Fort Resembol: Prologue:

The Breaking Record

Riza awoke in the darkness feeling cold. She didn't have to look to confirm that he wasn't there. Still she did, opening her eyes and staring at the empty sheets until she was able to gain enough sense to feel alarm instead of this silent pain. There was no time to think about this loss. This meant more than one thing.

Yes, Roy had left her, but because of that the battle- No, war- would begin.

She cursed his idiocy while forcing herself to move and get dressed. No, he did not know that his act of selfishness would start this war. He was too drowned in his own self misery that he didn't see what was going on around him. He never knew that he was the only thing keeping the revolutionaries in power, or at least making them appear to be in power. It was really all a façade. It had worked perfectly.

A quick glance out the window proved worthy, soldiers had surrounded the apartment waiting for her to make her move. "They were quicker than I thought," she muttered. Godamnit. None of this would have happened if he had listened to her, how many times had she hinted and warned him that this was happening!

With fleeting hope she picked up her phone. Nothing. The wires must have been cut. Fucking idiot. If he would have just listened to her! Heard her…Noticed her…It was much easier to blame him than admit that she had fault in this too. She had failed in saving him from his depression. She had failed.

She shook the feelings off. Riza may have failed him, but she would not fail her country.

Her guns were in their holsters, belts of ammo were strapped on, and the bottle rockets were tucked under one arm. The only thing she was missing was a good plan. "Hey God? If you're out there, let me live long enough to get the message out, okay?" She laughed to herself, but the attempt to make herself feel better didn't actually help at all.

Opening the window, she suddenly felt grateful the she lived on the second to top floor. Riza positioned herself on the ledge and shielded her eyes from the morning sun, spying the ledge of the next window above. Too far away, she would have to jump to it and pull herself up one-handed. Instead, she sidled awkwardly to the next window to the right and again until she came to the fire escape, the only one built because the owners were too cheap to make more. She swung herself over the railing and started climbing up the ladder, happy she hadn't dropped one of the rockets and that no one had seen her yet.

Riza set the rockets down on the roof, keeping one propped up against the ledge as she searched her pockets for a lighter. "If I came all this way and forgot it-! Here!" She brought the lighter to the fuse and clicked it, sending the rocket screaming into the air. Ignoring the shouts from below, she grabbed another and shot it off before peering over the edge.

The soldiers were entering the building. It was five floors, she still had time. Next, she scanned the skies, hoping for a returning shot. Someone must have heard her. As she readied the third rocket it was confirmed.

Blazing red tore through the sky to the right. Then a green shot up to the left. More allies would see those shots and send up there own until everyone would know what was happening.

She stood up, dropping the lighter and third rocket, and watched this triumph spread. The moment of satisfaction lasted only seconds, knowing the direness of the situation. Drawing her favorite handgun from it's holster, Riza stepped backwards to the center of the roof. As she moved past the stairwell the sound of hurried footsteps pounding up towards her echoed faintly. They would be there in mere seconds. She glanced at the door before training her eyes on the roof of the next building over, glaring at it as if it were an enemy, the gap between rooftops appeared to be just a slit. Breaking into a sprint the slit grew larger until it seemed huge, ready to engulf her and pull her down as she soared above the expanse that disappeared completely in the next second. The corners of her mouth tilted slightly upwards, with bent knees and arms stretched out in front of her for balance, she had made a perfect landing.

With no time to waste, she charged towards the next gap. Just as she reached the edge, the door of her building's stairwell burst open. "There she is!" Bang! Bang! Bang! The sound of gunfire jolted her and screwed up her jump. She landed hard into the ledge, rolling forward to keep herself from slipping off. In a fluid movement she went from rolling to jogging backwards and facing the soldiers. The closest she shot in the leg, the next was hit in the shoulder, just above the heart. They clutched their wounds as more soldiers streamed out. The back of her foot hit the ledge. "Surrender now, lieutenant." One of them ordered, Riza counted the stars on his uniform and saw that he was a major and presumed he was the leader of this squadron. After spying his nametag she spoke, taking a step up onto the ledge.

"Major Nelson, you must have not done your homework like all the other good little officers," she spoke in a condescending tone, playing on the fact that she was at least five years older than him. He wore the silver chain marking him as a state alchemist and she was implying that he did not deserve his rank, Nelson glared at her. "You really don't know who you're dealing with if you think I'd give up that easily."

"There's nowhere for you to go," he spoke through gritted teeth, annoyed at his adversary.

Riza simply tilted her head to the side and gave him a disappointed look before taking the final step backwards off the edge of the building. Unbeknownst to the soldiers, she landed safely a few feet below on another fire escape. She couldn't help but snicker as she heard them gasp in surprise.

"Oh my God, did she actually do that?"

"Major, what do we do now?"

Nelson's voice squeaked a bit as he shakily gave out his orders. "W-well? What are you waiting for, go down there and see if she survived!"

While waiting for the sound of their boots to fade away, she mulled over what had happened. Even though she had shot two of his men, the major had not shown any real signs of aggression. What benefit would the Loyalists have in keeping her alive? The fact that she could not find an answer bothered her on the way down into the city's streets. It wasn't as if she was the head of the Rebellion, that was Colonel Mustang, and she wasn't second or third either. Actually, the only real credit she got was being a liaison to the Colonel and seeing as that turned out terribly, all she was was her rank.

And what use is a lieutenant to them? She shook herself. There was no time to think, by now everyone in the Rebellion would be flooding out of Central to the many previously constructed hideouts. That also meant that many of the enemy would be out to stop them. In seconds the capital would change from a city to a battlefield.

Riza found herself on the sidewalk next to the escape, the soldiers from before could come out her building's door any moment now. She glanced around the area with familiarity for the best route. You're running out of time! The 'best' route didn't matter, this city was a rat trap regardless the path taken.

Breaking into a run, she passed through a four-way before ducking behind a building across the street. Another quick glance around before darting out again. The streets were so quiet and empty, even though that was normal for this early in the morning it added an eerie effect.

Look. Run. Hide. Repeat.

Before she had been designated as a sniper, Riza was a ground soldier in Ishbal. Look. Run. Hide Repeat. It's always the little things that bring back the memories.

A sudden terror beat through her chest as if every shadow could and would jump out to take her life. But a soldier had to stay calm. 'Shellshock' didn't exist. And how important was just one life anyway?

But what about two?

Look. Run. Hide. Repeat.

Of course, there was always the possibility that an intrusion would make it's way into the cycle.

The sound of boots hitting pavement interrupted the start of the 'repeat' process. Riza readied her handgun but before whoever it was came into view another's gun fired. A limp body fell to the ground next to her as if he had been standing right at the corner. He wasn't wearing a uniform, he was in the Rebellion. Riza turned the corner, surprising the uniformed soldier who had felled her comrade. Soon he joined the Rebel in the alley. Revenge was anything but sweet.

Gunfire. The faraway shots echoed around the empty city. Yet the one that sounded from her own gun made no noise to her ears. Her eyes widened, her always steady hand shook. "Damn it." It wasn't like she had ever wanted to kill again but it was in her blood, it was what she knew how to do and she would always do, for…him and and, and for what? Revenge? Her country? To Hell with her country, did anybody actually care?

Riza closed her eyes and pressed her open hand against her forehead. "It's not like I'm fighting children this time." She was fighting for the freedom of everyone who lived here and against dictatorship and conspiracy.

She laughed. "Here I am, freaking over killing a soldier that would have done the same to me when I didn't even bat an eye over Archer with Roy in danger." Of course. Roy. She would do anything for him. And this, emptiness, was the result.

"But what about two?" This curse, was the result.

I'm pathetic.

She sighed and started off again. This time was filled more with the 'looking' and 'hiding' aspects; the streets were filling of not only more soldiers but also of civilians to get hit in the crossfire. The only possitive thing about civilians was their cars; if she could hijack a car, getting out of Central would be easy.

Riza peered around the dumpster that she was currently hiding behind, searching for any unlucky person with a car.

"If ye shall look then ye shall find." She whispered, spying a car parked across the street. Or something like that.

"There she is!" Crap. Riza ducked back behind the dumpster as she heard rushed footsteps moving closer, drawing her gun. A young woman came into view, taking her by surprise. The two locked eyes for the briefest moment; this woman was not a soldier, her eyes were calling out for help. In the next moment two young male soldiers caught up to her. They roughly grabbed at her arms and waist before noticing Riza stuck getting up from sitting too long.

I was too slow, she thought as one of the soldiers pointed a gun at her.

A flash of bright blue-white light came from the sky and something large extended down, hitting the ground hard between her and the soldiers. A small boy, clad in black and a bright red cloak landed beside it. Edward…? He turned to face her. "Lieutenant Hawkeye! If I knew you were here, I wouldn't have had to come!"

"Alphonse…" He clapped his hands together and pressed them against the pillar. The light appeared again for a moment as the stone became a knife in each of his hands. In the next moment they were used to knock the soldier to the ground-he wasn't going to be getting up for a while.

"Thank you." The woman bowed before running off, glancing back and forth between Riza and Alphonse.

"You're welcome miss!" He called after her.

Riza smiled. Even though Alphonse was trying so hard to be Edward, he was still so much himself. "What are you doing in Central at a time like this?" She asked.

"Teacher kicked me out of the house actually…" He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "So I thought I'd ask Colonel Mustang to teach me until she takes me back, but it seems like I just missed him, huh?"

"You did." Her smile faded.

"So, what do we do now?" Alphonse looked up at her earnestly.

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't we going to try and get the Colonel back?"

So naïve… "If only it were that simple," she sighed.

"Why can't it be?" He challenged. "You're scared aren't you, that you'll see him and he won't be who he was. But once he sees what's going on, he'll bounce right back again!" His fists pumped into the air in excitement. "I don't remember either of you…" His eyes drifted to the side. "but I know that you guys can make it through anything!" Al declared, nodding his head to affirm his belief.

Riza ran her hand through her hair and shook her head. She knew there was one thing she could say that would bring Roy running back home. "Alright. Alphonse, I need to get to a phone booth, could you make sure I have enough time for me to make my call?"

"Yes, ma'am!" He saluted.

Sneaking through the city with Alphonse was much less monotonous and familiar than how it was when she was alone. With him there it wasn't simply meaningless survival, it was protection. She had to protect him, he was only fourtee- eleven. He was only eleven now.

"Lieutenant, I could do one of two things." He said, peering around her to get a good view of the phone booth. "Either I make a dome around it while you make your call and draw everyone's attention to us, or draw less attention by just standing guard outside but you'd be less guarded."

"Attention is a bad thing right now."

"So number two then."

A quick scan of the area told her the coast was clear. "Let's go." Riza slipped out of the shadows and blinked in the blindingly bright light of early morning. She always depended on her sight to keep her safe but now it was like going without, for a second the fear began to settle in again.

She shut the booth's door behind her to have the feeling morph into dread. Am I really going to do this? Was she going to beg like the pathetic little bitch she felt she was? It paralyzed her. She wouldn't do it. She couldn't do it.

A flutter of red appeared in the corner of her eye. This wasn't about her. I have to do this.

Her hands shook as she reached for the phone. Click. Whrrr. Came the sound as she dialed the numbers. Click. Whrrr.

Click. Whrrr.

Click. Whrrr.

"Roy?" Riza's voice was hoarse. Her head hurt. Where was she?

Click. Whrrr.

"-Best I could but-…I know." Was that…His voice? "We're near sector three…Alright, thanks. Bye."

Click. Click. Click. Whhhrrrr.

"Roy?" She tried opening her eyes. The dim light blinded her, her head spun and suddenly there was so much pain shooting from her back. She felt herself jerk upwards, adding to the searing pain, and convulse.

"Riza!" Hands gingerly laid on her arms. "You need to lie down."

It was him. She blinked her tear filled eyes.

Click. Whrrr.

A broken record.

Click. Whrrr. Beep. Ring! Ring! "Briggs main office, Sergeant Doves speaking." Riza shook herself.

"This is Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye calling from an outside line. Patch me through to General Roy Mustang."

"Do you mean former General, C-"

"Yes." She snapped.

"Your code?"

"Lucy-runner-horns-first-over-Vance-eagle." Riza tapped her foot impatiently as he asked her to repeat it.

"I'm sorry Lieutenant but Mr. Mustang isn't taking any calls." Bastard!

"Then let me talk to General Armstrong." She ordered through gritted teeth.

"I'll put you on hold for a momen-"

"Patch her through NOW!" It didn't matter that she was being pushy. Her patience went only so far and it had already been worn dangerously thin.

"Y-yes ma'am!" She didn't even get the chance to feel satisfied at probably making the kid wet himself. Her mood was only worsening as time wore on.

"Hawkeye?" The esteemed General's voice sounded surprised.

"General, could you please tell your secretary or whatever to connect me to Mustang's line." Riza calmed herself as she spoke to the higher ranking officer. She would never get what she wanted from her without being polite.

"That dumb-ass doesn't have one," Olivier explained, "is it important?"

"I wouldn't be calling if it wasn't."

"True. How about you give me the message and I'll relay it to him." This was it. It was on the tip of her tongue but the thought of saying it out loud…Her cheeks flushed and her jaw dropped, audibly gaping. "Well?"

"Ah, I-I…" It wasn't simply embarrassing but pathetic. She was completely ashamed…and she knew he would hate her for it. Her eyes squinted shut. That day…it had ruined everything. Not only that, but it was the reason he had left in the first place. He hadn't only given up on himself, he had given up on her. It was ironic that the event that caused him to leave would result in the reason he would come back.

"Spit it out Lieutenant!"

"I'M PREGNANT!" Riza's face grew hot at the realization of what she had just said - shouted more like it. "I-it's his." She quietly added, knowing that the general had probably already assumed it anyway.

A silence screamed over the line that seemed to continue on indefinitely. Finally, a quiet response sounded in her ear. "You and I both know that it would be for the best to keep the father's identity to yourself." She knew Olivier was right. What she had dreaded was hearing it out loud. "I'm sorry."

With a click the line went dead. As empty tears ran down her cheeks she realized that she should have used that time to warn Briggs of the danger going on all over the country. If Central had it's way then they would be kept in the dark as long as possible. But at that moment, she didn't care. At that moment all she wanted to do was curl up in bed, hold Hayate and cry into his warm fur.

"Um, lieutenant…Time's ran out." She heard Alphonse say. He wasn't speaking very loud. He heard every word. Riza lifted her head to notice the soldiers coming towards them.

She took a pistol from it's holster and forcibly knocked open the door with her free hand. "Damnit, I want a tub of ice-cream!"

Alphonse turned to her with a smile. "That's the spirit! There's always something to fight for!"

The soldiers began pointing and shouting at them, raising their guns. "Right, lets go." They turned and sprinted back to the alley they had been hiding in before, just avoiding a barrage of bullets aimed at them.

Alphonse turned, clapped his hands and transmuted the ground into a wall. "That should prevent anyone from following."

BOOM! The wall crumbled before them, debris clogging their lungs. The shadows of their pursuers were coming closer.

The two ran in the opposite direction. But if these guys were serious enough to use grenades to chase them down, why didn't they just fire at them?

Riza glanced over her shoulder. They're fast! They were gaining on them. She turned to face forward again and saw that they were running straight into a dead end. "Alphonse!"

"Already on it!" His hands clapped together with a flash of light.

"Stop him!" One of the soldiers shouted as another aimed towards Al.

"Watch out!" Riza shoved him out of the way just in time to avoid a bullet that zoomed by right where his head had been. Anger grew inside of her. Alphonse was just a kid. He had nothing to do with any of this. They tried to kill him, and they call themselves soldiers? She turned towards them, raising her gun at level with their's.

Alphonse blinked and pushed himself from the ground, His head spinning from it's impact against the wall. He heard voices that he wasn't familiar with, they spoke with cocky jest. Blam! A gun went off. He sat up and blinked again, seeing one of the soldiers fall to the ground. Blood was seeping from the man's chest. He was dead. Al's eyes widened in surprise and slowly moved his gaze to Riza.

"Now we're really going to mess you up!" One of them shouted. She didn't seem to care. Blam! She fired again before a series of empty clicking noises came from her gun. There were no more bullets.

"Shit." Blam! Blam! Blam! One hit her left shoulder, another hit her right arm and the last pierced her foreleg, bringing her down on her knees.

Alphonse glared at them, jumping to his feet and clapping his hands. "Someone hold him!" Riza, halfway through loading another round, started towards him. Al winced at the pain of a man twisting his arms behind his back and saw one of them grab her by them arm. She knocked him away, but she was surrounded.

"Lieutenant!" Her gun fell to the ground and spun out of reach. Once she staggered to her feet, she was only knocked to the ground again. Alphonse struggled against his captor but another soldier came over to help his comrade.

The two of them held him off effectively. He couldn't move as they turned him around to face the others. Her could barely see her but he knew that two of them held down her arms. Three others surrounded.

For a moment Alphonse got a look of her face. She was terrified. From the corner of his eye he saw movement while her face contorted in a scream.

He didn't know what was happening but all of a sudden she was screaming and fighting like he had never seen. But nothing worked they were still all over her…on top of her…he was shaking…he was scared.

"Stop it!" He started screaming too. She was hurt. "Stop it!" His voice hurt. His head throbbed as he screamed again and again.

They wouldn't listen to him. They kept hurting her. He didn't know what to do. "Please!" Tears fell from his eyes and they fell from hers too.

Alphonse closed his eyes. He didn't want to watch anymore.

Their panting breaths was all that she could hear. Softly, she whispered. "You don't have to keep worrying about the past, you have me now."

Roy instantly moved away from her, a glare forming. "Is that what this was about?" He was pissed. "To get me to stay?"

She blinked in surprise. "N-no, Roy you know how I feel."

"I can always tell when you're lying." His countenance changed back from anger to the depression he usually wore. Riza couldn't protest because he was right. It hadn't only been for love. "Why do you care so much about fulfilling every one of the party's wishes?"

"It was your dream! You are the head of the party and you are the one who should be helping our politics not me!" He couldn't seriously forget all that for the sake of argument. She was growing defensive.

"Screw politics! Oh, wait, I just did." He spat.

She brought her hand down hard on his cheek. He had gone too far. "Do you really not care anymore?" She demanded.

"Can your 'politics' bring back the dead?"

"No they can't and neither can you! You don't even know if he's dead or not!"

"That's not the point! What I'm saying is what can the government do for the people?"

"That's what we're trying to fix!" She didn't know how it happened, all of a sudden they were on opposite sides of the room, screaming at each other. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. After a while she didn't even know what they were arguing about, then all they were doing was calling each other names and after that they were arguing about the other's flaws. It was so…stupid! "Fine!" She finally said. "Do whatever the hell you want!"

He almost looked hurt as she said it. What did he expect? She wasn't going to keep this up, it wasn't worth it. She turned away from him to deliver the final blow. "I was wrong about you."

Less than a month later and he was gone.

"Lieutenant!" Riza opened her eyes to see Alphonse looking down on her. "Are you alright?" His eyes were glazed with worry.

"How did…?" Her hoarse voice caught in her throat at the sight in front of her. Alchemical spikes protruded at awkward angles from the walls, piercing the bloody corpses of the soldiers. She gazed back at Alphonse and noticed blood that was not his own splattered across his face and clothes. He had a look in his eyes, a look that she saw every time she looked into a mirror.

"C'mon lieutenant, we better get going." He helped her to her feet before asking. "Where exactly are we going anyway?"

"There's a base in Resembol."

A/N: Re uploaded this chap :D