Ok, next chapter
I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.
As always
Enjoy :D
"Do I regret handing Edward over? Sometimes. I wonder about what could have become of him sometimes..."-Pinako Rockbell
Elric Home
Resembool
Edward groggily pushed a piece of wood off of his chest and rubbed the back of his head to try and ease the pain. He looked around and spotted the hole in the house. The boy pushed himself up and felt something wet and warm run down his face. It got in his eyes and stung them. Edward wiped his eyes and his hand came away red. The ten year old panicked and ran into the hole looking for his mother. His mother needed to know he was hurt. He found her. And Al. His brother looked better than her. He was only missing an arm and impaled through the chest with a piece of the stove. His mother was much less recognizable. Trisha was slumped over a cutting board, no doubt preparing her own breakfast after she had finished Edward's. Her body was slicked with gore, and Ed could only tell it was her because the front of her yellow apron remained unblemished by blood. Edward fell to his knees and tears rolled down his face, and he did the only thing rational in this situation. He screamed at the top of his lungs.
A farmer, drawn by the explosion, soon ran into the house in search of survivors. He found Edward cradling the body of his mother whispering something incomprehensible. The farmer looked around and spotted half of a transmutation circle, on the destroyed stove, with flames licking the edges. Someone had messed up with alchemy. The man leaned down and picked up Edward. The boy screamed again and reached out for his still family. The man forced Edward to quiet down and made his way to Rockbell Automail.
Rockbell Automail
Pinako stared at the boy staring blankly at the wall, and then turned back to the farmer in front of her.
"Frank, I can't take him, no matter how much I'd like to, I can't afford another child right now. Winry's parents just left for Ishval to help with the riots there, so I'm taking care of her already, and she's little more than an infant."
Frank looked troubled.
"I can't take him either. Danielle might be pregnant. She's a week late. I'm sorry Pinako, but I can't risk my wife and unborn child."
Pinako bit her lip and mulled over an idea.
"A military train heading for Central just arrived. If we somehow got him in their custody they'd have to put him in an orphanage and the government would pay for him."
"Oh that's a great idea, that way he'll be in a building with a few dozen other kids who are also orphans, and have no one there."
"Frank we have no other choice. There has been no word from Hohenheim for three years. We can't just hope for him to show up. This is the only choice we have right now."
Frank sighed knowing the old woman was right.
"I'll take him down there."
Pinako took a long drag off of her pipe.
"How did the explosion happen?"
"It looked like someone tried to start a fire with alchemy."
Pinako shook her head. Her talks with Hohenheim had taught her that energy alchemy was a dangerous area to delve into.
"Most likely Alphonse. Poor child. They were so eager to impress their mother."
Frank nodded in agreement, and then went to pick up Edward, who was still in shock. Frank looked over his shoulder at the stressed looking Pinako who just nodded before sighing as an infant started crying inside the house.
Resembool
Train Station
Frank carried Edward up to an important looking man standing away from everyone else.
"Excuse me?"
The man turned around and Frank saw sergeant's stripes on his shoulders.
"What is it? We're a bit busy."
"Yeah, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have a bit of a problem. Or, more accurately, little Ed here has a problem."
The sergeant eyed the child, who was still in shock, and then at the blood all over Frank. He laid a hand on his weapon and narrowed his eyes at Frank.
"Start talking."
Frank began talking and explained the death of Edward's family and why no one in the area could take him. The sergeant nodded thoughtfully.
"What does this have to do with me?"
Frank lowed his voice to a whisper.
"If we get him on the train..."
Understanding bloomed in the sergeant's eyes.
"He's in the custody of the State...
Frank nodded.
The soldier looked at Ed and then motioned a private over. The private jogged over and then raised an eyebrow at the blood all over Frank and Ed. The sergeant snapped his fingers to bring attention back on him.
"Moore, see if you can sneak this kid past the lieutenant and into second platoon's compartment." He whispered in the private's ear before motioning to Edward. Moore nodded and grabbed Edward before looking around. Seeing no officers, he ran to a window and knocked on it. It slid down quickly and a pair of hands lifted Edward inside, before quickly snapping the window shut. Frank, relieved, thanked the sergeant.
"Hey, no problem. The less kids on the streets the better. I see no reason why the Second Infantry can't do our part for society." With a quick wave he jogged onto the train as it began to move.
Train
Next Morning
Edward slipped out from behind the suitcase where the soldiers had hid him from the officers. Now that the train was moving he was the responsibility of the military and they couldn't abandon him. At least not legally.
"Hey, kid, finally wake up?"
Edward turned and saw a few soldiers sitting Indian style in their compartment. The one who spoke to who him had a single stripe that meant he was a private. One wearing corporal's stripes motioned him over and the soldiers moved a little bit so he could sit in between the corporal and private. The raven haired corporal shook his hand.
"I'm Donald Carmine, nice to meet ya." Donald then began pointing to each of the other men in the circle. The green haired and blonde haired private who first invited him over was named James Moore. A red head sergeant was named Francois Fox
"I'm Edward." Edward's voice was quiet. All he saw were his mother's and Al's faces. The soldiers saw tears in his eyes, and Donald was quick to remedy this.
"Hey, Ed."
Edward looked up. The corporal put his hand on Ed's head.
"Everything's going to be ok." The corporal smiled and the soldiers around him nodded.
"But my family…" Tears began to fall.
"Hey, man, they're in a better place. They wouldn't want you to be sad." A hand was put on each of Edward's shoulders and he looked up to see everyone smiling.
"You're gonna be ok, kid." Fox comforted the child.
Edward nodded, but the tears didn't stop. Not until the train reached Central did the tears stop.
Reviews are appreciated
Ok look...I am NOT GOOD at this sappy stuff...I need to go read "Where The Red Fern Grows" THEN I can come back and type something sad...