Chapter Four

Author's Note: Whoot whoot! Finally some real action for my few and faithful readers!

Mustang turned the corner, leaving Hawkeye's apartment behind. Roy you are very smooth… He thought sarcastically. It had been along time since he would let him think about himself, about his personal needs. Self-discipline was the first thing he learned joining the military, and it was his fierce ambition to become Fuehrer that helped him stand strong.

Roy knew that he could wait 'til that day for Hawkeye, but whether she would wait for him… Even as things grew worse with every sunrise, she was by his side; many times his words would come out harsher than intended, but that never caused her to falter in her duties. And for that he was more than grateful… Everyday he was reminded of humanities imperfection; ever since those two boys entered the military, entered his life, things have… changed…

There was a noise that broke Mustang's thought. It sounded like a sharp intake of breath. He looked around himself to see that he was alone. No one was one the street yet; he glanced up at the sky. It was past seven in the morning, but the thick accumulation of black clouds seemed to prolong the night. He heard a slight scraping of a shoe that made him jump a little. He was standing near the mouth of a deep alleyway. There was a small dark figure moving against the even darker wall. It let out a low groan of pain mixed with

something Roy couldn't quite put his finger on. He took a step into the alley and brought forth his flashlight. A very weak beam lit the darkness, but revealed nothing. Banging the device on his arm, he tried ineffectively to bring life back to it. At the sound of slowly retreating footsteps, he stuck the flashlight back into his pocket and entered the darkness.

"Who's there?… I am an officer of the military, if you do not reveal yourself than I will take you out by force and arrest you for noncompliance." Mustang waited for a reply. None. He met the silence with two white gloves. "This is your last chance." The Colonel said, holding out his right hand. The figure ran deeper into the alley as his previous spot

was now ablaze. In the flicker of flames Roy could see the form of his target. It was small, wore some sort of cape and had a long furry tail lashing behind it as it ran. Another human Chimera. Mustang thought. And a fully functional one too, or so it seems…

Killing the flames, Roy leapt after the creature. The alley took a sharp right and went down a long ways. He sped past piles of garbage, gutters and trashcans. The place smelled of rotted fish and Roy knew he was near the only meat market that sold fish, next to the river. Coming up to a dead end he spun around searching, more with his ears than eyes, for the figure. He heard a creak from above and looked up. Just barely he could trace the outline of something clinging to a pipe. Roy directed his will toward the figure and snapped his

fingers. The explosion hurled the Chimera into the opposite direction, throwing it into some trashcans. Mustang ran back readying his fingers again, but the creature was up and fleeing. Man it's fast. He thought as he blindly dashed to the turn and looked out to the entrance. The Chimera was taking a risk going into the open, but then it was almost as dark

as night outside. After reaching the mouth he realized were his target was heading. There was a large collection of plazas and shopping malls just around the corner. Roy cursed himself for letting it get away from him, but he lived in the eastern part of the city so it would be a fair enough hunt. Sprinting out into the street he made a left and entered the

labyrinth of alleyways, luckily his quarry was injured and had stopped to catch it's breath until Roy came into view. Taking this advantage he pitched a few instant bombs at the Chimera causing it to continue on, un rested. Even wounded his target was swift and agile, leaping over up-turned receptacles and cutting corners like it were nothing. Nearly ten

minutes of straight running took place, left, left, right, left, right, right and so on. Mustang's lungs were burning like fire. I might collapse before that thing does. He said to himself. The tables slowly began to turn in the opposite direction, fate wasn't going in the Colonel's favor as he began to lag behind. The game of cat and mouse was becoming a game of

exhausted cat and crazy psycho mouse that could run forever.(sorry for the nonsense) Suddenly the figure lost it's footing and fell face forward. Roy wasted no time and set his prey on fire. Finally. He waited for a scream of pain or something to signify his direct hit. Not a sound. He killed the flames to see that a large concrete wall stood before him

Alchemy! The Chimera can use alchemy! Furious, Roy blasted the wall to bits. He heard a cry and a thud of a body hitting the ground. After the dust cleared, saw that the creature was hit by a large piece of the wall and was beginning to recover. He quickly stomped on it's back with a booted foot to keep it from getting up.

"Who is making the Chimeras?" He spoke forcefully. No answer. "Who is doing this!" he shouted. The creature brought both it's hands together. "Fine. You can burn with the rest of them." Roy was about to unleash a particularly intense flame when the ground beneath him erupted. An enormous hand grabbed him around the waste and held him there. With a

moan, the Chimera rose and staggered forward, one hand against the wall. Mustang obliterated the transmuted hand and strode toward the hooded figure which had collapsed a yard in front of him. He licked his lips closing in for the kill. You have been a real nuisance. Sunlight finally began to poke through the mass of clouds. The beams revealed a trail of blood

that lead to his target. He now stood towering over the Chimera. Mustang saw that it was trembling and only made him smile. A muffled sound came from the creature. "What was that?" he said, toying with it.

"…I-I'm…" A long pause. Roy lifted his right hand, placing his index and middle on his thumb. "I'm… s-s-sorry…"

Mustang stopped in mid snap as the alleyway filled with light. He noticed for the first time during there chase that the figure was wearing a long red cloak. And he suddenly realized that the Chimera hadn't drawn a circle to use alchemy.

"F-Fullmetal!" Roy stood in shock and stared down at the hooded figure in front of him. It nodded. "Fullmetal!" He repeated, then a surge of anger overrode surprise. Mustang bent down, grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall holding eye level. He was about to yell at him for disobeying his direct orders when he looked into his eyes. They

were to the rim with pain, sorrow and tears. Mustangs stared speechless. But what bothered the Colonel even more about Fullmetal's returning gaze was that one of his eyes was blue and the other green.