The Gate

By Gozilla

Disclaimer: I don't own anything and I don't have anything. So don't sue me!

Please excuse my poor English. -

Reviews are most welcomed!

Enjoy!

Summary: (Spoiler! AU-post TV series, Sequel to "Brothers from Two Worlds") Edward faced an opportunity to return to the alchemy world. But what price did he has to pay for passing through the Gate?

"Edward, are you sure you want to do this?" Alphonse asked, deeply worried. He stopped working on a large vehicle and looked at the golden-haired and golden-eyed person working beside him.

"Yes, Alphonse, I am sure." Edward said confidently, giving an assuring smile to the person standing in front of him, who looked almost identical to his real brother. The person in front of him was not his real brother, Alphonse Elric, but Alphonse Heiderich, who was born and lived in Munich.

Edward, on the other hand, had bandages around his head and his left hand, covering the long deep wounds on his forehead and across his palm.

Edward continued, "We have been testing the liquid fuel with models for the last twelve months. Everything went well and the results are satisfactory."

"But it is different." Alphonse said hesitantly, "This is the first time we have such real-size rocket. With so much liquid fuel, I am... I am not sure if it would be safe for anyone to get near the rocket... let alone sitting on it."

"But you need someone to sit in it to activate and control it, right?" Edward smiled and continued to work on the rocket, "Don't worry, Alphonse, everything will be fine."

This is the moment Edward had been waiting for almost four years.

Four years ago, after finding Al's soul and body in the Gate and joining them together, Edward was transferred to this unfamiliar world. Although his father offered that Edward could stay with him, Edward decided to continue with his travel life in search for a way to go back to the world he belonged.

Edward was in despair and almost lost all of his hope when he met Alphonse Heiderich, a youth who looked almost identical to his brother, except for the eyes. (For detailed, please refer to the prequel of this story, "Brothers from two worlds")

Ever since, Edward lived and worked with Alphonse on Alphonse's brother, Edward Heiderich's work on rockery and liquid fuel.

After over a year's of hard work, they had successfully produced an effective and relatively stable liquid fuel for rockets. The next thing they need was the rocket itself. They had been making rocket model after rocket model, trying to find a vehicle which could achieve the delicate balance between strength, durability, and light-weight.

After numerous failures, they had made a few successful models and started to make larger models. But not everything went smoothly. They were lucky to escape major injuries in several explosions, as the liquid fuel was still far from being completely stable.

During the last experience, there was one explosion which broken fragments of the rocket model cut Edward's left palm and hit his forehead close to his right eye, and nearly blinding the eye.

Alphonse was terrified by the accident and wished to cease the research as he thought it was too dangerous to proceed. However, Edward was not convinced. For Edward, every step was a step closer to the way back to his world, and more importantly, to Al.

They were trying to construct a real-size rocket based on their knowledge and experience gained from the models. Edward was confident that this rocket could be the very vehicle he needed to go back to the alchemy world.

Edward was so devoted to work on the rocket that he often forgot to eat or sleep. If not for Alphonse to threaten to stop the whole project if Edward did not eat and sleep properly, he would have completely ignored his most basic needs to stay alive.

A week later, the engine of the rocket was completed. They waited for a fine sunny day for the test drive of the engine, using a straight, deserted train rail in the countryside. They checked the train rail the day before, making sure no obstacles was on the rail.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Alphonse asked, deeply worried.

"Yes, I am sure, for a hundredth time." Edward smiled before turning back to adjust the settings of the "vehicle" they made to test the engine.

Though still frowning in worry, Alphonse forced a smile, "Well, then, good luck and come back safely."

"Thanks." Edward replied, readying himself. He looked at Alphonse one last time, "Don't worry, I will. I still have too much to do."

Alphonse stepped back from the vehicle as Edward started the engine. The engine let out a heart-shaking roar.

Taking a deep breath, Edward stepped on the accelerator. The vehicle shot forward with frightening speed. Edward could not help but smiled as the engine ran smoothly and stably.

'We just need a bit of adjustments to the engine and we can try it on a rocket..." Edward thought before the vehicle shook violently as it hit a large tree branch on the rail, being broken and blown to the rail by the strong wind the just a few minutes before, and derailed.

Trying hard not to panic, Edward attempted to regain control over the vehicle but failed. The vehicle rolled over for a dozen times before hitting a large tree. Edward heard several snapping sounds of his bones breaking. A dull thud at his head told him that his skull was fractured by the impact. Agonising pain assaulted him from every part of his body. The engine then exploded and a cloud of smoke rose to the sky.

Alphonse, on the other hand, watched the incidence from a distance. His smile due to the success of the engine froze as he saw the vehicle derailed and exploded. He felt his heart being torn into halves as he ran towards the burning vehicle.

His heart sank as he arrived to the scene. The fire was almost out and the blackened wreckage of the vehicle scattered pitifully over the area.

Even though he knew no one could possibly survive such crash and explosion, Alphonse vigorously searched among the wreckage with the help of a large fallen tree branch, trying to save his friend or, at least, find his body before it was further damaged. But, to his surprise, there was no trace of Edward, not even his body.

Alphonse then turned to the way between the wreckage and the place where the vehicle was derailed. He could not find any trace of Edward, as if the youth had simply disappeared in thin air.

Alphonse stood, completely confused.

The last thing Edward saw was a huge fireball exploded in front of him before, all of a sudden, he stood before a closing, large black door. All the wounds and pain were gone.

It took a few moments before Edward recovered from the shock and realised that he had seen the door before. His eyes widened in horror.

The Gate.

"You come again." came a voice from behind.

Edward turned in shock at the familiar voice. He frowned as he saw a blurry figure sitting on the floor in front of home.

"Truth." Edward murmured.

"You are the stupidest person I have ever met." Truth said, "How many times have you been here? Five? Six times?"

"How did I get here?" Edward asked as he stepped closer to Truth, "Tell me how to get back to the alchemy world."

"Tell you?" Truth said, "Why do you want to get to that world? Isn't the other world better? No alchemy, no equivalent trade."

"No!" Edward said, "I have to get back to the world I belong! Al is there! I have to see him again!"

"Your brother?" An evil smile appeared on Truth's face, "What price are you willing to pay for seeing your brother again? It is no easy job and the price could be very high, you know."

"Everything." Edward said in determination, "I am willing to pay everything for seeing Al again."

"No regret?" the smile on Truth's face widened.

"Never."

"The deal is done."

Then everything went blinding white.

Rizenbul-

Winry was working on a new automail arm with the skills she learnt from Rush Valley. The automail arm was lighter, but at the same time, stronger than the ones she made before. She had been pushing hard on herself to improve her skills on automail in the past three years.

People would ask her why she worked so hard on improving the skills, as the number of people willing to install automail was constantly decreasing, mainly due to the agonising surgery and installation process.

But Winry would just smiled and told them that she needed to improve her skills because she wants to make sure a certain patient of hers could grow taller with her improved, lighter automail limbs.

Winry was concentrated in adjusting a delegate part of the new automail arm when suddenly a loud bang at the front door startled her and broke the part. Shocked, Winry was close to tear as she looked at the broken part which she had been working on for the last two weeks.

Shock changed to anger, Winry took her wench and ran to downstairs towards the front door.

"WHO IS IT!" Winry yelled as she opened the door. But her anger disappeared completely as she saw the person standing at the door.

"Hi... Winry..." the person leaning on the door frame said weakly, smiling.

"Ed..." Although he was at least a foot taller than the last time Winry had saw him and he looked much matured, Winry had no problem recognising Edward instantly. However, his sudden appearance was not the only reason which shocked Winry.

It was Edward's condition. He looked as if he was being trampled by a herd of elephants and could barely stand. He was bleeding everywhere with wounds all over his body. He was frowning in pain and his face was half-covered with blood from a large wound on his head.

Slowly, Edward closed his eyes and fell forward. Winry rushed to catch him, only to fall to the ground with Edward.

"Ed! Ed!" Winry cried in panic, holding the unconscious Edward in her arms, "Please wake up. Please... you are scaring me. Ed, open your eyes, please. ED!"

End of Chapter 1

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