Chapter 2

"You are the child in this house and we are the adults. Don't you dare ever chat back to us and tell us what should and should not do? How we choose to raise the two of you in this house is entirely our decision and you have no right to tell us otherwise!"

That was the last words I remember my father saying to me and, that was three years ago. A lot has changed since then. Well for one I'm not living at home anymore, I live with the Führer himself now, along with his family.

Roy agreed that he would keep my location a secret from my family. The last thing I needed was for them to find me, I am happy with my new life now. I feel like I have really grown up these past 3 years both physically and mentally.

Not only have I joined the military as a state alchemist but I have also learnt Alkahestry and am classed as an Alkahestress. On top of that, I learnt everything else I needed to learn sooner like how to use a gun and how to defend myself. All the things my parents were too scared to teach me because they always said 'I wasn't ready'.

In regards to mine and Lizzy's relationship, you would call us sister if you just walked past us in the street. We were as close and two twin sisters could be. Roy told us that we reminded him or my father and my uncle Al when they were kids but, soon shut his mouth when I told him I didn't want to talk about any of my family.

Now that you are pretty much all up to speed let me tell you about what' going on now. I am currently on my way to visit Roy's office. Something tells me he has a mission for me. I mean, what's new we are in the military after all.

"Trisha Elric," A male voice suddenly made me look up from the floor.

The Major stood before me, not much emotion on his face apart from a slight smile.

"Major," I greeted him.

"How are you doing these days?" He asked me as I continued to make my way towards Roy's office.

"Very well thank you major. Life has been looking up for me," I replied.

"I heard. So I hate to bring this up but when will you be returning you your parents' house," He asked me, throwing one of his abnormally large arms over my shoulders causing me to winced slightly.

"I won't be returning Major. I made that decision the minute I left. I have worked hard for everything I have now and my parents would take it away from me in a hard beat," I answered.

The major just stayed silent, dropping the subject. Everyone in the military knew that the topic of my family was one I hated talking about. I'm actually surprised Armstrong asked because most people are too scared to ask. I'm not exactly one known for keeping my cool when the topic is brought up.

"Well, with that all said this is where I take my leave, Miss Elric," The major told me as we arrived outside the Führer's office.

"It is. Nice speaking to you major," I smiled, dipping my head slightly.

"Indeed Miss Trisha," He replied saluting then walking further down the long hallway.

Turning my attention back to the task at hand I knocked on the door and heard at very faint 'Come in' speaking from the other side.

I opened the door and stepped inside to see the Führer at his desk going through piles of paperwork. Exhaling I made my way towards the desk after closing the door behind me.

"Talking to the Major were you Trisha?" The man asked me.

"Yes Führer Mustang sorry," I replied.

"Roy Trisha, you know better than that," Mustang corrected me, not looking up from his paperwork.

"You know I'm not allowed to do that. It's against the rules," I told him, crossing my arms.

"Yeah but who makes the rules?" He asked me, smirking.

Damn he got me.

"Yeah alright, you have me there but, still I can't call you by your birth name. Not only is it disrespectful but it seems as though I don't care," I sighed, running a hand over my forehead.

"It doesn't matter what others think Trisha. You know that I know you are nothing like that so you shouldn't need to worry about all of that," He put his paperwork aside for a moment so he could pay attention to me.

"So what did you need me for?" I questioned, taking a seat in one of the chairs positioned at the front of his desk.

"I need you to complete this for me," Roy passed me a file with the words 'Xing Alkahestry,' printed in the front.

"Alkahestry?" I asked.

"Yes. It appears that the news of a young Alkahestress being involved with the military has definitely brought up a lot of talk. Many people have been trying to find a way of learning the art and it seems to be causing a few security problems within the military," The Führer started explaining.

"So I'm guessing that pulls me straight into the problem since I am the only one who seems to know Alkahestry," I thought out loud.

"Indeed, so I would like you to go through these files and write down what you know about Alkahestry and return it to me," He finished.

"How long do I have?" I asked, placing the file on my lap.

"As long as you need, I know you are still learning so just take your time and maybe even ask my daughter for help since you are teaching her Alkahestry, are you not?" He asked me, getting back to his paperwork.

"That I am, but, you know this could take months right?" I commented, raising one eyebrow.

"If that's the time that you need then so be it," Roy replied, not looking up from his paperwork.

"Well then, if you will excuse me, sir. I should make a start on this so I can get it done on as fast as possible," I stood up for my seat and made my way over to the door.

"Very well, happy writing Alkahestress. I will see you back home, once I am done here," Roy smirked.

I rolled my eyes before exiting the room. I looked down at the file in my hand and sighed. This is going to take forever. I knew Roy like to challenge me but this is just ridiculous.

I walked out of the command centre and back towards the Führer's home where Lizzy would most likely still be studying what I was teaching her from last night.

That girl is just as bad as me when it comes to the whole studying thing. She won't stop trying to solve a problem until it can actually be done. Something tells me she gets that from her mother because Riza is the same. She never gives up on anything either.

"There she goes!" Someone suddenly yelled from behind me.

I went to turn around but was thrown to the ground by something. I pulled myself up and saw a man run past me, dressed in a military uniform. I then felt a pair of hands help me up off the floor. I looked and saw a female soldier, this time, looking at me with worry.

"It's okay I'm from the military. I'm not going to hurt you," She told me.

I chuckled to myself before reaching into my pocket and pulling out my state alchemist watch. I handed it to her and waited for a response.

"You're a state alchemist," She said before handing me my watch.

"Yeah, what's going on? Could I be of any help?" I asked.

"You could actually. That girl who just knocked you over is an escapee from central prison. She is a murderer. The Führer has told us if we see her shoot on sight. Do you think you may be able to help?" She asked and I nodded before passing her my file.

"I can make up for several soldiers. I need you to deliver this to the Führer's home. His wife should be there waiting for you," I told the soldier who saluted before rushing off in the direction of my home.

I didn't watch her go as I just shoved my watch back into my pocket and hurried off to try and help to current soldiers.

I ran down an alleyway where I heard yelling and screaming before a massive explosion. Not thinking twice I went towards the noise and saw a load of soldiers on the floor unconscious along with another group of soldier awake but these guys were huddled in a circle.

"Someone get a medic. Hurry!" One of them screamed.

I got a good look at what was going on after another one ran to, what I would think to be as help. A soldier was one the ground, his uniform stained red with his blood and barely breathing.

"Hold on!" I yelled out to them, acting fast.

I ran over to the scene and dropped down beside the soldier before drawing a transmutation circle out of the blood on the floor around him. I threw my throwing knives and slammed both my hands down on the floor.

The floor around us lit up as the transmutation took place before dying back down again. I looked up as the wounded solider started coughing and spluttering. I stood up as others aided the young man.

"What kind of alchemy was that?" Someone asked me.

"It wasn't exactly alchemy. It's something call Alkahestry. It comes from the land of Xing," I explained smiling.

"Well, the military could sure use your abilities," He replied.

I showed him my pocket watch and smirked.

"So you're already part of the military, well then thanks for your help. It's a shame there aren't more people like you around here. A lot of lives could've been saved," He commented.

"HEY!" I turned and saw our little escapee bolting from the military again.

"Excuse me," I told the soldier before following the group of soldiers through another alleyway, attempting to corner the young woman.

I decided I may be able to catch her if I could get the upper hand. I quickly made a turn into another alleyway before seeing the young girldrawing something on the floor.

"Thought you could get away from the military did you?" I asked the girl, sneaking up on her.

She swung around on her heels to face me.

"Who are you, another on of military's puppies without a pedigree," She growled at me.

"You could say that. Now, I will give you two choices. You can either come back with me and saves yourself a painful death by the military soldiers looking for you or you can run and let me catch you anyway. It's your choice," I threatened her.

"You a little full of yourself aren't you and I'd say by the looks of things you aren't going to let me go either way," She replied.

"So it looks like I'm going to have to FIGHT!" She screamed before slamming her hands down on the floor, letting off a massive alchemic reaction.

I flipped out of the way as a massive rock flew towards me, just narrowly missing my head.

"Okay, well I didn't want to do this," I told the girl as I threw my Kunai to the floor after drawing a star in the dirt with my feet and caused a massive explosion behind the girl.

I winced as a small building came down on top of her. Oops, I was just supposed to knock her back a few steps, not being the whole freaking building down on top of her.

"Oopsy daisies," I said to myself before starting to make my way over to the rubble.

I crouched down beside the wreckage and pulled a few rocks away to reveal the girl. Crushed, just as I thought.

"Well shit," I pulled a face of semi guilt.

"Ms Elric!" A voice called out from behind me.

I turned and saw a group of soldiers making their way over to me. They stopped in their tracks and widened their eyes when they saw what I had done to the girl.

"As bad as this looks, I wasn't actually supposed to bring a building down on top of her. I was just planning to restrain her, not kill her. Sorry guys," I told them.

"Well, if help any, she was on death row anyway for killing someone back there," A solider gestured to behind him.

"That make me feel a little better, but I still feel bad for killing her. That's not how I would usually do things," I muttered to myself as the military started to take the body away.

"Am I needed here for anything else?" I asked.

"Not that I am aware of. Thank you for your help," A soldier told me.

I nodded before beginning to take my leave away from the scene. Thinking about what my father would think if he ever found out that I had killed someone. His number one rule was never to kill anyone, no matter what they may have done.

That doesn't matter anymore, though. They are out of my life and I am doing just fine without them. I do sometimes wonder what they would think if they could see me now, and everything I have been able to do with the very thing my father wanted to keep me from learning.

"Trisha is that you?" Riza's voice rang through the massive Mustang Mansion and I stepped inside.

"Yes, Riza it's me. Sorry, I'm back so late. I had to help out with something!" I called out through the house.

"It's alright my dear. Roy isn't back yet anyway. He has to stay at the offices a little longer, something came up," She told me as I followed her voice into the kitchen.

"Something about a girl getting crushed by a building," She told me and I pulled another face of slight guilt.

"Yeah, I'll take responsibility for that one," I owned up sheepishly as I took a seat at the kitchen stool in front of her.

"What do you mean? You crushed the girl?" She asked me as she started to chop some carrots.

"You could say that," I muttered but, I think she heard me anyway.

"What happened?" She sighed, looking up at me for a moment and then returning to her carrot chopping.

"Well it wasn't intentional, I was just supposed to get some distance between the two of us but, instead the whole effing building came down, crushing her," I explained.

"Please tell me she wasn't innocent?" Riza asked, looking me dead in the eye.

"Don't worry. She was on death row, but that still doesn't make what I did right," I sighed, shifting around uncomfortably.

"Sometimes we all do things we regret Trisha. If was an accident there's nothing that could've been done," She told me pausing for her slicing to focus on me.

"I killed someone though Riza. God knows what would've happened if my father ever found out," I placed my head in my hands.

"Trisha?" Riza tried to get my attention.

"Mmmm?" I replied into my hands.

"Look at me please," She asked.

I slowly lifted my head and saw she had a very serious look on her face.

"When I say it wasn't your fault, I mean it. You're like your family, you won't kill without good reason to, in fact, you're stronger. Your father would fight with Roy and I whenever we asked him to kill someone. You know it wasn't your fight but, your upbringing is telling you otherwise. It's telling you that what happened could've been prevented but, the reality of the situation is, it couldn't. You were defending yourself and there was nothing you could've done to save that girl," She lectured me, reaching over to grab my hand.

I nodded, starting to think about it from her point of view. After all, she has had to kill people before so, she would be the best person to talk to about this sort of thing. She has a point to, I am a stronger person than my father. I have done things in the past 3 years that my father would've even had the guts to do, like killing people.

This isn't the first time I've killed someone. The only difference there is that those people were killers that were threatening to take the Führer hostage and I have a duty to protect Roy as an alchemist of the military and as a friend.

"I guess you're right Riza. I don't dwell on it anymore," I agreed with the woman.

"Good now, why don't you go and see Lizzy. She's still held up in that library and could really use some human interaction," She suggested before going back to preparing dinner.

I nodded before starting to make my way over to the study room where the library was and there I saw my best friend huddled up in the corner, her nose deep in a book.

"Still reading?" I asked, making her jump.

"Jesus Trisha. What are you trying to do kill me?" She asked and I chuckled.

"Let's hope not I've killed enough people today thank you very much," I replied, making my way over to her and taking a seat beside her.

"What do you mean?" Lizzy asked, putting her book down.

"I accidentally caused a building to collapse on a girl today killing her. But, it's okay; she was already on death row. It still doesn't make things any easier," I explained.

"Okay backtrack. Start from the beginning or you're going to lose me," I had her full attention.

Oh boy, this was going to be a long night.