"You guys look like crap." Darius said as he and Heinkel payed a visit to Zampano and Jerzo in their hospital room in the resettled Ishvalan City. It was almost 1:00 and the military had sent the wounded and the weary there while the rest scoured the city for more wounded and injured. All four of the chimeras were in their human forms.
"Thanks. Right back at ya." Jerzo commented with a smirk as he and Zampano sat up in their hospital beds. Their injuries had been treated and their animal halves allowed a faster rate of healing than their human halves.
"Did you two come to poke fun at us for getting shot?" Zampano asked.
"Nah." "Actually we're here for two reasons. First, General Armstrong wants all four of us back in the military. She thinks we can be an elite team again." Heinkel said as Jerzo and Zampano looked at each other with a smirk.
"Sounds good to me." Zampano said.
"Yeah I think I may have to pass though." Jerzo said with a sad smile.
"Huh?" "Why's that?" Darius and Zampano both asked.
"I haven't seen my family in so long. I know I can't show them my…condition…but I still want to see them, you know?" Jerzo asked. Heinkel then reached into his back pocket.
"Then perhaps you should read this." He said with a smile as he handed Jerzo a slightly crumpled envelope addressed to Jerzo. Jerzo took the envelope and froze in shock.
"This…this is my wife's handwriting." He said before looking up at Heinkel and Darius.
"Your wife and son attended the circus. We knew them from the picture you carry. We told them that you were still alive but that the military had you doing top secret work for them." Heinkel explained.
"We said you had a condition you were trying to cure. Your wife said…well she says it all in the letter." Darius said as Jerzo opened the letter and quietly read it, a tear of joy running down his face not long after he started.
"She wants me back. She still wants me." He said softly.
"I think the General can live with just the three of us." Zampano said as the other three chimeras nodded with a smile.
…
In a neighboring room, Winry sat up in bed, looking out the window at the crowd gathering near the train station to the Cross-Desert Railway. Ed sat with her, looking out the window too.
"So…Ed…I hear you have your alchemy back." Winry said but Ed shook his head.
"Nope. It was only temporary. I can't use alchemy again." Ed replied as Winry gave him a sad smile.
"Then…can I ask you something?" she asked sweetly.
"Sure. What is it?" he asked curiously before getting bludgeoned in the head with a wrench.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU FIX MY AUTOMAIL?!" Winry yelled as Ed put his hand to his head. (AC: The Speck Alchemist – FMA OST 1)
"What the hell, Winry! What'd you do that for?!" Ed winced.
"Two years of hard work! Two years of sweat and tears to build that automail and you break it to pieces! I told you to take care of it!" Winry yelled.
"Hey! It wasn't my fault! Garand shattered it with alchemy and I didn't exactly have time to try and reassemble it at the time!" Ed argued.
"What about afterwards?! You could have fixed it then!" Winry argued back.
"I was worried about you, metal head!" Ed yelled.
"Well I was more worried about you, alchemy freak!" Winry argued.
"Me?! You could've died, you leggy mechanic!" "So could you, you fun sized alchemist!" "Milk drinker!" "Milk hater!" "Yell at me again and I'll-…I'll-…!" "You'll what?!" "I'll kiss you so hard your teeth will rattle!" "I'd like to see you try!" "Oh yeah?!" "Yeah!" "Wait hold on…" the two both said, pausing with confused expressions. They then heard someone clearing their throat at the door. (End AC) They both turned to see General Mustang standing at the door with a blank expression on his face. His leg had been mended by May's Alkahestry.
"If that was a lover's quarrel, I can tell you from experience, that you're doing it wrong." Roy commented.
"Like you even have any experience, Mustang." Ed mumbled, earning a twitchy eyed scowl from Roy.
"What can we do for you General?" Winry asked.
"I just wanted to let the two of you know about some of the things we found in the city." Roy said as Lieutenants Havoc and Breda pushed a cart into the room with a large wooden crate on top of it.
"What's that?" Ed asked.
"We did what we could to salvage as much of Alphonse's old armor as we could but unfortunately the damage was just too extensive. We did manage to recover a couple of pieces of interest though, such as the plating with the blood rune and the helmet. We collected the pieces and put them in this crate to be shipped back to Resembool." Roy said, picking up the helmet which was in surprisingly good condition despite taking a direct hit with a shaft of rock.
"Thank you General. That's one keepsake that we definitely want to keep." Ed said.
"If you'd like, I can have it reassembled for you." Roy said as Havoc and Breda both sweat dropped.
"Why do I get the feeling that, when he says that, he means that he'll have us reassembling it?" Havoc asked.
"Probably because that is what he means." Breda grumbled.
"Thanks but I think we can handle that much on our own." Ed replied.
"And all I really want from it is the helmet." Winry added.
"Alright, we'll just have it shipped back to Resembool for you." Roy said as Havoc and Breda both sighed with relief.
"Was there something else General?" Ed asked.
"A few things. I thought you might want to know about the Homunculi, specifically the one resembling Nina Tucker and Selim Bradley." Roy said as Ed and Winry both grimaced slightly at the mention of them.
"What about them?" Ed asked.
"The Homunculus of Nina, according to Emperor Ling Yao and Princess Chang, sacrificed herself to save the life of the Emperor's bodyguard, Lan Fan. All that was left of her were some dried up bones. Ling had them collected and since there aren't any surviving relatives of the Tucker family on record, he recommended that you given the responsibility of deciding what to do with her remains." Roy said as Ed took a deep breath and a sad sigh.
"Have you told Al yet?" Ed asked.
"I have, yes. He said he would respect whatever you decided. On a side note, the military will cover any expenses." Roy replied.
"She should have a proper burial. There's an empty plot near my parents in Resembool Cemetery. I'd like her to be buried there." Ed said as Roy gave a nod.
"What about the other Homunculus? Selim Bradley?" Winry asked as Roy glanced at Breda and Havoc, the two getting the message to leave which they did, closing the door behind them.
"I'm not sure what he did, but somehow he didn't die when his Philosopher's Stone lost its power. Selim is still alive but for all intents and purposes, he's fully human. He doesn't exhibit any of the traits of a normal Homunculus and furthermore he appears to have no memory whatsoever. He didn't even recognize Mrs. Bradley when he saw her." Roy explained as Ed and Winry looked at him in surprise.
"Really?" Winry asked.
"Alphonse visited him earlier. He didn't recognize him at all. Alphonse also mentioned that there was something different about his eyes. I checked and saw what he means. His eyes aren't the same Homunculus shade of purple they used to be." Roy explained as Ed looked at him in soft spoken surprise before lowering his head slightly with a smile.
"He sacrificed his immortality. That's what he meant. He gave up his life as a Homunculus to become a truly superior being. To become human. To have a short but fulfilling life." Ed said, quietly mourning Pride for his humble sacrifice.
"How's Mrs. Bradley taking it?" Winry asked.
"She's strong. She says she'll continue to raise him. Gracia Hughes has offered to take care of him too. She says she owes him a debt of gratitude for saving her life. Last I saw him, Elicia was showing him how to play hopscotch." Roy said with a light smile. Winry and Ed both smiled in amusement.
"I think Selim will be just fine, especially with Maes Hughes's daughter watching out for him." Ed chuckled with a grin.
"I'm sure Hughes would probably be loading a gun right now to try and scare him off, if anything just to be protective of Elicia. Then he'd annoy the rest of us with pictures of his daughter until we all threatened him with bodily harm." Roy commented with a smile.
"Nah. He's probably too busy bugging mine and Winry's parents, Nina, and everyone else we've lost with pictures of Elicia in heaven right now." Ed chuckled, earning a curious smile from Winry and Roy.
"An interesting theory, Ed." Roy commented.
"It was Elicia's idea according to Al. It's so nice, I can't help but think it's true." Ed replied as Winry gave a nod, taking hold of his hand.
"I like it too." She said.
"One last thing, Edward. I need the cover to your watch." Roy said as Ed scowled, reaching into his pocket and handed him the lid.
"What are you going to do with it?" Ed asked as Roy reached into his pocket and pulled out the coverless pocket watch with a smile. He then proceeded to put a new pin in place to keep the lid secured, the watch now complete again, before handing it back to Ed. (AC: Nightfall in Central City ~Fin~ - FMA:B OST 3).
"Your certification as a State Alchemist has been permanently reinstated. You and Alphonse are both permanently exempt from the required research assessments. We did have to slash your research budget though. We had to compromise somewhere. Congratulations Fullmetal, you're once again a dog of the military." Roy said as Ed smiled at the watch for a moment before pocketing it.
"Thanks Mustang. There is one thing we need to ask you. Just a small favor." Ed said as Roy arched a curious eyebrow.
"What is it?" Roy asked as Ed and Winry both looked at each other, Winry nodding before they looked at Roy.
"Well, we were wondering if you would do us the honor of giving Winry away at our wedding." Ed said as Roy's eyes widened in shock for a moment.
"Me? You want me to-…why?" he asked.
"Well I only have my granny left and we couldn't think of anyone more suited for the task." Winry said as Roy blinked for a moment before smiling and bowing humbly.
"I would be honored." Roy replied.
…
Later at the Cross-Desert Train Station, Ling, Lan Fan, and May had raced away from the battlefield to get to the edge of the desert in time to rendezvous with the train coming in from Xing to keep up the illusion of his arriving there. Only the crew on the train knew Ling hadn't been aboard. Now the train was pulling into the station amidst the cheers of the crowd. Generals Armstrong and Mustang were standing in dress uniform on the platform along with Fuhrer Grumman. Captain Hawkeye and Lieutenant Catalina along with several Briggs guards were stationed around the area for added security. Colonel Miles and Lieutenant Colonel Armstrong were managing the crowds outside the station along with Maria Ross and Denny Bloch. The rest of the Mustang unit was in plain clothes detail amongst the crowd for added security. Among the attendees were Ed, Alphonse, Winry, the Hughes, Mrs. Bradley with Selim, the four chimeras, Yoki, Izumi and Sig Curtis, and Paninya who had been discharged from the service. Only Scar wasn't present but his Mentor stood on the platform along with the Fuhrer. The train came to a stop at the platform, a pair of Xingese guards getting out from a coach at the front and moving to open the doors. Grumman and the Generals saluted as Ling, dressed in regal robes and with a ceremonial sword at his side, emerged from the train. Lan Fan stood right over his right shoulder while May stood over his left. Xiao Mei was naturally riding on May's shoulder. May herself was in regal pink regalia, befitting her station as Ling's interim successor. Ling and Grumman then bowed to one another in respect before they both approached a pair of podiums that had been set up next to each other.
"My fellow Ametrians. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter of our history. Today we commemorate not just the opening of this new train station, but to commemorate the formalization of our alliance between us and our neighbors across the great desert. Here to formalize this alliance, is his majesty, Emperor Ling Yao, Emperor of the Xing Empire." Grumman said as Ling cleared his throat.
"People of Amestris. Two years ago, I came to Amestris on a mission. A mission to find something that would help me prove my worth to my people, to prove to them that I was worthy of being their Emperor. I won't say my trip was uneventful, in fact I lost a very dear friend of mine along the way. But while I was here. I met the people of this country, got to know them. I'm proud to call some of them my friends." Ling said, looking specifically at Ed, Al, and Winry, smiling at them as they smiled back.
"These new friends of mine showed me just how much Xing could benefit from an alliance with this country and in speaking with Fuhrer Grumman, I've learned how much Amestris can benefit from an alliance from Xing. Let today be the day we send a message to anyone who threatens these, our great nations! If Amestris comes under siege from those who would seek to destroy it, you can expect to find the people of Xing standing to help defend Amestris. We will fight to protect your lands and ask the same in return. In Xing, we practice Alkahestry, which as I understand, is not that different from Alchemy. A couple alchemist friends of mine, two brothers, once explained to me the First Law of Alchemy. For anything to be gained, something of equal value must be given up in exchange. Well today, this station gives up the distance between our two countries and in exchange we gain the mutually beneficial alliance and friendship of each other! Like Fuhrer Grumman said, today marks the beginning of a new chapter in Amestris's history but it also is the start of a new chapter in Xing's history as well. Let our great nations once divided by the great desert, come together for the first time in history! Let this station be the first of the many that bridge the gap between our two peoples!" Ling declared as the crowds cheered and applauded. As they cheered, Ed noticed something on the stage and subtly nudged Al with his elbow.
"Hey Al, May's waving at you." Ed said as Al chuckled.
"Yeah, I know." Al replied with a smile as Ling cleared his throat.
"In order to facilitate this union between our two countries, I hereby appoint my dear sister, Princess May Chang, to the position of Royal Ambassador to the Sovereign Nation of Amestris." Ling said as May's jaw dropped open in shock. Ed and Winry both looked over at Al and started laughing at Al's expression which perfectly mirrored May's own.
Afterwards…
The treaty between Xing and Amestris was formalized and signed. General Armstrong later submitted in a confidential report to the Fuhrer and General Mustang that activity on the north, south, and western borders of the country indicated that Drachma, Creta, and Aerugo had withdrawn large numbers of their forces from the Amestris borders, likely in response to the announcement of their alliance with Xing. There were also reports of new cross-desert railways being planned along the eastern border with one route designed specifically to travel to and stop at the ruins of Xerxes, the ruins to become a waystation for the railways.
The Red Kingdom was no more, its leadership and the vast majority of its supporters having been wiped out. The Homunculus were now extinct and no one save for Ed, Al, and Izumi Curtis knew how to create them and they had no desire to do so. Selim Bradley, now a full human and having forgotten his Homunculus origins, was now cleared by the military to attend normal schools, having been barred from doing so in the past. The military continued to keep an eye on him though. The remains of the Homunculus twins, Michelle and Rachel Garand were reinterred in their original graves at the request of the Elrics and Roy Mustang. Victor Garand and Elizabeth Morser's bodies were cremated and scattered in an undisclosed location along with the body of Horatio Sherman.
For his actions in the fight in Ishval, Alex Louis Armstrong was made a full Colonel under Mustang's command. Paninya was discharged from the military as her service had been ordered by General Armstrong. She happily fled to Rush Valley where Dominic repaired her automail legs. Maria Ross and Denny Bloch remained under Armstrong's command. Roy and his unit didn't change at all.
True to his word, Ling sent word to his people in Xing that Xiao Fujin and her bodyguard had died an honorable death defending his life, sending their bodies back with the message. This was to keep the Fujin Clan alive and to keep them from being destroyed by the other clans. Ling did use the true knowledge of what happened to his advantage by subtly informing the new head of the Fujin Clan of Xiao's actions and promised to reveal the Fujin Clan's treason if they attempted anything in the future.
Izumi and Sig Curtis decided to stay in Ishval for a little while longer, continuing their travels together. Scar never changed and nor did General Armstrong or Colonel Miles. Dr. Marcoh continued his practice in Ishval and probably would until the day he died.
May was still riding off the shock of being named Ambassador to Amestris. A plot of land had been set aside in Central for the new Xing Embassy and had been back when diplomatic talks between the two countries had begun. Fuhrer Grumman was still deciding on an Ambassador to represent Amestris but wasn't in any particular rush. Al however began making plans to buy an apartment in Central, accepting a request from May to help her with her duties. Roy later appointed Al as May's official military liaison considering his State Alchemist's certification made him a dog of the military.
Edward, Alphonse, and Winry all returned back to Resembool, bringing with them the remains of Nina Tucker which were interred in a small grave near Tricia and Van Hohenheim Elric. Alphonse's armor was never repaired but the helmet was put back on display while Ed framed the piece of metal with the blood rune, hanging it on the wall in the Rockbell house to remind Al that a part of him was always home. Al also cut his hair back to a shorter length just so people would stop confusing him for Ed.
Life began to return to normal, the country beginning to settle down in the wake of the Red Kingdom's defeat…
…there was just one thing that hadn't been resolved yet…
End Chapter 24