• ❁Alchemic Scars❁ •

Chapter 19 - Waking Up in Hospital

"First of all... you may be talented, but you must remember that you're still children! And secondly, you can't always act on your own. You need to learn to work with the people around you, Sir - not including Elleah. And the same applies to you too, Ma'am."

I shoot her a small glare from across the bed.

"...It's okay to trust adults sometimes." Ross finishes her statement with a small sigh, lightening her tone a bit.

I stare down to my prosthetic limb with a frown on my face. I clench it a few times, repeatedly. I turn it from left to right, examining every inch of it. I grunt in annoyance and look to the two soldiers in the room, both now staring at either Edward or myself.

"It funny hearing you call us children," I mumble out. My voice grabs all of their attention, so they focus on what I need to say. "I admit; we aren't the most mature ones out of the military, and we are of that age. But can you really label us a such with what we have been through? Imagine what we have seen and try to call us children after that."

The room falls easily silent after my small statement. We all ponder on the thought of my words. The liquid sound of the drip to my left side becomes irritating, so I make the decision to pull it out. I proceed with my actions after not hearing any complaints from my fellow military officers and place the tubes delicately onto the bedside table underneath the drip stand.

"Sir, Ma'am!" Ross exclaims to the silence, both her and Brosh now standing at proper attention and scaring Edward and I half to death. "Please forgive our insubordinance for speaking so rudely and raising hands against you!"

"...Uh..." Edward mumbles for a moment before getting himself back together and continuing. "No... I'm the one who should apologise... I'm... I'm sorry. And I'm sorry to you too, Elleah,... for dragging you along with us."

I shake my head slightly. "No, it's alright. It was my choice to follow you two into that horrid place." I now turn to the two officers. "And I also must apologise to you two. I'm sorry."

They look at me with widened eyes, their faces dripping with sweat from fear of us.

"And will you reprimand us for slapping you two...?" The Second Lieutenant asks with a hint of worry.

"Nah. We had it coming." Edward states. I just nod my head to his comment in response and agreement.

Both adults let out a massive and overdramatic sigh of relief. Ross leans herself against the wall of the room to give herself some balance from her previously tensed legs. Brosh clutches his chest with both hands. He bends over a fraction with his face contorted into a sweaty version of relief - just like Ross.

"Why are you guys so polite to me?" Edward asks.

"Your not a standard soldier," I state, helping to set his mind in the right direction. "But your ranking is still equivalent to Major. One word from you and they could be discharged."

Edward lets out a soft 'Oh' sound before turning to the soldiers. "You don't need to be so nervous around me. Be as formal around Elleah as you'd like, but I didn't take the State Alchemy test for the rank, after all."

"And I've stated to all of you many times before; no matter of my rank, I am your equal," I state to the adults. "And I'm only a State Alchemist after all." I lie.

"Um... About that..." Brosh mutters sheepishly. I give him a straight on look, daring him to go on. "We kind of told Edward and Alphonse about you being... Being, well, a Lieutenant Colonel..."

My flat look brakes ever so slightly as I look to the mentioned boy. He smiles weakly at me in return, rubbing a hand absentmindedly against the back of his head. I turn back to the man who spoke and give him a small glare.

"I thought I told you not to mention my ranking to anyone," I grumble in a low tone. "I should not be seen or praised by my ranking. That is the sole reason why I asked to be put under Colonel Mustang's watch." I sigh heavily and repair my broken poker face. "No matter. What is done is done. Just make sure to keep my words in mind the next time you think of telling someone of my positioning."

"Right." Brosh agrees quietly, sweating profusely - even more than before.

"Oh! I forgot to ask." Edward exclaims from his bed, pounding a fist against his leg - being unable to access the use of his broke, auto-mail arm. "Where's Al?"

"I punched him and gave him the exact same lecture as Second Lieutenant did to you two," Brosh states proudly. His face falters quickly, however, as he raises his bruised and swollen hand. "And I nearly broke my hand in the process!"

"He's got a pretty hard head, huh? Ha ha ha ha ha!" The boy laughs hysterically as he thinks of Brosh hitting his brother across the face. He continues his laughter at the cost of hurting his wound. He clutches it in pain while his laughter dies down. Soon after he slumps over his knees with his hand to his face, and a shadow cast over it. "I just remembered, there's one more thing that I'm going to get yelled at for..."

Both adults exchange unknowing glances before looking back at Edward's limped form, wallowing in regret and sorrow. Sweat drops like bullets down his forehead and cheeks, soaking the sheets beneath him.

I smile lightheartedly at the thought running through my mind at present. I know exactly what he's on about, and I'm just glad I'm not him.

'Good luck, Edward.' I think smugly. 'You'll need it.'