To Remember
Disclaimer: I do not own and never will, Fullmetal Alchemist or the characters within.
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Chapter 2: "You look like him."
General Roy Mustang took a deep breath and looked up as he heard the limping steps of Edward von Hohenheim enter his office. The young man was composed and seemed completely at ease as he walked in, looking around with real curiousity before his gaze settled on the one-eyed black haired General behind the desk. He closed the door behind him and moved to stand in front of the large desk. His eyes were steady and Roy could see absolutely no recognition in them. For four years he had seen those eyes across his desk. They had never once looked at him with such an impersonal regard before.
"Edward von Hohenheim?" He queried.
"Yes, Sir." The voice was mellow and smooth with the accent he remembered from the interview.
"Where are you from, if I may ask, Mr von Hohenheim?"
"Germany, Sir." There was no trace of any falsehood in either his eyes or voice that Roy could see.
"I don't think I've ever heard of a place of that name." Mustang frowned.
"It's a long way from here, Sir." There was a hint of regret to his words that struck Mustang as odd.
"Do you intend to return there?"
"No Sir." The regret was much more noticeable.
"You are here because of your performance in the alchemy exam." He saw the golden head nod. There was no expectation of success or failure that Mustang could see. The young man simply waited for Mustang to tell him how he had done.
"How long have you studied alchemy for, von Hohenheim?"
"For as long as I can remember, Sir."
"You are most proficient and knowledgeable and have demonstrated your skills to all of us, therefore we are pleased to accept you into the ranks of State Alchemists." Mustang said formally.
The smile that appeared on Edward's face surprised him. The golden eyes gleamed and the young man looked pleased at hearing of his success. He had never seen Edward Elric smile so easily.
"Thank you Sir."
Mustang opened a drawer and removed a silver watch and slid it across the table.
"That is yours." He watched as Edward picked it up with his left hand and looked at it curiously before flicking it open. The golden eyes looked up at him questioningly.
"What purpose does it serve, Sir?"
"It is the symbol for all State Alchemists. You keep it with you at all times. It is used to identify you and everyone will recognise it. You will need it for claiming expenses and for admittance into the State libraries." It felt strange having to list the uses of the watch. But there had been genuine ignorance in Edward's eyes and voice.
"Tomorrow, there will be an induction process where you will be issued with a uniform and allocated a dormitory. You will be expected to be at the front desk at eight tomorrow morning where you will be met."
The blond head nodded and seemed completely at ease with all these arrangements.
"Are there any questions, Major?"
"Major, Sir?" The golden eyes blinked and there was confusion in his voice.
"As a State Alchemist, you are automatically assigned the rank of Major. In a few days, you will also be given a State title that you will be more commonly known as." Edward nodded, his face clearing as he listened. "Do you have any more questions?"
There was a small pause before Edward shook his head. "No Sir."
"Good. I have one for you." And Mustang kept his eye focused on Edward.
"What does the name Elric mean to you?"
"Elric, Sir?" Edward pondered for a moment then shook his head. "No, I'm sorry, it doesn't mean anything to me. I don't think I've ever heard it before."
Roy felt his stomach churn and his hands clenched as his head spun slightly. The casual certainty in that light accented voice had gone straight through him. It hurt to see those golden eyes look at him with nothing but curiousity. No recognition, not even the animosity Edward had always delighted in treating him to whenever he could. Roy swallowed the bitter disappointment that rose to the back of his throat.
"You look very much like someone we all knew well. His name was Edward Elric." He said slowly.
Von Hohenheim tilted his head and frowned slightly. "I look like someone else?" He was curious and it showed in his eyes and voice.
"Yes."
Von Hohenheim smiled. "It seems highly improbable, Sir."
"And yet, you look like him, you are left handed, you limp and you know alchemy." Roy listed off the similarities, keeping his voice even.
The golden eyes darkened slightly and his back stiffened. Roy watched as the left hand tightened. His eye narrowed.
"Why do you limp?" He asked abruptly and the blond frowned as he paled. The golden eyes looked to the side briefly but then stared back.
"I lost my leg in an accident." The accented voice held an old pain and Roy straightened up in his chair.
"And your right arm as well." Roy said in a hushed voice. Edward von Hohenheim took a step back and his left hand came up to grip his right elbow. His mouth opened to speak but nothing came out.
"What accident, von Hohenheim? How did you lose your limbs?" Roy's eye stayed focused on those golden eyes. There was pain in those eyes and an unwillingness to comply but Roy didn't blink and kept his gaze firmly fixed on Edward.
"There was a fire." There was a great reluctance in his voice and eyes.
"When did this happen?" Roy questioned, ignoring the glaring look in those golden eyes. Golden eyes glaring at him was something he was very used to.
"Ten years ago."
Roy froze, aware of the painful disappointment that surged again and had him swallowing hard. He had half expected to hear five years, not anything further back than that. Edward von Hohenheim was not looking very happy and it was obvious that the memory was a particularly painful one. But Roy had been so certain that this was Edward Elric. It took him a long moment before he could push the disappointment aside.
"You have been assigned to my command. You should be aware that my people are going to see that likeness and are going to ask you about it." Roy said carefully as he kept his regret out of his voice.
Von Hohenheim frowned. The one-eyed man's questions had brought back unwelcome memories and it was hard not to feel resentment at the way he had demanded answers. But he could see the man's point. If he really did look so much like this Elric person, then it was better he found out now, than tomorrow.
"I understand, Sir." He said reluctantly.
"I will expect you here tomorrow afternoon, after you have settled in, Major."
"Yes Sir." Von Hohenheim saluted and bowed his head before leaving the room.
Roy sat back in his chair and took a slow breath in and let it out even slower. This was not going to be easy. It was not going to be easy at all.
"Roy?" Havoc's tentative voice came from the door and Roy waved him in.
"I know. It's uncanny." Roy said quietly.
"Is it him?"
"No." Roy said and he wasn't quite able to keep the pain out of his voice. Havoc noticed and frowned slightly. "You'd better warn the others, Jean. And we'll make sure we tell Al as well, before he sees him." He sighed.
"Are you sure it's not him, Roy?" Havoc asked again, a wistful tone to his voice.
"He received his injuries ten years ago, Jean. He doesn't know the name Elric, and he comes from somewhere I've never heard of. I had to explain to him the purposes for his watch." Roy said.
"Could he be lying?"
"He seems to be the most honest person I've ever met." Roy sighed again. "I couldn't see anything in him to suggest he was being anything but completely open with me."
"How could he not know what the watch means? How far away has he come from? I've never heard an accent like that one."
"His resemblance is part of the reason why he has been placed here. The other is the strength of his alchemy. And if he has come from outside our borders, then it's possible that he would be ignorant of what the watch entails. Where ever he's from, they certainly made sure he was very well trained in alchemy. It's about the only thing he does know."
"We'll keep an eye on him, Sir." Havoc said.
"Do that." Roy agreed, although he felt a slight twinge inside at thinking that anyone who looked like Edward Elric could be a danger. "And see if you can find anything on a place called Germany."
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Edward von Hohenheim was punctual and he was at the front desk five minutes before he was due the next morning. He was met by a dour Sergeant who had him filling in forms for twenty minutes before leading him to the Quartermaster's Stores to collect his uniform. He was then shown to a single room which he was informed was his dorm and that the rules were listed on the sheet on the wall. He was then given a comprehensive tour of the complex which consisted of 'this is the range', 'this is the gym' and 'research and the libraries are over here' and being dragged through each and every building. He was then led back to his room and told he could change into his uniform and have lunch in the Mess as he was due at General Mustang's office at one to start his official duties.
He thanked the Sergeant and closed the door. He looked at his room and sat down with a rather stunned expression on his face. Just what the hell had he gotten himself into, he wondered. Everything he had just seen was a jumbled mass of impressions in his head and he wasn't sure he remembered the way to the showers, let alone the Mess. He looked at the list of Rules on the wall by the door and was relieved to see a small map of Headquarters next to it. He looked around the room and smiled slightly. Basic, it was very basic. The bed, a cupboard, a desk and chair, a raggy couch and a small table. At least it had a window, he thought.
The little bits of information on the military he had been able to garner from the manager at his hotel had not been helpful. As far as he could discover, he was now a 'dog' of that military, that being a Major was better than being a Sergeant and even though he was now an alchemist, he did still intend to pay his bill, didn't he? The manager's wife had been a bit more forthcoming and had at least given him some idea of the military hierarchy and told him to ignore her husband. "He never made Sergeant anyways," she said as she refused his money. "Private he started an' Private he finished." He had smiled and had slipped the money into the small jar he had noticed her using earlier.
He began to open the package containing his uniform and looked at it curiously. It was just as well he had seen everyone else wearing them he thought as he pulled out piece after piece of blue material. Otherwise he'd have no idea how to put it all together.
"Looks more like a cape," he muttered as he held the skirt thing up. His fingers fumbled at the buttons and he frowned. He was going to have to find someone to have a look at his arm. It hadn't been working properly for the last few weeks and his jury-rigging was starting to fail again.. Maybe he should ask the General about it. Obviously the one he resembled had had prosthetics, so the General would know what he had done to take care of them.
Except that he didn't want to ask the General. There had been something about that one-eyed man that unsettled him. He had been looking at him and there had been something in his eye that had made Edward slightly uncomfortable. The resemblance would explain it but there had been something else and Edward had no idea what it was.
He straightened the jacket again as he studied the little map and plotted his way to where the Mess hall was. It didn't look too hard and he shoved the watch in his pocket and left the room, his shoulders rolling slightly as he tried to get used to the stiff material. Several people stared at him as he walked along the corridors and he ignored them. New faces always got stared at and he'd been there, done that before.
Edward von Hohenheim stood just inside the door to the mess, figuring out the system before following the rest to take a tray and join the line moving past the large warming pans. He filled his tray and then moved to an empty space near the end of one of the long trestles. He began eating, concentrating on his meal.
"Is this seat taken, Major?" A voice asked beside him and he looked up to see a brown haired soldier there. He blinked before he realised the man was talking to him and he shook his head.
"No." Edward watched as the man pulled up his stool and placed his tray on the table in a smooth move. He blinked again as he saw just how much food was piled on the tray and wondered how the guy was going eat all of that. The sound of laughing had him looking at the soldier who was grinning widely.
"I know what you're thinking. Everyone else wonders that too." He said with a smiling face. Blue eyes twinkled. "I always eat a lot and we had physical training this morning. That always makes me hungrier than normal. The name's Delsin, Ren Delsin."
"Edward von Hohenheim." Edward replied and held his gloved left hand out. A brief look of surprise crossed Delsin's face but he recovered quickly and shook the blond's hand.
"You new around here?" Delsin asked between mouthfuls. "I don't think I've seen you in here before."
"Yes, first day." Edward replied, slightly amused by the man's straightforward manner.
"I'm in Investigations, where are you placed?"
Edward looked a bit lost but answered. "General Mustang's office." He didn't know what the General's section was. Delsin's eyes went wide and he cast a quick look at von Hohenheim's hip. There was no silver chain in sight and he frowned.
"Are you an alchemist?"
Edward nodded as he swallowed his mouthful. "Yes."
Delsin stared at the young man. He seemed to be so different to anyone he'd met before. The accent and golden eyes automatically made him appear different. He didn't seem to hide anything. Delsin had seen the amusement and confusion on that face. There was something wrong with his right hand as he noticed the young Major did everything with his left hand.
"Where's your watch?"
Edward frowned and looked taken aback at the bluntness.
"In my pocket. Why?" He decided to be equally blunt in return.
"Usually an alchemist will wear it with the chain attached to his belt. That way people know what they are without having to ask."
Edward thought about it and decided that it was a good idea. He nodded to himself. He would do that later on. Delsin watched and wondered how someone as clueless as this guy seemed to be, had managed to become a State Alchemist. He wondered if 'clueless' was the right way to describe him. The openness with which he reacted to everything made him appear almost innocent. The way you could track nearly each thought across his face was something he had rarely seen before. He wondered what or who had convinced him to join the Military.
Edward seemed unconcerned by his tablemate's long stare. He ate neatly and quickly and sat back after he had finished. He looked over at Delsin and found that he was halfway through his lunch. He pulled his watch out and flicked it open.
"I have to go. It was nice to meet you." Edward said in a polite voice as he stood and picked his tray up.
"You too, Major." Delsin spoke clearly, despite having a mouthful at the time. Edward bowed his head slightly and walked away to put his tray on the designated table and left the mess.
Major Delsin watched him leave, noting the slight limp and the ease with which the young man moved. A new alchemist, or new to Central? Delsin pondered and decided the man was the newest alchemist. He knew the examinations had been held over the last few days. Everyone had known that. But it seemed he was the first to actually meet the successful candidate. He grinned.
"You look happy today, Major." A light voice said as a tray appeared on the table beside him. He turned and smiled at the young Second-Lieutenant as she sat down. His voice became teasing.
"I am. I think I finally found someone more unsuited to military life than you are, Schieska my dear."
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Major Edward von Hohenheim worked his way through the corridors and finally arrived at General Mustang's office at five minutes to one. He hesitated in the doorway as he suddenly became the focus of the entire office. He saw the blond Major he had met briefly yesterday but the rest were strangers to him. He swallowed nervously and entered the room, his limp more pronounced as his face flushed, uncomfortable at being the centre of so much attention.
"Major von Hohenheim?" A cool female voice had him looking to meet the sherry eyes of a blonde.
"Yes Ma'am." He replied and saluted. She looked rather taken aback and he frowned. Wasn't he supposed to salute superior officers? He caught the glances being exchanged amongst the others and his frown became deeper. His shoulders tensed and he lifted his chin slightly. He wouldn't let the nerves get to him.
"The General is expecting you."
"Thank you, Ma'am." Edward bowed his head slightly and followed her to the inner office. Hawkeye came straight out and closed the door behind her.
"That… that is… that is just incredible!" First-Lieutenant Breda's eyes were wide. "He looks just like Ed."
"I know. I told you." Havoc replied as he let his breath out. "It's uncanny. I nearly died yesterday when he appeared at the door."
"He looks like Edward Elric, but he certainly doesn't behave like Edward." Senior Warrant Officer Falman said in a calm manner, which was belied by the wide eyes he still had.
"He behaves nothing like Edward used to." Hawkeye said as she sat down.
"He saluted you. Edward rarely saluted anyone." Sergeant Major Fuery remarked in his quiet voice. "And he wasn't comfortable with us staring at him."
"The Chief said he did talk to him about looking like… Fullmetal."
"It's one thing to know about it, it's quite another to be faced with it, Havoc." Fuery replied.
"It's not going to be easy." Hawkeye remarked. "For any of us. And he is strange, for all he looks like Edward, there's something about him that reminds me of Alphonse."
"What do you mean, Hawkeye?" Havoc asked.
"He seemed almost… naïve." She frowned slightly as she tried to find the right words. "Edward would always hide what he was thinking or feeling. Alphonse never did that and neither did …he. You saw him. He was nervous and it showed, he was embarrassed and he blushed."
They were silent and then Breda spoke.
"What are we supposed to call him?"
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Roy Mustang looked at the young Major and took a deep breath. Edward von Hohenheim looked good in his uniform and the sight of him sent another surge of disappointment through him. It should have been Edward Elric in that uniform.
"Here is a roster of your duty times, von Hohenheim." Mustang said as he passed over a slender file. "As a State Alchemist you are given three days, duty free a week for research purposes. The rest of your duties are as outlined in that folder. Basically you will report here and either myself or Lieutenant-Colonel Hawkeye will have a list of the duties for that day."
Von Hohenheim nodded. "Yes Sir."
"Do you have any research plans at this time?"
"No, Sir."
"There are several projects in the Research Division that either need help or have been dropped due to lack of interest and impetus. You are welcome to look there if you wish."
"Thank you, Sir." Von Hohenheim smiled. He loved research and the promise of new research and projects to choose from pleased him.
Roy blinked. It was disconcerting to see that face smile so readily. The accent was less of an irregularity, it was the emotion he showed that made him seem so different. Roy wasn't sure if he would ever get used to the sight of a smiling, happy Edward in his office. He frowned.
"What are we going to call you?" He asked suddenly and von Hohenheim stared at him.
"Pardon, Sir?" He looked at the General with wide eyes. "Is there something wrong with my name?" Disbelief was written all over him.
"There's nothing wrong with it, Major." Roy said carefully. "Your resemblance to... the other Edward has me perplexed slightly as to how to have you addressed by my staff as well as by me."
"Edward is my name." Von Hohenheim said after a short pause. "Just because I look like someone else who had the same name, doesn't mean I have to give up my name." There was a stubborn glint in his eyes.
"No-one is suggesting that. If you are comfortable with that, then I have no objections…" that I can tell you about "… to you being 'Edward' in the office. Or von Hohenheim."
"I have always been called Edward, Sir. If my surname is easier or ... more comfortable for everyone... I am not likely to object to my own name." Edward said.
"And the resemblance?"
Edward frowned slightly, recalling the intense scrutiny he had received earlier. "It will pass, Sir." I am no-one's ghost, I am me, he thought defiantly but couldn't stop the little frisson of worry that made his spine twitch.
Roy nodded, slightly skeptically. He heard the faint unease behind the words and knew the young man didn't quite believe it either.
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When Edward von Hohenheim re-entered the outer office, Lieutenant-Colonel Hawkeye showed him where he would be sitting and began to introduce the others to him.
"This is Major Havoc." And Edward held out his left hand with a smile.
"Yes, we met briefly yesterday." Edward said calmly as Havoc shook his hand and stared hard at him.
"First Lieutenant Breda." Breda stood up and extended his right hand and they saw the deep breath the blond took as he extended his right hand. Breda's eyes widened and the blond winced as they shook hands.
"I hope you are satisfied, First Lieutenant." The accented voice said in an excessively polite tone that did not convey the pain that had crossed Edward's face.
"Breda has always been an insensitive idiot." The young bespectacled man said as he approached them. "Kain Fuery."
"Edward von Hohenheim." A genuine smile lit the golden eyes as he saw Fuery extend his left hand and he shook it gratefully.
"He's mostly harmless." The taller grey haired man said, as he offered his left as well with a slight smile and Edward shook his hand. "Vato Falman."
Edward saw Hawkeye and Havoc shaking their heads at Breda and the solid redhead grimaced at them before turning to face Edward.
"They're right. I didn't mean anything by it." Breda said before he took a deep breath and carried on. "But I didn't intend to hurt you."
"Because I look like someone else, you had to test my arm?" Edward's eyebrows rose. He carefully crossed his arms across his chest. "You didn't think to check my leg at the same time? Or do I have that to look forward to later?" He looked around at them all. There was hurt and a visible reluctance to be saying anything on his face. But Edward von Hohenheim had learnt a long time ago that not saying anything could hurt himself and those around him.
"Major." Hawkeye said. "Edward Elric was a member of our team for four years. The resemblance is truly remarkable. You must understand how it feels to us to suddenly see you."
"Lieutenant-Colonel, the General mentioned this likeness. And I was prepared for the stares and for it to be awkward for us all, for a while anyway." Edward paused and he shifted uncomfortably. "But I didn't expect to have my disability attacked so quickly."
"You don't seem disabled to me." Fuery said. "It doesn't seem to slow you down at all."
"It does sometimes." Edward said shortly and he looked away, his cheeks heating. He wasn't used to discussing his missing limbs as openly as this and he had to struggle against his embarrassment.
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Major." Hawkeye said, amazed again at how easy it was to see what he was feeling.
"That would be like expecting Breda to be shamed by his belly." Falman remarked so dryly, that it took the others a few moments to realise what he'd said.
"Unfair, Falman!" Breda exclaimed as the others laughed. "You don't hear me passing comment on your reading habits, do you?"
"Of course he doesn't." Havoc interjected. "You always wait til he leaves the room to do that."
Edward watched them, his eyes slightly wide at the friendly bickering and teasing. They were a close knit group, he realised. He was a stranger, an outsider. And his likeness to that other Edward was going to keep him on the outside.
"Is your arm okay?" He turned and found Fuery beside him. "I noticed you were rubbing your shoulder." Edward blinked and looked at his arm. His left hand was massaging his shoulder and he hadn't even noticed it.
"Ahhh, it's just been playing up the last few weeks." Edward shrugged and felt it twinge again.
"There are some good mechanics in Central if you need to get it checked." Fuery said so matter of factly that Edward found himself responding without his earlier embarrassment.
"A mechanic? For my arm?" He asked in surprise.
"Yes." Fuery nodded. "They'll be able to look at your automail."
"Automail? What's that?"
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Author's Note: Small chapters are definitely easier to write…lol... and thank you so much for the wonderful response to the first chapter.
And Echoes will be up tomorrow... lol...
silken :)