I do not own FMA: B or Harry Potter
Arriving in Central, Aria wished that she had a better plan or just her hoodie. According to Greed, her hoodie had been too noticeable for her to wear instead she was stuck with a plain brown sweater and black leggings. It had been two days since the massacre at the Devils Nest, but she hated thinking about the chimeras. Once she finished what she had to do then she would worry about the people she lost. Stepping off the train she sent an innocent smile to the soldiers who nodded back at her. It was hard to keep from rushing off to find a stone, but she held herself back. Acting recklessly would get herself killed, so the only thing she could do was keep her head down and learn all she could about Central.
She spent the next two days with that goal in mind. Asking street rats, criminals, and just listening to gossip told her far more than most would have thought. The first thing to catch her attention was that Issac had tried to freeze over Central which must've been his unfinished business. He'd died trying to save the country from the Homunculi; she didn't know how she felt about that. Yes, she was sad that he had died, but mourning for him would have to come after she found a stone. Just like the chimeras, she couldn't spend time thinking about them.
Still, it was hard to forget the man who taught her practical Alchemy; she would always care about him. He'd been so many things but one of them was a good man, a determined man. When he attacked Central he'd had to know that no one would thank him for his actions but he'd done it anyway. Even if he had succeeded in stopping the Homunculi he would have been known as nothing but a traitor. The idea of trying so hard to save people who hated him reminded her of her own decision to save her relatives. While the situation was different the choice was still the same.
Part of her wanted to say she would take up his crusade against the Homunculi but she couldn't make that promise and she didn't want to. Not when Greed was her first and most important priority he was the only thing that mattered to her right now. Starting a war with the Homunculi over the desires of a dead man wasn't an option for her right now. The dead were gone and wanted nothing but the living were all too important. She would remember the man who taught her to freeze people solid or boil their blood, but she wouldn't go out of her way to avenge him.
What she did find interesting was that he'd visited the Crimson Alchemist before he died. Solf J. Kimblee was a man Issac had told her about at length he'd practically gushed about the man. She had no doubt that the man had tried to recruit Kimblee to aid in his cause but she had no idea why he would want to. From the fact Issac was dead it obviously hadn't worked either. Even with the Crimson Alchemist, it was unlikely that Issac would have been able to accomplish his goal. He should've just stayed in Dublith, at least then he would still be alive. She hadn't wanted to lose him; then he'd left to finish his business.
From what she knew Kimblee was also a State Alchemist known for his Explosive Alchemy. He was strong and had fought in the Ishvalan war; his power would be a boon for anyone he decided to side with. He was far stronger than anyone she'd even heard about other than Greed. Right now he was still in prison, but he had to have enough power to break out. That meant he was no doubt staying by choice; he wanted to be in that prison. He was waiting for something before he made a move but she had a feeling it would be nothing good that caused him to react.
She'd also learned that the fifth laboratory had been destroyed, however, it had been right next to a prison. Given that a Philosopher Stone required human lives, the lab was perfectly placed. It was actually quite a genus plan to use convicted criminals as fuel for the stones. The only issue was that she couldn't use a destroyed building as an entrance. That meant, she had to find another way underground when she didn't even like the idea of being underground. She did take this as confirmation that they were still making stones.
Now, where would be the best place to hide a Philospher Stone? It was after all the most powerful Alchemical creation ever made and needed to be protected. In her opinion, there was really only one place that it would make sense to store them and that was underneath Central command itself. She had no choice but to enter one of the most secure facilities in the country which would get her killed if she was caught. The fact she didn't even hesitate to latch onto the idea made her wonder if she was desperate, however, she wasn't a fool.
In order to break into a military base, she would have to wait until something major happened to draw attention. Any other course of action was just asking to get killed or delivering herself like a gift basket to the Homunculi. That was why she was sitting on a park bench watching the building closely for her chance to infiltrate. It was amazing how few people found a child sitting outside the building suspicious. While she might not be able to act now but that didn't mean she would stop studying the facility. So far she'd cataloged every entrance and exit along with how many soldiers were in the building. It was amazing how being a child let her be overlooked.
On the day Maria Ross was arrested for murder, she found an entrance underground however she didn't make her move. Even with a little chaos, she was sure that Central was still too orderly to overlook her presence. She needed something bigger than a little bit of murder. She needed chaos and panic before she could do anything. Something like a Philosopher Stone would be highly guarded; there was no way a simple murder charge would draw away its protectors.
Her patience was rewarded when Maria Ross was broken out of prison a week later putting the entire city on high alert. She almost cheered when the news echoed over the radio but instead simply prepared to leave. Watching the soldiers food the streets, she reacted quickly by heading to the entrance; this was her only chance. Vanishing underground she moved toward Central Command with a speed that most would have called reckless and she definitely knew that Greed would call her reckless. Dressed in a black jacket with a dagger strapped to her hip, she didn't hesitate to use the chaos to her advantage.
She hadn't been expecting chimera like creatures to try and attack her but she dispatched them quickly. The fact this was a sewer made it easy to use water against them. If they'd been smarter then she had no doubt they would have been dangerous but wild creatures were easy enough to kill; she'd done enough hunting with Martel to realize that. Moving underneath Central put a sick feeling in her stomach, however she care. This was for Greed, no amount of discomfort could make her stop now.
It was easy to admit that she didn't like the dark and the tunnel she was in was nothing if not dark. Part of her felt terrified that something would come rushing out of the darkness and attack her but she pushed it down. This place reminded her of before she'd been brought to this world. Her cupboard had always been dark, but she reminded herself that she was no longer that little girl. She was Greed's Alchemist; the student of the Freezing Alchemist. Being afraid of the dark wasn't an option for her.
Keeping a hand on the hilt of her dagger she stilled when the sound of voices reached her ears. Feeling a smirk stretch across her lips she gripped her dagger tighter before moving toward the voices. Slipping through the tubbing on the wall, which was creepy, she kneeled beside a vent grate. Under her, she could see a group of scientists working on what seemed to be pale humanoid puppets, well that was unsettling. Were they trying to animate them, if so then that would give them a bigger army than they already had except this one would be controlled by the Homunculi and no one else.
Scanning the room as best she could, she felt her heart pound when she saw the box of glistening red stones. They looked exactly like what Greed had described to her; she'd actually found Philosopher Stones. For a moment all she wanted to do was cheer, then she shoved it down since emotion could come later. She had to focus now, anything else would get her killed. The only issue with sneaking in was that the scientists didn't seem to be leaving and killing them would only draw more attention. She would have to wait until they left, which wasn't too long given that an officer had just rushed into the room. Hearing him talk about getting them to a secure location, she almost sighed in relief.
Waiting until they all left, she moved the vent cover before dropping into the room. She could admit that the pale puppets were creepy, but she didn't have time to focus on them. Walking over to the box she unzipped her jacket and pulled a small bag out of her inside pocket before hesitating. How many could she take without getting noticed? It wasn't like she was stealing an apple or something, this was a precious alchemical resource. Someone would notice if they were missing, even taking one was a risk. Her hand twitched as another thought rushed through her mind, did she even want to remain unnoticed.
The Homunculi had attacked them. Roa, Dolcetto, Martel, and the others were dead, the time for careful planning was over. There were seven Homunculi in Central that were their enemies; she would take seven stones. Picking out the stones she placed them in the small bag before putting it back in her pocket and zipping up her jacket. It wasn't much but it was the only declaration of war she could make on her own. Well without causing untold chaos and destroying half the city; she knew how to make a bomb.
Walking back to the vent she focused on the moisture in the air before freezing a small platform under her feet. Reaching up once she was in range, she pulled herself into the vent allowing the frozen platform to melt. The water on the floor was just another sign that she'd been here; she hoped that they panicked once they figured it out. Replacing the vent cover, she decided that getting out of Central sooner rather than later would be the best choice. Squeezing back through the pipes, she started backtracking toward the entrance.
Now all she had to do was get out of Central and find Greed. After the Homunculi figured out she was here that would be much easier said than done after all she'd just stolen from beings stronger than her. She needed to get out of the city tonight or she might get caught. That wasn't an option; getting caught would endanger Greed. She couldn't allow that, not when he was vulnerable right now. Pressing a hand against her chest where the Philosopher stones were, she frowned. If she took the first train, then she would reach Dublith within two days. Once she made it back, Greed could absorb the stones and regain his strength.
Seeing a flash of motion, she twisted avoiding the foot that would have impacted her ribs causing it to hit the wall hard enough to be buried in it. Feeling her eyes widen she reached down to grab the hilt of her dagger as she stumbled to a stop. In the shadows she could see a pale long-haired male, maybe, pulling his foot out of the wall. From his appearance, she was guessing he was Envy the very Homunculi she never wanted to meet.
"So it was a little thief."
The mocking in his tone as he turned to look at her was supposed to be insulting but she didn't care. It was true that she was a thief; she'd literally just stolen from them. Tilting her head slightly she wondered if he expected her to be offended by his words. Watching him study her, she knew that she only had a second or two before he realized just how weak she was. Dropping her hand from her dagger she dove to the ground and activated the alchemy circle on her glove.
The ground shot up forming a wall seconds before she lunged off the ground and took off running. From his distressed cry, he hadn't expected her to try running away. She honestly had no idea why he was surprised; she was a thief, not a warrior. Tapping the wall as she ran she created several more blockades since she had no doubt he could break through them. If she could make it outside then she could escape.
Hearing cries of anger behind her she threw open the entrance and was immediately doused in rain. It seemed that she'd gotten extremely lucky tonight. Dropping to her knees she slammed her palms down forming a wall of ice over the entryway. Making the wall as thick as possible she took a moment to catch her breath. Her walls would slow him down for at least a moment or two. Envy could appear as anyone, he was the most dangerous of the Homunculi; she wasn't about to wait around and get caught by him.
Feeling rain soak into her skin, she pushed herself off the ground. Now, what did she do? She needed to get to the train station but that was the first place Envy would look for her. If he managed to find her then she had no idea if she could get away again. She needed a better plan than to simply run away as quickly as possible, but she had no allies in Central. There wasn't a single person in this city that would help her except possibly one.
"Kimblee is dangerous but he's also unpredictable if it came down to it. I would ask him for help a thousand times over even if he refused."
Staring up at the prison even as she shivered she wondered what the hell she was doing. Kimblee had refused to help Issac a man he knew; why did any part of her think he would decide to help a little girl he'd never met? Because Issac had favored him was a horrible reason to risk her life. Scew her foolish brain for thinking about a man that might choose to kill her instead of save her. Straightening she considered turning around and walking away but slammed a hand into the ground instead.
Blue lightning arched around her as a sharpened lance of ice tore through the outside of the prison. Following the lance into the building, she dodged a male guard's attempt to attack her before kicking his knee. Watching him crumble to the ground she reached out to grab the back of his neck tightly. From this position, she could either boil the blood in his veins or freeze him solid. Feeling her heart pound in her chest, she wondered if she could actually go through with her threat, before realizing that if it was for Greed she would do so happily.
"Where is Kimblee," she asked keeping her voice calm.
Hearing more guards approach, she tightened her grip enough for him to stutter out an answer. She didn't take the time to ask herself if he was telling the truth instead she laid her hand on the ice lance causing it to melt before turning it into a wave of ice that froze the guards solid. This way she didn't have to kill them in order to reach Kimblee. Her brain told her that this was a stupid idea. Her emotions told her to hide instead of fighting. If the Crimson Alchemist was planning something then he might kill her for interfering with his plans.
That was a risk she was willing to take. She doubted that Greed would approve of her actions right now but she actually wanted to meet the man Issac had spoken so highly of. Even if he refused, she knew that this was a chance worth taking. After all, winning wasn't possible unless she risked something along the way; although she doubted this situation was what Dolcetto meant when he taught her how to gamble. Besides, she could always throw the man at Envy if the Homunculus found her. God Envy was terrifying; she was just now realizing it but the shapeshifter scared her more than anyone she'd ever met.
Skidding to a stop outside Kimblee's cell she reached out and transmuted the iron door into thin slices of paper. Watching it drift to the ground she froze at the intense blue eyes that met her own; they were dark enough to swallow all the light in a room. She'd known he was dangerous but his eyes reminded her of a lion waiting to pounce. Why had she thought this was a good idea? He was going to kill her...no, she couldn't allow her emotions to take over her actions. She was not a weak little girl to be cowed by a single glance. Straightening under his gaze, she ignored the fear and panic she felt.
"I never expected a child to enter my cell," he mused. The shackles on his wrists did nothing to reassure her that she was safe. Stepping into the cell, she tried to pretend she wasn't afraid as she stalked toward him. It was far too late to turn back now.
"Issac said you were strong," she said. Watching his eyes narrow at her words she twitched when he chuckled. The sound made her shiver, but she didn't allow herself to show fear.
"I didn't know the Freezing Alchemist had an apprentice," he said amusement in his voice. He sounded as if he'd just been told a joke; part of her wondered if she should be insulted. Smirking up at her he asked, "What do you want girl?"
So many things. Out of this city for one. Away from Envy for another. There was so much she wanted, but she had no idea how to answer his question. She needed to get out of Central and back to Greed, but she wanted something else. It was deep and dark inside her but she wanted the Homunculi to pay for what they did to her friends. She wanted vengeance for the lives they stole; did that make her a horrible person? A normal thirteen-year-old would never claim to want revenge.
Hearing footsteps, she twisted to look at the doorway. The guards were still frozen; it was most likely Envy finally catching up to her. She was going to die. He was going to kill her and then Greed would be all alone. Digging her nails into the palm of her hand to steady herself she turned her attention back to the Crimson Alchemist. He seemed amused by her reactions; was that enough to earn his help? Opening her mouth to speak she had no idea what she was going to say but she really hoped that he agreed to help her. She doubted Envy would allow her to escape a second time.
"...save me," she pleaded only to slam a hand over her mouth when the words left her lips. She'd meant to say something different but her lips didn't comply. When he chuckled she knew the words had been a mistake.
"Not really the saving type. Go find someone else," he ordered waving her away.
"I don't have time to find anyone else," she snapped crossing her arms. She was literally trapped like a rat in a cage. Chancing another glance at the door she admitted, "I've stolen from the Homunculi."
"Interesting," he mused with curiosity shining in his eyes. She'd finally gotten his attention; she just didn't know if that was a good thing or not. Stumbling back she tried to put distance between them as he stood suddenly. Looming over her he looked down at her with amusement and curiosity in equal measure. He was much taller when he stood and intimidating. Refusing to shift nervously she heard him ask, "And why would you do something so stupid?"
It was stupid, wasn't it? The Homunculi were immortal beings with more power than her. This man knew it too, he knew about the beings that ran this country and he was daring her to voice a reason. He wanted to call her a fool and taunt her for provoking them, however, she couldn't stop the sudden rush of anger in her veins. She'd suppressed it from the moment she entered Central but with nothing left to lose, she found herself falling back onto her anger.
"For Greed… for Roa, Dolcetto, and Martel. For every single chimera they killed at Dublith, I would make the same choice a million times over," she stated with her head held high. Seeing his eyes flash she didn't have time to hear his response before a chuckle was heard behind her.
"So you're Greed's pet," Envy stated. Spinning to face him she grabbed her dagger even as a shiver rushed down her spine. He did not look happy although the rain had made his hair stick to his back. Feeling Kimblee shift beside her she only had eyes for the homunculus even when Envy glanced at the man. Chuckling the shapeshifter said, "why is it that every Ice Alchemist always comes to the same man for help? It's pathetic, but even more pathetic is the faith you have in Greed."
It was true, she was pathetic. A foolish little girl who had no one to save her despite how much she wanted them too. Unsheathing her dagger she held it tightly as the Homunculus stalked toward her. No one was going to rescue her. Watching red lightning arch off his body she felt her hand tremble as a replica of Greed stood before her. She knew it was a trick even as her weapon lowered slightly; however, that didn't stop her from flinching. He was going to kill her while looking like Greed.
Watching the girl hesitate, Kimblee knew she was about to die. She'd chosen the wrong Homunculus to serve and now she would die alone. He'd seen this scenario what seemed like a thousand times; it always ended the same way. Greed wasn't here to save her, nor was he going to lift a finger to rescue the girl. He'd let Issac die in order to preserve his stance on the winning side; he wasn't about to ruin everything to save a foolish little girl in over her head. She was obviously afraid of Envy so he doubted she would gather the strength to fight against the man. He just hoped that no one got blood on his walls. It was a pain to clean up.
There was a small twinge of regret for allowing Issac's apprentice to die but he ignored it easily. He'd been ignoring his regret for years so this was no different. The girl was a weak-willed child, she wasn't worth his interest. He had much bigger things to focus on than old memories and allies. Issac shouldn't have taught such a foolish child in the first place. Now the secrets of Ice Alchemy would be lost with her; it was unfortunate. Moving to sit down as Envy reached out for the girl, he stilled as her eyes hardened. The interest he had in the girl skyrocketed at the glitter of determination in her eyes. Watching her hand lash out he whistled even as Envy stared down at his bleeding hand.
He was shocked that she actually had enough spine to wound Envy when he was wearing the form of someone so important to her. From her words, Greed was the center of her world, the only person she had left, and she was able to push that aside. There were soldiers who would falter during this situation only to get themselves killed. Was this why Issac decided to teach her his Alchemy? If it was for her mental fortitude then he could understand despite the fact he'd never had an apprentice. He'd never thought of teaching someone his Alchemy style; he'd always thought it would die with him. Seeing the girl however made him wonder if Issac had made the right choice in this case. Noticing the moment when Envy's amusement changed to pure rage, he stiffened slightly. It was never good when a Homunculus lost their temper; it usually resulted in death and destruction.
Putting distance between them, Aria snarled at the Homunculus reminding Kimblee of a furious kitten. If she was going to die then she would make him work for it; she was far to stubborn to simply roll over and allow herself to get killed. Tilting her head back she flipped the dagger into a reverse grip as the shapeshifter snarled at her it was much more intimidating than her own attempt. The anger in his eyes should have terrified her but instead, she felt nothing but numbness. She knew that she was afraid, but right now she could shove it down to focus on hurting the Homunculus in front of her. After all, by the age of seven, she'd already mastered ignoring her own emotions, it wasn't that hard to get back into that mindset.
"You might look like Greed, but you don't have his shield; you're nothing but a cheap copy who needs tricks to win a fight," she snapped unable to resist insulting the person who'd tried to use Greed's face to hurt her. Hearing him snarl in rage, she tensed but didn't back down, it was too late to back down. Almost baring her teeth at him she said, "I might be a pet, but I'm Greed's pet."
And she was proud of that fact. He'd taken her in when she arrived in this world when he didn't have to; especially considering he was supposed to be some incarnation of sin. The man she knew was kind, to her, he was far kinder than anyone she'd ever met. He'd treated her better than anyone, especially her relatives, so she didn't care that she was nothing but a prize dog. If she could stay beside him then she would be anything that he wanted her to be. To her, he was everything and the only thing she had left now that Wrath had slaughtered the chimeras. Watching Envy drop the transformation, she shifted as he growled at her like an irritated dog. If she could get close enough then she could freeze him solid; it might not kill him but she knew it would hurt.
Unsurprisingly the Homunculus saw it faster than she did, but that didn't mean he could stop Kimblee from acting, red lightning arched through the air seconds before the cuffs on Kimblee's hands exploded. The explosion rocked the small room sending smoke in every direction the shock of the action caused her to drop her dagger. Stumbling she barely had time to cry out before she was being snatched off the ground. Gaping up at Kimblee in total shock, she heard Envy roar in rage as the Crimson Alchemist carried her out of the cell. Biting her lip to stop her mouth from hanging open she winced as the sound of Envy slamming a fist into the wall reached her ears.
On another note, she was starting to wonder if all men had the same habit of carrying her around or if it was just because she was tiny. Staring at him as his grip tightened on her thigh, she couldn't keep the confusion off her face. He'd refused her hadn't he, so why was he saving her? She didn't understand, but Issac had called him unpredictable and psychotic and dangerous and a lot of other things that she wouldn't say to the man's face. He was fast for a man that had been trapped in a cell for years, however, she could hear Envy chasing them; it was only a matter of time until the Homunculus caught up to them. She'd wanted someone to save her but she hadn't expected him to help her; she hadn't thought anyone would help her. Clinging to his shirt, she pressed her face against his chest.
For just a moment she wanted to indulge in the weakness she knew was digging its claws into her heart. She had no idea why he'd chosen to help her when he'd refused Issac but she wasn't going to question it. Not when there was an enraged Homunculus right behind them out for her blood. Maybe she shouldn't have cut Envy, he might've been less angry if she hadn't tried to take off his fingers. Feeling him chuckle, she wondered if he even felt a sense of danger or self-preservation. They could both die; she doubted Envy would forgive him for his action. Wasn't he afraid?
She was afraid; right now she refused to feel it but she knew it was crawling under her skin just waiting for a moment to tear her apart. There was a good chance, that she would never see Greed again because of her carelessness; he'd told her to be careful. He would be waiting on that island only for her to never return. He would hate her for leaving him alone and going off to die in Central. Feeling Kimblee tense as he hit the open air, she knew something was wrong after all this entire time he was so relaxed. Cold rain poured down on them, causing her eyes to shoot open as her fingers twitched. Keeping her face against his chest, she could see the line of soldiers cutting off their escape; including Wrath.
For just a terrible brief moment all her anger came rushing back. Yes, she was heartbroken that the chimeras were dead; they were her family, but there was also something dark burning in her veins. She wanted Wrath to know just how badly he'd messed up when he'd come for her family; the desire to hurt him and make him suffer for taking away the people she cared about was dangerous. It could cloud her judgment and get her killed. Revenge wasn't worth anything unless she lived through it, that was why she shoved her anger into a tiny box in her mind along with all her other emotions. There was no time for her to focus on what she felt when she had a mission to do.
"Stand down Kimblee," the eyepatch-wearing Homunculus ordered calmly. Biting her lip to keep from saying some very choice words back at him, Aria narrowed her gaze. There was enough rain for her to turn this area into a death trap. Maybe she should send some shards of ice at his face, if she took out his eye then both sides of his face would match. Digging her nails into the thin fabric of Kimblee's shirt she resisted the urge to scream at the man.
"If it isn't the Furhur, oh and Mustang too," Kimblee said lightly even as his grip on her tightened. He was much tenser than he sounded and that fact didn't fill her with confidence. Seeing the younger man beside Wrath tense she knew he was Mustang.
"We will shoot," the black-haired man snapped. It seemed that he wasn't pleased with the current situation.
"I don't doubt it," Kimblee said with a chuckle. The mocking in his voice was clear for all to hear.
"Drop me," she ordered just loud enough for him to hear her. The rain was the greatest ally that she had and she was going to use it fully; while escape might be their only option that didn't mean she couldn't cause a bit of chaos. Meeting his eyes she saw the same dark amusement swimming in them seconds before he let go of her. Twisting to land on her hands and knees, she slammed her hand into the ground as the transmutation circle on her gloves lit up. The blue lightning matched the color of her eyes as she felt Kimblee shift beside her as she bent the rain to her will.
For just a second she looked up meeting Mustang's eyes before the rain turned to ice. From the shocked expression on his face, he hadn't been expecting a child to be with the Crimson Alchemist. Giant frozen lances sprouted from the ground causing the soldiers to cry out and scramble out of the way to avoid being turned into swissed cheese. Not giving them a chance to gather their wits, that would be foolish, she created a large wall of ice to separate them from the soldiers. Hearing Kimblee cackle, she wasn't even shocked when he snatched her up off the ground again. At this point, she was going to accept that being carried was one of the drawbacks, benefits depending on the situation, of being tiny. This time he rushed toward the city limits reminding her of what Greed had done when they escaped Dublith.
He wasn't a fool, he knew that helping this little girl had ruined his chances of siding with the Homunculi, however, the girl was interesting. The most interesting thing he'd found since the Ishvalan war, god he missed Ishval; the horror and bloodshed had made him feel so alive in a way nothing had before. He'd been forced to reevaluate the girl when she lashed out at Envy, not many people would have done such a thing. Not only that but she'd more than proven her loyalty to Greed and he wanted to meet the man she felt was worth risking her life for. With both the military and Envy on their trail, the train station was out; they would never make it. That meant they had to escape on foot or steal a car. Yeah, he was definitely stealing a car; walking was out after spending so long in a prison cell. He wasn't doing this for Issac either despite what the now louder voice in his head was saying about regretting letting the man die.
"Why is it that every Ice Alchemist always comes to the same man for help?"
He had no idea but given there were only two Ice Alchemists he doubted it was a pattern; he hoped it wasn't a pattern. He wasn't a savior, he was a killer. Issac had been a fool to ask him for help and he was only helping the girl because she caught his interest. There was no sophisticated reason or plot; it was all a whim. Envy had been right that it was pathetic for them both to come to him in hopes of gaining his help. He was a monster, not a savior, no matter what his current actions might show. This was a whim; maybe if he told himself that enough he would actually start to believe it.
"It truly is too bad."
Shut up, Issac! He was saving the damn girl, there was no reason for a ghost to follow him around muttering in his ear. Spotting an oncoming car, he slung the girl over his shoulder before rushing into the street. Hearing her yelp, he ignored the sound in favor of facing down the car that skidded to a stop less than a foot away; they always stopped even when it would be a much better idea to keep driving. The shock on the driver's face would have been amusing in any other situation but he could feel Mustang getting closer. And hear him, it was hard not to notice the man snapping and snarling as he followed them like an angered bunny. Opening the door he pulled the man out and tossed him away before throwing the girl into the car. Taking just a second to watch her bounce in the passenger seat, he chuckled.
Then he heard a roar of rage from Mustang and slid into the car before the man could catch up. Due to the rain, Mustang was only threatening up close; which made him very easy to kill right now but the black-haired man was no fun dead. Slamming the door closed just as the man came into sight, he noticed the blonde woman following the steaming man. Reaching over he grabbed the girl's head and pushed her down as he put the car into drive and floored the gas. If his action had been even a moment later, Hawkeye's bullet would have hit his head rather than the car. He really didn't like the woman.
Releasing the kid, he barely noticed her pulling on her seat belt, how cute, as he drove through the streets without care for the innocent bystanders. If they were smart they would get out of his way, if not then it was their own fault. He knew that Mustang wouldn't give up; the man was a dog with a bone honestly. To make things worse the kid had stolen from the Homunculi; they would never let her go. Their only option was to get the hell out of Central; maybe out of the country too. Far enough away that no one would ever find them.
"Want to tell me what you stole," he stated not giving her a chance to refuse. Aria twitched at the demanding tone before she winced a bit. What if he decided not to help her once he found out. She shoved the thought down into her box of emotional distress; there was no time to be worried about something like that.
"Philosopher Stones," she admitted. The startled expression on his face was only there for a moment until he chuckled.
"Nice."
"I didn't have a choice, Greed needs them," she defended.
She really was a loyal little pet, wasn't she? The girl had even claimed to be proud to be Greed's pet; how foolish. He would never let another person own him; it was amusing how much faith she had in Greed. Glancing at her he looked at the way her hands were holding the seat belt tightly with her nails digging into the fabric. It was doubtful that the Homunculus actually cared about the girl, in his experience they only cared about themselves. He wondered what it would take to destroy the faith she had in the Sin; how much could Greed hurt her until she broke.
As if knowing what he was thinking she glanced up meeting his eyes with her own electric blue. Chuckling at her determined expression he turned his attention back to the road as they reached the main gate. He could pick apart her loyalty later, they needed to escape right now. It was only seconds before they reached it that a large stone wall rose between them and their escape route. Spinning the wheel to stop, he cursed as the car slid to a stop. They'd been so close.
Narrowing his eyes at the short blonde haired boy blocking their way, he gripped the wheel tightly. It looked as if it wouldn't be a clean escape after all; how annoying. Opening the door, he put a fake smile on his face as he moved to confront the blonde. It was time to show the little show off who the better Alchemist was; he didn't even try to hide the almost maniacal grin on his face. Watching him go Aria, unzipped her jacket, and took out the bag holding the stones. Pulling a single stone out she stared down at it with wary eyes. She had no idea how to use a Philosopher Stone trying to do so now could get her killed or more likely everyone in Central. Kimblee however seemed like someone who could use a stone especially with that aura of insanity he had. Nodding to herself she, zipped up her jacket, before opening her own door. Stepping out of the car she gripped the stone in her hand tightly; she honestly didn't know if Kimblee would return this to her, but she would worry about that after they escaped.
Ignoring the bickering between Kimblee and the blonde, she moved slowly to stand beside him. Putting on the face of a frightened child she reached out to grab his hand; the action startled the man who tensed at her touch. Sliding the stone into his hand, she felt him still completely as several things passed across his eyes at once: shock at her touch, surprise that she'd made such a move, but most importantly realization at what she'd given him. Letting go of his hand, she shifted to stand behind him and out of the line of fire. The rain made her powerful, but he was the older more skilled Alchemist. A wicked, savage, grin spread across his face and was the only warning that the blonde was given.
Yay, I managed to post this chapter on time. Shocking really since I spent all of yesterday sick (I'm fine now, except for being a bit dizzy every once and a while). Anyway, what did you guys think of the chapter? I put her entire trip to central in one chapter.
Stay safe and have a good day
-Shyla