Aley was leaning on the wall, her breath coming in hard. Roy could run! And she wasn't exactly in great shape to be running that fast.
"Aley?"
She shook her head. "Go ahead, Roy. I need a breather."
Roy sighed. "Why aren't you running to the Fuhrer's office?"
She shook her head. "Just go." She reached behind her head and her hands clasped over the black tattoo on her neck. "I'll be a long shortly."
When she was alone, she pulled her hand away. The trembles. They were the whole reason she was scared.
The State Alchemists.
"Al?"
She looked around, shocked out of her skin. "Sir!"
Bradley just smiled and touched her shoulder. "Much better."
She quickly saluted him and followed right behind Hawkeye. She had to stay behind now, since Hawkeye had taken her old position. She could see that Hawkeye was watching so intently that she was sure the blond would bore a hole through the proverbial head of the Fuhrer.
"Private Greene, will you mind conducting the investigation with the Fullmetal Alchemist?"
She nodded. "Of course, sir." She gave him a little bow before she jogged ahead of them towards the scene she was going to be witnessing again. She stopped and turned around and smiled at him. "Oh, and sir, I'm not going to make it to breakfast tomorrow. I have to go visit an old friend. Tell your wife I'm sorry." She darted around the corner. 'Maes, I'll come by for a visit.'
She stopped and saw the scene for the first time through the eyes of a soldier, not the attacker.
She'd done some damage.
She knelt down and picked up an old photo that had a cracked piece of glass. It was an image of Maes Hughs and Roy Mustang. She smiled sadly. Just under the prison, Roy's only piece of sanity was being driven mad from isolation. And here was his only friend in an image, frozen until time took away the ink.
"Hey!"
She almost dropped the frame. "Ah!" She quickly put it back and ran to Roy's side. "What's wrong, sir?"
Roy pointed. "You're the blade expert around her now a days. What's with these markings?"
She took out her glasses and examined the walls. She reached out and, with a trembling hand, touched the edges of her damage. She followed the motion and saw the damage she'd caused. She examined Armstrong's wound. She took a good look at the hallway where it had started. She took notice of the broken objects.
"This was planned." She put a finger to her forehead. "But I don't know how the attacker got away."
Roy shrugged. "I know it's late, maybe you should go home. This will be what? The eighth all-nighter for you?"
"Tenth. At least let me accompany Major Armstrong to the ward."
Roy nodded.
Aleysheia smiled warmly when he opened his blue eyes. "You'll be okay. It's not dangerous. It seems the attacker left you unconscious before they fled. Are you okay?"
Armstrong nodded and looked off, into space. "She was fast. I couldn't keep up with that speed."
Aleysheia nodded and hushed him. "Sleep. It's late. We'll get you to a proper place to be taken care of."
-Ling-
He crossed his arms and let the wind come to claim his attention again.
'Hey, Ling!'
"What is it, Greed?"
'Don't you ever get cold? I mean, you're human.'
Ling smiled and reached into their pocket and pulled out a Yang sign. The chain was silver and the encasing of the enameled Yang sign glistened in the night lights. "She liked the wind and showed me how it's refreshing. You should try it."
'Tch. You humans are so freaky. Whatever. Just be sure to not fall. It would be too much of a bother to heal you again, ding bat.'
Ling looked up at the sliver of a moon. "Greed?"
'What?'
Ling chose his words carefully. "Do you... want to meet her?"
'HUH?'
Ling gripped the Yang sign tightly. "The reason I got the drive to do this. Do you want to meet her?"
"Someday."
Ling smiled. 'Have fun.'
Greed jumped down. "Yeah, whatever."
Greed noticed her again.
The stranger who had struck fear without looking.
He watched as she took her hair down. She tossed the sides of her hair out, letting them settle how she pleased. She rubbed the back of her neck as she kept walking home. She looked weak and tired. It was almost as if her patience had been tried to it's limit.
Greed moved with Ling's speed. He reached out to strike her when she ducked. 'Huh? She knew I was coming?'
Ling laughed. 'No. Look.'
"Ah! Lucky coin." She flipped it into the air before catching it. She got to her feet and kept walking. "Next time, chose a side I won't be looking down for."
Greed lurched forward and she stepped aside.
He turned and was about to strike her in the face when she moved just an inch and he got her across the right side. She had struck out and had just placed her hand on his chest before he had even reached her.
"What the devil are you?"
She smiled. "I'm just like you, and yet I'm not." She slowly moved her palm away. "I move fast because of Alchehistry. I see your movements because of Alchemy. But I fight with the movements of Xing."
"You're just a bundle of excitement aren't you?"
She didn't stop smiling. "Greed, Father won't be happy if you hurt me."
"WHAT?"
She opened her eyes and sighed. "If I show you, don't be hasty to freak out." She raised her right hand and used a handkerchief to wipe some colored paste off her hand. When she lowered her palm to him, there it was.
Greed backed away. "What in the world are you?"
She sighed. "I'm a creation from the first stone Hoenheim received. I'm his Patience."
"You're a homonculus?"
For a split second, there was silence.
She reached out, fast as lightning, and grabbed his face, shoving him down. The impact caused blood to rush to his head. She brought her tattooed hand back and made a claw. "You have to forget for now." A spark of purple light shot between her index and thumb. "I'm sorry, Greed. You're not right. I need you to be okay before the pawns can move for Hoenheim to save this country." She brought her hand down to his throat.
When she withdrew she recognized that kindness in those eyes.
"Ling."
He shoved away from her and dashed into the darkness.
"Oh, boy." She did a face-palm before she got to her feet. "That complicates everything, doesn't it, Patience?"
'What of Kindness? He's not free yet!'
She looked at her hands. "Yes. Kindness first, then we come along. Maes, just one more night alone in the grave."