Bleeding Hearts

Chapter 2 - What's Wrong?

A boy about my age and a suit of armor exited the room. my eyes widened in curiosity. "wha-" i started to say, but decided to stop myself in mid-word. Maybe... I started to think. No. There's no one like you. You're the only one stupid enough to make a mistake that drastic. I told myself. I pressed myself against the wall as they came out of the room. The teen glanced at me with a strange look in his eyes. Before they could say anything, i rushed inside the room and shut the door behind me. I cautiously walked toward his desk, unsure of what to do.

"Take a seat." said what i assumed to be Colonel Mustang. I sat down almost immediately. "Uhm, duhh,"  I thought. "what, am i gonna stand the whole time?"  I already knew that this wasn't going to go well.

"My name is Akari Sakuragi, and i need to become a State Alchemist." I said after thinking the conversation over. But obviously, conversations never go as planned.

"And why would you want to be one of those?"

"I made a promise to someone important to me." As i said this, he leaned back in his chair, smirking.

"You sound like someone else i know." I looked back at the door and then at Mustang again."The people that just left?" I wondered. I honestly couldn't stop thinking about them. But again, i had to reassure myself that it was definitely not what i thought it was. Mustang leaned forward with a serious look, and i snapped back into reality. I shifted in my seat, uncomfortable now. Finally, i decided to say something.

"I know that i need to take the exam, and i'm sure i can pass."

"And what makes you so sure about that?" He said, raising his voice. He was obviously enjoying this. Although i had just now met him, I already hated him and his cocky smile. It was like he thought that he's the boss of everyone...Which he kind of was.

"What makes you so sure that i can't make it in?"

"Let's just say i have a gut feeling."

"Well what if your gut is wrong?"

"Well then that would mean i've underestimated you. The Exam is next month, if you think you can pass."

"Of course i can pass! Who do you think i am?!"

"I think you're just another State Alchemist wannabe"  My face turned red with anger. In the brief moment of silence that came after he said this, a lound crack of thunder echoed through the sky outside.

"I'm not a wannbe!"

"Well what makes you think you're the real deal?" He was scarily calm considering how unsettled i was.

I stood up and slammed my fist on his desk, the sound of metal against metal echoing around the room.

"I AM!" I yelled. My eyes widened when i realized that i should've used my other fist., or maybe no fist at all. I stared down at 'my hand', still clenched on top of his desk. For a moment i couldn't speak, i just stared straight at my bandage wrapped fist. I looked up at Mustang, but decided to look back down again at my fist. He looked like he had so many emotions in his expression all at once it was kind of hard to determine. His face looked like he was angry, disgraced and worried all at once; at least that's what i took from it.

Right just then, the teen from earlier and the suit of armor burst into the room,  the noise making me jump. I turned around, my eyes wide with surprise. For a moment we just stood there, staring at eachother. Of course, though, my nerves got the best of me and i dashed out of the room, shoving my way through the door.

I sat down on the stone steps outside of the Central Command Center, not even bothering to pull up my hood. I find it soothing to just let the rain fall down on me... it gives me a sort of calm feeling. Especially when there's thunder and footsteps to go along with the symphony being played with the drops.