Chapter Two: Edward's Homesickness
Al led the way to Central headquarters. When they were in sight of the building, Edward stopped. "Ed, I thought you wanted to ask them about that man," Al said, glancing back at the teen.
"But I don't..." Edward began. He then reached into his pocket to find a silver pocket watch. "Oh," he said simply. He just happened to remember that he was wearing Ed's clothes. As it turned out, however, he didn't even need to show anyone the watch to get in. Everyone seemed to know him - or the Fullmetal Alchemist, actually.
Edward took a deep breath. "I already told you. His name was Clay Jonston. He used to be known as the Transparent Alchemist," Edward said slowly.
"And my answer is the same. There is no Transparent Alchemist nor has there ever been one," Hughes said with a shrug.
"Fullmetal - you're back," someone said in surprise as they passed the room.
Edward ignored the soldier. "Maybe he had a different name. He was known for altering people's eyes in a way to make himself appear invisible to anyone he chose. He had a transmutation circle on the palm of each hand." The man in front of him gave no indication of recognition.
"Hey! You found Fullmetal!" someone said with a smile.
That was it.
The last straw.
"Would everyone stop calling me that?! I'm not Fullmetal - I'm Edward Elric!" Edward shouted.
"Ed, I've known you for years and you've never minded people calling you by that name before," Hughes said in confusion.
"You don't know me! I've never met you before in my life! Err... I wish I never got pulled into this mess! I want to go home to Risembool and be with my mom and my real brother, and I want my arm back! And my leg! And I never want to see any of you ever again!" Tears had begun to cloud Edward's vision. "I'm not a dog of the military! - This isn't mine!" he yelled as he slammed his silver pocket watch down on the desk in front of him. He ran out the door. "This isn't mine, either!" he yelled, pulling off his red jacket as he blindly ran down the hall. People stopped to stare as he tore past them. "Neither are these!" he said as he tossed his white gloves to the floor.
"I think he lost it," Hughes commented as he watched from the doorway.
"Or this!" The Lieutenant Colonel barely dodged the mechanical arm that was chucked toward him.
Edward, missing an arm and clad in all back since he threw off the red jacket, rode in silence on the train. 'I remembered what this dimension's me said about his mother being dead, but I couldn't help think that if I go home, I'll be back in my dimension with my Al and my mom... And Mom would have a cake for me, with sixteen candles on top of it... As far as I know, this is all just a dream... I just know that everything's... different here. Nothing makes any sense. I guess that's why the other me wanted to find a way home after just one night. - Because everything was different for him, too.' Edward now stood before a vacant lot. An evening breeze played with his hair. He felt numb. He had been standing here for hours, but he didn't think he could leave. Reality had sunk in, and his mind seemed empty. Only hours ago, he had a headache from the amount of thoughts swirling around his head. But now... there was nothing left to think about.
"We burnt it down when we started our journey to find the philosopher's stone. There was no longer anything here for us."
Edward didn't take his eyes off the lot, but Al took it that he heard him. And since Edward didn't yell at him for following, Al also took it that he had clamed down.
"Here... I thought you would want these back," Al said as he held out the pile of things Edward had abandoned back at Eastern. Edward accepted the things, painfully re-attaching the automail arm and putting the jacket back on. Edward had faintly realized that it was getting cool out.
"Al... You know I'm not your brother, don't you?" Edward asked as he pulled on the gloves. He felt a little guilty for having yelled that he wanted his real brother back. Looking up at the suit of armor, he imagined that Al would have given him a confused expression if he could. "Your brother appeared in my world three days ago - after following a guy named Jonston through a dimensional portal. After spending the night with us, he decided to find a way back to this world, and you. ...But something went wrong and I'm here instead of him."
"Then where is my brother?" Al asked.
"I'm not sure..." Edward said as he looked away from Al. Edward then held up the silver watch Al had given him a moment ago. The watch slowly rotated as he held it up by the chain. He opened the lid to see a date carved on the inside, then closed it and put it in his pocket. "Al, when did you two burn the house burn down?"
"October 1910," Al answered, wondering why he had asked. Edward figured that he would have craved the date on the watch, if he were him.
"When he was in my world, your brother made me promise him that I wouldn't try to bring back mom in the event that anything were to happen to her. At the time, I didn't think I would keep that promise, but now I know that I will."
"My brother and I had to go through a lot because of our attempt and I don't want that to happen to you two. Understand?" Ed had said with a harsh voice.
"Now I partly understand why he was so insistent."
There was a moment of silence before Al said anything. "...It's getting dark out. We should leave."
Edward nodded, noticing the darkening sky for the first time. "Do the Rockbells still live here in this world?"
"Yeah. We spent a few days with them right before my brother disappeared. They'll wonder why we're back so soon."
"Tell them I wanted to spend the rest of my birthday with them. ...I just want a bed," Edward said as he began walking in the direction of their house.
--End Chapter--
I've edited this chapter, but I think I'll leave the original chapter notes, and add some more...
First, I'll tell what I changed in this chapter. The man Edward was talking to used to be Mustang, and it was in Eastern, but then I changed it to Central and Hughes - partly because of "What Could Have Been", since I'd changed the location there, and Edward appeared where Ed had left. I also added in that about him having known Ed for years and Edward saying he never met him before. I also changed the part about the watch, after finding out that Ed never told Al about the watch (at least not this far into the anime...), so he didn't ask Al if that was the date the house was burnt down, but decided to keep it a secret and ask when the house was burnt down. And finally, I added in everything after - not this, just after this - "Do the Rockbells still live here in this world?" - because I haven't mentioned the Rockbells after this chapter, and because I decided to have the story take place right after they stayed there for a few days...
My Original Chapter Notes (words in bold are new):
Hmm... Seems more serious than the chapters in the other story, doesn't it?
Well, I figure that Ed wasn't so upset in the other story when he was in Edward's dimension, since Edward's dimension is the 'nice' dimension. That, and people didn't mistake him for his double. (also... notice that Edward's only plan to get back had been destroyed right before he blew up. While in Edward's dimension, Ed seemed to have the right perception of what was going on, like when he knew that Tucker must have been lying, because he knew the Tucker of his own world. For Edward, though, he knew about the Jonston of his dimension, but his beliefs about their dimensions being somewhat the same were crushed when being told that Jonston doesn't exist)
What it is that made Edward understand why Ed was insistent on Edward promising not to bring his mother back if she were to die... I'm not sure, exactly. Interpret it any way you like, I guess. I think it's just an Ed thing... Al would be a big part of it, though, I guess. And maybe the dog of the military thing.
Anyone notice that Ed didn't appear in this chapter (except for a flashback)? Huh... I wonder what that means about the next chapter... (Well, I guess I should wait and see what I'll write for the next chapter before saying anything, but it only seems fair to have a whole chapter about Ed, next. - If I can think of enough things to happen...)
By the way, I think I'll try to change the title of this story... What do you think it should be? Maybe "The Path Home" "A World Not My Own" "Dimensional Difficulties" "Self Discoveries"? Any suggestions? (--I did change the title of this story. It was "The Other Side of Me" but now it's "Living In The Mirror.)
