[action] 1 // with ash in your mouth

[gunpowderreason]

[There is a woman wandering around the Entrance, attempting quite valiantly to stay upright. One hand is pressed tight against a wound at her throat, fresh but no longer bleeding; considering the amount of blood coating her skin, her clothes, and even the loose, long strands of blonde hair trailing down her back, this is probably for the best. A

Comments

/jumps in

[best_papa_evar]

[Hughes is doing the same, and it seems what he told Edward was right-more people from home? Ah, but the Lieutenant Colonel is injured pretty badly. Judging by Edward's expression, he didn't know what the hell happened.

But it looked pretty bad.]

Lieutenant-!

[No really, how much can one person bleed?]

HOO BOY 1/2 for you both.

[gunpowderreason]

[she turns with her body rather than her neck, obviously trying to avoid aggravating her injury as much as possible. She blinks once, twice, trying to clear the haze edging in along her vision.]

Edward! [automatically she scans him, up and down and back again. He doesn't look injured, no more missing limbs, everything metal still in place as far as she can tell.] You're alive, that's good--

[gunpowderreason]

[finally, she notices Hughes.]

[She doesn't really bother trying to hide her disgust, and fumbles (albeit somewhat weakly) for one of the weapons strapped to her everywhere, for all the good it will do.]

Only a fool tries the same trick twice.

[of course she thinks he's the homunculus who she was pretty sure the Colonel had just incinerated not a half hour ago. She stumbles a bit as she tries to release the safety on her pistol, pitching forward slightly.]

[best_papa_evar]

[Hughes himself takes a step back. He pretty much predicted she'd more than likely think the same thing Al and Ed had, but it wasn't so bad to hope it was a little different, wasn't it?

But how the hell does one explain a lack of deadness in his life?]

Lieutenant, I know this is confusing, but I'm not Envy and I'm not dead.

[gunpowderreason]

The dead can't be returned. [Her breathing's a little ragged, but is it from blood loss or legitimate anger?] Edward, you know this. Move.

[best_papa_evar]

[While Hughes was nervous-he was all too aware that the Lieutenant could shoot him and do a damn fine job of it-he also was aware that she had been bleeding far too much.

Memories would do.

Memories are what were helping him, right now.]

During the war in Ishbal, you shot a man through the temple to save Roy and I's lives. The first time we got to meet, I greeted you at the campsite afterward to thank you.

[He narrows his eyes, studying her movements.]

You're too injured to be standing around much longer. We have to get you medical attention.

1/2

[gunpowderreason]

[For a beat, she is completely still, and then finally holsters again, breaking her own codes of conduct and showing visible exhaustion when she rubs her face with her least-bloody palm. A sigh, and a sharp tap to her cheek--]

[--and then she freezes, and looks back between Hughes and Edward, frowning. Hughes most certainly had died, despite what her eyes were telling her now. Edward had been pulled away piece by piece into the unknown. She had sustained a serious injury.]

Have I died?

[Disobeying a direct order would be a problem.]

2/2

[gunpowderreason]

[Speaking of being painfully pulled away piece by piece into the unknown--]

The Colonel. Is the Colonel...here as well?

[best_papa_evar]

[Hughes sighed, half in relief and half in worry.]

You can't die, Lieutenant, or the Colonel would go on a rampage.

[Half-jokingly... right? :|

He put a hand on the shoulder that wasn't a mess of blood, reassured that she wasn't about to shoot him anymore.]

Do you need a hand? How much blood do you think you've lost?

[gunpowderreason]

[her frown deepens; she stands up straighter, her proud shoulders assuming their normal posture. Politely but firmly, she backs out of Hughes' touch, friend or no.]

Is he here or isn't he?

[best_papa_evar]

[And have a head-shake from Hughes as well.]

No-he hasn't made a peep if he is, anyway.

What happened back home, Lieutenant?

[The woman wasn't back from a normal day at work. He wondered-did it have to do with the transmutation circle...?]