Chapter Three: Fireworks Make the Party
The town that was being used as the military's staging ground was simular in architecture as Liore, as far as Ed could tell; the lack of half-demolished buildings and rubble threw him off. Ed let himself flow with the afternoon crowd. It was a market day and despite the military presence and the unrest of the neighbouring Liore, there was a merry atmosphere and people were out in droves. While the crowd provided good cover, it was a two edged sword. There were many more civilians that could be harmed in any mischief he planned.
Drifting past the building the military had taken over for Head Quarters, Ed wasn't that concerned about being recognised, his disguise was damn good, it was just a quick recon, when he felt his blood turn to ice. It was only his training and fear of his teacher that prevented him from giving himself away. Standing by the entrance, in military uniform, silver pocket watch and all, stood his little brother. Drifting away, Ed tried to calm his thoughts, but his mind was in an uproar. Why the hell was Al here? Which moron in their right mind would put his little brother under the command of some bumbling ass like Hakuro? Fighting down his growing panic and a fierce bout of protectiveness, Ed slipped in an alley as soon as the HQ was out of sight and went in search of the Resistance contact or a sympathizer and find out what the hell he was going to do.
Mustang reread the report on his desk before looking up at the furious colonel Frank Archer.
'It's obviously the work of the Resistance!' Archer snapped, 'We should send in forces to neutralise them before they dig in!'
'No,'
'What? There is a group of Resistance alchemists in Liore, more than likely stirring up a riot.'
'I don't think there would be more than two. Send in a small investigative team. If the Resistance is stirring up a riot, and if there is conclusive evidence to say that they have been stirring the pot in Liore, then we'll move the forces in,' Mustangs voice brooked no arguments.
Archer saluted and left Mustang's office in icy silence.
Hawkeye frowned 'Do you really think the Resistance would start an uprising in Liore? It doesn't seem their style,'
'Start one?' Mustang commented dryly, 'Liore already is an uprising, that's why we're here in this damn dust bowl. And a civilian uprising is the last thing the Resistance would want, they don't like civilian casualties, they've gone so far as to quell these riots themselves.' Mustang frowned at the report. 'No... It'll probably be the one alchemist to cause us a bit of grief... Hawkeye, instruct the soldiers to keep an eye out for any suspicious persons and slowly beef up the patrols, that alchemist would probably head here next and we don't want to divide this town between military supporters and Resistance sympathizers ,'
'Yes, Sir. By the way, Sir, Alphonse Elric is here,' Hawkeye saluted and left.
Looking out the small window of his office, Mustang's mind turned back to the conversation he'd had last night with Hughes... Just one little test was needed...
'Sir? You wanted to see me?' A young voice pulled Mustang out of his musings.
Mustang turned to face the young man who'd recently been put under his command, Alphonse Elric, the Guardian Alchemist. Mustang got a shock, as usual at the first sight of Al's face; it was the innocence that got to him. Al shouldn't be here, Mustang thought sadly, there was no faster way to kill innocence then with war.
'Yes, Guardian, I'm... curious. Records state that I was meant to get two Elrics,' Mustang's voice was bland, as if he was discussing the weather.
'I'm sorry about brother's absence, Sir. He's got a wonder lust, it runs in the family. The conscription officer missed him by a day,' Al didn't hesitate with the lie; he'd been telling it a lot. Though he respected the Brigadier General, Al would never betray his brother to the military.
'I would have thought another officer would have come across him by now,' Mustang's comment was still just as bland and disinteresting, but Al got the distinct impression that Mustang was testing him.
Al stared directly into Mustang's eyes and put on his best 'honest' face, 'There is a good chance he'd be avoiding populated areas, Sir. The military and my brother have an unpleasant history,'
'I've read the reports concerning that incident. Hopefully Edward has enough smarts to stay hidden,' Mustang couldn't help but smirk just a bit, sometimes bending the rules could be just a little too fun... 'Dismissed,'
Al saluted, feeling grateful that the Brigadier General wasn't going to push the subject. Or bring up any connection such an incident would have with the Resistance.
Mustang turned back to the window. Bullseye. So the missing Elric brother, rumoured to be even better at alchemy then his brother was the infamous Fullmetal Alchemist. Mustang felt himself start to smirk, since he still had Guardian's loyalty and respect, Edward had obviously not told his brother about the shenanigans he got up to, or skirmishes with a certain alchemist that specialised in flame alchemy... A rematch would be fun.
Edward was currently enjoying the market atmosphere, it didn't matter where you were; a market always had a special feel to it. Markets were also great places to gleam information from the local gossip mongers. So instead of rushing off and planning to bust Al's ass out of the military, Ed had ducked into the market to find out what was happening in the town.
So wandering among the crowds, Ed started to pick up all sorts of interesting little tib bits: General Hakuro had been called back to Central, it seemed the Fuhrer was currently displeased with his lapdog and had sent Brigadier General Roy Mustang to oversee the Liore Uprising and return the town into a peaceful military controlled town. Ed's hand twitched involuntarily as thought of the Flame Alchemist. They first met in East City and managed to reduce the East Head Quarters to rubble. It was almost a fond memory until he got to the part where the other Resistance members had to pull him unconscious from the ruins. Over the years they'd butted heads, but nothing as spectacular as that first battle.
'He's such a sweetheart. Poor boy shouldn't be out here to fight,'
'He fixed the vase my mother gave me as a wedding present, good as new!'
Ed drifted past a cluster of women furiously gossiping.
'My little granddaughter is all starry eyed. Too bad he's already married,'
'I heard he married an automail engineer and the day after the wedding both were conscripted into the army!'
'Just married and one gets sent to the middle of now where and the other is kept at Central...'
Ed smiled when he realised they were talking about his brother. Trust Al to keep helping people even when he was a dog of the State.
The mention of Winry still being in central tugged at him, but he quickly found the logic in the decision. Automail surgery hurt, and the rehabilitation could take years. Why take up room in field hospital when you can send soldiers with missing limbs elsewhere to get treatment?
Ed eyed a pair of soldiers on patrol. Was it him, or were the patrols growing more frequent? Ed hid a smug smirk; word from Liore must have finally arrived. Still amused, Ed turned towards where he'd taken up temporary residence. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation... He and Mustang hadn't seen each other in so long...
The sun had finally disappeared and the surrounds were rapidly darkening. In a deep patch of shadow, Ed leaned against a wall in an alley with a view of the HQ entrance.
Ed glared accusingly at the building, Mustang was meant to have come off shift hours ago. Though maybe the rumours of his 1st Lieutenant being a gun toting madwoman were true and she was forcing the lazy bastard to finish the day's paperwork.
Ed was pulled from his random grumblings when a flurry of activity at the entrance caught his attention. Mustang and one of his staff, a blonde woman who looked vaguely familiar, left the building and started to walk briskly towards the hotel the senior officers were using for their barracks.
Ed shadowed them, skirting around the islands of light provided by the street lamps, swinging into alleys that eventually linked back up to the street the two soldiers were walking down. After one such side trip, Ed found the female officer had left, apparently she must have been a lower rank, but Ed kept his distance for one more block before calling out.
'Hey, bastard. Long time no see. Didn't expect to bump into you of all people out here,' Ed called as he tossed off his concealing hat and trench coat to reveal his bright gold hair and infamous red coat and stepping out under a streetlamp.
Ever since leaving the HQ Mustang's gloved fingers had been twitchy. He was used to the twitch, it usually came when he was annoyed or tempted to burn paperwork. It was also honed to when there was a potential enemy about. He'd picked up the habit in Ishbal and quite frankly, it had saved his ass. So he was cautious as he walked to the hotel, he could have taken a car but in the desert they became unbearable to be in. After Hawkeye had turned off for her barracks the feeling had intensified, and resisting glancing over his shoulder, Mustang continued to walk towards his destination at the same pace as before as not to alert his stalker that he knew they were there.
He kept this up for a block, when he was rewarded by a cocky voice that echoed across the empty street. Mustang felt a smirk speak across his face. The voice was older, deeper, and more confident, less false bravado. Mustang turned to see the Fullmetal Alchemist step out of the shadows.
'My, my,' Mustang all but sung with sarcasm, 'it appears you may have grown an inch or two, Shrimp,'
To Ed's credit, and Mustang's disappointment, he didn't blow a gasket, just clenched his fists and ground his teeth.
'As much as I enjoy our banter, Fullmetal, you did make a mistake with starting this idle chit-chat when you could have attacked me with the element of surprise,' Mustang commented, wondering if he should reveal that he knew who the Fullmetal Alchemist was or not. Mustang decided not to, it would be much more of a challenge to fight Fullmetal when he's fresh, not worried or distracted.
'Sporting chance, you're not getting any younger old man,' Ed sneered as he clapped his hands together and transmuted his automail into a blade.
Mustang's smirk grew predatory as he let the insult roll over him and readied his ignition glove. Let's see if the kid has learnt anything since last time. Mustang turned his entire focus on the young man before him and saw him tense start to ease to the right. Mustang only just kept in a chuckle, kid was still an open book, as he snapped his fingers and sent bolt of flame to where Fullmetal would be.
Ed was expecting the reaction to his deliberate tells and quickly flipped to the left before lunging at Mustang, blade extended.
A quick dive and a roll got him out of the way of Mustang's next attack. While still in the air he clapped his hands and when he hit the ground sent a group of spikes hurtling at Mustang, who quickly snapped his fingers and reduced them to dust.
The battle quickly fell into a pattern of attack, dodge, and counter attack.
People, both military and civilians were drawn by all the noise and were clustered about at a safe distance to watch the two alchemists battle. Hawkeye and Falman quickly set up a perimeter, remembering the destruction that resulted last time Flame and Fullmetal got into an alchemic fight several years back.
Havoc, Breda and Fuery were quickly passing through the crowd taking bets on the outcome. While Hughes took the opportunity to try and show everyone a picture of his darling Elysia.
Al stood at the back of the crowd a concerned frown on his face. He had the feeling this wasn't the first time Mustang and Edward had fought, mostly stemming from the fierce smirks each of the combatants wore. Al almost sighed. Being optimistic in nature, Al found the silver lining and settled down to observe how much better his brother had gotten and the Brigadier General's curious flame alchemy.
Before long, the battle reached the point where the first to make a mistake loses and could possibly be fatal.
The combatants moved appear to catch a breath and hurl a couple of insults as they took stock of the other.
Mustang was down one glove and Ed's automail was making concerning clunking sounds. Both men were covered in bruises, cuts and a bit singed.
'Not bad, Shrimp. But I was expecting a little more,' Mustang panted.
'Sorry to disappoint you, grandpa, I got distracted by your new grey hairs,' Ed sneered back as the two began to circle. Mustang's eyebrow twitched in irritation. He was not old! And he DID NOT have any grey hairs!
Without another word they were back in into it.
Exhaustion was starting to sink in, slowing responses. Mustang foolishly let Fullmetal in too close and copped a kick to the knee. It made a disturbing crunch and caused Mustang to lose his balance. Taking the opportunity to help Mustang to the ground, Ed spun and planted his automail foot in Mustang's chest. With a grunt and the groaning of protesting ribs Mustang went flying.
Not wanting to go down without a fight, he let go of one more snap and sent a bolt of fire toward Fullmetal. Unable to move fast enough, Ed got caught in the edge of the explosion and got thrown into a wall.
His breath was forced out of his body in a whoosh and his head smacked painfully into the unyielding bricks. Stars danced before his eyes as he forced his body to move, not wanting to become an easy target for Mustang.
Both men were now staggering. Ed could feel the warm flow of blood down his face and the dull throbbing of his head, the ache of his back. Mustang didn't look any better; he was favouring his knee, a trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth, his breath was coming in short pained gasps.
Before either could continue a cold voice, laced with a sickening kind of glee echoed though out the street. 'Take aim! Fire!'
Ed cursed when the soldiers opened fire and quickly transmuted a solid wall of concrete to keep save. 'Well, Mustang, it seems we've been interrupted,' Ed grumbled as the guns fell silent. 'If I were you I'd go get your ribs checked out, I don't want you to die or go senile on me before I get to pound your face in, bastard,' Ed growled, before swinging into a nearby alley, putting as much distance between the sick bastard, Archer as he could. He was in no condition to take on that nut job.
With a tired sigh, Ed headed towards his hidey hole; it was going to be a long night and even longer day. Trying to look on the bright side, Ed reasoned he did kick Mustang's ass.
Yay! an undate. Sorry about Al's stupid State Alchemist name, but my creativity got hit by on coming traffic. Todays my 18th birthday so please review