The Rose of Metal
I don't own Full Metal Alchemist; I just enjoy changing the story to fit my ideas. I WILL RULE THE WORLD.
Key: "Don't call me short" speaking
'I wonder how long this guy has been in charge' thought
Bold is shouting
(AN: Just to warn you guys this chapter WILL be a bit cheesy. Just bear with me please.)
Chapter 3: Meeting the Colonel and Fluff
Ed wallowed as he walked with Al and Rose towards Mustangs office. He already knew what would happen and he wasn't looking forward to it.
"Why are you so depressed Ed? It shouldn't be that bad" said Rose as she tried to cheer him up.
"Are you kidding me? Mustang's such an ass and he gives me absolutely no respect. Oh so you failed at finding the stone again? I told you it was a goose chase. Oh hey where did you go? Oh there you are I didn't see you over my paperwork, ha ha ha" said Ed impersonating Mustang.
"Oh come now Ed I'm sure you're exaggerating" said Rose waving him off.
"No Rose he really will. He said that almost word for word" said Al.
"What, but how can he be such a jackass. I mean honestly, what did Ed ever do to him" she said angrily.
"I didn't do anything. I have absolutely no idea why he treats me like shit" said Ed with his head hung low.
"Don't be so depressed brother. Maybe things will be different this time" said Al.
"Al you've said that every time we come here, he never changes. Oh, and I don't even know what to do for my recertification" wailed Ed.
"What do people usually do to recertify" asked Rose.
"They either hand in a report filled with meticulous details on their projects, or they bring in a project that's been completed. But there are other ways, rarely used I might mention, like the battle" said Ed.
"What's the battle" asked Rose confused.
"It's just as the name implies, a battle between two alchemists to show how the challengers' skills have improved in the art of alchemy" said Al.
"How often is it used" She asked.
"Not very. The last time was about thirty years ago" said Ed.
"You could always do that" said Rose enthusiastically.
"Hey you know that's not a bad idea" said Ed with an evil smirk on his face.
"What do you have planned now brother" asked Al exasperated.
"Just something to cause Mustang a little bit of pain. Besides you know how easily he pisses me off, he deserves it" said Ed with conviction. Al just conceded to his brothers logic and shrugging his shoulders walked away. Rose just smiled and kept walking with them.
(Mustangs' office 20 minutes later)
"So you failed at finding the stone again? I told you it was a goose chase. Hey where did you go? Oh there you are I didn't see you over my paperwork, ha ha ha" said a well dressed man with short black hair and narrow eyes. Ed just stood there gritting his teeth and clenching his fist as the insults came as usual. Rose however was not so quiet about it.
"Why don't you just shut up and leave him alone. He never did anything to you, so you have no reason to be such a fucking jackass to Ed" she said bringing his attention to her. Mustang scowled and moved to snap his fingers.
"Colonel if you complete that action you will regret it" said Ed catching him.
"I'll take that risk" he said and in a flash snapped his fingers. As he did a snake of flame raced towards Rose. Before she could even blink in surprise a metal arm was in front of her and the smell of burnt and charred clothing filled the room.
"Mustang, I have chosen my method of recertification" said Ed with a death glare and a snarl at Mustang.
"What no respect to your superior Full Metal" asked Mustang.
"You're no superior of mine. Any man that would attack a defenseless civilian, just for a few insults, doesn't deserve to call themselves superior" said Ed.
"Watch your mouth boy; you're on the bounds of insubordination. I could have you court-martialed for that" said Mustang.
"Alright then, how about a deal? You be my opponent in 'the battle', you win I admit you're superior and give up my quest for the Philosophers stone. But if I win, you give up any and all positions in the military above the rank of private, and you admit on your hands and knees that you aren't worthy of being called human" said Ed making Al and Rose gasp. They never expected him to have come up with this.
"Brother think of what you're doing" said Al.
"I have Al, oh and Mustang I already got it cleared with the Fhurer so you can't back down without losing face" said Ed with a wicked grin.
"Fine. Just so you know I won't be going easy on you brat. You'll be lucky to be alive when I'm done with you" said Mustang.
"He's way too cocky for his own good" said Ed as they left the office. The second they were around the corner Rose threw herself onto Ed and began crying.
"Rose what's wrong" asked Al in concern.
"This whole thing. He just threatened to kill Ed, and I can't bear to lose him" she said clutching him tighter.
"Shhh, Rose. I'm going to be okay. I swear to you I won't lose to an ass like that" said Ed comfortingly.
"Ed, there is something I have to tell you. Something very important" said Rose who was still trembling.
"Go ahead, I'm here for you" replied Ed.
"I know it's only been about three weeks since I met you, but in that time I feel as if I learned more about you than anyone else. Ed…I…think…I…I…" she buries her head into his chest and mumbles something.
"Umm Rose I didn't quite catch that" he said.
"I love you" she said so quietly he almost missed it.
"Wait when you say you love me do you mean" he asked his eyes wide at the possible implications.
"Yes, I love you. I want to be with you forever, I want to be the one to carry your babies" she nearly shouted making half the people in the hall look at her and the other half look away hiding blushes. Ed just smiled slightly and held her that much tighter.
"Rose" he said gently making her look up at him from his chest.
"Yes" she said softly as his head inched towards hers. It was a slow arduous pace but it didn't waver in the least.
"I love you too" he said before his lips closed over hers. She shivered and leaned into the kiss deepening it. Ed in turn held her closer his right hand moving to the back of her head holding her in place. She moaned into the kiss as her hands wove themselves into his braided hair. When they broke apart, both were blushing like mad and panting slightly.
"Wow" was all Rose could say.
"Yeah" said Ed at a loss for words. They just looked at each other shrugged and went back to kissing, with Al sniggering behind them the whole time.
"Big brother has a girl friend" chanted Al.
"Oh like you wouldn't do this with Winry if you had half a chance" said Ed breaking the kiss just long enough to smirk at Al.
"Ok low blow brother" pouted Al.
"Al how many times do I have to tell you, in a fight everything is fair. There is nothing honorable about it, the only thing that should be on your mind is victory, or at the very least living until the next time" said Ed.
"True, you always did try to teach me that" said Al thoughtfully.
"Good now we have a battle to plan. Let's go guys" said Ed as he ran off to the parade grounds.
(Parade grounds, half an hour later)
Ed stood across from Mustang rolling his shoulders. He heard a couple of satisfying pops from his back and neck. Mustang just stood ready with his hands in his pockets, a scowl on his face. King Michal Bradley the Fhurer stood at the side his eye-patch shifted because of the smile on his face.
"All right you two before we begin are there any other stipulations" he asked.
"Yeah I have one" said Ed.
"Speak well full metal. I'm curious as to what else you want to add" asked the Fhurer.
"No one stops this battle until either one contestant yields, is unable to continue, or dies" said Ed not looking away from Mustang.
"I'll allow it" he replied.
"ALL RIGHT SOLDIERS. THIS IS YOUR ANNOUNCER LT. MAES HUGHS, AND THIS IS WHAT YOU ALL CAME HERE TO SEE…MY DAUGHTER ELICIA WHO JUST TURNED 3" yelled Hughs pulling a rope to reveal a giant portrait of a little girl on a tricycle. The crowed of soldiers started booing and throwing things at him.
"HEY HUGHS WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SOONER. I WANTED TO WISH HER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY" yelled Ed making over half the crowed face vault at the sheer randomness from him in such a serious situation.
"OK, NOW THAT THAT WAS OVER ON WITH THE EVALUATION OF EDWARD ELRIC THE FULL METAL ALCHEMIST. HIS OPPONENT, ROY MUSTANG THE FLAME ALCHEMIST. THESE TWO TITANS WILL CLASH WITH THE WINNER GETTING NOT ONLY BRAGGING RIGHTS, BUT A PROMOTION, A RAISE, AND A CONFESSON FROM THE LOSER ON THEIR HANDS AND KNEES. LETS GET THIS BATTLE ON" yelled Hughs getting serious after being indulged for doting over his daughter.
(AN: Sorry if the battle sucks, I'm not entirely good at long descriptive battles. Hopefully it should suffice though.)
Ed threw off his coat and started removing his shirt. The women in the crowd started blushing at his muscular physique, and a few had some tears at his scars. Once his coat was off everyone could see a black device strapped onto his chest with other straps going to each limb.
Ed charged Mustang before he could ask what it was. He had to dodge a swing from a blade made from Eds' auto-mail arm. He snapped his fingers in retaliation sending a plume of flame at him which was narrowly avoided though not without some red skin. Ed back-flipped a few times to put some distance between him and Mustang.
"Not bad full metal, but you can't beat me if your this pathetic" said Mustang cockily. Ed just smiled and started chuckling.
"You know your right Colonel, but then again I'm not at full" said Ed as he slammed his fist on the device on his chest. The second he did several clicks were heard and the straps on his limbs whipped back to the device at an alarming speed. Once they did he shot of at speeds several times faster than he was before. Mustang stumbled from the shock of it all and it cost him his right glove and a bit of blood for his folly.
"What the hell did you do" he asked as he jumped back a few feet.
"This thing on my chest was an invention of mine. I call it a resistor. The straps are connected to brackets on the arms and legs. Then a weight is programmed into the main unit. Servos and gears tighten the straps to the programmed weight. Once released the body reacts as if you just relieved yourself of extra weight. I invented it so in the case of a serious battle I would have a trump card" said Ed as he cracked his neck. Without further bravado he charged again forcing Mustang to be completely defensive. Ed didn't even give him an instant to retaliate. He used every aspect of his environment to his advantage even going so far as to break the ground into its base components for alchemical reactions.
Mustang was sweating and starting to lose his cool when an idea struck him. He swiftly glanced around the crowed until he found who he was looking for. Without any preamble he rushed forward and snapped his fingers. His target wasn't Ed though; no it was one of the spectators. Mustang was aiming for the lowest blow anyone could possibly hit…aiming at a defenseless civilian, namely Rose.
Ed noticed how off his aim was and when he calculated its' trajectory his eyes widened in realization. Moving even faster than he had before he leapt into the direct path of the fire right in front of Rose with his back turned to her. The flame struck with deadly precision hitting Ed directly in the chest and exploding with extraordinary magnitude. The flash of light was bright enough that it forced everyone to cover their eyes lest they be blinded.
Mustang stood there with a cocky smirk on his face sure that he had won. Sure he may have injured a few soldiers, but that was nothing a few weeks of bed rest couldn't fix. Imagine his surprise then when out of the smoke stumbled Ed.
His body was charred and burnt with blood coming out of the corner of his left eye. His chest was a mass of black and his hair was unbound, likely from the intensity of the explosion. Sections of his auto-mail were red hot, and he somehow lost his boots. Most of his pants were burnt away leaving him in pretty much just black cloth in the style of a speedo.
"Looks like you failed Mustang…game, set, match" he said as he started to fall to his knees. Mustang smirked thinking it was undoubtedly his victory. Until Eds' hands touched the ground. The instant they did a behemoth of rock and stone emerged from the ground and clasped Mustang into its' gargantuan hands. It squeezed him so tightly that he couldn't even twitch his fingers let alone snap them. The behemoth kept squeezing until several loud cracks were heard and Mustang began howling in agony…his ribs and arms were now shattered.
"Ed call off that thing. This match is over, Roy Mustang is unable to continue competing, the winner is Edward Elric" said the Fhurer as Mustang finally fell into unconsciousness. Ed struggled to but clapped his hands again and returned the entire parade grounds to their original state. He stood once more on wobbly feet as the Fhurer walked next to him.
"In accordance to the stipulations set in place, I hereby promote Edward Elric the Full Metal Alchemist to the rank of Colonel, and demote Roy Mustang the Flame Alchemist to the rank of private" just as he finished however Ed began swaying backwards. As he fell a pair of soft arms gently encircled his chest cushioning him as they both fell. Rose held onto him tenderly as he smiled at her with soft gentle eyes.
Tears welled in her eyes though as she fully took in the state of his body. There wasn't an inch on the front that hadn't been covered with some degree of burn. The sickly sweet smell of cooked flesh permeated the air, but resided the strongest at its' source…Ed. The tears could be held back no more as they cascaded down her face and fell soothingly onto his still hot flesh. He smiled at the tiny mercy he was being given as he finally blacked out from the pain. The last thing he heard was Rose calling his name worriedly.
Thymistacles here. I know I haven't updated in forever but this story is one of my least popular. I NEED more reviews to be motivated to even work on this fic. I know some of you don't like that thought but that's just the way things are. Please review or flame, I don't care which, ja ne.
