'Death... is something we all fear...
even we homunculi fear it...
but when it happens to someone
you love? They don't know what it
feels like... but I do... I'm just numb to it
by now...'
Chapter 42 - Backs turned away
-Nicholas-
It's been a while since I've had a travel companion. Sure Dante was good company, but her age came faster than I expected, then again I had hardly noticed she was aging at all until she threw her back from going down the stairs. "Is that a photo of your family?" a woman asks. I look at her then to my side to see Hohenheim holding up a small parchment, most likely that picture I saw him staring at before we left Resembol. 'At least he still has a photo,' I thought, feeling slightly envious of the item. "You're looking as it so fondly," she points out. He smiles, saying, "Yes... I recently returned home after being away for a long time. I met with my eldest son. He's grown up so much." Despite his smile, the sadness was still apparently from that wistful expression on his face at the mention of his son.
"He had such a look of strength in his eyes. It was as if he no longer needed a father..."
"Did you two have a fight?"
"Ha ha! Something like that," Hohenheim painfully chuckles. "Now there's no longer any reason for me to go home."
"That's so sad..."
"Well... I'm sure I'll see him again eventually. After all, we're both alchemists."
That's the truth. Alchemists are known to be travelers due to their extensive hunger for knowledge. I'm no better, and it seems my own child is the same. "Alchemists?" her son asks. Must be the first time he's heard of them. I lean closer and smile. "Yep! This old man and I like the state alchemist you've heard about, except we don't work for the military." "Old man..." Hohenheim mutters with much distaste in his voice. I just ignore him as I proceed pull a small lollipop from my sleeve. "How about you?" the woman turns her attention to me after I give the candy to the kid. "Do you have any family?" I force a grin as I answer, "Yeah, but it's been ages since I saw my kid and wife! As much as I want to go home, I feel like my wife would attempt to murder me if I suddenly drop by! Hahahaha!" I can just picture it now.
I open the door with the hidden key she's always kept under the floorboards of the apartment hallway, and she attempts to stab me with her rapier. The woman pales for a moment then shakes it off. "I'm sure your family would be overjoyed to see you. How old is your daughter?"
"Fifteen by now. She was only six when I had to leave them. I actually saw her recently, but she didn't even recognize me. I would have been surprised if she did."
Cat appears to take after her mother in that department. And the day she does remember, I'm a hundred percent sure she'll beat the living daylights out of me, her mother sure did. The woman was about to respond until the carriage abruptly stops, causing every passenger to slide from side to side in our seats. "Oh great... Bandits..." I groan when I see a man appear and point his gun at us. I don't mind getting shot at, again, but I'd rather not mentally scar a few people, especially the children. Then again that's the type of monsters we were forced to become.
||Central City||
-Normal-
"Hey Bradley!" Right before the Fuhrer could turn to whoever called him, he was met with a wave of sewage water. Gluttony disappeared from his side and was sent a few meters back. Despite his aging body, Wrath was fast enough to stab his sword on the ground as leverage to keep himself from being washed away. Once the water was gone, he looks up to see a giant sewage pipe sticking out of the ground and turned into a faucet. And on top of that was Cat, whose slightly new appearance had helped conceal her identity well enough from a fair distance away. She knew that if he were to see her up close then he would recognize her straight away, there's no hiding from Wrath's Ultimate eye, and that's what she was afraid of the most. Shaking off whatever fear she had, Cat sneers at the homunculus, "Looks like an old man like you still have some tricks up his sleeve. Think you that body of yours can keep up?"
Although he appeared calm, Cat knew that she had ticked off Wrath enough to gain his full attention. "Fine then," he said as he took his blade out of the ground with ease. "I'll show you just exactly what this old man can do." Not too far away from the scene was Jealousy, who had also arrived with the same idea in mind, thankfully she didn't have to intervene like she thought she would. 'Looks like I'm still good,' Jealousy lets out a relieved sigh at the thought. She was about to leave until she catches sight of Damien and Fei running from roof to roof in the opposite direction. She frowns at this, "Looks like he's starting to remember too... and just when I thought I would be the one to suffer through this."
-Me-
This was a horrible idea! I thought I could handle Bradley, but as it turns out, my sword fighting skills is shit and my fight against Wrath makes it look like Jealousy was holding back during all those fights. "Shit!" I curse after barely dodging his attack. I try to transmute the water I used earlier, but whenever I stopped to transmute, Wrath would aim for my hands to prevent me from using alchemy. I was able to successfully block his next attack and took the chance to kick him in the stomach. Stunned, Wrath pulls back. 'You may have advanced swordsmanship and superhuman agility, but I also know from experience when to know one's open!' Gluttony suddenly appears from above with his mouth wide open. I move back just in time as he crashes on the ground where I stood.
I gasp at the amount of damage he did to the brick floor, 'He's that heavy!? I know he's big, but that's just too far!' Without clapping, I freeze the giant man where he stood. With the amount of water in his body it'll be difficult to regenerate fast enough to get out of that. Wrath takes this chance to continue his advances. I had barely blocked the first one, gaining a gash on my right cheek. It stung a bit, but it's nothing compared to what would have happened if I hadn't noticed his actions in time. Just fighting him reminds me of what it felt like when I was against Greed. Adjusting my grip on the hilt of my sword, I slide the blade upwards against his and ram my body into him as hard as I could. Pushed back, I duck as Wrath attempts to charge forward and stab my heart, attempting to slash at his legs only for our blade to collide again.
He was somehow able to twist his weapon fast enough, so I couldn't come in contact with his left leg. He steps on my sword, pinning it to the ground and tries to stab my head. I barely moved my head, but because of my hasty move to not get head-stabbed, some strands of my hair got cut off and my shoulder ended up being pierced through in the process. "AAAAAHHH!" I wail in pain. I roll away after he pulls out and makes a second attempt to swiftly end my life. Staggering back on my feet, I clutch injured shoulder and held my sword with my free hand then got into a defensive stance. I have to use my automail this time for fighting. If he's aiming to disarm me then I have to be cautious. "You're pretty good for a child," he comments, slightly amused at my skills.
I force a grin and continue my taunts, "Or maybe you're just too slow. You have been making nice comments about your age, Bradley, and I'm sure it's becoming more apparent." Infuriated, Wrath starts sending multiple jabs at my head and my sides. I could only parry a few of them, the other times I had to twist and move my hips just not to get another stab in the stomach. Once is good enough! "Quite impressive for someone like you to deflect my attacks," Wrath comments after I parry him again. The moment Gluttony finally breaks free from his frozen state and jump towards the top of one of the buildings, I knew that I had proved enough time for Ling and Lan Fan to make their move. I smirk and tap my foot on the ground, a small spark emitting from the ground and creates a flare gun within seconds.
Kicking it up into the air, I grab it and jump away as far from Wrath as possible, while also freezing his feet in place just to make sure. "Nah! I was just buying them some time." I slide my sword back into the scabbard and raise the flare gun. "Until next time Bradley!" The first one was fired to the sky and the next two were sent at Wrath. As I had hoped he would, he sliced through both, but because I amplified them with my alchemy, they had a delayed reaction and explode. Alice drops down from above with a rope in hand. "Grab on!" she yells. I take her offered hand and felt us both being pulled and lifted off the ground. "When the hell did you have time to make this?" I ask after we climb on top of the building and away from his view. I was surprised to see an automatic pulley, let alone that there was an electric box that close to provide enough electricity to pull us up.
Alice scratches her cheek out of habit and nervously laughs, "I think unlocking my memories of the gate did something to me." I was about to ask what she was talking about only for more explosions were heard from where the boys were. "We have to go!" I yell and grab Alice's arm.
-Lucas-
||Graveyard||
My heads been hurting ever since we parted ways from the others. Cat told me to keep a close eye on Winry, but if this keeps up I might have to go see a doctor. "Are you alright?" I look down to see Winry staring at me with worried eyes. I shake my head and force a smile. "Don't worry about me. Let's just go say 'hi' to this Maes guy you've told me so much about." I have to get through this, for her sake. We finally arrived at his grave, and just like every other person here to visit their loved ones, we individually placed a bouquet of flowers before the tombstone. I was the last to place mine. "Sunflowers?" Mrs. Hughes was surprised at my flower of choice. "Winry told me how much of a bright person he was," I said as I stare down at the yellow petals.
"How loyal he was to both his family and his fellow men, the amount of time he spent helping the Elric's and the girls even though they never asked for it. She even told me how he was capable of bringing smiles to someone's face even when they're feeling down. I wish I got to know him in person. Sounds like he was a great man."
I brought my head back up to see Winry gazing down at the grave with sad eyes while Gracia forces a smile and fought back her tears. "You'll come and visit us once in a while, won't you?" Gracia asks, snapping Winry out of her trance. "After all, we wouldn't want him to get lonesome here." I could see Winry's blue eyes shine, showing just how saddened she was over his death. "Yes, of course I will," she answers then received a small tug from Elicia. The little girl brightly smiles up at her then at me as she continues to hold her hand. I turn my attention back to the grave. 'I wonder if this is how they felt...' I thought as I try to imagine my own funeral. It's weird. Before, I could never picture my parents crying over me, now that I learned what had happened to them after I disappeared, I can almost picture it happening.
The thing is, I can't remember what they look like. Guess this is what happens if you haven't seen your parent's faces for as many years as me.
||Streets of Central||
"I wonder where those four are now," Winry wonders aloud. Now that I think about it, Cat and Alice seemed to be in a hurry before we left. I was about to say something when we overheard two strangers talking about a certain pair of brothers. We stop in our tracks to listen.
"I hear the Elric's are wreaking havoc."
"What, again?"
"The MPs have been running around like crazy!"
"They're in another fight?" she asks, exasperated at the news. "Good grief." I was surprised when Winry started walking in the opposite direction. I run up to her then match my pace with hers and question, "Where do you think you're going?" "To find them of course!" she answers in a matter-of-fact tone. "And here I was thinking Ed would actually not get into any trouble!" "If they're in a fight then it's dangerous!" I protect but continue to follow. "It's seems they're after that guy whose been killing off state alchemists." We both falter in our footsteps for a moment. 'They can't be...' I think back to Cat and Alice discussing something to themselves before she went to bed. Winry grabs my arm and starts dragging me with her at a faster pace, and I allow her without resistance.
-Back to Me-
The explosions were getting worse by the second. By the time we arrived, Scar was standing in between Ed and Al with most of the area nearly demolished at the amount of damage done. I tore off the mask and change it back to a tricorne. "C'mon! We have to-" I take a sharp breath when I felt my shoulder throb in pain. "What's wrong?" Alice asks after catching me wincing. I remove my hand from my shoulder to reveal a large red stain on the glove. She gasps at the sight and looks at me with worried eyes. "Is that from Wrath?" I nod and painfully grip the spot again, "Yeah, I underestimated him. I thought I could take him on since Ling could but he's on a whole other level." She and I knew that my healing was faster than that of an average human, but because it takes a while, it's a bit of a problem in situations like this.
"That's a lie! You're using the name of your god to justify murder!" we hear Al shout from down the alley. We both stare at Al's back. This is the perfect time to do this. It's now or never. "What should we do?" I ask, this time turning to Alice for answers. She looks down at me with wide eyes, stunned. She turns her attention back at the scene before us, most likely pondering to herself whether we should intervene or not. "I've always been the one to decide what we should do, and that's not fair to you. I'll let you decide Alice. I won't argue with what you choose for us to do." I was no longer paying attention to what the three were saying. The only thing I could tell was that they were at the part where Scar berates them for their reactions about what he had done to Nina just from their shaking bodies alone.
Alice was still hesitating on what she wanted to do. I held her arm and add, "I know this is a lot of pressure, but I want you to think carefully on what we should do from here." I want her to have a fully grasp on the amount of weight we have in this world, she's faced two situations by herself where she felt powerless to not to anything but watch, I need her to finally understand that doing nothing is all we can do. All we can do is peak up the pieces. Looking at me with determined eyes, Alice finally comes to a decision. "We need to help out any soldier that got injured during the crossfire. Ed and Al can handle Scar." Feeling the weight finally lifted from my chest, I nod, acknowledging her decision. We turn our full attention back and hear Winry's voice after Ed angrily accuses Scar for what he had done to Winry's parents.
"What are you talking about, Ed...?" Although her voice was faint, it was still loud enough for us to hear from where we stood.
"You mean he's the man... who killed them? My parents? He killed them? What's worse... they helped save you. And you killed them...?"
She drops to her knees as the realization struck her hard, gripping her head and demanding him to give back the life of her parents he stole. We were just about to leave and help the soldiers until we heard a certain boy with her. "Win, don't even think about it!" Lucas warns Winry, stepping a bit closer for us to get a better view of him. "Lucas...!?" I cry out in dismay as Alice gasps. I don't want to interfere, and neither does Alice, Lucas shouldn't even be THERE, he might change something if we left him alone. I know I told him to watch over Winry, but I didn't tell him to intervene when things like this happens. He and the others continue to fruitlessly try and talk Winry out of shooting Scar.
His hate against the Amestrians are justifiable, and what he had done to her parents wasn't entirely his fault, he was blinded with rage that day. Rage like that can cause anyone to temporarily lose his sense of reasoning. 'Winry's going to hate us later for not saying anything...' I grimace at the reminder and thought back to how she's treated me since she saved me. "Shit! Lucas don't!" I was surprised to hear Alice speak up and saw that Lucas was about to stop Winry from shooing. "Get away you idiot!" I exclaim and began to run towards them, alerting the others of our presence. Scar had just begun to send rocks towards Ed, who jumped away and flipped over the man to reach Winry and stop her from shooting. Lucas was almost close to grabbing her arm when something happened.
He collapses the moment Ed jumps in between Scar and Winry to act as her shield. The next thing I knew, Alice had stopped moving altogether, as if she had suddenly turned into the mannequin her body is. "Alice? What's-" Out of nowhere, my vision started to become hazy. I fell to the ground after I felt all the energy in my body was suddenly cut off. The last thing I saw before I was forced into the darkness was Al fending off Scar while I hear Ed call out my name.
-Normal-
The moment Damien and Jealousy had arrived back at Central Headquarters, both suddenly black out. "General!? Damien!?" Helga shrieks as she and many of her subordinates surround the two.
"Someone call a doctor!"
||Elsewhere||
While they were walking, Nicholas froze in place, causing Hohenheim to stop and turn to his companion. "Is something wrong?" the man questions the other. Nicholas tries to say something but suddenly felt the oxygen in his lungs escape altogether, causing his to collapse on his knees and try to regain his breath. "Nicholas!" Hohenheim tries to keep his friend from hitting the ground as he tries to figure out what's wrong. "The Gate... something's wrong with the balance... Those not from this side are being called back..." he breathes, gripping onto the shoulders of the man. "Because my daughter and I share the same blood... the same goes for me..."
||Camilla's home||
Gracia and Elicia were in the kitchen when Camilla collapsed, they were too busy that they didn't hear the loud thud coming from the living room. In her hand was a small photograph of her husband and daughter, something she had finally brought herself to look at after so many years.
-Ed-
||Streets of Central||
"Cat! What's wrong!? Hey!" I try shaking her but she wouldn't budge, her eyes looked completely lifeless. "Lucas!" Winry finally snapped out of her trance and tried to also wake him up. I went to check on Alice and she was just as limp as the other two, it's as if their souls just left their bodies. 'Don't think that!' I shake the thought out of my head. 'It has something to do with the Gate. I know it! They're the only ones from the other side, something must have happened to cause them to react like this.' The more I tried to think on what exactly the cause was, the more I felt confused and frustrated at what's happened to them. I brought my eyes back to Alice. Seeing the metal plate on the back of her neck, I immediately remember Al, he's facing off Scar by himself at god-knows where. 'I need to get there fast!'
That's what I want to do, but I can't just leave them like this. "Winry," I call out and jog over to where she sat. "I need you to look out for them until Al and I get back. Tell them that your friends with me and that the Mercury is seriously injured." "But-" She glances down at the gun in her hands. Mentally kicking myself for ever allowing her to hear it, I carefully reach to take the weapon away.
"I couldn't shoot..."
"I know you couldn't... but it's okay."
"He said he's the one who killed my mom and dad... he tried to kill you and Al... but I couldn't... Why?"
"Remember how in Rush Valley you and Cat delivered that baby? You saved two lives... You gave me an arm and leg... Cat an arm... you replaced what we lost."
Finally, I removed the gun from her shaking hands and watch as her arms drop to her sides. "It's your hands... they weren't means to kill. They're meant to give life, that's way," was my answer before she clung to me and cried.
-Back to Me-
||The Gate||
"What the hell...?" I blink for a moment then scan my surroundings. "Welcome back," an eerie voice greets. I spun around and found myself standing before my Gate, and right in front of me wasn't Fate like I had expected it to be, it was Truth. I know because it's the one holding my arm, not the being that watches over my side. "How do you fair so far in this game of ours?"
-Alice-
This is the first time I've ever seen the Gate in person. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would ever get to see it up close, let alone the one that's inside of me. "Aw... why did I get this one?" a voice spoke. I turn and gasp when I see it was Truth, grinning at me like it always has with others with its large white teeth. It cackles at my reaction, "If you think I'm the one Nicholas and Catherine has labelled as The Truth, the being that governs the other side, then you're wrong. This is actually your side." "My... side...?" I utter and stare up at the gate with wide eyes as the realization dawned on me. If Lucas fainted before I did, then that means the three of us are at our own gates at this very moment. That has to be it!
-Lucas-
This is it. This is the place I saw right before I was taken from our world, and that white, featureless being that's standing there with the stupidest grin on the face of the universe is the one that allowed it. It's the one Cat and Alice told me about. "So, you're Fate?" I ask. "Bingo!" It exclaims in a distorted version of my voice mixed with a woman's. "The Truth and I are in a bit of a bind here, so we brought you all back to your original gates as a tie breaker."
-Normal-
"A tie breaker?" Cat repeats confused at what it meant.
"You see, there's been an unexpected shift between the gates. As you've figured it out, two of the same existence cannot remain on one side, causing the balance between both sides to tilt."
"If we don't temporarily balance things out, it'll cause permanent damage on the equilibrium that keeps both sides separated."
"You mean if we stayed in Amestris longer than we already have, both will be destroyed?" Alice clarifies.
"Bingo!"/"Bingo!"
"So, when you said you pulled us all back... Does that mean Cat and Alice-"
"Yep! You're all at your own gates! As we speak, all three of you are conversing with us right now."
This is something that confused Cat. She remained suspicious as she points out, "Then what am I doing here? This is the Gate of Truth, I should be at the Gate of Fate. If you're saying that all three of us are at our respective gate's, why am I here and not there? Isn't that where I belong?" Truth bursts out laughing, further confusing the girl. It stops laughing to tell her in an amused tone, "You should have realized it by now which side you're really from. I think my sibling has made it clear just how much you're like your father. And I can almost see the resemblance! The apple really doesn't fall far from the tree." As if sensing something was off, Alice questions the god-like being, "What about Cat? Is she really at this gate?" Fate just grins, "You tell me! I was expecting to see all three of you on my side, and yet here you both are, safe and sound while Catherine is stuck talking to my other at the Gate of Truth."
None of it made any sense to the trio; two of them somehow went back to their side, while one remained at the Gate of Truth, bringing much as each individually tries to figure out as to how it had happened. Cat was the first to bring up the awaited question, "What do you plan for the three of us?" Truth was surprised she was the first to figure out something was off, only Fate knew that she would be the first to pick up on their little situation. Sitting on the ground and resting its cheek over its first, Truth continues to smile at Cat as she stares down at it with hard eyes.
"We want you three to choose who will be allowed to go back first."
All three look at the being, with eyes wide and horrified. "The first... to go back?" the three question at the same time.
"You see, we want to give the world enough time to re-balance itself before we toss you back in. If not there will be certain side effects that I assure none of you want to see your friends experience. The Gates of Fate and Truth are barely keeping their sides separate by just a thin line. I'm sure the three of you were busy with something, but I think maintaining the balance is far more important than your petty little fights."
"And right now we just need one of you out there until we can fix this problem."
This was a big decision that all three had to make. Unable to consult the others on who they should choose, they had to rely on their guts that they'll give the same answer as the rest. Lucas makes a fist as he glares at the ground. 'There's only one person who can while we're here... I hope she's up for it...' Alice turns back to the gate and self-reflects on the events that occurred thanks to it. 'Ed, Al and Izumi suffered thanks to this Gate. It has only brought nothing but sorrow. What's happening to Al while we're stuck here?' Out of all three of them, Cat was the only one unfazed at their situation, in fact she already seemed like she had already come to a decision who it is that should be the first to return to Amestris.
"Well? Who do you choose?"
Although hesitant, Lucas and Alice finally came to their decision. Both simultaneously shout the name of the person they chose to leave. Fate and Truth grin, further amused at the chooses that were made. "Two out of three chose..." they trail off as the gate behind Alice began to open without her notice. She only realizes what was happening until she caught sight of the black hands reaching out from the corner of her eye. "What!?" she exclaims before the arms wrap themselves tightly around her body. Alice fruitlessly struggles as she is slowly dragged into the gate. "WAIT! NOT ME! I'LL ONLY MAKE THINGS WORSE! WAIT!" Alice desperately tries to reach out to the Fate, but to no avail, only watches in fear as the Gate shuts out the light.
-Alice-
||Streets of Central||
My eyes immediately open the moment I heard several voices and the sound of marching footsteps. "Alice!" I was surprised to see Winry hover over me after I attempt to sit up. "Are you okay? You guys just collapsed and I-" She stops and stares at me for a moment to stare at me. "You knew what happened my parents this whole time... didn't you?" I flinch at the way she was looking at me. Knowing there was no other way out of this, I confess with my head bowed, "Yes... I wanted to tell you, but I knew it was never my place to say anything. Ed and Al have been your friends longer than I have, they're the ones with that right." At first I thought she was going yell at me, tell me off for being so heartless. What I received was something that I should have expected rather something so unWinry-like, a hug.
It's still painful not being able to feel anything, but it just makes me appreciate every single gesture, even the smallest ones. "I'm so sorry... I'm really sorry... I've always wanted to tell you, but I knew, even without Cat reminding me, that it wasn't my place. Ed and Al have been your friends longer... plus they knew your parents too, so they should have been the ones to tell you." If only it happened at a better time and place. I was just about to say something else until Winry pushes me away and looks up at me with panicked eyes. "Cat and Lucas! They MPs had them sent to the hospital!" she tells me. "They could barely feel a pulse on them!" That is definitely not good! I grab her shoulders and said frantically, "They probably think their dead!"
Now it was my turn to remember something. Al is fighting Scar! Getting up, I instruct the confused girl, "You go to the hospital and make sure nothing happens to them! I'll go after Ed and Al and help them with Scar. No one is to stick a single needle in either of them until they wake up! Got it?"
"But-"
"Please Winry, if you can't then try and get someone we know in the military to do it. I don't want anything to happen until they're allowed back. As soon as they're in safe hand, wait for us. Got it?" "
As confusing as it sounds, I don't have time to explain of it to Winry, what matters right now is making sure they're alright while I try to help Ed and Al as much as I can. I leave her just as a soldier was about to approach us. 'I won't let you down! I'll make use of the time you've given me!'
-Normal-
||Train Yard||
Running as fast as her light body could go, Alice skids to a stop when she heard a sudden blast from the other side of the train cart she was standing beside and gawks to see Ling in mid air, biting his sword as he held a lit bomb in hand. After he disappeared from sight, Alice didn't waste a second in attempting to perform alchemy on the train cart that blocked her path, this time hoping she would actually mess up and blow a hole to get through. Clapping her hands and slamming them on the wood, she waits for a moment, silently waiting for the usual reaction to occur like the last few times during her practice sessions under Al's tutelage. 'Please work!' she prays, closing her eyes and purely focusing on the wood. 'Remember... concentrate. Al said alchemy is not only about creation, it's also about destruction. All I have to do is focus on the form for that matter to take shape!'
Finally, just as she was about to lose hope that she could ever perform alchemy, a small spark emits from under her hands. Alice eyes her eyes, a smile broadening her face as the side of the cart starts to brighten from an all too familiar blue light. On the other side where the fight was taking place, Scar was astonished at the sight of Gluttony's large body being bound and still expanding under the metal wires made by Ed under Ling's orders. 'What...? That this is a homunculus?' Scar's thoughts wonder as he continues to stare at the creature. A hole suddenly opens itself behind Scar's turned back, surprising everyone as it quickly opens up to reveal Alice, who still had her hands outstretched by the time the transmutation was finished. "Alice!" Al cries out happily upon recognition. She was just as ecstatic to see him, but that was short lived as Scar now had his eyes on her.
"You..." he said in a low, angered voice. "You're also like him. What fate would have caused a fool such as yourself to follow their path." Petrified, she recoils in fear as Scar starts to reach out to her. "Don't touch her!" Al yells as he uses his alchemy to create a large cement hand to grab at the Ishvalan. Seeing this at the corner of his eye, Scar readjusts his arm to destroy the hand before it could touch him. A car suddenly comes zooming in to their direction, and in it the driver takes out their handgun and starts firing at Scar, one bullet going straight through his left knee. Shaking off her fear, Alice jumps to the other side to join the others moments after the car skids to a complete stop in front of the others. "You have to get Ling and Gluttony out of here as soon as possible! I just saw some soldiers heading this way!" she yells.
Stunned, Hawkeye questions, "Alice? What are you doing here?"
"There's no time to explain. You both have to leave, now! The soldiers are going to arrive earlier than scheduled. If you guys get caught, Gluttony will be set free and Lan Fan will bleed to death!"
Ling couldn't believe what she had just said. "How did you know!?" he demands. Grimacing at her mistake, she tells the hysteric prince, "Like Cat said, we'll explain everything. Just take Gluttony and go before the MPs get here!" He reluctantly gives in. Watching Ling carry Gluttony into the car, Alice notices Al and Ed staring at the woman for a moment then immediately recognize who she was after putting two and two together. "Shhhh! Act like you don't know her," she said. Both look at one another and nod before Hawkeye sped off, and just in time too as the MPs had just arrived seconds afterwards. They both turn to Alice after Hawkeye and Ling escape. "They're getting away! After them!" they hear one of the soldiers order as they began to spread around the area. "The Colonel may still be a creep and a jerk but at least we can trust him," Ed said.
She hurriedly tells the brothers, "I don't want to rush you guys, but right now the Fuhrer has Cat and Lucas in custody!" "WHAT!?" Ed had almost forgotten about Scar for a moment at the mention of Cat. "We have to finish this..." Ed turns to face Scar, who was limping and trying to get away now that the MPs have arrived. He charges straight at the man and was able to punch him in the face using his automail arm. Spotting a soldier aiming at Scar, Alice quickly transmutes a wall in front of the soldiers. "Go help Ed! I'll hold these guys back!" she yells while trying to maintain the structure. The girl could tell that her alchemy was still not stable enough to make a complete construct. What's worrying her the most is how close she is in the same area at the alchemist killer, and right now SHE'S an alchemist in his eyes.
'If I had Cat's watch he'd definitely try to kill me...' Alice shakes the thought off and refocuses on the wall. 'I have to keep them back until Mei gets here!' The very thought of the girl was annoying to Alice. Not only was she guessed to have become Al's girlfriend after the events of Father's attempt to control 'God', but also her now current rival. Just the thought of it happening angered Alice. 'I won't lose to a kid like her!' As if on cue, Mei was quick to intervene by jumping and kicking Al on his side and off his feet, then next was Ed, who earned both feet to the face. Alice couldn't help but grimace at the fact the two were taken down so easily by someone that was two times smaller than Ed. Mei lands right next to Scar and gets into a defensive stance. "Are these two giving you trouble, servant?" she questions.
'In what way does he look like Yoki's servant!?' Alice mentally screams.
"This is the servant of the man who saved my life. You better leave him alone you puny little boy!"
Alice covers her mouth to keep herself from laughing when Ed angrily reacts to the insult. "WAIT A SEC! WHO ARE YOU CALLING PUNY!" Because she lost focus, the wall she had tried to hard to maintain crumbled, forcing the girl to retreat to the boys once she saw the soldiers were approaching. She got to them just in time as the MPs were now surrounding the two and held them at gun point. "They've got us outnumbered-" Alice couldn't help but gawk at the number of kunai's Mei was able to draw out at lightening speed. "It's time to retreat!" the girl declares. Watching her throw 10 kunai's, five each in different directions, Alice kept an eye out for any possible changes that could interfere with their escape. 'Okay... she's hit the targets,' Alice let's out a relieved sigh.
She hadn't realized Mei had used her alkehestry until Al suddenly grabs and shields her as the train engine and the bin full of coal explode upon activation. "What kind of alchemy was that?!" Ed asks in between coughs. "She did it from that from away?" Al wonders, stunned. Both boys immediately drew their attention on Alice, who panicked the moment she saw all eyes were on her. "Well you see..." She nervously eyes the ground as she trails in her sentence.
||Central HQ||
"You okay boss?" Tyler asks as Helga hands their superior a glass of water. Jealousy immediately downs the cup and hands it back to the lieutenant. "I'm fine," she quickly assures her troupe. Damien was the next to be roused from his sleep. "Easy there..." Joseph and Auron help the boy sit up as he rubs his throbbing forehead. Damien looks around the room, confused. "What happened?" "You both just suddenly collapsed the moment you stepped into the room," Helga explains. Cardio huffs with his arms crossed, "That's what a brat like you gets for overdoing things." "What was that!?" Damien tries to stand up and face the short man only to stumble on his weak legs. Joseph reprimands the man's attitude, "Don't go starting fights. We all have our share of work and he's working just as hard as any of us. If you have nay complaints, I suggest you take it to the General."
Cardio stiffens when he felt Jealousy's hardened gaze pierce the back of his head. "N-No thanks!" he stammers in a weak voice. While the others were preoccupied with Cardio's usual unruly behavior, Jealousy was deep in thought on what just happened. 'Not only did I black out, but also Damien. Does that mean the others experienced this as well?' Damien, on the other hand, was completely silent. He could sense Mei's presence but couldn't pin point where exactly. Not only that, there were some thing's he saw that caused him to become more suspicious of the existence of the girl who's blackmailing him into working for him and his own.
||Elsewhere||
Nicholas passed out the moment he regained his ability to breathe. Hohenheim had no choice but to cancel their ticket and bring him to the nearest hotel to monitor the man's condition. "What in world is happening...?" he wonders out loud as he gazes over at his friend with worried eyes.
-Lucas-
||Hospital||
The moment I felt myself back in my body, I immediately started coughing, drawing the attention of the whoever was present in the room. "Lucas!" I almost wanted to pass out again when I felt something heavy slam against my body. All I can see is the top of a blonde's head. I cough a bit again then breathe out her name, "Win...? Is that you...?" She lifts her head up and smiles brightly at me, tears streaming from her relieved eyes. What I didn't expect was a huge slap in the face. "Ow! What-" Winry brings her face closer as she begins to rant, "You scared me half to death! You and Cat haven't moved in hours, Alice ran off the moment she woke up, Ed and Al haven't come back yet trying to chase after the man who tried to kill you guys! I didn't know what to do!" She was that worried? Seeing her cry makes me guilty for not acting sooner before I passed out.
I put my hand on the back of her head and brought her in for a hug, allowing her to cry on my chest. 'Ah... I'm so uncool right now. I was so good at making Alice stop crying when we were kids, how come I'm always at a loss for words around Winry?' "Ahem! I'm sorry to interrupt-" We immediately pull away from each other at the sudden voice. I turn my head so I could properly excuse myself only to find myself speechless at the man that stood at the doorway, a shiver running down my spine at his menacing demeanor. "But I have to take this young lady away from you for a moment. I'll have her brought right back as soon as the Elric brother's arrive." As much as I don't want Winry to leave with such a dangerous man, I know I can't deny King Fuhrer Bradley, so I reluctantly gesture for her to go, earning concerned looks from the girl in response.
"I'll be fine. Just go." That was a lie. I'm not fine. But I guess I have no choice in this matter, as always.
-Alice-
||Central Command||
"Is the panda really okay in there...?" I wonder out loud hearing a small tap echo from his armor. Al nods, "There's a lot of space for her to move around. Plus, it's safer than being carried in my hands the whole time." I was about to say something until I found myself about to enter the room Winry was supposedly waiting for us in. I immediately stop in my tracks when the soldier opens the door for us. Although concerned of my sudden action, Al remains silent and remains at my side as Ed jogs in the moment he sees Winry. "Hey, Winry-" Ed stops in his tracks the moment he notice another presence in the room. The last person any of us wanted to meet, especially after what happened with Scar.
Wrath just sat across from Winry, casually sipping his coffee with his sword standing not too far from his side. He holds the cup up and greets us, "Oh, hello there Fullmetal Alchemist." Al steps in first in hopes of blocking me the Fuhrer's vision, but I know he spotted me the moment Ed came into the room. "Fuhrer Bradley... this is a surprise," Ed said while keeping his distance. "What brings you here?" Al asks. "I heard that a childhood of yours was waiting for your friends to wake up in the hospital while under our protection," the Fuhrer answers with a false smile. Ed tenses and tightens his automail fist. Hopefully, Wrath hadn't notice Ed's silent reaction.
"As a friend of such an important alchemist, she deserves our every courtesy."
Ed's brows furrowed at that last statement. I hid myself closer to Al's back when I see Wrath stand from his seat and take his sword. "I should be on my way now, if you please excuse me miss," he said with a short bow. Winry immediately stands and politely answers, "Oh, of course sir." We all step aside for him as he moves to leave the room, but he stops in his tracks and turns his head to stare at me. "Give my regards to Mercury and Mr. Walker," he said before leaving. My body starts shaking under his cold gaze. All I could do is quietly hid behind Al as he leaves. Up until now I'm still not over what he had done back in Dublith. If I wasn't in this fake body, he surely wouldn't take the risk on stabbing me like that just to get to Martel. ...Right? Winry immediately stands from her seat and races towards us.
"Ed! We have to go to the hospital! Lucas is awake!" she tells us. All three of us were ecstatic to hear this. The next thing I knew, all of us had run out of the room and started making our way to the hospital. I knew just from the look on Ed's face he wasn't just happy to know Lucas had woken up, he was hoping Cat was too.
-Back to Me-
||Hospital||
::Dream::
"Papa!" I happily cry out as I stick my head out of the window. "Cat get back inside! It's dangerous!" Mama panics and tries to bring my back in, but I was too happy to entirely pay attention. Instead, I pull away from the window and run straight out of my room, down the stairs and straight to the living room just second before I heard the door open. "I'm home!" he shouts after closing the door. I didn't waste a second. I just miss him too much! The moment I saw him drop his bags, I ran and tackling the man, nearly knocking him off his feet in he hadn't grabbed the shoe cabinet. Mama runs in and lets out an exasperated sigh, "She's going kill me someday, I'm sure of it." Papa just laughs as he lifts me up and holds me in the air.
"Aw c'mon honey! You were like this as well when you were her age!"
"I was certainly not! If I recall, YOU were like that when you met me years later!"
"Nah... I think you just fell for my charismatic charms, which works on everyone."
"Everyone but me," she retorts. I don't get what charis-something means, but it got Papa to give me that weird smile each time he and Mama have their talk. I suddenly felt myself being turned around while still being held in his hands as he stands up to face Mama. He holds me higher, much to my delight, to her. "In my hands in the product of our work!" Again, I have no idea what Papa is talking about, but whatever he said was enough to make Mama's face red. "Y-You pervert!" Seeing her cry, I immediately turn my head to glare at Papa. "Papa! Stop being mean to Mama! If you don't I'll use my alchemy to flood the basement!" I frown, causing him to stare at me with horrified eyes. Mama just laughs as Papa places me down on the ground and retreats to her side.
::End of Dream::
"Mama..." Was the first thing that came out of my mouth the moment I woke up. "Catherine?" I slowly open my eyes, and instead of Ed like I expected it to be it was Miss Camilla, hovering above me with worried eyes. She smiles and tucks a few strands of my hair behind my ear. "You're alright," she said, relieved. For some reason whenever I'm with her, I always feel calm. "Where are the others...?" I ask while trying to sit up. She proceeds to tell me, "Winry was with Lucas earlier but a soldier came to pick her up." That alone was enough to tell she wasn't informed on whose orders, she must have been told through Lucas for her not to know why Winry suddenly left. 'I hope nothing bad happened...' I stare down at my lap and grip the white fabric of the blanket.
"Speaking of which," Miss Camilla starts as she brings out something from her basket. "I was looking through some of my stuff and I found a picture of my husband." She hands it to me. With a raised brow, I take the small picture in my hand and nearly gasp at who it was. "My husband... Nicholas," she said, her expression wistful and reminiscent. The man that was laughing and hugging her from behind was the one I met. I'm a hundred percent sure it's him. 'Who else in this world would have gold hair and eyes that aren't related to Hohenheim?' I thought. I immediately hand it back so I wouldn't stare at his face for too long, something that she - thankfully - hadn't noticed. "He was a handful, my husband. Trouble always came his way but somehow, no matter where we were, he always knew what to do. I guess that's why I was so quick to agree in marrying him."
"Your husband... how long has it been since you last spoke?"
"Oh a very long time. Things lead to another and it ended up with him having to travel to far away places while I remain here, patiently waiting for his return. He's promised me one day he'd come back."
"But here you are, waiting."
Just like Trisha. The only difference is, she died, failing to fulfill her promise. What if the same were to happen with Miss Camilla? "Why do you wait for him?" I pry further. Her smile never leaves as she spoke, "That's what I used to ask the first time he disappeared. But that man... Sigh... he knows how to keep his promises, even if it takes forever." I don't know how could she be so patient, so loyal to a man that she hasn't seen in years. She's not just like Trisha, she's like me. I waited for Ed for years, wishing and hoping he'd turn up. She has to be her. "Miss Camilla... are you my-" Before I got the chance to ask, the door behind Miss Camilla suddenly slams open. She moves to turn to whoever it was that barged it, allowing me to see it was Ed, bending over as he tries to catch is breath.
"Ed...?" I mutter. His face brightens and practically runs to my bedside as the woman lets go of my hand and stands to make way. Ed grabs my hand not a second after Miss Camilla lets go. "Are you okay?!" he asks worriedly, bringing his face closer to mine. I force a smile as I assure him, "I'm fine Ed. I didn't expect to be taken away like that, but I guess by the looks of it I was able to get back just in time." Relief washes over Ed's face as he collapsed on his knees. "You really scared me... I never thought you'd pass out on me like that..." he said, squeezing my hand tighter. I caught sight of Miss Camilla leaving the room, but I refrain from saying anything and allow her to slip away. There's a time and place for everything, and sadly, this isn't one of those moments. She flashes me an apologetic smile before shutting the door, leaving Ed and me alone.
"Where's Winry?" I ask after noticing it was just him visiting. I can understand if Alice went to visit Lucas, and Al following behind, but Winry should be with Ed since she had enough time with the pervert to know he's okay. Ed's sad, downcast eyes was enough. I stare up at the ceiling and groan, "Winry must be pissed at me... I didn't want to tell you guys, but you would have to eventually find out... I just wish I knew how to handle these things better..." Until now I still have no idea how I should handle these kinds of situations that DOESN'T involve Ed. I'm used to it by now that he finds things out before me, something I wish he'd show by now exploding in my face. "Cat..." His hand automatically tucks several strands of my hair behind my ear. "Winry will understand. She knows about where you're from and what you know, so she'll get why you never said anything."
His sudden act of affection rendered me speechless. I don't know if Ed noticed or not, but if he has then he appears to not give a damn. "Your hair's getting longer, aren't you going to get it trimmed?" That was definitely something I never thought he'd notice. Feeling my cheeks heat up and my heart bounding against my chest, I shyly push his hand away and turn my head. "I may be a girl but I don't have time to worry about such stupid things! Besides..." I trail off while my thoughts finish, 'You were the one that told me back then I looked good with long hair when we were kids...!' "Winry has been really quiet since we told her," Ed tells me out of the blue. I stare up at him with worried eyes as he pulls the chair Miss Camilla was using and sits on it. Bringing my hand closer, Ed presses his forehead against the back.
"I wanted to wait until we knew you and Lucas were out of harms way, but I did promise Winry I'd tell her everything. And I did. I've known her my whole life, yet I have no clue what to do now."
"Do what you two have always done for others," I spoke up, causing Ed to lift his head and look back at me. "You lent her your shoulder when her parents were killed during the end stages of the war. Just because she refuses to say anything and isn't crying doesn't mean she isn't hurting. There are just some tears that anyone would want to hide from those they care about. The months she had to wait for them doesn't compare to the number of years she's waited for you two to finish your journey and come home for good. Right now she needs her childhood friend, she needs assurance that her waiting will be worth it. Her parents may be gone, but she has to accept and most past that. Only you and Al came do that."
His smile warms my heart as he chuckles, "You really know what to say with things like this. I just wish I could do the same for you."
"I hope you're not talking about me knowing everything again." My frown deepens when I see him tense up. I sigh at this and sit up. "Look Ed, even if I didn't know these things I'd still say the same thing." Things are still the same but it feels different. Is it because I'm here? Or is it something else. "But truthfully..." I trail, my heart beating hard against my chest with what I'm about to say next. "I wish I didn't know these things. If I didn't, I could properly get to know you differently." I'm still afraid to tell him my feelings. But I feel that if I don't say anything, these feelings will eventually spill over and I won't be able to hold them back. This indirect confession is all I can do for now to manage my feelings. Thankfully Ed is too dense with stuff like this. Or I hope he is. "Cat-" I was taken aback at the sudden serious expression in his eyes.
"Will you-" Ed was cut off by Alice, who practically barges in after kicking her way in. "CAT!" Slightly irritated that our moment was ruined, I frown as Alice runs to my bedside.
"You okay? I thought the Gate will never let you guys out!"
"I'm fine Alice."
"You sure? I can get the doctor and draw some blood to check."
"As if I'd let you call the doctor now!"
-Ed-
I was barely able to slip out of the room unnoticed as Alice kept Cat's attention. Once I knew she was too preoccupied to notice, I lean and slid against the wall. 'Thank god she's fine...' I let out a long relieved sigh. The whole time I had to keep myself from thinking about her and focus on catching Scar. "How is she?" I fall to my side at Winry's abrupt appearance. I wanted to yell at her for popping up like that, but seeing the redness under her eyes I kept it to myself. "She's fine. Actually, I'm surprised she's doing so well after all that happened," I said, crossing my arms and looking straight at the wall across from me. Winry doesn't answer. Instead, she walks over to where I sat and slid herself down beside me. We just sat there in silence. We haven't been together like this for a while now.
"So, Cat knew the whole time?" Winry asks, referring about her parents. I gulp, completely not expecting she'd bring it up. Scratching the back of my head, I nervously answer, "It shouldn't be surprising. She did tell us she knew almost everything." "But why...?" I could tell Winry was trying to hold back from crying. "She could have said something... HE could have told me." It took me by surprise when she changed the topic from Cat to Luke. "Hey." I reach over and pat the top of her head. "We knew from the moment we found out about the truth that there were some things they aren't going to be able to share. They may make it seem easy, but even they have trouble trying not to use their knowledge." Most especially Cat and Alice. I don't know how much Luke knows about these events. One thing's for sure, Winry will definitely not greet either of them happily.
Thankfully she changed the topic, though I wish it wasn't about THAT. "Keep your promise... and tell me everything about Lucas' side," she said.
-Back to Me-
+That Evening+
||Train Station||
"You sure you'll be okay from here?" I ask after briefly glancing over at the trio. On the other end of the train station Ed and Al were talking things out with Winry. Ever since we got discharged, she's been avoiding my gaze each time I look at her. Her actions towards Lucas are worse compared to how she's being around me. Apparently, Winry was so upset that he got slapped in the face the moment he woke up. "Yeah... I think I'll manage," he sighs, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "Seeing my life flash before my eyes like that? Just once is enough for me." Alice nervously laughs as I mutter, "Yeah... Once." Lucas slightly turns his head to Winry's direction. "She'll be fine, right?" Alice and I were surprised at this sudden question.
Lucas quickly adds, "You guys know her better than me... Heck, I didn't even know her parents died in the Ishvalan war until we met that alchemist killer today. If I had known he was that dangerous, I would have dragged Winry back to the hotel for her safety. I was stupid to let her go after you guys." "You couldn't have known," I said as I reach over and give his arm a reassuring squeeze. "Besides, even if you did know there's no way you'd stop yourself from checking on us either." He brings his eyes to his hands. "I can't..." Alice and I look at one another with confused eyes then back at him. "I can't go back to Rush Valley with Winry..." "WHAT!?" Lucas slaps his hands over out mouths and looks around with panicked eyes. I bit his hand, forcing him to pull back. We immediately huddled together into a circle.
"What do you mean you're not going back...!?" I whisper, trying my best not to raise my voice.
"I can't go back... not with the way I am now..."
"If this is about nearly dying then trust me, being in Rush Valley is the safest place for-"
"I'm not talking about that! Unlike you Cat, I'm not okay with the fact that I was suddenly taken from my body and ended up at THAT place..."
I almost stop breathing at the reminder.
"The last time I met that Thing... I was a kid, okay? To be there again... to be reminded of what I went through... I can't stop thinking about what I saw in there. All those arms touching me, eyes staring back at every direction, and those voices echoing all around me... I don't want to push that on Winry, she already has enough problems as it is. I need to go somewhere... anywhere! I just need answers... and I can't find them if I stay in Rush Valley or stick with you guys."
Lucas was visibly shaken at the things he saw. I know from my own firsthand experience that being in that gate was basically a never-ending hell. "We get it Lucas... Right, Alice?" I ask the girl to my right, who has been oddly silently since we got to the station. Sad that we may not see Lucas for a bit longer, she reluctantly gives. "The gate was definitely scarier than I imagined... then again, I've only been there twice, so I can't blame you if you still can't ingest what just happened." With his head bowed, Lucas said in a quiet voice, "I saw something before I woke up at the gate..." He lifts his head up and I found myself staring straight into his fearful green eyes. "Cat... where exactly do you think you were born?" Before I could ask what he meant, the train starts to whistle. "Luke, c'mon!"
Winry suddenly appears in between me and Alice and grabs Lucas' hand. "We have to go or else the train's going to leave us!" We were all surprised that she finally took the initiative to talk to him. Winry turns and was just about to drag the boy away only for him to force his hand back. "Luke...?" she mutters, bringing her hand to her chest as she slowly turns to him. He hesitates. Lucas silently looks over at us with pleading eyes. I shake my head, silently encouraging him to say what he has to say while there's still time. Biting his lip, Lucas turns with his arms stuck to his sides. "Winry, I... I can't go back with you." She stood there, her mouth slightly gaped as the boy steps back. "I'm sorry." The train whistles even louder, signaling its departure. Not wanting her to be late, Ed and Al grab Winry and hurriedly escort her into the train.
After the door is close by the conductor, Ed and Al step back as we watch Winry rush from the inside to find the nearest open window and stick her head out. "LUKE!"
-Normal-
He turns, trying his best not to turn back as Winry continues to call out for him. "Luke Walker, I swear if you don't come on this train I'll never forgive you! You hear me!?" It surprised the girls just how hysteric Winry was acting. Lucas still refuses to turn around. In one last attempt to get his attention, she screams, "If you're not going to face me then at least tell me what it is you wanted to tell me before I was taken to meet the Fuhrer!" Making a tight fist, Lucas raises his head and yells, "The next time you cry it'll be because of me! And I swear they'll be tears of joy! So until I can sort things out, don't you dare cry! Keep smiling and do your job properly! Be the girl I am someday proud to-!" The last part he said was inaudible to almost everyone - well except his two childhood friends. "YOUR WHAT!?" Alice nearly faints while Cat looks on in utter disbelief.
And to the girl's surprise, Ed didn't seem all that bothered by what just happened. Actually he seemed sort of... proud. Once the train starts moving, Lucas starts to walk away, leaving Winry speechless as she slides herself back into the train. Even after the train was gone Cat and Alice had no idea what had just happened. "D-D-D-Did Lucas... our Lucas..." Alice stammers, still trying to mentally process what just happened. All Cat could do was nod. When the boys turn to the girls, both panic upon seeing how pale both appeared. "Alice, what's wrong!?" Al exclaims and runs to her side. While Al was preoccupied with Alice, Cat snaps out of her trance and turns in the direction Lucas disappeared to. "Seems like you've finally moved on..." Cat huffs with a tired smile. "Took you long enough pervert."
Quietly observing the scene, Jealousy stands there and watches as Damien watches with wide eyes. "Do you remember now?" she asks after noticing the boy's silence. Damien drops to his knees, the realization soon dawning on him the longer he watches. Jealousy walks over to him and pats his shoulder.
"In times like this, it's usually best to turn your back, so one day you can look back on the past and use it as a lesson. A lesson that only you alone can understand, because when it's presented to you again, you can tell whether it really happened or not."
To Be Continued
Sigh... I missed at least two months... I even missed out on the chance to write up a Halloween Special! Anyway, because I'm halfway through my final year in college I have to focus, meaning I won't be updating anything for... *counts fingers* I'm not sure? I won't abandon anything! I just need to focus. Being a nurse isn't as easy as I thought it would be, and honestly it's getting harder and harder for me to keep my drive for writing. I love writing, don't get me wrong! But... I need to focus, so please if anyone else still reads MA, I hope you'll continue to be patient. Thank you all... so much.