[August 9] [Fullmetal Alchemist] In Ishval, Unheralded
Title: In Ishval, Unheralded
Day/Theme: Aug. 9, 2011 "following the rise and fall of another land."
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Character/Pairing: Scar, OC
Rating: PG
Author's comment: Related to my Native Son story, posted here in June. More years post-series... I haven't said all I want to say yet about Daniel.
"I didn't want you coming to Ishval," said the man Daniel knew only as "Scar." "Scar" wasn't his name now and it hadn't been precisely his name in the past, but it was the only moniker Daniel had for him. It was what Ed called him, after all ("He's got some new name now, somethin' respectable, what with his new position and all, but, I mean, I haven't seen him since then, how am I expected to remember that name?").
"But I wanted to see this land with my own eyes."
The priest stared down at this funny, gangly, half-grown boy, and appreciated his stubbornness. He was supposed to be afraid, wasn't he? What reason was there for him to receive Daniel J. Kimblee with open arms? To receive him at all? "What is it you see then, Daniel? And is it to your liking?"
"Well, uh, first of all," Daniel pulled his handkerchief out of his back pocket and mopped his brow, "It's hot. Wait," he cautioned Scar, "Wait, don't frown yet!" And because he said that, Scar couldn't resist the tiniest flicker of a smile. He was getting easy as he aged, wasn't he? "You see, it's beautiful though. I think the heat sharpens your perceptions of things. ...Makes you focus and all that. It makes Ishval even more beautiful."
He was as Edward Elric said: a good boy. Perhaps it had been that Scar doubted he and the former Fullmetal Alchemist shared the same idea of "good" that had made him waver. More likely it was those bad associations. He was not "Scar" any longer, but the lineage of this boy lay within that past life, and it was a poor memory- one of the worst that he had. Daniel, novice alchemist, student of Edward Elric, was all but helpless before him, but when their eyes met, Scar knew which one of them was truly afraid. It wasn't Daniel. He was full of yearning and cautious trust. Scar was the one wavering. In those golden eyes, heavy-lidded like their predecessor's, Scar saw the vulpine countenance that danced on in his nightmares.
When he'd mentioned it to his close friend the doctor, the man formerly known as "Marcoh" had expressed his astonishment that Scar could regard Daniel with such coolness and restraint. "You've come farther than you say, haven't you?" But Scar didn't feel that was true. Daniel was not a State Alchemist. He was only a child. ...And he sought some connection to those who had come before him. It was, Scar supposed, a sentiment Ishvalans could relate to better than most.
"You have a way with words," Scar said at last.
"Ha ha, I was scared for a second that you were going to grab me by the scruff of my neck and throw me back on the train." It was only when Daniel relaxed that Scar could see how nervous he had been.
"You have permission from your teacher for this excursion."
"Mr. and Mrs. Elric are busy with the new baby," Daniel swung his pack around over his shoulder so he could reach inside and pull out the letter of introduction Ed had written up for him. "He said I could stay as long as I liked- or as long as you let me. Whichever was shorter."
Scar unfolded Ed's letter. It was characteristically concise and only moderately polite, but he found it acceptable. This was not the first correspondence that he had shared with some of his past enemies regarding Daniel since he had become aware of his existence during a diplomatic visit earlier in the year to Central City. It struck Scar as possible that the Flame Alchemist actually found the fact of Daniel more disturbing than he did. It gave rise to a variety of odd questions in his mind, but it was also amusing.
"Is it going to be okay then?" Daniel asked when their eyes met again for a brief second over the edge of the paper.
"This is acceptable. It should be all right."
"Ah!" the boy grinned, "Good! ...Then, Mr. Scar, I'm yours to command!"
"Not 'Scar' though."
"Um, ah, yes! ...Just tell me what I should say then," Daniel shrugged sheepishly.
Day/Theme: Aug. 9, 2011 "following the rise and fall of another land."
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Character/Pairing: Scar, OC
Rating: PG
Author's comment: Related to my Native Son story, posted here in June. More years post-series... I haven't said all I want to say yet about Daniel.
"I didn't want you coming to Ishval," said the man Daniel knew only as "Scar." "Scar" wasn't his name now and it hadn't been precisely his name in the past, but it was the only moniker Daniel had for him. It was what Ed called him, after all ("He's got some new name now, somethin' respectable, what with his new position and all, but, I mean, I haven't seen him since then, how am I expected to remember that name?").
"But I wanted to see this land with my own eyes."
The priest stared down at this funny, gangly, half-grown boy, and appreciated his stubbornness. He was supposed to be afraid, wasn't he? What reason was there for him to receive Daniel J. Kimblee with open arms? To receive him at all? "What is it you see then, Daniel? And is it to your liking?"
"Well, uh, first of all," Daniel pulled his handkerchief out of his back pocket and mopped his brow, "It's hot. Wait," he cautioned Scar, "Wait, don't frown yet!" And because he said that, Scar couldn't resist the tiniest flicker of a smile. He was getting easy as he aged, wasn't he? "You see, it's beautiful though. I think the heat sharpens your perceptions of things. ...Makes you focus and all that. It makes Ishval even more beautiful."
He was as Edward Elric said: a good boy. Perhaps it had been that Scar doubted he and the former Fullmetal Alchemist shared the same idea of "good" that had made him waver. More likely it was those bad associations. He was not "Scar" any longer, but the lineage of this boy lay within that past life, and it was a poor memory- one of the worst that he had. Daniel, novice alchemist, student of Edward Elric, was all but helpless before him, but when their eyes met, Scar knew which one of them was truly afraid. It wasn't Daniel. He was full of yearning and cautious trust. Scar was the one wavering. In those golden eyes, heavy-lidded like their predecessor's, Scar saw the vulpine countenance that danced on in his nightmares.
When he'd mentioned it to his close friend the doctor, the man formerly known as "Marcoh" had expressed his astonishment that Scar could regard Daniel with such coolness and restraint. "You've come farther than you say, haven't you?" But Scar didn't feel that was true. Daniel was not a State Alchemist. He was only a child. ...And he sought some connection to those who had come before him. It was, Scar supposed, a sentiment Ishvalans could relate to better than most.
"You have a way with words," Scar said at last.
"Ha ha, I was scared for a second that you were going to grab me by the scruff of my neck and throw me back on the train." It was only when Daniel relaxed that Scar could see how nervous he had been.
"You have permission from your teacher for this excursion."
"Mr. and Mrs. Elric are busy with the new baby," Daniel swung his pack around over his shoulder so he could reach inside and pull out the letter of introduction Ed had written up for him. "He said I could stay as long as I liked- or as long as you let me. Whichever was shorter."
Scar unfolded Ed's letter. It was characteristically concise and only moderately polite, but he found it acceptable. This was not the first correspondence that he had shared with some of his past enemies regarding Daniel since he had become aware of his existence during a diplomatic visit earlier in the year to Central City. It struck Scar as possible that the Flame Alchemist actually found the fact of Daniel more disturbing than he did. It gave rise to a variety of odd questions in his mind, but it was also amusing.
"Is it going to be okay then?" Daniel asked when their eyes met again for a brief second over the edge of the paper.
"This is acceptable. It should be all right."
"Ah!" the boy grinned, "Good! ...Then, Mr. Scar, I'm yours to command!"
"Not 'Scar' though."
"Um, ah, yes! ...Just tell me what I should say then," Daniel shrugged sheepishly.