A/N: Hi!
With this chapter we'll conclude practically with the events from the canon but don't worry there will be some more chapters after this because our protagonists still need time to figure out what they are going to do.
We hope that you enjoy the chapter and please, don't hesitate to share your comments, suggestions, hypotheses or anything about our story :)
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Golden and Flame
Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist characters don't belong to us. We are just having fun with them.
Chapter 24. The end of the battle
After a few seconds of ascent from the depths of Central Command, Izumi, Al, May and Roy encountered other people a few floors before reaching the surface. Roy could make out Major Armstrong's voice but decided not to focus on finding out who else was with them when he heard Riza's voice. She was alive.
Shortly before that moment, Riza had been surprised to see a mysterious young man ascend a few seconds earlier but it was more of a surprise when she discovered that he was being followed by none other than Van Hohenheim. She hadn't seen the man in over 15 years but it seemed that time had not passed him by. He looked identical to how she remembered him. Obviously the appearance of his clothing let her see that he had most likely been confronting the enemy but she didn't understand how he had ended up involved in this whole imbroglio.
Before she could delve into what Hohenheim's presence meant, Alphonse made his appearance accompanied by May followed by a dark haired woman and Roy. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him. The love of her life was all right. She still hadn't been able to find Edward but at least Roy was there and that allowed the pressure being put on her heart to ease a little. Together they could find their son plus, if Roy was alive, that meant that at least the doctor hadn't lied when he told them he had simply sent the boy elsewhere.
Riza forgot about her injury and quickly made her way through everyone so she could help Roy down from the large concrete hand the woman had made using alchemy.
Though a bit annoyed that she couldn't openly express all the relief and love she was feeling at seeing him, Riza had no choice but to stick to formalities. "Are you hurt, Colonel?"
Taking advantage of the hand Riza had offered to help him down, Roy gave him an affectionate squeeze both for reassurance and, in a way, to convince himself that she was really there.
Sighing heavily, Roy replied. "They took my sight."
They were momentarily interrupted when Izumi said they had to leave to stop the homunculus.
As soon as the noise told him that Izumi had departed, Roy turned to Riza again. "Lieutenant, how are your injuries?"
Riza let go of Roy's hand so she could place both hands on his shoulders to check for any other injuries. She couldn't believe what Roy had just told her regarding his eyes, but the black orbs she adored had been replaced by grayish ones. She wished at that moment to caress his face and hug him. "There you go again, sir. You should be more concerned about yourself. Your eyes-"
Roy interrupted her. "Lieutenant!" Riza was surprised by the change in the Colonel's tone but, even though his orbs couldn't see, his eyes denoted the great determination that was seizing him. "Can you still fight?"
Riza didn't need any more words to understand precisely what Roy was asking, so, after observing that the Colonel showed no more injuries, she answered confidently becoming infected by Roy's determination. "Yes, Sir!"
Roy couldn't help a slight smile at Riza's own determination. In other circumstances he would have prioritized her resting so her wounds could finish healing but he couldn't help but feel admiration for her agreeing to support him at such a critical time. "Perfect, Lieutenant, because we have to take care of that monster. We can't let Edward take over everything."
Involuntarily, Riza squeezed Roy's shoulders somewhat tightly as an exclamation of surprise escaped her lips. "Edward... is he okay?... Where is he?" before he could answer her, she added. "I didn't see him go by..." She said in a thoughtful voice surely with her eyes fixed on the place where Izumi and the others disappeared.
Roy placed his hand on one of hers that rested on his shoulder. "He's fine. He probably has a couple of scratches because he joined the attack against the homunculus. And..." He tried to swallow the lump that was forming in his throat as he couldn't completely remove his concern for him. "He must still be down below. He stayed confronting Pride."
Riza let out an exclamation of surprise and the slight trembling of her hands let Roy know she was sharing the same concern he was.
Roy discreetly stroked her hand. "We have to trust him. Ed's going to be alright." He has to be, please.
The brief pause between them made Roy realize that Riza was fighting her own fear and uncertainty of having to leave Edward behind but after a sigh, she responded. "All right, Sir."
Despite his condition, the fight with Pride was not so easy. With his remaining energy he took it upon himself to restrain Ed with his shadows to restrict his movements. However, it gave him enough time so that the blond could talk to him, expressing his disbelief at the great loyalty the homunculus had with Father. Although he tried not to give the boy's words about Father not caring in the least about him any importance, Ed could tell that his words did not go unnoticed by the little homunculus, but, in response, Pride used the shadows restraining him to whip him to the ground a couple of times.
Taking advantage of the time before Edward got up, Pride said he needed a new container. Ed noticed he was a little hesitant about doing it because it was risky but the homunculus said that his golden eyes had to mean he had Xerxian ancestry so it had to be a sufficient link to attach his philosopher's stone to the blond's body since Pride had been born from Father, who in turn had made his body based on the genetic information of a Xerxian.
Making use of the wound he himself had inflicted, Pride inserted one of his shadows into Ed's cheek, causing a moment of agony for the blond. The stream of energy coming from the philosopher's stone was very intense but, after a few seconds, the intensity of it diminished considerably. The connection the homunculus had created was still there but his concentration seemed to be elsewhere. Ed didn't have time to figure out what precisely he was doing, he had to act. So, with some effort, he stood up and clapped his palms together to immediately bring his automail hand to Pride's head.
The transmutation cast several rays of energy around him until finally Ed closed his hand into a fist as Pride's body began to turn to dust. Taking a deep breath at what happened, he opened his hand and discovered the tiny body of a baby.
During the transmutation, a brief image crossed Ed's mind derived from the connection he had with the homunculus at that moment. It had been a matter of an instant but the blond was sure it was the faces of King Bradley and his wife. Sighing, Ed reached for his coat, which had been discarded during the previous confrontation with Father, so that he could fold it up and place the small body of what had once been Pride in it.
Resolving to hand Selim over to Mrs. Bradley when it was all over, Ed turned and approached the center of the room where the concrete debris that the others had used to get upstairs lay. He hadn't noticed it before but he was actually several floors below the main courtyard of Central Command.
Stretching his limbs a bit to prepare for the next confrontation, Ed clapped his palms together again and brought them to the ground to transmute it in the same way Al and Izumi had done. He was neither too slow nor too fast but kept his eyes upward to stop the transmutation at the precise moment. Being in that position, he didn't pay attention to each passing floor but after a few seconds a voice made him lower his gaze for a moment.
"Edward!" Riza exclaimed as soon as she saw him pass.
Ed only had time to look at her for a couple of seconds before his transmutation pulled him away from her. The Lieutenant looked strangely pale and he could almost swear that the wound on her shoulder had opened up terribly as he caught a glimpse of the blood stain that had previously been on one part of her shoulder now covered it completely even going so far as to leave a trail across much of her face and neck.
What the hell? He thought worriedly but as soon as she was out of his field of vision, he shook his head slightly. Focus. You have to focus on defeating that bastard. Maybe that blood isn't hers... please don't let it be hers. He sighed, trying to focus. She's going to be fine. The Colonel was with her and, in their condition, it's not wise for them to go near the homunculus. They're going to be safe while we finish this.
Even if his intentions had been good, it would have been better if Edward had stayed at least a few seconds with Hawkeye and Mustang. As soon as the platform that propelled him out freely into the daylight, Ed caught an instant glimpse of several pale-looking people moving awkwardly, before a large explosion engulfed him completely.
"Lieutenant?"
Riza sighed to regain her composure. "Edward just went by, Sir." Though worried, she allowed herself a small smile of relief and pride. "You were right. It seems he's already finished his bout with Pride."
Roy also cracked a slight smile. "That boy never ceases to amaze me." Carefully he placed an arm around Riza's shoulders, taking care to rest his hand on the shoulder opposite the side where she had been injured by the doctor's henchman. "All right, Lieutenant, we can't leave him alone, can we?"
Riza nodded but quickly felt sadness as she remembered the Colonel couldn't see her. Inhaling deeply, she replied. "Yes, sir. Let's go." If despite the unjust punishment Roy had received his motivation for facing the enemy hadn't faded, she couldn't be left behind. Her wound still bothered her with occasional small throbbing and she found it somewhat difficult to stand without staggering but she could not afford to rest when the fate of many was at stake, especially when her own son was giving his all to save the country.
Gaining confidence in their closeness to each other, Roy and Riza followed the Armstrongs, the chimeras, Briggs' soldiers and an unknown man to the edge of where they were. As soon as they were all gathered in one spot, Alex showed off his muscle-highlighting poses before initiating a transmutation to bring them to the top.
Being only a couple of floors away from reaching the surface, Major Armstrong stopped the transmutation when he discovered that Scar, Greed and Lan Fan were on the floor they had reached at that moment.
Seeing them, Greed explained to them a little of what had happened in the subterranean part of the Command, highlighting the fact that the homunculus had become really dangerous. Then, taking a quick look at everyone present, he began to give orders that all the wounded were to stay there. Olivier immediately objected and began arguing with Greed until one of the Briggs soldiers intervened so that he could pass her the earpiece of the radio he was carrying. Although the sound quality was not the best, everyone could clearly hear what had happened a short while ago: a strong explosion had destroyed a large part of the Central Command.
Hearing those last words, Riza felt the air rush out of her. She had certainly felt a kind of tremor as they ascended but she associated it directly to the movement of the platform on which they were traveling. She instinctively focused her gaze upward but could see no more than some sunlight glimpsed through a layer of smoke. Edward...
Roy felt the tension in Riza's shoulders so, while trying to hide his own concern, he discreetly pulled her a little closer to him. He might not be able to tell her in words that they were in this together and that somehow everything would be okay, but he hoped that at least that gesture would be enough to give her at least a little calm.
Riza felt grateful but didn't have time to return the gesture since Greed, who was already getting ready to continue the ascent, repeated that he didn't want the wounded going up to confront his 'Daddy'. Realizing that even Olivier had ended up agreeing to stay, Riza felt unsure. How was she going to manage to convince Greed that she had to go with them?
As if sensing her uneasiness, Roy took a step forward without detaching himself from Riza, causing her to move forward along with him.
"All right, let's go." Said the Colonel in a determined voice.
"Hey, I said no wounded." Greed grumbled.
"You guys need my help to burn that guy's philosopher's stone, right?" Greed made a 'Tch' sound, but Roy didn't give him a chance to interrupt him. "Then I need the Lieutenant to be my eyes."
Riza shook off the insecurity that was filling her and looked at Greed with a determined look.
Greed tried to refuse again but Lan Fan and the chimeras stopped him, reminding him that they couldn't waste any time. Though not very willingly, Greed eventually relented and they all settled back on the platform so Alex could finish getting them to the surface.
Ed woke up feeling his eyelids immensely heavy. He hadn't even realized the precise moment he lost consciousness but he had the impression that it hadn't been long since it happened. Slowly, he began to try to move causing the nerves connected to his automail arm to become noticeable. Carefully, he turned his face towards his automail and realized that it was extremely damaged but, although somewhat painfully, he was still able to move it.
When he was able to sit up a little, he turned to the side and discovered that Izumi was passed out and smeared with blood a few steps away from him.
"Sensei!" With a bit of difficulty, Ed approached Izumi as he continued to call out to her. "Sensei! Sensei!"
His voice was enough to make her react, so Izumi began to carefully and slowly get up as she answered him. "I'm alive." She put a hand to her shoulder trying to appease the pang of pain she felt. "Hohenheim... he saved me at the last second."
So focused was Ed on Izumi that he hadn't noticed that a little ahead of them stood Hohenheim with his arms outstretched to cover them. His clothes had ripped considerably and his skin looked strange. It was as if he had some sort of transmutation marks.
Seeing him in that state puzzled Ed. "Hohenheim!" Concerned, the boy broke away from Izumi and stood in front of the man, seeking to make him react in some way. "Hey! React!" Involuntarily, a thought crossed his mind. Is he... dead?
That thought began to create a strange empty feeling in him but he didn't have time to delve into it since Father had slowly approached towards them and was now right behind Hohenheim. Ed wanted to warn him but the homunculus quickly placed a hand on the man's head (causing Hohenheim to finally open his eyes, giving the boy at least some relief) before throwing him hard to the side.
"Hohenheim!" Ed stepped back to help Izumi but they were both so injured that it was difficult to stand up.
Father wasted no time and tried to turn them both into philosopher's stones. The sensation of feeling your soul wanting to escape from your body was terrible and extremely painful. Ed came to believe that there would be no escape from his fate when a round of gunshots rang out. Although Father covered himself with the help of his alchemy, the distraction was more than enough to prevent the process of creating philosopher's stones from being completed so, as Ed and Izumi gasped to catch their breath, a couple of Briggs soldiers approached them to get them out of there at the same time as another group was busy further distracting Father.
Ed thanked one of the soldiers who got them out of there but he also had to let them know that it would take something much stronger to hurt the homunculus since, with the sheer amount of shots they had aimed at him, it was very likely that they wouldn't even have given him a scratch.
Though surprised by the blond's words, the soldier made sure to leave them in a safe place before motioning for yet another soldier to approach. The latter quickly complied and, as soon as he was within range, the soldier who had helped Ed used the radio to indicate that they needed reinforcements emphasizing that they needed the most powerful weaponry they could bring.
The Briggs soldiers obeyed orders so a steady rain of bullets was falling inexorably on the homunculus, which was getting rid of the bullets without even moving a muscle.
During that succession of bullets, Major Armstrong's group finally reached the surface and began to disperse. Riza kept supporting the Colonel to guide him while Armstrong stayed on Roy's other side. They needed only a few seconds to spot the homunculus almost in the center of the main courtyard of Central Command. Although he was their target, Riza made a quick visual sweep until she found what she was looking for. Clenching her jaw at the annoyance of seeing that Edward was bleeding on various parts of his body because of that monster, Riza guided the Colonel a couple more steps before giving him directions.
"Colonel, the enemy is at 12 o'clock, medium distance. The way is clear." She said in a firm voice.
Trusting his directions, Roy didn't hesitate for a moment before clapping his palms together to finally snap his fingers to direct a powerful flare towards the enemy.
When the wave of heat produced by his attack faded a bit, Roy asked. "Did I hit him?"
"You were off by a few meters, sir. Adjust your aim five degrees to the right."
Roy replied as he clapped his hands together again. "It's hard to modulate the power of my fire when I can't see anything."
"You don't need to modulate, Sir." Riza replied as she carefully analyzed the enemy's position. "Range 50... no, 53 meters."
Roy snapped his fingers as he complained about his new method of transmutation and the pain the snapping caused him from the wounds in his hands. "I'm not used to clapping my hands together to transmute."
This time the homunculus raised one of his hands to gather part of the flames Roy had thrown at him to later return them to their owner.
"A frontal attack is coming!" Riza alerted.
Remembering the way Ed used to transmute, Roy clapped his hands together before bringing them to the ground to create a thick protective barrier.
As soon as the flames finished extinguishing, Riza said. "Well done, Sir."
Roy put a hand to the back of his neck. "I take that back. This style of transmutation isn't so bad."
Riza cracked a slight smile before guiding Roy to move a bit away from the homunculus' path as it had clear intentions of attacking them before the Briggs' men resumed their attack towards him.
The confrontation against the homunculus continued with everyone present doing their best to defeat it. The chimeras were making use of their special abilities, Lan Fan was using bombs, the Briggs soldiers were still using their rifles and bazookas and Armstrong was making use of his artistic alchemy to send dozens of projectiles at Father.
As soon as she regained enough energy to concentrate on a transmutation, Izumi created a huge dome around the homunculus thus giving Roy the perfect opportunity to roast Father. Riza again gave him the necessary directions and within a couple of seconds, the dome was filled with powerful flames. However, when the flames and smoke dispersed, they realized that the homunculus showed no physical damage thanks to the protective barrier he had maintained with the help of the philosopher's stone, and even looked even more arrogant and annoyed than before.
It was at that moment that Greed joined the fight trying to land a direct blow to Father's face. The homunculus smiled and tried to absorb him but Greed, after a convincing performance, smiled in the same way as he did and told him that he was sure he would do that. Father was surprised but quickly put up a barrier as he realized that Ed was about to hit him from behind. The barrier was powerful but the boy tried his best to keep his arm in the same direction so he could hit his target, but the power of it was so strong that it ended up destroying his automail arm into a thousand pieces. Ed remained perplexed for a few seconds observing the pieces that came off his automail before connecting a kick with the homunculus, which surprisingly stopped it with its arm before throwing Ed a few meters away from it.
Everyone was silent for a few seconds, surprised at the homunculus' unexpected maneuver. Also Father had brought a hand to his face as his body began to tremble slightly.
Realizing what that meant, Hohenheim shouted. "He's finally reached his limit! He can no longer contain God within himself!"
Although that sounded like good news, no one could have foreseen the unexpected event that transpired. The homunculus dropped to the ground, supporting himself with his arms, before a new and powerful shockwave made itself felt, sending a large part of those present flying. Some managed to cling to the ground somehow, while others suffered painful falls in the vicinity.
Riza, for her part, had done her best to cover the Colonel but her body was still weakened so that shortly after she could feel herself coming off the ground. At this, Roy reacted and, taking her by the hand, he pulled her to him, hugging her, in order to receive the impact of the fall that he was sure would follow. As soon as his back hit the ground, Roy couldn't help a wince but tried to shake it off quickly as Riza began to scold him for being so reckless in his conditions, but he didn't care in the least. He had to protect her. However, it seemed that his fall had been worse than he had thought, as a pain in the back of his head made him realize that he had taken a hard blow to it and, as much as he wanted to avoid it, he lost consciousness as he heard Riza's worried voice.
Riza panicked when Roy didn't react. She carefully lifted him off the ground a little to inspect the spot where he had fallen and could see that his head had collided directly with a thick stone. Damn. Luckily, Roy wasn't bleeding but she couldn't rule out a concussion from the impact he received. Checking his vital signs and making use of the basic medical training she had received in the military, Riza concluded that Roy was fine, as far as she could tell, but that the fatigue of the day had probably added to the blow he had received. Either way, when it was all over, she would have to make sure Roy visited a doctor to make sure he really would be all right.
Her brief calm regarding Roy was abruptly interrupted when she heard shouts of 'Edward, run!' and 'Brother!' coming from the center of Central Command's main courtyard. A cold sweat ran down her face as Riza turned in the direction of the voices, feeling her blood freeze in her veins at the image that greeted her: The central part of the courtyard was littered with debris and there were unconscious people all around, but that wasn't what was taking her breath away. What did was the sight of Edward leaning against a concrete slab from which a few rods were sticking out, and just one of them had embedded itself in his left forearm. Despite the distance, Riza could see blood gushing from his wound as the boy tried to free himself as the homunculus was slowly approaching him with intentions that were not good. Unfortunately, there was no one nearby who could help him as they were either injured or unconscious.
"No..." She muttered as her heart fluttered. "Edward!" She screamed even though she knew that would do no good. Trying to hold back the tears that wanted to start forming at the corners of her eyes, she began fumbling in her pockets and on her belt hoping to find some of her weapons but to no avail. Her weapons had been lost along the way after the various fights she had been involved in.
Realizing that the distance between Edward and Father was getting shorter with every second of futile searching, an idea came to her mind. Leaning over Roy, she grabbed his shoulders and began to shake him. "Roy! Wake up, please!" There was no reaction so she began tapping him on one of his cheeks. "Roy!" A couple of tears escaped her. "Our son needs us!" Roy's eyelids crinkled and a whimper escaped his lips. Riza, in desperation, was about to shake him again to force him to wake up faster but a scream left her frozen in place.
"NOOOOOOOO!"
The scream came from Edward. Although Ed had a voice that could become very powerful when he screamed, none of his previous screams compared to this one. It was as if he was being torn apart from the inside. The pain and fear were palpable in his voice.
Fearing what she might encounter, Riza swallowed hard and turned to see where Ed was, just as an intense alchemical light emerged some distance away from the boy. Before the light became completely blinding, Riza caught the glimpse of Al's raised arms, bringing his palms together in the same way he and his brother did to transmute. The realization of what might be happening fell like a bucket of cold water on her as, at the same time, Roy finally opened his eyes and began to slowly rise, unaware of what was transpiring.
Riza didn't notice Roy's movement as more tears escaped her eyes as she closed her eyes against the powerful light at the same time as she put a hand to her mouth. "Oh no... Alphonse."
This can't be happening... It's not true... It can't be true! Ed thought as the light of Al's transmutation covered him completely. Ed had begged him with words and with his gaze not to do it but Alphonse stuck to his own plan by dedicating a few words to him before putting his gloves together: Defeat him, brother.
The light was beginning to fade and Ed closed his eyes before he saw the result. He wanted to fool himself and pretend that the last few seconds hadn't happened. That Al would still be there with him. Ed clenched his hand into a fist, not caring about the blood spilled and the extra pain he caused himself.
Despite the large number of people who had ended up involved in this latest attack on Father, Ed noticed that Al's armor had sustained heavy damage after the powerful homunculus blast. Initially, Ed wanted to approach him but his body was slow to react plus he naively, after a few moments of observation, believed that Al would be safe since he was out of the area where the homunculus was lurking plus May, although injured, was with him.
Big mistake.
Ed opened his eyes keeping them straight ahead, then fearfully averted his gaze to his right side. Al's transmutation had been a success. His right arm was back. Obviously his limb was clearly weaker, thinner and more fragile compared to his left arm but that didn't matter to him. Al, his little brother, was no longer there.
Ed felt something squeezing painfully inside him. Finding no better way to release everything he was feeling, he clapped his hands together as he screamed. "You...! STUPID BROTHER!"
Quickly Ed slammed his palms against the ground creating a thick block that struck Father squarely. Driven by the emotional outburst that filled him, Ed reached his newly recovered hand towards the rod that had held him down to pull it out of his left arm without caring about the blood that was still gushing from the wound. The physical pain was nothing compared to what he was feeling inside.
The homunculus was barely trying to stand up when Ed attacked it again with a series of spikes created from the ground itself, kicking off a succession of attacks that the boy was directing at it relentlessly.
The attacks that Father was receiving were having effect, one could see how little by little he was weakening, causing his movements to be staggering and erratic. Motivated by this, those present began to cheer for Ed. Riza also called him by his name while Roy, who also felt a tightness in his chest upon being told by Riza what Al had done, opted to call him by his nickname but trying to make his voice sound as loud as he could. Maybe Ed didn't care but Roy really wanted to give him the feeling that he wasn't alone, that he and Riza wanted to support him in some way and that they would always be there for him.
When the homunculus was sufficiently overwhelmed by the alchemical attacks, Ed walked over to him and started hitting him with his left fist. His right arm was still fragile from the time he had spent in the Portal but he wasn't going to let the use of only one of his arms stop him from giving the bastard his comeuppance.
After a few more blows, Father fell a few feet away from him and showed no signs of getting up any time soon so he took the opportunity to catch his breath. His right arm was bothering him giving him occasional twinges and a general feeling of numbness, so he placed his left hand on it to try to relieve some of the discomfort he was beginning to notice after stopping his movements that had been completely guided by pain and adrenaline.
As the homunculus began to incorporate, Ed tried to get into an attack position but stopped when he noticed that Father was moving as if he wanted to vomit. After a few seconds, the homunculus placed its hands on the ground and its body inflated before releasing another of its shockwaves, pushing away those closest to him.
In a surprisingly quick movement for someone who seemed to be in agony, Father propelled himself and in the blink of an eye he was piercing Greed's body with one of his arms to absorb his philosopher's stone as he had tried to do before. The small red lightning bolts that were emerging from the part of Greed's abdomen indicated that this time Father was succeeding. Despite this, Greed managed to separate himself from Ling's body not without first calling Lan Fan to help him break the connection. The Xingese girl did as she was asked allowing Ling to stay alive while Greed's essence was absorbed by Father.
However, Greed had a last minute plan. As soon as Greed was separated from Ling, Father's limbs began to turn black and brittle looking, indicating that Greed was using the last of his strength to turn his creator's body into the most fragile carbon possible. In the face of this, Father ended up tearing Greed from his body which, after a few sad words of farewell, caused Greed to eventually vanish into thin air.
Despite this drastic action on Father's part, his body continued to maintain the characteristic of fragility that Greed had given him so, taking advantage of the opportunity, Ed ran towards him to give him a final punch in the abdomen, hoping that, in his condition, that would be enough to finally get rid of the homunculus that had brought so much misfortune to Xerxes and Amestris.
Noticing that the hole his fist had generated in Father's body was beginning to spread, Ed said. "Release the people of Xerxes..." Small lines began to emerge from the hole that had some sort of hand at their ends. "And go back from whence you came..." Remembering the true identity of the being in front of him (thanks to Hohenheim's story), he added. "dwarf of the flask."
The 'hands' spread across the homunculus' body, imprisoning and shrinking it into a small ball until, with a brief flash, he finally disappeared.
A few seconds passed in which everyone stared at the place where the homunculus had disappeared. It was unbelievable that it was finally all over. When this reality became tangible, some dropped to the ground relieved and exhausted, some let out a couple of shouts of celebration and others hugged each other.
Ed, for his part, was frozen in place. The homunculus had been defeated, but in the process Al had sacrificed himself. His little brother had given up his current existence in order to save his life. Ed clenched his hands into fists regardless of the twinges of pain both arms sent him for different reasons. Inhaling deeply, he turned in the direction of where Al's armor rested. Just that. His little brother's soul was no longer there.
With slow steps, Ed approached it, noticing that May was still there, crying inconsolably at what had happened. Perhaps it was his subdued gait or maybe May's tears, but at that moment everyone present seemed to realize that they had lost Al (whether they knew that only his soul was in that armor or not), causing the few cheers they had started to cease immediately as gradually several people began to surround the place Ed was heading to.
Roy, who had finally managed to get to his feet after the feeling of dizziness that had accompanied him since his fall, wrapped his arm around Riza's shoulder with the excuse that he needed support to walk.
Noticing the sudden silence, he asked. "W-what happened? Did we win?"
Riza inhaled deeply to keep the tears she had only recently managed to control at bay. "Yes, sir. But..." She swallowed hard to push away the lump still in her throat. "Alphonse has not returned from the other side."
Riza had told him what had happened but a part of him hoped that with the homunculus' disappearance and his very likely journey to the Portal, somehow, Al had managed to rid himself of the Truth.
A lump formed in his throat but he struggled to keep his voice from wavering as he addressed Riza. "Let's get closer, Lieutenant. Please..." Despite his resolve his voice turned to a whisper towards the end.
Riza nodded and began to walk. With the Colonel's arm around her shoulders she hoped he had noticed her gesture as she didn't trust her voice at such times.
Roy let himself be guided as his mind filled with thoughts regarding Alphonse's situation. There must be a way. Alphonse doesn't deserve to die. He's a great kid and he has his whole life ahead of him. And Ed... my son has already suffered too much to also lose the one who has always been his brother. He must be in so much pain and I... there's nothing I can do? Damn it! There must be a solution to this!
Roy and Riza made their way through the crowd, coming to within a few feet of where Ed and May were kneeling on the ground. Although somewhat hesitant, Riza intended to get as close as possible to her son (if possible to be literally at his side) but stopped short when she saw Hohenheim, being supported by the Elrics' sensei, advancing towards the site. What did he intend to do?
Standing a few steps in front of Ed, Hohenheim spoke. "Edward."
Ed, who had kept his head down as his mind whirled searching for a solution, startled slightly and raised his gaze to meet the figures of Hohenheim and Izumi.
"Use my life to get Alphonse back." Surprise flashed in Ed's eyes. "There is exactly one life left inside me... mine."
Ed was annoyed. "You idiot! I can't do that! It was our fault we lost our bodies! How many times do I have to say it? I'm not going to use someone else's life to fix our mistake! What gives you the right to sacrifice your life for us?!"
Unlike Ed, Hohenheim spoke in a calm voice. "Because I'm your father." He said sincerely without realizing that he had provoked slight startles not only in Edward but also in Roy Mustang. He closed his eyes and continued. "It's not a matter of logic. You boys mean more to me than anything in this world. I want you to be happy." Feeling the guilt swirl inside him, he sighed to focus on what he wanted to say. "You two had no one to turn to. When Trisha died, it was loneliness that drove you to try to resurrect her. See? It's my fault you ended up with those bodies. It was me that was never there for you." Lifting his gaze to connect it with Ed's, he said. "I'm sorry."
Ed was taken aback. Hohenheim's gaze radiated so much sincerity and regret that it was painful to watch. The man in his memories had nothing to do with the person standing in front of him. Hohenheim had been a slave who ended up involved in the worst possible way with the malevolent plans of the homunculus and for hundreds of years had carried a burden that was not his to bear. Yes, Hohenheim had made mistakes that he still had trouble forgiving but... he had left to devise a countermeasure to the dwarf of the flask's plans. Without his plan Winry wouldn't still be alive, nor Granny Pinako, nor the Hughes... nor Riza. Besides, he kept referring to him as his own son. He along with his mom had saved him and Riza and opened the doors of their home to him. Despite his rebuffs, Hohenheim still wanted to help him and be a part of his life.
Hohenheim continued. "I've already lived for too long. If this is the end, at least let me do one thing for both of you, as your father."
A stinging sensation appeared in Ed's eyes. He gritted his teeth trying to control himself but it didn't last more than a couple of seconds. It was already a lot of emotions in the span of only a few minutes. His tears ended up overflowing as he said. "Stop talking nonsense! You're useless, dad! Don't ever say that again or I'll kick your ass!"
Hohenheim opened his eyes wider in surprise to hear Ed call him 'dad'. He had thought it was a losing fight since he had lost that right the moment he crossed the threshold of his home in Resembool all those years ago, but now he had the eldest of his sons uttering the word he had missed so much. He hadn't heard Ed call him that in so long he almost felt like he was going to cry.
Allowing himself a slight smile, Hohenheim replied. "You finally called me 'dad'."
As Hohenheim responded something snapped inside Roy. Ed had called 'dad' the man who had abandoned them, the one he hadn't heard from for years, the man who he always insulted whenever the subject of his father came up. Even he himself had felt some discomfort in relation to Hohenheim at the thought of how much he had been lacking to the Elrics. But now... didn't Hohenheim have much more merit than he did to be considered Edward's father? Roy was not yet fully aware of the plan that had been implemented to save the souls of the citizens of Amestris, but he was aware that much of it had been designed and carried out by that man. While Roy was indulging in his fury and his enormous thirst for revenge by hurting with his own actions and words the people he loved the most, Hohenheim was surely fine-tuning details to save everyone. While he was unable to provide a solution for Edward to get his brother back, Hohenheim offered, without a moment's hesitation, his own life so that his two sons could live happily. Alphonse was certainly not Roy's son, but he had really learned to appreciate him in recent years. Besides, at the end of the day it didn't matter, if being by his brother's side was what made Edward happy then Roy should have offered his life right away, right? What was the use of someone like him, who had brought so much suffering with his flames and even with his words, to continue living if his son could never be happy again after losing the brother who had always been with him when not even Roy or Riza were by his side?
Roy swallowed saliva trying to push away the lump in his throat that had done nothing but tighten in the last few minutes. He didn't even have the right to cry over losing the son he had never earned. Edward had made his choice and Roy could not and would not do anything to change his mind. Ed deserved a good man for a father. Hohenheim wasn't perfect but the boy had chosen him and that only reinforced the idea that he had never been up to the task of having a son as extraordinary as Edward.
Riza noticed the slight tension that was present in Roy's body so, clearing her throat a little to make her voice work despite all the sadness she was feeling, she asked. "Sir?"
Roy simply shook his head. He didn't want to talk about what was going on with his mind. Perhaps it would be easier to digest it all if he kept it to himself. It was an incredible pain but he had earned it himself.
Ed, for his part, cried some more before wiping his tears with his left arm. He wasn't feeling well at all but he had to focus on getting Al back. Seeking to return his gaze to the armor, his sight stumbled upon the figure of May, who was still sobbing at what had happened. It was at that instant that Ed allowed himself to look at those around them. The chimeras had joined them to aid in Father's defeat. The Briggs' men had come from the North to help take control of Central Command. Major Armstrong had attacked the homunculus with the full power of his alchemy. Ling and Lan Fan had been supporting them for some time and Ling had even recently offered him the philosopher's stone, which he had finally obtained, to bring Al back, even though that the stone was something they had fervently sought to help their clan in Xing. Their sensei had taught them everything they knew and, despite her health problems, she was actively involved in the fight against Father. Hohenheim, their father, had helped them through this crisis of the Promised Day.
Ed inhaled deeply until he focused his gaze on where the Lieutenant and Colonel were. Perhaps it was momentary but he was sure that Riza's gaze had made contact with his. That brief glimpse made him remember what they had both told him at different times.
I'm sure there are a lot of people who are looking forward to the day when you both get your bodies back.
I am only offering you an opportunity. If there is a chance, you should move forward and get your bodies back, even if the road ahead is a river of mud.
The Lieutenant and the Colonel... his biological parents. Without knowing the bond they shared they had helped both him and Al every step of the way. Even if he was more conflicted about Mustang, Ed couldn't deny the great support the Colonel had given them. It was even his words that had initially gotten him back on his feet.
Ed returned his gaze to the armor and clenched both hands into fists. We said we would never give up and they all believed in us. Feeling a slight burning in his right hand, he spread his palms, lowered his gaze and realized that the fingernails of the hand that had been trapped in the Portal were considerably longer than those of his left hand.
The Portal... The Truth... Equivalent Exchange.
Ed clenched his hands into fists again. He had it. He already knew how he could get Alphonse back.
Standing up, Ed asked May to stand back a little and, to everyone's puzzled looks, began to draw a transmutation circle with the help of a nearby steel pipe. When he was about to finish, Ling was surprised to realize that it was a human transmutation circle like the one the blond had used inside Gluttony's stomach.
When he had finished, Ed tossed aside the pipe he had occupied and sought to position himself right in the center of the circle. He caught the worried glances of Hohenheim, Izumi and Riza but ignored them. He had a mission to accomplish.
Ed stretched his arms a little at his sides as he said. "I'll be right back." He smiled as he clapped his palms together. "The Fullmetal alchemist is going to perform his final transmutation." Without waiting a moment longer, he placed his hands in the circle and the now familiar energy derived from that type of transmutation enveloped him before disappearing from the others' field of vision.
Riza tried to discreetly describe to Roy the type of circle Ed was making, so the Colonel realized it was one intended for human transmutation. However, he deciphered it just as Ed had spoken. Roy was afraid that something would go wrong but Edward's voice sounded so sure that he had no choice but to trust that everything would be all right. He could also notice the tension in Riza's shoulders when he guessed that the transmutation was taking place, so he pulled her a little closer to him trying to comfort her. Even he didn't know what was going to happen but they had to trust that Edward and Alphonse would be okay.
As soon as the transmutation light faded, Riza glanced to her left to look for Hohenheim. The man was still leaning against the Elrics' sensei with his gaze fixed on the transmutation circle. His gaze did not look terrified but rather had a gleam of confidence that helped calm her nerves a bit. She didn't understand much about alchemy but Hohenheim obviously did and if he was waiting calmly without getting significantly unsettled that should mean something good.
Taking advantage of the fact that some soldiers were starting to move out of the way to treat their wounds or to help others get up from the rubble, Riza called out to Major Armstrong.
"What is it, Lieutenant Hawkeye?" the muscular man asked.
"Can I entrust the Colonel to you for a few minutes, Major?"
"Sure. Would you like me to take him to get checked out by a doctor, Colonel?"
"Not until Fullmetal is back." Roy said earnestly. "I'm not moving from here until I know he and his brother are okay."
Alex allowed himself a small smile. "I'm glad to hear that, because I'm not looking forward to leaving here either."
Riza started to pull Roy's arm away from her shoulders and he instinctively turned his face in her direction. "Where are you going, Lieutenant?"
"To get answers."
At first Roy couldn't understand what she was referring to but after analyzing the determination in her tone of voice, he surmised what kind of answers she might be referring to considering who was present on the scene. Armstrong simply stood beside him, guessing that Roy did not wish to be guided by anyone other than Riza.
Directing a military salute to Armstrong for doing her that favor, Riza inhaled deeply and headed toward Hohenheim.
The crunching of the pebbles that covered the area under Riza's military boots was more than enough to make Hohenheim turn in her direction. Standing only a few feet away from each other, the man cracked a small smile and greeted her with a nod. "Miss Riza."
Riza did not reciprocate the smile. "Van Hohenheim." Not wanting to be impolite, Riza focused her gaze on the Elrics' sensei to address her with a nod of her head in greeting, a gesture the woman mimicked.
Hohenheim's small smile evaporated and he sighed before turning to Izumi. " Mrs. Curtis, I thank you for your help but it seems to me that Miss Riza and I have things to talk about."
Izumi gave Riza a slightly distrustful look. "Shouldn't we all stay here and wait for the boys to return?"
"Truth likes to take their time, so I guess we can afford a few minutes to talk."
"They're coming back, aren't they?" Riza interjected.
"Knowing them I'm sure they will." Hohenheim replied confidently.
The tension reflected on Riza's face eased a little.
Carefully, Hohenheim pushed aside the arm Izumi had used to steady him and, though a bit wobbly at first, began to walk in the direction of an area that had recently been vacated by the soldiers. There were chunks of rubble large enough for them to sit on and, although it wasn't the most inconspicuous place in the world, it was secluded enough from the others that the two of them could talk discreetly.
Hohenheim sat down on a medium-high piece of rubble and waited for Riza to mimic him by sitting on one of those around him, but she just stood there in front of him, staring at him.
Noticing the blood covering the area near his neck he asked. "Did someone check that wound on you?"
"The Xing girl kindly closed it." She answered in a neutral tone.
"I see." He closed his eyes for a moment as he sighed. "I understand that you're upset with me but, if I may say so, I'm glad to hear that you and Edward were able to reunite."
"Oh, really?" she asked sarcastically. Realizing the tone she had taken, she inhaled deeply before replying in a more neutral voice. "I don't understand... Why? Why did you leave?... Separating from Edward has been the hardest thing I've ever had to do but I kept the illusion that he would be living happily beside you and your wife." A tear escaped her. "I never thought my child would have lived through hell before the age of 12."
Hohenheim's golden eyes filled with guilt. "I have no justification... I had reasons for leaving but I never expected, much less wished, for any of this to happen to Edward and Alphonse. My trip took longer than expected and I... I always believed Trisha would be there waiting for me along with our children." He ran a hand over his face. "It all happened so fast..."
Riza's gaze softened. She was still annoyed with him but the pain emanating from the man's gaze was also perceptible. Besides, there was still the memory that this man along with his wife had saved both her and Edward's lives, and had helped her quite a bit in the short time they had lived together.
Riza took a deep breath to control her emotions before responding. "I'm so sorry about what happened to Trisha. She was a good woman."
"She was. She was able to see past my fears and insecurities. She was a person who overflowed love and joy in her actions." He sighed. "As wrong as it is to say it, let me thank you. Thanks to you, Trisha knew an even greater happiness that I had not dared to give her. Ever since you allowed us to raise Edward, there was a special gleam in her eye that was growing with each passing day. I know I did a lousy job as Edward's father figure, but you must believe me when I tell you that Trisha did her best to make him happy."
A memory of Trisha's gentle smile flashed through Riza's mind. When she had first learned that Edward was her son she hadn't given herself room to think further but now she felt regretful that she hadn't thought of the woman who had so kindly helped her so much in Edward's early days of life. She had not given herself the opportunity to mourn the loss of a woman as good as Trisha Elric.
Riza blinked several times to ease the stinging in her eyes and allowed herself a small smile at the thought of Trisha. "There is no doubt in my mind. Trisha was a wonderful woman and I truly believe she fell in love with Edward from the first time she held him in her arms."
Hohenheim smiled wistfully. "Definitely." He scratched his cheek with a finger. "Though I have to admit, maybe it wasn't the same for me. Don't get me wrong. I grew fond of Edward from those early days too but I was even more terrified of exposing such a small, innocent being to a monster like me." He pulled his hand away from his face and placed it in front of himself so he could look at his palm. "Surely Trisha would scold me for saying it, but it's hard to completely erase the thoughts that have been with me for so many years. It still amazes me that someone like me was able to form such a beautiful family and yet..." He clenched his hand into a fist. "I wasn't with them when they needed me most."
Riza bit her lower lip before replying. "But you're here now and even Edward called you 'dad'." She said almost in a whisper, not knowing if she wanted to comfort him or was simply looking for a way to take out her frustrations regarding the fact that Hohenheim seemed to be gaining a more important place in Edward's heart than Roy.
Hohenheim noticed the change in her tone of voice. "I thought I would never hear him call me that again. I can't deny how happy it made me but..." He focused his gaze on hers. "You are far more deserving of the title of a parent than I am. You sacrificed everything to try to give him a better future. If it hadn't been for my mistakes, that's the way it would have been... I'm so sorry."
Riza gave him a firm look back. She still resented him for abandoning the Elrics but the sincere regret read in his gaze made her hesitate. Besides she had quite a bit of experience with that of having made serious mistakes in her life. "I have a hard time forgiving you." She said firmly, "But it's not like I'm some exemplary person to be judging you either. I can't be mad at you when thanks to you and Trisha, my boy and I are alive." She paused slightly. "Besides, my hands are covered in blood... Maybe that's why everything happened this way. Maybe fate knew what a horrible person I would become and that's why it prevented me from finding my son when I went looking for him."
Hohenheim stood up and gently placed his hand on Riza's right shoulder. "We all make mistakes, but they don't define who we are. How we deal with them and what we learn from them does. Maybe it was a short time that I actually lived with you but even now I can see the same spark in your eyes. You are a good person, Riza. I never had any doubts about it. Pinako tried to convince me otherwise but I always believed there must have been a reason why you and Roy ended up going to recruit Edward." He paused before continuing. "I think I understand what kind of blood you are referring to when you talk about your hands but Alphonse has told me a lot about you and the Colonel and I can safely say that there are few people like you in the world. You made mistakes but you are still struggling to do something about it. You cannot get back the lives you took but you are looking out for the welfare and happiness of millions. You are not walking an easy road but you are willing to do everything you can to change this country. I think that speaks quite a bit about what a wonderful person both you and Roy are." He concluded with a slight smile.
Riza was surprised at the mention of the youngest Elric. "Alphonse?"
"I had the opportunity to spend a few days with him while we were in the city of Lior. It was there that he shared with me a bit of what his life had been like these past few years. He really holds the two of you in very high esteem."
Riza smiled at the thought of Alphonse. "He's an amazing boy." She sighed and the smile faded from her lips. "Too bad he won't still think the same of us when he finds out about our connection to Edward."
"I wouldn't worry about it." Riza looked at him puzzled. "When I talked to him he was probably already aware of everything. Well, that's considering that, from what I could understand during a talk with Edward, he already knew for a couple of months that you were Edward's biological parents. I doubt it's possible for there to be secrets between them."
"Edward spoke to you about me?"
"Just yesterday."
Before Riza could answer, the transmutation circle Edward had used earlier lit up.
"They're coming." Hohenheim said before pulling his hand away from Riza's shoulder to begin approaching the site.
"Hohenheim!" The alluded turned to her. "Are you really not going to tell me why you left home?"
"It's a very long story and I'm afraid there's not enough time to tell it." Riza wanted to retort but Hohenheim wouldn't let her. "Riza, I know I have no right to ask you for anything but could I ask you for a favor?"
Confused, Riza could only nod her head.
"Please take good care of the boys. They are both the most important thing to me."
Riza was puzzled at Hohenheim's request. She, without a doubt, was more than willing to care for and protect both Elrics even if it was from afar (considering the possibility that Edward might not want her in his life). She believed that Hohenheim, with what he had told her in that conversation, would be aware of her intentions. So why was he asking her so suddenly? His body looked somewhat battered from the fight they had faced but Riza couldn't see any serious injury that could be life threatening.
Holding back the urge to let him know her thoughts, Riza filled her gaze with determination and affection at the thought of the Elric boys. "Of course I will. Edward has always been one of my greatest treasures and Alphonse, though he may not carry my blood, has earned a special place in my heart."
Hohenheim smiled, grateful. "Thank you very much, Miss Riza." With that said he resumed his walk to the transmutation circle. The light it had emitted had been bright but gradually dispersed at the same time as footsteps made themselves heard.
With a huge smile on his face, Edward appeared holding Alphonse... in his flesh and blood body. Alphonse had long blond hair a bit pale from the time he had spent in the Portal, besides he was naked so it was easy to appreciate how fragile his body was, so it was no surprise to see that Edward was the one moving them both since the youngest Elric had fallen asleep. However, a smile also graced Al's pale lips.
Izumi was the first to approach them and, with a huge smile on her face, helped Ed lay Al down on the floor, not wasting the opportunity to affectionately caress the younger Elric's cheek.
Despite her own troubles, Riza smiled hugely at seeing Alphonse in his real body for the first time and the huge smile Edward was wearing at those moments. Initially she wanted to imitate Izumi but, noticing the state of undress the younger Elric was in, she decided to do something first.
She first took a look at her jacket but it was quite dirty and covered in blood, so it would not be wise to give it to Alphonse considering that his immune system might be weakened. Realizing this, she made her way in the direction of the Colonel, who hadn't moved from the Major's side even though Alex had already started shedding a few happy tears.
"Colonel." Roy startled slightly, still not used to not being able to see when someone approached him.
Roy turned his head in the direction he heard Riza's voice. "They're both back, aren't they?" He said with a smile.
"Yes." Riza said. Joy and relief evident in her tone of voice.
Alex interjected. "I tried to tell him but the Colonel wanted to hear it from you, Lieutenant."
"Those guys can do amazing things. Besides it was easy to imagine they were back with your crying, Major." Roy said a little jokingly as Armstrong's sobs had been loud enough for Roy to realize he was crying.
Riza kept her smile. "Thanks for looking after him, Major." Roy grimaced slightly, surely upset at the thought of having lost his former independence but both Riza and Alex pretended not to notice so as not to make him feel worse.
"It was my pleasure." That said, Armstrong made the military gesture and walked over to where the Elrics were, eager to be a sharer in their joy.
Taking care that the others were distracted, Riza stroked Roy's cheek for a few seconds as she said. "Don't worry, everything will be alright."
"I hope so."
Noticing Roy's slightly defeated tone, Riza pulled her hand away from Roy's face and brought it to one of his hands. "It will be." She said trying to convince him and, indirectly, trying to convince herself.
Roy returned her squeeze.
Remembering what she wanted to do and not wanting to incite Roy to get depressed about everything that had happened, Riza said. "Colonel, could I take your coat?"
Roy raised an eyebrow. "My coat?"
"Alphonse needs it."
Figuring out the reason, Roy let go of Riza's hand and immediately proceeded to take off the black coat he was carrying and then give it a few taps trying to get off whatever traces of dust it must have despite the fact that he couldn't be sure he was doing it right. When he had finished, he extended it to Riza, who took it gratefully.
Leaving the coat on her left arm, Riza placed her right hand on Roy's forearm to guide him. "We have to hand it over to him." To Riza's surprise, Roy made no attempt to walk along with her. "Something wrong, Colonel?" She asked as she looked into his face, noticing the expression of discomfort, regret and concern on his features.
"I'd better stay here. I wouldn't want to spoil Fullmetal's moment." He said in a neutral tone but with a slight note of sadness that Riza could perceive.
Though a bit unsure, Riza said. "I don't think Edward would mind if you approached, Sir. In fact almost everyone is surrounding them now."
"The others have earned the right to share that joy with them. Even the boys' father." Roy said bitterly.
"Roy..." Riza dropped the formalities for a moment. "You have every right to be near Edward. You've protected him all this time." In a whisper, she added. "Even when you didn't even know he was our son. You deserve him far more than I do."
Roy slowly shook his head. "You've worked hard to earn his affection. Instead I've simply spent my time annoying him for as long as I've known him and disappointing him when the opportunity arises." He said bitterly as he recalled the incidents with Second Lieutenant Ross and Envy.
"But, Roy-"
He interrupted her. "It's the facts, Riza." Pulling Riza's hand away from his forearm, he continued. "Go with them. Alphonse needs the coat, so don't keep him waiting any longer." Sensing Riza's hesitation, he insisted. "You go, Riza. I'll wait here... please do it."
Riza felt sad and guilty for Roy's dejected state but also understood that he wanted to support, at least in that way, the boys. In a voice slightly weak from the emotions that filled her, she said. "I'll be right back."
Roy just nodded and Riza walked over to where the boys were. Alphonse was still lying on the ground being covered sideways by a few debris and, on the other side, by the bodies of Ed, Hohenheim and Izumi to preserve his privacy, although this didn't stop several people from surrounding them, smiling and some letting out a couple of tears of joy.
Although her intentions were good, Riza advanced with slightly hesitant steps. She felt bad about leaving Roy behind when they should both be able to enjoy the closeness and joy of their son and she was also worried about intervening in something that did not concern her. Even if Edward treated her kindly unlike how he treated Roy, she still feared that the boy didn't really want her in his life. So many were her nerves that there was a moment when she staggered and her vision blurred for a moment. Not wanting to let this stop her from making her delivery to Alphonse, Riza shook her head slightly and continued walking her way through the crowd until she was just a few steps away from where the Elrics were.
Taking a deep breath to control her heart, which was beating intensely, Riza took a step closer and squatted down to be at the height of those closest to Alphonse. It was at that moment that Ed and Hohenheim noticed her. They both gave her a smile.
Reciprocating their smile, Riza extended a little the coat she was holding and asked. "May I?"
Ed continued to smile as his eyes sparkled with the happiness he was feeling at having his younger brother back. "Of course. Thank you!"
Carefully, Riza leaned over Al a little and placed the coat over his body trying to cover him as best she could. When she was done, on instinct, she ran a hand over the boy's face to push aside a lock of hair that the air had caused to cover the eye that wasn't protected by his long bangs.
Realizing what she did, Riza quickly stood up and turned around to go back to where Roy was. It's not my place. What was I thinking? Riza turned around so quickly that she failed to notice the look of confusion and a bit of sadness that Ed gave her.
As soon as she returned to Roy's side and placed her hand on his forearm to let him know of her presence, he asked. "How is he?"
The smile that had disappeared a few moments ago as she reproached herself for taking certain liberties returned. "He's fine. He's very thin and his hair has almost no shine but, despite being asleep, he has a huge smile on his face."
Despite his own pain, Roy smiled, "I'm glad. Those two deserve to be very happy."
"Definitely." Riza concurred as she kept her gaze on the Elric's scene that was happening a few feet from where she and Roy were standing.
Now being covered, the people around them moved closer, with the little May Chang standing out who immediately moved to Alphonse's side waiting for him to wake up. After a few minutes, Ed seemed concerned as he noticed that his brother was not waking up so he began to call him softly. After a couple of attempts, Alphonse finally opened his eyes and everything seemed to freeze for a moment. Everyone around him stared at him while Al made a brief visual tour of the people around him.
The silence was interrupted when May pounced on him to hug him while giving vent to her tears. That was enough to make everyone else smile again and laugh a little at the scene. Riza and Roy couldn't exactly hear what they were talking about but Riza felt reassured because it was undeniably an atmosphere of complete joy.
Soon after Hohenheim offered his hand to Al and Al flinched a little in surprise at the human contact after so many years of being trapped in armor. Riza looked fondly at Al thinking how much he must be enjoying that simple gesture. She was telling Roy what was going on but preferred to omit that moment to spare him more pain. She was almost certain that Roy had already figured out that Hohenheim was Alphonse's father and... the man Edward had called 'Dad'.
At that moment a man practically as big as Major Armstrong approached. Seeing who he was addressing and the relieved expression on his face, Riza assumed it was the husband of the boys' sensei. Despite his gruff and serious appearance, the man carried Alphonse to hug him as he wept with happiness at seeing him back in his original body.
As she watched all this, the conflict of emotions that Riza was feeling was overwhelmingly unleashed. The pain and guilt Roy was suffering, the pain and disappointment she indirectly caused her son by not having the courage to share the truth with Roy, and the very pain and insecurity she felt regarding her relationship with both of them were eating her up inside. But on the other hand, Edward's huge smile and the occasional tears of happiness that escaped from his golden eyes were a balm to her soul. What she had always wished for all along was her son's happiness and, right now, she could witness the greatest and purest joy she had seen him enjoy in all the time since she had reencountered him. Watching Edward in these moments filled her with a warmth that struggled to take over the full power of her emotions but was difficult to achieve. There were still many matters to be settled and clarified and, most likely, these would not end the way she selfishly wished.
The whirlwind of emotions must have been so much that, from one moment to the next, Riza's vision again became blurred. She was barely able to bring a hand up to her eyes with the intention of rubbing them when her vision went completely black and her mind lost awareness of everything going on around her.
"Lieutenant!"