Snippet #1376016

“Years ago.” Abby chuckled, rubbing the nape of her neck as she allowed him to hold the door. Usually, everyone in the building knew not to treat Abby like a woman because she believed it was a sign that they looked down on her—like she couldn't even open the door for herself. She seemed to ignore the fact that it was only polite. However, she stilled her tongue for Isaac. He was, of course, just being a gentleman. Back home, things were done completely different. Kindness could be taken as condescension, and women fought tooth and nail to be considered as strong as their counterparts. It was a twisted world they lived in. “Climbing over people to climb the ranks. Desperate.” For power, she wanted to say but knew better. Isaac knew just as well as she did what Roy Mustang had done to climb to the top.

She smiled at the small clinking sound of Isaac's auto mail. It wasn't hard to figure out that he seemed perturbed by his prosthetic limb. Abby had always been intrigued by auto mail, so she seemed to immediately like anyone who'd lost any limbs and had them replaced—Isaac was no exception. Her own eye and half of her face had been replaced with auto mail, she didn't seem to mind that it “obscured” her beauty. Even if she'd heard the haughty whispers through the ranks. When she voiced her opinion, they seemed to stop.

“But, you are the best.” Abby retorted with a wry smile playing on her lips. She shrugged, eyeing him from her peripherals. Roy Mustang's intentions were always shady in her opinion, if he wanted Isaac away from the area for awhile, she didn't know why. “I agree, though. It's not some simple mission.” When fellow soldiers saluted them, Abby only nodded her head and returned a few. The ranking system had always proved silly in her eyes, and she appreciated that Isaac didn't take it as serious as some people did. She laughed at Isaac's comment, pulling her gloves on tighter. “Cat person. I never woulda' thought.”

Both doors swung open in front of her and locked in place, and everyone seemed to turn their heads in their direction. Abby chuckled, looked back at her companion and noticed a half-naked figure flexing down the hallway towards Mustang's office. Two women walked in the opposite direction: one giggling behind a gloved hand, while the other glowered and muttered something under her breath. Abby's eye twitched and she crossed her arms over her chest. No doubt it was Mareth streaking down the halls. Again. “Mareth!” She always loved the fact that she had a commanding, booming voice when need be.