A/N: Royai week 2016 Day 6: Ignite. I'm not too happy with this, but I want to complete the "challenge." I didn't know what the prompts were until a couple of days before Royai week started, so I am really rushed as the week winds up. A tiny bit of my post Promised Day head canon is in here. Of course, FMA is not mine. It's so obvious that I sometimes forget the disclaimer.
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Roy Mustang was famous for his ability to ignite things. After all, he wore ignition gloves. People loved watching the Flame Alchemist produce fire with a snap. He could spectacularly set things ablaze from great distances. His explosions and conflagrations could inspire shock and awe. He could produce flames into tableaux that were almost art. He'd developed a method of producing colored flames which he could hang in the night sky like fireworks. He controlled the blazes like a puppet master. On a smaller scale, he could do subtle tricks like lighting several candles in a row or even in a pattern. He could, carefully dry you off after being soaked by rain. Of course, he could get a fireplace crackling in a flash.
What most people didn't realize was that his ability to ignite things was not as amazing as his ability to ignite and incite people's interest, imagination, or duty.
He had talked his foster mother into believing that he was worthy of the investment and mature enough to be sent away for alchemy lessons at the age of 15.
He had convinced a bitter, prematurely old brilliant alchemist to teach him.
He had overcome another teen's reticence to form an enduring friendship.
He had unintentionally swayed that young woman into becoming a soldier.
He had convinced his two best friends that the military was corrupt and evil and that they could and should change it.
He had turned a group of talented but unappreciated military misfits into a strong and loyal team.
He had stoked the flickering flame in a desperately damaged Edward Elric and fanned his will to live.
Somehow, when he was a colonel, he had persuaded two generals- one who had affection for him and, amazingly, one who could barely stand him, to save the people of their country by carrying out a coup d'etat to overthrow the monsters controlling Amestris.
His ability to draw people into his plans consited of charm, articulate and logical language, intellectual brilliance, good looks, and a dash of petulance.
Now, to accomplish his most ambition aim, he was using his formidable powers of persuasion to democratize his country. It looks like he will succeed.
Roy Mustang has one more aspect of his heat-related talent, but he only shares it with one person- his old friend, his soldier, his lover. It was a very personal and private type of flame, the flame of love. Arguably, Riza Hawkeye's ability to fan his love is at least equal to his to fan hers. It makes for a pretty wonderful connection.
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A/N: Thanks again for reading. Take care.