Chapter III - Trouble in Central

(A quick side note: eyebrow arches mmm? people actually like my work? hm. well this is a bit awkward. sigh I guess I really should explain why I haven't been posting the chapters as of late. It turned out one of me best friends whom moved away the year I started writing this had to move out of state. Since then I kind of fell out of the fandom because every time I thought of DNA, or writing this which was a story she asked me to write it made me think of her and letting go is just on the hard side for me to do. So as to that being the reasoning, forgive me in the delay. Just so you know though, my style has changed slightly over the last year or so...)

"Th-th-the m-mill-lli-military???" Dark yelled stuttering out the words. The look of shock was only on his face as he looked back to Al as if he was being held at gun point. A moment passed before Dark leaned forwards and started to continue his rant. "I'M A THEIF! NOT SOME SALUTE HAPPY STIFF WHO DOES WHATEVER HE'S TOLD!"

Al was taken aback by this. Putting his hands up he could only attempt in calming the other down though it seemed to make no avail at this point. "You promised you wouldn't flip-" he started though he was quickly cut off by the other's yell.

"I AM NOT FLIPPING OUT!!"

Before long the train rolled to a screeching stop at the overly crowded station of Central. Immediately as the train started to unload, passengers seemed to flood the platform, where Al almost had to forcible shove Dark out of the train. Once they were out however, Alphonse quickly raised his glance this way and that as if he were looking for something. A few seconds latter was when he was able to let go of a sigh of relief.

"What is it?" Dark asked raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Oh. It's just that usually someone comes down from HQ whenever we come back into town but it looks like the coast is clear."

"Huh? What type of people?" Dark asked having a slightly worse of a feeling about the situation he was getting himself into. Before Al could answer however, Dark felt a hand as strong as iron clamp down on his shoulder from behind.

"GREETINGS FRIENDS! I'm so relieved that your journey was successful and that you have come back to us safe and unharmed!" came the thunder of a voice from behind him. Dark nearly jumped out of his skin as he thought for a distinct moment he saw his spirit fly away. Without a seconds warning however he darted behind Al.

"Mmmm? Come now, Edward," said the voice again, his voice heavy but kind, "I didn't scare you that much did I?"

"Major Armstrong!" Al said, trying to hide the feelings of surprise and worry in his voice, "How are you?"

The Major could only seem to laugh, while the light that gleamed in through the windows hit his bald head and seamed to reflect off of him in the form of odd pink shaped sparkles around his crown and face. "Right as rain, Alphonse. But I'm not too sure about Edward for that matter. Is he alright?" he asked looking down to Dark a worried look to his blue eyes though he continued to smile.

The Major was an extremely robust man in a full blue uniform. He was mostly bald, save for a single large blonde cowlick that sat on the high center of his forehead. Though seemingly harmless, he had the kind of 'full of himself' look to him, along with a bushy blonde mustache that bordered his upper lip. What seemed to anger Dark slightly though was the fact of the Major's height. He was nearly the same height as Al... Maybe even taller for that matter.

'What is this? A world of giants?'

"Don't mind Ed," Alphonse started slightly whispering to the Major so that Dark wouldn't be offended, "He's been a bit rattled ever since we got through the desert. Bumped his head too for that matter but I'm sure it's nothing a bit rest can't fix."

Armstrong laughed. "So that's why you're being so jumpy," he started, missing Al's hint to keep a bit of a lower profile on the subject. Reaching into his pocket, his large hand pulled out a small tan box from his uniform. "The Armstrong Family Secret Herbal Tea. Guaranteed to calm your nerves and replenish the soul," he explained happily before held it out to Dark. "The recipe has been in the family and has been passed down for generations, and has never failed me yet."

Dark stared at the bag for a moment, before looking back to the Majors kind eyes. Still recovering from the state of shock, he took the box knowing well enough to take generosity were he could get it from at this point. "Thanks," he said slightly, the worry slowly starting to diminish from his voice, as he stowed it away. 'Like I said before... Salute happy stiffs,' Dark thought slightly to himself, still wishing the man's greeting hadn't caught him so completely off guard.

Letting out a sigh, he could only try recovering his nerves at this point. "I'll need to try it later," Dark said giving the man a nod slightly, "Anyways, where's Mustang? He must have called us down here for some reason or another."

Armstrong nodded for a moment. Dark could have sworn he saw grave look in his eyes before the bald man started again. "Colonel Mustang hasn't told me anything as to why he asked the both of you here, though I've been ask to escort you both back to Head Quarters as soon as possible."

"Is it serious?" Al asked slightly, seeming to be wondering about the same question that Dark had on his mind.

"I'm not sure, but something tells me it has to do with your findings in the South. Nothing big, right?" he asked, his tone almost becoming hushed for a moment. Al held back a worried sigh, as he shook his head a 'no', while Dark could only look to follow Al's lead. "But come, I have a car waiting for us just around the corner. We can talk more on the way there," Armstrong started again as he motioned them to follow and started down the station platform.

While the man's back was turned however, Dark could only take the chance of getting a few words out of Al. "'Findings in the South'?" he asked in a worried whisper.

Al let out a low sigh, "It's a long story... Extremely long. Oh man, this is bad. Mustang's probably expecting some long review over everything that happened at the attack on the South Head Quarters. Oh man, this is bad..."

"Well, aren't we the optimistic one," Dark said flatly, wishing Al would have given him more then that, as he followed Armstrong trying not to draw attention to himself. A long story wouldn't work in this type of situation. Who knew what type of trouble he could get Al into if he blew this for him and his brother. Talking about the last some 15 years of these two brother's life histories however wasn't an option in front of the Major whom still suspected nothing was wrong. There seemed only two options. Keep his head low and lie, or: "I vote we bail..." Dark said under his breath in a whisper.

"We might as well have to at this point..." Al started seeming to want to get another word in before they turned a corner and were piled into a small black car.

A long silence seemed to pass as the three drove along, though Dark seemed more or less like he was trying to appear inconspicuous to the world around him. However that didn't seem much of the problem as the Major broke the silence with an odd ramble, mostly about his long and presumptuous family heritage. Dark guessed it was either a way to pass time or to break the awkward silence that seemed to have set in between them. He could only slip a sigh before he started to stare out to the world new world that surrounded him. He stared however at the gleam of a reflection of Edward's face that seemed to only stare back at him with the same look of amazement. 'I can't believe this is happening,' he thought slightly before staring up at the single short gold bang of his that seemed to stand on end like some sort of antennae. He fought the urge to play with it slightly before shaking his head.

Without word he started staring out into the new odd world that surrounded him. It seemed to dark that this place seemed almost like it was in a time zone stuck near the turn of the century of sorts. The buildings seemed no more higher then regular apartment buildings lined with homely brick and stone. Still, however, what he missed was the absences of an ocean that was no where to in sight. The ocean. For some odd reason it seemed to make Dark only think of... 'Daisuke.'

"Hm? Why look so down Edward?" Armstrong asked pausing in his rambling to give Dark a glance back from keeping his eyes on the road.

"It's nothing," Dark said, still not used to being called by that name. "I guess just thinking a bit about home."

Al could only let out a small cough to try to warn Dark not to go into that topic so as it wouldn't give them away. However it wasn't a topic brought up for the car soon came to a halt and the three were piled out of the car once more.

Dark looked up at the building with somewhat of a gawk. 'All this time I've spent running away from the cops, and here I am about to walk into a military base of operations...' Dark thought to himself, knowing once he was inside there would be no easy way to get out. Not like this at least... But then again this kid Edward was supposed to be working for them. Maybe he could use that to his advantage somehow.

"He's been rather ecstatic about the transfer lately, but with Scar's sighting in the South and the attacks that's happened lately, it's gotten him rather back to his old self," Armstrong started to explain, his hushed tone gone from his voice in the powerful presence of HQ ahead of them. "You might want to be a bit on your guard Edward."

Dark looked to the Major slightly, before nodding. He gave a quick glance to Al whom seemed to be hiding the same petrified look as he did. Dark could only give him a bit of a smile as if telling him it'd be alright. 'Somehow...' Al seemed to be watching Dark out of the corner of his eyes however. He knowing nothing of the procedures here, there was no telling what type of trouble he could possibly cause.

Walking through the halls, Dark kept quite, noticing how many of the people either gave him odd looks and stares, or either a friendly smile. He could only guess this kid was important. 'Hard to tell, though, him being so short…' Dark thought to himself slightly before shaking his head. Before he knew it however, Armstrong's hand was placed on his shoulders and he was shoved into an open door.

He stumbled upon entry, turning back to see Armstrong close it behind him, as he caught one last look of a worried Al as the door shut with a click. "It's about time you got here Ed," a voice said from behind him. Looking about, he saw a ebony black haired man sitting behind a large desk and leafing through a couple of papers lazily. Dark stared for a moment as an awkward silence passed between them. It was then that the Colonel raised a bit of an eyebrow. "What no 'Hello', 'How are you, 'Why the hell did I get called down this time?' That's not like you Edward."

"Oh- Sorry. Guess it's just been a while since I came in here last," Dark said, quickly thinking on his feet.

"Well nothing ever seems to change; nothing for me anyways. Sit down Ed," he said before sitting back into his chair. Dark obeyed, trying to relax though his heart seemed to be going at a million miles an hour. Jobs like this had always been easy for him, but playing a kid he knew nothing about? The words 'what the hell do I say' kept only coming to mind.

"Being quite again, huh? It's almost like you're hiding something."

Dark jumped slightly, "I don't know what you're talking about," he said before shaking his head and looking Mustang straight in the eyes. "So what do you want his time?"

Roy chuckled, seeming to except the sarcasm. "Nothing of much. Only this time," he started lowering his voice, "It would seem I need your help with a few things in cleaning up a mess that happened as of recently… I want to know… everything that you can remember about Lab five, and if you've made any more run in with these people that call themselves the Homunculi."

'Homunculi?' Dark asked himself the word coming to mind from somewhere though he knew nothing on the subject. "Can't recall..." he said easily, turning his head away.

"Don't give me that," Roy said, eyes narrowing. "After it's collapse we found both you and your bother nearly half dead. The report you filed earlier is fine, but I still feel like your not giving us all the details on what they're after besides the stone. There have also been reports about strange things in the south, and I want to know everything that you-"

Dak cut him off, finding the chance to weave a lie with the information that was given. "Look, I filled that report with everything I knew! They knocked me out remember?" he asked angrily stuffing his hands into his pockets. Mustang on the other hand narrowed his eyes slightly staring at end. Another moment of silence passed before he sighed and shook his head.

"How's your teacher?"

"Sensei's fine…" he started again, easing a guess with the name.

"Hear anything about the attack on the South HQ?"

Dark thought for a moment. "Rumbles happen, though I'm sure that-"

"You of all people should at least though knowing that it was your teacher that stormed the place."

"I didn't-"

"Along with Le. Archer that recruited that murderer Kimbley back into the military when he was put on death row years ago.

"Well that's his problem not-"

"Also there were spottings of chimeras running an underground bar that were slaughtered the night before. Apparently the Fuehrer himself goes and annihilates them all, instead of imprisoning them and takes them into questioning to see where they came from or who they were made by. Doesn't it seem odd to you that the Fuehrer would go so far out of his way to wipe such a slate clean?"

"How the hell should I know what's going on through the Fuehrer's head," Dark said with an annoyed tone on his breath. "The chimeras where his problem not mine…"

Roy's eyes narrowed at him darkly for a moment. "Even though the report that came in said that they kidnapped your younger brother?"

Dark froze at this, knowing that he had screwed up major. What more could he say with how informed he was to the current situation-

"What are you hiding Ed?" Roy said standing up and looking down at Dark. The man was at a normal height for an adult, but it simply made Dark feel more like he was being looked upon like nothing more then a child. Darks eyes closed, knowing full well that it was time to bail…

His hands clenched on his knees slightly. "Colonel Mustang?" he asked slightly before standing up and looking him dead in the eyes. "I LOVE YOU!"

Without warning, the sound of the snap of a finger sounded from behind the closed door. Instantly the door was flung open by a fire ball and charred body that went flying through the air, landing in a skid a crossed the tiled floor. Dark stopped, twitching and slightly smoking from the blast as he tried to sit up still covered in black soot.

Mustang appeared in the door way, a heavy glare on his eyes as he wiped the edge of his lip line with the back of his glove. "Take some time off Ed," the man yelled, thinking that maybe the heat of the desert had gotten to him. "And so help me if you try to pull a stunt like hat again I'll blast you into Mar's orbit!!" With that the door slammed closed, leaving Al staring before running to Dark's side.

"Dar-ED! What the heck happened in there??"

Dark could only force a playful smile. "I bailed."