A/N: Some old fashion Roy Riza interaction. Hope it's not OOC!!
Wildfire
Roy was hitting on another bakery girl, typical. The two of them were investigating a huge murder case and he was flirting with a small busty blonde. The worst thing was she was flirting back. During these situations Riza had learned to shoo off women better than an old aunt.
"Come Sir, there's no lead here," she said in a cold tone. Working with the Colonel Riza had achieved a look that discouraged any maiden from pursuing her Colonel. She gave this look to the bakery girl and nodded curtly, "Ma'am."
The woman scowled at Riza's rudeness as the two soldiers walked away. Riza followed close behind Roy. "Such a good Lieutenant," he said simply.
"Pardon me?"
"Always making sure I'm on task, wouldn't know what I would do without you," He said sarcastically, putting his hands behind his head.
"I know what you would do, first you would slack off at work then after work date as many women as you could and to top of your day stop at a bar for more than a few drinks." Riza replied simply a bit irritated.
"Ouch Hawkeye," Roy said wincing. "You seem awfully grumpy today," He turned around surprising Hawkeye "Something bugging you?"
She stopped abruptly a few inches away from him and backed away quickly. "Sir this is how I always act there is no difference. Maybe you weren't out so late I couldn't smell any beer on you." She stood staring blankly waiting for Roy's reply.
He shrugged "You could be right," he turned around and started walking "I do take showers in the morning Hawkeye."
"I noticed," she thought.
"Lieutenant Hawkeye! Lieutenant Hawkeye!" a voice rang out. She felt dull pressure on her arm as she groggily woke up. She had fallen asleep on the train; a warrant officer by the name Abatrock was nudging Riza awake. "Sir we're only a few minuets away from the station and Major Smith would like to see you in the car ahead of us."
"Yes," Riza said waking up, "I will go do that, thank you." She closed the book that she was reading before she drifted of into her memory dream. She rarely ever had dreams about events that had happened let alone unimportant events like one of her and Roy's business outings. She felt an odd rush of mixed feelings when she thought of the Colonel. She had tried hard to focus on the present. Every so often though something would remind her of Roy, a phrase someone said or an expression.
When Riza reached the door to Geoffrey's room, she pushed the thoughts from her brain for the moment and knocked politely, "Sir?"
"Come in Hawkeye," Riza entered and sat across from the Major waiting for him to speak. "Riza I told you previously that I will put you somewhere out of harms way. I thought that I would assign you to accompany an investigative group that will be traveling a few miles south to investigate the less strong areas of the fire. They're trying to find out why it targets our country and moves east, against the wind."
"So I won't be with you at the central command?" Riza said rather disappointed.
"The group doesn't leave until tomorrow evening so you will be with me for awhile. Most of the officers down there will believe that there is a geographical reason for the fire. While you and I know perfectly that human's can cause more damage. When you're with the team make sure to use your eyes and look for human evidence." Riza nodded unsurely "I know I may be acting just a bit paranoid but …" He drifted of into silence. He gave Riza a small smile, "Just have fun on your little outing."
"Yes Sir." She stood up ready to exit the small train room.
"Oh and Lieutenant I wouldn't go around saying you're a Central officer. Too many complicated questions might arise about why you're here in the sticks. I can control talk in the fort but not here." She nodded and started her way back to her car.
By the time she reached her car the train had stopped at the station. Riza barely had enough time to grab her bag and rush out to the platform following the other soldiers who were also accompanying the Major. She threw her bag in a pile that would be sent to the tents for her to have later. Her along with a few other soldiers followed Major Smith to the head tent. The fort had supplied around thirty extra hands to help with the fire.
When they entered there was a large table with maps and scattered paper in the middle of the room that several officers were leaning over it. When their group was announced several of them looked up and stood at attention. A woman about 5' 9" walked up to Geoffrey and saluted. Riza was shocked to see such a beautiful woman in the military not a model. Her uniform fitted her comfortable accenting her figure, not taking away from it like many other women. Her skin was so pale Riza almost thought she could be sick.
"Nice to see you again Major Smith," She said in a deep melodic voice. She lowered her hand and smiled her rose-colored lips faintly. Her strawberry-blond hair was pulled back in a plait that reached a quarter down her back. Her eyes though were sea blue, at one time they might've sparkled like the sea but at the moment they portrayed a sad soul within her pretty exterior.
"Captain Everett, How are you doing?"
"That's quite an odd question for you to be asking in our situation," She said, "I assume you're here to evaluate this fire from hell?"
"Quite right," Geoffrey said, "These are some of the soldiers I have brought with me." Geoffrey said acknowledging Riza and the others. "I intend to send them out in various areas of the fire. Maybe some fresh eyes will bring new views."
"Yes, Sir," Riza almost saw her clenching her jaw, "I assume you wanted me to brief you and them on the spots in the fire?"
"Quite right Everett; let's start with the hottest spots."
Riza waited patiently in the back of the tent waiting for her to be called up to look at the location she would be going to. When she was called up she stood waiting for Everett to start, "Do I know you?" Everett said unsurely.
"I don't believe so Sir." Riza said confidently. She usually remembered those she met fairly well; she had never met or heard of an Everett. Everett apologized and continued telling Riza about how they would be researching the properties of the soil where she was going to and other things. Riza was basically going to be a bodyguard.
When the briefing was over Riza started to exit with the others when the Captain said to her sadly, "First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, you served under Brigadier General Mustang in the campaign against the north. No wonder you looked familiar, I remember seeing you from afar. We never formally met. I was in the front line. We were deep in the mountains when we heard about the Fuhrer's death and," She hesitated, "Didn't General Mustang lead a—,"
"I'm sorry ma'am I need to go back to the train, to help unload." Riza said interrupting. She had never gone to the North.
"Yes perhaps we can speak later." She said smiling weakly.
Riza nodded quickly and hurried back to where their tents were. She was about there when she physically ran into Colette and fell gracelessly to the ground.
"Whoops sorry," Colette said helping her up. "Didn't mean to knock you down sir," Colette started dusting Riza off. "See no harm done."
"Right," Riza said stepping back, "What are you doing here Degore? Are you one of the extra hands for the wildfire?"
"Duh," She said "No I just came here for the smores. And to help you who happens to be as adapting as an old hag. Not saying you're an old hag." She held up her hands in apology.
"You are really frank."
"Yeah it's a blessing and a curse." Degore said staring off into the distance.
"Degore?" Riza waved a hand in front of Colette's face.
"Oh Hey I forgot Captain Everett is here!" Colette said excited. "I should go say hello, do you want me to introduce you to her?"
"Umm we've already met." Riza said unsurely
"Okay I see you in ten in the mess tent. Grab me some grub!" Colette threw Riza her card and started running through the tents, Riza lost track of her quickly.
Riza sighed, Degore was as hyper as she always was, and environment meant nothing. Riza what Colette said and went to the mess hall and grabbed double rations Vegetable soup and bread. After a few minuets she saw Colette come through the door. She was stopped by a male soldier who whispered something in her ear; Colette preceded his comment by slapping him. She continued through the hall without anymore detours. The young private sat down and picked her soup solemnly.
Riza tried to comfort her friend, "Don't let men get the best of you, all men are asses."
"It's not that, I'm used to a comment that's why I'm quite good at slapping," she said shaking her head. "It's Captain Everett, she's gotten even more sick. I thought maybe being away from the fort and in command would make her feel more sparky. It seems to have done the opposite."
"Captain Everett is sick? Why isn't she resting?"
"Depressed, since the Campaign up north, such sorrow knowing and losing love," Colette gasped and covered her mouth. "Lieutenant you didn't hear anything."
"What happened up North?" That must have been why Everett seemed sad when she mentioned the campaign.
"God I hate my loose tongue. I'm sorry Sir but I was trusted with this information and I hope you won't pry. I'm terrible at keeping secrets." Colette pleaded.
"Don't worry I won't."
The two days that Riza got to spend leisurely in the campground went too quickly. She got to spend more time with Colette who told her about her friends around the world, never mentioning the lonely Captain again. She missed waking up in her cozy bed at the Smith's with Hayate, eating breakfast and seeing the children climb down the stairs sand still in their eyes, Molly offering her some breakfast that she always declined. Riza preferred a slice of toast and tea. She now even missed going to the fort and chatting with the men that she was starting to know, shooting at the range and helping Major Smith in his office. She even missed Warren, the past couple weeks she hadn't the time to see the happy Doctor.
Now her mornings were filled with waking up early to help Smith and avoid Everett. The heat was higher because of the wildfire nearby. Colette left to go to training after their lunch together, they wouldn't see each other until Riza came back. Colette's farewell was a pat on the head. This confirmed Riza's thought that Colette was in fact the oddest person she knew and that was saying a lot.
Riza woke up on the day of her departure down south tiredly. She wasn't expecting to be dazzled. Smith told her to keep her eyes peeled but she didn't know how at such a routine thing. She hopped in the car with a few other soldiers and sat down ready for the long trip to their site.
A/N: How sad only a few more chapters in Eureka, only one more in the forest fire and then the Ending, or climax. Just to tell you this is the wind up to the climax. Hopefully I'll be done by the New Year but my schedule is busy, especially now that it's the holiday season. Spasmodic updating!
I haven't left a note in a while so this is kind of fun. I miss Warren, I hope you do too. Don't worry he is coming back at the end of next chapter, maybe. I also miss Hayate. I hope you like the new characters let me know if I could do anything more to make the story better!
Oh and apparently there is a real National Penguin Awareness day here on the 19 of January, so I'm celebrating it then.
TaTa