Well, what can I say? I promised an early chapter and came back what five months later? Sorry :( now I'd love to write all my excuses but I'll just let you read the chapter… and thanks to all those who reviewed last time :) So enjoy!
-Nezume-chan
P.S. If you don't remember where I left off, check chapter 5 and 6. That should pretty much sum it up to get to this point.
Short Recap:
Roy wrote his letter in an attempt to throw Hughes off. Hughes knows all and is on a 'mission'.
Maes Hughes awoke eagerly from his bed at the crack of dawn in his temporary hotel room. He had a good nights rest in order to perform his tasks today. Maes smiled widely in a devious way. Today is what he had been waiting for. Hughes hurriedly put on his military clothing and immediately left his hotel room. He marched swiftly to work and straight into the report room where all files that the soldiers reported were located at.
Hughes smirked evilly and looked around. Dozens of file cabinets took up the room space except for the desk in the middle of it. Maes sighed and stepped near the cabinets. He opened one of the drawers and eyed the papers. Around a hundred folders were stored in it labeled by the criminal case the soldier had investigated. Hughes scanned the folders unsure of which to take first. He scooped up the first one just as a hawk would to its prey. Hughes quickly opened the folder as all its contents fell out. He kneeled down to look at the files searching for two particular soldiers' names that might have written the paper. None had it. He stuffed the fallen papers back into the folder and replaced it. Maes looked around the room at all the filing cabinets. He sighed, pulled out the first drawer of folders, and sat down at the rectangular table in the middle of the room. This was going to be a long day indeed.
Meanwhile, Roy Mustang sat at his desk patiently awaiting the arrival of his "delivery boy" Havoc. He sat staring at the wooden desk and all the papers scattered all over it. He glanced at the clock and then back at his papers. Roy slowly extended his arm towards the mess and picked hesitantly picked up a paper and stacked it onto another one. He smirked and stacked more papers into an organized pile; who knew something like this could be so easy? Once every paper on his desk was stacked and all his pens and pencils were in his desk, he leaned back in his chair satisfied at his work.
Roy closed his eyes. "It feels good to be organized for once." He thought to himself. "Sort of like my Lieutenants' desk. That's probably why it's always clean. Hmm, I wonder where she could be." He smirked thinking of her. His thoughts ended sooner than he expected as he felt something heavy leap onto his legs and a loud knock was heard. Roy opened one eye to find a little black dog on top of his desk looking at him with loving puppy dog eyes. Roy reached into his pocket and pulled out the letter that Rhino had given him.
"Here. I know how you love to eat letters." He handed the dog the paper as Black Hayate lit up and snatched it from his hands. He leaped off of the wooden desk, hitting the stack of papers on his way. Roys' eye twitched seeing the papers flutter into the air and scatter across the floor. Riza stepped in cautiously eyeing the chaos. She sighed and began picking up the papers.
"Rough Night?" she asked.
"How do you stay so organized all the time?"
"Practice sir, and patience. By the way, have you seen my dog by any chance?"
Roy pointed towards the door.
"Thank you sir. I'll be back in a while." She told him and rushed off.
"By the way! If you happen see Havoc, tell him I have a favor for him to do!" Roy called out.
He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I wonder what Rhino would do if she were in my position. She'd probably shoot me just like she threatens her boss. That sounds familiar…" Roy thought. He placed his hand on his chin and thought for a moment.
"I've got it!" he said aloud. "I'll have the Lieutenant make me a cup of coffee, and then maybe I'll be more awake and I can go find this Rhino myself. Of course, she'll be amazed at my good looks though." He vainly laughed.
"Sir, is there something wrong with you?" Havoc stepped in confused. Roy's face turned red as he adjusted his collar and tried to look professional.
"Nothing at all." He coughed.
"Havoc nodded his head and sat at his own chair.
"Lieutenant Havoc, in a while will you do a favor for me?"
"Does it have to do with delivering that stupid love letter?"
"Yes. Yes it does. And it's not a love letter. It's a pen pal letter and I happen to like writing to this person."
Havoc rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'll go deliver it in a while, but this is the last time I'm going to do something like this. You'll have either find a new messenger, or find your pen pal." He told Roy who nodded his head.
Back in the file room: "There you are." Hughes laughed holding a paper in his hands. It was a bill that had been filed away, but that's not what he was looking at. The paper was written by Colonel Roy Mustang and sighed at the bottom. The handwriting was sloppy, but easy enough to mimic. Hughes put the paper aside on the table and continued to pull out folders looking for another soldier's name. He glanced at the file cabinets and glared at the ones he had open, and yet to look in. He was almost done and then
Moments later he had the two items he was looking for.
Hughes whipped out a black ink pen and immediately took out two sheets of paper. He glanced back and forth at one bill and file to the next; his hand having a mind of its own. Hughes formatted his handwriting on the two sheets of paper to match that of the two files. An evil smirk spread across Maes Hughes face as he enveloped the papers and casually stepped out of the file room.
Riza walked outside the building. The sky was looking a gorgeous shade of blue and white puffy clouds shaded the ground. A soft bark ended the silence as Black Hayate raced up to his master and leaped into her arms.
"I just don't seem to understand how you always disappear and reappear." She questioned him and in return, the dog tilted his head and wagged his tail.
"You know, I've been thinking lately of my pen pal. I've put some of the pieces together, but when I think I've got it, I remind myself that I mustn't find out and yet I just can't seem to guess the person." Riza told her dog who barked.
Riza turned around as she saw Hughes leave the building and off of military grounds as if he were on some top secret mission. "Well that's odd." She though and carried Black Hayate back into headquarters.
Meanwhile down the street, Fuery whistled a happy tune to himself as he walked his way to work. He walked carefree and whistled a bit louder to show his good mood. As quick as the wind, a blur of blue clothing and black hair leaped in front of him and disappeared. Fuery froze and tried to recap on what he saw. He looked to the direction that the blur went and bravely he decided to follow it.
"Hey Havoc!" Maes Hughes panted as he reached the door to the Pen Pal Headquarters just as Havoc was about to enter. "Hey, that's a letter you got there right?" Havoc nodded his head.
"Oh, the old woman behind the desk says to give this to you for the person on the envelope. She sees you deliver the letters anyway. I'll take that one off of your hands." Hughes plucked the envelope out of Havocs hands and replaced it with one from his jacket. "Well then, I'll see you at work." He smiled and entered the Pen Pal headquarters.
Havoc stared blankly at the envelope with the words "To Farm from Rhino." He looked back at the door and at the envelope. The moment didn't seem to make sense. Havoc opened his mouth about to say something and shook his head then walking off.
Inside the Pen Pal Headquarters, Hughes turned in his letter and walked out making sure that Havoc was nowhere to be seen. As Hughes was tearing up the letter that he took from Havoc, he began to think about his plan. There was always that chance that it could backfire. Just as he was losing a little hope, luck came to play on his side, and just by chance he noticed Fuery in the distance. Hughes waved and in seconds he was at Fuerys' side.
Fuery saluted. "Good morning sir! I'm guessing that you were the one that I followed here." He smiled brightly. Hughes patted him on the back with a wide grin on his face.
"Yes my friend, it's a very good morning. Well, I'll leave you off to your business." He said. "Oh and by the way, it looks like they got new tiling in that building over there." Hughes pointed at the Pen Pal Headquarters. He shoved his hands in his pocket and whistled his way back to Military Headquarters.
Fuery watched Hughes leave and looked at the building.
"I'm going to do something good for my comrade and see if she has any letters." He though happily and with that, he took the bait.
About half an hour had passed at the Military headquarters. Roy was pleased that he was finally done and loved the silence in the office. Breda was out getting paperwork, he had Hawkeye making him coffee, Black Hayate was with his master, Havoc and Fuery were gone somewhere, and Hughes was nowhere to be seen. This day was perfect. Roy heard footsteps and watched the door as Havoc entered the office with a white envelope in his hand. Havoc tossed it on his desk and left.
Around that time, Fuery had also returned and found Riza brewing coffee in the lounge. She too was handed a white envelope.
Simultaneously, both tore open the envelopes and read their letters.
"Dear Rhino." One said. "Dear Farm." The other said.
"I've enjoyed writing to you for sometime now and I feel we've become close friends now. Somehow I trust you, and even though you're a mystery to me, I'd really like to meet you in person so I've arranged a quick meeting at a local café at 5:00PM. Below the address is listed. I will be wearing a lovely red rose pinned on me. I suggest you do the same to we can recognize each other. I looked forward to meeting you today.
Signed your pen pal, (Farm/Rhino)"
Riza stared at her letter and watched her dog run away once more. Black Hayate ran as fast as his paws could carry him towards the office.
"Perfect Timing as usual." Roy told at the dog and handed him the letter. Black Hayate placed his mouth on the envelope and quickly drew back. His nose searched the paper for familiar scents. He sniffed it and using his paw, smacked it out of Roy's hands. The paper landed on the floor, abandoned by the dog. Mustang raised his brow and picked up the letter from the floor.
"Something isn't right about this." He thought out loud.
"What's not right sir?" Riza but in with a silver tray.
"Nothing." Roy smiled and took a cup of coffee from her tray. "It's a beautiful day isn't it Lieutenant?"
Riza nodded. "By any chance, do you have any red roses?"
Roy paused and thought. "In fact, I have none. I'm pretty sure the flower shop ran out the other day, but I'm pretty sure we have plenty of wild flowers growing about headquarters." Riza nodded her head and left.
Roy took a sip of his coffee. "Wait." He thought. "My pen pal wanted me to wear a rose. Oh great. Well, I guess I'll have to find Farm by their rose and hope they recognize me. I'll go pick some flower later I suppose." He lifted his feet onto his clean desk and sighed, eagerly waiting for what fate held for him, where he would finally meet his pen pal.
YAY!!! I'm very pleased how this chapter came out. Next chapter will be part 2 of 3 to my fun chapters. I hope everyone enjoyed it and got the little clues and hints in the chapter =D again, apologies to those who waited so long.
-Nezume-chan