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tamingthemuseFirst post here and super excited to be a part of this challenge! Thanks for opening your doors to people like me ^____^
Title: Changed Opportunity
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist - Brotherhood
Prompt: Decade late, and a penny short
Warnings: Spoilers for the end of the series
Rating: PG
Summary: Arriving for a visit in Risembool, Major Miles is struck with saddening news that has befallen the Elric family.
Changed Opportunity
This climate was so different compared to the North; temperate winds and gleaming sunshine. It was like something you’d read in a fairytale, but it was indeed real. Miles had forgotten what natural warmth could feel like, having been away from his original home for so long. Truth be told, he never spoke of home to anyone and he long considered Fort Briggs to be home. Nothing else suited him, save for Ishval these days.
After a long and arduous full two year stint in Ishval, he had returned to a place closer to his natural habitat, though it was far from his birth land. His destination was in fact Risembool, that quaint country town where the Elrics resided. He half expected the brothers to meet him at the station after he had phoned in a few days ago about his intentions of arriving, but neither of them were there, much less a greeting party. Perhaps something had come up that prevented them, and that was no intentional rudeness to him. Being in the military, he was accustomed to not being welcomed warmly.
“Excuse me,” he said to the clerk tending the ticket window just off of the train dock. “I need directions to the Elric residence. Can you tell me how to get there?”
The clerk’s face was untrusting at first then turned broken. Had the elderly man already picked up that Miles was of the military despite not being in uniform? Or were the red eyes also a shock?
“I suppose you’re here for the funeral as well, young man?” The clerk replied dismally, rummaging beneath his workstation for a document. “Those poor boys, they’ve been through enough. I wish things would go right for them for once in their lives…”
Miles’ expression fell to the ground. How tragic this was. He feared that perhaps one of the brothers had suffered a terrible fate, or worse. From what he remembered, their experiences as young children were awful – the fact that they attempted to transmute the life of their mother was proof enough of that.
“Y-yes… it’s a shame that things aren’t falling into place for them still.” Miles, still unsure of the exact situation, was trying to get the old man to say exactly what had happened so that he himself didn’t seem foolish. Apparently in this town everyone knew everything about everyone else, and seeing as how he wasn’t from these parts, he could be considered unfriendly and rude to their customs. Granted, he had some ideas and immediate thoughts on the situation, but it would be best if he was completely aware so he could prepare himself appropriately for the ceremony.
“My details of the tragedy are sketchy. They were so upset when they called me that I could barely understand the circumstances at all…” Miles half-lied, hoping it would seem trustworthy enough to get information.
The old man sighed and placed his map on the table to show Miles the path he needed to take. “To be frankly honest, I’m too upset to talk about it myself. So here, take this dirt road up to the marker, then take a right – it’ll lead you to the cemetery. That’s where they’ll be.”
Understandably, Miles was left in the dark, but that was fine. He’d piece things together on his own one way or another. “Thank you, sir. I haven’t been to Risembool, but only knew the Elrics from an experience in the North. I hope they won’t mind me being by during such a sad time.”
“It’s no trouble at all, young man,” the clerk said with a sad smile, sniffling as he touched Miles’ hand. “Will you pay my respects for me, son? I can’t leave the station today, so I’d appreciate it if you just let the family know that the old man Darek said he was sorry for their loss.”
Shaking hands with the clerk, Miles was dutiful in his reply, “I will do so, sir. Thank you again for the directions.”
He started down the road quickly, but patiently so he wouldn’t attract unwanted attention from the locals. Despite being dressed in casual, though proper attire, he didn’t desire to stir up turmoil in the Elrics home town, especially during such a somber time. It took him no time to get to the marker Darek had pointed out on the map, and he turned right, going over in his head then some of the possible scenarios at hand.
Depending on what he’d see, he tried to form a plan of action that would be suitable for the situation. It was a funeral for a family member, so that left very few possibilities. Van Hohenheim had passed, maybe? He was the boys’ father and it would seem likely. But then he recalled that from the stories Edward had told him, the boys didn’t care much for the man. Well, Alphonse was more forgiving than Edward, but that wasn’t quite enough reason for the whole family to be in mourning.
Alphonse was incredibly weak after he was brought back from the other side, Miles remembered, having seen the boy in a sickly looking frame and long hair. Did he die from not being able to keep up his strength in time with his body’s changes? Miles hoped that was not the case.
Edward was another possibility – having an automail leg could make him prone to various infections and thus kill him quickly. But Miles shook that off. His automail mechanic was too good to allow him to get infected, much less die from one.
Then Miles remembered the girl. The clerk did say “those poor boys” earlier, so what if…?
Miles’ heart crumbled. It had to be that dear girl that Edward and Alphonse wanted safe no matter what. It was her that had been dangled in front of them to keep the military superiors fresh in their minds. It was her that stood up to Scar and demanded proper reasoning for the deaths of her parents.
“No… no it wasn’t meant to be this way…” Miles muttered to himself as he trudged up the road, trying to raise his head again and walk proudly. But his heart was heavy, matching his footsteps perfectly as he approached the cemetery where he saw two figures standing against a blue and green landscape. As he suspected, it was Edward and Alphonse.
The slightly taller of the two looked his way and nudged his brother gently. “Brother, look. It’s Major Miles!”
Giving them a sad smile, Miles greeted them softly. “Good to see you boys, but I’m sorry that it’s under such grim circumstances. My timing is rather poor to pay you a visit.”
“On the contrary, Major,” Edward said, smiling bigger at the dark skinned man. “You being here is just what we needed. Staying sad during sad times isn’t any good for moving forward.”
Miles chuckled in spite of the dreary gloom pulling on his soul. “You boys sure do love to hold onto that phrase, but I guess that’s a necessity of life. If we don’t keep walking, we’ll always be stuck in the same state.”
He waited a moment, watching as their gazes drifted back to the headstone of the freshly turned earth. Miles had not yet been able to bring himself to walk forward and join them and thus discovering the identity of the deceased. He couldn’t find the courage or warmth in his heart to learn the tragic truth. He knew that these boys loved the girl with every fiber of their being – asking questions would only make their wounds fester and expand.
“Ticket master Darek and General Armstrong send their regards, though the General regrets not being able to be here today.” Miles was trying to distract himself from breaking down at the mention of his General’s name. Suddenly a dagger stabbed him in the well of his spirit, putting himself in Edward and Alphonse’s shoes and feeling what they felt for the loss of a loved one. He never spoke of it to anyone, but his devotion to the General was just as strong as the Elrics love for their childhood friend. Having spent years together, he cared for her unlike anyone else, so he, too, was feeling the pain of their loss now with them.
“Oh? And how is she?” Alphonse asked, chipper as always. It was almost like this devastating trial wasn’t affecting him the way it did normal people.
Miles gave a half smile in recognition of the growing young man’s enthusiasm. “She is well. Still kicking ass, among other things. The men of Briggs owe her a great debt for keeping them alive all this time, as do I. She understands my purpose as military liaison to the people of Ishval, but she still makes a point of asking me to return to my post because my paperwork is piling up. Heh, incredible woman – she’s just making excuses to get me back there. I have no position up there anymore now because of Ishval, and therefore no paperwork.”
Alphonse grinned just as wide as his brother, almost sneakily. “Ooo, sounds like she wants you to come back for more than just paperwork!”
Taken aback, Miles gasped and choked on his own air, coughing to try and regain his composure. “N-nonsense. General Armstrong is first and foremost a soldier and would never risk her reputation for something trivial like that.”
“Oh really?” Edward said, the devil in his tone as he inched up to Miles’ reddening face. “Then I wonder if one of the General’s supposed ‘secrets’ is really some kind of hook-up with you! I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the case, you know.”
Miles was stuttering, finding himself incapable of forming words to combat this unexpected onslaught of humor and embarrassment. How could they see through him so easily to realize he practically worshipped the General!?
He then turned his head away, cheeks flushed pink in shame. “Preposterous. You boys shouldn’t be thinking such things during a time of mourning. Your friend has passed away and this is how you choose to recover? You should be ashamed of yourselves.”
“Huh?” Alphonse said, his expression changing from one of lighthearted humor to one of confusion. “But… this is how she said she wanted us to grieve. She didn’t want us moping and carrying on like babies.”
“What?” Miles replied, looking back at the brothers who were steadfast and determined. “You mean to tell me that she specifically said to laugh like idiots in the wake of her death?!”
“Yep, Auntie Pinako didn’t want us crying like fools because that would mean she wouldn’t have a good time in the next life, so we’re just doing what she wants!” Edward pointed at the gravestone, directing Miles’ eyes to see that the name engraved was in fact Pinako Rockbell, not his original suspect.
All Miles could do was observe the name as reverently as possible while mentally wiping away his embarrassment. Who was this Auntie Pinako and why was she important to the brothers? She didn’t share the same family name, so why did they care enough to honor her final wishes and laugh at her memorial?
“Oh… I see. Well, I suppose she had a long, prosperous life?”
Edward nodded and looked at the grave with a sense of both respect and happiness. “Yeah, she lived a long time and helped us out a lot over the years. She was understandably upset when her son was killed while aiding the wounded during the Ishval massacre, so maybe now she can be happy that she’s buried beside him.”
The obvious finally dawned on him and Miles slapped himself mentally – Pinako Rockbell was the mother of one of the Doctors Rockbell, and therefore was the grandmother of Winry Rockbell. This explained the family connection and the wishes to remain happy in light of grief, and Miles breathed a sigh in relief. Winry was not directly involved.
“I remember when your friend confronted Scar about her parents’ deaths. To know that one of my own people was behind that tragedy pained me greatly. I should’ve dragged Scar with me if I knew I’d be coming to the resting places of her family.”
Then Alphonse approached the Major with a pair of wildflowers he had plucked from nearby, handing them to him with a precious smile. “Here, why don’t you do it for him? You’re not Scar, of course, but the gesture will mean the same, if not more to Winry.”
At first uncertain on what action to take, Miles accepted the two flowers and walked over to the graves, both adorned with fresh bouquets to match their elderly addition. Respectfully, he knelt before the stones and laid a single flower on both before folding his hands in prayer. “Ishvala, maker of all, and lover of the world – please accept these people into your home of peace. And also… please… grant grace upon those whose lives were touched by their hands. We each owe them far more than we can offer, so please extend our gratitude towards them in a way only you can.”
“Thank you, Major.”
Miles turned to the sound of a soft, feminine voice from behind, beholding a slightly more mature Winry Rockbell standing in the breeze, her hair flowing like it did in the North’s frigid wind. Her hand rested over her stomach and a smile flattered her lips as she offered her free hand to him.
“It means a lot to have someone like you care about my loved ones. My family may not have been religious, but whatever paradise you opened up for them is something I am eternally grateful for. Thank you…”
Miles blushed slightly as he took her strong, capable hand in his own and assisted him to his feet. “Ms. Rockbell, you have my sincere condolences for your losses. If there is anything I can do to recompense the kindness your family showed my brethren, please, ask me and I will do it.” He had all but forgotten his humiliation from earlier, focusing solely now on making this young woman happy. The way she looked – even her smile – reminded him of the General as she stood through trial after trial. Such magnificence all wrapped into this tiny, though dependable woman – he couldn’t fathom now the measure of devotion the Elric brothers had now for her.
“You can stay for dinner and tell me about the recovery efforts in Ishval,” she replied, Edward meanwhile taking her by the arm before thoughtfully rubbing her stomach a bit. “And then in return I’ll tell you about what’s going on here.”
Finally, the Major managed a smile for this kind, simple family and nodded to accept the offer. As he followed them down the road to the Rockbell residence, he filed away his apparent “poor timing” and replaced it with a rejuvenating chance to experience an evening among those who loved one another dearly. He hoped he could walk away from this opportunity a renewed man with a plan to return to Fort Briggs with both a resignation and a ring.
Title: Changed Opportunity
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist - Brotherhood
Prompt: Decade late, and a penny short
Warnings: Spoilers for the end of the series
Rating: PG
Summary: Arriving for a visit in Risembool, Major Miles is struck with saddening news that has befallen the Elric family.
This climate was so different compared to the North; temperate winds and gleaming sunshine. It was like something you’d read in a fairytale, but it was indeed real. Miles had forgotten what natural warmth could feel like, having been away from his original home for so long. Truth be told, he never spoke of home to anyone and he long considered Fort Briggs to be home. Nothing else suited him, save for Ishval these days.
After a long and arduous full two year stint in Ishval, he had returned to a place closer to his natural habitat, though it was far from his birth land. His destination was in fact Risembool, that quaint country town where the Elrics resided. He half expected the brothers to meet him at the station after he had phoned in a few days ago about his intentions of arriving, but neither of them were there, much less a greeting party. Perhaps something had come up that prevented them, and that was no intentional rudeness to him. Being in the military, he was accustomed to not being welcomed warmly.
“Excuse me,” he said to the clerk tending the ticket window just off of the train dock. “I need directions to the Elric residence. Can you tell me how to get there?”
The clerk’s face was untrusting at first then turned broken. Had the elderly man already picked up that Miles was of the military despite not being in uniform? Or were the red eyes also a shock?
“I suppose you’re here for the funeral as well, young man?” The clerk replied dismally, rummaging beneath his workstation for a document. “Those poor boys, they’ve been through enough. I wish things would go right for them for once in their lives…”
Miles’ expression fell to the ground. How tragic this was. He feared that perhaps one of the brothers had suffered a terrible fate, or worse. From what he remembered, their experiences as young children were awful – the fact that they attempted to transmute the life of their mother was proof enough of that.
“Y-yes… it’s a shame that things aren’t falling into place for them still.” Miles, still unsure of the exact situation, was trying to get the old man to say exactly what had happened so that he himself didn’t seem foolish. Apparently in this town everyone knew everything about everyone else, and seeing as how he wasn’t from these parts, he could be considered unfriendly and rude to their customs. Granted, he had some ideas and immediate thoughts on the situation, but it would be best if he was completely aware so he could prepare himself appropriately for the ceremony.
“My details of the tragedy are sketchy. They were so upset when they called me that I could barely understand the circumstances at all…” Miles half-lied, hoping it would seem trustworthy enough to get information.
The old man sighed and placed his map on the table to show Miles the path he needed to take. “To be frankly honest, I’m too upset to talk about it myself. So here, take this dirt road up to the marker, then take a right – it’ll lead you to the cemetery. That’s where they’ll be.”
Understandably, Miles was left in the dark, but that was fine. He’d piece things together on his own one way or another. “Thank you, sir. I haven’t been to Risembool, but only knew the Elrics from an experience in the North. I hope they won’t mind me being by during such a sad time.”
“It’s no trouble at all, young man,” the clerk said with a sad smile, sniffling as he touched Miles’ hand. “Will you pay my respects for me, son? I can’t leave the station today, so I’d appreciate it if you just let the family know that the old man Darek said he was sorry for their loss.”
Shaking hands with the clerk, Miles was dutiful in his reply, “I will do so, sir. Thank you again for the directions.”
He started down the road quickly, but patiently so he wouldn’t attract unwanted attention from the locals. Despite being dressed in casual, though proper attire, he didn’t desire to stir up turmoil in the Elrics home town, especially during such a somber time. It took him no time to get to the marker Darek had pointed out on the map, and he turned right, going over in his head then some of the possible scenarios at hand.
Depending on what he’d see, he tried to form a plan of action that would be suitable for the situation. It was a funeral for a family member, so that left very few possibilities. Van Hohenheim had passed, maybe? He was the boys’ father and it would seem likely. But then he recalled that from the stories Edward had told him, the boys didn’t care much for the man. Well, Alphonse was more forgiving than Edward, but that wasn’t quite enough reason for the whole family to be in mourning.
Alphonse was incredibly weak after he was brought back from the other side, Miles remembered, having seen the boy in a sickly looking frame and long hair. Did he die from not being able to keep up his strength in time with his body’s changes? Miles hoped that was not the case.
Edward was another possibility – having an automail leg could make him prone to various infections and thus kill him quickly. But Miles shook that off. His automail mechanic was too good to allow him to get infected, much less die from one.
Then Miles remembered the girl. The clerk did say “those poor boys” earlier, so what if…?
Miles’ heart crumbled. It had to be that dear girl that Edward and Alphonse wanted safe no matter what. It was her that had been dangled in front of them to keep the military superiors fresh in their minds. It was her that stood up to Scar and demanded proper reasoning for the deaths of her parents.
“No… no it wasn’t meant to be this way…” Miles muttered to himself as he trudged up the road, trying to raise his head again and walk proudly. But his heart was heavy, matching his footsteps perfectly as he approached the cemetery where he saw two figures standing against a blue and green landscape. As he suspected, it was Edward and Alphonse.
The slightly taller of the two looked his way and nudged his brother gently. “Brother, look. It’s Major Miles!”
Giving them a sad smile, Miles greeted them softly. “Good to see you boys, but I’m sorry that it’s under such grim circumstances. My timing is rather poor to pay you a visit.”
“On the contrary, Major,” Edward said, smiling bigger at the dark skinned man. “You being here is just what we needed. Staying sad during sad times isn’t any good for moving forward.”
Miles chuckled in spite of the dreary gloom pulling on his soul. “You boys sure do love to hold onto that phrase, but I guess that’s a necessity of life. If we don’t keep walking, we’ll always be stuck in the same state.”
He waited a moment, watching as their gazes drifted back to the headstone of the freshly turned earth. Miles had not yet been able to bring himself to walk forward and join them and thus discovering the identity of the deceased. He couldn’t find the courage or warmth in his heart to learn the tragic truth. He knew that these boys loved the girl with every fiber of their being – asking questions would only make their wounds fester and expand.
“Ticket master Darek and General Armstrong send their regards, though the General regrets not being able to be here today.” Miles was trying to distract himself from breaking down at the mention of his General’s name. Suddenly a dagger stabbed him in the well of his spirit, putting himself in Edward and Alphonse’s shoes and feeling what they felt for the loss of a loved one. He never spoke of it to anyone, but his devotion to the General was just as strong as the Elrics love for their childhood friend. Having spent years together, he cared for her unlike anyone else, so he, too, was feeling the pain of their loss now with them.
“Oh? And how is she?” Alphonse asked, chipper as always. It was almost like this devastating trial wasn’t affecting him the way it did normal people.
Miles gave a half smile in recognition of the growing young man’s enthusiasm. “She is well. Still kicking ass, among other things. The men of Briggs owe her a great debt for keeping them alive all this time, as do I. She understands my purpose as military liaison to the people of Ishval, but she still makes a point of asking me to return to my post because my paperwork is piling up. Heh, incredible woman – she’s just making excuses to get me back there. I have no position up there anymore now because of Ishval, and therefore no paperwork.”
Alphonse grinned just as wide as his brother, almost sneakily. “Ooo, sounds like she wants you to come back for more than just paperwork!”
Taken aback, Miles gasped and choked on his own air, coughing to try and regain his composure. “N-nonsense. General Armstrong is first and foremost a soldier and would never risk her reputation for something trivial like that.”
“Oh really?” Edward said, the devil in his tone as he inched up to Miles’ reddening face. “Then I wonder if one of the General’s supposed ‘secrets’ is really some kind of hook-up with you! I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the case, you know.”
Miles was stuttering, finding himself incapable of forming words to combat this unexpected onslaught of humor and embarrassment. How could they see through him so easily to realize he practically worshipped the General!?
He then turned his head away, cheeks flushed pink in shame. “Preposterous. You boys shouldn’t be thinking such things during a time of mourning. Your friend has passed away and this is how you choose to recover? You should be ashamed of yourselves.”
“Huh?” Alphonse said, his expression changing from one of lighthearted humor to one of confusion. “But… this is how she said she wanted us to grieve. She didn’t want us moping and carrying on like babies.”
“What?” Miles replied, looking back at the brothers who were steadfast and determined. “You mean to tell me that she specifically said to laugh like idiots in the wake of her death?!”
“Yep, Auntie Pinako didn’t want us crying like fools because that would mean she wouldn’t have a good time in the next life, so we’re just doing what she wants!” Edward pointed at the gravestone, directing Miles’ eyes to see that the name engraved was in fact Pinako Rockbell, not his original suspect.
All Miles could do was observe the name as reverently as possible while mentally wiping away his embarrassment. Who was this Auntie Pinako and why was she important to the brothers? She didn’t share the same family name, so why did they care enough to honor her final wishes and laugh at her memorial?
“Oh… I see. Well, I suppose she had a long, prosperous life?”
Edward nodded and looked at the grave with a sense of both respect and happiness. “Yeah, she lived a long time and helped us out a lot over the years. She was understandably upset when her son was killed while aiding the wounded during the Ishval massacre, so maybe now she can be happy that she’s buried beside him.”
The obvious finally dawned on him and Miles slapped himself mentally – Pinako Rockbell was the mother of one of the Doctors Rockbell, and therefore was the grandmother of Winry Rockbell. This explained the family connection and the wishes to remain happy in light of grief, and Miles breathed a sigh in relief. Winry was not directly involved.
“I remember when your friend confronted Scar about her parents’ deaths. To know that one of my own people was behind that tragedy pained me greatly. I should’ve dragged Scar with me if I knew I’d be coming to the resting places of her family.”
Then Alphonse approached the Major with a pair of wildflowers he had plucked from nearby, handing them to him with a precious smile. “Here, why don’t you do it for him? You’re not Scar, of course, but the gesture will mean the same, if not more to Winry.”
At first uncertain on what action to take, Miles accepted the two flowers and walked over to the graves, both adorned with fresh bouquets to match their elderly addition. Respectfully, he knelt before the stones and laid a single flower on both before folding his hands in prayer. “Ishvala, maker of all, and lover of the world – please accept these people into your home of peace. And also… please… grant grace upon those whose lives were touched by their hands. We each owe them far more than we can offer, so please extend our gratitude towards them in a way only you can.”
“Thank you, Major.”
Miles turned to the sound of a soft, feminine voice from behind, beholding a slightly more mature Winry Rockbell standing in the breeze, her hair flowing like it did in the North’s frigid wind. Her hand rested over her stomach and a smile flattered her lips as she offered her free hand to him.
“It means a lot to have someone like you care about my loved ones. My family may not have been religious, but whatever paradise you opened up for them is something I am eternally grateful for. Thank you…”
Miles blushed slightly as he took her strong, capable hand in his own and assisted him to his feet. “Ms. Rockbell, you have my sincere condolences for your losses. If there is anything I can do to recompense the kindness your family showed my brethren, please, ask me and I will do it.” He had all but forgotten his humiliation from earlier, focusing solely now on making this young woman happy. The way she looked – even her smile – reminded him of the General as she stood through trial after trial. Such magnificence all wrapped into this tiny, though dependable woman – he couldn’t fathom now the measure of devotion the Elric brothers had now for her.
“You can stay for dinner and tell me about the recovery efforts in Ishval,” she replied, Edward meanwhile taking her by the arm before thoughtfully rubbing her stomach a bit. “And then in return I’ll tell you about what’s going on here.”
Finally, the Major managed a smile for this kind, simple family and nodded to accept the offer. As he followed them down the road to the Rockbell residence, he filed away his apparent “poor timing” and replaced it with a rejuvenating chance to experience an evening among those who loved one another dearly. He hoped he could walk away from this opportunity a renewed man with a plan to return to Fort Briggs with both a resignation and a ring.
