"Amanda! Max! Get down here so I can say good bye!" Mel yelled from the front room. She had her bags packed for her trip to Central City. Her reason for going? The state alchemist exam. She had been studying for years for this opportunity. Max and Amanda both came running down the stairs and came to a halt in front of their big sister. "Are you leaving already Mel?" Amanda asked. Before Mel could answer Max had stopped her. "Is it really that time?" Mel sighed. "You both knew about this for some time now. I can't stay here forever and besides, Kristy will come by to check up on you two. I'm sure you guys will be fine on your own. You're not little kids any more." She pulled her siblings closer and hugged them. Max looked up at Mel. "Come back and visit us." Amanda nodded. "Yeah, come back and visit soon." Mel let them go and smiled. "I'll try my best. Be good both of you. I'll miss you guys." She grabbed her bags and left to the train station.
The train ride was long and uneventful but she had finally made it to Central City. Mel stepped off the train and stretched. "Aaah, I'm so stiff. Guess it's to be expected from a first train ride." She made her way out of the station and walked the streets of Central City. "Don't tell me I'm lost." Mel said to herself. She pulled the letter out of her pocket and read it over hoping it would contain directions to Central Command that she might have missed. Too absorbed in the letter Mel wasn't watching where she was going and bumped straight into someone causing her to fall flat on her butt. "I'm terribly sorry miss. Are you alright?" she heard a male say. Mel looked up and saw a young man not much older than herself offering his hand to help her up. He had black hair and onyx eyes, a combination she had only seen one other time in her life, and wore a military uniform. "It's completely my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going." she said taking the man's hand. He helped pull Mel up and she brushed herself off. "I haven't seen you around before. Are you new here?" the man asked. Mel nodded. "Yeah, it's my first time here and I somehow got myself lost." The man crossed his arms. "Where are you headed? Maybe I could help you." he offered. "I'm on my way to Central Command. I'm to meet someone there." Mel said putting the letter back in her pocket. The man tilted his head to the side. "Is that so? Well you're in luck. I was just on my way there myself. I could take you there if you like." "That would be helpful actually thank you." she said smiling. "I never did introduce myself. I'm Colonel Roy Mustang, alchemist with the military." Roy extended his hand to Mel. Mel's eyes got very wide. She couldn't believe her childhood friend was standing right in front of her. "I-I'm Melanie Raven, but everyone just calls me..." "Mel?!" Roy interrupted. She nodded and threw her arms around him giving him a big hug.
Roy returned the hug. "It's been awhile hasn't it?" Mel looked up at him and let him go. "20 long years Roy. So is this what you've been doing?" He nodded. "The past nine years." They continued walking to Central Command chatting along the way. "I never did ask but who exactly are you meeting here?" Roy asked leading Mel to his office. "Believe it or not I was told to meet you. I was pretty excited when I read it in the letter because that meant I would get to see you again." Mel recalled just how happy she was when she read the letter for the first made him smile. "I was told I would be talking to someone about the state alchemy exam but I never would have thought it would be you." Roy stopped in front of his office. "Here, let me take your bags. They look a bit heavy. I just need to run into my office and get my jacket and tell the guys to go home." Mel gave her bags to Roy. He put the duffle bag on his shoulder and took the suit case in his hand, turned around, and opened the door for Mel. She walked in and Roy followed behind her. There were two guys sitting around talking when they walked in.
"Who's your lady friend Colonel?" the blonde asked with a smirk on his face. Roy shot him a look that told him to shut up. "I should probably introduce you guys to her. This is Melanie Raven. She is a childhood friend friend of mine I just happen to literally run into on my way back here. She is taking the state alchemy exam tomorrow." He turned to Mel. "These guys are two of my subordinates. The tall blonde with the stupid look on his face is Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc and the short one with glasses is Master Sargent Kain Fuery. You will get to meet the others tomorrow." Mel politely bowed. "It's nice to meet you both. If I pass the exam hopefully I'll get to know you guys better." Havoc got a look on his face that made it obvious that the wheels in his head were turning. He got up from where he was sitting and walked over to Mel. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well. Maybe I can take you out some time." Roy glared at Havoc. "Try anything and I will burn you to a crisp. Is that clear?" Mel couldn't help but laugh. "It's fine Roy. I don't mind actually but I will only go if I pass my exam." Havoc smiled and nudged her. "Well be sure to pass. Well I've got to go. I'll see you all tomorrow." He left the office a happy person. Furey stood up and started to leave himself. He stopped in front of Mel. "It's nice to meet you. I wish I could talk but I have to get going myself. If you pass the exam I would love to get to know you more. You seem like a fun person." Mel smiled. "If I have time tomorrow maybe we can talk a little." "Good idea. I'll see you both tomorrow. Bye Melanie, Colonel" Fuery said leaving the office. Roy smirked and walked over to his desk to grab his jacket. "No pressure to pass at all." "Nope, none at all." Mel replied sarcastically.
Roy walked back to the door and walk out with Mel close behind and closed his office door. "Did you call a hotel before coming out here?" he asked as they walked down the hall. Mel put her hand to her forehead. "Shit. I completely forgot." Roy sighed and shook his head. "That won't do. The hotels around here don't take reservations this late either." He looked to his side. "Looks like you will have to stay with me tonight." Mel frowned. "Thanks Roy. I'm sorry about this." Roy put his arm around Mel and smiled. "Aw come on, don't be that way. I live alone anyways so a little company, especially from an old friend, is more than welcomed." She looked at him. "You live alone? You're not married or anything?" He shook his head and held the door open for her. "Nope. Work prevents me from from being able to do so. The most I have really been able to do are dates but none of those women are really worth taking it further with." Mel walked out of Central Command and followed Roy. "That's to bad. I was sure you would have had a family by now." Roy led Mel to his car and opened the door for her before putting her bags in the back. Mel smiled at Roy. "Thank you Roy." He returned the smile. "It's the least I can do for an old friend." He closed the car doors and walked over to the driver's side, got in, and started the car. They sat in silence the entire ride lost in their thoughts. Roy pulled in front of and house and turned off the car. "Well, here we are." he said getting out of the car. Mel followed his lead and stepped out as well. "Looks about right for a single guy." she said taking her bags out of the car and shutting the doors. Roy shook his. "You have no room to talk. You aren't exactly taken yourself." She laughed and shrugged. "Can't be helped I guess." They walked up the walkway to the door of Roy's house. He unlocked to door and opened it for her. Mel walked in and Roy followed behind her. "You can set your bags over by the table and make yourself comfortable. I'm going to go clean up so I'll be right back." Mel walked over to the table and set her bags down. "Alright. We can talk some more after you get back" "Sounds good to me." he said and walked to the bathroom. Mel went over to the sofa and sat down. She tried to stay awake but she was tried from the long train ride and ended up falling asleep.