[FMA Fic] 1:10 to Central (2/3)
Title: 1:10 to Central
Author: bay115
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 5,252 this chapter
Characters: Ed, Al, Winry, Ling and his bodyguards, Isaac McDougal, ensemble
Warnings: AU/alternative timeline, some violence
Summary: Ed, Al, Winry, Ling and his bodyguards go back to Central after Hughes's death. Something goes wrong in Central that separates the group.
Notes 1: Part Two of my help_japan fic for evil_little_dog.
Part Two
It had been fifteen minutes since Ed and his brother joined up with Mustang and his team in the office, only to find the Colonel absent. It took a huge effort on Ed’s part to not scream with annoyance when Hawkeye told him that Mustang was away, following a lead as to McDougal’s location. Apparently, the rouge alchemist had broken into Central Prison, hence why the Colonel had left. Ed stared up in the ceiling as everyone else waited in silence.
He reflected back on his phone call to Winry the night before. Ed was relieved that she was okay, but felt bad that he had not been able to return to the hotel and made her worry about him and Al. With McDougal still out there, Ed couldn’t help but be concerned for her safety. He wanted to believe Mustang’s word that all of this would be taken care of soon.
Eventually the sound of the door opening caught Ed’s attention and he looked over his shoulder to see the Colonel entering the office with a stern expression on his face. About fucking time, he thought to himself.
“How did the meeting with Kimblee go?” Hawkeye asked.
“It went better than expected,” Mustang said. “He told me that McDougal had indeed visited to recruit him in helping destroy Central, but he refused.”
“Does he have any idea where the Freezing Alchemist could be?” Breda pointed out.
Mustang shook his head. “He doesn’t. Speaking of which, I compiled a list of areas where we can start our search.”
As soon as the Colonel rolled out the map of Central City atop his desk, everyone including Ed circled around him. He paid close attention as the Flame Alchemist discussed and marked off which areas they would check out. The initial plan was they would search the abandoned buildings that were within a ten mile radius, using Central Command as their starting point. Mustang then mentioned that they should break into two groups so that they cover more ground.
“Fullmetal, Alphonse, Hawkeye and Havoc will be with me at the west side while Fuery, Breda, and some of the military police will look over the east side.”
“I assume we’ll be out for a long time,” Ed said as he looked over the map. From the several circles Mustang had marked, he guessed this particular assignment would last more than a few hours.
“Depends how fast we’ll be able to catch him, but yes this is going to take most of the day.”
Ed grunted in acknowledgment, thinking that would be the case. He didn’t like the idea of being out all day, barging into abandoned buildings, so he hoped they could find McDougal as soon as possible.
+++
Roy didn’t like how the clouds had begun to gather in the sky during the last hour. He had a feeling he might need his flame alchemy today, so he hoped the rain wouldn’t fall anytime soon.
He, Havoc, Hawkeye, and the Elric brothers had searched through at least ten buildings over the past two hours and hadn’t spotted McDougal yet. The group was now in a back alley, heading towards another building to investigate.
“Is there any other way we’re able to catch the Freezing Alchemist more effectively?” Ed complained.
“Unfortunately no, Fullmetal,” Roy said and heard Ed sigh. He was just as irritated as him over this, but needed to maintain some level of professionalism.
“How much further is the next place?” Ed asked shortly after.
“Just past this alley, which isn’t too much farther.”
As everyone continued walking, Roy thought back to his meeting with Kimblee. From what I heard, it seems he’s doing a pretty good job on his own. A part of him couldn’t believe just one man caused this much trouble in Central. If McDougal had managed that, Roy didn’t want to believe what else he was capable of.
“Chief, you should check this!” Havoc yelled, interrupting Roy’s thoughts.
Roy hurried to join Havoc, and as soon as he reached him, his eyes widened in horror. A burnt corpse of another officer from the police military was left lying close to where the trash bins were. One detail Roy noticed was the body wasn’t blackened like someone engulfed in flames would be.
“McDougal must have used his alchemy to boil him before leaving, so he shouldn’t be far away now,” he said and motioned for everyone else to follow.
The group picked up their pace, keeping watch in case McDougal was near. Roy stole a glimpse at the sky and could tell the clouds were slightly darker. He swallowed hard, not happy that rain might come after all.
Several minutes went by and they reached their next destination. Before them was an old warehouse, which looked to be in bad shape on the outside. Roy remembered it being mentioned that this particular building used to house military cars and tanks, until those vehicles had been moved to a much larger warehouse around five years ago. Refocusing on the task at hand, he opened the door and went inside, the rest trailing behind.
Everyone took slow steps as they moved further inside. The Colonel glanced around the warehouse, which for the most part was empty except for several large boxes lying around and a few military cars that aren’t being used anymore. He had a sinking feeling that the Freezing Alchemist was hiding in here.
“I expected you would come eventually, Roy Mustang.”
Startled, Roy jerked his head around to look in the direction that Hawkeye and Havoc had their guns pointed. McDougal stood on top of an automobile not far way with his arms crossed over his chest. He caught a glimpse of McDougal’s gauntlet and remember that the man had used it during the Ishval War; it surprised him he still had it.
Roy’s gaze returned to McDougal’s face.
“I’m sure you’re aware all of Central Command has heard of your actions by now.”
“Of course, I do. Still wondering why it’s taking them a long time to catch me.” He stopped, and Roy noticed his eyes fell upon Edward. “Oh, and I see you brought the Fullmetal Alchemist and his brother with you.”
Roy caught Edward’s sneer. He wasn’t surprised Fullmetal had reacted to that, but it still left him uneasy.
“Al and I are here to get you this time,” Edward said with great confidence.
McDougal let out a short laugh and challenged in a low voice, “I like to see all of you guys try it.”
At that instant Ed rushed towards the Freezing Alchemist, clapping his hands, and transmuting his automail arm into a sharp blade. Roy felt his heart beating hard against his chest, fearing the younger alchemist would do something reckless.
“Fullmetal, wait!” he yelled.
Roy’s warning didn’t get through to Ed, and he continued running at McDougal. Before Fullmetal was able to get close, the wanted alchemist punched his hand on the ground and steam immediately exploded out, clouding the interior of the building. At one point Roy heard Alphonse shout, but didn’t pay. attention to what he actually said. He coughed until the air cleared and Roy looked about for McDougal, only to find him gone. His searching gaze lowered to see a new, gaping hole on a water pipe. Roy was certain that had been the water source for McDougal’s steam.
“Damn it,” he murmured, gritting his teeth. With McDougal on the run again, there was no telling where he went.
“Colonel, I don’t see Edward and Alphonse Elric anywhere,” Hawkeye said suddenly.
“What?” Roy turned to see that indeed both Elric brothers had disappeared. His stomach dropped.
The realization hit him that Edward had run off to chase McDougal, and his brother had told him to come back, only to follow right after. He couldn’t brush off the notion that both boys were in serious danger, but a part of him believed there was still a chance he could find them.
“What should we do now?” Havoc asked.
“Perhaps we can still catch up with the Elric brothers and McDougal. Come on, let’s go!”
Roy rushed off with both of his subordinates following behind. He prayed that they wouldn’t be too late.
+++
Lan Fan, along with her grandfather, had been searching for the Elric brothers and the Freezing Alchemist for a little over an hour now with no luck. Central was a huge city, so it was to be expected it might take a while. She had no problem sensing Qi whenever she used the Dragon’s Pulse, but it was much harder to find a specific someone’s Qi along with many other people around. Even Alphonse’s unusual Qi proved to be tough to spot.
They eventually rested on top of a building and stared down at the citizens hurrying to their destination. She thought back about how Ameristrians were much busier than her people back in Xing, that they never even took the time to and talk. Lan Fan wasn’t sure if she would get used to this new country anytime soon.
“I can sense both Brothers’ Qi, but they always seem to be on the move,” Lan Fan said and pressed her lips together.
“As do I,” Fu said, “but we should be able to catch up on them soon.”
Silence hung between the two as Lan Fan returned her attention to the street below. It frustrated her that they hadn’t found the brothers yet despite the fact they were moving around. Suddenly, she flinched as she felt a strong sensation rush through her veins. One glance at her Grandfather’s face told Lan Fan he was experiencing the same thing.
“I feel Edward’s Qi. He’s very close.”
Fu gave her a single nod. “I sense him, too. We should get moving.”
Lan Fan hummed in agreement and leaped to their feet. They quickly jumped from rooftop to rooftop until they sighted Edward and Alphonse chasing after McDougal. All three seemed to be headed for a building not far ahead.
“Come back here, you bastard!” Ed yelled.
As Lan Fan watched, the Freezing Alchemist continued on with the brothers still in pursuit. She wondered briefly if she should stop the man, but the better possibility Grandfather would be furious prevented her from doing so. Lan Fan then let herself feel McDougal’s Qi. It was similar to Edward’s, the only difference being he also had the same energy signature as someone who performed alkahestry. For some reason that disturbed her.
“Do you sense alkahestric energy from that man, also?”
Fu looked at her with confusion before nodding. “Now that you mention it, yes I do. We should keep that in mind.” He hesitated before suggesting, “Let’s go back to meet up with the young Lord and Miss Rockbell and let them know we have spotted them.”
“Yes, of course.”
Her grandfather left in the direction of the hotel, with Lan Fan following shortly after.
+++
Winry had gone downstairs to grab some breakfast, but she quickly realized she wasn’t in the mood to eat. She sat with her elbows propped on the table and her had resting in her hands, unsure of how long she’d been staring down at her pancakes. It had been a slow morning for her.
Thoughts about Ed and Al kept returning to her. She tried to not worry too much about whether the brothers would return safe, but it wasn’t working. Ling’s bodyguards had left before she’d woke, so it was likely it wouldn’t take much longer before she learned how the two were doing. Sighing, she pulled herself from the chair and dragged herself back upstairs to her room.
Once Winry entered the room, she saw Ling gazing absently out the window. It was most likely he was waiting for Lan Fan and Fu. Shortly, the prince turned and offered her a small smile.
“Had a good breakfast?” Ling asked.
Winry shook her head. “Not hungry at the moment.”
Ling nodded in understanding. "I know you’re still worried, but I’m sure your friends are fine.”
Winry smiled back. She would remain unconvinced until she saw them for herself, but for some reason, Ling’s words helped to her relax a bit. “I want to thank you for keeping an eye out for Ed and Al,” Winry said.
When Ling quirked an eyebrow, she feared she said something wrong without knowing what it was. He beamed at her and replied, “Well, my guards are the ones doing that, but I accept your gratitude.”
The two remained quiet for a time, with Winry watching Ling as he stared out the window. It wasn’t long until she saw him smirking.
“They’re coming now,” he said.
Already knowing what he meant, Winry’s heartbeat quickened. Both she and Ling backed away a few steps and when Fu and Lan Fan shot through the window.
“You two managed to spot that man and the Elric brothers yet?” Ling asked them.
“Yes, my lord,” Lan Fan said. “The brothers were chasing the alchemist as he was running away.”
Winry asked, “You know where Isaac was heading to?”
“All three seemed to be going toward an abandoned building that’s not too far from here,” Fu said.
Taking a second to let that sink in, Winry remembered how Ed told her he and his brother had to help Colonel Mustang and his team. Had the two separated from the group? She felt uneasy thinking about that possibility.
“Are they by themselves? The brothers are supposed to be with a group of military officers.”
“I don’t see anyone else with them,” Lan Fan answered apologetically.
Winry gasped and dropped her gaze to the floor. It was typical of Ed to run off like that. Still, she felt the sudden urge to help them before anything bad happened to him and Al, and there was one way she could do just that. Winry lifted her head and turned to face Ling.
“I want your guards to take me there.”
“Are you serious?” Ling questioned in concern. “You could be hurt!”
“And so will Ed and Al with no one else around to help them!” Winry shot back. “At least when Ed’s arm gets damaged I can be there to fix it.” She had no doubt that would be the case, but was willing to forgive him because his safety always came first.
Winry wondered if Ling took her words into consideration. Finally, the prince smiled.
“All right, but all of us will go there.” Ling turned to his bodyguards. “We’ll meet you outside shortly.”
Lan Fan and Fu bowed to their prince before exiting through the window. Winry found herself staring after them until she felt Ling touch her shoulder.
“We should make our leave now.”
“Uh-huh.”Winry nodded in agreement. “Let me grab my tools first and then we can go.”
+++
“Brother, I think we should get back to the Colonel and his men!”
Ed didn’t reply, his focus still on Isaac. When at the warehouse, his first impulse told him to follow the man and not let him get away. Thinking over now, he had broken his promise to the Colonel that he wouldn’t stray too far from him and his team. Ed was sure Mustang would yell at him for this, but at this point it was too late to turn back.
Ed noticed the back of a nearby building. From the architecture, it appeared to be an abandoned theater or opera house. As he returned his attention, McDougal rushed inside the building’s side door. Without a second thought, Ed and Al followed. Ed found his hunch that this was a theater was correct when he found rows of seats and three levels of balconies. He took a moment to gaze in wonder; this was his first time in a theater, even though he’d visited Central many times.
Remembering he was here to find McDougal, Ed slowly advanced while keeping a watchful eye out for the rouge alchemist.
This must be The Four Roses Theatre, Ed suddenly remembered. This was the next location Mustang and his team had planned to search, and it was most likely they were on their way.
“Brother, I see him!”
Al’s abrupt yell caused Ed to look to where his brother was pointing. He stared straight at Isaac, who was on the stage.
“Not a surprise you both followed me here,” Isaac said, loud enough for both brothers to hear.
Ed gave the Freezing Alchemist a long stare. “Let me ask you this. Why are you attacking Central?”
“Isn’t it obvious? The military is corrupted.”
Taken back by that comment, Ed gritted his teeth. “And what makes you think that?”
“I was told that Amestris is nothing but a transmutation circle.”
Ed heard his brother gasp couldn’t help but react the same way. Nationwide transmutation circle? This was the first time he heard such a statement, making him wonder who told McDougal that. The transmutation circle he had discovered at Laboratory Five flashed through his mind, but he pushed it aside.
“That’s ridiculous!” Al yelled.
“Not as ridiculous as you and your brother using human transmutation.”
Ed clenched his fist, fighting the urge to rush onto the stage and punch him in the face. Isaac’s words made his blood boil and he had to count to himself in order to relax.
“What happened to us in the past doesn’t have anything to do with how you found out the military is corrupted,” he said as calmly as possible.
“Oh, but it is, Fullmetal. I bet some of the military personnel are keeping your incident a secret, otherwise you wouldn’t have become a State Alchemist.”
Ed responded with a murderous glare. Wanting to get back on topic, he chanced to ask, “Who told you Amestris is nothing but a Nationwide Transmutation Circle and why?”
“There were two people that mentioned this to me.” The Freezing Alchemist shrugged. “I don’t know them, but they claimed to have informants that are investigating this. As to why, they seemed to know my background and how much I despise the military.”
Ed narrowed his eyes. Another question came to mind. “What are you going to accomplish by destroying Central Command, anyways?”
“Saving this country, of course,” Isaac said. He snorted. “Considering the military is running the show, getting rid of it is the best solution.”
“How so?” Ed demanded.
The Freezing Alchemist laughed. “Just as expected from a dog of the military, still loyal despite being fed by lies.”
This time Ed couldn’t help himself. He started for the stage in a run, but Al stopped him before he got very far.
“Brother, don’t,” Al warned him in a low voice.
Unwilling to listen, Ed pulled free of his brother’s grasp and dashed towards Isaac. Suddenly, a jet of high pressured water hit him in the face and forced him to fall back onto the floor. Once his vision cleared, Ed noticed another canteen Isaac’s in hand. A smug look crossed the man’s face.
“Seems you didn’t learn your mistake from the last time you tried to get me.”
Ed slowly got to his feet and glared at Isaac. “I still think your claims are false.”
“Didn’t think you would immediately believe me. Either way, I’ll go through with my plans for getting rid of Central Headquarters and you won’t get in my way.”
Ed readied himself to attack until he heard a strange noise in his automail arm. He checked to see the plating was bent out. As he tried to use his fingers, they wouldn’t move properly.
“I might not be able to boil your automail, but I can still freeze it.” The smirk on Isaac’s face grew wider.
Gritting his teeth, Ed now realized what Isaac had done. The freezing water had already expanded and most likely some of the parts were damaged. That would make using his automail arm more difficult, if he could use it at all. A familiar voice then stopped him in his tracks.
“Don’t even think about laying another hand on them!”
Taken aback by the familiar voice, Ed turned around to see Winry, holding a wrench in one hand and her toolbox in the other. His stomach dropped.
She came looking for us!
“Winry!” Al yelled, also shocked to see her there.
As Isaac stepped off stage he asked, “And who you might be?”
“I’ve known Ed and Al for almost all of my life and I’m not going to let you hurt them.”
There was a flicker of fearlessness and courage in Winry’s eyes that Ed never seen before.
“Winry, get out of here while you still can!” Ed warned. “This McDougal guy isn’t to be taken lightly!”
Isaac rushed towards Winry, passing between Ed and Al. They yelled at her to get away, but she didn’t move; instead she tossed her wrench at Isaac, like a pitcher throwing the ball at the batter. It hit him on the forehead, and caused him to crash to the floor. When the Freezing Alchemist remained unconscious for more than a few seconds, Ed knew they had to leave immediately. Wasting no more time, he ran to grab Winry’s hand and rushed out of the theater with her, with Al following behind.
“Where are Ling and his guards? Are they still at the hotel?” Al asked as they hurried down the street.
Winry nodded. “They’re waiting at the corner of the alley.” She glanced around and said, “There!”
All three turned toward the alley where Winry was pointing and rushed in that direction. Once there, Ed saw Ling and his bodyguards waiting for them.
"Ed, what happened to you?" Ling asked, confusion written all over his face.
"That Isaac guy used his alchemy and damaged my automail arm," Ed explained.
"Luckily I came in just in time before he destroyed your leg, too." Winry took a quick look at Ed's automail arm. "This one is bent out, so I'll need to put in new plating."
"Does that mean I'll only have one arm for now?" Ed didn't like the sound of that one bit.
"Fortunately for you, no." Winry offered him a proud smile. "I brought a spare arm and leg with me in case something like this happened." She gave Ed a cross look. “Because, usually, it does.”
Ed watched closely as Winry opened her toolbox and took out an automail arm that was similar, if not exact, to his original one. Using a screwdriver, she didn't waste time swapping it out. For once he was glad Winry was prepared ahead of time.
“That was a pretty nice throw you made,” Ed commented.
Winry’s eyes widened with surprise, then she smirked. “I’ve hit you with my wrench many times already," she said, still working on his arm, "so that shouldn’t have surprised you.”
Ed grimaced. Of course, he shouldn’t be surprised she could throw her tools easily. Nonetheless, it was a good thing she had caught Isaac off guard. When Winry pushed the replacement arm onto the port and reconnected the nerves, Ed flinched. He had expected her to get this done fairly fast.
"Try it and see if it works. It's basically the same model you were using before."
He wound his arm around a few times, listening for any unusual noises while doing so. Satisfied with the results, Ed gave Winry a big smile. "This should do."
"We need to go find the Colonel and let him know what Isaac told us," Al suggested.
Ed nodded in agreement. "Yeah we should do that. Perhaps we can take him to the theater and show him-"
Ed stopped when he heard footsteps approaching. He turned around, and his eyes flew wide when he saw Colonel Mustang standing there with an equally surprised expression. Lieutenants Hawkeye and Havoc rushed up behind him, just as astonished.
"Fullmetal. Thanks goodness we found you."
"We managed to find Isaac at the Four Roses Theater. He attacked me and damaged my arm, but Winry give me a new one."
"Who?" Mustang turned to her, and frowned. "Have I met you before?"
"At Resembool over three years ago," Hawkeye pointed out. "Her grandmother was the boys' guardian."
"Oh, I remember!" Winry exclaimed in realization, eyes widening. "You must be Lieutenant Haw...er, Riza."
Hawkeye smiled at the young girl. "It's great to see you again, Winry."
"Same here, but we'll have to catch up later." Turning his attention back to Ed, Mustang scowled at him. "If you had kept your word by not leaving my sight, you wouldn't need a new arm in the first place. That, and we probably would've caught the Freezing Alchemist by now."
Ed's face fell and he groaned. He had deserved that. "Maybe, but I doubt that would have been the case, since your flame alchemy is useless against him."
The corner of Mustang's mouth twitched. "It would be best if you don't say that to me ever again." After rubbing his forehead, he asked, "Did you two find out anything while confronting him?"
"He told us he's planning to destroy Central Command," Al said.
Mustang's eyes widened, then he sighed. "I shouldn't be surprised. Isaac has been against the military for a while now."
"How did you manage to escape from him?" Havoc asked the brothers.
"Winry knocked him out with her wrench," Ed answered. An idea then came to him. "We might be able to get him at the theater if he's still unconscious."
"My bodyguards and I will come too, in case something happens,” Ling said.
"And who might you be?" the Colonel asked with skepticism. Ed remembered the Colonel and Ling had never been properly introduced.
"I'm Ling Yao, prince of Xing. I’ll explain later why I came to this country, but I believe you may be in need of my assistance."
Mustang considered Ling for a moment then nodded. He said to Ed, "We were about to go there ourselves. Come on, we should hurry."
Motioning for everyone to follow, the Colonel hurried off with everyone following behind. Ed hoped they weren’t too late.
+++
When he thought about it, Roy had expected Isaac to go against Central Command. That was why McDougal had approached Kimblee with a proposal to join forces. A part of him was glad the Crimson Alchemist hadn’t taken up on the offer or else this situation would be far worse.
When they entered the theater, Roy felt a chill run down his spine, and he commanded a sweep of the building.
While they searched the building, he thought back to the many dates he had gone on with Madame Christmas' girls; the different, famous plays that had appeared here and the audiences that would go see them. He brushed the memories aside, knowing now wasn't the good time to reminisce over such things.
"Damn it, he got away," Ed said in frustration. Indeed, there was no sign of Isaac anywhere.
"He could be hiding anywhere," Roy said, "but we need to continue searching for him." Though there was a chance that Isaac was headed in the direction of the military headquarters, which he didn't want at all.
"I have a way for you to do this search more efficiently." Gazing at the young Xingese man, Roy assumed Ling look to be a year or two older than Ed. "My body guards and I will be able to detect his Qi and track down him fairly quickly."
The more Ling revealed about himself, the more questions came to Roy’s mind. Prince of Xing? Body guards? Qi? Roy decided to ask him about his journey from Xing to Amestris when everything had settled down. "Are you sure?"
Ling nodded and said, "I'm certain."
“I’ll explain later why I came to this country, but I believe you may be in need of my assistance," Ling had told him earlier. Perhaps this was the assistance Roy needed right now. Even though he wasn't sure how successful Ling's plan would be, he was willing to give it a shot. Roy fixed his gaze on the prince.
"Have your bodyguards help us find him."
+++
Lust had heard about the trouble Isaac was causing at Central, mainly the many military officers he had killed and his break-in at the prison. The military was hot on his heels right now, so she was glad that Mustang's attention wasn't on Hughes's murder for now.
"Told you this will keep the Flame Alchemist busy," Envy boasted. They were hiding in an alley between a flower shop and an office building.
"Isaac's prison break-in to see Kimblee caused a big stir, though." Lust pursed her lips. "This plan of yours would've ended early if he’d gotten caught there."
"Everything else is going smoothly so far, right? Sure, some officers died, but it’s to be expected with him running around."
"Envy, Lust."
Both she and Envy flinched upon hearing Pride’s voice. The first homunculus had the ability to communicate over long distances while hiding his true identity at the same time. Lust guessed ‘Selim Bradley’ had made it to the mansion already.
"I take it you want to talk to us about Isaac," Lust said. It was a statement, not a question.
"I'm well aware that this was Envy's idea as soon as I heard about Isaac causing havoc. While it is good that Mustang's distracted from finding out our true plans, and that no serious damage has been made in Central yet, save for a few lives, I'm still worried about the five transmutation circles he has drawn."
Earlier, Lust and Envy had found three transmutation circles, two at abandoned buildings and another in an alley. She had already figured out Isaac’s plan to strike the military headquarters, which was slightly unsettling to her.
"As I mentioned to Wrath, I said only a few things about the truth behind this country, nothing more."
"You do know that Isaac's going to target Central Command, right?" Pride said sharply.
Shrugging, Envy made a disparaging sound. "He's been against the military for some time now, not a surprise to me."
"If he succeeds, then the military base will be destroyed," Lust pointed out. Isaac took this ‘the military is corrupted’ news more seriously than she thought. "And may I remind you that stone we gave him will make his water alchemy more powerful?"
"I'm sure he'll use it up before he's able to destroy all of Central Command. That and Wrath won't let him get away with that."
"You are right on that about Wrath," Pride said in agreement. "He shouldn't be taken lightly, though."
Envy remained silent, as if considering what Pride had just said. From the look on his face, Lust thought perhaps the homunculus would heed the warning. He grinned, showing his teeth.
"Such a shame he deserted the military. Would've been a perfect candidate for sacrifice," Envy mused.
Trying to imagine Isaac as one of their sacrifices, Lust assumed it was safe to say she didn't agree with him on that. He was very strong for sure, but she couldn't see him being worthy enough to do Father's deed.
"Perhaps." Pride paused a second. "I need to leave now. Both of you make sure you keep Isaac under control. If he gets out of hand, take care of him."
It then fell silent. Lust thought over what their next course of action should be.
"We should continue looking around," she decided. "We don't want to lose sight of him."
To be continued on Part Three!
This entry was originally posted at http://bay-alexison.dreamwidth.org/89689.html. Feel free to comment wherever you like!
Author: bay115
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 5,252 this chapter
Characters: Ed, Al, Winry, Ling and his bodyguards, Isaac McDougal, ensemble
Warnings: AU/alternative timeline, some violence
Summary: Ed, Al, Winry, Ling and his bodyguards go back to Central after Hughes's death. Something goes wrong in Central that separates the group.
Notes 1: Part Two of my help_japan fic for evil_little_dog.
Part Two
It had been fifteen minutes since Ed and his brother joined up with Mustang and his team in the office, only to find the Colonel absent. It took a huge effort on Ed’s part to not scream with annoyance when Hawkeye told him that Mustang was away, following a lead as to McDougal’s location. Apparently, the rouge alchemist had broken into Central Prison, hence why the Colonel had left. Ed stared up in the ceiling as everyone else waited in silence.
He reflected back on his phone call to Winry the night before. Ed was relieved that she was okay, but felt bad that he had not been able to return to the hotel and made her worry about him and Al. With McDougal still out there, Ed couldn’t help but be concerned for her safety. He wanted to believe Mustang’s word that all of this would be taken care of soon.
Eventually the sound of the door opening caught Ed’s attention and he looked over his shoulder to see the Colonel entering the office with a stern expression on his face. About fucking time, he thought to himself.
“How did the meeting with Kimblee go?” Hawkeye asked.
“It went better than expected,” Mustang said. “He told me that McDougal had indeed visited to recruit him in helping destroy Central, but he refused.”
“Does he have any idea where the Freezing Alchemist could be?” Breda pointed out.
Mustang shook his head. “He doesn’t. Speaking of which, I compiled a list of areas where we can start our search.”
As soon as the Colonel rolled out the map of Central City atop his desk, everyone including Ed circled around him. He paid close attention as the Flame Alchemist discussed and marked off which areas they would check out. The initial plan was they would search the abandoned buildings that were within a ten mile radius, using Central Command as their starting point. Mustang then mentioned that they should break into two groups so that they cover more ground.
“Fullmetal, Alphonse, Hawkeye and Havoc will be with me at the west side while Fuery, Breda, and some of the military police will look over the east side.”
“I assume we’ll be out for a long time,” Ed said as he looked over the map. From the several circles Mustang had marked, he guessed this particular assignment would last more than a few hours.
“Depends how fast we’ll be able to catch him, but yes this is going to take most of the day.”
Ed grunted in acknowledgment, thinking that would be the case. He didn’t like the idea of being out all day, barging into abandoned buildings, so he hoped they could find McDougal as soon as possible.
+++
Roy didn’t like how the clouds had begun to gather in the sky during the last hour. He had a feeling he might need his flame alchemy today, so he hoped the rain wouldn’t fall anytime soon.
He, Havoc, Hawkeye, and the Elric brothers had searched through at least ten buildings over the past two hours and hadn’t spotted McDougal yet. The group was now in a back alley, heading towards another building to investigate.
“Is there any other way we’re able to catch the Freezing Alchemist more effectively?” Ed complained.
“Unfortunately no, Fullmetal,” Roy said and heard Ed sigh. He was just as irritated as him over this, but needed to maintain some level of professionalism.
“How much further is the next place?” Ed asked shortly after.
“Just past this alley, which isn’t too much farther.”
As everyone continued walking, Roy thought back to his meeting with Kimblee. From what I heard, it seems he’s doing a pretty good job on his own. A part of him couldn’t believe just one man caused this much trouble in Central. If McDougal had managed that, Roy didn’t want to believe what else he was capable of.
“Chief, you should check this!” Havoc yelled, interrupting Roy’s thoughts.
Roy hurried to join Havoc, and as soon as he reached him, his eyes widened in horror. A burnt corpse of another officer from the police military was left lying close to where the trash bins were. One detail Roy noticed was the body wasn’t blackened like someone engulfed in flames would be.
“McDougal must have used his alchemy to boil him before leaving, so he shouldn’t be far away now,” he said and motioned for everyone else to follow.
The group picked up their pace, keeping watch in case McDougal was near. Roy stole a glimpse at the sky and could tell the clouds were slightly darker. He swallowed hard, not happy that rain might come after all.
Several minutes went by and they reached their next destination. Before them was an old warehouse, which looked to be in bad shape on the outside. Roy remembered it being mentioned that this particular building used to house military cars and tanks, until those vehicles had been moved to a much larger warehouse around five years ago. Refocusing on the task at hand, he opened the door and went inside, the rest trailing behind.
Everyone took slow steps as they moved further inside. The Colonel glanced around the warehouse, which for the most part was empty except for several large boxes lying around and a few military cars that aren’t being used anymore. He had a sinking feeling that the Freezing Alchemist was hiding in here.
“I expected you would come eventually, Roy Mustang.”
Startled, Roy jerked his head around to look in the direction that Hawkeye and Havoc had their guns pointed. McDougal stood on top of an automobile not far way with his arms crossed over his chest. He caught a glimpse of McDougal’s gauntlet and remember that the man had used it during the Ishval War; it surprised him he still had it.
Roy’s gaze returned to McDougal’s face.
“I’m sure you’re aware all of Central Command has heard of your actions by now.”
“Of course, I do. Still wondering why it’s taking them a long time to catch me.” He stopped, and Roy noticed his eyes fell upon Edward. “Oh, and I see you brought the Fullmetal Alchemist and his brother with you.”
Roy caught Edward’s sneer. He wasn’t surprised Fullmetal had reacted to that, but it still left him uneasy.
“Al and I are here to get you this time,” Edward said with great confidence.
McDougal let out a short laugh and challenged in a low voice, “I like to see all of you guys try it.”
At that instant Ed rushed towards the Freezing Alchemist, clapping his hands, and transmuting his automail arm into a sharp blade. Roy felt his heart beating hard against his chest, fearing the younger alchemist would do something reckless.
“Fullmetal, wait!” he yelled.
Roy’s warning didn’t get through to Ed, and he continued running at McDougal. Before Fullmetal was able to get close, the wanted alchemist punched his hand on the ground and steam immediately exploded out, clouding the interior of the building. At one point Roy heard Alphonse shout, but didn’t pay. attention to what he actually said. He coughed until the air cleared and Roy looked about for McDougal, only to find him gone. His searching gaze lowered to see a new, gaping hole on a water pipe. Roy was certain that had been the water source for McDougal’s steam.
“Damn it,” he murmured, gritting his teeth. With McDougal on the run again, there was no telling where he went.
“Colonel, I don’t see Edward and Alphonse Elric anywhere,” Hawkeye said suddenly.
“What?” Roy turned to see that indeed both Elric brothers had disappeared. His stomach dropped.
The realization hit him that Edward had run off to chase McDougal, and his brother had told him to come back, only to follow right after. He couldn’t brush off the notion that both boys were in serious danger, but a part of him believed there was still a chance he could find them.
“What should we do now?” Havoc asked.
“Perhaps we can still catch up with the Elric brothers and McDougal. Come on, let’s go!”
Roy rushed off with both of his subordinates following behind. He prayed that they wouldn’t be too late.
+++
Lan Fan, along with her grandfather, had been searching for the Elric brothers and the Freezing Alchemist for a little over an hour now with no luck. Central was a huge city, so it was to be expected it might take a while. She had no problem sensing Qi whenever she used the Dragon’s Pulse, but it was much harder to find a specific someone’s Qi along with many other people around. Even Alphonse’s unusual Qi proved to be tough to spot.
They eventually rested on top of a building and stared down at the citizens hurrying to their destination. She thought back about how Ameristrians were much busier than her people back in Xing, that they never even took the time to and talk. Lan Fan wasn’t sure if she would get used to this new country anytime soon.
“I can sense both Brothers’ Qi, but they always seem to be on the move,” Lan Fan said and pressed her lips together.
“As do I,” Fu said, “but we should be able to catch up on them soon.”
Silence hung between the two as Lan Fan returned her attention to the street below. It frustrated her that they hadn’t found the brothers yet despite the fact they were moving around. Suddenly, she flinched as she felt a strong sensation rush through her veins. One glance at her Grandfather’s face told Lan Fan he was experiencing the same thing.
“I feel Edward’s Qi. He’s very close.”
Fu gave her a single nod. “I sense him, too. We should get moving.”
Lan Fan hummed in agreement and leaped to their feet. They quickly jumped from rooftop to rooftop until they sighted Edward and Alphonse chasing after McDougal. All three seemed to be headed for a building not far ahead.
“Come back here, you bastard!” Ed yelled.
As Lan Fan watched, the Freezing Alchemist continued on with the brothers still in pursuit. She wondered briefly if she should stop the man, but the better possibility Grandfather would be furious prevented her from doing so. Lan Fan then let herself feel McDougal’s Qi. It was similar to Edward’s, the only difference being he also had the same energy signature as someone who performed alkahestry. For some reason that disturbed her.
“Do you sense alkahestric energy from that man, also?”
Fu looked at her with confusion before nodding. “Now that you mention it, yes I do. We should keep that in mind.” He hesitated before suggesting, “Let’s go back to meet up with the young Lord and Miss Rockbell and let them know we have spotted them.”
“Yes, of course.”
Her grandfather left in the direction of the hotel, with Lan Fan following shortly after.
+++
Winry had gone downstairs to grab some breakfast, but she quickly realized she wasn’t in the mood to eat. She sat with her elbows propped on the table and her had resting in her hands, unsure of how long she’d been staring down at her pancakes. It had been a slow morning for her.
Thoughts about Ed and Al kept returning to her. She tried to not worry too much about whether the brothers would return safe, but it wasn’t working. Ling’s bodyguards had left before she’d woke, so it was likely it wouldn’t take much longer before she learned how the two were doing. Sighing, she pulled herself from the chair and dragged herself back upstairs to her room.
Once Winry entered the room, she saw Ling gazing absently out the window. It was most likely he was waiting for Lan Fan and Fu. Shortly, the prince turned and offered her a small smile.
“Had a good breakfast?” Ling asked.
Winry shook her head. “Not hungry at the moment.”
Ling nodded in understanding. "I know you’re still worried, but I’m sure your friends are fine.”
Winry smiled back. She would remain unconvinced until she saw them for herself, but for some reason, Ling’s words helped to her relax a bit. “I want to thank you for keeping an eye out for Ed and Al,” Winry said.
When Ling quirked an eyebrow, she feared she said something wrong without knowing what it was. He beamed at her and replied, “Well, my guards are the ones doing that, but I accept your gratitude.”
The two remained quiet for a time, with Winry watching Ling as he stared out the window. It wasn’t long until she saw him smirking.
“They’re coming now,” he said.
Already knowing what he meant, Winry’s heartbeat quickened. Both she and Ling backed away a few steps and when Fu and Lan Fan shot through the window.
“You two managed to spot that man and the Elric brothers yet?” Ling asked them.
“Yes, my lord,” Lan Fan said. “The brothers were chasing the alchemist as he was running away.”
Winry asked, “You know where Isaac was heading to?”
“All three seemed to be going toward an abandoned building that’s not too far from here,” Fu said.
Taking a second to let that sink in, Winry remembered how Ed told her he and his brother had to help Colonel Mustang and his team. Had the two separated from the group? She felt uneasy thinking about that possibility.
“Are they by themselves? The brothers are supposed to be with a group of military officers.”
“I don’t see anyone else with them,” Lan Fan answered apologetically.
Winry gasped and dropped her gaze to the floor. It was typical of Ed to run off like that. Still, she felt the sudden urge to help them before anything bad happened to him and Al, and there was one way she could do just that. Winry lifted her head and turned to face Ling.
“I want your guards to take me there.”
“Are you serious?” Ling questioned in concern. “You could be hurt!”
“And so will Ed and Al with no one else around to help them!” Winry shot back. “At least when Ed’s arm gets damaged I can be there to fix it.” She had no doubt that would be the case, but was willing to forgive him because his safety always came first.
Winry wondered if Ling took her words into consideration. Finally, the prince smiled.
“All right, but all of us will go there.” Ling turned to his bodyguards. “We’ll meet you outside shortly.”
Lan Fan and Fu bowed to their prince before exiting through the window. Winry found herself staring after them until she felt Ling touch her shoulder.
“We should make our leave now.”
“Uh-huh.”Winry nodded in agreement. “Let me grab my tools first and then we can go.”
+++
“Brother, I think we should get back to the Colonel and his men!”
Ed didn’t reply, his focus still on Isaac. When at the warehouse, his first impulse told him to follow the man and not let him get away. Thinking over now, he had broken his promise to the Colonel that he wouldn’t stray too far from him and his team. Ed was sure Mustang would yell at him for this, but at this point it was too late to turn back.
Ed noticed the back of a nearby building. From the architecture, it appeared to be an abandoned theater or opera house. As he returned his attention, McDougal rushed inside the building’s side door. Without a second thought, Ed and Al followed. Ed found his hunch that this was a theater was correct when he found rows of seats and three levels of balconies. He took a moment to gaze in wonder; this was his first time in a theater, even though he’d visited Central many times.
Remembering he was here to find McDougal, Ed slowly advanced while keeping a watchful eye out for the rouge alchemist.
This must be The Four Roses Theatre, Ed suddenly remembered. This was the next location Mustang and his team had planned to search, and it was most likely they were on their way.
“Brother, I see him!”
Al’s abrupt yell caused Ed to look to where his brother was pointing. He stared straight at Isaac, who was on the stage.
“Not a surprise you both followed me here,” Isaac said, loud enough for both brothers to hear.
Ed gave the Freezing Alchemist a long stare. “Let me ask you this. Why are you attacking Central?”
“Isn’t it obvious? The military is corrupted.”
Taken back by that comment, Ed gritted his teeth. “And what makes you think that?”
“I was told that Amestris is nothing but a transmutation circle.”
Ed heard his brother gasp couldn’t help but react the same way. Nationwide transmutation circle? This was the first time he heard such a statement, making him wonder who told McDougal that. The transmutation circle he had discovered at Laboratory Five flashed through his mind, but he pushed it aside.
“That’s ridiculous!” Al yelled.
“Not as ridiculous as you and your brother using human transmutation.”
Ed clenched his fist, fighting the urge to rush onto the stage and punch him in the face. Isaac’s words made his blood boil and he had to count to himself in order to relax.
“What happened to us in the past doesn’t have anything to do with how you found out the military is corrupted,” he said as calmly as possible.
“Oh, but it is, Fullmetal. I bet some of the military personnel are keeping your incident a secret, otherwise you wouldn’t have become a State Alchemist.”
Ed responded with a murderous glare. Wanting to get back on topic, he chanced to ask, “Who told you Amestris is nothing but a Nationwide Transmutation Circle and why?”
“There were two people that mentioned this to me.” The Freezing Alchemist shrugged. “I don’t know them, but they claimed to have informants that are investigating this. As to why, they seemed to know my background and how much I despise the military.”
Ed narrowed his eyes. Another question came to mind. “What are you going to accomplish by destroying Central Command, anyways?”
“Saving this country, of course,” Isaac said. He snorted. “Considering the military is running the show, getting rid of it is the best solution.”
“How so?” Ed demanded.
The Freezing Alchemist laughed. “Just as expected from a dog of the military, still loyal despite being fed by lies.”
This time Ed couldn’t help himself. He started for the stage in a run, but Al stopped him before he got very far.
“Brother, don’t,” Al warned him in a low voice.
Unwilling to listen, Ed pulled free of his brother’s grasp and dashed towards Isaac. Suddenly, a jet of high pressured water hit him in the face and forced him to fall back onto the floor. Once his vision cleared, Ed noticed another canteen Isaac’s in hand. A smug look crossed the man’s face.
“Seems you didn’t learn your mistake from the last time you tried to get me.”
Ed slowly got to his feet and glared at Isaac. “I still think your claims are false.”
“Didn’t think you would immediately believe me. Either way, I’ll go through with my plans for getting rid of Central Headquarters and you won’t get in my way.”
Ed readied himself to attack until he heard a strange noise in his automail arm. He checked to see the plating was bent out. As he tried to use his fingers, they wouldn’t move properly.
“I might not be able to boil your automail, but I can still freeze it.” The smirk on Isaac’s face grew wider.
Gritting his teeth, Ed now realized what Isaac had done. The freezing water had already expanded and most likely some of the parts were damaged. That would make using his automail arm more difficult, if he could use it at all. A familiar voice then stopped him in his tracks.
“Don’t even think about laying another hand on them!”
Taken aback by the familiar voice, Ed turned around to see Winry, holding a wrench in one hand and her toolbox in the other. His stomach dropped.
She came looking for us!
“Winry!” Al yelled, also shocked to see her there.
As Isaac stepped off stage he asked, “And who you might be?”
“I’ve known Ed and Al for almost all of my life and I’m not going to let you hurt them.”
There was a flicker of fearlessness and courage in Winry’s eyes that Ed never seen before.
“Winry, get out of here while you still can!” Ed warned. “This McDougal guy isn’t to be taken lightly!”
Isaac rushed towards Winry, passing between Ed and Al. They yelled at her to get away, but she didn’t move; instead she tossed her wrench at Isaac, like a pitcher throwing the ball at the batter. It hit him on the forehead, and caused him to crash to the floor. When the Freezing Alchemist remained unconscious for more than a few seconds, Ed knew they had to leave immediately. Wasting no more time, he ran to grab Winry’s hand and rushed out of the theater with her, with Al following behind.
“Where are Ling and his guards? Are they still at the hotel?” Al asked as they hurried down the street.
Winry nodded. “They’re waiting at the corner of the alley.” She glanced around and said, “There!”
All three turned toward the alley where Winry was pointing and rushed in that direction. Once there, Ed saw Ling and his bodyguards waiting for them.
"Ed, what happened to you?" Ling asked, confusion written all over his face.
"That Isaac guy used his alchemy and damaged my automail arm," Ed explained.
"Luckily I came in just in time before he destroyed your leg, too." Winry took a quick look at Ed's automail arm. "This one is bent out, so I'll need to put in new plating."
"Does that mean I'll only have one arm for now?" Ed didn't like the sound of that one bit.
"Fortunately for you, no." Winry offered him a proud smile. "I brought a spare arm and leg with me in case something like this happened." She gave Ed a cross look. “Because, usually, it does.”
Ed watched closely as Winry opened her toolbox and took out an automail arm that was similar, if not exact, to his original one. Using a screwdriver, she didn't waste time swapping it out. For once he was glad Winry was prepared ahead of time.
“That was a pretty nice throw you made,” Ed commented.
Winry’s eyes widened with surprise, then she smirked. “I’ve hit you with my wrench many times already," she said, still working on his arm, "so that shouldn’t have surprised you.”
Ed grimaced. Of course, he shouldn’t be surprised she could throw her tools easily. Nonetheless, it was a good thing she had caught Isaac off guard. When Winry pushed the replacement arm onto the port and reconnected the nerves, Ed flinched. He had expected her to get this done fairly fast.
"Try it and see if it works. It's basically the same model you were using before."
He wound his arm around a few times, listening for any unusual noises while doing so. Satisfied with the results, Ed gave Winry a big smile. "This should do."
"We need to go find the Colonel and let him know what Isaac told us," Al suggested.
Ed nodded in agreement. "Yeah we should do that. Perhaps we can take him to the theater and show him-"
Ed stopped when he heard footsteps approaching. He turned around, and his eyes flew wide when he saw Colonel Mustang standing there with an equally surprised expression. Lieutenants Hawkeye and Havoc rushed up behind him, just as astonished.
"Fullmetal. Thanks goodness we found you."
"We managed to find Isaac at the Four Roses Theater. He attacked me and damaged my arm, but Winry give me a new one."
"Who?" Mustang turned to her, and frowned. "Have I met you before?"
"At Resembool over three years ago," Hawkeye pointed out. "Her grandmother was the boys' guardian."
"Oh, I remember!" Winry exclaimed in realization, eyes widening. "You must be Lieutenant Haw...er, Riza."
Hawkeye smiled at the young girl. "It's great to see you again, Winry."
"Same here, but we'll have to catch up later." Turning his attention back to Ed, Mustang scowled at him. "If you had kept your word by not leaving my sight, you wouldn't need a new arm in the first place. That, and we probably would've caught the Freezing Alchemist by now."
Ed's face fell and he groaned. He had deserved that. "Maybe, but I doubt that would have been the case, since your flame alchemy is useless against him."
The corner of Mustang's mouth twitched. "It would be best if you don't say that to me ever again." After rubbing his forehead, he asked, "Did you two find out anything while confronting him?"
"He told us he's planning to destroy Central Command," Al said.
Mustang's eyes widened, then he sighed. "I shouldn't be surprised. Isaac has been against the military for a while now."
"How did you manage to escape from him?" Havoc asked the brothers.
"Winry knocked him out with her wrench," Ed answered. An idea then came to him. "We might be able to get him at the theater if he's still unconscious."
"My bodyguards and I will come too, in case something happens,” Ling said.
"And who might you be?" the Colonel asked with skepticism. Ed remembered the Colonel and Ling had never been properly introduced.
"I'm Ling Yao, prince of Xing. I’ll explain later why I came to this country, but I believe you may be in need of my assistance."
Mustang considered Ling for a moment then nodded. He said to Ed, "We were about to go there ourselves. Come on, we should hurry."
Motioning for everyone to follow, the Colonel hurried off with everyone following behind. Ed hoped they weren’t too late.
+++
When he thought about it, Roy had expected Isaac to go against Central Command. That was why McDougal had approached Kimblee with a proposal to join forces. A part of him was glad the Crimson Alchemist hadn’t taken up on the offer or else this situation would be far worse.
When they entered the theater, Roy felt a chill run down his spine, and he commanded a sweep of the building.
While they searched the building, he thought back to the many dates he had gone on with Madame Christmas' girls; the different, famous plays that had appeared here and the audiences that would go see them. He brushed the memories aside, knowing now wasn't the good time to reminisce over such things.
"Damn it, he got away," Ed said in frustration. Indeed, there was no sign of Isaac anywhere.
"He could be hiding anywhere," Roy said, "but we need to continue searching for him." Though there was a chance that Isaac was headed in the direction of the military headquarters, which he didn't want at all.
"I have a way for you to do this search more efficiently." Gazing at the young Xingese man, Roy assumed Ling look to be a year or two older than Ed. "My body guards and I will be able to detect his Qi and track down him fairly quickly."
The more Ling revealed about himself, the more questions came to Roy’s mind. Prince of Xing? Body guards? Qi? Roy decided to ask him about his journey from Xing to Amestris when everything had settled down. "Are you sure?"
Ling nodded and said, "I'm certain."
“I’ll explain later why I came to this country, but I believe you may be in need of my assistance," Ling had told him earlier. Perhaps this was the assistance Roy needed right now. Even though he wasn't sure how successful Ling's plan would be, he was willing to give it a shot. Roy fixed his gaze on the prince.
"Have your bodyguards help us find him."
+++
Lust had heard about the trouble Isaac was causing at Central, mainly the many military officers he had killed and his break-in at the prison. The military was hot on his heels right now, so she was glad that Mustang's attention wasn't on Hughes's murder for now.
"Told you this will keep the Flame Alchemist busy," Envy boasted. They were hiding in an alley between a flower shop and an office building.
"Isaac's prison break-in to see Kimblee caused a big stir, though." Lust pursed her lips. "This plan of yours would've ended early if he’d gotten caught there."
"Everything else is going smoothly so far, right? Sure, some officers died, but it’s to be expected with him running around."
"Envy, Lust."
Both she and Envy flinched upon hearing Pride’s voice. The first homunculus had the ability to communicate over long distances while hiding his true identity at the same time. Lust guessed ‘Selim Bradley’ had made it to the mansion already.
"I take it you want to talk to us about Isaac," Lust said. It was a statement, not a question.
"I'm well aware that this was Envy's idea as soon as I heard about Isaac causing havoc. While it is good that Mustang's distracted from finding out our true plans, and that no serious damage has been made in Central yet, save for a few lives, I'm still worried about the five transmutation circles he has drawn."
Earlier, Lust and Envy had found three transmutation circles, two at abandoned buildings and another in an alley. She had already figured out Isaac’s plan to strike the military headquarters, which was slightly unsettling to her.
"As I mentioned to Wrath, I said only a few things about the truth behind this country, nothing more."
"You do know that Isaac's going to target Central Command, right?" Pride said sharply.
Shrugging, Envy made a disparaging sound. "He's been against the military for some time now, not a surprise to me."
"If he succeeds, then the military base will be destroyed," Lust pointed out. Isaac took this ‘the military is corrupted’ news more seriously than she thought. "And may I remind you that stone we gave him will make his water alchemy more powerful?"
"I'm sure he'll use it up before he's able to destroy all of Central Command. That and Wrath won't let him get away with that."
"You are right on that about Wrath," Pride said in agreement. "He shouldn't be taken lightly, though."
Envy remained silent, as if considering what Pride had just said. From the look on his face, Lust thought perhaps the homunculus would heed the warning. He grinned, showing his teeth.
"Such a shame he deserted the military. Would've been a perfect candidate for sacrifice," Envy mused.
Trying to imagine Isaac as one of their sacrifices, Lust assumed it was safe to say she didn't agree with him on that. He was very strong for sure, but she couldn't see him being worthy enough to do Father's deed.
"Perhaps." Pride paused a second. "I need to leave now. Both of you make sure you keep Isaac under control. If he gets out of hand, take care of him."
It then fell silent. Lust thought over what their next course of action should be.
"We should continue looking around," she decided. "We don't want to lose sight of him."
To be continued on Part Three!
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