AN: The characters and concepts of Fullmetal Alchemist belong to Hiromu Arakawa. This story revolves around the first anime of Fullmetal Alchemist, not the manga. Do not flame because of that small difference, I've read the manga and seen the real anime that follows it, but the first anime is what captured my heart about FMA, so this story is tribute. Enjoy the story. The lyrics are "Momentum" by The Hush Sound, I do not own the lyrics to the song. - Carrie.
"You are the dark ocean bottom, and I am the fast sinking anchor.
Should I fall for you, should I fall for you?
You are the scar on my tissue, that I show all of my new friends.
Should I show you me, should I show you me?
All we need is a little bit of momentum.
Breakdown these walls, that we've built around ourselves."
The young alchemists go up the sidewalk of one of the main food districts of Central, trying to find a restaurant that opens for earlier dinner times. Most of the restaurants are closed until at least six o'clock. One cafe owner looks down at the two teens that are linked by the elbow through the glass door, pointing downward at the handwritten sign of times the establishment is open. Ed shakes his head and raises his voice to be heard from the other side, "Yes, we know! But we don't know how much time we have and I really want to squeeze a dinner in!" Carlina just looks back and forth, watching the owner rub his fingers together as a sign for 'money'. Sighing and pulling out his wallet, Ed holds it open so the owner can see the large stack of paper bills inside, "We wouldn't skip out on paying, I have enough. I'll even pay extra to be seated away from the windows!"
For a moment the owner looks deep in thought. Shrugging, he unlocks the door and ushers the alchemists inside, leading them to a small table for two away from the sight of the street. "Thanks," Ed pulls out Carlina's chair for her. She blushes but sits, smiling.
Ordering drinks and a large sampler of all the various meal-type pastries, the two sit in silence for a short time. Ed's hands are clasped on the table in front of him while Carlina's lie in her lap. He clears his throat and she looks up, face going red from the intense way he stares at her. "Yes…?" "You know, for a while, something has been bothering me," Ed moves his hands so the drinks and the platter can be put between them. He forgets his thoughts as he picks up one of the slivers on the plate, Carlina follows suit. Time passes in silence as the two try the samples. They laugh and make approving sounds before each ordering the food they liked best, descending into silence again when the empty platter is swept off their table.
Sipping her chocolate milk, she stares amused as Ed drinks a glass of water. Gesturing for the waiter, she whispers something in his ear. Before their meals are ready, a large milkshake with whipped cream, cherries and two bendy straws is placed between them in the middle of the table. He raises his eyebrow at the drink before his gaze drifts up to Carlina, "What's that?"
"Only one of the most amazing drinks I have ever tasted, you like strawberries, right," she gushes, grinning from ear to ear as Ed looks even more skeptical. "Well, yeah, but...what is in that thing," he stirs the shake with the straw a bit, discouraged when stirring only reveals creamy pink liquid. "Trust me," Carlina briefly touches his hand on the straw before taking a large sip from her own straw. She closes her eyes and grins at the taste. Hearing the sound of the other straw being used, she opens her eyes and expectantly watches Ed. He looks momentarily confused before grinning and taking another sip, "Wow, this is pretty good." "I know, this cafe has always had excellent milkshakes," Carlina giggles from the look of horror on her date's face. "There's milk in this!?"
She laughs as he stares from the glass to her, pushing her hair from her eyes. "Don't think about it, just focus on the flavor," she coaches, taking another sip and looking up at him as she does so. Ed blushes and looks away, making her sit up and tilt her head at him. He grabs his napkin and reaches to dab at her mouth, removing the milkshake that was in the corner. They both blush darker, returning to their silence as their meals arrive.
After a few bites, Carlina looks up at Ed, "So, what were you trying to say earlier?" He blinks with his mouth full of food. Once the teens stop giggling at each other and he swallows, he clears his throat. "Well, it's strange. Like the more I look at you, the more I feel like I know you from somewhere-" "-Yeah, traveling together-" "-Oh, ha-ha, I never thought of that….but seriously, that's weird, isn't it?" His question hangs in the air as she directs her attention to her plate. She pushes her food around a bit before eating more. Resigned, he goes back to eating. Halfway through their meal he looks up to see her looking back at him. "Uh?" "My parents were the Hypnotic Alchemist and Steel Will Alchemist," she starts talking. Ed looks confused but the look she gives him pleads him to bear with her, forcing his mouth shut.
"They were talented Bio-Alchemists, working in research with another woman I only faintly remember. Through this, my mother was able to develop her alchemy to simulate hypnosis in the human body, through rewiring hormones and neurons to her will. She could make people believe or do anything she wanted them to...or forget anything she wanted them to," Carlina makes sure he is following along before she takes a pause to get a drink.
Looking conflicted, she begins speaking again, "My father was a similar case. He was a physically strong alchemist. Through years of my mother's influence on him- not like that, bear with me- he increased his own power. He was known as the Steel Will Alchemist, because he could only willingly submit to my mother's alchemy. His neural makeup had been so altered by research that he had to switch the neurons into a normal position if she wanted him to do anything. This irregular brain composition meant my father could convince himself he was unaffected by injuries, hence him also being known as 'The Tank'. He once broke a leg during a sparring match and had to be restrained by five men and taken to the infirmary because he didn't feel a thing." Ed's eyes are wide as she calmly takes another sip of her drink. "I- okay? What does this have to do with, these feelings that I know you from somewhere," he looks even more confused, blinking when she smiles at him.
Carlina looks into his eyes for a moment, "Trust me again, okay? Just close your eyes and envision the things I describe to you, please? I promise all that drawled backstory has to do with your question, I just need to set it up correctly for an explanation." Sighing but nodding his head, Ed closes his eyes. Taking a deep breath, Carlina reaches across the table to lightly grasp his hands with hers.
He jolts from her sudden touch and raises an eyebrow with his eyes still closed. "Just bear with me," they laugh a little before she continues speaking, "Imagine a little girl for me, with light blond hair in pigtails past her shoulders-" "-Winry?-" "-Sure, for now, imagine young Winry, just keep visualizing… But she also has bright green eyes, not blue like Winry. Wears dresses that always seem a bit too formal for the small rural schoolhouse. She sits in the first row of desks right next to the window. On Thursdays she always has some kind of snack for the class. When you leave school for the day she is walking with you, Al, and Winry. Every morning and evening she goes to and from the schoolhouse with Winry, it seems she's staying in her house."
Ed shifts in his seat uncomfortably. "Alright, so, I see all this. I see it really well and it's kind of freaky but I'll shut my mouth again and keep my eyes closed. Because, trust and all that stuff," he sighs and gives her hands a squeeze for her to continue. She briefly takes another drink before clearing her throat.
"Now imagine one day, the girl doesn't come to school. Your stomach sinks, something isn't right. The teacher explains her parents were in the war and now that they came home she will be leaving for private lessons," as she talks Ed's brow furrows, "So you go home immediately after school with your friend Winry and brother Al. Sure enough, she's still in the house, packing all her bags. There's a woman with light blond hair like her and blue eyes that are almost gray. She wears a dress too formal for the country too. When Winry leaves the room and you are left with the woman and her daughter, she sits you down with your brother. Her voice is soothing, she talks about her daughter like she was never even in Risembool. Finally, she thanks you boys for being such good friends and kisses you on the forehead. This woman claps her hands while her lips are on your forehead, and suddenly everything goes dark."
When his eyes snap open he sees Carlina staring at him again. "What, was that," he asks slowly. She moves to take her hands away from his but he squeezes, keeping her hands locked with his. "Ed-" "-that was more than just a story, wasn't it? Why did that all seem so crystal clear when you were talking about that stuff," he sounds scared, trying to look her in the eye but she stares down at the table.
Finally she meets his gaze with a small smile. "When I was a little girl and my parents went to war, I was left in a small country town with my godparents' family. My Godparents also went to war and were eventually found murdered, but my parents had left me in the care of an older woman and her granddaughter. I went to a small school until my parents returned, and introduced me to my tutor while my friend went to school. Due to my tutor trying to remain anonymous to the outside world, my mother wiped the memories of me from the people in the town most likely to identify me and my family. This was to prevent others from tracking down my tutor by connecting him to us."
Shaking her head, she sighs before continuing, "My own memories were altered, just to make sure no one could successfully question me about my time in the small town. All I could remember was a blond girl with bright blue eyes who I shared a room with for some time. But a...strange thing happened when my family was slaughtered."
Her head hangs momentarily and she tries to tug her hands from Ed's grasp. He tightens his hold and gives her hands a squeeze. She shudders before looking up again, her eyes getting glassy. "I suddenly remembered a pair of blond boys who always used to walk with me and the blond girl. And it wasn't until after reuniting with Winry, and having to get my automail shortly after that….I saw pictures of those blond boys in frames and Winry told me they were Ed and Al. Every time they visited for repairs I stayed hidden, out of sight. I was this mute girl completely enchanted by these boys that I couldn't be sure would remember me or even recognize me, pink hair considered."
Carlina takes a deep breath and calms herself. She continues while staring at the ceiling, "And then, I got my voice back. I met you two again, you were so much different but still the same and, I just. I hoped maybe someday you would look at me and remember me again because it isn't often you lose your friends and find them again."
When she looks back across the table Ed is staring at her, mouth slightly agape. Shaking himself from his stupor, he clasps their hands together and looks at her as though seeing her for the first time. "You know...when I saw you at Winry's I got this feeling in my gut and I wasn't sure what it was but, everything you said makes sense. I don't know much about Bio-Alchemy or how this all plays into Al's memories. I feel better knowing why I keep feeling this pull to you, now I know why you just always seemed so familiar," the teens look at each other, elated. The waiter clears his throat and they sheepishly let go of each other's hands, realizing a few hours have passed and the cafe is almost ready to open for dinner. After paying for their food, the table, and leaving a generous tip, they leave. Carlina shivers a bit from being in her tank top, adamantly refusing to wear Ed's cloak until he wins rock-paper-scissors two out of three times. Defeated, she accepts the cloak and they continue back to the brothers' apartment in Central.
After collecting the materials from Sheska and studying in the Central Library Main Branch for the night, Carlina collects her things from the Hughes' residence to sleep on the couch of the apartment once again. Ed eyes the stack of journals she carries in by the armload, "What are those…?" The pinkette freezes before grinning sheepishly, "Would you believe me if I said 'Tim Marcoh's One Thousand Recipes for Making Magic in the Kitchen'?"
Ed stares at Carlina, dumbfounded, his gaze slipping back and forth between her and the stack of handwritten journals. "YOU MEAN THE SAME BOOKS I JUST HAD SHESKA SPEND FIVE HOURS COPYING BECAUSE THEY WERE SUPPOSEDLY BURNED IN THE FIRE," his voice raises in disbelief, Alphonse shushing him frantically, "Brother! Think about the neighbors, please…" Ed's eye twitches as Carlina giggles nervously. "I tried to tell you at the Library, and then we were at Sheska's and then we got preoccupied with dinner and I just forgot to mention it," she shrugs a bit, giggling more as Ed flops face down on the couch with a groan. "Have you been decoding the notes at all?" "Of course, I haven't gotten too far into them, but I'm confident they are coded alchemy journals and not actually cooking books," the three alchemists all look at each other, grinning at the knowledge at their fingertips.
To the relief of Brosch and Ross, the alchemists have left the library with daylight to spare on many days, with arms full of notes for 'home study'. Unknown to the guards outside of the apartment door, is the original research journals piled in the living room. Every night after dinner the teenagers shut themselves off in the room, frantically decoding away from prying eyes. This continues for nearly half a week before the three stare down at the journal Carlina holds in her hands. Her skin pales and a moment passes before she drops the book. She sprints to the bathroom and proceeds to throw up into the toilet, Al following her to hold her hair. While the girl vomits a few more times, Ed reviews the cracked code on the pages of the journal.
He throws the book against the apartment door, sweeping his arm and sending books flying to the ground. The sentries bang on the locked door as they hear the commotion, the muffled sounds of their alarmed voices filtering through. Carlina staggers from the bathroom while wiping her mouth. She keeps her distance from Ed and the piles of journals while Al walks back to his brother.
Beginning to sweat, Ed puts a hand against his forehead as he speaks, "Damn it! I get it now. Why they all call this quest the devil's errand...Why they either quit their research or are driven insane by it?" Alphonse reaches to touch his brother's shoulder, sighing as Ed throws more journals across the room. "Easy," his voice is stern but he touches his brother's shoulder again. "How can I!? The secret, Al... The last ingredient of the Stone," Ed trails off a bit, Carlina running into the bathroom to throw up again as he looks up at his little brother sadly, "It's live human beings…" Brosch and Ross break down the door to find the mayhem of the various scattered or torn journal pages, the sound of Carlina dry heaving in the background, and the brothers staring at the floor sitting in the middle of the destruction.
AN: Some backstory, some information, and shocking revelations for our misfit heroes. Shoutout to E.C.K and Aaron Hosack for reviewing the last chapter! I'm happy to publish another chapter and hope I can get another one done before returning to college. I also hope I won't be too swamped to update during classes, but a girl can only dream! If you enjoyed the chapter please consider leaving reviews or sending me a message, even following and adding to your favorites if you haven't already. Soon we get into some more heavy drama and story in the following chapters. Check out my profile for a cool update! As always, thank you so much guys -Carrie.