Mirayasha cracked open the door slowly and peered out warily. He glanced down both ends of the hall holding his breath. Keaka's eyes darted around as well whimpering slightly as anxiety took her over. Mirayasha tightened his grip on his sister's waist and offered a small reassuring smile nodding his head once. Keaka nodded in return a smirk curving on her own lips. As quietly as possible given their wounded state they walked out of the room into the hall taking the left that led down to their mother's room. The walk was by no means a long one however halfway both were sweating and shaky.
"Brother, I don't think I'm going to make it." Keaka whispered.
"Yes you are!" Mirayasha whispered back fiercely. "I'm not giving you an option otherwise." Keaka glanced at him for a second and shook her head.
"I'm not strong like you Mirayasha. I never was…" She stated tears forming in her eyes.
"Your right, you're not strong like me. You're stronger." He replied. Keaka's brow furrowed causing shooting pain to erupt through out her skull but she ignored it.
"How do you figure?" She asked curiously. "You're the one who endured the surgery, left home to find a way to help kabana. All I did was stay here." Mirayasha smirked.
"That's enough. Sis, let me put it to you this way; whenever I have ever been in need of support be it getting something accomplished or have a problem who do you think the first person is I go to." He asked. Keaka shrugged as best she could and shook her head slightly. Mirayasha shook his head and let out a soft sigh.
"The answer is you. You've always been there to pick me up when I fall, when I'm down you offer words of encouragement and when I'm upset your compassion is unrivaled." He said. Keaka glanced at the floor feeling the moisture in her eyes brim over to send tiny rivers cascading down her cheeks. "I know you blame yourself for what happened but you have to understand that it isn't anyone's fault. It was an accident, they happen. In a way though I am kind of glad that you did because then I wouldn't have this arm." Keaka shook her head more forcefully.
"Jerk." She replied. Mirayasha smiled chuckling softly.
"I'm grateful for everything Keaka; you have no idea what it has meant to me to have you for my sister." He said feeling his own eyes begin to water. Keaka's lower lip quivered as she let out a soft sob accompanied by a wince as pain shot through her body.
"I know what you mean; I'm glad that you and I are siblings Mirayasha but I'm even more grateful that we're friends." She said turning her gaze back towards him a smile gracing her lips. Mirayasha nodded in turn allowing his tears to fall.
"Yeah sane here." He said as his throat choked off the rest of the words he wanted desperately to tell her.
"I have a confession to make though." She stated somewhat guiltily. "Can I be honest with you brother?" Mirayasha nodded.
"You have more than earned that right to be with me." He replied. Keaka let out a shaky breath and adverted her gaze straight ahead again.
"I enjoyed when you were hurt." She said. Her tone was flat and carried no hint of emotion behind it. Mirayasha furrowed his brow and frowned.
"How so?" He asked curiously. Keaka sighed heavily.
"You were always the independent one, going off on adventures that I just tagged along behind even though I'm the oldest you have always been the more dominant between us. After you were hurt you needed me to help you with just the simple stuff and I liked that a lot. It made me feel as if I had worth, as if I were really doing something to contribute to our relationship I guess you could say." She said. Mirayasha nodded his head slowly as her words sank into his mind.
"Then if that's the way you felt why did you make the auto-mail for me?" He asked.
"You were miserable; I couldn't bare to see you like that Mirayasha-kun. The pain you were in emotionally killed me. Then kasaan got sick only making it worse on you, I know you've felt guilt because of that brother but like you said, it happened and that's not your fault." Mirayasha stared straight ahead and bit his lower lip not saying anything.
"If you knew then that I was going to leave would you still have made it?" He asked. Keaka turned her attention back towards him taking into account his almost haggard appearance making him appear older than what he really was. The year and half he had been away had taken a toll on his body as well as his psyche that much she knew, how many times had he adverted death or had to stare it in the face? What challenges did he go up against while serving for the military? She knew she would never be able to fathom what her brother had seen or worse yet done. The question remained and lingered in the air as they approached the door to their mothers room and stopped dead in their tracks. Mirayasha sighed reaching out for the handle and twisted it slowly.
"Yes I would have." She said quietly as the words choked her throat. Mirayasha brought his full attention back to her his hand still lingering on the knob holding her gaze. Their eyes were identical to each other in color, shape and currently emotion. He stared back at his own face in the reflection of her tears knowing she was doing the same and smirked.
"Thank you." He said softly. Keaka offered a sad smiled and nodded her head once. Mirayasha opened the door a crack his eyes scanning the room before opening it enough for the two of them to walk in. Quietly he shut the door and turned to press his back against it. He slid to the floor resting his hands on his knees. Keaka sat some distance away breathing heavily and rubbing her temples. The odor in the room was unbearable; many different medications along with the reek of sickness and what Mirayasha had come to know as death, death that hadn't occurred yet but soon would. Her gasps came short and were shallow creating a rattling sound from deep inside her throat causing Mirayasha's heart to ache horrifically. Shakily he stood offering his hand to Keaka. She accepted allowing him to pull her up into an embrace that was more for physical support than emotional still she welcomed it. The siblings made their way over to their mothers side each taking hold of her hand as tightly as they possibly could and gazed upon her face in the pale moonlight that cascaded into the room. Her hand was sweaty and clammy causing Mirayasha's skin to crawl. Keaka shuddered as her mothers eyes darted underneath their lids and seemingly began to roll into the back of her head. Her skin was pale and deep lines creased her face, ones that neither could remember ever seeing before.
"She's suffered a lot." Mirayasha stated. Keaka nodded.
"I know and not just with this either but with everything else." She replied. Mirayasha nodded in agreement gulping air in an attempt to eliminate the sob that threatened to rip from his chest. Both agreed; so much suffering and yet she still breathed one shallow breath after another, torturing herself. Keaka leaned closer to her laying a soft kiss against her mothers forehead.
"It's alright kasaan. We'll be okay, you can go." She whispered soothingly.
"Do you think she heard you?" He asked. Keaka shrugged.
"Don't know but it doesn't hurt to try." She replied. Mirayasha nodded squeezing his mothers hand gently.
"Sis's right kasaan, we'll both be okay you can go." He echoed. A soft moan was his reply as lids opened to reveal brown eyes that seemed distant and hazy.
"Mirayasha? Keaka? You're both here?" She whispered softly. Both nodded in unison as fresh tears fell. "I'm so sorry, I never wanted to leave either of you but I know that you'll take care of each other and be safe."
"Of course we will kasaan." Mirayasha replied. "I'm sorry I left." His mother offered a small smirk.
"Don't be that's what life is about Mirayasha. Mothers care for their children then they leave, that's life. This is just another part of life. I know that my life will soon be over but the two of you are just starting out. There's so much time for the two of you I just wish there was more I could do…." She said her voice becoming softer.
"I wish there was something more I could do." Mirayasha replied.
"You're here that's what counts my sweet boy." She replied. "There's one more thing and I know the two of you will probably never be able to forgive me for but try too. Your father, he's…he's here but he's not….not…."
"Kasaan we know, it's alright. Brother and I understand why you kept it from us all these years. We're not angry or anything at you, we both love you." Keaka replied tears choking her throat. Mirayasha nodded.
"Yeah what she said…" He replied. Their mother smirked gently as her lids began to close.
"Thank you, good-bye…" She said weakly. Both watched as her eyes shut and a peaceful expression took hold of her. Her body trembled slightly for a few seconds before completely relaxing. Time must have passed but the two sat by her side staring at their mother coming to terms with her passing as best they could.
"What do we do now?" Keaka asked breaking the silence. Mirayasha sighed.
"I don't know." He said. Keaka nodded slowly.
"Maybe we should try and leave now." She said softly. Mirayasha nodded.
"Yeah I guess so." He said. Keaka nodded. Both stood simultaneously walking towards the window and glanced down. Mirayasha opened it sticking his head out to take in the surrounding area, no sign of anyone.
"How many bones do you think we'll break?" He asked. Keaka shrugged.
"If we're lucky none but it is two stories up." She replied. The window sill was big enough for both siblings to sit next to each other side by side. They swung their legs over staring down. "If you have to break any bones just try to avoid the legs or ankles." Mirayasha nodded his head.
"Noted." He replied. He turned his head to glance at her taking into account her trembling. He grasped her hand tightly. "It's now or never." He said. Keaka glanced at him and offered a small nod.
"I know." She said softly. The two pushed off feeling themselves falling further towards the earth. Both landed with a thud but luckily no snapping sounds. Keaka stared up at the window as she lay on the ground attempting to fill her lungs with air but none would come. Mirayasha was in the same state having the wind forcefully knocked out of him. He wasted little time however and set to work. A paint can lay nearby halfway full of the heavy black grease Keaka used for her tools and auto-mail creations. He stood quickly his knees buckling grabbing the can. He slathered it on the side of the house using it to draw an array cursing his hand for shaking so much as he did so. He sprinted around the house covering all sides of it with the same circle. He dropped the can and walked some distance away grabbing Keaka by the wrist and pulling her behind him as he did so. Once he was sure they were a safe distance away he fell to the ground drawing a slightly different array on the ground. He glanced at it for a moment then back at the house where he had grown up in. He took a shaky breath as the Elric brothers motto came to his weary mind making it up for him.
"Move forward." He said clapping his hands together and pressing them to the ground. The green light of his transmutation shone brightly as it activated the ones on the house as well causing it to glow for a moment. The impact of the explosion sent both siblings flying backwards some feet away reeling from it. Keaka glanced up to see the thick dust covering the area where their house had stood moments earlier.
"What did you do?" She asked hoarsely her eyes wide.
"It imploded." He stated standing up his eyes not leaving the spot.
"Imploded? How did you learn to do a scary thing like that?" She asked. Mirayasha shrugged turning his attention down to her. He grabbed her hand helping her to stand.
"Come on before Envy gets back up, we need to get moving towards the train station." He said.
"He's still alive after that?" Keaka asked fear evident in her voice. Mirayasha nodded his head.
"Homunculi are hard to kill least that's what Ed says." He said as both turned heading towards the train station.
Ed and Al had received the message some days after Mirayasha had mysteriously disappeared from central head quarters. Ed cursed himself knowing that they had wasted too much time fearing the worst possible out come.
"If only that bastard hadn't made me go through all that red tape…" Ed said as the train pulled to a stop in Tendren. Al glanced down at his older brother.
"It's not like you went through any of it anyways Ed…." He chided.
"Al I know your not going to lecture me given the circumstances." Ed replied. Al put his hands up defensively.
"I never said I was brother!" He said. Ed sighed standing as the doors opened.
"Sorry Al I'm just on edge. I can't believe that bastard Envy would stoop so low." Ed said his voice coming out a low growl. Al nodded following close behind his brother. Both stepped onto the train platform and stopped dead in their tracks at the sight that met their eyes. Mirayasha and Keaka sat on the ground in a small alcove their backs against a wall breathing heavily. Mirayasha rested his head against the corner of the wall that jutted out while Keaka had hers on her brother's shoulder. Both were wounded, malnourished and apparently exhausted.
"Mirayasha!" Al was the first to call out and run to the younger children. Ed stared wide eyed letting out slow shaky breaths. Mirayasha cracked his eye open and smirked.
"Al, man are you a sight for sore eyes my friend." He said his voice coming off as dry and cracked. Ed soon walked over and knelt down in front of them.
"Where's Envy? What happened?" He asked.
"I'll tell you on the train Ed, we need to get out of here as soon as possible." Mirayasha replied fear echoing in his voice.
"But you two need a doctor now." Al said. Mirayasha shook his head.
"We'll be fine for now, once we get back to central we can." Ed nodded in understanding.
'He's right let's move out Al." He said. Al nodded and gently took hold of Keaka in his arms fixing her to rest comfortably bridal style. She moaned softly as sweat beaded on her forehead and fell down.
"She's sick." Al observed. Ed helped Mirayasha up draping the boys arm around his shoulder holding onto him tightly. Mirayasha leaned against Ed for support and nodded in Al's direction.
"Yeah I know." He replied as the conductor called for passengers.
"Guess that's us." He said walking towards the train. He presented his pocket watch to the conductor explaining that everyone was with him on official military business. The conductor took into account the condition of the young boy and girl nodding his approval to Ed. Mirayasha was dragged up the stairs to the train since his legs wouldn't lift no matter how much he willed them to do so. After an eternity of pain and exhaustion Mirayasha finally sat down on a plush seat. He let his head fall back against it and groaned contently feeling unconsciousness over take him at a rapid pace as the train pulled away with only one thought flashing through his mind, 'It's over, for now…'