A bright light shone across the dance hall of the underground city, underneath Central. Edward had done the taboo again, bringing back his brother, with the price of his own body, mind and soul. Even with that payment, it still wouldn't have been enough, so his arm and leg had been taken again, along with Alphonse's memories of the 4 years journey they had together. 4 years worth of sweat and blood to find a stone, forgotten.
The light disappeared, and on the transmutation circle, lay the younger brother, Alphonse Elric. He awoke to see he was in a strange and unfamiliar place. He was confused and scared, for his brother was not with him to help him.
"Nii-san? NII-SAN! Where am I?!" When he spoke those words, a terrible memory stuck his mind like a rock in a pond. The ripples of details bounced off the walls of his skull and hurt him so.
He remembered seeing the gate, then his brother walked through. Ed walked towards Al, leaned down and whispered something in Al's ear. Al couldn't make out what he said, but his brother didn't repeat, and walked on, then disappeared, as Al was dragged through, and pulled out there.
Al couldn't hold in his cries for his brother. He screamed for his eldest brother to help him. He yelled that he was afraid, then, when he was finished, he herd a door open.
Fletcher and Russel were standing at the door.
"Hello? Is anybody here?" Russel called out.
"Look, brother! There's a boy on the floor over there!"
Russel and Fletcher ran over the Alphonse, who was confused and a bit scared. The brothers introduced themselves, as did Al, but when he said his name, Russel and Fletcher didn't believe him. It took a long while of explaining, until they finally helped Al out of the underground city.
Al was returned to Resembool, his hometown, where he saw Winry, who was a lot older then him. It took some more explaining until Al had Ed and his journey all figured out. Winry almost cried every time she looked at Al.
Al tried his hardest to remember what his brother whispered in his ear at the gate. He even told Winry and Pinako but when he did, Winry just cried, and Pinako would just remain silent. Al believed his older sibling was still alive in the gate, little did he realize, his brother wasn't in the gate, he was through it. In a completely different world, far from each others grasps, yet close enough for travel.
One day, when Pinako was making some lunch for Winry and Al, she noticed a note, from Al, saying he was going to visit his mothers grave. Al was already told about the house.
He just stood there, staring down at his mothers grave, then sat down, and hugged his knees, like he did when he was younger. His eyes widened, then he looked to his left, to see nothing but more graves in the line of his mothers. Then he looked back at the tombstone. He was too lost in the memory of that time he sat the same. He then felt the presence of his brother. The presence whispered in Al's ear, then left. Al looked up, smiled, then began to cry.
He had finally remembered what Ed whispered to him at the gate.
"I'll always be with you, Al."
