Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Disaster or Destiny? ❯ Power Struggle ( Chapter 18 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

I couldn’t find Al, so I headed back to the room instead and continued to read my bio-alchemy book, which was getting harder to understand as I went along.

I was trying to figure out one of the diagrams in the book when Ed walked through the door, eating a strawberry and holding two more in his hand. “There you are. Have you seen Al?”

“I haven’t. You know, you really need to learn to knock.” I said, setting my book down.

“Hey, if the door’s not locked I consider that an invite.”

I rolled my eyes and sat up. Pointing to the berries in his hand, I asked, “One of those for me?”

He ate another, leaving only one left in his hand. “Hawkeye brought them, go ask her.”

“You jerk, you can’t walk in here with food and not give me any!” I started walking over to him and he held it above his head. “You can have it if you can get it.”

I moved towards him until he backed up against the bed, then jumped up and grabbed for the fruit in his hand. He managed to keep it out of my reach but fell back onto the bed with me on top of him.

Before I had a chance to reach for it he popped the last strawberry into his mouth.

I looked down at him, pouting. “You’re mean.”

“You still want a taste?” he asked.

“How can I if you ate them all?”

He lifted his head, covering my mouth with his own. It was a completely different experience from the kiss that morning. His tongue somehow found a way in without me admitting it this time - not that I minded - and the kiss grew into a passionate one quickly.

Wrapping an arm around my waist, he turned us over so he was on top, not once breaking the kiss in the process. He eventually moved from my mouth down to my neck, sending shivers of pleasure running up and down my spine as I ran my hands through his hair, undoing his braid.

He ran his auto-mail hand down my arm, and I shivered slightly at the feeling of the cold metal against my flesh. He noticed, and broke away.

“Sorry if it feels cold,” he said breathlessly.

My response was delayed as I looked over the features of his handsome face, framed by his long blond hair falling over his shoulders.

I barely managed an “I don’t mind,” and raised up to kiss him again. This one was less intense than the first one, softer and sweeter but just as enjoyable. After a blissful moment during which I lost all track of time, Ed pulled away and I slowly opened my eyes to see him looking down at me.

“That was a damn good strawberry,” I said.

He grinned down at me. “I thought you’d like it.”

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, taking off his jacket. “Is it hot in here, or is it just me?”

I stood up and walked over to the door, opening it to allow some air inside. “It’s not just you, believe me.”

I went back over to the bed and kneeled on top of it, patting the space in front of me. “I’ll braid your hair while you tell me what Mustang wanted and then we’ll go find Al.”

He groaned. “Do I have to? I was trying to forget about my visit with that moron.”

“It can’t be that bad, just tell me.”

He sat down and told me the details as I re-braided his hair.

“The military is sending state alchemists to investigate a suspected uprising of Ishbalans farther to the south. An officer went to relocate a group of refugees a few weeks ago and hasn‘t come back, and I’m one of the lucky people they want to send to see what’s really going on.”

If it was an assignment for the alchemists of the state, Al and I obviously weren’t going to be allowed to join. “Who else?”

He sighed. “That’s the worst part. They’re sending me with Major Armstrong and Mustang.”

“Oh man, Ed I’m sorry.” I really did feel sorry for him, but staying behind was suddenly starting to sound like it would be a good thing. “When are you leaving?”

“In the morning.”

I tied off the end of the braid and kissed the back of his neck. “Anything I can do to make you feel better?”

He stood up and offered me a hand. “Keep doing that,” he said, obviously referring to the kiss, “and maybe you could go in and strangle Mustang in his sleep tonight?”

I laughed and took his hand. “Really Ed, Mustang’s not that bad. You’ll only be gone a couple days, right?”

He sighed. “Yeah, but I swear time slows down when you’re with those two.”

We left and ended up asking around inside H.Q. only to find that no one had seen Al or Fuery for a couple of hours. After checking around the entire building, we finally decided the warehouses were the last place to look, although we had no idea what reason they would have for being there.

We looked though all of the warehouses that were still being used, and probably would’ve passed up the last one - a run-down abandoned building that no one used - had it not been for a faint high-pitched sound coming from inside.

We heaved open the creaky door to find Al and Fuery kneeling down with their backs to us. Both of them turned and jumped when they heard us.

“Ah! Brother, what are you doing here?” Al asked, scooting closer to Fuery to hide whatever was behind him.

Ed stepped forward, looking suspicious. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” He craned his neck to try to see what was behind them. “Al, what is that?”

A faint meow told us all we needed to know. We ran over to the two of them to find a cardboard box with five kittens inside that looked to be only a day or two old.

“Please don’t tell anyone we’re keeping them here!” Fuery pleaded. “The mother just died, and they’re too young to survive on their own. If anyone in H.Q. finds out I’m keeping them in here I don’t know what’ll happen to them.”

Ed didn’t look happy, but I was soon kneeling down between Fuery and Al, swooning over the kittens. “They’re so cute! Don’t worry you guys, your secret’s safe with me.”

Ed’s face was sympathetic, but his voice was firm. “How do you two plan on taking care of them? At this age they require twety-four hour attention, time that neither of you have!”

I looked up at Ed. “Ed, look at these kittens and tell me you’d be able to leave them on their own.”

“It’s not like I want to, I just don’t see how we can take care of them. Fuery, you know you’re not going to be able to skip out like this everyday.”

Fuery sighed, petting one of the kittens gently. “I know, but I heard these guys in here earlier today and when I came in the mother was dead. I have no idea how she got in here but these guys can’t live without someone taking care of them.”

I stood up and put my arms around Ed’s neck. “You’re not going to tell, are you?”

Ed sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “No, but I still don’t know how you’re going to take care of them.”

“Al and I can take them back to the barracks with us and watch them while you’re gone.” I offered.

Al turned to his brother. “Gone where?”

Ed kneeled down across from us and started stroking one of the kittens. “I have to leave for a couple days on an assignment. It’s just for State Alchemists so I’ll be going with - ” he cringed at the thought, “Let’s just say I hope I can get back before I shoot myself.”

“Is it about that officer who disappeared?” Fuery asked.

Ed nodded. “Most people think the Ishbalans killed him, but that’s one of the things we’re supposed to confirm.”

We convinced Fuery to head back, assuring him we’d watch the kittens. Al had some milk that he’d gone and bought earlier and showed me how he’d been feeding them.

“They need to be fed a few times a day, that’s why it’s so hard to take care of them.” He turned to Ed. “Wanna feed one brother?”

Ed looked at the milk in disgust. “No way, I’m not touching that stuff.”

“Ed, you‘re not drinking it the kittens are.”

He shook his head and Al and I laughed. Ed absolutely despised milk.

Al took the box back to their room while Ed and I went to get something to eat. Fuery found us and I answered the question I knew was on his mind before he even asked it. “You can come and visit the kittens anytime you want.” He gave me a relieved smile before returning to work.

After we ate I went in with Ed to check on the kittens, planning on heading to bed soon afterwards. I ended up staying for a lot longer when I asked Ed to explain something in the alchemy book I was reading and he ended up going through the whole book with me. It was long and complicated, but extremely fascinating. Ed enjoyed explaining it, seeing as he was an expert on the subject, and I enjoyed listening. Being a book on biological alchemy, there were still a few little things even Ed didn’t know about, but that was rare. The way things just made sense to him and the knowledge he possessed on the subject made me realize just how brilliant Ed really was, and I admired him even more for it.

We finally finished and I helped Al feed the kittens again.

“Isn’t it strange to think that we were ever this dependent brother?” Al asked as he stroked one of the sleeping kittens.

Ed was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching as I fed the last one. “It is. Sometimes I miss it and other times I’m glad that I don’t have that kind of dependency on anyone.”

I finished and laid the kitten back in the box. “You’re dependent on each other though,” I said, sitting up on the bed beside Ed. “Not in the same way you were on your mother, but you two definitely depend on each other a lot just to get through everyday life.”

“Guess you’ve got a point there,” Ed said, smiling at his brother.

“And because I depend on my brother and he on me,” Al said, looking at me, “I need you around to keep him sane.”

Ed’s smile turned to a scowl. “What’s that supposed to mean?’

“Marie’s reminded us that we need to stop and enjoy things once in a while. She’s the only one that’s been able to get you to do or talk about something that didn’t have to do with ‘business as usual.’ You’ve smiled more since she’s been around.”

“No need to thank me Al, I’m just glad I got him to lighten up,” I said with a sly glance at Ed.

“Hey, you’ve caused me my share of problems too, you know,” he said defensively. “Like I said before, you have a knack for getting into trouble.”

I elbowed him playfully. “Don’t try to deny it, you like having me around.”

“I don’t know, sometimes I think you’re more trouble than you’re worth,” he replied teasingly.

“Well so are you, but Al and I put up with you anyway ‘cause we love you.” I couldn’t help but add, “At least most of the time.”

Ed looked over at me when I added that last remark. “Could you leave out the sarcasm for once?”

I gazed at him with mock confusion. “What do you mean? I wasn’t being sarcastic.”

He rolled his eyes and laid back against the bed, propping himself up with his elbows. “Smart-ass.”

“Like you‘re one to talk,” I quipped.

Al chuckled and stood up. “You’re both hopeless,” he said, opening the door. “I’ll be back, I’m going to buy more milk for the kittens for in the morning before the store closes.” He shut the door and I listened to his heavy steps fade into the distance.

“That’s so cute,” I said after he left.

“What?”

“Al’s kitten fetish.”

Ed sighed. “It’s not cute, it’s a pain in the ass. Everytime he sees one he wants to bring it with us.”

“You can’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same thing.”

“It’s not that I wouldn’t have wanted to help,” he said with a quick glance at the kitten-filled box, “But Al needs to realize that he’s not going to be able to help everyone and everything he finds. He tries to carry too much on his own shoulders.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Funny, that sounds exactly like someone else I know.” I smiled and added, “I wonder who he gets it from?”

Ed rolled his eyes. “No, he doesn’t get it from me, he’s just a big softie.”

I shrugged. “Whatever you say, Ed.”

I stood and moved over to the window, leaning against the window pane. “I wonder,” I began, gazing up at the pale moon, “If this is the same moon I see from home. It’s so weird to think about.”

The bed creaked as Ed stood up and walked over to me, and I soon felt his arms wrap around my shoulders from behind. “For all we know, where you come from could be in a different universe and a different time period.”

I reached up and gripped his arms. “It’s so similar here though. I can’t imagine home being so far away.”

He kissed the back of my neck. “Do you regret coming?”

His lips on my neck made me shiver, and I my immediate thought was to respond ‘no.’ But one regret did surface in my mind. I turned around and looked straight into his eyes, which made my knees weak and my heartbeat quicken. “My only regret,” I whispered, brushing a shock of golden hair to the side of his face, “Will be leaving.”

“If I have anything to say about it,“ he said, sliding his hands down to my lower back and pulling me closer, “You‘ll be able to come back.”

“Then I have nothing to worry about.“ I kissed him and reluctantly slid out of his embrace to go see what was causing the sudden meowing coming from the cardboard box next to the bed. I bent down and picked up the complaining kitten, holding it to my chest. “What’s wrong?”

Ed walked over and inspected the tiny ball of fluff in my arms. “Looks like it’s the runt. It’s probably just scared.”

In my defense, I really tried to refrain from saying what I said next. But it didn‘t work. “This one’s the runt? Then his name will be Ed.”

“WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE COULD TRIP OVER A GRAIN OF SAND?” was Ed’s overexerted response.

“Ed,” I said between bouts of laughter, “as long as you keep freaking out like that calling you short is never going to get old.”

He sat down on the bed, folding his arms and wearing a scowl. “Well I think it gets old.”

I sat down next to him, holding the kitten in one hand and linking my other arm with his. “Don’t be mad at me Ed, I couldn’t help it.”

He sighed. “You and everyone else.”

I kissed his cheek. “You poor thing. You’re so picked on.”

He pulled away and laid down on the bed without saying anything, a serious expression on his face.

I laid the kitten back down, putting it in the middle of its siblings to quell its fear. I crawled over on the bed and put my face above Ed‘s, mimicking his expression of false anger that I knew he was forcing himself to show. It quickly became an unspoken contest of how long Ed could keep from laughing. I hovered above him, wearing an exaggerated scowl on my face and imitating his show of forced irritation. The chuckle he’d been holding back finally escaped and was amplified from being
held back so long.

Mission accomplished, I collapsed down next to him, wearing a grin. “I knew you were faking it.”

“Really though,” he said, a hint of laughter still in his voice, “don’t call me small.”

I couldn’t promise anything, so changed the subject. I’d been wanting to ask him for awhile anyway. “Ed, do you think you could teach me a little alchemy? After we get everything else out of the way, of course.”

He turned to me, surprised. “Why do you ask?”

“I dunno, it’s just after watching you and Al do it so much I’d kind of like to be able to do a little on my own. Besides, I’ve read quite a bit about it since I’ve been here and I find it interesting.”

He gazed back up at the ceiling, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “You know the symbol on the back of my red coat?”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“It was passed down to me from my teacher, and her teacher passed it down to her.” He turned back to me, a full-fledged smile now on his face. “I never really considered it, but maybe when all of this is over I could take on an apprentice.”

I gripped his auto-mail arm and beamed at him. “Really? But aren’t apprentices supposed to be younger than you so they can pass it on after you?”

He shrugged, grinning at my show of excitement. “Nah, it’s not like it’d be a formal master-apprentice relationship. I’d just be teaching you a few things.”

I turned on my side and faced him. “So let’s start. I already know about Equivalent Exchange and all that stuff, so tell me about composition.”

He chuckled at my eagerness. “Now don’t get too carried away. It takes a lot of studying to get to the point where you can transmute on the spot.” He scratched his head in thought. “But I guess I could give you an intro.”

We kept talking well after Al got back, who even threw in a few pointers now and then. I’m not sure whose eyelids started to droop first, but the next thing I knew I was clutching onto something that was trying to move away from me, and I wanted whatever it was to stay. I slowly opened my eyes and saw Ed prying my hands from their hold on his shirt. I looked up at him, my eyes still half closed. “Where are you going?”

He kissed my forehead. “I have to leave, remember?” He pulled the blanket up over my shoulders. “Go ahead and sleep a little more, I’ll be back in a couple days.”

I shoved off the blanket and rubbed my eyes, remembering his mission and realizing that I really didn’t want him to go. “That’s alright, I’ll walk you to the train.”

“So do you remember anything I taught you last night?” he asked, pulling on his boots.

I found my shoes and did the same. “Mostly. It got kind of confusing though.”

“You’ll have to study everything a few times over before you really get the hang of it.” He pulled on his red coat and began to re-braid his messy hair. “Work on it while I’m gone and I’ll quiz you when I get back.”

I stood up and stretched. “Sounds like a plan.”

Colonel Mustang suddenly burst through the door without even a warning knock, boasting his familiar smug expression and air of confidence. “Ready to go, Fullmetal?”

Ed’s face fell at the Colonel’s entrance. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” He walked outside without a passing glance at the Colonel. “Let’s just get this over with.”

Al and I followed and Mustang and shut the door behind us. “This is going to be a cheerful train ride,” he mumbled sarcastically.

Ed, Al and I reviewed a little over what they’d taught me the night before on the way. Much to Ed’s annoyance, Mustang threw in a comment every now and then, usually correcting or clarifying something Ed himself had said.

We found Major Armstrong already wating at the train station, and I was suddenly eager to head back. Ed’s face conveyed nothing but complete and utter dread.

We bid the three of them goodbye, and I quietly tried to reassure Ed, reminding him it was only for a couple of days and it wouldn‘t be as bad as he was making it sound. He looked unconvinced. “If I don’t strangle myself first, I’ll see you guys in a couple days.”

Al and I waved to them as the train began to move, but exchanged relived glances once it had carried them out of sight.

Al wanted to get back to the kittens, so I went into H.Q. by myself to look for books on beginning alchemy and composition. Since I worked so closely with Ed and Al Mustang had given me a key to all of the research rooms when I first
came to Amestris.

I decided to go up to the third floor, since most of the second floor information was just files and there was usually no one wandering the third floor, so I’d have it to myself. I shut myself in the room and found a good pile of helpful books and started to read.

After a while my growling stomach finally alerted me I’d been reading for hours. I grabbed what I thought was useful and started down the hall until a voice coming from one of the offices made me freeze. It sounded like Lieutenant Archer. I’d only seen him once, but he was an easy person not to like. If possible, he was even more obsessed with gaining power and a higher rank than Mustang was. There was a heated discussion going on inside, and my curiosity got the best of me. I pressed my ear to the closed door and listened.

“I can’t believe they sent those incompetent bastards in my place,” Archer growled. “They send him and put me in charge of this dump.” The revulsion and seering hatred in his voice when he said ’him’ told me he was probably talking about Mustang, for whom he harbored a great disliking.

“I was sure,” he continued, “That when I hired that assassin to kill the investigating officer they’d blame the Ishbalans and send me.” He pounded his fist on what sounded like a desk. “But instead they send that idiot! I need something like this if I ever want to get any higher up. I cannot, under any circumstances, let Mustang get promoted because of an incident I created myself.”

“I wouldn’t worry sir,” came a quiet, almost raspy voice I’d never heard before, “As long as the assassins have the element of surprise on their side, they’ll be able to kill the Flame, Fullmetal and Strong Arm alchemists. Then they’ll send you for sure.”

Archer seemed somewhat reassured. “I suppose you’re right. Once I get there and can quell what they’ll think is a dangerous group of people, The Fuhrer will have no choice but to promote me.”

“One question sir,” the other voice rasped. “How are you going to prove that it was the Ishbalans who killed them?”

“I’m not allowing the men to use guns because that particular group of Ishbalans doesn’t have any. They will only use weapons that will make the murders look like they were done by Ishbalans. Mustang was told to report to me once he made it to the closest town, which is fairly close to the Ishbalan camp. They should have arrived by now,” there was a pause druing which I guessed he was glancing at the clock, “and he should be calling any second. Once he does, I have the men I hired waiting at a designated spot where I can get a hold of them. They will follow the three alchemists into the camp and kill them the moment they get the chance.”

I realized how hard my heart was pounding in my chest and was suddenly afraid that they’d be able to hear it. I had to do something, but how could I when they were hours away and I had no way of making contact?

My only chance was a risky one, but I had to take it. I only hoped Archer was right when he said they’d be calling any second. I walked quietly back down the hall so they wouldn’t suspect I had been close, and then ran back towards the office, trying to make my footfalls as loud as possible. I pounded on the door and a very irritated looking Archer answered it.

“Sir,” I began breathlessly, trying to convice him I’d just run up all three flights of stairs to get there, “The Fuhrer is here. He wants all officers downstairs immediately.”

His eyes widened in surprise. “The Fuhrer? Why would he be here?”

I made my voice as urgent as possible. “How should I know? He just stopped me and told me to find everyone ASAP. Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s one more officer up here I need to alert.”

Apparently my act worked, and the two officers raced out of the room and towards the stairs. As I’d planned and hoped, between his hurry and assurance that no one else would be up there, he left the door open. I kept walking the other way to convince him I really was doing what I said I was. But the moment he disappeared down the stairs I sprinted for his office.

I waited the longest thirty seconds of my life before the phone finally rang. I snatched it up, trying not to think about what would happen if I wasn’t out of there by the time Archer realized there was no Fuhrer and came back up to his office.

“Roy? I asked breathlessly.

He was a little confused, to say the least. “Marie, is that you? What are you doing there? And since when do you call me Roy?”

I was irritated that he could ask such a stupid question at a time like this, even though I knew he had no idea what was going on.

“Listen,” I began, trying to talk slow enough so he could understand, “there’s two guys after you. Don’t call Archer after I hang up and DO NOT go to the Ishbalan camp.”

“What? What are you talking about? Where’d you get that idea?”

“Damn it Mustang, it’s not an idea, I’m positive of it!” I yelled, probably a little louder than I should have.

I could here Ed in the background pestering Mustang. “Marie? What the hell is she doing in Archer‘s office? Let me talk to her!”

He snatched the phone out of Roy’s hand. “Marie, what‘s going on?”

I was trying desperately not to panic. “Mustang will tell you. Make sure you do exactly as I said, alright?”

I could hear Ed’s protests as I slammed the phone back into its cradle and ran out the door. I could hear Archer and the raspy-voiced officer coming back up the stairs. I hid around the corner and listened to them coming back towards the office.

Archer didn’t sound happy. “If she’s made me miss Mustang’s call - “

The footsteps stopped. I froze from my place against the wall around the corner, wanting to peek around but too afraid they’d see me.

“I remember where I’ve seen her before,” he growled venomously. “She’s the girl Mustang found; the one who lost her memory. I saw her with Fullmetal…” There was a pause and then, “What the hell is the door doing open? I know I shut it…”

He ran inside and I took the opportunity to sprint down the hall and race down the stairs, cursing myself for doing something as stupid as leaving the door open.

I raced across the grounds to Al’s room and was relived to find him inside, sitting next to the box of kittens.

I fell to my knees if front of him and said breathlessly as fast as I could, “ArcheristryingtokillEdandMustangandArmstrongwehavetoleavenow!”

Al put his hands on my shoulders. “Whoa! Say that again about fifty times slower.”

I waited a moment to catch my breath, and repeated exactly what I’d heard in Archer’s office. I was telling him about the phone call when his eyes shot to the window and he opened his chest compartment. “Get inside.”

I glanced out the window and saw Archer marching towards us. I crawled inside and Al pushed the box of kittens under the bed and picked up a book.

Archer knocked on the door but entered without waiting for a response. I didn’t need to see him to tell he was pissed. “You are Alphonse Elric, am I right?”

“Yes sir,” Al responded. “Can I help you with something?”

“That girl that’s always hanging around you and Fullmetal; I need to speak with her.”

Al was doing a remarkably good job of remaining calm. “I haven’t seen her today sir. I think she’s inside reading or something.”

He sounded unconvinced. “If you see her tell her I want to speak with her immediately. That’s an order, not a request.”

“I’ll do that sir.”

“See that you do,” he said angrily before slamming the door behind him.

I waited for a while before daring to speak. “Al, we have to go find them. I don’t know how seriously Mustang will take my warning. Knowing him he probably won’t even tell Ed what I said.”

“Now you’re sure you heard all this?”

“Why do you think he‘s looking for me?” I asked in frustration. “Archer wants nothing more than to get to the top. He’s even worse than Mustang is, not to mention he hates the guy. This is the perfect opportunity to get rid of Mustang and get promoted at the same time. I have a feeling he knows about Mustang’s goal to become Fuher, and probably feels threatened by it. I swear Al, I heard every word.”

Al’s worry for his brother finally got the better of him and we started immediately for the train. I stayed inside him just in case we ran into Archer. We only stopped once to find Fuery and tell him to take care of the kittens while we were gone, evading his questions as to why we were leaving.

“You sure we shouldn’t tell anyone?” Al asked on the way.

“Believe me, I’d love having Hawkeye’s pistols on our side but I’d rather not risk getting anyone else involved. If anyone else came with us, Archer would get suspicious.”

We waited impatiently for the next train and finally climbed onto one an hour or so later. I crawled out of Al once we got inside, much to the surprise of a little girl who was clutching her mother’s dress and looking at us with curiosity.

We’d been riding for an hour or so when Al finally spoke up. “You love him, don’t you?”

I snapped out of my worried stupor and forced a smile. “Is it that obvious?”

He chuckeld. “You both are, at least to me. I’ve been hoping Ed would just swallow his pride and tell you. I take it he did?”

I blushed wildly at the memory of the day before. “I guess you could say that.” I looked up at him shlyly. “I don’t know how you could tell, because I couldn’t. That’s why I never told him myself.”

He shrugged. “I’ve been with him so long, I could see the change, even it was subtle at first. I think he forgets sometimes that life has a good side too, and you’ve reminded him of that.”

I looked out the window, my spirits lifted somewhat. “I’d like to think I’ve done something to make him at least a little happier.” I turned back to Al. “And it’s about time the same thing happened to you, Al. I know Ed won’t stop until he gets you back to normal, and I’m going to do whatever I can to help.”

I’m sure if I could have seen his face, he would have been smiling at me. “I know you will, and I thank you for that. But it’s really not your burden to bear.”

I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes. “I‘ve made it my burden, Al.”