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Please let me tell you a story.

Chapter 11

Lost Family

Dawn has come to the city of Rush Valley. Soldiers line the streets outside the old building. Road blocks are set up around the whole place and the area where the fight broke out. Ed is standing away from all the commotion with Al. More trucks arrive as countless soldiers hurry out to receive their orders. Mustang did a great job at sending him back up, too bad they aren't of much use now. Lt. Colonel Thomas is sitting down beside the road he caved in. He hasn't spoken to anyone since the Elric brothers stopped him.

"We should go over and try to talk to him."

"Don't bother Al. He probably doesn't want anyone to talk to him."

"I never knew he could be so violent. I guess seeing him again just brought that out of him."

"If anyone had killed you, I can't say I wouldn't have been just as bad."

"We need to keep him away from this fight. I know he doesn't want to kill again."

As the brothers are talking, a man comes up from behind them and wraps his big arms around the boys. They try to struggle but the strength they have is no where near enough.

"Oh boys, it has been so long since I have seen you."

"I can't breathe."

"I am so glad you are safe."

Ed manages to turn his head to see a teary-eyed Armstrong hugging them deeply.

"Colonel Armstrong, what are you doing here?"

"The General sent me out to this place to assist you. I can tell that I am far too late to help."

"It is so nice to see you again Colonel."

"Alphonse Elric, I heard you were back in this body. I was hoping I would never see that happen again."

"Damn it, let me go I am going to pass out."

The emotional Colonel lets the two go and stands there discussing everything that has happened. Ed fills him on the tank of red water and what the enemy wants him to do. Armstrong is shocked and furious at the thought of a returning King Bradley.

"I heard you say Lt. Colonel Thomas is here."

"Yeah he is, over there. He hasn't said a word to us since the whole thing happened. The man he was chasing murdered his family. I never knew he had a family to speak of besides us."

Armstrongs eyes widened and he walked away from the boys. He walks over to Thomas and stands beside him. It takes a while for Edward to acknowledge he is even standing there. Once he does, he stands up beside his old friend.

"So, you saw him, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did."

"Why is he in a place like this?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen him since that day, so long ago."

"Why is he helping these people with their cause? He wasn't even in our military."

"I guess once I resurfaced, he felt that this was a way to punish me further."

"You must tell those boys what happened. That was their family too."

"I know. I tried so hard to forget what happened."

The Colonel gestures for the Elrics to come over. When they do, Armstrong leaves and goes to help the fellow soldiers with crowd control.

"Listen to me boys. I am so sorry that you now have to deal with my past. This man is going to die by my hands and I do not need you to try and stop me."

"Who is he?"

"His name is Gabriel Bosely. A former soldier from the north. He led battles against us throughout the entire war. As you know, I wasn't very popular after the war had ended. Living up there, helping everyone from town to town, I met a beautiful woman named Lisa. We shared the same passion, helping people who had been disrupted. Within a year, we were married. Years later I found myself to be a parent of two wonderful children. My first, was a daughter named Trisha. Even though I wasn't welcome to one home, I never forgot what my sister did for me. I named her after a woman who hated me just to keep a tradition I was no long a part of. My second child was a boy, named Alphonse. I had no idea that your mom used our fathers' name for you Al. I did a very good job at hiding my past to everyone we met. It is because of me that all of them are now dead."

(Eight Years Ago)

Thomas is heading up to his home. Arms full of groceries he had been given for helping a farmer fix his machinery. He looks around and doesn't see his two kids playing in the yard. He calls for them but doesn't receive an answer. Heading into the house he sees everything is thrown all over the place. Under the dining room table is his wife Lisa. Throwing down the food he rushes over and hurls the table off of her.

"Lisa, what happened? Where are the kids?"

"I'm sorry. I couldn't stop them. They took them away and left me here to die."

"You won't die, please, don't leave me."

"I am so glad I have had this time with you Edward. Protect our children and tell them I love them very much."

"Just hang on. You will see them again soon."

The bloody woman goes limp in his hands. He hugs her, crying like he never did before. He stays there on the floor for hours holding his dead wife. He lays her down and goes to the bedroom of their children. Nothing is there but broken furniture. He leaves and starts running from home to home. Asking anyone if they have seen where his kids were taken. Running down the road a shot is fired toward him. Ten men start running after him. He claps his hands and paralyzes all of them. Going up to the closest he starts yelling at him "Where are my children" but the man just laughs loudly in his face. He looks behind the men and sees an old house. A man walks out of the house holding a torch.

"Well if it isn't the famous Energy Alchemist."

"Bosely, what have done with my children?"

"Oh they are safe. Behind me, in this house, you will find them."

"Let them go. This is between us."

"Sorry, I can't make that request. I want you to suffer in more ways then you made my people suffer."

"Like hell, I won't let you take anything more from me."

He claps his hand and goes to place them on the ground. Before he can reach it a shot is fired and sends him screaming to the ground in agony. Blood pours from his chest as he looks up at a second man coming out of the house.

"That was close boss, he almost got you there."

"That is perfect, this gives him plenty of time to hear."

Bosely turns around and stands in the doorway of the house. He starts laughing as he throws the torch into the place. Smoke and flames start rising quickly as the house becomes engulfed. Screams of his children come echoing out of the home.

"Please, get them out of there. Trisha, Alphonse, hang on."

"You hear that Thomas? I want you to listen as your children scream in pain. Listen, as they call for you and cannot save them. Enjoy your last breath being filled with the pain of everyone you love dying for your sins."

The two men leave and the screams are louder inside the home. Thomas tries to get up but has lost too much blood to do so. Feeling like he is going to pass out, he claps his hands and places them on the ground. He passes out before he can transmute anything to save his children. Three days later he wakes up in a hospital. A nurse is standing beside him checking his pulse.

"Where are Trisha and Alphonse? Did anyone save them?"

"I'm sorry. Only you were brought in."

Ed and Al listen to the story that has just been told to them. You can hear Al crying, but you do not see any tears. Ed tries to hold back as best he can, but a little water is under his eyes. Thomas goes and places a hand on each shoulder of the brothers.

"I didn't tell you so you wouldn't feel sad. I tried with all my might to forget that horrible day. I hope now you can understand what kind of man he is."

Ed looks up at his uncle who is on the verge of crying himself.

"That was our family too and we won't stop until you get the man who took them away from us."