Alchemist Chronicles

Chapter 3 - Clovers and Skyscapers

Almost a week later (from the ending to the previous chapter)

Recovering from her head injury and still lying in the hospital bed, Marisol stares at the ceiling. 'What's gonna happen to me? Where will they send me? I'm so scared!' She says to herself as she covers her face with her door to the room opens up.

Joanne - "Of course. I'll tell her. Thank you sir." She walks in and closes the door behind her. Ari sits up, hands at her sides and looking at the nurse. "Well Ari, I have some good news to tell you. You are gonna be released tomorrow afternoon. There is a woman who has agreed to take care of you since we've haven't had any luck in contacting your guardian(s),"

Ari nodds her head. "What's the lady's name?" "Patience, Ari." Jojo replies, leaving Marisol with a confused look on her face.

The Next Day

The morning sunlight enhances the white colored walls in the room, practically blinding Marisol when she wakes up. Groaning, trying to cover her eyes from the brightness with the bedsheet, The nurse walks in. "Good morning Marisol. My its awfully bright in here." "Please don't remind me, Jojo." Joanne giggles at Ari's groggy response. "It's time to get up honey, come on." As she yanks the sheet off of Ari. "Yes ma'am." Marisol replies, getting off of the bed.

The afternoon came more quickly then Ari expected. Nervousness was the only word she could think of when Joanne left the room to go meet up Marisol's new foster mom. 'I wonder if she will like me. Will she be just like the others. Darn it Ari, don't think like that. She might not be like them, give her a chance at least' She sighs. 'Maybe it won't be so bad.' she tells herself as she's staring at the door.

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Roy - "Are you sure you want to do this, Madam?"

Chris - "Why not? Are you questioning my ability to raise a young child. After all I did raise you didn't I?" She says, looking straight at him. He smirks and nodds his head. Before he could say anything else, Joanne walks up to them.

Jojo - "Are you ready, Ms. Mustang. The young lady is ready to meet you." Chris nodds and follows the nurse. When they reach the room. "Stay outside of the room, Roy-boy. I'll call you in if I feel like it." He softly scrowls at her and she chuckles at his reaction. Jojo opens up the door a little. "Right this way, Ms. Mustang. She's waiting." The two women enter the room.

[Marisol's P.O.V]

As I watched the door opened up, both of my legs started shaking like crazy. I kept telling myself 'Stay calm, calm down Ari.' but it didn't work. Jojo was the first to come in (my legs stopped shaking at this point) with the lady right behind her closing the door and then the both of them looking straight at me.

[End of P.O.V]

Jojo -"Marisol, This is Chris Mustang. She will be your guardian for the time being until we are able to find your original caretakers.

Marisol - "Hello Ms. Mus-" "Just call me Chris, kiddo. Hi, it's nice to meet you too." They shake hands. "My name is Marisol Rambo, but you can call me Ari, Chris." She says as she similes at her. Chris similes back and nodds her head. "Are you ready to go?" "Yup." As she grabs a bag from on top of the bed. Joanne opens the door for them.

Chris walks out first with Ari right behind. When she walks out, she turns her head to see Roy standing next to the door. "This is my nephew Roy, Roy Mustang. Don't mind his costume though, Ari." Roy glares at her and she glares right back. "It's my military uniform, not a halloween costume, Chris." "Could of fooled me, Roy-boy."

Ari can't help but crack a simile. She then looks up at him. She flinches when he looks down at her. Pointing up at him, she says. "He's so frickin' tall! He's like a skyscaper or sumthin!" She quickly flies behind Chris. "He's gonna fall on me and crush me!" They all laugh.

A year later: In Gruman's office

Gruman - "I take it that everything is going along finely." Ari nodds her head. "She's behaved better than my nephew did at her age." Chris replies, then continues. "Who ever had her before raised her well." Ari looks at the other side of the room, scrowling at those past memories. "Ari." Chris says as she puts a hand on her shoulder. Ari similes back at her.

Leaving the room, Chris wraps her arms around Marisol. "Sorry kiddo." "It's not you, ya know. You've been nothing but a blessing to me. It's them that treated that way. So please don't say sorry about that anymore, Chris." "Sure Ari."

They make it back to the car to head home. Before he starts the car, Riza speaks. "So I heard that you won at your recent trip to the casino-. Roy interrupts her. "Yeah. She's one hell of a clover I picked up off the street, eh Madam?" Chris hits him on the back of the head. "She's not a DAMN plant Roy!" "Alright, alright, jeez, sorry!" Both Riza and Ari laugh.

1913: Ari; age 13

3 months: Is how long Marisol had disappeared for the first time. Taken, kidnapped and held against her will by a psychopath. Riza, Roy and Chris (who holding one of Ari's hands) are in the hospital. Waking up in the hospital, the first person Marisol sees is Roy.

Roy - "Hey kiddo, its alright. We're here, don't worry." "R-Rory." Tears already streaming down her face. If Roy's heart could break apart anymore, hearing her say his name completely devastated his soul. "Adam." She whispers, looking up at Roy, who then looks at Riza who has the same shocked, heartbroken face as he does.

1914: Ari; age 14

1 month: Is how long she was is missing for after her second abduction. Falman and Fuery were driving over to the bar, when they spotted her limping, trying to walk in the same direction that they were going. Walking her to their car and taking her to Roy's house. A broken ankle and a discolated shoulder, as well as cuts and bruises across her arms and legs. When she wakes up in the morning, Roy is standing in the doorway of the room and Riza is sitting beside her, he hears her say his name again. "Adam."

After The Promised Day: 3 months later

Both Chris and Marisol are in Fuhrer Gruman's office.

Chris - "Gruman, we need to talk."

Gruman - "Well this is a surprise to see you two in here so suddenly. Alright, so what do you want to change your name to, little missy?"

Ari and Chris look at each other confused and surprised. "How'd you know?"

Gruman smirks. "Because I'm the Fuhrer, young lady... So let's hear it."

Marisol takes a deep breath. "Janine." She says.

"Mustang." Chris adds in. Ari looks at Chris, surprised by her words. "I would like to adopt her Fuhrer Gruman." Ari brings her both of her hands to her face, tears already forming at the corner of her eyes.

Gruman similes and laughs. Then he opens up one of his drawers and pulls out a piece of paper and hands it to Chris. "Here, sign at the dotted line."

Closing the door to the Fuhrer's office. Janine is holding paper the her hand. She immediately pulls Chris into a hug. "Thank you. Thank you so much!" She says as she starts crying again. "I have a mom. I have a mom again!" She squeals happily, hugging Chris even more.

Chris - "Alright kiddo, alright." She says as she unwraps Janine's hands from her waist. "You don't realize how long I've dying to call you Mom, Chris." Those words alone melted Chris's heart. "Thank you, sweetheart." She says, pulling Janine into another hug.

Later that day at the Bar, Roy is sitting across from Madam Christmas. "So how did everything go?" Roy asks. "Hm..?" She replies. "I heard that you and Ari stopped by Gruman's office earlier today. Is everything okay?" He asks. She shruggs her shoulders. "I don't know, Roy-Boy. You tell me." As she places the adoption paper in front of him, next to his drink. He picks it up. "What the hell is this!" He jaw drops when he finishes reading it. "She won't stop calling me 'Mom'." She then laughs at his continued surprised reaction.

In his office the next day, Janine waits for him on his couch. He finally shows up and is by himself. "So Janine, what do we call each other? Kind of got used to the whole 'niece' and 'uncle' setup we had going on."

Janine - "Let's just leave that the way it is, Uncle Roy." "Alright if you say so, niece." They both of them burst out laughing. Then they each share caring simile with each other.

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{Flashback begins}

1915: 1 month before the Promised Day

{"He's gonna come back, I just know it." Ari says to Roy as she is sitting across from him, on the couch, in his office.

Roy sighs. "Listen." She looks up. "How about you take a vacation." She looks at him with a confused look.}

{Flashback ends}

1917 ~ Central, Amestris

Janine (17 years old) walks off the train holding a folder in her hand and a bag over her shoulder. Finally reaching Central headquarters, she enters. She is greeted by a few of the officers inside who immediately recognized her.

Soldier 1- "Well I'll be, Janine! Is that you?"

AJ - "Hey there. Yeah I'm back."

Soldier 2 - "You've grown taller kiddo."

AJ - "Well it's not like I can grow any smaller!"

They all laugh.

Soldier 1 - "So you are finished with a delivery already?"

AJ - She nodds. "Yeah. Liore is an interesting place. You should stop by if you haven't been there already."

Soldier 1 - "Well ok then. Should I let Roy know that you're on your way up?"

Janine nodds her head. "No it's fine, I wanna surprise him. ... Alright gentlemen, take care."

Both soldiers - "Yeah you too."

And with that she leaves and starts walking up the steps.

"Hey do you think that maniac is really gone for good?" One officer asks the other. "I don't know but she definitely looks a lot better than before."

She makes it to the door and knocks. Captain Havoc greets her at the door. "Hey there kiddo."

AJ - "Hey Jean, is Roy here?"

Havoc - "No, he stepped out at the moment. You could wait for him, if you want to."

AJ - "Cool, thanks." She says as she enters the room.

2nd Lieutenant Fuery, Captain Breda and Major Falman all stand up and greet her at the door.

"Hey Janine!" "How have you been?" "It's been awhile, kiddo."

AJ - "I'm good, thanks for asking."

Just then Colonel Armstrong enters the room and sees AJ there and yells. "OH HOW THE LOVELY JANINE HAS RETURNED TO US WITH HER PRESENCE!" With glitters and sparkles hovering all around him as he strikes a pose.

"Jeez Alex, you're making it sound like she's a princess or something." Havoc says. Everyone laughs.

Janine thanks Alex, just as Lieutenant General Roy Mustang walks in.

"Hey, its been awhile." She says.

"Huh?... wait JUST What in the Hell are you doing back here?!" he yells.

AJ - "What do you mean what am I doing back here. I came to see you dummy. Geez not even a "Hey hows it going" or "How are you? Are you feeling better?" or even "Wow you sure grew taller. Your not as short as you used to be."

Roy - "Are you freakin kidding me! You're still short!"

"That's not the point!" She sighs. "Anyway did you..."

"Yes I received your letter. Congrats by the way... So what brings you here anyway? I'm sure that wasn't the only reason you showed up unannounced."

She takes a deep breath. "What was that glowing red light about 3 years ago about? In and over Amestris?" Everyone, including Roy flinch at her question. Just then Colonel Riza Hawkeye enters the room.

Riza - "Oh hello Janine. How are you?"

"I'm feeling better. Thanks for asking." She replies as they give each other a hug.

"Janine...Don't worry about it." Roy says as she turns back around to face him again.

*Silence*

"So hows your friends up North doing?" he asks.

Scrowling at him since he changed the subject. "They're fine. Just naturally beautiful just the way nature intended them to be." she replies.

"Just be careful. Don't want any more 'accidents' like before, remember?"

"Of course I do." As she shows him the scar that the bite mark left behind on her hand as she walks over to his sofa to sit down.

Roy grunts a little. He then looks down at his desk, then back up at her. "Can you do me a favor?:"

AJ - "Hm? ..."

Before she can give him a direct answer, there's a knock at the door.

"Come in." Roy says.

When the door opens up, it's Maria and Denny.

Roy - "It's nice too see you two again Major Ross and Lieutenant Brosh."

Ross - "Hello General Mustang, it's good to see ag- JANINE!" she shieks as she sees AJ sitting on the couch.

"Hi!" She says as stands up to give her a hug.

Ross - "This is my comrade Denny Brosh." Introducing her to him. They exchange hellos and handshakes.

AJ then sits back down facing Roy again.

Roy - "So, how long are you staying in Central, Janine?"

AJ, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know for how long or when he's gonna send me out again."

Roy - "Do you at least have an idea of where you may be going?"

AJ - "No but... I'm kinda hoping that its Creta. Its been 8 years since I've seen Roxy and my other friends there. (sighing) But I am concerned about the whole border situation." He nodds as he understands her worries.

Roy - "Do you think he will hired a bodyguard again?"

AJ - "Most likely with what's going on over there. I just hope it's not that same guy as before. He was waaayy too creepy for my liking." Roy laughs at her comment. "I mean don't get me wrong he was nice to me and wasn't a perv ...for most of the time but his thick Drachmian accent was well... uncomfortable and intimitating." He nodds, waiting for her to continue.

AJ - "Anyway I need to get back to work, you should too ya know." Glaring at him.

Roy chuckles then says "Maybe you can tell me the rest later then when you get off of work." She rolls her eyes at him.

As she gets up and turns around, she asks both Maria and Denny to walk her over to her boss's office. They accept. Once they make it to the hallway, Janine turns back to Roy and says.

AJ - "Hey Roy... I'm glad that you got your eyesight back. I- I hated seeing you like that. Don't be so reckless again, kay."

Roy - "Sure kiddo."

She scrowls at him, pointing at him as well. "I mean it!"

He similes and grabs her hand, pulling into her into a hug. She hugs him back, similing as well. They part a minute later. She turns and starts walking away.

Roy - "Hey!" She stops, turning back to him. "Clover." He says, as he's grins at her.

Janine similes and says. "Skyscraper." Then turns back around to continue walking.

End of Chapter 3

Author's notes: She visited Table City back in 1916, but did not run into any of her past friends. Niko was her bodyguard for the trip. He is of both Drachma and Creta decent, but does have Amestrian citizenship.