Chapter 11-

The next morning came and went without any visits from the Colonel or his lioness. Ayala and Edward took full advantage of their almost free reign over the city. Ed may have had limited funds but he soon found out quite a few store owners were willing to barter their goods for help in fixing things around their business. He even managed to get Winry some stuff she was after, something he sincerely hoped would make her less angry about the military thing. She wasn't quite as terrifying as Teacher when it came to her opinion but she certainly wasn't pleasant either. Ed was fairly certain the only reason she didn't hurt him outright when he announced his plans was because he was already so injured and after he got the automail it was because he was already pushing himself beyond any reasonable limits and Winry didn't want to be the cause of his limits breaking. However, now he was healed and would more than likely be heading back with a State Alchemist title and Ed feared that wrench wielding pyshco more than he was willing to admit. So he was now resorting to diverting her attention with shiny things. Ayala felt like this was the safest and least painful route to take but that didn't stop her from teasing her human about it. Edward refused to give her the satisfaction of his reaction.

It was after lunch that Ed was stopped in the middle of the footpath by a random soldier. Well, in all honesty, it was Ayala who noticed the random soldier and immediately took up a protective stance in front her thoroughly confused human. It wasn't her fault that all she could sense off the approaching stranger was the burning intent on finding her boy! The soldier, luckily for him, realised her intentions and stopped a good distance from the blonde boy wearing a red coat. Ed seemed to realise what the soldier was doing here and had Ayala stand down so the man could approach. She did but sent the man a snarl. It didn't hurt to remind for them to be wary of her. It made it clear her boy was not to be messed with. Ed rolled his eyes at her antics but was secretly pleased with her protectiveness.

"Edward Elric?" Ed nodded, the soldier continued. "Colonel Mustang has requested that you go to his office immediately." The soldier passed along. Ed frowned. If Mustang was asking him to his office than it meant his results were in! Ayala made the same realisation at the same time and grinned at him.

"Thank you, er, sorry, what was your name?" Ed asked the soldier who, in turn, looked surprised at the question. A bird swooped down and landed on said soldier's shoulder. Ed made the educated guess that this was his Animal.

"Captain Aaron Wilson." The poor bloke sounded honestly surprised that Ed had bothered to ask his name. Ed locked his face and name into his brain for future uses.

"Well, thanks, Captain Wilson. Can you point me in the direction of the base? I kinda got turned around." He grinned sheepishly. Wilson looked more than happy to help, even offering to escort Ed back, something Ed was reluctant to accept until Wilson assured him he was headed back that way anyway. They walked in silence for a while before Wilson broke the silence.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce my Animal. This is Bronwyn. She's a Grass Parrot." Bronwyn chirped in Ed's direction.

"Hi, Bronwyn! This is Ayala. She's an arctic wolf." Ayala nodded in their direction. "She is also sorry for trying to bail you up like that before." While Ed didn't like apologising for anything he did, much to his brother's amusement and chagrin, he did apologise on Ayala's behalf whenever required because he didn't like people thinking bad things about her. Wilson waved off the apology.

"There's no need for it. I didn't realise how I came across until Bron pointed it out. I should be the one apologising, Ayala. I'm sorry for making you think I was going to harm your human." Wilson solemnly said. Ayala huffed before giving Ed her response.

"I don't apologise, by the way. Also, tell him that he doesn't need to apologise either." Ed smirked at the first part but dutifully passed along the second part. Wilson smiled and they continued their walk in silence. Ed was starting to recognise his surroundings now and knew they were close to the base. Once through the main gate and Ed had assured Wilson he knew his way, they parted with a shake of the hands and Ed and Ayala headed for the Colonel's office. They took their time. Ed would claim it was so he and Ayala were definitely sure of their surroundings and any smells there were. Ayala knew it was because Ed wanted to irk the Colonel, who'd undoubtedly been tipped off by Nala as soon as they'd arrived. That was the downside to being able to talk to all Animals, Ed had found. It was like the Animal received an alert or something in their brain when he was within range, so long as he had already talked to them. He and Ayala finally made it up to Mustang's office nearly half an hour after he came into Nala's range. He didn't bother knocking since he knew they were expecting him and he was proven correct when no one said anything aside from greetings. He wondered why it was so quiet and realised that Havoc and Breda as well as their Animals weren't in the room.

"Hello, Edward." Hawkeye greeted him. Soren gave a soft hoot as his own greeting. Ed smiled at them. He offered Fuery and Falman a wave and smile each but turned his attention back to Hawkeye.

"Hello, Miss Riza." Ed said back. Soren ruffled his feathers. "Hello, Soren. Where's Havoc and Breda?" He asked while Ayala seemed to engage Soren in a conversation. Either that or she was debating owl for lunch.

"Havoc and Breda have been sent to collect lunch since neither of them could focus on something other than throwing paper balls at each other." Hawkeye sounded exasperated and slightly amused. "So they got sent out of the office so we could get some work done with minimal distractions." Edward grinned at the mental image. "You're welcome to head into the Colonel's office. Don't mind him if he's in a testy mood though. I discovered his hiding spot for his paperwork and am making him do it." Edward had to admit that he admired Mustang's persistence to avoid his paperwork. He also suspected Mustang had a death-wish of sorts if he was risking Hawkeye's wrath over avoiding paperwork. He may have only met the woman three times but he realised fairly quickly that she was really the one in charge around here.

"Thank you, Miss Riza." Him using manners may be as rare as Winry admitting alchemy was better than automail but he did use them with people he didn't want to ever see angry. And Hawkeye was definitely someone he decided he didn't want to see angry after he first met her. He suspected angry Hawkeye would be on level with Teacher on a good day. Using his left hand to give Ayala a nudge towards the door since she was too busy chatting to Soren to have been paying attention to either Hawkeye or Edward. Upon entering the inner office, Ed was immediately met with the sight of Mustang's desk covered in paperwork to the point where Ed only knew Mustang was still there because he could hear him muttering and swearing profusely. Ed was pretty sure he learnt a few new words he could use. Nala looked the definition of relaxed on the couch, sprawled so she was taking up as much space as possible. Ed really did try not to laugh but he couldn't stifle his chuckle quite quick enough. He heard Mustang's pen stop its furious scribbling and saw his black hair peek over the mound of paperwork.

"How's it going, Mustang? 'Sup, Nala?" Edward asked lightly, walking around so he was in front of the desk where he could actually see Mustang's face. He was wearing a scowl instead of his usual smirk and looked like he had a headache. At Ed's question, his left eye twitched but he didn't show any other sign of annoyance. Ed was kinda disappointed. Nala grinned. She may be Mustang's Animal but she liked seeing him riled up.

"Not much, Ed. How'd you enjoy your freedom this morning?" Nala asked while Mustang was trying to resist the urge to set the paperwork on fire.

"Yeah, it was great. Most of the shopkeepers I met were happy to barter some stuff in exchange for me fixing random things around their shops. I got some stuff that Granny and Winry need that I couldn't afford before." He didn't bother with the mental connection, choosing to answer her out loud. He'd heard enough of Mustang's bragging about how intelligent he was while in Central so he decided he wanted to see if Mustang could figure out his talent without him or Nala telling him. Ed, Nala and Ayala were all curious as to how long it would take Mustang to become suspicious and how long after that, he would confront Ed. Ayala and Nala were of the opinion it would be sooner rather than later. Ed thought it take Hawkeye noticing and then mentioning something or Al letting something slip before Mustang even noticed. Ed looked back at Mustang. "So, what's up?" He asked curiously. Mustang held out his hand in answer and Ed saw a glint of silver as he stepped forward to take it. It was a pocket watch with the Amestrian Military symbol on it.

"This silver watch serves as proof of your state certification. This envelope" he held said envelope up, "contains your certificate of appointment. Huh, it would seem our Fuhrer is not without a certain sense of irony." He said with a hint of amusement. Ed looked up from Ayala who had been closely examining his new watch.

"Why's that?" Ed asked, reaching for the envelope so he could read it's contents himself.

"Nothing. Congratulations. You've officially become a dog of the military." Mustang said with minimum enthusiasm as he handed the envelope over. Ed snorted and read the contents.

"By order of King Fuhrer Bradley, this document certifies that Edward Elric has been appointed to the post of State Alchemist and that he is hereby granted the title of Fullmetal Alchemist." Ed read out loud, mainly for Ayala's benefit.

"'Fullmetal'?" He asked, confused. Ayala didn't seem to know either.

"That's right. Along with their commission, State Alchemists also receive a cover name. An official name you will known as. The Fullmetal Alchemist." Mustang explained. Ed made a small noise of understanding.

"I like it. It's nice and intimidating. I think it'll suit me just fine. What do you think?" He asked Ayala. Ayala mulled the name over in her head before turning her golden eyes on Ed.

"Edward Elric: The Fullmetal Alchemist. I think it has a nice ring to it." She told him. He gave her a rare, soft smile and ruffled the fur between her ears. Mustang watched the small scene with something like nostalgia in his eyes. He remembered telling Nala his state title. He wasn't sure what Ayala said, obviously, but he doubted it was something as dramatic as Nala's rant about the military and it's lack of originality. Locking eyes with Nala, he knew she was remembering that moment too.

"So, what now?" Ed asked, straightening up so he was eye level with Mustang now. Ayala was also waiting expectantly for Mustangs answer. Leaning back in his chair, Mustang considered Ed for a moment.

"You'll need to fill out paperwork to complete your enlistment. Hawkeye will have it and can help you with any questions. Once that's done, ask Hawkeye to get you a ticket back to Resembool. You'll have one week to deal with anything you need to before you come back here. As a State Alchemist, you're automatically given the rank of 'Major' which means that the only people you have to obey are people ranked Lieutenant Colonel or above. As a member of the military, you'll be assigned a dorm here, so don't worry about finding a place. I'll make sure there are two beds. It'll be yours until you either discharge from the military or you get a permanent place here or wherever I'm appointed. As your commanding officer, you'll be staying in whatever city I'm posted. As a State Alchemist, you'll get any train tickets for free so long as the destination is mission related. You'll have access to alchemy sections in any library and you'll have access to the State Alchemists Library. I'll make sure Al gets the same benefits. You can eat in the mess for free or you can pay for your own food. You'll be given a bank account where your pay will be deposited. Your watch will act as I.D for almost everything. Any questions?" He asked. Ed thought but he couldn't think of anything. Ayala couldn't either.

"Nope, don't think so." Edward said after a few moments. Mustang nodded.

"Good. You can head out to do your paperwork now. Have Havoc drive you to the train station. He'll avoid being shot by Hawkeye that way. I'll see you in a weeks time, Fullmetal." Ed smirked at him.

"See ya, Mustang. Bye, Nala." He smiled at the lioness.

"Bye, Edward. Congrats on your appointment. I'll see you in a week." She said.

"Thanks, see you then." He waved at her as he disappeared at the door with a flash of red, Ayala quick to follow. Mustang's brow furrowed slightly. There was something off about that exchange but he couldn't afford to dwell on it. He still had masses of paperwork to get through and Edward only guaranteed him an hour of Hawkeye not having him trained in her crosshairs. He shuddered at the thought and picked his pen up with a sigh and quickly forgot all about the weird feeling he got. Nala smirked inwardly and curled up to have a nap.

Meanwhile, Ed had made it into the outer office to discover Havoc and Breda had returned from their lunch run. Both men made to get up to greet him but a quick glance at Hawkeye made them settle for simply waving at him from their desks. He approached Hawkeye while Ayala went to investigate the other Animals since she didn't have a chance to last time.

"Hey Miss Riza, Mustang said you had some paperwork for me to fill out?" He asked her. She nodded and gestured for him to take the seat next to her, which he did, before handing him a small stack of paper and a pen. Ed started leafing through it to see what he needed to do.

"Thanks. I apologise in advance for my handwriting." He grinned at her before picking up the pen and diving in. Hawkeye smiled at him and continued with her own work. The office was quiet aside from the sounds of pens on paper, paper being moved about and various Animals moving around. He was a quarter of the way through when he remembered the rest of Mustangs instructions. "Oh! Miss Riza, could you get me a ticket to Resembool please?"

"Of course. How long will you be gone for? I'll book your return ticket at the same time. Who's driving you?" Ed didn't really bother wondering how she knew he was being driven.

"Thanks. I'll be gone for a week. Mustang told me to ask Havoc to take me." Ed told her. She nodded and picked up the phone next to her. Ed turned back to his paperwork, tuning her out. A tap on his shoulders only a couple of minutes later nearly made him jump.

"You're booked in for this afternoons train. It'll leave here at 3pm so you'll need to hurry and finish. You'll get your return ticket at the Resembool station." Thanking her, he turned to his paperwork again. It was rather boring and he could see why Mustang constantly tried to evade his. He couldn't imagine sitting behind a desk for hours on end signing endless forms and requests. He was glad he didn't have to. He only needed Hawkeyes help with a couple of things he didn't understand and by the time the clock read 1:30pm, he was finished. Hawkeye noticed and took the pen back and rifled through the papers, checking they were completed and in order. Satisfied, she plopped them down so she could deal with them later. "Good job, Ed. Have a safe trip back to Resembool and we'll see you in a week's time." She offered him a smile, which he returned. Sometime while he was working, she and Havoc must've spoken because Havoc was standing and waiting for Ed near the door. Ed wasn't surprised he missed the conversation. Al always said that he had a habit of focusing completely on the task in front of him, ignoring anything and everything that wasn't to do with said task. Giving everyone a small wave goodbye, he and Ayala followed Havoc and Mark out to where the car was. The trip to the hotel was quicker than Ed expected and he and Ayala packed all of their stuff in record time, ensuring nothing was left behind at all. Havoc pointed out that there was still an hour to go until he had to catch the train and asked if he wanted to stop somewhere to get snacks or something to take with. Not ones to turn down any offer of food, Ed and Ayala raided the bakery Havoc drove them to with the assurance that they made the best apple turnovers in the country. Arms loaded with pastries, Havoc was left to carry Ed's suitcase for him to the ticket counter and onto the actual train. After stowing it away, Havoc turned to watch Ed unburden himself.

"You got everything?" He asked, making Ed snap his attention to him.

"Yup, pretty sure I do." He said after a moment of thinking.

"Good." Havoc nodded. "We'll see you in a week. Have a good trip." Ed grinned at him.

"I have plenty of books; I'll be fine. See you in a week." Havoc offered him a smile and a wave before he headed off the carriage and out into the crowd to rejoin Mark, who had wisely decided to stay in the car to avoid being trampled. Ed watched him leave before turning to Ayala.

"I should probably tell Al that I'm coming home, eh?" He asked casually as he made himself comfortable on the bench seat, waiting for the train to leave the station. Ayala looked at him with an expression that said something like 'no shit'. Ed took that as a 'yes'.

"Hey, Chester. Let Al know that Ayala and I are on our way back to Resembool now. We should be in the station in a few hours." He felt Chester receive the message and the happiness and excitement he felt at having them coming home. Ed let himself smile at that. It was nice knowing that he was as missed by his brother and Chester as he missed them.

"Al says that's great and that he and I'll meet you at the station. He also wants to know if this means you were accepted as a State Alchemist?" Chester sent back almost immediately.

"Yup. I'll tell you both all about it once we're at Granny's. I don't feel like telling the story 50 times over." Ed informed him, preventing any demands for details. He heard Chester grumble about it and laughed at him. "You'll find out soon enough so stop your muttering."

"Rude. Anyway, Al's just asked me if you'd killed Mustang before you left." Ayala and Ed snorted.

"Nah that would be like shooting myself in the thought. We agreed to help each other and he's told me that he'll be able to send me on missions that could help our goal so killing him is something I'd do only if he really pissed me off." Chester could see the wisdom in that. Al was less impressed with the logic.

"Al has told me that you are not allowed to murder Mustang under any circumstances." Chester dutifully passed along.

"Tell Al he's a killjoy." Chester did so and Al wasn't that phased by the insult, much to Ed's chagrin. The conductor finally announced that they were ready to leave so Ed let Chester know and wrapped up their conversation so that Chester and Al could tell Granny and Winry. The train finally pulled away from East City station and Ayala and Ed prepared themselves for the trip back home to Al and Chester.

The hours blurred together in a sugar and knowledge filled haze. By the time the train pulled into Resembool station, Ed and Ayala were regretting buying out the bakery and had been finished reading every book Ed had in his suitcase. Even though he'd promised, Ed was still slightly surprised when he spotted his brother and Chester waiting patiently on one of the benches. Not even waiting for the train to come to a complete stop, Ed and Ayala jumped up, secured their suitcase and rubbish and headed for the door closest to Al and Chester. Once free from the carriage, Ed dumped the rubbish and beelined for his brother, Ayala just as eager. Al spotted them before Ed could call any sort of greeting.

"Brother!" He shouted as he rushed towards the older blonde and enveloped him in a hug, remembering at the last second to be gentle so he didn't squeeze the life out of him.

"It's good to see you too, Al." Ed laughed, patting Al on the back with his free hand. Al couldn't feel it but he heard the noise and knew what his brother was doing. Al finally pulled away from Ed so that the boy could breathe again. Ayala and Chester had just finished greeting each other when the boys stopped their hug. Ed ruffled the fur between Chester's ear affectionately. "Hey, Chester. It's good to see you too." Ed smiled at the big cat while Al mimicked his brother as best he could with Ayala.

"I hope you weren't forced to pull him back into line too often, Ayala." The young Elric half-joked. Ayala gave him a look that told him otherwise. "You'll have to tell Chester what Brother left out of his reports so he can tell me, okay?" Ed glared at them both. Ayala nodded and grinned in amusement at Ed's muttered 'traitor' while Al did his best not to chuckle. Ed decided a distraction was in order. He grabbed his suitcase and walked backwards towards the exit.

"How about we head back to Granny's? I'm sure those two have plenty of questions or lectures for me." He pointed out, implying that keeping the two Rockbell women waiting more than necessary wasn't a brilliant idea. Al got the message and he and the Animals caught up to Ed as quickly as possible. Ed turned around with a grin. The walk back was mainly small talk with Al filling Ed in on every little thing that happened in the week he was gone. The Chases's had their third child and only son, the Pritchards cattle were sick for some reason, three children gained their Animals. Ed listened, grateful to be back in his small hometown, relishing in the fact that, aside from Al's voice and his and the Animals breathing, all he could hear were crickets and the occasional animal. He was happy to be able to look up and see all the stars instead of streetlights and car lights. He knew that after this week, it would be a while before he got to see this again so he was gonna appreciate it while he could. Rockbell Automail finally came into view before long and Ed groaned internally at the sight of the lights on in the house. Even though he suspected they'd be awake, he'd really hoped he was wrong for once.

Ed walked through the front door using Al as a shield, even though he would deny that until he died, but it save him from the onslaught of questions the two women immediately started asking him. Al was torn between saving his brother and laughing his arse off. Letting him endure it for a few moments longer, Al finally helped him out by pointing out the fact that Ed couldn't answer any questions if he couldn't understand them. Winry shot Al a dirty look but he shrugged it off. He did have a point. Having seniority and because she wanted to get straight to the point, Granny asked the first question.

"So?" In hindsight, Ed should've expected such a question from Granny. She wasn't a woman of many words and liked keeping questions as simple and broad as possible so she'd get more information out of her target. Ed sat at the table and the two youngest members of the household followed suit. Ayala and Chester curled up at their respective humans feet while Den was sprawled on his back with his feet in the air. He looked comfortable.

"Okay. I'm officially enlisted and everything. I have permission from Mustang for Al to accompany me on missions as I am technically his legal guardian and have sworn up and down that he can defend himself. It's up to him if he wants to stay here with you guys or go with me. The contract I signed has me enlisted until I'm 18. Once it's done I can either re-enlist or discharge. As a State Alchemist, Ayala and I get all sorts of benefits and the pay isn't bad either so I'll be able to pay you guys for my automail and any repairs or maintenance needed down the track. Mustang has agreed to send me on missions to places that have leads on the stone when he can. In exchange for that, I've promised to do missions that have nothing to do with the stone without complaint. Does that cover everything?" He barely even took a breath until now. Ayala was kinda impressed. Granny thought for a moment.

"When do you go back?" Ed was surprised he'd even forgotten to mention that little tidbit during his mini speech.

"A week from now. Resembool station has my ticket. I'll need to pick it up so I know when exactly." Ed didn't miss the look that crossed the girls' faces. He'd known that him joining the military wouldn't change their views on it. He didn't like the military either and joining it hadn't changed his mind. It was the only option he had to right his wrongs though and he refused to let the slightly betrayed looks he knew he'd get change his mind. He was doing this for Al and they all knew it.

"Only a week?" Winry's small voice asked. From the look she was giving him, she obviously didn't think a week was long enough.

"Yup. I have a week to sort out any business I have here and then I report back to Mustang." Ed's voice told them that he didn't like it either but that he didn't want to hear any whinging from them. They sat in silence for a moment before Granny heaved herself to her feet.

"Right. That's enough chatter for one night. You lot need to sleep. We'll talk more about this in the morning. Ed, you're in your usual room." Her voice left no room for arguments so they didn't bother. They trudged up the stairs and after bidding each good night, disappeared into their own rooms. Ed tossed his suitcase on the floor, intending on dealing with it tomorrow before he collapsed on his bed. Nothing felt remotely as good as his own mattress in that moment. Ayala joined him after a moment of waiting and Al waited for them to settle before switching off the light and sitting next to Chester's bed for the night. Ed curled up around Ayala and was ready to fall asleep at any moment when he heard Al's voice.

"I really missed you, Brother." He whispered in the darkness.

"I missed you too, Al. Wasn't the same without you." He whispered back truthfully. He heard Al shift a little before he spoke again.

"I don't want to be separated from you like that again. I'm going with you when you leave." He certainly sounded like he'd made his mind up. Ed was having an internal battle at those words though. Of course he wanted Al to go with him. He was his little brother and these few days apart had shown him how much he'd miss him and Chester. He knew, rationally, that Al wouldn't be able to get physically hurt since he didn't have a body and he knew Al could defend himself since Ed had yet to best him in a sparring match. He also knew that it'd be easier to make sure no one found out about Al's condition if he was there with him and could protect him. However, he wouldn't have to be forced to travel to the end of the country chasing down rumours and getting his hopes dashed if they turned out to be false. Ed knew that they wouldn't find the stone straight away and they certainly would have a hard time figuring out how to make one of their own so he was prepared for it to take a while but he didn't want Al to have to physically be there whenever he found out the rumours were false. He also knew that Al would miss Granny and Winry and that he loved Resembool and would miss the quiet. Mustang rarely went on missions, openly admitting to preferring the desk job as it helped him climb the military ladder quicker so he hadn't been able to tell Ed about what he'd have to endure as a State Alchemist who only took on missions but Ed knew that it more than likely wouldn't be easy or comfortable. He was prepared to make that sacrifice, any sacrifice, for his little brother but he wasn't about to force Al to do the same. He'd already given far more than he should have, in Ed's opinion.

"I don't want to be separated from you either but wouldn't you be happier here? It's not going to be easy with all the travelling we'd have to do and things we'd be forced to see." That was something else he'd thought about while on the train ride home. He knew that he'd be forced to take on some extremely difficult missions and he'd have to take on missions that would threaten his life but he didn't want Al exposed to those either. He was prepared to actually forbid Al from coming with him but Ayala had talked him out of it, pointing out the fact that Al would not listen anyway and then telling him to let him make up his own mind. She'd also brought up the point that Al had probably thought about all this too.

"I know, Brother. I know that it might not be easy to endure and that I'd probably be happier here but I've thought about and talked about it with Chester. I don't want you to go through that sort of stuff alone and neither does Chester. We're going with you." Ed couldn't help but smile at the similarities between his and Granny's 'no argument' tones. He still felt like he shouldn't be letting him but he knew that he couldn't stop him, even if he wanted too.

"Edward, trust me when I say this, but we have talked about this at length. Both of us want to go with you and Ayala. We want to help you and be there with you so you don't have to go through any of it by yourselves. We know that we're putting ourselves in danger and what we could possibly face. Believe me when I say that Pinako and Den have given us a thorough description of the rumours of missions she's heard about soldiers investigating. We don't want you and Ayala to suffer through that with no one having your backs." Ed listened to Chester speak and realised that they had definitely thought this decision through. He couldn't have been any more relieved than he was right now.

"Okay." He spoke to both of them. "You win." Any reservations he had about them tagging along had disappeared after Chester had spoken.

"Good. Now get some sleep, brother. I'm sure Winry will be attacking you in the morning to make sure you didn't damage your automail." Al laughed at Ed's dramatic groan and unflattering descriptions of Winry that were muttered under his breath. It didn't take long for him to hear Ed's breathing even out, indicating that he was now fast asleep. Al shifted so he was seated more securely and settled to wait for his brother to wake up.

Al, much to Ed's disgust, was correct in his assumption. Winry did indeed confront Ed the next morning during breakfast and demanded that he allow her to do a maintenance check on his automail. After much arguing about that fact that he was only gone for a few days and the only potentially damaging thing he'd done was the practical test where he showed off his fighting skills, he finally relented and let the obsessive mechanic look them over. Grinning happily at either the win or Ed's misery (Ed was sure it was both), she ran her tests. It only took an hour, which was half the time it took for him to let her run said tests, before he was set loose with a clean mechanical bill of health. Mutterings about about how Winry needed to loosen up and stop obsessing over automail and trusting him a bit more were met with a wrench, a sore head and a lot of cuss words. Al decided a trip to Resembool to pick up Ed's ticket to East City and purchase one of his own was in order before Winry or Ed ended up dead at the other's hands. The trip into town was more than long enough for Ed to get his temper in check. Al hoped it was the same for Winry. Two tickets later, they were headed back to Granny's when Ed said something that Al hadn't expected.

"We should go back to the house." Those seven words made Al, Chester and Ayala stop in their tracks. Ed stopped to but more in response to them than what he said.

"Why? We haven't been there except for when we really needed something." Al pointed out. It was like an unspoken agreement between the four of them. After what had happened, none of them were comfortable being in that house for long.

"I know but it's something I've been thinking about for a while. Ever since Mustang first found us actually." Ed said. Al still didn't understand why and he said as much so Ed continued. "Look, when Mustang found us he knew what we'd done but Granny had said that she'd gone back to clean the house the same night you brought me to hers, remember?" Al nodded. "Well, how'd he know if she'd erased all the evidence?" Now Al was following what Ed was saying.

"If she'd gotten rid of all the evidence, Mustang shouldn't have known what we'd done. The fact he did means she missed something. You want to go back to the house so we can figure out what and get rid of it." Al summarised. It made sense. They had to be extremely careful now that Ed was in the military. If someone found out what they'd done, they'd be screwed. Going back to the house and making sure all evidence was gone made sense but Al still didn't want to. Judging by the look on Ed's face, he didn't want to either. They started walking again but the mood was much more subdued than it had been a few minutes ago. It went unspoken but they knew they wouldn't visit it today. Today they were going to visit their mum so Ed could tell her what he'd done while he was away. They'd deal with the house later.

They stopped only once one the way to the cemetery and that was so they could gather some wildflowers for her. Once they gave her the flowers, they made themselves comfortable in front of her gravestone and Ed started recapping the whole story for her. Al listened without interrupting his big brother as he listened to the story for the first time as well. He told her about Mustang and his team, including their Animals, about the train ride to Central, meeting Hughes for the first time, the different exams and how offended Mustang looked when Ed beat his record for the written part. He told her about Hughes and his family and how kind Gracia was. He assured his mum that her lasagna was way better than Gracia's and that he'd used his manners there. He told her about the final exam and what Ayala stopped him from doing, at which point Al punched him in the shoulder and scolded him for even thinking about attacking the Fuhrer, even if it was to prove a point. When he finished telling his mum about his trip, it was mid-afternoon and he was starving but he didn't make any moves to hop up. After a few minutes of silence, Al and Ed said their goodbyes and promised to visit before they left.

The walk back to the Rockbell's wasn't as subdued as it normally was when they finished visiting their mum but it was just as quiet. Their Animals both took the opportunity to run rampant through the fields and, in Chester's case, any trees nearby. They were greeted by a less than impressed Winry who demanded to know why it had taken them hours to go get train tickets. She stopped yelling pretty quickly when Al told her they'd visited their mother. Ed snorted at her reaction. Granny wasn't phased by their disappearance, she just told Ed and Ayala to eat their lunch before it went to Den. Once finished, Ed once again found himself being questioned. This time though, Al was also being interrogated.

"So have you two decided what's going to happen with everything?" Granny asked. Winry had sat herself down in her usual spot, watching Al closely. Ed indicated for Al to answer.

"Yes. Chester and I are going with Brother and Ayala when they leave." Winry's face fell. Ed and Al felt a pang of guilt. They knew they were her closest friends just like she was theirs and Al had had a sneaking suspicion that she'd hoped he'd chose to stay behind so she wouldn't be by herself like she was when they were in Dublith. While Ed was in Central and East City, she'd divulged to him how lonely she'd been with only Granny and Den for company. She'd still been going to school but she never really fit in there since the kids made fun of her for her love of automail. Granny had made the decision to pull her out a year before they'd returned because she didn't see the point in making her go when it was clear what her trade was going to be and she wouldn't learn anything about it in school.

"What about your house?" Granny asked, pointedly ignoring Winry's crestfallen face. She refused to coddle the child when she was upset about something like this. Ed and Al exchanged a glance and this time Ed answered.

"We're not sure. We're going to visit it tomorrow and decide then." He said truthfully. He honestly had no clue what they were going to do with the place. They could sell it or just leave it empty and ask Winry or Granny to keep an eye on it. Ed didn't really want to do either. He didn't want the house to be owned by someone else but he didn't want it to sit there empty, reminding him that he had somewhere to run back too if things got too hard. But he didn't want to do anything drastic without Al's opinion. It was his home as well after all. Ayala sensed his thoughts and pressed up against his human leg, her warmth reminding him he wasn't alone in this. He scratched her between the ears in thanks. Granny accepted his answer.

"You mentioned last night that you'd be getting enough money to pay us for the automail and any future repairs or maintenance." Ed nodded even though it wasn't a question. "We stand by our original deal. This set of automail won't cost you a cent. Your brother has been helping us with repairs around the place and there'll be plenty for you to help with before you leave. However, any repairs or maintenance will cost you money in the future. Agreed?" Ed liked the fact that Granny gave people the illusion of a choice. He knew better than to argue with her so he agreed. Satisfied, she settled back in her chair and settled her pipe between her teeth now that she was finished asking questions for a while. Winry excused herself, claiming the need to work on some orders she'd received, and headed up to her work station. Al knew she was really going up there to distract herself from his decision. Both Elric boys loved Winry like a sister but they knew she was a little closer to Al than to Ed and the fact that he was following Ed into a military life instead of staying here when he had the choice was a bit of a blow to her. Soon after she left, the boys drifted into the living room where Ed told Al about the benefits and things he'd receive as a State Alchemist and what Al could take advantage of. It took an hour or so for Al to squeeze every bit of information he wanted out of Ed, who by that time looked ready to either sleep or alchemically shut his younger brother up. As an apology, Al handed Ed a couple of books he had bought while he was away and was happy to see his bribe work as Ed and Ayala curled up together so they could devour the books contents. In no time, Granny was calling them all down to dinner. Winry showed up and was still looking sullen but at least she wasn't avoiding them like she had when Ed announced his decision to enlist. After dinner, they retired to their own rooms and soon the house was quiet as nearly all its occupants fell asleep.

The next morning found them walking towards their childhood home. Al and Ed weren't in any rush to get there and neither Animal saw fit to comment on it. They knew why and had silently agreed on not pushing their humans into doing or saying anything until they were back at Pinako's. Ed and Al barely spoke to one another before they all too quickly found themselves standing in front of a very familiar door. Ed took a deep breath to steady himself and swung the door open to permit themselves entry. He wasn't overly certain what he expected when he opened the door. He hadn't visited the house since before the accident unless you counted him sight-sharing with Ayala before he got his automail installed. The house didn't look ransacked or like it had been disturbed in anyway to the untrained eye. However, Ed had every detail of how that house looked the day they committed the taboo burned into his skull and he could tell things had been moved. Pictures were in different spots or swapped, the chairs had been pushed in when he knew he and Al had a habit of leaving them out, books had been pulled out and put in the wrong spot, their beds had been made in a way they wouldn't have done it. Mustang was good at covering his tracks but not good enough. Ed and Al had finished scouring the whole house looking for any pieces of evidence that might have lingered. They came to the one door they hadn't ventured through yet, their Animals agitatedly waiting next to them. The basement.

"You don't have to come down there with me, Al. I can do this by myself." Ed suddenly offered. He knew how he was feeling but he couldn't imagine what his brother was going through. Ed had to go through the pain of losing his leg and brother but he didn't have to deal with the scene that greeted Al when he'd regained consciousness after Ed had passed out when he completed the soul bonding transmutation. Al shook his head, the metal clanking as he did.

"No, Brother. I can handle it. I don't want you going down there alone." Ed knew that would be his answer so he didn't bother arguing. He just opened the door and headed down the stairs instead. He headed for the light switch, relying on his memory to not trip over anything. On his way there he feel the cool air cling to him and smell the almost earthy scent of the basement he was so used to. Only this time, there was something else mixed in. Something that smelt coppery. He almost gagged as he realised it was his own blood he smelt. He hesitated before he switched the light on, remembering that abomination they'd created. What if it was still there, decaying and rotting? Al hadn't remembered seeing it, something Ed was forever grateful for, but what if it's remains were there? It took a moment for him to remember Granny telling him she'd taken care of it, that it was buried in the backyard. He calmed down and turned the light on, letting the dull bulb light the room as best it could. They were greeted by a scene far calmer than what Ed's brain had thought up. The faint outline of the circle they'd so carefully drawn out was still there. There were papers scattered all over the place, displaced by the rebound energy Ed surmised. Ed felt his eyes drawn to the middle of the circle and fought down vomit as he saw the dark stains on the wooden boards, showing him where that thins blood had settled. He forced his eyes away only for them to land on the bloodstain he'd left behind. There was a decent sized stain where he'd bled after his leg was taken and he could see the drag mark he'd made when he'd crawled towards Chester then to the armour Al's soul now resided in. He could see the gouges on the floor that said armour had made when he'd knocked it the ground for easy access. He saw the only stain in the room that he didn't immediately remember only for him to realise that he must've made it when he'd sacrificed his arm and passed out.

One look at Al saw that the younger brother was quivering. Both Chester and Ayala were no better. Ed knew everyone was reliving their own version of what had happened that night. Suddenly feeling panicked and like there was no air in the room, he headed for Al, practically pushing him up the stairs and out of the room. He barely took the time to tell the Animals to follow them but he didn't really have too. Both Animals were up the stairs in record time and Ed shut the door behind them, like he could keep the evil he'd committed in that room from contaminating the rest of the house. Almost like they were being controlled, everyone headed straight for the front door and sat in the shade of the tree the remains of that thing wasn't buried under. Neither boy spoke as they fought to calm themselves down. Both Animals tried to comfort them as best they could while trying to fight back the memories that room had brought up for them as well. After a few minutes, everyone was as good as they were going to get but it still took another couple of minutes for anyone to speak. Al was the one to break the silence.

"I don't know about you, Brother, but I can't go back down there to clean up. I just can't." He said, almost apologetically.

"I don't think I could either. Not for long. Not even to pick up those papers." Ed said, ashamed of himself. He was the oldest brother. He should be able to do anything if it meant keeping Al safe but he knew there was no way he was going back into that basement and he hated himself for that.

"So what are we going to do?" Al finally asked the question that Ed still had no answer too. He'd been thinking about it but short of the house disappearing, he didn't know what to do with it. They certainly couldn't leave it as is; not with all those papers and books they'd read for research lying around.

"We could ask Granny or Winry to clean it?" It wasn't even a real suggestion and both boys knew it. Al still answered anyway.

"No. It wouldn't be fair to Winry and Granny wouldn't be able to get those stains out of the wood. Plus, we couldn't ask them anyway." Al was right, of course. Neither boy would've been able to bring themselves to ask either Rockbell woman to do that. Even if they could, Al was also right about why they couldn't. There was no way Ed was going to put Winry, someone he saw as a sister, in a position where she had to physically see the place they'd been so severely injured. Telling her what had happened was too much. Ed refused to let her see the actual proof. And those blood stains wouldn't come out without alchemy anyway. They'd been left there for far too long. Ed, Al, Ayala and Chester went back to thinking it over. Ed had thought of a solution but he knew Al probably wouldn't go for it as there was no going back if they changed their minds. But it was the only solution he could think of so he knew he had to suggest it.

"We could burn it." Those four words hung in the air for a solid 10 seconds before anyone spoke again.

"But it's our home!" Al protested. Even Ayala and Chester were shocked by Ed's suggestion. "We can't burn our home to the ground!"

"I know it is but it's the only way we'd know for sure that every scrap of evidence would be gone for good." Ed pointed out. There was another reason he wanted it burnt to the ground but he wasn't gonna say it out loud. Al must've seen something cross his face because he soon asked.

"Is that the only reason, brother?" Ed's slightly guilty/surprised expression answered that question. "Don't lie to me. Please." Ed sighed and hung his head slightly.

"I don't want it standing because I don't want to be tempted to come back if it gets too hard. I know that if it's still here, waiting for us to come home, it'll be harder for me to convince myself not to return. I don't want there to be any temptation for me to not stay and fight if things get really bad." He knew how it sounded. He knew Al probably thought that Ed expected things not to work out how they want them too. He hated himself for that. He knew he'd fight tooth and nail to make sure that Al got his body back, that he got his chance to live a normal life again. He also knew that he needed to make sure there was absolutely no diversions from that path and the house standing here, ready for them to come back, was a diversion.

"I get it. Maybe burning it down would be for the best." Ed's head shot up in surprise as he watched his brother speak. "Neither of us can force ourselves to go in the basement. We won't ask anyone we trust completely to do it. It can't stand here in case someone gets too curious and can understand our notes. We could set up alchemy traps but there's always the chance someone could dodge or disarm them. And I'm on the same page as you. Even if no one broke in and investigated our notes, having it here reminding us of what our lives were like before is too much. I don't want to have you and I run ourselves into the ground, chasing down leads and know that we have a place we could run back too. I don't want that temptation to be there at all for either of us." Yet again, Ed could've thrown himself at his brother out of gratefulness. His brother felt the same way he did and didn't blame him.

"I think that you're both right. Maybe burning it down is for the best. Besides, neither of you could live in it happily again. Just being in there for that short amount of time before you went into the basement was wreaking havoc on your mind." Chester said to both of them, being the only Animal who could speak to both boys at the same time.

"I completely agree with Chester. I don't ever want to sense that amount of turmoil going through your head ever again." Ayala whispered to Edward. Ed felt something tug at his heart at those words. Sometimes you forget that your Animals can sense your every emotion and Ed hadn't even considered what being back in that house would do to him and, by extension, Ayala. She knocked back his silent apology.

"I think," Ed wet his lips before continuing, "I think we should head back and think it over. If we can't think of a better solution, we'll burn it the night before we leave." That gave them four days left to figure something else out. Al hummed in agreement.

"What do we tell Granny and Winry when they ask?" Ed knew he really couldn't lie for shit and he knew that the girls knew it too.

"We tell them the truth. That we're not sure yet and that we need to think about it." He said simply. They all sat there for a while, none willing to get up. It wasn't until Ed's stomach growled that Al forced them up. As Ed walked away from their childhood home he knew it would be the last time he would do so while it was standing the way it had always been since his father had built it.

The next four day passed quickly. Granny and Winry didn't push for a more definitive answer than the one Ed told Al to give them. It was like they knew they'd decided what to do but didn't want to know because they knew they wouldn't like the real answer. Every day, Ed and Al tried to think of another way but neither could. The Animals weren't able to think of anything either. The day before Ed and Al left was filled with a heavy air for more reasons than one, even if the two women didn't fully understand the other reasons. Around mid-afternoon, Ed and Al left for their house, accompanied by Ayala and Chester. Al wanted to go through the house, minus the basement, and see if there was anything he desperately wanted to keep. Ed had warned him that they could only take what would fit in their suitcase and Al had realised what Ed was saying. He could only grab things that were of the utmost importance to him. Ed had stayed in the front doorway initially, not thinking of anything he wanted to save before he remembered a picture Granny had taken just before their mum had gotten really sick. He found it in its usual spot and carefully pulled it from its frame. He smiled a little as he recalled the memory. The Elric's and the Rockbell's had decided to go on a picnic on a rare day when Granny wasn't rushed off her feet and neither child had school. The boys had been off exploring when they found some flowers that were rare in the area but that's not why they had caught their attention. They were the exact shade of their mum's favourite colour. They'd grabbed a few each and raced each other back to the picnic site to be the first one to give them to her. They both got to her at the same time and collapsed on different sides of her, grinning wildly and presenting her with the pretty flowers. Her eyes had widened in delight and her smile was nothing but pure happiness. That had been when Granny had snapped the photo.

Al had gathered a small collection of things before he made it back to his brother. Photo albums, his last birthday present from their mum, a toy that Winry and Granny had given him when he was born and a couple of other knick knacks. Ed raised a brow at the collection but said nothing. He knew Al had realised that most of that stuff would need to stay at Granny's so he didn't bother commenting.

"Have you got everything you want to keep?" Ed asked quietly, though it sounded loud in the silent house.

"Yeah. You?" Al asked just as quietly.

"Yup." He lifted the box of matches. "You ready to do this?" Al caught the hidden warning. There was no going back once his brother lit the match. Al simply nodded, not trusting his voice. Even though he was on board with this and knew it was the only possible way, he was still upset. It was their home. Their father had built it for their mother before they got married so they'd have somewhere to raise their children. It was where he and Ed were born, where they'd said their first words, taken their first steps. It was where they last saw their father, where Ed had broken his arm tripping down the staircase, where Al had sliced his head open on the edge of the table trying to escape his brother's wrath. It was where Ed and Al first learnt alchemy, where they'd successfully transmuted for the first time. It was the place their mother had raised them, where Cleo had played with them, where their mother and Cleo had died. It was the place their Animals called home and it was the place of their biggest mistake had unfolded. It was the only home they'd ever known. But Al knew. He knew why they'd never be able to live here again. He knew as he watched Ed light the match and place the flame under a curtain their mother had made. He knew as he watched the flames devour the curtain and spread while they got themselves outside where their Animals waited for them. He knew as he watched the flames roar through the house, up the stairs until all they could see through the windows were orange flames and they were forced to retreat as the heat got too much for Ed and the Animals. He knew as he watched the house start to crumble in on itself, so bright that he barely noticed the sky growing dark. He looked at Ed and he knew that they both knew. This place had stopped being their home as soon as they had activated that array.

A/N Sorry about the length of this chapter. I did consider continuing and stopping when Ed and Al headed for East City but I like where I ended this and I want to have Winry a bit more involved in that part so I knew it'd be a bit lengthy. As always, I really hope you enjoy this chapter and I thank those of you who are still reading it. Please leave me a review telling me what you think and any critiques you might have! Thanks!