Chapter one
The streets of Dublith were almost as dusty as ever. It wasn't a really big town and the streets weren't paved like those of big cities like Central or any of the other important cities across the country, and the midday sun shone brightly; though none of those things seemed to be noticed by the armored alchemist passing by.
Alphonse shuffled through the streets lifting a little bit of dust as he passed by. His mind couldn't really seem to care about it or about the sun's excessive warmth that day. But then again, it was something he had stopped feeling a long time ago, to the point where he was already used to it. It was as if things like the sun burning in his face and the wind blowing against his hair were things so distant to him, as distant as if he were watching them on a beautiful painting. No matter how hard the artist's effort had been, that feeling would always remain on a piece of canvas and would never give the sensation it projected. It would only make them remember.
He had hopes though, of being able to feel those things once again. But for now, something different was taking place in his mind, and it wasn't hope or optimism.
Frustration.
Al was usually, if not most of the time, very patient with his brother's tantrums and reckless attitude against the things he didn't like. He put up with them most of the time, apologized for emotional damage, if there was any, and even followed along the things he said simply because he didn't like fighting with him. He was the only family member he had left; he saw no reason to fight with him.
But there were times in which he just couldn't take it any longer and snapped at his brother's lack of maturity against certain things, like asking their father for help. They were without one single lead on the philosopher's stone and he knew their father had been also doing some research on it. Better yet, he was absolutely sure he knew something about it. It wouldn't kill them to ask him about it.
Something hadn't occurred Alphonse until now. His father didn't know about their bodies.
He wouldn't be mad for what had happened to their bodies, would he? At least Alphonse hoped he wouldn't. But since he didn't really know the man he didn't know what to expect. His father had left, yes, but he was still his father so he had the right to worry about what had happened to his children's bodies. So much thinking made him wonder what he would prefer. A scolding said he was mad at them, but at the same time it also said he was also worried, like Teacher did. She sure beat him and his brother everyday but in the end, she would heal their wounds and tell them it would only make them stronger. But if he didn't say anything…did it mean he didn't care at all?
No, he shook his head at that thought. He was his father. He had to care, and he knew he hadn't done any of this on purpose. He wouldn't lose hope on him, not until he could confirm that it wasn't true and that he didn't care about them like Brother said. Not until then, Alphonse would remain steady on his request to visit the man.
Unfortunately, his brother didn't take it the same way as him and they ended up having such a big fight in which even alchemy had been a part of. If his brother wouldn't listen to him no matter the countless reasons he was giving him, well fine then!
Stupid brother…
Flashbacks of that recent fight were taking over at least ninety-five percent of his concentration. Even when he didn't have the subject of his unusual anger in front of him, he couldn't seem to find anything else to distract him on this stroll.
The streets of Dublith were surprisingly empty that day. How weird, Alphonse thought. There were usually some people doing their daily chores outside their houses. Housewives sweeping the dust away, men gathered in little groups discussing trending topics and playing cards, and kids playing with their respective groups of friends. At least that's how he remembered the streets of Dublith from the last time he had been there, though that had been a long time ago. Before he and his brother had lost their bodies to a forbidden taboo. Back then when they were kids and fighting over these things seemed to make more sense because they were kids, and kids fought for almost everything.
If Alphonse recalled correctly, he and his brother sure fought about some really non-sense stuff when they were children…because they could afford to.
Al kept walking with his head down. In that moment, and without noticing, his thoughts were transporting him to a different time. His mind was transported to the first fight he had with his brother right here in this city four years ago.
"Here we are!" their new teacher, Izumi Curtis, exclaimed, admiring the beauty of the town which for the brothers was something new, exciting. Everything since Mrs. Curtis had accepted to be their teacher had been a complete adventure; since their first train ride ever to their fight for survival at Yock Island to their arrival at a town completely different from Resembool.
They had to walk a while to get to the Curtis Residence. During that small stroll through the city Ed and Al saw a lot of people passing by, people standing there, people doing their chores. And despite not knowing them, the brothers would look at those people with such a big fascination. They were very excited about what was going to be the real training and still proud of themselves for having passed the first round but most importantly, for having overcome the most difficult task they've had in their lives: surviving.
As soon as they reached the house, the brothers were allowed to explore it by their new teacher, who also indicated which one would be their room. She had prepared for this and had a bunk bed set up on their new room. Ed and Al stared at it in amusement. They had never slept on a bunk bed before, not even seen one, just heard of them from what the other kids at the school they used to go to, talked about. At their home in Resembool, they shared one double bed next to a wall. Since Al was the youngest, he had always been afraid that he might fall out of it so he slept next to the wall, while Ed slept at the edge of it. Thanks to this, he always had to wake up his brother anytime he wanted to go to the bathroom.
For the first time he would have his own bed. And since it was big enough, this time he wouldn't be afraid of falling and wouldn't have to disturb his brother for his physiological needs.
Before he was even done contemplating the beauty of having his own bed, his brother had already climbed to the top bed and claimed it as its own, but Alphonse wouldn't be left out of it because he knew sleeping on the top bed was ten times better.
He climbed the small stairs and got to the top bed where his brother was already fixing his pillow. Al touched his shoulder to make his brother face him. "Brother, I want to sleep in the top bed!" he cried.
"No way, Al! I got here first!" Ed replied and shrugged his brother's hand off his shoulder and got back to fixing his pillow.
Before they even noticed, they had gone already on one really loud fight which caused their teacher to show up in their front door, finding the brothers in a ready-to-kill-themselves position.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" she yelled furiously. She looked like she was about to give them a good beat up but seemed to wait for the brothers to explain themselves.
The brothers had already an idea of their new teacher's strength, and temper from the first time they met her so this had made them respect her since. Quickly, both of them got down from the bed; Al used the small stairs but Ed jumped off of it, both assuming soldier's position in front of her.
Al was the first to talk his reasons for wanting the top bed but was rudely interrupted by his brother not so long after having started. This only seemed to make Teacher angrier so she clapped her hands together and touched the furniture. Blue sparks, sign of a transmutation, came out of it and before Ed or Al could say anything else, she had already transmuted the bunk bed into two regular beds, one next to the other.
Once again the Elric brothers had been witnesses of her, back then, unique alchemy without circle and couldn't help but to stare at it with their mouths open, so extremely amused that they even forgot to complain.
"There! Now both get the same thing" she said, looking one last time at the boys stare at what she just did. She was walking out of the room but said something before she did, "The training will begin in five minutes" then left the boys alone.
"That was…impressive" Al gasped, still staring at the body of matter she had just divided. Even when he had seen her transmute something a hundred times bigger than that when they first met her on Resembool, it was the fact that she was able to it without a circle that amazed Alphonse to no end. Right next to him, he could feel the same thoughts from his brother.
"Great!" brother blurted out, finally coming out of the state of surprise. "Now there's no top bed for any of us! Are you happy Al?"
"It wasn't my fault, brother!" Al replied back. "It's yours for always being so hot-headed and desperate!" he probably yelled that a little too loud.
"My fault? You're the one who started it!"
"I did not!"
"WHY AREN'T YOU TWO OUTSIDE YET!?"
And that was it. The first day of training was excruciating. She never went easy on them just for being kids or because it was their first time. Once they had learned the basics of hand-to-hand combat, she fought with them like she'd do with any other person that would have challenged her to a fair fight, leaving the boys completely exhausted; perhaps even more than they had been on their days at Yock Island. By the end of the day, the matter of who slept in which bed wasn't important anymore. Each boy fell in one bed, passing out almost instantaneously.
All of a sudden a loud thud brought Alphonse back to his own time and senses.
