'Living things die. That's how things work.
I don't understand why humans try so hard
to obtain something that can never
be there's. Even an immortal wants
the very thing that he's already had for
so long. A key to cheat death.'
Chapter 35 - Salute Farewell, My Comrade-In-Arms
-Lucas-
||Central||
I dropped my suitcase and happily stretch my arms after hours of being stuck in the same train for what seemed like centuries. Travelling isn't really my style. That's why I decided to stay in Rush Valley rather than venture out into the unknown. I heard a loud bang behind my back and saw Cat dropping one of my gear boxes from exhaustion on the ground while Alice easily walks out with an arm full of boxes that held automail parts. "Remind me again why we brought YOU with us!?" Cat yells as she kicks the gear box in frustration, only to curl up on the floor in pain. Alice sweat drops and asks the same thing, but in a more gentler manner, "I agreed with Alice. Why would you come with us if you hate travelling so much?"
"Not to mention how you practically brought your whole shop with you," adds the blonde, who reluctantly picks up the gear box when she spots the other three stepping out. Our tickets got messed up so we ended up sitting in a different cart. Luckily, there's no way I would ever think of touching my friends, especially with one of them constantly bearing her claws at me - a.k.a. her sword - whenever I tried to sit next to Alice or tried to make some small talk with the ladies that were around. There's a list of reasons why; 1) I could feel the eyes of Cat boring into the side of my head from the moment I sat next to her, 2) Neither were talking about something I understand at all, and 3) The Central ladies seem friendly compared to the ones back in Rush Valley - besides Winry.
I've never seen so many muscular women in my life that loves getting their hands greasy. Thank god that Winry was the only normal girl around when she first arrived. I thought I'd die without any actual company around, besides Dominic at the work shop and his family of course. They're fine and all, but having someone that's not my age can get rather boring. Paninya doesn't count since all she did was still before these guys showed up. "Let's just hurry and throw this junk back at my place," Cat complains and starts swinging around the only box that could contain most of my precious equipment. "Hey! Don't go messing with my junk!" She quickly retorts back, "Never in my dreams did it ever cross my mind."
My jaws drops once I realized I was tricked as Alice tries her best to hold back her laugh. "That's dirty even for you!"
-Ed-
I couldn't believe my eyes at what the girls were carrying. What did he even bring those for!? "Yeah so I thought that Cat will need to replace her rusted prosthetic with how much rust always builds up. And since I hate travelling away from home... I decided to bring home with me!" Luke's smile was so sickening that I can even see Cat prepared to drop the gear box that she was holding right above his foot. "That doesn't mean you should take advantage of-" I grabbed it from her hands only to fall flat to the ground, not expecting the unexpected weight that it had. Al kindly offers a hand to Alice as he ignores me, "You need any help Alice? I could take a few boxes from you if you want." I was just about to call out on my own brother's betrayal when Cat's hand grabs the handle, taking it out of my hands and offers her free hand to me.
She giggles at my current state, "Didn't think you would easily lose to a gear box. I thought only Al could defeat the almighty fullmetal." I roll my eyes and grab her hand, answering back, "That thing feels heavier than Al's armor! Who the fuck brings around that much crap!?" She glares at the boy's back, muttering, "Yeah... I wonder who..."
-Me-
"Say... Ling wasn't hanging around with you guys, right?" the boy randomly asks. I looked at Ed, confused and answer, "I thought he was with you guys. Haven't seen him since he 'escorted' me to my seat." "He what!?" I blink in surprise at his reaction and watch was Ed jumps in front of me and starts searching around frantically for the prince of Xing. Winry speaks up as Alice nervously smiles at what was happening, "I guess Ling is really serious about marrying you, Cat." "Over my dead body..." Ed mutters. My cheeks felt burn up when I heard this, even worse that I was most likely the only one to hear him at all. Fu suddenly appears, panicking, "Where's the young lord!?" The four glances around while Alice and I sigh, both of us knowing full well on where he is and what's going to happen to him. "He's not here with," Al answers.
"I don't know... maybe he ran off?" Winry wonders out loud, placing a finger on her chin. "Probably got attracted to the scent of food the moment the train stopped..." I whisper over to Alice as Lan Fan and Fu hung their heads. "Good grief. I can't take my eyes off him for a second!" Fu runs all over the train station, calling out for him in vain. Lan Fan starts to imagine the worse, "What if he's collapsed again!?" Ed suddenly grabs my hand and pulls me along, saying, "If so, I stay it's a relief. Let's go!" "Coming!" I heard the others call, following behind. "Uh... Ed?" He doesn't react and keeps walking. I bow my head, biting my lip the farther we go into Central city. They won't like the truth. But I'd rather have someone else tell him than me, I'll just confuse them even more with what happened.
-Normal-
||Central Roofs||
Damien watches a fair distance away from the scene as the group marches to the direction of Cat's apartment. "How're things up here?" Joseph asks as he climbs up the ladder. I stay silent as the sniper walks over and looks through his scope. "Looks like the girl's back... Hm?" I look at the man curiously. "What's wrong?" He smirks and hands over his rifle to me. I slowly take it then follow the direction of where Joseph's pointing at. I felt my blood run cold when two familiar bodyguards running from roof to roof in search of someone, and then when I searched for that person I froze once I saw him. "Ling Yao..." I grit my teeth as my eyebrows furrow at the sight of my half-sibling. Joseph uses his binoculars to look as well. "Know him?" he asks.
"Hmph... know him?" I pull away and randomly toss his rifle as I turn to walk away, causing the man to panic and quickly catch it. "That guy has the same dirty blood that runs through my veins." "You know for a kid you sure say some pretty dark things," Joseph states as he rushes to catch up to me. I abruptly stop in my tracks. "You know there's a reason why I was hated by my family before I attempted to assassinate that sad excuse of a king. You've probably heard from the General, but she only knows one part of what happened." The things that were sacrificed for my sake, I was sure that it'd be best to kill off the very being that's poisoning my country- my own old man. I heard a sigh from the man behind me and then surprises me by placing his hat on my head and rubbing his hand as he does so. When I shot a glare at him, Joseph just laughs and walks past me.
"Stop treating me like a kid!" I yell which only makes him laugh harder. Joseph looks up the sky, saying, "You know it's pretty sad if you think about it... for children to get caught up in an adult's war." "Whatever old man..." He always does that. Ever since Jealousy told this guy to watch over me, he's been treating me like a kid. So far, he's been the only one to have the balls to do it. "Hey you think that the General was-" A sudden familiar sensation pulses around my body. I drop on my knees, prompting Joseph to rush to my side and kept questioning what was wrong.
"Lucas!"
I gasp and mutter the name, "Lu...cas...?"
||Central HQ||
Horrified, Jealousy leans against the wall as an image of a boy appears in her mind. "No... not another one... How many of us did you drag into this stupid game of yours..."
-Back to Me-
||My Apartment||
Fu and Lan Fan continue to call out for Ling even as we arrive at the apartment complex. Thank god they went their separate ways after we got inside. "It'll only be a moment so you guys can go on ahead," I said without looking back at them. With how many times they've told me that I always switch off my emotions at times, I guess you can say it's true since... I don't really know how I should react at all when those moments happen. If I get too emotional I won't be able to think straight. When Alice and Lucas step in, I was about to follow them when Ed grabs my wrist, forcing me to stay. "If anything's bothering you just remember you don't have to hide it anymore." I didn't answer. Ed frowns at this and continues, "I'll wait here by the door. We're going to HQ together whether you like it or not. Something's up, you're keeping it to yourself and I know it's killing you on the inside."
I slightly turn and just flash him a sad smile, carefully pulled out of his grasp before closing the door shut behind my back. "You sure want them to find out on their own, don't you?" Lucas asks me the moment I step into the living room. "Alice told me everything last night in the train. So? Aren't you going to do something?" I bit my lip and look away, ashamed. "It's not that easy Lucas. Interfering is-" He quickly drops his stuff, grabs Alice before she could properly put the boxes she was carrying away, and starts to drag us both to the door. I felt myself pushed forward to the door and forcefully turned to face them both. He places a hand on my shoulder and yells, "If you're going to stay stubborn then why even stick with them at all!? Do something instead of watching!"
I grab him by the front of his shirt to bring him down to my level so that I could properly look at him straight in the eye. "You have no right to say that! You weren't there... you don't understand what it's like! For you to have the knowledge of every single event that's supposed to happen, the lives that I wanted to save but can't... the blood shed..." I loosened my grip as I fell to my knees, choking on my words, "I've wanted change the course of their future... except I just can't! Like I've told Alice many times, it's not that simple! If it was then things would have been different! He wouldn't have to... have to... God damn it!" "What's stopping you? Huh? Tell me! The only thing that's stopping you is yourself from what I can see! You've always been like this! Too wrapped up in your own thoughts and emotions to even think how others would feel!" Lucas snaps.
Having enough, Alice shoves past Lucas and quickly stands in between us with her arms outstretched. "Stop it Lucas! Don't you think she's thought about it before!? I've experienced what she's been through so you can't go around judging her like that! Cat and I just want what's best for them! If you think that's wrong than please tell us what WE can do as human beings..." I've never seen Alice speak up like that to Lucas before, even he didn't expect it with how wide his eyes were. "You may have lived here longer than us, but we've gone more than you have in this world!" Silence filled the air. "We should... get going," I finally spoke up. There's no point in making this a long term argument. I thought by now he'd understand after a few stories Alice told him about our adventures.
But I guess he didn't completely understand seeing with how he reacted. Or maybe, I should have been the one to tell him. Right as soon as I opened the door, I could hear three voices making a few complaints on the other side, prompting me to quickly twist the nob and froze it so it wouldn't move. I back away to allow the door to fly open and two bodies and a giant suit of armor fall in. As the three groan, Lucas and Alice walk over to my side as I glowered at them suspiciously. "How long were you listening?" I question in a stern voice. They all go on their knees. "We heard some yelling so I was thinking of checking in on you guys!" Ed blurts out. Al adds to this claim, "I was going to stop brother until I heard Alice's voice!"
I look over at Winry, who just casually smiles and shows her bloody tipped wrench. "I stopped either of them from breaking and entering. I only suggested to listen a bit of your conversation so we won't misunderstand what's going on... That is until we got to the point where we couldn't stop listening and ended up eaves dropping through most of your conversation." I wasn't mad at them like I thought I would be. "It's just a fight between three lifelong childhood friends... Right guys?" Alice just flashes a small smile and Lucas just crosses his arms and turns his head away to avoid any eye contact; most likely feeling too ashamed for causing the argument in the first place. "Now with that settled," I abruptly took Ed hand and start dragging him with me, "we can go stop by the military office now. You can go with Winry, Lucas. She's going to go visit the Hughes."
-Alice-
"How did-" Winry jaw drops. I pat her shoulder, saying, "You'll get used to it Win. Cat's the only person here that's capable of being blunt enough to say things like that once people know the truth about us." Lucas still wasn't moving from the apartment. I glance over to Cat with a look that asked, 'should I do it?' since Lucas seems to be too deep in thought to notice the odd looks he was getting from the three. She shrugs and gestures me to go ahead. I grin evilly to myself when an idea popped into my head on how to get him to move. Abruptly grabbing Winry and Lucas' hands, I handcuffed their hands together, gave Winry the key and pushed them both towards the stairs. "What the hell Alice!?" Lucas yells, pointing at the cuffs. I made those personally by myself a while back for a different purpose as suggested by Al, but I think I'll do something else for the other two for another time.
"Just in case you won't think of leaving our lovely Win by herself out in the dangerous streets of Central~" I hum in amusement at the horrified look in Lucas' eyes. I grab Al and ran past the two, crying out, "See you guys later!" If I want to start practicing my cupid skills, Lucas and Winry are the best test subjects to experiment on. Cat did say I should try to be more productive for once. "Are you sure it's okay to leave them like that?" Al asks me once we were at the bottom of the stairs. I wasn't particularly tired. I just don't want to blindly run away with Al and find ourselves lost in the big city that I've barely explored. Cat has most likely gotten a better look since she has her own apartment. Which reminds me... I still need to ask her HOW she brought herself to live in the city that has homunculus living directly underneath our feet.
-Back To Me-
I have no idea where in the hell she got those or when she even got the chance to make them - they had the initials A.C. on them so it's was obvious - but I am glad she did. "Should we get going, Ed?" I ask. He scratches the back of his head and complains, "We don't really need to get there THAT soon. Besides, I'd rather prepare myself before Alice starts to have another episode like what happened in Dublith." "She didn't have an episode," I deadpanned. He laughs and faces the two, "We'll go on ahead! Good luck on that date of yours!" "Go to hell!" We both laugh as Lucas continues to fume over our reaction. As we made our way out of the building, Ed suddenly drags me back in before Alice and Al could spot us. "You alright?" was the first thing Ed asks me.
I tried my best to not look away too much when I lied, "There's nothing wrong Ed! I'm just worried about how Hughes' family is...! And since I'm the god mother of his child, of course I would be worried about her childhood! Being a military dad isn't easy, so it much be hard for Elicia to not see her father much." When I paused to look at Ed, I couldn't instantly tell from the look in his eyes that he wasn't buying it at all. 'Oh crap! He's finally figured out how to see through me!' "I think we should go now. They might be-Mmmph!" Ed covers my mouth and grabs hold of me before I could make my escape. He stares deeply into my eyes. I mentally begged him, 'Please Ed. You know I can't tell you! I know I promised you, but can't you see how unfair that promise is?' After a few minutes of silence, Ed finally gives in and lets me go.
"You're telling me AFTER it happens, okay?" he said, grabbing my hand again and drags me outside with him. I didn't say anything. Instead, I squeezed his hand tightly and obediently followed him. Alice and Al started to finally walk after seeing us, but the girl kept giving me confused looks. She's probably wondering what took us so long. I shake my head and gave her a small smile in response, silently telling her everything's okay. If only it could be. As we started to get closer to HQ, Alice and I almost stopped walking when we reached THAT certain area. "Is everything alright?" Al glances at Alice then at me. She lowers her head and hugs Al's arm. I step close to Ed and squeezed his hand, tilting my head so that my bangs were shadowing the pained expression in my eyes.
The phone booth. The very same one Hughes died in and they don't even know it, which is probably for the best until they hear the news later from Ross. Not wanting to ask any questions on our actions, Ed signals his brother to keep walking as he continues to hold my hand. Just passing by that one spot is a continual reminder to me on what I should've done. 'I allowed him to die... If only I told him before it happened, then he still would be here!'
Central Command
-Normal-
"...Okay, I'll come back later for the keys. Make sure it's taken care of," the lady says after giving the girl suspicious looks. "Yes ma'am!" Sheska salutes. The lady walks out as Sheska released her breath. Slowly, she opens the room door behind her and peeks in, whispering, "Um... excuse me... Colonel?" Mustang removed the book from his face as he groggily sat up, asking, "Hello Sheska... how long was I asleep?" "About 10 minutes I think?" she informs him. He stood up, yawning as he looked down at his watch. "Council meeting is about to start." Mustang walks out out the room as Sheska openly voices out her concern, "Colonel, this isn't my business but you should get some rest." Mustang hums, "Mmmm, I'll be back." And he's gone.
Mustang went to the restrooms afterwards to wash his face of sleep. He looked into the mirror, lack of sleep showing heavily on his face until he heard a toilet flush. "Hello sir," Armstrong greets as he steps out of the stall. "Hey..." Mustang greets back but in a non-enthusiastic tone. Armstrong walks over to the sink beside Mustang's and began to wash his hands. "Colonel, you look like you've lost weight," the alchemist comments. "Maybe..." Mustang notices the bandages on the man, "but what happened to you?" "There was an incident... in the South... but don't worry, it's just a scratch." "I see..." Armstrong turns off the water, saying, "I ran into the Elrics, Cairo and Chronos down there. Apparently, the boys went to Dublith to pay a visit to an old teacher."
"Major..."
"Sir."
"...Did you tell them about Hughes' death?"
Armstrong paused for a moment. "...No, I couldn't bring myself to do it. But I'm sure those two girls already know given their... circumstance." The flame alchemist looks up in surprise. It never occurred to him that the two might have already known about his death up until now. He suppresses his anger and tries to change the subject, "They will find out eventually." "Yes, I know..." Armstrong didn't want to mention Cat or Alice anymore as he was quick to notice the change in atmosphere when he said that last part about them. All he could think of is that there was a reason why they didn't stop it from occurring. Cat already explained enough about that part to them.
Armstrong was about to leave when Mustang spoke up, "The Fifth laboratory, and the Philosopher's stone; the key ingredient is human lives. Hughes always did enjoy helping other people... this time he stuck his nose into the Elric's investigation. Not to mention Cairo's regarding the location on the whereabouts of their stone which contains the people that also come from her side... and then found out something better left not knowing. Am I wrong?" Armstrong stays silent as the flame alchemist continued, "If they find out he died, those four would blame themselves... so not telling them is kind." Mustang grabs his jacket, placing it on as Armstrong chuckles, "You've got it all figured out, don't you?" "Not entirely. I still got some questions with Mercury about THAT and the Catalyst," answers the man as he starts to contemplate about the girls.
"Be careful sir, you never know who might be listening... or where..." Armstrong states with a serious expression. "Excuse me." He walks out of the restroom, leaving Mustang alone. As he was walking, he freezes on the spot when a certain blonde walk past him. She notices and stops in her tracks. "You're the alchemist that was with the Furher back in Dublith, correct? I hope your visit to that quiet town went well, considering the chimera infestation that dwells below the sewers. I would've gone too but my replacement insisted on going there in my place. Better safe than sorry. We wouldn't want the most important man to lose another eye." He doesn't reply. All he could do is stare in horror at the soldier's face. "You're..."
-Alice-
"Huh? Lt. Hawkeye?" I was so happy to see her when she turned to face us. "Hey guys, it's been a while," she smiles. "And I see you've not only gotten a haircut, but a new outfit too. It really suits you." When I decided to cut my hair, I decided that my hair shouldn't be the only thing that defines the change inside me, so I threw away my old ones and put on the clothes Armstrong gave me, which almost didn't fit me. Especially around the bust area. Sadly. I weakly smile, reaching up to my hair and comment, "I just wanted a little change is all... I stuck out like a sore thumb compared to these guys." "Alice..." I hear Cat mutter. Hawkeye must have caught on when she said this to me, "Don't think of your gun as a simple tool for killing." We were all surprised to hear her saw this.
She walks over to me and takes out her handgun, taking my hand then placing the weapon on top. "The gun you have right now must've been made by Catherine." I could see Cat cringe at the corner of my eye when her name was mentioned. "Take one of mine. It's a little old, but I think you'll find it much easier to aim compared that barrel gun you've been keeping on your leg there for a while." I've kept my gun holster hidden beneath my skirt but I rarely use it for since it is a bit hard to aim with. "Thank you but... I can't possibly-" Cat stops me, "Just take it already. A little hand-me-down gun like mine isn't even that good. You should be lucky you're getting one much better than what I made." Handing back the gun Cat gave me a while back, I stared at the new gun for a moment before placing it inside the holster.
"Thank you so much!" I bowed. She chuckles and places both hands on my shoulders, stating, "Let's just hope you won't have to use it often."
-Me-
The smile I had on drops when I heard Ed mumbling to himself, "If the Lt. is here then that means..." "Thanks for waiting." I held back a groan when we see step out. "Yep... the Colonel..." I confirm as I roll my eyes at our superior's presence. Ed whispers over to me, "You could've warned me that the colonel would be here..." "If I did then you wouldn't have even wanted to come here as soon as possible..." I bluntly pointed out, which was confirmed when he immediately went silent he went after I said that. "Well hello Fullmetal," Mustang stares at me for a moment before finally greeting me, "Mercury." That look in his eyes... 'He must've figured out by now that I already knew something about Hughes' death, his eyes showed it all and I can tell that he'd want to ask me some questions.
Questions that I know I will never be able to answer, both about who killed him and some answers (that I am sure I will have a hard time answering) he won't like to hear if they are about things that's already happened. "So, what are you doing here in Central?" I snapped out of my thoughts and turn my attention to a displeased Elric. He smirks, "Didn't you hear? I was transferred to this branch last month." "Great..." Ed shoots me a look that told me he'd get back at me for not telling him sooner. I gave him an apologetic smile in response and shrug.
"And you guys? What brings you here?"
"We're just doing some information gathering... and we were planning to visit Lt. Colonel Hughes later today."
Riza tenses as I tried my best to hold back the tears. Alice lets go of Al and hides behind his body so no one could see her body quaking. "Where is he anyway?" Ed asks. "... Not here..." Mustang starts. "Huh?" "He retired out in the country... and took his wife and daughter with him to take over the family business... so, he's not here..." Alice and I could clearly tell he was lying. Even if we were actual residents and didn't know anything about what will happen in the future, it was so obvious that there would be no way a man like Hughes would just retire and leave. Not like that. "I see... That's too bad..." Ed glances over at us then at Al. He expressed his disappointment, "We were hoping to see them. "
Mustang walks off but stops to say one last thing to us, both Ed and I, "Fullmetal... you watch yourselves, especially Mercury. Don't do anything reckless." "Hm, okay..." Riza glances back at us then walks after her superior, leaving us alone. I bit my lip for a moment then looked at Ed, asking him for permission, "Can you wait here a moment? I forgot I needed to say something to Colonel." He raises a brow at this but doesn't say anything about it, "I guess it's alright." I look over at Alice. who nods, already understanding what it is I needed to do. I ran off after Colonel and Riza. Alice has everything under control once they hear the news from Ross. I gulp at the thought, "I hope..." Surprisingly, the two weren't as far as I expected. "Colonel!" I called out as soon as I saw the two. They stopped just as I bend over to catch my breath.
"Is there something you want, Mercury?" There is no way I will be able to look at the Colonel properly. I don't even want to know what kind of expression he has on right now. "I just want to say... I'm sorry!" I immediately bowed as I continued, "I know I should've done something and I knew it was going to happen...! I was too selfish in thinking what's best for the future when I should've thought of what's best for the present. There are so many things that I'm not allowed to change. Alice and I can't say anything about it until after it happens, even to Ed and Al... So forgive me for not being a good subordinate, I haven't exactly been a good partner either..." Both stayed quiet for a moment, which was unnerving with each second passing. I don't know if I should look up or act like the military dog I am and wait till ordered to.
I hear a sigh from the Colonel, "At ease soldier. I understand." Nervous at first, I lift my head up and finally stood up straight as I watched the Colonel's actions. "It's not good for a superior to blame their subordinates for things they didn't cause or do. You're an exceptional person to continue to carry such a burden even till now." I flinch at this. I never really thought of it like that for a while. Up until recently, I've always tried to ignore that feeling and try to do what I can without interfering. And it looks like I'm doing it too well. I made a fist and inform him in a dark tone, "I will tell you this sir. The person who did this... you will indeed make them pay for his death. That is the only thing I am allowed to say to you." As long as I don't mention who or when, then it's fine to tell him. The least I could do for doing nothing is give this man the satisfaction in knowing he will get his revenge.
||Central Streets||
-Lucas-
"Here you are miss." I stood beside Winry as the lady hands over the basket of apples. "Thanks. Let's go Luke!" she exclaims enthusiastically, dragging me as she continues to hold on to my hand. I still kept staring at the handcuffs that she still refuses to remove. If I ask here again to remove them, she'll bash my brains out again without any reason. 'Not that I'm complaining, but wouldn't it be a little weird to visit a family with a boy handcuffed to you?' I thought as I stared down at the steel cuffs. 'Jesus, Alice! What were you even planning to use this for?' Winry slows down, asking me without looking in my direction, "If I remove those cuffs... you won't let go, right?" It finally clicked what Alice had planned. 'Next time you want to play cupid do it on someone else!' I squeezed Winry's hand and warmly smiled down at her, "Who would want to let go of a beautiful mechanic?"
Me: T-This is a little weird for me considering I've never hit on a girl before... It would be weird if I even tried to...
Cat: You've never been hit on in your life... huh?
Me: Oh shut it you red bean. You can't even imagine Ed hitting on anyone in his life!
Cat: Who are you calling-!
Must have hit the mark. "F-Fine... But you better keep your promise!" 'She may not be as cute as Alice when I get her to finally do something that doesn't involve Cat, but I think-' I lean down as Winry fumbles around looking for her key. 'I just found someone who's far from just being cute.' When she stops and notices the closing gap between us, I already had pressed my forehead against hers, which earned a very expected reaction. Her eyes went wide for a moment but slowly started to close. "Oh my what a lively couple!" I instantly pull away. That almost sounds exactly like Cat. There's no other girl I know that just loves to pop in at the worst time, even making her presence very obvious. I almost mistook it for Cat until I caught sight of a woman that stood not too far away.
She just giggles once she sees that she's been caught. Winry and I slowly glance over at one another, then I found myself with a severe headache as I lay flat on the floor. "Next time you want to mess around, don't make me your victim!" I groan as I sat up, "I wasn't exactly making you a victim of anything..." I was very sincere when I said that. Winry's face turns red and lowers her wrench. The woman walks over to us and offers a hand, apologizing, "I'm so sorry. I just remember a certain friend of mine taught me to take advantage of any situation as I see fit. I really couldn't help myself." 'Sounds like someone I know all too well...' I thought as accept her help and got back on my feet. Out of nowhere, the lady brings her face close to mine. Extremely close.
"Hm... Have I met you somewhere?" As much as I wanted to make a casual reply to that, the look Winry is giving me right now at the side is making me nervous. Why? One wrong move and I get another wrench to the head. "I-I don't think so! I only date women my age so-" BANG! Lights out.
-Camilla-
Though it should have surprised me, for some strange reason, seeing the girl bash his head with a wrench seemed oddly normal to me. For those two at least. 'I better not think too hard on this... I should just head to Gracia to see how she's doing,' I thought worriedly and excused myself, "I'm sorry for taking your time. I'm sure you're both busy on with hour date." The girl shakes her hand and instantly replies, "We're not dating! We're just on our way to visit the Hughes!" "The Hughes...? You know Gracia?" Both of them were just as surprised as I am. 'I wonder if they also know what happened to Maes...'
"My name's Winry Rockbell. This pervert over here is Luke Walker."
"I'm Camilla."
-Back to Me-
||Central Command Entrance||
"Ed!" I yell as I ran out of the doors after the boy. When I see him run into a nearby alley, I skid to a stop to see him leaning against the wall and catching his breath. He must be remembering all the things Hughes has done for us since we met him. "It's not your fault Ed! If ever it's mine!" I confess. I make a fist, closed my eyes and bowed my head as I continued, "He didn't deserve to die... Before we left, I was going to tell him what will happen to him. But I couldn't bring myself to and just lied to his face. If there's anyone to blame it's me! He had a family waiting for him! A daughter who still believes he's going to come home and hug her like he always down when he returns! And just like Nina, I took away his chance on experiencing things every parent would want to experience! Growing old with his wife, seeing his daughter grow up and get married... He never got that chance!"
"I've been looking everywhere for a girl like you! Since work has gotten me cooped up in the office, my wife has gotten so lonely at home!"
"I understand sir, but-!"
"You're busy with work as well, but I need someone to look after my wife! She's pregnant you know, and the doc said that the baby will come any day now!"
"From now on your my daughter's mother-in-law and you can't reject the offer from this moment on!"
"Cat, you need to start trusting people more. I heard a few rumors going around how you always threaten to 'freeze someone's dick off' any soldier that comes near you if they have their gun in their holster. Hey don't smile at that! People will start to think the godmother of my daughter is a monster!"
"Stop by next time if you're in Central!"
There was no point in holding back, the tears I've bottled up inside since we arrived in Central had finally poured out. "It's all my fault that-" I was cut off when my hat was suddenly placed on top of my head, blocking my view of Ed's face as he keeps his hand stays in place and pulls me into a hug. "I'm not blaming you for anything... not anymore... so you should stop blaming yourself too..." I didn't know what to say. Out of all the people to leave me speechless, it's only Ed who can render me in this state. "Alright... I will," I promised. I choked back the rest of my tears to focus on comforting Ed, hugging him and looked up at the sky as I felt my shoulder dampen. I shouldn't be the one crying. More like, I don't have the right to shed any tears for what I've done.
-Lucas-
||Hughes' Place||
I casually walk up the stairs as Winry runs up ahead of me, excitedly knocking on the door by the time I was already at the top. A little girl opens the door, crying out, "Daddy!" When she sees it was Winry, I noticed her smile fade to a frown. I went to Winry's side and was surprised to see the girl suddenly hug her legs and starts crying. Winry looks at me then at the little girl as we both watched her with worried looks. A woman pulls the door open widen and flashes a faint smile at Winry. "Gracia." I turn around to see Camilla, who wipes the tears from her cheeks and approaches 'Gracia'. "I'm so sorry..." she mutters as she hugs her friend. My frown deepens and cover my eyes, trying to hold back my own tears. Seeing others crying deeply affects me too, whether or not I know them, it's just too overwhelming when you see someone cry over something they lost forever.
Cat told me it was best not to tell Winry and act as her support if I ever escort her. I did as I was told and kept quiet. Winry looks at the two women, lost and confused. She won't like to hear this. I didn't the first time I heard about it, and the second time will still be just as painful to listen to.
-Back to Me-
"What do we do?" Al asked as we stood outside of the Hughes' apartment. "We tell it like it is... you three go on back. I'm the only one who has to take the blame for what happened." I smacked the back of Ed's head in response. These are one of the many times where I hate his stubborn attitude, doesn't he already get it by now after everything we've gone through? I quickly yell at him before he had the chance to, "Will you stop blaming yourself? It's not only your fault on what happened. It's ours. Stop acting like every decision you make is your own fault." Al firmly agrees, "Like it or not, we're going with you." "Thanks, you guys but-" Al interrupts, "We made a promise! We said we'd get our bodies back no matter what... but if people are going to die because of that... then I don't want mine back."
"Me either," Alice adds as she takes one step forward. "Cat and I selfishly asked for him to look for ONE philosopher's stone for us... and that's the one where I was stuck in for so long. We wanted to save the others so badly we didn't think once on the idea of saving him." Now knowing that we'll stay by his side, Ed looks straight at the apartment, silently taking my hands as he does so. I didn't say anything and just watch him. Whatever happens, I'll help in anyway I can.
-Alice-
When we were approaching the apartment door, I was surprised when Al suddenly asks me, "What was it like inside the stone?" I've never talked about it before. Or more like I've been wanting to avoid the topic ever since I miraculously got out. Cat does ask me every now and then about it, but I don't even know what to say. How I'm alive right now is still one of life's greatest mysteries. So I gave my most honest reply, "Honestly, it felt like I wasn't alone. It strangely felt like... home. I didn't even realize I was trapped until I was pulled out. The only time I realized that I had been inside the Philosopher's stone is when she put me back. It was a bit scary, but I kept quiet about it from the others." It was a bizarre feeling. I honestly thought all of us would be wailing in agony.
Instead, it was just an ocean of souls that seemed to be at peace. Alphonse reaches over and places his hand on my shoulder. "I don't know if this means anything, but I'm glad you didn't feel hurt." Smiling, I place a hand over his. "Thanks Al..."
-Back to Me-
The others decided to stay with Elicia to keep her company while Ed and I talk about Gracia what happened. Honestly, I felt sick to my stomach whenever I recall how Hughes died. I should have said something. Screw Fate's 'warnings', I'm just as guilt as Envy by knowing that he will die. He deserved to live his life with his family. And now he's gone. Forever. "So Maes learned things about the Philosopher's Stone that someone didn't want him to know… his death was a message… a warning to you from whoever did it to back off from this…?" Gracia asked, clarifying if she heard everything correctly. Ed reaches over and grabs my hand. I didn't move. I just took a quick glance at him then focused back on Gracia. He's nervous. Just like I am, but I need to stay calm for Ed's sake.
Ed squeezes my hand and apologizes, "Yeah, we basically dragged him into it. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." "I'm sorry too," I spoke up much to their surprise. "I got careless and he found about us. Since he figured it out, I knew I should have told him or at least tried to save him. But I was more focused on making sure the events of the future won't change and kept my mouth shut. He even kept our secret from the others before they found out even though I basically lied to his face for so long..." Gracia warmly smiles. "…That would be just like him, dying while trying to help someone else. He was a man that always kept his word. My husband was always a meddler and it got him into trouble a lot. But you know, I don't think he ever had regrets; not any, not even in his last dying moments."
"But we-" Gracia cuts him off. "Don't tell me you're going to give up. You can't let what happened defeat you. If you do, then my husband died in vain. Even if the Philosopher's Stone is a dead end; there might be another way." Ed mutters, "Maybe…I guess…" "You guys have to keep moving forward…anyway you can…" Despite how much it hurts, I could tell that Gracia was given some solace now that she knows what her husband died for. The only thing I can't do is tell her who it is that took him away from her. It'll endanger Gracia's life and I don't want to make her daughter an orphan. "Cat," my head perks up as Gracia continues, "thank you for telling me the truth. I know it wasn't easy when Maes found out... but I'm glad you decided to tell me. It must have been hard for you to live in a place that's not your home."
Holding back my tears, I tried my best to smile as I told her, "I should be thanking you. You guys accepted me into your home with open arms whenever I needed it. Even though I was force into becoming Elicia's godmother, I'm actually glad because if it wasn't for that, I don't think I would have been reminded on just how simple life can be. You've all been nothing but kind to me. I wish I could have done something better to repay you for that." She shakes her head. "Non-sense. You've done enough just by visiting whenever you can." This still didn't make me feel better. Soon, it was time to leave. As we said our goodbyes and prepared to make our leave, Camilla approaches and tells me, "I'll keep them company for now. When things have calmed down, I'll come visit you."
I declined the offer, "You don't have to Miss Camilla. What's important is for Gracia to get all of the support she'll need. Especially from a close friend." I'm glad Miss Camilla is a close friend of Gracia's, because without her then she'll have to cope her husband's death for a very long time. Before we exited out of the apartment, I gave the two women one last hug each before Miss Camilla shuts the door. I finally let my tears out at the exact moment Elicia's voice was heard from the other side, "Mommy... Mommy please don't cry." Out of nowhere, I felt my entire body go numb and a sharp pain struck my head.
"Mama... Please don't cry. Papa will come back. He always does!"
-Ed-
My mind goes blank for a second when I heard Gracia until I notice Cat wasn't moving from the door. "Hey Cat, let's-" I gasp and quickly caught her when I saw her staggering on her feet. "Cat! Cat!" I called out, lightly shaking her. Everyone huddles around me as I got on my knees and lowered her a bit to the ground. "Is she alright?" Winry asks as she goes down on her knees too to get a closer look. I shook my head. I have no idea what's wrong with her. All I know is that she's a Philosopher's Catalyst- that's all I know that is most likely affecting her body. Alice informs us, "I make sure that she takes her medications. There's no way she should be blacking out now." "Maybe she's just mentally exhausted from what's happened," Lucas suggests. I want to believe that's the case.
But Cat was never the type to pass out from mental exhaustion. Not after everything she's been through, especially with what that Raven guy had put her through. I carefully lift her up and carried her. "Let's just head to a hotel. Al, you take of the payment for our rooms and I'll take Cat up straight to her room." He nods and takes my suitcase. "Got it."
||Hotel||
As I place Cat on her be, I couldn't help but stared at her for a moment and think back to what happened earlier. "Um... Ed?" I look over to see Alice stepping into the room. "It's Winry. Lucas and I have been trying to get her to go with us and eat, but she keeps saying she's not hungry and refuses to leave her room." As much as I don't want to leave Cat, I can't have my friend trying to starve herself to death. Reluctant, I got off the bed and went to the door. "I'll take care of Winry. Can you keep an eye on Cat?" I ask as I glance back at the sleeping girl. I'm glad that she's not in pain like the last time she suddenly blacked out- the only thing that's bothering me now is that it was so sudden that none of us even know what's wrong with her. Alice pats my shoulder and offers, "If you like, you can watch over Cat again after you cheer Win up. I can't really tell if there's really anything wrong with her body since I can't feel a thing."
"Y-Yeah... Thanks."
-Back to Me-
::Dream::
"Mama! Papa! Where are you!?" I call out, accompanied with a few heavy coughs as I struggle to walk through the flames and debris that surrounds me. I was hoping, praying that someone had survived. If I was able to then I'm sure there should be others as well, right? "Cat!" I look around and gasp when I see the boy try to pull himself out of the rubble. Rushing to where he is, I pull hard on the large metal panel that was keeping him from getting out. After being freed, he wipes the blood from his mouth and thanks me, "Thanks for the help. Almost thought I was going to die a virgin." "Welcome... I guess?" "Aaaaaaaahhhh!" I heard a scream in the distance. I spun around, searching feverishly through all the smoke for who and where it came from.
My eyes widen when I see a man stand up, and in his hands, was my best friend. "Alice!" I cried out as we both dash over to where they are. The man suddenly throws her to the ground and slowly turns his head and looks at me - his eyes similar to that of a dead fish. "Oh? The bastard child is here too. How 'bout we play a little game?" I backed away when I saw a transmuted spear appear in his hand. "H-He can do that too... like Papa." Tears began to blur my vision as the man began to take a few steps closer. "What's wrong? I don't bite. Hehehe... hahah.. HAHAHAHA!" I don't want to run. Alice is still back there. Lucas suddenly grabs a random pipe from the ground and holds it up at the approaching man. "Get out of here Cat! I'll distract him!" Lucas orders.
I shake my head and grab his arm. "No! I'm not leaving you or Alice behind! I know how to use alchemy and you don't! I-I can't take him!" Despite how brave I'm trying to act; my body couldn't stop shaking from the amount of fear that's building up. Out of all the times for my body to react like this, it just had to be now. Lucas puts a hand on my head, looking at me with this unfamiliar warmth in his eyes as he states, "As much as I don't like you, you know how much Alice would hate me if I let you get hurt. Let me at least act cool before I die." Before I could even think of a proper answer to make him stop, he was already valiantly charging straight at the stranger with only that pipe raised up in the air. "STOP IT!" I cried out as I reach my hand out.
::End of Dream::
"STOP IT!" I pant hard and stayed in place, trying to process what's going on. I found myself in bed with my hand raised up at the ceiling, blocking the ceiling light that was annoyingly right above the bed I was laying on. 'Wait... bed?' As I brought my hand closer to my face, I continued to stare at it until I heard the faint sound of running footsteps coming from my right. I groggily turn my head to see Alice the moment the door swung open. She scans the room with worried eyes then at me. Relieved to see I was fine, Alice closes the door and approaches my bedside. "You almost scared the daylight out of me! You're lucky that Lucas and Ed and Busy trying to comfort Winry," she said as she forces a smile. I didn't say anything. How could I? That dream just now... it felt too real. It was almost like that it was more than just a dream.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Alice asks, noticing my silence. I wipe my hand over my face and lie, "I'm fine." "Obviously you're not." There's no way I can pretend my way out of this, not with the way I am now. I move my hand away and glare up the ceiling, saying, "Tomorrow... Lt. Ross is going to be arrested for a crime she never committed. Someone like her doesn't deserve to suffer." A brief image of that dream flashes in my mind. I put my arm over my forehead and make a clench my fist, struggling to forget what I just dreamt earlier and try to remain calm."No one deserves to suffer... like that..."
Fire. That's the one thing that keeps appearing in my mind. There was a knock on the door, and not long after, Al steps in with a tray of food in one hand. And milk. "Um... I thought you'd like something to eat," he said as he raises up a bit higher, accompanied with his usual smile in his eyes. "Did it have to be milk?" I groan at the sight of the bottle filled with that disgusting white fluid. Alice rolls her eyes and tries to imitate my voice in a deadpan manner, "That's why you're too small for your age." "You just had to say it in that tone," I growl as a vein pops at the back of my head. Alice and Al just burst out laughing much to my annoyance, though their laughter became so contagious that I ended up laughing a bit too.
Al lightheartedly jokes while placing the tray on the bed stand, "If Ed found out that your disgust for milk is one the same level as his, he'd use you for back up on why milk is gross." I was about to say something but I had to force myself to stop when that very same pain I felt earlier today at the Hughes' apartment. "Cat?" I don't know whose voice that belonged to, but they were clearly concerned about me. Everything around me suddenly changed to the train wreck from my dreams. I got off the bed and just ran for it, searching desperately search around the burning area for something- anything that was remotely alive. What happened next was too horrifying to describe. I found myself staring down at the body of a 9-year-old Alice - or what remains of it - lying in the center of the same transmutation circle that was drawn on that parchment (the one my previous pendant held before I crushed it).
And not too far away was Lucas' body. What made me finally snap was seeing a pipe stabbed exactly where his heart is. Or should be. I crumpled to the ground in tears and screamed, my mind going numb the longer I stare at the corpse. This didn't just feel real, it is real. The smoke choking my lungs, the heat that's burning my skin, and my eyes watering from the soot that's flying around. I felt a sudden pair of arms wrap around my body from behind. Scared even further, I struggled to get free; punching, kicking, anything so I could escape whatever is latched onto me. "Snap out of it already!" a voice yells, accompanied with a large slap across my face. My vision blurs for a minute then finally clears up. I find myself staring straight into Ed's eyes as he hovers over me and everyone else looking down at me with similar worried expressions.
There was a large bruise on his cheek and the scar above his right eyes had tore open again. "I-I..." Nothing I say now could describe how sorry I am for what I've done. Without another word, I desperately cling onto Ed and bury my face in his shoulder. He lifts me up while I still keep my hold on him, scared on what happens if I let go. I don't want to slip back to whatever that was, and the only rationale thing that came into my head was to keep hold of Ed so it won't happen. Ed tells the the others while carrying me away, "I'll stay with Cat for now. You guys figure out by yourselves who's staying with who." "I'm staying with Al!" I heard Alice's voice before Ed shuts the door behind him. "Are you going to let go?" Ed chuckles.
Usually, I'd be so embarrassed that I would instantly jump away from him, but I still couldn't being myself to let go. "Hey..." I felt a hand gently pet the back of my head. "I'm not going anywhere. I don't plan on leaving you."
-Ed-
It took almost an hour of convincing her, but I was finally able to get Cat off and let go, and at the same time, put her to sleep. "Geez! You're heavier than you look..." I just shake my head as I laid her back in bed for the second time today. "Look at you... you really are a Kitty," I lightly joke, pulling the covers over the girl. I was about to pull my hands away until, out of no where, Cat automatically grabs my hand. I thought for a second she woke back up but, much to my relief, Cat was still fast asleep. I adjusted my hand so that our fingers were intertwined, and this seemed to make her happy enough to smile in her sleep. It's weird; one moment she suddenly breaks down screaming in the hallway, and the next, she's sleeping exactly like a kitten and continues to cling to me. This was a sight I never thought I would ever see.
Just seeing her like this reminds me that even someone like her can still look helpless. Cat has rarely cried out in the open. And whenever she does, I never once liked the sight of seeing her cry. I've had my share on being the cause of them and it would be too stupid to wish to take it all back. I rest my forehead against the side of her head, closing my eyes as I listen to her soft breathing. "You scare me sometimes... I know how to tell if you're lying but I still have a hard time trying to read your mind... You have this nasty habit of keeping secrets that it frustrates me... so much... I can't protect you like this if you try too hard to protect me..." I lift myself up a bit to get a better look at her face. 'She really is out for the count,' I thought, covering my mouth to hold back the laughter that's building up.
I use my free hand to move a few strands of hair away and mutter, "An idiot like you doesn't deserve to be a dog of the military... someone that wants to throw their life away so easily for the sake of others... you don't fit in that god-awful place at all." Now that I get a closer look at her face, I can see how puffy her eyes are from the excessive amount of crying she did earlier. I take my glove off and use my real hand to touch her cheek, gently rubbing my thumb beneath her closed eyes. Thank god Cat wasn't awake when I said this, "Next time I'll definitely be the one to make you cry, but this time they'll be tears of joy."
-Alice-
I took the chance the moment Ed said he'd stay with Cat. 'Now that it's finally come to this...' We both sat on opposite ends of the bed. 'What do we do now!?' I admit that we've gotten time to get to know one another while Cat and Ed sleep in the train, but it's weird being in the same room ALONE. 'What can I say? The only thing we talk about now is about alchemist!' Taking a quick look at Al, I began to realize how I see him now compared to when I was a kid. I never knew the real him until I actually got the chance to talk to him. The insecurities he's felt about not being able to feel is far from what I've ever imagined. Especially now that I'm experiencing the exact same thing. "Um... how have things been?" I tried to smile but I was mentally bashing my head against the wall for asking such a stupid thing.
There's no reason for me to act so nervous around him, we've had plenty of time to get to know each other to get rid of any nervous feelings. "Alice," I practically felt my soul jump out of my body at Al's voice. "Are you really okay? You don't really smile like you often do." I haven't really thought about that. I frantically wave my hands as I tried to smile, "I'm fine Al! I'm just being a little worrywart over Cat is all!" "I know..." Al sad in a much quieter voice. "Al?" His quietness is more concerning than mine to him. "You're not regretting coming with us, right?" I was surprised at his question and poured my heart out in my answer, "N-No! Of course, not Al! Following after you guys has been the best thing that's ever happened! I got the chance to repair my friendship with Cat, meet you and everyone else, journey around Amestris- there's nothing about any of this that I wouldn't ever want to forget!"
He remains quiet. I took a deep breath and grab both of his hands then held then up, continuing, "I'm not weak Al. You should know that by now! I may not seem like it, but I can take care of myself. I knew the consequences on what would happen if I came with you guys, Cat even kept asking me if I was sure the whole train ride when we left Resembol!" He finally speaks up but in a slightly louder voice, "But you'll be in constant danger! You know everything that will happen just like Cat and she's said Jealousy has been using that against her. I don't want you to go!" I've never seen Al react so much like this before. "I-"... I closed my mouth and kept silence. I know where he's coming from and I'm just as scared when it comes to him each time I think about the same thing.
The moment our seals are scratched, our souls will leave these bodies and immediately go back to our originals as long as it's not occupied. But I'm different with that case. I gasp and finally realize why he's so scared. I quickly hug him, earning a surprised yelp from Al at the sudden action. I muttered in a shaky voice, "You don't need to be scared anymore Al... I'm not going to die. As sad as I am that Hughes died, I'm just happy to be here with you guys to help you through it. That's the truth." My soul has nowhere to go. My body is on the other side, so unless my soul is allowed to go through the gates, my soul would fade from existence with nowhere to go. I'll die. Just like what happened to Barry. Out of nowhere, I started to bitterly laugh, "You brothers are so similar. You worry about a couple of outsiders so much even though we're practically the worst human beings to ever exist for knowing so much and hiding it."
I heard him move, and I can only guess that he's hugging me back since I can't feel. "I don't think you're the worst... I'm really glad you exist..."
-Jealousy-
"So the nosy Colonel Mustang was snooping around the Hughes matter?" I heard Lust ask as I enter the room. "Mhmm," the blonde haired man hums. She asked, "Do you think he discovered anything yet?" "It's a definite possibility. What now?" I watch from the entryway in disgust as the man turned into Envy. "We already moved him to Central so we could keep an eye on him…why can't he be a good boy and behave himself? I'd hate to destroy a perfect sacrifice candidate…" "Haven't been able to learn anything from your new 'boyfriend'?" I hear Envy tease. "He's either a born idiot or a clueless hustler." I had enough of listening in on their conversation and finally spoke up, "Don't you think you should pick someone else that's not a part of Mustang's regime?" They all turn to face me as I step out of the shadows.
I cross my arms and glare at the duo, at the same time, trying to ignore Gluttony feasting on god knows who not too far away. "If you want information, get it from someone that's close and not in the bastard's circle. I don't the man you're seeing will reveal anything to you at all that's military related. Even if he acts like an idiot-" I snap my fingers, using my alchemy to create threads of thin water that wraps around Lust's neck. "He will be careful in making sure the rose he has his eyes on doesn't have too many thorns that'll prick him." She easily breaks them off with her long fingers."...I'm off to gather more intelligence." She walked off as she called, "Let's go Gluttony!"
Gluttony quickly abandons his meal and follow. "Come on Gluttony…don't leave you're mess behind…you slob," Envy said as he walks over to the pile of bones in front of the cage. "What you said earlier, about the Flame Colonel behaving himself…" My eyes shot over to Envy. "Yes…" Lust muses to herself. "How would you feel about us making another play?" "You have something in mind?" "Well, we've got a noisy mutt; all he needs is a bone to chew on…" Envy smirks. I don't like where this is going. We've kept that thing here for so long, I knew there was a reason why but I didn't know what for. "You guys are truly twisted," I comment.
"For someone so 'twisted', you'll like the play I have in mind. And that involves that doppelganger you've been trying to get rid of."
"...What are you talking about, Envy?"
-Back to Me-
Sleeping is the last thing I wanted to do, but my body just automatically gave in to the normal reaction every human being does and passed out. Waking up though, was a bliss for only a short moment. "E-Ed?" I utter in disbelief when I see the boy sitting on a chair and resting his head next to my pillow. What's even more embarrassing is that he's holding my hand- without his gloves on. "And you call me an idiot?" I smile as gently play with some of his hair between my fingertips. "You didn't have to keep an eye on the girl that kicked your ass. More over an insane one too..." If I stay any longer, I'm sure I might do something that I might regret. Just as I was about to get up, there was a sudden knock at the door, causing Ed to steer from his sleep.
I immediately shut my eyes and tried to pretend to sleep. Which I knew I failed miserably when I heard Ed sigh. All of a sudden, I felt something cover my face. "The next time you pretend to sleep do it better!" I hear him say, accompanied with a few footsteps. I take whatever's covering my face and I ended up staring down at the thing in my hand with wide eyes for a moment. My hat.
(A/N: Now I remember that wrote that Ed recovered it and still kept the hat BUT I forgot if he ever gave it back to her... I am not going back so many chapters just to remember when!)
I thought it was gone forever but now it's back, and Ed kept it this whole time? Embarrassed, I put it over my head and blushed. This stupid Tricorne (A/N: Okay it's either Tricorn or Tricorne. This fucking give up!) hat was my first successful creation when I was still practicing on using alchemy. It was one of the few things that DIDN'T blow up in my face. I never brought myself to remake one ever since I lost it. I have to thank Ed later and rethink that previous idea of leaving, again. "Morning you lovebirds!" Lucas cheers as he steps into the room. In response, I transmuted as much water as possible to poor down on the older boy. "Can you clean that dirty mind of yours already!" I yell. Lucas just wipes his face and looks at me with an annoyed look as he answers, "A boy and a girl alone in a room. I wouldn't be the only one to think that you know if others say you two together."
Just as I was about to throw my pillow at his face, Ed beats me by tossing him out and slamming the door in Lucas' face. He bangs on the door once and yells on the other side, "Get someone else to wake you up next time Ed if you're going to kick me out like that!" I blink a bit as I watch Ed come over and sit back down on the chair beside my bed. "What... did he mean by that?" I asked, curious on what Lucas meant. He scratches the back of his head then answers, "The others kept coming in last night to check up on you. Lucas was the last and I just told him to wake me up if it was morning already." That's when I noticed the dark circles in his eyes. "Did you... stay up that long for me?" Judging by his silence, I knew that was the case.
I shift myself to a different position on the bed and got on my knees and pat the mattress. Embarrassed on what I'm about to say, I glance to the side and offered, "Why don't you sleep on the bed... with me?" Ed falls off his chair in shock while I cover my face with my hands in shame. 'I shouldn't have said that! I should have just offered him to switch places with me instead! I basically told him I want to sleep with him!' That last part of my thought made me face plant on the pillow. "Forget what I said! Just go back to your room or whatever! I'm fine now so you go have your little chat with the others!" To think up until now that my brain would always be the one in control of my actions. Now it just looks like that my heart is the one that's starting to take control.
"I don't think that's possible..." Confused, I was about to ask Ed what he meant by that only to keep my mouth shut when I felt the bed press down a bit. I turn my head and almost wanted to scream once I see Ed lying right now to me. Not too close, but close enough to make my heart increase to a million beats per second. Ed forcefully shuts his eyes and blushes as he says, "This is basically our room now. I switched places with Alice so that I can keep a closer eye on you. I didn't know that you got a room that only had a single bed, so I just decided to stay awake as long as possible. But since you offered, I think I deserve a short nap." "I-Idiot! You should have let Alice stay since she can't sleep at all!" He continues to ignore me as I continued to spout as many excuses I could come up with just so I could get him to get out.
Taking a deep breath, I gave in and closed my eyes, giving him the freedom to do whatever he wants. Ed has a history of being stubborn, and because of that, it took me a long while of getting used to it before and after we became friends. There's a big difference between knowing someone as a character from a manga/anime and in person, and sadly, I had to be partnered up with him by force just to realize that. And even now, I don't even want to bother trying to argue when he's like this. But there is something that I'm surprised myself to realize. He's pretty- "clingy..." I mutter as I laid back down and closed my eyes. "You say something?" I heard Ed ask. "No... just take your nap..." I didn't even bother to open my eyes to see if he really was going to sleep.
It felt like only minutes had gone by when another knock was heard from the door. "Oh what now!?" Ed exclaims as he pushes himself off the bed. I sigh and also got back up. What's the point on even trying to go back to sleep if there's someone that's going to be banging on the door every minute or so. Putting my brown coat on, Ed opens the door but takes a step back in surprise. "Excuse me, is the Mercury Alchemist here?" I turn my head to see two military men standing at the doorway. Ed asked as he defiantly stood his ground, "And what are you going to do if I say 'yes'?" Impatient, one of them knocks Ed down to the ground, flips him on his stomach and cuffs his hands. "Hey!" I jump out of bed and attempt to grab one of my weapons only from them to quickly confiscated by the other soldier.
"Catherine N. Cairo?" he questions. "Yeah, who's asking?" I defensively question the man. "Henry Douglas from the Marshal's Office." Oh I know where this was going, and he seemed to have noticed that I already knew as I move to punch him, grabbing my fist just in time. "You're under arrest as a co-conspirator for the death of Brigadier General Maes Hughes."
To Be Continued
I can't believe it's been soooo long since I first started MA. Why am I saying this? I'm 19 guys and that fact made me realize that this fanfic will be just as ancient as I am. XD I started this when I was 13 for pete sakes! And look where we are now! Thankfully, we're close to the point where (oops spoilers) we get to learn more about Jealousy! Oh thank god. I have been planning forever with that part and thinking for ages on how I should do it, when and where. I finally did come up with the proper plot for it last year and I promise that it will be the most important and satisfying chapter by far in this story. And to make sure I will not take forever on the OTHER one. Ahem... Guys?
Cat: Now this is very important that you guys do not get pissed when we say this.
Ali: After a few chapters come out, Mercury Alchemist Origins will finally be released!
Cat: Alice! They don't even know what that is!
Ali: Oops... I forgot...
Me: It wasn't the teaser I released a while back. Do not worry, that is a chapter of THIS fanfic. ; Should I just tell them what it basically will be about or just leave it up for them to figure out?
Cat: It's better to leave things as it is for now. You wouldn't want your readers to start complaining about all the cryptic crap you've been pulling...
Me: Meh. Things change. It would have been boring if I just stuck to the very old idea of 'this is a story about two girls who get stuck on FMA and look for a way out's and shit. I did try to at least keep the story the same as I planned, just had to squeeze it in somehow. They're too good to give up!
Ali: Don't you have anything else to say?
Me: Other than the fact that I'm going to me ten times more busier than before? Nope!
Ali: Okay then...?
Me: Well? Aren't you going to start?
Ali: Oh, right! AveryScarlet does not own FMA. She only owns her current OC's; which is me-
Cat: And me.
Ali: - Lucas, Jealousy, Miss Camilla, Ni-
Cat: AND others that have appeared! Please RR and we'll see you in the next chapter!
Update:
... Note to self. Don't use the phone app when you're in a hurry to finish a chapter. And also not do it when you're about to pass out. There's so much I left out and didn't even bother to fix. I was just thinking, 'Oh fuck this. I'm updating then passing out.'