"Your idea is grand," Sebastian said.
He opened his travelogue to the notes he'd taken that afternoon while annotating Alphonse's presentation and uncapped his fountain pen. The two of them sat across from each other at table in an annex of the library. Alphonse had his research journal with him and both of them brought copies of the presentation.
They were the only two in the library at present, yet force of habit had them speaking at a low volume. The lantern on the table next to them cast a soft, flickering light on their work. At this hour the library was closed to most; however, Alphonse had special privileges from the emperor himself in addition to a key.
"I do mean that in every sense of the word," The diplomatic attaché continued. "It's a very good idea but your scope is much too big. What you need is proof of concept. By that I mean you should choose one location to start. Otherwise you risk spreading your resources too thinly. I recommend you establish the school here in Xing. If I make speak frankly-"
"You haven't been speaking frankly?" Alphonse asked.
The comment made Sebastian blush in embarrassment. He fidgeted with his pen while he spoke.
"I do apologize for that. I merely had concerns. I presumed Major Elric had shared with you the finer points of applying for a government grant."
Alphonse Elric laughed outright.
"I'm sorry. The thought of Edward trying to write a grant proposal is just…" He laughed again and covered his mouth with the back of his hand.
Sebastian gave him a curious look.
"My brother's research grant came along with his state alchemist certification. Ed could barely fill out a cash expense refund form. I usually ended up doing it for him and Ed would just sign it."
Sebastian Schuyler looked at him in disbelief.
"You can't be serious," he said.
"General Mustang let a lot of the paperwork slide," Al admitted.
"I see," Sebastian said. He cleared his throat and considered his words. "I have concerns surrounding the military funding any part of your proposal."
"How do you mean?" asked Alphonse.
The diplomatic attaché made an attempt at tact.
"General Mustang's endorsement would certainly move things along. Unfortunately, it also makes your school look like an extension of the State Alchemist program. Your brother might be 'The People's Alchemist,' but his involvement won't belay the concerns of those working to end the military state."
Alphonse Elric stared at him. Sebastian Schuyler grew uncomfortable under his gaze. He again fidgeted with his fountain pen and waited for Al to say something. When he finally did it was far from what Sebastian expected.
"You've really thought this through."
"Thank you," Sebastian took pride in his work.
"Do you have suggestions for other funding sources?" Al inquired.
"Seriously?" Mei exclaimed.
The princess stood in the doorway to the annex.
"You ditched me for the library?"
"Sorry!" Al winced.
"You are such a bookworm."
"We were just-"
"I should have looked here first," Princess Mei sighed in exasperation.
"I'm really sorry."
"I'm surprised Edward isn't with you."
Mei walked over them. Xiao-Mei hopped off her shoulder onto Al's head and proceeded to chew on his hair as punishment. The princess put her hand on the alchemist's shoulder and looked at the diplomat.
"Who's this?"
Sebastian stood from his seat in order to bow.
"Sebastian Schuyler. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Mei blinked at him then inquired in Xingese, "Is this the bureaucrat?"
The descriptor raised the administrator's hackles once more.
"I am not a bureaucrat!" Sebastian insisted in Xingese.
The two of them stared at him in shock.
Sebastian Schuyler slapped a hand over his own mouth, too late to take back the perfectly pronounced words.
"I thought you needed a translator," Alphonse said.
"I never said that," Sebastian said in a hurry.
"You let everyone think it."
"Because Roy Mustang told me to!"
To Sebastian's befuddlement Alphonse Elric laughed.
"Of course he did. I'm sorry for calling you a bureaucrat," the alchemist apologized.
Alphonse caught Sebastian off guard. He hadn't expected an apology from the Fullmetal Alchemist's brother. The diplomat decided to let bygones be bygones. Sebastian adjusted his spectacles and resumed his seat at the table.
"Apology accepted."
"The fireworks started already. If we don't hurry we're going to miss them," Mei rushed.
"Why don't we pick this up in the morning?" Al suggested.
"Of course," Sebastian nodded.
"Come on," Princess Mei tugged on Alphonse's arm.
"See you tomorrow!"
Jin wasn't stupid.
He was not about to take on two armed assailants alone with his bare hands.
The clandestine courier rushed forward and kicked the activated smoke grenade at the one coming at him from the front of the alleyway. Sparks erupted from the white phosphorus munition. They struck both the assailant and a pile of rubbish. The trash caught fire. The attempted attacker and probable assassin screamed as the chemical burned through his cloak.
Jin couldn't help inhaling the white smoke produced by the grenade. It burned in his nose, throat, lungs, and irritated his eyes but he didn't let it slow him down. Jin ran toward the masked assailant blocking his escape. He ducked under the swing of their club, making a break for the open street. Another swing he didn't see came down across his back.
The strike sent him sprawling across the cobblestones.
Jin heard the pounding of footsteps behind him. He rolled onto his back, kicked the attacker in the solar plexus with every ounce of his strength. The assailant went flying backwards. The other scrambled to shed their cloak before the chemical burned through to their skin.
Smoke from the blaze intertwined with smoke from the grenade. The clandestine courier coughed as he pushed to his feet. His lungs felt like someone had set him on fire from the inside. He pressed through the pain and ran. His wife depended on him to come home at the end of the day. Jin refused to let Daiyu down.
He didn't look back to see the building behind him catch fire.
General Mustang and Captain Hawkeye reconvened on the veranda to watch the fireworks. Roy removed his tailcoat and put it around her shoulders. Riza smiled slightly at the gentlemanly gesture.
"Thank you, sir."
"Think nothing of it," Roy replied.
A server carrying a tray of hot chocolate stopped by their rendezvous point to offer them a beverage. The two of them each accepted with gratitude. The officers leaned against the railing and sipped the cocoa laden with marshmallows. In the courtyard servers handed out sparklers to the children in attendance.
The sky above was illuminated by brilliant bursts of red and white sparks. In retrospect, Roy was glad he hadn't brought Master Sergeant Fuery along on the diplomatic mission. After his time in the trenches Kain could no longer enjoy such spectacles. Shellshock didn't hinder the sergeant's performance at the office, but he now requested leave on December 31st and January 1st and 2nd every year.
Mustang approved the request of his mechanics and communication specialist without question. Permitting Kain Fuery a peaceful New Years in the country was the least he could do. The western front lived on inside Fuery in the same way Ishval would never be over for those who served in the war.
The sound of explosions outside brought Margaret Faulkner to her knees. The combat medic pressed her hands over her ears. Madeleine had warned her about the fireworks. It didn't make any difference. She curled in on herself like a wounded creature and squeezed her eyes shut. The fireworks would eventually end but the war never would.
Madeleine Rousseau finished her last set in satisfaction. The cabaret singer made her way over to the bar for a drink where she discovered the dejected emperor eating garnishes. Her fierce beauty's beloved looked like the world had ended. Maddy clicked her tongue at the sight of him.
"J'arrive ne pas y croire! I do not believe it. Such a handsome man sitting alone at the bar," Madeleine cooed.
Ling Yao looked over his shoulder at her.
"Madame Rousseau," he greeted.
Madeleine favored him with a coquettish smile.
"You are in need of company, non?"
"I couldn't ask for better," Ling smiled. The expression did not reach his eyes. Liar, she thought to herself not unkindly. Lieutenant Gao pulled out a chair for her; Emperor Yao gave her a hand up onto it.
"Such gentlemen," Madeleine praised.
The singer folded her gloved hands on the bar top. The Hall of Serenity had mostly cleared out. The two of them were the only ones seated at the bar.
"Shall we have a drink?" she inquired.
"If you like," the emperor responded with a flourish.
"Magnifique," Madeleine proclaimed.
The bartender approached to take their order.
"Have you met la fée verte, Your Majesty?"
Ling looked at her with a blank expression.
He blinked, "Beg pardon?"
"Deux absinthe s'il vous plaît," Madeleine held up two fingers.
"As you say, my lady."
"Ma coeur will not drink this with me. She doesn't care for anise. The taste far too near liquorice for her liking."
"You know her well," the emperor remarked.
"I'm sure you know her better."
"One would think but I thought she would enjoy all this," Ling gestured over his shoulder. "I couldn't be more wrong."
The cabaret singer regarded him; The emperor looked lovelorn.
"Most women are easily wooed by grand gestures. Our Lan Fan is not most women. Ma coeur is timid as a bird. She will startle and fly away if you move too swiftly. She must be wooed by degrees."
The bartender returned to them before the emperor could respond.
Madeleine clapped her gloved hands in excitement as the gentleman set two reservoir glasses before them. The singer was pleased to see he brought a bottle absinthe imported from Creta instead of some Amestrian distilled swill.
"Je vous remercie du fond du coeur," Maddy beamed.
He poured the green spirit into the bottom of the glasses, balanced silver, slotted spoons on the rims, and set a carafe of ice water and a crystal bowl of sugar cubes on the bar top.
"Je vous en prie, madame," the bartender replied in the romantic language.
He winked at the surprised emperor and stepped away with a bow.
"You have excellent help," Madeleine complimented.
"So it seems."
"Amestrians always do this wrong, setting the sugar on fire. Can you imagine such a thing?" The Cretan woman clicked her tongue in disapproval. "I will show you the proper way. You see the spirit is poured in the bottom half."
Madeleine set the bowl of sugar between.
"On the spoon you set the sugar just so," she demonstrated. "You must pour the water over slowly it until dissolved. See how the mixture becomes cloudy? You stir it then with your spoon."
Ling followed Madeleine's instructions.
"Now what?" he asked.
Madeleine set aside her spoon and picked up her glass.
"Now we toast to elusive women."
Her words coaxed a hint of a smile from him.
Ling Yao lifted his glass and clinked it against Madeleine's.
"Cheers."
General Mustang toyed with the ring box in his pocket as he watched the fireworks display with Captain Hawkeye. He debated whether or not this was a good time to propose. Technically, the two of them were working. His adjutant drew a hard line between their personal and professional relationship. Taking that into consideration Captain Hawkeye could deem the proposal ill-timed at best and downright disrespectful at worst.
"Roy."
His given name on her lips drew him from his reverie. He tightened his hand around the ring box and took a sip of his cocoa.
"Hm?"
Riza pointed not at the fireworks overhead but at the column of white smoke in the distance.
"Tell me that isn't what I think it is."
Roy squinted his eyes for a moment before they went wide.
There was no mistaking it.
"White phosphorus munitions," Roy identified.
"That's what I was afraid of…"
General Mustang swore under his breath.
"Find Lieutenant Havoc and meet me inside. I'll inform the emperor," General Mustang commanded.
"Yes sir!"
