Finally, together again, Ed and Al stood poised in the center of the great castle. The castle was dark except for the glowing circle directly above them. Alphonse looked around, examining the castle. A group of four or five men peered at them from behind a box, unsure if it was safe to come out.
"Brother, where is this place? Who are those people, do you know them?"
Ed turned around and looked at the men behind the box. Their blonde hair and blue eyes reminded Ed where he had returned to. He squinted and noticed that they were all wearing white lab coats. "It's alright guys, it's over now, you can all go home. I'll clean up."
"Edward?" one of the men stood up from behind the box slowly. "Everyone, it's okay, it's Edward, he's returned!"
The rest of the men stood and ran over to him. They all began patting him on the back and smiling as if he had done something incredible.
"We thought for sure you were gone!" one of them said.
"You really had us worried!"
"The soldiers all left after our rockets took off!"
Ed didn't smile, but he greeted them and listened to them politely.
"Why are you all still here?" Ed asked, looking at all of them inquisitively.
"The military cleared all of its soldiers out. They told us we have 24 hours to clear out all of our research before they demolish this place. We were clearing out our stuff when you came back through that glowing hole up there." A scientist explained.
"Alphonse!" another scientist exclaimed. "B-but you're dead! I saw you get shot!"
The group huddled around Al, poking and prodding him. "Is he real?" they questioned and prodded more, paying little to no attention to the body that lay motionless just thirty feet away. Al smiled and rubbed the back of his head embarrassed.
"Ed, how do all these people know my name?" Al began to blush.
Ed noticed then how glad he was to have Alphonse back, just something simple like seeing the color in his cheeks, or the sweat on his forehead made all of his troubles worth it.
"Guys, this is my brother. His name is Alphonse Elric. I know that he bears a striking resemblance to Alphonse Heiderich, but this isn't who you think it is." Ed tried explaining to the scientists. A few of them laughed, some became angry. Ed walked over to the body of Alphonse Heiderich.
"Here, this is Alphonse Heiderich. I'm surprised he's been left here so long. He deserves a proper burial. I thought he would have been taken away when the soldier's bodies were removed." Ed sounded angry.
The group of white coats ran over to the body, leaving Alphonse there alone. "He's right!" they exclaimed.
"Ed, you're right, we're going to bury Alphonse Heiderich properly, before the soldiers destroy this castle. You three," one of the blonde haired scientists took charge, pointing to three of the others, "Take the equipment outside, if you and your brother can help us with his body we can make sure we get everything before those soldiers return."
Without a second thought Ed began helping the men move Alphonse Heiderich's body. Al came to help but Ed stopped him. "Don't come any closer Al. I don't want you to see this!"
Al didn't listen he came too close to the identical corpse. He became mesmerized. Ed stared back at him. "Al, maybe you should wait outside?" He didn't hear him. Al began to reach his hand out. He put his hand close to where the bullet wound was, and the moment he touched it, Alphonse Heiderich's body began to break away. A glow emanated from the center of Alphonse Heiderich's body, as if someone had lit a fire in his chest.
Within moment's Alphonse Heiderich's body was no more, what was left behind was nothing more then ash. Both scientists and Ed were surprised. All four of them scattered, the two men in lab coats had fear in their eyes.
"W-What did you do? You monster! Where did you put his body!?" one of them said.
"I didn't mean to, it… it just happened!" Al tried to explain but the fear just intensified.
"M-monster!" The other one yelled, as both scientists backed out of the archway.
Ed could hear them, albeit just barely, but he heard something about getting some soldiers. He turned to Al.
"That light, it was as if you used alchemy, but the laws of alchemy don't apply here. Or at least I didn't think they did. Somehow alchemy was used to open this portal. We have so much to learn, but we're running out of time, we don't have long before the soldiers return. Even less time now that those men are going to get them." Ed looked at Al. He stood motionless, stunned, and confused.
All I did was touch him thought Alphonse. All I did was touch him, and he disappeared. People are just as afraid of me here as they were when I wore that suit of armor.
Ed didn't waste another minute. "Al, there will be time to explain everything, but right now we need to close this portal."
Al shook himself, finally focusing back to the problem at hand. "But Brother, if we destroy the portal, we'll be stuck here forever!"
"I know Al, but if we don't close the portal, someone may go back through, and we can't be responsible for more deaths."
"What about Winry? What about Rose? They're waiting for us brother! Why can't we just have someone else close the portal after we go back through?"
"Al, no one else can be trusted. Besides, we are the only two people in this world that know anything about alchemy. We are the only ones who can do it Al. This is the only way to protect Rose, and to protect Winry."
Al nodded his head, he understood now. By exiling themselves, they protect that world, and those they care about. Ed and Al positioned themselves around the transmutation circle at their feet. They stared up into their old world, not knowing whether they would ever see it again. They may not know how yet, but they must close that portal.