(Hunter's POV)
I leaned against Roy's desk, my eyes felt swollen. "What do we do now?" I looked at Roy.
His eyes softened, he and I both knew that we couldn't do anything. "I wish I knew."
I sighed. "Ugh... and I have to go to Briggs in an hour..." I covered my face. "Everything is awful.."
He stood in front of me and pulled my hand away from my face. "I know that everything is awful and that your mom died, but I need you to pull it together anyways and go to Briggs. You can fall apart when you come back, I'll be here to catch you."
He interlocked his fingers with mine. "Maybe you can get Armstrong on our side. She hates me but she likes you and chances are she'll listen to you. You were her right hand for years."
I glanced away.
"If you get her on our side, we can find who murdered your mom and Hughes, please try."
If I get Armstrong on our side... we have a real chance.. More man power means more ability, and with more ability there's a higher chance of success. This is how Armstrong trained us.
He leaned closer. "You can be scared, but the only way to get through it is if you stay calm. And you are good at getting through things. So complete this task and come back home to me."
I looked back at him and nodded.
He kissed my forehead. "And.. please come home. Don't leave me for Briggs."
I laughed at his plea. "I wouldn't dream of it."
His kissed me. "Great!" He paused. "What are you going to do now?"
I shrugged. "Wait around I guess."
"I'm sorry about your mom.." He sounded sad. "I really liked her."
I smiled. "She liked you too."
———
I stood on the platform, Briggs coat in hand. I turned and looked at Roy.
He stepped closer, taking my face into his hands and kissing my lips. "Please be careful, you know how Kimblee is. Stay clear of snowy open areas, you don't want to fall under ice again, I won't be there to pull you out, again."
I laughed and removed his hands from my face. "I'll be careful."
"And please, please come back. Don't leave me for Briggs."
I rolled my eyes. "OKay, I'll come back."
"Um-"
I turned back around.
He looked all nervous and fidgety. "I... I... Uh."
I almost wanted to laugh at how awkward he was being. Just come out and say what you're going to say already.
"I... I'll.. smell you..?"
I was confused. "You'll smell me?"
He looked red in the face. "....Yes.." He hid his face in his hand.
I chuckled awkwardly. "Okay, have fun with that?" I waved to him as I boarded.
I walked down the rows of seats, looking for Ed's friend. I came to the last car and found the blonde sitting by herself, and then I noticed the four men dressed in military uniforms seated behind her.
I sighed. Great... My eyes stayed glued on them as I walked towards her. "Hello Winry."
She turned to me. "Oh, hello Major!"
I smiled at her and then glanced at the four guys behind us. None of them stood up or looked at me.
"Uh-" I turned back to Winry. "I'll be escorting you to Briggs. Um, sorry, give me a second." I walked towards the men.
"Major Devlin." I spoke to them. "I'm the state alchemist Kimblee requested. I assume you're the men he requested?" None of them spoke, none of them even really looked at me. "Um.. okay."
I sat down, putting my heavy Briggs coat next to me and looking out the window. I could feel Winry's eyes on me.
"Um, Major?"
"Hm?" I turned to her.
She gestured behind us. "Who are the men sitting behind us?"
I took a breath. "Uh, they're coming with us to Briggs."
I looked out the window again and the train started moving. There was this dull ache in my chest and I felt lonely. And then my mind drifted back to Bradley, I disliked him before but now? Now I hated him.
He had moms brooch.. could it have been him?
No.. there's no way. He's 'leading' the country. There's no way he could've left to murder my mom.. so then, who?
Envy? The one who attacked me? Hmm... There's just no way of knowing.
Ugh! I hate not knowing!
How unlucky of me to get recruited and sent back North at a time like this. I want to be at home, with Roy and my bed.
And I'd have to explain to Armstrong and the others why I was demoted and discharged.
"Major?" Winry's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
I looked at her.
"Can I ask you a question?"
I nodded. "Go ahead."
She fidgeted with her hands. "Ed told me you served with my parents-"
My heart sank as she spoke. Not exactly a question but- "Yes, I did. I wasn't with them when they were attacked, I had been sent to the city." I looked at her. "They were good people, hard workers, and they helped a lot of people. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to work with them."
She kept her eyes on the ground, this sad look in her eyes.
"I know what that's like, to have the important people taken from you." I took a breath. "My father left us, I felt that loss. My son died in a freak accident, and I buried my mother a week ago." I felt my emotion piling up again and I just unloaded on a kid, great, 10/10 moment Hunter.
"Why do things like this happen?" Her voice broke.
I shrugged. "Shit happens, people die. It's not our job to understand why. We're just the ones who get left behind to deal with it. The only thing we can do is remember them as they were. That's how you keep them alive, you remember them."
She didn't say anything more, instead she looked deep in thought. I sat back and looked out the window again.
"Thank you.." Her voice was barely audible.
Some time passed and we finally made it to N city. I slipped my Briggs coat on as I stepped off the train. I looked up at the sky and watched the snow flakes fall.
Winry and the four others followed me along the streets, I kept my guard up around the four guys. Something about them seemed off, very off.
"The train to Briggs will leave in 30 minutes, and then we'll have to walk the rest of the way." I explained to Winry.
"We'll have to walk?" She carried her toolbox.
I nodded. "Don't worry, it's not that far a walk." I looked at the streetlights as we walked and watched how the lights shined and glimmered against the snowflakes.
I almost missed the sight of snow, but the way the scenery looked made me feel lonely and even more sad, I missed my mom, and Roy.
I stopped walking and Winry bumped into me, and as soon as I stopped walking, townsfolk recognized me and started greeting me.
Turns out, I was missed around here, a lot actually. I looked across the street once the group dispersed and noticed the bar.
"Come." I patted Winry's shoulder and gestured for the other four to follow.
I walked into the bar and immediately felt eyes on me. I walked towards the counter and looked at the bartender, I didn't recognize them so I assumed they were new.
"Is Mac here?"
"Um.." She hesitated. "Yeah, hold on." She quickly turned and went into the back room and Mac came out.
He smiled, holding his arms back. "General."
I smiled. "Told you I'd come back soon."
He came around the counter and hugged me. He pulled away. "Oh, you got smaller." He went back around the counter. "Are you eating?"
I sat on my usual bar stool and gestured for Winry to sit next to me. "I am."
He smiled at Winry. "Who's your friend?"
"She is the Fullmetal alchemist's friend. I escorted her here. We're going to the Fort."
His smile dropped. "So, you're not staying?"
I sighed. "Unfortunately not, maybe next time."
Winry tugged at my sleeve. "How long are we staying here?"
"Only 30 minutes."
She nodded and straightened up.
"Are you hungry?" I looked at her, she shook her head.
Mac turned to me. "So, how've you been? How's the big city?"
I sighed, my sigh ending in a chuckle. "Oh, I've been better."
He looked concerned. "What do you mean by that?"
I shrugged, I wasn't about to tell him about my mothers death and murder in front of Winry and the four guys sitting behind us. "Things have been.. tough."
He glanced at the guys behind me. "And uh... who are the guys you walked in with?"
"Oh, I have no idea.."
Some time passed and it was time to head back to the train station. Sure we could've waited for 30 minutes at the train station but I wanted to come to the bar.
However, when we got there, I saw Moscow waiting for us. He waved me down and saluted when we got closer. "General! I'm so glad you've joined us again!"
I smiled. "Moscow, it's been a while. Did the General send you?" I followed him.
"She did." He nodded.
"So they know about my arrival?"
He stopped in front of a car. "Yes, we've known for a couple days." He gestured for me to get in.
I patted his shoulder. "Thank you, and it's Major now."
He sat in the drivers seat. "What do you mean Major?"
I sighed. "Um... I was demoted... and then discharged..." I started kicking the interior of the car. "And then attacked.. and then, my mom died."
"Mrs. Devlin died?!" He looked at me. "I'm so sorry!"
I sighed, feeling my face heat up with emotion. "Um... yeah.. about a week ago. In an accident, or at least I think it was an accident."
My mom came to Briggs a few times and of course, the guys loved her immediately. She had that effect on everyone.
He didn't ask anymore about the topic after hearing the emotion in my voice. "You were discharged?"
I groaned, throwing my head back against the headrest. "It is a long story... Hey, how's the team?"
"Oh, they're fine. They only now found a replacement for you, so Smith and William have resumed their training. Harvey and Hayes have finished their training so they've joined Buccaneer's mountain patrol."
I smiled, I liked knowing the succeeded, too bad Smith and William had to wait a couple months to continue with training though.
He pulled up to the Fort. "So, are you gonna fill us in?"
I took a breath. "After I fill in the General."
He laughed. "Good call. Um, Major.. before you go in there, know that we had some trouble here a few days ago. General Armstrong will probably meet with you." He nudged me. "Go on, I'll meet you inside."
As soon as the others stepped out, I heard yelling. They stopped as soon as I stepped out, they lowered their weapons and saluted.
I smirked at them, the look on their faces was amusing, almost like they hadn't expected me to show up. Maybe they didn't, maybe only a few people knew I was coming.
I stepped closer, hands in my pockets. "Hello."
"Welcome back General Devlin!"
I sighed and looked up at the huge wall in front of me. It was almost depressing being here. For some reason, the snow only made me feel lonely, this somber feeling.
I kind of just wanted to go home.
But, I came here for a reason. Roy asked me to get Armstrong on our side and honestly, I could've done that with a simple phone call. She will join us, especially since I'm the one asking.
And with Ed being here, he probably already filled her in on the important stuff.
"Major?" Winry's voice caught me off guard. "Are you coming?"
I hadn't realized but I completely zoned out while looking at the wall.
"Yes."
———————————————————————————————————————————————————Bohannon
I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters