~Chapter 9~

Date: 8/14/18

Special thanks to: Artdirector123, alightintheshadows, WhiteFang001, Agent WGD, PLEASE UPDATE, Foreign demise, and Baraayas

PLEASE UPDATE: Well, thanks for giving it a chance! I'm glad it seems to be to your liking! And I'm glad his character is working out for you so far! I think regarding circumstances, he's fitting well, but he certainly isn't the same Ed we all know and love. also "one of the best authors in fma fandom" you're gonna KILL ME AWWWWW THANK YOU BBY

A/N: Well, I am far out of school, this fic just refused to cooperate. But on the bright side, a good amount of chapter 10 is just about done, so that shouldn't take too long. However, I do start school again in a few weeks, so I'm not sure what will happen after that.


Despite actually sleeping in the sleep sack for the first time in three—no, four days, Roy did not sleep well. The sack itself was not exactly comfortable; the only thing making it bearable back at the base was the cot that added a little extra cushion. The hard floor beneath him did nothing for him but put a crick in his neck and at the base of his spine.

And then, the nightmare didn't really help matters either. He couldn't remember it, couldn't remember anything but red eyes and bright flashes of light and the bark of a rifle.

Roy attempted to sit up in place, reaching up a hand to scrub his eyes, but he was being pinned down by—something, but he couldn't remember what. Why couldn't he remember what? It was starting to chip away at the sturdy wall that kept his shellshock safely tucked away.

Then, in an instant, whatever was on top of him shifted its weight and approached his face. Two big red eyes appeared in his blurry, sleepy vision, and an excitable voice said, "g'morning Roy!"

That was all it took.

The wall burst apart and the weight was tossed to the side as Roy threw himself up, sudden adrenaline pumping through his veins. Loud explosions darkened his hearing, and bright flashes of light blinded him as his nightmare suddenly brought itself into reality. He threw his hand up to protect himself, prepared to snap and roast whomever had snuck into the camp, unbeknownst to everyone else. He had to get up. He had to—had to warn them! Everyone! The ishvalans were attacking, they'd taken out the guards and they were in and they were all going to die and even though he snapped snapped snapped it wasn't working it wasn't working it wasn't—

"...Roy?"

A tiny voice, one that he knew, pelted through the explosions and penetrated his ears. The explosions died down until they made themselves aware as the loud beating of his own heart. The flashes of light soon became trickles of sunlight arcing in through the glassless window of the house that he—that he and… and Ed had found.

Ed.

Once Roy's vision was almost totally clear, he blinked hard and looked down to where Ed had been, resting on his chest from the night before. But he wasn't in the sack, or seated in his lap. Where had…?

He turned his head to the side and caught sight of the little Ishvalan, staring at him with wide, shaken eyes. Ed just watched him, afraid to approach him but more afraid of what would happen if he moved away.

"...Are you okay now, Roy?" Ed mumbled. When he shifted, Roy saw him put weight on his arm and wince. Only a second's worth of observation told him that Ed had scratched his arm up really well on the ground. It trickled blood very slowly, sand sticking to the small wound. Thankfully it was just a scratch… but that was far more than what he'd ever wanted to do to the kid.

"Ed," Roy said instead of answering. His pounding heart was starting to slow, but it wasn't calming down quickly enough. He felt like he could hardly breathe, like no matter how many breaths he took, it was doing him no good.

"You were talking in your sleep," Ed mumbled, moving to his knees.

"...What did I say?"

Ed shrugged and started to slowly crawl to him, now aware that Roy was fully awake and aware. "I dunno. Something about Master Hawkeye, I guess. You said he'd be mad. Who is that? Like an elder?"

Roy chuckled weakly. He could have said something so much worse… but he didn't. "Something like that," he said softly. "Sleep well?"

"Uh huh." Ed came to a stop at his side and rubbed nervously at his injured arm, smearing blood.

Roy frowned hard and took his arm, getting a look at the wound. It was so small and already healing, but kids were kids. Roy remembered being very young and scraping his knee, and being absolutely miserable until his sister Jessica came and "fixed" it for him, by smacking a bandage over it and giving it a big kiss. Roy wasn't about to kiss the kid's arm, but fashioning a little bandage over his arm would probably do the trick.

Roy grabbed his bag and opened it, wondering if he remembered to pack a first aid kit. He hadn't snuck into the nurses' tent so he doubted it…

He didn't find a first aid kit, or even a few stray bandages, but he did find an old, ratty undershirt. It was already torn in three different places, so Roy decided that tearing it in a fourth would be no great loss. He ripped along the bottom, then took Ed's arm back. Ed watched curiously what he was doing, but said nothing.

When Roy tied up the makeshift bandage, he patted where the cut was. Ed winced at the sting, but when Roy asked if it helped, Ed just nodded and said, "yeah, a little." The tiny affirmation made Roy smile just a little.

Roy helped Ed to his feet, then climbed out of the sack. "We should go, Ed. Are you excited? I imagine we'll run into your mother today!"

Ed bobbed his head happily, nerves giving way to impatient excitement. "I am! We'll see Mama and Al and Mikahal and Elder Sonra and Elder Jihora and everyone! They'll like you!"

Roy didn't say that he doubted that, even though he definitely did. "Well, I can't wait to meet them. Help me pack up, and we'll head out."

Ed nodded again. There was nothing left to pack but the empty canteen, but Ed scooped it up nonetheless and watched Roy roll up the sleep sack. Roy strapped the sack onto his bag, clipped the canteen beside the others, then secured the pack onto his back. Ed reached his hand up and hooked his fingertips in Roy's hand, so Roy quietly cracked open the door to the rest of the house, peeking out. There was no sound and appeared to be no movement. If anyone had been home even yesterday, they had been slaughtered by the Amestrians. Now all that mattered was that the Amestrians weren't raiding houses here, or hadn't hit this one yet. The only thing that he heard from outside was the howling of the wind; no crunching footsteps, no voices, no laughter. For now, at least, they were safe.

"Let's go," Roy said, squeezing Ed's fingertips. Ed nodded and let Roy lead him through the house.

They bypassed the kitchen completely, yesterday's protest of "what, are we gonna give it back?" fresh on Roy's mind. They were only a few hours from Askia. Surely they could make it that long without food. He ignored the way his stomach protested, and the quieter growls coming from the stomach of the boy at his side. Just a few hours.

Roy cracked open the front door as slowly as possible, peeking his head out and peering all around. Ed hung onto his knees with Roy's free arm pressed to his back, keeping him there. Just in case someone sprung out of the shadows.

The wind howled, sand was tossed in his face sporadically, and the sun shone bright, but nothing but a bird way overhead moved. The coast was clear.

Roy lead Ed out and glanced to the sun. He was officially unoriented. After all the twisting, turning, and running, he had lost his way completely. But they were going east. Once they were clear out of Mange'a, safe from any Amestrians, then he could take out his map and reorient himself, but for now they were headed east.

Looping his fingertips back into Ed's, Roy led the child toward the sun, toward his home.


Roy had suspected three hours to Askia, but in reality it was probably even less time than that. It felt hotter and drier than usual, but Roy had the feeling that was because they had skipped out on water.

Buildings soon built up on the horizon, and Roy could practically feel Ed vibrating in his grip, like he knew exactly what that was and exactly who and what was awaiting him just over the dunes.

"Mama," Ed mumbled under his breath, tugging hard on Roy's hand. "Roy, how long?!"

Roy almost hushed him, but he chose to keep the paranoid part of him squashed. Ed hadn't been home in roughly five days now, and it wasn't fair of Roy to squash his excitement. "Maybe an hour. Maybe."

Ed started shaking so fast Roy was certain he was just vibrating. "Almost there! We're almost there! Roy, Askia is the bestest city in all of Ishval. It's so beautiful, and it's not too big, and it's so fun! Mama and Al and me play all the time and maybe we'll play with you, too! Won't that be fun?"

Excited Ed was, apparently, a chatterer. The chattering made Roy smile, but the topic forwent the smile. Roy was far more likely to be executed the second they stepped into any populated Ishvalan town, than to be allowed to play with its inhabitants' children. And Roy couldn't even blame them for it. After all he had done, and would be forced to continue to do, likely, the very least he deserved was a bullet between his eyes.

Still. Ed didn't have to know his dark thoughts. Ed was less than an hour from home, and Roy couldn't take that from him.

"Yeah, Ed, lots of fun."

Ed's excited chattering soon tuckered him out just enough that they started to drag, so he spent the rest of the walk into Askia riding on Roy's arm, with his arms looped around Roy's neck.

Once they entered Askia, though, Roy found it to be much emptier than he expected.

"Ed…?"

Ed paid that no heed, and Roy wondered if that was normal for this town. For near deafening silence at ten in the morning. Roy had a feeling, though, that the kid was just too excited that he was somewhere familiar to notice.

"That way!" Ed threw out his finger and directed Roy toward the northernmost streets. Roy carried him into the town, almost wishing that he could feel eyes on his back if only so they hadn't come all this way for nothing.

As they neared a street with a small obelisk at the corners, Ed started writhing, struggling to get out of Roy's arms without a word. If Roy hadn't noticed just in time, Ed would have face planted into the sand, but as it was, Roy scooped Ed up mid-tilt and lowered him to the sand. Ed dug his toes into the loose sand, like somehow it was familiar to him, then took off running without a word.

Roy belted out a word he probably shouldn't say around five-nearly-six-year-olds, and pursued.

"They're here!" Ed cheered, strides in front of Roy. He was headed toward a modest home with a bright red front door and a wreath of branches on the front. "They're here they're here!"

Ed stopped at the door for only a second, just long enough to twist the knob and fling it open. He didn't bother waiting for Roy, had probably long forgotten about him. He darted into the house, in search of his family.

Roy came to a stop at the door entirely, listening in. He wanted to make sure that Ed was fine, but he also didn't want to intrude on an Ishvalan home, nor a family reunion. Really, once he was certain that Ed was with his family, he should try to make himself scarce. Paranoia was stating to make his skin prickle, and he didn't like it. The feeling that he was being watched had finally arrived—and with a vengeance. At least it no longer felt abandoned. Maybe it didn't feel like a bustling metropolis like Central, or even New Optain, but it felt like people were here.

"Mama!" Ed called with a long tail. "Mamaaaa! I'm home!"

Roy set his frown and waited to hear Ed's joyous "there you are!", or whatever he may say once his family was discovered. He'd leave once he knew, but not a moment before. He hadn't come all this way, delivered the kid home days away from his squad, only to have him die of the elements because he went out to find his missing family on his own.

He inhaled, and before he could exhale, a crunch of sand was behind him, and something metal pressed against his head. He froze up, heartbeat immediately quickening.

A voice, inky black and as furious as could be, snarled, "what are you doing here, Amestrian?"

Roy's hands slowly went into the air. He was no threat right then—or had no intention of being one, anyway. His only weapons were his spark gloves, tucked away in his pocket. He hadn't brought his sidearm (what was he thinking?) or any knives like Hughes had recommended to him hundreds of times.

"I am no threat," he informed them slowly, hoping he could convince them. If they were to kill him, then at least they could wait until they took Ed and were long gone. He didn't want Ed seeing anything like that.

"You're Amestrian. More than enough of a threat," snarled the man with the gun to his head. "What are you doing so far from your people? Scouting?"

"I only brought a delivery I wanted to see home. That is all."

"A delivery? What in Ishvala's name is that supposed to mean?" wondered a second voice, a woman. The two of them, as well as a third voice, discussed something in their language, then after a few moments, the one threatening to kill him demanded, "what is this delivery?"

"MAMAAAAAA! ALLLLLL!"

All four of them jumped at poor Ed's wail. Something must have happened to his family—to most of the people in this city. Had they evacuated? Probably once Kimblee was come and gone, fearing what he would do, they had all picked up and left.

Roy, more than a little nervous, raised his voice and called, "Ed, come out here!"

This time, only the three Ishvalans reacted. They all started, not expecting him to call for something, and the muzzle at this head pressed harder, likely to leave a bruise (if not a hole). "What was that?" the first snarled. "Who did you call?"

"Did he say 'Ed'?" wondered the woman. The third voice spoke in Ishvalan again—he probably didn't speak much Amestrian.

A few moments later, Ed came out of the door, looking a little lonely and dejected. "They're not here," he informed Roy quietly, stepping up to plant his face in Roy's thigh. Roy would have reached down ruffle his hair and reassure him if not for the weapon at his head.

"Ed," he said instead gently, hoping to bring his attention to his people.

Ed lifted his head, and in that same instant, he noticed the people behind Roy. They weren't his family, but he was clearly excited to see them all the same, the way his eyes lit up. "Mikahal!"

"Ed?!" wondered the man, Mikahal. He grunted when Ed rushed to put his arms around him, happily babbling about their trip through the desert.

"Ed, what on earth are you doing here? How did you get here?" wondered the woman quietly, as if Ed being here was an absolute impossibility.

"The Amestrians took me," Ed chirped, taking a step back, "but Roy brought me home!"

"Ed," Roy said firmly now that Ed was done babbling. He didn't want Ed to see what was about to happen, but he didn't want Ed caught totally by surprise.

Ed looked up to him, a nervous hush quickly falling over him. He took a step away from Mikahal, backing into the corner of Roy's vision, and wondered, "...what's going on?"

"Ed," Roy said, eyes to the side to look at him. He looked frightened. He must have realized what was about to happen to Roy, and was afraid—what, afraid for him? Afraid for Roy to leave him? He couldn't tell. No matter. "Ed, I need you to do me a favor. Go to your people, Ed. They'll know where your mother is. Go to them, Ed."

"N… no," Ed mumbled. He stepped a little closer to Roy, eyebrows knitting together. "No."

"Ed, they'll help you find your mother."

"...You're helping me find my mother."

Roy growled inwardly, but outwardly it didn't show. "I know that, but they'll do better. Ed, I need you to go to them, cover your ears, and don't look."

Again, Ed got closer, this time grabbing for Roy's suncoat and giving it a hard tug. In that instant, Roy felt his heart break for the kid. They had been together for days straight now, seeing no one else but one another, and Ed had gotten himself attached. And now—now, Roy had to die, and Ed probably understood that.

Roy more than deserved it, though. And Ed could not see that.

"Zedekiah," he snapped. The name felt heavy on his tongue, like he shouldn't be using it. The gun at his head shifted with surprise—the Ishvalans probably weren't expecting an Amestrian to know the kid's sacred Ishvalan name. "Go to your people. Close your eyes. Cover your ears. These people will see you home."

"Bu—" Ed said. His fingers unlaced from Roy's suncoat, though, and he took several steps away. Roy turned his head a little to see that Ed had backed to one of his people and obediently turned his face away, trembling against the young woman. Knowing what was about to happen.

"You don't protest," the Ishvalan, Mikahal, said behind him. The gun was taken from his head for a moment. "And you don't fight."

"No. I know what I've done. I know what I deserve."

Mikahal paused where he was, calculating, for several moments. Roy stood there, waiting for his death. It was what he deserved.

Then, the gun was taken away completely and holstered. The man started muttering to himself in Ishvalan. Then he grabbed at Roy's arms and forced them behind Roy's back. He fastened them behind his back, with what felt like rope, and snapped, "fine, we'll see what the elders want done with you." Turning to his small troop, he commanded, "let's go," and lead them north.

There was a huge sigh of relief, and within seconds, a tiny hand reached up to grab Roy's fingertips, even though they were bound. Ed chattered again happily, letting off nerves, and Roy listened without a word to everything he had to say about Askia and his family and friends. Tears were glistening in his ruby eyes, but Roy decided not to make a comment. When Ed took his suncoat and pressed it against his face, he didn't protest.

Instead, he looked to Mikahal, strides in front of him. The other man walked directly at his rear, the woman walking a little ahead. Keeping him in place, no doubt. Well, Roy had no intentions to run.

Mikahal apparently felt his stare on his back. He looked backwards, then back forwards once they met eyes. "Just because you Amestrians will kill on sight for no reason, doesn't mean we all will. We are a peaceful people; we attack when we are attacked. Besides, maybe we can use you."

The statement made Roy laugh to himself. Well played. He was about to become an Ishvalan prisoner of war.


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