metal heart║edward elric x reader [fullmetal alchemist]

Chapter 9: In Which You Encounter a Face from the Past

Chapter 9: In Which You Encounter a Face from the Past

IN THE SPLIT second after those words left Purvis's mouth you reviewed your options:

1.) Stand and prepare to fight.

2.) Run for the lift.

3.) Become paralyzed and allow your mind to enter into a panicked cycle of Crapcrapcrapcrap.

You glanced at Edward. Based on the expression on his face, he had chosen option three. Tempting as it was to join him, you had the feeling three probably wasn't the best choice. Two wasn't really viable either, given that you had already wasted several seconds deliberating and wouldn't be able to reach the lift in time.

So, one it was.

You slipped your hand into your pocket, pulled out a piece of chalk, and scribbled a quick transmutation circle on the floor as footsteps approached from the other side of the door.

"Get back," you hissed to Edward as you drew the final line of the circle. The two of you retreated several steps as the door opened.

You barely got a glimpse of a huge humanoid figure before the person stepped forward--right onto the edge of the circle.

Instantly, a huge fist emerged from the floor and struck the figure in the chest. They staggered back with a loud Oof!, but in the next second they surged forward again, slamming their own fist into the alchemy-created hand. Stone cracked and then crumbled to the floor, leaving nothing but a film of dust lingering in the air.

A man stepped through the dust. He was enormous, at least six and a half feet tall. His build immediately reminded you of someone you had briefly met years ago --what was his name? Major Armstrong. This man was just as heavily muscled as the Major, but it definitely wasn't him. Whoever this guy was he didn't look very physically hurt by your attack, but, man, did he look angry.

Maybe the lift wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Edward charged the man, his automail arm (which was still transfigured into a blade) raised to attack. The man reached out to squash him like a bug, but Edward was too quick. He rolled right between the man's legs and came up behind him. The man was forced to back away to avoid being stabbed .

While Edward kept the muscleman occupied, you skirted around the fight and into the room where the other two trespassers were. Or, where they should have been. When you entered there was only one person to be seen: the woman, Verlene. She was flipping through an open filing cabinet, one of dozens that covered the walls of the large room. Her face was still covered by the gasmask. She didn't bother to look at you when you entered.

"There's so much interesting stuff here," she said, voice distorted by the mask. "It's even better than the gossip columns."

"That is military property," you said stiffly. Her apparent lack of concern, even as the sounds of fighting filtered in from the corridor, combined with the absence of her companion, unnerved you.

"Anything you could possibly want to know about anyone, you can find here," Verlene continued. "Everyone has a file. Even you, [F/N L/N], Mechanical Alchemist."

You stiffened. Hardly anyone knew your state alchemist name, and of those few, even fewer knew of the connection between the person known as the Mechanical Alchemist and the person known as [F/N L/N]. As far as all but about five people were aware, the two were entirely separate.

Trying your best not to let your discomfort show, you continued in a tone of authority: "I'm afraid I'm going to have to remove you, Miss." You stepped forward, pulling a small golden orb from your pocket and hurling it at Verlene.

Without even looking up, Verlene batted the ball away, and it skittered to a far corner of the room, where it exploded into the pile of ropes that was supposed to entrap her.

Fine, then. If she wants to make this hard on me, I'll make it even harder on her. You ran forward as you reached into you pocket yet again (you had deep pockets), this time producing a small metal cylinder. With the press of a button it expanded into a spear twice the length of your arm, with a polished bronze shaft and a blunted iron point. You weren't planning on hitting anything vital with it. Just somewhere that would hurt enough to make her surrender.

You aimed at her stomach as you ran, and just as it seemed like she was going to stand there and let it hit her, Verlene tumbled to the side, almost quicker than your eyes could see. You skidded to a stop to avoid crashing into the filing cabinets and turned on your heel to face her. She was holding her hand to her chest like it was hurt. You hadn't felt an impact, but maybe you had hit it.

"You made me break my nail," Verlene said, in same tone as someone might say 'You killed my family.' "You'll pay for that, you annoying child!"

You charged again.

That was when she pulled the hecking chainsaw out.

From where she had produced a chainsaw half as tall as she was, you had no idea. But it was definitely there, and she revved it with a sound that belonged in a slasher movie. The chainsaw cut a deadly arc that would have sliced your spear in half, if it had still been a spear. Fortunately for you, you had flipped a minuscule switch on the handle that caused the tip to lengthen and the shaft to shrink, transforming the spear into a sword.

The chainsaw swung harmlessly through the air, and you took the opportunity to strike upwards at her hands with the flat of your blade, in an attempt to make her drop her weapon. You still weren't aiming to kill.

You made contact with her wrist, but barely, and you immediately had to pull back to avoid the chainsaw as it swung down again. You danced backwards and circled around, looking for a place to strike. Verlene followed you with her weapon. You were more agile than her, and could change direction quicker, but she had a lot of destructive power, and you only had to make one mistake for the result to be...not pretty.

Both of you shifted from side to side for a minute, waiting.

Verlene lunged at you with a strike similar to her last, starting low and swinging up in an arc. You easily sidestepped, but then, in a move that must have required impressive arm strength, she stopped the chainsaw in the middle of its arc and ran towards you, revving the engine. You were forced to bring your sword up to parry, and the awful screech of metal moving against metal filling the room as you held back her blade a few inches from your face. Amidst the racket you heard a small popping noise. You managed to take several steps back, breaking contact. You raised your hand to your face and your fear was confirmed. The protective shield around your head, the one that had been keeping out the sleeping gas, had broken.

You had a pretty good idea of how Edward had made the shield, and you knew you could recreate it, but that would require the time to draw a transmutation circle, something Verlene wasn't about to give you. She pressed forward, pulling the chainsaw's cord with abandon.

Based on your experience entering the building, you figured you had two to three minutes before the gas would start to take effect. You had to end this quickly.

An idea came to you. Let's see how she likes being in the same situation.

The plan was reckless, but you didn't have much time. You stood still, letting Verlene come closer and closer while swinging her weapon wildly. A moment before she would have cut you down, you dodged, and came up beside her. You jabbed with your sword and sliced upwards at her chin. She pulled back fast, but not fast enough. Your blade met rubber, and with a tug, the mouthpiece on her gasmask clattered to the floor. You scrambled away as the chainsaw came so close to your arm that you felt a sharp sting as it sliced off a small strip of skin.

"Damn you..." Verlene brought up her free hand and tugged off her now useless gasmask, revealing her face.

A face you recognized.

"You."

A/N: Ooo.

Cote and vomment if you think I should update more often.