Chapter Text
Drip...drip...he could hear the echoes of water drooping on the ground bouncing off the walls. The atmosphere felt damp and moist. Mustang could feel a chill of air brushing over his bare wrists.
“Helloooo, Mustang? Anyone here?”
Roy hears a voice, barely though because he’s just starting to come to, But he fully awakens by the soreness jolting throughout his body. What is it doing here, he wonders, he doesn’t remember falling or anything.
“Yooo hoooo, Mustaanng. Time to ‘vake uuppp.”
There it is again, that voice, someone is here in the same room as him. But where is he infact? He couldn’t think with this throbbing headache hammering in him.
“Mustang?”
Roy could hear someone calling out to him. He would respond but he can’t utter a word, nor inch a move. He never felt so sore in his life. Well, haven’t felt this sore in awhile, the Promised Day wasn’t too long ago.
“...oh for god’s sakes-”
“‘VAKE UP!!”
The commanding bark replays in echos but is still tune out by the sickening crack-like sound, which came from Mustang being struck across the face.
He expects to be flown across the room but he’s slants over on his right instead. Something is keeping him in place by the wrists. With loose strands of sweat-coated hair covering part of his face, he shoots a glare at whoever is idiotic enough to lay a hand on him. Seething through his blood-stained teeth, he breathes in rough and heavy breaths through his nose. The face of fury turns into interest as he tilts his head up to see a figure looming over him.
“‘Vell hello there, about time. Rise and Shine.”
Mustang couldn’t make out the features of the mysterious figure from this angle. It’s voice sounds...feminine. Low and slightly husky but definitely female. It’s also hard to take a good look because of the light shining from behind her is blinding him.
“Oh damn, you got a little something on you. Let me just-”
The woman kneels down to get to Mustang’s eye level, places an arm on her leg for support, and reaches out to Mustang’s face. He could feel the fabric of a gloved thumb running through his bottom lip and then his nose which suffered from the strike before. It seems she’s wiping off the blood but he flinches and tries to move away from her touch, it felt vile.
“Hmm, ‘vell, nothing too bad.” She said, puckering her lip and making a ‘tck’ sound with her mouth. She glosses over to her hand and rubs her forefinger and thumb together.
“But then again,” She pauses. “...’vouldn’t make much of a difference anyway considering how things ‘vill end for you.” She looks up at Mustang with a wicked smile.
Mustang gets the chance to study her over. Her exteriors looks a little rough; ragged jawline, knee chin. Has very few wrinkles but overall a smooth skin, she’s probably in her mid-30s. Her eyes look intimidating with it’s sharp edges, It seems they could pierce through anything with just a glance. Mustang also notes that there’s a mole above her lip. She’s donning a soldier's hat but he could see long, braided brunette hair.
Speaking of the hat, it didn’t seem anything like from the Amestris military so she must be on the enemy’s side.
“Wh-..wh-who are you-” Roy couldn’t finish as he cracks out a cry of pain when he feels intense burns coming from his left side. High on adrenaline, Roy tries to catch his breath then looks up at his could-be captor.
“I didn’t say you can talk.” She said with a threatening tone.
The female soldier held up a long, glove that appear too mechanical to be considered as a regular one. But what catches Mustang’s eyes are the blue, electric currents dancing around the hand, it’s light gleaming in his eyes.
“Do you like it?” She asks, pondering her glove and admiring the craftsmanship. “I’ve always found Drachma to be ahead of it’s time. All the ‘vonders they’ve produced ‘vith such little things.”
Drachma...of course, she’s from the Drachman army. They’re known for their advanced technology. Mustang also should’ve known that with the hint of her slight accent.
“General Konstantinov, I take it?” Mustang deadpans.
“ Yes, General Johanna Konstantinov, but you’re likely more familiar ‘vith my father, Boris Konstantinov.” She replies, then places a hand over her chest, and sighs in a melancholy fashion.
“Such a fine man.” The general gazes above with somber eyes while courning a turn, clutching the lapels of her military jacket. Mustang’s not sure if she’s serious or just being dramatic.
“‘Vuled the army ‘vith an iron fist. Hundreds kneeled before him. Enemies had begged for mercy, even death. Others cowered ‘vith just a simple gesture. His strategic tactics and leadership had helped ‘vhat makes Drachma today. If given the chance, my father might as ‘vell ‘run the ‘vhole country…” She trails off in the end, speaking as if she's the only one in the room. She then lulls for a moment.
“You’re forgetting that your father was a reckless tyrant who’s go-to-action decisions led him to his downfall?” Mustang taunts, breaking Johanna’s emotional speech.
The female general frowns at his comment, a wave of rage passing over for a second then, immediately evens her mind.
Johanna turns to face Mustang with her hands behind her back, the wicked smile returning.
“You mock my father’s methods by calling them ‘’veckless’ but look where you are, Mustang.” She says with distaste. “Taken from your men, bound, at the hands of Ametris’s ‘rivals. ‘Vhat a pathetic, disoriented state you’re in for someone of your status. You don’t even have your silly play-things you call a fashion statement.”
Mustang tries to take in what Johanna just said and furrows down. That’s right, his cold hands are bare, he isn’t wearing his gloves. They must’ve taken them while he was unconscious but where did they-?
“Oh don’t ‘vorry.” Johanna assures calmly but with a poker face, crossing her arms. “ ‘Ve have them safely locked in one of our chambers. They could be of good use for us later on.” She stretches her mouth, baring her teeth.
“Sorry, but only I have the knowledge of getting those to work.” Mustang draws up a grin of his own, with a tint of his charm. “No one else can use them.”
“Ahh, but that’s ‘vhere YOU come in, Mustang.” Johanna points up above and begins to pace around, placing her hands behind her back.
Closing her eyes, she continues, “You ‘vill help me on how to use those ignition gloves of yours and meanvhile, you might as ‘vell give me Ametris’ secrets so it ‘vould be one step closer to’ it’s’ downfall.” Reopening her eyes, Johanna awaits her answer.
Mustang could only look at her like she’s some sort of fool, in which in this case, she is.
“And you expect me to agree, just like that.” He stiffs a laugh and shakes his head. “You must be new at this, aren’t you. I get it,” He shrugs in response, “-every beginner makes mistakes. Don’t worry, rookie, you’ll get it.” He ‘insures’ with a smirk.
“Ohhh, I know you could be a tough nut to crack but then again,” She locks her eyes onto the flame alchemist. “... I’ve always been good at persuasion.”
Mustang, moving back from the venom-like tone, manages to set his mind at ease.
You’ve been in worst situations. Before you know it, your team’s gonna march right in and save you...that is, if they know where he is, he even doesn’t know what this place is.
“But,” Johanna continues, “in order to avoid ‘vasting time, and messes mind you, how about we skip the ‘vhole thing, you just tell me everything, and maybe you’ll receive a quick, painless death. How does that sound?” She ends with another “cheery” smile. Mustang swore by the way the wrinkles looked strained, if she were to do that more than once, her face could crack.
“How’s this,” Mustang obliges. “When Satan actually takes you for a wife.”
The pleasant smile disappears in an instant and Johanna’s eyebrows furrows down.
“...I tried to be nice.”
Mustang is greeted again by the piercing shocks reverberating throughout his entire body. He doesn’t hear his screeching grow louder than the last time as he is dealing with the pain.
And then it hit him, Roy flashbacks to this morning. He and his team had intel (thanks to Madame) that Drachma’s army planned on overturning Fort Briggs. His men teamed up with the fort’s commander, Olivier Armstrong, to take Konstantinov down.
They were ambushed, Hawkeye managed to shield the General untouched while delivering bullets at Konstantinov’s soldiers. Armstrong sliced her way as usual through the enemy's lines.
Next thing he knew, Mustang and Armstrong had gotten separated from their crew. Armstrong sends an order to him to track Konstantinov’s whereabouts and that’s where she too got separated from him.
Typically, Roy never has to worry, Olivier can handle herself but a tense amount of time had passed by and he was growing concerned.
That’s when he heard sticks cracking in the background. He swifted left and right, searching for the source. Roy was about to deliver a spark, an ache, an ache that he became acquainted with now, hit his right side. His surroundings became blurred.
Mustang returns to the present. He gasps for air as long as he can. The dampness of the chains starts to leave marks.
Johanna takes a knee down to the General’s level.
“I ‘vouldn’t hold on much longer, Mustang. Your pathetic team has no idea ‘vhere you are. There’s a ‘veason ‘vhy my father built our headquarters underground, and according to my insights, it appears General Armstrong had a bloody fall and it took a long time for my men to restrain her.” She sneers.
The tyrant gathers herself and wipes off dust from her uniform pants. She turns on her heel and before making her departure, she leers over her shoulder.
“Just remember, ‘Jojo’ gets ‘vhat she ‘vants.”
Roy feels relieved as Johanna ms footsteps fade over time. But then it turns uneasy.
No one knows where he is, Armstrong might’ve, no, not even he could admit it.
What’s worse, he has no idea the state of his team’s wellbeing, especially Hawkeye.
Please, have all of us make it out in the end…