WOW. That's all I can say. WOW.
I got 16 reviews, and I LUFF CHOO ALL. In fact, I love you all so much, I decided to post answers to your reviews (and I was supposed to be cleaning my room, but, hey, I'm just so nice like that, I'm sacrificing my room-cleaning time for you. )
From the first chapter:
Guest: -bows profusely- Thank you so much! I've already written the whole thing, so updates will be frequent.
Alexis: I like being pretty. Cool isn't bad either. :P And all the other chapters aren't really that big…-sweat drop-
Frip-Ouille: -indignant- Of course I'll update! Do you think I'd leave this story stranded! (Melissa: That's what you did with Visitation.) And I had fun writing the beginning. Thanks!
Jenny: Writing ish my life. Me does nothing but write. I is well with it, three. :D
Fluff Freak: Thou dost needeth fanfiction? Hast thou consideredeth my other stories? You: Quit advertising and write. And Iam most certainly proud of being evil.
MoonYashaNichi: Interesting name. :D Nerdiness rocks. Iluff being nerdy. It allows you so much more to do than being -scoff- normal. And an anime fan is the best kind of nerd available.
Unexpection: o.O COOL NAME. There's actually a spot where I've already posted all this, but it's not available to the public at this time. . YAAAY! MAH FIRST KUDOS! -does first kudos dance-
Guest: Wait. I just realized there's two guests. Ummm…this one said that she loved grieving Riza. So the other one said that I have a great story going. Anyway. Thank you, I had fun outputting the way I felt into the way Riza felt. Hope it showed.
Tone: -le gasp- HOW WAS IT SHOCKING? WHAT MADE IT SHOCKING? -rocking back and forth on heels- I NEEEEED TO KNOOOOWWW.
From the second chapter:
Blonde Hurricane: I'm blonde, too. :D HOMYGODTHANKYOU. Actually, I am all those things, but I luffs it, so it's cool. -stares- You're evil. That totally rocks. Evilness is awesome. -high five-
Shadow Dreamer 27: -bows- Thank you! I like to think I'm good, but the computer has other ideas…-glares at laptop- And just wait until the end, I've got something GREAT written. :D -dundundundun---dun!-
Tear drops of flaming darkness: Thanks! I'm glad you're glad I updated! You'd better be waiting for the next chapter…(suck though it may…:D)
Unexpection: :DDDDDD Glad you enjoyed it. Yeah, my friend got kinda mad at me when I wrote Horsey…-sweat drop- She's a big Roy fan, and she couldn't believe I wrote it…but I kinda gave up being a Roy fan because there was no way I could compete with her rich ass. So now I'm just a RoyRiza fangirl of DOOM. Yup, DEEWM.
Fluff Freak: I know. Horsey was great. I laugh every time I read it…You: …it's YOUR STORY. Me: -shrugs- So? I still like to enjoy it like my wonderful readers do. :D
Cashmeritan: Holy crap you sound like fun. :O OOOOOH. BELLY DANCE. Thank you, thank you, now I understand about the whole rambling thing, it's a bit of a peeve with me too, but this wasn't originally meant to be posted on so that's why there's so much. :D I'll try to tone it down from now on, keep my rambling to the BLOGS. Which you all need to go see. I have the other chapters up on my homepage…or at least I SHOULD. But anyway, sorry to hear about you being sick. :D I stayed home sick last Friday. I walked up to my dad: "I feel like crap and I need a day off. Can I stay home?" Dad: "Go ask mom." Me: "Mom, I feel like crap and I need a day off. Can I stay home?" Mom: "Sure." Me: score …pelvic…thrust…? -dies from laughter- -revived- I updated! Be loyal!
Guest: Now, really, you guys need to put some kind of name on here, or else I'll block anonymous reviews. Ach, no I won't, I used to post anonymously and get so frustrated when people would block anons…so just please put a name. Anyway, yeah, Ryen's fun to write. :D REALLY fun to write. Hope he's not a favorite character of anyone's…-hums Jaws theme under breath-
All right, enough with the overly long replies. Here's what you need to know:
1. I've already finished the story. There is nothing you can do to change it.
2. I'll update ASAP, as -see number 1-
3. Please make sure you have no emotional attachments to any of the characters. Well, I'm not really…well…just don't send too many flames. (unless they're flame alchemists. raises eyebrows suggestively)
4. As I told Cashmeritan (hereby known as Cashy-poo), I have posted the other chapters on my homepage, also known as myspaceDOTcom. If you manage to find me, send me a message. I'd be interested to see you guys somewhere else besides here. And if the other chapters aren't up on my blog, I will go murder my friend. :D
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN! (especially Cashy-poo. I laughed so hard when I read your review. :D)
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The following is all old stuff:
Again, thanks to Yixsylicious for posting the previous chapter.
I type this now in the CAR. That's right, I'm in my car. Driving. Well, I'm not driving, but I'm sitting in the backseat typing while we're driving to San Francisco. It's booooooorrinngggg. I've already read the first 220 pgs of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in, like, an hour, and, more recently, putting the finishing touches (-coughgettingittoworkotherplacesbesidesFireworksandImageReadycough-) on my avatar. It moooooves. Great, 296 more miles to San Fran.
Here's the next chapter.
-lurves all reviewers even though hasn't read what they said, but knows that Horsey has gone down into infamy (INFAMY, I TELL YOU!)-
296 miles…that's, like, 5 hours. I feel the sudden urge to murder someone…-looks over at brother in seat next to her-
Brother: What?
Me: -laughing evilly-
Parents (in front): What's wrong, Amber?
Me: Absolutely and positively nothing.
Brother: -gives strange look-
Me: -glares-
Brother: -whimpers-
Me: -laughs maniacally-
On to the story.
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Riza slung the rifles over her shoulder and looked up at her escort. "Let's go."
Roy smiled down at her and ruffled her hair before pulling her to him. "All right."
Ryen watched them walk away from the shooting range, anger boiling deep within him. That stupid Horsey. How dare he take her away from him? He had worked so hard to get her to like him, and suddenly he shows up! (Well, Ryen wasn't really sure if Riza had ever liked him, but she had tolerated him, so Ryen considered that a victory.)
True, the engagement was broken off, but Ryen still loved her, and that meant he could not allow Riza to be happy with someone other than himself. So a plan began formulating in Ryen's mind.
Don't make a plan like that! The nice part of his mind scolded him.
Why not? Demanded the evil part. (Yep. They're back. They make Yixsh giggle. XD)
It's not nice.
What kind of excuse is that?
A good one.
Psht.
Well, then carry it out after the funeral.
What funeral?
Her father died, you idiot.
Oh.
OH? HER FATHER DIED AND ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY IS OH?
Well, I didn't know.
How could you not know? Richard was a leading member of this community—
Translate, please.
He's well known, stupid.
QUIT CALLING ME STUPID!
I only called you stupid once.
Well…don't do it again!
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Riza walked down the path hand in hand with her superior, quietly brooding.
"I've told you before to stop brooding," he murmured as they passed a few townspeople.
Riza turned and waved at them. "I'm not brooding, Roy," she sighed.
"Yes, you are."
"All right, so what if I am?"
Roy blinked, surprised at her sudden relentance. "Well…"
"See, there's nothing wrong with it."
"Yes, there is."
"What then?"
"You need to keep your mind off it."
"Well, what am I supposed to do?"
"I'll keep you occupied."
She looked at him strangely. "Somehow, hearing you say that makes it sound like you're going to rape me."
That made him laugh. "Maybe I should, then."
She let go of his hand and drew her gun in one fluid motion, pointing it squarely at his forehead. "Do it and you die, sir."
Roy only blinked at her before laughing and pulling her back to him. He kissed her cheek and put his arm around her. "Of course not, Lieutenant. Never with you."
Riza smiled and reholstered the gun. "You'd better not," she warned before taking the guns off her shoulder and handing them to him.
Roy stared at them blankly. "What?"
"Hold them."
"Why?"
"You're supposed to be a gentleman, so hold."
"Yes, ma'am."
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They arrived at the house to find Riza's sisters wide awake, and being force fed by Sim, who had apparently taken over the Hawkeye household.
"Riza dear," Sim greeted them jovially. "And Mr. Mustang. How was your walk?"
"Fine, thank you." Riza bypassed Sim and headed straight for her sisters.
Anna swept her up into a hug, although Anna was slightly shorter. "Riza, he was too young," Anna sobbed in a fresh new wave of tears.
Riza held her sister, and Sammy immediately ran and embraced her as well. "Rii-chan, you've been gone too long."
"Shush. Shush, Anna," ordered Riza sternly, as her sister gradually quieted. "I'm here now, okay? So just shush." She waited until they were completely done crying to talk. (That was confuzzling. 0.o) "I know I took awhile to get here, but I'm here now, right?"
Anna sniffled. "I suppose." She let go of her sister and wiped her eyes.
"Roy, come here," she commanded. Roy meekly came to her side.
"Anna, Sam, this is Roy Mustang. Roy, this is my older sister Anna and my younger sister Samantha." She chuckled when Sammy glared at her, and added, "Sammy."
Roy bowed to them, and Anna laughed and nudged her sister suggestively.
"Don't even go there, Anna," Riza warned, taking her rifles from Roy and stowing them in a corner.
(RAMBLING TIME! (EDIT: Sorry, Cashy-poo. :D)
Yes! We are in San Francisco! I'm in the hotel room right now, lamenting the fact that our PS2 won't hook up. -teartearteartear- And listening to the people next door laugh their heads off. -very annoyed-
Y'all are probably saying: "It's taken you 5 HOURS to write that little bit?" Well, no it hasn't, because my laptop almost died, and my dad forgot to bring his car adapter, so I had to turn it off. THEN I couldn't watch FMA on my dad's laptop because he forgot the adapter, so I ended up reading Harry Potter. AGAIN. I swear, the only thing that kept me decently sane was the second FMA soundtrack.-totally memorized it after 7 HOURS in the car- / Here comes the nerd. Nerdnerdnerdnerdnerdnerdnerd.)
Anna smiled innocently. "Of course not."
"Where's Mom?" asked Riza.
"Upstairs," answered Sammy. "She's been bawling her eyes out—"
"No bagging on your mother, Samantha Rose," said Sim sternly from the stove. "Her husband of 28 years died, so she has absolute rights to—how'd you put it? —bawl her eyes out."
Sammy rolled her eyes.
"I saw that, Sam," commented Riza as she sat down at the table. Roy sat down next to her. "And I agree with Sim. Mom'll have her hands full more than us. Well," she added dryly, looking at her superior. "I'll be up to my ears in paperwork when we go back, considering how subtly inadequate our department is. Not to mention I do it all anyway."
Roy looked hurt. "I do it, too," he protested.
"When it's convenient for you."
"That's true. I do procrastinate once in a while—"
"No, you have mastered the art of procrastination, sir." She smiled at him, not unkindly.
Roy kissed her cheek. "That's true."
Sammy giggled, and they suddenly remembered they had spectators. Riza looked at the rest of the room, a light blush spreading over her cheeks. Roy only grinned.
"I thought it was illegal, Riza," remarked Sim dryly.
"I refuse to pursue the topic further," retorted Riza, leaning against Roy and looking at Anna, who was relaxing on the couch in the living room.
Sammy giggled again. "Roy and Riza, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G—"
"Don't be immature, Sam," snapped Riza. "It's perfectly normal in people our age."
Anna looked over at them interestedly. "How old are you anyway?" she asked Roy.
Roy looked down at Riza, who glared at him. "Old enough," he answered comfortably, settling in the chair. "What about you?" he asked.
"Me?" Anna pointed to herself, and Roy nodded. "27," she answered with a grin.
"I'm 14," piped up Sammy.
Riza ruffled her sister's hair. "When's your birthday again?"
"Rii-chan!" Sammy looked thoroughly disappointed. "You don't remember?"
"Well, with his birthday—" she pointed to Roy—"Anna's birthday, mom's birthday, Breda's birthday, Cain's birthday, Vato's birthday, Fuhrer Bradley's birthday, Ed's birthday, Al's birthday, Havoc's birthday—" she took a deep breath and continued—"Hayate's birthday, Gracia's birthday, Elysia's birthday, Winry's birthday, and Sim's birthday, not to mention the various holidays throughout the season, I'm absolutely swamped, Sam." Riza smiled at her sister's—and Roy's—openmouthed surprise.
"Well, then, I suppose I can forgive you," said Sammy grudgingly.
"You'd better," called Anna from the couch. "I wouldn't be surprised if she still had her holsters."
"Of course I do, Anna," replied Riza, grinning. "You think Dad would teach me—" She fell silent at the mention of her father.
A stuffy silence grew and stretched between them. Sim left the room quietly, unnoticed by anyone but Roy, as the sisters were staring at their hands. A knock on the door startled them out of their reverie, and Roy stood to answer it, upsetting Riza, who had been leaning against him.
"Hello, dear!" The lady at the door swooped in and kissed Roy on both cheeks, causing Riza to become slightly red. "You must be one of the girls' husbands!"
Anna looked curiously over the couch back at the visitor before sinking into the seat. "Ryen's mom," she mouthed at Riza and Sammy, who immediately looked horrified.
"Riza, daaarrrrrling!" Mrs. Mistursbdwiohila said in her loud voice, embracing Riza in her clawlike grip. (As I am EXTREMELY out of practice in descriptions, imagine someone like Neville's grandma (GOD I'm such a HP nerd))
"H-hello, Mrs. M," Riza managed to gasp. "How are you?"
"And Saaaamannnnntha! How absolutely LOVELY!" She released Riza and hugged Sammy, who struggled against the embrace. "Wheeeeeeeere is yoooooouuuur sister?" she said, her voice so loud it was like she was shouting. She dragged out certain words, making it difficult for Riza to understand her.
"Anna?" Riza sneaked a glance at the couch. "Upstairs, taking a nap." She distinctly heard the couch sigh with relief.
"I heard about your faaaaatherrrrr!" Mrs. M yelled. "Soooo sorryyyyyy!"
Riza winced, and Roy came over to stand next to her.
"This must be yooooouuuuuur husband, Riiiiiiiizaaaaaa!" Mrs. M looked at him skeptically. "Of coooouuuuuurrssseee, he doesn't measure up to myyyyy son!"
"He's not my husband, Mrs. M."
"Oh, reeeeealllllyyy!"
"Yes."
"Then you're still avaaaaaaiiiilllllable?"
"No."
"But whhhhhyyyyyyy not?"
"I can't get married now, Mrs. M."
"But whhhyyyyy ever nooooottttt?"
"I have a life. And a job, which is more than your son can say."
Mrs. Mistursbdwiohila gaped at her, and promptly turned and left, slamming the door behind her.
"You owe me for that, Anna," Riza said, leaning against Roy wearily. He put his arms around her.
"Who was that?" he asked.
"Ryen's mother," Sammy answered, fishing some tea out of the cupboard and putting a kettle on the stove.
"I see where he gets his good looks from." Roy grinned down at Riza, and she smiled tiredly up at him.
"Do we have any coffee, Sammy?" Anna asked from the couch. "As I remember it, Riza always liked coffee."
Sammy bounced over to the cupboard and shook her head after looking inside. "Nope, we're fresh out."
"I'll go run down and get some." Riza took her jacket off the hanger and slipped it on gingerly over her shoulder holsters.
Roy immediately moved to go with her, and Anna smiled wryly. "Have fun, guys." She waved at them and picked up a book from the coffee table.
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Riza walked silently down the road like she had earlier that morning, Roy behind her with his hands in his pockets.
"Did you really mean what you said about marriage earlier, Riza?" Roy asked softly.
Riza looked up quickly, slowing down to walk next to him. "Why?"
"Because I intended to ask you if you'd like to marry me after your father's funeral." He sighed and looked up at the sky. "But if that's how you feel—"
"B-b-but, sir!" Riza stammered, looking uncharacteristically thoroughly flustered and stopping dead in her tracks. "W-we could never marry! It's n-not allowed!"
"I knew you'd say that." He looked back over at her and smiled before continuing to walk.
Truth be told, Riza would very much like to marry Roy and become Riza Mustang. Watching him walking alone ahead of her pained her. Roy wasn't a person who walked alone. Or be could be left to walk alone.
She hurried to catch up with him, slipping her arm into the crook of his. He looked down at her, surprised.
"We'll see how it goes, okay?" She smiled.
A pained, stressed smile, Roy noted. She was trying, and he loved her for it.
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Hopefully this is back up to my normal standard. -coughyouknowwhoyouarecough-
Thanks again to all reviewers, as well as Yixsy-poo (yes, Lissa, Yixsy-poo) for posting the previous chapter. You're welcome for the privilege of reading it first. I'd hoped you'd like it.
Less of Ryen this time 'round, just more drabbly boredom cuz I haven't fleshed out his character yet. One more chapter before the story ends. . A big one, though. I promise. Maybe two, if I can get a decent plot branch-off idea. Xx;;
Stupid school. Stupid honors classes that suck out your creative spirit and replace them with built-in Biology and Shakespearean crap that no one really uses in the real world except to be absolute and complete freaks so that they can quote it to you and you can look stupid beyond belief during class--deep breath--and so you can spend your time writing notes to all your otaku buddies or drawing or reading manga or reading Eldest for the 17 billionth time or doodling all over your notebooks or writing more pitiful RoyRiza stories that take up all of your time to type onto your laptop so you won't finish your homework and get B's again so your parents can yell at you--deep breath again--so that you won't get to fly out to Idaho like your parents have been dangling over your head ever since you told them that you had two friends out there you would very much like to see again so then they can blackmail you with the info and then when you tell them that it's not a big deal, they can yell at you and say you're only saying that because you're getting bad grades.
Review, please.