Ch. 9 - The Reason.
As Mustang did get to his feet…the astonished boy couldn't help but take a couple uneasy steps backwards, unsure of just what was going to happen next. What could he expect? Mustang was…never really predictable…and he wasn't sure that time had done anything to change that. He was more than likely, Edward thought, the same-old Mustang he had been years ago when he'd seen the man last.
For quite some time, the two mens' eyes were locked-- they just couldn't seem to stop staring at one another as some old friends of the alchemist who witnessed the incident seemed to be doing the same thing…though some had been brave enough to welcome the boy, give him a pat on the back, and back off. The welcomes…didn't seem to bring the boy out from his current state of being, though, but it was Edward who did break from his stupor first. The boy shook his head to clear his thoughts, the man across from him copying the action as the raven-haired one cleared his throat and closed his eyes slightly.
"Well Ed-- um…welcome back to Central…" He said, unable to keep the tiniest of smiles from his lips as he quickly thought of something else to ask. "So…where's young Alphonse?" He asked, blinking as he felt a tap on his shoulder, looking back to see a boy with straw-colored, short hair…slightly darker than the Elric directly in front of him, and with hazel-brown eyes.
"Right here Colonel! Oops, I mean Fuhrer Mustang!" Al exclaimed, grinning from ear-to-ear as he saw the man stare in shock, pointing and stuttering. The young boy didn't seem to be too set-back by his reaction. "Nice to see you too Sir! I know it's weird…no longer seeing me as a suit of armor…but I've gotten my original body back! My brother found a way to get it back for me a year or two ago…and here I am! I've been this way since!" The boy continued, smiling widely as the dark-eyed man turned his attention back to Edward, eyes relaying a message of disbelief as his doubt was replied to with a simple shrug from the quiet boy.
"Ed…is there nothing…that you wish to say to me?" The former Colonel asked, causing the other alchemist to look away with a sigh, suddenly finding the floor much more interesting as he seemed to be trying to desperately stare a hole into it with which to escape from this situation. The military man turned his attention back to the younger Elric, who fidgeted a little before taking the man by the arm and leading him away from his brother.
"Roy, Ed can't--…Ed can't talk…" He told the man softly, shaking his head slightly in a saddened manner as the Fuhrer looked at the boy in a puzzled manner.
"…What do you mean FullMetal can't talk? He's perfectly capable to at least manage a 'Hello' after all these years without contacting us at all. Quite frankly, though…he seems a little more…subdued than I remember…" The man observed, looking back in the general direction where he had been dragged away from the younger companion. Alphonse again shook his head, though more persistently this time.
"W-Well, Mustang…he'd seem that way…because…he really can't. He can't speak. Mustang…he's not spoken within the last three years. E-Ed had found a way to return me back to the way I am now…but…we had a run-in with the homunculi. He and I managed to rid ourselves of the imposter who called herself our mother, Sloth was her name, and…the others didn't really like us too well for that. The minute my brother's foot touched the ground…Lust extended her nails. The attack caught my brother by the throat, Roy…both his trachea and his larynx were punctured from the incident. He's suffered a lot...and has almost no voice. Just trying to talk…or yell, in his case…can cause problems. Those wounds never really closed…so they're in danger of re-ripping themselves if he tries…to…" The youngest explained in a somewhat hushed tone, trying to keep others from overhearing or commenting on the story.
The older man's face was blank…but held traces of shock, sadness, and a quiet fury rising in his eyes. The man stalked off, leaving Alphonse to make his way after him with wide eyes as he called out to his brother, who looked up only to be caught by the collar of his shirt and lifted so that only his toes touched the ground. The man, Mustang, who held him up silently looked down at the tiles…eyes closed as he took a shaky breath and raised his head to the alchemist with a face full of disappointment…and…longing?
"Edward Elric…why? Damn it Ed! I want an answer…! You stay out of contact with me and the rest of your comrades for over three years…and when you return, you leave your sibling with the duty of telling everyone what happened…when I, we, all know that you didn't really want to come back and suffer this grave reunion. So…why, FullMetal? Why is it that you came back? And why is it that you couldn't have had the decency to contact us and tell us…instead of making us fear that the worst may have happened to you? Edward…the military had just as well…thought you to be dead! Dead, FullMetal!"
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I'm soooooooo sorry everyone for not updating..for like a year! College has been kinda rough on me..but..I promise to try to post some more chapters at least by summer break if not earlier! Please forgive me! I'll try to work on starting another chapter this or next weekend! Keyword there is TRY-- not promising..but making an effort!
