This is a Full Metal Alchemist and Rising of the Shield Hero Fanfiction only.

As I looked at everything it made me feel bad about all the damage combat has caused the town, I sure hope they don't start doing something foolish like saying that I was the one that saved their homes and lives, the idiot I know as Luge would simply jump at the chance to make an example out of them.

"So Master Roy, we won, we prevented this place from ending up like my hometown, no kids will have to go through what I did, right?" I guess my task of helping Raphtalia overcome the demons of her past is not over, not by a long shot.

"We won the battle, but we really also lost, the damage to the town is considerable, and Lute was barely getting out of the economic depression caused by the inability to mine, we barely have enough metal to do repairs much less to trade. There might also be injuries, that requires some professional help, and not all those injuries are just physical."

She looked at me and I knew at least she understood as she leaned close to me. "Shield Hero, the King commands you to return to the palace. Your Presence is expected." I honestly wanted to tell the idiot where exactly to stick his command, and what I think of the idiot that sent him to meet with me.

I was however not a fool, and not as naive as the other three heroes. "I am busy helping these poor innocent people remove rubble and search for any potential injured or lost people. If you promise that you and your unit will help them do that, I see no problem in me going back to meet with the King, do we have an agreement?"

He looked at me with such obvious hatred, he might as well tattoo the symbol of the cult on his forehead. "I was going to do that anyway, I don't need to be reminded by you of my duty, stop wasting time, the King does not like to be kept waiting."

Just then my neighbor decided to walk near us, I always knew that guy had extremely sensitive ears. "Oh, me, Oh my, I guess you are in a hurry to get to a meeting with his royal majesty, worry not Captain, I am going there myself, Come on Roy, I can give you and Raph a ride."

Well, we got to the capital rather quickly thanks to that rather fast cart ride, granted Raphtalia had more problem with her motion sickness than anything that was on the cart. Seriously I am already meeting a huge pile of manure like I need to be reminded of it with the smells coming from the same care I just rode in.

I walked towards the castle with Raphtalia by my side, I swear this city is chock full of lolicons.

I have seen men gaze at women that way but a little girl? Seriously? Does the Capital have a shortage in the female population? I mean come on, food vendors were giving her free samples just to be near her.

As I made it into the castle I got at least a few dozen hateful glares, yep, be it ever so humble, there is no place like home. As I walked towards the throne room the doors were closed, I knocked hard on them using my fist, no answer, I used the knocker and no answer, if I was a teenager again I would use my alchemy to turn that door into paper and rip it apart, but I am not.

I was about ready to walk away when the door opened and who it was that opened it? None other than Princess Malty, or should I say Myne. "You know Roy the throne room is rather big, it takes time for someone as delicate and demure like myself to cross and open the door."

I call bullshit on the delicate and demure comment, "I was ordered to come here, are the other three here? Or do I have to wait for them to get here somewhere?"

She fully opened the door and sure enough, there is Motoyasu, Itsuki, and Ren. I walked in and Raphtalia walked right behind me. As I stood right next to Motoyasu he began glaring at me, "And here I thought the king wanted to reward the heroes, instead, I have to look at you, and see Myne talk to you."

I didn't bother turning to look at him, "If you have any complaints about me being here, I think the King is the one that you should complain to. I was busy dealing with something when a Knight-Captain told me of this summons."

Luge looked like an absolute scumbag when I have summoned thanks to my memories finally returning from the shield, I think he is an absolute bastard. "Good, you are all present, now the first thing we need to address, thanks to your hard work the wave of calamity has been dealt with, as such, it is time we reward you heroes for your hard work."

"Motoyasu, you will receive forty thousand silver, Itsuki and Ren you will receive thirty-eight thousand, and the Shield Hero, Mustang, will receive thirty thousand silver coins." I immediately put up my hand, he looked rather shocked for me to do that but I honestly don't care.

"Actually your majesty I suggest you take the thirty thousand silver coins and divide them equally among the other heroes, I do not need any compensation. Unlike them, I have a business to fund my work as a hero."

He looked at me and then at the other three heroes, "Very well, it shall be done. Motoyasu, Itsuki, and Rem, shall receive ten thousand silver coins each from the reward that would have been given to the Shield Hero. Now to the other thing we need to inform you, there is to be a banquet in your honor this evening, you must attend, there are many nobles that wish to hear tales of your heroics and have a chance to know our cardinal heroes."

I once again had to put up my hand, "Must I attend? And do I require formal wear or can I simply come in my armor?" He looked at me and I could see the hate in his eyes, too bad for him my hate actually is far worse than he can imagine.

"Yes, you must attend, and no, you can come as you are. I would also like for you to be absent of this meeting as much as you, but someone has been quite insistent about you being present for this meeting and for the banquet that will start as soon as this meeting is over."

I would love to tell Luge that unlike him I was a busy person and that I don't have time for his pooch and pony show. I will not because of two reasons, first it would mean I would have to talk to Luge more than I already did or need to, and second it would be something my dear mother would call being rude.

"Since these noble families will more than likely eat at this banquet, can I eat my food at the kitchen with the rest of the help, I somehow guess that me being present while these nobles eat will ruin their enjoyment of the dinner, and we wouldn't want that now would we, your majesty? All that good food wasted by me being there."

He looked at me and laughed, "That will not be necessary, they may be nobles but they will not even notice you, much like when you don't notice an ant when you are having a picnic, but even I have to say it was a kind gesture of you to try to avoid us any discomfort, something I would never expect from the Shield Hero."

Don't get used to it you bastard, if I had thought that you wouldn't punish the people of Lute if I told you to knight exactly where to stick you are summoned, I wouldn't even be present. Someone should give me an award for my colossal patience and mercy, if I didn't have my military officer's training, I probably would want to listen to my most hidden desire.

What do I desire? To beat Luge so badly he would be crush into a paste and spread on the floor so thin it would look like his remains simply disappeared. Why do I want to do that? Well my memories as I said have finally returned to me and so I recall everything from my previous lives, and previous times I been a shield hero.

I remember every moment I and Mire spent, I remember Luge's betrayal, and I know the reason why the Shield Hero is so hated in Melromarc, in truth you would think that it is simply insane for them to summon me. Traditionally the heroes were to be summoned by different nations to cover as much of the world as possible.

The way the nations were selected was in fact very much like a lottery, each nation would win a position on a list, the first four or the four on the top of the list would get to summon each a hero, but they had to be enough distance between each summoned hero as to allow the heroes to protect the world.

The fact that the four of us were summoned, means that Melromarc threw away the accord, and I imagine has caused Mire no end of trouble, they call this noise music, I swear I think I heard Havoc make better sounding music using a rusty saw and violin bow. I am not kidding my childhood friend really used a saw and a violin bow to play music.

"Master Mustang, why don't you try some of this delicious food?" I looked at Raphtalia and almost couldn't believe what she was saying. First, the food they give us could be poisoned, second, it would mean I have to agree to participate in this farce, and lastly ever since my return to this world, nothing has any flavor, it feels like I am eating natural tofu.

"I am not that hungry Raphtalia, if you want to eat something, don't let me ruin your meal, go ahead and eat whatever you like it is a banquet after all. Maybe once we are back at Lute, I will eat some fruit to help settle my stomach."

She took off, I guess she took me on my offer, I will just have to brew some of my antidote medicine to give to her later. As I looked at the city I began to realize that the city has ground quite a bit since last I remember, come to think of it the church was called the church of the four heroes back then, and it was a humble little chapel. How things have changed, I wonder how much has Mire changed after all this time or if she still feels the same.

As I looked at the people dancing I saw Raphtalia come back to me with a dish and a fork. "You said that you needed some fruit to settle your stomach, well I found this delicious fruit pie, I know this will help you feel better Master Mustang, now don't give me that look, just says Ah."

I guess I had no reason to deny her attempt at being kind, kind of cute for a little kid to worry about me. She placed the bit of pie in my mouth and I tried to eat it, but like I said the thing has no flavor, why is it that no matter what I taste it doesn't have any flavor? I keep trying to figure out that every time I eat something.

Without having any flavor the food sort of losses appeal, while hungry the very notion that I would eat something that makes me feel like I am eating rubber, doesn't exactly motivate me to have expanded my menu choices.

"Thank you for the gesture Raphtalia, but really, you should eat it, I am simply not that hungry." As she ate some, she would insist that she would not eat unless I eat some too. So that is how the entire meal happened, she would pick some food she liked, and she would insist to give me what I call the mamma bird treatment.

I, of course, I am kidding, she treated me as if I was a baby being fed while being seated in a high chair. "Master Mustang, when we get done eating, would you mind terribly if we dance? We have all this great music and it would be a waste not to."

I was about to answer when Motoyasu came towards us, and for some reason, he took off his glove and threw it at my face. "Roy Mustang you swine, I just heard you made poor Raphtalia there your slave! What is the matter with you? As heroes, we can not force someone into slavery! You should know better than this."

I don't need this right now, "Slavery is permitted and legal in Melromarc, you have a problem then, by all means, talk with the nobles that made a law permitting it in the first place, now if you are done making a scene, I promised Raphtalia we could dance."

He stepped in front of me, "You are not getting away with this you scum, I challenged you to a duel when I win you shall release her! I will not allow you to force her to be your slave!"

I looked at him, and thanks to my memories I began realized he is still the same naive, easily fooled idiot he always was. "And if I win, what do I get Motoyasu?" He looked at me and told me I would be allowed to keep Raphtalia. In other words, if I win I gain nothing, but if he wins I lose my only ally and friend. If there is a win-win, this is not the case for me.

I was sick and tired of his screaming to draw attention to himself, "You do realize that you are challenging a person who can flash roast you like a turkey, right? Do you think it is wise to antagonize me?"

He looked a bit around and then he looked at me, "Like you have the guts to do anything like that, a worthless coward like you will never measure up to me. I got a weapon, you got the worst class in gaming history, you couldn't defeat me in a million years. You will lose and Raphtalia will be free from your evil clutches."

What the hell is he talking about? Class? Gaming? He thinks I am joking? Playing around? That does it, I am done being merciful to this moron. "Very well I accept your challenge and as I said, it was not wise to anger me, you shall learn why soon enough."

We were guided to a floor in the palace which was pretty much a place for people to spar in, there were weapons on both sides of the corridor leading to where I expect the idiot to be. I know full well that all four heroes are needed if there is a single one missing is it very much like leaving a section of the world unprotected, but that doesn't mean I can't teach a fool a lesson.

He can't be killed by me, but that does not mean I can not also leave him a few reminders why angering me was not wise, a few scars should do it, for a guy that thinks so much of his appearance and his ever attempt to woe as many women as possible, a nice big scar will be even worse than death.

"On the right side, we have the Spear Hero Motoyasu, On the left, we have the Shield Hero. The fight will continue until one is unable to fight or surrenders. This shall be an official duel officiated by his majesty the King and the Pope of the Church of the three heroes. When you are ready, step towards the center and begin."

The idiot never realized that the lighting for the arena use torches on the walls. I have all the fire I would ever need. "If you want to avoid humiliations, I highly suggest you surrender, there is no way you will ever beat me with nothing but a lousy shield. You know the old fable about what happens when the irresistible spear fight against he immobile shield."

"FLAME SPEAR!" His spear changed into this flaming lance and came running towards me. I blocked it like it was nothing. My shield might not be an attack weapon, but after all that training with Armstrong, I was more than capable of fighting close range without needing a weapon.

I did a sweep kick which knocked him off balance, grabbed him by his chest armor and threw him hard enough to send him flying against a wall near the very corridor that he entered the arena. He hit the wall hard and I knew because of the thud he made when he landed on the floor.

"I would highly suggest you quit now Motoyasu, that was my last warning." He got up and began to walk towards me, "I don't care what you say, I barely felt that hit, you will lose, when Raphtalia realizes how worthless you are, she will beg me to let her join my party, and when I do, I will have fun making her mine, all night, every night."

If he wanted me to be pissed off enough to throw any mercy I still had in the nearest incinerator well I got to say, he got his wish. I pointed my hand at the idiot and began to use alchemy to make several pockets of highly concentrated oxygen, I looked at him and with a snap of my finger the pocket near him exploded making the tiles beneath break apart and parts of it hit him.

He was surprised to see that, but charged towards me, "CHAOS SPEAR!" He tried to hit me a few times but I evaded and when I was a few steps away I snapped my fingers yet again, causing two other spots on the arena to blow up and more pieces of time hit him hard.

"You are standing on one of my explosives, give up now, apologize to Raphtalia or I may not wish to kill you, but that doesn't mean I have to leave you intact does it? I will roast you so badly that when children see you, they will cry and scream asking what is that hideous looking thing you once called your face."