DISCLAIMER: Fullmetal Alchemist does not belong to me.

*This is the first thing I write about FMA since I got into the fandom recently. English is not my first language and I hadn't written any fiction in English, so please, if you see any mistakes, do not hesitate to let me know so I can correct them.

1

Determination

He had to reconsider his plans of departing soon to the East on the advice of his family and acquaintances: his brother and surrogate grandmother were worried about him exposing to such a strenuous journey through the desert. The chances of survival and successful completion for healthy people were already low, let alone for a boy whose body had suffered years of starvation and consequently severe health issues. The princess, his friend, despite showing excitement for his intended visit to her country and a willingness to work with him, stated that he would have to study the language beforehand, at least to a basic level. A vast majority of Xingese did not speak Amestrian at all, and traditional teachers were not patient nor gentle with foreigners.

There was no chance to see friends off. Due to the critical condition their bodies were in, all the brothers got was a brief and restricted visit by the far eastern group. An interchange of addresses—attempting to ignore the fact that they might not see nor contact each other again—, words of gratitude and encouragement, and that was it. The Elrics and the people who fought that day would spend a while under close medical care.

Alphonse's process was, by far, the longest and most difficult of all. He learned when the Armstrongs, the Colonel, the Lieutenant, the chimeras, and everybody involved was discharged. Even his father, who, once healthy, showed intentions to stay with his sons. However, Hohenheim understood, from Edward's attitude, that his continuous presence with them would not be wise nor comfortable.

It was Edward the one who never left Alphonse's side. Even when he himself was severely injured, he insisted on being with his younger brother to make sure of his progress. It was not only his guilt of the failed transmutation and bringing his young body to that pitiful state, but also the uncertainty of his survival given that severe emaciation.

Bedridden, stuck to a liquid diet, barely able to turn over and subject to multiple injections a day, not only the youngest Elric was restrained in a body he and his brother had been searching for years. He was also prey to baffling nightmares, hallucinations, abrupt losses of consciousness, and difficulty in remembering things that happened during the journeys with his brother. During these lapses, Edward would sit on the edge of the bed and hold his hand in an attempt to make Alphonse feel safe and supported. Even being such a reckless youngster, the older brother knew when to cheer the younger one, and when it was best to stay quiet and hold him.

It was the memory of those endless months of convalescence that made Edward worry about his brother's decision to go to the east as soon as possible. He understood his urge to travel and live as many experiences as he could, since the former state alchemist had already decided to study in the West. However, communications between Amestris and the East were still limited, and the connection projects were still drafts. Führer Grumman and the Crown Prince, on behalf of the Emperor of Xing due to his frail state, had just opened a trade route through Aerugo and the south sea. It was the beginning of a promise to a profitable exchange between Amestris and the eastern country.

Determined to prepare himself for his journey, Alphonse took into account Mei's words and chose to start learning Xingese. In East City, the closest urban area to his hometown, he found little linguistic and instructional material that could help him. He didn't feel like going all the way to Central, so he had some books delivered to the Rockbell house by some renowned bookstores.

Once the brothers felt ready, Alphonse would be the first one to depart. Deep down, he trusted his absence would give his older brother the space and courage to acknowledge his feelings and talk about them with the girl they grew up with.

oOo

―You sure you don't wanna wait for an eastern railway line to be ready? I've heard it's in the Führer's agenda.―Pinako told him with a concerned tone.

Alphonse smiled reassuringly.

―We don't know if that will start tomorrow, next month or next year. What if they start building it in ten years? I'm not going to wait that long.

―You just make sure to call home whenever you get the chance, okay?―his brother said, smiling―There's got to be a phone in each station. So let us know about all of your layovers, huh?

―Ed, he's going to spend too much money on phone calls.―Winry talked back and then immediately addressed to Alphonse―You just call us once a day so we get to know you're okay. Don't forget to write as soon as you get to Xing, understand?

The first announcement of the train to Aerugo echoed in the station.

Pinako wished him the best of luck and reminded him that he could get back home whenever he wanted to.

Winry took a package wrapped in cloth out of a basket and gave it to him.

―When you get hungry during the trip…

The boy gasped out of joy when he noticed the smell of apple pie.

―You didn't have to! Thanks a bunch!

―I can't believe you will cross the sea! I want you to tell me what is it like!

He smiled at her and nodded.

Then, his brother came closer to him.

―You just take care, okay? Don't get in trouble.

―You're not coming with me, so most likely I won't get into bigger trouble than the ones you got me in.

Edward scoffed.

They bumped fists. Then, they bumped elbows and patted each other's shoulder as Alphonse turned around to walk towards the platform.

The Rockbells and the older brother waved him goodbye when they spotted him in his seat. He waved back at them, smiling. Soon after the train started moving, Winry and Pinako got tired and lowered their arms. Edward, however, not only waved even harder, but ran along the platform so as not to lose sight of Alphonse, until the train outran him and went away.

oOo

He met with Jerso and Zampano at the South City station. From there, they headed together to the southernmost city of Amestris connected by train and took a tram to the checkpoint. The Amestrian police and soldiers checked their passports and jackets, acting somehow lenient after noticing the Elric surname in the documents. In the Aerugonian side, however, they got thoroughly searched and questioned. Their ID photos were constantly checked to confirm if they were the persons they claimed to be; they even had to take their shoes off and open their luggage. The process, which seemed endless for the young alchemist and former militaries, ended up with the confiscation of personal items such as straight razors, nail clippers, a lighter and a hip flask. Alphonse's medication was almost confiscated, too, but he showed his prescription and bargained speaking a mixture of Amestrian and very broken Aerugonian.

The first train they took, in a noisy and narrow station, was full of people with work attires and uniforms; people carrying heavy packaged goods, cases full of documents, lunch boxes. Some of them avoided interaction by reading the newspaper; some others simply slept with the newspaper on their face to block the light. The boy, however tired, kept looking out the window, curious to find out if the countryside in Aerugo would look different from the countryside in which he grew up.

Hours later in the train, the former militaries couldn't help but chuckle about Alphonse's look. He fell asleep with his face leaning next to the window. His jaw was wide open, part of his hair was upright and entangled, and his left leg was extended to the front, almost in the personal space of his companions. Zampano tapped the tip of the boy's foot with his own foot in a subtle attempt to wake him up when he noticed a middle-aged woman selling snacks, approaching. Not that the food or service were that good at the train, but he and his friend were hungry, and they supposed the young one would need something to eat.

―Hey… hey, Al…

A sharp move of the train made his head bump into the wall and woke him up.

―You okay, buddy? You want something?―Zampano asked him in an amused tone.

Alphonse yawned covering his mouth, unable to talk immediately, while Jerso took some money out of his pocket and bought snacks for the three of them.

―I can't believe it's already afternoon. Did we pass by any landmarks?―The boy asked.

―I woke up an hour ago.―Jerso answered, shrugging and chewing.

―I've been sleeping and waking up every now and then. Only sheep, cows and plantations out that window. You didn't miss anything.

Alphonse smiled. Deep down, he disagreed with Zampano's answer: he was in a whole new place for him and was willing to see the slightest detail of it, specially since he was just passing through that country and didn't know if he would be there again.

At night, the train stopped in what seemed to be a textile town. Given the hour and their tiredness, all they did was look for an inn to have dinner and rest.

Alphonse went to an old phone, one of the only three that were near the front desk area. He took some coins and dialed long distance.

―Rockbell Automail.

―Granny, it's me.

―Al, thank goodness. Where are you now?

The young Elric attempted to ask the name of the town with his limited language skills, but he didn't understand the answer he got, no matter how many times the clerk repeated.

―I… I'm still north of Aerugo. I just had dinner. How's my brother and Winry?

―He's upstairs, reading.

―Hey!―A distant voice and quick steps were heard through the phone.

―Here he comes. Hold on.

―Yo! How's everything going?

―It's all right. I've been sitting all day long.

―You in Aerugo? Is it hot? You're gonna get all tanned and all. Careful with the ladies.―Edward teased his brother, trying to conceal the fact that he already missed him.

―It's humid, yeah.―The young one smiled―So, when are you going to talk to Winry?

―Uh…

Edward seemed to be about to give an explanation, but he remained silent. Alphonse was not surprised.

―Listen, I gotta go now. I need to sleep. We're taking the next train first thing in the morning. Take care.

The next morning they woke up a little later than agreed and barely had time to get prepared. They ran to the station and, panting, abruptly stopped behind the platform line. Less than a minute later, the train doors opened. It was still dark, but the next train would depart three hours later, and Alphonse was not willing to delay his itinerary.

Luckily, there were very few people in that train given the hour and route. The train car they were in was practically empty; it was just the three of them, so the Amestrians were free to be at ease. After a light breakfast and a nap to recover the lost sleep, they played cards. The game finished gradually with the hours of the morning and they ended up chatting and laughing, telling stories and their plans on the East.

They spent the whole day crossing Aerugo and, as they headed south, Alphonse wrote in a travelogue details of what he saw. Not only did he enjoy rural and natural landscapes, but as the train went through big cities and the capital, he was delighted by the architecture, urban transportation, and the people's disposition. Aerugonians seemed to be much more open and talkative than Amestrians: most houses decorated with flowering plants and painted in bright colors, unlike in his country.

After spending the night in a city 400 miles away from the coast and boarding a last train the next morning, the three Amestrians arrived in an important port where they had some time to spare before their ship's departure. They had a taste of Aerugonian seafood and bought medicine and personal care items, since their razors were taken in the north border and they didn't want to look unkempt on arrival in Xing.

Once on board the ship and upon leaving his stuff in the cabin, Alphonse rushed to the top deck and, amazed, walked to the railing and stood there. The wind in his hair and clothes, eyes narrowed by the daylight and mouth wide open, he stared delighted the vastness before him, sky and sea, which he thought of as two realms only separated by the line where the shades of blue diverged.

During the early afternoon, once in open sea, Zampano and Jerso chatted and enjoyed the sunlight while the boy, feet away from them, looked down the hull and noticed a large school of flying fish, fluttering. Alphonse leaned over the railing to take a better look of them and the deep waters he was navigating. Later on, in the distance, he spotted dolphins. Pelicans and seagulls flew above the ship and, following their path with his eyes, he turned around and looked back at the point from which it sailed, now vanished in the horizon. A tear crossed his cheekbone. That innocence and sense of wonder reminded his travel companions of their own children, moving them.

oOo

The Xingese harbor where they set foot in land for the first time in days was a bustle of vessels, rickshaws and loud talk that, in addition to their seasickness, left the three Amestrians dazed and indisposed to walk long distances. The midday light worsened their discomfort, and Alphonse had to call to mind his self-taught language lessons and look for a way to get to the train station. Needless to say that three considerably tall, unusual-looking, tired foreigners would be easy prey to cunning drivers.

They got on the cab that charged them the less among the other options presented to them as a swarm. Still, in front of the station, the driver charged them more than agreed, claiming the routes he had to take in order to get them fast and the weight of three big men and their suitcases. Alphonse's shortness of vocabulary and Jerso and Zampano's total ignorance of the language led to an unintelligible quarrel in overlapped Amestrian and Xingese. The altercation drew the attention of bystanders and ended up with the foreigners paying reluctantly the final demanded amount. Jerso was about to spit his chimeric saliva to the driver but was stopped by Alphonse.

oOo

The route to the capital of Xing took them through places that not only enthralled the already curious alchemist, but also delighted the grown men with him. The stunning look of lightning in the distance in the southern area near the desert, they had never seen that kind of thunderstorms. Numerous rice terraces extending in sequences that seemed infinite; rivers reflecting surrounding peaks covered in green; a thick emerald forest where the silence seemed sacred; hills that seemed painted with watercolors in various shades of yellow, red and green; plantation fields; busy towns. Bluish, gray mountains imposing as they approached the capital city.

Never in his life had the boy seen so many people concentrated in one place. When Alphonse and his travel companions arrived at the main station they were easily stepped on and bumped into by the passers-by, not without a curious peek. Not every day did they see people with those Amestrians' physical traits and clothing. Besides, they looked unkempt, since they hadn't had the chance to shave since their last morning in the Aerugonian ship.

The place was so big they got easily lost amid the swarm of people and the overwhelming amount of hallways, waiting areas and sigs they didn't understand. They decided it would be better to go first to the restrooms, which were in an upper floor. The young one remembered reading once in his books that performing personal care activities in public, such as combing or shaving, was seen as very bad taste in Xing, so they went very quickly.

Once done, walking down the wide stairs along with many other users, Alphonse felt weak due to a drop in his blood pressure. The changes in altitude and the eating habits he had been leading during such a long trip affected his health, and he fainted. People near him stepped aside, most of them continuing on their way. Zampano and Jerso ran to their friend, turning him over to see if he was awake or injured.

—Al! Hey, Al!—Jerso shouted, gently slapping the boy's face.

Alphonse's head had hit the edge of a stair, causing him a laceration on his forehead and a black eye. Zampano held him and softly shook him.

—He's passed out, go get help.—He told Jerso.

—They won't understand a word, lemme just…

—Go get help! We don't know if he still has any condition.

—I don't know how to! I better go get water to splash his face and wash that blood.

Three security guards came running, alerted by one witness of Alphonse's fall down the stairs. Their first impression was that of an innocent looking youngster waking up disoriented and bleeding, surrounded by two threatening-looking men with untidy stubble, one of then shaking him on the floor and patting his coat, the other one carrying his suitcase. Yelling, one of the guards asked something none of the Amestrians understood. He and the second guard proceeded to detain Jerso and Zampano, while the third guard helped Alphonse stand up and walk.

oOo

—Sir, are you here against your will?—The sheriff asked slowly and clear so that the young Amestrian could understand.—Were you kidnapped? Kidnap?

—Again, I was not abducted. I came here because I want.

His accent was strong, but he talked clear and was confident of his language use in that situation. Alphonse tried to explain time after time that he was in Xing willingly and that those two men were his friends, but none of the officers seemed to believe. The wound on his forehead had been washed and covered and he had been offered an ice pack for his eye. His companions were held in a cell.

The sheriff opened the boy's passport. He frowned a little, glanced at the Amestrian, and skimmed the document again. That surname may have been distant news once, but he was not sure.

—Do you want to go back home? Call anyone?

—Yes. I want to call the Seventeenth Royal Princess of Xing, Mei.

The sheriff and the officers in the room looked at each other in incredulity. Some of them grinned and sneered. They talked mockingly among them at fast pace and the sheriff tried to impose order.

—Sonny, home? You don't want to go home? Or do you need a lawyer?

Alphonse felt like the man was treating him like a stupid.

—Sir, I know my rights. I can resort to the help I need. And the help I choose is Her Highness, Princess Mei.

Silence in the room, skeptic faces.

—I met her, the Crown Prince Ling Yao and his bodyguards Lan Fan and the late Fu in Amestris. I'm Alphonse Elric, and I came here to study Alkahestry, science she masters.

One of the officers talked in a condescending tone and the sheriff mumbled, frustrated. He took the phone and dialed. Once he got an answer, he adopted a formal tone and, among the particulars, he mentioned the name Alphonse Elric, mispronouncing it. Minutes of silence. The conversation seemed to resume briefly, and the man hung up. His countenance seemed uncomfortable and wary. He had a secretary bring the Amestrian a cup of tea and offered him a forced smile. The officers in the room were in expectation. Minutes later, the sheriff called again.

—I am sorry for keeping you waiting, Mr. Elric.—The man in charge of the situation addressed the young Amestrian after hanging up—I contacted the relevant palace office and they talked to one of the Princess' assistants. She will be here in about two hours. In the meantime, the nurse will take care of you.

Alphonse smiled and sighed with relief.

—What about my friends?

—That's for the Princess to decide.

—They are hungry and tired by now.

The sheriff acted as if he hadn't heard that and handed Alphonse his passport back, then called the nurse and asked her to take the young man with her.

oOo

The distant fuss in the building woke him up from his shallow slumber. The bed was narrow and hard, but he was so tired and unwell that he surrendered to the cherished rest by the nurse's command. She saw him awake and made a gesture, indicating that he should get out of bed. The door was opened. The nurse bowed down and, with a glance, warned that he ought to do the same.

He saw her: a shining maiden, ravishing, small in build, taller than the last time they talked, her little panda on her shoulder. Dressed in a light blue cheongsam, her hair tied in two buns with braids, she seemed to personify the morning sky. The princess stared at him, first in disbelief; then, after asking him and the nurse to stop bowing and scrutinizing his face, she recognized him and gasped.

—Sir Alphonse!—She took four steps forward in a reflex of greeting him like in the old days, but remembered the presence of her palace assistants and the officers and stopped suddenly, bowing slightly—I mean, Mr. Elric! Are you all right?

—I am! Don't worry, it was just a fall!

—I have to apologize for being so late. I was addressing issues when we received your call. After that, I had to get everything prepared for you and your friends. Where are they?

—Arrested, I'm afraid.

—Oh! Let's hurry, then. I'll explain later, but I wanted to make sure you're well received and comfortable, specially after this unfortunate misunderstanding.

An officer released Zampano and Jerso. When they were greeted by Mei, the man forced them to a bow, and escorted them out when she headed to the exit.

—It feels weird. Such a tiny girl we met in Amestris, now a fancy princess.

—Yes, man, she's royal family and all, remember?

The former militaries mumbled astonished once out of the police station, away from the group. Alphonse joined them then.

—Don't be surprised. She's in her country, she must follow a protocol. All we can do is adapt ourselves.

—Gentlemen!—The princess called them loudly, waving to draw their attention.

She invited them to get on the limousine with her. Once their luggage was in place and they got on the back seats, Mei asked the chauffeur to drive to the place where the Amestrians would stay.