Denizens of the Edge of Midnight
"Rin! Are you up yet?" Ash called. "You're gonna make us late!" She paced back and forth huffily, pausing occasionally to adjust her red hair ribbon or smooth out the skirt of her dress.
"If you're so exited about school, then you can go without me," Rin grumbled, shuffling down the stairs, polka-dotted comforter tucked under one arm and a stuffed monkey clamped in the other.
Rin and Ash were twins, with Rin being the younger, and had just moved into town. Today was the first day of school for them. Ash was eager to get going, and her sister couldn't be less interested.
"Ah! Go change before we get even later!" Ash shrieked, hauling her twin upstairs and replacing the comforter and monkey with clean clothes.
"You sound like Mom..." Rin sighed, pulling her hair back into two ponytails after wriggling into the uniform for their new school, a black dress with a sailor-style collar. "Next thing you know, you'll be wearing ugly patterned clothes and drinking grapefruit juice..."
"Can we get going now, Princess?" Ash said dryly, holding out Rin's school bag. The younger twin rolled her eyes, snatched the bag from Ash, and stomped down the stairs.
"You're sixteen years old and you're acting like your six," Ash whistled to herself. "Very mature, twin, very mature."
"Are you coming or not? You're the one who made me come out of my nice warm bed!" Rin's voice snapped from the entryway.
"It's such a lovely day, isn't it?" Ash commented, stretching her arms as the pair walked down the street to school.
"If that's what you like. You know I prefer the rain," Rin snorted, stuffing her hands in her pockets. It was spring, April, actually, and the sun was shining down and casting a warm glow on everything. Birds chirped in the background and flitted from one blossoming fruit tree to the next.
"Hey, get back here!" a boy's voice called from behind them. "Brother!"
"No way, so you can yell at me again?" another boy's voice taunted.
"Hey!" Ash exclaimed as she was shoved aside.
"What the hell?" Rin grumbled, clinging to a fence to prevent herself from hitting the pavement. "Hey, get back here and apologize, jackass!" she called after a blond boy running down the street.
"I'm really sorry. Please forgive him," a boy with sand colored hair said meekly, bowing his head apologetically as he passed the twins. "Brother, you owe these girls an apology! You could've pushed one of them into the street!" he cried, trailing after the blond who, according to his cries, was his brother.
"You should've let me stay in bed..." Rin muttered, straightening her clothes.
"Yes, but that one guy was kind enough to apologize. You don't see a lot of that these days," Ash sighed dreamily.
"So you say. Next time I see them, I clobber them," Rin growled, clenching a fist. They had managed to locate their new school and were now navigating the hallways. After pausing several times to ask directions, they finally arrived at their classroom.
"Oh my gosh, Rin, look! There he is!" Ash squealed, clinging to her sister's arm the moment they entered the room. The boy from earlier looked up and offered a smile.
"Meh, he's not the one who gets to be on the receiving end of my fist," Rin said monotonously.
"What a coincidence. I'm really sorry about my brother. He can be a big jerk sometimes. I'll make sure he apologizes properly later," he chattered, walking up to the girls.
"Oh, that's alright," Ash tittered. Rin rolled her eyes at her twin's girlishness.
"My name's Alphonse Elric, but you can call me Al," the boy said, extending his hand.
"I'm Aislinn von Lohengrin, but you can call me Ash. This is my younger sister Christin," Ash said, taking the offered hand and shaking it.
"Rin," Rin replied stiffly. She wasn't the best at dealing with strangers.
"Twins, eh? So, is it true about one being good and the other being evil?" Alphonse asked.
The twins shared a glance. Rin cocked an eyebrow and Ash winked in response.
"Well, what is good..." Ash started.
"And what is evil..." Rin continued without missing a beat.
"Can only be determined by the beholder," they said in unison.
"That was creepy. What the hell did you do?" a voice snickered. "Can I get my homework, Al?"
"You!" Rin shrieked, pointing incriminatingly at the blond who appeared behind them almost by magic. "You have the same voice as the jackass who tried to impale me on a fence! Turn around!" She spun the blond around. From behind, he looked exactly like the idiot who had almost run her over earlier.
"Rin, behave yourself!" Ash whined, grabbing Rin's arms as she tried to punch the blond.
"Lemme go! I'm gonna kick his stupid ass from here to kingdom come!" Rin raged, glaring daggers at the blond.
"Uh... this is my brother, Edward," Alphonse said shakily.
"Taste my vengeance!" Rin shrieked. Ash smacked her upside the head and brushed a few curls out of her eyes.
"So, as you can clearly see, she is the evil one," Ash said smugly.
"I only look evil because you're such a goody-two-shoes," Rin muttered under her breath. "You do your homework when you get home, you do your chores without being asked, you go to bed on time..."
"And you never do your homework, your room looks like a series of natural disasters hit it, you stay until who knows what ungodly hour on the computer, and you mouth off. Of course I'm the good one. Could you imagine the mayhem if I was like you?" Ash replied matter-of-factly.
Rin rolled her eyes and rested her chin in her hand as Ash prattled on about how different they were.
"Stop staring at me," she said when she looked up at Edward.
"I need to keep her on a leash sometimes, she's so horrible!" Ash laughed, clipping a lead on the collar around Rin's throat. "Bad girl."
"This isn't why I wear this, you know," Rin hissed, tugging on her collar. The bell tinkled from the movement, and the bejeweled ankh glittered in the fluorescent lighting.
"Ladies, may I ask what this is about?" a firm voice demanded. "Twins, huh? You must be the Lohengrin girls, then."
"Yes," Ash replied, nodding. Honestly, the blond haired woman looming over the four teenagers was terrifying. The blue eye that wasn't hidden by her hair glared down at them.
"Mr. Elric, get back to class. The bell rang a while ago," the blond woman snapped.
"Yes ma'am," Edward yelped, ducking out the door and vanishing down the hall.
"Take your seats so we can get started. Welcome to class. As you know, it's April and that means a new semester has begun. I'm obviously your teacher, Ms. Armstrong. I expect you all to pay attention as I explain the rules I expect you to live up to in my class," Ms. Armstrong barked. The twenty-odd bodies in the room all jolted like they had been shocked and paid close attention.
Well, all except two.
Rin sniffed in disdain as she watched Alphonse and Ash stare at one another dreamily.
"Ugh, look at her. She's obviously been lured in by his looks. Vain, shallow, disgusting... romance is utterly despicable..." she thought sourly, paying only half of her attention to the teacher. "There's only heart ache waiting at the end of that glittery road called love. Movies and books make it all pretty, but I've seen the ugliness of it all too. Lies, deception, unfaithfulness... I don't see how people can fall in love so easily."
"Finally, lunch time!" Ash stretched a few hours later, bending backwards over the back of her chair. "Rin, Al invited us to eat with him and his friends. Let's go!"
"What the hell. Better than brooding I guess," Rin shrugged.
"Furthermore..." Ash continued, grabbing Rin's sleeve and holding her back.
"You think..." Rin started.
"It's possible," Ash said in a whisper.
"We'll keep an eye on them," Rin decided with a curt nod.
"Yay!" Ash squealed, dragging Rin down the hall.
"Wait a minute... this... you're not doing this because you have the hots for Al, are you?" Rin asked, her voice dripping with dread.
"Rin... we're going to eat lunch now," Ash said firmly, attaching the lead to her twin's collar once more.
"Come on, knock it off with the leash already!" Rin wailed as she was dragged down the hall.
"Hi, we're here!" Ash chirped as they approached a table.
"Ugh, people..." Rin grimaced as around a dozen heads turned to look at them. She glanced away from the people eyeballing her and her sister and gazed around the cafeteria.
It was pretty normal, as far as school cafeterias went. White walls, tile floors, bunches of teenagers scattered here and there, food that wasn't always fit for human consumption.
"Well, well, well, look who's here," a slimy voice commented.
Rin gasped and grabbed Ash's arm, which tensed up in response.
"Kimblee, what the hell do you want?" a teen, most likely an upperclassman, with black hair and dark blue eyes, demanded.
"Me?" a boy with long black hair tied back in a ponytail asked innocently. "I'm here escorting my friend. He said he wasn't comfortable meeting people on his own.
"Rin..." Ash started, her voice small and scared.
"I know," Rin growled. Standing next to Kimblee and looking in every possible way like a creep, was a boy with hair the color of ashes that draped over one eye and a wicked smile.
"What a coincidence it is to see you here. I must say, I never expected to run into you again," the strange boy chattered, licking his lips. "Who would've thought that our paths would cross again like this... so conveniently.
"Hey, I know you. You're Robin McLean, aren't you? Son of that politician," a guy with square glasses said smartly.
"Hey, did someone open a window?" a blond with a ponytail exclaimed, bringing her hands to her head in an attempt to prevent her hair from blowing across her face.
"They're all closed," a dark skinned woman replied.
"Hey, are you sure you should be doing that? You could endanger the ones you're supposed to protect," Robin sneered. As soon as it started, the wind died down. "So docile... and you're supposed to have a temper?"
"Rin," Ash said firmly as her twin took a step forward.
"Sorry," Rin said dully.
"See you around... Rinchee," Robin smirked before walking off with Kimblee.
"I told you never to call me that, you bastard!" Rin shrieked.
"You're the Lohengrin girls, right?" someone asked.
The twins shared a glance again.
"It's not as if we are..." Ash started.
"But it's not as if we aren't," Rin finished.
"You..." Ash began.
"No, I..."
"Definitely."
"Doubt it," Rin sighed.
"We are or we aren't. The decision rests with you," they said in unison.
"Ooh, do that again!" the one with glasses said.
"That was..." the girl with a pony tail started.
"Kinda creepy..." the dark-skinned girl finished.
"So, since we're obviously stuck here, why don't we introduce ourselves? I'm Rin von Lohengrin and this is my big sister Ash," Rin huffed, folding her arms across her chest.
"Roy Mustang." The one with black hair and dark blue eyes.
"Riza Hawkeye." A quiet blond with her hair clipped back.
"Maes Hughes." The one with square glasses.
"Winry Rockbell." The girl with a ponytail.
"Rose Thomas." The dark-skinned one.
"Jean Havoc." The guy playing with a lighter.
"What was that about?" Alphonse asked as Ash took a seat next to him.
"Oh, with McLean?" Ash inquired. "Well... it's kind of a long story..."
"He's an enemy to us. There's something we two must do, people we have to protect. He's trying to interfere with that, and that makes him our enemy," Rin said solemnly. "Listen up, all of you. If that bastard does anything to any of you, come tell either me or Ash right away. If possible, avoid him at all costs. None of you is to have anything to do with him."
The bell's sudden ringing made everyone scatter. Alphonse and Ash headed back to class together. Edward grabbed Rin's arm, preventing her from walking further.
"You and your sister... you're involved with something dark, aren't you?" he asked.
"Could you tell? It wouldn't surprise me. After all..." Rin glanced at him from over her shoulder. "Your life is in danger."
"You're joking, right?" Edward asked. What a ridiculous claim.
"If you don't believe me, that's fine. I don't expect you to accept it as easily as you would a meal. If you want the details, you can meet me at this location at this time," she replied, pulling out a pen and writing something on his palm. "If not, then we can continue our... platonic relationship."
"Uh-huh..." he mumbled, staring at the writing on his hand. It read, simply, to meet at the park by the lake just before midnight that night. "You..." he trailed off as he turned to address the girl, only to find that she had vanished.
"You arranged it?" Ash inquired innocently as the twins walked back to their classroom.
"Yes. I saw the mark of that Lady. We can trust him, twin, trust me," Rin replied, wearing half a grin. "If he bears her mark, there's no doubt they are the ones."
"So the Lady got here before we did..." Ash mused.
"Lucky for us, considering what happened," Rin scoffed. "The sooner we get rid of that guy, the better, right?"
"Of course," Ash agreed, linking her hands with Rin's.
"After all, the Lady entrusted us to protect them."
"Why are we out here, Brother?" Alphonse yawned. "I'm tired and I wanna go home."
"Something doesn't feel right. Those creepy twins claim to have an explanation, so I'm gonna get it," Edward said firmly, pushing himself back and forth on the swing. The moon cast a pale blue glow on everything and made the water of the nearby lake glisten prettily.
"Ash is not creepy," Alphonse insisted.
"Of course she isn't. You're infatuated with her, so of course you want to think the best of her," Edward said sourly.
"You know what, you've been an absolute ass about romance ever since... hey!" Alphonse lifted his arms as Edward kicked sand at him.
"I don't want to relive that. You should know that better than anyone," Edward muttered.
"I'm sorry," Alphonse replied.
"See? You'd be perfect for one another," Ash's voice giggled.
"Things would only get worse. We'd only hurt each other," Rin's retorted.
"But that won't stop you. I know you, twin, and you are drawn to pain," Ash laughed.
"Ash!" Alphonse exclaimed as Ash seemed to materialize next to him.
"A beautiful soul unscarred by the world, purity unparalleled by anyone or anything. What could be more sacred than that?" Ash asked, speaking in rhythm like it was a poem.
"Where's Rin? Is she here?" Alphonse asked, looking around. He couldn't see the other girl anywhere.
"Tortured soul broken by life's cruelty, scars ravage what remains, reminding of the pain so long ago felt and repressed," Rin chanted. "Is the illusion of happiness worth your suffering?"
Edward heard a sweet chiming sound behind him. He turned around to see Rin standing on the swing set behind him, upside down though she didn't show any signs of being affected by gravity. He inhaled sharply and stepped away.
"W-what the..." the blond started.
"Did I startle you? I'm sorry, I was only playing," Rin smiled.
"You overdid it, twin," Ash chided.
"Aw, I was just getting started," Rin pouted.
"How is she doing that? There's no way she should be able to stand like that on the swing set..." Edward mumbled. "What kind of freak are you?"
"Well, that was uncalled for," Rin snorted, grabbing onto the chains of the swing and righting herself. "Really, how rude."
"Maybe we should let them die after all, if we're going to be treated like this after all the trouble we went through," Ash sighed.
"How cliché can you girls get?" a crackly voice laughed. "Really, a park at midnight? You think this is a game?"
"Damn!" Rin swore, stomping her foot and making the chains of the swing rattle angrily.
"Happy to see me, Rinchee?" Robin cackled. "I'm so glad we found each other again."
"And he calls us cliché," Rin snorted.
"Really? Standing on top of the light post? You think you're a vampire or something?" Ash drawled. "Seen that before."
"Indeed," Rin agreed.
"You mock me?" Robin shrieked.
"What the hell?" Edward exclaimed as the sand beneath him shifted and large rotating columns of sand shot up from the ground.
"What is this?" Alphonse wailed.
"Already resorting to violence? How typical of a man..." Rin sighed, stepping in front of Edward as Ash moved in front of Alphonse.
"Ten minutes to midnight... think we can wrap it up in time?" Ash asked sassily.
"Birdbrain doesn't know who he's dealing with," Rin said smugly.
Edward and Alphonse watched as the twins pulled identical cell phones out of their pockets. The bells on the charms chimed sweetly, echoing in the night. They flipped open the phones and the screens lit up, displaying holographic projections of flowers.
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet," Ash chanted.
"Alas, a rose is the hardest flower to tend, prone to disease and insects and with thorns that hurt all. Beauty and frailty... a double edged sword," Rin added.
"Ugh, you creepy brats! Why can't my power penetrate?" Robin snarled.
Edward blinked and within that one moment, Rin's clothes had changed. Instead of the black dress from school she wore a white kimono with a short skirt, patterned with pale lavender and pink lotus flowers. Where her cell phone once was, she now held a silver fan. He glanced to his right, where Ash and Alphonse were, to see Ash wearing a similar kimono, only hers was black and patterned with lilacs.
"Ixion, you should know better than to cross us," Ash barked, her voice strong and fierce.
"Lilac and Lotus, twin priestesses under the service of Lady of the Mist. So you only choose to show your true forms in the presence of your oh-so-illustrious Princes?" Robin laughed, stepping off the light post and floating gently to the ground. Black ooze spread from where he stood, enveloping the surroundings and casting the area into darkness.
"You knave... how dare you speak ill of the Princes?" Rin screeched. "I'll send you back to hell, where you belong, and fasten you once again to that rotating ring of fire from which you escaped!"
"Come now, Lotus, is that any way to speak to your lover?" Ixion chuckled darkly, floating closer and caressing Rin's face.
"Get back," Edward growled, stepping between the two and pushing Rin behind him. "I don't know what's going on or who you are, but I won't allow you to act that way."
"Oh, Prince 1 is gutsy," Ixion laughed.
"Sister," Ash warned, her voice laced with worry.
"I know," Rin replied coolly, unfolding her fan and swinging her arm in front of Edward. The hand Ixion had reached out fell away from the arm in a spurt of red blood.
"You bitch," Ixion snarled. "You'll pay for that!"
He thrust out his remaining hand and the blackness encasing everything crept back to him. The columns of sand continued swirling, though they grew in size and the sand filled the air, making seeing and breathing difficult. Edward raised an arm to protect himself from the flying particles, but his arm was pinned to his side. He heard Alphonse scream and released a sound of his own when he felt a thick pole slam against his back.
"Hey, what the hell is going on?" he cried, wriggling against the black chains binding him to the swing set. "What are you doing you bastard?"
"Brother!" Alphonse cried. Edward looked to see his brother similarly bound and struggling to break free of the black chains. A dark stain began forming where his body touched the chains, spreading quickly and dying his clothes black. He felt something warm and sticky on his stomach and found his own clothes stained by the black stuff.
"No, no, no, mustn't move. Struggling will do you nothing. Those are stains of darkness, the darkness you've buried deep inside your souls and hidden from others. Once brought to the surface, it will consume you and kill you," Ixion cooed.
In a gust of wind carrying the scent of flowers, the sand disappeared. There was the sound of metal slicing through metal and Edward felt himself pitch forward, no longer bound to the swing set. Strong, slender arms caught him and held him aloft, preventing him from falling into the black abyss below.
"Don't struggle," Rin said calmly. "If you struggle against the darkness, you'll die. Let it pass and reach the light you found."
Edward gasped as the scenery changed. He was now standing in a classroom. It was empty except for one lone person sitting in a desk by the window.
"That's me..." he said, clamping a hand over his mouth. But the other Edward didn't seem to hear him. He walked closer to the other Edward. Something made it so he wasn't seen or heard by the other Edward.
"This is a memory," Rin's voice whispered. "He can't hear or see you. This has already happened... your darkness."
Edward turned as the door opened and a blond girl walked in.
"Winry..." Edward breathed. The blond's hair was shorter and pulled back in a half ponytail. This memory was from several years ago.
"Ed..." Winry started, walking up to the younger Edward.
"Oh, hey Winry," the younger one replied, seeming to snap out of a daydream.
Edward felt his heart tighten as the scene played out. He remembered now, remembered all of it. Suddenly, he felt like an outsider, watching a movie or television show. He watched as a young Winry confessed her love to him, and as he accepted it. The scenery changed, transporting him to one of the many dates they had gone on, and again to leave him in his brother's bedroom. He watched, in horror, as he walked into the room, telling Al to wake up.
"Pitiful souls, drowning in sin. That girl hurt you, didn't she? And your brother, the one you trusted more than anyone..." Rin mused aloud.
Edward clenched his fists and ground his teeth as this horrid memory played out. Discovering that Alphonse and Winry had slept together, betrayed him. Running blindly through the city, his heart aching so badly he wanted to rip it out of his chest.
"No..." he mumbled, dropping to his knees. "No... not again... I can't go through this again..."
The scenery changed again, transporting the two to the roof of a building.
"Oh... so, we are similar after all," Rin commented. "You look so sad, so broken... I know what that can feel like."
The blond looked up to see himself standing on the edge of the roof, a cold wind playing with his hair. He was floating above the ground, some twenty stories beneath him, unaffected by everything. He could only watch as a younger Edward, eyes dead and heart screaming in pain, whispered a goodbye and took a step forward.
"Find the light," Rin's voice commanded as darkness swallowed him. "You must find the light that saved you."
"Light? What light? It's so dark..." Edward mumbled.
"Whether you live or die rests in your hands, Edward. Find it," Rin commanded again, materializing in front of him, upside down like she was at the swing set. Dozens of lotus flowers, each one with a lit candle in the center, floated around the darkness though they shed no light. They were just there, like he was. Like Rin was.
"Light... light... what saved me?" he asked himself, unable to take his eyes off Rin.
"Edward," a deep voice called.
Edward gasped and came back to his senses. He saw it now, the light that saved him. A light with black hair and dark eyes, as infinite as the night sky.
In a split second the two were back in reality. Edward fell to his knees, breathing heavily and crying steadily.
"So... you overcame your darkness because of that Mustang guy. That's good," Rin smiled gently. "You have done well, my Prince," she said, crouching down and pulling him into a hug.
"Lotus..." Ash said warningly. "There is one minute to midnight. We must open the Gateway, if they are to know."
"Brother, are you alright?" Alphonse cried, rushing over to Edward. The two hugged and Edward nodded in response.
"Yes, you are right," Rin agreed, releasing Edward and standing up.
"Governed by fate, ensnared in the twisted threads of destiny and guarded by a veil of flower petals, by the Covenant we command thee to appear," the twins said in unison.
The nearby trees, adorned with fruit blossoms, rustled in response. Countless petals, glowing pale blue in the moonlight, filled the air on a warm breeze. There were so many the brothers couldn't see more than two feet in front of them.
"Welcome to the Gateway," Ash said when the petals disappeared. She cradles her katana in her arms like it was an infant, the bells on the hilt chiming rhythmically. She knelt on a massive lilac, her kimono sharp and black against the soft white petals and pale grey background.
"At the edge of midnight, there is a portal to another world, parallel to your own. It is from that world that we hail, and that you must enter," Rin added, holding one fan in front of her face and the other folded in her lap. She almost blended into the lotus on which she knelt.
"If you wish to know the truth step across the edge," they chanted.
"Brother..." Alphonse started, tugging on Edward's arm. The two looked down to see themselves sitting at the edge of a cliff. In front of them, apart from the twins, was nothing but a swirling mass of grey clouds. Down below, very far judging by the size, was a pool of glittering water, pale pink and purple and glowing ethereally.
"Al, do you trust me?" Edward asked, standing up and taking his brother with him.
"Brother..."
"Despite what you did, I still care about you. You're my little brother, the only family I have left since Mom died and Dad ran out on us. I still have some hatred for what you did, but I want to believe in you. Will you go with me?" Edward asked, turning to his brother.
"Of course. We're all we got. Just try to go without me," Alphonse smiled.
The two brothers linked hands and took one step forward, into nothing. There was the sensation of falling, and they closed their eyes. A cool breeze blew up at them and they continued to plummet towards the glistening pool.
"So... we meet again," a female voice sighed. "Have you decided to learn the truth?"
"T-Teacher?" Alphonse gasped when he opened his eyes.
Edward opened his eyes as well, and they widened in shock and fear. Before they had entered public school, he and his brother had been privately tutored by a woman named Izumi Curtis. However, she had died of an illness a few years ago. She sat before them now, wearing an elegant blue kimono with gold embroidery. A hair pin decorated with cherry blossoms and three small bells held up her long black hair. Seeing her now, she looked exactly the way she did when he had been studying under her, with the exception of the outfit.
"I asked you a question!" Izumi snapped, closing the fan and throwing it at them.
"Y-yes!" the two quipped. Edward rubbed his head where the fan had struck it. It was heavy in his hand and felt like a bruise would be forming, so he guessed the fan was made of metal.
"I see. You two are filthy. I see you encountered your darkness. Your clothes are stained. Before we do anything you two must wash and dress in clean clothes. I won't speak another word to you until that is done," Izumi said, snapping her fingers.
"Follow me," a man shockingly similar to Izumi's wife Sig boomed as the paper door to their left slid open.
"He looks just like him..." Edward muttered under his breath. "And she just like her... what is going on?"
"There is no need to be frightened. We are here to protect you. Your lives are in danger," the Sig look-alike said gruffly.
"Yeah, so I've been told," Edward snorted.
"What's going on? Where are we?" Alphonse asked.
"Your guardians know. Ask them. I'm just a man servant. I cannot answer such questions without the Lady's permission," Sig replied, sliding open another paper door.
From the look of things, the brothers were inside a Japanese style building. They walked down a hallway, one side open to display the scenery beyond the red pillars. Large mountains colored bright green and pink rose to meet a bright blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. Instead of a sun, there was a pair of moons hovering in the sky. Large sakura trees lined the ground on the other side of the pillars, the pink blossoms giving off a sweet scent each time a breeze played with them. They passed a hand maid wearing a dark green kimono and carrying a tray of red berries. Sig opened another door and steam billowed out.
"I'll leave you to it," Sig said, ushering the brothers inside then closing the door as he left.
It was a large room, filled with perhaps eight or ten large pools of steaming water. The walls were painted to depict a garden, filled with flowers and plants and all sorts of suitable creatures like birds and bees and other insects. There was a large waterfall to one side, the side that was stone as opposed to the three wooden walls. It must've been built around a mountain or something, because the stone looked too real to be man-made. A large tree, branches bearing clusters of white flowers, drooped over the pool nearest the waterfall. Paper lanterns floated in the pools, the candles inside glowing a steady yellow-orange.
"Oh, we have company," a familiar voice acknowledged the two brothers. "I was wondering whether you two had been eaten or not."
"Ash!" Alphonse exclaimed as the elder twin stood up, appearing to rise out of the mist. A plain black kimono dripped water and clung to her skin, making her skin seem pale as steam swirled in the warm air.
"I'm glad to see the Lady still favors you," she smiled. "If you'll come with me, I'll answer your questions to the best of my ability." She extended her hand and beckoned him forward. He followed, unsure of an alternative, and she tied a black strip of fabric around his eyes.
Edward watched until a white strip of fabric covered his own eyes. A slender hand slid into his own and led him away.
"Um... what's the blindfold for?" Edward asked.
"It will aid you when I explain things. If you cannot see anything, you will pay more attention to what I am saying," Rin replied. "Undress. I'll dispose of your ruined clothes and bring you something suitable to wear. Do not remove the blindfold."
Uncertain of what else to do, he obeyed. He lowered himself into the warm water and felt better. His stomach, which had been hurting, eased. He sighed deeply when Rin's footsteps had vanished.
"What happened? Where the hell am I?" he asked aloud. He could hear Alphonse and Ash talking, though he couldn't make anything out.
"This is the Edge of Midnight. A world between fiction and reality. It should seem familiar to you, you dwelled here once as well. You are one of the Princes of the Edge of Midnight, stolen by denizens of hell in hopes of bringing chaos upon our world. I am your guardian, sworn to protect you with my life... or what remains of it. People do not live here by their free will. Those who know great suffering are the only ones who can live here, or even see this place in a dream or something," Rin replied. Edward, startled from the suddenness and closeness of her voice, backed into the pool only to collide with something soft and wet.
"Your skin has been stained as well. Your suffering runs deep," she said gently, running a hand across his stomach and sending a wave of pain through his body. "It will hurt, but I will purge you of the stain. Do not remove the blindfold."
He heard her move in front of him, and felt the edges of her kimono as she moved. He felt self-conscious all of the sudden, but was unable to do anything.
"Forgive me if this seems forward." He inhaled sharply when she spoke, her breath tickling his skin. She kissed his stomach, her lips soft and warm against his flesh.
Memories ravaged his brain, but they weren't his own. He found himself watching Robin McLean as he leaned over him, tugging on his kimono. Then he realized: this was one of Rin's memories. He was watching from inside her body, experiencing first-hand her pain and suffering. Something struck his head and he blacked out. He awoke to find himself... or, rather, Rin... lying on the ground, arms tied in the back and feet bound. He saw Robin digging in the ground nearby, and beyond him Ash, tied to a tree and gagged with a strip of dirty cloth. She struggled against her restraints, whimpering. Robin sighed angrily and stopped digging. Rin's eyed widened in fear as he struck her with the shovel, slicing her throat open in a wide red smile. Robin turned to her and grabbed the restraints on her feet, dragging her to the hole he was digging and shoving her inside.
"See you in hell, you traitorous bitch," he snarled.
"No... stop... Ash... Ash! Aislinn, answer me!" Rin cried after wriggling her mouth free. "You bastard! I'll kill you... I'll hunt you down, follow you to the ends of the earth until I have my revenge! If I'm going to hell I will take you with me and make you suffer!" Her cries continued as dirt was piled on her, drowning out her voice and the world above.
"You were... buried alive?" Edward asked when the memory vanished. "Is that your pain and suffering?"
"Yes..." she replied grimly. He heard her stand up and brought a hand to his stomach. Any weird feeling he had was now gone. "He had his way with my sister and me, and when we didn't reciprocate the feelings he claimed he had, he killed us. That... was over a thousand years ago."
"I'm so sorry," he apologized, a normal reaction when one hears something tragic.
"The Lady found our souls, wandering the void between heaven and hell. She saved us and gave us these bodies," Rin replied, reaching up to untie the blindfold. "In return for our eternal servitude to the Princes, she gave us life."
"Izumi... she's a queen or something, isn't she?" he asked. The lighting had changed gradually, from seeming daylight to what now appeared like nighttime. Yellow-green fireflies hovered in the air, making the steam from the baths glow eerily. In the light from the bugs and the paper lanterns, the room looked almost magical.
"Yes... she is the Queen of the Edge of Midnight. She has long been searching for her sons, the Princes, so they may help vanquish the evil threatening our world. Finally, I found you," Rin smiled as the blindfold fell into the water. For a reason he didn't bother exploring, Edward reached up a hand to caress her face. She didn't look away, her green eyes locked with his. He leaned closer and kissed her gently, softly, hesitantly.
A clock chimed, twelve bongs, marking the time. Rin gasped and pulled away, drawing her simple kimono closer around her. She brushed her hair out of her face and climbed out of the pool.
"I've prepared clothes for you. I'll leave you alone to dress," she said before walking away.
"Weirdly enough, it all makes sense. Guardians for princes, evil trying to destroy the world... honestly it sounds a bit like a comic book. But..." he mused as he pulled on a black leather jacket.
"It all makes sense," Alphonse finished. "Doesn't it, Brother?" He was dressed similarly, wearing black skinny jeans, a deep purple dress shirt and black leather jacket. The only difference in Edward's outfit was that his shirt was dark red.
"It's about time. I was wondering where the hell you two have been," Izumi snapped.
"Hey, it's Winry!" Alphonse exclaimed, pointing at the blond. She smiled in response.
"And Mustang!" Edward added, pointing at the black haired man.
"Everyone you know and love... or hate... has been in your life for a reason. Edward, you should have known better than to attempt suicide. And Alphonse, your betrayal of Edward was foolish as well. Your stupidity could've caused the destruction of our entire world. And that would've caused your destruction as well. Everyone is born for a reason, and you must accept it," Izumi said.
"Ixion is set on destroying us all. You two are the only ones who can stop him," Winry added.
"We are at your disposal, to be used as you see fit," Riza continued.
"We will follow you into battle, and into our deaths," the twins concluded, dressed once again in their black and white floral kimonos.
"Will you accept your destiny and fight for our world?" Izumi demanded.
Edward glanced at Alphonse and raised an eyebrow. Alphonse's mouth formed a thin line. Should they accept it? This strange claim these people were posing? White flower petals drifted into the room on a warm breeze, accompanied by a bunch of fireflies. The candles lit in the background flickered. After a strained pause, Alphonse nodded firmly. Edward felt himself smile.
"We will," they said together.
"Lotus, Lilac," Izumi called.
"Yes, my Lady," they responded, standing up.
Rin tossed one of her fans to Ash. They opened them and with a flick of their wrists sent a torrent of flower petals into the air. Within moments everyone in the room, save for Izumi, was back in reality. Somewhere, a clock chimed once, marking the time as one in the morning.
"Everyone is to go home and rest. We don't know when or where Ixion will appear so we had best be on our guard. We'll rendezvous at this point at ten o'clock tomorrow morning to discuss our plan," Rin ordered. "It's a Saturday, so I expect everyone to show up and on time. That's all."
"You two will come with us," Ash said to Alphonse. "We are not to let you out of our sight now that we've found you."
"Prince..." Rin started, turning to Edward.
She gestured to her left, at the enormous white owl perched patiently on a park bench. It turned its head, its large black eyes appraising the four teenagers.
"You live alone, correct? There are empty rooms in our house you can use. It would be a pain to set up another barrier around your home when there is one around ours already. Nothing will harm you there," Ash said, floating onto the bird's back and extending her hand to Alphonse. He took it and was lifted onto the bird's back as if he weighed no more than a sheet of paper.
"Shall we?" Rin asked, offering her own hand to Edward.
"Do you have any more questions?" Ash asked when they arrived at the twins' house.
"What happens if Ixion can't be stopped?" Alphonse inquired.
"We will die," Rin said, pausing halfway up the staircase. "The Edge of Midnight will be destroyed, and we will all die. Everyone you know and love, all your friends... they are all from the Edge of Midnight. And... you will die as well."
"The real world won't be affected, nor the fiction world we mentioned before. This is solely between hell and the Edge of Midnight," Ash added. "The larger disputes between heaven and hell, and earth and hell, are beyond our control. Considering the scope we operate on, this is a highly intimate issue. Only those involved will suffer."
"I'll show you to your rooms," Rin said monotonously. "Come with me."
"We have prepared your rooms with anything you might need. If something doesn't satisfy, just tell us," Ash smiled before vanishing into the kitchen.
"Thanks," Alphonse grinned. Ash paused by the doorframe and smile again, softer.
"You okay? You look upset," Edward chattered.
"I'm alright," Rin replied stiffly.
"Is it... because I kissed you?" he asked softly.
"Ash was right... I am drawn to pain. I like you because you have suffered. You know pain. Not minor pain like a paper cut or broken limb, but true pain... the kind that makes you want to die. They are also drawn to one another, because they know pain. Al because of his guilt over what he did to you, Ash for bringing Robin into our lives and letting me get killed. We are all bound by pain. Look," she said pointing down the stairs.
Edward looked, watching as Alphonse and Ash shared kisses.
"You can see the bond they share. They are bound by overwhelming guilt," she continued.
"So you like me because I've suffered?" Edward asked.
"Because you know what it's like to suffer so much you want to die. You understand these feelings that I've locked away deep inside me, thus, you will understand me," Rin finished, looking at him from the corner of her eye.
"Please... be with me tonight. I'm scared. I don't know how things will turn out. I want to enjoy this precious time with you, even if it is only one night," Ash pleaded. "It's not my place to say such things, being beneath you in class, but..."
"It's alright," Alphonse replied. "I want the same."
"See? They understand one another, without having to say so. Truthfully, I'm envious. For over a thousand years I've been searching for someone like that... someone who understands me... someone who can talk to me without saying a thing... who is willing to lay their life on the line for me. It's selfish, but I can't help that," Rin muttered bitterly.
"Would you think me selfish if I said I wanted the same?" Edward asked, placing his hand under her chin and tilting her face towards his. "If I said I wanted to be with you... understand you... because you know the kind of pain and suffering I went through... would you think me selfish?"
"Of course not," she replied in a whisper.
They kissed again, and the night was lost in the passion that arose from that one action.
"Wake up you lazy meat bags!" Ash's voice cut through the early morning stillness. Edward grumbled as someone whacked him with a pillow. "We have a meeting to get to!"
"Agh, will you get out?" Rin snapped, throwing her own pillow. Ash laughed as she ducked out of the room.
"That's some greeting," Edward sighed heavily.
"Sorry about that. Did you sleep well?" she asked, brushing a lock of hair over her shoulder.
"Better than I have, recently. Thanks for being there," he replied.
"No... thank you, for taking the time to understand," Rin said with a shake of her head.
"That's my woman," a voice snarled. "How dare you touch her."
"Oh no, Ixion," Rin said in a hushed tone. "Alphonse, Aislinn, call the others, now!" she cried, lunging for the door and dragging Edward with her. She slammed the door shut behind her, but that didn't stop the ashen-haired man. An explosion rocked the building and sent the pair to the floor. Black ooze spread across the floor, grabbing them and trying to pull them into the ground.
"What the hell is this?" Edward grunted as he tried to free his legs from the muck. Blobs resembling arms reached up to grab his face and he struggled to free himself. "What are these things?"
"They're called Murshil; they're leeches that feed on the darkness of human souls..." Rin replied, desperately trying to reach one of her fans. She grabbed one and unfolded it, a sudden gust of wind blasting the Murshil away.
"Rin!" Ash's voice called from across the house.
"Here, use this," Rin said, tossing her second fan to Edward.
"How the hell am I supposed to fight with a fan?" he asked, following her as they ran into the den.
"It's a metal fan specially crafted to control the flow of air. The spokes are made of pure steel and there are blades along the edges. You shouldn't underestimate my weapons," she replied, using her fan to cut through the translucent purple goo blocking a doorway. It crumbled and disappeared before it hit the floor.
"Wow..." he breathed.
"Edward, listen to me. You are a Prince of the Edge of Midnight. That means you have a power too. You must find that power and tap into it. Only you and Al have the kind of power needed to defeat the enemy. Please... hurry!" Rin pleaded.
"Rin, help me, please! My sword... he took my sword; I can't use my power!" Ash cried, whimpering as a beast resembling a bear continued to step on her. Alphonse was bound to the wall by his wrists and ankles, like a prisoner.
"Brother..." he mumbled, his consciousness slipping away slowly. He saw the blond standing near the doorway, and the white blur next to him must be Rin. There was a large mass of brown close by; that was the monster that attacked him and Ash, and she was pinned beneath one of his clawed feet.
"Just try to stop me!" Ixion laughed. "You're just small and pathetic scraps of meat, not even worthy of being fed to my dogs!"
"No..." Alphonse denied. "We're not like that..."
"I'm not like that... don't you... call me... small!" Edward raged, the black half of the symbol representing yin-yang appearing on his forehead. The other one, the white half, appeared on Alphonse's forehead. Brilliant golden light shot up from the ground on which he stood, causing it to crack and break.
"Damn it! I forgot about his temper!" Ixion swore. "I should've known better than to call him small!"
"I told you not to call me small!" Edward shrieked, the light exploding. Instead of the badass outfit he wore earlier, he wore a striking black ensemble reminiscent of an aristocrat's clothes: black slacks, a waist-coat, a high-collar shirt and an overcoat. In one hand, he held a cane and in the other he gripped the edge of his overcoat. Alphonse wore similar clothes, only his were white.
"So you transformed, big deal," Ixion sighed. "You're still no match for my puppets."
Ixion lifted his arms and the house seemed to crumble into dust and was blown away on an invisible wind. The sky turned a deep red, filled with thick dark purple clouds, and the ground became a massive pool of black goo. Edward thought it was strange that the ground was moving, but a glance down at it proved that it wasn't ground at all, but a teeming mass of black monsters. Something swiped at his leg and he felt blood trickle down the limb. A strange grey mist hung in the air, making breathing difficult. He held up an arm to prevent himself from inhaling the mist.
"This is the Gateway to Hell. Let's play a game, shall we? Down below is the Gateway, beneath a very thin layer of glass. If you can destroy all these beasts and reach solid ground, I'll let both you and my grudge against the Edge of Midnight go. If not, well... you can join me in hell," Ixion sneered.
"Sounds like fun, mind if we play too?" Roy's voice asked.
"Aw, now that's not fair. All you against poor lonely me? Talk about unsportsmanlike," Ixion shrugged.
"They made it," Ash sighed in relief, watching as the other denizens of the Edge of Midnight descended from the air.
The battle was long and bloody. Edward found that his cane was really a sword, so the fight was easier now that he had a weapon with which to slay the beasts. It was a while before he figured out that the beasts would only die if their heads were cut off, and each time he beheaded one he heard heart wrenching crying.
"Damn! I knew something was fishy..." Rin spat, flicking one fan free of blood.
"What's wrong?" Alphonse asked, pulling his sword out of the belly of a beast and lifting it to chop off the head.
"These are lost souls... humans wrongly sent to hell, the poor things. Their bodies mutate and they lose their humanity. Killing them releases their souls to heaven, but they obviously don't go down easily," Ash hissed, wiping blood off her cheek with the tattered sleeve of her kimono.
Alphonse paused, his sword stopping mere centimeters above the neck of the beast.
"They're... people?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly. That changed everything. There was no way he could keep fighting... if he knew that these were people he was killing. Innocent people wrongly sent to hell... he just couldn't do it.
"Don't give up, Al!" Edward snapped from a few yards away. "You heard what she said; we're helping them by killing them."
"But... Brother..." Alphonse stalled.
"Dammit, Al, do you want to make it out alive or not? If you don't get your ass in gear, our entire world will be destroyed," Edward said, grabbing his brother by his shoulders and making the younger one look at him as he spoke.
"You're calling a world we barely know your own? That's so unlike you," Alphonse sighed. "Alright, if it'll save everyone, I will fight beside you, Brother," he said firmly, gripping his sword tightly with both hands as the remaining beasts surrounded them.
"Edward, Alphonse!" Winry cried.
"Do something, please!" Rose added.
"Shall we?" Alphonse asked with a grin.
"After you," Edward smirked.
The pair held their swords at arm's length, the corresponding black and white jewels pulsing with energy. Soft glows surrounded them and a shimmering barrier formed around them, preventing any monsters from coming closer. The ground beneath them glowed, the symbol for yin-yang appearing in the light. Black and white lightning shot up from the ground, striking the monsters and severing their heads.
"Thank you... thank you..." the slain beasts sighed as they died.
"Damn it! You'll pay for this!" Ixion roared, a dark red bolt of energy piercing the glass floor. "Let's see you escape me now! Burn in hell!" he laughed as the denizens of the Edge of Midnight scrambled for the solid cliff quite a few yards away.
"Ixion..." Ash's voice started, echoing in the strange void.
"For your crimes against the Edge of Midnight..." Rin continued.
"And your transgressions on this earth..."
"You are sure to be damned," they said in unison. "By the Covenant, we consign you to hell, fated to be bound for all eternity on a rotating wheel of the Flames of Hell, in the name of the Lady of the Mist, we command you!"
"You fucking whores! I'll be back, trust me! And next time, I'll drag you all to hell with me!" Ixion roared as he fell through the shattered glass.
"Rin, Ash!" Riza cried.
"Come back here, quickly!" Jean hollered, waving for the twins to join them.
"Go, go!" Rin urged, pushing Ash in front of her. They broke into a run, the glass cracking faster than they could go. Behind them, it started to fall away. The heat of hell seared their skin and shards of glass cut their legs.
"Jump, now!" Maes shouted.
Ash leapt for the cliff and landed safely in Alphonse's arms. Rin wasn't as lucky, falling just short of it. Edward lunged and managed to grab part of her sleeve, that grip being the only preventing her from falling into hell. A cool grey mist began filling the air, making seeing difficult. Edward felt her hand grab onto his wrist as the mist consumed them.
"Well done," Izumi said, clapping her hands. "I suppose I should reward you for your efforts."
"We're back," Rose stated.
"Trust the Lady to step in at the last minute," Roy chuckled.
"My Princes, I'm going to give you two choices. You can either remain here, in the Edge of Midnight, or return to reality. The decision rests with you," Izumi said firmly. "I will give you the night to think it over. You will have an answer by tomorrow morning. Dinner will be served soon. You are all going to change out of those ragged clothes into something more suitable. You are all dismissed."
"What should we do?" Alphonse whispered to Edward as a hand maid led them to an empty room. Another maid laid out clothing for them.
"I don't know. I really like this world, but there are many good things about reality too," Edward sighed, shrugging out of his torn-up jacket. "I'm torn, just like this jacket."
"Before you make your decision, there's something you should know," Maes interrupted, joining them in the room along with Jean and Roy.
"We are all denizens of the Edge of Midnight. We were only allowed to enter reality to find you and help you carry out your mission. Now that Ixion has been sent to hell, we no longer have a purpose to return to reality. You two are somewhere in-between being of reality and of this world. Should you chose to stay in reality, you will never see any of us ever again," Roy explained.
"It sucks, but that's the way things work around here," Jean added.
"Does that mean I can't see Ash anymore?" Alphonse cried. No way! He had only known her for a little over a day, but he really, really liked her. If he wasn't able to see her again... he wasn't sure what he would do.
Edward blanched. That meant... if he chose to live in reality... he wouldn't see Rin anymore. This world was strange, albeit interesting and fantastical, but he was familiar with and liked so many things in reality. How could he be sure he would like the Edge of Midnight the same way? But if he returned to reality, he wouldn't get to see any of his friends ever again.
The dinner they attended seemed to pass in a blur. It was a grand feast, in celebration of the salvation of the Edge of Midnight, with many rich dishes and lots of sweet wine. Edward remembered eating, and talking with everyone, but the question of returning to reality or living in this world lingered on his mind. How was he to choose?
"Did they tell you we couldn't see each other anymore if you returned to reality?" Rin asked softly in the middle of the meal.
"Yeah," Edward replied almost automatically. He downed another glass of sweet wine and the glass refilled itself. He could feel himself falling victim to the alcohol of it, and didn't want to become completely intoxicated, but couldn't seem to stop himself from drinking it.
"I thought so. Honestly, I want you to stay here. You're the first person in a very long time who has understood me on such a personal... painful... level. Again, I'm falling victim to my selfishness, but I can't seem to help myself..." she muttered under her breath.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard Alphonse and Ash discussing the same thing. He forced himself to focus, though he kept a firm grip on the wine glass.
"I know..." he mumbled. "I understand... that we won't be able to see each other if I return to reality. I understand it all..."
"Then... you'll understand this as well," she said softly, leaning forward and kissing him softly on the lips. "Even though it's only been a day, I love you, Edward."
"Yeah... I feel the same..." he replied, pulling her in again for another kiss.
He must've passed out from the wine, because he came to in a bedroom. Alphonse was shaking him awake, telling him Izumi wanted to see them right away. He fumbled around with his clothes, making himself presentable. He and Alphonse were led to the main room Izumi never seemed to leave. The twins were seated beside her, Ash to Izumi's right, and Rin to her left.
"It is morning. Have you made your decision?" she demanded, folding her arms crossly.
The brothers shared a glance and nodded. "We have."
"What is it?"
"We... we want to stay here, like true Princes would stay with their people," they said together.
Izumi's mouth twitched before curving upwards to make a smile. "Very well. Upon acceptance of your true roles, you must select brides to ensure your bloodline will continue. You will marry them whenever you desire, but customs here require that all members of the Royal Bloodline must become betrothed at the age of ten. You two are past that age, but in light of what happened, I will make an exception and allow you to choose your brides yourselves."
"Brides?" the brothers asked one another.
"You mean... get married?" Alphonse inquired.
"That's what selecting a bride and becoming betrothed means!" Izumi snapped. "Choose quickly before I do it for you!"
"Yes ma'am!" they quipped. Ash stifled a titter and Rin hid her face behind a fan.
Izumi snapped her fingers and the door to the brothers' right slid open. There was a row of young women, all of them pretty in one way or another.
"You may choose from any of the women in the room. All are available for betrothal, with the exception of myself," she continued.
Edward and Alphonse stood up and studied the assorted women. All were pretty, true, but they hardly knew any of them. How could they marry someone they knew nothing about, even if they were allowed to marry whenever they wished? Of course, they could get to know their prospective brides before the wedding...
Edward noticed the twins, sitting patiently beside Izumi and looking positively glum. It was obvious how much those girls cared for the brothers. He was the first to choose.
"Well, what do you say?" he asked, extending a hand.
Rin looked up, stunned silent, and just stared at him. Her open fan fell from her hand, and she reached out to take the one offered.
"Of course," she smiled, tears rolling down her cheeks as Edward pulled her into a hug.
"Ash?" Alphonse asked softly.
"Yes!" the elder twin cried, flinging herself at the teen.
"Welcome home, Princes," Izumi said, still smiling.
"Edward... Edward," Rin's voice called.
"Hum? What is it?" Edward asked groggily, rubbing his eyes as the happy images faded from his mind. He propped himself up on one elbow and shook his hair out of his face.
"Nothing really, I was just told to wake you up," Christin said, smiling softly. "You looked like you were having a really nice dream, but I woke you up anyway..."
"I was dreaming about what happened, sort of..." he replied around a sigh.
"Was I part of that dream?" she asked.
"Of course," he chuckled. "You always are, no matter what happens in them."
"Like you are in mine," she replied. "Always, always, every night. But you already know that, don't you?"
"Yeah," he nodded, smiling. "I know everything."
Area 51 1/2 1-29-11: Alright, an OVA-like thing! I've been wanting to write about the twins as if they were kids growing up together, so I decided to make some stand-alone stories that can be considered Godsend OVA's (like if Godsend was an anime, these would be movies that have the same characters but completely unrelated situations... why am I explaining this? You all know what an OVA is...). This is from INDC. There will be one for book one and book three as well, though the order in which they occur doesn't really matter so you could read these OVA's in any order and it won't matter (because they're stand-alones) so I'm not gonna bother with putting book 1's OVA first, book 2's second so on and so forth. Please enjoy them! I'm more than 98% sure they'll all be AU in some way or another... these are just ideas that get spawned and an only be written to work if they're OVA-things like this. So, basically, it the Godsend characters in situations completely unrelated to Godsend. They're under the title Godsend: Area 51 1/2 just because they're the sort of random things I'd talk about in my Areas. Random tidbits of fluffy nothings... sounds like cotton candy...
Anywho, about the Godsend OVA's (they're not really, but I keep calling them that because an OVA was what gave me the idea for this)... Ed doesn't have automail and Al has his body because it's just easier that way. Other characters will appear when they will. It's a 'Walk-ins Welcome' as opposed to a 'Reservations Only' sort of ordeal, you know? Hey, we can abbreviate these GOVA's! So I don't have to type up 'Godsend' all the damn time...
Right, this took me about two days to write, with around an hour or so on the third day. If you smushed all the time together, it'd make up about two days. Hope you liked it... it's twenty-five pages on Microsoft Word... but these are supposed to be like movies (which are generally one to two hours long) so it makes sense that they'd be long, right? I think so... hmm...
There will probably be magic and all sorts of crap that can't happen in the FMA world, too, so be prepared to be whisked into a world where Ed an teleport, Al can possess tomatoes, Roy can collect Pokemon cards, who knows what else? I'm kidding, those things may or may not happen, depending on how the stories play out.
Alright, the creepiness in this one is kinda influenced by Hell Girl. I was lent the whole series and its left quite an impression. I also was lent the whole series of Claymore (and Vic Mignogna's character has a totally cheesy name: Silver Eyed Lion King) and was so happy when Raki said he loved Clare! hurray for Todd! I say Todd because for some strange reason I call characters by their voice actor's names. And there were like... twenty zillion voice actors from FMA in Claymore! I mean, Monica Rial, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Caitlin Glass, Wendy Powell, Trina Nishimura, Todd Haberkorn, Stephanie Young, Vic Mignogna... I was seriously freaking out when I was reading those little guidebooks that come with anime. But most of the 'other-worldly' stuff came from Hell Girl. Ai's past is so depressing... geez, being buried alive is just... can you blame her, really? I love the opening theme, though... so yeah, heavily influenced by Hell Girl and a few trailers for xxxHolic that I saw. I'm trying to aim for creepy, other-worldly craziness... these things look so much better in my head than on my computer screen. The bath house part was sorta inspired by Spirited Away, one of my favorite Hayao Miyazaki movies. I haven't seen that movie in ages... love that one... Ponyo was absolutely adorable!
See you later!