I'm tired of this section of the plot. I'm a horrible person for completely skipping the Dublith trip, but there will be a brief mention of it.
(Age 23. Jean Havoc)
Regardless of the old man's advice from his trip to the bar, Havoc still went out and found himself a nice girl. He walked into a quaint little cafe near where he had been relocated to only hours before the fiasco in the bar he'd discovered.
There was a woman about twenty years old or so reading a magazine and sipping on some type of latte. With a smirk and a determination to forget, he blatantly began to chat her up.
One thing lead to a date, which lead to a second, which lead to Havoc having a new girlfriend.
About two weeks into this new relationship with a red-haired, green-eyed woman, who was nearly as tall as himself and had a very sophisticated look and aura to her, Havoc was working in his usual area, still looking for a trace of Scar.
"Damn," He swore, he still lacked his military jacket, and was currently smoking a cigarette and wiping the sweat off his brow with a rag, "I can't believe we still haven't found this guy. He couldn't have survived that." He muttered, mostly to himself.
"Clear over here still." A distant coworker updated, hauling debris and rubble to look more.
"Hey, man!" another called, standing with a buddy, "Take a break with us and tell us more of this Ginger-Looker you managed to sweep off her feet. I still think you're bullshitting us."
His buddy chuckled along with him, "Just keep asking questions. He'll slip up eventually!"
Just as Havoc was about to retort, the radio-monitor called out for him, "Jean Havoc!" the man in question turned his head as a reply, "It's the colonel." He informed him, motioning for Jean to take the phone.
Jean felt his smoke slip gently from his lips as his expression dropped in defeat. Nonetheless, the blonde trudged over and took the radio-telephone from the man and waited for the colonel's voice.
"Havoc?" he asked tentatively nearly instantaneously. Jean internally groaned, yeah, it was Mustang.
"Yes sir, Colonel Mustang?" He replied formally, in the presence of many military men.
"Oh," Mustang drawled, clearly amused, "You're in public, where they know you're on the phone with a colonel? How can I piss you off before I make the call for Fuery?" his chuckled resounded across the line merrily.
Jean cleared his throat and replied, just as formally, "What is the situation, sir?" he tried to remain as unfazed as possible. He knew Mustang would try and pull something, just because he could. Even if Roy was a good friend-Hell, probably because Roy is a good friend, he does these things to Jean.
"Well, I just got done walking Elizabeth to her apartment. She enjoyed our date immensely. Even Edward was okay with the dinner I had planned at my home for the two of us." though it was across the telephone line, the smugness of Roy's smirk was clearly audible.
Jean gritted his teeth at the hollow taunt, but Roy took one last step, "And the dessert was just... Wonderful." that one, slight insinuation made Havoc's blood boil. "Anyway," He continued seriously, "Come to my office. It's urgent."
Blowing what felt to him like hot steam out of his nostrils, Havoc bit his tongue momentarily to calm down before replying, "I'll be there in five, sir."
"Private Kain Fuery." Roy stood behind his desk, "Sargent Vato Falman." His hands were firmly on his desk, "Second Lieutenant Heymans Breda." A slight smirk was present as he called off the names, "Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye." After each name, a slight, barely audible 'yes' was resounded. "Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc." He stood and gestured to the five, "Although you have only been reassigned for a few months, you five will be returning to Central with me." He crossed his arms defiantly, "I will hear no complains," He ordered, "Come with me!"
They saluted in unison, like a quintet, replying, "Yes, sir."
Only when Jean broke off did they separate, as he jerked forward slightly, remembering something, "Wait, colonel!" he added, "There's a problem!"
"What?" The colonel bit out, annoyed by Havoc's sudden outburst.
"I just got a girlfriend." He replied, causing all heads, including Roy's, to turn.
Shaking off the shock, Mustang replied, "I didn't think you were ballsy enough to get past her big brother. But don't worry, Havoc, Broken Flame and her brothers are returning to Central as well."
Now Jean's turn to be shocked, his face paled considerably. "Uhm, Sh-she's, no-t erm." He muttered fearfully, red from embarrassment, he took a breath, "She's not my girlfriend. And why are they coming to central too?" His voice betrayed his fear and dread of the last statement.
Of the five listening, Kain, Riza, and Roy were most shocked by his reply. "What do you mean, she's not your girlfriend?" Riza and Kain exclaimed. The two were out of character, because of their deep shock.
Roy, on the other hand, was acting as if this was one of the many possibilities he had foreseen. "Is it because of Fullmetal?" He inquired calmly, not judging, yet.
Jean looked away, clearly ashamed. He was scared of a boy seven years his junior. "Yes." He gritted out forcefully.
Roy scoffed and gathered up the paperwork he had prepared for the five's transfer, "Good, then." Roy's unexplained comment was met with confusion on Jean's part, to which Mustang continued, "I'm sure that Broken Flame doesn't want some skittish boy. If you're scared of a young man that only has her best interest at heart, you should stay away. Your fear either you don't have her best interest at heart, or you wouldn't be able to protect her."
I have her best interest at heart. That's why I'm staying away. But I could protect her. And she can protect herself.
Elizabeth stole in after a while of waiting for her brother to reemerge from the building her met the odd people, as he had yet to come out. Weaving through the corridors and hallways of the underground part of the building, she eventually reached a place where Alphonse was tied up. Across from him was a tall man with black hair, black clothing, black bracelets on either wrists, and a bit of a white fur on the collar of his sleeveless black jacket. She couldn't hear the beginning of the conversation, but as she ventured closer, the words became clear.
"...beat me, you have to at least do this." The man talking to Alphonse, obviously the leader around there, pointed to his head. Though Al couldn't see the big man with a sledge hammer coming behind the leader-guy, Elizabeth could. She winced and shielded her eyes from the blow, as if she were the one being hit.
Once she ventured to open her eyes, hesitating because of Alphonse's cries of disbelieve, "How could you do that?" A few chuckles, then, "I thought you were..." Elizabeth watched wide-eyed as the man, with half of his head splattered on the cement floor near Al's feet, rose from the ground with one finger pointed. "Allies." Al finished, barely audible to his sister's ears.
Like alchemy was happening, but with a more sinister red light instead of the comforting and familiar blue, the man in black's head started to reappear. First his skull was reconstructed, then the muscles of his face and head spread over it, rapidly followed by his skin, hair, and features. It all happened within a few seconds, leaving two very shocked Elrics.
The man that just resurrected groaned in pain and cracked his neck loudly. "That's one death," He said, wiping away some blood running out of his mouth.
The fear was practically radiating off of the girl now, she'd never seen anything like this. The man had his head blown off with a sledge hammer, and here he was, scolding his comrade, "Can't you do it more elegantly?" Just as the bulky man with the weapon was about to apologize, the man in black's gaze slyly slipped over to where Elizabeth was staring in disbelief, already fallen to her knees. He added, "We have a lady guest present."
Elizabeth quickly stood and braced herself, taking in the group. The bulky man who had hit the leader had gray hair in a militaristic style with an outdated uniform. The only other notable person she took into account was the sharp-looking man with a loose training-sort of outfit on with sleek black hair and a sword that was curved and looked like it came from Xing or the East.
"Come," He gestured towards Alphonse, but with a sharpness in his tone that suggested the word was not a request. As the ones he lead were closing in behind her, Elizabeth took a few steps forward, carefully nudging her jacket sleeve down, hiding her mechanical arm. Though she hadn't worn leggings and he could clearly see the metal leg, maybe the surprise of a metal arm as well would give her the slightest advantage if it came down to a fight.
With a raised brow, she looked at this man, tall, but still shorter than Jean. "Call me Greed, Miss Elric." His eyes flickered to her right hand, "Don't bother trying to hide it. You and your two brothers are quite famous. I almost want an autograph." He taunted, flicking a wrist at her and turning to Alphonse.
Obviously a signal, Elizabeth was suddenly grabbed on either side by the two subordinates. She considered fighting briefly, but then thought better of it, as she could possibly learn his motives before attempting escape.
She was tossed next to Alphonse, where Greed began explaining to the boy what he was. "You know what a 'homunculus' is, right?" The creak of metal next to her told Elizabeth that Alphonse had responded, but she dare not take her eyes away from this sly man. "An artificially created person. A person that isn't human." He grinned slightly, placing his fingertips together at before his now apparent smirk, "A person like me." His smirk faded, his tone more serious as he continued, "Now, I'm built to be quite tough. I've been living like this for over two hundred years."
Elizabeth gasped slightly, "Th-that's not possible." She stated, "I've read and reread all records of homunculus and there's never been a single case recorded to be successful!" she exclaimed, capturing a blank stare.
Greed was obviously not pleased with her interruption in the first place, nor did he like her second interruption. After all, he just wanted to know how to bind himself to a doll of sorts to become immortal. He didn't want the boy's sister. The rumors had nothing good about her.
Nevertheless, he chuckled slightly and leaned into her. Her eyes widened dramatically and she leaned as far back as she could, to the wall. Still Greed smirked only inches from her face, her fear and nervousness clear to him, "There are places where the sun doesn't shine, sweetheart. You live in your nice, surface world, but the underworld has things you've never seen before." He jabbed a thumb behind him, where four or five guys were standing, and tapped Alphonse's chest, "These chimeras, even the one in your brother, don't officially exist in the your world. Yet here they are." Leaning in even closer, she could feel his cool breath, "There's no such thing, as no such thing." He breathed out.
He leaned back away from her, sending chills of unease down her spine. He propped up on his feet, still crouching to the level of the two restrained Elrics and demanded, "I told you my secret," He pointed at Al, "Now tell me yours. How was your soul transmuted?"
Elizabeth snarled unconsciously, "That's what this is about? You Greedy bastard. You've lived for two hundred years, and it's not enough for you?"
Chuckling, Greed rested a cool hand on her cheek. Even though she flinched away, he still smirked at her reaction, "Never enough, sweetheart."
"You should speak," A woman's voice whispered from inside Alphonse, "Not only could they take you apart and treat you like a lab rat, but Greed has your sister here too. He probably wouldn't hurt her, but if you refuse him, there's no telling what he might do in anger."
Grimacing as much as a suit of armor can, Al relented, "I-I can't. I don't remember how I got this body." He lifted his head to Greed, who had taken his hand away from his Elizabeth's face, much to her relief. "Besides, I didn't preform the transmutation, so I wouldn't know anyway."
"Ah," Greed replied, acting as if they were totally in this together as allies or something, "Then the one who did, I'll ask him!"
"It was our brother, but he's not here now." Alphonse replied sadly, thinking of how his brother could have handled this situation better. Or maybe worse, who knew?
Elizabeth looked away as well, How could I be his twin, and so much weaker and more helpless? Why can't I fight like him?
Greed backed away quickly, retreating into his little group and whispering about. He returned sheepishly after a few moments and replied, "Uhm, I guess it makes sense that your sister came after you, then. How do I, ehm, say this?" He scratched the back of his head.
"Sorry, you two. Cheer up." The bulky man added, quite bluntly.
Elizabeth blinked and Alphonse whispered to her, "Do they think he's...?"
"This is too troublesome." The man who had just attempted hypnosis on Al whined to Greed, "Let's take him apart and analyze him. I know a bit about alchemy." he reasoned impatiently.
Al shifted in his seat and Elizabeth started to think of an escape. No way in hell were they going to analyze her little brother with that fragile blood seal of his. "If you're going to do that," He replied, "At least let someone at a State Alchemist level do it." he shifted again before adding, "The idea of an amateur tampering around with me is not very pleasant."
Greed chuckled, "Well said, little Elric, well said!" A small smirk settled on his lips, as he was clearly amused by the siblings' company.
The wanna-be alchemist chuckled along without humor, "This guy's got guts. I like fellas like you, but..." His hand bolted out to Alphonse's helmet and grabbed the spike near his forehead, "That attitude of fearlessness really pisses me off." He snarled, holding up his other hand threateningly as it changed slightly to accommodate sharp claws.
Elizabeth clapped her hands without hesitation, not even realizing she had done it or could use alchemy with her wrists bound until the chains fell from her wrists, broken. The clinking of metal made the amateur's snarl turn to her. Though she sneered right back at him and charged, he was much faster and was holding her by the throat before she could clap. Fear once again settled in her stomach as she clawed at his single hand in vain. As she went to clap to transmute, his second hand snatched her automail arm and pinned it against the wall as well. Though she had her feet on the ground, his grip was so great that she could barely breathe. Not only was the girl in pain, but she was utterly humiliated by her inability to protect herself, much less her little brother.
"Hey!" Greed snarled, flaring a temper for the first time in her presence. The outburst was short-lived as he cooled down instantly and continued with a bored look, "She can't fight, so just re-restrain her, not manhandle her. We'd never get the brothers' cooperation if we killed her."
Through her feet, and barely audible, Elizabeth felt and heard some crashes not too far away. "T-There's one thing A-Alphonse is scared of, Amateur." She taunted, "I know this f-or a fact." Though the man had loosened his grip slightly, his claws still dug into her skin and were tightly wound around her neck. He still hadn't calmed down from the adrenaline rush enough to just let his opponent go.
"You're right, sister." Al replied, "And it's here, the terror."
Just as the words left him, a bright flash of blue light blinded the viewers' eyes. By the time anyone had blinked away their blindness, a large, ornate door stood where there was none before. A loud crash sounded on the other side of the door as it slowly creaked open, terrifying a few of the paranoid chimeras.
Barely able to see past the chimera still holding her, Elizabeth saw Izumi entering, dragging a limp body. Other unconscious bodies lay behind her as she walked in naturally, saying, "Hello, please excuse me."
Despite the chimera's loud and alarmed questions, Izumi just tossed the limp man at Alphonse. Before the loud crash of his armor ever resounded, Izumi began to scold harshly and loudly, "You idiot! Why the hell did you get yourself kidnapped?!"
"I'm sorry, teacher!" Alphonse cried pitifully.
Her eyes grew ablaze when she saw the position that the amateur and Elizabeth were in. "And you." she snarled, getting the attention of the man and a weak smile from Elizabeth, "I'll kill you before you manhandle that girl again!" Her foot jabbed out and kicked him in the throat, causing him to drop Elizabeth and cough violently until he managed to catch his breath.
"Now," She started, turning to Greed, "What is all this about?"
Kind of filler-y, isn't it? I want to get in the important parts, but I have a scene I've been DYING to write with Havoc/Elizabeth. Anyway, How do you like Greed? I think the remarks he made to Liz are something he'd do:)