Hello. I was planning on typing/posting this earlier this morning, but I was having a hard time concentrating. I actually took my license test today, and passed, so I'm a licensed driver now. Anyways, here's chapter 3, which I wrote last night on paper around 11pm. Enjoy.
Edward disappears and everything that has happened is taking its toll on Alphonse. The mystery of Edward's strange behaviour progresses.
The next day, Edward was nowhere to be found. Al and Winry scrambled from place to place, searching every nook and cranny of the entire property. Pinako busied herself by calling friends and neighbors, asking if they had seen a short, girly-looking boy with blonde hair wandering around.
Alphonse had sensed something was wrong the night before, after he and Edward had come in from the riverbed. Al had encouraged his brother to show the musical magic or whatever it was to Winry and the others, but Edward had frozen up, acting like a shy little boy in front of a crowd hundreds strong. Al had encouraged him maybe a little too strongly, because the evening ended with the golden-haired man bolting up the stairs and locking himself in his room before Alphonse could follow. Roy and his team members departed, heading off to the small hotel they would be staying at for the time being. Al had been surprised. Edward's display of shyness and slight distress was the first sign of anything other than the calm and complacent demeanor that emanated from the older boy.
Al spent a good hour pleading to a closed door before he finally gave up and went to bed. When he woke up the next morning, Edward's door was ajar and he was gone.
"I don't understand! Where could he have possibly gone?!" Winry cried. "It's not like there's anything to do in Risembul!" Her voice was laced with worry. Alphonse groaned and tugged his hair in frustration. Edward wasn't by the river-Al had checked already. He wasn't in the barn, nor was he at the graveyard on the other side of the hill where Trisha Elric was buried.
Pinako appeared on the house's porch, shaking her head to Winry and Al's hopeful looks. "Mr. Mustang and Ms. Riza haven't seen him, but Havoc was sent out to look. Riza said that she and the General both have work that cannot be abandoned at the moment, and they'll join the search as soon as possible," the small woman reported. Al moaned, disheartened. Winry wrapped an arm around him, intending to comfort but not really helping.
He had just gotten his brother back; he didn't want to lose him again! And so soon?
Two hours later, just as the outside temperature was reaching its peak, Roy and his lieutenants arrived, sans military car. Roy and Havoc did not look happy about the two mile walk from town. "That brat is starting to be more trouble than he's worth!" the General muttered, wiping sweat from his damp forehead. Havoc ground his toothpick between his teeth. Alphonse could see that the ex-smoker's decision to quit was taking its toll on him.
"The boss probably took off. Who knows what' running through that messed up head of his," the 2nd lieutenant growled.
"Don't say that!" Al snapped angrily, glaring. Roy sighed and let himself flop tiredly onto the stairs. Riza made her way up said stairs and took a seat on one of the mismatched lawn chairs, obligingly scratching Den's furry ears when Pinako's old dog set her muzzle on the blonde woman's knees. Alphonse walked up the steps and into the house, deciding to get drinks for him and Winry to provide himself with a distraction momentarily. He was just returning the pitcher of lemonade to the refrigerator when he heard Winry's shrill shriek.
"Edward! Where the hell have you been?!" Forgetting the drinks, Alphonse sprinted back ut to the porch to see Edward casually strolling up the path. The older Elric held up a hand in greeting and was caught in surprise when his brother slammed into his chest, capturing him in a death grip.
"Brother, where have you been?! I was so worried!" Al cried. He pulled back to stare at Edward's smiling face. The older grinned.
"Relax, Al."
The responsive gasp was collective. Everyone was shocked. Al's wide eyes blinked at Edward. "B-brother?" Edward blinked back.
"What is it?"
"You talked!" Al exclaimed, pulling Edward into a tight hug. Edward only laughed lightly.
"Oh, that? Yeah, Al, listen… It's going to be like that sometimes…" Al frowned, confused.
"'Like that'? You mean… I finally have you back, but half the time you're going to act like some sort of child? Explain it to me, Brother!" Edward pushed him away gently.
"No, Al, it's… I… I can't explain it, but that's just how it's going to be. Just… isn't it enough… isn't enough that I'm back?" Edward's voice was filled with hope and maybe desperation. And fear?
At that point, Alphonse had no idea what took over him, and later on, when he would reflect, he still wouldn't have any idea of why he did what he did, nor would he find an excuse.
Pinako, Winry, Roy, Riza, and Havoc could only watch, stunned, as he gripped his brother's mismatched arms angrily and shouted, "Can't explain it? You mean to tell me that you went missing for three years, leaving me to think that you're dead, a now that you're back, you give no explanation?!" Edward's eyes widened and his face paled as Al gave him a good shake, and the younger pretended not to notice the nervous tremble in his brother's body. He was too angry right now. "For the past week, you've been acting like some… mentally challenged kid! And you can suddenly do these things, like magic, and then you go missing, and now suddenly you're back to normal!" Edward looked hurt as he stared into Al's rage-filled face. Alphonse gave him another rough shake. "After all this, I think I deserve and explanation, Edward!"
At that, Edward shoved his hands off with his automail arm. "I'm sorry, Al, but it's either this-" he gestured to himself, "or me being dead, Alphonse! I'm sorry I can't give you an explanation, because I just can't, but… I'm back! And I'd hoped that that would be enough for you! Because I thought my brother would always, always love me, no matter how I act or how crazy or messed I am!" Then Edward abruptly whirled around and stalked down the path, visibly shaking in a mix of anger, frustration, and hurt. Al stared at his feet, frozen in place and teeming with his own anger. He only glanced up in surprise when Edward's for appeared next to him, brushing by quickly.
"Wrong way," the golden-haired brother mumbled, marching up the steps past shocked spectators and into the house. The door slammed behind him. Nothing but silence was heard until Pinako spoke up.
"Lemonade, anyone?"
XXXXXXX
Pinako waited until things had settled down before she sat on the sofa beside the spot Edward now occupied. Al had retreated to his bedroom, Roy and Havoc disappeared, and Winry had taken Riza out to the workshop and was explaining the basics of automail to the gun specialist. Edward was curled in the corner of the couch, string off into space. Pinako held out a glass of fresh lemonade, which the younger man took with a small 'thank you'.
"So… where'd you run off to, runt?" Edward huffed.
"Hey, I've actually grown, you know. I think you've actually shrunk a little, old lady!" he pouted. Pinako chuckled.
"Fine then, not-as-small runt, where'd you go? Nearly gave Al and Winry each a heart attack." Edward sighed, running his left hand through messy bangs. She noticed his hair was pulled into a ponytail, unlike the loose, untied style he had worn for the past week.
"I only went or a walk. I cut through the neighbors corn fields a bit. It was only to clear my head. I would have told someone if I knew everyone would freak out like this," he told her. Pinako raised an eyebrow.
"And this clearing of the head sparked a miraculous recovery?" The tiny mechanic didn't expect Edward's insulted glare.
"It wasn't a recovery. This isn't some medical condition or sickness or disability. Sometimes, I'll be like I am right now, and then sometimes I'll be like I was for the past week. That's just how it is. You all will have to just get used to it. Alphonse will have to get used to it! And if you can't, I'll just leave." Edward turned away and started to chug down his lemonade. He hissed when the lemon juice burned his chapped lips.
"Well, then, can I ask if there's a reason you can't give any reason for why you're like this?" Edward paused and set the glass down on the wooden coffee table in front of him. "Are you in trouble? I'm sure that Mustang fellow could pull some strings," she suggested. Edward's mouth curled in a small smirk.
"No, it's nothing like that. It's… more alike a promise. A promise I made to someone special, and they made a promise to me. And I intend to keep that promise."
"Someone special? A girlfriend?" Pinako asked. Edward laughed and shook his head. "Boyfriend?" He laughed even harder.
"Nope! More like a best friend." He grinned at her. The bright smile she had missed terribly for the past three years. But she'd never admit that.
"So, I guess that's all you're going to tell me." The grin brightened.
"You got it, old lady." Pinako chuckled, lifting her arm and reaching over. She set her hand on his head affectionately.
"Maybe you have grown, runt."
XXXXXXX
Ta daa! Chapter 3.
See, Edward's still here, cheekiness and everything.
Well, I'm going to drive myself to soccer practice now! Haha, yeah, I'm excited.
Read and review, that's how it goes. Well, if you want me to write, that is. ;P
.bgirlpaige
