Hello there.
This is long long overdue. And while I have a bit of an explanation on my profile, you guys deserve more than that.

As I said there, mom found work. We have a new car. I took a year for myself to decide what I want to do, and I've made that decision. I've been working on my book ever since I first started: it's gone through three plot changes, two name changes, and one rough draft. I'm getting somewhere with it and I'm proud of that fact.

A lot has gone on in between these things that kept me too distracted to think about this story. I haven't forgotten it, I haven't stopped caring about it, but sometimes you have to drop things or you stretch yourself too thin, and that's what was happening.

That being said, things have gotten in order (as much in order as they can be), and I've decided to take some time and work on this. I don't want to abandon it. I will also be working on the rewrite of the first story, and if you're interested, I highly recommend you read those chapters as they come out. They will have better writing, new content, and a lot of the side stories I never got to finish will be wrapped up.

In fact, the first chapter of The Sulfur Alchemist Rewritten is online.

I am incredibly sorry to make everyone wait so long. If you're still interested in this even now, I thank you whole-heartedly for coming back and I hope you stick with me to the end of it.

Thank you to everyone who continued to follow this story and add it to their alerts even after the hiatus, and to those who once supported me but have since let it go. Thank you to everyone who reviewed the story between then and now.

I don't own FullMetal Alchemist. Riley is still mine. It's a permanent kind of arrangement.

Mistakes, Old and New

The path leading to Hannah's home was a gravel road, hidden by the trees and shrubbery along the edge of Dublith city. It was a narrow road, one that couldn't fit a car or carriage, and it was a long road - if you had never been there before, you'd think it led to nowhere. So, having never been there before themselves, the others just had to trust me when I told them I knew where I was going. We departed from our hitched ride once we hit the town of Dublith, and made our way to the back road by foot. Daisuke enjoyed himself enough, following the twists and turns of the road, but Shiori and Jonah were losing their minds with every step.

Which was fun for me, really.

Shiori let out a loud sigh as she took long strides down the path. Twigs and leaves crunched underneath her weight, and she was intent on watching them die as she flattened them to the ground. "How much further is it?" She whined from several feet behind me.

I didn't have to look back to see the pout I could hear in her voice. With a shrug of my shoulders, I replied in a simple tone, "About an hour."

"Wha-" The interrupted exclamation was followed by the sound of someone tripping and toppling over into what was likely a pile of leaves and rocks. We all stopped, turning to see Shiori face-down in the dirt. Leaves floated back to the ground on top of her and she picked her head up to stare up at me with wide eyes. "You said it was a ten minute walk the last time I asked!"

I quirked a brow. "Then why ask again?" She stared at me for a moment more, but said nothing. Turning, I continued to walk down the path and Daisuke followed shortly after.

The rustling of Shiori clambering to her feet reached my ears and I glanced back to see Jonah stop at her side, waiting for her to stand.

"She gives you a random number every time you ask. What did you expect this time?" He mumbled, scowling down at her. Shiori brushed herself off, ignoring Jonah's words. She pushed herself forward, storming after us, and Jonah followed suit.

Looking around, Daisuke slipped his hands into the pockets of his jacket. With a quiet tone, he asked, "So you used to live out here?"

I nodded. "Sometimes. When Marcoh was in hiding, I'd stay at Hannah's," I explained to him, thinking back to our childhood. Hannah's family was a kind one, even after all the trouble I got us into. They were a normal family with the three successful children, except when I was around.

Daisuke chuckled. "Still wouldn't come back to the dojo, would you?" He asked me, shaking his head at the thought of it.

My initial response was a shrug. I didn't look his way as I mumbled, "I was just a relic of my parents back then." He frowned, glancing my way.

I could feel his stare on me as he tried to come up with an appropriate thing to say. He opened his mouth a few times, closing it each and every time. With a long sigh, he looked ahead. "You deserved more than that, Riley," He commented, nodding with confidence.

A small snort escaped me, but I tried to hold in the rest of my laughter. He quirked a brow at me but before I could respond, Shiori shoved past us. "Civilization!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, running through an open area in between trees and shrubbery. "Finally!"

Daisuke turned toward me to speak, but once again, we were interrupted. Jonah shoved past us, sending Daisuke to the ground. "I'm starving!" He yelled, a whine in his voice as he ran after Shiori, pushing through the shrubbery.

I held out my hand, grinning down at Daisuke. "Kind of hard to believe he's older than she is."

He watched me for a moment before smirking. He grabbed my hand and I pulled him to his feet, but stopped there to remark, "You're one to talk." Chuckling at my startled reaction, he let go of my hand and proceeded to go through the shrubbery.

"You're going to pay for that one, Kuroda!"

. . .

After two years of being away from her, I had forgotten how tightly Hannah hugged people. As she wrapped her arms around me, squeezed, and rocked back and forth, I wondered if she could rival Armstrong with her grip. "Riley, it's so good to see you! I missed you so much!" She exclaimed, somehow managing to jump up and down as she maintained her grip on me. She pulled away, but held me at arms length, eying my appearance. "And you're getting out, doing some good ole fashioned traveling, I'm so happy for you!"

"I'm not a hermit, I'm just busy," I grumbled, letting her grip my shoulders tight.

She just laughed, wrapping me in another hug. Jonah and Shiori peered around the hall, before Jonah finally asked what was on both of their minds. "Where's the kitchen?"

Hannah blinked, turning to face them. With a smile cracking through her lips, she laughed and pointed down the hall. "On the left, by the front door," She answered.

Jonah and Shiori ran past her with responses of cheers and hungry groans. They slid to a stop, turning and busting into the kitchen. The sounds of metal clanging against itself and rummaging echoed through the hall, but came to a sudden stop. We watched the end of the hall, spotting the two peek their heads out from the doorway to stare us down with wide eyes. "Front... Door?" Jonah whispered.

Grabbing the doorframe, Shiori leaned toward us and glared. "Meaning that was the back door?"

"Yeah," Hannah nodded, and furrowed her brows in confusion. As she rose a hand to her lips, I grabbed my bag and side stepped toward the stairs, inching my way up them as I looked away from the group in the hallway. "Speaking of which, why didn't you just use the main road?"

"RILEY!"

. . .

An hour passed since our arrival at Hannah's, and everyone was relaxing after the journey there. Shiori was going to be in Hannah's younger sister's room, I would be sharing a room with Hannah as I did when I was a child, and Jonah and Daisuke were bunking in Hannah's older brother's room while he was away on business. I didn't have to check on them to know they left their bags packed and by the front door. We weren't staying for very long, and unpacking was only a waste of time.

I sat on the edge of Hannah's bed with the photo from the dojo in my hand. Whenever I had time alone, I found myself looking over it. They seemed so young, Blackburn and my parents. They almost looked... Naïve. Like the troubles of the world and the loss of war hadn't reached them yet. Each of them had smooth skin, bright eyes, fresh expressions. Each of them changed so much, had their own stories behind the wrinkles and dark circles and frowns.

I never knew Blackburn's. It was a disturbing thought, to think he had a normal life before what his life was when it ended. That thought brought back visual flashes of blood, the phantom feeling of a hand around my neck. I shook my head, cringing a bit as I dropped the photo. For a long time, I wanted to kill Blackburn. But in that moment, with what I did.. If my dreams weren't about Ed and Al, it was of that moment. I let out a long sigh as I lowered my head into my hands. I wondered if I looked like my parents did - harrowed and burdened.

"I thought I heard someone up here."

Looking up, I smiled at the man in the doorway, momentarily pushing aside my fears and traumas. "Russell! You're still here?" I asked, standing from the bed.

The blond nodded. With a grin, he turned to allow space between the doorway and him. "Let's catch up," He invited, nodding to the stairs in the hallway. I crossed the room, turning off the light as I left with him. We went downstairs, where I found Shiori and Fletcher talking.

Fletcher paused when he saw us, and smiled. "Riley!"

"Hey, Fletcher. How are things?" I asked, waving.

He nodded. "Good," He answered, balling his hands into excited fists. "I'm at the top of my class and everything."

"He's a real genius," Russell mused, glancing down at me, "Even if he does sometimes put his shoes on the wrong foot." Shiori burst into laughter at this, but Russell and I continued out of the house and onto the porch as Fletcher complained about his embarrassing brother. We positioned ourselves by the railing, where we could see the main road leading into Dublith. "I wanted to leave," Russell stated. I looked to him as he slipped his hands into his pockets and smiled. "We were going to. But Fletcher likes it here. There's some stability in his life finally."

"Stability is good." My voice was softer than intended, but neither of us commented on it.

"And Hannah's father lets me work for him down at the shop, so it's not like we're living here for free," Russell added. "Eventually we'll be able to find our own home in the city, but where we're at is good."

I nodded. "I'm glad. No taking anyone's identities anymore?"

He smiled, shaking his head. "No. We're making something out of our own names, now."

Minutes passed in silence, and I could feel him watching me, waiting to speak and searching for the right way to say what was on his mind. We could hear the others moving around inside the house, and the sounds of trees swaying in the wind. Finally, he shifted around and opened his mouth. "How have you been, Riley?"

A harsh chuckle left me. "What do you expect my answer to be?"

Before he could respond, the door behind us flew open, and Shiori and Fletcher ran down the steps of the porch. "Hey, Riley, ref us!" Shiori exclaimed as she threw off her shoes, bouncing into place in the grass.

. . .

"So we're taking him to Rush Valley," Daisuke said, ending his summary of Jonah's presence in our group. He sat on the porch with Hannah and Jonah, in a deep conversation with Hannah. Jonah leaned against the corner of the porch, watching Shiori and Fletcher, who were engaged in an intense spar with one another.

Hannah smiled at Daisuke's retelling. "That sounds like quite the adventure so far."

"Miss the fun?" Daisuke asked her.

There was no hesitation as she shook her head, her hair slipping out of its place. "Not at all," She said, "Knowing Riley, all hell will break loose soon. I don't want to be a part of it when it does."

Daisuke sighed dramatically. "A luxury Rebellion members don't have."

"Well you seem to be taking good care of her," Hannah replied, looking over in my direction.

I scowled and glanced their way. "Do you have to talk abou-" My complaint was cut short but a loud crumbling and a familiar scream, and Russell's cries for his brother. Everyone reacted, jumping to their feet with eyes wide and adrenaline pumping. I looked forward, spotting a growing hole in the ground, and a blur of blond hair falling through it. I ran forward, and from the side of my eye, I spotted Shiori falling to her knees and pushing her hands against a drawn transmutation circle, followed by the sound of the ground shifting. We all ran to the hole, Russell ahead of all of us. We reached the edge and looked down.

The hole was twenty feet deep, at least, and led to a large enclave underneath the ground. Fletcher was laying against a large shelf that had emerged from the ground and broke his fall - Shiori's doing. "That was a cheating move, you brat!" Shiori yelled down into the hole. I scoffed, pressing a hand against her face and pushing her behind me.

"Fletcher!" Russell shouted to the young boy, "Are you okay?!"

I put on my gloves as Fletcher groaned and shouted back, "I-I'm fine! I think I sprained something, though..." I knelt down, clapping and placing my hand against the hard edges of the hole. The shelf Fletcher sat on rumbled before raising up, and Russell leaned down, picking up his brother.

"Come on. Let's get you cleaned up," Hannah said, reaching for the scratches on Fletcher's arm.

"Riley... Is that a bed?" Daisuke asked, peering down into the darkness of the hole. I looked for what he noticed, and spotted the harsh outline of something long and rectangular amidst the shadows. Using my gloves a second time, I converted Shiori's shelf into a spiral staircase.

"Let's see."

We made our way down, but we were soon engulfed in shadows and our sight was cut off from us as soon as we hit the bottom of the hole. "Ugh, can't you make a light or something?" Shiori's voice piped up behind me, alerting me to the fact she'd followed us.

"I blow things up, not light them up," I argued, glancing over my shoulder but not actually seeing her. A faint click echoed in the enclave, and light filled the area, the source coming from Jonah, who stood behind Shiori. He shrugged, and held up his lighter, stepping away from us. It was dim as the distance grew, but it didn't take long for Jonah to find a lantern. The light grew wider and allowed us to see our surroundings.

What Daisuke saw was indeed a bed. The mattress was thin, and the frame looked weak, but it sat near the wall otherwise intact. Across from it was a wooden desk, where the lantern was placed, along with a collection of papers and notes. A basket was on the floor next to the desk, turned over and collecting cobwebs, with a fork and knife laying not far away from it. On another side of the wall was what looked like an archway, but a collapse of rock blocked the path it led to.

"Someone lived down here?" Shiori asked, kicking the side of the mattress. "Why?"

"Because they're crazy," Jonah answered with a dull tone.

"To hide from someone, usually," Daisuke offered. He shook his head and walked to the desk, putting his hands at his hips.

I approached the desk as well, examining the papers on the desk. Several of the notes were written with messy handwriting and hard to read, the pages stained with what looked to be a mix of blood and water. Other pages were printed documents - full of writing and formal jargon - but what stood out was the military's seal at the top of them. I gathered them all together, wiping off the dust.

"More than one someone," I said, looking to Daisuke as I tilted the papers toward him, "These are military documents."

"So they're crazy," Jonah stated.

"What are they about?"

I shook my head, "Too dark to see the writing. We should go inside and check on Fletcher."

"But the documents-"

I interrupted Shiori with a stern voice. "I'll be the one to focus on the documents."

The girl's brows furrowed, matching the new frown on her face. She glared across the room at me, hands clenching. "What, you going to burn them to protect some military secret?"

"I'm going to figure out who the hell was living under my friend's home," I said, stepping toward her. "There is nothing more we can do. Now drop it." She glared a moment longer before visibly scoffing and turning away. She ascended the staircase with nothing more said, and Daisuke sighed from beside me before following after her.

Jonah grabbed the lantern from the table and held it up to look to me. "What if it was a fugitive?" He asked, leaning in toward the light of the lantern. "What if it was one of those human chimeras you hear about? Or serial killers? Wooo," He whispered. I glared before blowing out the light in his lantern and eliciting a small yelp from the boy.

. . .

The sun set completely beyond the horizon in Dublith, and Hannah's home fell quiet to match its surroundings. The kids went to bed after supper, Jonah reluctantly falling asleep not much longer after, so I sent the others into another room while I remained sitting in the dining room to look over the documents. Soon enough, I was engulfed in a silent kitchen, and could hear the quiet chatter in the next room.

"So where are you all headed next?" Hannah asked.

I heard Daisuke fumbling through his journal and pulling out his map, which had been drawn across and color coordinated, matching Daisuke's tight-ass tendencies. Flattening it out on the coffee table, he said, "After Resembool, we'll be slowly working our way to the West City, to visit Shiori's family."

"Winry will probably force you to take her along to Rush Valley, you know," Hannah added.

"Yes, I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for a trip with all of them." Daisuke's comment brought chuckles out of the three of them. "Maybe we'll bring Alphonse along for a least some calm companionship."

At this, the room fell quiet. I found myself doing nothing but staring at the documents I'd spread out on the table, waiting with baited breath for someone to say something. "You didn't hear? Alphonse left. He's... Looking for a way to bring Ed back."

If I were standing, I probably would have fallen over. I restrained myself from acting out, knowing I'd wake everyone in the house otherwise. Slowly standing from my chair, I turned and went out the back door, not caring if Hannah and the others saw me.

I didn't know how to feel. I wasn't surprised, but I wanted to be. I knew it was a possibility. I knew Alphonse would think about it, would debate over it. I wondered, briefly, if I could have done anything to convince him to let go if I'd been there, but I knew the truth: He would have only convinced me to help him. That stung just as much as knowing Alphonse was repeating history. I promised to watch over him. I promised to keep him safe. I promised, in no certain terms, to stop him from dwelling and risking his life for the past.

I failed them both, in more ways than one.

By the time Hannah and Daisuke decided to check on me, I was sitting on the porch, my back against the railing. They lowered themselves next to me, looking to each other for guidance. "Don't bother," I stopped them, balling up my fists in my lap, "It was stupid to think he wouldn't make the same mistake twice."

They weren't prepared for the sting in my tone, and visibly jerked. "He still doesn't remember anything. Winry tried to stop him, but...," Hannah trailed off, and I snorted.

"But how can you stop an Elric?" I muttered.

Hannah nodded at this, turning to face the same direction as me and lean against my shoulder. "Last I heard, he went north. If you think there's something you can say... Winry might know where he is exactly."

"Or she might know nothing," I replied, "If he's anything like Ed was."

"Yeah...," Hannah sighed out.

The door to the house opened and we all looked up to see Russell, one of the military documents from the cave in his hand. "Have you read all of these through, Riley?" Judging by his expression, whatever he had to say, it wasn't good, and he didn't know how to beat around the bush about it.

I shook my head, sitting a bit straighter. "Not yet. Why?"

He glanced to the paper before stepping closer and handing it down to me. "They're about Frank Archer." Daisuke and Hannah watched the scene curiously as I took the paper and began skimming over the words. Again, Russell spoke:

"Radley Blackburn worked for him during the Rebellion."

That's it for now. I hope to give you more, both in this and the rewrite, soon. Again, I apologize for leaving it behind for so long.