The Bloody Alchemist

Haven't Seen Your Face

        Cecelia was awestruck, unsure of what to say, other than a breathless "Thank you."

        "Let's get it on you!" Winry whisked her into a chair and swiftly removed the older prothetic, tossing it into a pile of other scrapped limbs. Attaching the arm was a lot easier this time since Winry didn't have to completely remake where the arm attached to Cecelia's body.

        Cecelia bolted off the chair as soon as it was attached and immediately started to attack invisible adversaries. She couldn't hold back her laughter, seeing the bright sun of Rush Valley reflect off her new arm. "I really love the designs of this one Winry, you've outdone yourself!"

        Winry laughed. "I've been trying to convince other guests to get the same thing on their automail because it's just so fun to do!"

        Cecelia had the overwhelming urge to punch something, to test out just how strong this arm was, but the thought of what Winry would do if Cecelia punched a solid wall right in front of her was enough to hold back her urges.        

        "Are you hungry?" Winry asked once Cecelia had her fill with movement. "Because I'm starved."

        "I could eat," Cecelia smiled.

        The girls walked through the town, babbling about Winry's time in Rush Valley, leaning in and whispering about the men they saw gawking at the both of them. Cecelia actively avoided the intense story of what had happened after Winry left Central.

        While they walked to Winry's favorite restaurant, Cecelia thought she saw a dark stranger following them. But when she turned to investigate, nobody was there. Cecelia tried to push it to the back of her mind as the two girls sat at an outside table, basking in the warm sun.

        "Now what have you been up to, Cecelia?" Winry asked.

        Cecelia sighed and leaned back, feeling her stomach churn at the thought of her last few days. "Everything has been pretty intense. Overwhelming really."

        "Oh no," Winry sympathized sipping on her cold drink.

        "Yeah," Cecelia stirred her tea absentmindedly. "I'll be honest, I not 'glad' per se that I broke my automail, but boy am I glad to get away."

        "Do you want to talk about it?" Winry asked, trying to be understanding.

        Cecelia almost wanted to say no, but when she opened her mouth, she started to spill. "I'm just so angry. First, we find out that Maes' death is a cover-up, then we find out that the homunculi are supported by the military. I mean, I'm still mad about the Ishvalian war! I'm mad that it happened, I'm mad about everything that happened during the war. I'm mad that my brother was used by those he thought he could trust. I'm just so angry! But most of all I'm mad at the military! I'm mad I joined the State Alchemists because Maes and Roy believed in this country, but it turned right back around and stabbed them in the back. I feel like I'm boiling over, but the heat just keeps coming." Winry nodded along with her rant, clearly trying to sympathize with what Cecelia was going through. But Cecelia continued in a hushed voice. "Fuhrer Bradly even threatened all of us."

        "What?!" Winry exclaimed.

        Cecelia shushed her and continued. "He sent all of Roy's men to different outposts across Amestris and made Riza his personal assistant. He directly threatened you to Ed and Al."

        "Oh," Winry said allowed, putting something together. "That's why Ed called. I was confused since he never calls."

        "And he mentioned Elicia and Gracia to me." Cecelia slumped back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. "They know right where to hit us."