Watching the final of Fullmetal Alchemist

The things that must be said

Winry looked worried at Ed, but he nodded at her standing up and going to the other room, followed by Al and his dad. When the door closed behind them the caped woman turned to the rest of the people of the room.
 - I know you all must have a lot of questions,  and there is a lot you need to know before watching the next part, but we better wait for them – She them pointed to the other side of the room, where now had a big table with a lot of different kinds of food on it – Why don’t you all eat something and take a break while you wait?
 
In the other room, Hohenheim locked the door behind him and them facing his sons. Al playing with his finger nervously and Ed had his arms crossed and a scorn on his face. He couldn’t believe that this two were his sons, the last time he had seen them they were little kids, and now they were all grown and with an enormous burden to carry. And Edward resembled him so much, especially since he has his hair long. He knew that he had a lot of explanation to give, and he could only hope his sons would forgive him, but he couldn’t resist, being so close to his sons again, he dragged both of them on a hug, surprising them. Ed looked like he would fight back but gave up on it, he was still mad at his bastard father, but he couldn’t lie to himself that he had missed the man. The hug didn’t last long.
- Now old bastard, what do you want with us? – Asked Ed harshly
- Brother
- Well, I have a lot of thing to explain – He looked really old – Please sit. This is a long story
Ed and Al looked at each other, but decided they would listen to their father. The brother sat on a sofa while Hohenheim dragged at chair so he could sit facing his sons. He didn’t say anything for a while.
- Well, I don’t know where to start. – He said finally, looking at his sons – First I want to know what do you know about what is happening to this country.
 Ed and Al exchanged looks again, but decided to tell their father everything.
- We know about the homunculus, and that the Fuher is one – Started Ed
- And that they obey a man named “Father”, that looks like you. And that they have a plan for this country – Continued Al
- But, we don’t know what – Finished Ed. Hohenheim looked thoughtful, he signed and said.
- I see. You two already know a lot, but not everything. I need to tell you two about my past.
- But what this have to do with what is happening to the country? – Asked Al intrigued
- You will understand. – He paused looking troubled – Humm, I think I will start from the beginner. I was born three hundred years ago in Xerxes
Ed eyes widened; beside him Al seems to be having the same questions.
- You will understand, just let me finish – Hohenheim anticipated that his sons would have a lot of questions, but this was already hard enough to him, he would like to finish without a lot of interruption – Anyway I was a slave, number 23. And my master was a scientist. And one day he used my blood for an experiment. From this experiment he created the first homunculus.
The brother gasped in surprise. This was getting more and more weirder, first their father had been born centuries ago, then he reveal that he had been a slave, and now that the first homunculus was created with his blood!
- It was a black thing, with an eye and a mouth, trapped in a glass. But since I usually didn’t had anyone to talk and the thing didn’t seemed to be much we became sort of friends. He was the one who choose the name Van Hohenheim to me – Their father continued. He wasn’t looking at them anymore, instead looking at his hands. He seemed to be lost in his own memories – He asked me if I didn’t want more, instead of the live of a slave. He compared us both, saying that we were both trapped, without freedom. He started to teach me, and soon I become my master’s assistant and an alchemist.
Hohenheim stopped talking, the next part would be hard. Ed and Al seeing that their dad needed a moment waited in silence. Finally, after a few minutes Hohenheim took a long breath and continued.
  - I was happy with my life. I had risen in social status and was dreaming about having a wife and children – He said, this time looking to his sons who were listening closely to his story – But he wanted more. One day he was called into the palace, the King was old and wanted to live forever, and the homunculus said he had the solution. With a few years they had completed the human transmutation circle around the whole country.
- What – Ed gasped but didn’t finished, looking at his father even more curious.
- When the circle was completed the king did the human transmutation. But the homunculus had cheated him. He said that the one standing in the middle of the circle would become immortal and wouldn’t be hurt. But the king wasn’t the one standing on the circle, instead it was me and him.
He took another break. Then looking at his sons he continued.
- I woke up confused, all around me were dead bodies including the ones of the king and my master. As I walked thought the halls of the palace, I only found dead bodies. Everyone, everyone I knew, my friends and their families, women, men and children all dead. Then he showed up, wearing the kings robes and with my face.
- You don’t mean… - Started Ed, now understanding what his father’s story had to do with what are happening in the country
- Yes, the one that calls himself “Father” is the homunculus of the glass. He used the information’s on my blood to assume a human form, that is why we are so look alike. He said that for having given my blood to make him, he thanked me by giving me a name, education and a body that would never die. I … I could hear the voices of the souls that were inside me. We are both, in a way, a philosopher stone.
He waited a little to let all this news information sink into their heads. Edward put his head in his hands, now a lot of things made sense, there were still some pieces missing but he was starting to understand the truth about the country. Alphonse was looking at his father with a new way. He was sorry for all he father had passed.
- And because I am a philosopher stone, that I had to leave you
Ed lifted his face again looking to his father.
- But why? Why did you had to leave? – Asked Al meekly, he could be in a enormous body, but he was still just a teenager. One that grow up without a father.   
- For a while after this all happened, I was distressed, but eventually I come to accept what had happened. For a long time, I didn’t care that I would never die, I had accepted it. But then I met Trisha and we fell in love, and then we had you two and I started to get worried and scared. My children would die before me, I would never die with the woman I love. So, I decided to find a way. A way to make me mortal again so I could grow older with Trisha and watch you two grow. Leaving you was really hard, but I had to.
- But why didn’t you never come back? – Asked Ed, and this time Hohenheim didn’t see a State Alchemist, a teenager with a burden on his back. He saw his three years old son, holding onto his pant looking for comfort.
- I wanted to go back. I though about it all the time, but I always though you were okay, and if come back I wouldn’t have the strength to leave again. And when you are so old as I am, time start to become different, years seems more like days, I lost track of time. But I know this isn’t an excuse. I will understand if you never forgive me, but I love you two.
He looked downcast to his hands, surprised when he felt two sets of hand hunging him, without thinking he hugged his sons back like his life depended on it, not caring abpoout the tears running down his cheeks.
- I forgive you dad – Al said, and he sounded so small, like the fourteen years old boy that were trapped in the armor.
- You know. I can’t forgive you yet, but we can try again – His heart almost broke when he heard that Edward couldn't forgive him, but the next sentence gave him hope and made him smile.
- Thank you, my sons – After a while they all broke the hug. After composing themselves they decided it was time to go back to the room.
When they come back to the main room, they found everyone in sat again talking about what they had saw. As soon as Winry saw them se went to their direction, silently asking if it was everything okay. Ed nodded, saying that everything was fine. The other tried to not bring attention to them, in order to give them privacy.
Ed, Al and Hohenheim grabbed something to eat and them went to sit again. Al and Ed in one couch with Winry between them and Hohenheim in the couch beside them with Pinako. The caped woman them returned to the room.
- Good, now that everyone is here, before we show the future, it would be a good idea if you all, especially Edward and Alphonse, tell the other what happened after what we saw, and what is happening to the country. After that I will tell what will happen in the future so you can all understand the next part.
- So shortie, start talking them – Said Zampano
- WHO IS … - Started Ed, but was interrupted by Al who put a hand on his mouth
- Not now Brother – He said exasperate
  - Hunf, fine. Okay, so after Colonel told me about being a State Alchemist, I got my automails.
- Yeah, usually an automail recover takes three years, but Ed insist in doing it in one – Said Pinako smoking
- Even thought he was puking blood all year – Winry scolded at Ed
- Wait, one year?! – Asked Buccaneer amazed. That little kid passed thought two automail surgery in only one year. Olivier was also impressed, for all she had seen already, that kid could be Briggs material.
- Yeah, anyway, I did my recover in one year and them I did the test to be a state alchemist and passed with the title of Fullmetal.
- Them both brother and I went in missions for the Colonel in order to find ways to get our bodies back – Continued Al.
- Ok, and what she said that is happening to the country? – Asked Olivier frowning.
- Ok, so, me and Al found out that the philosopher stone is made using human’s souls. – Said Ed to the defeat of Ling and May Chang, if the philosopher stone is something so evil, how could they become immortal.
- Yes, but not only this. There also these things called homunculus, they are monsters, immortals and they work to a man who calls himself father. We don’t know yet their intention, but the fuher is one of them. – Said Mustang shocking everyone.
- That is right – Said the woman again – So I won’t enter in all the details, but basically, this father is a homunculus too and he is trying to use the whole country to open a gate to the truth. In the future he succeeds in open the gate, but he was defeated by most of the people that are in this room, and so are his homunculus.
They all started to think about what the future would bring.
- Well, now that you are all informed about what is happening, may I show you the end of it all?