I always knew that you'd
Come back to get me
And you always knew that
It wouldn't be easy
To go back to the start
To see where it all began
Or end up at the bottom
To watch how it all ends
You tried to lie and say
I was everything
I remember when I said
I'm nothing without you
Somehow I found
A way to get lost in you
Let me inside
Let me get close to you
Change your mind
I'll get lost
If you want me to but
Somehow I found (somehow I found)
A way to get lost in you (a way to get lost in you)
Three days Grace- Lost in you
Chapter 20- Father before the grave
We stood in front of the man with Ed pulling me behind him. I could tell he didn't want me anywhere near him. The man's eyes were narrowed on us both. "Hello, Edward.. You appear to have grown some." He greeted. Now turning to me he tilted his head. "And who is this?"
Ed turned to me. "No one you should be concerned about." He snarled lowly.
"I spoke with Pinako. You tried human transmutation." Hohenheim spoke.
I gulped and Ed's wide eyes turned to him. He then turned his head away from him. "What makes you think you can show up like this? There's nothing left for you here anymore!" Ed questioned.
"I noticed." Hohenheim answered. "Tell me, Edward. What possessed you to burn down my home?"
"After what happened, we vowed to never turn back... We did it as a symbol of our resolve." Ed answered in a stern voice.
"No you didn't." Hohenheim corrected. "You were hiding the memory. You didn't want to be reminded of what you've done..." He then walked towards us. "And thought you could erase the memory by destroying the evidence."
I grabbed Ed's wrist hoping he would calm down a little. I don't think it was working. "You're wrong!" Ed objected.
"It's just like a child who hides the sheets after he wets the bed. You ran away... And you know it." Hohenheim continued his stare not even changing.
I pulled Ed back a bit and stood between them. "That's enough. Both of you." I muttered sternly. "Come on Ed, let's go." Without a second thought he walked off pulling me with him.
"He makes me sick, to my stomach." Ed growled as he walked away.
Later
I stirred some nice hot tea to mix it with the sugar. I sighed. I wasn't a tea person but whenever I did drink tea I would feel sleepy. Maybe that's what I need. I brought the cup to my lips drinking some of it. "Hello." A voice spoke making me quickly pull the drink away and cough. I then turned around and saw it was Ed's dad. Hohenheim. "I never caught your name."
I toke a deep breath. Ed wouldn't like me talking to him, then again I can't just walk away. Maybe I can find a way to end this quick. "Athena Black." I introduced.
"How much did my son tell you?" He asked with his voice unchanging.
I looked down. "A lot... But with all of this... I think I understand the resolve. I would have probably done the same thing."
Before he could even say a word I felt a hand on my wrist drag me off. It was Ed. When we got to our room he closed the door. "What did he tell you?" He asked.
"We didn't talk to much. The conversation pretty much started whenever you came in." I answered before drinking my tea.
"Athena... If you don't mind me asking, but... When you saw your dad what were you going to do?" Ed asked making my eyes go wide and look at him. When he saw my expression change he looked down. "Never mind."
"No it's okay." I reassured setting my tea on the night table beside me. I toke a deep breath and looked down. "Well to start off, I was scared... I found out he was the leader of those people. I wanted to ask him what the hell was going on, what he was thinking when he left. But when he told me he was a Homunculus I was apprehensive. Frozen in my spot. Then when I let him take me I thought I was going to die. All I could do was pray everyone would be okay when I was gone." I toke in a shaky breath. "And then you showed up. You saved me from my death, you held me close, and gave me a greater reason to live." I looked up to him. He gave me that stare that just me melt and he looked like he was going to pull me close like he did that day. "And I thank you. Thank you so much."
He then walked to me pulling me close to him. "Your not gonna get hurt like that again. Not while I'm alive and with you." He whispered in a hard voice.
I nodded. "Thank you." He then kissed my lips making me kiss back and shut my eyes. His hand was on my cheek stroking it softly. I put my hand on his wrist and smiled in the kiss. After a while we parted with his forehead against mine. "Promise?"
Ed smiled. "Promise."
Later
Nobody's POV
Ed and Athena slept close to each other. His arms wrapped around her body with her hands and forehead on his chest. Hohenhiem stepped in and stared at them. He remembered when Ed was little and Al was just a baby. He knelled down towards them and reached out to touch Ed but stopped. He then looked at his hand before standing up and leaving the two.
Ed's POV
My eyes opened now hearing something. Athena was sleeping soundlessly so I knew it wasn't her. I slowly toke my hands off her to make sure I didn't disturb her. I slowly shuffled out of the bed watching her movements. I then got out of the bed and quietly stepped out of the room. Being careful I stepped through the shadows and listened to what Pinako and Hohenheim were talking about.
"Pinako? The life form the sons transmuted, are you positive it was Trisha?" Hohenheim asked. My eyes went wide in shock and horror.
"It didn't even look human to me... I wouldn't think of it as-" Pinako started.
"No. That's not what I'm asking." Hohenheim muttered. "Did you notice the eye color? Or the hair color?"
"Are you telling me that wasn't Trisha?" Pinako asked. I then walked back into my room and sat on the bed with my hands in my hair. It can't be. It just can't. I turned my head and stared at Athena. I then saw the scar that I asked her about after we faced Scar. The one that trailed to her shoulder to her neck. I then put a finger on that scar and sighed.
That saying, two wrongs don't make a right. Well, for once it was true. I felt proud of myself until I was heard.
Her words echoed in my head softly. My finger then trailed down her neck to her shoulder. She shuddered a little but smiled. I gave her a small smile before kissing her cheek.
Kaley's POV
"Woah! You don't sleep or eat?! Or even run out of breath!?" Ling asked in awe.
"Uh huh! I just have to make sure the seal doesn't get harmed." Al stated.
"That's so cool! So you really are immortal!" Ling continued.
"No, I'm not." Al answered making Winry and Smith gasp a little. "This body is like a time bomb. Barry mentioned something and it made me realize that any body is incompatible with a foreign soul. Pairing them together the body will reject it. It can happen tomorrow or ten years from now. But it will happen."
"Oh no!" Winry gasped. "Al we have to get you back into your regular body!"
"Hold on.." Ling started. "If it's about to give out on you, couldn't you just transfer your soul into another object? Because if that's the case, for the time being, your impervious to pain and you don't have to eat! It sounds like a great deal to me!"
I stood up and banged my fist on the table. "No it isn't you cocky prince! You have NO idea what your talking about!" I screamed as Winry glared at Ling. I toke a deep and low breath. My shoulders slouched and I walked out. "I'm sorry." I muttered walking out.
"Kaley..." Al whispered. I ignored him and left. When I arrived in my room I cried silent tears in my pillow. During a few moments of silence there was a knock on my door. "Kaley? I'm coming in." Al informed now opening the door and walking to me. "You know? Winry, brother, and Athena are the first ones to explode. I never get the chance to be mad."
I turned to him. "I- I just..." I whimpered before stuffing my face back in my pillow. "Just tell me you'll get your body back! Please!"
Athena's POV
When I awoke I felt my cheek on Ed's chest. I sighed and closed my eyes calmly. Ed's grip on me tightened. I lifted my head. Once again he was having a nightmare. "Ed..." I called shaking him. "Hey Ed, wake up. Hey! Get up!" He then woke up and his wide eyed gaze turned to me. "You okay? You looked like you were having a nightmare."
"Ed! Get out of bed already! Your father's about to head out!" I heard Pinako call out from the living room.
Ed sat up with his hand on his forehead. "How long have you been up?"
"Not long actually. I just woke up." I answered and looked down. Peeking my eyes past my hair I looked at the curtain. I opened it wide now seeing Hohenheim walking away from the house. I pursed my lips and turned to Ed. His eyes were piercing him with careful eyes. I tilted my head at him. "Ed? What did you find out?"
Later
We walked up a steep hill as storm clouds flooded in the sky. Were we really doing this? If so now? Our stumps will start to ache from the weather. There was a storm coming and it was cold. I've already had bad experiences with rain and my automail. It's one of the main things I hated automail. I couldn't stay out in the rain as long as I wanted to, let alone go in. Cause if I do I'll get sick, and pretty quick too. I set the shovel I was dragging over my shoulder and looked up. Even now I'm starting to feel sick.
Making it to the top we saw the remains to Ed's house after he burnt it down. Pinako, Ed, and I were here to dig up what Ed and Al transmuted. I couldn't believe it. And Ed thought it might not be their mother. It makes sense, yeah. But it was crazy. I gripped where the metal of my automail met my skin and winced. I can't afford this. Not now. "Your not really gonna dig it up. Are you Ed?" Pinako asked turning to Ed. He gripped his shirt and slouched shaking furiously. "Ed, why don't we head back?"
"No." Ed answered with gritted teeth. "My stumps are aching due to the weather."
"Mine too." I added.
"It's about to rain. So lets just hurry and do this." Ed grunted. Then without a thought I dug my shovel into the ground. As we started to dig I felt a drop on the top of my head. I touched the top of my head and looked up. Great. It was raining. No turning back now, I guess. Well maybe, but Ed's to stubborn to let rain stop him.
I stopped digging, and covered my mouth with my hand. Yeah I was gonna be sick. I fell on my knees still gripping the shovel with my automail hand. I then bowed my head and vomited I then heard Ed starting to get sick over my heavy breathing. "Ed!" I called out now getting to him. "You can't push yourself." He then continued getting sick which made me want to stagger back.
"Let's head on home." Pinako whispered.
"No." Ed forced himself to stand as he spoke. "I won't be able to move forward until I know for sure." I stood up still intense about the next move. Now anything could happen. "Besides... I won't run away from this!"
I nodded and got back to my spot. The rain got harder us as we went farther along, which made the sickness worst. Next thing I knew about every ten minutes I would have to stop and let myself get sick. It was a process I didn't like, but I promised to help to help Ed and Al in anyway I could until they got their bodies back. I'll do anything to keep that promise. I then heard a clank from Ed's side. I gasped and turned to him. He then got on his knees and dug through the dirt with his hands. Then he pulled out a few strands of hair. At the speed of light Ed ran to a bucket of water and washed the dirt off.
I stared at him with a calm yet nervous stare. Ed then turned to Pinako and me in horror. "Granny... Mom's hair was a light chestnut color... This is black." He shivered making me gasp.
We soon found bones that Pinako measured while I inspected. "It's much too long." She sighed next to a long and thick bone.
I lifted the pelvis, turning it and inspecting the details. It was male! I'm sure of it! "The pelvis is male from what I can see." I whispered.
"It is?" Ed asked. I nodded and stood.
"I'm sorry... But I'm afraid this isn't your mother, Ed." Pinako told him.
He then dropped on his knees for a second before laughing manically. I don't know if he's crazy or just relieved in a crazy sort of way. His laughter went silent as he looked up. "Then that's it... It really is impossible to bring the dead back to life... The undeniable truth..." He spoke before cupping his face with his cold hands. "It was impossible all along..."
I sat in front of him setting my hands on his shoulders. "Edward... Please, get a hold of yourself." I begged in a whisper.
"I'm okay, Athena... It's okay." He sighed dropping his arms to his side. "From the moment I made this thing, it's been the symbol of my despair... But not anymore... Now it's an emblem of hope." He then looked up to me. "Al can be returned to normal."
Claire's POV
(Never thought you'd see her again did you?)
The phone nearby rung loudly over my intense concentration. I looked up from my book and sighed. Teacher would kill me if I didn't answer that. My feet grudgingly stood and lead me to the phone. I picked up the phone pressing it on my ear. "Hello. Curtis residence, Claire speaking." I tiredly spoke.
"Claire?" I heard a voice that I thought I would never hear again speak. Edward Elric. I haven't seen him since that time when his partner got kidnapped. I never knew if she did come back.
"Ed? Hey how ya been? I never knew... Did Athena come back?" I asked.
"Yeah, I saved her." Ed answered.
"That's good. So what's up?" I chirped.
"Is teacher there?" He questioned.
I nodded. "Hang on." I requested pulling the phone away. "Teacher! It's for you! It's Ed!"
Izumi walked to me and took the phone. "Thank you Claire." She whispered now putting the phone to her ear. "I didn't expect this. You never call." There was a silence. "What is it? Spit it out."
"It has to do with when you tried to transmute your baby." I heard Ed answered. Our eyes went wide at the mention.
"What about it Ed?" Teacher questioned.
"The thing is... What Al and I transmuted... It wasn't actually our mother." I heard Ed explain on the other line.
"What is this Ed? What are you trying to tell me?" Izumi asked in an almost yell.
"I'm sorry to ask you this but... The child you transmuted... Are you sure it's your child you brought back?" Ed asked. I stood frozen in my spot at the theory. Then Izumi hung up.
Athena's POV
"Thank you both. It's good to know my son and his wife helped people." Pinako sighed as we stood in front of the Rockbell's graves. "I'm proud of them." I nodded and started to walk away and stood in front of Trisha's grave.
"So did Hohenheim even bother saying where he was going?" Ed asked.
"Of course not. I didn't even bother too- AGHHH! What's wrong with me!? I can't believe I forgot to give him the message!" Pinako yelled.
"Message?" Ed and I asked in unison.
"Yes. A last request, from your mother. She said she couldn't keep her promise." Pinako answered.
"Promise?" Ed questioned. "What promise?"
"Sorry to ask, but could you pass it on if you bump into him?" Pinako requested.
"Why should I have to?" Ed complained.
Pinako frowned. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but he does care about you and your brother."
"Tch." Ed growled now walking off. "Yeah I'll pass it on, after I clock him in the face."
Central
When we got back to our room we saw a lot going on. Al and Kaley were beat up, and Ling and Lan Fan were here eating what looked like a buffet. Ed and I twitched a bit. "WHAT THE HELL?!" We both yelled.
"Hey guys!" Kaley greeted with a smile.
"I'm sorry brother." Al sighed.
"But..." I started as Ed and I inspected them. "How did you two get this beat up?"
Ed growled and turned to Ling. "And you!" He yelled pointing at Ling.. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
"Eating a delicious dinner." Ling spoke through his mouthful of chicken. Ed dragged Ling and Lan Fan out of the room and kicked them both out.
"Seriously! How did this happen to you?" Ed scolded going back to Al.
Later
When Kaley and Al explained things I was shocked. "The Homunculus and Barry the Chopper." Ed listed. "And to throw a cherry on top we find out your body might reject your soul." Ed fixed Al's armor while I changed Kaley's bandages.
"Ed?" Winry asked. "He'll be able to get his body back right?"
"Of course." I answered softly.
"I told you we'll get it back!" Ed muttered now sitting down next to me while I finished fixing Kaley's bandages.
"Just be careful with them." I stated.
"No promises." Kaley grunted leaning back in her seat.
Al." Ed started. "I gotta tell you something. I dug up the body we transmuted at Resembool."
Al, Winry, and Kaley turned to Ed wide eyed. "What?" Al questioned standing up. "Why would you do that!?"
"Cause Al, I found out the thing we buried wasn't really our mother." Ed answered.
Al fell back down to his seat. "Hold on a minute... That means..."
"The thing that we made, I don't know what, but it was completely different." Ed explained.
"Then what happened to me?" Al asked.
"That's just it." Ed stated. "That actually convinced me that we can return you to normal."
"Your sure about this?" Kaley asked.
"Yes. Before I start explaining how..." Ed started. He then turned to Winry. "Well.. Uh, Winry... Do, um... Uh... Do you remember when Al and I got in a fight when we were kids about... who'd marry you?"
"The one you mentioned on the roof?" I recalled.
Kaley got a murderous look. "Your not second guessing your relationship with Athena... Are you?" She asked pulling out her seeds.
"No, of course not!" Ed objected.
"Good..." Kaley hissed.
"Al told me you turned him down." Ed answered.
Winry nodded. "I turned you both down."
"Whatever, so the question's for both of you then... What was your reasoning?" Ed brought up.
"She said..." Al started now trailing off.
"I just don't like men who are shorter than me." Winry and Ed finished at once. Ed screamed at that part while Kaley just laughed while pointing at Ed. Thinking back on it, when I did see Ed in comparison to Winry, she was taller. In my case, I'm glad I'm the short one!
"YOU CAN'T JUDGE A MAN FOR SOMETHING HE CAN'T HELP!" Ed exclaimed with tears as I patted his back.
"There, there, Ed." I whispered.
"I don't see how this has anything to do with getting Al's body back." Winry muttered confused.
"Al had a memory of something I don't recall, and you seem to clearly remember it the same way. Which means it happened without a doubt." Ed explained. "So now that we know you remember something real, we now know Al is really bonded in there. I pulled you out Al, I actually did it. I know it was only your soul but that's just it. If I was able to pull your soul out, then I have a hunch that your body is still in there and I can pull you out!"
"You think my body is still in the portal?" Al asked. "Existing separately with my soul?" He then gasped. "Just like Barry!"
"Exactly." I answered.
Ed stood in front of Al. "What did you see? Try to think back! Remember when the Truth unraveled you!" Ed requested.
Al thought for a while. "I reached out... And it was me! It was my hand I grabbed." Al answered.
"You were right Ed." I pointed out watching them. "Your not done with him. Your far from done."
"We're going to get in there and pull your body out!" Ed told Al.
"Brother..." Al started. "After the portal. I remember looking at you, from inside that thing. The thing we thought was mom!"
Kaley and I gasped. "You were inside of it?! That thing was you?!" Ed asked.
"I guess so." Al justified. "But my soul didn't bind. It must have rejected me right away. So that means... We didn't harm anyone else's soul after all."
There was now a knock on the door making out attention snap to the door. "Mr. Elric. You have a telephone call from Izumi Curtis." The man on the other side of the door called out. Ed left to take the call with Al. Winry, I had no idea where she was going. Kaley and I stayed in the room. Then the window bust open and there was Red.
"You numskull!" She yelled. Nope that's Hate. "You idiot! Why would you do that!?"
"Do what?" Kaley and I spoke in unison.
Hate rubbed her temples in frustration. "Let me think. Lust, she was crazy. Yes. I hated her, yes. But do you realize what this could cause?! Hell on earth!" She exclaimed.
"It had to be done and I didn't even do it." Kaley argued.
"It doesn't matter!" She snapped. "They'll be searching for you two with pitchforks! And you!" She then turned to me. "Can you make yourself look any weaker!? I heard Ultimate's suggestion, they're discussing your fate. When they do that, it's not a good sign!"
"What could they do to me?" I mumbled.
Hate sighed and sat down. "Many things. They could kill you, they can make you just go missing, turn you into one of them, or they could go with Ultimate's idea. So, there's no time for you to be weak."
I toke a deep breath and stood. "Well, I'll ask you what you know later. But right now I won't think about just myself." With that final word I left the room.
Walking down the halls I hear Ed and Al talking. "This entire time... I've been blaming myself for what happened... I thought it was me. I thought I was the one who killed mom a second time." Al whimpered.
"So did I.." Ed agreed.
"Thanks brother! Thank you!" Al thanked. "I didn't kill mom a second time."
Claire's POV
I watched Izumi have tears in her eyes. I think she was crying because she was happy and thankful. Is this what would have happened if I did try and bring my mom back? Even thinking about that made me feel sinned. But they're trying make things right. I know it. "Izumi." I heard Sig's voice boom softly.
"Teacher?" I called out nervously.
"I feel like I've been brought back to life." Izumi replied setting her hand on her stomach. "Our child wasn't made to suffer twice because of me." Sig pulled my teacher into his embrace which made me start to cry. No one should suffer through any of this. No matter how bad or rude, they don't deserve the fate. I will always feel sorry for them.
Athena's POV
"But still... None of this changes that I put you in that body. And I don't care what it takes, I'm going to make you normal again." Ed stated.
"Brother! I was right there with you!" Al reminded. "And I knew there were risks. So quit trying to shoulder all of this on you. I can't watch you suffer like this. Not on your own. I can't just stand back and watch other people get hurt over what I've done. Like what happened to . I felt like it was my fault when I found out he was dead. And I told myself that if it meant other people getting hurt then I don't want my body back."
I turned my head and saw Winry with Smith listening on the conversation. Hate with Kaley listening in. Kaley was on the verge of tears while Hate's face was hard as stone. I wiped away upcoming tears from my eyes and let out a quiet sigh.
"Brother... I've met other people who weren't exactly human... but they still managed to live their lives with a purpose. And even in this body... It hasn't stopped other people from treating me like I'm still human. This body could reject me anytime... But it's the same with being human. You never know when you might get sick or die in an accident. So I can still get by like this... I can live a somewhat normal life... And that's how I've managed to keep going... But now... I can't take it anymore. Because... I can't... I can't take all the nights by myself! It's too lonely... And that's why I have to get back to normal." Al explained. If Al had a body right now, he's probably be crying.
I leaned against the wall continuing to listen. "Sure and your going to. We'll knock that Truth jerk on his butt! And we'll pull your body right out of that place!" Ed exclaimed running up the stairs and walking back to our room. I got a good look of him and I noticed. His shoulders. They were broad looking.
"Hey Athena? Had his shoulders always looked that broad?" Kaley asked.
I shook my head. "Honestly, no. But I like it."
"Of course you do." Hate grunted walking off.
I smiled. "They'll do it. I'll make sure of it."
Let it all out- Miho Fukuhara
Chapter 21- Advance of the Fool