A/N: Thank you all so much for your patience! I wanted to get this updated and will start working on the next EtU right away. It's plotted but needs to be completely written out. I inserted a few Easter eggs from some 'Like Family' chapters, but the references have been explained enough if you haven't read it.
This chapter ended up being incredibly Riza-centric and dealt a lot with her relationship with the Elrics and Winry. I inserted a few headcanons in here as well, one being that Ed had a teenage boy crush on her one time (kind of like how kids sometimes crush on their teacher), and another being that Winry mentioned what kind of impact Riza had on her when they had first met. I hope you all enjoy, and per usual let me know if anyone seems OOC! Especially since I included a very brief bout of humor. Thank you all for the reviews, favorites, and follows! They mean the world!
With a defeated sigh, Alphonse Elric sank down onto the ground and pulled his arm out the hole where his helmet would normally rest. One of the many negatives he had discovered with having the suit as his body was that the crevices where things could lodge were not scarce. Turning his attention toward his other arm, he tried again in vain to lower it, but discovered that the clockwork toy cat he had tried to stow in it had nestled itself even further into the junction between his arm and the hollow of his body.
He supposed he would just have to wait for his brother to return from his assignment with the Colonel…
"Alphonse?"
Startled by the sudden voice, Alphonse turned his attention toward its source and saw that Lieutenant Hawkeye had entered the office he was sitting in, the older woman eyeing him curiously.
"Oh! Hi Lieutenant," he replied in greeting as he raised his functioning arm.
"Is something wrong," she asked as her eyes wandered over to the arm he had sticking straight out from his body.
With a sigh, he bent his body forward and said, "Well, do you remember that little kitten toy you won me at the festival in the spring?"
"I do, yes," she replied.
"Well," he began slowly. "I wanted to bring it in with me today because I knew there wouldn't be too much to do without Brother here, but in the process of me trying to store it in my arm, it got stuck. And now I can't hear it ticking anymore and I'm afraid I broke it."
"Would you like me to take a look," she offered as she set her papers down on the desk nearest her and made her way toward him.
"If you aren't too busy," Alphonse said. "I know the Colonel has you guys running around a lot this week."
Lieutenant Hawkeye shook her head and smiled. "I always have time to help, Alphonse."
Alphonse's shoulders sagged and he sighed with relief. "Thank you, Lieutenant Hawkeye." When she nodded in reply, he leaned forward again and pointed into his armor shell. "It's in the spot where my arm meets my body. It got wedged in the small crevice there."
She gripped either side of the opening and was about to lean her upper body in, but paused and drew back. "Is this alright, Alphonse?"
"Oh, yeah," he replied, prompting her to lean back inside again. "Just make sure you don't touch my blood seal. If any part of it is rubbed off or broken, my soul won't be bound to this suit of armor anymore."
Lieutenant Hawkeye hesitated for a moment and looked at the blood seal, silently scrutinizing her distance from it. Then she exaggerated her duck and moved as far away from it as she could as she maneuvered her way over to the arm in question.
He watched as she grasped the small clockwork toy and began to move it back and forth, loosening it from its jam. When it at last gave and she pulled it out, Alphonse's arm flopped down and knocked against his armor, causing Lieutenant Hawkeye to jump a beat later and bang her head against the inside of his armor.
Feeling –actually feeling- a slight tingle, Alphonse gasped and jerked away.
The Lieutenant quickly backed out of his armor and stared at him with wide eyes, horror painted across her face.
Alphonse quickly assessed the blood seal and found that it hadn't been damaged. Relieved, he turned his attention back to Lieutenant Hawkeye and said, "I'm sorry to scare you like that, Lieutenant."
"No, it's fine," she replied with a sigh of relief. "I'm just glad that you're okay."
"Of course," he squeaked as he rubbed the back of his helmet. "I'm fine."
Her face softened and her shoulders relaxed. "I was afraid that I had damaged your blood seal."
"Oh," he said. "Thank you for your concern, but you missed it. I think your hair brushed against it and nothing else. It's intact."
"I'm glad," she answered, relieved.
If Alphonse could smile, he would have given her one, if not for additional reassurance. But instead he nodded his head, and that seemed to be enough for her. But when she turned away to pick up the clockwork cat that had caused the dilemma, his mind instantly turned to the question that had fixated itself there the moment his blood seal had been touched, wondering how it was possible he had been able to feel when it had been touched.
And now knowing full well that it was possible, what would happen if it occurred a second time?
With a satisfied smile, General Armstrong ripped the blade out of 'Mustang's' hand and took a step back as he raised and peered down at it, watching as a flurry of red sparks jumped out of and around the wound. Within moments the muscle fibers and skin cells regenerated and realigned themselves as they began to close off the wound.
When he looked up, his expression a mixture of both shock and rage, his intense gaze immediately fell on Edward.
Feeling a sense of alarm begin to rise within him, he took a hasty step back and away from the group of people. But he knew that no matter what he did, the glare would not leave him.
Because he knew.
'Mustang' knew that it had been him that had given General Armstrong the information. She had betrayed him. Betrayed them. So now, because of him and his foolish decision to trust her, Alphonse and Winry would be in danger.
And it was all his fault.
He took another step back, his fight or flight response reeling as another burst of adrenaline rushed through his veins. He wanted nothing more than to listen to it and run. To get back to Alphonse and Winry. To do anything and everything he could to ensure that they would be safe—
His running thoughts were interrupted when General Armstrong stepped in front of him, partially blocking his view of the Homunculus.
"So my intel appears to be true," she said calmly as the last layers of skin on the Homunculus's hand grew together and sealed the wound off.
"'Intel,'" the Homunculus hissed as it glared daggers at her.
Edward couldn't help but shudder, despite the fact that his view of 'Mustang' was blocked. Because even though it was, he still couldn't shake the feeling that he was staring straight through her and directly into him. He heard the Homunculus take a heavy step forward and he braced himself. But without warning, a movement to his left caused him to lose focus and turn his attention toward it for a moment.
"I," Falman stuttered as he slowly raised his hand to salute the Homunculus, "I'm sorry, sir."
The General turned his wrathful glare toward Falman and narrowed his eyes. "Care to elaborate, Warrant Officer," he growled.
But before the officer could stammer out a response, General Armstrong stretched her arm out in its path and said, "I promised him the safety of his brother's family and a hefty promotion in exchange for the truth, which he gladly accepted." 'Mustang's' eyes widened upon hearing her revelation. Unfazed, she continued, "I've already put in the request. Starting today he is directly under my command as my personal assistant."
The corner of the Homunculus's lip twitched upward, as if attempting to suppress an amused smile. "Do you honestly think that hiding someone behind a newly assigned rank is going to excuse them from disobeying a direct order from a superior officer?"
General Armstrong folded her arms over her chest and replied, "No rules were broken, 'Mustang.' I believe you are forgetting that I still hold the rank of a Major General, whereas you are holding the title 'Brigadier.' Major Falman made no error in judgment. He did exactly as he was instructed. I asked him to tell me the truth and he complied, and in turn I offered him sanctuary."
"Is that so," the Homunculus sneered as his eyes wandered back toward Edward.
"Yes," the General affirmed. "And while you're at it you can stop glaring at your other subordinate. He knew nothing of the situation—"
"Then why is he here," the Homunculus growled.
"Tch," General Armstrong countered with distaste, "Do you honestly think I'd be stupid enough to leave him locked in his room? I know full well that you would demand to know why he wasn't here if he hadn't been."
Before 'Mustang' could counter, General Raven intervened, raising his hands in a sign of peace as he stepped forward to separate the two. "I'm sure you have plenty of questions, General. We would be more than happy to answer them for you."
"Please," she retorted as she raised her blade and wiped it off with her gloved hand before re-sheathing it.
The older General smiled beneath his salt-and-pepper beard and then gestured away from the group. "Why don't we discuss this in a more… private setting?"
"Yes… Let's," she agreed and motioned for her men to follow. Her path was blocked, however, when 'Mustang' stretched out his arm in front of her. She stopped just before his arm and glared at the lower-ranking General out of the corner of her eye.
Then, much to their surprise, his face softened and he lowered his arm, even going so far as to offer her a small, almost Mustang-like smile. Though while his face may have conveyed a sense of accord, his dark eyes more sinister intentions; remaining as cold and dark as they had been before. Edward felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
"For the sake of everyone involved, I humbly suggest that only the three of us convene alone," he cautioned ominously.
The woman General stiffened and Edward could have sworn that she had growled under her breath. But then she squared her shoulders and, without looking back at the men she commanded, barked, "Captain!" Buccaneer straightened himself and saluted. "I want you to take Major Falman down to the stockade for safe keeping. Position one of the Central soldiers from their envoy there in addition to yourself if you must."
"Yes, sir," the mountainous man complied, putting a hand on Falman's shoulder to steer him away.
"And Major," she continued, focusing on Miles. "I want you to take Fullmetal back to his room and make sure that he remains there until our meeting adjourns."
"Yes, sir," Miles answered with a crisp salute.
"Good," she muttered as she turned her focus back to the two Generals in front of her, taking a few steps forward to part them as she headed toward the the staircase that led into the center of Briggs.
Edward jumped slightly when Miles put a hand on his shoulder, though he kept his attention on the trio as Armstrong and Raven began to trek away from them. His eye was immediately drawn to the third member of the party, whom had hesitated, and his heart nearly dropped into his stomach.
'Mustang's' unwavering glare was now boring into him, unrelenting and scathing. It didn't matter at that point what General Armstrong would say to try and appease them, if that was even what she was going to do. Because no matter what, he knew. He knew that Edward had been involved. And now all he was doing was entertaining them until the right moment.
A slight clanking noise caught his attention and momentarily drew his eyes away from the glaring Homunculus and down toward its source. His chest tightened and he felt droplets of sweat form on his brow when he realized that it was the sound of his metal fingers tapping together.
He hadn't realized that he had been shaking…
A gentle squeeze on his shoulder pulled him out of it long enough for him to look back up at Miles before he jerked his head around to locate the Homunculus again. But by then he had turned away and had begun to follow after Generals Armstrong and Raven, leaving Edward with a pounding heart and an unadultered sense of fear.
Izumi sighed as she once again as she angled her body away from the bitter cold wind and raised the crumbled piece of paper to her face, silently hoping that something would make sense the fifth time she had consulted it. Instead only the same few numbers and coordinates remained. She had never been one to map and she silently regretted not having paid attention to the skill when she was younger. However, standing around and brooding about it wasn't going to change that fact either.
Stuffing the coordinates back into her coat pocket, she hugged her jacket tighter and began to trudge through the previous night's fresh layer of snow.
"So you've decided to try and find the tunnel system?"
Izumi almost jumped when she heard the voice. Whirling around, she saw that she was no longer alone.
"Have you been following me this entire time," she called as the Ishvalan known as 'Scar' continued to make his way toward her.
"Long enough to discern where you are headed," he returned as he stopped a few paces from her.
The corner of Izumi's lip twitched. "Are you going to ask that I turn back?"
Scar shook his head and folded his arms tightly over his chest. "I have no say in what you do. I only followed to warm you of the dangers this trek may entail."
She relaxed slightly and shook her head. "I appreciate your concern, but it won't lead to anything like that." When his brows lifted ever so slightly in response, she explained, "I am respecting the boundaries they have set for the sake of Edward and Alphonse, but doing so on my terms. By locating the tunnel that supposedly runs beneath and near Briggs I am ensuring that I have some say in the matter, even if they don't know it.
"But," she continued as she turned her gaze toward the pocket of trees they were heading toward. "If I catch wind of something happening, then I can at least use that underground system to get to Edward."
"Your devotion to your pupil is admirable," Scar admitted as he continued along behind her. "Though poorly distributed."
Izumi stopped in her tracks and turned to look back over her shoulder and toward the Ishvalan man, whose expression remained as impassive as before.
Seeing the confusion on her face, he elaborated, "You clearly hold the boy in high regard, but yet you despise the very military he has resigned himself to. And in addition," he added as his face darkened, "You have given him your word that you would assist him in recovering to people you have deemed murderers."
Izumi flinched as his words once again reminded her of her former pupil's resolve.
"Why is it you have resigned yourself to helping those you despise?"
"So," Izumi muttered as she folded her arms across her chest and eyed the two boys seated across from her. "What did the military offer you that was enticing enough that you would stoop so low as to join their ranks?" She saw Alphonse visibly flinch while Edward glanced down at his lap for a few moments, his lips twisting as her question rattled around in his mind. She did not regret her harsh delivery, however, because if there was one thing they had known, it was her deep dislike for the military and what it stood for. Especially when it came to the utilization of their alchemists.
When Edward's golden eyes finally wandered up to meet hers, she was somewhat surprised to see that they were set aglow, radiating with an almost fiery passion.
"They offered us the opportunity to research the Philosopher's Stone in order to get our bodies back," the elder Elric explained. "They had the means and we had the capabilities they needed in order to meet on that middle ground."
She lifted a brow in response. "Did you realize the moment they gave you your watch and your codename that you were completely under their jurisdiction? That at any given moment they could call upon you to fight in a war or take a life?"
Edward's face scrunched with beneath her scrutinizing words, though he did not immediately fire back a response like she had initially thought. Instead, he slowly nodded his head in agreement. "I was completely in the know with their intentions at the time," he answered. "That it would be entirely possible that they'd call on me to fight in a war or even take a life…"
Izumi found herself unable to mask the mix of shock and disgust she felt well up inside of her, knowing full well that it was etched across her face clear as day. She had honestly thought she had taught the boys better. Regarding both human transmutation and about the pertinent value each life possessed. And yet they still went behind her back and acted on their own selfish desires, losing their bodies and their free wills. As she opened her mouth to stop him right then and there, he said something that caused her to hesitate.
"The military told me it would be entirely possible," he elaborated, "But they told me that they would do everything in their power to make sure that I wouldn't be used as a weapon or tool."
Her brows knitted together in confusion. "'They,'" she repeated back.
Edward nodded before he continued. "When I joined, I was put under the command of Colonel Roy Mustang, the alchemist that discovered us. He and Lieutenant Hawkeye—" He paused for a moment and then shook his head, "Hell, his entire team said that they would do whatever it took to make sure that our priorities were put first. Even if that meant bending the rules in order to prevent such a thing from happening."
The name 'Mustang' sounded vaguely familiar… Leaning back in her seat, her interest about the names she had heard now piqued, Izumi pressed, "Tell me more about these 'Mustang' and 'Hawkeye' characters since they seem to be the ones you are most familiar with."
"Mustang is a State Alchemist, a Colonel to be precise," Edward explained. "He was the one that recommended I take the State Alchemy test, and he's been my commanding officer since."
"And what exactly is he like," Izumi inquired.
Edward moved his shoulders up and down. "He's a young Colonel. Takes pride in the fact and uses that to his advantage as he climbs the ranks. He isn't too focused on his research and always seems to have his own agenda."
Izumi wrinkled her brow. "He doesn't seem like a very reliable character."
"He is," Alphonse reassured him. "Brother just failed to mention that he helped us get accustomed to our lives in the East. Or about how he checks in on us all the time to make sure we're doing alright."
Edward folded his arms over his chest and shrugged again. "Yeah, I guess that too. Even though he constantly nags us for my reports."
Still not completely sure she had a read on his character, Izumi hoped that she would perhaps get a straighter answer when it came to the Colonel's other adjunct. "And his Hawkeye fellow? What's he like?"
"'Hawkeye,'" Edward echoed. "She's alright. She keeps the Colonel in line and makes sure he actually follows the military's agenda."
"I see," Izumi responded. "And is she an alchemist as well?"
Edward shook his head. "Nah, she's just a soldier. She specializes in guns and weaponry."
"And she's really nice," Alphonse said. "She and the Colonel have both helped us out in the past and have always done whatever they could to make sure that we're comfortable and happy." Turning toward his older brother as he lifted a glass of water to his lips, Alphonse added, "Do you remember that time they both took us to the summer festival?"
A rare, almost boy-like smile flashed across Edward's face at the mention, though he was quick to conceal it behind the glass as he took a swig of water. When he set the glass down, Edward nodded. "Yeah, and Lieutenant Hawkeye won you that neat cat toy when she played that target game."
"Yeah," Alphonse happily chirped. "It's sitting in our dorm right now."
Edward chuckled. "That's right! Right next to that book Mustang lent me on alchemy."
"You still haven't given it back to him after having it for a year," Alphonse pointed out, to which Edward shrugged.
"Eh, he hasn't mentioned it. I doubt he misses it."
As Alphonse shook his head in disbelief, Izumi interrupted their banter. "It sounds like this Lieutenant Hawkeye has been very kind to you too."
"She has been; she's really nice," Alphonse chirped. Then, as if remembering something, he turned to his older brother and added, "Do you remember when you had that crush on Lieutenant Hawkeye?"
Edward, who was in the process of taking a drink of water, spat it back into his cup. Turning his head sharply toward his younger brother, Edward clamored, "Where the hell are you getting that from, Al?!" When Alphonse raised a finger and tried to respond, he cut him off by countering, "I mean, who besides Mustang could ever 'like' the Lieutenant? She emasculated a paper target with a bullet!"
Seemingly unfazed by his older brother's attempts at downplaying whatever harmless teenage boy crush he had in the past, Alphonse added, "Oh! Didn't you say that that was the day the Colonel and the other men didn't get anything done? So she went to the shooting range during lunch? I remember because the Colonel wasn't particularly talkative after hearing about her results."
"How would I know what day it was," Edward countered defensively. "And why were you going on about a crush when you made her a flower crown?"
Alphonse shrugged and proudly folded his steel arms over his chest. "That's because she taught me how to make them. Remember, Brother?"
"I don't know, Al," Edward replied with a devious grin. "Flowers are a big deal."
"Oh," Alphonse exclaimed. "Then is that why you gave some to Winry for her birthday?"
If Edward's cheeks had been rosy before, then they had deepened in color by at least fifty shades at the mention of their childhood friend. As the elder Elric grew defensive again, Izumi sighed rubbed her temple, satisfied that she had at least gotten some information out of the brothers in regards to the military persons they reported to.
And while the situation was not one she particularly enjoyed, she was at least relieved to hear that they seemed to be good people.
"When the boys first told me about the two of them, I hadn't realized their involvement in the war," Izumi said as she stamped down the brush they had found themselves tromping through. "It was only later after I had asked around that I discovered who they really were. But by that time the boys had left.
"I carried that knowledge in the back of my mind and had intended to discuss the matter with them when I saw them in person again, but before I could I received their call that prompted me to come to their aid. And even then I was reluctant to help. But…" she continued as her face softened, "I hadn't realized the impact those two had truly made on the boys until I saw their reactions to what had happened to them. They've put their full trust into their own skills and the people that know Mustang and Hawkeye well, and all of them have begun to pull their efforts to help.
"And though I was still reluctant, I discovered that Colonel Mustang, the one that had caused so much damage in Ishval, had renounced his devotion to the military as it was and vowed to become the leader of Amestris so that he can bring about change." She stopped and moments later she heard the crunching of Scar's boots stop as well. "I know that it does not excuse their actions in the war, nor is this my way of forgiving what they had done. But right now they may be the only ones that could achieve the peace this country needs… And if Edward and Alphonse believe in them, then I too will believe and do what I can to bring them back."
She paused and waited for a response. But instead heard the sound of boots crunching against the snow, and she stiffened. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him pass her without giving her a second glance before he stepped over to a set of bushes they had paused in front of.
Turning his crimson eyes toward her, he reached out and pulled the bushes apart, revealing a small cavernous opening.
She paced a few steps forward and peered inside, her mouth hanging slightly open as her eyes focused against the darkness, noticing that the ground curved and sloped downward. When she peeled her eyes away to thank him, he narrowed his and muttered, "Do not mistake my silence for forgiveness. Regardless of what they have done or how they plan to redeem themselves, they are still abominations of alchemy. And because of that I will not hesitate to destroy them in the name of God."
"So then," General Raven began, folding his hands together and resting them on the table in front of himself. "Now that you know about the military's little secret, what are your honest thoughts, General?"
Olivier pursed her lips together and allowed her eyes to slowly wander from Raven to 'Mustang' as the latter seated himself beside the aging General after having excused himself to make a call to only god knew where. She took a moment to take in their contrasting features and evaluate them. While Raven displayed himself outwardly as calm and collected, she could tell that beneath his skin he was sweating. On the other hand, Mustang, at first glance, only appeared annoyed by their choice to convene on the matter. But she trusted her instincts on what was beneath the surface, and after seeing the way he had looked at that child minutes before.
There was a darkness with sinister intentions lurking beyond his eyes, too far removed from the character she had reluctantly begun to know as Roy Mustang. It had been something she had picked up the moment she had met the 'Homunculus,' but this time it seemed so much more powerful. So much more lethal. She would have to take care and choose her words lightly if she wanted to avoid stirring the beast further… Especially if the lives of the men of Fort Briggs hung in the balance.
Peeling her eyes away from the monster, she focused her attention on Raven once more and leaned back in her chair. "That depends on how involved you intend to make my fortress." When Raven raised his brows, she elaborated, "Clearly there is something here you desire, or you wouldn't be here in the first place."
Her statement seemed to throw the General, as his eyes widened and lips parted beneath his salt and pepper beard. He recovered quickly, though, and laughed. Refusing to be deterred by what she assumed would be a lighthearted response, she waited for him to finish his brief interlude in their otherwise tense conversation. When it did finally die down, he shook his head and said, "I completely understand your concerns, General Armstrong. And I don't blame you for seeking out more information about your 'surprise visitor.' But rest assured that our primary objective here was to make sure that it remained doing as it was told. Nothing more and nothing less."
She refrained from showing her disgust regarding his blatant lie, instead deciding that playing the part would prove to be more beneficial for her. Under the pressure of the second pair of dark eyes that had been keenly watching her, she leaned forward slightly and rested her elbows on the table. "So the reason you two are here is because of that beast?"
"That's precisely it," Raven lied through his teeth. "We needed to make sure that it was still going through with its intended purpose."
"Is that so," she mused as her eyes wandered to and locked with 'Mustang's.' "And what exactly is its intended purpose? Or really, what is the purpose of a Homunculus?"
"Well," Raven replied as he rubbed his hands together, "Its purpose is only a small fraction of a part of the grander scheme of things, General."
'The grander scheme of things,' she repeated back in her mind. He likely meant the circle it was digging beneath Fort Briggs, as well as the whole of Amestris. Olivier would have to weigh her options carefully at that moment, because one misstep could lead them directly back to the child alchemist, knowing full well that he would be their primary target the moment she uttered anything about alchemy. Both of them knew that she was familiar with alchemy to some degree, 'Mustang' more so than Raven. But at that moment she had no idea how much the monster that lurked within Mustang knew about her or her history. And that moment was not the time to test that matter…
At that point she saw two options: Either relenting to their demands and possibly putting the lives of those within Fort Briggs at stake or bend to their whims and gather what information she could. After all, she could only gather so much from what her men and the child deduced. In her eyes, the latter seemed to be the safer of the two options, at least until she was able to draw enough information from them to formulate her own opinion of their disreputable plan. Choosing to take the opportunity before her, she leaned in closer and rested her chin on her hands. "You speak of a 'grander scheme of things' and it playing a rather small role," she began, "But what I've found most interesting is its ability to heal and its incredible strength."
Her deviation certainly caught the attention of the two men seated across from her. While 'Mustang's' eyes narrowed, Raven's widened with interest. Seeing that she, at least for the moment, had them headed in the direction she wanted them to go, she elaborated, "Its abilities and supposed immortality seem almost too good to be true."
Seemingly intrigued by her reaction, Raven leaned forward on his elbows and asked, "Are you implying that you've interest in immortality, General Armstrong? You don't have to be embarrassed if you are. You're in good company here."
Good company her ass. She paused to allow herself to search his expression, but found that the usually readable General had become illegible to her efforts to read him. Olivier suppressed a frustrated growl of contempt toward the older General and instead tried to offer him the sincerest looking smile she could muster. "I just find the entire concept fascinating, General Raven. I don't know how to respond."
"Well," he answered, his tone serious. "The answer is a rather simple one. Either you are in or you aren't."
Her jaw tightened and she felt her faux smile slip. "I suppose," she began, reminding herself to choose her words carefully, "That there is only one answer at this time. And if that is the case, then you can count me in."
The older General immediately relaxed and the serious aspect he had taken on softened. "I'm glad you agree," he said. "Because I am sure you would agree that the concept could be suited for a very meaningful endeavor."
Meaningful…? "How so," she asked as she crossed her ankles and leaned back in her chair.
"Just imagine applying the concept of immortality to an army," he answered.
"'An immortal army,'" she echoed, knitting her brows together.
"That's right," Raven replied eagerly. "Just imagine – an entirely immortal army. One where its soldiers can neither die nor decay."
She pursed her lips and searched his expression, once again finding that she could read it… at least somewhat. The dark cloud that had hung behind his eyes had almost entirely vanished, instead replaced by a spark of enthusiasm. Still, she knew that it still hung there, waiting for her to make a misstep so that he could back her into a corner. Keeping her head level and her voice even, she replied, "You say that they cannot die…" When he nodded in clarification, she challenged, "So what power would any commander hold over them? Especially if it could be near effortless for them to overthrow their superiors."
"Ah, always thinking like a General, I see. It's very admirable," he complimented. "It's also very wise of you to think that way and, as you will see, is something that we've taken into account."
"How so," she pressed lightly.
The corners of his lips curled upward beneath his greying beard. "Well, I never said that immortality would apply to an army, correct?"
"True," she answered. "Though you never made mention of it."
He offered her a faux smile of sincerity. "You'll have to forgive me, General Armstrong. I only discuss the matter when I know that my words will be taken to heart. You see, there have been some that do not believe in the potential behind an immortal army or those that command it so I had to be sure that it would be heard only by those who believe in it. And now," he continued, "I am certain of it; that you are one of the few chosen that are able to accept such a grand reward."
"'Accept,'" she echoed. "You mean to tell me that those that are in league with you will possess the same immortality you will give to those in your supposed immortal army."
The older General's smile widened. "That's right, General Armstrong. And I believe that you are a perfect fit for our band of visionaries. Because you have shown the willful determination and drive that separates you from all of the other Generals. Under your leadership and command, an army of that magnitude would be unstoppable."
"Is that why you accepted it, Mustang," she asked as her eyes slowly wandered over to the monster that was seated beside Raven. But the moment her eyes met his, she tensed. Sometime between that moment and the last time she had laid eyes on him, something had happened. Instead of peering into the dark, blue-specked eyes she had grown accustomed to seeing on Mustang, she instead found that specks of blood had infiltrated the whites of his eyes.
The young General quirked a brow in response to her stare, seemingly unaware of his supposed injuries. Resting his elbows on the table and pressing the junction between his nose and mouth against his fingers, hiding behind it the specks of blood that dotted his lips, he asked, "Are you expecting an answer from Roy Mustang or myself?"
"The former," she answered concisely.
The Homunculus moved its shoulders up and down. "I don't know what to tell you, General, except that Mustang isn't up for answering anything at the moment."
She raised a brow. "You're suggesting that Mustang is alive inside of you then?" She saw his eyes widen slightly, to which she responded by murmuring, "Fascinating," before turning her attention back to Raven. Before she addressed him, however, she took notice of 'Mustang' stealthily rubbing the corner of his lip with his thumb. Perhaps a side effect of his possession?
"Tell me, General," she addressed Raven. "If one were to accept your offer, would they too be condemned to sharing their bodies with an immortal being?"
The older General chuckled and shook his head. "I don't believe that would happen, General Armstrong. Your leadership is what makes you a worthy candidate."
If that was so, she wondered silently, then why had Mustang fallen victim to a monster that possessed both his body and his soul? Had he and Hawkeye been the prototypes in this elaborate scheme the military had devised? Or had their purpose been entirely different…? Either way, Raven's words seemed almost inconclusive, as though he himself did not know what his fate would be once given the immortality he craved.
"I'll admit that your offer is appealing, but I would have to consider the welfare of my men. When the day comes that immortality is no longer just a concept, will the soldiers of Briggs benefit or just me?"
He paused for a moment, as if to collect his thoughts. Then he nodded and replied with a cryptic, "When the day comes, yes."
Just as she had thought, he wouldn't be making any guarantees until that day would arrive. And now she was stuck with the option of continuing to go along with them and possibly jeopardizing her men at Briggs, or risk being demoted when they decided that she was no longer of use to them, because they surely had other pawns lined up that would take her place. And then there was the entirely other mess that was the dethroning of Fuhrer Bradley and the instatement of General Grumman as the acting Fuhrer, a scheme she was confident they had been behind as well. That led to the question in her mind of whether or no Grumman was in league with them or if he too was just another one of their pawns, a cheery, seasoned General they could hide behind while they continued on with their nefarious scheme.
"Of course," he continued, "In order for one to obtain immortality, they must also bend to the whim of those that still govern the laws by which they follow."
The catch, she reasoned with herself. "And what exactly are those laws, General?"
"Just as we had discussed beforehand, there is still the matter of what to do with the Homunculus that infiltrated this dear fort," he started.
She raised her brows in response to convey her understanding.
"Well, in order to share in the benefit of our ranks, one must accept that those of higher power have ultimate authority and that their orders are still law," Raven answered as his face darkened. "And the order that I am now giving you is to put the Homunculus you have frozen outside back into the ground." He must have seen her hesitate because he leaned in closer and repeated, "Now that you've accepted this, you must obey authority, Major General Armstrong."
She clenched her jaw and met his eyes with the same intensity he was exuding, and had prepared herself to answer when a soldier opened the door to the room and stepped inside without knocking.
"Sirs," he said as he saluted. "Important news from Central Command."
Without giving him another glance, his eyes still on Olivier, Raven muttered, "Can this wait soldier? We are in the middle of an important discussion."
"I can't, sir," the soldier apologized. "It's urgent. It's a message directly from the office of the Fuhrer."
"The General wants you to wait here until one of us returns to collect you later," Major Miles instructed Edward as he stepped out of the way to grant Edward passage. When Edward hesitated, Miles shook his head. "There isn't anything you can do right now, Fullmetal. All we can do is wait on the General's status report."
"I know that," Edward replied as he raised his hand to wipe away the beads of sweat that were still plastered on his brow. When Miles raised his brows confusedly, he elaborated, "But how exactly do you know that General Armstrong will be alright? After all, she walked right into the middle of their plans."
Miles opened his mouth to respond but then promptly shut it, as if deciding that his answer were inappropriate. Edward turned his asking gaze toward him and Miles sighed. "Unfortunately, there isn't anything we can do except trust that the General will stand her ground."
"Yeah, I know," Edward answered agitatedly. "But I put my trust in her before and was nearly let down by it."
If his statement at all shocked Miles, Edward couldn't tell. If anything, however, he was sure he had offended the Briggs soldier. "You don't know the General like I do, Fullmetal," Miles started. "But from my experience and from what I know, she will always come out on top."
"Even if that means sacrificing a few lives, right," Edward challenged. "Because right now Warrant Officer –or Major—Falman is in hot water too. The only difference is that his life is insignificant in comparison to hers."
"I understand what you mean. I really do," Miles contended. "And for the time being Major Falman will be under her protection."
"But for how long," Edward pressed. "How long will he and his family have their protection?"
He could see the uncertainty in Miles's eyes, and he knew that he did not have that answer. And when he confirmed it by shaking his head, Edward turned away and stepped into his room. He listened as Miles pulled the steel door away from the wall and began to swing it around to close it, but then heard it stop before fully doing so.
"Just trust the General, Edward," Miles muttered from behind the door. "And believe that she will do what is necessary to ensure the safety of those she has chosen to protect." Edward clenched and unclenched his fists, but decided not to answer. Likely realizing he would not be able to reason with him, Miles sighed and finished closing the door behind him.
When Edward at last heard the sound of the keys turning the lock on the door, he allowed himself to succumb to the feeling of dread that had settled in the pit of his stomach that he had endured for the walk up to his room. His knees giving out and buckling beneath him, he slumped to the ground and onto his hands and knees, and proceeded to dry-heave.
"Alphonse!"
Writhing out of Lust's grasp, Winry stumbled forward and fell to her knees as the boy's helmet clattered onto the ground in front of her. Taking it between her hands, she pulled it onto her lap and began to frantically call his name, begging for him to answer her.
Lust scoffed, apparently tired of her incessant screams. Stepping around Winry as she continued to call Alphonse's name, Lust wandered over to the pile that had once been his armor and crouched down in front of it. Reaching into the rubble, she rummaged and pushed the fractured steel pieces around until she found one piece in particular. A smile playing on her lips, she held it up and rotated it in her hand, appreciating how the light reflected off of the metal the undamaged blood seal was painted on.
"Well then, it looks like you have nowhere else to go," she sneered as she got to her feet and held it out in front of her, "So are you going to cooperate now?"
Winry gasped and looked up from the helmet upon hearing her address the sheet of metal.
"No… I won't," a familiar disembodied voice countered. "No matter what, I won't tell you anything."
"Is that so," she pondered as she lifted her free hand and pressed her finger against the edge of the plate. "Because it looks like I cut you off a bit too close to the edge. I would hate if my finger just slipped." And with that she trailed her finger down and lifted it off of the metal before pressing it down on the center of his blood seal. "Wouldn't you agree—"
"Stop!"
Surprised by the sudden outburst, Lust looked over her shoulder and leered as Winry slowly staggered to her feet, still clutching Alphonse's helmet to her chest.
Seeing that she had the Homunculus's attention, she quavered, "Stop… You monster… Stop... Let him go. Please."
Unfazed by her pleas, the Homunculus smiled and shot her a sympathetic look. "As much as I would love to comply, I simply can't do that. I need information and he is the key. I suppose you could call it equivalent exchange; his information for your freedom."
"Then take me," she cried as she released one of her hands from the helmet and pressed it over her heart. Lust raised her brows, intrigued.
"Winry," Alphonse cried. "Don't—"
"Take… Take my information in exchange for him," she said as her body began to tremble. "Please… I'll tell you anything! Just," she whimpered as she looked down at the helmet she had clutched against her body, "Just… Don't hurt him anymore."
"Are you willing to give me the truth," the Homunculus inquired. "Because if you do, I will guarantee his survival—"
"-Winry, no," Alphonse cried. "You don't have to do this! Please! She needs me alive! She can't kill—"
He was cut off by Lust's sharp, mocking laugh. Turning back to face the piece of metal, she quipped, "Do you honestly think you're special, Alphonse Elric? That your purpose is completely secured? Because if that is the case, you are sorely mistaken."
"W-what," he replied, his voice riddled with shock. "No… You're lying! You need both Brother and me for whatever you're planning! You said so yourself."
"That's correct," Lust admitted as she closed her eyes and moved her shoulders up and down. "I have called you a sacrifice numerous times. Even back when I first encountered you. Which I'm sure you remember, right?"
Alphonse gasped, and Winry knew exactly where his mind had gone. She knew all too well the state he had returned in. His arm dislocated, his helmet in pieces, and his body infested with holes. From the way he described it, the Homunculus had not held back… Just like she hadn't the second time...
Seemingly pleased by his shocked response, she continued, "And have you already forgotten how ready I was to tear you to pieces then? I certainly didn't hesitate."
"I…" The young boy trailed off, realizing that the Homunculus's words rang true.
Lust cocked her head to the side and gave the sheet of metal a sympathetic smile as she raised her finger again and pressed it firmly against the blood seal, eliciting a pained gasp from the young boy. "I'm sorry it has to be this way, Alphonse," she purred. "The Lieutenant and I had hoped for a completely different outcome, but I suppose it was unavoidable in the end. You're too set in your ways to think about the larger scheme of things, only thinking about yourself and those closest to you. And in the end," she added as she steadied her hand, "I suppose that that was your downfall—"
"They went north!"
Lust hesitated and pulled her finger away from the blood seal, turning to look over her shoulder at Winry as tears began to well up in her blue eyes.
Before Winry could even consider giving her split-second decision another thought, she choked out, "They… They went north. Near Fort Briggs. We don't know the name of the town, but they're… They're close enough to reach it by foot."
"Are you sure, Winry," the Homunculus asked in a sickeningly sweet tone. "Because I'd hate to cross-examine that information and find it to be false, especially given the circumstances…"
"It's the truth," Winry proclaimed. "I'm not lying to you! Not…" she added softly, "Not when it's Al's life that hangs in the balance. So please… Let him go," she weakly begged as she hugged the helmet closer to her body, the tears now falling freely down onto the metal, producing dull clanks with every one that made contact. "That's all we know. I promise you… I promise…"
"Well… It certainly took you long enough."
Confused, Winry looked up at her and shakenly muttered, "What… What do you mean?"
"What I mean," Lust explained, "Is that I've been waiting for the moment you would tell me what you know."
Feeling her heart sink deep within her chest, Winry again asked, "… What…?"
"You see, it was you I wanted this entire time, Winry. Between you and Alphonse, I knew I wouldn't get any information from the latter. So instead I decided to pursue an easier target. After all, your resolve is pathetically weak."
"What," Winry gaped, her eyes widening with disbelief.
Lust's smirk widened. "That's right. You were my target all along. The reason why Alphonse is in this state is because of you, Winry."
Winry felt as though her heart had been ripped from her chest; as though every fiber of her being had been torn into by Lust's claws – rather than Alphonse's. Everything that had transpired, everything that had happened, was because Lust wanted to draw out enough information from her. The reason why Alphonse was reduced to a pile of scrap metal was because of her.
"It's funny…"
Winry's thoughts were abruptly cut off when Lust's voice pierced the air. Looking up from the helmet she had focused her unbelieving glare on, Winry once again met the Homunculus's ruthless glare.
Seeing that she once again had her attention, Lust continued. "It's funny how the Lieutenant instilled within you the desire to protect those you care about. After all, who wouldn't feel the same desire after receiving a pep talk from a commonplace soldier that wanted the same? I suppose anyone would feel the same way after making a connection like that. I just find it amusing that her words, those words you deemed precious and held so desperately to, are now turned against you," she said as she raised her free hand and balled it into a fist, "And crushed."
"What's going on here?"
Upon hearing the voice, Lust ripped her attention away from Winry and Alphonse and focused it on the approaching unknown. But just before she completely turned away, Winry saw something in her eyes. Something she wouldn't have expected to see.
Fear.
Pulling her eyes away from the Homunculus, Winry too looked up at the individuals that had appeared and gasped. While her eye had been drawn to the stout, bald-headed man who appeared to have stuck his finger in his mouth for the first few moments of their encounter, it almost immediately found itself on the blond-haired individual that accompanied him.
Memories of her childhood suddenly flashed through her mind. The times when she had been young and had accompanied her parents to the Elric household. Always seeing the two brothers and their mother, rarely seeing the blond-haired man that they had called their Father. But even so, she could not deny that he bore a strikingly similar resemblance to the figure that had stood in the one and only Elric family picture.
But how…? How could it possibly be?
"You're… You're him," she managed to utter, stunned. Though Winry's memories of the man were fragmented, she could at least remember a few details in regards to Van Hohenheim. Aside from his abrupt disappearance from their lives, he had seemed like a decent man. Not necessarily 'good,' but certainly not bad…
The blond-haired, robe-clad man looked past Lust and down at Winry, and his face screwed with unrecognition. "I doubt I am the individual you think I am," he droned before completely dismissing her. "More importantly," he continued as he scanned the pieces of armor before ultimately settling on Lust, "I want to know what has happened here."
Though it was subtle, Winry could see that Lust had begun to sweat. She watched as the Homunculus took a step back, pulling the scrap of metal Alphonse's blood seal was on closer to herself. When his golden eyes turned on her, she straightened her back and admitted, "I am gathering information on the whereabouts of one of your sacrifices, Father. I've done what I've needed to do to secure one of them for you already—"
The man frowned deeply. "You are saying that this," he began as he nodded toward the metal plate in her hand, "Is one of our valued sacrifices?"
Winry saw Lust draw her lips thin in an almost submissive act beneath his scrutinizing eye. She swallowed before nodding her head and murmuring, "I've secured Alphonse Elric, Father, and have already discovered the location of the fifth—"
The man clicked his tongue and shook his head. "That is no way to treat our sacrifices," he began as a red spark appeared and danced across his body.
Before Winry could fully process what was happening, the ground beneath her knees began to shudder. Jerking her head up and around to look at the man once more, she saw a plethora of red sparks fall from his body and illuminate the ground around the sheets of metal that had once been the armor that housed Al's soul. Feeling a slight tug on the helmet in her lap, she looked down at it as it began to rattle and jerk away from her. Releasing her grip on it, she watched as it rolled out of her lap and toward the pieces of scrap metal that laid in a heap before her. Then, she watched as the pieces rose up into the air and began to congeal together, realigning and sealing their ends as they began to form a solid form. The piece that was in Lust's grasp too flew out of her hands and into the form, rearranging itself toward the back.
Within a few moments, the pile began to take a familiar humanoid shape, piecing together and structuring itself into the suit of armor that housed Alphonse Elric. As the final parts righted themselves, Winry couldn't help but break her position by clamoring to her feet and racing to him. Throwing her arms around his armored arm, she cried, "Alphonse!"
She felt him shift as he looked down at her. Looking up at him, she saw that his soul-fire eyes had ignited once more, taking on an almost shocked appearance. "Win… Winry," he managed to stutter as he began to find his bearings once more.
Before she could answer him, the stranger stepped over to Alphonse and put a hand on his metallic shoulder. The young boy responded by turning sharply toward him while angling his body to block Winry from his view. Unfazed by the boy's jumpy response, the man focused his eyes on his armor shell and moved his hand up and down his arm. "How's that?"
Alphonse took a step back and allowed himself the opportunity to fully appreciate his newly reconstructed boy. He looked down at his hands and clenched and unclenched them before turning his focus to other parts of his body, slowly surveying himself and his recovered form. After seemingly finding no fault in his body, he looked up at the man Lust had addressed as 'Father' and uttered, "Yeah… It looks good."
"Excellent," Father mused. "You are a vital asset. Please keep yourself in top condition."
"I," Alphonse started as he looked down at his hands again… Suddenly he gasped and looked up at the man again, his soul-fire eyes aglow. "Wait! I remember your face! Van Hohenheim?!"
The man scrunched his face and paused to rub his beard, staring away from the pair as he mumbled the name 'Hohenheim' under his breath.
"So," Alphonse asked when it appeared that he did not recognize the name. "You're not my father? You're not Van Hohenheim?"
"Father," the man mumbled as he scratched his chin. "Hohen… Oh!" With newfound curiosity, he turned toward Alphonse and inquired, "Are you saying that your father is Van Hohenheim?"
"Yes," Alphonse said as he rubbed the back of his helmet. "I apologize for my mistake, though. It's just that you look so much like him."
"Your surname is 'Elric,'" the man observed.
"Ahh… Yes," Alphonse answered as he rubbed the back of his helmet. "'Elric' is our mother's maiden name. She and our father never got married, so we took her name instead."
"Incredible! This is such a surprise," the man suddenly exclaimed. "I never knew Hohenheim had children." Putting his hand on Alphonse's shoulder, he looked the suit of armor up and down eagerly and said, "Had you taken more from his appearance or your mother's, I wonder?"
"Uh," Alphonse began uncomfortably as he took a step back. "I guess I have his eyes and his hair, or so I've been told…"
The man chuckled enthusiastically and took another step around Alphonse, forcing Winry to remove her grip in Al's arm in order to avoid contact with him. Her movement away from the suit of armor did not seem to faze him, however. He seemed far too keen on knowing about Van Hohenheim and where he was living at the time. As Alphonse began to reluctantly reply with his ignorance on the matter, Winry felt something brush over her. Turning to look over her shoulder, she saw that the stout, bald man had moved become more interested in her than his companion.
She made a motion to step away from him but he resisted by grabbing her arm and holding it up to his nose. When she tried to jerk away, he looked up at her, hurt. "Please hold still so I can eat you," he begged over the sound of his stomach rumbling.
Confused, disgusted, Winry gasped and tried to pull harder, which only made the monster hold her tighter.
"Winry!" Feeling a strong hand on her shoulders, she saw another hand come up from behind her to push it away. Backing into the suit of armor that had rescued her, she wrapped her arms around him, refusing to let go.
"Who is this?"
Jerking her head around, she saw Father's brows raise and take in her appearance, as though it had been the first time he had seen her.
"My friend," Alphonse explained. When she looked up at him, his soul-fire eyes brightened, and he gasped. "You're still bleeding!" Turning his attention back to the man as she lifted a hand to feel the penetrating wound on her neck, he begged, "You fixed my armor… Are you able to heal her wounds?"
The corners of Father's lips turned downward and his monotonous expression appeared to sour. "She is of little use to me. Gluttony," he said, addressing the stout Homunculus that had accompanied him, "You may—"
"No," Alphonse cried, taking a step to the side to shield her. "I won't let you harm her. You said that you want me to be happy, right? Well nothing will make me happier than if you heal her!"
"He's right," Lust chimed in as she raised a mischievous brow. "She might give Gluttony a stomachache—"
"That's enough from you," Father chided without casting his glance in her direction. When she opened her mouth to speak, he cut her off again, turning toward her as he spoke. "I think you've done enough here. Go along now and complete that other task I asked you to do."
She made a move to speak again, but a sharp look from her put her in her place, and she submitted, turning her eyes toward the floor. "Yes, Father."
She took a few steps around Gluttony, patting him on the head as she went, and then passed by Alphonse and Winry without giving them a second look. But after taking a few additional paces, she paused. "Winry," the Homunculus addressed her as she glanced over her shoulder at him.
Looking up, Winry locked eyes with Lust, seeing that her violet eyes had begun to cloud with what appeared to be blood.
Seeing she had her attention, she managed one last impish smirk. "I want you to listen closely, Winry, and I want you to remember this: Since the beginning of this entire ordeal, you have been nothing but a pawn – a piece that has been moved despite you having your own will. Your words and actions up until this point have played into our plan, and nothing you have done has benefitted you or your friends—"
"That's not true," Alphonse cried as he stepped forward, as if attempting to shield Winry from Lust's harsh words. "She's done more than enough to help us! You don't know anything about her!"
"Oh, I can assure you that I know her just as well as the Lieutenant does, Alphonse," she answered with confidence. Then, without hesitating, she turned her focus toward Winry again and managed to catch her eyes. "Your resolve to help has failed, Winry. And it is all because you have resigned yourself to yet again sitting on the sidelines while those you vowed to protect fight your battles for you. Remember this… Because you are weak."
Winry saw Alphonse move out of the corner of her eye to counter her words, but saw him stop when she herself made no attempt to correct the Homunculus. Instead, her words slowly sank in and sat in her heart.
Because she realized that they were true.
When she felt flesh fingers on her neck, she jerked her head up to see Father standing in front of her, looking down at her and over the bridge of his nose. Before she could flinch away, a burst of red sparks danced in the corner of her vision, illuminating the area around her. And just over and past his shoulder, she could see Lust stumble around a corner and vanish.
As the sparks began to die and the warmness that accompanied them faded, Father stepped back and, keeping his attention on the two of them, addressed the one he had called Gluttony and said, "Why don't you take our special guests back up to the surface, Gluttony? I'm sure they've had it with being down here."
After staggering along for as long as her body was able, Lust's legs finally gave out from beneath her and she crashed to her hands and knees. Already feeling the strain of the Lieutenant's struggle, she bowed forward and coughed, speckling the stones under her with flecks of fresh blood. Gritting her teeth as it began to accumulate and escape the recesses of her lips, Lust snarled, "You bitch. Give up… You won't win!"
"I… I don't intend to," Hawkeye replied, her voice barely above a pathetic whisper. "… But… If I can destroy as much… As I can of you… That will be victory enough…"
Lust couldn't help but smirk in regards to the Lieutenant's folly. "Don't tell me you're doing this because of that worthless child?" Hawkeye bristled but did not respond, instead pushing harder… Harder than she had before. Clenching her abdomen as she felt her organs contract and expand as they simultaneously ruptured and repaired themselves, she growled, "I'll take that as a 'yes' then…"
The Lieutenant punished her again by fighting harder, until blood began to seep from her eyes. Bending forward, Lust slammed her forehead against the ground and continued to press her head to it as the Lieutenant's unrelenting assault continued.
"You're… pathetic," Lust hissed between sharp bursts of pain. "Destroying yourself over something so… insignificant. Playing into my hands with your wasted desire for revenge."
"What you've done… Is inexcusable," the Lieutenant rasped. "And I… Won't let you go unscathed… Even if… Even if it costs me-"
"-My soul," Riza shouted in her own voice, briefly in control of her own body. But even then having control seemed to provide any benefit for her. Instead, she muddily discerned as the pain she had felt moments before increased tenfold, it would only hinder her. Unable to process anything but the agony, she curled into herself and poured her resulting scream into the crook of her arm.
But even then, she managed to form in her mind, the pain was worth it. Because she finally gathered the strength to deliver a heavy blow to Lust. And all it took was a reminder from a little girl she had met in Resembool…
A soft knock on the door prompted Riza to stop her work and look up. When she saw who was at the door, she smiled warmly. "It's so nice to finally see you again, Winry," Riza mused as she dipped her head. "It's been far too long."
"It has, Miss Riza," Winry agreed with a smile as she stepped into the room. Pointing at her own hair, she added, "Your hair has gotten so much longer since I last saw you."
Reaching up and running her fingers through her shoulder-length hair, Riza mused, "I decided to try growing it out for a change."
Winry beamed. "It looks really nice."
Riza felt her smile grow. "Are you looking for the boys," she asked.
Winry shook her head. "No, not right now. I saw them with Colonel Mustang a while ago."
"Oh," Riza replied. "Is there something I can help you with then?"
"Actually there is," Winry offered as she clasped her hands together behind her back, "And I wanted to see if I could talk to you about it."
"Oh, of course," Riza said as Winry approached her desk. "I'm all ears."
Stopping in front of it, Winry smiled. "I was thinking about what you had said back then on the way here and it really got me thinking."
Riza lifted her brows, for a brief moment not understanding what the girl had meant. But then it came back to her, their conversation that had happened all those years ago. Back when Riza had revealed to her her reason for remaining in the military after Winry had announced her dislike of soldiers. At the time the moment hardly seemed significant, but after looking back at it once she had left, Riza had realized that the conversation had changed the both of them… for the better.
Throughout the years when she had traveled to Eastern Command to see Edward and Alphonse, Riza had noticed that Winry seemed to smile often, despite being in a place crawling with military personnel and soldiers. She was more comfortable, relaxed when she saw her, and had never once seen the girl act out of place. And while she hadn't completely attributed their conversation to that, Riza had hoped that it had made a small impact on the girl's vision of the military, at the very least providing her with someone she could discuss her concerns.
"And because of you, I've decided to change my resolve," Winry elaborated. "Because I want to protect those that I care about too." She looked bashfully down at her toes and shrugged a shoulder. "What I mean is… That I want to protect them any way that I can. Even if it means only fixing Ed's armor or getting the right brand of oil for Al every time I see him. Or even making food whenever they decide to stop by Resembool."
As her words sank in, Riza's lips parted, an odd mixture of shock and awe welling up inside of her. To think that her words, her words of devotion to her superior officer could bring about something so kind seemed unfathomable to her. That she, a seasoned soldier, had made such a positive impact on her. But she had nonetheless, and because of that she was proud.
Feeling her smile widen, Riza replied, "I'm so happy to hear that, Winry."
Protect.
The moment that Riza had decided to follow Roy was the moment she had sworn to protect him. To protect anyone that shared with her her values. To protect until her dying breath.
She had feared that the ability was lost to her when she could not break through before, but now she realized that she had the strength all along. It just took something of significance to push her and keep her moving forward.
This fight could hardly make up for the untruths Lust had delivered upon Winry, but for the time being it would be enough… Enough to give Riza the strength needed to fight back.
And she would remember that strength and hold onto that desire to protect, then she would fight to overcome the sin that had been injected into her veins…
Riza had not realized that Lust had begun to take control again until she felt the tips of her fingers against her sternum. Craning her head down, she stared at the hand that had risen up to press against her chest, immediately realizing that her short bout of freedom had come to an end. She clenched her jaw to suppress her sob and braced herself. Lust took hold of the opportunity and lunged forward and released her fury, driving her spears into her chest and directly through her heart.
Instead of the intense pain she had imagined, Riza felt nothing. Riza's breath caught in her chest as the nothingness slowly spread from the site of her wound, leaking into every vessel, every muscle, every bone – until it had stretched to every corner of her body. And then, just when it seemed like it would settle itself deep in her bones, it slowly began to recede, drawing with it her body's warmth until it everything settled around the spots where the spears had penetrated her chest.
The spears retracted and she swayed uneasily on the arm she had used to support herself. Darkness began to cloud her vision, and she knew that her time at the surface was up. But despite that, she felt a faint smile touch her lips. She had proved that she was capable of delivering blows devastating enough to rattle the Homunculus that had possessed her, all without completely losing her soul. Riza could still go on… Could still continue to fight to protect those she cares most about… For the time being.
As the hand that had brought about the final blow began to lower itself away from her body, she looked down at it, seeing that the dark fabric of the gloves that were the Homunculus's signature weapon had been tainted with blood.
As her vision began to darken and her body began to relax, she vowed that she would continue to fight, to continue to protect. Knowing full well that with each fight she would sink deeper into the Stone. But as long as she could hold onto that desire, she would never succumb.
Even if it meant enduring the pain of her body's rejection of the Stone. Because even then, she remembered thinking as her body gave in and she began to fall; the pain had made her feel so… human.
"You're… pitiful," Lust rasped as she watched through blurring vision the puddle of blood around her that had begun to steadily grow. "Investing your… energy in something so… worthless… Giving what little remains… for the sake of others…"
In her mind's eye she could see the physical manifestation of the Lieutenant's soul lying eerily still, unresponsive to her taunts. Lust gritted her teeth and growled as the Lieutenant's last words continued to ring out in the back of her mind, reminding her that she would continue to fight to that caliber until she no longer could.
Then, the corners of Lust's lips turned upward, allowing another rush of blood to seep out beyond them as she smiled. "It'll only be… a matter of time," she breathed. "Your body… Mind… Soul… All of it… Will be mine…"
The Lieutenant did not respond, though Lust had figured she wouldn't. Her energy had been entirely spent. And like her, Lust's had been as well. Hawkeye's fight had momentarily removed her from the Philosopher's Stone, just long enough for her body to react. And now that it had, she would have to endure the agonizing process of regeneration as her Stone righted itself.
But at least, she mused to herself as the darkness that had spotted her vision began to spread, she had won in the end…
If Greed could count on his hands the number of times he had circled the tunnels that afternoon, he'd have to pull off his shoes and count on his toes. And while he wasn't completely alone, the boy prince wasn't exactly much company that day. So when he stumbled upon Lust in a rather vulnerable state, he was relieved to discover a way to curb his boredom.
He nudged her with the toe of his boot and waited for a response. When he did not immediately receive one, he dug his toe into her side. "Yo! You alright—" He did not draw back his foot when her arm shot up to grab his ankle. Smirking, he watched as she rolled her head to the side and narrowed her lavender eyes.
"What do you want, Greed," she rasped, her voice gravelly and rough from what he deduced had been an unscheduled sleep.
"Good morning to you too," he replied cockily. "Figured I'd check on my favorite sister, see how she's doing and all."
Lust grumbled something unintelligible under her breath and pushed herself up onto her hands and knees.
Greed crouched down and met her halfway. Seeing that her face and hands and well, everything, were covered in blood, he did his brotherly duty and pointed toward his own face. "You got a little something right here." She shot him a pointed look, clearly unamused by his joking manner. "Alright, alright," he contended as he raised his hands defensively and backed off. "Sorry. Wasn't sure you knew or not."
She raised one of her hands and glared down at it, seeing the blood. With a frustrated sigh she grabbed the bottom of her shirt and began to rub her palm against it in an effort to remove what she could from it.
"So what's the story," Greed asked, quirking a brow.
"There isn't much to it," she grumbled as she lifted her hand and wiped the corner of her mouth. "The soul that previously owned this body is still present and still hasn't accepted that I'm its new owner."
Greed bobbed his head in understanding. "Sounds pretty rough." Pressing the tip of his thumb against his chest, he smirked and said, "Too bad you didn't get stuck with someone like this kid. Sure he's a bit of an annoyance, but he submitted like—oof!" Feeling a sharp pain in his chest, Greed bowed forward and clutched his abdomen as the spark of pain traveled down his body and out through his toes. When she gave him a perplexed look, he admitted, "Looks like the kid didn't take too kindly to that one."
"Of course he didn't. These humans are too damn sensitive," Lust muttered as she rocked back on her heels. Pressing her hands against the wall, she rocked back once more before pushing herself upward, using the wall as a guide.
Greed followed suit and sprang back up to his feet to follow. Though just when she was about to take a step, her legs buckled. On impulse Greed's hand shot out and grabbed her arm, preventing her from falling further. Surprised by his body's reaction, he noted, "Looks like the kid's a gentleman."
Lust responded with a huff as she jerked her arm from his grip and pressing it to the wall to steady herself. "While I'd love to stay and chat about pointless characteristics our hosts possess, I have a few other matters I have to attend to."
Greed wrinkled his nose and glared at the back of her head, but was quick to recover as he fell into step beside her. Clasping his hands behind his back and leaning forward slightly as she continued to stumble along the wall, he said, "Must be interesting if you're in such a hurry." She rolled her eyes and he resisted the urge to smirk. Who would have thought that she'd be one to be grumpy when she first woke up?
"Oh trust me," she muttered in reply as she focused on the path in front of them. "It is."
Still plagued by the bitter taste of iron that swirled on her tongue, Lust licked her chapped lips and tried to ignore it as she waited for the line she was on to connect. Despite the fact that the ordeal had occurred and ended over an hour ago, she was still left with the residual effects of the Lieutenant's futile attempt at regaining control. Her body and muscles felt weak and her bones brittle, as if her body had become more human than Homunculus in that short span of time.
Fragile.
Breakable.
When the line rang again, she reached up and grabbed the cloth of her uniform that hung over her chest to pull it away from her body. It felt constricting as it lay over her heart, as though it were slowing the already painstakingly slow process of her healing from her wounds. While she had stopped Hawkeye dead in her tracks, she had done so at great cost to herself. The heart was always the last to heal, and the most difficult to heal too. And with her weakened state, she knew it would take a little longer than usual to return to its normal condition. Though she knew that once she did, her accelerated healing would kick in again after the Stone would correct itself after being suppressed by Hawkeye.
Anger flooded her and for a moment she considered turning it on the Lieutenant, but even then she doubted she would respond. Since she had regained consciousness, Hawkeye had been eerily quiet, barely moving or answering when prompted to. Lust knew that she had won, that the Lieutenant's soul had become more homogenous and more accepting of the Stone, but even then she knew that she was nowhere near being completely absorbed. Still, she had try and take comfort in the fact that Hawkeye's memories, even ones she had long forgotten, had become so much more vibrant and telling to her – to the point where she could recall them as if they had been her own.
The phone rang a fourth time and she considered hanging up right then and there, but just as she was about to seriously consider the action it at last connected and the voice on the other line mumbled a low, "Hello?"
Lust cleared her throat, removing any residual bile or blood before answering, "I have your assignment."
"Is that so," the voice replied, its tone eager. "And where exactly will I be headed, Lieutenant?"
Despite the fact that her history with Solf J. Kimblee had been rather short and uneventful, Lust still couldn't stop herself from shuddering, no doubt a subconscious reaction the Lieutenant's body possessed every time it had to endure any of his utterances. Refusing to give in to her body's disgust, she evenly replied, "I don't have a specific town, unfortunately, but from what I've found there are only a few places where they could be hiding." She paused and waited for him to drawl out a snide remark in response. Much to her relief he didn't, prompting her to continue. "There is a small ghetto near the town of Colton near Briggs that houses Ishvalan refugees. It's possible that Scar dragged them there."
"I see," Kimblee replied in an almost sing-songy tone. "Well, I'll have to see if I can fit that into my busy schedule."
Lust wrinkled her brow, confused. "What exactly does that mean?"
"Oh," he replied with feigned surprise. "You haven't heard about the Fuhrer?"
Lust searched her memory, trying to remember if she had been informed of any movement involving their plan. And from what she last remembered, they had decided to play the sick Fuhrer card for as long as they could. But clearly something had recently changed. Her thoughts were interrupted when he continued.
"It seems to me like you've been misinformed, Lieutenant."
She fought the urge to growl and instead replied, "Please, enlighten me then," as she folded her arms and leaned back against the wall.
"Well," he began while wearing, what she assumed, was a self-satisfied smirk. "It appears that things are moving along faster than we had initially intended up north. You actually caught me on my way out the door."
"I see," she muttered. "Well, if that's the case, I will contract someone else to go up there and bring back our sacrifice."
"If that doesn't turn out, you know where to find me," he mused from the other end of the line.
"Indeed," she answered before pulling the receiver away from her ear and setting down on the cradle, leaving her to herself in order to process the information that he had given her.
Something must have happened to initiate the next step of the plan. Her thoughts immediately turned to the North and about the progress Wrath must have made to push it into that phase. The corner of her lip tugged upward at the thought, and she decided that she would give him a call once the dust began to settle.
The moment the secret door that had led into one of the unoccupied offices behind them closed, Alphonse and Winry found themselves alone, unable to fully process what they had just experienced. Their words between each other were entirely gone, lost to their chaotic thoughts as they continued to swirl about their minds. And yet, no words had to pass between the two of them to understand what the other felt. That they could fully agree on.
Before they could take a step toward the room's egress, a familiar face appeared in the doorframe. One that they had allowed themselves to trust. And now knowing what they did, they no longer knew if they could continue to believe that trust.
"There you two are," Jerso exclaimed as Zampano appeared behind him. "We've been looking all over for you two."
"Is… Is something wrong," Alphonse asked when he realized that they appeared anxious.
"You mean you haven't heard," Zampano asked.
Alphonse turned to Winry to exchange a perplexed look with her, but found that she was still watching Zampano and Jerso. "Do… We don't know anything," Alphonse answered without tearing his eyes away from her.
"Everyone's going home. We were sent to take you back to your living situations," Jerso explained. "Because we just discovered that Fuhrer Bradley has succumbed to his illness and has died."