Me- Gomen Nasai! Compliments of three months (I think) of taking Japanese lessons I've got three story lines going now and it's so hard to keep up T.T.

Ed- Does that mean you'll leave me alone?

Me- You're not that lucky…

Ed- TT.TT

Chapter Fifteen: Awakened Once More…

Kagome, Inuyasha and the gang all waited just outside the village, they where wondering why Alphonse was taking so long. That and why didn't he want them to take Ed with them? It was about an hour later though that he showed up, he was alone which earned him questioning looks from everyone.

"I just wanted to tell everyone that I appreciate what you all did for me and my brother," Al said when he noticed their stares "And I consider you all friends, that's why I've decided to leave, I'm taking my brother with me."

"What? Why?" Kagome asked.

"Mainly because I don't want him to hurt all of you," Al didn't look at them "He doesn't have the mark as far as I could see…but that doesn't rule out the possibility that he isn't one."

"One what?" Sango asked.

"A homunculus or whatever he called them," Inuyasha said crossing his arms "Sort of like Narakus' demon puppets."

"He wasn't himself, if that isn't a sign then I could be fooling myself. I want to get the old Ed back and having you all around may hinder that. I'm not saying I don't want your company I just don't want him to get distracted and try and hurt you all." Al said, he had looked up at them.

"Distracted? How can he get distracted if I haven't removed the sutra?" Miroku suddenly asked. Al gave him a quick glance then looked at his feet saying,

"It came off…"

"That's not possible, that sutra can only be removed by the one who placed it." Miroku said.

"…"

"What happened Alphonse?" Kagome asked.

"I'm sorry…it came off. All I had to do was pour water on it and it came right off." Al said still not looking at them.

"Water? Of course! The water washed the ink off thus breaking the seal." Miroku punched himself in the head, it was so obvious.

"So where is he now?" Inuyasha asked looking around.

"Well, he hadn't come to when I left to find you guys so…" Al stopped and turned around to look in the direction of the village, there was smoke "Oh dear…"

"Damn." Inuyasha bounded towards the village ready to draw his sword.

"I didn't think he'd wake up so soon! I'm sorry…" Al gave Miroku a worried glance then ran after Inuyasha, the others following close behind.

Back in the village there where burning huts and people bustling about worriedly, when Inuyasha and Alphonse got there they paused.

"What the hell did your brother do?" Inuyasha demanded, Al was speechless, there was no way his brother could do this…was there? That's when he heard something,

"W…who…wh…whoa."

Al looked in the direction of the voice, he saw his brother staggering out of one of the huts, running over to him Al asked,

"Brother! What happened?"

"I…d…"

"What?"

"I did it…"

"Why?"

"I don't know, I felt like it…"

Al looked at Ed worriedly, what kind of reason is that? He didn't want to believe that Ed could do this, how could he cause so much destruction with only one working arm? Edward started towards a nearby hut, he clapped his left hand on his right then touched the building, and it set fire. Al 's jaw dropped, that's how…why? Ed was chuckling slightly as he watched the hut burn, Al didn't like how sadistic he had become, this only motivated him to try harder to get his brothers memories back.

"Brother!"

He turned and looked at Alphonse, a semi-irritated look on his face and replied,

"Yes?"

"Why don't you stop this and come with me? I want to help you remember who you are."

"Didn't we already try it your way?"

"Not really, you didn't give me the chance. Besides, what you're dong…isn't right, deep down I know you think this is wrong and you want to stop don't you?" Al said. Ed just looked at him, he then looked over at Inuyasha who was standing ready with his hand on Tetsaigas' hilt.

"I guess you have a point…" Ed started forwards, he was half way to his brother when he stopped, there was a slight twinge of pain in his head…then the back of his left shoulder and all down his arm started to go numb "…"

Seeing this Al rushed over to his side to see what the matter was,

"Brother?"

"Get away…leave me alone…"

Al tried to put his hand on his brothers' shoulder only to have him pull away, Al caught a slight glimpse of Ed's' shoulder. When his shirt had pulled back Al saw something…he didn't really get a good look but there was definitely something.

"Hold on brother, what's that?" Al asked pointing at Ed's' shoulder, he just got a nasty glare "Brother?"

"I said leave me alone!" he snapped.

"Brother I'm trying to help, you won't start remembering if you keep acting like this!" Al suddenly snapped, he had to do something. Having Ed go from wanting nothing more then to bring his younger brother back to life and regaining his lost memories to being spiteful and in a way cut off from everyone and everything. In so many ways just wasn't right, it was his turn now, which is what Al kept telling himself.

"You're not helping any!" Ed hissed.

"You're not LETTING me help you, I started to but you flew off the handle before any real progress could be seen…brother, just calm down and let me help you. Then we can go home, to granny and Winry and everyone else." Al said.

"You know how you said that deep down I knew what I was doing was wrong?" Ed asked glaring.

"Yes…"

"…"

"What?"

"I can't help but think…maybe…I don't care anymore."

This comment, it sent a wave of shock and horror over Al's body. His eyes widened and he took a step back and shaking his head in disbelief.

"N…no."

"That's right…I don't care anymore…we tried, we failed, such is life. It was 'fun' while it lasted…brother…"

"Shut up! Don't say that! You do care I know you do!" Al shouted.

"Don't get so worked up Alphonse…look at the bright side…I don't care about my arm anymore. I don't care about Inuyasha anymore. I don't care about Kagome anymore. Heck…I don't care about anything anymore!" Ed chuckled.

"You do care!" Al snapped.

"No…no I don't think so…" Ed tilted his head slightly giving Al a mock sympathetic smile "Sorry."

Alphonse clenched his fist together; he couldn't be hearing this. It wasn't his brother speaking anymore, it's almost as if he was…pushed out of the way. He had to try and get his brother talking again.

"You're not my brother, what did you do with him?"

"…?"

"Tell me what happened to brother?" Al demanded.

"Didn't you say I was your brother?"

"You know at first it seemed strange that my brother would so easily go from desperately wanting to bring me back from the dead and getting his memories back, to being spiteful and filled with hate. The minute you said you didn't care…that…it doesn't matter if he has his memories or not, brother always cares! He doesn't just decide off a whim that everything doesn't matter anymore. You…you may have my brothers body but your mind, the way you think…you are not MY BROTHER!" Al said giving him a look, one that he normally never gives, of absolute disgust.

"Heh, well, now that you have everything all figured out what are you going to do now? Little Alphonse?" Ed sneered.

"Get my brother back and get rid of you." Al said.

"Really? How so? Like you said, I'm your brother in body…just not in mind. How are you going to get rid of me if I am your brothers' mind?" Ed asked.

Al hadn't thought of that, his brother must have been through a lot, to have manifested such a monstrous…personality. But it seemed to come and go…a split personality possibly? But that didn't explain what he thought he saw on his brothers shoulder,

"Your left shoulder…it was bothering you wasn't it?" Al said.

"It doesn't matter…its stopped now so who cares?" he replied gazing broadly around the village, a slightly sadistic thought crossed his mind and he didn't mind letting it show. Al narrowed his eyes and asked,

"Then you wouldn't mind showing me…would you?"

Ed's attention turned right back to Al, he had narrowed his eyes and was giving him a very dangerous look. Al on the other hand was unfazed by this, he asked again,

"You wouldn't mind showing me your left shoulder would you? Besides…it doesn't matter," he looked his brother in the eyes "If what I fear is true…then everything will truly…not matter. Show me…"

"If you want…" he was still giving Al a dangerous glare, something was telling him to do this but there was something else trying to stop him. It was an overwhelming darkness that threatened to consume his mind, "Or…maybe not…"

"Brother, what's wrong? Is it you speaking or that…monster?" Al asked.

"…"

"Can you hear me?" Al took a step forward and reached out his hand "Is it you?"

"Heh…" Ed shook his head slightly "help…me…brother…"

-To Be Continued-

Me- Awh, the plot thickens!

Ed- Split personality huh?

Me- Yup .

Ed- Hey, you left it on another cliff hanger

Me- Heheheh…yeah…

Ed- Why do you do that?

Me- Because…I…am…EEEEVIIIILLLL! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! No really, I don't know why it just sort of happens. I end a chapter when I think it should end, so it works out the way I want it to. (Whispers) Ed you die…

Ed- WHAT?

Me- Just kidding! Ha! Oh wait…that's already happened…(remembers the things thrown at me) heh…don't think my head or ego could handle killin' ya again .;;.

Ed- …ooooook -.-