An: I hope you like this story, right now I don't know whether I'm going to keep working on this as a series. As for now it's going to remain complete unless I come up with a good idea... Enjoy!
Disclaimer- I don't own Full Metal Alchemist... but I wish I did.
Secrets of Ishbal
A solitary figure wandered the desolate ruins that had once been the great city of Ishbal. Her clothing was hidden beneath the torn and stained tan cloak she wore; Hood up, hiding her face. A long, battered rifle was slung heavily over her shoulder almost as if it was a burden that was too much to bare. The figure stumbled across a fork in the road; and the torn remains of a child that could not have been more than three years of age.
Riza dropped to her knees, hood falling back, revealing features torn with grief. The war had been declared officially over for more than two weeks, and still people were dying. She, her self, right after learning the wonderful news that the war as finally over, had received orders by her commanding officer to continue killing any Ishbalan unfortunate enough to cross her path. He said that they were just cleaning up the streets...bullshit. Saying the war was over was just a ruse, it was a way to get all the remaining Ishbalans that were still hiding to come out; a plan to finally be rid of the Ishbalan race, forever...
The rife slid from Riza's shoulder, and clattered loudly to the broken road beside its owner... She couldn't take it anymore.
A low moan retched through the dead air. The feelings she had hidden for so long bursting to the surface. Tears streamed down Riza's face, leaving trails in the grim covering it. Her already broken soul shattering into pieces, leaving her with nothing of her former self.
Riza sobbed quietly, dragging her finger nails violently across the gravel, desperately digging; trying to find some possible way to make up to poor child for its life being taken away, to make up for what she had done.
Her hands left bloody trails in the ground, adding to that of the thousands of innocent people who bleed and died there. Believing that their 'god' was going to save them from their unfortunate fate.
Anger replaces that of anguish, setting her veins a fire... It there was such thing as a god, then why had he allowed for his people to be slaughtered tortured and raped? How had he enabled millions of his people to be wiped off the planet to near extinction?
It there was such thing as a god, Riza wanted nothing to do with him. This war had proven that there was no such thing as 'god'.
She pounded her fists mercilessly against the broken road, breaking and tearing the calloused skin; crimson liquid dripping slowly from her hands as she sobbed into them, marking her face.
A soft gasp woke Riza from her stupor, snapping her head up to stare at a small and disgusting looking figure cowering against the corner of the nearest building. Riza's amber eyes opened in shock, as she looked at the girl in astonishment. How had this small child survive this long?
The girl looked at Riza in horror. Amber eyes so much like her own, fearful; knowing what was going to happen know that she had been discovered by the 'enemy'.
War raged inside of Riza's head. One side of her, the 'Perfect Solider' part screamed at her to kill her, to do her duty, and kill the 'Enemy'. The other side, the side that had once been Riza before the war told her different, begging her to do what she thought was right. Not what the government thought was right.
She was still fighting between her inner selves, when loud echoing footsteps interrupted her, causing her to react instinctively.
Riza ran for the girl and scooped her up, murmuring a brief explanation of what she was to do and reassurances that everything was going to be all right into the small girls ear; hoping beyond belief that her plan would work.
She laid the girl gently down into the hole she had recently dug for the toddler, sighing with relief when she saw that the Ishbalan girl would fit. Muttering more reassurances that everything was going to be all right, she hastily began covering her with nearby debris and rubble, piling it so that the girl would still be able to breathe.
The girls small form disappeared from sight, seconds before the footsteps stopped... right behind were Riza knelt.
"You'll be left behind, aren't you going back?" a familiar voice asked her.
Riza patted the pile the hid the girl gently. When the voice asked her, "Is it a comrade?"
Riza turned and looked into the dark eyes of Roy Mustang.
"No, an Ishbalan child." She glanced over at the three year old boy's corpse that lay nearby and added.
"He was shot and left on the road side alone."
Roy hadn't even glace over at the body, thinking that Riza was referring to whoever lay inside of the 'grave' before her.
"..Let's go back." He said softly. "The war is over."
Riza just shook her head sadly, and stared down at her bloody and dirty hands.
"The Battle of Ishbal isn't over inside me yet..." she closed her hands and added, "No... It will probably never end."
"Even if that had undesired results, I can't run from the facts..."
"To deny, atone, or beg for forgiveness is the arrogance of those who did the killing." Riza clutched her pant leg tightly, re-opening some of the cuts on her hand.
"I have a favor to ask you, Mr. Mustang..." She watched the blood stream slowly down her hand and stains her pants.
"Please, crush and burn my back...."
Roy's eye's widened in horror at what she was asking him to do.
"What are you....? There's no way can-" Riza interrupted him.
"At least!!" Riza's body shook, as she struggled to control herself; trying not to cry in front of the man she had loved for so long.
"If I cannot atone, then at least so that it can't give birth to a new flame alchemist.... so the secrets on this back can't be used."
Riza stopped shaking and looked into Roy's eyes determined for her request to be for filled.
"And so I can lay down the bonds to my father and alchemy, to become Riza Hawkeye as an individual..."
"Please."
Roy looked away from her gaze, and down at the gloves he held in his hand.
"How much would I have to burn to kill...or it would hinder you lifestyle." His hand tightened around the fabric.
"The depths and range of the burns has become within my power."
"How ironic... I've gotten used to burning people in this battle."
Riza sat alone on the hard 'cushioned' seat on the train heading back looked out the window, watching the scenery pass by, and thinking back to the little girl she had saved back in Ishbal.
After Roy had left, promising to destroy the tattoo on her back; Riza dug the little girl out. She would be safe, now that the soldiers ordered to 'clean up' were leaving. She told the little girl of a safe place to hide and to wait for all the soldiers to leave... Just in case. Then she handed all the money in her wallet, and the knife and small gun she kept hidden in her boots. It wasn't much but it should be enough to hold the girl over, until she was reunited with her people... or whatever remained of them.
Huge amber eyes looked at Riza filled with gratitude and respect. She pulled a six pointed star from her tattered shirt, and gently slipped it around Riza's neck; letting it fall right over her heart.
Tears stung her eyes as Riza hugged the child's bony body. Hoping that if there indeed was a god, no matter how much she doubted it, he would protect this precious girl.
Whispering the child luck, she released her and watched as she disappeared into the ruins of her city. Then wiping her eyes, Riza buried the little boy, wishing him peace... where ever he was.
-
Riza sneezed twice. "God bless you." A voice said from the door of the compartment. Riza smiled, amber eyes meeting those of onyx.
"So what are we going to do now?" Roy sighed and sat down beside her.
"I'm are going to fix this country and make it a place where every person has a say in what happens, and doesn't have to be afraid of the consequences for speaking up for what's right."
He glanced over a Riza and added. "It's not going to be easy, and I'm afraid there will be a lot more deaths until my dream is realized... are you willing?"
Riza laughed and kissed him lightly on the cheek....."You already know the answer to that question."
An: So how was that? I've had that idea forever and finally wrote it down. Hope you liked it.... Oh yeah, PLEASE REVIEW! They make SOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy, no joke.