Sooo... Hey!
This story's set five years after the promised day at the end of Brotherhood. I felt that the ending needed more "Mustang being kick-ass as Fuhrer" and I wanted to bring back in the Elrics because, although I want them to have a happy, peaceful life, I can't imagine them living out their days in Risembool while Mustang's out kicking ass. This is more like a prologue than chapter one, cause the rest of the chapters will be longer. Kay. Cool. Glad I explained that.
Also, the title comes from episode 31 (The 520 Cens Promise) in which Ed owes Roy Mustang money (520 Cens) and promises to pay him back when he's Fuhrer. I always wondered how that would work out once Ed gets out of the army cause he's not an alchemist anymore. I suppose Roy could let him off the hook but… Let's face it. He's not THAT nice.
Hehe. Enjoy!
The Office of the Fuhrer
"Well, I do like this brown for the bridesmaid dresses, although I think a brighter color would be better. Still, the brighter we go the harder it would be to match. And I still have to call the florist to see the array of flowers I want. Kami, there's so much to do."
Winry Rockbell was seated at the dining room table, papers and color pallets spread before her and a look of extreme concentration on her face. Her long blonde hair was left fanned over her shoulders instead of in its usual ponytail and she absentmindedly pulled it over one shoulder, leaning forward to study a certain color pallet with a high degree of intensity.
"Ed, what do you think? White or cream for the table clothes?"
The former state alchemist was sitting back, hands interlocked behind his head to form a headrest, and looking like he would rather be beaten over the head with a wrench than sit through this. He sighed, eyes looking toward the ceiling. "Winry, have you ever considered the fact that all of this is extremely nitpicky?"
Winry's face got dangerously dark. "Well, Edward Elric, you would be surprised at details that go into planning a wedding. But, seeing as you don't seem to be contributing, I have to take this all on by myself."
"Still, you love it," Ed responded in the same tone, leaning back in his chair a bit. "It's like figuring out how to fit a new automail limb together. You know, making all the pieces fit together."
Winry cautiously took that as a complement until Ed muttered under his breath. "What a gearhead…"
"Well, Ed, I'm the gearhead you're going to marry, so you better GODDAMN GET USED TO IT!"
"My, my, Winry, you must have picked up some of that language from Edward," a third voice put in as a small, gray-haired woman joined the ground, walking into the room slowly.
The blonde mechanic looked a tiny bit ashamed. "Yeah, sorry, Granny."
Grandma Pinako sighed, carefully taking a seat. "Talk to me, Winry. I'll help."
The look on Winry's face was apprehensive as she exchanged a worried look with Ed, remembering the doctor's warnings about their grandmother's health. "Are you sure you're feeling alright, Granny? I mean, I don't mind. Like Ed said, I like figuring this stuff out."
"Relax," Pinako replied, smiling. "This old lady's got enough in her to help her granddaughter plan her wedding. I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Winry smiled in return, something catching at her heart. She didn't know what she would do if her grandmother wasn't around. "Well," she started, turning her attention back to the table of papers, "The choices of flowers range from…"
Ed found his attention wavering as he looked out the window, eyes taking in the beautiful day outside. Maybe a good day to take Winry on a picnic later; that is, if she left her wrenches at home. And maybe later he could convince her for just one second to forget about all the wedding planning and get a good night's sleep for once. She was so obsessed with this.
The wedding was scheduled for next month, but apparently there was a plethora of things that needed to be done about that fact. It was going to be right here in Risembool, where they spent their childhood growing up, and, in Ed's mind, that already made it perfect. Who cared about the table cloth color? But, Winry felt a bit differently and perhaps that was for the best. Someone needed to plan this anyway.
A string of thoughts ran through his head as he wondered when Al was going to get back. He hadn't seen him in three months, although they kept a steady exchange of letters back and forth. Al loved Xing and was on his third trip there in three years. Although they both had grown independent of each other and matured, Ed still felt like a part of him was missing when his brother wasn't with him. The miracle of seeing Al's happy face every time he came home still had Ed in awe. They had done it, they had finally accomplished their goal, and they could finally live out their lives in happiness.
Just then, the phone rang.
Winry quickly got up and answered it. Probably 'cause she figures it's the florist or the dress-person or whatever, Ed thought to himself in boredom, losing interest in the matter. No one exciting ever called.
But seconds later, a finger tapped his shoulder as Winry handed him the phone.
"It's the Office of the Furher."
"Message for Alphonse Elric."
The guards moved to the side as the messenger was allowed inside the main patio of the palace of Xing. Sitting in the middle of the patio, enjoying a gourmet lunch, was a tall blonde-haired boy, a girl with a panda (an animal which was often mistaken for a black and white cat by foreigners), a dark-haired girl with an automail arm, and the Emperor of Xing himself. While the messenger didn't wish to interrupt their merry get-together, he did have a very important message to deliver.
"Lin, you sure do know how to provide a good meal," the blonde-haired boy laughed. "And to think that a few years ago, I would even have been able to try Xing cuisine."
The dark-haired girl with the panda squeezed the tall boy's arm, grinning broadly, while the Emperor responded with a mild smile. "Well, I think I probably owe you and Ed a lot more than that after all the times I ate your room service."
The girl next to the Emperor nudged him, nodding toward the messenger. "Ah, thank you, Lan Fan," he answered, noticing the man who had just entered. "Yes?"
"I have an important message for Alphonse Elric."
The blonde-haired boy looked up, face curious. "Yes? That's me."
When the boy turned over the letter, the seal made his jaw drop. The seal of the Office of the Fuhrer.
It was the end of the day and the sun slanted through the shades just so, splashing its light on the lonely desk of the room. Sitting in the chair behind it sat a pensive Roy Mustang, his eyebrows drawn down thoughtfully. The door opened and he looked up, smiling slightly as he did.
"Captain Hawkeye," his voice lingered on her name, but only as much as it always did. "Please, please, tell me there's no national emergences that need my immediately attention."
"No, sir," the blonde-haired sniper smiled, closing the door behind her. "I let Havoc, Breda, and Falman go home. First Sergeant Fuery's the only one left- mostly because he can't stop tinkering with those toys of his."
"Hm," Roy commented, swiveling his chair toward the window behind him. "Does that mean we're almost done?"
"Not quite yet."
Roy shrugged, looking apathetic. "Eh. Can't blame me for trying."
"Just these and then we're done," Riza Hawkeye set a few more documents on his desk, lining them up so he knew exactly where to sign. "If I may ask, sir, how did you get Grumman to give up his position?"
The flame alchemist raised an eyebrow, looking quite satisfied with himself. "It wasn't easy. Still, this Drachman thing has been giving him a headache and his family's been begging him to back down. But, we're right on track, Captain."
The final goal. Democracy. Five years was enough for the country to get ready.
"He even let me use the official seal on my mail today," Mustang grinned, acting sporadically like a child, as Riza Hawkeye had gotten used to. "C'mon, you gotta admit, that's cool."
Riza had long since learned how to suppress her eye-roll, although she couldn't hide a smile. "Very cool, sir," the sniper answered, her face amused. "But remember, you're still only Fuhrer-to-be. And even that won't be released in the papers until tomorrow."
"Water under the bridge, Captain," Roy replied, eyes going back down to focus on his papers.
A few minutes were spent in silence as only the scratch of the pen echoed throughout the room and Captain Riza Hawkeye kept a carefully trained eye on her superior. He liked to get distracted, but it was her job to keep him focused. Luckily, she hadn't had to pull her gun in at least a week.
"Any response from the Elric brothers?" Mustang asked as he signed with a practiced hand. "Fullmetal seemed hesitant enough on the phone."
Riza looked down, blonde bangs falling over her eyes. "Sir, you know they'll come. If you ask, they'll come."
The sunlight was fading as the sun sunk farther down in the sky. Roy nodded. "I know."
"I have to ask you this again, sir, but, are you sure you want to get them involved? Pull them into the mess they've already extracted themselves from?"
Roy reflected on that statement, wondered if perhaps he would regret bringing the Elrics in again. They had gone through so much already. But, he reinforced, there was too much at stake to let their abilities go to waste. Now that he was going to be in power, he was calling in all of them, stocking his administration with all the powerhouses he could get. The pieces of the chessboard are coming back together, but a new enemy sits on the other side of the table, one that wasn't even concrete yet.
Roy Mustang crossed his last "t" as he rose, grabbing his coat. "I already made my decision. Besides, I still need my 520 cens."
Notes:
1) I like the word pensive. Just thought I should share that. It's a good descibing word.
2) I also love when Roy acts like a kid. Like in that one episode when he helps confuse the military away from where Ed and Al are fighting Scar and he goes overboard with his acting on the radio transmitter. Lol... Riza just rolled her eyes.
3) Let me know if you see any issues with anything cause I'd want to fix it right away. I guess that kind of a given but... With some of the military stuff (rank and such) I'm not sure how accurate I may be.
4) Okay, good times.
5) Don't forget to review! :D
