Every year, on my birthday, my mum and dad take me for a walk around the countryside. It's a tradition that's happened… well, since I was born, I guess.
Mum and dad, and grandma and grandpa Elric, always took me for this walk. Sometimes, grandma and grandpa Mustang came as well, but that was only when my grandpa's weren't fighting.
I didn't care, I was always happy to go anyway.
Today, on my thirtieth birthday, everyone was busy. I felt a little sad, but everyone was planning a big party for my birthday and for something they called "the anniversary". Only me, my son, and my grandpa Elric were able to go on the walk. It didn't matter too much, I supposed.
Both of my grandpa's, though way over a hundred years old, were still fit and able to walk around Resembool. It just took them a lot longer to do, that's all. Both of my grandma's had left a few years ago, which was quite sad, but expected. They had both been nearly a hundred years old when they passed on.
Granpa Elric was probably around a hundred and ten, maybe a hundred an twelve or thirteen. Yet, something about his body… maybe the fact that he'd seen the Truth, a story I heard about a lot, was a contributing factor. Grandpa Mustang, well, he'd have to be at least a hundred and twenty-five.
I walked little Al along the path with my grandpa beside me. Al was nearly three, and I loved him so much, and so did my husband, Michael Fuery. He was staying at the house today too, setting up the music and games. He was the most technologically advanced out of all of us, and neither of my grandpa's understood technology at all.
We came to stop at the end of the road. There used to be a pathway that continued from the back of the house, down to the river, according to Grandpa Elric. We could never find it, but we loved looking at the ruins anyway.
My grandpa always told me about his life when I asked him. I knew that when he was twelve years old, he was accepted as a State Alchemist. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't the youngest person to ever join the military. I won that record, starting when I was twelve-although I guess that's what you get for having such powerful alchemists for grandparents.
So, on my birthday today, I stood with Al and Ed, staring at the wreckage that was his home. It was a hundred years since the house was destroyed, to the day.
We stared at the ruins for a few moments, before turning away and walking back down the way we came. As we did so, Grandpa Elric pulled out a chain from his pocket.
I gasped- it was his State Alchemist pocketwatch, one that he'd never ever shown to anybody. Yet here he was, showing it to me. I saw the inscription on the inside when he opened it.
Don't forget 3rd October 11.
When I smiled softly and handed it back to him, he shook his head, pushing it back to me and wrapping my fingers over it. I knew that he wanted me to keep it, and to remember the date forever. Like I could forget- it was my birthday and all. However, I accepted his gift gratefully.
Three days later, my grandpa passed away in his sleep.
Taking my own state alchemist pocket watch, I grabbed a knife and inscribed on it.
Don't forget 6th October 11.
I smiled to myself as I worked, Al reading an alchemy comic-book (yes, we found those, don't ask how) on the couch next to me.
"Mummy?" His little voice piped up over his book. I turned to look at him with a smile.
"Why do we need to remember today?" He asked. I grinned at his sweet innocence, and put down my watch. I then scooped him up into my lap, and he whined because he dropped his book.
"Because today," I began, nuzzling his soft, blonde hair gently. He whined again, he was so peculiar about the way he looked, "we have to remember that your great-grandpa, the best man ever alive, apart from you, went on to heaven."
"Oh." Al replied, resting his head on my chest. "I love you, Mummy. Don't go to Heaven yet, will you?"
I smiled, tightening my grip on him and hugging him even more.
"Don't worry, sweetie. I won't. I need to see you become an even bigger hero than your great-grandpa."
A/N: Yes. I know. It's fluffy. That wasn't exactly intentional….but you know what?
FLUFFINESS SAVES LIVES! IT ACTUALLY DOES!
One of my best friends had a cat that was bitten by a snake, but because the cat had so much fur and was so fluffy, it managed to survive, because the bite didn't penetrate as far as it needed to, to kill the cat.
YAY FLUFFINESS!
Okay, I'm done with this one. ^.^
Xx Ellie
