Lily: HEYO EVERYONE! WELCOME TO CW CHAPPIE 17!
Myra: KONNICHIWA!
Lily: *sighs heavily* Okay, I have to make an announcement, and please read for it is VERY IMPORTANT. Especially for da shippers~! *freezes* ...shit.
Ed: ...*pales* Lily...you did not just do that...
Lily: *screams* AAAAAAHHH! I STARTED TALKING LIKE KURA!
Ed: *shakes her by the shoulders* DON'T GO TO THE DARK SIDE, PLEASE!
Lily: *cries* I'M SORRRYYYYYYYY! I DIDN'T MEAN IT!
Arin: Ed. I think you should let go of Lily now. She needs to make an announcement...
Ed: Oh. Right. *lets go of her*
Lily: *ahem* Okay...I'm gonna go into author mode for this one.
*magical changy noises*
A: Heyo! So...to all of you who have been pestering Lily and everyone about the ships...THEY ARE CANON. I'm pretty sure the pairing are semi-obvious at this point, but yes, they are all canon. HOWEVER, they will not be canon soon. At this point in the story, they are all friends. I'm not gonna tell you all to stop asking about the ships, cuz I really don't care how much you torture them. *smiles evilly* But I just wanna let you know, no progress is gonna be made right now other than blushing and acting flustered. And ship moments. Obviously. This wouldn't be a fanfiction if there wasn't any SHIPPING! ALL HAIL THE SHIPPING LORD~~! And yes Kura and Ember, I do worship the shipping lord. Lily doesn't though. Sadly. Believe me, I tried to take her to the dark side. She wasn't convinced. BUT DON'T WORRY! There will be progress in da ships later on. I won't tell you when though~! And, since this bold part before and after the actual chapter isn't canon, who knows when the ships will sail here! Aaaaanywho, this is it for mah small announcement. A, OUT!
*and now, back to Lily!*
Lily: ...*is reading script* So THAT'S how the author acts...huh.
Ed: She's a weirdo.
Snowfur: No kidding.
Myra: I think she's nice!
Lily: I...wouldn't praise her THAT much Myra.
Al: She doesn't seem all that bad...
Arin: Trust us, Al. She is.
Lily: Well...at least she's not as bad as Anni.
Anni: HEY! I HEARD THAT!
Lily: Good.
Anni: *growls* Screw you.
Lily: *smirks*
Anni: No...NO LILY DON'T PLEASE NOT AGAIN-
Lily: For all you Red vs Blue fans out there...BOW CHIKA BOW WOW!
Anni: ...*smirks* Hey Lily. What's 18 minus 11?
Lily: *freezes* You're. Dead.
Maes: *sweat drops nervously* Well, Imma do the disclaimer. A-HWriting does NOT own FMAB! If she did, why would she be writing this?
Al: Enjoy the chapter!
Ed sits in the corner of the train seat, sending warning glares at Ling. He looks at Snowfur, who was currently helping Lily stick her head out of the window. "Why did he have to come again?" He asks, pointing a finger at said Prince. Snowfur shrugs and turns her gaze back to Lily. "You feeling alright?" Snowfur asks, and Lily groans. "D-Damn trains...damn cars...damn motor vehicles...DAMN MOTION SICKNESS!" She yells before covering her mouth with her hand. Snowfur internally panics. "L-Lily! Are you okay?!" Lily turns to her with a weak smile. "Y-Yeah…
"Is she okay?" Ed asks, raising an eyebrow. "Lily has motion sickness…" Snowfur says, and sighs when she sees Ed tilt his head in confusion. "It means she gets nauseous when she's on trains or in cars." Lily groans loudly, sitting back down. "Keep the window open...I still might need it…" She mutters weakly. "Cold air helps her." Snowfur explains before Ed could ask any questions. "That still sucks though." He says, and a metaphorical light bulb appears above his head.
"Hey Winry! You know about medical stuff, right?" Ed asks, turning around to peer over the edge of the seat. Winry turns around, stopping her conversation with Arin and Myra. "Yeah, I guess. Why?" She asks. "Lily's feeling pretty nauseous from something called motion sickness. Got anything?" Ed says. Winry pauses, trying to think of something that she could do to help. She sighs, not able to think of anything. "No, sorry. Lily would be better to handle it herself since she's lived with it. She probably knows more than me in this situation." Winry looks at Lily with a guilty expression. "Sorry…"
Lily looks at Winry and gives her a small smile. "It's fine Winry, don't worry about it...the trip to Dublith was way worse." She says. Her face then pales drastically and she immediately sticks her head out the window. Snowfur sighs. "Here we go again…"
Suddenly, the train whistle blows and Lily could feel the train start to slow down. She smiles brightly, sitting back down. "THANK TRUTH IT'S OVER!" She almost screams in pure glee. "Yippee! Central, here I come!" Ling exclaims, and Ed groans. The train stops moving completely and Lily immediately runs out. "Lily, wait!" Snowfur yells, and sighs. "Damnit Lily...why must you be so energetic?" Ed stifles his laughter, and Snowfur sends a glare at him. Al stands up, being careful not to hit his helmet on the ceiling. "Come on brother, we should head out too." He says, and Ed sighs. "Yeah, you're right. I need to stretch out. Train seats aren't exactly comfortable." He mutters.
And so, the six walk out, immediately spotting Lily sitting on a bench waiting for them. She sees the group and smiles. "There you are! You all are slow!" She says, walking over to them. "We are not!" Myra says, grinning. Lily laughs at her antics. "Suuuure~," She says sarcastically. "It's just because we're older than you, kid." Ed says. Lily freezes, and then sends a death glare of pure hatred at Ed. He laughs in response, making her even angrier.
Ed raises his automail arm and stretches, slinging his back over his back with the other arm. "Oh man...I'm beat!" He says. "Being spied on for hours will do that." Al says, mentally grinning. Ed deadpans. "...don't remind me." He says. "Speaking of, where are they?" Arin asks, looking around. She then looks up to see that Fu and Lan Fan were on top of the train. "...oh."
"Wait, Mister Fu and Lan Fan were keeping an eye on him?" Winry asks, and Al nods. "Wait." Fu says, gaining everyone's attention. "Where's the young lord?" He asks, looking around. The alchemists and Winry immediately look around to try to find him, but to no avail. Lily deadpans and face palms. "...he's not here." Al says. Winry shrugs. "I dunno. Maybe he ran off again?"
Both of the Prince's bodyguards stare for a moment, and then simultaneously deadpan. "Good grief, I can't take my eyes off him for a second." Fu mutters, and Lan Fan makes a grunt in agreement. The man rushes to the end of the train and looks around. "Young Lord!" He calls. "Where have you run off to this time?!" Lan Fan looks around, panicking. "Oh no...what if he's collapsed somewhere?!" She exclaims. Snowfur glares at her, biting her tongue. Arin pats Snowfur on the shoulder.
"If so, I'd say it's a relief." Ed says, starting to walk off. "Let's go." He mutters, leaving the 'before he gets back' unsaid. "Coming!" Al and Winry say in unison, and they all trail behind him. Snowfur glares at him. "...pipsqueak." she mutters. Ed immediately turns around and growls. "I'M NOT SHORT DAMNIT!" He yells. Lily hears Lan Fan and Fu yell Ling's name in the background as they leave the station. Things are gonna get rough from here… She thinks as they enter into the streets of Central.
~~~IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION (A/N: Best transition ever. 10/10 would use again)~~~
Ling groans, collapsing in the middle of the street. This is it...I'm done for… He thinks, his stomach giving a loud growl. I'm sorry Lan Fan...Fu...you'll have to serve another member of our clan...remember me… Tears stream down his face and he face plants into the road. Soon, people were crowding around him and military personnel arrive. An officer kneels next to him. "Hey, are you okay?" He asks. "...f-food…" Ling mutters softly. "Collapsed by the side of the road, huh?" Another officer asks.
"Where'd you come from?" The first one asks, and Ling looks up. He mouths, 'Xing,' not being able to muster the energy to speak. "What's that? From Xing, you say?" The officer asks, and Ling nods. "Well you're a long way from home, alright." The second officer mutters. Ling nods again and sets his head down, tears forming in his eyes once more. "I'll need to see your passport, please." The first officer says and Ling freezes. He sweats profusely and the officer deadpans. They immediately grab Ling by the arms and start dragging him down the street. Ling goes into chibi form and tears stream down his face continuously.
"Out of the way, everyone!"
"ILLEGAL ALIEN COMING THROUGH!"
The others were close to the incident, but too far to hear any of it. "Young lord! Where are you?!" Fu yells. "He's collapsed! I'm sure of it!" Lan Fan mutters, worry consuming her mind. Aaaand...he's arrested. Lily thinks with a sweat drop. "Okay! I guess we should stop by the military offices first." Ed says, stopping and turning to them. "Right." Al says. "In that case I guess I'll head to the Hughes'...house…" Winry trails off, her expression immediately falling. The atmosphere around them shifts.
"I should pay my respects and see how they're doing." She mutters. Lily's expression goes blank and she walks up to Winry. "Can I come with you? We can visit his grave if you want..." She asks, and everyone stares at her. "I-I want to see my dad again…" Winry sets a hand on Lily's shoulder, surprising her. She gives her a warm smile. "I would love to visit him." She says.
"We'll stop by later, alright?" Ed says, and the two nod. Winry's expression grows determined and strong. "Alright. See you soon, Ed." She says, and the two head off. Arin sighs and walks forward. "Wh-Where are you going?" Al asks. "To HQ. That's why we came here, isn't it?" She asks, turning to look at them. Al nods. "W-Well yeah, but.." he trails off. "Then quit moping around and move." Arin mutters, turning back around and walking. "...sadness doesn't suit you." Al mentally smiles and looks down. "Alright. Let's go."
Snowfur walks up to Arin, smiling playfully. "Aww, widdle Arin is being nice?" She says, and Arin glares at her.
"SHUT UP!"
~~~IN THE COURT MARTIAL OFFICE~~~
Anni inspects the window outside the office, sighing. What's taking you so long? Sage asks. "I don't want to make noise when I open it…" She mutters. Sage sighs. Just open it. Worst case scenario I take control and run away. "Alright." Anni says and starts cracking open the window. Why are we even here in the first place? Sage asks. "To find information on the philosopher's stone and the homunculi." Anni says. Why? We already have all the info we need, remember? Sage says.
"Well, I want to see the map with the locations of the circle on it. I might be able to go to one and stop the riots or whatever might be going on." Anni says. To mess up the transmutation...I got you. Sage says. Anni rolls her eyes and slips inside. She sighs, keeping the window open a crack. "That went well." She says. "I can't belie-,"
SHH! Sage quiets Anni. "What?!" Anni whispers quietly. She then spots Colonel Mustang asleep on a chair with a book covering his eyes. "...oh." Idiot. Sage says, and Anni glares at her sister. Why the hell is he here?! Anni thinks in alarm. I don't know, just go get the map! Sage responds, making Anni jump. Oh...right… Anni sweat drops. You can hear my thoughts. Sage snorts. Wow, no way! I didn't know that! It's not like we've been stuck like this for 9 years or anything…
"Oh, shut up!" Anni snaps quietly, moving to the desk. She moves some papers around to uncover the map, making as little noise as possible. Eventually she got the entire thing uncovered, and she stares at the markings. She runs her fingers along the lines sadly. Hughes… She thinks. ARGH! Of course the only places that are currently being prepared are Liore and Briggs. Sage growls in frustration.
Well, we could go to Liore and stop the riots… Anni suggests. No way! That place is bound to get us killed. It's too dangerous right now. It would be easier to go to Briggs and stop Sloth from completing the tunnels. Sage says. Aw, but Sage! You know I hate the cold! Anni whines. Suck it up Anni, we're going whether you like it or not. Sage says. "...fine." Anni mutters, and her gaze trails over to Roy. She stares at him, internally fangirling. Her eyes widen as she gets an idea. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a camera. Anni I swear… Sage mutters. Anni smirks and snaps a picture of him. ...creep.
Before Anni could yell at her sister, a voice from outside the door gains her attention. "No! Really! Please don't! If you could just wait a moment I'll clean it right up for you!" A young female voice exclaims. That's Sheska… Sage mutters. "Hm...okay then. I'll come back later for the keys. Make sure it's taken care of." An older female voice says. "Yes ma'am!" Sheska replies, and the other officer leaves. She sighs heavily. Anni then hears a key turning. She pales. Hurry, hide! Sheska's coming in! Sage yells. Anni quickly flips the map over and runs behind some book shelves.
The door opens with a loud creak. "Um...excuse me…Colonel?" Sheska calls quietly. She raises her voice a little louder and says, "Colonel Mustang!" Roy wakes up with a small groan. "Sheska?" He mutters, taking the book off of his face. "How long was I asleep?" He asks, getting up. "About ten minutes, I think?" She says. He yawns, stretching his arms out. Don't fangirl, don't fangirl, don't fangirl… Anni thinks, trying to calm herself. Agh! Stop that Anni, it's getting annoying! Sage complains. Roy opens his State Alchemist pocket watch to check the time.
"The council meeting's about to start…" He says, closing the watch. "Uh, Colonel?" Sheska asks. "Perhaps this is none of my business but, maybe you should try to get a little more rest." Roy walks out of the room. "Mmhmm." He waves dismissively, turning around a corner. "I'll be back." Sheska walks out of the doorway as well, looking after Roy.
Anni sighs, standing up. Thank goodness they left… She thinks. Sage mentally rolls her eyes. Well, let's head off. We've got some important things to do, remember? She asks as Anni slips out the window, closing it. "Yeah." She says, shielding her eyes from the afternoon sun. "We need to find Lily."
~~~WITH THE OTHERS~~~
"Lieutenant Hawkeye?" Ed asks, walking down a hallway in Central HQ. "Edward?" Hawkeye asks, looking around the corner. She also spots Al, Snowfur, Myra and Arin. "It's nice to see you all again. It's been a while." She says. "Wait...if the Lieutenant's here then that means…" Ed mutters.
"Thanks for waiting." Roy's voice comes from down the hallway. Ed freezes. "Yep. The Colonel…" Roy comes from around the corner and immediately sees Ed. "Well, hello Fullmetal." He says. Ed looks away, anger seeping off of him. "Colonel Mustang, what are you doing here in Central?" He asks, gritting his teeth. "You didn't hear? I was transferred to this branch last month." Roy says. Ed looks up, deadpanning. "Great." He says sarcastically. "And you guys?" Roy asks. "What brings you here?"
"Just getting some info, and paying our respects." Snowfur answers. Roy tenses. "So...you've heard?" He asks tentatively. Ed looks down. "Yeah...Lily filled us in." He mutters. The Colonel's eyes widen. "Lily?" He asks. "Uh...how is she, by the way?" Ed sighs. "Not good, not bad. It's hard to say since she doesn't really talk about it." He says. He clearly didn't want to talk about the subject anymore.
Roy notices this and turns away. "Well, I'd better be heading off. See you all soon." He says, turning away. Hawkeye follows close behind him. He briefly pauses. "Watch yourselves out there." And with that, he was gone. Only silence remained.
"Speaking of Lily, shouldn't we check up on her and Winry?" Myra asks. Ed's eyes widen. "That's right." He mutters. "I guess looking for information can wait until later." Al says. Ed nods. "Yeah, let's get going!" He exclaims and start running back. He slams into someone and stumbles back. "Idiot." Arin mutters, and Snowfur laughs. Ed blushes slightly in embarrassment. "Shut up…" He mumbles. Ed looks up to see Lieutenant Maria Ross standing in front of him. "Lieutenant Ross!" He exclaims.
"Oh! I haven't seen you all in a while." Ross says with a smile. "You're in a hurry. Why the rush?" She asks. "We were heading over to the Hughes' house. Lily and my mechanic Winry are there to pay respects." He says. Ross looks down sadly. "Yeah...it's rough news, huh?" She says. "I wish I could've at least said goodbye before…" Al trails off. Ross looks away. "We couldn't contact you all in time. But the military gave him a proper send-off." She says. Snowfur smiles. "That's good." She says. "Hopefully he's at peace." Arin comments.
"Also, if you haven't heard already, he was promoted two ranks in death." She says. Ed's smiles sadly. "To Brigadier General? He really did have a proper send-off." He says. "He died shortly after you were discharged from the hospital. I'm afraid we still haven't found the person responsible." Ross says. Ed freezes, and his eyes widen. Shortly after I was discharged…? His mind flashes back to the information he shared with Hughes about the homunculi. He said he was going to gather information...and Lily said Envy killed him! One of the homunculi!
"Did…" Ed clears his throat, and attempts to keep his composure. "What was the Lieu-I mean, Brigadier General doing before he was…" Ross narrows her eyes in thought. "Well, the reports mentioned he was doing research on an important subject, and he was trying to get information to the Colonel before he died. Those are only the vague details though. I'm afraid nothing more was released on the case."
Ed's breath hitches and the two Elric's lock eyes. Oh no...they pieced it together… Arin thinks. "He...He was…" Ed stammers. "He was trying to help us…" Ross's eyes widen. "Oh Edward, it wasn't your-"
"Yes it is!" He yells. "If we didn't drag him into this then he…" Ed closes his eyes and runs off, his thoughts currently overridden with emotion. "Brother!" Al yells, running after him. "Ed!" The three girls yell in unison, following the Elrics.
This is all my fault! Ed thinks as he runs out of HQ. His mind flashes to the memories he had made with Hughes. I dragged him into this! He should've have helped me! I...I caused him to...to DIE! He thinks. He stops, leaning against a wall. Al and the others soon catch up to him. Al watches his brother sadly. "...brother?" Al asks. "Are you okay?" Snowfur asks softly. Ed nods, quickly regaining his composure. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine." He takes a deep breath and looks up, clenching his fists. "Let's go meet up with Lily and Winry."
~~~LATER~~~
Lily sighs shakily as she sits on the couch. "It was really nice of you two to stop by." Gracia says, smiling. Winry shakes her head. "Oh no, it was the least we could do for you all." She says. Elicia was sitting between Lily and Winry on the couch, and Gracia was sitting on a separate chair. "How have things been?" Lily asks, unable to keep the sadness out of her voice. Gracia looks down. "They've been...rough. But we manage to make it through." She says.
"Don't be sad, big sisters!" Elicia says, tugging on their shirts. "Mommy says that Daddy is always here with us! Even if we can't see him!" She says, smiling. "And that he still loves us, and doesn't want us to be sad, cuz it makes him sad too." Lily smiles at the little girl, and she ruffles her hair. "Is that so? Well then, let's be happy for Daddy together, okay?" She says. Elicia nods happily. Winry stares at the two with a sad smile.
Suddenly the doorbell rings. "Hold on, I'll go get that." Gracia says, getting up. Winry's eyes trail after her. "It must be Ed and the others." She says. Lily nods.
Gracia opens the door, and smiles warmly. "Winry and Lily are already here." She says. "Right." Ed says softly. The group walks inside the quiet home. Ed spots the three girls on the couch. Winry was hugging Elicia, and Lily was sitting beside them. "Winry. Lily." Ed says, gaining their attention.
"Um...Miss Gracia?" Ed asks. "I'm sorry, but there's something I need to talk to you about, if I may." Lily's eyes widen slightly. She knew what he was going to say. "About Maes?" She asks. Ed nods. "That's right." He turns to the girls. "Winry, Lily, um...can you two…?" Winry stares at him, and then nods, respecting his wishes. She carries Elicia out without a word. "We'll go with you too, Winry!" Myra says, following her. Arin and Snowfur also leave. "Um...may I stay, Ed?" Lily asks. Ed looks at her for a moment, then sighs. "Yes, you can. You need to hear this too."
Lily scoots to the side of the couch, making room for the Elric's to sit down. Ed sits next to her, and Al sits beside him. "We found out that before Hughes died, he was researching into our case." Ed mutters. "And shortly after that he...he was killed." Al says. "We concluded from the information we got that he learned something that…" Ed glances at Lily. "..someone didn't want him to know." Gracia looks down at her lap. "So his death was a message from whoever's behind all this. They're telling you to back off." She mutters.
Ed looks down, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry. I dragged him into this." He mutters, clenching his fists. "I'm so...so sorry." Lily's eyes widen. "You idiot." She mutters. Ed looks up at her. "You're not the one to blame, I am." She says. "I already told you this, didn't I? I was fighting his murderer. I could've prevented his death." Her voice lowers to a fierce whisper. "But I was too weak."
"Don't blame yourself Lily." Al says. "There was nothing you could do...it's already over now." The three go silent. Gracia sighs. "That would be just like him. Dying while trying to help someone else." She says, gaining everyone's attention. "My husband, he was always a busy body and a meddler, and it got him into trouble. A lot. But y'know, I don't think he ever had regrets. Not any. Not even in his dying moments Edward, Alphonse, Lily." She says. Ed tenses and Lily avoids eye contact with anyone. "But we…" Ed trails off. "A-And I…" Lily mutters.
"Don't tell me you're going to give up. You can't let what happened defeat you. If you do, then that means my husband died in vain." Gracia smiles. "Even if the philosopher's stone is a dead end, there might be some other way." She says. "Maybe, I guess." Ed mutters. "You all have to keep moving forward. Any way you can."
After talking for a while longer, the teens decided that it was time to leave. Gracia kindly led them outside, waving and sending them off with a smile. Ed shuts the door softly, staring at it for a while. He turns to the others, and he starts to walk forward when Elicia's voice comes through the door. "Mommy?" She asks. "Please don't cry…" Sobbing can be heard through the door. Lily winces, closing her eyes. "Gracia...Elicia…" She murmurs. "D-Dad…!" Don't cry Lily...don't cry…. She thinks. Ugh! Damnit! It feels like I'm dwelling way too much on this...I feel so weak. Ed sets a hand on Lily's shoulder, gaining her attention. He was looking at her with a warm gaze full of sympathy that said 'it's going to be okay.' "Let's head back, okay?" He asks. Lily nods, and they all walk away.
And so, the group walks back to the dorms in a heavy silence. Lily's thoughts start to drift away, and none of them were good. Although she tried to prevent it, she inevitably started thinking about Hughes. Damnit...I shouldn't be thinking like this! Maes wouldn't want me to cry over him, I know that! So...why can't I just do what he wants? I don't need to cry. He's happy now. Tears start forming in her eyes and she quickly wipes them, the sudden movement not noticed by anyone. Just be happy that he was able to live a good life Lily! She internally sighs. Why can't I just give him what he wants? He wants me to be happy! Stop crying over his goddamn death!
Ed sighs, looking down at the pavement. He had noticed that Lily had been acting off ever since they told Winry about Hughes' death. He still wasn't completely recovered from the Brigadier General's death himself, but he was stable enough to tell that Lily was hurting. Having dealt with many instances like this one, he could understand why. She needs to stop holding in her emotions...she's gonna destroy herself at this rate.
"We're here." Al says suddenly, snapping Ed out of his thoughts. He looks up to see that Central HQ was in front of them. Wow...that went by quickly. He thinks. He then sighs, turning to the right. "I'm heading to the dorms to reread our notes. Maybe we missed something." Ed says, looking at Al. "Okay brother. I'm going to go to the library then. I might also find something." Al says, and Ed nods. Lily sighs shakily. "I'm going to head to the dorms too...I'm a bit worn out from all this." She mutters. "Hey Winry, want to get something to eat with us?" Myra says, somehow still having her usual bubbly tone. Winry nods, smiling. "Of course!"
"I'll see you all later then?" The blonde mechanic asks, looking at the rest of the group. Al nods. "Bye everyone!" He says, and they all parted ways. Ed sighs, watching the others file out. "So...I guess we're leaving?" He asks. Lily nods, and they start moving.
The entire way to the dorms was silent. Ed attempted to make small talk to lighten the atmosphere, but Lily just wasn't responding. The most she would say were small comments like, 'Really?' and 'That sounds cool.' And then the conversation would die off. Soon they reached Ed's dorm, and he reaches out to open the door. He hesitates, and then sighs, turning around to Lily.
"...Lily?" He asks. Lily looks up at him with a confused look, not saying anything in response. "Look, I know you probably don't want to talk about this but...I can tell you're not alright." Ed mutters. Lily narrows her eyes and huffs. "I'm fine Edward, you don't need to worry about me." She says, giving him a weak smile. "Bullshit." Ed says, surprising Lily. "You're lying. Don't deny it, I saw the way you were acting at the Hughes' and the walk back here. You are not okay." He says, and then rests his head in his hand. "I said I'm fine Ed-," Ed cuts her off.
"Look, I'm not usually the person who worries about others, and I'm probably the world's biggest hypocrite for saying all this. What you're doing to yourself isn't healthy. We all know you and Hughes were really close, and it's okay to grieve." He says. Lily goes quiet, letting the words sink in. That idiot...he doesn't understand a damn thing! She narrows her eyes and starts to turn away. "If you only want to talk to me to give me a lecture, then I don't want to hear it. Now if you'll excuse me-,"
"I'm not letting you go!" Ed yells and without thinking, grabs her wrist. "Damnit Lily, just listen to me! I know what's going to happen if you keep going this way, and I don't want you to go through shit like this! I acted this way too after mom died...and it caused me to make one of the biggest mistakes of my life." He lowers his voice down to a whisper. "I don't want you to hurt yourself like I did. Please...just let all of us help you."
Lily listens to him silently, and starts trembling slightly. "...you don't understand a damn thing Ed." She mutters angrily, and yanks her wrist away from him. "I don't want to cry for him! I don't want to be weak like this anymore!" She exclaims, clenching her hands at her sides. "Maes wouldn't want me to cry for him! He would want me to continue to live happily!" Ed stares at her in shock. Water starts to build up in Lily's eyes as she continues to yell. "Lil-," Ed starts.
"I JUST WANT TO BE HAPPY THAT HE HAD A GOOD LIFE!" Lily yells, finally allowing tears to flow down her face. She looks down, her body going limp. "...is that so much to ask?" She mutters, her voice cracking at the end. Ed watches silently as Lily starts to cry. "I-I had no idea…" He mutters and Lily glares at him. "Don't." She snaps, and Ed winces at her tone. Her eyes widen, and she immediately apologizes. "S-Sorry…! I'm just a little all over the place right now." Lily mutters, wiping the tears from her face. "Though that's pretty obvious, isn't it?" She says with a light laugh.
Ed stares at her for a few moments, and then smiles. "You think?" He says, laughing. "Well, I'm going to head inside. Those notes won't do anything on their own." Ed places a hand on the doorknob, and closes his eyes. "The Brigadier General always boasted about how strong his daughter was, y'know. He said that she was kind, compassionate, and would always make him smile when he came home from work." Lily stares at him, biting her lip to stop herself from bursting into tears again. "Though it was ironic, because he was also a very kind and compassionate person. And I'm pretty sure someone like him would understand." And with that, he walked inside and shut the door.
Lily stares at the door for a few moments, and then smiles. Thanks Ed… She turns away, and walks to her dorm.
~~~A FEW DAYS LATER~~~
Ed sighs, falling on the couch in his dorm. He grabs his book and notes and goes over them yet again, thoughts running through his head. Philosopher's stone...The homunculus Greed with an Ouroboros tattoo...homunculus...human transmutation… Ed sighs, setting the notes on the table. How…? He sits in silence for a few more moments, staring at the ceiling fan. His train of thought was interrupted, however, by a certain suit of armor suddenly bursting into the room.
"BROTHER!" Al yells, startling Ed. He yelps in surprise, jumping to his feet. "Brother…" Al says, tightly gripping a newspaper. His hand was shaking. "Don't scare me like that Al…" Ed says, resting his head on the edge of the couch. "The headline...newspaper...this…" Al mutters incoherently, trying to put his thoughts into words. He holds out the newspaper to Ed, and he takes it. Ed furrows his eyebrows as he opens it. "What…?"
Ed's eyes glance over the front page, and when he reads the headline, he gasps in shock. He stares at it in disbelief. "'2nd Lieutenant Ross, convicted as the murderer of Brigadier General Maes Hughes!'" He exclaims, reading the headline out loud. Al stares at his brother. "What the hell is this?" Ed says, looking at Al. The armor shrugs. "I don't know; as soon as I read it I came to you!" Al says. He lets out a small gasp. "Didn't Lily say she saw Envy kill Mr. Hughes?!"
Ed nods. "Yeah, but we can't exactly go up to the Fuhrer and say, 'Hey, Fuhrer Bradley! Our friend said she fought some dude named Envy and he killed Hughes! Oh, also, he's a homunculus!'" He looks at Al, with a blank expression. "That's not happening." Al sits down on the couch, and puts his helmet in his hands. "Well, what do we do?" He asks. Ed sits down next to his brother. "We can't do anything, Al. They've already stated she's guilty and released the information to the public." He mutters. "To do anything would be to go against the military."
"But what they're doing is wrong-,"
"I know Al!" Ed snaps suddenly. Al goes silent, and he immediately feels guilty. "...I know." He mutters more quietly, and looks away. He sighs. "If it makes you feel better, we can go talk to the Colonel and ask him about it. As much as I don't want to go to that bastard, he's bound to know something." He says, standing up. Al nods. "Can we?" He asks softly. Ed smiles at his brother. "Of course. C'mon, let's head out."
The two Elric's walks out of their dorm, and Al closes the door behind him. They look forward to see Winry, walking towards them. "Ed? Al? Where are you two going?" She asks. Ed sweat drops. "I could ask you the same thing…" He mutters. Winry looks at Ed and gives him an odd look. "I was heading over to talk to you two about...well...this." She holds out the front page of the newspaper the two were reading. "That's funny...we were actually heading over to see the Colonel and get more information." Al says.
"Oh." Winry looks at the two. "Well, I'll head back then. Call me if you find out anything, alright?" She asks. Ed nods. "We will. Come on Al!" Al nods, and the two run off to the Colonel's office.
As Ed was running, he rammed into another military officer. Ed rubs his head, stepping back. "O-Oh! Major Elric! I'm so sorry!" The officer stammers. Ed shakes his head. "Nah, it's fine." He notices that other officers were rushing down the hallway. "What's...going on?" The officer narrows his eyes.
"You haven't heard? Maria Ross escaped from prison."
"WHAT?!"
Lily: And so, all the pieces are in place...
Al: *smirks* Oh? What is that I hear? *gasps* Could it be...
Ed: Al. Please don't.
Al: Is it ANOTHER SHIPPING MOMENT?
Myra: *throws confetti*
Lily: *is blushing* Alphonse. You are evil.
Arin: You were the one that made him that way.
Lily: ...I regret my decision.
Ed: YOU SHOULD! *sulks in a corner* My brother is gone...
Maes: Don't cry, Eddy-boy! Soon, you'll be a part of the Hughes family!
Lily: *turns red* WHAT THE HELL, MAES?!
Ed: *glares* Don't call me Eddy-boy.
Maes: Why not, Eddy-boy?
Ed: *growls angrily*
Snowfur: *laughs* Eddy-boy, huh? I like that nickname. It suits you.
Ed: WHO'RE YOU CALLING A TINY LITTLE PIPSQUEAK MIDGET?!
Roy: You, obviously. I mean, who else reacts like that to being called short?
Ed: If you call me short because I react like this...THEN WHY THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING ME SHORT?
Roy: It amuses me.
Ed: YOU FU-
Lily: *coughs loudly* REVIEWS PLEASE.
Ling: *takes review* The first review is from gsunny6! They said:
Yo. Guys. Sun or Moon?
Lily: MOON. MOON. MOON. MOON.
Ling: Sheesh, you all are REALLY hyper today.
Snowfur: I know. Dunno why.
Myra: CANDY!
Arin: Explosives. *Translation: We are.*
Al: *laughs* This entire situation is just weird.
Ed: And annoying.
Roy: *smirks*
Ed: *glares at him* The next review is from ThatAwkwardChick. She says:
*gasps* Lily I'm Instinct too! All my friends are Valor or Mystic, so it's nice to know that I'm not alone. Hem. Anyway...
Sure, Lily and Ed are 'just friends'. Yes, I'm sure that's about as true as me saying that I have a busy social life (meaning it's a huge lie).
Al and Myra, you guys just keep doing your awkward cinnamon roll thing! :-)
Snowfur, do you have a wittle crush on Ling? Because I'm already shipping it.
And Arin... don't die. That's my only advice for you. Don't die and DO make things explode.
Lily: YAYY! Team Instinct for the win!
Ed: We are just friends. And it's not a lie. Whatsoever.
Anni: Keep telling yourself that.
Lily: ...and she's out of the spoiler-character room again.
Snowfur: Why don't we have that locked?
Arin: Dunno.
Myra: Okay! We will!
Snowfur: *glares at ThatAwkwardChick* No. I don't. So shut up.
Myra: She does.
Snowfur: MYRA!
Arin: Don't worry. I won't die. And yes...*holds up a bomb*...I will ALWAYS make things explode.
Maes: O...kay...*ahem* The next review is from the editor herself, Nikki! She says:
And so the Prince homunculus makes his first appearance...YAY! YAY YAY YAY, SO EXCITED! Now lemme say a "few" words.
Ed: You is blushin, you is in love with Lily!
Lily: Where's mah ramen competition, BTW, add Ling to this *sighs happily*
BTW you two make a great couple *wink*
#Edlyftw
Al: I'm sorry I made you cry! *cries* KARMA I NEED YOU!
Snowfur: Tbh for a second, I LOVE LING #asianlife, but still, I love Prince homunculus!
Arin: CAN ANNI PLEASE SET OFF YOUR PROTOTYPES?! I want to make everthin essplode!
Myra: CANDY TIME! BTW, Anni know some great sweet shops, GO CRAZY!
Ling: Keep being yourself, I can't wait for the epicness! LOVE YOU!
Anni: I'm blushing too NO SHAME! #stalkingroylol CAN'T WAIT I SHIP IT TOO! BOTH OF THEM! And I don't mean just the three now #Edly #Alra #Nika #Unknown*winkwink*
Maes: SHOW ME MORE PICS OF YOUR WIFE AND DAUGHTER! I HAVEN'T SEEN IT ALL!
Roy: I SEE YOU! Ed, get the camera, TIME FOR MORE RAPPING!
Greed: I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!
Sage: I SEE YOU TOO!
Kain: LOVE YOU SO MUCH!
BOI BOI!
~~~NIKKI-CHAN~~~ OUT!
P.s.
Ill keep your secret Anni, don't worry.
Ed: For the last time, I AM NOT IN L-LOVE WITH LILY!
Lily: The fabric of reality will break if we have another one...(A/N: *coughs*...aka I'm too lazy to write it...*coughs*)
Ed: Renee.
Lily: Shut up.
Al: No, it's okay! Those anime are just...*sniff*...really sad...
Anni: I KNOOOOOWWWW...
Snowfur: ...whatever...
Arin: No. I want to finish them. And they're mine.
Anni: Just one...?
Arin: NO.
Myra: YES YES YES YES! ANNI CAN YOU PLEEEEEASE TAKE ME TO ONE?!
Anni: *pales* O-Okay...and yes, no shame. NO SHAME AT ALL!
Lily: ...remember...no spoilers Renee...but yes. There are MANY ships.
Maes: You want to see them?! OF COURSE I'LL SHOW THEM TO YOU! *flies past the fourth wall and starts showing pictures to Nikki*
Ed: *grabs camera* Already got it.
Roy: PLEASE NO. NO MORE RAPPING.
Lily: And for all you readers out there, you can force Roy to sing or rap whatever you want him too! I give you permission!
Roy: NOOOOO!
Ed: *high fives Lily* Nice.
Lily: *high fives Ed* I try.
Greed: ...*is a ghost* Can I steal that prince's body yet?
Ling: Sorry my friend, that doesn't come until later.
Maes: Why hello, fellow sexy ghost!
Greed: *pales**flies away* I'm out. Bye.
Sage: ...I realize that.
Kain: *blushes in embarrassment* U-Um...I-I don't really know how to respond to that...
Anni: You better keep it. If you tell anyone, I'll-
Lily: *drags Anni away* Okay, that's enough for you! Back to the spoiler-character room for you!
Roy: ...the next review is from The Girl In The Embers. She says:
Ohhh... I apologize, Snowfur... I DIDN'T REALIZE LING WAS TAKEN! *Smirks and claps hands* HEY! Kura-Senpai! WE GOT A NEW SHIP THAT NEEDS NAMING! PRESENT IT TO THE SHIPPING LORD!
I got a trash can for Roy! Compliments of the Shipping Lord! I guess you could call them... The TRASHY couple! *Cymbals* ... I'll see myself out.
Anyways, sorry for the short review, but it's late and my family is mad that I'm not asleep yet. Update soon and FREE COOKIES AND FIREWORKS!
~Ember-Chan
P.S.: The fireworks shoot pixie stick dust. The Shipping Lord finds it romantic.
Snowfur: ...it's fine. Just don't go after him.
Ling: After who?
Snowfur: *blushes* U-Um...Ihavetogoshoppingtogetfoodcuzwe'rerunningouthahahaokaybyenow! *leaves*
Ling: ...what...just happened?
Roy: *deadpans* This...I don't...
Ed: *is laughing at Roy*
Roy: SHUT UP FULLMETAL!
Lily: *bursts out laughing* NO! DON'T LEAVE EMBER! That pun wasn't that TRASHY! *laughs*
Ed: *laughs* Yeah...I mean, we CAN handle it!
Snowfur: *pales* ...what has this world come to...?
Truth: *shrugs* I don't know anymore.
Arin: Fireworks...? These are...EXPLOSIVES! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *runs around, shooting fireworks everywhere*
Myra: *eats the pixie stick dust that falls out* CANDY!
Roy: ...I'm just going to ignore this and continue on. The next review is from...Kura...and she says:
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY~! I HAVE A KOHAI~! Follow me, Ember-chan, and I shall teach you the ways of awesomeness~! For all you other DOUBTERS~... Come to the dark side~! We have cookies~!
Also, yes~! We are 'MURICANS UNITED~!
ALL BEFORE MENTIONED PAIRINGS~: BECOME CANNON SOONER~!
MYRA~! HAVE THIS INFINITE CANDY ROOM~! IT NEVER RUNS OUT OF CANDY~! NOW, GO YOUNG CANDY-LOVER~! CANDY-EATING CONTESTS AND OTHERS GALORE~! EAT TO YOUR HEARTS CONTENT~!
ARIN~! TAKE THE INFINITE EXPLOSIVES ROOM~! EXPLODE TO YOUR HEARTS CONTENT~! AND, FOR A SMALL FEE, YOU CAN HAVE DEIDARA FROM NARUTO TO a) DISCUSS ART WITH, OR b) BLOW UP ALSO~! IT'S 'MURICA~! YOU CHOOSE~!
HUGHES~! I MADE YOU A VIDEO COMPILATION OF ALL THE CUTENESS AND LOVELYNESS OF YOUR FAMILY~! ENJOY~!
ROY~: ... GET USED TO YOUR SHIPS, THE SHIPPING LORD STILL LOVES THEM~!
SNOWFUR~! GRAMMAR NAZIS AND SNOWLING FOR THE WIN~! ;-D
Oh, have you guys watched "Fnaf: The Musical" by Random Encounters on YouTube~? I've had it's songs stuck in my head for who knows how long~!
Welp~, my work here is done~! Hope to see ya soon~!
BUH-BYE~!
~Kura/all other nicknames given
Lily: NEVER!
Snowfur: *is waving a flag around* MURICAAAAA!
All mentioned pairings: NO.
Arin: I'm...just going to stay in the 'Forever Alone' room until my ship is revealed...
Myra: *eyes sparkle* YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YEEEEEES! THANK YOU KURA-CHAN! *runs into room and slams door shut*
Lily: OH! MYRA! Are there cakes in there?
Myra: *pokes head out* Yeah.
Lily: Remember, the cake is a lie.
Myra: *freezes* YYooouuuu...*shuts door again*
Lily: *laughs*
Arin: ...*stares at room**brain overloads*
Ed: ...is she okay?
Snowfur: Just let her be.
Maes: REALLY?! *plays video* Come on everyone! Let's watch the video of my darlings Gracia and Elicia together!
Lily: *pales* No, uh...we're good.
Maes; If you say so! *watches video and gushes over them*
Roy: ...I'm never getting used to these 'ships.'
Lily: You kinda have to at this point.
Roy: *sulks*
Snowfur: YES! OF COURSE! And...Snowling...?
Anni: ...dude. *smiles* That's my ship name for them too! Kura, we are now best friends.
Lily: YES. YES. YES. YES. SOOOOO MUCH YES. I absolutely LOVE Fnaf the musical! Night 4 is my fav. Mark-senpai and Nate-senpai and MattPatt-senpai and AJ-senpai...
Anni: I love Night 5. Mattpatt though. He actually looks insane. And that's what I call good acting.
Lily: *nods*
Snowfur: Wow...we're actually ending off on a semi-sane note.
Lily: Yeah, it's pretty NOTE-worthy...*snickers*
Ed: *tries to hold back laughter**fails*
Truth: Well, that's it for this chapter.
Myra: See you all later!
Anni: BOI!
Edit: HOLY CRAP. Over 7,000 words?! *pales* What am I doing with my life...