Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction / Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ The Unforgivable Sin ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Rurouni Saiyan 
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction / Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mystery / Drama / Angst | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 07.11.2005 | Pages: 4 | Words: 5.4K | Visits: 283 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction / Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mystery / Drama / Angst | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 07.11.2005 | Pages: 4 | Words: 5.4K | Visits: 283 | Status: Completed
This chapter has a major spoiler alert for the end of FullMetal Alchemist.
Chapter 7
The party was over the next day, when my mother and friends had to return to Serra’s Point. I saw them off on the train platform early in the morning. “I’m proud of you,” Mom whispered as she gave me a good-bye hug. “Take care of yourself, and don’t get in too much trouble.”
“I won’t,” I promised as she let go and stepped up into the passenger car. I backed up as the train whistle blew and the conductor came by, closing the doors. A few seconds later, it began moving, and Yugi promptly stuck his head out his window.
“Bye, Ryou!” he called with a wave. “Come home to visit sometime!”
I forced a smile and waved back as the train picked up speed. “I wish it were that easy,” I said to myself, watching Yugi disappear as his car rounded a turn. He had been a good friend, but my father’s ire was worse; I didn’t dare return to Serra’s Point for any reason, and Yugi’s simple invitation was a painful reminder of why.
I shook my head and turned back to walk through the station to where my cab was waiting in the street. I had other things to look forward to today. “I need to go to the Capitol,” I told the driver as I settled into the cab’s back seat. He pulled away from the curb and joined the midday flow on the streets, and I settled back in the seat to watch the city pass by.
A year and two months I had been here now, yet it still didn’t feel like home. I sighed, sorely missing the high mountain peaks and fresh air of Serra’s Point. Maybe I would go back to visit, and what my father thinks be damned. That thought made me feel a little better, though some guilt came with it. Not too long ago, my father’s opinion had mattered more to me than anything else in the world. But Akira’s death had changed me, had changed us all. Father hadn’t even looked at me for weeks after the accident…
I shook my head a second time to rid it of the unpleasant memories as the cab pulled to the side of the road in front of the Capitol. “Thank you,” I said to the driver, handing him the money for the fare and a little extra as a tip before I climbed out.
The cab drove away as I started up the front steps nervously. It was just now really hitting me. I was in the military. As a Major, no less. Colonel Elric had told me when we first met that I’d be doing mostly research, with a few missions every now and then. But what would I have to do on those missions? And what if Amestris went to war? The possibility of that was unlikely, but I couldn’t help but think about it. After all, it was the military’s job to fight a war. And the State Alchemists were considered the best soldiers.
Those worries prevailed in my mind as I walked into the main entrance hall and turned to the right, making my way to the State Alchemy division. Several people, politicians, bureaucrats, and the occasional soldier, hurried past me, all intent on their destinations or their conversations and paying me no mind. Somehow, that made me feel out of place, and I began to wonder if I had gotten in over my head by taking the Exam.
Turning into a side hallway, I began counting the doors I passed, watching for the office number that had been indicated in yesterday’s letter. As it turned out, there was no need for my caution. Colonel Elric’s office was at the end of the hall and had his name in big letters on the door. I stopped in front of it, patting down my hair nervously with my left hand as I knocked softly with my right.
“Come on in,” the Colonel called from within, and I straightened up, taking a minute to compose myself before entering the office. I opened the door and stepped in to see that someone else was already there.
“S-sorry,” I stuttered, a little embarrassed. “I didn’t know you were already in a meeting. I-I’ll come back later.”
“Don’t bother,” Ed said before I could step back towards the door. “He was just leaving. Isn’t that right?”
I winced at the Colonel’s harsh tone, but as I studied his face and noted the glare he was giving his other visitor, I realized that his anger wasn’t directed towards me at all. I switched my curious stare to the stranger, a man with long black hair. That’s funny, I thought as the skin at the back of my neck began to crawl. Why does he look so familiar?
Then the man turned to me, a wide grin on his pale face, and I remembered him. He had been the strange man on the train over a year ago! I had to suppress a shudder at the realization.
“So,” he said smoothly. “A State Alchemist after all, eh? Congratulations.”
“Wrath!” Colonel Elric snapped, standing up. “Leave him alone and get out!”
“As you wish,” the man said. He turned back to Ed with a smirk, bowed, and then walked out of the office.
As he disappeared into the hall, the Colonel’s face melted from anger into a mix of irritation and resignation. “You mind closing the door before you sit down?” he asked.
“No, of course not,” I answered, turning to do just that. The door clicked shut, and I went back to the desk, sitting nervously on the edge of one of the two chairs in front of it. “Who was that?” I asked, more than a little unnerved by the meeting.
“Wrath,” the Colonel said as he leaned an elbow on the desk and propped his chin in that hand, drumming the wood with the fingers of his other hand. “We go back a long way, he and I…” He gave me another piercing look. “You’ve met him before, haven’t you?”
“On the train, when I first came to Central City,” I confirmed, and then I had to ask, “What kind of name is ‘Wrath?’”
Ed sat back and waved a hand dismissively. “Long story, and confusing, too,” he answered. “Just try to avoid him in the future, okay? He’s bad news.”
“No problem,” I said. I didn’t want to ever seen the creepy man again, anyways.
The Colonel nodded, a smile crossing his face as he stared at me. “You passed the Exam,” he stated needlessly. “Welcome to the nuthouse.”
That one statement put me at ease more than anything else could, and I laughed gently. “And here I thought I was getting away from the nuts,” I returned.
“If you’re talking about Malik, then I fully agree that he’s a nut,” Ed said, opening a drawer. He pulled something silver out and tossed it to me. I caught it deftly and looked at it. A silver watch it was, with a bas relief of a lion, Amestris’ crest, on the front. Flipping it open, I found that it already showed the proper time.
“Your watch,” the Colonel explained when I looked back at him. “Proof that you are now a State Alchemist.”
I remembered something that my father had once told me then. “Does it really amplify an alchemist’s power?” I asked, closing the cover and lifting it by the chain to watch it swing back and forth like a pendulum.
Beyond the silver flash, I noticed Ed’s face tighten ever so slightly. “It used to,” he replied. “But not anymore.”
I decided then to drop the matter and quickly clipped the watch’s chain to my belt. “Thank you,” I said, uncertain of whether to go or stay.
Fortunately, the Colonel solved that dilemma for me. “Well, like your letter yesterday said, you get to go on your first mission right off the bat,” he informed me. “Which means be ready to leave tomorrow morning.”
“L-leave?” I said, somehow managing to keep my voice from squeaking in surprise. “Where am I going?”
“Don’t look so nervous,” Ed laughed. “I’m not going to do what Mustang did for my first official mission. You’ll be going to Rizenbul with me to do a standard inspection. The outpost there is small, and not much goes on. It’ll be an easy first assignment.”
“Mustang?” I asked. “You mean the Fuhrer? Wh-what did he do?”
The Colonel shrugged. “Handed me the watch and told me to go inspect the coal mines at Youswell. And that’s all. Didn’t tell me how or what to do.”
I was very glad now that Mustang was no longer head of the State Alchemy division. At least, I was until I realized that the same man was now running the whole military. Trying to drive that disturbing thought from my mind, I gave Colonel Elric a smile and hoped it didn’t look too strained. “Okay. I’ll be ready to go bright and early. What time does the train leave?”
“Seven-thirty.” Ed stood up, signaling an end to the meeting, and I did likewise. “I’ll see you then,” he continued, reaching across the desk to shake my hand. “Don’t bother wearing anything formal; Rizenbul’s citizens don’t care much for fancy clothes. And your military uniform won’t arrive for another week or two, anyways. Don’t bother packing, either; Rizenbul’s not far away, and we’ll be back before sundown.”
“Thanks,” I said, shaking his hand and turning to leave. I had just made it to the door and opened it when Ed spoke up again.
“By the way,” he said with a grin. “Welcome to the Amestris Military.”
“Th-thanks,” I repeated, giving him a small smile in return. Then I stepped out and closed the door behind me. Seven-thirty in the morning. That’s when the next chapter of my life would truly begin.
* * *
The morning dawned with no sun in sight. Clouds covered the sky, threatening rain, and the wind blew chill from the north, a reminder that winter was fast approaching. I stuffed my hands in my coat pockets and huddled my shoulders against that wind as I stood on the train platform, waiting for Colonel Elric to arrive.
“Nervous?” Malik asked, rubbing his hands together as he waited with me.
I shook my head. “Not really, no. The hard part’s over with, in my opinion. And I’ve seen the military barracks at Serra’s Point being inspected; there’s really not much to it.”
“Oh?” Malik raised an eyebrow. “And what were you doing at the military barracks? I thought your father hated the military.”
“He does,” I answered with a smile. “So naturally, if we wanted to get into trouble, Akira and I would sneak down to the barracks. The soldiers there were nice, despite what our parents said. We made a few friends there, before Father found out where we were going and gave us the beating of our lives.”
“Sounds painful,” Ed remarked from behind us, startling us both.
“It was,” I said after whipping around and taking a deep breath to calm myself down. “Very painful.”
The Colonel yawned and stepped past us towards the train. “So if your dad hates the military so much, why’d he let you join?”
“He didn’t have a say in the matter,” I answered shortly, not wanting to get into a discussion about it.
Fortunately, Ed didn’t press the issue. “Well, come on,” he said, jumping into the passenger car as the train whistle blew. “It’s almost time to leave.”
I took one step towards the train and then froze, eyeing the steps in sudden fear as memories filled me of the last time I had ridden a train. What if I broke down like I did the last time I heard the warning bells? Or worse, what if the train wrecked?
That thought gripped me and held me rooted to the platform, even as the final whistle blew again. It won’t wreck, I chanted to myself. It won’t wreck. Train wrecks are too rare. It won’t wreck. But those thoughts were no competition for the awful memories that flooded my mind.
“Major, come on,” Ed said, his expression a cross between worry and irritation. “That’s an order.”
“Get going, Ryou,” Malik chimed in as the train began to move. Then he must have decided that it was too late to persuade me, for he suddenly shoved me forward hard.
“Hey!” I cried, trying to turn around, but Colonel Elric grabbed my arm and dragged me onto the train as it picked up speed.
“Bye!” Malik yelled, his mischievous grin widening on his face even as he disappeared from view.
I tried to jerk away from the Colonel as he pulled me up the last step, but his grip was far too strong. “What was that about?” he snapped.
“Th-the train,” I answered, panic invading my mind. “It’s going too fast.”
Worry returned to Ed’s face at those words, though he still looked angry. “Too fast? For what?”
“I-i-it can’t slow down.” Even as I spoke, the sound of warning bells reached my ears, driving me further into irrational terror. “S-someone’s on the track ahead of us, and it can’t slow down!”
He finally released his bruising grip on my arm, only to slap me hard with the same hand a second later. “No one’s on the track in front of us,” he said as the warning bells flashed past and began fading into the distance behind us.
I put a hand gingerly to the left side of my face, which throbbed from temple to cheekbone from that slap. It had calmed me down; for that much I was grateful. But still… “Did you have to slap me with an automail hand?” I asked.
The Colonel had the grace to look mildly surprised, and I answered his question before he could ask it. “Flesh and blood does not hurt quite that much. And I heard the gears whirring for a second.”
“Come on,” Ed said shortly. “Let’s find a seat.” He turned and scowled at the rest of the half-filled car. “What are you looking at?” he snapped as he started down the aisle, and all the people returned to whatever business they had.
My face reddened as I followed the Colonel to a seat near the middle of the car and sat down across from him. I hadn’t meant to make such a big scene, but then I hadn’t planned on panicking the way I had.
“You know, not every train derails,” Ed commented after a few minutes of silence, during which time I tried my best not to look out the window or think about where I was.
“I know,” I answered, grateful for a little conversation. “And it’s strange. I didn’t freak out like that when I came to Central City. At least, not until I heard the warning bells.”
“Memories can be odd like that.” Ed yawned again and stretched. “A train wreck must be quite the traumatic experience to live through.”
“It is.” I glanced out the window at the hills rolling by and found that watching the scenery wasn’t as bad as I had thought it would be.
The Colonel seemed to take that hint, and he changed the subject. “You told me yesterday that you had met Wrath before. What did he say to you then?”
I shrugged as I mulled over the question, trying to remember. “Something about taking the State Alchemist Exam and learning how to make the Philosopher’s Stone. That’s all I really remember. I didn’t think much about it at the time; I didn’t want to be in the military back then, and the Philosopher’s Stone is just a legend.”
“I see,” Ed replied, scowling slightly as he stared out the window.
I blinked nervously, hoping I hadn’t said anything wrong. “S-sir?”
Ed glanced back at me and gave a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about it, Major,” he said. “I’m just wondering what that man is up to now.”
I decided it was his business and didn’t reply, instead settling for staring out the window as rain began to fall hard outside, obscuring most of the view. But something was bothering me, and had been bothering me since the Exam ended, and after only a few minutes, I broke the silence between us. “Colonel?”
Ed opened one eye and gave me a mildly annoyed look. “Yeah?”
“H-has there ever been a case of…of human transmutation…that has succeeded?”
The Colonel opened his other eye and sat up straight, his expression suddenly serious. “Why are you interested in that all of a sudden?” he asked.
“I…” I hesitated, trying to find a good way to put what I was thinking into words. “I…saw someone the other day, right after the Exam. Someone who died a long time ago.”
“And you think someone resurrected this person?”
I shrugged. “It’s the only explanation I can think of, except that I’ve never heard of anyone successfully doing it.” And I know I failed…
Ed crossed his arms and gave me his scrutinizing stare. After a few seconds of discomfort on my part, he spoke up again. “Have you ever heard of Homunculi?” he asked.
I blinked in confusion at the change in subject. “Homunculi? Fake humans? That’s just a legend, isn’t it?”
“As much a legend as the Philosopher’s Stone. And any rumors of successful human transmutation.” The Colonel sighed at my confused expression and slouched back down in the seat. “There’s always a bit of truth behind legends, Ryou. You’ll find that out eventually if you study them closely enough. But sometimes the truth is too much to handle.” His golden eyes bored into mine with an intensity that frightened me. “If I were you, Major, I would forget about this dead person you think you saw. It might have just been someone who looks like him or her.”
“Yes, sir.” I returned to staring out the window as he closed his eyes again. Forget about seeing Akira…or whoever that was. Forget about the sin I had committed against him. Bury my past. That’s what Edward Elric’s advice amounted to. I sighed as the rain continued to drum against the window. I had already taken the first steps to doing just that. And I’d rather forget my past anyways.
* * *
Colonel Elric hadn’t been kidding when he had said Rizenbul was close by; only three hours had passed when the train rolled to a gentle stop at the farming village’s station. Ed had dozed off some time before, but he awoke before I had a chance to poke him. “Welcome to the middle of absolutely nowhere,” he said as he stood up and stretched again. “Rest assured that this assignment won’t take long.”
“Yes, sir,” I replied as I hopped into the aisle, eager to get off the train as quickly as I could. I made my way down to the door quickly and uninhibited, since apparently the Colonel and I were the only people getting off at this stop, at least in our car. And once I got outside, I found out why.
Rolling plains and farmlands greeted my eyes as I stood on the platform, shielding my face from the persistent drizzle. Only a few scattered farmhouses and barns dotted the landscape, none of them close enough to the others to even remotely be termed a ‘village.’ “Where’s the town?” I blurted.
The Colonel laughed as he joined me on the platform. “I told you, it’s the middle of nowhere,” he answered. “Rizenbul isn’t so much a village as it is a collection of farms that decided they wanted some kind of representation in the Amestris legislature. So they banded together and began calling themselves Rizenbul.” He led the way to the other side of the platform as the train whistle blew and jumped off, not bothering to go through the small station at one end.
I followed, huddling my shoulders against the persistent cold wind as he led me down a wide dirt path. Normally I didn’t mind rain, but the drizzle combined with the wind was enough to make me feel rather miserable about my first day on the job. And there weren’t any military barracks in sight. “Ah, Colonel?” I asked hesitantly after a few minutes.
“Eh?” he grunted, half-turning as he walked to give me a mildly annoyed stare.
“H-how far from here are the barracks?”
“Quite a ways.” Ed turned back around and kicked a pebble. “Especially on foot. Someone was supposed to meet us at the station with a wagon, and I’m wondering why he didn’t. So we’re going to stop by his house so I can chew him out.”
“I see,” I answered, smiling in spite of myself.
We didn’t have to do that, however, for a mule-driven wagon topped a hill just in front of us only a couple of minutes later. “Nii-san!” yelled the man on the front seat when he spotted us. “Welcome back!”
Ed’s face transformed into a huge grin, despite his words earlier. “Al!” he cried in response, running the rest of the distance to the wagon and jumping onto it to hug the man. I followed at a slower pace, a little curious.
“Major Bakura, meet my brother, Alphonse,” Ed said, releasing his hold on the wagon driver as I came up to them. “Al, this is Ryou Bakura, our newest State Alchemist.”
“A pleasure to meet you,” I said as I climbed clumsily into the back of the wagon.
“Same here,” the brown-haired man said cheerfully, watching me with soft gray eyes. “Sorry I wasn’t on time to pick you up. The river was threatening to bust a section of the levee, and the farmers called me up in a panic to go fix it.”
“Don’t blame them,” the Colonel said as he settled into the back of the wagon beside me. “Anything else interesting happen around here?”
“Well, the Warners’ child was finally born last week, but other than that, Rizenbul’s been as quiet as ever,” Al replied, skillfully turning the wagon around and heading back down the road. “Why? Did something happen in Central City?”
“Wrath showed his face in my office yesterday.” Ed made a face, though his brother couldn’t see it. “I was wondering if he had been poking around you as well.”
“Not to my knowledge,” Al said as he looked back curiously. “I wonder what he wants.”
“There’s no telling.”
The two brothers continued to prattle, but I tuned out the conversation, not very interested in the affairs of a township this small. From what they had been saying, I guessed that this was the Colonel’s home town, so I passed the time by studying the scenery and the few houses and people we passed, filing the look and feel of the place away for future reference.
As a result, I saw the barracks long before we pulled to a stop in front of them fifteen minutes later. They consisted of three long wooden buildings surrounded by a high fence, which also enclosed a fair-sized courtyard at the north end of the buildings. It was much the same as any other military outpost, except it was far smaller.
“Care to wait here for us, Al?” the Colonel asked as we jumped out of the back of the wagon. “The inspection won’t take long.”
“Of course not,” Al replied. “Winry wanted us all to come by later anyways. She insisted on fixing lunch for you while you’re here.”
“That sounds great,” Ed laughed as he turned to the barracks and tugged the front gate open. “Come on, Ryou. And pay attention; you’ll be doing this on your own next time.”
“Yes, sir!” I said as I followed him in, cheered up by the thought of getting something to eat for lunch besides standard train food.
* * *
There wasn’t much more to a military inspection than what I remembered. All we really did was double-check inventory sheets, look over the buildings, and watch a military parade. “To tell the truth, I don’t know what they’re supposed to do,” Ed whispered to me out of the corner of his mouth as a company marched past. “So just smile, say ‘good job,’ and mark an excellent on the sheet.”
I laughed softly, glad that I wasn’t the only one clueless as to what I was supposed to be looking for in the parade.
It was about half an hour before we walked back out and joined Al in the wagon. “Not too shabby, newbie,” the Colonel said as Al prodded the mules back down the dirt road.
“Th-thank you, sir,” I replied, shivering slightly. The coat I wore usually protected me quite well from the cold, but by now it was almost thoroughly soaked, since the drizzle had turned back into a driving rain. As a result, the few minutes it took to get to the small home where Al stopped the wagon next felt more like an hour or two.
We all jumped out of the wagon, Ed and me hurrying inside while Al unhitched the mule and led it to the nearby shed. “Good afternoon, Winry!” the Colonel called happily as we walked through the door and stopped just inside to shuck our wet coats and hang them on a nearby coat rack.
A pretty woman with long blond hair walked into the room through a doorway in the opposite wall, smiling brilliantly. “Ed! It’s about time you came back to visit!”
“Sorry, but it’s been hectic in Central City lately,” Ed laughed, reaching back to scratch the back of his head.
“I don’t doubt it.” Winry ushered us forward. “Come on in, lunch is ready now.”
“Winry, this is Major Ryou Bakura,” Ed introduced as we walked into the kitchen and sat down at small table. “Ryou, this is my old friend, Winry. The best auto-mail mechanic in Amestris.”
Winry grinned at me as she set two bowls of beef stew in front of us. “You bet,” she said.
I laughed. “I don’t know,” I answered. “The Mutou brothers would probably give you a run for your money.”
Winry smirked at me as she brought over two more bowls of stew, setting one before the empty chair and sitting down in front of the last bowl. “You’re so sure of that?”
“Well, my legs have stayed in perfect condition for over a year now,” I said as Al came in and took the empty seat.
Winry’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “You have auto-mail legs?” she gasped. Beside me, Ed nearly choked as his expression turned sour.
“Uh, yeah,” I answered uncertainly, glancing at the Colonel.
“Ohh, can I take a look at them after lunch?” she asked, her eyes practically sparkling.
“No,” Ed answered for me. “We don’t have time for you to take apart his limbs; we have to be back on the train to the city soon. Sorry, but not this time.”
The woman pouted, but she didn’t press, and the rest of the meal was spent in light-hearted talk. It had stopped raining by the time we finished, though the air was still uncomfortably cold as Al drove us back to the station. The noon train was already sitting beside the platform as we pulled up and jumped out.
“Come back sooner this time, Nii-san,” Al said as he climbed down and stood in front of us. “I’d like to see you more often.”
“I’ll try,” Ed said, giving his younger brother a hug and a pat on the shoulder. “But you know how it is. So much excitement all the time in the cities, especially with the reconstruction of Ishbal and Lior. Maybe you should come see me sometime.”
Al laughed and climbed back into the wagon’s driver seat. “Maybe I should,” he said. “Bye!” Then he turned the mules around and started back down the road.
“Think you can get on the train by yourself this time?” the Colonel asked as we made our way across the platform. “I’m not going to be there to drag you onto it next time.”
I felt my face grow hot in embarrassment. “I can get on,” I mumbled in response, and before I could think about what I was doing, I marched the rest of the way across the platform and boarded the train.
Ed followed me into the nearly-empty car, and once again we sat close to the middle. “See? Not so bad, is it?” he said.
“Not when I don’t think about it first,” I answered, turning to stare out the window as the train’s whistle blew. The day had been short and easy, despite the bad weather, and I felt quite confident in my ability to carry out any future missions that the Colonel might throw at me.
My military career, and my new life, was off to a flying start.
* * *
Yes, another chapter done at last! Sorry about the delay, folks, but summertime means no internet access at home, and summer job means less time to write. Which makes for rare updates. But never fear, I’m not abandoning this story. And sorry if this chapter’s boring; I wanted Ryou to have an easy first mission. Plus, I wanted him to get to know Ed a little better. Expect more from the next chapter for sure. Until then, please review! Oh, and I don’t own Yu-Gi-Oh or FullMetal Alchemist.
Chapter 7
The party was over the next day, when my mother and friends had to return to Serra’s Point. I saw them off on the train platform early in the morning. “I’m proud of you,” Mom whispered as she gave me a good-bye hug. “Take care of yourself, and don’t get in too much trouble.”
“I won’t,” I promised as she let go and stepped up into the passenger car. I backed up as the train whistle blew and the conductor came by, closing the doors. A few seconds later, it began moving, and Yugi promptly stuck his head out his window.
“Bye, Ryou!” he called with a wave. “Come home to visit sometime!”
I forced a smile and waved back as the train picked up speed. “I wish it were that easy,” I said to myself, watching Yugi disappear as his car rounded a turn. He had been a good friend, but my father’s ire was worse; I didn’t dare return to Serra’s Point for any reason, and Yugi’s simple invitation was a painful reminder of why.
I shook my head and turned back to walk through the station to where my cab was waiting in the street. I had other things to look forward to today. “I need to go to the Capitol,” I told the driver as I settled into the cab’s back seat. He pulled away from the curb and joined the midday flow on the streets, and I settled back in the seat to watch the city pass by.
A year and two months I had been here now, yet it still didn’t feel like home. I sighed, sorely missing the high mountain peaks and fresh air of Serra’s Point. Maybe I would go back to visit, and what my father thinks be damned. That thought made me feel a little better, though some guilt came with it. Not too long ago, my father’s opinion had mattered more to me than anything else in the world. But Akira’s death had changed me, had changed us all. Father hadn’t even looked at me for weeks after the accident…
I shook my head a second time to rid it of the unpleasant memories as the cab pulled to the side of the road in front of the Capitol. “Thank you,” I said to the driver, handing him the money for the fare and a little extra as a tip before I climbed out.
The cab drove away as I started up the front steps nervously. It was just now really hitting me. I was in the military. As a Major, no less. Colonel Elric had told me when we first met that I’d be doing mostly research, with a few missions every now and then. But what would I have to do on those missions? And what if Amestris went to war? The possibility of that was unlikely, but I couldn’t help but think about it. After all, it was the military’s job to fight a war. And the State Alchemists were considered the best soldiers.
Those worries prevailed in my mind as I walked into the main entrance hall and turned to the right, making my way to the State Alchemy division. Several people, politicians, bureaucrats, and the occasional soldier, hurried past me, all intent on their destinations or their conversations and paying me no mind. Somehow, that made me feel out of place, and I began to wonder if I had gotten in over my head by taking the Exam.
Turning into a side hallway, I began counting the doors I passed, watching for the office number that had been indicated in yesterday’s letter. As it turned out, there was no need for my caution. Colonel Elric’s office was at the end of the hall and had his name in big letters on the door. I stopped in front of it, patting down my hair nervously with my left hand as I knocked softly with my right.
“Come on in,” the Colonel called from within, and I straightened up, taking a minute to compose myself before entering the office. I opened the door and stepped in to see that someone else was already there.
“S-sorry,” I stuttered, a little embarrassed. “I didn’t know you were already in a meeting. I-I’ll come back later.”
“Don’t bother,” Ed said before I could step back towards the door. “He was just leaving. Isn’t that right?”
I winced at the Colonel’s harsh tone, but as I studied his face and noted the glare he was giving his other visitor, I realized that his anger wasn’t directed towards me at all. I switched my curious stare to the stranger, a man with long black hair. That’s funny, I thought as the skin at the back of my neck began to crawl. Why does he look so familiar?
Then the man turned to me, a wide grin on his pale face, and I remembered him. He had been the strange man on the train over a year ago! I had to suppress a shudder at the realization.
“So,” he said smoothly. “A State Alchemist after all, eh? Congratulations.”
“Wrath!” Colonel Elric snapped, standing up. “Leave him alone and get out!”
“As you wish,” the man said. He turned back to Ed with a smirk, bowed, and then walked out of the office.
As he disappeared into the hall, the Colonel’s face melted from anger into a mix of irritation and resignation. “You mind closing the door before you sit down?” he asked.
“No, of course not,” I answered, turning to do just that. The door clicked shut, and I went back to the desk, sitting nervously on the edge of one of the two chairs in front of it. “Who was that?” I asked, more than a little unnerved by the meeting.
“Wrath,” the Colonel said as he leaned an elbow on the desk and propped his chin in that hand, drumming the wood with the fingers of his other hand. “We go back a long way, he and I…” He gave me another piercing look. “You’ve met him before, haven’t you?”
“On the train, when I first came to Central City,” I confirmed, and then I had to ask, “What kind of name is ‘Wrath?’”
Ed sat back and waved a hand dismissively. “Long story, and confusing, too,” he answered. “Just try to avoid him in the future, okay? He’s bad news.”
“No problem,” I said. I didn’t want to ever seen the creepy man again, anyways.
The Colonel nodded, a smile crossing his face as he stared at me. “You passed the Exam,” he stated needlessly. “Welcome to the nuthouse.”
That one statement put me at ease more than anything else could, and I laughed gently. “And here I thought I was getting away from the nuts,” I returned.
“If you’re talking about Malik, then I fully agree that he’s a nut,” Ed said, opening a drawer. He pulled something silver out and tossed it to me. I caught it deftly and looked at it. A silver watch it was, with a bas relief of a lion, Amestris’ crest, on the front. Flipping it open, I found that it already showed the proper time.
“Your watch,” the Colonel explained when I looked back at him. “Proof that you are now a State Alchemist.”
I remembered something that my father had once told me then. “Does it really amplify an alchemist’s power?” I asked, closing the cover and lifting it by the chain to watch it swing back and forth like a pendulum.
Beyond the silver flash, I noticed Ed’s face tighten ever so slightly. “It used to,” he replied. “But not anymore.”
I decided then to drop the matter and quickly clipped the watch’s chain to my belt. “Thank you,” I said, uncertain of whether to go or stay.
Fortunately, the Colonel solved that dilemma for me. “Well, like your letter yesterday said, you get to go on your first mission right off the bat,” he informed me. “Which means be ready to leave tomorrow morning.”
“L-leave?” I said, somehow managing to keep my voice from squeaking in surprise. “Where am I going?”
“Don’t look so nervous,” Ed laughed. “I’m not going to do what Mustang did for my first official mission. You’ll be going to Rizenbul with me to do a standard inspection. The outpost there is small, and not much goes on. It’ll be an easy first assignment.”
“Mustang?” I asked. “You mean the Fuhrer? Wh-what did he do?”
The Colonel shrugged. “Handed me the watch and told me to go inspect the coal mines at Youswell. And that’s all. Didn’t tell me how or what to do.”
I was very glad now that Mustang was no longer head of the State Alchemy division. At least, I was until I realized that the same man was now running the whole military. Trying to drive that disturbing thought from my mind, I gave Colonel Elric a smile and hoped it didn’t look too strained. “Okay. I’ll be ready to go bright and early. What time does the train leave?”
“Seven-thirty.” Ed stood up, signaling an end to the meeting, and I did likewise. “I’ll see you then,” he continued, reaching across the desk to shake my hand. “Don’t bother wearing anything formal; Rizenbul’s citizens don’t care much for fancy clothes. And your military uniform won’t arrive for another week or two, anyways. Don’t bother packing, either; Rizenbul’s not far away, and we’ll be back before sundown.”
“Thanks,” I said, shaking his hand and turning to leave. I had just made it to the door and opened it when Ed spoke up again.
“By the way,” he said with a grin. “Welcome to the Amestris Military.”
“Th-thanks,” I repeated, giving him a small smile in return. Then I stepped out and closed the door behind me. Seven-thirty in the morning. That’s when the next chapter of my life would truly begin.
* * *
The morning dawned with no sun in sight. Clouds covered the sky, threatening rain, and the wind blew chill from the north, a reminder that winter was fast approaching. I stuffed my hands in my coat pockets and huddled my shoulders against that wind as I stood on the train platform, waiting for Colonel Elric to arrive.
“Nervous?” Malik asked, rubbing his hands together as he waited with me.
I shook my head. “Not really, no. The hard part’s over with, in my opinion. And I’ve seen the military barracks at Serra’s Point being inspected; there’s really not much to it.”
“Oh?” Malik raised an eyebrow. “And what were you doing at the military barracks? I thought your father hated the military.”
“He does,” I answered with a smile. “So naturally, if we wanted to get into trouble, Akira and I would sneak down to the barracks. The soldiers there were nice, despite what our parents said. We made a few friends there, before Father found out where we were going and gave us the beating of our lives.”
“Sounds painful,” Ed remarked from behind us, startling us both.
“It was,” I said after whipping around and taking a deep breath to calm myself down. “Very painful.”
The Colonel yawned and stepped past us towards the train. “So if your dad hates the military so much, why’d he let you join?”
“He didn’t have a say in the matter,” I answered shortly, not wanting to get into a discussion about it.
Fortunately, Ed didn’t press the issue. “Well, come on,” he said, jumping into the passenger car as the train whistle blew. “It’s almost time to leave.”
I took one step towards the train and then froze, eyeing the steps in sudden fear as memories filled me of the last time I had ridden a train. What if I broke down like I did the last time I heard the warning bells? Or worse, what if the train wrecked?
That thought gripped me and held me rooted to the platform, even as the final whistle blew again. It won’t wreck, I chanted to myself. It won’t wreck. Train wrecks are too rare. It won’t wreck. But those thoughts were no competition for the awful memories that flooded my mind.
“Major, come on,” Ed said, his expression a cross between worry and irritation. “That’s an order.”
“Get going, Ryou,” Malik chimed in as the train began to move. Then he must have decided that it was too late to persuade me, for he suddenly shoved me forward hard.
“Hey!” I cried, trying to turn around, but Colonel Elric grabbed my arm and dragged me onto the train as it picked up speed.
“Bye!” Malik yelled, his mischievous grin widening on his face even as he disappeared from view.
I tried to jerk away from the Colonel as he pulled me up the last step, but his grip was far too strong. “What was that about?” he snapped.
“Th-the train,” I answered, panic invading my mind. “It’s going too fast.”
Worry returned to Ed’s face at those words, though he still looked angry. “Too fast? For what?”
“I-i-it can’t slow down.” Even as I spoke, the sound of warning bells reached my ears, driving me further into irrational terror. “S-someone’s on the track ahead of us, and it can’t slow down!”
He finally released his bruising grip on my arm, only to slap me hard with the same hand a second later. “No one’s on the track in front of us,” he said as the warning bells flashed past and began fading into the distance behind us.
I put a hand gingerly to the left side of my face, which throbbed from temple to cheekbone from that slap. It had calmed me down; for that much I was grateful. But still… “Did you have to slap me with an automail hand?” I asked.
The Colonel had the grace to look mildly surprised, and I answered his question before he could ask it. “Flesh and blood does not hurt quite that much. And I heard the gears whirring for a second.”
“Come on,” Ed said shortly. “Let’s find a seat.” He turned and scowled at the rest of the half-filled car. “What are you looking at?” he snapped as he started down the aisle, and all the people returned to whatever business they had.
My face reddened as I followed the Colonel to a seat near the middle of the car and sat down across from him. I hadn’t meant to make such a big scene, but then I hadn’t planned on panicking the way I had.
“You know, not every train derails,” Ed commented after a few minutes of silence, during which time I tried my best not to look out the window or think about where I was.
“I know,” I answered, grateful for a little conversation. “And it’s strange. I didn’t freak out like that when I came to Central City. At least, not until I heard the warning bells.”
“Memories can be odd like that.” Ed yawned again and stretched. “A train wreck must be quite the traumatic experience to live through.”
“It is.” I glanced out the window at the hills rolling by and found that watching the scenery wasn’t as bad as I had thought it would be.
The Colonel seemed to take that hint, and he changed the subject. “You told me yesterday that you had met Wrath before. What did he say to you then?”
I shrugged as I mulled over the question, trying to remember. “Something about taking the State Alchemist Exam and learning how to make the Philosopher’s Stone. That’s all I really remember. I didn’t think much about it at the time; I didn’t want to be in the military back then, and the Philosopher’s Stone is just a legend.”
“I see,” Ed replied, scowling slightly as he stared out the window.
I blinked nervously, hoping I hadn’t said anything wrong. “S-sir?”
Ed glanced back at me and gave a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about it, Major,” he said. “I’m just wondering what that man is up to now.”
I decided it was his business and didn’t reply, instead settling for staring out the window as rain began to fall hard outside, obscuring most of the view. But something was bothering me, and had been bothering me since the Exam ended, and after only a few minutes, I broke the silence between us. “Colonel?”
Ed opened one eye and gave me a mildly annoyed look. “Yeah?”
“H-has there ever been a case of…of human transmutation…that has succeeded?”
The Colonel opened his other eye and sat up straight, his expression suddenly serious. “Why are you interested in that all of a sudden?” he asked.
“I…” I hesitated, trying to find a good way to put what I was thinking into words. “I…saw someone the other day, right after the Exam. Someone who died a long time ago.”
“And you think someone resurrected this person?”
I shrugged. “It’s the only explanation I can think of, except that I’ve never heard of anyone successfully doing it.” And I know I failed…
Ed crossed his arms and gave me his scrutinizing stare. After a few seconds of discomfort on my part, he spoke up again. “Have you ever heard of Homunculi?” he asked.
I blinked in confusion at the change in subject. “Homunculi? Fake humans? That’s just a legend, isn’t it?”
“As much a legend as the Philosopher’s Stone. And any rumors of successful human transmutation.” The Colonel sighed at my confused expression and slouched back down in the seat. “There’s always a bit of truth behind legends, Ryou. You’ll find that out eventually if you study them closely enough. But sometimes the truth is too much to handle.” His golden eyes bored into mine with an intensity that frightened me. “If I were you, Major, I would forget about this dead person you think you saw. It might have just been someone who looks like him or her.”
“Yes, sir.” I returned to staring out the window as he closed his eyes again. Forget about seeing Akira…or whoever that was. Forget about the sin I had committed against him. Bury my past. That’s what Edward Elric’s advice amounted to. I sighed as the rain continued to drum against the window. I had already taken the first steps to doing just that. And I’d rather forget my past anyways.
* * *
Colonel Elric hadn’t been kidding when he had said Rizenbul was close by; only three hours had passed when the train rolled to a gentle stop at the farming village’s station. Ed had dozed off some time before, but he awoke before I had a chance to poke him. “Welcome to the middle of absolutely nowhere,” he said as he stood up and stretched again. “Rest assured that this assignment won’t take long.”
“Yes, sir,” I replied as I hopped into the aisle, eager to get off the train as quickly as I could. I made my way down to the door quickly and uninhibited, since apparently the Colonel and I were the only people getting off at this stop, at least in our car. And once I got outside, I found out why.
Rolling plains and farmlands greeted my eyes as I stood on the platform, shielding my face from the persistent drizzle. Only a few scattered farmhouses and barns dotted the landscape, none of them close enough to the others to even remotely be termed a ‘village.’ “Where’s the town?” I blurted.
The Colonel laughed as he joined me on the platform. “I told you, it’s the middle of nowhere,” he answered. “Rizenbul isn’t so much a village as it is a collection of farms that decided they wanted some kind of representation in the Amestris legislature. So they banded together and began calling themselves Rizenbul.” He led the way to the other side of the platform as the train whistle blew and jumped off, not bothering to go through the small station at one end.
I followed, huddling my shoulders against the persistent cold wind as he led me down a wide dirt path. Normally I didn’t mind rain, but the drizzle combined with the wind was enough to make me feel rather miserable about my first day on the job. And there weren’t any military barracks in sight. “Ah, Colonel?” I asked hesitantly after a few minutes.
“Eh?” he grunted, half-turning as he walked to give me a mildly annoyed stare.
“H-how far from here are the barracks?”
“Quite a ways.” Ed turned back around and kicked a pebble. “Especially on foot. Someone was supposed to meet us at the station with a wagon, and I’m wondering why he didn’t. So we’re going to stop by his house so I can chew him out.”
“I see,” I answered, smiling in spite of myself.
We didn’t have to do that, however, for a mule-driven wagon topped a hill just in front of us only a couple of minutes later. “Nii-san!” yelled the man on the front seat when he spotted us. “Welcome back!”
Ed’s face transformed into a huge grin, despite his words earlier. “Al!” he cried in response, running the rest of the distance to the wagon and jumping onto it to hug the man. I followed at a slower pace, a little curious.
“Major Bakura, meet my brother, Alphonse,” Ed said, releasing his hold on the wagon driver as I came up to them. “Al, this is Ryou Bakura, our newest State Alchemist.”
“A pleasure to meet you,” I said as I climbed clumsily into the back of the wagon.
“Same here,” the brown-haired man said cheerfully, watching me with soft gray eyes. “Sorry I wasn’t on time to pick you up. The river was threatening to bust a section of the levee, and the farmers called me up in a panic to go fix it.”
“Don’t blame them,” the Colonel said as he settled into the back of the wagon beside me. “Anything else interesting happen around here?”
“Well, the Warners’ child was finally born last week, but other than that, Rizenbul’s been as quiet as ever,” Al replied, skillfully turning the wagon around and heading back down the road. “Why? Did something happen in Central City?”
“Wrath showed his face in my office yesterday.” Ed made a face, though his brother couldn’t see it. “I was wondering if he had been poking around you as well.”
“Not to my knowledge,” Al said as he looked back curiously. “I wonder what he wants.”
“There’s no telling.”
The two brothers continued to prattle, but I tuned out the conversation, not very interested in the affairs of a township this small. From what they had been saying, I guessed that this was the Colonel’s home town, so I passed the time by studying the scenery and the few houses and people we passed, filing the look and feel of the place away for future reference.
As a result, I saw the barracks long before we pulled to a stop in front of them fifteen minutes later. They consisted of three long wooden buildings surrounded by a high fence, which also enclosed a fair-sized courtyard at the north end of the buildings. It was much the same as any other military outpost, except it was far smaller.
“Care to wait here for us, Al?” the Colonel asked as we jumped out of the back of the wagon. “The inspection won’t take long.”
“Of course not,” Al replied. “Winry wanted us all to come by later anyways. She insisted on fixing lunch for you while you’re here.”
“That sounds great,” Ed laughed as he turned to the barracks and tugged the front gate open. “Come on, Ryou. And pay attention; you’ll be doing this on your own next time.”
“Yes, sir!” I said as I followed him in, cheered up by the thought of getting something to eat for lunch besides standard train food.
* * *
There wasn’t much more to a military inspection than what I remembered. All we really did was double-check inventory sheets, look over the buildings, and watch a military parade. “To tell the truth, I don’t know what they’re supposed to do,” Ed whispered to me out of the corner of his mouth as a company marched past. “So just smile, say ‘good job,’ and mark an excellent on the sheet.”
I laughed softly, glad that I wasn’t the only one clueless as to what I was supposed to be looking for in the parade.
It was about half an hour before we walked back out and joined Al in the wagon. “Not too shabby, newbie,” the Colonel said as Al prodded the mules back down the dirt road.
“Th-thank you, sir,” I replied, shivering slightly. The coat I wore usually protected me quite well from the cold, but by now it was almost thoroughly soaked, since the drizzle had turned back into a driving rain. As a result, the few minutes it took to get to the small home where Al stopped the wagon next felt more like an hour or two.
We all jumped out of the wagon, Ed and me hurrying inside while Al unhitched the mule and led it to the nearby shed. “Good afternoon, Winry!” the Colonel called happily as we walked through the door and stopped just inside to shuck our wet coats and hang them on a nearby coat rack.
A pretty woman with long blond hair walked into the room through a doorway in the opposite wall, smiling brilliantly. “Ed! It’s about time you came back to visit!”
“Sorry, but it’s been hectic in Central City lately,” Ed laughed, reaching back to scratch the back of his head.
“I don’t doubt it.” Winry ushered us forward. “Come on in, lunch is ready now.”
“Winry, this is Major Ryou Bakura,” Ed introduced as we walked into the kitchen and sat down at small table. “Ryou, this is my old friend, Winry. The best auto-mail mechanic in Amestris.”
Winry grinned at me as she set two bowls of beef stew in front of us. “You bet,” she said.
I laughed. “I don’t know,” I answered. “The Mutou brothers would probably give you a run for your money.”
Winry smirked at me as she brought over two more bowls of stew, setting one before the empty chair and sitting down in front of the last bowl. “You’re so sure of that?”
“Well, my legs have stayed in perfect condition for over a year now,” I said as Al came in and took the empty seat.
Winry’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “You have auto-mail legs?” she gasped. Beside me, Ed nearly choked as his expression turned sour.
“Uh, yeah,” I answered uncertainly, glancing at the Colonel.
“Ohh, can I take a look at them after lunch?” she asked, her eyes practically sparkling.
“No,” Ed answered for me. “We don’t have time for you to take apart his limbs; we have to be back on the train to the city soon. Sorry, but not this time.”
The woman pouted, but she didn’t press, and the rest of the meal was spent in light-hearted talk. It had stopped raining by the time we finished, though the air was still uncomfortably cold as Al drove us back to the station. The noon train was already sitting beside the platform as we pulled up and jumped out.
“Come back sooner this time, Nii-san,” Al said as he climbed down and stood in front of us. “I’d like to see you more often.”
“I’ll try,” Ed said, giving his younger brother a hug and a pat on the shoulder. “But you know how it is. So much excitement all the time in the cities, especially with the reconstruction of Ishbal and Lior. Maybe you should come see me sometime.”
Al laughed and climbed back into the wagon’s driver seat. “Maybe I should,” he said. “Bye!” Then he turned the mules around and started back down the road.
“Think you can get on the train by yourself this time?” the Colonel asked as we made our way across the platform. “I’m not going to be there to drag you onto it next time.”
I felt my face grow hot in embarrassment. “I can get on,” I mumbled in response, and before I could think about what I was doing, I marched the rest of the way across the platform and boarded the train.
Ed followed me into the nearly-empty car, and once again we sat close to the middle. “See? Not so bad, is it?” he said.
“Not when I don’t think about it first,” I answered, turning to stare out the window as the train’s whistle blew. The day had been short and easy, despite the bad weather, and I felt quite confident in my ability to carry out any future missions that the Colonel might throw at me.
My military career, and my new life, was off to a flying start.
* * *
Yes, another chapter done at last! Sorry about the delay, folks, but summertime means no internet access at home, and summer job means less time to write. Which makes for rare updates. But never fear, I’m not abandoning this story. And sorry if this chapter’s boring; I wanted Ryou to have an easy first mission. Plus, I wanted him to get to know Ed a little better. Expect more from the next chapter for sure. Until then, please review! Oh, and I don’t own Yu-Gi-Oh or FullMetal Alchemist.