Hey, people, how's it going? I have to be brief, but I just want to say one thing: I'm sorry. This week has been hell for me. This story was actually done last week, but as many of you know, this site was having some difficulties... But I hope you enjoy this chapter! It's starting to really get good! Eeeek:)
I do not own FMA - but I do have an AP US History test tomorrow at 7:30 AM... wish me luck... I'll need it...
Chapter 18: "The First Circle" or "Chastity"
"Whoa!" Trisha's voice echoed throughout the room, sound bouncing from the ceiling to the walls to the shelves upon shelves of books.
"Shhh!" A librarian hushed, pointing to the "No Talking!" sign posted on the wall nearby.
"Sorry!" Trisha whispered, sheepishly following Hermione to a table at the back of the library. Her eyes roved all over the room, taking in her surroundings. The library was rather large – Trisha knew that the National Library at Central was much bigger, although she had never been in it. That had been her plan – as soon as she was made a State Alchemist, she was going to go and spend hours in that library. Fate, however, had had other plans for her… she had passed through the Gate and was now in England instead.
"Ok," Hermione said, turning around and facing the other three, "Harry, you help me go through and find those books we were looking at the last time that we were here – I'm thinking there was something I may have missed last time... Ron, you and Trisha go to the resource area and look through newspapers and periodicals from the last couple of decades or so – look for anything suspicious that might be linked to Voldermort. It'll help us in the long run if we know more about what he did, where he was, and if there's some kind of pattern."
"Great…" Ron mumbled.
"Ok!" Trisha said, perking up. 'This'll be fascinating!' she thought. 'All that history in one place – I'm bound to find something!'
Ron just stared at her. 'How could anyone be happy about looking at a bunch of old newspapers?' he thought. He smiled. 'She's kind of cool – different, but cool…' Ron then led the way to the resource area at the other end of the library, Trisha following him.
Harry watched as the two left. Once they were out of sight, he immediately turned and faced Hermione. "Did he look…happy to you?" he asked her.
Hermione snorted. She mentally took back any nice things she had ever previously said or thought about the girl in the blue coat.
"Hermione," Harry asked, looking surprised but amused, "are you jealous?"
"No – why would I be?" she retorted quickly.
"No reason," Harry said s he lifted a book off of a nearby shelf, "but you know, you really ought to tell Ron how you feel."
"Harry!" Hermione looked up, face flushed a bright red, "I have no idea what you're talking about! I have no feelings for Ronald whatsoever!" she then stomped off to go and find the first book on her rather long list.
"Of course you don't," Harry sighed wearily. He then smiled, thinking about all of the times he himself had tried telling girls how he felt about them – especially Cho Chang, and the Ron's sister, Ginny Weasley… and then how he had finally been able to go out with her… He sighed agan. If only his friend would just open up a little, things would be easier on all of them… much easier…
…
Ron mumbled incoherently as he searched through the racks of newspapers. Trisha tentatively picked up a yellowed paper, having only the vaguest idea of what she was supposed to be looking for, and only a vaguer idea still of how she was going to find the answers that she wanted… she read the date – 1920… 'That wasn't too long ago in Amestris,' she thought, 'I wonder…'
"Ron," she called out softly, "what year is this?"
"Huh?" he looked up, blushing. 'She just said my name again…' he thought somewhat giddily. 'Why does my stomach feel so fluttery?...'
"I said, what year is this?" she asked again a little louder. 'Why's he so distracted?' she thought.
"What? Oh, it's 2005!" he told her.
Trisha stared at the newspaper, deep in thought. "How could so much time have passed?" she mumbled. "What's going on?..."
Ron only stared. He really had no idea what to say…
…
Roy looked at the clock. It was almost three in the morning. He sighed. Trisha had been missing for over 5 hours, and they had no physical leads to go on. He turned to look towards his men – they were all asleep, slumped over their desks.
Roy cleared his throat loudly. "A-hem!"
Everyone jumped. Fuery hastily straightened his glasses. Falman tried to look like he had been working the whole time. Havoc reached for an after-nap cigarette while Breda peeled a piece of paper off of his face.
"It's all right," Roy said. The men stopped and stared at him.
'He's not angry?' they all thought.
"You've all done well tonight, and I thank you," Roy said softly. "I expect you all back here at 0900 hours. Now go get some sleep."
"Yes, sir!" they all said, hastily saluting and making their way to the door before the general could change his mind.
"Oh, and Fuery?" Roy called out to the retreating figure, who winced.
"Y-yes, sir?" the communications officer asked apprehensively as he turned to face his superior.
"Riza is in the records room, would you mind asking her to come in here?"
Fuery looked at Mustang in surprise. 'Is he… sad?' Fuery thought.
Roy stared back. "Well?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
Fuery startled to attention. "Yes, sir, of course!" he said before briskly saluting and hurrying out of the office and down the hallway. 'I've never seen the General so depressed before! He wasn't even this sad when those terrorists killed his child – then again, he was way too pissed off to show anyone how sad he was!' Fuery thought, smiling nervously as he remembered just how livid Roy had been – he had even made Riza look non-threatening…
…
The office door opened slowly. "Roy?" Riza called out, poking her blonde head into the room. She looked over at his desk; he was asleep, using his arms and the mountains of paperwork as pillows, Ed's journal loosely held in one of his hands. Riza smiled lovingly. "Oh, Roy," she whispered softly as she made her way through the cluttered room towards her husband's desk. She kissed him gently on the top of the head, removing Ed's journal from his hand and replacing it with her own hand. She smiled sadly as she stroked his hair with her other hand. "I know this is hard for you," she whispered, not caring if he was even awake or listening. "It's like losing Ed all over again, isn't it?" she asked. She sighed. "That wasn't your fault, you know, and this isn't either. Why do you have to keep blaming yourself?" Roy's hand closed tightly around hers at this remark, as if the thoughts were too painful. He silently held onto her as if wanting to never let go. Riza was silent for a moment as she watched her lightly-sleeping husband. "… I understand," she said finally as she sat with him, holding onto his hand and silently promising him that she would never let go…
…
"WWII OVER!" "ATOMIC BOMB DROPPED ON NAGASAKI!" "LINDBERGH CROSSES ATLANTIC!" "HITLER TAKES OVER EUROPE!"
Trisha read headline after headline. It was all so fascinating and exciting to her – people she had never heard of, places she never knew of, machines she had never seen, wars she never knew had taken place…
'I know you have to be here somewhere,' she thought, a smile creeping up on her face as her excitement grew.
Ron peeked over at her – the sunlight from the windows lighting up the dust in the air, making it seem like she had a halo. A shiver went down his spine. He gulped. 'I'll do it,' he thought, 'I'll talk to her, I'll – !"
"Oh my gosh!" Trisha squealed.
"What?" Ron asked, close to shouting.
Trisha held up a newspaper, dated 1928, and began to read: "'Two men were arrested in Berlin last week for attempting to break into a laboratory of the University of Berlin. Authorities say they were after the research of university Director Otto Hahn, who is widely regarded for his research with partner Dr. Lise Meitner on the use of artificial uranium isotopes to create a uranium bomb!' A uranium bomb! This is fantastic!"
Ron blinked. "What?"
"Uranium, Ron! My dad mentioned it in his journal – it was on the last page, just scribbled there, like some kind of after-thought, or a reminder: uranium bomb! And it actually exists! It's real! That might've been them! They could've been the ones who broke in!" Trisha's voice grew louder; her heart pounded with excitement at all of the possibilities... She didn't notice Ron's face turning a rather pasty color, his eyes widening.
A librarian was walking up behind Trisha, who was now shouting, "Wait! What's this?" her eyes quickly scanned to the end of the article, "'The two men were going to be put on trial, but the case was temporarily suspended when – '"
"Out!" the librarian screeched, making Trisha jump. "Out, out, OUT!" the woman yelled as she grabbed the paper out of Trisha's frozen hands. The librarian proceeded to shoo Trisha and Ron out of the library, turning to Harry and Hermione as she ushered the red-head and the alchemist towards the door. "You there!" she shouted to Harry and Hermione, who had been seated at a table, taking notes. "You're with them, aren't you? You get out, too! And teach your friends some etiquette!" she spat as she forcefully dragged Hermione away from the table filled with books. Harry sighed and obediently left the library. 'No use making this more difficult than it has to be,' he thought.
…
"Are you guys alright?" Harry asked Trisha and Ron once they were safely out on the library's front steps and out of the librarian's hearing range.
"Yeah…" Ron mumbled, frustratedly kicking at a pigeon, which lazily fluttered away before Ron could even touch it. Trisha stood silently next to the two boys, head bowed.
Hermione stormed past them, angrily marching down the steps and onto the busy London side-walk. Trisha followed after her. "Hermione, please wait! I'm sorry! I really am, I'm sorry, it's just that I – "
Hermione rounded on her. "You're sorry? You're sorry? You just show up, add yourself to our group, get in the way and then get us kicked out of the library, and you're sorry?"
"Hermione, I – "
"I don't want to hear it!" she screamed, turning around and stomping off.
Trisha stood there on the steps, dumbstruck.
Harry and Ron hurried up to her.
"It's ok," Harry mumbled, patting Trisha on the back before running off after the raging Hermione.
"Come on," Ron said as he led her by the hand, "let's get going…"
"Ron – I'm sorry! I really am! I though you guys didn't mind me coming with you! I'm really sorry, I – "
"Trisha, it's ok!" Ron told her, wide-eyed. He really didn't want he to start crying… her eyes were already looking moist…
"I just… I'm still not even sure of where I am! I don't know how I got here, and I don't know how to get back! I – I was hoping if I went with you, I could find out!" she sniffed, wiping her eyes with her free hand. 'This is stupid,' she thought, 'I hate crying, and I hate feeling sorry for myself – and now Ron probably thinks I'm an idiot. I have to get a hold of myself, I have to try and find a way back – try and find out what happened to dad…'
…
A few minutes later, Trisha and Ron had caught up to Harry and Hermione. Trisha looked up at the building in front of them – it was small, black, dingy, and largely ignored by the mobs of people passing by in the street. A peeling sign read, "The Leaky Cauldron." They went inside. Trisha's eyes watered from the smoke and dust. She looked around. It was a small bar, dimly lit by the sunshine pouring in through the dusty windows; it took her eyes a minute to adjust from the bright London street outside. But when she had, her gaze settled on a huge, fuzzy-headed creature sitting at the bar…
"Hagrid!" Harry called out, waving.
The half-giant looked up, squinted, and, upon recognizing the speaker, drunkenly waved a rather large bottle of ale in the air.
"Oy, 'arry! Bloody nice day out, eh?" he slurred, chuckling.
"Hagrid…" Hermione said, exasperated.
Ron and Harry shook their heads. Hagrid never could really be trusted in a bar…
Trisha, however, walked up to the man, staring at him in rapt curiosity and fascination.
"You're incredible!" she told him, smiling.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at her, mouths slightly open. She wasn't scared of him?
"'arry, who's yer chum?" Hagrid asked, blinking down at the girl.
"Her name is Trisha," Harry told him.
"Is dat right? Blimey, mate, I do like you! Cheers!" Hagrid told her with a smile as he sloppily raised his glass of ale.
"I like you, too!" she laughed as he downed his glass. Something about the man, despite his outward appearance and intoxicated state, exuded kindness; she knew that this man was about as harmful as Armstrong, and so had no reason to be anything other than friends with him.
"Alright, alright, Hagrid, you've had enough!" a small, elderly man chastised as he appeared from behind the bar. "Good evening, master Potter," he said with a small bow, "your rooms are ready upstairs."
"Thank you, Tom," Harry nodded, turning and going up the stairs, Ron and Hermione right behind him.
"It was nice meeting you, Hagrid," Trisha said to the large man.
He patted her roughly on the head, swaying.
"You (hiccup!) too…" he managed to slur before slumping over in his seat.
Trisha chuckled to herself as she headed up to the rooms, Hagrid's snoring echoing throughout the bar. Tom sighed and shook his head.
…
Trisha sat on the bed in her room, Fawkes perched on the headboard – apparently he had known they would be staying here and had waited for the four teenagers to return from the library. Trisha felt slightly guilty – she had been so excited by the sight of the library she hadn't noticed the Phoenix's fiery departure. He was now asleep, head under wing. Trisha enjoyed the silence – save for Hagrid's snoring downstairs; Trisha was sure that even the people – muggles, Ron had called them – could hear it. Either way, Trisha was grateful for a chance to be alone. She normally traveled by herself, and so was unused to being in such a "chattery" group… she needed some time to herself right now… time to think… she remembered a dream she had had the night before, her first night in this new world… Trisha had been sure that it was a nightmare… she remembered cruel laughter followed by bright green light… then, her six "lost" transmutation circles – each one glowed in front of her, accompanied by something – a creature – almost a human… she had never seen them before, but knew their names… Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Sloth, Wrath, Pride… and the seventh one… darkness; the light from an immense transmutation circle shadowed it… a circle much like the one from the dream she had had after first reading through her father's journal. She thought back to her conversation with the General that night now so long ago… a mysterious seventh circle… accompanied by a mysterious seventh monster… she shuddered. She knew her father had had to defeat these creatures years ago in Amestris… did that mean that she now had to do the same thing again? Trisha frowned in concentration…
"Knock, knock!"
Trisha jumped at the sudden noise. "C-come in?" she said apprehensively.
Ron entered, looking slightly vexed. "She kicked me out of our room!" he grumbled, sitting down next to Trisha.
"Hermione, you mean? Why?" Trisha asked him, trying to hide her disappointment at being interrupted.
Ron blushed. "Because she wanted to talk to Harry… S-so…" he stuttered, "how are you liking London so far?" he asked her. 'God, that was lame!' he thought.
"Oh, it's great! It's really neat – it kind of reminds me of Central, back home," she smiled at him. 'It's not his fault,' she thought, 'he didn't know… besides, he seems lonely…'
"Tell me about you… where you're from," he asked her, ears turning scarlet. "Do you… have a family? A job? A… boyfriend?" he gulped. He remembered something from an earlier conversation – he hadn't quite been paying attention, of course – about someone named "Mustang" – 'Do I even stand a chance?' he thought, 'What if she does have a boyfriend?'
"Well," Trisha began, "I was born in a little town called Resembool, but I've traveled all over Amestris – that's the name of the country."
"Oh," Ron said, trying to pay attention.
"Yeah…" she said, giving him a side-ways glance. "Anyway – I had just become an official State Alchemist by the General when I got pulled over here."
"Really?" Ron asked, his rampant thoughts still distracting him.
'I wonder…' Trisha thought. "I have a superior officer…"
"Is that so?"
"Yeah, you know, Ron – General Mustang."
"He's a general, too? What's it take?" Ron cried out, exasperated at having to compete with this supposedly tall, dark and handsome military officer.
Trisha began laughing. "You really don't pay attention, do you?"
"What do you mean?" Ron asked huffily, face red.
"General Mustang is my commanding officer – my boss. He's not my boyfriend!" she laughed again. "I don't even have a boyfriend!" she told him, smiling.
"Why not?" Ron asked.
Trisha paused, slightly taken aback by the bluntness of the question. "Because…" she began hesitantly, "I've never had a reason to have one, I guess. That and I didn't think anyone would want to date someone who traveled around so much, much less someone who has auto-mail…"
"I would," Ron said quickly. His heart pounded.
Trisha stared. She had no idea how to respond to that one.
Ron began leaning towards her, bringing a hand up to the small of her back. He slowly began to close his eyes. Fawkes looked on in mild amusement.
Trisha couldn't move – her heart was in her throat – she didn't know what to do. All of her senses were on fire; she felt an intense heat wash all over her, her cheeks flushing crimson. 'He wants to kiss me!' she thought, alarmed – her head didn't know what to do, but her heart cried out for Ron to stop – his lips were about to brush with hers, their noses almost touching… he started to lean forward even more… Trisha began to panic.
"Ron!" she cried out, suddenly able to find her voice.
Ron pulled back a little, startled. Trisha was shaking. She weakly pulled his hands into her gloved ones and looked him straight in the eyes.
"Look, Ron…" she began a little sadly, "I'm sorry, but, I – … I just can't do this! I can't do this to you!"
"What do you mean?" he asked her, brows furrowed as he tried to think back, tried to see where he went wrong.
"I mean," she said softly, but still a little shakily, "I can't do this because I hardly know you, and it would be wrong for me to do this when we don't even share the same feelings for each other! Besides, Ron, I don't plan on staying here forever – what would happen if I found a way back home? It would be cruel for us to try and stay together – I can't ask you to come with me and I can't stay here! I'm sorry, Ron…" she trailed off, averting his eyes and staring at her covered auto-mail hand, seeing the transmutation circles that were no longer there…
Fawkes let out a low, quavering note.
…transmutation circles…
"… I understand," "Ron said slowly as he got up to leave. He put his hand on the door handle, his back to her. He waited for her to say something, anything – the there was nothing but silence. He sighed, and with a heavy heart he left, trudging down the ball and back towards his and Harry's room, not caring whether Hermione wanted him there or not…
…
Trisha sat on the bed, a white glove on the floor, discarded. She stared at the back of her auto-mail hand, dumbstruck, a pale blue light illuminating her fcace.
"Oh my god…" she whispered.
…
Harry walked down the hall towards Trisha's room. He knew it was cruel of him to leave Ron alone in the room with Hermione, especially with the mood that she was in, but he wanted to give them some much-needed time alone… that and he wanted to see how Trisha was doing. Ron didn't tell him what had happened, but Harry felt certain that Trisha might need someone to talk to… someone other than Ron. Harry wasn't dense, after all – he could tell that Ron had been fawning over her, and he could also tell just how bewildered Trisha was by it all. He laughed. 'Any girl in their right mind would be!' he thought as he reached to knock on Trisha's door. He stopped when he noticed a glimmer of blue light from beneath the door. He quickly knocked. "Trisha?" he called out. No response. Concerned, Harry opened the door and stepped inside. What he saw made him stop in his tracks. Trisha was sitting on the bed, her auto-mail hand held up towards her face. What's more, her hand was… glowing?
"Trisha?" Harry asked again, panic starting to settle in.
Trisha's head jerked up, tears in her eyes. Her hand still glowed. "This is incredible!" she whispered, her gaze falling back to her auto-mail.
Harry closed the door and sat down next to her on the bed, careful to keep his distance from Fawkes, who was alternating between looking at Trisha knowingly and Harry ruefully.
The light faded, and Harry gasped. Trisha smiled, tears silently falling down her face. She stared at the small transmutation circle that had reappeared on the back of her auto-mail hand – it was Al's, her uncle's, and it was in the same place that it had been before; the exact same size – it was like it had never been gone. She stared at it, saw in her mind's eye what was still missing, and then thought back to her dream – the seven sins. She realized now what it meant – she had to defeat them, but in a different way from how her father and uncle had so many years ago; she couldn't continue their battle with force of body, but force of mind. One by one she would have to defeat the seven sins with the seven virtues, and she knew that one by one the rest of the circles would then appear, until finally she would be confronted with the last one – the seventh – the only one she had never seen… and then… She continued to cry as Harry looked on, slightly startled. She had just defeated Lust through Chastity; she had finally taken her first small step towards home.
…
Wow! So, how was it? Why is this text being centered? Damn it... anyway... I am officially stoked about this story! I just talked through the ending with my friend Winterhart (you say anything and you die, got it Winter? That's my girl!) and it will be AWESOME! Seriously, this story is getting sooo cool! Next chapter will be... eventual... school is almost out, and after that you can pretty much expect a chapter once a week! Haha! Please review! I hope you enjoyed it! Sorry again for the wait! Please don't hurt me! OH, and I'll say it again, because some people don't listen: No flames, please, unless they're from Roy! Roy... (drool...) Hope you enjoyed, please look forward to the next chapter! Ciao:)