The Will of God
Chapter Two
Restless
This is the last time I'll say it: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of it's characters...
Now I debated over making the begining of this story long and drawn out with Ed feeling sorry for himself, but then I realized not only would I get bored writing, but I'd bore all of you guys as well. So...this is what came out instead. If it doesn't make sense I'm sorry...but well you see I was a little crazy from too much Mountain Dew when I was writing half of this. Not to mention that was like at midnight last night so...
Anyway enjoy and if for some reason you guys actually care to read more...reviews make me happy...they're good motivation.
Nothing…that's what I was staring at. The strange whiteness that surrounded me was familiar…but I couldn't tell where I'd seen it before. A strong wave déjà vu came over me as I stared around the blank area.
Suddenly the white dissolved into a dark passage way. At the end I could see a gleam of light and within it the outline of a human. I started running without thinking, but I never seemed to get any closer. The more steps I took the farther away the figure got, and yet…each step brought more of their details into focus.
They were wearing my red cloak. (Okay sure I'd found it but I still considered it mine.) He had blonde hair and bright gold eyes that gleamed at me. He was smiling at me and reaching out toward me. There was something strange about the arm, the way it reflected the light made it seem like it was metal. Auto-mail perhaps?
I ran faster, feeling as if my life depended on reaching this person. He seemed familiar, just like the whiteness…but how did I know him? Suddenly he called out my name. "Alphonse!" I stopped as he vanished into the light.
"No wait come back!" I yelled starting after him. "Who are you!?" I stretched my hand out until I was touching the light. I almost stopped then…my arm wasn't flesh…it was…the armor. As soon as my arm came in contact it flared out, leaving me in the darkness. It pressed around me, suffocating me. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't speak, I couldn't even move.
Panic rose up in me as I began to feel dizzy. "Help me Brother!"
I jolted up in bed. I was sweating and panting as if I really had been running…or suffocating. Slowly the details of the dream started drifting away from me. Later on when I recalled my dream I would only remember running towards a figure engulfed by light and then drowning in the dark. So many important details! If only I'd remembered them then…
I could hear footsteps outside my room and the door flew open. A blonde haired man stepped into the room, looking worried. "What's wrong!?"
I turned to look at my father, amused slightly by the fact that he was getting a few gray hairs. About time, I thought then I spoke out loud, "Oh nothing…just a dream."
He stared at me, "Want to talk about it." His tone was awkward, and he was clearly out of his comfort zone. He walked over and sat down on my bed as I turned to let my legs dangle off the bed.
I stared at him for a moment before speaking, "I dreamed I was back in that suit again..."
I told him everything I could remember and he stared at me thoughtfully the entire time. When I was done he stared at the floor and finally he spoke, "We both know there were some pretty strange circumstances involving the return of your body. Maybe you're starting to recover from the shock…maybe your memories are finally starting to return."
"But why would some stranger help me?" I asked. "I remember everything other than that day…and I'd never seen that person before."
Hoenheim quietly stood up and stared out the window for a long time before speaking. "Pinako's waiting for us…she discovered our inability to cook."
I couldn't help but to laugh at that. We'd spent the past few months living off of ramen and cereal...neither of us could cook. I yawned and stood up before making my way to my closet. From there I pulled a pair of dark pants and a white t-shirt. On top of that I threw my trusty red cloak…the one from my dream.
I never went anywhere without it…it was like a comfort thing. Yeah I know being 16 I shouldn't have to worry about stuff like that…but it wasn't like I was dragging around a teddy bear. Even Winry had a comfort wrench she never went anywhere without.
I don't know where it'd come from…but it was what I was wearing when I came back into my body. I passed out a suit of armor and when I woke up I was wearing nothing but this cloak. Thankfully I'd found some pants quickly, but I had refused to let go of the cloak. I wasn't even sure why it comforted me…but something about it, maybe it was the feel…or maybe it was the smell, made me feel safe. It didn't matter to me why I needed it as long as I had it.
I turned to look at myself in the single mirror I had in my room. I smiled at myself, still not used to what I saw there. No metal, just soft human flesh. Golden brown eyes instead of blank white ones and of course there was the tiny fact that I'd shrunk.
"Al come on I'm getting hungry!" came Hoenheim's voice. Without thinking turned and ran straight into my open door. That was another thing…I could feel pain now too. I admit there are some advantages to being made of metal…you don't get hurt…or hungry for that matter.
As we left the house I marveled once more at how similar it was. Dad and I had rebuilt our old home using alchemy. Of course…we left one particular room out, at my request. I didn't want to be reminded of my sin every time I walked by that one room. Now there was a totally different room where it used to be and I still tried to avoid it, subconsciously.
So we walked down the familiar road to Grandma Pinako's house. She was waiting for us on the front porch. "Alphonse! Hoenheim! Glad you both could come!"
We went inside to find a huge meal waiting for us. My mouth watered I hadn't eaten like that in the longest time. After stuffing myself full of pancakes, eggs, and other delicious foods I realized someone was missing.
As I searched for the mechanic the phone rang. It was an annoying little ring, which Pinako quickly silenced. "Ah hello Winry!" she said with a smile.
"Where is she?" I asked curiously.
Pinako smiled at me, "Here why don't you talk to her yourself."
On the other line of I phone I could hear Winry's voice. "Is that Al?"
I took the phone from Pinako's outstretched hand. "Hey there Winry!"
"Hey Al…what's up?"
We talked for awhile about Central, which was where she was and how I should come visit her. According to Winry I needed to get out and she got some auto-mail parts that she was dying to show me. I laughed as I handed the phone back to Pinako. Winry never changed.
"She's right…" said Hoenheim, thinking out loud. "We do need to get out of town."
"Yeah it'd be great to pay ol' Mustang a visit," I said sarcastically.
He smiled, "Well why not…after all that's happened, it's kinda boring around here."
I nodded in agreement. It's been nice settling down and getting to know my dad, but after all I'd been through…well "quiet" wasn't exactly my kind of lifestyle. "Well I guess I don't really have a say in the matter."
"Ed would you please stop that!?" demanded Mustang. I had been playing with my pocket watch, opening and closing it. It was something I was doing to distract myself but apparently Mustang was determined to make me pay attention. Any other day I would've smiled and just kept doing it, but today wasn't any other day. Not to mention the tiny fact that I'd requested this meeting.
I sighed and just let the watch dangle, my eyes following it as it twirled. Eventually it came to a stop. I sighed and pocketed the silver oval before sitting up and staring at Mustang.
We were in his office…I'd been laying down on one of his two black leather couches and he was standing behind a dark wooden desk that had a polished gleam. "So you have a job for me?"
Mustang stared at me and said shortly. "No."
"Please Mustang! There must be something…I just need to get outta here! I don't care where I go…Lior, Briggs…wherever!"
He could obviously tell I was desperate, "I'm sorry Edward…but I can't let you go there."
I knew he was right…what would happen if I ran into Olivia Armstrong or Rose? My hands balled up into fists as I stared at him. Then without thinking I turned and ran out the door.
Suddenly I was back, leaning against the door my eyes wide. Mustang stared at me, "What's wrong?"
It was quiet around the house. Pinako wasn't used to it. Normally there was at least one nosy youngster running around the place. She missed those days and she missed her kids. Well…her grand-daughter and her neighbor. Still…she couldn't help but to think of them that way.
She was working on a piece of auto-mail. This one was special, her own design. She was one of the best mechanics in the world…or so she thought. In her mind only on was better and that was her granddaughter.
Something about the soft clink of metal soothed the old women, and her granddaughter. They weren't sure how or why, but they knew they were born to be mechanics. She let out a sigh, if only her son had shown the same interest.
Somebody knocked lightly on her door. Pinako sighed, and placed her wrench down on top of once white cloth now stained with grease. Abandoning the arm she had been working on she whipped her hands on her apron and walked over to the door.
The door opened with a creak that clearly indicated old age. Pinako ignored it as usual and turned to stare at the man who was leaning against the door frame. Instantly she took a step back.
The man was tall, taller than any man she'd ever seen, but even if he had been short she still would've felt uneasy. He smiled at her confidently. "Pinako Rockbell."
It was not a question, but she answered it anyway. "Yes…what do you want?" She took another step back.
The man stepped into the house and looked around, his dark eyes searching. "You wouldn't happen to know where Edward Elric is?" he asked quietly, the way he spoke…it seemed almost deadly.
Who? Thought Pinako…there was something about that name that sounded familiar. "I don't know an Edward Elric."
The man blinked at this statement, then ran a hand through his dark, hair. If he wasn't so frightening he would be handsome, thought Pinako, knowing this probably wasn't the best time to be thinking like that.
The thought was very true though. The man was incredibly good looking, and very distracting. She had unknowingly been backing up deeper into her house, and he'd been following her.
The only reason she was aware of him now was because her back was now against the table where she'd been working. Her hand went back and tightened on the wrench. The man eyed the wrench, amusement sparkling in his eyes. "So you don't know anyone by the name of Edward Elric?"
"No," said Pinako, glaring at the man. "And even if I did I wouldn't tell the likes of you!"
The man let out a soft laugh, "Interesting." He looked away from Pinako, his eyes deep in thought. "Then perhaps you could tell me where Alphonse Elric is?"
Pinako's grip on the wrench tightened, only slightly, but enough for the man to notice. He grinned then bent down so his eyes were level with hers. "Now this can be very easy or very hard…in the end the result will be the same, the only difference is how badly I get to hurt you."
Her hand flashed out and the wrench connected with the man's skull. She expected him to flinch, but he did not. He simply blinked then smiled again. "It's always the hard way with you humans."
Sorry for the cliffhangers...I'll try to write more as soon as I can...I'm not totally evil D...*runs off to start writing next chapter*
