kevins8: yeah, this is my first fanfic in years so don't mind if its a bit rusty. after figuring out that my stories suck a year or so ago, i've done some serious work improving it, okay no i didn't, but i really thought about trying. anyways, after reading some other stories on fanfic that puts even mine in a good light, i've decided to give it another try. constructive criticism is welcomed, thought not that welcomed. Anyways, read, enjoy, and of course, review so i know you guys want me to continue


Memories

Edward: Winry, there's something I've been meaning to ask you for a long time…

The blonde girl by the counter turned around and faced the young man with a puffed up feature and a wide frown on her forehead.

Winry: Okay, I know of the recent uproar with the Cretan's coming out of nowhere and everyone being on the edge but I'm warning you, if it has anything to do with your automail then…

Edward: Will you marry me?

Winry: Wh…what did you say?

The young man got down on one knee and drew forth a velvet box from the inside of his jacket. Starring Winry right in the eye, Edward slowly opened the box to reveal a brilliant turquoise ring sitting snugly on a black cushion.

Edward: Winry… Wil..Will you marry me?

Winry:Oh… Ed, yes. Yes, I do!

Without giving him any time to think, Winry enfolded Edward in a hug that left him breathless. Edward carefully took out the precious ring out of its case and slid it gently onto Winry's finger.

Edward: So, now about the automail thing…

BONG!

Winry: Just because we're engaged now doesn't change a thing. If you…

Edward gently massaged the throbbing point below his temple and tried his best not to grimace as he replied: Relax, it was a joke, jeesh!

Winry: Oh, I'm so sorry. Here, I'll get an icepack. I'll…

Any further comment was muffled as Edward gently kissed her on the lip which was soon returned. The two ended up running out and sitting under the big tree in the orchard.

Winry: I have to tell grandma and everyone else about this. Wait right here, I'll be back before you know it.

Edward: Be carefu…

Before he could utter anything else, Winry was already gone. Edward watched her run down the street and smiled to himself. Watching her, he noted the golden hair falling gently to the shoulders, shining brightly as the sun hit it, and thinking how beautiful Winry was. Then everything was engulfed in light…

…darkness. Edward was sick of it. Sitting in a trench covered up by mud and silt, he listened to the rumble of thousands of footsteps rolling above him and got ready.

"Common, bastard, just a little bit closer…" Edward thought to himself. Soon he heard the first footsteps coming from the top of his trench and knew it was time. With two feet firmly pressed on the ground, he clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, concentrated and waited for all hell to break lose. "This is for you, Winry…"

The walls of his trench started shaking, and then collapsed entirely as did the ground for miles around as the earth was being transformed into razor sharp spikes. An eagle flying overhead blinked as it saw countless people suddenly give one unified scream as the ground beneath their feet disappeared and they were impaled on the spikes below it. The survivors only had a moment to comprehend the death of their comrades before the spikes disappeared and turned once again into the earth it was originally transformed from, burying any survivors several meters under the ground.

"It's done." Edward started digging himself out of the trench and took a peak onto the surface. The landscape seemed the same as the last time he seen it before he descended into the trench but Edward knew that it was just an illusion. The gentle meadow that he stood on hides the grisly death of thousands, some of which are dying at the very moment as their lungs try to fill themselves with air but finding only soil and gravel. Edward noticed the other alchemist coming out of their own separate trenches to observe the grisly massacre they have committed only a few feet below where they stood. Edward ignored the other alchemist and headed for his jeep hidden by the nearby forest. On his way, he was stopped by another alchemist.

"General Elric, congratulations, your plan worked. The Cretans never saw it coming…" The alchemist stumbled as Edward walked right pass him, giving him no indication that he was being heard.

Edward walked passed the alchemist only to be pulled roughly by another, a pale looking one who couldn't be older then 20.

"How can your permit that? This isn't even war, its murder. They weren't even armed..."

"Did you just raise your voice to your commander? Name, rank, and serial number. " Edward stared down coldly at the boy standing next to him. Though he wasn't much taller one look at Edward's eyes caused people twice his size to flinch and shudder.

Trying to stareEdward in the eye but not quite succeeding, the young alchemist replied:

"The name is Stan Dewford, rank of colonel, from Delta Section." After a bit of a pause, he added with a twist on his lips: "General Elric"

Edward ignored the insult and shouted out his orders: "You will report to base for disciplinary action, is that understood?" Without waiting to see if he was, Edward headed off and ignored the mumblings from the alchemist around the battlefield.

One alchemist muttered to the one beside him: "That kid scares me. Responsible for the deaths of thousands and doesn't even flinch…"

"You're new around here, right?"

"Right, how'd you guess?"

"Because that kid, is the general of the army, second to none except maybe King Bradley and then maybe not even him."

"That's him! But he's so small..."

"Yeah, don't let his size fool you. He's the most ruthless and hardest man in the millitary. His hands are stained with blood of the countless of Cretan's he single-handedly disposed off. That's why he's known as the Hand of Death. Rumors has it that his wife, brother, family, and friends all died during the bombing the Cretan's launched that set of this war."

" Brrr… I'm just glad he's on our side"

This caused the other alchemist to snicker.

"What's so funny?"

"Hah, you and the military are fools if you actually believe he's on anyone's side. That boy's facing the real war inside him, and it's one he can't hope to win. Killing Cretans just helps delay him from facing that war and he knows it! But in the end, he will end up facing it and I do wonder what the outcome will be…"


kevins8: so, what do you think? who are the Cretans? Why are thousands of adults letting a pipsqueak lead them? why is that pipsqueak in turn killing thousands of other adults? okay jokes aside, if you want to find out those answers, review!