I'm very sorry about the horrible delay, but I had some problems making this chapter. I made it three times as I hated the first two ones. But I love this version and it is a very good start for the first major fights in my fic. Please Enjoy it .
"I finally could look inside her soul, inside her mind, an incredible suffering, something that made me to remember my own past."
Alphonse Elric.
Chapter 12: One of the Five Originals
A horrible tense sensation filled the room; Aurora was looking across the big window without saying any word; and "niisan" was staring at her from a sofa at the other side of the room; the last words he had said shocked all the people inside that room, overall me.
Everything started when we went to the meeting we accorded with the Arendoshian alchemist that day; "Niisan" stayed all the rest of the last day at our hotel, thinking, reading the "history for Noobs" book, the Book that had the legend of the Five Alchemists and some registries that the our Arendoshian Translator gave him; I couldn't guess why he wanted them and he didn't gave me a good answer then, he just told me "later, Al, later"
And regarding my investigation about the anomalies, I couldn't bring out anything new. Bringing out information from people that don't talk your language, that are obsessed with family, food and Automail, and if your translator is also obsessed with automail, it's completely impossible, believe me.
"Niisan" was quite cheerful that morning, although he went to bed very late the last night. He started talking about some very interesting things that he had discovered when he was investigating whatever he was investigating. At the middle of the morning the man in greed appeared again, saying that Aurora requested another meeting with us. Winry made plans with other Automail mechanics, so she left before us.
Aurora was waiting us at the entrance of her mansion, something strange when you're the owner of such a house.
- I was waiting for you Elric brothers- she said, looking at the three of us –Please come in, I have something very important to say you about the anomalies.
We entered the house and went to the main hall; the same place where we had our last meeting. We sat at the same places and then Aurora started talking.
- There is something very interesting with the anomalies; they seem to be able to swallow the matter around them. Observing one of them, I saw the surrounding clouds being swallowed by it. The most interesting thing is that when the phenomena ended, the clouds completely disappeared. The question is where did they go? Do you remember any phenomena that also swallow matter, not leaving a trace of them in the place they were?
- Are you meaning that those anomalies could be some manifestations of the Gate?
- Probably, but that will imply that there is an alchemist trying to open it, and that he had failed in some way, producing this strange phenomena.
Trying to open the gate? Then I remembered that we returned at the time those things started. Could we be the responsible of them? Nah, that was too improbable, a side effect of an experiment wouldn't happen at kilometres of the site where the experiment was done
- Well, that is a possibility, but I doubt it – that was Ed response, concise and concrete. After a while, Aurora started to talk again, with the kindest voice I thought she could have.
- You know Elric Brothers; you three have very unique talents. You could use them to help a lot in our research for the future. As all of us say, in the future is the solution of the problems. To find new ways to make more advanced technology, we could end with a lot of problems that punish our current lives, and to leave a new world for the future generations.
- Are you talking about the group of the ten alchemists? We would make an odd number, you know.
- I didn't think you believed in superstitions Ed; but I'm not talking about that group, I'm talking about an elder and wiser and more privileged society. Full of incredibly talented alchemists, that shares the same hope. All of the Ten are part of that society.
- That's very interesting indeed – Edward replied, slurping his tea – but why we haven't heard anything about it, even if they have a social objective of that magnitude? And what's the name of that society anyway?
- We preferred not to put a name to the society, because a name encages a person and an organization in just one identity. We are a nameless society that is only guided by its ideal.
At the time she was saying that, her voice resembled a lot of joy and some type of fanaticism, but I had the feeling that all of that was just a fake.
- I'm sorry but I have to regret – Ed's answer was quick and thunderous. It made the three of us to give complete attention to him – you said that the ten are also part of that society, and I know that two alchemists, Dante and Hohenheim of light, were also considered part of the ten. I also know that those alchemists managed to create the elusive Philosopher's stone, but dooming an entire city for their selfish purposes; If that society is as big, wise and old as you say; they must know that the Philosopher's stone is not a legend but a reality; and I can't stand if they allow their creation knowing the high price needed to make it.
and besides, if that society is as old as powerful as you say, I'm sure they, in fact produce and use Philosopher's stone for themselves. Dante and Hohenheim of light were born more than 400 years ago but in fact, Hohenheim was my father; both of them used the power of the stone to enlarge their lives by bonding their souls to another body, but their process became unstable and, at least him, quitted using it.
Since the first time I entered this house, I felt something strange. Alphonse and even Anthony also felt that. There is some kind of waves that feels that place and they are very annoying for us. As alchemists that have seen the gate, we are very susceptible to sources of alchemic power; overall the strong ones. I'm particularly familiar with that kind of wave, and although it is not strong enough, I'm sure about the nature of those waves. And although this question could be insulting for a "normal" woman, I ask: How old are you, Mrs. Mendier?
- Where are you trying to bring this conversation? – Mendier asked, glaring at him.
- I still remember something since my childhood days – Ed said, ignoring Aurora's question – before father left the house, there was a horrible and very strong smell that felt the entire atmosphere in and around my house. More than 10 years later, I smelled the same fragrance at Dante's house. Later, my father told me that they needed to use that perfume to hide the rotten smell produced by their unspeakable sin.
Although that smell is not felt here, I'm pretty sure that something like that has happened here; those waves betray you, those waves are the ones of the Philosopher's stone, Aurora Mendier; or should I say Amelia Menderreidev, one of the Five Originals!
That question was made with so much energy that Anthony almost jumped from his couch. Aurora kept petrified for some seconds with her mouth half opened and her cup of tea broken in tears around her feet, with almost half of its original contents wetting and tanning her fine dress. She then stood up and walked towards the big window in front of us, showing her back to us. She wasn't prepared for that question, none of us were in fact, and that was evident. No matter what she did after that, she was under Ed's control, and he wouldn't let her escape before are our doubts were clarified.
And that was our situation there, Aurora looked helpless through the precious window, while I wanted to ask a lot of things to Ed, like how he discovered that, but I understood that that wasn't the moment to start interrogating the interrogator. Meanwhile, fingers crossed, he seemed to be expecting Amelia aka Aurora's next movement, While Anthony seemed as bored as a young kid at the middle of an adult's conversation, but still attentive enough to remember everything that was happening there.
After what seemed an hour to me, Aurora spoke again. Her kind voice was completely banished and it seemed more like an exaggerated version of the petulant voice she had the first time we met her.
- You really have guts to come here to make such an accusation, Fullmetal Alchemist. But I'm very curious: how do you reached that conclusion?
- That wasn't that difficult since we felt the resonance of the stone the first time we came here. We know from experience that not everyone is able to do one, so I thought that even if you're called one of the ten, you'll need at least an experience like my father's to make one.
- But that's only your point of view, you can't be accusing all the great alchemists you meet in your way that they're as old as a mountain.
There was something incredibly out of place with that answer. How could she say something like that as an answer before of the scene she had just made?
- And besides, you also know how to do a Philosopher's stone Edward, don't you? I not, could explain the existence of that thing?
She turned and pointed to Anthony's neck, where the red stone pended.
- Very interesting indeed…does it really necessary that quantity of experience to create that artefact? I also feel some strange waves but from that kid…then, are you an old men disguised in a teenager's outfit?
- The story of that stone is different than everything we've talked about until now and...
Ed suddenly stopped, his face changed a lot as if he had just discovered something unpleasant.
- You're delaying us… you've maintaining us here until something happens, talk know what are you planning! – Ed, stood up and put his hands together in a menacing way.
- is too late now Elric, the time has already come.
Mendier clapped his hands and something that seemed to be metallic roots raised from the floor, entangling Ed and prevented him to move
- "niisan"! – Me and Ton exclaimed at the same time, but when we stood up, the same roots paralyzed us.
- I offered you to join the ancient society, but that society doesn't leave a greatly potential member to go so easily. Don't worry; we have very good ways to convince people.
- LET US GO YOU…!
Suddenly the room became dark and in front of us, a red uroboros, stabbed by a four winged sword appeared in front of us, from there, something like seemed to be a very pale and thin human dressed in all dark appeared. I then remembered the attack occurred in central a month ago, he was one of the attackers.
- Oh! But this is very interesting, very interesting indeed. – The homunculus said, seeing us with an evil grin at his face. – Thank you very much Mendier, you have done one of the jobs that we, the brothers, had to do in the future.
A/N: this is also the shortest chapter I've done in a long time. Although all of my readers think that this is a good fic, some of them think that the chapters are too long. So I promise to try since now to sumarize the happenings in less words, but remember that it would depend in the amount of inspiration I had.
the next chapters will be changed to third person POV, and from then, the battle Phases will be in third POV, I'll start doing the next chapter as long as I finish the next of my other fic. Thank you very much you all
Next Chapter: Perfect Human Transmutation.