Chapter 2 – Explanations

Four friends sat around a small table, in a beachfront cottage, sipping their cups of steaming lemon tea. The silence in the room was heavy; no one knew what to say. It had been over five years since the Elric brothers had last come to the cottage to visit, and there wasn't much to talk about.

Edward was now twenty-five years old, and Alphonse was twenty-four. They had restored themselves, and now that their mission was over, they had both retired from the military. Edward and Winry were engaged, and Alphonse was dating a botanist named Aurora. Al also had started an animal shelter, and Ed was helping him out.

Ed looked at Ellya. She was twenty-seven years old, and she was only alive today because he and Al had convinced her that life was worth living. That was ten years ago, but even today, she seemed to favor death to life. It was for this reason the Elric brothers had brought her Micah.

Micah was an orphan who Ed had found wandering around in an empty field one night, about two years back, delirious and half-dead from starvation. He had brought him home, and Winry had nurtured him back to health. Ed began to teach the ten-year-old about alchemy, but before they were a month into their training, The Elric brothers received a letter from one of Ellya's neighbors, stating that she had collapsed again, from a mysterious disease that was slowly killing her.

The Elrics knew the true nature of the disease, but at the request of Ellya a decade back, they did not say anything. That night, Ed, Al, Winry and Micah discussed the situation. Al suggested that someone go to stay with her. Unfortunately, Al had the shelter to run, Winry had her auto-mail clients, and Ed was training Micah.

Micah had heard about Ellya, and knew that she was an alchemist, so he offered to go, as an apprentice. This would let him take care of her, without her feeling dependant. Everyone liked the idea, so the next day, Ed and Micah got on a train for the 14-hour ride to Ellya's cottage.

Ellya was hesitant about accepting an apprentice, especially since her health was on a steady decline, and she didn't want the boy to be alone after she died. Ed assured her that this was temporary, and that should the need arise, he would come back to take Micah back home.

"He needs an alchemy teacher, and you are the best," he had said. It was another two days before Ellya finally accepted.

Now Micah was almost thirteen, and he was prolonging his training as much as possible, to give him an excuse to stay.

Everyone sat around the little table, still silent; a silence that no one wanted to break. Finally, someone spoke.

"Edward?" Ellya asked. "Would you like some milk for your tea?"

Ed's face paled, and he looked ready to leap across the table to strangle her. Ellya just grinned, sensing his anger; so did Al and Micah.

"Hey Al," Micah started, "how is that little kitten, Willow? You know, the one I found when we were out for a visit?"

Al laughed. "She is just fine. Actually, we found a home for her just recently."

"That's great!"

Al turned to Ellya. "How are you feeling?"

Ellya stiffened at the question, then relaxed, unsure of how to answer.

"Teacher?" Micah asked. "How did you become sick?"

Ed and Al both went ridged with the question, but Ellya smiled.

"Should we tell him?" she asked the Elric brothers.

"I suppose it's only fair that he knows the truth of the illness." Ed answered.

"Very well. It is a long story, one that started almost eleven years ago…"