I know I should be updating the other fics, but this plot bunny would die. But then it would've turned into a zombie plot bunny, so…..yeah.
BTW: This fic is inspired by a song called 'Celtic Requiem' by Simon Powers.
Requiem of the Lost Souls
Lieutenant General Mustang looked out the window at the scenery as they passed. It was becoming more and more barren as the train headed Southeast from Central, towards the place that haunted him for so many years. With Furer Grumman in charge of Amestris now, he accepted the mission to rebuilt Ishbal to the way it was before the Massacre and fighting, however it would never truly be as it once was.
He was quiet and reserved as he traveled to where the camp would be set up, feigning calmness as Major Hawkeye followed him as they checked on the progress of set up, and scheduled meetings with Ishvalan leaders and found out when more troops and supplies would arrive. As he looked around the crumbled buildings, he saw glimpses of his past but he only released a small shudder while Riza was busy talking to another official.
"Are you alright sir?" He looked to his left where his major's eyes were filled with concern and worry and he smiled gently.
"Yes, I'm fine. Besides," He looked out to the barren streets of the dead city, "Someone has to do this. Since Fullmetal is retired and without alchemy, it looks like I'll have to do some of my own dirty work and rise through the ranks with this project."
"If you're sure, sir." She still had lingering doubts about her superior, but she wouldn't push it now. She had to give people their sleeping arrangements, while she persuaded the Lieutenant General to take a break and go to sleep. As she mulled over the thought, she chuckled quietly at the irony before pushing him to his single tent and bid him goodnight,
Mustang however was somewhat puzzled with her behavior but shrugged it off. It was rare that she gave him a break and he wouldn't risk passing it up and yawned as he changed and got into bed. He turned off the lamp and slowly fell asleep to the quiet footsteps of the soldiers outside and his own breathing.
"Mr. Mustang?" He groaned in response and turned to the makeshift wall. It was too early to deal with people. "Mr. Mustang! You finally came back!" He felt someone shaking him and hear a girl giggling before he finally rolled over again and groggily opened his eyes to see a young girl who looked no older than 7 standing happily next to a clock hat read 2:37 am.
"Hey kid, how'd you get in here?" He asked sleepily and sat up with the military issues blankets cascaded around him.
"I came in through the front door silly!" The girl giggled. He looked at her and started to notice things that his sleepy mind hadn't processed when she woke him up. Her red eyes were filled with joy and she giggled again and when he sent a questioning look at her she pointed at his bedraggled hair. The general grumbled as he flattened it down and swung his legs over the side of the bed and yawned.
"So what do you want kid? It's 2:30 in the morning." He said and she grabbed his hand and nearly pulled him off the bed.
"I need to show you something Mr. Mustang! It's been such a long time since you've been here and I've missed playing with people! It's been so lonely here for such a long time." She said and she began to lose her happiness that she had only moments before and Roy sighed.
"Okay, I'll come with you. But I'll have to come back soon, because I have to work in the morning and Major Hawkeye will give me a hard time if I start falling asleep while working." The girl let out a giant smile and giggled and he shooed her out of the tent while he changed out of his pajamas and into something more appropriate. Five minutes later, he stepped out of the tent in some civilian clothes and the small girl immediately grabbed his hand and began to lead him out of the cluster of tents and farther away from the base and closer towards the abandoned city.
As he looked around, he shivered at the cold air that seemed to be impossible in a desert and he could see a layer of fog coated the sand around his feet and it had an ominous feeling and he heard the small Ishvalan girl start to sing. It sent shivers down his spine, however it held a sort of innocence although the melody seemed haunting.
"What are you singing?" He asked and she stopped and looked back at him with a smile.
"My mommy and daddy and lots of people sang this after I went to sleep. It's like a lullaby! I heard it a lot when people went to sleep and they sang it for each one of them until they sang it to me!" She said happily before she began to walk again and he looked back at the camp one more time before he began walking again and it was out of sight.
As she led him through the streets of the city, he felt as if he was being watched, but brushed it off. 'This city has been abandoned for years!' He thought, 'It's just me and her and that's it.'
She led him deeper and deeper into the city and she didn't seem to notice the ruins around her, but she just kept singing her lullaby while Mustang followed hesitantly, not letting the girl out of sight, but looking around cautiously every couple minutes.
It was another ten minutes before the girl squealed, with her lullaby forgotten and ran into a broken down house and Roy followed behind, feeling a lump of dread forming in the pit of his stomach. He looked around and the girl had vanished and he walked cautiously through the house and pulled on one of his gloves as a precaution.
"Hello?" He called out and he could hear his voice echoing through the sandy and crumbled building. "Are you okay? Where are you?" The General cautiously climbed up the stairs, careful to avoid broken steps and looked in the rooms upstairs until he saw the girl sitting near the back of one of the rooms. It was ruined, but it looked like a child's bedroom. There were red stains on the floor and he shuddered but looked to the girl who was ignoring him.
"Hey, are you okay?" He asked and walked up to her and was reaching for her shoulder when he heard her quietly singing the lullaby.
"Mr. Mustang? Are you tired?" She asked quietly and he felt a chill go through him. As the girl stood up, he saw what was laying in front of her and he paled. "See, I'm asleep and I'm not tired anymore!" He began to back away slowly from the skeleton wearing the exact same outfit as the girl and turned to run when he saw Ishvalan people blocking the doorway and they all looked happy to see him.
"General Mustang! Come with us!" The called and he could hear the little girl singing the lullaby with more people joining her and he was trapped in the room as they crowded around him telling him he must sleep. He began to panic as he felt his arms and face being clawed at and he screamed at them to let go however it only got more unbearable. He heard the girl's playful laughter when he snapped his fingers and heard a loud explosion and felt extreme pain as the roof collapsed on him leaving only the girl's laughter as she stood in the freshly strewn blood seeping into the floor.
"Now it's your lullaby too Mr. Mustang! Now you can come play with me!"
"Sir? Sir? What happened?"
Lieutenant General Roy Mustang woke with a start to see Major Hawkeye looking extremely surprised and worried over him and he sighed in relief. 'It was only a dream' He assured himself and ran his hand over his face only to feel that it was wet. When he pulled away, it was stained crimson.
"General, what happened? Your arms and face are all bleeding!" The major asked as she helped the dazed General sit up. He didn't answer and looked completely out of it as she helped him to the medic tent who, with one look at the General, immediately took over in bandaging and disinfecting the wounds.
One hour later, Major Hawkeye was allowed back into the tent where the General looked deep in thought and was paler than usual. She took a seat in the chair next to the makeshift bed and he didn't acknowledge her presence and they sat in silence for nearly a half hour.
"Hawkeye, did I leave my tent at all last night?" He asked and Riza blinked at the random question.
"No, the guards would have informed me otherwise sir." She replied and he went back into his silent thoughts again. The doctors pulled her aside later and informed her that it looked like someone had scratched the long and thin gashes into his skin, but there was no way that it could be self inflicted. With that knowledge, she checked with the guards again and they said that neither the General had left his tent, nor did anyone enter his tent or the camp for that matter. However, Roy was silent on the issue.
It was a week later when Lieutenant General Mustang led his troops into the city and he let out a shudder at the familiarity of the city with his dream and as the troops spread out through the city, he found himself at the house however Riza was at his side along with an Ishvalan elder who had once lived in the city.
"Sir?"
"I'm fine Hawkeye." He said as he walked into the house with both people behind him as he climbed up the stairs and into the room and held back a gasp at the same figure that was sprawled across the floor next the red stained floor. The major covered her mouth at the dead girl and paled slightly and the elder merely closed his eyes and shook his head.
"She was such a lovely child when she was growing up. She always wanted to play with anyone she met." He sighed and Roy spotted a small music box next to the body. When he opened it, his eyes widened.
"The lullaby.." He murmured and the Elder shook his head let out a grunt of disapproval.
"That isn't a lullaby young man, that's one of the requiems for the dead. Why she would have it, I wouldn't know." Roy nodded and left the room, with both figures following him as he went out into the streets of the once lively city, however one little music box was missing from the room where the girl laid in her eternal sleep.
How was that? I really recommend that you listen to the song while you read this, cause it sort of makes it that much creepier. So, did you like it? I'm not that good at 3rd person writing but I think I did a pretty good job. So, please review! Thanks guys! =D