Infuriating Corruption

"Hey Koda. Al riding with us again?" Havoc asked the second he saw us coming out from the backyard. "Oh? Yeah. I'm sorry," I said as I looked over at Al. Al's face was bright red. I turned to face Havoc. "Are you mad?" I asked. Havoc shook his head. "Nah, I can't be mad. Although, I do have to wonder something," he said as he lit a cigarette. "Wonder what?" I asked. Havoc smirked, then sighed. "I thought you...y'know...liked Edward. So why are you holding Al's hand?" he asked. I gulped.

 

I'm still holding on?! Oops.

 

I let go of Al's hand and blushed. "Oh! I was just pulling him over here! Nothing of the romantic caliber what-so-ever!" I said in a shaky tone as I scratched the back of my head. Al's face was just as red as mine, and he was looking down at his feet.

 

Havoc suddenly pat my head and kept his hand there.

 

"Hee hee. Don't worry, Koda. Your secret is safe with me," he said in a happy tone. As if on cue, Al and I screamed at the same time: "We are not going out!" After that, we blushed again and looked down at the ground.

 

"Can we just get to Central please?" I asked.

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As soon as we got into Central, we were greeted by a large group of officers. Al looked at them in confusion as they clapped their hands. I looked up on the ceiling to see a colourful banner that said in big words "THE ELRIC LEGEND CONTINUES". I felt my fists clentch and I was grinding my teeth. Why did everyone think Al and Ed were the same? Well, they weren't!

 

"Gentle-Hearted, Sir? Thank you ever so much for coming to the military. We could use a man like you in our defenses," an officer said as he shook Al's hand. "Well, thank you!" Al said with a smile. I sighed. "Well, Al, I see you have a big day ahead of you. I'm just going to go to office alright? Meet me there later," I said. Al nodded. As soon as I stepped out of the way, many more officers came and crowded around Al. Al tried to shoo them all away, but their voices overlapped each other. The voices got louder and louder as I walked down to my office.

 

The second I shut my office door, I felt naseus. Why did I feel like getting sick?

 

It was because of my anger.

 

Why did everyone expect Al to be as great as his brother? Not that Al isn't good at alchemy or anything, but still, they were all just...just...expecting it! They didn't even give Al a test! Let's pretend that Al didn't even remember how to do alchemy. They wouldn't have known. They just would have let him in and endangered the line.

 

Just because one Elric was almighty and powerful doesn't mean that the other one automatically is.

 

I knelt to the floor, holding my stomach and trying to lull my thoughts. As my stomach calmed, I began to hear a voice on the other side of the wall.

 

Who would that be? It's not Al, or any of those annoying officers for that matter.

 

I pressed my ear against the wall, listening in.

 

"...and just think Riza! I've finally opened the Gate! Now I can travel to the other side and obtain great things! I can finally leave this stupid military and obtain all the power I want in one day that I couldn't here in over 10 years! This is perfect. Tonight, I'll open the Gate and leave to Shamballa. The Ultimate Paradise."

 

Shamballa?! I pressed my ear harder on the wall, my stomach beginning to turn. Who's voice was this? Was it...

 

....the Colonel's?

 

"But sir," Hawkeye's voice said, "Do you have any idea as to where the Gate will take you? Do you know for certain you'll be taken to this Shamballa you speak of?" Footsteps soon moved farther away from me, and I listened in as hard as I could.

 

"Trust me Riza. This is going to be a great thing for me. After that, you'll be Colonel Riza Hawkeye, and you'll take good care of this military. I trust you. And now look. You have another Elric brother in your arsenal. How much better can it get than that?" The Colonel's voice said soothingly. I heard footsteps move closer to the wall. "Colonel...what if the other officers find out about what you're doing? Won't they try and stop you?" Hawkeye asked, uncertainty in her voice clear. "They won't find out. Will they Riza?"

 

"No sir."