Hello little people!

I guess I'm not all bad if you are reading this so….

Try not to get killed reading this horrible chap!

I am adding things from brotherhood in here also.

(Nibbles on cookie) I love sugar! Weeeeeeeeeee!

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Ch.7 The Gate

It had been five days since Ed first ate some of Den's dog food, and he found that it wasn't half bad. Every now and then though, he was able to slip a piece of food from Al. He loved his little brother more every time something tasty landed onto the floor by Al's feet. Although…he still had trouble with the Rockbell's dog, every time Den saw him in the kitchen eating his food he charged Ed. That is why he never ate alone. He made sure either to get who ever was giving him his lunch or dinner (he was lucky enough to share his breakfast with Al, even with Winry's complaints) to put him on the counter and feed him or have them near by just in case.

Al and Winry had stopped asking around if anyone knew him. Ed knew no one would because he didn't belong to anyone. Den only attacked him if he was eating on the floor in the kitchen or if he was somewhere he shouldn't be. The dog was strict with the rules of the house, which he had explained to Ed as the cat perched safely out of his reach on top of a wardrobe in the guest bedroom. He'd explained that Ed couldn't 'go' in the house (he used the toilet which, was amusing to everyone on two legs), no scratching up furnisher, he can't eat Den's food (he tried unsuccessfully to explain to the dog that his 'master' wouldn't give him anything else), and he couldn't steal food from the 'masters'.

He followed his rules, relatively, but as you know cats are not at all obedient, they did what ever they wanted. So he followed suite. The only time that backfired is when he 'wandered' into Winry's room as she was getting changed. She just looked at the cat then continued changing. He was just another dumb animal in her eyes so he got an eye full (not that he was complaining much but she is his childhood friend). He fell down the stares trying to get out of there without seeing more than under her shirt. Al found Ed with a nosebleed (not from the stairs mind you), got concerned and took me to the bathroom to check him over.

It was a…fun…few days, but being a crippled cat was getting tiresome. He'd rather be a crippled human again.

After dinner he followed Al back to the guest room. Ed had slept there with Al every night. Winry and Pinako watch as he still tried to condor the stairs and (like always) fail. He did make it up them eventually but after struggling for a while. He couldn't tell which was harder going up or coming down, both were equally hard. By the time he was in the room and on the bed he was exhausted but he felt a little different then normal. He brushed off the feeling and fell asleep even before Al got in bed beside him. Ed closed his eyes as the weird feeling grew.

Then there was white.

He looked around the ever expanding white and noticed a dark looming shape behind him. He turned around fast to see the gate before him. Its dark doors with a tree like engraving on the front.

For the first time he noticed he was human…and whole. He was wearing his old clothes, minus the red jacket. Admiring his body and the feel of his muscles he had been without for so long he suddenly felt the presents of someone. He turned back to the extensive white to see a figure with a hazy outline.

"Hello, Edward." A thousand voices said at once.

"Truth." Ed said in an unimpressed voice.

"Do you know why I brought you here?" the voices continued.

"Does it have to do something with my 'predicament'?" Ed guessed but knowing he was correct.

"Yes! You were right on that one."

"Tell me Truth, what do you want."

"Oh dear Edward, this is about what you want."

"Can you enlighten me about that?"

"So you want to stay a cat?" his big grin turned to a frown odiously just for show, he was probably happy as a clam to do this to Ed.

"Of coarse not… My family and friends thinks I'm dead! Why would I want that?"

"So you will listen to what I have to say?"

"Go ahead, I can't stop you."

"Ok, I have a deal for you," Truth, whose mouth was back into a freaky grin, tilted his head slightly to the side. "I will give you your original body back, as you stand here, in exchange for something of great value to you."

Ed narrowed his eyes. "And what would that be?"

Truth's grin got even larger (if that was possible). "Hehehe… your brother."

"NO WAY IN HELL I WOULD TRADE MY OWN LITTLE BROTHER FOR MY OWN SAKE, I ALREADY PROVED THAT GIVING MY OWN BODY TO BRING HIM BACK YOU BASTARD!" Ed would never put his own desires above his brother.

"That was my expected answer, but I at least thought you would think about it."

"No, never! Al is the only thing I care about above all others!"

"So that is you final answer? No persuading you? Ok then, but I will give you a hint just because I what to see how you do, in your new body that is." Truth's voice was starting to give Ed a head ache. "Your emotions are the key to find a way."

"The way to what!" but he was already being pulled into the gate by black shadow hands. The last thing he saw was the endless white and the wide grin on Truth's nonexistent face. Then darkness, but this was warm darkness not the cold kind that makes you relive your worst nightmares over and over.

Ed shot up and looked around. He was back in the guest room at the Rockbell's. He panicked until the saw Al's sleeping form on the bed beside him. Letting out a sigh of relief he curled up to Al's back. It was dark in the room but with he cat eyes he could see as well in the dark as if it were day. Nothing caught his eye until he looked by the bed. Al's red coat that was oh so like his was draped acrossed a chair near the end of the bed. A small piece of folded paper was sticking out of one of the side pockets. Ed jumped off the bed and went to the coat. He pulled out the paper. It was a letter and by the looks of it, it was read a lot. The folds were fragile and the writing was faded so much he could hardly see it.

Ed strained to read it.

To Mr. Alphonse Elric,

We are sorry to inform you that Mr. Edward Elric's clothes have been found in the water ways under central. They are torn and bloody which leaves us to believe he had not survived the fight that had evidently occurred. Mr. Edward Elric was pronounced dead at 12:43pm Monday afternoon on May 2 by Major Ron Bentsen after intensive searching through the city with no results. We offer our condolences while similar letter will be sent to a Mrs. Pinako K. Rockbell and Miss Winry J. Rockbell which we have received information that they are at the location you are residing.

Sorry for your loss,

Lieutenant Miya Pendleton

His death was just popping up everywhere wasn't it? But did he really die? He was here right now but in a different body. Was he reincarnated so he could never get his body back, or was he just transformed into this form? So many questions yet no strait answers. Also what did that thing Truth had said? Your emotions are the key to find the way? What was that about, how could his emotions help? The questions were just endless and no answers in sight.

He heard Al shift while still sleeping. He folded the paper and put it back into the pocket of the coat. He hopped back onto the bed and lay by his little brothers head.

"It must be hard on you, Al, but I'm here now so don't worry anymore."

Al shifted again and opened his eyes briefly.

"Br...other…" his eyes closed leaving Ed to look at him stunned.

Had Al heard him, or was Al just dreaming? Had he spoken English with out realizing it? How had he done it? How can he do it again to tell his brother who he is? This mind was in turmoil till the sun rose waking up his brother.

"Oh, good morning cat. Nice to see you're actually up this early!" Al's face was cheery and bright.

Ed just looked at he brother and smiled slightly, as Al stretched and yawned.

"Cat, we haven't thought of a name for you yet. I mean, it seems you don't have an owner so we need a name for you other than 'Cat'."

Ed just scoffed "Knowing you Al, you'd give me a name like 'fuzzy' or 'cutie'. No way are you calling me that."

Al just looked at me with a smile "I knew you would agree with me!"

"That's not what I said." He grumbled as they left the room.

Not sure what I was going to put in the letter so I just winged it.

Hope this chapter didn't burn your eyes out to read it.

Many thanks,

Dying Heart Alchemist