Summery - "This honor …" She traced the cut. "Did you finally find forgiveness, Colonel?"

I'm not entirely sure how this came into my head, but once it was there I had to write it.

Disclaimer - If I owned FMA ... maybe we shouldn't go into that ...

Marks of Honor
"Nii-san, we really should just take a train." Alphonse followed Ed as the shorter teen led them through an overgrown forest. This was difficult at times due to the very different sizes of Ed's petite human body and Al's bulky armor.

Ed turned around, narrowly missing a branch, and gave his younger brother a big grin. "Come on Al! Where's your sense of adventure?"

"I think I left it back with the fifth tree you had to climb." The suit of armor grumbled.

Ed pursed his lips. "Fine, as soon as we come to a town, we'll catch the first train to Rizembool."

"Thank-you, Nii-san." Ed shrugged and began walking again. Not long after the forest began to thin out, actual trails leading here and there between the trees. Ed stopped to look at a few. "Well, this one isn't human – probably deer – and this one has most of the footprints leading into the forests … ah here's the one we want!"

"Nii-san, what are your reasons for choosing this path?" Al was wary of Ed's decisions, with good reason too, considering how many times Ed had gotten them in trouble due to rash decisions.

Ed started ticking them off on his fingers. "It's the most worn. The foot prints all lead the same way, which is out of the forest … hopefully. And, uh, instinct."

"I'm not going to persuade you into any other path am I?"

"Nope, only over my dead body."

If a suit of armor could look devious, that's what Al looked like right them. "Of course it wouldn't be too much trouble for me to just pick you up and carry you on a different path …"

"Hey! I'm the older brother, and … wait; did you just call me short?"

"Uh, Nii-san I didn't … don't …"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT A ANT COULD PICK HIM UP AND CARRY HIM ANYWHERE IT WANTED BECAUSE HE'S TOO SHORT TO FIGHT BACK?!" Unfortunately, or fortunately, the oak and ash trees were the only witnesses to Ed's tantrum.

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"So, there's a train to Rizembool every two days, and one just left today." Ed glanced behind him at Al. "Anything you want to do?"

The armor shook its head. The clanging attracted the attention of a small group of kids.

"Marie! Everyone! Look! It's a big suit of armor!" One boy called out. Within seconds the children were all over the Elric brothers.

One girl managed to climb up Al's back to sit on his shoulder. She rapped on the helmet, listening to the hollow clanging coming from inside. Her head cocked to the side, bight red eyes confused. She did what any child would do. She took of the helmet.

"Mr. Armor, sir?" The girl looked from the empty helmet to the empty body of the armor. Handing the helmet down to one of the boys below, she stuck her head down the neck of the armor. "Hello?" Her voice echoed in the hollow space.

Attracted by the echoing, Ed whipped around, nearly crashing into three of the children who had been examining the symbol on his jacket. His first sight was his brother's armor being swarmed with children, one of whom was lowering herself into the 'empty' armor. "Hey! Don't do that!" Ed waved his arms franticly.

"Calm down Nii-san. They're just curious."

"But they're ah … ah…" Three more children had joined the first inside Al. Their voices reached those outside muffled and distorted by echoes.

"Are the children bothering you sir?" Ed whipped around again, wincing at a sharp pain in his neck. Standing behind him was a rather elderly man, carrying a few packages under his arm.

"No, sir, not at all. My brother is a bit over-protective." Al spoke up, causing the children inside him to squeak in surprise and begin rapping on the metal, trying to find out where the voice came from.

"That's quite understandable, but I'm sure having a number of children inside you isn't the most positive thing in the world." The man smile, showing off teeth that had seen better years.

"I've had worse."

"Hey! I don't know who you are or what's up with all the children, but they need to get out of that armor on the double." Ed was finally fed up with being out of the conversation.

"Of course, sir." The man struck his cane on the ground. "Jacob, kindly help Marie and her followers out of the armor."

An older boy nodded, and ran towards Al. The armor squatted to help as much as he could, and with in a matter of minutes, four wide-eyed children were staring up at the looming hulk of Al's armor.

"That better, sir?"

"Yes."

"I think Alphonse still needs his head." The new voice from behind Ed made everyone turn around.

"Colonel Mustang!" Al deftly caught the helmet that the man tossed him.

"Mister Roy." The elderly man gave a short bow.

The mob of children swarmed Roy crying out, "Uncle Roy! Uncle Roy!"

"You! What are you doing here Colonel Shit?!"

"Watch the language Fullmetal, there are children around." Roy told the other half mindedly as he smiled at the children. "Where are you two going?"

"None of your beeswax, Mustang." Ed folded his arms in a childish manner.

"The question is merely a formality needed before inviting one to stay with another. If the destination is far or the time of day late, then one is obligated to extend the invitation. If the destination is not far, the extension of the invitation is up to the one extending it. Besides, the children have taken a shine to you." The group of children surrounding Roy nodded. "Would you like to spend the night? There's more then enough room."

"No wa-mmph" Ed was cut of by Al's large hand covering his mouth.

"It would be our pleasure, sir." Al chirped, cheerfully ignoring the death glare Ed was sending him. The children all let out a whoop of joy.

Roy smiled at the two brothers. "That's great. Carl," He indicated the elderly man. "Can show you the way now, if you like."

The little girl, Marie, tugged at Roy's pant leg. "What about you, Uncle Roy? Aren't you coming home with us?"

Roy smiled and patted her head. "Not now, Marie. I've got some last business to take care of."

Another girl spoke up. "But we've been in town all day!"

A young boy spoke up. "Yeah, we've been to the baker's …"

The boy Jacob started ticking things off on his fingers. "And the farmer, the dairyman, the seamstress, the shoe maker, the bank, the potter and the sweetshop. What else is there?"

Roy smiled at the children. "Something came up just before I encountered all of you. I promised to see to it right away." Most of the children pouted at this. "How about you take Edward and Alphonse home and they can show you some of the magic tricks they know?"

This caught the children's attention. A smaller girl with her dark hair pulled out of her green eyes into pigtails, ran up to Ed. "You know magic?"

Ed wasn't quite sure where Roy was going with the whole magic thing. "Uhh…"

A boy joined the girl. "Uncle Roy's shown us his. He can make fire appear with a snap of his fingers!"

"Ahhh…" Ed caught on the Roy's thought. Such young children wouldn't be able to grasp the complex concepts behind alchemy, so it was easier to tell them it was magic then trying to explain it. "Yes. Both my brother and I know a bit of 'magic'."

"Show us! Show us!" The children left their position around Roy to gather around the brothers.

Roy caught one of the children. "Whoa, guys! Why don't you take home all the stuff we got today, and once Edward and Alphonse are settled, you can ask them to show you magic?"

Almost in unison the children whined. "But we want to see it nooooooow!"

Roy crossed his arms. "The sooner you get everything back home, the sooner you'll see the magic."

One of the older boys shouted to the others. "Come on. If we each take one package and run, we'll be home and have the guest rooms made up before they arrive!"

A hearty cheer of agreement followed this statement and soon all the children had run off down the street. The three alchemists and Carl were left standing in the middle of the road. Roy shook his head. "I hope you have some none lethal tricks up your sleeve Fullmetal, because those children love to see alchemy."

Ed glared at the taller man. "You're the one who got us into this."

"Yes, but I have to stay in town at the moment, so you'll have to do the entertaining." He turned to Carl. "Carl, would you mind taking the Elric's back to the house?"

"Not at all, sir. Should I tell Marcy that you'll be back late for dinner?"

"Tell her not to make me anything; I won't be there to have it." Roy sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Bank business always takes forever."

"Alright, sir." He turned to the Elric brothers. "Come along then, we want to be back before the sun sets completely."

"But it's four in the afternoon!" Ed exclaimed, checking his pocket watch to be sure. "The sun won't set for another two hours."

"Be that as it may, I'm not a fast walker, and the estate is outside the far edge of town." Carl started making his way down the road.

Al started to follow him before he realized that Ed wasn't following. "Aren't you coming Nii-san?"

"I'll catch up Al, there's something I want to discuss with Mustang." Roy raised an eyebrow at this comment. Once Al and Carl were out of earshot the blonde turned to the other man. "Be careful Mustang."

"Of what? This is a small town, smaller then Rizembool. Practically everyone knows one another, and not many travelers come through."

"All the same, I thought I saw Scar when we were coming in."

"I doubt that Fullmetal. Knowing Scar, if it was him, he would have made an attempt on your life."

"Unless he was here for another State Alchemist."

Roy bust out laughing at that. It was an odd reaction coming from him in such a situation. Roy's excuse was even odder. "Edward, you and Alphonse are the only people outside the villagers that now know I come here." Roy's laughter died down. "I'll be careful."

"Good. You may be a Bastard Colonel, but you don't deserve to be killed by a man who doesn't know anything about justice."

Roy's face clouded over at that comment, but only for a moment. "Thank-you for the sentiment. Now you better hurry and catch up, otherwise you'll lose the other two completely."

"Fine, but remember: Be Careful." Ed turned and began walking away. "I plan on beating you fair and square during the next assessment. Don't you ruin my plans, bastard." Behind him he heard a snort from Roy, before the other man turned and walked in the opposite direction.

----------

After an hour of walking Ed began complaining of being bored. This began an argument with Al, which in turn led to Carl offering to answer any of their questions. Which is what they were doing at that moment.

"So where exactly are we going?" Alphonse didn't want to be too rude with his first question.

"To the Mustang estate." Carl's cane tapped softly at the gravel road as he walked. "Or what used to be the Mustang estate. After his parents died, Master Roy decided to donate the manor to a charity group that was looking after orphaned children. The group started after the Ishbalan Massacre for orphaned Ishbalians that were willing to come. We're near the border, you know. At present though, we take in children from all over."

"The bastard seems more of the type to keep the house and pass it on to his children. Not that he has any."

"Master Roy didn't see the point in letting such a large house go to waste. Since he's in the military, there's no point in living there, and any family of his is settled in their own homes. Master Roy's reasoning was that the charity group could use the large home to take in more children, and the surrounding acres would keep the children occupied."

"I don't mean to sound rude, but why do you keep calling Colonel Mustang 'Master Roy'?"

"Habit. Though Master Roy has tried many times to break me of it." The group turned a round in the road, and suddenly and the manor loomed before them at the end of the road. "We're here. You gentlemen had best get your tricks ready. The children will be on you in a moment."

Not two seconds later did they hear a shout. "Hey everyone! They're here!" And the whole of the manor emptied into the yard to beg a magic trick of the guests.

----------

After a good night's sleep Edward awoke to the smell of sausage and bacon. Rolling out of bed, he tugged on his clothes and stumbled down to the kitchen.

"Morning, Sunshine!" Marcy was standing by the stove, monitoring Marie as she cooked the meat. "Pancakes are on the table, grab a few then come over for you meat. We need to build you up seeing as you're so small."

"Mm-'kay." Ed yawned and stretched, not hearing the comment on his height. "That was the best rest I've gotten in a while."

"Good, Mister Roy will be glad to hear when he comes home."

Ed's brows furrowed. "Did he go out this morning?"

"No, he didn't come home last night. I'm not-" Marcy was cut off by the shrill sound of the telephone. "Would you get that Edward?"

"Sure." He picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"This is the Newburblet police station. I'm calling about one Roy Mustang."

Ed felt his stomach lurch. "Is something the matter?"

"Yes, sir. A building collapsed yesterday evening and a man was found beneath the rubble. We believe it is Mr. Mustang."

"Is he alright? Was he taken to the hospital?"

"No, sir. I'm hate to have to be the one to tell you this, but the man we found was dead. I'm sorry, but someone will have to come down to the station to verify that it is Roy Mustang."

Ed was silent, not being able to force his voice to exit his body. Finally he chocked out. "Thank-you. I'll be down as soon as possible."

Hanging up the phone, Ed stood staring at the wall. Behind him he heard Marcy telling Marie to go outside and play with the others. "Edward?"

Slowly Ed turned around. Dazedly he recounted the information to the woman. "He's dead. They found him under a collapse building. I'm going down to the station to identify the body." Ed drew in a deep breath. "I have to call the others and have them come down."

Marcy stood stock still, trying to absorb what Edward was saying. "Mister Roy's dead?" Ed nodded. "Oh, Lord." She collapsed into one of the empty chairs around the small table.

"I need the name of the town, so I can tell the others where to come."

"Others?"

"Hawkeye. Havoc. Hughes. The rest of the command." He responded mechanically.

"Newburblet. Last stop before leaving the country on the east bound train."

Ed nodded, turned around and strode out the kitchen door, leaving Marcy to break the news to the others.

The walk to town was the longest Ed ever had. He walked in a daze, not feeling anything, trying to process the fact that the one man he had thought of as being near invincible was dead. He couldn't wrap his head around it. He just couldn't accept it.

Walking into the station he informed the officer sitting at the desk that he was there to identify a body. Following behind a young man he finally figured it out. Roy Mustang wasn't dead. They had mistaken some other person for him, and the real Roy Mustang was sleeping in some inn or another. Because Roy Mustang couldn't be dead.

Realizing this, Ed strode more confidently into the morgue. His thoughts shattered thought when he saw the familiar man lying on the metal table. In death Roy Mustang was even paler then he had been in life. Black hair fell on either side of his face, framing the bloodless skin. Every other feature was as it had been in life, only the cut on his right cheek marring the features that so many women had longed after.

"Sir, I asked if this was indeed Roy Mustang."

Ed nodded dumbly. "Y-yes. It-t is."

The young man he'd followed gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Ed looked at the man through numb eyes. "Thank-you." As the man was walking out Ed spoke again. "Do you have a phone that I could use?"

The other man thought for a minute. "The Commander has one in his office. I'll see if you could use it."

Ten minutes later, Ed listened to the steady ring of the phone, waiting for someone to pick up. "Hawkeye speaking."

"Lt. Hawkeye. This is Ed."

"Hello, Edward. How are you?"

"Fine. I'm fine."

"Is something wrong? You don't sound fine."

"Nothing's wrong … no, everything's wrong. I mean … fuck."

"What is it Edward? Where are you?"

"I'm in Newburblet. Last stop before leaving the country on the east bound train." Ed rattled off.

"Edward, tell me what is wrong this instant."

"He's dead."

"What? Who's dead Edward? Not Alphonse?"

"No. No. Al's fine. It's just that …" Ed choked on his words. "What I mean to say is …" Ed drew in a long shuddering gasp, the first beginnings of tears to form in his eyes. "He's dead Lt. He's dead."

"Who, Edward?"

"Mus-Mustang." Ed finally chocked out, letting the tears flow down his face.

Hawkeye was silent for a long time, before Ed heard the phone fall with a clatter onto the desk. A moment later Hughes' voice reached his ear. "Edward, talk to me. Hawkeye just froze up. Who died?"

Ed hiccupped. "Mustang. Roy Mustang."

Hughes voice was a whisper. "What? Are you sure?"

"YES! I just saw that bastard's body lying on one of the steel tables in the fucking morgue!" Ed sobbed. "He's dead. Dead." A new wave of tears burst out of him.

Hughes voice was strained when it finally came through. "Where are you Edward?"

"I'm in Newburblet. Last stop before leaving the country on the east bound train." Ed rattled off for a second time.

"Stay there. We'll be there as soon as possible."

Ed nodded before realizing Hughes couldn't see him. "Y-yes sir." Then the line went dead as Hughes hung up. Tears still flowing down his cheeks, Ed slowly returned the phone to the receiver. A moment later he drew in a deep breath he wiped his face on his sleeve before standing and walking out of the station.

He managed to control his tears until he was out of the town, but even that was a difficult task. Upon reaching the small grove of trees that the road passed through, Edward burst into tears, finally letting his sorrow out. Sliding down the trunk of a tree, Ed curled up into a little ball between the roots. Eventually he fell into an exhausted asleep.

----------

When he woke, Edward found himself being carried in someone's arms. Looking up, he saw Al's soul fire eyes peering down at him out of the armor. "Marcy told me about the colonel." The suit of armor paused. "I came looking for you when you weren't back at tea-time."

Ed nodded weakly. "Everyone's coming on the next train. I'll have to see if Marcy will be willing to let them stay at the manor."

"If you need to cry, you can cry Nii-san."

"I don't want to cry! I want to wake up and find this to just be a horrible dream! I want Roy Mustang to be alive!"

Al looked straight ahead. "So do I, Nii-san. But nothings going to bring him back and you know it. All that we can do is remember him and cry if we're sad."

"I hate him. I told him to be careful."

"No you don't. And if he was crushed by a collapsing building, then there was nothing to be done."

Ed was silent, watching the Mustang manor grow steadily closer. At this time of day and the number of children that lived in the house, there should have been some sort of noise coming from somewhere. Everything was silent though, and Ed knew it was because Marcy had informed the children of 'Uncle Roy's' death.

----------

Two days later Marcy, Carl and Ed stood on the Newburblet train platform, watching the train pull in. They waited as one or two people stepped off and strode out of the depot. Out of one of the last compartments stepped Hughes, then Louis Armstrong. Both men had donned dark clothes in place of their blue military uniforms and carried a suitcase each. Seeing Ed they nodded a greeting, and walked over.

As they stepped out of the way, Riza Hawkeye descended from the train, closely followed by the other four of Mustang's command. They too had donned dark clothes and carried a suitcase each. Slowly they followed the two men in front of them.

Greetings were exchanged among the group, and Marcy's offer of staying at the Mustang Manor was graciously accepted by the military officers. Soon Marcy and Carl said good-bye to the group, and left to go back to the manor. Ed led the silent group to the Newburblet police station.

Once again the blonde transversed the halls to the morgue, only this time he was followed by seven others. The woman leading them showed them where the body was then left the room quickly.

The eight military officers slowly moved around the table holding the covered remains of their companion. Once everyone stopped moving, Edward pulled back the sheet to reveal Roy Mustang's head and shoulders.

Everyone remained silent. Hughes' eyes were hidden behind his glasses, and Armstrong's sparkles dared not show themselves in the somber atmosphere. Fuery trembled slightly next to Havoc, who put his arm around the smaller man's shoulders in silent comfort. Breda and Fulman were still as statues next to Ed. Across the table from Ed, Riza gave a start, and a hand flew to her mouth for a moment.

Slowly, Riza's other hand rose to Roy Mustang's cheek, where a deep cut ran from mouth to temple. Her trembling fingers ghosted over the cold flesh as she traced the cut. A sad smile showed as she spoke. "Did you finally find forgiveness at the hands of revenge, Colonel?"

"Riza…" Hughes trailed off, not sure what she meant.

The woman looked up with teary eyes at the surrounding group, whose eyes were turned on her in curiosity. "Scar gave him the only and highest honor he could."

"Mustang was killed by a collapsing building." Ed shook his head, his stomach lurching again.

"No. Roy Mustang was killed by Scar. This honor," She traced the cut again. "Proves it."

This time it was Armstrong that spoke up. "Hawkeye, what honor are you talking about?"

Riza traced the cut a third time before her hand dropped to her side. Her eyes never leaving the cut she began. "Loosely translated it is the Mark of honor. It goes back before anyone can remember, from when Ishbal had occasional tribal wars, centuries before the country united. The Mark of honor never truly faded from our culture, but it was rarely seen during the period of peace preceding the massacre. It became a legend passed down from generation to generation. My grandmamma told me about it when I was ten."

Riza was silent for a moment as she wiped a tear from her eye. "During the massacre, the number of times the Mark was given could be counted on one hand. It is the highest honor an Ishbalian could give a person they killed.

"What exactly is this 'mark'?" Hughes stared at Riza unblinkingly, his investigator mask up completely. If Riza noticed this, she didn't comment.

"The Mark of honor is a cut to from mouth to temple – speech to thought – and is a signal to those who understand it. It signals that the bearer died with honor at the hand of the one who made it. The bearer of the Mark neither thought nor begged for mercy when they saw their death in the killer's eyes."

"Are you saying that Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, was killed by Scar, and the same man that killed him slashed his cheek to show us he died – was MURDERED – with honor?!" Ed's body shook. "That's bullshit!"

"No, Edward." Riza wiped her eyes again before catching his eyes and holding them. "That is the Ishbalian way. I don't expect you understand. The ways of the Amestris population, and those of the Ishbalian are very different." The woman looked around at the group, her red eyes beseeching. "Please, all of you understand that, in his own way, Scar has given Roy Mustang an honor beyond any he could have been given by the Amestris military."

She trembled slightly. "This is the first time anyone save an Ishbalian has received the Mark."

The morgue was silent as Riza spun on her heel and strode out the doors.

----------

A couple days later Roy's command, the Elric brothers, neighbors and friends of the Colonel including several members of the military, Gracia, Carl, and Marcy, were gathered around a newly dug grave. When they had learned of the funeral, the children had begged the adults to let them dance. Carl and Marcy hadn't said a word against it, knowing it was something the children had done at the funerals of other children from the manor, and eventually the others gave in as well.

Ed looked on the dance with sad eyes, knowing that the grave in front of him did not hold the body of his commander, only a freshly pressed uniform, a pair of white ignition gloves and a silver pocket watch. The Flame Alchemist's ashes had been buried under two trees in front of the Mustang manor a day earlier, as had been the man's wish.

But now, in a flat area before the grave, the children of the manor were spread in dance. A few of the older children were off to one side beating out rhythms on drums and tambourines, or plucking out a melody on guitars. In the center the rest of the children were ranged. The boys formed a circle, and used their clapping hands and stomping feet to accent the pulsing rhythm. Inside their circle the girls spun and twirled around each other.

Years later Edward and Alphonse Elric would stand before another grave in another world as another dance unfolded, and remember the empty grave of Roy Mustang and the dancing of the children.

:peaks out from behind wall: Please don't kill me. Review:runs away: