Chapter Two
Authors Note : …uh…
Ed jumped down the stairs and rounded the corner to Centrals exit. This is excellent news. He thought as he stepped out into the setting sunlight. See Al, I was telling the truth, Mustang had useful information for us. Ed's heartbeat
quickened with excitement. He was so sure that Tucker was involved with this sudden epidemic of Chimeras; no one else was skilled enough to transmute a baby and a rodent. And if Ed could just get his hands on him before the military did, he would question the madman to death.
Three years ago, after the Nina Tucker incident, Ed was charged with sorting through Shou Tucker's work. At the time, it was very hard for him to concentrate, since the fate of his little friend was still fresh on his mind, but over
three years of tossing the knowledge around, he was finally able to soak some of it in. Then believing Tucker had been given the death sentence, Ed shoved all the new found info to the back of his head, and now these Chimera sightings has thrust them back to the front of the line.
The bell tower a few blocks North chimed; it was now seven o'clock. Even though it was summer and the days lasted longer, Ed still only had two hours to find Al and get back to Central. He ran down to the alleyway where he
had left his brother, hoping he might be with the stray cat, but he was not. Ed stood in front of a flower shop and thought of where Al could be. He looked up at the street sign that read: Waterside Drive. The river! Ed knew Al
liked to sit on the banks of the small river that ran east from here. Wiping sweat from his brow the young alchemist ran as fast he could. Little Turtle River was about a half a mile from Central and Al could be anywhere along the
shore. The skyline was now passing from golden yellow to orange, time was slipping away. With a burst of energy, Ed sprinted the last thirty yards up and over a hill and scanned the bank. As far as he could see there was no sign of Al. Looking down in front of him, he spotted a couple of kids fishing. "Hey!" Ed shouted as he walked toward them.
"What do you want?" the taller of the two asked.
"Hey, I just want to know if either of have seen a big suit of armor around here."
"As a matter of fact we have." said the shorter. "He was sitting over there, by that tree. He left about a half hour ago." The kid pointed to a blossoming tree to the right.
"Thanks!" Ed called as he jogged back up the hill.
"Why is he your dad or something?" the short kid yelled after him.
Ed tried his hardest to ignore that and opened the door to a telephone booth. "What do kids know…" he mumbled as he slipped some coins into the slot and dialed the number to Central's dormitory.
"Hello?" answered a voice.
"Al?" Ed asked. "Is that you?"
"No, it's Mustang."
Ed froze. It can't be nine yet. He looked out at the setting sun. Not yet, but soon.
"Alphonse is here Fullmetal, and you need to be as well." Roy said.
"Yeah, I know. I was just looking for my brother. I will be right there. You don't need to worry. Can I speak to him." Edward said getting a little annoyed.
There was a muffled sigh then-
"Brother?…" Al's voice came through.
"Al… I'm…" Ed was stuck on words again.
"No. It's my turn to apologize brother. I shouldn't have gotten mad. I know you do your best… for me, brother, I know. It was wrong of me to doubt you…So I am sorry." Al said, his voice wavered a bit.
"Al…" Ed rejoiced inside. This day hadn't turned out so bad.
"But please brother, get back here soon. Colonel Mustang said you have fifteen minutes."
"Well, tell Colonel-Impatient-because-I-want-to-flame-grill-some-Chimera to keep his gloves off. I'll be there, when I'm there." and he hung up the phone. Ed wiped his forehead again. Man, it is hot and dry… And so Ed hurried back toward Central, but not too fast. He didn't want to make it look like he actually cared what Mustang told him to do.