Hello! It has been too long, and for that I apologize. Life happened, not all of it good. Just know I am trying to see this project through to the end.
So, enjoy!
There comes a time when every empire faces a challenge from its enemies like no other. When a rival power will throw something most unexpected. For Brutus' Cypressian Empire, it was Lecter's elephants. For the island nation of Zinpagi, east of Xing, it was the barbaric hordes of Genghis Drogo.
On this day though, for Amestris, the unusual details of their latest battle with Drachma will not be recorded in history. Who would believe Amestris rose to the challenge of facing off against sorcery and sentient chimeras?
But, perhaps it is for the best. For not only would history believe the witnesses mad, but soon an even more fantastic calamity would befall the Europan nation.
Colonel Roy Mustang and General Olivier Mira Armstrong marched down the snow, as the troops ran, crossing their paths in all directions. Though they were not currently in combat, they still moved about with absolute urgency. The wind was as cold and bitter as ever, but they could hear many of the troops whoop and holler in joy. "You don't seem too excited, General." Mustang noted.
"Why should I be?" Armstrong growled. "We could not defeat the primary enemy; he merely submitted to a more powerful one. They will both come for us again, and soon. What will we do then?"
Mustang's eyes narrowed as he focused on the path ahead. "I can't help but concur."
The two approached a cart and cage, created by alchemy. The many illustrations of Alex Armstrong were a dead giveaway. In fact, the major was right there, staring at Kodos as he furiously pulled at his chains. Seeing them in his peripherals, Armstrong turned to salute. "Sir." He acknowledged. "Sister."
"You let your enemy live." Olivier hissed. "I should have known you didn't have the stomach to-"
"With all due respect, General, I believe these creatures are more valuable to us alive. We need to learn more about the enemy." It was an open secret that Alex feared his elder sister, who despite her size had strength to match her brother's and was far more vicious. Yet when he addressed her in that moment there was no trace of fear in him. "And even if I believed as you do, it is officially out of our hands."
"Excuse me, Major?" Mustang asked.
"Central had ordered any chimera or unusual being we found to be taken in alive." He said, eyeing Kodos. "Our new director of research is very interested in them."
"A new director of research?" Olivier repeated.
"You witnessed the machines that came to our aid?" Mustang asked. Olivier nodded. "Those were his."
"I cannot deny their usefulness on the battlefield, and they did save our lives." The General acknowledged. "But they have effectively made soldiers like us obsolete."
"I agree, but unfortunately the Fuher was most insistent about their deployment. We must be prepared for future deployments and deal with them then." Mustang said. "Have you seen Lieutenant Hawkeye?" He asked the Major.
"Here, sir!" Riza walked up, her left arm in a sling while she saluted with her right. "My opponent was tough and rather crafty. Nearly got myself killed just to subdue her."
"Though I cannot say I approve of your tactics, I am grateful you are alive." Mustang saluted back.
Olivier rolled her eyes at this. They did a good job of hiding it, but Olivier could see there was something more than the formal relationship between an officer and their superior. It was quite improper, but even she thought better of voicing her thoughts on it. It was none of her business, and if the Fueher found out, then it simply meant Mustang deserved whatever was coming to him.
"Have you or anyone else seen Fullmetal?"
"I'm afraid not." Hawkeye answered.
Mustang turned to Major Armstrong, who nodded and shrugged. Mustang eyed Arachnias rolled out in a cage, strung up but unconscious. "I believe we dealt with four chimeras in total. Two of them are in custody, and the other escaped. Where is the fourth?"
"Sir!" Fallman ran ip to him and saluted. "We found some remains of Fullmetal."
"Remains?!" Mustang shouted in alarm.
"You should see for yourself."
Mustang saw the bodies of several of his Amestrian comrades having bled out in the snow. He saluted his fallen soldiers as others bagged them up. Though he learned to hide it well, he hated losing good men, especially if it was for a cause he questioned.
There was also the remains of several combots. He hated to admit it, but that was one pro on the usage of these machines. If they were destroyed, it was an inconvenience and nothing more. And then he saw it. The remains of Ed's automail arm, but there was no sign of his body.
"He's not dead." Mustang declared with certainty.
"You're sure, sir?" Fury asked.
"Kid's much too stubborn to let himself be killed." Mustang said.
He then leaned in to inspect the automail. He was no expert on the field, but he'd seen enough to know what the interiors looked like, filled with gears and bolts. This one seemed to have hardly any, but it left a lot of copper wires behind. Though Kintabor said it was classified, Mustang was not satisfied with that explanation. This automail wasn't just engineered differently, it had some other purpose. Something sinister.
"Do you think it was Scar's work, sir?"
"No, he hasn't been seen in these parts." Mustang said. "Until recently, there were no State Alchemists here in Briggs, and word could not have traveled that fast, nor could he have made such a trip in such a short amount of time." He saw the slight indentations in the metal, a strong hint to transmutation. "But alchemy did destroy his arm. Which means…this was self-inflicted." He stood up. "Is there any way to track Fullmetal?"
"Negative, sir." Hawkeye replied. "We have no hunting dogs, and the blizzard would have eliminated all traces immediately."
While Mustang was irritated that Ed was nowhere to be found, he was also relieved. Something foul was afoot in the military, more so now than before. A wildcard may be just what he needed. "Use whatever methods available to find Fullmetal first." He ordered his men. "But make sure you report directly to me and ONLY me. If anyone, even the Fueher asks, he went M.I.A."
"Sir!" They quickly saluted and dispersed.
Mustang looked towards the woods. "Well, Fullmetal. You better have a good explanation when I find you."
Ed was a fit boy, but when you had only one arm, the physical toll it had on a human being would amplify, no matter how strong one was. It was below freezing, yet he sweated as if he was working out in the summer. It didn't help he was supporting close to maybe seventy pounds minimum across his shoulder.
King Acorn was out the entire time; it was a miracle Ed was able to make it as far as he did with him in this weather. "Hey, maybe you'd be willing to pull some of your own weight?" He muttered sarcastically. Of course, if he did, he would either run away back to his master, or kill him and them run away to his master. So this was the best situation for him. "Damn it!" He hissed, careful not to yell and give a likely search party a hint of where to look.
He trudged along, when finally, he found a cabin. For a moment, Ed hesitated. The reaction to the Alien King would likely be very negative to whoever was inside. But if they didn't find shelter, they would most certainly freeze to death. He had to chance it! He made his way to the door, and knocked hard with his foot. "Hello?!" He banged again. "I'm a state alchemist! This is an emergency! Open up!" No one answered, and there were no sounds inside to indicate he was being ignored. "Well, guess I've got no further excuses."
Ed kicked the door, knocking it off the lock hinge but the door stayed where it was supposed to. Looking around, he noted there was a small fireplace, and broken furniture all over. This cabin was definitely abandoned; perfect to hide out in. Ed brought Maximillian in, looking for a good place to set him down. Seeing that there were no mattresses anywhere, he instead lay him gently on the hardwood floor. "Please bear with it." He said. Acorn only gave a low groan.
Ed looked over the place, finding scraps of paper. "Not the best material, but I will have to make do." Finding some broken chair legs, he tossed them into the fireplace. Using a nail, he carved a transmutation circle into the wood. He did not know or understand Mustang's flame alchemy, but he understood the general principles of exothermic reactions. He activated it, the reaction traveling into the fireplace, where the paper caught flame. It was no massive explosion, but it served adequately as a source of warmth.
He walked over to Acorn, grabbing him by the hand. "Can you sit up?"
It seemed he finally regained consciousness. "A little, yes."
"Get warm by the fire." He said as he helped him over.
For a moment, they just sat there in silence, Acorn pulling back his hood. 'Why did you spare me?"
"Someone is waiting for your return." Ed decided to leave out the part about Sally. It wouldn't do for either of them if he suddenly got hostile. But he had to know what, if anything, he remembered. Maybe it was best to poke his brain a little bit, just not give it a full stimulation.
"So, if it hadn't been for that…you would have finished me?" The mobian asked.
Ed sighed. "You mean while you were helpless? Absolutely not." Ed said. "Truth is, I only killed once. It was an accident, but thinking back I'm not sure it could have ended any other way. Still, I won't ever murder someone in cold blood."
Acorn sighed. "I suppose it is a moot point now. Either way, I am dead in the eyes of my master."
"Doesn't sound like someone worth serving." Ed said, bringing his one hand close to the flame.
"I didn't have a choice, the Zone of Silence…" Acorn winced.
Whatever it was, it was clearly traumatic. "Tell me about the place."
Acorn took a deep breath. "It's nothing. Literally."
"Can't imagine how you survived something like that." He said.
"There is no planet to hold you down, just a universe of nearly zero gravity."
"Why is it called the Zone of Silence?"
"If you are not a native of the zone, within a few says, all sounds and vibrations cease. It's not so bad at first…but you miss signs of danger, of food. And if you do not have anyone else besides you…" He began to shudder.
Ed growled at the thought of this. Bad enough that Robotnik usurped his kingdom. But to send him into a literal cold void-! "You should have just killed him on the spot, Robotnik." Ed thought. "And one way or another, I'm going to show you what true equivalent exchange is!"
"But you made it." Ed said to Acorn.
"I was about to die, sucked into a black hole. But I was plucked from the jaws of death by Master Ixis."
"Shit." Ed cringed.
"Through his crystallization magic, anything can survive the hardships of the Zone. And he offered it to me…for a price. I swore fealty to him as his knight."
Ed looked at the fire and nodded. That explained the crystallization thing…as well as anyone could, he supposed. Now he had to proceed with caution where he took this conversation. "You must have been desperate to survive. Any reason why?"
"It is merely the nature of all living things." Acorn said.
"No, I don't buy that. You're a sentient being; even when pushed to the brink, it takes a lot for creatures like you and me to choose submission over autonomy." When he got no response, he continued. "And you were put there in that hell. Which meant you were a threat to someone elsewhere. And…you may have had something to return to. What was it?"
At first, he got no answer, but then a sharp gasp as the king gripped his temples. "Shit!" His prodding still seemed to elict too sharp a response! He ran over, hugging him with his one arm. "I don't know how they do it on Mobius! Breathe, cry, hit something?!" He listed the possibilities as he rubbed the amnesiac King's shoulder. "Come on, get it together!"
Finally, the mobian seemed to calm down. "Why was I there?" He gasped, shivering not from cold. "Why did I want out?" He began to rub his face as cold sweat began to mat his fur.
Was this the effect of whatever spell the so-called wizard put him under? Or was this the result of years of trauma in that void of nothingness? "I don't know," he spoke, answering both the alchemist and himself.
"Maybe now's not the time for answers." Ed stood, looking towards the wrecked pantry. "You hungry? There's no gourmet meals here, but the cans should have some spam. It will probably taste like shit, but it's edible."
It took a while for the squirrel-man to turn and reply "Thank you."
A lot of things had to be done since the party of Al, his friends and the Freedom Fighters left the Red Castle.
Unfortunately there was no time to repair any damage they may have done. The Cretian government would have to take care of it themselves, if they cared at all.
In addition, Al had to be repaired. Or at least, held together until they reunited with Ed. Thanks to Al and Katherine, Winry was able to get materials for welding and forging. She spent the entire night making repairs to Al's back and integrity in a make-shift camp.
When it was done, it appeared to be a crude job with a steel plate covering the damaged back, the side held in by visible bolts.
No doubt Ed would be furious with her if he saw him like this, but Al assured her this was the best job anyone could do in his absence. And with that out of the way, they decided to find a real place to rest.
Normally, when traveling, Al and Winry were used to renting out motel rooms. The quality varied by town, often one room. But it did its job. But with an Armstrong around, a mere motel wouldn't do. As it turned out, Catherine carried with her DEEP pockets, and planned to rent out a mansion!
"W-What?!" Al exclaimed in shock as they arrived. It was nearly as large as Central's government building, made of emaculate white marble tinted with gild. Truly a monolith fit for kings, and this girl was renting it for peasants like them! "A-are you sure-?!" Al stuttered. "Not even brother's research fund could cover this!"
"It's fine, it's fine." Catherine waved him off. "We'll need the room for our new friends."
Al and Winry looked at one another. "True…they would appreciate it…" Winry said.
"Especially Sonic." Al added.
"Plus, the enemy may be EXPECTING you all to stay at motels. If that's true, it would be best to sleep where they don't think you can afford." She said in a surprising moment of perception.
Al and Winry looked to each other in shock. Winry leaned in to whisper into his helmet "Convenient, considerate…and tactical!" Winry exclaimed with glee as steam blew out of her nose and her face sparkled with excitement. "Let's do it, Al!"
Al felt a bit hesitant…and realized any argument he had against Katherine's proposal was only for him and him alone. "…alright."
The Freedom Fighters made sure to hide just behind the corners, close enough to hear them. Sonic couldn't help but grin and pump his fist.
Finally! A hiding place with space!
Sonic and the others looked on in awe at the expanse and polish of the rented mansion. Never before had they seen such a place! Sonic remembered as a little hedgehog running around the Royal Palace before Robotnik ruined it, but those memories became faint overtime. Not even Sally could contain her excitement! "WOW!" They all exclaimed as their eyes glistened.
Tails flew up to a chandelier. "It's pretty!" He hovered away and did some tricks in the air. No wall or other fixture inhibited him. "I never had so much freedom indoors before!"
Winry and Catherine braced themselves as Sonic zoomed past them in all directions, particularly holding down their skirts! "You could fit all of Knothole in here with room to spare!" He exclaimed without a care.
Knuckles hopped back onto one of the many large sofas, never knowing such luxury, while Bunnie checked herself out in a nearby mirror.
"So…" Al said. "…what do we do now?"
Winry put a finger to her chin in thought. "To be honest…I could use a bath."
"Excellent!" Catherine exclaimed, clapping her hands. "I could soothe the muscle soreness from the battle!"
Al looked at her and imagined himself sweat dropping. "You and your family doesn't strike me as the type to get muscle cramps…" "I'm going to have a look at the library; my book got destroyed in that battle."
"Okay, Al! You have fun!" Winry waved as she and Katherine headed towards the baths.
Al turned and failed to notice the mobians tailing after them.
ALL the mobians.
"If nothing else, I'll be glad to be out of this sweaty shirt." Winry said before she laid eyes on the bath. But once she did, her eyes widened. The bath took up almost the entire room. A room whose surface area was almost as large as her entire house! "THIS is a bath?!" Winry nearly screamed. "It's a goddamn lake!"
Catherine giggled. "This mansion used to be the guest house of a Sultan from Ruperia. He demanded and commissioned a bath house big enough for all his wives."
"I don't suppose I want to know just how many wives he had?"
"Probably not." Catherine giggled. She placed her hat on a hook and began to undo her blouse. "But, I cannot wait to get in."
"Hm." Winry nodded as she began to lift up her white t-shirt.
"You said it!" The two ladies froze at the sound of Sonic's voice. Sonic, now barefoot and without his gloves, began walking forward, as well as the other male mobians.
"Y-you're getting in!?" Winry shrieked as she pulled her shirt down hard while Catherine brought her blouse together.
"Uh, yeah." Sonic turned around shrugging. "Why're you so nervous? Al I understand, but there's enough room for all of us." He then noticed the two women's faces turning res and glaring at him. "Uh, did I do something-?" Then he remembered what Winry told him. "Uh…they show? No matter what?"
Catherine suddenly punched the wall to the side of her, shattering the marble as her face contorted from shocked to furious. "You and your male friends will wait outside! NOW!"
Sonic gulped, swearing her aura was emitting hellfire. "Uh…got it!" Sonic zoomed past them. "Only Sal and Bunnie allowed!" He called to the others.
After that bit of misunderstanding, all the females were able to enjoy the bath in peace. Or at least the two human women were. They relaxed their backs against the wall of the pool while Bunnie and Sally only stared wide-eyed. Catherine opened one eye to look at them. "Is everything alright?"
Sally gasped and looked away as she went deeper into the water, Bunnie doing the same. "I'm sorry! It's just…it's a bit awkward for us, you know?"
Catherine blinked. "What's awkward?"
Sally seemed to struggle to explain. "Well…you know how we go around with a lot less clothes than all of you?"
Winry and Catherine looked down at their own chests. While they were mostly under water, if one looked hard enough they would see everything. Slowly, as their faces turned red, they covered their chests. "I'm sorry, did we offend you?" Catherine asked.
"Not at all!" Sally insisted. "It's just…odd, for us to see others exposed in such a way."
"How so?" Winry asked.
"Well, our privates are typically hidden under most circumstances. Whether by fur or some mobians literally hide theirs under their skin. It's only when we get aroused…REALLY aroused…do they show."
"Ah don't mean to sound rude, and ah know it wasn't your intentions, but it kind of looks like y'all are either waitin' to pounce on the pair of us, or we're about to interrupt something not meant for children." Bunnie added. "And to think mah own mother once said I should have more respect for myself."
Later in the night, all were asleep. At least, only those who COULD sleep were. Al found a small collection of books and was reading them right now. While it was true Al loved to read, at times it felt like torture. He tried to make it a substitute for dreaming, but his conscious imagination could only do so much to take him away from the real world. He never experienced the almost whimsical sensation of dreaming and the satisfying feeling of rest since the incident.
"What are you reading tonight, Alphonse?"
Al looked up to see Catherine, dressed in a thick robe. Al held it up. "Duvali." Al held up the title.
"Sounds boring."
If he could, Al would have chuckled. "It kind of is. But I can blast through the fun books with ease. I need to challenge myself; helps pass the time." Closing it, he turned his attention to Katherine and said, "I'm surprised a lady of your stature would find classic literature boring."
Catherine chuckled. "I may be an Armstrong, but I'm still a young lady. Contrary to belief, I DO like to have fun like others my age." She walked over, sitting across from him. "Still, I understand." Collecting her thoughts, she said "You know, once I wished I didn't have to sleep."
"Really?"
"Yes, I had a most rigorous curriculum in school, and I had expectations to meet. Which meant a lot of late nights studying. Not getting tired would have been a lifesaver."
"Ah." Al nodded. "I took the written alchemy state exam with my brother. He kept falling asleep while I could keep going. We even fought over him going to bed. He wasn't proud of his score even though he passed, but to be honest I think I did worse. I don't memorize the way I used to." He seemed to shrug. "I had to drop out in the end, so I guess it was a moot point."
Catherine nodded. While she was beaming before, she began to turn sad. After everything they went through, Al initially believed she was incapable of that kind of emotion. "It must be painful to exist the way you do."
"Well, not literally. I don't feel pain. I…" Al scratched his ribbon. "I don't feel anything."
"That is a pain unto itself." Catherine stated. Seemed she was much wiser and preceptive than she let on.
After thinking about it for a moment, he agreed. "Yes. I suppose it is."
Catherine squeezed her hands; Al couldn't be sure, but it seemed she was blushing. Hastily, she stood and walked over, sitting next to him on the small sofa. "What of…attraction?" Her voice cracked slightly.
"What of it?"
"You are supposed to be fourteen, right?" Catherine asked. "At your age, most boys think of nothing but girls. A lot of that though is physiological. So…do you not process those feelings?"
Al seemed to struggle to answer. He thought about his old(?) crush on Winry and how he viewed her now. "It's as you suspect; I can't have the same physiological reactions as a human. I lost my body before I could experience puberty. But I do have a sense of people that I consider to be pretty…and I do have a curiosity about…well, I should probably just stop talking."
Cahterine couldn't help but chuckle. "My, you ARE a boy."
"What about you?" Al suddenly asked. He didn't know where this came from, but he felt compelled to ask it. "Are you sensing an attraction to me?"
Katherine playfully put a finger to her chin. "Well, I mean no disrespect, but you're not giving me much to work with."
"Another curse of living as armor." Al sighed. Of course. What did he expect?
"But, I also get a sense of a a beautiful soul you have." Catherine added without skipping a beat and utmost sincerity.
Al's proportions seem to change for a second in response to her. "My soul is…beautiful?"
"Yes." Catherine said. "You're sweet, wise, and I find your overall demeanor cute. There's something about a kind person in an intimidating suit of armor."
Sensing where this was going, Al sighed. Best to warn her now, he thought. "Catherine…while I'm chronologically 14, I don't know whether or not my actual body has changed on the other side of the gate. Maybe it's somehow aged with me. Maybe it's been frozen in time. My biggest fear is that without nutrition and activity it has decayed beyond repair." Al paused to make sure she got it. "It's nice of you to see beyond my husk. I just don't want to disappoint you if my real body isn't what you hoped for. If I can even get it back."
Catherine rubbed his hand, knowing he couldn't feel that. "For now, I'm okay with that. Even if you were flesh and blood…I think I would still feel the way I do now."
Al sighed, squeezing her hand. "I guess that would do." He turned to look at her. "If nothing else…it's nice to have another friend."
Katherine leaned into him. "You're very cold."
Al sighed. "Maybe I can grab you a blanket and pillow."
Winry woke up in the lavish king-sized bed she chose. Her hair was a mess, and her evening attire of a t-shirt and her underwear did not match the princess-like décor. It was almost TOO luxurious to her liking; as a mechanic practically by birth, standard mattresses and blue-collar living felt more right to her. But still, it was nice to be spoiled like this every once in a while. She only regretted this could not be an actual vacation; being on the run from an alien dictator basically ruined it.
For now, though, there was no trouble. "Seems we're okay for now; but we better hurry home." Winry quickly put on her clothes to go down and check on Al.
"Al? Catherine?" Winry asked as she walked down the hall. Getting no response, she made her way down the stairs. "Sonic? Sally?"
"Yo." Sonic waved at the bottom, holding a can of meat.
"Hey." She said. "Got over your fear of meat?"
"Not meat, just YOUR meat." Sonic clarified, waving the spoon. "Seems most of us aren't on the menu, and whether through nature or alchemy, we're so far evolved from the animals here, we figured even if we did eat ourselves it still wouldn't be considered cannibalism." Popping the can, he dug in with a spoon. As he chewed, he seemed rather dissatisfied. "Ugh;i it's no chili dog, but it will have to do." He said.
"Have you seen Catherine?" Winry asked. "She's not in the room she said she would be in."
"Oh, she and Al are in the library." He said, walking away.
"The library?" She thought. "Thanks."
Sonic walked off to the kitchen, while Winry walked to the library.
Sonic made his way into a mess hall, where the other mobians gathered to break their fast. "Look who's up." Sally said with a smile. As usual, she and Bunnie set the rather elaborate table. It looked better suited to host delegates from every nation of this planet rather than the humble oak tables Sonic had grown to love, but thankfully everyone kept to one corner.
"You should really try Aunt Sally's eggs!" Tails said. "They're different, but still good."
Truth be told, Sonic wasn't very fond of eggs in general, but he never let Sally know that. As they learned and adapted Knothole into their home instead of a refuge, they didn't take whatever they had for granted. At least she didn't try her luck at porridge again; it was good for plugging cybernetic termites, not so much for a meal. "Sure." Even so, Sonic pulled up a seat next to Tails and dug in. "Not bad. What kind of- "
"You don't want to know." Sally shook her head.
Sonic shrugged. "Guess I don't." He agreed.
"At least they have grapes." Knuckles noted as he plucked off a few red grapes with an ungloved finger.
Sonic raised his eyes as he took note of the spikes on his hand. "You actually have knuckles?"
"Yeah." Knuckles quickly turned grouchy as he clenched his naked fist. "What of it?"
"Nothing, nothing." Sonic raised his hands. Normally he was willing to throw down with Knuckles anytime, but he would have gotten an earful from anyone if he started a fight here. Plus, if something broke, HE would have to pay for damages. Here, that would be a LOT of chili dog deliveries.
Sonic noted that despite her brave face, Sally seemed to have a far off look. He understood; that revelation back in the hidden city…it would be a lot for everyone to take in. It still weighed heavily on his mind too, though he tried not to show it.
Winry walked over into the library as Sonic told her. "Al!" Alphonse looked up from his book. A pile lay by his feet; seemed he was really on a spree. She then noticed Catherine, laying against a pillow and a blanket over her. And the pillow was pressed against Al. Her face began to turn red and she yelled "Gufauu?!"
Catherine rose as she rubbed an eye. "Oh, good morning Winry!"
Al suddenly felt self-conscious, like he was caught doing something. Something that as of now was physically impossible for him to partake in, at least in theory. "H-hi Winry…"
Catherine got up, revealing her normal dress, much to Winry's relief. "You weren't in your bed, Catherine." Winry explained, trying not to sound too freaked out.
"I couldn't sleep." Catherine said. She showed no sign of fear of being caught doing something. "I came down to the library to grab a book, and found Al. We talked, and at some point I wound up falling asleep anyway."
"So, you slept together…."
"Without sleeping together. Please!" Al's face seem to somehow contort in fright, but Catherine only smiled. "I know what you are fearing, Winry. Rest assured, nothing happened. I'm not sure how something could happen between us right now." She scratched her head innocently. Al's eyes seemed to change, as if he wasn't pleased with Catherine's bluntness.
Winry, seeing absolutely nothing could shake her, sighed. "You're right. My apologies." Crossing her arms, she said "Hey, the mobians are having breakfast. I assure you, it's all edible."
"I'll see you there!" Catherine took off. She turned back to Al, who seemed to be frozen in place. Finally, he began to walk forward, but was stopped by a hand on his chest by Winry. "Al. Tell me the truth. Did. Something. Happen?"
Al took notice of the dangerous tone in her voice, and began to sweat in his head. "It's as Catherine said…"
"I want to hear it FROM YOU."
Al rubbed his helmet. "She came down, we talked, and I guess I just let her sleep there. I even found the pillow and blanket for her."
Winry relaxed, and sighed. "You and Ed are hopeless."
"Sorry." Al patted his cord.
"So…do you like her? No beating around the bush now."
Al twiddled his fingers. Then, he said "Yeah." Looking at her more, he repeated with more confidence. "Yeah. I do."
Now Winry paid attention. "And does she-?"
"That's hard to say." He sighed. "It seems she does…but we haven't committed to anything yet."
"And when you get your body back?"
Al appreciated how she said when, not if. "That's the 100 million cenz question I guess." He shrugged. "It's…it's exhilarating. And scary. She's cute, and there's actually a lot more to her than she lets on. But I'm most worried about what will happen when I get my body back."
"Yeah, I get it." Winry sat on the sofa, motioning for Al to do the same. "I am concerned Al, but I'm also happy for you. I just don't want you to get hurt in the end." She raised her finger. "Let's consider some of the obstacles, even when you get your body back and everything is perfect. Catherine is older than you, so depending on how far you want to go, you'll have to wait until you come of age before crossing that line. Especially if your body hasn't aged; that's going to be a real problem then. Plus Catherine is insanely rich; so far she's proven to be a great person, but it's a whole new world with different expectations. Maybe her parents won't approve, or you may be viewed as a blemish on their status. Now, I don't think Catherine is that kind of person, but it could be an issue."
Al looked down, nodding. "I know…" he sighed. "I never had time to think of that."
"Never?" Winry asked skeptically.
"Not since I got this body." Al said. "Ed and I were focused on getting our bodies back, and it just never entered the equation." Al clenched his fists together. "But even if this just proves to be a fling, I want to see it to the end. I have missed out on the most basic pleasures for years; Winry, you have no idea how maddening it can be. The only thing that has kept me going was the promise Ed made to me; if he hadn't, I would have destroyed my seal a long time ago."
Winry suddenly felt awful; she knew of the pain Al had to go through everyday, but it was heartbreaking to hear him express it. She was trying to be a good friend, trying to protect him from heartbreak, but in doing so she was denying him the human experience. "I often think you're that same kid from years ago, and I keep forgetting even if I can't see it, you HAVE grown." She patted Al's hand. "Whatever happens, I won't get in your way anymore."
As she walked, Al suddenly said "Winry!" Winry stopped. "It's been years, and I've a feeling of where your heart lies now. But I have to know: did the two of us ever have a chance? Regardless of circumstances?"
Winry felt her throat catch as she realized the implication. "We…we were just kids…"
"And we both meant what we said." Al repeated. "Quite frankly, neither of us bought your answer."
Winry felt the tears run down her face. "No, Al. No we didn't. I'm so sorry." Winry suddenly ran out, back up the stairs.
Al tried to reach out, but hesitated. Al ran his hands across his helmet. "Al, you are an idiot." He cursed himself.
"My, how the tables have turned." The Former Vice-Minister (now Minister) of Drachma said as the creature known as Ixis prostrated himself before him. "Truthfully, I should have you shot now, but it would be a tragedy to waste such talents. Plus, I never really liked the former minister anyway, so we can just let that slide." Naugus stared at him with hatred, but kept his composure. It wasn't these overlanders that frightened him. No, it was a force even more powerful than him, something he long considered a myth. "So, tell me, mighty Naugus…" The New Minister said, giving a wide sneer. "What forced you to change your mind?"
It took a moment for the fused mobian to articulate his answer. Just the thought of saying what he was ordered to say made him almost wretch. "I have a new master now."
"Yes…Me," The Minister said. "But that doesn't answer my question."
"Actually, he was referring to me." Everyone turned to see the gold creature behind them, relaxing in the minister's chair, his feet kicked up on the desk. Of course they wondered how he even got there without making a sound. "Now, just as Naugus has submitted to me, so shall all of you."
"Kill it!"
One of them pulled out his revolver, but a green barrier came up around Enerjak and reflected the bullets, one of which landed on the officer's shoulder. "Any further objections?"
Another lunged at him, but Enerjak teleported out of the chair to reappear in the air.
Waving his arm, the officer disappeared.
The next thing he knew, the officer was staring at the Earth itself! It was so beautiful…then he realized he couldn't breathe. He gasped and grabbed his throat, struggling to catch a breath.
But no air existed on the moon…
"W-where did he go?" The Minister asked.
"Oh, I thought the moon of this world was rather lovely last night," Enerjak sneered. "I thought an up close and personal look would clear his head…of oxygen." The soldiers trembled, and the Minister got down on his knees and bowed. "I am glad we understand each other now." Enerjak said in satisfaction.
"L-lord Enerjak." Ixis cautiously asked the embodiment of chaos. "What is your command?"
"For now, build the army. This country Amestris…they are your arch enemy, no?"
"For generations." The Minister answered.
The echidna nodded. "I will meditate on this. Last time, I was overwhelmed by my own power…I got careless. I do not intend to make that same mistake again."
Ed woke up, his shabby rag for a blanket falling to his legs as he sat up. The fire had long since died, and it was cold again. However, the wind was calm; no doubt it was still biting cold outside, but now might be the best time to go. Ed walked over to Acorn. "Hey. Time to go."
"Hnn." The squirrel man grunted as he forced himself to sit up.
"You okay?"
"I-it hurts." He curled up as he leaned forward.
"What hurts?" Acorn showed him his right fist. It was becoming crystalline! "You're not in control?"
"I'm afraid not." He said. "Until he decides to nullify our agreement…I have no control."
This will be all for now. Hopefully I won't keep you all waiting as long anymore.
Also, interesting bit of news regarding Reiketa, the guy who pushed for Vic's lawsuit (that was ultimately dismissed). He is currently being charged with use of illegal drugs, violating some gun laws and apparently had some minors involved.
Let this be a lesson in being wary of who you get behind and the company your heroes keep.