Hey, everybody! Sorry that I didn't update yesterday. fanfictiondotnet was giving me trouble, heh, so yeah, sorry about that. Hope that you like this chapter.
And hey, just so you guys know, I can't constantly keep Ed hopping from body to body, can I? Hehe...He needs his own body some of the time, or else the plot won't move foreward. Heh. If you don't like that, then why are you even reading a zombie story? Is it because it has my name on it? Hehehe
Disclaimer: I don't own FullMetal Alchemist. Nope, don't own it. I just like to make Ed think I do, so shhh...don't tell him.
Ed: I heard that!
Oops.
Roy drove his car for a while, way out into the woods. Finally, when he couldn't drive the car any farther, he stopped the car and announced that they would have to walk the rest of the way to a safe hiding place.
The three people climbed out of the car and began making their way through the dense woods. Edward was the slowest of the three, since he was trying hard not to make his body fall apart too much. He didn't know how long he was going to have to use it, after all.
Finally, after a few hours of pushing through the dense underbrush, they came upon a clearing. Roy and Al decided that that would be as good a place as any to make camp. Ed didn't really care, since he didn't feel the need to rest, but he let them make the decision about that, since he was no longer mortal, and couldn't tune into mortal needs any longer.
A short time later, after a bunch of dead branches had been gathered and Roy had started the fire, the three people were sitting around it. Roy and Al asked in its warmth, which was something that Ed couldn't enjoy, but he did enjoy watching the flames themselves.
Edward sighed and pulled his cloak even tighter over his face. He had never bothered to look at himself in a mirror, but he wondered how ugly he was. His face must've been pretty gruesome to make people react to him the way they did. Even Al reacted negatively to him. His own brother was afraid of him. He choked back a sob. He knew he wasn't supposed to cry. Zombies didn't cry, did they? He couldn't have cried anyway, even if he'd wanted to. Only a living body can produce tears.
Roy broke the awkward silence by saying, "So, FullMetal, what's it like…you know…being dead?"
Edward readjusted his cloak. "It's not like anything, it just is. It's a perfectly natural part of existence, so most people can accept it fairly well. I, on the other hand…" His voice trailed off.
Roy understood. He had died quite young, and probably wasn't ready to let go of his life yet, and definitely not his brother. Al finally got the courage to speak. "Brother…are you crying?" Al had noticed the moodiness that his brother seemed to be displaying, and strangely, grew concerned.
"Of course I'm not crying!" Edward yelled, "Zombies don't cry!" His voice cracked, and he lowered his head.
"That was pretty close to a cry," said Al, "You still wish you were alive, don't you?"
Edward lifted his head back up and looked into Al's face. "Al, you have no idea just how much I wish for that, every moment of every day. I hate being dead, and having to watch helplessly as you struggle through the day."
"You've been watching me?" asked Al.
"Every second of every day," answered Edward. "You're dearer to me than anything. Even death can't change that."
Tears began to run down Al's cheeks. This really was his brother, living or not. He didn't see any reason to be afraid of him any longer.
"Brother, I'm sorry that I was so afraid of you. It just took me awhile to accept the situation. I still love you, and I always will."
"You…still love me?" Edward's voice was shaky. Had he been able to cry, he would have been crying rivers right then.
"Yes, I still love you," said Al, reaching out to touch Ed's shoulder. It was an eerie feeling, since his shoulder was cold and devoid of life, but Al wanted his brother to know that he wasn't going to be afraid of him anymore.
Roy flinched. He was so touched to see the brothers' love that transcended even death. He'd never seen that kind of love and devotion anywhere else.
After Al and Roy had eaten a simple meal that they had cooked over the fire, they lay down and prepared to go to sleep. Al couldn't sleep just yet, however, so he crawled over next to Edward.
"Brother, are you awake?"
"I'm always awake. I don't sleep anymore."
"Oh…right," said Al, awkwardly, "Can I come and chat with you until I'm ready to fall asleep?"
"Be my guest," said Edward.
Al lay himself down next to Edward, and placed his hands behind his head. "Remember how we used to look up at the stars like this when we were young?"
"I remember," said Edward, "And we also used to make up our own constellations and create stories to go with them."
"I remember that," Al chuckled. "I wonder what's beyond the stars."
"Beyond the stars are many other galaxies full of stars, all contained in this same universe," said Edward, "But there are many other universes too, each with their own millions and billions of galaxies with millions and billions of stars."
Al chuckled. "Is that one of the perks of being dead, having access to knowledge like that?"
Edward half-smiled, "I guess, when you put it that way. It still doesn't beat living though."
"Some people actually welcome death though," said Al, "Is it really as miserable as you say it is?"
Edward sighed. "No, death is not the enemy. I just died before my time, and I'm still having a hard time dealing with that. I should be alive now and in the prime of youth, not dead."
"That is true," said Al, sadly, "You did die way before your time. I'm glad you're back though."
Edward sighed. "I won't be able to stay for very long though."
"Why not?" asked Al.
"Because I was only able to come here because I had an important mission to fulfill. Once I complete the mission, I must go back."
"And you don't know any way around that?"
"No," Edward shook his head. "If I did, I would have done it long before now."
"Well," said AL, "I'll miss you when you're gone, but I'm glad that you're here now. If you need to use my body again, go ahead. I won't resist this time."
Edward chuckled. "Thanks."
The two talked for a little bit longer, until Al finally started getting tired. "I'm afraid that I have to go to sleep, Brother."
"I understand, Al; have a good night's sleep."
"Good night," he yawned and then fell asleep almost instantly.
Edward continued to stare at the stars while the two men slept, since he had no need for sleep. Even if I can't be a living, breathing, human being, I do wish that I could at least spend my existence in this plane with Al, he thought. Isn't there any way, at all?
He decided that he would meditate on that the rest of the night, so he closed his eyes, and pretended to sleep.
Hope that you all enjoyed that chapter. For those of you who don't know, I just wrote a oneshot story called "Lost and Found Characters". It's really cute, so if you like cute, you should go and read it, hehe. (Heh, I have to advertise the story myself, being a oneshot, since it only appears once on the frontpage, hehe.)
Okay, now, if you liked the chapter, please do me the favor of leaving a review, please? Even if you just say "Blah" that something, at least!
