Alright every body it looks like I got the proper amount of reviews a few days ago, and I just didn't realize it. SORRY

I know you all hate me for making Dalka's life hell… again, but if I wanted the story to progress something had to happen to her. I DID NOT WRITE HUGHES'S DEATH!!! I just want to make sure everyone knows that I hated Hiromu-sama too when he killed off Hughes. I'm not happy with it but in the sprit of trying to keep with the original story line, I re-wrote it.

Oh and this part is in que with what my editors suggested to me. (Yes I have two of them now, Aren't you proud Syldoran-chan, Mak-kun?) When I started writing this I was using the manga as my reference source. Then I got to book 10 and something I didn't like, so I made Dalka's actions change it from the Manga version to the Anime version. If any of this is confusing that's why.

Thank you everyone for your heartfelt reviews, but I do Have one question… People who aren't on this site… Who are you? I love hearing from other people but I have no real way of replying to you which I do for all my reviewers. And I feel like e-mailing your personal address is rude…. So I just want you lovely reviewers to know, You're reviews really make me feel great. They are the reasons that make me want to continue writing this story. I know I'm often harsh to all you but I really rely on your reviews to get me through the week, so review much, review often and I'll try to keep the chapters coming.

NOW read, REVIEW, and enjoy, the twenty-seventh chapter of The Angel Alchemist! (Starts to cry) I can't believe I made it this far…

I sat at the end of one of the crammed mess hall benches, next to Ami. In front of me on the other side of the table Genz was watching me carefully, I could tell because I could practically feel his eyes burring holes into the side of my head. Next to him was Lamya, and next to her was Jacob, the ever-current target of cruelty, this time because he was telling one of those priceless first date stories that everyone's gone through. Ami laughed, squeasing her new boyfriend's arm, I think the flavor of this week was named Joe, or something simple like that. I kept my eyes on Jacob, trying to bring down my brother's worry level. Ever since I'd dreamed of Hughes's death, Genz had been on worry level Red, and it would be nice to get him back down to a yellow for more then the few seconds he slept at night. Lam made some rude comment about Jacob's love life, and I put on an appropriate smile, though it was more then half hearted. Normally I would have joined in, but I had as much interest in conversing as I did the oatmeal the cook had gone to great lengths to make for me.

I did appreciate it, really I did, but every time I thought about eating and image of death passed through my mind, killing any kind of an appetite. The feeling of doom that loamed over my head had not helped matters. It had been with me the last three weeks, but had just tripled in the past three days. I'd lost all want for food, and my hours of sleep had gone down to none at all. I'd even stopped speaking, which had really worried Genz, but I just didn't have anything to say.

Sergeant Windchester sat down, pushing Genz further down the bench. Windchester was a delicate looking older man, who had played violin for the military orchestra. He thumped me on the back, and added on to Lam's comment. Although Windchester hadn't joined us three or four months after me, he'd made himself one of us rather quickly. I forced a welcome smile to spread across my face, and I glaced at his tray, It had old eggs, green sausage, and blacken toast. He slipped an old newspaper on to the table, and put a cup of very thick coffee next to it. My eyes drifted over the newspaper. It was an old copy, about two and half weeks. It was wornout, yellow, and the edges starting to turn green. I faintly remembered it being passed around the camp. Windchester must have been the last person to get it because he was playing the cross word. It was folded so that only some of the article next to it was visible. But two words from the article grabbed my attention and held it. Those words were 'widow' and "Murder'.

Absently, I stuck a spoonful of oatmeal into my mouth, before taking the newspaper, and unfolding it. I shoveled more of the cold lumpy porridge down my throat as I silently read the articile. My friends slowly quieted as they noticed my eyes focus on something, and the steady clink of my bowl and spoon. When I'd finished the articile I downed the rest of the oatmeal. It sat like a cold lump in my stomach. I held the re-folded paper up, gesturing with it, "I need to borrow this." The words flowed out. Windchester's eyes widened, I choose to ignore the slack jaw that seemed to be going around the table.

My movement was more graceful and fluid then it had been in a long time, as I stood out from the bench. I moved throught the mess tent and out it's door with a single minded-ness I hadn't shown in weeks. Genz followed me just behind, I could still feel his eyes on me. I made quick time of the distance between the mess tent and the building I'd made for Sou's office. Without so much of a glance at Rob I went through the outer office and into Sou's personal office. I slammed the paper and my hands on to the top of his desk, making it shake. "I need to use the phone," I leaned over his desk

Sou blinked rapidly. He was wearing a white, collared shirt, the sleeves rolled up. For an instant I wondered how he could stand this heat. His uniform coat and the tails hung over the back of his chair. "Dalka…" He blinked again, "You… Your talking!" The shock was visible on his face.

"No shit, Sherlock!" I cursed not caring if he knew the reference or not. "I NEED to use the phone."

Sou frowned, but kept his temper, "Well I'm sorry, but you can't."

"If I don't use the phone, the life of an innocent will be ruined," I yelled. Rob enter the office and I turned on him, "You sniveling little twerp! Get the hell out before I throw you out!"

Sou raised his voice, "Major Hesperus! You DO NOT yell at my aide!" He had stood up, and intimidating as he was, something inside me wouldn't let me back down. Without turning he spoke to the corporal, "Rob, take Genz and step out side." I'd never heard the Leutenat Colonel change his volume level that. His voice was dangerously low as he spoke, "Rob has done nothing to deserve you yelling at him. As for the phone, nobody can do a thing about that. Headquarters has ordered radio silence until further notice. We haven't had any contact from anyone in the last five days. Now stow your problems and get out of my office." I gritted my teeth, but turned to walk out of the office. Sou stopped me, "If I have to comfort my aide when you've gone, I'm putting you on latrine duty, for the next two weeks."

I stormed out of the building. Rob and Genz were leaning against the side of the building closest to the door. I stopped just outside. I took several deep breaths before speaking to either of them. "I'm sorry, Rob," My mind preoccupied, "I shouldn't have lashed out at you, like that. I was angry. I just attacked the first person that came near me." I walked forward again striding over the ground between the tents and Sou's office. Just before I walked into the lines of tents I doubled back pacing the length of the clearing. I did this twice before Genz stopped me.

His metal hand wrapped around my upper arm easily, "Dalka, What's going on?"

My eyes met his, "One of my friends is dead, and another of them is going to ruin innocent lives if I don't get through to him and stop him!" My words where harsher then I meant for them to be.

Genz stayed calm, "What can I do?"

"Nothing!" I almost screamed it. I felt the tears beginning to form, "I have to find some way to talk to Mustang, otherwise everything else is pointless. It's not like I can…" I stopped half way through my sentence, "But I can…" I looked up at Genz, "I have to do some alchemy, stand back."

Genz nodded giving me some room.

I slipped my coat off and tied it around my waist. I pressed my hands together and dropped them to the ground quickly. The ground under me changed quickly. I felt the pressure under my feet building, and then I was flying upward, like a bullet shot out of the ground. Some how, I forced my hands up, clapping them and pressing them to my body despite the g-force. By the time I reached the zero gravity point my wings were out and ready to take the weight that was necessary to keep me in the air.

Below me I could hear Genz cursing and calling my name, but I didn't waste a second though on him. I circled so that I faced the general direction of Central and pumped my wings. I moved at what felt like a painfully slow pace at first, but I kept pushing myself. I pointed my body like a bullet or rocket, and I kept pumping my wings as hard as I could, pushing myself to find new speeds. Soon the things where passing by faster then they ever had.

I stopped near noon, out a small mountain village halfway to Central, buying a sandwich off a twelve year old. For an hour I lay out in the sun forcing my muscles to not cramp, and regaining as much energy as I could. For a minute I did wish I could gain energy like the grass I was laying on. Then I remembered, I could transmute the energy from the grass into my self. I stood slowly, whatever muscles I used when flying hurt like hell. I touched together my hands, putting them out, palms down, even with my shoulders. I took less then a second to think about how the energy would by pass me having to consume it, so I could take it straight into my muscles. I watched as almost magical specks of light floated from the earth and towards me. As each spark entered me I felt the energy, strength, and relaxed muscles, flow from the tips of my fingers to the bottom of my boots.

I must have taken off an hour after I landed, going slower then before. I'd gained enough energy to take off easily, but starving myself for three days before this marathon flight had left me with so little power. If I had flown as quickly as I had that morning I would have been burnt out by the time I reached the town nearest Central.

I stopped again, after dark, when something in my head told me the lights in the distance were the lights of Central. I bought a thick soup from a pub, this close to central I wasn't afraid of the looks I got in the town. The pub was surprisingly empty. I risked looking at one of my watches and noticed it was almost nine. The soup was a thick meaty substance, better than I'd had in the last few months. I scarffed down three bowls of it, in less then twenty minutes. Once finished I paid, and ran out of the town, heading down the road in the same direction I'd run in on. When I'd finally passed the last house, I transmuted my wings back into my back, and took of from a hill. It was already late, but I had to make it to Central in time. If I could just make it even a few minutes before the gears of that machine started, I could save them all.

The fate of the world rests on my shoulder… Not really but I just wanted to left all your sprits. Now remember I need six reviews for the next chapter to go up. Also I'm thinking of writing a Rurouni Kenshin fanfic and was wondering if any of you would actually read it? If you say yay, I post the first chapter as soon as I get it edited. If nay, I go crawl in a corner and cry…

Review for me, please and Thank you

Oh and to my readers that really love Dalka, I have this to say, "at least she's out of her slup…"