"Brother STOP!" Alphonse said screaming out his non-existant lungs, but he was too late. Edward slapped his hands together and placed them on the ground, focusing energy throughout the transmutation circle, one that encircled Sloth, an almost identical copy of his late mother.
"Don't try to stop me, Al. This thing isn't our mother. Never was and it never will be." He could tell the homonculus was weakening. Just as the textbooks dictated, the remains of his real mother were beginning to effect Sloth's chemical makeup, the red stones she had consumed were regurgitated onto the cold stone ground.
"MOTHER! NOO!" Alphonse ran towards the box that had his mother's remains inside of them and threw it out the window. The transmutation circle slowly faded, its source of power gone. Sloth clutched her stomach, the pain of losing her life source almost too much.
"Thank you, Alphonse, you're such a good son." Sloth said in her motherly voice, dear god did it make her sick though, or at least...she thought it should. Wasting no time, Sloth reverted into her liquid form and dove into the space in Alphonse's armor. "You're such a good boy, protecting your mother."
"A real mother wouldn't use her son as a SHIELD, you bitch." Edward said spitting venom at Sloth.
"Come now, Edward. Is that anyway to talk to your mother?" Sloth expanded her body so as to take control of Alphonse and sent him at Edward. Alphonse threw a punch, Ed dodged it, Alphonse threw another, but Ed dodged it again.
"Come on, Al. I can't do this on my own, I need you to fight her." Edward backflipped creating some distance between him and Alphonse. Running towards one of the nearby workbenches, Edward began drawing half a transmutation circle on the surface. As Alphonse dove towards Ed he dodged and ran towards the next bench. Finally as he finished the last diagram he looked towards Alphonse, "Now, Al." with another magnificent flip he landed next to the first table and kicked it towards Alphonse, who had by then made his way to the other side of the second table and pushed it towards Edward. The two tables collided, completing the transmutation circle. Alphonse placed his body over the circle and felt as his body froze over, along with Sloth who was still within his armor. Exhausted Edward flopped to the ground, looking over his now icicle brother.
"Come now, Edward. It's going to take a lot more than that." Sloth smiled. Suddenly the ice encompassing Alphonse began to melt and before long, his once frozen prison now lay on the ground, a harmless puddle. Now seeing no use in hiding in her "son's" armor, Sloth reformed herself, standing next to Alphonse.
"Why, why are you doing this, Mom." Alphonse looked at his mother's identical twin.
"...To free myself." Sloth said in a soft voice. Alphonse and Edward looked on in confusion at the beautiful woman. "Ever since my beginning I have always thought of you children, the memories of your life flash through my mind every waking and sleeping moment of my existence." She wrapped her arms around her body as if trying to keep her entrails from spilling out, her face twisted in pain from unseen wounds. "But...is that really me? How can I believe these memories, me, a created being. In order for me to find my true self, I must prove the memories inside me are false, by killing my own children, which no true mother could ever do." Sloth stood straight at that and lunged for Edward. Forming her hands into whip-like water forms, she slashed at him, Edward only just barely able to parry each blow with his automail arm. Edward, unable to handle the pressure of each blow began to take steps backwards coming across uneven ground. The sudden change in elevation messed up his coordination and with one well-timed blow, Sloth sent his tumbling head-over-heels. Edward, knowing the situation, attempted to rise up, but felt an insane pressure against his stomach. Opening his eyes he took in the sight of Sloth ontop of him, her hand poised to strike at his neck. The two, human and homonculi, sat there in a standoff.
"Do it..."
"So eager to die, my dear Edward, my little man." Sloth said teasingly, a smile forming on her face.
"You are my sin, my burden to bare. If I can't take care of you, then no one can. If I'm going to drop out of this, I might as well make it easier on my burden." Edward inched his hand towards his shirt and tore it open, exposing his naked chest. "Do it."
Sloth paused for a moment, transfixed by Edward's eagerness to die, it almost seemed like...he was trying to help her.
"MOTHER!" Sloth's head shot upwards as she looked towards the source of the sound. Wrath, his face a twist of anger and worry ran towards Sloth, his arms flailing in a makeshift hug. Sloth, seeing what Wrath was planning to do got off of Edward and moved backwards, giving Wrath a small embrace as he came in to hug her. But then Sloth froze. No matter how she struggled she could not move. She looked down as she saw Wrath form with her body, a bright silouhette glistening within his chest.
"Wrath, you fool...what have you done?" Sloth could just barely bring out the words as her tongue froze over, the transmutation between her and Wrath complete. Edward could only look on as what had occured slowly dawned on him.
"I'm guessing, Wrath, you absorbed the little package that took some fresh air not too long ago, courtesy of Al." Wrath glared at Edward, hate, like daggers, shooting towards his face. "I'll just take my time with this next part." Edward slowly made his way towards Sloth and Wrath. Stopping next to Sloth Edward clapped his hands together and placed them on Sloth, her body shining briefly before fading into a transparent green.
"What did you do to mommy?" Wrath said spitting at Edward, but he simply looked on, his eyes empty.
"I've changed her body into Ethanol gas. Soon she'll just evaporate into the atmosphere; she's going to disappear." Edward could feel the tears welling in his eyes, but they would not fall. For the love of God how he wanted them too, but he knew they weren't even really there.
"Mother-?" Wrath began, looking up into Sloth's frozen face, but a sudden burn caused him to seperate from Sloth, burns covering the areas he had merged with Sloth.
Edward and Alphonse gazed at Sloth's face, her once confused look now in a form of a smile. "Well done, my boys. I think this way...will be better, for the three of us." At that she gave that smile, that same smile Edward and Alphonse's mom had always given them, the same smile she had given Edward and Alphonse the day she died. It was the last stroke against the last strand of Edward's insanity.
"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" clapping his hands together hard enough to create a soundwave Edward clasped Alphonse's hands and pressed them against Sloth. Alphonse could feel another piece of his armor disappear into the endless void, but he did not care. He was doing something he and his brother had failed so long ago, they were saving their mother. The warehouse shone like the sun as the alchemic reaction bounced off the walls sending equipment flying, blowing random parts into small pieces. Finally after what seemed like hours within a lightning storm, the light faded and Edward and Alphonse found themselves standing over the fallen body of Sloth.
"MOM." Edward said, his voice almost a scream as he slid to her side on his knees and flipped her over so he could her face. What met him was a peaceful face, fast asleep.
"Is she alright, brother?" Alphonse asked with what Ed felt like a face torn with worry.
Edward gave a little chuckle, "She's fine, Al, we did it." The two brothers gave a small sigh of relief as they sat down for a small break.
"What are we going to do with her though?" Edward asked gazing at Sloth's sleeping form.
"That's simple, brother," Edward looked towards Alphonse in confusion, "We live with her like we always would, like a family." Edward looked back towards Sloth, the feeling of a warm smile running across his face.
"Yeah, that's...that might be a good idea."
"Ed, Al!" Edward and Alphonse turned to see Winry walking towards them.
"Winry, what are you doing here?" Edward asked, jumping to his feet.
"I got worried and came to see how you guys were doing, but it looks like everything was alright." she began to slowly make her way towards Alphonse. A red flag rose up in Edward's head, this was not Winry.
"Al, wait, that's not the real Winry!"
"What?" but it was too late, Winry dashed behind Alphonse, pinning his arm up against his back, forcing him to the ground.
"Too easy, I mean really what are you guys children? Oh wait, you are." Winry's form flashed giving way to the grinning face of Envy.
"You bastard, let go of my brother." Edward said forming his arm into a blade and rushing towards Envy. As he drew close however Envy kicked out towards him, sending him crashing against a nearby welding machine.
"Nice try, kid, but I'm not letting this prize go any time soon." Envy said grinning as he looked down at Alphonse's face. "And don't think I don't know about your situation, mister tincan philosopher stone." Alphonse just stared at Envy, taken aback by her knowledge of what he was now. Edward, now crippled by the damage to his stomach only watched as Envy disappeared with Alphonse over his back.
"Alphonse!" Edward said, screaming his brother's name after Envy, but it gave him nothing in return, neither Envy nor his brother returned to his sight. Edward's head dropped to his chest, he had lost his brother again and at the worst of times, if he didn't act fast whoever was controlling the homonculi were going to get Alphonse, use the philosopher stone until it completely destroyed Alphonse's body. Then they'd just throw him out and make another person sacrifice their life for the stone. An uneding cycle of pain and despair that he had to end of he wanted to save anyone. Suddenly the stirring of Sloth's body caused Edward to leap back into reality. Sitting by her side Edward looked on as Sloth's eyes opened slowly.
"I'm...alive?" Sloth looked around, her eyes ending up on Edward's face. "Why?"
"Sorry, Mom. Looks like I'm not really your little man after all," a said grin playing across Edward's face. "I thought I had grown up when I became a state alchemist. Turns out I'm still a kid, if I see anything resembling my own mother, I just turn into a ball of tears and cry my eyes out. It was just...so hard." Edward could feel the tears falling, these ones were real. His head began to sink into his chest, trying to form a ball of sorrow. Reaching out and embracing Edward's head in her chest, Sloth held Edward in her arms, a soft lullaby drifting from her lips.
"This song..."
"I used to sing this to you when you and your brother would come running to my room on scarey nights. You'd be crying so hard you couldn't breathe and this is the only thing that would calm you down." For that moment, Edward felt like he truly was in his mother's arms again, but it was more than just a feeling, at that moment he knew he was with his mother. He wrapped his arms around her and cried a sob that had never come from his mouth since childhood now rang along the walls of the warehouse, like a newborn child in its mother's embrace.
Slowly, Edward's cries grew softer and before long he just lay there, surrounded by warmth from his mother's body.
"Are you sure, Edward?" Edward looked up into his mother's eyes. "I'm not really your mother, I'm just something created to look like her."
"You're her, I can feel it. Everything about you is exactly like her, from your face to the sound of your voice, even the warmth you radiate is hers. I don't know what you think of the memories in your head, but those are my proof." Sloth made a face of struggle over her own thoughts, noticing this Edward continued. "You may see them as chains, but I see them as strands, lines that run from us to you, to lead you back to where you truly belong." Sloth looked away from Edward, worry clouding her eyes. "I won't force you to come with us, if you still want to kill us, then you can kill me right here and now." Edward grabbed Sloth's hand and placed it on his chest, "I know you're strong enough to puncture my chest without much effort." Sloth looked at Edward and then at her hand, its fingers dancing across his warm skin. She could feel herself slowly putting pressure against his skin, feeling the need to break him and end this charade.
"I can't do it..." her lips trembled as tears flowed down her face. "I cannot kill my own child." she laid her head against Edward's chest, her tears dampening his skin. Without saying a word, Edward wrapped his arms around his mother and slowly rocked her back and forth.
"EDWARD!" Izumi ran into the warehouse, her eyes darting around looking for the boy with the blonde hair and his metal brother. Her eyes stopped as she saw him on the ground, a woman's body in his arms.
"Teacher?" Edward looked up a surprised look on his face. Izumi took no notice of his words and slowly walked towards him, a look of horror on her face.
"Is that...?" Edward nodded, his face giving no signs of regret or guilt for the path he had chosen. "Are you sure this is how you want to do this?"
"This is the path I've chosen, I'll walk down it until the very end." Edward tightened his grip on his mother ever so slightly to feel the security in holding his mother again. Izumi could only sigh and look at the mismatched family. Perhaps if she had the strength, maybe she could reunite with her own child.
"Mommy?" Edward, Izumi, and Sloth turned to see Wrath crawling towards them, tears and a worried look on his face. Sloth slowly straightened herself into a sitting position, holding Edward's hand so as to give him assurance.
"I'm sorry, Wrath. I'm not your mother." Wrath shrinked backwards, the words like a fire against his body. "I can never be your mother, I'm sorry."
Wrath stared at Sloth in horror at her words, "No...no, no, no, NO!" he said, screaming as he pounded his fists on the ground. "YOU are my mommy, only mommy is mommy." Wrath shot a glare at Edward, "YOU, you are stealing mommy from ME." Wrath, running on all fours, shot towards Edward, leaping into the air. Edward seeing Wrath's trajectory moved to cover his mother. Heading straight for Edward Wrath let out a scream, but instead of feeling the flesh of his most hated enemy, he felt the warmth of an embrace. Turning to see where the expected attack had gone, Edward turned to see Izumi holding Wrath in her arms.
"My child, my dearest child." Izumi closed her eyes and tears flowed down her cheeks as she held her son after the longest time. Wrath wanted to struggle, he wanted to tear her arms off and kill the man behind her, but he could not. No matter how much he willed his body to move, the warmth entering his body through this woman's arms seemed to melt away all the pain and despair leaving only his tears. Wrath cried in Izumi's arms, his hands clutching her shirt as he tried to bury himself in her embrace. The two families sat there together taking in their moments of reunion.
"I need you to take her back to Resembool with you, Teacher."
"Where are you going, Ed?" Izumi asked, the now sleeping ,Wrath in her arms.
"I need to save my brother." Izumi looked on worriedly at Edward and looked towards Sloth.
"Be safe, dear." Edward turned around surprised at Sloth's response. "Please come back, both you and your brother." Edward smiled and nodded assuredly.
"I promise, no matter what happens, we'll both come back." Sloth smiled a motherly smile and watched as her son disappeared in the distance, a strong step in his run.
"Are you sure you're okay with him going on his own?" Izumi asked facing Sloth, she had already come to using the same speech she would use if she really were talking to Ed's mother.
"Edward is a strong boy, I've known this for a very long time. But more than that he's a wonderful man, he always keeps his promises." Sloth smiled at the memories that had once been harbringers of pain now danced in her head as the sweetest things she could imagine.
-Many months later-
"Misses...uh..."
"Please, just call me Trisha."
"Oh, okay, uh...I'm sorry, can I please call you Mrs. Elric?" Rose asked politely, her face wrought with nervousness and worry. Sloth, now Mrs. Trisha Elric, giggled behind a raised hand.
"I guess if that makes it more comfortable for you, I don't mind." The two women sat facing each other on either side of a coffee table.
"I was just wondering if...well..." Rose turned her head so as to hide her embarassed face.
"You can ask without worry, I'm not going to bite." Sloth said, giggling again.
"Okay," Rose took a deep breath, "I was wondering if you knew if Edward had any interest in marriage." she said, nearly biting her tongue in the overflow of words. Sloth stood there for a moment in shock before her face formed into another smile as she laughed at Rose's flustered face.
"To be honest I'm not really sure, Rose. Though if you really want to know, I'd ask the person in question." Sloth turned towards the front door as it opened, letting in the outside sunlight. Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric, both in their fully restored bodies stepped through the doorway, placing their workcoats on the coatrack near the door.
"What's that, Mom?"
"Oh nothing, dear, just a little talk with your friend Rose." Sloth gave a little wink to Rose, which caused her to sink into feudal position as she sipped at her tea.
"Rose, you came over? You could have told me, I would've got something for you." Edward said, placing his satchel on his chair at the dinner table and washing his hands in the sink.
"Oh, no that's okay, I was just dropping in for a short visit." Rose gave an akward laugh before returning to her tea, feeling like she just said something stupid.
"Oh, brother, we almost forgot." Edward and Alphonse smiled at each other before standing next to each other and facing their mother.
"We're home, Mom!"
Sloth, the reborn Trisha Elric, smiled the biggest, warmest smile she could muster and whispered just so the boys could hear.
"Welcome Home, boys."