Chapter one: Favors
General Haruko sat behind his desk watching Colonel Roy Mustang carefully. The young man was definitely hard to read but for this matter it didn't matter. "The Fuher and I have a very large favor to ask of you Mustang," he said finally. "The Fuher would have asked personally but he's currently busy."
Roy remained silent waiting for the next part.
Haruko sighed sitting back in his chair. "I'm sure that you have heard of Brigadier General Lila Skyler, The Lighting Alchemist," Mustang nodded. "Then I assume that you know she and Fuher Bradley were good friends." Mustang nodded again.
Haruko nodded. "What is not widely know is Skyler once saved Fuher Bradley's life, it was many years ago, before you enlisted. Anyway Skyler was killed two weeks ago, I can't tell you the details because Bradley's keeping it as low key as possible, for Anica's sake and out of respect for his friend. Anica is Lila's daughter.
"The girl's almost seventeen, finishing up finishing school, but will be here in Central in two days. Her father, Colonel Andrew Skyler was killed when she was two and neither of her parents had any siblings so Anica's pretty much on her own. Having known her mother I can tell you that Anica will be self-sufficient. Her mother was," He smiled. "Very much the commander of her troops and needed Anica to act accordingly; she wasn't home with her all the time.
"In her mother's last letter to Bradley, she spoke of Anica's interest in becoming an alchemist for the state. She had taught Anica what she could before her untimely death. Bradley wants to repay his debt to her mother by helping Anica, so this is where you come in. She needs a mentor especially one who's an expert with flame alchemy. Apparently she's got some talent with it, enough to gain her mother's interest which is hard to do. Her mother didn't bother with anything she didn't think would show some potential. With Lila you either had it or didn't.
"From what I have been told the girl's well traveled, intelligent, well mannered, and quiet. Bradley said the last time he saw her she was quite the little lady. We know you just moved into a house off base so you should have some room for her, though I doubt Anica will have much at all. Her mother was never one to keep anything that wasn't needed, they moved often. This is a very important assignment Mustang; do you think you can do this? I know having a stranger living in your house will be difficult, but I really don't foresee any problems arising. Anica will do as she's told all you have to do is lay down the rules."
A young woman…a young woman living in his house? Well that would put a small cramp in his dating life. He had to work during the day and would have to teach in the evening. Maybe he could work around that though. It was after all a favor for the Fuher so that might earn him some points toward his next promotion, not that this was really an optional situation. Hey if she was pretty that was a plus too.
"Two days, I think I can have one of the spare bedrooms made ready. Do you know any of her likes and dislikes?"
Haruko smiled glad that Mustang was willing to except this; though he was sure the younger man had some sort of hidden motives behind not fighting this. "Mustang, Anica's lived in military or school dorms most of her life. I am sure anything you have will be sufficient. She has what her mother left her, such as money and a few odds and ends and her own things. So you won't need to worry about anything like that. Play nice now, Anica's been instructed to report anything that bothers her."
"Yes sir," Roy replied.
"Thank you, Fuher Bradley will bring her to you when she arrives, dismissed."
Roy saluted and left for his own office. As he walked down the halls he weighed the situation in both hands. Having someone else in the house wouldn't make it seem so large and empty, yet if this Anica was to report anything that bothered her…Damn! He'd have to cater to some possibly stuck up snot nosed brat. Well he didn't know her so he probably shouldn't pass judgment yet. She'd better be pretty, he thought coming upon his door.
He sighed opening it to his two man staff. "Lt. Hawkeye, what sort of things did you like when you were seventeen?" He asked after closing the door softly behind him.
Both Lt. Hawkeye and Lt. Havoc looked at him with surprise and confusion. "Sir?" the blonde woman asked.
"I'm taking on a student for the Fuher. She's seventeen and since she's going to be living with me I need to know what to do with her room." Roy explained.
"So does this mean you'll be too busy to date?" Havoc asked a little hopefully.
Roy gave him a grin. "Of course not, what you think some kid's going to get in the way of that?"
"Colonel," Riza said seriously. "Everyone is different; I don't think I would be much help unless I knew something about her."
Roy held his chin thinking. "True, well Haruko didn't have much. I was told she was quiet, intelligent, well mannered, the daughter of Brigadier General Lila Skyler. That was about it."
Havoc's cigarette fell from his mouth. "Skyler, sir? The Lighting Alchemist?"
Roy nodded. "Why you knew her?"
Havoc nodded. "That woman was so cold, she never laughed at anything. I was assigned under her when I first enlisted. I never met the kid though; she was off doing something else at the time. We did get to hear one telephone conversation she had with her daughter. It was the only time any of us ever saw her smile but she was really hard on the kid, expected a lot. It was like she was commanding one of us not talking with her kid."
Roy wasn't sure what to think now. He certainly didn't want some uptight girl living with him who couldn't laugh. "Huh, well so Hawkeye what did you like when you were seventeen?"
Hawkeye gave him that classic 'What's that supposed to mean?' look then sighed. "We have been over this sir; I don't think I will be much help."
Roy went to his desk and sat down crossing one leg over the other. "There must be something you could suggest."
Havoc retrieved his cigarette from the floor and stuck it back in his mouth. "You trying to impress the kid or something?"
Roy simply kept his eyes upon Riza. "No, she's the one who will be learning from me I don't have to try."
Riza sighed again. "Maybe you should just leave the room plain Colonel, let her do what she wants with it."
"That's an option, however, Haruko tells me her mother was a minimalist and that Anica lived in military dorms all her life. Supposing that she's different from her mother she might actually want something other than white walls and bare furniture."
"So you're planning to go all out and spoil her?" Havoc asked. "That's nice there chief."
"I didn't say that, but a change might be nice." Roy replied.
"You're forgetting something," Riza said quietly. "You don't know a thing about her. If her mother was as strict as Lt. Havoc says this young woman might be ready to rebel. You might have just welcomed something you're not prepared for sir."
"Well who better to keep her out of trouble than the Chief?" Havoc asked.
Riza gave them both a look that told them that was exactly what she was worried about. Given the Colonel's reputation with pretty women, she was actually more worried about the girl. "Earlier you said 'knew her', sir. What did you mean by that? Did something happen to Brigadier General Skyler? I would assume the woman would want to educate her daughter personally."
"All Haruko would tell me was that her mother was killed. Guess the Fuher is keeping it low key for the kid." Roy replied.
Havoc put his cigarette out. "Damn, then Anica's got no one left now. When did her mother die?"
Roy shook his head. "Two weeks ago."
"Then perhaps you better be careful in handling the girl Colonel." Riza set her pen down with the gravity of the current situation. "I wouldn't try to make her do anything she doesn't want to do or isn't ready for."
Roy nodded. He was positive there were multiple meanings behind her words and he was heeding all of them. "I didn't plan on it. So I've got two days to make room and inform the house keeper. I'm leaving early today to take care of that. The last thing I want to deal with is that woman twitching about because she wasn't informed of a guest."
"Like all your other guest?" Havoc chuckled.
Roy smirked. "Exactly."
Anica sat still until the train finally stopped before getting up. Some of the other travelers around her had begun moving, twittering about in excitement, annoyance, chattering, and the like. The man beside her had gotten up as they pulled into the station ready to flee the train as soon as it stopped. He was already making his way to the exit.
This train ride had been the same as many before. She was heading for a new place, save for school, and she was making it alone. That didn't bother her in the least. She was use to making long trips alone. Train rides were actually quiet pleasant to her. She could sit and do nothing but just watch the world pass her by or watch other people. Other people were interesting, the lives they led, the things that annoyed them, made them happy.
Anica stood gracefully and pulled her two suitcases from the overhead luggage rack. The ride was over and it was time to start the next chapter of her life, what ever that was. Oh she knew she was going to be living under the care and tutorage of a Colonel Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, hero of the Eastern Rebellion, but that was all she knew. No one had told her anything else other than he was an ambitious man, young for a Colonel, had stepped on a few toes here in Central. But Fuher Bradley had spoken well of him so he must be a man of some talent and merit. Who was she to argue?
Quietly and patiently Anica waited until nearly everyone had exited the train car before moving into the isle and walking to the exit. When she stepped down upon the platform she was greeted with a warm smile from the Fuher himself. Of course an officer came rushing over to take her luggage. "Thank you," She said softly. She followed him toward the Fuher and saluted.
Bradley chuckled. "At ease Anica, you don't have to salute until you pass the test."
Anica dropped her hand. "Habit sir,"
"Of course, how was your trip, more importantly how are you doing?"
Anica smiled politely. "I am fine, the trip was pleasant enough. How are your wife and son?"
"They are well…Nervous?"
She shook her head. "Central is just another city sir."
At this the Fuher laughed and rested his hand upon her shoulder. "I meant about staying with a stranger, Colonel Mustang."
Anica again shook her head smiling. "I trust your judgment. I know you wouldn't leave me with just anyone. That would be something my mother wouldn't like and if you did she might come back from the dead just to lecture you."
"That she might," He motioned for her to follow. "Colonel Mustang is on duty today I hope you don't mind staying in his office until he is finished."
"Not at all, I have a book I have been meaning to read for some time. I won't hinder him in the least, but are you sure he won't mind me?" She asked.
"I assure you he doesn't. He seemed happy to accept the task of tutoring you. I have to warn you though he can be charming. He's got quite the reputation as a ladies man here in Central."
Anica nodded as they walked down the stairs out of the train station. "Consider me warned."
"Working under Mustang is Lt. Riza Hawkeye. She's a dedicated solider, but most of all she's a woman so feel free to go to her should you need something or want to speak to her instead of Mustang. Personally if I were in your shoes I might be a little uncomfortable discussing certain matters with a man." He stopped at the waiting car and opened the door for her.
Anica got in and sat down in the most ladylike fashion. "I will keep that in mind," she replied once he was in and settled.
They sat in silence for some time once the car began to move. Central looked like any other city to Anica, but it held its own unique beauty. It was in the buildings, the people as they passed. Even the plants and animals bore an aura of attraction. Still in all it's splendor, its familiar things like so many other places, it was foreign territory.
A foreign territory alight with the colors of fall. Bradley, her mother's long time friend, pointed out various places, museums, the theatre, the library, and things of that nature. But most of all, if she was allowed to leave Mustang's residence alone, she knew she wanted to visit the park. It was beautiful and the weather was nice this time of year, or so the Fuher said. He made a point to let her know she was welcome to visit him and his family at any time and to come visit him in his office at Head Quarters.
Anica made a point of carrying her own luggage from that point on. It puzzled the sergeant who had driven them here, but The Fuher just shook his head and led the way inside.
Roy sat drumming his fingers upon his desk. A stack of paper work that could wait another hour was sitting inches from his hand; his pen had long since rolled off his desk to the floor. It would stay there until he quit being lazy and bent over to pick it up.
Over the last two days he'd been a little fidgety, not because he was nervous about having some strange girl living with him who he was supposed to guide in the right direction. No, that didn't bother him in the least; he was restless because he didn't know a damn thing about her, in fact no one really did. He'd gotten Hughes on it even, trying to find out more about her. There had to be something, some interest, and some indiscretion, anything that might give him a hint of what Anica was like. But it was more like she was some rumor, some ghost that people knew of but had never seen. Well save for the Fuher and General Haruko.
Roy had trouble fathoming that. Maybe it was because Maes paraded his daughter's picture around flashing it in everyone's face like the adoring and proud father he was. Hell his own parents had introduced him to people when he was younger. There were still a few people who came upon him and remembered him as a child. That wasn't that often now days. But it was like Lila Skyler had been trying to keep Anica hidden or was ashamed of her.
A soft knock upon the office door drew his attention back to the real world and out of his head. Quietly the door opened and he stood upon seeing the Fuher. He, Hawkeye, and Havoc lifted their hands in salute.
"At ease," The Fuher said entering. He looked back smiling and stepped aside revealing a young woman. She took a breath and entered, her dark –tempest-gray eyes making contact with Roy's first and foremost and held his gaze. She was as tall as Riza or so it appeared, with an hour glass frame, and a rather nice rack. Her skin was the color of alabaster stone, lips round and full, a heart shaped face bearing high cheek bones, and perfectly sculpted nose.
Her attire was simple and modest, yet still holding the look of the upper middle class, was nothing more than a pale blue dress and white sweater. Her shoes were even white and not a scuff on them. Now her hair, good god her hair was as black as a raven's feather and looked as soft as satin. It was pulled out of her face save for one lock that fell loose and her feather thin bangs. Anica was a like a living breathing doll or in the very least an angel that had lost its wings and fallen to earth. Perfectly breathtaking, who'd ever want to hide her away, Roy thought they were crazy.
"Anica this is Colonel Roy Mustang, over there is Lt. Riza Hawkeye, and Lt. Jean Havoc, everyone this is Miss. Anica Skyler." Bradley said.
Roy watched the young sweet thing look at each of them quickly and give a slightly shy smile. "It's nice to meet you," she said. Damn even her voice was sweet, soft, and delicate. There wasn't any hint of shyness there, just a pure well intended hello, but there really wasn't any warmth to it either.
"I have told Anica that you will be finishing out your day before going home." Bradley turned to Anica. "I would stay but I have some things to do. You'll call if you need anything?"
"Yes sir," She replied.
"Then I leave her in your capable hands Colonel," With that the Fuher left closing the door.
Roy almost couldn't tear his eyes from the girl. "Please have a seat; I'm sure you must be tired from the trip so I'll try to hurry."
Anica nodded and walked over to an empty desk setting her suit cases down with ease then took a seat like a proper young lady should.
"So where did you come from?" Roy asked retaking his own.
"Shaden, in the west." She replied softly.
"That's some pretty rough territory." Havoc said with a smile. "What is that a five day trip by train?"
"Six," She replied. "And one more by carriage."
"That's one hell of a trip and you came alone?" Havoc said.
"I usually travel alone." She said softly.
Roy sat back. Damn he couldn't get a good read on her. She was a wall, complete with no missing bricks. "Sounds a little dull. Lt. Havoc said he was assigned to your mother once."
Anica nodded with a bright smile suddenly coming to life. "I remember, I was away at school but she talked about you a lot, said you were very strange and smoked too much. She did keep track of where you went, said it was important that you not fall into the wrong hands, but she never told me anything else." Anica giggled. "Well no that's not entirely true she did tell me of one incident in particular. The one where you dropped-"
"Okay yes I remember that pretty well, there's no need to remind me." Havoc interrupted holding up his hand. He was blushing. "Any way,"
Oh Roy wanted to know, it had to be embarrassing, really embarrassing to make Jean blush like that and it made Anica giggle. "So what happened?" he asked smoothly
Anica looked at the wicked grin upon Colonel Mustang's face then back at Havoc. "I don't think he'd like me to tell."
Havoc scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, don't, he'll use it."
Anica nodded. "Oh I see,"
Riza spoke up for the first time since Anica's arrival. "Anica, we're sorry about your mother."
Anica's face paled a little but she still smiled. "Don't be, she wasn't. She was actually quite happy in the end. She said it was better to die fighting than not."
"But your mom was…" Havoc trailed off. "Sorry,"
"For what?" Anica asked. "Yes she was a skilled and highly trained alchemist as well as a soldier, but she couldn't stop everything that came at her. She was only human, not a god."
Anica had a valid point, but the way she spoke unnerved Roy. How could this girl speak as if her mother's death didn't bother her in the least? Didn't she feel anything? Or was her mother so cold and distant to her that she was like a stranger? It was all very puzzling. He did want to know what had happened to Brigadier General Skyler, what it was that she couldn't stop. Perhaps he could obtain that information from her later.
"So what happened, if I can ask?" Havoc asked quietly.
Anica smiled. "You can ask all you want, the real question is if I am going to tell you." She paused for a long moment. "Maybe someday I will but today I won't and probably not in the near future. She was my mother Lt. Havoc and even though she's gone and not coming back and I've accepted that; it's a little difficult to reiterate what happened. I think…I think I'm still in a state of shock. You'll have to forgive me, but everything just happened so quickly it's a bit of a blur."
"You going to be okay?" Havoc asked. "Cause you can talk to any one of us." He was sincere in his words.
"Thank you I will remember that and I think I'll be just fine." She glanced at the Colonel and Lt. Hawkeye. "Am I preventing you from working, I can wait in the hall?"
"No," Roy said with a charming smile. "You're fine,"
"What the Colonel really means to say is that no one knows anything about you and he really doesn't want to sign that stack of papers on his desk. It's not every day a cute girl walks into this office that's a complete stranger." Havoc translated.
"Oh I see, well there's not much to know I suppose." She said and that was it, there was no more and Roy was a little annoyed. It was interesting that she side stepped the slight advance from Jean.
"How do you like Central so far?" Lt. Hawkeye asked.
"It's a large city but it's different in its own way. What I saw on my way here I liked. But there is always something likeable in every place I have been, mostly it's watching everyone else go about their business."
Roy rested his elbow upon his desk and his chin in his hand. "You're really not going to tell us anything are you?" He watched a grin form upon the girl's face. It was one of those charming yet knowing grins. He wondered if he looked as pretty as her when he flashed that one.
"I'll tell you what ever you want to know, the trick is asking the right questions and if I am in the mood to tell you, but I should warn you now that I'm not really a talkative person. My mother hated that, said I was just like my father, always listening but hardly speaking. More often than not I find its better not to speak unless there is anything of merit to be said. I make a poor conversationalist…Unless I get wound up about something."
In other words Roy was going to have to find something that sparked her interest or pissed her off to get more than just polite minimal conversation out of her. She was going to make this difficult; that was annoying but given the current situation if he were her, he probably wouldn't want to give too much away either. After all she'd just lost her mother, been moved to a new city she'd never been, and was going to be living with a perfect stranger. That had to be a little nerve wracking. Damn she was really gorgeous.
He sighed and leaned over to pick up his pen. She was probably exhausted from the trip and too polite to say anything about it. He'd better get this done, get a decent meal into her, train food wasn't exactly the best and depending on which train it could be less than edible. Then help her get settled in. Tomorrow if she was up to it he could assess what she did know in terms of alchemy and how far along she was. Then they could go from there.
Things fell silent from then on. Roy finished his paper work as did his subordinates and Anica retrieved a book from one of her suit cases, reading silently. Roy wondered what it was she was reading since he'd seen her smile a time or two before he stood cleaning up his desk, but he wouldn't ask right now. The important thing was that she had smiled.
"Are you ready to go?"
Anica said nothing just placed her book mark in the book and closed it. She put it away, stood gracefully, picking up her suit cases after pushing in her chair. "See ya later," Havoc said with a wave.
"It was nice meeting you both," Anica replied.
Riza smiled a rare smile and Roy left his desk for the door. He opened it for her and she thanked him, waiting for him in the hall. "Stay out of trouble now Colonel." Havoc said quietly.
Roy smiled and closed the door. "So I hope you're hungry."
"A little," Anica admitted.
"Great, I'm not the best cook in the world but no one's ever complained, shall we?"
Anica smiled a little from his smile and followed him out. She was use to walking passed soldiers stopping to salute a superior when she had walked beside her mother, but she wasn't use to people blushing and having smiles such as those. It seemed that this Colonel Mustang was more of a charmer than the Fuher had said. She could easily see where some one might think he was attractive, he was, and he was in her definition very handsome. She'd never seen blue eyes so dark they almost looked black before. He didn't look scrawny or puny either, but he wasn't some muscular giant. People like that, people like Brigadier General Gran, made her nervous.
What was more interesting was that he looked like he was born to wear that uniform and he looked like a person who was going to go places, up to be more specific. But he really was young to be a Colonel. Her father had been forty when he earned the rank. Mustang didn't look a day over twenty two give or take a year or two. Then again he did have the advantage that all alchemists have when enlisting after passing the alchemy exam; every alchemist was given the rank of Major, so she was sure that helped his position.
He led her to a black car identical to the one the Fuher had brought her to HQ in and opened the back door for her. Then he got in the front and started the car saying nothing at all. She had been expecting questions, many in fact as it was when she often met new people, but he was silent.
She covered a small yawn with her hand and resigned to looking out the widow. Lucky for her she possessed an excellent memory. So it was good to be able to pay attention to where they were going, so she'd know how to get to and fro.
It didn't take long to reach a rather nice residential block. "That yellow house belongs to my friend Major Maes Hughes, his wife Gracia, and their daughter Elicia, you'll probably be seeing them a lot. They come over about once a week if I don't go to visit them." Roy said breaking the silence. "Watch out for Maes, he's usually got a new photo to show everyone of Elicia, it gets annoying after the first ten times you've seen it but it's endearing."
Anica smiled, remaining silent. That was nice, she didn't know what her father would have been like with her had he lived to see her grow up. From what little her mother had told her and her imagination, she pictured him as a nice man, kind, but just as strict as her mother, perhaps a little more laid back.
They stopped after rounding a corner and pulled into a drive way. A large white and blue house sat surrounded by a black iron fence and well kept yard. Shrubbery lined the walk and the porch. There was a bench upon that porch with a small table. It was all very simple and since it was growing dark there were lights on inside.
The front door opened and a short round elderly woman waddled out upon the porch. Anica studied her, she looked nothing like Mustang, but she'd not jump to any conclusions just yet.
Roy sighed turning off the car. "I do have a few rules Anica." His eyes watched her from the rear view mirror.
"I'd expect nothing less," She replied finally speaking.
Roy nodded. "You may come and go as you please; I don't expect you to be home at any time, there's no curfew. As long as you respect my privacy I'll do the same. If there's something you need just let me know. I don't care what you do just don't bring any boys home to cause trouble. A guest is fine as long as they behave. You don't have to talk but I don't want you to be a silent person all the time. So can you live with that?"
"Yes," She replied.
Roy smiled. "Then we'll get along famously." He started to get out of the car but paused with his hand upon the door. "Oh how do you feel about dogs?"
Anica shook her head. "They are fine, I use to have one, well it was my father's. After he died my mother never got another."
"But do you like them?"
"Do you have one?"
"No, but I've been thinking of getting one. Since this is you're home now too I thought I should ask before I did. No allergies then?" Roy saw for the first time a twinkle in her grey eyes. So she liked dogs, perfect!
"None, what kind of dog are you getting?"
He frowned. "I don't know maybe you could help me decide." He glanced back at the woman waiting patiently upon the porch. "Well we'd better get in the house or Mrs. Garrison will have a fit." It was then that he got out. He opened the door for her holding out his hand and she took it, stepping out. He moved a little faster than she did grabbing her suit cases. "Come on,"
When they reached the porch the old woman smiled. "Anica this is my house keeper Mrs. Garrison, Mrs. Garrison this is Anica Skyler. Mrs. Garrison is here during the day so if you decide to stay home instead of coming into the office, she'll be here if you need something." Roy said.
"You want me to come to work with you?" Anica asked a little stunned.
Roy smiled. "If you want, you don't have to. You can stay here or go where ever you want. Didn't your mother let you visit her at work?"
Anica shook her head. "Not really,"
"Never mind that Colonel, come in side dear, you must be tired. I've already started dinner." Mrs. Garrison said taking Anica's hand, pulling her inside.
"You didn't have to do that," Roy replied, closing the front door behind him.
"Nonsense Colonel," Mrs. Garrison said and turned for the stair case to the right of the foyer. "If I left it up to you Anica wouldn't get a decent meal. She's too thin as it is."
Anica blinked as she was almost dragged up the stairs. For an old woman she certainly was quick, she acted more like a young woman than most of the elderly she'd met.
She was led to a door on the left, it was the first one. Mrs. Garrison stopped and turned around pointing across the hall. "That's the bathroom," She pointed behind her. "This is your room. I'm sure the Colonel will show you the rest of the house tonight after dinner." She looked directly at Roy expectantly.
"Of course," He replied. "She needs to know where my room is." He teased.
Mrs. Garrison's eyes narrowed but she nodded, opened the door, and reached inside, flicking on the light switch. "It's not much, but I hope it will do. I tried to get everything in perfect order. I had to take over for Colonel Mustang, he doesn't know a thing about young girls I'm afraid, as far as their bedrooms go. Other than him visiting and sleeping in them."
Anica followed her inside once again surprised. Mrs. Garrison certainly was blunt. But the room was amazing. The curtains and bed linens were lavender and white yet a darker shade so as not to make it look like a child's room. There was a dresser with a mirror on top, a writing desk, one small bookshelf and a closet. The bedside tables each bore a lamp and one held an alarm clock. "It's wonderful, but you didn't have to go to all this trouble."
Mrs. Garrison eyed Anica for a moment then pulled her farther into the room snatching the suit cases from Roy. "Out, and close the door."
"Good luck," Roy said to Anica before escaping.
Anica barely had time to wonder what that meant before Mrs. Garrison had her suit cases upon her bed and was opening them. "Really Mrs. Garrison, you and Colonel Mustang didn't have to do all of this. It's too much." It all really was the most wonderful room, asking her opinion about a dog, every one being so nice, it was overwhelming.
Mrs. Garrison waved her off. "Colonel Mustang informed me that he was told you'd spent most of your life in Military dorms. That's no place for a little girl to grow up. I half expected a tomboy, but I got a little lady instead." She turned around looking Anica over. "You need sunlight, you're so pale."
Anica shook her head and stepped toward the bed to close her luggage. "I can do this." She chose to ignore the comment about her childhood. She wasn't offended per se, but when she'd lived in the dorms she'd been with her mother. Those were some of the best times of her life in her opinion. She had to remember this woman didn't know her or her mother.
"We'll then I'll help." The old woman sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm just happy. Finally that man will have some one living with him. I can't be here all the time, not that I think he needs a sitter. I just think he gets lonely. I try to stay as long as I can. I don't like him coming home to an empty house all alone after work. He's such a nice man, when he's not being mischievous or a little pompous. We do joke, he likes to try and get on my nerves. And you're such a pretty thing, but you should be careful he always goes after the pretty ones. You're a lot prettier than some of the girls he's brought into this house."
"I have already been warned, thank you." Anica said softly.
"Well, let's get you unpacked and settled in. I wasn't sure what you liked to eat so I just made a casserole, beef, potatoes, carrots, it should be finished soon." The woman said turning back to the luggage.
Anica helped Mrs. Garrison hang up her dresses listening to the woman's delight that Anica didn't own one pair of trousers. Then they put her books half fiction and half alchemy, though there were few, upon the shelves. Last were the pictures and a map of Amestris.
Anica hung the small framed map upon the wall where a nail was already waiting. Then she placed the three framed pictures upon the bedside table. One was of Acroya, another of her and her mother, and the last of her parent's wedding. Mrs. Garrison looked the last one over. "You look like your father Anica."
She smiled. "I know."
"Do you remember him; the Colonel said he died when you were very young?"
Anica nodded. "A little, just one memory really though it's faded. I remember him sitting in the living room, reading, but nothing more. My mother didn't speak about him much, she had her reasons and I never argued."
Mrs. Garrison didn't look pleased in the least. It was clear that this woman did not agree with how her mother had raised her. That didn't matter to Anica in the least. She was content with who she was and content with whom and how her mother had been and treated her.
There was a knock upon Anica's door. "May I come in?" Colonel Mustang's voice called from behind the barrier.
Mrs. Garrison looked at Anica. "It's your bedroom dear, your rules now."
Anica went to her door and opened it. He was dressed in a white button down dress shirt and black pants. Did he look good in everything he wore? She wondered as she stepped aside. He looked around slipping his hands into his pockets. "All unpacked?"
"Yes sir," She replied.
The man frowned at her. "At home it's just Roy okay?"
"Okay," She replied. He smiled satisfied with that.
"Mrs. Garrison I hope you are staying for dinner this time."
Mrs. Garrison smiled, shaking her head. "I wish I could, but Evan will be picking me up this evening, he should be here any minute now." She looked to Anica. "Evan's my husband."
Anica nodded remaining quiet. As if on cue there was a faint car horn sounding from down stairs. Mrs. Garrison smiled and caught Anica's hand, taking her to the window. She opened the curtains, then the window and leaned out. "Evan up here!"
An elderly gentleman poked his head out of the car window and smiled waving. "Hello!" He called.
"This is Anica, the girl I told you about."
Anica lifted her hand and waved as the man tipped his hat to her. There was no way she'd yell out the window. It wasn't that she was too good to, it was that she knew it wasn't proper and she might get into trouble.
Mrs. Garrison sighed and hugged Anica tight. "Now if you need anything my phone number is written down by the phone in the den. Don't hesitate to call, even if you just want to talk to someone."
"Hey now," Roy said. "She can talk to me, I'm not going anywhere."
"Tonight," Mrs. Garrison replied. "But you won't be home every night." She sighed. "Well good night to you both. Oh dinner should be ready in about ten more minutes." With that she was gone closing the door behind her.
Anica turned to her new teacher. He smiled. "I know, she's easy excited and she never minds her own business." He said then looked around again. Anica followed his eyes to the map upon the wall. "Why the map?"
She smiled. "I like to look at it, it was my father's." She came beside him pointing to the small stars beside a few cities. "Those places my father had planned to take me when I got older."
"Haruko said you traveled, did you go to these places?"
"Every single one, my mother started me out in Acroya, that's where My father was from but there wasn't any one that I could find that knew him very well. So I don't know that much about him. I finished up the last place this summer before returning to finishing school. I went to Xing, but I had to make it a day visit so I could get back to school in time."
"I haven't been you'll have to tell me about it."
"I can do better," She replied bending down to the small book case. She searched for a book, a rather large one, pulled it out and offered it to him. "This is an account of every place I have been, what I did and saw, and a few photos. My mother couldn't always go and she wanted to know everything so I wrote everything down for her. The first few read a little like a military report, but she put a stop to that. She didn't care of population and things like that. She said she could look that up on her own."
Roy took the book. "So what's the rest like?"
"It's what I found interesting and about the people. That's what my dad really wanted me to get out of it. Mother said so after I changed how I was writing things down. She said my dad and I had a lot in common, like the same things, save for alchemy. My dad didn't really understand it. Alchemy was one of the few things my mother and I had in common." She smiled. "It's not so hard to get information out of me is it?"
He smiled. "Mind if I keep this for a while?"
"No not at all, make sure not to misplace it." She opened it to the middle. "It's got notes from my mother in here. She kept the book while I was away at school, wrote in it, and then gave it back so I could read it on the train during the summer break. Sometimes this was better than a phone call."
"Then I'll be sure to take good care of it." He replied closing the book. "Let's go eat, I'm starving."