Bluebird's Illusion: Their True Purpose

Finally Father said.
“…You take Pride with you and leave. You have an important mission to accomplish…”
Envy rolled his eyes in annoyance but he didn’t do anything else to express his discomfort or perhaps his disappointment he wouldn’t take some action too.
“Where to, Father?” he asked
Father’s eyes looked at them (especially at Pride) seriously…
“Lior…” he said
The word traveled around and fell to the ground like a small bluebird’s feather.
“Lior?” Envy asked
“Exactly” Father responded.
He then turned to look at Pride who was looking at him still.
“Does this mean anything to you, Pride…?” Father asked with his soft voice
Pride remained silent for a little. If someone saw him could say he was searching in his mind for answers… However soon Pride whispered softly and his voice traveled once more into the room and fell to the floor like a bluebird’s soft feather:
“No…”

At the very end of an endless desert there was the small town of Lior. It was the same as always… Its people would simply walk around and do their usual routine. They would get up, get washed and walk out in the dusty streets. They would greet each other good morning and continue on their way. There, at the corner of the street close to the central fountain, there was the old café with the old radio playing music and a few habitués enjoying their coffee in the morning warmth, a few hours ahead of the noon, hot weather.
At the other corner of the house there was the school, already children were getting crowded at the entrance, walking lined up towards the inside. There, among the pupils was a young woman. Her hair was long and dark brown with a few pink bangs that were framing her face. She was thin but not too tall and her violet eyes were shining happily and tenderly. She was holding a boy with similar color of hair and eyes with her and his skin had also the same tanned color hers had as well.
Rose Thomas had a really perturbed life. Once upon a time she was an ignorant who believed blindly in a certain God. Or to be exact she was kind of forced to it by her desperation. She lost her beloved boyfriend and so someone came with empty promises to her that he could bring him back. That was before she met a certain State Alchemist named Edward Elric and his little brother Alphonse Elric who opened her eyes and made her fight.
However this was also turned to ashes in her mouth. Her own people started fighting each other. Rose tried her best to remain strong. Perhaps she would make it but then soldiers entered the city and turned everything into nothing but rocks and blood. They nearly burned the city to foundations. A small team of them for no real reason caught her and she was raped…by all of them. She lost her voice because of that and she…was left with a baby inside her womb. Of course she tried her best to remain strong like she promised to Ed but still she needed protection. An Ishbalan named Scar offered her that protection and also she was named Holy Mother. The mute and “pure” maiden who would offer protection to everyone… Rose had to do it. She needed something to grab onto. After long way to go she managed to find her voice and also her city became peaceful again and all that was nothing but bad memories in their heads. However Rose Thomas couldn’t forget. She didn’t want to forget.
“Mamma” she felt a light tag on her hand and looked down with a smile.
Her son had called her.
“What is it, Billy?” she asked.
She had named him by her latest boyfriend. However she also couldn’t decide what name to give him. She wanted to thank Edward too for the influence he had on her. But also she needed to thank Alphonse too, for taking care of her for some time. Therefore she couldn’t name him either Edward or Alphonse cause she didn’t want to leave neither of the two outside. So she decided to give Billy the name of her boyfriend; to honor his memory. And also in a symbolic way, her darling HAD come back to life after all.
“You seemed thoughtful” Billy Thomas said. She smiled.
“It’s nothing. Besides, here’s your school. Just in time!”
She kneeled down and kissed her son on the cheek before wishing him have a good day and he running in the school to meet his friends. Rose remained there for a little. She hadn’t told him about his birth yet… He barely was seven years old. She was scared to death to tell him about who his real…“father” was. One day he should know. But not yet…
Not yet…

“That’s right! I said I want protection for each one of the cities that are located around Central! Wasn’t I clear enough!?” General Roy Mustang roared to the phone.
Sitting in his office with all his paperwork and having to deal with that new enemy had indeed made the blood run boiling hot straight to his head. He knew for sure that there was going to be yet another hit. He just wished he knew where it was or when it was going to be. For the time being the only thing he could do was to gather forces to the small towns and villages all around Central but he knew that, that too was pointless and also too much time-consuming. Besides, they didn’t even have enough forces to protect all the towns AND Central at the same time.
The frustrating thoughts, which all ended to dead-ends were piling up inside his head, not to mention the pressure he was receiving from the other three Generals who were already questioning his ability to lead. His situation was indeed getting tougher and tougher. He grabbed the phone angrily once more and dialed a few numbers.
“Yes!” he said not waiting for the person on the other line to answer, “It’s General Mustang again! I had ordered for a map of the area to be brought to me! Why isn’t it here yet?!”
“But…sir…we…”
“I don’t care for your lame excuses! Just bring it here now! I need it…yesterday! You heard me!? In a minute I want it brought to my office, is that understood?!”
“Y-Yes sir! O-Of course Sir!”
Roy slammed the phone down and once again growled in frustration. His mind was racing. Some time had passed since the last hit but still he couldn’t bring himself to calm down. On the contrary he was getting all the more nervous that this countdown was close to climax by now. News had also spread around the villages and he knew that it would get harder to tame panicked crowds no matter how strong army he had.
He was drawn out of his thoughts when he heard a light knock on the door. Riza Hawkeye, who was already looking at some other documents, standing over Mustang’s head, raised her head from her work.
“Come in” Roy said
Alphonse Elric entered and saluted.
“I…I was wondering if you needed some assistance…” he said
His voice was weaker than usually and Roy knew perfectly well why. Even with Winry’s company he was still so depressed after everything that had happened and no one could really blame him. He sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers.
“It’s just frustrating lately…that’s all” He thought it would be better not to tell Alphonse the real reason of his frustration.
But Al gave him a sad smile.
“About Nii-san isn’t it?”
Roy nodded.
“Is there…anything I can do…?” Al asked once more.
Roy sighed. He’d rather not have Alphonse through this but his mind was so blocked by the countless responsibilities that he found no other exit.
“Yes…perhaps you can…”
Right on perfect timing, the door opened and, a rather scared soldier, entered the room, saluting and placing the maps on the desk before leaving the room once more. Roy opened the maps and Al with Riza joined him over the papers.
“I was trying to figure out when and where they are going to strike next. I am convinced that the Homunculi will strike again for sure. What bothers me is where and when.”
Alphonse examined the map as Roy took a pencil to circle the attacked areas.
“The first attack was here…and I know there will be another one. I sent the squads at the areas around but I have the disturbing feeling that in this way I will leave Central unprotected…”
Alphonse looked down on the map.
“Central…” he thought, “Amestris…its map…it’s almost like a circle… But it’s so big! We won’t make it!”
Trying to calm his breathing and swallow his tears he looked down once more.
“If only…if only we had some more time! Oh, Nii-san… If only we had more time…”
And then it hit him.
“Time!” he said aloud, “That’s it! General Mustang! They are not heading to Central!”
“Huh?” Roy seemed confused, “No? But, Central is technically one of the most vital spots of Amestris. If they get it, they will be closer to getting the entire Amestris.”
“I know, General, sir, but… It’s only a hypothesis but…please look at the map”
“The map?”
“Yes! What do you see?”
“Amestris.” Roy said as a matter of fact
“Exactly. But what is the shape of Amestris?”
“Huh?” Roy seemed more confused than before, “It looks like a circle, doesn’t it? So what?”
“But what else does its shape resemble?”
“You become awfully confusing, Iron Soul! Get to the point!”
“Time…” Al repeated like an echo, “Time! It is what we lack of isn’t it? The shape of this country is a circle!” He looked up at Roy’s eyes. His olive-oil-gold eyes shining smartly and determinedly, “It’s a clock the shape resembles!”
Roy blinked surprised but now that he looked it better, Alphonse was right.
“They will be moving clockwise! Or anti-clockwise! Whichever of the two is, they are not heading south or north!”
“Then! When are they heading to?” Roy had emerged from his chair
“It’s just my instinct but…how many days have they past since the last time they attacked?”
“Nearly five”
“Then….”
Alphonse’s finger started moving on the map imagining the numbers around the clock.
“Five days…then…what if the five days work…like five minutes on the clock or something? Then…if we go to the East…and then south…”
“There’s nothing” Roy said not able to hide his disappointment. The point of the map was showing nothing but desert
However Alphonse’s eyes had widened as much as they could be and his expression was now a mask of pure shock and fear. He was white as wax.
“There is…” he whispered, “Lior!”

Lior… It was at sight once more. There were two figures staring at it again. Pride and Envy, despite the fact they wore too revealing clothes and their feet were bare, they didn’t seem to bother by the scorching sun above their heads nor the burning-hot sand below their toes. Envy put his hand to his waist and looked at Pride with the corner of his eye.
“Well then, Pride…here we are”
No answer. His dull eyes were fastened upon the calmness of that scorching morning that seemed to be coming to an end soon.
“Is there a problem, Pride?” Envy sounded annoyed.
There was a minute of pause. Pride had his eyes stuck upon the form of the city, saying nothing… He then said.
“No”
His hands clapped almost mechanically and the Alchemic reaction’s light appeared. And the next moment Pride was holding his scythe firmly with one hand with the chain at the other tip of it, shining under the rays of the sun.]
“That’s right, Pride…” Father’s voice said in his head, “That’s it. Good son…”
And Pride stormed forward at full speed. He passed through the first buildings. There in the middle of his way was the shopkeeper of the small coffee shop. His eyes widened seeing Pride Ed coming fast.
“Ed!” was the only thing the poor man managed to utter before being cut in half by Pride’s scythe. Everything happened in an instant. The carefree chatter turned into panicked screams of terror and those were soon replaced by pained cries and the cold “cry” of the metal scythe slashing into the air through human flesh, bones and organs. As Pride was pulling the heavy chain with him, drawing the usual line upon the sand and the blood was flooding the newly made lines, painting them in red.
The tremendous sound of the heavy machines reached Pride’s sensitive ears and he whirled around to see the tanks approaching. Around five of them. On top of the first one was a tall brunette, high-rank soldier and a boy with long hair and red coat.
“NII-SAN!” Alphonse screamed over the roaring of the machines.
Pride simply whirled his scythe over his shoulder. The tanks were approaching closer to the spot the line, he had made, was.
“Pride” Father’s voice echoed in his head, “Don’t let them enter and ruin the line!”
Pride simply span around, now facing the tanks and his golden hair winded in the process. His feet pushed the ground as he lunged himself forward, running towards the first tank that came to his sight and when he reached close enough he leaped high, so high that when his arms raised the scythe over his head ready to strike, they were above the tanks’ roof. And then with a single move his arms moved downwards cutting the tank in half like butter and when his feet touched the ground, he simply bounced backwards just in time before the cut tank exploded. And as if anything happened he simply rushed back in the city once more; the city already splattered in blood.
“Nii-san!” Alphonse desperately cried out and jumped off the tank chasing after him
“Iron Soul!” Roy yelled but it was too late.
Not seeing another choice, Roy span around with his arm stretched out as he roared the command.
“Get it ready! Now!”
“Yes sir!”

Pride kicked a door open and rushed into an already half-destroyed house (obviously the people who first lived in it in their panic to run, had made the mess). There, in a corner was a female figure with her arms holding tightly her child in her hands. Her frightened eyes were gazing, no, staring at him as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“Ed!” Rose Thomas whispered, her voice barely above a crack
For a second she felt as if she were back at those times, when her voice had started to drown into her throat, so many words wanting to come out but yet her mind not able to actuate any to the surface, she was left mute and desperate. This moment she felt the same feeling. Before her eyes was standing the person that had changed her life and she had heard he had disappeared in thin air (considered dead by so many people) was now standing before her…was walking closer to her but his face…his gentle face she loved and cared about, now was scaring her.
It was an expressionless mask. The eyes that were once golden and burning like fire were now dull, cold and emotionless. They were staring down at her with no interest at all, no attention at all.
Pride walked closer. His steps were slow and steady. Rose clenched the child more on her chest already her face distorted in fear and desperation.
“Ed…” she whispered again
Pride approached closer. He reached the place was.
“…Please!…” she whispered again
Pride stood there for a second and then raised the scythe with one hand above his head; the weak sunlight ran over the blade.
“Please…”
Suddenly the transmutation light flashed outside the window and a large sand-made boulder stroke Pride out of the other wall. Pride rolled over so he landed on his open-legged feet like a spider holding his scythe. Alphonse Elric jumped in the house from the hole he had created with the boulder and ran to the other corner to jump again out from the other. For a moment their eyes met; Golden dull lost within Hazel gold.
“Kill, Pride!” Father’s voice echoed in Pride’s head again, “Kill! Kill!”
And Pride lounged forward.
Alphonse’s face, as if Alphonse himself had woken up from the shock of the moment, twitched with a fear’s expression and he did the first thing that came to his mind; he ran. He whirled around and started to run with Pride coming after him.
“Iron Soul!”
The voice he heard was Roy’s but it was coming from above. He looked up to see that a few centimeters over his head, passed an aerostat. In its basket was Roy. Roy held out a hand and Alphonse held out his, desperately to catch Roy’s seeing the aerostat going further and further. He grabbed it and Roy grabbed back, pulling him on. He then snapped his fingers to form fire to pump the balloon up.
“Pride! Don’t let them see what is from above!” Father’s voice was there again.
Pride whirled the scythe around once more to find the comfortable position behind his back so he could run and he ran after the aerostat…he ran and then he pushed the ground with his feet…hard.
Immediately he blasted off towards the sky. Roy and Al gasped in union.
Roy snapped his finger again but Pride seemed to be coming closer. He prepared his scythe to strike. Roy then snapped both of his fingers above his head to go further up. Pride was a breath away and Al was feeling his own breath caught in his throat.
Pride moved the scythe and…he missed the bottom of the basket by a few centimeters before starting falling back down towards the ground. Only then Roy and Al breathed out in some relief.
Pride landed perfectly to his hands and feet like a cat and stood back up.
“Never mind, Pride” he heard Father’s voice as he looked above towards the aerostat that managed to slip away, “Their time will come soon…”

Alphonse was holding the edges of the basket looking down at Pride that looked like a dot below them and breathed out in relief.
“That was close…” he whispered
“Wait…” Roy said who looked as alarmed as ever, “Look… This is what they were doing all along…”
And Alphonse’s eyes widened in pure horror as he saw what Roy was talking about. Right below them was lieing the city of Lior and seemed flat as if drawn in a map. From above everything became crystal-clear.
The lines, Pride was making, digging, to the sand with the scythe’s attached-to-chain-ball seemed like glowing red from the blood flowing into them. The small “paths” were all over the city. As if drawn in blood. However they were not just random lines… They all had a purpose…they all had a shape…
A huge Transmutation Circle…