Awh! I'm so happy everyone likes this story! Thank you agent000 for your suggestions, I may just do that off the wall thing in my next story! Ed: I'm gonna die! I just know it! Me: You're not gonna die…at least I don't think so. Ed: …I'M GONNA DIE! –Goes and huddles in a corner-
Anywhozles, this chapter is a two parter, so are chapters nine and ten. I'm not sure why I made chapters five and six two parters…I have yet to ponder that. Maybe it's because in these two chapters Ed, Al, and Winry finally get to Millennium World (Yey! Bakura! Bakura: Oh dear…). Something like that…we shall see won't we. Just think happy thoughts as Edward suffers some more Ed: Hey! Me: -biff- Ed: Ow!
Ok! Enough rambling! Onward to chapter five! Yey!
Chapter Five: That Which Divides the World
"Brother? Why didn't you tell me about those strange marks that started showing up on you?" Alphonse asked, Edward looked at him with a melancholy glare.
"You have enough on your mind…Al…" he returned his attention to what he'd been working on.
"You used it to get our attention, but…you didn't tell us about them," Al continued "Ed…I think you may not notice it but, you're starting to act strange again."
This time Edward rounded on Al and glared at him replying,
"Al…I'm aware of what may come and I'm prepared this time. Just because I chose not to tell you or Winry about it doesn't prove 'he's' coming back. Maybe the seal didn't work and 'he' just vanished! I don't know…"
"Brother! Listen! I've been noticing you've been having trouble remembering things, simple things, it could be a sign that…Ag!"
Edward shoved Alphonse into a nearby tree and had his fore arm pressed into his neck, he had a very angry look on his face,
"I said I'm fine!"
"B…brother stop it…"
Ed took a step back letting Al go, he had a flustered look about him as he returned to the transmutation circle he was working on. Al walked up to him and said,
"Sorry…brother," he looked at the circle "What's this for?" he asked. Edwards' shoulders dropped as he looked over it,
"Absolutely nothing…" he stood up and looked at Al "You don't have to be sorry Al, I should be the one apologizing. I should have told you…but I didn't want you worrying. Like I said a year ago…"
"Heh, brother…like I said a year ago…you can try as hard as you want but no matter what you do Granny, Winry, and I will always worry about you." Al smiled.
"Is that a good thing?" Ed smirked.
"You know it is brother, it means we care." Al laughed. Ed laughed too, though when he did it felt like his chest was cramping.
Winry came walking up to them moments later, she looked down at the circle and asked what it was for. Edward pointed out it wasn't for anything, that he just made it for the heck of it.
"So when are we leaving?" she then asked.
"…"
"Ed?"
"We gotta first summon the Gate…" he muttered.
"How do we do that?"
"I…don't know."
Al glanced at his brother questioningly, if he remembered correctly, Ed did know how to summon the Gate…more or less. Alphonse leaned over to him and whispered how to summon the Gate, Al remembered for some odd reason. Edward then told Winry who had a dumbstruck look on her face. She wasn't whole heatedly sure what was just told to her but if it was the only way then she'd give it a try.
"What will we see?" she asked.
"I saw monsters…they weren't like chimera's or anything of that nature, they where monsters out of your worst nightmares. But, for some reason every time I saw one while sleeping…each time they'd attack me…they would disintegrate,"
"Disintegrate?" Al asked.
"Yeah, I'd be moments…no seconds from death and they'd just vanish," Ed pondered this for a moment, he'd done it times before…this time was no different "We should get started before everyone gets back."
"Yep." Al and Winry nodded, they stood next to Ed and readied themselves. Edward held up his hands, they where shaking violently. Glaring at them with irritating he managed to clap them together, reaching over his left shoulder he held his hand just over the mark.
"This better work…" he muttered before he touched the mark, he'd seen Dante do this to Gluttony only it made him think of only eating. Ed hoped for a slightly different outcome…which he got.
--
It was the Gate, dark and looming as usual. Edward was standing right in front of it looking up, Alphonse and Winry where standing a few feet behind him. Winry was looking around at everything with pure astonishment, Al on the other hand had a rather uneasy look about him.
"Ed? Is this…the Gate?" Winry muttered.
"Yeah…" Ed muttered back only this time he was looking straight at the Gate, he walked over to the giant doors and looked them up and down as if he was daring them to open.
"Brother? What should we do now?" Alphonse asked. That's when the Gate started to open, it creaked slightly as the doors swung apart. All that everyone could see was a void, a black void of nothingness.
"That's…odd…" Ed said lightly "There are usually arms that reach out and…arg!"
Standing or more like floating just behind Al and Winry was rather large reaper monster he'd seen before. Alphonse and Winry looked at him questioningly, they hadn't noticed the monster yet and where wondering why Ed had gone so pale.
"Brother, what is it?" Al took a step towards Ed, just then the reaper swooped forward in the same direction as Al only it was faster. Al froze in shock and fear as the creature flew over him, Winry was in shock plain and simple.
"No…get away…" Ed stammered backing away from the creature towards the void of the open Gate. The reaper raised its' scythe, Ed dropped to the ground and put his arms over his head, just as the blow as about to land it stopped. Everyone had baffled looks on their faces, Ed looked up to see the scythe inches away from him. But there was a tall dark winged figure standing in front of him, he stood up. Ed was scared out of his wits, he wasn't sure what to think anymore, this new creature…he'd never seen this one before. And…it seemed to be defending him, why?
Edward took a step backwards again, when he did it felt like he lost his footing and fell. Fell backwards into nothingness. Alphonse and Winry dashed forwards after Ed, but when they got to the entrance he was already gone. Vanished into the shadows, looking at each other worriedly. Al then looked over at the winged creature fighting off the reaper like creature and muttered,
"It was you wasn't it? You where watching out for my brother, you're the one doing everything aren't you?"
The creature turned its' head and looked at them, it was a girl creature. She just smirked then turned her attention back to the reaper. Al just nodded and said to Winry,
"We've got to go in…go into the Gate after brother ok?"
"Yeah…" she replied, she wasn't too positive about it considering this Gate thing seemed strange and down right scary. They both entered the Gate and everything went black…
--
Ed's POVDamn…not again…how'd I get into this situation again? Oh…wait…that's right. Man I'm stupid…I had to drag them into this didn't I? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
Damn right it was stupid
Who? What…what was that? Oh well…it doesn't really matter does it? That eroding feeling again, why does it do that? The darkness never did that before…not like before…different, those monsters. Where did they come from? What were they? Who was that one that was fighting off…the other one?
It was strange, if felt like…that thing was apart of me. Just like the 'darker' me…I hope not…
Arrogant as usual I see…
To hell with that damn voice…I've had enough comments from the sidelines! Shut up! I don't care! Man! This place is just as maddening as before! Where is Alphonse? And Winry?
Awh…what's the matter? Feeling lonely?
Leave me alone…who are you anyway?
Arrogant AND forgetful aren't we…
Never mind…it doesn't matter…nothing matters…no…thing. I could feel myself drifting off again, something was draining every bit of strength and will out of me. No matter what I thought, I just didn't have the will to do anything. It was this…this place…it wasn't like this before. Was this the end? I wasn't going to die again was I? I'll be damned if that's the case, I can't die…not yet…I have to get Al and Winry out of this place.
Ed…ward…
That was different…who was that? Who are you? I don't…know that voice…
I am your soul…do you know where you are?
My soul? But I thought…never mind. This is the inside of the Gate, you should know that.
Really? Are you sure?
Yes I'm sure, I've been here before. Strange how my 'soul' wouldn't remember all of this.
I don't think so…this place is different…this isn't the inside anymore Edward. I believe this is the place that divides the world into it's millions upon millions of possibilities. The shadows are eating away who you are Edward…you must make it stop or all is lost…
Ah, you see I knew there was something I was missing, seeing as my already busy day is filled with drifting around in nothingness pondering death and weather this was the best I idea.
I…will help you…but you may not like the outcome…you and your family will be reunited on the other side but…things are going to be a lot different.
Whatever…do what you want…I don't care…any…more…
--
"Aaaaaagggghhhh!" Edward hit the ground hard, he'd landed in the middle of a sand dune, he started to roll down the dune and came to a stop at the bottom. Every fiber of his existence felt like it was on fire, he rolled around in the sand wreathing in pain.
Alphonse and Winry had landed at the top of the dune, but didn't seem to be suffering from the same symptoms as Edward, they where just a tad dazed and confused though. Getting up Al looked down the dune and saw his brother.
"Brother!" he was about to rush down to him when Winry stopped him and pointed, there where people on horses making their way towards them. They noticed Edward still wreathing and rode over. What he did next sent a wave of fear and shock over Al and Winry, when two of the men got down from their horses to check on him. Edward clapped his hands and transmuted his arm blade and attacked the two men.
He killed both of them, one of the other men said something and the rest rode off in the direction they had came. The man that spoke got down from his horse and took something from his belt, a golden rod with and eye in the center. Holding it up Ed froze, he then clapped his hands again and returned his arm to normal, he then fell to the ground out like a light.
"Brother…"
"…Ed…"
-To Be Continued-
Never mind! I sorta went off into chapters nine and ten (oops), so! That means Ed, Al, and Winry are in Millennium World now! And Edu-kun killed two people! (GASP!) Ed: GA! That's even worse then killing me! You made me kill two guys!
Me: Yes…yes I did…and it was fun (is grinning evilly) Ed: You are crazy… Me: I love you too Edu-kun!
Hope ya liked this chapter…I think I'm jumpin' the gun slightly though…tell me if I should either slow down or speed up…or am I goin' at a nice steady pace? No matter, read, review, enjoy!