Halfmetal Alchemist: Chapter 21

"Anri, who are you bringing along?" Anri shifted guiltily and gave the girl a grin.

"Ah, well. About that, Faris. I'm the one tagging along, and he happens to be the Fuhrer of Amestris, and my nephew," he ended proudly. Faris pouted. "How's the Fuhrer of Amestris gonna help me, Anri? He won't care!" Anri shushed her. "Stop that! He's not like the last Fuhrer, I assure you. And besides, he'll find your powers interesting enough."

"I suppose." she slouched a little more and her black hair hung over her left eye. He ruffled her short hair fondly and chuckled. "You need to grow out your hair, makes you look more like a girl." She shot him a scatheing look and watched her black boots with skull buckles. "You surethey'll be able to help?" Anri nodded with absolute conviction. "Of course. Roy has been trying to strike peace with the other countries anyway, why not Rivant as a start?"

"Rivant is a kingdom... this is a... a... well I don't know what it is, but it'sdifferent."

"Whatever you say, Faris. We'll be stopping by Aquorya, finally." he looked out at the trains with a sort of suppressed longing. "I haven't seen her in ten years, that's ten years too long," he muttered. "Your wife?"

"Yep. Can't wait to see her again." He smiled at her again. "I'll introduce you to her, the daughter I never had."

Roy came limping quickly up to the station supported by Riza and followed by his entourage. Ed and Fullmetal were conversing quietly, if awkwardly, and Al and Alley keeping conversation to themselves. All in all, Leroy was looking quite lonely. He hadn't forgotten the inevitable confrontation with his father when he had finally dragged himself back to the hospital to face him.

Roy had tried to keep calm at first, but then lost it when Leroy took on the role of putting himself down saying he was useless. That had been the moment Roy had exploded at his son. "Where are you getting these crazy notions, you foolish boy!" Leroy had only looked at the floor in shame, which caused Roy to become even more explosive. "What makes you think you're useless, even if you can't see color! I was expecting at least one of my children to be born colorblind, but you have somehow gotten it into your head that you can do nothing!"

"I can't do anything, you can't understand! You can see in color! I'm useless, I can't do anything, I can't-" Roy got up and lunged across the room, and before Riza could stop him, punched his son in the face. "You idiot." Leroy had sat there, head still tilted to the side, trying to register what had just happened. "You hit... you hit me..." Roy's face was flushed and he sat down heavily on a chair, cursing himself inwardly since every muscle in his body had begun to ache.

"My father was colorblind," Roy began slowly, enunciating every syllable so Leroy would not miss a one.

"Your grandfather Leroy was colorblind as well. And you know what he became, Leroy?"

Leroy mumbled.

"He became Fuhrer. I know you were born with it, but it's not your fault. Frankly, I think it's selfish to think your problem is so much bigger and harder to deal with than anyone elses. You've never been to war, never felt any emotional and psychological torture. You better thank anyone who will listen that you weren't born during the Ishbal War. I... am still scarred by that war.

"So think before you make a big deal out of small problems! You'll never be any less in my eyes; you're my son, how can you ever be any less than the best to me?" Roy said gently. Riza put a hand on Roy's shoulder and squeezed softly, letting him know that he didn't need to go on any more, and to leave their son to think.

True, he still felt guilty, but he had come to terms with his disability. He turned to his father, about to ask how his grandfather had lost his colorsight, if not born with it, then decided against it. He was in enough pain already, he could tell. Having his mother around as well would make watching all of their backs a bit easier, since Leroy thought his mother fit her maiden name perfectly,

"So where are we going, Uncle? And who's this?"

Anri grinned patting Faris on her head. "This is Faris, my travelling companion. We're going to Aquorya for... sentimental reasons. You could do with a rest anyway."

Leroy cast a bemused look at Faris and Faris returned the expression. "... What do you want?" she hissed. Leroy shrugged, unable to shrug off a strange feeling. "Not trying to be rude, but are you..."

"I'm a girl!" she growled at him. She obviously didn't relish being in a foreign country, and found thepeople irritating, except for Anri. She had known him since early childhood and trusted him with her life. Leroy sighed and gave her a glare. "You don't have to be so uptight, I won't bite you."

"The people of Amestris are aggravating. But come here I must," she said cryptically.

"Gee, you sound like you just woke up in a coffin. You're a morning person, aren't you?"

Faris gave him a murderous look and turned her back on him, blushing furiously. "Stupid, go bother someone else."

Leroy turned his back too, feeling that this wasn't going so well. "Fine, I will," he huffed, going to talk to Ed a bit.

She turned to Anri. "Didn't you say there are chimeras to read, Anri?"

"That I did, and you might get your chance soon enough. Just don't show anyone that you don't have to walk yet," he chuckled. "They mightn't take it so well."

She shrugged indifferently. "I don't like people staring at me anyway," she murmured. "I'll stay anchored to the ground."

21, yay! Reviews, reviews, reviews!

Black Rose Alchemist: I completely sympathize with you, the oppression is terrible, lol. I might read your story sometime, but I have so little time for the site, I might not get to for a while, like I haven't had the time to read The Feral Alchemist... sigh.

Thank you all for reviewing, my die hard fans! - T A