Out of all the fics I've written, this one is my favorite. (And trust me, I've written a LOT of fics. I only post the good ones.) It is a FullMetal Alchemist fic, but you can definetly see some Phantomy references in it, too. The idea for this fic has been floating around in my head for quite some time, and the Plot Bunny made me write it down. So... Enjoy!

Disclaimer: (sigh) Not mine...


Abhorrence

The human soul is indestructible. Our bodily forms come from dust before our birth, and after our death return to dust. This is all one great cycle. While the body can be killed, destroyed, burned, crushed, stabbed, and damaged beyond all repair, one's soul will always remain intact. However, although with the promise of always being whole, the soul can be a dangerous, and sometimes deadly, thing to behold. Any attempt to make, transmute, or artificially create a soul is disastrous. If one even survives an attempt to create a human soul, or 'Play God' as it were, that person would never have the opportunity to live an even somewhat normal life from that point until their death. This is alchemy's ultimate taboo, known as 'Human Transmutation'. Few have attempted it, and even fewer have survived it. The effects of Human Transmutation are so horrendous that, even if one survives, one can never be the same person they were before the transmutation. No one can transmute a soul without being permanently scarred, a fact people often discover has more that one meaning. Yet, in the midst of the horror and turmoil of Human Transmutation, there is one object that can reverse the effects of this forbidden alchemy. It is extremely rare, and almost impossible to obtain, but is the only known substance with the ability to gain without exchange, to create without sacrifice, to make right what was once wrong. The Philosopher's Stone.

"Brother?"

"Hmm?"

Alphonse fidgeted. As odd as it is to see a seven-foot-two suit of armor fidget, Alphonse squirmed and twitched uneasily. If he had palms, they would be sweating. Every time Alphonse shifted his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other, the armor would creak slightly. Edward, Alphonse's older brother by one year, looked up. He was just finishing up the immensely complex alchemy array, adding the last-minute details.

"What is it, Al?"

"Well, um…"

Alphonse hemmed and hawed, not really knowing how to put what he was thinking into words. He stuttered and fidgeted some more, Edward's brilliantly golden gaze never leaving him.

"Alphonse, spit it out."

Alphonse gave up. He knew that something serious was being discussed when Edward used his full name. He sighed. His older brother could see straight through anyone.

"Brother, don't do it."

"Oh, if tha- what?"

Alphonse sighed. This wasn't going the way he had intended. He almost started reasoning with his brother, but Edward cut him off again.

"Al, we have to! Don't you realize how important this is? We've been trying to do this for... how many years has it been now? Five? Six? I can't even remember, it's been so long! This is it! This is our chance to put you back in the flesh again! I don't see how you can even suggest-"

"BROTHER!" Alphonse shouted, his voice echoing noisily in the armor. "It…It's just that, I've got this bad feeling about it. You know how you can tell if something bad is going to happen? Well, that's how I feel now! What if something goes wrong? What if we wind up worse than we are right now? Brother, please don't do it…"

Alphonse's voice began to tremble, giving away his fright. Edward's eyebrows rose, and his golden eyes bore intensely into the glowing red orbs in Alphonse's helmet. Edward exhaled through his nose, his fingertips raised to his temples.

"That's a lot of 'ifs' Al…" He murmured, almost to himself. He stared pointedly at nothing in particular for a few seconds before squaring his shoulders and, with a faint smile, gazed up at Alphonse and said, "Are you ready to be human again?"

Alphonse began to protest, but Edward held up a hand to silence him. "I know what you'll say," Edward said softly to his slightly taken aback brother. "And you're probably right, this may not work exactly the way we intended. But, you have to think, if we don't do this, we'll regret it for the rest of our days. We'll always look back and say "I wish we had just taken the risk," And if we fail, then we fail, and there's nothing anyone can do about it! We'll never know what the outcome will be unless we try! But, if you ask me, the advantages far outweigh the risks involved…" Edward trailed off, again gazing absent-mindedly at nothing. Without averting his gaze, Edward reached into his pocket and pulled out a small red stone, no larger than a walnut. A faint glow seemed to dance and swirl around the stone, a diminutive glimpse of the sheer alchemic power that lay within it. Edward silently placed it on the array, which seemed to shimmer for a brief moment with alchemic energy from contact with such a powerful artifact. His eyes shifted slightly before he whispered, "You ready?"

Alphonse nodded, slightly surprised at Edward's sudden speech. He walked to the center of the array, while Edward took his place at the front. As Edward placed his hands on the circle, Alphonse said slowly "Brother?"

Edward glanced up, gazing through his long bangs at his younger brother. "Hmm?"

Alphonse hesitated. "I…I love you, Brother."

Edward froze for a fraction of a second before smiling warmly and replying, "I love you too, you sap," For a second the two just gazed at each other before Edward clapped his hands and placed them on the alchemy array.

Instantaneously, the air in the room seemed to thicken, and the pressure began to fluctuate. The immense amount of energy swirled like a whirlpool and towered up to the ceiling, enveloping Alphonse in its blinding glow. Alphonse gasped, a sound left unheard by the deafening roar of the transmutation. Edward had performed more transmutations than he cared to count, but transmuting his own brother was totally different, almost inhuman. He had always imagined it to be simple, easy, like a regular transmutation. Transmuting a human soul was nothing like transmuting inanimate matter. The energy running through Edward, through the array, and into Alphonse began to roar louder, growing taller and broader, and swirling so fast it began to make him feel slightly nauseated. The vast energy was making it near impossible for Edward to draw breath, and it took all of his strength to keep the energy flowing, but nothing seemed to be going wrong-yet.

Edward glanced up at the towering vortex of energy before him. He grinned in a slightly maniacal fashion. It was working! Alphonse would be human again in no time! He couldn't wait to see his little brother in the flesh again, to see him smile and laugh, not having to hear the dreadful creak of the armor, and to hear Alphonse's voice without the hollow, metallic echo. Edward remembered the days of their childhood, before they joined the military, before they tried to resurrect their mother. Oh, how young, innocent, and carefree they had been! Back when they had gotten in time-out for nosing in their father's study, played hide-and-seek near the river, and gotten into squabbles over who would marry Winry. They had been so childish and worry-free, without a care in the world. But this was a different time, another chapter in their lives. Edward had long since lost the innocent, juvenile sparkle in his eyes, and was replaced by the fiery, determined stare that made his golden orbs appear so intense. Both brothers were mature beyond their years, prodigies in the combination of science and art of alchemy. With a demoralizing pang, Edward recalled their first attempt at human transmutation. He and Alphonse had planned and practiced and perfected their alchemy skills for years before attempting the forbidden transmutation. The death of their mother had left them lost and dejected; Alphonse had sunk into a deep depression while Edward had worked out a plan to resurrect their mother. Not one of their father's books on alchemy had described exactly what would happen if one attempted human transmutation, only said that it was forbidden. Ha! As if a 'forbidden' label could stop the great Edward Elric! He and his brother had done the unthinkable, had committed the ultimate sin; and had paid dearly for it. Edward shuddered as he remembered the wonderfully golden whirl of energy disappear, to be replaced by the warped, twisted force with the sickly, purple hue.

As quickly as it had materialized the first time, Edward realized that he wasn't simply imagining the sickly violet energy anymore. The whirlpool before him had lost its warm, exuberant glow, to be replaced with the violent dark purple vortex. Edward had seen this dark energy only once before, and it had been the biggest mistake he had, or would ever make, in all his years of existence. This sickening hue meant more than a fluked transmutation; it meant that something dire was inevitable.

"AL!" Edward shouted, instantly removing his hands from the transmutation circle in a vain attempt to stop the energy. "ALPHONSE! AL, NO!" It was no use; what was done was done, and the transmutation was going to continue until it had either restored Alphonse's body, or killed him in the process. Edward thought for a second that he heard a faint "Brother!" before the dark energy increased even more so, if possible, and the deafening roar pounding on his eardrums, the air racing with the vortex, making shelves topple over and old books flip their pages. Edward had never felt so helpless, more than he did when he was in recovery after receiving his automail limbs, more than he did after failing to rescue Nina, even more than when he had transmuted his mother… He circled the rapidly swirling energy, calling Alphonse's name, fighting the urge to leap into the fray. The dark energy swirled faster and faster, the wind whistled in his ears, making Edward choke against the force of the air. Suddenly, the sound in the room died. The room was totally silent for a fraction of a second before the vortex burst and everything went dazzling white. Edward knew no more.


Ooooh, cliffie!! What's happened?! What did Edward do?! Is dearest Alphonse okay?! Will everything go as planed?! (...that's a stupid question...) Find out in Chappie two!!

Purrs,

Frenchie-chan