Hope [Open]

[Alphonse Elric]

Dark clouds that had long since shadowed the sun loomed over Dublith, the day had started out bright and cheery, the sun illuminating the sky in its familiar manner before the clouds had come rolling in. A flash of lightning, a loud rumble of thunder, and what had seemingly been the start of another beautiful calm day, had turned so quickly into something much dark and fierce. Alphonse sighed deeply as he watched the rain bouncing off of the pavement below from an upstairs window in the home of his Alchemy teacher Izumi Curtis. It had been a few months since he had arrived though he wasn’t exactly sure how many months, maybe three, or four, frankly he’d lost count after the first, and besides, there were better things to do than keep track of the months going by. Things hadn’t started out easy, Winry had been somewhat apprehensive about him going, and Granny had voiced her concerns too…and maybe he could understand that. He’d asked…practically begged his teacher to once again resume teaching him, as she had done once before, he needed to learn more, he wanted to learn more…for Ed.

Alphonse had awoken for the first time since he and Edward had tried to bring their mother back, and he’d found himself in Central, with a woman named Rose…frankly she seemed just as confused as he was about everything that was going on. She’d taken him home, home to Winry and Granny…and that had been a surprise in itself, Winry was older than he remembered…sixteen, but that had made little sense and he actually found himself fainting, much to everyone’s shock, but his reaction, at least according to Granny, was to be expected. Four years…he’d lost four years of memories, four years in which he had travelled with his brother all over Amestris, it was a lot to take in, but he’d tried his best to remain calm. Edward…his brother, had sacrificed himself to give him his body back…a body he didn’t remember losing. Apparently, he had once been a soul attached to a suit of armour, Edward’s attempt to save him when their attempt at human transmutation had gone awry…there was a certain level of bewilderment, and perhaps pride, pride in his brother, for being able to accomplish something even an adult could not.

Fingers drummed repeatedly on the surface of the stained oak desk he had seated himself at as he chewed on the end of a pen that looked as though it had seen better days thanks to his habit, before grey eyes looked down at the paper before him, his handwriting scrawled across the page, a letter…a letter to Ed. ‘It’s been a while since I last wrote something to you, I know you’ll never get any of these...but I try to write something whenever I get the chance.’ Perhaps it was somewhat ridiculous…to write letter to someone who would never receive them, but Alphonse wrote them anyway, even if Ed would never see them…he wanted him to know, that he would not forget him. ‘So...the package, there was a red coat inside, and a note from Winry....she said...it was yours, is that what you used to wear? I’ve heard stories from Winry and Granny. I actually tried it on, but, it’s a little big on me....weird huh? I was always taller than you, Teacher says I’ll grow into it...I guess I will eventually. I’ve been letting my hair grow, I kinda like the way it looks, I think I’ll grow it longer...I wish you could see.’ The younger Elric resumed gnawing on the end of his pen again as he thought about what he was writing as he wiped his bangs away from his eyes. his hair was definitely getting longer...probably time for a haircut, but somehow, he had found himself growing fond of it, and he really did have half a mind to let it grow long and see what happened. Ed's coat…frankly it was at least a size or two too big for him, and despite the fact that Izumi had told him he would eventually grow into it…Alphonse wore it anyway, regardless of whether it fitted him perfectly or not.

‘I really miss you brother, we travelled for four years right? That’s what everyone keeps telling me...four years I have no memory of...I hate it sometimes, that everyone else got to spend those four years with you...I don’t have that...I wish I did.’ Alphonse stilled the pen in his hand and stared out of the window again, frowning somewhat. Everyone had those memories of Ed, what he looked like at sixteen, what he sounded like…he didn’t have any of that, all he had was the image of his brother from that night…and that was burned into his memory for good. He’d been told time and time again…’stop thinking about Ed’, or ‘it’s been two months’. Did they give up so easily? What if Ed was trapped somewhere? What if he was still alive? Did they really want to believe he was dead? How could Winry think that? Or Granny, or teacher, how could they sit there and tell him to give up on the one family member he had left…well he wasn’t going to give up, no matter who told him he should let it lie…he wasn’t. ‘I wonder what you’re doing, where you are. Sometimes...it feels like everyone else has given up, like they’re starting to forget you...I’m not giving up, I’ll keep looking for a way to find you brother...I promise.’ With that last sentence jotted, Alphonse signed his name on the bottom of the letter and folded it carefully, before pulling open a drawer in the desk, and placing it with a pile of other papers, all marked ‘Edward’. Maybe he never would receive the letters, maybe it was wasted effort…but he would keep writing them…Ed was alive out there somewhere…and he’d give him the letters when he found him.

[Aloysius]

Aloysius had been traveling almost all day...since the sun first peaked over the buildings which had surrounded him. Initially, the day had started clear and peaceful. Good for him, seeing as he'd been clinging to the small open part on the caboose of a train. He had hopped on at the last minute as the train was departing. Though it didnt sit well with Aloysius that he was avoiding the purchase of a train ticket, he needed all the money he could get to purchase food and pay for shelter. He'd managed to fill his wallet well enough doing odd jobs that people had asked him to do. And, the people he had gotten to know in Liore while he was recovering were kind enough to provide him with a suitcase and clothes for his travels. Grateful, he promised to contact them occasionally when he got the chance.

However, the day's weather soon turned glum. The sky had opened and brought a torrential downpour. Thunder and lightning clapped overhead, battling, almost, and summoning strong gusts of wind. Aloysius frowned and pressed himself against the train, pulling his arms closer to his body. They were still bandaged, the slowest things to heal from the pressure damage they'd sustained only a few months before. his hands had healed, allowing him to participate in occasional bar fights or ring matches for a bit of money. His last fight had been a bad idea, though, because he'd reacted too slow and gotten his arm hit, splitting open the healing skin. That had hurt like fury.

No... he told himself, pushing away the thought of his injuries. It's nothing compared to what she's suffered...so much of which has been caused by me... he frowned as he thought of Serafina. How could he have left her? Especially after she lost her arm, when she needed him most? She was always so...fragile around him. He knew how easily she was hurt by words or actions of other people, no matter what facade she gave of a verbal argument. But he, her twin brother, had managed to hurt her more than any word or action. He'd chosen to stay with Thule rather than their aunt and uncle offered the prospect of adoption. The shocked hurt in her eyes was an image burned into his brain...along with others. Looking up at the sky, he recalled the promise he'd made to her. Maybe this strange new world will provide me with the means to fulfill my promise, and I'll be able to face her again once I find my way out of this world... he told himself.

A while later, he disembarked the train after the conductor had called out "Dublith!" He almost staggered under the swing of his arm and the suitcase. He hadnt had anything to eat in days, focusing more on shelter than food. My karma will bite my ass for that one... he thought. He made his way wearily through the street, the rain pouring on his head and back, wind tousling his air. He was hungry and weakening from lack of sleep and food....but he had to find some place first. His eyes had worn the path almost as much as the rain had. Dragging his gaze up, he glimpsed a whites house with windows on it, connecting to a smaller wodden building. That didnt catch his eye, htough. What did was the sign above it.

MEATS.

His mouth watered almost instantly at the thoughto f meat. Passing in front of the white house, now, he picked up his pace slightly, only to catch the end of his boot on the walk, and be met with open arms by the muddy ground below. Instinctively to catch himself from the trip, he threw out his free arm. Bad idea.

"Agh!" he exclaimed, as the pressure from his weight against the ground bore down on his injuries. Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth, he tried to relax and drive the pain from his mind. After a moment, he sighed and flattened himself against the earth, letting the rain soak him to the bone as he closed his eyes. I'm too hungry to move. Ill just rest here...till the rain stops...maybe Ill have strength by then... he thought with another quiet sigh as the pain in his arm dulled from searing to a constant throb.