Yeah I still don't own FMA but I got a crack team of lawyers working on it (okay I have a crack team of random shit in my room but hey they're cheap!)
Dedicated to: Kalez-and-Death because you are the only person who has reviewed
Converse with my Converse
Elysia Hughes shoved the book of the kitchen table in frustration and lay her head down on the table with an almighty THUMP.
"Ow son of a…" Came the muffled voice of a 14 year old causing the older man sitting at the table with her to raise his eyebrows.
"Don't swear." He said half heartedly before looking at the book on the ground. "And don't throw books either just because you don't understand them." He added though with much more effort.
The brunette lifted her head up and rubbed the top of her crown which was slightly red. "I'll swear if I damm well want to, I hit my head!"
"And whose fault was that?"
"The book's for being so difficult to understand."
"Hey you're the one who wanted to learn alchemy, besides it can't be that hard these are basic books we have here just show me what you don't understand." The blonde offered kindly his amber eyes smiling with warmth.
"I don't understand any of it! I can't even transmute a pencil Ed, and look at you!"
"I'm 25 and a state alchemist you're 14 and a shrimp."
"I'm not a shrimp! And yeah you're 25 and a state alchemist but you became one at 12! And you taught yourself alchemy before that! Then you went and got the rest of it beaten into you, and here I am with the best damm non violent kind teacher and I still don't get it." She banged her tiny fist on the table, Ed sighed and put the book's to the side.
Walking over to the young girl he knelt down so their faces were at the same level.
"Elysia of you don't mind me asking why the sudden interest in alchemy?" Elysia shrugged with a sad smile and looked down at her feet.
"Don't start talking to your all stars again you know they don't talk back and it won't get you out of answering me"
Elysia bit her lip still refusing to look at the man who had been family to her for as long as she could remember hell he delivered her for Christ sakes and she couldn't even sum up a simple answer?
"I mean- just hear me out for a sec- I mean you've always said you never had the patience it and your dad didn't use it so it obviously didn't run in the family, and ever since I got you those knifes last year you've been pretty gun ho about practicing everyday- you've gotten real good I might add- so you'll understand why I'm curious."
"I just want to have a go I know I'm shit at it-"
"Language." He warned
"Okay I'm shocking at it, but I just want to answers I mean you use equivalent exchange to justify things and it makes sense so I just want that kind of thing in my life some ort of scientific faith."
Ed nodded his gold eyes searching the emerald ones of his 'little sister'.
"But I don't get equivalent exchange, not fully anyway." Elysia stated bluntly
"Well it's a hard thing to fully get but how bout we stop for tonight?" The girls head nodded happily glad to be stopping for the day since she wasn't far off banging her head against the book as to try and knock the information into her brain.
"Okay. Tell you what if you go and get the clothes from the hamper in my room and put them in the wash for me I'll order pizza, equivalent exchange right?" she asked the light dancing in her eyes.
"Wrong. I'm doing work and you're working your mouth but I'm doing it anyway so don't you dare try and argue about mean older brothers who don't do anything for you or pull the puppy dog eyes." He shot back walking up the stairs to Elysia's room.
"Hello yes I'll have a large….." Ed heard her voice trail off as he got to the top and pushed open the door to the girls' room. Lifting the hamper out of its wooden racks a couple of tops spilled out on to the floor and under her bed grumbling he picked it up and noticed a few books under there too.
"Huh? I told that girl not to treat my books like crap." He stared at the title his mouth hanging open, "DAMM IT ELYSIA GET UP HERE!"
"What do you want? This better be important I walked all the way up here and- what are you doing with that book?"
"It's mine." He said reasonably though his voice held a certain tone of discipline.
"So what? You lend me your books all the time."
"Not this one, this is a book on taboo." His eyes narrowed.
"What you think I'd try that? Puhleese the arrays are really pretty in it I was using some for my art classes."
"Really?"
"Scouts honour."
"Fine, sorry it's just that's dangerous stuff, are you finished with it?"
"Yeah you can have it back." She answered glad that she had copied down all the information she wanted earlier that day. Ed nodded and put the clothes away after walking down stairs and enjoying a few slices of pizza before sighing about having to go back to work.
"Enjoy the summer holidays kiddo coz once you grow up its sucksvill 24/7." The door closed behind him and Elysia opened a spare writing book with all the notes she had on taboo, she really didn't get it she had hoped that understanding basic alchemy would give her something to go off but she couldn't even understand that.
She sighed and looked down at a pair of faded all stars of her feet "Do you have any answers for me?"
"Oh it's not that stupid! It can't be that hard to understand, maybe because I don't understand it and I'm not over thinking it will work."
"Excuse me I most certainly am not thinking of excuses for my own convenience."
"Well fine we'll see whose laughing when it works!" She snapped as she rose from the chair and walked off towards the attic where all the materials
***
Ed walked in with his usual uneven footsteps though he had a troubled look upon his face as he sat down.
"Fullmetal you seem troubled, trying to figure out what to write to that girl who was hitting on you yesterday?"
"First of all shutup just because you finally got over your ego and married Hawkeye doesn't give you the constitutional right to badger me! Second of all no I am not!"
"Okay touchy jeeze." Mustang held his hands up as if he was surrendering to Ed's verbal attack but moments later rested them on the younger ones desk and looked at him thoughtfully.
"Honestly what's troubling you? Is it Winry because I already told you people wouldn't care if you took some time off, I mean it was two weeks ago really everyone would understa-"
"I already told you I'd rather just be at work." Ed growled cutting off his superior before his 'there for you' speech continued. His expression softening he sighed and pulled the taboo books out from his bag.
"Fullmetal I will kick your ass from here to Drachma, I will burn you alive right here right now if you tell me you've even thought about doing something as stupid as trying to bring her back!"
"Don't worry Mustang I know she's gone, I found these books under Elysia's bed."
"You what?"
"And that's not the best part, she asked me to teach her some basic alchemy."
"Are we talking about the same Elysia Hughes here? Miss my throwing knives solves all problems!- By the way thank you so much for buying them for her I almost got my ear taken off!- She hates alchemy!"
"Yeah I know, she gave up after a while and when I found these she told me the arrays were pretty and she'd use them for her art class."
"And you believed her?"
"Not for a second, I was actually going to suggest we go there now just to watch the house to make sure she's not doing anything stupid." Mustang nodded curtly and turned to his team.
"Havoc get the car started and the gear in the boot."
"Gottchya Chief."
"Riza got your gun? Good come on we're going on a car trip." The four piled in the car with Havoc driving at top speed.
"Hey Why are going to Elysia's?" The chain smoker asked.
***
Elysia drew the last few bits of the giant circle, sighed and dusted chalk from her hands. Placing a giant metal circle within the larger ones she began pouring exact amounts of ingredients into the metal circle from measuring cups.
***
"You don't honestly think? I mean this is Elysia we're talking about she doesn't even understand equivalent exchange- which by the way is damm well confusing- let alone be able to use alchemy!" Havoc exclaimed increasing the speed of the car so they were well over the speed limit.
"All the more reason to get there fast." Ed answered his focus was out the window trying to figure out who the girl was going to try and resurrect her mother or father.
***
Throwing an old hairbrush into the circle as a final ingredient she knelt down and pressed her hands into the circle and immediately she knew there was something wrong.
***
Ed kicked the door in and began rushing upstairs along with Mustang at the front they threw open the attic door and saw a worried looking girl with a spinney vortex staring her right in the face.
Mustang lunged forward and grabbed her out of the way while Havoc began destroying the transmutation circle along with Hawkeye the vortex vanished but in its place stood a large set of double doors with its gates open right in front of Ed.
"Long time no see Ed." A loud echoing voiced hissed.
"Yeah, yeah can we skip the pleasantries?" Ed snarled at the doors
"Is he talking to the doors?" Havoc whispered but was slapped over the head but Riza.
"Shush." She scolded
"Fine be no fun." Ed rolled his eyes.
"Don't pout you're the gate of alchemy for god sakes have some dignity!" The gate began to chuckle which only made Ed more nervous.
"I just want my payment."
"Then why didn't the vortex take it?"
"Because when she pressed her hands to the array nothing happened but the ingredients sizzling and burning, so I have to come and collect it in person!"
"Why? There was no reactionthat's not very equivalent of you? You take something and leave nothing in return."
"Oh I'd leave something in return it just wouldn't be what she wanted, you of all people should know that Edward."
"What would you leave her?" He asked through gritted teeth.
"Oh well certainly not a homunculis, no she'd need a reaction for that maybe a talking doll of the person she wanted back."
"And the payment?"
"Blood."
"That's it just blood?"
"No reaction, and small gift equals small payment, well that and the circle isn't as powerful as it could be, but you picked up on that didn't you? Now your circle that was something to be proud of I haven't seen a circle like that in a long time." The gate boasted loudly
"Well we don't want the doll so you can just leave now!"
"Oh well now making the travel all this way I need something to get me back."
You're a real son of a bitch you know that?" Ed hissed his whole body shaking in rage as he walked into the centre of the circle that held charred ingredients and a brush with a warped handle.
Felling some recognition to the object he picked it up and traced his finger over the W in gold lettering.
He smiled for a moment remembering teasing Winry about how it was the most girly thing she had.
"Umm listen champ as much as I'm enjoying your trip down memory lane how bout this? I cut the amount of blood in half and in return I leave here and if she ever try's it again I just won't send anyone and nothing happens?
"How much blood?"
"One cup."
"Fine, Mustang take Elysia and everyone else and go downstairs."
"I'm only doing this because we've crossed paths so many times before and I have a soft spot for ya kid."
"Fullmetal don't be an idiot!" Mustang snapped
"This offer is only up for me and me alone you think he'd be as nice to any of you guys?" The group sighed seeing he was right and walked downstairs.
"Hey Elysia!" Ed called out "Where did you get this brush?" The young girl who hadn't said a word since the team came looked up at her long time friend and protector.
"She left it here once when she came to visit with you remember she did my hair for the military ball?"
"Oh yeah I remember that night." Ed smiled fondly before turning back to the gate. "Come on lets do this already!" Closing the door shut they heard a "Damm, did you have to cut so deep?"
The four were sitting on the couch drinking large mugs of tea not really looking at one an other until Elysia broke the silence.
"Will Ed be okay?"
"Boss will be fine it's just some blood he's lost a lot worse to the gate." Mustang shot Havoc a glare and the lieutenant clapped his had over his mouth.
"Whoops." He muttered and began sipping tea casually. Elysia rolled her eyes figuring she'd asked Ed later what he had meant.
"I thought he'd be pleased, and I couldn't even get the reaction to work." She mumbled letting her teas slide off her face before blinking the rest away.
"Pleased why would he be pleased?" Riza asked putting her arm around the girl letting her snuggling into the side of her.
"Well he's been so distant these last two weeks today when he was teaching me he was sort of back to his old self but I think he was putting it on because his eyes said other wise." Came the muffled response.
"Yes well Ed being distant is understandable." Riza told the girl who was clinging the a nearby pillow
"I know that, so I thought if I could bring her back Ed would be happy again, I mean she was always so nice to me I remember when I first met her she was down fixing Ed's automail or something and Dad had dragged her to my birthday party."
"Well good intentions or no you're in a shit load of trouble." A groggy voice said behind them, Ed walked up and sat unsteadily on the couch his eyes looking very cloudy.
"Boss are you right?" Ed grimaced in return and proceed to tie a bandaged around his left arm wincing as he did the final knot.
"Yeah I'll live." His eyes rounded on Elysia though no words could come out of his mouth he pursed his lips and his gaze drifted to his right arm Mustang cleared his throat and turned to the blonde alchemist beside him.
"Fullmetal how about you come with me to the kitchen and get some more tea." Ed glared at his superior.
"I'm fine thanks Mustang."
"That wasn't a question-notice how my voice didn't go up at the end- kitchen if you please." Ed shakily got up and followed the older man into the next room where he rested his hands on the kitchen bench top near the sink.
"What are we going to do? Punishment wise I mean." Mustang asked Ed whose gaze did not leave the shiny metallic sink.
"Why are you asking me? It's slightly hypocritical of me to punish her don't you think?" Mustang walked himself up to his subordinated turned him so they were face to face and hit him across the cheek.
Ed blinked for a few seconds then cracked a smile, "Grounding, no going out, no art, and no throwing knives." Mustang grinned back.
"My thoughts exactly."
***
"WHAT THAT'S NOT FAIR!"
"Life isn't fair." Ed shot back as Riza and Havoc came down stairs with armfuls of sketch pads, pencils and other supplies.
"That's all of them Edward." Riza said dumping her pile in a basket with the rest of them.
"Now Elysia no phone conversations either we've tapped it so we'll know if you talk to anybody." Mustang said giving the spanner one last final turn. "We've also made it so the only people who can ring are us so in that case pick it up."
Elysia mumbled a 'whatever' and rounded on Edward who was packing away tools back into a box.
"Ed just before you came down Havoc said something that I've been meaning to ask you about."
"What did he say?"
"He said that you'd be fine it's just a bit of blood you've lost worse to the gate." Ed dropped the tiny wrench in his hand and shot a murderous look at Havoc.
"What did he mean? Dose it have anything to do with why you have a metal arm and leg?"
"You're too young to know."
"Don't give me that crap! Would you rather me figure it out on my own then?"
"No." He admitted hanging his head. "Sit down Elysia."
***
"WHAT!" She yelled her eyes getting bigger and bigger by the second. "So that's why the gate was bragging about you're circle that's why you weren't afraid to talk to it?"
"Yeah." Suddenly her eyes got very narrow and turned into angry slits of teenage girl fury (A/n: scariest thing ever!)
"You stupid arrogant hypocrite! How dare you punish me at least I wasn't thinking of myself when I thought of the idea at least I didn't rope anybody else into it."
Ed looked like he'd just been hit over the head but made no attempt to stop her verbal attacks.
"You put your brother in a suit of freaking armour! No wonder Al hates you."
"Elysia that's enough!" Mustang snapped but the girl ignored him.
"I can't believe you think you have the right to punish me, I hate you do you understand Ed I hate you!" She got up and began stomping up the stairs.
"Young lady don't you even think about talking to anybody you are not to leave the house!" Riza yelled up the stairs.
"Don't worry I was just planning to converse with my converse at least they aren't selfish liars!" Ed winced as he heard the door slam.
"Let's go." He whispered
Okay this is the first end note for this story so YAY!
That was a long chap, sorry if it bugged anybody but I kinda didn't want to end that abruptly so I just let it manifest into about 7 pages :)
Yes I did kill Winry I'm sorry to anybody who doesn't agree but don't worry there will still be Edwin in later chaps when Elysia is younger.
Yes I did say Al hates Ed (more later) but for now you have to guess a bit
And finally sorry if they seemed a bit OC but I figured Elysia was at the age when it was about time for her to start saying "I hate you!" and being an irrational teenage girl and since she had no parents to do that too it just seemed logical she'd say it to Ed or someone else in the military who she is close to.
That's all keep on reading it's much appreciated
