Flash Back: The Fire, Age 12

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-Flash Back-

-Age 12-

I turned away from the window and looked at my dad.

"Do you know when Ed and Al are coming back, Dad?" I asked as I slid down from my seat beside said window.

He shook his head, "Sorry sweetie, I don't. Why don't we go and eat while listening to the radio."

He walked out of the room with a slight limp. He had come home like that from his position in the Ishvalan War.

"Dad... What's going on?" I asked quietly as I followed him to the kitchen.

He turned with a sad look, "Sweetie, your mother and I... We were involved in a horrible thing... You can tell nobody about what I'm about to tell you."

That's when he proceeded to tell me about what had happened in all past events. My eyes widened in horror.

"The Füher is... He's a Homunculus? Dad... Everyone... You mean he's going to kill everyone? Even Ed and Al?" I asked.

"Yes, baby girl. Now, they might be onto me, but you need to hide. Go into the celler and hide now." He ordered.

I nodded and grabbed my training pipe. He shook his head and took it from me. Then he handed me his cane.

"Keep it safe, baby." He kissed my forehead and shut the celler door.

I leaned against the door and shook. Our country was a set up...

"Well hello, may I help you?" I heard my dad ask someone.

There was the tapping of heels against the hardwood floors of our house and I heard a chair scrape back from our table.

"Well, General Howard, we seem to have you on our bad side. Now, where're your wife and daughter, Daniella, is it?" A woman asked.

I heard my dad sit down, "Out of town visiting family. What is it, Miss..."

The woman scoffed, "Lust, my name is Lust. Wrath and Father know what you have planned, so don't try to fool me, old man. All I want to know is why aren't you afraid of us?"

"Well, Lust, I'm not afraid of you all because I have a brave daughter to take over my place. You all are sickening. I joined the military because I wanted to protect the people, not offer them up as a sacrifice!" He roared and I heard his palms smack on the table.

"Mm, well then, I guess you're going to have to die." She stated and I heard the sound of blades in the air.

I drew a haisty transmutation circle and pressed my hands to it making the floorboards go to protect my father. The next thing I knew was that there was blood leaking through the floorboards.

I heard the woman leave and immediately popped out of the celler. I rushed to my father's side as he died and grabbed his hand.

"Get... Out of here... Ella." He coughed.

I shook my head and was about to speak when the house began exploding.

"General Howard, come out with your hands up! You are a suspected traitor of our country and are to be interrogated in Central!" Someone yelled.

"This... Is what they are doing, darling. Be... safe." Were my father's last words.

What happened next was so terrifying I'm not repeating it again. You can look back to the first chapter and read it then.

"Daaaad!" I screamed and tried to move.

I ended up lying right back on my back. That's when the military men realized I was inside, very much alive.

"Dani!" I heard Izumi Curtis yell.

"Mrs. Curtis?" I called back in pain.

I tried getting up again and realized I had pieces of beam over my legs and neck. I began crying when Izumi came into the fire. The last thing I remember seeing was Izumi and a military man working to clear the beams from my side.

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"I'm sorry, Ma'am. We didn't expect his daughter or that he was murdered before. I would've stopped the flames as soon as he came out." Someone said.

"Was the staff the only thing you could salvage from the fire? Where's the dog?" I heard Izumi ask.

I groaned softly and slowly opened my eyes. In the white room there were three people, Izumi, a military man, and a military woman. They all looked at me and I immediately became worried as I reached to rub my eyes with both hands. My left arm was missing.

"Wh-where's my arm? Why... Why am I in a hospital?" I asked weakly.

"Ms. Howard, it's good to see you awake. We need to ask you some questions." The man said ignoring my questions.

Izumi shot him a dark look before turning back to me, "Dani, your father is dead, your house was burned down. You lost your arm to a beam falling on it, severing it completely. You're lucky to have survived, sweetie. The only thing we recovered was your father's staff and your dog is somewhere."

Tears welled up in my eyes, "Wh-where's my mom?"

The military woman sighed, "I am Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, Ms. Howard. Your mother is off on her trip still. She told us to send you to Major Maes Hughes in Central when you were well. I'm afraid we have no way of contacting her right now."

I sniffled and held my head, "Can you find Papi for me, Mrs. Curtis?"

She nodded and held my right hand, "We'll get you Automail, dear. You'll be able to use your arm again."

I gave her a watery smile before breaking down into hysterics. That's the day my fater became a speck of ash.

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