Dear Brother

For twelve years, Alphonse stayed away to give his brother a second chance at the childhood they never had. For twelve years, Aphonse wrote his story, chronicling everything that happened so that someday he could share those moments with his brother once again. These are his letters.

A.N. Well, I don't know about the rest of you but I was craving a little AlMay fluff. Here you go!

Disclaimer: Ed, Al, and all their friends are the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I do not own them, but am grateful for the opportunity to use them in the unleashing of my own imagination.

Rating: This story is rated K+

July 10, 1915

Dear Brother,

The fighting has begun. Not here – not yet anyway. Most of it is centered around the Imperial City right now, as the larger clans attempt to seize control of the throne. Once a single clan has control of the city, the other clans will mobilize against it and against one another.

Even though things are still relatively quiet within the Chang province, there is a current of unrest moving through the ground and through the people. I can feel it.

The Dragon's Pulse, Brother… it lets me feel so many things. Some things are easier to sense than others but it seems that anything wrong stands out sharply against all the rest. It's like all of nature is screaming out against what is happening right now. Even hundreds of kilometers away, I can sense it. I can feel it in my bones as people are being slaughtered in the streets.

And I'm not the only one. Most of the people here can read the Dragon's Pulse – even if they aren't alkahestrists. They can feel what is happening and it hurts them. They can't even shut if off like I can. I still have to concentrate to feel the Dragon's Pulse but, for them, it's second nature. They feel it without thinking about it. And it stirs their own spirits into a state of turmoil, escalating the feeling of disquiet which is spreading through the country.

May came to me tonight. She's still here actually, but she's sleeping. She's so exhausted. She's been so worried about taking care of her people, I think she just needed someone to take care of her for a while.

She told me everything – what the council had been discussing and the decision they had come to. Chang will not be allying itself with another clan. There isn't one trustworthy enough in the nearby provinces and it would do little good to form an alliance with a more distant clan. Besides, May could not bring herself to sacrifice the men of her clan as soldiers to fight another clan's battles.

But this won't stop Chang from losing everything. The land is forfeit – the homes, most of the possessions will be lost when the armies come through. But there is a chance for the people. In the mountains to the East of here, there are deep caves, big enough to hide hundreds of people. The entrances are hard to find but the people of Chang know those mountains and it is possible to hide there for months, years even if need be. Mountain streams and underground springs will provide fresh water and they have already begun moving provisions – food, clothing, medical supplies, basic necessities. It won't be a lot, but it will have to be enough.

Tomorrow, the people will be told of the plan and asked to pack only the essentials and a few personal items, family heirlooms and priceless treasures mostly – things which can't be replaced. Then they will start moving the people. They can't send everyone at once. If they all vanish suddenly, the other clans will notice and come looking. So the women and children and elderly will go first – in small groups. The men will stay behind and keep the villages looking lived in for a while longer. When the first of the armies reach the Chang boarder, we will go.

Yes, I'm going with them. I don't really have a choice. If I stay here, I'll be killed. If I try to get back to Amestris, I'll have to fight my way through enemy clan territory to reach the border and, for all I know, the borders may still be under heavy guard. I don't think I'd make it across on my own.

Besides, May needs me. Her mother died years ago and her father… well her father was the emperor and he never cared. He's gone now too, leaving May an orphan. Her only siblings are half siblings who would sooner see her dead than try to care for her. She has aunts and uncles and cousins and Master Lao here in the clan, but she has always been the princess to them. They have always expected so much of her. She has to be strong for them. She won't show weakness in front of anyone else.

I guess that's why she came to me. She doesn't have to be strong for me. She can tell me how scared she is. She can cry.

She cried herself to sleep tonight – cried, because she thinks she has failed her people. She's doing everything she can for them but, in her eyes, it will never be enough. I hate seeing her like this. I want to fix it – make it better somehow – but, short of giving her the Stone, there is nothing I can do.

I will stay with her though. She needs someone to be strong for her right now and, even though I'm not very strong physically, I can provide the strength of spirit.

Shao May keeps staring at me. She's a funny little panda and I know that she's the only friend May ever had. Well, she has me now, too, so I guess Shao May and I have something in common. We both want to protect May.

May looks so young when she's sleeping. Pretty too.

Wow… that's embarrassing to write. You'd better not start laughing when you read this, Brother. I'm just saying… well, she is. She's got this cute, innocent look about her, but not so much as when we first met her. It's been over a year now since then. She's grown up a lot. I guess I have too; it's just harder to notice the changes in me since I was still in the armor a year ago. I've mostly just filled out since I got my body back. I definitely look better than I did when May found me in the train depot. I wonder if she's noticed?

I mean… wow… I can't believe I just wrote that. I'm… just going to stop writing now. Okay, Brother?

-Al