Many children wonder what clouds would feel like if they held a piece of one in their hand. Would it be puffy, like the things that fill up your pillow? Would it have a taste, like cotton candy? Would it feel comfy and bouncy, like when you jump on a freshly-made king-size bed?
Roxas dived through the clouds as he noticed is face and hands get wet, and smiled to himself. Turns out, he thought, they're just made of water.
After piercing through the ceiling of clouds, Roxas finally gets to see the land of Doom's origins. He expected an industrial wasteland, with the ground buried under a planet-spanning city of skyscrapers. He thought the clouds may have come from the fumes expended from the numerous factories spread throughout the world, though that thought quickly abated when Roxas realized the clouds were evaporated water instead of toxic gases.
No, what Roxas saw was a lush green country-land, with forests and acres of fertile land spanning in all directions. It was beautiful, very similar to the mountains and hills Roxas observed surrounding Twilight Town. He had never got the chance to explore the lands outside his town, let alone in the morning time. His days were always wasted on school, or otherwise spent on trivial activities with his friends. If he ever bothered to see the lands beyond the comforts of his foster home, he was confident they would look as luscious as this.
Roxas twirled in the air and summoned his glider, speeding in a straight direction while taking in the sites. There's no way a tyrant ruled this land, everything he'd been taught about them while he lived as Ventus under Eraqus' teachings gave him the impression that they were selfish, destructive, and stripped their land of their resources while working their subjects to death. He then remembered what Admiral Char said, how he himself initially viewed Doom in a similar light, not to mention the armada of ships Roxas got to see for himself. None of that seemed to mesh with the lush countryside Roxas now observed, and wondered if this was some kind of trick.
Not long after Roxas he arrived in this world, he saw what appeared to be a town or city in the distance. Alright, time to see Doom's subjects, Roxas thought.
It wasn't long until he arrived at the city, which appeared to be a densely-packed metropolis, the buildings were fairly large and colonial in design, and in the center of the city Roxas saw what he assumed to be a royal or government building, due to its fancier design and headquarters-like aesthetic. Roxas decided it'd be there where he'd start getting some answers about Doom and his homeworld.
Normally Roxas would try to blend into the populace, avoid drawing attention to himself or the dangers of "meddling". However, since this Doom person went ahead and screwed the rules, Roxas wasn't about to adhere to them either, plus it'd be faster this way, he wouldn't have to waste time trying to find a way inside the building.
When he was close enough to the building, allowing himself to be seen, Roxas descended into the square-wall surrounding the headquarters building, and noticed he was welcomed by guards pointing weapons at him, how familiar…
In addition to the guards, there were also robot-like humanoids that were scattered across the area, and they took flight and surrounded Roxas, pointing their hands at him, with the hands glowing indicating that they were capable of discharging some kind of harmful energy attack, as Roxas surmised.
Robot: You are trespassing on government property! By the order of Lord Doom, identify yourself and do not resist!
Roxas didn't mean to sound cliché, but…
Roxas: Take me to your leader. My name is Roxas, and I am a Keyblade Wielder.
He summoned his Keyblade, the Two-Become-One, to display his authority. While the human guards seemed a little confused, the Doombots lowered their arms.
Doombot: We are to direct you into the Command Headquarters to the local governor, Führer-King Roy Mustang.
So I don't get to see Doom right away, huh? Roxas thought to himself as he jumped down from his glider before it de-materialized, impressing the human guards. Roxas then followed the Doombots inside Command Headquarters.
The atmosphere wasn't as adversarial as inside the Damocles, which Roxas appreciated, but he still got plenty of looks from the locals, which is to be expected he supposed. He and the Doombots finally reached Mustang's office, as shown by the fancy name-tag above the double-doors. Inside was a man who appeared to be in his early-30s, and beside him a woman whose intense gaze betrayed her stunning beauty.
Roy Mustang: I'm not the "leader" of this world, but I am the highest-ranking member in our country, Amestris. You'll have to speak to me first before you can get an audience with Emperor Doom.
Roxas: Fair enough.
Roy Mustang: You all can go.
Roy dismissed the human guards as well as the Doombots, but the woman stayed by his side.
Roy Mustang: If you'll allow me to keep my personal bodyguard here with us, she's proved herself to me more times than I can count, I trust her with sensitive information as well as my life.
Roxas: I don't blame you for keeping her here, she looks like someone you wouldn't want to piss off.
He approached Mustang's bodyguard and offered to shake her hand. Both Mustang and the woman were slightly put off by Roxas' formality, but she extended her hand in return.
Bodyguard: I am Lt. Riza Hawkeye, sir.
Roxas: No need with the "sir", I may have made quite an entrance, but it was only to speed things up and meet with Doom and any other local leaders.
Riza Hawkeye: May I ask why you have come here to meet with Mustang and Doom?
Roxas: I come from a world, from a system of worlds, actually, beyond this one. Over there I have certain authority of my own, and…
Roxas decided not to tell them that he was honorably discharged.
Roxas: Well, where I'm from, Doom's activity is highly concerning and goes against our… "protocols" of interfering with other worlds, let alone conquering them and possibly letting them know of each other's existence. I'm here to… see if Doom hasn't created chaos or something with all that he's done.
Riza and Roy look at each other, each silently noticing the boy's somewhat hesitant manner of speech, as if unsure of his role or authority in the matter.
Roy Mustang: When you met up with the Doombots, you said you were a… "Keyblade Wielder"?
He asked so with clear indication that he had no idea what that was, and so Roxas nodded and summoned his Keyblade again. The gesture slightly startled Roy and Riza, having never seen this type of power before.
Roy Mustang: Amazing, I take it you didn't use alchemy to summon that, did you?
Roxas: Umm, no, I didn't, just magic.
Roy Mustang: Well, whatever you are, the Doombots allowed you to pass, so you must have some kind of authority, or else you wouldn't have made it this far, especially in the Capital World of the Empire.
Roxas: I must admit that it's…. rather impressive, and beautiful, not at all what I was expecting.
Roy Mustang: I'm not surprised that you were surprised, please, sit.
Roy motioned Roxas to sit on a chair opposite of his desk. The boy sat, and Roy quickly followed by sitting in his own chair, with Riza standing idly by.
Roy Mustang: When Emperor Doom showed up, it wasn't exactly a peaceful time. We had been dealing with a major crisis, beings called homunculi had essentially been terrorizing our country, and their leader, a powerful being who called himself "Father", had nearly annihilated our entire country when he achieved God-hood. If that doesn't sound bad enough, we were also dealing with an invasion from the large country Drachma to our north. You with me so far, kid?
Roxas: So… what's a homunculus?
Roy Mustang: Oh, my apologies, a homunculus is an artificial being created by alchemy. Their creation is forbidden to us alchemists, due to their potential combative applications, dangerous methods of formation, and their abilities to easily overpower most people. I was told that Father was the first homunculus, and it showed when he was powerful enough to obtain abilities which allowed him to defy our natural laws.
During the battle, I had lost my eyesight, and our two war heroes, Edward and Alphonse Elric, suffered worse losses. Those two boys had gained quite a reputation before they joined the military, in which the older brother, Edward, would go by the code-name of "Fullmetal". They had violated the law that banned human transmutation when they tried to bring back their deceased mother. The resulting transmutation created a…
His face showed slight signs of disgust and horror, which he tried to hide but Roxas managed to notice, peaking his interest.
Roy Mustang: Well, it wasn't their mother. But that particular failure wasn't all that happened; Fullmetall lost an arm and a leg, while the younger brother, Alphonse, lost his entire body. Fullmetal managed to miraculously bind Alphonse's soul to a set of armor that was nearby, using his own blood to form a rune. Despite their transgressions, I enrolled them in the military, since it was clear they were child prodigies, but in dire need of further mentoring.
Riza Hawkeye: Eventually we managed to defeat Father, but in doing so, Al gave his soul to restore Ed's lost right arm. Ed tried to bring back Alphonse himself, but before he could…
Roy Mustang: Doom appeared… He said he came from the country Latveria, which is to our west beyond the countries Creta and Donbachi, and south of Drachma. He… did not have kind words to say to us, as he had blamed us all for abusing alchemy, allowing it to get to the scale that Father displayed, and declared he would take over Amestris and ensure our alchemy wouldn't get out of hand again.
We couldn't exactly stop him, he came in and… swiftly dealt with Father, singlehandedly I might add, even though we were all fighting for our lives. Granted, Father had been weakened by then, thanks to Fullmetal's biological father pitching in, but even so, the homunculus Father was still a force to be reckoned with. Not long after Father's defeat, a fleet of flying ships the likes of which I've never seen appeared, as well as an army of those metal soldiers you saw outside, they resemble the armor Doom wears, and they carry his voice when they speak.
Our Fullmetal Alchemist, of course, wasn't having it, as he was hellbent on resisting Doom if it meant he could get his brother back, since Doom was now the now the one standing in the way between Fullmetal and Alphonse. Instead, Doom did something none of us expected. Despite apparently being aware of the taboo that Fullmetal and Alphonse violated with their human transmutation, he offered, no, insisted, to go retrieve Alphonse in Fullmetal's place. To prove he could do so, Doom healed my eyesight like it was nothing. This was not only to act as a display of his power, but also acted as a "measure of good faith" in his words, to prove that he would not treat us the way our previous King Bradley had done, nor would he allow Drachma to continue their attacks on our country…
Roy paused as he recollected, and Roxas could all but see the man flashing back to the time he's describing, his face expressed awe as if it only happened yesterday.
Roy Mustang: And he did it, somehow, without a Philosopher's stone, and even without alchemy. Just before that, he did the same thing to Fullmetal's automail leg, completely reviving his organic one, and then retrieved Alphonse Elric, and in good health too. Apparently the boy's body was terribly malnourished while it remained in… wherever Doom pulled him from. I've been there once myself, The Gate. But Doom managed to merge Al's body and soul, and then revived Al's body to its physical prime, before emerging from that dimension, with Al wrapped in Doom's cloak. It was… a miracle to say the least…
Riza Hawkeye: Not long after that, Doom stayed true to his word, dealt with Drachma, and appointed Mustang as the King, acting as the regional governor for Amestris. Since then, Doom has monitored us with his Doombots, ensuring that we adhered to our rules of alchemy, including the ban on human transmutation as well as any other taboos we had.
Roxas: Wait, he allowed you guys to continue using alchemy?
Roy Mustang: Indeed, and not only that, but he introduced transmutation circles and arrays that we'd never even seen, and taught us abilities of alchemy that neither we nor the Xing Empire to our east, now the Xing Province, had ever discovered before. Our relations with other countries increased, our Kingdoms flourished, and the very concept of war was abolished. We had feared we had jumped out of the melting pot and into the fire when Doom showed up, but despite the way he looks and sounds, he seems to genuinely care about his subjects.
While some people might argue with this next point, Doom also helped us ease tensions with Ishval, a small nation that was absorbed into Amestris and was later rendered desolate after a civil war, an incident that resulted in the decline of their land. We had provided them with wheat and cotton to plant and harvest, in order to revitalize their economy and establish it as a major trading outpost between Amestris and Xing.
Sometime afterwards, despite reparations having gone well, many surviving Ishvalans and even some Amestrians demanded that Amestris be held eternally responsible for their country suffering, and that our reparation attempts were not sufficient. Regardless whether or not that was true, Doom forced the Ishvalans to cease their demands, citing conquest as a "natural part of humanity", and that in his "mercy" with not only granting them with newly-fertile land, but allowing them to continue practicing their beliefs "within reason", they had received reparations above and beyond what they "deserved". He then claimed that their blind faith in their obsolete beliefs and lifestyle prevented them from making proper use of their land, or traveling to other regions for better attempts at farming or at the least, trading. He then "reminded" them who was in charge, and how much they benefited from his and Amestris' interference with their territory, and that they would have completely died out otherwise.
Roxas: He sounds quite confident.
Roy Mustang: Doom had a point in that Amestris, under a more benevolent ruler, did contribute to Ishval's blooming conditions, and that, before we annexed them, they were living in poor conditions under their own practices. Whether their land had scarce resources and poor farming conditions to begin with, or their beliefs really were what prevented them from making good use of the terrain, after Father's defeat they did greatly benefit from us, that much is undeniable. Thankfully, most Ishvalans seemed to be thankful just to have their Holy Land back, and that the people directly responsible for the civil war have been dealt with, so they harbor no ill will against the current administration, to which they agree has lived up to our word in terms of reparations.
Roy took a minute to let Roxas absorb that little history lesson, as the boy had literally just arrived, only to be briefed on the last 5 years of complicated territory disputes and internal conflicts, which was only the tip of the iceberg of Amestris and other countries' long history. Finally, Roy spoke up again.
Roy Mustang: Before I send you off to meet Doom himself, I ask that you visit the Elric brothers. I've briefed you on Doom's actions as a whole, but I suggest you see how he affected people on a more personal level. The man can be quite intense, as he's the no bullshit-type, but… he means well. His "iron fist" demeanor is his way of ensuring that people get along, for better or worse, and so far, I can honestly say it's been for the better.
Roxas: What do you expect these Elric brothers to give me that you already haven't?
Roy Mustang: Insight, they've conversed with him almost as much as I have, but where as my point of view was from an administrative level, theirs was more… "paternal", for lack of a better word. Those boys also deserve credit in shaping the future of this country, so you should at least hear them out too before you confront the Emperor himself.
Roxas thought a bit, considering Roy's words. It would help if he also talked among members of the populace, citizens who feel most of the effects of rulers, more so than the government or military anyway, but not just anyone would do. If these Elric brothers are as important as Roy says, they could give further valuable insight on Doom's character, and his overall views for an Empire.
Roxas: Ok, you win. Where can I find the Elric brothers?
Roy smiled and nodded.
Roy Mustang: Thank you, and follow me.
The two walked until they were back at the entrance of Command Headquarters, where Roy was given a detailed map of the country which he then gave to Roxas.
Roy Mustang: Follow this trail to the southeastern region, and you'll reach the rural town Resembool where the Elrics live. Once you get there, simply ask directions to their house. I promise your trip won't disappoint, at the very least you'll appreciate the view.
Roxas: I don't know how it'll top the view I already got when I first came in, but I'll certainly make use of it. Thank you again for your time.
Roy Mustang: One more thing before you leave.
Roxas turned and face Roy, while Riza looked at him with confusion and slight concern, as the Doombots were present, but that didn't always stop Roy from speaking his mind.
Roy Mustang: You may not always agree with Doom's methods, it's understandable that a ruler has to make choices that don't always seem pure, and people of future generations will be quick to judge the past with a modern lens, but keep this in mind: he could've done a lot worse to us, and still can. Even with our advancements, we're at his mercy. But I cannot deny how grateful I am to him, for improving our relations with Ishval as well as other countries, and for helping the Elric brothers without leaving any lasting consequences. He will come at you as someone who believes he is always right, who believes that the ends justify the means. All I ask is that you approach him with a neutral mind, and since your Keyblade implies you have certain administrative duties yourself, that you at least sympathize with the choices he's had to make, and how he's handled his Empire up until now. Can you promise me that?
Roxas: Honestly, I didn't know what to expect when I came here, or what to do if I had a problem with how things were. Not too long ago I also had to deal with a big fight against someone who, like your "Father", tried to be a god. Last I heard my people are still in reparations themselves, so I don't want them to deal with another threat while they're still vulnerable. I'm hoping Doom is as great a leader as I've been led to believe.
Roy looked like he wanted to warn Roxas of something, but Riza held his hand and shook her head, trying to hold him back. Roy looked at her, his face torn over what to do, but insisted on saying his piece.
Roy Mustang: I'm not gonna lie then, your people might resist at first, and it won't be pretty.
Then he turned and faced the Doombots, aware that they are the Emperor's eyes throughout the Empire.
Roy Mustang: But Doom WIILL prove himself to them, won't he? I've worked with him enough to know he won't deny them the opportunity to talk things out before risking another conflict, that he really does have their best interests at heart. After everything he's done here, and everything he's preached, what kind of man would he be if he went back on his words now?
Riza facepalmed, but Roxas liked how Roy was putting Doom on the spot, in front of other people too, as various guards had also gathered to help Roy see Roxas off. Then Roxas addressed the Doombots.
Roxas: My next stop is the Elric brothers, so your subjects have one more chance to sell you to me as this great and benevolent ruler, because after that, I'm coming for you, and I better like what I hear.
Ω
Resembool, well-known in the region as a sheep-farming town which chiefly exports wool to be used in the manufacture of military uniforms. Each year, the town holds a large Sheep Festival to celebrate the start of Spring, as it seemed to be the case this year.
Alphonse Elric has returned from his latest trip from the East, in the land of Xing where they study their variant of Alchemy called "Alkehestry", which mainly focuses on medicinal uses and fashioning elixirs, as opposed to Amestrian Alchemy's focus on transmuting matter. Accompanying him is his tutor and girlfriend, Mei, a princess of Xing; and her miniature pet panda, Xiao-Mei . The three have been staying at Edward Elric's house, helping them prepare for the festival. By now, Edward has married his childhood friend Winry Rockbell, and they have two children, a boy and a girl.
All this Roxas found out when he landed in Resembool and met Pinako Rockbell, Winry's grandmother, though not before proving himself a benevolent foreigner, since the town was previously attacked by Ishvalan terrorists for their affiliation with the Amestris military, not to mention it was annexed by Doom.
Pinako Rockbell: Hehe, thank you for taking the time to listen to an old lady's stories!
Roxas: It's really no problem, Mrs Rockbell, any information I can get on this place, the better.
Pinako Rockbell: And don't you think I'll take my eyes of you! You may be a young and handsome lad, but those boys have been through enough, and I'll be damned if I let you start something up again.
Roxas: Far from it, ma'am. As I said before, I merely want to know more about this "Emperor Doom" who seems to have made himself comfortable as the ruler of this world.
Pinako Rockbell: Ah yes, that man…. You can bet I gave him the same earful I gave you when you first walked on my doorstep.
Roxas: Oh you did, huh?
Roxas couldn't help but chuckle, but the little lady was being serious.
Pinako Rockbell: I helped deliver those two boys, you know?! I've been their guardian ever since their mother passed away, and before that their father had disappeared. And yet I cannot help but find it difficult to read the so-called "Emperor". As a Doctor, though, Doom proved himself to be quite the genius in our various discussions, and I'm not too shabby of a doctor myself.
Roxas: Wow… yeah, that's right, when I arrived, someone said you were known here as.. uh…
Pinako Rockbell: Hmph, the "Leapoardess of Resembool"?
Roxas: Yeah, that's it.
Pinako Rockbell: Yes, well, either Herr-Doctor is a shrewd man who knows how to flatter an old lady like myself, despite his rather intense garb and appearance, or… maybe he really does have this country's best interests at heart. I know little about his homeland, Latveria, save from what the Elric's father, Hohenheim, had told me many years ago. In his travels, he saw it as a land plagued by gypsies, but it seems that not too long ago the monarchy finally dealt with them. Good riddance, I say. Gypsies are nothing but thieves and parasites, and the world is better off without them.
Roxas: Huh, so it seems gypsies aren't just a Latverian thing?
Pinako Rockbell: Hardly! We've had some pests in Amestris every now and then since Hohenheim first told me of them, and while we tried giving them aid in the form of food and shelter, they ended up stealing most of our supplies and fled in the night. I didn't want to believe the stories until I saw it for myself, and from then on, I knew better than to blindly trust foreigners. It took us a while to recover from our losses, but we did.
Roxas listened on as the old lady rambled, until she decided it was time to finally head over to the Elric's house.
Pinako Rockbell: Would you do an old lady a kindness and help pull my cart over there?
Roxas: Oh, sure, of course.
Ω
The sun had set beyond the hills of Resembool by the time Roxas, Pinako, and her dog "Den" (who had an automail front leg) arrived at the house. Roxas could smell something delicious coming from the house as they approached, and he then realized how long ago he last ate, since he was quite hungry.
On their way to the Elric brothers, Roxas, Pinako, and Den had passed by some other farmers and shepherds who were leading their sheep to some large gathering area, presumably where the festival was. Pinako then mentioned that the Elrics were cooking some food that they would then bring to the festival. Den barked and ran towards the house, where she was greeted by Winry and her baby daughter.
Winry Rockbell-Elric: Hey there, girl! So good to see you again!
She spoke to the dog in a cutesy manner, as most people do when greeting dogs. It made Roxas laugh softly, which caught Winry's attention. She looked and stared at him in perplexity, as he was a complete stranger she had never seen before, yet here he was, casually helping her grandmother pull her stuff.
Winry Rockbell-Elric: Oh, um… hello there, and you are?
Roxas: Sorry, I'm Roxas, I was just helping your grandmother bring her stuff over for the festival.
Winry Rockbell-Elric: Hmm… I've never seen you here before, you're not local, are you?
Roxas: Uh, no miss, I'm not.
Pinako Rockbell: He came here from a far-away land just to talk to the boys about the last 5 years!
Roxas: Hehe, that's putting it simply, but yeah.
Winry Rockbell-Elric: Oh? How come? And where did you come from?
Pinako Rockbell: Oh, give it a rest, Winry! He's already listened to me ramble, and he passed. Let him in and enjoy the festivities while he's here.
Roxas: Oh, I don't mean to intrude-
Pinako Rockbell: Nonsense! I can't expect you to leave so soon after coming such a long way, and not even observe a little Resembool spirit!
Winry and Roxas looked at her comically, giant sweat-drops forming on their foreheads. Roxas decided to play along for now, and it appeared Winry thought so too.
Winry Rockbell-Elric: Well, thank you so much for helping her out. Help me bring these inside, and I'll introduce you to Ed and Al, ok?
Roxas: Sure…
He was not expecting to stay here long, and the idea of spending time in this festival made him anxious. He wasn't quite ready to be around a lot of people, especially with the inevitable loud noises that will follow.
Winry Rockbell-Elric: Here it is, boys!
Edward Elric: Oh, finally! Now we can get start- oh? Who's this?
Roxas finally got a good look at the Elric brothers. They both had golden-blonde hair, but the slightly shorter brother wore his long and tied up in a ponytail, while the other taller brother had his cut short and neat with a parting on the left side.
Roxas: My name is Roxas, and I take it you guys are Edward and Alphonse Elric? The Fullmetal and Armored Alchemists?
Alphonse Elric: That's right.
Edward Elric: Hold on! You may have passed Granny's test, but not mine. NOW! Which of us is the OLDER brother?
Winry Rockbell-Elric: Oh good grief…
Alphonse Elric: Ah hehe, E-
Edward Elric: ZIP IT! I wanna hear him say it.
Ed walked towards Roxas until they were less than a foot from each other, with Ed apparently trying to stare Roxas eye-to-eye. Roxas stared at him, not at all in the mood to play games, but based on everyone else's reactions, this seemed to be something he had to get done, and the quicker the better.
Roxas: Well, I'd say YOU are the older brother "Edward", and that over there is the younger brother, "Alphonse"… right?
Edward Elric: HA! TAKE THAT, MILK!
Ed walked back triumphantly, much to everyone else's embarrassment.
Roxas: Uh… was that an inside-joke or something?
Winry Rockbell-Elric: It's really nothing, the good thing is, you two shouldn't be having a problem now.
Edward Elric: Damn right, we won't be having a problem! You can hang with us for a bit while we prepare, Roxas.
Roxas: Actually, I didn't intend to stay long, really I just wanted to talk to you and your brother about Doom.
When he said that, everyone stopped what they were doing and froze in place, only moving to turn and face him.
Roxas: I don't mean to intrude, so I'll be blunt, I came all this way because I wanted to hear about this Emperor Doom, and after already talking to Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, I was directed to you guys.
Edward Elric: Oh?
Alphonse Elric: What does Doom have anything to do with us? And why do you want to know about him?
Roxas: Where I'm from, Doom could possibly be acting illegally in his whole "empire expansion" crusade, and I was told you two were among few that spent a lot of time with him. I want to hear your assessment of him before I visit the guy myself.
Winry Rockbell-Elric: Look, um… I think this can wait until after the festival-
Edward Elric: It's alright, Winry. If he said he won't be here long, then this won't take long. Besides, I'd rather enjoy the festival without having to look forward to this discussion afterwards. I take it we don't have a choice but to talk to you about this if we're gonna enjoy the night?
Roxas: No, you really don't.
Everyone else was rather surprised by Roxas' curt response, but Ed couldn't help but recognize that brusque expression when he last saw it in Mustang's face.
Edward Elric: Ok, fine, follow me and Al into the living room, we'll tell you what we know.
Roxas: Thank you.
Ω
Edward Elric: So, to sum up, you're a "keyblade wielder" from another world, one of many worlds that Doom has talked about. Your Keyblade gives you special powers and authority to police others in terms of dealing with threats that didn't originate from their world, that correct?
Roxas: Yeah, that's right.
Edward Elric: And you said you're here to investigate Doom because you think he's become one of those foreign threats to other worlds, right?
Roxas: Exactly.
Ed and Al look at each other, with Ed showing slight doubt in Roxas' story.
Alphonse Elric: After everything we've seen, and continue to see, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt, brother.
Edward Elric: *sigh* Look, Roxas, I'm not gonna pretend I love the guy, ok? But I also can't ignore how much he's helped our country, from dealing with domestic issues to resolving foreign threats like Drachma.
Alphonse Elric: Our initial concern was that Doom was just another "Father-figure" – no pun intended – a power-hungry tyrant who was only out for himself, and would trample over others to get what he wants. And while he has dealt with many issues that persisted in our country's history, in a debatably cold manner mind you, he nonetheless helped rebuilt Amestris as well as Ishval better than we could've dreamed. We're doing things with alchemy that we never thought of before, and thanks to our more efficient means of communication with Xing, we can now add medicinal applications to our achievements.
Doom also changed Xing's monarchy to resemble our current system of electing our leaders and having term limits, so siblings will no longer have to fight and kill each other for the crown, which means Mei is no longer under any danger from anyone who would consider her a threat to claiming the throne.
Finally, Doom brought me back, and revived Ed's lost leg, without either of us having to face considerable permanent consequences had we tried to do so ourselves.
Edward Elric: Though he did say we owed him now, and I don't like that at all.
Alphonse Elric: Well come on, brother, technically we do owe him. After trying to bring back our mother, we paid the price, and he reversed it like it was nothing-
Edward Elric: It was the WAY he said it, Al! Like he thinks he can call on us to do anything he wants, no matter how inhumane it might seem. I'd be one thing if it was just my life I'd throw away if I refused, but now I have Winry and my family as well as you, and you have Mei to worry about. I'll act friendly in public, but I'll always have to be looking over my shoulder from now on, even though I don't really want to.
Roxas: You really think Doom would do something like that? After everything he's done for you, for your country, and for the world at large, you think he'll turn around and screw you over?
Edward Elric: Hey, whose side are you on, anyway? I thought you were here because the guy was acting iffy from the start?
Roxas: I've heard many conflicting things about him. I've heard people say they're grateful for what he's done when looking at the big picture, yet a few people still seemed scared of him personally, and I just want to understand why.
Ed then looks at Al, as if signaling him to share some key piece of information that has yet to be revealed.
Alphonse Elric: Well, when Doom appeared at the Inner Gate, where my body and soul were finally reunited, Doom spoke to The Truth in defiance-
Roxas: Wait, "The Truth"?
Alphonse Elric: Yeah, brother and I first ran into it when we attempted Human Transmutation to bring back our mother. It is this very entity that punished us by taking away my body and brother's limbs.
Edward Elric: I was ready to give up my ability to use alchemy if it meant bringing my brother back.
Alphonse Elric: But Doom, he…. He defied Truth. Despite being told of the consequences of going against the Law of Equivalent Exchange, and foregoing using a philosopher's stone, Doom managed to over-power Truth's abilities. It was the way Doom entered the place where my body and soul was, he…. He came from within the Gate… I had never seen Truth look and act so perplexed and livid before, yet it could do nothing to Doom.
Roxas: What's inside this Gate?
Both Alphonse and Edward Elric: Knowledge.
Edward Elric: Pure and raw knowledge of the world, the universe, alchemy, everything is forced into your mind from inside the Gate after you perform Human Transmutation. It's part of the toll for attempting it, though it breaks down your mind and body.
Alphonse Elric: Yet Doom crossed over without any signs and symptoms that brother and I had. After he joined my body and soul together, but before he took me out of that place, he… he said to me….
Roxas: What did he say?
Alphonse Elric:….. "I am your Truth now. Soon, I shall be everyone's."
For a moment, Roxas thought he saw Alphonse's hand tremble, but his expression was clear enough, Doom terrified him in that moment.
Edward Elric: If that doesn't sound like a power-hungry tyrant, I don't know what does…. And yet…
Alphonse Elric: He's done nothing but help us, and he has yet to indicate what it is brother and I owe him. And as I said earlier, Mei is safer now that she doesn't have to worry about the throne, and… [his face started to blush] any children we might have down the line won't be-
Edward Elric: Whoa, hold up! Did you two-?
A: NO! I mean, not yet, I MEAN-!
Roxas: [chuckles and raises his hand] I get the idea. This guy talks some serious and potentially dangerous stuff, but so far he's been using it for the benefit of his subjects, namely you people.
The two brothers nervously chuckle in response.
Edward Elric: Heh, well? Did we help at all?
Roxas stands up and sighs deeply, trying to answer as confidently as he can.
Roxas: Honestly? I'm still not entirely comfortable yet but… I guess I'm leaning in his favor, maybe? I don't know, I guess now's the time I'll have to confront the guy himself. That fact that some people fear him despite everything he's done is a red flag to me, but current evidence shows that he has yet to actually do anything to warrant their fear, something these people, including you guys, admit.
Alphonse Elric: I guess that… he just seems too good to be true, you know? Everything he does defies what we know about Equivalent Exchange, from a scientific standpoint as well as an ethical and moral one. He's abused the natural order to help everyone and it shows, and we have yet to feel any ramifications for it. A lot of us have already accepted it and moved on, but…
Edward Elric: As someone who's seen those ramifications first-hand, we cannot help but dread what could happen in the future if Doom can no longer control everything the way he likes to, and if we'd be punished as much as he would be, despite having no choice but to go along with him.
Roxas: And that's kinda what I'm worried about to. To be honest with you guys, I'm essentially retired from this life, but… [summons his keyblade] as long as I'm still able to wield this, part of me feels like I owe it to my friends back home to look into it, to make sure I'm not acting selfish and leaving them to a possibly worse fate than the one we overcame not that long ago.
Roxas de-summoned his keyblade, nodded to the two brothers in thanks, and began walking out the door. Ed and Al looked at each other and then quickly stood up.
Edward Elric: Hey Roxas, I was… a little harsh before. After explaining yourself to us, I understood you better in terms of what you're doing and why. So…
Alphonse Elric: Before you "head off into the storm" as it were, would you care to at least enjoy dinner with us before you go? It's the least we could do since you're taking time out of your life and checking in on us, people you don't even know, and making sure we're doing fine under this new regime.
Roxas: Thank you both for your time, you guys cooperated and answered my questions in detail, which is all I needed. But… I'm not quite ready to be around a bunch of people yet. I've got some personal issues I'm dealing with, which was the main reason I left.
That said… I don't mind taking a couple of sandwiches or something with me?
The two brothers at first looked somewhat saddened that Roxas turned down their invitation, but then smiled in agreement to pack a meal for him.
Ω
Roxas was now waving back at the Elric family while holding a small bag of food in his other hand. Keeping in mind what Mustang said to him earlier, as well as the full accounts that the Elric brothers gave him, Roxas summoned his glider, jumped on it, and sped off. The site was alarming and awesome to the family of alchemists…
Roxas read over Mustang's map that lay on the floor of the glider while he ate, using his other hand to conjure fire to act as a light source now that it was nighttime. The food was pretty damn good, Roxas gleefully admitted to himself. Not only did it ease the hunger pangs, but it helped ease his anxiety of finally heading to the Emperor himself to confront him face-to-face.
Roxas felt that same unsettling feeling that the Elrics felt, despite this man seemingly doing so much good, there was something about him that just felt off, hell, this whole situation felt wrong. He honestly didn't know if finally talking with Doom would erase this uncertainty once and for all, but he had hoped, oh God he hoped it would.
It wasn't long before Roxas finally reached the country of Latveria. Even at night, it was just as beautiful of a site as Amestris. In the distance Roxas saw a large town, roughly the same size as the Amestrian capital, if not somewhat larger, and just beyond the town, a massive castle overlooking it.
The buildings in the town looked different than Amestris. Where as Amestrian buildings gave off a colonial aesthetic, these ones here looked more Victorian, and weren't quite as bunched up. The castle, however, had a very different visual, it looked far more advanced than any building Roxas has seen so far in this world, in fact it reminded him a little of The Castle That Never Was, though with a slight Victorian vibe itself.
It was a truly bizarre visual even to Roxas, probably because of its stark contrast with the surrounding town and land. For someone who seemed to respect nature as much as industry, Doom definitely went for the full futuristic imperial look.
Roxas then noticed a bright light turn on in one of the castle's balconies, shining out into the night sky as if signaling him to land there. Was he expecting me? Roxas thought to himself, and this put him on slight alert. Well, if so, at least he's making it easy for me to enter.
Roxas folded his map, putting it and the now empty bag of food in his pockets, and stood up on his glider as he flew to the seemingly convivial light. When he approached the balcony, Roxas jumped off his glider as it dematerialized. He was greeted by more Doombots, only they did not act in a hostile manner. Instead they motioned Roxas to follow them, and he obliged. It was time to meet the Emperor, Doctor Doom, himself.
As the Doombots led Roxas, he admired the inner decor of the castle, which was yet again in complete contrast with its outer design. The interior resembled a typical castle's rooms and hallways, with paintings and armor filling up much of the space, the walls made of stone, columns holding up the ceiling, carpets covering much of the floor, etc. Roxas felt like he should've expected this, given the castle's Victorian design in spite of the futuristic outer walls made of some advanced material, but still he was amazed. It was rather comfy-looking despite the size and its owner.
They finally arrived at two large gates which opened on their own. Inside, Roxas saw what clearly looked like the throne room, a rather large chamber with its own decorations highlighting that a king belongs in here. Roxas entered as the Doombots remained by the doors, and as he walked further into the throne room, he saw before him on the other side of the room, someone in metal armor and a green cloak sitting on the throne itself, holding a glass of wine. Roxas swallowed as he witnessed the man he came here to see, the Emperor himself.
Doctor Doom: At least, you arrive, "Roxas", or more appropriately "Ventus". Seeing as how you have "come for me", what is it you intend to do now?