When the Path is Clouded
Eboni: Thanks for the feedback.In this case the reason for the quick updates is directly related to the short chapters, I tend to write little things to keep me writing when I'm stuck on some other story. Most never make it out of my notebook, a few end up full blown writing projects ("Day by Day" started out as a writer'sblock exercise),occasionally I end up with a one-shot that's worth putting online.All told "When"would makesomewhat longish one shot, butsince thevarious sceneshave fairly abrupt breaks I decided it would read better if Iformated them as chapters.
Roy's decision to act as Ed's caretaker is motivated primarily by guilt; because he feels it's his faultEd and Alwere in danger (He's the onewho arranged for Ed to become aState Alchemist attheage of twelve) he's trying to undosome of the resultant damage.
triggerhappy, MARIA: Thanks for the feedback.
Disclaimer: Characters and setting are the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I'm just borrowing them for a bit of non-profit angst.
Maes Hughes felt a small measure of relief when he saw the small blond standing beside Roy Mustang when their train pulled into Resembool. He had been worried that Roy was pushing too hard but getting Edward out of the hospital appeared to have done the boy some good.
Maes smiled proudly when he saw his little girl run to offer Edward a hug. "Isn't she just the most perceptive, compassionate thing ever?" he gushed to Maria Ross on his left who was much less likely to pull a gun on him than Riza Hawkeye who sat across from him.
He wished he could have sat with his family. He and Gracia had only just explained to Elysia that Al would never come back from where he'd gone and that it might be a very, very long time before Edward would feel like playing with her again. Hughes wanted to stay close and make sure she was all right but, as one of Alphonse's pallbearers, his place was here.
While Gracia Hughes went to join her daughter, with Edward, the Rockbells and Roy. Breda, Farman and Fuery lined up outside the herse compartment. Farman slid open the door then stepped aside sharply to allow Hawkeye, Havoc, Ross, Brosh, Hughes and Armstrong to carry the coffin off the train.
Out of the corner of his eye Maes noted Roy's hand locked around Edward's upper arm. Roy was keeping Edward on his feet and guiding his steps. Maes sighed and reminded himself Ed was still doing better, even if he wasn't as much better as Maes had first thought.
At the cemetery the small group huddled around the coffin. Hughes knew that if they'd given people the chance the cemetery would have overflowed with people Edward and Al had helped but along with them would come those who were merely curious about the Fullmetal Alchemist. Besides it wouldn't be good if it became widely known how vulnerable Edward had become in the wake of his brother's death. They did not need Fullmetal's enemies smelling blood.
Roy started to step away from the group to deliver the obituary then changed his mind and gave it directly to Edward in a low voice that drew the rest of them in closer. Then they were all giving Ed their memories of Al so that he'd have them to hang on to as well as his own memories.
After a long silence had descended Roy fished a piece of chalk out of his coat and moved toward the coffin. To everyone's surprise Ed reached out and stopped him. Their eyes met for a moment then Roy nodded and stepped back.
Edward clapped his hands then knelt and pressed them against the coffin. Alchemic flames wrapped around it and it sunk into the earth. A headstone rose out of the ground beside Trisha Elric's. After it was done Ed remained kneeling on the ground beside the grave.
Winry wrapped her arms around Ed's shoulders and after a few minutes Edward collapse against her sobbing.
That night, after Edward had fallen asleep Hughes drew Mustang off to one side. "Did you receive my report?" he asked quietly.
Colonel Mustang's mouth thinned as he nodded. "I'd almost forgotten how much work it takes to deal with these sorts of the things when I can't just point Fullmetal in their general direction and let nature take it's course," he said.
"So what are you going to do?" Hughes asked. "None of my people understand Alchemy well enough to discover anything more."
"I can't send one of my research types," Roy said. "If it's as ugly as your people suspect they'll be willing to resort to violence to keep it in the shadows. Armstrong works best when given clear objectives and the freedom to pursue them openly. I'm going to have to go myself."
"You could send Armstrong in as a bodyguard for a researcher, or Havok and a squad," Hughes suggested. "You're not Edward Elric."
"No, I'm an adult who can clean up his own mess for once," Roy said bitterly.
"I just meant that your superior can't get you off the hook by claiming that you're 'young, idealistic and too damn gifted to alienate,' even if he were inclined to protect you," Maes explained apologetically.
Roy gave him a tight smile. "You're right, no one's called me idealistic in a long time."
"Only because you've gotten so good at hiding it behind cynicism," Maes replied.
"It's still my mess."
"No it's not Roy," Maes argued. "You'd never even heard the man's name before reading my report."
"It's happening in my jurisdiction, that makes it my mess," Colonel Mustang said firmly. "I'm leaving first thing in the morning. In my absence you're in charge of seeing to Edward. If you learn anything about the people responsible for this," Roy's gesture took in the whole of the funeral, "send me a messenger pigeon. Everything else can be relayed through Lieutenant Hawkeye."
