"The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings." -J.M. Barrie

Chapter Twelve: Letters To and From Home

Ed looked down at the piece of paper that he had so many times that he had memorized it, yet he kept rereading it.

Ed,

How are you? Actually wait, don't answer that. You're in a warzone, granted it is the safest over there but it's a warzone so you're probably not okay. And don't answer that you're fine, unless you are. Winry says that if you lie, she'll go over there and beat you up with a wrench... although, I'll probably try to stop her. The emphasis is on probably, brother. Anyways, I've missed you although Winry and Granny and I have been fine. Pitt came over a couple of days after you left and asked why you were escorted by the MPs, I told him that Drachma was brewing trouble. Oh! And speaking of the MPs, they went away about a week after you left, crazy huh? It's not like we can do anything… I wish we could though.

Anyways, a couple of strange things happened in the last month, Ed. The first thing is that my Alchemy suddenly got a lot stronger. I don't know what happened! You know how I can bind a piece of my soul to an inanimate object and use it as a shield of sorts? Well, I was practicing drawing arrays (and no, brother, they're not stupid!) when suddenly I could suddenly see through armor. Like, through the eyes of armor. I can't control my alchemy anymore; brother… it just happens randomly most of the time. It happens all the time now, when I'm asleep, when I'm awake, when I'm helping Granny, or getting groceries once with Winry. I just don't understand why though… maybe you do?

Anyways, I'm going onto the next strange thing, Ed. I had a really, really weird dream. You were in it, but we were at the gate, except the gate had pieces missing, Ed. Anyways, so when I saw you, you smiled sadly, like you were about to do something you really did not want to, but you had to. Anyways I asked about what happened to the gate and you (this is so weird…) said that it was failing. I naturally asked how and you said that you can't tell me. I was confused and then you began to talk to me, and you said something about me being Compassion but before I could ask what it was, you disappeared and I woke up.

The strange thing is that Winry had a dream like that as well, except she was told she was Strength. She got mad at me when I said figures… but it's true.

Honestly though, strange things are happening, Ed. You know the Gate Keepers? I could have sworn I saw a couple of them the other day, but when I pointed them out to Winry she said she couldn't. And when I looked back they were gone. Then I saw this man with only one eye, Ed! I think I'm going crazy! But how is that possible? Do you think that I could be seeing stuff from the Gate, and that might be because of my Alchemy becoming stronger? Or is it something more?

I wouldn't write any of this, but Winry is standing over me with a Wrench and a book… she found out how deadly they are, Ed.

Come back soon, Brother. And remember the biggest threat, and it's not Drachma.

Al

Ed frowned as his eyes looked at the other piece of paper. Shorter and messier but it was definitely Winry's handwriting.

Alchemy Freak,

Listen, something big is either going on or about too. There's an oppressive feeling in the air, and Al's not the only one feeling it. Most of the town is on edge. Al only gave you the barest details, and that's saying something. I fear that we might be heading into pandemonium, or at least some plot. Be careful out there Ed, our leader has a special eye on you, to keep you safe and Drachma may not be the real culprits behind this.

Love,

Winry

Both messages had been coded a little although Ed had been impressed on how cleverly Winry had hidden her true message, in fact he had been a little taken aback when the first thing he had noticed was "I love you so much!".

Then he realized that it was coded.

"Oooh, Alchemy Freak?" A pesky voice said over his shoulder and Ed cast a baleful eye on Falman. "And she professes her undying love! So… romantic."

"It's a code!" Ed hissed, blushing crimson. Falman grinned cheekily.

"Ah, but I don't know that." He said, waggling an eyebrow and pointing a finger at him suggestively. Ed gritted his teeth and glared daggers at the table. He slowly, deliberately, grabbed a piece of paper and put it on the table, then uncapped a pen. Falman rolled his eyes but walked away, although there was a rather evil look in his eyes.

Ed decided that he was going to kill the man… after he wrote back to Al and Winry."SHE'S MY MECHANIC!" Ed shouted for good measure. Several soldiers stopped what they were doing to look at Ed strangely and he snarled under his breath.

Al,

Okay then, I won't say I'm fine, happy? I suppose the important thing is that I'm alive and well. Okay, so maybe I'm a little worse for wear, but well. And tell Winry that I'd like to live, thank you very much. Oh and I'm at Briggs, don't worry, I'm fine. The only reason I'm over here is because Drachma ambushed East Camp (mine) in a surprise attack. Luckily, we only had one death… although he was one of our best. The Iron Will Alchemist, have you heard of him, Al? I'm glad you're okay, and tell Pitt to not worry. A week!? Wow, Zao must be really paranoid if he made them stay for a week. Serves him right… don't get into trouble, Al! Yes, you can call me a hypocrite but seriously, don't.

Huh… your Alchemy is stronger? That is strange… and rather troubling. Tell Winry I said thanks. I'm not exactly sure what is going on, although if I have to guess I would say it might have something to do with your dream, plus my own Alchemy. Something happened to mine as well, it came back temporarily during the raid, oh sure I had a massive headache, but it came back. Your theory about my headaches being connected to my lost of alchemy was correct, Al. By the way, I never said drawing arrays was stupid.

So, you had a dream, you were at the gate, you saw me, I called you Compassion and you didn't see Truth? I'm just assuming you didn't, okay, Al? I would say that something could be eating the gate up, therefore making it unstable and anyone could do alchemy if they had at least a basic understanding of it, which would explain why I was able to that night. But then, why would it be? Truth would be there to fight them off. Or, there could be something much darker at work here. Maybe Father somehow rigged the gate to collapse so that he could be free maybe? Now, about that Compassion thing. Something like that happened to me, except that Joseph (Iron Will Alchemist) called me Hope right before he died. He also called me a lot of other names. Apparently, he was looking for seven people to save Amestris, him being a servant of Truth called Seeker, I suppose. He said that he has been waiting for the seven to come together to save the nation, but I have a feeling that there was a bigger meaning then that. Some of the soldiers told me that he does not approach people unless they 'call' to him, and apparently I did. He also approached Mustang and Hawkeye, although I haven't asked either of them about it. Honestly, something felt off about him right when he had died, oh sure, I liked him, I actually almost considered him a friend, but there was just something wrong. Some part of me reacted violently to it and I started using alchemy.

Winry had a dream like yours? Huh… she left a PS in your letter by the way Al, you stay safe over there. It would figure though, she's always been passionate about automail… and wrenches… and she's always been strong willed.

You saw Gatekeepers? And a Cyclops? That's a one eyed man, but they're considered myths now. Al, you're not going insane, I know you're not. You're just special. Maybe your alchemy is getting stronger because there is something going on.

She found out about the books… we're doomed, Alphonse!

I'll go back as soon as I can, Al, but I have a feeling that this war isn't going to let me escape from its clutches anytime soon. And I'll keep that in mind.

Ed

Ed turned to the second, smaller piece of paper and wrote a shorter letter to Winry.

Automail Geek,

Brilliant code Winry, although now I'm going to have countless soldiers asking if I'm engaged to you. Anyways, the whole area here has an oppressive air, too, although that might be because of the stress… although everything has been quiet for the last week or so, surprisingly, but I won't let my guard down. I figured as much, although those bare details are pretty strong and I'll keep that in mind. I'll stay safe, Winry, I promise, and I realized that. And don't worry; you'll be able to hit me with wrenches when this is all over. Promise.

Ed

Ed smiled sadly at the letters and stuck them into an envelope, before handing them to the officer that was in charge of the mail. He glanced outside and noticed in mild surprise that the moon was already in the sky. He smiled slightly before walking upstairs toward his bed.

Author's Note: Okay, so here goes Arc #2, which is actually called Light and Truth, not Hope. Sorry :3 That's arc 3 (my favorite so far), I'm actually almost done with it- maybe one or two chapters left, three at the most. Anyways, this chapter may seem like a filler, but it's not, in fact it's very important to both this story and the companion one, plus, now we know what Al's been doing :D... Or is that the whole story? *Winks*. Also, this arc will be shorter then the last, only six chapters, but it'll have it's moments... like finding out who Truth is, that little mission, the airplane going ka-boom and he finding out how much Al has grown up :D.

Next Chapter: The Other Truth