Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Guilt ridden II: That F'ing stone! ❯ Travel incognito, Lior ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Full Metal Alchemist, just a fan here folks.

 

Warning: LEMON scene's, Language, violence & other stuff.

 

Summary: It isn't a sequel to my other Guilt ridden, more a different set of events with a similar, but not quiet, idea. EdxWinry, RoyxRiza, AlxRose (Implied).

 

Chapter 3: Travel incognito, Lior.

 

Ed threw his duffle bag onto the overhead luggage space.

Slumping into the seat he crossed his outstretched legs and folded his arms before glaring at the bemused smirk on Mustangs face. “Don't get any ideas Roy I'm not doing this for the state” Ed said as Roy simply shrugged. “Fine have it your way Full Metal, all that matters is that you're doing it”.

“Come on guys don't fight, we've got more important things to do” Al pleaded knowing all to well what could happen if the two of them didn't at least try and pretend to be on the same `page'. “Fine Al have it your way, but one smug comment about Winry from this ass and he'll be the finest example of Swiss cheese you've ever seen” Ed said with a glare.

Roy simply nodded “as long as you don't make a comment about Riza I won't barbecue you” he said with a dangerous smirk. “Deal, just don't try and make me wear a bloody uniform” Ed said with a nod bringing his clean tank top and jeans to attention.

“Perish the thought” Roy said with a roll of the eyes “I know how you and your brother are about military wear” he smirked. Ed was about to make a smart arse comment until he noticed someone at the other end of the train car.

He wasn't hard to miss, being an absolute giant of a man. And even in plain clothes Ed instantly recognised him “hold that thought” he said slipping out of his seat. He strolled along the walkway until he stood in front of the man, who was seemingly engrossed in his newspaper.

“You know, you didn't have to tail us like this Armstrong” Ed said slipping into the seat across from the massive, deep voiced alchemist. “Of course not Edward” Armstrong said without looking up “but who said I'm following you and the Majors?” he stated in his `soft' spoken tone.

Ed shrugged “just that before you-“the words died in his throat as Armstrong's words set in “wait major? When the hell did that happen?” he asked his brain scrabbling to try and figure it out as Armstrong gave a deep chuckle. It was just after you retired and Mustang lost his eye in a fight with Archer he retired then rejoined as a front line soldier and has been working his way up once again”.

Ed smirked “he's a bit old to make Fuehrer now isn't he?” he `asked' eyes twinkling with a sarcastic mirth.

 

Armstrong burst out laughing.

So far on the two hours he had been catching up with Edward the now young man had simply been hilarious! Yet Behind the laughter Armstrong saw that Ed was very comfortable with living as an average country man and was far from excited at having to find the stone again.

It was a strange turn around from the Edward of but a few years ago, who had lived for the stone. Still it was clear that the boy had much more important priorities now, and was all the better for it in Armstrong's opinion. After all he had never wanted to see Edward become just another `lifer' as they called them.

“So just why are you heading to the east anyway?” Ed asked him from out of the blue. “Oh right I forgot, as the brigadier general I am the states representation in the new eastern headquarters of Lior” Armstrong said as his chest swelled with pride. Ed however seemed less impressed.

“They rebuilt Lior?!” he yelled drawing a small amount of attention, much to Armstrong's displeasure. “Edward Elric, there is no need to shout after all I'm sure your brother has filled you in on this fact given the number of times he has travelled to Lior recently” Armstrong said.

“Me and Al haven't talked much since our teacher passed away” Ed stated simply with a huff. “That's too bad you boys were always so close” Armstrong said with a sigh of regret. “Well I would have except he's become determined to be a part of the state military” Ed said with a huff of annoyance.

“But is that really so bad, you yourself were once a state alchemist weren't you?”

Armstrong queried. “I only joined the military to help Al get his body back” Ed said with a glare before sighing and slumping his shoulders “I don't hate the military or the people involved in it, I just don't want to be a part of it anymore Armstrong” he said as he studied the older mans features.

Armstrong simply shrugged “doesn't matter either way when you think about it, after all you're no longer a part of the military and you now have Miss Rockbell to look after don't you?” Ed curious gaze made Armstrong raise an eyebrow “did I say something wrong?” Ed simply shock his head. “No, just that soon it'll be Mrs Elric” he said with a small smile.

Armstrong's jaw hung wide open before he started laughing once more “well congratulations Edward!” Armstrong boomed waking Ed on the back in a merry manner “I always knew the two of you would end up together” he boomed in excitement.

Ed winced as Armstrong continued to smack his back in congratulations; the man was totally unaware of his own strength. “Yeah, err….. Do you mind not hitting me so hard I'd like to get home with as few bruises as possible” Ed said. “Oh right sorry Edward, it's just amazing news, you seemed like the kind who would never marry when I first meet you” Armstrong said a feeling of joyousness seeping from him and slowly into Ed.

“Yeah well I couldn't think of another women who would put up with me for long” Ed said a smile gracing his features “or one who could match me in a shouting contest” he said his smile broadening in humour as Armstrong burst out laughing once more.

“I remember very well the way you and Miss Winry used to yell at each other over the smallest thing, I can only imagine how your house must be” Armstrong said his laughter dying down to a chuckle. “Oh, you have no idea” Ed said with a smirk “but if Winry finds out I said that I'll be sleeping in the workshop for a week” he replied good heartedly.

“Still no luck with the ladies I see full metal” Mustang said as he stood there in the aisle Al beside him. “Still better then yours” Ed muttered under his breathe as they sat in the two spare seats. “Or mine” Al said drawing three curious gazes “I um…. I meant that at least you err…. You have a girlfriend who's not always pestering you to stay in the one place” Al mumbled feeling uneasy under their collective gazes.

“Wait hold up, you have a girlfriend?” Ed asked as he recovered from his stupefied state.

Al shrugged “kind of, though I'm still unsure about how serious she is about us, I do know it's not as serious as you and Winry though” he said Ed giving of a slight laugh. “I'd hope not, otherwise I lose the only thing that will have you calling me `big' brother” Ed said drawing to attention the fact that they were both now exactly the same height.

“Guess you'll have to settle for older brother from now on Ed” Mustang said with a small smirk. “Sod you Mustang, like you're a friggin' giant, no offence Armstrong” Ed mumbled. “None at all, glad you've admired the physical beauty that has been passed down the Armstrong family for generations” Armstrong said with audible pride, small pink stars dancing around him in glory.

“Course you could always beat him to be the first to have kids” Armstrong ventured. Mustang burst up laughing “oh yeah Ed and Winry raising kids HA! I already feel sorry for the poor kids” Ed glared at Mustang. “Oh shut Roy we're not that bad” he said. “Yeah right, your boys are going to be more of a handful then you were for the state” that made Ed almost explode.

“I'm not going to have boys” he snapped quietly “I'm going to have girls so the state can't go making alchemist weapons out of them” he said through clenched teeth a scowl spread across his features. “Calm down brother, he's just messing with you” Al said trying desperately to get them to just stop picking at each other for at least five minutes.

“Fine Al, but I'm being provoked here so what do you expect me to do?” Ed mumbled turning his attention from Mustang to his younger brother. “I don't know, just please try and get along” Al said bluntly. “Fine” Ed said deciding to see what the rest of the trains passengers looked like.

 

“See ya later guys”

They had barely stepped off the train when Al suddenly went running off. “Now where's he heading?” Ed mumbled. “Don't know, maybe he has a hot date or something” Mustang said. Al's words on the train came back to Ed and he simply shrugged “probably” he said striding off towards the militaries headquarters in the rebuilt Lior.

There was something in the air, almost like a loud swarm of bees buzzing just outside the edge of his hearing so all he got was the faintest whisper of their presence. Except it was a physical sensation, one that sent uncomfortable shivers up Ed's spine as he felt a very light queasiness sink into his stomach.

“Something's wrong here” Ed whispered to Mustang as they moved through the heavy crowd, their former bickering quickly forgotten. “So you noticed it as well?” Mustang said as the military HQ came into sight in the distance. “You noticed it as well?” Ed asked generally surprised.

“Why are you so surprised full metal, I might not look it but I'm a rather talented alchemist myself” Mustang said, unable to withhold from stroking his own public ego for at least this long. Ed simply rolled his eyes, “that's not what I meant” he said as they brushed past some market shoppers.

Ed looked around him at the hustle and bustle of the market place, the town had come a long way from the shattered home of rebels and renegades it had been before…… His eyes widened as the realisation of exactly what the physical feeling he was getting here was. “Hey Mustang, you remember when Scar activated his…. Array right?” Ed whispered as low as possible so no one but them heard it.

“How could I forget?” Mustang said the memories of that disturbing day coming back to him. “Well I don't think it was only a one time thing his array” Ed said his eyes narrowing; he had never forgiven Scar for his reckless disregard for peoples lives because they weren't Ishballans. And if he was correct he had more then enough information to hate the man until his dying breath.

“Wait don't tell me you think-“Ed cut Mustang off. “That the souls of the dead of Lior are being accumulated unintentionally and one day it will only need a talent enough alchemist to harness them into a new stone?” he looked back over his shoulder at Mustang, the mans shocked, horrified and disgusted look not surprising Ed at all “That's exactly what I'm thinking”

 

A/U: This one took forever as well, the whole idea about the perhaps `eternal array' is something that occurred to me as a possible point for this story to focus on, well one of several really but who's counting? I might of over done Ed and Roy's bickering but I wanted to establish beyond a doubt that their clearly unhappy working together after so long apart and no longer respect each other as much as they did, did I miss anything? Let me know if you have any questions I haven't answered here. Later…..