The Bloody Alchemist

Out of the Frying Pan

        Cecelia's eyes opened slowly, her entire body felt like it was underwater. Cecelia tried to move her right arm, but pain ricocheted through her body. Instead, she used her automail arm to push herself up. Cecelia wondered where she was. She had been laying on a couch in what seemed to be the living room of a shabby house. It was dark and quiet.

A scream shook Cecelia to her core. That's when she realized that the run-down house was, in fact, not quiet. Voices from a distant room carried down to Cecelia. Dr. Knox was there, he must have been performing surgery, without an anesthetic. Cecelia was raking her mind to remember exactly what had happened before she passed out. It all came back to her when Ling stumbled into the living room.

Cecelia had never seen the chipper boy look so defeated. He stared back at her with what seemed to be surprised. "You're awake," he nearly whispered.

"Is that Lan Fan?" Cecelia's simple question was enough for Ling to collapse at her side.

"You were right." He heaved. "I wasn't ready for the sacrifices that had to be made. Because of my arrogance, Lan Fan lost her arm. I should have protected her."

Everything he said sounded so familiar to Cecelia like her own dark thoughts personified. Cecelia grabbed Ling's shoulder with her automail arm. Ling kept his face hidden in the couch cushions. "It wasn't your fault Ling. Lan Fan knew just as well as you did what was at risk by helping Ed, Al, and I."

"I wasn't prepared to make those sacrifices," Ling's voice seemed to calm down. "Lan Fan did though, she was able to make the sacrifice I was too weak to make."

Cecelia was having none of this. Despite how much it hurt, Cecelia used her injured arm and gripped Ling's shoulders. Finally, Ling looked her in the eye. "Ling, being able to sacrifice a loved one is not something anyone should be able to do. Especially not the future ruler of Xing. It's not a sign of weakness, its a characteristic of a true leader."

Ling lowered his head again. Cecelia could tell he wasn't feeling much better, but at least he seemed calmer. Ling took a deep breath, Cecelia released her gasp of his shoulders, but Ling held on to her hands. "Thank you, Cecelia."

Cecelia smiled softly. "You've helped out so many times, the least I could do is return the favor."

Ling almost laughed, "So you're saying my burnt tea analogy was comforting."

Cecelia giggled, squeezing Ling's hands. "As much as I hate to admit it..."

Footsteps entered the room and Ling stood quickly, clearly hoping for news about Lan Fan. Mustang entered the room and held out his hand for Ling to shake. "My name is Colonel Roy Mustang." Ling bowed and shook his hand. Ling thanked Mustang for finding a doctor and Roy explained that it was nothing due to Ling's help with the Ross incident.

"And also, thank you for bringing this thing in." Mustang waved his lantern towards a shaking mass in the corner of the living room. Cecelia hadn't even noticed it was there. She remembered the name Bradly had called it, Gluttony.

Ed, Al, and Doctor Knox gathered around Cecelia's couch and stared in disgust at the beast. "Now what do we have here?" Knox asked.

"That's Gluttony, he's a homunculus."

Knox couldn't even speak, so Roy continued. "His friends appear to have connections among the military senior staff."

Ling and Cecelia both remembered their fight with Bradly. "Just some you say? It goes far deeper than that." Roy turned to Ling, Cecelia could see both the shock and excitement in his eyes. "Your Fuhrer, King Bradly, I believe it's possible that he's a homunculus too."