The Hawk's Unwavering Flame

Rebuilding Ishval

Mustang sat alone in the cafeteria, drinking coffee in silence. Every time someone walked by they would salute to their new Fuhrer. He was unused to this treatment, and waved at them as they passed. Roy had sent his first lieutenant out on a hunt for information about the rebuilding of Ishval, and his second lieutenant was around somewhere. 

"You shouldn't hang around with your back unprotected." A male voice spoke jokingly. Roy had a sudden rush of anger that the man was not Hughes. "Hello Havoc, feeling better?" Roy smiled at his second lieutenant warmly. "Very much, thanks to that Dr." Havoc sat across from Roy, and sipped from his own cup. "Any information?" Roy questioned one of his best friends, trying not to be too formal. "None. Riza is in the deep of it though. There was a riot near the boarder." Roy folded his hands, hiding the fact that they were shaking. "Scar is with her." Havoc stated, looking around to make sure they were unheard. "I see." Roy closed his eyes, and tried to pretend this did not bother him. He couldn't let his emotions get control of him in public. He especially couldn't get angry. Edward Elric and Riza had saved him from his own anger last spring, and he refused to let them down. "Should I take action?" He asked his lieutenant. "That's up to you sir, but they can take care of themselves. If you do go, take backup." Havoc stood, not wanting to influence the Fuhrer's decisions too much. "Thank you friend." Roy spoke with the voice of a man who's been through too much hurt. 

...

Roy traveled to the train station with three high ranked soldiers, his third lieutenant and two state alchemists. These two alchemists were Alphonse Elric and one of Kimblee's ex henchman. "So what do you need my help with?" Alphonse asked, smiling sweetly. Roy hated dragging one of the Elrics back into his mess, but the preferred one had given up his alchemy. "My first lieutenant and a friend are in the midst of a riot near the Ishvalan boarder." Roy gestured at the map they brought. "They do not want our help?" Alphonse tilted his head. "They do, it's our people that are rioting..." Roy looked ashamed. Don't worry. They'll get used to them eventually." Alphonse was a reassuring presence, and for once roy was glad he'd asked the boy to come along. 

When the reinforcements arrived, Roy sent the bulk of his group after their endangered soldiers. Alphonse went to talk peace with the leader of the riot, and Mustang went after his first lieutenant. When he spotted her atop a building, her sniper gun aimed, he scaled the building and joined her. She spun to attack, and dropped her weapon. "Sir?" She asked, alarmed and saluted. "Stand down lieutenant." He commanded, and pulled on his ignition glove. "You aren't really going to attack our own people?" She looked betrayed. "No lieutenant. I'm acting." He winked and pointed his finger at a group. They scattered. "See?" He smiled at her. Riza sat and cradled her gun. "I've got your back." She spoke briskly, and shot at the feet of one of their rebels.

 "Stand down!" Roy shouted. Several of the Amestrian citizens  froze at the sound of their Fuhrer's voice. "Stop this nonsense. Join us in rebuilding this fallen city, not destroying it further. This war was ended a long time ago." Roy felt tired. He was suddenly overcome with a flashback of the war, when Hughes stood by his side. Most of the rebels retreated, and Roy's men stood triumphant.  This was the first speech Mustang had given on the battle field to a group larger than his two or three friends. He had done things he was not proud of, and felt guilty shouting about fixing it. "This better be the last riot I have to come and settle so we can actually get some building done." Roy spoke grumpily to his lieutenant and turned to leave, his companions right behind him.