Alchemist Chronicles

Chapter 4 - New Eyes, Old Faces

1913, Roy's office, Central Headquarters

(Rain falls down)

Marisol is sitting on a couch. Tears are in her eyes as she has been crying for a while.

Soldier - "Sir, I brought her here just as you requested."

"Very well, thank you soldier."

As Roy enters the room, Riza is already in there talking to Ari.

"How is she?" He asks.

Riza whispers in one of the little girl ears, at the same time she is bringing her knees up to cover her face.

Riza then stands up and steps outside of the room with Roy.

She sighs. "A child her age should be happy and free, not scared and abused."

Roy sighs as well and then whispers something. Riza nods and the both of them head back inside of the room.

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1917 ~ Arriving in...

A man is walking through a sandstorm with 2 people behind him.

The sandstorm subsides a few moments later upon them reaching the outskirts of Liore.

"It looks like we made it, Gentleman." Al says

"Its about time." Jerso replies

"Phew, Thank goodness. Now if only we stop by somewhere to get something to eat?" Says Zampano.

Jerso - "Seriously dude, We just got here."

Zampano puts his head down. "But I can't help it when I'm..."

"Guys... GUYS! Stop!" Al says. As they noticed nobody around.

"Well I'll see you guys at the restaurant in town. Don't worry I'll save a seat for you." Zampano says nervously.

Jerso - "Hang on there Zampano, Let's not split up."

"Yeah I agree." Al says. Then he notices something. "Where is everybody at anyway?" As he looks around.

Jerso - "You know Al, I was just thinking the same thing." Just as he was about to say something, they hear a noise coming from the distance.

At the corner of a building, a young child sticks their head around the corner.

"Hey there. We're not gonna hurt you." Al says as he moves closer. The boy then takes off running.

"Hey wait! Stop!" All three say in unison.

After a few minutes of chasing the boy, they follow him to an alleyway where he is now cornered.

AL - (panting) "Alright listen, we only want to help you. Don't be scared please."

Then Jerso and Zampano finally catch up.

Zampano - "Damn brat."

Jerso - "We are strangers to him after all."

The little boy begins to cry.

Jerso -"Jeez Zampano, you scared him with your hideous face."

Zampano -"I'm the scary one? Have you looked into a mirror lately?"

With them arguing in the background, Al decides to approach the boy more closely. As Al is just a few feet away, the little boy stops crying and takes something out of his pocket. Holding it in the air, Jerso and Zampano realize what it is.

"Al get back! That's a grenade he's holding!" They all immediately step back.

Before any of them could say anything, the little boy rips the piston off and tosses it near them and climbs over the fence just as the grenade goes off, a thick fog forms.

Once the smoke clears up, they realize that the little boy is gone.

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1917 ~ Milos, Creta

After spending 3 months in Creta, Edward is ready to leave after learning some interesting things, especially about their advancement in 'flying machines' as Ed calls 'them'. Back in the Valley of Milos, which is just below Table City, Ed is about to head back home.

"So Ed, as a token of gratitude, we have some gifts made by the local children here as a thank you." Vatenen says.

"Thanks, it means alot."

"Oh and Edward, before you go, can you give this to Miss Winry for me?" Gonzales says. He then hands Ed a envelope.

Ed - "Sure I'll give it to her when I see her again." Before he turns completely around, he says. "Mr Gonzales, Vatenen, take care."

Both - "You too Edward."

Ed then broads the train. After waving goodbye to his friends, he sits in his seat and sighs before falling asleep.

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1917, Central, Amestris

Finally making to her boss's office. Maria places her hand on Janine's shoulder before she could enter. "Y-You work for the FUHRER!" Janine similes. "Yeah, didn't Roy tell you?" Maria nodds her head. Janine knocks. "Come on in, Segeant Rambo." Gruman yells, startling Janine. "I hate it when he does that." she whispers before she opens the doors. Maria and Denny simile. "Hello, Fuhrer Gruman. I just got back from my uncle's office. Sorry if my plant legs gave me away, from sticking out from under your door." She says as she walks in.

Gruman starts laughing to her teenaged humor, relaxing himself a moment later. "Hello to you too Janine. Here take a seat." She sits. Waving hi to both Ross and Brosh, he turns his attention back to Janine, as they close his office door behind them. "Now, with the jokes aside, I have another delivery mission for you coming up soon."

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Central, Amestris

Once off of the train, Ed heads straight the nearest phone. He dials, seconds later it rings.

"Rockbell Automail of Rush Valley. Hello this is Winry. How can I help you?"

"Hey Winry."

"Ed? Is that you?"

"Yeah it is."

(Sighs) "It's about time you called me back, I was starting to worry. What did you break now! I SWEAR YOU BETTER HAVE NOT DAMAGED..."

"That's NOT WHY I'M CALLING! I SWEAR!"

She stands there confused, then yawns. "Well this is a surprise?"

Ed -"Seriously Winry?"

She laughs then says "I'm just messing with ya Ed. I'm glad that you called ... I miss you."

He blushes, as one of his hands starts rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah I miss you too."

Win - "So when are you coming home?"

Ed - "Soon, I'm in Central right now."

They speak for several minutes

Ed - "Uh huh... Yeah. Alright Winry... See you soon... Ok... Bye."

He hangs up the phone and sighs, similing.

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Lior

Al - "What. Just. Happened?"

Jerso and Zampano just stare at each other.

"AL!" Rose yells, running towards them. She stops just a few feet away, panting, trying to catch her breath as Al, Jerso and Zampano walk over to her.

Al - "Rose, what happened? What's going on." She looks up.

Sitting at the stand, Rose and the Stand Owner began to tell them what happened.

Rose - "A few weeks ago, I first ran into one of them on my way back from the orphange. He came out from one of the alleyways. I wasn't attacked or robbed, just startled by the sudden surprise. Then the child just ran off, back into the alleyway."

Stand Owner - "Yeah, well it was quite the opposite for me, some of my stuff was stolen. Not money or valuables, just food."

Jerso - "Just food?" The Stand Owner nodds his head.

Rose - "But then its gets weirder." The three men look at her confused.

Stand Owner - "A few days ago, there were a few of them walking on the outskirts of town. I'm absolutely certain that one of them was a suit of armor."

Al, Jerso and Zampano, are all surprised and stunned.

Stand Owner - "Yeah. And here I thought you were the only freak I saw wearing an armor, Alphonse."

Al - "I wasn't wearing it as some sort of costume." Al says turning his head away, scrowling.

Rose - "He didn't mean to hurt your feelings Al."

Al - "Yeah, yeah. I know, I know."

Zampano - "Anyways, now that we've been told of what's going on here. I think that we should make a plan, even if it just seems like pranks. If they are stealing stuff as well..."

Jerso - "We need to catch them in the act. Any ideas, Alphonse?"

Al - "Well, I'm not that great when it comes to setting traps in the way that I think we need but my brother I'm sure wouldn't mind helping us out though."

Rose - "Where is Edward at anyway, Alphonse?"

Al - "Probably in Central. That's what he told me when I last spoke to him over the phone. He was stopping there before he planned on heading back home. " He stands up. "Well, I'm ready to head there now. Let's split shall we." Looking at both Zampano and Jerso. They nodd, standing up as well. They pay for their meals and leave.

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Central

Edward decides to walk around near of Central Headquarters. He then sees Maria and Denny out in front of the building. "HEY!" He shouts at them, grabbing their attention.

Maria - "Is that Ed?"

Denny - "No way! The Ed we know is short!"

Ed - "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SMALL!"

Maria - "It is him! Hi Edward!" She says as pulls him into a hug. After they part, Ed handshakes Denny.

Denny - "What are you doing here? I thought you quit the military? Like what one, no two years ago?"

Ed - "I did. I'm just stopping by the old neighborhood. Just got back from Creta."

Both - "REALLY!" "How was it?" asks Denny.

Maria - "Wait." They both look at her. "Let's go inside and finish catching up." Both nodding their heads.

Once inside, Ed is bombarded with questions by other officers who remember him and he decides to chat with them for a bit, Maria and Denny decide to head up to Roy's office.

Panting after walking up all those steps, finally making it to the corridor that leads to Roy's new office since his promotion to Major General. 'Damn that bastard ...and those steps' he says to himself. As he begins walking in the direction to the room, he stops once he hears a door opening, hiding behind a wall before he turned at the corner. Looking around the corner, he sees a girl walking out of the room with Maria, Denny and Roy right behind her.

Then he hears the girl say. "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." This immediately surprises Ed. 'Does she know about everything that went down on The Promised Day or is she an outsider.'

Roy replies "Sure kiddo." Then Ed sees her scrowling, pointing at Roy. "I mean it!" She replies. 'So she knows him that well, huh' Ed smirks to himself. then Ed sees Roy grabbing her and pulling her into a hug. She hugs him back briefly before separating and walking away.

Ed hears Roy yelling "Hey!" She stops and then turns around. "Clover." Roy says to her. 'So she's his so called good luck charm that he wouldn't shut up about on that damn mission several years ago?' Ed tells himself.

Ed then notices that Roy is grinning at her. She then similes back and says. "Skyscraper." Turning his head away from the side of the corner, he hears walking, assuming that it's her and then a door closing. 'Wait? is she talking about his height or his ...? That FUCKING PERVERT! She looks like she could be 15 or maybe even 16?' Bringing one of his hands to underneath his chin, he then shakes his head. 'Nope. Don't even think about it anymore, Ed. And quit talking to yourself. Dammit!'

Ed straightens himself out and turns the corner. Standing out in front of the door, he looks up at the name plate up on the wall. "Major General Roy Mustang" is reads. 'Cocky bastard even has his name on wall.' He chuckles to himself, then he knocks.

Colonel Hawkeye opens the door. She similes when she sees him. "Hey there Edward. How's it going?"

Ed sacastically says. "Just peachy and breezy as always Captain Hawkeye."

Roy - "Let him in Hawkeye." She moves to the side so he can walk in, which he does willing. Ed walks over and sits on the couch. "Well, well look at what Creta threw back into Amestris and tossed it onto my doorstep." Ed glares at him and Roy returns the favor, glaring back at him as well.

Ed - "Of course I came back here. Wouldn't miss the chance to see General Bastard here in his new miniskirt uniform."

Alex - "EDWARD ELRIC! HAVE YOU NO RESPECT FOR YOUR FORMER COMMANDER IN CHIEF!" Startling Ed, who turns his head to face Armstrong.

Havoc - "Big guy's right Ed. Can't come in here acting like an asshole anymore. You are a civillian, not an officer."

Ed - "Fine alright, alright, I'm sorry." He says, grinning as he turns his head back to face Roy.

Riza - "So how was your trip to Creta, anyway Edward?"

Ed - "Ok, I guess. Couldn't really go anywhere with tensions still as high as ever. Farthest I ever made it too was the south of Brunswick(New Jersery) to the north of Kingslyn(Brooklyn, New York) thanks to a chick named Roxy, (Both Roy's and Riza's eyes open wide when they hear Ed say her name) who I met when I was... Hey! Are you even listening to me?" He asks when he notices Roy's eyes are staring down at something on his desk.

Mustang then looks up and faces Hawkeye, telling her. "Colonel, you are excused." "Yes Sir." she salutes and replies, only to leave the room a few seconds later. "You didn't finish telling me about your recent trip, Ed. Go on, continue."

Sitting there confused, Ed rolls his eyes and continues. "Anyway so when I was in Table City, Julia introduced me to a girl she knew, her name was Roxy. Said that she was from Schuykill Falls, had recently moved to Table City to look for an old friend of hers named Ari. Ari was the name Roxy gave me. Said that if she helped me with getting into a few cities in Creta, that I would help find her friend for her. Equivalent Exchange. So do you or have you heard of anyone named Ari, Mustang?"

Roy couldn't stop laughing once the laugh started when Ed finished. With one of his hands over his face and finally calming himself down, he takes a deep breath. Everyone else but Ed, is either surprised or confused. "Well if it isn't a small world after all."

End of Chapter 4

Author's notes: Since Bradley used Winry against Ed and Riza against Roy, Roy decided to keep Ari in the shadows not only to protect her but she doesn't know anything about the homunculi, chimeras or the promised day. Sorry if any of you get confused about anything. It will all be explained better in due time. So please be patient.