A/N: Here you all go! I've been thinking about this story idea for a while now. Now, I've decided to post it up! This is based off of the Power Rangers Samurai episode "Team Spirit". There will be a few changes, a lot of changes, but still. This can be placed in any universe, but I prefer post-COS AU, okay? Major AU, because that is how Al will be described. This is also a revised version from the previous one that was posted up on here, under the same name, however much it may be gone now. Also, Maes Hughes is alive in this. How he survived is entirely up to you, my readers. I decided to re-write this, because I figured that there were so many holes in the first one that it just would not stand by itself, so here is the new version. Enjoy~!
Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. The genius Hiromu Arakawa-sensei does and always will.
Full Summary: "It was Al's birthday. They were all meaning to surprise him, but then that crazy alchemist 'killer' had to come and ruin the entire thing. Because, naturally, you don't know what you have until it's gone."
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Fullmetal Alchemist: Team Spirit
Central City, Elric Brothers' Apartment
It had been about six months since Edward and Alphonse Elric came back through the Gate from our world. Al was actually the one who found a way back into Amestris. Since transmutations were fueled by the energy from our world, it would only make sense that alchemy could only work on our side if they used their own blood in the transmutations, along with transmutation circles.
Now, nearly a year after the whole Shamballa incident, Major Edward Elric was back in the military, and he and Al had an apartment in Central City. General Roy Mustang, after the two boys returned, would not let them go so easily. Ed was really annoyed by this and getting mad as Al was becoming somewhat scared, but later they all discovered Mustang's reasoning.
The old assembly was in power, but they were the same old government. They were really nosy, and they had decided that the Elric Brothers had many mysteries behind them. So, being the nosy, politicians they were, Ed and Al were constantly being bombarded with questions and were being followed wherever they went during the first couple of weeks. For answers, Ed went to Mustang, who had spilled the fact that the Assembly was trying to find out A) why Al wasn't a suit of armor anymore, B) why Ed had joined the military at all, C) the truth behind Liore, D) where Ed had gone three years prior, and E) where the two brothers had just returned from.
In return for continuing to keep their Human Transmutation fiasco under lock and key, Ed would keep working for Mustang and the military. Being the older brother he was, he wanted Al to go back to Risembool, but the younger Elric refused to leave Ed all by himself in Central, where he could ring Mustang's neck until it snapped in half.
This day was a peaceful one, as today was Ed's day off, or rather, it was supposed to be. Yet, Al woke up to find a very quiet apartment. He found this odd, and he was becoming afraid, worried that something bad had happened to his brother.
"Brother?" Al asked aloud, roaming around his and Ed's apartment. Edward had been there just this morning and Al went to take a nap. When he woke up, just now, Ed was gone. As in nowhere in the apartment, at all. "Brother, where did you go?!"
Al sighed in exasperation. Where did his older brother go?
It had been a while since his older brother went "missing" like this.
"Brother!" Al sighed again. "Oh, dear. I'm going to have to find him, aren't I?" While Al stood there, trying to make up his mind, trying with all his willpower to find a solution to this problem, his eyes wandered to the phone they had. An idea immediately came to mind, and Al swiftly and quickly walked over to the phone that was on the desk. He picked it up and dialed the first number that came to mind.
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Mustang's Office
"Hey, Havoc, pass me the tape, would you?" Falman asked from on top of the latter, as Havoc strode over to him with the tape, as Falman held the balloon up in place high on the wall. "Thanks."
"For the last time, Mustang, no, Al does not like the color brown. He likes light colors, like yellow and orange," Ed said, running a gloved hand through his hair, a red marker in hand, working on the cardboard banner that read 'Happy Birthday, Alphonse!' Ed was putting the finishing touches on this, and he wanted it to be perfect. No alchemy, but made entirely by hand, the cardboard supplied by Armstrong.
Breda cut in from his place where he was blowing up some balloons with Maes Hughes, "That makes sense, actually, since Alphonse is so bubbly and cheerful. It's kind of hard to imagine him so sad." Ed turned to face Breda and smiled softly, become slightly nostalgic.
"That's how he is," Ed replied quietly. "That's how he always will be."
"How old will Al be again, Ed?" Hughes asked.
"Fourteen tomorrow," Ed said, with a hint of pride. Although Ed had now five years on than Al, he didn't regret putting his little brother back into the body he was born with one bit. It just meant that he actually succeeded in his mission.
At least he could actually feel things again. At least he could taste the foods he wanted to eat. At least Ed could now actually see Al's real smile.
Someone suddenly rushed into the room without knocking, scaring those inside. When they saw that it was just Fuery, they relaxed.
"Don't scare us like that again, Fuery," Mustang scolded him, although he too thought it was Al at first.
"Sorry, guys," Fuery said. Then he erupted with excitement. "I have all the ingredients for a cake. All I have to do is make it when Al's not looking."
They all froze in their tracks it with a sudden start. During the past few months, they all had found out that Fuery wasn't exactly a good cook. And truth be told, that was an understatement.
"No!" The sudden weight and hardness of their panic put Fuery down like a light going out.
Hughes stumbled, "Uh, I mean, Gracia already has the cake handled." When Fuery wasn't looking, Ed mouthed a grateful 'thank you' to Hughes. Ed knew very well that Al didn't like Fuery's cooking either, but he was just too polite to say so. Everyone else wanted to tell him, but Al, due to his big heart, had convinced them not to tell Fuery of his major flaw. Even though they all thought that Fuery was the worst cook in the world, Al didn't say anything out of pure respect for Fuery's feelings.
Mustang's phone rang right as the group went back to setting up Mustang's office for the party tomorrow. Mustang himself picked it up. "Hello? Oh, Alphonse, how are you?" The room suddenly went panic-stricken quiet. "Yes, he is." Short pause. "Of course." Mustang covered the mouthpiece. "Edward, it's your brother. He wants to talk to you." Ed glided over to the desk and took the phone from Mustang's hands.
"Hey, Al," Ed said, trying to sound bright and cheery. "What's up?"
"So General Mustang wasn't lying. You are at Central Headquarters in the General's office. Why are you way over there?"
"Well, I, uh…"
"Let's make this easier to understand, Brother. Why didn't you tell me where you going?"
Ed did not know how to respond to this. After some quick thinking, because of his genius intellect, he replied, "There was something really important that I had to take care of here. I didn't tell you because I found out about it when you were asleep and I didn't want to wake you up."
"You could've left a note, Brother," Al gently retorted.
Ed wanted to finish up with the decorations so he could spend the rest of his day with free time. "Okay, I promise that next time I will leave a note, Al. Just sit tight and I'll be home in about…an hour or two, maybe. It depends on how long Mustang is going to keep me waiting."
He heard his little brother laugh, and this caused his lips to twitch into a smile. It was great to hear Al's laugh without also hearing a metal echo tinted with it. "Your rivalry with the General will never end, will it? Anyways, I'm going to get some groceries. Anything in particular that you need?"
"No, not really," Ed said, grateful that Al would be okay.
"Okay, Brother. Behave," Al said. "See you later."
Ed managed a "See you" before Al hung up. When Ed put the phone on the hook, Hughes turned to him with a knowing smirk.
"Nice cover-up, Fullmetal," he said.
Ed smirked back. "Well, it wasn't a lie. This here," he motioned to the decorations, "is very important. This is for him. And I don't know how long this will take or when Mustang is gonna let me out. I like my free time!"
"So do I, Fullmetal," Mustang shot back. "But we have to finish this first."
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Central City, Market Place
Alphonse Elric was walking through the market, glancing at what they had on sale. Tomorrow was his birthday, but Ed had not said a single thing about it. Al had started getting super excited about it a week ago, but not wanting to seem greedy, he had said nothing to Ed or anyone else. Did Ed remember at all?
Al gave off a sigh of sadness and hopelessness. Then, he shook it off and smiled affectionately.
Edward will always be Edward.
Al was snapped out of his daze by a scream. He whipped his light-brown head around to see a flash of yellow light. There was a pause when he heard another scream and another yellow flash of light. He turned to the nearest store owner.
"Call the MPs!" Al shouted at him. "It must be Sheldon Marx!" The store owner nodded before going inside.
Sheldon Marx, the Spirit Wanderer Alchemist, was a State Alchemist who went rouge about four months ago. He only heard about him when General Mustang was placed in charge of his case file. When Ed read the report about the type of alchemy Marx used, Al saw his face visibly pale. Because of that, Al refused to read the report. If it made Ed nervous like that, then it must be really bad. All Alphonse knew was that Marx was a dangerous man.
Al realized with a sudden struck of panic that he was probably the only alchemist here who knew of Marx, even if it was just a little statement. He was probably the only alchemist here. It was his job to protect these people.
Al slipped his alchemy gloves on before running to the source of the screams and alchemic light.
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Mustang's Office
The phone rang, again. Mustang picked it up. He was casual at first, but he realized the voice on the other end, he got serious. Mustang nodded a few times before saying, "Alright, we'll be right there" and then hung up. He turned to his team. "Let's go. Marx has been spotted in the local market."
Panic quickly crossed Ed's face when he remembered where Al said he was going.
'Your rivalry with the General will never end, will it? Anyways, I'm going to get some groceries. Anything in particular that you need?'
Alphonse was probably in the market as they stood here. He could've been attacked already. Even more panic came to Ed when he remembered that Al never read Marx's profile. He didn't know what the guy was capable of. Ed was the second one out the door, preceded by Armstrong and followed by the others.
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Central City, Market Place
He found him. Al stopped a winced as another scream was heard, louder than the others because Al was in the direct vicinity this time and there was another flash of bright yellow light. As the light faded, Al watched the woman Marx was attacking fall to the ground, out cold.
Alphonse was utterly confused. What just happened? Then, he dropped the look of confusion when he noticed that Marx was looking directly at him. Al panicked and clapped. The earth curled around Marx and tightened around him, holding him in place.
As Marx struggled, Al ran to the woman Marx attacked moments ago. He kneeled beside her and felt her pulse. It was extremely low. And no matter what Al did, the woman would not wake up.
Al turned back to Marx for answers, but he was startled when Marx broke free. 'Darn it! I should've read his profile after all!'
"Who might you be, kid?" Marx asked, slowly waking toward him, menacingly.
Al silently gulped, not breaking his stance in front of the woman and the other victims. "Alphonse Elric. Leave these people alone! What did they do to you?! Why did you betray the military?" Might as well get some answers for Mustang all while trying to hold him off.
"I betrayed them? More like they betrayed me!" Marx's angry tone made Al wince.
Al was about to respond when another voice replied, "Whatever the case, that doesn't give you the right to take these people's spirits away!" Al whirled his head around to see his brother standing with Mustang's team. Al immediately got up from kneeling and ran over to where his brother was. He looked at them and asked, confused, "What kind of alchemy does he use?" This was the first thing out of his mouth.
Ed looked at him with a knowing, gentle smile. "That's what you get for not reading the guy's profile, Al."
Mustang did not waver his glare from Marx. "Marx has the alchemic ability to rip one's personality, or spirit, directly from their soul."
"So that's where the screams came from," Al said, as Mustang nodded. Al shuddered at the thought of that happening. Ed placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"That's right, Alphonse," Hughes said. "And if the victim does not get their spirit back in twenty-four hours, they will die. Sixty-five people have died from his attacks already, and he has attacked twenty-eight today."
Al immediately asked, "How do we get their spirits back?"
"You can't," Havoc interrupted. "At least, not by force. Marx himself has to give them up willingly. And judging by the sixty-five victims that died already and his hatred of the world and of the military, that will never happen."
Ed hated the shocked and terrified look his little brother's face. He always wanted to save people, not let them die. He always wanted to help, rather than harm.
But that's what made Al such a great person…
"Will none of you attack me?" Marx taunted as he raised his hand in Fuery's direction. Fuery gasped, as did Al. The transmutation circle on Marx's held-out hand lit up.
"No, Fuery!" Breda called out as a loud clap sounded throughout the vicinity, every one of them unable to do much of anything. This was the cruelest alchemy at work here. If even one person moved, he could get them as well as Fuery.
And there was no way of getting their spirits back.
Fuery was frozen in fear until he felt the cold, hard ground rush up suddenly to meet him like an old friend. When he looked to see what had pushed him down, the scene was even more shocking than it was a few seconds before.
A yellow ball of light came from Alphonse as his silver eyes went cold and he fell to the ground…
The last thing Alphonse saw was a confused look on Marx's face as he blacked out.
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Edward stood there frozen as Alphonse hit the pavement hard. It took a while, but Ed whirled his head around and death-glared Marx. "Okay, now it's personal!"
The last time Ed saw Al's spirit with his own eyes, it was at the Gate, and even then, he knew it to be a beautiful, warm, and comforting sight.
What right did Marx have to take it away?
Mustang, although he would never admit it, felt the exact same way. He knew Marx was a bad man and he held a certain grudge against him for killing all those people, but, as Fullmetal said, it just got "personal". Mustang cared greatly about the two Elric Brothers, especially Alphonse. He couldn't explain it. Al's personality made you sort of attached to him.
Edward stood there, death-glaring Marx, shaking with absolute anger. He knew what Marx was capable of. He had the ability to rip one's spirit from their soul and if the victim didn't get it back, meaning Marx had to willingly give it up, they would die. Right now, that victim was his own little brother. If Edward didn't find some way to get Al's spirit back…
Al would be gone for good.
Every time Ed thought about this situation, if it was even possible, his anger for Marx doubled. He didn't blame Fuery one bit, because Al always had that side to him, sacrificing his own life to save another. Ed was used to that. No, Marx was the crux of the problem. Because of this crazed psycho, his little brother would be taken away from him. By force.
No one did that and lived to tell about it…
It was Marx's turn to be confused. "That was strange," he commented. "That kid didn't scream like the others. It felt as though his spirit wanted to be separated from his soul…"
In that instant, utter chaos erupted. Mustang and Edward ran forward, both with such anger that even Hawkeye was blown off course, to openly attack Marx, while Armstrong sprinted to get Marx from behind. Hawkeye had recovered and raised both her gun and the General's in a desperate attempt to at least injure him bad enough where he couldn't run that far or that fast, with Havoc, Breda, Fuery, and Falman following her lead. Hughes had merely run to Alphonse and held him in his arms.
Even though it seemed like decades, it was really only about fifteen seconds. After those fifteen seconds were up, Armstrong bellowed out the sad news, "Marx has successfully escaped once again."
There was a round of groans, both of sadness and anger, from everyone. Maes Hughes merely looked at the youngest of his two surrogate sons and whispered, "Please be alright, Alphonse…"
They had seen Al sleep once, about three to four months ago, and he looked like an angel, so young, so peaceful. But this time was so painfully different from them. There were dark circles underneath his eyes, and his skin was icy and pale. He just seemed so fragile and weak. He didn't look like he was sleeping this time.
Al seemed like he was already dead.
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Armstrong Mansion
Armstrong had volunteered to let Al stay at his mansion until he got his spirit back. The group had gotten absolutely no rest at all, at least Mustang and Armstrong didn't. Havoc, Breda, Falman, and Fuery had fallen asleep in chairs in the room Al was in. Hawkeye and Hughes had tried hard to stay up as late as their bodies would allow, but had also fallen asleep in Al's room, Hughes over books and records. Ed was in a chair right next to his brother's bed and refused to leave his side or fall asleep, but eventually fell into sleep's trap. Al was the only one who had slept throughout the entire night, still having the look of being a corpse.
It was now morning, thirteen hours later, and Mustang was already discussing a plan with Armstrong and Hawkeye to catch Marx once and for all, with Hughes interjecting information from what he found by investigating. In short, they didn't have a plan.
"Maybe we could tape a kick me sign onto his back?"
Mustang gave Hughes a look, a glare that clearly read, 'Do not joke around with me right now.'
"Sorry, just trying to lighten to mood," Hughes said. He sadly sighed once more, which was the thousandth time ever since Al's spirit was stolen. "I just can't accept the fact that Alphonse here can die in less than eleven hours."
That seemed to wake Edward up immediately. As he lifted his tired head from the bed, he quietly, yet angrily, said, "Neither can I, Hughes…and I'm his brother. How do you think I feel?!"
Something in that moment came to Armstrong.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm fine. For some reason it just comes naturally to me. I find it easy for my soul to leave me. I don't know why, but it's for some very important reason."
"That's right," he muttered. Mustang turned to him.
"Something you'd like to share with the class, Major?" Mustang asked, gathering the others' attention.
Armstrong got a determined look in his eye. Even though the kid didn't have his memories back yet, his Soul Alchemy was so mysterious. "When he went to Liore a year ago to search for Ed, he told me that he found it easy for his soul to leave him. It comes naturally to him."
Mustang's brilliant mind began to work again. "That means that Al's Soul Alchemy was acting upon its own free will. That means that it's highly possible for Al to get his spirit back when the twenty-four hour time limit is up."
This brought some color back to Ed's face. "I'll take any chance I can get," he announced.
Mustang nodded when he saw Ed's know-it-all grin resurface, slightly, but it was there. There was hope. A little, but it was there.
"I just realized that both Al and Marx have the same type of alchemic abilities," Breda said. "Both are about the spirit or soul."
Havoc interrupted him, "But Al willingly gives his up for a short period of time. Marx steals the spirits of others forever and never gives them back."
"Besides," Falman joined in, "I don't think it's a good idea to compare Al and Marx in front of Ed. You know he doesn't like that."
Falman had a point. Whenever someone compared himself or his brother to someone else like a killer, Ed would get angry, just like how he was now.
Everyone was broken out of the daze they were all in, whether it was hopelessness or anger, it didn't matter, when they all heard Alphonse stir in his sleep.
Alphonse opened his dulled silver eyes to a naturally lit room. He did not have time, nor did he have the energy to survey his surroundings or wonder where he was. All he saw when he woke up was Mustang and his team surrounding his bed, and his older brother, who was staring at him intently and possibly had the most worry, happiness, and sadness on his face all at the same time.
"Hey, Al," Fuery said, trying to break the short silence that had erupted when Al woke up. "How you feeling?" It was obvious that he felt guilty about Al's spirit getting stolen. The boy had covered Fuery after all.
Al didn't answer that question. "I'm sorry, everyone. I let him get to me."
Ed gave a fake smile and handed his brother a glass of water. "Don't be silly, Al. We're just glad you're okay."
Al took the glass and took a sip, and then looked down and his hands. "Thanks for putting on the brave face for me, Brother, but I know I'm not alright." This brought the entire group down and what he said next brought them down even more. "I feel empty inside…"
They didn't really need him, right?
So why were they so worried about him? Why were they even here?
"Trust me, Al, you'll be okay. We'll find a way to get your spirit back." Ed really meant that. First it was his body that was stolen. Now it was his spirit. What was next?
Ed noticed unshed tears behind Al's silver eyes. "…I want to believe that, Brother, honest, but for some reason, I can't find or bring myself to believe anything. I'm lost…"
Ed never thought that he would see this side of Al. He was usually the hopeful one, always to believe that as long as they worked together, nothing could stop the Invincible Elric Brothers. Now, he would have to be the hopeful one when Al was unable to. And this was only more motivation to save his brother.
Al said he felt lost…
Well, then, Edward would just have to find him.
"Al!" Al looked up at his older brother, who sounded more confident in himself. "You trust me, right?" Ed had to know. He wasn't sure if Al's trust in him was embedded in his spirit or not, but he had to know.
To his surprise, Al nodded. "Of course. I always will, Brother. You know that…" Ed cracked a little smile.
"Then, I guess I'll just have to have enough spirit for the both of us." Al's gaze never wavered from Ed's determined, smiling face. "You don't have to believe in anything, Al, but never break your trust in me. Okay?"
Al finally cracked a smile. It was small, barely noticeable, but it was there. "Deal. Thank you, Brother…but you know? I'm glad it was…just me…"
That was the moment when Al's sunk back into the pillow and closed his eyes once more.
"He fell back asleep," Armstrong stated the obvious.
But as Edward kept his non-wavering affectionate gaze on Al, he thought about how, even though Al's spirit had been stolen, his trust in Ed never shattered. He realized that now. Al's trust in Ed never came from his spirit. It always came from his heart. Ed smiled affectionately at his little brother once more before standing up and striding to the door.
Even without his spirit, Al was still the greatest person he knew…
"Ed, where are you going?" He heard Hughes call out.
"To find Marx and beat the answer out of him," he answered simply.
"Answer to what?" Hawkeye spoke up.
"How to get someone's spirit back!" Ed retorted.
"What if you get your spirit stolen?" Fuery cried out, fearing for Ed.
Ed stopped and turned around, smiling, with that familiar fire in his golden eyes. "I've got Al's spirit too, remember? I have enough spirit for us both."
With that, Ed ran out of the room and eventually, the house too before anyone else could protest.
There was a short silence before Mustang smiled back at Ed's retreating form, "Well, don't just stand there! Go out and help him!"
"Right!" Mustang watches his men plus Hawkeye and Armstrong run out after Ed. "Hughes, stay with Alphonse and notify us immediately, using Fuery's comm., if his condition changes in any way. You might want to stay out of this 'freak' contest."
Hughes gave his friend a know-it-all smirk. "You've got it!"
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'I figured out Marx's hiding place. Numerous witnesses, many of them being nearby factory workers, have spotted Marx entering and leaving the abandoned warehouse near the Johnson's Factory.'
Edward appreciated the help. He really did. And because he had extra help, they were able to find Marx's hideout, thanks to Hughes and his investigating skills. Everyone walked into the abandoned warehouse with their guard up as high as it would go. Marx could steal their spirit from any place at any time.
"Keep your guard up," Mustang half-whispered. "He's like a ninja. Remember, we have only one hour and fifteen minutes left. Hurry."
"Yes, Sir–!"
Marx had suddenly appeared in front of Ed, blocking his view of what was ahead. The transmutation circle on his hand lit up, but then the light faded and Edward still conscious.
Marx suddenly heard a gunshot and in the next split second, felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, paralyzing it, and then a sharp pain in his thigh, preventing him from running, but by some miracle, he was still able to stand. Hawkeye really was a sharp shooter and had not missed a chance to injure him.
The look on her face was of pure vengeance.
"What's wrong?" Mustang taunted, the same look on his face as Hawkeye's. "Can't steal his spirit?"
"Actually, I can't!" Marx confessed, sounding desperate and now afraid. "Something is preventing me from transmuting!"
"W-Wait a minute!" Armstrong interrupted. "That transmutation circle that's appeared on Marx's forehead…it's very familiar!"
Ed took a good look at it, then he smiled, "It's Al's! He uses it for his…Soul Alchemy…"
Armstrong took another good glance at it and realized that Ed was right. "He's right. Al's spirit must be blocking his ability to use his alchemy!"
"And by doing that, he's giving us a way to free all the spirits!" Ed exclaimed, his brilliant mind way ahead of Armstrong's.
The others looked at him in surprise.
"Including Al's…"
All their minds went back to when Al saved Fuery. They remembered that Al had clapped before pushing Fuery over to the ground and letting Marx take his spirit…
"But he needs someone else to follow!" Ed said, realizing all of it now. "He needs someone who can do alchemy on a living structure…" Human alchemy…
His mind went to Sloth and Greed, and how he had worked their bodies' entire chemistry to create a weakness. Man, his brother really was a bonafide genius.
Al had set this up…for Ed.
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Hughes calmly watched Al's head roll over in his deep sleep and his lips slowly turn upward into a smile. Hughes also smiled. This meant something. He didn't know what, but he could tell it was good.
In Al's abyssal nightmares, he saw a light that shone through the darkness. 'You finally figured it out, Brother…I knew you would…'
Trust isn't worrying. It's knowing you don't have to worry.
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Marx could not move. All he could do was watch as Ed ran forward as fast as he could and right when Ed was only a few inches away from him, the famous Fullmetal clapped and pressed his hands to Marx's chest. There was a flash of blue light and then yellow, which exploded into a barrage of yellow balls of light, all of which flew off in random directions.
Ed stared up at the orbs until a "Not so fast, Marx. Did you really think you can get away this time?" from Havoc and the familiar click of handcuffs brought him back down to Earth.
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Hughes watched as Alphonse's silver eyes fluttered open and full back with life again after a yellow orb of energy, the same one that had left Al just yesterday, re-enter the boy's body. When he saw this, he smiled.
"Alphonse, it's great to see you, well…you again!" He loved hearing the boy lightly laugh at this.
"It's great to be me again. Believe me!" Al said, smiling back at him. To Hughes, it was satisfying to know that he was able to save many people, including one of the people he held most dear to him.
There was a short silence for a moment where Hughes just looked at Al affectionately and he could see why Ed was willing to fight for his brother's spirit. Al just seemed to lift everyone up out of depression. "Oh, that's right! When you're up to it, Mustang wants you to come to his office right away!"
Even though Al's smile never wavered, his confusion was back. "Huh?"
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Mustang's Office
It was about an hour later and Ed really wanted to see his brother. He wanted to know if he really did succeed. Hawkeye and Gracia, who had arrived with the cake for Al, each put a calming hand on Ed's shoulder and smiled gently at him.
"Don't worry, Edward. He's fine," Gracia said.
As if on cue, they all heard a faint "No, really, Mr. Hughes! I'm fine! I promise!"
"Nonsense, Alphonse! You need something to cheer you up! Don't you want to see Elysia?" Speaking of the girl, who was around six or seven years old, she was not here. She was at school with her friends, where she should be.
Everyone in the room, even Ed, smiled with great humor as Al responded, "O-Of course, I do! But I don't feel like it right now! I just want to see Brother!"
"Well, good thing, I'm taking you to him right now!"
"Huh, really?!"
"Nope, kidding!"
Even though Hughes was joking, but Al didn't know that, Ed still felt a little insulted by it. However, Ed could still feel his brother's disappointment.
"Aww! You're kidding about that, right?" Hughes did not answer. "Right?"
Hughes merely opened the door to Mustang's office which was their cue to shout, "Surprise!"
A teary-eyed Alphonse glanced around at Mustang's decorated office and smiled even wider, if it were possible. "You remembered…"
Ed slowly walked towards him, arms outstretched. "Did you really think I'd forget?" Al's smile never broke, yet he merely gently laughed and gave his older brother the biggest hug he could muster.
Hawkeye spoke up, hating to break up the hug between the two brothers, which they did, but still each had one arm around each other, at least Ed did. "Why didn't you tell us about your plan?"
Al looked down, as if ashamed. "To be honest, I really did want to tell you guys about it, but it had to be convincing. And besides, I knew it was risky. And because of that very reason, I had a particular feeling you all would say 'No', especially a certain brother of mine." With that last part, Al looked up at Ed with a knowing smile.
Ed smile down on him. "Well, your 'particular feeling' was damn right. I would have said 'No'. And promise to never do that again. You scared the crap out of me."
Al merely smiled admirably at his older brother. "I knew you'd come through for me, Brother. You always do."
Golden eyes met silver.
Al may have been the greatest person to Ed, but to Al, Ed was the greatest.
"Let's have some cake, shall we?!" Breda suggested, excited now that things were back to normal.
"Oh, did Fuery make it, Brother?" Al silently asked his brother.
Ed, knowing and understanding the reason for his panic, smiled and responded, "No, Gracia did."
Relieved, Al mouthed a 'thank you', to which Ed silently laughed.
'I have all I need right here with me…What more could I ask for?' Al thought before blowing out his candles.
~F~U~L~L~M~E~T~A~L~A~L~C~H~E~M~I~S~T~~E~L~R~I~C~B~R~O~T~H~E~R~S~
A/N: Well? What do you think? Tell me how I did! Did you like it? Did you not like it?