Arrival in Ishval
Arrival in Ishval
Kappa District
Twenty miles west of Resembool
10:00
Railroad workers were doing the best they could, but the rails were not yet set this far out again. Therefore, the Mustang Party had ridden as far as Resembool, then from there were to travel by horse the rest of the way. Weeks of planning had gone into the trip, and everything had been arranged. They were traveling early enough in the day that there should be very few problems, and just the day before their intended arrival, a representative of the District, and one of Resembool had both traversed the road to ensure it was clear. The trip itself was not long, roughly two and a half hours with the slow speed they had moved to accommodate the weight the horses were hauling. Normally, on horseback it would take half that.
In the first of three carts, pulled by teams of horses, rode Winry Rockbelle with Yuery and William Elric. Her grandmother, Pinako, had been the one to volunteer to drive this team. This cart also contained all of the personal and household items of both the Elrics and Mustang. After this cart, which was lead by a single guard on horseback, rode on horseback, Lt Fuhrer Roy Mustang, his fiancée, General Riza Hawkeye, his adopted son, Colonel Edward Mustang-Elric, and General Abraham Miles, and their adjutants, 1st Lt Kain Fuery, Major Rebecca Catalina, Major Jean Havoc, and 1st Lt Gregory Staph. The final two carts carried supplies for the group, as well as the personal items for the adjutants and General Miles.
Following behind the carts was a short line of horses, carrying the support staff that had been selected to accompany them on this trip. Major Russell Trigham, the Verdure Alchemist, followed by his brother, Fletcher Trigham had joined the team earlier this week. Major Vato Falman, Major Heymans Breda, 1st Lt Sheska Harris, Major Maria Ross, and1st Lt Denny Broch made up the rear of the caravan.
They crest the hill overlooking the scarred and burned ruins of what was once a small city, and pause as they await their guide. Roy Mustang tried not to flinch at the sight before him. This is why he was here, to fulfill a promise made years ago in the aftermath of the nightmare that tore through this land. "We made it Maes. Finally, we made it. I promise you they at last will once again thrive." Roy said quietly. Ed and Riza had both heard him, and both pretended not to have heard.
An elderly Ishbalan woman, escorted by a young man who was likely her grandson judging by their similar appearances, and a middle aged man rode slowly toward the Amestrian party. Sham was a religious leader as well as the liaison between their people. The older man, Saul was the current mayor of this city. Sham's grandson, Joseph the younger man, rarely left her side. Sham greeted them all, especially Edward and Winry, warmly before leading them down into the ruins.
Everywhere they looked, rebuilding had begun. It had taken a bit of negotiation but the Elders had reluctantly agreed to allow Ed to use his alchemy to build them a small series of housing, therefore not putting any additional strain on the resources of the people they were here to help. Ed alone was allowed to do this, thanks to Sham recognizing him from before and his strong resemblance to the legendary Children of the Sun. He didn't bother to tell them he was, in fact, one of the last two Xerxsians that currently lived. That his appearance was being used as a bargaining chip bothered him and didn't.
On one hand, he hated being reminded that he looked like his birth father, on the other hand it made their mission slightly easier if they would not have to waste time and resources building them a place to stay. It would take several sessions, with a ton of rest and food in between, but Ed would build the complex they would be staying in while they were here. Normally a team of alchemists were sent to do these things, and once they were behind walls Roy would be helping things along, Fletcher and Russell too, but the bulk of the work would be falling to Edward.
Already, the amount of energy this was going to take was concerning Roy. He knew what his son was capable of, but he also knew his son would not necessarily consider his own limits. Sham led them to the plot of hard land that had been selected for their base, and stood aside to watch with General Miles, and Winry Rockbelle. Miles, like Sham, was not completely comfortable with the construction process, but he agreed that it was for the best. To avoid any personal internal conflict, he had been asked by Roy and Ed (who understood his hang ups) to help watch over the Elric children and keep them out of the way while they were working. Saul had excused himself entirely, and had stayed back with the horses, far enough away to not really see what was happening. He was deeply uncomfortable with bearing witness and had decided that after today he would leave Edward to Sham and Miles.
The team brought the first pile of materials, mostly metal as the nearby mounds of stone and sand would be flattened and the materials used in the construction. Then everyone stood back, Roy poised to interfere if it looked like a rebound, as Ed stood on the edge of the plot with his eyes closed mentally constructing the complex. It didn't need to be large, only housing those who were to be posted here semi permanently, which it was agreed would never be more than fifteen. Excluding their families, such as Edward's sons and Russell's brother.
Ed clapped and there was a loud ring and a gush of wind as blue light danced around him, before he slammed his hands to the ground. Slowly, the first building rose from the earth, flattening the area around it as it went into a smooth stone surface. It was not a large building, and it lacked Ed's normal ornaments, but it would function for what they would need for the day. After the long trip a dorm/command center was all he had energy for today.
Inside the two story structure was a very basic layout of rooms, all of them lacking any finishes, including doors. The main floor would be the command center and communal areas. It contained four offices, a rec room, and a cafeteria, and a shower room once the plumbing was added. The second floor was the dorms, containing ten small dorm rooms, and a bathroom. Tomorrow he would build the family housing, as he thought of it, but for tonight everyone would be camping in the offices.
Furnishings and paperwork would arrive in the first few supply shipments. The first of which was due mid-week. Until then, everyone would just have to make do with bedrolls. It wasn't ideal, but no one there could claim they hadn't experienced it before, aside from William who was not likely to complain. Sham was invited it to see the craftsmanship. It was being considered by the elders that they may allow Edward, just Edward, to improve the structural integrity of some of the buildings in town.
Edward saw it as a positive step toward accepting alchemists help, and possibly healing the rift between their people. Roy was not as hopeful, since Edward was a special case. Ed hated to hear it, but he was. He and his brother were living legends. The last of a people thought long gone. A people that myths and legends had been built around all over the continent, possibly further. Roy had never traveled farther than Xing, but Edward had. Once.
Edward had traveled all the way to Europe and came back with a strong disgust for the leaders, the knowledge that magic was not just a myth, and a son. His now two-year-old son, Yuery. At the time Edward had been fourteen and the baby in question was a three-month-old. Roy had soon found himself warming to the boys, and before long he had adopted Edward and Alphonse as his sons.
The Ishbalans entered the rec room, where Ed was resting in a pile of blankets and bedrolls, a baby in each arm, and his fiancée sitting next to him trying to talk him into taking a nap. Roy and Riza were near the offices, directing supplies.
Yuery, turned his large green eyes to the Ishbalans when they entered the room, before attempting to wiggle free of his father's grip. William soon joined his brother in attempting to escape. Ed groaned and sat up, but Winry gently pushed him back down. "I will handle the boys. You nap. You barely slept last night, and I know as well as you do how much energy you used to build this!"
"Win, I can't ask you to chase after both of them, they have far too much pent up energy." Ed reasoned.
"Well then, I guess it's a good thing Yeye is here to take them for a tour." Roy said from the doorway. Yuery and William both rushed toward him, Yuery running and William crawling. Winry giggled before pointing at Ed and demanding he go to sleep.
Miles smiled with amusement, and led the others into the next room to leave the young couple to their fight. He remembered how loud the two of them could get, both of them were very stubborn. "I met them once, up at Briggs. He had come up there in search of a way to stop the upcoming war. She was sent after him, to replace his automail. They fight passionately."
"Ah, the joys of youth. Though they do appear much more youthful than they are." Saul replied.
"They are both sixteen actually." Miles said. "I know, I found the entire thing a bit confusing at first. Edward had Yuery already when I met them, I'm uncertain about William. There are rumors he is adopted but I try not to put stock in personal rumors. Mostly it isn't believed anyway. The boy, Edward, has not had an easy life overall. He grew up in Resembool. Orphan. This I know from him directly."
"War is hard on us all." Sham replied. "Mustang seems sincere in his desire to repair our homeland."
"I truly believe he is, I have had the chance to spend time with him these last few months." Miles said. "I've seen others before him as well. Alchemists were tools to the old regime. Just tools. They collected them as young as they could get away with, and filled their heads with false ideals. A few, like Mustang and Armstrong, realized what was happening to them. Some quit or ran, however, Armstrong and Mustang stayed to prevent another generation. Edward, like those before him, was recruited young. However, he was placed under Mustang, who went out of his way to keep the boy from being used as a tool."
"Do you trust Mustang to continue to do the right thing?" Saul asked.
"I do." Miles replied. "He swore a blood oath to restore Ishbal. "
"They brought their children. Never during the occupation were their children here." Sham said with a smile.
"Yes" Saul replied. "It was not a token gesture, as I feared it to be, he had no idea we were standing there, but he dotes on those children greatly. They have no intent of starting a war that those boys could be lost to."
"I agree." Miles replied. "Additionally, nothing, not supplies, not men. Move in this area without my signature as well."
The treaty had been signed weeks ago, and Sham had been relieved to learn then that Miles and Elric were involved, but once she had seen them in person again, she was convinced this was Ishvalla's will. She recognized the girl's features. Elric's fiancée was the daughter of the Doctors Rockbelle. It too was a sign. She was quick to point this out to Saul, who nodded in agreement. It may not be as terrible as he feared it would be, especially as he intended to step back and leave it to the Elders and Sham to deal with the foreigners now that he was assured that they held no ill will toward his people.
The Next Morning
Edward woke to the heavy thump of his eldest son jumping onto his chest. He pretended to not notice this and kept his eyes closed as Yuery leaned close into his face and said. "Daddy, up time." Before poking Ed's cheek. Ed continued to pretend to sleep as the boy frowned thoughtfully and glanced over at his mother and baby brother who were still sleeping next to them. Then he leaned back over Ed's head and tried again, "Daddy, Up. Now. Pease."
Ed still pretended to sleep, as the boy looked over toward where his Yeye and Nainai were sleeping near them. Yeye was seemingly just as deeply asleep as Ed, and Yuery frowned. It wasn't common for both his father and his grandfather to continue to sleep once he was up. His mother and grandmother both tended to sleep until his brother woke up, but Dad and Yeye got up when he did. He leaned over to try to wake his dad again when suddenly Ed wrapped his arms around the boy, making the child squeal half in delight half out of being startled. "What are you doing waking people Yu?" Ed asked playfully. "Are you ready to be tickled already?" Ed then tickled the boy's sides until he was screaming with laughter, and everyone in the room was sitting up.
William struggled out of Winry's arms to dive at his father and brother. Ed managed to catch the smaller boy, and began tickling him as well, while Winry flopped back onto the thin mat below her with a groan. "Do you have to rile them up so early?"
"Yes." Ed replied with a laugh and Roy stands to walk over to them. Wordlessly he holds out his arms and both boys reach for him.
"Come now boys, lets get you ready for the day." Roy said and walked back over to his own bed, where he had set aside their clothing for morning late last night in anticipation of this. All around them, the others were now climbing out of bed and rolling up the bedrolls before leaving the room in search of a rest room and then something to eat. "Yuery did you need to use the toilet?"
"No Yeye." Yuery said, and Roy sighed before changing the boy's underclothes and removing the rubber diaper cover they kept on him at night. Yuery was fairly consistent in using the toilet now, however he still had a tendency to wet at night, or while his father was tickling him judging by the soggy training pants. Roy then dressed the boy in a linen pull over and slacks that were designed for the desert in mind.
Yuery sat patiently and waited while Roy then changed William's diaper and dressed him in a matching outfit. Riza had left to change herself, but returned with four bowls of oatmeal just as Williams sat back up. Ed and Winry joined them, each adult (or teen) taking a bowl, and then sat in a circle around the boys as they took turns feeding the two boys in between bites of their own. Ed did not want Yuery to get back into the habit of sharing every meal, and would be happy when their own space was completed.
After breakfast, Ed decided he was rested enough, so he stepped outside to build the 'family housing'. Like the day before, he selected a dune about twenty feet from the command building. He formed a mental image of the building he intended to build, before taking a deep breath and clapping his hands. Walls again rose from the ground, swirling and stiffening under the blue energy. Soon, a long building divided into two separate units sat where the dune had been.
Ed smiled in satisfaction. The larger unit, intended for his family, contained three bedrooms, a bathroom and a main room that was a shared living space and kitchen. The smaller side, meant for General Miles, contained a bedroom, a bathroom, and a main room.
With the building out of the way, aside from plumbing, electrical and doors, Ed went back to the command building to see what else needed to be done. Russell and Roy were busy setting up materials needed to meld plumbing into the showers and toilets, as well as the sinks in the kitchen area of the cafeteria. Fletcher meanwhile, was making doors.
Ed, along with Roy, then went to work quickly forming the plumbing as Russell and Fletcher hung doors and then set to work planning the best place for the greenhouse they would be adding to the compound. Ed joined them once they selected the best location to create the building just as Elder Sham and the Ishbalan arrived with four other men none of them had met before.
General Miles met them as they arrived, and led them into the command center, all but ignoring the fading light around the green house. Roy and Riza were in what would be his office, with William and Yuery, planning out what they would be doing the rest of the week. They would be touring the city to determine the the immediate and long term needs of the area, then they would write up a resources proposal to be sent to Fuhrer Grumman. After that, Roy had planned a formal speech and interview session with the local population. The shipment of supplies that had already been ordered would arrive before the end of the week, and they would have to set up his office first.
Edward joined them as they were going over the itinerary with Sham and the others. No one had any objections with the schedule, so after a brief discussion on whether it was already too hot, the boys were taken with them as they headed out into the city.
Winry, Russell, and Fletcher remained behind to begin moving the materials into the green house and build the planting boxes. Mustang, Hawkeye, Ed, Miles, and their adjutants followed the Ishbalans into the city. Ed carrying William and holding Yuery's hand. In the city, they were greeted by more of the population, several of them had been involved in the Promised Day battle and had then been lead back to Kappa about half of the current population had immigrated back from the slums outside of Central, the other half was from the Xerxes Ruins camp that had moved first to Liore, then further south when the fighting had begun.
They had not gone far into the city when Daniel and Hannah spotted them and rushed up to the group. A few months ago, the two Ishbalan children had lived with Roy, Edward, and Winry for a short period of time, along with Edward's friend, Rose Thomas who had been their foster mother. The children had been returned to their mother shortly before Rose had been killed. Roy and Ed had no idea if anyone had informed the children and their mother of Rose's death.
"Uncle Roy, can you carry me?" Daniel asked happily.
"Of course." Roy said with a smile. "How have you been? Where's your mother?"
"Mama's right over there, we got here a long time ago. The people are nice." Daniel said as he waved at his mother who waved back, but otherwise seemed unconcerned that her children were surrounded by soldiers. These were men she trusted, uniforms aside. They had helped keep her children safe while she couldn't be with them, and her son and daughter were very attached to them.
She had, in fact, used this attachment during the community meeting, to argue in favor of allowing them in to help. Hero of Ishbal they had called this man, a living weapon. She had been terrified to learn her children had been left to his care. Imagining all sorts of horrors that may be befalling her children. Instead her children had been happy and healthy.
The man himself, when she spoke to him, was nothing like the monster she had expected. He also clearly loved all of the children in his care, including her own. Hannah was more reserved than her brother, but she had no issue telling the elders of Roy's kindness. She had even gone on to include what little she had overheard as part of his household, about how he had been planning on helping their people since before the war had even been over.
Hannah now happily walked along beside these men as Mustang carried little Daniel, and talked to them about the family pets, who had made the journey as far as Resembool and would be joining them after they had settled in. The crowd gathered watching the Flame Alchemist carrying one of their children and smiling kindly at him. It seemed to help settle their fears further.
They made their way to the city center, a location Mustang had never been before, and were met with no resistance. The sight of the clearly Amerstrian children in the group of soldiers seemed to have the soothing effect that Grumman had hoped for when he had suggested that it was for the best that Edward and his family was coming along.
Yuery looked around curiously as the crowd grew, unused to this many people surrounding them and looking at him. It was rare for Ed to take the boys out to any form of formal event, mostly thanks to his protectiveness, though he supposed he would have to get used to this while they were in Ishbal. Roy was expected to make a speech once they gathered on the stage in the city center.
It had been agreed upon that during the restoration military presence would be as small as possible, to avoid any future 'accidents' like the one that had started the war. All it would take to undo everything they were working on was one questionable accident. Everyone on the team was selected carefully. Lt. Fuhrer Mustang was selected because of his prior history in Ishbal, and this project was his conception. General Hawkeye had been by Mustang's side from the beginning of this project, and she was expected to be his wife long before they were reassigned. Colonel Elric was not only the Lt. Fuhrer's son, he alone could claim to be a descendant of Xerxes, he was also well known as a champion of the people. General Miles was Ishvallan, as was his adjutant.
The rest of their small group had served under either Mustang or Elric and were hand selected as trustworthy and without prejudice against the Ishvallan people. With the exception of Russell Trigham. He, to had no prejudices, however this was his first week serving under Colonel Elric. He had only passed his exam the week before, and was still new to the military altogether. He was unlikely to have many interactions outside of the compound either. Russell had just barely made the new exam cutoffs, having turned sixteen at the beginning of the month. His little brother, Fletcher, was fifteen. In many ways they reminded Roy of the Elric brothers.
After his speech, which included the promise of supplies arriving later this week, they headed back toward the compound. The crowd was still friendly with them, judging by the Qi, Ed had determined, which was a relief to him. He still needed to talk to the Elders about possibly allowing him to fix the buildings around the city using his alchemy. He was uncertain how the conversation would go, but didn't expect it to be an easy sell. Alchemy was considered a sin by the Ishvalans. However, on the other hand, much like him being allowed to use his alchemy to raise their base, there was some hope that it would be allowed.
Journal Two
1610
01/01/10
It is time I move on. I have done
All I can for Xing at this time.
Shi has been a good Emperor.
Better, even, than I had hoped for.
We buried Hiro yesterday, and I admit
His loss is affecting my timing. I have
No desire to stand here haunted by
The ghosts of the past in my once
Pleasant home.
I move on to Europe, taking with
Me the knowledge I have gained,
To seek a way to defeat the Dwarf.
Who has yet to make a move from what
I can gather. I am not entirely certain
Where it is at the moment, just not here.
_T.B.V.H.
02/04/10
Europe is bigger than I assumed. It may
Take longer than I originally believed
To find the help I am needing. I had
Assumed that I would be able to find
Magic users easily. However, I have come
To find that the non users are hunting the
Users. This is very disturbing. I must be
Very careful not to raise suspicion.
Careful inquires has led me to believe
The best options would be either France
Or England. I believe I shall try France first, it is closer.
I will be glad to be free of this Prussia, and
Hope they are kinder to magic in France.