Chapter One

No.

NO!

Shattered blue eyes stared at the scorched earth before them, their owner trembling as they took in the place where his family's home should be.

Three days of travelling, and he was only the slightest bit more stable than he'd been when he'd lain dying on the battlefield only inches away from-

Point was, he had only wished to see his childhood home. To see his brothers.

Since arriving back on the continent, he's been hearing of the "Fullmetal Alchemist" and his exploits. How the man in question, Edward Elric was a hero of the people. Someone that stuck up for people no matter their gender or race.

It was the only thing that kept him from breaking down at the sight of their home in ruins.

His brothers were alive and safe, for the most part, now all he had to do was catch up to them so he could keep them that way.

Drawing in a deep breath, he headed in the direction of the only person who could tell him what he needed to know.

Pinako-baa-chan.

*/*

It hadn't changed.

A small smile crossed Naruto's lips as he stared at the modest home he spent most of his time running around in and helping bake in when he was a child. Pinako's cottage was the only other home he'd known as a child, his favorite aunt and uncle having lived there as well. When they'd gone off to serve as medics during the Ishvalan war he'd cried, especially since he'd left only a few days later.

He'd tried to keep in contact with Pinako after Trisha had died but with the village preparing for war, he'd been forced to stop.

He couldn't help but wonder if she even remembered him.

If little Winry remembered him.

He took a hesitant step forward.

Then another.

And another.

All too soon, he stood in front of the door, his heart pounding a rapid staccato in his chest.

"Breathe, Kit."He inhaled sharply, then knocked.

For a moment all was silent, then the door opened and a short woman answered the door, grumbling angrily under her breath. Upon seeing him, she stilled, then smiled slightly.

"Hey, baa-chan." He greeted quietly, smiling at her.

"Gaki," she greeted, cuffing him gently. "You stopped writing. I thought you were dead."

He shook his head. "No, my hometown was on lockdown. Terrorists. No letters in or out."

She glared at him. "For five years?"

"Six. Our village leader was killed a year or so after I left."

She led him inside, and his smile widened when a very familiar dog bound over and licked him. "Hey, Den. I missed you too, girl."

"Grandma, who- Naruto!" His eyes widened as they took in the young woman standing in the doorway leading to the dining room.

Long blond hair much lighter than his own and deep blue eyes that nearly rivaled his own, Winry Rockbell had grown into a beautiful woman. It hurt that he hadn't been around to see it and distantly, he wondered how his brothers looked.

"Winry-hime. How have you been?" She glared at him.

"I've been fine. But you left! You left Ed and Al all alone! How could you do that?!"

He flinched, and looked away. "In my home village, I'm the son of a very important man and I didn't exactly leave with permission. The elders found out where I was and I was forced to return." He shrugged. "I wrote baa-chan and Kaa-san up until Kaa-san's death, then our leader was killed and we were placed on lockdown."

Her glare softened only slightly. "Why didn't you write Ed and Al? Or me?"

He shrugged. "Ed told me he never wanted to hear from me again and I didn't want you and Al to be stuck in the middle. I'm back for good now, so I wanted to try and find them."

"Your village just let you leave after forcing you back?"

The burning ruins of his home flashed in his mind's eye, the taste of blood and ash thick on his tongue and he gave a brittle smile. "Yeah."

Pinako's gaze narrowed, but she didn't ask him to elaborate. "Last I was aware, your brothers were heading back to Central for they're next assignment. I'm assuming they'll be there for a while yet."

Nodding, he stood. "Great. I leave on the next train out. Could you-" He hesitated, looking away from her. "Could you, maybe, take me to see Kaa-san's grave? I went by the house and I just wanted to...visit her, maybe?"

His surrogate grandmother gave him a warm smile, so unlike her usual expressions. "The next train leaves tomorrow morning at 9am. We'll visit Trisha before them."

Sending her thankful smile, he gathered his dishes and slipped from the room, never noticing the dual concerned expressions following him.

*/*

Trisha Elric

1878-1904

He felt...odd.

He'd known since he was twelve years old that his mother had been dead, that the reason she didn't write him was because she no longer could and yet…

And yet, for the first time, it felt so real.

As shinobi, there were no grave stones. Instead their bodies were cremated to keep their secrets sacred in their final rest. The only exceptions to this rule were Kages and clan heads who were buried in specially sealed coffins to preserve their bodies but deny Kekkei genkai thieves access to their corpses. Once the war with Obito and Kaguya had reached its peak, there had been no time to bury the dead, no time to mourn them.

Bodies remained where they fell, no one caring enough to steal the jutsu of the dead when the living were being slaughtered in droves.

How was it that despite a life full of death, this was his first time seeing an actual tombstone?

And why did the stone make her death seem so much more final than those he'd witnessed only days previous?

He kneeled, placing a gentle hand on her stone. "Hey, Kaa-chan. I kept my promise," He whispered, blues eyes watering. Behind him, Pinako bowed her head, hearing the pain in his voice.

"I came back. So much has happened and I wish I could tell you all of it but I-" He paused. "I can't. Not yet. I'm sorry. Has tou-san come to visit yet? If not I'll drag his ass back here so he can. I still haven't forgiven him for taking me back to that place, even though I met my most precious people there. Say hi to Teme and the others for me. Tell them, I'm sorry." A tear slid down his cheek, his mask wavering only slightly, and his voice cracked. "I'm so sorry."

A soft sob left him and he stiffened as Pinako placed a gentle hand on his head. "Stop bottling it all up, gaki. Cry."

He wanted to ignore her, wanted to keep his mask unwavering but he couldn't. The dam broke and all he could do was shatter with it, sobs spilling from his lips as he curled in on himself.

He cried for the loss of his mother.

Of his family and friends.

Of his home.

His innocence.

His dream.

All the things that had built up inside of him over the years came out of in torrent of pain and anguish, and deep with in his mind he heard Kurama crying with him.

Slowly, he felt the weight in his chest loosen the grief holding him captive easing just slightly.

After a while, he pulled away, cheeks flushed. "Sorry." He rasped and Pinako cuffed him on the head gently.

"Never apologize for feeling, gaki. Now," She stood. "C'mon lets get you to that train."

Smiling, he nodded, brushing his hand over his mother's stone once more. "I'll be back to visit as soon as I can, Kaa-san. Perhaps I'll even bring Ed and Al with me."

Standing, he took a deep breath and walked away, wondering if the fluttering in his stomach was merely nerves or the sickening certainty that the upcoming visit would be very unpleasant.

Something in his conscious whispered that it was a bit of both.

TBC...