The Price of Life [Fullmetal Alchemist]

Chapter Twenty Five

Run From, Run To

glory & gore go hand in hand;
that's why we're making headlines
-lorde

•••

Sonia didn't return to Winry and her shared hotel room that night. Winry hadn't noticed at the first, her sadness overcasting any other emotion she could've possibly had. But now as the Elric brothers went to check on the two girls and realized there was only one occupying the room and the other had no clue where she was, worry began to settle.

"Where do you think she could've gone?" Al asked as he sat on the floor as Edward sat on Sonia's empty bed. Winry, despite her groggy state of mind, tried to recall if she had come back after she went to the café.

"I don't remember seeing her. All I thought about last night was the Hughes'." A faraway look in her eyes was prominent.

"So you haven't seen her at all, then?"

The girl said nothing as she shook her head solemnly.

"We can ask the receptionist up front," Alphonse suggested. "If she left, surely they would've seen her, right?"

"I guess so," Ed shrugged, rising from the pristine hotel sheets. This situation couldn't be worse. He just wanted to wake up from this nightmare. First Nina, now Hughes... he didn't want Sonia next. "Winry, get dressed, we're leaving in five minutes."

Without another word Ed left, Alphonse following meekly behind him in worry. They entered back into their room across the hall where Ed began stuffing his alchemy book from the nightstand into his travel case and his watch into his pocket.

"This is the second time already," Ed sighed, recalling the last time she had disappeared without a word.

"It could just be a habit," Al mused. "But once we find her, we should ask."

"Hey," Winry entered, "I'm ready."

"Let's go, then."

Going to the receptionist at the front desk of the hotel, Ed shone his state alchemist watch at her and immediately started asking questions.

"Hey, we're looking for someone. Her name is Sonia. She's a state alchemist and was here with us last night, but never told any of us where she was going. She's kinda dark, black hair, wearing grey and a green coat... this tall.." he muttered his last words grumpily as he held his hand about an inch above himself in example.

The receptionist looked thoughtful, but only shook her head no.

"I haven't seen anyone like her, sorry to say. I will keep an eye out for you though."

Edward had already walked away by then, but Al gave her a thanks anyway and caught up with his brother.

"What's our plan now?" Winry asked the boys, a worried expression stretching her features.

"You said that she went to the restaurant here last night, right?"

The girl nodded, but was still skeptical. "I don't know if she actually went, though. She really could be anywhere, especially by now."

"We can still check with the owner, maybe they saw her?" Alphonse offered.

"You're right. C'mon."

The three headed to the side of the secluded hotel where the restaurant was already open and running. The only man at the counter was washing a glass, squinting at small spots on it. His glasses were perched on his thinning hair.

"Excuse me," the alchemist interrupted, gaining his attention. "We're looking for someone who we haven't seen since last night, do you think you can help us?"

As Edward repeated his description of Sonia to the man, Winry turned her head to scan the sunlit café which was scarcely occupied, no doubt because of the early morning. Focusing on the corner of the restaurant, she saw a sleeping figure with messy black hair, just like Sonia. This made her tug to Ed's trenchcoat in the back. He whipped back around, and she motioned with her chin to look over.

There was no doubt that it was Sonia; her green coat was a dead giveaway.

Leaving the man at the counter without explanation, the three went straight for the table Sonia was occupying. 

Once they reached the table, Edward shook the table with the force of his automail hand. He curled his fist at his side and gave Sonia a frown. She jolted awake, immediate irritation as her first reaction from being taken from her sleep.

"Where have you been?" he questioned, inching his face to hers. "You can't just leave without telling one of us."

With a sigh, she laid her head back down into her arms that were propped on the table. "I can leave when I choose," she said simply, closing her eyes for more rest. I'm not bound to you."

"But you're our friend," Winry pressed, "aren't you?"

"Look, Sonia," Ed sighed. "We know that Mr. Hughes meant a lot to you... he meant a lot to all of us, but you can't keep running away from your problems like this!"

Sonia got up then, raged eyes focused on Edward's visage, her own contorted into all the emotions swirling in her like a storm. Winry feared the look in her eyes.

"Running away from my problems?! Is that what you think this is?"

Rising out of her chair, Winry went around the table to put her hands on Sonia's shoulders. "Sonia," she ventured, and Sonia craned her neck to see her friend. The fire in her eyes practically distinguished at the sight of her, and she let out a huff of air. Winry gave her an understanding smile, the one she had worn so many times before. When their eyes met, she let go of her and nodded. Blinking, Sonia turned back to the boys.

Taking a breath, she put her arrogance aside. "I should've said something before I left. I'm sorry." She averted her eyes to the floor in shame, but when she felt the embrace of Winry encircling her, she smiled softly and returned the gesture.

"We're just glad you're safe," she replied. Pulling back to meet her eyes, Winry gave her a bittersweet smile. "We couldn't lose you, too." Sonia forced herself to keep her eyes dry, but couldn't trust herself to speak, so she just gave a wavering smile and a nod. It was time for Sonia to face it; Maes Hughes was dead. And there was nothing she could do.

Winry had let go, and Sonia's arms fell to her sides. She slouched, feeling the weight of the world digging into her shoulder blades. She was so exhausted.

"It's going to be okay," Al murmured quietly.

"I know," she replied. "It's just going to be a while before it will be."

"Probably not anytime soon," Ed spoke through gritted teeth. A newspaper he had in his hand was already tearing from his vice grip.

"What is it now?" she asked, holding out her hand for Ed to pass the crumpled papers to her with only a fierce and shocked look spread over his face.

Smoothing out the paper and scanning the daily headline, she wished that her eyes betrayed her like they had in previous times.

"Ed," Sonia spoke with trembling chords, "tell me that this isn't true."

Meeting his eyes, she felt something familiar twist in the deep chasm of her stomach. The five fell completely silent then, Sonia's grip on the ripped newspaper shaking in her fist. She could feel the veins inside her wrists pulsing with... anger? Disbelief?

'No,' she realized.

It was a thirst for revenge.

MARIA ROSS SUSPECTED FOR THE MURDER OF BRIGADIER GENERAL MAES HUGHES