Title: The Forged Alchemist

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Summary: The Homunculus have left Amestris in shambles, and the new Fuhrer is an incompetent who is leading the country to downfall. When all hope is lost, Edward puts to the test a theoretical array, and enter Edwin Auric, the son of Hohenheim of Light, and elder half brother to Edward and Alphonse Elric.

Chapter 10

"Please forgive me for the sorrow/For leaving you in fear/For all the dreams we've had to silence/That's all they'll ever be./But I'll still be the Hand that saves you/Though you won't know that it's me…" Edwin murmured the final lines of an old Cretan ballad, and flicked the remnant of his cigarette off the back of the train. "Hmph. I'm getting sentimental in my old age," he smirked as he turned to lean against the rail with his elbows and tilted his head back to look at the sky.

"Colonel?"

Edwin turned to look at the newest addition to his staff, a Warrant Officer Viktor Kugisco, "Yes?"

The quarter Ishbalan swallowed hard and adjusted the tinted goggles that hid his distinctive red eyes and said, "The Fuhrer is summoning all Colonels to the front car, sir."

"I see. Thank you."

Warrant Officer Viktor Kugisco swallowed hard as his commanding officer walked past him to enter the car. He'd heard a lot about the Forge alchemist, who was known to be innovative in his uses of combat alchemy as well as his ruthlessness when hunting down the remnants of the Nation of Ishbal after the extermination campaigns. Of course, the idea of the cold and aloof Colonel being in any way kind was not an impression that he could ever imagine the blonde fostering, even despite Edwin Auric's staff's protests to the contrary. It also didn't help that he'd seen that man in action almost ten years ago.

Viktor Kugisco shivered. There were rumors that the Fullmetal Alchemist was the Forge Alchemist's half-brother. He pitied the boy. It couldn't possibly be easy to be under the eye of the two Fire Alchemists in the Military, one as a blood relative, and the other his Commanding officer.

~*~

The arrival of the Fuhrer in eastern Headquarters went exactly as Edwin remembered it, with the exception that Edward, forewarned, had dusted off his rarely worn uniform and was on his best behavior, and neither did he make any inquiries into Tim Marcoh, not openly at least. In the meantime, Basque Gran kept a close eye on the Fuhrer while Hughes and Edward discussed the mission in Liore, and Roy found himself closeted up with Edwin, pondering the way by which their next move, because by all means, Edward was going to have to be told the truth about what was to come before things came to a head. Alphonse found himself being forcibly shipped back to Risembool, with Warrant Officer Kugisco and Corporal Ryver to ensure that he didn't somehow find his way back halfway. Back in Risembool, Pinako received a letter stating in no uncertain terms were Alphonse or Winry to leave Risembool as they would become liabilities should the State Alchemist Killer manage to bypass the increased security of Eastern City.

In the three days that it took for Edwin's Warrant Officer and Corporal to deliver Alphonse to Pinako's home, Edward's Certification Assessment came and went. Edwin, watching the spectacle from the safety of Roy's office, could only shake his head at the child's presumptiveness, and sigh in disappointment when the Battle Assessment went no differently from the Assessment he remembered, with the only difference being the lack of a giant cannon that Roy had turned against its creator.

"That's no good. He's not mature yet," he murmured, "But we don't have much of a choice. Edward will have to be told before it is too late."

"You don't think he'll take it well?" Maes asked.

"Hughes," Edwin sighed, "I know I didn't take the truth well back then, it's not so much of a stretch to think my younger self will react any differently."

"Not much of an optimist, are you?"

"I have not had much in the way of hope since this entire mess started. The bee is in the flower/Honey fills the comb…"

"A Spring Wind is Blowing/And I am far from home." Maes finished. "Oh, Ed…"

"Forget it, Hughes," Edwin waved off the bespectacled man, "It doesn't matter. I've resigned myself to this life a long time ago."

"Ed…"

"Hey, don't look like that," Edwin turned and smiled at Hughes, "Even if this place isn't the past of my childhood, even if no one is the same as I remember because of the different eyes that I am seeing them through, I think I can live here and be content. Because in the end… This is the precious future that was entrusted to me!"

Maes studied the young man, and absently noted the way the sun streamed in through the windows and lit up golden hair, and how the light and shadows fell across his face. The blonde was smiling, but his eyes were wistful, almost sad. This man was who Edward would become, could become. Maes felt his heart tighten with resolve even as the knot of tension in his belly undid itself. Very well, if Edwin could bring himself to live here as an adult in his childhood and still be relatively content, then Maes would do everything in his power to make sure Edward would not have to make the same choices as his older version. Stake his life on it.

"Well," he closed his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back into his chair and propping his feet onto the desk, "When you say it like that…" he cracked open an eye to look at the blonde, "I guess I can relax a bit. Right?"

Edwin lowered his eyes and smiled through his lashes, and this time, it was a genuine smile from the heart, one that seemed to light up the entire room.

"That's right!"

~*~

The Next Day…

"You really pushed Mustang hard didn't you?" Edwin asked as he accompanied Edward to the train station. "I'm really going to get it from him now. Anyway, I was going to give the dossier immediately after your assessment you know, and the information you were asking about is included in it. Geez, you really are an impatient child."

"How was I supposed to know?!" Edward huffed.

Edwin gave the younger blonde an amused look, "You could have asked me."

"Ah…. But…"

Edwin placed his hand gently on the teen's head, "Just because I'm disappointed in your behavior doesn't mean that I'll withhold important information when it really counts, kiddo. It would get you killed in the field, and then Mustang and Hughes and the others will kill me."

Edward gave the older blonde a surprised and confused look and Edwin rolled his eyes. "Jumping to conclusions too, really, this child…" He ruffled the boy's hair and dropped his hand away. "Come on, boy-o. We don't want you to miss your train."

"Alright!" Edward grinned and trotted after his half brother's longer strides.

"Now remember, Al isn't with you, so don't be reckless. Knowing Mustang, he'll have sent someone to keep an eye on you, so try not to get into too much trouble. Also, even though Mustang is in occasional contact with him, Marco is technically AWOL, so he'll be wary of any military personnel. If you want answers, don't let him know you're a National Alchemist. That means there is to be no flashing of your watch, and tuck that chain away before you actually knock on his door or you'll find yourself staring down the wrong end of the barrel of a gun. By the way, this time, if you intend to interfere with military arrests, try not to be so obvious about it. Out there, Mustang and I won't be able to cover for you, so don't cause any political and social upheavals. And if you run into any military officers, do be polite. You tend to ruffle a lot of feathers and Mustang and I may be good, but we're not that good. Save us some trouble and paperwork, yes?"

"I'll do my best, Brother!"

"Good boy," Edwin smiled and handed Edward his suitcase. "Be safe then."

"I'll be fine," Edward grinned as he took the case. "Well then, I'm going!"

"Have a good journey."

~*~

And so it was that two brothers, like as like in face, but as different as day and night, two soldiers of different ranks and abilities parted ways in the station, one to walk the path of his destiny, the other to retrace the path of his nightmares. With time, both would learn truly what it meant when all is one and one is all, for in the end, they were one soul and heart in two bodies.

~*~

TBC…