Editorial

Central Times

The Truth of Our Childhood

By Alphonse Mustang-Elric

Our birth mother, Trisha Elric was a wonderful, loving person. She was also very young when she met our biological father. She was barely an adult when my brother, Edward, was born with myself coming along just fifteen months later. It was only during her pregnancy with me that she learned that the man who she had trusted was not who she thought he was.

Indeed, he had lied to her on several matters, primarily, that he was already married to a woman named Dante Flamel. This woman hated our mother and my extension us, for her husband's infidelities. My mother, when she learned the truth, was devastated. Unfortunately, she was also very much alone in the world, her parents having died in the East City Audit Derailment of 1899. Still, she stood her ground and refused to allow him to take us from her.

We never heard from him again. To spare herself the scandal, as it was a small town, mother allowed the neighbors to believe he left for the war, enough adults in our village had already gone no one questioned it. A few months later, mother found herself fatally ill. Her with no support, and only two small sons.

Our Second Father ( Who I consider my only father, I have no memory of the other one.) was a dear childhood friend of my mother. He received letters asking him to come to see us, but was on the frontlines at the time, as everyone well knows, as the Flame Alchemist. As soon as he was able he came to us, but by then our mother was gone.

He decided then to take us in, However, he was recently returned from the front and was considered 'unsuitable' mentally to care for children alone. He left us legally in the care of Pinako Rockbelle , and Sig and Izumi Curtis while he settled himself into his new office, with frequent calls and letters. Visits as often as possible. As soon as he was able he brought us to Central with him. He will never stop feeling guilty over the Train Bombing that left both my brother and myself maimed just weeks before he could retrieve us. We were kept securely out of sight while we recovered.

Edward shortly after insisted that he wanted to join the state alchemist program. Dad, acting as his sponsor, was able to keep him under Dad's command and therefore safe. He tried to talk Brother out of this course of action, but in the end consented to keep him safe. Our adoption was kept secret for this reason.

As far as recent concerns brought up involving my brother's children. He will not be pleased with me for airing this to the world, but the world needs to know my brother's heart.

Emma Vought was a wonderful girl, my brother cared for her deeply, so much so that it hurts him to this day for anyone to bring her up. She died when their son was just three months old, protecting their child from the same accident that took her life. He was informed of the accident and was given permission to leave the mission that he had been on at the time to retrieve his son. No one should doubt his devotion to that child who rarely left his arms for months afterward. He still had nightmares.

As for his second son, Rose Thomas was admittedly a choice he may not have made in a different time. However, all one has to do is ask the people of Liore how Rose felt about Edward, and how Edward came with Yuery in tow as soon as he learned Rose had given birth to his son.

Very few people are aware of the events in Liore, however, the population of Liore was imprisoned as war 'criminals' and later cleared, including Rose Thomas. They were freed after my father was made aware of the situation, though he was not given an individual list of victims at that time so none of us were aware that Miss Thomas was among those imprisoned.

Many will have forgotten by now, but my brother spent several months before the Central Attack missing and presumed dead. He was out of contact with everyone, we all mourned and worried. It was a very trying time for us all.

He was in fact, hospitalized with severe wounds thar nearly killed him. It wasn't until the papers reported his involvement in saving us all that Rose was made aware that Edward still lived and contacted him about William.

In the time between his injuries and being contacted by Miss Tomas my brother became engaged with our childhood friend, Winry Rockbelle. He had been in love with her for a long time, she helped him recover from the losses he had endured to that point, and supported him when he decided to bring Rose and William back to Central.

Rose was subsequently kidnapped and murdered by our father's enemies in an attempt to destabilize our newly formed government. Both Father and Brother feel guilty to this day that they were unaware of the threat until it was to late.

Edward and Winry married, as planned, and have since had another son, Maes, and a daughter, Trisha. My brother is a wonderful and devoted father. He has given so much of himself to the protection and well being of our country. He should not be condemned for the behavior of a man we had never known, which is what has been happening since Dante Flamel released her own version of events. A woman who was extremely unstable, and we had only met once, when we learned she was our birth father's wife.

I cannot stress this enough. My brother loves all of his children. My brother's wife loves all of their children. He has never once cheated on her or any other woman and never would. To compare him to our birth father is an insult. TO question his devotion to our country because his first two sons had the unfortunate luck of their mothers dying before they were even a year old is an insult to everything we have been working to rebuild.

I will take a moment to remind everyone of the hundreds of lives my brother has personally saved. The risk he put himself through countless times to keep lives and livelihoods intact. He saved us all that day in the Battle of Central. In the years since then, he has been completely devoted to helping the people. He was instrumental, as was our Dad, in the restoration Project. They have worked with local governments throughout Amestris to ensure the welfare of the people. He was right alongside our father in the signing of the treaties that ended the wars along our borders.

"Really Al?" Edward lowered the paper to glare at his brother who was calmly sipping his tea. Roy was also staring at them, appearing somewhat amused.

"Whatever do you mean Brother?" Al sounded innocent and confused. Anyone who didn't know him would think he had no idea why his brother was glowering. "All I did was speak the truth…with a few embellishments here and there. We did need to maintain the status quo for your foreign allies after all."

"Should I even ask where you managed to get these 'letters' that you summited as further proof?" Edward sighed.

"Grandmother Chris, of course. She was very helpful, keeping all of Dad's correspondences from the war." Al blinked innocently.

"It will work as well as anything." Roy sighed. "I am sorry we had to go this route."

"I regret nothing as long as it keeps my kids safe." Ed grumbled. "I think mom would've been okay with it too, and their moms."

"Central Times feels this is the last that needs to be said on the subject of your past." Roy sipped his own tea. "Though that may have been thanks to the lawyers as well. I do not care as long as that reporter stays away from you all now. I will have her arrested if she continues to bother you after all of this."

"I think Edward has thoroughly ruined her career now. Hopefully she will just stay away. Yuery starts school the day after tomorrow, he doesn't need anyone approaching him while he is out." Al said with a frown. "I must be going now, I have classes beginning soon myself, but wanted to see your reaction in person."

"Let Breda drive you to the station?" Ed asked about to call the other man.

"Actually, Lupin provided me with transportation. All I have to do is call him and he'll activate it."

"You better not be planning on using magic fire Brother." Edward said.

"No, no fire of any kind." Roy shook his head.

"Of course not. I'll be fine." Al walked from the room, leaving his brother and father to worry about him, but without a way to follow as he disappeared before they could catch up.

"You need to talk to Severus about teaching you instant travel." Roy frowned at his son. "Just…not fire."

"Yeah, he tried that once. It was a hard no." Ed smiled. "I told him you would kill me for willingly stepping into fire."

"…I'm going to bed." Roy walked toward his room.

"It's four in the afternoon!"

"Good night Edward." Roy called out before disappearing to his son's amusement. Edward took one last look at his brother's article before going in search of his children. At least now, he hopefully wouldn't have to worry about nosey reporters spreading lies about his sons.