"What do you think it is?" Winry asked.
"I don't know," Edward whispered, squinting at it, " but apparently it has something to with something about us."
"We're alone along the bank," Winry stated nervously, "so there's little else it could be walking towards".
She fingered the slender, smooth stone in her left hand, which she was about to chuck as hard as she could across the water. The thought flashed across her mind to aim it towards the approaching figure, intimidating as it was.
"It only appears frightening," Edward began, as if reading his sister's thoughts, "because of the surrounding mist."
This was probably true. As the apparition happened upon them, the children were relieved that it was not some vicious madman, but rather, a familiar face: A Mr. Roy Mustang. Mr. Mustang was a longtime friend of both Mr. and Mrs. Elric, and the children knew him to be rather sickly at times, but otherwise harmless. One of the favorable attributes the Elrics found in their parents, was that they were never dismissed when company made itself present, instead, allowing them to join in the festivities with the adults, that is, so long as they cleared the table afterwards. He was recognizable to the Elric trio, due to the constant visiting and cough he had, which he always excused himself to hack up a lung in the other room.
Mr. Mustang took off his large, military hat, making his face look oddly triangular in the mist earlier, paused, and erupted into a fit of jerking coughs while pulling out a white handkerchief. Winry and Edward approached him to shake his hand and say hello.
"How are you?" asked Winry.
"How do you do?" Edward stated formally.
"Donna yosu de suru kimi suru?" added Alphonse.
"Fine, thank you ," replied Mr. Mustang, but his looks betrayed his response; a devastated look shone in his eyes. As though time had stopped, a hush fell upon the group, the Elrics wondering why such a sickly man as Mr. Mustang had traveled down to this cold and desolate place, when currently, he should have been occupied at the military office where he worked. It was clear he was not dressed for the weather.
"It's a nice day, no?" Winry spoke, finally breaking the ice. Alphonse muttered something under his breath, and Edward picked him up and held him.
"Quite," Mr. Mustang responded absently, staring out on the horizon, obviously distracted, " I'm afraid I have some terrible news to inform you children."
The trio listened intently, awaiting Mr. Mustang's next sentence. Winry was suddenly taken aback, as she realized she had nearly thrown a blunt missile ( Also known as "Rock"), at Mr. Mustang.
"Your parents," Mr. Mustang started, "have just perished in a terrible fire."
The children didn't respond.
"They perished," Mr. Mustang continued, "In a fire that also incinerated your entire house. I am extremely sorry to have to inform you of this tragedy, my dears."
Winry glanced away from Mr. Mustang and towards the ever rippling and running waters of Risembool River. She was pondering as to why Mr. Mustang had addressed them as "My dears", as he had never done so before. She had understood the obvious meaning of what he had spoken, but assumed that this must be a horrible prank, a horrible joke was playing her, and her two brothers.
"Perished," Mr. Mustang repeated, " means 'killed.'"
"We know what the word 'perished' means!" Edward growled irritably. This was true, they did know what the meaning of the word was, but they could not comprehend the intensity of that one sentence. It seemed to them that Mr. Mustang had misspoken, a slight of tongue, if you will.
"The local fire department arrived on the scene, of course," Mr. Mustang droned listlessly, " but they were far too late. The entire house had been swallowed up in flames, and was burnt to the ground."
Edward envisioned all of his favorite, and all of the books he had yet to read, engulfed in flames.
Mustang coughed hoarsely several times into his handkerchief before continuing.
"I was sent to retrieve you here, and to house you at my abode, where you'll stay for some time until things are sorted out. I was in charge of your parents'… well, for now, I shall call it 'special object', and executor of their property. That means I will hold onto the land and the object, until Winry comes of age. When that occurs, the object and the land will be yours, but until then, the military has control of both."
Although Mr. Mustang had dubbed himself the 'executor', Winry felt more as though he were an executioner. He had nonchalantly dropped a bomb on them, and changed their lives in a very legally binding sense.
"Follow me," Mustang stated solemnly, his hand outstretched. In the event to take place, reaching for Mustang's hand that is, Winry had to allow the stone to slip away from her fingertips. Edward grasped her opposite hand, and Alphonse gripped his. Thus, the trio of Elric children---the Elric orphans, now--- were led away, just like that, from the peaceful waters of Risembool River, and their previous lives as well.