The Blade Alchemist: Father Returns

Hopping Worlds

Drake POV

Today was the day. The day we would all leave this world, and travel to my old one. Roy, Riza and Ed were due to arrive in a few hours. Al was in the yard with Justin and Sarah, teaching them the last bit he could with what time we had left. Jess and Liz had finished there orders and were now contacting customers to let them know that they would have to find someone else for their maintenance. Me and Alex were closing things up and covering everything up to avoid dust. I left Alex to finish up, while I went downstairs to get dinner started. "Want a hand Drake?" I turned to see Al standing in the doorway. "No. I'm good Al. You should give May one last call before we leave tonight."

He nodded and walked to the phone. I turned back to the stove and thought about the whole situation. We were leaving. Leaving our homes to go to another world to fight someone who shouldn't even be alive. And then there was my old family. Would I really see them again? And what would they think about my 'wolf pack' of a family? "Honey?" I was shaken from thought be my wife. I turned to her and smiled. "Sorry hon. Just a lot on my mind right now." She walked over and grabbed me from behind. "I do too honey. I'm really worried, that we'll never come back." I sighed and shook my head. "You need to stop worrying. It's only going to make things worse."

She gripped me tighter and kissed my neck. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'm just so nervous about this." I chuckled. "Yeah. Me too." I turned around and kissed her, then we saw Justin in the doorway. "Hey dad. Uncle Ed and the others are here." I nodded and he walked up to his room. "Well, lets go greet our guests." We walked out of the kitchen and to the front door. "Hey guys." Jess greeted and gave Riza a hug. I shook Roys and Eds hands as Al came out of the house. "Hey brother!" Ed was very happy. "Hey Al. Long time no see huh?" They pounded fists and we all walked inside. "Please guys, have a seat. Dinner is almost ready." I stated.

We all sat there in silence and ate dinner. No one spoke, until Roy stood up. "This is every ones last chance. If you do not want to leave, then now is your last chance to speak up. No one will be mad or upset if you choose to stay." No one said a word, then I turned to my kids. "Justin, Sarah, Liz. Are you guys sure you want to go? Have you thought this through completely and thoroughly?" The three of them glared at me and nodded. "We have. And we are going." Liz stated and the other two nodded again. I then turned to Ed and Al. "And you two? You're sure about this?" Al lowered his head and Ed sighed.

"We want to stay with our families. But we both have a job to protect them. So we are going. And we are not changing our minds." Ed stated and I nodded. Finally, I turned to Roy. "And you three?" He glared at me and nodded heavily. "We are going. We are going to kill that bastard. And this time, he stays dead." We all nodded in agreement. "Very well. We still have a few hours until 'Truth' calls on us. Go and call your families. I want you all to hear their voices one last time before we leave." Ed was the first to stand up and walk to the phone. The rest of us sat at the table and decided to joke and talk of old times.

After a while, I stood up. "Jess, kids. Come with me." They all stood up and we all walked upstairs to my room. They sat on the bed while me and Jess knelt down next to them. "Kids, the last time we fought, your mother and I had an agreement. We agreed that, no matter what, we keep fighting. If one of us falls, you keep fighting. Kids." They all looked at me. "If your mother and I fall, you keep fighting. Understood?" They all lowered their heads, but nodded. "Promise me." They looked back at me. "We promise." they spoke in unison. I grabbed everyone into a tight group hug. We all sat there for a while, until we heard a knocking. I turned to see Ed in the doorway.

"Drake…..it's time to go." I nodded and he left. I turned back to my family and smiled. "You guys ready?" They all nodded, then we all stood up and Jess put her hand on my shoulder. "Lets go have some fun, honey. Together." I smirked, as did the kids. "Right!" we all spoke in unison, then left the room. We turned off all the lights and locked the front door. I stood there at the door and sighed. Until we come back. I turned around and joined the others in the yard. "Guys, I must be honest with you. I don't know how this is going to happen. But 'Truth' has assured me that only Ed and myself will be the only ones to see him. No one else will."

They all nodded and I sighed. "No matter what happens over there, I'm glad it will be with you guys." Jess put her hand on my shoulder and everyone smiled. "Same for us honey." I smiled back and kissed her. It was at that moment, that the wind suddenly picked up, and blue sparks started dancing around us. "This is it!" Ed yelled as the 'eye' opened in the ground at our feet. Everyone was shocked as the familiar black hands began rising from the ground around us. I turned and watched in horror as the hands grabbed my wife and kids, and they slowly began to disappear as they were deconstructed. The hands grabbed me and I watch as my body fell apart and the world go dark.

I was suddenly inside the white void and I turned to find 'Truth' right behind me. I SEE YOU ARE NOW READY. AS PROMISED, I RETURN YOUR MEMORIES TO YOU. He then leaped forward and touched my head. It began to fume with pain as hundreds of thousands of memories poured back into my head. I could suddenly remember everything. My mother, my father, my brother and sisters, everything! He hopped back away from me and pointed at me. YOUR MEMORIES HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO YOU, YOUNG WARRIOR. BUT KEEP IN MIND, I WILL BE TAKING THEM BACK WHEN YOU HAVE BROUGHT THE HOMUNCULUS BACK TO ME.

I glared at him. "Where are my family and friends?" He smiled and waved me off. NOW NOW. THEY ARE ALL FINE. THEY ARE NOW WAITING FOR YOU, IN THE OTHER WORLD. I HAVE EVEN DONE YOU A FAVOR AND DROPPED THEM ALL NEAR YOUR OLD HOME. I froze for a second. My old….home? I shook the thought away and stared at him. "So what now?" He chuckled. AS I HAD SAID BEFORE. FIND HIM, AND BRING HIM BACK TO ME. ONCE YOU HAVE FINISHED, I WILL TAKE YOU BACK TO YOUR WORLD. I just stared at him, but soon nodded. "I will find him, and kill him!"

The gate then opened and began to take me away. GOOD LUCK OT YOU, YOUNG WARRIOR! He yelled to me as the door closed. The next thing I knew, I was falling and landed with a thud. I opened my eyes and saw the night sky. Am I….in my old world? Am I really…..back? I sat up and looked around. I saw everyone laying on the ground unconscious. I ran over and shook my wife. "Jess, wake up. Jess!" She moaned, then finally opened her eyes. "Honey?" I smiled with tears in my face and I kissed her. "I'm here wolf. I'm here." I helped her up and she started looking around. "The kids!"

We immediately looked around and saw them about twenty feet from us we ran over and shook them awake. "Justin! Sarah! Liz! Wake up!" One by one, they all began sitting up, holding their heads. I grabbed them all and clutched them in a tight hug. "You guys okay?" I asked and they all nodded. "We're fine dad. We're all okay." I kissed them all on the heads and hugged them again. "I have to go check on the others. I'll be back guys. Jess, stay here with them." She nodded and I stood up. I ran to Roy, who was just helping Riza up. "You two okay?" Riza smiled and nodded. "We're fine." I looked over and saw Ed and Al standing up, alone with Alex. "What about you guys? All good?" They all nodded and walked over to us. "Yeah, Drake. We're okay." Al answered.

We spent the next few minuets gathering everyone and taking a breather. "So Drake. Are we really in your world?" Ed asked and I looked around. "Can't really tell right now. All I can see are fields. As far as I know, we could still be near my house." We all looked around until Riza pointed at something. "There. I can see a small house. About two miles away." We all looked, but Jess was the only one that could see it too with her sharp senses. "Alright. Lets head for that house and find out where we are." Roy ordered and we all nodded. We began the long walk through the fields and Jess turned to me. "Honey, did….he give you back….your memories?" I smiled.

"Yes, he did." She smiled and kissed my cheek. We kept walking and we could see the sun was starting to come up. Suddenly, Ed stopped and we turned to him. "Ed? What is it?" I asked and he was looking at his hands. "I wonder if….I really have….my alchemy back." I had completely forgotten about that. "Try it and see Ed." He looked at me and nodded. He clapped his hands, pressed them to the ground, and we were all shocked to see that he could indeed perform alchemy again. He pulled a spear from the ground and held it to his side. Jess then ran to him and encased him in a hug. "I'm so happy for you Ed. So happy." We all nodded and Jess released him.

"Well, if we are in my world, we now know alchemy works. But now.." I stopped when we all heard a loud 'buzzing' noise, one that I knew all too well. I looked up at the sky, and I could just make out the low flying helicopter passing overhead. It was nothing to me, but everyone else, was completely stunned. "What the hell is that!?" Ed demanded and I laughed. "That, Ed, is a helicopter. Now I know for a fact that we are in my world." They all looked at me with shock still on their faces and I laughed again. "If only you all could see your faces. So priceless." Roy shook his shock away and glared. "Alright, enough. Lets get to that house."

We continued through the fields until we got into the yard on the house. I looked at it, and stopped. Jess turned back to me. "Honey? What's wrong?" she asked, but I didn't answer. I slowly started walking again with my jaw dropped, and my eyes wide. It's all here...all of it...my home. I looked to my left, and I saw an old red barn. "I…." I looked to my right and I could see the old grain bin. The same hole from years ago still in the side. "This..." Jess was now worried and she put her hand on my shoulder. "Drake, talk to me. What is it, honey?" I turned back to the house. "I'm…..home." Everyone gasped, then I started walking to the front door of the house. I pressed the doorbell and stood there in shock.

We all heard footsteps inside walk to the door and open it. There stood an elder woman with long brown hair with some gray to it, and blue eyes. She looked at me and froze. We both just stood there and stared at each other. "Dr…..Dr….Drake!?" she stuttered and tears flowed from my eyes. "Mom!?"