38Author's Note:
Well, I have to say that I didn't expect people to like this story so much in such a short time. I've seen a few people speculating about Jaune's missing limbs as a result of his journey through the Gate of Truth. You'll catch a glimpse of it this chapter, but I'll probably have more details on them in a future chapter, maybe in another recollections chapter.
MM Browsing: You're shoving ideas into my head with your reviews, friend. I don't dislike it, but I hate having to tell you that by the time I read them, I've already gotten well into the episode I plan to cover. I only really mentioned Marcoh in the previous chapter as a brief cameo. This would be before the good doctor knew the cost of creating a Philosopher's Stone. I'll cover it when I have Jaune accompany the Elrics back to Resembool.
As to your other questions, the sequel is planned to be just a few weeks after Jaune left Remnant, but he returns older, with a girlfriend, and well trained in combat. He'll also have a few extra surprises that I'm still debating on adding.
You'll also see the limitations I put in place on him a few times in this chapter.
I saw a comment on the Prologue that mentioned Jaune saving Hughes. Unfortunately, I don't plan to have Hughes survive in this story.
(Dodges the trashcans and throwing knives.)
Please note that I said "this" story. He'll probably play into the sequel if I ever get around to writing it. I was thinking something along the lines of an Attack on Titan/FMA: B crossover I read recently. Jaune wouldn't return to Remnant for free, of course.
Omega (Guest): I don't plan on including anything else from Remnant at this time. There won't be any Remnant visions or the like in this story, though I might include something of a vision towards the end with the final battle against the Homunculi. I might do a recap in the first chapter of the theoretical sequel.
With those things said, enjoy this first proper chapter of Bone Weaver Alchemist.
Jaune walked out of the training arena and turned to walk down the hallway. Before he could go more than five steps, the sound of rubber against the polished wooden floors made him stop. As he did, a blur swung around the corner and slammed into him. They both collapsed to the ground with Jaune below the other.
"My apologies," he began. His eyes swept over the shorter figure, taking note of a small mole under her eye.
His unintentional target growled as she pushed herself up and brushed her short black hair out of her eyes. "Watch where you're going," the woman snapped.
Jaune's eyebrow rose as he got up as well. "Me? You were the one rushing around the corner."
The woman's eyebrow twitched and she grit her teeth at him. She opened her mouth to continue, but she stopped. "You know what? I don't have time for this. I have to report to my CO in five minutes and I don't want to deal with his insanity."
"Overbearing boss?" Jaune asked.
The woman sighed and ran her hand over her face. "You have no idea. He's always going crazy at the weirdest times." Jaune gave a sympathetic laugh as he recalled Ed's reactions to any synonym of the word 'small.' "Well, that's what being Human's all about, isn't it?"
"I guess." The woman shrugged and turned away. "Have a good one."
"Thanks, you too," Jaune called before she disappeared around the corner. "She seems nice." He turned around and walked off in his own direction. He froze a moment later and cuffed himself over the head. "Damn it. Should have gotten her name." He shrugged. "Ah, well. Another missed opportunity." He continued his walk. "I wonder what the Elric brothers have been up to in the past few weeks since I last saw them?"
A pair of boys passed through the streets of Western Central as they made their way further into the city, their respective appearances differing greatly from each other. One was an individual on the shorter side of the height spectrum, had blond hair held back in a ponytail with the exception of a single cowlick, and was clothed in black clothes under a red coat with the black coat of arms of Nicholas Flamel stitched on the back.
The other was a massive individual clad in blue armor adorned with spikes while the helmet had a ferocious expression on the faceplate. Unbeknownst to everyone around them, the armor itself was hollow, with a blood seal painted on the armor's inside. Glowing red eyes were the only sign of any life that the armor had.
"Edward, Alphonse!"
The two of them turned to see Jaune wave at them from across the street.
Jaune quickly made his way across the busy street and paused only once to let a car pass, giving the driver a sheepish smile and a wave when they blasted their horn at him. He hopped up onto the sidewalk and grinned wildly. "It's so good to see you both again," he said, offering his fists to them.
Edward smiled and Alphonse laughed as they tapped their own fists to his, their metal limbs releasing solid noises as they connected.
"Good to see you too, Jaune," Edward said. "It's been a while since we last saw a familiar face."
"I'll bet, seeing as how you've both been out of town for close to two months now. Which reminds me." Jaune glared at the two of them as nervous beads of sweat ran down Edward's face and Alphonse started to stutter. "You guys ducked out on me as soon as you could. I thought we were friends." His gaze softened and he ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "You two aren't exactly making it easy for me to keep my promise to Winry."
The two alchemists flinched at his words and looked down.
"Well, you were pretty busy at the hospital when we left," Alphonse said in a tone that made Jaune think that he had kicked a puppy. "We figured we'd be able to make a short trip and be back before you noticed."
Jaune sighed. "Let me guess, Ed got caught up in his research again, didn't he?"
The nervous sweat had returned to the golden-eyed alchemist's face as he avoided meeting Jaune's gaze. "It was just one library. Then there was that guy in charge of the mine exploiting his workers."
"So you did right and then got caught up in your research." Jaune looked up at Alphonse. "The usual then?"
The armor-bound boy shifted uncomfortably before he nodded. "Yes, brother passed out three times on this trip."
"So the little pipsqueak kept you up at night then, did he?" Jaune's grin returned, full force as he leaned towards Edward.
Edward's face twisted into a mask of indignation. "Who you calling a little pipsqueak?! Can a little pipsqueak do this?" The Fullmetal Alchemist jumped at Jaune only for his fellow blonde to perform a spin with Ed's momentum and lock his arm around his neck.
"Only you can, my Fullmetal pipsqueak of a friend!" Jaune yelled as he dug his knuckles into Edward's scalp in a noogie.
"Don't call me little!"
The surrounding bystanders could only watch in amused confusion before Jaune released Edward, who glared at him with a growl as he straightened his hair. "Ooh, scary." Jaune held up his hands in mock fear before he put them down and his grin faded. "So, did you find anything?"
Ed's own irritation at Jaune faded and he turned his glare to the side.
"No, we still haven't found anything that could get us our bodies back," Alphonse said.
Jaune's face gained a frown as he gazed at them with a trace of pity. "I'm sorry to hear that." He turned around. "Mustang caught me on my way out of Central and asked me to pass along a message."
Edward twitched. "Oh, yeah? So the Colonel Bastard is in Central, is he? What did he want?"
Jaune's gaze turned skyward. "Oh, yeah. It was actually two messages. The first was that you still owe him money."
Edward's eyebrow began to jump at that sentence. "It was only fifty-five cens." He shook it off as they walked. "What else?"
"There's been a string of murders as of late. Mustang wants you two to help him and a few other alchemists hunt him down."
"Why do they want us on it? We're only passing through." Alphonse said, his helmet cocked to convey his confusion.
Jaune rubbed the back of his head. "That's partially my fault. I mentioned to Mustang on my way out that I was going to meet you and he told me to pass on the information."
"So you messed up, did you?" Ed had a shit-eating grin on his face as they stopped at the primary checkpoint into Central.
Jaune waved his words off with an embarrassed expression. "Yes, I know." He flashed his sword permit at the guard and was allowed in while Ed flashed his pocket watch. "The other reason is that this fugitive is a former state alchemist who left the military after the Ishvalan War."
"So he's a combat veteran." Ed scratched his chin as he thought.
"Yes. Mustang has more details that he'll brief you on." Jaune shook his head when he saw that Ed had a displeased frown on his face. "Don't give me that. I only know the bare minimum myself. Bradley put Mustang on this assignment and the Colonel gave me the minimum details before I left." He headed down a different hallway.
"Um, Jaune?" Alphonse's voice made Jaune pause and look back. The armor bound soul pointed down the opposite hallway. "Colonel Mustang's office is that way, isn't it?"
Jaune grinned. "Yeah, but the cafeteria is this way. I'll grab some snacks and meet you there." He ran off after that statement.
Ed hissed. "Damned lazy friend of ours."
Night quickly fell on Central and the regular hum of the city was broken by yells from Military Police units and the shots from their sidearms as a shadowed figure darted through the alleyways.
Jaune flew across the rooftops in pursuit as he heard several hisses of steam erupt from below. He jumped down to find a group of MPs frozen in different states of agony or on the ground with their skin a bright red from their blood boiling them alive. "This is just messed up." He heard more screams ahead and resumed his pursuit. He turned a corner to find Ed facing off against their prey while Alphonse hid on the rooftop above.
Isaac McDougal, formerly known as the Freezing Alchemist.
Jaune's face split in a savage grin as he approached McDougal. "Isaac McDougal. It's been a few years since I last saw you."
The Freezer turned around and raised an eyebrow. "Do I know you? I'm pretty sure I'd remember a blond kid armed with a pair of swords."
Jaune shrugged. "You probably wouldn't remember me too much. I was more of an observer than a participant. I was nowhere near as combat-ready as I am now either."
McDougal's eyebrows rose. "Now this is an interesting evening. You were in Ishval?"
"Like I said, I was more of an observer who ducked around the combat lines. I had a different goal than the dogs of the military back then," Jaune admitted.
McDougal's eyes widened. "Wait a minute, you mean you were that brat that-"
"Enough chit-chat! Alphonse!" Edward yelled as he rushed forward.
Isaac raised his gauntlet-clad arm to use his alchemy, but Alphonse dropped down from above and made him duck before he was forced to block Ed's follow-up strike with his mace. Isaac kicked Alphonse away and knocked the mace away. Before Ed could follow up, Isaac blocked it and used his alchemy on Ed's right arm.
Edward only gave a shout of surprise as he fell backward.
Alphonse tried to take advantage of Isaac's surprise at his failure with a downward hammer strike with both fists, only for the Freezer to take advantage of his momentum and toss him at Ed.
"How?! I had you! Any water in that limb should have boiled!"
Edward scowled. "If it's any consolation, you did ruin my coat." He tore off the remnants of his red coat to reveal his automail.
McDougal stiffened at the sight. "An automail arm." His eyes widened as he put the clues together. "A gifted young alchemist who doesn't use transmutation circles and has an automail right arm." His gaze hardened. "I know who you are. You're the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric." He paused before he looked at Alphonse with a confused expression. "Wait, so it isn't you?"
Alphonse scratched his head. "No, I'm his younger brother Alphonse."
"But he's a runt," Isaac said, his shoulders slumped as he realized that his well-known opponent was nothing more than a boy.
"Now you've done it," Jaune commented from the side as a vein popped on Ed's forehead.
"Oh, yeah? Can a runt do this?" Ed clapped his hands together and slammed them against the ground.
Isaac didn't have any time to react before he was encased in a concrete body bind. "I've heard the stories, but I didn't think of this. The Fullmetal Alchemist is just a little kid."
"Strike two, buddy," Jaune commented again as Ed let his anger get a hold of him again.
"Don't call me little!"
Isaac didn't even see the concrete hand fly at him until he himself was flying from the bind. He slammed into the wall next to Jaune. He struggled to get to his feet but was quickly smashed back into the ground. A murky yellow foam splashed onto him and before he could think to use the water in it to escape, it hardened around him. He glared up at the origin of the stream to see Jaune pull back his hands, which had two hoses retract back up his wrists. As he returned them, Isaac caught a glimpse of the metal hidden beneath the sleeves. "A pair of automail arms. It's a regular freak show tonight." Ignoring Jaune's glare, he glanced down at the material binding him. His eyebrow rose. "Bone?" He looked back up at Jaune. "I guess that makes you the Bone Weaver Alchemist, Jaune Arc-Rockbell."
"Gee, I wonder what gave it away," Jaune said as he pulled Isaac's gauntlet free from his arm. "I'll take this. You won't be doing any alchemy without this, no sir." He walked back over to Ed and Al, the former of whom was still steaming over the supposed insult against his height. "Just give it a rest, Ed. I wrapped him up nice and tight for the MPs."
This made Ed brighten. "Great, so you don't need us anymore?"
"Don't get your hopes up." Jaune could almost hear said hopes come crashing back down in Ed's head. "We still have to hang around for the MPs and then we have to report to Mustang."
"But we have a train to catch to Liore," Alphonse said.
Jaune ran his hands through his hair. "Listen, if it were up to me, I'd tell you boys to hit the road. But the MPs will be on my ass if I let you go like this." He smiled. "Plus, it's been a while since I last saw you two. We should at least grab a meal before you guys go."
"Yeah, I guess," Edward said. He grunted when Jaune ruffled his hair and tapped Al's shoulder.
"Chin up, you two. We'll have you along shortly." He glanced down the alley and smiled as an MP unit rushed in. "Ah, right on time, gentlemen. We have him wrapped up, nice and tight for you."
"Excellent," one of the larger MPs said with a warm smile. Said smile disappeared when he saw what exactly Isaac's state was. "Uh, what is it that he's encased in?"
"A mixture of collagen, calcium, carbon, and water, fused together with alchemy to make a rather effective Bone stand-in."
"Cool," the MP said. "Unfortunately, I'm going to have to ask you to release him as we can't get him out like this through these narrow alleyways."
Jaune slumped. "Fine. Just another ruined piece of organic art, I guess." He slipped past the other MPs, all of whom had their sidearms trained on Isaac, and clapped his hands before he slapped the bone, which dissolved into its inert form. He grabbed Isaac by the shirt and yanked him up so that the MPs could cuff him. "All good here, then. Let's get going, you two." He walked past the MPs to join Alphonse as Ed did the same after having repaired his coat. A rattle on his belt made Jaune look down to see Isaac's gauntlet hanging there. "Oh, yeah, better give this to the MPs for evidence. You never know what-" He stopped mid-sentence when he caught a glimpse of the transmutation circle on the palm. "This circle is incomplete. It wouldn't be able to perform alchemy."
"Wait, you mean he was doing circle-less transmutations?" Ed asked.
Jaune examined the gauntlet. "No, it's more likely that-" He froze again, this time with his eyes wide. He spun back to the group of MPs in time to see one of Isaac's gloves fall to the ground. "He's got a circle on his hand." He pushed off the ground in a run towards the group, but Isaac fell to the side… directly into a large puddle. Jaune swore as a large cloud of steam filled the alleyway. When it cleared, all he saw was a shattered pair of handcuffs and a group of dead or wounded MPs. "Damn it. He got away."
"So much for that dinner before we head out," Ed muttered.
"Mustang's not going to be happy."
Edward could only give out an unhappy groan.
"It's rare for you to underestimate an opponent, Bone Weaver. I expect it from Fullmetal, but this is unexpected," Roy Mustang commented as he sat at his desk with a grin on his face.
"Bite me, Mustang. I thought Ed's attack concussed him. Not to mention that I didn't expect him to hide his true alchemic circle," Jaune said as he tossed down Isaac's phony gauntlet onto the table in front of him and Ed as they sat across from Alphonse.
"You'd have known about it if you weren't fifteen minutes late to the briefing." Mustang rubbed his eyes while keeping his amused grin on his face. "At least you had the audacity to bring pastries for everyone."
"Hunger can be just as big of an enemy as the people holding a gun against you," Jaune muttered under his breath as he drew a bagel out from his bag and took a bite. He froze when Mustang's lieutenant, Hawkeye, glared at him from her place at the Colonel's side. He put the bagel away.
Mustang snorted at the interaction.
"So who is this guy anyway?" Edward asked.
"You'd know if you paid any attention in the briefing, but no, you had to go charging right in."
"And then you had to have me follow you two on the way back out. Why do you think I'm trying to eat at this point?" Jaune asked before he tried to sneak a chunk of bread out from his bag only for Hawkeye's hand to drift to her sidearm.
"No crumbs in the temporary offices," she said.
Jaune shuddered and withdrew his hand.
Ed sighed and put his hands up. "All right, I get it already. Jaune's punishment is enough, I don't need your input on this, Mustang."
The Flame Alchemist chuckled under his breath. "Next time a superior tells you to pay attention, you might try it," Ed grunted at Mustang's words. "In any case, his name is Isaac McDougal, formerly known as the Freezer back in the day."
"Jaune mentioned he's a combat veteran," Alphonse said.
Mustang nodded his thanks to Jaune as he walked to the window. "Yes. He was a State Alchemist who participated in the Ishvalan Civil War. Shortly after the end of it, he resigned his commission and went into hiding. Intel has placed him with members of the Anti-Establishment party multiple times since then." He looked back at the group. "Capturing him is top priority. Whether it's dead or alive is up to him," he said.
"No way," Ed muttered. "I won't kill anyone for you."
"That's your choice. Your orders are simply to assist us in containing him, that's all." A grin filled with mischief spread across Mustang's face. "Off-topic, have you two turned up any leads for getting your bodies back to normal?" He asked.
Jaune chuckled as Ed scowled. "The two of them spent the last two months over towards Youswell and apparently busted up a corrupt officer over there."
"I guess I'm going to see that report soon then, Fullmetal?" Mustang asked, his grin still on his face.
Before Ed could respond, the door flew open to admit a new face. "Roy! How goes? Heard they put you on the job of catching the Freezer. One hell of a nasty assignment, but it could be the one that gets you that promotion to Central."
Jaune could only watch in amusement as Mustang's face fell into an expression of irritation.
"Oho! Looks like my timing was perfect!" The newcomer said with a high level of energy. "You two are the Elric brothers and you're Jaune Arc-Rockbell!" He zipped over to Alphonse and began to vigorously shake his hand. "Wow, it's a real honor to meet the youngest state alchemist ever. You're a real legend around here. I'm Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes, it's a real pleasure."
Alphonse managed to stop the excessive handshaking. "Uh, you want my brother Edward, I'm his younger brother, Alphonse."
"What?" Hughes asked as he turned his gaze to Ed. "You're the Fullmetal Alchemist? Sorry, I had no idea you'd be-"
"Hughes." Mustang's call cut his friend off before he could irritate Edward any further. "What are you doing here? Go home for the evening."
"No can do, see I'm actually here on official business." Hughes turned back to the Elrics and Jaune. "Elrics and Mr. Arc. I understand that you don't have a place to stay in Central, so you'll have to come with me." He reached into his jacket and whipped out a photo with pride. He beamed as he displayed the picture. "My wife Gracia and my daughter Alicia. We'd love to have you."
Jaune could only smile at Maes's love and affection for his family as he greeted his tiny daughter when she and Maes's wife opened the door to their apartment.
"Look, we have guests!" Maes said to his daughter as he turned back to the Elrics and Jaune. "These are the Elric brothers and Jaune Arc-Rockbell."
Alicia pointed at Alphonse. "Bigger brother," she pointed at Jaune, "big brother," she pointed Edward last, "Littlest brother."
Edward twitched as he gave a strained smile and pointed to himself. "Nice to meet you. My name is Edward Elric." He jerked a trembling thumb at Alphonse. "This is my younger brother, Alphonse. Get that? Younger."
"But younger means little. You're little," Alicia reasoned with the logic that only children could achieve.
Her words threw Ed into a fury which made Alphonse have to pick him up and carry him into the apartment while Jaune followed the two, laughing all the way.
"I hope you're hungry, Gracia's cooking is delicious!" Maes called as he sat Alicia in a high chair.
Jaune laughed as he watched Ed's mouth water at the array of dishes set out in front of them, piled to the brim with food, chief among them a large quiche.
"All right then, eat up!"
"Thank you for the meal!" Ed and Jaune chorused before they dove into the food.
"Wow, you weren't kidding, this is great!" Ed got out past a mouthful of quiche.
Maes grinned as Jaune nudged Ed after he swallowed. "Don't talk with your mouth full, it's rude."
"It's quite all right. Eat as much as you'd like," Gracia said to them.
Maes eyebrow rose as he looked at Alphonse and he grinned. "Alphonse, how are you going to eat with that armor on? Take it off and relax."
The Hughes family's guests all froze at the question.
"It's partially part of his alchemy training and partially because most of his teeth were knocked out by a pretty bad man last year," Jaune babbled through a mouthful of quiche.
That line of conversation quickly died as Alicia started babbling about trains, making them all laugh and return to their meals.
"So, you work at the hospital, don't you Jaune?" Maes asked as he filled a cup of coffee.
Jaune lifted his head from where it had been resting in his palm to look in Maes direction. "Yeah, they bring me on as a consultant whenever I'm in town and they need someone skilled with bone alchemy. I split my time between Eastern Command and here, mostly because of my apprenticeship to my swordsman instructor. How'd you know?"
"I've seen you every once in a while near Central's main hospital. What is it exactly that you do?"
Jaune reclined in his armchair as Maes returned to his spot on the sofa. "They call me in whenever there's a bone-related emergency or problem in general. Anything from reassembling limbs crushed to powder in construction accidents to opening ribcages in Autopsy to reinforcing bones weakened by Calcium deficiency." He turned to where Edward and Alphonse were play-chasing Alicia around. "Which I end up having to do every once in a while because someone refuses to drink his milk!" He called over to Ed, who froze and shook his fist in Jaune's direction.
"You can't make me drink that disgusting cow juice! Never!" Any further insults from Ed were cut off by Alicia's laughter.
Maes laughed at the situation before he turned back to Jaune. "So I take it you're not really a combat alchemist then?"
Jaune shook his head. "Not primarily. I prefer to serve the people through medicine, primarily because of two very wonderful automail surgeons in Resembool who saved my life."
"They must be amazing. Did they work on your and Ed's automail limbs?" Maes asked, only to regret it as Jaune's face fell and his shoulders slumped. "They aren't around anymore, I take it?"
Jaune nodded, his shoulders shaken by a sigh as he looked down at his gloveless metal hands. "They died serving as doctors in Ishval."
"That must have been hard to hear."
"It was even harder on their daughter when I was the one who found them and had to tell her," Jaune said as he told a sip of his own coffee. "Nevertheless, it is because of them that I will help people, even if it requires that I use lethal force to protect the innocent. Would you not do the same?"
Maes could only offer a quiet 'yeah' before they both fell into silence watching the Elrics playing with Alicia, whose laughter only slightly eased the pain of the past.
Jaune downed the last of his coffee and stood, picking up his coat as he did. "Thank you for having me for the evening, Maes." He looked over to where Gracia was walking into the living room with her own cup of coffee. "Mrs. Hughes, the food was wonderful, I enjoyed every bite."
"You aren't staying the night? We have plenty of room," Gracia said.
Jaune shook his head with a smile. "I'm afraid not. The hospital has me on schedule tomorrow to help out with a few of the cases relating to the Freezer. I wouldn't want to disturb anyone getting up early. Besides, I have my own apartment closer to the hospital in case they need me to get there as soon as possible."
"Well, in that case, I suppose the only thing we can do is insist that you come to visit us every once in a while, okay?" Maes asked with a smile as he now stood next to Gracia and put an arm around his wife.
Jaune grinned and shook the elder Hughes's hands. "I suppose so." He glanced to where the Elrics stood. "I probably won't be helping you guys with the Freezer case tomorrow, but I'll try and see you guys once more before you head off for Liore." He opened the door and waved back at them. "I'll see you all soon, promise."
Jaune stared down at the body on the Autopsy room table.
The current coroner, Dr. Knox, noted something on a clipboard before returning it to its place next to the body.
"Another one of the Freezer's victims?" Jaune asked.
Knox nodded. "He was one of the guards assigned to Solf Kimblee's cell at the prison. McDougal broke in earlier this morning and fried this guy before he could defend himself." He turned around to the other table where a pile of shattered meat lay thawing under a heat lamp. "That one is what's left of the other guard. I just got the bodies less than an hour before."
"If you already know what killed them both, why am I here?"
Knox scoffed and raised his scalpel before it descended on the corpse's chest, only for the blade to bounce off the tight skin-turned-leather.
"Neat party trick," Jaune said.
"The water has been entirely evaporated from this man's skin, turning it into dense leather. Unfortunately, I left my tougher set of blades back on the other side of Central in my usual haunt."
"So you need me to use my alchemy to open them up." Jaune shrugged. "Fine by me. Just give me a minute to scrub and change."
Knox grunted but let him be as he turned back to the frozen meat chunks.
Jaune knelt next to the steam-out corpse. "Let's see what secrets you can reveal."
A few hours passed as Jaune and Knox worked on the two corpses. Every time the Doctor snapped his fingers, Jaune would clap his hands and disassemble rib bones, femurs, and anything else the man found to be in his way.
By the time Knox had wheeled the tables out into the preservation room, Jaune had run his automail through a bowl of sanitizer before the phone rang next to the door. Seeing as how Knox was in the next room still, Jaune picked it up. "Autopsy, Consultant Arc speaking… Ah, so they caught McDougal." He sighed. "I see. All right, thanks for telling me." He hung up the phone and opened the door to Preservation. "Doc, you can write these two off as some of the last few people McDougal killed. Bradley got to him."
"Good riddance. One less pain in the ass that I have to write reports on."
Jaune grunted through his grin as he headed for the exit. "Don't be so pessimistic, old-timer, you'll only get more grey hair that way." He ignored Knox's grumbles after that statement as he exited. He walked past the receptionist and walked upstairs to the emergency room levels. He looked out the window to see the sun start to peek out from the clouds. He thought back to the contents of the call and rubbed his eyes. "Of course Edward gets himself injured in all this." His grin turned savage as he entered the halls lined with patient doors.
Many of the doctors and the occasional guard all jumped to the side when they saw him approach with what some of the nurses had called 'The Bone Devil's Grin' on his face.
He came to the room marked with Edward's full name and put his ear to the door in time to hear a voice familiar to him begin a tirade about Edward "needing a perfect physical specimen to inspire him." Hearing that was enough to make Jaune stifle his laughter as he realized that Major Alex Armstrong had come to pay the Elrics a visit.
Without further delay, Jaune kicked open the door, Devil's grin back on his face, and strode in to see Armstrong flexing his overly muscled physique. He ignored Armstrong to clap his hands and construct a bone saw from the shell of his automail. "Edward, what's this I hear about you taking a blade to your shoulder? Don't you know the risk to your life because of such things?"
"It was nothing," Ed managed to stammer through his fear-induced shivering as Jaune's terrifying image loomed over him and Al, who had retreated into the corner of the room.
"Yeah, it was nothing more than a tiny frozen dagger of blood," Alphonse stammered. The armor-bound boy knew he had messed up when the blade shined and Jaune's grin deepened.
"Oh, it was a blood-based weapon? That's even more of a reason to enact extreme healing methods. Looks like you're going to need another limb taken off."
"I don't need that drastic of an action!"
"Don't be worried. I'm here to save you. Even if that means I must take your life!" Jaune yelled.
"WHAT KIND OF LOGIC IS THAT?!" Ed yelled back.
"I am confused as to what manner of insanity is going on here," Armstrong muttered, forgotten in the background.
"It's just something those two do," Alphonse said. "Jaune does this every time Edward gets hurt but he never actually does anything." He shivered. "It doesn't change the fact that he's utterly terrifying when he's like this."
Points to whoever gets the character Jaune is referencing with his last line there. It just popped into my head to have Jaune act like her, so I thought "Why not?"
Reviews, thoughts, and comments are always welcome and appreciated.