This story is coming near to it's end. This isn't the last chapter, but there won't be too many left. I must say I'm proud. I've never written anything this long before. And all the reviews... over 200! I never thought I could get so many! I waited... mostly like... 30? God, I feel like a moron. Thank you so much, all the reviewers. People can review to this fic even 200 years afterwards. xDD It's never too late.
And over 20 chapters! Wow! How did I do it?!
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.
A FATHER THAT'S NEVER PRESENT
Chapter 26
The philosopher's stone
What!? A kidnap near to our inn? Just a little after we gave up? Damn it! It could've been me… Now the suspect has one kid. He or she still needs one more. I got to be that one or that poor girl is going to die.
"Come on Alphonse. We need to get going, we have to make sure that I'll be the next victim", he yelled as he grabbed his jacket and opened the door. Alphonse rushed to reach him.
"Go NOWHERE without me, brother! Nowhere, understood? Not even a few steps! And… you changed your outfit back? Why?"
"Well, that girl was 14 years old. That means that being myself is going to be OK… Even if he's not planning to kidnap any older, because I can still look younger", he snarled. "Are we going still on with the last plan?"
"I can't come up with a better one, so yes. Unless if you have a better plan?"
"Nope. Let's go." He lengthened his steps and left Al behind him before stepping out of the inn and wandering around the city. There were polices everywhere, questioning people, trying to find leads to the girl. Other kids or teens in that matter except for himself and Al, but people didn't really consider him as a teen in that armour, except for those who were waiting for a train to arrive in the station to get them away. The city was anguish and it didn't lighten his mood at all.
"Hey kiddo, stop right there."
He turned and saw a police man walking to him. He blinked. "What is it?"
The man grabbed his wrist. "People on your age aren't allowed to wander on the streets alone. It's not only your life on line, it's also that girl's who has gotten herself kidnapped."
"Let go of me. Haven't you heard about military personnel taking a look at the case?"
"Yes, but I haven't seen any so far. I guess we have to take you to the police station and get someone to pick you up."
"Idiot! I'm from the military, release my hand and I'll show you. Trust me, if I just want I can destroy your career for not obeying me." The man let go of him, still looking suspicious. Ed showed him his silver watch. The man studied it.
"Wow, it looks real."
"Because it IS real. Haven't you ever heard of Edward Elric? Sixteen year old State Alchemist? Yes? Now that's me. So could you please let me go, this case is still unsolved." The man straightened up, bowed and handed his watch back to him.
"It's still not safe for you to wander in here alone. Why did they send someone that young?"
"Well, apparently they thought that I was the most able to solve the case. See you around." He waved his hand and continued walking.
"Any word of the kids?" Riza asked worryingly, noticing that Roy had been paralyzed, deep in his thoughts for an half an hour.
"No. Nothing. I hope they're alright. I mean… if they disappear, it won't be noticed that quickly because there's no one looking after them in there. But maybe they just forgot to call…" he rubbed his eyes. "It would be like them. Too into the case, forgetting the poor old Roy."
There was nothing Riza could really say after the last sentence without bursting out so she just walked out of the door, leaving 'the poor old Roy' to worry by himself.
Bloody kidnapper. No sings. Nothing at all. It was making Ed really furious. He just wanted to solve the case, get the philosopher's stone and return Al back to normal. But no, it seemed like this suspect wasn't cooperating.
He had walked everywhere where he hadn't found anyone, the darkest alleys, the abandoned building areas, but no. He felt like screaming "Here I am, come and get me you fucking asshole, I'm sick of this game!" but he was pretty sure that it would just make sure that he wasn't going to get kidnapped. So he bit his lip and kept walking.
That was the time he was turning around one corner that something hit his head behind it. Hard. He whined and fell to the ground, mind spinning, for the moment completely limp.
Ughh… what just happened..?
Someone was lifting him up… then he heard some… voices, he couldn't really recognize them, his head was so blurry. He fell to the ground, god it hurt. He closed his eyes and tried to focus again. It hurt his head like shit but finally he managed to open his eyes and take a look at the situation he was in.
Alright… there was this… scary guy. And at the moment, Al was beating him up furiously, the man pinned on the ground. He still couldn't quite understand what Alphonse was screaming but for now it didn't seem to matter considering that the words didn't seem to be meant for him. He sat up and grabbed his hurting head. He felt blood on his face.
Great… just great. He almost broke my nose… He hit me right over my eyes.
He blinked a few times and forced himself to get up. He walked slowly to Al and the man, both not paying any attention to him and clapped his hands. He transmuted the ground to prison the man and grinned.
"That hurt you bastard…" he muttered. "Al get out of my way, don't kill the guy. We have to find the girl."
"Brother! Are you OK? Your face is covered with blood!"
"I'm OK, just a little light-headed. I think I got another concussion… But I'm fine. Back to the job…" His voice quieted down when a red flash caught his eye. He kneeled down to look at the most perfect sight he could, Al right next to him.
The small crimson coloured little stone, like crystal, glimmering slightly on the dark and dusty stone ground, slowly calling for them. Ed wasn't sure if he was just imaging or…
"Is it… Is it it?" he breathed. He was too afraid to touch the almighty object, finally on his reach. His body was trembling.
"I… I think it is", Al whispered. "It's… it's beautiful."
"You bloody kids, away from it! It's mine! Let me go, I have a job to finish!"
"SHUT UP!" the boys bellowed together, turning their heads to the man. Then right back to the stone. Ed reached his hand and slowly took the small object on his hand.
"We got it Al. We got it." The stone was surprisingly warm. He put it in his pocket. "But we'll get back to it later. Now let's finish this job quickly."
They turned back to the man. Ed kneeled down next to him. "Hello bastard. It's over for you, where's the girl?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Come on. Do I have to beat you up? Because if I have to, I will do it. Where's the girl you kidnapped last night?"
"Then you have to beat me to death and I'm still not telling anything."
"BLOODY HELL, JUST TELL US WHERE THE GIRL IS!" Ed hit the man's head. Al grabbed him and got him a little further away from the man.
"Don't do anything yet brother."
"What's going on in here?!" a bunch of police officers ran towards them. Ed recognized the one he had been arguing with.
"There's the kidnapper. We're trying to find out where the girl is", Ed snarled. Other officers went to question the man, still pinned down to the ground while the familiar officer rushed to them.
"God, you're face is all bloody."
"And you think I didn't already know that!?"
"Sorry. If you'll release the suspect we can take care of this case now. Are you sure it's him?"
"Well he said that I'd have to beat him to death and he still wouldn't reveal where the girl is and he tried to kidnap me and various other things, so yes, I'm sure."
"Brother, don't talk like that to police. I'm sorry officer, he's on a grumpy mood, must be the headache. You said if we release him, you'll take care of the rest? Are you sure?"
"Yes. But we can't do much if he's stuck in the ground, we're not alchemists."
Al nodded. "In that case I must warn you not to give him any chance to draw a transmutation circle. And you should contact the military, it can deal better with alchemists. I think we're going to take care of my brother's bruise. See you later officer. Now, Ed, release that guy."
Ed muttered something furiously when he clapped his hands and released the man. The officers grabbed him and put handcuffs on him immediately. He stepped forwards and hit the mans forehead with his automail. A nasty bruise came on view.
"Now we're even. Let's go Al." He grabbed his stunned brother and started dragging him away from the crowd. "Now we're going to plan how to get everything back."
"I think we should try to transmute it all at once. Your body and my limbs I mean. We don't want the power of the stone vanish with one big transmutation. I'd rather fail and disappear with you than let you disappear alone again", Ed muttered. They were back in the inn, sitting on their beds, throwing the philosopher's stone to each others while discussing. Nobody had ever told them to be gentle with something so great.
"Yup. Should we call Roy first? We forgot to do it at morning. And… well… if we fail, I think we should at least say… you know, good bye."
Ed lowered his head. "Even if it would be real goodbye with no hope at all… I wouldn't know what to say."
"…Me neither. But he'll be mad. He must already be. He's worried brother, we should call him."
"I don't know Al. I just… I don't know. I'm not in the mood of talking to him right now. I have nothing to say."
"Well you can say 'we solved the case, that guy is in hands of a police who should contact the military soon. Oh yeah, and they found the girl, she's just a little shaken up. She can leave the hospital and go home tomorrow.'"
Ed grabbed the stone that Al threw him again and sighed. "I don't know. It sounds so formal. And do you think he'll let me end the call with just that? What if we just… forget about it. If we succeed we can go back to him, right?"
"It's not fair for him brother."
"I don't care. He isn't fair for us always either so no matter."
"You're cruel."
"Sometimes. Now I'm not in the mood of calling, so let's go back to the transmutation." He threw the stone to Al.
"OK. So, together? Both at the same time?"
"Yup."
"I… I want to feel something again. Can we do it now?"
"In a hotel room? Are you crazy Al? Everyone would find out about it. We have to do it… somewhere else. Somewhere where the power of the transmutation won't threaten any other people's lives."
"Well, there's the rusty old building in the edge of the city. It was pretty empty area. And the building seemed to be long ago forgotten."
"Yeah, I remember that one… sounds good. Let's go, I want to see your smile."
Still no word of the kids… DAMN IT! I told them to call me! I told them! Are they even alive anymore? Are they? Are they OK? GOD, I CAN'T LIVE LIKE THIS! I can't go on without knowing about them!
Roy got up from his bed and wandered to the phone to call… again. To the inn the boys were staying. He'd been calling there the whole day and the kids were never in. Never. He was so pissed off! Hadn't he told the kids to CALL?!
They'll be grounded once they get back. They'll be so god damn grounded.
"Darx's local inn. How may I help you?" a female voice said from the other end of the line.
"It's Colonel Roy Mustang again. Any sing of the Elrics?"
"…I'm sorry Colonel. They left a few minutes ago."
"So they're still alive? They're OK?"
"Yes, the other one has a nasty bruise on his forehead but they're alright. You don't have to worry about the kids anymore, Colonel. The kidnapper has been caught."
Roy breathed out of relief. "He is? When?"
"About an hour ago. I'll let the kids know that you called if it bothers you so much."
"Thank you. Tell them to call me immediately, no matter what time it is."
"Alright, sir. I'll tell them."
"Thank you…" He ended the call.
"It's ready Al."
The circle and all the markings in it were perfect. The boys were trembling out of excitement.
"You know… This might be the last time we're able to talk to each others. This can go horribly wrong. Nobody has tried anything like this before", he continued.
"Yeah. But I want to do it. Do you?"
"Yes. I want to do it. Do you think we should take the automail off before starting?"
Al stared at him for a while. Both of them were feeling very nervous. "…If you want to. I don't think it matters, because you'd still have the ports and there's no way I'm going to let you cut them off right now. But maybe it would be better to take them off, just in case."
"OK Al. Can you help a little…?" They fought with the automails for a while. They didn't come off.
"OK, I give up! Winry's too good with these! Let's let them be."
"Are you sure brother?"
"Yes. Let's just do this." He took the crimson stone out of his pocket and walked slowly to the edge of the transmutation circle.
"Al… I love you. I'd do anything for you."
"Same in here, brother."
They laid their hands, the philosopher's stone in Ed's left hand, to the circle. A yellow light rose.
Then they were taken away. Black hands covered him, he could hardly move.
"ALPHONSE! AL!" he screamed and struggled. His automail arm and leg were ripped away, ports going with them. He screamed and cried out of pain. "…Al..!"
The light was everywhere, it was almost blinding him. But he refused to close his eyes and let go. He fought against the arms and reached his hands in the direction his brother had disappeared.
"ALPHONSE!" He started crawling, he didn't even know how he did it, there wasn't any ground, to that direction and saw the source of bright yellow-white light. He tried to grab it and felt human arm in it. "…Al!?"
"He tried to pull his brother away from the light, finding his whole body. Then he felt his own arm and leg growing back. Painfully. He cried.
"…Brother?"
He bit his lip as his hand and leg, now grown back to the way they were supposed to be, felt like falling off again. He forced himself to grab his brother.
"Let's get out of here Al!"
"How!?"
"I don't know! Just… try to get out! Try to wake up!"
"WAKE UP!?"
"I DON'T KNOW AL, JUST ANYTHING!" He felt like something pulling him back to some other place. He refused to let go of Al. "COME WITH ME, AL!"
The flash of white light covered them and then there was black.
Ed opened his eyes and found himself back in the room where they had started the transmutation. He felt Al's wrist still on his hand. He looked to the direction.
"…Al…" he smiled and passed out.
Days passed by. Roy didn't even go to work anymore.
No calls… NO CALLS! NOTHING! It was impossible, were the kids alright? Were they?
He had kept calling to the inn, just to be disappointed by hearing the woman say that she hadn't seen the kids since that one night. He had called the police.
Why is it that they haven't been found… why!?
The phone rang. Roy jumped up and rushed to answer.
"Colonel Roy Mustang on phone." He closed his eyes.
Please… PLEASE BE ED AND AL.
"Mustang sir, I'm police officer Block. You've made a notification about two disappeared boys, am I right?"
"Yes, have you found them? Are they OK?"
"We are not sure. A few hours ago we found two boys, about the ages you've said, golden haired. Both are pretty small."
"…Both are small? Eh?"
"As we said we're not sure if these kids are the one you're looking for. The kids are getting transferred to Central. There's just something weird in them."
"What is it?"
"Both have high fever, they've woken up a few times muttering something, nothing that we could understand. They suffer about… this is weird, but very serious physical exhaustion. It's like they've been running without sleeping at all for months. It's really weird."
"Really?"
"Yes. As we said, we're not sure if these are the boys you are looking for, but they should arrive to Central tomorrow. You should go and check them out and inform us are they the right ones or not."
"Thank you officer." He closed the phone once again.
Could it be… could it be?
Thanks for all my reviewers. But you still have time to review, so DO IT! Thanks. :D