Stand by You

IV

I come from a sleepy small country town named Resembool. I had a wonderful and loving family there, consisting of my mother, my father, and my younger sister. My father, Elliot Joyce, had brown hair that was mainly flat but had spiked layers and bangs that adorned his round brown eyes. Often times he wore a doctor's coat over his red-collared shirt, pants, and black work shoes.

My mother, Sara Joyce, had chin-length blue-black hair with fringe layers and bangs, one bang so long it completely covered the right side of her face, hiding one of her soft blue eyes behind it. Like my father, she often times wore a doctor's coat over her purple sweater, khakis, and boats.

Finally, my younger sister Grace Joyce had chin-length brown hair with fringed layers and bangs like my mother, but didn't have a bang covering her curious brown eyes ether. As a prim and proper young lady, despite being a little kid, she wore a blue dress with a black collar, white stockings and brown Mary-Janes.

My best friends in the sleepy town were Edward and Alphonse Elric as well as Winry Rockbell. We always played together whenever we had the chance. Whether it be chasing each other around the endless fields of grass, making flower crowns, or simply just playing at one of our houses, we were always together. It was a simple life, but it was perfect to me. But it all changed one day when my parents got letters.

A war was going on for a few years and of course, when there's war they need as many soldiers and doctors they can get. So it wasn't surprise that even they scavenged the quiet town of Resembool for available doctors. Our parents, along with Winry's parents, got letters requesting for their help during the war. I remember seeing Mother and Father packing suitcases and giving us goodbye kisses as they dropped us off at the Rockbell's place which is where we will live until they come back or the war ends. They waved us goodbye before turning around and walking down the path to the train station. Grace, Winry, and I stood out on the porch as we watched our parent's backs grew smaller and smaller with each step until they were no longer visible on the horizon and Granny Pinako ushered us in to distract us from missing our parents.

*~*~*~*~*~

A year later, Grace, the Rockbell household and I received a letter. When Grace opened the envelope, she handed to me. "Read it, Evie," she asked, "Evie" being my nickname since she was young and couldn't province my full name.

I ripped the flap off the glued portion from the envelope as I pulled out a folded piece of paper. I read the letter out loud to the best of my ability.

"Dear the Joyce family," I read. "We apologize to inform you that although the war has ended, your family will not be coming home from the war. Your family were unfortunately killed in the war, due to a surprise attack at a camp they were stationed at. We apologize for the sudden news and offer our condolence. Sincerely, Führer King Bradley."

With trembling fingers, I let the letter fall from my hands and into the ground, fluttering as it landed on the wood surface, years streaming down my face as I registered the news into my head. Grace took a step back, crying as well. Winry was crying as well, burying her face into Granny Pinako's shoulder as she looked away, the letter clenched in her fist.

Grace reached for the envelope to fidget wth it in order for her to distract herself from the sadness when she pulled out another piece of paper. "Um...Evie, you missed one..." she whispered.

Halting my crying, I took the letter. On the fold I saw read the address 42, Wallaby Way. I unfolded it, thinking it was another letter announcing a death if a family because we had two family members out in war or maybe condolences from a fellow soldier or doctor who worked with our parents, but no. Instead, it was a letter from someone else. "Dear Evelyn and Grace Joyce," I read aloud again. "Hello. I am Colonel Roy Mustang. You may not know me, but that's okay. You see, your mother Sara has a little interesting history with me. We're both siblings and we're separated shortly after our parents passed. We didn't see each other again until wartime, which unfortunately both your parents had died in. As family to you, I decided it was my responsibility to take you both in with me. I do not want to burden whoever you are living with and make them raise you until adulthood. I will bear the responsibility instead. Inside the envelope you received from the military are two train tickets to Eastern Command. I want both of you to ride the train there and wait at the station. I will approach you from there. I await to meet you two lovely young ladies. Sincerely, Roy Mustang."