-: DISCLAIMER: As I have said in 'Side Effects' FullMetal isn't mine, goddammit:-
Rain.
Rain, the bringer of life, the messenger of floods; with too much of it, life drowns, and with too little of it, life will die of thirst.
In the rain a woman huddled over the center of several large stone mounds, her dread locked hair dripping water onto a small white bundle that she cradled to her chest. Below her a complex marking, formed of circles, lines, and symbols, was drawn in chalk, parts of it being slowly eroded by the rain.
She glanced down at the bundle, she needed to do this now, or the transmutation circle would be washed away by the precipitation.
She placed the bundle carefully into the center of the circle; she placed her lost child into the transmutation circle. She clapped her hands against the circle.
A flash of alchemical energy, a wave of fire in her chest, hundreds of eyes staring at her. The world went dark.
Izumi Curtis awoke; lying facedown against cold, wet stone.
Pain ran through her body as she coughed violently, blood pooling in the rain. She looked at the blood in horror, fearing the worst. Then she looked at the bundle.
The bundle moved; her child moved.
"My boy." She whispered happily slowly moving towards the mass.
The sound of a baby's cry filled the air, and yet, the sound never occurred. Izumi stared in horror as the creature in the bundle became visible, bulging eyes were closed in pain, paper-thin gray flesh did little to hide it's inhuman bone structure.
Then she realized. She realized why human transmutation was so forbidden, why all who tried it ended up dead or insane.
The thing before her was no human; it was a monster, a sin in a physical form, a Homunculus.
Tears welled up in her eyes, as she pressed her hand against the transmutation circle, once more.
She knelt in front of a massive set of doors, in her arms the Homunculus was held, but not with a mother's love like before. She glazed up at the doors; horrific symbolized eyes were carved into them, staring into her soul. Around her, golden light stretched on into infinity.
The gate opened.
Hundreds of eyes watched her, anticipating her actions. They had no reason not too; she was acting just like how all humans do when they learn the truth.
She bowed her head, averting her gaze as she reached out, as she gave the child to the Gate. The multitude of hands inside swam out; wrapping their arms around her and the child, ready to pull it into the darkness.
But… something went wrong.
As soon as the hands touched Izumi, images burned across her eyeballs.
The child wailing as it was pulled into the gate, the gigantic eye watching it with greedy intent, another child; no more than ten, pulling his way out of the Gate, using arms that were not his, the child being held by her, a man; one she recognized as Fuhrer Bradley pulling the child into a storage room.
She saw herself, wrapping her hands around the child's neck, the child doing the same to her, him trying to murder a blonde haired teenager in a red jacket with a spear, the child fleeing from the Gate.
And she did something no other before her had done.
She pulled back, maternal instincts kicking in. Must protect him, must protect my child! She chanted in her head, adrenaline fueling her actions now. Must protect him!
The hands pulled back on the child, trying to keep what she had offered them. NO! Screamed what could be called the voice of the Gate. YOU WILL NOT DEFY ME!
Izumi just grunted and pulled, by the child was wrested from her grasp.
In desperation she clapped her hands together, and pressed them against the ground. The golden light shot out the hands in spikes, spearing through them, causing them to drop the child.
Izumi picked up the child, knowing that her time here was limited. HOW DARE YOU! Screamed the Gate in her mind. WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT?
Izumi just glared back at it as she faded back to Yokk Island. "I gave myself the right.." She answered. And then she was gone.
The Gate slammed shut, in confusion and anger. It had been in existence ever since the birth of the worlds, countless fools had done human transmutation, but none had protected their creation. What made this woman different?
Sig watched the lake forlornly, waiting for his wife to return. Mason sat next to him, but had fallen asleep. Oh well, he'll allow him this luxury after the hell they've been through.
An image moved in the fog.
A boat creaked; Sig could now see Izumi, in one hand rowing the boat to the mainland, in the other cradling the same bundle she left with. Sig waited for his wife to get closer before pulling her onshore.
Izumi stepped out of the boat, pressing the bundle against her chest. In her eyes she held the fire of victory, but also the despair of defeat.
She held out the bundle, and now Sig knew what his wife was carrying.
She was carrying her creation, her sin, her Homunculus.
He gave her his knowing stare, and she just stared back.
Izumi sighed. "I know, it will be difficult." She started, and then she smirked. "But I've never been unable to handle a challenge." She said, pulling the sin to her chest, rocking it gently.
Sig stared at the young Mason. Best not to wake him up, best not to have him see this. He nodded to his wife.
"We'd best take him to Christopher." Said Izumi, taking a step forward, carrying with her a mother's pride.
Sig followed, he would always follow her, to hell and back again, he would follow her and her decisions, then again that was parenthood for you.