Chapter 7: After the Rain Alt Title
BGM for scene
Music
Our chapter begins as the last one left off, with Ed’s arm exploding into a giant pile of scrap metal as he collapses to the ground. Al, seeing this, cries out for Ed. As the Mood Lightning crashes down, Scar says that he will give Ed a moment to make peace with his god, before Ed, like when he fought Cornello, says that he doesn’t do prayers. Ed says to Scar that while he is his target, what does it mean for Alphonse. Scar says that as long as he does not prove to be a hinderance, he will leave him alone. Ed than asks if he lets Scar kill him, that he will spare Al, to which Scar gives his word to.
Al starts screaming for Ed to get away, yet is unable to do anything because of his heavily damaged body (That has already had one of the legs fall off due to the joints on the side being trashed). Scar is about to kill Ed when, a gun gets fired into the air. Scar and Ed look to see that it’s Mustang along with the rest of his company. Mustang says that Ed is lucky, as he explains Scar’s status as a serial killer of state alchemists. He also states that it was Scar that killed Nina and Tucker. To which Ed turns around and gives him a look of fury. Scar goes on a speech about how alchemists warp god’s creation, and how he is the bearer of god’s wrath. Mustang simply calls him out on this, asking why “God’s Wrath” would be targeting State Alchemists alone. Scar simply threatens Mustang, so he decides to throw the gun to Hawkeye as he puts on his gloves, announcing his status as the Flame Alchemist. Some banter, and Scar and Mustang square off as Scar charges, beginning an epic battle betwee-
Oh wait, no. Hawkeye simply trips up Mustang, making him narrowly dodge Scar’s hand. Hawkeye turns her guns on Scar, but he simply dodges all the shots. When Mustang asks WHY Hawkeye tripped him, she respons that because of the rain, his Alchemy powers are useless. Havoc inadvertently rubs this in *. Scar is satisfyed that Mustang is powerless....Until a massive fist smashes into the space his head was previously occupying. It belongs.....You know what? I am just going to let the next quote speak for itself: “Ho---! You were actually able to avoid that....Most impressive! You who transgree upon king and country...Who so desires wanton massacre...I laugh at your face! Try taking me on for size! * Dare you face the Strongarm Alchemist.....Alex Louis Armstrong?!” *
Well....That just made my day. Scar is not scared, but now pleased that he has another state alchemist to take down, thanks to “god’s will”. However, Armstrong fights back with “The formidable Armstrong Style Alchemy! Passed down from generation to generation!” as he punches a piece of rubble and transmutes it into a BALLISTA BOLT. Scar only just avoids it as Armstrong sends a spike wave at Scar, only managing to rip a hole in his jacket. Havoc complains about the fact that Armstrong is trashing the block, but Armstrong declares:
“WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?! To build, we must demolish! To create, we must destroy! Creation and Destruction are physically linked! WITHIN THESE TWO FORCES....LIE THE FOUNDATION OF THE UNIVERSE!!”, as he proceeds to do the most gloriously over the top shirt rip in fictional history, revealing his gigantic muscles *. This pure display of MANLINESS is lost on everyone else, as Havoc and Hawkeye are more embarrassed than anything else (Havoc asking why he took his shirt off) However, Armstrong states that a fellow Alchemist like Scar would see him as little a threat, much to the shock of Mustang (Who is out of his shame zone, as a caption notes). Ed says it doesn’t surprise him, as he explains that alchemy consists of three parts, Knowledge, Deconstruction, and Reconstruction, and that Scar must stop at the deconstruction step. Ed and Mustang are quick to point out Scar’s hypocrisy in killing alchemists. Scar realizes Armstrong’s strengths, and realizes that he must finish the fight quickly, as Armstrong’s attacks back him into a corner. However, Scar manages to see what he thinks is an opening and goes in for the kill...Only for Armstrong to pull back, much to Scar’s confusion. Scar quickly realizes why he did it, as he sees Hawkeye aiming her rifle at him. * He quickly dodges, but not at a heavy price as the bullet grazes his head, destroying his Cool Shades in the process! *
Hawkeye states that Scar was just too fast as he gets up, revealing his red eyes to the group, to the shock of both Armstong and Mustang, as Mustang identifies Scar as an Ishbalan *. After a bit of stand off, Scar announces that he is outmatched. Mustang says that there is no escape, before Scar uses his powers to cave the street in, almost sending the soldiers into the giant hole he creates as Scar disappears down the hole, into the sewers. Mustang says to let him go, presumably not wanting to subject his men to a sewer level. Mustang apologies to Armstrong for wasting all his work, but Armstrong simply states that he was just trying to stay alive. Also, Hughes appears, and when Mustang asks where he was, he simply states that he was hiding, not wanting to be near a battle with superhuman combatants. Hughes gives out orders to the soldiers, as Ed cries out to Alphonse, who does not respond initially, before he......Punches Ed in the face and calls him an idiot. Al yells at Ed, saying that he told him to run away, and when Ed says that he couldn’t leave him, Al punches him again and says that that’s why he’s an idiot (This seems harsh, but it will make perfect sense when we see their sensei *)
When Ed says that Scar would have killed Al, he response that saying that he probably would have ignored him (Which is a fair point, seeing as “Obstacle” does not exactly translate into “Helpless cripple” ) and that Ed shouldn’t have thrown his life away so easily. Al tells Ed that as long as he is alive, there is still a chance of them getting their bodies back, and that he may even discover how to save others like Nina, but instead he just decided to lay down and die. He also blames Ed for his arm detaching that very moment. However, they both cool down, and thank themselves for managing to survive. The other men on the scene are amazed about the truth of Al’s armor. Mustang and Armstrong talk a bit about Ed and Al’s bond, and note how quickly they resolved their conflict. However, Hughes points out the fact that both Mustang and Armstrong are now on Scar’s hit list. We then cut to an exposition about the Ishbalan conflict. Long story short, the Ishbalans were a deeply religious race based in eastern Amestris, that was based on a monotheistic religion under “Lord Ishbala”. They had a degree of conflict with Amestris due to religious differences, but one day, an Ishbalan child was shot by an Amestrian Officer, sparking off a massive war, as the eastern region rose up rebellion. After seven years of conflict, the Top Brass ordered the extermination (ie, GENOCIDE) of the country, as State Alchemists were deployed as living weapons. Mustang ends by saying that he was one such Alchemist and that he can understand why Scar would want revenge. Ed responds by saying that Scar has no justification with killing innocent people and is just in denial, using gods wrath as a justification for his actions *. Hughes reinforces his alchemy hypocrisy as he points out that people who give little regard for all else are terrifying. Long story short, all of Mustang’s men vow to take Scar down when they next see him. Hughes says that now with the boring stuff out of the way, he asks the Elrics what they plan to do next. Ed says that he wants to fix Al but he needs to get his arm fixed first. Armstrong volunteers (Shirtless, of course) to which Al immediately says “I’LL PASS”. Ed explains that only he knows about how Al’s soul is bound to the armor, so only he can do it. Hawkeye notes that Ed can’t do Alchemy with one arm (Even though he could just use transmutation circles, which he could in the First Anime, where he got really creative with them), to which Mustang and co (And Al) proceed to make fun of Ed for that (Saying it just makes him a foul mouthed midget, which I think is just stupid and dickish for multiple reasons). Our chapter end with Ed saying that he has to pay his mechanic a visit.
NEXT TIME: Revelations are made as Ed meets a regretful Doctor. *
