~Chapter 14~

It truly was a sight to behold, the way the daytime moonlight made the snow sparkle, with stars dotting the bright blue sky. There were no footprints, disturbances, or packed snow out in the barren wasteland; just an even, thick layer of powder. Saturn continued to orbit on the horizon, watching over the world with wonder. It was a phenomenon that occurred only once every hundred years over the entire planet, transforming the space rock into a cosmic snowball. The winter wonderland however, as beautiful as it was, could only keep residence for a couple days before taking leave for another century. Once the brief winter subsided, the duo took a step outside to stretch their legs, grateful for the fresh air.

"Kind of got cramped in there," Ed complained.

Alphonse nodded in agreement and stretched out, rolling his shoulders and twisting his torso. "Yeah, it feels good to get some outside air."

They exchanged a glance and looked around with a small frown. The world was as it was, a vast, open, dried up desert. Despite all the snow the ground remained as dusty and hard as ever, as if it never fell in the first place.

"You know, I was wondering," began Alphonse curiously. "Why didn't the guy that bartender called show up...?"

The Fullmetal gave a shrug in response. "Dunno. I was wondering the same thing. I could have sworn that once he ratted us out some rebel enthusiast wanting my head would show up. Maybe the snow saved us."

What they didn't know, however, was that Mustang was on his way with murderous intent... until the snow started falling. With frustration and a dictionary's worth of cuss words, Roy and Riza ended up snowed in on the side of the road, their car obviously not built for the weather. Roy would have pulled out his ignition gloves to clear the way, but Riza decided to take advantage of their stuck situation and keep warm in a much more... enjoyable way. What the soldiers didn't plan on, however, was that between the foreplay and unexpected kinkiness Roy's gloves would get ruined in ways best not stated.

"Yeah, I guess the snow saved our asses," Al agreed.

Edward walked over to his bike and sat down, taking out his key and starting the bike to make sure it would turn over.

"That's my girl," the outlaw grinned when the bike started without hesitation. A few minutes later and he shut the engine off.

"Hey, there's somewhere I want to go," Edward said, looking to Alphonse. "Well, I mean, its a somewhere and a someone. Someone I want you to meet."

Al gave a shrug in approval. "Yeah, sure. I don't have anywhere better to be."

"It's actually a bit of a drive, but its worth it once you get there."

Alphonse nodded and sat on the bike behind his elder. "Wait," he said suddenly, craning his neck to look at the diner. "What about that guy we tied up?"

Edward waved his hand in dismissal, "Eh, I left a knife next to him. He'll get out."

"By cutting the tape with his feet?" Al protested in disbelief.

"Yeah, survival will make a man do some amazing shit you know."

"But-,"

Before the younger could argue, however, he was cut off by the loud engine of the bike. With a sigh he shook his head, unable to suppress his grin. The outlaw sure was a character...

"Besides," Ed tagged on once they started rolling. "We need the head start."

North of Nowhere gradually got smaller and smaller as they made their way through the wasteland, disappearing into the distance behind them like a memory. The blond outlaw and his younger companion rode on, only thoughts and brief conversations to keep them company. Al wasn't sure where they were going, but he honestly didn't care. He had no type of a life, no stability, no home. This kind of life, running around and never staying put... it was soothing in a way. It was like a new start everyday, a new chance to do something right. Every person, building, and town was just temporary. In that way nothing could hurt him. Maybe that's why he liked Edward, why he felt like a big brother. Sure, Edward was crude, cussed a lot, trigger happy, and a total badass. But in his own way Ed protected him, made him feel safe. He could never get over the Storm Riders incident, but with the outlaw in front of him maybe he could at least move on. Maybe this is what never forgetting and never forgiving meant? Maybe this is what shapes people into who they are- not just the hardships they encounter, but who they choose to be afterwards.

Several hours had passed before a voice rose over the wind, interrupting Al's train of thoughts entirely.

"Kid," Ed repeated, clearly having asked the question before.

"What?" Alphonse finally responded, blinking.

The red coat chuckled, "I thought you either fell off or fell asleep."

"Shut up," Al joked in return, laughing lightly.

"How are you holding up?"

"Good," the boy returned. "You?"

"I'm fine. Listen, coming up is where I get my gas. It's a bad place since everyone fights over it... territory wars and shit like that. So stick close to me and if anything happens, don't leave my sight. Got it?"

Alphonse shuddered and nodded. "Yeah... got it."

Not long afterwards the riders came upon a massive junk yard of cars that randomly and sporadically dotted the landscape. It was as if hundreds of drivers parked their cars and walked away to let them rust and rot. There was no sign, entrance, or fencing. Just hundreds of automobiles sitting out in the open, wasting away.

"Most of them still have gas," Ed informed. "We just need to get enough gas to fill my tank, then scram."

The junkyard came into view, small at first but gradually growing larger as they grew closer. Before long the two found themselves slowly weaving between rotting and beaten cars.

"This is actually kind of cool," Al mused, a small smile on his face. They continued the search for a car, wandering through the field of metal before coming to a stop.

"Here we go," Ed approved.

"Why this one? Why not the several others we passed?"

"Because," the outlaw began, getting off his bike and walking over to the sedan. He rapped on the rusted fender fondly, "This is a Royce. It was a car owned by the rich; my parents had one. They required higher octane gas to run. Its better and doesn't caramelize as quick as lower quality gas."

Alphonse nodded, watching as the red-coat popped the hood and leaned in. A handful of seconds later he reemerged with a hose in his hand.

"What's that?" the younger questioned.

"Vacuum line," Ed replied, walking over to the tank and opening the cap. "It's just a rubber hose, but it'll let me syphon it out."

The outlaw walked back over to his bike and motioned for Al to get off before pushing it next to the car. He stuck one end of the hose in the newfound tank before sucking on the line like a straw, spitting out gas occasionally. Soon, gas started to syphon through the tube and into the Fullmetal's tank.

"And there you have it," Ed grinned, watching satisfactorily as the liquid poured out. Alphonse marveled at the sight.

"That's freaking awesome," he mumbled.

They watched as the liquid made its way from the car to the motorcycle like some kind of magic trick. But to both their disappointment, however, the gas suddenly stopped after a short while.

"Shit. There wasn't much in here," Ed grumbled.

The Fullmetal pulled the hose from the car and sighed, looking around for another worthy contender. There were so many cars that they just started to blend together in an array of brown and orange rust.

"I guess we'll just syphon the next car. It's better than staying here too long," Edward decided, pushing his bike to the new car. The outlaw opened the gas cap again and repeated the same process, but nothing came out.

"You have to be kidding me...," he snorted.

It was empty.

"We'll just try another one, right?" Alphonse encouraged.

Ed kicked the car's tire in frustration before nodding. "Yeah."

Hopping from tank to tank, the two of them attempted to find some gasoline. Some had a little bit while others were completely dry. Ed knew that the longer they stayed here the more of a chance they had of coming across some kind of maniac. Several automobiles and some cuss words later, they finally found one with a steady amount of gas in it.

"Damn time," the outlaw sighed.

The gas fluently pored from the four wheeler to the two wheeler, leaving the pair to wait.

"So where are we going?" Al asked with a smile, trying to hide the small amount of childish excitement currently bubbling up inside.

"I think you'll like it," the Fullmetal replied, smiling back. "It's a place like no other. It's as if it doesn't even belong on this planet. Plus, there's someone there I haven't seen in a very long time."

Alphonse sighed and stared wistfully out into the sky, wondering what this magical place would be like. Maybe it could be a refuge for them for some time? Give them a break from all the running; he had to admit, hours on a motorcycle that wasn't built for comfort could sure take a toll on your butt.

"That should be good," Edward suddenly approved, capping the gas tank on his bike before chucking the hose. "Lets roll on out of here."

Al nodded and sat down on the bike, waiting for the elder to follow suit. Moments later the engine started up again and they took off into the wind.

"You sure this was dangerous? It felt pretty empty," Alphonse wondered aloud.

"Sometimes," Ed answered. "I just like to play it safe."

And with that they rode into the horizon, growing smaller and smaller until they were swallowed up.

"They gone?" a sultry and seductive voice inquired.

"Yeah, they're gone," a second voice replied.

The first voice sighed and looked over to find her bald, obese partner sleeping against one of the junked cars.

"Why did we even bring you along, Gluttony?" she whined. The giant man continued to sleep, ignorant to her musing.

"It was Greed's orders. The whole team was to observe the Fullmetal's movement and report back," replied a middle-aged man with a broad mustache and an eye patch.

"You're such a loyal dog, Wrath," complained a third figure, rolling his eyes and brushing aside his long, spiky hair.

"And be like you, Envy? You're a ticking time bomb of sporadic chaos. You need to be more strategic," Wrath retorted.

"Just calm down," Pride replied, walking into the scene.

"And where were you?" questioned Lust, sighing before looking away. "Never mind, I don't care."

"We are the elite team of the devil himself, the Sinful Six! Why the hell are we on a babysitting mission?!" Envy shouted, kicking up dirt.

"It's all a part of Greed's master plan. Soon we'll rule this whole world. A world with no government, no outlaws, no weaklings... we will be gods among men," recited Wrath, still looking out into the wasteland with binoculars. Envy scoffed.

"Whatever."

A low rumble suddenly arose.

"So... tired..." a deep voice complained. Envy walked over to a big muscular guy that had just arrived- and towered over them, even while sitting.

"Soon enough big guy," he reassured.

The Sinful Six, comprised of codenames Gluttony, Lust, Wrath, Envy, Sloth, and Pride. They were the top soldiers among the Rebellion, each one loathing the government as much as Greed himself. They were stone cold, calculating, chaotic, destructive, loyal, and boasted a lack of conscience. No one wanted to cross swords with them- and no one ever lived if they did. They were the stories told around a campfire, the bumps in the night and the devils of hell. Their reputation was surpassed by only one man: the Fullmetal. Knowing this, they were all to eager to find and kill him. Or at least be there when their leader, Greed, did.

"Do we pack up and keep going?" Lust inquired.

"No, lets head back and report to Greed. We've been following the Fullmetal and his tow-along for weeks now. We've watched their every move. It's time to go."

"And who the hell put you in charge Wrath?" Envy pouted, complying and turning to head back with the others.

Long periods of silence, breaks, and camping summed up Ed and Al's journey. They rode on for hours each day before finding a suitable place to stop for the night. Sometimes it was under a small outcrop of a boulder, other times it was right where they stopped the bike. Either way they always slept uneasy, fearful of predators, bandits, other outlaws, or watching eyes. The nights were cold, sometimes almost freezing- leaving them shivering and numb. When daybreak came around the duo would wake up, eat some morsels of rations Ed kept in the saddle of his bike, and take off again. It wasn't complete wasteland they encountered; some abandoned buildings and traveling nomads dotted their travels and provided a much needed source of either shelter, information, or entertainment. At one time, they even encountered a traveling merchant who claimed to hold the secret to immortality... for a price, of course. Edward offered to mug the guy, but Al convinced him it wasn't their problem if he was scamming people. They never did see him again, and his whereabouts were a mystery to them. But with as crazy as this world was, they just might have passed up an opportunity at eternal life. Or maybe not. In this world, that gift might have been more of a curse than anything.

It was a week before they drew close to their ever anticipated destination, the past days being rough and tiresome. Alphonse's curiosity grew bigger every day, but once they were only an hour out it began to explode. He had never traveled this far before, so he had no idea what was waiting ahead. Was it a new city? A small town? An inn with soft, comfy beds? Was it a new diner with delicious food? His heart couldn't take it anymore. When the destination came into view, however, it exceeded any wild imagination he could conjure up.

Before them stood a village, but not a village Al had ever known to exist. It was small and quaint, built of many spherical brick houses that looked just like giant igloos, except for their masonry composition and tan color. The round homes had triangle doors and round windows with smoke coming out of their chimneys, some homes being more of an oval shape than round. It was a self-sustained community with a lumber mill, farms, a tailor, a black smith, and villagers bustling about. That wasn't what amazed Alphonse, however- it was the vast green meadow the village sat on. It was the way the lush, tall grass swayed in the wind, and a bubbling creek carved its way through the homes. It was the way animals were out grazing, farmers were plowing and gardening, and others labored and kept busy. It was straight out of a fantasy world. Al's jaw dropped in complete and utter awe.

"We finally made it," Ed greeted nobody in particular, finally entering the beautiful village. They slowly drove past many houses, leaving a trail of smashed grass until they stopped at what Alphonse guessed to be the home of Ed's friend.

"This is the place."

Before Edward could put his kickstand down, however, a man came crashing through the door with a huge smile.

"Edward!" he cried out, racing to the outlaw. Alphonse looked at him in shock, wondering how the man knew the outlaw's real name.

"Hey, long time no see," Ed replied, getting up only to be tackled in a hug.

"It's been years! I thought you finally died out there! How have you been?"

The blond pushed away from the hug and chuckled at the bombardment of questions.

"You haven't changed a bit, huh?"

The man chuckled and smiled, finally noticing Al.

"Hey, what's up with the kid?" he asked, his smile still lingering.

Alphonse suddenly felt self conscience, forgetting to say hi as he stared up at the stranger. He had no idea there was someone else on a first-name basis with Ed.

"This is Alphonse," Edward introduced before turning to Al. "Alphonse, this ugly son of a bitch is my long time friend; Maes Hughes."

Maes gave Ed a playful slug on the arm, whimpering when it connected with the auto mail instead of the flesh counterpart.

"Nice to meet you Alphonse, you must be hungry," he greeted, rubbing his sore hand.

"Um... yeah, nice to meet you too," was Al's response.

"Why don't you both come inside? We have a lot of catching up to do."

Edward took his friend's invitation and led the way inside. "I guess I'll take a seat, as long as you have some beer."

Hughes laughed and followed the red-coat inside. "Now whose the one who hasn't changed?"

Mustang sighed and the pen dropped from his hand, rolling off the desk and onto the floor. Burdened and tired, he rested his head on his hand just in time to see Riza standing in the doorway.

"Sir," she greeted with a soft smile, walking in with a file in her hands. The... snowstorm... was still fresh in her mind, and she was in a slightly lighter mood than usual. "The president just approved your statement on Havoc. He is officially dead."

Mustang grinned and beckoned her to sit down. Taking the file and flipping through it, he was pleased to see everything in order.

"Good- then we were successful. Havoc is dead in the eyes of the government and I have a mole in the rebellion. Things are looking up."

"Even though we missed our shot at the Fullmetal?" she inquired.

To her surprise, Roy just smiled at her and sat back in his chair, intertwining his fingers in his lap. It was a contradiction to his usual bloodthirsty self.

"Yeah. You showed me that it's okay to... take some time to enjoy life. Besides, I have Havoc reporting to me, the president in the dark, and a beautiful lieutenant by my side. I'm practically a god."

Riza couldn't help but love the man before her. Right or wrong, he captured her heart. Where many saw egotistical, she saw determination and a set mind. To her his bloodlust and cold heart were just decisive actions to achieve his goals. His anger and aggression? Well, that was just hot.

"I've acquired some new intel as well."

Riza tilted her head slightly. "Yeah?"

"Havoc. He reports to the big guy himself," Roy informed.

"Wait. Greed?"

"Yeah. So as I see it. What Greed knows, Havoc knows. What Havoc knows, I know. Soon I won't have to find the Fullmetal anymore, I'll have enough connections to know his every move. Then... then it's just a matter of picking the right time to make my move and end both the Fullmetal and the rebellion."

A determined smile grew on Roy's face, a burning fire within his eyes.

"Soon. Things will change very soon."

Hey Guys! Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great time! I cant believe its 2018... Dang!

So yeah, this is the start of the next Arc! This idea came to me and I was like: "Yup... totally yes. I have to write this. Like. Now."

Hahaha! There is a lot more to this village, but I couldn't reveal it ALL in one chapter right? Honestly this chapter was a lot longer but I decided to space out the information/ plot twist bombs. Yeah, I just realized that was a dumb was of saying it but I don't know what else to call it! So yeah, I guess you could call it:

"A strategically spacing of relevant information that aids in the color and lore of the universe, designed to provide optimal number of surprises and revelations about said story."

Hmm. lets go with that one XD

With this new Arc, I have a lot planned and written out in my head. I hope you guys are going to like it! I'm already getting excited to start on the next chapter!

And... 100 REVIEWS! I was so excited! I wasn't sure how many people would like or come back to my story after such a LONG... intermission? Can we call it that? Anyway, it totally rocked my world, and I want to say THANK YOU! to everyone's support. I love hearing feedback, questions, constructive criticism, and predictions. It really and truly makes me smile! You guys are the best!

I cant wait to see you in the next chapter! Have a blessed day!

~26 Combo