Life as me
Chapter 2: Page Two
Nothing more than a faint whisper of feet and a silhouette moving against the various shadows, heralded by the fall of night, bespoke of the figure moving stealthily towards the Atheist headquarters. He was careful, maybe a bit too careful, not to be seen by anyone, living or dead. He was good, the man, standing at the window, thought, more than a little pleased at the spy's discretion in covering up his tracks, if for any reason someone should follow him, which none of them were since the villagers had yet to suspect that something foul was afoot.
The man turned his back on the window and leaned back until his hip rested against the sill. He proceeded to wait for the spy to get here so as to impart the latest happenings in the village. There were so many, after all, ever since the head priest had made it his personal mission to suppress their beliefs and teachings. He sneered at the thought that a weak old man could think to reform the few remaining Atheists still protesting against the church's edicts.
'Stupid, old man! You think you can correct our beliefs with boring speeches and insignificant 'miracles'? I'd like to see you try.'
A creak and a soft humming noise lured his attention away from his impassioned thoughts. He looked up. A barely discernible figure, cloaked in a raggedy old coat, was standing against the closed door leading to the room. The man raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed.
'Impressive. I didn't even see him enter the room.'
He folded his hands across his arms and stared down at the figure standing beside the door. It was small, almost girlish in both figure and height. But that was about the only thing he could say for certain about the spy. Although he was the leader of the Atheists and had personally hired this particular assassin to spy on the villagers, he had never seen his face. The spy had always kept it shielded by his cloak, or at times such as these, preferred dark rooms in which he could be assured that he wouldn't be identified, not even by his employer.
'Interesting'
What news do you have for me?"
The shadow moved away from the door. He watched it silently as it moved towards the left and picked up something that was lying on the table. The spy threw it up in the air. It flipped around and around like a globe before falling with a soft thump into it's projector's palm. He watched as the spy's long, gloved fingers curled around the object possessively.
"Fullmetal is here."
"Fullmetal?" He made a disgusted sound and then followed it by a stream of curses that spoke of unconcealed hatred and bitterness. "Why isn't Mustang here?"
"I don't know, sir," the spy replied sincerely. When that answer earned a baleful growl from his employer, he quickly hastened to amend his employer's fiery temper by adding, "I could find out, sir."
"Why the hell am I paying for?!" the man yelled, close to the brink of his self-control. He hadn't lost his temper since his youth and he was barely able to control himself from flying at the spy for not doing his job properly. "Find out, and hurry back with some answers, damn it!"
"Ye-yes sir!" The spy bowed obsequiously, rushing to do his employer's bidding. He turned around and opened the door, ready to get the angry man his answers. He stopped abruptly at the threshold, as something occurred to him.
"What am I do to with Fullmetal?" he asked without bothering to turn around
"Fullmetal? Well, abduct him and bring him to me."
"Why?"
"Why he'd make a nice addition to my collection. I have almost all of the State Alchemists' powers now. He'd make a fine addition, indeed." His employer grinned, not in the least perturbed about the subject.
The spy's back stiffened. But before his employer could comment upon it, his spine slackened and he left the room just as quietly as he'd entered it.
Meanwhile, tiny men have been let loose in the big, bad world
The night was a stark contrast to the bright-lit tavern he had just left. There was no moon to guide his way and no lamps dotting the streets through which he ran. In fact, he couldn't see more than ten feet in front of him, but he refused to be discouraged by the closing darkness. He had finally found a lead to the muchly-sought-after Philosopher's Stone and the lead had run away from him before giving him some legible answers! And he was getting tired of being disappointed over and over again! He wanted the answers to their long-never-ending search and he wanted them now!
He came a screeching halt, the heels of his boots kicking up dust as he nearly missed plowing into seven-foot square figure wrapped in shadows.
"Ed!" Al shouted as Ed doubled over, trying to catch his breath. He looked tired and pretty dazed. His hands- the fleshy one and the metal one- were both resting on his knees; a drop of sweat dribbled over the edge of his brow and ran down the side of his cheek. He looked up through the fringes of his hair and fixed Al with a chiding glare.
"Al! You gave me a heart attack. Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"I never sneak up, brother. How can a seven-foot suit of armor sneak up on people?"
"I don't know, Al…." Ed mumbled, disgusted with himself for letting his guard down. Al was right. Ed should have heard his movements. But it wasn't exactly his fault for not paying attention. He was too busy trying to find that girl and that lead she had dangled in front of their noses. His mind was too filled with questions. What had that girl meant by "You have to kill me, if you want the stone?" That was a weird request to ask of someone you've just met. And why did she want to die?
"Brother, look, someone's coming!" Al lifted his finger and pointed directly in front of them.
"Where?" Ed said, squinting his eyes to adjust to the humid darkness of the night. A slight movement emphasized the figure walking towards them. It stopped just ten feet from them. Suddenly a small light flickered and in the next moment the street was flooded with bright orange light from the flickering flame of an old lantern. Ed was so startled by the sudden light he took a step back and nearly tripped over. He looked up and was even more startled to see the girl, Li, standing in front of him, holding the lantern. Or maybe it was the way that she was looking at him, that startled him. She looked like she almost pitied him. He was surprised because, yeah, sure people had pitied him and his brother, but still the way she was looking at him… was entirely too unnerving….
"Mighty rich of you to tell us you know where the stone is and then take off like that."
Ed's face was flushed from-anger, he decided stubbornly.
She gave him a look that said, "Duh". Then she slowly lifted the lantern up and jingled it by its creaky, old handle.
"To get my lantern, of course. We might need some light, if we're gonna come to a proper decision. My future depends on this, you know. If you don't want to, then it's fine. I'm sure I can find another pipsqueak-"a vein popped angrily in Ed's temple at the title-"Alchemist. Although you're probably the only one who's about 2' feet"- another vein popped in Ed's head-"I mean, all the alchemists I've met so far were so tall, I could barely see where their head ended and the sky began! But, I'm not really sure I want a chipmunk-"Now Al is trying to hold back a fuming Edward-"to take care of this little business of finishing me off… Hmm…" She turned around, biting her lower lip in deep pensiveness, completely oblivious to Ed's currently skyrocketing stress level.
"Who-are-you-calling-a-tiny-microscopic-munchkin-who-? "Before he deluge her with his anger, she interrupted him with a tiny cough.
"I have to do this, State Alchemist." Her tone was grim and her shoulders straightened with perceptible inner determination. "If you can't do this for me, if you can't kill me, then let's not waste our time speaking of trivialities in this frigid night air."
"I have a question, Ms. Li," Al asked, leaning forward and touching the girl's shoulder in a friendly gesture. Although his grip was whisper soft, she still jumped and turned around with surprised eyes, as if she had just now realized that the chipmunk- for she had decided that that was what she would stubbornly call him from now on- had not been alone. In fact, she had forgotten about the chipmunk's brother. Shit!she mentally cursed to herself. 'Calculate all of your enemies' weaknesses and strengths before you decide upon a point of attack.' That had been the first lesson she had ever learnt. The brother might be an hindrance to her plans.
Well, she'd just have to get rid of him, won't she?
Too bad for you, tin can.
"Yeah, we have a few questions to ask you, Horn head." Ed replied, smiling victoriously as he saw Li's face darken with anger.
"Who-are-you-calling-an-horn-head, you-pint-sized-shrimp?!"
"Who-are-you-squeaky-mushroom-head?"
"Brother," Al began placatingly, before the argument became too circular. "Ms. Li, we would like to get to the point please. What did you mean that you know where the Philosopher's Stone? Do you have it now?"
"Of course, I don't have it now! It's too precious to keep it on my person. But I do have it!"
"Ok! Let's go get it, then!" Ed said, his voice turning cheerful and happy. He started to walk away from them, apparently caught up in his own daydreams about the Philosopher's Stone.
Yes! He was finally going to have the Philosopher's Stone. And the first thing he was going to do was return his brother's body back to him and then…. Ed rubbed his hands together in delicious excitement. He was finally going to be whole again! No more auto mail! No more Winry throwing stupid wrenches at his head! His life was going to be complete again. He couldn't wait!
"Um…. You never agreed to the deal, you know," A really irritating voice interrupted his lovely dreams of a future with all his body parts intact. He turned around.
"Will you please stop talking and just tell us where the stone is?!" he yelled at her. Difficult. Always interrupting, and just when I was getting to the best part. Ok, now after I get my body back, I'll…
"No deal, no stone," Li finally bit out, folding her arms across her chest in a resolute stance. The lamp bounced back and forth between her fingertips, throwing discordant shadows upon her brown cloak.
All of Ed's dream shattered in a minute.
"What?!! No way, am I agreeing to kill you!"
"But you have to." She smiled a cunning smiled. Ed was sure that that was the smile the fox always gave its prey just before devouring it. "Unless of course you don't want the stone anymore." She started to turn away when she was halted by two loud protests. She smiled to herself. She had them now. All she had to do now was play her cards right and she'd have them eating out of her hand. Especially that Fullmetal munchkin.
She turned around and smiled at them, one edge of her mouth going slightly higher than the other. "So we have a deal?" Her voice sounded hopeful enough.
"Not until you tell me why you want us to kill you so badly?" Ed asked, folding his arms across his chest and fixing her with a 'I'm going to read your mind now, so don't you dare lie to me'
That irritated her. How dare he think to read her mind. Did he think himself so superior? Just because a stupid watch branded one of them Military Dogs?
"I'm not answerable to your questions. Do you agree to the deal or not?"
"No." That simple reply managed to surprise her and infuriate her at the same time. How dare he say not to her? To the Philosopher's Stone?
Before she could manipulate them into recanting their decision, Edward turned away from her.
"Come on, Al. I think we'd better get going."
Wait a minute! This wasn't going at all the way she had planned!! She had to think! Improvise! Do something….
"Wait!" That garnered her a slightly curious glance from the two brothers." If I answer your question, will you agree to kill me?"
"I don't know…." Ed said evasively.
"I want to become a Homunculi!" she shouted, letting out her pent-up breath.There, she had said it.
"What?!!!" Both brothers gaped at her(well, she was sure that tin can was surprised as much as his brother was, although it was too difficult to detect his surprise with that armor).
"Why would you want to do that?" Al asked.
"Why else, Al? She's apparently lost her mind!" Ed replied, dryly.
What was surprising was that she agreed with him. She had lost her freaking mind!
"I haven't lost my mind, mushroom-head." Suddenly an idea came to her and she started to walk towards them. She put one hand and each of their chest and pushed them apart to make some space for her to pass. She started walking away.
"I have a really good reason behind my request." She came to stop just ten yards away from them, directly in front of the faint outline of the darkened stage constructed in front of the church. Both brothers followed her until they were standing in front of her. Satisfied that they were at the appropriate distance to receive the full effect of the gut-wrenching blow they were gonna receive she brandished her lamp above her head and lifted it up as high as she could. "Take a look at this then."
Both brothers followed the direction of the lamp.
Ed felt as if the breath had been cut right out of him. "Holy…. Shit!"