Work Text:
Colonel Roy Mustang took a minute to steady himself before knocking on the door. After discovering the aftermath of Elric Brothers’ attempt at Human transmutation he doesn’t think anyone would blame him, least of all Hawkeye, who’d also been there. It’s almost funny when you think about it. Two of the war’s grizzliest veterans, mass-murderers the both of them, and they still can be nauseated by the events in two children’s basement.
He knocks on the door, and when it cracks open he shoves it wide and walks in.
“Wha- who do you think you are? You soldier types always throwing your weight around. I tell you you better get out of my house right now.” Roy ignores her. She isn’t important to what needs to happen next. What’s important is the kid sitting in the wheelchair with the suit of armor behind him.
“Just how stupid are the two of you? Attempting human transmutation, what did you expect to happen? Do you understand what you tried to do?” The kid ignores him, just keeps on staring at the floor. Roy is about to attempt to get the kid’s attention when the suit of armor moves and then speaks.
“We’re sorry. We just wanted our mother. We’re sorry. We’re sorry.” Roy thinks whoever is in the suit of armor sounds like he’s about to cry, but when he looks into its face, thinks about its voice, and tries to wrap his head around just what exactly he’s looking at, he realizes that crying is probably impossible for the second kid. Heavens, they must have somehow bound a soul or consciousness to a suit of armor. Or rather, the kid in the wheelchair must have. Roy thinks they might all just need to sit down for this conversation
Four of them sit at the table. The old lady, who’s name Roy still hasn’t learned, Alphonse, the kid in the armor, Edward, the kid in the wheelchair missing an arm and leg, and himself, the flame alchemist. Roy doesn’t quite know where to start, but he’s been around the block a time or two and knows he can’t afford to show his uncertainty. And Roy isn’t uncertain. He’s certain this kid needs a firm kick in the rear to get moving, and he’s certain that in the military under Roy is the best place for the kid to be. For both Roy and the kids, which is a relief for Roy’s conscience. So he decides to avoid the pleasantries or beating around the bush and just jumps to it.
“I came to this town because I heard rumors of a skilled alchemist, and I wanted to recruit them into the state alchemist program to work under me. Imagine my surprise to learn that the rumors I heard was about a couple of kids. Imagine my more severe surprise when I come across the remains of an attempt at human transmutation. The fact is, you were nearly successful, and you were clearly successful at binding a human soul to a piece of medal, so you are in fact skilled enough to become a State Alchemist right this very second. I’d recommend you do so. With the resources you’d have under your disposal you could possibly fix yourselves. There is no other tool at your disposal that would give you as many opportunities for research or funds like being a State Alchemist. I cannot make your decision for you, but I think it is important you know the chance being a state alchemist would give you.” Roy would love to say that Ed bothered to make eye contact at any point during his brief speech, but then he would be lying.
The old lady says something derogatory about the military and alchemy, but Roy still isn’t listening to her, the boys are who are important in this conversation. Or at least, that’s what Roy thinks until Ed finally gives the signal Roy has been waiting for. The sign that Ed has not completely checked out.
Ed snorts.
Roy really wishes he had been paying attention now.
“You ain’t gotta tell me Granny. I’ve always said I don’t like alchemy, and if I have to use it again it’d be a day too soon. But you ain’t gonna convince Al even if you tried for another century.”
What.
Is this kid just trying to mess with Roy? Roy just has to glance to his left to see the proof of how good the kid is at alchemy. No layman could ever come up with something like that. Hell, Roy could never have come up with something like that and he’s no slouch when it comes to alchemy. So what is this kid trying to pull acting like he doesn’t like or want to do alchemy?
“Bro~ther, I still don’t understand why you hate it so much. It’s such a useful thing to know!”
“Like hell. Everybody else in the world gets along without alchemy just fine. I’m gonna be a doctor, and I ain’t got the time to waste learning how to do every bit of alchemy out there.” Roy can’t believe his ears. This kid genuinely doesn’t want to use alchemy. That kid might have more alchemical genius in his pinky finger than Roy has in his whole body, and the kid isn’t interested. Roy feels a deep-seated flash of envy for a second before he settles and remembers that this kid early everything to alchemy. It makes sense he wouldn’t be an alchemist after that. Before is another matter that Roy will just have to ignore.
“I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand. I was under the impression that you were both alchemists from the villagers.” At this Ed rolls his eyes.
“Nah, most of ‘em just can’t keep the two of us straight, and we never bothered talking to most of them. They’re all real strange folk, so we don’t really get along.” Roy struggles to believe that the village folk are the strange ones in the equation. But as much as Roy would love to point that out, he feels the need to keep the conversation on track.
“So you aren’t an alchemist?”
“Nope, never have been. Me and Winry have been pretty deadset on being a surgeon and automail mechanic duo for years. Al’s the alchemist, and the one you gotta convince. Personally I think you’re full of shit. Like any soldier’s got room to criticize a couple of kids about their crimes against life. And maybe I’m just fine the way I am right now. Granny’ll fix me right up. Get me walking around on some new limbs by the end of the year I figure.” Oh this kid just exists to piss Roy off, good to know.
“It makes no difference to me,” it sure as hell does, and Roy’s not quite sure if the exchange of a sure-fire genius is worth having a person Roy doesn’t feel the need to murder. Roy’s quite good at not murdering people he wants to. “But I will admit that there would be more complications with Alphonse becoming a state alchemist, what with his… medical condition.” Roy is not quite certain how delicate he should be about the phrasing. Whatever. Medical condition works as well as anything else.
“I think I want to. I don’t want to stay in this body. If becoming a State Alchemist helps me accomplish that, then that’s what I need to do. What am I supposed to do to become a State Alchemist?” Roy decided to count it as a win.
“Well fir-”
“Now hold up, just because you get to be the one who decides whether or not you’ll be a State Alchemist doesn’t mean I’m letting you outta my sight. You’re gonna have to hold up until I’m moving again. Wait, what are you still doing here you bastard, you aren’t part of this conversation. Me and Al are gonna talk things out. We’ll come find you when we’ve got everything lined up.” Not the rudest way Roy’s ever been dismissed but it might just make the top ten. Whatever. He got what he came for, that’s all he cares about.
“I’ll be in East City when you come looking. Sorry for intruding on your hospitality miss, I’ll be taking my leave now.”
Roy took brisk steps towards the train station, Hawkeye a few steps behind and to the left.
“Well sir, whatever you said to that young man you certainly lit a fire under him.”
“Much as I’d love to claim it was my inspiring words, Lieutenant, I think that kid just brought himself out of a depression just to piss me off.”