Thank you to Graviton Bomber, who got me writing again.
Chapter Five: Unfortunate Circumstance
"Roy? Are you paying attention?" Roy Mustang was jerked out of his own thoughts to find his commanding officer giving him a curious look.
"Of course I am, sir," said Roy, hoping he appeared convincing.
"Your actions speak louder than your words. I can't believe that you would have moved your bishop like that! Knight takes bishop!" Roy put his palm to his face.
"I'm sorry Grumman," he apologized. "I just can't concentrate today."
"How do you expect to be Führer if you can't concentrate?"
Roy smiled wryly. The announcement may have not yet been made official, but it was generally common knowledge that he, Roy Mustang, was going to be installed as Führer once Grumman retired. They had been close friends for years, and it was obvious that he was Grumman's favorite general.
It probably also helped that he was married to Grumman's granddaughter.
"So it's official then?" Asked Roy.
"I plan on making the announcement in three days' time," confirmed Grumman. "I have been Führer for far too long. How old am I these days anyway?"
"Not a day over sixty," said Roy.
"Flattery will get you nowhere."
"Well, a certain degree of it has given me the Führer's seat."
"True, true." Grumman paused. "Let's end this game. It's clear to me that you are in no winning mindset today." The two officers reclined in their chairs, silent.
"So," said Grumman, breaking the silence. "Are you going to tell me what's on your mind?"
"I would hate to burden you with my issues, sir…"
"Do it. It must be fairly important to distract the almighty General Mustang." The Führer smiled. "Your daughter has a boyfriend, doesn't she?"
"Actually," said Roy. "It is about May. You know how she is on that road trip with Edward, Anna, and Selim?"
"Of course I do! Where would we be without the media's coverage of our country's three most famous young adults?"
"I worry about her. With them." Grumman nodded.
"I can see why you would. From what I know, Edward Armstrong isn't known for his scrupulous behavior."
"I'm not concerned with Edward," said Roy. "He and May fight a lot these days. I'm more concerned about Selim."
"An understandable concern."
"Look, Führer, don't you think it's odd that he just vanished for all those years? He was 'traveling Amestris' and yet no one heard a thing? He's either really clever or he was doing something else."
"I had come to the same conclusion. But how could he have realized his past? From what we knew, he had no memories of his time as Pride."
"I don't know. Perhaps I'm just being paranoid," admitted Roy.
"Well it wouldn't be the first time. Since this meeting will obviously not continue until you have resolved this issue, how about you go and call your daughter to check up on her. Do you know where she is?"
"Last I heard she was headed to Ishval."
"Ishval? Alright, go and call the government office there. When did you last hear from her?"
"It's been a week."
"That's a long time."
"Exactly, which is why I'm worried something may have happened."
"You know," said Grumman. "She could just be enjoying her freedom. You haven't exactly given her that much of it until now." Roy remained unperturbed at the Führer's comment.
"Thank you, sir. I will be back in a few minutes." With that said, Roy stood up and exited the office of the Führer.
Was he jumping to conclusions? Selim had proved himself to be the model citizen since his "rebirth." Perfect grades, perfect person. And yet, he had sensed something different about him upon his return. The kid just seemed… more complex somehow, as though there were dozens of thoughts going on in his mind at once. Could he be planning his next move? What if he had reawakened his abilities as Pride and was going to unleash havoc and chaos over all of Amestris? Would he make a claim to the throne of the Führer? Roy grimaced at the thought. No, that position was his, and if any of his doubts about Selim Bradley turned out to be correct, he would defend his position and country as he had done on the Promised Day, perhaps risking more than blindness.
Roy sighed. Or… Grumman could be right. May was just enjoying her freedom. Riza was always giving him crap about how he should let her date. Hmph. No man was good enough for her. And he had a feeling that if he let her date, she would be dating either Edward Armstrong or Selim Bradley. Edward was sub-par at best with his playboy ways, and Selim was just downright unacceptable. There was no way that he would let his daughter date a (former) homunculus. He wanted grandchildren. And of course, he didn't want her in the arms of the very man who had forced him through the portal of truth.
Surrounded by his thoughts, Roy suddenly realized that he had reached the telephone booths. He acknowledged the woman behind the desk with a nod and headed to the phone that was the farthest distance away. Quickly, he searched the directory for the number he needed, and dialed.
"This is the Ishvala Military Base, Sergeant Jones speaking."
"Sergeant Jones, this is General Mustang from Central Command."
"Are you calling about your daughter, sir?"
"My daughter is there?" Asked Roy, surprised.
"She is, and she is in bad shape, sir." At once, Roy's face turned red. Had something happened as he had suspected? Why was May in bad shape? An accident? Dare he think it was Selim's doing?
"Let me talk to her," he ordered, voice grim.
"Just a moment sir," Sergeant Jones left the line. Though he was gone for about a minute, to Roy is seemed like hours. He was fuming. How had something happened? And what? Every possible scenario flew through his head, and he had to stop himself before thinking of the worst.
"Dad?" Asked a pearly voice on the other end.
"May! Honey, are you alright?!" Roy demanded.
"No Dad, I'm not! We were attacked… and it took us three days before we were discovered by a passerby on the road! Not to mention that we could barely travel. Edward's in worse shape than I. We arrived at Ishval only a couple days ago, and since then we haven't been out of the hospital."
"Are you hurt?!"
"It's only a minor concussion and a couple of bruises. But Dad – Edward's left arm was broken in three places! And he had a concussion too, only it was much worse than mine! He's completely bedridden, though he refuses to acknowledge the fact." By now, Roy was fuming with rage.
"Who did this to you?" He asked, his voice unnaturally calm.
"You don't know?" May asked in disbelief.
"Why would I?"
"Edward managed to get a telegram to you a day ago! It was an urgent message! Why haven't you read it or acted on it yet?"
"I never received a telegram from either you or Edward," answered Roy. A telegram? He'd not heard from his daughter for a week! May was silent.
"Fine. I'll tell you," she said, voice cracking.
"Wait a minute," said Roy. "You mentioned Edward and yourself. What about Anna? And Selim? Are they dead?"
"Anna is," replied May, clearly distraught.
"And Selim?"
"He… He… Dad, Selim was the one who attacked us." At once, Roy froze. He… he had been right! Selim once again the evil homunculus of his past. The one who had forced him to…
"Well, actually, it wasn't Selim," corrected May. "He didn't attack us. But he did resurrect the man who did."
"Who? Who did he resurrect?!"
"You aren't going to like this," said May. "But it was Solf J. Kimblee, the Crimson Alchemist."
Roy Mustang was not sure how much more of this he could take. He had just heard two of the worst pieces of news he possibly could, and in the span of a minute no less! He couldn't even comprehend how bad this was. Selim, no, Pride had been the worst of the Homunculi. How could they expect to defeat him again, especially since he would not be weakened? And Kimblee? He was the worst of his kind to exist. Those two had posed a serious threat before, and now they were back?
"Dad?" Asked May, jolting Roy out of his thoughts.
"I'll send a unit for you. They'll pick you up as soon as they can," he paused. "I love you May, and I promise that I will do everything in my power to make sure that they both pay for what they have done to you."
"Thanks Dad," said May. "I love you too." Unable to handle any more conversation, Roy hung up.
He turned immediately in the direction of Grumman's office. He had to hear about this. This… this was horrible! And how could it have happened?! Kimblee was dead for God's sake! How on earth had Pride resurrected him?! Wasn't that above the ability of, well, anyone?
"Stop it," he muttered to himself, increasing his already brisk pace. "You have to calm down. Otherwise they will win." Constantly trying to keep his mind calm, he reached Grumman's secretary.
"He's been expecting you back," she said. Roy ignored her, bursting into the office.
Grumman dropped his pen.
"You could come in without making such a fuss you know," he said, completely unaware of the unstable state of Roy's mind.
"There's no time for that!" Roy half shouted. Grumman looked surprised.
"Is May alright?" He asked.
"No," said Roy. "She and Edward and Anna were all attacked. By Selim Bradley."
"What!?" Demanded the aging Führer, standing bolt upright.
"He resurrected Kimblee, and they are nowhere to be found," finished Roy.
"This is unbelievable," said Grumman. "How can this be?! And how can this be that she didn't contact us earlier?!"
"Apparently Edward sent a telegram, but we didn't get it." Grumman fell back in his chair, thinking.
"If they did, then I don't doubt that my secretary would have had cause to ignore it. She would have placed it on my desk. Which can only mean that someone stole it." Roy thought. Yes, that made sense. But who would steal a telegram? Unless it implicated them…
"Selim and Kimblee," said Roy. "They are the only ones with motive to steal it."
"I agree," said Grumman. "Which would only mean…" As his voice trailed off, both the Führer and Roy turned to face the door leading down to the former lair of Father.
At once, Roy sprinted over.
"They must have been after the Philosopher's Stone!" He said. "We have to get down there!"
Grumman strode over, taking a silver key out of his pocket. Within seconds, the door was open, and both started down the stairs. Roy would have liked to have sprinted all of the way, but he couldn't leave his much older commanding officer in the dust. Their way lit by one of Roy's flames, they eventually reached the bottom of the stairs. By then, he could no longer contain his rage. Roy sprinted through the tunnels, over and around the former Immortal Legion, and into Father's former lair. He made it to the center of the room, only to discover that the floor hiding the stone was just as he'd left it.
"Is it gone?" Inquired Grumman, just entering the massive room.
"It looks normal," he said.
"Check anyway," ordered Grumman. Using his alchemy with strength he had not used in decades, Roy burned off the metal floor, only to discover the box holding the Philosopher's Stone was empty.
His blood ran cold.
"It's… gone," he managed. Grumman's face remained stoic.
"So," he began. "It would seem that Solf J. Kimblee has been resurrected and is now in possession of the last remaining Philosopher's Stone. As well, we have to assume that Selim Bradley is no longer Selim Bradley, but the homunculus Pride."
"There is no other explanation," said Roy, still in disbelief. He despised Selim. As much as he had tried to like the kid as he grew, there was always a seed of doubt in his mind. Pride had hurt him in ways that only a few people knew.
However, if there was one thing that Roy was sure of, it was that he would not allow himself to be hurt like that again. This time, he would not be a sacrifice. He was almost the Führer, and with that, he would become victorious.
"This can't have been stolen long ago," he said. "Two days ago at the earliest. I'll issue an order for their arrest."
"A wise choice," said Grumman. "We should alert the other Generals of course, especially Armstrong. She'll want to know what has happened to her son."
"Agreed," said Roy. He stared at the empty box in front of them, anger welling up inside. "We'll find them," he said.
"Another thing before we go," said Grumman. "Do you want them taken dead or alive?" Roy did not have to think long before he knew this answer. And this time, no one would stand in the way of his decision.
"I want them dead."