058. hametsu no ashioto
058. footsteps of ruin
Mr. Hawkeye: So you became a soldier after all, Roy.
Roy: Yes, sensei. I thought eventually that I would like to take the qualification for a National Alchemist and work for my country.
Mr. Hawkeye: As I thought, it's still too early for you to use "flame alchemy".
Roy: Still... is it? In the end, you've only taught me the basics of alchemy up to now.
Mr. Hawkeye: Of course. It's a waste to teach someone who would degrade himself by becoming a dog of the military even the fundamental concepts.
Roy: "Alchemy is for the people"-- is it? Sensei. I think that being useful to the military is linked to being useful to the people. Now that we are exposed to threats from the surrounding countries, strengthening the military is most urgent. To protect the nation, alchemy is...
Mr. Hawkeye: I'm tired of listening to those second-hand opinions.
Roy: Sensei... To think if I had as much knowledge as you, it should be easy to take the National Qualification. Honestly, I find it unbearable that someone of your caliber is smoldering in such destitution. If you take the national qualification and accept the issued research funds, your research would also go even further...
Mr. Hawkeye: There's no need for that. My research has been perfected a long time ago. It is the strongest kind of alchemy. Depending on how it's used, it can also become the most deadly. And I became satisfied. Alchemists are living beings who, as long as they are alive, cannot go on without seeking truth. When thay stop their thinking, the "alchemist" would die. That is why I am a humn who dies a long time ago.
Roy: Please, don't say such a thing. If you would please use that power for the world...
Mr. Hawkeye: Power... So you want power, Roy?
Roy: Sensei!! Sensei!!
Mr. Hawkeye: Since I saw your growth... with my own eyes... I thought of bestowing it on you. What a pity... I don't have any time left to teach you...
Roy: Wha...
Mr. Hawkeye: But my research... my daughter knows it all... If you're saying you will use my alchemy... my power, in the correct way, she will probably present the secret to you... I'm sorry.
Roy: Please get ahold of yourself!!
Mr. Hawkeye: I was so immersed in my research, I couldn't do anything for you.
Roy: Sensei!! Hawkeye-sensei!!
Mr. Hawkeye: I'm sorry, Riza... Roy... I'll leave my daughter to you... Please... please... please...
Roy: Someone... Someone call a doctor!! Is there anyone here?!! Riza!!
059. haitoku no renkinjutsushi
059. the corrupted alchemists
Hughes: Roy!
Roy: Hughes! So you're here too!
Hughes: Hey, it's been a while, Ro-- Ooh! Now you're "Major Mustang", aren't you?
Roy: To be more precise, it's "a position equivalent to a major". Actually, I only have as much authority as a captain.
Hughes: Hahah! Same as me!
Roy: You became a captain? When?
Hughes: Just now! Out here, people both high and low keep dying. If you gain a little credit... You... you've got a different look in your eyes.
Roy: You do too. They're killer's eyes.
Hughes: Yeah.
Hughes: It feels familiar, like it was just a while ago. Your eyes were sparkling at the military academy. We all sure talked a lot about this country's future.
Roy: Yeah, we sure did. About the "beautiful future".
Hughes: Aah, man. This stuff wasn't included in that future. How's life here?
Roy: Not much. Blast artillery at them, corner them in, surround them, and burn them. Then we thoroughly shoot up whoever's left. Just a repetition of that.
Hughes: ... Do they really plan to continue this until every last Ishvalan is killed? Throwing even National Alchemists out here.
Roy: ... Hey, Hughes.
Hughes: Hm?
Roy: This annihilation campaign. If the goal is only to suppress the rebellion, don't you think there are too many risks?
Hughes: I was thinking of that too. This place doesn't have many resources or any commercial value worth speaking of. After wasting armaments to this extent, the only thing to be gained is "peace in the East"? At a time when the West and the South are also in an explosive state? Is there something here to go that far for? Right now it's just about ceased, but if they're to make this place into a base for trade with various eastern countries in the future...
Roy: ... it would be tasteless to render it to a burnt field.
Military Guy: Lieutenant! Lieutenant Hughes!
Hughes: It's Captain.
Military Guy: Oh! Excuse me! It's a letter.
Hughes: Ooh!!
Roy: What is it?!
Hughes: It's my "beautiful future"!
Roy: Glacier... A woman?
Hughes: She's in Central! She's been waiting for my return all this time! Aaaaaaah! What'll I do if some other guy is making a pass at her?!! No, there's no way that Glacier would leave a great guy like me to have an affair! No no no, but there's still no way the guys around her would leave such a great woman alone...
Roy: Hughes... I'll give you one word of advice. It's a common pattern in movies and novels. Guys who talk happily about their family or lovers on the battlefield have a high chance of dying! Stop it right there!
Hughes: And what about you?! Don't you have something light-hearted to talk about...?
Roy: A gunshot?!
Hughes: It's okay, Roy. We have a "Hawk's Eye" on us.
Roy: Hawk...?
Hughes: Yeah, it's a still nameless sniper. It's become quite a topic among us. She's still a cadet from the military academy, but at any rate she's got a good arm. It seems she's been brought all the way out here. Hah... to think they have to pull out even a little chick like that... This must be the end.
Hughes: There she is. Yo! Thanks for before. You were the one who shot that, right?
Hawkeye: It's been a while, Mr. Mustang...
Hughes: Eh?
Hawkeye: No, perhaps I should call you Major Mustang now. Have you begun to remember?
Roy: ... How could I forget? Aah... how awful. Even this girl has gotten a killer's eyes.
Hawkeye: I was... afraid of my father. Because the sight of him absorbed in his research was as if he were possessed by something. Yet still, I believed in my father's words that this great power would bring happiness to many people. --I believed that. Alchemy would give people dreams and hope, and that the military would protect this country's future... Please tell me, Major. Why are soldiers, who ought to protect citizens, killing them instead? Why is alchemy, which ought to bring happiness to the people, being used for murder?
060. kami no fuzai
060. the absense of god
Hawkeye: I'm sorry, Mr. Mustang. Having you take care of everything, even up to my father's funeral...
Roy: You don't have to worry about it. As an apprentice, I'll do anything I can for my teacher. ... Don't you have any other family or relatives?
Hawkeye: My mother has long been dead. Both my mother and father seem to have been estranged from their families, so I've never heard them talk of any relatives.
Roy: What will you do from now on?
Hawkeye: I'll think about it. Fortunately, my father at least made me go to school properly... I think I'll be able to live on my own somehow.
Roy: ... I see. If anything happens, you can visit the military authorities anytime. I'll probably be in the military for life.
Hawkeye: ... for life?
Roy: Yes.
Hawkeye: Please don't die.
Roy: ... don't say such ominous things... I can't guarantee it. Because in this ocupation, someday I might just die on the side of the road like a piece of trash. Even so, if I could become one of this country's foundation stones and be able to protect everyone with these hands, I think I'll be happy. That's the reason why I learned alchemy, but... in the end, I wasn't able to be taught Master's secrets. ... Sorry, I ended up speaking of my naive dream.
Hawkeye: No. I think it's a wonderful dream. The secrets my father left behind. He said they were written in a code that no average alchemist would be able to decipher.
Roy: So Master left behind his secret manuscripts after all...
Hawkeye: No. They're not manuscripts. He said it would be a problem if his life's research disappeared or was taken by an outsider...
Roy: How did he leave them behind?
Hawkeye: Mr. Mustang. That dream... can I entrust my back to it? Is it all right to believe in a future where everyone can live in happiness?
Hawkeye: Even though I believed, why did it turn out this way?
Kimblee: "Why?" Because that is the job of a national alchemist. Why are soldiers, who ought to protect citizens, killing them instead? Because that is the task given to us. Am I wrong?
Roy: Are you saying we should accept it? Accept this brutal scene?
Kimblee: You can't accept it as your job? Everyone else?
Soldier A: If we could, we wouldn't be talking about these things.
Kimblee: That's right... for example... The young lady there. "I'm doing this unwillingly". You're wearing that kind of face.
Hawkeye: That's... right. Killing isn't enjoyable.
Kimblee: Is that so? When you defeat your opponent, can you definitely say that you don't think, "I hit him! All right!" and hold pride in your skill, that you don't have even a little moment when you feel a sense of achievement in your work? Miss Sniper.
Roy: ... Don't say any more than that!!
Kimblee: In my view, you are the ones that I can't understand. To seek for justice in a special place like a battlefield is what's strange. Is it heretical to kill with alchemy? Is it better to kill with a gun? Or is it that you were prepared to kill one or two, but can't bear killing thousands? When you wore this of your own will, weren't you aready prepared? If you don't like it, you shouldn't have worn it in the first place. You moved forward onto this path on your own, why are you playing the victim now? If you're going to take pity on yourself, don't kill people in the first place. Don't avert your eyes from death. Look forward. Look at the people you're killing in the face. And don't forget them. Don't forget. Don't forget. They won't forget you either.
Hughes: I have to go too. Starting today I'm in Section 18. Bye, Roy.
Roy: Hughes. Why are you fighting?
Hughes: It's simple. "I don't want to die". That's all. The reason is always simple, Roy.
061. ishval no eiyuu
061. the hero of ishval
Soldier: Major Mustang. This is the last one.
Roy: Elder. You are the last one. Is there anything you want to say?
Soldier: Major...!
Ishvalan elder: I curse you
Soldier A: Major Mustang. How about a drink?
Roy: What are your names?
Soldier: It's Charlie.
Soldier: Fabio.
Soldier: Richard.
Soldier: I'm called Alessandra.
Soldier: It's Deeno. I'm the youngest out of everyone.
Soldier: Over here is Alberto. Hey! We're short on alcohol!
Roy: What party are you from?
Soldier B: Look! He doesn't know about us after all!
Soldier A: Your party, Major. Though we're at the tail end so it can't be helped that you don't know.
Soldier: Rogers.
Soldier: Damiano.
Soldier B: Yeah, this guy just came in recently as a replacement soldier, so of course you wouldn't know him.
Roy: Replacement... That's right... so many died... How pathetic. Even though I've fought so long, I don't remember the names of the comrades who supported me very well. I don't remember most names of the subordinates who died, either. Let alone anything about the Ishvalans who fell at my hands... !!
Soldier A: Even when you were suffering, you didn't run and leave us behind. With those powerful flames, you always cut across the battlefield and into the enemy, and didn't let us underlings die in vain. The way that your incredible fire power mowed down the enemy was... "reliable". No other word can describe it. Because the Flame Alchemist was there, we didn't die. To us, you are a hero. Please don't make that sort of face. Thanks to you, this many soldiers survived.
We're grateful, Major.
Roy: You too... Thank you for surviving.
Soldier B: Okaaaaay let's go hoooome!! Our beloved families are waiting!!
Roy: With this battle, my young ideals were shattered. Even if I said I'd protect this country, in reality it was everything I could do just to protect a mere handful of people. "I was able to protect this many soldiers"? I was able to protect only this many, fool that I am!
Roy: I'm pissed off at my foolish self!!
Hughes: Don't be so worried about it, Roy. The strength of a human is limited. Aren't we humans just like trash?
Roy: Yeah, that's right. I realized it with this battle. But trash has its own pride as trash. The strength of one person is limited. In that case, I'll protect all I can... even if it's just a few... I'll protect what's important... In turn, the people below me will protect those below them. For a small human, at least that should be possible.
Hughes: What, geometric progression? That's a child's calculation! An idealistic argument!
Roy: I don't care if I'm called green! You may call it idealist or simple, but when that is accomplished, it would become nothing more than "something that is possible". Talk about your ideals, Hughes. Just like when we were in the military academy. If we become unable to talk about our ideals, the evolution of humans will come to an end.
Hughes: Haha...your way of thinking has changed, but your roots are still green! So... which means. If you're going to protect the entire country, you'd need to be at the very top of that progression.
Roy: It would certainly feel good up there, Hughes. But I can't climb up all the way with only my own power. I'm confident about that.
Hughes: What are you being so haughty for! Sounds interesting. I'll take a shot at it. I want to see how your green ideals would change the country that was built up by that King Bradley, who doesn't even fear God.
Bradley: Hmmm... There's a man in this hustle and bustle who isn't drunk with victory. He's looking at me... No... he's already looking past me. The Flame Alchemist!!
Roy: Aren't you going back? You'll be left behind. Is it a comrade?
Hawkeye: No. An Ishbalan child... He was shot and left on the roadside alone.
Roy: ... Let's go back. The war is over.
Hawkeye: The battle of Ishbal isn't over inside me yet. No... it will probably never end. I was the one who believed in you and entrusted my father's research to you. I was also the one who chose to go into the military academy wishing for the happiness of the people. Even if that had undesired results, I cannot run from the facts. To deny, atone, or beg for forgiveness is the arrogance of those who did the killing. I have a favor to ask you, Mr. Mustang. Please burn and crush my back.
Roy: What are you... There's no way I can...
Hawkeye: At least!! If I can't atone, then at least so that it can't give birth to a new Flame Alchemist. So that the secrets on this back can't be used. And so I can lay down the bonds to my father and alchemy, to become Riza Hawkeye as an individual. Please.
Roy: How much would I have to burn to kill...or if it would hinder your lifestyle. The depth and range of burns has become within my power. How ironic. I've gotten too used to burning people in this battle.
Hawkeye: Riza Hawkeye.
Roy: So you went through all that in Ishval, but in the end you chose this path.
Hawkeye: Yes. I chose it myself, and put my hands through the sleeves of the uniform with my own will.
Roy: ... What's your field of expertise?
Hawkeye: Guns. A gun is good. Unlike a sword or a knife, it doesn't leave the feeling of a person dying on your hands.
Roy: That's deceit. So you plan on deceiving yourself like that and continue soiling your hands?
Hawkeye: That's right. We soldiers should be the only ones soiling our hands and spilling blood. It should be enough for only us to go through something like Ishval. As alchemists say, if the truth of this world can be shown through equivalent exchange, so that the new generation that will be born can enjoy happiness. To pay the cost, we will have to shoulder corpses and cross a river of blood.
Roy: I'm thinking of recommending you as my aide. I want you to protect my back. Do you understand? To entrust my back to you means that you can shoot me from behind anytime. If I step off of the path, shoot and kill me with those hands. You are qualified to do that. Will you follow me?
Hawkeye: Understood. If that is your wish, then even into hell.
Roy: I am a powerless human. Because of that, I need your help in order to protect everything. I will protect your lives. And you will protect only whom you can... even if it's only a few, protect those below you. And those below you would also protect those below them. No matter what happens, live, continue to survive greedily. Live, and let's change this country together.
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