Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or its characters, nor do I own or claim to own the FMA movie. I am just a fan. My ideas are original. If I use another show's ideas or themes, I will list them at the bottom of the chapter. However, I do not intentionally base my work on the work of others.
Author's note: Just a few facts to get you into the story. First, this story takes place three years after the movie, so five years after the anime series. Therefore, the year is 1925, and Ed is 20, and Al is 19.
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Chapter 2: Reluctant Partings
Good – it's still dark out. I get to sleep more.
Al had woken up. The one thing that he loved the most of all since getting his body back five years ago was the ability to sleep. For years before that he could only rest his mind. He never felt human because of that. Now, however, he could sleep forever – and for that he could never thank his brother enough for returning him to his body.
Tonight Al was particularly tired – the two brothers had travelled all the way from London to the United States by steamer. They had landed on shore the previous night. Neither of them could sleep well on the boat – it kept swaying back and forth for days.
As soon as they landed, Edward wanted to trudge on. They took their small bags and kept walking for the whole day until they got to New York. Al followed obediently, never complaining once. He had hoped they could have at least gotten a few hours sleep before heading to New York, but he knew finding the uranium bomb was more important.
Al remembered that during their earlier travels years before, Ed would travel for days without sleep. It wouldn't bother Al though because he never felt anything back then – a soul never gets tired, hungry, or thirsty.
Al turned his head and already started to drift off to sleep. However, just before he fell asleep, he heard Ed mumbling something in his sleep.
"What… not like this…"
He must be having that dream again.
Ed had told Al about that day a long time ago, and that he'd dreamt about it a few times afterwards. Ed explained how he refused to open the gate for the Thule organization only because they were planning to do evil things with it, not because he didn't want to get back to the other side. It made Al feel a little guiltier for opening the gate from his side. He never told Ed how he felt, though. At that time, all Al wanted was his brother back – he was the only family he had left. He didn't think twice when Wrath told him to open the gate. However, when Al saw the hell that he helped unleash, he felt horrible. The only comfort he had about that day was the knowledge that he and his brother were together again.
Al didn't miss alchemy that much. Ed told him that he didn't care either, but every now and again Al would catch him staring distantly at his metal arm. That hurt Al the most – knowing that he couldn't do anything to help his brother get his normal arm and leg back. In this world – with no alchemy – it would be impossible. Not to mention the gates were destroyed.
I'm sorry I didn't fulfill my promise to you, brother. Don't hate me…
Ed had woken up. Al could hear him tossing around in his bed and cursing under his breath.
I'm sorry, brother.
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The next time Al woke up, it was to the sound of chirping birds. The ticking clock on the wall said it was 8:30. Al flew out of bed so fast that he got tangled up in the sheets and fell forward. He stood up quickly, throwing the sheets back on the bed.
"8:45? Oh no! Brother will be angry – we were supposed to be gone by 8:00."
Sure enough, Ed's bed was neatly made, and his things were neatly packed in his bag.
Well, at least his things are still here. He didn't leave yet.
Al knew Ed would never leave him for good. However, there was one time where he got a 'head start'. Al had to run all morning to catch up with Ed. Al never got angry though – he understood his brother. There were times when he meant business. After that day, Al made sure not to be late again. He knew Ed would have done that to get his point across. It was just until they found this uranium bomb, though. After that, Ed said the two of them could sleep in all day every day.
Ed could hear movement in the adjoining room. He stopped eating for a moment to confirm the sounds were indeed Al.
Ah, he's up. Good. We can get going shortly.
Ed had thought about waking up his little brother, but he knew that he had pushed Al really hard the last few days. All the while, Al never complained once.
There's no harm in hitting the road a little late. Besides, we'll be more productive.
The extra time in the morning gave Ed the chance to buy a full meal for the two of them.
When Al stumbled into the room, hopping on one foot trying to shove his boot on, Ed smiled a little inside. He still hadn't gotten over the joy of seeing Al inside his old body.
"I'm sorry! I – I didn't mean to sleep so long, brother!"
"Relax, Al. Worrying so much will give you a headache. I thought we could do with a decent sleep for once. Besides, I got food."
Ed resumed shoving food into his mouth, coming up periodically for air and for water.
This is MUCH better than that crap they tried to feed us on that ship! thought Ed.
Al sat quietly and took a few bites of food. Ed was watching him over the rim of his bowl. For some reason he felt like Al wanted to say something.
"Br-brother?" he eventually said timidly
Ed glanced up over his bowl. "Yeah?"
"Well… I was thinking." Should I even bring this up? He seems to be in a good mood… "Well, it's just that maybe we should go the church and light a candle for… you know… Noa."
Ed stopped eating and put his bowl down. Not so much for what Al had said, but because his bowl was empty. He flinched a little at the sound of her name. He started into the empty bowl. He stood up, letting the chair scrape across the floor, and crossed the room and grabbed the morning's paper.
"You should eat the rest of that. We probably won't be stopping again until dinner tonight, and I don't want you to be hungry." His voice was quiet.
With that, Ed left the kitchen.
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Berlin, January 1923. (Two years earlier)
Ed was standing in front of a small house. He figured there must have been four or five people living inside from the amount of laundry that was hanging on the clothes' line. Some of it he recognized to be hers.
Damn… I hope she doesn't hate us for ignoring her like this.
He and Al had been busy rummaging through the libraries of Berlin for the past three and a half months. They weren't intentionally ignoring her. Obviously. They were just busy finding out what they could about uranium bombs. Ed and Al were trying to find the uranium bomb that Masuyo had created back in their world, five years ago. Ed figured that by now there must be at least a few books about his work.
The two of them were leaving for London tomorrow night. They were getting nowhere in Berlin, and had heard whispers of a 'new technology' that was emerging in London.
Damn it… why do I always do this?
Ed was referring to the countless times he left the people he supposedly cared about.
Winry… Rose… and now you. I'm sorry.
It was hard for Ed to explain his feelings towards her. When he first laid eyes on the girl, he felt like he was 'home' when he was with her. That's the only reason he risked his life taking on three armed guards to help her escape. Later, he realized that he only felt that way because she looked like someone from his past.
Suddenly, the door of the house opened.
"What are you doing out there? You'll freeze! Come in, Edward."
"Oh…! Thank you." Edward smiled and quickly stepped into the house. He just realized that he was in fact a little cold.
"I'm sorry to be a bother, Madam, but I was wondering if I could speak with Noa? Is she out at the moment? I can wait for her."
The old woman smiled weakly.
"Yes Edward, she is in. Its just that… well, ever since you and your brother left her in our care, she took a turn for the worse."
Ed felt his stomach jump. What? that can't be… she was perfectly healthy when we left…
"No Edward, physically Noa is fine." It was as if the old woman knew what he was thinking. "Its just… well, it's best you see her for yourself. She has been wishing to speak with you for some time, now."
The old woman silently led Ed through a candle-lit hallway to a small room. She knocked twice on the door. Despite not hearing a reply from inside, she turned the knob and let Ed step inside the room.
Edward had to allow his eyes to focus to the bright light that filled the small room. The room was cluttered with books, papers, and images of… No, thought Ed that can't be. There's nothing here about that stuff.
Suddenly he was aware of someone standing behind him. He turned his head, and saw it was Noa. Ed took a small step back when he realized how close she was standing to his face.
"N-Noa", said Ed, blushing slightly. He cleared his throat. He was taken aback at how much unlike herself she looked. Her hair was tied in a messy bun, and her eyes were lifeless and tired.
"Oh Ed – I thought you never would have come! I thought you had left me here… Ha ha ha – but how foolish of me. Of course you didn't leave me! You came back for me!"
Noa was almost singing her words. Ed was worried… is this what the old woman meant – about Noa taking a turn for the worse.
"You see, Edward – I have been hard at work trying to build you another gate." She moved over to a pile of books that was lying in the middle of the floor and pushed them aside. Underneath, Edward realized what was drawn on the floorboards – it was the same alchemy circle that he used to open the gate.
"Noa – what is this? Why…?
"Oh Edward – you're so stupid". Noa's voice suddenly turned hard. "Don't play games with me. I don't like them. Don't you see? Ever since you left me here, I've been working hard to make another gate to your world. I mean, why else did you come back?"
"Noa – please. You don't understand. The gates have been destroyed. You saw me do it myself – remember?"
"No Ed. I can't believe that. You loved that world. I saw how much you smiled when you spoke to me about it. Remember, Ed? It was a place for me – my own world. You came back for me. You came back to take me to that place."
Suddenly Ed's mind flashed back to that day when he reappeared from the ship, back on this side of the gate. He remembered how vacant Noa's stare was at him. He had just thought that she was shocked to see him back. He had no idea that she thought he'd take her back with him…
"I've been studying hard, too Edward. I remember everything from that day. I that man get sacrificed – so the only thing I need to complete this gate is a human sacrifice. After that…"
"Noa – listen to me!" Ed was stern now. He couldn't be gentle in this matter anymore. "You have no idea what you're talking about. This world doesn't have alchemy. It doesn't work here. You can't open a gate here with human blood. The only reason the gate even opened the first time was because the man you saw sacrificed wasn't… normal. He was from the other side of the gate… he was… he wasn't a normal human. It's hard for me to explain. Just please trust me!"
"Noa, he wasn't human. The gate won't just open with any blood. You can't do this. Not even I can do this!"
"Please Edward". Tears were streaming down her face. "Please – I hate this place. I need to be somewhere where I am safe and truly free. The war is over for now… but for how long?"
Suddenly, without thinking Edward suddenly said "You can come with Al and I. That's the reason I came over here in the first place. We wanted to take you with us to London. Did you hear that, Noa – London! A whole new city, and a whole new country. You wanted your own place, right?"
Ed didn't know what Noa's reaction would be.
Between sniffles, Noa agreed to go along with them.
Ed silently sighed a sigh of relief. "Well come by to pick you up at 9:00 in the morning. Pack light."
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The next morning, Ed and Al knocked on the door of Noas house. The old woman greeted them again. This time, she looked even grimmer than she did the previous night.
Edward sensed something was wrong.
Damn it, Noa. Why must you be obsessed with this thing?
Ed flung himself past the woman and hurried towards Noas room door. What he found, though, was not what he expected to find. There, on the floor, in the middle of alchemy circle, lay a man, a large serpent, and Noa, all dead. Blood was everywhere. It didn't take long for Ed to realize what had happened. Noa assumed that she could recreate Envy using a large snake, and the man was used as a substitute for Hohenheim. Both the serpent and the man were slit at the neck.
Edward fell to his knees.
When she realized her work didn't open the gate, she killed herself.
Just then, Al had run up behind Edward and let out a small gasp.
"She wanted it so badly… I had no idea. I shouldn't have left her" Ed whispered.
She did everything she could to find happiness. Thought Alphonse. Brother and I would have done nearly anything to get our bodies back. I suppose she's not much different us.
The two brothers delayed their trip to London. Instead, they went to a nearby church. Neither one of them believed in this world's God, but they knew Noa did. All they could do now for her was light a candle.
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Ok then - I didn't expect to add another chapter too soon, but I got an idea. I still don't know if I like how I ended Noa's life... Hmm... I'm just picky. Believe it or not, I wrote four other possibilities. But I hated the others. I just didn't want this chapter to go on for ages. I also didn't want to make it seem like an afterthought. I definitley wanted her suicide to seem plausible from where she was left off in the movie. Well, PLEASE let me know if you liked this chapter... I might (might is emphasized here) change this chapter (Noa's part) if I get a better idea later. However, I'm pleased with how it is now. Thanks for now for the reviews, though. I'm glad some poeple are liking it!
