Thank you very much for everything, sensei.
Edward Elric.
"Alchemy is the science that allows you to change the form and state of matter at will; every time you follow the law of equivalent exchange. At its fault, we gained and lost everything in our lives, but we still hadn't seen its darkest side yet."
Chapter 9: Hard Discoveries on the Trail
- WHAAAAAAAAAAAT! AREUGOOOOO!- Winry shouted as if her soul was being dragged from her chest and I wasn't doing anything. She let the heavy bags she was carrying to fall, making a horrible loud noise when they touched the ground – Why didn't you tell me!
We were making our wallets and discussing the fact if we were bringing Ton with us, Ed was saying that it could be dangerous and it was better to leave him in Rizenbul. I was saying that we couldn't leave him here alone, now that Winry was returning to Rush Valley, and I thought that it wasn't fair to leave that responsibility to Granny Pinako, who felt weaker the last days. Ton at his side, really wanted to go with us, and as we know, he hated being treated as a child, so he was growing very uneasy, despite of the fact how much he loved and respected Ed.
Winry woke us from that trance – WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME! – Her face showed an incredibly amount of excitement, as if she was to explode in any time –
- Hmm, was it really necessary for you to know that Winry? – I asked innocently to that Bomb of time Winry – Is there is important in Areugo to you?
- Something important, something important, SOMETHING IMPORTANT! – She said that last really angry – as always you guys know anything about life than alchemy. You morons; and you still want to travel to Areugo that way.
She made three turns at her standing, cleared her throat, and started reciting with dreaming eyes – Areugo is the land of blood and steel, the land where an automail mechanic had to go at least one time in her life to feel her completed. Areugo is the place where automail was born!
That revelation kept us frozen; Winry was still swinging and dancing, as if what she had just said were holy words – the history is simple:
"In the time of the formation of the two new countries, Amestris and Areugo, there was a terrible difference that made Areugo to lose the majority of land that they were looking for the; from the now disappeared central kingdoms. The problem was that Amestris developed a more advanced alchemy than the one used in Areugo; so they desperately needed a way to balance power again, so a man called Russell Powderburg came with a wonderful idea. That battles left great part of the Areugo militaries without their limbs, sometimes even either both arms or both legs. So he, who also was very acknowledge in humans anatomy; developed artificial limbs with the property that they could be moved at will by the wielder, even if they have more accessories than the ones that a normal limb has. Because of this fact, he called his creation Automail.
Thanks to the Automail, Areugo was able to recover its territories and through the last 100 years the automail had advanced to the wonderful thing we know at our days."
The story was pretty interesting for me, but I have to give a slap to my "niisan's" head before his skull ended broken by the means of Winry's favourite tool… or weapon.
Oh guys…I must…I must come with you please! – Winry suddenly, turned around and started jumping and running around the room. – Please, please, please, please, please, PLEEEEEEEASE!
- Bah! Why is so important for you to come with us anyway? – Ed asked, dodging one of Winry's uncontrollable bounces.
- Because travelling to Areugo is the dream of every automail mechanic. Areugo is the place where there is the most advanced technology of it and I can't let pass the opportunity to go there.
- And why don't you go by yourself?
- Because peace had just been signed and they aren't allowing normal people to travel between countries yet. But both of you are State Alchemist, and you have gotten permission, so please, please! Take me with you! – She has enormous puppy eyes staring at Ed.
- No Winry we can't!
- Why, Why!
- Because is another country where unexplainable anomalies are happening and we can't be protecting you while we are doing our mission
- And who says I need protection? – Winry asked, wielding her wrench – and you owe me a lot of favours.
-"niisan", she has a point –
- And besides, who will repair your automail when you broke it…because you're going to and over all, do you know how to speak Arendoshian?
- Arendoshian?
- Arendoshian is the language that the people in Areugo use how don't you know that? It seems that you really need me to go with you.
- So, you are saying that you know how to talk it, don't you? – Ed asked with a raised eyebrow.
- No… but I know how to communicate in Areugo – she replied grinning, showing shining white eyes.
- Well, I guess it can't be helped – Ed finally said after some seconds with a sigh of resign – What do you think about it Al?
- I don't mind – I replied smiling
- Well Winry you can come with us, because it is your greatest dream.
- Oh! Thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks! I'm going to call Mr. Garfield about this – she said and left the room jumping and shouting of happiness.
- So she can go and I can't, this is all perfect! – Ton finally yelled, showing that his uneasiness had become into uncontrollable levels
- Oh! Please Ton, don't start with that again.
- I don't know why you don't want to bring him with us "niisan" he had proved not to be a charge at all this time – I questioned him.
- Because we don't know what we would find in that unknown country and we couldn't afford to act as babysitters if he…
But sounds the sound of a contained wrath suddenly stopped Ed and then we turned to see a shaking Ton sat on the bed
- Er…are you alright Ton? – I asked seeking for his face, but in a matter of seconds Ton disappeared and then, after the sound of twelve hits, my brother felt knocked out to the floor. Ton was standing near him, with a wary face full of angry marks.
- DO YOU NEED ANOTHER PROOF THAT I CAN PROTECT MYSELF! – Ton screamed, his eyes were burning
- No, no….you can come, you can come – Ed answered, recovering and touching twelve different parts of his body.
We tried to discover the truth behind the rusted ball incident, and I deduced, according to the knowledge I gathered at the gate, that he maybe had an innate talent to use the Energy Transmutation, one of the most difficult types of alchemy. But that type of alchemy had been lost for uncountable generations, then how Ton was able to do it; so that only made Ton's mystery even more difficult and interesting, but we didn't have time to decipher it, so that had to wait.
Because Ton wasn't able to perform it at will yet, but he was incredibly advanced in normal alchemy, I made two gloves for himself, with the same TCs that I have in mines, so he could fast perform alchemy to complement his already incredible fight technique.
We were ready to the Journey then, "niisan" and I with our usual black clothes, with the respective dark red and blue coats and with silver chains attached to our pants. Ton was wearing now brown pants and a green T-shirt. What we had in common was that the three of us were using gloves. After grabbing our luggage, we headed to the train station.
Winry was waiting for us there, here eyes shined like the sun.
- Oh! Areugo, I can't just believe that I'm going to touch your ground, automail ground, holy ground…
- Please calm down Winry! You're making everyone to see us like weirdoes – Ed told to her just before she seemed to jump and to shout that she was going to Areugo.
- Oh sorry Ed! It's just because, I feel like…
- You feel like.
- I feel like if I'm going to heaven!-
Winry started running like wind, although the weight of her wallet, full of heavy tools, leaving my brother sighing and murmuring something like "Mechanic freak"
Winry entered to the wagon she was indicated and from there she shouted us – Hurry up or Areugo won't be there for you! – Winry was really showing a part of herself that we didn't know she was at least 1000 times more excited for travelling to Areugo than that Time we travelled to Rush Valley; the place that, until the morning of that day, we supposed was the place where Automail had been created.
After putting Winry's wallet at the wallet place of our compartment, (seemed that I was the only one who could accomplished that nearly impossible task there). We took our sits, and tried to calm Winry, who was near to make another excitement shout. The plan was simple, we were going to reach Central First, and then we would take a train to South City, from there we should take the new train between the countries and go straight to Miran, the nearest important city to Amestris and the place where the first anomalies were seen.
There wasn't anything special in the travel between Rizenbul and Central, except for two times that Ed asked me to use my powers to make Winry to fall asleep, which I responded with a glare and saying that I wouldn't use alchemy against Winry, no matter how restless she was.
We reached Central, where we received some last words from General Mustang, giving us a greeting Card directed to Areugo's Premier, which we will give to the Miran's governor, so he could give it to him. After wishing us good luck, we started our travel to South City.
In the middle of the travel, Ed started talking – We'll have to stay one day until the Train to Areugo leaves, so I was thinking…-
-Huh? – I felt that something was wrong with this.
- What do you want to do Ed? – Ton asked to him.
- Well, I was thinking that we should go to visit our sensei, you know, It's been a while since I was missing at the other country and I want to know how is she, it should be also a good Idea for Ton to know her…
Those last words kept me frozen, and Winry was also at the same state, keeping quiet for the first time in all the travel.
- Er…Is there is something wrong? Don't you want to visit Izumi sensei?
Silence was delayed for some other seconds; then, as if every word dragged a part of my soul with it, I broke it.
- "Niisan"…There is something…that I haven't told you…
The air was cold and pierced like steel knives, it seemed that it was singing a very sad but beautiful Song. Time passed as I was waiting "niisan" to say something, he hasn't said anything since I revealed the true fate of our sensei. And almost an hour had passed since we entered to the graveyard and looked for Izumi's graveyard. He was standing in front of it. I was some meters behind him and Winry and Ton some meters behind me.
That silence was hurting me, even more than any yell, blame or hit would have done.
- Why didn't you tell me? – Where his first words before a long time. His tone was neutral, no happiness, no hate, no anger.
- Was it necessary for you to know? - I replied, trying not to fall into a fault vortex. – We were supposed to be lost on that other world the rest of our lives; so, I thought it wasn't necessary for you to know that. Then all the problems involving our return and Ton's problem became our main matter and I didn't have time to say this to you, although it was pointless to say you that anyway.
- When it happened?
- Some months after I started my travel to search you.
- And how happened, she was attacked or something?
- No, it was a natural disease…well… as natural as you can talk about it. Dante wasn't here anymore and there was no one that could make her medicines. So she rationed the few she had left. But they finally finished. And well… she coughed too much blood and…well… her fate was decided…
- Humph… you sound so cold saying that.
- I'd already spent almost a week crying about that, yet you haven't dropped even a tear.
- I have more important things to do than stay here and remember. I think it would be a discourtesy not to visit Sig's house while we are here. Let's go.
His mood didn't changed in the walk to Sig's house, the house where we trained 6 years ago; serious and wordless, I couldn't deduce what he was thinking, and I didn't want to use my alchemy in someone that I love if circumstances really don't deserve them.
The butchery was as it always has been: a really comfortable place, besides the quantity of blood the occupation produced. The big "Meat" sign at the top of the front door was illuminated by the street light and the open sign was still visible on it. We opened the door and entered the house, to find a big and strong Sig behind the attention desk; however, he seemed to have aged what he hasn't aged in all the time we were here. His hair was nearly all white and there were enormous and dark rings under the eyes, surrounded but wrinkles. He also seemed to have lost a lot of weight.
He seemed having fallen asleep some minutes before we entered to the store; but he was really awake and when he heard us entering he said something like "Good night, what would you want to buy?" but when he saw us he widely opened his eyes and made a weak smile.
-Oh! Winry, "Aru-kun" and "Edo-kun!" What a surprise! So you've returned wherever you were. I think all here owe you an apologize Al.
I deduced that he was talking about the fact that all of them believed that Ed was already death, but I insisted I still feel that Ed was still alive. Then he looked at the face Ed's face.
- Why are you so sad and serious? ... You look like – then he looked at me and I assented – I see…
- Please Mr. Sig I want to have some words with you. – Ed said, but before Sig could make a response, someone that we also know from there appeared running from the entrance. Ed didn't wait a second and punched that guy's cheek really hard with his automail. I thought he'd broken some of his teeth, but he didn't. An injured Mason complained.
- Argh! Why did you do that Ed! – He shouted to my brother.
- You know that I wanted to do that from a long time. Remember that is difficult for me to forget.
- BUT YOU KNOW THEY WERE HER ORDERS!
- And from the time you accepted them you should have noticed that she'll punish you or I'll seek revenge. You make the best decision, however. I've no time for doing anything else. Mr. Sig, could we talk?
- Of course Ed, I have also some questions that I want to ask to both of you. Mason please take care of the store for a while
- Yes Sir Urgh! He said touching his cheek.
I then approached to him and said with a kind voice. -Please forgive him, he'd just known about Izumi sensei's disease and he isn't in a good mood.
- Humph! but I think I should retaliate.
- Considering that he has unexplainable alchemy knowledge and that I also don't forget things; Nope, you shouldn't. – And then I entered to the back-room, Winry and Ton following me.
- I know you surely have lots questions in your head right now Edward; and I, according to Izumi's last will, I'm the one who should respond to all of them; but first please ask my question. – Sig's eyes were as sharp as they use to be in some specific times; but he was being more talkative now than he'd been in all the time we know him.
- Knowing you, Edward; I don't think you could go on a mission for so many years without saying anything to your brother, also considering that he lost all his memories of that time when he was on that suit of armour. First, do you remember now Alphonse?
- Yes, I remember everything now – and for few I was tempted to say "and a lot more, than you really think"
- Well, now I want you to tell me what have you been doing all this years, Ed?
- Well, Mr. Sig I think you should know the truth, but I warn you that is not something that could be believed so easily.
- After everything I had to deal with, I can believe anything.
Ed then made a summary of all the incidents, between the fight with Dante until the day of the attack to Central city.
- Interesting… so there is another world at the other side of the gate… Was Al's body there?
- No, he was trapped between the two dimensions.
- Ok, then, the news we heard here about a massive attack to Central city was caused by invaders from that other world that both you brothers helped to stop.
- Yes – I answered – and to stop the invasion, both of us went to the other world again to destroy the portal. There we taught that we would stay in that world until the end of our lives, really an inferno with a massive war coming in a few years. But thanks to a miracle, we could perform alchemy again and the appearance of this boy and the talisman he had here, we could be able to return here.
- Huh? This boy…
He stared at Ton and his weird looking of a young face and a too well fitted body for a ten years old child, and then he looked at the stone at his neck – that stone is…
- The Philosopher's stone? - Ed answered at the Sig's guess - yes. His name is Anthony; he is also a mystery for us. We found him at the bottom of a forest near the city we were staying at the other world, being attacked by chimeras. He has remembers of his academy being destroyed but nothing before that. Another thing it's weird in him is that he seems to have a natural ability for a strange type of alchemy, or maybe that's what he learnt in his academy. I was hoping to ask sensei about that but…well…
Ed's face suddenly became very sad. Sig suddenly changed conversation.- we also have heard about the last choose of state alchemists. There was one that said that can control its souls at will, was he you Alphonse?
With a smile I took my state alchemist watch and I showed it to Sig – Yep, I'm now the Soul Alchemist!
- Hmm well, you've taken a lot from your brother's style, but that's a symbol I haven't seen in a very long time…since I met Izumi and she was studying with Dante. That symbol was in one of her books, I don't remember what it means tough.
- It is the symbol of the Soul Alchemy, one of the five types of Alchemy that exist in this world
- So that theory was true. How did you learn to use it?
- Well…let's say it's my part of the equivalent exchange….
After a thick and quite large silence. Sig stood up and went to one of the desk that was near there. From a coffin, he took a white letter, and gave it to Ed. The letter had written "to Edward Elric" in its front with Sensei's beautiful handwriting which, although we lived 6 months in that house, we were able to see just few times.
- This is Izumi's last will. She said that if Al's thoughts were right, I'd give this to you when you return here. I don't know what it's said there but it's for you to read it. It's late; you should stay here at night. You brothers have your usual room; you can make a third bed for the boy. Winry please come with me.
The three of us were already at the room that we used to occupy when we were training with Izumi sensei. Ed showed a lot of fear and doubt when he was grabbing Izumi sensei's letter, the one that contained Izumi's last what could it be?
After some minutes of just grabbing it, Ed finally opened it and grabbed from inside a single paper, all written with sensei's handwriting, this is what was written in the letter, as I remember it:
Dear Edward:
Logic says me that you're not longer with us; but both our lives have deceived logic so much times, that a big part of me still wants to believe that Alphonse's hope is true.
That's why I leave this letter; because I think that if Al manages someday to return with you to Dublith, I will surely no longer be here. My medicines are finishing and I feel weaker as time passes, I think that my last fight was too hard considering my state, but I don't have any regrets, being able to help with the recovery of your bodies was one of my last reasons as your sensei.
It was an incredibly relief that Al was found after that incident, and even with his body; but you weren't anywhere, so I thought that now the payment you make for assuring your brother's happiness was too high now. You, stupid brothers. When you will take conscience that one brother's happiness doesn't worth if the other isn't happy too. Al's decision is the proof of it.
Supporting with all his heart the idea that you were still alive, he asked me to teach more alchemy. Moved by his hope, I taught him all that I know, and when he finished his training, he went on a journey to seek you. I hope he had success and that's why I write this letter.
The main reason of this letter is because I want to say goodbye, because we didn't say goodbye the last time we saw at the proper way. I also want to give you my last teaching, one that, maybe because of shortage of time or by the weight of my own sins, I never gave to you.
Try to forget Edward Elric. I know that some wounds are too deep in the flesh, mind and soul to be healed; but at least you could find away to hide them and to not bother you anymore. Just like you hidden your missing limbs with clothes, try to hide mind and soul wounds with happy thoughts and happenings; look at your side and see your brother; he's in his body now, there is no need to continue this foolish search.
And this is my last will: be happy the two of you, because that's what a mother want for her sons, and you have to know that, since the day you became my apprentices, you have been like my sons, I hope you can comply this wish.
I really hope this letter to reach your hands, because that will mean you're safe
Thank you very much Ed, for everything
Izumi Curtis.
Some time passed after he finished reading the letter, and a Death silence filled the room. But then my brother started to cry disconsolately, wrinkling the letter with his hands and wetting it with his tears. The meaning of that cry wasn't needed; I knew that he wanted to do it since he found out about sensei's death, but the image of the strong elder brother he always want to show didn't let him to do that, even on such a painful situation. I got need him and hugged him, starting to cry too; willing to give him what I haven't when I found out it: relief. Ton's silence contrasted our sad chorus, helping us with his comprehension and not doing a question, but also hugging Ed, as the brother he was for us.
- I hope we weren't a charge for you Mr. Sig – a now relieved Ed asked, as all the sadness was washed the night before. We were already outside the house, preparing to go to the train station.
- Don't mind Ed, you know that was Izumi's last wish. Is there any other question you want to ask?
- No everything has been answered now, thanks for everything
Then he looked to Mason, who looked quite frightened when he saw him.
- I'm sorry for yesterday's hit. I wasn't in a very good mood. Please forgive me.
- No problem Ed…if that doesn't happen again…- he then touched his cheek that was inflamed now. All of us laughed then. After that, Ed talked again to Mr. Sig.
- We promise to come to visit you regularly to see how you are.
- I thank your kind offer, but I don't think I'll be here the next time you come here. I've finished my last task in this world, so I think I could go peacefully, where she is resting now.
- I see… Well that means this is farewell.
- Yes, I think so.
- Thank you very much for Everything Mr. Sig. Mason, take care of you.
- Don't problem Ed; and both of you remember I am still here.
Indeed, Sig's words were accurate, since he died by natural death a month after our last meeting. We didn't go to the funeral, though, since we were on a mission then.
Before we reached the train station, we stopped at the Graveyard again.
- Please Winry, Ton, wait here, this won't delay – Ed said. We left our luggage with them and headed to sensei's grave. In front of it, Ed took the letter and transformed it into a bucket of beautiful flowers.
- Thank you very much for everything, sensei – but before he could leave the flowers there, I took his hand and say him – maybe this is our opportunity to make the right choice.
He smiled, meaning that he understood me. Then both of us left the bucket on the grave, saying at the same time –Rest at peace "kaasan".
A/N: Sorry, an hour of delay, but I needed a lot of time to make this chapter as touching as I think it is now
Next Chapter: Areugo, Land of Blood and Iron (Funny Chapter).