Full Metal Alchemist
Always Brothers
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Alchemist, Funimation do, though if I had my way there would more than likely be an extra 5 or 6 episodes after the movie as a sort of epilogue of the brothers' lives if you will
Author's note: This is a shorter chapter than the last one, but I had to leave the ending as it is or I would've kept writing all night, and that isn't any goo for my back. I hope you enjoy. Please remember to read and review, thank you.
Al calmly scanned the desert in front of him, looking for any signs of Ishvar civilians caught up in the fight between the Armestris military officers and the Ishvar dissidents. His hazel eyes finally landed on an elderly Ishvar female that was struggling to get away from the grip of one of the Armestris officers,
"Let me go!" she shrieked, her cloudy crimson eyes blazing with anger. The officer tried to calm the old woman down, but she seemed deaf to his words. Al ran over and indicated to the young man that he would take over. The red-haired young soldier relinquished his grip on the Ishvar citizen's arm and rushed off to help his comrades. Al gently knelt down next to the now shuddering old woman in front of him,
"Excuse me ma'am," he began, his voice soft so as not to startle her, "but you need to get out of here, it's dangerous." He pressed, hoping to get a more positive response from the old woman than the other soldier did. A frail, tanned face, weathered with many years of experience and cloudy red eyes peered up into Alphonse's gentle hazel gaze,
"I know its dangerous young man but why in Ishvar's name should I trust you?" she snapped. Al held his position and gaze, though he did look slightly disappointed in the old woman's response.
"Please, I know you mistrust my people but I am only trying to help. I don't want an elderly, and therefore innocent, person to get killed just because of a misunderstanding." The old woman, despite herself, felt more relaxed around this kind young man, who was now clearly trying to help. She slowly nodded as Al helped her stand up,
"Alright young man I will go with you." She conceded, "But any sign of hostility towards these people and I will walk straight onto that battlefield again." Al nodded warmly as he placed his jacket over the frail shoulders, and began to lead the elderly woman towards the hospital tents that were doubling as refuge for the frail and disabled civilians. A young Ishvar male watched them leave, his crimson red eyes burning with hatred.
Ed continued dodging the huge numbers of Ishvarites that seemed to come from absolutely nowhere, his golden eyes betraying his panic at the situation he found himself in,
"I don't have time for this! Where the hell is Al?" He had discovered his alchemy usage was only making the young males surrounding him even more mad, but he didn't know how else to get himself out of the crisis he had gotten himself into. Just as he was about to clap his hands together to create a new circle, blue lightning from a different transmutation lanced around the group, causing the Ishvar dissidents to scatter just as rubble suddenly dropped from the sky. Ed spun around, his ponytail whipping around with him, accidentally hitting one of the fleeing Ishvarites, only to come face to face with a young male that was about 2 inches taller than he was. The newcomer's face broke into a frown as he looked at Edward's small frame,
"What the hell?" he muttered to himself, before addressing the older Elric, "Hey what's a kid like you doing in the middle of a battlefield if you aren't an Ishvarite?" he asked in a pompous tone. Ed could feel his anger rising, but managed to keep it in check. He glanced at the chain of the silver pocket watch hanging at the side of the young mans pocket,
"I'm not a kid thanks very much." He answered levelly, "I'm a State Alchemist like yourself." He said, bringing out his own watch as proof. The sandy haired young man in front of him glared at Ed,
"Well you're late!" he snapped, "All State Alchemists were supposed to report for duty over two days ago!" It was now Ed's turn to glare at the other state Alchemist in front of him, his golden eyes burning with rage,
"I was only informed of this mission two days ago." He growled dangerously, "I had been with my mechanic." He added as he noticed the blue clad alchemist in front of him stare at his automail hand. The chocolate-eyed man rolled his eyes at the explanation,
"Well I guess it's better late than never." He sighed, "I'm Christoph Toray, the Stalactite Alchemist." He said, offering a hand. Ed warily took it, not knowing how this young and relatively inexperienced Alchemist would react to hearing his name,
"Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist." He said, keeping a close eye on the young man's reaction. Christoph didn't seem to notice the title, but he did notice the surname,
"Elric huh? Any relation to the 1st lieutenant by any chance?" he asked cheerily. Ed frowned a little, Granny Pinako and Winry had made no mention of Rank when they told him that Al had joined the military. Christoph seemed to notice this as well as he mentioned the 1stlieutenant's name and title,
"You know, 1st lieutenant Alphonse Elric, the Metal Ore Alchemist." Christoph pressed in a condescending tone. At the mention of his younger brother's name Ed jumped up and placed his hands on Christoph's shoulders, causing the younger man to jump back a little at the sudden contact,
"You know Al?" he asked incredulously. Christoph could only nod in a bewildered fashion, not quite sure where this was leading, "I need you to take me to him!" Ed finished desperately, "I need to see him." Christoph shook his head,
"'Fraid not." He replied once he had regained some of his dignity, "orders were to take out the Ishvar dissidents, and that's exactly what I'm going to keep on doing." He brushed past Edward, who was gawking like a fish out of water, and didn't look back. Edward was vaguely aware of movement around him that seemed oddly rushed. As he shook his head to clear his mind he saw several dozen Ishvar women and children being forced into an abandoned building to his right. The children seemed scared but the men that were pushing them forward were trying to soothe them. Ed froze, not knowing exactly why the dissidents were taking women and children with them to such a rickety old building, but his gut instinct was telling him it wasn't for the greater good. His mind finally told him to get moving to the Armestris base camp to report this to a superior officer. He cast one last look at the group of children, worry apparent in his golden gaze as he rushed off towards a vague blob of fog in the distance to his left.
"I have to report this to someone, those children are probably gonna get it."
