Take It All Away

by rebellion2fate

In a time when a hero is needed most, tragedy befalls Roy Mustang. Someone is aiding the Homunculi from within Central and whispers of a completed Stone echo through the corridors. Can Roy stop this disaster before it’s too late? Roy x Ed COMPLETE

24. All or Nothing

Take It All Away

Chapter 24: All or Nothing

"If something's wrong, those who have the ability to take action, have the responsibility to do so."

National Treasure

Warning: Situations and events may occur differently from how they did in the anime.

R-2-F

"Just what is the meaning of this?"

Riza Hawkeye's angry demand echoed throughout the deserted halls of the State's Central Command Center. There was no one to hear her except for the very man the question was directed at; the man that currently barred her only exit from the office. Said man flinched when Riza began banging her fist against the now-locked door.

"I'm merely following orders, Ma'am. I'm sorry." The soldier replied, wisely standing away from the door in case the woman on the other side should she decide to try ramming the door again. He was glad that he had, for Hawkeye's response was a particularly violent kick to the door.

"Who's orders?" She growled, continuing her assault on the door.

"S-Second Lieutenant Havoc's, Ma'am."

Riza's assault on the door paused. "...Jean's?" She repeated, her voice soft in disbelief.

"Yes Ma'am."

Hawkeye managed to fight back her confusion enough to allow her to think clearly. She'd deal with her fiance later. "I outrank him, now let me out of this damn room!" She barked, punctuating the sentence with a particularly fierce kick to the door.

"I can't do that, First Lieutenant."

"And why the hell not?" Riza demanded, glaring daggers at the man's back through the door.

"Because his orders come from the Fuhrer."

R-2-F

The tension in the air was palpable. The crowd's anxious chatter carried across the courtyard to where Roy stood waiting. The Fuhrer's voice boomed over the audience as he hushed the crowd, waiting until they had settled down before beginning. He glanced over to where Roy and Jean stood in the shadows, just out of the crowd's vision. His triumphant smirk did not go unnoticed by either man.

The sun had just began to rise as the Fuhrer drew himself to his full height. To all watching, this man was the epitome of power. His very stance demanded respect as his eyes raked the crowd, silently commanding them all to hang onto his every word.

"A sad day breaks across this land. A man once trusted and revered amongst you all is now shown before you to be a traitor. But on this day of sadness, let us all be reminded that the strength of our country shall not falter with this treachery that has come to light, but rather will be reborn with a new conviction of what is right and just. We will not lose to inner treacheries, nor outer foes. We will fight, we will conquer, and we will live on."

Havoc turned to Roy, making sure that the shackles binding Roy's hands behind his back were secure. "That's your cue." He paused to retrieve something from his pocket and began to fit it over Roy's head.

Roy blinked in confusion as he felt material covering his injured eye. "What-?" He began, only to be cut off by Havoc.

"You'd better watch out for that eye." Havoc muttered offhandedly as he twisted the material a final time before dropping his hands, seemingly satisfied with his work. With a nod to himself he turned and grabbed Roy's elbow firmly, leading his ex-commanding officer to stand before the Fuhrer, with the raven's back facing the crowd. Havoc received a nod from the Fuhrer and released his hold, bowing and stepping back to join the gathered crowd.

Roy raised his eye to meet the Fuhrer's, his confident smirk sliding easily into place despite his weary state. He delighted in the momentary slip of Bradley's confident smirk, that would be seen as a forced smile to those who knew him less well than Roy. The smirk faded into a scowl as Bradley continued, his eyes never leaving the raven haired man before him.

"Brigadier General Roy Mustang, you are hereby forthwith stripped of your position and all powers bestowed upon you as a State Alchemist."

At this Havoc stepped forward once again, saluting the Fuhrer before turning back to Roy. His face was emotionless as he spun Roy around to face the crowd. Jean moved to the ex-General's side and firmly grasped a patch sewn onto Mustang's uniform jacket. After receiving a nod from Bradley, he ripped the patch from the uniform and held it before those looking on, as if waving a prize. He methodically repeated this action until Roy's uniform was barren of all medals and insignia that once denoted the General's hard-earned status. Jean's eyes remained carefully emotionless as he went about defacing the uniform, not once meeting Roy's eyes. He already knew the look the once revered Alchemist's eyes would hold; he knew that Roy's eyes would show no fear, only acceptance. He knew that Roy would not cower before the Fuhrer as Bradley so desperately wanted him to. It was not in Mustang's nature to back down.

Finally, Jean grabbed the chain hanging from Roy's belt loop and gave a mighty yank. The silver chain snapped easily and Havoc found he couldn't fight back a wince as he raised the pocket watch before the crowd before adding it to the pile of patches and medals that lay at Roy's feet. He turned to the Fuhrer without glancing at his old friend, giving his commanding officer another salute before once again fading into the crowd.

"The charges that stand against you, Roy Mustang, are thus; Unauthorized Access of Classified Materials, Conspiracy, Dereliction of Duty, Collaboration, and High Treason. Do you deny these accusations?"

The crowd fell silent as they awaited Roy's answer. Many craned their necks to watch as the ex-General turned to face the Fuhrer once again, the very way he held himself screaming of defiance. Roy raised his chin the slightest bit and met Bradley's eyes unflinchingly. "No."

His answer echoed throughout the courtyard, and only moments later the crowd broke into excited chatter.

Bradley's eye narrowed to a slit at Mustang's display of defiance and his hands clenched behind the podium unconsciously. "Then so be it." He hissed, nodding to the six men that stood to the side. "Roy Mustang, in accordance to the Law of the State, I hereby sentence you to death by firing squad. May God have mercy on your soul." He nodded once again , watching as the six men took their positions on either side of the podium. Bradley stepped off of the podium and moved to stand to the side of the squad, raising his hand in preparation to give the signal to fire.

Roy turned to face the six men valiantly. He stood a bit straighter and met the eyes of the gunman nearest him as he faced his eminent death with the grace befitting that of a king. He held his head high and kept his eye locked on those of the men who would serve as his Grim Reaper. Even with all of his badges and patches, medals and ribbons removed from his uniform, Roy still portrayed the perfect soldier, willing to give his life for a cause that he alone believed in. There was no fear in his gaze.

Havoc felt his heart jump into his throat as Bradley called the six gunmen to attention. If he didn't do something now...Roy would die. The reality of the situation suddenly hit Jean like a fist in the gut. He looked on in morbid fascination as Roy regarded the gunmen without so much as an ounce of hesitancy. Before his very eyes, Jean would watch this man fall...this man who had given so much to the people of Ametris without asking for anything in return. This man who, had he been given the chance, could have very well become the best Fuhrer the State had ever known. But he would not be given that chance because of the cruel hand Fate had so unfairly dealt him. Because somewhere along the line, Jean's plan had gone so wrong...

A sudden surge of desperation took hold of Havoc. Before he even knew what he was doing he was pushing through the crowd that had somehow managed to surround him. He opened his mouth to call out; to tell the people to move out of his way, to stop this madness before it was too late, but it was not his voice that echoed throughout the courtyard. It was another's.

"Move out of the way, dammit!"

The ground began to shake as gunshots rang throughout the courtyard. The people parted to reveal a blonde teen on his hands and knees, his head down and his chest heaving as he fought to regain his breath. Beside the young man stood a suit of armor that towered over the heads of those around him. Ed and Al had arrived.

Everyone slowly turned their heads back towards the front of the courtyard where the execution took place, afraid of what they might see yet unable to fight back the gruesome curiosity that overcame them. Havoc's breath caught as his chest constricted painfully, turning with the rest of the crowd to see if, by some miracle, the Elrics had made it in time.

The spectator's view of Mustang was blocked by a thick wall of mud. The wall was littered with bullet holes that's countenance resembled that of Swiss cheese. However, much to many of the onlooker's relief, the wall had withheld the onslaught of the gunmen remarkably well, and not one of the shots went completely through the barrier. Though they could not see the ex-General to confirm their assumptions, the crowd gathered knew that he was unharmed, if not by the evidence the wall provided, then by Bradley's reaction.

Bradley was absolutely livid. His hands curled into fists at his sides as his face began to turn an interesting shade of purple. Yet, as soon as one of the gunmen warily addressed him, the look was gone in an instant. The Fuhrer replaced his scowl with one of his trademark 'good-guy that never shows real emotion' smiles, though this time it was barely an upturn of his lips. Not even Bradley was that good at putting on a cheerful mask, when it was so clear to those around him that he wanted nothing more than to let his rage boil over and consume him. He had been so close...

The only visible sign of Bradley's internal rage was the narrowing of his single eye as it fixed on the blonde teen. "So, Fullmetal..." He drawled, his voice remaining carefully even. "You finally reveal where your allegiances truly lie."

Edward pushed himself to his feet and hooked his thumbs in his back pockets casually. Despite his nonchalant stance, Ed's eyes were clearly wary. "I thought that was obvious from the day I joined, Fuhrer." He replied easily, his voice carrying across the courtyard that suddenly seemed so much smaller to him. He did not miss how the audience clung to his every word. "From the day I was born 'till the day I die, the only side I'm on is my own." He declared audaciously, jabbing his thumb at his chest.

"Then you are a traitor as well." Bradley turned to the gunmen, his eye narrowing as they remained unmoving. "What are you waiting for? Kill them!" He commanded, pointing at Ed and Al angrily. He watched in grim satisfaction as the six men scrambled to do their king's bidding, charging at the brothers with their guns raised.

Alphonse moved easily in front of his older brother, deflecting the gunfire directed their way. One of the men was caught in the leg by one of his own bullets that ricocheted off of Al's armor. Al gave a pitying wince, but his attention was demanded elsewhere as another of the gunmen lunged at his arm in an attempt to restrain the towering suit of armor. The sound of the soldier's ribs cracking was thankfully drowned out by the crowd's excited chatter. Al began to move towards the wall that was erected before Roy, knowing full well that Edward was shadowing his every move.

Alphonse easily fended off the other four soldiers, knocking one unconscious with a swift blow to the back of his neck. Another of the men was not wise enough to learn from his comrade's mistake and opened fire on the brothers once again, only to receive the same result as his teammate did. The last two Edward had taken care of by grabbing hold of their rifles when they were near enough and turning them into a neat block of iron. Luckily, Alphonse had read his brother's moves and had managed to block any gunfire from the two, allowing his brother to transmute the rifles safely.

Bradley's cool facade was quickly slipping as the brothers neared. With a feral growl he reached for his own holster to finish the job himself. He'd be damned if he let this opportunity to rid himself of Roy Mustang pass him by.

Ed's eyes widened as he saw Bradley pull out a handgun and aim it at Roy. The wall Edward had erected only covered Roy from the front, failing to guard him from the sides. Ed ducked away from Alphonse's cover and ran towards the alchemist, his rationality vanishing as desperation took hold. "Roy!" He called frantically, hoping that the raven haired man was able to free himself from the ropes during the distraction he and Al had created.

However, fate had once again abandoned Roy, and he could do no more than glance between Bradley and Edward. "Stay back." He ordered, his voice cracking painfully from the dryness in his mouth caused by the cold air and his ragged breaths. He fixed Edward with the sternest look he could manage, hoping that the blonde-for once in his life- would heed his words.

"Like hell!" Ed snapped, closing the last bit of distance between them. The heavy clanking of armor and the sudden shadow cast over he and Roy told Ed that his brother was standing between the enraged Fuhrer and Roy. He released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding until then and clapped his hands together to transmute the shackles binding Roy's wrists.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Fullmetal?" Roy hissed as his hands were freed, rubbing his abused wrists gingerly.

"Saving your ass, General." Ed replied with a grin. His grin faltered when he took in Roy's appearance. "Shit Roy..." He breathed, his eyes fixing on the patch covering Roy's left eye. "What did they do to you?" His hand rose on it's own accord to the material covering Roy's eye, his fingers ghosting over the patch.

Whatever Roy was about to say died in his throat when an angry snarl resounded throughout the courtyard. Alphonse was shoved roughly to the side as an enraged Bradley barreled towards the reunited pair, his revolver forgotten. Luckily, Roy had seen the Fuhrer's movement and stepped in front of Edward. His luck had not held out though, as he had failed to see the dagger held firmly in Bradley's hand. Mustang's eyes clenched shut in pain as the blade pierced his side.

Someone screamed Roy's name; Edward wasn't sure if it was him or not, but everything seemed to freeze as Roy hunched over, his pained grunt echoing in Ed's ears. Before he was even aware he'd moved, Ed found himself at Roy's side with his automail transmuted into a sword and pointed at Bradley's neck. The only thing that stopped him from attacking at that moment was the knowledge that the dagger was still buried in Roy's side, and subsequently remained in Bradley's grasp. All the Fuhrer had to do was flick his wrist just right, and Roy would be-

"Didn't you learn it's not nice to point things in people's faces, Eddie?"

Ed spun around upon hearing the familiar drawl, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he turned his eyes to meet the speaker. "Havoc...you bastard!" Ed snarled, realization dawning on his features. "You're the one who tricked Roy, aren't you?"

The man in question chuckled softly. "Did you figure that one out on your own?" Havoc ran a hand idly through his hair, his eyes never straying from Ed's. "Too bad you didn't do the math earlier though; would've saved us all one hell of a headache."

"Yeah, too bad." Ed echoed, the Fuhrer's presence temporarily forgotten. He turned to fully face the man he'd once considered a comrade, raising his sword and falling into an offensive stance. "Now are we gonna stand here yappin' all day, or are we going to be old fashioned and fight it out?"

"Hmm... tough call." Havoc replied, mirroring Ed's stance and unsheathing his rapier. As was custom on formal events such as this, all military personnel were required to wear the full State uniform, including the customary swords. Whether it was for extra protection or looks; no one knew. In the rare cases that problems arose during the events, they certainly did come in handy. "You know how I hate putting effort into anything."

"Then that just makes things easier for me!" Ed shouted, launching himself at the blonde.

Roy chose that moment to shove Bradley roughly away, using the man's distraction to put a bit of distance between the two of them. He stumbled back before regaining his footing, an unsteady hand clutching his side as his teeth grit in pain. "This is just not my day." Roy muttered sourly, glancing down at his hands that were slowly starting to drip a crimson red.

"I couldn't agree more." Bradley unsheathed his rapier with a flick of his wrist. His smirk widened when he noted the fair amount of blood coming from the wound he'd just inflicted on the ex-General. "However, it does appear to be mine." He declared as he swung the sword at Mustang, Roy barely managing to dodge in time.

Roy glanced around, looking for something that would prove to be of aid to him. Another sweep of Bradley's sword and Roy fell on his side after gracelessly trying to throw himself to the side in order to evade the blade. An involuntary groan of pain escaped from his throat, which only seemed to further inflate Bradley's confidence.

"You are weak and therefore vulnerable." Bradley analyzed, his words a twisted form of praise. "And due to that wound on your side you have lost a considerable amount of blood. You are becoming lightheaded, and it's only a matter of time before your consciousness will slip away. That is, of course, assuming you live long enough for that to happen."

"Like I said," Roy panted, rolling out of the path of another attack. His head spun from the action and his headache seemed to grow in intensity. "It's just not my day."

Bradley's laughter managed to draw the attention of the dueling blondes that were only yards away from the other two. Ed's eyes widened when he realized how Roy was fairing against Bradley, and he felt his heart leap into his throat. Movement to his left brought his attention back to his opponent, narrowly in enough time to safely dodge the attack aimed at him.

"Distractions are dangerous, Eddie." Havoc chided as he flicked nonexistent grime from his blade. "They could get you killed."

"Get out of my way, Havoc." Ed growled, his voice uncharacteristically dangerous to the point it seemed to cause even Jean to pause. "I don't have time for your shit."

"Too bad for you! I've got all the time in the world." Havoc chirped, waving his free hand audaciously.

"As do I." A third voice piped in, startling the two men. They both looked in the direction of the voice, only to find Riza standing their with her own sword drawn, tapping the dull side of the blade against her hand.

For the first time since engaging Edward in battle, Havoc's confident facade seemed to slip. "Riza, what-"

"Your watchman was kind enough to allow me to join in the festivities." She explained, her small smirk surprising Ed. Damn if Hawkeye wasn't scary when she was mad. As if on cue, a soldier came racing out of Central's main doors, waving his hands frantically.

"I'm sorry Second Lieutenant! She tricked me, and-!"

"It's quite alright, Corporal. I know how hard she can be to handle." He turned his attention back to Riza, his confident air returning as she stepped between he and Edward. "Well then...shall we dance, love?" He grinned, falling into a fighting stance and holding his sword at the ready.

"Nothing would make me happier." Riza replied, swinging her sword at the blonde and throwing her full weight into it. Her attack was parried, and thus the dance began.

Ed looked between Riza and Roy, momentarily uncertain who he should be helping. Hawkeye took notice of his indecision and offered him a small smile.

"Go to him, Edward."

That was all the prompting Ed needed. He was already across the courtyard when Riza and Jean's swords met again. As he neared, Bradley raised his sword once again, this time bringing it down and piercing Roy's right shoulder, earning a pained groan from the ex-General. "Get away from him!" Edward snarled as he placed himself between the Fuhrer and Mustang.

Bradley's sneer deepened, apparently pleased with Edward's antics. He removed his blade from Roy's shoulder, flicking the blood from his sword absentmindedly. "Will you go against your King, Elric?"

Edward raised an eyebrow, as if amazed at the Fuhrer's lack of understanding. "I'm pretty sure we've covered this, Fuhrer. "From the day I was born blah blah blah, the only side I'm on is my own." Ring any bells?" Ed allowed a smirk of his own to cross his features. "My mind hasn't changed in the past five minutes, I promise."

"That's too bad." Bradley once again readied his sword but paused, his eye widening when Roy rose unsteadily to his feet once again. His disbelief was easily hidden behind his collected mask. "You don't know when to stop, do you, Mustang?" He shook his head, chuckling softly and flicking his sword, as if anxious to cut the ex-General down. "You're half dead, and yet you still insist on fighting? Foolish boy."

"Maybe I am foolish." Roy conceded softly. He rose to his feet without an ounce of grace about him, yet somehow still managed to look just as regal as ever. His legs were still unstable, and Ed quickly moved to his side to help support him. Roy seemed to ignore the teen's aid, but he made no move to bat him away. "I had to be to ever serve under a tyrant like you, Bradley." Roy paused, a gleam coming to his eyes. "Or would you rather I call you by your true name...Pride?"

"Pride?" Ed echoed, disbelief making his voice soft. "But that would mean..." He trailed off uncertainly, his hands fisting in Roy's shirt in silent question.

"Yes, Edward." Roy confirmed, just as softly. "He's one of the Homunculi."

For the first time that day, Bradley's carefully impassive mask crumbled completely. His entire demeanor changed in the span of only a few seconds. His eye narrowed dangerously as his upper lip curled into a fierce snarl. "You were always too smart for your own good, Roy Mustang, and you never knew when to leave good enough alone."

Before anyone was aware of exactly what was happening, Ed had launched himself at the Fuhrer, his transmuted blade held at the ready. "You bastard!" He shouted, anger clouding his senses. He threw his entire weight into the blow which was all too easily deflected, resulting in his body being thrown to the ground.

Roy stepped between the fallen teen and the Fuhrer, completely unarmed. "Leave him alone, Bradley." He warned icily. "Your quarrel is with me."

Ed's protest was cut off by a grunt of agreement from the Fuhrer. "Right you are, Mustang. I'll deal with the runt later."

Out of all of the surprises the day had held, what came next was probably the most unexpected of all. Despite the Fuhrer's blatant jab at Ed's stature, the blonde made no move to defend his height. Instead, the blonde's glare was fixed on a certain ex-General's turned back.

"Stop being such a stubborn ass, Roy." Ed hissed as he sat up, rubbing the back of his head gingerly. "You look like shit; there's no way you can fight Bradley-"

"This is my fight, Edward." Roy cut in smoothly, not bothering to turn and look at the teen behind him. "And I'll be the one to fight it; alone."

"Like hell you will! You're half dead already!"

"Edward!" Roy barked, glancing over his shoulder at the teen with enough force behind his glare to silence even the fiery alchemist. "This is my fight. Stay out of it." He repeated before turning back to his opponent.

Across the courtyard Alphonse stood between the fighting pairs and the others present, attempting to solace the crowd pressing down upon him. Angry shouts filled the air as the people demanded to know what was going on. The crowd surrounded Alphonse, giving him no means of escape.

"L-listen!" Alphonse begged, desperately trying to appease the mob. "Please, listen to me everyone! It's not what you think! General Mustang isn't the bad guy here!"

"Well then who is?" One of the men in the crowd demanded, his fist raised in the air. Several others in the crowd shouted their agreement.

"I...uhm..." Al stammered, uncertain as how to proceed. He wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but he was sure that Roy was not at fault. If he could only convince the crowd of that...

"Get out of our way, son." One of the older men demanded, pressing through the crowd and coming to a stop before the suit of armor. "Mustang betrayed the State, as well as all of us. Did you not hear the Fuhrer? He's guilty of treason and a whole lot more!" The man tried reasoning with Al, though his attempts were clearly in vain as the armor continued to block his path.

"Mustang is not a traitor!" Alphonse declared with enough conviction to catch the interest of the members of the crowd. "I know he's not, and if you would only stop and think about it, you would too! How long has the General served in the military, and who's interest has he always had in mind? Yours! The people who live under the influence of the State!"

"Oh please!" One of the soldiers spoke up, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "All that man ever cared about was his next promotion!" Once again, murmurs of agreement were emitted from the crowd.

"That's not true!" Alphonse shouted, his hands clenching at his sides. "Mustang wanted to change the way the State does things; he wanted to make things better for the people! It's true that he had to become a strong military influence for that to happen, but he didn't do it for himself! He wanted to rebuild Central!"

"Do you honestly expect us to believe that?" A woman towards the back sneered, holding her baby close to her chest. "That man," She spat, as if unable to say the 'vile' name of the traitor. "Cares about no one but himself!"

"Why else would he go against the Fuhrer's orders?" Another added from somewhere in he middle of the gathering.

"Because...he..." Alphonse trailed off uncertainly, his shoulders slumping in defeat. How did he explain something he knew nothing about himself?

"I believe I can answer that."

All eyes turned to the gate, their eyes widening upon seeing a throng of soldiers entering the courtyard, lead by none other than Major Armstrong. Most of the soldiers looked worse for the wear; some bearing arms in slings or bandages around their heads. Behind Armstrong were Falman and Breda, followed by Ross and Bloch. Several other familiar faces could be found amongst the group as well.

"Major Armstrong!" Alphonse exclaimed, his eyes widening as he took in the state of the others that had arrived. "What-"

"We just returned from Drachma." Armstrong explained, his voice holding a rare note of danger in it. "Or what's left of us, at least." A quick survey of the courtyard told the man all he needed to know. "But it looks as if the festivities started without us."

"How rude." Breda piped in, scratching his chin.

"Their conduct is quite unseemly, if I must say so myself." Falman agreed, earning a collective sigh from the other soldiers. The clash of swords silenced any comments though, and all eyes turned to the pairs fighting only feet away. Riza seemed to be fairing decently against Havoc, but Mustang was a completely different story. The man looked as if he would collapse at any moment, while Edward looked on helplessly.

"Falman, Breda. You two take care of things here. Ross and the others will cover crowd control, is that clear?" A chorus of 'yes sir's followed Armstrong's orders, and then everyone went into action. Satisfied with what he saw, Armstrong began crossing the field to where the Fuhrer and Mustang still battled.

Bradley's anger only served to fuel his attacks. It became harder and harder for Roy to continue to dodge his attacks, and it was rare that Roy found an opening in which he could deliver a blow to Bradley's vital areas. On the occasion that their was an opening, Roy's attacks were too weak to do any serious damage to the taller man. Bradley had the clear advantage.

A particularly hard swing caught Roy in his middle, causing him to double over and stumble back several steps. It had been the smooth side of the blade that had struck Roy, so it only served to knock the wind out of him instead of severely wounding him, as one would have expected. Bradley seemed to have purposefully switched the blade's angle just for this reason.

Ed caught Roy and helped steady him, ignoring the ex-General's annoyed grunt. "You're in no condition to fight, Roy. You don't even have a weapon. Now either you get used to the fact that I'm going to help you, or I knock you unconscious and finish this myself." The blonde's face was utterly serious.

"That won't be necessary." Armstrong spoke up upon reaching the pair. "I will fight as well." He pulled on his wrist guards and stood beside the couple, facing the Fuhrer.

"Armstrong?" Roy panted, his eyes widening slightly. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Armstrong turned to face the man he still saw as his commanding officer, his shirt laying discarded as he flexed his impressive muscles. "An innocent man's life was nearly sacrificed to slake a tyrant's lust for blood and power! It is up to I, Alex Louis Armstrong, to restore justice to the land of Amestris and to uphold the family tradition of-"

"Save it for later, big man!" Havoc broke in, surprising the other three men with his sudden presence. "You're already runnin' late. I didn't think you were gonna make it in time."

"My apologies, Second Lieutenant Havoc. We left as soon as we received your call, but the train was running behind schedule."

"I think it would be wise to wait until later to discuss such matters, boys." Riza suggested before Havoc had the chance to reply. She stood beside Roy, an arm around his waist supporting him. "There are more pressing matters at hand." As if to prove her point, Bradley spoke up.

"I must commend you on your acting skills, Second Lieutenant Havoc. Had I been anyone else, I would have been completely fooled." Despite his words, Bradley's eye was narrowed dangerously.

Havoc's mouth lifted into a small smirk. "Thanks, Fuhrer-man. I try." He winked, unsheathing a dagger and twirling it lazily.

"So you will all abandon your honor in hopes of saving this pathetic man's life?" Bradley asked with clear disdain.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say that we would have abandoned our honor long ago if we thought it'd help anything." Havoc was the one to speak on behalf of everyone. He glanced at the others and received a chorus of nods, confirming his words.

"The only person we answer to has always been Roy Mustang. Nothing will change that." Riza added, her chin raised defiantly.

"Even if that would mean death?" Bradley asked, his brows raised in interest.

"Even in death." Armstrong confirmed, his deep voice laced with conviction. "And I know for a fact, General Mustang," He added in a softer voice, turning to lock eyes with his commanding officer. "That Lieutenant Colonel Hughes felt the same."

Roy's eyes became suspiciously moist at the mention of his late friend and he only managed to nod his thanks to the Major. Hearing Armstrong's words triggered a memory that had long evaded Roy's grasp since his awakening. He remembered his best friend's funeral as vividly as if it had happened yesterday, and with it, the reason behind Hughes' death. Unconsciously, his hands fisted at his sides.

Edward stepped forward, glancing uncertainly in Havoc's direction. He wasn't quite sure whether or not he could trust the blonde Lieutenant, but he was willing to give him a last chance. "Let's get this over with." He transmuted his arm into a blade again and readied himself for the coming struggle.

"No, Fullmetal. You will not fight." Armstrong cut in, putting a hand on the blonde's shoulder as his eyes remained fixed on the Fuhrer. "You will play a far more important role in this battle."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ed demanded, glancing between Armstrong and Bradley. "You guys need me!" When he saw Havoc's face remain indifferent, his anger began to rise.

"Yes Edward Elric, we do need you." Armstrong agreed, reaching into the pocket of his uniform pants. "We need you to use this. I trust you know how." He placed his hand over Ed's, remaining hunched over to the younger man's level.

Ed felt the weight of something being deposited into his hands and only seconds later felt a strange tingling in his hand. Curious, he looked down before his eyes widened in realization. "This is the-"

"Yes, Edward. Use it well." Armstrong curled Ed's hand around the object, his look uncharacteristically severe. With a final nod, he rose back to his full height and turned to face the Fuhrer, cracking his knuckles. "Shall we begin this, Fuhrer?" He inquired, his voice devoid of any emotion. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Havoc draw his sword and fall into a fighting stance.

"Yes…let's begin this battle of ours." Bradley agreed, removing the patch from it's place and discarding it carelessly to the ground. He blinked his other eye open, smirking as his ouroborus was finally revealed. "Feel free to attack at any time, Gentlemen." He offered, lazily raising his own sword.

And attack they did.

R-2-F

"Look here people, if anyone here's a traitor it's the Fuhrer himself!" Breda shouted from his place next to Alphonse. The crowd began to murmur angrily and several of the onlookers looked as if the only reason they hadn't attacked the short man already was because of the military personnel currently surrounding them. "Hey! Listen to me when I'm trying to talk to you!"

"LIEUTENTANT BREDA ASKED IF EVERYONE WOULD KINDLY BE QUIET SO THAT HE MAY SPEAK!" Falman repeated, his raised voice only serving to add to the crowd's noise.

Suddenly a round of gunshots was fired, causing everyone present to fall silent. Slowly, those gathered turned to the back of crowd, where one Maria Ross stood with her gun pointed skywards. "Everyone shut up and listen to Lieutenant Breda!" She demanded, her eyes scanning the crowd and daring anyone to speak another word. Satisfied with her work, she nodded to the Lieutenant. "Please continue."

"Er…right." Breda shook his head and turned his attention back to the crowd. "Mustang isn't the traitor here, people. Bradley is! Do you have any idea what he's been up to? Or better yet, do you have any idea what he's done with your tax money?" The crowd began to look at each other uncertainly, realizing the validity of the Lieutenant's inquiry. Finally one man spoke for all of those gathered.

"We figured it went towards repairing the city or something like that."

"Eh! Wrong!" Breda declared, imitating a buzzer. "It was used as hush money for the head dude in Drachma so that Bradley could make a Philosopher's Stone in their country."

Excited chatter erupted within the crowd from the startling news. The same man from before stepped forward, crossing his arms and regarding Breda skeptically. "And just what exactly is this…Philosopher's Stone?"

Falman spoke up before Alphonse could get a word in. "The Philosopher's Stone, also known as the Crimson Elixir, as well by many other titles, is a mythical stone that is rumored to be capable of betraying all rules of alchemy. With the stone one could turn rocks into gold, dirt into wine, and even bring back the bodies and souls of those who have crossed over to the other side."

"And you're saying the Fuhrer has made one of these stones?" A woman asked incredulously. "What nonsense!"

"It's true." One of the soldiers from Armstrong's company declared. "I saw it myself." Several of the other soldiers nodded in affirmation. "The Stone is real."

"Suppose that the stone is real, and I'm not saying it is; Why would Fuhrer Bradley need such a thing?" another civilian asked.

"Have ya ever heard of a creature called a Homunculi, buddy?" Breda asked as he descended from the steps, approaching the man who spoke. "Tell 'em what a Homunculus is, Falman." He commanded, his face only inches away from the man who had spoken last.

Falman stood straighter and began to recite the origins of the Homunculi. "The Homunculi are artificial human beings, created from failed transmutations." he began, his voice carrying easily over the crowd that was now listening intently to his explanation. Before he could get any further, however, Ross intervened.

"Exactly." She aimed her gun at a couple standing towards the back of the crowd. "And if you don't believe us, I'll ask that the pair in the cloaks lower their hoods. I'm sure that will prove to be more than efficient evidence to support our claims."

"Too bad. You knew it was us the whole time?" Lust pouted, her silky voice managing to carry surprisingly well. She lowered the hood of her cloak gracefully, shaking her hair loose. "What gave us away?"

"Let's just say you stand out." Denny answered, his hand on his gun.

The people scattered like wildfire as the soldiers gathered all drew their weapons, aiming at the pair of Homunculi. The soldiers paid little to no heed to the fleeing civilians, only making sure that they were a fair distance from their targets.

"Can I eat them, Lust?" Gluttony asked gleefully, tugging at his companion's cloak hopefully. He was practically dancing at the mere thought of his next meal.

"Just remember to chew." Lust advised smoothly, her nails elongating.

Gluttony chuckled as he turned to the soldier nearest him, his tongue practically lolling out of his mouth. The soldier backed up several steps, staring at the approaching Homunculus fearfully. His hands shook so furiously that he dropped his rifle in his haste to distance himself from the beast. He fumbled for his hand gun, but by the time it was within his reach it was far, far too late.

R-2-F

"Dammit!" Havoc swore, pushing himself from the ground as blood began to trail down his chin. Armstrong was in no better of a state; The blonde's knuckles were turning bloody from his constant alchemic attacks, but not a one of them had connected. The pair's breathing was ragged as they tried to gather their bearings.

"It's as if he can read our every move." Armstrong panted, readying another of his alchemical attacks. "It's that cursed eye of his; It must allow him to see what we think as soon as we think it."

"Then let's try being a bit spontaneous!" Jean exclaimed, closing the distance between himself and Bradley once again.

"I'm afraid that won't work either, Lieutenant." Bradley replied without a hint of remorse in his voice. He easily parried the blonde's attack and changed the angle of his sword at the last minute, piercing through Havoc's body. Movement to his left caught his attention and his head snapped to the side in time to dodge an attack from Armstrong. However, with his attention on the Strong Arm alchemist, he failed to see Havoc draw a dagger from his belt.

Ignoring the pain biting at Havoc's lower abdomen, Havoc swung the dagger at Bradley's eye with all of his remaining strength. He heard the main's pained cry and shoved against Bradley's chest to remove the sword from his own body, stumbling back several steps before sinking to the ground. He watched as Bradley clamped a hand over his bleeding left eye. His ouroborus was destroyed.

"Fullmetal." Armstrong commanded, but the blonde teen only nodded in return.

"Look for yourself, Major." Ed replied softly, his voice betraying his wonder. "He's human."

Sure enough, Bradley's eye did not heal itself. Blood oozed freely from the fresh wound, trailing down strong cheekbones and leaving a crimson trail in it's wake. The Fuhrer's angry gaze fixed on the blonde teen, who in his left hand held none other than the Philosopher's Stone. "You-!" He shouted angrily, charging at Edward with his sword drawn. "You've ruined everything!"

Roy unsheathed Riza's saber and blocked the Fuhrer's attack in the time it took to blink. His sudden surge of strength would last only for a moment, but a moment was all he needed. Bradley's anger made him careless, and it would be that carelessness that ultimately led to his end.

With a flick of his wrist, Roy broke the contact of their sabers and drew his arm back, thrusting the sword into Bradley's middle with an angry cry. The Fuhrer's eyes widened as he choked on the blood that began to seep from the corner of his mouth. His body began to convulse as Roy twisted the saber deeper into his gut, leaning on Bradley as much as Bradley was now leaning on him.

"You were the one that ordered Hughes dead, Weren't you?" Roy demanded softly, barely loud enough for even Bradley to catch. "You told the Homunculi to kill him."

Bradley simply nodded his head, unable to find the breath to form words. His characteristic smirk remained firmly in place, despite the pain coursing through his body. A pained groan tore itself from his throat as the sword slashed through his side from the inside out, before he fell to the ground…dead.

R-2-F

Breda pulled his gun from it's holster as Gluttony turned on him. The Homunculus' mouth and clothes were drenched with crimson blood and his beady eyes narrowed as he began to close the distance between himself and his next prey. Breda's hand shook as he lifted the gun, aiming between the beast's eyes and firing desperately. He didn't bother to look as he emptied the cartridge into his assailant until a heavy weight crushed down on him, forcing his breath to leave his body. He clamped his eyes shut tightly as he waited for the eminent end to come. When nothing happened for several minutes, he finally cracked an eye open to find the barely recognizable face of Gluttony within an inch of his own.

He scrambled backwards, fumbling frantically for the knife that hung from his belt loop. His hands shook madly as he unsheathed it and held it before him warningly, preparing to fend off the beast before him. When no attack was forthcoming, Breda began to carefully regard the Homunculus' prone figure from where he sat on the ground.

Gluttony lay prone, face down on the pavement. A small puddle of blood was beginning to seep from beneath him, staining his skin and clothes an even deeper crimson than before. A single eye was visible, and it was glazed over and unseeing. Gluttony, for all appearances, was dead.

But that was impossible, wasn't it?

"Breda!" Falman exclaimed, running to his comrade's side. "Are you alright?" He looked Breda over with an efficient eye, quickly summarizing that no harm had befallen the shorter man.

"Is h-he-?" Breda stammered, his voice shaking as he pointed a finger at the fallen beast. "D-d-dead?"

Falman directed his attention at Gluttony, quickly coming to a conclusion. "Judging by the numerous bullet holes in the creature's head and the blood being emitted from it's body, I would surmise it safe to say that he is dead, Second Lieutenant."

"But how's that even possible? I just shot it! Bullets never stopped these things before!"

"The Homunculus called Lust is also dead. I believe you will find your answer regarding how this came to be over there, Lieutenant Breda." Ross supplied, appearing suddenly at the red head's side. She nodded pointedly in the direction of the others.

Breda and Falman both followed her gaze, only to find Fullmetal holding a red stone between his fingers and staring at it in wonder. Chaos surrounded the blonde, but he seemed to remain ignorant to anything outside of the small stone he held in his hand.

"He finally did it. He got the stone." Denny commented, stopping next to Maria and using her shoulder as an armrest. "What do you think he's going to do after he and Al get their bodies back?"

"Who knows?" Ross replied, deeming pushing the man away a waste of effort. "That's for them to figure out on their own."

R-2-F

Roy swayed unsteadily on his feet, staring at the bloodied sword in his hand. The object suddenly seemed to heavy for him to hold and slipped out of his fingers, landing on the concrete floor with a loud clank. His sudden surge of energy had drained Roy of everything he had left, and standing suddenly seemed far too trivial. He swayed backwards, allowing gravity to do the rest.

"General!" Riza exclaimed from her place next to her fallen fiancé.

Riza's cry roused Edward from his momentary stupor in time for him to bound forward and catch Roy before he could hit the ground. He sunk to his knees with Roy's body, his knees serving to cushion the ex-General's decent. "Roy?" He questioned softly, worry etching it's way into his voice. "Roy!"

"Brother!" Alphonse exclaimed, crossing the courtyard to where the blonde sat hunched over Roy's form. "Brother? Wh-what happened? Is General Mustang alright?" He stammered, panic entering his voice. "He's alright, isn't he? None of that blood is his…?"

"I'm alright, Alphonse." Roy croaked, coughs beginning to rack his frame due to his efforts.

"Like hell you are." Ed admonished, smoothing raven locks out of the General's face. "You need a medic."

"Later." Roy rasped, raising a hand and covering Ed's clasped hand with his own. "There's more important things for you to do right now."

Ed's gaze fixed on their joined hands, understanding what Roy meant yet at the same time unable to grasp the truth of his words. The Stone was literally within his grasp. All he had to do was use it…and his and Al's bodies would be restored. He'd waited for this moment for six years, but now that the moment had come…he hesitated.

"A-are we sure this will even work?" He asked, looking at the alchemists of the group; from Roy to Armstrong, and finally to Alphonse.

"It worked for the Homunculi, didn't it?" Riza answered, having just finished tying a makeshift bandage around Havoc's middle to keep him from bleeding out too badly.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye is right, Edward." Armstrong agreed as he rose unsteadily to his feet and crossed over to the group.

"Don't you think it's a bit late to chicken out, Eddie?" Havoc taunted, but his words sounded strained even to his own ears.

Ed turned his gaze to Alphonse, needing his brother's affirmation…his brother's trust. If anything went wrong again there might not be another chance to fix things. The truth of this finally hit the oldest Elric…and it scared the shit out of him.

"I believe in you, brother."

Ed finally turned his desperate eyes to meet onyx eyes.

"You've come this far, Edward." Roy said softly, his eyes locking with Ed's. "An opportunity has been placed before you; it's your choice whether or not to let it pass you by."

With a deep breath, Ed nodded. "Alright. Let's do this." He began to stand up, but had a sudden thought and leaned down, capturing Roy's lips in a searing kiss. The others averted their eyes to give the two a moment, all save for Havoc who managed a low wolf whistle. When Ed pulled away again, his eyes once again held the confident gleam one was accustomed to seeing in the teen's eyes. He carefully extracted himself from Roy and stood, turning to his younger brother. "This is it, Al. We're going to get our bodies back."

Had Alphonse been able to do so, his smile would have split his face in half. Instead he settled for an enthusiastic nod. "Let's do this, brother."

Edward nodded again before casting a final glance around them, his eyes lingering on Roy's. With a deep breath, he clutched the stone tighter and focused his energy on the stone. Just like before he felt the power flowing from the stone in his hand, and just as quickly it was gone. He opened his eyes to find himself staring into the hazel eyes of his little brother. "Al…" He breathed, paying no heed to the tears filling his eyes.

"Brother…" Alphonse replied, carefully clenching and unclenching his hands in wonder. "I-I'm back! I'm me again! And your arm, it's real too!" His eyes lit up in excitement as he threw his arms around his older brother, who he still surpassed in height. "We're back! We did it!"

Ed laughed through his tears, hugging his brother tightly for the first time in over six years. Despite everything Ed had endured to get to this moment; all of the hardships, the pain, the heartbreak…everything was worth it, was worth this. Being able to just hold his little brother, to feel the younger Elric's skin under his fingers…it was all worth it. Alphonse was back. The thought caused Ed's tears to begin anew, but the blonde made no move to hide the tears because, for the first time since Ed was a little boy, the tears were not from grief or sorrow…but of joy.

Alphonse clung to Edward just as desperately, his own tears flowing freely down his cheeks. The words "I'm real" continued to tumble incoherently from his lips, but the teen could do nothing to stop it. After years of being devoid of a feeling of touch- of feeling at all - Alphonse was able to feel his brother's warm embrace again. Emotions were no longer a long forgotten feeling that he knew not how to name. Everything was real again…including him. "I'm real, brother! I'm real!" He repeated, leaning his head against Ed's shoulder. "I'm real."

"Yeah Al…you're real." Ed echoed, sniffling and ruffling Alphonse's hair.

The others watched on silently as the brothers were reunited fully for the first time since they were kids. Riza was fighting back tears as she watched Ed and Al, her heart overwhelmed by the sight of the two brothers together. She felt arms wind around her middle and jumped slightly before gingerly leaning back into Havoc's arms, mindful of his injury. Jean laid a loving kiss on her neck and tightened his hold ever so slightly, telling her without words that he was just as affected by the display.

Armstrong stood to the side of the brothers, tears flowing freely down his own face. He did not try to make a speech about brotherly love or anything else that one might have guessed he would do in such a situation. Instead, he stood silently with an unabashed smile on his face, watching as the two basked in the knowledge that they'd achieved their greatest goal.

Roy's face was carefully impassive, save for the slightest upturn of his lips. The ex-General was not one to so easily show emotion, but his happiness for the brothers was as clear as any of the others.

Ed reluctantly released his hold on his younger brother when the weight of collective gazes became too much for him to ignore any longer. With a deep breath he offered Alphonse a last smile before turning back to the others, his eyes locking with Roy's. "Everyone…I'd like you to meet my younger brother, Alphonse Elric." He grinned, his smile contagious.

Riza and Havoc both smiled at them, looking every bit the parent figures of the group. Riza stepped away from her fiancé's embrace and came to stand in front of Alphonse, extending her hand and looking every bit as serious as she usually did. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Alphonse Elric."

Alphonse- now capable of doing so- gave her a smile that nearly split his face in half. "Nice to meet you too, Miss. Riza." His smile widened, if possible, at the blonde woman's surprised face. This was the first time he'd ever addressed her as anything other than Lieutenant Hawkeye. He took her surprise to his advantage and pulled her into a hug, which she returned after only a moment's hesitation. This earned a chuckle from the surrounding men.

Ed knelt beside Roy, his smile permanently fixed on his face. "We did it." He breathed, touching Roy's face reverently with his right hand which was no longer made of steel, but of flesh.

Roy offered Ed a weary smile, leaning into the blonde's loving touch. "Congratulations." He replied softly.

"What about your leg, Roy?" Ed asked suddenly, startling the raven haired man.

"What about it?" Roy asked uncertainly, his brow knit in a frown.

"I can change it back…I can make it flesh again with the stone." Ed raised the red stone, preparing to do just that. He was stopped by a surprisingly firm hand on his wrist. "No!" Roy hissed, his grip tightening to the point that it was nearly painful. He realized his mistake almost immediately and released his hold on the blonde, though his eyes remained strangely guarded. "No." He repeated, softer this time. "No good can come from that stone."

"What are you talking about?" Ed laughed, his voice holding the barest hint of uncertainty. "Three of the Homunculi are dead and Al and I got our bodies back! Does that not count as good?"

Roy shook his head, unwilling to get into an argument with the blonde and ruin everyone's good mood. Despite this, Roy couldn't refrain from replying to Ed's words. "All good things come at a price, Edward."

Ed's eyes narrowed dangerously as he rose from his feet. "Equivalent exchange, huh? Well I think I've given more than enough to be allowed this little bit of happiness, don't you Roy?"

"That's not what I'm saying, Edward, and you know it!" Roy snapped, rising to his feet unsteadily.

"Well it sure as hell sounded like it!" Ed retorted and made no move to help steady the raven haired alchemist.

"Brother, Mustang? What's going on?" Alphonse questioned, turning concerned eyes to the pair. "You're fighting again?"

"You shouldn't be moving around so much, General." Armstrong advised, regarding his commanding officer with a wary eye.

Riza and Havoc both moved to Roy's side, Havoc ignoring his own injury in favor of helping his friend who was far worse shape then he was. The blondes stood on either side of Roy, moving to support him despite the ex-General's protests.

Alphonse turned to stand before Ed, his eyes searching his elder brother's. "Brother? What's wrong? What happened?"

Alphonse continued to question his brother while the others all tried to calm Roy down enough to get the man to relax. Until then, the raven's wounds had gone unnoticed due to how fast everything had been happening, but now the others realized just how badly injured Roy really was.

Everyone was so caught up in this realization that they failed to noticed the soldier crossing the courtyard to reach them, his pace slow and even. In his right hand the soldier clutched a handgun, which he steadily rose as he neared the small group. Maria realized what was happening a moment too late, and only managed to shout a warning to Mustang and the others before the sound of a gunshot rang throughout the courtyard, followed by the soft thud of a body hitting the ground.

R-2-F

TBC