The Same Coin

The Promised Day (Part II)

Winry let out a cry of dismay as she and the soldier tumbled into a heap, then the world slowed. She could see everything, but felt too impaired to react — control was evading her, slipping through her fingers. Sloth dove forward, hands reaching and snarling like an animal, when a crack thundered around them, so powerful that Winry blinked and shied away from the sound. When she opened her eyes it was to see Sloth had been struck off his feet, and the wall had been transmuted outward to block his attack. Winry surged to her feet as Izumi emerged.

"That's impressive," Izumi said to Alex with a smile that showed her teeth. "You're a fine man, but then I've already got a man a hundred times finer than you! And you, a female officer. You must be the indomitable General Armstrong then."

"Such a pain," was Sloth's almost mechanical grunt as he got back to his feet, and ran at Izumi. Izumi turned to him, grabbed him by his arm, and launched him overhead as though he weighed nothing.

"Honey! Coming at you!'

Sig stepped forth and swung on the homunculus without a moment of hesitation, catching Sloth around the neck before tossing him away. Winry instinctively focused her aura in her eyes, and with Gyo she saw Izumi focusing her Nen for what she would do next. Both Armstrongs gaped as Sloth hurtled through the air, tumbling head over feet to collide with the far wall, embedded into the stone. Alex and Sig met in the center of room, exchanging a firm handshake as Sloth found his footing once more. Was this monster truly immortal? What kind of chance could they possibly stand against them?

"He's coming!" Winry called as Sloth lowered his head and charged at them one more time.

But Sig and Alex turned to the homunculus without flinching and, in perfect synchronicity, met the creature with mirroring blows. Their combined force had Sloth flying through the air. He landed on his back, and blood erupted from his gut as a jagged, broken piece of cement impaled him. Winry flinched away as red lightning crackled from the homunculus' body. It let out a groan.

"Will that monster never stay down!" Alex cried out, but he spoke to soon. Sloth reached for the rubble protruding from his torso only to stare as his hands began to disintegrate into dust.

"Am I dying?" Sloth wondered aloud. "What is dying like? Such a pain to think about it...But such a pain...living, too."

Winry felt the tightness in her chest relax as his body crumbled away, and taking the whiplashes of lightning with it. They'd done it. She turned to the others as Alex collapsed to his knees, his body streaked with blood that belonged to both he, his sister, and the homunculus. Soldiers and Sig dashed forward to help him back to his feet.

"Eliminate the mannequins!" Olivier shouted to the soldiers who'd stayed stationary, agape at their improbable victory. She lowered herself to sit down across from Alex, using her sword to keep her balance as she did. "I don't know who you are, but I'm grateful for the help."

"I assume you've met the Elric brothers. They're like family to me," was Izumi's response, and Olivier's eyes widened.

"Does that mean you're Izumi Curtis?"

"That's me."

"So I assume the Elrics are here, too."

"Yeah. I imagine they are." Winry's gaze strayed to the window as silence settled over their group.

"Can you stand?" Alex asked, and Olivier scoffed before rising to her feet. Izumi put her hands up to stop her.

"Hold on a second. You're severely injured." But Winry was already moving toward the General.

"Show me your arm," Winry ordered, and she was surprised when Olivier complied without argument. She ripped open the tear in the uniform a little further so that she could put her hand inside and cover the General's wound with her palm. Olivier's blonde brows rose high and her lips parted in surprise. Winry briefly wondered what it felt like to have an injury heal so quickly.