Chapter Four: Have you Forgotten?
Edward hasn't been seen at all around the apartment, so Alphonse was extremely worried. His brother never usually left the house, yet, Al hasn't seen him since their small moment of discord.
The phone rings shrilly about the otherwise deserted arpartment, in which Alphonse siezes frantically. "Hello?!" he shrieks, small voice much more high-pitched than usual. The voice on the other line was deep, and authoritive. Mustang, of course.
"Alphonse Elric. We've found your brother on the streets alone, and have brought him to our HQ. Would you wish to come and get him?" Al did not understand why they had to ask him, espeically Mustang. He knew that Alphonse would not hesitate to get his brother.
"Yes!" the Armor Boy screams, in which he earned muffled sounds of complaint on the other end of the line. Something about having their ears murdered by a stupid tin can, or whatever. Al was much too in suspense to take any offense.
"Cal down, would ya?" Mustang sounded a bit dissheveled, even over the phone. "There's just a little... problem." Al's heart sank, even as he stood, listening. This couldn't be good. "You se... well, maybe you should head over to HQ to chat about this."
"...right." And that was where the phones were hung up. Alphonse could feel the mounting anxiety, and was obviously beginning to be in distress. He glances out the window, and groans loudly. It was raining. Hard.
Grabbing an umbrella hastily, and fumbling, Al barrels outside and opens the umbrella. Sloshing through puddles, and being extremely careful not to wet his blood seal. He ran on. Of course, on his way, he just had to encounter a freezing kitten.
"Nooo I can't leave the kitty!" Al whines, debating with himself. "B-but... brother may be too important... Ahh what do I do?!" As you can see, cats are extremely important and a huge deal to Alphonse Elric.
However, he decided to run all the way to HQ. It was a hard decision, but family barely beat cats.
Al reaches Mustang's office with a frantic disposition, and rushes in the heated room. The weary Colonel looks up from his paperwork, and upon seeing Al, something darkens in his already coal-black eyes. Al glances over at the couches, and freaks out as soon as he saw his brother. Just looking around, as if he were a child in a whole new place.
"Al, don't-" Mustang begins, trying to start explaining, but Alphonse did not hesitate to scold his brother. He was angry at how much worry he had caused him. He'd had enough of this depressed attitude of Ed's.
"Brother!" he yells angrily. "Why the heck would you run away like that?! And you wonder why I think you're acting just like him!"
Edward stares blankly at the armored boy, seeming to have not soaked up one ounce of what has been said. Mustang sighs as Ed just stares, Al getting more and more frustrated by the second.
"Uhm," Edward speaks awkwardly, tilting his head to one side, as if trying to study Alphonse closer. "I'm sorry, but do I know you?"
Al doesn't know what to say. What was he supposed to say? His brother, the only family he had, has forgotten him.