Lil bit of mesmerism for your evening, I've seen someone legit do this shit for real on stage and it's amazing! Anyway hope you enjoy :)
Tracking down Hoenheim had actually been surprisingly easy. Olivier had said that he was in Resembool so Winry had decided to visit her grandmother before going to find him. What she hadn't expected was getting to Pinako's house, being confronted by a very excitable Den as she got to the porch, and finding Hoenheim sitting at the kitchen table with a whiskey in front of him. Winry had to look at the photo and the man sitting in front of her just to make sure that she wasn't imagining it.
"Winry," Pinako said smiling warmly at her, "this is a nice surprise. What brings you out to this neck of the woods?"
"She's here to see me," Hoenheim said before Winry had the chance to open her mouth. Pinako stared at Winry, then a Hoenheim and back again.
"Well I'll put the kettle on," she said and went over to the sink, "you make yourself comfortable and I'll bring you some tea."
"Thanks Granny," Winry said and slipped into the seat next to Hoenheim.
"It's nice to meet you Agent Rockbell," he said smiling at her. Winry narrowed her eyes at him.
"How did you know I was an Agent?" she asked. "Granny what did you tell him?"
"Not a damn thing," Pinako said.
"Right mind magic," Winry said shaking her head. "Second question; how do you know my grandmother?"
"Oh Pinako and I go way back," Hoenheim said purposefully avoiding her first question. "I've known her since before you were born."
"Funny," Winry said as she surveyed him, "she's never mentioned you before."
"Hardly surprising," Hoenheim shrugged. "I like to keep my affairs as private as I possibly can."
"Yes when you bare a striking resemblance to a criminal mastermind I imagine keeping off the grid would be a high priority. Although it must have some advantages," Winry stated. Hoenheim chuckled.
"I can assure you whatever elaborate plan you might have to try and substitute me for the real Father is unlikely to work but a valiant effort none the less."
"Pardon?" Winry asked taken aback.
"That is why you're hear isn't it?" Hoenheim asked. "You're hoping to use 'The Brotherhood Of Travelling Alchemists' to infiltrate Father's organisation so that you can arrest him from his crimes?"
Winry blinked at him, staring open mouthed. How on earth did he know all of that before she had even had the chance to speak? Olivier had said that he specialised in mind magic but this was beyond simple stage magic; this was actual mind reading!
"You've already made contact with both Roy Mustang and Izumi Curtis and enlisted their help," Hoenheim stated. "I must admit threatening Mustang with arrest for trying to seduce you was a nice touch; he is a terrible flirt."
"How are you doing that?" Winry asked. "Stop doing that!"
"Heonheim," Pinako chuckled from over by the sink, "stop trying to mess with my granddaughter's head. By the sounds of it she's had enough of a time trying to recruit the rest of your lot without you adding to it."
"Granny not you too," Winry groaned putting her face in her hands. Why did they both seem to know what she was going to say before she said it? Hoenheim chuckled as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a mobile phone.
"Modern technology is a wonderful thing," he stated.
"Very funny," Winry snapped glaring at him. "So from that I'll assume Mustang and Curtis told you I was coming?"
"When someone's trying to get 'The Brotherhood' in the same room together of course they're going to let the founder know," Hoenheim said.
"Oh good then the other two will be expecting me," Winry said.
"I very much doubt it," Hoenheim said. "They don't really do phones."
"Hang on," Winry said suddenly picking up on something he had said before as Pinako put a steaming cup of tea in front of her, "you just said that you're the founder of 'The Brotherhood'?"
"I am," Hoenheim said taking a sip of his own tea.
"But why set up something like that when Amestris already has a magic association?" Winry asked after a pause.
"You know who is in charge of the FMA, don't you?" Hoenheim asked.
"Yes," Winry replied. "Father."
"Now tell me, Agent Rockbell," Hoenheim said levelling her with a stare, "would you really want to work with a man like that watching your every move?"
"I suppose not," Winry said.
"I set up 'The Brotherhood' because I wanted to operate away from him and I enlisted a few select friends that I knew weren't exactly his biggest fans either," Hoenheim told her.
"So then you understand why he needs to be brought to justice," Winry said.
"I do," Hoenheim nodded, "and I can assure you that you will have no resistance from me in the matter."
"There must be a catch," Winry said narrowing her eyes at him.
"Why do you think there's a catch?" Hoenheim asked, a small smile playing about his lips as he took a sip of his tea.
"Because, Mr Hoenheim, there is always a catch," Winry replied.
"See now that is the mark of a suspicious mind," Hoenheim chuckled.
"I am a Federal Agent Mr Hoenheim," Winry stated, "I have to be suspicious, along with working with my new found team of stage magician, which is already proving to be a chore and, so help me god, if you start singing Elvis I will have to put you in handcuffs."
"She's a feisty one Pinako," Hoenheim laughed.
"Of course she is," Pinako said winking at Winry, "she takes after me."
"So please name your terms Mr Hoenheim," Winry said smirking at him as if she had him completely figured out.
"If you can get both of my sons to agree to this little venture of yours and be in the same room as me then I am at your complete service," he said.
"Oh!" Winry blanched. She hadn't quite been prepared for that. "Sure I can do that."
"I admire your confidence but Edward in particular is very stubborn when he sets his mind to something," Hoenheim said, "and he has set his mind to never being in the same room as me again."
"I am very persuasive Mr Hoenheim," Winry stated. "I'm sure I can get him to come around."
"Then I believe you," Hoenheim smiled.
"Correct me if I'm wrong," Winry said, "but are these your sons?" She handed Hoenheim the picture of the Elric Brothers from the file. Hoenheim sighed as he picked up the photograph and looked at it sadly.
"Alphonse has grown his hair since I last saw them," he said.
"Which was?"
"About a year and a half now," he replied. "I keep track of them, any father would, but Edward made it very clear the last time he saw me that he thought I was a rotten father and that he didn't want to see me again."
"So do you know where they are now?" Winry asked. "If we're going to have a family reconciliation I need to know where I can find them."
"Last I heard they were making a nuisance of themselves outside 'The Dwarf In The Flask' Theatre," Pinako stated. "What?" she asked in response to Hoenheim's raised eyebrow. "You think I haven't been keeping tabs on them as well?"
"Perfect," Winry said. "Right in front of all the trouble."
"That sounds like my boys," Hoenheim chuckled. "So yes you'll find them performing out on the streets, usually in front of a big crowd."
"Edward always has been a bit of a show off," Pinako grinned. "I bet he takes a shine to you Winry."
"And I can say without a doubt that I won't be interested because I am on assignment," Winry stated with a tone that said that was to put an end to the matter.
"Are you sure?" Pinako asked. "I've met the boys and both Edward and Alphonse are fine looking young men."
"Granny, even if he was interested, much like I told Mustang, I am a Federal Agent on a case," Winry said, "my interest in him will purely be for his magical talents and nothing else, no matter how aesthetically pleasing they are."
"Are you sure?" Hoenheim asked. "You haven't had a partner since..." he placed his hand to his temple theatrically, "Paula? Penny?"
"Paninya," Winry said and suddenly realised what she had just admitted to. "Shit!" Both Hoenheim and Pinako laughed.
"And that ended six... no seven months ago?" Hoenheim asked. Winry glared at him and turned to her grandmother.
"What did you tell him?"
"Not a damn thing," Pinako said lighting her pipe with a smirk.
"No it was nine months wasn't it," Hoenheim said.
"Stop it," Winry told him, glaring and taking a sip of her tea. Both Hoenheim and Pinako just laughed.