-Authors Note-

I don't own FMAB or FMA.

Thanks for reading!

"Hey Al!" Ling's head poked through the window, causing all three people in the room to jump.

"L-ling! Did you… Did you find Brother?" Alphonse asked hopefully, looking up.

Ling grinned at him before leaping to the floor. "Of course! Did you ever doubt me?"

Lan Fan and Edward also hopped into the room via the window, although Ed looked uncomfortable and annoyed. "I told you, Ling, I'm not buying you a meal for 'finding' me!" Edward growled, unable to look at Al just yet. "This is your own country, or maybe everyone hates you to the point where even your own people won't feed you?"

"How rude! And here I thought you were my friend!" Ling said dramatically, and Ed sent daggers at the tall teen with his purple eyes.

Alphonse, having frozen at the sight of his brother, finally managed to bumble forwards and grabbed Edward by the shirt. "Ed…?" Alphonse asked quietly.

Ed finally managed to give Alphonse a smile, although it was a small, shaky one at best and Ed seemed to struggle to hold it on his face. "Yeah, Al, what is it- OW!" Ed yelped in surprise as Alphonse suddenly punched him in the face without warning. It didn't hurt that badly; Al was still weak after all, but it would still have bruised a normal person.

"That looked like it hurt," Selim said in amusement. "Do you really communicate happiness or affection by hitting each other?"

"STUPID BROTHER!" Alphonse yelled at Edward as he tripped backwards and landing indignantly on his butt. "Didn't you know that no matter what happened, I would listen and try to help…? You stupid Brother…" Al's voice trailed off, and Edward blinked in surprise.

"I don't know the specifics of what happened to ya," Jerso said to Edward, crossing his arms and frowning at the shorter male. "But ya shouldn't have run away like that, Fullmetal Alchemist."

"And now they're getting all sappy. That's great, but shouldn't these idiots focus on our problems?"

"I… I know." Edward looked down, rubbing his cheek with one hand even though it didn't hurt anymore. He looked up again and sighed. "But still; what if I suddenly turn on you all? What if I hurt someone? I don't want that, no matter what."

"Then we would have stopped you before you went too far and helped, of course." Ling said with a reassuring grin. "Besides, I'm fine even though I temporarily shared Greed's body. So I'm sure that-"

Selim interrupted Ling, and even though the tall teenager kept talking, Ed's attention focused on the invisible boy talking only to him. "That's because Greed took over the human's body in a successful attempt. Our bodies actually merged together even if our souls didn't, and it wasn't even a successful attempt at that. Why you didn't die is beyond me, but it's not impossible that little bits of our souls are somehow intertwined now."

Edward frowned, and repeated what Selim had said to everyone else.

"So you can actually hear that creepy kid?" Zampano asked, leaning forwards from the bed he had sat down on.

Alphonse looked down, hiding his expression. "Brother, why don't you tell us what happened from the beginning?"

Ed nodded, and the group got comfortable on the beds and chairs open in the room. As Edward explained his fight with Selim and the after effects, Lan Fan's frown under her mask grew deeper and even the chimeras looked stricken.

"So Selim actually offered to help you?" Ling crossed his arms, frowning. "I have to admit that I'm curious at the idea our little friend has."

"Who's so small that they can't even comprehend ideas because their brain is too small to retain information?!" Edward automatically snarled, tensing up.

"I wasn't-"

"Tell him not to treat me like his inferior or I won't say anything!" Selim childishly snapped, and Edward turned to look at Ling.

"Selim says that you're his backwater desert inferior and should show respect to him or else he isn't going to tell us anything." Edward said pointedly, and Al sighed, worn out.

"Brother, you're just adding insults to what Selim said, aren't you?"

"Of course not, Al. I can't believe you would accuse your brother of doing that!"

Everyone laughed at the brother's exchange, but the laughter sounded a bit high and lasted a second too long before the tense atmosphere returned, destroying the remaining grins.

"Selim… could you please tell us how to fix Brother…?" Al pleaded, and Edward heard Selim sigh, starting to speak as Edward repeated what he said to everyone else.

"Fine. Tell me, the two chimeras. Can you let us see your alkahestry equations to regaining your old bodies back?"

"Our research?" Zampano asked, surprised. "Sure, if you think that will help…" The pale man handed Edward a large stack of papers, which Edward started to flip through them as Selim thought.

"Our body isn't that different from a chimera of a homunculus and a human, actually."

"Meaning…?" Ling asked curiously, leaning forwards onto his elbow.

"We can use this research to separate ourselves and return to normal."

"And there." Edward stepped back from the circle with the complicated star patterns and glanced over at Alphonse, who was shifting through the papers once again. "Hey, Al, is that everything?"

Alphonse glanced p, setting the papers aside. "Yeah. This equation does seem plausible," the younger male said with a worried fidget. "Hey, Brother…"

"What is it, Al?"
"What if it doesn't work?" Al bluntly and worriedly asked. Edward blinked and looked away, his shoulders tensing as if they were carrying some unseen weight.

"I-"

"I'm sure it will!" Ling said cheerfully. "After all, you two are both protégées in this, right? Not to mention getting rid of Greed was way too easy. And just when I had gotten him to agree to being emperor with me, too." Ling said the last part with a flicker of a frown, but then his reassuring grin was back and everyone else in the room nodded.

"I'm sure it'll all work out… and if this works, it means we can gain our own bodies back too, so do us justice!"

"You two are amazing, after all…"

"I agree with young lord. You can do this."

"Just do it already and get me out of this body!"

Edward leaned forwards, his hair falling into his eyes. "All right, everyone. Hey Al, are you ready?" Edward stepped into the circle, navigating around the lines so he didn't smudge any of the precious white lines that had taken hours to draw. He stopped at the middle, squatting down and clapping out of habit. Al and Ed locked eyes for a moment, and then they both touched their hands against the circle. Soft blue and crackling white hues appeared, making the lines light up and illuminate the room in a bright glow. Shadow's lengthened, and Al squinted as he looked up from the circle to his brother.

"Brother?" He called softly, trying to remain perfectly focused on the task at hand. It wasn't easy; the theories were complicated and Alphonse wasn't so perfect at alkahestry yet that he didn't even have to concentrate completely.

A pained gasp made Al's concentration flicker for a second, the bright light flickering. "I'm fine… keep going, no matter what, Alphonse!" Ed managed to grunt, pain flickering in front of his purple eyes. For a second, they shifted back to a beautiful, stunning golden color before switching back to the dark, brooding purple that signified his homunculus problems.

Selim wasn't in any less pain, either; in fact, Edward was almost certain he had passed out from the pain. "Don't place me on your standards." Said kid managed to spit out the words, sensing Ed's thoughts, and a pained smile made its way on to Ed's face.

The circle lit even brighter, and Edward started screaming in pain, unable to hold it in.

The uncanny wailing snapped Al out of the concentrated state that he had been in. "Brother!" Alphonse gasped in shock, but then he gritted his teeth and looked back down, refusing to stop. I can't stop just yet… if I do, it might harm Brother even more, or worse. I have to finish this!

"Young lord, this… this doesn't seem natural," Lan Fan whispered to Ling, her fists clenching. "Shall I…"

"No."

"But, young lord…"

"If we interfere, Ed might die." For once, the easy-going teen was dead serious, his arms crossed and a pained expression on his face. "We don't know enough about alkahestry to interfere, Lan Fan."

Lan Fan bowed her head, trying to shut out the screams. It… It sounded like both Edward and Pride were screaming, the eerie metallic tone plus the stoic boy's screams setting everyone on edge. "You're right… sorry, young lord, I won't talk back again."

"It's fine, Lan Fan… I was thinking the same thing." Ling said, softly enough that he thought Lan Fan hadn't heard his last thought.

The girl looked at him for a moment before nodded, knowledge glinting in her eyes. They both were silent as they tried not to cringe from the pain in Edward's voice, hoping it would be over soon.

Despite that, it was a full twenty minutes before the glow faded from the room, and then there was only silence.

Edward stumbled forwards, toppling forwards and landing on his hands and knees. His breaths were quick and ragged, sweat dripping down his forehead. He blinked, everything hazy and blurred, an unnatural white quality to everything. His hair fell into his face, and he pushed it back before blinking and squinting at his hair. Was that…? It was. Edward's hair was golden.

"Hey… Pri- Elric?" A soft voice, nervousness and uncertainty clear in its tone, snapped Ed's attention back to the present. He pushed himself to shaky legs, facing Selim, who was pale and once again in his own body.

A feeling of elation shot through Edward, and he grinned despite the fatigue weighing down on him. "It seemed to have worked perfectly, huh?"

"Not quite, I'd assume." An eerie voice said in amusement, and Selim stared at Ed with an accusing look. Almost weary of what he would find, Edward finally took the time to examine his surrounding sand look behind him.

"What the hell are we doing here?" The question sprang out of the alchemist's mouth before he could say anything else. The unusual white that he had noticed earlier was because both Selim and him were standing in front of Truth, surrounded by nothing but pure, untouched whiteness in every direction and a single black doorway with a homunculus sign on the door. There was no door for Edward, considering he had given up his alchemy and gateway.

Truth stood up, tilting its head to the side. "I thought you said you could live without alchemy, but it seems you were all too willing to attempt to get through a loop hole with alkahestry, alchemist- or, should I say, alkahestriest."

Edward glared at the figure, ignoring the wary child that stood beside him. "Maybe you should have given me a heads up about the whole homunculus, then. It's clear that you knew from those idiotic hints you gave me, bastard. Besides, why shouldn't I learn alkahestry? You don't govern it, which arises another question. Why are we here? We didn't perform alchemy or anything."

"What would you have given me in return for the information, then?" Truth questioned with a grin that exposed all of its teeth. "And what the chimeras and Al didn't tell you, for instance, that while they were technically performing alkahestry, there is an underlying basis of human transmutation that is rarely, if ever, performed in alkahestry. Of course, the traces of it are so weak I can just talk to you from your minds; while you are here, there is no toll for you to pay, as the only gate here is a locked one, void of passage for you two to see the truth."

"So then why are we here?" Selim questioned coldly, an unreadable expression flickering over his face. "I thought that the transmutation worked fine, so why do I feel so weak? Did you take a toll already?"

Edward glanced at him in surprise. Had… had Selim actually sounded afraid? There was already a first for everything, but Edward had a very bad feeling about this entire situation.

"No, no, no." The white figure crossed its arms in an 'x' figure, the universal sign for no. "Like I said, your transmutation wasn't perfect. For one thing, Selim Bradley, you are now human. How do you like being exactly what you despised, cut off from your original Philosopher's Stone?" Truth laughed, a bit of cruel amusement in its voice. "Had there been any more influence I could use, rest assured, you would have followed your father into your Gate. However, the hell you get to experience instead is being trapped in the frail body of the species you looked down on for so long."

"What?" Selim glowered dangerously at Truth, but there was also panic in his eyes. "You can't do that! You have no right to!"

"I didn't do anything. Your transmutation was too separate two beings into their most natural form, and by now the Philosopher's Stone had switched owners completely and firmly. Yes, the transmutation once again made a human and a homunculus from one being, but which is which in the overall scheme, hmm? Tell me that, Selim Bradley, Edward Elric." Truth laughed, spreading out its arms and grinning at the two boys in front of it. "It's all Equivalent Exchange, right? You two had to pay very little to gain your own bodies again, so it's all fair."

Edward looked down, his hair hiding his expression from the being. "Damn it." He hissed, trying to control his turbulent thoughts. "You enjoy this, don't you, you bastard?" He raised his head, glaring daggers at Truth. "If I'm stuck as a homunculus then why is my hair gold again?"

"Because the transmutation separated into what was most natural to you." Truth explained calmly, and Edward could have sworn he would have rolled his eyes if he actually had them. "The only thing the transmutation failed to switch was the actual Philosopher's Stone- this causes Selim to gain human emotions and yet allow you to retain control of your own," here Truth paused before grinning. "If you put work into controlling it, of course."

"Equivalent Exchange, huh?" Edward mused, running everything over in his head. "Then I won't go insane or anything if I don't want to?"

"Correct."

"How do I become human again?"

"Incorrect." Truth said, shaking its head and answering Edward's question a bit oddly, although Edward understood what it meant immediately.

"There isn't a way, is there." A simple statement, both blunt and to the point was whispered under Ed's breath. Edward looked away cursing his bad luck. He had blown his only chance! Al was… what was Alphonse going to say? He was going to blame himself, Edward just knew it. Worry and horror filled Edward's eyes, and he shook his head. "No, there must be a way. Quit lying, Truth! I'll fix this on my own!"

"When will you realize that alchemy isn't so important? I thought you had learned that," Truth mused to itself, and then tilted its head up for a moment. "I'm Truth. I don't lie, silly alchemist. Now our time here is up; goodbye, Selim Bradley, Edward Elric, I hope it's for the last time for your sakes."

The doors slowly creaked open, and a blood-shot eye slowly opened, staring at the two people with a wild, purple iris. Black hands shot out latching on to Edward and Selim. Both of them struggled, Selim screaming insults as he was dragged feet first into his gate and Edward following a second later. As the doors swung shut with an air of finality, Truth smiled.

"Yes, Equivalent Exchange," It repeated to itself, nodding before turning its gaze back on to the universe.

"….er?" Ed's eyes fluttered and he sat up, gasping. Looking around, he noticed the worried faces of Alphonse, Ling, Zampano, Lan Fan, and Jerso all clustered around him. "Brother!" Al said in relief, sinking to his knees. "I was so worried; you wouldn't wake up and there was that screaming… are you all right? It worked, after all your eyes and hair are once again golden!"

"Listen, Alphonse…"

"He's not cured." Ling said softly, a frown flickering over his face. "How come I can still feel your Philosopher's Stone? Lan Fan, do you…?"

"Yes, I also can sense it."

"What?!" Alphonse asked in alarm. "But it worked… why didn't it…"

Edward watched as emotions of doubt and disappointment swirled over his little brother's face, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks and down into his lap. "We can try again!" Alphonse said desperately. "I'm sure we did something wrong… maybe with a different star formula I can-"

"Sorry about this, Al," Edward said, looking into his brother's eyes and sighing.

"Wha-" Al started to ask before Edward slapped his brother. It wasn't a gentle slap, either; it was a full out smack, the sound of skin hitting skin ringing out into the room.

"EDWARD!" Everyone shouted, Lan Fan rushing to check if the dazed Alphonse was all right.

"You shouldn't do that to your own brother!" Zampano angrily muttered. "What in the world got over you, Edward?!"

"It wasn't Al's fault, though, and I know he'll have blamed himself about this forever," Edward said, tilting his head up; they had worked throughout the night, and the sun was just beginning to peak up over the horizon once again. "This was no one's fault but mine from the start; this actually saved me, probably. I was told that I could keep my sanity in check now, so it's fine. You don't need to worry about me." Edward tried to give a reassuring smile, but he wasn't very good at it; there was still doubt in his eyes, but Alphonse rubbed his red cheek and nodded.

"You're right Brother, I… told? By who?"

"An old friend of ours, that bastard. You recall Truth, right?" Edward said, starting to explain. "Selim and I… oh shit, where is Selim?!"

Everyone looked over at a motionless body a few feet away, lying limply in the middle of the circle. Jerso scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "I guess we got so worried 'bout you that we might've forgotten about that one…"

"Yeah…" Zampano said sheepishly.

A groan interrupted everyone's train of thought, and six pairs of eyes watched as Selim groaned again and pushed himself into a sitting position. "Damn it. I blame Kimbley for all of this," he muttered to himself in his usual sunny attitude, watching his hands open and close as he tested his motor skills quickly.

"Glad to see you're okay," Edward said sarcastically, and the human gave the homunculus a glare.

"Don't get condescending with me," snapped Selim, dusting himself off as he stood up. "I had sworn I would never go through that experience again, but I guess not."

"Oh, right, you had forced Mustang to do that, hadn't you?" Al asked, recalling what Edward had mentioned to him after the battle. "But wait, how did you meet Truth? Your bodies never left here."

"While it was indeed human transmutation," and here Edward glared at Alphonse for a moment before Al sheepishly looked down. "It was mainly alkahestry so Truth only had a certain amount of sway over us."

"Oh. So… so what now, Brother?" Alphonse asked timidly.

"Can we eat? I'm starving!" Edward said, standing up and stretching. Everyone stared at him in surprise, and Edward glanced at his or her face and shrugged. "What? I haven't eaten since I first jumped out a window!"

Everyone started laughing, the sun's rays trickling into the dark room. For the next few days, all of them (Selim included, although grudgingly) enjoyed themselves in the city before traveling deeper into Xing. (Ling having clung to Ed's leg until he had agreed to go watch his coronation.) Alphonse performed the transmutation successfully on both chimeras, which had returned to Amestris with Selim a month after Edward and Selim's transmutation.

"That's your favor?" Edward had asked in surprise, staring at the little kid in front of him.

"That's right." Selim had said defiantly, glaring at Edward. "I want you to call in some favors with the military and let me stay with my Mother instead of in custody or killed now that I'm stuck in this human body."

"Since you're human, it would have had a high chance of happening like that anyways," Edward had mused. "I bet I can let you get away with just being watched for a few years or so."

"That's sufficient, thanks… Pride." was all Selim Bradley had said before he had left, leaving Edward to watch after the former homunculus. The expression on the blonde's face had been unreadable, but before he had returned to Alphonse a small smile had tugged at his lips. He knew for a fact that he hadn't heard the last of Selim Bradley.

About a month later, Alphonse also returned to Amestris. Promises and worries were exchanged, and Edward had laughed and promised that he would try to both drink his milk and not maim more than ten people a month. Ling had offered a room in his new palace for Ed to stay in as he got used to his new life, finding amusement in attempting to have eating contests with the ravenous homunculus who could now eat more than even Ling. In this kind of blur, Edward's first year of living as a homunculus passed by.

It was then, a full year and six weeks after the Promised Day, that Edward finally returned to Amestris.

Aha! I didn't miss my update deadline, haha.

So this was definably not my favorite chapter; I kept getting writer's block and would go work on my other story (which has its first chapter posted, but don't worry, I won't make you guys wait any longer than normal for the last chapter!) but I don't think it was too bad.

One of the reasons for my writer's block was my hesitation to end it like this; I had planned this from the beginnings of the story, but was writing this and started wondering if I really wanted to do this to you guys. The answer? Yep. XD

The final chapter/epilogue shall be posted in a week unless complications in my life occur. See you guys then~