A/n: This update contains two chapters, because they are both too short to stand alone.
It also contains what happened to Al, and is solely Edward Elric focused. Edward Cullinane will come back in a little while, as his side to this story is equally as important as that of out little Pint-sized Alchemist.
And in response to a review by Saya Aensland, I love you. Be my significant other. Or at least my beta. Please. Honestly people, if you see something wrong with one of my fics, speak up. I need to be knocked in the head a few times every month or so, so that I don't revert back to fangirl Japanese. Thanks for picking that up.
And in response, I argue that if Envy uses Hagane no Ochibisan, instead of Fullmetal in this fic, he must be suffering a case of Fangirl-japanese-itis, and thus, would use Chibi Ichi instead of short one, or little one. Weak argument, maybe, but it does have some merit.
------
Of Courage
-----
The flames raced about the dingy little street, engulfing Lust and Gluttony, and in a show of strange control, licking up Envy's side and trying to claim him, whilst leaving the Elric under him hot, but relatively unhurt.
Envy screamed in pain, his body reverting back to its green-haired, lanky form, and Edward managed to throw him off, leaping from under him in the process. Preparing to attack, Edward turned, only to find the sin burning, and rolling on the ground, screams of agony surging forth from his mouth.
"Can't you control one little fight by yourself, Fullmetal?" A smug male voice spoke from behind him. It was deep and sure, and strong. Edward turned, to come face to face with the reason why the flames could be so easily manipulated. The man who had his glove outstretched was short, though taller than Edward by about a head and a half, with neat black hair, and black eyes sparkling in mirth. Though he was pale, he had a dark radiance about him that commanded respect. Respect that Edward absolutely refused to give.
"Mustang." He greeted coldly, his eyes narrowing dangerously with disgust. The man that was controlling the concentrations of oxygen in the air, and in turn, the flames that burned, smirked, the action seeming almost natural for his narrow features. The blonde scowled. "What are you doing here?" He bit out the words as almost a reprimand.
Mustang gave a Cheshire grin, lowering his arm. "Why Fullmetal! You looked like you could use some help."
Edward managed not to cuss. It was a very close call, however.
-----
He's not of this world, is that man with his hair and eyes that burn with such an old soul. How could he be? After all, he knows what happens in the pretty world of fire but he's never around to see it. Oh no. Always somewhere else, but he knows. Knows everything, doesn't he? He's got something about him, even more than the half-soul boy, that screams he doesn't belong here, in the first place. And he protects the half-soul boy like anything he does, though that boy so strong that boy, doesn't need protection, doesn't want protection, nonono. Still thinks he can bring back his brother he does. Tried, he has. But nonono, his brother's gone. Gone, gone, gone. And not coming back, oh no. Best that boy realise it quick.
Else there'll be trouble. That there will.
-----
Edward took a sip from the ceramic coffee mug in front of him, relishing in the bitter taste of the straight black coffee as he swirled it about in his mouth, and swallowed. He slowly placed the mug down upon the wooden table in front of him, careful to keep his eyes locked upon the man standing behind a wooden desk and looking out the large window that flanked it like a backdrop. He leaned back in the black, leather chair, crossing his legs, and folding his arms, not caring of what his boots could do to the upholstery.
"Please put your legs down, Fullmetal." He scowled, and didn't move. "Do I have to make that an order?" Edward complied, reluctantly.
Roy Mustang turned towards him, with a long-suffering sigh. "When are you going to give up on your foolhardy mission, Edward?" Edward scowled, and said nothing. Briefly, Roy's lips curled, before he managed to school them back into an expressionless line. "He's dead, Edward. You can't bring him back."
The long haired boy flinched. "Yes I can, and goddammit, Mustang, I will."
"You'll repeat what happened to your mother if you try. Didn't you prove that last time?" Edward flinched again, a flare of cold-blooded fury racing through him, though, he determinedly didn't show it.
"I know what to do now. I've done it before successfully."
"With a stone." Point.
"Which I can make again." Counterpoint.
"Bullshit, and you know it." Blatant statement. Edward scowled, noticing that he and Mustang were having a debate, a strange thing to notice, considering the subject matter. He scowled, and turned to face the door, refusing to look into those knowing eyes.
"Using the Homunculus was a mistake, I know that." He muttered.
Mustang sighed once more. "So what would that have you do?" Edward turned back, to catch the man running a hand through his black mop of hair. "Use innocent people instead?"
"No!" The disgust and horror in Edward's voice echoed through the room. "I won't even think about it! I couldn't! I wouldn't." His voice cracked momentarily, as a weight seemed to lodge itself in his throat. "It was all working so well, Colonel, why did it have to happen, why?"
Roy sighed, once again running his hand through his hair. "Do you want to talk about it, Edward?" There was something.... parental about his tone, and Edward gave a start. However, no evidence of the emotion was on the man's face.
"No." It was a straight answer, almost instinctual, but after a pause, Edward realised that a part of him did want to talk about it. "But... it might make me feel a little bit better, I guess..."
He's strong that boy, but even the strong need to talk to someone every once in awhile. Strange choice but.
-------
-------
Of Strength
-------
"I don't know where to start." Edward stated softly, looking at his hands, as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.
"At the beginning, is always a good place." Roy replied. Edward scowled.
"Smart ass." He shot back, and then, quickly, almost to prevent reply, "You know that the philosopher's stone could only be made with human Sacrifice, don't you?" Roy nodded.
"Of course, Fullmetal, I am not an idiot."
"News to me." Edward spat. "I have never wanted to create it through the sacrifice of humans, but as I researched, it became more, and more obvious that this would have to be the case."
"So you made the stone in the end." Roy's nose crinkled with disgust.
Edward nodded. "I did. By accident. The homunculus had been watching my progress for some time, and sick of my reluctance to make the stone through sacrifice, they burst into one of my experiments. That was during the time I was trying to make it out of nothing but pure, raw energy. Which technically, should have been possible, considering the energy, matter conversion theory." Edward sounded like he was deliberately trying to sidetrack the conversation.
"Which technically, is beside the point." Roy countered, destroying the red herring. "I do remember those experiments though. You could have killed yourself many a time." He sounded almost concerned.
"Who's telling the story here, Mustang?" Edward growled.
"Continue, by all means." Mustang smirked, and Edward resisted the urge to hurt him.
"The homunculus literally broke the door down, and the distraction they caused made the alchemical reaction to spiral out of control. They were dragged in, and I nearly was too, and I would have died, if it didn't seem to have enough energy to complete the transmutation. The reaction died instantly, and I remember it being eerily calm." Edward sighed, and fidgeted under Roy's hard, 'facts only, or else.' Glare. "But sitting there, in the middle of the room was the stone. It wasn't complete, and I didn't think it was the stone at first, but a little voice inside my head was going 'what else COULD it be?' It was a deep red, with a slight gold tinge, and it was pulsating slightly, like a heart, beating, beating..." His eyes glazed over at the memory, and he seemed to mentally shake himself. Roy merely nodded, and offered no reply.
"Once I got over my shock, I dunno, I guess I thought it was the real stone, so I took it, and Al! When he saw it, he was so excited. 'You've done it brother! You're so amazing!' you know how he was. I never told him how the stone was made though; He never would have let me use it if he knew." Edward snorted derisively. "Maybe that would have been a good thing."
Mustang shook his head. "You made him happy, Fullmetal. You cannot ask for more than that."
------
Now the other world one is trying to cheer the half-soul boy up, I guess. He's not doing that good a job at it though, but then, he doesn't normally cheer people up, does he? He's always this way, that way, every other way, never keeps people happy if they're in his way.
Taken a shine to that boy, he has. Maybe more than a shine. Loves him, maybe, not father-son love either. More than that. Boy's far too young but loves him anyway. That boy though, that boy don't love him back. That boy hate him back. No trust, none. But that man think he know everything, see? Gonna go from me to my sister and trick that boy there into loving him. I see his thought. He may rule me, but I know him. I own him. I know how his mind works; I know his deep and dark desires.
He's come into contact with fire. Fire always leaves a burn.
------
There was a brief break in Edward's words, and, for a moment, all the pain and sadness within him flashed across his face. It was quickly reigned in, however, as he continued, "All I remember from the Transmutation was a lot of bright light, and I guess I must have passed out, because, when I woke up, Al was there, standing over me, and looking worried, but the best part was, it was a human Al! I had my brother back fully, at last! I was so excited about it all..." He let out a sound that reminded Roy of a choked sob. Roy moved from his position behind his desk to place a hand upon the boy's shoulder. Edward instantly jerked away as if stung.
"Get off me." He growled out warningly. Roy sighed, and moved back to the desk, pulling out the chair to sit. Edward continued talking after a few shaky breaths and a dark glare at Roy. "It's funny, you know."
"What is?" Roy asked, surprised by the sudden change of track.
"I really can't explain it that well, but I've always felt like I was incomplete. That there was a part of me that was missing. I was only half a person. But when Al was around, that pain seemed to lessen, I felt a little more whole I guess. And then, of course, there was the accident." Edward turned his head away.
Roy nodded. He had already known all of this by the way the boy acted, but hearing it out of Fullmetal's mouth was different, and somehow made it seem more important.
"I should have been expecting it, the rebound. It came three months after I'd finally managed to accomplish my goal. It was so sudden, one minute he was fine, out with Winry and me walking Den, the next he was on the ground, screaming and writhing in agony. Winry and I couldn't do anything to help him, and as we watched, these huge, hideous lumps started appearing all over him. And then, the lumps cracked and broke, and blood spilled everywhere. Winry was crying, and I think I screamed. Den bolted in panic. And Al looked at me, with those damn, sad, sympathetic eyes he had and he whispers, 'Don't blame yourself, brother, I was happy. Thank you." He thanked me! Why? Why couldn't he have been angry with me?"
It was a rhetorical question, heated with pain and sadness, but Roy chose to answer it. "Because he was Al." Edward couldn't meet the man's eyes.
"I'm going to bring him back, sir. I have to bring him back."
"You are a fool, Fullmetal." It was a dismissal, Edward knew, so he placed his now-empty coffee mug down, gave a small salute to his superior, and walked out, passing a blonde, strict looking woman on her way in.
"Good afternoon, Lieutenant Hawkeye." He whispered. She gave him a small, encouraging smile in return.
-------
-------
A/n: And that's the note I want to leave it on. -shakes a little tin marked Reviews- Feed a hungry Authoress?