Chapter 6

A/N: Hi guys! I hope you're well. I'm back in school, peh...soo much wooorkkk. Thank you everyone who faved, followed and reviewed! I run on your guys' love.

whimsicalMedely: Aww thanks, it means a lot to see that!

InfKat: Hahaha, these kids basically do the opposite of what they're supposed to.

TheCrazyAnimeFan01: Aww thanks! Yeah, I just got into this over the summer myself, and then I just had to write this.

tetraforce theory: Aww thanks! And Reed isn't a pervert! XD

Krisaku: Of course I'm continuing, I love these babies too much~

This chapter you meet:

•Catalina Havoc → born 1917 (aged 18) (Jean & Rebecca)

"So you haven't seen any kids around looking like this?" Edward asked, holding up a recent family photo of himself, Winry, and the kids. The old lady he was talking to shook her head no, and the Elric sighed, approaching his brother. They had been asking around the East City train station for almost an hour now.

"Have you seen these little girls?" Alphonse queried, talking to a conductor. The man studied the picture, before nodding.

"Yes, they were on a train to Ishval! When I asked for their tickets, they gave me ones for Xing, and looked so pathetic when I told em they were on the wrong train. One started to cry. I let em stay though cuz they were just kids, and I hoped the Ishvalans would help them track their parents down."

"Opal," Al murmured, knowing it was his more sensitive daughter. Ed put his own picture forward, hoping the conductor would recognize his children as well.

"What about these two?"

The man examined the picture, stroking his mustache thoughtfully. "Nope, didn't see those two. Sorry."

"Thank you, thank you," Alphonse said, shaking the conductor's hand before following his brother, who had already walked off in frustration. He felt happy he knew where his girls were, but was also worried for Ed's children. It seemed that the four of them had gotten separated somehow.

"I think I may have to call...him," Edward admitted. His brother, who would have laughed in other circumstances, just nodded and followed as Ed approached a phone, and pulled out a book he kept with the contact information of his former associates.

The blonde man waited for a moment or two, after dialing and placing the call. "Hey, it's Edward Elric," he said, after the person on the receiving end of the call picked up. "Yes, hello, Armstrong. Listen, I need a favor."

Al couldn't help to chuckle slightly, seeing his brother's face, and imagining he was getting his ear talked off. Alex Louis Armstrong ran the military base located in East City, having been promoted by Mustang. It was smart to call him, even if Ed found him incredibly annoying.

"My kids are missing, and they were last known to be here. I need some help locating them," Ed said, examining his family picture.

"Oh my, such tragedy Edward Elric! I can't imagine the sorrow you must be experiencing! I shall definitely help you find your children!" Armstrong shouted on the other line, surely sobbing and sparkling.

"Can we meet to talk about this? I have a picture with me," the Elric asked, confirming arrangements, and hanging up. "I'm meeting him in an hour. Have you talked to Mei?" he continued, turning to his brother.

"Not yet. I was actually considering calling Scar first," Al responded, grabbing the receiver and digging through his own book.

Wandering away to let Alphonse make his calls, Ed sighed, trying to figure out for the umpteenth time Elizabeth and Wesley would run away to. He had a growing suspicion they may have gone to Central, but figured he'd cover his bases first and make sure they weren't in East City.

Additionally, there was still the question of why they would run. What was there to gain from it? Lost in thought, he didn't notice when Al approached him, done with his calls.

"Brother, they're with Scar! The girls are safe!"

"That's great news. What should we do, then? Are you going to pick them up?" Ed asked, mentally grumbling about the transportation costs the kids were causing them to rack up. At least back in the day, they could bill it to Mustang.

"Actually, Mei and Winry are going to do it. Mei was a bit annoyed, since she had just arrived in Rush Valley, but I wanted to help you look for Wes and El too."

"Thank you, Al," the elder Elric said, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder in thanks "I suppose we should go meet with Armstrong, huh?"

Elizabeth whistled, taking in the size of the National Library she had now gotten access to, thanks to her new ally Reed. Sneaking a peek at the boy, she studied in surprise. The prideful arrogance he would normally display was gone, replaced by the troubling information he received the night before. She could guess he hadn't really slept after that.

Even at breakfast, he could hardly look at his father, merely grunting that he was going to spend the day showing his "friends" around. Even the boy's rather quiet sister, Scarlett, seemed suspicious.

"Let's get to work then, huh?" Wesley said, already examining the spines of books he wanted to dig through. Reed sat at a table, still seemingly lost in thought as he stared at the picture of his mother's tattoo.

Grabbing a hefty pile of books, Elizabeth began to skim through them. Many were quite dusty and old, some even holding incorrect information. Overall, it was starting to seem like a waste of time, and she hoped her brother was having more luck deciphering that picture than she was with her own search.

Heading towards their table, she leaned herself on Wes' back and looked down at his notes. "I think I hit a dead end. How about you guys?"

"Well that burnt portion is complicating it. I wonder how she managed to do that?" Wes replied, scratching his head and looking to Reed for possible answers. The boy shrugged.

"Maybe she got it in the war?"

"Maybe your dad had bad aim?" El supplied, delighting in the glare she received. It was something, at least, much better than his moping.

"Hey, Reed! What are you up to?" a voice said, surprising the trio. Wesley quickly moved to hide their research, as Selim Bradley approached them, a smile on his face.

"Oh, uh, well, we were just um..."

"Studying alchemy?" he asked, lifting one of the books. "This seems a little advanced...and archaic."

"We're tutoring Reed in alchemy on the down low," Elizabeth suddenly spit out. "He wanted to suprise his parents."

"Oh, I gotcha," Selim remarked understandingly, giving a good-natured wink. He pat Reed's head in a brotherly fashion, though it seemed to make the Mustang heir somewhat uncomfortable. "You're the Elrics, right? Elicia has been making a big fuss about you guys."

"Yep, that's right," Wesley said, playing along with his sister's lie, and keeping a firm grip on his stack of notes. "You, uh, you study alchemy?"

"Yep! I wanna be a State Alchemist someday! My mom told me I once met your father in this very library and said the exact same thing, but I don't quite remember it for some reason..."

"Probably infantile amnesia," Elizabeth remarked, almost robotically, concerned by the strange look on Reed's face. "We tend to forget the earlier years of our life."

"Heh, you're probably right! Anyway, you kids have fun, I'm going to head to lunch," Selim said, beginning to walk away. Reed let out a relieved breath.

"That guy gives me the creeps," he mouthed to the siblings, and they nodded, wondering what exactly was so creepy about him. However, before the young officer had gotten too far away, a young woman rounded a corner and shouted for him.

"Hey, Selim! Come here!"

Wesley immediately blushed, as the woman had a pretty face and golden curls. Selim turned around, and headed towards her.

"Yeah?"

"Have you heard any...weird chatter?" the new woman asked, appearing somewhat nervous as she was wringing her hands.

"Not really, I've been talking to these guys," he said, gesturing to the teenagers listening very intently to their conversation. "Why, did something happen?"

"Well, I don't know, but I think something might have. I was helping Colonel Feury's wife in the Code Room, and we think we picked up some distress codes from East City."

"Are you sure Sheska wasn't just reading a book and got excited?"

"Selim, I'm serious! I haven't heard back from General Armstrong yet, and I'm wondering if I should take this to the Fuhrer," the girl said, putting her arms on her hips, clearly frustrated about not being taken seriously.

"Which General Armstrong?"

"Selim!"

"Fine, let's go see the Fuhrer. Call Elicia to warn him ahead of time that we're coming."

The two set off, and Wes let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Who was that?!"

"Catalina Havoc," Reed supplied disinterestedly. "She's the daughter of my parents' friends. She has sisters too, Catrina, Cassandra, Camille, and Callista. Then she has a brother, Chris. He's a dick, and he has the hots for my sister!"

"I think I'm in love," the elder Elric whispered, practically drooling, before Elizabeth smacked the back of his head to snap him out of his stupor.

"Sure you are, casanova."

"Edward Elric?! Are you ok?!"

Rubbing his head, the former Fullmetal Alchemist sighed, looking up to see a protective hand his brother transmuted to protect them. "Yeah, thanks to Al. What happened, Armstrong?"

"It appears as if a bomb went off. How fortuitous that I sent my young son home as you arrived! He might have been injured!" the bulky Major General Armstrong cried, tears falling in flowing streams down his face.

"Young?! That kid was 6 feet tall!"

"Ahh, yes, well you must excuse Francis, he is only 8 years old."

"Brother, that's not important right now, we need to figure out what happened!"

"Major General! Are you ok?!" the panicked voice of Maria Ross fought through the wreckage, as she climbed over to check on him.

"Yes, Colonel Ross. What's the status?"

"I already have people investigating the wreckage site. So far, we have no suspects. I tried to get ahold of the Fuhrer, however, our communications lines have been destroyed. Hopefully, they received our distress codes," the woman spoke, her eyes drifting to the dusty Elric brothers, as Alphonse returned Armstrong's office wall back to the way it was. "Edward! Alphonse! What are you doing here?"

"My children are missing, last seen here in East City. I was hoping Armstrong could help me find them," Edward informed, dusting off his jacket.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she replied, bowing her head. "I bet they're much bigger now, I haven't seen them since my wedding."

"Yeah 10 years ago, they were 7 and 5," he replied wistfully. What a nice occasion that had been.

"That's how old my children are now," Maria said. "Denny stays home with them, and they give him hell."

"How bad is the damage to the building?" Al asked, sensing it was best to change the topic. "Perhaps I could assist in fixing it?"

"That would be very appreciated Alphonse Elric! We're lucky to have such a talented alchemist in our presence on such a day!"

Everyone rolled their eyes at Armstrong, before Maria led Al away to help with repairs. Ed remained behind, looking to the muscular Major General.

"I understand how this recent...development could take quite a bit of investigation on your part, and I'm sure you had enough on your hands as it is, but I would appreciate if you would inform me if you hear anything about my children."

"Of course, Edward Elric. I'll assign someone to look into it as well. However, don't you think you may want to check in with Fuhrer Mustang? We do not know that your children stayed here in East City."

"I know, that's my next stop. My hunch is that they ran away, I just can't figure out why," Ed spoke frustratedly, before starting to head towards the door, giving a half-hearted wave.

"They are not unlike their father then, it would seem," Armstrong said solemnly, examining the distressed father.

"That's the worst part."

A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long, babies, I really am. I just get really bogged down with life stuff and all that jazz. But here ya go! Stuff is starting to happen! The plot thickens...

Predictions? Comments? Questions? Concerns? Hopes? Dreams? Life aspirations? Feel free to leave them for me!

Til next time!

MyHikari