Edward Elric smirked at the white figure of the being known as Truth sitting cross legged in front of him. Ed knew what he was going to do, and he didn't care if he lost his Alchemy. Sure, Alchemy played a major part in his life, but he could easily get on well enough without it. It would take some time to get used to the loss of his Alchemical abilities, but it was fine by him. After all, Alchemy wasn't as important as his friends and brother were. Besides, It was what had started this whole whooping mess. It would seem right if it had ended with Alchemy. A large grin crossed onto Ed's face.

"Who even needs Alchemy, when I have all my friends?"

The Truth grinned widely, not in the mocking way Edward had expected to see. The Truth actually seemed genuinely happy with his answer.

"You've done it!" The Truth exclaimed, a pleased tone heard faintly in it's normally cruel voice. "That's the right answer! Good job, you've beat me!"

Edward smirked triumphly, but the Truth's next words sent his hopes and joys crashing and burning down, hard. "However, I can't take your Alchemy."

Ed's jaw fell and hung open in utter disbelief as it felt as if someone had slapped him across the face with a metal gauntlet. What? No... That can't be...

"B-but," Edward stammered, a mix of emotions bubbling up in him. Shock, disbelief, confusion, despair, and finally, a burning rage. "You said I beat you, so why-?!"

The Truth held up a hand to silence him. "You did indeed beat me, but your Alchemy for your brother isn't equivalent."

"WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT IT ISN'T EQUIVALENT?!" Ed's famously short temper exploded with the same ferocity as a Volcano's as he roared. After all this, Ed still wouldn't be able to get his brother back, and the very thought infuriated him. Damn Truth always had to make things harder for him, one way or another.

"It isn't equivalent, but not in the way you think it is. Your Alchemy, is worth far more than your brother." The Truth didn't seem to be at all phased by Edward's outburst as it explained the circumstances.

"Then take my Alchemy!" Edward repeated, slight desperation leaking into his voice. If the Truth didn't take his Alchemy as a toll, he wouldn't have anything to give up to get his little brother back. What would he do then? How would he be able to fulfill his promise to Winry, that the next time she cries, it would be tears of happiness? "It's still enough, isn't it?"

The Truth grinned, continuing on as if it hadn't heard Edward speak at all. "No human has ever beaten me for more then a millennium, so I'll tell you what." The grin stretched across the Truth's face seemed to get wider, if that was even possible at all.

"How would you like to go back, right to the beginning, and change it all?"

Edward froze, unsure if he was actually hearing things correctly, or if he just needed to get his ears checked. Go... Back? Go back in time? Was that what the Truth meant?

"Go back?" Edward repeated his own thoughts . "As in, go back in time?" Time travel should be impossible, not to mention how ridiculous the whole thing sounded. All is one, and one is all. The flow of the universe only goes in one direction, as Ed had learnt the hard way and yet, here the Truth was, going against the very same law.

Honestly, the Truth ought to stick with it's own rules.

"Precisely, Edward Elric. Go back in time. I'll admit that this timeline didn't go as well as I had planned, so do me this favour. Rewrite the timeline to get the best ending, and I'll return your brother to you. Simple as that."

Edward started. There it was, the very thing he wanted all along. The response to the Truth shoukd have been so simple. But why was he hesitating? Why was it so hard to just form such a simple word in his throat?

"Oh, and this timeline will cease to exist." The Truth, noticing the horrified expression that had crossed the blonde's face, cut him off just as he had opened his mouth to vehemently protest.

"The people of this timeline will still exist, just in a different timeline. They will be perfectly safe."

Edward frowned deeply, not entirely convinced as he hesitated.

"Didn't you want to save that little girl?" The Truth grinned once more, playing on Edward's own greatest regrets and sorrows, knowing it had won.

Edward's head snapped up at the reminder of Nina. Yeah... That's right. Nina deserved a chance at life. Hughes didn't deserve to die. And so many others, who had died because of his carelessness. This was a chance to right his wrongs. Ed's eyes hardened in determination.

"I'll do it."

Just as soon as those three words left his mouth, Ed's portal of Truth creaked open omnimously, as the dark tendrils reached out to grab him, pulling him into the dark void of his own gate.

"Excellent. You'll be sent to Liore. Have fun, Mr Al-che-mist!"

"W-wait a second! Which year am I being sent to?!"

The Truth merely grinned. Oh, the Truth couldn't wait to see how this would turn out, be it for the better, or the worse.

[A/N Yes, yes, I know I have two other stories that need updating, but this idea has been driving me crazy while I'm trying to study. Notice the word, 'trying'. And well, yeah. I couldn't concentrate until I got this stupid idea out, so please don't kill me.

Well, tell me what you think, and do you guys think I should continue this?

~Gwntan12]