The Same Coin

The Promised Day (Part I)

Three pairs of eyes turned to look at them in surprise as Winry and Illumi emerged from the wall, and Winry was relieved to see she already knew two of them.

"Major General Armstrong! Major Armstrong!" she exclaimed, immediately falling in beside them and Illumi followed her lead. She drew her gun. There was a gray-skinned giant standing in the center of the hall, the teeth in its maws pointed and sharp. It was the most muscular creature she'd ever laid her eyes on, and was more than twice her height. A black mask hid its eyes. Chains as thick as her leg hung from its broad wrists. "What is that!"

"That's a homunculus," Olivier said shortly.

"Young Miss Winry!" Alex gasped in stark contrast to his sister's reaction. "What are you doing here?!"

"We're your reinforcements! Tell us what to do!"

Olivier immediately said, "Put your gun away. Bullets don't work on him."

"You shouldn't be here!" Alex insisted, and Winry saw Olivier roll her eyes.

"Trust me," Winry countered as she holstered her gun, leaving her hands free. Illumi drew out his needles, lacing one between each of his fingers as the four of them turned to face the beast. Perhaps it was something he read on her face, but he didn't argue further.

"Together then!" Alex declared, and he tossed a barrage of debris into the air then punched the stones with his gauntlets.

Winry watched as the rocks morphed into missiles and, propelled by the magnitude of his blow, were launched at the homunculus. They struck the homunculus, shaking it on its feet but only pushing him back a step. One collided with his head and a spurt of blood gushed upward. She wasn't sure why she felt so surprised to see its blood was red.

Olivier charged in without hesitation then, sword drawn, and Winry let out a cry as she followed her in. Olivier jumped onto a column and used it to leap onto his chest, burying her sword into the head wound like it was a target. Winry landed on her hip and ducked her head, sliding between the homunculus' legs. As she skidded behind it, she struck the backs of its knees with her flattened hand. The material of its pants ripped open and its gray skin split open under her touch, the ligaments on each side splitting in two. It collapsed down to its knees with a grunt, and Winry flung herself backward to put distance between them.

"Ow, I'm dying. I hate dying, it's such a pain," the behemoth grunted, covering its head wound with its hands while it rested on the floor. Winry swallowed hard — Olivier had put the entire length of her sword into its skull, and it was still alive? "Coming back is a pain. But then...fighting all out is the biggest pain of all."

"Say what?" Alex balked from the other side of the room.

The doors to the hall flung ajar and a squad of soldiers rushed in, guns drawn.

"Alright, General Armstrong! Throw down your weapon!" one declared. Then he saw the homunculus. "What the—What the hell is that huge thing?"

The homunculus let out an animal's cry, and Winry's eyes immediately went to its injured legs — the wounds were gone. She scrambled to her feet as it launched itself forward. One breath it was there, and the next dust and debris clouded the hall. Winry covered her mouth and nose with her arm as she ran forward to rejoin the others. The homunculus had collided with the wall beside the doorway in. How had it moved so fast?

"Looks like I missed," it lamented, then turned on Olivier. The General narrowly dodged the homunculus as it swept by her in a windstorm. Winry's hair whipped her face, and as she brushed it back she saw crimson staining the sleeve of Olivier's uniform. She hadn't dodged the attack after all.