#like she thought that the military protects the country and alchemy does good

[melonsap]

I don't understand the Scar FMA reference. Could you explain it to me (and others who don't know) please?

As a disclaimer, I'm going to be talking about Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Scar. I have not watched 2003 FMA.

So! Scar.

He’s a primary antagonist of Fullmetal Alchemist, and why requires some context. He’s an Ishbalan; an ethnic group in the desert of his world, like the Gerudo are.

8 years prior to the show, most of the Ishbalans were murdered in a genocidal war. The war was started by an inhuman monster that wanted immortality and infinite knowledge, and was led by state alchemists—people who use the magic of their world in direct service to the military.

State alchemists are terrifying. They can tear the earth apart

Make huge explosions

Even set the very air on fire

If it can be done with the materials/science at hand, alchemy can do it.

These are the people that were ordered to end the war by killing off Scar’s people.

And the thing about the Ishbalans is, they could never fight back fairly; their religion forbids the use of alchemy, viewing it as an affront to god and the ultimate betrayal of their humanity.

When the war was over, so few Ishbalans were left alive that Scar thought he was the only one left at the start of the series. Those that DID survive hide in the slums of the country, or have left its borders entirely to live much further off into the desert.

Back to Scar.

He lost EVERYTHING in that war. His brother, the only family he had left, gave up his life so that Scar could live. His home is gone, his people are gone; he was a priest, his very religion has vanished.

So, he turns to vengeance.

He abandons his moral compass and learns how to use alchemy for the sake of revenge. Then he hunts down every State Alchemist he can find.

He’s cold, bitter, and murderous.

But he’s not a villain. He’s an antagonist. And he’s still very much human.

He meets other survivors of his people, and gets a flicker of hope back.

He adopts a foreign princess, who uses alchemy to heal people. She’s searching the country, trying to save her own clan from poverty.

Eight years ago, he killed a girl’s parents after waking up in a hospital and having a panic attack, surrounded by people in enemy uniforms and learning of his brother’s death by said brother’s amputated arm. And when that girl turns a gun on him, he tells her she has every right to take the shot.

And then he meets Miles, a quarter-Ishbalan who’s trying to change things from the inside and prevent the war from ever having a repeat.

And he changes.

He abandons (admittedly well-deserved) vengeance for justice. He works with the people he hates to kill the one responsible for the destruction of his people. He pulls his moral compass back in, and he does what’s right instead of what makes things even.

When people make a “good Ganondorf,” they tend to strip him of his anger, his ambition, and make him happy, energetic, and nice.

What I mean when I say I want Ganondorf to be like Scar is that I want him to still be Ganondorf. He can be stone cold! He can be furious! He can hate the Hylian royals with every fiber of his being, even have an arc where he wants to kill them.

But when push comes to shove, I want him to make the right choices. He’s still human. He can be the most feared warrior and still protect kids from monsters. He can be the most revenge-driven man Hyrule’s ever seen, and still recognize that this

is what threatens the people he cares about the most.

I want him to do the right thing because it’s the right thing, not because he’s a different person under the same name.

Give me morally gray, three-dimensional, antagonistic, human Ganondorf.

I’ll write him if Nintendo won’t.

#hyrule atlas project #loz #zelda #hoo boy fma has a lot of tws in it #blood tw #genocide tw #death tw #gun tw #yeah this anime is not for kids #but it is the BEST anime i have ever seen in my life #all of its characters are so well written #fmab #fullmetal alchemist #scar #ask bee #uh...ask to tag because this is the least kid-friendly post i've made given its topics

[worryinglyinnocent]

Fic: Haven (23/50)

Summary: They say Resembool is a haven, and they’re right. Lush pastures, quaint country town, farmers’ markets on Saturdays: a bucolic paradise.

But it’s more than that. Resembool is a haven for the runaways, the deserters, the people who don’t want to be found…

The Resembool community knows there’s something odd about Hohenheim, but they’re not going to let that stop them helping him out. This is Resembool after all, a place where no one has to hide and neighbours help neighbours, be they building a fence, chasing a sheep, or trying to save the country from an evil they inadvertently helped release centuries ago…

Or: A series of slices of life in an AU in which Hohenheim never leaves, and several broken state alchemists find hope and home in Resembool.

Rated: T

==

Haven

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [AO3]

Summary: Trisha decides that she and Hohenheim need a date night. Sherman and Marcoh volunteer to babysit. What could possibly go wrong?

Characters: Marcoh, Sherman (OC), Ed, Al, Trisha

==

When Ab volunteered herself and him for babysitting duty after Trisha lamented not having had a date night since Ed was born, Tim was convinced that she had in fact lost the plot. Tim has no experience with children, and he’s fairly sure that Ab doesn’t either, and he’ll be very surprised if they manage to get to the end of the night with no one getting killed or arrested. Tim has lived through a lot, and yet the idea of spending two hours with the Elric brothers is one of the most terrifying things that he can imagine. How does one go about entertaining children anyway?

When he voices the thought to Ab as they walk up the hill towards the Elric house, she just looks at him.

“Tim, these are Hohenheim’s kids. You know exactly how to entertain them.”

“Ab, you are not teaching those children alchemy!”

“They’ve been learning since they were three! They live and breathe the stuff!”

He can see that he’s not going to convince her that it’s a bad idea, and he’s given up even hoping that no one will be killed or arrested by the end of the night. 

Trisha opens the door and lets them in; Tim has never seen her wearing make-up and not wearing an apron before. Thankfully, Hohenheim looks just the same as he always looks. Tim doesn’t think he can handle any more surprises tonight. 

“They’ve had dinner and they know they’re not allowed any more snacks before bed,” Trisha explains. “So don’t give in however much they might beg. They can stay up until we get home if they want.”

“What are the rules on alchemy?” Tim asks, in the vain hope of heading Ab off at the pass.

Trisha just laughs, which is not at all reassuring, and shows them through to the living room where the boys are playing.

“Boys, Dad and I are going out now. Be good for Miss Ab and Dr Tim.”

“We will.”

Almost as soon as Trisha and Hohenheim leave the house, Ab gives a massive grin, rubbing her hands together.

“Ok kiddos. Who wants to have a go at some whirlwind alchemy?”

The response to this suggestion is an enthusiastically positive one, and Tim groans inwardly. The boys pull on coats and shoes over their pyjamas - at least it’s a mild summer night - and Ab herds them into the garden, showing them how to draw out her basic circle on the ground. Tim supposes he should be thankful that she had the sense not to attempt whirlwind alchemy indoors. 

It’s good to see Ab confident about using her specialised alchemy again though. It took over a year for her to come back to it after she left Ishval and rendered her tattoos useless. Tim hasn’t reached the stage of being comfortable returning to bioalchemy yet. The memories of his time involved in Philosopher’s Stone research are still far too fresh, especially given the conversations that he’s had with Hohenheim since he’s been in Resembool.

"Ok kids, I think we're ready. Tim, there's no need to look like we're about to blow the house down."

Tim raises an eyebrow, and Ab sighs.

"Tim, I am a professional. I promise you that I will not let anyone blow the house down."

Tim remains unconvinced, and is on the verge of drawing up a wall circle that he can activate and throw up to protect the little whitewashed house from what he is certain is going to be imminent destruction. The boys don't seem to notice his consternation and kneel down on the ground, pressing their hands against the circle to activate it. The lightning races around the edge and lights up the array, and they grin at each other. 

"The first thing you need to do is feel the particles in the air like you feel them in the ground when you do earth-based alchemy," Ab says, getting down on the ground with them, her hands hovering over the circle. "Lift your hands off the circle and see if you can feel the air particles. It's a bit harder because they're not tightly packed, but you should be able to feel them moving."

Despite still fearing for his safety, it's nice to see Ab teaching again. Tim knows she always intended to take an apprentice and pass on the secrets of whirlwind alchemy before Ishval happened, and teaching the Elric brothers is about as good a stopgap as she's going to get in the meantime. At least now she's teaching it to those who aren't likely ever to have to use it in service of the state. They've all used their alchemy for destructive ends for so long that sometimes it's hard to remember that it has positive uses as well, rather than just being bent to the military's will. 

"Once you feel the air particles, you need to make them move in the direction that you want them to move in; just like you change the order of the earth particles to make it into a different shape. We're going to make the air into a different shape. It's easiest like this." Ab holds her hands out horizontally, palms together but not quite touching, and makes little circular motions. Tim's seen her throw tornadoes off her palms like lightning and it's mesmerising to see it all in slow motion. A tiny whirlwind begins to form between her hands, and the boys copy her. Ab smiles at their exclamations of wonder, and adjusts their hand positions. 

"Now you can send the air wherever you want it to go. Let's stick with that direction."

Ab throws off her tiny whirlwind away from the house and the tree, and it soon fizzles out in the existing breeze. Perhaps another time, Tim would wonder what he was so worried about, but he's still not convinced that everything's going to be all right yet. 

The boys follow suit, their own little whirlwinds fizzling out soon after, and the light from the transmutation circle fades, this batch of tectonic energy used up. 

"Can we try again?"

"Go for it. Just don't aim the air towards the house or you'll give Tim a heart attack."

The kids continue to practice their little tornadoes for a while and Ab stands back, always ready to catch any wayward whirlwinds and redirect or flatten them. Eventually, the evening gets too cold for them to stay outdoors, and they go back inside. Tim tasks himself with making tea whilst Ab fields question after question about whirlwind alchemy from the boys. 

"What would you use it for?"

"The air's a good source of energy. Think about windmills. We can use whirlwind alchemy to make sure that the windmills are always able to go around and keep working."

It’s good to remember that alchemy can be used to help rather than hurt. 

The boys are evidently getting tired as the pace of their rapid-fire questioning slows, but they’re still awake, if drooping a little, when the front door opens and Trisha and Hohenheim return. 

“Hey boys.” Trisha comes over and gives each of them a kiss, both of them attempting to fend her off with exclamations of grossness. “Were you good for Miss Ab and Dr Tim?”

“Miss Ab taught us Whirlwind alchemy!” Al exclaims.

“Did she now?” Trisha just grins.

“Yeah, we can make windmills go now! Well, only little ones. But I’m sure we’ll get better!”

“I’m sure you will. Now, you go up and clean your teeth, and Dad and I will come tuck you in in a minute.”

The boys protest that they’re not tired, but since the protests are punctuated by long yawns, they give in easily and shuffle up the stairs. 

“They were good as gold,” Ab says to Trisha. “It was good to share my secrets with such enthusiastic pupils again. I know we’ve said it so many times before, but they really do have a natural gift for it. I reckon they could learn any branch they put their mind to.” For a moment, Ab looks wistful. “They’re in the best place, here in Resembool,” she says eventually. “Here where they’ll be hidden, nice and safe away from Bradley and the State Alchemist program wanting to get their claws into their talents.”

“Oh, don’t worry. We’ll make sure no one gets their claws into anyone.” Trisha sounds so bright and optimistic but there’s inner steel there; it’s one of the many qualities that Tim admires in her. 

He and Ab say their goodbyes and leave the house, and Ab gives a happy sigh as they make their way down the hill in the dark. 

“I like to think that one day there’ll be a generation of alchemists who aren’t as screwed up as we are, who can really take it back to its roots and use it for good.”

Tim likes that thought, too.

#FMA:Brotherhood #FMA Fanfiction #Tim Marcoh #Edward Elric #Alphonse Elric #Fic: Haven

[fullmetalscullyy]

the way it was - chapter 22

summary:  what if riza never went to war?  riza hawkeye has just married the man she loves. six months into their marriage, an unexpected surprise stops her from following roy to the military. a canon divergence au that explores what might have happened had riza been unable to join the military. there will be plenty of family fluff, angst, and royai.

rated: m | warnings: no archive warning apply

read on ao3

1914

but you're a king and i'm a lionheart

When Chris had invited Riza and Mia around to the bar for dinner, Riza didn’t expect her daughter to be whisked away immediately by Vanessa as soon as they set foot inside the bar. Chris approached with determination.

“We need to talk.”

Anxiety settled in Riza’s stomach. What was all this about? There was no room for argument as Chris turned on her heel and walked away, expecting Riza to follow.

Riza wondered if this had something to do with Roy. He’d suddenly called shortly after arriving at work that morning to say that he wouldn’t be home until late that night. He had some work to do, but he was sorry, and he loved them both. She didn’t think much of it, just told him to be safe and got on with her day. Then, Chris called shortly afterwards, encouraging Riza to come for dinner. While she thought it would be lovely to spend the evening with her mother-in-law, there was a tiny niggle in the back of her mind that something was happening behind the scenes.

Chris led the way through to the backroom of the bar, into her home. She led Riza into her kitchen without any kind of indication of what the topic of discussion would be, and that made the wait worse. Was this something she needed to worry about? Riza’s thoughts were interrupted by Mia’s happy squeal from somewhere in the house, followed by Vanessa’s laugh.

Uncertainty clawed at Riza’s heart. She wanted to ask what was going on but knew better. Everything Chris did was for a reason, so if she was leading Riza away from Mia then it was something their daughter shouldn’t overhear. Riza bit her tongue.

Once inside the kitchen, Chris gestured for Riza to sit.

“Roy will be working late tonight, but I’m sure you already know about that.”

“He called this morning,” Riza confirmed.

Chris nodded. “He’s going to do something tonight, and wanted you brought here as a precaution.”

“What’s he doing?” Riza asked. Her stomach tightened at the serious look on Chris’ face.

“He’s going to fake someone’s death using his flame alchemy.” There was no hesitation, she stated it as bluntly as she could.

“Oh…" Riza's heart thudded inside her chest at the revelation. "Wait.” Riza paused, something clicking inside of her mind. “Does this have anything to do with Maria Ross?”

It had been all over the papers for a few days. Apparently the soldier had killed Maes Hughes. Initially, Riza had scrutinised the photo and wondered how that woman could have taken someone else’s life. She’d been an exemplary soldier, according to the news, so why would she murder one of her own? The story didn’t quite add up for Riza, and it didn’t for Roy either.

They hadn’t spoken much about it. They didn’t get a chance really when Mia was around. However, he’d spent more time in his study in the evenings after Mia had gone to bed. Riza would pop her head in and ask if he needed anything, only to be greeted by a tired smile and the reassurance he was all right. She’d spotted Maes’ name on the papers in front of him, alongside Maria Ross', which Roy had quickly scribbled down then scored out. Riza knew he was investigating his friend’s death and was worried for him. Roy explained he couldn’t do it at work, so would spend an hour or two looking over things. Sometimes Riza offered her own input but couldn’t do much. She had a good eye for details but wasn’t in investigations. Still, she could be someone he could talk to about it all.

Chris nodded. “It does. He’s going to fake her death tonight.”

“How though?” Maria Ross was in prison. What was he up to?

“He’s staging a prison break and will “kill” her.” Chris used finger quotations to explain herself.

Riza swallowed.

“It’s all staged though, don’t worry. He has a dummy at the ready that I helped procure the ingredients for. Breda came to me with some things he needed, and I helped the operation along. Havoc will protect Ross and help get her out of the country.”

“So, why bring Mia and I here?”

“Roy asked if I could invite you for dinner, partly as a precaution but also because he probably felt guilty he wouldn’t be home tonight.”

Riza nodded, things falling into place. He had sounded regretful on the phone earlier when he said he wouldn’t be home.

“Why is us being out of the house a precaution?”

Chris shrugged. “Beats me, but I have a pretty good theory.”

“What is it?”

She regarded Riza quietly for a long moment, which only caused frustration to build.

“Chris, please. If my daughter is in some kind of danger then I deserve to know what it is.”

She eyed Riza once more before nodding. “There’s dangerous people roaming around Central right now. They each bear a matching tattoo. An Ouroboros tattoo. They’re tied to the military somehow, but we don’t know why yet.”

Ouroboros… Riza had seen that word mentioned before, years ago in an ancient history book. She was sure it had been in her father’s study. “What does the tattoo look like?” At the mention of a tattoo, her back tingled lightly as a reminder. She hadn’t discussed any form of tattoo with anyone in a long time. They weren’t popular around Amestris, so weren’t a regular topic of conversation.

“A snake eating its own tail.”

That definitely sounded familiar to Riza. She was sure she’d seen it on Roy’s desk at home, half-hidden by other pieces of paper.

“And these people pose a threat?”

Chris nodded. “We don’t know who they’re targeting, but yes, they do. Just be cautious, all right? Know that if you ever need anything, I’m just a call away as well.”

Riza sat back in her chair.

“I have no reason to believe they will contact you personally, however, just keep an eye out," Chris warned.

“I will,” she swallowed. She was still in a daze from all this new information. It was weighing on her heavily. If Roy was targeted by them, who was to say they wouldn’t use her or Mia to get to him? She shuddered at the thought.

“Roy Boy asked if I could at least fill you in on what was going on tonight, and promised he’d answer any questions you had as soon as possible,” Chris added. “He sent me a coded message earlier and then a quick call. I have the letter if you want to see it?”

Curiosity got the better of her, and Riza nodded.

As Chris left the room Riza remained in place, processing the information she’d been given tonight.

This was… big. Riza knew of his plan to get to the top and was well aware of everything that entailed now, but… Now it was real. He was taking steps here that, if found out, could get him court-martialled. Her stomach twisted. But she knew him, and she knew his team. They were smart as hell. And if Chris was on their side too, helping them along, it eased Riza’s worries a little bit.

“I also have this, if you could pass it onto him?” Chris handed her an envelope along with the piece of paper. The front was blank, giving nothing away. “More information for him.”

This was usual practice between them both. Over the years when Riza and Mia had gone to visit Chris and Roy’s sisters, messages in letters had been passed onto Riza to be delivered to Roy. Riza knew he’d been overreacting when he insisted on not getting her involved in anything. And she’d been right. What was so dangerous about picking up a handful of envelopes to hand over to her husband?

“I will.”

“I’ll get us a drink.” Chris excused herself and left Riza with Roy’s coded letter.

It was a story. There were various names on the paper, each one starting with a specific letter at the beginning. Those letters were used to spell out the words of his message. Riza didn’t bother to read the story he’d crafted. The message itself was all that held her attention at that moment.

 Jailbreak MR. Get Riza and Mia for dinner. Love both.

 She smiled at the last part, her finger stroking over the paper.

Sometimes Riza would read the story just to see how he managed to fit it all together. Riza had tried it too in her spare time, leaving little notes for him in his office at home. Then he'd started doing it as well without a word of warning. His were far cuter than hers, with a message of ‘I love you’ left all over the house. Soon, it was common practice and they’d shown Mia how to do it too. Her messages weren’t long or complex, but it was just a bit of fun for the small family.

“He’s a dramatic one,” Chris snorted. “Jailbreak,” she muttered. “I don’t know where he got that flair from.”

Riza laughed. “He used to always tell me it was from you and wondered how I couldn’t see it.”

Chris shook her head and lifted her eyes to the ceiling. “He’s a strange one, that’s for sure.”

“He certainly knows how to keep us on our toes,” Riza murmured, turning her focus back to his letter.

“He didn’t want to speak to you about it over the phone, is my guess. Too many people potentially listening in.”

“I know,” Riza reassured her. “I just hope tonight goes well for all involved.”

“That fake corpse was perfectly constructed,” Chris replied, sipping at her water. Her cigarette was absent from her lips. “And Roy, having a flair for dramatics, will make sure it’s well presented.”

Riza’s stomach turned. “Where are they taking Maria?” she asked, trying to turn the conversation away from the “corpse”.

“No idea. That was need to know only.”

Humming in agreement, Riza took a sip of her own water.

“I had another reason for bringing you here tonight, Riza.”

“Oh?”

“You’ve expressed interest in the part of becoming a part-time informant.”

She nodded. “I have.”

“Have you ever been interested in working the floor? You can absolutely say no,” Chris added, lifting her hands in front of her to placate any objections. “All you’d have to do is sit and talk to people.”

Riza cocked her head and considered it. Then grimaced. “No. The whole reason for me to come and collect the messages from you and the girls was to stop people thinking Roy was cheating on me by going out on “dates” with them. What would happen if word got out at his place of work that his wife was cheating on him?”

“A fair point, and a very good answer,” Chris chipped in. “However, I suppose I worded that incorrectly. Let me rephrase that, would you be interested in talking to people to gather information rather than simply collecting messages?”

“In what way?”

“Military wives love to gossip. They come in every Friday night. While their husbands sit in the bar, we have a space for them to catch up and basically moan about their partners for a couple of hours. It’s in the back of the bar, in that room just off to the right as you go out.”

Riza had noticed the door there but hadn’t thought much more of it. She’d never been through there.

“Your upstart Colonel husband would be a good talking point for those ladies,” Chris ventured.

“Are you asking me to gossip about my husband?” Riza frowned.

“Not at all, but you would be welcomed into their social circle openly. Roy Boy is certainly making a name for himself, especially after coming to Central, and he’s a hot topic of conversation.”

Riza wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. “Only good things, I hope?”

“Of course. Mostly because he’s a breath of fresh air with all the old stuffy military officials that usually frequent their company.”

She still wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. “And I assume these conversations are all innocent?”

Chris shook her head. “Riza, all those women are old enough to be Roy’s mother,” she chuckled. “They dote on him because he’s a kind kid who's friendly and polite to everyone. Always the charmer," she snorted. "Vanessa very quickly put an end to any possible… not so innocent thoughts. She went in there one Friday gushing about Roy’s beautiful wife and his adorable daughter.”

She laughed when Riza’s cheeks turned pink at the compliment, and Riza coughed to hide it.

“I’m not jealous,” Riza assured Chris. “I just don’t want pointless gossip to ruin his reputation.”

“If anything, they love your little family even more now. They ate it up. It’s the truth, of course, but they really do say nothing but good things, I promise. The girls covering the party make sure of it.” Chris sat back in her chair. “It was just an idea,” she relented. “Some other way for you to help. Military wives on a Friday night can be very animated, and I thought you stopping by would get them to open up even more. It’s completely up to yourself," she relented. "It can be a onetime thing or a regular occurrence. It was just something to try."

“I’ll consider it,” Riza stated carefully. She’d need to weigh her options and if she could find someone to look after Mia if Roy was working.

“That’s all I ask. Roy told me a while back you were interested in being an informant, and the idea occurred to me after that last Friday night.”

“What happened last Friday night?”

“Lots more oohing and ahing over your perfect family,” she smirked. “Honestly, they eat it up Riza. You should come and see it for yourself someday.”

“Are you suggesting we’re not perfect,” Riza quipped, smiling over the rim of her glass.

“No one is perfect,” Chris replied with her own smirk. “But they are correct. You are a beautiful woman and Mia is extremely adorable.”

Chris guffawed while Riza mumbled her thanks at another compliment from her. She was sure Chris only did it because she got a kick out of it.

“Every word of that is the truth,” Chris stated assuredly. “Come on, let’s go and see what Mia’s up to. See if she’s tired out Vanessa yet,” she chuckled.

*          *          *

Mia was half asleep as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom. The offer to remain at Chris’ for the night was there, but Mia had school tomorrow morning so it would be easier for Riza to just take her home. Her mother-in-law had also offered Roxanne’s protection. While Riza appreciated it and welcomed the determined and eager look on Roxanne’s face, she politely declined the offer.

Riza had only been in bed for fifteen minutes or so before she heard the front door opening. Her body tensed in its half-asleep state, but relaxed when she heard Roy sigh from downstairs. Lights were turned off as he climbed the stairs. With heavy footsteps, he reached the top of the stairs but stopped outside Mia’s bedroom door. Riza heard it creak open as he checked in on her. The house turned silent as he did so.

Their bedroom door opened and Riza looked up. Like his footfalls suggested, he looked exhausted, but he still offered her a smile.

“Hi,” he greeted. Roy’s voice sounded a little hoarse as he spoke, discarding his military jacket over the back of the armchair on his side of the bed.

“Hey,” she smiled. “How did it go?”

“Everything went well. The plan went off without a hitch.”

Roy kicked his trousers off and placed it over his jacket on the chair. His shirt however was discarded into a pile on the floor, so he remained in only his boxers. Climbing into bed, Roy wrapped his arms around Riza tightly, giving her a squeeze. A kiss was pressed to her forehead and Riza sighed into it, her body relaxing now she knew that he was home.

“Maria is safe?”

Roy nodded. “On her way to Xerxes.”

“Xerxes? That’s quite a distance,” she commented, racking her brain to try and think how far through the desert that was.

“We’ve determined that whoever is behind it all is working throughout Amestris,” Roy yawned. “I wanted to be safe. I have some associates from Xing, and they’ll escort her there.”

“And are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he mumbled tiredly.

“Chris told me what you had to do with the… corpse.” Riza grimaced. Her tired mind couldn’t think of a better or more tactful way to word it.

“It was fine. I saved someone’s life tonight, that’s what matters,” he yawned again, but his expression quickly turned pained. “I did become the villain for doing it though.”

“How come?”

“Edward always seems to be in the wrong place at the right time,” he mumbled. “He saw me ‘killing’ Ross. I had no idea who was tailing him or if he was compromised so I had to go with the murder story.”

“I’m sorry, Roy.”

“It’s all right,” he sighed. “But thank you. The kid hates me for sure now,” Roy chuckled. “But he’ll be on his way to Xerxes soon enough too so he can find out the truth.” His eyelids fluttered closed.

Riza looked up as his eyelashes splayed across his cheeks and his face finally relaxed. The day’s events had been weighing on him, and she was loath to take up any more of his sleeping time.

“Get some rest, Roy,” she breathed, pressing a kiss to his lips.

He grunted softly in response, deepening the kiss for a moment. “Just what I needed to feel better,” he grinned. It was that dopey smile that he only showed when he was tired, and Riza loved it. “Plus, I’ll need it. Tomorrow will be another long day.” Then, she felt him pause. “There’s… something coming up in a few days. I anticipate we’ll need to go after one of the people with the Ouroboros tattoo. Can you go to my mother’s that night?”

“Is this something I should be concerned about?”

Roy shook his head. “No. And I mean it,” he added earnestly. “I really don’t anticipate anything like that coming your way, however, it would give me peace of mind to know you’re all together.”

“You know I can handle myself,” she quipped lightly.

“I don’t doubt it for a second,” he replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead again. “But until I know exactly what I’m dealing with and how to handle it, it would let me breathe easier if I knew my pregnant wife and my daughter were under my mother’s protection. She has a whole labyrinth of tunnels underneath her bar. If the wrong people come knocking then you can hide under there and I’ll come when it’s safe.”

“The wrong people, huh?”

He nodded. “The Ouroboros gang,” he drawled. “Keep an eye out for anyone with that tattoo by the way. I have a picture of it in my office. I’ll show you it tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry, your mother already explained it to me.”

His eyelids drifted closed again and Riza smiled. She lifted a hand to caress his face lightly with her fingers. He flinched in fright but turned his head to press a kiss to her palm.

“Get some sleep,” she prompted.

“You said that before then distracted me,” he grumbled.

“I can take that kiss back,” she joked, moving out of his hold. This caused him to latch onto her torso even tighter.

“Please don’t,” he begged. “I’m sorry,” he gushed dramatically.

“Go to sleep, Roy. I love you.”

He hummed with a smile. “Love you too.”

#royai #royai fic #royai fanfic #royai au #the way it was #emma writes

[meggannn]

Thoughts and analysis on Gen. Armstrong (if you don't mind)

oh absolutely. a lot of this is speculation on my part, but it’s just my reading and theories on how she kind of came to be who she is.

so i vibe with armstrongs being a very traditional, patriarchal family in a very old-fashioned country. they had four daughters, olivier being the oldest and (arguably) most capable, but alex, the second youngest kid but only son, was the one chosen to lead the family. i think that olivier carried a lot of the burdens of being the oldest sibling and oldest daughter.

maybe olivier was the first daughter in the armstrong family in a long list of sons? i like that idea because it kind of has the opportunity harden her to the world as a kid, in my mind. a lot of excitement for the firstborn in an illustrious family, and… it’s a girl. ugh. okay, well, we’ll try again.

except i think olivier really decided to just start doing whatever she thought a male firstborn would get to do, taking her studies seriously, preparing to be the armstrong heir, and her family just kinda sighed and didn’t take her seriously. when she joins the military, i am going to bet that she either had to fight for it, or there was a lot of familial backlash/tsking between her parents because ~a woman shouldnt be in the army~ (i am operating under the belief she’s the only female officer to ever make it to general, because to my recollection i don’t think we’ve ever seen another female officer as high or higher than her). and when alex follows her to the military years later, i’m going to bet she was L I V I D when their parents were like “well of course, he’s the oldest son, he’s going to make us proud.” there were screaming matches of epic proportions when she joined, and when he does, it’s all fine. (even alex as an adult isn’t entirely rid of sexism when he asks when she’s ever gonna change her attitude so she can get a husband. and when she challenges his right to head the family, he arguably loses because he underestimated her. although i’m also going to chalk part of that up to the fact that although alex wanted to head the family, he didn’t NEED to win as badly as olivier needed to, because she needed to kick their family out and use the mansion to house her troops to prepare for the promised day. that’s the kind of person she is, “i need this to happen and so it will happen, i will give myself no other option.”)

i don’t think that olivier is the kind of person who pushes her limits to try to “prove” anything to other people; maybe she started by trying to mostly prove it to herself, but it eventually just became who she is. no nonsense. very protective, but maybe tired of taking care of kids/siblings. highly capable, very savvy. perfect for briggs. i think she takes her role as their leader VERY seriously. she knows she’s earned it, and up north defending the border, she sees how every person matters.

i’ve always wondered if there’s something in how olivier is stationed at briggs, the furthest possible post away from central. i don’t think it’s to get away from anything, exactly; it does seem like the best job suited for her. i think partly this represents her physical distance and distain for politics: she clearly looks down on mustang, possibly because he’s a state alchemist, and maybe part of it is for his reputation of being an annoying flirt who can charm his way up the ranks while maybe she had to fight for every rank she earned, though i think also part of it is because she thinks he’s naive to join the very system he’s trying to abolish. but as we see in late show, she’s not terrible at the politics and backstabbing, i think she just doesn’t like to deal with bullshit. she’s a very blunt person. she’ll play chess if she has to, clearly, but when she pulls the sword on the room full of officers, you know she’s been waiting MONTHS to do that.

she also doesn’t like alchemy. i’ve always wondered if there’s a reason behind this – the wiki says “she views [equivalent exchange] as a mindset promoting easy handouts and unnecessary compromise” so i’m guessing she doesnt like philosophies that base themselves around quid pro quo agreements, especially since it leads very easily to corruption. the armstrongs are a very noble family that take that sort of thing seriously. i think she’s smart enough to realize alchemy is often NECESSARY, but the state alchemists themselves are… ugh. difficult to deal with and probably almost always really bossy. and think they’re so fuckin special. and also all male. so it’s no wonder she doesn’t give a shit about edward elric, some kid who shows up with no warning with a letter from her annoying brother, asking for her help.

so already she has a chip on her shoulder about alex: he’s a younger sibling she had to take care of; he’s a younger BROTHER who got more support and fewer roadblocks than she did for achieving (or even wanting) the same things way before he ever did; he’s also an alchemist, and state alchemist. she’d see that as annoying at best and borderline dishonorable at worst.

and then ishval.

so for the record, i fully believe that by the events of canon, olivier’s intense disgust for alex for his “cowardly” actions in ishval is mostly, if not entirely, an act. i think it’s EASY for her to act like it’s real, because she struggles with real feelings of hostility and annoyance toward alex for the reasons above, and she WOULD probably think he’s a poor soldier for defying orders…… but would she openly advocate for genocide? she’s not perfect, but i don’t think that of her. but she lets absolutely none of that internal questioning show on the outside. externally? “my brother is a disgrace. he failed to protect this country. if i were head of the family, i’d dishonor him publicly.” and alex, you know, i think he sees past this, a little? he knows she has to say these things otherwise she’d lose her reputation and might also be demoted, given she’s on a rickety foundation as a woman general as is. she doesn’t have to be so passionate about her opinions, but she might also have gained a target on her back by his actions in ishval; maybe they’d assume she had ishvallan sympathies because he was her brother. so she’s already got enough baggage against alex, and he inadvertently dumps some more political bullshit on her back just because he didn’t do his job. i think she’d say the things she did to distance herself from alex, not because she’s angry with him or disappointed in him (though there is a bit of that, but for unrelated reasons), to keep her position. she’s very ruthless politically. you could question the morality of this, like i do, but i don’t entirely blame her for feeling like she could lose her position as the only female general in charge of defending a politically hot border position.

fma has a rather annoying “we don’t see color” attitude wrt race at times, but in the case of olivier, whose attitude after all the years in briggs is “we literally cannot afford to be prejucide, there are so few capable people here, and if someone works, they are part of the team and will be treated with respect, full stop” it makes sense why she’d say what she said to miles. it’s not that i think she’s an ishvallan activist behind the scenes because of her lieutenant, but i think she knows the “war” was complete horseshit and fully respects his bitter feelings toward the amestrian government.

privately, though, i think olivier knows clearly that this country is messed up, before “the shape of this country.” but she has a very powerful family, and it’s hard to completely renounce that dedication. she still loves amestris a lot. she feels very protective of the people she’s defending, even if she doesn’t like them very much.

i respect that she swallows her pride, gives up briggs, and joins the political battle in central when it becomes clear that that’s the best way to get to the center of the matter. imo she and roy mustang teaming up, unnoticed, in the heart of the beast could have made an amazing combo, but ofc she’d never let that happen lmao. she is a good person without being a nice person. that’s refreshing. she’s ruthless, pragmatic, ambitious, angry, untrusting, and kind of an asshole, and yet you never doubt that she is, at heart, honorable and trustworthy. she will tell you what she thinks of you. she hates lying. but she will cave and do what the people of amestris needs her to do; we see she IS able to separate her government from her country. i think she always knew, but the events of the show are kind of her “put up or shut up” moment to stand up and show where her loyalties really are, and she delivered. she’d be offended if you ever even thought she might choose differently.

i love olivier a lot because she doesn’t have an arc in the traditional sense; her personality and position don’t change much from the time we meet her to the last time we see her. her biggest change is that she lets herself show pride in her brother, or maybe she’s able to admit that she’s proud of him in the first place. i think for her, that’s enough. i also really, really like that she’s not shown as someone who NEEDS to change. she’s allowed to be an angry, confident, strong woman in charge of a fort who likes things the way she likes them and expects you bend to her rules in her fort or you will leave. i think it’s a great accomplishment and testament to the writing and acting to show that she is not nice, and not always likable, but you never question she is a good person.

#olivier mira armstrong #Anonymous #askbox #megan talks about fma

[wheremytwinwatches]

[Where My Twin Watches]: Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood Episode 35

Last time: Ed wasn’t a racist, Sloth forgot to turn left at Albuquerque, and M.G. Armstrong was getting ready to show off to the tourists. Onwards!

Episode 35 - “The Shape of This Country”

Awesome, we’re right back into it, M.G. Armstrong repeating her line from last episode. Ed’s confused until Buccy grabs his head and then his whole body to “lend a hand”. The Brothers protest until Buccy puts his pistol to Ed’s head what the Leto?!

[Buccy]: “You were forced to help us under duress; how does that excuse work for ya?’

Eh we can get into order technicalities later, just go with it for now Ed. Heck, if you pull this off right it’ll never get back to Bradley!

Poor Falman’s conscripted as well, Buccy still holding Ed at gunpoint as they take fuel cans to Gate 8. Seeing as the defused shells were insufficient, M.G. Armstrong uses her new weapons as blunt instruments to simply push Sloth into the elevator. Poor tank commander, he just wanted to show off the tanks to his boss but now he’s just getting stepped on by her. It works, and the slow thug is sent somewhere else to the relief of the poor mooks.

Now we’re down to Gate 8, where Sloth shambles out of the elevator all confused about where he is now. Suddenly Buccy runs in and damn, guy just shoulder-threw the biggest Goth so far to the ground, right below the others who poured the tank fuel onto him.

Good, you’ve soaked the Goth in flammable material. Anybody got a match?

Uh.

Ok, I can’t fault you for this one. Why settle for a match when you’ve got a Leto-damn tank?

Alright, that shot knocked it outside, you can use explosive shells safely now! FIRE!

…

Oh you’ve got to be kidding me. You’re out of ammo?! You didn’t save even a single explosive shell? Boo.

Falman… I’ll say he ‘contributed’ by shooting down an icicle, but he probably didn’t need to bother. The Brothers run forward and Brother Kick off the fort wall. Guys, do you not realize the plan? You want heat, not this blasted cold!

Wait, what are you saying Buccy?

Oh. Well don’t I feel foolish now. I got so hung up on the idea of setting Sloth on fire that I didn’t even think about the opposite. Fast evaporating liquid plus stupidly low temperatures? Near-instant Gothsicle.

Awesome! Dead or not, Sloth isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Now we can- hey! Don’t arrest the Elrics, they helped! Falman too!

Argh, even with Sloth on ice M.G. Armstrong’s keeping up the excuse that they were forced to help, and as long as they’re detained she can try to get some more answers out of them. Although I’m totally down for learning what Sloth wanted, I can’t think of any reason the Goths would need a tunnel all the way to the northern edge of Amestris.

Rise and shine, prisoner! Ed seems to share my disdain for cold-weather mornings, but he perks up when one of the labcoats comes by with a mug. Ed, I wouldn’t- dude really? Just yesterday you got charged for a cup of coffee, why are you surprised the same thing happened today?

At least he gets some good information for free, like that a search party was sent into the tunnel to figure out what the heck it was, and Sideburns is visiting the hospital, there’s a soldier who… uh oh, it’s Kimblee, isn’t it? I know that the Elrics haven’t met him yet, and he still has to make up for his pathetic showing on that train, but I think that Ed should still worry more about the guy working for the Goths than his old enemy.

We get some other Briggs soldiers dropping by as well to thank the Elrics for their help yesterday. Ed and I are impressed by the camaraderie these guys seem to share, for a place defined by Survival of the Fittest there’s a good amount of teamwork and goodwill. Not enough to defy M.G. Armstrong and let them out of course, but still.

At the hospital Sideburns is confirming that Scar got away, before saying that Fort Briggs would search for Scar while Kimblee healed up. Kimblee of course demands that they back off and let him continue his hunt, Sideburns of course says they won’t just let a serial killer wander freely.

Ooooh… Sideburns just took off his sunglasses to show Kimblee his unmistakable red eyes, leaning in to warn a shocked Kimblee that if he tries to order him around again that he’d never leave the hospital. “You behave yourself.” Ha! Take that, you puffed up murderer!

Another visitor? Ah, it’s the traitor General Raven, come to check on their attack dog and their Philosopher’s Stones… really? Kimblee has both Stones? And he still got curbstomped by Scar? This is the same guy who utterly obliterated Ishval with just one, right? You make me sad, Kimblee. Shove off so we can worry about a real threat.

Whatever, the General still seems to think he’s useful so he’s brought a doctor (Leto-damn it stop adding doctors to this show, I can’t keep up with all of them!) to speed up his recovery with Alchemy. And wow that smile with several missing and one gold tooth. If I saw that guy come into the waiting room, I’d take my chances with whatever I had rather than trust him.

Marcoh and May! The original Doc is going over the research notes, says Alkahestry seems pretty complicated. May helpfully clarifies about this “Dragon Pulse” stuff, about how Alkahestry uses Chi, ‘rivers of power’ running through the world. Alhakestrists are able to trace the Chi and use where it enters and where it leaves to perform Remote Transmutation, like setting off the explosion at the train depot or making a statue of Shao on the other side of the cabin.

Alchemists don’t use Chi though, they use their own energy- wait, what? They use “energy from the movement of the Earth’s crust”? Bwah? So Alchemists tap into a deeper pool of energy… but May doesn’t feel like that’s right. She’s felt off ever since she got to Amestris, and under Central she could sense energy. Not like movement under the land, but “a crowd of people, squirming around”...

…

Oh for Leto’s sake. It’s the Super Grief Seed all over again.

Central’s sitting on either a crap ton of standard Philosopher’s Stones, or a great big honkin Super Philosopher's Stone. That’s what’s powering Amestrian Alchemy, isn’t it? And if all of Amestris draws from this one power source, and Uncle has access to it, then he can shut it down to cut everyone off. Alkahestrists like Scar and May were ok, but everyone else drawing from the SPS?

And damn it that means that when our heroes win they’ll shut down Alchemy? Either they’d better learn the heck out of Alkahestry to repair their bodies, or this show’s gonna have a very unsatisfying ending.

Mid-ep pictures of Edward and Alphonse Elric.

Repairs are underway in the Fort Briggs furnace room, and M.G. Armstrong’s getting a report about the tunnel; great big tunnel, but no one in it. She calls for some horses and the Elric Brothers.

Huh, the tunnel looks like it has railings. I thought Sloth was just digging a tunnel, and I doubt he’d have the fine motor control to set such even construction. So who set those up? While Ed admires the tunnel, M.G. Armstrong gripes that an intruder got through her defenses. Nobody’s even gotten in Briggs while she’s been in charge, but there was an incident 20 years ago…

Seriously? Teacher, I’m disappointed. You brag about surviving for a whole month in the Briggs Mountains, but it turns out that you just mugged some poor soldiers for their lunches?

M.G. Armstrong decides that they’ve gone far enough. Ah, I see! This was to get the Elrics away from curious ears in the Fort, so you can question them about what they couldn’t say earlier. Hoo boy. This could go very well, or very poorly. M.G. Armstrong? Please don’t give my fears foundation.

Cut to after the Elrics have talked about the Stones and Goths, Bradley and Uncle. The hostages too; Winry, Riza, Havoc…

[Falman]: “And, uh… w-what about Colonel Mustang?”

[M.G. Armstrong]: “Yeah… I couldn’t care less about him.”

Oh my Leto she’d just as rather see him fall to remove another “rival”. She’s after the title of Fuhrer! I… I don’t know how to feel about this.

Regardless, she wants the Elrics to examine the tunnel. Ed guesses that it didn’t originate in Drachma, and that it’s in the shape of a circle-

!!!

He’s figuring out what Hughes figured out ages ago! What got him killed!

Ed has Falman start reporting all major incidents in Amestris, gets a shock when he learns about Liore falling to pieces even after he and Al exposed the corrupt priest. M.G. Armstrong snaps at him to keep working though. He connects the dots…

[Falman]: “H-how is that possible? It looks just like the Transmutation Circle from the Fifth Laboratory!”

Yup. It’s a giant, country-sized TC. But-

Yeah, Marcoh’s saying he asked Envy if that was their plan, but the Goth had laughed at that, saying “That’s not it, but close.” Was he lying?

Oh thank Leto May’s giving up on the Philosopher’s Stone. Her Alkahestry and the research notes could possibly find a workaround. Maybe. There’s hope. But no matter what, she can’t continue to search for a Philosopher’s Stone. At least there’s that good news.

Which is something sorely needed, as our heroes have worked out that each of these incidents were caused by or exacerbated by the military, constantly growing the country of Amestris bloody conquest by bloody conquest.

[M.G. Armstrong]: “My country…”

Sheesh. To learn that the country that you swore to protect and defend, was designed from its inception to be a massive TC? That has to hurt.

Double sheesh, a flashback to Mr. Freeze himself. The very first episode, while I cannot condone his murderous actions… he was working against the Big Bad. And Ed, way back when? What was his attitude?

Regardless, probably not the best idea to let him keep doing whatever he’s doing. But Mr. Freeze starts monologuing about how Edward’s a Dog of the Military, how his bosses have Sinister Plans- Edward cuts him off, says he doesn’t care and it’s Not His Problem. Um. What? Do… do you really not care if you’re actually working for Bad Guys?

Bleh.

M.G. Armstrong is not happy- oooooooh, crapbaskets. There’s only one circle left to be harvested on the map until the TC is complete - Briggs. Welp. I guess that explains why Sloth was digging there. So, what now?

Apparently it’s dealing with a certain TRAITOR General who’s shown up at the Fort. M.G. Armstrong has to go see what he wants. Maybe trick him into revealing some info?

There’s the jerk, Sideburns is asking him to wait until his boss comes back. Him and damnit Kimblee’s already back on his feet, and is inside Briggs with Raven now.

I guess it’s safest to put the Elrics back in their cells while Raven’s in the area, don’t want him seeing them and reporting back to Bradley. Aw, chin up Al, don’t give up on Winry’s apple pie now.

Teatime with the Traitor with a microphone in the vent, M.G. Armstrong’s talking about a “monster” who attacked yesterday. A bit of Drachma Paranoia to build your case, then name dropping the Elrics makes Raven pause. How odd that they seemed to know about the monster but refused to talk…

The Elrics, Buccy, and Falman are listening in on the mic as M.G. Armstrong… wow ok. I did not expect her to play the “oh, I’m a frail little woman who couldn’t bear to torture the boys”, to Buccy’s great amusement.

Now she’s even bemoaning not having children, that she’s… oh. Um.

She’s saying she’s growing older.

She’s admiring the immortal body of the monster that attacked her fort.

Raven is saying such a body wouldn’t be a dream very soon.

[Raven]: “Tell me, General… Would you be interested in a legion of immortal soldiers?”

The Elrics say that he took the bait, but…

I’m just looking at M.G. Armstrong’s eyes, and the growing pupils.

Um.

#wmtw #where my twin watches #full metal alchemist #full metal alchemist brotherhood #fmab #fmab 35

[danwhobrowses]

Whatever Happened to: Sheska?

So, as promised, the first of hopefully many posts of the ‘Whatever Happened to’ series, where I bring up characters that just, fell off the map. For our first one we will begin with a character disappearance that always confused me, Sheska from Fullmetal Alchemist Manga and the Brotherhood anime There will be Spoilers for the story so if you haven’t read/watched it then...maybe you should

When was she last Seen? While in the 2003 anime series Sheska maintained a recurring role as Winry’s female friend and helping uncover the dirty secrets hidden by the Homunculi and in turn the Military. However, in the Manga and Brotherhood anime, Sheska is last seen in Chapter 34/Episode 16, both titled ‘Footsteps of a Comrade-in-Arms’. In it she is revealed to be covering for Mustang as he digs for information regarding Hughes’ death - mainly out of solidarity since Hughes did give her the job that pays her bills and keeps her mother in a nice home, and the least she can do is assist in helping find the culprit. She unfortunately lets this slip to ‘Captain Focker/Fokker’ who is Envy in disguise (but still a Focker if you ask me), which leads to the whole Maria Ross frame-up. From there we never see or hear from Sheska again, we don’t see her at Central when it’s attacked by Briggs, we don’t see her fall victim of the countrywide transmutation circle and do not we see her in the Chapter 107 splash

Which, frankly, is ridiculous given that characters dead, alive and barely in the story like Sheska was are here, including Fu, Hughes, Grumman, some no-names in the bottom and one no-name at the top right corner, Rebecca, Mustang’s old Ishval squad and Henschel. An oversight maybe, but it still leaves the question mark, what DID happen to Sheska? Theory 1: Sheska was Murdered Leaking that she knew about Mustang’s digging, covering for him and her photographic memory is two very dangerous tidbits of knowledge for one person to have, even if the Homunculi look down on humans up to this point they have been extremely efficient in not leaking their own information. So a worst case scenario could be that the Homunculi killed Sheska, quietly disposing of her and maybe even covering it up, she was on a heavy workload and could’ve ‘crumbled’ and disappeared to work in a nice undisclosed village. The fortunate thing that goes against this theory is that Mustang would notice, and since Hughes’ death she had been a lot more relaxed with her workload, it would also be in the Homunculi’s nature to only take care of things when it looks like a critical moment.  Another plausible way Sheska may’ve died is via the Mannequins or when Our Father freaking Kamehameha’d half of Central Command, but then she would have to be fighting the Mannequins and not escaped Central when the Briggs soldiers gave them a chance, and Sheska would run if she were there. She may’ve also suffocated under a mountain of books like how she almost did when we first saw her, if she ever actually gets to go home anymore. Theory 2: Sheska was Dishonorably Discharged Given that Mustang is treated with contempt for digging into the Hughes case and his actions in making people believe that he scorched Maria Ross, it would be possible that the higher ups would use this as an excuse to discharge her from the military, to sever a connection Mustang would have in Central who could provide him information on Father’s plans. Envy may’ve been a lighter hand as Focker but Focker himself or any other members of Bradley’s high council may opt to picture it as harboring criminal activity. Sheska isn’t exactly one to come crying to the Elrics about this either so it’s not like it’d be huge news, the reason this may not work however is that Sheska still has all the dots Hughes had, she just hasn’t connected them yet, and the Homunculi keep tabs on people like that.  Theory 3: Sheska was Transferred Like most of Mustang’s crew, Sheska may’ve been moved by association. Her absence from Central Command would fuel this and after she’s finished completing all the records there���s not much else she is useful for in the eyes of the military. Since she has no career goals, she could’ve simply been moved to a smaller military office - her ignorance to the happenings protecting her from being in warzones but not out of the country circle’s range. She may’ve also been transferred normally, maybe another library got burned down or maybe they rebuilt the Central Library and had her repopulate that with all the normal books and secret alchemy cookbooks and actually declutter her apartment with all the books that are there (okay it bothers me, where does she sleep? Does she have a book bed, next to her book oven and book fridge and cooks book eggs for bookfast in her book pan in her book kitchen?). Theory 4: Sheska left the Military on her own accord While she never expressed displeasure in working for the Military we leave Sheska in a pivotal moment in the plot, the next episode/chapter Mustang supposedly burns Maria Ross to a crisp. Not knowing it part of the plan, Sheska may’ve felt partly responsible in the ‘murder’ of Ross and disgusted by Mustang’s actions, which could have led her to leave the military. There are other reasons she may’ve quit her job also, she may’ve found a new calling or as said before the Library could’ve been rebuilt and she could’ve gotten her old job back from that or another closer-to-mother library/general job, she may’ve left to tend to her ill mother if her condition worsened or simply moved to a job with a career track - hell if you wanna go wild maybe she went to become an Alchemist, that photographic memory would be handy if she had the aptitude. The backdrop of this like the previous theory of her leaving the military is that this’d prevent the Homunculi from keeping tabs on her, while it is possible that Ross’ death would’ve prompted her to leave, the military may’ve offered an alternative of transfer or another government job so to keep and eye on her. Theory 5: Sheska slept through the whole thing A comical theory, but the records department isn’t something one would frequent in a lot, I mean Mustang was able to sleep in a storeroom for a bit completely undetected. It would be funny if Sheska did miss all the action from falling into a comatose sleep in a basement or something having been overworked, and given the isolated placement completely missed the Mannequin Soldiers, thought the Circle stealing her soul was a nightmare and then napped again through the whole Father fight. This is unlikely because it obviously didn’t happen, as I said Sheska’s workload doesn’t take a huge toll on her anymore so she wouldn’t pass out...not until after the Father Fight when she has to rewrite all the paperwork destroyed by Father’s Kamehameha, it’d be a good laugh though. Theory 6: Sheska was there, you just didn’t see her One of the most plausible theories is simply that it happened but there was no need to focus on Sheska while it was happening. Falman also had a great memory and worked with the Briggs men and the Armstrongs had worked in Central for months, so her talents weren’t exactly needed for the situation, she likely escaped the mannequins and left Central Command intact. It’s likely but it’s still annoying, we could have shown her in this scenario, even if it’s when Buccaneer saved those women (imaged in manga since I couldn’t find a screen of the scene in anime) they could’ve thrown in Sheska, could’ve shown her losing and regaining her soul, at least some closure on that would’ve been nice given that we saw every other player and the people of Liore during the Promised Day.

Theory 7: Sheska still works for the Military, she just wasn’t There The final theory that is as plausible as the prior, Sheska was basically away that day. We saw it with Brosh who only arrived at the scene because he was disgusted by Mustang and then elated that Ross was alive, a ‘bookworm’ like Sheska may’ve taken time off to witness an eclipse, and if she didn’t she may’ve simply had the day off. Another thing she could’ve done is gone on holiday, I doubt she went to Xing to meet the Armstrongs while they were statue hunting but maybe she went out of Central. She could’ve visited her mother, visited other family, gone to a place with other libraries and stuff she may have hobbies in. The downfall of this theory is that none of it escapes the circle, hostilities with Creta, Aurego and Drachma mean the only way out of the country is by crossing the desert, which doesn’t seem up Sheska’s alley, which means we circle back to why didn’t we show her? We showed Liore, Kanama, Resembool and Rush Valley, the latter just to specifically show Paninya - someone who had less screen time than Sheska, no offence to Paninya but if we gave time for her lying on a random floor (lucky she wasn’t fixing a roof) we could’ve just put Sheska in a room face first in a book for a second and that’d be that. So yeah, the mystery of Sheska racks my brain, mainly out of desire for closure but also because she still played a valid part in Ed and Al’s journey. Without her they would’ve never obtained Marcoh’s notes, which meant they would never have found out the properties of a stone, they would’ve never gone to the Fifth Laboratory and thus never learned about the Homunculi marking them as a sacrifice - since Ross got framed because of her, Ed would’ve never gone to Xerxes either, meaning he wouldn’t have figured out the transmutation circle or found the Ishvalan slum to discover that Scar killed the Rockbells, that discovery led to the confrontation that became a turning point for Scar’s redemption arc too. Sheska also inadvertently was necessary for Mustang’s plot also; had the brothers not gone to the Fifth Laboratory they would’ve never gotten Barry the Chopper as an ally (who in turn busted Ling out of jail, meaning everything Ling contributes to is a byproduct of Sheska’s action) but if she hadn’t have told Envy about Mustang’s digging they would’ve never framed Ross, which meant that they never would’ve had opportunity to capture Gluttony, kill Lust or discover that Bradley was Wrath. These are big things as well! Could someone just like, poke Arakawa for an answer? Or are we just gonna expect a Launch situation (save her for another day). Out of the 7 theories I would rank them as Most to Least Likely: 6, 7, 3, 4, 2, 1, 5 Most to Least Preferred: 3, 5, 7, 4, 6, 2, 1 Maybe one day we’ll find out, but for now it’s all headcanon, but whatever did happen to her, she is not forgotten.

#fma #fmab #fullmetal alchimist brotherhood #fullmetal alchemist #theories #sheska #fullmetal alchemist brotherhood

[zetalial]

Roy Mustang - a military man.

Hey, my lovely friend @prettywitchiusaka asked me to do a post all about my interpretation of Roy Mustang so here it is!

This post is all about the Roy presented in the 03 anime for the record. (Roy’s character is quite a bit different in Brotherhood. A little more heroic and a little less broken and a little more consumed by revenge.)

------

Let’s see... Roy is part of the military. That is his most significant characteristic. Yes, the military defines him. The military is a pretty messed-up institution in the world of FMA. The country is always at war and it will slowly be revealed that there’s no good justification for it. Wars have been happening because people want to obtain the forbidden power of the Philosopher’s stone. 

Roy’s arc throughout the story is all about coming to understanding how broken this system he’s dedicated to is even while his life is completely tied up in the military. All his friends and companions are his fellow soldiers and Roy is rarely ever shown wearing anything but his uniform. The military defines his life -he’s been part of it for a long time - and it is hopelessly corrupt. 

The first eye-opener for Roy was the Ishval war. He sees great atrocities committed... and he participates in them, following the orders of his superiors. He’d likely believed all the lies he’d been told about his ‘enemies.’

He hates himself for it but Roy is a dutiful soldier in Ishval. (The only exception we see is helping Dr. Marcoh to escape.) We specifically see him blowing up a young boy with a gun (in a PTSD flashback) and his execution of a pair of (Amestrian) doctors. He confesses to Hughes to killing a lot of people in Ishval.

For his work, he is rapidly promoted through the military and we meet him as Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame alchemist and hero of Ishval. At first he seems like an arrogant, teasing person with a goofy side around his close subordinates. Towards Ed, he really gets under his skin with his smirking knows-everything attitude.

Secretly, Roy is filled with self-loathing and drinks and even considers killing himself. He makes a promise to himself to fix the military, aided by his closest friend Maes Hughes. Of course, Roy wants to reform the system from the inside and to achieve that he aims to become the Fuhrer - that’s his goal for the series. He feels its the only way he can justify living and making up for his sins. (Also, as he expresses to Winry later, that he wants to be in a position where he’ll never have to follow unjust orders again.)

While he may have done terrible things, he is not a bad person. At least, that’s not how others see him. He has a loyal team surrounding him who want to help him to achieve his goals. Havoc, Breda, Fuery, Falman and, of course, Riza Hawkeye. They all greatly respect him. Riza makes it very clear that she is aware of the things he’s done in Ishval and chooses to follow him anyway. She does not condemn him.  Besides them, there’s also Armstrong and Hughes. 

Roy tries his best to be good, to improve the world even as he’s trapped by his own demons. He’s given up his innocence to get into a high-up, influential Military position. It’s not easy for him, we really see his struggles and we’re slowly shown that, yes, the things he has done are awful and he can’t necessarily expect forgiveness. 

Roy is a people person who can be very charming. He goes on lots of dates with girls and has been very good at becoming a rising threat in the military as he works his way up the chain of command. He is seen as power-hungry by many who don’t know him well. (Sheska views him this way for much of the series given his inability to open up to her when she wants to help.) These relationships are fleeting things compared to the trust of his team however. 

That brings us to Edward and Alphonse. Roy’s relationship with them is quite unlike anyone else - they aren’t Military, they’re still (clever, somewhat jaded) children. While Ed does join the Military on Roy’s suggestion, he keeps it at arms length. Edward never wears a uniform and makes it very obvious that he sees joining the military as a means to an end - he’s only after the stone. The Elrics have never experienced war and Roy wishes that he could make it so they never will. To that end, he’s protective of them, keeping them in the dark about Liore and about Hughes’ death. While he’s caring, he has the inability to be very effective about it. He’s a soldier who struggles to relate to the boys.

After the Nina tragedy, and facing a crying, distraught Ed in an alley, Roy is harsh and tells Ed to just get over it and move on. This disconnect resulting from alternating between being overprotective and treating Edward like one of his men is partially why the two have a rather strained relationship throughout the series. (And why I don’t much care for a parental!Roy. It’s not that he doesn’t care but that he doesn’t care successfully.)

Their relationship is further complicated by how they’re both basically using the other for their own goals. Ed only motivation is fixing his brother and he’s joined the military for its resources so he can search for the Philosopher’s stone. Roy is sympathetic, of coursem but his discovery of the prodigy Fullmetal alchemist for the military definitely earns him some points in the eyes of the higher ups. Additionally, Ed is reporting to Mustang - he can find all about the Philosopher’s stone through Ed; he knows it is somehow connected to the military as he used an incomplete stone in Ishval. The information that Ed is seeking out is valuable to Mustang. Later, it will be Ed and Al who will tell him that the Fuhrer and his secretary are both Homunculi and that they have been causing wars purely because they have been after the stone this whole time.  

In the first half of the series, Roy is motivated by guilt over his actions in Ishval. He believed he could fix things by gaining power. But things change with the death of his dearest friend Maes Hughes. It’s at that point he begins to realise how deep the corruption in the Military goes. Hughes’ research into the Ishval war led to his death. Working to slowly reform the military from the inside is starting to look more and more like a hopeless dream when it’s hiding so much evil - such as the fifth laboratory and their special ops soldiers they turned into chimeras after they started a war. (The Ishval war, naturally.)

The Fuhrer’s genial demeanour had fooled many soldiers into maybe thinking he might be what he appears to be - a kind grandfatherly sort of man who cares about the military. It’s only a closer look that shows that he’d been constantly throwing the country into pointless wars in order to gather ingredients for the stone and to cause people to lose everything and become desperate enough to seek it out. (Mustang and his team talk about it in episode 44). It is at this point that they are growing aware that the Fuhrer who they have been serving is their true enemy.

In the above scene, Riza describes how Mustang can use his destructive flame alchemy to prevent a riot breaking out. Despite Mustang’s best efforts to be a soldier who can keep the peace and protect others though, he isn’t able to prevent Liore from turning into another Ishval. He wasn’t able to protect his best friend, Hughes. Ishvalans are still being persecuted by the military. He can’t even protect the Elrics from war.

That’s why he ultimately has to give up his dreams. He wanted to become the Fuhrer to fix the military and prevent all the unjust suffering and the deaths of innocent people but his plans of reforming it from the inside are too slow and they aren’t working. Maybe they’d never work if it’s been the Homunculi ultimately pulling the strings this whole time. Whatever the case, he decides he can no longer justify his position as the dutiful soldier. 

He decides instead to assassinate the Fuhrer. Yes, it’s about avenging Hughes but it’s also about justifying his own existence and doing what’s Right. Standing idly by as more wars are started would be selfish in his mind; even his dream to become the Fuhrer would have become selfish. 

He and Edward cross paths once more. Edward is on his way to fight the Homunculi because he cannot stand by either. His goal of fixing himself and his brother is now secondary to stopping evil. Likewise, Mustang’s new motivation is to stop the evil corruption that plagues the country at the source. 

It is only now that the two of them can come to an understanding. Right as both of them go their own separate ways to potentially face death. I like how in the above scene, Mustang initially thinks to give Ed a military salute but then changes his mind and offers him a handshake instead. A nice little symbol showing how they’re a bit closer and also how their not tied to the military anymore. (Ed goes for a handclap because he’s contrary and it lightens the mood.)

Roy’s loyal men are staging a coup for him, directly waging war against the corrupt military. Meanwhile, he and his closest companion Riza sneak over to the Fuhrer’s home alone. (I like how he’s not in his military uniform in this final fight.)

It is fitting that Roy has to face Pride at the end because he has had to let go of his pride, his dreams, to come here. Ed explicitly states that he’ll never be able to become Fuhrer if he goes through with this. His whole identity as a military man is being thrown away here and he is at peace with the thought. 

The Fuhrer’s last actions involve taking an innocent child down with even as the innocent boy leads to his own defeat. It is not a perfect, bloodless victory.

Interestingly enough, it is Archer who takes out one of Mustang’s eyes. Archer operates as a foil to Mustang, a man who was jealous of Mustang’s prestige from Ishval and wanted Liore to be ‘his’ ishval. Archer is cold but clever; most people can’t stand him but he nevertheless rose to power following Hughes’ death. Yeah, a good man like Hughes gets replaced by a power-hungry snake such as Archer. While Mustang is a military man, he does not enjoy and embrace it as Archer does.

Archer was described as the ideal soldier because he is a man who likes war. His most faithful man was Kimblee (who loves to cause chaos and suffering). It’s a pretty good symbol as to how much Mustang messed up in his relationship with Ed when Edward decides to willingly turn himself over to Archer’s command rather than stick with Roy (who was being controlling). By the end of course, Archer has been turned into a crazed half-machine and he’s killed by Riza, who was defending Roy. 

But in the end, when Roy has finally killed the Fuhrer and finally given up on the military that has so long defined him? When’s he severely injured?

Well, they’ve finally reversed the Ishvalan policy and the finally reforming State is actually helping them to rebuild.

Riza is closer to Roy now that they’re both out of uniform. She’s taking care of him and letting her hair down. They were always very close in the military but there was a wall between them. It seems to have dropped.

Things are still imperfect, Roy acknowledges as much. The world is beautiful for it’s imperfections, he says.

Roy? He’s happy now. 

----

And that concludes Roy’s arc in the series and some of my thoughts on his character. Like all characters in the show, he’s pretty defined by past tragedies. He’s one of the most complex characters I think, so I tried to keep this pretty focussed. I see him as the main character after Ed and Al so we see a lot of him in the series. His relationships between the various characters is pretty varied and I didn’t want to go into every one in depth but I hope this works as a good overview. 

#fma #fma 2003 #roy mustang #cheers for the request #wow this turned out long #i never expect these things to be so long #but of course it turned into some analysis of the series as a whole #or something #and I somehow failed to actually properly share my opinions #why do i always go for such a detached tone? #well you got my impression of what I thought his character arc and motivation was #my actual thoughts on him? #It's basically Oh Roy! Why are you being so mean to Ed? #Don't smirk like you're better than him! #Yeah he's far from a favourite character for me #I like the scenes where he interacts with Ed #Because Ed's in them #He and Roy have an interesting dynamic #like friends who get under each other's skin #And Ed brings so much chaos into Roy's life #Ed is a very colourful person #and I've digressed too far now #(Yes Ed's my favourite) #meta #myposts

[fullmetalirin]

FMA Brotherhood: Episodes 17-18

FMA Brotherhood Episode 17: "Cold Flame"

Ross, accused of Hughes' assassination, is placed under military police custody and interrogated by Douglas. After reading a newspaper article about Ross's detention, Barry the Chopper leaves the safe house and launches a solo raid on the jail. Barry releases Ross from jail as well as Ling who promises to help them both. Barry tells Ross that she needs to leave Central immediately or risk being killed. Edward and Alphonse run into the trio, and Barry holds the brothers off to allow Ross time to escape. Ross then runs into Mustang, who seemingly kills her in with a massive fireball. Edward accosts Mustang after seeing a charred body, but Mustang coldly reminds Edward of his place as a soldier of the state military. Later, Armstrong shows up and declares that Edward should return to Resembool to have his automail arm fixed, dragging the confused Edward away.

We open with Ross' interrogation. She apparently uses the same caliber as the bullet that killed Hughes, and conveniently, she fired one shortly before, while rescuing the Elrics at the Fifth Laboratory. That's sort of a clever detail, but it's so specific I feel it loops back around to contrived. There's no way the villains could have planned this all out.

DOUGLAS: I'd like to say it was a good shot, but it was at point-blank range. Close enough that even a woman could have done it.

Truly, this show is God's gift to feminism. (This is especially absurd when Riza is supposedly renowned for her sniping abilities.)

Douglas says there were witnesses seeing her leave the site of Hughes' murder, so Envy was smart enough to turn back, unless they made this up completely. Ross' alibi is apparently that she was at her parents' house that day, which of course leaves her with no acceptable corroborating witnesses.

Armstrong is still bandaged from his wound battling Dolcetto. That's a nice detail.

Brosh says he corroborated Ross' story, but he was ignored. Seems like a dumb move on Bradley's part. Say he was colluding with her and kill him too! Weren't they both working under Hughes? It should be easy to cook up a motive for both of them.

Winry notes that Al's armor has scratches. Al shrugs it off, but I'd be pretty concerned about that. Armor doesn't heal, and Ed's stated that using alchemy to repair him is risky.

Ed is sulking. For once we actually get a scene with comparable length of pauses as OG, and unsurprisingly it's effective.

Winry says she's scared they'll die and wishes they'd give up on trying to get their bodies back. Because this is Brotherhood and not OG, this goes nowhere and is instead followed by some silly ship-teasing from Al.

...And then we get more time with our lulzy serial killer. Falman not only turns his back on him but leans down to get the newspaper while, I again feel the need to point out, Barry is totally unrestrained, and Barry just sits there because he's such a nice serial killer.

Ed sees Ross has been found as the culprit and immediately rushes to Mustang's office. Al wants to tell Winry, and Ed decides they can tell her later, because girls don't get to be in the loop.

We cut to Ling in jail. He's apparently 15, so they're totally down with imprisoning children. I'm surprised he doesn't say he's a prince.

Barry shows up to jailbreak Ross and suddenly guns don't work on him because what is consistency. Also THEY GAVE HIM WEAPONS because they're very trusting of serial killers, apparently. But it's okay, they told Barry not to kill anyone so he doesn't, because serial killers are such nice and honorable people.

Cartoon when the guards run from Barry.

Barry frees Ling when he hears he's from Xing. I don't know why, I guess it's explained later.

Cartoon when Ross objects to having to escape with a lecherous serial killer. So funny!

And urgh Barry crushes on her when she displays "spunk". Urrrggghhhhh

Ross' party runs into the Elrics, but Barry tells her to run into another alley where she encounters… Mustang! He charbroils her. Ed is horrified and has a falling-out with him.

The doctor identifies the body as Ross from dental records… then says what a shame it is such beauty was ruined, because he's a creep. Why, show.

We cut to the homunculi and discover the plan was apparently for him to… not kill her? What was the plan, then? They don't even seem to be in agreement, because Envy thinks this was a good outcome.

Then Armstrong shows up and drags Ed to Resembool under Mustang's orders. My first thought is Envy, but no, that would be too competent. Afterwards, Mustang ominously muses that everyone is out of the way.

Envy returns with intel. Why is he suddenly good at infiltration? Why does he need to infiltrate at all when, again, they run the government and can interrogate anyone they want?

But wow! What a shocking plot twist! Maybe I was wrong about Brotherhood after all! Major characters are getting killed! Mustang is a flawed, morally gray character! What are going to be the consequences of this? It's so exciting! All Brotherhood has to do now is not screw this up!

FMA Brotherhood Episode 18: "The Arrogant Palm of a Small Human"

Edward and Armstrong arrive in Resembool where they meet Heymans Breda, who takes them to the Xerxes ruins. Once there, they discover that Ross is still alive, and that Mustang faked her death in order to draw out those responsible for Hughes' murder. After the brief reunion, Ross decides to hide out in Xing with Fu, but promises to return if she is ever needed. After Ross' departure, Edward explores the ruins, finding a damaged transmutation circle. He also encounters a group of Ishbalan refugees, who reveal that it was Scar who killed Winry's parents while they gave medical aid to the Ishbalan during the civil war. Meanwhile, Barry's human body, which is now nothing more than a crazed animal, attacks Falman and Barry back in Central. However, with the assistance of Jean Havoc and the sniper Hawkeye, they manage to subdue Barry's body. Suddenly, Hawkeye is attacked by Gluttony.

So of course it screws it up.

Back at Central Winry and Al whine about how they're being kept from the plot. Ling shows up to explain everything and there is comedy as they freak out at someone who just tried to kill them sneaking into their home. Hilarious.

Everyone wears cloaks in the desert, which is a nice detail.

We learn the story of the Eastern/Western Sage. It's an interesting concept, but the phrasing is very weird. I get the impression the idea is supposed to be that they're the same guy whose teachings spread in both directions, but the way it's phrased – that this one guy specifically traveled in a direction – makes it sound like he went to one country and then doubled back to the other one.

In the Mystery Reveal Flashback, Mustang panics and hangs up when Barry calls his office, and continues it from the outside phone booth. Again, I have to wonder just what level their tapping technology is at. Even if they're only tapping Mustang's own phone, what we see of the call is extremely suspicious, and Barry is easily identifiable by his voice.

Barry corroborates Ross' innocence, because serial killers are such nice people?

Then Mustang makes a fake body and NO. NO. THIS IS STUPID. THE PREMISE OF THE STORY IS THAT HUMAN TRANSMUTATION IS IMPOSSIBLE. Okay, so it's fine as long as you're not trying to create life? Except in every resurrection attempt we see, the bodies themselves are put together wrong! If it's so easy to make a fake body, then why can't the Elrics heal themselves with normal alchemy? Why can't Ed just make a fake body and bind Al's soul to that? Why is human transmutation such a big deal in the first place? This entire twist is the author screaming SCREW YOU FOR THINKING MY MAGIC SYSTEM MAKES SENSE. There is no way the viewer could have predicted this. It is stupid and contrived on so many levels.

Breda explicitly brings up the dental records. Mustang says he's handled it but does not say how because that's how you write a mystery right?

We then redo the confrontation scene and see that Mustang did in fact make a perfectly intact body to start with, then charbroiled it in an explosion that could be seen from across the block but which somehow left both of them unharmed because convection doesn't exist.

ALSO

MUSTANG IS IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS IN EACH EPISODE

THIS WAS NOT FORESHADOWED, THIS IS CHEATING

Ling apparently told Fu to escort Ross to Xing. Why…? He has no reason to get involved in any of this.

Ed actually says Mustang was right for not telling him, because Ed wouldn't have believed him. No, Ed, Mustang was being a dick.

We cut back to Ling and learn he only helped to learn the secret of soul-binding. Barry told him he doesn't know so he should ask Al. Didn't we just have a plotline about this?

Back to Ed, who waffles about how mysterious and dangerous the plot is becoming but he's going to be DETERMINED and protect people. This was not necessary.

Ross gets put on a bus and offers to come back if she's needed. This will not happen until the finale.

Fu says Xing is "tolerant of others". Uh, sure. It also has an abundance of food and everything is great. You know, this sure does trivialize this plot about the evils of government when there's a perfect utopia just next door.

We discover that Mustang's phone calls to his sweetheart are actually coded messages to his team. They are not terribly subtle. Like, they're cocking guns while in earshot. If anyone's tapping those calls, they should know he's up to something.

Then there's some convoluted plot about Barry's original body coming after him because this plot definitely needed more actors in it.

Havoc does not land a single shot on a dude in the same room as him despite going through an entire clip.

Barry's body is somehow strong enough to rip the armor's arm off. He continues to dodge bullets until Riza snipes him. I guess the show has decided there is going to be exactly one character who can use guns properly.

Why did they leave Ed alone if they knew Ishbalans were here?

But it's okay because the Ishbalans recognize he's One of The Good Ones, because otherwise dynamics of privilege and oppression might negatively affect our heroes and we can't have that. No, all you need to do is talk loudly about it while never depicting how it actually looks in real life and you can just rake in the Woke Points.

Seriously, it's so textbook. They ~realize not all Amestrians are bad~ because this kid knew one good Amestrian. Never mind that Winry's parents were obvious exceptions and they have very good reason to fear Amestrians when their whole culture worships the military. Everything revolves around the hero.

We learn Winry's parents were killed by Scar. We will later learn that this was an accident that had nothing to do with the actual political situation, because in Brotherhood people are not allowed to make real mistakes.

Barry wants to kill his own body because…?

We see that Barry's body is rotting. So how is it tearing armor apart and dodging bullets?

We end with Gluttony attacking Riza.

Conclusion

This is the first nail in the coffin. Here we begin the pattern of storytelling that will characterize Brotherhood's entire plot: SHOCKING TWIST lol j/k everything's fine. I despise this. It shows brazen contempt for the audience, treating them like goldfish who won't keep watching if you can't give them a constant adrenaline high, while lacking the courage to commit to anything truly daring. It doesn't even work after the first few times! Once you establish you don't have the guts to actually kill anyone, we no longer care. Even if you eventually do decide this time it's for real, our emotional reaction will be completely shot and we'll never be certain if you're going to undo it at a moment's notice. It's nothing but a cheap, pathetic trick, the standby of mediocre authors having to crank out a chapter a month while desperately staving off cancellation.

And okay, maybe that would still be enjoyable to me, maybe, if I actually liked the characters involved. But no. Ed gets shoved into a bland, expository B-plot and Al doesn't even get that. Instead we have to watch MUSTANG THE MOST SPECIALEST be very special and important. I signed up for this show because I liked the protagonists. Why are you making me watch a show that's no longer about them? That's really it, isn't it – this is going back on everything the series hooked the audience with originally (in the manga, at least). Ed is a chump, alchemy is magic, the villains are incompetent. I don't see how you could still be invested at this point if you were at all interested in the opening.

Token good point: I do like the Xerxes bits, because I'm a weirdo who cares about silly things like plot and characters. They're good exposition that effectively build the mystery, and some good character moments too. I hate what the answers turn out to be, but as a setup it's perfectly fine.

Like with episode 15, I'd be well within my rights to nope out at this point. But how could I do that, knowing the show has even more rope to hang itself with? Let's see where this travesty ends!

#fullmetal alchemist #fma #fullmetal alchemist brotherhood #fma 2003 #liveblog

[didanawisgi]

Hi Bro. What makes you so into guns collective if it was built the blow up people heads? And an alchemist? What kind of Great Work, Mr. Freemason?

This is a good question I think, as I understand how it can be confusing. I get this question only when I post about firearms and related imagery. I will attempt to give you some insight into my actions/thoughts and frame of reference. There are three points I would like to make about this, in brief and then explained further later.  1) The uniqueness of the American Constitution and American history, the form of government, that of a Constitutional Republic (not actually a Democracy) and specifically the importance of the Bill of Rights cannot be understated.  2) The Hermit does not need to go outside, therefore, he/she has a luxury to not be pragmatic. Their Great Work is Internal only. The Adept, if they are to affect change, which is the highest artform, is obliged to practicality. This form has its operations in the real world.  Therefore, you cannot do The Great Work if you are not mindful of the current conditions around you. I prepare for those eventualities/probabilities (more of this kind of thinking can be found in philosopher’s Sam Harris’ Riddle of the Gun).  3. I was a weapons (of all kinds) collector/user before I was an Alchemist. My father, and both grandfathers (both of whom served in WWII and Korean war), all served in the Military in some capacity. One grandfather fought in three separate wars, WWII, Korean, and Vietnam, and reached the rank of Command Sergeant Major. OK, here we go:

Point 1: I wrote a little about this maybe a couple weeks ago. I will reiterate what I wrote here, in that statement I said:  “9 years ago I was a different person. Before my quest for spiritual and personal enlightenment, before I became a freemason, before my Masters and before I was accepted into Medical School. Before my strong interest in Alchemy. Before I met my soon to be wife. I would even argue, before I became a Man. Even then I had a strong sense of Justice, and firmly believed in the idea of Natural Law that serves as the theoretical underpinning of the Bill of Rights, included in these, the Second Amendment. As a student of history and human nature, I know many fear what they do not understand. I am also keenly aware of the possibilities, that may repeat themselves, should a Citizenry whose degree of liberty and freedoms, never before seen in known human history, ever forfeit their ability to defend, by force if ever necessary, those same freedoms and liberties that allow them life, liberty, and to pursue those joyous experiences that represent peak experiences of the human condition. History teaches us that people who wield power must be tempered. Plato’s idea of the Philosopher King was such that a King whom, essentially, learning of the several liberal arts and sciences, and becoming closer to God and Nature, and understanding Natural Laws of Mother Nature, would be embodied with compassion and wisdom and other qualities quintessential for successful and benevolent rulership. But as the currents of time flow in one direction, so too does the truth. As it turns out, this is not enough. Francis Bacon’s ‘New Atlantis’ was a place influenced by an academy known as the House of Solomon, a mythical place where humankind will meet its greatest potential. This place is America; the Novus ordo seclorum (New order of the ages). This order, a Republic founded in the principles of the Constitution, is a system devised to benefit all within its borders; a permanent ‘Philosopher King’ found only in a text that allows America (possibly named after the Merica, the Mandaean Star of Venus, and consort to the King/Pharaoh) to not suffer as our ancestors have, and has allowed each successive generation incrementally more freedom, more well-being, and more opportunity, should we take it. This is not to say we don’t have our modern day challenges. But it is the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights, not granted by Government, but by God, the intrinsic cosmic consciousness and Architect of the Universe, that ensures us at least the opportunity to defend the natural evolution of Liberty and Freedom, and to stop those who would seek to destroy it or take it away from us; for tyranny historically springs forth from the well intended initially. This is perhaps why, in terms of importance, it is the second, after the Amendment which protects our freedom of thought and the ability to communicate those thoughts; the ability to stand up and act, by force if necessary, against forms of Tyranny which throughout the course of Human history has enjoyed many appearances.May you have a Blessed day! I wish you well on your Journey in this life. Respectfully, with Love Brother Richard E. Gordon III p.s. apologies for the old photo, it was the only one of me I could find with my rifle”

Nowhere on Earth is there a Bill of Rights so comprehensive with a philosophy founded in Natural Law. This uniqueness in American history does influence us today, particularly those who believe the Second Amendment exists to limit the power of the Federal Government (as the rest of the Amendments do) and to protect our Liberty and personal Freedom henceforth and for posterity; for in a crisis, many times you are the only one to rely on. 

Another aspect of this is the push for Gun Control, which for me is rooted in racism, if you examine history.  Huey P Newton, co-founder of the Black Panther Party in the 60′s once said, “The policemen or soldiers are only a gun in the establishments hand. They make the racist secure in his racism.” It is true that, if you study history, you will find that gun control is rooted in racism. Attorney Ralph Sherman has, what I think, is a good synopsis of this argument. This was written in 1999:

Legal Opinion by  Atty. Ralph D. Sherman

April 1999

Blacks and the right to bear arms

It’s time to resume my discussion of the history and meaning of the Second Amendment (as requested by several readers).

One of the myths that you hear from the gun-ban crowd is that the U.S. Supreme Court has “never” said the Second Amendment guarantees every individual the right to keep and bear arms. Our deceitful President would like you to believe that your right to firearms has something to do with duck hunting.

There are several reasons that Handgun Control and company don’t want you to know the truth. One reason is that when you research what the Supreme Court has actually said, you quickly find that “gun control” laws are rooted in racism.

Wait. I haven’t turned into some kind of conspiracy nut. If somebody had told me 15 years ago that “gun control” and racial discrimination are inseparably linked in the history of the United States, I would have been skeptical, too. After I started to read some of the old cases and statutes, however, I saw that it is impossible to reach any other conclusion. (In fact I recently gave a talk at UConn on the connections between “gun control” and racial, economic, and sexual discrimination.)

Anyone who studies the history of the United States in the 19th Century comes across the Supreme Court case known as the Dred Scott decision. The correct title of the case is Scott v. Sandford (1856), and you can find it in any law library. Usually the case is studied because of its bearing on the status of blacks.

Today the Dred Scott case is infamous, a good example of how the Supreme Court can be dead wrong. Dred Scott himself was a free black. The Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a free black was a citizen, entitled to the full protection of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and other laws of the United States. The court held that blacks were not citizens, because the founding fathers didn’t have blacks in mind when the Constitution was written.

This is no longer the law of our country, thank goodness, because even the Supreme Court corrects its errors, if given enough time. But the Dred Scott case is still important because it is one of the first cases in which the Supreme Court gave its view of the Second Amendment.

In this column I don’t have space to discuss most of the decision. But here’s the critical section. The court found it unthinkable that blacks could be considered citizens, because:

“[If black people were] entitled to the privileges and immunities of citizens, it would exempt them from the operation of the special laws and from the police regulations which [Southern states] considered to be necessary for their own safety. It would give the persons of the negro race, who were recognized as citizens in any one State of the Union…the full liberty of speech in public and in private upon all subjects upon which its own citizens might speak; to hold public meetings upon political affairs, and to keep and carry arms wherever they went. And all of this would be done in the face of the subject race of the same color, both free and slaves, inevitably producing discontent and insubordination among them, and endangering the peace and safety of the State.”

The “special laws” mentioned by the court are the Black Codes, drafted to keep blacks down even if they became free. Essential to the Black Code of every Southern state was a law prohibiting blacks from owning firearms - a total gun ban for blacks only.

The “full liberty of speech” is the court’s reference to the right of free speech, guaranteed by the First Amendment. The freedom “to hold public meetings upon political affairs” likewise refers to the First Amendment.

And the right “to keep and carry arms wherever they went” - I don’t have to tell you where the Supreme Court found that one. But you can see the meaning as plain as day, in the words of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Because of dissatisfaction with the court’s ruling that blacks weren’t citizens, Congress eventually passed the 14th Amendment. This also is quite relevant to the right to keep and bear arms, and anyone who reads this column needs to know why. I’ll explain in a future column.

(Source: ralphdsherman.com)

Much of the “black codes” apropos possession of guns, are rehashed in contemporary fashion; except now, the codes are tailored for everyone, not just black people.  If my point has not been made well enough, I shall tell you a story of the only Coup D’Etat in U.S. History: “A mob of white supremacists armed with rifles and pistols marched on City Hall in Wilmington, N.C., on Nov. 10 and overthrew the elected local government, forcing both black and white officials to resign and running many out of town. The coup was the culmination of a race riot in which whites torched the offices of a black newspaper and killed a number of black residents. No one is sure how many African-Americans died that day, but some estimates say as many as 90 were killed.” -https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93615391

What they neglect to mention is that the “black codes” had disarmed the populace, and they were ill-prepared for the slaughter.

Again, racial tensions are not as high today, and this occurred in the not-so-recent past, however the ugly memes of tribalism, which globally and historically have resulted in Warfare, discrimination, violence, racism, religious killings, terrorism etc. are thriving in some parts of the world, and because history, no matter how small the chance, potentially could repeat itself. To quote Fallout: “War, war never changes”.

Point 2: If you want to live in the real world, you have to be practical to some extent. You have to realize that “s— happens”.  

“The world is not entirely governed by logic. Life itself involves some kind of violence and we have to choose the path of least violence.” -

The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi.

If you have ever been a victim of any crime, or hate crime, you know that it is a terrible ordeal, and that your peace of mind is disrupted.  I have before had to face threats, for instance, racists smashing my mailbox and racial slurs; my grandmother, who lived alone, had her house broken into and virtually everything she ever owned stolen when she returned by cowardly thugs. These things can affect how you perceive the world. I find that many armchair philosophers often come from a highly privileged state of mind, a state that is developed overtime from a perch of relative safety; an Ivory Tower. They underestimate the rate of defensive uses of weapons and overestimate the rate of illegal, criminal acts with firearms, when in fact, according to the CDC, the rate is about equal, or even more defensive uses therefore counter-intuitively avoiding violence. 

Defensive Use of Guns

“Defensive use of guns by crime victims is a common occurrence, although the exact number remains disputed (Cook and Ludwig, 1996; Kleck, 2001a). Almost all national survey estimates indicate that defensive gun uses by victims are at least as common as offensive uses by criminals, with estimates of annual uses ranging from about 500,000 to more than 3 million (Kleck, 2001a), in the context of about 300,000 violent crimes involving firearms in 2008 (BJS, 2010)…

A different issue is whether defensive uses of guns, however numerous or rare they may be, are effective in preventing injury to the gun-wielding crime victim. Studies that directly assessed the effect of actual defensive uses of guns (i.e., incidents in which a gun was “used” by the crime victim in the sense of attacking or threatening an offender) have found consistently lower injury rates among gun-using crime victims compared with victims who used other self-protective strategies (Kleck, 1988; Kleck and DeLone, 1993; Southwick, 2000; Tark and Kleck, 2004). - CDC,  Priorities for Research to Reduce the Threat of Firearm-Related Violence (2013) https://www.nap.edu/read/18319/chapter/3#15

There is something to be said for the art of complete nonviolence, however this must be cultivated over time. Only two people I know of have mastered it; MLK and Gandhi. I do not doubt other examples can be found, however, it is extremely rare.

Just as one must learn the art of killing in the training for violence, so one must learn the art of dying in the training for nonviolence. Violence does not mean emancipation from fear, but discovering the means of combating the cause of fear. Nonviolence, on the other hand, has no cause for fear. The votary of nonviolence has to cultivate the capacity for sacrifice of the highest type in order to be free from fear. He recks not if he should lose his land, his wealth, his life. -

The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi

I want both the Hindus and Mussalmans to cultivate the cool courage to die without killing. But if one has not that courage, I want him to cultivate the art of killing and being killed rather than, in a cowardly manner, flee from danger. For the latter, in spite of his flight, does commit mental himsa. He flees because he has not the courage to be killed in the act of killing. 

The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi

So in the meantime, while I “cultivate the cool courage to die without killing,” I will maintain my weapon, drill, and assert my Second Amendment Right, based in Natural Law, for the defense of myself, family, community, and Liberty. If you do not defend yourself, and get hurt or worse, die, you will no longer participate in The Great Work. I am not a Hermit, I do not stay inside studying all day, only working on the perfection of my Mental landscape. I am an Adept, and I go where others do not wish to, in order to further The Great Work, however, I reserve the right to protect myself when I go.

Point 3 I come from a line of “warriors with a warrior mentality”.  

I grew up with all kinds of martial arts and weapons, and have basic proficiency with most. That’s just something I like to do. Something I have enjoyed since I was 11. I suggest reading Sam Harris’ The Moral Landscape. He also has a piece called The Riddle of the Gun, which in my opinion is a good philosophical treatise on the issues surrounding guns, both morally and in terms of rational philosophy. Excerpt:

“Most of my friends do not own guns and never will. When asked to consider the possibility of keeping firearms for protection, they worry that the mere presence of them in their homes would put themselves and their families in danger. Can’t a gun go off by accident? Wouldn’t it be more likely to be used against them in an altercation with a criminal? I am surrounded by otherwise intelligent people who imagine that the ability to dial 911 is all the protection against violence a sane person ever needs.But, unlike my friends, I own several guns and train with them regularly. Every month or two, I spend a full day shooting with a highly qualified instructor. This is an expensive and time-consuming habit, but I view it as part of my responsibility as a gun owner. It is true that my work as a writer has added to my security concerns somewhat, but my involvement with guns goes back decades. I have always wanted to be able to protect myself and my family, and I have never had any illusions about how quickly the police can respond when called. I have expressed my views on self-defense elsewhere. Suffice it to say, if a person enters your home for the purpose of harming you, you cannot reasonably expect the police to arrive in time to stop him. This is not the fault of the police—it is a problem of physics.Like most gun owners, I understand the ethical importance of guns and cannot honestly wish for a world without them. I suspect that sentiment will shock many readers. Wouldn’t any decent person wish for a world without guns? In my view, only someone who doesn’t understand violence could wish for such a world. A world without guns is one in which the most aggressive men can do more or less anything they want. It is a world in which a man with a knife can rape and murder a woman in the presence of a dozen witnesses, and none will find the courage to intervene. There have been cases of prison guards (who generally do not carry guns) helplessly standing by as one of their own was stabbed to death by a lone prisoner armed with an improvised blade. The hesitation of bystanders in these situations makes perfect sense—and “diffusion of responsibility” has little to do with it. The fantasies of many martial artists aside, to go unarmed against a person with a knife is to put oneself in very real peril, regardless of one’s training. The same can be said of attacks involving multiple assailants. A world without guns is a world in which no man, not even a member of Seal Team Six, can reasonably expect to prevail over more than one determined attacker at a time. A world without guns, therefore, is one in which the advantages of youth, size, strength, aggression, and sheer numbers are almost always decisive. Who could be nostalgic for such a world?” - https://samharris.org/the-riddle-of-the-gun/ & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0DYpaLgWIo

 I find it the height of hubris when people try to tell me what is and what is not alchemy, what is and what is not freemasonry, what the Great Work means and what is and what is not good morality. Newsflash, moral relativism is lazy pseudo-intellectualism, however, if you are increasing the potential for self-actualization for yourself and those around you, keep going and continue to do what you do. How dare someone say their “Great Work” is somehow purer, somehow better, because they do not ascribe to this or that. In reality, it is a personal journey and Quest, and it is one that only the Traveler can take. There are many paths; take the ones that make you a better person.

And so, my final point is, you do you, and I will do me.  

-The Modern Alchemist

#gun control #Guns #morality #ethics #politics #philosophy #Alchemy #me #fallout #controversy #sam harris #gun control historically helps criminals and groups like the KKK #history #supreme court #second amendment #bill of rights #NRA #the great work #first amendment #constitution #this is why I joined the NRA

[ohmytheon]

title: A Secret’s Worth, part 2

summary: Riza confronts her son about studying alchemy in secret and tells him a few secrets of her own about the past.

notes: This got way out of hand. I really wanted to delve deep into Riza’s point of view on how alchemy has affected her life. I’m not sure if I achieved quite what I wanted, but this is very massive. I kind of think this is heavy-handed with talking (especially since it’s stuff we already know), but writing Riza’s feelings on alchemy when it comes to her son was really important to me. I feel like we think a lot about how alchemy affects Roy, Edward, and Alphonse, but really, Riza’s entire life has been shaped by it. ANYWHOOOO – this is the second part to A Secret’s Worth and also brings up how Aidan saw Riza’s tattoo when he was little in fire leaves a confession, although I don’t think it’s necessary to read. Hell, I think this could actually stand on its own.

It took three days before Riza worked up the courage to speak to her son about his secret. She couldn’t remember a time when she had been so hesitant. Afraid, yes, but hesitant, no. That had never stopped her before. She had always gone full steam ahead with everything that was thrown her way. She fought until the very end. She did not worry about the consequences concerning herself when she had ignored them before.

But when it came to her son? My god, she was terrified.

Aidan had not only hid his interest in alchemy from her and Roy, but he had hid his studying of it as well. Not just for a few weeks, but for years. Her sweet boy, her good boy, her loving, kind, wonderful boy.

He’d lied to her.

How many times had she asked him what he was doing that night or after school or on break and he had told her something else that had nothing to do with alchemy? She knew her son. He hadn’t exactly lied to her. Whatever he had told her was the truth – he had been doing whatever he’d said – but it wasn’t the entire truth. He’d omitted bits and pieces of his life without her even knowing. He had kept parts of his life out of his mouth.

Riza could almost laugh. Part of why she had had such difficulty was that she had done the same thing so much of his life. Did he even know it? Could he possibly know? There was so much between her and Roy that no one else knew but them. There was so much that neither one of them had told him. God, she had forced Aidan to pretend like Roy wasn’t even his father for the first four years of his life.

How could she be upset with him for simply hiding a part of himself from her when she had hid him from the world?

When push came to shove though, Riza knew that she needed to speak with him, not for her own piece of mind, but because it was time. She didn’t want him to feel like he had to hide a piece of himself from her. Aidan was her son. She wanted to know all of him. She wanted him to know that she loved and accepted all of him. She never wanted him to feel afraid, especially of her.

The only way she could face this was to do it outright and so, after knocking on his bedroom door and waiting for him to respond, Riza walked in and set the piece of paper with the transmutation array on his desk where he was sitting.

Aidan’s face, once bright and cheerful, dropped instantly as his eyes locked onto the paper with recognition. Every inch of happiness, his sweetness, his adoration, drained from his face as he realized what was happening. It broke her heart more than she expected.

“Oh,” was the first thing that slipped out of his mouth.

“I found this the other day when I was looking for your paper.” Upfront, honest. If she wanted him to be truthful with her, she needed to be the same with him. Riza sat down on the edge of his loosely made bed, keeping her eyes on him while his was locked on the array. “Why didn’t you tell me you were interested in alchemy?”

“I…” Aidan bit his lip as he lifted a hand to touch the paper gently. He looked exactly like Roy had when she had handed it over to him the other day. Careful, knowing, guarded even. This was him, just as it was Roy, and for a moment, Riza didn’t recognize him. Alchemy, for however much it had shaped her life, was not her world. This was a side of him that she’d never seen before or even thought to consider. “I guess I was scared.”

“Why?” It panged Riza’s heart to think that her son was afraid to tell her something or afraid of her. Suddenly, she knew how Roy felt – how he had been afraid of how Aidan would react to his flame alchemy. Neither one of them had realized just how much it had affected him. “I’m not mad, you know. Did you think I would be upset?”

Aidan nodded his head. “And disappointed.”

“Why would you think that?”

Finally, Aidan raised his eyes to her. Ever since he was little, he had always been so open with her. She thought it came with the fact that for his first few years it was just him and her. It had always hurt Roy when his own son’s expression was closed off to him when Aidan was younger, even after she and Roy had married. Now she was faced with those same eyes and she felt lost.

“I know… I know you and Dad haven’t told me everything about your history,” Aidan told her. “There’s a lot I don’t know – a lot that I’ve never asked about – and I know you did it to protect me.” He reached to run his fingers through his hair, but seemed to catch himself and dropped his hand. “Alchemy has always felt like this…tangible force in the house – like it’s so present and important and yet… We don’t talk about it.”

“No, we don’t,” Riza agreed.

“Growing up, I thought Dad’s flame alchemy was so cool, but it was like you kept your distance from it,” Aidan continued. “When he’d tell me a story and use his alchemy, you would look away. If I commented on his ignition gloves, you’d smile, but you never seemed happy about it, like you wanted to pretend it didn’t exist..” He fiddled with his fingers in his lap, pulling at them until they popped. “And I didn’t want to make you unhappy and I thought alchemy did.”

Riza felt like her breath was taken right out of her lungs. To hear these things, to know that he had seen them and understood them even if he didn’t know the context, truly wounded her. He should never had had to deal with these things, but somehow, by not telling him, she and Roy had heaped more onto his mind.

“That’s not…” But was it? Was this not how she felt? It had been a long time since she had stopped to consider her own feelings on alchemy. Roy was who he was and his alchemy, her father’s alchemy, would always be a part of him. She loved him despite it, because of it, without it.

At the end of the day though, alchemy had burned a horrible mark on her life, hadn’t it? And now it was coming to take her son. Panic settled in her gut, though she refused to allow it to show. Her boy – her sweet, charming boy. He was too gentle. He was too caring. He was too good.

(He was bright and inquisitive and always striving for more, just as Roy had been at his age. Just as Edward had been. Hadn’t alchemy hurt them enough?)

“It’s…complicated,”  Riza finally settled on, knowing just how lame of a response it was.

Aidan’s shoulders dropped. “You are disappointed.”

Riza’s heart jumped into her throat as she hastily leaned forward to grab one of his hands. “No, no, Aidan, I’m not disappointed.” He let her take his hand and a feeling of relief swept through her. She had been afraid that he might pull away from her. Being physical had never been her thing, but it was different with her son. He kept to himself just as much as she did, but she always seemed to know when he needed more. “I could never be disappointed with you.”

“But you don’t like alchemy,” Aidan pointed out, guilt lacing his voice.

“It’s not that I don’t like it,” Riza told him, as best as she could. “It’s just…” She took a deep breath. “It scares me.”

“Scares you?” Aidan straightened up in his seat and stared at her. “Nothing scares you.”

Riza smiled gently. “If only that were so. Anything happening to you scares me.”

“I’m just studying it,” Aidan said, rolling his eyes.

“And one day, if you keep going, you won’t be ‘just studying’,” Riza sighed, looking down at their hands. He was growing so fast. It wouldn’t be much longer before he was taller than her. Soon, he’d hit another growth spurt and he wouldn’t be her little boy anymore. Already his hands were bigger than hers. Smooth, innocent, unmarked.

How long? The questioned burned in her heart. How long before they wouldn’t be? Alchemy did not seem to leave anyone innocent. Or was she still mixed up in the past? Could it be different now that things had changed and their country wasn’t steeped in lies?

Aidan looked at her steadily and Riza knew what she had to do. How long would they keep these things from him? She had heard from Edward that he was having the same issues. His kids were older now. They were asking questions, ones that he’d been avoiding. Some answers weren’t neat and some opened up doors long since closed, some secrets that had been buried. She knew that many of the things she and Roy had kept from him would hurt him and also change their view of them. Was she wrong in not wanting that to happen? Selfish?

“You know, your father was just like you at his age,” Riza started.

“You knew Dad then?”

Nodding her head, Riza told a secret long since buried: “He was my father’s apprentice.”

Aidan’s eyes widened. “I didn’t know that.”

“No one does.” This secret was hers and Roy’s and now it was Aidan’s. She knew that by telling him this he would not to tell anyone else, not even his closest friends. He was good at keeping secrets. She’d raised him that way, hadn’t she? His whole life was riddled with secrets, some that he didn’t even realize. It hurt her, thinking of that and how honest he usually was with her.

“But…why?” Aidan furrowed his brow. “Because you worked under him in the military?”

Would that it were so simple. Riza didn’t want to tell him the truth. She knew that this would irrevocably change things for him. But he deserved to know as well. At the end of the day, it was alchemy that had brought her and his father together – and it was also what had torn and kept them apart. He had come to be because of alchemy and in spite of it.

Riza shook her head. “My father figured out flame alchemy, not yours.”

Aidan immediately sat up straight. “Seriously? So my dad learned his flame alchemy from your dad?”

The problem was that as simple as the truth was, it wasn’t simple at all. So much had been done to them and they had done so much to each other. She did not want to unload this burden on him. And yet… A part of her wondered if the truth about alchemy would turn him away from it. The thought made her feel guilty all over again. She just wanted him to be happy and if alchemy did that…

“Yes,” Riza replied, “and no.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Aidan questioned. He was still intrigued, but she saw the confusion on his face – and the wariness in his eyes, like he knew that something was wrong. He’d always been such an intuitive child, too much for his own good sometimes.

Riza pulled her hand away from him so that she could settle them in her lap. After years of working with a sniper rifle, her hands no longer trembled over anything, but for some reason, talking to her son about something that even she and Roy didn’t bring up anymore, she found herself feeling fidgety. She’d fought monsters and had been nearly killed so many times and yet confronting the truth about alchemy – perhaps one that she had hid from even herself – with her own flesh and blood was rattling.

“Do you remember when you were three and you saw the tattoo on my back?” Riza asked.

Aidan’s eyes drifted to the side as he thought back to that small moment so many years ago. He had been young enough where he might’ve forgotten it, but Riza never could. It had haunted her for so long, always coming back to her when she least suspected it, refusing to be let go. She had known that one day this day would happen and that memory had reminded her of it every time it came up. He’d been her baby boy then. So innocent and fragile. She could still remember his curiosity and how it had turned to confusion and then almost fear.

That was what alchemy was to her – that very moment – and she was frightened. It was a hard thing to admit

“Kind of,” Aidan finally said, still looking thoughtful and frowning. “It’s fuzzy.” He closed his eyes, as if he could somehow transport himself back to that moment. She wished he couldn’t. “Um, it was red. I thought someone colored on you.”

“Mmhm.”

He quirked his lips, his face screwing up in concentration. “Part of it, um… Part of it was messed up. Scratches.” His eyes whipped open and she could see it plain as day on his face. He knew. He didn’t understand, but he knew. Her boy was not the type to cry and he didn’t get angry very often, but he didn’t seem to know what to feel. “They aren’t scratches. They’re burn marks.”

“Yes, they are.” Her heart ached for him, but she didn’t know what else to say.

When she and Roy had talked about who would speak with Aidan first, they had decided on Riza. It was Roy’s alchemy, but in a way, her involvement was even more important. She knew that Roy was delighted over Aidan wanting to study alchemy like him, but also wary of it as well considering they both knew the consequences. And the fact was that no one understood those very same consequences quite like Riza, an outsider who had been drawn into alchemy and changed by it forever.

Roy also knew that when it came to explaining their history, Aidan would need to hear it from his mother first. When push came to shove, Aidan still went to Riza. It had always been like that. They worried that he might feel cornered if both of them sat down to speak with him. The matter shouldn’t have been so problematic. What other families out there, perhaps besides the Elrics’, were having this issue over something so small?

“Who…?” Aidan took a shaky breath. He knew, he knew. “Who would do that? Why?”

She didn’t want to talk about it. She didn’t want to tell him. She was afraid that he would never truly understand. She was afraid that he would hold it against Roy forever. Aidan was sweet and kind – but he was very unforgiving at times and he was so protective of her. He’d been like that as a little boy. It should never have fallen on him to protect her and she had tried to tell him that, but he hadn’t listened.

“Do you remember what it looked like?” Riza asked. She didn’t want to show it to him again. If no one ever saw it outside of herself and Roy, she would be at peace.

“I think…” Aidan swiveled around in his chair to grab a piece of paper and a pen. Closing his eyes once more, he concentrated and then opened his eyes and drew something. She could tell that he wasn’t pleased with the outcome from the way his lips twisted and he chewed on the pencap. He added one more thing and stopped with his pen mid-air. “It made me think of Dad’s ignition gloves.” He slowly turned to face her, a look mixed with comprehension and horror. “It’s not just a tattoo. It’s a transmutation array – for flame alchemy – isn’t it?”

Riza nodded her head. “My father’s notes on his life’s work.”

“He…” Aidan gripped the pen tight in his hand, like a weapon. “He did that to you? Your own father?”

“I agreed to it; I thought it would make him proud and pleased with me,” Riza told him as evenly as she could. There was more to it, of course, but it was hard for her to talk about. She didn’t want to bring up her father’s distance after her mother’s death or how his alchemy was the only thing that seemed to matter. Aidan was smart though. He’d probably get it from just knowing that his father had used her as a notebook for his work. “I wasn’t much older than you.”

Aidan looked back to whatever he’d drawn of her tattoo from his memory and then at the transmutation array that she had found. “That’s terrible.”

“He trusted me with his life’s work on alchemy and died shortly after.” That was that. Once he had unlocked the key to flame alchemy, it was as if living didn’t matter anymore.  She didn’t matter. The moment she had found out that she was pregnant, she had sworn to never act in such a way towards her child. Aidan would always know that he was loved and wanted. “And then, even though my father had disowned your father for joining the military, I entrusted him with flame alchemy.”

“That’s how he became the Flame Alchemist,” Aidan finished for her. “You.”

“Me. I gave him the code and he figured it out. He had such high aspirations and dreams of helping people and I knew he was a good person. How could I not?”

“And the burns… Did Dad…?” Aidan clenched his fists in his lap. “Were they an accident? Like when he was trying to learn it?”

He sounded so hopeful, but she could tell by the tremor in his voice that even he didn’t believe it.

“No, I asked him to do it,” Riza said, without any remorse, any shame, any sugarcoating. True horror swept over Aidan’s sweet face, his mouth parted like he couldn’t breath, his dark eyes watery, his face paler than ever before. It was the same exact look that Roy had given her when she’d asked him to burn her back, minus the weariness that war had heaped upon him.

“I don’t…” Aidan stared at her. “I don’t understand..”

Riza looked down at her hands, that old guilt seeping into her bones. It had been so long ago, a lifetime away, and yet she still felt the pain. “After what happened during the Ishval War…” She wondered if he had learned about the war in school or if it was too recent in history. “Do you know how it ended?”

“The Fuhrer issued an executive order that sent State Alchemists to the frontline,” Aidan answered, sounding as if he’d pulled it straight out of a book. God, he didn’t even know about King Bradley. He had no idea that the man had been more of a monster. When would they have to tell him about that? How could they? “Dad was one of them.” He fidgeted with the pen in his hands. “They don’t really talk about the Ishval War much in school, but there’s an Ishvalan kid in my class and he– He said that Dad had a lot to make up for after what he did there.”

“And you couldn’t just let that go,” Riza added.

“Well, no, I mean– I knew you were both in the military during that time, but I didn’t know…” Aidan sighed. “I asked some questions, but none of the teacher seemed eager to talk with me about it, probably worried I might talk with Dad about it. No one wants to openly talk bad about the Fuhrer to his son. So I had to look it up on my own. There still isn’t much on it, but I did find an old news article. The Hero of Ishval?”

Such a proud name, a strong title, something to make people look at Roy in awe – and fear. He’d hated it, but had worn it on his shoulders nonetheless. He refused to turn away from it. A hero to some, a nightmare to others. He had known the double meaning to it and accepted it. Every reason they had given him that title was true. He had done all this things. Incredible, awful, brilliant, and horrifying. He and his flame alchemy were all of it and more. She knew that firsthand. Aidan had never seen its dark side. They’d shielded him from it as best as they could.

“They gave your father that title for ending the war,” Riza told her son. “He was a good soldier. He did as he was ordered. He helped bring peace to our country after seven long years. But the cost…” She waited until Aidan looked back up at her. “After what happened, after what he did, after we learned what my father’s alchemy was capable of, I decided: there can be no more flame alchemists. No more. Not even you. Do you understand? It was too much, too powerful, too great. Even in the right hands, it devastated a country. In the wrong ones…”

“So you asked him to burn the transmutation array,” Aidan finished for her miserably, “so no one would know.”

Riza nodded. “Flame Alchemy will die with us.”

“Mom–” But his lips were trembling and his eyes were watering. Confusion, fear, understanding. He reached out for her and she leaned forward to pull him into her arms in an instant. She could feel tears soaking her collar from where he’d buried his face in her neck.

“Please,” she begged him, closing her eyes and holding him tight, “please don’t blame your father. He has done it enough for over two decades. Everything we did, everything we’ve fought for, was to make up for what we did. The transmutation notes were a burden on me that he lifted.”

“It wasn’t your alchemy,” Aidan mumbled against her.

“No, but–” She opened her eyes and slowly pulled away from him so that she could look him in the face again. There was still a film of tears over his eyes, but they weren’t falling. “Do you see now? Why I’m afraid?” She lifted a hand so that could swipe it across his wet cheek, looking him directly in the eyes. “It’s more than I don’t want you to make the same mistakes as us. I just… Alchemy is a thing unto itself. Your father learned alchemy to do good and with the best intentions, but alchemy has a life of its own. That kind of power – I’m just afraid of it hurting you, of it taking you away from me, turning you into someone you’re not.”

“Like Dad.” He gulped and turned his head away.

With her hand back on his cheek, she gently moved him to look back at her. “You’re not your father though – and you aren’t me. You are so much better and the world is different now. I have to acknowledge that. Alchemy is even different now. With the State Alchemist Program no longer attached to the military, it’s better. I have to believe that you won’t have the same pitfalls as we did.”

Aidan bit his lip. “Do you want me to stop studying alchemy?”

“Do you?” Riza asked in return. He knew the truth for the most part. If he had more questions – and she did not doubt that he would with time – she and Roy would have to answer them. The burns on her back did not hurt her any longer, but some wounds would never fully heal.

The look on his face was almost shameful as he admitted, “No, I don’t.” He pulled away to sit up straight. “I should stop – I should want to stop – after knowing what alchemy did to you. It hurt you so much. How can I want to learn about something that did so much bad?” He looked down at his hands again, turning them palm up. It was like he could see everything that he was and would be capable of. Good – he was capable of so much good. “But it makes me want to learn it more. I want you to be proud and to know I did better. I want to make things right.”

“That’s our responsibility,” Riza said, “not yours.”

“But it is,” Aidan told her, his voice firm. “You and Dad are doing what you can to right your wrongs. You’ve rebuilt this world for us.” He smiled at her. “And then it’ll be our turn to work with what you gave us to make it even better. I want to make sure that no one abuses alchemy like that again. I don’t want it to hurt anyone like it did you.”

Of course he would think like that. Of course Aidan would see it that way. Even though, he wanted to protect her. She could see the same fire in Aidan now that she saw in Roy back then. It was dangerous. Fire could be used to help or hurt. But she had to believe that Aidan would know better than they had – that he would see the signs that they had ignored and take a different path, a better one, a good one.

“Even if I can’t carry on the knowledge of flame alchemy like Dad – and I wouldn’t want to – I think… I think alchemy is kind of a part of our legacy, isn’t it?” Aidan turned and set the pen back on his desk. “None of us would be here without it. And I love it.  I’m good at it too – like really good, even without a teacher.” His cheeks turned pink a little. He was never one for bragging, not like Roy, but just hearing that confidence in Aidan’s voice made her smile again. “I can’t turn away from it now.”

“Then don’t,” Riza said. “Just be careful.”

“If I ever have any doubts about what I’m doing, I promise I’ll come to you or Dad,” Aidan replied. He sunk back in his chair and glanced outside his window. “I should probably talk to Dad when he gets home. Is he mad at me for hiding it?”

“I don’t think he’s ever been mad at you in his life.” Riza stood up and kissed Aidan on top of the forehead. He was too old for such things now, but in the privacy of their own home and after such an emotional talk, he let her do it without complaint. She was more grateful than he would know.

Aidan looked up at her. “Mom?”

“Yes?”

“I know you’re scared, but I’ll never let alchemy hurt you again. I’ll quit before I let that happen.”

She thought of Roy’s bashful explanation of his dream to help people while standing in front of her father’s grave. His eagerness to learn alchemy when they were kids. His triumphant laughs when he did something good for the first time and pleased grins when he presented her with something he had made. Of Edward’s and Alphonse’s desperation to see their mother again, to be held in her arms and see her smile and hear her voice. Edward’s promise to return his brother to his body.

She pictured Alphonse’s sacrifice on the Promised Day to save Edward. Of the little boy with golden hair and eyes who sat silently in a wheelchair missing a leg and arm. Roy’s cold eyes on the battlefield as flames exploded around him and people screamed. Of his promise to make up for his sins and the pain in them when he’d agreed to do what she asked of him. The shame and sorrow in his soul that he would never be able to fully shake.

And she saw her son, sitting at his desk, gazing up at her with such a determined and earnest expression. He had promised not to hurt her when he had seen the transmutation array on her back on those years ago. She could still hear it, but he sounded so much older now. When had he grown so much?

“I know,” Riza said, smoothing down his hair.

Perhaps, just as Edward had learned on the Promised Day, he would finally be the one to figure out how to control alchemy instead of letting it control him. Riza had to hope. That was all she could do as a mother.

#riza hawkeye #roy mustang #royai #fma #fmab #royai kid #aidan mustang #fullmetal alchemist #fullmetal alchemist: brotherhood #fma: brotherhood #fma:b #fma fanfiction #fmab fanfiction #the things of songs #anyways i love riza #and i would fight like at least 100 people for her #edward elric #alphonse elric

[hlwim]

long af riza headcanon/meta chat under the cut that i want to keep for perhaps later fic purposes

me: here have this poem i've been trying to write a royai fic around for three days: http://www.randomhouse.com/knopf/authors/merrill/renewal.html

Lizroyko: That seems very difficult to write a story around

me: it just feels like

me: it feels like royai, like immediately after the promised day and they're both healed up and grumman is official fuhrer and now they both have to face the future

me: and riza gets an invitation from olivier that completely blindsides roy, but it's a good opportunity for riza to advance her career so he tries to be all stoic and professional

Lizroyko: How does

Lizroyko: Roy feel about that you think? I feel like he’d be like

Lizroyko: This is great for her so much advancement opportunity

Lizroyko: But also like

Lizroyko: HEY YOURE SUPPOSDD TO FOLLOW ME

me: wow this hurts a lot because she's going to leave

me: i feel like the promised day represents a huge break in their dynamic

me: like at that point it's pretty much assured that roy will become fuhrer b/c grumman's a misogynist that loves roy

me: and their moment in the tunnel with envy is like, the lowest point and can't go any lower

me: the fact that he rejected human transmutation and was willing to let her die kind of represents that he doesn't need to be followed anymore

me: like, he doesn't need someone watching him to make sure he stays on the good path because that was it, right there

me: the ultimate chance to do the wrong thing and he turned away from it

me: i feel like riza after the promised day would feel very lost and unsure of her purpose

Lizroyko: ;-; my children

Lizroyko: I hadn’t actually thought about that

me: like i imagine them both looking to the future

Lizroyko: Just what his decisions the promised day meant for the both of them

me: roy sees a long, steady climb with her at his side and it fills him with such relief and satisfaction

me: riza sees a long, unbroken chain of days and nights doing the same thing she's been doing for years, no change, no advancement, nothing to look forward to, always coming home to an empty apartment and a bunch of unopened boxes

Lizroyko: The thing that’s weird is a lot of people seem okay with that headcanon

me: the idea that nothing would change, that she would just go back to being his attache and spend the rest of her life one step behind him, filing his paperwork, bringing him coffee, is so fucking depressing

me: yeah

Lizroyko: That riza doesn’t do much aside from what she’s been doing

me: everyone's like "omg so sweet she'll be his bodyguard again forever!"

me: like, no

me: i think her time with bradley was also very eye-opening

me: he literally has a whole speech burning her over the fact that he gets to do what he really wants, that he gets to have what he really wants, and she just stands there and makes him tea

me: riza's whole entire arc is about agency and making decisions for herself and just

me: she deserves to make a decision that puts herself first

Lizroyko: I mean if you look at it all her life she’s been serving. Whether that be her father, her country, Bradley or Roy

me: yeeeep

Lizroyko: She hasn’t really gotten a chance to think about what Riza wants to do

me: she has always followed

me: and like, working for olivier would offer her that

me: at the very least, it would offer her the space to think about it without her grandfather breathing down her neck or roy and his five year plan

Lizroyko: And she’s good at following that’s “comfortable” so I imagine it would be bizarre for her to figure out

me: riza even expresses that she's only in the military because she has to protect someone, and then when he proves he doesn't need to be protected anymore, from himself or others, what the hell is she still doing in the military?

Lizroyko: Which would make sense after being under Olivier and moving up a little ways just being like

Lizroyko: “Okay I tried that...so now what?”

Lizroyko: Just still feeling unfulfilled

me: yeah, Riza is not ambitious

me: She's not there to climb the ranks

me: She needs purpose and a reason

me: Which service by itself does not give her

Lizroyko: Other than potentially marrying Roy eventually. What else does she do?

Lizroyko: Idk I have trouble seeing riza as housewife

me: I don't think she would be just a housewife

me: I would see her taking up teaching or academics of some kind

me: Whether she becomes a military instructor or a professor/philosopher like her father

me: Not in the sense of studying alchemy, but more politics

me: Riza is a very astute observer of how things work in Amestris, and as they shift away from military dictatorship, they're going to need a new canon of thought about government

Lizroyko: Mmm yes

Lizroyko: I enjoy this route

me: riza knows the power of ideology and ideals, because ideals lead her to participate in mass genocide

#riza hawkeye #hlwim meta #/ // #/// #//// #saving for later #fmab #royai

[fullmetalscullyy]

the way it was - chapter 14

summary:  what if riza never went to war?  riza hawkeye has just married the man she loves. six months into their marriage, an unexpected surprise stops her from following roy to the military. a canon divergence au that explores what might have happened had riza been unable to join the military. there will be plenty of family fluff, angst, and royai.

rated: m | warnings: no archive warning apply

chapter 13 | read on ao3

1914 

anywhere the sun shines

anywhere your love goes

you will find me

“Moving to Central?” Riza asked in surprise. Roy had mentioned the move before but that seemed like a far-off thing – something not happening until the end of the year, or in the new one.

“They liked how I handled the Scar situation so much that they promoted me.”

“A promotion too?”

“Don’t act like it was so unlikely,” he grinned cheekily.

“No, I’m just… This is great for you.” Her expression softened, her lips curving upwards as he grinned at her. “Well done. I’m proud of you, and this is a step in the right direction.”

Roy’s arms looped around her body, locking together on the small of her back. “It’s all thanks to you.”

Riza snorted lightly in disbelief. “I doubt that.”

“No, it is,” Roy urged as she tried to pull away. His grip tightened and Roy held her in place. “You’ve pushed me to keep going. Plus, now we have baby number two on the way, we have to get a bigger place, so this is the perfect excuse,” he winked. Roy chuckled as Riza swatted his arm, making him loosen his hold on her waist.

“What happened with Scar, by the way?” she enquired.

“He’s still on the loose. He’s far too fast for us to catch but at the moment, the threat has passed.”

“Just be careful, okay?”

“Always am,” he reassured her with a grin. Riza promptly rolled her eyes at him. Says the man that fell off her roof while trying to impress her.

But still… Riza bit her lip. She knew Scar was an Ishvalan man. Roy had expressed his strong desire not to use alchemy against him, not after what he did. Riza reasoned that he had to protect himself. He had a whole country depending on him. Once Roy started making moves with the changes he wanted to see in the world, the Amestrian people would need him. He couldn’t get himself killed with the first step he took.

“Did you use your alchemy against him?”

There was a pause which caused Riza to glance at him. Roy’s gaze was off to the side as he answered.

“No.”

Riza felt relief wash over her. “How come?”

“It was raining all day.”

Riza blinked at him, then burst out laughing. She couldn’t help it. A memory from their past came to her mind unbidden, and it always amused her thoroughly. It involved smug Roy trying to show off and some petrol. He’d been trying to get the old barbeque they had going in the damp, wet air. It wasn’t working, so Genius Roy, with all of his fifteen years of wisdom, thought that pouring a few drops of petrol on the barbeque would get it going. It did. The inferno claimed his eyebrows. Riza had to draw them on for days after so her father wouldn’t find out.

She’d never laughed so much in her childhood before.

“It’s not funny,” he glared.

“I’m sorry, dear. I wasn’t laughing at that,” she giggled, trying to calm herself down. 

Roy moved to sulk on the couch instead. He placed his face on two closed fists, his elbows resting on his knees. Mia was lost in her own world as she played with her toys on the rug in front of them.

“Okay,” she admitted. “I was.”

“Before you say it,” Roy interrupted her. “I’m not useless,” he spat out, the word obviously leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

“I bet you didn’t even realise it was raining that day, did you?” Riza grinned from behind the couch. She perched on the back of it, running her hand through his hair. There was a soft sigh from Roy, and it made Riza’s smile grow.

“No,” he muttered sullenly. “Listen,” he jumped in, his spine straightening. “When you’re faced with a serial killer, you’d have bigger things to worry about than the weather, all right?”

“Not when it affects my ability to use alchemy, the only way to defend myself,” Riza retorted. His defensive argument was a strong one, however he could have been killed when fighting Scar that day. That was the reality of it. Riza tried to let it go. She exhaled slowly and quietly, letting that anxious energy drain out of her. He was fine. He was alive. He was still breathing, and his heart was still beating.

He was okay.

Roy huffed, returning to his sulk. “Yeah, yeah,” he muttered.

“Daddy?” Mia asked, not looking up from playing with her toys. Her brow was furrowed as she still played, confused about something.

“Yes, Mia?” he asked. His mood perked up as soon as their daughter called him. It made the smile return to Riza’s face.

“What’s a serial killer?”

Riza snickered as Roy stiffened underneath her hand. She patted his head twice then bent at the waist to whisper in his ear. “I’ll let you deal with this one,” she stated, oh so kindly. Their daughter had quite the inquisitive streak and was a sponge – she picked up everything.

“Gee, thanks,” he deadpanned.

“Dinner will be ready shortly Mia, okay?” Riza called during her retreat to their kitchen.

“Okay Mummy,” she called as she clambered up onto her father’s lap.

“Make sure all your toys are tidied up, okay?”

“Yes Mummy,” she replied dutifully.

“Thank you, Mia.”

Riza smiled and left the two of them to their lesson, snickering at the thought of Roy explaining to their five-year-old what a serial killer was. In all honesty, she shouldn’t know, but Mia would never let things go. If they put it off, she’d just ask again and again until she got her answer. Or worse, she’d ask someone else, stating she heard her parents talking about it. That had happened before, and it was an awkward conversation with the adult afterwards.

Ten minutes after their impromptu lesson began, Roy entered the kitchen alone and kissed her cheek in greeting.

“As I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted.”

“Are you talking about me, or our child?” Riza asked dryly. “Choose wisely.”

“Um… None?” he squeaked with a forced grin. Riza rolled her eyes, and the forced smile on Roy’s face fell, leaving a real one in its place. “Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that it was you who saved me with Scar.”

Riza scoffed. “Hardly.”

“No, you did. Honestly. I don’t know what I’d ever do without you.” He stopped for a moment, tilted his head then smiled softly. “Watching out for me even when you’re not by my side,” Roy grinned. “I knew I married you for a reason.”

“To stop you from inadvertently getting yourself killed?” Riza asked, raising one eyebrow.

“Something like that,” Roy smiled, angling his head to kiss her temple.

“I believe Maes calls your ability to still find yourself alive “sheer dumb luck”. Emphasis on the dumb.”

“Well, Maes is always talking out of his ass.”

“Daddy?” Mia piped up suddenly, appearing in the doorway. “What’s an ass –”

“Oh! Mia!” Riza announced quickly and loudly, distracting their daughter with her food. “Dinner is ready! Daddy will help you into your chair.”

Mia grinned and ran over to him, holding her arms up in the air, signalling she wanted up. It was like she was two years old again.

Riza shot him a pointed look that said, “no more swearing in front of the kid.” The last thing Riza needed was for her to repeat that. Hopefully, she’d caught it early enough that Mia had already forgotten all about it.

“So… Central?” Riza stated as they retired to the living room for the night.

“Are you all right with that?” he asked, an undercurrent of uncertainty in her tone.

Riza nodded. “Of course.”

“I just knew it meant you’d be able to pursue your career and Central would give you so many more opportunities to do that than being here does.” From his tone it was clear he’d already built up a case to try and persuade her, but there was no need. She was already ready to go. It was the packing up of all Mia’s toys that would be the nightmare part of it.

“Roy, I’m ready. This is a step in the right direction for you.”

“But it’s your life too,” he stressed, turning to face her. “I can’t just assume you’ll uproot your life just for me.”

Riza smiled and cupped his cheek. “You’re sweet. But don’t worry. I already told you I had something lined up in Central for this year and you’re also my husband,” she stated, as if it were obvious. “I’d follow you anywhere.”

That seemed to settle some of his fears and his nervousness. His shoulders sagged in relief.

Riza wondered if he was like this every day at work. He seemed to be calm, cool, and collected in front of his colleagues at the ball, but when it came to her he was always uncertain and sure she was going to turn and run away from him at a moment’s notice. It may not be intentional, but that was the vibe he gave off to her. Riza wasn’t worried about it, per se, but she’d married him, and loved him with all her heart. He owned it completely. What else could she do to prove that she wasn’t going anywhere?

“There’s nothing to worry about on my part. And Central will be good for us. Plus, Maes and Gracia are there too, so we’ll be able to see them more often.”

“Oh no.”

“What?” His tone was filled with dread, and worry began to pool in Riza’s chest.

“I won’t just get phone calls about his kid and Gracia, I’ll have to deal with it in person.”

Riza rolled her eyes. “Drama queen.”

“It’s a real problem I suffer with here. I would think as my wife you’d be supportive,” he frowned.

“You’re on your own there, dear,” she smiled sweetly, patting his knee. Before she could remove it, Roy snagged it in his hand. “Okay, so now we need to think about moving,” Riza stated, already planning and making a list of things to do in her head. “We’ll need boxes. I threw out all the ones we brought here with us. I’ve no schoolwork tomorrow and was planning on going to the market with Mia anyway, so I’ll pick something up then.”

“Tell me about it,” Roy requested, immediately after she’d finished her train of thought.

“Excuse me?” she asked, confused by his request. “Tell you about cardboard boxes?”

“Tell me about your typical day. About what you have planned for tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Riza stated after a pause, wracking her brain for what she’d decided to do tomorrow. “Tomorrow the market is on in the square from nine o’clock until noon, so I’ll go there with Mia to collect some fresh vegetables for dinner. Then, we’ll probably go to the park and she’ll play on the swings.” Roy grinned. They made that trip a few times a month on the weekends and Mia would be on those swings for hours if they let her. “Then, I’ll nip into town and get a cup of coffee –”

“Where about?” he inquired.

“Robertson’s.”

“The old haunt.” Roy quipped.

“They do a soup that Mia really likes so we’ll have some of that for lunch then head back. At home she’ll play while I look over my schoolwork, then we play until you come home. Except…” She cocked her head in thought. “We’ll nip back to the market as it closes to see if we can get some cardboard boxes from some of the stalls.”

“That sounds genuinely wonderful. I wish I could join you,” he murmured.

“One day,” she smiled. “Or we’ll do it more often when you’ve got the day off.”

“In a perfect world I like to think we’d do that every day.”

“Oh yeah? What do you imagine our lives being like?”

Roy took a deep breath then let it out in a rush, tilting his head to look up at the ceiling. “If I never joined the military… I picture us in a house out in the country. Not your father’s one, but something new that we bought ourselves with our own money. We’d have chickens, we’d have a cow and a goat.”

“Just one of each?”

Roy nodded. “Yep. Just one is all we need. There would be a little vegetable plot in the back garden where we’d grow our own… It would be perfect.”

Riza hummed and leaned her head against his shoulder. “That does sound wonderful.”

“However.” He heaved a sigh. “This was the path I chose, so I must follow through with it.”

Riza patted the hand on his thigh. “I’ll be right behind you.”

“How about beside me?” he asked, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. “I don’t like the idea of you being behind me.”

“I’m supposed to watch your back, Roy,” she smiled dryly. “I can’t do that from beside you.”

“Then how am I supposed to watch yours, with you behind me?” he queried. “No, beside sounds a lot better, because we’re equals. We look out for each other, and no one is getting put to the back or left behind,” he stated firmly. Riza smiled at his explanation and felt her chest blossom with warmth at his words, along with a little flutter in her stomach.

“That sounds lovely, Roy,” she hummed in agreement.

Silence settled over them, and Riza turned her vision to the future, thinking about how everything was all falling into place conveniently for them. She was loath to damper on the moment for herself, but this seemed too easy. Letting go of her insecurities was easier said than done, but she gave herself a shake anyway. No, she wouldn’t let those fears ruin this lovely moment for herself.

“So, Central, huh?”

“I know,” Roy stated.

“This is a big move.”

Roy nodded. “It will be good for us.”

Riza agreed with him. “Definitely. I’m sure we’ll have lots of fun in the big city,” she joked. “Plus, we’ll be closer to Chris, so she’ll get to see Mia more often.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good thing,” Roy stated dryly.

“She’s great with Mia,” Riza said, eyeing him like he was crazy. “What are you talking about?”

“I meant for Mia. Poor kid must put up with her. At the best of times, it wasn’t fun,” he joked, mock fear on his face.

“She must have done an all right job because you turned out okay,” Riza retorted.

“Just okay?” Roy asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Riza felt a mischievous streak overtake her. “Yes. Just “okay”. Below average, but a passing grade.”

Something flashed in his eyes and Riza began to laugh as Roy tickled her mercilessly as a punishment.

“Stop it,” Riza gasped. “You’ll wake Mia up!”

“No, you will wake her up,” he grinned, continuing his torture.

“Roy!”

She was silenced with lips pressed hard against her own. Her laughs and gasps turned into moans as Roy’s hands stayed on her body, but began to stroke it instead, lighting a spark within Riza that only he could put out. She moaned his name as he moved down to her neck. 

“That’s a better volume,” he quipped.

Riza pulled at his hair gently, guiding him back up to her lips. “Much better,” she agreed.

*          *          *

The move to Central happened in a blur. Two days after Roy announced it, and was officially told himself, they were expected to move out of their apartment within the week and head to Central. The military had already allocated Roy a new home in the city, so they were expected to be ready to go.

Talk about military efficiency, Riza had thought sourly, exhausted after cramming her packing time into two days, rather than the weeks she thought she would have. Luckily, they let Roy off work so he could prepare too, so she didn’t have to do it all by herself. It made the hectic and stressful time in her life easier to deal with while he was helping.

Now in Central, Riza barely remembered what happened. The move was over that quick. One morning she woke up in their apartment in East City to a fall asleep in a different one.

Except this wasn’t an apartment. It was a house. Roy had specifically put in a request for them to have a house.

“I wanted to save the trouble of moving again, since the family is growing.” He’d shrugged, like it was no big deal. Riza had been touched that he’d been so thoughtful. “I don’t want to drag Mia through all that chaos again.”

Their five-year-old was surprisingly calm throughout it all. Maybe she could sense how stressed her mother was and kept quiet. Of course, the military expected Roy to check in at Central Headquarters the day they arrived, leaving Riza to unpack. He’d been assured it would only be an hour or so, however four hours later, Riza was worrying about where he’d gotten to. When Roy did eventually return, he was extremely apologetic and had even stopped off at a bakery to pick up a coffee and a pastry for her.

“I promise, I’ll make this up to you,” he’d assured her. He didn’t have to, but Roy was adamant. The look in his eye told her that the “making up” wouldn’t be coming until after they’d retired to bed.

She wasn’t annoyed at him. Her sourness was directed more at the military, which was happening more frequently these days. It didn’t mean that the making up for his prolonged absence wasn’t welcome. Far from it. He’d become more affectionate recently, and Riza accepted it wholeheartedly. She enjoyed every second of it. It made her feel so loved, which she was eternally grateful for every time. Roy had that effect on her.

She couldn’t wait to see what their future held in Central. Despite being exhausted from their move she was thoroughly excited. Their home was perfect. It was large, spacious, and had room for them to grow within its walls. It was military owned, but far from what Riza had expected it would be. In her mind it would be beige walls everywhere, with no character or warmth. Instead, it was an old townhouse that had been taken over for military accommodation, which still harboured the old wood panelling in the hallway and plush carpet throughout the ground floor. It was warm and welcoming, just what she’d always wanted in a home.

 Mia adored the large back garden and the first day, she’d stood with her face pressed against the glass of the patio doors, mind boggling at the sight of the expanse of grass before her.

Roy had regaled her with his plans for the space. “We can get a swing,” he had explained, casting his hand over the old oak tree at the corner. “We can tie it around the tree branches and Mia can swing from there. When the little one is old enough, they can join her,” he grinned. “In that corner,” he gestured over to the opposite side of the garden. “I can build a small vegetable patch and we can grow our own.”

Riza glanced up at him and noticed the sparkle in his eyes as he spoke about all of this. She remembered the conversation they’d had about their ideal lives, and how Roy said he wanted a vegetable garden. She smiled up at him, catching the bug for his excitement and turned her attention back to the garden as he showed off the space.

Yeah. Riza couldn’t wait.

#royai #royai fic #royai fanfic #royai au #emma writes #the way it was #i forgot to post this on tumblr lmao #whoops

[paybackraid]

Hero of Ishval

HEY GUESS WHAT I FINALLY DID!! Remember that Ishvalan!Elric AU teaser I wrote a while back for FMA AU Week? Well, I finally got around to posting the first chapter!! I’d appreciate if y’all could read and reblog, or go to my FFN or AO3 pages and review!

Summary: There are many reasons that Roy Mustang is known as the Hero of Ishval. But the very first reason is one that most people in the military don’t even know about. Ishvalan!Elric AU. Big Brother Roy. 

Words: 3004

Warnings: War themes, strong language

The men came into the district, all with not-red eyes and not-white hair but not without an intent to kill.

“No!” screamed a boy, standing before his mother and little brother because there was no father to protect them, not anymore, and the boy refused to listen to his mother when she said to get back. “Stay away! You dirty Amestrians don’t belong here, go back to your cities! Leave Mom alone!”

“Oh?” said the man with the long hair and the grey eyes. “Little Ishvalan scum has a little life to him, does he?”

“Don’t call me little!” said the boy with fire in his eyes.

“I wonder… how quickly can we drain the life from you? You’re coming with me!”

The little Ishvalan boy was dragged away from his mother’s arms like a common criminal, dragged kicking and screaming through the district, and loaded onto a truck.

None of the Ishvalans could stop the man who made explosions from his palms, most were too frightened to try. The only one who did, the mother, quickly had a gun pointed to her forehead and had to be held back by her fellow countrymen. The truck drove off, a child still calling for his mother from the back while his mother cried for him.

“ZEDEKIAH!!!”

Chapter 1

When Roy Mustang was 18, and he joined the Military Academy, his naivety had him dreaming glorious dreams about going to war. Yes, people died he knew, but they died with honor, fighting for their people and their country. He had never really dreamed of becoming a war hero (although some nights the thought would flash through his mind for a fraction of a moment), but he dreamed of going to war and returning alive.

His foolish self, of course, had never experienced the true horror of war, all the blood and death. He had been surrounded by war all his life—the military was in at least one almost every day of the year for the past fifty years. It was something that most everyone was a part of in one way or another, and the military was the biggest employer in all of Amestris, so imagining himself in the military wasn’t so odd or unnatural. There wasn’t one boy or girl that he knew of that didn’t imagine that in one way or another, they would be part of a war.

Even imagining being in the military, his thoughts could never come close to the real thing.

Death was in the air, death and dying, at all hours. He feared his enemies, he feared his comrades.

He feared himself.

This was why Master Hawkeye hadn’t wanted to share the secret of flame alchemy with him. Somehow, Master Hawkeye had known the ruin that Roy would bring with a snap of his fingers.

“Yo! Mustang! Move your ass!”

Roy kicked at the desert sand beneath his feet, heat bearing down on his neck relentlessly. He looked toward the voice—Hughes was hailing him forward. It was mealtime, they were just returned from a mission in one of the southern districts, and even though he was damn hungry, he didn’t even want to think of eating.

“What do you want, Hughes?”

Hughes, Roy’s academy buddy and longtime rival, jerked his head toward the wash station. Roy rolled his eyes, assuming a new batch of nurses or some such nonsense had come in. Hughes was happily taken, but he never hesitated to attempt to set up Roy, or one of the others in their squad. The man made sport out of watching them fail, Roy was sure of it.

Still. Hughes was obnoxious when someone paid him attention, but worse when they ignored him. He walked slowly to the man, glancing at whatever had caught Hughes’ attention.

A crowd of men surrounded one of the flagpoles, all of them jeering and laughing. Roy sneered at them; that was rarely anything good.

“What do you think they got ahold of, a nice t-bone?” Hughes wondered loftily, turning to Roy.

“I don’t know, man, I was on the same mission as you. Come on. If they’re all busy with this, I bet the line’s clear and we get first pick.”

Hughes grinned and laughed, hooked an arm around Roy, and lead him toward the mess.

Roy and Hughes beat a hasty retreat when the mess started filling. Most of the men had appeared to grow bored of whatever had kept their attention, and now wanted to appease their angry stomachs. Hughes carried a napkin full of what could best be called dry gruel. It was the sort of junk you could only stomach a little at a time; Roy hadn’t been able to finish his, and it got too crowded for Hughes to finish. They chatted as they walked—well, Hughes chatted, while Roy walked alongside and listened halfheartedly.

Roy glanced back to the flagpole as they walked past, the same place all those men had been crowding around earlier. A few remained, but most had disappeared into the mess. Somewhere near the ground there was a red swatch of fabric and a little foot, but Roy couldn’t make much out of that. Some of the guys made a habit of bullying some of the younger ones. Maybe they had got ahold of some poor bastard who made some small mistake. It wouldn’t be the first time.

There were some quick words from the crowd, words that he didn’t recognize and when he glanced at Hughes, he found that he hadn’t either. He knew some of the others spoke Aerugan, Cretan, or even the occasional Drachman—since they were surrounded on all sides by these great nations, it made sense for someone on their side to speak it.  It was possible that it was one of those who spoke foreign tongue being tormented, but Roy doubted it. Some of those words sounded sort of like Xingese.

Then, a loud call, a sharp cry, and a child’s voice: “No, No!! Mama!!”

Beside him, Hughes stiffened, his eyes narrowing, and Roy felt a shudder pass through him. What was a child doing here? No one in their right mind would sneak their child into the middle of an active warzone. The only other possibility was—

Yes, they realized as they approached. A little, Ishvalan child. No more than six.

It was a boy, very small. He had shaggy white hair and piercing red eyes, skin darker than the sand around them. He was covered in a red shawl, and wore no shoes on his little feet. His eyes darted all over the place, looking for an escape, but Roy quickly realized that the poor child had been bound to the flagpole.

What the hell was he doing here?

“Awww, what’s the matter, you baby? Are you gonna cryyyy for your mooommmyyyyy? Go ahead, see if she can hear you.”

Oh, and of course, why was Roy not surprised? Solf J. Kimblee, the truest psychopath in the entire military, was leading the show.

The kid blinked his eyes hard and sniffed hugely, swallowing back any tears that were left. He looked like he was trying damn hard not to cry—like he was trying to be stronger than Kimblee, stronger than what was happening.

“Kimblee,” Roy said, grabbing the Crimson Alchemist’s shoulder and tearing him from his victim. “Leave him alone, he’s just a kid.”

Kimblee tore his shoulder from Roy’s hand, glaring at him. “What do you want, sand-fucker? You’re apart of this war too, what’s one brat to you?” Kimblee scuffed his boot into the sand, kicking some up right into the kid’s face. The boy squeezed his eyes shut in a vain attempt to stop the sand from getting into his eyes, grimacing and turning away.

Roy scoffed, but didn’t otherwise react to the insult. He’d been called it before, and it had stopped affecting him. It first started in the military academy, when he’d been surrounded by people hardly out of high school (if they had even gone) who were still practically children. He came to the aide of his now-friend Heathcliff Erbe, and from then on, became known as a sand-fucker—an Ishvalan sympathizer.

If the opposite of being a ‘sand-fucker’, was being Kimblee, then he didn’t mind being a sand-fucker at all.

“Where did you get the kid? He doesn’t belong here.”

“Plucked the brat fresh from his mommy’s arms. He had a couple things to say, and I wanted to, uh…” Kimblee laughed, “teach him about his betters.”

“His betters? Who do you think—”

“Mustang! Kimblee!”

Roy flinched and glanced over his shoulder to see a general approaching looking unamused. Roy and Hughes snapped into a salute, and with a little reluctance, Kimblee did too. General Raven inspected the boy bound to the flagpole, then ignored him and turned on the two soldiers. “What are you doing, lollygagging?  If you’ve got time to start arguments, you’ve got time to clear the ten o’clockers for a lunch break. March! Both of you!”

Mustang scowled inwardly but kept his face impressively blank. Seven o’clock guard. Was there anything less interesting? He glanced down to the kid, who glared all around at everyone he could see, offering no warmth or anything. Roy smirked to himself just a little. He was quite the kid. “Yes, sir.”

Once night rolled around, the entire camp fell into almost total silence. The only ones still awake and about were the night guards, who only watched the perimeter and had no care for the happenings inside its borders, and the boy, who was silent with his tormentors no longer about.

It was this fact alone that allowed Roy to sneak out of his tent at half past pain-in-the-ass o’clock, canteen around his neck and napkin of not-so-goodies in hand. His tent wasn’t far from the flagpole, so it only took ten silent seconds to creep across the camp to the little boy.

He couldn’t, in his heart, leave this boy to his fate. He knew that no one had fed the poor thing, or even let him off to relieve himself, and no one had tried to shade him from the unrelenting desert sun. If he wasn’t sunstroked when Roy got to him, he would be surprised.

“Kid. Hey… kid, wake up,” Roy said under his breath, crouching beside the boy. The kid’s neck was craned awkwardly forward, like he had fallen asleep like that. He had reason to suspect that the kid wasn’t asleep at all, but he didn’t want to startle him.

Indeed, the kid quickly shot his head up, eyes bleary. He pressed back against the flagpole and glared at him weakly. “Go away.”

Roy chuckled a little and sat beside him, crossing his legs to try and appear as friendly as possible. The poor kid had had enough fright in this place. “You won’t say that when you see what I’ve got for you.”

That piqued the kid’s interest for a moment, nervous curiosity flooding into those crimson depths. He flickered his eyes from the ground up to Roy, lowered his head to his toes, then hesitantly wondered, “...what?”

“Shh, you have to stay quiet. We could both get in trouble if we’re not careful. Are you hungry?”

The boy nodded blearily, and Roy knew with the flush in his cheeks that this was true. He was probably starving. He didn’t know when the kid had been collected, but it was probably at least since then when he last ate.

Roy set the napkin down in front of the kid, revealing its contents. It wasn’t the best stuff, and if he had better he’d give it to him, but it really was all he had for today, and he couldn’t go stealing rations, not just for a little kid. “Here. Open your mouth.”

“Do…” The kid coughed and opened his mouth, licking his dry lips. “D’you have any water…? Please…”

“They… haven’t even given you water? All day?”

“No…” the boy croaked. “You have some, right?”

Roy’s heart constricted for a moment, then he sighed and stooped his head, grabbing for the strap of his canteen. “Yeah. I have some. Move your head away from the pole.”

The boy did, so Roy unscrewed the canteen and cupped his head. He pressed the canteen to his lips and tilted back. Water spilled from the corners of his lips, but he didn’t seem to mind, drinking greedily. When the canteen was pulled away, he licked at the water on his face.

“Ready for food?”

“Yeah.” The boy opened his mouth as he had asked earlier, and Roy patiently fed him everything that Hughes, bless his soul, had saved.

The night passed on in silence while Roy stayed by the boy’s side. He noticed halfway through what barely constituted a meal that the kid was shivering mightily. The kid must have been freezing cold after he spent all day burning to a crisp in the sun, and then hastily being introduced to the chill of the night air. Whatever skin was burnt, which had to be everything exposed, had to be horribly irritated.

“Are you cold?”

The boy shivered again, and through the shiver Roy noticed a very small nod. Yeah, the poor kid had to be freezing.

He slowly unbuttoned his jacket and slid it off his shoulders, pulling it around to lay over the boy. His little naked toes stuck out of the bottom, but he wiggled around a little and crossed his legs beneath the fabric, covering his chilled toes.

“...Thank you,” he said. His voice sounded better now that he got some water in him, at least. More like a kid and less like a decrepit old person.

Roy shrugged awkwardly; he had never been good at taking thanks and he doubted that he ever would be. “Sure,” he said, finding his feet. The kid was taken care of, at least, and Roy couldn’t do anything more for him without running the risk of getting in trouble. He could check on him again in the morning.

“W—wait!” the boy cried when Roy stood, looking up at him with nervous red eyes. When Roy looked back, he looked down to his feet, as if he was ashamed of his outburst.

“...What?”

“Don’t…” The kid struggled with his reservations for a moment, kicking at the fabric of the coat. “Don’t go.”

Roy stood by, blinked once, twice, three times. He didn’t know… what to say. An Ishvalan kid asking an Amestrian soldier to stay by him? He supposed that he had only been mistreated since he had arrived, and Roy was probably the first friendly face he’d seen all day.

But he didn't really have much of a choice. He was already pushing it, being out here past night bell without direct orders. He couldn’t stay out here much longer without facing possible consequences.

He opened his mouth to respond truthfully—I have to, I can’t stay, go to sleep, you’ll be fine—just in time for the child to whisper, “please, please don’t go.  Please don’t leave me alone. The other soldiers, they’ll come back, they don’t like me. They… they hurt me and spit on me, and what if they come back and do it again? Please…”

Roy felt each separate word like a slap to the face, and looking to his face, desperate and frightened but willing to trust him, might as well have been a sucker punch. Roy had always been a sucker for the underdog, a sucker for kids like this one. He was no good with them—being raised in a brothel didn’t help matters, especially since when he did go to school, he stuck out like a sore thumb because of his slanted eyes and his upbringing, and it set him very far from kids his own age—but that didn’t stop him from sympathizing with them, from wanting to protect them and from never wanting to see the exact face this little boy was making…

He cursed to himself, quietly enough the child didn’t hear. His mind was made up before he was even aware of it. And screw anyone who said even a word of it in the morning.

He turned back to his tent without a word to the boy. If he was going to be sitting outside all night long, he might as well make himself comfortable, make it more bearable.

He collected his sleepsack and pillow, ignored the grunt of confusion from one of the bunks on the other side of the tent, and stepped back outside. He ignored all thoughts of foreboding and instead looked to the child, who looked even more defeated than before. Perhaps a word in before he left would have been good…

Oh well. Perhaps next time. It was too late now. He approached the boy who stared down at his toes, still cloaked in Roy’s blue jacket, and scuffed a little sand by him so he knew he was there.

The boy started and looking up to him, clearly expecting some sort of reprimand judging by the fright filling his eyes. The fear in them dulled and surprise flitted in when he recognized Roy again and saw the sack in his arms. He didn’t say a word when Roy turned and sat beside the boy, leaning as much of his shoulder into the pole as he dared, and he didn’t say a word when Roy shook out his sleep sack and laid it over both their laps, nor when he fitted his pillow behind him against the pole to act as a cushion.

In fact, he didn’t even say a word when Roy put his arm around the kid and told him, “go on to sleep, kid” and then leaned his head back like he would fall asleep right then.

The only other movement, then, that passed between them was when the boy, oh so cautiously, leaned his head into his companion’s side, and when Roy couldn’t fight back the smile in response.

#creative aces #fma #fmafanfic #roy mustang #yes zedekiah is ed #ishvalan elric au #my writing #tw war themes #tw language #this is gonna be about sixteen chapters if everything works out right #my second chapter isnt written yet but its planned #im moving this week so idk how soon ill be able to update #before thanksgiving is my goal #please reblog #hope you like it #lmk if the links dont work i hate tumblr

[bleedingcoffee42]

City of Gold- Part 2

Royai Week Prompt: Day 5: Letters

Title: City of Gold Part 2

Word Count: 2008

Rating: Teen.

Summary: A Mummy AU of sorts with a gun wielding adventurer and a gorgeous museum employee teaming up to find a lost city in the desert and maybe start the apocalypse in the process.    

AN:  Part 2 of this:  City of Gold: Part 1- Promise  .   

Xxxxxxxxx

“It would be my pleasure.”  Riza said and took his hand and they went to the dance floor as if they had planned this all along and they took up position for the waltz. It was then that she was able to get a good look at him, dressed in a classic tuxedo with his hair slicked back and a look of determination on his boyishly handsome face.  There were more than a few other women looking him over and a few men sizing him up, but what inpressed her most was that he looked like he belonged here.  This was a long way from that man hunched over his desk, straining to see by candlelight.   “Are you here to ask me about the map?”

Roy waited for the music to begin to cover their conversation and took the brief moment to look at how perfect she looked in that dress.  She looked just as comfortable in it as she did in the museum wearing black tactical gear.   As much as he liked the shoulder holster, he had to admit this was quite appealing as well.  She was a beautiful woman, there was no denying that, but he wasn't here for a date.  The music began and they began to move around the dance floor effortlessly, like they had practiced together instead of just met.   “Actually I'm here to ask why you burnt down my museum.”

Riza didn't mask her shock.  “What?”

Roy cocked an eyebrow, she seemed to be genuinely surprised.  He didn't saw anything, just continued to waltz with her and watch her expression for signs that she was lying.  

“That wasn't me.”  She said and looked him dead in the eye.  “I told you to forget you saw it. I told you it could get us all killed.”

“Well the only ones who knew I had that in my possession were you and my best friend.”  Roy said. “Anyone else who followed him from the bar that night after the poker game, besides you?  Perhaps someone who went to my apartment first to trash it?”

As much as she didn't want him involved, it appeared it was already too late.  Riza looked over his shoulder and scanned the crowd.  “I don't need to tell you about Xerses.”

“Tell me anyway.”  He said and watched her look around as they covered the dance floor.  She wasn't concerned with him, danger lurked elsewhere.   Suddenly he knew this wasn't going to be a simple answer, it wasn't going to be about who burnt down his museum but why.

“Xerses, the City of Gold.  An entire country's wealth and power resisting inside it's capitals walls.” She said.”Buried somewhere in the desert under the sands for all eternity for performing the taboo, an entire civilization vanished overnight.”

“And what taboo is that?”  Roy asked.   “Legend says it was for turning lead into gold....”

“This is no legend, Mr. Mustang.” Riza said and looked him in the eye.  “Xerses is real, I have been there.”

“Impossible.”  He said.  “Not that I doubt your skill, Miss Hawkeye, but I find it hard to believe that you have found the lost city and spend your time chasing down your father's losses at poker instead of using your riches for something like this gaudy hotel.  Unless this is actually you're elaborate party.”

“Xerses is nothing but sand and death, the city is not made of gold nor does it store it.”  She said and leaned in to whisper in his ear.  Her chest pressed into his and she had to get close enough to feel his hot breath on her neck to say, “The City of Gold refers to it's people, not it's wealth.”

He leaned in and brushed against her cheek with his own to whisper in her ear, “I don't believe you.”

She could feel her heart racing as they spun around the floor, locked in a close embrace.   “Then follow me.”

Roy let her lead and she waltzed them towards the server entrance.  As soon as the dance ended she stepped off the dance floor and pulled him towards the door, anyone looking would assume they were going somewhere private to get even closer than they had been.  Roy let her pull him down the hall, quick steps that made him wonder who she was worried about following them.  They weaved between wait staff and kitchen staff to get to the door that lead to the basement storage area, according to the sign posted on it.   He thought about going back to get Maes, but knew his best friend could handle himself if he had to.   He followed Riza down the stairs and around a corner to a storage room.  “Look this is interesting an all but...”

Riza kicked a vent cover off and bent down to pull a duffle bag out of it.  Apparently bending over in front of him was enough to shut him up.   Then she pulled out an envelope and handed it to him before dragging the bag over to somewhere she could go through it.   “Inside you will find letters, letters from a pair of brothers looking for their father named Van Hohenheim.”

Roy didn't understand what any of this had to do with Xerses, but he pulled the letters out anyway.  All had been addressed to a Van Hohenheim at military posts in various departments in Central HQ.   All had been stamped return to sender.   He opened them and saw a letter begging this Van Hohenheim to come home because his wife was ill.  He pulled out a picture and saw two kids and a woman.  

“The Xerses people were known for their unique golden hair and golden eyes.”  Riza explained and pulled a rolled blanket out of her bag and unraveled it, revealing a stash of guns.   “The people were why the city became known as the City of Gold.”

Roy glanced at the guns.   “Are you expecting someone?”

“Yes.”  Riza replied and strapped a holster around her thigh and placed a small revolver in it.  She continued her story.  “Xerses was destroyed not because of a failed experiment to turn lead into gold or an attacker raiding and destroying the city, but because they had dabbled in something far greater.   Xerses was a city of knowledge and science, not wealth in gold...wealth in knowledge.  It was that knowledge that lead them to try to dabble in things far beyond what man should have.   In an attempt to create a jewel more precious than anything they could mine, they turned the entire city into what alchemists call a transmutation circle.”

“I am familiar with the concept.” Roy said and looked at the photo again.  The boys had light colored eyes.   Curious now he handed her the letter, not understanding it's connection to any of this.  She took it and gave him a gun.  

“Do you know how to use that?”

“Yes.” He said and she rolled up her gun cache and stuffed it back in the bag and stood up.  

“Alchemy was their science.”  She said.  “Thus the only thing greater than gold would be the philosopher's stone.”

Roy nodded.  “And?”

“And they made one.”  She replied. “Using the city as a transmutation circle, using the souls within it to create one and using Van Hohenheim to activate it.   Xerses vanished overnight because he turned the populous into a stone.”

Roy was about to interrupt her, this whole story was ludicrous.

“Those two boys alerted the people within our government that Van Hohenheim is still alive. They know that if he is than he possesses something much more valuable than a city of gold.  I have friends in Central that seized those letters but I'm sure there were many more.  The boys are presistant and certainly would not have stopped at a few letters.”  Riza said. “My father's obsession was Xerses, he spent his life looking for that city and when we finally found it we found nothing.   Nothing.   No remains, nothing but ruins.   Then we found the inscriptions and he came home to decode them.   That was when he found out it was alchemy, which lead him to a town in the East called Resenbool where a man was trying to make a living teaching about this ancient science.   It's when we saw his golden hair and golden eyes and knew we had seen people just like that in murals on the walls of those ruins.”

Roy waited as she took a frustrated breath.  

“It's when we learned the true secret of Xerses from the man who destroyed it himself.”

“He'd have to be hundreds of years old.”  Roy scoffed.

“Immortality is what happens when you turn yourself into a philosopher's stone and are the vessel for thousands of lives.”  She said.  “My father refused to burn the map because he wanted to go back.  Alchemy became his new obsession because that science held more riches than any city could.   Unfortunately the letters triggered something we weren't counting on. My father is unable to let go of his life's work and couldn't simply destroy it.  So he used that little box he found at the ruins and put his map inside and tried to hide it.  That is how your museum was burnt down, that is why I need to protect you in addition to him and those two boys.”

“That's the most unbelievable thing I have ever heard and that is coming from an archaeologist.” Roy said.  She got close to him in that small closet and was once again p against his chest.  

“You saw the box, you opened it because you recognized the alchemic rune for fire.”  She said. “Which means that my father didn't just lose that box to your friend for safe keeping but because he knew you could figure it out. Your museum probably had resources in it that could help him with the alchemy in the ruins and since he couldn't bring the museum with him, he was going to try to take you with him instead.”

Roy noticed she sounded aggrevated. This also sounded like a sudden realization of a new development. “I'm assuming from the sound of your voice that your father hasn't been very honest with you about his work.”

“No.”  Riza said and studied his beautiful dark eyes that were fixated on her.   “Nor has he been honest with himself about the danger he's putting everyone in. Unfortanetely, he's never been very good about that.”

“Probably why you were so quick to burn his map, hmmm?”  Roy asked and she looked away.   He wasn't sold on any of this but he was intrigued.    

“If you want answers you can follow me.  If you want to help me save this country from a terrible destructive force this world has never seen the likes of, I could use your help.  You memorized the map and unfortunately we do need to go back to Xerses as that is where the Elric brothers are probably going and they have no idea what hell can be unleashed there.   Unfortunately they learned their father's lessons well and may be able to activate that circle again.”  She said and stepped into the hall to see who followed them.  “Did your friend follow us or not? I need someone to carry that duffle bag.”

Roy leaned out into the hall.  “Maes?”

“Yo.”

“Want to save the world?”  Roy asked.  Not quite sure how else to summarize this information.

“If it helps you get the girl, sure!” Maes said and materialized with a few knives he picked up in the kitchen.   He put them on a service cart and came over to where they were standing.  He smiled when he saw it was a storage closet and before he could make a remark about anything, Roy slammed a duffle bag into his chest.

#fic #royaiweek17 #city of gold #royai

[wheremytwinwatches]

[Where My Twin Watches]: Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood Episode 27

Last time: Awful ‘finale’ moments happened, the EEC count finally updated, and iTunes decided to be a jerk and leave me with an incomplete show in my videos tab for eternity. Onwards!

And we’re back, with Season Two/the next cour/however this crazy show is split up! We left off with some very annoying threads dangling (Ed/Ling/Envy crossing realities, Al and Greed about to meet The Big Bad, ect.), so let’s get to it! ...this is not the unresolved issues being resolved, this is a happy-go-lucky peasant bonfire. What does this have to do wit- BEARD! The Beard has been sighted, lurking on the fringes of the festivities. Is this where Papa Elric’s been hanging out after walking out (again) on his son all those episodes ago? What does he even do to pay the bills? (Besides being the ‘secret’ bad guy, I mean). GOOD, be sad and lonely as you sit over there, instead of being an actual father and oh my Leto who is this lady? Are you actually hooking up with someone else instead of taking care of… your… Pinako? I know that name… NO. PLEASE NO. AAAARGH IT’S BAD ENOUGH THAT WE’RE STUCK IN A FLASHBACK EPISODE BUT NOW BEARD IS GETTING PROPOSITIONED FOR DRINKS BY GRANNY ROCKBELL WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG AND HE’S SMILING NO NO NO DO NOT DO THIS TO MY SHIP LETO SAVE ME

*ahem* I apologize for that. Let’s move on. New intro! A metallic arm reaching up from a field of white flowers, funky guitar music as the title comes up and we see it’s Ed lying on his back looking sad before Angry!Ed comes back and he beats up a poor flower and gets back up. Now he’s facing Titan!Envy, Gluttony, big dude who I guess is Sloth, Wrath… wait, what? Why is… *gets up, pulls off and throws down headphones, rushes to Tephi’s room* “Tephi?! Why is Ling wearing black? Why is Ling standing next to the goths?!” “*shrug* You should keep watching and find out.” AAAAAAAHHHHH. Ed looks about as pissed as I am right now, rushes forward before getting the crap beaten out of him. Roy in a white coat? Another flashback to the Ishvalan Civil War? Now FIRE EVERYWHERE as someone stands above the ashes oh hey Mister Smiley, I remember you from when you murdered the family of the guy who’s Determinedly Frowning onscreen now, I sure hope he comes across you someday! Roy looks into a fire then camera pans to stand next to Hughes (whyyyy), having a staring contest with Bradley. Back to Titan!Envy as he gets a visit from Dentist!Al, a TC making a Philosopher’s Stone that’s eaten by some smug dude in a white suit and fedora (It’s after Labor Day, dude. Get with the program.) More flashes of the now-defunct-Conspiracy in their white Civil War outfits looking sad INCLUDING MUSTACHELESS THE MIGHTY ARMSTRONG CRYING HOW DARE YOU SIR and a flash of yup I got a glimpse of Father not being in shadow at this point, that is clearly Beard without his glasses. Joy. And then they drive the point home with an eye zoom that turns to Glasses!Beard looking at a picture (hmmm, I wonder what picture it is? /[sarcasm]) at a campfire. Now dude with gun arm, sunglasses guy, giant tank and HELLO who is this lady? She just waved her sword and lo, there was an explosion thanks to her tank. New Badass Lady character? Ok, she’s standing at the head of the two guys who just showed up and a bunch of other dudes in fur-collared coats. Oh, hold up! Way back when Ed was talking about the neighbors of Amestris, how up north across the mountains there was a place with a shaky non-aggression treaty with them. Please tell me our boys get their own army.

Now lots of screaming people and a poor horse getting eaten by Gluttony, Ed staring down the Gate of Truth, that terrible scene of him getting pulled away from his brother in the in-between place, Al fighting and getting grabbed by white hands, Ed snapping out of his daydream back in the field and again going to smash the ground… but pausing at the last second to spare the little white flower. Alright, a good intro! Plenty of interesting moments, I’ve got high hopes for this next stretch of episodes. Episode 27 - “Interlude Party” We’ve got the happy-go-lucky plucky string music playing as peasant couples dance around the bonfire and Pinako drinks with Beard in the shadows, making me cry at the terrible terrible implications for my poor ship and saying it’s nice to let loose every now and then. Beard just drinks in silence like the socially-awkward absentee father he is, so Pinako rambles about finding happiness whenever you can, especially in a war-hungry country like Amestris. Just take Ishval, for example... [Lust(?)]: “And no matter how many times it happens they never learn. The human race is made up of violent, miserable fools.” RIOT TIME! Hold on, isn’t this the town that the Goth’s drove crazy after Father Cornello turned out to be a false priest? Ok, now it’s Ishval with the cannons going off and the Blue Eyes marching in. Some dude’s remarking Ishval and Liore have been crazy lately oh hi Hughes! Hmm, looks like flashbacks to all the mentions of Amestris’ conflicts, Ed talking about skirmishes with “Aerugo to the south and Creta to the west” and there it is, the northern country of Drachma! Come on, hurry up and get moving north you kids, I wanna see more of our new Intro characters! Back to the bonfire, a little girl has run up and asked Beard to dance with her. Aw! But he says he’ll just sit there, Pinako needles him about being old until the little girl gives up on the lost cause. [Pinako]: “That girl, so bossy. Weren’t your two boys around her age? When they started planning to bring back their mom?” Wait, what? But- Hold up, I remember this scene of the boys sitting at the grave, didn’t they follow Little!Winry back home for supper right after that? I definitely remember the argument between Ed and Granny Rockbell over supper, and she was just a little bit older then. What’s going on here? Wow. You’re just gonna go “Nah, no point in trying to talk to the boys about committing the Ultimate Taboo to try and bring back their dead mom and my dead wife. More booze, please!”. Father of the Year, everyone! Yup, we are definitely in a recap episode now, presumably this came after a good gap between this and the last cour to remind everyone of all the happy, cheerful times this show has given us! Like Dismembered!Ed crying out over the loss of his younger brother, witnessing the brief existence of the Thing in the TC, and sacrificing his arm to make Al into Soul Armor. Scenes of the Elric Brothers seeking the Stone, discovering the damning secret ingredient for the Stone… the bonfire collapses and the music gets melancholy as Beard looks on. Uh, something’s up with the shadows… “It’s remarkable how weak they are.” Aha, fabricated memory or somesuch! I knew the timing was off with Pinako’s age, this is all some sort of internal dialogue in Beard’s head! My ship is still safe! Huzzah! Ok, so there’s a split between Beard and Father, is what I’m getting here. Beard is still sitting in his rumpled brown coat nursing some booze, while Father is standing with face partially out of camera in nicer clothes, chiding humanity for their weakness and talking about their “one good use as a natural resource”. Aaaand Beard’s glasses are opaque again, he’s back to being Evil. Mid-show cards of Van Hohenheim (still gonna call him Beard) and Pinako Rockbell. Back to flashbacks! Ed’s found the secret Stone-making TC under the Fifth Laboratory, that great fight scene between Ed and the Brother Armor (one of the funniest scenes, too), Ed swearing that he sees Soul Armors as being human too and swearing he will never take the life of another person, #48 about to spoil the plot before Lust shuts him up, Ed encountering Goths for the first time, sudden jump at mention of “important sacrifice” to Gluttony cheerfully taking Al to see Father, Bradley mentioning that Teacher might be a worthy candidate as well (boo!), Lust “killing” potential sacrifice Roy, and Marcoh himself in his cell. Now it’s Hughes… with his last discovery before the Goths silenced him. Marcoh saying his (and my) theory of turning the entire country into a TC like Mr. Freeze did back in Episode 1. [Pinako]: “You’ve always known about their plans, haven’t you? Well, Hohenheim?” Beard finally admits to- wait, what? [Beard]: “Even if I’d spoken up, warned them, it wouldn’t have changed anything.” What do you mean, “warned them”? Of course you wouldn’t warn them about your own scheme, what is Figment!Pinako talking about?

Beard is saying he’s watched humanity for a long time now (How long? And just how is Beard so long-lived? I get he created the Goths, or at least I thought so before Pinako’s line just now…), and he just sees them make the same mistakes again and again- uh, some of the dancers just bumped into each other and exploded, scattering blood on some very confused girls. [Beard]: “They’re so fragile… how could they not break?” Flashes of the Homunculii healing/hulking out, Gluttony going Gate, Bradley revealing his status to Greed as Wrath and kicking his butt, Roy getting tricked by Raven (jerk) to Bradley’s “so let’s discuss potential human sacrifices, my military officials” meeting, the first flashes of Father as Beard talks about how humans lack the strengths of the Goths, they can’t defend themselves. [Pinako]: “But that won’t make us give up. We will never give up!” You go, Mental Pinako! Kick his arguments to the curb! Ha! It’s working, Beard is admitting that it’s a human characteristic (flashes of Badass Roy killing Lust, Ed defying Greed and working out his weakness, Al arguing with Scar in defense of Alchemy, Scar’s brother protecting him from Mister Smiley’s attack and giving his own arm to save his life, Lan Fan giving up her own arm just to distract Wrath after Ling saved her life…) [Pinako]: “They can put us through hell, but it doesn’t matter! Nothing they can do will make us give up! And some day we will win!” Damnit, now Father’s in on the debate, Beard’s vanished for this argument. Father’s saying Pinako can’t change anything, everyone will die and she’ll be left with nothing. He says the only smart thing to do is grab what’s important and run away, suddenly he’s seized her and [Father]: “You act like you have a conscience, but you’re just being sentimental. Isn’t that right, Hohenheim?” Pinako!Mask removed to show Beard, not very happy with this new development. [Father]: “You think you can change things? You honestly believe one act of caring will make you human?!” Beard is gasping for breath as Father rants about how humans are just a resource, left unchecked they will spread like weeds, their basic nature can’t be changed. Beard… Beard slowly leans forward, glasses going opaque. His hands still- Someone’s grabbed his hands, a young woman with short brown hair. [?]: “We will change. Because we can change! I know it. We may be weak, but we just have to be. If not, then we wouldn’t have any reason to go out, to get strong. I know that it may seem futile to you, but it’s not. Because we are getting stronger with every step we take.”

*credits music has started up* [Roy]: “And in turn they’ll protect the ones they love. It seems like the least we tiny humans can do for eachother.” [Ling]: “I-I wasn’t ready for this. Lan Fan was, though. She made the decision that I was too weak to make.” [Al]: “I’m sick of watching people die! And I can’t just sit back and take it anymore! I won’t let anyone else get killed! Not when I can protect them!” [Ed]: “I won’t run away from this.” [Ed]: “We’ll knock that jerk Truth on his butt!” [Ed]: “Al! Al, come on! Please! Hurry, Al!...” [Ed]: “Alphonse! Look at me! I’ll come back! Just you wait!” [?]: “You see? I’m sure we can change! Because we’re weak. And because we die. We have to fight in order to live! And that’s what will make us strong. And if that’s not enough? If you’re still not convinced that we can change?” Yes, yes, I know this can’t last because we have so much show left but Leto damn it if it isn’t awesome to see Beard’s glasses clear again [!!!]: “Then think about us.” It’s Mama Elric! [Mama Elric!!!]: “All of the days we spent with our family in Resembool.” And now Beard is sitting on a moss-covered log in daylight, green grass around and petals slowly falling. He has a blank look on his face, seeing Pinako and Mama Elric and his boys and so many other people standing in front of him. Little Al’s shirt hardly fits him as he clutches Mama Elric’s skirt, Little Ed stands arms crossed trying to look tough- Then geese fly by, and Beard wakes up. He looks over the pristine lake and mountains he made a campfire at, gives a slight smile at the realization he was dreaming, and moves on- after he pauses, looks back at an empty bottle of booze, and says “Thanks for all the help.” ...so, good recap episode, but what the Leto is going on with Beard? Isn’t he supposed to be lurking under Central? Ooh, new credits! We’re at Rush Valley, zoom in to Atelier Garfiel where Winry’s hard at work, looks up and smiles to a lens flare for ok sure, totally necessary for her unzipped uniform while she moves boxes, moving on. Or I guess that’s just staying tied down as she tinkers with tech and banters with customers, now she’s happily talking on the phone with her friend Ed (NOT Al- edited for an earlier typo, thanks TonyC) based on how she’s suddenly screaming into the receiver before she grumpily subsides and then blushes(!). New girl! Lan Fan, rocking the empty sleeve look. May Chang happily walking along with Shao May. Back to the closed automail shop where Winry is still working (get some sleep for Leto’s sake!), now opening the shutter the next day and greeting the sun. Man, I wish I was that happy to work in retail.

#wmtw #where my twin watches #full metal alchemist #full metal alchemist brotherhood #fmab #fmab 27 #ranubis

[wheremytwinwatches]

[Where My Twin Watches]: Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood Episode 10

Time to watch Brotherhood, the charming show where absolutely nothing bad is going to happen this episode, right?

Right?!

Starting off with [EXPLOSIONS], looks like a flashback to the Ishvalan Civil War/Genocide, troops in blue running and falling as they charge Ishvalans in a ruined town. Up until there’s a snap of fingers, and the screen turns red. And out of the smoke comes Roy, thinking about how he’ll do everything he can to protect the people he loves.

Jeez. This show’s not pulling any punches when it comes to the reality of war, is it?

In the aftermath of the attack, Roy’s explaining this philosophy of protection to Hughes, who likens it to a pyramid scheme. And the only one who really profits from such a scheme is the one at the top of the pyramid. Hey, Fuhrer! How’s the weather up there?

Roy continues to be incredibly unsubtle about his goal of becoming Fuhrer, Hughes jokes that it’ll at least be fun to watch. And maybe his “naive idealism” can do some good? But as easygoing as Bradley generally acts (this is the guy who easily cut down Mr. Freeze, moves at Homura speeds, and ordered a freaking genocide), I don’t think he’s just gonna step aside if Roy asks nicely.

Back to the present, seems Roy was remembering this as a dream, taking a nap in his office. Not much time for sleep, with all the preparation for the Central transfer.

Episode 10 - “Separate Destinations”

Well, that music’s not ominous at all!

In the hospital Ed’s recounting what happened in the Lab, complete with illustrations. Armstrong and Hughes are discussing the ouroboros tattoos and TC, and all the other mysteries surrounding the case. Of course, any answers they might have gotten are now under a ton of rubble.

...Is that really such an issue? I mean, a good portion of the cast are matter manipulators, can’t Armstrong just punch the boulders out of the way?

Hey! Stop eavesdropping, Brosh!

Ross is smart enough to not sneak a listen on her superior officers. And ooooh dear, it’s the big cheese himself.

Bradley says he’s stopped by for an informal visit. Heard that Ed was injured, thought a nice melon might cheer him up. Um. Ok?

Uh oh. Bradley picked up that Armstrong has been “checking up” on some of the senior staff. And he’s frowning now. Um.

“And now you… my revered Fullmetal Alchemist…” holy crud his voice went all gravely

“Tell me what you know about the Philosopher’s Stone.”

“And I hope for your sake… that you don’t know too much.”

This is bad this is really bad the Goths were bad enough but if the Government really was running that Lab then these guys just trashed a project of Bradley crap crap crap

Wait, what?

“Ha ha ha! I’m only kidding! There’s no reason for you to be so uptight!”

Hold up, what the hell was that all about?

Bradley’s saying that he knows there’s been some suspicious activity in the military lately, and something “needs to be done about it.”

...I’m still mostly convinced that you’re up to something, Bradley. But I’m not sure what.

Ooh, seems all the researchers assigned to officially study the Philosopher’s Stone have been going missing. Goth’s covering their tracks? And Bradley shows elements of being a spymaster, even with his informants he doesn’t know how much the Military’s been infiltrated, beyond “they know a lot about us.”

Now, a direct order from the Fuhrer; “To forget this matter and all that it concerns.” Since the best defense against spying is discretion, they need to keep this to themselves… up until Bradley thinks the time is right to confront them directly.

Hmm. I’m getting elements of conflicting plans here. The Goths are up to some evil involving Ed as a “sacrifice”, the leader of a genocidal government that was researching/making Philosophers’ Stones… There’s something going on here, I just can’t quite pin it down yet. Need more info.

Then all this plotting is interrupted by Bradley going out a window to escape his bodyguard. Still not seeing the Fuhrer in the best light, but you can’t deny that the character Bradley is a riot.

Winry stops by with some train tickets for Ed. Where are you off to, before you’re even healed up fully? Dublith? Play on Dublin? Oh, we finally get to meet this mysterious Teacher! Who even now has the Giant Suit of Armor shaking in his plate boots. A tough taskmaster?

Ed points out the town on a handy map, looks like it’s in the Southern Quadrant. But something shocks Winry about the trip, a town right before it?

“It’s the holy land of Automail engineering. It’s Rush Valley!” Well someone’s excited. Ooh, do we get Winry traveling with the Elrics? Also, predicting an upgrade in Ed’s future, if Winry’s that impressed with this place. What’s so special about it

Aw come on Ed, stop being such a pill. It’s not like you’re hurting for money as a SA. Maybe there’s elements of wanting to keep her out of danger (because you poor boys are trouble magnets), but you can do it! Also, moves my ship along? Please?

[Huges]: “She’ll make you a fine wife, someday.”

[Ed]: “Don’t start that again!”

Speaking of wives, Hughes is heading off to work, Elicia’s being painfully adorable, asking if Daddy can get home early that day. (!) Hughes says he’ll try to get back as soon as possible (!!), Mrs. Hughes tells him to not be late (!!!), Hughes says he’ll probably not see Winry again before she leaves (!!!!!), oh my LETO how many death flags can they wave at us?!

Damnit damnit damnit he is so dead. Why? Why do you have to kill off Hughes?! Guy’s a family man, he’s funny, he’s lighthearted. There’s enough tragedy in this world of lost limbs and genocide and soulbatteries already, you don’t have to up the ante! Uuuuugh. So annoyed at the blatant post-credits last episode, I’ve been delaying watching this one because I was so afraid of this. Gonna stop watching those from now on, too much spoilage potential.

“Oh, and tell the boys I said goodbye.” AAAAAARGH

“You just make sure to come visit us anytime you’re in Central, okay? Our home is your home too. ‘Til then… Take care of yourself.”

AAAAAAAARGH

Uuuugh, let’s try and move on. The Blond Kids are off on the train, Ed explaining that they’re off to visit Teacher for a couple of reasons, namely he’s tired of losing fights. Sadly he and Winry start squabbling about fighting, she wants them to stop. That’d be nice, Winry, but someone’s gotta stand up to the Goths. Also, they want to center themselves, boost their morale, and seeing an old teacher might help with that. As well ask her what she knows about the Stone.

Wait, what? Ooooh crap. They haven’t seen her since before the Incident, have they? So they’re gonna walk up to their Alchemy Teacher and have to explain “Yeah, I lost two limbs and my brother lost his entire body because we broke The Big Rule of Alchemy. So about some more alchemy training?” They are so dead.

Back in Central, Hughes is doing some research, going over the riots in Liore. Hey, don’t you diss Leto, random underling! Been a lot of stuff going on in the East Quadrant, as well as the North and West. Not the South? Current theory is they’re all too scared of the Elric’s Teacher to mess with her turf.

Suddenly, Hughes stands up, says he’ll be in the Archive room. Figure something out?

In the room, music’s picking up, Hughes is circling places on a map. What is- Oh. Oh my Leto. I think I just realized.

Liore, other uprisings, the Ishvalan Genocide...

The Philosopher’s Stone needs human sacrifices, and a Transmutation Circle.

We’ve already seen there can be a TC the size of a city.

Who’s to say there can’t be one the size of a country?

That’s it. That’s their plan. Craft a nation-sized Alchemy reaction. Create the True Philosopher’s Stone from the sacrifice of thousands, if not millions.

But whose plan is it? The Goths? The Government?

...but Hughes isn’t going to find out, is he? A long-haired silhouette just walked in and closed the door.

[Hughes]: “Cool tattoo you got there.”

[Lust]: “Those are your last words? Wouldn’t you rather scream?”

Leave him ALONE

NO

Wait, he got out? He got stabbed through the shoulder but he got out? How oh HELL yes knife to your fucking forehead, you bitch! You don’t mess with

FUCK YOU NO

you got a knife to the brain you don’t get to just calmly take it out no

Receptionist starts joking then realizes that Hughes is injured, he just walks past and says he needs a private line. Yes ok need to tell Roy about his but she’s not as dead as you think she is.

Wait what Hughes why are you walking away. Oh right Military either infiltrated or in on the whole thing, can’t use a military line. Get to a phone booth, use an outside line. Holdup while Eastern receptionist follows protocol, yet another STUPID death flag as Hughes drops a picture of his family… but this took too long. There’s the sound of a gun cocking-

Wait, Ross?! What are oh nonono please just be misguided don’t be part of the conspiracy.

Oh. Right. The Goths have a shapeshifter.

Come on, Hughes. Keep stalling, the phone’s not hung up so if it’s connected then Roy can hear this and get you help. And while the knife didn’t kill Lust it did slow her down so yes you’ve got another one you can

You. God. Damned. Bastard.

Envy has taken the form of Mrs. Hughes.

A shot is fired.

Only now, when it is too late, does the call get through to Roy. And Envy hangs it up.

[Envy]: “You humans don’t make any sense to me. You throw away your lives for nothing.”

hughes comment indicates hughes Goths inhuman hughes chimeras?

“Gracia… I’m so sorry… Elicia… Remember, Daddy loves you… I’m sorry.”

And Hughes bleeds out in a phone booth.

...The Blond Kids are enjoying pie on the train. It was baked by Mrs. Hughes. As was a quiche.

Ed talks about how Hughes is annoying, stopping by his hospital room every day.

Al thinks they should figure out some way to thank him next time they’re in Central.

We’re spared the scene of Hughes being discovered. But now we bear witness to his funeral.

[Elicia]: “Mommy? Why are they putting all that dirt on Daddy?” [Gracia]: “They’re burying him, dear.” [Elicia]: “But if Daddy gets buried, then he won’t be able to do all his work.” [Gracia]: “Elicia…!” [Elicia]: “Daddy said he has a bunch of work he needs to do! No, stop it! Stop putting dirt on him! Daddy!”

Armstrong is crying. Bradley is visibly shaking. Roy looks down.

The sun sets, as Roy chides Hughes for going and getting promoted to Brigadier General, rather than helping him climb through the ranks.

Riza walks up to the colonel. Who admits a large part of him wants to figure out human transmutation now.

[Riza]: “Are you alright, Colonel?” [Roy]: “Yeah, I’m fine. Except… It’s a terrible day for rain.” [Riza]: “What do you mean? It’s not raining.” [Roy]: “Yes. It is.” [Riza]: “Oh. So it is.”

…

Time resumes as Riza goes guns-akimbo at Scar, who dodges into the alley. The alley with Al still in there. Uh oh. And oh my Leto Roy, don’t you dare complain at the lady who just saved your life. “Useless on rainy days” indeed.

…

Roy’s investigating the events of Hughes’ death now, looking into the Archive Room. A trail of blood went to the phone room, and the receptionist reports that he came in, but then left without dialing a number. Roy identifies the code Hughes used as one used only for military emergencies. But he doesn’t know why.

Riza brings Armstrong, who says they have a list of suspects, but can’t determine their identities. And when Roy presses for details, Armstrong has to refuse. Right, the order from Bradley, he can’t talk about the Goths. But he does get a workaround, saying the Elrics were in town for a few days.

From all that, Roy’s able to determine a group is suspected of the murder, an officer above Armstrong ordered him to keep quiet, and the events involve the singular goal of the Elric Brothers: The Philosopher's Stone. Roy’s clued into the conspiracy now. So, in order to solve the mystery and get vengeance for Hughes, he’s going after the senior staff. With Riza at his side.

And so the episode ends, with Roy on a manhunt in the military, and the unknowing Blond Kids cheerfully laughing as their train heads south.

#yup it's that episode #wmtw #where my twin watches #ranubis #full metal alchemist #full metal alchemist brotherhood #fmab #fmab 10