Chapter 2: Cursed

Princess Sango

When they arrived to the house Amethyst supposedly lived in, Ed and Al seemed taken about at how ancient it looked like. Opening the door all four entered to see the rooms look even more outdated. Ed thought maybe this was a dream, he just fainted while walking and Al was caring for him in another city, surely he couldn't be here in this place that looked almost…Amish.

Amethyst gestured to the table and they sat down while Amethyst pulled tea and biscuits out of somewhere and placed it on the table, "What brings you here? Please tell me you're here to help!"

"I'm not sure what you mean by that. I was just passing by," Ed said casually.

"Oh, then you're just a visitor," Amethyst said pouting.

"Amethyst, please be nice to our guests!" the man reprimanded her and Amethyst pouted even more before running off to another part of the house. "Please excuse her, she's not accepting the fact that she was born in a cursed place," he said tiredly.

"A cursed place?" the brothers asked him.

"Yes, and by the way, my name's Carl Able, who are you again?"

"Well I'm called Ed and that's my brother Al."

"You claim to be an alchemist; only one person has stopped by here that's known about alchemy before, a girl. She called herself Riza Hawkeye I suppose but she had to leave quickly."

Ed and Al gasped, "She came by here?"

"You know of her? How's she doing?"

"Fine as far as we know, but we're just shocked. How long ago was that?"

"I suppose ten years ago," Carl said, scratching his head.

Ed sighed, "So what's so cursed about this place?"

"Oh, now that I can tell you about! This place only shows up on Earth once every year. Other than that we're not here."

"Then where are you?"

"Not sure, but we're still alive so it doesn't mean a thing to us. Yet some people, like Amethyst, want out of this place. I'm old and don't care much for traveling outside here, but Amethyst wants out," Carl said, slightly spacing out.

"So why can't you leave?" Al asked politely.

"Not sure, but it says, the barrier, that you have to give up something to leave. The people that are born here that is and Amethyst was born here."

Amethyst suddenly appeared, "Can't I leave with them?"

Carl shook his head as Amethyst started crying and Al bent down to her level, "I don't think we can break that kind of field, can we brother?"

Ed looked down, "I'm not sure Al, but I'm going to try."

"Then I suggest you better hurry for we only stay here for a week."

Ed nodded as Amethyst pulled on his coat, "You'll try right?"

He smiled at the girl and nodded as he pat her head ruffling up her black hair. Al stood up and so did Ed, "I'll be back soon, I promise."

"Okay…" they both answered as they walked outside to see more people looking at them hopefully.

"Brother, we can't try, it's impossible. Maybe this field was created using equivalent exchange of alchemy."

"I know Al, but if it was, then maybe I could change that." Ed said hotly as he walked up to the barrier and tried a few of his own ideas on the barrier. Yet nothing could change it, nothing.

Amethyst came running towards them, "It's no use is it? When the elder passed the barrier wouldn't let people out anymore, or at least that's what I was told."

"Who was the elder? How old?"

Amethyst lowered her head, "Her name was Rika Star, but she died young, only 800 years of age. You see, the people here, they're immortal until they reach a thousand. They don't count birthdays but by when they reach Earth, it's a year for us. When I started life, I was born on Earth, and I want to explore as much as I can. You see, I'm ten in your life, but I'm actually just the simple age of twenty here, life spans are double here."

"You're so old yet young."

Amethyst nodded, "I know, but I was born when Riza showed up here! Don't ask me why but I can't shake off the feelings that I'm her child. I heard of a stranger leaving a child here, and I think I'm her. I'll never know if I don't leave, and I know Carl isn't my real dad! He's always told me someone outside of here loved me, and misses me. I can't help but think I'm her!"

Ed sighed, "Why don't you give something up then?"

"I don't know what to give up, I would if I could!"

"Wait brother, take a look at her, the black hair, the blue eyes, the determination," Al observed and it took Ed a second.

"You wouldn't think?" Ed asked shocked.

"Positive, it's probably Hawkeye's and Mustang's child," Al deducted.

"What, you think you know my real dad too?" Amethyst asked hopefully.

"Yeah, but he's not someone I'm fond of," Ed informed Amethyst half-heartedly.

Amethyst nodded as she looked longingly out past the barrier, "My parents are out there and I'm stuck in this place! I hate it!"

Al and Ed watched her walk off and they shook off her attitude, for they somehow understood how she felt, with a dad walking around somewhere, who they have given up on.

TBC…