SPOILER WARNING: This fanfic contains references to material from volumes thirteen up to the very end of the series. Based solely off the manga.

CONTENT WARNING: Rating this T for violence and language. Heavy Royai. Action and descriptive scenes. No sexual content.

Plotline info: After the end of series storyline. Roy Mustang is framed for the assassination of Fuhrer Grumman whom he did not kill. He leaves Central alone without telling Riza Hawkeye to protect her. Returns after fifteen months of searching for the truth only to be caught by Lt. Colonel Ridgemont: the actual assassin.

Ridgemont smiled at the captive Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye. They were both cuffed and completely incapable of defending themselves. They were in what looked like an old alchemy lab. The concrete floor was cracked and there were stains everywhere. The walls were grey concrete was well and windowless. There were a handful of armed men following Ridgemont with guns pointed at Roy and Riza's heads. The dim lighting bothered their eyes as they tried to figure a way out of their predicament. "So General, Major, do you know why I have brought you here?" Both glared at him silently. "Of course not. Mustang could figure everything else out, but no one knew that our final plans would bring you here. You both are familiar with the idea of a human-based homunculus?" Roy frowned his black eyes searching for reason to bring up such a term. Riza gasped at the thought.

Ridgemont smiled. "Ah my dear Mustang surely you haven't forgotten King Bradley? We happen to like using homunculi and wish to continue the experimentation with them. We believe that taking an ordinary philosopher's stone and injecting it into a human with strong emotions can give birth to a homunculus beyond the Father's original seven." His grin was wide and cruel. "And we thought you might be a good candidate."

"You bastard!" Roy yelled. "I'll die before I become one of those monsters!" His eyes pitched into an angry black fury. Riza was speechless as she stared at her captor her eyes full of hatred. He'd already caused them so much trouble, and now he wanted to pull off this ludicrous torture. Riza hadn't seen Roy in fifteen months after Ridgemont framed Roy for Grumman's assassination. Now that Roy had learned the truth and returned to her, they were once again thrown into the center of something bigger than themselves. She wondered if they would ever get to spend time together without it being centered around Amestris, its people, or what was currently in need of their help.

"Actually we want to use you both. After some research, we've noticed that you Hawkeye have a terrible fear of being alone. In fact loneliness is the one emotion you loath above all else. In addition, Mustang here well he has a tendency for vengeance. We know you went berserk fighting Envy. It's a shame your need for revenge wasn't stronger. Of course, a philosopher's stone can change that easily. We expect that the two of you will make perfect homunculi based on your own emotions."

"Don't touch her! Do what you will to me, but leave her out of it!" Roy growled his anger rising.

"No!" Riza shouted back. "Even to Hell will I follow you!" Roy shook his head hating the bravery in her eyes.

"No I won't lose you!" He replied his voice cracking.

"But if I lose you than what is there left for me in this life?" She asked him in a whisper. "I've already told you before, without you I have no desire to continue on in life."

Ridgemont laughed. "She wishes to follow you General; I guess you both will be used. I hope we are right in believing that both of you are perfect candidates, weak willed people tend to be destroyed by the sheer force of the stone, they need strong emotions to complete the process."

"I order you not to follow me!" Roy snapped.

"Since you are currently restricted from military authority your orders are useless. I will do as I please." Riza replied harshly.

"Bring in the stones!" Ridgemont commanded enjoying the two's argument. "Strap them to those tables back there and prep them for the injection."

"You'll never get away with this!" Roy screamed as several men dragged him towards one of the medical tables in the back. He struggled to free himself from their grip. "I will not surrender to your plans! I'll let the stone kill me first!" He yelled as he pulled away from the soldiers. If only he could clap his hands together, as much as he hated the fact that he'd been to the gate he couldn't deny the fact that not needing a transmutation circle was useful.

"Let me go!" Riza spat as she kicked one of the men attempting to pick her up in the stomach. He clutched his middle and stumbled back. She turned to the other two men her brown eyes full of fire. Her leg swung out towards them, but the first man whose tan face seemed to have a permanent scowl caught her leg. He twisted her ankle with a jerk and she cried out in pain. The other man struck the left side of her neck with the side of his hand. She yelled out as her head jerked the scarred tissue of her neck forever extremely sensitive to pain. They grabbed her and swung her up onto the table releasing her onto the steel surface with cruel force.

She gasped as the wind was knocked from her lungs and they began to strap the thick leather belts around her arms and legs. Roy turned to try to help her, but someone struck the back of his head with something solid and he slumped forward his sight losing focus. They grabbed him and flung him onto the table. They strapped him down tightening the straps so that they began to cut off circulation. The pain snapped him back and he swore at them a string of such profanity Riza glanced at him in surprise.

"Bravo Mustang!" Ridgemont mocked clapping his hands. "You're quite the hero. No, wonder so many people follow you without question. It's a shame you are about to lose that chivalrous attitude of yours!"

"Riza, don't lose yourself to the stone! Even if I am defeated, do not give up. Win the battle no matter what! I know you don't want to be left alone, you won't be!" Roy spoke trying to keep from saying the things he had always wanted to say to her.

"I will not let you down. Now shut up you blathering idiot!" She snapped her own pain and fear apparent in her face. Two alchemists walked in each reverently carrying a syringe holding a thick red liquid. Philosopher's stones.

"Inject them now. We don't have time to wait. They already know how painful it is going to be." Ridgemont ordered hastily. He was obviously worried that things might not go well. His green eyes stared at the two with insane hope. His light brown hair was messy and his slight beard was rough. He stood there in an Amestrian military uniform watching with forced indifference. "But start with Mustang, wait before you inject Hawkeye." He added a slight quirk in his lips.

"No!" Riza screamed as the alchemist came up from behind Roy brandishing the needle. He grabbed Roy's arm and pushed the torn shirt sleeve up revealing the crook of the elbow. He took the syringe and pushed it into the flesh slowly. Roy winced as the alchemist pushed against the top of the syringe forcing the stone into his bloodstream. He screamed as the power of the stone began to assume command of his body. Sweat poured down his face as he twitched and jerked the energy from the stone arcing around his body. He yelled out again and coughed up some blood.

"God Damn you!" Roy sputtered clenching his fists trying to fight the pain. Deep within he argued with the homunculus trying to hijack his body.

"Give in to me and I will not destroy you! Allow Vengeance to command your body and provide you with untamed strength!" Roy's mirror image with dark hate filled eyes yelled.

"Never! I will not yield myself to anyone!" Roy's own spirit spat back. "You have no right to come and demand I surrender to some monster that only feels one single emotion!" The tortured souls contained in the stone passed through him. He jolted in pain.