Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ For Your Own Good ❯ The Arsonist ( Chapter 3 )

For Your Own Good

Disclaimers: If I owned Full Metal Alchemist you can bet Hughes wouldn’t have died. XP So no, I don’t own it.

Boo. I’m back. Sorry for anyone who got offended by my little rant last author’s note. I was just upset. But I’m better... mostly... now. Anyway! On with the next chapter!

-LAST TIME ON FOR YOUR OWN GOOD-

“We’re back,” The armor spoke in his resounding way.

“So Hughes... what’s a Lieutenant Colonel such as yourself doing at the train station? I don’t suppose the Colonel sent you as our welcoming committee?”

“Roy? Give a damn?”

“Last we heard of Scar was an incident farther east. We haven’t seen him near Central for quite some time now,” Al heard him murmur to Edward.

“What’s wrong, Edward?”

“It’s nothing,” He muttered, closing his eyes, and bowing his head once more.

“Everything near flame dies, little boy,” the voice suddenly hissed, taking a far more sinister tone. “You and your brother go first.”

“You’re such a spoil sport, Lieutenant.”

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Chapter Three:

The Arsonist

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“You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.”

-Eric Hoffer

xxx

There was a sudden soft thud of footfalls on the wooden floors. Al opened his eyes, or what his eyes were now, and saw the shadow of his brother cross the room and silently sit in the window sill. He dragged one of the blue sheets that Mrs. Hughes had lined their beds with and had it draped over his shoulders.

Al watched his brother, shivering against the cold air Alphonse couldn’t feel, stare out into the darkness outside his and his brother’s temporary accommodation. And Alphonse said not a word. He didn’t even have to hold his breath- having none anymore.

Ed leaned against the frame, and stared half awake into the deep abyss. His eyes were only partially opened. Al knew the boy had been exhausted. Elicia and Hughes had kept them all up and moving practically the whole day. Dinner was the only time they sat down. And it was way past eleven when Hughes finally set off to bed himself.

Edward’s eyes were finally starting to close. He leaned against the cold glass of the window, his breath streaking its gleaming surface, and finally fell asleep.

Brother, Alphonse thought with an inner smile. And quietly, he too fell back in an insomniac’s peace. It was the best substitute to sleep he had. If he stayed still long enough his mind would eventually send him images- that was the closest to dreams he had too.

Tonight it was the warmth of dancing flames. Al watched them quietly from his shell and felt a strange sort of repose. He could almost hear them... crackling as they moved silently through the air.

xxx

Hawkeye dashed through the doors of Mustang’s office, her uniform undutifully wrinkled and torn. Her eyes fell upon an empty room, flames dancing behind charred window curtains.

“Colonel Mustang!” She called inside, just to be sure.

She raced up to the desk nearly toppling into it in her haste. When coming closer to the windows she could actually feel the heat eating at her.

“Sir. There’s a riot! Are you here...!” She faulted seeing Mustang sleeping soundly on the floor. Judging from his position and the upturned chair, he had taken a tumble in the middle of his nap. Riza was far from impressed.

“Sir!”

Roy sat up with a start, banging his head painfully on the underside of his desk. Rubbing his head, Mustang glared up again at his human alarm clock.

“What is it this time, Lieutenant Hawkeye?” began Mustang, but just speaking let him taste the air. There was no mistaking the taste of smoke.

The Flame Alchemist’s eyes widened, and he quickly rushed to the windows where flames rose to greet him. He whirled about on Riza, as if giving her time for an explanation.

“Riots sir. We have no idea who started them but somehow some terrorist managed to blow up a few guard stations and- and...”

Hawkeye followed as Mustang quickly took for the exit. He was flustered, obviously disgruntled by such a wake up call. He entered the main hallways quickly, moving with such purpose that it was hard to keep up with him without jogging.

“Did everyone else leave already? Are the military quarters safe from the blaze?” Mustang inquired sternly.

The part they were in now was far colder as it was closer to the heart of the building where flames could not yet reach. An advantage to being in a building built mostly of stone. Riza drew in a few heavy breaths. It felt good to take in clean air again.

“Hawkeye?”

“Sir.”

They stopped. Riza stood firm, and met his stern gaze with one of her own.

“Define safe, sir,” Riza grumbled irritably. “Half of the city is ablaze.”

“Impossible,” Roy spat. “In one night? Impossible. This is Central, the most secure military city in the world.”

“Beg your pardon sir,” interrupted Hawkeye. “But it is.”

“How?” retorted a disgruntled colonel.

Riza took in a deep breath. “Carefully planned and precise bombs. That’s my guess, sir. We have some troops sent out to stop the rioting. It should settle down in awhile but-...”

“But... the flames,” Mustang finished with a nod.

“The flames are a problem sir. Some of the military units are on fire with people inside. We can’t spare enough people to help them.”

Mustang gripped his forehead in pain, “Damn Hughes. He talked my ears off. I can’t believe I slept through all this.”

“Neither can I,” Riza replied.

They started walking again. Mustang was thinking to himself. The sounds from outside grew louder as they safely neared an exit into hell. Screams and shouts of people trying to steal, break, and do anything that wasn’t legal in daylight could now be heard.

“Call Full Metal. He can help with some of this. He and Hughes should be able to rescue those in the burning units.” said Mustang upon conclusion.

“Yes sir,” saluted Hawkeye.

xxx

Hughes rolled over in his sleep. At the sound of the ringing, he continued rolling until he was clear off the bed and kissing carpet. His loud fall caused the bedside cabinet to shake and drop the receiver on his head.

Blind without his glasses, Hughes wondered what had hit him and where he was. The phone rang again, and with certain grace, he answered it.

“Hello?”

“Hughes. Hughes, is that you?” The voices were faint, and were not coming out of the end of the phone he was listening to. Hughes blinked and turned the phone about in his hand so he could hear the voice better.

“Hello?” Hughes asked again, fumbling about the cabinet above him for his glasses. Mrs. Hughes had begun to stir but he couldn’t tell if she was actually awake or not yet.

“Lieutenant Colonel Hughes!” The relieved voice of lieutenant Hawkeye reached his ears at last. “We need your help. Do you see what’s happening from over there?”

Hughes blinked and thumbed what could possibly be his glasses. He wasn’t sure though. “No. Actually, I can’t see much of anything without my glasses...”

As he put what was a possible winner on his face, Hawkeye’s angry voice sounded from the phone. “What the hell are you talking about, Hughes?! Look out the window!”

And they were his glasses. Hughes smirked in response to her yelling. He picked up the phone and set it back on the bedside table. “Hold on,” He smiled, turning and quietly opening their bedroom’s blinds. At first nothing but blackness greeted his eyes. But slowly Hughes could make out smoke and ominous orange and red lights a couple of streets down. And if he looked farther he could definitely make out large fires in the nearby warehouses.

“So what’s going on?” Hughes muttered, the smile gone and with certain calm in his voice. “It looks like a riot.”

“Quite a few riots. And the military can’t spare men to save those in the burning units. The Colonel wants you and Full Metal to go save those still trapped.”

Hughes scratched his head, still eyeing the glowing lights in the distance. “Well, I have a certain thing about burning buildings... I don’t exactly like going into them. I don’t think I put fireman skills or anything like that on my resume when I joined the military.”

There was a pause in the line. Perhaps Hawkeye was discussing such a thing with the colonel. But when she came back she started talking like she didn’t hear him, “Well, good luck, Hughes.”

“But wait...!” Hughes snapped, “Me and Fullmetal aren’t fireman. Where are the fireman?”

“Out rioting, I suppose,” Hawkeye replied glumly.

And before Hughes could get another word in edgewise, the line went dead. Irritated, Hughes put the phone back a bit harder than necessary.

“Maes,” came a soft voice behind him. “You’re leaving?”

Hughes sighed without bothering to look at his wife. And that was the answer he gave her. Mrs. Hughes leaned back in the pillows to go back to sleep, and felt him give her a goodbye kiss before he left the room.

“You and Elicia better find a good place to hide, alright?” Hughes whispered softly into her ear. Mrs. Hughes didn’t move until after she heard him close the door.

“Be safe,” She murmured into the pillow.

xxx

Alphonse woke up as soon as Maes Hughes entered the room. Ed heard the clunking noise of his brother’s awkward movements in his sleep. But he didn’t open his eyes. He was having such a pleasant dream. He was really tall in this one. And currently gloating and staring down at that stupid colonel Mustang. Roy was whimpering in his shadow- oh what a terrific dream!

“Up and at ’em, Fullmetal,” Hughes voice wafted from outside his dream. Edward pushed himself against the window in attempts to escape the voice.

“It’s still dark outside,”He grumbled in his sleep.

“Sure. But the fires from the riots are starting to contradict your statement, Edward.”

Edward squinted open one eye. He could see out the window and he could see the fires. Suddenly he was wide awake. He fell of the sill in his bewilderment.

Hughes didn’t laugh and neither did Al. But the lieutenant colonel was wearing a smirk on his face from above him. Edward kicked the sheet off that had tangled about his legs, and rose to his feet- clad in tank top and boxers. His automail gleamed ominously in the moon and fire lit night.

“What’s going on?” Ed asked sternly. Alphonse stood obediently at his side, showing he too was willing to help.

“We aren’t quite sure. It’s sort of pandemonium over there,” replied Hughes with a rub of his head. He, unlike Edward, had already gotten dressed. Edward felt somewhat silly standing in his boxers in front of a fully uniformed lieutenant colonel.

Hughes set Edward a sort of fatherly like smirk. “Ready?” Edward just cocked a brow in response.

“We are now official fireman for the military! Aren’t you excited?” Hughes grinned with his hands clasped and the baby tone in his voice. Both Edward and Alphonse nearly fell over in stupefaction.

“You’re serious?” Edward grumbled not daring to believe just yet.

“Get dressed,” Hughes lifted his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Wear something light, I guess.”

The Elric brothers exchanged nervous glances.

xxx

When the small band of newly requited firefighters reached the edge of the riots, they kind of just stood there. Edward, now dressed in his usual red and black attire, surveyed the seemingly empty burning buildings with little interest. The streets were empty as well. The flames were the only voices in the whole block. And they hissed relentlessly, tearing up the houses till their forked tongues reached the starry night sky.

“So what do we do?” Edward said finally, wiping some sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. “Just barge down the doors and start asking if anyone’s home?”

Hughes looked a bit disgruntled at such an idea. But Alphonse quickly answered for both of them, “Let’s just try to put the fires out along this block. The wind is going the opposite direction so if we knock these flames out, there’s less chance of the units catching fire after we douse them.”

“Good idea,” Hughes smiled.

Edward didn’t seem as thrilled. “How do we do that?”

“Do what?”

“Put the fires out?” Ed grumbled rubbing the back of his neck as he eyed the nearest burning apartment complex.

“Oh,” Al’s disappointment was evident in his voice. “Well, I haven’t thought of that yet.”

Hughes and Alphonse gazed wearily upon the burning buildings that Ed had stopped watching. Guilt was burning in the pits of their stomachs- that is if Alphonse had one.

“Roy was a fool sending us to put out fires,” Hughes grumbled, scratching his head. “I don’t know the first thing about putting out fires.”

Al turned and saw his brother looking around and touching the ground here and there. Ed’s face was stern and focused. He had thought of something.

“What is it, brother?” inquired Alphonse.

“I’m looking for a water main or perhaps- if we have no choice, a sewage pipe,” Ed stopped and spotted something only a few yards away. “Ah ha! A fire hydrant!”

The group rushed over to the ostensibly red statue. Edward paced around it and then clapped his hands. Hughes and Al stepped back.

As soon as Edward’s hands made contact with the hydrant, it warped and transformed in a fury of blue sparks into a funnel. Water spued out of the funnel ferociously stabbing into the flames of the nearest house.

They watched as the flames dissipated from the bottom of the house, but unfortunately the top still raged with flames. The structure was sure to soon collapse.

“Well, now what?” Hughes muttered.

“That’s the best I can do. I can’t just materialize a hose out of thin air,” said Edward, disappointed that it had done so little.

“You made the funnel just fine. Why not a hose?”

“Well than maybe you should call the rubber alchemist!” Ed snapped angrily, his arms flailing wildly through the air. “Maybe he can make you a hose. I can’t!”

“What we need are real firefighters,” Hughes frowned.

There was a sudden grating noise. Both of the military dogs turned around just as the tunnel of water made its way towards them.

“Watch out please!” Alphonse grunted as he turned the funnel upon the next house. Hughes ducked but had to return in order to grab Ed’s collar and pull him down too. The water shot over them like a gun quickly smothering the flames of the next house.

“Great job, Al!” Edward cheered, when reaching his side again.

Instead of responding, Al just nodded and went to turning the funnel again. In a matter of minutes the house had all stopped burning. It was dark and quiet again. Ed sealed the hydrant and returned back to its normal shape.

“Well that’s done,” Hughes sighed looking to the silent neighborhood of collapsed and smoldering houses. “I didn’t hear any cries for help, did you?”

Al shook his head. Ed just stared into the rubble of the house nearest them. “Perhaps no one was here at all. Perhaps they had already evacuated when we got here.”

He couldn’t say what else was on his mind. Hughes went ahead and said it for him, “Or perhaps, they were already dead.”

The Elric brothers both lowered their heads. Hughes comfortingly put a hand on Ed’s shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze.

“Come on. We have some more fires to put out.”

“Alright,” Ed nodded.

xxx

The night went on like this for awhile. Edward, Alphonse, and Hughes continued to save empty houses, warehouses, and finally empty units. They were starting to wonder if the whole city had suddenly become a ghost town when they happened upon a rather vicious burning building. The group could definitely hear the cries of children coming from the inside.

“Finally!” Edward said proceeding to roll up his sleeves. “Okay. I’m going in-...”

“Wait,” said Hughes, catching Edward by the shoulder. “Don’t you think it would be better to send in your brother?”

“Al?” Ed muttered dully.

“Yeah. There would be a less chance of me getting hurt by the flames, brother,” Alphonse stated earnestly. “I should be the one to go in.”

“But you’d heat up like an oven,” Ed couldn’t help but chuckle, “How could you pick up the kids if you are scalding hot? Come to think of it, you’d also be kind of scary. They’d run away. I should go in.”

He was just about to act on it when the person they least expected turned the corner. Dressed in a tattered remains of a high ranking officer’s uniform, Colonel Mustang made his way towards them. His white undershirt was turning gray, and he had rips and tears all over his unbuttoned jacket. Even his usually clean cut black hair was looking rather unkempt.

“Roy,” Hughes muttered and then soon after saluted. Alphonse bowed and Edward just scowled.

“What’s the big idea making us firefighters, huh!?” Edward barked taking a lunge at the colonel. Alphonse held him back. “What did you want me to do, stamp them out! Hell, we aren’t your stupid menservants. You stupid- you egotistic-...”

“Fullmetal looks happy to see me,” Roy muttered darkly brushing the dust off his sleeve.

Ed made a gaging noise and a motion across his throat that the Colonel ignored. “I’m actually glad I found you. There’s a fire not to far up the road at the east units. We found the firefighters but they are back in the south units and can’t make it on time.” He eyed the group with a new light in his eye. “I saw what you did so far with the warehouses. Good job. Pretty impressive.”

“With all respect, Colonel,” Hughes muttered. “Why did you want us to put out the fires if you knew we probably couldn’t?”

Mustang was silent for a moment, looking at Edward. Ed stopped struggling and just hung grumpily in his brother’s arms.

“There was no one else,” He said at last. “Besides, I knew you’d figure something out. Now hurry. I don’t know how long that structure will remain standing.”

Mustang made to leave. The group was just about to follow when the screams of help caught Fullmetal’s ears. Ed broke out of his brother’s grip and shouted, “But sir, there’s children in the house there. Me and Al can stay here and-...”

“No. We are going to need all the help we can get over in the military units,” Roy snapped sternly without turning around.

“But they are children!” Edward shouted. “Please. Can we- can’t I stay...?”

“No,” Roy turned, his eyes so ferociously on him that Ed almost recoiled. “You are to go to the units and put out that fire first. You hear me, Ed? That is a direct order.”

The tension in the air was so thick it could be cut with a pocket knife. Edward had managed to meet Mustang’s harsh glare with one of his own. Defiant still. Hughes grabbed his best friend by the shoulder in attempt to break up the vicious stare off.

“Come on, Roy,” Hughes said gently. “Why don’t you let the kid go? Those children don’t stand a chance waiting for the firefighters anyway- you know that.”

“No,” Roy spat angrily, his eyes still on Edward. “Fullmetal needs to learn his place. He needs to learn that in order to be in this military he has to follow orders. And for once he needs to damn well learn some damn respect.”

Al had moved forward to stop Ed but Edward was too quick. He had Mustang by the collar, his automail hand raised, clenched and ready to punch the colonel square in the jaw. But he hesitated at Mustang’s unblinking glare. Alphonse was able to grab his brother before he was able to act again.

“You heartless bastard!” Edward shrieked, fighting against his brother, tears forcing their way out of corner of his eyes. “You horrible heartless bastard!”

Mustang’s face darkened. He lowered his gaze and turned again- walking purposely to where they were headed.

“Make sure they follow orders, Hughes,” Hughes heard Roy say as he passed.

“Uh. Yes, sir,” answered Hughes somewhat glumly.
To Be Continued... Please R & R!

Okay. I know a lot of Roy Mustang fans are probably gonna come after my blood now but in my opinion, Roy would do this. And inside, Roy is horribly aching at the idea of leaving the children to die. But he also knows what they need to do- and I figure that he would find their main priority would be to save their own men rather than working on civilians at the moment.

Edward will hold this against him, of course. But this is just how I feel the military probably works sometimes. Probably less so now but well, the world is a cruel place sometimes.

And it won’t end here. Don’t worry. Ed’s never followed orders, what makes you think he’d start now? XP

Anyway, I hope I accurately described this situation. I really am not sure how the military functions or how Central’s layout is. I’m not that huge of a fan to know that yet. XP But I tried really hard to accurately capture the essence of the situation.

And I don’t know where Hughes lives but I just assumed that the riots weren’t near where he was. Oh well, if I horribly screwed up, let me know. Not much I can do about it though. *insert grumpy face*

Thanks for reading. Review Responses are up in my journal. Go to my profile and click on the memories link I have there. You will be taken to a page full of links, click the one that says RRForOwnGood2. Those who reviewed last time were: Gozilla, miroku-has-darkness, crazyanimefreak15, and nekomegami_chan. Not a lot this time unfortunately. *insert sad face*

Please review, your patronage is greatly appreciated.











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