"Edward!" Cecelia cried out to the boy, struggling against her restraints.
Ed let out a strained laugh, causing both her and Greed to mumble, "Huh?"
"Thanks for toying with me," Edward started with a smirk, "You gave me just enough time to start thinking clearly."
Cecelia realized he had a plan. He clapped his hands together and transmuted Greed's skin, causing the beast to drop him. When their fists collided, the shield shattered. Ed landed crucial blows while explaining the alchemy behind his work. Greed applauded him.
"But how much longer can you keep this up in your condition?" Greed countered. He was right, Ed couldn't do this for much longer, not with all the punches he had taken.
Cecelia continued to struggle against her chains and the entrance to the storage room burst into smoke, stopping all of their movement.
"Sorry to barge in like this," A familiar female voice stated.
"Teacher?" Ed and Cecelia asked together.
Izumi threw the man she had been dragging around into Ed. "You damn imbecile! You think its funny not to put the broom away? I asked you a question!"
"No!" Ed apologized, "I'm so sorry!"
"And you!" Izumi turned to Cecelia, causing the girl to shake. "Why are you tied up like that?"
Cecelia groaned, "I acted like a dumb ass."
"You and the boys are going to give me an ulcer," she turned her attention to Greed. "Thanks for your hospitality, he definitively needed the exercise."
Ed tried to warn her about Greed but she stopped him, saying she could hear the three of them from down the hall.
"Oh give me a break," Greed complained. "Don't tell me you're going to start anything lady, it's bad enough I had to fight that little lady, but its no fun fighting a woman"
Izumi took her shot while his head was turned and attacked and Cecelia processed what Greed had said. "Hey! I'm a woman too!" But no one paid attention to her complaints.
Greed laughed, sinister amusement lacing his voice. "Well now, just what the hell are you?"
"You asked what I am?" Izumi repeated, stepping closer to Greed. "A housewife!"
Ed and teacher stood ready to fight, with the two of them Greed stood no chance and Cecelia would finally be untied.
Greed stepped back laughing, "A housewife and a hot-headed brat, what a team! Oh, and I can't forget about you little lady, our very own damsel in distress."
"Hey!" Cecelia demanded kicking her legs. "I am not a damsel, nor am I in distress!"
"A touching trio for sure, but to be honest not one I'm willing to fight." Greed readied himself to run. "I'll just be on my way now."
"What?"
"You coward!" Izumi started, but before she could continue she spat up blood, both Ed and Cecelia screamed.
"Teacher, whats wrong?" Ed asked as Greed ran away.
"Damn it!" Cecelia yelled. "He took my knife!"
"He ran away, how pathetic," Izumi stated, struggling to speak.
"Are you okay now?" Ed asked before Izumi lost her strength to another belch.
From the corner of her eye, Cecelia could see central troops run to the door that Greed had fled from, pointing their guns into the room. "Huh?"
Cecelia was finally untied, she sat next to Izumi, attempting to search through her medical alchemy knowledge to find something she could do to help, but her medical knowledge suffered after many years of never using it. "I'm sorry I can't be more useful teacher."
"It's quite alright Cecelia," Izumi said drowsily.
A loud stomping caught their attention and none of them really needed to look to know that this was Sig. He and Izumi rejoiced in each others company. Sig scooped Izumi into his arms, saying he'd meet them back home.
Cecelia turned to Ed, "We need to find Al."
He nodded and the two took off to find the younger Elric. They were lead to him by soldiers and General Armstrong. He was passed out blood seeping from his armor, a dead body was inside of him.
"Jesus!" Cecelia exclaimed at the sight. Ed opened up is brother and soldiers dragged out the snake woman who had been inside of him. Cecelia had to look away, disgust rising up her throat.
Ed kept shaking and calling his brother's name, and eventually, the boy came too.
"Brother?"
"You okay?" Edward asked.
Alphonse asked his brother the same, but stopped, seeing his own sorry state, covered in blood.
"We thought it best to open you and remove her." General Armstrong explained.
"I couldn't save her," Alphonse cried, squeezing his fists, feeling the small blade in his hand, he gasped at the memory and held out his metal palm to Cecelia.
"Is that my blade?" Al nodded, "How did you get it?"
"The homunculus Greed had it and asked me to return it to you."
Gingerly she took the knife from the boy with a smile. "Thank you."
The boy nodded but then sobbed into his hands.
"You can't blame yourself, Al," Ed comforted. "Come on let's go home."
"Hold it kiddos." The Fuhrers voice echoed from the walls of the sewers. "I still need to ask all of you some questions before you can leave."
Both Cecelia and Armstrong stood up from their squatted positions, Cecelia stood defensively, gripping her returned dagger tightly.
"Have any of you had any previous dealings with the man who had referred himself to as Greed?"
Ed shook his head, "Course not.
"Did you happen to trade any manner of information with him."
"No," Cecelia answered quickly. "Nothing at all, and the military was never brought up."
"That isn't my concern," Bradly continued, never letting off his glare, "Let me be more specific, if you have arranged a deal or shared any knowledge with him, then I'll execute all three of you right now." The children were shocked, Cecelia readied herself to defend her and the boys, but never moved from her tense position. "I'll ask again, did you share any information that might affect the military."
"No," Ed demanded. "Can we go now?"
The Fuhrer continued on about the boys' physical state, asking if there was any connection between the two. The Elrics gasped, but before they could reply Bradly continued. "You really are an honest group of kids. Alright, men pull out, and you make sure to take care of your younger brother Edward."
General Armstrong accompanied them back to Izumi's home. "These boys really do get into a lot of trouble, don't they," He spoke to Cecelia.
"Yeah, Hughes won't be happy to hear about this happening under my watch," Cecelia giggled. Armstrong seemed shocked at the mention of his name, but avoided saying anything, "Is something wrong?"
"No," Armstrong replied stiffly, "I think I'll go check on the Elrics."
Cecelia watched in confusion as Armstrong walked away from her to where Ed was cleaning Al. Suspicion filled her and in a quick decision, Cecelia silently followed Armstrong to the boys, hiding behind the corner of the house.
Cecelia listened as the boys spoke about a fifth laboratory, about the homunculi and a philosopher stone. These boys hadn't told her a thing about why they were here. Hughes had mentioned that they needed extra protection from people other than Scar. Cecelia heard Armstrong leave after giving the boys a warning after Ed mentioned Hughes. Ed and Al continued to talk about a conspiracy she recognized, one her teacher tried to show her. Corruption in the military ranks going far too high. Cecelia took a deep breath and walked out from her hiding spot.
"C-Cecelia!" Edward greeted.
"I think it's about time you two tell me what's really going on here," Cecelia scowled with her arms crossed over her chest.
Ed and Al looked at each other in shock, unsure of what to tell her.
Edward and Alphonse spent the next hour explaining their experiences in the fifth laboratory and the people they saw there. Cecelia questioned them further on why Ed and Alphonse were talking about such an abomination as a philosopher stone. Alphonse explained that they wanted the stone to get his body back. Edward noticed her scowl as Alphonse explained their need for the stone and added why they now knew they couldn't use it.
"We met doctor Marco," Cecelia knew that name, he brother worked with Marco, she had even met him once. "He had a philosopher stone, I pushed him to give us his notes and he did, they were coded, but we figured it out." His voice darkened and his head fell.
"Philosopher stones are made with human souls." Cecelia finished earning a gasp from the boys. "Yeah, I know what its made of. Do you two still plan to go after the stone? Do you still plan to make one?"
"Of course not!" Edward defended. "But we still think there might be another way to get our bodies."
Cecelia nodded but maintained her fowl glare. "And the homunculi, they have a hand in the government somehow?" The boys nodded and Cecelia sighed, her teacher tried to tell his ten-year-old student the secrets he knew, but Cecelia wrote him off as crazy. Yet here she was talking to teens her age about the ramblings of an insane old man. "Okay, okay."
"And you can't go around telling people about this," Ed scolded.
Cecelia nodded, what had she gotten into?
This was bad, just bad, i cant focus but i felt like i needed to put something out. This is a bullshit episode anyway so fuck, ya kno?
WHAT S THE DEAL WITH AIRLINE FOOD HUH?
im sorry