D3ath: New update this week! And be thankful! Remember children, Thanksgiving is approaching :D
Ed: …screw that. What the hell do I have to be thankful for?
D3ath: (has lots of flowers and sparkles floating around her) Lots of things!
Al: Yeah, niisan, you could be thankful that we're together!
D3ath: Brotherly love!! So sweet! AND WHO SAW THE NEW TWILIGHT MOVIE?!!! Personally, I think the book's a whole lot better, but that's just me.
Allen: ???
Al: Anyways, D3ath-san doesn't own us. Thanks, Dreamsong, EmiTsukiko, KonekuChan, nellchan0013, DemonRaily, rath, and Melody of Doom.
D3ath: Oh, yeah, not that I don't like unsigned reviews, but it makes it easier to reply to them when they are signed, Rath :D But yes, this is a combination of both manga and anime, in case you were wondering.
Chapter 11
Crashes and bangs resounded inside the room, and the occupant inside paid no heed to the maid knocking on the "Keep Out!" sign posted on the door.
"Jean-bocchama (A/N: I don't know if this is spelled right…), Jean-bocchama, you have a visitor!"
The crashing and banging stopped, and a young boy with a pilot's cap peered out of the opening, annoyed with the disruption.
"Who is it?" he asked in irritation, looking at the newcomer. A grin spread across his face when he saw the young, blonde boy accompanying the maid. "Leo!" He grabbed Leo and dragged the boy into his room, slamming the door in front of the maid. "It's been a long time, Leo!" he said cheerfully as Leo wandered around his room, inspecting the gizmos and gadgets littered about. "I was worried since I haven't heard from you since the funeral." Jean settled down on a chair in the room, Indian-styled as he observed his now-quiet friend. "Are you staying with some relatives now?" Jean grinned. "I'll do whatever I can to help you cheer up!"
Leo remained quiet, studying the boiling burner and test tubes sitting on a nearby table, and a flash of concern crossed Jean's face. His friend was just so quiet now…'It seems like he's changed…His mother's death must've really shocked him. I wonder if there's anything I can do to cheer him up?' His blue eyes lit up as a new thought entered into his mind. "Oh, that's right!" he exclaimed happily, sitting up in his chair and bouncing slightly from excitement. "Yesterday, I saw an akuma for the first time!" he cheered, and Leo's head snapped towards him.
"I saw the face of the Earl of Millennium!" Jean said, grabbing a piece of paper, a bottle of ink, and a pen. "There's no mistake!" he said as Leo turned to look. "Here, I'll draw a picture of him now!" He furiously dipped the pen into the ink, sending ink flying as he sketched out the Earl's face. Unbeknownst to him, a little picture appeared in Leo's right eye…a smiling man with a long face, long, pointy ears, and a top hat… "Like this, and like this…here!" he shoved the picture up into Leo's face. Sadly, it wasn't even remotely close to what us readers know as the Millennium Earl. "See? See?" It was missing an eye, and had buck teeth and a really long, elfish sort of face.
Leo placed a cold hand on Jean's arm, slightly lowering the picture. "Jean, there's something I need to show you," he said quietly, and Jean looked up at his friend in surprise. "Let's go." (A/N: Don't do it, Jean, don't do it--! Ed: Shut up! Al: Sorry for the disruption...)
"LENALEE!!!"
In the cafeteria of the Black Order, Tapp, Johnny, and Number 65 were struggling to hold down a tearful Komui as he fought to go after his younger sibling. "LENALEE, YOU LEFT YOUR BROTHER WITHOUT SAYING A THING ABOUT WHERE YOU WERE GOING!!!"
Meanwhile, Reever was talking on a small microphone, ignoring his superior's antics. "Not only Allen and Alphonse have gone missing, but Edward and Lenalee too. I wonder what's going on?"
Komui stopped. "Edward…and…Lenalee…?" Suddenly, Komui was in possession of several deadly-looking artifacts with a wicked gleam in his eye. The other members of the science department sweatdropped.
"Head Supervisor…what are you going to do with those?" Johnny ventured to ask, and Komui leered at him evilly.
"To eradicate Edward."
"EHHH?!! WHY?!!"
"HE'S GONE OFF WITH LENALEE!!" Komui shouted, hefting his weapons of mass destruction. The other science department members leapt in.
"STOP HIM!!"
"HEAD SUPERVISOR, THEY WOULDN'T DO THAT!!"
Reever sighed. "What is going on?" he asked, exasperated as he watched Komui get taken down.
Jerry was gnawing on a chicken leg. "How should I know? That's why I said we should've had the party the night everyone got back! Those children are so irresponsible."
Captain Havoc scowled as he walked through the streets, fingering the gun in his pocket, just in case. He was currently out walking through a damp city (it had just rained), out on a quickly thought-up mission given by his superior officer and friend, General Mustang, in clothes that seemed to reek slightly of cat. Wet atmosphere. Cat. Not a pleasant combination.
Fuery wrinkled his nose. As much as he loved animals, this was taking it a little too far. He glanced at Breda. At least he liked animals, compared to the large officer—the man was terrified of animals, and with the stench of cat hanging all about him, he didn't seem very happy. He glanced at the greenhorn, Sydney. She didn't seem to care, much, and he decided to ask her about it.
"Actually…" she grinned cheerfully. "I used to have five cats, and they smelled just like this whenever it rained in Central. It's a little comforting."
'F-five?!' "E-er, that's nice…" Fuery said awkwardly, scratching his cheek. She smiled happily at him and continued along, humming slightly under her breath. Fuery sighed. Some mission this was. He didn't even know what they were supposed to do.
They heard shouting, and all four looked over at the large mansion they were passing to see two young boys running through the gate, leaving three figures over by the door.
"Did you come to preach some more?" a young boy with strange shoes, a striped shirt, and a pilot's cap taunted, rolling away. "I'm not listening to a thing you say!"
"Jean!" a white-haired guy shouted, his voice sounding remarkably young. He was underneath a large maid, and both he and his companion fought to wiggle out from underneath the oppressing weight.
"Let's go, Leo!" the first boy called, and another boy followed him, with similar shoes. The white-haired guy looked at him, and shock crossed his face as he struggled to get free. "W-wait, Jean!! That boy is—!" he scooted out from under the maid. "Alphonse-san, we need to get going!! Jean—Leo—akuma—!"
Fuery, Havoc, and Breda watched in amazement as a blonde boy struggled to lift the maid off of himself. "Maybe we shoud get niisan to help, Allen-san!"
"No time! We need to go!!" Allen glanced at a floating yellow thing with wings beside him. "Timcampy, follow him!"
Fuery, Havoc, and Breda traded looks before nodding and rushing forward to help.
A red hand gripped the cord of a strange, robot-like doorbell, and a blonde teen glanced at a white-haired boy the same age as him. "Can you please explain why we're here, Allen-san?" he asked, and Allen shook his head.
"This is where that boy Jean lives," he said with a small smile, "I might be saying too much, but I feel as if I should say something."
Al fixed him with a knowing grin. "You want him to stop?" he asked, and Allen sighed.
"Yes. I want him to stop, but I don't think I convinced him when I told him to."
Al thought. "Sorry for trying to stop akuma from invading in this world! I'm more useful than you think, Allen!" "…I don't think you even made an impression on him, Allen-san," he said apologetically, and Allen hung his head as the maid opened the door.
"I know…"
"Yes?" the maid asked, looking at the two boys in confusion. Allen immediately perked up, and both bowed in respect.
"Ano…my name is Allen Walker, and this is Alphonse Elric…is Jean there?" Allen asked, straightening.
"Jean-bocchama, you say?" the maid asked, smiling at the two boys. All three were unaware of the pair of hands reaching towards the maid's backside. "Yes…he is—"
Suddenly, the maid flew forward, and expressions varying from shock to surprise to annoyance skittered across Allen and Alphonse's faces as they found themselves squashed flat to the ground "EH?!"
Jean grinned as he jumped over the fallen maid, rolling past them. "Did you come to preach some more?" he leered, making a face at them. "I'm not listening to a thing you say!"
"Jean!" Allen shouted in exasperation, trying to wiggle out from underneath the maid, a hard feat.
"Let's go, Leo!" Jean beckoned to his friend, and Leo rolled past them, scooting along. Allen watched the boy go, and his eyes widened as his left eye suddenly turned black and red, focusing on the young blonde boy. He gasped, and he began to struggle harder against he maid, scrambling out from underneath her.
"W-wait, Jean!! That boy is—!" he scooted out from under the maid. "Alphonse-san, we need to get going!! Jean—Leo—akuma—!"
Alphonse's gray eyes widened, and he struggled to lift the maid off himself, with Allen helping. "Maybe we should get niisan to help, Allen-san!"
"No time! We need to go!" Allen said impatiently, and both teens strained against the weight of the maid. Allen glanced at Timpampy, who was floating nearby. "Timcampy, follow him!" Timcampy fluttered once in the air, his sign of acknowledgment, and zipped off after the two boys.
"She's so heavy!" Alphonse moaned, slowly inching himself out from under.
Suddenly, the weight was lifted off of Allen and Alphonse, and both looked up into the faces of Kain Fuery, Heymans Breda, Jean Havoc, and Sydney Olsen, three who seemed slightly startled and confused, the last fully confused, her green eyes wide as she stared down at the blonde teen.
Alphonse gaped, and continued to gape until Allen cleared his throat. "Ano…Alphonse-san, do you know them?"
"What are you doing here?!" Alphonse screeched, and Fuery, Havoc, and Breda were given a distinct impression of Al's older brother, Edward. "What—how are you here?!"
Havoc held up his hands. "The chief sent us to go after Envy, and we wound up here. We just happened to see you." He prodded Alphonse in the forehead. "Is that really you, Alphonse?"
Al swatted the hand away. "Envy?!" he shook his head. "Never mind, we don't have much time! Let's go, Allen-san!" Allen nodded, slightly intimidated by Al, and both took off.
The soldiers pursued after them. "Hey, what's this all about?" Breda called, running after the two teens.
Havoc looked grim. "I don't think we'll like the answer," he said, drawing his gun and loading it. Quickly, the others mimicked him.
Night had fallen, and a rusty iron gate clanged shut as Leo and Jean stepped into the churchyard. The large cathedral beside it looked menacing and gloomy as Jean looked about at the graveyard before him. "The place you wanted me to come to is here?" he asked, glancing at Leo. "Did you want to visit your mom's grave?" he began to walk in. "If so, you should have said so from the beginning. Don't be so stand off-ish—!" he rolled into someone. Someone large. Someone round.
A gloved hand rested on the top of his head, and frightened, he looked up into the cold smile of the Millennium Earl.
"Good Evening, Jean," the Earl said, beaming in his customary manner. However, his smile had the opposite effect, and it sent chills running down the boy's spine.
A figure next to him scowled and folded his arms. "Waste of time," he muttered, studying the graveyard. Purple eyes glowed softly in the moonlight, and a scowl was plastered onto his face.
Jean jerked away from the Earl's touch with a startled gasp. "Now, now, Envy-san, we'll be leaving soon. I just need to take care of some business."
"The Earl of Millennium!" he choked out, and the Envy prodded a finger in the Earl's chest.
"Well, make it quick. I want to see what's happening in Central."
'Central?' Jean thought, taking a step back. He reached into the back of his belt pocket, and threw a loaded onion bomb at the Homunculus and Earl of Millennium.
Envy had seen one of those before. "AAACK!"
The Earl just stood there, and as the onion exploded, a cloud enveloped the Earl's face.
Jean grinned and clenched his fists. "Yes!" He grabbed Leo's arm. "We've got to run away now, Leo!"
Leo, however, just stood there, a wild and possessed grin on his face as he stared up at the Earl of Millennium. Jean's blue eyes widened. "L-Leo…?" He grabbed Leo's shoulders, and began to shake him. "What's wrong, Leo?! If we don't run, the Earl's going to kill us!!"
"If you're talking about Leo, he's been dead for a real long time," Envy said lazily, coming out from his place of refuge. A grin spread across his face. "The Earl took care of that."
The cloud around the Earl's face disappeared, and he chuckled. "Ever since the day of his mother's funeral," he said lightly. "That is…" his eyes were suddenly ice-cold, his smile sinister, "Since you got in my way, he will be the akuma that will punish you!"
Jean's eyes were wide and frightened. "Th-that can't be…" he said, his voice a strangled whisper.
"It's true, Jean." Everyone looked up at the voice of the new speaker, and Allen stood at the gate of the graveyard, his arm activated. Behind him, Alphonse was staring at Envy, who was grinning back in delight, while Havoc, Fuery, Breda, and Olsen stared at Allen's activated arm.
"Leo…" Jean whispered. Leo continued to smile.
"That boy is no longer human," Allen said grimly. "He is the Earl of Millennium's weapon, masquerading as your friend. An akuma."
The Earl was about to respond, when he noticed Envy grinning. "What is it, Envy-san?"
"It's the trashcan!" Envy said, sneering at Alphonse. "What happened to the armor? Everyone liked you much better as a trashcan."
Alphonse glared at Envy. "I'm not a trashcan!" he said hotly, and Envy chuckled.
"What? Afraid your new friend will find out about the walking trashcan? What happened to your chibi of a brother?"
Alphonse gritted his teeth, and didn't answer.
The Earl of Millennium stared at the two teens. "Who are you?" he asked, Allen scowled.
"We are your enemies," he said flatly.
The Earl smiled. "Exorcists? Well…a pleasure to meet you…" he bowed, but stopped in mid-bow, a look of confusion crossing his face for a second. "Wait…meet you?"
Allen held up his weapon, and the cross on the back of his hand glowed a bright green, energy coming out of it with an intense aura as Alphonse clapped. Envy raised an eyebrow. "Ohh? You can do it too? I thought Chibi-chan was the only one."
"What's he talking about?" Sydney whispered to Havoc, and he gestured to Alphonse.
"His brother, the Fullmetal Alchemist, was the only alchemist who could do alchemy without a transmutation circle." He watched Alphonse with a low whistle. "I guess his younger brother picked it up as well."
Sydney stared at the young boy. "What? His brother's the Fullmetal Alchemist?! How-how are they here too?"
Breda calculated the opponents; Envy, and the really fat guy. "I dunno; I guess we'll have to ask the chief about it later."
"Cross," Allen said, bending his knees, ready to spring forward. "Defeat this akuma!" He leaped forward, his claws coming closer and closer to Leo's face…
…Only to stop an inch away from Jean's chest, who was defending Leo.
"Stop it!" Jean cried, his arms held out in an attempt to protect his friend. Allen's eyes widened, and he skidded to a stop. "Jean!" he gasped.
Jean's eyes were watery, and he fought to prevent tears from falling. "W-why is Leo an akuma?" he asked, his voice shaking. "He's my friend! We started the akuma patrol together! We protected the town together…" his voice hitched with a sob, but still, he continued on. "There's no way he'd be an akuma!" His eyes widened. "What proof do you have?" he shouted, his voice cracking.
Ca-thunk!
Jean gasped as he felt the barrel of a large cannon on the back of his head. Suddenly, a monster-like balloon thing floated behind him, all cannons pointed at Jean's head.
"Leo…" he whispered.
The Earl's grin was flashed as the akuma shot, purple light exploding into the dark air as the bullets whizzed toward Jean at an amazing speed.
…All of them missed, however.
Allen had leaped forward and pulled Jean out of harm's way, using his metal claw and body to defend the young boy. "Allen!" Alphonse and Jean cried simultaneously, and after the bullets ceased fire, Allen looked up and smiled at them both. Black stars dotted his face, and Jean almost peed his pants out of shock. "ALLEN!!"
The anti-akuma weapon disappeared, and Allen stumbled forward, gripping his right arm as it smoked, having been hit by several bullets.
Envy raised an eyebrow with a slightly sadistic grin. "Ohh? He jumped into the line of fire? That sounds like something chibi-chan would do, right?" he goaded, glancing at Alphonse for emphasis. Alphonse ignored the jibe and rushed over to the white-haired boy.
"Allen!"
'The akuma's bullets are laced with poison,' Jean remembered, staring at Allen with fright and worry creasing his face. 'This is bad! It's said that an akuma's bullets have a virus in them that destroys the human body…'
The Earl gave a sigh of contentment. "Ahh…jumping in front of the bullets without hesitation…how valiant. You know, Jean, you're bugging me a tad. Even though you have no power, you go on about justice all the time, and you call me "a bad person, a bad person" over and over…" His eyes were icy, and it felt like hell had frozen over. "Even though I only create akuma for the sake of everyone else." He placed a hand on the akuma beside him. "That's right, it's ugly, isn't it? This is the crystallization of the guilt created in one's heart. You think all akuma are weapons that I create, but an akuma is something born from a person's heart. This akuma is the same," he said, patting the akuma. Its pained face stared upwards, unmoving, unresponding.
Allen's skin grew darker and darker and stars dotted his body, covering all of his pale skin as the Earl continued. "This is the akuma born from your friend, Leo," the Earl said, glancing at Jean, who swallowed.
"Leo did?" he asked, shocked.
"Leo, borrowing the power of the Earl," Allen said, pushing himself up again, "called his dead mother back like this, and turned her into an akuma," he gasped, the poison making it hard for him to move or breathe. "I can see her," he said softly, and everyone's eyes were fixed on him as his skin turned black. "The imprisoned soul of Leo's dead mother in the akuma!"
Jean gasped, and the Earl stared at Allen. "You can see it?" he asked slowly, and he leaned forward. "What are you saying, brat that just won't die?"
Allen looked up with a smirk, and the cross on the back of his hand glowed a bright green. "I am a person with an anti-akuma weapon inside of me." The green spread until it enveloped his whole hand. "If it's a virus affecting my whole body, I am able to recover." He lifted up his hand, and placed it over his heart. There was a flash of green, and the black began to recede from Allen's body.
"The virus—!" Jean gasped, staring at Allen with surprise. But, while he was staring at Allen, he noticed something else. Something out of the ordinary.
"Allen…what is that?!" he yelped, pointing at Allen's face.
Allen stood. "A curse," he said quietly, and Alphonse stared up at Allen as well, having only seen it once or twice. "A long time ago, I turned someone very important to me into an akuma," he said grimly, his left eye glowing red and black. "With that curse, I am able to see souls involved with akuma in my eye."
Envy smirked at Alphonse. "That sounds familiar," he said, and Alphonse gritted his teeth, his fists shaking as Allen and the others glanced at him curiously.
"Stop it," he growled, and Envy grinned wickedly.
"What? How your turned your own mother into a—"
"Stop!" Alphonse screeched, and darted forward to tackle Envy, slamming him down into the ground and punching him repeatedly in the face.
"Ah! I remember you!" the Earl cried, pointing a finger at Allen, ignoring Envy and Alphonse. "I met you a long time ago!"
At that moment, Lenalee and Edward ran up, Timcampy fluttering ahead of them. "Al!" Ed shouted, and his face contorted when he saw Envy. "YOU! BASTARD!!" he hissed, and Envy shoved Alphonse off, throwing him into a nearby tombstone.
"Well, what do you know? The Chibi's arrived!"
"DON'T CALL ME SHORT, ENVY, YOU BASTARD!!" Ed screeched, drawing back his fist and punching Envy right in the face, narrowly dodging a hit as Envy swung out.
"You're Allen Walker!" the Earl said, still ignoring his companion's actions. "You're the brat that turned his own dad into an akuma!"
"What?!" Edward, Alphonse, and Envy stopped, staring at Allen. Envy, however, quickly recovered and kicked Edward in the gut.
Lenalee gasped. "Allen-kun turned his own father into an akuma?!"
And Allen stood, glaring at the Earl of Millennium with one normal, silver-blue eye full of hatred, and a black and red glowing eye, a red pentacle right above it.
D3ath: ahahahaha, cliffie!!! Oooh, Salsa…(grabs a bowlful of chips and salsa) mmmm….
Ed/Al/Allen: (sweatdrop) …?
D3ath: (Scowls) What? I like salsa! (suddenly has very convincing knife) Do you have anything to say about it?
Lavi: Ah, no, we like salsa too! (Others nod furiously in agreement)
D3ath: (nods) Good. (goes back to eating chips and salsa)
Al: Er—thanks for reading, please review!
Allen: And don't forget to be thankful!
D3ath: Sorry for the short chapter—have two tests. I promise that you'll get a long chapter next Sunday! (Or Saturday, depending on how much thanksgiving break work I'm given…bleh…)
Omake
Alchemic Innocence Bloopers: (All of my Shades of Black and White readers might recognize this style! ^^) To explain: All of these were taken from within the story, and have been modified for your amusement.
The crashing and banging stopped, and a young boy with a pilot's cap peered out of the opening, annoyed with the disruption.
"Who is it?" he asked in irritation, looking at the newcomer. A grin spread across his face when he saw the young, blonde boy accompanying the maid. "Alright! My pizza's here!!"
"Did you come to preach some more?" a young boy with strange shoes, a striped shirt, and a pilot's cap taunted, rolling away. "I'm not listening to a thing you say! Leo, let's eradicate these non-believers!!"
"AUGH!"
A red hand gripped the cord of a strange, robot-like doorbell, and it buzzed. "Sorry, Jean Russell is not available, for he is eradicating non-believers. Please leave a message after the beep, or press one for more options. To leave a callback number, press five. If you are delivering pizza, press two. If you are being eradicated, press three. If you have absolutely no business here whatsoever, press four, and this call will be blocked. ………BEEEEP!"
Suddenly, the maid flew forward, and expressions varying from shock to surprise to annoyance skittered across Allen and Alphonse's faces as they found themselves squashed flat to the ground "EH?!"
"OH MY GOD, SHE'S SO FAT!!! IT'S LIKE A SKIN SWEATER!!"
"AUGH, ALLEN-SAN, IT'S PULLING US IN!!"
"AUUUUUUUUUGGGHHHH!!!"
How Envy had seen an onion bomb before…
He was strolling along merrily (if homunculus ever could…), killing people left and right, when he suddenly saw an onion on the side of the road. He meant to kick it, but as soon as he touched it, it exploded, and he ended up crying the rest of the day because of the stupid onion bomb (the other homunculi thought he was being a sissy and made fun of him for that). He swore that he would never get hit by one again…
D3ath: Well, that's it for now. Jaa ne!
Ed: I swear to god that you're on a sugar high…
Al: Niisan, that's mean!
D3ath: …(shrugs) Well, it's true…
All: O.O'
Ed: okay then…
D3ath: please review!