Hey Guys!!! Lani here, this is a Royai fic even if it doesn't look like one. I want to make it at least 8 chaps, but I really don't know. I'm not very good at writing angsty/drama type stuff, so wish me luck. Oh yeah, and if you haven't already, go and read my "I-wrote-this-to-get-over-block" story, President of Amestris
A/N: I dunno when this is set, so just use your imagination. It's this side of the gate, and at least a couple generations after the movie. That reminds me, I have to watch it again…sry, now the moment you've all been waiting for:
Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, the world, or anything like that. I do own my OCs, the Inn, and the plot of this story!!! Muhahaha! Hmph…
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Riza Falconwing was just an ordinary woman. She wasn't married, didn't really do dates, but wasn't at all lonely. Her small Siberian Husky, Hayate, was her shadow. Riza ran a small inn on the outskirts of Berlin. Her father had been a General in the military, but had retired when his wife had been diagnosed with Heart Cancer. When Riza's mother had died, Riza was barely eight years old.
The General was stricken with grief, and devoted himself to his work. When a skirmish erupted near the border of the country, the General Falconwing was killed defending his soldiers. At the age of 15, Riza was an orphan responsible for the house and business, the inn her mother had run in their home. Riza finished her schooling, and even though she was fascinated by science, especially the concept of fire, she became the mistress of then inn. She liked her life, not too busy, but it could be quite bland at times. That would change.
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Roy Stallion was clamied to be one of the handsomest men in the military. Woman would swoon when he walked down the corridor to his office. His not-caring attitude would, instead of pushing them away, draw them closer, more fascination. He never really had, or even wanted a serious relationship. He knew he would know when he was ready.
When he was teen, a skirmish erupted just outside his hometown. The sight of the military filing past his house in their uniforms, buttons shining, rifles polished, stance straight, he knew that he wanted to be one of them.
After the fight, he saw the blood. Men who had previously stood straight now hunched over, carrying the corpses of their fallen comrades over their shoulders. The shining rifles now were dusty, mangled where they had been stepped on. The boys who had arrived, ready for their first glimpse of the action, now sat in the summer dust, letting it settle, as men who had been to hell and back. Roy saw all these things, and asked himself what kind of world he lived in. from the summer of his 16th, he became sure of his purpose. That autumn, he packed his bags and left for Central-A, the military training camp.
Roy graduated at the top of his class from the Military Academy. He was skilled in every form of fighting, from Martial Arts to piloting airplanes and armored vehicles. Everyone in the Academy could say that his element was Firearms. He mastered any and every gun and rifle in the Central-A storehouse. Roy received many an award for marksmanship and skill with his trusty handguns he kept with him at all times.
When he was out of the academy, he gathered a group of his best friends to team up with and rise through the ranks. Martin Hughes, Jene Havoc, Josie Havoc, Veronica Falman, Horatio (Her-aye-she-o) Feny, and Hymens Leitta stood by him from the moment they graduated from the Academy. Because of his talent, Roy was promoted and became the official leader of his little group. All of his subordinates looked up to him. He treated every person with respect, weather they be Private or a General. As promised, they all stuck together. That is, until one day. (a/n: uhg…I hate this paragrah)
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Roy Stallion was summoned to the office of his commander, Lieutenant General Bower.
"Lieutenant General." Roy saluted.
"At ease." Bower replied surly. "Now, Colonel Stallion, as you should know, every year, every soldier is allowed a total of 5 weeks of Personal Holidays and Sick days. You haven't been taking advantage of this privilige. You have 13 weeks, nearly two and a half year's worth, banked."
"I…uh, never had any need to use it, sir."
"You may have not, but some of your subordinates are worried. You seem quite tense. Now, I want you to use up those weeks before you come back to work." Bower had a mischievous glint in his dark eyes that made his fair complexion seem even paler than usual.
Roy racked his brain for some sort of comeback, but to no avail. He nodded, defeated, then saluted again to Bower. The General saluted back and watched Roy retreat out the door to the office.
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"Okay, now which one of you sold me out?" demanded Roy as he walked into the room he called 'HQ'. His Subordinated all looked up sheepishly. "All of you?" they all nodded, nervous grins still in place, except for Hughes, of course. He went into a dramatic pose and started ranting on that the others had "pressured him into it and he would never do it if it upset his perfect and utterly gorgeous family" then proceeded in shoving the pictures in his wallet of his wife and son under the noses of anyone within arms reach.
Roy sighed and flopped back into his seat. He diligently started on the piles of paperwork set on his desk in front of him. Jene Havoc strode up to his area of the office, lugging up another pile of papers to be signed.
"Hey, look, chief," Jene spoke through the ever-present smoke hanging out of his mouth, "You really need to get outta' here. You really aren't the same guy you were when we were in school. About your vacation, I was thinking-" he was cut off by a loud squeal from Heymans Lettia because Horatio Feny had snuck in his pet rat in again. Jene left to clear up the squabble between the two.
After they had finished their work, each person left, one by one. Soon, only Roy was left.
He sighed loudly and set the last batch of papers into the OUT box. He gathered his stuff and shrugged on his coat. As he walked out the office, He couln't help but glance back. "see ya' in a coupla' weeks…"
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"Riza, you are in desperate need of a boyfriend." Maria Robertson said in a very serious tone, while Winry Stoner and Gracia Lee both nodded solemnly. Cathrine Armstrong also implied and affirmative. Riza's friends would come over every Saturday night and have a 'Girls night in" at one of their houses. This week, it was Riza's turn.
Sheska Smith countered, "Maria, we all know you're getting married," Maria blushed crimson, "But look at me and Cathrine! We don't have boyfriends and we're just fine."
"It's true you don't have a boyfriend," Winry piped up, "but we all know you looking; Riza's not even trying."
Riza exasperated sigh silenced the bickering women. Gracia and Sheska drifted into a conversation about a book they had both just finished reading while the others started uncovering their pot-lick feast.
As Winry reached over to spoon some mashed potatoes onto her plate, a flash of light on her finger almost sent Gracia into spasms. She squawked and grabbed Winry's hand. "When?" she demanded, and all the women looked he way, to Winry's hand, and back again. Winry blushed crimson and Maria started jumping up and down in delight.
"He proposed yesterday…" Winry mumbled, still the color of an over-ripe tomato.
Cathrine and Sheska squeezed Winry until her eyes bulged. Riza also offered he congratulations and hug. Winry had been dating a sweet doctor by the name of Edward Elerick for over a year. Anyone could see that they shared a special bond. He had somewhat of a height complex, and the two would get in fights, most resulting in Edward receiving a whack over the head from Winry's trusty wrench (A/n: not everything can change!).
"You and Ed were positively MADE for each other!" Maria squealed, still hopping on the spot. When the commotion settled down, Gracia returned to the "Chosen topic of the Night".
"See, Riza, now three of us are either engaged or married. I'm sure those two," she gestured toward Cathrine and Sheska, "Will find their men sooner than they think…I bet yours will just fall out of the sky…"
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Roy's train to berlin had been delayed a whole hour, so he arrived just as dusk was falling. After hours of searching for a room, he literally ran into a familiar young woman. "Jennifer?" he inquired.
"Roy?"
"Jennifer! I haven't see you in the longest time!" Jennifer was one of Roy's exes from his 'playboy' days at the Academy. "How are you?"
"Eh…fine…So, what are you doing here?"
"Just looking for a place to stay." Roy smiled. At that moment, there was a loud clap of thunder and the heavy grey clouds unleashed angry torrents of rain onto the crowds below. Roy and Jennifer scurried to shelter under a nearby bus stop. "Everywhere I've checked so far has been full."
"I know a great little inn nearby. It's run by one of my friends and is almost never full." Jennifer had to shout over the roar of rain hitting pavement.
"Lead the way…"
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The doorbell rang just as Gracia, the last to leave, had run through the rain and driven off in her car. Riza finished washing her hands and quickly wiped them off on a spare dishtowel.
She opened the door and started when a flash of lightning illuminated a dark figure in the step in front of her. The figure raised it's head and shot Riza a smile that made her slightly week at the knees.
Extending a hand, "The name's Roy Stallion…"
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Time for Author's notes!!!!
OCC anyone? NOPE!!!! Remember, these are OCs! Hehe, tricked ya'!!! This chapter sucks and I have rewritten it at least twice, so please don't kill me! Please review and tell me what you think. Keep Flames to a minimum. If I get enough "good job" reviews or something like that, I will update faster. Now, I just have to start writing RRRRRRIIIINNNNNNGGGGG oh, wait, lunch break! RAMEN AND MILK!!! YEAH! (eat that, ed)
