"Brother! Run!" Alphonse shouted at Edward. Ed was laying on the ground; his automail arm was destroyed, and Scar was heading straight for him.
"Brother! Get up! Save yourself! Run!" Alphonse cried. Al was sitting in an alley nearby, only a few feet away from Ed. Half of his armor had been destroyed by Scar, and he couldn't move.
Edward said nothing as Scar stood above him. He looked defeated, and clearly had no intention of running. Scar glared down at him, and Al continued to call out, desperately trying to convince Ed to run.
"Do you wish to pray to God before I kill you?" Scar asked.
"No, I don't really have a god that I wanna pray to," Ed mumbled. Then, turning pleading eyes to Scar, he added, "Can you just promise to not hurt my brother?"
"I give you my word that I will leave your brother alone," Scar said. Then, lifting up his right arm, he placed his hand on Edward's face, and lifted him off the ground just enough to get Ed to a sitting position.
Alphonse watched in horror as a bright, alchemic light flashed, and then as blood sprayed out from beneath Scar's hand and behind Ed's head. Scar then dropped Ed's lifeless body as if it was nothing more than a ragdoll.
Suddenly, several cars drove up, with military men running out and pointing guns at Scar. Colonel Mustang stepped out, his fingers ready to snap. He then looked down to see Ed, laying dead and covered in blood.
"He's killed the Fullmetal Alchemist!" Mustang shouted. "Shoot him now!"
Alphonse didn't pay attention to all of the bullets that were fired at Scar. He didn't watch as Major Armstrong fought with Scar, or when Scar destroyed the ground beneath him and escaped into the sewers. All Alphonse could do was slowly pull himself along the ground to his brother's lifeless body.
"Brother," Al said quietly. He held Edward's left hand in his own. As he did, he couldn't help but wonder if it was still warm, or if it had already become cold with death.
"We were supposed to get our bodies back together," he said bitterly. "Now I'll never get to feel your warm touch again. I'll never get to hug you or laugh with you." Al could feel his anger rising. Why was he angry? His brother was just killed, and all that he felt was anger. Anger towards who? Sure, Al was angry at Scar and even himself, but he also felt anger towards Edward.
Why didn't Brother run? This thought played itself over and over in his mind. He should have run! What was that idiot thinking?!
"Alphonse!" Al looked up to see Colonel Mustang running towards him. The man bent down beside him to assess the damage done to his armor as he tried to avoid looking at Edward.
"Are you okay?" Mustang asked quietly as he picked up some of the broken pieces of the armor off of the ground. The question wasn't about Alphonse's physical well-being, and Al knew it. Mustang wanted to know how he was emotionally handling the situation.
"No, I don't think so," Alphonse replied in a soft voice. "I just can't believe Brother gave up so easily. He didn't even try to get away!" Al's fists slowly clenched tighter and tighter. He could feel his anger boiling up, and he felt the need to punch something.
"Brother! You idiot!" Alphonse smashed his fists into the ground in anger. With the combined noise of his shouting and the sound of his fists hitting the ground, everyone at the scene had silenced. They all turned to Alphonse, who just sat by his brother's body, not caring that he was now the center of attention.
"Come on, I'll help you up," Mustang offered. He wrapped his arm around Al's back and propped Al's arm over his shoulders. Acting as Alphonse's right leg, Colonel Mustang helped him stand up and walk away from the horrible scene. Behind them, they could hear a tarp being laid over the bloody mess that used to be Edward Elric. Alphonse hung his head as he allowed Mustang to guide him to the safety of Central Headquarters.
It was a small, simple ceremony, but many people attended it. Edward's funeral was originally going to be in Central, where all the other soldiers and state alchemists go when they die or get killed. However, after some persuading from Alphonse, the funeral had been moved to Risembool.
Many soldiers had come for the funeral, including Colonel Mustang and his team. Major Armstrong was also there, as well as the Hughes family. Izumi Curtis, Ed and Al's alchemy teacher, and her husband Sig had also come to Risembool from Dublith, after Alphonse had called her to deliver the terrible news. Winry and Granny Pinako were there, and many of their friends from Risembool had come too.
During the funeral, Alphonse watched as a few soldiers carefully carried Edward's coffin, and then lay it in the hole they had dug. As they buried Edward's coffin, many people cried. Alphonse even thought he saw Mustang shed a tear or two, but he didn't say anything to the colonel about it.
I wish I could cry for you, Brother, Alphonse thought. Even though Winry and Granny Pinako say that crying only makes the person feel sad in the next world, I still wish that I could cry for you.
As the funeral went on, many people came to give their condolences to Alphonse, Winry, and Granny Pinako. Alphonse thanked everyone for coming and for helping him and his brother on their journey. Everyone eventually left - including Winry and Granny Pinako - and finally only Alphonse, Colonel Mustang, and Lieutenant Hawkeye stood in the graveyard. The sun had already set, and stars began to fill the sky, but Alphonse didn't care. Since his body didn't need food or water, sleep or warmth, he could stay sitting at his brother's grave for as long as he wanted. And that's what Alphonse planned to do.
"I'm sorry, Fullmetal." Alphonse looked up at Colonel Mustang, having forgotten that he and the lieutenant were still there.
"Sir?" Lieutenant Hawkeye gave him a confused look, but the colonel ignored it.
"If only I had shown up sooner," he continued. "I could have saved you."
"Colonel Mustang," Alphonse finally decided to speak up. The colonel didn't look at him, but Al could tell by his silence that he was listening.
"It wasn't your fault," Al said firmly. "You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened. You did the best you could, and I thank you for it."
Colonel Mustang finally turned towards Alphonse. His dark eyes were sad, and Al could clearly see all of the emotions behind them; grief, anger, guilt. Alphonse knew what Mustang was feeling, and he couldn't blame him for feeling that way. But Edward was his brother, and he was the only one that had been there when Ed was killed. Al was the only one who should feel guilty. Not Mustang.
"I'm sorry, Alphonse," was all Mustang could say. He looked pained as he said it, as if he was ready to cry. Colonel Mustang quickly looked away and lowered his head. "I really wish I could've done something to save him. I know how close you and your brother were - or are, I guess - and I'm so sorry for what happened to him."
Alphonse was quiet for a moment. He didn't know what to say.
"T-thank you, sir," Alphonse mumbled quietly. "But you still shouldn't blame yourself for what happened. I don't blame you. The only one really at fault is Scar." Just saying his name was enough to anger Alphonse. He hated Scar. Ed had never done anything in the Ishvalan War, and even though he was a state alchemist, that gave Scar no reason to kill him. Alphonse suddenly stood up as his hands turned into fists. His sudden movement startled both the colonel and the lieutenant.
"I have to find Scar," Al said, his voice dark. Mustang turned to him sharply and glared.
"And what exactly are you going to do once you find him?" Mustang asked quietly.
"I need to kill him," Alphonse said simply. "He killed Brother, so it only seems right that I kill him too. It's Equivalent Exchange."
"No, it's not," Mustang told him. "It's revenge. That's exactly what Scar is trying to do right now - get revenge on state alchemists for what we did in Ishval." Mustang paused, letting what he said sink in.
Alphonse was silent. He hated what Mustang was saying, because it was true.
"Do you really want to become like the man who killed your brother?" Mustang asked. "And do you think that Ed would want you to take revenge on his murderer?"
"How would you know what Brother would want?!" Alphonse exclaimed angrily.
Mustang narrowed his eyes. He folded his arms and gave Alphonse a look that said, Am I wrong?
Alphonse stood silent for a while. Colonel Mustang was right. If he killed Scar, that wouldn't do anything but make Al a murderer. He didn't want that. Alphonse also knew that Ed wouldn't want that either. He sighed.
"I'm sorry. You're right, Colonel," Al said. Then, with a stronger, more determined voice he added, "But I still want to find Scar. He needs to go to jail for not only what he did to Brother, but to all of the other state alchemists." Mustang gave Al an approving smile and a nod. Behind him, Lieutenant Hawkeye smiled as well.
"I'm also going to continue searching for the Philosopher's Stone," Alphonse continued. "Brother and I promised each other that we'd get our bodies back, and even if I can't help him get his back to normal, I'll keep our promise by getting back my body."
"We're glad to hear that," Hawkeye finally spoke up. "And we'll help you any way we can." Mustang nodded.
"Thank you," Alphonse said, "for everything."
Mustang and Hawkeye nodded and smiled, then turned back once more to Edward's grave. Alphonse looked back at his brother's grave too, making a silent oath to keep their promise.
As Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Hawkeye turned to leave the graveyard, Alphonse stared down at his brother's grave once more.
"I'll be back, Brother," Al said. "And I'll be in my original body again." He then left, with a renewed sense of determination.
Alphonse Elric hobbled his way from the Rockbell's house to the graveyard, with a small bouquet of red flowers in one hand, and a crutch in the other. His muscles were still weak from being at the Gate for so many years, but he was determined to be independent and walk to the graveyard alone.
When he made it to his destination, Alphonse layed the flowers on the grave and then sat down in the grass to rest a little.
"Hi Brother," Al said happily. "Sorry it took me so long to get my body back. You'll never believe the year I've had!" He then went on to explain about the trouble with the Philosopher's Stone, the Homunculi and their plan, King Bradley, and finally about how he and many others stopped Father from turning Amestris into a Philosopher's Stone.
"After that was all over, I finally figured out how to get my body back," Alphonse said, concluding his story. "I performed human transmutation, and in exchange for my body and soul to return here, I gave up my Gate. I can't do alchemy anymore, but I don't mind. I'm just happy to be home again."
Alphonse was quiet for a moment, staring at Edward's grave. As if unconsciously, he began to read what was written on the gravestone for the millionth time.
Edward Elric
1899-1914
Amazing alchemist, great friend, loving brother
Alphonse touched the letters on the gravestone, feeling the small indentations in the cold stone for the first time.
"I miss you, Brother," Al said. He sat for another minute, and then stood, picking up his crutch. Then, with one last look at his brother's grave, Alphonse gave a small smile and added, "See you later, Brother," as he left the graveyard.
Hi! This is my first story here on here, and you can also find it on my deviantart page (I have the same username). Anyways, this was just a weird idea that I had. Don't get me wrong; I love Edward, and I would never want him to actually die. This is just a "What if?" idea. So please don't kill me for killing Ed! Anyways, please review and let me know what you think! Thanks! (Also, I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or the characters.)