Disclaimer: I own nothing
Author's Note: And finally we get to find out what Roy gave up…though some of you have already guessed ;)
Chapter 26 – Equivalent ExchangeIt didn't take long to explain their situation to the General. He sat quietly as Mustang explained how Hawkeye's bond to him had held her soul to him and because of this had enabled him to resurrect her. Mustang sometimes wondered if the General was listening. He barely took his eyes from his granddaughter's face. His eyes were filled with absolute wonder behind his small round glasses. Roy doubted whether or not the General cared how Hawkeye came to still be alive, it seemed that the General was just happy she was alive; the means were unimportant. When Mustang's story came to an end all the general could say was, "This is amazing!"
Riza smiled at her grandfather. "This is completely amazing!" the General said again. "We-we have to tell everyone! The first successful human transmutation! Mustang my boy you'll go down in history! You'll shoot up the ranks! A man that can bring the dead back to life—its—its AMAZING!"
Hawkeye's face fell. 'He wants to tell everyone…?'
"General Grumman," Mustang started, "I'm not sure you understand. You can't tell anyone about this."
"What do you mean? This is the most amazing discovery since the wheel and you don't want credit for it?"
Mustang sighed, "It's not about credit, it's about Hawkeye. Do you really want her to be taken away to some lab and be dissected to see how she works?"
The General considered this for a moment. 'Could they really do that? Take her away?' He knew the military and it's mindset, they wouldn't just take her away, they'd take her away and make an army of her.
"Besides," Mustang continued, "It would never work again. The only reason it worked was because her soul was still here. People that die, they're souls move on, there's nothing to bring back."
The General took in this information. The whole morning weighed heavily on his shoulders. "Where will you go?" he asked his granddaughter.
Nervously Hawkeye cleared her throat, "We were hoping that I'd be able to return to work."
The general's expression quickly changed to surprise. "How? The military records already list you as deceased. Your tombstone is already over your body—"
"The Colonel thought that you could use your influence to get me reinstated."
"Darling, what would I tell them?" her grandfather asked, "They'll ask why your not dead. I can use my influence on a lot of issues, but telling the military that you're the next Lazarus isn't one of them."
"I've already got that covered." Mustang interjected. "You're just a rank below the Fuhrer. If you tell them that it wasn't really Hawkeye that was murdered they'll be forced to believe you."
"And who shall I tell them that body belongs to? She died on the front steps!"
"Tell them that Hawkeye was working undercover for me researching a possible threat to the security of the military. Tell them that she was investigating a claim that there was someone that was posing as her in attempts to gain access to military records and information. Tell them that when she received information on the subject she left before telling me where she was going. Tell them that there was a mix up and that the woman that died on the front steps was an imposter."
The General considered it for a moment. It was a fairly secure alibi. The only real person he had to convince was the Fuhrer. The Fuhrer was a reasonably easy going man and would likely believe the story without consequence. It seemed that Mustang had thought of everything. "I'll do it." He replied.
The three spent the better part of the next hour hammering out the perfect details. They fabricated where, when, how and why the General came by this information, how he'd tell the Fuhrer and the rest of the military about it, everything, down to the last minute was planned. The morning had been stressful on all three of them. The General studied his beautiful granddaughter's face. She was no longer that little gangly 10 year pictured over the fireplace, she was a beautiful woman with a heart that matched her lovely features. 'When did she grow up? When did she stop being my little Riza?' her grandfather wondered as watched his grandchild lean over her commanding officer's shoulder, reminding him of things to add to a list of stuff to do. 'She has someone to care for now…she's no longer a child, she's a soldier.' Riza stretched her stiff arms and back. Fatique clearly plagued her features, not only that, but still dressed in yesterday's clothing she felt dirty, despite her shower this morning. As if he'd read her mind her grandfather spoke up, "Riza, your things are upstairs if you'd like to change clothes."
Hawkeye smiled warmly at her Grandfather. After double-checking to make sure Mustang could do without her for a few minutes, she gently kissed her Grandfather on his cheek and climbed the stairs to change her attire.
Roy watched Hawkeye's gliding movements as she exited the room. He couldn't help but wonder if she'd always been that graceful and if she had, why he'd never noticed before. Just after the door clicked shut a voice broke the silence.
"She's a beautiful woman."
Roy looked back at the aging general and nodded.
"Colonel—Roy, all titles and formalities aside, thank you." The general said, his voice dripping with gratitude. "You gave me back the one person that I really cared about. My son died too young, and his wife died too young…I couldn't bear the thought that Riza would share their fate. Riza and I don't see much of each other anymore, but no matter the distance between us, I sometimes just need to know that she's there…that she's safe and healthy."
"I know what you mean." Roy replied.
"I don't doubt you do. It took a great amount of courage to do what you did. But there is one thing that still troubles me."
Roy's eyebrows lifted a bit in surprise.
"I know that in alchemy, there is a principle," the general began, "-a principle that governs the science. I believe the alchemists refer to it as equivalent exchange. To transmute something, you have to give something up. Sometimes its merely having the correct materials and providing the energy for the reaction, but human transmutation is different. It's requires a huge amount of energy…a huge sacrifice. I was interested to know—what exactly did you give up in order to resurrect my granddaughter?"
Roy's heart leapt to his throat. He'd hidden his equivalent exchange from Hawkeye easily enough, a little hair dye was all that was needed, but her grandfather was apparently a little bit more versed in the ways of alchemy. There was no use lying. "I gave up what Hawkeye gave to me."
The general's eyebrows raised in surprise, "Oh? And what was that?"
"For almost ten years, she's been my right hand. She's been there for me day after day, through every conflict, through every rank. She's saved my life more times than I can count. She's given her entire self to me, throwing herself into any assignment I give her. Constantly there providing the back up I want and the support I need. What I gave up could never really equal what she's given to me…but if you must know, I gave up ten years of my life to bring her back."
It was then that the General could finally begin to see the small crows feet that had begun to form at the corners of the Colonel's eyes, his once youthful face had a tired tinge to it. He'd aged well, for a man that would physically register as 39. "You're a good man Mustang. That's quite a sacrifice for just a subordinate."
"She's not just a subordinate, she's my friend." He replied. Putting the phrase into words seemed to really strike a cord. 'She's my friend…I guess, before this had happened I never really thought of her that way…before it'd always been business. Of course I trusted her, and I cared about her…but saying she's my friend…it really mixes personal with business. But then again…I suppose personal and business don't really have a distinction.' Roy quickly forced himself out of his thoughts, "Besides General, she gave me ten years of her life, what's ten years of mine? It is, after all, equivalent exchange."
The general smiled. "Well I suppose she's just living on borrowed time now, isn't she?"
This still isn't the end of the fic. I've got atleast one more chapter left. If you're wondering why Hawkeye didn't notice his change in age its because the few gray hairs he was getting he dyed and the other things...well she noticed them, but sort of pushed it out of her head as "I haven't seen him while I was human for a while...maybe he's always had those and I never noticed" but all in all he aged really well so he looks pretty much like he did when he was 29.