Chapter Text
It had been a few years since the Promised Day, and Edward Elric, now 22, couldn’t be happier. He’s married to the love of his life, has a couple of kids who take after both him and Winry, and he’s still got his alchemy. He still has his metal limbs, but he’s started learning about automail now! He can actually take care of his limbs and do maintenance on his own without managing to fuck something up!
Then, as usual, Truth throws a goddamn wrench in the middle of it.
Ed was playing with his kids, Maes and Nina. His eyes were covered with a blindfold and he stumbled around the yard, trying (and failing miserably) to catch one or both of the kids. They ran around, playing tricks as they went. Ed normally managed to get one of them, but they’d gotten better at dodging and climbing out of his way just in time.
“Ed!” a voice called, prompting Ed to stop his chase and pull the blindfold off one of his eyes. There, covered in oil and wearing her signature tan jumpsuit and black tube top, stood his wonderful wife: Winry. She was holding a letter in her hand, blue eyes meeting Ed’s golden ones. “There’s a letter here from Central for you.”
“Central? What could they want now?” Edward called back, pulling off the blindfold and spouting promises of continuing the game once he was done with the letter.
“I don’t know, but don’t go leaving without telling Alphonse first like the last time this happened,” Winry scolded, tossing the letter to Ed without another second thought. He caught it easily, the rough paper meeting flesh.
“Hey, it’s not my fault it was an emergency!”
“Right. Read your letter, alchemy freak,” Winry teased.
“Gearhead!” Ed called back, sitting on the green grass in the shade of the tree they planted five years ago. It tickled his ankle, and he ignored it in favor of the letter in his hand. The front of the letter had minimal detail; his name and rank, a few stamps, and the date it left Central: the 19th of August.
Ed flipped it over, quickly transmuting his right hand into a little letter opener. The top of the letter tore easily, allowing him to transmute his arm back to normal quite quickly. There, stamped right on the top, read Brigadier-General Roy Mustang.
Great, what does this bastard want? Ed thought, opening the tri-folded paper at long last, the letter crinkling slightly under the force of his hands.
Dear Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Elric,
Myself and Fuhrer Grumman apologize for the intrusion during your time off, but it is imperative that you receive this notice as soon as possible. There is a mission that requires your expertise, as you do have the most experience fighting off those who perceive themself to be a God. It also requires a long distance standpoint for quite some time.
As you know, Amestris is beginning to open its borders once more, and with that comes creating and maintaining relationships with outside countries. A few such countries are England and Scotland.
Albus Dumbledore has sent a letter asking for our assistance, and myself and our Fuhrer would feel it best to send you on this mission.
Please arrange for a train to Central Command as soon as you can. Of course, this can wait for your week off to end, but the sooner you get here the better. Then, you will receive the details and time frame for this mission.
Regards,
Brigadier-General Roy Mustang
P.S., bring your wand with you.
“Daddy, daddy! What are you reading?” a voice piped up. Nina, his mind supplied.
“Just a letter from Uncle Roy and our Fuhrer President. I’m gonna be leaving again soon,” Edward replied, setting the letter aside and pulling Nina into his lap. He looked around, attempting to find Maes, only to have a dark cloth shoved over his eyes.
“Letters can wait! You said you would finish our game when you were done!” Maes protested. Edward snickered. The two either hadn't cared for his words or didn't know that he said them. He would tell them again later, and hope that they wouldn't be too upset at him needing to leave at the beginning of his time off.
“Alright, alright!” Ed called, trying his hardest to sound annoyed but ended up amused in the end.
Edward stood up, nearly falling over at the tilt of the land, but catching his balance nonetheless. He counted to five before he gave chase again.
***
“What do you mean you’re going to Central? You have the week off, don’t you brother?” Alphonse close-to-shrieked. Ed cringed away from the phone at his ear, taking the time to let the ringing die down before he responded.
“Yeah. The Bastard wants me to come in for a mission, apparently I’m going out of the continent,” Ed replied. He used his shoulder to hold the phone at his ear so that he could take the elastic holding his braid together out of his hair. The hairstyle had gotten quite messy, golden strands flying every which way. He’d gotten annoyed at it before long. So he took it out, brushed his fingers through the golden locks, tying it into a ponytail before leaving it at that.
“Out of the continent? Wow… that’s far. Any ideas where you’ll be going?” Al asked, voice much quieter than his first questions.
“Based on the letter, I think I’m going to England? I’m not too sure beyond that. The only other thing I know right now is that someone named Albus Dumbledore sent for someone in Amestris and that I should bring my wand. I’m learning everything else when I get to Central.”
“Your wand? Wow, it must be really serious for that…” Al whispered. Ed almost didn’t hear him.
“Yeah. I’m going to brush up on some magic before I get to Central. Hopefully.”
A sigh made its way to Edward’s ears. He thought that Al had hung up before he finally spoke.
”Brother, be careful. I can’t do much to help you since I’m going across the desert tomorrow. You will send letters, won’t you?”
“Of course I will, Al. Who do you take me for?” Edward grinned. He said some quick goodbyes, then put the phone back down. He sighed, dragging a hand over his face, then went into the kitchen.
“Need any help, Win?” Edward asked, picking up Nina as she dashed around the corner of the center island. Nina giggled, quickly grabbed hold of Ed’s black tank top. Winry looked up, dressed in a white shirt and blue skirt rather than her jumpsuit and tube top.
“No, I’ll be alright. I’m just about done anyway. How is Al?” Winry asked, tapping her wooden spoon on the side of a silver saucepan filled with a decadent tomato sauce.
“He’s fine, crossing the desert to Xing tomorrow,” Ed explained, setting Nina down for her to go chase after Maes.
“And when do you leave?”
“The next train to Central leaves in an hour. I’ll be staying the night at the dorms before reporting at 0800. I’ve already got the uniform packed, as well as some overnight clothes and my maintenance tools. Y’know, I’ve never traveled with that many items before I learned how to make automail.”
“Oh, boo hoo, you asked to learn.”
“That I did.”
Edward and Winry fell into a comfortable silence, with Edward moving to drain the pasta for Winry despite her claims of needing no help. Maes and Nina dashed about, shrieking playfully and doing their best to stay out of their parents’ way. Their little family just worked like that. Like a dance that only years of practice could allow one to provide good results. Within the minute, Edward was serving pasta and sauce to the table. He sat at his usual spot, nearest to the living room across from Winry and next to Maes.
“Right. Maes, Nina! It’s time for dinner!” Winry called, settling down as well. The kids came running, claiming their seats easily. Dinner was a simple but familiar routine, where talks of schooldays or alchemy reactions were a usual topic at the table between the kids. Edward and Winry joined in sometimes, but usually focused on the automail deliveries due soon.
Edward always loved Winry’s cooking. It was something he relished every time, and he slowed down his chewing when he ate it. Still, he was the fastest eater, and then it came time to break the news.
“Okay. Maes, Nina, you know how I’m some super important person in Amestris and stuff, right?” Edward began, watching both of the children nod before continuing with,“and how sometimes I need to go away for a while?” Both nodded again. Ed tapped his fork against the bowl, searching for the right words to say. “Well, I have to go away again, and I don’t know for how long.”
Nina made an ‘aw’ sound, sinking where she sat while Maes only crossed his arms.
“But you said that we’d have all week to do alchemy together!” Maes protested.
“I know, Maes, but this is from Uncle Roy and the Fuhrer, so I can’t ignore it. As soon as I come back home, we can spend all the time in the world together, okay?”
Maes huffed, looking away in anger and what seemed to be sadness. Edward sighed slightly, looking around for anything that could be of use to him in that situation. Then he saw a pebble sitting near the table leg. He bent over in his seat, grabbing the small pebble that was surely tracked in by Den. A small flash of light, and the pebble was transmuted into a small bird. Ed grinned, placing the stone bird on Maes’s head.
“I’m sure that Winry would be happy to supervise you turning this bird back into a pebble and then into a bird again,” Edward compromised. Maes picked it off of his hair, trying, still, to look angry. A small little uptick in the boy’s lips told Edward a different tale. The kid was happy with that arrangement. He ruffled the kid’s hair, standing up with his bowl. He had some time before he left.
He grabbed the other three bowls, turning on the tap. The water was warm against his skin, and he took his time washing the bowls and silverware. Even then, it was still too quick.
Ed dried his hands on a nearby kitchen towel before ascending the stairs. His suitcase was in the same place he left it at: just outside of his room in the hallway. It was gray and one of the handles was broken, but it was perfect nonetheless. He stepped into his room, changing into a simple, short-sleeved white shirt, a pair of grey chino pants, and a light red jacket.
He stepped back out, grabbing his suitcase and trudging back downstairs to the living room. He set his suitcase at the door, a quick double check confirming that he had everything he needed. Then he looked back at the room. Winry was still at the table, looking at an order form, and the kids were playing on the grey carpet of the living room in front of the brown leather couch.
“I’m leaving,” Edward called, laughing when Nina and Maes jumped from their seats and barrolled into him. He gave them both tight hugs, each lasting an impossibly short time but long time, before standing to meet Winry.
Edward pulled her close, breathing in the scent of her hair one last time: apples and cinnamon from every pie she baked when Alphonse visited.
“Be safe,” Winry whispered, hugging him ever so slightly tighter before letting go.
“I will,” He assured, smiling. He twisted the front door open, closing it behind him with a click. A small breeze ruffled through his hair, and although it was pulled up, it still managed to get in his face. The sun was just starting to set, and it wasn’t unusual for him to travel at dusk and night.
Edward pulled his hair out of his face with a sigh, wincing when it pulled in the joins of his fingers, and stared at the town before him. They lived in Resembool, something Ed was still incredibly happy about years later. The rolling hills filled with lush green grass filled him with happiness, and here he was, leaving it all behind.
Don’t think like that, he told himself, taking the first step off of the oak deck. The trek to the station was longer than any other trek, seeing as he lived pretty far away. Still, it gave him time to enjoy his surroundings. He took his time, waving at his neighbors and definitely not getting into a verbal fight with a sheep. The road underneath his feet slowly shifted from super rocky and gritty to smoother—and much dustier—dirt.
Ed looked back one final time. The sunset cast a golden glow on the land, and even though his house was far away, the lighter yellow deepened to a bolder yellow in the sun rays.
Goodbye, his mind murmured. He turned back around to continue his walk. His journey wasn’t quite over yet.
As he walked, Edward briefly wondered who would be at Central Station to see him to the dorms. There was a conflict going on at Central, one he didn’t know much about, and he knew there was no way he would be allowed to the dorms on his own accord.
He had a habit of attracting trouble. He was a ‘trouble magnet’ according to basically everyone he knows.
The train station was in his view. It was a rickety old thing, a brick ticket area with two probably-old-and-about-to-collapse wooden benches. Five minutes later, he was standing at the ticket booth addressing the attendant.
“Hello, I’m Lieutenant Colonel Elric, I believe there’s a train departing to East City with a connection to Central, right?” Edward asked the attendant, quickly flashing his pocket watch to reassure that he was in the military despite everyone in Resembool knowing he was.
“That would be correct Edward! I take it you’ll be leaving on the train?” the attendant asked, dark brown eyes scanning the man for any visible weapons. Not that he would have any, given he used mostly alchemy. He did carry a gun on him though, one from Hawkeye. Ed didn’t think he would ever get rid of it.
“That’s right. I’ve only got the one bag with me, it has automail tools and some clothes, but that’s about it. Anything you need to check or can I get on?”
“Nope, nothing to check! Here’s a ticket for your train. There is a transfer at East City, but that would be it.”
Edward smiled, taking the paper carefully. It had all of the details on it, even if it was just his name and time of departure.
“Thank you,” he finished, a soft smile directed her way before Ed got onto the train. He found the nearest empty compartment, one with a door but no table and wooden seats. He shoved his suitcase up above into the net holders before fishing his wand out of his pocket and taking a seat. He stared at the thing, a frown hardening on his face. He doesn’t ever really use magic. It doesn’t follow the law of Equivalent Exchange, doesn’t follow the words all is one and one is all. It was strange to him. This really was a serious case.
It had truly been ages since Ed used his wand. He didn’t even remember the last time he used the appropriate oils and creams for it. He barely remembered to pack them in the first place. They were trapped in the side pocket of his suitcase, easily accessable if he ever needed them. Which he did. So he pulled them out, assorting them on his lap and opening each one a piece at a time.
A single cloth was dipped into each product, and then the process was well underway. He took a shockingly long time with each item, rubbing it in and allowing the wand to return to its original glory. It was a beautiful blackthorn wood, 11 inches long, with a thestral tail hair core. Not that he knew what a thestral was. It was some kind of horse… he thinks.
Edward sighed, putting away the various creams and oils. The cloth he used simply got shoved into his pocket to be tossed later. The oil never went away from the cloth, unlike most other oils that he was familiar with that usually washed away after a meticulous rinse and wash. This oil only persisted, rendering the cloth basically useless to him since he almost never used his wand. He learned to buy disposable cloth, using a small square each time he even remembered to do wand care.
Ed continued holding his wand, intent on putting it into his jacket pocket after a few quick spells. Normally it would go into his uniform wand holder, custom tailored to him and his wand, but he wasn’t about to wear that stuffy old thing on a train.
He poised his wand, intent on casting a spell… but he hesitated. He glanced out into the hallway, closing the door before looking back at his hands. There were very few magic users in Amestris, maybe a total of three or four. Al was one of them, and there were some inconspicuous people that were too old to remember it. So, it was just Ed and Al.
Legend had it that Xerxes was where the magic in Amestris and the surrounding countries came from. It didn’t mix well with other cultures, and most people who married into Xerxes blood and had children had squibs. The few that obtained magic learned how to use it immediately, but it never got passed to children. The combination of a low population and a high risk of being a squib at birth killed it off. When the entire ordeal with the philosopher's stone happened, the magic population in his world diminished even more. Ed doesn’t feel sad, and he doesn’t consider magic a huge advancement really. It was just a shortcut to life, and taking shortcuts in life almost always burned you.
Anyhow, it was still just Ed and Al left. Magic was hard to come by in Amestris, let along every other country in his world, and most people didn’t like to see it.
A small knock on the door drew Edward’s attention. He opened it to find the conductor, an old, grey-haired man. He was doing his job, collecting all of the tickets. Ed gave his up with a smile, and then he was alone again.
The train shifted, a whistle alerting those around it that the travel was beginning. Every time it happened, Ed found that he was just a little bit more used to it. He remembered the first time the train jerked into motion.
Edward was arguing with Alphonse over something stupid. Something about alchemy, as is with the brothers, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be stupid. It was their first time leaving Resembool ever to get to Central City so that Ed could take his exam to become a State Alchemist. He didn’t read up on the train, that was down Winry’s alley, so he didn’t know how they worked.
Then it jerked. Badly. Edward didn’t brace himself, nearly flying off the seat. Had he not caught himself, he would’ve crashed into the one right in front of him.
“What the hell was that?” he yelled- well, not yelled per se, but it was loud- while glaring at nothing in particular.
“It must’ve been the train,” Alphonse commented, eyes betraying no emotion. Just another reminder of how Ed messed up…
Edward shook his head with a sigh, glancing out the window. The station was slowly moving out of his field of vision, a small chug chug reaching his ears as the train moved faster and faster. Before long, the trees and fields of Resembool were whisking past in a blur and he was leaving his home behind for however long.
He looked at his wand again. He hated using magic, but he didn’t want to put it aside and embarrass himself when he inevitably would be asked about it in Mustang’s office. A small flick and a bouquet of flowers popped out. Orchideous. Another flick and a small jet of water was set loose. Aquamenti. Another wave, and the hot-air charm made the floor and seat in front of him dry once more.
Then it came time for the single spell he wasn’t comfortable doing nonverbally.
“Expecto Patronum,” Ed whispered, blue light shimmering from the tip of his wand and taking the shape of a crow. He smiled, knowing that it really was a reflection of himself. Crows were smart, incredibly loyal, and (according to Mustang) incredibly annoying. Ed didn’t think so, they were rather conversational in his mind.
His patronus fluttered about his compartment before disappearing into blue shimmers that slowly faded away. Edward sighed softly, pocketing the wand and taking a glance out of the window. The sky was darker now, more of a rich midnight blue with traces of orange along the horizon.
The sight washed a wave of calm over Ed. He sighed contentedly, sinking in his chair just a little bit.
He tried not to fall asleep, really he tried. He kept blinking his eyes awake, each time the sky a little bit darker. Alas, consciousness and train rides don’t mix in his mind.
He was asleep not even five minutes later, fighting through a fitful sleep.