100 themes FMA
Theme: 40: Sacrifice
Characters: Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric, Roy Mustang, Izumi Curtis
Universe: manga/Brotherhood
Words: 850
Warnings: Philosophizing
"You can't just... ditch equivalent exchange," Roy said in exasperation. "It's the core tenet of alchemy!"
"We're not ditching it," Al said patiently. "We're just saying that we might be interpreting it wrong... the equivalent part, anyway. Nii-san came up with it..."
It was Al's sixteenth birthday, and to celebrate his first birthday for a few years where he could actually eat his birthday cake, they'd gone out to East City with a group of friends and family. Currently, the four alchemists in attendance (Lieutenant Colonel Armstrong hadn't come; he hadn't been able to get the leave) had drifted away from the rest of the party, and were in heated discussion about the new principle that Ed and Al had come up with.
"It all hinges on how you determine value," Ed explained. "For example: would you consider the ability to do alchemy as equivalent to a human life?"
Roy stared thoughtfully from one brother to the other, recognizing what might have started Ed on this train of thought.
"No," Izumi said, shaking her head. "If it would have saved my baby, I know I would have given up my Gate and never given it a second thought. Do you regret giving up your alchemy, Ed?"
"Not for a moment," Ed said promptly. "I mean, hell, I miss it sometimes... like anything involving a damn hammer..." he twitched a slightly swollen thumb wrapped in plasters. "But I wouldn't take back the trade. I figure I got a cheap deal, anyway." He clapped his hand to his brother's shoulder with a grin. Al smiled back broadly.
"We said that equivalent exchange is the basis of all life, not just alchemy, but that's not strictly true," Al continued. "Many of the trades we make in daily life aren't equivalent. Some nights, you don't sleep very long, but get a ton of energy from it. Others, you sleep even longer and feel like it isn't enough. There's no constant standard for equal trades."
"It isn't equivalent exchange that's a part of all life, but sacrifice," Ed explained. "You sacrifice money in exchange for goods and services. You sacrifice food to supply your body. You sacrifice your energy to do things. Sacrifice is what everything works around. But you can sacrifice more than you receive, and you can also gain more than you sacrifice."
"That makes sense," Izumi said thoughtfully. "It's true, the exchanges in our life are not necessarily equivalent..."
"So what are you thinking of?" Roy asked curiously. "A way to exploit the exchange, to get more for less?"
"No, it's the opposite actually!" Al laughed. "It's... you tell them, Nii-san, it was your idea."
"You're the one that's still an alchemist," Ed said, rolling his eyes. "Basically, we want to express a principle of giving more than you receive. If you receive 10, add something from yourself to give back 11. That way, the world in general becomes a little richer."
"There was something in Scar's brother's notes about the flows of positives and negatives," Al continued. "This principle creates a positive flow. If we continue to encourage positive flows, the world begins to flow positively, and everybody gains."
"With some things, the more you sacrifice, the more there is," Ed said. "Feelings like rage, and hatred, and grief, just grow the more you share them... but at the same time, you can still give joy, and friendship, and love, and always have more to give. The more you give, the more there is." He blushed under their stares. "What?"
"That was just... almost poetic," Roy said in surprise. "I don't know if I'm more fascinated by the principle or you being poetic. Did that really just happen?"
"Believe it or not, Ed can be sweet when he feels like it," Winry interjected, wandering over to the table. "C'mon, Alchemy-Otaku, you're missing the party." She grabbed Ed and Al by an arm each. The boys followed docilely enough, which was definitely odd for Ed.
"I'll have to investigate the principle," Izumi mused. "This could revolutionize alchemy... it's a nice precept for life, too."
"Do you think Ed accidentally sacrificed a portion of his brain when he got Al back?" Roy said, watching in fascination as the ex-alchemist in question pointedly ignored a glass of milk that he was being offered in favour of stuffing himself with nachos from a snack bowl. "It's the only thing I can think of to explain it..."
"Lighten up," Izumi chuckled, rising as her husband wandered over to see if the alchemy discussion was over. "The boy's happy, and why shouldn't he be? He gave so much of himself, and only gained as a result. He cheated the Truth into a bargain!"
She left too, leaving Roy sitting on his own for a moment, watching the brothers throw cupcakes at each other to "transmute" into later's indigestion.
"Didn't really lose a thing of value, did he?" Roy mused. "Cheeky little-"
"Sir, are you going to come eat or not?" Riza called. Roy snapped off a salute and slipped back into the positive flow of the party.
I always loved the new principle that they came up with in the end. I liked the optimistic and altruistic nature of it. I don't know how it would actually WORK, but then, I fail real science forever, never mind fictional sciences XDXD
I don't own any of the rights to FMA. Sadly, Arakawa-sensei's lawyers aren't as thick as Yoki.