This has been sitting around for a while and it's something I really want to see come to life.
It's based around the anime, taking place after Envy kills Ed, and Al sacrifices himself to bring him back. Rose has already left, and Ed's about to sacrifice himself for Al. Archer doesn't shoot Roy in this version and Roy only have the wounds from his fight with the Fuhrer This is only the first chapter and it may be a bit confusing with who is talking, but please bear with it and ask me if you have any questions. So… please enjoy!
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Buried deep below the sun; the lost underground city. A whole culture forgotten overnight. Trapped beneath the soil right under everyone's feet; its walls hid secrets. Dark secrets.
Puddles of blood formed sporadic patterns on the wooden floor. The ghastly scene reflected in the crimson substance. Hauntingly beautiful, this was the room where he had been killed by the homunculus, Envy. The same room where his younger brother had used the Philosopher's Stone, and successfully sacrificed his own life to bring him back from the dead.
Edward stood in the middle of a large transmutation circle which lay in the centre of the exquisite ballroom. The design danced their intricate lines in various patterns, locking him in.
His whole world was spinning. Everything was a blur, and yet crystal clear. A voice whirled throughout his head; it mixed with his own hazy thoughts, gaining access to every crevice of his being. The voice taunted him.
It's all your fault, Edward.
Al was gone. He had healed Ed's fatal wounds and given back his missing limbs. In all truth, Edward never had any intention of getting them back. Though he never told Alphonse; Al wouldn't like that. He wanted to get them back for Ed, feeling that it was his fault they were gone. But it wasn't Al's fault. It was his own sin that had caused them to be taken. It was payment.
His automail represented that sin. It was his mistake, and his alone. No one else could take the blame. That's why he had to live with the automail, making no excuses and without complaining. Taking the pain and any other punishment that came with it. That was part of his sacrifice.
But Al didn't deserve to be in that body. Al was at no fault; Ed had dragged his brother into it. That's why it was Ed's duty to fix him. To fix what he had broken.
But, once again, he had failed, and once again, pulled Al into it. Once again Al had been hurt by his actions. Once again...
You have to bring your brother back, Edward.
The voice was right; he was only breathing for one thing now. It was his crutch and the only reason he didn't give up and cave into his emotions. He had to bring Alphonse back. He had no hesitations in doing it. But would it work? A life for a life had never been enough. But still…
There was more than a life involved here. It was his journey. All the pain so far. That was part of the cost. He was going to offer his pain to the Gate, along with his body and soul.
"If what my dad said about the gate is true, Al's old body and mind should still be there. But now his soul is there too. Maybe life has no equal trade; maybe you can give up all you've got and get nothing back. But still, even if I can't prove it's true, I have to try. For your sake… Al." Ed took a deep breath.
For Al.
No second thoughts. Only regrets.
He fully understood that he was never going to see his brother again. He wasn't going to feel Alphonse's soft skin against his own, the only thing he'd been longing for since their tiresome journey began. And he knew he was never going to live again. To breath. He was content as long as there was a chance, just the slightest, that Al could live and be happy.
"For Al."
Do it, Edward.
He lifted his arms, bringing his palms together in front of his bare chest. Closing his eyes, he listened to its echo off the walls. The last time he would ever hear that sound.
Hurry up.
His hands started to rise, to connect to the circles drawn in his own blood. But there was an echo of a sound in the background.
"Edward?" Something tugged him away from his task. It was far away in the distance, but it was there.
"EDWARD!"
He didn't move. Ed didn't know what was happening. He swayed, his mind telling him something wasn't right, that he needed to look around. But the other voice was telling otherwise.
Keep going, Edward. Your brother's waiting for you. Are you going to make him wait even longer, put him through more pain than you have already have?
…No.
His ignored the distraction and his hands continued on their path to the transmutation circles.
Roy sprinted over to him as fast as he could, grabbed Ed's flesh right arm and yanked him away from the circle.
Edward blinked; everything was a blur of colour. He had to save Al before it was too late. Something was stopping him from saving his brother.
Roy looked down at the blonde alchemist with a shocked expression planted on his face. Roy's eyes widened when he noticed Ed's right arm. It was flesh again. Thoughts raced through his head; he didn't know what to think, or which to ask first.
His arm? It's flesh? Where is Al? Does he have his body back too? What is Ed doing down here? And with these transmutation circles? He had only gotten a brief look at the circle drawn on the floor, and he didn't know what it did, but he knew it couldn't be anything good. Especially when Edward was involved.
"What are you doing?" he asked firmly, looking into Ed's eyes for the first time since he entered the room. They were glossy and glazed over. There was no life in them, and it didn't even look like the boy was conscious. But he was. He was standing and his eyes were open.
"What are you doing?" he asked the boy again, with more force this time. He had to get an answer.
You're saving your brother, Edward.
"Saving Al." Ed replied, simply. His voice no longer a whisper. Roy had never seen Edward like this.
Roy frowned for a moment. Saving Al? Where was Al? Saving him from-
Then his charcoal eyes widened in understanding. He knew what Edward was doing. Why he was down here alone. Where Al was. And what that transmutation circle was for. He looked over at it. He studied the lines and structure for a minute. The transmutation circle was for-
"…Human transmutation." Roy's voice wavered. He looked down at Ed. Ed didn't return his look.
Yes, he himself had nearly attempted human transmutation, but he didn't- couldn't finish it. He didn't have the nerve to put his hand down on the array; to complete the flow of power between alchemist and circle. To him, it looked like Ed was about to take that step and sacrifice himself. Crossing that forbidden line, again.
"Edward, where's Alphonse?" he already knew the answer in his heart, but he had to hear it. He didn't want to believe it unless he was told by Edward himself.
Ed didn't answer straight away. He just stared ahead, as if seeing something that Roy did not.
Alphonse is waiting for you, Edward.
"He's waiting for me." He answered simply. Not the answer that Roy expected. Waiting for him?
"Waiting where, Edward?" he spoke carefully.
The Gate.
"The Gate."
Edward, this thing is getting in your way. Eliminate it!
I can't. Mustang is my friend.
No he's not, Edward. He's the last obstacle that's preventing your brother from living again. So you have to do something about it. After all, it's your fault he's dead. He blames you, Edward. He despises you. It's your fault.
He blames me?
Yes, Edward. He blames you. He hates you for what you put him through. For trapping his soul in that armour. For the death of your mother. It's your fault, Edward. And his death is just another blotch on the long list of mistakes you have made in your short life. The least you can do for him is this. Now eliminate this thing! Move it out the way and finish what you started before it's too late. You can fix it. Do it for Alphonse.
…Yes.
"…Edward? Edward!" Ed looked up into Roy's eyes for the first time since Roy entered the ballroom.
Eliminate it.
Ed jerked his arm out of Roy's grip and brought his left fist swiftly to his face. Roy wasn't prepared for this sudden movement from the otherwise motionless boy, and staggered back in shock, holding his throbbing jaw.
"Edward, what-?" Ed lunged at him again before Roy could finish his sentence, and he barley dodged another face full of fist. Unluckily for Roy, Edward was highly skilled in unarmed combat, and he himself, wasn't. And thanks to his injuries received form the Fuhrer, his body wasn't too keen to start another fight. He already had a horrific gash below his shoulder that was seeping blood at a steady rate, threatening to unhinge him at any moment. He had ripped up his white undershirt to make makeshift bandages that he hoped would hold in the blood, though multiple other painful cuts covered his body.
He barely missed a punch from Ed's right fist, but he wasn't quick enough to block the left. It connected with his stomach. Roy doubled over, stunned at the strength behind the punch. He attempted to shuffle back while catching his breath, but he wasn't able to stop Ed's knee moving into his nose.
He fell back onto the floor, holding a freshly broken nose in his hands. He felt the blood seep through his fingers and drip into his lap, adding to the bloody stains.
Finish him.
Ed clapped his hands and placed them on the ground. Underneath his rising hand, surrounded by blue alchemic light, was a newly formed spear. The wind ceased and his bangs fell back to their place against his head.
Moving swiftly, he lifted the spear and positioned it very precisely so the blade was mere centimetres from Roy's neck.
"Edward… Edward, what are you doing?" he asking, panicking. Edward didn't answer. "Fullmetal!" Edward blinked at Roy's tone. He hesitated.
Why am I doing this?.
Your brother, Edward. Does one life really matter if it means that your brother is alive again? In his own body?
I can't do this.
You can, Edward. Alphonse is waiting for his selfish brother to bring him back. He brought you back without a second thought, and look at you now.
I can't just kill a friend.
Al wants you to. He wants to live, to breathe Edward. Are you really going to deny him that? His one wish. The one thing that will make him happy?
Al wants me to kill Mustang?
Yes, Edward.
He blinked again.
"You're lying! Al wouldn't want that!" Ed shouted, suddenly.
Roy flinched, "Fullmetal?"
Am I? How do you know that?
"Because Al is my brother, and I know him. He wouldn't want me to take a life for his."
You really are a fool, Edward.
The spear fell to the floor; the clatter was the only sound to be heard in the ballroom. Edward turned around and walked slowly back over to the transmutation circle on the ground.
Are you still going to do it?
"Yes. For Al."
"Fullmetal!" Ed didn't even bother to reply. Al had waited long enough.
Ed clapped his hands.
"FULLMETAL!" Roy bolted up and lunged forward as fast as his body would move. Just as Ed touched the transmutation circles on his chest, Roy tackled him to the ground. There was a brief flash of blue alchemic light, which quickly faded. Ed hadn't been paying attention to Roy, and was unprepared for his attack. A sickening thud of bone losing to concrete echoed throughout the room.
Roy looked at Ed's body as he rolled off the alchemist. He was unconscious. He supposed it was better this way; at least he could get the teenager out of here without causing any more damage to himself.
Roy picked up the teen's body, his lolled to the side. Roy adjusted the boy's frame into a more comfortable position, and Ed's head now fit securely into the nook of Roy's arm. Roy glanced down and saw a trickle of blood dripping through Edward's blonde locks.
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You failed Edward.
I failed? At what?
Saving your brother. He's gone.
He's gone?
Yes. You failed and now his soul gone. You aren't strong enough, and you don't love your brother enough, otherwise you would have made it work. You could have done more, but you didn't. You have no one to blame but yourself and Alphonse blames you too. Your brother is dead because of what you did. It isn't enough for you just to hurt your brother, but you drag everyone you meet down with you. Again and again. Everyone you encounter, everyone you touch, everyone you love. You are nothing but a burden and pest to everyone that knows you, and they can't stand you anymore. They just wish that you would die. And you can't even do that right.
They want me dead?
Yes. You don't deserve the air your lungs, let alone their love. They know what you did and they are going to make you pay, Edward.
What did I do?
You killed your brother.
I... killed him?
Yes, Edward. They all know it.
All of them?
Yes. And they're not going to forget it, Edward. You have hurt them all. You always make Winry cry. She worries needlessly over you and you can't even pick up the phone to tell that you're okay. And now whom do you think she going to blame for Al?
Mustang. How do you think he got those injuries? It's your fault that he got injured in the battle with the Fuhrer because you dragged him into it. Who do you think he blames?
You brought back the pain of Izumi's lost child while she's battling illness. Now she's going to be heartbroken over Al. Al was her second son, how do you think that's going to help her Edward?
Furey, Breda, Havoc, Armstrong, Falman, they're all fighting a battle up north against Drachma. They're all going to die pointless deaths because you weren't strong enough to prevent another war. And now look at Liore. It was a paradise before you went there and started a confrontation. Thousands died. And their deaths are on your shoulders. As are the soldiers lives' that were taken in Scar's Grand Arcanum transmutation, which you didn't try hard enough to stop. You have hurt so many people, and you had the chance to save just one person, the person that should have meant the most to you, and you failed yet again. You have always failed, and you always will. You're. Just. Not. Good. Enough. And you never will be no matter what you do. No matter how hard you try.
But I didn't mean- I just wanted to-
You wanted what Edward?
To help-
Well look how you helped things, Edward. Look at all the anguish. All the suffering. All the death and blood dripping from your hands. And their graves will be just another sign of your failures.
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Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
"Colonel, we have the results back. Tests confirm that there was no permanent damage to Major Elric's brain. He was only knocked unconscious. "
Roy mentally let out a sigh of relief. "Is there anything else?"
"No, but we should look now at your own injuries now," the doctor said, sternly. Roy had been refusing treatment for his wounds until he knew that Edward was going to be okay.
"There's just one last thing that I want to tell you about. Shortly after he attacked me, he was talking to himself- or someone. He was answering questions and his eyes were unfocused."
"Alright, thank you for letting me know. There's not much else we can do until he's conscious but I will keep it in mind. Now, your wounds?"
Roy looked down at the sleeping teen again and was reluctant to surrender, but he let himself be lead out of the room.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Please review and tell me what you think~