I was at home, tidying up the place, trying to make it look as neat as it possibly could, for one never knew when visitors may drop by, and I was always at work, but my shift at the hospital was over for now, so in my moment of free time, I was cleaning. I was straightening up my desk, adjusting a picture of my family, smiling at how my older brother attacked me in a hug while our parents laughed above us at how their children got along so famously. I missed my brother. I never saw him anymore, ever since he joined the military.
"Big brother! Don't go! What if the bad people get you?"
My brother knelt down and chuckled. "I'll be careful Wendy. I promise. No one can hurt me, your brother is invincible! I'm just going to training camp. It'll be fine." He had his hand on my head but it didn't comfort me. My lip had trembled and tears blurred my eyes. I'd never had to give my brother up before, he'd never left me behind….but now…he was old enough to serve his country, so that's what he was going to do. "Hey." He looked at me softly. "I'll write you every day, how's that sound?"
I rubbed my eyes and looked up to him innocently. "You promise?"
He laughed again, "Of course, would I ever lie to my little sister? The cutest little thing in the word?"
I giggled. "No." He smirked. "'Atta girl."
The phone rang, and I set the photo frame down and moved over to the phone and without a second thought, answered. "Hello?" I asked politely as I looked around the office.
My grip tightened drastically on the phone cords as the person spoke to me, informing me of a tragic accident…General Maes Hughes was dead. He had been murdered in fact...for knowing too much about something no one else knew. Tears streamed down my cheeks.
"I'm sorry we didn't notify you earlier this month, as the funeral was weeks, but we had somehow lost Doctor Hughes' files, which is obviously yours. Of course we located them and contacted you as soon as we could-"
"Thank you sir…I'll be on the next train to Central. Good day." I hung up and started to weep. My older brother was gone? Who could do such a thing? He had a wife…Gracia, who was like the sister I never had…and their daughter…he had his own little girl…why…why…
"Maes! Time to go!" Mother called and he stood up shouting he was coming but I grabbed onto his hand, shutting my eyes so not to let any tears escape. "I'll be back before you know it Wens."
I had waited everyday for those letters. Every day I got one, all incredibly long and detailed, even though nothing may have really happened that day, he still could ramble on and on and on, which was something I had actually viewed as a good quality of his, but as he entered the Ishvalen War, and as I grew more mature, I began to wonder how that may inconvenience the military at times. Next time I saw him was after the war, he had come back to visit for the first time in years, and immediately, when I saw him, I didn't see my brother anymore at first. He had seen death, and horrors far beyond my imagination, and so it hardened him. He had a lot of bandaged wounds, so he had gotten hurt a lot during those battles…and he had brought a friend of his with him from the academy- Roy Mustang.
I was about 15 or so by then, and when they noticed me lurking around the corner of the house, examining them from afar, my brother stepped out and with his arms wide open, with a great smile boomed, "Hey sis!" I smiled and ran to greet him.
"Brother, you're hurt." I noted sadly as he winced.
"It's nothing." He assured me.
"Here you boys, I'll tend to those cuts and wounds- come- follow me." My mother was a healer, so she did help fix their bandages and such, and it was that day I decided to become a doctor. While my brother fought to save his country, the other famous Hughes child fought to save lives.
I was just glad I hadn't been old enough to be a doctor in the Ishvalen conflict, because I may have been killed in the process like so many other civilians of both sides.
My brother was dead. How could someone kill someone who was so loved? I wiped away the last of my tears.
The phone rang again while I packing to travel down there that very night. I couldn't accept this…not until I saw for myself. I had to visit his grave as soon as possible. I'd lived a month in oblivion, not knowing the only blood family I had left was gone. I wished I knew who did it, so I could tear out their heart…as if the monster that did it even had one. I ignored the phone at first, thinking it may be work wondering why I had suddenly taken some time off, but eventually gave in to the never-ending ringing, and answered.
"Doctor Hughes?" a gruff voice asked.
"Colonel Mustang." I gasped.
"Wendy, I just learned you just found out about Hughes…"
"Roy."
"Well aren't you adorable…you remind of a puppy!"
I'd frowned at the strange man. "You're awfully creepy sir. I'm not little enough to resemble a puppy anymore."
His expression changed when we heard my father complaining he needed more firewood for the fire when Roy used alchemy and suddenly a bright warm fire was in the fireplace. That was amazing. I couldn't believe it.
"It's true isn't it? I don't want to believe it."
"Neither do I Wendy. He was my best friend, as good as brothers, which makes you like a sister, and now that Hughes is gone, it's my job to protect you."
"Did you plan this with Maes?" I frowned.
"As a matter of fact, in training, he said if anything ever were to happen to him, someone needed to guard you with their life…and wanted that person to be me."
"That was years ago before he met Gracia though-"
"We're taking care of her too. The military. But she's not my friend. I didn't meet her when she was mere child."
"I was an adolescent and you weren't much older, so you should be talking!"
He chuckled. "What?" I exclaimed.
"You remind me of the Fullmetal Alchemist, so temperamental at times."
"I'll be down tomorrow morning; we'll continue our discussion at Central Command." I said.
"Alright Wendy. I'll see you soon." He hung up.
I put the phone down and sighed, continuing to pack. I was strong, I wouldn't sob or cry. I'd be strong for my brother, show the world just how well the Hughes family could stand.
On the train, the select few people all seemed extremely preoccupied with their own problems like regular civilians. I sighed. Once someone started playing God in way of killing like the military, or saving lives like doctors, or even with what alchemists do…they could never turn back. The weight of the world was on their shoulders, we had to protect our people…and the people were just there, not even paying attention. I was still shaking from the awful news and I couldn't sleep on the train, but the next morning, I got off to find a military escort waiting for me.
As I got in the car I asked the military man if this was a precaution because I was related to Hughes or if it was on Mustang's orders, and he answered a bit of both.
"Name's Havoc by the way." He winked.
He was a handsome man, but he was obviously blinded by women, he couldn't even restrain himself when she was grieving over something huge?
"Oh god, I'm sorry Ma'am." Jean said.
The corners of my mouth tilted upwards and I said, "Apology accepted Mr. Havoc." And by then we were at our destination.
"Right this way Dr. Hughes." Havoc said as two younger boys ran by. Well, one was in armor, the other short. The one in the red cloak ran into me and he immediately apologized, then did a double take. "Wait…did Havoc say Dr. Hughes Al?"
"Yeah…he did." The other one said from the suit of armor.
I understood then. The Elric brothers. I'd heard about them from my brother once a few weeks…ago…Edward, the Fullmetal Alchemist, and his brother Alphonse…they had a tragic story. The poor children.
"You're…you're related to General Hughes?" Ed seemed on the verge of tears.
"He was my brother." I admitted.
"I'm so sorry!" he wrapped his arms around me and actually cried, like a child hugging their mom for comfort. "It's all my fault!"
"Elric-" Havoc started but I held a hand up to stop him. Then I knelt a bit down and took the boy into my arms properly and comforted him. The poor child must have recently found out the news too.
After a few minutes he let go and said, "Thank you." As if he'd almost forgotten what it felt like to have a sort of motherly figure for him. "We better go Al." Al nodded and they ran off.
"Curious pair of boys aren't they." Jean said as we entered the building. "You did so well with them too."
"No, of course not. They're just kids in way over their heads. And I do have a niece."I was led to Mustang's office and the moment I walked in the door he stood up and grabbed his coat, heading towards me.
"We're leaving." He announced.
"What? Then why did I come here?"
"Well I have no idea." He joked and I shook my head and followed him.
We got to the cemetery and I followed him until we reached a specific grave.
He pulled out flowers from behind his back and gave half to me, and put half the bouquet on the gravesite. I knelt down and traced my fingers over the engravings on the stone, then put the flowers down as well, and then it hit me. My brother was really gone forever. He'd broken his promise. I broke into wracking sobs and Roy knelt down beside me and let my cry into his uniform, he only comforted me while the sun set on another day.
...
A/N: I loved Hughes so much even though he got killed prety quick, and ever since I sae those episodes I wanted to make this little one-shot so yay1 Here it is!
REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!