Fullmetal Heart
Foreword: I've wanted for a long time fill in the holes that we were left to ourselves to imagine at the end of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, and so upon my anger and frustration at my powerlessness to be able to draw those things, I've taken to writing my own after credits story, about all the things that happen after the Promised Day, the first few chapters will cover the very afterwards and the couple of years after but it should move along pretty quickly after that into later years and so forth, so here it is, a happy ending for a happy ending.
Chapter 1: What Now,
"Ed?" Alphonse said as he awoke, the sun beaming down on his eyes, the smell of gunpowder attacking his nostrils, the warm air surrounding him, his ears began to fill with the sounds of all the people surrounding him. Many were in tears, others were embracing each other, their laughter filling the air. In a way it was like a reverse funeral, a new life brought into the world, and the people around him covered in white, and instead of cries of pain they were cries of happiness. Looking around, feeling himself, Al couldn't help but burst into tears and embrace his brother, and for the first time in more than four years the two hugged each other with their own arms. Al looked at his brothers face, and he saw something amazing, it was so rare that he'd forgotten that it ever existed, but he saw across his brothers face, a smile plastered so genuinely and naturally. It had been so long since he saw his brother smile like that, without worry or fear about what would happen next. In his smile resided a happiness so great that it resonated with Al and he couldn't stop smiling himself. The Elric brothers were finally whole again and with that wholeness came a sense of relief that was shared not only with the two brothers but with everyone around them… no with the entire country of Amestris.
Al began to push himself up and was surprised to find he couldn't. Al looked at his fingers and noticed how thin they were. 'Oh yeah, I forgot about how weak this body is' Ed noticed his attempt and helped Al up and onto his shoulders.
"I've got you Al, we've got to get you to a hospital, I know that not consuming anything for four years can't be good for your health."
"Hahaha, yeah i guess you're right brother." The two brothers began to walk towards the exit of the central fortress, they managed to speak with Ling as they went along, after their conversation Al stopped for a moment and bent down to speak with Mei.
"Thank you for your support on our journey Mei."
"Oh Alphonse you don't have to thank me." Mei blushed "Just make sure you visit me in Xing sometime."
"I will Mei, I promise." Mei motioned for Al to come closer so she could whisper something into his ear. Al bent himself down and let Mei get up close.
"I will be waiting for you Al." She whispered, and then with the opportunity she snuck a kiss onto Alphonse's cheek, which caused him to blush and make a very wide eyed turn back to Edward's shoulder.
"What did she tell you Al?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing at all." Which was met with much skepticism from Ed, but he continued on nonetheless. The two ended up meeting with Major Armstrong on the way there who promptly insisted upon carrying the two of them to the hospital, to which they refused at first but upon his HEAVY insistence they agreed, and therefore made it to the hospital upon the back and shoulder of a giant. While in the hospital another man was at work for all the plans that were to come after the promised day.
"Well there's someone you need to heal first." Roy Mustang might have wanted to see again but he didn't want to open his eyes to a world without his Knight, Jean Havoc, and he intended fully to bring him back in and up to speed with his entourage. Other than getting his eyesight healed, Mustang was busy learning all that he could about Ishval and it's people so that he could return the province to its former glory before the massacre. With Fureur King Grumman currently in power it was agreed between them that while Major General Mustang was working in Ishval that Grumman would set the pieces in place for Mustang to turn the country into a democracy once he stepped down. Despite the fact that Grumman was in a place of absolute power he was ready to retire, and in all honesty he was only holding that spot for a temporary replacement until someone who was the right age and ready to lead stepped up. Mustang sat in waiting with people he couldn't see around him while he waited for the procedure to be complete, a day after Havocs recovery and Mustang was under the "knife" per say. He heard the doctor walk into the room and prepared himself, there was absolute silence as the procedure began and an unknown hand grabbed his, and then just like that it was over, the doctor told him to slowly open his eyes to adjust to the light, and as he looked around the room he noticed his entourage and a few medical staff surrounding him. He looked down and notice that the hand that had clasped his was that of Riza Hawkeye, he blushed a little and realised something. With no explanation he dashed out of the room and rann to the front desk. "Where's the room of Edward Elric!?" He exclaimed at the startled nurse.
"Umm… The Elric brothers are currently located in room 113." With that Mustang began diligently searching the first floor for room 113.
"111… 112… Aha! There it is, 113." Mustang hadn't been able to see them before and thus had not experienced the rush of emotion yet, so he took a deep breath, composed himself and walked into the room. "Edward its been a while since I've really seen you." he looked at Edwards right arm and turned to see Alphonse's body. Mustang walked up to Edward and just hugged him for a moment.
"Um… Mustang? What is this?"
"Sorry Edward, I just… I'm proud of you two brothers."
"Oh, thanks Mustang"
"Oh and Ed, if you tell anyone about this, I'll burn you to a crisp, got me?"
"Yeah you bastard colonel."
"Oh yeah speaking of I actually am a Major General now, with all the senior staff gone, they had to fill in the gaps and so now I'm a Major General."
"That's not the only thing you got, I see. Or more correctly you see."
"Ah yeah Dr. Marcoh was able to fix my eyesight with a philosopher's stone, and before you get mad I only did it so I would be able to better assist the repair campaign in Ishval."
"Don't worry Major General, I would be so petty as to judge you for your own choices on what's right and wrong, at this point if I didn't trust your morals we wouldn't be here discussing it, not that it would matter considering I'm in no shape to fight you either way."
"I'm glad you think so Fullmetal."
"Oh and by the way I don't go by that title anymore, considering that the promised day is over and what the state alchemist program was designed to do, I wish to take no part in it, considering you plan on making this country less militaristic anyways it's not like there will be much need for state alchemists anymore."
"Oh but I'm sure we could still use your help Ishval and the repair efforts there."\
"Mustang, even if I wanted to I can't"
"What do you mean?"
"My alchemy, it's gone, I traded my alchemy for Al's body."
"Oh so when you said that was your last transmutation, you really meant it…"
"Don't worry Roy, I realized something, it's what made me figure out how to get his body back, even without my alchemy, I've still got people out there that will treat me as their friend and that's all I really need." Edward smiled at the general in a way that let him know there was nothing to worry about.
"Wow… that's pretty sappy, but I guess you're right, well then where do you plan to go from here?"
"Me and Al have been discussing that, and we think we've struck on something new that we'd like to put into practice, it'll involve some traveling, so we'll be gone for a while but once we come back I guess if all things go well, I'm going to settle down in resembool with Winry."
"I knew it, so you two are together then?"
"No, but I do plan on asking her."
"I owe an old friend some money then."
"What! You were betting on me and Winry?!"
"Well, an old friend and I had placed some bets on which of you would ask the other out first."
"You bastard, I can't believe you, well then if we're on the topic then I should ask, when are you going to ask Hawkeye out?" Roy gasped loudly at the question as his face turned a bright red.
"W-well I-I hadn't r-really thought about t-that, what does it matter to you pipsqueak?!"
"Hey, I'm almost taller than you!"
"Whatever shortie."
"Shouldn't you be getting back to your posse? I hear your supposed to be studying up on the Ishvalans."
"Ugh, you too? Everyone is pestering me about that nowadays."
"It is your ambition isn't it?"
"Yeah I suppose so. Anyways I guess I'd better get going, you take care Edward."
"You too General." With that the General left the room and Edward laid back down in his hospital bed." Ed sat there a moment thinking to himself, even though he had accepted the fact that he wouldn't be able to use alchemy ever again, he still hadn't gotten used to it, and on impulse he found himself putting his hands together to realize nothing had happened. Despite that he still tried his best to acclimate to this new way of life.
Soon after Roy left their hospital room Al awoke from the longest deepest sleep he'd ever had.
"Ed, it feels really good to be back in my body again."
"Haha, I've noticed, you've been asleep for the past twelve hours, though I'm not surprised, considering how weak your body is right now sleeping is probably one of the only things you can do right now. That's ok though Alphonse, you have the right to enjoy that body as much as you want to."
"Hehe, I guess you're right brother, I'll enjoy it as much as physically possible."
"That's the spirit Al."
Roy walked back down the hallway to his room, his slippers making a muffled tapping as he strolled along. Arriving at his room he found a series of glaring faces directed at him.
"Sorry guys I had some important business to take care of."
"You wanted to see the Elric brothers with your own eyes right?" Riza accused. Roy's face drooped into a frown.
"I'm simultaneously proud, and scared that you somehow know everything that I do." Roy thought back to the conversation he had a few minutes ago.'Well then if we're on the topic then I should ask, when are you going to ask Hawkeye out?' 'That's right Ed, once i fix this country and I can happily trust the future of this country to work out, then I'll ask her.' but that would come for at least a little while, and considering he was still healing, he was just going to have to trust Grumman to uphold their promise while he held the seat of power. It's not like the country was going to run off while he laid here in bed. Back in the Elric's room the brother's were discussing their new theory.
"This really could be something big we've hit upon here big brother."
"Yeah, if we can pull this off it might even change not only alchemy but Amestris as a whole, and we'd be helping Mustang accomplish his goal at the same time."\
"Oh brother, speaking of change I need to tell you something."
"What is it Al?"
"Well… I was thinking about it… and I've decided."
"Decided what Al?"
"I'm going to change my surname to Hohenheim."
"WHAT?"
"Well, I've thought about it, and I realised that dad has done a lot for us, and whether we realize it or not he did all of this to protect us, I think that as a sign of respect, I should change my name to reflect the fact that I'm proud to be his son."
"Al, I'm not going to say something as stupid as 'Thats dumb' 'Or you shouldn't' but I still don't forgive him for walking out on mom, and I don't plan on changing my name."
"Don't worry I knew you were going to say something like that, and I don't plan on just dropping mom's name like that, i'm going to change it to something like Elric-Hohenheim."
"I'm fine with that, anyways our ages aside it's about time we start making our own decisions, I'm sure we've both trudged our way through enough shit to be considered grown men."
"Hehe I suppose so brother."
"And once you finally heal we're going to get out of this musty ass hospital and get you out in the world so that you can experience all the things you've missed, right Al?"
"Right brother." The two brothers gave eachother a fistbump in agreement and laid back down in their beds.
In a different part of the country Winry Rockbell sits in her home in resembool with a picture in her hands. The photo is of Edward Elric, in a military uniform, the flag of amestris is behind him and he looks angry, but it's one of the only photos she has of him, and it's something that keeps her going and allows her to move forward, even though ed hasn't called or let her know that he's ok ever since he left before the Promised Day, she wants to see him, she wants to know he's ok, she wants to hold him in her arms and never let go, she wants him to hold her in his arms, his real arms and stay with her forever, she hates this, this feeling of helplessness, all she's ever been able to do is sit around and wait, until they come to her asking for help, but in those moments where they are fighting their hardest all she can do is sit around and wait, and that makes he so angry, but as Maes Hughes once said, "You're the only person they will come to, and when they do come to you, you're there for them, and that's enough." Winry sighed deep and long, one day, they'll come back, one day, I just know it.
Across the world in the country of Xing, Ling Yao presents the philosopher's stone to his dying father. That day the emperor proclaims that Ling Yao shall be the next emperor of Xing, and will lead this country into a golden age. The next day the emperor, having succumbed to his age dies in his sleep, leaving the throne to Ling, and the country along with it. With this begins as foretold a new golden age for Xing, as efforts from both Grumman and Ling lead to Peace and prosperity between the nations, and even the beginning of construction of s railroad connecting the two countries. Slowly similar to Grumman, Ling begins to get rid of the policies and customs that have held off the potential that the country has for growth, and begins adopting western customs as well. Namely the first thing Ling did as emperor was to ban harems and concubines, restricting everyone including the emperor to one partner. Of course it was announced that the emperor had chosen a wife early into his rule, but their wedding wasn't supposed to happen for another year. Mei of the Chang family, because they were no longer called clans, instead going for the more progressive, "family" term, was selected to be one of the advisors and bodyguards of the throne, being marked as having "Extensive experience with different cultures, and combat ability rivialing that of the country's best soldiers." Bringing her into a high status, where she did still remember her roots as poor families daughter, and stayed humble because of that. Mei having such a status and now having grown much taller in only a month now is sought after by many of the Xingese people to become their wife. Although she's in high demand she remains unmarried, for reasons no one knows and, no one asks.
Back in Amestris the day after the Promised Day. At Fort Briggs, a funeral procession goes on for Captain Buccaneer and all those who lost their lives in central that day. The March goes all the way from northern command to central command. Once the men reach central command they stop and pay their respects at the memorial that is put up at central. The sky that day was dark and gloomy, and all those around had sadness cast across their face, and though she'd never admit it and would probably kill you if you even mentioned it, there are some that say that on that day, General Armstrong shed a single tear. The General put her men at work after that day in the repair efforts for the central city, and though there were many people surprised and confused to see the General and her men in central no one said anything.
Three days after Roy had regained his eyesight he sat in his hospital bed, he decided, considering he was already almost ready to leave anyways, that he would go and make a much needed visit to an old friend of his. Roy put on his uniform and got his long black coat, and made his way out of the hospital to his destination.
Edward at the same time was sitting in his bed reading a few books on construction and handiwork, after all he was going to have to learn how be useful again in today's society without his alchemy. As he turned to the next page, he hear a knock against the hospital room door.
"Come in?" The door began to open and he saw a bright yellow beard pop into his room. "Dad? What are you doing here?"
"Oh I just wanted to see my two sons, with their bodies back."
"Oh well then I suppose that's fine." Hohenheim walked of to Alphonse and patted his sleeping head.
"I'm sorry for all that I put you two through…"
"Yeah well, don't apologize to us, were not the ones who waited."
"Yeah you're right."
"Sorry I guess I shouldn't have said that."
"It's fine I understand, so what are you two going to do now?"