Edward was looking around his cabinet and saw a little metal horse toy inside it.
"I forgot I made this." He looked at it sternly. Memories came flooding back to his mind.
The Elric brothers ran quickly towards their mom, who was hanging laundry. "Mom! Mom! Look what we made!" Edward and Alphonse rose the metal horse up to her face.
"Mom, it's a present for you!" Edward started.
"I love it! I thank both of you for this! But how did you make it, it's made out of metal. You're just like your father, my two little alchemy prodigies! Has your father taught you this?" She asked, inquisitively.
"How can dad teach us anything if he's gone?" Edward Said, his voice drawled with skepticism.
"We read those books on alchemy, we studied it a lot, because we knew how much you liked it! We wanted to impress you. Because we love you!" Alphonse Grinned.
"Awww. That's so sweet! I love you both too! But you don't have to make something for me to prove that." She held the metal horse in her hand. "We should be getting inside soon."
"Yeah, the clouds are rolling in." Edward nodded. They followed into the house. Edward kicked off his shoes, he heard that Winry was crying on the table, Edward turned his head to look.
"What's wrong Winry, why are you crying!"
"My... my parents, they're dead, someone killed them in the Ishvalan war!" She wept. Her voice was shaking.
"What, that's impossible!" Edward was shocked at the revelation.
"But your parents are just doctors, why would an Ishvalan kill them!" Alphonse Asked, trying not to slip up and say something that would anger the blonde girl.
"Hey Winry, here. Take this." He held out and gave her the toy.
"Stop it Ed, I don't want you to solve the solution, I just want you to listen!" She threw the toy off the table.
"Hey, I worked hard on that!" Ed stayed quiet as she cried. A year passed and a great sickness spread throughout the country, and our mother caught it.
"Please, we love you." Alphonse sobbed.
"Please Ed, my little man. can you make me some alchemy flowers, my husband used to always make them for me." Edward made a bouquet of alchemy flowers and gave them to her. Her eyes were fluttering. "I feel my life slipping away. I'm happy to finally see God in his divine nature, home again at last."
"Please stay with us!" Edward pleaded, he refused to accept she was close to dying.
"Thank you, so very much. You're the greatest children I could ever have wished for." Edward and Alphonse felt the warmth of her hand slip away.
"Mom, mom? MOM! No, please. Don't go!" Alphonse comforted Ed with his arm and silently took in the sad sight. A few nights passed and soon the funeral came and went. Ed and Al went to live with the Rockbells, but they could never feel at home ever again. Not without her.
"How are we going to live without Mom Brother?" Al asked.
"We can't, and we won't!" Ed shouted.
"You're scaring me!" Al feared Ed was talking about suicide.
"We're gonna bring her back Al. With the power of Alchemy!" Edward yelled. And after a few weeks they devised a plan to bring her back.
Alphonse nervously complied. Edward and Alphonse drew the last of the Transmutation circle and placed the bucket of elements on the center of it. Edward looked at the last of the elements on his list. Rereading them out loud.
"Water: 35 liters, Carbon: 29 kilograms, Ammonia: 4 liters, Lime: 15 kilograms, Phosphorus: 800 grams, Salt: 250 grams, Saltpeter: 100 grams, Sulfur: 80 grams, Fluorine: 75 grams, Iron: 5 grams, and Silicon: 3 grams! That last oughta do it. You ready Al?" Edward Asked, Alphonse looked at him nervously.
"I don't know about this." He Replied.
"Don't be scared Al. Everything's perfect. Let's go for it, okay." Alphonse nodded.
"Uh Huh." But on that night I learned that the values of some things can't be measured on a simple scale. My brother and I knew the laws of science, and of equivalent exchange. The gain required by sacrifice, that something has to be lost. But we thought there was nothing we could lose... we were wrong. A giant eye opened up from the portal and I was sucked straight into it. I could no longer see or hear Alphonse, and I was no longer in control of my own body.
"Who are you? Why am I here! What have you done with my brother!" Edward shouted at a white entity standing in front of a gray gate with symbols of Latin carved into it; it looked like an alchemy tree he saw in one of the books he read as a young boy.
"Who am I? I am glad you asked, one name you might have for me is the world, or you might call me the universe, or perhaps the truth. I am all, and I am one, and above all, I am you!" The white entity rose and pointed at Edward accusingly.
"you're lying, no one else is me but myself! So much for calling yourself the truth, you just lied to my face! I think that's Ironic!" Edward smirked, he had got to his weakness.
"Hush child, I am the truth of your despair, for the inescapable price of your boastfulness. And now, I will bestow upon you the despair you deserve!" It was like all Information in the world was poured into my brain at once!
"Please make it stop! Make it stop!" Edward wept unlike he ever had before.
"haven't you forgotten young Alchemist, the law of equivalent exchange? You imbecile. You cannot create a life without a sacrifice. You shall pay for your heinous crimes!" I was finally out of the portal but an even greater horror, one that I hadn't foreseen overtook me! Edward looked down at his leg, his heart nearly stopped when he saw a puddle of blood, the pain was indescribable. He searched for Alphonse, but all he saw was some clothes on the floor.
"Alphonse? No! Stay with me! damn it! This wasn't supposed to..." he cried in anguish. "No! What have I done!? Mom? Is that you?" Edwards eyes fell upon a black creature in front of him, it was contorted and disfigured. It turned its head upside down and looked at him.
"Edward, why... Why did you create me!" the black entity said, she had a slow depressing voice. One that if you heard too much of, it would poison your very thoughts. Edward screamed in terror and slowly wriggled his way towards the suit of armor. He didn't know if this was a good solution, but what if he didn't at least attempt something.
"No, Alphonse, you can't, die on me! Please, Please! Give him back damn it! He's my little brother, I've lost everything else, he's all I have left!" With blood covering his hands, Edward took his bloodied finger and drew a blood soul seal onto the neck of the suit of armor! Once it was finished he went unconscious. He vaguely remembered a man talking about state alchemists, He fully woke up after he left. Winry was sitting next to him, looking at him sweetly.
"I see you're finally awake!" Winry smiled.
"What happened? How long have I been asleep?" Ed asked. He suddenly noticed he was incredibly hungry.
"Don't sit up, you're not well enough yet." Winry wiped tears off her cheeks. He didn't understand why she was crying.
"Why are you crying?" Edward asked.
"Because Ed. When Al came to us, you were covered in blood." Winry sniffed, Ed's eyes widened. He then tried to move his leg, attempting to get up and talk to Alphonse.
"Winry... why isn't my leg moving?" Edward gasped, he tried to move his arm in order to put it up to his mouth but nothing happened. "WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME!" he yelled, suddenly sharp pain and hunger hindered him. He never felt so much pain in his life. He turned to look at his arm, it was gone and what was in its place was bloody bandages instead.
"Don't look at it, it'll make it worse." Winry replied. Concern in her eyes.
"Where's Al!" Ed asked. Winry lowered her head, was he dead?
"Here I am brother." Al waved, Edwards eyes rose in shock. He was a suit of armor.
"What is happening! This has gotta be an elaborate nightmare or something." then what had happened with the transmutation came back to him. "Where's mom?"
"We buried her." Pinako replied. She was an old stout lady who had a big temper. Edward smiled.
"The man, I remember him talking about state alchemists. Where is he?" He asked.
"Oh that rotten man, he's in the rain, in his carriage riding back to Central. Honestly I was hoping you weren't awake enough to hear the conversation." She grinned.
"I'm going to become a state alchemist! I need to find out how to get our bodies back Al, it's the best I can do to repay for all the damage I've caused." Edward replied. "Granny?"
"Yes dear?" Pinako smiled,
"There's money in my jacket pocket. Take it?" Edward sighed.
"Why? Ed?" Winry asked.
"Because, I'm paying you. In order for you to give me an auto mail arm and leg."
"Really? It's gonna hurt like hell." Winry smirked.
"Yeah, but it can't be worse than what has already happened, I'm gonna become a state alchemist, and the only way to do that is to walk again." Ed glanced at his arm with confidence.
"Yes but first you need to eat! You've been unconscious for two weeks." Winry took the bowl of warm broth and slowly fed him. Ed spat it out.
"Don't do that! At least be cautious!" Ed yelled.
"I'm trying my best, you're just being a big baby!"
"Edward?" It was Alphonse. "Are you okay?"
"Oh uh, yeah. I was just lost in thought." Edward Said Cooley.
"Well we're almost arriving at the coal mine." Alphonse Replied.
"Good. The sooner we get to Central, the better!" After Edward was thinking about his past, he decided he should not dwell on such things and instead look out the window.
"Looks like we're the only ones on board!" Edward Chuckled to himself.
"I've heard the rumors, but I didn't realize it was this bad." Alphonse Replied.
"Guess this isn't exactly a tourist country." Edward continued.
"Yeah, and we're getting close to the stop!" A few minutes later and the train slowed to a stop, they had arrived at the coal mine.
"Why can't Roy just solve the problem here himself?" Edward complained.
"Well, there has to be something wrong with this place. I know, maybe the fact that these people are overworking." Alphonse suggested.
"Nah, the government would never make us stop them from working, even if they need a day off. I think it's something else. Something negative for the government somehow." Edward Replied blankly.
"Hey brother, there's a house close to the mine. This looks like the starting point, let's go inside." Al opened the door and saw a bunch of men having a feast and drinking beer.
"Is this a bar or something?" Edward whispered, the men turned their attention to them and it went silent. "Oh sorry to interrupt!"
"This ain't a bar, this is a mine outpost. Besides, aren't you a little young to be drinking?" Said an officer.
"I'm fifteen Sir!" Edward Replied.
"Um, and I'm fourteen. We are the Elric brothers." Alphonse continued.
"Wait, you're the older brother?" The Officer was shocked.
"Who are you calling small! What else do you wanna call me? A half pint midget?" Edward Yelled, Alphonse grabbed hold of him.
"Calm down Ed, let's just chow down okay!" Ed and Al gather varieties of food, potatoes and gravy, potato egg salad, sushi, watermelon, crepes, and finally savory and sweet pies. Alphonse just pretends to eat by stuffing potatoes and rolls into his armor.
"What else are ya gonna call me huh? A pea sized mini wench! who can only be seen through a microscope! I'm still growing, you backwater desert idiot!"
"Come on, he didn't say any of that! Sorry sir, he just has uncontrollable anger issues!" Alphonse held onto him once again.
"I'm uncontrollable? I'm very in control of myself!" Edward continued yelling.
"If you were then you wouldn't get angry, now we're on a mission so calm down." Al sat him back down.
"Wait, what mission?" The Officer Asked.
"Roy told you about our arrival didn't he?" Edward Asked, now having time to breathe.
"Roy, you mean Roy Mustang?" The Officer Asked, eyes widening.
"Yes, him. So you do know him?" Edward Asked curiously.
"Can you help us on our mission? Please?" Alphonse Asked, throwing another roll into his armor.
"Just get your asses out of this place! Now, and never come back!" He shouted.
"I didn't even finish my food! damnit." Edward Groaned.
"What did Roy do to piss this guy off anyway." Alphonse Asked aloud.
"I don't know, probably by just being his irritating self? I mean, he is very very annoying, constantly telling you what to do. "Edward do this Edward do that, don't do that you stupid idiot, how are you so dumb to not meet my obvious criteria! Where'd you go Ed, oh sorry didn't see ya there beyond your paperwork, get it? Cuz you're so short and all?" I mean obviously with a personality like that he's bound to make a lot of enemies." Edward complained.
"Yeah, I suppose that's true. But Roy isn't all bad, I think he treats us this way because he loves us and wants us to do well. He desires our improvement, and we're not gonna get anywhere if he's treating us like royalty ya know." Alphonse Said defensively.
"Well, if he wants us to do well so damn badly, then why does he try to stand in our way all the time?" Edward Asked, he wasn't buying his brother's argument.
"Maybe because he believes we can get past him somehow." Alphonse Grinned.
"You know Al, with your trusting attitude, someone's going to take advantage of you, ya know that?" Edward stated.
"Just because you see bad things in people doesn't mean you should discredit the good brother. If I did that, we wouldn't be this close." Alphonse argued,
"What are you talking about?"
"Everyone has flaws, if I were to discredit the good in people, I would be isolated, because no one's perfect. That means we wouldn't have a connection." Edward turned to look at Alphonse and took into consideration what he was saying.
"Maybe I'm a little naive, but sometimes that is better than focusing on the bad all the time. I can think about the bad, all I want, I can stress and stress. But it will never give me peace of mind." Alphonse Said hopefully, Edward sighed, processing what he was saying. "Besides, I have been taken advantage of before! I can see it a mile away! I'm not that naive! And I'm definitely not a doormat either." Al continued.
"Alright. you're right, I'm sorry. I was just joking around, anyway, how are we going to get in?" Edward Asked.
"I got an idea." Alphonse winked.
Edward put on a wig, glasses and trench coat, both equally too big for his size.
"And the final touch, the stilts." Alphonse pulled out a pair of stilts.
"Why do I have to wear stilts?" Edward Asked irritatedly.
"Because if they see a guy who's supposed to be an adult so short they'll start having questions." Alphonse smirked.
"Okay fine, I'll wear them, they just make me look stupid." Edward grumbled.
"Yeah, it's a disguise. It's not supposed to look like you. Now remember to have an accent we don't want them to have any suspicions, or even the possibility that it's you." Alphonse Chuckled.
"Why can't you just do it?" Edward Asked, putting on the stilts.
"Because I'm a suit of armor, now go!" Ed opened the door and nearly lost his balance.
"Heya fellas," Edward poorly attempted at an accent.
"Who are you? You look rather young for someone so tall." The Officer Asked.
"Oh uh, I'll tayke that as a compliment ser. If I maight just hayve a look around thee mine."
"The mine is off limits." He Said sternly.
"Wat if I paay for mah entry? I'm ah rich mayn, if ya let meh have ah look I'll give ya a lotter money!" Edward was sweating from nervousness, he didn't know how long he could keep this act up. Or the stilts.
"Well I'll be, why didn't you say that before all of that rubbish, of course I'll allow you to enter. Money please." The Officer held out his hands.
"Here, there's mah share." Edward gave the money to him.
"Well, over a hundred yen! That is a high bargain, I accept!" a while later down in the coal mines. Edward and Alphonse walked a long way down the stairs.
"See, that worked out for the best didn't it." Alphonse Grinned.
"This wig is so itchy. Why does it have to be brown anyway?" Edward questioned.
"Because your hair is blonde and I was trying to make your appearance look different." Suddenly they heard an explosion from behind them and they began to run, falling into a tunnel.
"Why do we always get into these situations!" Alphonse Yelled. The tunnel led into a room, they opened their eyes to see a room filled to the brim with gold.
"damn, this is some nice stash." Edward gasped in awe
"Hey, don't take any of it!" Alphonse scolded.
"What do you take me for, a greedy idiot?" Suddenly The Officer came into the room.
"I knew it, I knew you weren't who you said you were! You phony!"
"Ah damnit! How did you even get in?" Edward Yelled.
"I crawled through the dirt. I didn't want you two to steal my precious... Wait, you aren't going to steal it are you?" He accused him.
"No, we're not. But it looks like these aren't yours, they look like they're someone else's!" Alphonse Grinned.
"What? I would never steal. No way! This is my gold! I made it with alchemy. And with this much gold I can say goodbye to this miserable post! And also if you don't mind..."
"Why yes of course, I'll put in a good word for you to my supervisors." Edward smirked, knowing what he was going to say.
"Oh thank you, thank you! My dear Alchemist! But making gold is illegal, so. In order to not get caught I would appreciate it if you would write a document saying "the rights were peacefully transferred free of charge." If you would." He pleaded.
"Oh I wouldn't mind at all! Well then, let's do the paperwork right away!" Edward gave a smug smile.
"My my, you really are a sly one, Mr Alchemist, sir!" Youswell laughed.
"No no no, not compared to you sir! Also by the way..." Edward snapped the gold bar in half. "This is fools gold." There was a long silence, Youswell was furious.
"You mean to tell me all this, is it worth nothing?" Youswell shouted.
"It's worth something, at least until others find out it isn't real." Edward Chuckled to himself.
"GET OUT! I don't want to see you again! Don't come back here you hear! Out!" Youswell shouted.
"Well that was a wild ride!" Edward laughed.
The Elric brothers looked back at their encounter with Youswell. "Yeah, that guy was rude!" Edward scoffed.
"Technically, you started it!" Alphonse defended.
"Anyway, I can't wait to get back to Central." Edward Said coolly.
"Me too, that way we can finally get back to studying the Philosopher's stone." Alphonse Replied.
"Exactly, But the question is how." They sat there as the Train kept on going, it became very quiet, people were now on board after the previous stop and the Elrics were ready to finally get back to normal. Hopefully the Colonel will give them a promotion. Suddenly the Train spurred to a halt, two men dramatically jumped on the train. Both of them have identical auto-mail arms that were also used as guns.
"Attention passengers! We have come to take your money, and if any of you pick a fight, we'll be ready!" The taller one shouted.
"Freeze, Put your hands above your head!" Said an officer, he held his gun at them. The two robbers sneered and the shorter one shot him in the leg. He shrieked and wailed at the pain. He then continued to hit him continuously until he stopped moving. Edward heard a little girl crying loudly.
"We need to do something Al, come on!" Edward whispered.
"What do you suppose we do brother?" Alphonse Asked, equally quiet.
"We have to get to the driver's locomotive, they have an intercom there!" Edward opened up the window, And climbed up. Suddenly the train started up again, Edward who was standing on the roof flew off, his heart nearly stopped, when suddenly something caught him.
"Don't try killing yourself, we can't let a child die on top of a train ya know." A man said, Edward turned to look up at the person who saved him. He had dark hair that was slicked back with one hair sticking out on his forehead, he wore a typical military uniform and held a pair of glasses in his second hand.
"Do I know you?" Edward Asked, his eyes squinting.
"I'm Lieutenant Hughes, Mustang's friend. We have not been properly introduced but I was hoping to meet you." he smiled warmly.
"I was trying to get to the intercom, to stop the train." Edward stated.
"Let us do our job okay, there's no need to intervene." Hughes warned, but not in a harsh way.
"But.." Edward
"No buts, I'm doing this to protect you." he let Edward down off the roof and they went through the caboose.
"No, stay here, I will use the intercom." Edward shouted, Hughes sighed and let him go for it. Back at the seats, Alphonse sat there, worried about what was going on. Worrying about his brother. What if he fell off the train and died? What if he ran into the robbers and died! He thought to himself. Suddenly he heard Edwards' voice from the intercom.
"Hey, attention robbers." he said casually, the robbers looked at each other with a wicked smile.
"I think a little kid is trying to tell us what to do." They laughed.
"If you don't get off this train. I'll have to force you to." Edward continued. "It's gonna blow! Passengers hold on to your seats because this is gonna be a bumpy ride!"
"This kid can't possibly be serious!" said the shorter robber, an officer comes up and hits him in the leg.
"You'll pay for that!" the taller one uses his auto-mail arm to hit at him, he falls to the ground.
Edward grins as he sees Central up ahead.
"Finally, I thought I'd never see this place again." Edward grinned. The train came to a halt. The robber walked off board and stood amongst other people getting off the train. Edward jumps out the window.
"There you are Al, I was so worried." he panted, Al smiled.
"I was worried about you too!" Al replied the robber looked around and saw Ed and Al.
"Give me all your money!" he said to everyone at the train stop. The smoke covered their view so most couldn't hear what he was saying.
"Who are you?" said a dark haired officer with dark jaded brown eyes. This was Roy Mustang.
"I could ask you the same thing." he smirked. "Now give me your money."
"All I'm gonna give you is this!" he snapped his finger and fire came out. He was easily burnt to a crisp.
"He's... dead!" Alphonse gasped in surprise.
"He is, the burn is a lot more painful than it looks, but he should thank me for taking him out swiftly." Roy was always a serious one. Edward thought to himself.
"Roy mah boy! I thought you were going to notify me when we were gonna meet up!" Hughes grumbled.
"True, but I didn't have enough time, delays and all that." he chuckled. "Sorry."
"Well it doesn't matter, all that matters is you're here! Now look, it's my daughter Gracia, isn't she adorable?" Hughes shoved the photo in Roy's face.
"Did you seriously come all this way just so you can gush over your daughter?" Roy Groaned.
"No no, I'll gush over my wife too!" He held up a picture of a dirty blonde lady with short hair and a big smile.
"Stop, we're on a mission." Roy Growled.
"You know what you need Roy? GET YOURSELF A WIFE!" Edward and Alphonse just stared at the commotion as Roy yelled at Hughes about business again. Edward couldn't help but laugh.
"So, you're here early." Roy came close up to the Elrics.
"Yes Colonel Mustang Sir!" Alphonse Replied nervously.
"Well, that's no problem. I shall officially give you permission to finally start studying the Philosopher's Stone." Roy Replied, Alphonse's eyes lit up.
"Hey what's the catch, you have ulterior motives don't you!" Edward shouted.
"The person that will help you in your study is Shou Tucker. He's a different kind of Alchemist." Roy continued.
"What does he do?" Alphonse Asked.
"He's called the Sewing-Life Alchemist, he was the first person to ever create a Chimera that could speak the human tongue." Roy explained.
"Wait, You mean it talks? The Chimera!" Edward never heard this before.
"All that was spoken from the Chimera is 'I want to die' and it would not do anything till it got its wish." Roy said sharply. Edward's eyes went from surprise to a more negative expression.
"Well, that's disturbing, do you know about the whereabouts of this guy?" Edward Asked.
"He lives north of Central, I'll accompany you on this journey." Roy stated.
"Wait, why?" Alphonse Asked.
"Because I need you two to keep in line, we don't want word of you two doing Transmutation to bring back your mother to get out do you? If it does, then they'll use Alphonse as a suit of armor and probably sell his parts..."
"Okay okay, I get your point. No talking about that, got it!" Edward sighed. "Well I guess we should be going. Come on Al." Hughes turned to Roy curiously.
"Oh someone's becoming fatherly, you care a lot about the boys do you!" Hughes Grinned. "Or you just have a double agenda don't you."
"I'm just making sure they don't slip up and say something. I want to become Fuhrer Hughes, and I will have to make sure that my pawns are all in place, which means keeping things from the public." Roy Replied. "If any of this got out, I'd lose my pawns in my battle of becoming Fuhrer. Now I best be going, now don't send me anymore of those stupid phone calls about your family when I'm gone Okay!" Roy shouted.
"Oh you know I will!" Hughes laughed.
I think you guys can tell how fun it was for me writing that chapter, I feel like Eds leg wasn't as dramatic enough so I had to edit it, the way he freaked out was speaking to me and it felt right. And yes their mother is actually resurrected this time. Also don't be afraid to check out the next chapter I know it's Nina but I promise it's worth reading, Anyway Bye!