He knew about the state taking innocent lives off the streets and turning them into heartless soldiers. It was too grim to even think. Although, the older man thought on how did Al become a walking, talking suit of armor.
"I am being serious!" Al spoke up in mixed feelings from the past.
"Sorry, son…" the older man sighed. He tried to to remain curious. "I have heard some stories in my past…yours is a whopper!"
Feeling that he was being made fun of Al became upset. He growled as he sat up straighter in the chair, "Look…my mom died of illness that I can't tell you what it was. I was very young…to understand what was going on. My brother wanted to learn all there is to know about Alchemy. So, we could bring mother back from the grave."
A raspy, "Al…" came from Ed's lips.
Al jerked to attention. What was Ed thinking of while he was dreaming. Was Ed trying to stop Ed from retelling the past sins of two young boys who wanted more than anything else in the world, but to see their own mother? He could not wake up his brother to ask that question.
Ed drifted back to a deeper realm of sleep. There was no way of reaching until the morning. The man apologized gently before leaving the room. Al watched over his brother for the night. He to get to the bottom of everything which was going on before Ed got better.
The next morning was cool. The weather could not make up its mind for the day. It wanted to be warm, yet the rains were coming and people wanted a good harvest.
Ed heard the sounds of the old house as it began to wake up. He lay in bed with a knotted stomach. He wanted to know what happened to him. He heard Al talking to someone. He wondered who Al was talking to. Ed breathed slowly, letting his lungs fill up before slowly releasing the air from his lungs. He licked his lips as he thought. Then, he croaked, "Al?"
Al had the door opened all night long. He knew the doctor who ran the clinic stayed on the same floor as his parents. He wanted to make sure Ed was doing fine. Al said as he entered the room, "What's wrong, brother?"
Ed managed to say with his voice gaining a little bit of strength, "I'm thirsty…"
"Oh?" al said as he came up to his brother's bed.
"Yea," Ed sighed loudly. The pain of inside of his head was so terrible; he was going to scream for relief. Wanting to move if only for a few seconds seemed to be the most agonizing thing Ed had done in a while. He gritted his teeth as he tried to sit up in bed.
Watching Ed made Al worry deeply. He said sounding like Al was the older brother with a voice sounding cold and harsh, "Stop that!"
"Wha…" Ed gasped between breaths. His limbs belted out the rhythms of his heart beat. He was going to stop with the idea of trying to sit up.
"You need to not move, brother!" Al scolded. He reached over to place the hand on Ed's right shoulder. "You are so stupid…"
"What?" was Ed answer? He was not upset with everything that was happening to him. He tried to let things get him upset. He had to be strong for himself and Al. "I am going to be hurting if I just sit here!"
"Are you that stupid…" Al scolded for a second time.
"No…I am just sore that's all!" Ed sapped back. He tried top push the pain from his mind as he many an effort to move out of bed. He slowly pushed myself up with all of is efferent split between the agony of sitting up and the will to sit up on his own. He didn't want to be marked as a cry baby. He had enough of crying when he lost his mom. He also cried in angered hot tears the lost of his arm and leg due the fact of the transmutation went horrible wrong. He knew how to hurt his brother with memories. Yet, he didn't want to hurt Al. he knew if they broke up then, it could spell trouble not only for them, but the rest of the world as they knew it. He began to take in deep breaths. His mind counted until the pain leased. He said after what was a five minute jag of agony, "Gomen!"
"I want you stop with all the stupid ideas that you are a sort of superman!" Al scolded for a third time. His voice sounded even colder. He wanted Ed to slow down a little.
"You can't realize what is going on with me…then; we can't go back to central just yet!" Ed huffed, trying to turn his face away from Al. He knew Al was still a young boy who needed looking after even if his should was trapped in a large suit of armor.
Then, the two became still and quiet. They didn't want to speak. There was nothing remotely to even think about. This was a time of healing for Ed. Ed felt like something was tearing him from the inside out.
Roy stood on the train platform like the hundred of times in the past. The decision of finding the two Erlic brothers had to be on his priors list. He pulled out his pocket watch. The time was standing very still. There was nothing he could do at this time until he boarded the train. Flipping the cover open on the pocket watch, Roy scolded the watch in a quiet whisper. He said, "Why did this even happen?"
In the distance, Roy could hear the noise of children playing in the opened air, waiting room. He wondered why the children where playing near such a dangerous place. Letting his mind drift to Ed and Al, Roy thought of the ideas behind coming to the Erlic brothers'. Was it because of their father? Was it because of own their achievements? He shook his head at the mere thought. He knew that the two brothers were designed by fate to be who they were.
Hughes walked up to Roy very carefully in order not to cause any suspicion from the passerby. He didn't want to make any waves as the inner party of King Bradley where always looking over someone else's shoulder.
"You early…" was Roy's answer as the two men stood next to each other on the platform. He glanced over to see Hughes dressed in a grey coat and matching scarf.
Hughes heard the children playing in the distance. He wondered about his own daughter. She was just two or three now. Will he be able to see her grow up? He dreamed about that since the day he had held her in his arm for the first time. The war between the two factions was getting sticky. "Yea, the wife was wanting to some deep cleaning in the up stairs and she woke me out of bed at the crack of dawn!" Hughes smiled sleepily.
"And?" Roy asked, shaking his head slightly. He didn't want anything to do with home and hearth for the time. Although he did have some feelings for Riza, yet he didn't want to announce to the world just at the time. He was a little bit of a womanizer which drove Riza into states of quiet complete and utter dismay.
"She wanted me to clean out the yard first…right before breakfast," Hughes sighed with a grin. He was thinking of his one and only daughter. She was bound with great determination to help daddy with the yard work. The grin became deciduous as Hughes said, "My little girl was there to help me!"
Worn to the very last fiber of his being from all the daddy talk from Hughes, Roy had to cut to the quick. He asked, "What did you hear from Central!"
Hughes changed mood on a dime. He gasped, "Uh?" His face hung opened mouthed. He tried to remember everything that he had heard. Then, he became serious. He said, "What I heard is there was a shape shifter roaming the area!"
At first Roy wanted to laugh at the ridiculous answer he just heard. A shape shifter was roaming in the area. Where…what area? He shook his head as he said, "Have you been reading those ghost stories again!"
Feeling a bit perturbed, Hughes growled, "no…I've not!"
"Yea, right…" Roy started to say as he folded his arms over his chest over with a smug glare on hiss face. Then, the two heard the noise of an oncoming train. They turned to see to the training come rolling down the tracks. With a look of disgust of traveling for no real reason Roy sighed, "This must be it!"
"Are you sure?" Hughes asked in a caution of voice.
"I wasn't expecting to leave at this time…" Roy shook head with dismay in his voice. He didn't want to leave his troop behind.
"Yea…what's all leaders say when they are forced into a corner they can't fight out of!" Hughes shrugged.
"And your point being?" Roy quipped at his friend.
"I have seen before…but different salutations!" Hughes shrugged for the second time. Then, he carefully searched in his jacket pocket for an envelope. He found it inside of his with a gentle tug of his fingers. He said, "Here…"
"What?" Roy asked with a surprise tone of voice. He wanted to know why Hughes was handing him a packet. What was inside of the envelope?
With a glance of anxious gaze, Hughes said, "Read it when you are on the train and far from here!"
Feeling like this was part a joke and part the real thing, Roy spluttered, "W-w-what?"
He was cut off by the sound of the train whistle. The train was now slowing down as it entered the station. Large clouds of white smoke were enclosing the area inside of the train station. Hughes watched as Roy went for the envelope. He shook his head as his eyes met with Roy's. He didn't want to get into serious danger of caught. It was best not to let things get out of hand while in the station. Roy stopped himself before his fingers even felt the edge of the protruding envelope. Turning his face in the direction of where Hughes was standing, Roy was surprised to see Hughes bolting out from sight. He didn't want to be caught with such possible explosive matter that he had to risk his own life in passing it to someone else.
Roy's hand slowly dropped from his jacket pocket as the train ground to a stop in front him. A large plum of grey smoke danced around his ankles with a warmth that did not stay too long. It was a sign like spring; it was there for just a heart beat before leaving the land space as a fond, distance memory.
Roy heard people departing from the train as the doors were slowly pushed open. Others were beginning to move forward as if they were told to move up towards the train by an unseen being. He knew other lives were at stake at the time. He closed his jacket over the envelope with a causes glance the passersby before walking over to the entrance of the train.
The room were Ed was recovering had been quiet. Ed was trying to let the medicine do its job. He was half asleep with the effects of the drug playing on his mind. What was he thinking about?
Then, he heard a voice calling out for him. It called out, "Ed…Ed…Ed…where are you?"
He felt like shouting out, "Here." Yet something was holding him back.
"Edward…Elric!" the voice called out, this was a little sharpness in the voice.
There was a hint of a sting in Ed's mind. It sounded like his mother, Trisa calling out for him. The voice of scolding was used he and Al were bad. He looked around see if she had been standing around, waiting for him.
"Ed…" her voice snapped.
"Mom…I'm here!"
His voice surprised him with a double tone. What was going on? Was he speaking with two voices instead of one? He spun around so quickly in his mind, that Ed wondered if he had been dreaming or not.
Then, the image of him as a small boy came into view. He had been five or six at the time when he was just starting to ask questions about his father. He had been playing at the shoreline near the river. He could feel warmth that he hadn't felt in a long time. He wanted to touch his mother who was now standing close to him. He wanted to apologize to her for all things he had done. He didn't to leave. Yet, the smaller version of himself stopped next to him and asked, "Where's daddy?"
"Oh," Trisha sighed, placing a hand up to her forehead. She gave a shake of her head sighed, "Edward!"
The smaller Edward was covered in sand and mud. It had been apparent that he and Winry were playing in the mud. To him, it seemed fun. Yet, Trisha was busy with her housework. There were some people who were going to visit her from village. They wanted to see the boys and her. They felt bad for her since her husband had left her for reasons she wasn't clear on. She was busy all morning long. Ed wanted to play outside. He knew Trisha was dusting and mopping in the early morning. There was so much to do. She didn't want Ed or Al getting under foot. After breakfast, she ordered them to go outside and play near the house. Al wanted to play near the house.
On the other hand, Ed wanted to explore as much as he could. He was a very typical little boy. Yet, he had a little bit of studying to do. He had begun to read. His mother was teaching him how to read. The school in the village wasn't allowing children in until they had reached the age of six. Ed was an only four and half. He wanted to grow fast and learn as much as he could. Ed took a book that had been an easy to read book. He had tucked underneath his shirt before leaving he house. Then, he took off in a flash. He had stopped over at the kitchen to grab some cookies from the cookie jar. He knew Winery liked his mom's cookies. Then, he stopped in the living room where Al was playing with his toys. Ed asked Al if wanted to play with him at the river bank. Al didn't want to leave. He was having too much fun with his toys. Ed sighed with a dismayed gaze in his eyes, "O.k. suit yourself!"
With that Ed hit the door with a boundless energy. He took off for the river bank. He heard his mother calling out to him. He told his mother in a loud voice, "Mom…I'm going to the river!"
Trisha wanted to keep an eye on Ed. Ed was too quick for her to catch up. She didn't' want to be bothered by trying to play to his wishes. She had to get the house cleaned before the guests would be on her doorstep.
The older Ed felt the world snipping around so quickly, that he was afraid of getting sick in the process. He was now standing a very familiar place in his past. It was the front room to the house that he and Ed grew up. The shook struck him hard. Everything he knew and remembered was not burnt up. He stared in wonder at the room. The room was clean. Trisha was proud of herself. Ed and al were not getting into the room to mess up the floor with toys. The older Ed was trying to get a grip on what was going through his mind at the time. "Where am I?" he wondered in his mind.
"The time and place are yours…yet you are still looking for something that is not there!" a voice said in his mind. It sounded so calming, it too Ed by surprise. He gasped trying to figure out where he had heard it before.
"Wait!" he called out in the room, looking wildly around. He wondered if he was going to break free from this dream. He needed to find the Philosopher's stone and quickly. He had to see about contacting Lt. Mustang. He started to walk around. Everything had a place and a place for everything. It was like his mother was still alive. The ticking sound of a wall clock was the only thing he could hear. He stared at two young boys now, napping on a large over stuffed sofa. It was after three when he and Al still took naps once in a while. They had so much energy, that Trisha made them go outside for long periods of play. Even during the winter, Ed had fun.
A female voice sighed deeply with a tone of satisfaction. It startled Ed as his ears picked up the noise. He turned to see a young and heath Trisha Elric standing right in front of him. His lips became dry as his mouth hung opened a little. His mouth hurried about as he tried to figure on how to speak. She walked towards him with a smile that was filled tender warmth. He faintly gasped, "Mom?"
Trisha stood very close her oldest son and said, "Yes…Edward!" she wanted to cry as she gazed at her son. "Look at you…you are nearly a man!"
Unable to place words into a good speech, Ed nodded and said, "Thanks mom!"
"Yet, you look so thin!" Trisha teased with a chuckle.
"Mom!" Ed winced. He didn't mind being called thin, yet being called short was a different story.
"Well," Trisha rolled her eyes at her son. "…have you been eating?"
"Mom!" Ed winced for a second time. Then, he paused for a minute before sighed, "Yes…"
"Thanks good. Yet, that's why I didn't come here for!" Trisha said. Her words sounded important. She didn't sound like the gentle woman who gave Ed and Al life.
Ed was puzzled. Why did his mother say that? He knew he must be really dreaming. Yet, the things he had seen. Why were they coming back to him? His mother smiled and said, "I have wanted to say this for a long time…Ed!"
"I don't know why you are here with me," he said. Then, he looked his younger self. He remembered how he had played with Winry for hours. When he came home, he was given a bath and scolding at the same time before lunch. He was covered from head to toe with mud and dirt. He was lucky that no one showed up from the village at the time. He kind of remembered the day. Yet, a young boy's remember could play tricks on him.
"I have something to tell you!" she sighed. Her eyes became sadden at the fact she wasn't going to be there for her son. She was going away for the second time. This time was in his mind. It was a very bad and dirty joke in his fevered mind to be playing upon.
Feeling in his mind swirling in the sea of emotions, Ed wanted to hug his mother. He did not want to let her go for a second time. He missed her deeply as he grew up. His friends, Al, the state, the military, even his teacher Izumi Curtis couldn't replace his mother. There was no replacement to the love and pain that Trisha had given life for which was now inside Ed at this very minute. He dared himself to speak, "What is it, mother?"
"This might be my last chance to see you!" she uttered. She fought the saddened inside of her. She knew by her own judgment and instances a force was going to take Ed for a long and difficult struggle.
"Mom! What's it that...you want to tell me?" Ed gasped. He felt the warmth of his mother's touch. He was trying to figure out why was she here. This was still his mind. He was still asleep. He needed to figure out why he was picked to see her. Was there something about Ed that made him so special?
"You are a state Alchemist. They are going to take something from you!" she nearly cried. Her heart was breaking at the fact she had to lay out in front him.
His mind was stating to spin out of control. What was his mother talking about? He stared at his mother in a wild glare of disbelief. He sputtered, "W-w-what…mama!"
"You are the Full metal Alchemist," she questioned him. She remembered how he wanted to be like his father. He had been like his father in many ways. Yet, he was his own person. He had gone through life on his own merits.
"YEA…BUT, WIAT!" he screamed. His heart pounded so hard, he felt like he was going to die at the spot. He didn't want to do this. He was frightened at the fact no one was there outside of his mother was there to see him before he died.
Then, he felt the ground shake. Was this an earthquake? He couldn't fathom the idea of what was going on around him, under him and through him. He was knocked to the floor. Then, he felt her wind pulling at him in all discretion. He thought he was going to die. Then, it was all over. He opened his eyes to see Winry reading at his bedside. He felt the weight of the fever making him stay put. He said, "Winry?"
Winry heard Ed's voice and slowly closed the book. She said gently, "Ed…yes!"
She looked down at his sweaty face. His fever was still there. He tried to make sense of what had just happened. He wanted to make who ever made him sick to pay. Yet, he knew he needed to rest. Then, he looked up at Winry. Her face was so beautiful. He wanted to stare at for a long time. something was telling him to do it. He smiled weakly and said, "thank you!"