I don't own FMA.
Note: The boy is Riza Hawkeye's father
:)-------(:
She was happy to find he hadn't returned home with even the smallest of scratches or bruises in the months since she spoke with Mrs. Cohen. He actually looked forward to going to school in the mornings and was always eager to explain everything he had learned the moment he got home. Today had been a rather long day for him with all the physical activity of game day at the school, and now, even before the sun had set he was ready for bed.
Ruffling his honey blond hair she gave him a kiss on the forehead before turning to leave his room, but he called her back with the hope about hearing another story about 'The Magician'.
A smile lit her face as she sat down beside the eager boy on his bed. "Once, in a place far away from here, there was a town full of kind people, who would help any traveler that showed up on the road. The people of this town did what they could, but times were not always prosperous for them. It was during one of these times of poor harvest and low water that a weary traveler showed up, but there was not much anyone could do for him. He was provided with a place to stay and a small meal. He stayed again the next day, and many days after. The people of the town were more than happy to have him stay, but they needed him to contribute to the daily work if he was going to burden them, but he refused. Finally, a few of the men got up their courage and escorted him from their town.
"That night something horrible happened. Somehow, all the town fields caught on fire—a fire which spread to the house they stored all their seed in. People were running back and forth from the small stream to try and put out the fire, but it didn't help much. The men, the brave ones who had made the traveler leave, went into the burning storage house to haul out any seeds and food they could manage to salvage.
"It was then that another man arrived in the town, he was panting by the time he got to the fire, but as soon as he found out what was going on he was in the storage room with the other men, but he told them to leave and try to help everyone else put out the fire. The men didn't want to stop their efforts, but the room was filling with smoke and they had no choice but to leave. They were amazed when a few minutes later the barrels of seed appeared outside the little shack. The traveler emerged shortly after with his face blackened by smoke and ash, but coughing did not stop him as he followed everyone else running to the stream.
"There the men and women saw him work his magic. He pulled out a piece of chalk and drew on the dirt by the stream. After placing his hands on the ground, the water from the stream flew into the air and then rained over the burning fields. The fire was put out very quickly.
"The whole town was abuzz with news of the man's appearance and good will in helping them. He was offered food and shelter by everyone at the scene, and he decided to take up the first man's offer. Pulling out his piece of chalk again, he made his way to a blackened tree to help rebuild the shed that had been burnt down, but everyone urged him to rest and bathe, for he was covered in ash and soot.
"In the morning he woke to the sight of the man's sister bringing him breakfast, towels, and clothing. Back at the fields he found the shed had not been repaired, but the fields were being replanted. After talking to a few of the men, the ones who had tried to save the seed, he taught them some of his magic to make their work go by faster, and then he converted some of the half-burnt trees into planks of wood with his magic and fixed the shed.
"The townspeople were so grateful for his help that they let him stay there, but he refused to do so without helping in everyday tasks. He became fast friends with everyone, especially the man whose house he stayed at. Two years later he was married to the man's sister, and he still lives there helping the people farm and using his magic to fix things here and there," she smoothed out her son's golden hair as she finished her story.
"Is he the same one as before?" Jacob asked through a yawn. "You know the bird one?"
The woman chucked as she nodded. "Hawkeye," she corrected.
"Do you know him?" he asked, his eyes closing and snapping open a second later as he waited for her answer.
"A long time ago," she whispered, putting out the lantern as she walked out of his room and pulled the rusty red curtain closed across his door frame.
Jacob smiled at her answer—it was what he wanted to hear. He wanted to meet the bird-eye-man one day.
Jacob was drifting off to sleep when he heard his father's voice lecturing his mother in hushed, sharp words, "Liz, you can't keep telling him those blasphemous stories."
"They're just fairy tales," he heard his mom's gently whispered response.
"We both know that's a lie. Stop telling him while he is young enough not to get curious about this 'magic' of your people," his father said in his stern, commanding tone.
Jacob didn't hear anymore of the conversation, but the words were stuck in his head.
The next morning he greeted his master with questions about the word blasphemous. He didn't want to ask his parents for fear that they wouldn't answer him.
"And why would you like to know about that Jacob?" his master asked. He explained the stories of the magician, and that he had heard the stories were blasphemous. His master's eyes had darkened as he explained.
Jacob's cheeks burned a color that matched the other children's eyes as he sat through the lecture about blasphemy against Ishbala, and he walked home with heavy footsteps. He didn't want Ishbala to be mad at him for listening to his mother's stories. He was sure she hadn't known they were blasphemy, no matter what his father said, he was sure of it.
"How was class today, sweetie," his mother greeted from her spot at the stove.
"Fine, we learned about the blasphemy of playing with Ishbala's creations, his gifts to us," he said, staring his mother straight in the eyes that mirrored his so perfectly.
Her smile fell as she comprehended the words he hadn't said, the questions he wanted to ask about her fairy tales.
Laying in his bed, without a fairy tale to think of before drifting off, he thought about his master's words on alchemy. Alchemy, the science his mother called magic, was something that used energy and a theory called equivalent exchange to change something from its original form into something else, just like the magician had done with the trees. Was it really that bad if it was used to help people? It was a question he would never forget.
:)-------(:
A.N.-I really wanted to get this chapter out sooner, but I got the flu, fragments of a wisdom tooth that was pulled 2 years ago cut through my gums, but I haven't been able to get them removed yet, since I'm sick. So, in short work, school, the flu, and jaw pain has had me a bit preoccupied since Saturday. If anything need clarified/is confusing let me know! 'The Magician' a Hawkeye.
little story for all of you. My younger sister went to the Anime Expo with me back in July, and when Bizzy and I talked about Hawkeye my sister thought we were saying hot guy, though she didn't confess about it until during the drive home, so we weren't able to clarify for her while we were there. lol
Thank you for reviewing: Lone-Whippoorwhill, AnimeLuvr8, and Dailenna.
