Epilogue

The train Central City train station was much more crowded than it had been at the beginning of the week. Friends, family members, business partners, and chauffeurs crowded the platform, waiting for the train to pull in.

Edward and Alphonse had gotten there an half hour before they knew the train was scheduled to come in and were seated on a bench near the station building with Black Hayate sitting patiently at their feet and trying to keep from getting stepped on.

"I never said I wanted a puppy," the younger blonde argued, rolling his eyes affectionately at his brother.

"Good!" Edward replied, just barely avoiding getting side-swiped by a suitcase, "'Cause you're not getting one. Especially after what happened Thursday."

Alphonse couldn't believe his brother was bringing that up again, though he was cut off by the sound of a whistle and the rumble of the incoming train coming closer. He looked up to see the crowd gathered on the platform slowly shift as one mass away from the edge as the train came into view and slowed to a stop.

Then the crowd turned into a colony of ants, swarming the train like a dropped sandwich. People were pushing through the pedestrian traffic, some trying to leave the train while others were trying to get on, and yet still other were simply standing there, either waiting for someone to get off the train, or waiting for a different train altogether.

Ed was quickly drowned in the crowd and was forced to climb up onto the bench they'd been sitting on, while Al held onto Black Hayate, making sure he didn't get lost in the confusion.

"Can you see them?" he called to his brother over the noise.

"No, not yet… Wait! There's Riza; Roy's right behind her. Let's go!"

All of a sudden, Alphonse felt a hand wrap around his arm and tug him through the crowd in the general direction of the train. He could only assume it was Ed at first but, soon enough, the sheer volume of people on the platform dwindled as they either boarded the train or left the station completely. Soon, the younger blonde was able to make out the two figures that Ed had seen, and he smiled, letting go of Hayate with one hand so he could wave and grab their attention.

The two Military officers met them halfway -- Riza smiling as she releaved Alphonse of the puppy, and Roy smirking at the half-glad to see him and half-pissed off look on Edward's face.

"Welcome home," the youngest blonde greeted, smiling brightly.

Roy gestured that they should move off the still-somewhat crowded platform and conversation was put on hold until they wouldn't have to shout over the noise.

"Thank you for watching Hayate, Alphonse," Riza said when they were in relative quiet of the station building, "I trust he didn't give you any trouble."

The brothers exchanged a glance, but Edward spoke up before the younger could even draw a breath, "Nah, he was alright."

Alphonse practically gaped at his brother, who only winked at him. He smiled though, and shook his head, "That's not entirely true," the younger blonde corrected, "He did give us a bit of trouble, but it's alright. We fixed it."

Riza frowned a little at the puppy, letting all of them know that some punishment was in store.

"Really, it's alright," Ed piped in, grinning almost deviously as he glanced sidelong at his little brother, "After all, I think it's finally changed Al's mind about getting a puppy."

"Brother," Alphonse sighed, rolling is eyes again at the older boy, "I already told you: I don't want a puppy. Dogs are a lot of work, I know that. And, especially with your temper, it wouldn't work." The younger boy turned away before Edward could respond to that, grinning widely as he shoved his hands into his pockets and started away from the train station. "That's why it would work so much better to get a pet that pretty much takes care of itself; like a cat!"

-End