Categories > Anime/Manga > Full Metal Alchemist > The Heroes of Amestris
The ringing buzzed ominously in Mustang’s ear as he held the receiver in his gloved hand. Leaning against a phone booth in Central City, he wondered just what the hell he was doing. Although always cool on the outside, inside, he was insecure.
He chuckled quietly to himself. Heh. Look at me. The hero of Ishbal shaking in his boots from a simple phone call.
He remembered the last time he’d spoken to him. It was several years ago now. Ed had had is own life to deal with, and so did he. Somehow trying to acquire the most powerful position in a shaken Amestris kept him much busier than he had wanted. What he had wanted didn’t matter at the time. But that philosophy didn’t really apply to him anymore. He didn’t know how to do this, to follow these selfish personal conquests. Shaking his head, he was just about to replace the receiver when that familiar voice flooded his ear from the other end.
“Hello? Elric residence,” said the voice.
“Hey, Fullmetal,” Mustang greeted with his usual confidence.
The tone of Ed’s voice lifted happily. “Mustang? Ha! Nobody’s called me that in years. How’ve you been? How’s Central?”
“Busy as ever. Though I can’t complain.”
“Which means you have Hawkeye still picking up your slack,” Ed jibed playfully.
“I don’t know what you mean.” Mustang grimaced. He's as irritating as ever.
“Anyway, what’s with the phone call? I haven’t heard much from anyone since I left the military three years ago.”
“Well…” He felt his stomach churn uncomfortably. “I need a favor, Ed.”
Judging from his tone, his interest was piqued. “Yeah? What kind of favor?”
“I was thinking of taking a break for a while. You know, going on leave for a few weeks. You’re one of the few people that I know that doesn’t live in a big city. So, I… My subordinates thought I…” he faltered.
“You want to come stay with me? Sure, that’s fine by me. I have to warn you though, my place isn’t that big.”
Relief quieted the twisting in Mustang’s stomach. “When can you have me?”
“Hell, hop on a train today. I don’t care. Whenever you can.”
“Good. I’ll be there in two days.”
“See you then.” He heard a click and then silence. The man lightly hung the receiver back on its hook and stepped out of the booth. Adjusting his gray coat collar to protect him from the falling rain, he meandered through the dark streets towards his apartment.
The next day he had an appointment at the local café. Although it was sunny out and the streets were full of cheerful passerby, Mustang held a somber and slightly sour mood. He rounded the corner and saw that she was already there, patiently sitting at their usual wrought iron table.
“Hey,” he said casually from behind.
Riza turned her head to look over her shoulder to see who had spoken, even though she didn’t need to. She would always recognize that smooth voice. She smiled gently in his direction, then faced the table again. Across from her and placed on the table was a steaming cup of tea. Mustang took his seat in front of the tiny cup, but did not touch it.
Mustang gazed into Hawkeye’s face, studying it. “You look well.”
She awarded him a warm yet small smile. “Thank you, Roy.”
He smirked. “Aren’t you supposed to tell me how well I look?”
Her face became somber. “We both know how you look.”
Mustang simply cast his eyes down to study the teacup. It’s true. He was able to hide it better before. But the fatigue, the dark circles under the eyes, and the sallow skin had all forced their way into the awareness of his peers. And then forced him out of the military.
“I’m glad, you know,” Hawkeye said, interrupting his reverie.
“Glad for what?”
“That you finally heeded my advice. The military was destroying you.”
“It doesn’t matter what the military or my duties did to my life. But I’m useless in my condition.” He thought back to yesterday, when he walked his lonely journey home in the rain. I’ve always been useless. Who am I kidding? He peered into her eyes, the grim reality distorting his handsome face.
“Early retirement was, is, my only option.”
“You may not become Furher like we had all planned, but your actions made way for this country to heal. You are the hero of this country.”
“You’re wrong there. Elric is the hero of this country.”
“He saved it, yes. But you rehabilitated it. Don’t disregard the good you’ve done here.”
“That may be. But I’ll have to leave the fate of the country to others’ hands now.”
She reached across the table and took his gloved hand in hers. “That doesn’t have to be a bad thing.”
They sat there, staring at each other in meaningful silence. Then she stood up and for the final time saluted her superior officer. “It was an honor and a privilege serving with you, sir.” Her eyes bored into his, honoring him with every ounce of her being. He nodded to her, accepting her goodbye. He went back to staring at his now cold cup of tea as she slowly walked away, knowing full-well that this was the last time he would ever see his most trusted friend and ally again.
He chuckled quietly to himself. Heh. Look at me. The hero of Ishbal shaking in his boots from a simple phone call.
He remembered the last time he’d spoken to him. It was several years ago now. Ed had had is own life to deal with, and so did he. Somehow trying to acquire the most powerful position in a shaken Amestris kept him much busier than he had wanted. What he had wanted didn’t matter at the time. But that philosophy didn’t really apply to him anymore. He didn’t know how to do this, to follow these selfish personal conquests. Shaking his head, he was just about to replace the receiver when that familiar voice flooded his ear from the other end.
“Hello? Elric residence,” said the voice.
“Hey, Fullmetal,” Mustang greeted with his usual confidence.
The tone of Ed’s voice lifted happily. “Mustang? Ha! Nobody’s called me that in years. How’ve you been? How’s Central?”
“Busy as ever. Though I can’t complain.”
“Which means you have Hawkeye still picking up your slack,” Ed jibed playfully.
“I don’t know what you mean.” Mustang grimaced. He's as irritating as ever.
“Anyway, what’s with the phone call? I haven’t heard much from anyone since I left the military three years ago.”
“Well…” He felt his stomach churn uncomfortably. “I need a favor, Ed.”
Judging from his tone, his interest was piqued. “Yeah? What kind of favor?”
“I was thinking of taking a break for a while. You know, going on leave for a few weeks. You’re one of the few people that I know that doesn’t live in a big city. So, I… My subordinates thought I…” he faltered.
“You want to come stay with me? Sure, that’s fine by me. I have to warn you though, my place isn’t that big.”
Relief quieted the twisting in Mustang’s stomach. “When can you have me?”
“Hell, hop on a train today. I don’t care. Whenever you can.”
“Good. I’ll be there in two days.”
“See you then.” He heard a click and then silence. The man lightly hung the receiver back on its hook and stepped out of the booth. Adjusting his gray coat collar to protect him from the falling rain, he meandered through the dark streets towards his apartment.
The next day he had an appointment at the local café. Although it was sunny out and the streets were full of cheerful passerby, Mustang held a somber and slightly sour mood. He rounded the corner and saw that she was already there, patiently sitting at their usual wrought iron table.
“Hey,” he said casually from behind.
Riza turned her head to look over her shoulder to see who had spoken, even though she didn’t need to. She would always recognize that smooth voice. She smiled gently in his direction, then faced the table again. Across from her and placed on the table was a steaming cup of tea. Mustang took his seat in front of the tiny cup, but did not touch it.
Mustang gazed into Hawkeye’s face, studying it. “You look well.”
She awarded him a warm yet small smile. “Thank you, Roy.”
He smirked. “Aren’t you supposed to tell me how well I look?”
Her face became somber. “We both know how you look.”
Mustang simply cast his eyes down to study the teacup. It’s true. He was able to hide it better before. But the fatigue, the dark circles under the eyes, and the sallow skin had all forced their way into the awareness of his peers. And then forced him out of the military.
“I’m glad, you know,” Hawkeye said, interrupting his reverie.
“Glad for what?”
“That you finally heeded my advice. The military was destroying you.”
“It doesn’t matter what the military or my duties did to my life. But I’m useless in my condition.” He thought back to yesterday, when he walked his lonely journey home in the rain. I’ve always been useless. Who am I kidding? He peered into her eyes, the grim reality distorting his handsome face.
“Early retirement was, is, my only option.”
“You may not become Furher like we had all planned, but your actions made way for this country to heal. You are the hero of this country.”
“You’re wrong there. Elric is the hero of this country.”
“He saved it, yes. But you rehabilitated it. Don’t disregard the good you’ve done here.”
“That may be. But I’ll have to leave the fate of the country to others’ hands now.”
She reached across the table and took his gloved hand in hers. “That doesn’t have to be a bad thing.”
They sat there, staring at each other in meaningful silence. Then she stood up and for the final time saluted her superior officer. “It was an honor and a privilege serving with you, sir.” Her eyes bored into his, honoring him with every ounce of her being. He nodded to her, accepting her goodbye. He went back to staring at his now cold cup of tea as she slowly walked away, knowing full-well that this was the last time he would ever see his most trusted friend and ally again.
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