Chapter 11: Prying Minds Part II

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add).

I apologize for the lengthy delay in updates! Hopefully this chapter and the subsequent one will make up for my absence. Enjoy!

A/N #1: I used a different word processor this time, and it seems as if a few things are all moved around. I'll edit it later!

Mustang paced in front of the door to the Elrics' apartment, fuming. After finishing his paperwork under Hawkeye's penetrating gaze, a new report had been plopped on his desk by Armstrong, detailing the incident that had occurred at the bar. One patron had seen the purple flash and still remembered what had happened. Any of those who were engulfed by it had apparently lost their memory from the time when the girl had entered to until she fell asleep fell unconscious along with Mustang.

At least Armstrong had the presence of mind to give the reports directly to me, Mustang thought. There really isn't any reason to get the military involved in this case. Riza walked around the corner and joined Roy at the door, smiling as he visibly paled. He thought, Dangit, now she's going to nag me about the paperwork!

Aloud, Hawkeye dryly stated, "No, Roy. I wanted to talk to Seren, too. If you must know, Al and Winry went shopping earlier, so I figured now would be a good time to do so."

Roy cocked his head and asked, "How did you know that they had left? I posted Fuery as a lookout earlier!"

Riza grinned wickedly as she whistled in a peculiar manner before leaning against the wall, clearly waiting for something. Roy scratched his head and sighed as Black Hayate trotted up the stair and sat on his haunches near Riza, wagging his tail. She bent down to ruffle his head and the dog seemed to let out a sigh of contentment as he curled up next to the door. Roy fought the urge to stick his tongue out at the dog for two reasons: On the one hand, it would be childish. On the other hand, he was fairly certain that Hawkeye would shoot him.

As if reading his thoughts, Riza murmured, "Don't tempt me."

Throwing his hands up in the air, as if bemoaning his fate, Roy sighed. With a last glance at the dog who seemed to be grinning at him, Roy shook his head and knocked on the door a few times. The door was pulled open with enough force to bounce off of the wall. Ed stood a little ways inside the doorway, glaring at Mustang.

He growled, "What do you want, Colonel?"

Roy smirked as he dryly asked, "Didn't you forget something?"

Ed tapped a finger against his forehead a few times before replying, "The paperwork? I'm not your personal servant, Mustang. I've been busy, anyways."

Mustang waved his hand in a negligent manner as he pushed past Ed and into the apartment. Ed began to speak, but instead bit his tongue as Riza walked past him, her eyes twinkling.

She stated in an offhand manner, "Colonel Mustang is on a mission, Fullmetal. Our business doesn't concern you as much as it does Seren. We all want answers, it seems like."

Ed nodded and shut the door after Black Hayate had slipped through. Tugging on a few strands of hair that had come loose from his ponytail, Ed followed Riza into the living room, idly wondering where the conversation was going to lead to.

-Spacer.-

"Al, how does Seren use alchemy?"

Al glanced at Winry out of the corner of his eyes as he replied, "She told me that her version of alchemy doesn't require a physical circle so much as a mental circle. Ed and I and all of the other alchemists have to use a physical circle in order to use our alchemy."

Winry thought for a second before asking, "But Ed and you just clap your hands and transmute whatever it is that you are trying to change. Why isn't that a mental circle?"

Al chuckled as he said, "The physical act of clapping our hands allows us to activate the circle that we have in our minds. The other alchemists need some form of a circle, whether it is a diagram drawn on the ground with chalk or on their hands in a type of tattoo, in order to activate whichever circle they wish to use."

Winry slowly nodded to herself, absently stepping around a small dip in the sidewalk. Al clasped his hands behind his head and enjoyed the clear spring morning day.

-Spacer.-

Riza looked decidedly pale as she glanced from Seren's trembling figure to Mustang's blank look of shock, while Ed just kept on flexing his arm, his face dark.

Mustang stuttered, "A-Are you trying to tell me that not only are you the sole survivor of a lost civilization, but the reason why this country was able to be created?"

Seren looked at the carpeted floor as she slowly nodded, her face twisted in anguish. Riza glared at Roy before wrapping her arm around Seren and holding her closely, softly stroking Seren's hair. To be so young and to wield such an amazing gift, Riza thought. Mustang drew a shuddering breath and walked to the balcony, disbelief still etched upon his features as he stared into the endless depths of the mid-morning sky. Ed joined him, moodily kicking at a loose piece of railing.

He muttered, It was even worse hearing about her past the second time, now that I believe her."

Mustang shuddered before asking, "Why did Seren glance at you every time she said Slave Number 23?"

Ed growled, "Slave Number 23 was Van Hohenheim's thrall name. He's my father."

Mustang's jaw dropped open in shock as he mumbled, "But, that was over four hundred years ago! Didn't you see him a few weeks ago? How has he lived for so long?"

Ed glared at Mustang as he turned on his heels and stated, "I don't know."

Mustang was silent for a few moments, digesting this new information. He coughed slightly and motioned for Ed to stand closer.

"Hey, Fullmetal. I know that this isn't going to go over very well with you, but.." He hesitated slightly before continuing, "What would you think about Seren becoming a State Alchemist?" Seeing Ed about to speak, he quickly added, "With her permission, of course. I'm not going to force her into a choke hold with it like I did to you."

Ed sighed and muttered, "It's up to her."

As Mustang walked back towards the living room, he told Ed, "I am truly sorry about what has happened, Ed."

With that last cryptic statement, Mustang walked back into the apartment and made his way to where Riza and Seren were sitting. Ed stood on the balcony for a bit longer, staring out into the distance. Sighing, he pulled out his silver pocketwatch and traced his finger along the embellished Dragon. Sighing one last time, he shoved the pocketwatch back into his pants and walked into the apartment.

-Spacer.-

"Where are we going next, Al? The milk should stay cold for another hour or so at the very least."

Al peered over his shoulder at Winry and shrugged. Winry started moving again, grasping the handle of her portable icebox and dragged it along, pleased at how smoothly it rolled over the sidewalk. At least the wheel stopped getting stuck, she thought.

Al caught her glancing at the wheels and dryly remarked, "What with the wrench-shaped dents that cover the entire thing, I'm surprised that it even moves in a straight line!"

Winry blushed slightly as she patted the wrench at her belt.

"It wasn't my fault that the first wheel was defective!" Al quirked an eyebrow at her, smirking. She amended, "Fine, it is my fault that the other three wheels stopped working. Want to smooth the edges out?"

Al sighed and turned around to face Winry. She stepped away from the icebox as Al began to clap his hands, his eyes darting from dent to dent. The trees rustled softly as a slight tremor pulsed through Central. Al clapped his hands and pressed them against the icebox, already envisioning in his mind the blue glow of his transmutation reshaping its exterior and reinforcing the joints of the wheels.

He opened his eyes to a curious sight; the dilapidated icebox still stood in the center of the sidewalk. His brow furrowed in thought as he formed the circle again in his mind before clapping his hands. Nothing happened. Panic set in then, as he remembered that this was the exact same thing that had happened when Father neutralized the Amestrian Alchemy a few months before. Something was wrong.

Winry looked at Al with concern as his face drained of color. She sidled closer to him before asking, "Are you alright?"

Al stared off into the distance for a few moments before processing what Winry had asked. He shuddered before replying, "We need to talk to Ed. I can't use my alchemy."

He started walking towards the apartment at a brisk pace, rapidly leaving Winry behind. She glanced from him to the icebox several times before pulling out a wrench from her belt, aiming for a moment, and then bringing it down upon the recalcitrant wheel. With a sharp KLACK, the wheel popped back into place. She grasped the handle and hurried after Al.

-Spacer.-

A rat scurried through the thick cables underneath Central, looking for a morsel of food to eat. Whiskers twitching furiously, it didn't notice the slim shadow that trailed behind it. Finally, the rat came upon a small desiccated husk of bread. Gleefully squeaking, it raced towards its next meal. Right as it began to nibble upon the bread, a slender bladelike appendage shot the the figure behind it and skewered the rat.

Retracting its finger, the figure let out a small sigh before stepping into the dim light that filtered down from the murky ceiling. Glossy black hair cascaded past her slender shoulders in loose curls. A form-fitting dress wrapped around her body and flowed into wispy frills above her ankles. Heeled shoes of black leather suede covered her feet and her eyes were a unique shade of bloody amethyst. A red Ouroboros tattoo was inked above her chest. Her hands were gloved and one of the fingers had a slight red sheen.

Lust absently licked at her blood covered finger as she whispered, "I'm back.."

Well, yup! I brought my favorite Homunculus back! Stay tuned for Chapter 12: Shadows of Lust (or Lustful Greed.. I don't know which one i like more..).