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Esther has spent half her life as the Xerxian ambassador to Amestris and has weathered all sort of political tomfoolery and two wars. King Pakor's newest scheme with Ed is amusing, but ultimately a strange whim of a mostly stable monarch.
She's known many Furhers and many powerful men. She trusts Roy Mustang's intentions.
When Ed slips into her home in the middle of the night, she nearly goes after him with a frying pan. He's quiet and serious, and one of those things is bad but both is disastrous.
Then he tells her that the Dwarf in the Flask has somehow gotten involved in Amestrian politics, is likely embedded in this country in a way that's not good for any of them.
King Pakor must be alerted. This is too delicate and too important for the usual channels, but she promises to take care of it.
Al thinks this whole mess that Ed has gotten himself involved in is hilarious and his own fault really. This is what he gets for still going to court instead of ignoring all the missives Pakor sends because, really, what's the king going to do about it? There's no prison that can hold them and they already make bi annual trips to Xerxes to do the work of months of several construction crews. Pakor should just take what he gets out of them and be grateful.
When Ed calls him, he's expecting more whining and funny anecdotes and hearing what the hell he and Ling have gotten up to right under the Fuhrer's nose.
Except what he says is, "Do you know where Dad is right now?"
His stomach drops. "What's wrong?"
Ed never has any patience for their father. Whenever he sends a letter home, he refuses to read it.
"His old friend is in Central," he says, voices carefully casual. "He might want to swing by."
Al locks his knees together. "Get out of there."
"Aw, Al, don't be like that," he says. "If you don't want to visit-"
"I'll be on the next train out," he interrupts. If Ed won't leave, then of course Al will go to him.
The last time his family went up against the Dwarf in the Flask, their mother died.
When Van Edris steps into the office, Maes doesn't recognize him at first.
His hair is braided back. His jewelry is gone and the bright red and gold traditional outfit has been replaced by thick black boots, leather pants, and a black tank top with a wide neck. He's got on a long red coat that's not exactly subtle, but also isn't gold embroidered silk. He only has a moment to wonder who took Van Edris shopping when he stops in front of his desk and catches his eye before jerking his head towards Roy's office.
Confusion fills the rest of the office, but Maes only shrugs at the others before following Van Edris, since that's clearly what he wants him to do. He closes the door behind them and Van Edris stands, eyeing them both carefully. Roy doesn't seem to have any more of a clue about what's going on than Maes does and he looks at Van Edris and says something in Xingese.
Van Edris bites the inside of his cheek then says, "You guys are fucked and if you don't want to stay that way, you're going to need some help."
In perfect, unaccented Amestrian.
Roy's mouth drops and Maes tries not to be distracted by all that implies, instead asking, "Fucked how, Van Edris?"
"If that's even your name," Roy mutters. Clearly he's not interested in prioritizing.
"It's my name!" he snaps, then frowns. "Well, one of them. The other is Edward Elric, but that's really not the point."
Elric? Why does that sound familiar...
"The alchemist?" Roy demands incredulously.
Maybe they should be focusing on the implications, actually.
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