576. Breaking the cycle

After the small reunion, Ajax also came in with Hats. Surprisingly, Winry was also there as she had also come to Central for the big announcement and also meet Edward while at it. The three had lots of bags in their hands.

Ajax cheerfully spoke, "Hahaha... Alphonse, my dear friend, all this is for you. I bought all kinds of food for you to taste. I even followed your list in the diary."

Winry, on the other hand, was shocked as she didn't know that Alphonse was getting his body back. She nearly dropped all the food.

"ALPHONSE?" She shouted and ran up to him. She pulled his thin cheeks and checked his face. Then she hugged him with tears in her eyes.

"Welcome back. You just look like you were back then. Just a bit taller and with longer hair." She said.

Hats came forward and set the food, "Step aside, he looks like a skeleton right now. My boy, you need some milk and fish. Don't skip on milk if you don't want to turn like your little big brother."

Edward glared at Hats and shot bolts of lightning from his eyes. "What did you say, you fat cat?"

"Hah, he's also deaf along with being short." Hats scoffed.

*BAM*

The door shot opened and Scar walked in. Edward and Ajax quickly got into position to stop him if it came to that. Alphonse was still not in any shape of fighting after all.

"I did not come here to fight." Scar said, making his intentions clear by raising his hands. But trusting a man whose weapon was his own hand was tough.

"What is it?" Alexander inquired.

"I want to meet Bradley." He demanded.

"For what? To kill him? If you think you deserve your vengeance, then I believe someone also deserves their vengeance on you." Alexander stated.

"What do you mean?" Scar was confused.

"I have my eyes and ears everywhere, Scar. Do you remember every person you have killed till now?" Alexander asked him.

"Why should I? All of them were murderers with their hands soaked in the blood of countless Ishvalan men, women, and children." Scar proudly replied.

"Even the two doctors who were helping the Ishvalans while ignoring their orders? Yuriy Rockbell and Sarah Rockbell? Remember now?" Alexander reminded him.

The Elric brothers and Hohenheim realized where he was getting to. But it was Winry who was shocked the most.

"He killed Winry's parents?" Edward muttered.

Winry's eyes were twitching as she looked at Scar with hatred. "He killed my parents?"

"Indeed he did. Now tell me, Scar. Should the daughter of those two doctors be allowed to kill you in revenge?" Alexander asked him. His words had much more weight in Scar's mind now.

Scar looked at Winry. He was out of words for a while. "Do it, kill me if that makes you happy. I will not fight you. They were innocent people who refused their orders and saved everyone, be it an Amestrisian or Ishvalan. I indeed killed them and it was wrong. But I have no apologies to make, I have no words to say that can provide you solace."

Winry cried in Edward's arms.

"Before you judge me, know that I didn't want to kill them. In the war, my people were slaughtered mercilessly, I thought I could fight but I was foolish. My brother died trying to save me. I would have also died if it wasn't for your parents. They healed my wounds and saved me. But when I woke up, I was still in too much shock. The first people I saw were your parents who had Amestrisian features. Without any thought, I pored my rage on them."' Scar lifted his hand to show the tattoos.

"With my brother's arm, I vowed to kill all Amestresian Alchemists. So the countless fallen Ishvalans can rest in peace." Scar finished speaking.

Winry was not making any noise now. But she still had a face full of disdain for Scar. "You are a pathetic man. I want to kill you, but I can't. My parents gave you your life and I have no right to take them."

She sat down after that, in Edward's arms.

Alexander started speaking then, "End this cycle of hatred, Scar. I have already brought all mistreated Ishvalans to justice. Soon, both Bradley and the main instigators will be brought to justice. I'm even giving Ishval back to Ishvalans. They will also receive help from the country to rebuild their homes again. They will not have to hide or run anywhere anymore.

"Do not sullen the memory of your own brother by using his hand to cause mass murder. The dead may never return to life but those who are alive can get a better life. Remember, Scar, the people of Amestris were also fooled by Bradley and his puppet master. The fate of Amestrisians was planned to be worse than Ishvalans, they were all to die and be turned into a philosopher's stone and their souls forever to be stuck in agony in that stone." Alexander explained.

Scar looked conflicted. His resolve to kill Bradley was not to be shaken so easily.

*Pop*

From behind Scar, a little girl came with two buns on her head. On her shoulder was a little panda.

Alexander was pleasantly shocked. He was always welcome to kids, "Oh, what do we have here?"

But the girl was far too focused on Edward and Alphonse. She looked at the two one by one. Then she ran towards them.

"MY PRINCE CHARMING... I'M FINALLY HERE." she jumped for a hug.

And she did hug her target, which was Hohenheim. Despite being 450 years old, Hohenheim looked middle-aged at best and also very handsome.

"Ah, my Edward Elric. I have heard so much about you." She started blabbering.

Hohenheim patted her head, "I'm not Edward. He is. I'm his father."

Mei looked towards the boy being pointed. "WHAAAT?"

"But... But... He's so small... Oh, my hopes and dreams." She cried while punching the ground

"LOOK AT YOURSELF FIRST, TINY GIRL," Edward barked.

Meanwhile, the little panda on Mei's shoulder had jumped towards Alexander as most animals would instantly trust him with all their heart. In Xiao-Mei's mind, now Alexander was at the top of the food chain.

Mei got more gloomy when she saw this, "Oh no, even Xiao-mei has abandoned me."

"Hahaha, you came all the way from Xing just to see Edward?" Alexander asked her.

"Oh no, I came here to find a way for my mission. I have been tasked with finding a way to raise the social standing of the poor, downtrodden Chang clan in the eyes of the Emperor and have embarked on this journey to discover and present my father with the secret to immortality." She revealed.

"Oh, so you're after Immortality? Just like how the corrupt people of Central Command were? Child, let me warn you, life and death are a part of the natural order of things. If you try to break this order and cheat death, nothing good comes out of it.

"For a species to develop, a change is a must. If the emperor becomes immortal and rules for eternity, there will be no change, instead, the Immortal Emperor will get bored and soon start playing with the lives of people for entertainment." Alexander advised Mei.

She heard him while blinking her eyes.

"Don't worry child, this trip of yours will not go unfruitful. I will make your clan my exclusive dealer of Technological instruments of your country. You will be able to sell cars, tractors for farming, and many more technologies. This will make your clan rich and influential." He proposed.

Mei had been in Amestris for a while now and was amazed by their technology. Especially the farming technology. She wanted to take a tractor with her but it was too big and heavy.

But now, she can't just take the technology, but also sell it and make a profit. This was a big deal.

She went to Alexander and shook his hand funnily, "Deal accepted."

"Haha, just call me grandpa." He patted her head.

He looked at Winry, "Let me cheer you all on first and then go and take care of Father now. I need to assure people that they are safe or they will probably start a revolt."

[You can see Winry's parents and Xiao-Mei on my Discord - https://discord.gg/DgHkrAn OR see them on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mister_immortal_novel]

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