Unca Roy

Chapter 2: Fun

By claudius

I do not own the copyright to Full Metal Alchemist.


The future ordeal brought a grimace to his face, and an ache to his floor-stuck feet. True, it was a short path awaiting him. But his condition made it look like a burdensome mile. He had reservations about crossing it, remembering the other attempts before this one. Time to make it again. His hands squeezed securely upon the rails. His feet's effort to move started as one foot lifted from the floor, planting itself a few inches further. The second foot made a small hop after the other. The first foot again lifted from the floor, stamping right down. The other foot followed. This was the constant ritual, with lifting his feet more painful than dragging them. The strain will reach its climax. Suddenly, one ankle twisted off its place. He knew what was going to happen: the foundation would break and send everything crashing, ending the exercise until another day. The expectation made the patient groan in rebellion. Not this time! All energy was forced on the foot that remained planted. Its support proved great, giving the failed foot strength to regain its step. Back on his two feet again, the patient continued on his way.

Eventually, the legs reached the end of this walk of hardship. The patient released the power of his arms from their perch, setting him to kneel. A sweating Roy Mustang bore a trembling smile over his achievement. The walking therapy had succeeded. Now he could walk without a wheelchair or crutches. Only a cane will suffice, until he gets rid of that as well. That is good. He had fulfilled his goal. Very early for the time he promised to her.


Elysia sat on a tall chair; her hands entwined together with legs dangled from the seat. She calmly waited to be picked up for the carnival. This behavior looked extraordinary for a child of her age. The sad truth is that she wasn't impatient for the future, nor was she excited either. In fact, Elysia didn't know if she wanted to go!

The fault was not in some dislike for carnivals. Elysia cherished the last time. The memory gave her a fantasy of happiness. On that day, Daddy was so excited about taking her, maybe even more than she. But Elysia believed in her father; whatever he thought was really good had to be really good.

And he was right! The place was a rainbow of lights, full of surprises and shows of games, food, and toys. The place was so big that she was afraid she wouldn't get to see everything that day. Fortunately, daddy promised to take her everywhere. He carried her upon his back and did the walking for the two of them. The effort made Elysia wonder if daddy was going to get tired and fall asleep, but he never showed it. Daddy was very strong and very fast.

The fair had fun rides, like the carousel with horses that went around and around. Elysia's horse was a shiny brown one with a horn on its head. Daddy called it a Unicorn (he was so smart!). Another was a great wheel that took her and Daddy around and around, but this time up and down. Then there were the games. Some of them were about throwing and hitting stuff (which she wasn't allowed to do at home). Daddy entered every one. These games led to a lot of losers, but Daddy was not one of them. He won every game. One game he was really good at was throwing darts at balloons on a wall. Daddy always hit a balloon. Elysia could remember her father's amazing power; he could look at her without seeing the target, and still hit the balloon perfectly. Elysia would clap her hands delightfully, not only on how great her daddy's throwing was, but in the gifts he got her for winning: Balloons, stuffed animals, whistles, toys, and everything else. Her daddy had his arms full carrying the presents. And whenever he had the chance, Elysia saw Daddy taking pictures of her, saying that she looked cute here, and there, and there.

The end of the carnival was hard to remember though. That was nighttime, when Elysia got sleepy. Daddy said they had fireworks in the sky that night, but she had no idea. The only thing in her memories of that time was being in a car. She lied on her daddy's knee, feeling his big hand rubbing softly on her hair. But she did remember making daddy promise to take her back next year.

The memory evaporated into reality, along with the happiness. Another carnival had come. Only Daddy wasn't with Elysia anymore. He was gone now.

That knowledge was very hard on the young child. Elysia had come to that sad truth of this absence being forever. She didn't like it all. Being without Daddy was like there being rain everyday. No more fun, no more friends, and no more parties for the rest of her life. It wasn't fair! Elysia put that statement through a lot of use. What did daddy do to go away? Nothing! What did she do to make this happen? Elysia couldn't give the same answer to that question.

With the promise broken, Elysia thought there would be no more trips to the carnival ever again. To her surprise, someone was going to take her. His name was Roy, and he was a friend of her Daddy's. Elysia knew him a little. Most of the time he existed in pictures (the ones that showed Daddy without a beard on his chin). When she did meet him in person, she got frightened. Roy wasn't like daddy; he didn't smile a lot, usually looking unhappy. He was kinda scary. But, as Elysia remembered weeks ago, Roy missed Daddy too. But the truth of that encounter collided with her feelings. Roy was still scary.

Elysia's heart jumped at a knock coming from the door. She saw her mommy go to the door. Mommy's words, "Hello Roy!" made her more nervous.

Roy entered the door slowly, using a cane to keep him up. He didn't have a beard anymore, which showed more of his attempted smile. "Hi, kiddo. I'm taking you out."


Roy Mustang had fought some incredible battles, surviving through the most desperate trials with the smallest of chances. Planning a coup against the Homunculus monsters, one of them being the Fuhrer King: that he could handle...barely. But taking Elysia out to the carnival: That was absolute insanity! Roy knew how to order people into battle or assignments, standing by them if need be. He knew nothing about handling a four-year-old child. The chances of disaster were high. Roy should have sent Riza or Havoc or someone else to go in his place. Let them take the daughter of Maes Hughes…

The past month was a mixed bag for the Brigadier General. Life after that encounter with Elysia saw progress in his spirits, though he was not entirely free of depression. Whenever the despair lurked, it attacked Roy with full force. The misery bit hard into his memory of Elysia's late father, corrupting it into a memory of pain. Endurance was not always constant. In one weak moment, Roy actually wished he never met Maes Hughes! The foolish desire was soon rescinded; Roy would never think up such a horrible thing ever again. Pain or no, knowing his best friend was the most important thing in his life. And for the sake of that importance, Maes' only child was now his attention.

Still, that new attention brought doubt to Roy; he wondered about the quality of his mental health when he agreed to this action of today. It all happened weeks ago, when Roy's remaining eye spotted a newspaper article about the future carnival. He remembered Maes giving him a detailed account about last year's carnival (a conversation which took up most of his 'breaks' from work). During one of his peaceful moments of recovery, Gracia and Elysia made another visit to his apartment. Roy secretly asked the mother about the upcoming event. Gracia mentioned that she was uncertain about Elysia going there. All of the family friends were either too busy or had their own children to take. She thought about getting Sciezska, which made Roy respond.

"I'll take her," Roy spoke the madness calmly without a second thought (that is, he never came to the second thought on that day). Despite Gracia's misgivings about his current condition, Roy was determined to be in good shape. So, a miraculous week was spent getting his legs back into walking strength. The constant failures and his struggle with Maes' memory proved daunting, but Roy pulled through.

Only now, a half hour before the destined rendezvous, did such a determined resolve choose the perfect time to vanish. Roy felt his perseverance crash inside him, promising future disaster for Elysia. He maintained this dread on the car ride to the Hughes place. He sat erect with his cane upright and ready. The bumps and turns brought aches. Medically speaking, he shouldn't be doing something like this. His wounds were healing, but not fully yet. The long time in bed had brought weakness to his usually strong body. But a promise was made, the expected date had arrived, and Roy never backed out of any vows he made to any familiar (officials of rank were a different manner).

Mustang looked at his clothing. He wore a white dress shirt, blue jacket and slacks. He chafed in this civilian garb. Anything beside his uniform was uncomfortable. However, the sight of a military suit might prove too intimidating to the girl (worse, it could be too much a reminder of her father). Also, he had not worn anything military since that dusk before the Bradley assassination. Did he still have a right to wear such garb now?

At least everything from the neck up almost looked well. Roy caressed his clean-shaven chin. He had shaven the beard off weeks ago, but it still felt weird feeling his jaw skin again. The only thing he really could do nothing about was this black eye patch. He hoped it didn't impinge his good looks too much.

Funny, that he could entertain such trivial thoughts again.

Roy looked out at the sky. The morning weather was full of gray skies and shrill, constant rain. It was a big omen of the trip's cancellation. Fortunately (or unfortunately), by noon the clouds were gone and the sun bright.

Roy looked to the driver beside him, the uniformed Riza Hawkeye. It was surprising to see her return to unfeminine clothing. Unlike himself, seeing Riza in anything beside a uniform was hardly uncomfortable. But Mustang's present thoughts on her were not entirely cosmetic. He suddenly remembered an act of treason Riza made to him. Before he entered Bradley's mansion, he ordered Riza to look after Elysia. She disobeyed. What was her excuse? As she told Roy later, since they were in rebellion, Mustang was no longer her superior; thus, he lost the authority to tell her what to do (there was good reason to doubt this reason; Riza, after all, perfectly followed his plan to inform Bradley of his intentions).

"Lieutenant," Mustang spoke while gazing at the window. "Am I making a mistake?"

"You regret your promise?" Said the impassionate driver.

"No, but there must be something better I can do for her."

"This will be fun for her, Colonel," Riza's words were cool in tone.

Fun. That was an ancient word to Mustang. Its presence had not been around him since the academy days. He was too adult for fun. "I'm not comfortable with children. I'll probably bore her."

"You may have good reasons not to do this, Colonel," Riza stated. "But are they good enough for you?"

Roy found no answer. He did note the Lieutenant was acting very different though.


Mustang's view of Hawkeye was an understatement compared to her own thoughts of him. She noted a good difference in Roy in these months. There was a new spark in the man. It gave her a mixture of feelings. True, she was ecstatic to see the General in better spirits. Oh, that recent day they went to the vendors market together, to celebrate his restored walking abilities. A beautiful memory. But the loss of this concern did mean she had to deal with his physical problems. A restoration of spirit was more attainable than a lost eye. The permanent legacy of Archer's attack, given when Roy was free of her protection. To Riza, Roy's eye patch expressed that failure like a sore thumb.

But an easing layer had come against this trouble. Roy noticed her sadness over her failure. His reply? It's not a perfect world, but it tries for us. That's what makes it so beautiful. And what a metaphor to those words! Riza didn't know how to respond to such loving acclaim back then. Perhaps she would respond soon. But not today. It was Elysia who needed Roy's loving consolation right now.


The car stopped at its destination. Roy opened the door, and limped out. Riza watched this with tensing sympathy but no supporting action. He had to do this by himself.

Roy reached the door of the Hughes women's home. His fist hovered in hesitance before the wood, then banged on it. Here goes nothing. Gracia opened the door. After her greeting, Roy entered the room. There sat Elysia on the chair. Her expression showed the challenge.

After stating his intentions, Roy did his best to be flattering. "Hey kiddo, you look pretty."

Elysia didn't reply by word. She bowed to the General, then walked to outside to the car. Passively, Roy followed. So far, so bad.

The car ride was as smooth as the greeting. Roy sat at the back with Elysia, at separate sides. At her side of the car, she kept very quiet. There was nothing rude in her behavior, all of it polite silence. Distant to his side, Roy's happy looks were only surface deep.

There were failed attempts to connect. Elysia turned to Roy. Then she turned her head back forward. Roy looked at Elysia. He looked forward. Elysia turned again. Her mouth opened, then closed. A few minutes passed. She did it again, with words, with hesitance. "H-Have you been there before?…the carnival?"

"Not since I was little," Roy exploded in response. He hoped for more in this exchange. But Elysia responded no longer. That was it for the conversations. It would be a quiet trip.

Roy calmed down to the disappointment. He should've known better. Being with kids was never his strong point. In retrospect, it was probably because he wasn't one himself. His parents' early death forced Roy to grow up fast, isolating him from much of his child peers. Only Maes was able to accept him this way, enough to break through his defenses. Roy didn't resent the immaturity of his friend (even though Maes was actually a year older). In fact, it was those semester break vacations with the Hughes family that Roy actually enjoyed a semblance of childhood. But the harm had made its work. As a teenager, then as an adult, Roy lacked the ability to connect with children. The best he could do was compliment said child, than move away to deal with the parents or peer. It was true that a difference was being made with Elysia. But was it truly a change, or was he trying too hard to assume one existed?

Roy got outside of the car first. He was at Elysia's side, watching her own approach. He expected Riza to join them. She drove away. The artificial state of Roy's smile over this insulting abandonment was never so plain.

With no one behind them now, man and child looked to the fair awaiting them. The carnival was flooded with the public. There were so many people. This would not be a lonely occasion. But Elysia fought against the inviting atmosphere. She remembered her surprise of the place before, with her father. It had dulled since then, and she now spotted new things not really noticed before. There were a lot of kids, with their dads. The symbolism was too strong; the girl hid her sad face from her elder's view. Her apprehensions could only be felt by the squeezing her hand gave Roy's.

Roy felt sympathy for the girl. As hard as this was going to be for him, the burden was just as monumental to Elysia. "Where did your father take you first?" He attempted to break the ice.

Elysia's hand eased a little. She slowly pulled Roy like a mule.


The first ride they went to was the Ferris Wheel. Aboard one car, the two were thrown in a rotation of lifts and lows. It was very fun for the other passengers. Too bad the enjoyment was missing in the car for these two. Roy felt the aching pressure the ride gave his body. It didn't help that he had nothing to usurp this attention. Elysia watched her surroundings move away passively. It was another silent trip, at first. "You knew my daddy?" Elysia asked.

Roy nodded to the redundant question.

The girl had another question. "Why didn' I see ya a lot?"

Roy paused.

"Daddy gave ya all those pictures of me." Elysia continued. "An' he had these pictures of ya. So why didn't I see ya a lot? Did ya an' daddy have a fight?"

Roy looked for a reasonable answer. The child was thinking a lot about him. "I was away at another city. I was busy with my work."

"What's that?" She asked.

"Writing reports, making investigations, watching over other alchemists." Roy edited his resume with a pulse of dread. Better avoid the truth, like killing people and kissing a lot of filthy murderer ass.

Fortunately Elysia failed to detect the alterations. Not that her words were free of accusatory overtones. "Why didn'cha see me?"

Roy tensed with irritation. This was getting a little too much to endure. It felt like Elysia was judging how much a lousy friend he was to her father. "Because…I had my work to do."

Elysia became sadder. "Daddy did that too."

Roy noticed that. "I'm sorry that I didn't visit you back then." He tried to apologize with an easy tone. "There is a lot that I'm sorry for."

The wheel had ended its rotation, returning them to the floor. The escape from the ride did not end Elysia's questions. "When did'cha first meet me?"

That one Roy could answer. "I remember meeting you as a baby. Your father came into my office one day and showed you to me and my subordinates."

A glisten of light came to Elysia's dim face. "Did you like me when I was a baby?"

Again Roy had walked into another obstacle. "I held you in my arms." That much was true. A better message then the less happy truth of his 'ugly baby' views. If conviction didn't work, he could rely on decoys. "Riza also held you in her arms."

Elysia's face remained on that small glow. "I like Riza."

"I do…" Roy veered off his words in a striking glare. The two had come to a booth featuring people with special skills. One swallowed a sword. Another had snakes around her body without fear. The third one had Roy's glance. A fire conjurer.

Roy automatically looked to his hand. It had not summoned fire since destroying Bradley. Attempts to conjure flames again led him to seeing things in his mind. Dead people.


After an hour, Roy's favorite ride was a bench. Sitting down created such a relief to his leaden body. The two balloons, the stuffed animals, and small toys gathered on the bench were his battle trophies for endurance. Elysia had become a formidable adversary. As she sat beside him, Roy studied the opponent's tactics. The shops revealed the child's art of pickiness, the sudden changes in her choice-making, not to mention the buyer's remorse: one moment she would be uncertain about getting a doll or balloon. She then made her decision, but her decisiveness lasted a minute. Also not forgotten was her ability to disappear from his sight. His pride as a leader was getting some blows by a girl of four.

But the girl showed no smug signs of victory. It could help if she showed some happiness for his efforts, but Elysia still kept the glum face. It affected the General in a bad way. He was unsure why. His guilt over her overall sadness, though a doubtless factor, was not a completely satisfying answer. Perhaps her gloomy mood was too much a parallel to his feelings. Or was it an intense betrayal of memory, as her sad face contradicted all the cherubic photos Mustang had of her? Whatever the reason, a sad Elysia bothered him immensely.

The girl sprang up and pulled his arm. She wanted more? Evidently she was the one in charge. It was her choice where to go: if that destination was at the other side of the carnival, Mustang had to take her. If she changed her mind on route, her word was still law.

And Elysia flaunted her authority. "C'mon!" She cried, pulling Roy's arm with a yank.

With a small sigh, Roy was back on his feet, protesting mentally. As he scooped up the toys and balloons, newfound praise for his dead friend materialized. How was Maes able to do this and still do all that work? Forget juggling! If I were in his late friend's shoes, Roy thought, than I would have told myself to take a hike and concentrate everything to childraising…

Yes…that would have served Maes much better.

Roy's thought broke by a tug on his hand. "Y-Yes?"

"I gotta go to the bathroom," Elysia fidgeted.

Roy was calm to this new challenge…from the outside. Inside him was bedlam; although this interruption broke his somber thoughts, it was a cure as bad as the disease. Dammit! Roy cursed himself for lacking the anticipation for this situation. Now he needed all his military quick-thinking-know-how to create a strategy for getting Elysia into the female lavatory. Going with her was definitely not an option (despite the advantages). As he drew the girl to the destination, Roy pressured himself to find the solution. Perhaps he could take her to the men's room? No, you fool! Did all his abilities atrophy since the assassination?

Elysia showed her discomfort, wiggling in impatience. "Mr. Roy…"

"I hear you!" Roy was losing patience. Don't worry, kiddo, he thought. I'll think of something!

Then came words from heaven. "Can I help, General sir?" said a female voice that materialized the solution.

Roy Mustang turned to see Sciezska smiling at him. The nervous feeling of rescue and relief, however, stopped when he realized she wasn't alone. Officer Farman was with her, acting respectable. "Pardon sir," he said. "We spotted you."

Roy was filled with suspicion about that. Sciezska was enthusiastic seeing Elysia. This behavior showed a lot: the disappointment she must have felt for not taking Elysia here herself. It probably expressed her motivation for being here.

"I gotta go!" Elysia's desperate cry pushed Roy's suspicions into the secondary part of his priorities.

"Sciezska," he calmly slurred. "Will you?"

Elysia's hand switched to a female's accompanying hand. The girl's lips sparkled. Roy saw that as both girls vanished into no man's room.


"So, how do you like Mr. Mustang?" Sciezska knelt to Elysia as the former was washing her hands on the sink.

"He's nice," Elysia's answer had a sad politeness.

"What's the matter?"

"He's kinda scary."

Sciezska gave no surprise, growing more reflective. "I know. He frightened me when I first met him. For a while, I thought the worst about him. Then I realized he was actually a good person."

Elysia's young mind connected with the bookworm's words. She wanted to like Roy. She remembered that day when she wanted to be near him, when they both cried over daddy. But she wasn't able to do it again. And she didn't understand why. Roy did not look like any monster from the bedtime stories. Why did an un-ugly man like him scare her? It was very confusing for her young mind.

"Your daddy really wanted Roy to spend time with you," Sciezska continued. "They saw each other as brothers, which makes him a part of your family. Like me and Winry." She smiled at the last sentence.

Elysia thought about that as well. The bookworm was right about that too. But something kept her from calling Roy Uncle.

Soon, Elysia and Sciezska were outside again. They met with Roy and Farman.

Roy looked pleased. "Wish to join us?" he asked.

Elysia nodded frantically. It would be more fun having Sciezska with them!

Sciezska's disappointing face, however, showed different intentions. "I'm sorry, but I just remembered something."

Farman followed her cue. "She's right, sir. I'll escort Miss Sciezska on her way." He spoke with red on his cheeks. This was not duty only.

The two left, returning Roy back to his hardship. Elysia's sagged her lips to the point of becoming cemented. Roy's leading movements urged her to walk around. The fun trip had become a façade of motions with no depth of feelings. Even Roy's strong resolve was hitting the limit. What was the point? As things clearly proved, Roy Mustang was a failure as a babysitter.

Then they walked to the game booths. Roy felt his hand become tighter than before. "Elysia?" He saw the girl acting wary to the booths. Full of throwing games. He understood.

Unfortunately, Elysia proved more reactive. She broke free of Roy's hand, running away with a littering of toys and prizes along the way.

Roy limped himself to follow. "Elysia, I order…" He corrected himself. "Come back here!" His tired legs proved no match for the younger. Fortunately, Elysia had stopped her escape. She paused at the entrance of a tent, with a sign marked CLOSED.

Roy reached her there. "That was a dangerous thing to do, Elysia. Now come on…"

Elysia furiously shook her head. "No! I won't go!"

Great, rued Roy. Now the girl had to misbehave! Well, stern action required a stern response. "Now listen!" he shouted. "Stop this behavior! I know this is tough for you. But you can't let it rule your life."

The kid frowned bug-eyed at him. Roy frowned back. Wrong action! It was another mistake in a series of misinterpretations. A moment of intense unease had come for the Brigadier General and the child. The aftermath of this would define their future relationship. And Roy had no idea what to do.


This decisive moment was at the tent of one Viktor Lenore. His roof had been flooded during the morning's rainstorm, and minutes ago decided to bare holes that leaked the rainwater. A frantic man, Lenore did all he could to keep the floor dry through the use of buckets. The first bucket that overflowed was taken out and emptied without much attention to where it was emptied…


Water exploded on Roy Mustang. Drenched and dripping, the man froze where he stood. His eyes blinked with his mouth gaping but silent, as if in shock. He was covered in that wretched combination of hydrogen and oxygen. Good for cleaning and sustenance but a major deterrent for the Flame Alchemist. His extremely and strained high emotions had taken another blow. One thing more...

He heard giggles. His eyes stabbed at the source. Elysia…laughing! She had lost control, ignoring her pout in humor. It also blinded her to the increasing fury that Roy was approaching. A chance of her ruing this reaction was apparent, Roy sternly wished. Why that…little…This…wasn't…funny…

All words in Roy Mustang were gone along with reserve. A fury exploded from the Brigadier General. Roy's mouth let out the most uncontrollable wave of laughter he ever gave. His mouth clattered with chuckles, his body cringed in nervous glee. His inner thoughts tried to find order. What he could attain was surprise. I'm laughing. It wasn't an act or going through the motions. I'm really laughing!

A minute passed in this shared moment of mirth. Their laughs became a minimal snicker. Man and child looked at each other openly and honestly. They felt okay over doing something missing from both their lives for some time now. Elysia had again seen another new side to Roy. A man who could both cry and laugh with her was no longer a scary stranger. "I'm sorry, Roy," she lowered her head in shame.

"It's all right." Roy took off his coat, which had absorbed most of the water. "I'm afraid I haven't been around kids that much. Your father was better in that." He gave his hand out. Elysia responded to it with no fear. That feeling changed once they stood before the game tents again.

"Do you want to play?" he gently asked.

The girl tried to resist the invitation.

But Roy was undaunted. He had grabbed the advantage; he was not going to let go. "Let's go," he smiled encouragingly. "I want to see if you can throw as good as your daddy."

Elysia startled from the expectation. "I don't know how."

"There's a first time for everything," Roy parried her hesitance.

"My daddy was great at throwing things," the girl admitted. "I-I can't throw things okay."

"Neither did your father at first."

Elysia stared and gasped at the audacity of this accusation.

"In the beginning, your father was lousy at hitting targets."

"You lie!" Elysia's puzzled face unleashed anger. Her green-eyed stare shaped to a serious impression of her father.

But Roy was too busy shaking his head to see that. "Hey kid, I was there, remember! Your father got a lot of practice to become that good."

The furious strain on Elysia's face slightly changed to soft curiosity. "Ya think I could throw things like Daddy?"

Roy looked at her sincerely. "I know you can."

Heaving a nervous sigh, Elysia walked to one of the booths. Roy asked for a bench for the girl to stand on. He paid for six balls, with three for each. He handed three to the girl to throw at the group of bottles before them.

The first ball only hit the floor. The second one almost hit the keeper (who was ready to scream at the girl, before a dark face from Roy kept his mouth shut). The third miss discouraged the girl.

Mustang gave her his group of balls. "Try again." Roy's low voice nevertheless bore some confidence, despite what he was saying about her father. "When your dad started to learn how to throw, he did hit things. Only it wasn't the target." He snickered. "A lot of those things were people."

"Hmp!" Elysia flinched at the insulting nature of his comment. She will show him! She aimed the ball again. She missed. Then another failed throw, resulting in the last ball in her hand. Her bright mind considered the chance. A sign? The hope fell with its failure.

Elysia's head grew heavy in defeat. She stared at the ground, feeling herself no good.

A hand with three more balls hovered under her gaze. "Try again."

The girl gave her sad glance to Roy's brave face. He really believed in her. Absorbing this confidence, Elysia tried one more time with this trio of orbs. She picked up one ball, aimed, and threw. She missed. Try again. She threw the ball. It hit the bottles.

The fear of failure was drowned by the surprise of success, a major event especially for a child. "I did it! I did it! I did it!" She yelled and clapped her hands excitingly. She got a giant stuffed doll for her labors, and it was more endearing to her than the other gifts she got here. Looking at her victorious behavior, Roy was pleased. He had finally achieved a smile from Elysia. Just look at her, smiling like that! Her joy resembled someone…Maes?

Elysia noted the stunned look on her companion. "What's matter?"

"Nothing," Mustang recovered himself with a pleasant face. "You should smile more often."

Elysia blushed at this remark. It now felt good to get Roy's praise. She went to another booth. This time it was darts at a balloon.

"Now it's my turn." Roy confidently picked his projectiles. He threw them.

"You missed," Elysia teased every time.

Now it was Mustang's turn for surprise. Twenty minutes passed before he accused the game of being rigged. His frustration was momentary, figuring it trivial to Elysia's presence. The child was in good spirits…and he liked it. He had a new experience to Elysia. It was as if he had given all those pictures a blind eye. Her expressions were like an art gallery, full of variety and interest. It didn't feel like a job anymore, Roy realized, a bargain he owed his dead friend. Seeing her happy presence felt good, like seeing Riza (Of course, there was nothing romantic in the connection; the girl was four years old!).

This new sensitivity, however, was a two-edged sword; just as seeing her happy was good, seeing her sadness was depressing. A new responsibility materialized. Roy had to maintain the child's pleasure in this dark world. Elysia was the future; an innocent, like another child…

"Father? What's wrong, father?" "How could you…"

"I took it out of the safe, because I thought your precious treasure would be burned in the fire…Fa…th…"

"That is why they are foolish!"

In a shudder, Roy quickly freed himself from that dreadful memory, speaking casually. "Your father and I went to the carnival when we were kids. It didn't have any of these new attractions, but it was still fun."

"Your daddy not take you?" asked Elysia in surprise.

Roy emoted nothing in his next words. "I lost my dad when I was a kid."

Elysia's response was awkward only in wording. "Why do we lose daddies?"

Roy sustained himself for causing such a thoughtless remark. A similarity like this was too close for comfort. "It…wasn't so bad. I had your dad."


By now, the light of day was almost gone. The late time and his own condition made Roy concerned for his new friend. "Are you tired, Elysia?"

"No," Elysia expressed herself as the opposite of exhaustion. "I wanted t' stay up for the fireworks."

Unfortunately, the booms of the weather had other ideas. Gray skies quickly darkened, throwing rain upon everything below. Its sad effect was a threat, but Roy was on the defensive. They headed under a roof. "Don't worry, Elysia," He warmly patted her shoulder. "I'll show you fireworks another day."

"Promose?" Elysia pleaded.

"Promise," he shook her little hand for agreement.

To make the best of the situation, Roy got Elysia under an ice cream parlor. The room was crowded with others, with a long line to boot. But Elysia wasn't impatient. She took the time to actually speak to Roy. The man seemed unhappy, and she wanted to cheer him up. "My daddy once said something about you. He said to me that ya are a great man."

"He exaggerated," said Roy humbly.

Elysia didn't think so. Roy looked big to her.

By the time Elysia got her share of ice cream, Riza had reliably tracked the two down. Elysia spouted everything to Riza, from the rides, to her winning a prize, as well as Roy's predicaments.

"Really?" Riza betrayed a tiny smile.

Roy frowned in resentment.

The car ride back saw some changes. True, the seating arrangements stayed the same, with both at different sides, separated by the prizes and gifts. But the scene was not a duplicate of before.

"Um, Roy?" said Elysia very freely without the earlier lack of nerve. "Is your work important to ya?"

Roy nodded.

"Was daddy's work special to him?"

"Yes." Roy sighed easily. Can this kid ever stop asking questions? He thought with accepted irritation.

Then Elysia's smile fell. "I hated his work. I wanted Daddy to stop making it special. I got angry. He yelled at me about it. I said I hated him." She fell silent for a moment, looking more ashamed. "Then he went away."

The pain of Elysia's reminisces guarded her from seeing Roy's shock over this. Maes…yelled at her? That was so unlike him! Then again, the strain he was under: learning the truth about Central, knowing his death was near. That behavior was understandable for anyone under that situation. But Elysia didn't know. Roy tensed with the thought of an explosive epiphany. All those questions Elysia asked; like the combined pieces of the puzzle, the clues came into union. All this time, the girl's real question to him was: Is it my fault daddy went away?

Roy was resolved. He had to stop the guilt. "Elysia, you had nothing to do with what happened to your father."

"Are ya sure?" She stared her green eyes, yearning desperately for truth.

"Because, it's actually…not your fault." Roy reluctantly changed his words. He found he couldn't say the real culprit. But he could give Elysia another truth. A satisfying one, at least. "You two would be hugging again if he didn't go away. Several times, I said and did things that hurt your father's feelings. I felt sorry about it later, and was afraid that we would never be friends ever again. But Maes Hughes came back, still wanting to be my friend."

Elysia appeared unmoved, saying nothing.

"That was the kind of man your father was. And you, Elysia, were so precious to him. None of the bad things you did could hurt him. Your father would always love you."

He got no reaction at first. Then Elysia nudged closer, comforting her head upon Roy's arm. He shrugged himself free of her. The arm winded around her, giving her his side to rest on.

"I miss daddy," said Elysia.

"Me too."


Roy had considered not coming in, but Elysia convinced him otherwise. Their meeting with Gracia brought some notice. "You look…."

"Yes." Roy was quick, to the point, and unwilling to press it further.

He stood with his cane while Elysia gave her mother a scattered report on their adventures. Gracia nodded happily to each detail. "It sounds like you had a great time!" She drew Elysia to her room. "Now go up and get changed. Tell me more in bed!"

As the girl vanished, her mother had a chance to serve some help for Roy. She made him some hot tea. "Thank you very much for this."

Roy had similar feelings. He drank the tea, and made some small talk with Mrs. Hughes. His curiosity got the better of him. "Pardon my asking, but how was Maes toward Elysia before he left?" His cool face nevertheless betrayed a shake in his eyes.

Happiness washed off Gracia's face. The grief she knew too well this year lined her face. But she still spoke about the sensitive recollections without wavering. She was indeed a strong woman. "I saw him in Elysia's room. He was hugging her while she slept. He had been cruel to her on the phone a few hours ago and wanted to apologize. But she was sleeping soundly. He put her back in bed, and watched her for a while. He kissed her goodnight." She stopped talking.

Roy's mind gazed at less corporeal matters than the floor before him. "Does she know about this?"

"I've told her many times," said Gracia.

"Keep on reminding her." That being said, Roy slowly moved away with respect. "I must be going now."

"Oh please stay for a moment," Gracia protested. "At least say good night to Elysia."


Elysia had already gotten into her nightgown when she saw Roy enter the room. That nervous feeling came again, wishing her to act calmly to the man. But Roy's presence eased her anxiety. She could act herself around him.

"I hope you enjoyed the carnival," Roy was fighting his own edginess. But the habitual discomfort he had with people Elysia's age had now lost much of its endurance.

It helped with Elysia's excited behavior. She nodded to his question, then spoke her own. "Did you like it?"

Roy was taken off guard by this reversal of inquiry. "Uh…yes I did."

"Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations, congratulations!" Elysia repeated in praise. Roy felt another pleasant assault to his memories. He bowed flamboyantly to her. "Thank you."

The girl jumped into her bed, pulling the covers above her. Roy saw this the perfect time to leave now. "Good night."

Another question from her, however, stalled the retreat. "Will you take me to carnival next year?"

Roy turned around, carrying a smile. "Just try and stop me."

Once he left, Elysia snuggled into her bed. She had been very happy today. The dark, scary man had shown her many things this day and night; things that she would never forget from him. She really wouldn't mind seeing him again.

Now this didn't mean Elysia stopped missing daddy. This loss would be with her forever. But she wasn't feeling very, very, very sad about it as before (though she would still feel very, very sad). She had found a new friend. Someone as brave, as strong, as caring as her father. An Uncle.


Roy Mustang limped back to his own apartment door with little trouble. The man physically fell apart when he got inside. His nose was offset by constant sneezes. Must be coming down with a cold. As if he needed another reason to stay bedridden! The comfort of the bed, once gained, proved disappointing. His muscles, especially the legs, had been strained beyond their present limit. He was warned, knew the risks, ignored them, and was punished for his disobedience. It was poetic justice.

Never mind that today was the first fun he had in ages.


Next time: Things are looking up for Roy and Elysia, but demons from his past are hard to forget, let alone overcome. Will Roy's ordeal tear apart this new friendship?