I don't own FullMetal Alchemist or Darlin by Avril Lavigne. However, I do own Gwen and the Harrisons. Thanks to DarknessArises98, Owlgrrl, Happymeday, and StoneArmAlchemist for alerting and/or reviewing. Critique and flames welcome. Read on :)
Chapter Two: Welcome to it All
My eyes fluttered open and I sat up to observe my surroundings. White nothingness. I blinked my eyes a few times, even rubbed them with the palms of my hands, but to no avail. The whiteness was still there. I closed my eyes and thought back to before. Wind whipping, black hands slowly eating away at my existence... am I dead? Or is this some sort of limbo for those who dared to cross into the domain of the dead? I could feel a wave of panic building up inside of me as I thought on it some more.
Will I ever get home? Who was going to pay my rent? And what about Mr. and Mrs. Harrison? And... the kids. Melanie and Tommy. Where were they? Are they dead? Or are they sitting in a wide expanse of nothingness like me? Oh crap, I am the worst babysitter in the history of horrible babysitters! First, I had allowed Melanie to make a shape thingy that was supposed to create a zombie. Then, I didn't help her when she was fading away into nothingness. And now, they are alone and probably scared or worse, dead. I groaned and laid back down. Yup, I was so gonna lose this job.
And that is when I noticed the door. It was taller than a house and about as wide as two of me put together. It had circle things on it and they were all connected to... branches? Whatever, the point was is that might be my way out. I rolled over onto my stomach and pushed myself up onto my two feet. I ran towards the door, hoping that it wouldn't disappear like a mirage. I put my hand on it and it was cold, like metal or stone. I gave a great heave, expecting it to give way and reveal a magical meadow of daisies that I would skip through singing, "La la la" off into the sunset. You can guess what happened.
I rubbed my hands together and pushed again. The door wouldn't budge. I tried prying it open. The only thing I achieved from that were sore fingers. WHY WON'T THIS GODDAMNED DOOR OPEN! I prepared myself for my final attack. Placing my feet a shoulder widths apart, I bent down slightly and breathed on my hands. I rubbed them together and faced the door with the best poker face I could muster. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
"OPEN SESAME!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I swear I heard crickets.
I groaned and let my arms fall down to my sides in defeat. I was too busy wallowing in self pity to notice a white shape outlined in shadows approach.
"Why hello there," a strangely familiar voice said from behind me.
Startled, I spun around quickly and held my hands up in a defensive pose.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you," the white shape spoke again. It smiled toothily as if it was enjoying some sort of inside joke that I wasn't a part of.
I uncertainly lowered my arms to my sides again. "Who are you?" I questioned.
The white shape smirked as if it got that question alot. Who knows, it probably did. "Well, I go by many names. Some people call me God, the World, the Universe... I am one, I am all," it paused and looked at me. Or at least I think it did. It had no eyes, or any facial features besides a mouth for that matter. "I am you."
I looked around me, hoping that thing was talking about someone else. Sadly, I was alone.
"So, uhh... by any chance do you know how I can get out of here?"
The white shape's hand guestured behind me. I looked to where it was pointing, hoping to see a white, shadow outlined taxi service. But all that was there was that wretched door.
"Yah... about that. It won't open," I told it.
I didn't think it was possible, but the shape's smile grew even wider. "Oh it opens, but you'll need to pay a toll."
I shrugged, thinking about the money in my back pocket. "Okay, how much?" I asked as I pulled my wallet out.
"So you want to go through? Heh, that's a first." Something nagged at the back of my brain. Where had I heard that voice before? "As you wish." The shape stepped back a few steps. I heard a creaking from behind me. I turned and nearly peed my pants.
A giant sideways eye was staring back at me, unblinking. Then I noticed the black hands from before. Anything involving them was never good. I backed away slowly, shaking my head slowly at first and then, as the black hands got closer, faster. "No, no," I mumbled.
"This is what you asked for! There's no turning back now, girly!" The shadow outlined shape shouted.
A lightbulb went off in my head. That voice was my own. "Wait!" I screamed as the black hands shot out and entangled me once more. The shape just stared at me, smiling wickedly.
The black hands were pulling me through the doors and closer to the eye. I tried to grab for anything, but there was nothing. I screamed, but no one was there to hear it. The doors closed and I faced what was on the other side.
I woke up to a soft tongue licking my face and teeth nibbling at my clothes. I yawned and rolled over onto my side. I just layed there for a second before I realized how abnormal that was.
"GAH! GET AWAY FOUL BEASTS!" I screamed as I sat up, flapping my arms around wildly.
"Uhh... Gwen? Look around you," a solemn voice advised. I did as I was told and immediately my face fell. The foul beasts I was so afraid of were big fluffy sheep. Yeah, so scary. I turned towards the general area where the voice had come from. I caught my breath. Melanie. My head whipped around wildly as I searched for Tommy. He was chasing a blue butterfly with the happiest expression on his face. Did he even realize what was going on? I rubbed my temples. Gah, my brain felt like I had just crammed for a big test.
Ignoring the throbbing pain in my noggin, I crawled through the sheep over to Melanie. She had her knees drawn up close to her chest and her head was resting on them. Her arms were folded and part of them were hidden from view. I sat down next to her casually, my hands absentmindedly twirling pieces of grass.
We sat quietly for a few minutes before I finally broke the silence.
"So... where are we exactly?" I asked her.
"Risembool, if the impossible amounts of sheep and rolling hills are any indication," she responded.
It was quiet again.
"What did you lose?" she asked, looking at me out of the corners of her eyes.
"Huh?" I responded smartly.
She rolled her eyes and mumbled something that sounded like, "Can she get any dumber?". Who knows, I could be wrong. "What did you lose when you crossed through the gate?" she rephrased.
"...You mean that huge door with the circles and branches?" I asked, thoroughly confused.
"Yes," she assured me, the eye I could see beginning to twitch. "What part of your body did you have to give up as your toll for crossing over?"
Something in my brain clicked. "Ummm..." I mumbled as I assessed my body. Both arms, both legs... I took off my shoes and socks to check my piggies. Yup, all ten of them still there. "I'm all here. Maybe that white shadow thing took my money as payment..."
"Or maybe he took what was left of your brain," she remarked snarkily.
"Okay, look-" I stopped mid comeback when I noticed her eyes, or eye. In her annoyance, she had turned her face fully towards me so I got a good look at it. The eye farthest from me, the left one, was badly scarred, swollen shut, and bleeding some. Small scars and purple bruises covered the entire left half of her face and the ear on that side was badly mangled. Biting her bottom lip, she turned her face away from me, the good eye shining with tears.
I scooted closer to her, my arm outstreched. "I-I'm so sorry," I stuttered, unsure of how to comfort her.
Melanie frustratedly wiped her eye, careful to avoid the entire left side of her face. "We should get going, we won't accomplish anything by just sitting here," she said, her voice breaking as she got up. She hurriedly waded through the sea of sheep towards Tommy, causing a few bahs of protest here and there. I looked at the empty space she had just recently occupied, a million questions running through my mind.
"Why?" I asked a nearby sheep. He just looked at me lazily and then went back to grazing.
We were walking along a county road. My shoes were back on and Melanie had taken to ignoring me. Tommy was walking next to me, taking in his surroundings quietly. Although, it's not like he had a choice. Turns out, he had lost his voice. It was his "payment" to cross through the gate. (That whole concept still blows my mind, but Melanie refuses to dumb it down for me.) I had found out when I had tried to start up casual conversation. Turns out walking down a lonesome road with nothing but hills, sheep, and the occasional house to look at for hours on end makes you bored. Who knew?
"So um... Melanie. How is school?"
Silence with a dash of cold glare.
Okay, that was awkward. That look made me scared to check if the second or third time was the charm. So I did what any incredibly bored seventeen year old would do. I began talking nonsense to a three year old.
"So Tommy, do you believe in unicorns?"
Silence.
"If you do, I fully support you in your crazy notions."
Silence.
I looked down and noticed that instead of looking at me, he was staring at his feet. Melanie had sped up, but I could still hear her choked noises. "Am I missing something?" I wondered out loud.
"No," Melanie spat ahead of us. "You're perfectly fine, but Tommy on the other hand has lost his voice." Her voice dropped lower to a volume she probably thought I couldn't hear. "It's all my fault..."
Woah, talk about angst. "Look, Mel, it isn't-"
"Don't," she cut me off. "It is my fault. If I hadn't tried to bring stupid grandmother back we wouldn't be in this mess. Me and my dumb arrogance." Her voice sounded thick.
Okay. One, grandmother? What was she going on about? And two, I have to agree with her on the arrogance part. That was dead on. Pushing these thoughts to the back of my mind I tried to think of ways to help this distraught preteen. What had my mother always done to cheer me up when I had had a bad day at school? Oh yeah. I lifted Tommy up in my arms and conveniently quickened my pace until I was right next to Melanie. Here goes nothing.
Darling
you're hiding in the closet once again,
start smiling
Melanie looked over at me with an expression that was a cross between bewilderment and annoyance. I shrugged. Tommy clutched his ears, probably wishing that the shadow outlined white thing had taken his hearing too. I went on.
I know you're trying
real hard not to turn your head away
pretty darling
face tomorrow, tomorrow is not yesterdaaay
Yesterday oh oooooh
"You do realize that you can't sing, right?" she commented harshly, her words softened by confusion. I ignored her and continued on with my tone deaf melody.
Pretty please
I know it's a drag
wipe your eyes and put up your head
I wish you could be happy instead
There's nothing else I can do
But love you the best that I can
yeah yeah yeah yeah
She rolled her eyes, realizing that I would continue no matter what harsh words she sent my way. Apparently Tommy realized this too. He squirmed out of my arms and went a little ways ahead. Close enough to still be in sight, but far enough away to not hear us, namely me.
Darling
I was there once a while ago
I know
that it's hard to be stuck with
people that you love
when nobody trusts
She grinned a little, but masked it with annoyance. She turned her face away from mine and pretended to be examining the evening sky.
Pretty please
I know it's a drag
wipe your eyes and put up your head
I wish you could be happy instead
There's nothing else I can do
But love you the best that I can
yeah yeah yeah yeah
that I can ooooh
I draped my arm across her shoulders like I was an old friend and looked at the evening sky with her as we continued to walk. Much to my surprise, she didn't shrug me off. I smiled to myself. At least I was able to do something right.
You're not the only one who's been through
I've been there alone and now so are you
I just want you to know, want you to know it's not your fault.
I stopped and held both of her shoulders, facing her head on. I stared into her one good light green eye and she defiantly met my brown ones. I could see pain and self loathing in that eye. Something no child should have. I spoke the next words more than sing them.
it's not your fault
Your fault, your fault
it's not your fault
Your fault, your fault, your fault
Her eye welled up with tears and I could see her struggling to hold them back. This time she did shrug my hands off of her shoulders and began to walk again. I followed and quickly caught up. I continued singing horribly.
Pretty please
I know it's a drag
wipe your eyes and put up your head
I wish you could be happy instead
There's nothing else I can do
But love you the best that I can
Melanie sighed and muttered a small, "Thanks". She even went as far as to smile. Sure it was wierd because half her face was a bruised cut mess, but it was a smile none the less. I grinned and began to skip backwards, becoming cocky. I sang even louder than before, not caring whose evening I interupted.
Pretty please
I know it's a drag
wipe your eyes and put up your head
I wish you could be happy instead
There's nothing else I can do
But love you the best that I can
yeah yeah yeah yeah
that I can ooooh
Melanie's eyes traveled to behind me and her eyes lit up. I didn't bother to turn around to see what it was, but I did notice that out lonesome country road was now bordered by twin walls of stone.
Darling
you 're hiding in the closet once again,
start smiliiiiiiiing oooooh OOOF!
I finished the song with a bang... literally. My back was now on the ground and I was staring up at the sky. I felt a dull throbbing in the back of my head. Welcome back headache. Long time, no see. I heard laughter next to me. Well, at least Melanie's troubles weren't haunting her for the time being.
Groaning, I sat up to look at what I had tripped over. It was a black and white dog with a... metal leg? Tommy was crouched down, petting the dog with a sad look on his face.
"Oh yeah, I'm just fine you guys. Thanks for asking," I muttered sarcastically as I got up off the hard grassy ground.
Melanie was too busy rolling on the ground laughing at my failure to stay upright to notice. The dog Tommy was petting got a wiff of us and began barking- LOUD. That shut Melanie up. She had a panicked look on her face and I was frantically looking for a place to hide. Grass... grass... grass... CRAP WHY IS THERE SO MUCH GRASS!
"Ed! Go check whose at the door!" A female voice yelled from inside the house.
"Yeah, yeah Winry. Don't get your panties in a bunch," a voice responded lazily, probably male and, I'm going out on a limb here, Ed.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!" The female voice, which I'm guessing belongs to Winry, sounded angry and verging on insane.
"No-nothing..." 'Ed' covered nervously.
The barking died down and Melanie, Tommy, and I were huddled together. I didn't know about them, but I was fearing for my life. What if these people were crazy rednecks who had a taste for cute teens and light brown haired children? What if it was legal here to kill trespassers? Or worse, what if they didn't invite us in for dinner?
The door opened and the black and white metal limbed dog trotted to it. Great, that damn canine was gonna rat us out. Hello death.