CHAPTER TWO

The Elrics walked together down the road, taking in the sights around them. The sweet smelling grass and flowers of the fields moving in the cool breeze that passed over them and the ground. Where ever they had ended up was certainly a peaceful area, and very serene.
"Big brother... I'm so glad we're home." Al said.
"Me too Al." Ed smiled.
After a few moments though Al had a thought, "Err... do you know where we're going?"
"Of course not, but we're bound to meet someone soon enough." Ed chuckled.

Al sweatdropped, he knew they were lost, but Ed's optimism never ceased to make him worry. "So the plan is to walk until we can get directions?"

"Have you got a better idea?" Ed frowned. "Because sitting around and waiting sounds boring."

"Well... no." Al sighed. "I meant, where are we headed? Resembool? Central?"

Ed stopped, and then so did Al. "I guess its home first." He smiled. "We can see if Winry and Pinako are there."

"Unless they moved." Al said.

"Huh?" Ed blinked, "I doubt old Pinako would ever leave her house." he grinned.

"I guess." Al chuckled.

The two brothers continued to walk until the bright sunny day turned to a cold, full mooned night, and they were still walking.
"M-Maybe w-we sh-should camp for the night." Al said, stuttering from the cold wind that was breezing passed them.

"Y-yeah, a w-warm f-fire w-would be g-g-good about now." Ed agreed.
But before they could stop and look for a suitable campsite, Al noticed a light in the distance. "A camp?!" He asked.

"I dunno... but light means warmth." Ed said as he began to run down the road.

"H-HEY!!! WAIT FOR ME BROTHER!" Al shouted as he ran after Ed.

As the Elrics got closer to the light in the distance, another light appeared, and another and it became quickly apparent it was a town. At last.

The two young men walked in to town, and there were people out and about dressed up for the evening, and enjoying the company of their romantic partners.
Ed and Al both smiled, in the other world, a scene such as this was rare in that climate of change and persecution, and it was good to see something nice again.

They looked for a place to stay when Al had a sudden realisation, "Brother... we have no money, and everything we had is from the other world."

"You're right." Ed sighed. "Maybe we could get some work for a room for the night."

"What a great first night this is going to be... working." Al sighed.

"Oh cheer up... at least we ARE back." Ed grinned, patting his brother on the back.

The two brothers headed over to a nearby bar, and it was their luck that the owner needed some help that night.
But to the Elrics dismay, it was just washing up. But at least it got them a room for the night.

As the night progressed, Ed and Al helped by gathering glasses from the bar area that were no longer being used, and had to move around the crowd that was enjoying their night out, and enjoying live stage entertainment. Even the Elrics enjoyed it a little as they moved around the room.

It was quite a busy time and both Ed and Al worked hard at the job they were hired for, and after six hours of washing up and collecting empty glasses, they were actually able to stop and relax.
"Phew." Al exhaled as he sat down in the empty bar. "What time is it brother?"

"A little after 1am." Ed replied as he sat down too.

Al yawned, "I'm exhausted, and it's been one hell of a day."

"You're telling me Al." Ed smirked. "And while we were working I found out where we are."

"Really?!" Al smiled. "Where?"

"A town in southern Amestris." Ed said, "Not far from Dublith." Ed looked a little sad.

"Oh." Al said, looking a little sad himself now, "Should we go there and... visit Izumi? I'm sure Sig would be happy to see us."

"If... you want to." Ed said.

"Don't you want to visit her grave?" Al asked. "You never got to say goodbye so..."

"I know, but..." Ed trailed off. "I... I wouldn't know what to say to Sig... or at Izumi's grave."
Al looked at Ed. His brother had always respected their teacher, and he had felt bad for feeling he never lived up to her expectations, and the fact he never got to say goodbye to her properly, had always been a pain he had hidden from Al, even though Al did know.

"Ed... maybe you should at least try, maybe the words will come to you." Al said, but Ed just remained quiet for a short time.

"Al... let's just get some sleep, we can start out, early." he said before getting up to go to their room for the night.

"Brother..." Al said, standing up too.

Ed just stopped, and without turning around he just said, "Al... I'm tired."

"But brother... if we're gonna head to Dublith first, we can't just ignore it." Al said.
Ed was quiet, and after a few moments... he left, leaving Al, alone until he sighed and sadly followed suit, by going to bed.

---

The following day found the Elric brothers doing a few extra jobs for pay, so that they could buy some supplies for their journey, and by midday they were off again on their journey home, packs on their backs, and full of energy.

Over the next few days, they walked through the country, heading north towards Dublith.
Al was hesitating to talk about their current destination, since the subject just seemed to make his brother uncomfortable whenever it was brought up. He was concerned for his brother, he felt Ed needed to deal with it, if he was feeling bad, even after all the years that had gone by, it was something Al knew Ed had to deal with, or he could one day look back and know he had a chance, and regret never taking it.

When they finally arrived at Dublith, Al looked excited, but Ed just felt nervous.
"Come on brother... cheer up." Al smiled, happily, "Let's head over to the butcher shop and see Sig."

Ed was a little silent when heard Al's idea. "I... umm... I don't..."

"Oh come on brother, he'll be happy to see us both." Al smiled as he pulled his brother with him as they moved to Sig's Butcher shop. Even though it had been such a long time since either had them been there, they knew the town like the back of their hands, and it hadn't changed much from when they were kids, being trained by Izumi.

The large muscular form of Sig was working in the back of his shop, handling the meat as he chopped it and prepared it for both orders and for sale out front, where a young man was stood, serving customers over the counter.
The shop had a few people already waiting as Ed and Al entered the bell on the door ringing as it was shaken. Al stood in line with Ed excited to see the big muscular man they had once lived with while they trained with his alchemist wife.
"I wonder how surprised he will be to see us." Al chuckled.

"Depends what he knows, if he thinks we were dead all this time, then maybe he will be." Ed sighed, a little uncomfortable being where he was.

"Come on Edward. Cheer up." Al said, looking at Ed with a sad frown.

Ed looked to his younger brother and gave a small smile.
"Ok, Al." he said as he gave a friendly tap on the back of his younger sibling.

They waited in line as customer by customer was served.
"How can I help you today sirs?" The assistant, named Anthony, asked with a smile.

"We're here to see Sig Curtis." Ed said. "We're old friends."

"Oh... one moment." He replied before disappearing out to the back of the shop as Ed and Al waited for a few minutes, excited to see their old friend, even Ed was at this point.
Anthony returned after a few moments, followed by Sig, who looked as burly as ever, and stood in shock as he saw the Elrics on the other side of his counter.

"B-boys?!" he muttered before a smile came across his face.

"Hey." Al grinned happily.

Sig moved around the counter and was stood before them, as tall as ever. He placed a hand on the shoulder of each brother and smiled. "It's so good to see you again boys. It's... been so long. But..." he looked at them confused. "Aren't you dead? Or... are you ghosts?" He sweatdropped.

The Elrics also sweatdropped. "No... We're alive." Al chuckled.

"We've... just been away." Ed added.

"You must have gone very far away to be dead for four years Edward." Sig said to Ed before turning to Al,

"And Alphonse, I heard you fell at the battle of central two years ago."

"Yeah... err... well... I... ended up with brother." Al said. Both the Elrics knew explaining the fact of another world would be difficult to explain.

"Well... boys... tell me all about, tell me all your adventures." Sig smiled as he motioned them to enter passed the counter to the back room. "Anthony, take care of the store." he said as he followed the Elrics.

"Yes sir." Anthony nodded.

Sig, Ed and Al all walked up some stairs to the apartment above the shop, and Sigs home.

Sig served them all drinks and a little food, since they looked tired and hungry from their travels, and Ed and Al told him the whole story, the other world, how they each got there, and how they returned.
Sig was obviously stunned with the entire, unbelievable story.
"You boys have been through a lot." He said, "But it makes me so happy to see you again."

"So you believe us?" Al blinked, surprised how readily Sig took the story.

"Yes. Izumi had a theory that another world existed beyond the gates." Sig explained, "Although she would have been surprised it was as you described."

Ed looked sad at the mention of his teacher, and Sig noticed this.
"Edward... Izumi was proud of you, you know." He said.

"Huh?!" Ed said a little shocked at the sudden words said by Sig.

"I know you think she was hard on you both, but it was because she expected so much from you, especially you Edward." Sig continued, "No offense to you Alphonse, but Edward, you showed much more instinct and natural talent. From the start she knew you had something about you, the ability to be one of the greatest Alchemists in the world."
Tears began to run down Ed's cheek and Ed and Sig both looked shocked, as Ed was not known for crying so easily. It really had hit him hard. He had never mourned, never said goodbye, and had believed he had disappointed Izumi so much.

"B-brother?!" Al said, putting an arm on Ed's shoulder.

"I-I'm ok, Al." Ed smiled as he wiped tears from his eyes. "I... umm... Thanks Sig."

Sig smiled. "I just thought you should know how much Izumi thought of you. She cared for you both as if you were our own children, and you made her life happy, even to the last moment, her thoughts were of you."

Ed couldn't take it anymore, hearing such a thing was making him happy, but also sad. And he got up and turned away from them as he wiped even more tears from his eyes.
"Ed?" Al said.

"I'm ok Al." He smiled as he turned back. "I... I'm just... happy to hear those words."
Sig smiled, it made him happy Ed was feeling better, and he was, his heart felt a little lighter that moment, a long thought of weight had been lifted after so many years, and it felt good.

Sig and the Elrics spent the rest of the day together, catching up with not only the big events of the world, so that Ed and Al were up to date, but also Ed and Al talked about their own adventures in the other world.

A lot had happened to their home country, a new fuhrer had come to power, and the military and state alchemists were still a force to be reckoned with. But now, they were a little more respected, the faults of their past slowly being erased as they helped the country more and more.
It seemed things were going well in the world. There was still violence, and still bad guys out there, but then again, they never expected it to be a perfect world, just theirs.

The following day Sig had set up the Elrics with fresh supplies and even gave them some money for the journey home to Resembool.
Before they left though, the three of them paid a visit to Izumi's grave, where they all said a silent prayer.
After Sig and Al were done, they began to walk away, but noticed Ed was still stood there, and before Al could say something, Sig stopped him, and gestured to let him be for a few moments.
Ed stood there next to the grave stone, his head hung down as he thought over his history with Izumi, all the lessons, all the times they sat down to meals together, all the successes in alchemy... and even the failures.
He smiled down at the ground, and placed his gloved Automail hand on the top of the stone, "Bye teach." he said, "And thank you."
He grinned as he turned away and began to walk after his brother and Sig, feeling a little more contented.

Ed and Al said their goodbyes to Sig, who was, to say the least, a little emotional that they were going, and couldn't stay any longer. But he understood their want to get home, and see old friends.
So with tears from the large muscular man, and a long wave, the Elrics were once again, on their way.

---

Far from them, in a small farming town, it was a warm day in the valley of vast fields of farmland, which were being worked by the townspeople. As they picked at the crops they all smiled, happy at their toil, and it had been a good season with many healthy vegetables that had grown well in the rich soil.
Birds were flying in the air, happily playing with each other it seemed.
But soon, the birds began to look like they were panicking, and it seemed every bird in the valley began to fly away; even the animals were running scared.

Each man, woman and child, in the fields, and the town all stopped as they looked at the sight.
The sky growing black, and noisy, with all the air-born creatures, and the stampeding beasts that just ran passed the humans as if they weren't even there.
"What's going on?" one man asked another. But he was just given a stare and a head shake as a reply.
Who could know?
But soon enough the noise and the animals disappeared, and the workers all stood, looking back at where the animals had ran from, curiosity having grabbed them and keeping them rooted to the spot.
But as the eerie silence grew less tolerable, people began to feel uneasy, never had they heard such silence, only the tree's made a noise as the wind blew through the branches.
Suddenly there was a new sound, a crackling sound.
It was small at first, but was getting louder... it was coming closer.
And on then the people noticed something else, the tree's far away were disappearing, changing, and the changes were getting closer and closer until energy burst out from between the tree's and into the valley.
The moment the townspeople saw this they began to run, as fast as they could, leaving all they hand in hand so they could move faster.

As the wave of energy swept through the valley, it continued to engulf all it touched, leaving behind a stone road, the ground itself darkened as if it was drained of life and colour. The minerals themselves removed.
And anyone caught in the energy was immediately surrounded in a cage, and held prisoner.

The panicked people scared ran, and ran harder, but soon, the whole valley was changed.

But this wasn't the only place... other towns had the same fate, and centred in all of the devastation was an enormous city and temple.

And in the middle of it, stood a man, a tall man, dressed in a long red robe, lined with gold and jewels surrounded by the same energy as the wave, that not only covered the land, but also the city as it built itself.
Alchemy was draining the land, and to make this city, and the man, a smile on his face, "Caelestis... is reborn!" cried the ancient king, Lumen.