"Zeroun promised he'd bring me something nice from Central if I behaved," stated four-year old Allen Holmes as he knelt on the rickety bus seat, pressing his forehead and palms to the window while staring at the passing country scenery with wide azure eyes. Pale golden hair strands stuck out messily upon his head, like a bird's nest made of down feathers, when only a couple hours before it'd been neatly combed by the woman sitting beside him, who now reached quietly and tugged on his rumpled white shirt.
"Rear on seat, Allen," she commanded in her gentle voice. The boy obeyed immediately, but not without pouting and frowning, deeply in thought.
"How long till we get there?" Those angelic blue eyes focused on her pleadingly. She chuckled and combed his hair with her hand.
"In another five minutes. Now, sit still before you wake up your brother. We wouldn't want to deal with a grouchy Ryan later on, no?" Allen sighed dramatically and slumped in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest and grumbling about his boring twin and wanting to see Zeroun soon. Sophie chuckled good-naturedly at the boy's mumbling and sighed happily at the thought of meeting the family after so many years of being separated by distance and work.
Truth was, she couldn't blame Allen for being so overly excited to see his older brother when she herself was thrilled to see her husband.
The bus slowly came to a stop as it entered the station and the three family members stepped out into the quiet paradise that was the village of Resembool, walking contentedly to the meeting place. Ryan had awoken and slowly began to join his older brother in his happy frolicking around their mother, trying to catch the tiny yellow and white butterflies fluttering around them that summer afternoon. The trail to the house-by-the-riverside seemed shorter than it'd been in previous occasions, and Sophia attributed this to the company of the two boys by her side.
She knocked on the door and was immediately received by a face she hadn't seen since in many years, and gladly welcomed the embrace she received. This person stood back with a bright smile and set her hands upon her hips, saying enthusiastically, "Well, it's been a while, Miss Sophie! And these are the little ones Ai trained?" Allen quickly voiced his dislike of the term while Ryan stared blankly at this new character. "Come in, Miss Gigi's in the kitchen." Immediately, Allen shot forward with Ryan in tow, almost knocking over the young woman who'd welcomed them. Sophia merely laughed at the boys' eagerness.
The house was just as she remembered it: spacious and full of family warmth. It only made sense, she thought, that the property remained as unchanging as its inhabitants. Solange soon caught up with her and said, "We have been waiting for you to arrive. Everyone's here already."
Sol pushed the kitchen door open and stepped into the room, where the others looked up and greeted them. Sophie waved at them and took her seat beside Leon, who reached over and gave her a peck.
"Welcome home, Sophie," said Miss Gigi from the head of the table, giving her a warm smile which she returned. "Now that you are here, we will get down to the matter at hand, and it is absolutely important that you note what I will say and ask whatever you do not understand. Are we on the same page?" Even the little ones sat up straighter at her tone and looked at her attentively and seriously, all childish glee gone.
Miss Gigi nodded and continued, "The end is almost here, and we must make the final preparations for the Promised Day. In this sense, I have taken into consideration all the likely participants of this event and divided you as I best saw fit among them."
"You mean," piped up an olive-skinned girl in her late teens, and all eyes turned on her. "We'll protect them? Wouldn't that place us at a disadvantage because we are keeping our eyes on two things at the same time?"
Zeroun, a young man clad in a simple shirt and trousers, added, "I don't think humans should be facing homunculi. This war is exclusively between us." Miss Gigi nodded in recognition of their points.
"However," she explained, "take into account that first, it directly affects humanity and second, they will not know this is worse than they imagine until the day has come. You are all aware that Homunculus does not know fairness, lest even justice. That is why we step in, to ensure that humanity overcomes this trial and to send him back where he belongs."
"One concern, Miss Gigi." Eyes turned onto a smartly-dressed woman with sharp grey eyes. "Once we accomplish the goal for which we were created in the first place, what will happen to us?" In response, Gigi raised her palms.
"Whatever you wish to do, Em. I gave you back life, but I will not take it away. Each of you must take that choice, and none will stop the other, understood?" Everyone nodded. "Back to the subject, each of you has been assigned someone—in some cases, you will look over several humans. Listen carefully. I will only say this once, and we will part ways immediately after this is done.
"The rules are simple and must be followed to the letter. First, you will be in contact with them at all times. Second, you will and must not reveal yourself as a homunculus unless either absolutely necessary or until the Promised Day. Third, you must comply with your team leader's orders. Fourth, at all times be on guard; do not even trust your shadow."
She distributed folders down the table, each neatly labeled with their names. "The particulars of your assignment are listed in your files. Please take a moment to study them and promptly destroy them once done. Some of you have been moved into position for some time already; the rest of you will mobilize upon leaving Resembool. I've divided you into two teams: the first will be led by Leon, the second by Sophie. Any questions or concerns, refer to you team leaders first."
"Miss Gigi." She looked at the Ishvalan woman sitting near the end of the table. "My assignment... If he is a renegade, how am I to track him? If he is a warrior priest as the dossier mentions, it may be futile to try hiding my true nature."
"I know. But I have reason to believe he wouldn't spare anyone long enough to hear them out but you. I trust you'll find him and introduce yourself whenever you consider best." Aimée bowed in response and accepted her mission.
Miss Gigi returned the bow gently and returned her attention to the family of homunculi who had accepted to follow her in her mission. "Thank you. A word of advice: Leon, Zeroun, Emily: evade the Führer as much as possible; unless your protégés are in imminent danger, you will not make direct contact with any of Homunculus' creations whatsoever, clear?"
She rose to her feet and added, "I truly love all of you. I am grateful to you for your dedication and focus, even though there have been times we long for our humanity. I wish I could embrace you all after this is over, but I'm sure that will not happen. I will always be available to you in the Current, whenever you need me, and your siblings will stand by your side any moment you call out to them. The end is almost near, and before I leave this earth, I want to be certain that all those of our kind that have caused harm to humanity will be gone. It is the last thing we can give to that which we once were, our last tribute, and our only gift for the generations to come." The golden-haired woman, clearly the oldest in the room, cracked a charming motherly smile as she asked, "Well, who's in the mood for some peach cobbler and ice cream?"