Chapter 9

A Chapter by Keevan

"There's my smoking buddy!" Lieutenant Havoc said as I approached the train station. He was standing in front of the car with Edward and Alphonse. Edward had his large suitcase by his feet.

"Bite me," I said as I dropped my cigarette butt to the ground and stepped on it.

"We've been waiting for twenty minutes!" Edward shouted annoyed. "Where were you?"

"Never mind that," I said. "let's just go."

"Have a safe trip," Havoc said as we entered the train station. Ed and Al waved back; I just kept walking, ignoring the fact that Hawkeye's words kept my ears ringing.

You need to learn to respect your elders, she had said. I yawned.

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"How much longer?" Ed whined for the fourth or fifth time. I clenched my fists.

"Fullmetal, I swear, if you say that one more time you're head's going to be rammed up your a*s," I said menacingly. He sunk down in his seat, pouting.

"If you think I'm intimidated by you, you're wrong, Lucy," he said. I turned my gaze back out the window.

"Um, Lucy," Alphonse said. I turned and looked at him. "Is Lucy short for something?" I sighed.

"My full name is Lucille," I said. "But Lucille is a really retarded name, so I prefer Lucy."

"Hey, Al," Edward said, elbowing his brother. "looks like we know how to piss her off now."

"You really wanna do that?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Of course we--!" Before Edward could finish his statement, Alphonse clamped his hand over Ed's mouth and said quickly, "--we don't!" He made it sound like he finished Edward's thought. I yawned and stood up.

"Just where are you going?" Edward asked, pushing away Alphonse's hand.

"We're on a moving train, Fullmetal," I said, unable to believe his stupidity. "How many things could I possibly need to do?" Edward's ears turned pink, and he quickly looked out the window.

"Do whatever you have to," he said.

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"We are now pulling into the Genheim station," the conductor said over the intercom. Edward was asleep, his head resting on the window. I was itching for a cigarette. Alphonse remained silent as he got up to go get Edward's suitcase.

The train pulled into the station, and I stood up as Al came back. I sighed and smacked the top of Ed's head.

"HEY!" he mumbled as he woke up.

"We're here," I said. "Give me the picture of Togi." Edward grumbled to himself as he pulled the folded-up picture of Togi out of his pocket.

"Can I see what he looks like?" Alphonse asked as I took it. "I haven't seen the picture yet." I shrugged and handed him the photo. He studied it carefully, as well as a suit of armor could, and handed it back to me.

The sun was setting as we got off the train. The station was open-aired, as in not in a big cement building like Central. We made our way down the stone steps and took a look around. It seemed like a rural town, with nothing around but forest and a dirt path. There was a sign that said the town was just up ahead.

"Let's get going," I said as I pulled out a cigarette and my lighter. "It's getting late. We'll rest for a little while and start our search tonight."

"Who died and made you captain?" Edward asked annoyed.

"He's a thief, so he must mainly strike at night, Fullmetal," I said, blowing smoke out of the corner of my mouth. "Plus, I've killed many men that do what he does. Trust me, I'm right on the money with this."

"What a happy thought, knowing you've killed a lot of men," Edward grumbled as the three of us made our way down the path.

"Not just men, Ed," I said. "Plenty of women, too." Ed's eyes widened, and he and Al stopped walking. I stopped walking and faced them.

"You're a murderer," Edward said quietly.

"No, an assassin means I give them flowers and little presents," I said as I dragged on my cigarette. "You think I'm proud of what I do? I hate it."

"If you hate it, then why don't you quit?" Alphonse asked quietly.

"Because...I can't." I turned and started walking again. Edward and Alphonse stayed behind me the whole way to the town. I think they were either scared or wary of me, the thought of me being a killing machine finally sinking into their brains.

One of the many reasons I don't have friends.

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