I'm back again! DOUBLE UPDATE! WOO I'm on a roll! Anyways, I do have to get 3 reviews from this chapter, no exceptions. Please review because I really need your feedback to improve myself and I need to know what you all think I should do and such! Plus, I just appreciate it!
Okay, just a note: Not all of my chatpers will be this long. They usually are somewhere from 500-800 words long, so if there ever is some 2,000 word long one, I had nothing better to do with my time... Not that homework is better... ;
SO REVIEW! OR I WON'T UPDATE! I need 3!
Tell me what you think!
---Sam---
Disclaimer: The only thingsI own are Refugio, the plot/storyline, and the OC's that will continuously pop up once we hit the new settlement!
"When you step to the ledge of all light you have left, and you take that first step into the darkness unknown, you might believe one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for you to step upon, or you will learn how to fly."--Unknown.
Lightning Strike
By: XxXMe Need A LifeXxX
A groan erupted from the teen. He'd awoken on the couch, again, but that wasn't what he was angry about.
It was that creaky, annoying, evil… ceiling fan.
"AL! You said you'd fixed that!" Edward Elric cried as Alphonse walked into the room.
Al shrank back. "Sorry, Brother." He said, looking on as Ed stood on a chair and alchemically corrected the squealing fan. "The Colonel needed my help."
Ed jumped from his perch and quirked a brow. "With what?" he questioned.
"Er-Um-Well…" the suit of armor stuttered.
"That's private." came a voice from the doorway. "But, I do need you in my office to discuss it."
The Fullmetal Alchemist wilted. Another thing to add to the mornings annoyances: he'd forgotten to close the door last night. What was worse? The Colonel, Roy Mustang, had just barged in.
The blonde boy groaned a second time. "What do you want?" he growled. He now sat in front of the Flame Alchemist's desk, waiting for, well, whatever the hell it was that Roy wanted to tell him.
"I've got a new mission for you," Roy responded, still looking at his ever-present paperwork. He fiddled with his pen, continuing to read the sheet before passing it on to Edward.
"It's in the city of Refugio, a small settlement in the East." He continued as Ed scanned the document. "Apparently there's been a series of murders. Stranger yet: they all seem directly linked to Scar. But, as you and I both know," he watched Ed stare blankly when he'd mentioned Scar. "Scar's been dead for a while now."
Ed shot up. "So you think that he survived?" he shouted, afraid that the mass-murderer was still on the loose.
"I never said that." Roy shot back, coolly. "Calm down, shorty. No need to cry over spilt milk."(1) The older man smirked with satisfaction as the teenager screamed, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A CHIBI SO TINY THAT A MISPLACED BARBIE SHOE COULD SQUISH HIM!"
Al just sat silently in the back of the room as all of this took place. Ed cooled down after a few minutes, taking his seat once again.
"So whatdaya think it is? A new murderer?" Al questioned. He'd only been asked to accompany the elder Elric. Roy had said it'd be a dangerous mission.
"Well, a few witness accounts claim that it was a small-framed person."
"That immediately eliminates Scar." Ed mumbled. He was trying to focus on who could be doing this that he'd heard about.
"Exactly." Roy announced.
"So what do you want us to do about it?"
"I want you to investigate it. If you find any information, report it straight back." the Flame Alchemist stated offhandedly. "It's not a long train ride, but if you want to get there before another death is informed, then I suggest you get on that train by 5 o'clock."
Ed was about to protest, when Al caught him by the shoulder. "Let's do it, Brother. Maybe we could find some information on the Philosopher's Stone." he claimed. After a moment of silence, Ed sighed loudly. Guilt always took its grip when Al said something like that. He'd promised that he'd get Al's body back to him, no matter what. And he did have a point: an isolated settlement in the East sounded like the perfect place to find information that the military had no clue about.
"Fine. Let's go pack." he sighed in defeat, sulking as he clambered from the room.
"Let's do it, Brother. Maybe we could find some information on the Philosopher's Stone." Al claimed, in a desperate attempt to get Ed to take on the mission. He knew his brother couldn't turn anything down when it had to do with the Stone; he never could.
He'd feel terrible for taking advantage of Edward after a while, but now was a time for action.
As it turned out, Ed was the only candidate left to accept the mission, aside from the Colonel himself. Besides, Refugio did sound like the ideal place for information.
Plus, Ed needed something
potentially exciting to do. He'd been getting fidgety these past few weeks. Missions had been running dry since the Homunculus had gone into hiding and Scar had disappeared. Supposedly, he was "dead". Of course, Alphonse Elric didn't believe this. And this murdering spree had set most other State Alchemist's to thinking the same thing.
Ed sighed dejectedly, and the suit of armor instantly knew he'd won. If he'd had a body of flesh and blood, he'd have been grinning from ear to ear.
"Fine. Let's go pack." the Fullmetal Alchemist then dragged himself out of the room, ready to pack for a short trip.
The two brother's loaded themselves onto the train. Ed flopped down into the first empty compartment he found. "Short trip, my ass!" he fumed. Al put the baggage into the overhead compartment and took his seat. As they'd hopped on the train, they'd discovered how long the ride really was: 6 ½ days.
"What the hell are we going to do for a week on a train!" the older Elric cried, sinking lower into his chair then he already was.
Alphonse quickly looked around the train, making sure no one was looking. Then, he reached into his chest plate, pulling out a deck of cards. "Gambling, anyone?" he giggled, seeing Ed perk up ever-so-slightly.
Edward sighed happily. "I thought you'd never ask…"
So they're headed to the new town! I cleared up some loose ends -hopefully- in this chapter.
If you're still lost:
Scar is dead... according to military records. But don't worry! Scar isn't behind the murders so it's not all cliche.
The Homunculus have decided to lie ever-so-conveniently for this time period! YAY! Ahem.
(1)-Two things that Ed hates rolled up in one! Milk and being called short! Man, I'm amazing... -In the words of my sister...--;Yep, that's Ash for you...-
REVIEW! Remeber I need 3 reviews for an update! One to start working on the next chapter. 3 to update that chapter!
Hope to work more soon!
---Sam---
