The sound of loud groaning alerted him. Alphonse looked over to his left and gasped, instantly bewildered by what he saw. "B- brother?", Al sputtered as he reached out to grab Edward. "Ed! Are you alright? What happened?" His older brother mewled in pain.
"I'm alright, Al, it's just….", he trailed off. Alphonse's eyes skimmed over Ed's body, looking for any injuries. And, god, he'd already been expecting the worst but this certainly wasn't what he had in mind. "Oh, brother!" The younger brother cried. "Your arm and leg! They're-!" Before Alphonse finished his sentence, he scooped Edward into his arms and dashed out the door. This is bad. Oh my god, this is so bad, Alphonse thought worryingly.
"Don't worry, brother, you're gonna be okay. Everything is gonna be alright. Just hold on.", Alphonse assured, more to himself than to the unconscious boy that laid in his arms.
"Granny Pinako! Winry!" Alphonse screamed as he banged on the Rockbell's door. He could hear Pinako's profanity as she neared the door.
"Alphonse, you know better than to bang on the door like some kind of madman!" Pinako barked as she opened the door. "Granny, it's Ed! He's bleeding so much and-. Please help him!" Alphonse begged through hysterics. The old woman's eyes widened at the staggering sight.
She had so many questions. Why was Al in that suit of armor? Where did all that blood come from and why was Ed covered in it? Just what the hell happened over there? She decided that all her questions would have to wait. But for now, she had to focus on Edward.
Pinako and Winry didn't waste any time getting to work. Running around with towels and medical equipment. Even though it became vastly evident that Edward was in good hands, Alphonse couldn't help but stand over their shoulders and ask every question possible. "Alphonse, I know you're worried. It's okay. Edward is gonna be fine, but we need to focus on him right now," Winry said in a comforting tone.
Understanding the underlying message, Alphonse left the room and trotted wearily down the hall. For the first time, he had time to stop and think. Since regaining consciousness, Alphonse had been so perturbed about Edward, he hadn't had time to worry about anything else. Or himself for that matter.
Finally, he was actually able to hear the metallic clanking sounds he made as he walked. Alphonse was confused. Why was he hearing clanking sounds? And so close to him at that. The only other sounds in the house were Edward's pained screams that made Al's jaw clench and the hushed murmurs of comfort the women gave. Where could this sound be coming from? The boy thought as he continued down the hall. Hold on. The sound starts when I walk. And stops when I don't. But that's impossible! Why would it- He stopped dead in his tracks and looked down. He was shocked to see feet that weren't his. Gigantic, gloved hands that didn't belong to him. "Wh- My hands! My- my body!" Al shrieked in fear. He couldn't believe it. The boy sprinted to the bathroom, now painfully aware of every clank.
The bathroom seemed so much smaller. He had to duck to get under the doorway. Alphonse could reach the sink without a stool. He could touch the shower head if he wanted to.
Wait. Why am I so much taller? It's me in here, so why can't I feel the metal touching my skin? How am I even filling this out?! I'm nowhere near tall enough to fit in a suit of armor!
Abruptly, the aghast awareness hit him like a 10-ton truck. The memories came flooding in like a dam finally being released. Edward lost his arm and leg and he lost his body. But shouldn't he be dead right now? If he lost his entire being in the transmutation how could he be here now? How on earth did Edward manage to save him? None of this made sense. The only way he'd fit into this armor is if he had a body. Was it possible to still live as a disembodied soul? A soul with a host? It would explain why he couldn't feel the metal against his skin. How he could carry Edward with such ease. He no longer had a body.
If he didn't have a body, then how would people know who he was? He wasn't a young boy anymore. Was he still even Alphonse Elric? How would people recognize him? Though he came into the bathroom to see himself, Alphonse still hadn't looked in the mirror. After putting the pieces together, he didn't have the courage to.
"Who am I?", Alphonse whispered. "What do I look like?" He inhaled a shaky breath. And slowly, he lifted his gaze into the reflective glass.
"My face", the young Elric muttered in disbelief. He stared at his anomalous reflection. His eyes trailed over his steel-colored armor body. This body wasn't human at all. This wasn't him. It couldn't be. Alphonse couldn't hold his composure for long before he completely broke down. Al hadn't even been in this vessel for 24 hours, yet he'd already forgotten what he looked like.
He felt like sobbing. He wanted to cry like the small child he was. Until his eyes were terribly swollen. Until he had no tears left to cry. But this was one function he just didn't have, along with many others.
No. He thought. This was Brother and I's decision. We're the ones who performed the transmutation, so what right do I have to cry? How can I feel sorry for myself when Brother is in so much pain? No matter what, as long as I have Brother, everything will be okay.
Finally, Al straightened himself and took a breath. "I am still me", Alphonse affirmed. He looked straight into the mirror, holding contact with the red slits that stared back. "You are still you."
"Isn't it strange? Right now, I feel like a small, helpless child, yet my appearance says the opposite."
