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31_days2005-10-16 12:12 am
beccastareyes) wrote in 31_days2005-10-16 12:12 am
[Oct. 15][Fullmetal Alchemist]Winry Rock-bell, Martian Space Pilot!
Title: Winry Rock-bell, Martian Space Pilot! (part 7)
Theme: Night: A Nightmare
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist AU
Characters: Sheksa, Winry Rockbell, Trisha, Edward and Alphonse Elric, Dante, Envy, Sloth
Rating: PG
“Water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink,” Sheska eyed the ice cliff to the north, rosy-hued and sparkling in the low sun. All around her, the ground was bare and rusty – not even the scraggly ground cover breaking up the monotony of Martian rocks. An open sky seemed to make the place even more desolate, even more remote. The pumping station looked like it was about to be crushed between sky and ice and stone. Even knowing what it held, Sheska couldn’t help admit it was a welcome sight.
Alphonse glanced at the ship’s clock. “Master Izumi should be in position now,” he said. “Let’s go, Brother.” He clipped on a headset.
Edward did likewise. “Right.”
“You two are lucky that I’m the only one who can work the controls,” Winry said. “Otherwise, I’d be right there in with you.”
“And I keep telling you, it’s too dangerous,” Edward replied. “This is our problem, not yours.”
“And me nearly being arrested because I happen to know you doesn’t make it my problem?” Winry replied.
“It’s not worth arguing over,” Sheska quickly interjected, “since we have to stay here.” In truth, she was kind of glad they were staying here – while running around on a rescue mission sounded exciting, she didn’t think she’d do anything besides slow everyone else down. She waved as the two boys left the Wrench, sneaking along the ice cliff.
“They’ll be all right, Winry,” Sheska said. “I’m sure Lady Izumi’s taught them well.”
“I know, I know…” Winry turned back towards her controls. “It’s just… well, we grew up together. They’re the two annoying brothers I never had, and I was the little sister they never had. I would always tag along after them when we played. I think the only thing that stopped me from trying to follow them into Alchemy was that Grandma started teaching me about mechanical things and piloting. So, I worry about them.”
Sheska nodded. “I’m an only child, myself. I mostly grew up reading.” Seeing that Winry was still looking worriedly out the window, she added, “Why don’t we play a game to pass the time? Do you know how to play chess?”
Winry nodded. “There’s a board in the storage closet.”
Sheska got up, switching on the lights, and got the board. She set up the pieces, and they started to play. Neither of them was particularly good at it, but they were only down a rook and a couple of pawns each when the radio crackled to life.
“Winry? Do you copy?’ Ed’s voice sounded tinny and staticy through the receiver.
“I’m here, Ed,” Winry said. “Have you found them yet?”
“Not yet… but we found out what Envy and not-Mom are – Dante left the spare parts lying around. They’re androids. She had to have built them in her manor, or someone would have noticed,”
“Androids? Well, that would explain why knife wounds him didn’t slow him down,” Winry commented, still holding the queen she was moving.
“We’re going to try the next- we got company. Later, Winry.”
“Ed! Wait just a second!” Winry frowned. “Idiot…” She started tweaking the knobs on her radio. “I think I can get the background noise.”
They heard the sounds of footsteps over the radio, and voices too indistinct to make out, occasionally punctuated with a crash. Winry sighed, and continued working. “Come on, you piece of junk… it would help if whoever Ed’s fighting wouldn’t make so much noise, so I could enhance the weak parts of the signal better…”
The radio hissed and popped, and suddenly the sound cut in. “…say that your brother… than you, Shorty… I took him out...” The voice was Envy, but was nearly drowned in static.
“What did you do to Al? I swear, if you killed him…” Ed’s voice was much clearer and louder. He was still wearing the headset, apparently, even if he wasn’t talking to Winry and Sheska.
“Of course I ... would be stupid … you two alive to answer … really only needs one...going to surrender, Shorty?”
“It doesn’t look like I have much of a choice,” There was a trace of cockiness in Ed’s voice, but it sounded strained.
Winry stood up, knocking the chessboard over. “Sheska, put on a space suit. I think I have a way in.”
* * *
They descended through the pumping equipment. Normally the maintenance tunnels were only used when they were drained, but they were easily opened with a blowtorch from Winry’s toolbox. It was dark when they started, and darker in the tunnels – Winry’s headlamp was a beam cutting through that darkness. The current threatened to pull Sheska off her feet if it wasn’t for the magnetic boots the space suits were equipped with. “We’ll come out near the control room. If Dante’s anywhere, she’ll be there.”
“Shouldn’t we be avoiding her?” Sheska asked. “She has Envy and all we have are some tools.”
“Ed and Al will probably be where she is,” Winry countered. “And all we need to do is get them free, and they can use their Alchemy to deal with Envy. They were only surprised last time; they can deal with him in a fair fight.” They had reached a ladder, and she started to climb. Sheska saw the headlamp disappearing into the darkness and followed quickly.
Once out of the water, they quickly doffed the suits, leaving them near the hatch. They didn’t have enough to take the entire Royal Family back through the tunnels, and the suits, designed for microgravity, were clunky in even the light Martian gravity. Silently, the two crept in bare feet out of the room, and down the hall. We just can’t seem to go anywhere without sneaking around, Sheska thought. It’s better than a firefight, though.
“Going somewhere?” The two turned around to see that the imposter Trisha Elric was behind them. At least, Sheska guessed it was the imposter, as she doubted the real Trisha would be free to wander.
Winry scrambled away, but the not-Trisha’s hand darted out, grabbing her wrist. Sheska swung the wrench Winry had given her, but it was blocked effortlessly. “Run, Sheska!” Winry yelled, and she nearly did, but hesitated, hating to leave Winry behind. This was enough time for not-Trisha to get a hold of her too.
“Now, dears, it’s rude to come in uninvited without knocking first. You should really apologize to your host.” Before either could get in a snappy retort, she started walking, forcing both women to run to keep up, lest their arms be tugged off.
Dante had turned the control room into a regular mad scientist’s laboratory – it was a wonder that the water was still flowing. Cables and half-open pieces of equipment covered three of the walls, and, in the center, like a spider in her web, stood Dante. Behind her, was an examining table with a large cobbled-together something-or-other hovering over it. On the table was Alphonse, apparently unconscious or… no, he still was breathing, though he had a nasty-looking bruise developing over his right temple. Sheska spotted Edward and the real Trisha Elric in the corner, being guarded by Envy. While Trisha was only restrained by a set of manacles, Edward could barely move but for restraints. “What do we have here?” Dante asked the requisite Evil Villain question when a subordinate brings a set of prisoners in.
Not-Trisha tugged them over to the other prisoners. “I caught them trying to sneak in,” she said as she restrained Winry and Sheska. “I figured that you would like to know.”
“Indeed I am. Now, Your Highness,” Dante turned back to Edward, as not-Trisha took Envy’s guard position and Envy moved over to a clear control panel, “as you can see, I have four prisoners. How many people am I going to have to have Envy kill before you tell me the location of the Kepler Gate?”
Theme: Night: A Nightmare
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist AU
Characters: Sheksa, Winry Rockbell, Trisha, Edward and Alphonse Elric, Dante, Envy, Sloth
Rating: PG
“Water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink,” Sheska eyed the ice cliff to the north, rosy-hued and sparkling in the low sun. All around her, the ground was bare and rusty – not even the scraggly ground cover breaking up the monotony of Martian rocks. An open sky seemed to make the place even more desolate, even more remote. The pumping station looked like it was about to be crushed between sky and ice and stone. Even knowing what it held, Sheska couldn’t help admit it was a welcome sight.
Alphonse glanced at the ship’s clock. “Master Izumi should be in position now,” he said. “Let’s go, Brother.” He clipped on a headset.
Edward did likewise. “Right.”
“You two are lucky that I’m the only one who can work the controls,” Winry said. “Otherwise, I’d be right there in with you.”
“And I keep telling you, it’s too dangerous,” Edward replied. “This is our problem, not yours.”
“And me nearly being arrested because I happen to know you doesn’t make it my problem?” Winry replied.
“It’s not worth arguing over,” Sheska quickly interjected, “since we have to stay here.” In truth, she was kind of glad they were staying here – while running around on a rescue mission sounded exciting, she didn’t think she’d do anything besides slow everyone else down. She waved as the two boys left the Wrench, sneaking along the ice cliff.
“They’ll be all right, Winry,” Sheska said. “I’m sure Lady Izumi’s taught them well.”
“I know, I know…” Winry turned back towards her controls. “It’s just… well, we grew up together. They’re the two annoying brothers I never had, and I was the little sister they never had. I would always tag along after them when we played. I think the only thing that stopped me from trying to follow them into Alchemy was that Grandma started teaching me about mechanical things and piloting. So, I worry about them.”
Sheska nodded. “I’m an only child, myself. I mostly grew up reading.” Seeing that Winry was still looking worriedly out the window, she added, “Why don’t we play a game to pass the time? Do you know how to play chess?”
Winry nodded. “There’s a board in the storage closet.”
Sheska got up, switching on the lights, and got the board. She set up the pieces, and they started to play. Neither of them was particularly good at it, but they were only down a rook and a couple of pawns each when the radio crackled to life.
“Winry? Do you copy?’ Ed’s voice sounded tinny and staticy through the receiver.
“I’m here, Ed,” Winry said. “Have you found them yet?”
“Not yet… but we found out what Envy and not-Mom are – Dante left the spare parts lying around. They’re androids. She had to have built them in her manor, or someone would have noticed,”
“Androids? Well, that would explain why knife wounds him didn’t slow him down,” Winry commented, still holding the queen she was moving.
“We’re going to try the next- we got company. Later, Winry.”
“Ed! Wait just a second!” Winry frowned. “Idiot…” She started tweaking the knobs on her radio. “I think I can get the background noise.”
They heard the sounds of footsteps over the radio, and voices too indistinct to make out, occasionally punctuated with a crash. Winry sighed, and continued working. “Come on, you piece of junk… it would help if whoever Ed’s fighting wouldn’t make so much noise, so I could enhance the weak parts of the signal better…”
The radio hissed and popped, and suddenly the sound cut in. “…say that your brother… than you, Shorty… I took him out...” The voice was Envy, but was nearly drowned in static.
“What did you do to Al? I swear, if you killed him…” Ed’s voice was much clearer and louder. He was still wearing the headset, apparently, even if he wasn’t talking to Winry and Sheska.
“Of course I ... would be stupid … you two alive to answer … really only needs one...going to surrender, Shorty?”
“It doesn’t look like I have much of a choice,” There was a trace of cockiness in Ed’s voice, but it sounded strained.
Winry stood up, knocking the chessboard over. “Sheska, put on a space suit. I think I have a way in.”
They descended through the pumping equipment. Normally the maintenance tunnels were only used when they were drained, but they were easily opened with a blowtorch from Winry’s toolbox. It was dark when they started, and darker in the tunnels – Winry’s headlamp was a beam cutting through that darkness. The current threatened to pull Sheska off her feet if it wasn’t for the magnetic boots the space suits were equipped with. “We’ll come out near the control room. If Dante’s anywhere, she’ll be there.”
“Shouldn’t we be avoiding her?” Sheska asked. “She has Envy and all we have are some tools.”
“Ed and Al will probably be where she is,” Winry countered. “And all we need to do is get them free, and they can use their Alchemy to deal with Envy. They were only surprised last time; they can deal with him in a fair fight.” They had reached a ladder, and she started to climb. Sheska saw the headlamp disappearing into the darkness and followed quickly.
Once out of the water, they quickly doffed the suits, leaving them near the hatch. They didn’t have enough to take the entire Royal Family back through the tunnels, and the suits, designed for microgravity, were clunky in even the light Martian gravity. Silently, the two crept in bare feet out of the room, and down the hall. We just can’t seem to go anywhere without sneaking around, Sheska thought. It’s better than a firefight, though.
“Going somewhere?” The two turned around to see that the imposter Trisha Elric was behind them. At least, Sheska guessed it was the imposter, as she doubted the real Trisha would be free to wander.
Winry scrambled away, but the not-Trisha’s hand darted out, grabbing her wrist. Sheska swung the wrench Winry had given her, but it was blocked effortlessly. “Run, Sheska!” Winry yelled, and she nearly did, but hesitated, hating to leave Winry behind. This was enough time for not-Trisha to get a hold of her too.
“Now, dears, it’s rude to come in uninvited without knocking first. You should really apologize to your host.” Before either could get in a snappy retort, she started walking, forcing both women to run to keep up, lest their arms be tugged off.
Dante had turned the control room into a regular mad scientist’s laboratory – it was a wonder that the water was still flowing. Cables and half-open pieces of equipment covered three of the walls, and, in the center, like a spider in her web, stood Dante. Behind her, was an examining table with a large cobbled-together something-or-other hovering over it. On the table was Alphonse, apparently unconscious or… no, he still was breathing, though he had a nasty-looking bruise developing over his right temple. Sheska spotted Edward and the real Trisha Elric in the corner, being guarded by Envy. While Trisha was only restrained by a set of manacles, Edward could barely move but for restraints. “What do we have here?” Dante asked the requisite Evil Villain question when a subordinate brings a set of prisoners in.
Not-Trisha tugged them over to the other prisoners. “I caught them trying to sneak in,” she said as she restrained Winry and Sheska. “I figured that you would like to know.”
“Indeed I am. Now, Your Highness,” Dante turned back to Edward, as not-Trisha took Envy’s guard position and Envy moved over to a clear control panel, “as you can see, I have four prisoners. How many people am I going to have to have Envy kill before you tell me the location of the Kepler Gate?”