A/N: Hi!
Sorry for the slight delay! But here we are with the next chapter. Also, following Legendaryray5's suggestion about speeding things up, we've decided to give you two chapters today!
It has to be said that up to this point we will be covering some of the most important parts of the manga introducing the dynamic of Roy, Riza and Ed being family without them knowing it. We will do our best to make this part of the story interesting with the inclusion of new moments of our protagonists and who knows? Maybe when you least expect it some revelations might come to light ;)
Thanks a lot to all the people who read this story! Don't hesitate to leave a review, please!
See you in two weeks!
Golden and Flame
Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist characters don't belong to us. We are just having fun with them.
Chapter 10: Alchemy: Gift or Curse
The incident with the Tuckers had been terrible. Even if she had hidden her true feelings behind her mask of professionalism, Riza felt incredibly upset, disturbed and sad. She could not understand how such a deranged person could do such a terrible thing to his own wife and daughter. She had witnessed first hand the obsession some people can fall into with alchemy but now she felt fortunate that her own father had not attempted an even more extreme folly than it was to engrave the secret of fire alchemy on her back.
The more they went through Tucker's lab, cluttered with his notes, Roy had made a few comments to her about how dangerous that maniac's ideas had become and, even if only she could notice it in his gaze, Riza was sure Roy was frustrated that he hadn't noticed such erratic behavior long ago and, most of all, she knew he was disgusted with himself for having put Edward in that man's path.
Edward and Alphonse had left the Tucker residence shortly after the military arrived on the scene after a very brief call from Edward to the colonel. Tucker is a fucking criminal. Come now. With those simple words Ed had captured Roy's attention, without even giving him a chance to find out more about it because he immediately hung up. Roy knew something was terribly wrong. There hadn't been a single insult to him or a joke from Edward and, wishing with all his being that he was wrong, he could tell how broken and listless his tone of voice had been.
With the clues gleaned from that brief call, Roy had assembled his team and they had quickly departed for the Tucker residence regardless of the work they had in progress. In addition, he had made a point of requesting the presence of a small group of military police because he knew they would be needed.
Of all the people who arrived on the scene, Roy and Riza were the ones who took the lead, entering the house to find where everyone was. It didn't take them long to force open the door that led to the basement where they found Shou Tucker, alchemically fixed to the floor, in the corner in front of them. His face was swollen and full of blood. The man had a crooked smile on his face and at the sight of them began to mutter I made it in time.
Something in Tucker's gaze increased the bad feeling they both had, so, taking advantage of the fact that Havoc had caught up with them in those brief seconds of contemplation, Roy told him to keep an eye on him while they found the Elrics. After his subordinate's affirmative, Roy continued through the large basement followed closely by Riza.
After going through a couple of rows of caged creatures, a distorted and choppy voice saying I... wa...nna... play guided them to their destination discovering that the voice came from a chimera clearly based on a dog and with long brown hair.
Before even investigating the chimera, both of their eyes focused on the Elrics, who were squatting with their backs to them. Ed had his head down while Al slowly stroked the chimera's head as its body jerked slightly. The posture of the two quickly revealed to them that something was very wrong. At this, Riza began to approach them as a revelation came to Roy's mind. Could it be...?
Riza still didn't fully comprehend the extent of what had happened but as soon as her sight had focused on Edward, an inner impulse caused her to approach him in an attempt to offer her support. Perhaps it was the position she was in, but Riza feared Edward was crying causing her heart to quiver. She had never seen him cry. When she and Roy had gone to recruit him she had noticed his almost dead look but since then Edward had always been full of energy.
Tentatively Riza placed a hand on each of the brothers' shoulders. She knew Alphonse couldn't feel it but was surprised that Edward didn't even flinch when she placed her hand.
Noticing Ed's lack of reaction to Riza's gesture, Roy decided to move closer making sure his footsteps sounded loud enough to indicate his presence. As soon as he was at Riza's side, Roy called out to him. "Fullmetal."
At his voice, Al's movements stopped but he didn't turn to look at them. Ed for his part gave no indication of having heard him. Roy was about to repeat his call when Ed's hand reached out a little to stroke the chimera for a few seconds and then murmured a pained I'm sorry. After this Ed slowly stood up causing Riza to pull her hand away. Seeing this, Al repeated exactly the same procedure as his brother.
Despite the poor visibility he had from his position, Roy could notice that Ed's right glove was blood stained and slightly torn, linking Ed at that moment to the state Tucker was in.
After a few seconds Ed began to speak "This chimera... Tucker used his own daughter and his dog." Riza couldn't help a sound of surprise so she then covered her mouth with one hand. "He did the same thing two years ago with his wife." With that said Ed turned around and made an attempt to start walking towards the exit so both military men made way for him. Ed didn't even look at them, hiding his expression with the locks of hair that framed his face.
Before Ed could walk away, followed by his brother, Roy sighed. He wasn't at all comfortable with this but he had to do it. "Fullmetal." He placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "We need you both to make your official statement on this matter. Outside is Falman, go with him so he can take you to the command."
Ed shook his shoulder to push Roy's hand away and kept walking without bothering to give the colonel an answer. Al, for his part, kept quiet and followed his brother raising his gaze just enough to be able to notice the road.
Riza gave Ed one last worried glance before crouching down in front of the chimera, which kept painfully repeating the same words. Riza began to pet it in the same way Alphonse had done while trying to maintain her professional facade to hide her sadness. Now that she knew what had happened she understood that this transmutation was beyond repair.
As soon as Tucker was apprehended and the chimera was taken away; Roy, Riza and Havoc left the residence to leave the pending work to the police and the investigation team.
Although Roy had his doubts, Ed complied with the last orders he had given him and both brothers had been taken to Eastern Command by Falman to give their statement.
Since Roy was the military man who had ordered the mobilization and investigation of the Tucker residence, he had to return to the command to deliver his report of the situation so far in addition to having to fill out the necessary forms. So, in the company of Riza, they set out on a silent drive back to the Command.
As Riza drove the car back to the Command, Roy could tell that Riza's jaw was subtly clenched, indicating her indignation and sadness at the case they were dealing with. He felt the same way, or at least to some extent. With the glimpses he got from Riza along the ride, he could imagine that this situation was affecting her in a deeper way than it was affecting him. Even if she hadn't had the opportunity to raise her son, at the end of the day Riza was a mother and had had the joy of holding her son in her arms, so it must be even harder for her to accept that there was someone so deranged to make an attempt on her own flesh and blood. The similarities between Tucker and Berthold, too, must have been something that was haunting her. Certainly Berthold had done a despicable act in branding his daughter's skin with such a terrible secret, but now at least Riza knew that her father had not crossed the boundaries of the unforgivable.
Roy was debating whether to broach the subject with her. He wanted to help her push those sad thoughts out of her mind, but he was aware that they had both kept the personal aspects of the military well demarcated. The decision was seen to have made itself, when Roy could tell that they were reaching their destination. So he simply chose to glance at Riza as she parked the car, trying to convey the message that he was there if she needed him. Riza seemed to understand what he wanted to tell her as she nodded and got out of the car to escort Roy to the investigations office.
With the case being in its early stages, the paperwork Roy had to fill out on that rainy afternoon was considerably less than he was used to. Also with Riza's help the work was completed even faster than expected. They still had a couple of minutes before their usual departure time, but after the day's events Roy was anxious to get a good shower and relax in the comfort of his home so he indicated to Riza that they could leave for the day.
They both walked through the corridors of the Command until they were almost at the entrance. But Riza gave him a little wave indicating that he could go ahead (which Roy did not do) and then approached the receptionist.
"Excuse me, do you know if the Elric brothers are still at the Command?"
The receptionist, a young woman with black hair and blue eyes, answered her. "I'm afraid not, Lieutenant. I saw them leave a few minutes ago."
"Okay, thank you." Both women said goodbye with the military salute and the receptionist took some papers that were on her desk to subsequently go into the corridors of the Command.
Riza approached Roy, who stood a few steps away from the entrance staring at her. "Are you worried about the Elrics, Lieutenant?"
"Yes, sir. I know they're strong boys but today must have been quite a shock to them. From what Havoc told me, they had become close to little Nina." Riza replied.
Roy sighed. "I'm sure they will both pass this test."
"It's a very difficult test, Sir. Moreover, I would say that if ever there was an act of the devil, this would be it."
Roy was disgusted by what Tucker had done, but he couldn't help but be reminded by the word 'demon' of his own involvement in the Ishval war. "Of the demon? Putting it bluntly, all of us state alchemists are nothing more than the military's weapons. We do what the military wants, we obey orders, and we don't complain if our hands get dirty in the process... My point is, when it comes to playing with human lives, Tucker's actions aren't that different from ours."
"That's adult logic, sir. Even though Edward acts like he's older, he's still a child." Riza replied with a slight sadness peeking through her words. The image of Edward so despondent had seared itself into her mind.
To Riza's surprise, Roy didn't bother looking for an umbrella and left the building. Following his lead, Riza followed close behind him stopping for a second when she noticed Roy doing so.
Roy couldn't help but slow down when he noticed the two figures sitting a few steps down. The Elric brothers were sitting there completely drenched, indicating that they had most likely remained in that position since leaving the Command.
He knew that both brothers were affected by what had happened that day, but as he noticed the sadness emanating from Ed's posture something inside him twisted. Roy knew that the boy carried a great deal of guilt and several regrets on his shoulders, but in general Ed was an energetic person who hated to appear weak in front of others. That he was in such a clear depression in a place where anyone could see him spoke volumes about the emotional state he was in.
The colonel was confident that both brothers would pull through but wanted to help them in some way so they could get over this quickly. Although he would never dare say it out loud, he appreciated both boys but that didn't mean he could afford to go and comfort them by rubbing their backs and telling them everything would be all right.
Roy had long ago internally acknowledged that Ed was a lot like him. Their personalities and their ways of reacting to certain situations were similar so, after a few seconds, he thought of the words needed to propel Edward away from that cloud of sadness. Roy didn't want the fire emanating from those golden eyes to diminish, much less did he want it to be extinguished.
Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he resumed his walk and talk with Riza. "Yes, but the path he has chosen will no doubt lead him to even greater obstacles than the one he faced today." By this time Riza had already become aware of the Elrics presence, so she could not avert her gaze from them. " He has to move forward... Even if it means forcing himself to understand. Isn't that right, Fullmetal?" At that point, Roy was only a couple of steps away from where Ed was sitting. He noticed Al move his head in his direction, but from Ed there was no reaction. "How long do you plan to be depressed?" Roy finally asked, insisting on getting a reaction from the boy.
In a tone that was too quiet from the usual, Ed replied. "Don't talk."
Ed's tone of voice, caused Riza to want to hug and comfort him but she knew it was inappropriate on her part. Trying to control her protective instincts towards Ed, she bit her lip slightly and continued to walk at Roy's pace as he continued his speech.
"Even though people call you a 'dog of the military' and a 'demon', it was you who chose to stay studying alchemy. You chose to join the military, when you could have lived the rest of your life the best way you could with the body you have." Roy knew he would probably end up provoking Ed's fury, but he felt it was his responsibility to help him get back on his feet. "Can you afford to be held back by something so small?"
"Something so small?" muttered Ed, annoyance evident in his voice. "You're right. People may call us dogs or demons, but Al and I are going to get our original bodies back... But we're not demons or gods." A shuffling noise of cloth indicated to Roy and Riza that Ed had gotten up. "We're humans! We can't even save a little girl! We're just pathetic humans..."
Roy could sense the desperation and frustration in Ed's last words. He realized that this wasn't going to magically heal by the things he told him, but at least he had gotten Ed to start talking about what was going on in his head. Feeling that there was nothing more he could do for the moment, Roy addressed a few last words to him. "Go to the dorms and get some rest. You'll catch a cold if you stay here."
Roy didn't wait for a reply and walked down the last few steps to disappear from Ed's sight as he was covered by the Command's fence. As always, Riza was still close behind him and, as far as he could tell, she didn't take her gaze off the Elrics until she could no longer see them. Riza was very good at controlling her emotions, but when it came to the Elrics she let some cracks appear in her professional mask. As for Roy, even if he didn't outwardly denote it, those boys were also causing certain emotional cracks in him, but he couldn't let someone inside the military or some criminal find out that those boys were becoming a weakness for him.
Silently, Roy and Riza boarded the car with her behind the wheel. To Roy it was no surprise that Riza simply sat there without starting the car, keeping her gaze fixed on the rearview mirror, an action that Roy mimicked. They both remained the same way until the rearview mirror returned the image they were waiting for: Edward and Alphonse leaving the Command and heading towards the dorms.
Riza let some time pass before starting the car. The tension she had felt all day was still there but at least she knew that for today, the Elrics would take some time to rest in a safe place.
Knowing they were both thinking the same thing, the only words Roy said to her the whole way there were Take it easy. They're going to be fine. Riza knew they would be, but that didn't make it any easier to see Edward in that state.
Ed woke up panting. After several hours of tossing and turning in his bed, there was a point where he managed to sleep for a while. Long enough for his most recurring nightmare to make its appearance.
It always started the same way. Ed would see himself transported back to when he was 5 years old and happily running through the small orchard his mom had, bringing her a gift he had made himself thanks to alchemy. The smile his mother gave him made him feel an immense happiness and tranquility but, as soon as his mother caressed his hair, everything changed. From his mother's smile, blood began to flow and quickly changed into the shape of what they had created that fateful night of the human transmutation.
Luckily for Ed, Al was not in the room at the time. The nightmares haunted him continually but he always tried to downplay them and not show how much they affected him when his brother was near him. Now, fortunately, Al wasn't there to see how much he was having trouble controlling his breathing.
Yes, the nightmare was the same as always but now the alchemy was deforming from the ideal he had kept it in. He was aware that because of his mistake alchemy had caused them the problems they were still dragging along today but, in spite of that, alchemy had opened the door for them to solve the minor problems that arose in their daily lives so until that moment he held out hope that alchemy itself would open the way for them to amend their mistakes.
But no matter how hard he tried to shut him up, Tucker's voice kept booming in his head. Your brother's life and your arm. That too is the result of playing with people's lives... You couldn't stop trying even though it was forbidden. He would never stop reproaching himself for causing the situation Al was in, but even in those agonizing moments, with Al's body and his own leg gone, he didn't doubt how powerful and useful alchemy could be. So... was he also gambling with his brother's life? Was he wrong to blindly believe in alchemy?
Unwillingly the memory of the chimera Nina had been transformed into popped into her mind. Nina was a cheerful and innocent child, in no way did she deserve to have ended up in the state her own father had put her in... through alchemy. Why, if alchemy can help people, can it also give birth to such terrible creations?
Ed's emotional pain dispersed a bit to make room for the physical pain. It was no surprise, whenever it rained or the weather was cloudy his ports hurt, especially the one on his leg. So, all he could do was curl up drawing his automail leg to his chest as he took a few last deep breaths of air in an attempt to normalize his breathing. Today was definitely not a good day.
An hour later Ed and Al were walking the halls of Eastern Command. Al had tried to persuade him to stay in the dorm that day as he had noticed his brother wasn't feeling well but Ed wouldn't budge. Facing this issue pained him but he wanted to make sure Nina would get the care she needed and that Tucker would pay for his crimes. Al also wanted the same thing but was concerned about the state he noticed in which his brother was in.
Both brothers walked in silence until they found themselves in front of the entrance to the main investigations office. There wasn't much movement at that hour so they were able to stand for a few seconds in front of it without getting in the way. Al waited for his brother to take the initiative but the moment wasn't coming, so he opted to talk to him. "Brother?"
Ed didn't answer, keeping his gaze on the door in front of them. Al was about to call him back when his brother turned and started walking back the way they had come from. Al followed him. Maybe tomorrow things would be calmer.
They had barely taken a couple of steps when the door opened and a familiar voice stopped them. "Edward?"
They both turned in the direction of the door and found Lieutenant Hawkeye coming out of it.
Ed cleared his throat. "Oh... Lieutenant Hawkeye."
"What are you two doing here so early?"
Ed lowered his gaze slightly. "Uh...um...I wanted to know...what's going to happen with Tucker and Nina?"
Ed's droopy gaze and hesitation in speaking caused some sadness in Riza. She knew Ed needed time but it hurt to see him down. This was very difficult but she had to follow Roy's lead. She had to speak to him truthfully and directly. There was no point in delaying the inevitable. "Tucker's license was going to be revoked and then he would be taken to Central for trial... But they both died."
Ed's expression became anguished and Al jerked slightly, denoting in this way how the news had disturbed him.
"Or to put it more accurately, they were killed. You guys would have found out eventually, even if we tried to hide it, so I might as well tell you now." Though it wasn't exactly what she wanted to do at the moment, Riza started walking in the direction of the Command entrance, followed closely by the Elrics.
"What? Why? Who did it?!" Ed exclaimed confused at the situation.
Trying to control her impulse to stop and spend more time with the brothers, Riza closed her eyes for a moment and said. "I don't know, I'm just now on my way to the location."
"I'm coming too." Ed said.
Without a moment's hesitation Riza answered him. "No."
"Why not?!"
Riza stopped and turned to Ed with a look of sincere concern. "It's better if you don't see them."
To avoid the temptation to hug and comfort Ed, Riza resumed her walk trying to push the expression on Edward's face from her mind. She wanted to help him through this but now the best she could do was to keep him away from the bloody crime scene.
Meanwhile Ed and Al stood frozen where Riza had left them. What had happened to Nina was terrible but now...she was dead? How was that possible? They both stood with their heads down for a few more moments until Ed clenched his fists and started walking to leave the scene followed closely by Al.
"Scar?" Roy asked in confusion.
"We don't know his name, so we call him that." Replied his friend Hughes.
Armstrong interjected "Not only is his history a mystery, but we also don't know what kind of weapon he uses or what his intentions are. He seems to be all over the place." The man put a finger to his forehead. "The only information we have received on him is that he has an X-shaped scar on his forehead."
"In this year alone he has killed five alchemists in Central. Nationwide he has killed a total of ten." Hughes added.
Roy folded his arms. "Yes, here in the East we've heard the rumors too."
Hughes adjusted his glasses. "Here between you and me... I also heard he killed old Grand."
Roy was surprised. "Brigadier General Grand? The Iron Blood alchemist? He's an expert in military martial arts!"
"It may sound crazy but, believe it or not, a guy this tough is hanging around town." Hughes' expression became even more serious. "Let me give you some advice. Double up on the security team and keep a low profile for a while. I'm asking this as your friend."
Roy was grateful for his friend's concern but didn't respond as he began to think more deeply about the matter. Taking advantage of his silence Hughes continued. "The only known people in these parts are you and Tucker right? With what happened with Tucker, you really can't let your guard down..."
Something twisted inside Roy's stomach as he exclaimed an Oh no that interrupted his friend's words.
Roy felt like punching himself, how could he have forgotten that the Elrics were in town? With all the work the Tucker case had brought with it he had relegated to the back of his mind the emotional state he had seen Ed in yesterday. If General Grand had succumbed to that assassin, even with Al's help he couldn't ensure their survival. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to those boys.
Noticing Roy ignoring him to attract the attention of an MP who was in the area, Hughes exclaimed. "Huh? Hey, what's up?"
Roy continued to ignore him. He had to keep his mind focused on his target. "You!" The cop stopped dead in his tracks as he noticed Roy speaking to him. "Confirm if the Elric brothers are still in their bedroom."
Riza, who at that moment was approaching towards where Roy and the others were, managed to hear the orders Roy had just given the policeman. "Colonel, I spoke to them as I was leaving the Command. Last time I got a look at them, I saw them walking toward Main Street."
Roy snorted in frustration. "At a time like this" Trying to remain composed enough, he began to issue orders to those on the scene. "Bring the car around. Everyone who is free report to the main street area."
Havoc couldn't help but discreetly glance at the people in the front seats. There were few occasions when that pair so easily let their feelings show through their professional facades. Yes, he too was very concerned about what the Elric brothers might be going through at the moment but he was surprised that it was affecting Roy and Riza so much. He had obviously realized that they both appreciated and cared about the Elrics but it was always their gestures, that only those who spent so much time with them had a chance of detecting, that spoke for them. And if there was one thing he was sure of, it was that he had never seen Hawkeye drive so fast and that was saying something.
As soon as Roy told him what was happening Riza felt her heart fill with worry and fear. Fear of losing the Elrics. It was common for those brothers to get into trouble, almost always courtesy of Edward, but, despite the reckless actions described in his reports, she was always certain that in the face of any challenge they would both be fine. Now, no matter how hard she tried, she was unable to hold on to the same certainty as always.
Edward and Alphonse were both depressed and that could easily affect their concentration levels. Alphonse seemed to be coping a little better but that could be because he couldn't openly express how he felt about being in that armor. As for Edward, it was more than obvious that he was not in his best shape. Brief glimpses of his look that morning constantly popped into her mind as they drove and these only managed to make the wait even more torturous. It wasn't as noticeable as that time 4 years ago, but Riza had detected a slight veil of sadness tarnishing the boy's gaze. If that veil prevented Edward from protecting himself properly Riza couldn't handle the guilt. She had noticed it that morning but refused to stay long enough to help dispel it. She could only clench her hands tightly on the steering wheel as she drove, hoping it wasn't too late.
Roy, for his part, was futilely trying to disguise his concern. Both Havoc and Riza had noticed how truly worried he was. In a way Roy was aware of that but he was trying to maintain his position as the boss and leader who must keep his head as cool as possible even though his mind was getting more and more filled with possible scenarios in which they could find the Elrics the more time passed.
Roy had his arms crossed and one of his feet was constantly moving as the only mean available to release some of the stress and worry that was consuming him. He was glancing down every street and alley they passed in hopes of finding Ed's gaudy red coat, but the more streets they traveled the harder it was becoming to control his racing heartbeat. He had seen what that Scar dude could do so there was no way he wanted him anywhere near Ed.
Despite how overwhelming his thoughts were becoming, Roy's eyesight was still actively searching for the Elrics so as he passed in front of a narrow alley he was able to quickly identify the figure resting on the ground on the other side of it. "Lieutenant, turn around in the next block! They're on the other street!"
Riza did as instructed and as soon as the car met the desired street both Roy and Riza felt the blood freeze in their veins. Ed was on his knees on the ground and his automail arm was completely destroyed. Al was at the entrance of the alley unable to move as his armor had a considerable hole in the middle part plus one of his legs had been destroyed. And finally there was a man with a dark skin complexion. He was wearing a yellow jacket and was snapping the fingers of his right hand. Even if this guy was Scar they still didn't know how he killed but from the anguished screams that reached their ears from Al, they knew they had no time. They had to act right now.
With great speed Riza stopped the car a few feet from the scene and quickly the occupants of the car shot out to position themselves in front of it with their guns ready in their hands as the man began to move his hand towards Edward's head.
Roy raised his gun above his head to fire a shot into the sky as Al's anguished cry of Noooooo! echoed throughout the street. Without another second's hesitation, Roy pulled the trigger.
The effect was immediate. Edward, who had kept his eyes closed in clear sign of defeat and resignation, gave a jolt and his eyes widened, while the man in the yellow jacket stopped his advance towards the boy and sat up turning his body slowly towards the source of the shot.
"That's enough." Ed turned to look at him and Roy had never been happier to see those golden glints. "That was too close, Fullmetal."
"Colonel, he...!" Ed exclaimed before being interrupted by Roy.
"That's the man who is suspected of a series of state alchemist murders and, judging by what I'm seeing, that suspicion just became fact." Roy focused his gaze on the dark-skinned man. "The Tucker murder... Let me guess, that was you too?"
At Roy's words, Ed turned an angry look toward the man in the yellow jacket.
"This world was perfectly made by God. Alchemists change the natural into unnatural... They twist things from their true form. They sin by defying God's creation." The man raised his right hand and clenched it into a fist near his face. "I am an instrument of divine judgment."
"Makes sense. But then... you only focus on state alchemists when there are many other alchemists you could kill?" Roy said.
"If you insist on stopping me, I will eliminate you as well." Said the dark skinned man coldly.
Roy gave him a cold stare. Even if that guy had killed several state alchemists, he wouldn't stand a chance against him. His alchemy was more than enough to stop him. Besides he had to get him away from Ed and what better way to do that than to defeat him in a crushing way for trying to murder his subordinate?
"Oh so that's what you'll do." Feeling confident that he could beat this man and even more motivated to get revenge for the danger this guy had put the boys in, Roy threw his gun in Riza's direction and began to settle his gloves.
Riza, surprised by her superior's unconsciousness, exclaimed. "Colonel Mustang!"
Without turning to look at her, Roy advanced a few steps and replied. "Stay out of this."
The man in the yellow jacket asked. "Mustang? The state alchemist?"
"The one and only." Roy said proudly as he positioned his fingers to snap. "I am the Fire Alchemist, Roy Mustang."
Fury visibly invaded the man. "I never thought I would see this... You turn your back on God's way and then come to receive your judgment of your own free will? " He began to advance toward Roy. "What a glorious day!"
"You know I'm the Fire Alchemist and yet you want to fight me? You're an idiot!" Roy exclaimed extending his hand to snap his fingers in the direction of the enemy.
Riza, who had gradually been closing in on the colonel, covered the remaining distance by running. "Colonel!"
In one swift movement Riza hit Roy's legs with one of her own making him fall backwards narrowly dodging the man's hand that was aimed at his face. Without wasting any time, Riza pulled out her pistols and fired a round of bullets at the guy, who dodged them surprisingly fast and moved away from them.
Extremely indignant Roy exclaimed. "Why did you do that?!"
Without looking at him and reloading her main gun, Riza replied. "You're useless on rainy days. Please step back, Colonel."
The heartfelt and direct way she told him, caused the word 'useless' to fall like a slab in his mind echoing over and over again.
Havoc placed one of his hands palm up to scoop up some water. "Oh, right. You can't create flames with this moisture."
Riza wanted to catch the criminal as fast as possible. From her position she could see that Edward was still sitting in the same spot as Havoc approached him to protect him. His automail aside, he didn't look seriously injured but Alphonse's armor had considerable damage. Thank God they were both alive, but Riza couldn't claim victory until the man they were facing was stopped and out of the Elrics' reach.
Focused on getting this over with as soon as possible, Riza returned to the car to pick up a rifle and wait for the precise moment to shoot him. Major Armstrong had made his appearance and, despite the extravagant and flamboyant display he was making, was somehow managing to hold him off. With the Colonel depressed near the car over the word she had used, the only thing Riza had to worry about at the moment was shooting the guy as soon as the opportunity arose.
After a few more moments of scuffling between the Major and the man, Armstrong gave her the perfect opportunity to shoot him. Without hesitation she did, but the man's reflexes were unbelievable. Despite the great skill that Riza had, she only managed to graze him near the forehead causing his dark glasses to fall shattered to the ground.
The shot seemed to wake Roy from his little cloud of depression as he stood up and moved to Riza's side. "Did it hit him?"
"He's fast. One of the bullets grazed him. That's all." She replied as she went about reloading her gun.
Taking advantage of those brief seconds of pause, the mystery man stood for a few moments to catch his breath and then looked at those standing there with a red look of fury.
"Red eyes and brown skin!" Major Armstrong exclaimed in surprise.
Roy's body tensed, "He's an Ishvalan."
All was silent for a few moments until the Ishvalan spoke again. "Perhaps there are too many of you."
Roy held up a hand signaling the MPs to approach. "Hey, don't try to run away. You're surrounded."
Before anyone could do anything to stop him, the Ishvalan brought his right hand to the ground and a large hole formed around him. The smokescreen and quick actions to avoid falling into the newly formed hole were enough for the man to make his escape.
No one dared to enter the hole that ended up leading to the sewers and Ed didn't blame them. That man and the type of alchemy he was using were very dangerous. In those moments sounds came muffled to Ed's ears. He had seen, rather than heard, the soldiers exchange words about what had happened. He could even notice Lieutenant Colonel Hughes appear from behind a car and approach Colonel Mustang. Fortunately it seemed that no one was hurt, maybe Major Armstrong a little but the man seemed to be moving without difficulty so everything seemed to be fine, except for his brother's destroyed armor. Regaining his strength and concentration, Ed got to his feet and ran to the alley where Al rested.
"Alphonse!" The armor made no movement to indicate that he had heard him, causing Ed's fear to increase tremendously Had the blood seal been damaged? "Al! Are you okay?! Hey!"
To Ed's relief, Al moved slightly backwards and his right arm began to rise. " Brother." In one swift movement Al's right arm gathered momentum and crashed into Ed's face. "You idiot!"
Ed didn't know what he was more surprised about, the punch as such or hearing that word coming from his little brother.
"Why didn't you run when I told you to?!" shouted Al.
"Because I didn't want to leave you here." Ed replied surprised by Al's obvious anger.
Al went back to punching him. "That's what I mean by idiot!"
Ed put his hand to his left cheek. At this rate it would end up all swollen. "Why? If I'd run away you could have been killed!"
"I might not have been killed! When there's a way to survive and you still choose death, that's what idiots do!"
" D...don't talk that way to your big brother!"
Al's hand came up to Ed again. Expecting another blow, Ed was surprised when the hand grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him closer to the armor helmet. "I'll talk to you any way I want! You have to live...you have to stay alive...so you can do more research! You have to find a way to get our bodies back...and even save innocent girls like Nina! I won't let you waste that chance! If you did I'd never forgive you!"
Each of Al's words were like a blow to Ed. But these were necessary blows. He didn't want to die but he almost allowed it a few moments ago. He didn't want anything to happen to Al but he had closed his mind to other possibilities. He had been so beaten down by his depression in the wake of what had happened to Nina that at a critical moment he had forgotten the promise he had made to Al. Yes, he had to go on living. He could not leave his little brother behind, let alone afford to break his promise. He was going to get his brother's body back at all costs. He was certainly beginning to see alchemy in a different light, but if there was one thing he was sure of it was that alchemy is for the people so Al was right, he couldn't let go of the opportunity to help others in a moment of weakness.
A creaking sound woke him from his inner thoughts and soon after the arm holding him fell to the ground.
"Oh no! My right arm broke, that's your fault too, brother, you idiot!" Al exclaimed.
Ed looked at the arm for a few seconds and then a slight listless laugh escaped his lips. "Hahaha, we're a real mess aren't we?"
"But we're alive" Al replied regaining his calm tone of voice.
With a slight smile, Ed replied "Yeah... we're alive" As soon as he finished his sentence, Ed felt a jacket being carefully placed over his shoulders. Surprised, he raised his gaze slightly to his right and met the face of Riza Hawkeye. Her eyes radiated warmth, relief and a comforting smile graced her face. Feeling reassurance and a warmth expanding within himself, Ed smiled back.
The smile Edward returned brought peace to Riza's mind and heart. Edward's gaze denoted the emotional exhaustion of what had happened these past two days, but she could also see the smile conveyed in it. Most importantly, the light veil that had covered his eyes had dispersed, giving free passage to the fire that the Colonel always mentioned was in his eyes. There was no one better to restore Edward's vitality than his own brother.
A couple of hours later several military men were gathered in Roy's office. Upon the discovery of 'Scar's' origin, it was necessary to tell them about the events of the Ishval war to the Elric brothers as Roy now understood Scar's motivation for attacking the state alchemists.
The Elrics knew a little about the war as Resembool was affected by it. Not on a large scale, but their crops and some of their territory suffered damage. It was also common for soldiers both newly war-bound and wounded to pass through.
Undoubtedly that talk brought back sad and uncomfortable memories for half of the military there so Hughes decided to change the subject. "Ok, enough of this conversation" He stood up and walked over to the desk where Ed was sitting "So, what are you guys going to do now?"
"Well... I want to fix Al's armor, but I can't perform alchemy with only one arm." Replied Ed scratching a cheek with one of his fingers.
As quickly as ever, Major Armstrong took off his jacket and shirt and then approached the brothers. "Should I fix him for you?"
Al immediately replied. "No, thank you."
To stop Armstrong from insisting, Ed stepped in. "I'm the only one who knows how to keep Al's soul in the armor. So, anyway, I need a new arm first."
Riza put a hand to her face as a detail dawned on her. "Right, if Edward can't do alchemy then he's just..."
"A little brat who curses a lot" Havoc casually complemented.
"An arrogant little brat." Hughes added.
Seeing that this was a perfect opportunity to take out his frustrations for the day, Roy said. "A useless, just useless."
Al moved his helmet slightly in Ed's direction, "Sorry, brother. I don't know what to say about that."
Ed exclaimed. "You're all picking on me!"
Riza smiled. Edward's energy and mood seemed to have returned to normal. Also, almost imperceptibly, Roy had also smiled at Edward's reaction, not because he enjoyed teasing him (although that was one of his favorite hobbies) but because the fire in the boy's eyes was glowing as always.
Ed snorted. "Well, I don't have a choice. I have to go see my mechanic."
Some time later, after a discussion to work out details and after several complaints on Ed's part, it was decided that the Elric brothers would travel on the first train in the morning to Resembool escorted by Major Armstrong.
Riza would have gladly filled that role but they still had a lot of work to do at Eastern Command and she had to look after the Colonel to make sure he didn't slack off too much and that he didn't think of confronting Scar again in the rain. So they would have to rely on Armstrong for the safety of those boys. Actually, Armstrong was very kind and a highly competent alchemist so she had no doubt in his abilities to be the Elrics' escort, but a trip with him might prove to be a curious experience, especially with the older man's inability to keep fully clothed in public places.
Ed had constantly refused but Roy had made a false threat to have him court-martialed as long as the boys didn't go alone, so Ed eventually relented. Armstrong was so moved to share a ride with the Elric's that at that moment he gave the eldest Elric a bone-crushing hug again. When everyone became concerned about how blue Ed was turning from lack of air, the Major ended up letting go of him for a moment to go pick up the box Al was in with one arm and then carry an irritated Ed with his other arm, leading them out of the office to their dorm room.
At such a display Roy couldn't help but smile. "Looks like Fullmetal is in for a fun ride." Roy said looking at the door they had exited through.
"I don't doubt that." Hughes said with a smile then turning to look at his friend. "Although I bet a trip with you two together would be just as much fun if not more."
Roy frowned. "What do you mean?"
Hughes shrugged. "You two have a funny way of interacting so it would be interesting to see what new clever ways you'd come up with to annoy each other if you spent more than a day together in one place. I bet Ed would be able to throw one of the sheep over there at you."
"Hahaha, very funny, Hughes." Replied Roy a little irritated.
Hughes placed a hand on his chin. "What's that I notice in your tone, Roy? Are you feeling depressed at not being able to accompany your subordinate?"
"Why would I be?!" Roy replied, though for a moment he could feel something inside him react to his friend's words.
In one swift movement Hughes closed the distance between himself and Roy so that he could place his arm around his friend's shoulders. "Come on, Roy. The kid won't change you just because he spends a few days with Major Armstrong. What you guys have is special. Besides, I guess it's partly your fault for piling up so much pending paperwork."
Roy pulled free of his friend's semi hug. "What the hell, Hughes?! Steel is my subordinate. That that brat's bypassing my authority is another thing."
"But you're always there when he needs you, aren't you? Besides, even if he doesn't say it directly, he usually seeks your advice, AND" Hughes emphasized noticing Roy wanted to interrupt him. "You went really pale earlier when you didn't know where he was."
Roy folded his arms and averted his gaze slightly. "You know I care about all my subordinates."
"But, discounting today, I've only seen you go that pale with situations involving a single person." Hughes replied, throwing a discreet glance at Riza who was working at her desk throwing them occasional glances of curiosity and a bit of amusement at the situation.
Roy understood perfectly what Maes was referring to, so he ran a hand over his face and said. "You know what, Hughes? You better shut up and let's go get a drink at my apartment before I get the urge to burn those glasses of yours."
"Ah, if only Ed were here! It would be a nice family bonding time." Maes said in a mocking tone but seeing Roy reaching for his gloves in his pants pockets, he hurried to the door. "Let's go! I've got a bottle of whiskey in the car I borrowed and a photo album you're going to love for sure." Maes, who was already one foot out of the office, returned to Roy and handed him a photo. "A little preview so you can appreciate the cuteness of my princess Elicia on the way." And with that said Maes walked out almost prancing with happiness.
Roy sighed heavily as he ran his free hand down his neck. "Maybe it was a bad idea to invite him." He averted his gaze to Riza's desk, discovering that she was wearing a slight smile. "Something wrong, Lieutenant?"
What Roy hadn't noticed was that for most of the conversation between the friends a smile had made its appearance on Riza's features. Neither would say it outright, but she was sure that both Edward and Roy were very fond of each other. Roy tended to let his guard down a little easier when it came to Edward and, though he wouldn't say it, she knew Roy missed him when the Elrics embarked on long journeys. There were too many painful memories to allow her to say it out loud, but Riza had the strong impression that Roy loved and protected Edward like a son, just as Hughes had tried to imply.
Unable to vanish her smile, Riza replied. "No, sir. Just remember not to drink too much, we must be alert for any sightings of Scar. Besides, I daresay when you are having a hangover the pending paperwork triples."
Roy grimaced. "Sounds to me like you're exaggerating, Lieutenant."
"I don't think so." Replied the other members of the Mustang team in chorus.
Roy shot them a look of mock annoyance. "Traitors." Roy stepped forward and placed a hand on the doorknob before turning to look at his subordinates. "That's all for today, gentlemen. Go get some rest, we'll have a lot of things to do tomorrow. Havoc, since it' s on your way, escort Hawkeye to her apartment."
"Yes, Colonel."
Roy walked out of the office leaving his subordinates behind. After a couple of moves around the office to get everything in order, the team members began to take their leave, leaving only Havoc and Hawkeye behind.
As Havoc lit his cigarette for the road, Riza turned off the lights in the office until she stopped near the switch that was on the wall on which an armchair was leaning. However, the armchair was not fully supported against the wall, leaving a gap between the two. Despite the almost total darkness of the office, Riza could notice a red cloth that contrasted sharply with the beige tone of the armchair. Leaning over slightly, Riza picked it up, discovering that it was Edward's signature coat.
Havoc, with his hands in his pockets and a cigarette dancing on his lips, walked over and said to her. "Oh, my. Looks like the Fullmetal chief forgot about it."
Riza shook the coat. "That's odd. It's almost always the first thing he grabs before he leaves here."
"Surely the Major didn't give him a chance to pick it up." Havoc laughed lightly. "He practically kidnapped those brothers."
Riza smiled. "Surely that was it." She arranged the bag she was carrying and the coat over the same arm before turning off the light and leaving the office, followed by Havoc.
"Do you want me to go drop it off? The dorms aren't that far from my apartment." Havoc said.
"Don't worry, Havoc. I'm already taking up your time."
"I'm happy to, Lieutenant. Besides orders are orders." Havoc replied with a knowing smile. Havoc knew that the colonel procured Riza and he was also very fond of her so it was no bother for him to escort her to her apartment.
Riza smiled back. "Well, then I can assume that on the way you will accompany me to the store right?"
"Sure, though isn't it a little late to be shopping?"
"Tom closes his store late. Besides if I don't do it now I won't catch Edward before he leaves."
Havoc began to balance the cigarette between his lips. "Do you plan to see him before he leaves for Resembool?" Riza nodded. "But it's too early, Lieutenant. They' ll be leaving on the first train in the morning."
Riza kept smiling. "Reason enough for us to hurry and buy things today."
As was the custom, whenever Hughes was for personal or work purposes in East City, he stayed in the guest room that Roy's apartment had. It wasn't too big and had only enough to cover his basic needs unlike what the vast majority of people would imagine, but Roy, living alone, didn't see the need for too much space plus having a somewhat reduced apartment helped him not to feel heavier the loneliness that sometimes invaded him. Maes had to admit that the place looked clean and tidy unlike a few years ago when his best friend was broken, depressed and desolate after the war... after finding out what Riza had done to protect him. It hadn't been easy for Roy to bounce back from so much suffering, but Maes had always tried to support him in any way he could.
As soon as they arrived at the apartment, Maes immediately threw his suitcase in his room and took off his jacket, as did Roy. Then, the black-haired man took out two glasses and filled them with whiskey, leaving them on the bar to then take a seat on one of the high chairs. Maes followed him carrying a book under his arm which he placed on the bar before taking a swig of his drink.
"Wow, buddy. This whiskey is better than the one I brought. Now you really went all out and pulled out the good whiskey." Hughes joked.
Roy shrugged before taking his drink. "You know I always try to offer you the best."
Maes smiled. Yes, Roy was always a good host with him. "Yes, you always do. That merits me showing you the latest pictures of your darling goddaughter, who by the way you haven't visited." He mentioned as he began to point to one of the pictures in the book he was carrying.
Roy smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Hughes. I've had too much work lately and haven't had a chance to give myself a break to Central. Madame and the girls are complaining to me because I haven't made a visit."
"Well, you've got to find a space, because my beautiful Elicia has been asking me about her Uncle Roy."
At the mention of it, Roy couldn't help but smile inwardly. There was no blood tie he shared with Maes Hughes, but he always treated and cared for him like a brother, so obviously, ever since little Elicia was born, Hughes had not hesitated to tell her that he and Riza were his daughter's godparents, plus he had taken it upon himself to teach the little girl to place both Roy and Riza as her aunt and uncle. He still remembered the way Hughes had involved him in playing an important role in his little girl's life since she was born, practically forcing him to carry her when Roy feared that just doing so might hurt or even disgrace the child. However, Maes insisted and since he realized that the little girl was not suffering any harm despite having her hands full of blood, he continued to do it every time he went to visit his friend, becoming fond of the little girl.
The same had happened with Riza when on a couple of occasions she was present on those visits. Once she, like him at the time, realized that she would not harm the little girl, Riza did not miss the opportunity to hug the little girl. To this day Roy could not forget the beautiful sight he had at that moment, confirming to him that Riza would have been an amazing mother had the circumstances been different. He was aware that perhaps in a roundabout way, he and Riza imagined for a few seconds that they were hugging their child as they did so with Elicia, but that feeling didn't last long because the little girl had earned her own place in their hearts.
Roy closed his eyes for a few seconds allowing the memory of his last visit with his goddaughter to wash over him.
"Uncle Roy, you love my Aunt Riza don't you?" Elicia asked.
"Sure, she's my friend and I love her."
"No, that's not what I mean. You love her like my daddy loves my mommy, right?"
Damn, this little girl is definitely Maes' daughter, she's just as perceptive as he is. He thought before turning to the little girl again. "No, Elicia. She and I are just good friends. That's all."
The little girl looked at him incredulously but decided not to insist for the moment since despite having her father's perception she also had her mother's prudence. "It's a pity, because she's very pretty and good. If you were married, I could see her whenever you came over and not just a couple of times." She said with a tone of disappointment.
Roy sighed. He would like that too but there was no way it was going to happen. "I'm sorry, little girl. But we're just friends, but that doesn't stop us both from loving you very much." Roy hugged her tightly, a gesture Elicia returned.
"I love you both very much too. You should move to Central so I can see you more often."
"That would be very nice. I hope that in the not so distant future, my job will transfer me here so we can spend more time together."
"I hope that happens soon so we can play a lot."
At that moment Hughes appeared and Elicia gave Roy a kiss on the cheek and went running to hug her father.
Roy smiled as he thought. Hughes really is a very lucky man. Could I have been just as good a father and husband to Riza and my son?
Suddenly, Roy felt a hand on his shoulder lightly shaking him. "Hey, Roy, are you asleep yet?" Hughes asked as he got no response from his friend.
Roy opened his eyes and realized he had been carried away by the memory. "Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts, what did you say to me?"
Maes shook his head. "I told you my beautiful Elicia is asking for you, she's been asking me when her Uncle Roy is coming to visit her."
Roy smiled. "I hope it's soon, Hughes. If I'm being honest, I miss her too."
Hughes' grin widened. "Well, hurry up, buddy, get yourself sent to Central so you won't keep my little girl waiting so long."
"When this whole mess with Scar is over, I'll sneak off to see her." Roy said before taking a swig of his drink.
A mischievous smile appeared on Hughes' lips. "Don't forget to take the Lieutenant...and if possible, marry her already and give my Elicia little cousins to play with."
Roy choked on his drink, starting to cough as Maes laughed and slapped his friend's back to help him.
The first train to Resembool was leaving at 6:30 in the morning. Usually the check-in time at the Command was at 8 am so, being 5:30 am the dorms were almost completely silent. Riza had visited the dormitories on a few occasions, but she had the number corresponding to the one occupied by the Elric brothers engraved in her memory, so it was not necessary to wake the porter resting at the entrance.
Despite the hour, Riza was perfectly dressed in her neat military uniform and her hair was tied back in the same way as always. On her right arm rested Edward's washed and pressed coat while on the other she carried a bag with a few sandwiches wrapped in paper napkins along with a couple of bottles of water.
For the past year, Riza had tried to keep up the habit of preparing stew for Edward whenever she knew he would stop by the office. But on this occasion he arrived by surprise after the attempted robbery of the train on which the Elrics were traveling, so at that time she didn't have a chance to keep up her tradition. She thought about bringing him some stew in the days that followed but work had absorbed her so much that she didn't have time and then... Nina Tucker happened.
Shaking her head slightly to push the thoughts of the last two days away, Riza lowered her gaze to the plastic bag she was carrying and smiled. She would have liked to bring stew today but it wasn't practical. Trains jostle a lot and with only one hand there was no possible way Edward could enjoy his food to his heart's content. So she opted for sandwiches, it was no big deal but Riza had gone to the effort of preparing them with the best ingredients she could get her hands on as well as making sure each one was full of said ingredients.
When Riza found herself in front of the Elrics bedroom door, she raised her right arm to tap on it three times. After a few seconds the sound of a falling object was heard followed by a curse. Soon after the door was opened by Edward, who was dressed as usual except for his black jacket. His golden hair rested slightly damp on his shoulders while a hairbrush was held by his mouth.
"Mmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm" Ed tried to speak but the brush made him incomprehensible even though Riza understood what he was referring to. Taking the brush in his hand, Ed repeated with a somewhat surprised tone. "Lieutenant Hawkeye." His eyes focused on the red object on Riza's arm. "My coat! Gee, for a moment there I thought I'd forgotten it on the street after Scar."
"Good morning, Edward, may I come in?" greeted Riza with a smile.
"Of course." Ed stepped aside to let Riza pass. He then placed the brush on the small table in the living room and reached over to retrieve his coat. "Thank you very much, Lieutenant."
"You're welcome, Edward. I figured you'd miss it being on Resembool."
Ed laughed lightly. "Probably." Ed placed the coat to one side of the brush and pulled out his pocket watch. "But, Lieutenant, it's too early, you shouldn't have bothered."
"It's no bother at all, Edward. Besides, I'm owing you the usual stew for the time being."
Ed scratched the back of his neck. "I appreciate that, Lieutenant, but you don't have to think about it. It's not your obligation or anything like that." Ed said a little embarrassed.
"It's not my obligation, but I do it gladly." Riza kept her smile trying to downplay the matter. "Now, instead of the stew, we'll have to make do with some sandwiches." Riza said as she extended the bag towards Edward.
Though a bit embarrassed, Ed's face lit up. "Really?" Riza nodded as Ed tried to peek inside the bag. "Great! Thanks a lot, Lieutenant. Train food isn't always good." Ed added with a huge smile.
"You're welcome, Edward." Riza replied before glancing around. "Where is Alphonse?"
"He's in the room. The Major left him there and well..." Ed glanced towards his automail port. "I can't move it with one hand." He concluded with a sigh.
Riza placed a hand on his right shoulder. "I'll go say hello, I'll be right back."
Ed nodded and Riza walked into the room where she could find the box Alphonse was in by the side of the bed. "Good morning, Alphonse."
"Good morning, Lieutenant. I thought I was mishearing." Al replied in a cheerful tone.
"I came to drop some things off for your brother." Riza replied politely.
"But isn't it too early, Lieutenant?"
Riza smiled at him. "Don't worry, I'm used to it. Besides this way I can wish you a good trip. Major Armstrong was very quick when he took you away."
"Major Armstrong is very nice but he's also very... exhibitionist" Al stated.
Riza sighed. "That's just the way he is. But I'm sure he'll make a good bodyguard for you guys. Besides I don't think you'll be bored with him. I understand he knows a lot of stories that have been passed down through several generations in his family." Riza said with a slight joking tone at the end.
Al laughed lightly. "Maybe it's not so bad that my companions are the sheep."
"I'm sorry you have to travel in the baggage compartment." Riza said in a concerned tone.
"Ah, don't worry. It's not exactly the mode of transportation I was hoping for but at least this way I'll feel in Resembool from the start." Al said with an optimistic tone.
Riza smiled at him, "True, I hadn't thought of it that way." Riza walked over to Al and placed a hand on his left shoulder even though she knew Al couldn't feel it. "Have a safe trip, Al. And please take good care of yourselves."
Al nodded his helmet. "We will, Lieutenant. Thank you very much."
Riza gave him one last look before leaving the room. As she entered the living room she could see that Edward was sitting on the couch with the brush back in his mouth as he tried to hold his hair back with the hair tie he had in his hand. Given his current condition, Ed was opting to only pull his hair into a ponytail and after a couple of tugs, the blond managed to place and secure his hair in a crooked ponytail with a few poorly secured strands. Fumbling with his hair, Ed let out a sigh and dropped the brush on the couch.
Smiling warmly at what she had seen, Riza sat down next to Ed and took the brush in her hands. "Need some help?"
Ed was surprised by the offer. "Uh.. maybe."
Riza motioned with her hand indicating him to turn around so Riza could brush his hair. Ed did as she instructed and she took the opportunity to gently remove the tie from his hair so she could brush it.
As soon as her hands touched Edward's hair, she was surprised. His hair was very soft and up close it seemed to shine even brighter than she had noticed over the years. As hyperactive and restless as Edward was she was surprised that his hair was so well cared for, so in a somewhat involuntary move, Riza ran her fingers through Edward's hair and then began to brush it. Actually, his hair was no longer tangled, there were only a couple of knots formed by the somewhat rough way Edward had ended up holding his hair.
Without being able to understand why, Riza felt mesmerized by the movement her hand made as she ran the brush through Edward's entire hair. Perhaps it was the fact that Edward had accepted her offer or the slight scent of shampoo wafting from the blond's head but she couldn't help but think how much she would have loved to brush her son's hair. In the short time she had been with him, her son had only had a small lock of hair so there had been no need to comb it.
The slightly sad smile that had appeared on her face became a bit ironic as she thought that if she saw her son again he would probably not let her comb his hair as he was already a teenager. This made her feel grateful to Edward. He had no idea of all the memories and regrets running through her mind but the simple gesture of allowing her to comb his hair was bringing her some peace since, if she closed her eyes for a moment, she could allow herself to fool herself into thinking that the one in front of her was actually her son. It wasn't ideal and she would never replace her son even if she could, but over the course of time she had grown quite fond of Edward.
As Riza delved into her thoughts, Ed did his own. He himself had been surprised to allow Riza to help him comb his hair. He had only allowed that to Winry while he was recovering from his surgery and... his mom. He'd certainly never had hair that long when his mom was alive but, despite it being an easier and quicker job, his mom seemed to enjoy her son sitting on a stool and allowing her to brush and, frankly, fiddle with his hair a bit.
Even though Ed had short hair back then, it was still a bit longer than Alphonse's, so Edward ended up being his mother's favorite candidate to comb his hair. Although sometimes he made a couple of fake annoyance gestures the truth is that Ed really enjoyed when his mom combed his hair. It was a special activity for both of them. Ed would sit on the stool rocking his feet while his mom brushed his hair to a melody she hummed.
Sometimes she would braid his hair in little braids and laugh at how good his long hair would look. At first the idea had bothered him internally, thinking that his mother wanted him to be a copy of the bastard who abandoned them, but after paying attention to his mother's gaze reflected in the mirror, Edward realized that his mother meant it sincerely, since the shadow that darkened her eyes when she remembered Hohenheim never appeared in those moments. That was why he decided to grow his hair long. He had wanted to do so when he was still a child, but could not realize this plan right away, because shortly after he had made this decision, his mother had become seriously ill and she had to be confined to bed, from which she never got out of it again.
At that point in his thoughts, Ed squeezed his eyes shut, trying to push the bad memories out of his mind and focus on the present. It was there that he allowed himself to feel the gentleness with which Riza ran the brush through his hair, doing so in a gentle, slow, soothing motion. Noticing this, Ed allowed himself to continue with his eyes closed as the constant passing of the brush relaxed him more and more.
Inhaling sharply Ed felt himself transported back to his childhood. He was fully aware that the person behind him was Riza but there was something about the movement of her hands that gave him that air of tranquility. Occasionally a couple of her fingers would run through his hair reminding him of the way his own mother used to do it. Ed thought that was probably because her fingers were of a similar size to her mother's since the lieutenant seemed to be around the age her mom was in those days. Winry's fingers, for example, were smaller and, although she mostly did it gently, there were times when she earned a hair pull by teasing her while she was combing his hair.
What really puzzled Ed was the melody. Just as Riza began to separate his hair into three sections, she began to softly hum a melody. This caused Ed's eyes to widen with a snap and he was tempted to glance over his shoulder but decided to control his impulse and not break the charm of the moment since, after all, he had no reason to make a fuss over a small detail. The tone of the melody was different from her memories and Riza was humming it almost imperceptibly, almost as if she herself didn't even realize she was doing it. But, without him being able to explain it to himself, this new melody had the same effect on him. A feeling of warmth, tranquility and tenderness filled his whole being pushing him to close his eyes again and enjoy that moment of peace.
When Riza reached the end of the braid and only needed to secure it with a rubber band a strange feeling of emptiness made its appearance inside her. This had only been a brief, small activity in her day but, unintentionally, it had brought her a few minutes of immense peace and tranquility, so much so that at one point she began to involuntarily hum softly.
Exhaling softly to focus on the present, Riza secured the rubber band in the braid and tapped Edward on the shoulder. "Ready, Edward."
At the taps, Ed jumped slightly as he was pulled out of his thoughts. "Already?" Bringing his hand to his back to feel the braid, Ed added. "Wow, I think that even I can't make it stay this straight." He laughed lightly and turned so he could see Riza. "Thank you, Lieutenant."
Ignoring the slight feeling of sadness that the moment was over, Riza cracked a smile. "My pleasure, Edward."
Before either could make any small talk, knocking on the door interrupted them, causing a shiver to run through Ed's body. "It's the Major for sure." He said with a grimace.
Riza glanced at her wrist watch. "Right, you better get out now if you don't want to miss your train." Riza said as she made her way to open the door.
"Don't do it, Lieutenant! Don't leave us at the Major's mercy!" Ed exclaimed dramatically.
Riza rolled her eyes slightly amused. "I'm sure Major Armstrong will make an excellent escort for you." With that said she opened the door to find Armstrong wiping away a tear with a fancy handkerchief.
"Lieutenant Hawkeye, I am deeply touched to be entrusted with this very important mission. I assure you that these boys will have a smooth ride with me. After all, the art of taking care of children has been passed down from generation to generation in the Armstrong family." Alex said as he wiped away his tears once more before tucking his handkerchief into his coat pocket.
"We're not children!" Ed exclaimed indignantly as he put on his black jacket and shuffled over to the entrance.
Riza smiled slightly and did the military salute. "We leave them in your hands, Major."
Alex returned the salute. "It's quite a pleasure, Lieutenant."
Riza lowered her hand and extended it to Edward, knowing that Edward preferred to omit the military salute whenever he could. "Have a safe trip, Edward. Take good care of yourselves and we hope to see you soon."
Ed shook her hand and smiled gratefully. "Thank you very much, Lieutenant. For everything."
Riza gave his hand a final squeeze before parting and setting off on the path to the dorms' exit. She was glad that the Elric's were able to spend a few days in their hometown but, deep inside, she hoped it wouldn't be long before she saw them again.