HEIR TO THE FLAME

Chapter 15: Scar?

Maes Hughes twiddled his fingers irritibly and Roy put his hand on his childhood friend's shoulder comfortingly. "It'll be alright, Maes, don't get so worked up!" Maes muttered something at Roy, and Roy noted that he had never seen Maes in such an agitated mood as he was in now. Agitated and anxious.

"You think Gracie will be okay in there?" Maes asked him, peeking into the room where Gracia was resting peacefully for the moment. He wasn't sure exactly what he'd do when the baby... came, but he sure wasn't going to stand out here.

Roy smirked at him and his eyes lit up; Maes became wary as he had grown accustomed to Roy's more subtle facial features. This one looked rogueish, and whenever it looked that way it usually ended in a slap from Riza or Maes getting thrown brutally out of the window by some random passers-by.

Instead, Roy pushed a camera into Maes's hand.

"Snap away, Maes!"

Maes looked from the camera to Roy, then did a double take. "I can't believe you're actually asking me to take pictures. It's a miracle." Roy smiled a little broader and Maes suddenly grabbed him by the collar.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT'VE YOU DONE WITH ROY?" he yelled, shaking Roy until Roy's brains turned to mush inside his head. Roy pushed him roughly and regained his balance once the room stopped spinning. "I get you a camera and this is the thanks I get?"

"I still don't think you're Roy. You're some alien who kidnapped Roy and is vivisecting him at his very moment, poor Roy!" Roy furrowed his brows. "Alien? Vivisecting? Lay off the sci-fi shows, will you Maes? And by the way, have you seen Havoc around?" Maes looked thoughtful.

"I dunno, haven't seen him in a while. He's probably been at home all this time getting it on with his wife..."

"She's pregnant, you idiot!"

"Oh, yeah. Well, there goes that idea..."

"I hope Riza's alright..."

"Aw come on, she can survive without you for a few hours, lighten up!"

"But she's all alone..."

"I know, I know, but she's got Black Hayate with her, remember? That big guy will rip the throat out of anyone that comes within ten steps of her that's not you, me, or Gracie."

"...I guess you're right, Maes... but I just can't help it..."

"You know, Roy, you've got your whole life in front of you. Anything planned?"

"I am not... sure. There's always trying to become Fuhrer, but that'll take a while... maybe I'll have a few more kids... I like kids." Roy sighed and Maes looked thoughtful. "How many more?" he asked, and Roy thought for a minute.

"Maybe two more... another boy and a little girl maybe. I've always wanted a girl..."

"Well you picked the right woman to have a girl with; there's no way she'll be ugly, that's for sure."

Roy smiled and rested his chin on his hand, staring into nothing. "Yeah... Riza's beautiful..." Maes was trying to restrain himself: Up to now he had never heard Roy say any woman was beautiful with feeling. He patted Roy's back and Roy glared at him. "What?"

"Oh nothing. Listen, why don'tyou just run home to her, eh? I figure I can handle Gracia and the baby myself." Roy looked at him awkwardly. "Maes..."

"It's alright, I think I can handle myself without you watching my back!"

Roy got up and nodded, brushing invisible dirt off of his pants. "Okay... I'll go home then. Call me when the baby's born, alright?"

This was why Roy was walking down the street headed for home when a little boy bumped into him. The boy gasped and backed up, muttering a hasty, 'Sorry Sir...' and walking quickly away with a package in his hands. Roy noticed that his skin was brown, though he had not seen the eyes; the accent sounded a tad Ishbalan... the boy turned into an alley and was quickly accosted by three thugs who tore the package from his hands and commenced beating him.

Roy turned and stared for a minute before quickly deciding his plan of action. Putting down his coat and the groceries Riza had requested that he pick up, he pulled on one glove and snapped, sending the thugs scurrying away. The boy was crying, rubbing at his eyes and looking around for the package that he had been carrying, and Roy picked it up and handed it to him.

"You should be more careful with this, especially here in Amestris. What is it anyway?" The boy looked at him fearfully before grudgingly parting with the information. "It is... medicine, Sir..."

"Now now, no more of this 'Sir' business. My name is Roy, what's yours?"

The boy scrubbed at his eyes one more time. "Joaquin..."

"Alright Joaquin, let's get that medicine to where it's supposed to be."

"But... it's for... Ishbalans..."

Roy thought for a minute and then sighed. "It doesn't matter, if they need it they should have it."

"You promise not to tell anyone where they are?"

"I promise, and if you want more... I swear on the life of my wife and child that I won't tell a soul." He held the pendant around his neck while he said it, and it was enough for Joaquin. He jumped onto his feet and ran down into the alleyway as Roy followed behind. He dropped into a manhole and Roy stopped. Joaquin poked his head back up and grinned. "C'mon, they're down here!" he called.

Roy followed him down again and stared at the Ishbalans who were forced to live underground in the sewers. His throat lumped and he couldn't help but think that it was his fault that they were suffering this way. Some Ishbalans cried out and scurried away, picking up tents, food, and children, but there was one man who didn't move, who's red eyes bored into Roy's.

Though Roy wouldn't realize the danger for years to come, he was face to face with Scar.