The Mansion On Drachmian Border

Prouloge: A Life Changing Phone Call

Roy thought that if his best friend saw him now, he would be disappointed.

He was almost at the top. One more step and Roy will become fuhrer. He will achieve all he and his subordinates dreamed of.

However, Roy knew Hughes would be disappointed to see him drink whisky in a messy living room of his house. The house was big, he bought it once he became a general to fit his role better. If Hughes was there he would surely scold him but then he would pick up the clutter anyway and talk with Roy about anything, no matter if it was the cause of him drinking or a distraction.

But Hughes wasn't there and it was this way for 15 years to be exact.

Hughes was murdered in a phonebooth and his wife and daughter went missing a year later.

Their disappearance was a mystery. None of the neighbors saw or heard anything out of ordinary. There were no strange cars parked in front of the house that night. They vanished without a trace.

Roy clearly remembered how hectic the next few months were. They were all desperately searching for Gracia and Elicia. Roy just lost his left eye but that or doctor's orders didn't stop him. Edward, who just managed to somehow, he never shared how exactly it was possible, return Alphonse to his original body. He had to send now back to ten-years-old brother back to Resembool to help Roy in his search.

His team slowly grew tired and overworked. Even Hawkeye showed the strain the prolonged search carried.

The police proclaimed Gracia and Elicia dead but Roy's team still tried to find them.

Until they couldn't anymore.

They were all exhausted. Roy's rushed recovery begun to take its tool. Edward couldn't afford to travel back and forth between Central and Resembool anymore and couldn't bear to be a forever absent figure in his younger brother's life.

They were left with two headstones and a sinking feeling they hadn't done enough.

He grieved, he considered human transmutation for the third time in his life, and then Riza, his team and Edward guided him back into society putting him once again on the path towards his goal.

Nowadays Roy's life has fallen into an almost enjoyable routine. He woke up, ate breakfast, went to work, got back, ate dinner with the radio playing in the background, showered, had a drink, and went to bed.

Sometimes someone would call, it was usually Edward telling him about his day and asking for his. Roy hated that stupid question and envied Ed for moving on from his traumas, while he was still stuck, waiting for Hughes to come and help him. He hated how Edward took that role without asking and wormed his way into his daily life, talking with excitement about his brother, honorary nephew, and alchemy. Sometimes he sounded so much like Hughes, it hurt.