Fullmetal Alchemist: The Ties That Bind by Hiromu Arakawa Makoto Inoue

Author:Hiromu Arakawa, Makoto Inoue
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 978-1-9747-3517-4
Publisher: VIZ Media
Published: 2022-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

“Long time no see, Major Mustang … or Colonel Mustang, I guess it is these days.”

Roy and Luon faced each other in the dim light that came filtering down from the streetlamps on the road above. They could have been back in Ishval. So little had either of the men changed since then. Except Luon wore civilian clothes now, and this time, they weren’t on the same side.

Roy knew that he couldn’t simply take this man into custody—not without a fight. Luon’s black shirt collar was open, revealing the alchemical circle carved into the skin of his shoulder, as always. There was no telling when he might unleash his alchemy.

Luon knew Roy’s strength, too. Any closer, and he risked getting caught in a wall of fire.

The two stood, tense, old friends not daring to take a step closer to one another.

“Once I heard you were on the case, I knew you’d figure out it was me.”

“Actually, one of my men likes smoking even more than you do. I’d kind of gotten used to the smell of his cigarettes, which made yours stick out even more. That, and you use matches. I can smell the sulfur. That’s why you never wanted to use me as your lighter, isn’t it? You like the smell of tobacco and matches.”

“Did I say that?” Luon asked, shaking his head. He narrowed his eyes as his mind raced back across the years.

It occurred to Roy that Luon might be waiting for his chimera to come back. If Roy wanted to do something, he’d better do it quick.

“There was something I’ve been wanting to ask you if we met again,” Roy said.

“What’s that?”

“The people the chimeras attacked … They were all enemies of yours in one way or another, I gather. But you spared their lives. Why?”

If he wanted blood, why not take it all? It had struck Roy as odd since this investigation started. Then there would be no need for such meticulous attack plans, and there would be fewer witnesses to corroborate facts. It would have taken the investigation much longer to get as far as it had if, indeed, it had ever gotten anywhere.

“I don’t care to see any more people die,” Luon answered, still leaning against the wall.

His voice carried the weight of someone who had killed many in the past. To anyone else, it might have seemed like empty justification, but Roy had been with Luon during the massacre. He understood. It made it that much harder to accept that this man, his former partner, would dirty his hands with this business now.

“I’m sorry we had to meet again in these circumstances,” Roy said with a sigh. “Not just for me. I’m sure everyone who was with us back then would feel the same.”

“Back then …” Luon echoed, a faint smile on his lips. “How are Major Armstrong and Captain Hughes holding up?”

“The major’s as good as ever. Hughes is …” Roy stopped, then added quietly, “He’s brigadier general now, you know.”

“Brigadier general?” Luon raised an eyebrow.

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