Hi Guys! I'm back with Chapter 3… Exams are over, and I don't have lessons yet, so I'm just writing now!
I hope you enjoy this chapter, and PLEASE, please Review!!! I really appreciate it when you guys review… ;)
------------
CHAPTER 3
"Before we start this little... er… game, I'll set the rules."
"Why do you get to set the rules, Mustang? So you can cheat?" Ed asked a grin on his face as they met by the sidelines.
"Listen Ed… I don't need to cheat in a game of volleyball… because I'm pretty sure you're going to lose!" Roy replied back.
"Why I oughta—" Ed was about to charge at Mustang, but he was restrained by Al.
"First things first, it's a little game, 15 points to win a set, and it's 2 sets for the win. No alchemy… meaning that you can't alchemize the ball, or anything around like the sand. You just have to use your hands to hit the ball and your feet to run. And definitely NO KICKING THE BALL." Roy shot a glance at Ed, who was still struggling to get free from Al. Ed gave him a murderous stare.
"Hah! I'd hit that ball straight into your face!"
"Edward, you stop that!" Winry scolded.
"Make me."
"Hey Ed… let's make this game a bit interesting… let's make a little bet." Ed stopped struggling and Al let go of him.
"Sir, you be careful with what you say." Riza warned her superior officer.
"It'll be alright… whoever loses has to do the winner's paperwork when we get back to HQ. Meaning, if you lose, you'll have to —"
"I get it! And there's no way I'm doing your paperwork!"
"Can't take a little challenge Ed?"
"Hah, I can take anything! Even a stupid little bet like that."
"You're agreeing brother?"
"Yeah! There's no way I'm chickening out on a bet against Mustang!" Ed said smugly. Behind the group, Breda, Fuery and Falman were huddled together.
"I bet 10000 that Ed gets hit on the face with the ball and Mustang wins this one." Breda said, pooling in his money.
"Tough chance, I bet double yours that Ed's going to commit quite a number of service errors… but still manages to win!" Fuery countered, giving his money.
"I bet they just forget about this bet, and the game ends in a draw." Falman said quietly, giving the money.
"That's impossible! They wouldn't end this match in a draw!" Fuery and Breda exclaimed at the same time.
"Well, let's just wait and see the game." They all stood up and went to their respective positions.
------------
"Alright! Let's start this match! Ed gets first service!" Falman announced as the players took their positions. Ed moved over to the end line and stepped a few inches away from it. He held the ball in one hand, and when he was ready, he threw the ball in the air and hit it as it was going down. It sailed over the net, heading for the middle of the other side. A clean serve. Ed ran quickly into position as Riza readied to receive the ball. When she did, Havoc set it up neatly to allow Roy to spike it back to the other side. It landed with a loud thud in the space in front of Ed.
"Damn it!" Ed shouted, as Roy, Riza and Havoc exchanged high fives. They rotated and Riza went for the serve. It sailed over, and created a perfect arc before falling. Winry stopped the ball and Al served it back to the other side. Havoc received it and sent it back straight to Ed. Ed jumped and spiked the ball so that it was heading towards Mustang. Under his breath, Ed was muttering "Miss… miss damn it. Miss!" But Roy was able to send it back and Al received it and put it back into play. Havoc set it up for Riza to spike it, and it accelerated straight down landing on the sand of Ed's side again.
"2-0 in favor of the General!" Falman shouted.
Riza got the ball and served it. Winry received it but instead of making the ball sail to the other side, she made it fly backwards, towards the end line. Ed tried to run after it and missed the ball. The score was up to 3-0. When the ball was put into play, Ed saw an open space just near where Havoc was. He decided to take the chance and spiked the ball to that spot. Havoc didn't get it thinking that the ball will go over the sideline. The ball landed a few inches from the side line. Fuery, who was watching that line, signaled that it was inside.
"2-1! Finally Ed scores!"
"Lucky you Ed… but you won't be so lucky next time!" Mustang shouted as Ed and his teammates rotated. Al took the ball and served it. Havoc received it, Roy set it up nicely and gave Riza a chance to spike the ball at Winry, who was able to send it back. Riza jumped up to block the ball and the ball headed down on Ed's side again. Ed dove for it, was able to hit the ball, but the ball went under the net. The score: 3-1.
The game became more exciting as time went by. The girls who owned the ball sat down on the sand and watched the group playing volleyball. They usually cheered for Roy, which made Ed want to hit the ball at Roy's face. The lead changed once in a while. But near the end of the first set, Roy's team was able to catch up thanks to a nice combination from Roy and Riza. The score was up to 14-13 in favor of Ed's Team. Ed needed only a point to win, and Mustang still had a chance to make the score a tie. It was Roy's turn to serve. He served it which such force that it hit Ed, who was somehow targeted by the ball, right smack in the face. The ball landed on the sand. It was a score for Roy's side. Only a point more to win the set.
"You did that on purpose!!" Ed shouted his face a bit red, pointing at Roy.
"Did not! I have no idea where the stupid ball was heading." Roy fired back, arms crossed.
"Calm down brother… it happens to everyone…"
"He did it on purpose!! I swear he did. You always wanted to do that don't you, Mustang? You dirty, cheating, unfair —" Al restrained his brother while telling him to stop. Riza signaled to Falman to call for a time out and Falman did so. Everyone made their way off the court. Riza and Winry went over to the side and sat on the sand. Roy went over to their blanket and retrieved his pocket watch. Havoc, Breda, Fuery and Al tried to calm Ed down, and stop him from clobbering Roy. Roy went over to their blanket and retrieved his pocket watch. He opened it and the time was ten minutes to four. They'd been on the beach for that long already? He shook his head, and closed the watch and put it between some of his clothes. Then he went over to join Riza and Winry, who were talking to each other and giggling.
"I didn't notice it was almost four o' clock…" Roy said as he sat down on the sand beside Riza.
"Really sir?" She raised an eyebrow and thought for a moment. "If that's the case, then we must head back to the cabin now… Winry and I need to prepare dinner. Maybe we should just end the game right now…" Winry overheard the conversation.
"It's almost four?! Then we really have to prepare dinner, Ms. Hawkeye!" Winry shot a nervous glance at Ed, who calmed down, but was hitting the ball over the net with such force that it made loud sounds as it hit the sand. "I don't think Ed will take it that well though."
"Hmmm.. you're right, Winry. Sir, what do we do about Ed? He isn't going to like this."
"Hmph… well he can starve if he wants to. Come on; let's tell them that we'll end the game now." He stood up, brushed some sand off him and went over to the others who were watching Ed. Riza and Winry followed him.
"Fullmetal… we'll end the game here." Roy said as he stood by the side line, a smirk on his face. When Ed heard this, the ball which he was supposed to send over the net hit the net and bounced back at him.
"What the hell do you mean by end the game now?! I'm not stopping now! The game's tied and there's no way I'd want to draw with you!" Ed shouted, definitely pissed.
"If you want to starve go ahead. But we need to rest, and the girls need to prepare dinner. Choose. We can go on and play another set, but we have to starve. Take your pick." Ed had no choice.
"FINE THEN. We'll end this as a draw." He said as he stomped off the court, angrily. He threw the ball at Roy with a mad expression on his face, and Roy returned the ball to the girls who owned it, who blushed and said a lot of 'thank yous' to him before running off, still giggling. Riza and Winry retrieved all their things, and folded the blanket up neatly. The sun was starting to go down, and people were also going back to their cabins. Riza gave some of the things for the men to carry, and they all made their way back to their cabin.
------------
"I was this close to beating General Sarcasm! This close!" Ed shouted, holding up two of his fingers, showing anyone who would bother to listen to him how close he was to beating Mustang.
"Brother, it was just a friendly game… It's quite alright in ended in a draw." Al, who was sitting across Ed on a chair, said. Before Ed could reply, there was a loud slam heard. It was just Breda and Fuery who put their money on the table. Both had those sorry looks on their faces all because they lost the bet.
"Next time, I bet I'll win." Breda said smugly, getting up and retreating to his room. Before he was able to open the door, Riza's voice rang out from the kitchen.
"That'll teach you gentlemen not to gamble… you'd just end up losing. All of you wash up before dinner. I mean it." With some groans and complaints, they all got up and went back to their rooms to get their things so they can wash up before dinner.
------------
Forgive me, for I'm not myself today… " If you don't like this chapter, it's ok. I'll make it up on the next one I swear. :D Please review and Thanks to those who will!