Chapter 7: The vertical horizon!
Seeing the world in a new way!
Roy sat down and sighed. Pfft. This life… this way of living… it was becoming too comfortable for his liking. There were no leads at all, and as far as anyone knew, no reverse measure, no going back. But how was he to continue living on like this? Was he supposed to?
Even if Fullmetal couldn't bring himself to believe such a thing, Roy did have some faith in how the world worked. Some belief in some higher will. Was this how he was meant to stay, the rest of his life? Was this some kind of destiny? Or, was he meant to fight it? Was he meant to go against this way of living?
He looked up at the sunset. He was sitting outside on the ledge of the fountain they had stopped by, the first day after this had happened. The sky was a fading tangerine with grayed purple tinges, and rose pink clouds floating their way around. It was rather magnificent to look at.
A rustling noise.
Roy turned around quickly. Riza was standing behind him, but she looked startled. She hadn't meant for him to look back at her. "Riza?" he asked quietly. "What are you doing here?"
--
Edward climbed up the rusty metal ladder carefully. It creaked and moaned at him loudly, and so he moved with utter caution. He doubted that it would hold his weight much longer.
It had been weird enough to finally realize how much taller he was. But his weight… now that was an incredible shock. Before that, he would never have believed that someone could way that much and have anything left resembling a figure on them. But he was just as fit, if not fitter than he ever was.
It was bizzare to figure out just how much size really did add onto strength, too. The thought of ever being able to beat his brother Al in a fight would have seemed a good challenge before, but now…
It was too much to think about. He just needed to clear his mind and straighten things out for now. He thrust himself up onto the roof. CREEEAK! He looked behind him. Erm… perhaps the straightening out would start with the ladder.
--
"Um," Riza said, quietly. "Er, nothing. I was just… looking at the sunset…" Roy looked over his shoulder and then back at Riza.
"Oh yeah, it's really gorgeous tonight, isn't it?!" He laughed.
"Yeah…" Riza said.
Roy looked at her. "Are you okay Riza? You look a little flustered…" He looked at her. "Hey, wait a minute, are you blushing?" Roy said rather loudly.
"Ah! No! I'm not!" Riza squeaked.
"That's a bold faced lie! You totally are! Riza, you're completely AUGHUGHGH!" Roy had started to stand up on the fountain ledge and had fallen in. Riza blinked.
"Ahahahaha!" she laughed. "You're the one who's dripping and cold, aren't you, Colonel Useless?"
"Hey! I'm not useless!" Roy said, still sitting in the fountain.
"Yes you are – ah!" The fountain had suddenly gushed and water had splashed all over Roy's head (which only went a few inches over the water, by the way).
"You okay, Colonel?" Riza asked.
"Ohh, no I'm good." replied Roy. "Although," he shivered, "I am pretty c-c-cold!"
"Come on. Better get out of there before you get any wetter." Riza said, starting to pick Roy up.
"Ah! Hey! Let go of me!" Roy yelled. "I'm big enough to get out myself!"
Riza, who had begun to do so instinctively, quickly let go and put her hands straight to her sides like standing at attention, embarrassedly. "Sorry, sir!"
"No, it's okEEYAH!" Roy's foot slipped as he started to go over the top of the ledge and he fell back and hit his head square on the center statue with a girlish squeal.
"Colonel!" Riza yelled.
"AH…" Roy said. "Riza… I think I may have… a little concussion… OW…"
"Let me help you." Riza said. This time, Roy gladly accepted the help. Riza sat him down properly on the ledge, and took off her jacket and placed it around his shoulders.
--
Edward lay down on the concrete of the hotel roof. It was smooth and hard, but more comfortable than the beds he had slept in the nights before. This new way of living… it seemed like it was false. It wasn't true, and it wasn't meant to be true. But it was. This was really him.
I thought this was what I wanted, he thought, but all it's brought me is discomfort and unhappiness. It's been a while since I've felt so depressed. I want to shrink into a shell and hide. But I can't hide, and I can't shrink. But I can' stand it… I can't stand being so tall. I feel like I'm such a freak… I can't stand myself. Why do I always have to think like this?!
The clouds bore no rain.
--
"Thanks Riza." said Roy, if a little weakly.
"Well, you need to rest and dry off." said Riza. Roy gave a small cringe. "You sure you don't need to go to the hospital?" Riza asked, concerned.
"No, not that place again!" Roy yelled loudly, but his eyes were still crinkled shut.
"What's hurting you, Roy?" Riza asked.
"It's nothing. It's just… I'm still a little cold, that's all. It's no big deal-"
Riza wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Is that better?"
Roy flushed. "Riza-?"
"Are you warming up more, now, Colonel?" Riza asked.
"Y- yes…" Roy said. What is she thinking? Roy's mind screamed. What is she doing, hugging me? Does she really just want to help me warm up, or…? His head was pounding.
"Roy," Riza said. "I think that even though… this happened… I'm falling more in love with you."
Roy turned and looked up at Riza. Her eyes were unhesitant.
She's being serious with me?! "Riza, are you feeling okay?" Roy yelled. "Maybe you're a little too warm?" He started to put his hand on her forehead, but as he did, she slipped back, and they both fell into the water. KASPLASH!
"…Roy…" Riza said, carefully, "You look just like when you did… when I first started thinking, that maybe… I was a little in love with you…"
Roy wasn't sure how to respond. His mind had gone completely blank, and he didn't know what to say. But as he glanced at the sky, he couldn't help but notice the sun – redder than a lover's rose.
--
"Edward?" Winry climbed the rest of the way up the rusty metal ladder to the roof of the hotel carefully. "What are you doing up here? It's getting dark."
Edward sighed heavily and turned, his eyes now looking at the paved flat rooftop. "Only place I fit into right." he mumbled.
Winry grimaced a little. "I'm sorry Ed. But I'm sure that we can figure this out. And everything will be fine in the end. It always is."
Edward rolled over so he was completely facing away from her now. "That's not true, Winry. Things aren't always alright in the end. Especially not for us."
"Edward, that's not…" Winry began.
"We're not living in a fairytale Winry. Things aren't that simple. Don't you understand?" he spoke into the floor.
"Edward. I'm sure… I'm sure that in the end, we can get you back to the way you were…"
"I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE WAY I WAS!!" Edward yelled, livid. He clambered up quickly, his face filled with incredible rage. "I don't want to be different any more, Winry! I don't want to be short! I don't want to be tall! I don't want to be a freak, a prodigy, an anything-! I want to be a normal person Winry! Just a normal person! Why the hell can't you understand that I don't want to be different any more?"
"I see. That's fine then…" Winry spoke quietly, coiled up a little bit. Her eyes were open incredibly wide. Edward realized that she looked terrified.
"Winry-!" Edward began, but as he said it, he realized that his voice was …so loud. So fierce. So deep, and angry. And it reminded him of his father for some reason, even though he had never heard him yell.
And suddenly, he was frightened too.
But Winry had left.
Edward turned and looked at the sky beside him. The fading sun was a grim blood red.
▁▂▃▄▅▆▇Author's Note▇▆▅▄▃▂▁
Krahhhhh. Writer's block. Writer's block. Writer's… block. I know, I took forever. But! (Cries!) I was SOOO stuck. I had NO IDEA how the story was going to be. No clue in my mind. So I couldn't write. But I'm kind of back. Maybe it's because I ate a good mame (BEAN!) mochi, but my brain's a little unfizzled.
It doesn't really match the rest of the story so far, but I wanted to write it. It's very serious, not nearly as funny as it was before. Although Roy did have a good run of clumsy moments, I think it was more "sweet" than it was "funny". I spent a lot of time showing the boy's contrasting views of things.
In case you are wondering about the "rain" line for Edward, I was implying that no one shared his feelings or felt sympathy for him. And of course, I put the two different views of the sun, too. :D I enjoyed it.
