Broken↩️🪭 ✔

Epilogue

MANY MONTHS LATER

"Our next soldier has... well, he's gone above and beyond what anyone could think of. True, he creeps some of us out and he has an affinity for children that borders on the odd, but sometimes we must put away the antics and look at the man. Sergeant Beje Copplestone..."

Beje got up from the chair behind the man at the podium and walked over to him, standing erect. He really didn't want to be here but Maes had convinced him it would help so he came... if only for the snacks.

"Sergeant Copplestone, as your superior officer, I have to say that I didn't think you had it in you to do the things you've done for us, but you proved me wrong in a big way. At the request of Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, you have been awarded with the AAE Award for your work regarding the disappearance and recovery of Major Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist." He handed him a small trophy" You have also received a rise in ranks at the request of Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist. You will now be regarded as Second Lieutenant Copplestone from this day forward." He pinned the rank pins to his lapel and added a star to his shoulder. "And last but not least, you have will receive a medal of honor for your intuitive and successful mental faculties that allowed the young alchemist, whom had been lost to us, to return to us safe and working with his mental faculties as a kidnapping and brainwashing victim to get back to normal." He slipped a medal onto the other side of Copplestone's jacket and smiled at him. "As your superior officer, I recognize all of the recognition from the military as well as have the permission from the Fuhrer to bestow these great honors."

Copplestone turned to the audience and they all clapped for him. He heard whistling and turned to see Maes, Roy, Riza, and Edward in the front row on the left. Beje didn't really care about the awards but even his superior had admitted that people thought he was a bit strange. He liked kids because they had no bias and loved to be taught, adults were not that way. But today, he decided to live in the glory of recognition and for once, was shy about it.

Once the clapping stopped, Beje's superior officer moved his hands to get the crowd to settle down as Beje went to sit back down.

"Just a minute Second Lieutenant." Beje looked back. "There is one more thing we would like to present to you."

Geez, Stubbles, if I had known what you said was really true then I would have prepared! he growled in his mind as he stood next to the podium again.

"Gentlemen?"

Beje looked and saw Maes and Roy stand up and walked onto the stage.

"You've been working hard and we know you thought you could hide it from us, but asked and you earned this." They opened up a box and Beje looked inside. He looked back at them and for the first time in his life, he wanted to cry. "Your instructor said that you were the best he had ever taught. Congratulations, you are a certified child psychiatrist and psychologist." Maes said with a big grin.

"Seems your gift allowed you to be proficient at both and you passed with flying colors." Roy added. "The fastest they'd ever encountered. Well done."

Beje was speechless as he just reached into the box and grabbed the plaque. It was engraved with his new title and beside it was a rolled up certificate.

"It's real, right?" was all he could get out.

The two men chuckled. "It's real. You pulled through, Copplestone."

Beje laughed and then lifted the plaque up in the air. Everyone clapped again and the ceremony went into its closing announcements.

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Beje went into his little home and crashed onto the couch. Being so grateful for all the gifts he had been given was exhausting, especially because he didn't want them. Sure, he was happy about the plaque and certificate, but that was literally all he cared about. He tore off his jacket and took off the medal, throwing it in a decorative vase, and slung the folder that held all of his ranking paperwork in it.

There was a knock at the door and he growled because he didn't want to be bothered again but opened the door. He was surprised to find Edward... and only Edward.

"Edward..."

"May I come in?"

"I guess..."

He let him in and Edward looked around a little bit. Beje waited for him to talk and Edward watched him for a moment.

"Is there something you needed?" Beje asked after they stared at each other.

"Yeah..." Edward reached into his pocket. "Explain this to me."

He handed the small paper to Beje and he looked at it. His eyes widened and Edward turned his head at it.

"Where did you find this?"

"I've had it... Apparently it got crumbled deep in my pockets, but I've had it since the beginning."

Beje looked at the paper and at Edward, but the boy didn't seem angry or that he was plotting.

"What are you going to do about it? Ruin me?"

"No. If I wanted to ruin you, I would have given it the Colonel. I also know that you tried to take it back and that's where everything went to hell. I was there, I remember... I don't remember how I got a hold of it but I thought it best I give it to you. I have nothing against you, Copplestone, honestly, and it's not to blackmail you... but I thought that you would want it to remember what you caused... even though you didn't start it."

Beje looked at the piece of paper and nodded.

"You're a pretty good judge of character."

"With a suit of armor for a brother, you start to notice things better since it can't give off emotions as well as you'd think. That being said, I even have a small frame for it." He pulled out a small frame but it was made of an odd metal. "I made this from Al's armor..."

"I thought you were going home with it? Bury it and the like."

"I was... but then the train crash dented and destroyed half of it. All that was salvageable was his helmet, which I keep with me at Roy's place, and some of his armor. I decided to give a piece of him to you."

"Why?"

Edward pointed. "To frame that piece of paper..."

Beje smiled and held out his hand.

"This is the only thing I'll frame... I'm so sorry."

"It's in the past and I wish I could change it, but I don't think Truth would like me going back a third time. It'd just kill me for good. I hope you help out a lot of kids, Copplestone. They deserve someone like you, who admits his mistakes and cares to listen."

"Thank you."

Edward nodded. "That's all I came to do. The Colonel and everyone is waiting for you at the party."

"I'll be there shortly. I needed to deflate my ego."

Edward chuckled. "I'll let them know."

Beje smiled as he left and looked at the frame and looked at the paper. He sighed and put the paper in the frame, sticking it on the mantel piece. He stared at the paper and nodded once.

"Never again will I let myself be pulled down to this level. Never."

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1 golden haired child = $200

+ alchemy = $100

Total = $300

I, Beje Copplestone, hereby give my consent on the sale within.

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A/N: surprise! it really WAS copplestone's fault the whole time. but like edward said, he tried to rectify it but that's what started the whole thing in the first place was him taking back the 'sale'. this is the end of the story guys, thanks for reading.