My Lord, I haven't updated in forever. XD Terribly sorry. I'm going through a rough time my friends, but I'll try to update as much as possible. Also, do you have any old works I've posted that you liked and wanted me to continue on? Well, you can ask in your review, if you wish to. Enjoy the update. Much thanks to beta Lychee Green Tea, of course.

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The Country of Xing, July 15th, 1908
Alphonse Elric: Eight years old
Winry Rockbell: Nine years old

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Alphonse stirred when he heard distant mumbles down the hall from the room in which he rested in. Groggily, Alphonse looked blindly around the room, towards the huge grandfather clock on the other side, by some other vacant bed. He couldn't see the time well, for his vision was blurry. Snorting, Al shrugged and rolled over, trying to return to his peaceful slumber. They would probably wake him up when breakfast was ready anyway...

The next thing he knew, someone was shaking him violently.

"Al! Wake up quick!" The voice of Winry Rockbell was whispering but shenevertheless spoke quickly andfrantically.

"Wake up! Miss Izumi's talking to the Xingian police!"

Police?

Now Al was wide awake, and the instant he sat up he noticed the bed across the room was empty. The bed that belonged to his older brother, Edward.

"Did Brother come home?" Al was already out of bed and throwing on a decent shirt and pants.

Winry shook her head, her shoulder-length pale blonde hair swishing.

"No. Miss Izumi's talking to the police--they said they didn't find him after he ran off!"

"W--wha...?" Al froze, turning to his brother's bed, hoping somehow thathis brother's body would magically appear--his sleeping form stretched out like a cat, his hair all tousled and his stomach protruding outwards. But no, Ed did not magically appear and Alphonse desperately wished at that moment magic was real.

His mind began racing with pessimistic, dark thoughts: what if someone kidnapped his brother? What if Ed got lost? What if he ran head-on into a road and got run over by a car, or gotmugged by homeless men? What if the Royal Palace mistook him for a servant they had, or worse, royalty? What if that happened and Ed was absolutely forbidden to see him again?

"That idiot!" Winry was clearly trying not to cry, but tears were still streaming down her pudgy face."He's never been here! He knew he was going to get lost without Miss Izumi or Mister Sig with him!!"

"Where could he have went...?" Al stated blankly, feeling an empty void where his heart was. There was something stuck in his throat, or at least it seemed that way, and Al felt he was losing hisbreath too quickly,too easily now.

"It's all my fault," Al didn't fight the huge tears blurring his vision. "I shouldn't have yelled at him! I shouldn't have mentioned anything about--!"

"There's no time for that, dummy!" Winry shook her head, tugging at his arm. "Now c'mon, we have to talk to Miss Izumi!"

The two children scurried down the stairs (Alphonse stumbling several times in the process), and then ran headfirst into the stomach of Izumi Curtis once they turned into the kitchen.

Thankfully, she didn't start coughing like she usually did, but she still looked down at the two sternly.

"What are you two doing up so early when you stood up so late?!" Shedemanded.

"Miss Izumi..." Winry's carefully placed pout turned into a frown, and she began bawling right there, "...is Ed dead? I don't want him to die..."

Izumi visibly softened, and held Winry delicately in her arms.

"No, of course not," she tried to soothe her, "he's a strong boy, Winry, I'm sure he's fine."

Alphonse struggled to keep his composure. He didn't want to cry; Ed always said it was babyish or kiddy. Since Ed wasn't here and Winry was in tears, Al decided he would have to be the strong one.

But who knew strength was so hard to hold? His brother, his other half, was missing. His best friend was completely broken, and he'd never seen Izumi and Sig with such worried expressions on their faces.

Where was his brother? Al shut his eyes tightly, even when Izumi reached for him. Why did Ed have to run off like that?

Brother...where are you?

To think, the one time Al needed his brother the most was when his brother disappeared on him. Amazing how he just took him for granted 'til now--when Ed was truly needed.

"Alphonse!"

Al's eyes snapped open, and the mental image (although foggy) of his brother dissipated as Izumi came into view.

He swallowed heavily. Izumi's arms were wide open; behind her was her husband, Sig, who was now comforting a still sobbing Winry.

"You don't have to hold back," Izumi smiled a gentle smile, though her expression was stern once more.

Normally, Alphonse would've leapt into his caretaker's arms and sobbed his little heart out.

But no. This was for Ed. He had to be strong.

"I'm sure my brother's all right," he said evenly.