I know I shouldn't be starting new stories…I'm sorry! But I'm experimenting with this…so I'd appreciate feedback. This story was inspired by a picture I saw. Once I relocate it and get the link, I'll put it here.

Disclaimer: Peeps, we are on Fanfiction. FANfiction.

Time
By Lea Cat
6/24/06

It had started off as a normal day. Or, as normal as you could get if you were the Elric brothers.

"Brother! Why did you do that!" Al asked in a panicked voice.

"Oh, come on Al. It's no big deal." Ed replied, his tone implying no worries. That only served to aggravate the suit of armor more.

"'No big deal'! We're being chased out of town!" Al ran a little faster to avoid the items the towns' people were now throwing. Ed ran a little further ahead; being of lighter mass, naturally he was quick and speedy. "Next time, think before you punch someone!" Ed had punched someone when he insulted his height; unfortunately, it had been a well respected person. Needless to say, the people were not happy. It reminded him of Lior. Al thought.

"Ha! There you are!" Ed skidded to a halt when he realized he was standing in the middle of a transmutation circle. Clapping his hands together, he attempted to foul up the transmutation. There were two conflicting flashes of light. The lights blended together and got brighter.

An explosion occurred, and it rocked more than one world.

(XXhxaxpxpxyxxdxexpxrxexsxsxixoxnxxhxaxtxrxexdxxhxoxpxeXX)

"Brother? Are you okay?" Al called out. The dust flying everywhere didn't affect him in the least; he didn't have to breathe in the air.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" Ed broke off into a coughing fit. "…hold on…" Ed continued coughing, and it was through that that Al was able to locate him.

"Brother?" Al asked as Ed hacked his lungs out.

"Al? Where are you?"

Al looked around in confusion before calling out, "Here, Brother!"

"…wait…this is--"

"Brother?" Another voice interrupted. Al felt confusion hit full blast; that voice sounded just like—

Someone who looked like Ed appeared in the settling dust. He appeared to recognize both of them. "…You are--"

He never got to finish because a hyper active 11 year old knocked him over, waving his arms frantically in a sad attempt to ward off the dust. Another blonde, this time wearing strange brown and white clothing, appeared as the dust fell. "Al? What did you do this time?" He looked up and saw Al in the armor. His gold eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he was suddenly at Al's side. "Here, give him to me." Al nudged the still coughing Ed into the arms of the familiar looking stranger.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Al asked.

The stranger gave a very familiar grin. "I am me." Then he turned and yelled at the other person, motioning to the 11 year old. "Grab him!" Apparently, the look-alike to Ed understood and scooped up the child, despite kicking yelling and screaming. The person looked around and pointed at something. "Al, grab it!"

Despite not knowing who the stranger was, Al followed the command and ran to grab a familiar bundle. Without looking, he ran off to follow the already retreating strangers.

"Hey! Get back here!" Several voices shouted, reminding him why he needed to hurry. Al lumbered off into the distance.

(XXhxaxpxpxyxxdxexpxrxexsxsxixoxnxxhxaxtxrxexdxxhxoxpxeXX)

They found a clearing far from the town to rest in. Both strangers collapsed against the trees, and Alphonse found his own brother finally regaining control of his breathing. Edward opened bleary eyes and abruptly snapped to attention when he realized that he was being cradled like a baby by another person. He scrambled up and into a fighting position, transmuting his automail into a blade. "Who are you!" He snarled at the four other people.

The man in brown clothes—who looked remarkably like Ed for some reason—stood up and faced the angry boy. He smirked and said, "You're smarter than that; I would have thought you'd realize it by now. I am you. That is you." He pointed at the child that the other person cradled. "And those two are him." He gestured to the remaining two.

Ed froze in understanding and thought aloud. "Then that would mean--"

Edward smirked again and gave a mock-bow. "I appear to have traveled in time, despite the improbability of it, and our younger counterparts seem to have suffered the same fate."

So how was it? I know it was short and probably not the best. I'm really aiming to improve my writing style. (And get this idea out of my head. That's a plus.)

Lea Cat