Hello y'all!

As usual, this OS has been written for the "Nuits du FoF", in one hour.

Alphonse stops by Ishval on his way to Resembool and goes to meet General Mustang and Captain Hawkeye. Some thoughts cross his mind as he sees them working together.

Theme: Amphisbène = Amphisbaena (a two headed snake)

Rating: K

Genre: General

Characters: Alphonse Elric, Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye

Enjoy!

Mythical creature

The first time he saw General Mustang and Captain Hawkeye working in Ishval, Alphonse thought of them as a fantastic creature. They were like the amphisbaena, the mythological two-headed snake that represented revival. They'd come back on their tracks, where they'd caused so much pain, to mend. Even if nothing would be the same as they were before the war, before Amestris decided to put a bloody seal on the sand of this arid land, they could improve, revive in another way, thanks to the energy spent by soldiers and Ishvallans.

Alphonse smiled when he saw both officers bent over a map, discussing in low voices. From where he stood, the young alchemist couldn't hear them, but he felt like both argued, setting the issues of their next decision. When they agreed, it was as if they were one being. Their eyes shone, and even a faint smile appeared on Riza's lips. Each one had their own point of view, their own sensibility, but they had the same goal and it showed on the result of their deliberation.

Wherever he'd been, Alphonse had seen peace. He'd spoken with some of the inhabitants and learned that the military, once hated by them and poorly looked upon when they'd arrived, had raised in their esteem. The school, the temple, the market, the public baths – that Alphonse wanted to test to compare them with Xing's ones – all of this had been rebuilt with military money, materials, and tools, but following ishvalan plans, architecture and customs.

Alphonse knew thanks to Ed what Mustang and Hawkeye had done during the war. He knew too that among the General's goals were the rebuilding of Ishval and the perspective of a trial for their war crimes. But he knew one more thing he'd never said to anyone, he kept in him like an inextinguishable hope. Were this trial to happen, many people would rise to defend them, because they would have spent their lives trying to atone. Even if it wasn't perfect, even if many people still resented them, they would deserve to live to see the result of their hard work.

Because like the amphisbaena who advances, one head supporting the other, they couldn't be parted from the other. The first time he'd seen them, in Resembool, soon after their failed human transmutation, Alphonse had known, as if his new body had given him a bit of wisdom, that these two, whatever was between them, couldn't work only with the other. They were a pair, each one guiding the other right on track, and they took their decisions without thinking about themselves, but wholly about the current task.

They were always thinking about the future, and Alphonse had realized they'd influenced him a lot. Even when he didn't know how his future would be, he knew what he wanted to do, and who would be part of it. Each goal would come after the previous one, but they would come, and he would go further in his knowledge of alchemy, of alkahestry, of himself, and of the world. Of Truth.

Alphonse stepped under the tent, making his presence known to the soldiers. Riza smiled and Roy greeted him warmly and thanked him for his coming.

For now, Alphonse wanted to help those who'd helped him during his adventures to find his body. And if he could witness the effects of their good deeds, he would gladly give them some of his time and talent.