Hey, folks, how you all doing? For starters, I'd just like to apologize - I hate waiting so long between chapters like that, but between the end of school, exams, and being gone without a computer for two weeks, I just haven't had a chance until now to update! I'm so sorry! Gah! Please forgive me! Waaaah! Sniff... hopefully you can all find it in your hearts to forgive me! And hopefully this chapter will make up for it, too! Please, please read and review! I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you!
I do not own FMA - but please don't kill me for not updating sooner! Agh!
Chapter 19: Knocking"What on Earth," Harry asked breathlessly, "is that?"
"That's my uncle's 'signature' transmutation circle," Trisha told him proudly, eyes wet with tears. She smiled. "It's finally back…"
Harry looked at her quizzically. "How?"
"Apparently by doing almost the opposite of what my father and uncle did," she told him quietly. "I have to defeat the seven sins – the principles of them, anyway – through the seven virtures."
"Wow… who would've thought?..."
Trisha laughed. "Certainly not me!" she told him.
Harry smiled at her. "So… I take it that Ron…"
Trisha nodded, chuckling at the thought.
Harry sighed. "He just never learns, that one…"
Trisha laughed again, blue eyes sparkling.
"So," Harry began, staring back at the circle on Trisha's auto-mail hand, "does this mean you'll be able to go home now?"
"I doubt it…" Trisha sighed.
"What do you mean? Don't you know now how to get back?"
"Well, I've always had an idea of a way to get back, I just wanted another option – and I'm hoping that if I can regain each of my circles, the Gate will reappear…" Trisha told him patiently. "But even that might be hard – what with what I just read at the library and all…" she added.
Harry blinked. "You meant to tell me… that you've known this whole time how to get back?"
Trisha nodded solemnly. "More or less; except I'm not even sure if – "
"But why are you coming with us, then? It's so dangerous! You could get hurt, or lost, or – You could die!"
"See, Harry, that's the thing!" Trisha said quickly. "I wanted to find a different option if I could, and try to learn something about my father wile I'm here. But you see, I'm not scared of the danger – I'm not scared to die!"
Harry stared at her, shocked.
"Don't you see, Harry? I wasn't born here, this isn't my world! I fi die here, I go back through the Gate and back to where I belong – back to my home! That's why I'm not scared; I want to go with you so that I can try to find my father, but I'm not scared to die in the process – well, actually, no, I'm terrified, but I know that it won't be the end for me because it happened to my father, too! He – " she stopped, noticing the look on Harry's face. He looked ill. "Harry? What's wrong?"
"That's sick…"
"W-what?" Trisha asked, taken aback. "What do you mean?"
He turned and looked at her, a scowl on his face. "How you'd have to die if you ever wanted to get back home – it's awful! How can you stand that?"
Trisha smiled gently at him. "I can't, Harry, but there's nothing I can do about it – right now it seems to be my only option, at least until – "
"So what are you going to do, then, huh?" he asked her viciously, beginning to shout. "I'm sure you don't plan on waiting around here forever, do you?"
"Well, no, I – "
Harry stood up. "Of course not! So, you're just going to kill yourself then, is that it? Well, is it?"
Trisha stared at him. "Is that really what you think?" she asked quietly.
Harry just stood there, face red.
Trisha sighed and turned away. "Harry, I'd never do that – nothing is worth that. If that was all that it took for me to go home, then I might have done it, but now – well, there's more to it, Harry – there always has been…"
"Then why?" he asked her a quiet, desperate voice, sinking back down onto the bed next to her. "Why are you telling me all of this? How you're not afraid to die…?"
"Because…" she said softly, "I wanted to let you know that you don't have to worry about me…" she turned and looked him straight in the eyes. He could see it now – her sincerity, her loyalty – her pain…
"Knowing all of that isn't going to make us not worry about you, you know… if anything, it'll make us worry more…" he told her truthfully.
She nodded. "I know – but I don't think you quite understand. What I mean is that I don't want you guys to feel like you have to protect me. I'm grateful to you for letting me tag along with you and Ron and Hermione, and in return I plan on doing anything within my power to help you guys – no matter the situation. I want you to know that I'm your friend – but I'm not a friend worth saving – because no matter what, in the end I'll be ok…" she reach out and gripped his hand firmly, letting him know that she would, in fact, be there for him, Ron, and Hermione.
Harry looked at her sadly. "But how? How're we even supposed to know if you're going to be ok or not…?"
Trisha gave him a small smile, trying to hide her sadness and uncertainty. "You're not – you're just going to have to take my word for it…"
The two sat in silence for several minutes, until a loud knock at the door brought them back to their senses…
…
Roy Mustang yawned. He rubbed his bleary eye and sighed. Last night had been a long night… He looked at the clock on the office wall; it was 8:30… Riza had just left a little over an hour ago, and Roy's men would be – should be – arriving any minute now. Roy stretched. He looked out the window at the sun-lit parade grounds, the scars on the earth taking Roy back to – was it yesterday? Or the day before? Roy sighed. He put his head in his hands. 'It was only yesterday,' he thought. He looked up. He could see the wall from his office, a large square of the side-walk taped off by the investigations crew. That was where… he snorted. He couldn't believe it – Trisha Elric – Edward Elric's own daughter – had been in his office not even 12 hours ago – and now… The office was silent, save for the ticking of the clock on the wall. Roy sat there, staring blankly out his window, and thinking, imagining, trying to comprehend – why…? His thoughts were soon interrupted, however, when a loud knock came at the door…
…
"Harry!" Ron shouted quickly as he opened the door. "Come over here and take a look at this!" he said breathlessly before turning and running back down the corridor.
Harry got up and hurried after Ron, Trisha gingerly making her way behind them. After all, she had no idea if she was even welcome to join them – although she was more or less Harry and Ron's friend, Hermione had yet to be won over…
…
"Yes?" Roy called out as he quickly composed himself. 'Damn,' he thought, 'I really need a mirror – I probably look like a wreck…'
The door banged open, making Roy jump.
"We're back, sir, and reporting for duty!" Havoc called out with a quick salute. Fuery peeked out from the doorway. "General, did you not get any sleep last night?" he asked, confused. "You look like you got in a train wreck, or something!"
"I knew it…" Roy muttered as he desperately tried to straighten his jacket and smooth back hair, which had a bad case of bed-head.
"No time for that now, Chief! Now come on, we have to show you something!" Havoc said excitedly before exiting the office.
"He's right, General, you really ought to come and see this!" Fuery added before turning and following Havoc.
Roy sat behind his desk and blinked. 'It couldn't be…' he thought slowly. Suddenly his pulse shot up, and he quickly dashed out of his office and ran down the hallway to catch up with Havoc and Fuery, his heart pounding and his mind racing.
…
So, what did everyone think, eh? I know that this is all some fairly major cliffies, but did I make up for not being able to update sooner? No? Sigh... I didn't think so... Anyway, please review! I hope you at least enjoyed this chapter, and I also hope that you'll look forward to the next one, too! Ciao!