Backwards🪭↩️

2

Roy smiled a little at his subordinate as he went into headquarters. Riza didn't make any faces but stared down her superior before turning and giving Ed and Al a small smile.

"Hello, boys, how was the trip?" she asked as she turned to walk into the building behind her superior.

"It was a dud. Nothing there but some military guy who thinks he's going to be the next Fuhrer in his dreams but ruling like a tyrant over their assigned town. Nothing new." Ed said with a shrug.

They all made it to the Colonel's office and the Elrics said hello to the staff as Roy headed to his office. Hawkeye was right behind him and she wasn't going to let his laziness go for the day. She closed the door behind her and waited for him to turn to her.

"Do you have something you need to discuss with me, Lieutenant?" Roy asked, purposely looking away from her.

"Sir, you have told the staff many times to be on time and yet you don't try to do the same. I think it really doesn't show them how serious you are about the rules you in-place. It just makes it seem like you blow them out of your ass, sir."

Roy turned back to her with a smirk and sat at his desk.

"You're right, Hawkeye. Thank you for looking out for the morale of the crew."

"I also have a message from the Fuhrer that he wants you to go up to his office and be briefed on an assignment."

Roy lifted an eyebrow but got up and straightened his jacket out to go to the Fuhrer's office. He thought about all the things that were going on with some of the encampments and other offices but couldn't really think of anything that the Fuhrer himself would want him to work on.

When he got to the Fuhrer's office, he was surprised to find Edward sitting in one of the chairs in front of the man's desk.

"Ah, Mustang, come in and have a seat beside Mr. Elric, here." He said with a smile that was half hidden by his bushy mustache.

Roy made a face that Edward was there, though Edward didn't look too please about being there with him either.

"I have called you both in here to investigate a project that is going on in one of the labs. The project is called 'The Fountain of Youth'. I'm sure you may have seen the file yesterday, Colonel?" he asked, looking at Roy.

Roy nodded. "Yes, I saw it. Very interesting work there."

"That may be but it seems like our scientists are using a particular liquid so that the effects will be done correctly. Now from what I understand in the reports given to me by Edward Elric and yourself, there is this thing called a Philosopher's Stone going around?"

Ed and Roy looked at each other and shrugged.

"Yeah, we've been looking for the Philosopher's Stone." Ed piped up. "We thought that if we could get it, we might be able to use it. What's the problem?"

"We found out that these particular scientists might be using a form of it for their experiment. I need you two to investigate it."

"I thought I was sent in for my expertise..." Roy asked.

"That's true. First of all, you're the only superior officer who does not have massive amounts of duties, you're very good at persuading people to do things, and if anything goes awry, you can torch that lab to smolders." The Fuhrer said with a laugh.

"So I will be accompanied by Ed?" Roy said with a frown.

"Yes. He needs to be there as well to report for a fact if the liquid in question is indeed made with a Philosopher's Stone. If so we want to be able to put a stop to it. You two will leave at 0800 tomorrow morning."