I'm back again, this time with another dark and depressing fiction. Lately, I have discovered a love of Legend of Zelda. Thus, I am mixing my new love with one of my dearest, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. This is simply a very long oneshot.
Rated M for death, suicide, swearing. Slight MxM romance, but nothing that needs a warning. I couldn't help myself. The pair is cute and I like yaoi. I just can't write it.
This is a severely twisted piece of work, at least for the first two sections of it. The last two are more tame and acceptable, but the first two are definitely from the deepest pits of darkness that live in my mind…
I own nothing of Legend of Zelda or Fullmetal Alchemist.
This is set in the Brotherhood timeline. I'm saying closer to the end, so this could almost be an alternative ending of sorts for Edward. Thus, he would be about 17. It starts at the point where Father just got the souls from everyone in Amestris. And I know that with his automail Edward weighs far too much to be lifted easily, but for this story it will be possible. Deal with it.
This is in an alternate timeline for Ocarina of Time because I know it best, but I am imagining the Super Smash Bros. Brawl version of Link in my mind as I write this. Thus, he would be about 17 as well in my mind. In this, Ganondorf simply messed up the temples and Link never fought him. When he fixed the temples, everything seemed fine. He also didn't know that Ganondorf was behind it all. Link also may be a bit OOC because he never talks. So it's hard to tell how he would talk…
The sight that greeted Link's eyes was one that would forever remain with him. Darkness and death loomed over everything, easily dampening the once-cheerful demeanor of the small town in which he stood. Everything around him was in ruin. The walls crumbled around him as he walked slowly, his gaze torn every way at once. The once-proud Hyrule castle had fallen.
Only a day ago, the world was fine. Link had managed to save all the temples from the evil upon them and he had restored the land around him. Navi had returned to her home as Link set out. He had earlier promised Zelda that he would return upon the completion of his quest. He was fulfilling his promise, but every step became harder to take. As he came into the market, he was unable to take any at all.
All around him was a landscape of pure evil. Blood pooled around the corpses of the once jolly townsfolk. Child and adult alike had been slaughtered in a storm of fury. No one had been spared. A sudden noise behind him made him jump, but a piece of wood had simply shifted as more blood rotted away the foundation upon which it sat.
All motivation left the young Hylian's body until he heard a faint noise. His large ears helped him deduce that it was stemming from the castle. If there was still something alive in the castle… Link's eyes narrowed as he suddenly began again, charging towards the castle as quick as he could manage. Every guard he passed had been killed, blood still pouring from the open wounds in their necks and chests.
Link steeled himself to the bloodshed around him as he reached the castle door and flung it open. A scream reached his ears as he turned slowly with dread. The inner courtyard… "No!" He ripped his sword from the sheath as he sprinted down the hall, ramming through the door with his shoulder. Pain jarred his body, but he paid it no heed. The only thing that mattered was that one of his only true friends was about to die.
Ganondorf stood tall in the midst of the courtyard. His right arm wrapped tightly around Zelda's throat as the young girl struggled. His other hand held a bloodied blade that he had nicked from Zelda's father's collection. Zelda's eyes met those of Link and instantly, all hell broke loose. Zelda began to thrash like mad, kicking and biting with all her might. Ganondorf flinched at the sudden movement as he caught Link's movement from the corner of his eye. Link charged like an angered bull, his sword poised to swing.
Though the younger pair had agility on their side, Ganondorf had size and experience. He pushed his blade directly into Zelda's chest and flung her away, her body impacting on Link's as they fell to the ground. Ganondorf laughed evilly as he turned on the spot, a black puff of smoke obscuring him from view as he vanished into the night. A light drizzle began to fall as Link slowly sat up. He shook his head until his eyes caught sight of Zelda. Her chest was barely rising in a sporadic rhythm as she fought to stay alive. Link crawled over to her, the ground beneath him turning to mush in the onslaught of rain.
Link delicately put a hand on Zelda's shoulder and rolled her to face him. Her eyes were fluttering slowly as their gazes met. Link repressed a sob and he gently scooped up his friend. He wrapped her in his loving embrace as a few tears fell onto her cheek. She put her hand weakly on his and sighed. "Link…" She turned her head away and coughed up blood as she tried to mutter something to her friend. The words were lost as her fight slowly began to end.
A low sob escaped Link's throat as he gently closed the eyes of his friend and stood. He walked with her to the throne room, where he laid her body gently next to that of her father. Tearing eyes caught a glimmer of light as he sighed. There was only one way to make sure that her family stayed together in death. The tomb was too far, and there were scavenging creatures around the deserted town.
His movements were quick and graceful. The result was instant. Din's Fire held nothing back as it eagerly consumed all around it. Through the anger and sorrow, Link withdrew the sacred instrument that he had received years ago and gently brought it to his lips. A quick melody filled the air as he played a soft verse of Zelda's Lullaby before shifting into the Minuet of the Forest. A gentle glow surrounded him and he was instantly whisked to the Forest Temple.
The area around him was clear of evil, so his journey was quick. The Lost Woods were not so lost to him anymore. As his feet silently carried him through the woods, the eerie silence began to penetrate his mind. To fill the void, he quietly sang Saria's song to himself. His light tenor voice fit the song beautifully and he quickly reached the meadow where she normally sat. Instead of her graceful form perched in the meadow, however, Link saw her bloody form lying on the ground.
The previous encounter had wiped all emotion from his heart as he slowly walked towards his dear friend. If dear Saria died in this peaceful wood, he didn't have to even look at his home. He knelt by his friend as he pulled out the dagger that had killed his other friend. The blade still glistened with Zelda's blood as he turned it over slowly in the fading daylight. He placed his other hand on Saria's side as he raised the blade. As his right hand became soaked with his oldest friend's blood, his chest became filled with that of his newest as he plunged the blade deep into his own heart, not far off from how Zelda was murdered.
A small, short groan of agony escaped the young boy's lips as he fell, his hand clenching the grass beneath him as the pain started to fade. His eyes fluttered open one last time, just enough to catch the last fading rays of sun. The clouds gathered overhead as a light rain began to fall, delicate droplets collecting on Link's eyelashes and clothing as he faded from the world.
x-x-x-x
Failure. The single, simple word rang clear in the mind of Edward Elric as he watched his world crumble before him. Father was currently standing in the middle of a large sphere of light. Strong stone hands held down Edward and 4 of his close friends and family- his teacher, Izumi Curtis; his father, Hoenheim; his superior, Roy Mustang; and his brother, Alphonse. All of them were struggling under the force of the bonds as Father smiled down on them.
"Behold your new world. The souls of all that you knew are now inside me. I have swallowed the power of god and will rule this world!"
Edward growled up at the man above him. "You bastard! You don't have anyone to rule over now!" At the young man's words, Father simply chuckled and stepped towards him.
"Foolish human. I will make a new, better race of homunculi that I will rule over. They will worship me as their father and I will reconstruct this world!" He stared down at the five before him. "However, there are still far too many souls to just leave lying here…"
Hoenheim glared up at Father and began to try inching away from the powerful being. Father simply walked forward, his feet gliding easily over the ground beneath him. Suddenly, he knelt down and thrust his hand into Hoenheim's stomach.
Edward cursed as he fought, his father dwindling away before him. Father abruptly yanked his hand back and stood, smiling to himself as he walked away. He stopped at what Edward had dubbed his throne and sat down softly, leaning his chin on his palm. Hoenheim was released as he struggled for breath.
He looked at Edward and Alphonse as his body started to slowly dissolve into nothing. "Edward… Alphonse… I'm sorry I… failed you…"
Edward managed to free his automail arm from the grasp of the stone hand atop him just long enough to point at his father. "You bastard! How dare you die! Keep living, you fool!" He beat his fist on the ground as he fought to not cry. "…You better not make Mom upset anymore, you idiot Dad…"
Alphonse looked at his brother as he spoke. Though Alphonse could not physically cry, this was ripping his heart out. Hoenheim nodded slowly at Edward and smiled slightly. "You finally called me father… Edward… Take care of Alpho-" Hoenheim went silent as a stone hand reached from the floor and obliterated his disintegrating body.
Edward's look of shock turned to one of hatred as he glared over at Father. "Let me up so I can fight you! Are you scared that we'll win?" Father stopped and glared down at the young alchemist.
"You dare to challenge me? I, who have swallowed God?" The restraints vanished as the remaining 3 alchemists hopped to their feet. Roy slowly stood, grabbing Izumi's arm for balance. "So be it." Without warning, he sent a barrage of spikes and other deadly weapons flying through the air towards the group. Ed barely managed to erect a wall in time to save them from being lacerated.
An explosion sounded as Roy snapped blindly behind the wall. The flames did nothing at all to faze the powerful being before them, but Roy continued to attack. Edward and Alphonse sent waves of rocks and other weapons at Father, but none reached him intact.
After a few minutes of pointless attacking, a shout sounded from behind the boys. They turned as their teacher shrieked, gasps coming from both. Roy was impaled through the stomach on a large spike of rock, dangling 10 feet above the ground as he writhed in pain.
"Mustang! Dammit, no!" He ran towards the spike to destroy it, but it waved around to avoid him. Each movement caused a small shower of blood to rain down on Edward and a new groan of pain to come from his officer. Alphonse finally had to restrain him.
Mustang looked down at Edward. Though he was blind, he was seeing Edward perfectly. "Keep fighting, kid."
Edward's mouth moved soundlessly for a second until he screamed, "I'M NOT SHORT!" He turned with renewed vigor to attack father as the light faded from Mustang's eyes. The battle recommenced, both sides moving to attack faster and more ruthlessly than before. It wasn't long before another scream of pain ricocheted off the walls of the underground cavern.
Edward turned to his teacher, who was screaming and writhing on the ground. Nothing was wrong at first glance, but then a small movement was detected in what appeared to be her stomach. He knelt beside her as Alphonse joined them. Every time he was killing someone, Father stopped attacking them. Edward knew that this was just to torture them and make them weaker.
As Edward reached out to grab Izumi's arm, Alphonse yanked him back. A shower of blood spurted from Izumi's stomach as something ripped itself out of her. Edward couldn't retain the shout of horror that escaped him as he looked upon his teacher. A small, bloodied blob fell out of her abdomen as she rolled on the floor. It looked like an organ at first, but then it started to move.
A small set of arms and legs sprouted from it, ending in clawed feet. A long, vine-like tail whipped out behind it as it turned to face the boys. A large crooked maw filled with lopsided teeth smiled up at the boys as three eyes blinked open from their random positions on its head. As soon as it stood up, another burst from Izumi. Edward and Alphonse scrambled back, the horror far too much for the young boys.
After 5 of them had arisen, they leapt with a sudden vigor at Izumi, their teeth and claws ripping her apart as her screams echoed in the small space. Edward clamped his hands over his ears as he screamed, trying to block out the image and sound. Alphonse was cringing as well, but he managed to stand up. He walked towards his teacher and looked down at her. "I'm so sorry, Teacher…"
He clapped once and touched the ground. A small stone dome sprung up around her and the abominations, smothering the noise. Alphonse touched Edward's shoulder to tell him, but Edward flinched away and rolled to his feet, almost attacking his brother. Alphonse didn't move away as he attacked Father again. Edward clutched the side of his head as he too began to attack.
Because both boys were more physically able than their other companions had been, they moved in closer and began more physical attacks to implement their alchemy. It had no effect on the God before them, but it did help distract them. "What the hell did you do to our teacher, you bastard?!" Edward took a flying jump towards Father, who simply caught his foot and threw him away.
"Did you like that little trick? I simply turned her useless organs against her, is all. Nothing more." He deflected a blow from the younger Elric as Edward charged again.
"Why are you doing this? Why not just kill us and move on?"
Father's eyes narrowed as an angry smirk crossed his face. "Because, dear boy," he sneered. "This is simply more fun." As he spoke, a resounding clang sounded from beside him. Ed's eyes went wide as he slowly turned to look at his younger brother.
The limbs from Alphonse's armor had fallen to the floor where they were slowly melting into the floor. His helmet had fallen off and rolled away where it too began to melt. As he began to fall apart, Alphonse began to scream. As soon as the screams began, Edward had a flashback to the time they tried to resurrect their mother. Alphonse was screaming as he was torn away from this world. Now he was reliving the experience.
With a shake of his head, he instantly started sprinting towards his brother. As soon as he took a step, however, he felt something grab his leg. He looked down as concrete hands were snaking up his legs to his torso. His struggling became frantic as he struggled to reach his brother. "Edward! Edward, help!"
Edward looked up to his brother to see that the metal was now smoking and simply disappearing. There was a gaping hole in the front of the chest plate now. The blood seal was safe for the moment, but the metal was quickly vanishing as the seconds passed.
This was too much. Edward fell to the ground and beat the floor as he tried to pull himself out of the grasp of the evil man behind him. "Why? Please, stop! Take me instead, you old bastard! Please!" He sobbed as the hands tightened around him, making him wince. The metal around the blood seal stopped hissing as it fell over. It was no more than 5 inches in diameter now, almost too small to survive.
Edward's voice cracked pathetically as he spoke. "Alphonse… Alphonse, no… no, please…" He reached out towards him as the metal was ripped in half. A heart-wrenching scream split the air, resounding from both brothers at the same time. The metal hovered for a moment before clattering to the ground and bouncing until it stopped before Edward.
The hands holding him released him as he gathered the metal shards towards him. It was split exactly down the middle. Edward clapped over the metal and put it back together, but he knew it was too late. Clutching the metal to his chest, he howled in agony as Father stepped forward. "Go, Edward. There is nothing more for you here now."
Edward didn't move at all. His eyes were clenched shut against the tears as he clutched his brother's seal. The jagged edges were drawing blood from his left hand, but he didn't even feel the pain. It was nothing compared to what was inside him now.
Father simply waved his hand and stepped away. The ground created a box around Edward and it began to slide silently along the ground. Father's power was not great enough to teleport Edward away, but it was great enough to sustain alchemy half-way across the country. After a few moments, the box stopped and dissolved.
The sudden change in light blinded Edward, causing him to scrunch his eyes shut against it. He looked up and noticed that he was where his old home used to be. He didn't have to walk towards his friend's home to know that she and her grandmother were already dead, their souls having been ripped from their bodies.
Edward looked down at the ground beneath him to see that he was kneeling on his mother's grave. He gently reached out with his left hand and ran a finger delicately across the name on the stone. "Mom… I'm sorry I couldn't protect Alphonse… I failed…" He let the tears come as he clapped his hands over the blade, transmuting it into a blade.
The metal was already covered in his blood, but as it was buried into his breast, it became coated once more. The crimson splashed over the ground, a bit getting on the headstone. Edward's tears continued to fall as he clutched the metal deeper into himself, the pain slowly fading as the sun set in Risembool.
x-x-x-x
Link slowly came to, all the horrors rushing back to him. He expected to open his eyes and find himself surrounded by piles of the dead and pools of blood, but the sight that greeted him was utterly different. He was in a wide meadow of deep grass, lying near a stream. The light was very dim, alerting Link that it was night. If he was somewhere in Hyrule, there was a good chance that something would attack him.
As he jumped to his feet, he gasped. The meadow he was in was far more beautiful than anything he had ever seen. This was definitely not Hyrule. There were mountains surrounding the valley, and only a single stream broke the darkness. "No. There's something there… the moon is reflecting… A pond perhaps?"
Keeping his ears open, Link started forward. He reached back to grab his shield, and suddenly stopped. "My shield… my sword…" He looked down at himself. He was dressed normally minus the undershirt and wrist protection. He suddenly felt vulnerable. "Where am I? The last thing I remember…" He thought back and remembered Zelda and Saria. "Am I dead?"
A voice suddenly sounded around him. Though it spoke as one, there were 3 different tones within. "You are, young one. After the horrid trials in the land of Hyrule, you ended your pain." The voices spoke with a mixture of pity and disdain. "You are now here."
"Where is here? Who are you?" Link spun around, trying to see if someone was with him in the meadow, or even in the sky. There was nothing.
"We are the Gods, young warrior. Nayru, Din, and Farore. Wisdom, power, and courage. We are around you, we are within you. This is a land that is not on earth or in heaven. It is a peaceful place. While your physical body is gone, your soul remains in torment. In order to move on, you must heal yourself and come to terms with the horrors in your past."
Link began to shake. He would have to relive that memory, again and again, if he had to try to come to terms with it… "No… I can't… I can't think about that.. About them…" He sunk to his knees and clenched his fists. "I can't…"
The voices spoke again. "You must, brave child, if you are to ever leave this place. Just know that you are not alone, here. You have friends if you choose to open up your heart." A gentle wind passed over him as the voices faded.
Link slowly stood and peered around him. There was someone… or something… else here? Where were they? With a sigh, he started off towards what he had seen earlier. There was a pond, but it was hidden deep down in the grass. Next to it was what Link sought- a small cabin, as it if was meant for two people.
Cautiously, he walked to the door. A single knock seemed too loud for this peaceful place, but just barging in would be rude. The lights were off and there was no answer, so he cautiously walked in. It was immediately apparent that no one was currently living here. Though the cabin was meticulously clean, there was no sign of life within. It was quiet, but in the same soothing way as the surrounding meadow.
There was a fireplace with a small stack of firewood next to it. A couch and a small kitchen and bathroom were the only other things on this floor. Upstairs was a single large room with a large bed. If there was someone else in this world with him, were they a creature that didn't need a bed? The awkwardness of that struck him, but it quickly faded away from his mind.
As he turned to leave the room, he looked out a window in the hallway. A forest was in the distance. A mixture of pines and random deciduous trees mingled together to create a gentle shadowed area. Link turned himself back to the first floor and sat quietly on the couch. After a few moments, he fell over and fell asleep quickly.
x-x-x-x
Edward's eyes flew open, his body prepared to attack or defend any surrounding enemies. He noticed that it was dark, so he thought that he had just awoken at the grave. He remembered what happened, but he still couldn't believe it. It had all just been a horrible fever dream or something…
He slowly stood and peered around him, his eyes drawn to the treetops above him. He slowly started walking until he noticed that he wasn't in his normal clothes. A simple white shirt, black pants and black boots were on his person. He still did have his automail, meaning that this definitely wasn't heaven.
As soon as he stepped out of the shadow of the forest, he saw an area of white before him. It morphed into a shape and turned to face him. "Hello, young alchemist. We meet again."
Edward clenched his fists tightly as he stared at the being before him. "Truth. You bastard. What are you doing here and where is here?" He motioned around him and crossed his arms angrily.
"I am here because you are here. You are here because you killed yourself. As for where this is… This is a sort of purgatory. You are here, but not alone. If you ever want to leave… Figure out how to get over it. Help is available if you want it. Your choice, alchemist." He turned to leave, then paused. "Remember, however- equivalent exchange. Give help and get help. Free and be freed." The Truth vanished suddenly, leaving Edward stunned.
He shook his head and mumbled a few choice words as he started to leave the woods. A flash of light caught his eye as he walked. The moon shone down on something up ahead. With a resigned sigh, Edward started off towards whatever was gleaming in the moonlight.
After a few minutes of stalking through the grass, Edward came upon a cabin by a small pond. A gentle little waterfall made a musical tinkling in the background as Edward approached the house. It seemed deserted, so he quietly slipped inside. He caught sight of a couch and fireplace, as well as a small kitchen. He knew it was getting late, though there were no clocks here.
As Ed turned around the couch, he paused. There was someone already here. A boy that reminded Edward very much of himself was on the couch, fast asleep. Edward looked down at him for a moment before he noticed that the boy's eyes were open. Gold met blue before both boys were on their feet in a defensive stance.
Link growled. "Who are you? How did you get here?" He was crouched near the fireplace, ready to spring. He wasn't good in hand to hand combat, but he was very fast.
Edward was near the couch in a martial arts stance. He didn't want to underestimate the other boy, but he could tell he was afraid. "I would ask the same to you." As Edward looked, however, he noticed the ears of the other boy and paused. "Are you an elf?"
Link scoffed. "No, I am one of the proud Hylians." Just saying the word brought a pain to Link as images flashed through his mind. He turned his head away for just a moment. "Or I was." He then looked back to Edward. "Regardless, how do I know that I can trust you?"
Edward smirked. "I would say the same of you." He knew that something had struck something in the elf boy. As he spoke, he remembered the words of Truth- you are here, but not alone. He froze and lowered his hands. "Let's reconsider. Truce?" Edward held out his right hand for Link to shake. The sight of a metal limb made Link's eyes widen a bit as he stared at Edward.
"You have a metal hand… What happened?" You have friends if you choose to open up your heart. "I don't want to pry but… did you… kill… I mean…" He moved from the defensive stance to a more normal standing one, his eyes downcast as he struggled to say what he needed.
"Myself? Yes, I did." Edward blurted out the answer before he had time to think about what he was saying. He turned his face away, his bangs obscuring his expression. His voice darkened. "There was no other option. Everyone… everything…" His hand was clenched so tight that the metal was squeaking in protest. His nails were piercing his palm, but they were too short to cause any violent bleeding.
Link stepped forward a bit. "Please, stop… I don't think there are any medical supplies here to fix your hand…"
Edward lowered his voice to almost a whisper. "I deserve this. This pain, this agony." He turned back to look at Link as anger stole over him. The original fire of determination within him had been put out and replaced with the flames of hatred. "I watched as 4 of my closest friends... My teacher, my friend, my father… my… my brother…" His eyes met Link's. "They were murdered before my eyes and I was helpless to stop it!" He turned and beat his fists on the wall, his chest heaving with the unreleased sobs of anguish within him.
Link froze as Edward spoke. He had been through the same? But… that wasn't possible… "I am not from the same world as you… but I have also suffered. I was the hero of my land… chosen to save the people. I failed… And watched as my kingdom fell. My friend was murdered before my eyes and my hometown was destroyed… I had no purpose left in life…" He walked forward and placed his hand on Edward's shoulder.
Edward turned and slapped Link's hand away. A single tear ran down his cheek. "You will never understand the horror I saw! You don't know how it feels to watch the only family you have left leave you! I watched him die once… But I saved him… I couldn't save him again and both times were my fault!"
He turned and stomped out of the room, flinging the door open. He stepped out into the moonlight and clapped. Nothing happened. He tried again, only to get the same result. "Goddammit! I won't stand for this!" He turned and saw the pond. The clear, cool water… The reflection of the moon… The same color and shape as Alphonse's eyes were…
"No!" He turned and ran to the pond, jumping into the darkest water. It was only 8 feet deep, but his automail weighed him down enough.
Link watched in shock as Edward fled, only moving when he heard him shout. As he stepped outside, he heard a splash and ran towards the pond where the ripples were still moving. "That metal… he cannot swim!" Without hesitating, he dove into the water and saw the other boy. He was struggling to hold his breath, but he wasn't trying to climb out.
Link swam towards him and grabbed him around the middle. He started up to the surface, but he didn't know if he would make it. Edward was fighting him every inch, so it was extremely difficult. However, he was a good swimmer so he fought against it. As he broke the surface, he gulped in air and heaved Edward towards the shallows. The young alchemist splashed heavily into the water as he struggled to try and sink again. Link walked over and shoved him onto dry land where he proceeded to slap Edward.
Both blonds stared at each other for a moment before Edward leapt up and tackled Link to the ground. The young Hylian was pinned poorly, but he didn't fight. Edward leaned over him, his bangs dripping cold water. "How dare you interfere! There is no way out of here except Hell for me, so I might as well go there now!"
Link stared calmly up at Edward. "Just know that you are not alone." He repeated the words of the Triforce Gods with an eerily calm voice. He refused to break his gaze with Edward. His blue eyes drilled into the gold ones above him until they shut and Edward stood. His expression was one of pure torture as tears leaked out of his eyes.
Link slowly stood and put a hand on Edward's shoulder to steer him inside. Both boys trooped inside, Edward following with no complaint. There was no way for him to ever leave this place and rejoin his brother. He would be doomed to stay here forever.
Link knelt to take off his boots, removing Edward's while he was able. He made Edward sit down before the fireplace as Link started to make a fire. He found steel and flint nestled in the firewood, making it rather easily. He also found a string that he used to make a sort of clothesline in the back of the room near the kitchen.
He quickly stripped down to his underwear and hung his wet clothes on the string to let them dry. After giving his hair a good shake, he headed upstairs. In the bedroom, the closet held only plain spare pants and shirts. He grabbed two pair and put one on, taking the other downstairs for his companion.
Once downstairs, he found Edward staring into the flames. They reflected in his eyes, making them burn brilliantly. He knelt beside him and grabbed the hem of his shirt. "You need to get out of these clothes. It is chilly and you might get sick." Edward didn't resist. He slowly stood and took off his pants, grabbing the dry pants and slipping them on easily. He ignored the shirt, preferring the heat of the fire directly on his skin.
Link set the shirt on the couch and sat to the right of Edward. His eyes were drawn to the scars surrounding his automail. He reached out a gentle hand and ran his fingers around the seam where metal met flesh. Edward didn't flinch, but he turned to watch the Hylian. He then turned away and shuddered slightly. "Please… don't touch me… The scarring is easily irritated." The last part was completely false. He didn't want to be reminded that he was still, in some manner, alive.
Link snatched his hand back. "I'm so sorry… I didn't know." He paused. "How did you get it?"
Edward didn't speak for a time. He slowly took a breath, however, and spoke quietly. "Our mother died and I tried to bring her back with alchemy." The odd term gained a confused look from Link, so he quickly explained. "My brother and I… we prepared everything. It started out well, but there was a rebound. My brother had his entire body taken. I only lost a leg." He turned to look at Link. "I gave up my arm to bring back my brother's soul."
Link spoke softly. "And now it has been taken again." Edward nodded imperceptibly and pulled his knees to his chest. The fire had been small to begin with, and now it was slowly dying down. A steady dripping came from the clothes on the line in the kitchen as they dried. Edward suddenly stood.
"I want to go to bed." Ed started to sit on the couch, but Link stopped him.
"There is a bedroom upstairs. Please take it… I am more than comfortable on the couch." He led Edward up the stairs to the bedroom. As the alchemist crawled into bed, Link slowly walked back downstairs. As he sat on the couch, he noticed something gleaming behind the firewood. A quick examination yielded interesting results.
"An Ocarina… How did that get here?" He sat on the couch and gently brought the instrument to his lips and blew a single note. It was just as beautiful as his old Ocarina was, but much more haunting. Out of habit, he played Zelda's lullaby. It was almost creepy to be playing it alone in the near-darkness, but it made him feel better. Before he knew it, an hour had passed. The music had swept him up and only the fatigue alerted him to the time.
As he prepared to lie down, he heard something from upstairs, almost like someone was moaning in pain. With cautious but hurried steps, he headed up to the source of the noise. In the bedroom, Edward was under the sheets. He had one arm under the pillow and he was curled up on his side. He was moaning quietly and was almost talking in his sleep. It sounded like he was saying a name.
"Al… Al… no…" Ed suddenly thrashed and whimpered, a thin sheen of sweat starting to form on his skin. Link delicately sat on the bed and held a hand to Edward's forehead. He was slightly hot, but Link wasn't sure if it was from stress or the chilly dip earlier. Link gently scooped Edward into his arms. As he started down the stairs, Edward grabbed the neck of his shirt and clutched it. "Please don't… Al…"
Link gently sat Edward on the couch and went to the bathroom. He grabbed a rag and dipped it in some cool water from the sink. After folding it a bit, he placed it on Edward's forehead. The couch was big enough for one person or two to cuddle. The last idea did not appeal to Link, so he simply sat on the floor. He used his arm as a pillow and drifted off to sleep in a few minutes.
x-x-x-x
As the morning light filtered into the small cabin, Edward's eyes fluttered open. He reached up to feel the rag on his head and paused. Why was he downstairs with a rag on his head? He sat up slowly so as not to get a headache and looked around. Link was nowhere to be found. As Edward stood up, he looked around. We didn't even introduce ourselves yet... Edward shrugged as he walked to the door.
Outside, Link was sitting on the edge of the lake. He had his ocarina and was now playing Saria's song. The melody was rather slow and haunting as opposed to the normal cheery tone, but the ocarina seemed to know how Link felt. Edward walked over and dangled his bare feet in the water as he sat next to Link, listening to him play.
As the tune faded, Link looked at the water and spoke. "That was a song that my friend taught me. She said it would let me talk to her when I played it… But it isn't working here." His voice lowered. "I guess she really is gone for good…"
Edward put a hand on Link's shoulder. "She may be gone, but she's in a good place. Where she is… is probably where my brother is. And probably where I'm not going to go. Scientists forego religion and claim to be God…" He sighed.
"Um… I still don't know your name… My name is Link." He paused. "Last night… you were speaking in your sleep. You said something about Al… I think…"
Edward nodded. "I'm Edward Elric." He turned away. "Al was my brother… Alphonse Elric…"
Link nodded. "I didn't know my family at all. I was abandoned in a forest where no one grew up. I wasn't like them but they took me in. And they were all slaughtered due to my ignorance…" He stood, offering a hand to Edward. "Let's go on a walk… I want to tell you about my world." Speaking was difficult, as every word caused him to remember the past, but telling someone else would help.
Edward walked alongside his new friend for a good part of the afternoon. When he had learned all he could about the world of Hyrule and the different people and towns there, he shared about his own home world. Amestris was much more militaristic, but it was also much more advanced. He knew what a telephone and electricity were. Link only knew torches and mailmen.
When the pair returned to the cabin, the sun was low on the horizon. Neither had felt any hunger pangs at all, so they figured that they didn't need to eat in this world. As they entered the cabin, something caught Link's eye. He picked it up from the floor and instantly fell to his knees. Edward knelt gently beside him. He pulled Link's hand towards him to see that he was clutching some sort of necklace. "What is it, Link?" Link opened his hand to reveal the charm.
A small golden triforce, inset with three gems, represented the power of the Gods from his world. In the middle empty space was a tiny 'z'. He clutched it to his chest as tears fell to the ground. "The Triforce… It represents the royal family. Zelda was a dear... a dear friend…"
"How… how did it get here? We're the only ones…" Ed thought back to the Truth. Perhaps the Gods that the necklace represented had sent it here to him? As Link fought back tears, Edward helped him walk to the couch. Link hurriedly clasped the chain around his neck as he buried his face in his knees. As Edward was about to sit, he heard a light clank as if something had fallen. He turned to see something on the floor. What he found was not what he expected.
Another chain lay on the floor, this one silver. Instead of a Triforce, however, three symbols were melded together. There was a circle with an 8-point star, the wings and crown of a flamel above it, and a salamander below it. Now Edward understood the emotion that was going through Link. He swiped the necklace and collapsed on the couch next to Link. He stared blankly at the chain before putting it on. When it fell against his chest, he bent over and covered his face.
The pair sat there, suffering in their own world of agony. After a few moments, Link's sobs quieted down. Though Edward was silent, his was still fighting the tears. He was angry at himself for being so weak and pathetic. He was lonely here. He wanted to stay by his brother and protect him.
Edward's musings were interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at Link. So much of himself was mirrored in that boy. They looked similar, but the misery within and the lack of fire in the eyes was what drew Edward in. He leaned into Link's chest and clutched at his shirt, the tears now freely falling. Link buried his face in Edward's shoulder and they just sat there, comforting each other for over an hour.
When at last they parted, Edward sheepishly sat up and looked away. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean…" He suddenly leaned back in and closed his eyes, swiftly kissing the boy opposite him. He suddenly pulled back and rose, sprinting up the stairs and slamming the door. Link remained where he was, eyes wide and cheeks red. His mind was reeling. Was that real? Did a guy he had known for under a week just kiss him?
After a few moments of gaping blankly at the wall, Link stood. Unsure of what to do, he let his feet guide him upstairs. When he reached the door, he knocked before slowly opening it. "Edward?"
A muffled reply came from the lump under the blankets. "Go away… I don't wanna talk right now…"
Link sighed and walked in, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Edward… I… It's fine. I was just shocked… You go from fine to sobbing to… well, kissing me… I was just a bit shocked is all…" He put a hand on Edward's shoulder, but Edward flinched a bit. "Ed… please come out… I don't like talking to sheets…"
After a moment, Edward reluctantly pushed the sheets back and sat up. He turned his face away from Link. "I'm sorry… It's just… I feel alone here, and you are my only friend now. I miss sparring with my brother, and I miss hugging Winry. I miss getting friendly punches from the guys… I just need some type of physical contact. I overreacted and I'm sorry."
Link smiled softly. "I understand that. I have never been one for hugging or whatnot, but…" He took his hat off and stared at it. "I get the familial feeling." He turned and popped the hat onto Edward's head, earning a surprised gasp from the young alchemist. He turned to smile at Link a bit before shifting his body to face him.
"I'm sorry that you don't have anyone here to hug or… cuddle with…" I'm sure I'm not what he wants. He just acted out. "But I am here to talk to if you want… or…" If Edward needed to do… that… sort of stuff to get better… if it would help him move on… then who was Link to keep that from him?
**Edward leaned closer to Link and down they went.** Though they barely knew each other, they found a sort of comfort in their actions. Desperation drove them, but a type of love was formed. They weren't, as many would say "in love" with each other, but they had a bond stronger than most others in the world. They came together out of a primal need, a desperation to drive away the darkness. What came of it was a new light for life and a new love in life.
The pair fell asleep in each other's arms, the necklaces around their necks coming to a rest near each other. As they floated into their dream world, their world began to change. By the time morning rolled around, the world outside was far different.
The pair slowly sat up and opened their eyes. When they saw each other, smiles crossed their faces. They found the energy to get out of bed and dress themselves. As they walked down the stairs, they noticed that there were no windows anymore.
"Edward… what happened? What do the Gods want now?" Link grabbed Edward's hand as they slowly approached the door.
Edward turned to look at his new friend. "I don't know, Link. But let's see, shall we?" He tentatively reached out and turned the doorknob. The door slowly swung out as a bright light temporarily blinded the pair. When they opened their eyes, a paradise lay before their eyes.
The meadow was no longer just a meadow, but a sprawling and seemingly infinite world of beauty. The melodious sound of waves crashing on the beach met their ears as they exited the cabin. It disappeared suddenly behind them. Up ahead was a large hill. As Edward took a step, he faltered.
"It's ok, Edward. I'm here." Link squeezed Edward's hand reassuringly.
"That's not it… My arm… My leg…" He removed his hands from the grasp of his friend to pull up his sleeve. His arm was now flesh and blood, as was his leg. "I think… I think…"
He suddenly took off to the top of the hill, his bare feet pounding over the ground. Link sprinted after him, coming to a stop at the crest of the hill. He looked over at Edward in confusion. When he noticed the tears streaming down Edward's face, he moved to put a hand on Edward's shoulder. Edward took it in his own and simply said, "Look."
At the bottom of the hill was the largest expanse of people that Edward had ever seen in his life. A group of three standing at the front, however, stood out to him most. His father, mother, and now-human brother were staring up at him, tears in their eyes as well.
Link looked over the crowd until his eyes came to rest on a pair of girls, looking up at him with beaming smiles. Zelda and Saria both waved at him, bringing tears to his own eyes. The pair looked at each other before tearing down the hill to their loved ones.
Edward ran into the arms of his mother as his father embraced them both. After a moment, he turned to look at his brother. He was perfectly healthy and looked utterly wonderful. "Alphonse…" Edward grabbed his brother and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry… I couldn't protect you…"
Alphonse hugged his brother back. "Brother… Do not blame yourself. We are together now."
Link threw himself into the arms of both of his friends, the trio falling to the ground in a sobbing, hugging heap. It took a long time to get Link to stop apologizing, but they finally succeeded. As they stood up, Link took both their hands. "I need you to meet someone that is very important to me…" He led them towards Edward and his family, who were now mingling with others from Amestris. Winry and Pinako had joined them, as well as a small group of soldiers. As Link approached, Edward turned and rushed to hug him.
The boys introduced everyone to each other, which took a small while, but afterwards they turned to everyone. "Is this the afterlife?"
Trisha nodded. "I have been waiting here for you, Edward. It is perfect here, beautiful and safe for everyone."
Edward nodded and excused himself, as did Link. The pair walked to the top of the hill where they first saw their loved ones. It offered a beautiful view of the setting sun. They both sat down, leaning their backs against the hill and cuddling together. "I guess we finally made it, huh Edward?"
Edward nodded, but remained silent.
Link leaned up on his elbows and narrowed his eyes in concern. "What's wrong?"
Edward sat forward and thought for a moment. "It just seems… too peaceful here. I'm used to a life of fighting and running for my life. I don't know if I can stand staying here…"
Link punched him in the shoulder and looked straight into his eyes. "You have suffered a long, hard life and deserve a break. Just relax with your family, your friends… with me."
Edward smiled at Link and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "You're right, Link. I guess that I can just stay here and relax forever… Even if I'll miss the adventure."
"Just promise me that you'll be my friend. And never leave, even if it is impossible."
Edward smiled and grabbed Link's hand. "Always, Link."
I KNOW The ENDING IS CHEEZY SO SUE ME.
Ok, so I lied. The area between the asterisks… That single, lame sentence… Is re-written in the "next chapter" and is dirty. It is optional, so it won't turn people away from reading it. I couldn't bring myself to put it into the story itself, so it's just a side thing. But I couldn't keep myself from writing it either so… yeah. It's also my first attempt at writing something this dirty, so forgive me if it sucks.
And I know the plot moved sort of fast, but that's how it came out. No flames, please.