This story crept up to me while I was re-watching FMA:B on the first month when the lockdown was first announced in our country. I had nothing better to do that time so ta-da! Here's the piece that I worked myself for two months lmao I was also kind of hesitating on publishing this but I overcame the anxiety.
I won't keep you long now. Enjoy reading!
Author's Disclaimer: All familiar characters belong to their rightful owners, Hiromu Arakawa and J.K. Rowling.
Chapter I
Ingredior
The buzzing of a thousand locusts filled Roy Mustang's ears.
He was unsure of how he came into this, sprawled out in an eerily all-white expanse, the sound of static almost making his ears burst. He sat up slowly, a wave of dizziness hitting him in an instant, and he groaned. This is what he got for wishing a normal day at work.
"Ah, you're finally up."
Hairs stood up in every part of Roy's body. He could hear the grin in its voice; it was something he was not looking forward to hearing again after his ordeal during the Promised Day – scratch that, he never wanted to hear it again. But he turned around, his eyes landing on the void's only other occupant, a white figure so bright that even the whiteness around it was gray in comparison with a Cheshire grin present on its blank face.
"What do you want?" Roy hissed, his brows furrowing as he tried to recall the morning in his office. His memory may have been fuzzy but he was certain he did not do any human transmutation, and he was not a grade-A idiot. "Why am I here?'
Truth shrugged indifferently. "Patience, Roy Mustang. We're still waiting for the others."
Others? There are more?
As soon as it finished speaking, a bright light shone over their heads, coming from a large portal. Roy watched, horrified, as the portal spewed out a lone figure into the room, landing on the floor with a loud thud. He caught sight of a familiar blonde in Amestrian blue, and his breath hitched.
He couldn't believe his eyes. It was not even possible. But damn it all, he could care less at this moment.
"Lieutenant!" He quickly scrambled over to the unconscious form of Riza Hawkeye, gathering her into his arms and shaking her gently, ignoring the portal as it spewed out two more people. "Lieutenant Hawkeye!" She stirred and made a sound, her eyes fluttering open. They were hazy at first, but as soon as her amber eyes met his, they flashed in recognition.
"Colonel!" she gasped out, clutching at the front of his uniform. "You're here! I-I don't understand… You suddenly vanished, and Edward and Al – "
A loud groan and a string of profanities erupted from behind them, cutting off the rest of the woman's words. "Damn it," a familiar voice said gruffly. The sound of metal meeting the floor echoed throughout the void as the figure padded around. "Hey Al, you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Another voice answered, coming from the other side of the room. "Where's Lieutenant Hawkeye? Didn't she get sucked in first?"
Riza shifted, gently removing herself from Roy's arms. Her hand, however, moved to grasp his. "I'm here, Alphonse," she said firmly. "And so is the Colonel."
"He's here?"
"So it seems, Fullmetal," he replied grimly, turning around to meet two pairs of golden eyes. A look of bewilderment graced Edward Elric's face, and warmth recognition in Aphonse's. He shot the younger man a small smile. "It's good to finally see you in the flesh, Alphonse, but I wish it were under better circumstances."
It was true – it had been a year and a half since the Promised Day. He spent two months recuperating in the hospital as a blind man and the rest were spent on rebuilding Ishval. If he remembered how Riza described the younger man when he got his body back, all skin and bones, he could say that there had been a major development to his body now; the young alchemist was meatier than his older brother.
Al returned his smile and mouthed a 'hello' back. Ed, on the other hand, was not pleased with the pleasantries.
"We've been roaming around Central looking for you, Mustang!" he yelled, pointing an accusing finger at the dark-haired man. "You made the Lieutenant worried, and here you are! What the hell were you thinking, opening the Gate?"
Roy glared at him. "You think I opened the Gate?" he scoffed. "One trip here is traumatizing enough, and you think I'd like to be back? Believe me, Fullmetal, I'm as clueless as you are."
"If you didn't, then who did?" The former alchemist stared at him suspiciously.
"Brother," Al intervened, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder – Roy thanked whatever deity for having the rational younger Elric with them. With a jerk of his head towards that creature's direction, he said, "You could ask Truth yourself."
Ed turned, his lips pulled downward into a scowl. "Truth," he snarled, marching towards it. "You fucking bastard! Why the hell are we here? We didn't open the Gate!"
"Yes, you didn't," it agreed, unnerved at the blonde man looming over him. "But someone did. Someone wants the four of you gone.
"Roy Mustang," it said, suddenly appearing at the dark-haired man's side, leaving the fuming blonde gaping at the spot where it had been sitting a few seconds ago. "Possessing the most troublesome form of alchemy. Riza Hawkeye," At this, Roy pushed her behind him but Truth paid it no mind, tilting its head as it seemingly stared at the Lieutenant. "His most loyal subordinate. Never one without the other, like two peas in a pod.
"Alphonse Elric," Truth moved again, appearing at the brothers' feet, causing the younger man to yelp and almost fall flat on his bottom, if it weren't for his brother who caught him. "Your good heart will try to help in searching for the both of them. And lastly, you, Edward Elric, the largest obstacle of all. There will be no stone left unturned until you bring them all back."
Ed growled, putting his hands in his pockets and looking away. "What are we, the payment in turn of a fool's errand?"
It thought for a moment before shrugging. "Not quite. Like I said, someone wanted you gone. Vanish. Disappear in the face of this world."
"So you're going to take something from us to make us disappear?" Al queried, brushing off invisible dust on his trousers from his almost-fall.
"Take something?" Truth repeated before bursting into maniacal giggles. "Is that what I'm always known for? No, I won't be taking anything from you. It isn't human transmutation that brought you here this time. Think of this as part of the process."
It waved his hand, and a Gate slowly formed behind its back. Unlike what the three alchemists saw in their own Gate, this Gate seemed to be missing its engravings on its stone doors – probably due to the fact that there are four of them in the room at the same time. Truth seemed to contemplate something before nodding to itself.
"You'll be going through the Gate today."
The reaction was instantaneous. Ed clenched his hands into fists, a look of pure anger on his face. Al, on the other hand, looked as if he would faint any minute from the shock. Roy couldn't blame them; he saw what they had seen in the Gate. Going in the Gate is terrifying, going through is another. It was a complete mystery to them, a foreign concept. That was what made it more frightening. No one knew what lies beyond the Gate, a place where no mortals dared to tread.
Remembering the Elrics' past predicament, it cost Ed a leg and Al his body to bring their mother back; Ed reached halfway of the Gate while Alphonse almost made it through. Then it clicked, somewhere inside the Flame Alchemist's head. To be able to go through, one must pay the equal amount. The fare, however, was not giving Truth a limb or two; that's not nearly enough – crossing the gate was damn expensive. The answer was simple, really, in its own complex way.
The toll is a complete human being – body, mind, and soul.
Nobody knew what is beyond the Gate because nobody went back after going through – at least, nobody alive to tell the story.
Damn it all, to hell and back.
His heart started beating painfully in his chest at this revelation, and he could feel a pair of eyes burning holes on his skull. He looked up and saw Truth facing him, its big grin seemingly increasing by the second – as if it and Roy traded secrets. The smile confirmed his fears, and his stomach churned.
He could vaguely hear Ed shouting something, the ringing in his ears growing louder by the second, making it impossible for him to make out the words. He could also hear Al saying something, maybe trying to reason out with Truth, but the dark-haired man knew it was futile; this was out of its control and it wasn't Truth who decided this upon them.
"Colonel."
It sounded so far away but he heard it. He forced himself not to dig deeper into his thoughts, and let the Lieutenant's voice guide him back to the present. He glanced over to where she was, looking at him intently, her lips in a tight line. She was continuously squeezing his hand to get his attention. His brows furrowed, mouth opening and closing but for once, he could think of nothing to say. He could only send her a grateful look.
Her eyes softened and a small quirk of her lips showed her relief. "Are you alright, sir?"
Roy nodded, still a bit shaken. "Yeah, I'm good," he murmured. Straightening his back, he stared at Truth, carefully masking away the fear he felt. "The price we have to pay is our lives, correct? So that we may be able to get in and cross beyond the Gate?"
To his right, the two brothers stiffened. It nodded, still grinning madly at them. It took all of the dark-haired man's willpower to wipe that smile away from that bastard's face.
"OI!" Ed yelled, his face a mix of disbelief, horror, and anger. "Colonel Bastard, it's not true, right? What it's saying? Tell me it's not true!"
"Oh, but it is true. I would never lie to you, Edward Elric."
"That's not fair! Why take our lives when we didn't open the damn Gate?"
Truth turned to the furious blonde man, and frowned. "I said that I will not 'take' anything from any of you. All of you are here because I need to wipe your existence in this world. The Flame Alchemist," it nodded in Roy's direction. "Guessed a part of it. The thing is, I won't take away your lives, per se, just for all of you to cross the Gate and beyond. No, I'm here to remove whatever connection you have in this world. And dump you into another one.
"Besides, is it not a greater amount to pay?" it cackled suddenly, slapping a hand to its knee as if someone told a funny joke. "I'd like to think so! No one will know of your existence. To them, all of you are nothing. They will not remember who you are, or if you ever exist. Life will continue to go on as if they haven't lost their heroes. You are just simply… gone from this world."
It laughed as soon it finished – a loud, unsettling laughter echoing throughout the void. Al's legs buckled under his weight causing him to fall to his knees, his shoulders shaking. Ed paled and he gritted his teeth, his golden eyes flashing dangerously. To be reunited with their loved ones after a year of fearing for their lives from the Homunculi, only for them to be separated again in a span of few months. Their dreams, hopes, and hard work towards the future crumbled right in front of their eyes, in just a matter of seconds.
Roy's eyes flickered to his Lieutenant, whose head hung low. He felt a pang of pity and guilt; while he was sure that nothing could no longer surprise the blonde woman (people playing God, Homunculi, and almost dying to list a few), he brought her to another situation where she would throw herself in harm's way just for his sake. He was a selfish bastard for wanting Riza by his side, but above all, he wanted her to be happy and safe and, God forbid, not dying in his arms again because of him. He decided that while he may want her to stay with him, he valued her life above all else, even if it meant she has to stay behind and forget he ever exist.
He grimaced inwardly. The thought felt like a knife twisting in his heart.
Now, if only he could actually convince her…
But she's so stubborn, he mused, already knowing the answer as she raised her head, her eyes automatically searching for his. Her lips curled into that small smile she always reserved for him, and her eyes sparkled knowingly as if she already knew what he was thinking. He knew, without a doubt, that she wouldn't leave him. He didn't deserve her nor her loyalty. So goddamn stubborn.
He would try, anyway. "Lieutenant," he started, but he shook his head. Calling her by her rank seemed detached, and the request was too personal. He threw caution to the wind. "Riza, if I ask you to stay behind, will you do that?"
"Sir," she intoned in a way that would brook no argument, her smile fading. "Don't start that with me. You know very well that I'll follow you into hell if you ask me to. Even if you don't ask, I'll still gladly do it." She turned away from him, keeping her sights on the Elric brothers, who began to shout again at Truth. Then after a beat, she added smoothly, "Besides, Colonel, you still need me to watch your back."
Feeling the light tug on his lips at the answer despite the slight guilt gnawing at the back of his mind, Roy could only grunt in agreement before narrowing his eyes at Ed, who suddenly took a swing at the white creature. But Truth could only disappear and materialize in thin air on the other corner of the room, snickering as the blonde man staggered. The former alchemist straightened on his feet, sending the grinning figure a murderous glare. He spat before he charged straight at it, only for him to stagger again. The Flame Alchemist watched helplessly as Ed repeated this ungraceful dance two more times before Al had enough.
"Brother, that's enough!"
The former alchemist paused, before he turned to his brother, his chest heaving. His golden eyes looked wild and frightened, like of a feral dog. "You don't understand, Al. I can't lose you again," he said hoarsely, suddenly looking tired and old at the same time. His anger was gone, and all that was left was sadness. "I just got you back, I-I can't lose you again. Not like this. Not when you got your body back."
"I know, but please understand, Brother," the young alchemist said gently, calmly. "Truth isn't taking anything from us. It won't take anything from all of us – not an arm nor a body, not even our lives. I get why you're scared, and I am too. All of us are! We just didn't know that we'll be coming back here so soon. And I know that it isn't fair," he added quickly when Ed looked like he wanted to say something. "It's not, but it's beyond our control. We're here because someone wanted us to be, and it looks like we aren't allowed to leave until we just get it over with Truth.
"All I'm saying is that whatever happens, we'll face it together," he said firmly. "I'm not going anywhere, Brother. If what Truth said is the absolute truth, if we are to be removed from this world, then we'll move forward in whatever world it puts us."
"That's right, Fullmetal," Roy agreed, his voice strong with emotion. "You won't be alone. We'll be here with you."
Riza nodded beside him. "Every step of the way."
It seemed good enough for the former alchemist as the fire sparked back in his eyes and his back straightened. He clasped his younger brother's hand, and they both shared a look, exchanging unspoken promises through their eyes. Roy knew that look all too well – it was something he often shared with his Lieutenant. Al's eyes lit up and he beamed at his brother, just as Ed shoved his hands back into his pockets.
"I just hope Winry and the others will be alright," he murmured with a sad and pained smile. Al's smile faltered and he nodded in understanding. "I hope she understands, even if she doesn't know who we are anymore."
"Then, have you accepted your fate, humans?" The tone in its voice was a tad gleeful for the Flame Alchemist's liking.
Ed glared. "Tch. As if we've been given a choice, bastard."
Truth, however, remained unfazed at Ed's insolence. "Wonderful!" it exclaimed as it clapped its hands together. "We've finally sorted things out. However," it paused, looking at each of the room's occupants. "I just cannot send you on your way without having something up your sleeves in an unknown world. That would be most troublesome, and it will not serve the purpose of sending you over there if you all die too quickly."
Al slid closer to Ed. "What is Truth getting at?" he whispered, to which Ed answered with a shrug.
"It almost sounds like it's going to give us something." The brothers shared a look before they shook their heads. The idea, while not entirely impossible, was absurd. After all their dealings with the creature, nothing good came out with its offers.
Truth, having finished with its internal debate with itself, snapped its fingers suddenly. "You alchemists have this term… Equivalent Exchange, yes?"
The former alchemist released an undignified squawk. "You're going to give us something, for real?" he asked incredulously. "Who are you, really? Who are you and what did you do to the real Truth?"
It ignored Ed's second question. Shrugging, it said, "I will be giving you something. It's not much, but it will be enough to get you by in that world." It waved its hand. "Say, their native tongue, to speak and to understand."
It didn't feel any different, Roy thought as he scanned the others' reactions. They all looked at each other blankly, as if waiting for it to be felt in an instant. Was I supposed to feel it? As soon as the thought passed, an odd sensation came over the Flame Alchemist. It wasn't entirely unpleasant, but far from comfortable. It was as if something clicked right into his mind, and he just knew. He knew another language as if he'd been speaking it for more than a decade.
"Is this a bloody joke?"
He turned to where the outburst came from. Ed had a hand clamped around his mouth, his face a bright shade of red. Beside the former alchemist was Al, who was gaping at his brother as if he had grown another head. To Roy's right, he saw Riza fighting the urge to keep her lips from twitching upwards but failing miserably. He would be laughing if the situation was different; hell, he could imagine himself collapsing from laughing too hard. But his curiosity toward this foreign language kept him from doing so – he blamed it in his nature as an alchemist. He understood what Ed said, and he marveled at the thought of how easy his mind adapted to the change. He would have to find out if his mouth did, as well.
He would have to test the waters. And he knew exactly what to say.
No time like the present.
"Last I checked, Fullmetal, you still aren't tall," he drawled, testing the way the words sound. "And do close your mouth – you're making a fool out of yourself."
Ed bristled at his former superior's taunts. "Fuck off, you prick," he muttered, giving the Flame Alchemist rude hand gestures which Roy pointedly ignored.
Truth made a noise, bringing their attention back to the creature. "How… entertaining you humans are," it mused, a tone of amusement lacing its voice. "But giving you the ability to speak their language is hardly equal to the price you paid. Very well, I will give you something that I am sure you will find useful.
"To you, Edward Elric, I give you back your alchemy." It gingerly placed a finger at the center of Ed's forehead, the blonde glancing warily at Truth. A crackle of energy passed through its fingertips to his temple as the air in the void thickened, making it harder for the others to breathe properly. Then, when Roy thought his lungs would collapse, Truth withdrew its finger and gave Ed a critical look. "Now, why don't you try it."
The blonde hesitated before he flexed his hands, muscles protesting at the familiar motion he had not done since giving up his alchemy. He clapped, eyes widening as he felt the familiar surge of power thrumming from his connected palms. He glanced at the creature questioningly. "No transmutation circle?"
"Consider it as a gift," it grinned before turning its attention to Riza. It looked at her in a way a doctor would to a patient, and it made the usually stoic Lieutenant squirm under its eyes. Sensing this, Roy moved in Truth's line of sight, blocking her from its view. If anything, it only made the creature's grin wider. "It was slightly difficult to think of what to give you, Riza Hawkeye, but I have to give my thanks to the Flame Alchemist for making it easier."
It appeared right in front of the dark haired man in a blink of an eye. Roy flinched but he did not move from his spot. He decided that the time has come for him to protect her in return, after all the protecting she did for him. "Leave the Lieutenant out of it."
"Then she won't be of any use to you," it replied coldly. "That world is different from your world. Her skills, while impressive, will be no match to the dangers that lurk there."
He gritted his teeth. "Why you–!" A hand grasped his arm, and he glanced at the blonde woman who held him back. He was never used to someone badmouthing his Lieutenant, let alone rubbing to his very face that she would be useless to him.
"It's fine, Colonel." She jerked her head to the left, and with an apologetic look, she released him from her hold and said, "If you could kindly move, sir, I'd like to get this over with."
Roy reluctantly moved, standing by her side, as he watched Truth took a step closer to her. It looked at her for a moment before it carefully dropped a chaste kiss at the top of her head. The Flame Alchemist could only imagine how ridiculous he looked at the moment, his jaw hitting the floor in shock, and the same could be said for the Elric brothers, both of whom had eyes in the shape of saucers. It smirked in the dark haired man's direction as it tipped a spell-tranced Riza's chin with its hand and stared directly into her dazed eyes.
That wretched white creature!
"To you, Riza Hawkeye," it cooed. "I give you the blessing of magic. The power to bend the rules of nature, at your disposal." It watched with avid interest as the blonde woman's unfocused eyes changed into a multitude of colors – red, green, blue, yellow – before it settled back to their usual amber. It seemed that magic accepted her, but Truth expected no less. "Of course it saddened me to say that wielding such power would upset the balance of all laws of man, but I can see no other gift that is rather fitting than this.
"You aren't a normal human any longer," it added as it saw the Lieutenant's inquiring gaze. "However, you are still a mortal, and as such, you can still easily die. Magic could be your weapon, your friend, and your life. It already flows in your blood the moment your body accepts the change. You will understand more of it once you arrive there."
Riza silently regarded the creature in front of her before she gave a single nod as a sign of her gratitude and reverted her gaze to the floor. After all, she was a woman of few words with people she barely knows, something Roy knew since their shared childhood.
Truth, having finished its objective with the blonde woman, turned to Roy. "You have your sight back, your limbs are all in its proper place, and you still have your alchemy. I suppose I won't be giving you anything."
He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, feeling a huge wave of relief, though he would be lying if he said he wasn't the least bit disappointed to not receive anything. I really am a bastard. "Tough luck."
It made a move to go to where Al stood, but it froze mid-step, seemingly changing its mind. "But on second thought," it purred suddenly, as if a brilliant idea popped in its head. "I can give you something, after all. An information, if you will." It gestured between him and his Lieutenant, who paled at the implication.
"What?"
Truth did not answer and ignored Roy as he swore colorfully. It grabbed him by his collar and pulled him close – just close enough to whisper in his ear. Riza made a move to intervene, her hand reaching for her gun hidden under her uniform, but it raised a hand and said, just loud enough for the two of them to hear, "You and your lieutenant's lives are no longer bound by the rules of the military. You are now a free man."
It sauntered away from the two shell-shocked soldiers, making its way to Al to give him one of its 'gifts'. The dark haired man was the first to break the awkward silence, a soft sound escaping at the back of his throat, opting to stare at anything but the blonde woman beside him. Their relationship, while widely speculated as something more, never bordered past superior-subordinate. Their affections for each other, however, might have slipped past their carefully crafted masks – why else would King Bradley hold her hostage?
It was carelessness on his part for making himself easy to read.
Will she take back what she said and stay in this world? The question burned in his mind. "Hawkeye," he began quietly, "about that…"
"Sir, we should focus on our objective here first." Her voice was crisp yet her amber eyes were dancing with slight amusement. "We should discuss this development once we are finished here."
"Right." It wasn't an outright rejection nor did she express her agreement, but it was enough – more than enough, actually. Given her wide vocabulary of coding messages, it was close to saying that she would consider. An unexpected warmth enveloped his entire chest but Roy did not dare to hope. It was, after all, still up for discussion.
It took longer for Truth to give its gift to Al. The young alchemist, Roy found out from Ed, politely but firmly declined to receive any gift from Truth, explaining that giving alchemy back to his brother was more than enough, thank you very much. However, Truth had been persistent that Al had had enough and asked that instead of a gift he had no use of in their destination, he would like an honest assurance that they're leaving their world in safe hands.
The request was typically Al, always thinking of others before himself.
"Ha! How boring!" Truth snorted, and if it had visible eyes, they would see it rolling. "But it was a smart choice, Alchemist. Boring, but smart." Its voice dripped with approval, pleased at another human surpassing its expectations. "Well then, since I've taken a liking to you, I'll give you the assurance you're looking for and answer only one question, if I can. Equivalent of a gift, yes?"
Al let out a weary sigh, relieved that Truth was finally out of his hair. "Yes, yes, it's enough. Thank you."
"Your world is safe, for now, I suppose," it began, watching their relieved faces turned alarmed; it grinned. "Maybe a century… or two. You rid the evil in this world, though. It's no surprise that it will be back to the way it normally is." At this, it pursed its lips like a petulant child. "Bah! I've had the most exciting three hundred years, all thanks to your father! I'll just wait for another ambitious alchemist like yourselves to come knocking on my door."
It threw its head back and cackled, the sounds bouncing off the non-existent walls, leaving Ed spluttering at the mere mention of Hohenheim, and turning a bright shade of red, either from embarrassment or disbelief at what he heard. "But… but you said… you said someone wanted us gone! Right?!"
Truth ignored him, opting to remove imaginary dust in its body while it walked past the blonde alchemist, towards the looming Gate. It opened its arms wide and the doors swung open, little shadow-like hands shooting out from the pitch-black void within the Gate, grabbing at every part of their bodies, slowly pulling them in. Roy cast a panicked look at Riza, who returned the same look with her lips trembling and her hand outstretched, reaching for him. He stretched out his hand, gritting his teeth at the effort from keeping it up to grasp her hand while the little fuckers keep on pulling it down, just a little more... Their hands were almost touching, a little more push, a little-
"Colonel!"
And he found himself falling, falling, until his face met the floor. He must have slipped, or the hands pulled him down. Suppressing a groan and noting the arrival of a concussion later, he craned his neck upwards to where he suspected Riza might be – he could only make out her blurred figure. He squinted, and just as his vision cleared, he saw that she, too, fell like he did, only that the back of her head hit the floor.
A scream tore out from his throat. "Lieutenant!"
She barely managed to respond to his call, making a pained face before the hands started to coil around her head, only leaving her eyes and nose untouched. Roy could also feel them getting higher; there was no use of struggling and it was getting harder to breathe. There was no other choice but to surrender, his body falling limp as the hands wrapped higher and higher. His only consolation was his eyes and nose were not covered.
"Hey, answer me!" Ed roared, tearing the tiny hands off of his body. They were so close to the Gate now, and they needed answers before they enter. "This… It doesn't make sense!"
Truth tilted its head. "You're right. It doesn't make sense," it said simply, walking towards him. Ed noticed that he was the only one standing left, the others were gagged on the floor but otherwise alright, although he couldn't say for sure about the Colonel and the Lieutenant, both suffered nasty falls. He also noticed that the tiny hands stopped pulling them, just inches away from being sucked in. Truth stood before the blonde alchemist. "Do remember that not all things make sense, Alchemist."
Ed scowled, a frown marring his brow. "Then why the hell are we here when they're supposedly safe?" he bit out, glancing at his now tied-up torso. "We're being dragged to disappear here and their world – our world – is safe. It doesn't add up!"
"Think, Edward Elric, think!"
"I can't think when our lives are on the line, damn it!"
Truth sighed heavily, clearly getting impatient. "You're needed elsewhere."
Ed looked at the creature in pure disbelief, not fully understanding its words. "I'd prefer," he ground out, "that you speak in simpler terms. We aren't even on the same frequency – "
"I never said that the one who wanted the four of you gone is in your world, Alchemist," it said slowly, its voice dangerously low, wanting Ed to understand the meaning behind those words. It waited for his brilliant golden eyes to widen in realization, and when they did, Truth almost let a smile paint its lips. "Now, you understand."
The blonde alchemist paled. "But – "
The creature straightened its back. "Well, it's a little late but you can still make it on time, just as planned. The trip will be a breeze." It looked at the four mortals, giving them a quick do-over though its eyes stayed on Ed a little longer than necessary. "Have a safe trip, humans." It flicked Ed's forehead, throwing him off his balance and all at once, the tiny hands pulled them forcefully into the Gate as if a strong magnetic force activated. He heard a muffled scream and he saw from the corner of his eye that Al was a few feet under him, so was Riza and Roy, their bodies were somewhat disappearing slowly under the pitch-black pool.
The doors started to close and Truth still stood there, a smirk curling its lips. Ed felt a prickle of annoyance at the sight; he would not let that creature have the last say.
"Truth, you fucking son of a – "
The doors slammed close and he never got to finish it. Whatever, Truth knows what I mean. A resigned sigh escaped his lips and he let the darkness envelop him.
As always, I would love to know your thoughts. Your thoughts give me the encouragement to write!
My door is always open for suggestions and constructive criticisms! See you in the next update!