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. Wow… that last um… note (wasn't really a letter, I'll admit) got some of the best reviews ever. You guys are awesome. I was laughing so hard reading them. Let's just throw the fourth wall right out of the window and admit, yes! We all know he survives because he's in the other story but darn you! He'd better survive!

Still, hopeless situation is hopeless. Will they make it out in time? How ever will they survive? And the worst part… what exactly is going on?! Well… read and find out.

Updated 1/25 1pm

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+

Winter, 1917

Dear Brother,

Brother, Brother, Brother! It feels so good to write it again because I thought for sure I wouldn't get another chance to.

We made it, Brother! We made it out of Xing! We were several kilometers out into the desert before we realized that they weren't chasing us anymore. We all just stopped, unable to go any further, but trying to coax each other on at the same time and then we looked back and realized how quiet it was and how far away the wall was and the armies were little more than a grey smudge near the base and we were safe!

We're safe, Brother! We're alive! A little worse for wear I'll admit but still breathing and laughing and smiling and… screaming because… well I'm not sure I should tell you this because you'll probably be mad at me for it but I've discovered that the ricochet effect doesn't work as well without the armor. Sorry, dumb joke. But, yeah… I got shot. It's not that bad, really. The bullet lodged in my left shoulder. But it didn't stop me from running. Beyond the initial shock of getting hit, I didn't really feel it until we stopped. I guess the adrenaline blocked out the pain. Now though… it really hurts. Hurt worse when Dr. Marcoh dug the bullet out though. And May used alkahestry to seal it up but I can still feel it. The muscles in my arm keep twitching and I get sudden spasms in my shoulder because the nerves are still settling from the trauma.

I don't really mind though. It's a small thing – just a little bit of pain. The important thing is that we all made it out alive. Thinking back on it now… it'd probably make an amazing story. I didn't really get a chance to explain everything in my last letters. I'll try to write it all now. We have time. We're resting a bit near the travelers well. It's the last place to get water before we cross the desert, unless we pass through Xerses; we probably will. We don't have enough canteens to carry water for the whole trip. We have to go on foot this time – no smelly camels – so it's going to take awhile. We're also stocking up on lizard meat… not the most appetizing food in the world but we can't exactly go back for travel rations. The lizards are pretty big and if we cut the meat into strips and lay it out on rocks to dry it makes an almost palatable jerky. We're also collecting cactus fruit. It won't be a lot and we'll probably lose a few more pounds on this journey, but it'll be worth it once we get to Amestris. I can already imagine the stew and the quiche and the pie!

Anyway… the story, right. I'll leave out the more graphic details. There's a lot that I wish I could block from my own mind. I certainly don't want to write about it.

I already told you that there was this passage which was supposed to be almost safe. We heard about it from several sources and it seemed like a good plan. Most of it was underground – through the sewers, passing right under the feet of the still battling soldiers. Unfortunately, there weren't any maps and the sewers twisted about in several directions, making it difficult to find the most direct path. Also, several tunnels had collapsed in the fighting, forcing us to make detours.

The sewers smelled horrible. It wasn't just the usual filth and runoff. The metallic scent of blood was everywhere. We wrapped scarves around our mouths and noses to keep from inhaling too much and tried our best not to think about what we might be sludging through in the dark.

Three times on that journey, we encountered scouts from the armies above. They apparently knew about the tunnels and were there to stop people like us from trying to escape – probably not their top priority but still among the many designated jobs which the soldiers were assigned. Luckily, a few scouts weren't too much trouble for us. May took care of most of them herself – still being the fastest at drawing transmutation circles. I still can't figure out how to draw a perfect circle with my foot and I might as well forget about throwing daggers. I'll admit, there are times that old clapping trick would have really come in handy.

May is amazing though. Despite everything she's gone through in the past two years, despite her sorrow and depression, she was able to push through and do what she needed to do with the sort of confidence and strength I've seen from Lieutenant Hawkeye in the past. It was beautiful really. Like a dance.

Unfortunately, the sewers could only get us so far. It looked like the last tunnels had been collapsed on purpose, forcing us to move to the surface and face the armies. That's when things started looking hopeless. Three people could move pretty well in the dark, dodging from place to place under the cover of night. During the day, we could only wait and stay silent and hope that we wouldn't be found. There were many close calls and a few more battles. We were bruised and battered by the time we reached the wall, only to find that there was no obvious way to get through.

It seemed like there was only one option – open a door using alchemy. I could draw the circle and Dr. Marcoh would activate it. The only problem with that plan was… there was no way to know what was waiting for us on the other side. Sure, alkahestry could give us glimpses. We could feel the movement of the armies beyond the wall and it wasn't hard to choose a place which wasn't as closely guarded. But there was no way to know if a place wasn't being watched – if the armies weren't prepared to swoop down upon us the moment we passed through.

Plus… alchemy isn't exactly subtle. The ideal would have been to move at night, when we could slip pasted the armies unseen. But, the alchemic lightning would have given away our position immediately. So we had to risk the daylight.

Well… we got through the wall. But we were seen almost immediately. That's when we were captured. I thought for sure that we would be killed on the spot but the commanding officer seemed a bit confused. I think it was my eyes which baffled him although he never really said. He wanted to know who we were – me especially since I was so obviously not Xingese. Dr. Marcoh's scars… I guess I never told you about his scars. Scar messed up his face really badly back in Amestris to keep him from being recognized by the homunculi. Not that it matters much now. I doubt they're still looking for him. Anyway, Dr. Marcoh's scars made it difficult to tell where he came from and the officer just wanted to know about me. He didn't pay any attention to May either, although I wonder how he would have reacted had he known she was the princess of the Chang Clan.

It wasn't too hard to keep the man confused. We were lucky that he wasn't a particularly intelligent man. I told him an elaborate story which wasn't at all true. I can't even remember it now since I was just making it up as I went along but he was completely enthralled and it gave May enough time to set up a subtle transmutation which knocked the man out cold before he even knew what hit him.

Then we ran. What else could we do? We ran and ducked into the first hiding spot we could find. Then we waited. For three days, we didn't move at all. They were everywhere. I just kept thinking – we're so close. It can't end now. It can't.

But we were stuck – trapped inside an old truck, half buried in the sand, which no one had bothered to check… yet. We could hear them outside and we knew that it was only a matter of time before we were found and killed.

It was in a moment of desperation, perhaps, that I decided what needed to be done. And I know you're not going to like this, Brother. But I need to tell you anyway. You can hit me for it later.

Someone was going to have to provide a distraction so that the others could escape… and that someone was going to have to be me. I wasn't about to sacrifice May or Dr. Marcoh. They argued with me of course – in hushed voices. But I knew it had to be me. I had promised to protect May. When I mentioned my promise to Master Lao, she stopped arguing. Dr. Marcoh volunteered himself of course – citing his age and the fact that he had lived a long life – but his age was exactly the reason why he couldn't do it. I'm faster and stronger. I could provide the biggest distraction and lead the soldiers away, giving May and Dr. Marcoh the best chance to get away.

It was while we were still arguing that we heard a solider approaching. There wasn't any more time. I wrote my last note to you and shoved my pack into May's hands, knowing that she would get my letters to you. It was time. The soldier was close. I couldn't let him find them.

I came out of the truck, ready for a fight and found myself face to face with a young man, about my age, too young to be a soldier. His gun was pointed at me but he wasn't firing. His eyes were sad and… kind. That man – that boy – he didn't want to be there. He didn't want to do those things. I saw myself in his eyes.

Then he lowered his gun.

"Go." He said. "Take your friends a go."

I couldn't believe it. He was giving us a chance – not a big one, but a chance. He nodded towards the open expanse behind me and I looked. It was clear. I could see the desert, stars twinkling endlessly in the open sky above – and not a solider blocking our path. We could make it – if we ran – we could make it and we'd be safe. All because of this one, kind soul.

"Thank you." I said.

Then I ushered May and Dr. Marcoh from the truck and we ran – faster than we've ever run before. At some point we were spotted. They started firing at us, but a few quick transmutations brought walls up to block the bullets – most of them anyway.

And then… well I've already written the rest. We made it.

I'll never forget that young man. He saved us. He didn't have to, but he did. I'll never be able to repay him but I will always remember.

It's hard to believe its winter already. Out here in the desert – it's still so hot during the day. We'll be traveling at night for the most part – if only to keep warm. I'm not sure what the date is or just how long it will take to reach Amestris, but there's nothing standing in our way anymore – nothing between us but a giant sandbox.

It feels so good to be alive and to know that finally, finally – I'm almost home.

-Al