A 16-year old girl lay in the dim office, her black hair matted on her head. It flowed across her like a consuming darkness, shifting across her gun wound as the blood dripped across the ground.
The girl didn't open her eyes in hope that it was all a dream, her wish was a feeble one. Judging by the pain in her side and the warmth of the room around her, her life as she knew it was dead.
"It's alright," called a voice from her right, causing her to finally pluck up the courage to open her yellow-green eyes that were dull with shock. At her side was a young man, around 18 years old yet dressed as a dog of the military. His pained gaze looked tiredly into hers, as if there was a deep suffering behind it.
He glanced to her left eye and paused for a moment, squinting. "Your eye," he said softly, "There's some… in it… a sliver of." He paused for a moment to take a long dragging breath, his hands clenching. "Red."
The girl turned away sadly, placing a hand on her injured shoulder. When she pulled it away Roy grabbed it and looked at the blood on her wound. This made the girl jump and turn away again, this time with embarrassment.
"Who are you and where am I?" she said quietly. The man nodded gravely, he stood and turned to look out the window. "I'm lieutenant colonel Roy Mustang, you're in the central military headquarters."
"The flame alchemist," said the girl. The lt. Colonel cringed and put his right hand on his temple. "Please, it's only been 6 months since the end of the war," he said sadly, still facing the window so she wouldn't see his face.
"I'm…," said the girl, "I'm sorry Roy." She tried to get up, steadying herself against the couch. She stood a few feet away, not daring to come closer, not wanting to. She was untrusting and unwilling to trust after what had happened… what would in time be revealed.
"I," the girl slowly fell forwards, her eyes shut, she had fainted. Roy heard her falling; his senses had sharpened from the war. He whipped around and caught her as she fell, his black hair flying for a moment in the air.
Roy placed her back on the couch and moved his way out of his office to get a doctor.
When the girl had awoken her wound was bandaged and she now sensed two forms in the room around her. Roy had not found a doctor; instead he had found his friend.
"Roy, where did you find her?" One said softly. "In the forest around central, I was on a mission," said the other who was obviously the lt. Colonel. The two looked at her closely as she pretended to still sleep, she was frightened.
"Cassy, wake up," said the stranger, placing his hand on her good shoulder. The girl shuddered, the man knew her name. She tried to think back, all her relatives were dead; how did he know her name?
She slowly opened her eyes which were still dry, she had never cried, would never cry. What she saw made her go numb with surprise and countless other emotions. "Maes, uncle Maes," she said in shock. "MAES! She shot up and hugged her uncle, she was no longer alone in a world of pain.
Hughes smiled and looked over at Roy who was shocked, and then back at his niece. "Cassy, Roy found you in the forest with a gun wound one mile away from your home. Where are Germain and Susana, your parents? Where's my nephew, Cassy?
Cassy cringed as she thought back to the night. "Nothing happened… I don't re-," "Cassy tell me what happened." Maes persisted calmly while Roy looked on with a melancholy interest, wanting to know just as much.
"The Ishbalan officers happened… they're all dead, Maes," she said painfully, "Maybe my brother escaped but you saw them take Mathew didn't you!" She flung her gaze towards his in a hopeless rage.
Roy looked at Cassy's angry face as she flashed her eyes at him in fury. "I saw your brother Cassy, I saw them take him away. He's not dead, I know that much." Cassy looked puzzled at Mustang. "What do you mean? They tried to kill me, why not him too!"
Roy blinked and began to explain in a soft but shaking voice, "The officers are still looking for a war to fight even though it is already over. They want to recruit anyone young enough to be raised as a soldier with any blood of Ishbal running in their viens, you're already smart enough to not want to fight for a lost cause."
Cassy looked relieved but shaken, she began to explain her story more thoroughly.
"Just eight hours ago my parents sent us away, knowing that the officers had finally found us to kill us. They wanted to take Mathew, my parents knew that. Although the officers only wanted my brother, they still." Cassy paused to regain control of her emotions, she wouldn't be weak now. "The officers still killed both of my parents to make sure… that they would not help in his escape. When we left we traveled for a short while across the river and into the small field in the center of the woods. There we were found by the officers; they attempted to kill me and almost succeeded. Before I fainted I saw a wall of flame, and my brother being taken away.
All three lowered their head in silence, the story was one of sadness and pain. This story was shared by many a person, especially by the one who gazed listlessly out into the night sky. Roy Mustang had killed many, almost including himself; Cassy was safe with Maes now, and nothing could hurt her …
Or so he thought.