Fullmetal Alchemist: The Midnight Eclipse

Xioimara listened as Winry left. Least to say, Xioimara didn't much approve of that girl. Xioimara turned over at looked at the group. "So, they're gone." Xioimara got over this fact. "Back to business," Xioimara started. "Anyone know when the next eclipse is?" She asked, eyeing everyone. She felt her wound had finally stopped bleeding. It was starting to dry at least.

 

Ling looked at Xioimara. "Some help you are." he ran after Winry to make sure she didn't get killed.
Xoram followed Ling.

Ed glared at Lust. "If so much as touch them..." he said.

 

"Whatever. They're just a bunch of brats." Xioimara looked to Armstrong. "I don't recall ever being such a brat." She commented. Xioimara rolled her eyes. "I'm tired of getting stabbed, and beat up." Xioimara decided, hugging her knees.

Armstrong shook his head at Xioimara's question. "You never waned too far out of authority." He told her. "I believe anyone would." Armstrong stayed at the house once Ling and Xoram left just in case any danger arose. It was apparent that Xioimara wouldn't be able to defend herself long and it was his duty anyways.

Lust left after giving a smile to Edward. She took the backroads back towards Izumi's place. Lust kept in the dark alleys as Ling and Xoram passed. It was easy for her to stay hidden. It was even better that they were leaving. Her only worry was where The Strongarm Alchemist was. He posed a small threat to her.

 

Xoram felt a precense in the Alley. "Feel that lord?" he asked Ling.
"Eeyup." Ling said. He kept in the alleys as he followed Lust to Izumi's house.
"Al, take care of the secretary! I've got a score to settle with the other one!" Ed told Al as he ran to Izumi's house.
Sloth gave Al a kind smile. "Go ahead and attack, Alphonse."

 

Alphonse stared at the secretary. She looked too much like Mom. She had the same kind eyes and warm smile that always made him feel welcomed home. It felt wrong to hit them... They weren't Mom though, were they? He didn't hear too much of the conversation... Even if she wasn't, she was still the secretary and that could get them in serious trouble... "I can't-" He finally managed to speak, dropping his gaze to the ground. Was this really their mother that they tried to revive or just some double-crossing secretary? "Who are you?"

Lust glanced back as Xoram and Ling caught onto her. "Damn them." She said under her breath. Lust broke into a run to try and shake them from her trail. Lust cast an eye over her shoulder every now and then to see if they were still there. 'I'm tired of this.' Lust told herself. If she had to take them all out now then she would. Lust stopped, turning to face Xoram and Ling. "Why are you two boys following a poor lady?" She asked them kindly, her eyes softening.

 

"Because we know what you are." Xoram said. "You're a Homunculus made through human transmutation."
Ling looked at Lust. "What he said." he told her.

"You answer that. Am I your mother, Trisha Elric, or the President's Seceratary, Juliet Douglas?" she asked.

Winry saw Al confronting... his mother? "Al!" she said as she ran up to him. "What's going on?" she asked.

 

Alphonse stared at the woman. "Mom...?" He asked. If it had just been the secretary how could she have known their mother's name...? Alphonse looked over at Winry as she approached him. He wasn't sure where this was going but he knew this lady wasn't safe. "Winry! Go back to the others!" Alphonse tried to warn her as nicely as possible. He didn't want to involve Winry in this danger at all.

Xioimara shut her eyes for a little bit. "Should we go after them?" She finally asked in the silence. She had found the couch to be the most comfortable spot in the world since she got back to Izumi's house. Xioimara's wounds were finally getting a few minutes to at least try and heal. The world finally shut up for a little bit. She didn't want to ruin this greatness already.

"We can't afford to have you running around, getting hurt anymore. I will stay here with you." Armstrong informed Xioimara. He enjoyed the silence as well but was worried about everyone. They had all dispersed in a matter of minutes. He hoped everyone would be back unscathed. That was the last thing they needed.

"Oh, you saw right through that one, didn't you?" Lust dropped her shoulders and narrowed her eyes. The sweet, inviting look expression quickly vanished and turned back into her cold and serious look. "What are you gonna do about it?" Lust asked the two.

 

"Not let you get to our friends, that's what." Xoram said. He was ready to fight even if Lust appeared as a not unattractive woman.
Ling tensed up. He knew she'd try something.

"Yes Alphonse. It's me."
"MS. TRISHA?" Winry asked.

 

"Now, why would I do such a thing?" Lust asked, rolling her eyes a little. They were still on edge over her presence. "I'm just walking the town and here you two young gentlemen are, following me." She tried to reason.

Alphonse was taken aback at this. This was the worst yet best feeling in the world. It was their mother and she was trying to kill them. "Winry, go back!" Alphonse commanded Winry, noticing that she kept lingering by. He didn't want her around.

 

"But... your mother... that's her isn't it?" she said, looking at Sloth.
Sloth just kept smiling.

"That's bull. We know you hurt Xioimara." Xoram replied.

 

Alphonse looked down at the ground again. "She's still dangerous..." He murmured. It was only a few hours ago she had tried to kill Brother. "Just go." He said. This message went to either Mom or Winry. Whoever responded first. Alphonse just hoped that Sloth would leave. He didn't want to have to look into their mother's face any longer. He couldn't hit her even if he had to.

Lust rolled her eyes. "Honey, you have to let two cats just fight every now and then." Lust informed Xoram. This was becoming too much of a hassle. If that FullMetal brat hadn't shown up they would have just kept on their way. They would have had a better plan and Lust wouldn't have gotten too hyped up and run off to finish that stupid wolf off. She would feel lazy and a little cowardess if she backed out this already. They were going to have to be taken care of either way.

 

"Look at me Alphonse, dear." she said kindly. She wanted him to think there was a good reason as to why she tried to kill Edward.
Winry just stood there.

"Yeah, but not if one looks like a prostitute. And I don't mean Xioimara." Xoram said.

 

Lust's eyes dulled. "What ever happened to the chivalry in this country?" She no longer kept the patience to deal with these two. Her nails shot from her finger out towards Xoram with lightning speed. "This'll be the last time you offend a lady!" Lust smiled.

Alphonse to keep his eyes on the ground but couldn't pull his eyes away from his mother's. She had to have good reasoning behind what she did... Maybe she didn't mean to hurt Brother after all?

 

Xoram saw it coming before it happened. With speed as fast as her nails, he dodged them. "Nice try." he said.

"Alphonse. Look at me." Sloth said sternly.

 

Lust lunged forward at Xoram as he dodged her blow. She retracted her nails quickly as she stealthily blocked Xoram and stabbed at him. She aimed to corner him where she would either finish him off(That would make her life much easier) or injure him enough to escape.

Alphonse forcibly raised his eye to look back into his mother's eyes. They didn't seem as inviting as he recalled when he was younger. Alphonse felt two options come to mind. His memories had faded or she really had changed.

Xioimara opened her eyes after a few minutes. "Why are they taking so long?" She asked outloud. Xioimara could feel a growing concern as well as an anxiety building up in her chest. It was mostly just anxiety. She didn't like the silence. It didn't seem right.

 

"Way to forget about me you skank!" Ed said as he kicked her in the back.

"Let's go home Alphonse. We'll find your brother and head back to Resembool." Sloth proposed kindly.
"She's lying Al!" Winry said.

 

Lust fell back as she was kicked. She caught her breath and turned to face Ed. "You're nothing but a brat!" She exclaimed and slashed at him. She was prepared to go all out. Lust moved swiftly and briskly. She was ready to cut through whatever her fingers could get a grip on. If they were going to gang up on her then she wasn't going to hold back.

Alphonse looked at Winry after Sloth spoke to him. He shook his head. "You're wrong." He said to her. He looked back to Mom. "Brother and I really brought her back." Alphonse looked into his mother's eyes. "It's really her." He knew this was the really thing. Alphonse hadn't given up his body and vain as his brother hadn't given up his leg in vain. Their mother was really back. All their training and tedious work had paid off even if they hadn't known for a few years.

Xioimara looked at Armstrong. "Let's go." She rather ordered. Xioimara forced herself up. "They can't be far. This doesn't feel right." Xioimara said as she moved towards the door. She kept a hand over her stomach as if it would make sure the wound would stay sealed.

"I agree that something feels amiss." Armstrong started. "You're too weak though." He told Xioimara. His duty was to watch Xioimara as well as the Elrics. Even if Mustang hadn't said so, Armstrong felt it would only be correct. "You'll just slow us down."

Xioimara shot a glare at Armstrong. He was right but she refused to believe this. "I'm not staying."

"I know." Armstrong said. He seized Xioimara and put her over his shoulder as he quickly moved out the door to go find where the others were.

"This isn't what I meant!" Xioimara tried to exclaim as Armstrong ran. She began to feel slightly dizzy from the speed at which he ran as well as the height this man stood at. "Oh God..." Xioimara said sheepishly and shut her eyes. She felt sick all over again. Xioimara tried to push the feeling away.

 

Ed jumped back and her nails missed but they were too close for comfort. "Nice attack." he said sarcastically.

"Yes, Al. That's right. You did bring me back." Sloth? Trisha said. "Let's find your brother and go home." she said.
Winry couldn't believe her. If she had been brought back...

 

Alphonse wasn't sure where his brother was but he had a pretty good idea that he was back at Izumi's. He wanted Mom dead though... Maybe Ed just didn't quite know that was really Mom. "He went to go find that lady you're with." Alphonse thought this over. "Why is she trying to hurt us? Why did you try to hurt us?"

"There they are!" The Strongarm Alchemist exclaimed, hearing Edward's familiar voice from a backroad. Armstrong slowed down as he entered the alleyway. The woman that had injured Xioimara was there. Armstrong kept Xioimara over his shoulder. He did have the right mind to know this lady was nervous about his brute strength.

Lust laughed. "We'll just see how long you can keep that speed up!" She taunted and slashed forward again. She aimed for anything vulnerable. Neck, face, heart, joints. She knew that he would tire, unlike her.

Xioimara opened her eyes as they came to a halt. She recognized Lust's voice once more. "I can stand...!" She told Armstrong after a moment of regaining her stomach. She was placed down after a thought of hesitation but kept close to Armstrong. Xioimara looked at Lust and then to Edward. She didn't care much of who got hurt and who didn't. They had both hurt her. She could care less. Xioimara dropped down after the weakness of her wounds and sickness finally hit her knees. Her body felt like jello.

 

"I went with her to try to find you two. I had to pretend to be able to get close enough." she lied.

Ed used his alchemy to make a rock wall around him and his two friends. "You guys ok?" he asked.
"Yep." Xoram replied.
"YEs. We owe you one Ed." Ling said.
"Well what are friends for?" Ed said.

"They went to find the other lady. That's where Ed is. I passed him on my way here." Winry said.