I don't own Full Metal Alchemist, but I would like to own an Ed and Al plushie!
A Babysitting Adventure
" Good afternoon, Ed, my favorite State alchemist!" Lt. Colonel Hughes said cheerfully as he sat next to Ed at the military mess hall, " And how's Fullmetal doing today? Hmm?"
" Okay, Hughes, what do you want?" asked Ed, knowing Hughes' ways of buttering people up when he needs a favor.
" Ed, I'm hurt!" replied Hughes, pouting, " You know I care about you and Al! But since you asked, I would love, no, be honored, if you and your tender-hearted little brother would babysit my little princess Alycia while I take her lovely mother out for our wedding anniversary tomorrow."
" Babysit? Well, I don't know. I mean, I never babysat before-"
"Oh, of COURSE you have! Don't be so modest!" Hughes interrupted, " After all, you DO have a little brother, don't you? And I bet you helped your mom with him a few times! Don't worry, you'll do just fine!"
" Well, okay."
" You will? Great! Come by my house at about 10 tomorrow! You're the best!" He patted Ed on the back affectionately, " Now for a preview of things to come! See here? That's my baby girl taking a bath! Ain't she adorable?"
Ed quickly looked at his pocket watch, " Oh man, it's late! Look, I'd love to see more but I need to get back! You know how Al worries! Bye!" He ran off for the dorms. How do I get into these things? he asked himself.
Ed and Al arrived at the Hughes' house at exactly 10 the next day. Al was thrilled at the idea of caring for Alycia, and was looking forward to carrying her on his metal shoulders. Ed was also looking forward to babysitting Alycia, having fond memories of chasing around a certain other 2 year-old child while their mom busied herself in the house.
"Okay, Ed, here are the phone numbers," instructed Hughes,"That's the restaurant, the theater, the doctor, direct line to Roy.."
"Now why would I want THAT number?" asked Ed, puzzled.
"Well, sometimes Alycia likes to talk to her Uncle Roy, and it really brightens his day!" replied Hughes enthusiastically, " Now, Alycia takes her nap at about 3, and we should be back at about 6 or so! Okay, Princess, Daddy's going bye-bye! Kisses!"
" Daddy get me widdle sister?" asked Alycia sweetly.
Hughes blushed. "We'll see, Princess," he replied, kissing her cheek. Then he said goodbye to the brothers and left with his wife.
A little while later, while Al was fixing lunch, Ed brought Alycia to the telephone. "Alycia, would you like to say hi to Uncle Roy?" he asked her.
"Uncle Roy! Uncle Roy! Yay!" she cried gleefully.
" Okay, hold the phone, and I'll dial."
Meanwhile, at Roy Mustang's office, the phone rang. " Colonel Mustang," he said officially.
" Hi, Uncle Roy!" said Alycia.
" Alycia! Hi! How are you?"
" I'm fine! Watcha doin' ?"
" I'm doing some paperwork," he replied, throwing a paper airplane.
There was whispering on Alycia's end, then she asked, " Uncle Roy, are you gonna kiss Auntie Riza?"
"Huh?" Roy started to fume. Quickly composing himself, he replied, " Alycia, can I speak to your daddy?"
" Uh-uh"
" Why not?"
" Daddy's not here. He's out with Mommy."
"Then who's with you?"
" Big Brother."
" Can I speak to him?"
" Uh-huh." More whispering, then Ed's voice came on the line, " Hello?"
" Fullmetal, when I get through with you-" Click.
After lunch, the day was spent with Alycia riding Al's shoulders and Ed pushing her on a swing and showing her how he can make her a doll with alchemy. At about 3, Alycia got sleepy.
"Al, why don't you do a little grocery shopping while I rock her to sleep? Then we can make dinner for the Hughes' when they get home," suggested Ed as he carried Alycia upstairs.
"Okay." Al complied.
In Alycia's room, Ed sat down on the rocking chair with Alycia in his lap, and started humming a lullaby that he remembered his mother singing when he and Al were little. As her rocked her, he found himself remembering being rocked to sleep with Al by an old man who faintly resembled his mother. He faintly remembered watching his brother to see if he'd fall asleep first. He did. He also, of course, remembered his mom rocking them, and Al as usual falling asleep first. Ed had always been too busy trying to listen to the words.
He soon fell asleep himself, and started dreaming that he was three again and was rocking his two- year- old brother to sleep. Al looked up at him with big caramel-colored eyes and smiled. Then he started shaking Ed, yelling, "Brother, wake up! Brother, wake up!"
"Big Brother! Wake up!" yelled Alycia, shaking Ed's shoulders. Startled from sleep, Ed looked down at Alycia. "What's the matter, Alycia?" he asked.
"It's hot, Big Brother! And it smells funny," she complained.
Ed felt the heat, too, and smelled smoke. "Alycia, stand by the window," He sat her down and went to the door. He reached for the doorknob and recoiled from the heat. Oh my kami, the house is on fire!
Thinking quickly and not wanting to scare Alycia, he went over to her and smiled. "Alycia, we're going to play a game, okay?"
"What kind of game?" she asked innocently.
He took a sheet from her bed and transmuted it into a thin white rope. " I'm going to tie this around you, and-"
"Look! It's Clang Clang!" she said excitedly, pointing at Al, who was coming back from shopping. Al had dropped the grocery bag and ran toward the house.
Ed smiled at Alycia's name for Al. "Yes, it's Clang Clang! Wanna go down and see him?"
"Yay!" she yelled.
"Okay. Well let me tie this around you, and you hold on tight, and I'll lower you down to him. Alright?"
" 'kay!"
Ed carefully lowered her down until she was safely in Al's arms. " Hi, Clang Clang!" she cheerfully greeted Al, giving him a hug.
" Hi!" answered Al. He set her down and looked up at the window where Ed was. "Brother! Come out of there! I'll catch yo-" He suddenly heard Ed scream and a loud crash coming from inside the house. "BROTHER!"
"What's wrong, Clang Clang? Where's Big Brother?" asked Alycia, who was starting to worry.
Ed swore under his breath as he climbed through the rubble that was the second floor. He then went into a coughing fit from the smoke. He tried to transmute a clear path to safety, but was too overcome by the smoke and flames. Falling to his knees, he looked at the flames and remembered something his sensei's mother once told him and Al; that if you looked close enough into a fire, you can see the devil. He then saw a dark figure coming toward him. "N-no..." he cried weakly, feeling faint," p-please.. my..m-my brother..h-he needs me..he needs...me.." The last thing he felt before slipping into darkness was a pair of arms wrapping themselves around him.
Outside, the Hughes' returned home to see the fire department and Al holding a crying Alycia. "DADDY! MOMMY!" she screamed.
"Alycia!" cried Hughes as Al ran to them, "Al, what happened? Where's Ed?" he asked worriedly as he hugged his daughter tight.
"I don't know! I was getting something for Brother, and when I got back, your house was on fire! Brother lowered Alycia to me, then he disappeared!"
"Daddy, Big Brother's hurt! You have to save him!" cried Alycia, certain that her daddy can fix anything.
" Colonel, I'm going in there!" cried Al. He turned to leave, but was stopped by Hughes.
"No, Al! It's too hot in there! Even for you!" He looked at the house, " If he's not out by now..."
"NO! DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT!" screamed Al. He looked helplessly at the house, " Look! There's someone coming out of there!" he exclaimed.
Hughes looked where Al pointed, and saw a dark figure running out of the house, carrying someone wrapped in a coat.
"Daddy! It's Uncle Roy! He saved Big Brother!" exclaimed Alycia.
Roy ran over to the waiting paramedics who were on the scene. Al ran over to them, followed by the Hughes family.
"Colonel! Is he alright? How'd you get here?" asked Al.
"Daddy! You called Uncle Roy to save Big Brother! Thank you!" Alycia cried, kissing her father.
Roy smiled, " They don't call me Flame Alchemist for nothing! Al, he's breathed in some smoke, but they said he'll be alright once they get him to a hospital. He didn't get burned badly, thanks to that coat he wears. As to how I got here, I was looking out my window when I saw smoke coming from this direction. When I got here, I heard your brother scream, so I went through the back door to get him."
Al gave him a hug, " Thank you, Colonel."
"Not a problem, Alphonse," replied Roy, " A good military leader takes care of his men."
Ed woke up in time to be mugged by a very happy two-year old. "Big Brother, you're awake!" she cried happily.
"Now, Princess, you mustn't jump on him, he's still sick," said Hughes as he gently lifted her from Ed.
"It's okay, Colonel Hughes," Ed said weakly, " I'm just glad she's alright."
"And I'm glad you're alright, Brother," said Al, gently stroking Ed's hair, " At least, you will be after some rest."
"But Clank Clank, Big Brother's already been sleeping for a long time!" Alycia argued.
" 'Long time?' " asked Ed.
"Well, two days. A long time in little girls' terms," replied Roy, who just stepped in, " How do you feel, Fullmetal?"
"Like I got rescued by a devil," Ed replied with a smile," Thanks."
"You're welcome, I think," Roy turned to Alycia, " Sweetie, why don't you and your daddy go get some ice cream? Here, Maes, my treat," He handed him some money.
"Thank you, Uncle Roy!" exclaimed Alycia as she and her father left the room.
"I thought you might want to know this, and I didn't want to upset Alycia, but that fire was no accident," explained Roy, " They found the remains of a Molotov cocktail in the house, and a note was sent to my office, saying that next time they'll make sure the house wasn't empty, and it was signed by an Ishbalan terrorist group."
"So they thought the house was empty, huh?" asked Ed.
Roy nodded. " We don't believe Maes was a direct target."
"So, where will the Hughes' stay, Colonel?" asked Al.
" They'll be at my house until we can their home rebuilt," replied Roy.
" Aww, Alycia can stay with her Uncle Roy. How sweet!" Ed said with a sly grin.
" Good to see you're well enough to crack jokes, Fullmetal. Your payback will come soon," replied Roy with a sly grin of his own.
"Well, want the good news or bad news first?" asked Wrath.
"Good news. Bad news stinks!" grumbled Envy.
"Ok. good news : The fire you set and the note you planted did the trick. The military's ready to go after the Ishbalans," said Wrath.
"Kewl. That'll make the boss happy!"
" Bad news : We came this close to getting fried shrimp! Full Mini was in there!"
" That ain't so bad. He survived, right?" asked Envy. Wrath nodded. " Good. That means we can still grab him one day and make him wish he didn't !"
Both chuckled at their joke.
THE END
April 7, 2005