Chapter 15: Fullmetal Heart

Synopsis
Reeling after Alphonse's explosive assertion that he had never asked for his current body, Edward apologizes dejectedly and promises that he will do everything in his power to return his brother to his human state. However, Al, remembering the words of Barry the Chopper, questions angrily whether he had ever actually been human, suggesting that - while alchemical theory supposes the existence of a soul and mind as essential parts of the human being - these ethereal concepts have never been verified and could conceivably be fabricated. Recalling that Edward had mentioned a few days ago that there was something he was too afraid to discuss, Alphonse posits angrily that what Edward had been too frightened to say was that the human boy called Alphonse Elric had never existed and the soul in his armor is an artificial fabrication, his supposed memories merely falsehoods being corroborated by Winry and Pinako and everyone who claims to have known him.

Edward storms off without responding, but before Al can say any more, Winry furiously and tearfully assaults him with a wrench and scolds him for his foolishness. Winry declares that what Ed had truly been afraid to ask was whether or not Al blames him for what happened to them. Remembering the night of the accident when Edward lay awake on life support in the Rockbells' clinic, she explains that Edward used to cry himself to sleep through the pain, fearing that his little brother would hate him for initiating their tragedy. Winry orders Al to go after his big brother and apologize and, complying, Al finds Ed on the roof. Before he can apologize properly, however, Edward engages him in one of their sparring matches under the pretense of needing to loosen up his body with exercise and manages to win by catching Alphonse off guard with a hospital bedsheet. As Ed makes note that this was his first victory, the brothers reminisce over all the scuffles they had had as children. Edward asks Al if he still believes those memories to be false and Al apologizes while asserting that his desire to regain his human body is also real. Having come to an understanding, they renew their vow to return their bodies to normal and remark that they will need a lot more strength for the challenges to come. Winry, who has been watching the scene with Maes, comments (in contradiction to his earlier assertion) that there are some worries and feelings that always need to be communicated aloud.

Chapter Notes

 * In this chapter, it is noted that a waterway exists in Resembool by the name of "Rain River".


 * In this chapter, the fact that Edward and Alphonse had fought over which of them would mary Winry is first brought up.