lights of your deserved fame
Character: Kain Fuery
Summary: He has come so far.
He is merrily repairing another radio when a shadow falls over him and he looks the newly reinstated Lieutenant General Charlotte Llewellyn, Commander of the Western Headquarters and generally liked and admired for her reasonable decisions and her way to listen to her subordinates' concern before she went through with something.
But even more confusing than her presence is the plain white envelope she is carrying.
"Madam?" he asks as she stops in front of him and he is so happy that he can still speak.
"Second Lieutenant Kain Fuery?" she inquires as she allows herself a smile. "I am here to ask you to join the Western Special Forces. We lost our communication expert to Briggs a few days back."
He is surprised because he has expected that others like Hawkeye, Falman or Breda would be the ones of interest for the Western Special Forces because it is common knowledge that they have lost many valuable members of other headquarters along the last weeks but he has never expected to be faced with the decision to stay or to leave.
"Can I jump in for a moment?" the Colonel – no, the Major General – asks as he approaches them. "I fear that you have broken Fuery, madam."
But the younger man catches himself and smiles shyly at the woman. "I am sorry, madam, but-"
His superior's hand covers his mouth before he can finish the sentence and a moment later, he finds himself dragged into the files closet. "Sorry, Fuery, but I think that I should keep you from making a mistake," Mustang says with a warm smile. "Look: I admire your loyalty, really, but this is an amazing chance for you. Kain Fuery, you have the chance to be communication officer in the Western Special Forces. I am empathising this because you obviously forgot that this is what every single communication expert – you included – dreams of."
The young man stares at the ground. "But … you need me too, don't you?"
"Listen, I can count the amount of soldiers Llewellyn invited personally with my hands: General Armstrong, Lieutenant General Llewellyn who is also her son, the Brigadier Generals Tempest, Doctor Hamilton Force and Colonel Hamilton," the Flame Alchemist replied. "Oh, and Lieutenant Colonel Force was invited directly too. As your superior, I can only urge you to accept this chance because this is something really, really special and you deserve this."
"Why me and not Falman?"
"He is back in Briggs and happy there. Don't worry, Lieutenant, Hawkeye will keep an eye on me and WestCity is not the end of the world. Plus, Llewellyn is a decent superior. She taught Armstrong everything the Ice Queen knows – how to make sure that the subordinates don't betray you and everything. You will grow there."
"But … I still feel bad about this. I can't just leave to pursue a big career."
"Kain Fuery, you are among the most loyal officers I have ever met because everyone else would have long abandoned me – not that I could blame them for it. Anyway, you should accept this offer because knowing this kind of thing, there will be no second chance. So before you hate me and yourself in a few years, go out and tell her that you will join the Forces."
Kain Fuery looks at his commander before he slowly nods. "I understand," he says. "I really hope that Hawkeye will keep you in line, sir, but knowing her, I don't doubt it."
"Neither do I."
And so he steps outside and nods at his future commander as he accepts the envelope. "I feel honoured to join your forces, General Llewellyn."