Hello again! This chapter is supposed to be part of the plot. You have to see where they are and all. Also you'll get to see another of Sophie's powers. Note! This is not a Mary-Sue just read Belgariad and you will see that the sorcerers there can do it too. Sophie' abilities is based on the abilities of the sorcerers in David Edding's book. Mind you there is no character named Sophie there. Sophie is MINE! Mine I tell you MINE!! ...Sorry... so I just realized that I really ought to be putting disclaimers so I will start here and when I have the time I'll add on my other chapters too. Sorry about that.

Disclaimer! I do not own the Full Metal Alchemist or any of its characters. All I own is my books, Sophie, my blanket...um what else? Heck! I don't even own the laptop I'm using! It belongs to my mother. :P

Chapter 8

Mustang

Estherville was a collection of huts and sheds. The only buildings that looked stable and not on the verge of falling to pieces were the train station and the inn. Silvertongue said we would be spending the night at the inn.

Speaking of Silvertongue, I really don't know why she intrigues me so. Maybe its because she's so powerful…or maybe its because she knew of an even greater power, the Old World.

If I could just use that power…

Even if I only had Silvertongue under my command, all those who block my path would fall like leaves! But it was no use. She's in control…and she knows it. That is what irks me so much! It's annoying really, I mean she's only what, fourteen years old! Wait if she's fourteen now then five years ago when we first met she should have been…nine? That's impossible! No nine year-old could have beaten me! She's lying. Yes, that has to be it. She's lying about her age. I mean she looked to be in her teens five years ago…so she's…ah! Never mind, it doesn't matter right now!

But I better keep an eye on her. She's not what she seems…

"The inn only has three rooms."

Gaah!

It was Silvertongue. She startled me but I didn't show it…I hope. How in the world did she manage to move about so quietly??

"How can it only have three free rooms?" I asked, "The place is empty!"

"I said," Silvertongue said, her voice clearly saying she thought I was dumb, "That they only have three rooms. Not free rooms. They really only have three rooms. Unless you want to count the mess room, the tavern, the kitchen and the not so clean cellar."

"Co—I mean, Mr. Mustang, I don't mind sharing with Winry-san." Hawk-eye said.

"Call him Roy, Riza, or else people will get suspicious." Silvertongue said.

Hawk-eye pressed her lips together.

"It's fine, Riza." I said.

"Edward and Alphonse can share, and if Winry and Riza share then you can get a room to yourself." Silvertongue said to me.

"What about you, Silvertongue-san?" Ri—Hawkeye asked.

"Would you please call me Sophie?" Silvertongue asked, "Silvertongue was tacked on me by country folk who didn't know all that much."

"Sophie-san then." Hawkeye said smiling.

Hmm…Riza looked nice when she smiled…wait. What am I thinking?!?!?!

"Oh right. I'm supposed to call you –san too." Silvertongue said, "Sorry, we normally just call people by their names or by their title."

"That's okay." Hawkeye said, "You can call me –chan if you like."

"Only if you do too."

"Okay!"

I cleared my throat. Both girls looked at me as if they only noticed me now.

"You didn't answer Riza's question." I said, pointedly.

"Oh, don't worry about me. Just go on in and get settled. I've already made a down-payment, so don't worry about anything." Silvertongue…Sophie said.

"Just don't eat anything." She added, "I saw the kitchen and it's a mess."

"You're going somewhere?" I asked.

"Just to get some food…that's edible." She said, "Don't try to follow…you won't be able to."

I shook my head, "That's what you think."

"That's what I know." She shot back.

Then right before my eyes, Silvertongue blurred and turned into a silver-gray owl. The owl…Silvertongue…flapped a few times then rose into the air. She circled us a few times, her wingtips brushing my face, before flying away.

I swore. So that was her plan! Leave us here in the middle of nowhere!! I'm so dumb!

"She can fly…" Hawkeye said, wonderingly.

For some reason that made me even angrier.

"She escaped!" I spat out.

"She'll come back."

"How do you know?" I demanded.

"I know."

I glared at her then entered the inn. The innkeeper pointed out a rickety staircase that I climbed. The Elric brothers were in the first room and Rockbell was just entering the second so I made my way to the last room, the one farthest from the stairs.

I closed the door.

Now, far from people's eyes, I could be angry. And I was! I was at the mercy of that girl…again! It was infuriating.

I studied my quarters. It was not pleasant. The room was small and dingy. There was a low bed pushed in the left corner. A small table and chair stood opposite it. There was a wash stand to right of the door so I placed my bags in the opposite corner, near the foot of the bed. Light came from the single open window between the bed and the table. A used candle was fixed onto the wooden table and a small box of matched lay beside it. Obviously, there wasn't any electricity in this backwater town.

I lay down on the thin mattress that covered the iron bedstead. It wasn't particularly comfortable but I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew was someone was shaking me.

"Get up!"

My hand shot out and grabbed the wrist of whoever was shaking me. I sat up quickly, twisting the intruder's arm as I did so.

"Oww!" the hand was tugged free of my grasp.

I looked up, blinking away the sleep in my eyes. It was Silvertongue…and she was cradling her wrist.

"Dinner's ready." She said, then she walked out of my room, "Oh and next time, lock your door. You were lucky that it was only me. You might not be so lucky next time." She called to me.

I swore. She was right. I could have been robbed! Fortunately, nothing seemed to be missing so I closed and locked my door and went downstairs to the mess hall.

Riza looked up when I walked in. I sat beside her and helped myself to the roast chicken that lay, drenched in gravy and smelling absolutely scrumptious, in an earthenware dish in front of me.

"I was going to wake you but Sophie-chan said that she'd do it."

"It's fine." I said then I began to eat.

"I wonder where she got this chicken…" Riza mused quietly.

I raised my eyebrows.

"There was barely any food here but when Sophie-chan came back she was carrying a couple of wild chickens."

I glanced at Silvertongue who was chatting with Winry. I noticed that as she ate she seemed to favor her right hand.

I frowned…did I hurt her?

After dinner…roughly an hour later when we were all nursing cups of coffee or in Silvertongue's case, tea, Silvertongue roused herself to give more instructions…instructions I didn't really expect.

"You all better go to bed, we leave at first light." She told us.

Is she telling us to go to bed???

"Are you telling me to go to bed?!?!" Edward exclaimed, his face disbelieving.

Silvertongue pretended to think about it, "Why, yes, I do believe I am."

Edward's face turned red. But the cold stare that Silvertongue sent his way forestalled any other protest. Still snarling, he stood and stormed out of the room and up the stairs, soon followed by his brother and Ms. Rockbell. Silvertongue was good; I'd give her that.

"Shouldn't you be going to sleep too, Sophie-san?" Riza inquired.

Silvertongue shrugged, "I suppose I should."

She stood up.

"Good night."

"'Night." Riza replied.

I simply nodded. Silvertongue shook her head…at me I think, and then she walked out the front door.

"Sir, where do you think she'll sleep?" Riza asked me.

"She can change her form, probably up in a tree or something." I said, not really interested in what she did.

"If you say so, sir."

But she didn't seem all that convinced.

I sighed. Why couldn't my subordinates just follow me? But then again one of the reasons why I liked Riza was that aside from her loyalty, she also thought for herself. But even so…too much thinking from subordinates can be exhausting.

"Just go to bed, Riza."

She didn't answer…but then again she didn't argue with me either.

…

Riza wouldn't say anything but I knew that her eyes would hound me till I did something.

With a sigh I stood up…

So there! What will Colonel Mustang do?

Anyway...Sophie's abilities... Well you all know that she can transport herself, make things break and teleport objects...which is like what she did to herself in an earlier chapter and now you know that she can also change her form. Its not human transmutation don't worry. If it was then she'll be a suit of armor like AL by now. Her favorite form is that of a silver gray owl. She picked the color so don't ask me if there is a silver gray owl in this world. In the Belgariad one sorcerer turns into a bluebanded hawk. Apparently, he didn't like the original colors and changed them.

By the way, Sophie can't turn into any animal at will. Since her alternate form is that of an owl this is the only one she can turn into easily. Any other animal will take far longer and will need many repetitions to get it right. Don't try this at home! Please, if you forget something important like oh i don't know...your heart! then you'll be in a fix wouldn't you? Also minor details have to be attended to. For example if you're turning into a fish and you forget to add gills...you get the picture? So please please please! don't try this at home.

I tried to become a bird once. I did the wingtips wrong and landed ...painfully... on my face. Haha.

Just trying to keep you safe,

Sparkalie

PS please review!!