Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Uncle Roy ❯ News ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Alchemist

 

 

 

“…Sir?” Hawkeye's voice penetrated his thoughts and drew him back to the busy office around him. He flicked his gaze up and quickly skimmed the document, some report about the Elric brothers, she had been going over.

“Sir, are you feeling alright?” she asked quietly.

“Of course, Lieutenant, why do you ask?” he questioned skimming another report. Hawkeye stepped closer to his desk and examined him carefully. From what she could tell the rings under his eyes were from lack of sleep and if the slight hollows under his cheekbones were anything to go by she could tell that he also wasn't eating properly.

“Well,” she began. “You've just been seeming a bit… out of it lately, Sir.” Roy's eyes flicked up to her again in barely disguised boredom and quickly finished skimming the report in his hand.

“Out of it, Lieutenant?”

“Yes, sir, since… Brigadier General Hughes's death, sir,” she spotted the tension in his shoulders immediately at the mention of his now deceased friend. Stepping back, she saluted and set the rest of the reports down for him to look over before walking out, shutting the door behind her quietly. Sighing heavily, Riza Hawkeye walked down the hall to the crowded offices she shared to await the promised phone call from the older Elric brother. She didn't have to wait long for soon, one of the others was calling her over saying they had called in. Hawkeye grabbed the phone quickly and pressed it to her ear.

“Lieutenant Hawkeye,” she answered smoothly.

“Hey, Lieutenant,” greeted the older Elric cheerfully. “How's everything over there?” he asked.

“It's going alright. Have you found anything?”

“Not yet, unfortunately. We're about to hop on the train from Rush Valley,”

“I see,” it would have to be now or never if she was ever going to tell him.

“I do have to give a message to Hughes though,” he said. Riza bit her lip and took a breath.

“He's… not available right now, Edward,” she spoke. The Lieutenant beside her whose phone she was using looked up at her frowning slightly. There was silence from the other side and she thought that she could hear Ed about to hang up.

“Where is he?” he asked quietly. Riza sighed and steeled herself.

“Brigadier General Hughes,” she began and heard Edward about to protest the rank. “Is dead,” Silence assaulted her ear along with the background sounds of the busy train station and she could hear Edward's breathing sharpen in shock.

“What?” he choked out and she could hear the disbelief and hope that this was all some sick joke in his voice.

“He was shot. We're not sure by who yet but there is an investigation going on right now.” Silence again before the click of the phone hanging up on the other end. Riza sighed heavily and hung up. It would just be a matter of time now before Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse came barging in demanding an explanation as to why they weren't told this earlier. She prayed silently as she went back to work that it would be a very speedy arrival and one that Mustang would not prevent.

 

 

Edward stared at the phone he still gripped tightly in his hand even though it was hung up. He stood there, wide eyed and disbelieving at the news Hawkeye had recently given him. He could feel two pairs of worried eyes staring at him and nearly jumped out of his skin when a metal hand fell on his shoulder.

“Brother?” Alphonse questioned, his faintly metallic voice riddled with worry. Ed looked up at him and tried to force a smile on his face but if his brother had his regular body he would have frowned at him in disgust at trying to hide something important from him.

“What did Hawkeye have to say, Ed?” Winry asked curiously also worried by the paleness of Ed's face. Ed dropped his gaze to the floor and pulled out the train tickets form his pockets.

“Go exchange these for tickets to Central, Winry,” he said handing them to the blonde automail mechanic. Winry's frown deepened as she took the tickets but went to do as Edward asked.

“Brother,” Al began. “What happened?” Ed took a deep breath in order to fight down the bile that was rising up his throat and shove the tears back.

“Al,” Ed started and had to stop, not being able to look up into his brother's face. “Hawkeye said… Hughes is dead,” he whispered. He heard Al cock his head in confusion at Ed's mumbled answer.

“What?”

“Hughes was killed, Al,” He knew Al heard him that time. “He was shot,” There was the sound of metal clanking as Al stumbled back from him in sheer disbelief.

“No,” Al whispered. Ed just simply nodded and looked up to see if he could find Winry. He spotted her in the ticket line talking to the man and getting their tickets exchanged. There was worry in her eyes as she walked back to them and took in the crushed look on Ed's face and the depression that was exuding from Al's body.

“What happened?” Winry asked. Ed felt his heart clench as he relayed the message to Winry. He felt his body go even more numb as he related what Hawkeye had told him yet again and watched in a sort of haze as Winry's face paled and her eyes widened. Her hand shot to her mouth as she absorbed the information and tears pooled in her eyes. Ed felt his body move mechanically as he embraced the taller girl so she wouldn't fall and later felt himself help her to the train the soon departed for Central. As the train left the station, a foggy image of Hughes with his daughter waving to them greeted his eyes and he didn't even notice as a tear slipped down his cheek.

 

 

It was sunny again and the birds were chirping high above his head. Roy sat against the tree with the cool breeze ruffling his black hair and loose clothing. He heard laughter and a dog barking as Ed chased Elisia and his dog around under the sun, Ed's arm and leg fully restored and his eyes bright with joy. Hughes watched them laughing and scooped his daughter up as she passed. She squirmed with laughter and delight as her father tickled her and soon a body was flopping beside him on the grass and worming its blonde head into his lap. Roy laughed a bit and ran his fingers through Ed's golden hair smiling down into joyful golden eyes. The sun continued to spread golden rays through the leaves and branches of the tree and Ed reached up to brush some hair from his face. Cold metal kissed his skin and his eyes widened in shock as Ed's cold metal hand touched his cheek. Ed's eyes quickly lost their joy and he looked up at the sound of gunfire. Crimson floated down to kiss the ground and Elisia's body crumpled under the weight of her father's.

Roy felt his heart stop and looked down in fear to Edward. His eyes were wide and glazed over with pain and the black cloak of death. Crimson coated the front of Ed's shirt and poured over Roy's hand to blend with the rain that was pouring on him in buckets. Something was building in his chest and ripped out of his throat.

 

Roy Mustang shot up in bed, tears streaming down his face and mingling with the sweat on his face. His throat was raw as he realized he had screamed during the grips of the nightmare. His throat clogged and he felt his feet hit the floor and stumble as he hurried to the bathroom and quickly emptied his stomach of everything that had once been in it. The smell of vomit was quickly forgotten as the faces of Hughes, Elisia and Ed floated across his vision, blood pooling around each of them. He heaved again but nothing came out thankfully. He jumped as he heard his alarm clock go off and wiped the tears and sweat from his face.

Roy felt his body move of its own accord around the bathroom and then to his bedroom. His fingers wrapped around the phone beside his bed and dialed a number he knew well. He heard someone pick up and told them that he wouldn't be in today, that he wasn't feeling well. As the phone buzzed in his ear he felt himself drift into the depths of a waking nightmare. One that he couldn't escape no matter how hard he tried.

 

“Please,”