The Ties That Bind
Chapter Two:
The Brother That Could Be

"No..." That was the only thing 'Edward' could think of as he stared at his bare chest, looking at the symbol which looked like a scar over his chest. He couldn't be a... Could he? "...But... How?" Could all the memories he had be fake? It was impossible.

"That's what I want to know. Who created you?" Alphonse asked after a few minutes and very quietly. 'Edward' heard his 'brother's' voice break a bit at the question. He shook his head and closed his eyes.

"I remember our father transmuting me to this side of the Gate by sacrificing himself. I forced my way through the Gate, and came out here. I saw you before I passed out! There's not a gap of time between it!" He looked up, almost pitifully at Alphonse, who looked close to tears himself. "...I can't be... No, I'm your brother!" Alphonse looked away from him, to the floor beside the bed.

"It's not a tattoo. It's not a fake. It's a real Ouroboros, and you know that means beyond a doubt that you are... not... my brother. You were... created." Alphonse turned sharply on his heel, walking over to his empty chair before pulling it over near the bed, leaving a good amount of space between him and the bed, and sat down in it. "You're just a Homunculus of my brother with fake memories." 'Edward' hung his head in shame.

He was an alchemist, or at least the 'memories' he had were of an alchemist. He couldn't deny the proof, as much as it hurt. He looked at the Ouroboros with the soul attachment seal over it, and brought up his hand to it. He barely touched it with his pointer finger before he gasped. A strange sensation overcame his body. He was completely paralyzed.

Alphonse, as if he knew what was going on, stood up and came close enough to him to gently pry away 'Edward's' finger from his Ouroboros.

"You did that when I touched it barely too. It only reacts when a person touches it." He said quietly before going back and sitting down in his chair. 'Edward' realized something.

"...But... what about the anchoring seal? I mean, we both know that Homunculus don't have souls, but what if our father attached mine to this body before sending me through the Gate?" Alphonse looked at him as he continued. "All of my memories can't be fake. I mean, I even remember the surprise birthday party me and Winry had for you when you were little."

"...Birthday party?" 'Edward' nodded.

"I think it was when you were three or four. I had asked Mom about it, and she told me when it was and asked for my help. I asked Winry, and we ended up in the kitchen all day, helping Mom make your cake while Pinako watched you over here." Alphonse nodded before getting up and leaving the room. 'Edward' maneuvered himself where he could look out the window while waiting on Alphonse to return.

He came back a few minutes later, with Winry following behind him. 'Edward' looked at Winry in surprise; he hadn't expected to see her.

"Do you... Do you really remember that?" She asked him quietly, and he nodded. "What else? What else from when we were little?"

"Anything that I wouldn't remember, and that Dad wouldn't know about." 'Edward' thought for a moment.

"We camped out on the river with your dad for three days one weekend. I nearly set you on fire." Winry smiled. She remembered the incident perfectly. "And the birthday cake we made for Alphonse with our moms, the one with the strawberries in it. I think it was for the birthday party, but I'm not really sure. We ate half of it before Alphonse ever even got to see it." Winry and 'Ed' chuckled a bit before she turned to Alphonse.

"It's true. Every word."

"...Then... the anchoring seal must..." Alphonse turned to his brother, who seemed to have come to the same conclusion.

"It's me, Al. I'm really home."

To Be Continued
...That probably seems a little fast for Ed and Al to figure these things out, but they're both prodigies (even though most people overlook that and believe that just Edward is) and they've both seen the Gate, on multiple occasions.

Next up: The Brother That Is on Saturday, May 3!

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Shadow Kat-Lyn