SHONEN ALLIANCE
RE:BIRTH
OPENING THEME: RANBU NO MELODY (Bleach)
"Histoire? From Fusion Dimension?" Ed asked, recognizing the name from V1-N3's tale.
"Fusion Dimension?" Histoire repeated, taken aback, "no. We're from different worlds, but we hail from the same dimension as you."
"Hyperdimension?" Alphonse chimed in, "you must be the Hyperdimension Histoire."
"Well, this sounds like a story I need to hear," Vine spoke up, his attention on the Elrics, "mind explaining to me how you two know so much about info we just got from Histoire here?"
"We ran into someone in the east," Ed revealed, "some kind of android who used the same card weapons Duel Academy was using, though he seemed to be on our side. Apparently, he was created by a Dr. Isara Gunther in Fusion Dimension."
"What did you just say?" Vine asked, his face registering shock at the mention of the name.
"I recognized the name, but I don't remember meeting her," Ed admitted.
"That's because you didn't," Vine admitted, Alicia and he both wearing a pained expression, "Isara Gunther was killed in action during the second Europan War."
"Well, in Fusion Dimension, it sounds like everyone except her died, including us. Selvaria Bles wiped out all the State Alchemists when the Imperial Alliance invaded Amestris after beating Gallia," Ed explained.
"Huh, there's a name I'm less then thrilled to hear," Hughes admitted, taking a long gulp from his coffee, "so is the Fusion Dimension's Empire the ones who're sending these Duel Academy guys to attack us?"
"No," Ed explained, quickly summarizing V-1's tale.
"Planeptune… was destroyed?" Histoire lamented, seemingly no less pained by the fact that the lost Planeptune wasn't hers, "and Nepgear was…"
"They already conquered an entire dimension?" Vine's concern dripped from his voice as he quickly assessed what Ed had told them, "Damn, we're in a real mess now."
"As if we didn't have enough to deal with," Hughes lamented.
"We'd better pass this along to Mustang," Vine sighed, "there'll be hell to pay if he finds out we knew something and didn't tell him."
"Right, I'll take care of that," Hughes offered, "otherwise, we'd probably better keep this to ourselves."
"What? Why?" Ed asked.
"You mean beside the fact that after that whole Greed incident I can count the number of people in the military I actually trust on my fingers?" Vine pointed out, "even if this girl, Zuzu, went with your new mystery companions, your android was right not to trust our upper brass not to try to gain her as a bargaining chip if they find out about her."
"So what do we do?" Ed asked.
"I think the only thing we can do is wait," Vine admitted, "hate to say it, but we're on the defensive at the moment."
"I came here because we detected that something was crossing through the dimensional boundaries," Histoire admitted, "but I wasn't expecting this. I'll offer any help I can."
"We appreciate that, Histoire," Alicia admitted.
"Alicia, any idea when Welks is gonna get here?" Vine asked.
"He should have finished his exams today, so he should be here in a couple of days."
"I don't think we've seen the last of those other guys either," Ed admitted.
"I don't doubt it," Hughes admitted.
"Keep your ears to the ground," Vine ordered, "I'll alert Mustang and keep my ears open for any new attacks by Duel Academy. This is gonna get worse before it gets better, so be careful."
/\/\/\/\/\/\
Vine was right. As the meeting at his home drew to a close, a cloaked figure stood near the outskirts of Central, overlooking the city, an irate expression on his face.
"She's here somewhere," he growled, "and I'll find her if I have to reduce this world to ashes." At his declaration was made, blue portals began opening behind him, one after another. In less then a minute, an entire army of men and women garbed in the attire of Obelisk Blue had gathered.
/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Almost there," Ling Yao declared proudly as he neared Central City. He knew his best chance of finding what he sought was in this city and he was eager to begin as he and his bodyguards, Lan Fan and Fu neared the city, blissfully unaware for the moment how badly timed their arrival was.
/\/\/\/\/\/\
The blare of the siren outside made everyone in Vine's home freeze.
"You'd better get going," Vine ordered Histoire as he and Hughes rose to their feet so quickly Vine actually knocked over his chair.
"Right," Histoire replied, "I'll return as quickly as I can."
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Hughes admitted.
"It has to be Duel Academy!" Alphonse declared.
"Let's go," Vine ordered the Elrics.
"Oh," Ed said reaching into his pocket, "you should have this," he declared, pulling out a capsule and offering it to Vine.
"What's this?" Vine asked as he took the capsule.
"The android gave it to us. He said Dr. Gunther created whatever's inside the capsule. He said if we need it, just push the button."
"Well, whatever it is, let's hope we won't need it," Vine declared as he slipped the capsule into the pocket of his uniform.
/\/\/\/\/\/\
The difference between the previous invasion force and the one the alchemists now confronted was substantial. It was clear Duel Academy's previous efforts had been little more then a poke at Amestrian defenses, as now a sea of Obelisk Force soldiers prepared for war.
"Look at all of them," Ed cursed, "they must be planning to crush us just like they did Planeptune in Fusion Dimension."
"They've definitely got the numbers for a decisive and swift win," Vine admitted, biting down on the tip of his thumb, "this one'll be tricky."
Yuri was easy enough to identify, even from afar. His sadistic smirk gave him an almost devilish appearance as he seemed to take great joy at the thought of the slaughter he was seconds from ordering.
A simple wave of his hand was all it took. With that simple motion, Central Amestris and every person in it was thrown into a fight for their own survival.
The already dire situation only degraded further when Ancient Gear Soldiers began to appear above the army of duelist soldiers, prompting distressed cries from across the Amestrian ranks!
"Hold your ground!" an officer ordered as the enemy began its advance. He needn't have bothered. Whatever secret thoughts they held, every soldier knew one thing full well. There was no running from what was coming.
CLOSING THEME: SHUNKAN SENTIMENTAL (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood)