Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. I own the OCs.
"I told you, nothing happened!" Ryan protested anxiously, trailing behind the doppelganger as she strode down the street.
"And I told you, I don't care even if anything did happen" the doppelganger remarked. "Priya does not mind either, so why continue this conversation?"
Ryan glanced at the grinning girl behind him and pouted. "I don't think she would have said anything even if something did happen" he muttered petulantly.
"Did you say something?"
"Nope."
The doppelganger stopped in front of a large, iron gateway. "He's waiting for us inside."
The girl named Priya stepped up beside her doppelganger. "Man, it's been so long since we were last here. I'd almost forgotten what it was like."
The trio looked appreciatively through the bars of the gate at the large dark mansion in front of them. It loomed over all the other quaint, cottage-like houses in the neighbourhood, in all its sinister majesty. The mansion was built out of dark grey stone, with terrifying gargoyles leering down from every terrace. The windows were all dark, covered by thick, black curtains. The front entrance was illuminated by candlelight, adding the finishing touch to the mini-castle's eerie aura.
"I still don't understand why he persists on using this antiquated Gothic look wherever he goes" Priya commented dryly. "It practically screams, 'Evilness is abroad! Approach at your own risk!'"
"I think that's the point" the doppelganger replied, pushing open the gate. "He doesn't want unexpected visitors."
"He's more anti-social than me" Priya grumbled. Reaching the front door, she pounded heavily on the door, rather than pulling the door bell. "Open up!" she called shortly.
As if in response to her ill-tempered knocking, the grand doors slowly creaked open. Priya peered inside cautiously.
"Looking for someone?" someone whispered mischievously by her ear.
Priya jumped back in shock, frantically rubbing her ear. "Kuso! Tou-san! What did you do that for?" she shouted with irritation.
The man called Tou-san smiled playfully. "You would think that you would be used to this by now, Priya. After all, how long have I been your guardian?"
Priya scowled at the man, as she struggled to regain her dignity. He was tall, easily above six feet, and well-proportioned. He had unhealthily pale skin that clung to his muscular frame closely, making him seem almost skeletal. His eyes, coal-black, did not help dispute this image, for they were deep-set and penetrating. His hair matched the colour of his eyes and was cropped short. The man was dressed elegantly in a black silk dress shirt and crisp, black, form-fitting trousers. The pants were not skinny, but they emphasized the obvious muscle and strength in the man's legs. Surprisingly, he was barefoot.
"Come now, Priya, are you not going to greet me?" Tou-san asked gently.
"Ohaiyo-gousaimasu, Tou-san" Priya muttered sullenly.
"Good morning, daughter. Come in. You too, Priya and Ryan." Tou-san stepped back into the house and gestured for the trio to follow him.
"Actually, sir," the doppelganger, also named Priya, interrupted with a smile, "I have another appointment. I shall come back after that. Is that okay?"
Tou-san nodded. "I will leave the door unlocked. We will be in the upstairs study. Please join us when you return." He waited until the doppelganger had left and then closed the door to the house.
"So, what is this all about?" Priya demanded, crossing her arms defensively.
"You have a request."
Priya frowned, her brows drawing together to form a misshapen 'v'. "A request?"
Tou-san sighed. "Yes. Lieutenant-General Tara Raveneye has asked for your assistance."
"Tara did? What's wrong? I thought the whole Promised Day fiasco has been solved by the Elric Brothers and Roy."
"And she has been reinstated to her previous position despite her absence?" Ryan whistled in appreciation. "Man, that woman's got guts."
"Apparently there is something else going on in the underbelly of Amestris." Tou-san rubbed his brow wearily. "The military won't be able to deal with it by themselves. They are to busy trying to rebuild the country after the loss of ... well, the entire ruling body."
"Hmm? Sounds like she's gotten into a bit of trouble" Priya commented.
"Indeed. And she explicitly requested all three of you to help her." Tou-san chuckled a little and then looked at Priya warmly. "Despite your initial disputes, it seems like you get along quite well with each other."
Priya shrugged. "We get by. So, when are we expected to leave?"
"As soon as Priya gets back. Tara said that she will provide for you during your stay, but I expect that you will be in charge of your own weaponry."
"Whoa, whoa, hold that thought!" Ryan cried out, shaking his head and hands furiously in denial. "We're leaving today? Like now? I can't!"
"And why not?" Priya asked, voice dangerously soft.
Ryan shrugged nonchalantly. "I have a date with Teresa today at four o'clock. I've been waiting a week!"
Priya raised one eyebrow, in a manner reminiscent of her doppelganger, and looked thoroughly unimpressed.
"Well..." Ryan mentally back-pedalled and quickly changed his stance. "I suppose that family does come first. I'll have to reschedule." He laughed nervously.
Priya snorted and rolled her eyes impressively at Ryan's obvious change of mind. "Go fetch your stuff from your room. I'll wait here until Priya comes back" she stated shortly, gesturing for Ryan to leave.
Seizing the opportunity, Ryan bid a hasty farewell to Tou-san, promised Priya he would return and then sped out of the mansion back towards their rented bungalow.
"What is this really about?" Priya asked Tou-san as soon as she had ascertained that Ryan had left. "I doubt that Tara was that forceful about us going. Nor would she have specifically requested us three to go."
The gaunt man gave a small smile. "I should have known that you would have noticed that."
"Of course; you trained me to be sceptical." Priya watched as her guardian rose from his chair and went to stand in front of the roaring fireplace.
"No, I trained you to be critical. The scepticism is all yours."
Priya waited patiently as Tou-san examined all the many trinkets on the mantelpiece. She smiled as he picked up a photo of the both of them enclosed in a thin silver frame.
"I knew you'd like it."
Tou-san nodded, a gentle smile tugging at his lips. "Of course. It serves as a constant reminder that I'm no longer alone."
"Tou-san, what is actually happening in Amestris? Why does Tara need help?"
Tou-san paused and then gently placed the frame back on the mantelpiece. "There is something rotten in the state of Amestris."
Priya grinned. "Really, Tou-san? Did you really have to quote Hamlet?"
Tou-san nodded sombrely. "Shakespeare could not have said it better. Unfortunately, it applies perfectly to the state of affairs in Amestris."
The smile dropped from Priya's face and was replaced by a look of intense concentration. "Tell me."
Ryan cursed his bad luck under his breath as he stuffed clothing, accessories toiletries and a few other necessities into his battered brown suitcase. It was so typical; he should have been used to it by now. Priya seemed to get him into trouble right when he had begun to settle down into a town. This seemed to be the case especially when he had gotten a date. He slammed the lid of his suitcase shut, and then spat out several impolite words as his fingers got squished.
"Wow, it sounds like you are in quite a temper" a voice remarked from his doorway.
"Do you always hang around my room, or am I just lucky today?" Ryan snapped, not bothering to look at who was talking. Only one person made an entrance like that.
Priya, the doppelganger, smiled, eyes twinkling with barely suppressed amusement. "It depends on which you would prefer" she remarked lightly.
Ryan sighed and then turned his head to look at the slight figure standing on the threshold. "What do you want, Priya?"
"Nothing much. I was just wondering what you were doing here, since I last saw you at the mansion."
"We have a job. Priya told me to pack, meet up with you and then return to the mansion" Ryan said shortly.
Priya raised an eyebrow gracefully with amusement. "Is that so? Where are we headed?"
"Amestris."
Priya smiled slightly, her dark eyes suddenly gaining a green tinge. "Tara, eh? This should be interesting."
Ryan remained silent, allowing her to draw whatever conclusions she wanted. Once again, he was struck by how different the two Priya's were, despite looking so similar. The doppelganger Priya looked essentially the same as the girl, but there were certain traits that marked her for who she was. For one, she was slightly taller than the original, standing a good two inches above the other's five foot five. She had the same broad build, but was thinner and lither than the original. While the other took pride in her commonplace appearance and often hid her figure beneath layers of clothing, the doppelganger was very striking and she knew it. Her long, straight hair was braided in a thick braid, slightly resembling the other's ragged strand, and her large, enchanting eyes were not hidden by thick-framed glasses. She often wore form-fitting clothes, which were not so tight that she could not move, but enough to emphasize her well-built body.
The doppelganger Priya noticed Ryan's scrutinizing looks and smirked. "Are you done?" she asked slyly, the double meaning evident in her tone.
Ryan rolled his eyes and zipped up his suitcase. "I'm ready whenever you are."
Priya nodded, still smirking smugly, then walked out of Ryan's room. "I'll meet you downstairs. We'd best not keep the others waiting."
Ryan grabbed his suitcase by its handle, which promptly tore off, causing the suitcase to land heavily on his foot.
Priya laughed heartily as she ran down the stairs, accompanied by the sounds of Ryan cursing up a storm.
"Are you all ready?" Tou-san asked, glancing at the trio in front of him. Priya stood in the middle, dressed casually in jeans and a faded button-down shirt. The sleeves of the shirt were rolled up partially, showing the black long-sleeved t-shirt underneath. Her hair was tied in its customary braid and, despite being recently brushed, was beginning to unravel already. On her left side, acting as a perfect foil, stood Ryan. He was dressed in what should have been casual clothes, but on him they looked like designer clothing. His ripped jeans hung off his narrow hips, held up only by a worn leather belt. He too wore a button-down shirt with cuffs and collar unbuttoned, showing generous amounts of forearm and collar bone. He had wrapped a checked scarf stylishly around his neck and shoulders and wore a battered leather fedora. Peeking from underneath his scarf, Tou-san could see a simple silver chain with a dog-tag hanging off it. Ryan's beaten and taped together suitcase was clasped under his left arm. Then, on Priya's right, there stood a small, elegant-looking black cat. She had a simple red ribbon collar and a thin golden hoop earring on each ear. Her tail was neatly tucked over her paws and her clear green eyes stared up at Tou-san in a manner most unlike a cat.
Tou-san smiled. "You chose to go in this form this time, Priya?" he asked, addressing the black cat.
The cat nodded and then opened its mouth. "It will be less confusing for everyone if I go in this guise. Keeping track of one Priya is hard enough, let alone keeping track of two" the cat said in the doppelganger Priya's voice. "I am also more comfortable being in my Midnight form in unknown areas."
Tou-san nodded in understanding. "Well then, I wish you all the best in your work. Hopefully this mess can be cleaned up relatively easily so you all can come home quicker. Be careful."
Priya grinned. "I'm off, Tou-san! See you in a couple of months!" Without waiting for a reply, she made a tearing gesture and jumped into the resulting dimensional rift. Ryan and Midnight followed, leaving Tou-san alone with a gaping dimensional hole.
Tou-san sighed and waved a hand, closing the portal. He was going to miss them. The tall, gaunt man sat back into the high-backed armchair and watched as the living room and the house dissolved from around him. Soon, he was alone in pitch blackness, seated upon a tall bone throne. His form wavered and slowly began to disintegrate. The man named Tou-san faded away and was replaced by a large, cloaked giant that seemed to meld into the darkness around it. Thus, he sat on his grotesque throne, all alone, surrounded only by darkness and fear.