(I do not own Kelly Clarkson's 'Gone' that is used in this chapter.)
"Lalaurana, are you sure I look good? I feel like I'm under mountains of makeup…"
Lalaurana laughed, putting on some more blush to the apples of Cynthia's cheeks. "You look marvelous!"
"But I'm going to the dance with ENVY for god's sake."
"So? Envy's hot! And your father tells me you have a lovely voice. Why don't you sing karaoke?"
"No way!"
"Are you ready?"
"No! God, be patient!" Cynthia snapped. "Envy is so impatient…"
"Well, that's Envy. Oh, and by the way, he never starts relationships with a single peck on the cheek, if you know what I mean!"
Envy, Roy and Ed were lounging in the hall. Envy was looking at himself, Roy was quiet and Ed was sitting against a wall with a glass of water.
"I look crappy in a tux." Envy said finally.
"Well, at least I look good." Edward took a sip from his water. "Who you going with? Lust?"
"Cynthia."
Spew.
Edward spit out his water. "WHAT? SINCE WHEN?"
"Since Cynthia had a mental breakdown when she saw you kissing Lust."
Before Edward could reply, Cynthia and Lalaurana came out of the room. "Well? How do I look?" Cynthia asked.
Cynthia had put on a dress that was several shades darker than her hair, and Lalaurana had painted her nails the same color. She had pink blush on her cheeks and black eyeliner, but no eye shadow. Delicate pink lipstick was on her lips, coordinating with a small pink barrette that held back her bangs.
"Ravishing." Edward breathed.
Cynthia ignored him. "Envy?"
"What the freak said." Envy held out an arm. "Shall we?"
"We shall." Cynthia took his arm, and they went off.
"What about me?"
Lalaurana was wearing simple makeup, but a lovely black dress that went to her knees. It was strapless, and made of satin. "Wonderful!" Roy said, taking her to the combat hall. Edward remained in the hall, thinking, She didn't even look at me.
"LET'S DANCE!" Envy cheered, dragging Cynthia onto the floor.
Cynthia laughed. "Impatient, are we?"
"Oh, shut up."
Several graceful spins and dips made Cynthia say, "You're a wonderful dancer, Envy…"
The girls were bored. They were all dressed up, but no one had a date. Mina was scouting the room for single guys. "Eek!" She whined. "Not a single guy among them!"
"Um…" Edward came up behind her. "I'm here…"
"Hey! Wait!" Serena look at him. "Aren't you going with that Cynthia kid?"
"…I don't want to talk about it." He replied.
"DOESN'T MATTER! COME ON!" Mina dragged him onto the floor to start dancing.
Cynthia shot daggers at Edward with his eyes. She looked at Envy with a sweet smile. "Envy, will you excuse me for a moment? I'll be back before you know it, I promise."
Envy nodded, and Cynthia broke from him.
Edward noticed Cynthia leave Envy and make way towards the stage. She spoke to the band that was playing, and smiled. Cynthia summoned her best Kelly Clarkson voice and began.
"What you see is not what you get
With you there's just no measurement
no way to tell what's real from what isn't there
Your eyes they sparkled
That's all changed into lies that dropped like acid rain
you washed away the best of me
you don't care."
Edward felt so… Responsible. But on another note, he was angry, with both himself and Cynthia. How could he fall for such a simple ploy? And how could Cynthia be jealous of it?
"You know you did it
I'm gone
to find someone to live for in this world
There's no light at the end of the tunnel tonight
just a bridge that I gotta burn
You were wrong
If you think you can walk right through my door
That is just so
you coming back when I've finally moved on
I'm already gone."
That verse described it perfectly. He had yelled at Lust and Envy, then went back to his room after Cynthia went to Riza's.
"Sometimes shattered
never opened
nothing matters
when you're broken
That was me whenever I was with you."
Edward let go of Mina. "I… I've got to do something." He pushed his way through the crowd towards Cynthia.
"Always ending, always over
back and forth, up and down like a roller coaster
I am breaking that habit today."
Edward looked at Cynthia. She was really into it, singing with a lovely voice, her eyes closed. He began to hop up onto the stage.
"You know you did it
I'm gone
to find someone to live for in this world
There's no light at the end of the tunnel tonight
just a bridge that I gotta burn
You were wrong…"
She was cut off. Gentle lips pressed into hers, stopping her in her tracks. Her eyes were wide, staring at Edward's hair and skin. His lips were so familiar… Her eyes flashed.
Long ago.
Amestris.
Alchemy…
Edward…
Full—
The memory was cut off. Cynthia slowly closed her eyes and dropped the microphone.
Envy glared at the stage. This was not supposed to happen!
"That's so cute!" Lita squealed. "Like a romance movie!"
Roy looked at Riza slyly, who was with Jean.
"Sir, don't even think about it."
"Why did you do that?" Cynthia asked. It was after the dance, and they were both in their room.
Edward looked at her nervously. "I… I knew that song was directed at me. Lust kissed me, and I tried to explain that afterward, but you slammed the Lieutenant's door in my face before I could even say hello."
"I'm sorry." Cynthia apologized. "Hey…" She looked up at him from her bunk. "Did you… Happened to remember anything? When we kissed?"
"…You saw it too? I thought I was alone."
"I guess you weren't." Cynthia's eyes widened. "Those military people… they're from Amestris, right?"
"Right…"
"And where were we in that memory?"
"…AMESTRIS!"
There was a faint knock on Roy's door. He yawned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. What… One o'clock in the morning? Who could need him this late?
He opened the door.
"Huh?"
"Colonel, sir! Take us back with you to Amestris!"
"And you say you saw yourselves in Amestris."
"Yes, sir." Cynthia confirmed. "And…"
"And Edward's name began with an F."
"Yes."
Roy looked at Edward. He couldn't possibly be… No. He died years ago. And how could he be here? He was dead. DEAD! And he wasn't coming back… Not that Roy didn't want him to. And he had a metal right arm, this one didn't… His brother was still alive in Amestris… And so was his childhood friend, Winry. But according to these two, Alphonse and Winry existed here, too! Was this an alternate place?
Cynthia saw Roy's confused expression. Suddenly she knew what she had to do to prove their vision.
In one sleek movement, she tore off Edward's right sleeve and popped the casing on his arm.
Sweat dripped down the side of Roy's face. "It's you." He said quietly. "I should have known when you gave me that definition of alchemy. Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist."
Edward's pupils shrank.
Fullmetal Alchemist.
His mind raced. Envy killed him… And Alphonse revived him with the Philosopher's stone… Edward sacrificed himself to bring Alphonse back as a human….
Fullmetal Alchemist.
He went beyond the door. He returned to Germany. But… How was he here?
Fullmetal Alchemist.
Fullmetal Alchemist.
Fullmetal Alchemist.
Edward screamed and clamped his hands over his head. So much… To remember.
Izumi, Roy, Mason, Russell, Dad, Barry the Chopper, The Slicer… Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Pride, Wrath, Greed, Sloth…
His eyes snapped open and the memories stopped. Cynthia saw in his eyes a look that was never there. The Edward she knew was kind, and generous. Quiet and smart. But all she saw in his eyes were wild power, anger… And something else.
Deep down.
Pain.
Envy walked by the room. He looked at Edward, glaring. "What's wrong, freak? Finally discovering how weird you are?"
Edward's face turned on him. "You…" His voice dripped anger. "You… BASTARD!" he threw himself on Envy, sitting on his chest holding his collar in his left hand, his right, uncased arm was battering away repeatedly at his cheek. "YOU KILLED ME! DO YOU KNOW WHAT PAIN YOU'VE CAUSED EVERYONE? WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY'RE FEELING RIGHT NOW? THEY DON'T KNOW I'M ALIVE! WINRY, AND ALPHONSE, AND PINAKO! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM YOU SON OF A BITCH? YOU'RE NOT EVEN HUMAN, YOU GOD DAMN HOMUNCULUS! YOU WEREN'T BORN, YOU WERE CREATED! YOU GOD DAMN ARTIFICIAL SON OF A…"
Cynthia caught his fist as he pulled it back for another fist. "Ed. Calm down. Look at yourself. What are you doing? What do you remember?"
This proves it. Roy thought. There's just one more thing, and if I'm right…
Edward turned his face roughly to Cynthia. "He's a…" He paused. Cynthia's eyes… They were black. Ebony… But he still didn't…
"Who are you?"
The question surprised Cynthia and Envy. Cynthia's eyes began to tear. "You… You don't know me?"
"I can't say I do…"
"…" She let go of his hand. "I'll go pack for our trip to Amestris…"
Cynthia disappeared back down the hall. Edward stood up and looked at Roy.
"It's nice to see you again, Fullmetal."
"Colonel!" He turned. Jean and Riza had come out of their rooms. "Lieutenants Hawkeye and Havoc! Where are we? Who was that girl?"
"I do not remember her from Amestris." Roy said. "I do not remember her family."
"But you do, Roy."
Roy and Edward looked up. Lalaurana was leaning against the wall, a hand firmly clamped over her stomach. Her hair was limp, and her breath was cold and ragged. She didn't take her medicine, Riza thought.
"Don't you remember me, Roy?" She laughed. "Maybe I am Lalaurana Suhn, and she may be Cynthia Suhn. But our family line goes way back to Amestris. One of my grandparents was a state alchemist. It's not much information, but it's enough."
Edward heard this. Cynthia Suhn. That name rang a bell somewhere. He took off down the hall, until he came to the broken HTH hall, where the remains of Roy's helicopter was. Roy and his companions came up just as he clapped and remade it, Cynthia with them, holding their bags.
Edward regarded them with a grim face. "Take me home."