Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Dogs of the Military ❯ Arsenal Vs. Shard ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4 - Arsenal Vs. Shard

 

"Got some good news for you, Lieutenant." I turned to see General Fuery's aid, Major Taggart at the door. It was about 1700 hours and I was doing some last minute preparations for my duel against Cpl. Creed. I had made a call in to Youswell after meeting the two soldiers, to see if I could expedite this trip and make the offer over the phone to the final candidate. "We've just received communication from Corporal Edsel, he will be leaving Youswell for Central HQ at 1900 hours. He has accepted your offer"

"Excellent, then that makes it 4 for 4." Now I didn't have to rush to return to Central. Gives me a few more days to train the recruits as well. "Thanks, Major. Say, I've got a question for you, how skilled is the Shard Alchemist. I've read the dossier and I know he specializes in glass shards but that's all"

"Well, at the risk of giving you the advantage," He chuckled slightly "his specialty is actually using alchemy to transmute sand into glass. You saw how his uniform sagged, right?"

"Yeah, I did notice it seemed a bit heavy and baggy on him."

"Well, he had that custom tailored. At different places it has small pouches with sand in them, so he always has a weapon on hand."

"Very clever. Thanks for the info, Major." I saluted him and he was on his way. I could see that Creed had some tactical sense, and most likely had the combat skills to back it up. I finished preparing and headed out for the general's office. Less than an hour now.

 

*****

 

Roy Mustang paced around in his office. He turned as General Hawkeye entered, a typed report in her hand.

"Here's the report you requested, sir. Lieutenant Casey reports that the Mechanic Alchemist would be on a train by 1900 hours. The Iron Fist has accepted the post but he is getting some resistance from Shard. He says he's handling it, though. What do you think that means?"

Roy simply smiled, "As long as he takes care of it, it doesn't matter. Has Sgt. Hughes gotten settled in?"

"Yes, sir, she has been studying and running through the training course for a few days now." General still stood at attention by the door. The fuhrer walked from his window to her.

"At ease, Riza." He rested his hands on her shoulders as he laughed a bit. "I appreciate the formality but you still need to work on relaxing."

"I apologize, it's just a role I have accepted and it has become a part of me, I guess." She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into an embrace.

"So that's why you still insist on being called General Hawkeye, eh?"

"Well, if I went by General Mustang, that would just make people confused," She teased him. She looked up at him, her face straightening. "You really should talk to her, Roy. You haven't spoke since she left to study alchemy 5 years ago." He broke the embrace, crossing back to the window and staring out. He saw the city below, soldiers moving, families running errands.

"I still see him every time I look at her. You'd think after 20 years it wouldn't haunt me like this." She walked over and stood next to him. She placed a reassuring hand over his.

"You still blame yourself for his death, don't you?"

"I was so preoccupied with my own ego and my own goals I couldn't even see how corrupt the military was. 2 homunculi at the highest reaches of the military and I couldn't see it. If I had just.." She held a finger up to his lips.

"The world is filled with 'ifs'. Maes knew the danger that this job held. If not for his sacrifice we may never have discovered the corruption and you would have lost much more than that eye." She ran her fingers across the eyepatch over Roy's left eye. He smiled down at her.

"You have been at my side for so long now, sometimes I forget just how much I need you." He embraced her again, her head against his chest.

"I will always be at your side, you can be sure of that." She leaned up and kissed him. "You'll talk to her when you are ready."

 

*****

"Welcome to the East City parade grounds everyone!" As always, the entire town came out when there was an alchemy duel. The announcer was a no-name sergeant from the intelligence division but seemed very enthusiastic. "Our own Corporal Nathan Creed, the Shard Alchemist against 1st Lieutenant John Casey, the Arsenal Alchemist from Central City." The parade grounds were pretty much just a flat top of pavement. The area we were to duel in was marked off by pipe and wood barricades as the onlookers stood behind them. "We must ask the crowd to keep out of the ring and watch for flying objects. And now with no more delay, let's get started!"

I stepped forward, holding the 2 swords I had brought to the ring with me. Creed stood and came a bit closer as well.

"Swords, eh? I think I can oblige to that" He clapped his hands together and touched them to his legs. A transmutation circle that had been printed on the right breast pocket of his uniform glowed and as his hands raised two long crystalline swords materialized. "Arsenal alchemist...how exactly did you get that designation?" He asked as he began to circle around me.

"All in good time, corporal. Do you really think that glass swords can stand up against steel?" I made my move, springing off my left foot which had been in a pivot position and charged him. I crossed my arms in front of me and swung my swords in an X. He held his swords together in a blocking position as they connected with mine. To my amazement they held up, not being chipped at all.

"Depends on how strong the bond of my glass is, sir." He lunged forward, pushing me back. He came at me with slash after slash, a good technique, but easily blocked. "A bit unfair, don't you think, that you know so much about me yet I know nothing about your skills, sir?" He spoke as he attacked. I parried his next blow, sending his momentum to the side, taking the advantage to duck down and sweep his leg. He fell back and tumbled to his feet.

"Fair enough." I ran my finger over the transmutation circle stitched into my glove. With a flash of light the two swords were now a solid 6 foot long pole. I went on the offensive, attacking him with a martial arts bo-staff style attack. He easily blocked with his swords. "I have an immense knowledge of fighting styles and weaponry. I use that to choose the right weapon to use at the right time to defeat my opponent." I brought the staff around horizontally like a bat, he ducked backward, holding his swords up to block. As the staff connected the swords shattered in half. I spun the weapon back under my arm in a fighting stance.

"Very interesting, but as you can see," he clapped his hands together again and touched his uniform. As he drew his hands away several small crystal daggers flew to his hands. "I have a constant supply of materials, how can you be sure you have the right material for your weapons?" As he finished the question he began throwing the daggers. I jumped back, giving myself some distance and dodged the first few. He threw the last few as I quickly dodged. When he was out of daggers I charged forward again. As I did his transmutation circle flashed again. From the center of his chest a final dagger flew out. With no time to dodge, I reflexively brought my arm up. The dagger lodged into my forearm, just below the elbow as I went down. I saw a look of surprise go through his face. He rushed over to help and as he did I raised my hands up, the transmutation circle on my glove triggering as my hands contacted his coat. In the next instant several shards of glass flew from his uniform, flying to the edge of the arena and lodging in the wooden barricades. Once the were gone I jumped up, my shoulder hitting him square in the chest and knocking him back. He lie there dazed then looked up at me. I walked forward, the crystal dagger still protruding from my arm. I picked up the pole I had dropped when the dagger hit and knelt down to him.

"I always have my material right here" I patted my arm and saw the look of curiosity on his face as he heard the hard metal clank. I stood back up, pulling the dagger from my arm and threw it to the ground. I then removed my gloves and coat. I ran my finger over the transmutation circle etched into the bo-staff. As the reaction flashed the metal melted and reformed as the plating over my forearms.

"Automail arms?!?" The look of curiosity was replaced with a look of surprise. "No wonder you were able to break my crystal swords."

"A good piece of advice, always keep one trump card. Your opponent can't know of all your weaknesses if he doesn't know all of your strengths. As it stands, you are now out of ammunition, since I removed the sand from your uniform." I held my hand out to help him up. "So what do you say, ready to go to Central?" He looked up at me, still dazed from the duel.

"When do we leave," he said as a grin crossed his face, accepting my outstretched hand.

 

*****

 

The graveyard was always a green place. Roy Mustang wandered through the scattered tombstones of the fallen soldiers. He stopped as he came to a spot he had visited countless times. He knelt down, wiping the moss and dirt from the stone.

"Good evening again, old friend." He saw the fresh bouquet of carnations next to the tombstone. "So Gracia brought you some more flowers, eh? Such a strong woman. She got that from you, you know." He paused looking down. "So did your daughter. It's hard to see her, Maes. When I was a Colonel, I dreaded answering the phone, because I knew it was you calling just to tell me she had grown one week older. Now when the phone rings I answer it, hoping to hear your goofy voice on the other end, with some new story about her. You would be proud of her."

"Do you really think so?" Mustang was startled by the soft voice behind him. He turned and saw Elicia, standing there a few feet away. She walked a closer, kneeling beside Mustang. "I always wonder that. Would he be proud of how I've become. I can barely remember now what he looked like." A tear streaked down her face.

"I'm sorry, Elicia, I've been meaning to keep in touch but..." She held up a hand, stopping him.

"The job of the Fuhrer is busy, I understand." Mustang sighed and looked down.

"No, I was afraid," He spoke very straightforwardly. "Your father was like a brother to me, when he died, it was so hard to see you and your mother, without him. I've been wallowing in my own self-pity for 20 years." He stood, and stepped back. His eye looked into the distance as the sun set over the mountains. Elicia stood and faced him. She looked him straight in the eye and a small smile brightened her face.

"Whenever we talked about my dad, I saw a look in your eye. The look of care and respect. That is when I remembered my father, by the respect you had for him." She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. Mustang was slightly startled but put his hand on her head.

"Your father was a great man, Elica. If you ever need to remember him and know what kind of father he was, my door is always open." She looked up at him, seeing a tear stain on his cheek.

"Thank you, Roy." She knelt at her father's tombstone again. "I love you, daddy" she whispered and stood up. "Mom has asked me to come have dinner with her. Would you and Riza care to join us?" Roy smiled.

"We'd love to," They walked toward the cemetery gates, just enjoying the crisp wind. "So, did Riza tell you where I was?"

"Yeah, kinda. We went for a walk today." She held her hands behind her back and watched the ground as they walked. "So, do you think you're gonna be as obsessed with your baby as my dad was?"

"Heh, who knows," Mustang replied, then stopped in his tracks. "Wait......what baby!?"