The Urban meaning of Maverick is someone who doesn't play by the rules that were created by others. They cross boundaries and lines without remorse or fear but their actions get results regardless.
When The Metatronic Stone is near The Philosopher's Stone, one of two things will happen. If the Philosopher's Stone(s) are stronger, it will absorb the Metatronic Stone completely, creating a new, different type of stone. (We'll get to that named stone at a later chapter in the series) The other is if The Philosopher's Stone is weaker, then The Metatronic Stone can destroy it without any damaging itself.
Alchemist Chronicles
Chapter 29 - Maverick Minds
The next day, Al and Ed decide to stop by the Command Center in the afternoon and drop by Roy's office. Knocking on the door, it opens a little bit. The both of them peek in and look around. "Do you see anyone, brother?" "No, you Al?" "No, I don't either." They whisper to each other. While the brothers are debating on whether or not to enter the office. Janine and Roy spot them from down the hall. She slowly sneaks up on them, stopping right behind them.
Janine pokes Ed in his back roughly and yells. "BOO!" "AHHH!" The brothers yell in terror. Al catches himself on the door but Ed falls face first. Janine bursts out laughing. "HAHAHA! Y'all's faces were priceless!" She continues. The two brothers look at her with an annoyed expression.
Once they settle themselves into the room, Ed asks Roy. "So since your assessment is tomorrow, do you have an idea of what you'll be doing? Of course I'm sure you've probably been wanting to fight me again but unfortunately due to the circumstances-" "I might just ask Al to take your place." Roy adds in. "You wouldn't dare to ask my little brother in front of me," Ed replies in a tone. Roy then turns to look at Al. Ed stands up immediately, glaring at Roy.
AJ - "Watch it, Elric."
Ed turns quickly around to look at AJ, who is glaring back at him. Roy and Al start chuckling. Ed smirks then ask AJ. "So Janine, let me ask you this. Do you know why there aren't any female state alchemists?"
AJ - "You're asking me a question that the both of us already know the answer to? That's just pointless, Ed."
Ed - "Well I'll just rephrase my question then. What if someone takes away your gun, your knife or any weapon that you carry? How will defend yourself then, huh?"
AJ folds her arms together. "Just what makes you so sure that someone would be able to take my weapon away from me? (She leans forward a little) Care to test your question out, Fullmetal?" AJ and Ed stare at each other for a few minutes. Roy and Al are both trying to contain their laughter.
AJ - "You don't have to cover it up that you are concerned with whether or not if you think I can't protect Al when he's in danger. Next time, just ask me the real question instead of wasting everyone's time." AJ rolls her eyes as turns her attention back and finishes the paperwork on her desk. Ed sighs and takes a seat on Roy's sofa.
After a few minutes, Ed tells Roy. "I just- I don't Al to get hurt if he fights you, Mustang." Roy looks at Ed and tells him. "I'm not fighting your brother, Edward."
Al - "So then, what are you doing?" A thought comes to Al's mind right afterward. He turns to look at AJ who winks at him causing him to blush.
Roy - "Al." He looks back at Roy. "Don't worry about it. I'll pass it nonetheless."
Ed - "Jeez, you're still that full of yourself?" Roy smirks and chuckles while finishing up a few documents on his desk.
When the day is over, Roy brings his car to the front. Before AJ opens the door, she turns back to look at Al. "Since Hawkeye can't leave Central at the moment, I'll be taking her place up in North City regarding the General. Don't worry. I should be back in Central tomorrow night at the earliest but if not, definitely the following morning, Al." She smiles at him.
He walks down the steps and pulls her into a hug. She hugs him back, smiling. Pulling back to look up at him. Al smiles as he's looking down at her. "Sounds like a plan then." He kisses her on the cheek, causing her face to turn pink and then holds open the door for her. They wave bye to each other as the car pulls away.
Ed asks Al. "So does May know that you're dating someone?" Staring at Ed with a stern expression. "I don't need May's permission to date, anyone. Especially since she's so quick to cheat on her fiance. You can't blame to wanting my distance after the stunt she'd pulled."
Al starts to walk away but Ed grabs his shoulder. "Talk to me, what did she do?" Al looks away from his brother, briefly. "She- She kissed me at your wedding, brother." Ed lets go of his shoulder and stares at him in shock. "She- She was being selfish, Ed. All she kept saying was me, me, me. I don't know how I feel about her anymore." "And what about AJ?"
Looking at his brother with a smile. "She's so humble and down to earth. Her gratitude for learning something new and giving out the knowledge that's she's learned to not only help her become a better person but to be the change that she hopes for people to see the difference between the old Amestrian military to the new. And that's just the start of it. Don't even get me started on just how much of a unique individual she really is." Al smiles, chuckling a bit.
Ed smiles at his brother. "It sounds like she makes you happy." "She does." Ed places his hand on Al's shoulder. "Then let's head to North City." Al looks at his brother with astonishment. "Really, Ed! You Mean It!" Ed nods his head. "Yeah." As the both of them start walking, Al stops after realizing something. "Hey brother, how are we gonna get into the parade grounds? You aren't exactly with the military anymore." The both of them fail to realize a person standing behind them.
Win - "For starters, it would be nice for my husband to tell what he's up to."
Ed - "Yes well, Winry. That seems like..." Ed and Al stare horrified at each other. Slowly turning their heads, they put their arms up, bracing for the impact of the wrench. "Ed?" Winry asks him. "Y-Yes?" He slowly lowers his arm to look at his wife. "Why are you planning on taking off with your brother and not call me to tell me where you are going or invite me along? That wasn't the deal we made with our vows at our wedding!"
Making a flushed face, Ed clears his throat and straightens himself up, then walks over and pulls his wife into a hug. "You're right, Winry. I'm sorry. Let's all go together." Winry, who's still a little-pissed off, takes a sigh of relief then puts her arms around his waist and blushes.
Riza - "So all of you are heading up north as well?" Startling all of them, they turn around and look at Hawkeye. They also see Kain and Falman behind her.
Kain - "Me and Falman are on our way up there as well. If you guys want, you can come with us."
Falman - "We wouldn't mind the extra company."
Al excited. "You guys mean it! REALLY!" The both of them nod their heads.
Waving to them from the car at the train station, Hawkeye tells them. "Alright. Take care everyone." "You too, Colonel." Fuery and Falman salute to the Colonel.
Making it to North City, Al stops and feels the cold chill of the air against his face. Putting his hands up to his cheeks. "Wow. it's been so long since I could actually feel the cold air hitting my face." He says smiling. Everyone else smiles back at him.
Kain and Fuery immediately head for the North Command Center with the others following them the next morning. "Feeling nervous already, Edward?" Falman teases Edward.
Ed smirks and ignores it. "Naw. I'm just here to see someone else other than me kick his butt." "Wasn't it a tie the last time, Ed. After all, Bradley did stop the fight himself." Fuery chimes in. Ed stares at them with a 'warning glance'. The men burst out in laughter.
Making it to the parade grounds sometime later, Ed, Al, and Winry take their seats. "So did he say who he was fighting, Al?" Al nods his head(no). "I guess we'll see in a bit."
Shortly thereafter, they see Fuery and Falman walking with Roy and AJ onto the field. Then Roy's opponent walks forward as well. Ed then notices Olivier up in stand tower, looking over the fight. AJ, Fuery, and Falman then all move to the side of the area and over the small wall surrounding the field.
The announcer starts the introductions. "In the Red Corner, we have The Flame Alchemist from Central Headquarters, Roy Mustang!" Cheers and Boos are dispersed throughout the crowd of people. AJ sighs defeatedly. 'This is always so annoying' Al chuckles at AJ's expressions.
Announcer - "And in the Blue Corner, we have our newly appointed state alchemist this year. From South Headquarters, it's The Crystalized Alchemist, Oscar Lippman!" (His specialty is transforming things around him into a solid shape. (Ex: Dirt into Rocks which will eventually become Diamonds) Officers start to applaud him. Fuery nudges AJ to do the same. She groats and pouts but eventually claps. Once the applauding stops, the announcer continues. "Are the Alchemists ready?" Roy and Oscar nod their heads. "Get Set! Go!"
Roy starts it with a snap of his fingers, aiming a spiral of flames at his opponent. Encircled by the flames, Oscar claps his hands over the flames creating a stone hedge in front of him and then adding pressure to it, sending shards across the field, then creating more stoned pillars across the field. Snapping his fingers some more and destroying some the pillars that were near him. Just as he was about to snap his fingers at Oscar, Oscar uses this time to attract the pillars together, making them disintegrate once they touch each other, creating a dust cloud of dirt. Once the dust settles, Oscar is nowhere to be seen. AJ looks up and sees Olivier commanding other officers. She hears. "Look over there!" or "Check the perimeter! Now!" For Oscar.
Janine then looks back at Roy and spots a grand of sand forming into a spear-shaped weapon aimed at his back. She immediately jumps over the wall and runs over in between Roy and it. Reaching him and pointing her gun at it, it breaks apart and disintegrates in front of her once Roy turns around, noticing her presence behind him.
Olive - "Good eye, Rambo." Lowering her gun and lifting her head up to look at General Armstrong. "Well someone has to babysit him when she's not with him." She smirks at Oliver who smirks back at her. Roy gently smacks the back of her head. She looks back at him. "Smartass." He comments to her. "Jeez, that's the thanks I get for looking out for you?"
Olive - "Rambo and Mustang. Front and Center!" They both flinch and salute the General. "Set and Match. Right Now! The both of you!" Roy and Janine look at each other then back at Olivier.
Roy - "Here?" AJ asks. "Right Now?" Both of them pointing to the ground. "MOVE IT NOW!" They flinch again at the volume of her voice.
Before Janine starts to walk to the field, She looks up at Roy. "I trust you. Don't make Mom cry, k." she says with a pout. He nods his head. When she gets to the middle of the field, she turns, looking at Roy, facing him. He looks at her with the same seriousness. Lifting up his hand, getting ready to snap his fingers.
The barrier forms at the snap of his fingers. The flames surround her and the shield. Everyone who is unaware of their secret gasps at the thought of her death. Ed, Winry, and many others jump out of their seats. Al grabs his brother's arm. "Wait, brother. Watch" Ed and Winry look back at him with confusion.
Roy walks forward with confidence, as his flames settle on their own. reaching her and pulling her into a hug. She hugs him back, as the flames burn out. Cheers erupt throughout the stands. "I really hope no one wet themselves." She says. Roy chuckles at her remark.
The Metatronic Stone then senses The Philosopher's Stone. Blue Cloud tells Roy. "That Stone is nearby." AJ grabs her shaking arm. She looks up then spots the man holding it. "So it seems the stone has finally returned. And here I thought I was one of the many who believed it was just another myth. A legend, I suppose." "Marcello," Edward says.
He then turns his head when he sees Edward in the crowd. "It's been a while, Fullmetal. We didn't get to finish our battle the last we met. Let's finish our fight now then, shall we?" Marcello snaps his fingers, releasing the blue flames toward Ed, Winry, and Al. Before it reaches them, Ari places a barrier in front of them, taking the attack.
As a recoil, it affects her. She grinds her teeth, enduring the pain. Marcello then looks at AJ, who's glaring at him. "So it too is true of the distance barrier. Let's have a closer look, shall we?" He casually starts walking down the steps of the stands toward AJ.
Other people in the stands, run down the steps or jump over fences to get away. "Go on brother. Grab Winry and get out of here. I'll help them." "I'm not leaving without you," Ed replies. "I'm Not Giving You A Choice, I'm Telling You What I Want You To Do, Brother!" Al tells him. "Listen to Al, Ed. These aren't your battles anymore! LEAVE!" Roy adds in. Winry, who is holding his hand. "Let's go, Edward." She says as she's pulling him away. He unwillingly follows Winry to the exit.
Roy stands in front of AJ. "I suppose that you aren't here to tell us where you've been keeping those women and children at all this time, am I right?"
Marcello, who is still walking down the steps. "Why would I need any of those other women when the only female I need is here in front of me who is in the procession of The Metatronic Stone that I want."
Roy - "Like HELL I'll let you touch her!" Snap! Roy snaps his fingers in Marcello's direction. Marcello stops and counters with his own flames.
Marcello then takes out his Philosopher's Stone, facing towards AJ. "Let's see just how powerful your stone is!" The Philosopher's Stone glows brightly causing AJ's stone to react and glow brightly as well. AJ falls to her knees as her body trembles from the pain.
(Ari tells Hento Lonan. "I can't! I can't fight it!) ("You Must!" Hento Lonan tells her.)
Blue Cloud takes over, stands back up, placing her hands in front of her. Adding more of her power, she puts her hand together then separating them to create a flow of energy that forms into a sphere of constricted energy. Roy stands there in shock as well as Al and Marcello.
She aims her shot of energy directly at the other stone, destroying it and hitting Marcello as well. He screams in pain as he is thrown back onto the ground. Then they hear an explosion in the distance.
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As Edward and Winry are running away, she falls to her knees, panting and trying to catch her breath. "Hold (pant) on (panting) Edward." Turning his back to her, he says. "Hop on, I'll carry you." "Ed." She says as she looks back up. She then nods her head and wraps her arms around his neck and he grabs her legs. "Hold on tight, babe." Ed starts running. Not even several feet from where they just were, BOOM! An explosion happens.
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Marcello starts laughing as he starts to stand back up. "Wow. Just incredible. What beautiful power that is." He laughs again.
Blue Cloud - "Care to continue and meet your self chosen fate?"
Marcello laughs again shortly before he says. "How long can you hold that form until you require a new one? How many lives have you sacrificed just to prolong yours? Is this girl your newest Catalyst? I wonder if she knows about the deeper intentions and true misguided heart that formed into that abomination of a stone."
Blue Cloud - "YOU KNOW NOTHING! Spreading lies and deceptions of rumors and man-made tales, created about my past life. Don't speak of nothing you don't know the truth about!"
Marcello - "Oh my dear, no need to talk so poorly about the girl. If only the poor thing wasn't so weak-" AJ shoots him in the arm. He then yells in pain as he grabs his arm, trying to stop the bleeding.
AJ - "Don't call me weak. And especially don't call me useless!" Al looks at Roy as Roy looks back at him. "Stand down, Sargent." Roy orders. She puts her gun down and away, avoiding eye contact from both Roy and Al.
Marcello adds. "Just like a puppet. Always someone else pulling your strings, controlling your every move and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. It's shame really."
AJ stares petrified at his words. She then bites her lip and asks Marcello. "He's - He's still alive, ain't he?" Roy stares at Janine with a horrified expression. "Adam's Alive! Just tell me!" Marcello smirks. "Don't get too cared away. You're not the only girl he's scarred and spared." AJ, Al, and Roy all look at him with shock. Grinning from ear to ear, he also tells her. "In fact, I think that that explosion just gave him his newest victim."
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When Ed comes too, the dust cloud is covering his vision. Wiping his eyes first, he tries to stand. "Winry! Winry! WINRY!" He yells but she doesn't reply. "DAMMIT! WINRY, ANSWER ME!" Whack! He gets knocked out after something hits him on the back of his head. Lying on the ground, as his eyes are starting to close, he says. "Win... Rhee..." He drops his head and passes out.
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AJ - "Tell me Who!" Janine demands. Marcello only smirks and starts backing away until Russell places a hand on his shoulder. "It's done. No need to get carried away on us, Marcello." Russell teleports them away from the group. AJ's fists start to shake.
Roy - "Come here, Rambo." He orders. Al looks at Roy with a surprised expression from the tone in his voice.
AJ - "No."
Roy looks at her, pissed off and hurt. "Janine! I said Get Over HERE!"
AJ - "NO!" She slowly starts to walk back away from them. Shaking her head. "No. ALL OF YOU JUST STAY AWAY FROM ME!" She takes off running. "JANINE!" Roy yells. Al grabs his shoulder. "Wait. Just let her go. Brother always came back. I'm sure she will too." Roy stands there, feeling hurt and conflicted. "I- I want to protect her. I need too, Alphonse."
Al - "You know you can't protect her forever."
Roy - "I know that already, Al. It-It's just..." Roy immediately walks away from him. Al sighs sadly.
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...
...
...
Waking up, Winry is blinded by the sunlight through the metal barred window. Slowly lifting herself up, she tries to stand up but realizes that she is restrained by a cuffed chain around her ankle. She then hears a gasp from a corner of the room. She looks in that direction and sees a woman there, curled up against the corner. Shivering, with her hair drenched, the lady points behind Winry.
Winry slowly turns around as sees...
End of Chapter 29
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Poor Ed! Poor Winry! I know I'm a terrible person for doing that especially to her.
Oscar Lippman's full name is Edmund Oscar von Lippmann. He was a chemist and a historian. (1/9/1857 - 9/24/1940) He wrote three highly detailed books about Greek Alchemy.
Shout out to Roxy again for writing and adding her own thoughts and ideas to this chapter! She's the best!