"So my love…" Said a soft, moving male voice. "Where shall we go now?" It was as if the voice echoed in this white abyss.
"Anywhere but here…" Said a lustful female voice. "The portal bores me."
"Of course my love." He laughs. His accent is… mysterious. Like he is from a time and place unknown. "Then we shall let the keeper decide!" Though without a physical form, a grin could be felt in the portal's presence. "Keeper!" He yells. "Show us the way! What path shall we venture, O great one?"
A sitting body, similar to a child's body but lacking any features, shows itself. A black spatter pattern reveals its shape, as it is the same color as the portal's canvas. The only feature present on the sexless body was a mouth, grinning widely. "My child." It's voice was the voice of a great crowd, perhaps one of mostly children, due it's high pitch.
"Show us the way, oh god!" The man's voice pleaded. "We shall commit thine will!"
"You're objective." The featureless form bellowed. "Is as before…"
There is a long silence, one that doesn't seem to wane. The silence was deafening, especially to the man and woman who waited for their answer.
"Destroy it!" The 'god' laughed. "Destroy it! Destroy it! Destroy it!" He chanted.
"Yes…" The woman's breath heavy voice said. "We shall go…"
"It shall be done milord!" The man screams. "May another world fall to it's knees! May another world come to you and be yours! May we serve you well, oh One, oh You, oh I, oh god! May we live up to each of you're names!"
"AHAHAHAHA!" The bellowing laugh was the last melody the two heard before their presence had left.
Edward Elric nearly jumped out of his bed. It was exactly three o'clock am, so said the clock by his bed. Alphonse was sitting against the wall, eyes now on his panting and wide-eyed brother. "Weird dream?" Alphonse asked genuinely.
"Yeah, you could say that." Edward relaxed his posture and took a breath.
"What about?" Alphonse asked.
"The portal I think." He sighed wearily. "Not only does it take up our daily hours, now it's in my dreams, too." Edward whined.
"Well, that's what you get for eating chips before bed." Alphonse said, gesturing to the bag of potato chips by Ed's bed.
"Shaddup!" Edward lies back down, with his eyes closed. "We've been hunting day and night for the philosopher stone for years so we can get our bodies back from… where?" Ed peered at Alphonse. "The portal. It's only predictable for me to dream about it every now and then." Ed turned over on his side, pulling the covers up onto him comfortably.
"The chips probably didn't help, though." Alphonse blurted out.
"Oh, stop it with the damned chips!" Ed yelled.
"Oh keep quiet down there!" Pinako yelled. "And go to sleep! It's the middle of the night!"
"Sorry Granny Pinako!" Alphonse yelled back before Ed could retaliate. Edward just closed his eyes to go to sleep. "Oh, Ed?" Alphonse said sharply.
"I gotta sleep Al, make it quick." Ed grumbled.
"Just wanted to let you know that some officer's at central came by."
"What for?" Ed said into his pillow.
"They want you to stop by central command first thing tomorrow morning." Alphonse looked toward the door. "They said it was important."
"They'll have to wait." Edward mumbled. "I don't plan on waking up anytime before noon."
"Do you plan on Winry permanently inserting a wrench in your head?" Al retorted with a giggle in the back of his throat.
Ed looked up, the image going through his mind. He cringed a little. "Wake me up around nine then."
Alphonse chuckled under his breath. "Sure thing, Ed." Edward then pulled the covers over him tighter and went off to sleep. Al decided to walk around Resembool until sunrise. He lacked the ability to sleep, so there was no point in him staying put in Ed's room.
Ed walked blearily out of his room and in to the kitchen. The sun shone as bright as it ever had, and the fair weather seemed to fit perfectly with the cozy country kitchen. Pinako was making breakfast for him and Winry. "Good morning Edward." Pinako said.
"Good morning Granny." Ed and Al said in unison. Ed sat down at the kitchen table. It was a small kitchen, but it had a very home-like feel. "What are you making?"
"Pancakes." She said, not moving from her work. "Good for a… slowly… growing boy as yourself."
"Well you're one to talk, ya tiny old hag!" Ed yelled. And so it begins…
"What did you call me, micro chibi-chan!" She yelled back.
"You heard me ya little prune!"
"Shrimp!" She yelled.
"Hey, I'm still growing ya half-pint witch!" Ed continued.
Winry walked into the room, tired eyed and groggy. "G'morning granny. G'morning Ed." She said with half opened eyes. She sat down at the table, massaging the back of her neck.
"Good morning, Winry." Pinako said, the fumes of the tussle with Ed completely without recognition. "How did you sleep?"
Winry looked up at Pinako, eyes drooping. "Not too well, I've had better nights." She turned forefront as Pinako set down the pancakes in front of her and Ed.
"Why, dear? Just couldn't keep your eyes shut?" She asked with a genuine concern. The two teenagers began eating their meal, Ed stuffing his face, while Winry ate slowly. Pinako handed the two their milk.
"No milk for me, Granny." Ed said. "I'll have water."
"Ed, come on." Winry sighed with food in her mouth. "You'll stay short forever if you don't drink you're milk."
Ed's jaw tightened. "And you'll stay single forever if you keep talking with you're mouth full."
Winry swallowed her food. "Whatever, I'm too tired to do this now." She rolled her eyes and continued on her food.
Pinako sat down with the two. "Why didn't you sleep well, Winry?" Pinako folded her arms on the table while looking deeply at Winry.
Winry sighed. "It's nothing," She said, finishing her pancakes. She got up to go wash her dish. "Just a weird dream, is all. It sort of woke me up in the middle of the night." The running water ever the dish was the only sound in the room for a small while.
Ed smiled looking at Alphonse. "I told you it wasn't the chips!" He satisfactorily watched his brother sigh, then looked at Pinako with a playful grin. "I think granny put something extra in that stew last night." He laughed.
Pinako sat back in her chair with her arms folded and her eyes closed, fiddling with the pipe in her mouth. "Maybe the milk went sour."
"AH HA!" Ed cheered. "I knew that cow excretion was no good!" He sat back in his chair, full of self pride.
"I'll see to it that we get some more in the afternoon." She said, watching Ed slump, defeated in his chair again.
"Well…" Al interjected. "Shouldn't we get going, Ed. We have to meet Colonel Mustang in central, remember?"
Ed stood up from his chair, smiling at Al. "He can wait." He said.
Al sighed. "But they said it was important, Ed." Al urged him. "I dislike the colonel just as much as you do, but what if it's an emergency?"
"If it was an emergency, we'd see the smoke from here." Ed retorted. Al was plainly unamused as he glared at Ed. The small blond haired boy sighed tensely. "We'll catch the noon train" He said hesitantly, leaving the table to get dressed.
"Leaving so suddenly?" Pinako said. "You only arrived three days ago." She sipped her tea, looking catatonically as she spoke.
"Yeah, three days too long if you ask me." He stretched, still maintaining that cocky smile. "The countryside's too simple… nothing to do around here." He started off to his room. "Thanks for fixing my automail, by the way." He closed the door to his room.
"Any time." Pinako said softly. She turned to Alphonse, who was standing in the corner of the room. His shining metal avatar had been freshly polished, so it took in the sunlight almost causing him to glow. "So…" Pinako began in her gravely voice. "Off to another crisis?"
"Well, not per say." Alphonse said. "But we do have to go down to central pretty soon."
Pinako sighed wearily. "You two boys are always headed off into some danger or another." She rolled her pipe in her lips. "That would worry most people."
"We won't stop until we get out bodies back." Al said in defense. "Any danger we put ourselves in is necessary for our cause."
Pinako closed her eyes with a small grin on her face. "I know." She said lightly. "Just be careful out there. There are people who care about you, ya know."
"Will do, granny." Alphonse started toward the door. "I'll wait outside for Ed." He went out side, leaving Pinako and Winry to each other.
"Can't they ever just stay in one place at a time?" Winry leaned back on the kitchen counter. "You know, settle down and relax for once?"
Pinako got up (or down rather) from her chair. "You know that will never happen." She said, looking at Winry. "Not until they get their bodies back."
Winry frowned, as if she was thinking over the scenario. "But what if that never happens?"
Pinako folded her arms a Winry, annoyed at that statement. "They don't have time for 'what ifs' and doubts. They'll spend their whole lives searching. Even if the solution isn't attainable, they won't ever give up. No, they are far too stubborn for that." She looks out the window toward Alphonse. "Besides, they can't live normal lives the way they are now. Alphonse can't eat, sleep, smell, taste… The only thing he has is a soul and a suit of armor. How could he ever attract a nice woman if he's stuck in a body that isn't even human." She sighs. "He's strong, but even the strongest souls can crack… I worry for him."
Winry tightens her jaw, embarrassed at her question. "You're right, I'm sorry I said anything." Her voice is soft. "It's just hard to see them always fighting, always struggling."
"I know, Winry." Pinako said, still staring out the window. "But it's all a necessary sacrifice. Equivalent exchange, if you will…"
Ed boarded the train to central at noon. There to see him off were Winry and Pinako. The station was relatively sparse, with only a few people present. The brownish station seemed all too monochromatic, like a painter had run out paint and only had tan. The sky was still blue, and the clouds still white, so it was at least somewhat contrasting.
"Bye, boys!" Pinako yelled over the engine as the train had just started. "Come back anytime, our doors our always open."
"But don't mess up my automail this time!" Winry shouted as the train began to exit the station. "Or you'll beg for me to beat you over the head with a wrench!" She laughed evilly at the thought of seeing Ed in so much pain that he would plead for the wrench over her torment.
The train left the station with Ed and Al on board. The inside was elegant, with redwood walls and a crimson carpeting. Brass candles jutted out of the walls as decorations, and the windows had blood red curtains at their sides. It was as if this were a train for a king… or at least someone with enough money to claim he was one.
"So," Ed began, sitting across from Alphonse with his head resting on his hand. He was leaning on the windowsill. "Did Mustang's minions say what we were coming for?"
"No." Alphonse said shortly. "Only that it was urgent."
"Do you think they have a lead for us?" Ed looked away from the window at his brother.
"Maybe…" Alphonse said, as if the thought hadn't occurred to him. "But it might also be something else. Like something might have happened in central." Alphonse looked down, thinking over what the two had said. "I think it's more likely that something happened, but Roy Mustang isn't one to ask for our help."
"Yeah." Ed grinned. "The cocky bastard would probably die fighting alone before asking for reinforcements. But I guess we'll find out when we get there, right?" Ed's golden eyes moved back to the farmland background that passed by them so quickly.
Alphonse looked outside as well. "Right." He said quietly.
This uploaded poorly, and I had to change some things like words that didn't apear and periods that spontainiously occured, so if you see any grammatical errors, spelling errors, etc, please leave a comment and tell me so I can fix it. Anyway, this is my first fanfic for Fullmetal Alchemist, and I'm sort of testing out the waters here. Please tell me if you like it so far, even though it's only the first chapter. Comments are always apreciated, whether they are critiques or compliments. It also let's me know that people are reading. Thank you for reading and i hope you look forward to the next chapter.
