An Interview [closed-Roy/Al]
Somehow, Al managed to find his way through the castle, out to the compound where SOLDIER and Alchemists dwelled without any mishaps. Though Balamb was awake, he seemed content to hide in Al's jacket, away from the noise and bustle around them. Aerith's note seemed to work magic. People would look at it, see the flower that was fastened to his cloak pin, and smile and show him the way. Eventually, he made it to a heavy door in what he was told were the Alchemists' area.
Balamb rustled a bit, then poked his head out. Large blue eyes looked up at Al, and the baby chocobo warked questioningly. "I'm fine," he reassured the little bird. He tucked the gold head back into his jacket, straightened his shoulders, and knocked firmly.
Roy Mustang arched an eyebrow at the door. Aerith hadn't been kidding about sending over this apparent "Elric" right away. Hm. The colonel hadn't bothered to shave his five o'clock shadow just yet. It made him look more rugged, more intimidating. As did the black circles under his eyes. Right.
Of course, Roy had his suspicions about this Alphonse Elric, and he wasn't about to just let Edward see him without giving him a thorough examination and interrogation. Call it paranoia, but Roy was of the firm belief that paranoia saved lives. He was fairly sure he'd saved at least a dozen by monitoring Kimbley so steadily.
With a loud clearing of his throat, Roy straightened his collar, folded his hands on his desk, and called out.
"Come in."
Al opened the door hesitantly and poked his head in. He was grateful that he'd dressed up a little, despite the fact that it seemed so out of place for a SeeD uniform to be seen in this area (not to mention a uniform on one so young). It helped give him strength and reminded him that he was not a child, and he shouldn't be intimidated. Really.
He peered into the room, then stepped in, eyes wide. "Um...Colonel...Mustang?"
Roy's coal-black eyes narrowed at the young man. Well, he certainly didn't act like the other Elric he knew. Not that something like that was sufficient proof that he was an impostor or anything.
"You're the young man Aerith sent over, correct?" he continued, still strictly business. At least on the outside. "Come in, and close the door."
"Yes, sir." Al nodded and slipped inside, closing the door quietly behind him. The man before him seemed quite stern, and his first impression is of weariness. Maybe it was the stubble and circles under his eyes. It told him that things were indeed rough for the King's military.
He looked around briefly before moving toward the desk. Al's hair was neatly tied back, so only his bangs flopped into his eyes, and though he was small and young, the SeeD uniform fit him like it was tailored specifically for him (which it was), despite a strange bulge in the jacket. He gave the Colonel a salute. "SeeD, Seventh Level, Alphonse Elric, sir. I was told you could help me find my brother."
"Help you find your brother," Roy deadpanned, narrowing his eyes further before sitting straight up and clearing his throat. "I'm sure you'll understand that I'll need to see proper identification and certification that you're officially and legally operating as a SeeD."
Plus a little interrogation here and there, but that would come later. Really. Just what WAS that bulge under his coat?
Al blinked, then nodded. That was certainly a reasonable request. That's why they issued all active SeeDs identification cards, right? Without thinking, his hand went to his jacket, opening up the top button to reach into the hidden pocket and pull out his ID card. Of course, Balamb took immediate advantage of this freedom. A bright gold chocobo head popped out and looked around. "Wark?"
Roy arched a single eyebrow in what was a mild display of the shock he felt that this kid was actually bringing a chocobo into an official, military building. The Alchemist's building, no less.
"A chocobo, Elric. You brought a chocobo into a military facility?" he said, wearily picturing all the things a baby chocobo could possibly do to ruin the perfect order in his office...
Al jumped and turned bright red. "Uh, yes, sir. I'm really sorry, sir. I couldn't leave him alone." He fumbled around in his jacket, trying to pull his ID out and keep the bird in. Balamb, already a bit cross at having been stuffed in that confining space all that time, managed to wiggle away and fell to the ground. Al squeaked as Balamb made a beeline for Roy's desk.
Roy fought back the urge to snap his fingers in a reflexive defense against the baby bird... It was a young chocobo, after all, and unlike Kimbley, he'd actually feel bad about roasting it. Even if it took a dump all over his paperwork or something.
That vein began to bulge in his forehead as he whirled around to point at the offending bird.
"What are waiting for, Elric? Restrain it!" he barked, just picturing all the hard work he'd actually accomplished that day going to waste.
"Y-yes, I'm sorry!" Al leaped forward to grab Balamb. But the little bird had no intention of returning for a while. It slipped first under the desk, then climbed up Roy's leg into his lap. Before Roy could respond, it jumped from his lap onto his desk, upsetting a pile of paper onto the floor. Then, as Al reached over the desk to grab it, it made a fantastic leap, landed on Al's head, and launched itself to the top of a nearby bookshelf.
Al lost his balance, landing face-first on the colonel's desk. More papers went flying, and the pen stand clattered to the floor.
A single form that he'd just finished signing fluttered to land right atop Roy's head. The scene froze for a moment as he just stared down at the boy laying face-down on his once, surprisingly-neat desk.
The vein bulged.
"You're an Elric, alright," he finally growled, unable to imagine anyone else save perhaps Kimbley and those of THAT family name being capable of working on his last nerve like this.
Balamb rustled a bit, then poked his head out. Large blue eyes looked up at Al, and the baby chocobo warked questioningly. "I'm fine," he reassured the little bird. He tucked the gold head back into his jacket, straightened his shoulders, and knocked firmly.
Roy Mustang arched an eyebrow at the door. Aerith hadn't been kidding about sending over this apparent "Elric" right away. Hm. The colonel hadn't bothered to shave his five o'clock shadow just yet. It made him look more rugged, more intimidating. As did the black circles under his eyes. Right.
Of course, Roy had his suspicions about this Alphonse Elric, and he wasn't about to just let Edward see him without giving him a thorough examination and interrogation. Call it paranoia, but Roy was of the firm belief that paranoia saved lives. He was fairly sure he'd saved at least a dozen by monitoring Kimbley so steadily.
With a loud clearing of his throat, Roy straightened his collar, folded his hands on his desk, and called out.
"Come in."
Al opened the door hesitantly and poked his head in. He was grateful that he'd dressed up a little, despite the fact that it seemed so out of place for a SeeD uniform to be seen in this area (not to mention a uniform on one so young). It helped give him strength and reminded him that he was not a child, and he shouldn't be intimidated. Really.
He peered into the room, then stepped in, eyes wide. "Um...Colonel...Mustang?"
Roy's coal-black eyes narrowed at the young man. Well, he certainly didn't act like the other Elric he knew. Not that something like that was sufficient proof that he was an impostor or anything.
"You're the young man Aerith sent over, correct?" he continued, still strictly business. At least on the outside. "Come in, and close the door."
"Yes, sir." Al nodded and slipped inside, closing the door quietly behind him. The man before him seemed quite stern, and his first impression is of weariness. Maybe it was the stubble and circles under his eyes. It told him that things were indeed rough for the King's military.
He looked around briefly before moving toward the desk. Al's hair was neatly tied back, so only his bangs flopped into his eyes, and though he was small and young, the SeeD uniform fit him like it was tailored specifically for him (which it was), despite a strange bulge in the jacket. He gave the Colonel a salute. "SeeD, Seventh Level, Alphonse Elric, sir. I was told you could help me find my brother."
"Help you find your brother," Roy deadpanned, narrowing his eyes further before sitting straight up and clearing his throat. "I'm sure you'll understand that I'll need to see proper identification and certification that you're officially and legally operating as a SeeD."
Plus a little interrogation here and there, but that would come later. Really. Just what WAS that bulge under his coat?
Al blinked, then nodded. That was certainly a reasonable request. That's why they issued all active SeeDs identification cards, right? Without thinking, his hand went to his jacket, opening up the top button to reach into the hidden pocket and pull out his ID card. Of course, Balamb took immediate advantage of this freedom. A bright gold chocobo head popped out and looked around. "Wark?"
Roy arched a single eyebrow in what was a mild display of the shock he felt that this kid was actually bringing a chocobo into an official, military building. The Alchemist's building, no less.
"A chocobo, Elric. You brought a chocobo into a military facility?" he said, wearily picturing all the things a baby chocobo could possibly do to ruin the perfect order in his office...
Al jumped and turned bright red. "Uh, yes, sir. I'm really sorry, sir. I couldn't leave him alone." He fumbled around in his jacket, trying to pull his ID out and keep the bird in. Balamb, already a bit cross at having been stuffed in that confining space all that time, managed to wiggle away and fell to the ground. Al squeaked as Balamb made a beeline for Roy's desk.
Roy fought back the urge to snap his fingers in a reflexive defense against the baby bird... It was a young chocobo, after all, and unlike Kimbley, he'd actually feel bad about roasting it. Even if it took a dump all over his paperwork or something.
That vein began to bulge in his forehead as he whirled around to point at the offending bird.
"What are waiting for, Elric? Restrain it!" he barked, just picturing all the hard work he'd actually accomplished that day going to waste.
"Y-yes, I'm sorry!" Al leaped forward to grab Balamb. But the little bird had no intention of returning for a while. It slipped first under the desk, then climbed up Roy's leg into his lap. Before Roy could respond, it jumped from his lap onto his desk, upsetting a pile of paper onto the floor. Then, as Al reached over the desk to grab it, it made a fantastic leap, landed on Al's head, and launched itself to the top of a nearby bookshelf.
Al lost his balance, landing face-first on the colonel's desk. More papers went flying, and the pen stand clattered to the floor.
A single form that he'd just finished signing fluttered to land right atop Roy's head. The scene froze for a moment as he just stared down at the boy laying face-down on his once, surprisingly-neat desk.
The vein bulged.
"You're an Elric, alright," he finally growled, unable to imagine anyone else save perhaps Kimbley and those of THAT family name being capable of working on his last nerve like this.