Notes: For those of you who don't know what Bluebird's Illusion is, it's a fan made game for Fullmetal Alchemist. The basic plotline is that Al's body was restored; however, it's only a temporary container, and he's experiencing a rejection. (And I may as well spoil this because the game is in Chinese and therefore the only way to learn of the plot is through spoilers, but if you do happen to care, well, don't cry to me!)
Well, things happen and there are four endings. You need only be concerned of one.. or two, but I'll tell you the important one: Ed sacrifices himself so that Al has a permanent body and in the process, Ed becomes a vegetable. Not literally.. (Although that would be amusing..) Just not all there. Of course, that's the ending I'm using, if you couldn't tell..
Anyways, there's a good community on livejournal called blubrdsillusion.
Ed is 18, therefore Al is 17.
'Thoughts'
Spoilers: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, possibly some of the FMA anime and manga, and the Bluebird's Illusion fan-game.
Summary: Bluebird's Illusion x Harry Potter: Al, unable to find any medical means to help his brother, decides to make a deal of his own: in exchange for teaching at Hogwarts, Dumbledore promises to do everything he can to help the older Elric, but will everything go as planned or will there only be more heartache?
Rated: PG-13 for strange ideas, language, and because I don't know how to rate. (As usual)
Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, Bluebird's Illusion, or Harry Potter because ah well.. Heh.
How We Long For Heaven
Chapter 1: Equivalent Exchange
"Brother? How are you feeling today?" Alphonse Elric asked as he walked to the drapes and pulled them aside, allowing the golden rays of the midday sun to light up the small but cozy room. The young man turned to smile sadly at his older brother who was currently staring blankly at some spot on the wooden floor; however, Al was used to this now. After all, it had been a year since the incident.
Currently, the older Elric was dressed in all white; his automail hand reflecting the rays of the sun back onto the wall. His hair was loosely tied back (Al didn't know what to do with the hair since braiding it only brought back tender reminders), and his golden eyes were blank, a far cry to the person he was before.
It was painful to see Edward like this.
Al, on the other hand, was back in his body, permanently, thanks to Ed's sacrifice. He himself had short blonde hair, but no artificial limbs, and wore a simple white shirt and jeans. Al found he simply didn't have the strange tastes in clothes like his older brother.
"It's a nice day out," Al commented, turning to look out the window, enjoying the sun. However, he noticed something interesting; there was an owl perched on his windowsill!
"Err, hello there, little fellow. What are you doing here at this hour?" Al asked, petting the bird. It was then that he noticed that the large barn owl was carrying a letter.
The teen removed it with curiosity and turned it over. The envelope was a heavy parchment and was addressed in green ink to – Al felt his heart twinge and sudden tears clouded his vision – the Fullmetal Alchemist, his brother. However, ever since giving up everything for Al, people had stopped calling Ed by his second name.
Forgetting all about the bird, who took off, Al walked slowly to the bed in the corner of the small room and sat down heavily, still staring at the letter while millions of questions ran through Al's head: Who could've sent this? Why was it sent to brother? Was this some sort of sick joke? Why did he send it by owl?
Of course, none of them could be answered unless Al opened the letter, and for some inexplicable reason, Al didn't want to tear the paper.
After what seemed like hours, Al tore open the paper and read.
Dear Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist,
We would like you to teach at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Sorcery as a new subject, Alchemy. I would like to meet with you at about dinner to discuss any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Dumbledore
"This has to be a joke," Al muttered, looking up from the paper at his brother. "There isn't such a thing as 'witchcraft', right, brother? After all, if there was.."
What was the point of your sacrifice?
Al closed his golden eyes and let a few hot tears drop to the parchment on his lap. Suddenly, the sun-filled room wasn't so warm or comforting.
Hours passed, and there was a soft knock on the door. Al shifted from his position and blearily rubbed his eyes. "When did I fall asleep?" he muttered, looking at the clock, which now read about 5:30. He felt paper in his hand and looked down. 'Right...'
Al crumpled the parchment in his hand. 'I'll just tell them to go away,' he thought as he got up from the bed and answered the door.
Standing in the doorway was an old man whose twinkling eyes reminded Al disturbingly of Lieutenant Colonel Armstrong. "Why, hello there! May I please come in? It's been a very long journey, and I'm rather tired."
"Err, ummm, sure.." Al replied hesitatingly and stepped aside, allowing the strangely clad man into the small house. In fact, he reminded Al very much of fairy tale wizards and the like except for the fact that his clothes weren't black, but instead a light blue with giant stars parading across the cloth.
"Ahh, that's better," the man smiled, walking into the kitchen and sinking into a chair at the table.
"Umm, who are you?" Al asked, following him, flicking on the light switch as he entered the kitchen himself. While on the dark doorstep, Al hadn't noticed just how old this guy was. "Ah, and would you like some tea?" Al asked as an after thought, trying to be polite to his elderly guest.
"Tea would be wonderful! I am the headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. I've come to ask you to take a teaching position at the school as professor of Alchemy."
Al's face darkened. "I'm afraid you have the wrong person." Turning, he smiled sadly. "You see, I am not the Fullmetal Alchemist."
"You.. aren't? But I was under the impression-"
"A common mistake..." Al waved it off nonchalantly and turned back to boiling the water as though it were a task that required much attention.
"Can you tell me where it is I can find him then?"
Al continued preparing the tea in silence as Dumbledore studied him, realizing the gravidity of his question. After the tea was ready, Al set everything on the table, glanced at Dumbledore, then looked away.
"The Fullmetal Alchemist... Edward Elric.. I'm afraid he won't be able to accept your offer on any terms or conditions. I'm sorry."
"But why is that? Can I not meet him face to face?"
"Even if you did, it wouldn't do any good.."
He can't hear you, just like he can't hear me or Winry or...
"I see. Then would it be possible to meet his brother? I believe he did have one?"
"I am his brother. My name is Alphonse Elric. I'm afraid I will also be unable to take the position as professor as well, for different reasons." Al poured his guest some tea and then glanced up at the bedroom door, which was behind the old man. He was starting to worry about his brother being all alone in the room for so long, and this batty old man just wouldn't leave!
"But I must have a teacher for Alchemy! You see, I believe dark times are ahead. If my students were to learn this science, they would be better adapted to fight this darkness and prevail. However, without this knowledge, I'm afraid all will be lost." Dumbledore explained urgently.
"I'm sorry, sir. But I must stay and care for my brother."
"Your brother? Edward Elric? Where is he?" The old wizard's eyes darted around the room as though he expected to see the elder Elric secreted away in some corner of the room.
Al sighed. 'This man is being very insistent,' he thought irritably to himself. 'I guess I have no choice then.'
"If you must meet him.. Come." Al got up from the table and led the way to the small bedroom.
"Brother, we have a visitor.." Al said before entering the room and turning on the lights. (He hadn't bothered to see if the headmaster was following; Al knew he was.) The younger Elric was not surprised at all to see that Ed was still staring at the same spot on the floor. In fact, it would seem that his brother had not even moved, which wouldn't be a surprise at all. It was as though Ed was forever posing for some outdated pinhole camera1 and simply waiting for the photographer to announce that he was done so that Ed could move again.
Dumbledore studied Ed for a few minutes then turned back to Al; his eyes seemed bereft of the sparkle that they contained when the old man entered the house; it seemed he understood the gravidity of Edward's condition. "Alphonse, I know little of alchemy and its workings; however, I'm willing to make a deal with you, or rather, an equivalent exchange; I believe that is what you alchemists live by.
"In any case, because you have little understanding of magic, I will do everything within my power to find a cure for your brother if you will work for me at Hogwarts."
Al studied the headmaster, weighing his choices; there really wasn't much to consider though. If he stayed here, there wasn't any greater chance of his brother recovering than if he went somewhere else, especially since alchemy would not be the cure; his research already proved this. Furthermore, this school focused on magic, something Al did not understand, and if there was to be a cure.. Well, it was a possibility.
However, it would mean that Al would not be so involved in Ed's health, but was it a risk worth taking?
"Alright, I'll go."
It would seem so.
1 – Pinhole cameras – For those of you who have never taken a photography class, a pinhole camera is an annoying little bugger and is literally what it sounds like: A PINHOLE CAMERA. In other words, it's a camera using a hole the size of a pin to allow light to pass through it in order to create a negative image by the varying degrees of the strengths of light. Because there is no flash or other things like that, the cameras have to stay in one location for a certain amount of stupid time where, if it is not held in complete stationary joy, the image will be fuzzy.
Well, how was it? o.o Please leave a review?
And maybe if someone wants to be my beta? (If you couldn't tell, I didn't have a beta for this chapter.. I didn't feel like asking my brother. He might've bit my head off for using Harry Potter.. ) Although, as beta, you might never get another chapter.. Heh. I'm so bad about updating! (Because..uh.. I have this great trepidation of posting... .. )
By the way, the title was from Lost Heaven by L'Arc-en-Ciel. Other suggestions are appreciated (For the title, I mean.. and the story)
Razra
