Disclaimer: I do not own fullmetal alchemist
When I wrote this chapter I kept listening to 'Judy Collins – Bob Dylan's dream' and it kind of influenced this chapter you may find that weird if you know the song. Also there's a reference to Robert Oppenheimer's famous quote.
I'd like to thank Steph's for being the first person to review my story, Now I think about it though it's like I forced you review it (DO IT OR YOU DIE).
Summary: this chapter takes place a year into the war and Roy is 21 years-old, the war has been a long, bloody and drawn out one. You will catch up with Roy as he is about to get deployed into Ishval's capital city.
One year since the war began.
Nothing, that is the word to describe this land of Ishval. A place where the trees do not grow and where happiness is hard to come by, its endless sky, endless ground of sand that ran until it earth and sky met on the horizon. This land where death and destruction are embraced as bosom brothers.
This is the land that Roy Mustang found himself, laid down on his bed in the cold night staring at the roof of his tent not being able to sleep with worry. He sat up on his bed and walked outside to get some light from the moon, picking up his razor and mirror he sat in the cold staring into the mirror, looking at a man who had lost the will to live or care. Roy shaved off his beard and moustache and sat outside the group tent in base camp, thinking of all the men, women and children he had murdered, all he heard was voices he never saw their faces because he could kill them with his alchemy while he stood outside their homes like death upon their door. Roy always thought it was better that he didn't see their faces, it was bad enough he heard their screams of terror in his sleep.
He suddenly heard a familiar voice behind him, "you can't sleep too?" said Maes as he walked over to sit down on a stool next to Roy.
"Yeah…" replied Roy, Maes put a hand on Roy's shoulder saying "hey come on Roy stop being so down, I mean when we get back home everything will be alright". Maes looked at him and frowned and smacked him on the head, shouting "god damn it Roy what's gotten into you, you've turned into a miserable bastard. Yeah I know were in a fuckin' war but were all in the same boat just because you where your heart on your sleeve doesn't mean you need to bring us down with you."
Roy turned his head around face. "that hurt you arse, bloody hell you could've warned me you were gonna have a little bitch fit, geez Maes you talk about wearing heart-on-ones-sleeve" said Roy whilst rubbing his head.
Maes smiled saying "there he is, the big man is back….well in your case it would be small man on account of your 'you know'".
Roy tried to kick Maes but he just jumped out the way and ran back into the tent, Roy mumbled under his breath about Maes being ugly and went back to his brooding because he was good at just staring into the moonlit sky and making a face like a sourpuss.
Roy let out a frustrated groan "God! Why the fuck am I acting like this I've become a bleedin' cliché."
Roy paused and looked down on the ground "damn you Riza! Where the fuck are you when I need you to take the piss out of me" speaking to himself. Roy went back to his bed thinking thoughts of a blonde-haired girl.
"Get up Roy, were moving out, get up off before the captain comes over!" Maes shook him wildly while shouting.
"Flippin' heck Maes, I'm up already" said Roy whilst rolling off the bed.
Roy quickly ran to his trunk and grabbed his uniform which he hastily wore whilst running out of the tent to a scorching heat that hit him hard once he stepped out. He squinted around to see a mass of bodies moving in formation towards the silhouette of a what looked like a crumbling city with walls and no roofs.
Roy grabbed his gloves and ran towards his company and got into line when a booming voice spoke through a megaphone "OK men we've got one objective and one objective only, that is to terminate these red-eyed freaks and make sure you come back for supper boys and have a great time killing these scum, NOW MOVE OUT!", the captain of their squadron was a burly man that had eyes that were so cold and indifferent but only when it came to murder did his eyes have life in them, he was a monster.
Their squad marched their way down the road, there feet hitting the ground in unison Roy thought to himself 'so this is what you hear before you die'. They got slowly closer to the city, as they approached the road was filled with the stench of rotten flesh, vultures circling the sky as they marched. Roy looked further into the distance and saw what looked like piles of bodies stacked on one another blood oozing from their bodies, he saw the red-eyes of dead Ishvalan men and women as they held their children to their bosoms before they were murdered.
Roy looked down at his feet as he marched, unable to look at the death that accompanied his march into the city. They finally arrived and all Roy could hear was shouts, screams and gun fire. His squad rushed over to the commanding officer who gave them their orders "Ok, I want your squad to just stay back you guys are just reinforcements". He looked over to Roy and said "Hey aren't you an alchemist", Roy replied "Yes sir!", the commander looked at him and smirked saying "good, you'll come in handy". Roy felt uneasy because he knew what he had to do.
Roy was ordered to stay back because he was a state alchemist, he watched as the other soldiers ran off to the distance immediately followed by gun-fire and screams. Roy stood there on his own nervously, feeling naked as he stood without his fellow soldiers but he was in luck as the rest of his squadron quickly returned in jubilant mood.
One soldier cried out "Did you see one of them running hahaha poor guy didn't know I was going to blow his brains out", the other soldiers laughed and patted him on the back. Another soldier with a smug face with pure malice in his eyes named Brian Hunter looked at Roy and said "Hey we've got some more stragglers; you want to come with us to catch them".
Roy and the squad made their way through the bombed-out streets as Ishvalan children standing next to their dead parents watched the soldiers march on by, Roy diverted his gaze away from them he didn't want to have this shit on his conscience when he slept. They all suddenly stopped outside a bullet riddled building, Hunter spoke "I've got dinner for you boys, I found some Ishvalan bitches running in here", at first some of them looked around nervously unsure what to do but another soldier whooped which got them into frenzy.
They busted through the door as Roy heard a scream from a group of teenage girls, he looked around, as he entered the room, to see three teenage red-eyed Ishvalan girls staring up him as they cowered around what he presumed to be their mother.
The older woman stood up in front of the girls and shouted "NO! YOU WILL NOT HAVE THEM! NO!", she spread her arms to shield her daughters. Roy looked on in shock at the bravery of the woman to stand up Hunter but he could see the fear in her eyes at what she knew would happen to her daughters.
Hunter punched the woman in the face which made her fall to the ground near Roy's feet , she looked up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks as she spoke with a broken voice "p-p-please help", Roy felt his heart clench and his fists too but he knew he couldn't do anything he was on the same side as the monsters perpetrating this crime.
Roy looked away and said to Hunter "I'll be outside….", Hunter looked at him replying "yeah whatever". Roy swiftly walked out and stood outside, he stood there feeling weak because he couldn't stop it and if he tried he knew they'd line up to shoot him first as a traitor. He listened to the screams of pain and terror from the building trying to ignore the horror he was involved in, the last thing he heard was the sound of machine gun fire as the men walked out with smirks on their faces, hi-fiving each other and covered in blood.
"Alright faggot Mustang we'll go now", Roy walked on to base camp with the rest of them, the guilt eating away at him.
Roy entered his tent, relieved that he didn't have to kill anyone today but he knew he couldn't wash his hands off of what he had witnessed and ignored. He spent the rest of his downtime secluded away from the rest of the soldiers and he couldn't speak to Maes as he was still patrolling the city which was pretty much clear of Ishvalans except the southern end.
Roy spent most of the night lying on his bed but he couldn't go to sleep at all knowing what he was involved in was genocide, he rushed out his tent as he did every night for some fresh air. He took deep breath in and stared at the shell of a once mighty city as he stared Roy started to realise there was a light emanating from one of the buildings. As he stared at the flickering light he knew it was Ishvalan rebels camped out in the city, suddenly to his surprise he had the urge to go there not to kill but meet the people he was fighting or maybe he just wanted to die at the hand of an Ishvalan so he felt that justice had been done.
Roy ran into the city past the city walls, and into the rubble plagued landscape. He made his way slowly towards the building with the light making sure not to be caught by any Ishvalan warriors or his own side. Climbing the rubble he finally had reached building, quietly making his way round to a glass-less window he peered into it and was greeted by the sight of women tending to their injured children, some children playing around the lamp and old men with guns half falling asleep.
Roy leant his back against the wall thinking what to do and decided, he slowly made his way to the door and knocked, "Who's there?" shouted the voice of a woman, Roy didn't answer because he knew they'd recognise his accent and shoot him.
He forced the door open and quickly snapped his fingers, making the old men's rifles turn to ash. The people started screaming in fear, backing away into a corner, Roy put his hands up saying "No, No, No I'm not here to hurt you I promise"
"What do you want then amestrian, you want the children now, you've already taken our sons and daughters" the old man shouted in equal part sadness and anger.
"I don't want anything I just saw the light coming from your home and followed it, I didn't come to harm you, I ju-", Roy was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a gun being cocked behind his skull.
"Don't move scum, get on your knees" ordered the voice behind Roy, he did as he was told and thought this was the end, tears falling down his cheek he spoke to himself "I'm sorry".
"Roy!" shouted the voice behind him. Roy opened his eyes and turned around to see a blonde haired girl he knew he recognised.
"Riza! Fucking hell!", were the only words that came out as he hugged her in a tight embrace. They both held onto each other for a few minutes which made the Ishvalans confused because they thought he was the enemy.
Riza stared at him with a huge smile on her face and cheeks burning, she hadn't seen him in years and they had certainly been good to him. They both looked into each other's eyes until Riza took a few steps back, her eyes welling up with tears.
"No Roy, please tell me you haven't joined them" she said with her voice shaking.
He looked at her and said the dreaded words "yes", she immediately hit him with the butt of her gun and spat on him.
"You monster, I thought you were a human being, so now I know how those scorched bodies appeared". Riza's eyes were filled with hatred and Roy felt the need to defend himself.
"I was following orders, it's not my fault I didn't have a choice. Riza it's still me the same guy you knew when we were kids it's just I never thought I would be in a war….ever" said Roy hoping that she did not look at him as a monster.
She smacked him across his face saying "Liar! You've always had a choice. You had the choice to join the military, you had the choice to follow orders, and you had the choice to kill women and children. Don't try and hide behind you're fucked up ethics where you can kill an innocent and then act like the victim because some 'made' you do it, boo-hoo. Go say it to the face of a boy with a rifle aimed at you who's lost his family to your 'orders'."
Roy didn't know what to say and he knew why, she was right. He always had a choice and he chose to play the victim while he perpetrated genocide.
There was a silence for a few minutes as Riza had her back to him.
"Why did you come here then?" asked Roy.
She turned around, gone were the teary eyes and now they were replaced by a cold, hate filled eyes and she said "I came here to fight for what's right, where people deserve to live without chains", she paused and grabbed him pushing him out of the building saying "I'll see you on the battlefield, Mustang".
Roy ran back to base camp and stood on the edge of his tent crying quietly because he just lost the only person he cared about the most. He looked back the city, wiped his tears off and took breath and thinking to himself 'I guess were enemies now and to hell with this world'. His expression changed from sadness to a cold resolve which had never been on Roy's face in his life.
The next day came and with came the stench of more death but this time the Ishvalans were not going to just roll over, they were ready to die for the land and families.
"We need reinforcements now, we're getting overwhelmed they've already broken our first line" spoke a freckled-teenage soldier who was shaking in fear. The soldiers retreated to close ranks and escape the Ishvalan resistance. Roy stood atop a building with the captains, generals and other state alchemists.
Suddenly there was a rush of footsteps behind the group as more soldiers made their way on to the roof followed by the imposing figure of a tall moustached man who Roy recognised as führer Bradley. One of the generals suddenly spoke "Sir, what are you doing here it's too dangerous you must get back to base camp"
Bradley replied "I'm taking direct control of this battle and the first thing in want you to do is make our men retreat so it draws out their warriors". The general did as he was told immediately, Bradley continued "then I want you to move the tanks in to flank them so we pincer them and I don't want to see any survivors". Bradley stared intently at the battle raging on below in the city streets, as expected the Ishvalan soldiers fell for the bait and were like sitting ducks when the tanks and soldiers had encircled them.
Bradley made his way to the edge of the roof and spoke in a booming voice "Brave Ishvalan soldiers, you dared to challenge me, now you will the iron fist of Amestris and for generations your dog of a people will tell tales of brave Ishvalans who dared to cross me", he looked menacingly at the them.
A young Ishvalan spoke out "You can kill us but we'll never forget! Never!", Bradley smirked at this then simply saying "Kill them".
There was volley of gunshot fire as each Ishvalan soldiers bodies were ripped apart by the bullets flying at them until the gunfire fell silent. There was a momentary silence as all the soldiers just watched the dead Ishvalans which was broken by one of the generals who said "führer Bradley we've got sketchy intel that there are still Ishvalans camped in the south just beyond the hillside. What should be our course of action sir?"
Bradley replied immediately "Exterminate them", he looked around at the alchemists and pointed towards Roy "You I've heard you're good at killing things, Go!"
Roy replied "Yes, sir", he saluted him and ran down the stairs, out of the building and into the rubble streets. He walked on the lonely road towards the hillside with a million emotions running through him and should he even be doing this, was this him.
Eventually arriving at the hillside, he slowly climbed to the top and to his shock there weren't any soldiers as he expected but the elderly, women and children. He stared down at them as they all realised his presence and looked up at him, none of them screamed in terror all they did was look at him their eyes telling him they were resigned to their fate of dying. Mothers grasped their children, families huddled close to be together one last time.
Roy's hands were shaking, fighting his urge to finish his task instead he grabbed the radio saying to his general "Sir, it's just civilians there are no soldiers, I think we should let them go", the general replied angrily "You will do as your told soldier! This is the führer's orders".
Roy put his radio down and looked on saying to himself sombrely "Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds".
He pulled his gloves on and just as he was about to do the unthinkable he saw a woman standing amongst the crowd, "Riza..", said Roy his eyes shocked by the sight of her.
His hands shook with nervousness as he stared into her face which were filled with tears as she stared back into his eyes. As he stared, he suddenly remembered what she had said to him the night before "I came here to fight for what's right", Roy stood stock still for a few minutes as he watched crowd.
He suddenly ran down the hill and ran towards Riza and hugged her "I'm sorry….now run" he looked at Riza's shocked expression.
"I SAID RUN! GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE THEY COME!" shouted Roy, Riza suddenly came back down to earth and called out to the crowd "WE HAVE TO LEAVE, WE CAN GO UP TO THE MOUNTAINS, NOW HURRY!"
The Ishvalans began to quickly leave the area as Roy and Riza stood there alone. Riza spoke "what are you going to do they'll know you betrayed them", he replied "I've got a plan don't worry".
She stared into his eyes saying "will I see you again?...", Roy cupped her cheek saying "you know not even a war can separate us", as he said this they slowly inched closer towards each other. They could feel each other's breath on one another's skin but stopped as they heard the sound of tank engines coming closer.
She looked into his eyes as she slowly backed away from him, she said one last thing before she ran "You better keep that promise or there'll be hell to pay".
Roy stood there with a smile on his face until he realised the sound of engines creeping closer. He immediately wore his gloves and the next thing at the snap of his finger the whole hillside became a wall and lake of fire. The tanks stopped immediately due to the intensity of the heat, the crackled like an oven at the power until all the plants on the hillside had disappeared even the ash was vaporized.
Roy walked his way back to the camp and was received to rapturous applause. He was treated like a hero, with pats on the back and a lot of hand shaking. Roy went into führer Bradley's tent, Bradley motioned him to take a seat and smiled saying "you my son have done a great service to your nation; therefore I will be awarding you the cross of Amestris when he get home and the rank of captain".
Roy looked at him and said "thank you sir", Roy knew the truth that he hadn't killed those people but he wouldn't pass up an opportunity to take this assholes job as he gained rank.
"What you did boy was to solidify this nation as a force to be reckoned with and if any nation thinks of defending itself they will go the same way as the Ishvalans". Bradley lit up a cigar and continued speaking "what you did had to be done, those people were savages and now I can rest easy knowing that I won't see a red-eyed freak in my life again".
Roy looked on, hiding his hatred and disgust for this man. He simply nodded at the führer's statements all whilst thinking how far from the truth Bradley was and knowing that this would come back to bite him on the ass.
Ok, I really rushed this chapter as I've got an essay to write so I've been basically spinning plates.
I hope you liked the chapter and the next one is coming soon.
Also what does a guy have to do to get a review (Don't think dirt thoughts), I've only got one review.