Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the characters of Full metal Alchemist or the Full Metal Alchemist and all of that...

Gypsies and the French Country Side

November, is a usually mild, autumn month, reflecting beautiful arrays of red, orange, yellow and brown. This November was a usually cold and rainy one in Central. The days were dreary, endless and dark. It is always said that the weather reflects ones mood, but clearly that statement could be a contradiction. But the world does not stop on the account of weather. A year has passed since the Elric brothers left this world. Although it was said that they were in fact deceased, this world kept moving forward because of them. The aftermath of the invasion to attempt to conquer that world, known as Amestris was devastating, Central and Liore were left in ruins. But yet people had faith and started moving forward to rebuild their towns. Everyone took their place to follow in the footsteps of the Elrics.

Living a life of sins and hardship, the brothers still moved forward without ever looking back…..Or that's what people thought.

London 1924

They had traveled for 4 long years searching for the philosopher's stone, stopping in numerous places, meeting new people and still they were traveling, and in a world not their own. But as the older Elric would say, this was their home and they had to protect it. His younger brother, Alphonse knew this but yet he also knew that his older brother lost a part of himself back there. Even though he would flat out deny it, or just change the subject completely. Alphonse Elric knew his brother inside and out. Edward said that this world was their true and only home. Alphonse wasn't buying it.

They were traveling through London, accompanied by a group of gypsies and of course Noah and the alternates of Scar and Lust. They were traveling to France to seek out the Uranium bomb and destroy it. They had stopped to rest in a deserted field in the country side. Everyone one was setting up tents, starting fires and telling gypsy stories.

A young Edward Elric sat against a tree staring off into the darkened sky. His golden hair swept around him as the frosty wind blew, but his honey, golden gaze remained still, fixated only on the sky and his thoughts. It reminded him of the autumn skies of Resembool. Alphonse noticed that Ed was unusually quiet these days, yet still studying and observing any leads to the bomb, but eerily quiet, and withdrawn. Ed always thought a lot, even as a child he would get caught staring off in a distance for a period of time before quickly regaining his composure and rejoining the world. But now it seemed Ed did this way too often, like he lost something very valuable. He was happy of course to have Al there, but still felt very distant, and half a world away.

Ed sat for good while until Al found him there just staring and thinking.

"Brother! There you are, I've been looking for you" The younger Elric said cheerfully sitting down next to Ed, rubbing his hands together for warmth.

Ed turned his head for a brief moment to look at his brother. He felt that he needed to keep looking at the green-bronze eyed, sandy haired teen every now and then, to make sure he was real. He then turned his head back to gaze back to the stars.

"Ed you're doing it again." Al frowned, pulling a blade of grass and twisting it between his fingers.

"What is it that I am doing, Al?" Ed asked, slightly annoyed by Al's question.

"Well... Let's see sitting alone, in the cold and staring off in space. What's wrong brother, you are too quiet these days, Scar…I…mean Jaden mentioned something about your height and you didn't even so much as flinch."

Edward finally turned to his brother and smirked a little. "Ah that's because I AM taller…now."

"Yeah but Ed, I'm still taller and still growing…your done all the growing you're going to do…well at least in height any way." Al smiled getting a slight reaction from his brother, who snorted at his comment and frowned.

"It's nothing Al, c'mon let's see what the gypsies are cooking tonight I am starved!" Ed said more cheerfully, getting up and brushing his brown pants off and straightening out his rusty-brown colored coat.

Al shrugged and got up, following his brother back to camp. They walked back to see the gypsies doing what they normally do. Some were sitting by the fire, drinking and eating. Others were singing and telling stories about their people. To Ed the gypsies reminded him of the Ishvalians, except more radical, and not so peaceful. After traveling with them for so long, Ed realized that they did what they could to survive, even if it involved stealing and selling their women for money. He did not feel they were horrible people, but some how they were broken just like the Ishvalians. He constantly kept a close eye on Noah, knowing her special talents, Ed did not want her to be sold, she held too many secrets of their past that could eventually cause this world to go to war with their world again. Ed would stop at nothing to protect his world. He also knew that some of the other gypsies knew of her talents as well, so he had to protect her too.

They approached the fire where Jaden, Camilla and a small group of gypsies sat talking among their selves and eating. They sat near the fire trying to get warm, rubbing their hands together. Ed leaned to the left of the fire; where a stack of clay bowls laid on the ground and picked up two of them, filling them up with hot beans. They hung over the open fire. They all sat quietly eating when Jaden spoke up.

"So Alphonse, Edward what are you planning to do once we get to France?" He asked putting his arm around Camilla.

"Travel..." was all Ed managed to say while he ate.

"You don't have a home? A family to go to? You are not of gypsy heritage to say the least, so why do you guys travel? Are you looking for someone? Something...perhaps?"

Ed seemed to be ignoring Jaden completely when he spoke, as if no one was even talking to him. He just sat there continuing to finish eating.

"Uh…yeah…we like to travel." Al finally answered nervously. "You see we not from around here….and ...uh... we want to get to know this place as best as we can.." Al looked over at Ed who was currently making the famous I-am-annoyed-so-shut-up-already scowl.

"…And anyway, this is our home now so we just feel we need to take the time to get adjusted. Right, brother?" Al asked quietly looking down.

"Right, Al?" Ed managed to blurt out, putting his empty bowl on the ground, ready to get up.

"Edward, Noah tells me that you have a prosthetic right arm and leg?' Camilla chimed in smoothly. "She says it's nothing like the prosthetics that she has seen, and that you can move those limbs.."

Al looked at his brother, not sure if Ed was going to blow up or walk away. Al knew that this was a touchy subject to his older brother, and to him. Al felt responsible for the fact that Ed lost his limbs again. Al sacrificed his life for his brothers' limbs and life and in return Ed sacrificed his limbs to pull Al's soul back to his body and return to the other side of the gate, where they were currently at now.

A life for a life.

Al was surprised at Edward's reaction. He didn't yell or throw a tantrum or even walk away. He stood up, pulled his glove off and his sleeve up, revealing a shiny metal fist that glistened in the moonlight holding it outstretched, looking at it with a fiery, but sad look in his eyes.

"This was made by someone back at our home, our childhood friend. She put every fiber of her being to make these limbs." He said quietly not moving his gaze as he uncurled the steel digits revealing his palm.

"I thought that I hated them, but now I think they are the closest thing to remembering that place...and her, they are a part of me now, my body... as well as a part of the person that made them." He said quietly, pulling his sleeve back down and putting his gloves back on, turning away.

"Al, I am going to find Noah and then to the tent, we should get some rest, we will be leaving early." He said calmly walking away, his blond ponytail loosely following him.

Ed saw Noah talking with three other women across from his tent. He sighed in relief and crouched into the tent, unrolled a wool blanket and sat down pulling his hair out, letting it fall to his shoulders; stray strands hugged his face while amber eyes peeked beneath his long bangs. Letting out another sigh he reached behind his head and began to braid it slowly, perfectly just like a certain person used to do, all except the pulling and yanking. He missed the pulling and yanking she always seemed to inflict when she braided it for him.