Here's some responses to the reviews, skip this part if you don't care.
Nifawiwa: Yes, Ed and Al will definitely appear in future chapters. Maybe not for a while but they will.
Lilaclily00: You read my mind.
XxXWeAsHumanXxX: Thanks for the encouragement, I was unsure if Hughes was accurate to canon.
Just realised, I've not done any disclaimers, so despite it being incredibly obvious: I do not own FMA or DN.
Chapter 3
The interviewer was a gruff man, beard greying and hair balding. He had a line of badges displayed proudly across his bulky chest. He sat before L, asking typical questions, name, age, place of birth. Naturally, L told plenty of lies throughout the interview.
But he wasn't going to know that or care enough to check. Amestris had a continuous supply of new recruits, they couldn't exactly get a profile of each new recruit. And there had been a lot of recruits that day, no doubt the man was sick of starry-eyed hopefuls expressing their life story while bootlicking as much as possible.
The interview was soon over and the man grunted and stood. "Well, welcome to the Amestris Military, Cadet Lawliet." He nodded. L saluted in response. The interviewer grunted in approval of his stance. "Now, you be back here tomorrow at 6:00 am sharp to begin boot camp. Is that clear?"
"Crystal, sir." L turned to leave at the dismissal.
As L closed the door behind him, L sighed as he realised he had no lodging for the night. Or money for a cheap inn. Or time to persuade some warm-hearted stranger to let him stay. Until the solution literally jumped him.
"L!" Hughes called as he approached from the street. "It's about time! I've been waiting ages for you."
L blinked. "You…waited for me?"
"Sure, we're friends aren't we? When you said you were from outside of Central, I assumed you have nowhere to stay the night before training, right?"
"Well, yes I suppose you're right." L replied, slightly amused.
"Great! I would have felt like such a fool of you did. I mean, not that you couldn't have, I just assumed-"Hughes went off on a tangent again.
L cut him off. "You're babbling, Hughes."
Hughes laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Right. Sorry. I was going to ask if you needed to stay the night at my apartment here in central, I have a spare bed you can use."
L weighed the options. Trust Hughes wouldn't murder him in his sleep, or sleep in a dumpster. Hmm, well Hughes seemed fairly honest and it wasn't like L was going to sleep much there anyway. 90% to 10% were reasonable odds.
"Alright then."
Hughes perked up. "Follow me then." Hughes turned and strode off into the evening, L followed close behind with an amused smile.
Hughes' apartment
The door budged open after some forceful persuasion and a lot of annoyance. The apartment was not overly large or extravagant, but large enough to house at least two people. L spotted several photos and objects placed specifically, it seemed Hughes was quite the sentimental man.
"Well, I'll just get the other bed out. Make yourself at home." Hughes gestured towards the coach as he left to retrieve the extra bed.
LM watched him go and as soon as he left earshot L bolted to the kitchen. He swung open each cupboard, rushing as fast as he could, L was a whirlwind until finally he saw his prize.
L snatched the jar of sugar from the shelf before ripping the stopper out and reaching in grabbing handfuls of sugar. "L? Where'd you go?" Hughes had returned. L shoved the handfuls of sugar into his pocket, while dropping a small amount into his mouth before placing the jar back on the shelf and fleeing the scene of the crime.
"I was just having a look around your kitchen, Hughes. I hope you don't mind." L replied. A half-truth perhaps but half a lie was better than a whole lie.
"Ah, sorry if it's a bit bare, food is going to be supplied so I didn't really buy anything." Hughes apologised sheepishly. "Anyway, we need to be up at five to arrive on time. I'll see you in the morning, L" The mattress was set out in the small sitting room space.
"Right… Thank you, Hughes."
Hughes waved him off with a smile. "I wouldn't be a great friend if I just let you sleep on the streets, now would I?"
L again watched Hughes leave before reaching into his pockets and shovelling sugar into his mouth. It had been too long since he had sugar. L decided that he would dedicate an hour to sleep, it was the least L could do for Hughes.
Morning
L was already awake at 4:30, he didn't have to concern himself over having to oversleep, and he had been awake since 2 am anyhow.
At 4:45 L stared at the door Hughes had disappeared behind last night, but no one appeared.
At 4:50, L stood from his crouch on the sofa and wandered over to the door, curling his pale fingers into a fist, L rapped on the door twice.
There was no response. He tapped again.
A low, rumbling snore.
Hughes must have been still asleep, L concluded, despite the fact that Hughes was the one who told him to wake up at 5am. Glancing at the time, L figured he should at least stop Hughes from oversleeping the first day of training. He turned the handle and peered into the room.
"Hughes." L called into the darkness. "Hughes, you need to wake up." Still silence. "Hughes." L sighed. Turning on his heel, L approached the kitchen. Padding across the floor barefoot, he pulled a porcelain mug from the shelf before flicking the cold water tap up as he held the mug below it.
Returning to Hughes door, he pushed it open and entered the room. Hughes lay sprawled across his bed, sheets amok and childish pyjamas crumpled. L lifted the mug above Hughes' snoring head. "Don't say I didn't warn you." With a childish grin L upturned the mug and a deluge of water flooded out, L watched in immature amusement as Hughes blinked in surprise before leaping out of his bed, tangled in his sheets, and fell flat on his face.
"What the hell?" Hughes cried as he flew in mid-air, before an answering floor met his face. L coughed into his hand to conceal his laugh before nudging Hughes' prone form with his foot. "Gah, why'd you do that? I was having the greatest dream! How could you?" Hughes stood and brushed himself off.
"It's…" L glanced at the clock hanging from the wall. "5:05, we'll need to leave so we're not late." Hughes' eyes widened in panic.
"5:05?! I need to get changed! I need to have breakfast! No! Breakfast can wait." Hughes ran past L shouting to himself in panic. "What am I saying!? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and." At this point Hughes returned to the doorway where L still stood. "ThanksalotLforwakingmeupifyoudidn'tIwouldbesoscrewed!" Hughes gasped for breath before running off again.
L watched as the man frantically ran from room in amusement.
Amestris Military Training Camp
They ended up running, a mad sprint as they slipped between alleys and weaved through crowds that dotted Central's many clustered streets.
Hughes ran with his formal tie undone, his arm through only one sleeve as his jacket billowed wildly behind him, a slice of bread clutched between his jaws as he chewed and ran.
The arrived just in time, to Hughes' immense relief. The other cadets-to-be were entering the doors. They joined with the flow of other cadets as they entered a large hall. It was mostly plain with a few empty boards hanging from the walls.
In the centre of the hall stood a low platform, on which stood a wooden podium. As the recruits filed in, a tall, bulky man in their future uniform, lined with rows of medals. His hair was greying and his skin was wrinkled like leather. He held a hand to his mouth and coughed and wheezed.
As the final recruit trailed in the Amestrian Veteran pounded his chest with a clenched fist. "Ahem, silence all." He stood patiently behind the podium as the last enthusiastic person went silent. "Now, as I understand it, you are all wishing to be a part of this great army." He gestured to his uniform.
"Yes sir…" Only a couple people responded, Hughes included. The rest shuffled and stared at their feet before meeting the elders glare.
"Are you both deaf and cowardly? I said. Do you want to be part of this army?" He boomed, in a sudden contrast from his previous formal tone.
"Yes sir!" The general consensus agreed at his unsubtle encouragement.
"If you want to join, then you must understand this. There are countless risks and dangers. The Military is not a job you can slack off on. Slack off here and you'll be answering in a court martial as to why you let innocent people die because of your laziness." He cleared his throat again. "Practically of you in this hall will, at some point, be injured in conflict, be it war or internal affairs. Others among you will be dead this time in however many years." He took a long, dramatic pause.
"If you cannot handle these conditions. Leave now, the doors are open." A few hanging around the back with ducked heads grumbled at the speech before slipping away. "If you stay, know now that your life is forfeit to war. You shall be the sword of the Fuhr:er and the shield of the people. You shall not disobey your orders. The military will not accept cowardice or treachery." He glared at each person in the room with that chilling stare. "Know now you fight with soul and passion in each battle, in each swing of the sword and tug of the trigger. If you are not prepared for this. Then you do not deserve to stand amongst us."
L smiled slightly. How interesting. Amestris certainly weren't afraid to terrify a few greenhorns. A few more had left but most were trembling in excitement and biting their lips to suppress the cheers. They must have had some damn inspirational propaganda too if this was any indication after such a brutally blunt speech.
L could spot Hughes grinning and catch his gaze before giving him a thumbs up.
The veteran coughed. He looked down at each person. "Good. I am glad to see Amestris has many soldiers willing to take up arms for her. All of you. I am proud to announce you are all officially soldiers of the Amestrian military. The door behind you leads to the armoury. There will be enough uniforms in a range of sizes, put those on and meet and the training field outside to your left. Hop to it soldiers!"
Armoury
L held the uniform up. It was as standard as any uniform, lacking any proof of significant rank. A grunt. He would certainly be starting from the bottom rung.
He pulled it on, ignoring the plain shirt that came with in favour of leaving his own unmarked shirt on. L tugged at the cuffs and collar, irritated by their tightness. This restriction would cut his brain power by at least 1.003%.
How annoyingly trivial.
He sighed but continued nevertheless. L met up with Hughes again, taking in how natural the man looked in the uniform, glasses and all. "So, what did you think L? No second thoughts about joining?" Hughes jokingly remarked as they made their way to the field.
"Hymn, no. Did you think that would scare me off? I'm insulted Hughes, truly insulted." L drawled sarcastically.
Hughes laughed and slapped him on the back. "Fantastic. I'd feel like a fool if I went in alone."
They made their way to the field where the mob of blue stood by an instructor. He, like many other veterans L had seen, was well into his sixties. L supposed they either retired or trained the next generation at such an age.
The instructor held a clipboard firmly in his wrinkled hands, staring at the watch mounted on his wrist. He watched with pursed lips and a dull stare as the last person joined the throng. He sighed.
"3:40, that's how long it took you lot to get changed and over here. Absolutely unacceptable. In times of war you must be prepared to move swiftly, to be in bed one moment, to a rifle in your hand on the front lines. Speed is key." He dragged a weary hand down his face. "Add three to your time and run that in laps around this field."
Barracks
At last finishing the laps and going through several rigorous training exercises that thoroughly annoyed L, if only that they weren't on his terms.
Then they were permitted to retire to the barracks, drenched in sweat and mud as they were. Hughes and L had gotten bunks adjacent to each other, though L regretted that he forgot about Hughes snoring.
L recalled something Watari said once.
The first steps are always the hardest.
L was beginning to think twice about this whole coming back from the dead business.