Second Skin
By: M14Mouse
Summary; Edward tries to make it easier for his sister. He really did but she knew that he didn't understand
Disclaimer: Don't own them.
Al flexed her new hand….her very big metal hand. Her new hand was so…so big. She didn't know what to think about it. Her hands were so small. Big brother said that she has pixie fingers. Not anymore. Her hands were so huge. She could easily pick something and crush it with her bare hands. It frightened her that she had that power now. Sure, she had her alchemy. It was different when she crushed rock and wood with her bare hands.
Another thing was…she was so tall. Every time that she would walk into a room, she would tower over everyone. She and big brother were the same height before it happened. Sometimes, little kids had to look up at her but this was different. People would give her the strangest looks when they look up at her. It was a mixture of awe and a tiny bit of fear. It left her feeling uncomfortable. She wanted to make herself as small as possible. It was kind of hard when her new body was so big. She couldn't curl into a ball or hide in a corner.
Everyone moves out of the way when she goes through the hallways…even walking down the street.
She stuck out like a sore thumb.
And she hated it.
What she was bothered by the most is everyone thought she was male with the few expectations. Winry and Granny knew of course. She always got the impression that Ms. Riza knew as well. She hated to see the looks of pity on their faces.
She knew that it was the armor. Her big brother had to use what he had. It wasn't like there was a female knight armor lying around. She knew that he felt bad about it too. At least, he apologized at least every other week. She had to tell him constantly that she wasn't mad about that. The armor was the only thing available. How could she fault him in his grief? She would have probably done the same thing in his place.
The biggest shock was her name. Since her new body was male, she had to change it. It was hard at first. In the beginning, she wouldn't answer to her new name. Her new male name…Alphonse. Big Brother said that mother would have chosen that name for him if she was a boy. She never knew that and treasured the name because it was their mother's choice.
Most of all, she felt that she was losing her identity….just a little bit at a time. She felt hollow and carved out. She felt that she was losing out to a person that even exists.
Her big brother…bless him. He continued to try so hard. In private, he called her by her real name. He would talk about the times before Mom died. He would talk about the adventures the three of them would have. It would bring fond memories but it would hurt so much.
But she kept it to herself.
She didn't want cause her big brother anymore pain. She worried that he doesn't sleep enough as is. She developed a second identity…a second skin. She will play Alphonse for now. At all, he was a part of her. They were the same…the same books and kittens, of course.
One day...she hoped to shred this second skin.
And become her again.
End
A/N: This series of stories is from a challenge that I wrote for over on LJ. It has four parts and will be post every other week. Read and Review if you wish.