"Hey..! ... nami… here… waking…"
Manami could faintly hear a voice fading in and out, and she opened her eyes to only see a blur of black.
Her eyes were so heavy, she let them fall shut again, just to rest little longer… though there were other murmurs around her that made her stir out of unconsciousness once more.
This time, a yellow blur had joined the black one, hovering over her.
"Manami..?" She knew that voice, but it was hard to think of the name… who was that? She racked her slow-going brain, and remembered…
She blinked once more, and the blurs became more clear.
"There she is." Ling spoke, looking relieved.
"Manami... are you okay?" Ed asked after him.
Manami took a moment to remember how to speak.
"I'm... alive..." She murmured.
"Yeah..." Ed nodded.
With another soft groan, Manami went to push herself to sit up. She was still struggling to keep her vision in focus.
"Don't push yourself, Wind." She heard another familiar voice speak, and she turned her head to see Roy Mustang.
"Slow movements."
"What happened..?" Manami put a hand on her head, that was sensitive to the touch.
"It's over." Ling told her. "We've won."
"..." Manami looked to Ed, noticing that he wasn't smiling.
If they had won, why wasn't he…
But then her train of thought came to a complete halt when she noticed his right arm.
"Ed…"
No longer was it made of automail... but there was now an arm made of flesh, although one that looked malnourished.
Ed had followed Manami's glance to his arm, and he nodded slowly.
"Y-Yeah..."
It was all coming back to Manami in a rush. The last thing she remembered was that Ed was trapped with a metal rod through his left arm, pinning him to a rock… and his automail arm was destroyed.
So… how did he get his arm back?
Unless...
"... where is Al?" Manami asked in a low voice, as she started to force herself to stand up.
Her heart began to pound in her chest.
"Manami…" Roy tried to stop her, but she smacked his hand away. She managed to stand halfway up before her legs gave out and she fell forward.
"Easy!" Ed's voice wavered as he caught her so that she landed on her knees.
"Where is Alphonse..?!" Manami asked, her voice strained as she looked up and searched his face for an answer...
She felt her heart sink when he turned his head to avoid her eyes. But the direction he turned his head was also the same direction Al's armor was… laying silent and lifeless a few feet away from them. Mei was sprawled over his chest plate and sobbing softly.
"E-Edward…" Manami stammered, gripping tightly onto his shirt as she looked back up at him. "Please… tell me that he's not…"
"..." Ed kept his head turned, but she saw his brows furrow as he tried to not let his face twist in pain.
Despite the silence… the answer was loud and clear.
"No…" She whispered. "No... damn it, no..!"
Manami took in a sharp breath and tried getting up again, but Ed's grip around her tightened to hold her down.
"Manami, stop…" He said, almost in a whisper.
"No!" Manami struggled against Ed's grip. "He can't!"
"Manami, you can't do anything..!" Ed pleaded, a little louder now.
"It's my fault!" Manami cried, and he could feel her body rack with a sob and then begin to shake terribly.
"I was supposed to… he shouldn't have had to..." She was cut off by another sob. "I-I didn't even get to tell him that—"
"MANAMI!" Ed yelled, so loudly that his voice echoed in the air, and she froze.
It was almost as if he knew what she was about to say, but he stopped her because he couldn't bear to hear it. Manami slowly moved her head to look up at him.
"This isn't your fault…" He said to her, and she could see the tears in his eyes... threatening to overflow at any moment.
"The last thing he would want… is for you to blame yourself… okay?"
"..." Manami hung her head low and let out a whimper.
"There's… nothing we can do..?"
"I'm not giving up." Ed told her, slowly pulling his arms back and letting her go. From his tone, she could tell that that was a promise. "We just have to think…"
"Edward," They both looked up to Ling, and their eyes widened at the sight of a tiny bottle in his hand, with a red substance inside.
"Is that..?" Ed whispered.
"Yeah. The Philosopher's Stone." Ling answered. "Use this to bring Al back."
"But…" Manami looked over to see Ed glaring at the ground, gritting his teeth.
"W-We made a promise…" He growled. "I promised him that we wouldn't use that!"
"Use me, then."
They looked over to see Hohenheim, walking over to them with the assistance of Izumi.
"What?" Ed's eyes were wide, now.
"I have just one soul left in me— my own." Hohenheim lifted a hand to his chest. "Use me to bring Alphonse back."
"I couldn't do that, you jackass!" Ed yelled. "It's our fault we lost our bodies… we're not using any human lives to restore them! What even makes you think—"
"Because I'm his father." Hohenheim cut him off. "This has nothing to do with logic or necessity… you two boys mean the world to me, and I want you to be happy."
Manami noticed that Ed flinched.
"I bear responsibility for this. If I had never left, I could've stopped you from attempting to bring back Trisha…" Hohenheim looked up to meet Ed's matching golden eyes.
"I'm sorry."
There was a pause, where Ed could do nothing but stare as he took in the apology from his father.
"I've lived long enough…" Hohenheim broke the silence. "At least let my last act… be that of a real father."
Manami went to turn to look at Ed, but he was suddenly shaking his head vigorously.
"Shut up, you rotten father!" He screeched. "If you say something that stupid again, I'll knock you out!"
Manami's eyes went wide at the sight of Ed's eyes overflowing with tears and running down his cheeks. Hohenheim was just as shocked, staring for a brief moment before closing his eyes.
"I'm sorry… forgive me." He whispered.
Ed vigorously rubbed his eyes with his arm before looking down to his clenched fists. He sat there for a long moment, with an expression Manami knew meant that he was racking his brain, trying to think of something... anything.
She tried to think too, but she kept drawing blanks. She knew that Ed had sacrificed his arm to bind Al's soul to the suit of armor, and that Al just reversed that…
But how was Ed supposed to bring Al's body and soul back, now?
"..." Ed's eyes widened as if he realized something, and he opened up his hands to look down at his palms.
"..?" Manami watched as his eyebrows furrowed, then he closed his hands once again and went to stand up.
"Manami… I'm gonna need you to stand back."
"Huh..?" Manami blinked when he turned his head to smile down at her.
"I've got a plan." He told her.
Manami watched as he turned to walk away and grab a metal rod— very possibly the same one that had pinned him earlier, and he began drawing on the ground with it.
"What..?" Manami trailed off as she started to realize what he was drawing. It looked like he was drawing a human transmutation circle.
She then went to stand up herself, wincing when she felt a sharp pain shoot through her ribs, but she ignored it.
"Ed... what are you doing..?"
"You'll see." Ed looked over to smile at her.
"Ed…" Manami limped toward him, inside the circle now. "I asked you what you're doing…"
"And I said you'll see." Ed repeated.
"Don't give me that!" Manami gritted her teeth in frustration. "Answer me!"
"Ling?" Ed ignored her and looked to the Xingese prince. "Could you..?"
Ling nodded, seeming to understand. He approached her and gently took hold of Manami's arm.
"Don't you—" Manami tried to bat him away, but he quickly looped his arms under her armpits and locked a grip on her.
"Hey— Edward— ow!" Manami yelled out in pain after she thrashed in Ling's grip. She once again felt a sharp pain shoot through her ribs, temporarily paralyzing her. Ling took the opportunity to drag her backwards.
"Sorry, Manami..." Ed still maintained that small, carefree smile. "But I gotta do this one alone."
"No!" Manami dug her heels into the ground, anchoring herself just a few inches outside of the circle.
"Manami, just trust him!" Ling pleaded.
"I'll bring him back, Manami. I promise." Ed said.
"But what about you?!" Manami cried.
"..." Ed didn't answer her, but instead looked out to everyone surrounding them. "Ladies and gents, you're witnessing the final transmutation from the FullMetal Alchemist!"
Manami felt her heart stop. He wasn't about to...
"Stand back and enjoy the show!" Ed clapped his hands, and there was a bright flash of light.
It took every bit of energy for Ling to hold Manami back and keep her outside of the circle... until the light faded, and Ed was gone.
"..." Manami fell limp in his arms, and he had to ease her down to her knees.
"Manami..."
The brunette didn't respond, only staring at the empty circle where Ed had stood, with trembling eyes.
"… it's going to be okay." Ling whispered, still holding her close.
Manami said nothing. In this moment, both Ed and Al were gone. She could feel the empty feeling consuming her, rendering her speechless. Her only response was that her eyes overflowed with tears that streamed down her cheeks.
"..." Ling's expression saddened at the sight of her. With a soft sigh, he slowly moved to sit in front of her, wrapping his arms around her to pull her into an embrace.
"..." Manami still didn't move. In fact, her eyelids suddenly felt heavy...
She didn't resist it, and let her eyes close.
Manami slowly opened her eyes to see a blue sky with white puffy clouds rolling across. It took her a moment to remember where she was, but the sounds of men working around her filled her ears and brought her to speed.
And then her only thoughts revolved around finding out where Ed and Al were... if they were even here.
Some nearby soldiers noticed her moving to hold her head as she sat up, letting out a soft groan. She looked up to only see Central and Briggs soldiers' uniforms, scurrying all around her.
Where was everyone?
"She's conscious!"
"Miss, please be careful!"
But the adrenaline inside her wouldn't let her take it slow. Manami went to climb out of her gurney and stand up, her legs wobbling for a moment, but she went to stagger away from the soldiers.
She wandered aimlessly until she saw the shirtless backide of Alex Louis Armstrong, and she stumbled towards him. As she got closer, she also saw the backs of the chimera men, Izumi and Sig Curtis, Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye…
"Manami!" She saw Ed emerge from the group and run up to her.
Manami couldn't help but smile at the sight of him.
"You're okay..!"
"I told you." Ed grinned. "Sorry about the scare, but…"
He stepped to the side, and it seemed like everyone else knew to stand aside as well, because it allowed Manami a view of…
Alphonse Elric.
He was nothing but skin and bones, with long golden hair that was twice as long as her own… but once she saw the shimmer of his golden eyes when they met her brown ones, she knew... it was him, in the flesh.
It was as if everyone around them faded from existence... and it was just the two of them, staring at each other. Frozen in shock.
"..."
Al thought, in that moment, that Manami looked more beautiful than ever. Was it because he was looking at her from his human eyes?
But he was suddenly washed over with a familiar feeling of guilt— he was used to looking at her and feeling this way... and much to his disappointment, it was for the same reason now than it was back then.
He wanted to stand in front of her and have the courage to tell her how he really felt, but… how could he, in a body like this? Even now, he didn't feel worthy.
He noticed the tears in her eyes start to roll down her cheeks as she slowly approached him, and his lips curled more to reveal his guilt.
"I… I'm sorry... I'm not the most presentable—"
"Shut up..." Manami cut him off, shaking her head as she let out a chuckle that sounded more like a sob.
Before he could say anything, she stepped forward and reach to pull Al into a hug. The new sense of touch almost stung, but he felt immediate comfort in it. All of his guilt had suddenly washed away in her warm embrace... and, despite that she was bloody and beaten up, he could still smell a subtle floral scent…
He swore that it was familiar, like she had the same scent as when they were little.
"You're really here…" He heard her murmur, snapping him out of his thoughts. He hummed as he nodded and went to wrap his arms around her and pull their hug to be a little closer.
"Yeah…"
They stayed that way for a long while, but he then felt Manami release the hug so that she could wipe her eyes with her sleeve.
"I'm glad…" Al smiled when his golden eyes met her chocolate ones once more. "That you're okay…"
"Yeah…" Manami smiled back. "You too…"
But her smile faded a little and she looked down to her feet, making Al raise his eyebrows curiously.
She looked like she had something else to say.
"Manami..?" He asked quietly.
Manami didn't respond, as Maes's words kept ringing in her head.
"Just tell Alphonse that you love him already."
But she was feeling the lump in her throat start to choke her.
"Listen… A-Al, I…" She stammered and then bit her lip.
Al felt his heart start to beat just a little faster in anticipation. What was she going to say? Whatever it was, she seemed like she was having trouble saying it.
He was starting to notice how she was still close to him, when she finally let out a quick huff out of frustration.
"Aw, to hell with it..!"
"Huh—"
Before Al could even question it, he felt her warm hands cup his face... and before he could blink, her face closed in and she pressed her lips against his.
He stood there, frozen in shock and eyes wide, as he tried to process that this was what was happening... that this was real.
No matter how he looked at it, Manami was definitely kissing him right now. The thing he wanted as much as he wanted his human body back...
And he got both of those things on the same day.
"..." Al finally allowed himself to give in to his desire, and he closed his eyes as he returned Manami's kiss. He wasn't the most presentable, but screw it. He wanted this for so long. Even after he thought she died. Even after everything… he knew that he wanted this…
And now, he finally had it.
The applause, cheering, and whistles eventually brought the two of them back to reality, and both their eyes snapped open to first see each other's eyes before Manami quickly pulled away and whipped around so that her back faced him.
"..?" Al could only watch, his eyes still wide and his cheeks burning.
"Ahhhh," She whined, covering her bright tomato red face with her hands. "I-I just did that..!"
"You sure as hell did! Thanks for stealing my thunder!" Ed appeared behind her and clapped his hand on her back, but leaned in to talk into her ear so only that she could hear.
"Be careful, or you'll make him pass out."
"Huh?!" Manami squeaked. She didn't even consider that... and it only made her more flustered.
"But… wait, no… I-I didn't mean..!"
"I'm kidding." Ed assured her, turning her around so that he could pull Al in with his other arm, and he hugged the two of them tightly around their necks.
"We did it." He said to them.
"..." Manami and Al smiled back at him and nodded.
"We did it." They replied, in unison.
The Promised Day was finally over, and they had won the war... but their work was far from done.