Chapter Two: Edward Who?

"Elicia has been such a handful lately, but she's so cute!" Hughes said into the phone. He looked up as Ed entered the room.

"Sorry to interrupt, Lieutenant Colonel, but I was wondering if you knew anything about a guy I saw running down a street a few minutes ago."

Hughes looked the boy up and down. Blond hair that was braided in the back, light brown eyes, short, wearing red and black clothing and white gloves. The teen did seem familiar somehow. "...Do I know you?" he asked.

"Of course you know me! We've known each other for years!" Ed said exasperatedly. "Wait... Does this ring any bells?" he asked with a smirk, raising his jacket sleeve to expose his automail arm.

"Not really."

Ed fell over backward in shock. Jumping back up, he exclaimed, "Does everyone have amnesia or something?! I'm Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist! I have been a State Alchemist for years! This watch proves it!"

"He claims to be a State Alchemist. He has the pocket watch," Hughes said into the phone with a shrug.

In Eastern, Mustang replied with, "A watch, huh..."

"Do you think it could be a fake, Sir?" Hawkeye whispered to Mustang. Mustang relayed the message to Hughes.

Back at Eastern, Hughes said, "I don't know. How can you tell whether or not it's a fake?"

"A fake?!" Ed yelled.

"If you don't calm down, I'll be forced to call security," Hughes said. Ed stopped yelling.

"Er... Could you at least tell me if you've seen my brother anywhere? Tall guy, suit of armor..."

"You can ask around, but I'm sure we haven't."

"Did you find anything on this Elric kid?" Mustang asked over the phone about an hour later.

"Not much. He lives in Resembool with his mother and brother. That's about it," Hughes said.

"Hmm..." Mustang said in reply. He widened his eyes a little as he mumbled, "Wait... Edward Elric... Get him back. I'd like to talk to him."

"Yes, sir."

A little later, Ed was handed the phone. "So you finally remember me, huh? I knew I wasn't crazy!" Ed said with a wide smile.

"Years ago, I was in charge of searching for your father. During my search, I found several letters that you had written to him."

"Oh give me a break..." Ed said under his breath. "Yeah... You found some letters I'd written, gone to my house, and told me that I could become a state Alchemist. So I did. And now you act as though we've never met! What's wrong with you?!"

"I never went to your house. I thought it was a dead end," Mustang explained.

"But, of course you did! Don't you remember?! You arrived right after we tried bringing our mother back!"

"What?" Mustang asked in surprise.

"Uh... Forget I said that..." Ed said, realizing that it may not be the best idea to let them know that if they don't remember him. "But, I don't believe your story. You did go there, didn't you? - To see the Rockbells." Mustang widened his eyes, but didn't say anything. Ed glanced toward Hughes, getting an idea. "Hey, Mustang. I may know a way to prove to you I am who I say I am. What would you say if I could tell you the date Hughes' daughter was born? The weather on that winter day?"

"Wha?" Hughes said in surprise.

"I was there," Ed told Mustang. "Gracia went into labor during a blizzard and he went on foot to try to find a doctor for her."

The train ride over was mainly quiet. Ed thought about what Mustang told him earlier.

"Years ago, there was some research done on a way to travel through dimensions with alchemy. Until now, it seemed like a myth. Like the philosopher's stone."

"What?! My brother and I are searching for that stone! We're going to find it, you here me?!"

Ed clenched his right hand as he thought, 'Finding Marcoh's book can wait for now. I need to know for my self... Could my mother really be alive? Mustang said she was in this dimension... But, even if she is, can I face her?'

--End Chapter--

Wow... The only one I don't have original notes for. I hate to dirty up the only clean chapter, but I thought it was important to mention that I added in several things in here: I originally had Mustang and Ed talking face-to-face (Hawkeye standing beside Mustang), when Hughes came in with photographs to show to Mustang, then being shooed away, trying to show Ed, and when Hughes begins to mention his daughter's age, Ed finishes his sentence. I also added in that comment about Mustang going to Risembool to visit the Rockbells, after picking up on that little almost-fact in a episode. - Ed was wondering if Mustang really came to his town that night because of his father, or not, since Ed had just found out about Mustang being partially responsible for Winry's parents' death. If that's true, then I could have had Mustang just not go there, right? (I wonder if there'll be more in the anime about that later or not... Hope I don't turn out to be wrong...)