A/N: I apologize in advance if updates come slowly now. School encourages my creative juices to overflow, but unfortunately restricts time for typing. Anyways, hope you enjoy the latest chapter!
Disclaimer: Do I still need to write these? Fullmetal Alchemist will never belong to me :'(
Ed gave a muffled expression of joy as he stretched his limbs after the long train ride. Captain Broadstone watched on in amusement as his charge engaged in all possible forms of stretches before stopping.
"Are you quite finished, Edward?" the Captain asked wryly.
"Just about." Ed grinned. "Why don't you head out, Captain? I can make my way to headquarters just fine on my own."
"Ah, but we're not meeting the Brigadier-General at headquarters. This is a personal request, since you are no longer a member of the military" Broadstone explained. "This way, Edward. Our ride is waiting."
The older man placed a hand on Edward's shoulder to nudge him in the right direction. In that split second of contact, Ed felt something he thought he would never sense again. In a manner reminiscent of his earlier human transmutation experiences, Ed felt his very existence being torn apart at the seams; the feeling of being deconstructed and pulled towards the infinite overcoming him. As he struggled to regain any semblance of control, he saw the familiar expanse of white appear before his eyes: the same grinning entity guarding the Gate.
"So you're back again, huh, Alchemist?" the Truth asked with the chilling, predatory voice reminiscent of Ed's own. "You'll never learn, will you? Too bad the fare's already been paid. I wonder what you would have given up otherwise."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Ed tried to scream, but the Gate behind him had already reopened, cutting off his words.
"Bye, bye, Alchemist. Make sure to use this gift wisely; it came at a steep price. Do not waste it" the Truth sneered, its face suddenly shifting. Ed caught a glimpse of browned skin, and dark eyes before the Gate slammed shut and his consciousness rocketed back into his waiting body.
"…rd… ward… Edward!"
Ed could feel a heavy hand on his shoulder, shaking with a firm resolution. With a heavy groan, he opened his eyes to see the weathered face of Captain Broadstone peering over him. "What happened?" he asked groggily.
"I'm not sure." The Captain's voice was professional and clipped, but Ed could see the undertone of worry in his kindly face. "You fell down and were in some sort of trance. I managed to catch your head before you hit it, so you are not in danger of a concussion. However, I must ask Edward, has this happened before? It seemed almost like a fit of some sort."
Ed frowned and shook his head. "Not this way."
Captain Broadstone simply raised a grizzled eyebrow and waited for a better explanation.
"I need to talk to Mustang. How fast can we meet him?" Ed continued, pushing himself up to a standing position.
"We should be at the house within 15 minutes, in this traffic."
"That'll have to do it. Which way to the car?" Ed grabbed his suitcase and set off in the direction that the captain indicated. Broadstone followed behind, keeping an eye of the unsteady boy, close enough to grab him should he fall again. They got into a nondescript car, and quickly made their way through the crowded streets of Central. Edward remained silent throughout the ride, desperately trying to make sense of what had happened to him at the station. Captain Broadstone also was silent, but in a more attentive and watchful way, as he gazed passively out the tinted windows of the vehicle. Approximated fifteen minutes later the car pulled into a small side street and stopped.
"We're here, Edward." Captain Broadstone tipped the driver, and stepped out of the car.
"Where are we?" Edward looked around, not recognizing the neighbourhood. He observed the neatly painted doors and large yards. "This is a pretty expensive area, isn't it?"
"We're meeting at the house at the end of the street. Follow me" Broadstone explained, smiling a bit at Edward's quick assessment.
Ed continued to look around as he followed the captain up to the neat (dare-he-say cute) house indicated earlier. He could not imagine Mustang living in one of these houses. It seemed all too… girly? No, domesticated. Ed was sure that Mustang would live in a one-bedroom apartment regardless of his rank. Then that raised the question of whose house this was. A friend's, probably. A lady friend? Ed smirked. 1st Lieutenant Hawkeye would not be impressed. Ed watched with thinly veiled interest as Captain Broadstone rang the doorbell. Who could it be? He bit back a smug grin when a woman opened the door. She was dressed in a loose white blouse tucked into a long, flared crimson skirt. A wide belt emphasized her small waist and the curve of her hips. She looked rather exotic with her chocolaty-brown skin and piercing green eyes. Her straight, dark hair fell in thick locks to the small of her back, only held back by a decorated cloth strip. Golden hoops adorned her ears, wrists and ankles, jingling slightly like little bells. She was definitely the Colonel's, er, Brigadier-General's type.
"Come on in, Captain, Mr. Elric. They're waiting for you" she welcomed warmly.
Captain Broadstone and Edward followed her into the house, waiting politely as she locked the door behind them.
"You know the way, Captain. I'm in the middle of a cake, so please excuse me if I don't accompany you" the woman apologized with a small smile, and then strode off with a dramatic swirl of her skirt.
Captain Broadstone gave a dry chuckle, noticing Ed's pointed looks. "She helps around the house" he explained as he walked down the main corridor towards the back of the house.
"Plus, she already has a beau" a voice added, from the room ahead of them. Ed peered around the Captain's back and scowled. At the entrance of the living room, with hands propped on waist, stood the bane of Ed's existence, Brigadier-General Roy Mustang. With his messy black hair, round baby face and piercing black eyes, Roy was an instant hit with most women his age, and he made sure everyone knew it.
"Hey, Fullmetal. I didn't think you would come" Mustang smirked. "I almost didn't see you behind Charles."
"Who're you calling a pint-sized midget who can't even see over a table?"
Mustang laughed, a smug grin plastered on his face. "It's good to see you too, Ed."
Ed grumbled a bit, still put off by the earlier comment, but then flashed Mustang a real smile. "So, what did you want me here for, shitty Colonel? I'm less use to you now that I can't do alchemy."
Mustang immediately sobered, his grin vanishing in an instant. "You'd better come inside, Fullmetal. We've got some information that may concern you."
Mustang stepped back into the room, allowing both Ed and Captain Broadstone to enter. Edward looked around, taking in the upholstered furniture, the plain but heavy drapery and the large fireplace in the center of the room. Somebody obviously put a lot of care into decorating the room. His observations ground to a startling halt when he saw the room's other occupant, sitting comfortably in a high-backed plush armchair. The same face he had seen on the train stared back at him, matching his analytical gaze precisely.
"Fullmetal, this is Lieutenant-General Tara Raveneye. Lieutenant-General, Edward Elric, formerly known as the Fullmetal Alchemist" Mustang introduced.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Elric. Mustang has told me a great deal, as have the others."
She was far more striking in person, Ed thought. The picture did not do her justice. It did not show the aura of calm and dignity that accompanied her. It did not show the shadows of knowledge and fatigue that she wore openly on her face. It most definitely did not show the colour of her fierce eyes. Her irises were rust-orange in colour and clear. The wide, deep pupils made it seem as if she was always attentive, though her eye lids were always relaxed and drooping.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant-General" Ed answered politely.
The Lieutenant-General smiled gently. "Please, have seat, Mr. Elric, Charles. You are guests in my house. Make yourselves comfortable."
"I did not expect to see you here today, ma'am" Broadstone confessed as he eased onto a single couch. "Did you take a day off?"
"No, I managed to finish all my work earlier on in the day. Mustang asked me to use my house to meet with the Fullmetal Alchemist, so I thought I would tag along" Raveneye replied with a look towards Mustang. "He protested vehemently, which made me even more determined to meet with you."
"This is not a social visit!" Mustang growled impatiently, throwing himself into the love seat across from the Lieutenant-General.
"Of course not" was her dry reply.
Edward looked at the two officers and scowled. "What's going on?"
"Fullmetal," Mustang started, staring at Ed from above steeped hands, "Have you tried using alchemy since the Promised Day?"
Ed looked a little shocked at the line of questioning but quickly regained his composure. "Of course I've tried. But I can't use alchemy any more. I gave it up to save Al."
Mustang exchanged a quick look with Raveneye and then turned his gaze back to Edward. "Do you mind trying again?"
"What? Right now? Why?" Ed slammed his hands down on the arms of his armchair. "What the hell is going on?"
"Mr. Elric, please indulge us" the Lieutenant-General interrupted smoothly.
Ed scowled, ran a hand through his hair and then glared at Mustang. "This had better not be one of your sick jokes because I've…"
"Now, Fullmetal!"
With a disgruntled grunt, Ed slapped his hands together and laid them on the carpeted floor. It wasn't like it was going to work…
Ed stared in shock at the small carving of a mutant panda that had emerged from the floor in a flash of blue light. "What? That's… that's impossible… I gave up my Gate… How?"
Mustang signed and ran a hand through his messy hair. "That's what we feared" he murmured.
"Oi, Mustang, what's going on? Did you know about this?" Ed asked, in rising panic. What if Al's body had been taken again?
"Fullmetal, has anything strange happened lately? Anything to explain this?"
Edward leapt to his feet, pacing in his agitation. "Something happened in the train station. I got sent to the Gate."
"Please continue, Mr. Elric."
Ed looked up at the calm visage of Tara Raveneye as she leaned forward expectantly. He glanced at Mustang, as if confirming her trustworthiness, and seemed appeased at the other man's curt nod.
"It happened maybe half an hour ago. Captain Broadstone was leading me to the car when I felt something similar to the Gate opening. It was similar to the time when the Homunculus dragged us to his base. I saw the Truth. It said something strange, like 'the fare has already been paid' and that 'this gift has a steep price'. Then I woke up on the floor of the station" Ed explained, wearily dropping back into his seat.
"Charles?" Lieutenant-General Raveneye turned to Captain Broadstone for confirmation.
"At approximately 2200 hours, Mr. Elric and I had reached the Central train station. I was directing him towards our cab when he suddenly collapsed onto the floor. He seemed to be having some sort of fit. I held his limbs down, according to proper medical procedure. He woke in exactly two minutes and was initially dazed and unaware of his surroundings. However, he was able to reorient himself within a couple of minutes and we came straight here" the Captain recited.
"I see." The Lieutenant-General frowned and sat back in her chair.
"Your physical body was not taken to the Gate this time" Mustang commented. "Your soul must have travelled there by itself. It probably has something to do with the fare having already been paid."
"Mr. Elric, I apologize for being cryptic, but it is important to fully understand the situation before getting you involved any further. Before I explain anything, can you identify this writing?" Tara Raveneye handed Ed a thin paper envelope marked with the common Amestris postage.
Ed glared at the handwritten address. The printing looked fairly normal: thin letters looped gently, not too big or small – written by some sort of fountain pen. Ed frowned, shook his head and passed the envelope back.
"Sorry. It doesn't look familiar."
"Brigadier-General Mustang received this letter early last week. The contents, which were mostly just the usual death threats and angry remarks, also contained something alarming. The sender mentioned you, Mr. Elric." Lieutenant-General Raveneye gestured slightly to the boy in front of her. "To be specific, he wrote that he knew that you would be able to use alchemy again and that he had been watching your house."
"WHAT?" Ed roared. "They're watching my house?!" He slammed his hands down on the arms of his chair.
"So he claims" the Lieutenant-General added calmly.
"Then why the hell did you call me to Central?" Ed glared at his former superior venomously.
"Watch you tone, Fullmetal!" Mustang snapped. "I called you here for a reason, and you know it."
Lieutenant-General Raveneye shot Mustang an annoyed glare and then continued. "We have reason to believe that this individual has no interest in your family, just you. The rest of the letter emphasizes that in their power, you would be the tool to topple our current government. This is why we brought you here, Mr. Elric. Not only to protect you and your family, but also to ask for your assistance in finding and detaining the culprits behind this."
Ed processed this for a bit, clearly conflicted in his position. He definitely did not want to bring the trouble back to Winry and Pinako Baa-san, but he really wanted to go check on Al. Especially after what the Truth had said. If the toll had already been paid, who was to say that Al had not been the one who paid it? What if he had forced his brother to lose his body again? Was it really worth having his alchemy again, if that was the price?
Ed sighed and rested his forehead against his clasped hands. He needed to get things straight. So many things had happened in such a short period of time, it was no wonder why he was so confused. First, Mustang got a letter warning the military of a potential coup. Secondly, the letter also detailed that Ed would get his alchemy back eventually. Third, Ed would be instrumental in the coup if the sender got a hold of him. Fourth, he collapsed in Central Station, was taken to the Gate and given his alchemy back, apparently free of charge. Lastly, he had been given the option to stop political strife and protect his family by allying himself with the military again. Ed sighed again. When he thought about it like that, there seemed to be almost no choice at all.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked resignedly.
Mustang smirked. "I told you he'd agree" he boasted to the Lieutenant-General.
"Mr. Elric, I believe you will be needing this back." Tara Raveneye tossed something across the gap between the seats.
Ed clumsily reached out and grabbed the object which clunked into his hand familiarly. He looked down onto the familiar engraved cover of his old silver watch.
"Welcome back, Fullmetal." Mustang smiled an honest, pleased smile that he rarely used.
Ed grinned and tucked the watch into his coat pocket where it settled down as a comfortable weight. "I don't mind becoming a dog of the military again, as long as I can protect my family." He held a finger up to stop Mustang from interrupting him. "But," Ed drawled in a way he knew Mustang loathed, "I want to check on Al first. In the worst case scenario, he paid the toll for me, in which case I would immediately give my Gate up again. If, however, he is fine, I'll take up my position as State Alchemist again."
"That is indeed reasonable" Lieutenant-General Raveneye nodded her approval. "You can use the house phone to try and contact your brother. The sooner you confirm, the sooner we can start arranging our plans to include you." She reached out and rang a small bell on the side table. "Carmen, please show Mr. Elric to the phone. He has an urgent call he needs to make."
Edward started a little as the housekeeper appeared in the doorway, leaning flatteringly against the framework.
"Of course, Madame Raveneye. Follow me, Mr. Elric." With a swish of her pleated skirt, Carmen swept out of the room, Ed tagging along behind her silently.
That's this month's update! I will try and put a chapter every month, but it may become more like every other month as exams come up. Thanks to all the readers who are sticking around. I really appreciate it. :)