Zilo: BEHOLD AN UPDATE FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT!

Ed: ...What?

Zoe: Aren't you actually late?

Zilo: Yes. But BESIDES THAT! Being on a timed computer at the library, I only have time to silently spaz and upload the new chapter! So please enjoy and pray for funds so I can get a new comp and not have to use this horribly speedy thing!

21: Forget About It

I can't believe I failed.

Sakura lay on her back, her face turned towards the sun. Everything ached. The water moved back and forth a few yards away from her feet. Seagulls circled overhead, making the usual noises. The beach was always a nice place, and this one was deserted.

How could I let his happen?

She couldn't go back to the spot she'd gone to—one alteration was damaging enough to the timeline. She'd have to set up in a completely different place. But it was her fault for trying to do this through others. She should have been willing to dirty her hands in the first place.

I may never get a chance as good as that again.

How was it that she'd had her gun directly on the monster's forehead, and had still failed to kill her? To be honest, she'd underestimated the monster's team—who knew so many people were so eager to defend such a heartless abomination like her? It was mind-boggling.

It was because of that innocent act she was using. If I hadn't known the truth, I might have been suckered in myself. She's a good manipulator, I'll give her that.

So this means I need to try farther back—before she gets her army of defenders. But how far back?

Sakura thought hard, listening absently to the crash of waves on the shore. Maybe the problem was that she'd chosen the wrong era. Maybe she needed to go farther forward.

Of course. That's what I have to do.

Al felt bad every step he took. He could hear her trying not to make noises of discomfort from where he was carrying her on his back, and he tried to walk as smoothly as he could, but he could tell every step hurt her. And he hated it.

Another step, and his foot landed on a small rock or something, causing him to stumble just a little. He heard her suck in a painful breath. "Sorry," he said quickly.

"I'm fine, don't say sorry," Risty said through gritted teeth.

"It's okay, Risty, the car'll get here any second," Zoe said from where she was following Al, her hand on Risty's back for comfort. Rita, Noa, and Windig had gone ahead to get the car, but Ed and Al didn't want to waste any time closing the distance to the doctor's.

Risty didn't seem to hear her, or if she did, she didn't respond. Al glanced down at her sprained ankle again, wishing that this hadn't happened. He felt bad that something like this had happened to his friend. But as bad as he felt, he knew Ed felt even worse.

"There's the car," Ed said, sounding relieved. Al looked up and saw Rita's car coming towards them. "Thank God," he heard Zoe say, but his mind was starting to wander. He thought about how Ed had wanted to carry Risty to the hospital, but he had been argued down by Al and Zoe, and even Noa. If Risty couldn't stand the pain and stay awake, Ed's falling out on the street would only make it worse if he were carrying her.

Instead, he was relegated to carrying Envy, being the only one left who could carry a full-grown person for an extended period of time. It's kind of ironic, Al thought as the car stopped just ahead of them. Ed's carrying Envy to the hospital, when Envy was responsible for sending him to the hospital so many times before. At least he was mature enough not to complain about it.

"It can't be true," he heard her mumble.

"What did you say?" he asked her.

"He has to live…tell me some reason why it wasn't about me. And call me stupid for even thinking it," Risty was saying, sounding like she was talking her herself.

Al bit his lip. That was another thing. Had Envy really taken a bullet for Risty? Why? That didn't seem like him at all. Maybe it had been an accident or something. Either way, Al found himself actually hoping Envy would pull through.

By that time, they'd gotten to the car. Zoe pulled open the door of the backseat. Together, she and Al placed Risty in, taking care to keep her hurt arm or leg from being jostled. On the other side, Noa had climbed out and was helping Ed put Envy into the backseat as well.

"Well, I can't fit you all in my car. There's only space for two more up front," Rita pointed out.

"Al and I will just walk to the hospital," Ed said firmly.

Zoe looked relieved as she and Noa climbed into the front seat with Rita.

"We'll see you there," Rita said to the three walking as she reversed her car.

Ed started walking before she had even turned around and driven out of sight. "Come on," he said over his shoulder.

"Coming." Al quickly fell into step beside his brother, his longer legs enabling him to catch up easily. He winced at the sight of them—both brothers had bloodstains on their clothes. "We look like we barely survived our own battle," Al said quietly.

"Yeah." Ed's fists were clenched at his sides.

Sensing his brother's unspoken sentiments, Al spoke up. "It sounds callous, but Risty only hurt her arm and leg. She's going to survive, at least."

"I know, but—dammit, why did this have to happen?" Ed growled.

"I wish I knew," Al sighed, putting his hands in his pockets and looking at his feet as they walked along.

They walked in silence for a few moments, until Al realized something. "Oh, Brother, there was something important Noa needed to tell you. About Sakura's motivations."

"What, masochism?" Ed said angrily.

"No, actually. Noa said that Sakura was from Risty's time, and apparently something bad happened where a lot of people were killed, including some of her family. Apparently Risty was the one responsible."

"What?" Ed actually stopped to stare at his brother.

"I know, it sounds crazy to me too. It has to be a misunderstanding or something," Al said.

Slowly, Ed started to walk again. Al joined him. "I mean, I couldn't imagine Risty just killing a bunch of people. Sakura must have mixed her up with someone else," he went on.

"Unless…" Ed said slowly.

"Unless what? It couldn't be possible."

"I hate to say it, but it could." Ed then relayed the scene he had come upon with Risty and Sakura, and Al's eyes widened. "So it might have looked like Risty, but actually been those bastards in the Gate controlling her," Ed finished.

"That's…that's awful…" Al said faintly. He felt a churning dread in his stomach, but he didn't quite understand why.

Ed looked grim. "That's not all. She said—they said that this wasn't the first time they'd tried this." He here looked straight into Al's eyes. "And then they said 'ask your brother about it'."

"Me? But I don't have anything to do with them!" Al exclaimed, suddenly feeling like he had to defend himself.

"Are you sure?" Ed asked, sounding almost suspicious.

"Of course I'm sure!" I'm SURE that I'm sure. There's no way that I know anything about this. They were just trying to start trouble! I know it! I…but why am I being so defensive?

Al looked away from his brother's piercing gaze, almost feeling like he had something to hide. But what?

When they finally made it to the hospital, they saw that Rita's car was parked out front. A small trail of blood led from the backseat to the front door. "I hope things are going all right," Al thought aloud, sounding worried.

Ed only grunted in reply, but Al knew he was worried too. As they had walked, Ed had become more and more quiet. Al had guessed he was speaking telepathically to Risty, hopefully helping her to make it through. Again, Al found himself wondering how those two had the kind of connection they did, and why it worked how it worked. But it was something even Ed and Risty themselves didn't know. If nothing else, it looked like that very connection had kept a possessed Risty from trying to kill Ed, so that was something positive at least.

They walked through the front doors, and could hear a commotion from somewhere in the back. Zoe was sitting in a chair in the front room, slumped over, looking at the floor between her feet. She glanced up when Ed and Al came in, then straightened up fast. "You're here finally," she said.

She looked almost panicked. "What's been going on?" Ed wanted to know.

"They said that Risty will probably be okay after surgery, but they're not sure about the palm—eh, about Envy. He got torn up pretty bad," Zoe said.

"Where's Rita?" Al asked.

"In there with them. She has medical experience or something. I don't know how she bullied her way in there, though, because those hard-ass doctors wouldn't let any—"

They all froze at the sound of a muffled scream from the back. Zoe sucked in a breath, and her fists clenched. Al felt his stomach plunge. Was she awake? Was she all right?

"Where are Noa and Windig?" Al asked, trying to distract himself with a new topic.

Zoe was staring at the direction of the back, and Al had to repeat his question to get her attention. "Oh, um, that Windig chick went off somewhere, and Noa said she was going back to the apartment," she mumbled.

Al exchanged a glance with Ed, then did a double take. "Brother, what's wrong?"

Ed looked like someone who was either drunk or had severe head trauma, and he had a hand braced against the wall to hold himself up. Zoe seemed to notice him for the first time. "Wait…Napoleon, I thought you're supposed to pass out when Risty does?"

"Yeah, that's the idea," Ed ground out.

Al's expression was a mix of fear and anger. Sometimes he just wanted to punch his brother in the face for being so stupid. "Brother, you shouldn't try to fight it! That might make things worse! Come sit down!" He grabbed Ed's left arm and propelled him into the chair next to Zoe.

"I'm fine!" Ed protested.

Al shook his head. "You're doing this wrong, Brother. Risty might need you right now. You should be available to support her."

Ed started. Obviously he hadn't thought of it that way.

"Yeah, you dope." Zoe was frowning at him.

Ed tensed, his hand reaching up for his arm as if it had suddenly started to hurt. Al realized he was psychologically feeling Risty's pain again. Sometimes Ed was so stubborn. "Maybe you guys are right," he grudgingly agreed, surprising Al little.

Zoe sighed heavily and stood up. "Go on, lie down, you tough manly idiot."

Ed laid down and stretched across the chairs. Al watched him pensively until his eyes dropped closed and his whole body relaxed, signifying that had had lost consciousness. Heaving a sigh, Al settled himself against the wall next to the chairs. Zoe joined him, scooting down so her knees were up to her chest. "Sometimes Ed's such a moron, huh?" she said, sounding as though she wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying.

"Yeah," Al agreed.

Silence. They both seemed to be straining their ears for any sounds—good, bad, or indifferent—from the back, but aside from that one scream, it was eerily quiet. Ed took a quick, deep breath in his sleep, and Al looked over at him to see he was subconsciously holding his upper left arm.

"I wish I'd been there," Zoe said to her knees.

Al glanced down at the top of her head. "Me too," he agreed quietly.

"I swear, if I ever see that demon-bitch again, I'll kill her. I really could." Zoe sounded angry.

Al absently poked at one of the bloodstains on his white shirt. The thing was ruined—blood was nearly impossible to get out entirely.

"God, we've gotta get her out of here," Zoe said next.

"Huh?" Al said, confused.

Zoe tilted her head back to look up at him. "Me and Astrid. We've split up, hoping we could find her faster that way. Sucks for me, but the chainletter I have is only good for one. I have to get Astrid here so she can bring Risty back home."

Of course. Zoe didn't want to just find Risty; she wanted to return her to her original dimension. It made sense, but Al still felt a pang. "What if Sakura still comes after her?" he asked.

"At least we've got SWAT teams," Zoe grumbled.

"Still, it seems dangerous," Al said.

"What, you don't think we should leave her here?" Zoe said incredulously. "Get real, Al, look what happened to her already!"

Al fell silent. Sure, that was true, but Ed probably would have been offended if he'd heard that comment.

"Besides, Risty belongs back in her own time, when they have blow dryers and stuff," Zoe went on. "And her family misses her. And obviously it's not all cozy and safe here in the past. Especially in freaking Nazi Germany. Or at least, really damn close to then."

Al started a little at the mention of Nazis. Ed had told him about his encounters with some of them, but it seemed like they had failed on all accounts in their quest to do…whatever it was. Of course, Zoe being from the future meant that she could know about them. But had that one incident been enough to put them in the history books?

It was a puzzle, and it helped take Al's mind off of current issues. At least for a little while.

After a long silence, Zoe spoke up. "Listen, I'm not trying to say you guys don't care about her or anything. It's just, you know, we're her family and everything."

Al nodded absently. He glanced down at his brother, who had curled towards the wall, still subconsciously cradling his left arm as if it had been injured. The hallway they were in felt so cold and empty. It was like sitting in a giant coffin.

"…and they really miss her. I mean, it looks like time's gotten kind of jumbled up, but it's been almost two years on our side…" Zoe was continuing to talk, but Al really wasn't listening. Somehow, thinking of the dark loneliness of the hallway was stirring up strange feelings in him, a strange, nameless terror in his gut that he couldn't place. If he concentrated his mind's eye, he could almost see a horrible blackness in front of him, and could vaguely hear a rumble of thousands of voices, all saying different things to him.

But why does it scare me so much? And why is it so hard to remember? he thought.

"…they said 'ask your brother about it'…"

They. Them. Those things that made up the darkness. Al thought hard, and he could almost see and hear them. He had the vague impression of a vast space, filled with nothing but them and him.

Risty had been possessed by the creatures in the Gate. They had tried to use her to their own ends. And she wasn't their first attempt. They rarely had live specimens to work on, because most people who approached the Gate didn't particularly want to be in there.

It only works on those who have willingly sacrificed themselves, Al remembered in a flash. It was one of the first things they'd told him. But why? How? What for?

They let me go because Risty offered herself in exchange, but it was too soon. I wasn't ready for…for…what? What did they want me to do?

He could see their faces now, their wide open eyes and their even wider grins. They were so ecstatic when he had appeared. They had so many plans, and they had streamlined the process to make it faster and easier. If they had had longer, then it would have been different. But then Ed and Risty appeared so quickly, and they had done so little, and it was just too soon…

"Hey! Al!"

Al blinked and looked up with a start. Suddenly, he was back in the hallway. But that was crazy, he'd never left, had he? More importantly, Ed and Noa were standing near him, looking concerned, and Ed had apparently been in the process of shaking Al's shoulders. "What'd you do, fall asleep?" Ed wanted to know.

"I…" Al had no idea how to explain what had just happened. So he focused on another subject. "Wait, you're awake? Then does that mean…?"

"Yeah. Risty's up, sort of. They had to knock her out for surgery, but she's still kind of out of it. At least that's what Rita told me. Zoe's visiting her right now," Ed explained, letting go of Al's shoulders.

Al breathed a sigh of relief. "So is she okay?" he asked.

"Physically, you could say that." Al started at Rita's surprise appearance from around the corner. She was wiping her hands on a cloth. "The bullet passed through her arm, so it was mostly about stitching everything up. Those doctors would have botched the whole thing, though. They were even about to use the wrong kind of thread before I took charge. Anyway, she'll have to wear a sling for a long while, and she'll probably never regain full mobility in that arm or hand," Rita reported like a professional surgeon.

Ed looked grim yet resigned at the news. "At least she's alive," Noa said quietly.

"At least there's that," Rita agreed.

Al was probably the only one to think of the next question. "And what about Envy?"

Rita sighed. "Don't even get me started on him," she said.

"God, I just…I just wish I could have been there to help, or fight, or something," Zoe said, not seeming to care about the tears and snot leaking out of her eyes and nose respectively. "I just hate this whole situation."

"It's okay. Neither of either of us knew I would end up in a hospital," Risty said. She had a slightly glazed look in her eyes, like someone who'd had too much to drink, and her sentences kept coming out a little loopy. But the main fact was that she was alive, and she still had her left arm, if nothing else. Said left arm was currently wrapped in layers of bandages from knuckle to bicep, so it was now twice as big around, and was in a secure sling looped over her neck. Her twisted right ankle was also in bandages, but not nearly as many. And a few extra scrapes and bruises on her face and good arm had been patched up.

Zoe sniffed wetly and rubbed the back of her hand over her eyes. "Don't worry, okay? As soon as we get you home, we're gonna throw you in the best hospital in the world and everything'll be okay. We'll save your arm."

Risty smiled. "My arm doesn't need saving, it's right here," she said.

Zoe looked up at her drugged friend and burst into a round of new tears. "Risty, I'm so sorry! I'm the crappiest best friend ever! How could I let this happen to you?"

"Hey, there." Risty reached out with her right arm and patted Zoe's shoulder. "Don't be all sad and weepy, it isn't like you. And I don't even feel any of a thing."

Zoe's shoulders slumped. Risty switched from patting her shoulder to patting her cheek. "I'm the one who usually does all the crying, right? But I feel great right now. So suck it up, okay?"

"Sure. I'll be the tough one," Zoe sniffed, wiping her face with her arm again.

Risty waited, smiling dopily, until Zoe had pulled herself together. "Feel better?" she asked. Zoe nodded a little. "Great, now can you tell me exactly how I got here anyhow?"

Zoe blinked at her. "You don't remember?"

"No, it's kind of a blurry blur-type thing," Risty said.

"Oh. Well…it was kinda traumatic, I think. Maybe I shouldn't," Zoe hedged.

"Oh, okay, sure."

Again, Zoe blinked. She had been expecting Risty to insist on knowing. Then again, since the drugs they'd given her were still wearing off, she was acting very out of character. "Well, er, do you want me to tell you more about your home?" Zoe tried.

"Home?" Risty giggled. "Why would I want you to need to do that? I think I know my own home better than you, even though you do come over all the time. Sometimes Dad jokes that you should move in and start paying rent."

"…Wait, you remember?" Zoe exclaimed, all traces of crying gone.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" Risty asked, that weird, druggy smile still in place.

"But—but—those Gate freaks ate your memory!" Zoe reminded her.

"Gate what? I don't know what that means. Is it some new anime? Because I am kinda wanting to find some new ones," said Risty.

Zoe gaped at her, looking like a red-haired, lipstick-wearing fish.

"That kinda reminds me, have you called Mom and Dad yet? I know they'll probably freak out that I got hurt. But maybe they'll be proud of me because I'm not boo-hooing all over the place," Risty went on.

"Oh my God," was all Zoe could say.

Ed rubbed the towel over his face until it was dry, and then looked up into the mirror over the sink. He looked tired. He felt tired. Somehow today just seemed a little too familiar, like his old adventures back in his old world. Back when risking his life had almost been a daily occurrence. But now it was worse. He didn't have alchemy to fall back on. He only had his other skills to rely on. And sure, they were great, but not nearly as reliable in his opinion. It just sucked all around.

And now, one of his greatest fears had come to pass. Someone he had tried to protect from danger had gotten hurt anyway. How could he have been right there, and let that girl Sakura get past him? Screw whatever future-weapons she had; he should have taken her down and protected everyone in that apartment. But he hadn't, and now, Risty was paying the price, and she might never fully recover.

Ed's hands gripped the edges of the sink so hard that he had the fleeting thought that he could rip the whole thing out of the wall if he wanted to. How could he have been so…ineffective? Some girl with a tranquilizer gun had really beat him? What was wrong with him?

This time, Risty had a really good reason to be well and truly mad at him. Ed almost found himself hoping she would be. In fact, he had stalled long enough; he should face her and take whatever punishment she dished out.

Steeling himself, he left the bathroom and went to the patients' room. Again, it was a slow night, so only two of the curtains were drawn over beds. Ed went to the one where he heard Zoe and Risty talking. He slowed as he caught pieces of their conversation. They were talking about home—their own time—and while Risty had the slow, relaxed tone of someone sedated, Zoe sounded like she was bursting with excitement. It sounded like it was a pleasant talk, something about school assignments and something called "anime" and for a moment Ed hesitated to intrude.

"…and that weird nerdy junior guy who always wanted to ask you out. I remember cornering him for the reason why, and he said it was because you were kind of nerdy too. I swear I almost punched him right there," Zoe said, a laugh in her voice.

"Oh, yeah, he's a little creepy," Risty said.

Ed took a big breath, and then sighed it out. Maybe he shouldn't interrupt. But apparently they heard him, for their conversation paused. "Someone there?" Risty called.

Here goes nothing. Ed squared his shoulders and ducked through the opening in the curtain. Looking at Risty, all bandaged up in the bed, made his insides clench with guilt and anger, anger directed both at himself and Sakura. Zoe spotted him a split second earlier, and her face faltered, and she suddenly looked a bit panicked. Risty had a very strange smile on her face as she looked up at him. "Oh, hi, are we making too much of a lot of noise?" she asked.

Ed paused, realizing something was off. "I mean—hurrr, I just can't talk all well yet. It's like I'm drunk," she said with a giggle.

"Ed, um…" Zoe was at a loss for words, which struck Ed as odd and also foreboding. Risty continued to look at him placidly, and it finally struck him that she was looking at him like she might someone she didn't know.

"How…how are you feeling?" Ed asked, uncertainty making him hesitant.

"Surprisingly good, and thanks for asking," she answered, and his insides clenched harder, but this time from dread. And then the culmination of everything he suspected was confirmed when she next said, "so do you work here, Mister…?"

It couldn't be.

Zoe jumped up from her seat. "Risty, I'll be back in a second," she said hurriedly. She grabbed Ed's arm and dragged him out of the curtained-in room, and over to the door. Ed was too stunned to do anything but go with her. Once they were a good enough distance away, Zoe whirled to face him, looking almost guilty. "Look, Napol—Ed, I don't really know what all happened, but for some reason her amnesia thing's flip-flopped. Now she remembers everything from home just fine, up to the point where she first got the chainletter. So she doesn't know that anything's happened at all."

"But how?" Ed demanded, finally back in control of his mouth.

"I just told you, I don't know, dammit!" Zoe ran a hand through her hair in a gesture of frustration. "In fact, I think it goes before that, because she doesn't remember the FMA anime at all. In other words," she added, seeing his puzzled look at the unfamiliar term, "not only does she not remember all the stuff we've all gone through since you first swapped bodies, but she doesn't remember you guys or your dimension at all. It's like…I don't even know."

Ed felt a funny pain in his chest, like he'd been holding his breath for way too long.

"But still…I mean, maybe this is better."

"What?" Ed almost hit the roof, forgetting he was supposed to be quiet. "What the hell are you talking about!"

"Look, I'm not saying—well I am! Astrid and me were gonna take her home anyway, so if she doesn't remember you guys, it won't be as painful! That's all I'm saying!" Zoe said.

If Zoe had been a guy, Ed might have bashed her in the face right there. "I don't care what you think, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! And you oughta be ashamed to even think it!" he yelled.

"Look, don't lecture me, all right? I'm just trying to make the best of a bad situation!" Zoe argued.

"Like hell you are! That's the lamest justification I've ever heard!"

"Didn't anyone ever teach you two not to bellow in a hospital?"

Ed and Zoe had been practically nose-to-nose, both angry, but at the new voice they jumped back in surprise and turned to find Luludja, frowning at them. Noa, Al, and Roy Manne stood just behind her.

"And who the hell are you?" was Zoe's response.

Luludja glanced at her briefly, then turned to Ed, apparently dismissing her entirely. "So I've heard that Risty and her friend have been injured, and also that you've been having a bit of trouble with a certain group lately," Luludja said.

Ed scowled, but nodded.

"Then we're here to help."

Zilo: See you next time!