The Truth Within the Truth: A Fullmetal Alchemist RP

[Pappytech]

"Never again."

As he rounded the corridor's corner, Isaac registered two things: the Sargent's muttered vow, and a roughly spherical ball of metal being hurled towards his face.

"Woah there!" Reflexes took over, and Isaac found himself quickly sidestepping the projectile, catching a whiff of alcohol as the object bounced off the far wall. Raising his hands in mock surrender, the alchemist offered a halfhearted smile to his companion. "Um... you got me?"

Yeah, humor's probably not the way to go. Sighing, Isaac dropped his arms back to his sides, slowly pacing down the hallway towards the operating room. Walking around in these civilian clothes felt foreign and strange, but it was probably better then remaining in his blood-stained uniform. Besides, after the way the last mission had ended, Isaac felt like a short break would probably be for the best.

Coming to a halt next to Elias, Isaac peered through the window, watching the bleak scene inside the operating theater. He may not have ever met Victor, spoken to him or watched him fight, but still...

"It's hard, isn't it? Watching kids get their lives and futures stolen away. You never really get used to it."

 

[JdaS]

Anton had no business in the hospital. His arm would be fixed by a mechanic and a bloodied nose was nothing to him. Besides, more pressing matters were at hand. The liutenant was in the very same room he had been in rougly 24 hours ago. The Fuhrer's East City office was empty. For now.

Gotta talk with the old man before the others get out of the hospital. I have my share of questions I need answered too...

 

[JokerboyJordan]

"She was right about one thing, though, we did get lucky today, together we may have not been able to hold them off, at least that's one thing the kid was able to do."

"I say let them try that stunt again."

Roland slowly hobbled into the room. His ribs were wrapped in bandages and his arms seemed limp, he had bruised his abdomen extensively, and he was on anti-inflammatories because of the excess charge he fed through his body

"We know their faces, we know what they're capable of. I say let them come, they won't catch me off guard this time"

 

[Jedoro]

"It's hard, isn't it? Watching kids get their lives and futures stolen away. You never really get used to it."

"If you're lucky," he began. "Sorry, didn't think anyone was down there." Elias turned back to the operating room. "In sixteen years, you see a lot of kids get those stolen, and you think to yourself, 'Am I really one of the lucky ones?' Yeah, you're alive, but that loses meaning after you see enough body bags, fire enough twenty-one gun salutes, and order the next bunch to push forward." The alcohol had less blood to dilute itself in, due to his lack of limbs, which unfortunately left him as a bit of a permanent lightweight. Elias could still control his body pretty well, but he couldn't stop the liquor from loosening his tongue.

"Sergeants aren't just pulled from their lieutenants to join a little spec-ops team, you know. We're the backbone of the platoon, the senior soldier who knows the battlefield the best. I'm here because I'm the only one still alive. First Battalion, Charlie Company, Second Platoon... only exists on paper now. In thirty-four hours, we took turns with the Ishvalans picking off each others' friends until I was the only one left. Some hours were spent suppressing the enemy, some scavenging for ammo... some holding the wounded to die in my arms." He lowered his head, remembering those moments when his First Squad leader bled to death before she could say her last good-bye.

"I had a clear enemy, a defined target to destroy. Now, no clear enemy, and I can't even destroy the damn target." He raised his head and looked at Isaac. "But you bet your ass I'll try. Just need my arm back."

 

[TheIronRuler]

Leo felt a strange and heavy feeling in the air. Sadness mixed with Fear didn't do any good for him. "Anyway, Lads!", he said, almost falling off him bed, "Who wants to get a tattoo celebrating the defeat of these two bastards?".

 

[nuba km]

Ken felt angry at himself, if he decided to stay and fight victor may have still had his arm, he heard leo try and change the topic of conversation 'you still have to answer my questions, did they come to help of fight amaud and how did you get away from them?' ken knew the answer to these to questions would greatly help in figuring out what those monsters have planned.

 

[TheIronRuler]

"I just saw Solaris... er, Lust. She was leading me to the warehouse and I told her to stay back so she won't get hurt-", Leo suddenly burst into a fit of laughter. "And she got hurt anyway. I don't know why they were after Amaud though", Leo said after he stopped laughing.

 

[nuba km]

ken was disappointed with leo's answer though at least now he knew they were after amaud if the creatures were after amaud they must have wanted to stop him before we stopped him, but why we would still get the job done unless they didn't want us to hear what he might have said
he turned to the stone alchemist 'do you know why the beasts left you alone, and what happened to amaud?'

 

[Pappytech]

"But you bet your ass I'll try. Just need my arm back."

As Elias told his story, reliving God knows how many barbed memories, Isaac found himself nodding along. Every front-line soldier had a similar story, of comrades lost and trials and tribulations. The sergeant had opened up; it was Isaac's turn to offer up a tale.

"First Battalion, huh? It was Forth for me, Easy Company. Never really had a set platoon; they always shuffled the alchemists around, wherever we were needed. Sometimes it meant we were shoring up a strategic position, or trying to capture a VIP. Usually though, it just meant that we were in the thick of it.

"We were in Pendleton, about ten years ago. A squad of Cetran snipers and soldiers had holed up in an apartment building; they were taking potshots at our men, keeping anyone from getting close enough to take the building. God knows we didn't have any tanks, and what little artillery we had was being used to keep the rest of the company from overwhelming us at once. So what did command do? They sent me in, along with a few other men to cover me. A couple of them I didn't know, but there was this one guy, Micheal; we were both Privates in the Third Platoon.

"Anyway, we go in around eighteen hundred, when the sun would get in their eyes. My squad held back a ways while I headed up to the building. The three of them would take shots every now and then, draw the Cetran's attention, while I was setting up some circles on the walls. Wasn't anything fancy, just something that would cause the walls to implode. Take out the supports, collapse the building.

"I was finishing up the north wall when someone lobs a grenade out of a window; landed right behind the crates Micheal was using for cover. He grabs it, stands up a bit to throw it... they got him through the shoulder. If the bullet didn't kill him, the grenade certainly did.

"...I got the job done; the Cetrans were either dead or dying when the clean-up squad charged up the street to take the next one. I was helping to search the wreckage, came across a guy with some rebar through his gut. Begged me to help him. I walked away."

Isaac sighed, watching as a nurse attempted to mop the sweat off the surgeon's forehead, as he tinkered with some part of Victor's stump. Forcing a chuckle, he attempted to shake off some of the despair clinging to him, slapping a hand onto Elias' shoulder. "Hey, listen to us and our sob-stories; we're a couple of battle-scarred soldiers in the middle of East City! Let's go get some girls and bring them back to other guys, huh? The ladies love a man in uniform, you know."

 

[JokerboyJordan]

"Anyway lads, who wants to get a tattoo celebrating the defeat of these two bastards?!"

Roland looked over at Leo in the bed to his left, he gave him a wry smile, his lightheartedness even whilst in a situation such as his was aspiring, though his strength of will was probably helped by the morphine.

"Sure, I'm game. I feel invincible right now"

*cough*

"As long as nobody pokes me"


"Heya, fellas. We came as soon as we heard you all were in here. What the hell happened?"

"It's a long story... the others tell it better than I do. I was hardly self aware half of the time"

 

[Redryhno]

'do you know why the beasts left you alone, and what happened to amaud?'

"Chances are they were after Amaud, but we got there before them and he told us something we weren't supposed to hear.His body's somewhere in the rubble of that building now.As for why the left us alone, Gluttony said something about his stone running out, and Lust said her's was too, which is why I'm thinking those may have been Philosopher's Stones.

"If they were, that would explain alot, considering it's supposed to be impossible to create a homunculus. If that's how they're animated, then it be enough for my Golems, the plant/stone combination hasn't been working out... whoever created them would've had to be a powerful Alchemist. And that someone may have been Octivir. Which is why we need to requisition his research if we're to find out who wanted him dead."

 

[sage42]

"But you bet your ass I'll try. Just need my arm back." Tasha rounded the corner with a small smirk. "Then today's you lucky day Sargent." She said walking into the roof with a limp, a package under her arm. When she had gotten to the hospital she was dressed back in basic military pants and a white tank top. Bandages could be seen under her tank top. "I was able to finish your arm once I got back." She said laying out the arm on a near by bed side table. "And don't worry about Victor, I'll talk to him about getting his arm replaced, it won't be easy on him. But at least he'll be able to lead some sorta normal life."

 

[Jedoro]

"Let's go get some girls and bring them back to other guys, huh? The ladies love a man in uniform, you know."

"Yeah, well, I'd feel better if I went out in one piece," Elias replied, forcing a smile as he still thought about that squad leader, the woman who died last in his platoon. Erica. Their relationship had been more than just professional, which was likely how she survived the fight so long. And likely why the thought of going out to pick up chicks bothered him.

Because of his transfer to the spec ops team, he hadn't had time to mourn his lost friend and lover yet.

"Then today's you lucky day Sargent." Elias turned to face his favorite mechanic, and the return of his arm put a more honest smile on his face. "I was able to finish your arm once I got back. And don't worry about Victor, I'll talk to him about getting his arm replaced, it won't be easy on him. But at least he'll be able to lead some sorta normal life."

"He's lucky for the means to get automail. Too many soldiers end up crippled for life because they're not friends with mechanics. Good to see you on your feet." He turned back to the operating room window. "Month's pay says we run into those... things, again. I'll need to carry different weapons. Machine gun's good for a battlefield full of humans, but I'm thinking something more combustible should help against a homunculus."

 

[TheIronRuler]

Leo then remembered something important about his recent injuries. "Banagher, can you ask someone to get my bags here?", Leo asked the Lieutenant. "Um, you could just bring me the brown suitcase. I need to fix my circles".

 

[CrazyBlaze]

Jame laid back in his bed, his eyes closed, listening to the others talk. His hand was bandaged but it hurt to clench it. That meant he would be firing with his left until in healed.
"Heya, fellas. We came as soon as we heard you all were in here. What the hell happened?"

"Unexpected complications to our mission," James said, eyes still closed.

My second mission as Lt. Colonel and it turns out like this. I failed as a leader to protect my squad. The Corporal nearly died because of my incompetence. I failed to formulate a proper plan of attack, I engaged the target by myself. I didn't use my resources to the greatest extent. I don't deserve this rank. I don't deserve control of this squad.

"I'm sorry guys. I messed up as leader and nearly got us all killed."

James struggled out of bed, holding his left side and slid baster Banagher and the woman driver. As soon as he was out of the room he used the wall as a support as he started to wander the hospital.

 

[CJ1145]

Lieutenant Banagher and the other driver listened with faces of worry as the others described their situation. He gulped a bit and gained his composure. "Heh." He faked a bit of a chuckle. "You know, when I first got assigned you guys, I had a feeling you were going to be into some deep stuff. But I just thought it'd be wetworks; typical military stuff, if a little grim. Now you're telling me that you're killing folk, but they don't die? And that they're running on legends? You know, my brain tells me I should call some psychs to check you fellas out... but my brain's wrong this time, isn't it?"

He leaned forward, and silenced the others to get their attention. He looked serious about whatever he was going to say. "You're lucky you're telling my wife and I all of this; we're not the types to go telling the wrong things to the wrong people. But seriously, you need to put a lid on this; least, around other people. I don't know much about the situation, but it sounds like this Octivir guy was killed for knowing too much; and based on what you told me, you know too much now too. You never know who's gonna be watching you, spying, so I'd suggest picking your friends carefully from now on, OK?"

At the end of his speech, James stood up. "I'm sorry guys. I messed up as leader and nearly got us all killed." He managed to drag himself out of bed and stumble from the room. The others looked on in a mixture of worry and shock, while Banagher and the woman shared a glance. The other driver stood up, and she pursued James as he left. "Lieutenant Colonel!" she called out in an affirming tone. She caught up to him and gripped him by his unhurt arm; it was a ferocious grip. "You need to slow down, or your wounds will be re-opened. You messed up, that much is true. Your men all nearly died under your command. But what's most important is that you're all alive. Don't give up now, take what you've learned here and become better, for the sake of your troops. All right?"

She grabbed him by his jaw and tilted his face to look her in the eye. The coldness from before had been replaced by a warm, calming expression, almost like a mother's.

[hr]

In the Fuhrer's office, Anton heard the door open behind him. Fuhrer King Bradley stepped into the room, shutting and locking the door behind him. "Ah, Lieutenant Wilson." he said with a smile. He walked into the room and ushered Anton into a seat, while lowering himself into his own chair. "I take it your presence here means that the mission is complete; I expected to hear from the Lieutenant Colonel before your report. Has something gone amiss?"

[hr]

As Elias, Isaac, and Tasha stood outside the operating room, a door slid open, allowing one of the doctors to step out. His face was obscured behind a mask, and sweat dripped down what little was visible. He dabbed himself with a rag as he gained his composure to speak to them. "Excuse me, are you Mr. Kendrall's family?"

 

[TheIronRuler]

Leo smiled as Banagher talked in a serious tone. "Then it settles it!", he cried out after he finished, "We are in this together... So when Victor gets out he chooses the print for our new tattoos!".

 

[Pappytech]

Isaac may not have exactly been a people person, but it was fairly obvious that his last comment had stirred up some unwelcome feelings in Elias. Right, note to self: Women are not an okay subject.[/b]

It was honestly a relief when Tasha rounded the corner, carrying Elias' arm with her. The conversation strayed away from whatever awkward subject Isaac had almost broached, and into the realm of automail. Granted, Isaac knew little about the prosthetics, but at least things were getting less depressing.

"Month's pay says we run into those... things, again. I'll need to carry different weapons. Machine gun's good for a battlefield full of humans, but I'm thinking something more combustible should help against a homunculus." Isaac shuddered as he imagined what his comrades must have been facing, what kind of monsters could just shrug off their bodies being torn to shreds. Something like that didn't seem possible, but unless everyone had fallen prey to some mass hallucination, it must be the truth.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Kendrall's family?" The conversation's flow was suddenly broken once more, this time by the appearance of the doctor. A face obscured by a surgical mask was difficult to read, and the surgeon's tired eyes revealed nothing. The news could go either way.

"No, I don't think his family has arrived yet; we're in his unit though. How is he?"

 

[CrazyBlaze]

Don't give up now, take what you've learned here and become better, for the sake of your troops. All right?"

"Your right. Thank you um. You know we never did get your name and rank."

 

[CJ1145]

"Truth be told," the doctor said from behind his mask. "it'll be a miracle if he pulls through. He lost a lost of blood, and... I don't understand how, but those were bite marks on his shoulder. Something tore his arm off... I don't know what kind of animal could do that, or even a chimera. But we're doing all we can."

[hr]

"Sir!" the woman said, snapping her hand into a salute. "2nd Lieutenant Mira Banagher, sir!"

She said nothing else, apparently waiting for some form of confirmation or order from James.