Chapter 4: Hope covered by Darkness

- ARGH! YOU AS! WHAT DO YOU TRIED TO DO THERE? TO GET KILLED BY THAT MONSTER! – Ed desperately shouted to his brother.

They had arrived into an Abandoned Alley in Central. May Chen was healing everyone's wounds with her "Retanjutsu". After Ed's arm was healed, he rushed against his brother and asked the same question.

- I'm sorry if I worried you "niisan" – Al replied, quite ashamed – but I had to prove my last chance. I thought that if he really is like you, he would not be able to harm me.

- Not able? NOT ABLE? Just look at you, you look like a Swiss cheese! –

- Yeah! But you have to say that my theory was right, and I was able to give you some time to save yourselves.

- Time, TIME…ARGH! – Ed was finally tired of battling an already lost battle – Just remind me to hit you very hard when you recover your body.

- Hehe, Ok I will.

- But there is something that is still bothering me

- Uh?

- If Hohenheim made him resembling me then WHY DID HE MAKE HIM TALLER THAN ME! AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!

- Oh! "niisan"…

- Now let me fix your Ar…

- No, no, don't worry about it "niisan", I can fix it by myself, just go to rest, your arm has just been healed and you have lost a lot of your energy and we don't know.

No matter what happened, Al had to keep his real wound hided from his brother: one of the spikes had damaged the TC that bonds his soul to the armour and had made Al to sense his first sensation in years: Pain.

"Of all the sensations I could have, this is the first I had to sense", Al thought, quite annoyed. "Anyway, if Ed sees that, he is capable to go to kill Pride, no matter that he'll destroy him in seconds. I only hope that missing piece of the TC don't give me future complications".

- Oh! Well you are right Al, and I don't think we are in a very reliable place – Ed said, glaring at Scar. Scar didn't pay him attention.

After that, Ed looked at May Chen – Oh, I haven't thank you about healing my arm; so, thank you very much.

She looked him with a face of deception. Then Ed sat down at a corner.

After fixing his armour, using his surroundings, Al went to join his brother.

- I've some good news for you Al

- Uh!

- I've seen your body

- WHAT? ... When? … How? … Is it All right or is it Decayed?

- Don't worry; you looked quite healthy, but very thin. And I saw you when I was trying to return from the gluttony's stomach. I tried to bring you with me but you didn't want to come with me. "I can't, you're not my soul" that's what you said.

- So, I think that I personally have to go to there to bring it back.

- Yeah! I also think that's the solution

"But we'll need another sacrifice to open that door, what could we do?" Ed thought "I would sacrifice myself but I don't think Al would really be happy about that. I wonder if we could use a Homunculus. I could try to capture one but I'd need help"

Then he looked at Scar. He knew he would not like it but a provisional alliance with him would possibly be the solution of that problem.

- Scar! – He finally said, not believing what he was going to propose – I know that we have our differences but I have something that would help both of us in our intentions

- Hm?

- I know the true responsible of the Ishbalan Massacre.

- !

- Yep! And I also have some unfinished business with him, so I think we could forge a provisional alliance to complete our missions, so you could finally take revenge for your people and I could finally return Al his body; and because you've already seen the power of one of his minions, so his power could be too much. Alone we can't do anything, but together we may have an opportunity. What do you say? – He extended his arm to Scar.

- Hm… If this finally ends the revenge circle, I agree – Scar shook Ed's hand.

- But don't think I have forgiven you about killing my friend's parents; there would be another day to discuss that.

- Ok, there would be another day.

Then they separate, Ling approached to Ed.

- And now that you've seen all the immortality this country could offer to you, what are you going to do? – Ed asked to him – It costs thousands of lives, are you able to do that sacrifice?

- …. When I began my journey, I never expected this would be the end – Ling said – I'm not an assassin and my people don't take pleasure taking other people's life. If that is really the cost of the immortality, then I must desist. But I'm afraid… I'm afraid that he finishes with your country and then he goes to another, even mine. You said that he'd already doomed the entire Xerxes Population, so it's my duty, as a protector of my clan, to stop that monster right here, right now! I'll help you.

- Ok, thanks Ling.

Then Ed went to join his brother. They tried to sleep that night; turning in rounds to take care if anyone saw them. Ed was very nervous; he hoped his plan to succeed, no matter what it took.

Early in the morning the problems started. The homunculi had found them. Envy, Pride and Gluttony went straight after them. But now, Gluttony Attacked Scar and Envy Attacked the Xing Prince and Princess. But Pride stayed without moving for a while. Then he looked at Al.

- I'm sorry for wound you before – He finally said

- ? – Ed couldn't believe what he'd heard. Even for him was difficult to apologize but the one who seemed to be nothing more than pride had just done it.

Then Pride looked at Ed, his eyes were filled of hate and anger. "He really has Bouquet of feelings, unlike any other Homunculus I've ever saw before" he thought.

And suddenly Pride rushed against Ed with a big sword on his hands completely ignoring Al. Ed hardly had enough time to transmute his Automail into a sword. They entangled some sword play but Pride was winning. When Ed was cornered between Pride and a wall, the Homunculus asked to him.

- Do you think that really was a good idea?

- Uh?

- Do you think that really was a good idea to keep your brother's soul caged on that armour without feeling, eating, sleeping or a lot of things more?

- ……………..

- And after doing that… HOW COULD YOU DARE OF CALLING YOU HIS BROTHER?

- ……………………………!

- I won't forgive you that selfish act… I WON'T.

A/N: The 100000 degrees twist that has suffered the Manga had confused me a little but, but fortunately I have all the plot before reading Chapter 54. I hope you like it, Pride had discovered himself.

Next Chapter: The Definition of Brother.