• ❁Alchemic Scars [Editing]❁ •

Chapter 6 - Scar

(the art above does not belong to me!!)

Chapter 6 - Scar

I open the dark-wood door to the study and walk inside. I hear it creek closed and latch behind me. Now, I'm left in silence to take in the environment. It's obvious whose side of the office is whose as the Lieutenant Colonel's is plastered with photos of his baby Elicia and his wife, Gracia. I can be spotted here and there in the pictures as a background character. And it's not that unexpected as I dislike being centre stage, especially when it comes to getting a photo taken. There are papers piled miles high on his desk. They clutter the space and make the place look untidy. On the back of his desk chair is rested a spare, military jacket, put there just in case he or I need a new one.

My side of the room is entirely different from my father's; barren and bleak. The bare minimums are all to be seen on that side of the office. There is a small, wooden desk, topped with a lamp, a few pieces of stationery, and a metal tray meant for paperwork, currently sporting no such things. There is a simple desk chair behind it, a large filing cabinet behind that and a small coat rack to the side for the use of jackets, scarfs or hats when needed.

I don't often use this office for any work. Although the other officers are rowdy and irritating at times, I find it easier to work when around them. It gives me some way of humbling myself and, allowing those of lower ranks to be my guides. But I don't hold them as such regardless, as I feel to be one of their rankings and nothing higher.

I walk closer to Hughes' clutter of a desk and pick up an average-sized frame. Inside sits a photo of our family, one with me included. I smile ever so slightly at the thought of that happy day. Mother could barely keep Elicia still to get the photo taken. Maes tried so hard to hold her down but ended up getting a few hits to the face and gut in the process. All I did was stand to the side, enjoying every moment of the scene that played out before me.

I place the frame down next to a piece of paper, one not like all the rest. Unfortunately for my curiosity, the writing on it sticks out like a saw thumb. It appears to be a simple case file of a suspect in a murder, but every photo on top of the paper is blurred or seemingly tried to be taken while keeping up with the guy. The document is entitled to "Scar".

Not wanting to get too into something I shouldn't, I place the paper back down exactly how I found it and walk over to my side of the office.

-

A few hours of tedious paperwork later - all taken from Hughes' desk - the office door bursts open. Through it comes a panting Colonel and flustered Lieutenant Colonel. They look wildly around for something with panic in their eyes. As soon and Maes spots me from my desk in the room, he dashes over and embraces me. He mumbles incoherent words, his face stuffed into my hair.

I manoeuvre away slightly so I can peer over his arm and at Mustang.

"What's going on?" I ask.

He walks over to us to place a hand upon my head. He smiles in relief before turning to Maes.

"There's no time to lose," he warns, no explanation given. "She's safe, but the other two aren't."

Without another word, Maes pulls away from the hug, grabs my arm and pulls me from my desk. We run all the way to a car outside of the Central building and hop in. Roy says he'll explain on the road.

-

When we stop at our destination, and the two men have informed me of our situation, I immediately jump out of the car along with Mustang. Hughes, as always, stays inside the safety of the vehicle.