Chapter 7: The Truth
Izumi sits at the kitchen table, now with her appearance back to normal. The boy that sprung from the Gate sits across from her, now with his mouth filled with food and his appearance more human. Izumi remembers this boy from the dream conversation with Ed, a face she will never forget.
"My son. So, you're here."
The boy swallows his food and looks grim.
"Wrath. My name is Wrath."
"Why are you here", asks Izumi.
"To find Edward. You knew I was coming, didn't you?"
"To a degree. I dreamed about you four years ago."
"Mommy, do you know about the Devil?"
"Lucifer? What about him?"
"He's here. He's among us."
The Elrics, Blasphemy, Riza and Roy ride on a train, taking them to Xenotime. Roy sits across from Blasphemy and looks at him right in the eyes, still skeptical about his conversation with Lucifer.
"So let me get this straight. You were God, but the Devil killed your human body and turned you into a homunculus. Why?"
"Lucifer wanted to control me, but he failed in his mission. My assumption is that he has gone back to square one."
"And just what is square one", asks Alphonse.
"Lucifer will try to convert Edward over to his side", responds Blasphemy.
"Why would he do that", asks Edward.
"Because of your power, Ed. Lucifer knows that you have the power."
"What power?"
"The power of God Almighty, Edward. When he turned me into a homunculus, my soul became dormant. After I was transmuted, I transferred some of my power to a newborn child. Until three years ago, I didn't know who the child was, only that he was from Risembool."
"Why me? Why give me your power", questions Edward.
"Because you were different from other alchemists, Edward. You used your talents to help others, not pursue war." At that moment, Edward becomes pent up with rage.
"Well, I don't want your power!!!!! I never asked for it, so why give it to me?!!!! I never wanted anything to do with God, so don't force me to fight your battles!!!!!"
Edward stands up from his seat and walks away when Blasphemy grabs his shoulder. Edward spins around and punches Blasphemy in the face, knocking him down along the walkway. Blasphemy sits up, wiping the blood from his mouth.
"Do you want to know why I hate gods? Because they are selfish beings, toying around with human lives, making profit from their suffering. That is why I stopped believing in God, because he doesn't care about us. When you said you used up your power in Lior, that was a lie, wasn't it?"
"No, it wasn't."
"Then I guess not even God is perfect."
Blasphemy walks through the cabin area of the train, where the first class riders are. He looks around and calls out a name. "Sloth. You can come out now."
A large red puddle materializes in front of Blasphemy, shaping itself into a woman. The woman has long dark hair and a black dress with markings on it. "So I take it that you integrated the red water, then?"
"Yes, I did", says Sloth. "You said that you needed to recharge."
"You also know that Colonel Mustang is here, which means you have to stay out of sight", says Blasphemy.
"For now, let's get you back to full power. You're going to need it to keep Edward alive."
"With Lucifer on Earth, I need to be at full power. I can't be weakened like this anymore. Telekinesis is all I can use right now."
"Hold out your hands."
Blasphemy holds his hands together in a cup. Sloth holds out her right hand, her palm facing down. From out of her hand, red stones begin to fall into Blasphemy's grasp, completely filling them up. Sloth drops her hand back to her side with Blasphemy sighing deeply, looking at the stones.
"I'm sorry."
Blasphemy walks back to the seats that Alphonse, Riza and Roy are sitting at.
"Where's Ed", asks Blasphemy.
Edward walks back to the seats, seeing that Blasphemy has returned. "What do you want?"
"I wanted to tell you that my power has recharged. If you want to stay on the train, that's okay, but I can get us to our destination a lot faster now."
"Sweet!!! Can we, Ed", asks Alphonse smiling.
"This I've got to see", says Roy, still doubting Blasphemy.
"Okay, fine", says Edward surrendering. Blasphemy smiles at Ed's response and holds out his fingers as if to snap them.
"Everyone, you are on the Blasphemy express, first class! Don't fasten your seatbelts because it is an instant ride!"
Blasphemy snaps his fingers and Roy finds himself standing in the middle of a street. Roy and Riza are dumbfounded, still reeling from what Blasphemy just did. Blasphemy puts his arm around Roy, rocking him.
"So, still think I'm crazy?"
Mugear stands in front of the red water spring, pouring small doses of it into a jar with a gold handle on it. A voice comes from behind him, startling him. Mugear sees a young man, about 15 in appearance with short black hair gelled down. He has red irises and thin pupils with shark-like teeth and wears a dark 200 dollar suit. Standing beside him is a woman with long wavy black hair, a black dress, black arm stockings, black heel boots, red irises and a serpent eating its tail above her bosom.
"What brings you two here", asks Mugear.
"We wanted to check up on operations here. So, has it been tested", asks the young man.
"Do you mean the red water or are you talking about the blue stone?"
"Why the blue stone, of course", says the young man.
"Yes, Damien, the blue stone has been tested. It is even more powerful than the red water that you sent me."
"All we need now is Full Metal. He is integral to the plan", says the woman called Lust.
"But we already have Edward Elric, don't we?" Asks Mugear.
"If you're referring to the boys in the mansion, then you are being deceived. The real Edward Elric has auto-mail limbs and Alphonse is about Edward's height", says Damien looking dull. Mugear doesn't know what to say, but reacts to their words with slight anger. "So, what about the man with them? Isn't he Blasphemy, their guardian?"
"He too is an imposter. He is actually…"
Upstairs in the lab:
"Nuada, I need you", shouts Fletcher holding his hand.
Towering over the small boy is a man more than 6 feet tall, wearing a green cape and gold garment with red pants and brown leather boots. He has a gold hat on his head with Celtic symbols on his sleeves. He has a white beard braided down and green irises as they stare at the young Fletcher Tringham, holding his hand in pain. The tall man remembers a time when he ruled over the Celtic gods as their king and then suddenly he finds himself here.
"What is it, Fletcher", asks Nuada in a strong Irish accent. Fletcher holds out his left hand, showing blood. Fletcher had cut himself on one of the beakers when it shattered. Nuada takes hold of Fletcher's hand and a light glows. A few seconds later, Fletcher's hand is completely healed. Nuada lets go of Fletcher's hand to let the boy examine himself. The smile on Fletcher's face puts a smile on Nuada's face as well.
"Hey", says Russell stepping up to the two. Fletcher and Nuada stand up, seeing a young man in his mid teens with short blonde hair and overalls with a white shirt with his sleeves rolled up. "What's going on?"
"The lad cut himself, but he's okay now", says Nuada.
"And I suppose you healed him", asks Russell.
"But of course."
"I'm glad. So little bro, ready to get back to work?"
"Why are you after the Philosopher's Stone anyway when I can make gold for you", asks Nuada.
"Because we shouldn't come to you every time we have a problem. We have to fight our own battles", responds Russell.
"Admirable. Russell, Fletcher, just call me if you need me. Say my name and I'll come running", says the Celtic god Nuada teleporting out. Russell looks at his younger brother with a blank expression in his eyes.
"What is it, Russell?"
"I was just thinking about the first time we met Nuada, when he told us that he was a god. At first I thought he was crazy, but then he showed us what he could do and then I thought I was crazy."
"Yeah and you went pale for a few days."
"But I meant what I said. We can't rely on him to do things for us, otherwise we'll never learn."
"But he has been protecting us. I wonder what the real Elric brothers are like", ponders Fletcher to his brother.
Xenotime, the streets:
"Hey, watch where you're walking, mister", shouts Edward at a man in a suit.
"Why don't you make way, small fry", shouts the man. Ed's face becomes pent up, then he explodes in a rage. Edward starts swinging the man around with little effort and moving like a tornado. Ed's face has an anime style rage shown on it.
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MICROSCOPIC, ATOMIC SIZED PEANUT!!!!! I SUPPOSE NEXT YOU'LL CALL ME A BEAN SPROUT MIDGET OR RICE GRAIN!!!!!"
"That's not what he said, Ed", says Al and Riza in unison, embarrassed by his display of anger.
The Clinic:
"Why did you want Ed and Al to investigate Xenotime? You know that they're fugitives", says Blasphemy pleading with Roy as he sits across from him.
"That's what I wanted to talk to them about. Turns out that the Fuhrer called it off."
"But that doesn't make sense. Why order a manhunt and then call it off?"
"Who knows, but as far as I'm concerned, Ed and Al are off the hook, which means that I can give Ed this."
"Give me what", asks Edward sitting down at the table. Roy then takes a silver pocket watch out of his pocket and slides it to Edward.
"The Fuhrer called off the manhunt. You can work for me again."
"Why do I find something wrong with that", asks Edward stoically.
"I asked him the same thing, but it looks like we're all in the dark", responds Blasphemy.
Mugear's mansion, the lab:
Russell and Fletcher wear dark yellow masks over their mouths to block out the toxins of the red water that they are working with. Fletcher examines the plants by the window, pouring the red water onto them. A knock can be heard from the door and Russell walks over to answer it. He opens the door to see Mugear, the land baron. Mugear holds out a jar with a gold handle and pulls the trigger on the handle. A red stream comes from the jar and into the floor. In a matter of seconds, Russell and Fletcher are caught by vines.
"What are you doing", asks a surprised Russell. Mugear makes an evil smile.
"You thought you could fool me, didn't you? You think I didn't realize that you two are the sons of Nash Tringham?"
Next Chapter: The Elrics pay a visit to the manor of Mugear, only to discover that the land baron is hiding something.
