Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Burn ❯ Chapter 1

Disclaimer: If I owned Fullmetal Alchemist, Havoc would be much more lucky in love. He is not. Woe. :( Therefore, obviously, I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Author's Note: This is based on the manga, not the anime. I'd like to thank Thea for beta-reading it for me.

Spoiler Warnings: This contains serious spoilers for the manga. If you haven't read through Chapter 41, hit the "Back" button NOW. Trust me.

Backdating: This was written in October 2005.

Roy stood in the darkened alleyway, slowly rubbing his thumb and forefinger together. It wasn't hard or fast enough to cause a spark, but the flint embedded in the glove grated just perceptibly enough to feel it against his fingertips. He could hear soldiers shouting, their noise coming nearer.

Footsteps came into earshot, hard and fast against the street, and then Maria Ross rounded the corner. She froze when she saw him, eyes going wide, and Roy moved before she had a chance to bolt.

"Maria Ross!" He threw down the false body he'd crafted. "Tonight, you will die here." Now he snapped his fingers, forcing the flames towards the dummy rather than the woman in front of him. Ross was frozen in what he suspected to be terror, but they didn't have the time for explanations. "Quickly!" And he shoved her bodily into the box he'd taken the false body from. His fingers itched - the box was wood, it would all burn so easily - but Roy fought down the urge to snap them.

As he fastened the bracelets to the charred bones, he grimaced in revulsion at the sickly-sweet scent of burnt flesh. Roy hated the smell; he didn't think he'd ever smell it without thinking of Ishabal, and the people he'd killed there. Yet he'd had to hold himself back from doing the same to Ross. Even as suspicious as the military's accusations were, part of Roy wanted nothing more than to vent his rage upon a convenient target. His head knew that Ross might very well be innocent, but his heart only wanted vengeance for Hughes' death.

Roy took a deep breath, standing quickly. He heard more people approaching, and Fullmetal's familiar voice was raised in anger. Hughes wouldn't have wanted him to seek revenge blindly, without being sure of his victim's guilt. That was the one thing that held him back. The last thing Roy ever wanted to do was sully his friend's memory with an unjust execution.

Besides, Breda had his gun and his orders. If Ross proved guilty, she would die. It did Roy no good to wish that he could make her burn.