"Hey Al! Aren't you done writing in that thing?"
Alphonse Elric looked up from the table to see his brother, Edward, who was slipping on his coat. "Uh-uh…just finished." He answered.
Edward looked in the mirror as he tied his long hair back. "Don't you think we're a bit old for keeping diaries?" Ed regretted saying it as soon as he finished. He saw the somewhat hurt look in his younger brother's eyes. "Sorry Al. I just worry. I'm not sure what would happen should that book fall into the wrong hands. We don't need people asking about us or our past."
"I know, Ed. I'll be careful I promise." Al said as he tucked the journal away. Edward nodded "I'm going out to get a newspaper."
"I'll go with you." Al went quickly to get his coat. They then left the small flat they shared and proceeded onto London's busy streets. A year ago, when Eckhart of the Thule Society invaded their world, Alphonse and Edward were reunited after two years of separation. Edward and Alphonse managed to stop Eckhart in her plans of destroying their home. But Edward knew he had to go back to the other side of the gate, and destroy it. Even though it wasn't Ed's plan, Alphonse came back with him, to Germany. Al refused to ever be separated from his brother again. A world away was simply too far. Afterward, the boys agreed that this new world was to be their home. So they would play their parts in it.
It was then that they began their journey to find and destroy uranium bomb. Unfortunately, they have so far been unsuccessful. After a few month's they managed to travel to England. Edward hoped that they would have better luck here for he remembered this to be where the gate originally brought him. It was the home of the Edward from this world.
Ed found a paperboy at the corner and paid the 10 year old for a copy. He leaned against the brick wall of the building they were standing by to look through it. Nothing of seriousness…so it had been for the past few weeks. Things seem to be at a bit of a stand still in London. This made Ed feel a bit uneasy. He was never one for relaxing. Alphonse on the other hand felt much more at ease. He found England very much to his liking. People were friendly here. For the short time he was in Germany, he noticed how bitter many of the people had become after the last war. Somehow he had hoped that this world would be different from the one they left behind. Al craved for a world without pain and suffering. Unfortunately they haven't reached that world yet. For now they would have to make do.
Al heard his brother let out a sigh. "Still nothing…" he said. "This is even worse than our search for the Philosopher Stone. We got no leads whatsoever." Ed shook his head as he folded the newspaper and handed it to his younger brother. Al nodded "And this is probably not something that the public would particularly want to read about. People would rather not know about this sort of thing. Like the war in Ishbal…"
"We can only hope that nothing of that will occur here…" Ed said.
"I had asked you this before a year ago, Ed. Do you think we should pursue this? Get involved in the wars of this world? Nobody said we had too…"
"No Al…we made that decision when we chose to come here. We chose to live here and make it our home. So we do carry some responsibility for it. We are not all that matter. We have to care for those around us as well as ourselves." Edward looked up and watched as they saw two little boys crossing the street with their mother. For a quick moment he could have sworn his saw himself and Alphonse clasping their mother's hands. But the moment past quickly and he realized they were only strangers passing by.
"I understand, Brother." Alphonse said finally. And I'll follow wherever you go. As long as I'm by your side, Brother, I will always be home. He thought in silence.
"But for now…with no leads, and no Mustang or the State to nag us…I guess we could just lay low for awhile…at least until something comes up. No use in wasting our energy right?" Ed asked.
"Right!" Al smiled. To be honest, he was hoping they could take a sort of vacation. The last time they had even thought they were going to have one was when their Izumi was taking them to her Island to see if they were worth training in Alchemy. Al suddenly felt his heart ache at the thought of their beloved Teacher. She had past on a little over a year before. Ed and Al hadn't spoke of her much, choosing to mourn in silence. They knew she wouldn't want them to dwell so on sorrows of the past. You had to keep moving forward as is the way not only in alchemy but for life. It was hard for the brothers to think that she was really gone, Ed especially. Even though she had near beat the crap out of him, nobody would miss her more than Edward.
Al now carried the newspaper and started to flip through it as the two boys headed down the street towards the corner bakery. Maybe they could find something of entertainment. Then Al found an article near the bottom of the page. It was a review for a play. "Brother, feel like a trip to the theatre?"
"Katrina!" a voice sounded suddenly.
Katrina's head jerked up from the journal. She heard her Mother's voice coming from down stairs and the sound of footsteps drawing near. "Katrina, where have you gone?" her mom called again. She quickly slammed the book shut and put it back in the trunk. She was about to try and stand when she realized she was still wearing the red coat. She slipped it off and placed it in the trunk with the journals. She closed the box as fast and as quietly as she could. She had managed to stand and balance her crutch when the attic door opened and her mother popped her head in.
"Katrina! What on earth?!"
The young blonde gulped as she tried to search her mind for an explanation. When nothing came out her mother sighed. "I told you not to come snooping around up here, especially not on your own!"
"I wasn't snooping around and I can take care of myself!" Katrina answered back, earning a stern look from her mother.
"Don't take that tone with me, young lady. It's dangerous up here. Lord knows how many rats nests there must be…and you know I don't want you climbing this old ladder."
"Look at me, Mama, I'm fine!" Katrina insisted, as she limped towards the attic door. Her mother sighed again. "Listen to you," she said, looking her daughter up and down "stubborn as your grandfather. That must be where you get that cheek from, for it certainly wasn't from me! Now come along, supper is on the table and we're all waiting for you!"
As Katrina's mother climbed down the latter, the teenager turned and glanced again at the lonely trunk in the corner. She'll have to continue the reading later.