Disclaimer: I don't own FMA… Mr. Momo the slightly singed sock monkey and Arturo are the only characters that I actually own… *sobs*
Thicker than Rain
Chapter 7: Never Look Back
"When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before."
~ Mae West
~O~O~O~O~O~
((Flashback))
"I'm leaving tomorrow…"
Roy looked at his cousin in disbelief,
"You really passed the State Alchemy exam? I mean, you worked your ass off, but I didn't think you were actually serious about becoming a Dog of the Military…" Roy said, looking up at his 19-year old cousin, who still towered over him by several inches.
Arturo smirked,
"Of course!" He said, "Think of all the research capabilities I have now! They call me the Blue-Lightning Alchemist… The Fuhrer chose the name himself! And look at this!"
Arturo reached into his pocket to show off the silver pocket watch attached to his belt. The watch was adorned with the symbol of the State alchemist program carved into it… the Amnestrian Dragon surrounded by a hexagram.
"Wow… they really gave you that?" the younger boy asked in awe.
"Yep! It's not only a source of identification that shows me to be a true State Alchemist, but it also amplifies my alchemical powers!"
Arturo beamed with pride as he spoke.
"To tell the truth, Roy… I didn't actually think I was gonna make it… So many of them were so much older than I was… and when they were reading off the qualifications I had to have, I almost walked out the door." He admitted, laughing as he rubbed the back of his neck.
Roy laughed along with his cousin,
"Well, either way, that's great! I'm happy you made it! Master Hawkeye is still only teaching me the basics… it sucks… I mean, I know transmutation circles already. I don't know why he won't go any further with me. Even his daughter agrees with me that I should be moving ahead."
Arturo pat Roy on the head,
"Just give it time…" he said, "Besides, have you been thinking what you're going to be doing with alchemy once you learn it? I could always teach you mine…"
Roy shook his head,
"No way! I don't want to be Little Roy forever! If I use your alchemy, I'll be in your damn shadow my whole life! I'm not gonna stand for that!" the six-teen year old argued.
Arturo laughed again,
"That is true." He said, "Little Roy."
He ruffled Roy's hair fondly again as the younger boy pulled away.
"I have my own goals." Roy answered with a smirk.
Arturo leaned forward curiously,
"Oh? Like what?" Arturo inquired.
"I'm gonna join the military as a State Alchemist like you, Arturo… but I'm gonna work through the ranks to help people by becoming Fuhrer!" Roy announced proudly.
Arturo chuckled with a certain degree of amusement,
"You sure you can reach a goal like that, Roy?" Arturo asked, raising an eyebrow at his cousin, "I mean, that's some tough stuff… People aren't gonna like that, and I know how much of a softy you really are…"
"Hey! If a skunk-head like you can become a State Alchemist, I'm sure I can do it!" Roy said, clenching a fist with determination.
Arturo only stood up straight,
"Well, then I'll have no choice but to help you with that… I mean, we are cousins after all." Arturo scoffed.
"No, we'll help each other." Roy said, "You can't just leave me out of that! You think you're going to babysit me my entire life! I'm practically grown up anyway!"
Arturo just snapped his fingers, causing his cousin to jump like he'd been stung.
"You have a long way to go." Arturo replied, "But… I guess everyone could use a little help every so often…"
Roy paused,
"You're actually agreeing with me?" he asked, stunned by the momentous occasion.
Arturo chuckled and gave a nod.
"Yeah… I mean, if I didn't, you'd probably go cry to Madame Christmas… and I've gotten enough beatings from her, thank-you-very-much."
"Well, you deserved them." Roy pointed out, receiving another jolt of electricity pulsing through his nerves, "Oww! That really hurt!"
Arturo laughed and zapped him again.
Roy jumped, growled at his cousin, and pulled a piece of chalk from his pocket.
"Oh… that's it…" he said, drawing a transmutation circle on the floor as quickly as he could.
Arturo gave a snort,
"You're gonna have to be quicker than that!" He teased, sending painful zigzags at his cousin.
Roy pressed his hands against the circle, enclosing his cousin in a wooden box that rose from the floor of the tavern.
"Dammit!" Arturo said, knowing he'd been defeated.
Roy laughed, leaning against the box, knocking against it with his knuckles.
"Gotcha, Artie!" he exclaimed triumphantly, "Can't shoot your sparks with wood surrounding you!"
"Roy, let me out of here this instant!" Arturo shouted, pounding against the box, "I… I can't breathe… There's no…air…"
Roy chuckled,
"Nice try, Artie…" Roy said coolly, "But you can't get me with that trick."
There was no response, only a crumpling sound in the box.
Roy's eyes widened as panic set in.
Drawing a transmutation circle on the wooden structure, he set the floor back to its original position, where Arturo lay on the floor.
"Oh god… Arturo! Wake up!" Roy said, shaking him.
When he didn't answer, his face lost its color.
Mom's… gonna… kill… me…
Roy ran his hands down his face as he wondered how on earth she was going to react when she came home… There was already the: No alchemy in the tavern rule… and with Arturo unconscious, he had broken the: No fighting in the tavern rule…
"Geez… now Arturo's unconscious and all it took was a wooden box…" Roy said, "How's mom gonna buy that?"
Footsteps were heard coming from one of the backroom.
"Have you boys finished cleaning up yet?"
Roy squeaked in panic as he looked around and rushed to begin his chores. As he quickened his pace, he ran face first into someone.
"Hey! Watch where you're going? Can't you see I'm panicking?" the teen snapped as he looked up to see his cousin standing there, smirking down at him.
"Started your chores yet, Roy?"
The future Colonel looked up at his cousin's smirking face, and punched him in the chest.
"What the hell?" he shouted, "I was really worried!"
Arturo laughed, patting his cousin on the shoulder.
"I told you that you were a softy!" he said, smirking.
Roy glared at him, as Arturo threw him a broom.
"Just get cleaning…." He said, "Before I shock you again."
Roy grumbled, but didn't argue.
"Jerk…"
((A/N: Thanks for putting up with me, guys. I really appreciate it. As promised, here's last weeks chapter. ^^ ))