Rising From the Ashes
by Nyassa Kaiba
First off, I'm changing my name to Gwen Waverider to reflect my persona on Pern and certain other sites. I'm sorry for the inconvenience this may cause you in trying to find me. But I figure a change of name is necessary after all this time. Nyassa Kaiba was a fourteen year old school girl in my fanfiction, she reflected who I /was./ Gwen Waverider is in two different stories, a 20 year old bluerider and mother in Southern Weyr's Firedance Wing on Soucon MUSH and Motoko's Girlfriend in my mega crossover elseweb, Gatekeepers: Shadow Hacker Chronicles. If anybody wants to hear the entire story behind Gwen's twisted tale of woe or a link to Soucon MUSH RPG, PM me for the URL.
Okay, we've established an angsty homunculus named Maes Hueghs. How shall Roy and Riza and the others find out? What's Elysia gonna do without her mommy? BAWL
Here's my first three reviews!!!
QuikSylver
At this point I'm debating whether she went insane because she lost Maes and tried it herself the way the Elrics did or your friendly neighborhood homunculus pointed her in the right direction or a combination of the two. Maes, once he recovers from the grief of losing Gracia and the 'ZOMG I'm alive again with no soul' factor will take in Elysia.
CrystalShifter
I'm mostly going for plot, and angst, but I'm /aiming/ for at least one lemon, maybe even a three way. There's gonna be just one other new homunculus in this story if I can manage it, but she's an OC and won't show up that much.
VadMustang
Wrath is more worried about Elysia. He could care /less/ about Gracia /or/ Maes. Psychologically he's comparing Gracia killing herself with Izumi tossing him to the gates. Added, if Homunculus Maes dies at generation, and Dante finds out that there's something Wrath could have done to save him and get her a spy? How badly do you think Wrath will be tortured afterwards?
(sobs) I'm so happy! Never in my /entire/ life have I gotten three reviews inside of fourty eight hours! (bawls) Its so beautiful.
Alphonse: Here, have a tissue.
Where'd you get those?
Alphonse: They were on your desk, there's a note. And they've got little Tachikoma printed on them.
Note: Dear Nyassa, don't be a sap just finish the freaking story. -Batou
Nyassa: SQUEEEEE!!!! I have a fanletter from Batou!!! (Bawls harder)
Edward: (knocks over the head) Hey! Quit the water works and give us the chapter!
Alphonse: (cutely) Am /I/ in it?
You get to babysit Elysia.
Alphonse: Hey! I don't wanna be a nanny!
Tough. You'll get your turn.
Ed: Please no Elricest.
I wouldn't dream of it. Not unless it were a Pern cross and there was a mating flight going on. Hmm… with the gate that's always possible.
The poll is in! Eleven members of the FMA cast took the following personality quiz, these are the results!!!
Which Pern dragon color would each FMA character ride?
Edward-Blue (wait? They're small! Whose dragon are you calling so small! He can fit through a needle????)
Alphonse- Brown
Roy- bronze
Izumi- Gold all the way baby!
Winry- Green, (because they're the smartest)
Maes- Brown
Armstrong- A big, strong, buff and beautiful brown! Such a creature is /truly/ worthy of the Armstrong line!
Riza- GOTTA BE A GREENIE! They get to fly really fast and set things on fire! (Roy: They /all/ do that.)
Lust- Green too! Because green is such a /sexy/ color.
Archer- a /very/ cold blue, they're sleek and smart and just the right blend of speed and craftiness
Scar- a very dark and dusty brown
WE WANT YAOI LETS GO! WOOT WOOT! WE WANT YAOI LETS GO! WOOT!
It was early morning when Riza, Ed, Roy and Alphonse were on their way to the office. Roy had found a book among some of his older sister's old things of healing alchemy. Edward wanted to borrow it. "Healing isn't really my talent," He said. "but if it might keep me from losing another friend I'll learn it the best I can."
"Among alchemists healing is a very rare talent." Replied Riza. "My grandmother could, even though I didn't pick up any alchemic talent."
"That's also why state alchemists like Marcoh are so valuable." Roy explained. "But healing alchemy is also a /really/ great physical strain. Its thought to be one step away from human transmutation, which is why its so difficult. And if you've got a soldier who would die otherwise, critically wounded, you could still save his life, but the backlash varies. Some alchemists who try healing somebody like that black out for days afterwards. Some get depressed for a week or two or feel like they have low energy. And some end up feverish or in great pain. You have to be /really/ cautious about using it."
"here's Gracia's." Said Riza as she stopped the car.
The four of them had established a routine. Riza, usually the first of Mustang's crew to get up in the morning, would go out early with the car, she'd pick up the Elrics, who were closest, then Roy, and the four of them would stop at Gracias to say good morning, have a cup of coffee, sometimes even eat breakfast if they'd skipped. Gracia had treats for them and Elysia had pictures and once she even made a toy for Black Hayate!
But today the house was silent, while normally pancakes could be smelled even from outside the door, not a whiff of anything edible could be percieved by those outside. The lights were off, except for Elysia's room.
Roy looked around. "Something's not right here."
"I know." Edward replied as he changed his arm into a blade preparatory to a fight.
Riza loaded and cocked her pistol. Then she knocked. "Gracia? Its us! Are you alright in there?"
No answer.
"Gracia! Talk to us!" Edward cried, louder than Riza had.
The light in Elysia's room went out.
Just when Roy was about to kick down the door it opened a crack. Elysia poked her head out, then burst into tears and ran to Riza. "AUNTIE RIZA! UNCKIE ROY!" She bawled. "Mommy's gone! I woke up and she was gone! She got all this stuff from the drugstore the other day, then this morning the stuff she got was gone and so was SHE!!!"
Something wasn't settling right in Edwards stomach. "Did you see some of the things she got?"
"Um… there was iron, and calcium, and some small vials I couldn't identify, salt peter too. But when I found that stuff she chased me out of where she'd hid it. She had a lot of books in the same space too." Elysia said, not really getting the five alarmbells the way Edward, Alphonse and Roy were.
"Shit." Roy swore.
"What?" Riza asked.
"Elysia, this is very important." Alphonse said, hunkering down so he was on eye level with the child. "Can you tell us where she hid these books? So we can see what she was trying to do?"
"SURE!" Elysia hiccuped. Anything was better than waiting alone in an empty house.
Riza fell back with Edward and whispered. "What do you know that I don't?"
"That all the materials needed for a human transmutation can potentially be bought at a pharmacy." Replied Edward. "And that those are three of them."
Riza gasped, covering her mouth. "Then we shouldn't be…"
"We need to find out if she /really/ was going to do it." Edward pointed out. "Then have Alphonse look after Elysia while the three of us go look. She must have been suicidal or something!"
Riza nodded.
It was a bolt hole alright. Elysia carefully rolled away the rug in her mother's room, then started prying at the floorboards. "Ed, its right under here! Please? I had grampa's old hunting knife to open it last time, but mom hid that too!" Elysia's small shoulders strained at the clasp that Gracia had used to keep it closed.
Edward didn't even bother with alchemy, since his arm was already transmuted he forcefully broke open the floorboards.
Book upon book of alchemy. And unfortunately for Edwards intuition, except for several books about basics, and teaching it, some of them /very/ old, far too many had to do with the forbidden art. He held one up. "We need to go visit Maes gravesite." He said gravely. "But something tells me we're already too late."
"How long… did it take you Edward?" Riza had never asked questions about how Edward had managed to ruin his life.
"Six months to learn the proper array, an hour at the drugstore to get the items, and two hours to make the array. After that all it takes is about thirty seconds and there's no going back." Edward ran for the car. "I don't think there will be anything left when we get there, but if there's even the chance she's still alive!!"
"Agreed." Roy got into the car.
Riza started the engine, and broke most of the traffic laws and every law of physics to try and get to the military graveyard.
Alphonse meanwhile tried to reach the office. "Central HQ this is Cheska speaking."
"Cheska! We need your help! Split up, send half the group to Gracia's house as a guard, send the other half to the Military graveyard where they buried Hughes."
"Why? What's wrong Alphonse? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Not a ghost Cheska." Alphonse stated as he hung up the phone.
Mustang didn't even wait for the car to stop completely, he ran, Edward and Riza on his heals, and when he reached the hilltop he froze.
The burn marks from the transmute circle had long since stopped smoking, but the scorch marks from it and the alchemic energy that had escaped during the actual transmutation were still there. And there, as naked as the day he was born, lying limply in the grass, was Hughes. "MAES!" Roy cried, running to the other, pulling him into his arms. "Riza! There's a blanket in the car! Get it! Hurry!" Roy gently turned the other man over, holding him tightly.
Hughes was still unconscious, but on his right cheek was the tattoo any alchemist dreaded, a red serpent, eating its own tail to stave off its eternal hunger, the hunger for a soul.
Roy Mustang, for the one time in his life, started to cry in public. He didn't care if Edward saw him, or Riza, he just started crying, stroking the dark hair gently.
Maes groaned softly, slowly coming to. "Wha... Roy... that's your name isn't... it... don't cry... don't..."
"Maes?"
"Maes... is that... my name...?" Maes groaned softly. "I... feel like I've been sleeping forever..."
"You don't... remember me do you?" Roy asked gently.
Maes locked eyes with Mustang. "I... remember your face, and other faces, I know I was in the military, I know I had friends there, and that you're one of them, but its as if every name was on the tip of my tongue, and I can't remember who or what they are. Its all a blur..."
"Maes..." Mustang muttered gently, stroking his hair. "You're Maes Hughes. You had a wife, your daughter's waiting for you at home. I'm Colonel Roy Mustang, flame alchemist. You were under my command, and you were doing some spying for me, trying to find a leak in the military. And then... somebody... killed you. We thought you were gone. Then we find out that you're still around?" Roy sobbed softly.
Edward came back then, Maes turned his head to regard the newcomer, the Ouroboros showing up plainly on his cheek. Right where Gracia used to kiss him goodbye. Mustang thought to himself.
He stared. "Colonel get /AWAY/ from there." Edward growled, changing his arm into a blade.
"Fullmetal! That's enough!" Mustang glared as Edward charged forward, the blade poking into Maes' back.
"He's a homunculus Colonel. He'll kill us!" Edward pointed out.
"He's also our old friend. Who has no idea who he is or how he got here. And from what I heard from your sensei and Armstrong, it may very well have been your /attitude/ towards them that scared Wrath away to the other homunculi, do you want to lose Hughes in the same manner, MAJOR?"
Edward gulped. "No sir."
"Then put that blade away and help us get him someplace safe..." Roy growled.
"Yes sir." Edward sighed as he changed his arm back. He carefully wrapped the blanket around Hughes' frame. "Sorry..." He said softly.
The taller man pulled the blanket around him. "Where... can I go? I get the weirdest feeling that if I were to go home, it wouldn't be safe."
"Then don't. There's a safe house not far from here." Roy stated. "We use it for spies, but if we can get you there we can buy you a couple of days to take stock of yourself." He pointed out.
Another car pulled up, Falman jumping out first, Havoc behind him. "Boss! Colonel whats..." Havoc started, cigarette sticking out of his mouth. It fell to the grass. "No... I'm... seeing things..."
"No, you're not. Falman, you're about Maes' height, do you have a spare outfit or two that he can borrow."
"My civilian clothes look like they were picked out by somebody who was fashion blind." Falman stated. "But I can try."
"Good, we'll meet at the safe house nearest here. I'm just lucky we /did/ set that one up. Never thought I'd be using it though." Roy added. "Come on."
It… took awhile for them to get a trembling and sobbing Maes down the hill to the small brownstone. It took even longer for Riza to make him some tea. "Where… what happened… I feel… so empty." He murmured, still kinda dazed.
"I'm not surprised." Edward seemed to droop.
"What… happened to me that I feel so messed up?" Maes asked tiredly.
"You were turned into a Homunculus Maes." Edward said gently. "Their memories are screwed up for starters. For another, its widely said they don't have souls. Some say they're not alive, some say that they're alive but not human. We really don't know much about them."
"EDWARD." Roy said sharply.
"What? Isn't it best that he know the truth Colonel?" Edward pointed out. "That he know everything from the outset and cope with it rather than trying to cover it up and ending up losing him because whoever's controlling the other Homunculi is willing to tell him more about his body than us? And willing to twist that to the point where it hurts him and he can't tell the truth? We lost Wrath that way Mustang. If Archer hadn't scared Wrath off like that, he would have still been here and a lot more friendly. I'm sure of that. We /aren't/ going to lose Maes that way!"
"Lose… me?" He croaked weakly. "How… do you lose what's already been lost… oh god, my soul… my life… I'm dead but… I'm aware…?" He sounded near hysterical, and then started to cry.
Roy was shocked. Hughes was so sunny, so cocky, so confident. Roy honestly didn't think that anybody or anything could ever break him down. Not like this… not this way…
"Not alive?" Roy asked gently. "But you're speaking to me right?" He asked gently. Maes nodded numbly, sniffling. "No soul? But you're feeling pain and anguish. You can't feel that without a soul…" Maes sniffled, hiccupping slightly. "Lost? Yes you were, but we found you again, and everything's going to be alright."
Riza came out of the kitchen, Cheska and Winry behind her. "MAES!!!" Cheska cried in astonishment. "You're alright!!!!"
"Cheska, I have a favor to ask." Roy said simply.
"Sure! Anything! What is it?" Cheska obviously didn't see the Ouroboros on Mae's cheek. His head was turned in the /wrong/ direction for her to see from the door.
"Go to every library in central you can find, and pull whatever data you can get on Homunculi." Roy stated.
"A what???" Cheska had heard that term in a horrified whisper up and down the halls of HQ.
That was when a grief stricken Hughes turned in her direction so that she could finally see the Ouroboros tatted on his cheek. The look in his eyes, Cheska didn't ask any more questions. She simply nodded and walked out, but the look in Maes Hughes eyes would haunt her forever.