SCARLETT

She stood over him. Edward was panting and cut in several places. She, however, was unscathed.

"Scarlett... Why're you doing this?" Ed cried as he stood up.

"When darkness falls, pain is all the angel of darkness will leave behind. But I will fight 'til the end. I'm fighting for the one I pledged my soul to." she said.

EDWARD

A gust of wind blew in through the window. The shadows fell across Scarlett's face, but her eyes shone in the darkness. With her long hair blowing and the shadows making her look like that, she looked like a demon.

Maybe that's all she is.

"Well, maybe so, but until my last breath..."

Groaning, he clutched his side.

"I will fight. I will fight." he said.

ALPHONSE

He was dodging. That was all.

Scar was too fast for him.

Why was she doing this?

Spotting an opening, he knocked Scar back and managed to pin his right arm. "Scar!"

He turned around in a nick of time.

Scarlett had flown at him, every blade she had out. But at the last second, she fell. He realized she was unconscious.

"Brother...?" he asked.

"I suddenly remembered that back when we first met her, Hughes had whacked her on the back of the head with the door. She'd complained about how it hurt and that the back of her head was a weak-point." Edward explained.

"She won't stay down."

They turned to Scar.

"She's not that type. Yuuki has never been known to stay down for too long."

"Ah, shut up!" Edward snarled.

It's true. Scarlett doesn't seem to know when to quit or give up.

He wondered how long she'd stay out.

EDWARD

Major Miles and a few soldiers came in.

There was a little talk. Then Miles aimed his gun at Scar.

The gun-shot ran out.

But Scar wasn't dead.

What the...?

Scarlett was crouched in front of Scar, hand out. It was angled, and he saw that she'd deflected the bullet up and away from Scar. He face was serious and concentrated. "No." she said.

"Scarlett, why are you even doing this?" he asked.

"I follow what my heart says to do. You know that."

Her eyes were glimmering slightly, and he recalled when they fought the Homunculi in Father's lair. He took a hesitant step back. "But this..."

"Shut the fuck up, Elric." Scarlett hissed, climbing to her feet. He took another step back.

All guns were trained on her now. She growled, her eyes flickering again. "Look... People still need him, dim-wits. You can't just kill him."

"Like who?" Al asked.

"May and Marco. I know more than you think. They have notes written in ancient Ishvalan. Scar can decipher them. I can't. I need him. How did I keep myself going through the years of torment I was put through? What do you think would happen to me if you just killed him?"

The question was left hanging.

"You'd flip. Snap. Like you did when you were fighting Envy." he answered softly.

She nodded. "And anyway. As to the plan for the country, I have a plan since Sloth is still on ice... But I need Scar to help me."

That struck him full-on. Scarlett had an idea as to how to save Amestris? The country that slew her own? That tortured her and turned her into a monster?

"You're kidding." was all he could say. Scarlett gave him an icy glare.

SCARLETT

There was more talk before anyone could come to any agreement. Winry and the other three burst in about half-way through, and their plans were made.

She waited for Scar to 'abduct' Winry and make his get-away before making her move. Kimblee was right there.

Her blades came neatly and quietly into the world.

Now she made her move.

Silently, she charged across the opening to Kimblee. He fell, a long opening along his midriff. The look on his face was one of shock.

"Now you can die. The wound isn't deep, but in this cold, it'll give you time to think about what you did to my people while you die an agonizing death." she said in a guttural voice. Her eyes glared down at the shocked Alchemist. He reached out one hand for her, but she was already speeding away.

Kimblee was going to die. She'd made sure of that. There was no possible way he'd survive. He'd either die of blood-loss or the cold freezing the blood inside him.

Then again, one couldn't feel sorry for the bastard. He was insane.

But now...

Into action.

She continued running, heading for Fort Briggs. She had to get there... Get inside... Get to the tunnels...

Run... Run... Run... Run... Run...

Something big slammed into her. Snarling, she made to stab it, but it was already moving away. She barely made contact with it.

"Thought we'd catch you here!"

Her eyes identified her attackers as Chimera. Two of the men who'd been with Kimblee. A lion and a gorilla. Sensitive noses.

"Hah! You're weak compared to me!" she laughed. It was true. She was made with titanium. That was super-strong!

They both charged her again, each with a fist out. She held out her hands, bracing herself. "Oof!"

They were stronger than she'd anticipated... But she could handle them! She ground her feet for a grip in the snow as they pushed her. Unable to get one, she snarled, coming up with a quick plan.

She relaxed, slipping down so that they fell over her. Having made them fall flat on their faces, she ran. If she was smart, there was no possible way they could keep up!

GENERAL ARMSTRONG

Scarlett had shared her plan with her, so she was on the look-out for the Ishvalan female.

"There!"

Scarlett was tearing up to the fort. Suddenly she stopped, looking back.

"If she's being followed, we'll have to execute Plan B." she murmured, not eager to follow that one.

Satisfied that she wasn't being followed, the Ishvalan came the rest of the way up and was let in. "Good. Time to get started."