Platinum Angel

A Fullmetal Alchemist Fanfic

by Bridgitkiido

Disclaimer: Is my name Hiromu Arakawa? No, it isn't. So, I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or anything having to do with it. And naturally, since the title of this fanfic derives its name from the Platinum Angel card in the popular trading card game Magic: The Gathering, it is only right to point out that I don't own that either. I do, however, own my character, State Alchemist Major Avalon.

Warning: There are plenty of spoilers for pretty much post-end-of-chapter 38 of the FMA manga. Mostly what happens to Havoc.

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The weather couldn't have been more dismal that day in Central. Rain poured down in buckets, causing several stray animals – mostly cats – to seek shelter in the alleys under any discarded objects they could find. The weather, however, did very little to worsen the already dismal mood in one of the hospital's rooms, where two young military men – their ranks second lieutenant and colonel – lay, guarded over byFirst Lieutenant RizaHawkeye(currently peeling an apple) and her faithful dog. The two men were playing cards, or at least attempting, seeing as the second lieutenant couldn't get out of the bed at all.

"Come on, Havoc," the colonel said as he drew a card and put it in his hand, frowning. "Don't be so down in the dumps. After all, your mood affects your performance and thus my standing. Got any threes?"

Havoc grunted slightly, handing his three of spades over to the colonel, who paired it up with a three of clubs from his own hand and set them on the table. "It's not as though my performance could be better than it is, what with my condition and all. I'm probably going to be confined to a bed the rest of my life because of this." He looked down at his paralyzed legs and sighed. "And I was looking forward to the real perks of life, too. Getting a pretty wife, having a few kids… but now, there's not a girl out there who'd even consider dating me."

"Don't be silly, Havoc," the first lieutenant stated in her usual dead-pan way, attempting to console him. "Women like brave men, especially war heroes. As soon as word gets out about this, girls will flock to your side, tending to your injuries."

"Please don't try to cheer me up. I know that any girl who comes in here to tend injuries is either a married nurse or in love with the Colonel. And don't deny it, sir, because it seems as though every girl I get ends up being drawn to you."

"Utter coincidences, I assure you," the Colonel stated, attempting to not look amused. "Got any queens?"

"Of course I do, it's the last pair of the game," Havoc stated, handing his Queen of Diamonds card over to his opponent.

The Colonel placed it on the table with his Queen of Spades, then stretched tiredly and said, "I win again. Although, you don't seem to be trying too hard, Havoc. Maybe we should take a break."

"Fine by me," Havoc said, lowering his upper body back onto his bed.

The three officers remained quiet for a few minutes, Riza continuing to peel her apple, Havoc attempting to bury his head in his pillow, and the colonel just laying there. The silence was broken, however, by Black Hayate suddenly noticing someone outside the door. He barked twice to announce the new person's arrival.

Riza stood up on impulse and, without a second's hesitation, pulled out her gun, pointing it toward the door. "Who's there?" she called to them. Havoc didn't look up, although the colonel looked lazily toward the door.

"Um, if this is a bad time, I can always come back later," the person in the door said quietly, stepping inside to reveal herself to be a young woman sporting a knit blue sweater and pair of white gloves, as well as a relatively long black skirt. The glint of a silver pocket watch shone on her side, although it was hard to see since her arms hardly moved at all to prevent it from being covered up.

The colonel took one glance at the girl and smirked with his usual smirk. "Stand down, Lieutenant Hawkeye. This is Major Avalon, a State Alchemist previously working in investigations under Lieutenant Colonel Hughes... well,while he was still a Lieutenant Colonel. Although I have no idea what a busy Major such as herself would be doing here, visiting wounded soldiers." Hawkeye lowered her gun just a little bit.

"So, Major," the colonel stated. "I hear that you were helping to investigate the death of Brigadier General Hughes. Have you made any new progress?"

"I'm sorry, Colonel Mustang sir," Avalon replied, "but even if I was permitted by the higher-ups to speak to anyone on this matter, I have not been investigating for a while due to my... accident."

"Ah, yes," Hawkeye said, putting her gun away. "I heard about you. From what I heard, you were helping a small group of Ishballan refugees to a new camp when a freak accident caused you to become paralyzed in just your arms, with no nerves left to attach auto mail to. Hmm, sort of like Havoc here, who's now unable to move his legs." Havoc looked up slightly

Avalon nodded, her limp arms waving slightly. "I've actually been here for a while, recovering from the shock, as well as teaching myself a new type of alchemy to help me at least utilize a sort of replacement." She tapped her right foot, and a small shaft of metal formed from her back, creating the metallic form of a thin arm in a saluting position. "Transmutation circles in my shoes let me transform the metal plate on my back into arm-like substitutes, so that I can at least utilize something similar to them. I'm still not perfect at it though, and it takes a lot of energy to do, so I can't do it too much without resting. I sort of envy Havoc there, because although he can't move his legs, he could still utilize some sort of chair with wheels to get around. He, at least, can move his arms easily still, so that he can affect things even if he can't easily move there to do it."

Havoc blinked once or twice. Was he hearing this right?

"Well," Avalon stated, turning toward the door, "I've been here long enough. Good luck with your recovery, both of you." She began to leave.

"Wait, Major!" Havoc said, sitting up abruptly in his bed.

"Yes?" Avalon said, turning toward the Second Lieutenant.

"Um, I was just wondering," Havoc said, slightly blushing as he realized how pretty the Major actually was. "What's your State Alchemist title? Like how the Colonel is the Flame Alchemist?"

Avalon blushed slightly and walked over to him, tapping her heel to the ground softly to form a pseudo-arm reaching out toward the Second Lieutenant, saying, "I'll give you a hint." She tapped her foot again and created a small package-like object in her hand, which Havoc took. The Major then smiled sweetly and walked back toward the door.

Mustang only took one moment to assess the situation before realizing exactly what had just happened. In the mood to tease his subordinate, he asked, "Hey Major, would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight?"

Avalon turned toward the colonel, her face not as happy as it had been a moment ago, and stated, "I'm sorry, Colonel Mustang sir, but I must refuse. My parents and I are having dinner tonight, as we've had planned for two months already. Besides, you're still too weak to go out, correct?" She then departed.

"The Major's right," Hawkeye stated, slicing her apple into quarters and, walking over to Mustang's bed, shoving one slice into the colonel's mouth. "You've both got to get better first."

Havoc, with a slight bit of relief that Avalon had not accepted the Colonel's seductive proposal, took a moment to open the package. Inside was a small pendant, with a charm of pure platinum in the shape of a single downy feather.

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Author's Note: Well, this is a lot of firsts for me. 'Tis my first Fullmetal Alchemist fic, my first one-shot, and my first attempt at a pairing fic. Oh, and my firstupdate in around three months! See, I'm not dead yet! Well, read and review please! If you flame, all right, but beware my wrath!

Havoc: Anime or Manga Wrath?

...Um... both? -ahem- Either way, Imean this fic to be a one shot, so I doubt I'll be continuing it unless I get a really big response from readers asking me to either continue or make a sequel. So... um... yeah. I'll stop rambling now.