Disclaimer: The Golden Sun saga belongs to Camelot and Nintendo.
FMA and FMA: Brotherhood belong to FUNimation, Square Enix, and Hiromu Arakawa.
The blonde alchemist woke up on a couch.
As he sat up, he noticed that there no weight on his right shoulder.
He looked and his automail arm was missing!
The door opened.
"Brother!" came a familiar voice, "You finally woke up!"
The big suit of armor that was his younger brother, picked him up and hugged him tightly, "I got worried when you collapsed!"
"Put me down, Al," Ed yelled, "you're crushing me!"
Al put his older brother down.
"Where are we?" Ed asked.
A wrench hit him on the top of the head.
"OW!" he yelled, "What the hell was that for, Winry?"
"Wait," he said, realizing what he said, "Winry?" he turned and saw the blonde girl who was his mechanic, "That means we're in Rush Valley!"
"You're lucky that you and Al were nearby, Ed!" Winry said, "I'm still in the process of fixing your automail, which you broke AGAIN!"
"Winry," came a familiar and effeminate voice, "has your little man woken up yet?"
"Yes, Mr. Garfiel," Winry said to her Master, "however I'm still working on his arm."
She looked at Ed with annoyance, "He tore it up real badly this time, but I just need a couple more hours and it should be ready."
"Remember Winry," Garfiel said, "If you need help, just call me."
"Yes, sir!" Winry said as Garfiel walked back into the shop's lobby.
She turned to Ed and Al, the later restraining his older brother, until Garfiel was out of sight.
She shook her head in shame at the sight, "Al, hold him still for me, please."
"Uh, okay," Al said as he tightened his grip.
"Let me go, Al!" Ed yelled.
"I have to adjust your leg as well," Winry said calmly, "So keep still!"
She rolled the leg of his pants up so that she could remove the automail.
Soon it fell to the ground with a dull thud.
She picked up the leg and slung it over shoulder.
"Alright Al, put him on the couch," she said.
Al did as instructed, as Winry went to her workshop room.
After about ten minutes Ed did his best to lie down on the couch and he quickly fell back asleep.
When Ed woke up he saw the former pickpocket hovering above him.
"Well, it's about time you woke up," she said.
"Don't I know you from somewhere," Ed said.
"Come on Ed, I know it hasn't been THAT long," the girl said, stepping back a few steps, "Your memory is just as short as your body."
"DON'T CALL ME A MIDGET!" Ed yelled as he stood. He fell just as quickly, due to the lack of his arm and leg.
Winry walked into the room. "Hey, Paninya," she said, "I glad you're here. I need to thank you for those blueprints."
"No problem," Paninya said, "But you shouldn't thank me, Dominic was the one who told me to bring them to you. Have you made use of them yet?"
"I just modified Ed's leg and arm," Winry answered, "I just need reattach them."
She looked to Al. "Hey Al," she said, "bring Ed over here." She was directing at a nearby chair.
Al did as he was told. Then he walked outside, he hated to watch his brother's automail being reconnected.
Once Ed was situated in the chair Winry attached the arm and leg.
"Paninya take this and activate Ed's leg when I give you the signal," Winry said as she handed Paninya an Allen Wrench.
Paninya nodded and inserted the wrench into a slot near Ed's knee. "Ready!" she said.
"Okay, Ed are you ready?" Winry said.
Ed winced but nodded.
"Okay," Winry said, "Three... Two... One..."
At that moment Winry and Paninya both twisted the wrenches and an electric shock flowed through Ed's leg and shoulder as the nerves connected.
"Here Ed, you'll need these," Winry said handing Ed a few ammunition magazines.
"What do I need these for?" Ed asked.
"Take a close look at your arm, Ed," Winry answered.
Ed looked at his automail arm, a slot that was just big enough for the magazines she handed him was under the wrist, another hole about the size of his finger was just below that.
"Reach in there and pull," Winry told him.
Ed did as he was told, and when he pulled, the handle of a gun came out and his hand split into four and folded back against the arm as the mouth of a gun appeared where the hand was a second ago.
"What's the big idea, giving me a gun!" Ed yelled.
"It's for your protection, but you don't have to use it!" Winry said back.
"How do I change it back?"
Winry grabbed the gun handle and pushed it back into Ed's arm and it went back to it's original shape.
"I left the plating on your arm because I thought you might prefer to use a sword," Winry said.
"Brother get out here!" came Al's voice.
Ed ran through the door and was pulled forward by the wind, towards some kind of portal.
Al was holding onto a nearby counter, trying to prevent himself from being sucked in, Garfiel behind another counter.
The second Winry ran through the door she was pulled towards the portal.
Ed managed to grab her arm.
Winry looked at him, his usual sword was embedded into the counter.
After thirty seconds, the counter snapped and Winry and Ed were being dragged towards the portal.
This time Al grabbed Ed's arm. "I got you, brother!" he called.
Ed tried to pull Winry towards his younger brother. "Al," he yelled, "take Winry and let go!"
"No!" Al yelled back, "I won't let you-"
A pulsation came from the portal and his eyes vanished, his grip on the counter slackened and all three of them slid towards the portal and seconds later the portal vanished along with Ed, Al, and Winry.
Ed, Al, and Winry were falling to the ground from a dangerous height.
"Al," Ed yelled, "Why did you let go of that counter?"
No response.
"Al!"
No response.
The three of them landed with a thud.
Ed woke up and the first thing he noticed was that he, along with Al and Winry, were tied up separately.
"Brother?" Al whispered, "Are you awake?"
"Yeah, Al," Ed answered, "Where are we? And how did we survive that fall? It must have been at twenty stories."
"I don't know," Al said.
"You have awakened," came a man's voice
Ed looked in the direction the voice came from.
The man had blue hair and half of his face was hidden by a mask.
"You are in the country of Bilibin," he said as the ropes suddenly snapped, "You must flee. This area has been known to have slavers, and the ones who captured you will want to bind you in those ropes again. Now I shall take my leave."
And with that he disappeared in a flash of light.
Ed clapped his hands together and, using his alchemy, he created a blade.
He heard voices nearby.
"Damn, the slavers are coming!" Ed said.
"You guys go."
Winry had just regained consciousness.
"But, Winry," Al said, "We can't leave you here!"
"If you guys go now you'll be able to rescue me later!" Winry said sharply, "Now go!"
"We will rescue you. Winry," Ed said. He turned to his brother, "Let's go, Al!"
Ed grabbed Winry's knapsack before running further. "I'm gonna borrow this!"
Winry nodded as the brothers fled the scene. She grinned as she remembered that she left 30 loaded magazines in that bag, but she that grin faded when she realized that her precious wrench was also in that bag.
The Elric brothers stared through the nearby bushes as two slavers entered their camp.
"GODDAMMIT!" the bear-like one yelled.
"Yeah, I know," the human-looking one said calmly, "two o' 'em escaped."
"I'll track them down!" the bear said, crouching down and sniffing the spots Ed and Al were sitting in ten minutes ago.
"Don' bother they'll have probably covered their scent by now." the human said.
"Well at least we still got HER," the bear directed to Winry, who was fully awake now.
"So you guys are slavers?" Winry asked.
"Yes," the bear replied, "and we're taking you to Bilibin."
The human opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the bear.
"For the last time, Yilith, we are not taking her to goddamned whorehouse! I know we're slavers, but at least have some morals!"
"Technically they're called Brothels," Yilith said defensively.
"Last time I checked a 'brothel' IS a whorehouse!" the bear replied.
"Could you guys talk about that later, please?" Winry pleaded.
Yilith held some bread near Winry's mouth, but she turned her head away.
"I'd prefer to be fed by the chimera!" she said.
The bear immediately turned around and pulled a dagger from his belt.
"There's no chimera," he said, sheathing his dagger.
"But aren't you a chimera?" Winry asked, confused.
"HAHAHA!" the bear laughed loudly, "It's a good thing you're a female, otherwise I'd probably get angry."
"No, I am a beastman and I was born in Morgal, my name is Gothur," he whispered.
He snatched the bread from Yilith and fed Winry.
"What skills do you have?" Gothur asked Winry when she finish eating.
"I'm quite skilled with machines," Winry said.
"That's good news," Gothur said, "I know a few people in Bilibin who are looking for someone like you. Get to sleep, because we're heading there at daybreak."
Ed and Al snuck away once the slavers were asleep.
"What do we do now, brother?" Al asked his older brother.
"We find someone who knows how to get to this 'Bilibin' place," Ed answered, "We're going to have to split up."
"And last night I collapsed and I woke up to see her hand," Ed pointed to Sveta, "in my face."
"Why would Arcanus help you?" Karis queried.
"He must be planning on using them for his plans," Matthew said to her, through gritted teeth.
He turned to the alchemist. "We're heading towards Bilibin, so you can come with us if you want."
He looked to Rief and beckoned him over.
"Hand me his arm and I'll hold it," he said.
Rief obeyed without a word.
Matthew looked back to Ed, "I'll pay for your arm when we rescue your friend."
"Shouldn't you be more focused on getting help for your parents, Matthew, Son of Isaac."
Matthew immediately recognized that voice and turned on the spot.
It was Blados!
"I find it very hard to believe," Amiti said, shaking his head.
"Whether you believe me or not, it's true!" Al said.
"Well I've seen crazier stuff happen," Eoleo said.
"I believe our friends have already met your brother, Alphonse," Himi said.
"What makes you say that?" Al queried.
Himi pointed to the mark on her forehead. "It cannot tell me anything of the person they have met, and they have decided to escort that person to Bilibin."
This 'Third Eye' of yours will become a great nuisance if I don't remove it from your control.
The group looked around for the source of the voice.
It is no use to try and fight, came the voice again, the Yamatan princess WILL hand over the Eye or I will take it by force!
"Arcanus is in the area, but the Eye refuses to tell me his exact location," Himi said.
Now, Princess, Arcanus said, will you hand it over?
"I shall never cooperate with you!" Himi yelled.
Very well.
Suddenly the ground became soft and muddy.
It seems that I have no choice.
A dome of water enveloped the three Mars Adepts as a stone one covered Amiti, and vines immobilized Al.
I will take it by force!
"SATUROS!" Abito yelled as the Trainer's Whip wrapped around Blados' right arm.
"Well, from his memories I can tell that you must be Menardi's son, Abito!" Blados said, pulling on the whip, "However I am not Saturos, I am merely a genetic copy of him. My name is Blados, Tuaparang General of Blades. But I fear that mine will be the last name you'll ever hear!"
A shard of black ice sped towards Abito.
A golden ball of flame impacted the shard, shattering it.
Blados looked in the direction the 'Sol' came from.
Mathew had his arm raised, pointing in the direction the 'Luna Ice' had been seconds before.
"So Arcanus was telling the truth after all!" Blados said, "You DID absorb the light of Apollo Sanctum!"
"Along with Dark energy from the Grave Eclipse," Matthew finished.
Matthew nodded and a well-aimed hand chop, from Sveta, knocked Blados unconscious.
Arcanus began to rise from the ground.
Once he was fully out of the ground he walked towards Himi.
Himi cast her best growth to immobilize him, but the plants that were summoned were instantly burned away.
"There is no point in fighting."
Something very powerful had hit Himi in the back, causing her to fall.
"Pin her!"
As Himi rolled onto her back get a look at who hit her she saw the blueish dog they had seen at Kalay.
The dog pounced onto her, preventing her from moving.
As she struggled to get free she desperately asked the eye for help.
But it gave no response.
Arcanus was kneeling above her. He placed the tip of his index finger on her mark.
"You should have just handed it over."
Red sparks began to emerge from Arcanus' finger tip.
As Himi groaned in pain Arcanus pulled his hand upward as more red sparks emerged.
Himi's groans turned into cries and then screams.
After the Third Eye was completely out the sparks stopped and Himi was barely holding onto consciousness.
"You will be fine later," Arcanus said as he stood up, "All you have to do is... SLEEP!"
Within seconds she lost consciousness and the mark faded.
"Now, let's go, Veriti," Arcanus said and he and his dog vanished in a flash of light.
Soon the dome of water collapsed, the vines binding Al slackened, and a Spear of Ice managed brake through the dome that Amiti was inside of.
The five walked towards the unconscious Venus Adept.
Eoleo picked her up.
"Amiti," he said, "She likes you better than us, so why don't you carry her until she wakes up?"
Amiti turned and held his arms behind his back. "Very well," he said.
"That bastard's gonna pay!" both Tyrell and Anixia said loudly. Both looked at each other with annoyance.
"I agree," Eoleo said once Himi was positioned safely on The Ayuthian Prince's back.
"As do I," Amiti said.
Blados awakened to find that he was tied up.
As he struggled to get free, Sveta came up to him.
"You'll never be able to break those ropes with mere arm strength," she said, "I have mastered a special type of Psynergy that can strengthen any substance."
Matthew came over. "There's no escape, so I suggest you tell us what exactly Arcanus and the Tuaparang are planning."
"Hm-hm-hm..." Blados laughed, "You won't be getting any answers from me!"
Now Abito was standing nearby. His cloak was now black with purple Markings
"What makes you say that!" he said as he drew his Firebrand. The second the blade made contact with the air it caught on fire. But the flame was black.
"So instead of his son you ended up with Garet's sword!" Blados said.
He looked at Sveta. "And you enchanted it with the power of Umbra! You did the same thing with these ropes as well, didn't you!"
Sveta nodded.
"That's useful information," Blados said mockingly.
He closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes they were the darkest black, so dark that his black uniform looked green in comparison.
"Nanomachine activate! Command: Kill, Sub-command: Delay by three seconds, Code: Twenty-two, dash, Fifty, Prevention: Blocked, Code: CX7!"
"And now I will die!" Blados directed at the Adepts, and began laughing manically.
Suddenly blood gushed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Then he collapsed, dead.
Matthew stared at Blados' corpse with horror, as did Sveta. They had seen people die in front of them, but never so brutally.
"What do we do with him?" Sveta asked, her voice quivering slightly.
"I- I don't know," Matthew answered very quietly.
Rief walked over to them, "What was he laughing so..." he trailed off when he saw Blados covered in blood, "What the bloody hell happened!" he said loudly.
"He just committed suicide," Abito said, "The damn coward!"
"Rief," Matthew said.
"What is it, Matthew?" Rief answered.
"You're better with decisions like this." Matthew said, "What should we do with him?"
"Personally," Rief answered, "Even though he probably doesn't deserve it, we should give him a proper burial."
"Then that's what we'll do!" Matthew stated.
He looked to Sveta. "Use your Spirit Sense on me so I can quickly teach you how to use basic Venus Psynergies."
"But I am a Jupiter Adept, remember!" Sveta said, obviously shocked.
"No, not anymore," Matthew said, shaking his head a little, "You're a Chaos Adept. My father told me that Chaos Adepts have much stronger, and sometimes more unstable, powers than other adepts, and that they are even able to use Psynergies that aren't of their born element, without the help of Djinn."
Rief's mouth was hanging open in awe. He never heard Matthew speak more than a few words at a time.
"Rief, you look like Tyrell, with your mouth hanging like that!" Karis said.
She apparently walked over while Matthew was giving his 'tutorial.'
"It's true, Sveta," she said, "He nearly burned down Isaac's lookout cabin."
Matthew ignored that.
"Well Sveta," he said, "Will you do it?"
"If you truly want me to, then I will," Sveta answered.
"And I'd like to ask for another favor," Matthew said. "If it's alright with you, that is!" he hastily added.
Sveta nodded. "You wish to learn how to use Jupiter Psynergy, correct?"
"Yes."
Himi opened her eyes and noticed that it was very dark now.
She was moving, yet her legs were not. She was being carried.
She noticed a strand of blue hair. Amiti's hair.
She lightly wrapped her arms around his neck.
"So you've awakened," the prince said.
"I apologize for you having to carry me like this," Himi responded.
"You don't have to apologize," Amiti said, "It wasn't your fault."
"Why-" Himi began but was interrupted by Amiti.
"Because if I was in your position," he said, "I wouldn't have let Arcanus take my power."
"He was going to remove power as a Venus Adept?" Himi asked.
"No," Amiti answered, a little confusion clear in his voice, "The power of the Third Eye,"
"I have never heard of such a thing," Himi said with surprise.
Did she lose her memory of it? Amiti thought.
Himi tapped Amiti's shoulder. "May I walk?" she asked.
"Sure," Amiti answered as he kneeled to let Himi off his back.
As he started to stand Himi placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Yes?" he asked.
"I hope this will better than just saying 'thank you'," Himi said and she gave him a peck on the cheek.
She then ran ahead to the rest of the group, leaving Amiti alone and slightly confused.
"You're welcome?" he said.
Author's Notes:
Yeah, yeah, I know. This took a long time to get out, but I've been having some major writer's block. So I watched FMA and FMA: Brotherhood and read the Manga again to get some ideas.
And I did make this one a bit long as an apology to the fans of my story.
I will try to make the next chapter as soon as I can and hopefully it won't take two months to release.
And about Garfiel: Even though he's clearly gay he ended up being one of my favorite FMA characters.
And now for the review responses:
Arcticwind777: Thanks for your praise.
I am looking into what I can do to make the meeting seem less rushed.
As for your warning I'll keep that in mind, but remember those will most likely be updated less often.
.
Culebra del Sol: The flash back was what I originally planned but I ended up having the writer's block I mentioned earlier.
The original name for this chapter was GOING to be 'The Story of the Elric Brothers,' but after seeing the ending result I scrapped that name.
