Me: -smiles innocently-
Edward: -holding the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger-
Alphonse: Uh...Hanashi, what...is this exactly?
Me: My sweet, and darling Alphonse, this is a rewritten version of an older fic of mine!~
Ed and Al: Rewritten?
Me: Yup. Rewritten. The orginal was never posted on , but on dA. If anyone goes on and comes across it...you'll see why I wanted to redo the whole thing. (=_=) Epic. Fail.
Edward: Who's she? -points to another person there-
Me: That's Christian.
Christian: Now I make my debut here? -chuckles- Beggars can't be choosers as that old proverb goes. Hana doesn't own Fullmetal Alchemist. Just me, and probably other OCs that might make an appearance, and of course the plot to this story you're about to embark on.
Hanashi: Happy reading everyone!
I. When Generations Clash
The mission was simple. Find out about that prophet, and take the item they needed to fix the wrongs they have done. But alas, that wasn't the case. When they finally got their hands on it, it turned out to be a fraud.
"It's a fake?" A young voice echoed from the seven-foot tall armor, disbelief was clear within it.
"Yeah, it was all a waste of time." Answered the boy beside it. "Just when I thought we were finally going to be able to your body back..."
"We need to worry about you first." The armored one said, "Auto-mail has a lot of problems." He continued, whilst looking at the other's steel limb. A replacement for the flesh he had lost when they were younger. The two boys were sitting at a temple to where they both had exposed a priest for the man he really was.
The one with auto-mail stood up, brushing the dirt of his tattered pants. "Well, we'll just look somewhere else then." He said.
If one were looking at the left pant leg, they could see that like his right arm, his left leg was the same from the knee down. The boy's tank shirt was torn, showing the extent of his prosthetic arm. A metal plate took up a portion of his side, back and chest, showing the scars he had for getting the procedure done. The wind blew his golden hair in the breeze, playing with the bangs that framed his face, and the braid he kept it held back in.
He was about to take a step forward when a new voice was heard, "But...there must be some mistake...I mean..." The girl sitting admits the rubble, her hair brown, save for her bangs dyed pink. Tears fell from her eyes, disbelief for all that she's been through. She looked to the duo in hopes that all this was something akin to a dream. "They told me that he would come back to life..."
The boy's golden eyes looked to the wreck of a girl before himself and the armor. "Give it up, Rose, it could never have—"
"What do I do?" The girl, Rose, asked, desperate for an answer. "What am I supposed to believe in now? Tell me that, Ed!" The one called 'Ed', said nothing as he looked to the crying young woman before him. "Are you going to tell me?" Her voice was getting louder, "Well are you?!" Ed looked at her, with a little pity in his eyes. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel a little bad for her, however, she had to face the truth.
"You're going to have to figure that out on your own." Ed explained, his voice was flat. "Stand up and walk." He started walking as he said this,passing by Rose, who had finally lost her ability to hold back any and all tears she had to shed. "At least you have strong legs to take you there." The strange duo had then left Lior, leaving Rose to think about of what Ed had told her.
It's a dark and ominous world here...I can't see any light. I can't feel anything. Not fear, nor joy. Neither warmth nor coldness. I don't know if my eyes are open or not...how long have I been here for? I don't think I know at this point. After being in this space for so long, I don't think I fully remember how I got here...I guess this is what happens when you mess around with something that is beyond your domain.
Ah, that's right...I committed the taboo. That's why I'm here. But, where is here? "So, you've finally awoken, child?" An eerie voice calls from within my realm of darkness. There's a sudden flash of light, and before I'm aware of it, I'm now seeing white. A huge void full of no other form of color. I look behind me, seeing massive doors with a design that seemed to go back thousands of years.
"How long...?" I managed to ask. "Was I...?"
"I'm surprised." The voice called from behind me. I looked to see a humanoid figure. A black aura seemed to emit from it, allowing me to see the shape and size of the strange being. "When most see me, they are full of fear and would ask who I am."
"How long was I in that darkness for?" I asked the being.
"One year, child. You have been suspended in that gate for only a year."
"That's impossible." I stated. "There's no way a human can stay alive for that long without food, and other forms of nourishment. Are you telling me I've been sleeping within those doors, for the past year?"
"That's correct." The strange being confirmed. "Normally, to see what lies beyond these doors will cost you a toll. But a year ago someone else had paid your toll for you. If you ever find them, you should thank them for being generous enough to pay for a part of your price, as well as their own...assuming they're still alive."
"Who would've paid a toll for me...wait, what toll are you even talking about?"
"You'll find out in time, child."
"Who do you think you are, anyway?" At this, a grin formed on the otherwise faceless face. My eyes widened, suddenly regretting what I had asked.
"I love when you humans ask of this from me." It said with glee. "I am what you would call the 'World', or the 'Universe', I am 'God', and 'Truth', I am also 'All', as well as 'One'." Truth pointed a finger at me, its smile never faltering. "That being said, I am also 'You'."
"What...?"
"Only a year ago, you've knocked upon these very doors, now after waiting so long, they have finally opened, you have already seen the 'Truth', but there is still something you yourself had paid."
"Wait! What are you—!" But I never got to inquire, for the next thing I knew, I was grabbed by black tendrils, being pulled once more into the darkness. Into the gates.
+{}+
I woke up with a start. That dream again...though I've had it plenty of times in the past, this was the first time it was so...vivid. I placed my right arm on my forehead, the cool metal of the prosthetic was nice against my sweating skin. The soft ticking of my pocket watch alerted me that it was there. Sighing, I reached over and picked it up from the bedside table, opening the cover, and looking inside. I had a picture in it.
The first person in the picture stood in the middle. It was a man with short dirty-blonde hair, his bangs side-swept to the right. He held a huge wrench over his shoulder, wearing a jumper to which he had tied around his waist. His black T-shirt hanging to his body almost like a second skin. He had one eye closed, allowing an ocean blue eye to be seen. This was my father. His other hand was on the shoulder of a young woman, who was only ten years older than myself.
The girl was my sister, her brown hair so much like our mother's. Her eyes were brown, but there were times I remembered they could almost be hinted with a golden color. Just like his were...or maybe the past tense wasn't really right to use...she had both arms wrapped around a younger girl, who at the time was only five years of age.
The little girl's hair was tied back, leaving her bangs to frame her face. Dirty-blonde was the color of her hair, and her eyes were a beautiful hue of blue. Nothing like her father's though, but from her great grandmother. That little girl was me.
"Foresight Alchemist!" I flinched, snapping my pocket watch shut, placing it where I had left it prior. "You have a meeting with your superior at 0700 hours."
"Yeah, yeah. I got that." I sighed. "Tell him I'll be there soon, Maria." I said. "By the way, how many times have I told you? You can just call me Christian."
"Right...sorry about that." I heard Maria's voice say from the door. "I'll try harder next time to call you by your given name."
"At ease, Ross." I sighed. Then getting out of bed, I stretched, hearing several satisfying pops in my spine. I walked over to the closet, and pulled out a tank, and a pair of jeans. I knew I should've been wearing the uniform, but I didn't need everyone knowing I was, as I've heard on the streets, 'the military's bitch'. I've been a part of the military for two years, joining when I was thirteen. Two years of searching, and I still hadn't found anything on that damn thing. Leon would so kill me if he managed to find out what I've done. I darkly chuckled to myself. Well, Leon wasn't there, and he wasn't going to be here for a long while. That I knew was for sure. The current year was 1914 after all. Sighing to myself, I stripped my nightwear, wishing that the idiot who invented bras would hurry up and do so. "Maria, are you still out there?" I asked.
"Is there something you need my assistance with?"
"Can you help me with this stupid thing?" I sighed. I could tell Maria was smiling behind the door as she opened it to step inside. I was already holding the thing to my chest when she did. Maria Ross was much a friend to me as she was an ally. Her black hair really short, and she had a small mole under her eye.
"I know it's nothing you're used to, but that other thing you were sporting...a bra was it? Just aren't around for you."
"But loads more comfortable than corsets. This thing makes it hard to breathe." Too many strings to tie. This one in particular I might've...adjusted so it was not even half the original size.
"You transmuted it didn't you?" Ross sighed. Finally noting the changes in the article.
"Ross, if you make it to someday see your grandchildren, or even your great grandchildren, you'll see that a lot of girls and their mothers, will all agree that you'll want the support for your chest. There are safer ways to get a smaller waist that don't involve suffocating."
"I see." Ross said, taking hold of the strings on the corset, and tightening the laces in the back. Not so much it would kill me when I try to breathe, but enough so it stays in place. "So I take it that these things become obsolete?"
"Women have to be comfortable too, Maria." I pointed out. "But no, they're still around, mostly used for designs on wedding dresses."
"Well, you best hurry and get dressed. You know how the Lieutenant Colonel is."
"That I do." I sighed, thinking back to the man. I grabbed my tank, pulling it over my head, and easily getting my arms through the sleeves. I finished dressing, and was about to leave, when Maria grabbed my left shoulder.
"Aren't you forgetting something, Miss Foresight Alchemist?" She said, pointing to my bed-side table. The silver pocket watch with the Military's Emblem on the cover. Right. I marched back over, grabbed the damn thing, and headed out again, clipping the metal loop onto the right belt loop, and placing the watch in my pocket. "Do you have everything this time?"
"Watch? Check. Hair?" I combed my fingers through it, not feeling any knots, but then again, my hair, only barely reached my shoulders. "Check. Clothes, check...I don't wear glasses, my necklace is safely around my neck at all times..." I placed my hand over the small silver charm. It was half a charm actually, but I didn't know who left me with it. I kept it, because it brought me pretty good luck every now and then. It was strung through with a small silver chain to match. "Keys to get into the apartment, check...okay I have everything." I finally confirmed. "Can I go now?"
"Don't be late." Maria said, shooing me off.
+{}+
"Ah, Christian, welcome. Lieutenant Colonel Hughes is on the phone right now. You can wait here for the time being."
"What's so important that I can't be in the room when he's using the phone?" I asked, truly curious.
"You'll find out when you get in there." Shrugging, I decided on leaning against the wall while I was waiting to be let in. "I've been meaning to ask, but what ever actually happened to your arm?"
"Nothing. When I was born, some genetic fluke came along, and I was born without it. But I still had nerves that were telling a limb to move that was never there."
"You said you're father made you that arm. How old were you?"
"Four." I sighed, clutching the steel limb. "I was just four years old. I was his youngest patient. He was shocked when I started moving it after just five months. I had full use of it by the next seven. He told me I was just like one of my family members."
"Who would that be?"
"He never said." This was true. My father never told me which family member had done the auto-mail surgery in just a year. About an hour later, the door to Hughes office opens, and a man peaks out.
"Ah, Christian! Glad to see you're here!~ Please, come in." I rolled my eyes, and walked into his office. Maes Hughes was a good man, and the only one who really knew who I was. Well, him and Maria, though I'm sure she has trouble wrapping her head around that. Lieutenant Colonel Hughes was my assigned superior, and saying he was a doting kind of man was an understatement. How many times has he shown me a different picture of his daughter, Elicia or of his wife, Gracia? I lost count.
"So, boss, for what do I owe the honor of being called today?" I asked when the door shut behind me.
"Always to the point, aren't you, Miss Eric...or should I say Elric?"
"The walls have ears, Lieutenant Colonel." I pointed out. "Now, what was it you wanted to see me for?"
"I'm sending you off to work under Roy. He's a good friend of mine, so he'll treat you well."
"Roy Mustang? The Flame Alchemist? Hero of Ishval?"
"Well, if you want to go for titles, then yeah, that's the Roy I'm talking about, Christian." Hughes said, in that joking manner that made me feel like I was a part of his family. "You're heading out later today, so pack up, get ready and don't be late."
"Yes sir." I said, mocking a salute. "I'll be sure to tell Roy Mustang you said 'hey', alright?"
"Be safe, Christian. And thanks." Getting there by train, I would be in East City midday two days from now.
"I really don't want to see that bastard," Edward sighed, as he and his brother headed to Roy Mustang's office.
"Well, it is your job to report to him, brother." Alphonse pointed out. "He's your superior officer."
"He could go die in a hole for all I care." Ed muttered. "Well, here we are. Eastern Headquarters. Get this over with?"
"Let's." Al wholeheartedly agreed. As the brother duo made their way to their designated place. Ed, too lost in his fowl mutterings didn't notice that he was walking right into someone.
"Ow..." "Damn it..." Two voices said at once. The first being mine, the second belonging to a boy with golden hair. "Damn it, pipsqueak, watch where you're walking!" I scolded him.
"Pipsqueak?! Who the hell are you calling so short he'd get stepped on by an ant?!"
"Unless that walking trashcan is shorter than you are, I'd assume it's you!" I shouted back.
"Tr-trashcan?" I blinked a few times when I heard the voice coming from the one in armor. He sounded much too young if he was wearing that armor.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" The blonde asked.
"I should be asking you that. Who do you think you are?"
"Elric!"
"WHAT?" We both exclaimed turning our attention to the one who called us. He was a young man, probably twenty-nine at most. His hair went just past to top of his ears, and almost covered his eyes. Like everyone else, save for me, and the other two, wore the uniform of the State Military. I could tell that he was a colonel, just by what was on his uniform.
"My office, both of you. Now." Without another word, the three of us were ushered into the man's office. When we got there, the two strangers took a seat on the couch opposite of the one I was seated on."I believe you both are wondering why you're here?"
"No shit, Colonel Bastard."
"Colonel Bastard?" I asked, "Is that really the best you got, subatomic shrimp?"
"Why you—!"
"Fullmetal." The man warned him...wait, Fullmetal? Him? That pipsqueak?
"If you're the Fullmetal Alchemist...does that make your name...Edward Elric?"
"Yeah. What of it?" My face paled considerably when he confirmed it. Why didn't I realize it before? Edward Elric. The Edward Elric, also known to be the youngest State Alchemist in the history of Amestris!
"Shit..." Was the only thing I could think of saying when this happened. This cannot go well.
And scene!~ Well, what do you guys think? If you're brave enough, and want to see the orginal, go to my deviantART, and take a look. I doubt it'd be interesting to you guys. -clears throat-
Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know in a review my lovely readers!~ More will come at some point...depends on when I can get chapter two finished X3 (I'm working on way too many fics, aren't I?)