A/N: Sorry it's taking so long to update, life is happing around me and I haven't had much time to write. As it is I really don't think this chapter is all that great...Eeep! But things are a cooking in my head so hopefully things will be better in the next cha
Chapter twelve: The downside of Human Transmutation
Roy looked up as Mr. Andrews entered his office. He sat back casually, noting that his subordinates seemed to be suddenly working so dutifully. Good that's what he needed right now. He needed to make the man feel as if this were just a normal visit, though he knew the man knew it was not. In fact the two disliked each other openly, had argued at least once in public, of course it was during a parliament meeting where it was common to see two people arguing.
He smiled a pleasant smile. "Mr. Andrews, please take a seat, would you like some coffee?"
The man shook his head and took a seat upon the sofa. "No thank you, what did you need General?"
Roy rested his elbows upon the arms of his chair and laced his fingers before his mouth. He noticed that the man's eyes darted about the room. "My daughter is spending the day with Edward today. They are doing some alchemic research together."
"I see," Mr. Andrews said quietly.
Roy sighed. "I have to say I was rather surprised to hear you nominate me personally for the position of Fuher yesterday…Especially since you think so little of me."
Mr. Andrews smiled. "Well I was wrong."
"Mm, I see. What changed your mind? Surely the words of a sixteen-year-old girl who you claim to be a traitor, is selling secrets to the enemy, and is no more than a spec of dirt couldn't have swayed you." He caught the heads of his subordinates' lifting but ignored them.
"She was very persuasive."
"Ah and what did she say to you exactly? I have to know so I know to keep her from threatening anyone else. Isana can be quite bold when she's upset." Roy said smoothly. He watched the man shift uncomfortably. He smiled and leaned forward a bit reaching for a file upon his desk. "She came to me with some information that would damn you Mr. Andrews. I don't want to believe it but it seems that one of the girls you've 'dealt' with just so happens to be one of my daughter's best friends. A Ms. Amy Hardgrove. I spoke with her this morning and it appears that she in fact set you up to obtain such information." The fact that Isana has gotten one of her friends in on this little information digging was more than disturbing and had he not spoken with Amy personally to see that she wasn't hurt, he would have been more than worried.
The color drained from the man's face completely and Roy smirked. "But you know girls these days. Always out looking for adventure…" Mr. Andrews said nothing.
Roy sat forward. "I'll keep this information in my back pocket for now…" His face lost it's smile, the sarcasm, and became so cold it could have frozen the room into an ice age. "You willnever speak to my daughter again. You will never imply that she has sexual relations of any kind with me or Edward Elric. And you will never ever touch her again is that understood?"
Mr. Andrews nodded swallowing. "I understand I was out of line."
Roy arched an eyebrow. "You really are a sick man Mr. Andrews. After reading this and hearing what my daughter told me…I may be many things but I would never do the things you asked of my daughter. She's my daughter, she's Edwards's daughter and while she may be our whole world we'd never violate her in anyway. Isana's a wonderful person and anyone wanting to cause her harm will suffer an agony that would make them wish for hell to take them away. Your actions will not go unpunished. I can't let you get away with the things in this file. Now get the hell out of my office."
Mr. Andrews nodded and left quickly. Roy sighed, sitting back in his chair.
"Wow chief, did he really say that to Isana?" Havoc asked and his tone was a little protective.
"Yes he did." Roy breathed.
"That's disgusting; I can't believe he would say something like that to a little girl." Fury exclaimed.
"I'm surprised you didn't kill him." Breda said quietly. "I would have."
Roy smiled. "Thanks, but I need him for now."
Havoc sat back scratching his head. "How did Isana take it, I mean the kids pretty much calm most of the time?"
Roy sighed. "It scared her, made her angry as well. Ed's taking care of her today, she'll be okay."
Edward walked Isana down to a study area and told her to wait there for him while he went to get some books. She caught his hand before he left and he knew that face, that expression. She was about to apologize for something. So he waited and listened.
"I'm sorry for last night Dad. I didn't mean-"
"Eh forget it. It's okay we were all wrong and we were all right. Now I'll be right back stay put. I got you in this section but if you wander off we'll both be kicked out." She nodded and once he was sure she wouldn't run off, not that he actually thought she would, he went to go find the book he needed. He also had something else he'd brought along today, something he kept as a reminder of all that he'd done.
He found the book, half hidden in a darkened corner and took it back to the table, placing it before her. "Turn to chapter three and read." Then he sat down to watch. It was his book, he'd hidden it here, hidden it so he still had it but no one would really know what it was or could decipher it save for someone who knew his code, someone like his daughter or Roy or Alphonse.
He was almost nodding off when Isana closed the book. "It's human transmutation."
"Yeah and you know what, I pulled it off too. I brought my mother back; I lost Al and my left leg." He said grimly.
Isana frowned. "But Uncle Al's married to Aunt Winry and they have kids."
"Now," Ed pulled out the photo of he and Al when he was twelve and Al was in the armor. He sighed and decided it was probably going to be best just to tell her the whole story. "Isana when I was eleven and Al was ten we went up to our father's lab with the intent on bringing our mother back…" And from there he told her how they did it, how he lost Al's body, his leg, his arm trying to get Al's back but only managed his soul and the entire time he and Al went searching for the philosopher's stone. He included all the people who had been hurt or killed, Scar, the homunculi, though he didn't give any names, Rose, and how Al became the stone.
Then he told her about the end, the end where Al sacrificed himself so that he could live and in turn he did the same and got himself sucked into another world. He also told her of his fight to get back and once he did how hard he and Roy worked to be together, how happy they were with just what they had and what led them to want her.
When he was finished he put the photo away and lifted the book from her hands. "Just because you can do something doesn't mean it's always right or you should do it Kiddo,"
"All of that…"
"Sounds so unreal I know but it happened." He replied. His daughter looked pale, thoughtful, and a little shocked.
"So you're saying that I shouldn't try to find a way to get your limbs back…And it's because you're afraid of losing what you have now."
Ed winced at the truth but nodded. "Yes, kiddo I've spent too much time running after things. I'm happy where I am as I am." He decided to turn the tables on her. "But what about you? We spend so much time telling you that we're happy but it seems like Roy and I never ask you that question."
Isana sat back tucking her hair behind her ears and wet her lips. "I love my life."
"But are you happy?" Ed persisted. Loving life and being happy were close but not exactly the same.
"Um well, I think so. I have everything I want and need-"
"Isana are you or aren't you happy?" He'd beat the answer out of her if he had too. What was so hard about this?
She nodded and she wasn't humoring him this time. "I am. There are a few things that bother me, but over all yes."
Ed smiled. "That's good, we can't have everything perfect. So what are you going to do now? It seems like Roy and I just took away your main objectives."
Isana smiled that excited little smile she used to smile when she was younger. "Well, I can think of plenty of things I can research or do. Besides Daddy will need a secretary if he's elected Fuher and there is no way I'm going to let him tell me no."
"Eh," Ed sighed as he sat back. "What is with you and paperwork? It's so boring." He smiled. "So am I forgiven for yelling at you?"
"I never hated you, but yes if I am." She replied.
Ed stood and stretched. "Great let's get something to eat and take it up to Roy. It's about," He pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. "Three thirty, you think they'll be done in the parliament building?"
Isana shrugged. "Who knows?"
Ed frowned and scratched the base of his pony tail. "Well I don't want his lunch to go bad if he's late…Ah hell let's go anyway." Isana gave him that excited smile again and got up from her place, pushing in her chair then took his hand. He was lucky to have her, lucky that she was so forgiving, that she listened, or at least he hoped she listened to him today.
Isana looked up from the sidewalk as they walked carrying the bag of warm lunch they'd just purchased from a near to HQ restaurant. It was one of Roy's favorite places to dine; they had even gotten his favorite, some Xingan dish of meat buns and noodles with beef and peppers. Isana had to admit Roy did have a better taste in food than Ed did, but Ed liked a few different things than Roy did so she figured she had a pretty well rounded diet between them, at least restaurant wise.
She sighed letting her mind mill over everything her Dad had told her. It was all so sad and yet here he was walking beside her. Some of it made her want to cry. Who would have thought human transmutation could be so painful, such a disaster? Her heart ached for him and she was beginning to see why Ed and Roy didn't want her messing with it. Hell she could agree with it. She didn't want to lose any more limbs, didn't want them to suffer anymore than they had. They were right and she was wrong and it was killing her that she couldn't do what she deeply desired to make her parents whole again.
She'd wanted to give Roy his eye back, so he could see better. She'd wanted to give Ed his limbs back so he wouldn't be hurt anymore from the auto-mail. She wanted to make their lives perfect and she couldn't. She doubted even the philosopher's stone could do that, return what was lost. "Daddy?"
Ed turned to her and smiled a little sadly. She hated it when he smiled like that. "You must be in a mood, you rarely call me Daddy. What's bugging you kiddo?"
"I'm sorry…for everything. I just wanted to make things better for you and Dad." She half whispered.
Ed stopped her along the side walk. "Don't tell him because I'll never live it down, but Roy once told me when I got back…He told Riza this once too, but… 'Nothing's perfect, the world's not perfect, but it's there for us trying the best it can. That's what makes it so damn beautiful'."
Isana smiled softly at the words. Leave it to her Daddy to be so poetic where her Dad wasn't so much. It was a nice to hear, simple, and yet she felt it was true, not because her Daddy had said it, but because it rang some sort of honesty.
Ed sighed. "Don't tell him I said that, I mean it."
She nodded taking his hand. "Said what?"
Ed smiled. "Good, now let's go see if that bastard actually became Fuher today and will be making poor Riza and all the other women in the military wear mini skirts."
Isana blinked. "What!"
Ed chuckled. "It was something he said a long time ago, when he became Fuher all the military women would be required to wear tiny miniskirts."
Isana couldn't believe it then laughed. No she could believe it, Roy often joked about things like that. She shook her head. "Well if I have to wear a mini skirt I know one person that will make extremely happy."
Ed winced. "Wray…" He grumbled. "You'll be the exception, I want you in pants!"
Isana laughed. "Oh Dad come on it might be fun, think of all the cute officers I might pick up."
"You're just as bad as Roy,"
"You know you love us."
"At the moment I'm not sure about that."
She smiled knowing he was teasing, but her smile faded as she caught a glimpse of his auto-mail when he lifted his hand to brush his blonde bangs from his face. So much pain…Why? Why damn it why! Why couldn't she make this happen? They were always encouraging her to reach for something more, pushing her along gently, letting her make her own decisions even if she made most of them to fit around them, to make them happiest, why couldn't it be easy to fix everything? Why couldn't she heal them, she knew even if she could it wouldn't be perfect, but why couldn't she give them something in return for everything they had given her?
Ed and Isana had barely entered the deserted office and began setting out lunch when Roy and his staff returned. Roy smiled. "Isana good, I'm glad you're here. I have a job for you to do."
"Oh?" She asked setting his take out box upon his desk. She noticed that Riza and several other generals were entering.
Roy paused with a slight frown. "Is that lunch?"
"Fuher Mustang," Riza said politely.
Isana felt her eyes grow wide and nearly squealed in delight. Maintaining her composer she cleared her throat. "Yes Sir it is…Is it true are you really the Fuher!" She just couldn't help herself and sounded more excited than she'd wanted. When he nodded she smiled bright. "Congratulations,"
Ed leaned over to take a look at Riza. "Huh, no miniskirt,"
Riza's eyebrow lifted and her hand strayed to her gun. Ed chuckled, lifting his hands in defense. "Just kidding,"
"Sir," Havoc said with a smile.
Roy nodded. "Isana I need you to type up the official orders to send troops south and east ASAP, I'll tell you what to write, you type." He paused and she scurried to her desk to take up position. "And don't call me Sir unless we're in a meeting, or on duty. Coming from you it's a little strange."
Isana nodded. "Okay, is this one of those times?"
Roy smiled softly at her, heading for his desk. "Well yes, this is."
Isana nodded again and got ready to type. He rattled off his orders and she typed quickly stopping to take note with pen and paper of who was going where. Then she set to work while he and the other Generals talked about the situation.
She could hardly believe it. Her Daddy had one of his goals accomplished! It was so exciting and she was happy for him, loved the way he just took charge of everything like it was second nature to him.
When she was finished she passed everything over to Havoc and Fury who had envelopes ready and Falman and Breda standing by to run them to their respected offices.
"We'll of course be moving you to a different office Sir," Someone said.
She watched Roy nod and look at her. "Feel like staying late to help me pack up?"
"Sure,"
"You don't have any plans with Wray today?" He asked.
She shook her head. "Nope,"
Roy nodded. "Well that's different, going on two days with out seeing him." He smirked.
She shrugged. "We'll live," She only prayed he didn't know about Wray visiting her last night.
"Wray?" one of the older Generals asked.
"Her boyfriend," Ed grumbled.
Several of the men glanced at her and she shrugged. "What?" She asked innocently.
Riza smiled. "We were just talking earlier about you growing up to be such a heart breaker."
Isana frowned. "Me? I'm just…well I'm just average, never mind that," she shook her head. "Sir eat lunch so we can get started please."
Roy nodded with a smirk. "All right, Edward are you sticking around?"
Ed nodded. "Yeah, no point in going home now."
When Isana saw the Fuher's office that evening she was astonished. "Well they certainly don't spare much in the way of comfort." There were two sofa's with a large mahogany coffee table, a huge desk in the back of the room with a marble top and high-backed chair behind it. The floor was carpeted and there was another desk by the window. Ed stopped there a moment lifting a photo from the desk.
"Looks like they didn't touch it after…" He trailed off.
Isana set her box down upon the coffee table and went to investigate. She looked at the picture over Ed's shoulder and smiled. "Is that you and Uncle Al with Grandpa and Grandma?"
Edward nodded. "Well at least now you know what I looked like as a kid." He shoved the photo into her hands.
She frowned. "Dad what's wrong, it's a nice picture, you should keep it…But why is it here…Oh…" That's right he said he'd brought his mother back and she'd not been the same had tried to kill he and Al, had been working for as the Fuher's secretary as a cover. She had been a Homunculus and he'd been the one to kill her. That was terrible, go through all that trouble, all that pain to bring her back then have to kill her to save everyone else. Still what he described her to be…"Dad she must have still loved you to keep this."
"Homunculi don't have souls." He winced.
Isana sighed looking at the photo. He looked happy in it, really happy and so small. "What's a soul anyway?" She muttered.
Ed whipped around. "What did you say!"
At that point Roy entered the office carrying a large box. "What's going on?" He asked.
"What did you say Isana?" Ed demanded.
Isana blinked. "I said what's a soul anyway. Why?"
Ed marched up to her and snatched the picture away, tossed it to the desk, and took her hands. "A soul is everything! It makes us different from them; it's precious and makes us who we are. Did you not listen to a thing I told you today?"
Isana pulled her hands free of his grasp and hugged him. It was so hard and she realized her mistake, but why would Trisha keep the photo if she still hadn't loved her Dad and her Uncle. "I did Dad, I did, there's just a lot I don't understand…"
"What's not to understand!" Ed snapped pushing her away. "Don't try and pacify me. If you don't understand something spill it so I can clear it up."
Isana pointed to the photo frowning. "If she didn't still love you and Uncle Al why would she keep the picture?"
"What picture?" Roy asked coming closer. He leaned over the desk and sighed. "Huh…I see."
"Because she wanted to kill us? You weren't there you didn't hear what she said you didn't…"
Isana felt her heartbreak and shook her head as she pulled out the chair at the desk. "You're so…"
"What!" Ed demanded. "I'm so what!"
"Edward," Roy soothed.
Isana sighed. "You know what you're right I wasn't there but hating her isn't going to help you get over it and you'll never get over it if you don't stop blaming yourself for everything that went wrong. God Dad it's over, it was a mistake and just like me you didn't know what you were doing. You had the same hope to get something you loved back that was unfairly taken away." She paused looking at her Daddy and almost cried from the look of sadness upon his face. "Dad is it so hard to believe that maybe she might have been confused and misled. You said some woman found her."
"You don't get it Homunculi don't have souls, Roy tell her damn it!"
Roy sighed. "He's right Isana, they don't."
She smirked. "How do you know, you can't see a soul, can't touch it."
"No Isana, Ed's right they don't."
"You don't know that," She persisted. "Unless you killed one and cute him or her open to find out."
"Honey we didn't have too, we saw them, fought with them. No one would kill their own kid for trying to help them. No one would…Forget it, if you don't believe us then there's not much point in arguing with you." Roy said softly.
"I never said I didn't believe you, I just have to question this. Why, why would she keep this if some part of her didn't still cling to Dad and Uncle Al. They were her kids." She reasoned.
Ed closed his eyes. "Isana she didn't want to love us, she said so herself, she…she thought we abandoned her after…I thought she was dead again and it certainly looked like…" He shook his head. "You want to know what it looks like to bring someone back? Half of her insides were poking out, she was emaciated, her body steaming in the cold night air and she was dying."
Isana shivered. That was one more thing to sway her away from human transmutation and the hope and idea that she could restore her parents. "But why?" she asked softly.
"We don't always know the answers." Ed breathed. "And I don't want to think about it really."
"So you're going to shove away all memories of her?" she asked softly. "I think that seems a little unfair even to yourself."
Ed sighed seeming to finally calm down. "I remember her just fine with out a picture. If you want it you can have it, but I don't. If you'd lived it you might understand it, but you can't live it because you're not me."
"Great that's settled can we move on now? We have a lot to do and I have to be here early tomorrow morning to get thing rolling." Roy said trying to pushing away from the subject.
Isana nodded. "I'm sorry,"
Ed reached over and patted her head. "Eh just don't say that again, it sets me off."
Isana gave him a smile and a nod. "Okay, promise." She believed them, or she really wanted too, but part of her had to wonder about it. Bad people had souls too, why couldn't homunculi? Once again she had the thought that God had a sick sense of humor, if it were true that homunculi didn't. It didn't seem right to punish the one's who were brought back. It wasn't as if they had asked to be brought back, or she assumed they hadn't. She decided she needed to take a look at the book again when she got home. She knew Ed still had it on him, had seen him bring it with them and carry it around.
