Title: The Lost Heaven
Anime: FMA (character-Azmaria is borrowed from Chrono Crusade in chapter 1 only)
Disclaimer: I do not own any copyright to plots and characters from Fullmetal Alchemist and Chrono Crusade, so pls don't sue me!
Pairing: Ed/Al brotherly love
Summary: Post movie and OVA, Ed and Al went to live in the real world without their alchemist ability till year 2005. It was the end of the story after their lives ended in the real world, or wasn't it? Inspired after FMA OVA. Will continue if there are reviews.
Background theme: Brothers
Chapter 01: Life in Real World
Year 2005... Tokyo Japan
The leaves rustled in the cool autumn wind as a 100 year old man sat besides his balcony, looking at the photo of a younger, yet taller man standing next to his shorter elder brother. Edward Elric sighed deeply. Alphonse Elric had been admitted to the hospital a month ago due to heart stroke and his wife-Azmaria Hendric had went to accompany him. Edward had insisted on going but his automail leg was no longer as agile as in the past. Many problems had begun their demonstrations by emitting pains on his joints whenever the weather changed. Azmaria promised to call him if Al's illness became serious.
"We've finally found our way here!" Shouts of children entered his ears as he looked up. "A gift from grandpa Al... Errr.. nope, great-grandpa Al!" The children chanted and gathered around Edward, pulling their bags to him while the elder boy started bickering with the little girl again. Edward Elric smiled. The three children reminded him so much of himself, his younger brother-Alphonse Elric and his childhood friend-Winry Rockbell.
"Remember the fighting scene in the movie-Conqueror of Shamballa? I wish I can use alchemy!" The elder boy resembling younger version of Edward Elric told his younger brother.
"I like the fire alchemy, it's so impressive!" The younger boy resembling younger version of Alphonse Elric chipped and turned to Edward: "Have you watched the movie before, great grand pa Ed? It's great! I wonder how life is going to be like if we can all use alchemy. It must be pretty convenient because we can fix things simply by a clap of hands!"
"I don't think so, learning alchemy can bring loads of troubles, it's better if you don't know anything about alchemy at all, children." Edward gave a toothless sigh and looked out of the window, thinking of his long ago past.
82 years ago
On a fateful day, 13-year-old Alphonse Elric and 18-year-old Edward Elric went through the Gate of transmutation and ended up in the other world on the other side of the gate. Shortly after that, they destroyed the Gate and left the place with Noah. They rented an apartment in Berlin. Edward couldn't forget Al's joy and surprise to see their new home where they would live together.
After the funeral of Alphonse Heiderich, they formally lived in the apartment and made new friends who resembled Scar and Lust. It was confusing for many people to accept Alphonse Elric in the beginning because he resembled Alphonse Heiderich so much after he cut his hair short, but they eventually got used to it. Life without alchemy was hard and coupled with the Great Depression, the Elric brothers had to start everything from scratch. As time flew, Alphonse grew taller. To Edward's annoyance, he remained short as ever.
The Elric brothers' reunion did not last more than 5 years. Deeply curious with the other world, Al went deeply into his research on world history and travelled widely to several countries for his studies while Ed kept himself busy by concentrating in movie production with Fritz Lang. Throughout the time, Ed and Al kept in touch via mails. One day, Al told him that he was going to be married with an American girl-Azmaria Hendric and invited him to attend their wedding in New York.
There was a dull gloominess deep within Ed and he wrote to reject the invitation with an excuse that he was too busy. It seemed that Al had outgrown his dependence on his elder brother's company which saddened Ed whenever he was lying on bed wide awake in the dead of night.
A flash of time... World War II... Germany..
Due to his stubborn attitude, Fritz Lang refused to leave the country during the early sign for the start of war and paid deeply for the consequence when he was arrested and sent to the concentration camp. Equally stubborn, Ed hid a rifle and sneaked into the camp to rescue Fritz. As a result, he was locked up. From words of mouth, he learnt that Fritz Lang was killed before he had broke into the camp.
Two days before his execution, Al suddenly turned up at the cell with a frown. Despite his anxiety, Ed was amazed how tall Al was when he stood in front of his elder brother. At his age of 30, Al appeared as tall as their late father-Hohenheim.
"You are still as hot blooded as ever, nii-san." Al said with disapproval and passed some clothes to Ed: "Let's get out."
"Hey, wait, where are we going?" Ed questioned.
"Going out for some fresh air. I've my own way of doing things." Al said and pulled Ed outside the building. He took a bag of things and pulled Ed into a dark corner where there was a corpse lying on the ground with a few corpses in Nazi uniforms.
"Al!" Ed exclaimed, but was hushed by Al. He made Ed changed his clothes and tossed the prisoner clothes over the corpse. Al looked at the corpse, pulled his eyes away and went after Ed.
"Let's go." Al said softly. In the safety of the boat, Al suddenly whispered: "I don't like it, nii-san. Why do people kill one another just because they have different hair or skin colour? Why must people resort to conspiracy to destroy even to people closest to them?"
"Al, did you kill…" Al nodded numbly before Ed completed his sentence. He could see exhaustion deep in Al's eyes.
"That person was my ex-colleague when I was doing odd jobs shortly after we came to this world. He tried to sell me off to the concentration camp when I told him that I wanted to get you out of the prison. I killed him together with some Nazi soldiers."
"They are over there! Don't let them escape!" Some Nazi soldiers had reached the bank and started firing at the Elric brothers.
"Nii-san! Let me deal with them!" Al whispered, picked a rifle and pulled Ed behind him.
"Wait, Al…"
"Sorry, I'm taller than you, so I have a better advantage to aim the soldiers." Al lied, knowing Ed had better chance to escape death if he took cover behind the taller brother. Al suddenly hissed in pain. A bullet had cut into Al's chest.
"AL!!!!!" Ed shouted and clasped his younger brother to the ground of the sailing boat: "Don't die on me, Al! Damnit, I hate being short! Why can't I protect my younger brother?"
Al grinned and clasped his wound in pain. Ed had thought they were going to die, but they made it through the escape and reached U.S.A through several channels.
Year 1950...
Ed, Al and his wife migrated to Japan. Ed continued his career as movie producer and became famous. Al and Azmaria concentrated on their researches. Remembering their past, Al was especially interested in Geometry and anything that was connected to alchemy. Ed made a movie based on his last return to Amestris, named 'Conqueror of Shamballa'. Al had invited Ed to live with him and Azmaria, but he rejected. Through out the years, Al paid regular visits to Ed until his health deteriorated.
Present time
"Great-grandpa, are you listening to what we are saying?" The little girl resembling Winry pouted.
"Yes, yes, sorry, my mind was drifting away again." Ed smiled. He wondered how was Winry doing now….. her life without him and Al around her. She was probably married with many grand children by now. Somehow, he felt guilty for leaving her like that. But he had to do that to ensure no one could get through the transmutation gate. In this way, their world would be protected from the other world's invaders. He could not imagine what would happen if more of the Nazi soldiers made their way into Amestris.
A ring suddenly interrupted his thought.
"I'll go and get the phone!" The Ed-like boy jumped and took the receiver: "Hello, Elric residence!"
"Go and get your great grandpa Ed, it's URGENT!" Ed could identify Azmaria's panicking voice from the other side of the phone.
He stumbled to the phone and grabbed the receiver.
"Al's condition is deteriorating, doctor says that he might not be able to survive tonight!" Azmaria sobbed: "He wants to see you now."
The receiver fell onto the ground. Without a second thought, Ed grabbed his coat and walking stick and rushed out of the house with the three children.
Please don't let him die, please don't let him die yet, I've too many things to talk to you, Al! Ed silently prayed to any nameless gods he could think of as the cab took him and the kids to the hospital.
In the ICU, Al was gasping breathlessly under the oxygen mask.
"AL!!!!!!" Ed panted as he rushed to his younger brother's side: "Can you talk?"
"Nii-san…….," Al whispered and his wrinkled face broke into a boyish smile that Ed was used to: "Nice…. to see you drop by…. again."
"Al, damnit, don't you dare to leave me behind just because I did that to you more than 80 years ago!" Ed roared, ignoring the disapproved looks from the nearby nurses.
"We're even….. 70 years ago when I left….. you behind for my further study, remember….?" Al whispered with a brief pause each time for more air: "I was….. hoping that you can…… forgive me for that."
"Nah, you've saved my life during the war, we're quit." Ed grinned, feeling wet hotness threatening to leak out from his eyes.
"So…. glad to hear…… that, will you blame…… me for breaking my promise…….. to be with you forever…..?" Al struggled with his breath.
Ed took Al's veined hand and their fingers entwined tightly: "Not at all, little brother, not at all."
"Arigato…… and……… gomene sai……., nii-san……..." Al smiled peacefully and closed his eyes. His grip loosened.
Ed buried his face on Al's chest to muffle his cries as the nurses pulled the blanket over Al's head... In his mind eyes, Ed saw his 11-year-old-self doing alchemy practice with the 10-year-old Al.
Thank you for everything, nii-san... Al's voice seemed to echo in Ed's ears.
Owari