Chosha's Notes

Konnichiwa minna! I was getting a little bored, so I was watching Fullmetal Alchemist, as you do, when I came up with this idea. I'm not sure it turned out as I planned but… I thought you guys might like a look at it. This is my first FMA fanfiction, but my third in total (the others being a poem and a ongoing fiction – still in progress – both in the Rurouni Kenshin area. Hopefully this'll be good. I hope you'll like it too. Please review.

Hope you enjoy.

Burning Bridges

The flames flicker gold and crimson through the windows of the Elric family household. Inside, I'm sure that the flames have hungrily consumed all the familiar things and furniture of the ground floor by now, turning it all to ash. Silently, I watch as the smoke curls up into the night sky, watch as the flames begin to lick at the door, turning the bricks of the wall jet black.

Although I don't turn to look, I know that Al is beside me, silently watching the flames dance. Not that I could tell what he was thinking anyway. I can't read his feelings through solid steel. Only his eyes give away a determined resignation. He insisted he was going to come with me. But this is all my fault anyway. If I hadn't been so reckless, so foolish… I clench my automail hand in silence. And he thought it was his fault for not acting on his instinct! But it's not his burden to bear… It's my fault and mine alone… and I'm going to fix things. But I know that even though its Al's body I want to fix, what we're looking to do is still the forbidden – still human transmutation. I know that, if we fail the next time, there will probably be nothing left…

Something inside explodes as the flames leap higher, shattering the windows and showers the ground with glittering shards that flashed gold. I swallow a lump that has formed in my throat. Logically, I had know it would not be easy, leaving it all behind. I just never realised it would hurt so much. But I've got to do this. I have to. If I didn't, I would never be able to move forward, do what must be done. I wouldn't want to take the risks. If there was nothing there, there would be no reason to do that. I will keep my promise. I will make things right.

Ruthlessly squashing my self-pity (who am Ito do that, not after what I've done), I throw the last flaming torch onto the rising blaze that is devouring the house, along will all th familiar things inside, memories I tainted. I've burnt my bridges - we can't look back. We have to move forward.

I turn away from the flames and we walk away as they reach for the blackness of the night. The flames dance on Al's armour. It's my fault, my stupidity, and my burden. I've made a promise to fix what I did, even if… even if I have to become the militaries lapdog.

I can't look back.

I've burnt down my bridges; I have to move forward. I will set things right again.

So on the day we left, we burned down the family home… and all the familiar things inside… because some memories aren't meant to leave traces… But one thing I will always remember, a date in which our old life ended… the day we left everything behind us.

3 Oct. 10

We will never forget. I cannot forget… and I can never go back…

Owari

Chosha's notes

I think I might have depressed everyone… either way, please review!

Ja ne for now!

Chosha Kurenai xXx