The Other Exams
By: Bar-Ohki
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, nor will I in the near future.
Summary: We all know about Ed's first test to become a state alchemist, but what about the others?
Rating: T, for cursing and hinted adult themes.
Other Stuff: Its been a long while since I wrote a fan fiction so here are my ground rules: flashbacks, thoughts , loud sounds/yelling. I don't care what you say in your reviews, I just care that you do review. This is somewhat of a mix of the manga and anime with a few spoilers for the manga (Ch. 58). And now for your feature presentation:
Chapter 1: Playing with Fire
"What do you think you are trying to accomplish!?" Elizabeth Hawkeye yelled. She was enraged at the 'nonsense' he'd just given her. It wasn't nonsense to him, it was a matter of the utmost seriousness. He had decided to join the military.
"I want to help people. Becoming a State Alchemist will help me do that." He prayed his onyx eyes were as intense as she claimed they were. Running a hand through his raven hair, Roy smiled. "Besides, I have to pass my test first."
"I hope you're right about that Roy…." Her amber eyes filled with worry, "for your sake."
-break-
"Now arriving at Centeral Station!" The conductor announced merrily. Roy sat up quickly, smartly smacking the back of his head into the back of his seat. Unfortunately for him the seat was made of hard, unforgiving wood.
"Ow…." Roy grumbled as he stood up with more care. With a quick grunt, he hauled his suitcase down and got off the train.
Here you are Roy Mustang. Welcome to Centeral. He thought as he stepped onto the platform. Roy's onyx eyes grew wide at all the sights. It wasn't like he hadn't been to big cities before, but Central made all of them seem small and meaningless. The station was built in the Victorian style, with golden blemishes on everything. The building was immense, being a good four times larger than any other train station Roy had ever been in.
But the station, with all its magnificence, was nothing in comparison to the amount of people. Roy had never seen so many persons gathered in one place. Very suddenly he felt small, insignificant, and lost. Timidly, he navigated the crowd and managed to get himself to the information desk.
"Excuse me ma'am, could you direct me to the taxis?" He asked politely. The lady behind the counter swiveled around on her chair and looked at him.
"First time in the big city, eh boy?" The woman was elderly and comely. She was pleasantly plump and had kind blue eyes. Her grey hair was cut short, reminding Roy of his Granny Linda.
"Yes." He answered, gaining his confidence back by the comforting appearance of the old woman.
"Over there by the stature of Victor Armstrong." She pointed at a stature of a large man with…sparkles…?(1) Roy wasn't sure what to think about it. "If its any comfort to you, all of the Armstrongs have those sparkles." The lady added.
"…Thanks for you time." Roy neared the …statue… and soon found himself in a taxi heading directly to Central Headquarters. The cab diver was a middle aged man with graying brown hair, an unlit cigar, and the most burly beard Roy had ever seen. The diver was a joy man, laughing and pointing out the highlights of Central as he went by.
There's so much to see here, so much to do! Roy thought in awe. He had never in his life been exposed to so many new things at once.
"So why are you headed down to the base anyways?" The diver asked after his little history lecture on the Central library. Roy took a breath and swallowed.
"I'm going to become a State Alchemist." Roy said firmly, resolved.
"Aye, good luck with that!" The diver was sincerely happy to hear that. "Well, here you are boy. 400 cens please." The cab had parked in front of a large, intimidating white fortress. Roy wouldn't have been able to move had he not seen the large flag of the dragon hanging over the front of the building. Roy wondered who used the rooms that had windows obstructed by the flag as he paid for the cab. Later Roy would learn that there were not rooms there, just the stairwell and elevator shafts.
This was the moment Roy took to compose himself one last time. He checked to make sure his clothes weren't too badly wrinkled. As he finger combed his hair, he made double sure he had all the right documentation. Then Roy squared his shoulders, held his head high, and purposely walked forward.
-break-
"Hey mom, what'd you just do?" A younger, ten years old, Roy asked. The Xingese woman looked up from the circle on the ground and the paper crane that lay in the middle of it. She smiled.
"Alchemy."
-break-
Onyx eyes studied the woman in front of him. Her name tag proclaimed her to be a "J. Govell". She too much make-up, hair spray, and perfume made her a little unpleasant to approach. She was strict and efficient.
"State your name and business." She ordered, taking out a pen.
"Roy Mustang, I am here to sign up for the State Alchemist exam." He answered confidently.
"Fill out this form, take it to the desk over there." A long finger pointed to a gruff man sitting at a table. The man looked like he spent most of his life in a gym, with a few large scars across his bald head. Roy took the form nervously and began to fill it out.
-break-
Slowly, methodically, Roy drew another line within his circle. After that task was completed, he sat back and examined the circle for errors. Finding none, he set a block of wood in the center. The 13 year old took a long breath.
"Focus…." He reminded himself and set his hands on the circle. Within moments the circle light the room with yellow light, blue sparks arching onto the block. Soon the block came to life and warping and shifting shape until it settled into that of a lion. The yellow light died down and Roy clapped his hands and sang in joy.
As of that moment, Roy Mustang was now an alchemist.
-break-
"I see. The written exam is in two weeks at nine hundred hours in the exam hall. There will be plenty of signs, you won't get lost. Be sure to be there about 30 minutes early, and-" The burly Lieutenant Colonel Williams leaned forward and whispered to Roy, "-just between you and me boy, I recommend bringing something comfortable to sit on and a snack. The exam takes about five hours." He winked.
"Uh… thanks?" Roy answered just now taking note of the silver chain in the man's pocket. "Can I see it?"
Williams gave him a slightly puzzled look and handed Roy the watch. Roy held it in his hand and felt it. He liked the feel.
"One day, I will have one of these." Was all Roy said, setting it down and marching out.
"I'm sure you will, boy. I'm sure you will." Williams chuckled as he watched Roy's back fade away.
-break-
Frustration had gotten the better of Roy Mustang again. He threw the book across the room yelling at it as it smashed into the wall. After a few minutes of glaring Roy realized just how stupid he must have looked. He went over, set the book down and took a nap to shake the headache that seemed to want to catch his mind.
-break-
Roy found himself sitting in a large, half-circle room. The desks cascaded down to meet at the bottom where you could see a single man with a stack of paper. Roy set out his pencil, sat down on his cushion, and waited. Waiting was always the most annoying part, but he could tolerate it. A paper was set before him.
"You have two hours. You may begin."
-five hours and 20 minutes of testing agony later-
"My head hurts…." Roy moaned as he walked out of the exam room.
"At least its just your head, I'm sore all over from that damn desk!" The man next to him remarked. "What's that under your arm?" The man glared at it.
"A cushion." Roy said simply.
"A cushion." The man echoed, seeming very annoyed.
"Yes, a cushion."
"You are a bastard." The man hissed and stormed ahead.
"Huh, I wonder what got shoved up his ass?" A young man remarked from beside Roy. He had square glasses and a bit of stubble that wanted to become a beard. His yellow eyes met Roy's onyx.
"I played it smart." Roy remarked with a grin. "I came prepared." To demonstrate his point he held up his cushion with pride. The man laughed, his short black hair shinning under the lights.
"You sure did!" He held out his hand. "Name's Maes, Maes Hughes."
"Roy Mustang." Roy shook hands.
"Say, let me treat you to a drink. After being stuck up in a test like that for five hours, you look like your need one." Maes slapped Roy on the back in a friendly manner.
"Five hours and 20 minutes." Roy corrected. "When you've been in there that long, you start counting.(2)"
-break-
Maes was from Central, Roy found out later that day. Roy being from the southern area with a Xingese mother interested Maes greatly. Roy was equally interested in the fact that Maes was Master Sergeant in the investigations department.
"Hey Roy, wanna come to a club with me tonight?" Maes asked. "It's a great place to pick up ladies."
"Really?" Roy didn't know what a club was.
"Really." Maes assured him.
-break-
Roy had never had so many woman fawning over him. He knew he was handsome, but not this handsome. His polite manners and eloquent way of speaking swooned woman left and right. Roy promptly decided he liked this sort of attention.
Maes quickly jerked him out of the center of girls and hauled him out of the club.
"What was that for!?" Roy snapped at him, upset.
"It was either that or all those jealous boyfriends would have pounded you within an inch of your life." Maes remarked casually.
"Oh."
"You still have a lot to learn about the big city." Maes' eyes laughed.
"Yes, I do." Roy admitted sheepishly.
-break-
"I passed!" Roy yelled. He hugged Maes. Maes froze up, a not expecting the sudden contact. He then relaxed, returned the hug, and got caught up in the moment.
-break-
"Please take a seat, if you are an alchemist the chair will except you." One of the many generals requested of Roy when he entered the room.
It was a dark room, with an intriguing transmutation circle on the floor. In the center of the circle was a golden chair that sat somewhat unsteadily on one leg. Roy took a deep breath and sat down. Nothing happened. Just before he let out a sigh of relief, they turned on an intense light. Roy gasped and winced at the sudden change in brightness.
There was some ominous chuckling.
"State your name, age, and years of study." One man remarked from the other side of the room. Roy quickly regained his composure and looked straight ahead.
"My name is Roy Mustang, I am 20 years old, and I have studied alchemy intensely for seven years." Roy answered, his eyes burning with drive.
"Why do you want to become a state alchemist?" Some other person asked him.
"To help the people of this country!" Roy exclaimed proudly. There was some muttering.
"I see…." Some woman said after a while. Roy remained firm.
"If a war were to begin, would you fight?" The woman continued.
"Yes." Roy was resolved.
-break-
"How'd it go?" Maes asked with his cheery smile. Roy slunk into the floor, exhausted.
"Oh, need a drink?" Maes asked, poking his friend.
"….Yes…." Roy muttered.
-break-
"Well you shouldn't worry too much, the interview is mainly to make sure that you'll be loyal and not turn into some power-crazy psycho." Maes assured Roy as he slapped him on the back.
"Sure." Roy was somewhere between buzzed and drunk. "God I need to burn something…."
" 'Burn something'?" Maes was a little confused.
"My alchemy, it revolves around fire. You see I've studied the art of making flames and burning things. And now, whenever I get stressed, I want to burn stuff." Roy explained. "Barkeep! I need something harder!"
"Sure thing." The bartender remarked walking into the back.
"That can't be good for you." Maes muttered.
"Anyways, I really like to watch stuff burn. Its satisfying to see something crumble down to nothing because you decided it was to be ash. Extremely useful too boot. And there's the sexy lady…." Roy mumbled the last sentence into his hand.
"Ah, well I'm sure you did well." Maes patted Roy on the back.
-break-
Roy stood there with a hangover looking sheet.
"Well, shit." He muttered. "I passed."
"It appears as though a hangover does you a lot of good in the 'a pleasure to be around' department." Maes joked and elbowed him.
All Roy did was grunt in response.
"You've got something prepared for your practical?" Maes asked.
All Roy did was smile like a psycho.
-break-
There were five people sitting there in front of the exam area. Roy was the last one to go, which only made him more nervous.
The first man demonstrated that he had a remarkable control of water using it to do all sorts of cute and fun things. (3) The generals had been a little stunned by this cuteness, and said little.
The second person, a woman, was able make a lot of flowers bloom. The generals just smiled and nodded.
The third started a particularly difficult and large scale transmutation that he ran out of energy and didn't finish it. No one dared to remark on that.
The fourth spent the next 2 hours doing lots of small transmutations.
"Ah, lots of alchemic endurance I see." One general remarked.
"Not really." Roy remarked. "Those are extremely simple transmutations, they don't take a lot of power."
His words where met with silence.
"You do better boy." The fourth contestant snapped.
"If you insist." Roy took his hand out of his pocket and-
Snap!
-created a large explosion above everyone's head. Without hesitating, he-
Snap!
-his fingers again and made a spectacular dragon out of fire. It flew about, 'roaring' for a few minutes before it dispersed.
Snap!
Another explosion, this one looking like fireworks.
Snap!
Another dragon.
Snap!
More fireworks, this time the dragon weaved between them.
Snap!
This time a phoenix came forth and began to 'fight' the dragon.
Snap!
More fireworks.
Snap! BOOM!
Snap!
This time the trees all burst aflame. Everyone gasped.
Snap!
Suddenly there was nothing in the air. No more explosions, no more dragons and phoenixes, no more fireworks. As promptly as they appeared, they were gone. Even the trees stopped being ablaze.
Roy lowered his hand and put it back into his pocket.
The generals burst into applause.
-break-
Lieutenant Colonel Williams sat before Roy and handed him a sheet of paper.
"Read it kid, you've got a new name now." He smirked.
" 'By the power invested in me, I, Further King Bradely, here by give thee the name "Flame".' So I'm the Flame Alchemist now?" Roy asked.
"Yes."
"Good, because I like it." Roy picked up his watch, smiling. "And I like the feel of it."
1- Well if the Armstrongs are such a big and noble family, then they'd be part of the national history right? Well this is Alex's great-great-great-great-grandfather and I'm sure he'd love to tell you all about him and why there's a statue of him at Central Station.
2- Totally inspired from me taking two AP exams and the SAT. You really do start counting the minutes. And also, I used a cushion, it helps, trust me.
3- This guy is the one that taught Psyren her stuff. I just made him up. I own, do not steal.
Well, please review and I hoped you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!