A/N: Thank you for the people who follow and read this story. Sadly, I got no reviews for the last Chapter…phooey. Since, I'm returning to school soon, I guess I have to make some changes. If I don't get adequate reviews for this story, I'll probably just stop writing it. My best friend says no one cares about Royai anymore, anyway. If people are still interested, I'd be happy to continue.
Thanks Lovelies,
Brave New World: Chapter Nine
"I'm sorry Riza, dear, I didn't hear you." He said with a false smile, turning around to meet her glaring eyes and cold expression. Her words came out forceful this time as she hissed, angry and laced with confusion, demanding for an answer.
"Why do you still have the Philosopher's Stone?"
He stood frozen. What was he supposed to tell her?
"I don't know what-"
"Don't lie to me, Roy." She hissed, walking closer to him. His head drifted back, his eyes closed in deep concentration. He could feel her eyes on him, glaring, burning a hole through his consciousness. "You had it this whole time…and you didn't tell me?" Her voice was different now. The anger was still there, but he detected something else. She was hurt.
"I couldn't risk tellin-"
"You…you don't trust me?" The anger was completely gone from her features, not replaced by confusion and pain. Her eyes scanned over his features.
"No…No, it's not that…I thought you wouldn't agree with my decision." He saw the anger boiling up, flowing up her neck and turning her face a fuchsia color as her brow furrowed. She huffed and walked away, putting the kettle on the stove. He had been lying to her for a month. He possessed that stone for a month…it could have killed him. She needed her tea. It would relax her; allow her to compile her thoughts before she said something she would regret. He followed her into the small kitchen, trying to restart conversation with her.
"Roy, please…" She tensed her hand around the empty porcelain cup as his hand rested on her shoulder. "Leave me alone." He continued to pester her, trying to reason with her, to change the topic. She snapped around, her anger was going to get the best of her.
"Do you realize how irresponsible your actions were?" She seethed.
"I saved men who would have died, Riza! How is that irresponsible?" He asked, hollering at the woman who was merely a few feet from him.
"And what if it didn't work how you planed? Do you not realize the power that stone has?" She asked, her voice filled with concern.
"The power is what makes it so invigorating" He said, his fists forming together, as he let out a long, pleased sigh, almost able to feel the power through his veins once again. Her face contorted in disgust.
"The power is what makes it so dangerous; you didn't even have to touch the rock to remove it from those people." Her hands motioned out to him. "I could see the shadows…they were in your eyes, Roy. I can't lose you to them." She spoke with hard eyes relaxed and softened, as he was finally able to see what she was saying. Why couldn't he see it before? It was like…his mind was clouded, like he wasn't himself. He was only concerned with the power, all of the possibilities. Was it the stone? He couldn't take any chances. He wrapped his arms around her.
"I need to find a way to dispose of it, properly. The power…it's just too much." She sighed deeply, in relief, as his arms tightened around her. She nestled her head into his shoulder for a moment before they were separated by the sound of the tea kettle. He sighed, but was given a soft smile by his companion, hinting that they would pick up where they left off later.
About a week and a half later, the tale was in all of the papers of Amestris. He received it two days after printing, thanks to his aide's work to get every paper mentioning the event. It told the story of the power of humanity. How men, both Ishvallan and Amestris had come together to save their fellow comrades. Roy sighed as he sipped his morning coffee, if only they knew…humanity had nothing to do with it. Riza was right, he was being irresponsible. The stone could have crushed the men, could have sucked the life and soul out of all the people there. The thought terrified him. As the youngest Fuhrer of Amestris he had to set an example, show the ones who doubted him, that Grumman had made a good decision in passing his succession to the raven-haired alchemist.
He took another sip of his coffee and looked in his agenda. Soon, he had to make a speech to the people of Ishval and Amestris on the restoration had been there for a little over a month, and had made a lot of progress. On the home front, things were going…well best to say decent. Of course the tabloids of Amestris had their qualms, complaining that the Fuhrer was too busy fixing other Countries to do his own, and that he was hiding something. Roy almost let out a deep chested laugh when he read in the Daily Print that The Fuhrer of Amestris was actually a spy from Xing, whose sniper aide and legal wife was secretly seeing her lover, General Grumman. In the slew of documents and hard work, and everyday of diplomacy, this was a nice relief. These tabloids, Riza and Grumman. He had to laugh, although when she dropped the paper about 10 minutes prior and walked from their shared office, he could see that she was in fact, less amused. After closing the amusing article he was startled by the influx of quick footsteps, and the closing and locking of his office door. He looked up to be greeted by the firm eyes of his companion, his Captain, his chief aide. To the average eye, they seemed normal, fierce and cold, but he could see the fear. She placed the newest paper to his collection on his desk, opening it up to a small article, almost hidden in the vast paper with the headline: Two prisoners, convicted of an assassination attempt against the Fuhrer found dead in cell.
"We should have been the first to hear this, sir." She stated solemly
"I agree. Have you-"
"I have already contacted our sources. They have been deceased for almost a month, sir. The report on the incident was just released, detailing their death…"
"And since it's a publicly released document, any newspaper can get a hold of it. The death of two inmates isn't top news though." The man rested his chin on his hand, trying to figure out what he could pool from this article. "Captain, I believe you have more to tell me…this case isn't cut and dry."
"Yes, Sir. I had Sheska do some work on the reports for me. It was written that there was some broken concrete in both cells, along with a chalky substance."
"You believe someone used alchemy to kill them?" He got up from his desk and began to pace around the room, his hands behind his back in deep concentration.
"I think they were a part of a larger resistance group, sir, and if this group could silence them by breaking into such a strong prison…"
"It's been a month Captain. They could be in here, plotting to use the stone and destroy Ishval. We have to be on guard."
"Is the stone in a safe place, sir."
"Yes, Riza. They won't be able to get their hands on it." She nodded her head in agreement. He couldn't tell her that it was wrapped around his neck as they spoke, placed in a small holding bag, under his uniform. It wasn't the stone he was worried about, it was the power of this group. If they could break into a prison to kill, they could kill Ishvallans, and soldiers from Amestris without warning. What if that construction error that almost caused the loss of lives wasn't an accident. What if they continue to attack, and they kill? It would severe the Ishvallan relations with Amestris. It would ruin the plans for restoration…it could possibly even…
"Sir, I think they want to cause another war…eliminate the people of Ishval forever." She spoke gravely. He was thankful to have such an intelligent aide, a person who came to conclusions just as quickly, or in most cases quicker than he.
"We must find this group, before they destroy our efforts. Please, form a team."
"Most of the team has already gathered for your briefing in the meeting room, Sir. Edward and Alphonse are on their way."
The raven haired alchemist smiled softly, caressing his counterpart's arm softly as he walked to the door. Turning around, he was greeted by her light smile, her face illuminated by the sun through the curtains and her eyes filled with determination and passion.
A/N: So, what did you think? Horaayy, the main characters of the manga/anime are finally going to make an appearance. Will Roy find a way to destroy the stone, safely? Where is the rebel group and what are they up to? Please read and review.
