Missing - Fire and Ice

Ari sighed as she sat down on the train, she still had things to take back to Central and so Mustang had decided to accompany her on their last trip from East City to Central, making the transfer final.  “You didn’t have to stay behind on my account, sir. I just had last minute paperwork to deliver to another office and a few things to pack up from my apartment.” She sighed, looking slightly tired. The day had ended late for her and everyone else had left before them. Only Mustang had stayed behind to accompany Ari to Central.

“Well, when we get there I’ll drive you home. It’s safer than leaving you to walk home.” Roy reasoned. Noticing his secretary attempt to hide a yawn, he sighed giving her a soft smile. “Didn’t I tell you to use me as a pillow earlier? I really wouldn’t mind.”

Looking up at the man sitting across from her, Ari glared. “No way, if I fall asleep you’ll do something funny to me.” She stated disgustedly.

“Am I really that untrustworthy?” Roy asked exasperatedly.

“Sir, I hate to say this, but you really are known for womanizing,” Ari answered honestly. “So isn’t it obvious you’re that untrustworthy?”

Sighing with irritation, Roy pulled Ari over to his seat before releasing her. “Just lean against me, okay? I won’t touch you.”

Sighing, Ari conceded defeat and leaned against Roy, soon falling asleep as the man’s shoulder became her pillow. And true to his word, Roy didn’t touch her once except to keep her from falling at one point as the train began to slow.

~

A few days later, having arranged to meet an old friend at a bar they specified, Ari sighed. She was still in her uniform, having gone straight to the bar from the office, and wasn’t a very welcome sight to some people. “I’m just a secretary, no need to glare at me. I only signed up to assist someone I care about.” She sighed, glad to have her pocket watch safely hidden in her pocket, she didn’t dare leave the chain out.

And as luck would have it, a certain homunculus was in one of the darker corners, watching the woman. He knew who she really was, the “Ice Alchemist” and secretary to Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist. “How lucky we are! She’ll definitely know where the Fullmetal is! If anyone knows, it’s the person who has become close to the Elric brothers, the secretary to Roy Mustang, Fullmetal’s commander.” Greed laughed. “She’s not bad looking either…” Standing, he walked over to the bar and sat down. “You’re the Flame Alchemist’s secretary, aren’t you “Ice”?”

“Hm? Yes, but I don’t believe I told anyone that…” Ari answered, giving the “man” next to her a questioning look. “I don’t believe we’ve met though…”

“Ah, well, I can’t exactly tell you my name, but maybe you’d like a drink?” Greed offered.

“Thanks, but I have more work to do still when I get home. Plus, I have someone I’m responsible for. I’m merely supposed to meet an old acquaintance here, but as they haven’t shown yet, I guess I can just go home.” Ari answered politely, yet her voice was icy.

“Why don’t you tell me about your work?” Greed asked nicely.

“Why don’t you just leave?” Ari requested.

“Fine, fine; I won’t try talking to someone who doesn’t want to talk.” Greed sighed with a shrug, giving up. That was when he noticed in a dark corner by the door a palm tree headed “friend” of his. “Well, well, it seems someone else is interested in the whereabouts of a certain state alchemist.”

Taking out her pocket watch and opening it, Ari sighed seeing the time. “Well she’s a no-show, I’m going home.” She muttered to herself before leaving, never noticing that in the shadows a Roy Mustang look-alike was following her.

Noticing that the “palm tree” had left, Greed had followed Ari carefully, making sure not to be seen or heard.

Once she entered her home and attended to the few chores that required her immediate attention, Ari returned to the kitchen, her gun still in its holster on the back of her belt. It was unusual for her to keep it there while at home, along with the few throwing knives she had inherited from her former commanding officer, the late Brigadier General Hughes, the only reason she had kept them there was because she felt as if she was being followed. When she looked at the doorway she saw someone standing there, she recognized the person as Roy Mustang, but she knew better than to trust appearances. “Who are you?” She asked her voice holding suspicion.

“I’m your commanding officer, that’s who. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” The person answered. “After all, it’s not that safe to walk home at night alone, Major.”

>“If you were my commanding officer, then you wouldn’t be in my kitchen, you would’ve knocked on my front door.” Ari challenged reaching for her gun. “And he doesn’t address me that way. He always addresses me as Leroux, never by my rank.”

“My mistake, how terribly foolish of me,” The person standing in front of Ari then changed into someone very different, thin with long hair that somewhat resembled the leaves of a palm tree. “All I need to know is where the Elric brothers are, and you’ll be left unharmed.”

“Why would I know that?” Ari asked aiming her gun at the person standing in front of her, trying hard not to show her fear. “I’m a simple secretary.”

“Simple secretary, you say? That’s not what I was told. I was told you’re a state alchemist,” Envy explained taking a step closer to Ari. “Now I really don’t want to hurt you, so tell me where the Fullmetal brat is!”

“Like I’d tell you where he is, freak!” Ari snapped before shooting Envy several times.

Falling back slightly, Envy smirked, standing straight as he healed. “Oh that gun is quite useless against me. I guess I forgot to tell you that.” With a quick movement, Envy kicked Ari in the side, causing the woman to fall to her knees.

Even though she had the wind knocked out of her and had fallen to her knees, Ari got back up again. “I’m not going down that easily.” Even though she was in pain where she had been kicked, Ari still managed to knock over the box she kept on the kitchen counter near her that held the throwing knives she had been left by Hughes. Grabbing a few, she coated them in ice and flung them at Envy, but even though she had managed to hit vital areas, Envy still seemed to be unaffected.

Grabbing Ari by the wrist, Envy simply kneed her roughly in the stomach before taking the gun that had been dropped on the floor and hitting the woman roughly with it to knock her unconscious. Picking up the unconscious woman, Envy quickly hurried out of the house.

Unfortunately for Envy, Greed caught up before he had gotten too far. “What’re you doing to the poor girl there, Abomination?” He asked. “She doesn’t belong to you.”

“I have orders to find the location of Fullmetal and his tin can. And this girl here knows exactly where they are.” Envy answered, still holding Ari over his shoulder. “Why are you concerned? It’s not like she belongs to you either.”

“Same reason as you, only I’m just out for myself.” Greed laughed making sure to stay in Envy’s way. “Besides, you should know by now that I’m obsessed with things that don’t belong to me.”

“This girl definitely isn’t yours, Greed, she belongs to the Flame.” Envy explained with a laugh.

~

As she awoke, Ari realized she wasn’t home, as well as the fact something was lurking in the darkness of the room she was in. Unfortunately, Ari hadn’t even had a chance to try to figure out what had happened before a tall man wearing a vest with a fur collar loomed in close. Gasping with shock, she tried to stand up only to find herself falling over, the chair she had woken in clattering to the floor as well with her since her wrists were bound to the arms. Opening her mouth to scream, the man covered her mouth with his hand.

“Now, now, miss Ice Alchemist. I’m not going to hurt you; I just have a few questions for you.” He explained with a grin. “But first I’ll introduce myself. I’m Greed, a homunculus, I’m sure you’ve heard of us from those reports you read.”

“If you mean Edward Elric’s report about Lab 5…” Ari started with a glare. Ed’s drawings were crude, but they were close enough that Ari could make out that he was one of the ones drawn. “What do you want with me? And where am I?”

“I just want to explain a little about myself along with trying to lure that runt here. It seems the Fullmetal boy cares enough about you to stay with you instead of in the military dorms.” Greed explained having found out about the few times Edward and Alphonse had stayed at Ari’s house.

“Only because Edward couldn’t stand the hospital and wanted access to my personal library of books on alchemy.” Ari answered sharply. “Besides, you’re the man I met in the bar…the one who knew I was the Ice Alchemist even though not many people know me. Now tell me where I am!”

“Relax; you’re still in Central, just in an abandoned warehouse.” Greed sighed. “Though someone’s bound to realize you’re missing by now.”

“Only that damned Colonel, and only because he wants me to do his paperwork.” Ari sighed. “Other than that, he doesn’t care.”

“I see it differently from you; to him you’re a precious posession. I’m greedy as hell, and obsessed with things that don’t belong to me. Which include you,” Greed explained.

“I belong to no one! I am not a posession to be fought over!” Ari snapped sharply before grimacing as she fell once more while trying to stand. “Untie me! I’m of no use to you.”

“Maybe later, for now, go back to sleep.” Greed chuckled putting a cloth over Ari’s nose and mouth. “I might let them have you for a decent ransom later.”

At first she had tried to struggle against the strong grip of the homunculus, but as she had breathed in enough of the chemical that had been placed on the cloth, she soon stopped struggling as she fell asleep, the chloroform taking effect.