Illusion of the Bluebird

By Gozilla

A/N: I am terribly sorry for the huge delay as many things happened in the past few months. Thanks a lot to all who you have read and / or left a review! Hope you will enjoy this chapter.

Special Thank: I would like to give my special thank to Hitokiri-san for beta-ing my story and correct my messy English! Thanks a lot!

Credits: Please refer to the previous chapters. Again, many thanks to the BBI team, kier and h2oblue! You are the best!

Summary: (Spoiler to Bluebird's Illusion and the TV series) The Elric brothers had finally found the philosopher's stone and Al was finally restored. But there was something wrong with Al's body. Would Ed find the solution in time?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything and I don't have anything. So don't sue me!

Please excuse my poor English. -

Reviews are most welcomed!

Enjoy!

Chapter 8 Equivalent trade

-Next morning-

"Al!" Edward shouted as he rushed out from the bedroom, "Why didn't you wake me! It is already 10 o'clock! I am late for work!"

"Don't worry, niisan." Al said calmly. "I have applied three days sick leave for you, so that you can rest more at home. General Mustang has already approved it. "

"What?" Edward said, uncomfortable, "But I still have a lot of work to finish..."

"You should rest." Al insisted. "Although you did not say it, I know that you have not fully recovered from the transmutation. Now, go back to bed. We will go to the market together when you wake up, okay? We haven't been shopping together for quite a while." And he gently pushed his brother back to the bedroom.

Edward looked at his brother in amazement. It was unusual for his normally gentle brother to make decisions for him like this. But knowing that Al was just worried about his health, Edward pushed the thought aside and went back to bed. Exhausted as he was, it took him less than a minute to fall into a deep and comfortable sleep.

-In the late afternoon-

"Al, sorry for waking up so late." Edward said, watching the sunset absently as they walked along the street. "I can't believe I've slept for a whole day."

"Don't worry." Al smiled. "There is a night market near the Central Park tonight. So it doesn't really matter."

The brothers enjoyed the evening in the market.

When they finally got home, it was almost midnight. Edward took a shower while Al went to put the groceries into the kitchen. Edward was slightly relieved, when he checked on the wound on his arm, that it had not worsened over the day. After taking the shower, he went to the living room, expecting Al to be there.

But no one was there.

Edward went around the house and found no trace of his brother. He was starting to get worried when he heard soft noises coming from the backyard.

Edward went to the backyard and was relieved to see Al there, bending over something on the ground.

"Al, what are you doing?" Edward asked, curious.

"Come and have a look at this." Al said as he stood up.

Edward walked over and saw a small plant. "What is this?"

"I planted it." Al smiled softly. "This is called the firefly grass. It only flowers during the night. In the legend, when you hold the flower near your heart and pray, the person you are thinking of will be able to feel your thoughts, no matter how far apart you are."

"Al, I can't believe you actually take that seriously."

"Niisan."

"What is it, Al?"

"I was just thinking," Al said as he looked at the small plant, "that even if we didn't have the flower and we were apart, you can still feel my thoughts of you, right?"

"Of course." Edward replied, smiling, "and I am sure you will feel mine too."

"Yes."

The brothers looked up to the sky and saw the clear full moon shining on them. They knew that the bond in their hearts was inseparable.

-Midnight-

Edward was woken by the sharp pain radiating from his left arm. He frowned as he saw blood soaking through the bandages and all over his sleeves and the bed sheet. Quietly, he sneaked into the bathroom without waking his brother.

Quickly, he unwrapped the bandages. He was shocked to find that the wound had grown overnight, forming some kind of pattern around half of his arm.

"How come..." Edward murmured in disbelief, not knowing what to do.

Suddenly, Al's sleepy voice came from the bedroom, "Niisan? Are you all right? Why are you up so late?"

"I... I am fine." Edward lied, "Go back to sleep, Al." Quickly, he wrapped his arm with fresh bandages. After making sure that Al was asleep, Edward quietly changed the blood-stained bed sheet and his night dress. Knowing that Al would probably find out if he threw them into the rubbish bin, Edward hid the blood-stained bandages, clothes and bed sheet under his bed.

Edward climbed back to bed and tried to sleep. However, the pain from his arm kept him awake. He turned and tossed on the bed until dawn and fell asleep in exhaustion.

Edward woke at around noon. Al did not disturb his brother and had let him sleep as much as he needed. The brothers decided to go to the town hall for lunch and shopping.

They meandered in the market for an hour and came to the Central Park.

"Niisan, Can you wait here while I buy our lunch?" Al noticed that Edward was getting tired after an hour's walk.

"Okay. Be careful." Edward said as he sat on a bench in the park. He felt total exhausted, and the pain radiating from the wound on his arm was getting worse over time. He did not say a word about his condition as he knew that it would worry Al. He didn't want to spoil his brother's fun.

Edward let out a soft sigh of pain once Al was away. He held his left arm tightly; the pain was getting unbearable.

Edward felt as if the world around him had started to spin. Darkness threatened to overtake him as he heard the strange, yet familiar voice he had perceived during the transmutation.

"Come to us, Edward Elric." the voice whispered. "Come to us as you have promised."

"Who is that?" Edward asked softly; his mind was starting to get clouded. "Who is talking to me?"

Semi-consciously, Edward stood and walked towards the town, his mind completely overtaken by an unknown force. He reached a dark alley and someone emerged from the shadow to meet him.

"Hello, ochibi-san, I have been waiting for you." Envy addressed Edward. His voice carried a teasing note to it. .

Edward stared blankly into the air and did not respond.

"Listen, Fullmetal chibi," Envy stepped forward and grabbed Edward's neck forcefully. "Don't forget your promise. You will go to Father as arranged - don't you dare betray your promise." He pushed Edward away, making him fall to the ground bonelessly. Envy then retreated into the shadow and disappeared.

After a few minutes, Edward regained consciousness. "How did I get here?" Edward asked himself, very confused. Unable to remember anything since he arrived at the Central Park, Edward decided to go home.

"I am home." Edward said as he went into the house. "Al? Are you here?"

"Stupid brother!" Al shouted angrily. He had a sudden urge to strangle his brother. "Where have you been? I have been looking for you all over the place!"

"I... hmmm..." Edward did not want to make his brother worried with his strange behaviour; not to mention that he could not explain his own disappearing act, either. "I am really sorry. I... just got bored and wandered around a bit. Sorry if I did not come back on time. I promise I won't do that again."

"Please don't do that again." Al reprimanded softly. Though he was not completely convinced by Edward's explanation, he decided not to push on the topic. "Now go and get a shower. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

Edward was relieved that Al did not ask further questions on his disappearance. He went to the bathroom and prepared to take a bath. When he looked at the mirror, he was shocked to see that, though the wound over his arm had stopped bleeding, it had wound around his whole left arm and shoulder.

Suddenly, Edward remembered the voice he had heard just before he lost consciousness, both in this afternoon and back during the transmutation.

"The transmutation is incomplete. What price are you willing to pay for completing the transmutation of your brother?"

"Equivalent trade." Edward murmured sadly as he held his left arm tightly, dull pain radiating from the wound. "I paid the price for Al's body. But how long will this body last? How much longer I can stay with Al?"

He found that he did not hold the answers to both questions.

End of Chapter 8

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I promise you that the next chapter will come shortly! -