Apologies for the slow posting. And relatively crappy chapter end.
On the plus side: Nightwish is awesome in concert.
Chapter 8: The benefits of the armor
As Ed, Al, Roy and Riza try to figure out a possible way for the brothers to switch back, Havoc and Breda enter from lunch. Havoc is the first to comment, spotting Al sitting casually on Roy's desk while Ed leans against the wall with his arms crossed.
"Hey, Ed. Give up your grudge against the Colonel?"
"Hell no," Ed replies, startling the two newcomers. "Ya crazy? He asks for that grudge."
"..Okay, Al."
Roy looks up at Havoc. "That's Ed."
"..Are you feelin' okay, Boss? That's Al. You know.. Al in the armor? Ed the short one?"
"WHAT'D YOU CALL ME?!" Ed yells, leaping into a menacing pose, hands formed into fists.
"Brother!" Al protests, looking back and forth between Havoc and Breda. "Brother calm down they don't know!"
"Did we miss something?" Breda asks, looking around at everyone.
"Yes. Fullmetal switched bodies with his brother."
"..Yeah, and I quit smoking."
"I'm serious here!"
"So is he," Breda says. "And I've decided to go on a diet." He crosses his arms, looking at Roy as though he's insane.
"Lieutenant! Back me up here," Roy says, turning to Riza.
Dismayed to once again be playing the role of the only sensible person in the room, she sighs. "We're not sure how it's happened yet, but Edward and Alphonse have indeed traded places with each other."
Havoc's eyes widen. "..No way!"
"The Lieutenant doesn't lie," Breda says, but he's still dumbstruck by what she'd said. "How is this even possible? Man, I'm glad I didn't learn alchemy."
"You're not the only one," Havoc mutters. "..I'm confused though."
"What about?" Al asks, leaning forward curiously, cutely. Unlike Edward.
"Well.. when you were in the armor.." Havoc points to Ed, still unnerved. "The sound of your voice sounded like you. Because it was your soul in the armor. So.. so then.. if Ed's soul is in the armor now.. why doesn't the armor sound like him?"
Ed and Al look at each other before they look back at Havoc.
"You know.. I had wondered that myself," Al muses. "We've just been so busy trying to figure out what happened and how to switch back that we haven't had a chance to think about it."
"At least it cuts down on confusion," Ed adds in. "If both Al and myself sounded like me, people might get suspicious."
"Well.. I guess." Havoc pauses. "How exactly did you two manage this?"
"We're not completely sure," Al answers, but Ed interjects immediately.
"I am." He crosses his arms, leaning against the wall once again. "On my birthday, I made a wish to swap bodies with Al. The next morning, we woke up like this." Ed looks up at Havoc and Breda, then over at Al. "..Maybe another wish can switch us back. Eventually," Ed adds, not wanting to give Al the idea that he wants to switch back yet. That would be selfish on his part; at least, that's what he thinks.
"..When is everyone's birthday?" Al asks, looking around at the small crowd in the room.
"Mine isn't until August 3rd," Roy answers, leaning back in his chair. "Liuetenant?"
"April 13th."
"Hah! Mine's not 'til July," Havoc replies. "Man, you guys are out of luck."
"September," Breda adds in, giving a shrug. "Sorry, Ed."
"Darn it! Ed shouldn't be stuck in the armor for so long!"
"Al, you've been in it much longer than-"
"I know that Ed, but I'm used to it! You're not!"
"That doesn't mean you should have to be in it and not me!"
"Brother.. I really don't like your automail."
"I don't-wait, what?"
"I thought you had the better deal, since you got to keep your body.. but this automail is way harder on you than I thought. It's so heavy, and in the snow, it's absolute hell." He lifts the arm up, rolling the shoulder a few times. "I always thought you slept a lot because you used so much energy on reading and maintaining your attitude.. but it's because the automail takes a lot out of you. It exhausts you so easily."
Ed glances at Havoc and Breda, who are looking both at Al and himself with a mix of surprise, pity and empathy.
"So that's why you're always so irritable," Havoc muses, but in the least offensive way he can. "You're always tired."
"That's not true," Ed replies. "I'm not always tired. I sleep a lot to make sure I'm not."
"You sleep a lot because you're always tired," Breda says plainly.
As Ed groans, Al speaks again.
"I like to be able to eat and sleep and smell and feel again, brother, but your body is really hard to bear. I actually, um.." Al gulps nervously. "I kind of miss the armor."
"You WHAAAT?" The pink orbs that are Ed's eyes widen.
"Well there's no pain in it, and I never get tired or hungry. Don't get me wrong, I want my body back soon.. but my body. I-I, you should have your body back while we look for a way to fix both of us. And I'll take the armor back. It's really not that bad." Preferable to Ed's body in the meantime, but Al can't bear to say that to Ed. Not when Ed paid with his arm to pull Al's soul from the gate.
The following silence seems to stretch on for minutes, but it's finally broken by Ed chuckling. Al looks at him in surprise.
"Marred by so many scars, even my brother doesn't want to use my body."
"Wh-no, Ed!" Al's eyes widen. "I didn't mean it like-"
"I know you didn't, Al. It's okay." Ed gives Al a thumbs-up, smiling with his eyes. "Now let's get out of here before we manage to get a surprise visit from-"
"The Elric brothers! I had heard you were here! I wished to stop by and see how you were doing."
"..Armstrong," Ed whispers. He looks from the sparkles over to Al, who looks like he's slowly inching toward Riza for a barrier of defense.
"Have you boys made any progress?"
"Not yet," Ed says, taking the attention off Al, who looks relieved. "We're just about to get an assignment from the Colonel, though. Isn't that right?" Ed looks at Roy, hoping the other man will take the hint.
"That's correct. Fullmetal?" Roy looks over at Al, motioning for him to scoot out of Riza's shadow and fetch the document in his hand.
"Ah, y-yes sir," Al says, hopping over quickly and taking the paper with a small thank-you. His eyes widen as he reads. "Brother, we're going to Liore!"
"Liore?" Ed replies in surprise, going over to Al to yank the paper from his hands and read it. "Liore, huh.. oh. They just need some extra help.. rebuilding? You're sending us out there for that?! What the hell's your problem, Colonel? You know we need leads and you give us these menial assignments!"
Roy stares into Ed's eyes before motioning with them to Armstrong, who looks surprised by Ed's behaviour.
"Sorry, Major! I think Ed's starting to rub off on me," Ed says, managing to mimic Al's innocent, apologetic tone. "We'll see you later, Colonel Mustang! Lieutenant Hawkeye!" Ed waves to the others before scurrying out with Al right in tow.
After a quick stop to get a sandwich for Al-who Ed keeps forgetting now possesses his own impressive appetite.. and still slightly-pudgy stomach-they head to the train station, anxious to get on the train. While the assignment is just to lend a hand, it's been a while since the two brothers have been to the city, and they're more excited to see everyone again than they realize.
"I wonder how much has changed," Al muses, leaning back in his seat on the train. He's enjoying the comfortable cushioning of the seats, running his left hand over the fabric. Even now, being back in flesh and blood for this long, Al takes advantage of every opportunity he can to enjoy his senses.
"Knowing Rose's determination, they've probably got the place almost rebuilt," Ed replies, allowing his mind to wander. He watches out the window as the scenery passes by.
"Do you think she'll be able to figure out our switch?"
"Probably not. We don't need to tell her, do we?"
"I don't see why we would." Al looks up as the stewardess asks them if they need anything. He gives her a bright, cheerful smile, nodding. "Yeah! Do you have anything to eat?"
"But Al you just ate!"
"Well I know but-I'm still kind of hungry, brother." Al pauses, then remembers how protective Ed is of his figure. "On second thought.."
"No, no. Go ahead and eat. Who knows when we'll switch back? Enjoy your senses."
While the stewardess is confused by the conversation, she dutifully nods and trots off to get Al's requested refreshments.
"Thanks, Ed. I promise, I won't overeat and make this any bigger." He pulls up his shirt, revealing his belly. Compared to the last time it was mentioned, back when Winry had prepared his on-the-road 'feast', it had gained about an inch in size. Al gulps nervously, shoving the shirt back down and looking away.
Ed waves his gloved hand. "Don't worry about it, Al. I'll deal with it when we switch back, okay?"
Al visibly relaxes and nods, smiling. "'Kay!"
The remainder of the train ride went quickly, spent watching the scenery outside slowly change to desert, chatting about Liore and Rose, and both brothers musing about possible library improvements in the desert city.
Their conversation stalled as they pulled into the train station. Ed then commented about how glad he was that Liore finally got a stop on the train route.
"Walking through the desert was kind of a bother," Al replies to Ed's statement.
"How would you know? You didn't have to worry about getting dehydrated or sand blown into your eyes or anything!"
"Well at least you're not so heavy and you didn't sink in like-"
"Edward? Alphonse?"
Both boys' heads turn to face none other than Rose, who is holding a basket of vegetables. Surprise is visible on her face from the arrival of the Elrics.
"Rose!" Al says enthusiastically, walking toward her. "How have you been?"
"I've been doing great, thanks to you two," she replies cheerfully. "You look like you're not doing too bad yourselves!"
The boys glance at each other before chuckling.
"We're managing," Al answers, hefting his suitcase over his back.
Ed just replies in a humored voice.
"Sooomehow."
