Hey FMA Fans! This is m first fanfic in years so I apologize in advance for my horrible writing (I promise it will get better in later chapters)! 'From Beyond the Gate' is sort of a mix of FMA and FMA:B since I love both of the series'. Unfortunately, my schedule is a little strange and doesn't have any set days, so I may not be able to post anything on a frequent basis (but I will still be writing!). Anyways, I hope you enjoy my fanfic!
"No! No! No! No!" Ashlyn clenched her teeth as she held the philosopher's stone in her hand and looked for a way out. All of the museum exits had been blocked by cops that had answered to the alarm she'd set off to get the stone. Then again, how could one not get caught when breaking into one of London's largest museums?
"Open the doors! You're under arrest!" Voices called from beyond the blocked doors. Ashlyn knew the chains holding the doors wouldn't last forever; she had to get the circle drawn soon or else she would never see the light of day again. Quickly, she searched through her bag for the chalk she had packed.
"Dammit!" The box of chalk was lost amongst all her borrowedalchemy books. At this point, she had a million thoughts running through her mind. Where's the chalk?! I don't have enough time! What if it doesn't work? Is alchemy just another children's story?! She couldn't think about what would happen if the cops got her. All she could do was keep going forward and not look back, no matter what, "Ha! Got ya!"
She pulled out a piece of chalk and her book with all her research in it and began to draw. Ever since she was 10, she was amazed by alchemy. For years she researched transmutation circles; how to create, use, and understand them. It was the only thing she had since she grew up in foster homes. Every foster parent she had pushed her away because of her love for something that didn't exist in this world, and finally when she was 13, she was kicked out; forced to fend for herself. All she had was her non-existent alchemy? But how could it not be real? For hundreds of years alchemists existed, trying to create gold from lead, or even a philosopher's stone. Surely there had to be some reason why they kept going after it. And now Ashlyn had her chance, to prove that alchemy did exist and to leave this world and restart her life in a new one.
"Hold it right there!" A cop had opened the doors enough to stick a pair of chain cutters through, "You won't get away with this!"
"We'll see about that!" Ashlyn yelled back with a smirk on her face. Her circle was just about finished, just a couple more symbols and she would be out of there.
Suddenly, the cops busted through the doors and ran towards Ashlyn with guns and flashlights in their hands. But before they reached her, she slammed one hand down to the circle and held the philosopher's stone in the other. The room suddenly flashed with what looked like red lightning and the ground began to shake with such force that the walls a ceiling started cracking. The cops looked in horror at the magic that was unfolding before them, while Ashlyn watched in awe. She could feel the energy flowing through her. The pure power made her feel strong and invincible. She wasn't afraid anymore; she knew that she could take care of herself no matter what happened.
All of a sudden, small black hands began to rise from the circle and grab at Ashlyn. What the hell?She thought. This wasn't in any of the books she read. It didn't feel right, no, she only sensed something evil coming from the circle. Trying to shake free, she only made things worse. The hands grew in numbers and grabbed at her even more, yanking her to the ground with tremendous force. As she was pulled to the ground, a giant eye opened up beneath her and began pulling her in, "Ugh!" She tried to fight back, but it was useless.
"W-what the hell is that?!" One of the cops stuttered. The gun in his hand was shaking so violently, it could go off any second, and end up shooting Ashlyn. He watched as she struggled to keep her head from being absorbed. Finally reaching the breaking point, he started to fire.
"No, wait! STOP!" Ashlyn yelled, but it was too late. A bullet ripped through her body and blood began to pour instantly. But before she could scream out in pain, she was taken under and enveloped by a white void.
The silence that surrounded her was deafening. She had no idea where she was or what was happening. All she knew was that she had been shot, I'm dead. She thought, I came all this way just to die!
Slowly, the hands holding her began to let go and place her down. As she watched them retreat, her vision began to blur with tears. There was nothing more she hated than crying. She saw it as a weakness; that she couldn't hold it together. Even when she was alone, she always wanted to kick herself for giving in. I failed. I couldn't do it.
"DAMMIT IT ALL!" She yelled and winced at the pain in her side. She had never been shot before, but she knew that it was a bad wound. She was already starting to taste blood. But why did it even matter now that she was dead? She bit her cheek to stop herself from sobbing, but it just made it worse.
"Why are you crying?" A voice came from behind her.
"Huh?" She turned over onto her hip to get a look at who was talking to her, but wasn't expecting the sight she saw, "W-who are you? What are you?" She tried to push herself away from the thing that sat next to her, but it only resulted in more pain. A white figure about the same size as Ashlyn was sitting right behind her with a smile on its face.
"Who am I you ask? Well, I am what you call the world. Or perhaps the universe, or perhaps God, or perhaps truth, or perhaps all, or perhaps one, and I am also you." The thing smiled and pointed at her.
God? This thing was supposed to be God?!Ashlyn had no idea what to think. Was this what she wanted? Was this the way to a new world? Through God? Or was there another reason she was there? "You…. You're God?!" She gasped, "Then I really am dead."
"Not necessarily." God said, "It is true that you are in the space between the living and the dead, but it doesn't mean you can't return to your world."
"No! I won't go back to that place! I want a new life in a new world! Somewhere I can actually be accept-" Suddenly, she heaved over and started coughing up blood. Red was sprayed all over her hands and some in her hair. She tried to stop, but she kept spitting up blood, "Please, I can't go back to that world. I had nothing there."
"You do know there is a price for everything right? I can't just give you a new world without getting something in return."
It was right. Everything came with a price, like alchemy with equivalent exchange. But what did she have that she could give up? What could possibly have the same value as a new life? Just then she remembered she had the philosopher's stone, surely that would be enough. She reached around and found it lying next to her journal that had somehow made it through with her, "This! It's a philosopher's stone. It should be enough, right?"
"A philosopher's stone? Really? I was thinking something a little more important. Like-"
"This is important! It's everything to me. Without it, I wouldn't be here. I would still be living on the streets, scrounging for anything to eat, and fighting for my life just to see another day! So don't you dare tell me this isn't important!" She wouldn't take no for an answer, she needed to get to the new world; she didn't have much time left with this wound at her side. And she couldn't just ask to be healed. The only thing she had left was her journal, and she wasn't about to give that up for a stupid wound.
"Hmm. I guess it would be equivalent exchange. It's funny, the girl who had nothing, gained the power of a god, just to give it up again. Very well, I'll take the stone as payment." Suddenly, a massive set of doors appeared as the God spoke. The door was covered with symbols and bits of writing that Ashlyn had never seen in any of the books she read, but she still knew what is was. This is what she had been wanting for years, "Good luck, Ashlyn."
She was shocked to hear it say her name, she hadn't told it anything about her, but it was God after all. The doors then began to open, and the same black hands that brought her here were coming after her again. But before they got a hold of her, she grabbed her journal and held on tight. She wasn't about to lose the only thing she had left. And just like that, she was pulled off again, and that last thing she saw before the doors closed, was God looking at her, smiling and playing with the stone that made everything possible. And then it was gone. The doors closed and she was on her way to a new future, a chance to restart and make a better life for herself. But as she turned, she saw something that she never expected.
She saw alchemy. All the raw knowledge of alchemy was right before her eyes. The ribbons of light that flew by her were overflowing with alchemic knowledge that she never dreamed of. It was all there, right in her grasp. Her mind was racing with a million pieces of knowledge and felt like it was going to explode. Then she could see the end. She was so close to knowing everything about alchemy, and then it was gone. The knowledge that was right there just shattered into a million little pieces, leaving her in a black abyss. Suddenly, a wave of dizziness and fatigue came over her and knocked her out, leaving her stranded in the dark, endless void.
Just a little side note, I will try to post a bio on Ashlyn on my Tumblr page (I might even do a picture if my drawing doesn't suck too much). I am currently editing chapter 2 and writing chapter 3 so I should have them up soon. Thanks for reading!