Worrying about Ed, Roy decided to go home early. When he arrived at his apartment, Ed was doing his homework on the dining table. He just stared at his father and didn't speak a word, and then continue doing his homework. Roy hanged his coat and was about to approach him for some talking when he stood up and went to his bedroom. The flame alchemist just stared at him blankly until he heard the bedroom door slammed. He sighed. Geez, I'd bet my state alchemist license that the kid has mind-reading ability, he thought.

I wonder what's wrong with him…he never done this before, not telling me his problems and wander off. Of course this is not the first time I heard him argue with Alphonse, but…I just felt something's wrong with him.

After changing his military uniform into a pair of gray parachute pants and a black t-shirt, Roy entered his study and decided to work on deciphering Hohenheim's book because there's nothing else to do when being home in this hour. It's been years and he still haven't figure out what was the real secret behind Edward's transmutation – or maybe Edward and Alphonse's transmutation. He's been trying to get information about Alphonse over the past few years, but there's none in particular that helps his research. Although he was really sure that the theory written there is for transmuting twins, but he can't say that Alphonse is Edward's twin brother just because they're identical. And back when he found Ed in the abandoned house in Resembool, the poor child was alone. But still, both Edward and Alphonse have unique eye colors – although they're different.

Are they really related…or not?

It was way past dinnertime when Roy was awake. He fell asleep on his desk and almost gets a heart attack when he saw the clock – 1:00 AM. He had been engrossed in his study for so long that he didn't realize – but today he made lots of progress in his research. He do remembered turning on the lights because it was getting dark outside, but he didn't remember turning them off or even getting a blanket – which is now hanging on his back. When he saw the red choo-choo train pattern on the dark blue blanket, he smiled. It's Ed's favorite blanket. Suddenly, he felt his stomach grumble. Of course he's hungry, he haven't eaten anything all day. After setting the blanket down on his chair, he went to the kitchen and turned on the lights, grabbed a packet of Xingese instant noodle and cook. After he finished his instant dinner (or breakfast), he went to Ed's bedroom to check on him.

He opened the door slowly, trying not to make a sound because he's sure that Edward is asleep in this hour. Just as he thought – he is asleep. But not on his bed – on his desk. He sighed, like father like son, he thought. He then slowly tried to lift him up to move him to his bed, but something caught his attention. He was writing something when he fell asleep. After setting him on his bed and covered his body with a blanket, he took his son's book before he went out and closed the door. He flapped through the book and soon found out that it's his son's journal. Of course he never thought that a rascal boy like Edward would bother to write one. Perhaps if he did, then there's something that he can't tell to anybody. After all, that's what diaries are for.

He flicked through the pages and found nothing in particular – just his days with his friends in the new academy, meeting Christopher and his old friends at school and play baseball every afterschool, receiving a bike from his father's subordinates as a birthday gift…

But the last four months, he has been filling them out irregularly. He skipped a day or two, or maybe even a week, and when he wrote he just wrote his fight that day with Alphonse. But the last two pages he wrote are the worst:

16th March

Fight again with that stupid pretty boy Alphonse. Now he's saying that my daddy works part-time as a sex slut at night and lonely woman pay some bucks to be his one-night stand. I looked up in the dictionary and found what does 'slut' means. Then after school, I quickly grabbed his collar and beat him up to pieces – we fought until Ms. Grey stopped us and she said we both got detention tomorrow. I'd better fix my uniform with alchemy before daddy Roy gets home.

28th March

Today in class we learned where do babies come from and it's embarrassing. But something's bothering me: if you need a mommy and a daddy to make a baby, where do I come from? I never have a mommy, and I know that mommy Riza is not my mommy. Everytime I asked daddy Roy, he never answered. Then Alphonse shouted to the whole class "Oh yeah, Edward didn't have a mommy, right? I wonder where does he come from?" then he continued again "I know! His daddy is a slut, so his mommy must be a whore! Yeah, just like in those novels your mommy reads, his daddy got some whore off the street and knocked her up, then when he's born she left him on his daddy's porch!" so I punched his face and we both started to fight. The whole class is cheering at us and Ms. Grey tried to stop us but we accidentally pushed her aside, then I saw her went out of the class but Alphonse grabbed my collar and pulled me down. I kicked his butt and we started to wrestle, and stopped by Mrs. Von Deauxnim. Then she dragged us both to the principal's office and she gave us a very long lecture. I was half-asleep and Alphonse keeps bothering me, so I didn't really listen. When she told both of us to talk, we both keep our mouth shut. I am scared to talk because if I do, then Alphonse will say something more badly next time. Mrs. Von Deauxnim said that she will call both of our parents again because this is the fifth time we get dragged to the principal's office. She said something like "If you both are not His Excellency's direct scouts, I'll expel you already!" then she went out of the room for a very long time, then daddy Roy came. He was really disappointed, I know. I bet he's going to be angry after we arrived home. On our way home, he asked me why I am always fighting with Alphonse. I'm too scared to say anything because daddy Roy will surely say to Ms. Grey and Mrs. Von Deauxnim, so I shut up and run away. I hope he won't say anything to them when he finds out.

The notebook slipped from Roy's hands. He can't believe what he just read. Alphonse? That boy who seemed to be a goody-two-shoes-bookworm-genius saying such words like these? I can't believe it…but Edward wouldn't lie, I know! My son won't lie and I never teach him words like these! So…this is what's happening all the time?

FOUR DAYS LATER

Ed was awakened by the sound of the alarm clock. He wanted to sleep again, but remembering that today he has to go back to school, he can't. He then get up and went out of his room, but he stopped on his door when he saw his dad dressed up in civilian clothes, not with his usual military uniform.

"Dad? Why are you not wearing your uniform?"

Roy turned his eyes towards his son, his hands still fixing his necktie in front of the mirror in the kitchen "Oh, so you're awake. Hurry up and get dressed. We're going somewhere"

Edward twitched one of his eyebrows and tilted his head "Huh? Dad, it's Wednesday. I must go to school and…"

"You're not going"

"Why?"

"I'm not sending you to school today. I've called your teacher already. Hurry up and get dressed, I've prepared your suitcase. You can do the packing by yourself, right?" he said, shoving his son's little brown leather suitcase to him.

Ed nodded, still confused on why his father suddenly acted…strange. "Good. Pack for a week. Hurry up because we'll be leaving in thirty minutes"

"Dad, where are we…"

"JUST HURRY UP AND PACK YOUR BAGS!" Roy yelled. Shocked, Ed quickly grabbed his suitcase, ran to his room and slammed the door. Behind the door, Ed leaned on it and dropped his suitcase, gasping for air.

"Gee, what was that all about? I've never seen him like that…"

Remembering that his dad might be angry if he'll take longer than half an hour to do everything, he quickly stood up and prepared for everything as quick as possible.

Later on, Ed went out of his room with his suitcase and a brown backpack on his back with the head of his favorite teddy bear that he cannot sleep without is sticking out from the top of his backpack. Ed himself is clad in a vintage London street urchin style: brown vintage suit and knee-length grey pants with plaid patterns, along with a pair of brown leather shoes covering his feet.

"Alright, you're ready? You've brought everything you need?" Roy asked.

Ed nodded, still a bit scared that his daddy will shout at him again.

"Good, let's go"

Roy put on his coat and grabbed his own suitcase and opened the door. He then told Ed to go out first, closed the door and locked it. Then they went down the stairs and out to the streets.

"Daddy, where are we going?"

Roy didn't answer. Ed glanced towards his father, only to see his father's stern face. He kept looking straight to the road, and somehow Ed felt so scared that he decided to keep silent.

Finally, they're arrived at the train station. Even though it's still early in the morning, the station was already crowded. It is uncountable for how many times Ed had taken trips with the train, but Ed felt that there is something different with the train station. Roy then went away to get some food, and he was told to wait in front of the platform and guard their suitcases. Sitting on his father's big suitcase in the middle of the crowd, he looked around to see people passing by – and soon find out what makes the train station looked different; the crowd. He looked at the station clock – it's still 10 minutes to 7 AM. And most people there are bringing suitcases and dressed up in neat clothes like him and his father – meaning they're all travelers. Before he could think anything else, the station bell rang so loud and the stationmaster spoke loudly through his megaphone.

"EARLIEST TRAIN TO THE EAST! EARLIEST TRAIN TO THE EAST! ALL PASSENGERS PLEASE MOVE IN LINE AND DON'T PUSH!"

The mass of people soon moved towards the train. Ed was stuck in the middle of the stream of humans, still waiting for his dad and guarding the suitcases so they won't be kicked over by people. Soon, he met up with Roy who brought a paper bag, which seemed to be filled with food and grabbed his own suitcase with his free hand.

"Ed, let's go! Grab your suitcase and get into the train!"

After managing to enter the train, Ed followed Roy all the way to the back where they have sleeping cabins. Finally, they stopped in front of a cabin

"Ed, I'll let you choose. Do you want to sleep at the top bunk or the lower bunk?"

"TOP!" Ed chooses without hesitation. He then let Ed climb the ladder to the top bunk and let him drop himself on the mattress. This was the first time Ed got his own bunk in the train. Usually they took the first class private cabin or he slept in the same bunk with his father, but he is already grown big enough that he would not fit in the same bunk with Roy. While Ed were having fun exploring the top bunk, Roy put their suitcase away on the compartment below the lower bunk where he will sleep and hang their coats away, then set himself down on the mattress. Just as he was about to lay himself down, Ed popped his head down.

"Daaaad!"

"Yes, Edward?"

"I am a bit curious…where are we going? We are using a sleeping car, then are we going somewhere far away?"

Roy sighed and rested his head on the pillow "Well…we are going somewhere far. It took about…four days to get there"

"Where?"

"Your birthplace, Resembool"