OOM: Four Years Earlier

Four Years Earlier

"Lieutenant Colonel, they're not in the back eith--what is this?" Hawkeye says, entering the back room of the Elric brothers' home and spotting a large amount of blood staining the floor in the middle of a huge alchemical array. Lieutenant Colonel Mustang and she had come to Resembool in order to recruit a promising young alchemist named Edward Elric, only to find a disturbing mess in their storage room.

"Where are they? Where are the Elric brothers?" Mustang snarls, and Hawkeye's eyes widen as she turns her attention to him. She hasn't felt fear since the war in Ishval, but with the rage and desperation her commander is showing, alarm bells ring out in her head.

Hawkeye and Mustang soon find the brothers at the house of elderly Pinako Rockbell, the neighbor, an automail engineer. Mustang bursts into the home to the protests of Pinako, with Hawkeye following close behind. He strides up to the eleven year old Edward, who is sitting in a wheelchair with a suit of armor behind it, and picks him up by the shirt collar. It's only after Mustang drags the boy towards his face that Hawkeye notices that Edward is missing his left arm and his right leg.

"We went to your house. What was that over there?" Mustang yells. "What did you make?"

Edward says nothing, merely lowers his head. Hawkeye's heart goes out to him. Then the suit of armor moves. "We're sorry," he says. "Please forgive us. We're sorry. We're sorry."

"You're..." Mustang says, blinking at him.

Mustang drops the boy into the wheelchair and turns to ask Hawkeye to wait in the hall. Her hair falls over her right eye as she inclines her head very slightly, and takes her leave. She seats herself on a bench in the hall, resting her hands in her lap, and waits for her commander to finish his business.

After a while, a girl with long, blonde hair approaches. Hawkeye thinks her hair is pretty. "Here you are," the girl says, offering Hawkeye a cup of tea.

Hawkeye takes the tea, thanks her, and introduces herself, offering her hand for a shake. The girl doesn't take it.

"Miss Riza, have you ever shot anyone?" the girl asks, and Hawkeye blinks.

"Yes," Hawkeye says, after a moment, withdrawing her hand.

"I hate soldiers," the girl says. "My mother and father were taken to a battlefield, and killed there." She lowers her head. "And now you're trying to take Ed and Al away, too."

Hawkeye doesn't hesitate in answering, not looking at the blonde girl. "It's up to them to decide whether they will go. Yes, they will decide for themselves. Whether to move forward, or whether to stay still. The boys will be the ones to decide."

The girl frowns. "Miss Riza, why did you become a soldier?"

Hawkeye's smile is small and subtle. "Because there is someone I have to protect."

Mustang exits the room where he was talking to the Elrics, and announces that they are leaving. Hawkeye places her cup on a side table and stands, crossing over to him. "Yes, sir."

As they are leaving, the girl catches up with Hawkeye, and offers her hand. "It's Winry."

Hawkeye smiles again. "Okay, Winry," she says, taking her hand. "I hope we'll meet again."

As she and Mustang drive away, she asks him if the boys will be coming. He says they will.

Hawkeye isn't so sure. "That boy had a spiritless look in his eye."

Mustang grins at her. "You think so? Those were eyes that had flame in them."