-1I have justfinished reading Harry potter and the deathly hallows, and I must say, that was the BEST ENDING EVER!!! -Took me one and a half days- –Cheers- I was there at midnight to buy it! (A little sad, I know, but hey XD) Anyway, im not going to ruin it for all the people that haven't finished it yet or haven't read it, but that was the best book in the HP series yet!

Reading it gave me inspiration to write this chapter! Lets get on with the show!

---------WARNING!!!! SPOILERS FOR ALL EPISODES!!!--------

Changing colors

Flashback.

"So, you call me here today to talk. You realise I've been sent to get you, Garser?" a young voice echoed in the darkness. Un-naturally yellow eyes peered out of the gloom to stare at the middle-aged man before him.

"Of course, Full-metal alchemist! I must say, it's a pleasure-"

"Cut to the chase, old-man." The blonde one sighed, looking bored and examining his finger nails. "Have you got information for me, or what?"

"Yes, of course!" Garser squeaked, jumping in his seat. "I'm sure I have it somewhere-"

Ed snorted, casting his gaze around him. There were runes of all kinds scribbled into the walls in ink, making it look like some sort of child's drawing board. The room itself was poorly lit by some sort of candle, which quivered every now and then, sending flickering shadows everywhere.

"Ah, here they are!" Garser beamed, holding them out. Ed made to grab them, but the older man sharply pulled them away. Ed gave him a confused look. "Ah, you can have them, but on one condition."

Edward groaned: Garser had been known for his sickening sense of humour. No doubt he wanted Ed to do something stupid for him-

"All you need to do is close your eyes." Garser whispered, his own eyes glinting.

"And you're sure this information is reliable? And is this necessary?" Edward sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Of course, Master Elric!"

"Fine, I'll close my eyes." What was this non-sense? All he wanted from this idiotic man was answer, before he left him to rot in prison!

Slowly, he let his eye-lids slip shut, and as soon as he did pain erupted in his skull. He tried to open his eyes again, but found that he couldn't. Help… he whispered in pain, images flashing before his eyes.

There was his mom, playing with him and Alphonse in the grass with their father, chasing a ball that rolled around at there feet. Edward asked his dad why he wasn't joining in, but the man simply said he was too old for that, causing the three to jump on his and tickle him till he was dying with laughter. Older Edward starting running towards them, but as he went to hug his mother the image changed, growing darker as mist filled the scene and alchemic light sparked around him. Casting his gaze downward, he nearly retched. It was him, lying on the floor, his arm missing. He could see every line of fear etched into his blood splattered face as he stared at the monstrosity that he had created at the cost of Alphonse's body…

He saw Nina, her chimera form asking why he didn't come back like he promised to play with her…

He saw Barry, his knife hovering above his head as he was about to bring it down…

He saw Envy and the homunculus's, gathered around the red water chambers as lust dug her claws deeper into Al's blood seal…

He saw Roze clinging to her baby, Teacher being beaten up by Greed, Al saying that he wasn't human, himself being controlled by the red water, getting tortured by Envy and batting scar, he saw Lior being enveloped in scarlet as thousands died, and he saw the gate, opening to greet him…

Gasping, he opened his eyes, his body quivering so violently that he couldn't see straight. Jerking his head quickly towards the man in front of his, he hissed, glaring at Garser's outstretched hands as the alchemic light died upon them. Edward quickly took the papers (which had fallen to the floor), checking them over. They were blank. There wasn't a speck of ink to be seen on their cream surfaces. Slowly, Edward crumpled them in his metal fist, his amber eyes rolling upwards at the sound of Garser laughing. The sound was horrible, ear-shattering even, and it forced him to grimace.

"What is your name, Boy?" Garser sniggered, edging closer to Edwards face. The young alchemist didn't reply, but stood up, letting his bangs cover his eye's. He was obviously shorter than his companion, but Garser still felt intimidated and a little bit scared.

"Name..." Garser tried again, hoping he had brainwashed him. Edward just shook his hair out of his face. Upon not getting a reaction, Garser smacked Eds head to the side viciously, watching it crack backwards before Ed turned to look at the man who had dared to touch him. The look he was wearing was absolutely monstrous. His eye's where glinting, and a twisted smiled sat on his lips, making him look like a mental patient. Garser knew at once he had over did it.

"You dragged me away from my fucking brother to show me blank pieces of paper?" He said in a deathly quiet voice. "And then you hit me?" He placed his face in front of Garser's, searching his eyes for answer's.

"The reason you are here, boy, is to do my bidding for me." Garser snarled right back, feeling his heart start to beat faster. "You remember Hohenheim? Your father? Well you're going to follow in his foot-steps." He stopped, feeling the hot breath of Edward on his neck as he whimpered slightly. "Your going to destroy Central, and get revenge on the military for kicking me out-"

Garser never got to finish, because to tip of Edwards sword had plunged into his throat. Blood spurted forth, covering Ed in crimson, but he didn't care, as he repeatedly stuck his sword into the mans frail body. Garser was dead in seconds, but he continued, hacking off his limbs and other parts of his body before stopping, his breathing heavy and ragged. His eye's immediately went soft at the sight before him.

"What, what have I done…" He whispered, stumbling blindly into a mirror behind him. Turning, he looked closely at his appearance; his blood stained hair, his scarlet-covered auto-mail, and the crazy look in his eyes.

And then, the candle went out.

Panicking, he ran blindly into the objects in the room, colliding with chairs and wardrobes in a pitiful attempt to get the blood off of him, until he was cut up and bruised. He was completely blind and helpless.

Then, by accident, he found the door, and burst into the street, where the coldness of the night filled him. Running down the street towards the hotel he knew Al was staying at. Stopping briefly to catch his breath, he leant against a wall, puffing and panting.

And then, before he knew it, the house collapsed.

Debris flying all around him, he choked on the dust-filled air, and continued running blindly, ignoring the screams coming from the house. He didn't have a clue why that happened: he didn't do anything! He just touched it!

Still running in the pitch dark, with tears in his eyes, he repeatedly ran into buildings that fell as he touched them, sending the people inside to an early grave.

"Help!" He called out, but everyone was too busy saving the people in the buildings to care about them. "I n-need help!" No-one cared about him. He watched, almost in slow motion, as fire engines whizzed past him and people flocked towards the rubble. Shuddering, he ran, past the hotel, past the out-skirts of the town and towards the river, where he sat there, crying. It was funny how he was now sitting in Al's spot, but he didn't care.

Slowly, he curled into a ball and closed his eyes, willing sleep to come and get him. All of those people who died in their house's were never going to know who killed them…

No-one noticed what he had done, no-one had found Garser's body, and no-one suspected him of anything. It was the perfect crime.

Yet It was going to eat him up inside.


Edward nearly tripped on a rock in the road as his feet sloshed through the mud, his mind burning.

The military has caused me so much pain…

He thought, smiling slightly through the rain.

I wonder how im going to do this…

"Hey, Edward! Wait!" Said a voice behind him, making him jump. He didn't bother turning around, as it could only be one person. Why was this man so intent on helping him? Didn't he know it was hopeless?

Roy came to a grinding halt beside the young alchemist, panting slightly. He stood in front of him, and held his shoulders so he couldn't move forward anymore.

"Don't do it, Edward!"

"I will do as I please." Came the quiet reply.

Edward made a weak attempt to push Roy off of him, but Roy refused to move until he got a say in all of this.

"Stop it! Your hurting people! Don't you care how they feel about this?"

"So? Like I care about who's feelings get hurt?"

"What about… my feelings?"

There was such a desperate edge in Roy's tone of voice that Edward couldn't help but glance up at him in surprise.

"Why would you do this? Is that mans word or alchemy so strong, it over-powers you all the time, huh? Edward, you're stronger than this! No-one could touch you before, and now, because a single man tells you, you feel the need to destroy people's lives? Isn't it equivalent exchange!?What will you obtain, by doing this? Tell me now, Edward! Tell me!" Roy said desperately, searching Ed's face for understanding. Edward smiled up at him, his eyes glazed with tears.

"Happiness."

It was all he could utter before shaking off Roy's hands and walking around him, slumping over so he looked like he was sick. Roy wanted to follow him, but he was having trouble getting his legs to move properly.

"Edward, please! I-if they find you, they'll kill you!" He screamed above the wind, causing the young man to stop in his tracks.

"If they find me, they'll kill me. He said that the military would get me in the end…"

"What about Al? Have you asked him how he feels about this?"

"He has no say in this."

"What? He's your brother, for god's sake!"

"He has no say in this." Edward repeated, malice creeping into his words.

"But… I thought-"

"You thought what? That me and Al are joined at the hip or something? That one cannot live without the other? That we're telepathically connected to each other, so that we know what the other is thinking? No, Mustang, it's not like that. Al cant help me with this. Al isn't even here at the moment; he's inside the gate, waiting for me to get him! The suit of armour is nothing but a replacement!"

"Really!" Roy yelled, storming up to him. "Is that what you think? That he isn't here?""

"Al," He breathed, placing his face in front of Roy's. "Is waiting."

Above them, the wind howled viciously, lightning forking across the black sky. Rain plummeted from the cloud's, becoming the only thing to be heard as the two alchemist's stood nose to nose, angry for there own reasons. And then, a voice seemingly spoke out of nothingness, echoing around the air and cutting the tension between the Flame and Full-metal alchemist.

"So, brother. That's what you really think of me now."

The man and the boy whirled around sharply, to see the suit of armour standing there, looking not angry, but indifferent.

"Al-"

"Wait a second; I thought this wasn't Al?" Roy stated, tearing his gaze from the metal boy. "I thought-"

He suddenly had to stop when he felt a metal fist hit his face, sending him staggering backwards, blood oozing from his split cheek. Glancing around him, he could see the rich, blue color of alchemy sparking around him as a blade about one metre long sprouted from the tip of Ed's arm.

"Time to finish this. Im not listening to any more of your crap!" Edward hissed, about to charge at Mustang.

"Brother, touch him, and I'll be forced to hurt you." Al said quietly, transmutation cloth tied around one arm, his body in a fighting stance.

"Take another step, brother, and I'll kill him." Edward retorted back, eyes on fire as he raised his auto-mail.

"Al, don't touch him, or I'll burn you. It's not his fault!" Roy pleaded, poising his fingers in a clicking pose. Almost simultaneously, all three looked up at the sky where rain still fell. "Darn it, im useless…" He muttered, letting his arm fall to his side. "I wasn't going to burn you anyway… but I wanted to be a part of the moment…"

Leaving Roy to mutter to himself, the two brothers faced each other off, both ready to spring into action as soon as the other one moved.

"You've changed, Edward." Al said darkly, shaking his helmet.

"Yeah, I've become less foolish."

"How so?" Al's question seemed genuine.

"I've learn how to not repeat mistakes, and how to gain power."

"What?"

"Watch, Al, watch me." Edward swayed on the spot, seemingly concentrating on a spot on the floor, his eyes closed. All of a sudden, a wave of heat radiated of him, creating steam in the air before blue sparks appeared (that were slowly becoming black), dancing around him, forming into rippling waves that seemed harmless to Al and Roy.

"Now, Al, feast your eyes on this!" He laughed, out-stretching his hands towards his brother. Suddenly, Al was no longer in Rizembool, but in front of the Gate. All of Ed's waves had reformed themselves into the form of what looked like, what could only be described as, a wolf of some sort.

It had great, ugly antlers peeking out of its head, and it's face contained no eyes, its great, ugly nose sniffing the air. Instead of four legs, it had six, with five, ugly toes that each contained hooked claws pointing out of its small feet. There was blood every-where on its twisted body, as its tail thrashed around carelessly, tongue lolling around. It was the size of a large car, but longer, and a lot scarier.

Al could have screamed, but decided against it.

"Brother, w-what is that thing?" He shivered, trying to avoid looking at it as it stood before him, his voice quivering.

"It's the Gate keeper, Al- Garser's finest creation. It looks after the things that get stuck in the Gate and have no-where to go." Ed laughed, all sadness gone, even though Al couldn't see him. "Look at it, Al, look into its eye's and see yourself: who you truly are!"

"It has no ey-" Al screeched in terror as all of a sudden, millions of eyes appeared over the wolfs body, ranging in size's. It slowly walked up to him, a hideous noise escaping its throat.

And Al couldn't help but look.

At once, he saw, in the wolf, himself, as a human, looking scared and alone. His hair was long, and his grey eyes soulless, but it was defiantly him.

And, then, in an instant, it was gone, and he was back in Rizembool.

"I… understand." Al whispered, looking up shakily. "Garser used that thing to trap people's minds at the gate, but because you had already seen what was inside it-"

"It didn't work. Yes." Edward finished, inspecting his auto-mail. "I didn't become prey to the Keeper, like many other's had. Garser made it so that when it did trap people's minds, temporarily, he had control over the victims body for a while, and they would do his bidding. And when the keeper returned their minds, they wouldn't remember anything at all."

"But doesn't that mean them people should be able to perform alchemy without a circle?" Al stuttered, finding all this hard to believe.

"That's the beauty of it! Because the persons mind it not really linked to there body, they cant see the gates information. So, every-time a mind is captured, the keeper sees the information. And every-time that happens, it gets stronger, and the longer Garser's alchemy can work." Ed smiled. "The keeper tells me what I must do."

"Wait, your listening to an illusion Garser created?"

"Maybe. Or maybe," He sneered, "I like to kill for the fun of it."

"…I-it didn't give all o-of your mind back, did it… part of y-you is m-missing…"

"…"

Yet again, silence fell upon them, as the rain grew stronger, and so did the tension.

"Sorry to interrupt what your doing, but… " Roy stumbled, feeling as if he was forgotten. "We have company." Slowly, he pointed north, not far away from them, where a small group waited, there blue uniforms standing out against the dark backdrop. They could faintly the calls of "Edward elric: you will surrender!" and "We have you out numbered!"

"What are we going to do?" Roy panicked, glaring at the two. Al looked completely out of it and Edward was grinning like a maniac. He had obviously had missed something while he was watching the military men…

"Wait: Hawkeye?" He whispered, squinting is eyes. Yes, it was definitely his unit, guns loaded, looking stern.

"Hey! It's me!" He called, beckoning them closer. They walked forward, but didn't lower their guns or take their eyes of Edward.

"Chief! Your alive!" Havoc smiled, looking weird without the usual cigarette on him.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Roy questioned.

"Well, you haven't been to wok in a while…" Falman stated.

"We thought he had got you." Breda sneered, looking at Edward, his face twisting into a smile. He looked willing to draw blood.

"Its fine, were just-"

"We have to capture him, sir. Its for his own good." Hawkeye whispered, knowing full-well what the boy was capable of.

"No! You cant take him! He'll hurt more people!" Roy said, trying to get her to lower her gun.

"Hey, Al," Edward said suddenly, keeping his amber glare on the troop. "Do you want to see these people die?"

Al gave him the angriest look a suit of armour could give.

"You do not kill for fun, Brother! Or at all! You have no right, especially when you know them!"

"Then, bring it!"

"If that's the only way to stop you."

Al galloped hastily towards Ed, confusion forgotten. He was angry: and needed to vent it.

Ed stormed towards Al, not ready to loose this fight. He still had a job to do.

Roy dashed towards both of them, fearing his life a little. But he still had to stop these two before one of them got seriously hurt…

And the military charged at all three of them, thinking they could capture the Fullmetal alchemist. They weren't going to back down.

Blood was spilled that night; and none of it was from Edward.


OO CLIFFY!!! Wow, one of the military gang is going to die… hmmm…which one? XD

And let me explain for confused people. (My sister got confused… but then again, shes young XD)

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Garser's alchemy revolves around showing people the bad things that had happened in there life by sending them to the Gate and opening their mind. The "Gate keeper", AKA the wolf-like thing, then keeps there mind's for a little while there body remains behind for Garser to control it. After a while, the Gate keeper sends the mind back to its owner (because mind and body are like magnets: they attract each other and cant stay apart for long) and the person regains consciousness, but doesn't recall what happened.

Now, in Eds case, what has happened is that he's had a lot of bad things happen to him, and the Gate keeper was not able to hold onto his mind, and so it returned to Ed almost instantly. But, a little bit of Ed's sanity still remains with the Keeper, so he's loopy. A part of him is missing, as Al said. Now, because Garser's alchemy is broken, and Garser is dead, Ed cant retrieve his mind, and so, he remains crazy. The only way to get his sanity back is to destroy the Gate keeper, thus freeing his mind, which means trapping someone at the gate, meaning the death of probably a main character…

Al's body is trapped at the gate, and the Keeper knows that, and that's why it showed Al.

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Still confused? Hey, its not my fault, it came to me in a dream…. XD Might delete this chapter… I dunno.. do you think its powerful enough? People are going to die in the next chapter….

Anyhow, review, or the ate keeper will steal your mind at night!!!!

PS; DON'T YOU LOVE HOW BAD-ASS AL IS???!!! ROCK ON, AL!!!

Reviews will be used to feed the Gate Keeper! He's eating me right now!

Gate keeper: Mmmmmm… Fangirl.