Stand by You

XXIV

We all leaned against Envy, panting and coughing from the intense adventure we had. Edward fist bumped Ling and held my hand. "We all made it back," he smiled.

"Yeah," Ling panted.

"Brother!" Alphonse screeched, bounding up to us and pulling Edward into a bone-crushing hug.

"Yow-w-w-w!" He cried.

"Thank goodness you're safe!"

"You're hurting me, Al! The corner of your armor is poking me!"

Ling stood up and began walking around, taking in the huge place. I was doing the same as well. It was a large room, and light shining in from an unknown source. Tubes ran all over the floor and the walls were lined with pipes. The tubes seemed to lead to a throne where a well-aged man in white robes with long blonde hair that strangely reminded me of Edward sat on. He also had a beard that seemed to be growing directly from the sideburns of his hair. Gluttony was writing in pain in the corner, still spewing blood from our escape.

"It's just..." Alphonse sat down and Edward accompanied him. It was at this point I noticed a miniature panda was sitting on Alphonse's shoulder. "Brother, you're alive..."

"Yeah," Edward apologized. "Sorry...to worry you like that. Huh, I wonder what this place is."

"It's a surprise," the man on the throne finally spoke up as he stood up and walked towards us, his hand placed on his chin, no doubt a pondering position. I stood up as well. "People, coming out of his belly," he muttered.

Edward clenched his teeth, obviously recognizing the man and doesn't think nicely of him. "Hohenheim?" He growled.

"A steel arm and leg...armor..." Hohenheim leaned towards Edward and he flinched, stepping back. "Are you the Elric brothers?" He asked.

"You're...not him?" Edward was confused.

"You have me mistaken for someone?" The man said. "Hold on...Hohen...by any chance, do you mean Van Hohenheim? What is your connection to him?"

"He's our father," Alphonse informed.

I gasped softly. This was surprising news for me. According to what vague information I knew from my parents, as they believed that problems with adults were none of the children's business, Edward and Alphonse's father left them and their mother when they were very young and never came back. Granny Pinako also mentioned that he was an old drinking buddy of hers. But...he's alive? After all this time? How long have they've known this?

"Father?" The man cried, grabbing Edward's head. "This is a surprise! He went and had children?" He chuckled light-heartily as he patted Edward on the head, who clearly was getting pissed off at that. "But, as I understood it, your last name was 'Elric'."

Edward knocked the man's hand off of him. "'Elric' was our mother's name!" He yelled.

"I see," he nodded. "So, where is he now?"

"I don't know! Never mind him, who are you? You look exactly like Hohenheim, you know!"

"He wouldn't be dead."

"Hey, listen to me!"

"But for him to have children..."

"Brother, this man is..." Alphonse started as he placed a hand on Edward. His arm grazed the splinted arm and Edward cried out in pain, earning the attention of the man.

"Are you injured?" He asked. "And you don't have your left hand."

The man placed his hand on Alphonse's missing gauntlet and it reformed itself as the room lit a dim red. He placed his hand on Edward's splinted arm and a red light lit the room and the two arms were fixed. Edward gasped as he tore the splint off and moved his formally broken arm. "I-It's better..." He stammered as he looked back up at the man.