A/N: Hi. So. I'm glad everyone's liking it so far.
Still no regrets. :)
Read, PLEASE REVIEW, and enjoy!
Edward Elric POV
No.
No. No. No. No!
It wasn't matching up.
None of these equations would ever work!
"I thought you were supposed to be a chemistry genius!" I screamed at the heavens, wishing that Hohemheim could hear me. "I still can't rely on you for anything!"
I was furious.
But who in the world would be able to help me?
Mr. Mustang? No. He didn't like me because of Ms. Hawkeye's opinions. There was no way I would talk to him. Hohemheim? Not a chance. Al?
There was a possibility.
Al wasn't a chemistry genius like me, but he loved chemistry as much as I did. He might question my motives for wanting to make alchemy real, but Al would probably cherish the chance to fix us.
And as much as I didn't want to be close to anyone...
I figured Al should be the one I should trust.
I ran to Aunt Pinako's home as fast as I could.
"Hey! Al!" I yelled as I slammed the front door. I threw my stuff on the ground beside it and ran up stairs. "Alphonse!"
Al poked his head out from his room, his eyebrows furring together. "Brother?"
"I need your help." I said, trying to catch my breath.
"You never need anyone's help." Al stared at me. "What?"
"I'm working on an experiment." I said, and then I cursed myself. I ran downstairs to grab Hohenheim's notes from my bag, and I sprinted back up the stairs. Then I pushed Al back into his room. "I want to figure out a way to make alchemy work."
Al shook his head. "Brother, it won't ever work. There's nothing that could ever make it work."
"But.. What if we found something to instate this principle that Hohenheim was talking about?" I demanded. "The equivalent exchange?"
Al looked at me, trying to see if I was serious.
"What could make things equal another?" I demanded again.
Al looked at me strangely. "How would you determine what's equal to another?"
"He said in his notes that alchemy is the science of knowing how to deconstruct matter and then reconstruct it to make something else." I explained, pointing at the notes and showing him. "So you'd have to memorize everything's structure down to the last molecule..."
"And have something to make the equation work." Al said, nodding. "Something to jump start the reaction and make it happen, so that way you can deconstruct and reconstruct the matter."
I nodded. "That's what he's missing. Everything else could work... But there's nothing to show that you could start the reaction in the first place."
Al thought for a moment. Then he gave me another strange look. "Why did you become so interested in making it work, Brother?"
I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "I've always liked alchemy. And if Mr. Mustang says there could be a way to make it work... Then why shouldn't I figure it out?"
"Why include me?"
I thought about his question. Then I gave the one answer I knew was true:
"You're my brother."
"That's never meant anything since Mom died." Al said, getting a harsher tone.
I faltered. It was true, I broke off all my relationships. I didn't... I didn't want to be hurt like that again. But I thought I always gave something to Al because he was my brother.
I guess I had a lot to learn.
So I just hung my head. "I'm sorry, Al."
Al was still giving me an angry look, but it softened a little bit. "I guess that'll do for right now." he murmured, then he shook his head. "What would help to start the reaction?"
"You have to know about the matter... But we need energy.."
"Natural energy?" Al suggested. "Natural energy's everywhere."
"But what kind of natural energy?" I questioned.
"I dunno. Tectonic?" Al shrugged. "Taking energy from the Earth?"
"But then there's the question of how to harness it."
Al stared at the notes for a moment. "Dad said-"
"He isn't our father." I glared at the ground.
Al rolled his eyes. "Hohenheim said that a circle shows the flow of power. He kept drawing circles everywhere... What are all these... Equations?"
I looked at what Al was pointing to. On the sides of the paper, there were symbols scribbled. I had never seen anything like them before, and I hadn't noticed them the first time I looked at the notes. "Those aren't equations. They're symbols."
"What are they?" Al asked, looking very interested now.
"I've no idea, Al." I shook my head. "Who do you think would know?"
"Mr. Mustang?"
"I'd rather not ask him." I mumbled.
"He's our best bet, Brother."
"Fine." I sighed. "We'll ask him tomorrow. But you have to be with me."
"I can live with that." Al nodded.
"Okay." I said. I stood, feeling a little awkward now. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then?"
"Yeah. Guess so." Al nodded again. "Night, Brother."
"Night, Al." I mumbled, moving to open the door.
"Brother?"
"Yeah, Al?"
"Thanks." I could hear the smile in his voice.
I smiled a little, but I didn't turn around as I waved my hand and shut the door.
Maybe this would be a good idea after all.
I began to walk back to my room, but a figure was waiting at my door.
And I definitely knew those glaring eyes.
"What do you want, Winry?" I groaned, stopping short of my room.
"What are you playing at?" she demanded, giving me her death glare that was specifically designed for me.
"Um.." I thought a moment. "I'm trying to figure out chemistry?"
"Stop lying. You've never needed help with chemistry." Winry growled, pointing her wrench at me. "You can't just start treating Al like nothing ever happened, like you didn't just abandon him-"
"I'm not." I cut her off short of her rant.
"Then what-"
"I'm getting him to help me with some of Hohenheim's notes. Is that alright with you?" I rolled my eyes.
Winry just glared at me.
"You know, I'm not such a bad guy."
"I haven't seen anything to make me believe that."
I sighed, exasperated. "Maybe I'm trying to fix things between me and Al? Maybe Al wants me to act like we're brothers again?" I gave her a hard look. "I don't have to have your permission with anything in my life."
"It's not just your life!" Winry snarled. "It's Al's, too!"
"He seemed fine-"
"Of course he seemed fine! He's too nice to tell you otherwise!"
"No, he asked me-rather bluntly, I might add-why I came to him, and I said-"
"I don't care!" Winry snarled again. "You can't just... You can't hurt him anymore! I won't let you!"
"Why do you care?"
"He's like my brother too-"
"And he actually is my brother."
Winry glared at me. "You've never treated him that way."
"And maybe I've changed!" I yelled at her. "People change, Winry."
Winry just stared at me. "It's a little late to-"
"Winry."
Al had opened his door and poked his head out. He looked tired. "Winry, Ed came and asked me for help. I said I would help him. I don't need you to watch out for me all the time."
"But Al-"
"Seriously. It's fine." Al insisted. "He's my brother, Winry. And if he decides he wants to fix our bond, then let him. You don't have to like it. But I can watch out for myself."
Winry just stared at him. Then she stuck out her chin. "Fine. Don't come crying to me when he turns his back on you." She stormed off, not looking back at either one of us.
I glanced at Al, trying to judge his expression. I couldn't-it was completely masked. "Al?"
"Brother?"
"Do you know why Winry hates me so much?"
Al shook his head. "When you left me, you left her too, Ed." Then he shut his door.
I had almost forgotten.
Winry, Al, and I were all friends when we were younger. Like really young. We played together and explored and got into trouble all the time.
But when I started to distance myself from Al, Winry started getting angry at me.
Al and Winry stopped playing games with me.
And since then, Winry gets mad at me for everything and calls me short everyday.
She hates me because she was trying to protect Al.
She's trying to give Al someone to love.
She's trying to give herself someone she can protect.
Like she couldn't protect her parents from Scar.
During the civil war in Ishval, Winry's parents went to act as surgeons. Many people we've met have told Winry what selfless people her parents were. Apparently, they not only healed every soldier from Amistress, but also healed all the Ishvallans.
Winry's proud of them.
But, while they were healing some Ishvallans, the mass murderer Scar made his first appearance.
They were helping him.
But he got up, and in a rage he murdered them and left.
They didn't even have a chance to be saved.
After then, Scar went on a murderous rampage. He wanted to avenge his people, so he began to kill all the men and women responsible for the war.
He killed at least twenty people before they caught him.
Scar now lives in a prison cell, awaiting the day when he's supposed to face the death penalty.
But that doesn't change the fact that Winry was crushed when she received a letter saying that her parents died.
And then, this year, that they finally found the man who actually killed them.
Now, apparently the only person she feels she can protect is Al.
From me.
