I'm BACK! (thankfully) So, today is basically the last day of my frequent updating! School starts tomorrow (cries) and exams are already waiting for me on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to complete (damn my schedules full .) which means I'll be able to update in the weekend after the horror trip is over.

In this case, I would like to cite one character which has been part of one of the first animes I've ever watched and fell in love with, "I heard that she has to fight some kind of weak demon called Entrance Exam," – Inuyasha. T_T Oh Inu...you poor naïve little hanyou...

Ahem...right, like I said, those not-so-weak demons called exams will come to bite me in the ass sooner or later (I hope never) and so I'm afraid I'll need to take a break from writing. :/ Ugh, pure torture for me . BUT I'll try to publish something today in the afternoon too! :)

ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:

1-800fangirl: T_T (cries and hugs you) Thanks so much for the praise! I really appreciate it! :) Yeah, you're right about that, though I have the feeling like he isn't just the crazed, cold blooded killer slash gentleman he presented himself as. There are always things that happen in the past that shape the person for the future and I was always curios what his background could be that made him like that, I plan to elaborate on that in future chapters about him ;) Hm..Pride huh? I thought of him too, but then I chose a younger version of Kimblee since I tried making a connection between the war and his decision to save the child, where normally he probably wouldn't have. I used the soldier to represent the soldiers that had killed his parents, a soldier willing to kill a child just because it's there and not for his orders, I had a thought Kimblee wouldn't let that one slide. Haha and thank you for the compliments, it makes me wan to write more! :) P.S. ...SORRY FOR THE LONG REPLY T_T

GrumpyCatWriter101: ^_^ Thanks!

Lily: Hihi, thanks Lil! Hope it wasn't too...dark? XD

Emma: Yeah that sounds about right...hmm...or maybe instead of translating "Greed" we could use words commonly associated with the sin (maybe even in different languages)? Hm..

Cassey: Any specific situation or should I come up with anything but just that they are good? ^^

Jadasimone16: Oh, "interested" in Winry huh? Hm...if ya want I could write a one shot with that idea, any details or should I come up with something? :)

Enjoy everyone! :)

The Simplicity of Things

After Kimblee had finished his speech about war and infuriating Mustang of his frank, cold words, the Flame Alchemist had looked at his friend from the military academy days and asked one question that had kept nagging him since the start of this extermination operation, "Hughes...what are your reasons for fighting?" he clenched his fists.

Maes Hughes stopped, turning his head to catch his friend's eyes and said simply, "It's simple really, I don't want to die,"

"Lieutenant, what is your reason for staying by my side and not choosing a different path to take? You didn't have to enroll in the military," Mustang looked at his most trusted and precious Lieutenant, his "Queen".

She didn't smile, but the warmth in her eyes was unmistakable, "After the death of my father, you told me if I ever needed anything I could come to you," Roy stiffened, remembering the tragic death of his mentor when Riza and him were still young and naïve.

Riza however wasn't finished, "My father had never been like others and I've gotten used to not being showered with affections. But his death made me lose my home as well. So, I searched for my second home and came to you," her eyes showed her emotions, her smile was professional, ever the professional Riza he came to know, but her words what pierced his heart.

Roy seemed stunned and for a moment, amusement laced Riza's words as she took the files she needed from his desk and turned around to exit the office, "Most reasons to justify why people have done the things they did are simple, Colonel."

His Lieutenant's words continued to swarm his mind as he sat alone at his desk.

"Mhm! This is good!" Ling commented in-between mouthfuls of food he stuffed into his mouth, savoring each and every bite.

Ed stared at him with a blank look, his right eye twitching, "You don't say..." his tone was dry, his mind calculating just how much this was gonna cost him.

Ling stopped his eating and swallowed the food in his mouth," You know, you should try to relax every once and a while." Ed shot him a displeased look.

"Relax? I have to find a way to get Al's body back! I can't just relax!" Ed snorted, his irritation at the prince growing.

Ling however didn't seem to mind his snappish attitude, instead he continued calmly, looking at the passing people fondly, "Hm...we may not know each-other closely but, from what I gathered, you've been so fixated on getting your bodies back that you have neglected everything else," Ed froze and Ling smiled.

"Children who are happy to get some sweets from their parents, parents who are happy when their young ones are, people who smile when they eat good food, people who smile when they see someone they missed, people that do things that make them happy..." Ling looked directly at Ed, "You haven't done many things that made you happy did you?"

Against his better judgment, a image of Winry appeared in his mind and Ed blushed, crossing his arms stubbornly.

Ling chuckled, "Simple things like food can already brighten your whole day. When you eat good food, you feel good too," Ling looked at his own plate, "I always think we are fortunate to get to eat every day," (A/N: I borrowed this particular sentence from Rock Inmate Nr. 1369, from the anime Nanbaka, Episode 11)

"Simple things like that alone can change a whole person, it can move someone to change something in their life, to take the initiative and fix the things they're unpleased about. I'm willing to gain immortality in order to help my country and bring an end to the things plaguing it, poverty, violence, the concubine system... None of those things can be changed within a day and who's to say my successor will follow my will once I pass from this world? If I gain immortality I'll make sure to follow through these changes till the end so that my people will be happy again,"

Ed and Alphonse listened attentively to the prince, the same prince that seemed like a dumb, spoiled brat eating their money away a minute ago, showed this amount of thinking and understanding.

"Y-Your reason for wanting immortality is to...make your people happy?" Ed inquired, wanting to make sure.

Ling smiled brightly and nodded, "It's that simple,"

"Winry...may I ask you something?" Garfiel leaned against the wall and watched Winry stop her work and take off her goggles, giving him her full attention.

"Yes, Garfiel? What is it?" she tilted her head to the side in curiosity.

Garfiel frowned, an uncharacteristic trait for a cheerful, flamboyant man such as himself, "I was wondering...I believe Edward and Alphonse will achieve his goal and get their original bodies back but...once they have and they plan to travel around like they've said...what will you do?" he winced, hoping his words didn't sound as offending as he imagined.

Winry blinked in surprise before she smiled fondly, "Well, I still have the shop and you here don't I? People back in Resembool and here in Rush Valley depend on me and other mechanics, there will always be people that need engineers and automail, whether it be for limb replacements or simple constructions for their every day needs." Winry rested her gloved hands on her knees, smiling brightly, "Even if Ed and Al decide to travel around the world, I don't have time to sit around and wait all day do I? I'll always welcome them back with open arms, but I've got a life outside of them too. I enjoy my work, I enjoy being a automail engineer and helping people go through their everyday lives easier with my creations."

That caught Garfiel off guard, his eyes wide.

"A farmer can't provide for his family and sell his wares if he has a missing arm or leg, or his machines aren't working properly. That's why they come to us to get limb replacements or to fix their machines they need to make a living. Defensive structures cannot protect a city without its mechanical parts and mechanisms to keep everything running smoothly." Winry paused for a moment, "But it's not just about my work, Granny and Den need me too. And what sort of a person would I be if I dropped everything to sit at home and wait for Ed and Al?" she winked, "They know they're welcome back anytime and they know I have a life outside of them, I may worry about them but...I know Ed will pull through, like he always did,"

Garfiel didn't miss the fond and warm look that crossed her face nor the slight blush dusting her cheeks and he felt a small smirk cover his face before covering it up with a small laugh, "Alright Winry my dear, just be sure to take a break," he smiled.

Winry smiled and nodded, "By the way, how comes you asked Garfiel?"

The man stopped and turned back to look at her before answering, "I just wanted to know if reasons people have are really as simple as many make them believe they are,"

Winry blinked in surprise before she laughed, "Well, no use in making everything complicated if it can be simple right?"

Garfiel chuckled too, "You're right about that,"

Rather short one shot but I felt the need to end it here ^^ If I had gone on, I think this would be over 5,000 words and not 1,000 something :3 So, what do you think how was it? :) IDEAS FOR GREED-TWINS NAME ARE APPRECIATED THANKS! :D