Risembool. One small town at the East Quarters of Amestris…it was a warm sunny day and everything seemed to be running soothingly. The green grass was cool and nice and the blue, quiet river was flowing lazily, shining under the hot, and summer sun. People were working as usual. Down the river two boys were fighting.

"Hya!" a blond boy with short hair kicked

"Argh!" the other blond one with long hair blocked it.

The younger boy with the short hair and the hazel eyes attacked again. The elder man's golden eyes narrowed as he blocked the attack and attacked back. The younger boy blocked it! The sun was shining over them. Sweat was shining on their bodies. The elder man had let his torso bare and the sweat was glistering on his hard muscles. A scar was on the top of his right arm. It seemed like an animal byte. It was a fox bite he got when he was a little kid. The younger boy was wearing a thin sleeveless shirt but it was clear that his body was quite good too! Another attack and both blocked each other's attack at the same time! They remained there panting heavily for some seconds and then they relaxed and smiled.

"This was good Al!" the elder man said brushing some of his sweaty hear aside from his eyes.

The boy named Al smiled panting as well.

"Thanks. You were awesome too, Nii-san…"

The blond man walked to the closest tree to pick his own shirt up and wiped his sweat with it.

"I think that's enough for today" he said

"Yes…you're right"

The two brothers started walking up the hill so they would go home. Their names were Edward and Alphonse Elric. They were sons of Trisha Elric and Von Hoenheim. Their father though had died in war when they were both little kids. Alphonse was thirteen years old now and Edward was eighteen. However Edward was more passionate than Al. Sometimes people could say that he was immature but still he had a golden heart. Alphonse was shyer and more collected than his brother. He was calmer than Ed and he preferred to think before he acted. Also he had more sensitive heart! With one look everyone could see they were really close with each other. Edward passed an arm around his little brother's shoulders as they kept walking.

"Let's go!" he said cheerfully, "I am starving! I hope Mom has something good for lunch today! I think it was stew!"

"Nii-san! You are always thinking of food!" Alphonse teased him.

Edward burst out laughing. However if he acted cheerful and normal, he was afraid deep inside. War was still on going in Ishbal. So he knew that sooner or later they would need more men to go to the war. He wasn't afraid to go there. He was afraid that they would ask him to go and then he would have to leave his brother and mother behind along with his childhood friend and fiancée Winry Rockbell. He didn't want to leave them behind. Alphonse looked at his brother and realized what he was thinking about. And he was afraid of the same thing! He didn't want his big brother to leave him and go to the war. They reached their home and they saw their beautiful mother waiting for them. Even though she wasn't young anymore her age wasn't visible! She still had the young face she used to have! Her hair was still brown and long.

"Hay!" Edward yelled

"Mom, we're home!"

She smiled to them waving at them while seeing them approaching running up the heel.

"Welcome home you two!" she told them, "Alphonse, you better go and take a shower! I want Edward carry something for me first!"

"Yes, mom!" Alphonse said and ran in the house.

Trisha looked at Edward and turned serious.

"Do you have any news from the war?"

Edward shook his head.

"No. Newspapers don't have something new to say!"

Trisha wanted to say something but Edward raised the heavy basket and took it at the back of the house. Trisha followed him.

"Edward…"

Edward looked at her. Trisha's hands went to his ponytail and undid the string that was holding them leaving the youth's long, golden hair flow free like a waterfall of melted gold. She ran her fingers through his hair softly. Even though Edward was not taller than her, he hardly had the same height as her, he was well-built so Trisha seemed smaller in front of him…more fragile.

"You look so much like your father…when he was in your age…" she whispered.

Suddenly she seemed older.

"…You and Alphonse…are the only ones left of me…"

Her hands traveled down his chest.

"…If I lose you…I don't know what I'll do…"

Edward touched her shoulders softly.

"Mom, you won't lose me okay? Neither Al nor me! We are both here, okay? No matter what"

She nodded her head but still she was feeling a fist in her stomach. She was afraid that her happiness with her children wouldn't last long…

The rains came and autumn entered their little town. One night Alphonse and Edward where sitting in the living room and Trisha was in the kitchen cooking. The phone rang. Edward stood up.

"I'll get it!"

He went to the hall and picked up the phone.

"Hello? Elric residence"

Alphonse had a bad feeling in his heart…he walked carefully and without making a sound and walked till the door. Hidden there he watched Edward talking to the phone.

"Hello…? Oh! It's you…yes…what…?"

Alphonse noticed that Edward's body language had changed! Suddenly he was standing straight and his motions where now careful and few! As if he was saluting someone, except he wasn't using his hands at all!

"Uh-huh…I see…no, no I understand… Is the situation that bad…?"

And then he saw his brother's face darkening. His eyes narrowed and his hand that was holding the phone clenched slightly.

"No, sir….I understand…uh-huh…uh-huh… When am I supposed to…oh, that soon…I see…uh-huh…I understand…no, sir! Thank you sir. Okay. Good night"

And so Edward hung the phone up and let out a long sigh. Alphonse quickly ran to sit back in the coach. He managed just in time before Edward got in.

"Who was on the phone?"

Edward smiled a little but Alphonse could tell for sure it was a fake smile. Something was fishy! Something wasn't right at all!

"It was for an appointment" he answered but gave no other information.

At dinner Edward was irritably silent! He rarely ever was like that! He kept looking towards Al and Trisha from time to time and clenched his teeth and then immediately go back to his food. However for the first time he seem to have such a small appetite. As if he wasn't enjoying the food anymore and it didn't matter the fact that it was delicious. Al went up to prepare himself to sleep but no matter how much he tried he couldn't sleep. He then heard voices coming from downstairs and saw some light coming through the keyhole. Were his mom and brother still awake? Why? Slowly and carefully, barefoot, he walked to the door and opened it slowly. Again, walking on his tiptoes he walked till the stairs. From there he could see the door leading to the dining room open and the only light was coming from there. He bent down to see Edward and Trisha there.

"What is it Edward?" Trisha asked.

Edward was silent. Strangely silent!

"We need to talk, Mom" he said sitting down on his chair.

Trisha sat on the other side of the table, facing him. A long pause followed till finally Edward spoke.

"I received a call today…it was the Major Maes Hughes. Things are bad at Ishbal. Also a serious disease hit them! People are dying every day"

"Oh, my God!" Trisha mumbled

"The problem is…that they need backup"

Alphonse was holding his breath! Trisha had begun to shake slightly.

"What…what do you mean Edward…?"

"Mom…"

Edward took Trisha's hands within his softly and tenderly.

"…They are calling me to go to the front line…"

Alphonse's heart seemed to have stopped! Trisha gasped and brought her hands to her mouth. In her face she could see pure pain and fear!

"No…" she croaked out and her voice was barely above a whisper. "No…no…no…"

She was whispering the same thing again and again like a broken record! She couldn't believe it! She just wanted to wake up from the nightmare.

"Edward…no…no!"

Edward shook his head.

"I have no choice…it was a command. It is impossible for me to say no…"

He got up and wrapped his arms around her softly. She was also standing now and she had grabbed his shirt tightly as if this was the only thing that would keep her alive! She looked like a frightened little girl that wanted protection! Edward was keeping her there trying to comfort her.

"Shhhh…Mom…you must be strong."

Alphonse was feeling his heart ready to break. He was feeling as if he was torn in two by two, different feelings. Right now he was feeling such an admiration for his brother! He was seeing him like a hero! Like someone really wonderful! However the sadness…the fear…they where all too much!

"And…when…when are you leaving…?" Trisha mumbled between her sobs and hiccups.

Edward sighed.

"Unfortunately…I am leaving tomorrow with the first morning train…"

Trisha's sobs increased and became louder! She grabbed her son as if she waned to draw him back in her body again and she was saying through her sobs:

"No! No! No, I won't let you leave me! No! No, Edward!"

Edward was only holding her, unable to find the proper words to make her feel better. Alphonse was in tears now! He couldn't let his brother leave them…leave him! He ran there not being able to hold himself anymore!

"Nii-san!" he yelled running to him.

Edward turned around to look at him.

"Al!" he exclaimed surprised.

Alphonse was looking at him in tears. He wasn't able to hold them!

"Nii-san! Are you leaving? Are you really going?"

Edward sighed.

"Yes, Al. I am going."

"No! No please don't leave us!"

"I can't Al!"

"I'll come with you!"

"No Al!"

Trisha then still crying her eyes out pushed Edward softly and ran out of the room. Edward sighed for another time and hugged Alphonse.

"I need you to be strong for her Al. Please. When I am off I want to feel better to know that Mom is all right! I want you to take care of her. Please Al. I am asking you this as a favor"

Alphonse only nodded. It was the only thing he could do…

Next morning Edward was at the door. His suitcase was on the floor. He was dressed in his brown pants and his white shirt. He was also wearing his long, brown trench coat and his golden hair was caught in a ponytail. Trisha hugged him tightly. He hugged her back. Alphonse then saw from his room's window Edward taking his suitcase from the floor and then waving to her good-bye and started walking down the hill. Trisha was still crying. Alphonse then ran down the stairway in tears and then through the front door and ran after him.

"Nii-san!" he yelled and Edward stopped and turned around, "Please don't go! Come back! I'll do anything! Anything you want! Anything just stay here with us! I'll clean your room! Give you all my things! Anything! Just…don't go!"

And his tears were running freely. Edward smiled to him and then shook his head with the same smile on his lips. Then looked at him and said:

"This is what brothers are for…"

Alphonse had frozen there. Edward hugged him one last time before waving to him and leave slowly leaving Alphonse behind…to follow the drum of war… Alphonse sank in his knees…and cried…

"Departure!" the stationmaster called.

The train whistled twice and people started getting in. Most of them were young men like him. They were going to war. Edward got in the train too. His eyes in the color of melted gold where looking around. The station was too crowded and the men's siblings were waving to them goodbye in tears. Edward sighed again and then climbed in the train as it started to leave for Ishbal.

"This is what brothers are for…" he whispered.

This is a story I came up with! At the begining I thought of writing a one-shot but in the end I came up with a small story. Also I chose Alphonse's and Edward's ages to be like in the Movie The Conqueror of Shaballa. So Edward is 18 and Alphonse is 13. Edward is called to go to the war at Ishbal. Yes here Trisha is alive and Hoenheim is dead! Fallen at war!

I was inspired by the song Brothers by Dean Brody

I hope you liked it! Please review! And Enjoy!