(scratches back of head) Should have gotten this to y'all much sooner...(cough)
Apologies to all and particularly Rishan and Stabbity Death, with deep thank-yous for patience!
So we pick up where we left off. I'm still kind of in introduction mode. A short chapter, but if I combined it with the next, it would have been quite long.
Disclaimer: I do not own FMA. But Quinn West is MINE!
Seal Three
Quinn woke the next morning, glad that she did not give lessons on Fridays. A day off after travelling so much came in handy for recovering from the cramped train rides. And today it would allow her to meet this Edward Elric.
Unfortunately, this also meant she would have to go to the military headquarters—not one of her more cherished places. While she mostly ignored the military unless one of her students wished to apply, she didn't appreciate them trying to recruit her students directly when they had so many other choices. This led to several confrontations with their recruiters and, she suspected, not the best rapport with their personnel. But she was determined.
Before she left her house, she debated whether or not to wear her gloves and metal-beaded bracelets. The gloves had simple transmutation circles stitched into the insides of the palms, and allowed her to transmute the metal beads into small knives. Small and practical. Surely I won't need them, she thought. But it's best to be prepared.
Setting out for the military headquarters, Quinn admired Central's shops and cafes. So good to be home. Soon she arrived at the HQ. The iron gates stood open and Quinn simply passed through with several other people. Both men and women were dressed in uniform, getting ready for the day's work.
Once inside, she headed straight for the receptionist's desk. When Quinn rapped her gloved knuckles on the desk, the woman there looked up from her papers and recognized Quinn. "Ah, Miss West. How can I help you today?" she asked dryly.
Before she could respond, however, Quinn jumped as a picture of what appeared to be a newborn baby waved excitedly under her nose. The photo was too close and moved too fast for her to get a proper look. "Isn't my little Elicia just the absolute PARAGON of cuteness?" a man's voice squealed. Confused, Quinn turned to see a man in military uniform with short black hair and glasses that shone proudly as he displayed his child's photograph.
"Um..."
"And this isn't even the most recent! I took more just this morning..." The man trailed off as he fished more pictures out of his stuffed jacket pocket.
The receptionist rolled her eyes. "He's a new father. We're hoping this wears off after a time," she confided to Quinn.
"I see." Quinn watched as the man continued to swoon over his pictures, googly-eyed and mushy, and she stifled back a giggle. "Actually, I'm not filing complaints today," she said, returning to the receptionist's original question. "I'm just looking for someone. Is Edward Elric here today?"
The receptionist frowned. "I haven't seen him yet today," she began, but the black-haired man suddenly managed to stop oozing over his pictures.
"I'm actually headed out to find Ed. He's out looking for a friend, and I've come across a police report he'll want to hear." He tucked his child's pictures back into his pocket. "You can come with me to find him if you like."
"Makes sense to me," Quinn replied with a quick grin. Relieved by not having to hear Quinn's rages and complaints, the receptionist went back to her paperwork as the man and woman exited the building.
"I'm sorry, but I don't believe I got your name," the man said apologetically.
"Quinn West," she said, offering her gloved hand. "And you?"
He shook the proffered hand. "Major Maes Hughes."
(((Hughes!)))
Ok. Hopefully I can get back to this sooner this time! Rate if it pleases you!
TheFerryman'sDaughter
