The scenery had changed back to Akari's room as Truth stood up.
"And there you have it. That one event created the brothers you see today." Said Truth. "Any questions?"
"Why did they do what they did? What did all of that happen to them? And how's it currently affecting them today?" Asked Akari.
"The Elrics' childhood was odd. Nothing bad ever really happened to them as children. They lived happily with their parents Trisha Elric and Van Hoeinheim. That was until one day, Hoienheim left the home and never came back. Hell. Even to this day the brothers still haven't seen their father since that day. That just left the brothers and their mother."
"I assume something awful is gonna happen afterwards."
"Right you are. Even though the three lived happily, unknowingly to the brothers, their mother had become deathly sick and then on one day when the brothers had come back home after picking crops, they opened the door to see their mother on the ground unconscious. Shortly afterwards she died. Not wanting to live as an orphan, Ed had convinced Al to work with him and study all of their father's notes about alchemy so they could resurrect their mother with human transmutation, the ultimate sin in alchemy."
"Why's it referred to as the ultimate sin?"
"All forms of alchemy follow the law of Equivalent Exchange. In order to gain and creare something, another thing of equal value must be lost and given away. Now answer me this goddess of time. What can equal the value of a human soul?" Asked Truth.
That part is when Akari realized why it was a sin and a taboo as she failed to answer that question.
There was no answer.
Nothing could equal the value of a human soul.
"Exactly. No matter how perfect someone could be with their ingredients on the human body, human transmutation will never work. Nothing could ever equal the value of a human soul. Since the Elrics had attempted to play god and revive a human, they needed to pay the price for such an act. Thus, I had no choice but to take Alphonse's body and Edward's left leg. I thought it was gonna end there. Then Edward suprised me by successfully bonding his brother's soul to that armor by the blood seal. That required another toll so I took his right arm."
"Wow. Your a selfish prick." Said Akari.
"Hey. I couldn't let them get away with committing the taboo scott free. Anyways I've said all I know. If you wanna know what happened after that moment, go ask your brother."
With that Truth had vanished back into Alex's subconscious as Akari got up immediately going to ask Roy.
[Timeskip]
Akari had already arrived at HQ in hurry as she made her way down the entrance, up the stairway and down the main hall until she made it to his office.
Shockingly she knocked instead of kicking down the door this time as after three knocks, she was allowed to enter.
Needless to say Roy wasn't pleased to see Akari especially after how much she had annoyed him a few days ago.
"Oh great. Your a little early for your daily teasing ya know?" He said as Akari shook her head no.
"I would've kicked down the door if I was gonna tease you firecracker. I'm here for some important business this time around." She said as she sat down.
"Oh really? And what kind of importance for you requires my help?" Asked Roy.
"I want to know the brothers' past. Everything." She said which caught Roy off guard.
"I didn't think you'd be this intrested in the Elrics."
"Remember? I said there was just something about them that intrigued me. I wanna know them now."
Roy took a moment to answer before be sighed. "Fine I'll talk. Just don't tell the brothers I told you anything okay?"
Akari nodded as she prepared to listen as Roy cleared his throat.
"Let's see. Since your asking this you obviously know about their incident already correct?"
"Yes. They attempted human transmutation which is highly illegal and considered the taboo of all alchemy."
"Wow. I'm impressed. Looks like you do know your stuff. Anyways, a few short days after the incident, I was called over to that area to find what they had put it as an alchemy prodigy. So I and Hawkeye went over to the town and ended up at the Elrics' house. We saw that it was empty so we looked around to find anybody. Eventually we were guided to where the Elrics were staying. After a brief confrontation, I had offered Ed to participate in the state alchemist exam and join HQ. Fast forward to today and here we are."
"What happened to their limbs? And why's Al's hollow inside?" Asked Akari.
"Ed gave up his left leg for the human transmutation and then gave up his right arm after bonding Al's soul to the armor. Shortly after that Ed was given metal prosthetics, known as automail for his right arm and left leg." Said Roy. "That's pretty much their story up to this point."
Akari nodded and thanked Roy for the information.
"Let me say this. Akari. Alex could've easily gone down the brothers' route. He could've been missing limbs trying to resurrect you. God knows what would've happened if he tried to do that with you being alive and all. The difference was that Alex knew your death was coming regardless. The Elrics had no clue. Please Akari. Don't let anything happen to the bond between Alex and the Elrics. The three are practically brethren, being orphans at a young age."
Akari was shocked to hear Roy say such things but it was clear how important this bond was to not only them but also to everyone else in HQ as well.
She nodded as she got up and left his office. As she was leaving she saw the brothers coming into the building.
Al gave Ed a little nudge to his arm as Ed noticed this and sighed a bit.
"Um, thanks for saving us, Akari. We were screwed back there if it weren't for your quick thinking." Said Edward.
Akari heard this and simply smiled. "No problem you two. Any friend of Alex is a friend of mine."
When Akari said that, both Ed and Al were immediately surprised.
"You know who Alex is Ms. Akari?" Asked Alphonse.
Akari was surprised by that question as she giggled a little. "Of course I know him. Why wouldn't I?"
"Maybe because Alex has never told us about you." Said Ed.
Akari was a little shocked hearing that Alex had never told them about her but she immediately brushed that aside.
"I see. Well then allow me to do the honors. Greetings Elric brothers. My name's Akari C. Satsuki and I'm the mother of Alex Mustang." She said with a smile seeming proud of that last statement.
When the brothers heard that, they had faces of disbelief.
"Y-You gotta be joking right?" Asked Edward.
Akari was a little confused as to why the brothers had still doubted her but also shrugged it off.
"Of course I am. Here look."
Akari pulled out the papers of the blood test and showed how Akari was indeed Alex's mother.
The brothers faces remained in pure shock and disbelief and Akari didn't know why they were reacting the way they did.
"B-Brother. That means Alex....................he................" Said Al trailing off as Ed immediately ran off in anger as he said something in pure rage.
"That lying son of a bitch!"
Chapter 34: End