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8th of November, 1917
The most I can offer Winry and Alphonse are my condolences. That, and the promise that I'm still alive. I know for a fact that Alphonse is going home for Christmas. Granny is sick, and Winry is alone - never a good combination. Maybe he'll even take his fiancé along with him - good riddance. She'll keep his spirits up, even if it may be in solicitous ways.
So far, there hasn't been any major battles. A few skirmishes, maybe, but Amestris is holding back for now, and so is Drachma. It's become as cold as a war can be. Sometimes I imagine General Armstrong standing on top of the Briggs' Wall, staring off at the enemy, without actually doing or saying anything. It's not really funny.
The investigation of the underground bunker and labs have been put off until the end of the month, officially. The Brass is a bit touchy about it. Unofficially, me and Mustang are still looking into it. Out and around, it's highly suspicious - seems like it goes far back past the time of the Homunculus Fuhrer, but all that had been planned for hundreds of years, so who knows? Most of the equipment is old. The incinerator itself dates back to 1865. But there are writing on the walls and floors that are in a different language - possibly an old, dead language. It doesn't look Xerxian, at least. Mustang and I suspect some sort of cult. But then why all this? Why here? Taking cult practices underneath a highly defensive military base? What's the purpose?
It's cold here, and my automail still hurts. My shoulder aches more than my knee, but it's lessened from the time I've gone to the mechanic. They've given me some more lighter stuff, and I'm still trying to get used to it.
The recruits are all babies, still trying to play hero. Some are serious; some are flighty. All of them are afraid. They pretend not to be, but I can see it in their eyes. Fear isn't something you forget.
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From the Journal of,
Edward Elric
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TELEGRAM FOR GENERAL OLIVIA M. ARMSTRONG
The infected soldiers have been quarantined STOP We are still trying to find a way to diagnose them without infecting more STOP The disease has proved to be contagious STOP Please send out a PA informing all to stay away from the sick bay until further notice and that a new one has been set up for temporary use STOP
FROM : MAJOR GEN. EDWARD ELRIC (CODENAME : FULLMETAL)
North City, Briggs, Northern Wall Military Fortress P.O. 666930
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November 10th, 1917
I'm sorry about not being able to make it home, I really am. Al and that beansprout girl should keep you company, though; tell me if they don't (especially make sure they don't run off together, not without me there for supervision) and remind them that there should be no funny business until their wedding. Which I'm not sure if I approve of or not. (On one hand, nieces and nephews. On the other hand, my precious baby brother...)
Granny will be fine. The old hag is too strong for anything else. Give her a bottle of whiskey and make sure she doesn't touch any sharp things. She might try to kill me all the way from Risembool.
Don't worry about anything now; ever since the bombings, things have been pretty quiet. Tense, but quiet. We're all trying to get past this. Hawkeye might accept another promotion soon, and if she does, she's getting sent back to Central for a while. Give her a call, if you'd like - I'm sure she'd appreciate it.
I saw a couple of other kids from Risembool. I'm trying not to scare 'em too much, but I gotta admit, it's pretty hard not to. If I even walk their way they start trembling. It makes me wonder how they'll handle a real enemy.
There's something weird going on here, Win. I don't know what it is, and that freaks me out some. Gonna find out though. Hey, if I get injured, at least I'll be home for a while, huh?
Ed
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Notes:
things that have come from the underground investigation:
- possible incineration of peoples in the hundreds
- some sort of cult following taking place
- new language, most likely dead, with amestrian + drachman, therefore concluding this contained both countries
- therefore is this something government related? must keep away from suspicious parties aka anyone in the brass that was under fuhrer bradley
- a disease that broke out hitting only specific members that searched the deeper parts of the mine/bunker, also the ones that found the bodies; bodies had the disease postmortem? or was it caused by some sort of reaction to disturbance? could the disease be possibly why the bodies were being burned?
- government participation is also unlikely, since there is both drachman and amestrian presence, and due to systematic organ removal and disembowelment but nothing more than that. recent bodies seemed fairly fresh, therefore this might be cult movement?
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Dispatch
Origin: North City, Briggs: 0981127725
Destination: Central City, Central Command: 0136772846
013: Well, long time no talk, Chief.
098: Nice to hear your voice, Havoc. You sound as smug as ever.
013: I'm trying to radiate my inner Mustang. You think it's working?
098: You're getting there. Gotta work on your tone - it doesn't have enough of that "I'm an arrogant bastard" quality that Mustang has.
013: I'll keep that in mind, then.
098: Listen, Havoc; Hawkeye's gonna be over at Central in a few days. She's bringing along top-secret reports from both me and Mustang; make sure those get to the Fuhrer. No doubt Hawkeye's gonna be sidetracked by some generals trying to distract her. She's gonna be dropped off at her hotel by the Briggs soldiers, stay for about a week, and then head back.
013: You got it, Chief. I heard that Colonel Hawkeye didn't take the promotion? Gotta admire her for that, eh.
098: You and I both know what that 'promotion' was for, Havoc. We're lucky she just wasn't forced into it. I told her I'd get someone to take the files from her, and they're to be given to the Fuhrer right away. I told him that I'd send you too. Get there by five, the day that Hawkeye arrives.
013: Are you sure you can tell me this all through this line?
098: It's General Armstrong's private line. No one had permission to look into these call logs...except for Major Miles.
013: He was a good man.
098: Scary as all fuck, but yeah. Mustang might contact you. Hell, I might contact you again. Keep this line open back there; write down the number, then erase it from the log. I'll talk to you later, Havoc.
013: See ya soon, Chief.
Time Elapsed: 00:05:13
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November 14th, 1917
I just arrived in Risembool yesterday, brother. Winry says that her letters are being sent to you as top priority, so I thought I'd sent mine in with hers. I'm sorry I haven't been able to before: it was a long, one-way journey from Xing, and both me and Mei were tired.
We've both decided to wait until you get back to get married. I don't want to hear any complaints from you; we both know that I can be as stubborn as you are, and I don't want to get married without you there. Besides; we're both still young. Mei's parents are the ones that are pushing for marriage, but Mei and I are happy with a long engagement.
She and Winry have become quick, fast friends. I often hear them talking on the porch or down in the basement; presumably, Winry has shown her the mechanics of automail, and Mei is pitching in with her own knowledge about the human body. I feel a little left out, but I do what I can. Clean the house, wash dishes, garden...there are a lot of people missing in town, so I help them out too. I'm stronger than I was two years ago, so you don't need to worry (as I know you're probably doing). By doing all this, I can train my body too. I help some of the old ladies with their groceries and some of the farmers with their crops, at least as much as I possibly can. There's much to do, so I try to spend my time there, which is greatly cutting into my time for research, but what can you do? People are more important; the knowledge will always be there.
I do hope you're taking care of yourself, Ed. I know you don't like war, and I know you're going to have to do things you don't want to. Don't let it change you, and don't let it get to your head. You're still my big brother, no matter what, and I don't want you to forget that.
It doesn't seem like you'll be home soon, but here's to hoping. Please, even though I know you want to keep me safe, keep me updated. Send letters as much as you can. Winry is pulling through, but she misses you - misses us. And I have to admit, the house seems emptier without all your raging. Granny is sick, too. I don't think she'll make it to next year, Ed. She can barely get up, and she's coughing so much. Mei has used some healing alkahestry on her, and she's gotten better, but it's not staying for long. There's a few other people that are sick as well - some coughing, fever, nausea, but none are as old as Granny.
I don't say this to make you worry, but I know that Winry would try to keep it from you if she could. You're both stupid like that. When you get home, you better give her the biggest apology, Ed. And then stay home.
Alphonse E.
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TELEGRAM FOR MAJOR GEN. EDWARD ELRIC (CODENAME : FULLMETAL)
Delivery reported successful sir STOP Fuhrer Grumman has requested your temporary presence at Central Command in the next 2-3 days sir STOP
FROM : LIEUTENANT COLONEL JEAN HAVOC
Central City, Central Command, Information and Communications Offices P.O. 182234.
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...so I haven't updated in three years? what?