"Now let's see what is wrong with your leg." The Earl starts to walk over but pauses. "May I ask a question?"
"What is it?" asks Edward.
"Why are your arm, and leg metal?" Al started looking nervously from Ed to the Earl and back. Ed looked slightly surprised but got over it quickly.
"Why do you want to know?" Ed watched him suspiciously.
"I noticed your arm and leg creaked slightly when they moved, and they seemed too cold to be flesh and blood." The Earl seeing the looks the two were giving him added, "You don't have to answer if you don't want to. It was only a question." Ed looked away but did answer.
"I lost my arm and leg during the Eastern war. I joined the army as a state alchemist when I was 12. To try and make the word a better place for others, and to try and help Winry get over the loss of her parents. They were doctors who were killed when they went to be surgeons in the war." (1)
"Ed…" Ed turned to Al, who watched him nervously, "I think you are 12."
"What are you talking about Al?" Ed was getting confused.
"You look exactly the way you did when you took the state alchemy exam… 4 years ago. "Well needless to say Edward was shocked.
"But that's impossible Al."
"See for yourself." Al replied, gesturing to the mirror across from the bed.
Looking where Al indicated… He WAS 12 again! 'This can't be happening! It goes against every law of science and nature! ...and yet it is real.' Ed thought to himself, his expression one of shocked disbelief.
"Guess I'm the older brother now. Ne Edward."
"Great," , sarcasm obvious in his voice,"Now I'm a head …shorter … than you." Grinding his teeth and flinching when he admitted he was shorter than Al.
"Well anyway about your leg…"
"Yes." said Edward thankful for the change of subject.
"I have some experience with machines, and I might be able to fix it. May I have a look?"
"Sure." Ed takes off his shoes, socks, pants, and jacket and is left in just his polka dot boxers, black tank top, and gloves.
After inspecting it a moment the Earl says, "Well it looks as thought nothing is wrong on the outside. Can you take it off so I can get a better look?"
"Alright." He fingers the release switch. "Al, help me with this will you."
"Ok." Al placed his hand on the release switch and held the automail up a bit. "Ready?"
"Yeah." Ed was lying against the numerous pillows.
The Millennium Earl looked from one boy to the other before asking, "Does it hurt you to take it off?"
"Yeah a little, but it's not nearly as bad as putting it back on."
"Ed?" He turns back to Al and nods. "1… 2… 3." As Al detached it a feeling like several needles being put in all at once shot through Ed's leg, but faded very quickly. Al holds it out to the Earl, Who just watches them. "What?"
"You seem to be overly willing to give me honest answers to personal questions to a person you just met. Is there a specific reason?" He takes the automail leg from Al.
Al, lowering his arms, looks at his feet. "I knew I couldn't get brother back on my own because we failed once toge-"
"Al!" Ed interrupted, "He doesn't need to know that."
"Alright brother."
Looking from one boy to another the Earl said, "Forget I asked then." The Earl takes the automail leg over to the desk. Several minutes later he comes back. "I have never seen machinery like this. My tinkering with it will only make it worse." (A/N: this is not out of character this is how the Millennium Earl acts towards the Noah)
"Yeah Winry is probably the only one who could fix it." said Al getting up. "She was the one who made it after all. I could show you where she lives."
"Thank you Tyki, I know you're eaves dropping, you will go with him.'
Tyki stepped in smiling. "You caught me." He walks over to Alphonse. "Where to?"
"Riesmbole (sp?), our hometown."
"All right, hold on to my sleeve." Al did so and they were once again surrounded by butterflies and when they cleared they were standing on the platform of the train station. (A/N: don't ask how Tyki knows where to go he just does) Al grabbed Tyki's wrist and started running down the road to Winry's.
"Whoa! Slow down kid!" Tyki was trying to keep up with the now hyper child that still had a firm hold on his wrist. "What's the rush?"
"First of all my name is Alphonse but everyone calls me Al. Second, I haven't been home to see Winry in a long time." They just spotted her house so Al slowed down a bit.
Winry sees them from the balcony. "Hey, Al! Nice to see you back again!" Al pauses outside the door. "Come on in I'll be down in a second." They go in a each sit down on one side of the couch, as Winry comes down the stairs, Pinako also comes in from the kitchen to welcome Al back.
"Well Alphonse it's good to see you again."
"You two Aunt Pinako." Winry comes in.
"Hey, Al." She looks to Tyki. "Who is your new friend?"
Tyki gets up. "My name is Tyki Mikk. May I assume you are Mrs. Winry?" He asks as he holds out his hand.
She shakes the offered hand and replies, "Yes you may. I'm Winry Rockbell best automail mechanic this side of Amestris. This is my grandma, Pinako Rockbell." (A/N: In my fic Amestris is our USA)
"Please to meet you Mr. Mikk." said Pinako also shaking his hand.
"Please, just call me Tyki."
"Brother's back!" Alphonse shouted. Winry paled, for what reason Tyki had no idea.
"Al you didn't try… that… again did you?"
"No. Tyki's friend helped me get him back but now I'm the older brother because Ed is 12 again."
"Excuse me," Tyki said, "But he likes everyone to call him the Millennium Earl."
"Ok Mr. Earl then." said Al still smiling. "But we need your help Winry."
"Why?" Winry went from nervous to mad. "He didn't break my automail again did he?" She said in a dangerous tone of voice.
It was Al's turn to pale. "Well… uh… yes" the last word said almost as a squeak.
Winry was mad now. "Alphonse Elric where is the idiot!?" She somehow already had her case of supplies ready and the wrench out.
Al shrank back and Tyki took a step away. "T-Tyki."
"Yes?" Tyki also was a bit nervous of Winry.
"Can you get us back to Ed?"
"Sure." He took a hold of their clothes and use the butterflies to get them back to the room where Ed sat nervous on the bed with the Early beside him. As soon as the purple butterflies cleared Tyki released them and both he and Al took a step away from Winry.
"Edward Elric!" Winry threw the wrench hitting Edward in the head before he could dodge.
"W-Winry?"
"I just find out you've come back and you've already broken my automail? How dare you!" In truth Winry was a little skeptical about the Millennium Earl helping to bring back Ed, but as long as he was back she let it go.
"Calm down Winry. I didn't break it, it just wouldn't work all of a sudden I swear!" Unluckily for Ed, Winry just retrieved her wrench and hit him with it again. Now by this point all those in the room had wisely backed as far away from Winry as possible though no one actually left.
"Are you saying I made it wrong!?"
"No! No! I swear I just don't know what the problem is, is what I meant!"
Winry sighed calming down a bit. As the others (except Ed) took a few tentative steps toward her. "Fine just show me it so I can find the problem." The Earl still slightly nervous but still smiley as always pointed to the desk.
The Earl said I would have fixed it myself if I knew how."
Looking over to him Winry said, "You the Millennium Earl Al told me about?"
"Yes Mrs-?"
"Winry, Winry Rockbell." she shook his hand. "Hajimemashite Mr. Earl. Thank you for bringing back Ed."
"No trouble. I only wish to help." Winry gave him a searching look but pushed back her skepticism.
"Hey! Are you going to fix my leg or not!"
"Hold your horses Ed jeeze!" She went over to the desk it must be internal because the outside is undamaged. Hold on." She brought it over to Ed.
"What?" Ed asked.
"I need to check if your arms and legs are the same length." She compared the real limbs with the auto mail. "Well look at that."
"What?"
"It seems your automail arm and leg have resized themselves perfectly."
"Oh."
"Give me 30 minutes I should have it fixed by then." The boys had a conversation about them selves while she went to work. 30 minutes later… "Ed I can't find the problem- hang on something's stuck in the gears." She pulled out a perfect, clear, slightly red, smooth, crystal heart slightly larger than her palm. It seamed to be glowing slightly. Immediately the eyes of the Earl and of Tyki were glued to it and they both froze in place.
Al sat on the bed and asks, "Can I see it?"
"Sure Al." She walks over and hands it to him. The glow brightens and starts to pulse… almost like the beating of a heart. "Whoa!"
"Hey Al let me see!" Al hands it to Edward and the heart erupts in light and nearly blinds everyone. The heart shrinks to the size of 1 ½ inches high and 1 inch across and fuses to the middle of Ed's forehead and becomes a pure white scar with white crosses forming on either side of his fore head away from the heart. (2) That's when it started getting a little weirder. Two Golden furred cat ears formed on the top of Ed's head replacing his human ears which disappeared, and grew a tail (also with gold fur to match his hair) which immediately started swishing back and forth showing his fear. Then finally the light dimmed down. When Ed opened his eyes instead of the round pupils of a human were the slitted ones of a cat or reptile.
Ed still looking a bit freighted and shaken (who wouldn't) asked, "What happened to me?" He could feel the new ears flatten against his hair and his tail swishing agitatedly.
The Earl walks over and gently pets Ed's head, gently stroking his ears, the Earl's grin wider than ever. Ed starts purring and relaxes under the Earl's gentle hand. He looks to Tyki. "I believe we have found what we have been searching for." He looks back to Ed. "And a parasitic type as well.
1. This is not a lie simply a half truth, Ed, although he does lie, doesn't like to a tries to tell the truth when possible.
2. It looks like the Noah's cross scars except Ed's are white his skin doesn't change color and there is a heart in the center.
angel: Yeah! Happy 2008!
demon: This is a long one and now my hands hurt.
angel: If anyone is wondering about Ed's feline traits it is because he can transform into any relative of the cat family but he won't figure that ability out for a while.
angel/demon: R&R and NO FLAMES!!
