Xander spun around at the sound of Willow’s startled scream and the crash of metal to find Al sitting back up with his helmet lying next to him on the floor. Inside the armor was what looked like a ghost of a teenage boy, probably no older than the Scoobies, with long pale blond hair and golden eyes almost the same shade as Ed’s. There was an embarrassed look on his face and Xander could have almost sworn that his cheeks were even red.

“Sorry about scaring you, miss,” apologized Al in a strange hollow voice that sounded younger than hie looked as he reached for his helmet.

“Al?” gasped Ed and Xander glanced over to find the blond kid staring at his brother, looking like he had his greatest dream before his eyes yet was terrified that it was going to vanish unexpectedly. “I can see you.” His voice had cracked slightly and there was tears running down his face that he didn’t seem to realize were there.

“Brother?” Al asked, a confused look on his transparent face as he turned to look at Ed. “What are you talking about?”

Slowly, Ed approached the still sitting armor and pulled off his white gloves, revealing a right hand made out of metal, and reached out to cup the ghostly face. “I can see you, Alphonse Elric, not the armor.” He chuckled a bit wetly. “You’ve aged. Looking like my twin again.”

As the brothers stared at each other,, the golden braid trailing down Ed’s back caught Xander’s attention, and the brunette teen found himself staring at a familiar black symbol on the back of the long red coat. It was the serpent draped cross with its winged crown.

“Hey! That symbol’s on my necklace and a trunk in my parents’ attic!” he exclaimed, without thinking, and shrunk back as everyone turned to look at him with expressions ranging from disbelief to surprise and interest.