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Summary- Izumi Curtis on Royai

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I am just a simple housewife. My entire life revolves around my husband and our shop. I love to travel everywhere. By now I'm pretty sure I've seen almost all of Amestris. Of course there is one more thing I am; an alchemist. Most of the time I don't even mention it, because that is not who I am. I am just a simple housewife who also happens to be a very skilled alchemist.

Once, when I was younger and so very foolish, I lost myself in my alchemy. I did a terrible thing that, until just recently, has haunted me every day since. I committed the ultimate taboo, considered so bad that even non-alchemists know the implications. I tried to bring back the dead. My baby, my poor baby who never even had a chance to live. My baby who died in my arms just minutes after birth.

I tried to bring him back, and because of my arrogance I paid the price. I can accept that, what I cannot accept is what happened to that man I met on the Promised Day. Colonel Roy Mustang, he never committed the sin, but he still had his eyesight taken. From what Ed told me he had every reason to want to do it; his best friend murdered, the woman he loves bleeding to death in front of him, but somehow he held out. He didn't give in those monsters forced him to open the gate, but he was still punished alongside the rest of us.

It's like Edward said, I cannot accept a truth that would do that to an innocent man. Yes, I know he is not completely innocent. His part in Ishval was so widely know and broadcasted that no one could miss it. He has, in his life, committed terrible acts, but of this one crime he is innocent.

I was glad when I learned that he was able to get his sight back. I know how it happened, Alphonse told me, but even if I wanted to be upset I suppose I don't really have the right to be. After all, one was used on me, though without my knowledge or consent, that is very likely the only reason I am still alive.

I saw a picture of him recently in the paper. With him was the same woman who fought alongside him on the Promised Day. She looked so stern in the picture, but I remember when I brought him back to the surface and they reunited. I only looked at the after rejoicing in my own reunion, but in her eyes I could see their history, not every detail, but enough to know that they've dealt with more than their share of hardship. The concern I saw was so much more than any subordinate would have for her commanding officer. And then there was the way the clung to each other while we were fighting. It was like they would die if they were to loose contact.

Ed and Al have told me about their plans to fix this country and to rebuild Ishval. I hope they can succeed, they have a lot of obstacles in their way, but I truly hope they can do it. Maybe when they finish Sig and I can visit Ishval and see it in all its glory.

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A/N: I am so so so so so sorry that this has taken so long to come out. Really I do have a good reason, but I still feel bad. What happened was my husband lost my flash drive which contains everything I have ever written for this site, as well as a few other things. And me being the idiot I am never though to back any of it up to my computer. So I've spent the last month scouring my apartment for it, to no avail.

Finally I convinced my husband to let me get a new one, so that issue was taken care of. Then the issue of rewriting not only this chapter, but several other projects I'm working on came up. So then came the sinking depression that follows long hours of hard work to perfect your masterpiece only to loose it all upon completion. And all the while I've been in a panic because my son is suppose to start kindergarten in the fall and I don't even know what school I'm suppose to sent him to. I'm had confliction reports as to what district I live in, and there is a chance we are going to move in the next month or so, so I'm not even sure what I should do.

So yea, this has been a hectic month, but I've snapped myself out of it and I'm back to work. But I am still sorry about the long wait so sometime in the next few days I plan to post an apology special. I hope you all like it.

Another important note is that the new poll is up and running and I need the votes and quick. I am hoping to be able to speed my posting up a bit to hopefully get up back on my original schedule. So vote and vote now. If you don't have an account I am happy to receive your votes in the way of a review, as long as you post a real review as well, and add them when coming up with the final tally. I do accept anonymous reviews so there is no need to worry about that.

Also I have a new challenge for you all and this time there is more. I am looking for 200 reviews by the time I finish the new group, which is the Homunculi/Evil people. Not only will there be a special chapter when I receive the 200th review, but the person who submits that review will get to design a character in my new story.

One more note of interest before I get to the review responses. I am still looking for help naming characters for an upcoming story I am working on. For the time being I am looking for four sets of names for fathers and daughters, two Amestrian, one Ishvalan, and one Cretan. And now for those who have seen the new movie, we know a bit more about Creta so hopefully it will be easier. I also need names for two Amestrian men other than the fathers. I've already had one person send me some names and I thank you for them, but I want as many to choose from as I can get.

That's all for now so lets get to the review responses.

I-Spit-on-Fire: I'm happy people seem to agree with this. I was really worried that people were going to start hating me because of this chapter. I'm glad you liked it.

SteampunkSakura: Okay, thank you for clarifying. I have yet to receive a truly bad review so it worried me a bit, but now I understand what you were saying. With all the Hughes' I was hoping to be able to bring out some emotion and I'm really happy that it seems to have worked. As for this chapter, it was fun doing all the different girls, and Bert. It was definitely the most unique chapter yet, now I just have to figure out how to top it.

SaturnXK: That's kind of what I thought, and I am trying to be realistic with this and as you said it's only natural that some people would not support them. Of all the girls, who were against Royai, I think Samantha was my favorite because she has a very legitimate reason to dislike Riza. I think there will be more of her in later stories.

purplestars11: Thank you, this was a very interesting chapter to write. I'm glad that everyone seems to like it.

InsertDecentNameHere: Again your reviews make me laugh, and I've needed a good laugh these days, so I want to thank you for making my days a little more bearable. I love Bert the Bouncer, he's probably my favorite of everyone I did that chapter. I think I'm going to try to work everyone into my next project, which will be a little more difficult since it will be Riza centric, but I think I can manage a few bar scenes. Also I want to thank you for submitting the names. I do like some of them and will definitely consider them, however I will continue to ask for more people to give me some name, just so I have a lot I can work with.

wordsmyvoice: I love him too. I'm glad you liked him.

EyeglassesMun: Well I am so happy that you like it so much. When I first started this I never imagined that it would turn into something so big, but now I'm glad it has, and there is still a long way to go. I am planning to do both of them, however neither of them are in the current group and everything is done my majority vote. If you want when the time comes you can vote for their groups and then for them, however I must get through the current group first. Again I'm glad you like the story and I hope to hear from you again next chapter.

Okay, well that's all for now. I look forward to hearing from you all again next chapter. Oh, and one more thing, I want to know your opinions of the new movie. If you've seen it then please review what you thought, but no spoilers please, we don't want to ruin anything for those who haven't seen it yet. Until next time, later.