Resistance
Resistance
Kappa
City Center
9:00 am
Edward Elric, Mustang, Hawkeye, Miles, Havoc, Fuery, Catalina, Staph and Mayor Saul and Elder Sham arrived in the city center to examine the progress of the restoration. They were examining the temple's south wall, which had been completely rebuilt, when an explosion was heard on the far side of town, large enough to shake several people on the street off their feet.
Through the screams and panic, Ed and Roy were trying to calm the crowd, when Havoc rushed over to yell "The explosion came from the compound, Breda just confirmed!" Ed's first thought was of Winry and his sons. Without bothering to give orders, he took off in a run toward the compound, as a second explosion rocked the area.
Roy and Havoc were just behind him, Hawkeye stayed to control the panic stricken crowd. She was doing her best to not panic along with the men. Fuery shook his head when she looked over to ask for an update. He hadn't heard anything since Breda confirmed it had been from the compound. They didn't even know what building it had been, or if anyone had been hurt. She felt cold inside at the idea it may have been one of her family.
Compound
9:00am
Winry had just left the apartment in the direction of the greenhouses. Russell had invited her over to see the watering system he and Fletcher had invented and installed, and she was interested in his work so far. Yuery was happily hoping along beside her, chasing his shadow, and William was on her hip, the dogs racing ahead happily. William had been walking the last couple of weeks, but he was slow and she wanted to get there before too much time was spent in the sun.
Breda and Falman waived to her from the gate, and she waived back, Yuery waiving excitedly when he spotted the two men. The other three, Ross, Harris, Broch would already be in the office to keep things running while the rest were out in the city. Fletcher stepped out of the greenhouse to see if she was coming yet, she and the boys were halfway across the empty expanse of ground between the buildings when the apartment exploded behind them.
It threw her off her feet, and she reached out as she landed, pulling Yuery beneath her next to his brother as the debris fell around them. The ringing in her ears was muting the sounds around them, even as Fletcher reached her side. He was screaming something as he pulled on her. She was slow to move, luckily. He had been trying to drag her back to the main building but had been unable to get her to move or release either of the children. Russell came running over as well as Falman when the second explosion threw Fletcher on top of Winry and Falman was tossed from the impact.
Behind them, the main building laid in ruins, Sheska Harris appearing a moment later. There was no sign of Maria Ross and Denny Broch yet. Breda ran over to the group, stopping long enough to help Sheska away from the rubble. It appeared the center of the grounds was the safest place to sit at the moment.
Russell seemed to agree, because he was quickly drawing on the hard earth, as soon as Breda and Sheska were close enough, he slammed his hands on the circle, incasing them in stone. He left tiny holes in the top of the dome to let in light and air as he released the array. Winry finally uncurled from the boys. Neither child seemed severely injured, though both were crying loudly. She had been terrified landing that she would hurt William with her weight, but he seemed alright. Yuery did have a large bruise forming on his left leg.
Sheska was burned, she was also bleeding from several injuries, and her wrist was dislocated, if not broken, her leg was dragging strangely and was pale. This was what Winry could assess at a glance. Fletcher had glass imbedded across his back and scalp, but didn't appear to be seriously injured. Russell had been hit by a piece of the building, likely something small, and was bleeding from a deep cut on his forehead. She was worried about concussion. Breda sported several large cuts, and Fletcher a small burn on his left shoulder. Falman was slowly sitting up and leaned against the stone wall, he appeared to be winded and was bleeding from his scalp.
Winry knew she was injured as well, it felt like she'd been slammed by a truck, but she was the closest thing they had to a field medic out here, and her children came first. She was fairly certain that several of them were also going to have internal injuries. Her hearing was slowly returning to normal as she turned to begin with her sons. She wanted to be sure that she hadn't missed anything at a glance. "I called for help, the rest of them should be back soon." Breda said as he leaned on the stone wall, breathing labored.
Winry frowned in his direction, torn. He likely had bruised or broken ribs with the sound of his breathing. It was likely they were all more injured than what she originally noticed, and she had no supplies with her. She wasn't equipped to handle major medical issues. Hopefully she could keep everyone stable until they could get them to Granny.
She stripped off William's shirt to check him over for bruising on his own ribs, thankfully finding no immediate evidence of injury. She redressed him before turning to Yuery. He was decidedly not happy, which she knew meant she needed to calm him quickly before he did something someone noticed. Already there were minor ripples in the ground around him from his anger.
She removed his shirt to check his torso, which was covered in bruising but it didn't seem to have anything more serious. His ankle was swelling slightly, and his knee, which concerned her, so she replaced his shirt but then tore the bottom three inches off of her ankle length dress to wrap his leg for support. He cried again while she wrapped it, then hugged him to her until he had calmed back down. "Fletcher, do me a favor and hold them for a moment. I need to check on the others." Winry said, far calmer than she felt.
Fletcher nodded and pulled both boys into his lap. He was largely uninjured himself, so he would wait. She crawled over to Sheska first, to assess how badly she had been injured. She was burned on left side From her face to her waist, but the most severe was her shoulder. Her left wrist was definitely broken, and her left knee. Winry quickly ripped more of her skirt to wrap the injuries on her wrist and knee. The cuts were superficial thankfully.
Breda was closest to Sheska so Winry turned to him next, his labored breathing was her biggest concern. Without asking, he lifted his shirt so she could examine his ribs. Nothing moved when she gently prodded so she assumed it was bruising. He continued to take shallow breaths through the pain on the exam as she muttered a soft apology. His scalp was bleeding, and in need of stitches, but that would have to wait. Still she reached to rip more from her skirt to bind his chest, when Russell knocked her shoulder slightly. She looked over as he handed her a long wrapping, made from his shirt that he had quickly transmuted while she was busy looking over Breda.
"You're running out of dress." Russell said simply as she thanked him. She turned to Breda and began wrapping his chest securely. "What do you need done?"
"Can you go check on Vato for me? He's been too quiet." Winry said, and Breda frowned in the other man's direction.
"Is he alright? You should go over there, I'm sorted." Breda said quietly.
"No, you're not yet." Winry said firmly, "Russell will check on him, I just don't want anyone falling asleep right now. We will transport everyone to Granny's as soon as we can."
Russell approached the older soldier, who was still propped up against the wall, a hand pressed to his side. Now that Russell was closer, he could see the blood slowly spreading across the man's coat. Russell swore as he kneeled down quickly and pulled Falman's hand away, to reveal a rather sharp piece of shrapnel poking out of the man's side. "Winry, I think we need you over here." Russell called out across the dome. Outside, they could finally hear the distant sound of Edward calling for them, then the sound of gunfire.
Outside the Dome
9:15
Edward had arrived at the gate, to the complete destruction found inside. He stopped short for a moment, panic overtaking him at the idea of his fiancée and children trapped or dead under the rubble. He forced himself to calm down, long enough to reach out to sense their qi. He was familiar with all three patterns, and located them easily inside a stone dome sitting in between the burning buildings.
Reaching further, he found only two people inside any of the buildings. He was torn on what direction to take, Roy right behind him had closed his eyes, conducting the same search. Before Ed could move, he felt a hostile presence behind them and turned in time to throw himself on top over his Dad, knocking Roy over seconds before a bullet hit the wall instead of his head.
Roy pulled Ed around the corner, just inside the compound wall before a second shot went off, and Roy closed his eyes to locate the gunman. He briefly considered the next move. He had been avoiding the use of fire alchemy since they arrived. There was no reason to remind them that he was the Hero of Ishval. Not that he believed anyone had forgotten. Before he could decide however, Ed clapped next to him, then placed a hand on the ground. A rumble echoed as a hand formed around the gunman to trap him.
The others arrived from town, along with a handful of Ishbalans including the former Scar. He broke from the others to approach the stone hand, and frowned at the man inside. "You dishonor yourself and our people with your actions today Isiah."
"I am simply continuing your abandoned mission! You have embraced these men, and their sinful magic." The man replied. "All of you have! They destroyed our homes and killed our people and you let them just come back here like it was nothing!"
"You have attacked the last of the Children of the Son. Worse, you have attacked children. Innocent children, as all are." Sham said coldly. "Pray that both of Elric's children survived your actions today. Remember, it was the death of a single child that started the war."
"Another war was likely his intent." Roy said quietly behind them. "I will not allow another war, however. Nor will my son."
"Hero of Ishbal, are we to believe you would not extract revenge had you lost a grandson?" a man from the crowd scoffed.
"As I was opposed to the wholesale slaughter in the first war, yes. I would not take it out on the whole for the actions of one. I will however, insist that this man be sent to the Fuhrer for sentencing." Roy replied calmly. His statement received several strange looks, which he had expected, but no one protested the idea of sending the man to find his punishment. They were trying to rebuild their home, not start another war.
Hawkeye placed a hand on his shoulder, and said quietly enough that only he heard her, to let her handle it now, that his powers were needed on the compound to help dig out the victims. Ed was already making his way back to the compound, having searched for other gunmen in the crowd. Roy turned from the man, and followed his son into the compound. Hawkeye then turned back to the man, speaking loud enough that the man and the crowd could hear her. "No matter how you feel about Mustang, or me for that matter, Edward Elric has done nothing but help people. He is barely passed childhood himself, and saved every single one of us just a few months ago. He was barely alive when the War started, a baby. He never harmed any of your people, though the same can not be said the other direction. His bride lost her parents, doctors here helping people, he himself was attacked repeatedly. He does not blame the whole. His SONS are two and one. BABIES. Innocent of any crime. You tried to murder innocent children. Remember who behaved as a monster today."
Before anyone else could say anything, more explosions rocked the ground, coming from the recently repaired residential district. Sham turned to the man and demanded to know who else was working with him. He laughed before spitting at her. "Blood traitor, who allows the abomination to use his magic to hide what was done to our people, I do not answer to you."
"How many of your own people have your actions taken today?" Sham demanded. The area had not yet been reoccupied by their people, so it should be mostly empty, but there were sure to be some people in the area, working on the last of the repairs.
Under the Dome
9:20
Winry heard Ed just outside the dome, telling everyone to move because he was creating a door. No one was leaning against that area of the wall so she yelled out that it was clear, even as she crawled over to where Russell was kneeling beside Falman. She could see instantly Falman was in bad shape.
He was pale and clammy, the blood spreading rapidly. He wasn't going to last long at this rate, it looked like he had nicked an artery, Russell was pressing against the wound the best he could with the metal in the way. Falman struggled weakly to push him away, and Russell muttered that he needed more leverage as he reached out to pull the metal free. "Don't!" Winry yelled. "He'll bleed out."
"What's going on?" Breda called out, concern clear in his voice as a loud clap ringed through the air and blue light formed a rectangle where Ed had called through the wall.
"Stay still Heymans. You're in no shape to be moving around." Winry replied instead of answering. Ed stepped through the doorway, with Roy and Havoc directly behind him. Ed looked around for his sons, then her, before focusing on any of the others. Fletcher held the boys in place, not wanting them to move around too much in case they had additional injuries no one had seen.
Falman let out a small gasp, and Roy rushed over. Havoc shuddered as Roy announced he was going to cauterize the wound. Ed scooped up his sons and turned them away from the sight, as Havoc kneeled next to Breda and asked him if he was alright.
Before any of them could say anything else, another earth shaking explosion rocked them, this one further away. Ed looked up and stated dully that it sounded like the residential district. Roy nodded, before returning his attention to Falman, Winry working carefully to move the man to lay flat while Russell held the pressure on his abdomen. "The blood is slowing." Russell said hopefully, Breda let out a shuddered gasp behind them, as Ed told Fletcher and Sheska to look away.
Winry whispered to Russell. "That's not a good thing, it means he's running out of blood." As she took over pressing firmly on the wound. "Get Fletcher and my boys out of here. Put up another dome if you need to please, but I don't want them to see this."
"He's going to be alright though? Because Mustang's going to burn it closed he'll be fine." Russell said loudly. Ed shakily stood and carried his boys out of the dome without a word, not wanting to watch the man die, or more importantly, not wanting his sons to see it.
Havoc sighed and said to Breda that he was moving him as well. Breda shook his head, "No want to stay. Help me over there." Havoc shook his head but helped Breda to stand before they slowly made their way over, Russell passing them on his way over to Fletcher and Sheska. Together the brothers were able to move the woman safely.
Winry let out a sigh as she asked Roy if he was ready. If there was any chance of this working, they would have to act seconds apart. Even then, with as much blood as he had lost it was questionable what would happen Roy tried to get Falman's attention when he finally opened his eyes Roy looked down at him, masking his fear. "Falman, this is going to hurt. You absolutely cannot move. Remember, no one dies."
"I'll do my best sir." Falman replied weakly. Breda kneeled beside him, taking his hand.
"I'm right here, Vato. Squeeze as much as you need." Breda said, ignoring the pain resonating from his own body. Havoc stayed slightly further back, to avoid getting in the way, as Winry pulled a large piece of metal from Falman's side and Roy snapped. Vato screamed, and Winry held him down the best she could before yelling for Havoc to do the same.
It was over in seconds that felt like hours, Falman fell silent as Roy released the fire. They needed to get him, and several of the others, to a proper doctor as soon as possible. Roy was already on the move, ordering for someone to stop the weekly train before it could depart. It took the train ten minutes to reach Resembool. It took a horse and cart roughly two or three hours.
Several Ishbalan civilians were digging through the main building in search of the other two missing teammates. Roy went over to them, and ignoring the uneasy looks he received, closed his eyes to find their qi. One day, he and Ed would both get good enough at this that they wouldn't need to close their eyes and center themselves, but according to Mei they were learning remarkably well.
He found them, luckily together, a few minutes later and pointed where to dig. Hawkeye appeared near him, and informed him that the train had been delayed. They were all going to walk over to the station together because of the attacks. Roy agreed, as Miles appeared and informed them that he had contacted Dr. Rockbelle, who would be standing by, she had also asked both the local doctor and one from the neighboring town to also join her.
Every one of them would evacuate for the moment. A new team would arrive shortly to help rebuilding, but until they could reorganize, it would be better to leave the area. Sham agreed, and said that they would be seeking the guilty parties. Winry had traded places with Edward, who was helping Havoc carry Falman out on a makeshift stretcher, Breda still clutching his hand.
Slowly they excavated the building, finding Broch mostly covering Ross, to protect her. He, like Sheska seemed to suffered burns. Ross's arm was crushed under the debris, and Winry didn't feel they would be able to save it, though she didn't say anything about it for now, preferring to wait until everyone was more secure. They were bound to have a long day and night ahead of them, even with the added help coming towards Granny's.
Journal Five
1680-1685
18/12/81
Perenelle and I arrived this morning.
As predicted she is mystified by
The beauty of my homeland.
Xing is very lovely this time
Of year.
I have been gone far too long,
I missed this place. England is
Dreary compared to the colors
And smells of the Imperial
City. I am still, after all this time
An Honored Guest. I was surprised.
The Emperor is new, of course. Not a
Member of the Yao clan at all. Apparently,
In my absence the clan treaty has evolved.
He is the an adequate leader however, so
I see no reason to intervene. Instead I have
Shown him a bit of the magic I have learned.
Much like those in England I have told him the story
Of the redstone, now called the Philosopher's Stone,
And he believed me.
_T.B.V.N.F.H
23/10/83
Perenelle needs away from the grave
she lingered daily, so I decided for her.
Perenelle and I have moved across the desert into Amestris.
It was a calculated risk, to build a home in the heart of
The enemy, but necessary if I am to learn all he plans.
I have not learned much yet, but there is still time.
He is building an array, I can feel it beneath us,
For what I can only guess. Meanwhile, I have
Decided to begin taking students again.
_T.B.V.N.F.H
15/12/85
Perenelle was buried today,
between them.
I am Saddened at the loss of her. The House is far to quiet.
I had her buried in the garden,
Near her roses. She adored those
Roses. I regret her premature loss.
I find myself unable to focus on
My research at this time. Perhaps
A change of scenery.
_T.B.V.N.F.H