Happy Father's Day everyone! It's kind of ironic (Or messed up?) that it's Father's day and we have a chapter about Shou Tucker, the worst father ever (I'm sorry ;( )! Anyway, I edited this chapter since I've been bothering the crap out of my Editor, Jirachi of Frost. Please excuse the crappy editing, this time it's me :(.
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, MUST I GO ON?
Chapter 4: Corrupted Men
"Ed hurry! We're almost there!" Iris shouted as she ran down the hallways of Central command. The trio had just gotten back from Lior and their first goal was to report to Colonel Mustang about the corrupt priest.
"What's the rush?" Edward asked Iris as he and his brother ran after their speeding friend. Iris heard voices as she passed one of the many oak colored doors in Central Command. Inside this door was an office full of multiple people that Iris didn't know. She walked inside the room with Edward stepping in front of her. Edward recognized all the officers as Breda, Hawkeye, Fury, Havoc, and Falman. All of them were Mustang's men but Iris didn't know any of them, with the exception of seeing them in the hallway every so often.
"The receiver on this thing's seen better days, I think I'm gonna have to replace it" A man with glasses said as the trio walked into the room. Edward walked up to Fury, clapped his hands and put them on the radio. Sparks flew from radio and stopped revealing a fixed and shiny radio, which got a shocked expression off of Fury's face.
"Hey, it's Edward and Alphonse!" Fury said as he looked at Iris with confusion as she hid behind Alphonse.
"Welcome back boys" Hawkeye said smiling
"Who's that?" Fury asked referring to the girl hiding behind Alphonse.
"Do you mean Iris?" Alphonse asked.
"The colonel assigned her to travel with us." Edward explained.
"Speaking of the Colonel, go into his office. He's expecting you" Hawkeye reminded Edward as a tired and annoyed look came on his face. The trio walked away, with Iris speeding out of the office like a bat out of hell. When the trio reached Mustang's office, Iris' face lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Hi Colonel Mustang!" Iris yelled happily.
That was quick Edward thought as he and his brother sat down on one of two couches in the office. Iris sat on the other as trio explained what happened in Lior from beginning to end.
"Well done on the Lior case you three, nice work. I appreciate you solving the matter. It seems that you and Silver work well together." Mustang complimented.
"No big deal, it's not like we did it for you" Edward sighed.
"Ed, that's no way to talk to the Colonel" Iris turned towards Mustang "Sorry sir. Someone's cranky that they hit a dead end"
"The Philosopher's stone was a fake?" Mustang asked
"Yeah, after all that the stone was a fake. Even so, the power it gave Cornello was real enough." Edward responded sadly.
"You're right! That poor chimera he transmuted. That must've taken a lot of power to do so" Iris wondered.
"I still wonder how he was able to use the stone to do that. I'm not familiar enough with the field of bio-alchemy to really understand it." Al explained.
"I have a soft spot for animals so I've never considered using bio-alchemy. What about you Edward?" Iris asked politely.
"I've never used it, but I'm kind of curious about that chimera too. Maybe it's worth looking into. Who knows, maybe we could find something to us restore our bodies." Edward said.
"It might help if you consulted a specialist." Mustang suggested.
"Like another state alchemist?" Iris questioned and Mustang nodded.
"Exactly. The Sewing Life alchemist, Sho Tucker, is a good place to start. I'll introduce you." Mustang said as Iris smiled.
"You would that for us?" Al asked.
"Thank you Colonel!" Iris said as Edward jumped up from his seat.
"Okay, what's the catch?! You want something, don't you?!"
"Don't doubt my motives! I'm trying to repay you for your work on the Lior case! Doing you a favor is better than being indebted to you." Mustang answered annoyed.
"Excuse me Colonel, but could you do a favor for me?" Iris asked as she walked up to his desk rummaging in her bag. She pulled a small package wrapped in white paper with an address written out of her bag and set it on his desk. "Can you have someone deliver this package for me?"
"Of course. Who is this for?" Mustang asked.
"My little sister. I send her a letter from time to time, but since I'm traveling, I wanted to send her some souvenirs. I have to send her a present from Central as well" Iris told Mustang, smiling.
"Well we better get moving. The Sewing Life alchemist won't wait forever" Mustang said.
"Can you tell us how Tucker received his title?" Iris asked as the trio sat in the car, waiting to arrive at their destination.
"Two years ago, Tucker transmuted a chimera that could understand human speech, which earned him his certification as a state alchemist." Mustang explained.
"It could talk?" Edward asked dumbfounded.
"A talking chimera?" Iris asked "Wouldn't you need an animal that can speak or mimic human vocal cords?"
"I wouldn't know. It only said one thing: I want to die" Mustang said sadly. "After that, it refused to eat until it got its wish"
"That poor creature…" Iris whimpered. "At least it's resting peacefully now"
The car came to a complete stop as parked in front of an enormous mansion with an iron gate guarding the front doors. Mustang walked to the front as Iris looked around timidly.
"Man, this house is huge!" Ed stated before he was tackled to the ground by a white fluffy ball of hair.
"Ed! Are you okay?" Al asked as Iris turned around and saw a big white dog lying on Edward and began to laugh at the sight.
"Edward, why do you have a Great Pyrenees on you?" Iris asked as she attempted to calm down.
"Shaddup" Ed muttered under the dog. Iris kneeled by the dog and began petting his head, which received a happy bark.
"Daddy" A young voice spoke "There are people out here, look!" The voice belonged to a little girl with brown braids that went to her waist. Her navy eyes were similar to Iris' except that hers were smaller and lighter than the one's belonging to the alchemist. An older man with orange brown hair and glasses perched on his nose (Her dad, Iris guessed) came up behind her.
"Nina, this is why I told you to keep the dog tied up" The man with the glasses looked at Mustang and invited the trio inside. Iris was busy looking at the little girl, reliving memories of a happier time with her little sister.
"Come on Iris!" Grace yelled to her sister in the winter snow with Duchess, her white Akita, not far behind. She wore a purple coat, her purple scarf, a white beret, and white winter boots as the snow sprinkled her sandy hair and brightened her teal eyes. Iris herself was wearing a white coat that went down to her knees, grey winter boots, and a matching beret.
"Wait for me!" Myles and Iris yelled as the younger brother caught up to his older sister. Myles wore a brown jacket, black leather boots, thick winter pants, a brown scarf, and a fluffy hat atop his head, to protect him from the harsh winter snow. Iris picked up a handful of snow below her feet and threw it as it landed on Grace's hat causing her to turn around and return the favor. Grace's snowball missed Iris and hit Myles in the nose, which made him start throwing snowballs. Soon, the trio is enveloped in a snowball fight until sunset, where they lied down and looked at the sky, still laughing.
"Iris!" Edward yells finally getting Iris' attention and snapping her out of her zoned out state.
"Huh?" Iris said shaking her head at Edward's voice.
"Are you okay?" Alphonse asked.
"I'm fine guys, I was just…remembering something" Iris told them.
"Are you sure you're okay? You zoned out on us as if we weren't even here." Edward asked their companion.
"I'm fine! Honest! I was remembering my younger siblings. No more, no less." Iris told them as she walked inside thanking Mr. Tucker. Edward looked at his brother.
"She thinks about her family a lot, doesn't she?" Edward asked his younger brother.
"Uh huh. She must really miss her family. All she talks about is her sister." Al said while nodding.
"Well we better get inside before that mutt comes back" Ed replied as he and Al dropped the subject and headed inside. Inside of the house were dishes piling in the sink and research materials everywhere collecting cobwebs and dust.
"I'm sorry about the mess. Ever since my wife ran out, this place has been a wreck. I'm not much of a house keeper." Sho said giving his guests tea as he sat down, crossing his fingers as he talked to Edward. "Now that were all settled in, let me say that it's a pleasure to meet you Edward and Iris. As the Colonel told you, I'm the Sewing Life alchemist, Sho Tucker"
"The pleasure's all mine sir!" Iris exclaimed.
"Ed and Iris are both interested in the field of biologic alchemy. They would like to have a look at your research, if that's possible" Mustang explained.
"Oh yes, certainly. I don't mind" Sho said. "However, if you want me to show the tricks I've got up my sleeve; it's only fair you show me the tricks you've got up yours as well. It's the code we live by, equivalent exchange. Now, why are you two interested in bio-alchemy?"
"Oh um, Ed well, you see he's-" The Colonel stuttered before Ed stopped him.
"Colonel" Edward said standing up.
"I'm just helping with their research. Should I step outside Edward?" Iris asked Ed quietly.
"No you can stay. You were going to find out eventually" Edward said as he took off his coat, revealing his automail and began explaining.
"You transmuted your mother? As an 11-year-old child?" Tucker asked in bewilderment. "I see. So that's what earned you the title, Fullmetal alchemist"
"Excuse me for a moment." Iris announced before going outside, leaving Tucker and the Colonel confused.
"What's wrong with her?" Tucker asked. "Did something happen to her as well?"
"We don't know much of Iris' past, only pieces of it. Colonel, do you have any background on her?" Edward asked.
"No, unfortunately I don't." Mustang replied.
"She told us about her siblings and a scar on her leg, but that's it" Edward explained.
"How do you know this?" Mustang asked Ed, which received a nervous look.
"Brother upset her while we were at Lior." Alphonse explained.
"We'll talk about that later. Back to the issue at hand, I can let you and your friend take a look at my laboratory. I don't know if it will help, but it's worth looking at." Sho Tucker told the boys.
"I'll go get Iris" Edward said as he put his coat back on and walked outside.
Iris walked out of the house and to the sidewalk where she sat down and practiced her alchemy. The whole ordeal that Edward and Alphonse explained had made her sick to her stomach, probably because she had committed human transmutation as well. Iris thought about Grace and without knowing it, she transmuted the dirt before her into a mini version of her sister, Grace, in her wheel chair.
"Is that your little sister?" Edward's asked behind her. Iris nodded looking at the little person she had created.
"Yep. Her name is Grace." Iris said as she stood up and looked at Edward. "What did Tucker say?"
"Were going to look at his lab, so I came to get you" Edward explained.
"Let's get moving"
The laboratory was full of growling chimeras, research notes and labeled jars that made Iris reconsider helping the Elrics. She walked over to a little brown colored chimera with a long bushy tail, pointed ears, wings and a long neck as it tilted its head at her when she smiled at the critter. Iris put her hand on the chimera's head as it rolled over in pleasure.
"Don't touch the chimeras, please" Tucker warned Iris but she kept petting the chimera as if it were a puppy craving attention.
"Iris, were here on official business. This isn't the time to be playing with the chimeras" The Colonel lectured Iris as she played with the chimera.
"Mr. Tucker? Can I take out this chimera?" Iris asked as the creature started to make a purring noise.
"If you wish, that one's not as hostile as the others." Tucker told Iris as she opened the cage and the chimera jumped on her shoulder and played with her hair.
"Is it true you're the only authority on chimeras, Mr. Tucker?" Iris asked as the chimera sat on her shoulder.
"Oh no, I bet there's plenty more experts on chimeras in the military. It's embarrassing to think that people assume I'm one of the main authorities on chimeras when really, I haven't had much success lately" Tucker admitted as he led us to a room with books filling every shelf.
"This is amazing!" Edward said as he looked around.
"This is my library. Feel free to look around" Tucker said warmly.
"Alright, let's dive in! I'll start with this shelf!" Ed stated as he jumped up and grabbed a book.
"I'll start over here!" Al said taking the shelf to the right of Ed's.
"Guess I'll start over here!" Iris yelled as she ran to the shelf on the left with the chimera not far behind. Iris attempted to reach a book at the very top but didn't succeed until the chimera grabbed and passed it to her. "Thanks little buddy!"
"I'm going to head back to work now. I'll send somebody by to get you this evening" Mustang said.
"Thank you Colonel!" Iris yelled before she opened her book and the chimera sat in her lap. The room remained silent after Iris opened her book and Mr. Tucker laughed.
"They've all got some ability to focus. I'm not sure they even know were here anymore. Quite the catch these three are. They're all quite the prodigies."
The library remained silent as the trio kept reading. The chimera that accompanied Iris had fallen asleep beside her and Iris was currently reading a book on the basics of chimeras and what animal factors cause when they're transmuted into a chimera. Iris' attention was drawn by a certain statement in her book.
A chimera's abilities are limited and based off of what the animals used to make it could accomplish. Multiple animals can be used to make one chimera but this only randomizes the chance of receiving certain traits from certain species, such as call, diet, color, etc. The only animals that can possibly be used to make a speaking chimera are Homo sapiens (Humans) or Psittaciformes (Parrots). It is extremely unlikely that a Psittaciformes (parrot) would make a chimera that could understand human language due to the fact that its vocal cords would most likely be deformed when used for alchemy. Making a chimera from a human would most likely result in a talking chimera that could fully understand the human language, but this practice has been made illegal.
Iris threw her book back and began to shake.
The reports said that the chimera could understand the human language. Did Tucker- Iris' thoughts were interrupted by a certain someone's screaming.
"I WILL NOT LOSE THIS TIME! I, EDWARD ELRIC, WILL USE MY CONSIDERABLE POWERS TO VANQUISH YOU! YOU MANGY MUTT!" Edward screamed as he ran out of the library and after a big white and fluffy dog.
"Hey Iris! Were taking a break. Want to join us?" Alphonse down her book and woke use asked as Iris put down her book and woke the sleeping chimera beside her.
"Sure" Iris said.
"Are you alright? You're shaking a little" Alphonse told her. Iris looked at her hands as she trembled and looked at her hands before responding.
"Yeah I'm fine. Just sore from not moving for a while" Iris put on a fake smile. "Let's play!"
"Hey chief! Your ride has arrived!" Havoc announced. Iris walked up to Havoc.
"Hey, you're one of the officers from earlier today" Iris told him.
"And you're that girl that was hiding behind Alphonse." Havoc replied. "Jean Havoc. Pleasure to meet you"
"Iris Kamillia. The pleasure's mine sir" Iris looked at Ed and began to laugh as Havoc looked at the alchemist as well. Ed had been trampled once again by Alexander as he lied under the dog defeated.
"What are you up to down there, Ed?" Havoc questioned at the odd sight.
"Let's just say I'm taking a break from a long day of research" Ed groaned as he crawled out from under Alexander and rose to his feet rubbing his head.
"After all that you must be dog-tired" Tucker said with a chuckle. "Why don't you come on back tomorrow?"
"You really are going to come again?" Nina asked excitedly.
"We'll play some more tomorrow, Okay Nina?" Alphonse said.
"Kay!" Nina replied happily.
"Don't worry. I'll come back as well. Okay little guy?" Iris told her chimera friend as she held out her arm, allowing the chimera to jump to Tucker's shoulder. The chimera squeaked happily at the response as Tucker placed the creature back in its bird-like cage. As the group headed for the car, Havoc stopped walking and yelled "Oh Mr. Tucker, I almost forgot. I've got a message for you. It's from the Colonel. He said 'Don't forget, Assessment day is coming soon!'"
"Yes, please assure him, I know." Tucker replied.
"Right"
As the group climbed into the car, Ed and Al discussed what they found out while Iris was silent. She couldn't stop thinking about what she uncovered. Her hands still felt the urge to shake in fear.
Did Mr. Tucker transmute a human into a chimera? Or did he just have beginner's luck? Iris thought as a million other possibilities filled her head, giving her a nasty headache.
"Your mother left two years ago?" Alphonse asked Nina during their break. Nina nodded.
"Daddy said she went to live at her parent's house." Nina told him.
"I don't know if that would make me sad or not. I never knew my parents" Iris told Nina as she pet the chimera sitting in her lap.
"What happened to them?" Nina asked.
"They were both soldiers, but that's not important now. Doesn't it get lonely with just you and your dad?" Iris questioned.
"Not really. Daddy's so nice, plus I've got Alexander to play with." Nina looked sad. "But lately daddy's been studying in his lab all the time. I guess that does make me a little bit lonely"
Edward closed his book and stood up, moving his shoulders in a circle saying "My shoulders are killing me"
"Maybe you should try to move around some, brother." Al advised.
"Yeah, not a bad idea" Edward pointed to Alexander "Hey you mangy mutt. Looks like you could use some exercise."
"Let's go too Nina"
"You want to come too, little guy?" The chimera looked at Iris and squeaked. "Then let's move it!"
"WAHAA! COME ON SLOW POKES!" Edward yelled as Alexander chased him with Nina on his back.
"Wait up!" Nina yelled while giggling her heart out. Iris sat down at a tree, reading her favorite novel, until the chimera at her feet stole the book and began flying around, teasing Iris.
At least I know what to name the little critter Iris thought as she jumped in the air, attempting to reach her book.
"Get back here, you little bandit!" Iris yelled as she began chasing the chimera. Edward transmuted his arm into a little chomper as he began chasing Nina and Alexander.
"I'M GONNA GET YOU! HERE I COME!" Edward yelled as he chased Nina. Nina slid off of Alphonse's back after Edward stopped chasing them, but was soon tackled by Alexander once again.
After dinner Tucker, Iris, Edward, and Alphonse all sat and chatted while Nina played with Alexander off to the side.
"Mr. Tucker? Everyone had a life before they became a state alchemist, what was your life like?" Iris asked which caused a sad look to appear on Tucker's face.
"Before I got my state alchemist certification, our life was terrible. We were so poor in those days. My wife couldn't stand living that life, so she left us. I can't afford to fail this assessment. I don't want to go to those days again; I don't think I even could." Tucker responded.
"Don't worry daddy, its okay. And if those people do tell you 'no', me and Alexander will growl at them until they say yes!" Nina said confidently.
"I wonder if my parents were like that." Iris muttered. Tucker at his daughter and smiled.
"Hey Nina, I've got an idea. Do you want to play with Daddy tomorrow?" Tucker asked.
"Really?" Nina's face lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Yeah"
"Woohoo!" Nina yelled as she jumped into her dad's arms. "Alexander, daddy says he's going to play with us tomorrow!"
Iris and the boys smiled at this. As they headed back to Central, Iris erased any doubt in her mind about Mr. Tucker.
I guess it was just beginner's luck Iris thought as she looked out the car window, smiling.
"Maybe he went out with his daughter for the day?" Iris suggested as Edward rang the bell at the front door of Mr. Tucker's house.
"Mr. Tucker would have left a note or something to tell us" Edward said as Alphonse opened the door.
"Hello Mr. Tucker! Thanks for having us again today!" Alphonse yelled into the house. The trio walked into the hallway calling out for Mr. Tucker, Nina and Alexander. Suddenly, a squeal was heard and a shaking shadow jumped onto Iris' shoulder.
"Bandit?" Iris said to the shaking chimera clinging to her shoulder. "What's going on? Where's Mr. Tucker?"
"It looks like something spooked her. Let's check the Laboratory" Edward suggested. As the trio got closer to the library, Bandit's claws dug deeper into Iris' shoulder out of fear. When the trio reached the laboratory, Iris picked up the chimera and placed her on the ground.
"It's okay if you run, but if you want, stay out here until we find out what spooked you so badly, okay Bandit?" Iris told the shaking chimera as she sat down three feet away from the laboratory doors. Edward pushed open the laboratory doors only to find Mr. Tucker crouched to the floor next to a creature with brown hair draped over a white coat. Iris suddenly felt sick.
"Mr. Tucker!" Al said with relief.
"There you are. So you are home."
"Yes." He said with a wicked grin. "I did, I really did it, a chimera that understands human speech. Here let me show you. Listen to me, that person over there, that's Edward."
"That person, Edward" The creature said in a deep voice.
"Yes! That's very good! Well done!" Tucker praised the creature.
"That's amazing! It can actually talk!" Edward said amazed.
Iris gripped her chest as she looked at the chimera. This creature felt familiar to her somehow, not to mention that Nina and Alexander were nowhere to be found, unless… Horror filled Iris as realization crept over her.
"Now I won't have to worry about losing my certification!" Tucker said relived.
"GO TO HELL, TUCKER!" Iris screamed as she gripped her chest and fell to her knees.
"Iris! What are you talking about?!" Alphonse said looking at their sobbing companion.
"Go on! Tell me you don't see what really happened here!" Iris screamed. Edward looked at the chimera. He could see nothing wrong or unusual.
"That person Edward… That person Edward… Big brother, Ed" The chimera spoke, shedding tears. Terror filled Edward as he rose to his feet.
"That bastard did the same thing to his wife to get his certification, didn't you?!" Iris shouted at Tucker.
"Mr. Tucker, Nina and Alexander, WHERE ARE THEY?!" Edward yelled.
"Damned brats, figuring it out so quickly" Tucker said as Edward lunged at Tucker, pinning him to the wall by his throat.
"Brother!" Alphonse called out.
"Your own research told me everything Tucker! The same research that you used to transmute your family!" Iris screamed.
"Two years ago it was your wife! This time you used your own daughter and her dog to transmute a talking chimera! You can only do so much with animals after all! It's easier when you start with a human, isn't that right?!" Edward screamed.
"I don't see what you're so upset about. This is how we progress. Human experimentation is a necessary step. I would think a trio of scientists would understand-"
"SHUT UP! DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH THIS, MESSING AROUND WITH SOMEONE'S LIFE LIKE THAT, YOUR OWN DAUGHTER?!"
"Messing with someone's life you say? Ha ha! You would know all about that, wouldn't you? Look at you Fullmetal alchemist; look at your leg, your arm, your brother! Those things are also the result of messing around with someone's life, aren't they?!"
"SHUT UP!" Edward yelled as he punched Tucker in the face hard enough to knock off and break his glasses. Iris began sobbing with no sign of stopping. Bandit, despite her fear, ran into the laboratory and attempted to comfort her friend but had no success.
"WE ARE THE SAME! WERE THE SAME! YOU'RE JUST LIKE ME!"
"WERE NOT!"
"OH BUT YES WE ARE! THE OPPORTUNITY WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US AND WE TOOK IT! WE HAD TO EVEN THOUGH WE KNEW IT WAS AGAINST THE RULES!"
"NO!" Edward screamed as he punched Tucker again and again after every word. "NOT ME! ALCHEMISTS DON'T DO THAT! I'M NOT! I'M NOT!"
"BROTHER! If you keep this up he'll die!" Alphonse yelled as he held back his brother's fist.
"Please Ed… Don't be like him. Don't kill him" Iris begged.
Edward looked at Iris then looked to the side and saw Nina, looking at her father, bruises and all.
"Edward, no. Daddy… Did you…Hurt daddy?" Nina said as Edward let go of Tucker.
"Brother… We need to call the Colonel. Iris is in shock, she won't stop shaking." Alphonse told his brother. Edward looked and saw a trembling Iris, crying her eyes out. Even with the chimera comforting her, she wouldn't move.
This was done by the military… Just when I thought I could trust them, they took another's life for their own purposes. Iris thought as she trembled.
"I'm sorry. Even with all our power we can't change you back" Alphonse said as he patted Nina's head.
"Can we play now? Can we play now?" Nina asked.
"I made it just in time! I get to remain a state alchemist! I passed!" Tucker said as he cradled his silver watch. Edward kicked the watch out of Tucker's hands and Tucker crawled after it like a child whose toy fell out of his hands.
"Like hell you're staying a state alchemist" Edward said looking at the pathetic alchemist. "Like hell"
"Can we play now?" Nina asked once more. This time, Edward screamed. He, Alphonse, and Iris were all helpless this time. All they could do was cry and scream.
Iris sat in the colonel's car with a blanket draped over her shoulders and Bandit next to her. The colonel entered the car and Iris kept her mouth shut. She refused to speak to the Colonel or anyone else for that matter.
"Iris, are you okay?" The Colonel asked worried that she wasn't talking. She stayed quiet. "Were going to take you to get checked out by a doctor, okay?"
Still no answer.
Iris glared at the Colonel and the officer next to him. She was like this when the military first separated her family, cold, harsh, and alone. Iris just lost someone else dear to her heart and there was nothing she could do about it. This same situation drove her to human transmutation, but she was smarter now.
"You'll probably come across cases like this in the future, Silver. You might even have to dirty your hands-" the Colonel tried to repeated the same advice he had given the boys, but was interrupted.
"Is that all state alchemists are good for? Killing and experimenting? Because I can assure you that I won't tolerate that crap for very long, Roy." Iris spat out leaving the Colonel a bit surprised.
Just when I thought someone respected me… The colonel thought as he could feel Iris' glare in the back of his head.
"She seems to have no injuries; she's just in a state of shock and denial. Try to keep a close eye on her, Okay?" The Colonel warned Alphonse.
"Okay. Thanks again Colonel" Alphonse said as he closed the door. Alphonse looked at his brother saying "The Colonel told me that the doctor said she'll be fine. She's just in shock"
"That's good" Ed told his brother.
"Brother… Do you think she'll be okay?"
"Honestly Al, I don't know. She didn't talk or anything. Not to mention she lashed out at the Colonel. Now that I think about it, that's got to be the first time she's disrespected the Colonel."
"I hope she'll be alright"
"Me too Al. Me too."
Meanwhile, in the room across from the Elrics, Iris was still shaking from the events that occurred earlier that day.
"My parents… Myles… Nina… HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL YOU HURT UNTIL YOU STOP?!" Iris yelled at no one in particular. Bandit, her chimera, crawled on Iris' lap and squeaked. Iris looked down at the creature and frowned.
"The military caused you pain too, didn't they, Bandit?" the creature in her lap put her head down. Tears began to pour down Iris' face once more.
"What did Nina do to deserve this? Who deserves the hurt the military lashes out?" Iris looked out her window as the rain tapped on her window causing a ping. "Are humans that evil? Or do some people not deserve mercy?" Iris muttered as she climbed in bed with her blanket drenched in tears.
I'M SORRY! I know i'm a jerk :(
I hope you guys enjoy Father's day and I'll be writing chapter 5 since I won't be able to sleep tonight after writing and editing this...
Sigh... I miss sleeping! :'(
Jackie C.A.