Yet another depressing FMA fic…Yippee!
The sun was beginning to set as Alfons Heindriech's funeral came to a close. People were shaking hands and blowing noses as they filed out of the cemetery. Three of them included a gypsy girl and two brothers.
"That was a really neat dance you did, Noah," said Al, the younger of the two.
"Thanks," she replied shyly. "It wasn't anything, really…"
"Al, hang on a sec," Edward grabbed his brother, motioning towards Heindriech's grave. Standing there was a middle-aged woman dressed in black. She had ginger hair and a profile Ed and Al knew very well…
"Excuse me," Ed stopped a man in the crowd. "That woman by the gravestone-who is she?"
The man turned. "That's Frau Heindriech, the boy's mother." He shook his head. "Poor woman. To loose a child so young…" he walked away.
Al gazed at the figure in shock. "Mom," he whispered. He started to dash up to her, but Ed grabbed him.
"Al, wait," He sighed sadly. "You know it's not really her. It's just this world's version of her. Don't you remember Sloth?"
Al nodded. "But-can't we at least go talk to her?" he insisted. Then Al took of without waiting for an answer.
Ed sighed. "Noah, could you go wait by the car? We'll only be a minute."
Al slowed his pace as he neared the grave. Ed had explained a little about the "parallel world" and how there were copies of people from Shambala, but it was still confusing. And she looked so much like their mom… Al gritted his teeth and approached the woman. "Hello?" he said nervously.
Frau Heindriech whirled around. Her tear-stained eyes widened in surprise. "Alfons?" she whispered in disbelief.
Al stood there, frozen. He wanted more than anything to say something to her, but he just couldn't.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she stammered, coming to terms with reality. "For a moment there, I thought you were my son. You look so much like him." She smiled, but Al could tell it was forced. She even acts like Mom, he thought. Always trying to be happy. Always smiling through her tears.
At this point, Ed had reached them. "Um-Hello, ma'am," he greeted Frau Heindriech. Al could tell his brother was going through the same feelings as him. "I'm Edward Elric, and this is my brother, Al."
"Hello," she turned to her son's gravestone. "Did you two know him?"
"Yeah," said Ed. "Well, we'd…"
"We know how you feel," said Al, finding his voice at last. "Our mother died a few years ago, too." Al thought Ed, Don't…
"Oh, you poor things," exclaimed Frau Heindriech, overcome with sympathy. Before they knew what was happening, she pulled them into a warm hug.
At that, the brothers couldn't take it anymore. All the sorrow, stress and grief they had harbored for 4 years came pouring out in tears.
"We're sorry," sobbed Ed. "We're so sorry." Sorry that they had attempted human transmutation and failed. Sorry they had let that abomination Sloth walk on this earth. Sorry for everything.
They stood that way for a long time. Then, finally, they broke away.
"Thank you," said Frau Heindriech, who had been crying as well. "You mustn't blame yourself for what happened, though. Death is a part of life, and sooner or later we all need to come to terms with that fact." She smiled at the two brothers. "Alfons was lucky to know you."
"We were lucky to know him," returned Al. Then they said their goodbyes and left.
As Ed and Al walked back to the car, their faces were solemn, but their hearts felt strangely cleansed. They had never really gotten a chance to say they were sorry to their mother. But this woman had forgiven them. And for that moment, the whole parallel universe hadn't mattered. For that moment, She was their mom.
Ed and Al Got into the car with Noah, and drove off into the setting sun.
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