Alchemist Chronicles
Chapter 8 - Uncertainty Futurity
1914, Central
{This takes place after Ari's second kidnapping}
Bradley calls the Flame Alchemist; Roy Mustang to his office.
Bradley - "Good Morning Colonel Mustang."
Roy - "Good Morning Fuhrer King Bradley, sir."
Bradley - "I'm gonna skip over any and all basics. (He pauses briefly) In a slums called Guud, just past East City, I've been receiving intel about several maverick alchemists living there. This is also the spot where the missing children were first reported back in 1902. Do you remember the name: Adam Wilson, Colonel."
Roy replies "Yes sir." 'Don't bring (her) up'
Bradley puts a hand to his chin. "You know. I can't help but wonder of what became of that little girl (Roy - 'Damn It!') he held captive for those few moments. Do you know where she is, Mustang?"
Roy -'Fuck.' "No, sir. Would you like for me to look into her current whereabouts?"
Bradley waves his hand. "That won't be necessary. I can look into it myself. However one of those alchemists in Guud is said to be in possession of a certain red stone." Roy looks at Bradley shocked. "I need you and four others to investigate it. Do not take Hawkeye with you, but be sure to include Fullmetal in your party when you go there. His height may be useful when traveling through Guud. That is all. You are dismissed." Roy respectfully salutes and leaves.
Making it back to his office, he enters. Sighs of relief could be heard once he opened the door. Each one talking to him, over lapping the each other's voices.
Finally making it to his seat and sitting, he starts. "I've been assigned with another mission. And of course the main person that was requested for the mission isn't here ye-"
Ed bursts through the door shouting. "Hi ya Bastards and Hawkeye! Did anyone miss me?"
Roy lightly groans. "Have a seat FullMetal. Did you forget the report again like last time?" He asks.
Ed - "Nope. Here you go Mr. Bastard." He says, placing the folders on his desk. Then helps himself to the couch.
Roy - "You have a new mission coming up. And yes it will be a team effort. I will be joining you as well as Breda and Havoc. We are all ordered to inspect Guud, which is past East City. According to Bradley, there are several rebellious alchemists living there. I don't know what they capable of but I won't take any chances."
Ed - "So we have to babysit them is what you're saying."
Ignoring Ed and continuing. "One of them is said to be in possession of a red stone. (Ed looks at Roy surprised) So regardless if you want to follow orders or not, the Fuhrer recruited you for this mission himself, Edward." Ed frowns.
Ed sighs. "Alright, well did he say anything else?"
Roy - "Actually his exact words were 'be sure to include Fullmetal in your party when you go there. His height may be useful when traveling through Guud.' " Ed glares at him. "Quit it Ed! I'm not the one who said it!" He sigh afterward. "Anyway, he then asked me about a plant during a part of the conversation as well." He says while looking at Hawkeye.
Riza looks back at him and asks. "And what did you respond with, about 'said' plant?"
Roy - "The hell if I knew what he was talking about. Damn weirdo." Everyone but Ed smirks at Roy's answer.
Ed - "Like you're one to talk." They glare at each other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(SS)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prior to the train ride, Roy decides that it would be best for all of them to wear civilian clothing for the mission. Arriving at East City and then traveling by car to make it to Guud, they make it there right at the break of dusk. Finding a place to eat and finding the inn soon afterward.
In the morning, with a better view of the city, the group notices a lot of small tunnels and passageways throughout the city while standing on top of a cliff, which overlooks the city below.
Ed sarcastically says. "Ha-ha it's so funny. Send the short guy to the short village... Asshole Fuhrer." Everyone else chuckles.
Without a moment to spare, two separate alchemical transmutations occur on both sides of the city.
"Hey uh Colonel?" Ed asks. Roy replies. "Yeah I know. I saw it too." From there they split into two groups. Mustang and Breda go left and Ed and Havoc turn right.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(SS)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Walking down almost mile or so to where they had seen the second transmutation taking place, Havoc stops.
Ed - "Hey Havoc, is everything-" Havoc shushes him, then whispers. "I hear someone." Sounds coming from right around the corner, Havoc holds Ed against the wall, leaning against the wall himself as well. The sounds of two men talking in the distance. Little by little, the footsteps and voices move closer towards them. Then as quickly as it started, it quickly ends. Both the footsteps and voices fade far away from them. They both take a deep breath.
Havoc - "Let's get going, kid." He says as they start walking again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(SS)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Roy and Breda walk casually through the crowds of Guud. Both noticing the same two women walking back and forth. Before they even have a chance to decide whether or not if they wanted follow either of the two women, two men at each end of the street quickly grab both women, pulling them off to the side and around two separate buildings.
Both are still strolling along as everything pans out and within the hour they make it to the meadow, that is in the middle of the slums.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(SS)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Making their way through several different tunnels to which Havoc barely fit through some of them. Finally making it to the meadow and catching their breaths, Ed looks up and spots Roy and Breda on the other side. Havoc signals them.
Firecrackers and sparks break them out their silent communications. Many of the people from the village compile into a circle. Roy, Breda and Havoc all step back except Edward whose diverted attention is on the light forming around in middle of the circle. Two alchemist are standing there. Havoc grabs Ed forcefully, pulling him back before the transmutation gets anywhere near him.
Ed grunts and growls, trying to wiggle out of Havoc's hold on him. Ed breaks out of the hold and guns it for the transmutation circle. "Dammit ED!" Havoc yells. Ed quickly slices through each one of the Alchemist's gloves, stopping the transmutation and making them useless... or so he thought.
The Third Alchemist (who is wearing a hoodie that is covering his eyes) comes in rushing from around the corner snapping his fingers in Ed's direction, shooting a lighting bolt. Roy snaps his fingers as soon as he sees the other alchemist bring his hand up, catching the attack before it reaches FullMetal.
When the smoke settles, the enemy reaches for Ed, grabbing him by the neck. People near both of them run away, fearing for their own safety.
"Edward!" Breda and Havoc yell. "FullMetal!" Flame yells.
With his automail arm still with the shape of a metal blade, he stabs the alchemist in the stomach. He tosses Ed and clutches his wound. He then seals it closed using the red stone on a ring which is on his finger when he removes his glove to reveal it.
Ed catches his breath, looking up, he smirks when he sees it. 'There it is. Looks just like Cornello's.' He says to himself. Havoc, Breda and Roy rushed over to Ed. Helping him up, Roy notices a bruise on the side of his neck. Ed then faces the Alchemist. "Hey Bastard!"
The Alchemist fixes his posture and puts the glove back on. Walking slowing towards the group, remarking. "I was expecting more from the self-proclaimed."... "Hero of the People."
Ed - "Come closer and show you what the Hero of the People can really do!"
The Alchemist smirks and replies. "Quick sparks coming from a tiny flint."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING TINY, ASSHOLE!" Ed replies loudly, startling Roy, Havoc, Breda and several other people with the volume of his voice. "Tell me your name!"
The Alchemist smirks. The other two alchemists walk over and stand next to him. "I Said Tell Me Your Name!" Ed yells. The three alchemists then form into a triangle and activate an array using each of their gloves. Sparks of lighting bars and firewalls, as well as solid icicles form around the three Alchemists.
Ed and the gang, as well few other people near them run or back away from the tri-barrier. Roy snaps his fingers, Ed creates spikes and other assorted ground-based weapons to attack the shield. Both Havoc and Breda pull out their guns, firing away as the barrier was expanding, seconds later it stops.
Breaking it down, little by little, the shield cracks. Streaks of cracks, line all across the barrier as it starts falling apart. Collapsing completely, a thick fog forms and elopes the surroundings. When the fogs settles, all three alchemists are gone.
Several people approach them. A man is the first to speak. "Why?" He asks them. "Huh?" Ed replies. Before he has a chance to say anything, Roy asks. "May I ask which one of you is in charge of this place?" A more muscular man than the one before steps forward.
The man replies. "I am. Why did you intervene? They promised to return our wives and children to us and now? What will he do them?"
Havoc asks. "Why did he take the women and kids in the first place?" The man and several others explain that back in 1902, they noticed kids started disappearing, then an alchemist who was wearing a red ring showed up 3 years after that and it all stopped... until.
"What happened next?" Roy asks. The man continues. "You see. This is slums. So we all don't have a lot of money. Mr. Marcello requested something in exchange if we wished for him to continue to protect the village."
"So his answer was both women and children?" Breda asks.
"Not at first, no." The man replies.
Ed - "This Marcello guy. Did he tell any of you where he got that ring at?" Every one of them nodd their head.
Roy - "Does anyone know where he may keep any of them at? Me and my friend here (pointing to Breda) did see two women walking through the crowded streets earlier."
The men start bombing the two with questions. "What did she look like?" "How old or young did she look?" They explain what the ladies looked like, the men lose what little hope they started to have.
Breda - "So none of you know where any of the women may be at?" All of the men from the village nodd their heads.
On the train ride back to Central, Ed throws his hands up and asks. "I just don't get it!"
Roy - "What did you not get. Their hands are tied. So they really can't really do anything without a risk of that Marcello guy doing something to the women and children, Edward."
Ed leans back in his chair and sighs. "It just sucks that we can't do anything to help them."
Havoc - "We all know how you feel kid."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(SS)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1916, Central
After being released from the hospital, Ross and Falman escort AJ to Roy's office. They knock and Colonel Hawkeye lets them in.
Ross - "Major General Mustang, we've brought Ms. Rambo here as you requested, sir."
Roy - "Thank you Lieutenants Ross and Falman. The both of you can leave now." They respectfully salute and leave, closing the door behind them. "Sit Janine." AJ sits down on the sofa. "Tell me everything."
AJ - "When I was about to get on the train that would of taken me back to East City after I just delivering a package for the Fuhrer in Womiob, there was a little boy who asked for my help. So I figured since I have some spare time, why not? But I naively got into a little situation near Guud though."
Roy, surprised and upset, shouts. "Damn It Janine! I told you not to go there!
AJ - "I just told I didn't go in there, I was only near there, you idiot!" (He told her about Guud before she went on her delivery as a precaution) She takes a deep breath. "I helped three of the women escape, ok? No I didn't ask any of the women any questions about the others whereabouts."
Roy - "It's not ok. You could of gotten hurt or even..."
AJ - "But I'm right in front of you now, aren't I?" He sighs. "Besides ... One of my friends was with me. It's kind of how this happened." She looks down at the bite mark on her hand. Just as Roy is about to say something, she interrupts. "I freaked out okay! I didn't mean to. It's just ... an asshole had seen him."
Roy - "Explain."
AJ sighs. "He always has my back. So it just came naturally to have his. He didn't mean to bite me, ya know. I forgave him."
Roy - "Do you understand why I don't like it when you travel on your own. Because you're a kid, you don't-"
Already becoming annoyed and aggravated, AJ yells. "I know. I know. Alright. I'm a dumbass! You don't need to fucking say it!' She stands up and storms out the room. He stays seated, covering his face with his hands and sighing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(SS)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1917, Kingslyn, Creta
Ed and Roxy are walking down the street, when she asks. "So how long have you've known your Winry?"
Ed blushes and smirks. "I've known her my whole life. We grew up together."
Roxy - "Awww. That's so ... typical. (He lifts an eyebrow at her) Seriously, if you really want to do it right. Make it so its all about her. That she was on your mind the entire time. Name at least one thing that she has done that either impressed you or had pissed you off."
Ed stops walking, putting his chin on top of his closed hand. Roxy stops as well, shortly afterward. "She always impresses me, so I can't just pick one. But there was this one time she'd pissed me off when she had opened up my state pocket watch without my permission. I mean she only did it because that mechanic side of herself wanted to see the way it worked."
"Ah Ha!" Roxy says as she points to him. "That's it. That is what you can do. Use this as a idea. Put her ring inside of it, so when she asks to look at your new watch, she may think that its broken and may ask you to fix it." Ed smiles at the idea.
He then frowns. "Na. Never mind. It'll never work... or will it?" Ed says, standing there looking confused. Roxy laughs at his reaction.
Roxy - "Eddie, my homeboy (patting him on the back) Just go for it." Then they continue walking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(SS)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1917, Shangdao, Xing
After finishing a training lesson with May earlier that day, he walks to the room where May and her family are waiting, Al respectfully knocks on the screen. May stands up and opens it for him.
They both smile when they see each other. May wraps her arms around his waist and hugs him. Al immediately hugs her back. He looks down at her and she looks up, gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. Her mother clears her throat breaking them both out their glances.
Stepping away from each other a little, May (15 years old) moves to the side and says. "Come on in Alphonse-san. Have a seat."
Alphonse (17 years old) replies. "Thank you May." She blushes as he passes by her and takes a seat at the table. Her mother guides her to the opposite side of the table.
With her mother at one end, grandmother on the other. May's mother Eileen Chang begins. "So Alphonse-san. My daughter May has told me alot of nice things about you. I want to thank you helping her out a few years ago on The Promised Day. We, as her family are in your gratitude." Her and everyone including May respectfully bow at Alphonse.
Al puts his hands up and says. "P-Please don't worry about it! It was my pleasure. May helped me, my brother and many of my other friends on that day. So thank you as well." He returns the respectful bow.
Eileen - "I thank you for respecting the greetings of our culture, but I must ask you respect every other part of our culture as well. Meaning I cannot allow my daughter to continue to train or to enter into a relationship with someone that isn't of Xingese heritage or someone that doesn't have her entire family approval. (He tries to say something, but she stops him) Even if the young man is of Xerxesian descendant. (Al sighs)
May's older brother Jiang Chang - "I want you to understand Al that if my little sister backs out of her arranged marriage to Mao Xianyong and courts you instead. She may be exiled from Xing, her and any of her future children will never be allowed to return to Xing."
Al looks down and sighs. Taking a deep breath after looking back up at them, he says. "I understand. I'll respect your family wishes."
Both (Eileen and Jiang) - "Thank you for understanding, Alphonse." With enough said, they excuse him. He stands up and leaves, deciding not to look in May's direction when he does.
End of Chapter 8
Author's Notes: Yes: the first part (Guud scenes) does take place during the Brotherhood series. No: that is not it for it. It'll just continue on at a later time.
Ari's/AJ's friend will be revealed soon, so please be patient.
Yes: Roxy was the one introduced the idea to Edward, even though he did make some minor adjustments to 'said' idea.
Since I am not of Chinese descent, It is of great importance to me that I still respect the culture. Yes: At that time in history, Chinese women were not allowed to pick a partner, instead they were obligated by both families to an arranged marriage. Since Xing is Ms. Hiromu Arakawa's version of China, I am only following the rules. Doesn't mean certain things I will/won't change here and there in the future.