We return - our burden follows

Untitled Part 4

Their words resounded in my head, the silence that had shrouded us was deafening. The two just stared at me with worrying eyes, their expressions startlingly calm as though they were very much used to both giving that explanation and receiving the reaction that I had supplied. At last, a single, shaky word pierced the silence – completely unsure as it emerged quietly from Eds slightly parted lips Mum?

Im okay, Im okay, Im okay, the repeated words morphed into something of a mantra that I chanted as I bowed my head and placed it in my palms, eyes shut tight.

Youre not. The two alchemists told me confidently, the negativity actually reassuring.

People unfamiliar with our science dont realise what the repercussions of trying to break its laws are, even some who are familiar dont seem to care if they want something enough, The look mustang sent discreetly to my son as he spoke was unsettling, to say the least People do not wish to believe that that which they consider miraculous is as dangerous as it has the potential to be. Alchemy from the view of an onlooker is completely different to that of a practitioner.

I nodded my understanding, again wishing that I had never asked.

But how can you talk so calmly about that? About the fate of the man that bought you here?

I was surprised when Edward answered and shocked at how he did. Mum, He seemed to be saying that word at every chance he got, as if cementing its existence We arent calm, we arent trying to be heartless. We want to know what the repercussions were, whether the governing forces of alchemy will punish him or the governing forces of Amestris will. Its scientific curiosity – you cant be calm when youre talking about such a matter but you can look at things with a clear head and form a deduction – you can lie and pretend that you are level headed, still.

But how can you pretend?

We can practice. Edward relented with an uneasy face, his slanted eyes down cast, eyebrows drawn in and nose scrunched up slightly.

I nodded and stood, both of the alchemists followed suit. I went to pick up the mugs of tea but Edward beat me to it, zipping around the kitchen like a little lightning bolt (though I knew far better than to call him little) as he collected the mugs before I could even comprehend what was happening. He rushed them to the sink and turned on the tap, removing only his left glove and washing them only with that hand. Mustang gently led me from the kitchen and into the living room – I found that my legs were still shaking, my knees knocking together beneath the skirt of my dress. Edward joined us a moment later – taking a lazy look at his pocket watch before returning it to his pocket (he never once allowed me a glimpse of the back of it).

10 minutes. He concluded. have we got any ideas on what to say when Al and I come home from school?

It was weird to her someone talking about themselves I the way that he was Should we go with the family friends story? We dont have much else that we can say. I answered.

Nor do we have time to think of a better cover. Mustang continued.

Its settled then. Ed confirmed But youre still going to have to go and tell Grannie, mum. There was the word again, brushing past his lips uncertainly and dazedly, completely differently to how he said the word Grannie.

Agreed. I said simply as I stood and left, on my way to collect Pinako and bring her back to my house so that the alchemists could explain the story completely – no doubt with the use of terms I could have no hope of understanding.

The weather outside was blisteringly hot, the sun scorching down on the dry grass of our little village unrelentingly. It looked as though it would be a bad year for the crops – that meant it would be a bad year for the entirety of Resembool because we lost a great deal of income when that happened. I knocked on Pinakos old door not a moment after leaving my own, getting a response from the tiny woman nearly instantaneously.

Trisha! The kids will be home soon! Is something troubling you? She spoke in a single breath.

You could say that. Please come over.

Are you okay, youre sure? She asked as we began to leave her house and head to mine.

Once we reached the house Pinako looked at the two strangers on the sofa, one dressed like a military man and the other clothed entirely in black – the majority of that black being leather – with the most distinctive colouring that she was very familiar with, the look on her face spoke volumes.

Trisha, whats going on here?

I seated her next to Edward – it seemed like a better idea to place her next to the rebellious teenager than the soldier -and began to explain with a fair amount of help from the alchemists. It was oddly reassuring to know that I wasnt the only one who was completely at a loss when it came to what the boys in the room would surely consider basic alchemy.

By the end of our explanation Pinakos expression was a rather good indicator as to what mine must have looked like. In any other circumstance the morphing of her features, for they appeared to change into rather cartoony proportions with the extremity of her expression, would have triggered an onslaught of hilarity from most any crowd. Her eyes fluttered with a series of rapid, hard blinks as if she were trying to clear some kind of haze from in front of them.

Youre Edward Elric? She asked finally to the teenager.

I am. He clarified as he took her hand and spoke in a reassuring tone Grannie, we dont know whats happening much more than you do but I promise that Im still Ed – the same one that you know now and definitely the same one you will know then.

What year are you from? It was shocking to me, how quickly her initial shock had subsided into something bordering the line of curiosity.

1914. Mustang answered confidently, he probably knew the Pinako of their time and – given the womans age – her appearance could not have changed to an extremity in a decade.

Were not to tell the children, are we? she confirmed.

I dont want to change the way that they think of alchemy or the future, I dont want to change anything too drastically. We dont know what will happen and I dont wish to find out, sometimes experiments arent worth the outcome and this is coming from the mouth of a scientist. Any experiments involving lives are morally corrupt – I am no Tucker and I vouch never to so much as venture into the same realm as the one in which he worked. Most of what he said was rather reassuring, he valued life (though why he put so much stock into it was worrying) but the declaration he made about Tucker held no value to me as I didnt understand what he was talking about.

However, it obviously meant something to mustang You are nothing like that criminal! He spat the words like venom, malice and aggression lacing his tone – it would appear my son was not the only one capable of presenting himself frightfully.

Damn right Im not! I wont be, what he did was unforgiveable and Im not about to come close to anything like it! his own tone was violent but it appeared the problem at hand was temporarily resolved and the kids would be leaving school at any moment. Pinako got up to leave, doing so with a final wave. I left to the study, collecting a few books to occupy Ed and Al as it was the only spare space that we had and I had to make it into a suitable living space for our guests.

As I left the room I could have sworn I heard something, a morose, lamenting whisper "Nina."