Ruroni-chan: Readers!!! (Glomps everyone) I've missed you all!!! I'm so sorry I've been gone, for so lone… My last editor has some problems, so I decided to not make you wait any longer, and get a new one. Everyone Remebers Slydoran-chan, right?

Slydoran-chan: Leave me alone and post already.

Ruroni-chan: She doesn't like to be touched. Well, I know you've all been waiting for this so… Read, Review, and Enjoy!

It was mid-afternoon when we got back to the encampment; halfway through the town I'd fallen, and been unable to get back up. Genz was carrying me on his shoulder. I was tired, I wanted a hot shower, any hot food, and let my face become reacquainted with my pillow. Sou, however, had different ideas.

Rob was waiting in front of the women's tent, talking to Ami. At the sight of him, Genz put me down, and as soon as Rob saw us he went to attention and saluted me. He told me, formally, that the lieutenant colonel (Sou, for those of you who are having trouble keeping up) wanted to see me in the communications room (that's Sou's office, Rob's sleeping quarters, the place where the phone was, and the big metal building I'd transmuted for them). This surprisingly formal order put me on edge and warned me for what would happen next, but in reply to Rob I sighed and gave Genz a 'can you believe this?' look.

Sou was leaning against a desk in the communications room/Rob's sleeping quarters. He looked up from his clipboard, then back down again. "Genz go get a shower and some grub. You won't be needed," he said, waving his hand, pen still in it, in our general direction. He added, "Take Rob with you."

Genz saluted, gave me a look and left, dragging Rob after him.

As soon as the door was closed, Sou put his clipboard down and picked up the handset to the phone. After several 'hello, hello's an operator picked up. "Yes, operator, Lieutenant Colonel Marlke Sou. I have a call request. Yes, I can hold." There was a pause and I found a nice spot to perch on a table. Sou and I were alone in the room. "Yes, tell the sergeant major to call me back as soon as he can." Sou hung up the phone with a little more force than necessary.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "So why am I here?"

Sou looked me in the eye. "Don't ask me a question you expect me to get pissed off about."

Both eyebrows went up now. "I didn't expect you to get angry about a simple question."

Sou's jaw tightened but before he could get angry the phone rang again.

"What?" He demanded into the phone. There was a pause, "Yes, she's here and she's asking me questions you said she'd know." There was another pause, then, "Just because you're my superior doesn't mean I won't tell you what to do with your little silver watch." He shoved the phone in my direction.

I took it from him and put it to my ear. "… Hello?"

"Hello, Cherub." I knew that sly voice. "How's the south? Got a tan yet?"

I felt my eyebrow twitch. "In fact I have, but it's not very dark. The south is… warm. How are you… ah… Wild One?"

"If you're referring to that last night you spent with me, I suppose I was a little wild…" There was a chuckle on the other end, and I wished I could hold a gun to his head.

I held the anger just out of my voice as I replied, "Shouldn't that horrible female aide of yours be holding a gun to your head?"

I heard another chuckle. "Actually I'm not on military time. I'm on my own."

Silence spread between us until I could think of another obscure thing to say: "So I suppose this means you can talk for a while, Roy-kins?" I almost gagged on the air I was breathing.

"Yep, and I was just thinking about that… café we went to before you left," There it was. I tried to remember what exactly about the café…

"Oh yes. Nice place, good people." I paused when I remembered the code Hawkeye had used with the voice on the other line. "So how are Elizabeth, Jacqueline, and all the others Jacqueline told me about. You know I didn't get to meet them all."

There was a longer pause. "I might be able to let you visit them…"

Mustang waited until I spoke. "Really?" I dropped my voice and tried to sound happy at the change of seeing him. "If it was with you I'd be overjoyed." More like I'd be ready to shoot myself.

"Yep," he replied. I could just imagine the smirk on Mustang's face, "Of course, Jacqueline hasn't been feeling well, so you might not get to see her."

I felt my stomach lurch. "What happened?"

"One of Elizabeth's regulars was dating her and...well, he got the better of our dear Jacqueline," Mustang explained.

I felt my face drop. "And where were you?"

"Right there with her. I got my ass handed to me as well."

That shut me up for more than a minute.

"Cherub?" Mustang asked.

"I can be there in a week," I said with more enthusiasm then I thought I had. "I just need a train ticket."

There was silence on the other line. "Last time I saw you, how did you get up? Wasn't it faster than that?"

"I can't come up that way again," I told the phone. "It costs too much, and this is one way you can't pay for. Besides, I don't want to travel without my brother. You know what they've been saying about those serial killers."

Mustang sighed. "I can get you a ticket with one of my men. Armstrong said he had rebel prisoners he needed to transport from further south to south city, he won't mind pick you up along the way." He paused for a minute before adding, "I'm surprised you'd want to come."

"I told you to call on me if you needed my skill," I reminded him without missing a beat. "But I'm not a doctor. I'll need you to find as much information on her injuries as you can and keep them at your house."

"I understand," Mustang said. "Armstrong will be picking up the prisoners in three days and he'll be in your area in four. Why don't you wear something appropriate?"

I glared into the receiver. "Just for that I'm wearing a tub top, miniskirt, and stilettos."

"Cherub…" Mustang said warningly.

"Oh look… Daddy wants to talk to you. Here Daddy." I handed the phone over to a shocked Sou.

He pressed the mouth piece to the palm of his hand, "What the hell are you planning?" He demanded.

I smiled calmly, "Ask Roy-kins, he'll explain. I'm going to take a shower now. I've got some planning to do." I left. I had a lot of packing to do if I wanted to be ready to leave tomorrow, and no doubt Mustang had put Armstrong on the train as soon as I agreed to come.

Ruroni-chan: I hope everyone liked it! Do you think they did, Slydoran-chan?

Slydoran-chan: (Reading a book) Of course not….

Ruroni-chan: (Puppy dog eyes) What?

Slydoran-chan: It's not that bad, at least you don't have kankles.

Ruroni-chan: Don't make me hug you…

Syldoran-chan: (Finally pays attention) You wouldn't dare…

Ruroni-chan: Only if you're mean, I think we're going to have a great relationship. Everyone, please remember to review!