An Elric Cat-astrophie!

Cat up in a situation!

Over the past week or two he'd spent as a cat he had gotten used to waking up in Genevieve's warm embrace so it was a nasty surprise for him to wake up shivering slightly and feel reasonably uncomfortable. Upon opening his eyes he realised the reason for this was because Al had held him as he'd slept. Well, that explained his grumpy mood and stiff joints. "Al?" he yawned his brother's name, his little fangs glistening in the new morning light. "Yes?" Al replied as he watched Ed stretch and come around. "Let's grab breakfast to go hmm?" he said, jumping from his brother's arms. Al nodded and got up, dusted down his loin cloth to get the creases out (brought about by sitting still all night) and helped to get the cat up and dressed then lead it downstairs.

Roy was already waiting in the kitchen with madam Christmas. He smiled weakly at them and the brothers nodded a 'good morning' back. "Do you have time for breakfast?" Madam Christmas asked. Roy shook his head and put his now empty coffee mug down, "Afraid its 'to go' today." He told her as he went to go get his coat and boots on. She nodded and started to quickly put some breakfast together for Roy and the one she thought was Ed then handed the bag to Al. "Thank you." Al said as Roy called for them to get moving. "It's nothing. Take care now and I hope you catch that girl." Madam Christmas said with a smile as Al left with a slight bow, leading the cat in Ed's body and carrying the breakfast as the cat padded after them. Roy was already stood outside by a black car. It was strange seeing him in casual attire as apposed to his military uniform. Al couldn't help but stare but Roy snapped, "Come on, get a wriggle on." as he got into the drivers seat. "He's been talking to Genevieve too much." Al heard his big brother mutter and he had to agree as Al got into the back with 'Ed' while the 'cat' got into the passenger side of Roy's car. "So, where's this from?" Ed asked as Al fastened his seat belt. "Borrowed it from HQ, naturally. Well, Major Armstrong more specifically." Roy replied as he started the car and they set off.

"In the glove box is a map, Ed, can you get it?" Roy asked, keeping his eyes on the road. Ed frowned, thinking it was stupid to ask 'if he could' since he was a cat and it wasn't that impossible but he kept from saying anything and opened the compartment to retrieve it. He opened the map up to find their location. "You remember where I said they were going right? Well can you let me know the directions?" he asked. "Erm, yeah.... no problem." Ed said with a frown. He left the map on the chair and jumped onto the dashboard so he could see the road names and various signs and he would glance back at the map behind him to correspond where they were and where they needed to go. It was difficult but Ed worked hard and they managed to get out of Central and were soon traveling the right way and making good time... even if the roads weren't that smooth and Ed was occasionally bounced about and had to cling on with his claws.

 Besides the occasional directions from Ed or questions from Roy about the direction, the trip was silent. The cat wasn't happy to be in the back but fortunately Al had a way with animals so managed to keep it calm and quiet.

Finally they reached the little town of Trudwell that sat on the border of the Central and North zone as night fell. Roy pulled up at a hotel that had a military car parked outside and made sure to block the car in. "Ok. Here's what will happen. First, we need to disguise myself and Al. Then Ed can sneak inside. Once you're in, Al will cause a commotion while I wait out here with Ed, I mean the cat. Once you've got her, Ed, Al will have rejoined me in the car and we'll pick you up from behind the hotel. Ok?" Roy asked. Ed and Al nodded while Ed (the cat) mewed... whether it knew it was agreeing or not was a different matter.

Roy put a fedora hat on Al and a large coat and trousers (borrowed from Major Armstrong as normal sizes wouldn't fit. Roy pulled up the collar on his own coat, pulled a hat from his glove box, put it on and a pair of sunglasses too to try to disguise himself. Once everyone was ready Roy handed a small package to Al with a nod. Al and Ed and the cat nodded back then they set their plan into action.

Al got out of the car with only a little trouble as far as keeping the cat in was concerned. Ed jumped out too and padded over to the door of the hotel and waited. Al straightened his suit and tugged his hat down then made his way over to the door. He opened the door slightly and Ed slipped in. He decided to give Ed a few moments to set to work before going in himself. Ed didn't waste any time. After a quick glance around as to how many people were around, all of which were military personnel might I add, he headed for the stairs, keeping close to the skirting board so as to be discreet. Al pushed the door open as Ed got to the staircase. Everyone turned to look at the intruder, all except for the 'cute kitty' who was now bounding up the stairs. All those days spend trying to get up and down the stairs at Madam Christmas's house had done wonders for his leg muscles so, although he still looked adorable trying to get up there, he managed it quite quickly for a kitten.

"Can we help you?" Ed heard one of the men ask Al. "Ah... ahem... yes.... possibly..." Al was as bad at stalling as he was at lying but Ed didn't hang around to listen to more as he walked along the hallway, listening and looking for any sign of Genevieve. He finally found it in the form of two men stood guard at the door. "I know Sir said we weren't to bother the girl because she's that dangerous... but surely she can't be that dangerous right? I mean she's not given us much bother yet and she's had those calming pill too." one asked the other. "I know what you mean but if we're caught doing anything to her we'll be in huge trouble." the other replied. "But I'm bored... and she's so cute..." the first whined. The other was about to reply when there was a huge bang downstairs that made them rush to see what it was. Ed already knew what it was and used Al's distraction to go up to the door.

"Damn doors! They're huge!! What are they made for anyway? Giants!?" He started ranting at the door, forgetting to keep quiet but, as luck would have it, someone did hear him. The handle turned slowly and the sweet face he'd come to know poked out from the dark of the room beyond. She was paler than he remembered, her hair was a mess too and she was wearing a huge woolly coat that was too long for her, but she was still unmistakably...

"Gen!" Ed called her name happily as the girl looked around. "Hello?" she answered, feeling confused. Ed grinned, he was so happy he could have kissed Envy! That gender-confused-idiot had, unknowingly, helped after all! How else would she still remember and recognise Ed's voice after only hearing it from Ed himself once? "Gen! Genevieve! Down here!" he called getting closer to her. She finally looked down. "Oh... hi..." she said sleepily. "Sorry to wake you sleeping beauty but we've gotta go!" He said as she picked him up. "Erm... I was told to stay here.... but... everything is so fuzzy... I guess they won't mind." she agreed. "Great!" he beamed, guessing it was due to the drugs they'd put in her that she didn't question the talking cat. "Now we've got to be quick! This way!" he jumped out of her arms and waited for her to follow.

She was quicker than he expected as she followed him down the stairs and through the smoke that Al had made along with the confusion of the people lost in it. Ed was just short enough to walk under the smoke and managed to locate Al on his way. Together, all three made it out to where Roy was waiting in the car, all ready to go. Al got the door for Gen and his brother then got in the back with the cat. Genevieve sat down and Ed got on her lap as she instinctively closed the door. Roy helped fasten her in then set off. Ed looked back over her shoulder and watched various people coming out, finally chasing after them though the smoke still poured from the door and windows. He watched them get in their cars and find, much to Ed's amusement, that all their tires were flat!

"Roy set up the smoke bomb in that package!" Al explained as they drove along, the three guys laughing at their antics. "And the tires was a nice little addition I decided to add on my part." Roy chuckled. Ed laughed happily. He couldn't believe they'd pulled it off! They continued on in good humour towards the north east, knowing it was something the military wouldn't expect.