Pride & Humility

XV

Beta:TaintedLetter

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Elizabeth woke up to the gentle nudgings of Selim's shadows. She slowly opened her big green eyes, staring up at several pairs of red eyes glistening from the shadows. She smiled sleepily at her best friend, reaching forward to pat his smooth shadows. "G'morning, Selim."

"Good morning, Ellie. I thought you might want to know that your stupid little friends are in the hospital," Selim said.

Elizabeth abruptly sat up, adrenaline causing her eyes to widen and a gasp to escape her. "What? Who? Why?"

"The Elrics... why don't you go down and see if they'll tell you what happened?" Selim suggested, his tone not unkind. "I know how much you care for them."

"Y-Yes, of course. Thank you so much for telling me, Selim. I'll get to the bottom of this right away," Elizabeth declared, throwing back her covers and hurrying out of bed. As she began to quickly get ready for the day she asked him, "Do you know anything?"

"I know some things," Selim responded. "But I'm more interested in what the brothers tell you and anyone else."

Elizabeth tossed her dirty clothes in the hamper, pausing in her morning routine at Selim's comment. Now that she had been awake for more than a minute she noted the odd tone in Selim's voice.

It was also downright weird for Selim to bring up the Elric brothers willingly. Elizabeth knew Selim found them insufferable and only tolerated them on her behalf. She never would have thought that Selim would be the one to bring to Elizabeth's attention that they might need her.

To be frank, Elizabeth thought that Selim would have no issues watching the brothers bleed to death from the shadows while he enjoyed tea time with Elizabeth.

She frowned at that, looking back at his shadows with a curious look. "Selim, what's going on? You don't like them, so why do you care?"

The shadows twitched, and his mouths turned down into frowns.

Noticing the immediate change in displeasure Elizabeth was quick to add, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'll always do my best to help you and if you want me to find stuff out for you, I will. I was only curious."

"The brothers got in too deep. It's important, for their own sake, they don't know too much," Selim responded. "I may not be fond of them, but they are valuable assets and I do not wish for their untimely demise."

That made sense. The boys were stubborn and curious by nature. If they came across a military secret they shouldn't know about—like the philosopher's stone, Elizabeth would be willing to bet—they wouldn't let it be.

And if it was a true military secret, then they really shouldn't know.

Considering the... technique used to create the philosopher's stone Elizabeth knew the brothers would never condone it.

On a moral stance they were correct.

On a practical stance, they were incorrect.

Amestris was a country, and the military's job was to protect said country. As a soldier, and scientist, Elizabeth understood the necessity of sacrifice. There were times where one had to disavow their morality for the greater good of the country, of the citizens they were sworn to protect. It would not surprise Elizabeth if the philosopher's stone was a prime example of this.