Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, any of its characters, any of its locales, any of its... well anything
Author's Note: This is my first completed piece of fiction. I've written portions and loads of background information before, but never actually finished a story.
The italicized text is taken directly from the Manga ch. 60. The actual story itself takes place sometime after the conversation from Ch. 60, but still occurs during the Ishval Massacre.
--Inhale--
She peered through the scope on her rifle. She watched as a squad of soldiers advanced up the street. She slowly swept her rifle to the squad's flank searching, watching, and waiting.
--Exhale--
There was sudden gout of flame somewhere in front of the squad as they continued to advance. Her focus never wavered. There, an Ishvalan was running on the next street over. He hugged the sides of the ruined buildings, but he remained out from under cover. She started to align her sights.
"Why? Because that's the duty of a State Alchemist."
--Inhale--
The Ishvalan disappeared into one of the ruined buildings. She remained focused on where he had disappeared. He was probably trying to circle around the squad's flank.
"Why are soldiers who should be protecting the populace, killing them instead? Because those were the orders we were given. Isn't that right?"
--Exhale--
She shifted her aim to the other side of the building. The soldiers continued to advance up the street. There was another burst of flame further up the road.
"Are you telling me to rationalize this way? This tragedy?"
--Inhale--
She waited, slowly scanning the ruins for a glimpse of dark skin, white hair, or red eyes.
"Can't you look at this as a job? What about all of you?"
--Exhale--
The Ishvalan emerged from the dilapidated building. He looked around quickly before spotting the squad of soldiers a block further up the street.
"If we could we wouldn't be discussing this, sir."
--Inhale--
She saw the Ishvalan slowly start to creep up towards the soldiers in front of him. Once again she tracked his movements.
"Well then… How about… You there little lady. You don't like your work do you. It's written all over your face."
--Exhale--
As the image of the Ishvalan merged with the crosshairs of her scope, she burned the image of the Ishvalan into her memory. She would remember everything she saw through the scope: The way he was cautiously creeping up the street; the way he carried the grenade in his hand; each spot of dirt, blood, and burns on his clothing; exactly how dark his tan skin was; and his almost perfectly white hair.
"That's true. I don't enjoy killing."
--Pause--
'But there's someone I need to protect.'
--Squeeze--BANG
Her shoulder absorbed the kickback of the rifle. It rode upwards slightly before she smoothly lowered it back into firing position. She quickly worked the bolt of the rifle. Ejecting the spent casing and quickly seating another round into the chamber.
--Inhale--
She watched as the sight picture through the scope returned to her now crumpled target. The Ishvalan was dead, a head shot. The exhilaration of another perfect shot washed over her.
"When you drop an enemy, can you tell me in all honesty that you don't, for a moment, indulge in the satisfaction and pride of a job well done… Miss Sharpshooter?"
--Exhale--
But the exhilaration didn't last as she watched as a pool of blood rapidly expanded around the Ishvalan's corpse.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"
--Inhale--
A wave of anguish battered her back down in to the dirt, mud, and blood.
"From my perspective, you lot are much harder to understand, Always looking for some way to rationalize your role on the battlefield. Is it evil to kill with alchemy? Is it more virtuous to kill with a gun? Or maybe you were prepared to kill one or two but not thousands?"
"The moment you put on this uniform out of your own free will, you knew something like this could be expected of you. If you don't like it, you shouldn't have put it on in the first place. Why do you act as though you're the victims, when this was the path you chose, free of coercion?"
"If you're going to pity yourselves, don't kill anyone in the first place!"
--Exhale--
The anguish disappeared just as rapidly as her earlier exhilaration. All that remained was a distant ache. She refocused her vision and looked through the scope.
"Don't avert your eyes from death. Look straight ahead."
--Inhale--
Once again she memorized everything she saw through the scope: The now red tinged white hair, the somewhat lightened tan skin, the thoroughly blood soaked clothing, the grenade still in his hand, and his utter motionlessness.
"Look squarely at the people you're killing. And don't forget them."
--Exhale--
The two images stood in stark contrast to each other. The first of the living, breathing, Ishvalan; and the second of what she had done to him.
"Never forget them, because they won't forget you."
--Inhale--
The images faded to the depths of her memory as she once again focused on the task at hand. She slowly began scanning the surrounding area for further targets. She slowly worked her way back to the squad of soldiers now another block further away.
--Exhale--
Another flash of fire illuminated the area, and she focused her aim at the emergence of a shadow. There was someone hiding in the alleyway.
--Inhale--
She focused her attention on the alleyway as an Ishvalan boy glanced quickly down the street. He quickly returned to his earlier position with his back pressed tightly to the wall.
--Exhale--
The crosshairs merged with the figure of the boy. She once again noted each little detail: the way he crouched, his ragged clothes, and the fact he was unarmed. But most of all, she noted the fear in his blood red eyes.
"Never forget."
--Pause--
--Squeeze--BANG
Author's Note:
The whole Inhale/Exhale thing comes from what one does when target shooting. You time your shot so it will occur either at the lull in an exhale or inhale, and sharpshooters will even take a shot in between heartbeats.
The initialized text is once of my favorite parts of the whole manga series. While I don't like Kimbley his character is undeniably well done in the manga. His view on the world is very simple and direct.
I just recently discovered FMA: Brotherhood, so glad they're 'rebooting' and following the manga closer. This got me to reread the manga. The more I thought about the ch. 60 conversation the more I felt it deeply effected both Mustang and Hawkeye. Both of them clearly remember what they did, and have used those memories to push forward in the goal to prevent Ishval from happening again. I may write another short fic with the conversation going through Mustangs mind (different setting, different format). I felt that Hawkeye would be the most effected, being a sniper is personal. Your not just shooting at them over there, your shooting him or her.
Please review. Praise, critiscm, and comments are all welcome.