OMG look who's back in business! Well at least for a little or until something crazy comes up again. Life has been a ride like always, but I won't bore you with details and a rant. The only thing that hinders me from writing and updating frequently is school, and school work always come first I'm afraid.
Anyway this is essentially Shattered Hearts, but with better detail to the plot. I really hope you like it, took hours to finish.
Also if you find any errors in spelling or misuse of words please, please, tell me so I can fix them.
Thanks! And I love you all!
Chapter 1- From the Ground
Dark clouds hung heavy over Central, a threat of rain high above the bustling city. A flash of lightning illuminated the horizon, lighting up the hills that lie miles away. Thunder crashed a few seconds later, its low rumble like a large cats purr.
A mansion stood out from the small houses around it. Red bricks, mahogany doors and large, pristine windows with silk drapes. A tall iron fence kept guard around the perimeter with one locked gate to keep strangers out and its occupants in.
Outside the large gate was a bulky suit of gray armor, almost the same color of the gate and half the size. It stood there patiently, arms crossed with its helm looking up at the darkening clouds overhead.
As he stood the main door of the mansion opened, a young girl peeking out. When she saw the armor she smiled, blue eyes lighting up as she flung the door open. It slammed against the wall and the armor turned around to see the girl running at him, brown braids bouncing around in the gentle breeze.
"Alphonse! You came!" She cried, screeching to a stop at the gate. The armor turned and looked at her, expressionless except for his brightly glowing crimson eyes.
"Hello Nina, of course I came. I have to talk to Ed, can I come in?" Alphonse gently put his large hand on the iron bars, if he wanted to he could have pulled them apart but what good would that do?
"Yep, Edward's still with daddy in his study, but he won't mind if we went in to check on him." While she talked she toyed with the gate, letting out a satisfied huff as it opened. Alphonse let out a small laugh at her determination and slowly walked in.
"Normally Alexander attacks me when I come in, where is he?" Al asked, watching Nina carefully close the gate, not bothering to lock it. She shrugged and grabbed the armor's hand.
"He was in my room a while ago, guess he snuck off somewhere. We can find him later." She said excitedly, skipping to the main door and dragging Al with her.
"Okay, but after I talk to brother, I found something interesting in the library while he was here." They walked through the door into a brightly lit front room. A large staircase stood in the center with beautifully crafted hand rails made of mahogany. Behind Alphonse Nina closed the door, not bothering to lock this one either, smiling as she let go of the armor and ran to the stairs.
"Daddy will want to hear it too! His assessment is any day now!" She exclaimed, bouncing up the stairs while Al slowly walked up, hand resting gently on the railing.
Nina's father was Shou Tucker, the Sewing Life Alchemist and he was the best in biological alchemy. He had once made a talking chimera and was trying to make another. On the side he was helping the brothers in their quest for the philosopher's stone.
They reached the top of the stairs as a flash of lightning flared against the hills. Nina covered her ears as thunder boomed seconds later. The storm was closer now and small droplets of water splattered against the windows of the upstairs hall.
"Alexander hates thunder; I bet he's hiding somewhere." Nina muttered as she uncovered her ears and began walking down the hall with Al at her side.
"I've never really liked thunder either." The armor admitted and Nina giggled at the thought of the huge suit being scared of something that couldn't hurt him. They stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall, the light barely reaching it and creating a creepy atmosphere.
"Hello daddy! Al came to talk to Ed!" Nina didn't bother to knock as she barged in, voice echoing off the stone walls.
Al stood in the doorway, seeing two figures in the gloom. One was a shocked Shou Tucker and the second was a dog. In the dim light of the study's lamps Al could pick out a flash of gold against white fur.
"Nina, what did I tell you about knocking?" Tucker asked, his voice shaking. Was that fear in his tone? Nina just shrugged and looked at the dog with a huge smile on her face.
"Alexander!" She called, patting her knees and focusing on the dog. The creature flicked its ears and slumped to the ground in a strange, pained way.
"Mr. Tucker, where's Ed?" Al asked, looking at the dog lying on the hard stone floor. Nina slowly walked to the creature's side with a worried expression, kneeling down next to it as Tucker went to stand next to her.
"He left to go to the library a little while ago. He-"Tucker was interrupted by Nina as she let out a small scream.
"Daddy, that isn't Alexander!" She stood up in shock; backing away just enough so Al could see the creature better.
Golden hair glinted in the dim light, going from the top of the dog's head to end in a sweeping tail. As he watched the dog stood up, paws shaking violently, to look around the room.
"Mr. Tucker, what is that?" Al asked, watching as the creature turned its head to fix the armor with a hazy golden stare. Those eyes were so familiar even though they were glazed over with pain and confusion.
The dog walked over to Al, limping past the shocked body of Nina and the fearful Tucker. Once it reached him its legs gave out, head thumping against the ground.
"Al-phonse, Al, litt-le bru-ther." It said in a warped whimper, a mixture of a pained human and a fearful dog. Al dropped to his knees, landing dangerously close to the chimera, no, Ed's head.
"Tucker, please tell me this isn't Ed." He heard Tucker shuffle his feet, Nina gasping at his side.
"Understand Alphonse, I needed to pass my assessment and show the military that I could make another chimera. It was for the best! Wouldn't your brother have wanted to give his life to such a great cause?" Tucker's voice rose in pitch, a crazed squawk as Al looked up in disbelief. Nina looked at her father in stunned silence as she slowly backed away.
"Why daddy, why did you do this?" She screamed, tears glittering in her eyes. Tucker attempted to lay his hand on her shoulder but she darted away, crouching next to Ed.
This set Al off. With speed greater than a normal human in armor he had Tucker in his grasp, pinned against the hard stone wall. The man looked at him in fear, a wild light in his eyes.
"It was for the best! You two are always doing things for the greater good, isn't this what you meant?" Tucker laughed madly while Al's armor shook with hollow clangs.
"This is never what we wanted! How can we get out bodies back now?" Al screamed in a voice full of unfathomable sorrow. Tucker smiled and laughed harder.
"Ed now has an arm and leg of flesh and blood! I did him a favor! Do you want the same Alphonse?" Before the crazed man could say more Al punched Tucker in the face with a heavy metal and leather gauntlet. Lightning illuminated Tucker's fearful face, thunder crashed in time with another well aimed blow that broke the man's nose and sent blood gushing everywhere.
"Al, no, please stop!" Nina screamed in despair, stopping Al mid-swing. He turned his head to see the terrified girl grasping Ed, tears streaming from her wide blue eyes. The armor dropped Tucker, the man hitting the ground with a loud thud, eyes closing as he fell unconscious.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Al was addressing both Nina and the chimera, watching as Ed raised his head to look at his younger brother.
"Hurts…Hurts…" He whimpered, trying to stand only to fall against Nina with a pathetic whine. When Al looked closer he could see blood drying around Ed's muzzle, fresh blood trickling from between his lips, and his white fur splotched with crimson in a few other places.
Al said nothing, walking past the two and heading down the hall and down the stairs. He paused at the phone in the main foyer, hand hovering over the receiver as he heard Ed's whimper and Nina's sob. Shaking, Alphonse called the only number that came to mind.