Chapter 4 - The Offer

As they all unboardd the train, the air was tense. Al stood between Edward and Emma, just incase they decided to lunge at each other. They came to the steps of Central Military Headquarters. Al and Ed were able to pas by immediantly, but the guards at the gate blocked her way. "Hey, what's teh big idea?" she protested, pushed back more and more with every step she tried to take.

"She's with us!" Al squeaked, turning and stopping to try to help. Edward continued walking forward.

"Is that right, Fullmetal?" the first guard asked, grabbing Emma's automail arm. She cringed a bit; it was still sore from her connection a couple days before.

Edwards stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder at her. "No. We don't travel with liars." he said blankly, turning back and walking again.

"Brother, what are you talking about?!" Al yelled at him, "She's with us." he repeated to the guards.

"Sorry, but we need that clearence from Fullmetal." the second guard said. "I'm sorry, Alphonse."

Emma twisted out of the guards. "You know what, screw you, Edward Elric!" she yelled. After a few more minutes of steaming and throwing curses at him, she stomped off back towards town.

"Brother, why did you do that?" Al said angerly, catching up with his brother. "She didn't--"

"She was lying to you, Al." Edward inturrupted calmly. "She pulled the wool over your eyes and you fell for it." They walked inside, Al looking over his shoulder worriedly, Ed not even bothing to.

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Readjusting her bag constantly on her shoulder, Emma pushed thorugh the large crowd. She didn't know what to do now, but she had to find away home. That was what she was hoping to do by traveling with the Elric. But that plan had obviously backfired.

Turning into an alleyway to escape the crowls for a bit, she sat down on an empty wooden crate. She sighed and took out a bit of food from her bag. Just as she was about to take a bite, she heard someone slurping on their own saliva. She knew the sound too well.

"Can I eat that one, Lust?" the slurping voice said, "Oh, please, oh, please?"

"Calm down, Gluttony." Lust said, in her normal seductive voice. "She looks like she needs help." They both stepped out of the shadows of the alleyway.

Emma jumped at the sight of them, her mouth subcontiously forming the word, "Homunculi." She stood up quickly, grabbing her bag again off the crate, ready to fight if it came to it.

"Relax, kid, we don't plan on hurting you." Lust said again, extending her fingers to brush Emma's right arm. Emma jumped. "I see you know what we are. Good. That saves alot of explaining and time."

"Lust! Please, I'm starving!" Gluttony whimpered again. Lust glared at him and he receded.

Turning back to Emma Lust smirked, "You're from the other side of the door. YOu seek a way back, correct?"

Emma was a bit surprised at this. "H-how did you know?" she said shakily.

"Please, we humunculi have been inside the door, between the worlds. We have seen our share of both sides." She answered with a small laugh.

Emma hesitantly let her guard down. "And you think you can help?" she didn't care how she got back. It wouldn't back a difference, good or evil assistance wouldn't make matter at all.

"OH, I'm sure our Master could help you. Of course, you would have to come with us to see them." Lust offered her hand. Emma inched forward, reaching out to take it.

There was a sudden gunshot, causing the trio in the alley to look to the end of it. A boy, about Emma's age stood in the light, a pistol in his hand pointed up. He was in a military uniform, but didn't have the jacket on, only the white shirt. "Leave. Now." he ordered the humunculi.

Emma looked back to Lust. She smirked. "Meet us by the military gates after that oaf Mustang's promotion ceremony. We'll talk about this then." she and Gluttony jumped over the fence that split the two alleys and disappeared.

The military boy walked up to her, his gun now in his holster. "Are you alright, ma'am?" he asked professionally. Withough waiting for an answer, her added. "Colenel Mustang sent me to get you."

"I'm fine." Emma mumbled. "I don't know how Mustang would know about me but--"

"I'll explain on the way back to Headquarters." he said grabbing her arm and dragging her along. "My name is Alexander, by the way."

"Emma." she said, quickening her pace to keep up with him. "So, are you always so dramatic on recovery missions?" she teased, twisting out of his grip. He looked at her confusedly. To clarify her meaing her held up her hand in a gun-like shape and made a noise like that of a shot.

He looked away, "It's an easy way to get attention." he mumbled, embarressment clear in his voice. Emma laughed slightly.

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"You did what, Mustang!?" Edward yelled, slamming his fists down on Mustang's desk.

The colenel sat calmly, being used to Ed's outbursts of anger. His head was lazily propped against his closed hand. "I sent one of our trainees out to find the girl, Emma."

"What the Hell did you do that for!?"

"It was on youre brothers request." He motioned to the towering suit of armor behind Edward, who turned angerly to face him.

"I'm sorry, brother." Al said calmly. "I had to. It's not safe for her to be out there alone in her current condition, even if she did lie."

The door opened behind them, and in came Emma and Alexander. Alexander saluted quickly and pulled Emma up beside him. "The girl. Just as you ordered, Colenel." he practicaly yelled in monotone.

Mustang laughed. "At ease. At ease." he managed to say. "You are dismissed, Largdon." Alexander quickly marched out. "He's a bit too enthusiastic sometimes." he mumbled with a smirk.

Al walked over to Emma and bent down to her height. "Are you alright?" he asked immediantly, beginning to do an examination of her arms, legs and other body parts to check for any sign of injury.

"Al? Al!?" she yelled, trying to get his attention and get him to stop. He did so soon after being yelled to. "I'm fine, Al. Just chilax." she smiled. Then she turned to Edward, a serious look on her face.

He glared back ather. "Liar." he grumbled.

"Jerk." she growled back.

"Slut."

"Loser."

"Freak!"

Emma smirked as she said, "Shorty."

She got just the reaction she wanted. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING MIDGET!!?" Edward steamed.

"Not that I hate to break up this wonderful little reunion," Mustand said suddenly, "But Fullmetal needs to get his assignments. Your next few will just be here in Central, since you are required to attend the promotion ceremony this week." He haned Ed a stack of papers. "Fill these out and have them on my dest tomarrow morning."

Ed grumbled, picking up the papers. "Fine..."

He headed towards the door, "Come on, Al." Al went along, motioning for Emma to follow as well. She did so quickly. They shut the door behind them, leaving Mustang alone once again.

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