Chapter Nine

Author's Note: Yup…

Roy sprinkled a raw chicken with some lemon pepper and salt. After massaging the seasonings in a bit he washed his hands and placed the bird into the oven. He wiped his forehead as he stirred the steaming broccoli on the stove. Next to making flames and dishing out orders, cooking came to Roy Mustang as natural as trouble to Edward Elric. He couldn't help but smirk as he heard the young alchemist complain in the other room.

"Ow! Winry! How come it never hurt like this before?" Ed wined. He was laying on the matted dining table.

"It's probably because your nerves are more receptive than before. Cats are very sensitive." Winry said as she began to tighten the screws and bolts on his knee. "It didn't take me long to design these limbs for you. I modified the basic blueprint for Den and built your leg. As for the arm I just shortened the Humerus and kept the forearm at its original length. Now I alls I need to do is… tighten this and…" Winry polished the knee cap with a greasy rag. "Walla!"

Ed hopped off the table, flexing his new automail appendages. The leg was bent the exact way his other was and he could now stand and walk without limping. "Not bad." Edward said more to himself.

"Not bad!" Winry threw a wrench at Ed who dodged it gracefully. "That was twelve and a half straight hours of work. It's probably the best job I have ever done."

She said gazing off in the distance. Everyone stopped as a light knock was heard on the entrance door.

"It's probably Hawkeye." Mustang said as he left the kitchen. "Who is it?"

"First Lieutenant Hawkeye." a voice answered. Opening the door, the blue clad female officer entered the living room followed by Alphonse. She looked around the room and spotted Edward. "Well, I didn't expect you to be done already." She said, walking toward Mustang.

"Well, I adjusted his arm and altered the structure of his leg so it wasn't too much work." Winry said as she picked up the tool she threw and packed into her leather case.

"Al and I were just coming by to check on the progress, but since Ms. Rockbell is done, I can escort her to the dormitories." Hawkeye said as she followed Mustang into the kitchen.

"That is fine, but first we can eat supper." Roy opened the oven and poked the browning chicken.

In the other room Winry continued to pack her equipment, while Al watched Edward stretch.

"So where have you been Al?" Ed asked as he did a squat.

"I was just helping Lieutenant Hawkeye finish the rest of the Colonel's paperwork." Al replied, shifting his weight.

"For the entire day? Well, that must have been pretty boring." Edward said. He knew his brother liked to help out, but he could tell Al was lying.

Ed began to do toe touches when a strange expression covered his face.

"Brother are you alright?" Alphonse asked staring down at Edward.

Not paying him any mind, Ed, hypnotically made his way into the kitchen. The dirty cloth on the dining table was now replaced with a green clad one and four chairs placed on each side. Edward sat at one side and folded his hands staring peacefully in the direction of Mustang.

"Alright, dinner is ready!" Roy said as he set the beautifully roasted chicken on the center of the table. Hawkeye set four plates down with accompanying utensils.

"Wow, I didn't know you could cook." Winry entered the dinning room, followed by Al.

"It runs in the Mustang family." Roy did his best impression of Major Armstrong, flexing his muscles, but no sparkles came. Everyone laughed except Edward, who had an enchanted gaze on his face.

"I'm sorry Alphonse, I don't have enough chairs." Mustang said as he placed a bowl of broccoli and a plate bread down.

"Don't worry I do not mind standing."

Roy took a fork and a knife and began to cut the chicken. "What piece would you prefer Ms. Rockbell?"

"I'll take the thigh and leg."

"And you Hawkeye?"

"Same."

After serving them Roy looked at Edward. "Fullmetal?"

Ed shook his head. "Serve yourself first." Mustang took a wing and a piece of the breast then handed the knife to Fullmetal. Ed set the knife down carefully, pulled plate of chicken to him elegantly and tore into that bird like there was no tomorrow.

"I guess you're hungry." Winry said, giggling.

Edward looked up to see all eyes on him. He swallowed his food. "Well, I've been

asleep for almost four days, you better believe I'm hungry." and he continued on biting

into the other wing.

"So it seems that you've almost completely recuperated." Hawkeye said as she took a scoop of steamed broccoli.

"Yeah, I feel much better… Actually, I feel fantastic." Edward replied stuffing his face. "And tomorrow night, I'm going to find out who is doing this and stop them."

Mustang looked up from his plate. He knew this was coming. "Edward… I can't allow you to go out. Not after what has already happened to you."

"That's not fair! If I go out at night, no one will see me!" Ed dropped his piece of chicken and glared at the Colonel who was seated across from him.

"I am not so much worried about you being seen..." Mustang said.

Ed knew what he was hinting at and it made him furious. "I can take care of myself. I just underestimated my opponent." He looked down at his furred hand and flexed it until the long black claws emerged. "I will defeat him this time…"