Hi people! This is a short chapter but I have more coming. I just got stuck on a bump and am lacking inspiration on where to go next. I know what's going to happen but I don't know what's going to happen and I can't exactly find out how to write it down.

I think I just described writers block.

Well, there's a poll on my profile about my stories if you guys want to check it out.

Plus I apologize in advance if nothing updates for a while. This week is exam week and...I don't even want to think about it.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do not own


There was darkness, it gripped him, pulled at him and suffocated him until it was useless to struggle anymore.

Sometimes he didn't even know who he was.

But the voices screaming and crying in the dark seemed to know him better than he did.

'Monster!'

'FullMetal Report!'

'Dead. Mom's dead.'

'Philosopher's stone is the answer.'

'Brother…why do you hate me?'

'Edward Elric, listen to your father!'

'All is one, one is all.'

They shouted, sometimes repeating themselves and the constant noise didn't help him with his own thoughts.

Edward.

Was that his name?

He didn't remember.


Someone was speaking to him, in a hushed whisper. It was clearer now, everything.

"Just take a sip, you need something or you'll just get worse."

There was a cup pressed to his lips but Ed couldn't see it only feel the tempting water lapping against his chapped lips.

He took a sip before he was practically downing the thing down.

The cup was take from his lips.

Ed whined at the loss and a comforting hand ran through his hair. It reminded Ed of his mother. Maybe this was heaven.

"Mom?"

"Shhh, just go back to sleep."

And the hand stayed there, running through his hair as Ed drifted off into sleep.

Konan replaced the wet towel from the blonde's forehead, as she rinsed it in cool water before placing it back on.

To say it surprised the members of the Akatsuki when Deidra and Itachi came back with a small package was an understatement.

But Itachi wasn't letting go of the boy anytime soon. Something in the blond must have pulled at Itachi to have affected him so much.

Deidra gave the report, adding some side comments about psychopathic blonds. Kisame not able to resist said, "That's nothing new, we've had a blonde for a very long time already what's another one going to do?"

Deidra wasn't the least bit happy and continued throwing mini bombs at Kisame throughout the day. Then when Kisame finally snapped they had a friendly battle outside.

The other members only showed only a feint interest in the blond and when they saw the teen, satisfying their curiosity and concluding that the teen was of no interest to them.

They did not understand the fascination Itachi had with the teen.

Konan silently watched the teen sleep. The teen looked at peace. But she knew better. This child held more shadows than he did light.

Konan sighed and ran a hand through the golden hair, wishing and hoping.

She had always wanted children.


Ed could sense Truth before he heard him. It irked him, that he was so used to Truth's presence.

"Look who came back…"

"Not by choice…" Ed muttered.

Truth sat in front of him, toying with some marbles on the floor.

"Ah…Yes, yes, I was afraid this would happen."

Truth's tone was nonchalant, Ed waited.

"You are not used to the world they are from. Gravity has less force, the food is different even the air you breath and the sun which shines down on you, it will all affect you in some way."

The thoughts brewed in Ed's mind, wondering if that meant he could die.

Truth waved a hand at him, as if reading the thought but did not look at him. The marbles had his undivided attention.

"You will not die. Your body is just changing to get used to the world as you humans know, everything goes through evolution."

It didn't reassure Ed. It made him seem more of a freak than he already was. Glass clashing against each other sounded and Ed's eyes were drawn towards them.

The beautiful colors inside them were swirling, clouds of all colors, dark and mysterious. Swirling silver and shining gold and as Ed looked deeper within….

The marbles were swept into Truth's hand and Ed snapped out of the trance.

"Do not dare to look at them longer than a second. You do not want to lose your sanity sooner than you have to."

Truth warned, "You will look at them forever, wishing to be them."

Ed froze and whispered in a horrified tone, "Them?"

Truth nodded, cradling them in his hands as if they were small children.

"Lost souls— Never moving forward, not allowed in any of the gates… always stuck in-between."

Truth's white blank eyes now were focused on him, "if you do not find who you are. You too will be a lost soul."

"Wha—"

Something was pulling at him, tugging with so much force that he almost fell backwards.

Truth nodded, "it is time for you to return. Do remember our oath."

"But—"

"Go!" Truth snarled.

Little hands grabbed ahold of Ed, hungry but not daring to have a taste or they would have to suffer their master's wrath.

Ed's vision faded slowly but his eyes did not move from Truth's form. He was looking at the marbles with such sadness and despair, the image was burned into Ed's mind.

He guessed even Truth had secrets and emotions. Who would have guessed?