(AC: Transient Life – FMA OST 2)
Ed and Al were both frozen in place by the sight of the partially restored but very much alive Nina Tucker lying asleep on her left side on the cot beneath the Fletcher home. Delilah Fletcher stood looking at the boys with a saddened expression.
"I know it's hard to see such an innocent thing in such a pitiful state boys. But at least it's better than the state she was in when she was first brought to me two years ago." Delilah said as the boys continued to stare in disbelief.
"But…how…how did you reverse the transmutation?" Ed asked as Delilah looked at the poor girl with a saddened gaze.
"It wasn't easy. It took me two years of intensive study to try and figure out what exactly Shou had done to her. For a while it seemed that she would be forever doomed to live out her life as a monster, a victim of one man's greed and selfishness. Her life will never be the same as it once was. But now she has a chance to become something far greater. A testament to future generations and a poster child for the saving grace that comes from alchemy." Delilah said, confusing the brothers.
"What do you mean?" Ed asked as Delilah looked their way.
"I cannot take full responsibility for Nina's recovery. I had help. A friend came to me and offered to help restore Nina to a more human form, better than before, to bring her to the next stage of human evolution. I accepted their help and together we worked to bring Nina back to us." Delilah explained as Ed rose to his feet.
"Next stage?" Al asked, the brothers beginning to be unnerved by her implications.
"We humans are but just one milestone on the road of evolution. The people who helped me restore Nina wish to elevate all of humanity to the next stage. They possess the key to immortality and they're willing to offer it to any who are willing to join them." Delilah said as she produced a red handkerchief bearing a familiar symbol. The sight of the symbol made the brothers angry.
"You! You're with the Red Kingdom! They're the ones who did this?!" Al asked as Delilah nodded.
"The Red Kingdom has the power to revive the dead. Nina's mutilated body might've been killed, but the only way to restore her to her original form was to bring her to the next stage of humanity's evolution." Delilah said as the brothers glared angrily at her.
"That's not Nina! Whatever they did to create that…thing couldn't have been done! There's only one way they could've brought it to life and that's by using a Philosopher's Stone and I won't be party to anyone who would use a stone for something like that, not when I know what it takes to create a stone in the first place!" Ed yelled tearfully, Al nodding in agreement.
"I don't understand why you're both upset. We've shown the world that the taboo doesn't have to be taboo anymore. It can be used to bring the dead back to life. We know that you both cared for Nina. We've brought her back to you. She only wants to be with her big brothers aga-." "SHUT UP!" Ed yelled angrily.
"Just shut up you old hag! Don't you dare try and use Nina against us! We regret that we couldn't save her two years ago but we refuse to accept that THAT thing is Nina! What part of her is the original Nina?!" Ed yelled.
"Her remains were used in the transmutation that brought her back. You think I don't share your grief over what happened to Nina? You're wrong. I genuinely wept over what Shou Tucker did to his wife and child. I know what it's like to lose a child. My own son was killed several years ago in a war that should never have been waged in the first place. But when the Red Kingdom showed me that it was possible for our dead children to be brought back to life…imagine it boys. A world where parents no longer feel the pain that comes from the death of a child, and children like you two once were, will never feel the sadness of losing a parent. There will be no more children like you who grieve over the loss of a loved one. The Immortal Alchemist can make this all happen. He's offering you a chance to join us and be hailed as heroes." Delilah explained but Ed and Al remained firm.
"No." Ed replied immediately.
"As tempting as the offer sounds, we've made our peace with our mother's passing. We tried playing God once before and it cost us both dearly. Death is a part of life. All is one, and one is all. Our teacher taught us that. It means that life, all life, is sacred but cannot exist indefinitely. We're all meant to die eventually and trying to cheat death should not be attempted. We tried to cheat death when our mother died but in the process came close to dying ourselves and we never even accomplished what we had set out to do in the first place." Al explained.
"And we know what it takes to make a Philosopher's Stone. We don't deny its power but to use one would be an affront to everything we believe in. We've made a vow to never use a philosopher's stone, and that's a promise we intend to keep." Ed said, clinching his fists.
"And you've overlooked something. In order to bring someone back as you suggest has been done with Nina, it would require the deaths of countless other people for it to work. The toll to bring them back isn't worth a single being. A single life paid for by hundreds of other lives is not Equivalent Exchange. The Philosopher's Stone is just a way to cheat the Law of Equivalent Exchange and we won't be party to it." Al added. (End AC) Delilah stood staring at them in silence, a scowl on her face.
"So…you won't join us after all. I see. If such is the case and you won't share your secret with us freely…" Delilah said as she held her cane in both hands, one hand on the top of the cane while the other hand held the bottom pointed towards Nina. Suddenly a gunshot rang out that caused both boys to freeze in place as a spray of blood splattered against the white sheets on Nina's bed. Nina's eyes shot open in stunned shock, blood trickling from her mouth. Delilah's cane had concealed a hidden gun. (AC: March – FMA OST 3)
"…Then we will take you by force and make you tell us the secret you carry!" Delilah said as she tossed her cane away and picked another cane up from behind a desk, this one made of metal with a transmutation circle engraved on the tip. Ed and Al snarled angrily at her, Ed placing the helmet back on his head.
"You BASTARD!" Ed roared as he charged towards her, rearing back a fist to strike her but she merely tapped the end of her cane on the ground, causing an earthen wall to burst up between her and the charging Ed but to her surprise, he broke through, the armor's sheer strength easily smashing through the relatively thin wall. Delilah spun her cane in her hand, proving surprisingly nimble for an old woman as she spun clear. She suddenly had to contend with Al as he came running in with the arm blade extended, swinging at her but she just managed to deflect the attack, the blade sending off a shower of sparks as it repeatedly struck the metal cane, the sparks landing on some old papers, causing them to ignite, a fire breaking out in the tunnel.
"Now it all makes sense! The Red Kingdom attack on the circus! They came from here!" Al exclaimed between blows before Delilah managed to pop his right kneecap with the head of her cane then deftly strike him across the face with it.
"That's correct Fullmetal. I've been making Chimeras for the Red Kingdom for several months now. They finally sent two human form chimeras to lead them on the offensive, striking a circus to steal their animals to increase our numbers for the war that will undoubtedly come." Delilah said as Al snarled up at her, climbing to his feet. Delilah didn't notice as a towering hulk of metal appeared behind her, the fire beginning to consume the wooden support beams in the tunnel. Delilah was suddenly grabbed from behind by Ed who held her in a powerful bear hug, some of her bones snapping from his strength.
"You're going to pay for killing that girl! I don't care if it was Nina or not!" Ed snarled at her from beneath his helmet. Delilah suddenly allowed a pained grin to appear on her face. (End AC)
"Who said I killed her?" she asked softly. The brothers looked at each other at this and looked towards the flames that had since spread to the cot, consuming it in fire.
"Nothing could've survived that shot or that fire." Al said before they heard a screaming sound coming from the blaze, a sound that made the brothers freeze in alarm and disbelief.
"Naïve fools. I told you, she was the next stage in human evolution!" Delilah declared as a burning figure leapt from the burning rubble, burning flesh rolling off of it in sheets but the figure still lived and rose to its feet. The figure was about Ed's height if not a little shorter it's burnt flesh seemingly did not bother it at all as it turned to stare at the three. Ed and Al were amazed at how the figure was still alive.
"Is that-…but we just saw it die!" Al exclaimed as the figure turned to fully face them. Suddenly the figure's body began to restore itself, crackling with red alchemical energy as white furred claws on its hands and feet appeared, a black body suit with short sleeves for both the arms and legs appearing on its body while strange red circles appeared on its shoulders and elbows, connected by red lines. Ed and Al's eyes widened in disbelief. It was something they had seen before two years ago and they were praying they were wrong. Finally the figure's face began to restore itself, a head of long brown hair and a familiar face but with something on the left cheek that made them both stare in horror, confirming their worst fears.
"Is that-…she can't be-…it's impossible!" Ed stammered as the figure smiled darkly at them.
"It is possible, big brother Ed. I am what you would call…a Homunculus." "Nina" said as she pointed to her Ouroboros tattoo on the left cheek. (AC: The Forbearer – FMA:B OST 3).
"A Homunculus?!" Al asked, startled by the revelation.
"But how?! Father's dead! I'm the one who dealt the finishing blow to him!" Ed exclaimed but "Nina" laughed at him.
"Silly Edward. You of all alchemists should know that what one can create, another can rediscover. The Immortal Alchemist, my new daddy, learned how to create Homunculi from the one you call Father." "Nina" explained.
"Then tell us something! Why Nina?! Why her?! Why make her a Homunculus?! I bet there's nothing of the original Nina even in there!" Al yelled but "Nina" laughed again.
"You're wrong about that, big brother Al. I was partially created from the remains of the original Nina, after she had been killed two years ago by Scar. You should be honored. You two must possess quite a powerful secret if daddy wants you two so badly. He would never have sacrificed the lives of eighty innocent humans to create the stone that brought me to life if he didn't think you were worth the effort. So now it's time to be good little boys and come along peacefully." "Nina" said as Ed released Delilah and turned towards her.
"Forget it! We're not going to work for the Homunculi again!" Ed said, dropping into a fighting stance while Al raised his hands, ready to perform a transmutation if necessary. "Nina's" grin widened.
"I was hoping you might say that. Now I have a chance to see what I can do." She replied as her claws sharpened. (AC: Envy Revealed - FMA:B OST 2) She suddenly launched towards Ed, slashing at his armor, leaving light scratches in the armor, a wild grin on her face. Al attempted to help but was suddenly attacked by Delilah as she kneecapped him again with her cane before hobbling onto her feet and heading for the exit. Al spotted her leaving and scrambled to pursue her, leaving Ed to fight Nina on his own.
"So how does it feel Ed? To know that someone you failed to save was reborn by another!" Nina taunted as she leapt at Ed again, her claws throwing off sparks every time she swiped at his armor.
"SHUT UP!" Ed yelled, attempting to throw her away only for her to slip around so that she stood on his back, ripping his helmet off and throwing it towards the stairs before she put him into a choke hold. Ed tried to pry her arms off of his throat while she grinned over his shoulder.
"Kneel, big brother Ed! Kneel before your ultimate failure! The person you could never save even with your precious Alchemy!" She cackled before Ed let out an enraged roar before punching her in the face and then grabbing her by the hair, throwing her across the room, causing her to land kneeling on one clawed foot, grinning at him tauntingly.
"You want to know what my ultimate failure was?! My ultimate failure was thinking I was capable of playing God by bringing my mother back from the dead!" Ed yelled, reaching up and grabbing a large splintered part of an overhead beam, ripping it off and holding it like a dagger in his right hand as Nina charged at him again, her claws sharpening even more. She delivered a swipe at his left arm, this one leaving four large gashes in the armor. Nina's grin widened as she swiped at Ed but he leaned back, dodging her swipe, before running towards a wooden support column near the center of the room, pinning the young Homunculus between his arm at the pillar. Nina continued to grin as she swiped at him, leaving a painful gash across his cheek as he brought the large splinter down on her, running it through her chest, effectively pinning her to the column. Ed leapt back as Nina clawed at him angrily, still pinned to the wall.
"Get this through your head! Nina Tucker is dead! Has been for two years! You're nothing but an abomination created by a madman! Your very existence defiles her memory!" Ed yelled at the Homunculus as Nina glared at him in frustration while Ed turned and ran for the staircase, picking up his helmet as he ran out of the tunnel. On the surface, Delilah had just escaped the tunnel, limping due to her having to hold her sides due to the broken ribs Ed gave her. She stumbled to get out the front door to her house, well aware that the fire would eventually spread and consume the house. As she emerged outside, the rain having long since passed, she heard the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching from behind. She turned in time to see Alphonse leap at her, the arm blade still extended. She spun her cane and blocked his blows but when she tried to kneecap him again, he caught her cane and ripped it from her grasp, tossing it away before holding his arm blade to her throat.
"Alright talk! How did the Immortal Alchemist learn to create a Homunculus?!" Al asked as Delilah snarled. (End AC)
"The Immortal Alchemist worked for the one you call Father, and it was the Immortal Alchemist who helped create some of the younger Homunculi, such as Fuhrer King Bradley and the second Greed!" Delilah explained.
"Then where do Ed and I fit into their scheme? What secret do we possess that they could possibly want?! They already know how to create a Philosopher's Stone and Homunculi so that isn't it!" Al argued as Delilah sighed in frustration.
"I don't know. They haven't told me. All I know is that it involves the two of you! Whether or not it's the secret as to how you defeated Father, I don't know. It could be anything, something completely insignificant! I haven't the faintest idea!" Delilah replied as Al snarled angrily.
"Then what about the assassins here from Xing? Where do they factor into all of this?!" Al asked as Ed emerged from inside the house coming to a stop next to the two. Delilah grinned darkly.
"Xing has a big role to play in the Red Kingdom's ascension! In a few days, Amestris will begin its long swan song as it is crushed to death by the weight of the Red Kingdom and its allies." Delilah explained as Al's eyes narrowed.
"But how? How will they do it?" Al asked as Delilah snarled again.
"Didn't you hear me? I said-NGH!" she rasped, her face paralyzed with pain, blood suddenly beginning to trickle from her mouth. Al and Ed both froze in shock and looked down to see a hand having pierced through her stomach. (AC: Lockdown – FMA OST 1)The hand was suddenly pulled back through, Al letting go of her as she dropped to the ground, revealing a beautiful teenaged girl with long hair standing behind her.
"Now-now Miss Fletcher. You know better than to reveal too much information." The girl said as she shook the blood off of her arm.
"Who are you?!" Al asked as he pointed his arm blade at her but she merely smiled with a small chuckle before reaching up towards the blade, gently grabbing a hold of it and suddenly bending it backwards until it broke off, using only her one hand to do so. This caused both brothers to stand in stunned shock at what had just transpired.
"What's the matter? Not expecting little-old-me to have that kind of strength?" she asked as Al backed away.
"Al!" he heard Ed yell. He turned to see Ed throw Delilah's metal cane towards him. He quickly clapped his hands before catching the cane, transmuting it into a short spear and thrusting it at the girl who grinned before leaping back just in time for a black tendril to fly in from the darkness of the forest like a whip, snapping with a loud crack, before the lance fell into two pieces, having been broken in two by the tendril. The two brothers looked to see another girl, identical to the first, emerge from the shadows of the forest behind the other, the twins standing next to one another.
"Well look what we have here, sister." "The Elric brothers." "Rather cute wouldn't you say?" "I'm inclined to agree, sister. I have a thing for shorter men." The sisters said as Ed ripped off his helmet, snarling at the two.
"I'LL-SHOW-YOU-SMALL-YOU-PUNKS!" Ed roared.
"Why did you kill her?! Why would you kill one of your own allies?!" Al asked, pointing at Delilah's body on the ground. The twins both smirked at him darkly.
"Oh that old hag?" "She was about to tell a naughty little secret to someone who has no business knowing it." "Looks like we all have our secrets, boys." "You have yours." "And we have ours." The twins replied together.
"Then I'll ask again! Who are you?!" Al asked before hearing a howling noise from behind. They all looked and saw the Homunculus Nina perched atop the roof, howling at the moon before grinning down at them. She then turned and bounded down the side of the roof, leaping clear over the two brothers and landing between the twins, standing to her feet and turning to face the Elrics.
"Isn't it obvious, big brother Al?" Nina asked as the twins smiled and brushed back their hair before taking off their jackets, revealing the connected red nodes at their shoulders elbows, and on the backs of their hands. The twins then stood back to back, pressing their shoulders together to reveal two separate tattoos that, when put together, formed a single Ouroboros Tattoo. The brothers both stood in stunned shock.
"More Homunculi?!" Ed asked as the sisters smiled at them.
"The first of a new generation." "Unlike the original seven spawned from Father, we aren't representative of humanity's flaws." "We are merely the resurrected forms of those who were taken from this world too early in life." "You've already met our little sister Nina here." "So let's stop playing games." "You've had your fun boys but now it's time to pony up." "Time to tell us that little secret of yours." The twins said as the brothers scowled, and stood ready to fight. (End AC) Before either side could make a move, the three Homunculi were blinded by a bright light and a loud blaring horn. They all turned in time for a state military car to collide with the three Homunculi at full speed, running the three over before power-sliding around so it faced away from the house.
"Elric!" the driver yelled as he stuck his head out the window, a grenade clutched in his hands. The boys recognized him instantly. (A/N: an old stick grenade like the Germans used to use in WWII)
"Dr. Garand!" the boys exclaimed. (AC: Favorite Daughter – FMA OST 1)
"Get in before they have a chance to react!" Garand yelled as he pulled the pin on the grenade and threw it at the homunculi just as they were starting to get up. Nina saw the grenade flying towards her and her eyes glazed over.
"STICK!" She yelped with an excited smile as she leapt into the air and caught the grenade in her mouth, landing in a squat like a dog with a proud smile on her face, earning an alarmed look from the twins.
"THROW IT AWAY!" They yelled before the grenade exploded.
"Nice!" Ed laughed with a grin as he and Al scrambled for the car, Garand picking another grenade up off the passenger seat. The smoke finally cleared around the Homunculi, the twins glaring at Nina who seemed confused by what had happened.
"Sic'em!" The twins yelled as Nina growled and charged towards the car just as Garand pulled the pin and threw another grenade. As before, Nina instinctively went after the "stick" and caught it in her mouth, landing between the twins again.
"ARE YOU DEFECTIVE?!" They yelled as Garand floored it, the car peeling out just as the grenade exploded. As the smoke cleared, the twins were staring at the fast departing lights of the car, while a dazed Nina sat regenerating. (End AC)
"That was…that was him wasn't it?" one of the twins asked.
"Yeah. How did he get out here?" the other asked.
"Does it really matter?" "Probably not." "They're heading west. What's out there that's important to them?" "Dublith and Rush Valley." "Ah right. Their teacher lives in Dublith." "And he'll need an automail mechanic for his armor in Rush Valley." "Guess we'll just have to-…" …-divide and conquer." The twins said with dark smirks on their faces.
…
"Nice going back there, Doc!" Ed grinned as he and Al rode in the back seat. The car was racing down the road, heading west towards Rush Valley.
"I honestly didn't expect that to work as well as it did. Guess that Chimera's part dog. I'm surprised she survived through it." Garand replied as Ed and Al looked at each other.
"Yeah well, brace yourself Dr. Garand. That girl wasn't a chimera. That was a Homunculus." Ed replied as Garand glanced at him in the rearview mirror.
"What? Another one?" Garand asked, alarmed.
"Another one?" Al asked back.
"You mean you knew about the other two?" Ed asked as Garand sighed heavily.
"Those girls were my jailors when I was the Red Kingdom's prisoner. They were created by the Immortal Alchemist who learned to create Homunculi from Father." Garand explained.
"Well they've created a new one. One that makes my blood boil when I think about it." Ed commented in a low voice, earning another look from Garand.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because they used the remains of an innocent little girl to create it." Ed replied, his teeth on edge.
"Have you ever heard of an Alchemist known as the Sewing Life alchemist?" Al asked as Garand shook his head.
"I've been imprisoned by a terrorist group for the past several years. I don't know any modern day alchemists except for you two." Garand replied. Al and Ed exchanged looks, Ed crossing his arms over his chest and sinking down into his seat slightly, a scowl on his face that went unseen due to the helmet. (AC: Homunculus – FMA OST 2)
"Several years ago, Shou Tucker, the Sewing Life Alchemist, created a chimera that was different than most. It was a chimera capable of speaking and understanding human speech. It said only one thing before it starved itself to death: 'I want to die.' What the other alchemists didn't realize at the time was that Shou Tucker had transmuted his own wife to create the chimera." Al explained as Garand seemed disturbed by the explanation.
"What happened next?" he asked, his voice showing that he was shaken by the thought.
"Two years ago, Ed and I stayed with him and his daughter, Nina. While we were there, his time to get recertified came up and he was desperate. That's when he transmuted Nina with their family dog into a chimera. We confronted him and reported him to the military, but the incident left us scarred. In the end, before anyone could try and help Nina, both she and her father were murdered. Somehow the Red Kingdom got a hold of her remains and recreated her as a Homunculus, the same one we encountered back there." Al explained as Ed noticed the car slowing to a stop.
"Uh, Dr. Garand." Ed said before noticing that Garand was gripping the steering wheel tight in his hands, his head lowered as he shook with sadness and anger.
"The bastard…using his only child in a depraved quest for a comfortable life. Children are what parents are supposed to protect with their lives, not the other way around. To think that a man who dared to call himself a father would have the gall to do something like that to his child. He should've realized how precious a child's life is. He shouldn't have used it like one would a common lab rat." Garand said, anger clear in his voice, tears dripping onto the leg of his pants.
"I know how you feel." Ed said softly.
"How did you find us, Dr. Garand?" Al asked as the car started to move again.
"I was drowning my sorrows at a local bar near East City when a guy in military uniform came running in, yelling something about an attack on some circus folk by the Red Kingdom. Said that the Fullmetal Alchemist had sent him to get help. I knew about Fletcher and I knew that the Red Kingdom would likely have attacked from there. When I heard that you two had chased after the chimeras, I stole the car and the grenades from the soldier and tried to get to the house as fast as I could. Had to stop when the rain overtook me but the minute it cleared up I was on the road again." Garand explained. (End AC)
"Then can you get us to Rush Valley? Our friends are waiting for us there." Ed requested.
"I can try. We may have to walk." Garand replied as Ed and Al arched confused eyebrows.
"Why?" Al asked. Garand simply raised his right hand, counting down from five to one. At one, the car engine started to splutter before finally backfiring and dying.
"There's why." Garand replied.
…
Soon all three of them were walking down the road towards Metso, the car having been abandoned at least a mile back.
"I hope we've got enough distance between us and the Homunculi by now." Ed commented.
"Agreed. The more distance between us and them, the better." Garand replied as Al looked at him.
"Dr. Garand, I've spoken to Dr. Marcoh and he told me something about you and the other Alchemist that worked in Laboratory Five: Dr. Elizabeth Morser." Al said as Garand sighed.
"Yeah. Elizabeth. We used to be married but…well…some things just don't work out. You've met her you know. The woman alchemist with the Red Kingdom that attacked us in Resembool?" Garand said as the brothers blinked in surprise.
"Wait, you mean that woman was Morser?" Al asked, startled.
"Yeah. The Fire Bloom Alchemist. You know how she got her name right? She developed a way to turn plants into bombs. She converts the liquids in the plants into a flammable gas then ignites them with an open flame. Kills the plants but then they'd get scorched anyway in the explosion." Garand explained.
"I'm a bit confused here. You were held prisoner by a terrorist group that your ex-wife just happens to be a member of. What happened to make her turn against you so easily?" Ed asked as Garand sighed again.
"It's a long and painful story. I don't want to talk about it." Garand replied.
"You never answered our question though Garand. Why do you want us to transmute you into a Philosopher's Stone?" Al asked.
"Wanted. I've had second thoughts since then and I already told you why. I wanted to die so the Red Kingdom couldn't use my secrets for their own gain." Garand replied.
"What changed your mind?" Al asked as Garand scratched the back of his head.
"The Red Kingdom caught me. I followed you to Central but was caught snooping around near the ruins of Laboratory Five. Morser had me sent away but I escaped and managed to get to East City before they could catch up with me. I also did something for which I must humbly beg your forgiveness. I accidently corrected them in regards to which of you was the Fullmetal Alchemist. I couldn't let them get away with it so I chose to try and intervene and help you boys out." Garand explained.
"Don't worry about it. They were going to come after the both of us eventually." Ed replied dismissively.
"Yeah so don't consider yourself responsible for that." Al added as Garand gave them both a thankful expression.
"Thank you boys." He replied. After a while of silently walking along the road, Garand cleared his throat.
"So I've answered your question, so what about answer my question. How did you lose your ability to lose alchemy, Ed?" Garand asked as the two brothers stopped in their tracks. (AC: Main Theme ~The Alchemistï~ - FMA:B OST 3)
"We already answered that question. I gave it up to get Al his body back." Ed replied.
"But how? How did you give it up?" Garand asked. The brothers looked at each other before Ed knelt down and started drawing something in the dirt. He drew a picture of a pair of double doors with what appeared to be a tree on it.
"When an Alchemist attempts a Human Transmutation, they're brought through what's known as the Gate of Truth where they are brought before Truth itself. Passing through the gate grants vast alchemical knowledge and the ability to transmute without a circle but at great physical cost to the alchemist who performed the transmutation." Ed explained, knocking on his left leg for emphasis.
"Every human has their own Gate of Truth. It's these gates that enable us to use Alchemy and its variants such as Alkahestry." Al added.
"Two years ago, when we were fighting against Father, he destroyed my automail arm and had me pinned to a wall, leaving me defenseless. In that moment, Al gave up his own soul to return the arm I had given up to bind his soul to the armor in the first place. After we defeated Father, I realized the only way to bring Al back, was to give up Alchemy altogether. I could've just given up my arm again as the toll for Al's soul, but that wouldn't be fair to Al. That's when I realized that I could use my own Gate of Truth for the toll. Giving up my Gate of Truth, and thus my alchemy, was the price I paid to get one hundred percent of my brother back. It's been difficult readjusting to life without Alchemy but if given the option of alchemy or my brother again. I wouldn't do anything different." Ed explained as he rose to his feet. Garand looked at the brothers with a small but sad smile.
"You brothers have sure been through a lot together." Garand said as the Elrics looked at each other with smiles, nodding.
"Yeah. But we wouldn't trade it for anything." Ed said as Garand smiled and turned away from them.
"I'm glad. The country owes you a great debt, and I hope that, generations from now, people will remember the Elric brothers as its saviors." Garand said.
"Nah. Only future generations I'm interested in are the ones Winry and I are gonna have." Ed said with a grin, earning a laugh from Al.
"You're not married yet, brother." Al said but Ed shot him a cheeky grin.
"Who says I have to wait?" Ed asked before running off ahead of him, leaving a startled Al behind.
"Ed! Mom said you have to wait! Besides, Winry will kill you!" Al called as he chased after Ed, causing Garand to smile in amusement as he walked behind the two.
End Chapter 11