Disclaimer: Full Metal Alchemist and I are never meant to be. Sigh.
A bit of swearing here, kiddies, so beware. Well actually, from herein on it's going to get a tad more dramatic, so cursing will be abundant.
"Oi! Mustang! Where the hell are we?" Ed shouted dismally.
The colonel merely shrugged. "You tell me, shortie."
A vein in the older Elric's forehead bulged, triggering him to utter a long string of completely irrelevant insults and curses at the apathetic man.
Meanwhile, Riza and Al poured over a faded map that was clearly useless, oblivious to Ed's nonsensical ramblings.
"Well, sir, despite my hypothesis that this map is out of date, therefore incorrect, this is the exact location." Hawkeye announced, looking up from the unhelpful document.
Al nodded in agreement and stared at his older brother, mentally willing him to calm down.
Mustang surveyed the drab building. It was nothing out of the ordinary, just an unstable and most likely abandoned warehouse, futile to its former owner. Unsure, he gestured for the team to investigate more closely.
Following the flame alchemist's lead, they ventured into the dingy atmosphere, wary of even the creaks of the floorboards. Riza suddenly stopped and began to cough violently, causing Roy to look back, face creased in concern. Noticing his expression, she covered her mouth politely with one hand, and waved the other, signaling the team to carry on.
Against his primal instincts, the colonel continued, wondering what on earth could be wrong with his subordinate. The dismal band continued to walk, wandering aimlessly about the broken crates, glass and whatnot.
Some time later…
"Mustang! My feet hurt…there's nothing here apart from boxes…can we call it a day?" Edward yawned, stretching his arms out in an attempt to convey his weariness.
Riza looked up from her latest fit, still trembling from the great hacking coughs that wracked her slim frame. "Yes, sir…" she managed, "There is no reason to continue. We have exhausted all possibilities and it is safe to assume that this warehouse is abandoned."
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. We have not yet eliminated the impossible, only the possible, therefore, however improbable, there must be a truth that we have not discovered, namely, the impossible." Roy sighed, running a hand through his messy mop of hair.
"But…" he glanced back at his subordinate, who was currently leaning on Al, trying to force some air into her oxygen-deprived lungs. "For Hawkeye's sake, let's go back."
Riza nodded weakly, still lacking the energy for verbal gratitude.
"Oh, shit."
"Brother, what is it?" Al asked, puzzled.
Ed knelt down and picked up several golden cartridges. He fingered the edges cautiously, as they were still smoking, accompanied by the unpleasant scent of gunpowder.
"Riza, how big are these bullets?" he asked seriously, holding the shells up to the fading daylight. They glinted menacingly, as if holding a secret, one that threatened the team's very existence.
The first lieutenant's eyes widened, taking in the enormous size of the cartridge. "That…that's one of the newest bullets on the black market. They're big enough for one-shot kills, and when fired, are so loud that they can destroy the internal workings of the eardrum. However, when equipped with a silencer, can't be detected at all. Illegal, but popular amongst professional snipers."
Roy took one of the bronzy shells and examined it closely, contrasting starkly with his ivory gloves. "This is bad. We need to get out of here right…"
A keen bullet silently sliced through the air, instantaneously burying itself in live flesh, thirsty for human blood.
"Fuck."
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." That's a quote from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (you know, the guy who made up Sherlock Holmes), so I don't claim that. I just thought it fit in that scene pretty well.
I think I'll just leave you guys hanging there for a while…I love cliffys. (insert evil smirk here)
Guess who got shot? Actually, it's pretty obvious but oh well. A virtual choc-chip cookie for people who give their opinion!
Criticism is welcome, as long as it's relevant to the story and there's a reason provided.
