Don't Forget
By: Hakai
Disclaimer: I [Hakai] don't own anything Fullmetal Alchemist related. They belong to their respectful owners. Beware bad writing skills.
A/N: Thanks Rikkali for all the suggestions! XD and yea, Kaori, the envy feeding ed the philosopher's stone idea did pass my mind… ; Thanks for all the comments everyone! w00t!
Set post-series, restored Al, Roy/Ed, Winry/Al
Chp. 5 - Kaidoku - Deciphering
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Alphonse Elric tugged at the stiff collar of the military uniform as he sunk into the couch of his new dorm room. Havoc was working today and wouldn't be back till late. This gave Al plenty of time to sulk on his own. Well, perhaps sulk wasn't that right word. Contemplate sounded better.
"What am I going to do…" Al sighed recalling his talk with Colonel Mustang.
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"What do you mean, Taisa?" The grey-eyed boy's voice was slightly accusatory. As if it was all Roy's fault.
"I mean just what I said, Alphonse-kun." Roy said getting up from his chair. "It was equivalent trade."
Al crossed his arms as he sat up straighter in the colonel's couch. "How can the memory of a single person be equivalent trade for a body?"
Roy chuckled. "You didn't question the low of conservation when you thought there hadn't been any exchange."
"It's much easier to explain the Philosopher's Stone had been enough compensation. But if you must suggest equivalent trade… well, it just doesn't add up. No offense, Taisa, but I doubt that forgetting about you would be equivalent trade." Alphonse said as he ran a hand through his short, dirty-blonde hair.
"Shoujo mangakas [1] probably wouldn't disagree…" The older man mumbled to himself.
"What was that?"
"Nothing…" Roy sighed regaining his composure.
"Well," Al began. "if that is what it is… what can we do?"
Roy locked eyes with the younger boy. One's eyes could tell you everything you wanted to know. And right now, Al's eyes were telling him everything he didn't want to know. 'Taisa, please help my brother…' He sighed. He didn't need that kind of pressure. With those eyes staring at him Roy could give but one answer.
"I don't know, Alphonse, I really don't know…"
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Al had been thinking so long he hadn't even realized that he was now wondering through headquarters. Looking around he found that he had no idea where he was. He was about to turn back and attempt to find the canteen from there when a tap on his shoulder made him turn around. It was a young man, probably only a few years older than his brother, who he recognized as one of the new recruits.
"Why didn't you answer?" The brunette grunted. "I've been calling you for sometime."
"Uh…"
The man immediately slapped his hand over his mouth. "Excuse my insubordination, sir. But I was told to find you. You're the new major, right? Sorry, I'm new here. But I was able to recognize your rank from your uniform. You're not going to report me, are you, sir?"
Al didn't know what to say. The recruits thoughts and words jumped from one subject to the other so fast it was hard to follow. And… did he think he was a Major? "I'm not-"
The man cut him off. "There's trouble in the city. Both private and public property being damaged and a few people were injured. Something to do with a… Fullmetal… Alchemist?"
Any attempts Al had wanted to make to correct the man of his identity were lost at the mention of his brother. He grabbed the brunette roughly by his collar. "Where is he? What happened?! Is he hurt?"
"H-he was last seen o-on Lemalf Street… I… T-they need someone to check it out and…" Pushing the young man to the side he ran at full speed to the aid of his brother. Forget that he was lost, intuition would have to kick in.
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"Exhausted already? Hagane no ochibi-san." Envy smirked as Ed's limp body slide to the ground. The Homunculi made his way through the rubble to his prey. "I don't like fighting, ochibi-san." He said kneeling down to Ed's eyelevel.
Edward tried to raise his head and stand up, but his body wouldn't respond "En…" But whatever Ed had been trying to say was lost as Envy's mouth roughly captured his. The blonde groaned as Envy hungrily licked and sucked away at the blood in his mouth. He winced at the stinging in his mouth. But Envy didn't seem to be anywhere near done with his prey.
It hurts. Edward thought trying to free himself from the Homunculi's grip. Al…Roy…
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"Taisa!" Al called running up to the raven-haired man.
The colonel didn't respond right away. Currently his mind was occupied by the scene in front of him. Medics carried away two men and a young woman. They weren't very injured, but were to be taken to the hospital more as a precaution then anything else. Property was damaged. But that could be replaced, lives couldn't. Roy sighed. Since a witness had spotted the Fullmetal Alchemist in the mist of the destruction the responsibility would fall onto Roy himself. He groaned again. This would mean a ton of paperwork was headed his way.
"Taisa!" Alphonse called again finally catching up to the older alchemist.
Roy turned around. "Alphonse-kun. News must travel faster then I thought if you're here already."
"A recruit mistook me for one of the Majors and informed me to come here. I would've cleared up the misconception, but when he mentioned my brother…" his voice trailed off as he tried to catch his breath. Roy nodded. He understood that whatever happened to one brother the other would be right behind. Ready for anything. "Where's my brother, Taisa. Is he hurt? What happened?"
Roy sighed as he turned his attention back to the scene at hand. "We don't know."
The blonde's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"There's no hidden meaning in my words, Alphonse-kun." Roy said as he took his gloves out of his pocket.
"But you always know! Whenever Nii-san and I went on missions we always returned to find that you already knew what had happened. Why don't you know? They said there were witnesses."
"One witness, Alphonse-kun." Roy said, eyes narrowing on the younger Elric. "And all he said was that he merely 'caught a glimpse' of the Fullmetal Alchemist running by. We're lucky the man even recognized your brother at all." Al raised an eyebrow. "How often can you recall others mistaking you for Fullmetal? Though he is well known, he is not well recognized, is he?"
"Then how can you be sure it was Nii-san?" Al asked almost desperate for an answer.
Roy eyes didn't meet the younger alchemist's as he pulled from his other pocket a red strip of cloth. There were stray markings of black on it, but both Roy and Al immediately recognized it as the remains of the flamel emblem
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"Hai, baa-chan." Winry said into the phone. "Yes, I made it to Central in one piece…. I'm staying with Scieszka. [sp?] She's the one I brought to Rizenbul once, remember? …hai. I won't forget your omiyage… take care of Den, baa-chan. Bye-bye!" The blond said as she hung up the phone.
"Is everything alright, Winry?" Scieszka asked coming into the room.
"Yes… I'm just worried." The mechanic said with downcast eyes.
"About what?" Scieszka asked worriedly setting their snacks onto a pile of well-balanced books.
"My grandma, for one. But she's always been a strong woman." Winry chuckled. "But I'm also worried about Al and Ed." The bookworm placed her arm comfortingly around Winry's shoulder. "Al got his body back and the war's over, so I should be relieved. But I can't help but think that it's not over for them yet. It's like Fate still wants to test them even after all they've been through… I'm sorry, Scieszka." She said realizing that she was upsetting her friend.
The brunette shook her head. "No. It's fine. I'm worried too…"
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[1] No offense to Shoujo mangakas. XD I don't care for shoujo manga… but that's besides the point… they always make a big deal about "loved ones" and such. XD sorry if I offended anyone…
A/N: wow. Really short. XD. Even though there are more answers in this chapter, I still feel like it's just a filler. ; maybe I should've stuck chapter 4 and 5 together? . in any case, I hope you enjoyed this uber short chapter. XD I just had my first week of school. Tiring. ; please comment/review! XD