A/N: Another delay in the updating; I deeply apologise. All I can say is that school stressed me out, real life interfered, writer's block is a bitch and the plot is thickening.

Yes, the plot is thickening. There will be a lot of development in this chapter, and very little interaction between our couple. I promise it will be more soon, I just need to let the story advance properly, okay? Again, so sorry!

I hope you'll like this update :)

PS!! Sorry for any typos!

Prove Yourself

Chapter 11: Beginnings

Alphonse sighed, as well as an armour can, and shook his helmet-head in defeat. His brother was finally out of the hospital, and he should be overjoyed to be out of that white, sterile building. But as fate would have it, this was not the case. Apparently the Colonel had done something to indicate that there was something wrong, while being an ass doing it.

According to Ed, anyway.

But then again, his brother had spent a great amount of time within the same building as the Colonel and Alphonse was slightly surprised to find the hospital still in one piece. The only thing assuring him there was nothing to worry about, was the relieved look on the nurses' faces when he came to pick his older brother up (what a twisted way to view it, he mused).

However, the fact that the Colonel had yet to contact them to – in Ed's case – explain what was going on had landed them in the situation they were in now. Sitting on the very same bench in the park of Central that they had used a few days ago, Alphonse and Edward Elric were arguing about what to do next.

"I still say we try and look him up, Al," Ed said, repeating his previous suggestion. The armour seemed to lose some of its rigidness as another sigh was released.

"Brother, I really don't think that's a good idea. Whatever the Colonel is doing, I'm sure there's a reason to back it up. And no, I don't think it's just to annoy you brother, really. We should go to Hughes-san and get updated on the Ackerly case. We're still on it, remember?" he replied, titling his head a bit to get a better view of the shorter teen. Humph'ing, Edward crossed his arms over his chest. Al had a point, and he hated it. All he wanted to do was to run to that bastard Mustang and kick his ass. After the time in the hospital, you'd think he would at least call or send someone to…to do whatever it is officers in command do. Well, okay, so maybe Mustang didn't really have a reason to contact him and his brother, but still…

"Alright," he finally agreed through gritted teeth, jumping up from the bench and briskly striding down the path leading to the main road. Alphonse followed quietly, and if he were human, he would've smiled. It was quite obvious what Edward wanted to do, and where he wanted to go, and even why. He was concerned, and Al would be lying if he said he wasn't either. Edward's verbal abusing of the older Alchemist was mostly unfair and just plain rude, but there were some truth in his accusations. Roy Mustang was good at manipulating, he wanted to climb in ranks, he knew how the Military worked and he had a mean streak in his humor. But he was an intelligent man, and kind in his own way. He cared for and trusted his friends and subordinates, and although he must've had an ulterior motive the Colonel had still helped two young children into the Military while keeping their darkest secret. From what Alphonse could gather, the Colonel was the main reason as to why they had been able to get this far already. So when the man famous for his stoic ways let on to Ed that something was wrong, then you should not overlook it. They owe him enough already, and Alphonse had grown quite fond of the Colonel. Fond enough to worry about his welfare now and then (well, whenever situations like these occurred. Mustang rarely let on what dangers could ensure and thus kept whatever worry he would cause at a minimum).

"So," Ed said, breaking into his brother's silent musings (funny how he'd learned to read an armor's behavior), "what do we got about Ackerly?"

"Well, the partner he was seen with during the last breach of the Military's security has been identified as Baxter Wilson. The weapons found by the train station had his and Ackerly's fingerprints. It seems like Ackerly was the one who shot the Colonel, but Baxter Wilson got away since the Colonel pretty much barbequed Ackerly," Al replied, pausing to title his head in thought. "Hm, you didn't know that, did you brother? The report came from the lab only a few days ago."

"What the hell Al?! No, I didn't know!" the shorter one exclaimed, narrowly avoiding bumping into an old lady walk slowly down the street. "How come you didn't tell me earlier?!"

"It didn't seem too important brother," Al tried to soothe, knowing he'd made a mistake about not telling Ed earlier, but really… "Besides, you hardly gave me a chance to; ranting about the Colonel and whatnot."

Edward had the grace to look guilty, but quickly shook his head and replaced it with a frown. "There's something fishy about this Al. Ackerly tried to gather information about the military, and even attacked a State Alchemist. Either he was desperate, or there is something more to this. And Wilson is still on the loose."

Al nodded, confirming his brother's speculation. He felt uneasy; too much was missing…and then Ed spoke up again. "What bothers me the most is the amateurish way all this was conducted. It's as if…it's as if they were acting on their own agenda, yet not really…"

"Could someone be using them?" Al asked, meeting his brother's thoughtful gaze. "Many disapprove of the military, and it would be easy to manipulate some into action. Don't you think, brother?"

"Yeah, you've got a point, " Ed agreed, looking down on the ground with another frown. Suddenly, he stopped in his slow strides and his eyes widened before his head snapped up to meet Al's glowing stare. "In fact, it would be incredibly useful."

It was bright. Large windows, an expensive looking desk, shelves heavy with documents and folders. The carpet covering the whole floor a deep red, fluffy and soft to walk on, was stainless. A black leather couch, a glass table and a matching leather armchair grazed the middle of the room; for unexpected visits and important meetings not fit for the place before his desk.

Roy had to admit, that it was pretty impressive.

It was larger and decorated with much more expensive and fine things, but it lacked the certain feeling of…warmth…that his old office had held these last few years. He blamed it on the new weight on his shoulders and the uneasy feeling in his gut; being closer to the enemy than he had anticipated this early on. Closing his eyes briefly, he took time to compose himself. The meeting had left him deep in thought, and although he now knew what to do, he was far from an acceptable solution. For now, all he could and would do was to follow orders. The leak in the Military came first, but he would handle it as a minor priority. It was better done in secrecy. What would officially be his case, as the papers given to him by the Führer had said, was solely the one his only trustworthy subordinate was currently working on; Ackerly. Although the man was dead by his hand, the annoying sidekick was yet to be found. He would have to work with Fullmetal on this, and he wasn't looking forward to. After his slip-up in the hospital, he had a feeling it would be even harder to be around the blonde than before. But this was no time to ponder on such things, he mused with a frown. He would just have to make sure they interacted as little as possible.

It was a good thing Maes were in this too; he would act as a great middleman. Not to mention his skills in finding hidden information would be a blessing in this case. With this in mind, Roy turned and left his office without a backwards glace; making his way to the investigation department. One of the more positive things of being transferred back to Central was to be so close to his friend once again.

He did not look forward to the more frequent attacks of photos and silly stories though, no matter how relieving it sometimes was to know not everything was tainted in this world.

oOo

"Aww, but Gracia-chaaan, I was just--oh, but you know--well, would you..?--Graciaaa!" a familiar voice whined through the door before him, and Roy didn't even bother to knock as he opened it and stepped through; the scene meeting him being one he'd seen countless times. Leaning, almost lying, on the desk was Maes Hughes; clutching the telephone close to his ear and mouth while sporting a huge pout.

"I just wanted to--to know if you were--Graciaaa listen to your loving husband!"

Roy resisted the urge to roll his eyes, silently sending Gracia a pat on the back for being able to live with that man. He remembered his days as a soldier, and he clearly recalled the times he'd shared the same room or tent with the man behind the desk and he was not exactly missing it.

"Okay, okay, sweetie, yeah--yeah I know--yeah? That sounds great darling! Yes, yes of course--oh, I will! See, Roy's here hun'--yeah, he says hello, uh-huh, see you tonight!" and with that, Maes hung up; smiling and sighing as if he'd just gotten married…again. Roy took a few more steps, till he was standing right before him, and raised a brow.

"I thought you had promised not to call so frequently during your working hours, Maes," he remarked, reaching out for one of the chairs already placed in front of the desk and taking a seat. Maes giddy expression slowly faded till it was just a charming grin, as he mock-saluted.

"Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes at your service, Brigadier General Roy Mustang!"

Roy frowned, eyes narrowing in suspicion as he chose to ignore the taunt. "How did you know of my promotion? It only happened a few hours ago."

The bespectacled man's grin widened as he leaned back in his chair; swinging his legs up to rest on the desk. "I have my ways," was all he said with a casual shrug. Roy's frown deepened. "Now, what could've brought you here my friend? Shouldn't you get settled in your new office?"

Closing his eyes momentarily, he paused before answering. "I am here about the Ackerly case. I was ordered to begin work as soon as possible, and my office already has everything I will need for now."

"I see," Maes mumbled, grin fading to match the serious expression of his friend. "I would be congratulating you for taking another step further up the ladder, if I didn't know better. What did you need to sacrifice this time, Roy?"

The mix of sympathy and disapproval was thick in his words, and Roy gave in to the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. This was not what he needed right now. "That is for the conversation over a large glass of brandy, Maes. For now, I only wish to get started. What've you got?"

Eyeing him, Maes finally shrugged and accepted the unspoken invitation for what promised to be a rather needed drink. "As you probably know by now, Ackerly was the one you managed to kill. His partner, Baxter Wilson, got away. We're still searching for him, but the trail he left behind has all but disappeared too abruptly for my liking. For now, we can only assume the attack on you was either to warn the military or an actual assassination."

"Both seem highly likely," Roy mumbled, scratching his chin in thought. "Is that all you've got? What about Fullmetal?"

Maes leaned forward again, taking his legs down and resting his elbows there in their place and smirking. "Oh, I've heard some pretty interesting things. I cannot say the information is trustworthy as of yet, but it's information nonetheless. First there is the rumor of a new group working for the military's fall…which I'm sure you already know. But, a little bird told me, the military's downfall isn't really what they're after…"

Interested, Roy leaned forward. "And what would their true objective be, if not to harm the military?"

Maes grinned widely, pushing his glasses further up his nose. "I have no idea!"

Roy felt like slamming his head into the desk, but as Maes continued, he managed to control the overwhelming urge. "That's what Edo-kun and me is for! In-ve-sti-ga-tion!"

"Hughes! Where are you, old man?!" a familiar voice was heard from behind the door, just before it slammed open to confirm both men's suspicions. Talk about the devil… Roy thought, amusement willing over his annoyance as he took in the rapidly changing expressions of the Fullmetal alchemist.

"Long time no seen, Ed!" Maes greeted with a grin, waving his hand. "We were just talking about you!"

Pushing the stunned boy further into the room was an armour; the ever present little brother Alphonse. Stuttering, Edward tried to calm down…he really tried.

But alias, he failed.

"You…you bastard! What are you doing here?!" he exclaimed, ignoring Hughes as he pointed an accusing finger towards Mustang. The man raised a brow, before flashing him that damned smirk. Before he could make things worse though, Alphonse interrupted whatever he was about to say.

"Colonel! It's nice to see you are alright. My brother made it seem as if something was wrong. Are you here about the Ackerly case too?" he inquired softly, pleased to sense to tension in the atmosphere that indicated anything grave had transpired before Ed rudely barged into the office. He was mistaken.

"Ah, Alphonse-kun, you don't know yet I assume. Not many do, anyway," Maes commented before Roy could reply, making the man sigh in slight annoyance. Al looked from one man to the other in confusion, glancing back to his brother to see him expression the same puzzled look.

"Roy has been promoted!" Maes announced, clapping his hands together and letting his grin spread wider. "He is now Brigadier General Roy Mustang! Fancy, isn't it?"

Ed's mouth hung open, and Al wasn't fairing very well either. Brigadier General?! What had happened in the short time that had passed since the release from the hospital, Ed wondered, when 

the bastard had been a Colonel? The promotion…was that what the hurried departing, the important meeting, had been about? Frowning, Ed forgot whatever it was he was here for. What had the bastard done this time?

"Alright Mustang, spill," he growled, crossing his arms and glaring at the older man. Roy shot him a rueful grin before turning his back to the blonde and crossing his arms as well.

"Did you not understand, Fullmetal? I have been promoted," he drawled, taking some pleasure in the growls coming from behind him.

"That's not what I meant, bastard! Why were you promoted? What are the consequences?"

"Ah, I am surprised; your questions aren't stupid," Roy remarked with a slight grin, meeting Maes' gaze and shrugging at the raised brow before continuing. "But there are more pressing matters at hand. Do not let it bother you, when you have yet to complete the mission given to you. Now, if you would like to take a seat we could get started. "

As he spoke, he stood and gestured for the now free chair; urging both brothers to take a seat. Alphonse quickly obeyed, confused and curious but not willing to argue. Ed, however, followed suit with clear reluctance but with little argument, much to Al's surprise and relief. Roy merely raised a brow at this, and Maes chose to ignore it for now.

"I have already gotten most of the information from Maes," Roy explained, walking around to stand beside his friend and observe the young brothers. "But if you have something to add, do so before we continue."

The Elrics shared a glance, before Edward spoke up. "It is just speculation, but we think Ackerly and Wilson were being used by someone else. It all seemed like the work of amateurs after all, but some valuable information has been stolen and with the attack on Mustang…" as he trailed off, Al continued with a nod; taking note of Ed's embarrassed expression and shifty eyes. "It just doesn't make sense. It's possible they were manipulated into doing what they did, either to cover something up or to take the military's attention away from something else going on. But that might be to overanalyze the situation, since we don't have any proof or leads that support this theory. Like brother said; it's just speculation but…"

Al observed the two men as he too trailed off, patiently waiting for their opinion. They might know something to either agree or disagree, and however small, it might be a step forward. Mustang was scratching his chin in deep thought, while Hughes were observing them with a strange pride that seemed to reflect only for a few moments in his friend's dark eyes too.

"Well done, Edo-kun, Alphonse-kun," Maes said after a while, a light grin stretching his lips. "If that were the case, then it would explain quite a lot. We have, after all, been unable to locate Baxter. It seems as if he disappeared without a trace, and that would be incredibly hard to do for someone like him, unless he received…help. There is also a rumor about a group working against the military, but I have reason to believe it's not the military they're after."

Ed frowned. "Then, why attack it? What are they after?"

"Ah, we do not know. I believe Lt Colonel Hughes said that it was up to you to find out, Fullmetal," Roy answered, titling his head and smirking. Ed huffed, glaring at the older man.

"You make it sound as if I'm not suited for the task," he growled, tapping a metal finger against his crossed arm. If so, then I'll prove you wrong. Just like I will do with everything else, you bastard.

"You're not known for your success in undercover missions Fullmetal, and I'm still not sure if you know what 'laying low' means even after the countless time I'm sure it's been said to you," Roy remarked with a lazy smirk, walking around the desk to lay a gloved hand on the blonde's stiff shoulder.

"Try not to fail in this, Fullmetal; your childish vendettas will not be tolerated this time. I might have risen in rank, but my power is not infinite," he scolded lightly, a serious expression sobering the mood. "When seeking information in the streets and dark allies leave your little brother behind and attract as little attention as possible. Whoever is behind this, doesn't want to be found."

With that, he started to move towards the door. "I trust you to take care of the rest, Maes."

Alphonse stood abruptly, turning to face the back of the now Brigadier General. "Sir! Why can I not--" he began, but Hughes cut him off as Mustang disappeared through the door; not even bother to stop at his words.

"--because you're an armour, Al. It would be too out of place," Maes explain, eyeing the child standing bravely before him. "Besides, the Elric brothers are well known. It would be easy to recognize you; one huge armour and one short boy together, asking question."

A vein popped in Ed's forehead, and the tension and strain today's events had caused made the short-comment impossible to ignore.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT HE CAN'T EVEN CLIMB OVER A GRAIN OF SAND, HUH?!"

Further down the hall, Roy allowed himself a little smile as gazed thoughtfully out through a window. Edward Elric…you're not going to give up, are you? And with that, he continued on his way; eyes tired but shoulders set as straight as ever.

oOo

A/N: And there you go. Like? Not like? Hopefully not the latter...well, anyway, please review! :)