Disclaimer: I don't own the copyrights of the animes Full Metal Alchemist or Inu-Yasha. Needless to say if I did own them I'd be filthy rich, and this story wouldn't be up here, along with my other FMA-IY crossover one-shots.
Anime: Inu-Yasha Full Metal Alchemist crossover.
Genre: Spiritual/Fantasy
Rating: Teen.
A/N: The plot for this just popped up into my head all of a sudden and hence found it's way here. All I can say is that it isn't your typical Roy/Kagome pairing. And excuse any typos or if it seems vague. This is a sleep depraved mind working in the dead of night when a normal person should be sleeping.
In Memoriam.
A young girl broke her gaze from the fire-place and looked up with big, sparkling brown eyes. Her wavy raven hair flayed out around her. She had a sleepy smile playing on her face. She must have been no older than four.
"Tell me a story." The girl said.
The man whose chest the girl lay against looked at her, breaking his gaze from the fire as well. His messy raven hair fell into his face. One slate blue eye looked mildly curious. The other was covered by a black eye-patch.
"Hmm. What's the matter Kagome?" he asked.
"Tell me a story." The girl repeated innocently. She pleaded with him through her big brown eyes. He laughed stroking her hair tenderly.
"Sure. I'll tell you a story." He said and the girl's face brightened up like the sun. Laughing merrily at her reaction, he began "Once upon a time…"
She smiled as the memory came to her, while she gazed into the fire. Her first day with him. It had been such a long time ago now. It felt as if a life-time had passed. In a way she guessed it had. Her brown eyes softened, looking like molten chocolate in the fire-light. The rain was pouring outside in torrents just like it had that day as well. It made a soft nostalgic smile play on her face as more memories came back to her.
-x-x-x-
A five year old girl sobbed as she sneezed again. "My heads hurts badly." She whimpered, sniffling.
"I know it does." The man replied changing the wash-cloth on her head, "But don't you worry. It'll get better in no time."
"Promise?" the girl asked sniffling once again. This had been the worst cold she could ever remember having. Her throat felt so raw from all the coughing. Her sudden bouts of sneezing left her woozy. Her head wouldn't stop hurting her. She was burning up, and she had trouble breathing. Even her mother took a while to cure her when she had colds that seemed much better than this one.
"I promise. You'll be up and about in no time, just like the little raging inferno that you are." He said tenderly clasping her hand. She gave him a faint smile. He kissed her cheek. "Now try and get some sleep." He said.
"Tell me a story?" she asked. He chuckled and nodded.
"Once upon a time…"
-x-x-x-
"Why are we here? I don't like coming here!" she protested glaring at him. He met her glare head on, with a gentler look.
"We're here to visit your father Kagome." He said softly. She huffed and turned away, shutting her eyes, refusing to let her gaze meet the gravestones. He felt her small hand tighten her grip on his finger. She was trembling violently, and he saw tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Without missing a beat he bent down, and wiped them away with his thumb. "I know it hurts, but you have to be strong for him, all right?"
She looked up at him and nodded. They both walked side by side to the small gathering. She saw her mother holding her little brother while sobbing.
"Kun-loon." He consoled, gently placing his hand upon the woman's shoulder. She turned around and flung herself on him.
"Oh Roy!" she sobbed. "One year, and I still can't believe he's gone."
And after that Kun-loon Higurashi couldn't say anymore, for her tears were too much. Her father-in-law slowly extricated her from the man's grasp. The man looked down at the girl who was now clutching his coat tightly, with tears brimming in her eyes as she looked at her heart-broken mother. He bent down again softly stroking her hair. "Do you want to go back?" he asked, and the little girl nodded. Instead of taking her hand her picked her up, albeit though she was six, and walked away from the graveyard.
He closed his eyes, and clapped his hands. When he opened them, they were in front of a huge gate which opened for them. And without a moment's hesitation he began walking through it. He felt her bury her face into his jacket. She was crying.
"Hush! Everything will be all right, my little inferno. I'll tell you a story. Once upon a time…" and slowly the six year old Kagome forgot about everything besides the man's voice. If he said everything would be all right, then it would. He was never wrong.
-x-x-x-
"Oh hey Kagome! Where's Mustang? I need to talk to him." A short, athletic, blonde man asked, his golden yellow eyes scanning the room.
"Hey Ed. He's taking a shower. He should be out in ten minutes." A seven year old Kagome replied going back to the notes she was reading. Her face was scrunched up in pure concentration.
"Studying hard? It's tough isn't it?" Ed asked. Kagome nodded, and Ed whistled. "Wow, you remind me, of how I used to be when I was your age. Winry tells me that I studied Alchemy with the same amount of crazed determination, I'm seeing you do. I'm sure you'll be as good an Alchemist as Mustang is, if not better." She looked back up and gave the blonde a smile for the unconventional compliment, from the renowned Alchemy prodigy.
A raven haired man stepped into the room and walked straight up to the seven year old seated on the arm-chair by the fire. Placing a kiss on her forehead he said, "You should take a break, you know. You've been studying all day. Or you'll burn yourself out, little inferno." She merely smiled, and pointed to Ed who was sitting on the arm-chair across her.
"When did you get here shrimp?" he asked, and the blonde went into a state of fury at being called 'short' After he'd calmed down the blonde handed Mustang some papers, before saluting and leaving.
"What was that all about?" she asked flopping down to lay her head on his lap.
"Ed being Ed." He replied stroking her hair.
"Tell me a story."
He smiled benignly at her and began, "Once upon a time…"
-x-x-x-
"Hey." She called.
"Hmm? What's the matter inferno?" he asked looking up from the book he was reading. He was surprised to see the eight year old, looking at him with the most serious expression he'd ever seen on her face, for the entire duration he'd ever known her.
She bit her lower lip. "I um… um… er…" She sighed losing her nerve. "It's nothing actually. I don't why I even bothered you with it. I'm sorry. I'll get back to studying."
"Kagome what's the matter?" he asked again, and she looked at him, lost. "You can tell me."
She took a deep breath, before nervously beginning, "Um you see, well um… today's Father's Day… and well daddy died a long time ago… but that doesn't matter I placed flowers on his grave… but er… well since you teach me, pay for my school… and well take so much care of me er… I kinda guessed that technically in way that kinda um… makes you my father in a way of sorts as well and er… got you something as well." She held out a small gift wrapped box, and was blushing as red as a tomato.
He was shocked. She thought of him as a father figure? He looked back at her to notice that her gaze was still on him. She looked stricken. "I'm sorry." She said lowering her head.
"May I have it?" he asked leaning forward. She looked back up at him, meekly nodded handing it to him. He unwrapped the box and opened the present, taking it out. It was a small odd-shaped crystal. On further inspection he realised it was shaped like a phoenix emerging from a flame.
"I transmuted it myself." She piped up timidly in front of him.
"It's beautiful. Thank you." He said raw emotion filling his voice. He bent down drew a small transmutation circle, placed the crystal piece inside it, along with his thin silver chain. He activated it and in a flash of light, the crystal was attached to the chain like a pendant. He picked it up and slipped it around his neck looking at her. She beamed at him, a wide happy smile on her face, before lunging forward and glomping him.
"Happy Father's Day!" she wished hugging him tightly. He returned the embrace with everything he had. She twisted till she was comfortably settled in his lap, her head against his chest. Both of them admired the small crystal now dangling from his neck. "I'm glad you like it."
"Of course I do." He replied.
"Tell me a story." She said suddenly.
He smirked stroking her hair tenderly. "Once upon a time…"
-x-x-x-
"Congratulations once again, Kagome." Alphonse Elric wished her his silver flecked dull brown eyes twinkling.
She looked at him smiling, before letting her gaze fall back to the pocket-watch that she still had in her hand. She still couldn't believe it. She'd passed the Asmetris State Alchemy Exam. She was now a certified Alchemist, The Inferno Alchemist. Apparently the new Fürher had seemed to overhear Mustang's nickname for her, and decided it would be the best title to give her. All her family, friends, and well-wishers had gathered in Mustang's house to celebrate her success, and were drunk with excitement and happiness. Though she was sure she could still hear her grandfather complaining about his experience on having to come to Asmetris from Gaia through the Gate.
She turned to Mustang, who was looking at her, eyes shining with pride. That made her the happiest, among everything else. Not that she'd become one of the youngest State Alchemists at age ten, after Edward, and Alphonse. Not that she'd accomplished her mother's unattainable childhood dream before she was forced to live in Gaia through some complications. Not because she fulfilled her father's wishes. But because she'd made Roy Mustang proud of her.
It had gotten late and everyone finally started filing out, to go back to their respective homes. She looked at Mustang who'd settled back in his favourite arm-chair. The fire-light played against his features, showing his otherwise hidden stark lines of age. For the first time she was aware of how old Mustang would really be. Edward and Alphonse were both married and were already fathers.
She wondered once upon a time, why her teacher never got married. He was quite good-looking. Even now he still made heads turn. Rumour was that he was quite the playboy in his day. She'd even asked Winry about it. And about the picture of the russet eyed blonde woman he kept by his bedside, who seemed so familiar to Kagome. Winry had told her it was Riza Hawkeye. She was a stern no-nonsense woman, and an ace sharp-shooter, and sniper. And the reason she'd seemed so familiar to Kagome was because she was Kun-loon's older half-sister.
Apparently Mustang was in love with Riza. He'd even asked her to marry him, after the Ed and Al returned back to Asmetris for good. But fate wasn't so kind to the couple as Riza was diagnosed with cancer a month later. The doctors couldn't stop it reaching to it's last stages, and Riza died. Mustang never bothered much about woman after that. Kagome had never mentioned to him that she knew his story. She had a feeling he already knew, she'd found out.
She made her way to him, and climbed on to his lap, resting her head against his chest. Immediately his hand came up to stroke her hair. She always still felt like a child around him. "Tell me a story." She whispered meekly burying her face into his chest. And although she couldn't see it she knew he was smiling as he began the familiar "Once upon a time…"
-x-x-x-
She screamt as she felt hands pulling her apart. The eleven year old cried. The pain was unbearable. The only thing she could see were shadows, and evil violet eyes all around her. They were the last things she remembered before passing out.
When she woke up she was in her bed-room. She could feel a few machines monitoring her condition. There were many people around her. Her mother, younger brother, grandfather, the Elrics, Rose, a few doctors, all looking at her with a mixture of concern and relief. She though, didn't bother that much for them. She ignored her mother's tight hug, and everyone's relieved, 'Are you all rights?' Instead they searched for the man with messy raven hair, kind face, one eye covered by a black eye patch, the other warm slate blue.
"I'm right here my little inferno." His soothing voice reached her ears, and she turned to see him sitting right beside her bed-side. He seemed tired.
"What happened?" she asked him timidly. "The last thing I remember…, I think the Gate was pulling me apart."
"That's exactly what happened." Edward answered for him. "It was a dangerous case of wrong-pace at the wrong-time. You nearly became a reactant for a human transmutation. Mustang got you back."
"Not completely though." He said self-loath clear in his voice. "I couldn't get your soul back. Not he whole thing. Part of it is still in there. I trapped another soul in you. I'm sorry. I should've gotten there earlier." He looked up at her like he'd failed her. Everyone had left the room sensing that both teacher and student needed to be left alone. Kagome crawled inched over to him, and took his large hand in her own. Slowly sitting up she rested her head against his chest.
"Tell me a story." She said softly. She felt his chest constrict with guilt. "Please?" she pleaded looking up at him with her chocolate hued eyes. "Please?" she asked again, and he sighed giving her that smile she loved.
"All right little inferno." He relented. "Once upon a time…"
-x-x-x-
"Kagome are you all right?" he asked concern filling his feature.
"I'm fine just a little dizzy. What happened?" she asked. She noticed she was in a hospital room surrounded by everyone.
"You blacked out during an Alchemic reaction." Edward said.
"But how?" she asked. "That's impossible!"
"Maybe it's because you're unstable." Alphonse offered. Seeing the confused, hurt, and insulted look the eleven year old sent him he amended his statement. "I meant that maybe it's because you're now an unstable being. You have your own mind, and body, but your soul is incomplete. And you have another soul inside you. So maybe the Alchemic reaction created a major stress on your being and you couldn't take it."
Kagome just looked at them dumbfounded. She flopped back down on the bed and let the doctors check her. Finally after what seemed like ages to the girl everyone left the room except for Mustang.
"You know what this probably means don't you?" he asked caressing her hand.
"I do. But I'm not going to stop using Alchemy." She said.
"You are." He countered back.
"No I'm not. I can't just stop using it. I spent so many years in learning it. You can't expect me to give it up." She said. They both began a heated argument which lasted for a long while.
"It may be dangerous for you, if you don't. And I don't want anything happening to you." he said. His voice had taken on the forgotten tone of the arrogant concerned and yet dangerous Flame Alchemist of the old.
"I don't care if it's dangerous! I'm not going to stop using Alchemy, even if God himself wants me too!"
"For my sake?" he asked, and her face faulted. How could she refuse him? "Please? Till we find a way to sort this out?" he said.
She nodded and crawled to him resting her head against his chest. Tears streamed down her face. She was giving up the thing she'd strived so hard for all those years. Probably forever, if no one found a way out for her. And if that was the case, she'd wasted so many precious years of her life devoted to learning the science. He stroked her hair tenderly, comforting, and consoling her. "Hush now! It'll be all right I promise you."
"No it won't. Not this time." She sobbed. She felt like she'd lost a part of herself.
"Yes it will. Have I ever broken a promise to you?" he asked. When she didn't reply she merely kissed her hair tenderly before gently rocking her. "Once upon a time…" he began.
-x-x-x-
It was weird, she thought, ironic even. Magic. It couldn't exist, could it? Not in her world of science, technology, and Alchemy. And yet it did. Magic pulled her down the well of the Shrine she lived it and five hundred years into the past of Gaia's Sengoku Jidai. Magic brought her to the hanyou Inu-Yasha. Magic brought her to the Shikon-no-tama. Magic sent her on the quest for Naraku along with the cursed monk Miroku, the demon exterminator Sango and her pet fire cat demon Kirara, and the little kitsune pup Shippo. And the more she thought about it, the more she realised that it had been there all along. How else could so many crazy things in her life alone, before Inu-Yasha be explained? How else could the time skip between the Universe of Asmetris be explained? Hoe else could the concept of the soul be truly explained?
Magic had turned her whole world and the way she saw it, upside-down.
And yet after everything went haywire. After all the normalcy and semblance in her life went out the window, one thing still remained the same. He still remained the same. She would still visit him – albeit though now it was more infrequent than the normal every weekend before. He would still make her feel like a little girl again, affectionately calling her by her nickname 'Inferno.' And she would still fall asleep in his lap – not caring that she was now a sixteen year old, with her head against his chest, watching the fire in their favourite arm-chair, listening to that ever relaxing "Once upon a time…"
-x-x-x-
Everything about it seemed the same. His presence, his scent, his voice, the sound, and rhythm of his heart-beat she heard when she lay her head against his chest, his deep rumbling laugh, that arrogant smirk, the mischievous grin. Everything sent her into a state of calm. With him around she felt protected, safe, and alive. She shared the strongest bond with him. Whenever anything happened in the Sengoku Jidai that she couldn't take, she'd go to him. And he'd make it seem all better. He always made everything seem better.
She didn't know why she felt the unexplainable urge to see him. She couldn't understand it. That feeling that if she didn't meet him now, she'd regret it for the rest of her life. Part of her wanted to shrug it off as nerves, since she'd been away from home for quite a while now. It was actually almost nearing two months. And even before she hardly been at home for more than a night. She hadn't seen Roy for more than six months now. But she couldn't make the rest of the party turn back now and head back to Kaede's village. Not since they were hot on Naraku's heels. But the feeling kept nagging at her. Eating her up at her insides, till she couldn't take it anymore. "Inu-Yasha I want to go home."
It was simple how the effect of those six words could cause so much mayhem. She had argued with Inu-Yasha for the whole day about it, which resulted in them camping in the middle of a deadly forest at night. Inu-Yasha who had still been mad at her went off for a walk on his own. That resulted in him noticing Kikiyo's soul stealers near-by and going to her. And he's stayed with her for a long time. Kagome in a fit to go and apologise to Inu-Yasha, and concerned about him had walked in on them kissing and ran back devastated.
She'd then done something which she felt she should have done days earlier. She took Kirara, and flew a straight three day flight, back to Kaede's village. Jumping through the well she'd run into the Shrine, trying her hardest to control her emotions. She'd stepped into the house only to have her mother lunge for her, sobbing hysterically. She noticed Souta, and her grandfather exchanging grim expressions.
"Roy… sick… critical…" her mother had only managed to get those words out, and immediately Inu-Yasha went on complete back-burner inside Kagome's mind.
"What are we waiting here for then?" she asked grabbing her mothers hand and dragging her. "We have to get to him."
Her mother nodded before clapping her hands and calling upon The Gate. The entire Higurashi family stepped inside it before going over to Asmetris. When they reached there, they were immediately greeted by a now grown up Elisia Hughes guiding them to Roy's house. "We don't know what happened. Mom sent me by the other day with some cake for him, and I found him lying on the floor, with The Gate open. I called Ed and we rushed him to the hospital. The normal doctors and Alchemic doctors have both looked at him. There's nothing they can do. It seemed he'd been roaming inside The Gate for long periods of time now-a-days. Prolonged exposure to that caused him to weaken. And with his age too. They're sending him home. Al said if he isn't going to make it anyway, then it'd be better if he left this world in the comfort of his own house, rather than the confines of a hospital."
They arrived at his house, and began cleaning it out. A day later Roy was brought in by the Elric brothers. They took him upstairs into his bed-room and tucked him into his bed. Kagome looked at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. He looked weak. Really weak. The black eye-patch was removed and she could see his scarred, blind eye. His good slate blue eye scanned the room, before landing on her. "Is that you my little inferno?" he asked. Kagome nodded and went to him taking his hand. She smiled at him, and he returned it, with a tender fatherly one of his own.
A week had passed and Roy had only gotten worse. He hadn't stopped living the way he always did though – albeit though now he needed help here and there. And he seemed to hate that. "He was only in his fifties, not eighties, or nineties!" he'd seem to shout, when he had to be helped around. But other than that everything seemed fine with him. He'd accepted his death was round the corner so easily that it scared Kagome. But she didn't show it. When she ate with him, when they read together, or during the nights, when he told her fairytales and stories. But she didn't know how much longer she could take it.
Finally on the eighth night since Roy's arrival back from the hospital, while they were sitting together by the fire late at night, long after the others had retired to bed, Kagome broke down. She began sobbing into his shirt. "Don't go, please don't leave." She pleaded with him. And he held on to her tightly, tenderly stroking her hair and consoling her like he always did. Even on his death-bed he was concerned for her.
"I have something for you." He said patting her head at the clock struck midnight. "A birthday gift."
Birthday gift? She'd been so worried about him that she'd forgotten that her birthday had been coming up. She saw him take out a large box, and a small case from underneath the coffee table next to the chair. "Open the box first." He said, and she did. Her chocolate orbs widened at what lay inside it. Inside were a pair of black cargo pants, and a fiery red knee-length, crimson shirt. The same outfit she'd worn to the Exam. Along with that was the pocket watch. But out of all that, what surprised her the most were five pairs of white gloves, with a familiar red transmutation circle drawn on each of them.
"Aren't these your…?" she trailed off and he nodded.
"I want you to perform Alchemy once again. And you are a Pyro-Alchemist, so you'll need them." He said.
"But how? I thought I was an unstable being, so using Alchemy would be dangerous for me." She said.
"That's where the second gift comes in." he said. She opened the case to see a silver chain, with a small crystal pendant of a phoenix emerging from flames. She looked at him confused. Wasn't this the same present she gave to him on Father's day nine years ago. He motioned back at the chain. She turned her gaze to it to, and noticed there was a small faint red and gold glow coming from it.
"I found the rest of your soul inside The Gate. I trapped it in there. If you wear that you wont be an incomplete being anymore." He said and she looked at him tears in her eyes. He had given her, her life back six years ago, when he'd pulled her back out from the Gate. And now today here he was again giving her, her life back a second time around, at the cost of his own.
"Don't cry." He whispered and she nodded sliding the chain around her neck. The pendant felt warm against her skin. She leant back against his chest, listening to his beating heart. Taking in his scent, and the sound of his breathing. She smiled as the memory came to her, while she gazed into the fire. Her first day with him. It had been such a long time ago now. It felt as if a life-time had passed. In a way she guessed it had. Her brown eyes softened, looking like molten chocolate in the fire-light. The rain was pouring outside in torrents just like it had that day as well. It made a soft nostalgic smile play on her face as more memories came back to her.
"Tell me a story." She whispered. She could feel him smile.
He cleared his throat and closing his eyes knowing that it would be his last time, he slowly began, "Once upon a time…"
She heard his voice fade away. Heard the heart-beat slowly stop. And yet she lay against him. Till the body got cold.
-x-x-x-
The ceremony had been short, and heartfelt. They'd dressed Roy Mustang in his military best and laid him on a tiny stone table. Then Kagome had surprised them all by wearing her old Alchemist get-up, and taking out her hand from her pockets and snapping her fingers. The body had ignited and burnt itself out to ashes quickly, which were prevented from flying away with the wind by the Alchemic barrier Kagome had created. Everyone had been surprised, and shocked at first, but agreed that there was no other fitting way for Roy Mustang to go.
They'd buried the urn containing the ashes, paid their respects and left. Only Kagome had stood by the grave longer than the others. They'd dealt with the military over Roy's property and all the other legal matters the next day. Roy had stated in his will that he wished for Kagome to own his house.
The third day after Roy passed away the Higurashi family made their way home back to Sunset shrine in Japan Gaia. They were joined by the Elrics, and Elisia who knew what the family probably had gone through, since Mustang was always considered part of them. They'd been surprised to meet Inu-Yasha at the steps glaring heatedly at Kagome, who had forgotten all about the hanyou. She'd immediately rushed up the shrine's steps and ran into her room, quietly packing all the things she generally needed in the Sengoku Jidai.
Her mother had seemed rather surprised to see her daughter all packed up and ready to go back, after everything that had happened. But Kagome had brushed it off saying she'd be fine and was needed. After warm farewells to everyone, she walked to the well, and once again rejoined her magical adventure, still in her Alchemist uniform.
-x-x-x-
It had been late in the evening when they arrived at Kaede's hut. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo had rushed forwards to greet her as usual. They'd settled down for dinner, which had been pleasant. After dinner each of them were left to their own thoughts and Kagome once again went down memory lane.
Roy Mustang had been her teacher, father, best friend, and diary for so many years. He was a part of her life that she'd never get used to living without. She'd miss everything about him, she thought as she rolled the crystal pendant in her hand. She looked at it. The phoenix rising from the fire. She remembered what she'd thought when she created it. Roy, fire, the phoenix. Roy was characterised by fire, just like the phoenix. Everything he did was connected to that element, just like the mythical bird.
Roy wasn't like the phoenix. He was a phoenix. And just like phoenixes never died, she realised Roy Mustang would never die as well. He wasn't dead at all, just no longer in the world of the living. And as long as she lived, she remembered him then he'd be alive in this world too. And she'd never let him die, not in this world. He'd live, in memories inside her, heart, in his Alchemy, in the way he tutored her, in the legacy he'd created. She'd find someone to tutor one day, and pass on his legacy to them. And she knew for a fact that she'd meet him in the next world when she passed on as well. That she'd finally be together with the one part of her that made her complete.
And she'd do just that. She'd live the way he wanted her to live. She was her father's daughter after all. She was his daughter after all. She'd stay Roy Mustang's little inferno for all her life. She'd make him proud up in the heavens, from where she knew he was watching her along with her father.
She was broken out of her reverie when Shippo bounded on to her lap. "Kagome tell me a story." He said jumping up and down. She smiled softy ruffling his hair affectionately. And so her new quest began, she noted somewhere deep in her conscious.
"All right Shippo." She said. "Once upon a time…"
And the story will continue in this timeless dance. Till the end of time itself. Just like the phoenix.
The End.
A/N: I think this turned out longer than I expected it to be. To be honest I think it's turned out completely different from what I wanted it to be. All I hope is that there aren't any typos.
Anyway tell me how you guys felt about it. I'm accepting flames as well.
Love ya! Ciao!