It's just after sunrise when you wake, the general hustle and bustle of the camp pulling you from sleep.

Despite the sleeping bag, you seem to have a bad back today; it's easy to forget that sand is just a massive collection of tiny rocks when it feels so soft underfoot. At least you also had a tent to shelter you from any cold desert winds, as well as four other women to share it with.

As you sit up in the tent, you realise you're the last person to wake up.

Trying your best not to dwell on the fact that you had such a rough night (both in terms of sleep AND the reception that had greeted you), you shrug yourself out of your clothes, replacing them with the robes you'd been given yesterday.

They're a little big, but it's better than your current clothing.

With nothing else to do, you leave the tent, and begin trying to figure out what to do next.

The moment you leave the tent, you almost bump into someone; a man.

You're about to ask what a man is doing in the female camp, when his face breaks into a smile. 'Aha! You're the one my husband was talking about! I'm Hani, Ant's husband. It's lovely to meet you, I'm sure!' He tries to outstretch a hand to you, when you notice something; his arms are full of food, far too much for one man to carry.

Without thinking, you take some of it from him, smiling gently. 'It's a pleasure to meet you. Anthony spoke most highly of you.' You start walking in the direction he seemed to be heading, hoping he'll catch on to the fact that you're helping him, rather than robbing him.

Hani grins, keeping pace with you easily. 'Thanks. I hate to ask anyone to assist, but it's really quite a lot for one man to carry. Maybe now we have more people I can start asking for help.' So he does this every day? He carries all this by himself?

You can't help match his enthusiastic tone. 'I'd be happy to help you. I want to make sure I'm as useful as I can be while I'm here.' In truth, you're not used to carrying food like this, but you're sure you'll get used to it soon enough.

For a moment, Hani seems to hesitate, before shaking his head. 'As grateful as I am, I'm not sure about that. A lot of people here still hold a grudge against Amestris, and seeing you handling their food…' They might think you're planning to poison them. Of course, you should have considered that.

The food in your arms suddenly doesn't feel half as heavy as your heart does.

You're about to ask if he wants you to give it to someone else, when a shadow blocks out what little light the sun has managed to produce thus far. 'I see you've already made yourself busy. Do you have something to prove?' You have to suppress a shiver of fear; you know that voice.

Sure enough, the moment you look up, a scarred face comes into view.

Hani laughs, though you sense an undercurrent of uncertainty. 'Ah, Mr Cultural! I was just delivering breakfast when the Amestrian offered to help. Well, decided really, but my arms appreciate her decision greatly.' The scarred man glares at you, and you wonder what he's going to do.

You freeze in fear as his arms come towards you, only for him to carefully take you food from you, your arms dropping to your sides in relief.

The scarred man hums. 'You were not built to carry heavy loads. Look at how your arms tremble. It would be best if you were assigned a job that does not involve much carrying, or that will allow you to only carry small loads at a time.' Oh dear. Now the known serial killer knows that you're an easy target…

Either that, or… 'Are you only saying that because I'm a woman?' You're not sure what sexism and gender politics are like in Ishval, but you know there's more that enough in Amestris…

Surprisingly, the scarred man shakes his head. 'No. I am saying it because your body was not built to carry heavily loads. I have known many women that can lift twice their own body weight. You do not look as though you could even manage half. Ishvala did not mean for you to labour, but to work in other ways.' You know he's right, that you're not cut out for physical work, but something about what he says rubs you up the wrong way.

So despite your initial fear, you scowl up him, trying to forget that he could kill you with a single touch. 'I'm sure Ishvala didn't mean for you to kill people, but that did nothing to stop you, did it?' The man in front of you flinches, and you're sure you can hear Hani grinding his teeth together.

You half-expect the scarred man to charge at you, to hurt you for such a cutting remark, but all he does is hand you the food he had taken from you. 'Fine. You can clear rubble. Hani will show you where to go after breakfast. When you are ready to admit your mistake, I will assign you something more suitable.' You're shaking again, this time from relief. You were convinced you were going to die…

Before he can leave, Hani stops him. 'Wait a moment, Ishvalan. Do you not worry that people will assume the food has been tampered with if she helps me serve it?' You'd almost forgotten that concern, as preoccupied with your certain death as you'd become.

Ishvalan looks at Hani as if he's speaking a foreign language. 'There is no poison that only affects Ishvalans. If she eats with you, that is proof that it has not been tampered with.' Hani looks like he wants to argue, but the cultural minister has had enough; his leaving this time brokers no room for argument.

Hani sighs. 'As cheerful as ever, I see. You should really apologise to him for that comment. It was unfair.' Unfair? Really?

You shake your head. 'I don't think it unfair. If he's going to speak as if he knows me, why shouldn't I bring up the little I know about him? Besides, he knew what he was doing when he killed his victims. He shouldn't be allowed to hide from his past for a single good deed.' No good deed will ever be enough to rectify what he did…

Finally reaching you destination without even realising you were walking, Hani places the food on a wooden box, gesturing for you to do the same.

Even though there's no one else here, Hani's voice falls into whisper. 'While it's true that good deeds doesn't erase bad ones, isn't the opposite also true to a certain extent? For all the bad that he has done, Ishvalan is trying to live a better life now, one full only of good deeds. When you used the name of our God to remind him of his crimes, he was not angered. He was hurt. I fear that telling you the life he once lead was a terrible mistake, because now that is all you will ever see. In many way, it is no different to the people here taking one look at you and branding you an enemy of Ishval just because of your nationality. We are not defined by our pasts, but by our ability to recognise our mistakes, and learn to move on from them. I implore you; apologise to him, and ask for a fresh start. You will see he is not the monster you think he is. As a point of fact, I'm certain that Major Miles has also taken lives, yet I get the feeling you've not been hostile to him?' You want to tell him that there's a big difference there, but you stop yourself. This argument will only continue if you don't stop it.

You sigh. 'Look Hani, I'm here to help, nothing more and nothing less. While I'd like to make friends during my time here, I just don't see me and Ishvalan ever seeing eye-to-eye. I think it would be best if I just tried to avoid him. At least that way, I won't accidentally provoke him or something.' You're not convinced he isn't already holding a massive grudge against you…

Hani laughs half-heartedly. 'Like I said, you won't anger him. Like most here, I believe he has changed. In time, maybe you will see that, though Ant tells me you might not be with us for very long?' Oh yeah, that's right; you've only got two weeks to decide if you're still happy to help.

As the first people begin to arrive for food, Hani ropes you into serving them, so you're not certain if your answer is heard.

'I'll be here much longer than people want me, I imagine.'