Disclaimer:
Phayne: Happy New Year, Minna-san!
Ed: Wait a minute! You had Armstrong squeezed me!
Phayne: Edo... New Year Gift…
Ed: Cheh, I don't need it!
Phayne: …
(Snapped her fingers… And Scar entered the room.)
Scar: Return to God's side, Fullmetal!
And chases Ed around.
Ed: Argh..!
Phayne: Tada ima, minna-san! Finally updating the Ache of My Heart! Did anyone wait long? Gomen nasai, I was rather busy and trying to think of what to write. Apparently, from the reviews I got, most of you wished for a happy ending. I don't even know whether this chapter is an ending or not.
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Afuredasu namida nara ima wa tomenakute ii
Kanashimi no saigo ni wa hikari ga sashikomu hazu
If it's the overflowing tears, it's okay that they don't stop now
Light should be shining into the finale of the sadness
Riza Hawkeye smiled at the bookworm in front of her. Sheska was pulled into the Military by Maes Hughes about a good few years ago. Sheska adjusted her rimmed spectacles and her eyes widened, "Major Hawkeye, shall we go for coffee later? Say, after work?" Riza blinked at the unexpected invitation, and then smiled slightly. "Un!"
In the far distance, she could hear Armstrong bellowing for her. "Ja mata!" With that, Hawkeye hurried down the hallway.
"But why have you changed into a person I no longer can fanthom, Roy?" The sharpshooter thought unconsciously while she stood in the muscular Colonel's office. It was that sort of meeting you have with your superior at the start of the week. As usual, your superior will brief you on your duties for the week and make known his expectations of you. Riza mentally blocked out all the background noise created by Armstrong as she wondered in her own thoughts. "The top-brass has decided that there is no need to station..." Armstrong blabbered on as Riza continued to ponder aimlessly in her mind. "Dakara, the Flame Alchemist will be transferred…" Armstrong's voice continued droning in the background while Riza's ears filtered off the redundant noises. "Eh, Major!" Armstrong boomed loudly. Riza jolted back to reality, and stood stiffly at attention. "YES, SIR!" Louis Armstrong eyed her suspiciously. Whatever the Colonel was thinking, he did not voice it out after all. "There's nothing more… You may take your leave now." Hawkeye saluted and took her leave silently, feeling a bit of guilt as she practically shut down on everything during the meeting.
In the Colonel's office…
Armstrong sat at his desk, signing the tons of paperwork prepared by Sheska in the morning. He held up one piece of bond paper, stamped with the seal of the Military. Little pink sparkles fluttered around him, his eyes grew misty as he read the memorandum issued out that very morning. "The Ishval war had ended years ago with high numbers of casualties on both sides, peace had since returned. We have decided that there is no need to station guards at the borders of Amestria anymore. Therefore, we'll now recall the Flame Alchemist, Roy Mustang back to the Central Headquarters with immediate effect…"
Mayowazu ni aserazu ni sugite yuku jikan wa
Yasashisa ni kawatteku itami mo wasurenai
Time that passes by unhesitatingly and unhurriedly
I won't forget the pain that changes into kindness
At a café…
Hawkeye met up with Sheska as promised after work. As the two military women sat in the small yet cosy café, topics ranged from everything in the military to the Elrics brothers. Silence came into the conversation after the point where the two laughed at a nonsensical joke cracked by Sheska. Riza just could not think of anything to talk about anymore. Instead, her amber eyes wandered onto the street, while Sheska continued sipping her third cup of coffee.
Stirring the cup of coffee with her teaspoon, Sheska noticed Riza's eyes showed weariness. "Major?" Sheska asked meekly, after making sure she got the blonde Major's attention now, Sheska continued her sentence. "The day after tomorrow will be Brigadier Hughes's death anniversary…" Her sentence trailed, as always, the mere mention of Maes Hughes' name brought about the depression anytime. Riza whose fingers were tracing the cup's edge paused, her amber eyes fell. "I know…"
Hughes's Death Anniversary
The blonde Major rose early that morning. Armstrong had assigned her to the afternoon shift so she had plenty of time before work. There was something she has to do that very day. Riza Hawkeye climbed the slope that will lead to the military cemetery, where heroes of the army lies. Through the foggy air, Riza thought she saw someone standing over Maes Hughes's epitaph. Since she had taken the trouble to rise so early, she could not think of anyone who rose even earlier than her. Hawkeye went closer.
"Itsumo, itsumo, I ask myself, am I a failure, yet Riza always says no… Maes, I'm such a useless man. Tell me what you think…" Roy Mustang asked aloud, with his hair combed and military uniform pressed. The blades of grass waved as the morning wind blew past. "Sou, is that your reply, Maes?" The Flame Alchemist gazed at the swaying grass, and then smiled slightly. "Anata wa Baka! How do you expect me to know what you are trying to say?" Roy scolded the grass underneath his feet wildly. Then he noticed the figure that has been standing a few metres behind him.
Isogisugite Kowashite kita mono
Torimodosu no Watashi rashiku aruku tame ni
The things that I destroyed when I was too rushed
I'll regain them, to walk like myself
Roy's eyes widened with surprise, "Riza…" was what the Flame Alchemist can manage. Silence. Riza stood there in solitude, holding a bouquet of flowers. Roy Mustang blinked at the awkward situation, to avoid more trouble; he made up his mind to leave. "I've to go now…" Roy broke the silence, "See you around," he walked past the lone figure. But, his body tensed as his ears picked up what Riza whispered, "If I were to die, like Maes, will you think of me?" The long blades of grass continued swaying in the wind as the two stood before the epitaph of their best friend.
I Will
Attn:
Tadaima: I'm Back
Minna: Everyone
Dakara: For that reason
Ja Mata: See you later
Itsumo: always
Anata wa Baka: I suppose this is one popular phrases, well, it means, you are an idiot literally.
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Phayne: Ok, burning question, should I continue this? Any suggestions, Minna?
Ed: Phayne! You are so EBIL! You'd Armstrong squeezed me, Gluttony ate me, and now Scar chasing me…
Phayne: O.o sorry Edo..
Ed: I won't forgive you!
Phayne: Since I am at it, I might as well wrap it up…
(Roy enters.)
Phayne: Fry him, Roy…
Roy: My pleasure!
Ed: O.o runs away
Phayne: Enjoyed this chapter? Reviews, my dears.