The Butterfly and Flame Alchemists (COMPLETED)

Part Six

The festival was bright, filled with people, lights, and the smell of food. Rosie had run a head of the group with Aileana, both of them laughing loudly as they went to different booths. Roy stayed back a bit, even behind Ed and the others, making sure to give her some space.

            “I’m surprised to see you here,” Meredith said as she stood beside Roy, “you didn’t even come to these when you lived here,”

            “That’s because the summer air brought allergies,” he sighed, not allowing himself to get worked up, “you know that,”

            “I’m just pulling your leg Roy,” she laughed, smacking him lightly on the back, “in fact, we’re all grateful that you came back,”

            “We? And how so? I thought you guys all hated me,” he smirked.

            “You wipe that smirk of your face,” she glared, “when I say ‘we’, I mean the whole damn town. She was dead on the inside after you left,” she looked sadly at Aileana, “she was never the same after the accident and after you left. Hardly smiled, hardly left the house. Even after Rosie came into her life, she didn’t have the same fire she has now. You brought her back to life Roy; you brought back our flower, and for that we are eternally grateful,”

Roy smiled at the woman and she narrowed her eyes at him.

            “That doesn’t mean that I like you. I still don’t like the fact that you just up and left, leaving her hurt and alone without even a goodbye,”

            “Speaking of hurt,” Roy said, pointing over at Aileana, “over the past week I have noticed cuts on her hands and arms. What can you tell me about those? I don’t remember any kind of alchemy that did that to her,”

            “Oh, those,” she said in a matter of fact kind of way, “she got those only about two weeks ago. Some man came into town and tried to hurt her,”

            “What?” his temper rose instantly, “Why would he do that?”

            “It was odd,” she continued, “I don’t remember Ishbalans being violent, but then again after the massacre-”

            “Ishbalan?” Roy grabbed her arms, “Did he have a large X shaped scar on his face?”

            “Yes,” her eyes widened in shock, “he said he was going to bring down the judgment of God on Aileana,”

            “Are you sure that it was him? Why would he come all this way to find her? I mean she’s retired now!”

            “And that’s what she told him. She explained to him that she retired before the massacre because she started a family. Apparently he apologized for his actions and just left. Poor thing was afraid to leave the house for days,”

Roy stood there in complete shock. He had been trying to track Scar for months, and now suddenly he was out in the country trying to kill his wife. His anger continuing to bubble, he stalked over to Aileana and pulled her into an ally way.

            “How come you never told me about Scar?” he whispered in her ear between clenched teeth as he held her wrists.

            “Who? And let go, you’re hurting me,” she said, squirming under his touch.

            “The man with the X on his face,” he placed his hands against the wall on either side of her head, getting close to her face, “the man who tried to kill you,”