SCARLETT
It was about a day after the Rush Valley episode. They were back in Central.
"So, where are we going?" she asked, catching up to Ed and Al.
"I thought you were just a tag-a-long?" Ed sneered.
"One knuckle-sandwich, in the kitchen and coming right up, sir." she shot back, slinging her sweat-shirt over her shoulder.
"Fine... I have to check in with Hughes. I told him I'd drop in whenever we were in Central. Winry already went ahead to his place." Ed sighed, shaking his head.
She stopped.
Something was wrong with Hughes...
"I... I don't think he'll be there..." she said softly. The brothers didn't hear her.
At the Central Command-center, they ran into Mustang and Hawkeye. When Ed asked if they'd seen Hughes, she quickly stepped in.
"He isn't here, is he? Is he okay?" she asked.
"Why would you say that?" Mustang said. "He retired and took his family out to the country to take over the family business."
"That's a lie, and I know he's not alright!" she hissed. She was worried, and she almost didn't want an answer. He tattoos flickered, and everyone took a step away. But the light faded and died. "What... happened..." she said through clenched teeth.
Mustang sighed. "Hughes is dead."
Her eyes widened, and she dropped her shirt. Then her head hung.
"Wha... Wha... But..."
Ed just couldn't find the words to speak. Then he turned and ran. "Brother!" Al ran after his older brother.
"How did you know?" Hawkeye asked her.
"I felt it." she said softly, putting a hand on her chest. "We were about half-way to Rush Valley when I felt like Hughes was in trouble. Everyone told me it was nothing and I shouldn't worry, but I just couldn't... I knew something was wrong..."
It's okay to feel pain.
Her eyes teared up, and she didn't try to stop them. "I'm going after them." she said softly.
"Scarlett..." Mustang stopped her.
"You're a very brave, strong girl. The way you feel pain and make no attempt to hide it makes you even stronger and braver. However, I'm sure Hughes wouldn't want you to cry. Go on with your life. Don't let his helping you be in vain." the man ordered.
"Yes sir..." she said softly.
EDWARD
There was a dull knock on the door. Gracia answered it.
"Hello, Scarlett. From your face, you already found out."
"She knew the second it happened..." he growled. He clenched his fists, feeling pain and anguish well up inside him. "We shoulda listened to her... She knew something was wrong..."
"He wouldn't want us to cry."
He stopped, looking up.
"Hughes wouldn't have wanted us to cry. Go on with our lives, and don't let his help all be in vain." Scarlett had a small smile on her face. "So don't cry. That's not what he would want."
"Heh, and since when have you been all philosophical like this?" he sighed.
"Right now..."
They stayed for a little longer, then found a hotel to stay at. There was very little discussion.
SCARLETT
They pounded through the streets.
They had to find her... Had to find her...
Maria Ross had just been accused of murdering Hughes, and tonight she'd broken out.
They had to find her... Had to find her...
They had to find her... Had to find her...
She knew the woman very little, but really liked her. She was kind and compassionate. She couldn't have possibly killed Hughes!
There!
"Ahh!"
She knew those two as well!
"How the hell did you get here? I thought you were dead!" she and Number 68 both yelled.
"You two know each other?" Ed asked.
"Ahh! It's you!" Al and Number 68 both yelled.
"Ling! What the hell..." Ed trailed off, shaking his head. "Maria, we wanna talk to you about the murder!"
"Uh..."
Number 68 stepped between them. He gave instructions to Maria that she followed quickly. "Not so fast, 68..." she growled, lowering her glasses.
"Aw, crap!" 68 lunged for her as she took off past him, but she was too fast for him.
"Go, Scarlett!" Ed and Al both yelled.
She ran pel-mel through the alleys. She saw a flare of light at the end of the alley she was running through and felt the faint heat. She lowered her glasses and analyzed it as a fire-blast from Roy Mustang. She put the pedal to the metal now, scared of what she'd find.
"You..."
She had found what she feared.
Mustang stood over a charred corpse, and on the ground next to it was the chain Maria had had on her wrist. "You... You..." she growled.
"What? Is that all you can say?" he asked coolly.
"You fucking monster! That's barbaric, almost as bad as what you did to my people! Monster! Demon! Bastard!" she screamed, turning and running back down the way she'd come, tears streaming off her face.
"Scarlett?" Ed asked as she ran past.
"Colonel Fucking Bastard!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Colonel Fucking Monster Bastard Demon Barbarian!"