Waking from a sleep coma

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Who: Riza and Roy
Where: Random hotel Roy's rented
When: Today
Style: Action?
Status: Closed

[Riza yawned as she burrowed into blankets.

--Blankets?

The young Cadet bolted upright. While her brain was still foggy, she knew that she hadn't fallen alseep here.] huh?

[A headshake. Think on that later. She had more important things to deal with, like why she has woken up in a different location. And find the Ma- no. Find the Colonel. As far as she knew, the man was still injured and seemed to have a dislike for bed rest.

Sliding out of bed, she noted that she was still in her nightclothes, but that was an idle thought for later. If she considered it later.

Standing, she headed out of the bedroom, eyebrow quirking atthe house-like feel, but she was still on her guard.] ..Colonel?

[It was still strange to refer to him as Colonel, but that was his rank.]

Comments

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[Roy had been seated in the living room area of the hotel, reading a book he'd found in the library earlier. At hearing Riza's voice, he set the book down and rose to his feet, looking back toward her, a mix of relief and concern apparent in his face and eyes.]

Lieu-- [No.. she wasn't a Lieutenant yet, but after so many years of using that rank, the habit was so ingrained, it was always the word which rose to mind when addressing her usually. Time to try breaking that habit perhaps.] Riza.

How are you feeling?

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Fine. [But tired, though she could do nothing to stiffle the yawn.It wasn't something she'd mastered just yet. The start of the rank still had her glance around just a fraction, but she shrugged it off easily enough.

It helped that he was in causal dress.] This is hardly the clinic. Did they discharge you?

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Yes, I was discharged almost two weeks ago now. I carried you here when you wouldn't wake up. [A pause and his expression was now more concerned than previous, since he still didn't know why she'd been out so long.]

You've been sleeping for two weeks, nothing I did could wake you.

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[Blink.

Replaying that. And still blinking.] Two weeks? That seems impossible, if I do say so myself.

[A sigh though. She is well aware that this place is far from ordinary and that anything seems to happen.] .. I'm glad to hear that. How did the burn happen?

[incinerare]

If you want to check the date on your communicator... it was worrying to find you like that and being incapable of waking you up.

[Cause he's been through losing enough people already, when he'd been unable to wake her, the first thought which had gone through his mind had been that she'd died somehow on him, the fact she'd been still breathing had calmed that fear.

Excuse him for dodging that question again as he turned his attention toward the table before the couch and picking up a paper bag resting on it.]

Are you hungry? I found a good bakery while you were sleeping.

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[Riza will look unamused at the question dodging for now, but she hasn't forgotten it by a long shot.] Yes, thank you.

[She'll take the bag and take a bite of what's in it as she looks around the hotel. It's feels homely, but at the same time, there are several things that she doesn't exactly recognise. While the medical things in the clinic where one thing, being away from that was...interesting.] You'll have to show me, sir. What of the situation here?

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[He really doesn't know how to explain the situation surrounding the injury to her, it's just to complicated and almost unbelievable in some aspects, thus he'll continue to dodge it as long as he can for the time being.]

I've found no way to return home yet, though it seems that some of those the city brings can vanish from it and are presumed to be sent back to their worlds. I've also been looking for a place for us to stay which is more private than this hotel room. There's also something in this city capable of summoning creatures which will attack you either physically or with elements, such as lighting. So if your guns didn't make the trip with you, I want to look into replacing them now that you're awake.

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My rifle arrived with me, though I shall see to finding replacement guns. [Riza had a sad smile for the news that there was no way home, but she was selfishly glad. Going home meant returning to the lingering stench of war and death in the air. Of looking at Ishval and knowing what she'd done. Here, she could at least pretend that she wasn't a killer, even if just for a while.

Though, on hearing that he was looking for a house other than the hotel, she unconsciously rubbed the back of her neck - where the start of the tattoo was.] ..I'll help search, too. I also have a favor to ask, Mr Mustang.

[She'd already made her mind up, but looking at him now, she couldn't help but wonder of she really had asked him. She couldn't think of any other way. It would leave scars, she knew.

But... to be free of her father's work, to unburden herself...] If you don't mind that is..

[incinerare]

[That was some small relief and he'd also welcome the company once again. The request gained a curious look though. Why should he mind doing her a favor,]

Yes?

[It wasn't until after the word had been spoken that his memory decided to kick him in the gut by dredging up the last 'favor' he'd done for her.. and given the amount of years she was behind him... well, it was likely obvious he possibly already realized just what the favor would be, due to the abrupt loss in color and slight unconscious widening of his eyes as he remembered that conversation.]

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[Roy's guess was correct, though Riza paused, thankfully noticing how pale he was.] Sir? is everything alright?

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[It took him a couple seconds to find his voice again, but he kept it steady and unaffected, even if his body language revealed far more than the voice did. Sitting down again on the couch, he closed his eyes and decided to approach this head on despite the discomfort he felt about it.]

...your back. It's currently unscarred... and you want me.. [His voice choked on him there, but after a moment, he was able to finish.]

You want me to burn it.

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Yes. [Riza swallowed the lump in her throat.] So that no one can use it again. So that there cannot be another flame alchemist.

[A breath and a beat before she continued.] So that I may be free of his alchemy. Free to be Riza Hawkeye.

[incinerare]

[There's a good minute of silence following that before he finally releases a soft sigh, of perhaps resignation. He wasn't going to request she continue to bear that burden of hers here, simply because he didn't want to go through burning her once again. It would be more than selfish, but also cruel of him to demand.]

I'll do it. [A pause for a second as if he sought to steel his resolve and then.] When do you want it done?

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When you are ready, Sir. [She could tell that he wasn't comfortable with this - so she'd allow him to do it when he was ready. It was only fair. Riza herself wasn't one hundred percent either, but it had to be done. The sooner the better.

She had to ensure that no one else ever got a hold of the array on her back and this was the only way that she could possibly think of.

She'd bear the pain of the burns quietly and without protest. Penance for the fact that it was through her, her father's work had been used in such away.]

[incinerare]

Let's get it done now then.

[Before he started actually having second thoughts about it and the resolve to do it again faltered. He stood up from the couch and reached for the coat lying on the couch in order to pull the gloves from one of its pockets.]

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Very well. [A nod, and Riza pulled off her top, hugging it close to her chest. The sleeves she pushed into her mouth - something to bite down on more than anything. It would also serve to muffle any sounds of pain as she knew that it would likely hurt as much as getting the tattoo in the first place. And that had been over a number of months.

A single nod. She was ready. She'd bear this pain as well as she could. She wouldn't back out or change her mind.]

[incinerare]

[He's silent as he pulls the gloves on and comes to stand behind her, narrowing his focus to solely on the too familiar design gracing her back.

The actual ordeal was fortunately over within a couple minutes at the very most, and when he lowers his hand he moves silently to stand before her for several seconds before managing to speak again.]

Do you want to go to the clinic or should I bring back stuff to treat your back here?

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[She does not scream - she won't - can't. This is her penance for what she's done in the war - for the souls that she killed. She does however tense as the flames hit, eyes screwing up as she bites into the fabric.

It hurts - It's like nothing she's ever felt and while the ordeal lasts only a few minutes... the pain will last longer.] Here.

[No-one but those she trusts will ever see the remains of the tattoo and the burns that now disfigure her back.] Please.

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All right. [There's a moment's hesitation, but since they're not back home, there's no reason he can use to dissuade himself from reaching up and silently wiping away the tears that gathered at the edge of her eyes before he rests his hand over the back of her head and steps closer to rest his own head against hers, eyes closing.

He'll leave for the clinic in a minute, but for now he does what he couldn't before, trying to offer silent comfort despite the fact he's the reason she's in such pain, perhaps the consolation was needed on both of their parts. They both held so much guilt because of that war. It was just unfortunately far fresher for her than it was for him.]

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[Riza takes in the comfort - it's something that she needs. Wants even. Where they back home, she would have rejected this, dealt with it in her own, silently carrying the pain and refusing to let it show.

Here - Here she lets it show, if only somewhat. There's much of it that she'll hid in the coming days, weeks and months that it takes for the burns to fully scar over.

The pain's nothing, or so she tells herself.] Thank you.

[Now go get the things to treat her back, please. Otherwise the scaring will more good awful than it's going to be.]

[incinerare]

[He lifts his head and let's go of her, stepping back.]

I'll be back soon.

[With that said, he turns to leave the room and heads out from the hotel to make his way toward the clinic.]

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Alright.

[It's only once he's out of the room does everything truly start to sink in. What she's done - why she's done it.

She's free. She's Riza Hawkeye now. Free to be her own person. While yes, the burns a`re horrific, she's no longer carrying around the completeled manuscript and she hopes that very little of it is left. She does not want to aid in the creation of another Flame Alchemist. Not after what she saw on thewarfront.

She knows that there is no way to remove a tattoo once it's on skin, but... the burns, as painful as they are, willhide the array on her back. She'll still have to be carful though - she can't risk questions that she's unwilling to answer.

More importantly, she doesn't know how much of the array is gone, so it's easier to keep hiding it.

No one but herself or Roy would ever see her back.]

[By the time he returns, Riza will be curled on on the couch - leaning forward so that her back isn't against the covering, shirt still hugged against her front, staring at the TV.

Yep. Guess who discovered the wonders of TV, colour pictures and more importantly:

That the shows have sound.]