Full Metal Alchemist

Always Brothers

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Full Metal Alchemist, Funimation do

Author's notes: Wow 5 reviews already… Ok so I expected 3 for definite, after all Lar-Lar you'r my best mate, nut I never expected to welcome 2 new reviewers. Thanks to both Kaori-desu and lelann37 for such glowing reviews, and as for finding out what happens when the brothers meet, well you just have to read the story don't you. This is one of the longest chapters I've ever written, almost 2,000 words. I hope you enjoy.

Al grimaced at the sight of the many badly wounded soldiers in and around the main camp, the gentle, caring young man had seen such things before, but it still chilled his stomach every time he saw the cruel reality of the world in which he lived. He lead the frail old Ishvar woman, who had called herself Abida, towards one of the medical tents. Abida stared warily at the thick fog that was permeating the air around the medical site, but allowed the sandy-haired State Alchemist to lead her into it. Al too was puzzled at the fog embankment, but soon figured out how it had appeared when Freya poked her head out of one of the tents,

"Oh, 1st lieutenant Elric, it's nice to see you again." She greeted with a smile, her soft, leaf green eyes sparkling. Al smiled back,

"Freya." He replied with a nod. "Do you know where the refugee tents are?" he asked, indicating the old Ishvar woman, who was currently scrutinising the Marina Alchemist with a hard stare. Freya shifted uncomfortably under the old woman's gaze but nodded as she pointed out the correct tent,

"It's the second one on the left." She said as she ducked back inside the tent she had come out of.

"Thank you Freya." Al called, "I'll see you later." He added as an afterthought. The dusky haired State Alchemist called a muffled reply back, but Al couldn't hear it properly over the moans of agony emanating form inside the tent. He sighed quietly as he lead Abida to the correct tent.

Ed felt as if his lungs were going to burst, he'd been running towards the base camp for the last 10 minutes after dodging more Ishvar dissidents, but he had finally made it amongst the relative safety of the tents. He wandered aimlessly around the camp, not knowing where he could find any superior officers to tell about the Ishvar women and children. His golden eyes looked dazed and unfocused as he remembered the looks on the children's face. He was so absorbed in his daydream that he didn't notice a faint line sketched into the sand at his feet until a young woman's voice shrieking at him to stop broke through to his conscious mind,

"Stop right there Mister!" Ed started at the sound of the vice and stopped, his left foot hovering just over the line drawn in the sand. A young dusky haired woman, not al that much older than Ed himself, early twenties at the most, stormed towards him out of the fog in front of him,

"You were just about to erase my circle." She explained, though still in a really pissed off tone. Ed looked down at the ground he was just about to step on, yelped and jumped back when he noticed the thin line traced into the sandy ground. He glared up, yes up, at the other alchemist, eyes blazing,

"Why the hell did you draw a circle there anyway!" he yelled spasmodically, the kind he usually reserved for those who dared to call him 'short'. Freya backed up a little startled by this strange outburst from the much shorter young man standing in front of her, but she stood her ground,

"Well, my superior officer asked me to hide the refugee and medical tents, and if you'd look a little closer, you'd see that it was producing the fog embankment you see in front of you." She answered sarcastically. Ed looked down at the circle more closely, and discovered the alchemical symbol for water just to the right of where he was going to place his foot. He flushed a little at not noticing it before, but he wasn't going to let this newbie know that,

"I actually did notice it, but I didn't see why it should be there, your lines are very faint." He noted, it was true though, if the line had been just that little bit bolder Ed might have noticed it and stopped to see why it was there. Freya flushed a little, moving her eyes to look down at the sand and muttered something inaudible. Ed folded his arms, a triumphant smirk crossing his face as he continued looking at his fellow alchemist until she looked up at him again,

"Can I ask why on earth you're here anyway? I don't remember seeing you earlier." She noted as she searched Ed's face for any clue as to who he could be. Ed relaxed a little, his bright golden eyes dulling a little,

"I'm looking for someone." He muttered loud enough for Freya to hear. Freya's green eyes also dulled a little at the sadness in Ed's voice,

"Can I ask who you're looking for?" she asked quietly, thinking that the blonde-haired young man in front of her was looking for one of the dead or seriously wounded soldiers. Ed looked up again at her voice and nodded slowly,

"I'm looking for my younger brother. If you're a State Alchemist, as I assume you are," Freya nodded, a serious expression on her face, "you'll know of him at the very least. His name is Alphonse Elric and I'm Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist." He stated, thinking mentioning his own name would help jog Al's memory if he had forgotten abut him after these three long years. He doubted Al had forgotten about him, but he could not be sure. Freya gave a startled gasp at the mention of Al, she had only just seen him go back into the refugee tent with another elderly Ishvar citizen, it seemed Al had a talent with calming the old folks down given the current situation they found themselves in. Freya eagerly grabbed Ed's right wrist and proceeded to drag him into the fog,

"I know him, we met just this morning." She babbled excitedly, "He should be about here somewhere." She muttered as she scanned around the tents, looking for Al's sandy blonde hair and stocky stature amongst the many other bodies milling around the area. Ed could do nothing more than allow himself to be dragged around the base camp by this strange woman. But he could not hide the excited yet pensive expression that crossed his features at the thought of finally seeing Al in a human body after trying for so long to regain what they had both lost.

Al excused himself from the company of the kind old gentleman he had helped out of the warzone, explaining that he had to go and help more of his people. The old gentleman had reluctantly agreed and bade Al best wishes as he left. Al could not help but smile, the talkative old man had brightened up his day despite all the carnage that had been going on around him at the time.

"Metal Ore!" a voice suddenly snapped, causing Al to turn and meet the hardened gaze of General Mustang. Al sprang to attention immediately,

"General Mustang!" he replied as greeting. Mustang indicated to the young man to 'stand at ease' after returning the salute. Al relaxed again, wondering what on earth the Flame alchemist wanted,

"You're doing a fantastic job out there Al, and to think you've actually got the old people to trust you." He chuckled. Al began to look slightly perplexed at the comment,

"Sir?" he asked in a confused tone, "The only reason the elderly Ishvars trust me is because I'm willing to help and give them the emotional support they need." He explained with a frown. Roy Mustang waved it off,

"That's what I meant Metal Ore." He explained, "Few other soldiers are willing to actually show these people they truly want to help." He added. Al, now comprehending what his superior officer had said, now smiled his hazel eyes brightening ever so slightly. Mustang now turned the conversation over to other things,

"The reason I stopped you Al, was to ask you if you wouldn't mind keeping an eye open for any strange activity in and around the base camp. There have been some rumours about a couple of dissidents sneaking in. I just want to make sure that nothing of the sort is actually occurring." Al nodded enthusiastically, glad to be doing something other than going out into the warzone. His heart ached every time he came across the dead from either side, his empathic nature being overloaded with the grief that emanated from both sides. He gave General Mustang a brief salute before turning around to begin his new assignment. He hadn't gone very far when someone ran straight into him. He staggered back a little at the force of the impact, shaking his head dizzily,

"Ow!" a now familiar voice groaned. Al looked down only to see Freya sitting sprawled on the ground, holding her aching head. He jumped to her aid at once,

"I'm sorry about that Freya, I should've watched where I was going." He apologised, offering a hand to her. Freya ardently shook her head as she looked up, ever so slightly dazed by the impact,

"Oh no I'm the one who should be sorry…" she began, but as she looked up to see who she had run into she stopped mid-sentence, "…Al?" she asked before regaining her senses and jumping up excitedly. Al gave Freya an extremely puzzled expression as he watched her rush over to a red lump lying on the ground just a couple of feet away.

"Come on, get up you lazy lump!" Freya muttered as she attempted to shake Ed awake, to no avail. She sat down next to him in a huff, before she had a bright idea,

OI SHORTY!" she yelled in his ear. The reaction was instantaneous and not even a second had passed before Ed's voice could be heard yelling,

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A TINY GRAIN OF SALT TEN TIMES SMALLER THAN AN ANT!" Freya backed up, clearly frightened at the reaction. She looked to Al who was staring at Ed, disbelief written all over his face. While Ed calmed down again Al nervously called out to him,

"Nii-saan?" he asked in a small voice, still not believing that what he was seeing was real, that all this was just a dream. Ed immediately stopped spazzing at the sound of his younger brother's voice and slowly turned around so that the setting sun was now behind him. The bright rays of dying sunlight backlighting the Fullmetal Alchemist made him look like some sort of angel; his golden hair glittering. Ed froze for a moment; not quite believing what he was seeing either. Both brothers just stared at each other what seemed like an eternity before Ed's eyes filled up with tears as he ran towards his younger brother. Al did the same and it wasn't long before the Elric brothers were reunited in a tight hug that both had waited eight long years to share.