Disclaimer: My mom is making sweet potato pie. If I owned FMA, we would not be eating it. We would be having katsu in Japan.
Chapter 4
The dorms were generally very boring. Nothing interesting really happened, partly because men and women were in separate quarters.
Ed was stretching when the phone rand. Al picked it up. "Elric speaking… No, this is Alphonse… Of course. Hold on."
Al held out the phone to Edward. "It's for you, Brother."
"This is Fullmetal," he drawled into the phone after taking it.
"Fullmetal? Good. You've been requested as an opponent for an alchemy battle."
"For the alchemy test?"
"Yes!" The voice on the other end sounded delighted that Ed knew what he was talking about. "Are you interesting in fighting the Night Alchemist?"
"Very."
"Good, good. It's settled then."
The blonde grinned. "Alright. When's the fight?"
"On the third."
"Of next month?" He blinked.
"Yes, Fullmetal, the third of October. Is that alright?"
Ed sighed. "That's… as a matter of fact, it's perfect."
"Thank you Fullmetal." The person hung up the phone. Al smiled at him.
"So when's the fight."
The shorter brother scratched his head as he put the phone on the hook. "Next week—October third."
Al stopped dead. "Don't forget."
"I can't lose."
"Good luck, Brother."
X—X—X
"Fullmetal can I have a word?"
"No."
"But Full—"
"I' won't say anything unless you say 'please'," Ed replied curtly. He glared at Mustang, he really wasn't in a talking mood.
Roy sighed heavily, and rolled his eyes. "Please, Fullmetal."
"Anything." Ed continued walking.
Mustang steamed in his spot.
X—X—X
October 2, the calendar read. Mustang winced. Ed had evaded every attempt to talk to him. This generally pissed the older man off. 'I have to talk to him.'
X—X—X
"He's so annoying," Ed informed Al. Everything he'd turned up that could have been Adrian's power had been met with resistance and an amused glance. Meaning he'd been wrong. This generally pissed Edward off.
"Who, Brother," Al was attempting to help.
"Mustang," he cried. "He keeps bothering me while I'm working!"
"Why?"
Edward grumbled the answer. "Said he wants to talk to me."
Al rolled his eyes. Typical Edward. "Maybe he has something useful to tell you."
"Whatever," Ed grunted, turning a page.
X—X—X
"Those did't have the right to be called potatoes," Ed muttered as he walked down the corridor, intending to go back to his studies. All the other food from the mess hall had tasted fine today. Maybe a little chewy, but not bad overall. But those potatoes… they'd tasted like crap.
Suddenly he was pulled into a room to his left. "What?" The door slammed shut, and he didn't have time to think as he was pushed against a wall. 'Office,' he noted. Looking up he realized what was odd about the whole situation. "Roy," the blond gasped, feeling generally confused. "What are you—"
"Hush," the man commanded, and for once Ed listened. "Look, Edward. It's going to be tough fighting my sister. I guarantee that you will either over or underestimate her, most likely the latter. Are you listening?"
Ed nodded, too shocked to really say much.
"Good. Then I'll keep going. You're thinking she's named after a particular skill—but she's not. Adrian does not have one area of specialty—she's a lot like you that way." Roy sighed, releasing his hold on the blonde. "That's all I can tell you for now."
"Why are you telling me?" Ed looked up at his superior, unaware of the blush that dusted his cheeks.
Roy smiled. "Because I want you to win."
Gold eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You're betting with someone aren't you?" Ed frowned when Mustang shook his head. "No? Then why? Why would you want me to win over your sister?"
"To prove something." The brigadier general slipped out of the room, and Ed followed at his heels.
"What would that be?"
The response was only a smirk. "If you win, you'll probably find out."
He sighed. "She has an advantage over me, doesn't she?"
"Quite." He spoke the word flatly. "She reads fast. Went through most of the files involving you, you know."
"What does that mean for me?" Edward's braid whipped around as he turned to look at the taller man who he walked next to.
"It means she won't underestimate you. She knows a lot of your typical tactics, but she doesn't know information about how you actually fight." Mustang didn't look, just focused straight ahead as he walked.
"Does she know that I can do alchemy without circles?" Ed sounded nervous.
"No doubt she's hear rumors. She was gathering information after all. But I doubt she'll know if it's true or not." Mustang couldn't keep looking ahead. He finally paused, to glance at Ed. "Why?"
"Well, if she doesn't know…" The blonde grinned. "I can make an advantage." That grin. The one that was on his face whenever he was planning something good. "I need to go buy supplies."
Roy hesitated, then held Ed's face for a moment. He leaned down, placing a small kiss against Ed's forehead. "Good luck."
They both stared at each other for a moment, and then took that as their key to turn and walk in the opposite direction. Ed glanced back, but was disappointed to see Mustang continued to walk. And just as he turned his head back around, Roy moved slightly to see if the younger man was looking.
X—X—X
She traced the circles from one book onto the blank paper. The fight depended on her ability to memorize them and draw them fast. Or she'd never win, she knew it. Adrian knew that Edward would know roughly about how she fought by now. She doubted that Roy would be able to keep it to himself.
A small knock on the frame of the library door made her jump in surprise. When she looked up, Fuery was standing there holding flowers with a small smile. "These are for you, Miss Mustang."
She stood up, setting her chalk on the table. "Are they from Brother?"
Fuery's smile grew into a grin. "No. Read the card."
Adrian took the flowers, fresh tiger lilies, and flipped open the card.
If you don't die, would you consider a date? Good luck against Little Boss.
Jean Havoc.
She laughed. "He really knows how to be romantic doesn't he?"
Fuery couldn't help but laugh at that as well. "Havoc is a real ladies man, if they meet him before your brother."
The younger Mustang thanked him for the delivery, and when he left she returned to her circles. 'Romantic…' she thought with a grin. Her hand moved in a quick movement, effectively getting the circle she'd just been looking at onto the paper without looking. 'I might just take him up on that offer…'
… Give or take two more chapters! OMG. Am I actually going to finish a fanfiction???
