Fullmetal Alchemist: Solitude
Chapter 3: Revelation
"Hello. Is Izumi Curtis there?"
"Yes she is. May I ask who's speaking?"
"Major General Olivier –"
"HONEY! Phone's for you!"
Olivier sighed impatiently as she waited.
"This is Izumi!" Came a voice from the other end of the phone line.
"Izumi! It's Olivier."
"Hello General! I don't believe I've received a call from you before. How are you doing?"
"I've been well," she paused. "Actually I want to take you up on that dinner offer. Are you able to come to Central soon?"
"I can be there tomorrow if that works. Is that too soon?"
"No, no, that's perfect. The sooner I owe you nothing the better." Izumi laughed.
"Alright, General, we have ourselves an agreement. Just be warned, I'll eat you bankrupt."
"Even though I'm an Armstrong?"
"Even though." Olivier grinned.
"Good. I'll meet you at the Central Steakhouse at seven." Olivier automatically hung up. She reclined back in her desk chair. It was probably about time she stopped hanging up abruptly on people she considered to her friends. Then again, she didn't have very many.
A hint of worry trickled its way into her thoughts. She was lucky that Izumi was able to make it to Central on such short notice; if things had been different and her friend had already made plans…well, Olivier didn't really know what she would do. Though she would never admit it to anyone, Olivier desperately needed to talk to a girl friend. She talked with Riza Hawkeye a couple weeks back at the Drachma Conference, but since then male soldiers had dominated her life.
Olivier groaned. Would someone elucidate to her the reasons why she was becoming so, so weak? She had never needed any female attention for years. Well, in all honesty, she supposed she just needed some solace, maybe even some help. Izumi Curtis happened to be the only person she knew closely enough, and who possessed the necessary knowledge to be of assistance.
"So what is this about?" Izumi said, taking a seat on the opposite side of the booth. "I figure it must be something of importance for you to call." Olivier crossed her arms.
"You've guessed correctly," she stated. Olivier paused. What was the best way to go about this…? Directly. Yes, that was it.
"I need your help," she said, bluntly.
"I'm listening." Quickly, Olivier's eyes darted around the Steakhouse, one of Central's most popular restaurants. The place was filled to bursting with laughing people; it was a miracle she had managed a reservation. Everyone near her seemed oblivious to anyone except those at their tables. Good. Well, here went nothing. Olivier leaned into the center of the table.
"What are the signs of pregnancy?" She rapidly whispered. Izumi blinked, creating a long, semi-awkward silence.
"You're pregnant?" She asked, awed.
"I don't know, that's what I'm trying to figure out." Izumi let out a deep breath.
"Okay. Well, is your period late?"
"By about a week, yes. But it could just be an irregularity."
"Have you had any morning sickness?"
"I have thrown up a few times over the past couple weeks. But there was a stomach bug going around, so I wasn't sure…" She trailed off. Izumi was silent. Olivier sighed, placing her head in her hands.
"I am, aren't I? I suppose I already knew it… you didn't really need to come all this way…" Izumi placed her hand on Olivier's shoulder. The General looked up, surprised.
"I came because I figured you were in trouble. Just calm down. You can't be sure that you're actually pregnant; it could be an irregularity as you said. However, it does seem probable that you are."
"This can't happen though. I'm a major General. I command Fort Briggs. I fight. How can I possibly have a – a baby?" The word sounded strange and foreign on her tongue. "My career will be over."
"You should consider yourself lucky. It doesn't happen so easily for everyone."
"What do you mean?"
"I entered the portal of truth trying to transmute my unborn child. The Truth, well, they made it so that I could never conceive again." Izumi's eyes were sad.
"I'm sorry Izumi," said Olivier. "I never realized."
"It's fine. All I'm saying is that you should think of this as a gift. You've had a distinguished career: you're a general, a hero of the Promised Day, and a couple of weeks ago you forged an armistice with Drachma. This would be a good time to start a family." Olivier cringed at the word "family."
"I can see where you're coming from," she managed, though not entirely honest.
"Who's the father anyway?" Izumi asked. Oh shit. There was only one man who could possibly be the father of her potentially existing child. That morning, when she had woken up with Miles next to her… Miles. Her subordinate. Christ. This broke how many military rules and regulations? Was she really pregnant due to some, some drug? Not to mention that she still remembered nothing from that night! This situation had just gone from bad to inexorably abysmal.
All of this went through her mind in less than a second.
"I cannot disclose that information," she said tersely.
"Ah. It'll get you discharged then?"
"Yes."
"So why did you do it if your number one priority is work? It's completely careless – not to mention so out of character!"
"Because I was drugged dammit!" Izumi gasped.
"Drugged? What – how?"
"I don't know," said Olivier, shaking her head. "One minute we were toasting, and suddenly I was just waking up in bed, and there he was."
"Did he do it?"
"He claims to not remember anything, and I trust him with my life."
"Thanks to him, you might have created new life."
"I know…"
"Alright," spoke Izumi. "You're not alone in this, okay? I'll be here for you. Don't let yourself fall into any depression or force solitude upon yourself. We'll figure out how to handle this situation. Everything will turn out just fine."
"Olivier wasn't feeling so optimistic. It did sound nice however, that solitude. She would love to escape from all of this, especially from the baby that could be growing inside her…
AN: Thanks for the reviews! They're always welcome