Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Heart of Fire (Royai) ❯ Chapter 6

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

6
For the past two nights, Roy had used the stone. Tonight, when he lay awake in his bed, it was hell. He hadn't touched the Philosophers Stone. It was hell with his eyes opened and still all he saw was darkness. Not even Riza knew how much it bothered him. He thought he had come to grips with the disability but he hadn't.

He sat up, the blanket fall to his waist, leaving his chest bare. "Shit." He whispered. He knew all he had to do was take the stone or hell, just have it on his person, and embrace that power. But he couldn't. The Philosophers Stone was like a drug. Addicting. What he wouldn't have given to be able to get up and walk outside right now. He wasn't going to call Riza in the middle of the night just to go walking.

So he'd suffer his hell. Alone.

When he had used the stone, things had started looking better. Or had they? Was that when things had gone to the far side of hell? He fell back on the pillows and threw an arm over his eyes.

"Fuck."


"So, what have you got for me today, Lt.?"

Before Riza could answer him, Havoc stuck his head out the door. "I owe you one, chief." He didn't sound harsh towards Roy at all. In fact, he acted as if he was looking forward towards the day. "But today's your lucky day. We've got a mission. You can kick all the ass there that you want."

Havoc finished the report—in his own words—before she could inform Roy. She sighed.

"And I think Hawkeye might enjoy this just a bit more than you."

Roy arched an eyebrow at that. "And why is that?"

"It's just up her alley."

"Sit down, Havoc." Riza called out.

What was just up her alley? He sat down at his desk and heard all the excited talk. He couldn't help it. "What the hell is going on? The mission, please?" Another reason why he should use the Philosophers Stone—again—for his own personal use. He could have read the by-play of the mission.

"Rogue Alchemist by the name of the Fly-By Alchemist." Havoc called out.

"And this is just up Hawkeyes ally, how?"

"He's specialized in weaponry."

"And?"

Riza sighed, tired of the foreplay between the two men. She cocked her gun and set it then slipped it inside the holster beneath her arm. "Weaponry. Guns. He's an Alchemist gone rogue, killing for just the fun of it." In a manner of speaking. "He's called the Fly-By Alchemist because he uses Alchemy to make the bullets, possibly, faster than the speed of light, or so he's said. He's spread quite a bit of himself around…"

Ah, now Roy understood. That's why they were sending Riza. She was specialized in guns, as well as snipers. Havoc was good with hand-to-hand combat and a gun, though not as good as Riza. He, Roy, was the infamous Flame Alchemist. Havoc was right. He'd get the chance to kick some ass and release the rest of this tension.

The train was well on its way with its passengers privately housed aboard. The team was small this time. Just Roy, Riza and Havoc but Roy knew that was all he would need. He excused himself from Riza and Havoc and felt his way to the bathroom. When the door was closed and locked he turned towards the mirror and closed his eyes, knowing he shouldn't but—He opened his eyes slowly, the pitch black darkness opening up into a world of colors again.

The Stone was a warm sensation against his chest, dangling from the silver chain. He'd melded silver around the edges of the Stone so he could make a necklace around him. He stared at himself in the mirror, the dark look in his eyes. He wanted to see when he fought this bastard. He'd let Riza direct him as he always did but this time, he'd be able to see. Consequences be damned. What was one more time?

He glanced down at his hands and flexed his fingers. He felt fit and strong. His body was humming with adrenaline. He realized that with the stone he wouldn't need his glove to take out Fly-By but for the sake of secrecy, he would use it. He lifted his bare hands and silently summoned his Alchemy. The tips of his fingers sparked, flames whipping in the still air. He smiled.

He'd never felt so alive.

They made it to the designated area in no time. The only problem was, the rogue Alchemist was nowhere to be found. Riza slid one gun free of its holster and cocked it. "We'll have to split." She nodded toward Havoc who slinked off into the darkness without a word.

Even though Roy was blind, she didn't consider him a hazard on the mission. He gave as good as he got, no matter his blindness. "Left."

He'd forgotten what she was like when she was on the hunt. Roy watched her, the gun she kept braced against her shoulder as she took in the upper buildings, her eyes never missing anything. She was completely focused and calm while in the enemies camp.

A shot rang out and they both spun around towards the sound. Riza felt a swift sting along the right side of her cheek but ignored the trickle of blood and instead aimed towards the tops of the building.

"Well damn, I missed. Guess I'll have to try again." The voice was highly amused and mocking. Riza let off a round of bullets in that general direction.

Roy cupped his hand over the barrel of her gun. "Stop. Conserve your ammunition." He was going to bring the bastard out one way or another. Dead or alive, he didn't care. He glanced at the top of each building surrounding them and then strode in the direction of an open space. A large, round circle that could easily get him killed. He heard Riza curse and then run after him. "Stop! You're going to get yourself killed doing that—"

He brought his hands together in front of his face, a single clap and then slammed them to the ground. An Alchemy circle flared to life beneath his hands and huge shelves of rock rose up from the ground. They were miles high instantly and then curving over, swiping over the tops of each building. Debris rocked from the top and he sent a wall over the top of their heads to guard them from the rubble. Then he got what he'd intended. A tall man came running from one of the buildings, a large automatic rifle in his hands.

"Smart thinking, General." He snarled out and whipped his rifle up towards Roy.

"Oh God." Riza whispered. The idiot was going to get himself killed. He'd come too far for her to let him so carelessly die. She cursed and planted herself in front of him and aimed—His hand curled around her upper arm, jerking her behind him. No, no. She heard Fly-By laugh and then the sound of his gun discharging.

Roy snapped his fingers.

She was jerking at the back of his jacket, expecting to feel bullets ripping through his flesh. Instead, there was a huge wall of fire, blocking her and Roy from Fly-By. The bullets hadn't even made it past the inferno. They'd melted. She lifted her hand, shading her face from the intense heat before Roy released the Alchemic hold.

Roy smiled. Mocking. Wicked. "Looks like your gun is shot to hell." The front half was completely melted and still dripping to the ground.

Fly-By threw the useless weapon aside and withdrew another. Neither he nor Roy made the first move yet. He cocked his head. "Figured they'd send the Flame Alchemist. I heard your blind now. See this?" He lifted his right hand and lifted his middle finger.

He was deliberately goading Roy. Everyone knew his eyesight had been a crucial point to his Alchemy. He clenched his teeth at the insult, his eyes narrowing as he held himself in check. Lift the finger again, he thought, and I'll burn it off.

"You're reaching real high, aren't you? Trying for the Fuher. You probably won't even make it past today. Who wants a blind leader?" Fly-By laughed and leaned to the side but didn't make a move to cock his weapon at the two. "I heard you had a hot chick following your every move. Rumors were right."

Riza stepped out, her arm lifted and her sights centered between Fly-By's eyes.

"Now, I can burn you to death or you can come with us. Or, Lt. Hawkeye can shoot you. She doesn't miss."

"Hmm. Tough choices. I'd have to say…" He started pacing, as if he were deep in thought but the killer in his eyes watched them. "Neither."

Fly-By made the mistake of thinking Roy was still blind when he lifted the middle finger on each hand. Riza didn't even have time to shoot them off. Roy eyes narrowed and then lifted back up to Fly-By's face.

His smile was dark when he snapped his fingers.

They both heard Fly-By's scream of agony as his middle fingers burst into flames. The skin sizzled and popped and then the bones slowly started to melt, oozing down into nothing. Roy never lost that dark smile. "Do it again, I dare you."

"What the fuck? You're supposed to be blind!" Both Fly-By and Riza stared at the burnt carnage that had once been his middle fingers. Startled, she tore her gaze from Fly-By but she never removed the gun from his range. She finally realized what Fly-By had said, what Roy had done. She sucked in a sharp breath at the realization.

He could see.

"You bastard!" Fly-By launched himself at Roy but he never made it. Roy chuckled and lifted his hand.

"Big mistake."

Flames burst around Fly-By but not touching him. He was trapped. He lifted his rifle and shot off a round but the bullets sizzled and then melted before his very eyes. He lifted his arms, shading his face from the blazing heat. "Stop! Stop!" He yellowed.

Roy laughed, he actually laughed. "More, you said? Alright, then." It was too easy. He felt the vibe of power from the Philosophers Stone and opened himself to it. The flames exploded but Roy didn't move. The flames grew higher, the gas from them hot and heavy. Fly-By was literally lifted up from the force of the gases, into the middle of the inferno. The flames didn't touch him but the heat was intense and knowing that all Roy had to do was bring the flames in closer, was terrifying.

Riza stared up at the inferno. Through the flames she could hear Fly-By yelling, seeing his body twirling and being thrown around in the intense heat, the gases keeping his body floating. And Roy was laughing. "Stop it! You're going to kill him. Stop it, sir!"

She'd seen him like this before—almost. When he'd killed Lust, burning her to death. She still remembered her screams. Then Envy. But Fly-By was a human. It wasn't right. "Stop it, General!" God, he was going to kill Fly-By if she didn't stop him.

What was wrong with him?

"I said stop!"

He heard the click of her gun and then the cold muzzle resting against the back of his skull. His eyes narrowed.

"Let him go, Mustang. Now."

What he was doing was dangerous. Fly-By was human and what he was doing was torture. There was no reason for it. He ignored her for a moment, so that she feared she would actually have to shoot him. The flames receded just as suddenly as they had appeared and Fly-By hit the ground heard, cursing Roy, crawling backwards.

Without warning Roy turned and knocked her hand up, catching her wrist. His other hand curled around her throat and he slowly began walking her backwards with the force of his hand. Her back came up against the brick wall and her hand collided with the wall beside her head, her hold on the gun steady. He kept both hands on her, keeping her wrist pinned and the threat of his hand at her throat.

The look in her eyes never wavered. "Let me go." The look in his eyes were steady—dark—not Roy. Not the Roy she knew.

"Don't you ever pull your gun on me again." He said the words softly but he didn't release her.

He had never laid a hand on her before. That's how she knew something wasn't right. Those words were a threat. And he'd lied to her. He could see. The look in his eyes was too steady—to cold otherwise. He was seeing her. "You can't kill him, sir. Not like that." Not unless they had no choice.

"Really?"

Her eyes narrowed. She couldn't believe he'd just said that, as if he wanted to prove her wrong. "Let me go, Mustang." His shifted his hold and his hand spanned her throat, his thumb sliding up to caress her chin.

"Or what?"

"Or what?" She repeated his question, her tone cold. "Let me go."

"I will, but let's get one thing straight." He leaned against her, so close he could smell that intoxicating scent of hers. His cheek smoothed over hers and then his lips touched her ear in a small caress. He didn't say anything as he lowered her wrist but brought it up between them and wedged her hand and the gun between his chest and hers so she couldn't move it. "I told him not to move." He murmured against her ear. Letting her know what he was going to do. "For your sake, I'll hold back."

He snapped his fingers and she heard Fly-By's scream of pain as flames burst over his skin. It wasn't serious but it left parts of his body burned and reddened. He was still plenty alive.

"Now—" He lifted her hand again and slid it against the wall. "—I'll only tell you this once. That's twice now that you've held a gun on me." He didn't care what he'd told her in the past. He should, but for some reason, he didn't. "Do it again and I'll pull my gun on you and I promise you, it'll be a whole different experience." His voice was dark and intense—wicked.

She might not know what he meant—but he did. By God, if she pulled a gun on him again he'd show her exactly what he had meant. With great pleasure.

He shocked her then. He leaned closer and bit her earlobe before pulling away. He turned and walked towards Fly-By's and then hefted the whimpering fool over his shoulder. She stared after him, frozen. "Did you use it?"

She didn't have to say what "it" was. He knew. He glanced at her over his shoulder. "Do you honestly think I would?"

He'd easily evaded her question.

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