D3ath: NUUUUUUUU!! I CAN'T FIND ANY EPISODES FROM 1—40 THAT ISN'T IN FRENCH SUBS!! (Starts throwing things).
Allen: D3ath-san, calm down, please!! (Gets hit in the head with a soda can) OW!
Ed: (shivering and hiding behind a chair) She's worse than Winry…
Al: (in same predicament as Edward)…or sensei…(shudders violently)
D3ath: NRAGH!! (Stomps off)
Ed: (sighing in relief) o-okay, D3ath—though she's not clearly expressing it at the moment—is very happy for the reviewers: Radish (I'm too lazy to say your name—and watch out, I heard Envy was after you again), Nella-from-the-batcave, Akky-chan, addenza, azab, SilentKiller1, nellchan0013, imhappinessinabottle, and DemonRaily.
Allen: I'm VERY glad she doesn't own us.
Al: (in a strangely high-pitched voice) and someone, PLEASE help us find some English subbed episodes…I don't think I can take this anymore…
Chapter four
Allen let out a frightened squeak as Kanda's sword was thrust into his face again, and the two brothers jumped in surprise.
"Hey—" Edward leapt forward, in an attempt to stop Kanda from impaling Allen…
Alphonse tried to stop him. "Niisan!"
And Kanda smoothly sliced his hand off, along with the tip of the blade formed along it.
Edward slid to a stop as the flying-bat-radio-thing fluttered around them, his eyes wide in shock as a man's voice shouted out. Edward moaned silently—if Winry ever saw this, he would be in deep shit. He still was, considering how no one in this universe knew how to make a new automail arm.
"Wait! Wait! Kanda!"
Kanda scowled. "Komui, what is the meaning of this?" he snapped, bringing his sword back to Allen's face as Edward mourned the loss of his hand.
"Sorry! We jumped to conclusions too soon! He's General Cross's pupil, and since the other two are with him, they're okay! Here…apologize, section leader Reever!"
Reever's voice rang out in a frustrated howl. "DON'T MAKE IT SOUND LIKE IT'S MY FAULT!!"
Komui continued on as if nothing had gone interrupted him. "Timcampy is proof enough. He's one of us."
Kanda continued to glare, and a bead of sweat rolled down the side of Allen's face. He continued to glare, when a clipboard struck him in the side of the head.
"Enough!" A female commanded, irritated. Her black hair was pulled up into pigtails, and her Chinese lineage stood out as she stood before them. She wore a uniform of sorts, with a short skirt and long, tall dark boots. She shook the clipboard menacingly at them.
"We told you to cease your attack!" she ranted, and Kanda glared at her, rubbing his head as the three newcomers stared at her, startled. "Get in, or we're closing the gates." She pointed in the direction of the gate.
"Get in now!"
"Y-yes ma'am," Alphonse said weakly, and Edward swiped up his hand, allowing Al to return the arm to normal before zooming into the threshold, cradling his severed metal hand. Kanda and Allen weren't far behind them.
The girl smiled at them as the gate slammed shut behind them. "I'm Lenalee, the Head Officer's assistant. I'll take you to see him."
"Pleased to meet you," Allen and Alphonse said politely, bowing, while Edward nodded at her. Alphonse elbowed his brother sharply with his metal staff. "Niisan," he said warningly.
Ed scowled. "What? What did I do?" he blustered, and Al fixed him with a steady gaze until Edward relented. "Fine…" he mumbled, and he bowed too, also muttering a 'pleased to meet you.' Lenalee giggled quietly as Kanda turned away with them with a 'tch.'
"Oh. Kanda…" Allen started to go after the swordsman, his hand out, "…is your name, right?" he finished weakly as Kanda stopped and glared at him with such loathing that it was hard not to be intimidated. He managed a strained smile. "Nice to meet you!"
There was a pause before Kanda answered.
"I don't shake hands with cursed and short people."
And he left, leaving the others standing there in shock.
Edward tried to leap forward, but Alphonse restrained him. "WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THAT YOU CAN MISTAKE HIM FOR A BEAN?! I GREW, DAMMIT!! I'M FIVE-FOOT-SIX!!"
"Niisan! He didn't say anything!!"
That's cold… Allen thought, staring after Kanda in a state of shock and dejection. Lenalee laughed softly, a sweatdrop running down the side of her head. "Sorry, he's just irritable because he just returned from a mission." She beckoned to them, and Ed, still fuming, stomped after her, while Allen and Al followed with sighs.
"This is the dining hall…this floor is where we train. There are three different levels…the lounge…we also have a library, an infirmary, and individual rooms. I'll show you around later."
"We get our own rooms?" Allen asked, amazed, and over his state of shock as they toured the area with the young Chinese girl as their guide.
She nodded. "All exorcists leave for their missions from here. That's why some of them call headquarters 'home'." Edward and Alphonse started at that, and traded guilty looks that did not go unnoticed from Allen as Lenalee continued, "Although some people don't come back on purpose."
THAT'S my master, thought Allen, sweatdropping. He gazed around the rooms, a small and satisfied smile on his face. …a home…
They passed some worn out rooms, and Ed, Al, and Allen looked at them in interested and nervousness. The doors were in bad condition, some looking as if they were to fall off their hinges any second. A dark liquid smeared the floors, and they fervently hoped that it wasn't blood. Some of the ceiling tiles were gone, and lights dimly illuminated the dark blood red sign, 'Do not enter.'
"W-what sort of rooms are on this floor?" Al asked, eyeing the horrible condition of the hallway with something akin to fright.
Lenalee smiled innocently. "Don't worry about it," she said bluntly, and the others stopped.
"Excuse me?" Al asked, and Lenalee continued to smile.
"You don't need to know," she said calmly, and they had a feeling of dread crawling down their spines. "Come on, let's hurry," she said suddenly, and she began to trot down a flight of stairs. The three traded nervous glances, shrugged, and began to slowly descend. Unbeknownst to them, those rooms were Head Officer Komui's private experiment rooms.
"Hi, how ya doing?" They stood before Komui, and the Head Officer smiled heartily at them, adjusting his thin glasses while taking a sip of his cup of coffee. "I'm Komui Lee, Head Officer of the Science Department." He began to walk down the stairs, into a large laboratory of some sorts, and he chatted on comfortably. "Welcome, Allen, Edward, Alphonse. By the way, what a rough day you three had earlier."
"And whose fault was that?" a science member shouted, and the rest of the science department grumbled under their breath. The three fought to withhold smiles, but Komui continued on, as if unaware of the comment directed at him.
He led them into a smaller lab, which resembled more of an examining room than a laboratory room, and pulled up a stool to the table. "Can you show me your arm?" he asked suddenly, and the three blinked.
"Huh?"
"You damaged your weapon earlier when Kanda attacked, right, Edward, Allen?" he asked warmly, and they nodded. Komui's sharp gaze fixed on Allen. "There's no need to endure the pain," he added gently.
Allen gave a small sigh of relief as he set his shaking hand onto the table. Edward and Alphonse hissed as they saw the long, pink scar now stretched across it, and Komui tapped the table, looking at Edward. "Your arm too. I want to examine it, and maybe we can fix it."
Edward glanced at Alphonse, and the younger boy nodded. He heaved a frustrated growl, yanked off his jacket, unbuttoned his shirt, and Komui, Lenalee, and Allen gasped as Edward revealed his metal prosthetic, their eyes glued to the area where it attached to his body. He placed his detached hand onto the table, fidgeting uncomfortably, and Komui watched his arm in amazement.
"Fascinating," he breathed, and he turned business-like, facing Allen and investigating his hand. "The nerves have been damaged. Lenalee, can you get the anesthetic, and bind Edward down?"
"Huh?" Edward asked, when he suddenly felt pressure on his arm. With a yelp, he realized that he was being strapped down to the table. "What the hell?!" he shouted as Lenalee left him to get what her brother requested.
Komui frowned. "Can you activate it?" he asked Allen, and Allen blinked.
"Huh? Oh, sure." Innocence, activate! he cried mentally, and the silver, clawed, and armored hand burst forth, totaling encasing the shaking red hand.
Komui took a sip out of his coffee mug, watching Allen's invocation with a small 'oh!' "Hmm…you're a parasite type," he said, tapping Allen's arm with his knuckle, taking another swig from the bunny-decorated cup.
"A parasite type?" Alphonse asked, intrigued by how all of this worked.
"Yup. A type of accommodation that can morph his body into a weapon. It's the rarest type of anti-akuma weapon of all." Alphonse nodded in understanding, placing a soothing hand on his now-swearing older brother.
Komui suddenly pulled a gigantic drill and a spear-like needle out of nowhere. Edward turned green, seeing the needle, and Allen watched Komui warily. "A parasite-type accommodator and their weapon are synchronized. Hence, they are symbiotic," he said, placing a construction hat on his head.
Allen watched him VERY carefully now. "What's with all of the equipment?" he asked, dreading the answer. Now, Ed was trying his best to get out of the strap, his golden eyes wide with panic as he fought to be free, not even realizing that he could use a transmutation circle to get out of it. Alphonse gripped his shoulder even harder, knowing what was going to come…
Komui grinned evilly. "It's quite upsetting, so…if you don't want to be traumatized, it's better not to look." Allen paled, and before he could stop Komui, he struck!
"Go!" Komui's delighted shout echoed throughout the science department, as well as Allen and Edward's screams, accompanied by the sounds of the needle and drill.
"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"
Section Leader Reever Wenham covered his ears, his eyes screwed up with the noise. "It's begun…" he muttered, and beside him, scientist Tapp covered his mouth, the visible part of his face that wasn't covered up bandages green.
"How cruel…" he agreed, covering his mouth as if he were going to be violently sick.
"Komui Niisan, you're going there after you done here, right?" Lenalee called over the sounds of the drill as Alphonse demonstrated how Edward's arm could be taken off. Komui was focusing on Allen with his drill as the poor boy was slumped over the table, barely conscious. "Are you sure it's okay not to check Allen, Edward, and Alphonse if they're human?" She handed Edward's metal arm to one of the members of the science department.
"Huh? It's fine, they're human," Komui said, glancing up from his drill. Lenalee blinked.
"But how do you know?"
Komui smiled sadly, and looked back down to his work. "Because the only species in this world that can get cursed are humans," he said softly, and Alphonse's eyes widened. It was true…he glanced at Edward, who had fainted from the sight of the needle going into his arm, and set his mouth into a grim line. Perhaps it existed in both worlds…humans that could be cursed…
Allen felt dead. Truly, inexplicably dead.
Edward was also in the same condition, and he worked hard to keep his face in a glower as he glared at the man whom he thought was his brother. "Damn you…Al…" he managed to choke out. His left arm was missing, so he was left with his right arm, which was temporarily paralyzed due to the medication he had been given.
Al smiled irritatingly cheerfully back at him, and Ed barely managed to form the universal sign of utmost contempt before slumping forward onto the descending platform they were on.
Komui watched them with a smile. "It won't move tomorrow because of the anesthesia, but Allen, your arm's completely fixed, and Edward, your arm is being worked on at the moment"
I swear I'll never break my arm again…Edward and Allen thought as they slowly fell into the darkening pillar.
"Now, now," Komui said blithely, smiling at the two. "They have their downsides, but I'm sure they're extremely handy. But Allen, your innocence is extremely rare, and Edward, I'm not sure if alchemy has ever been used before, other than by Phillipus Von Hohenheim."
"…Don't—ever—say—that—bastard's—name—" Ed managed to growl out, and Komui raised a delicate eyebrow. Then he shrugged.
"Well, it seems like a type of innocence to me," he said, closing his eyes as they descended into complete darkness.
Allen glanced up. Innocence…?
Voices rang out amidst the darkness, and suddenly light was shown upon five platforms. On the platforms sat throne-like chairs, and in them, men in black hoods with silver crosses. Their faces were hidden, as well as their hands and the rest of their bodies, but their voices were clearly heard. "The Innocence of God, the power of the Almighty. Yet another…we have managed to grasp God…"
"Those are our bosses, the Great Generals," Komui explained quietly, and Edward's head snapped up.
"I don't believe in God," he mumbled, and Komui glanced at him.
"Ah, you don't, and yet, you've been chosen," he murmured. Edward frowned.
"What?"
Komui faced the three of them. "Now, prove your worth," he said quietly, and something white, glowing, and somewhat transparent grabbed Allen and the Elric brothers, lifting them off of the floating platform.
"What the hell?!" Ed fought to pull himself free, but the anesthetic was slowing him down. "Damn anesthetic!"
"What the—" Allen also fought, his eyes wide with panic.
Alphonse sat in the glowing tendrils, somehow knowing that it would be better to sit still. He hardly reacted as the small silver vines began to wrap around him.
At the end of the tendrils, a silver creature hung there, with a dragon-like shape, but a human chin and mouth. The tendrils covered the rest of her face, and she brought it close to the there newcomers.
"In…inno…innocence…" she whispered, her voice soothing and gentle. Alphonse closed his eyes, and allowed her to probe into him.
Allen closed his eyes, too, but for an entirely different reason. What is this thing?! Gross! Invocation! He struggled to release his anti-akuma weapon.
Komui leaned against the rail. "It's useless. I told you, it won't move until tomorrow because of the anesthesia."
"Damn you, Komui!" Edward snarled, fighting to break free. He saw Al. "Al! Snap out of it!"
Alphonse opened his eyes and smiled at Edward, terrifying the small and foul-mouthed blonde. "There's nothing wrong with me, Niisan," he said quietly.
Komui smiled at the three of them. "Your power is magnificent what do you think, Hevlaska? How do you like…these soldiers of life?"
"Move!" Allen shouted, and a loud snap! echoed throughout the chamber as Allen's arm burst forward…completely mangled and deformed.
"Ah—" Allen's eyes snapped forward as the pain burst through him. "YAAAAAGH!" Edward stopped his fighting, and watched Allen with wide golden eyes. Alphonse stared at the white-haired boy, horrified by the state of his arm.
"I can't believe it…" Hevlaska whispered, leaning down to Allen. "He overpowered the anesthesia…" She brought Allen closer towards her. "Don't force…an invocation…when your nerves are numb! Calm down…I'm not an enemy…" Allen spotted the cross on her forehead, and slowly quieted down, staring up at her with wide eyes. She leaned down even more, until she was touching his forehead to hers, and her lips to his now-mutilated arm. A soft glow emitted from where their foreheads touched. "It's extremely dangerous…if the anti-akuma weapon…and the accommodator…aren't properly synchronized when the invocation happens," she explained, and she began to count.
"2…16…30…41…58…78…83!" She jerked away from him, and with wonder, he examined his arm, which had returned to normal. "You should be fine now…seems like your current maximum synchronization rate with your weapon is 83."
Alphonse looked up. "Synchronization rate?" he asked, and Hevlaska nodded.
"It's the numerical value that reflects your ability to invoke your anti-akuma weapon…the lower the synchronization rate, the more difficult it is to do an invocation, and the accommodator is placed in danger…" She set the three back down onto their floating platform. "It wasn't my intention to scare you…I only wanted to…touch your innocence and learn about it…"
Edward looked up with a frown. "You wanted to learn about our innocence? What innocence? Al and I don't have any! Not since we started living with Auntie Pinako and Winry!" He chortled at his own badly made pun, and the others facefaulted.
"Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric…your innocence is a special kind…very few can obtain the ability, and much less learn its full extents. Even you have not learned it all. Only one man I know has gotten close, and his name is Phillipus Von Hohenheim—" At this point, Edward ground his teeth and muttered something along the lines of 'that bastard…' "—but it is innocence, not matter how you look at it. You can control it, and there are backlashes for mistakes, as well as regular innocence users. Edward and Alphonse…your innocence will someday bring about 'the unity of worlds' in the future…and Allen Walker…your innocence will someday create a great 'Destroyer of Time' in the dark future…that is what I felt…that is my power…"
Edward and Alphonse knew exactly what Hevlaska was talking about. Edward sighed, and ran a hand through his long blonde bangs. "Of course…" he mumbled under his breath, only so Al could hear it. Al nodded grimly.
Allen looked up at the silver Hevlaska. "A destroyer…?"
Clapping echoed throughout the small chamber, and everyone looked over at Komui, who smiled as he clapped. "That's quite impressive!" he exclaimed happily. "Hevlaska's prophecies are usually dead-on. Looks like we can expect big things from you, Allen, Edward, and Alphonse."
"Komui…" Ed and Allen said slowly, realization lighting up in two different sets of eyes—one silvery blue, the other hard gold.
POW!
Both their fists were pressed against a clipboard, and the clipboard in question was bent in half. Komui was shielded behind it, happily grinning like a maniac.
"Can't I punch you this once?" Allen growled.
Edward nodded enthusiastically. "I wish I had my automail installed," he grumbled. "I would've been able to punch through that. That way, we could both punch him."
"Silly, you already took a shot! That was a good punch," Komui said cheerfully, and Al sweatdropped as the bespectacled man went on. "Sorry, I know how surprised you must've been. I'm sure it was scary. I understand." In an undertone, he added, "Hevlaska is pretty scary looking." Hesitantly, he lowered the damaged clipboard and straightened up. "New exorcists of the Order have to get their innocence checked by Hevlaska. It's a rule."
"WHY CAN'T YOU TELL ME THESE THINGS BEFOREHAND?!" Edward and Allen shrieked, jabbing a finger at the Chinese.
"What exactly is innocence?" Alphonse asked quietly, folding his arms.
Komui leaned against the railing of the platform, pushing up his glasses. "I'll give you a proper explanation," he said, his tone suddenly serious. "After all, the innocence plays a significant role for exorcists who go off to battle."
Allen, Edward, and Alphonse's eyes widened.
"The only ones who know the truth are the Black Order, the New World Alliance…and the Millennium Earl."
-Flashback or story thingy…whatever you want to call it-
"This all began several hundred years ago…after a "cube" was discovered.
"To the future generations…we are the ones who triumphed over darkness, and the ones who shall soon meet their end. Yet impending doom awaits in the future. Thus, we bring salvation to thee. Here, we leave a message…
"What was contained in the message was a saying from long ago…it was an instruction on how to use this substance. What substance? The cube itself was the substance, but—it was called "God's Crystal", which possesses a special power. We call it innocence. It is similar to the cross on your left hand"—At this, Allen blinked in shock—"Anti-Akuma weapons process the innocence and turn it into weaponry.
"The creator of the cube says they defeated the Earl of Millennium, who appeared with his demons, using the innocence. But in the end, the world was destroyed.
"It happened about 7000 years ago, and in the Old Testament, it was referred to as "the Great Flood".
"However, the cube tells us that those were the "Three Days of Darkness". And according to the cube's prediction, the world is bound to meet its end at the hands of the Earl. The "Three Days of Darkness" will come again!
"So far, the cube's prophecy has been correct. The Earl has returned to this world. Due to the cube's prophecy coming true, the Vatican decided to follow the cube's message. This is the revival of the Innocence and the Black Order.
"Gather the apostles! One innocence brings force one apostle. An apostle is a "Compatible person". Without an innocence-compatible person, the innocence cannot be used.
"The innocence-compatible people…are you exorcists…
"But the Earl hasn't forgotten the past, either. He has created armies to destroy god…the akuma. If innocence is the white, then "Dark Matter" is the black. The more the akuma evolves, the more the Dark Matter matures and becomes powerful. The Earl is plotting to destroy the innocence and thus avoid its resurrection. The innocence was washed away during the flood and dispersed throughout the world.
-End of story/flashback/whatever…somewhat-
"There are a total of 109 units of innocence in all," Koumi said seriously, leaning against the rail as the others quietly listened. "We are to wake up the people who can contain the innocence, and gather up an army to counter the Earl's. The Earl is on the move to find the people with the innocence and destroy them." Komui's face grew grim. "It's a race to obtain the innocence. If we lose the race, the end will be just as the prophecy foretold."
The others remained silent, solemn as the words sunk in.
"Damn…" Edward muttered under his breath. "All we wanted to do was find a bomb, not get ourselves mixed into a war." Alphonse nodded silently, and Allen shot them a sympathetic look.
"Fight!" rang out the voice of a Great General, and the others looked up. "That is your duty as one who has been chosen by the innocence.
"It is a duty!"
Komui stepped forward, and held out his hand, to Allen first. "Well then, that's it for the long explanation," he said calmly, and he winked at them (Edward made a face at this). "Let's fight together, to save the world. You won't make a single dollar, though," he added, and Edward gaped. Al laughed at his brother's expression, and the others joined in.
"Sure," Allen said, and they shook hands.
"Welcome to the Black Order, Allen Walker, Edward Elric, and Alphonse Elric," Komui said brightly. "Right now, with you in our group, we have a total of twenty-one exorcists. Most are around the world, working on different missions, but you'll soon be able to meet them all. By the way," he added with a sly grin, "Hevlaska is an exorcist too."
"WHAT?!" Edward, Alphonse, and Allen exclaimed, whirling around to looking at the silvery being.
"I'm…a different type than you and the others…I've been with the Order since it was established…as the accommodator of the cube…I am the guardian of the cube…" she paused for a moment. "I have met many…exorcists…Allen, Edward, Alphonse, may the Lord's divine protection…be with you…"
Edward sat down on his bed with a weary sigh. Another bed was moved in there, for Alphonse, and he shot the older blonde a puzzled expression.
"Is something wrong, Niisan?" he asked, and Edward stretched.
"I—I don't get what Hevlaska said about us," he admitted slowly, and Al stiffened.
"The part about the unity of worlds, right?" Al said quietly, and Edward nodded, watching the floor tiles—not that they did anything.
"Al…does that mean…?" he trailed off; he had no need to finish the question.
Al was quiet for a moment as he unpacked his suitcase. "I…I don't know, Niisan," he said, his busy hands stilling for a moment before returning to what they had been doing before; unloading his suitcase. "Maybe. I hope so."
"But is that such a good idea?" Ed argued, and Al froze. "Remember what happened with Eckhardt? She nearly tore apart Central with her war planes…and her theories…"
Al sucked in a breath—it was hard on him especially, since he felt responsible for the invasion of Central. He was the one that had opened the gate and allowed them to come through.
Edward noticed his brother's stillness. "Al, it wasn't your fault," he said gently, "you had no idea what Eckhardt was planning on doing. You just wanted me home."
Al's shoulders hunched. "But it was my fault that so many people died…" he mumbled, gripping a shirt of his so tightly that it was in danger of being torn.
Ed's left hand slowly unclasped the shirt from his hands and placed it back onto the pile.
"Al, it wasn't your fault. It was never your fault. It was more of mine, but especially Eckhardt's, and she paid the price. She died for her sins, and it is our duty to keep on walking as long as we live, Al." His face suddenly broke out into a sheepish smile, his golden eyes lighting up. "You have two perfectly good legs, Al. Use them."
Al gave a small chuckle, and tapped his brother's metal socket, where his arm used to be. "Niisan, you might want to go get your arm back before anyone notices something strange," he said with a sort of strangled laugh. Ed nodded, hurried up to the door, flashed him one final look, and left. Al stared at his suitcase, and two small tears rolled down his face before a grateful smile covered his lips.
Thank you…niisan…
D3ath: Whew, this chapter was so hard to write! I was falling asleep during the middle of it! …Not to mention the fact that I CAN'T FIND THIS FRIGGIN' EPISODE!! NRGH!!
Al: D3ath-san!
D3ath: Oh, right. Sorry for the long update!! I made this chapter longer, because of that, so BE HAPPY!! And sorry for making you cry, Al, and sorry for deforming your arm, Allen. It was necessary for this chapter.
Ed: What about the needle?!
D3ath: (flapping a hand at him) You need to get over your fears anyways.
Ed: WHAT?! YOU'RE SCARED OF THEM TOO!!
Al: Guys, stop fighting, please! (Tries to separate the two)
Allen: (sweatdropping) well, in case you haven't noticed…they're always arguing…(sighs and shakes head). Anyways, D3ath-san was very kind enough to write an omake…not the usually funny stuff she usually does, but an omake…enjoy!
D3ath: AND PLEASE REVIEW!! (Proceeds to attack Ed)
Omake
Edward glared.
Allen smiled politely, an evil gleam lingering in his eyes.
Edward fidgeted.
Allen continued to smile.
Alphonse and Lenalee sat between the two, worried frowns creasing their faces as they watched the two…play poker.
It was very stressful, first of all; Edward would cheat horrendously with his alchemy, changing the cards with alchemy and stowing extras in his sleeves. It was a little obvious if someone sharp was paying attention.
And Alphonse, Lenalee, and Allen were very sharp indeed.
Allen was a different story, however. The way he cheated was subtle, unnoticeable, and unmerciful. He always swept the floor with whoever he was playing poker with, and usually stripped others down to their underwear.
And no one could figure out how he did it.
There was a small flash from Edward's side—he had used alchemy again. Both boys were concentrating, and finally, Edward smiled triumphantly.
"Call!" he announced, and he slammed his cards down. "Royal straight flush!"
Allen looked at the cards. "Oh…" he said, a slight frown on his face as he studied the cards. "This is problematic…" he put his own hand down…
…and they were the exact same cards.
"Royal straight flush," he announced with an evil smirk.
Edward twitched.
"How long has this been going on for?" Lenalee whispered. Al shook his head.
"A few hours…and it's always been the same thing. They'd always get the exact same cards…" Alphonse whispered back, shaking his head. "They're horrible."
-Five hours later-
"Full house!"
"Royal straight flush!"
"NO! DAMMIT!! ANOTHER ROUND!! I DEMAND ANOTHER ROUND!!"
A Sigh. "…I'm just going to beat you again…"
"#!! AL!! HELP ME!!"
"Niisan, no!"
D3ath: thought of this after playing cards with family this weekend. Thought you guys might like it.
Ed:…damn…
Allen: (sniggers)
Al: Review, please.
