches and bite marks, a bruise was forming on her cheek. She was barely conscious.
"My you are tough bitch, but I know what will break you." said Blade as he unsheathed his sword. "You took my hands; allow me to return the favor." He raised his sword but was suddenly was thrown back by a gust of wind. John and Roy ran over to her. John cut her down with his lance and caught her. He started to carry her away bridal style when a shockwave cut in front of him. He looked and saw Blade staring angrily at him. "You are not going anywhere!" he charged John but was blocked by a blast of flame.
"John get Hawkeye out of here I'll hold him off." John only nodded and ran out. Roy turned to face Blade. "Well it certainly has been a long time since I've seen you Maki."
"That is Malachi or Blade to you, now out of my way, my fight is with John."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, you see when someone threatens my soldiers, they deal with me, and excuse me for using such a corny line; but when you play with fire you're going to get burned."
"You are no match for me, not since I acquired this." He held up his sword. Roy's eyes widened. "Yes, my sword is one giant Red Stone." He swung the sword and sent out a shockwave Roy sidestepped and sent a blast of flame back.
With John
John was carrying Hawkeye out to the car out front. He somehow managed to get the back door and laid her on the back seat. He couldn't believe what he was seeing; under normal circumstance Hawkeye in her underwear would be a welcome sight, but seeing her all scratched, bitten and bruised infuriated him to no end.
"Don't worry you're safe now." John whispered. She opened her eyes slightly and looked up at him.
"Roy?" she said before she passed out.
"Wait I'm not Roy. Never mind." He covered Hawkeye with his jacket and ran inside.
Back with Roy
So far the fight with Blade hadn't been going well for Roy. Blade was faster than he anticipated, and his shockwaves interfered with his alchemy. Roy just dodged another shockwave.
"What's wrong old man?" asked Blade tauntingly.
"Nothing's wrong, I just haven't had this good of a fight in a while." Panted Roy.
"Liar, I know how your alchemy works, I keep the air in flux and you can't aim. My father taught me how to take down every heavy hitter in the military, from you all the way to Gran." Blade began to laugh uproariously when he was struck by a blast of lightning that sent him back onto the ground. Roy looked to see John standing there looking angrier than Roy had ever seen, his lance was so electrified his hair was on end.
"To bad your father didn't prepare you for me." Said John stepping forward. Blade got up on his feet and swung his red stone blade sending a shockwave out. John stood impassively, just as the shockwave reached him it was blocked by a torrent of air. "That won't work Maki." Blade charged him sword raised.
"Stop calling me that. I am BLADE." he reached John and there weapons met in a deafening clash. John raised his foot and kicked Blade in the chest. Before he could recover John rammed the butt of his lance into his stomach, then brought it up and hit him in the face. Blade staggered back. "How? You were never this powerful."
"I never had a good reason to Maki, you could have just come after me, but you had to hurt her. Now I will destroy you, my official state title may be Storm Front, but now you'll see how I got my other title. Now feel the wrath of the Raging Storm." John's lance glowed brighter than Blade had ever seen. A huge tornado formed around John, lightning cackling all throughout, sharp ice shards caught in the winds. John charged forward the tornado moving. Blades sword glowed and he began to try and hold the tornado back. "You can't win Maki, I'm too powerful."
"No, I will not lose." The sword glowed brightly and in a huge alchemic blast dissipated the tornado throwing John back and knocking his lance from his grip. "You will die now!" Blade charged the now weaponless John.
"No Maki, you will." John clapped his hands together and caught Blade's sword, he winced as the sword cut his hand, the red sword shattered into a million shards. Blade backed away.
"Alchemy without a circle, I knew you were too skilled to lose your eye in an accident. But now you're too injured to fight." John just clapped his hands together and touched them to his shirt; part of it disappeared as it became a bandage on his hand.
"Let's finish this Maki, you and me, no weapons."
"You actually thing you can win, I have automail hands, you'll be beaten to a pulp."
"Automail isn't everything." Said John charging. He dodged a punch from Blade and kneed him in the stomach. He felt Blades claws dig into his shoulder and was pushed away. Blade raised his fist and punched John in his temple; the sound of glass shattering was heard. John staggered back as the glass in his eye fell out. He stared at Blade his now reveled automail eye.
"Give it up. You can't win." Blade punched again, John clapped his hands together and caught it, the metal fist shattered. "You'll pay for that." He slashed and hit John across the cheek leaving three scratches, and he kicked John away and he fell back against the wall. Blade punched but John dodged and his fist hit the wall. John quickly clapped his hands and fused Blades hand to the wall. "NO!"
"You lose." John staggered back to Roy. "You mind keeping the whole no circle thing a secret."
"I won't tell a soul." Said Roy. "In fact I knew you could do it."
"Okay, good night." John collapsed onto the floor. The squad chose at that moment to conveniently arrive led by Armstrong. He walked over to Roy.
"Looks like we arrived too late." Said Armstrong picking up John.
"Yes you did, but get him and Hawkeye to the infirmary now."
"Yes sir."
Later at Infirmary
John was sitting up in bed a patch on his eye; Hawkeye was sitting up in bed across the aisle. WhenFuhrer Bradley walked in with Roy and Hughes.
"Fuhrer, sir." Said John as he sat bolt upright in bed and saluted, he gasped in pain.
"At ease soldier." Said Bradley. "Well John, once again we find you in here as a result of some reckless endeavor. You've probably broken at least a dozen rules, but it was to rescue a fellow comrade; and so I have officially promoted you to Master Sergeant."
"Thank you sir."
"You earned it, now I guess we'll have to find you a mechanic or people will think you're copying me."
"But where sir, my mechanic is dead."
"There's always Fullmetal's mechanic." Suggested Roy.
"But she's all the way in Resembool."
"I think I can arrange some vacation time, you more than deserve it." Said Hughes
"Thank you."
"Well, I hope you get well soon John." Said Roy and they walked out. John looked over at Hawkeye who had been silent during the whole ordeal.
"You okay?" asked John. Hawkeye looked up.
"Yeah I guess, better than you, you took a beating." She replied. "I just have some scratches."
"Don't try to compare to me, you're injuries may be less severe, but you were still tortured. I can only imagine what Maki did to you." John got out of his bed and walked over to Hawkeye's bed and sat down. "It must have been horrible."
"He didn't do anything I couldn't take, but how did you know I was in trouble."
"It was easy, Roy said you called in sick, you never call in sick; I usually make you go home."
"You knew enough about me to know I was in trouble, well anyway how can I ever thank you?"
"You don't have to do anything; I would have done it for anyone." Hawkeye moved closer to him and made him uncomfortable.
"That's the thing I don't think you would have." She grabbed his hand.
"Hawkeye what are you-." but John was cut off by Hawkeye kissing him. John's eyes widened before instinct took over and he began kissing back.
I don't believe it, I'm making out with Hawkeye. This is a dream come true. Ha, I win Roy. Wait! She said Roy's name when I rescued her, until Roy told her, she thought he had saved her. John pushed Hawkeye.
"I can't do this."
"But I thought you liked me?"
"I thought I did, I liked you from the moment you saved my life, but saving your life sort of repaid the debt. Besides its not me you like."
"What do you mean?"
"When I rescued you the name you said was Roy, you said that because that is who you wanted to save you, that is the one you love." Hawkeye blushed.
"But I don't like Roy." John got up.
"You keep telling yourself that, I'm going to get some air." John walked out the door.
"That was very mature of you John." He turned and saw Hughes
"Maes you spying bastard, give me any photos you took."
"Give me some credit; even I know when not to take pictures. But you are right about Roy and Riza, they make the perfect couple."
"They just have to see it, Maes you up for some meddling?"
"I always am, but maybe we should wait till you recover."
"Good idea, by the way you can arrange that trip to Resembool when I get out of here."
"Yeah I can do that."
"One last thing, what happened to Maki?"
"I don't know, he was taken into custody, but from there he just fell out of existence."
"I see. Well, I'll see you around Maes." John walked away.
Laboratory Five.
Blade was sitting in a small cell. When the door opened and a guard stepped in.
"What do you want?" asked Blade bound in a straight jacket.
"Come with me." The guard led Blade to a room. Inside were Lust, Gluttony and Betrayal standing in the room. The guard changed into Envy.
"What do you guys want?" Lust stepped forward.
"We talked with that person about your request, do you still want the power of the Homunculi?" asked Lust
"More than anything."
"Good." Lust shot her claws out and pinned Blade against the wall.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"You're an alchemist; I thought you could figure it out. The law of equivalent exchange, in order to obtain something of equal value must be lost. To have the power you seek you must pay a great price." Gluttony stepped forward.
"Can I eat him Lust?" asked Gluttony
"Yes you may." Gluttony lunged.
"Yes I'll have the power." Said Blade right before Gluttony devoured him.
Train to Resembool
John was sitting on the train. He sighed.
"Well I'll finally be able to meet this mechanic Ed's always talking about." John looked at his watch and the picture of Mia. "Hard to believe one death could destroy so many lives, where is the equivalence? Ah who am I kidding, I know there is no such thing as equivalent exchange." He sighed again. "I just wish I knew what happened to you Maki." John sat back and the train raced toward Resembool.
Old mansion.
An old woman was standing over an impossibly complex array. Envy, Lust, Gluttony, Betrayal and Grendel were there.
"Yes everything looks in order." Said the woman. Two more people came in, a man and woman. "Pride, Sloth you came."
"We will always follow your orders." Said Pride
"But why are we here." Asked Sloth
"You are here to witness the birth of your new brother." Said the woman. She placed he hands on the array. There was a brilliant blue light. When it cleared there was a sickening mass of flesh in the center gasping for breath. The woman walked weakly up to it.
"Destroy…John…kill… John." Gurgled the mass.
"He retained his memory?" asked Envy
"Yes, I felt it would be useful for him to remember his past life, especially since he became a Homunculus willingly." She took out Red Stones from her pocket and the mass ate hungrily. "Yes eat up little one, eat up our little Wrath."
Well that was certainly an interesting chapter. But don't worry people the Wrath from the show will still be here. I always wondered what would happen if two of the same sin existed at the same time and Blade makes a good Wrath. His power will be completely different from the Wrath on the show, and remember they made him because they don't know about the other Wrath living on Yock Island yet.
Anyway next time I get back on track with the show, its three years later and John and Ed arrive in Lior on a lead that the Philosopher's Stone is there. But when they get caught up in the plans of Father Cornello it's up to John and Ed to take him down.