Chapter 21
Noah expressed a confused look. This was no time for the two of them to be at each other's throats. He had to find out what was wrong and try to resolve it. He never considered himself a man who settled disputes, but he thought he oughta try this time. With Envy out there, he couldn't have the brother's feuding while their friend needed their help.
He ran ahead and caught up to Al, and said, "Is something wrong? Did you two have a fight or something?"
"No," Al said, a little angry. "It's just sometimes, well, Ed can be pedantic and overbearing at times. He's so over-protective of me that it's annoying. I can handle myself and I don't need his help. I'm a State Alchemist."
"He's just looking out for his younger brother, Al," Noah said.
"Yeah, I know. But I don't need his pissy attitude right now. We've been through a lot together, but I thought these last two years being separated would've cooled him off a little."
"What happened these last two years?"
"He was in one place and I was here," Al said.
"Can you be more specific?"
"Not exactly, it's very difficult to explain."
"Would it have anything to do with the Gate?"
Al halted in his tracks and looked at him wide-eyed, then he took a step back. "How do you know about the Gate?" he said nervously. He instinctively squeezed the handle of the sword, thinking that Ed might have been right and Envy was hiding out in Noah's body. How would Noah know about the Gate? Envy would.
Ed caught up to them.
"What's the matter, did I say something wrong?" he said.
"How do you know about the Gate?" Al demanded this time.
"The Gate!" Ed said alarmed, overhearing Al's question. "He knows about the gate?" Ed raised his automail blade. "There's no way you'd know about the Gate. Only those who've been through a traumatic experience involving the Philosopher Stone would be aware of its existence. Unless you're not who you claim to be."
Noah put up his hands quickly, palms outward, as if surrendering. "Whoa, you guys, take it easy," he said. "I didn't know it was that sensitive of a subject. I'm sorry I brought it up."
"Answer my brother's question," Ed sounded insistent. "How do you know about the Gate?"
"I've seen it, in a dream," Noah started to explain. "It's a big black stone door with skeletons on the front and it leads to another world, right? I think it leads to another world like ours or perhaps a level of Purgatory." He shrugged his shoulders. "But I'm only guessing."
"Definitely not Purgatory," Ed said.
"How do you know?" Noah said.
"Because I've gone through, in fact; a couple of times, and returned."
"Where did you go?"
Ed squinted his eyes at him, as if dissatisfied with Noah's explanation. "First thing's first, tell me how you came to see the Gate?" he said. "It just wouldn't appear to you in a dream. I think you're lying."
Noah nodded. "Okay, you deserve the truth," he said. "When I turned ten, I had a bout with death and became deathly ill, and it appeared to me in a dream when I was feverish. I didn't know what it was, but I knew it was something special. When I got well I did some research on it, but turned up nothing. It appeared no one had ever heard of it or didn't want to talk about it. I tried to get into the library at Central, but they wouldn't allow me because it was only reserved for State Alchemists. I confided in my uncle about the dream, but he didn't believe me and laughed. But he did try to convince me to take the State Alchemist exam. I told him no, because I didn't want to get bogged down and become a dog of the state. I like doing things my way."
"Similar minds think alike, eh Edward," Al remarked.
Al replied to his brother's sny remark with a nod.
"That's how I felt, but I literally had no choice if Al and I were to ever get out true bodies back," Ed said. "But forgive me, continue."
"I left home to try to find some clue to its existence. Unfortunately, I was starting to feel that I imagined the whole thing until I came to this remote village and met you guys. Now I know it's truly real if other's have seen it."
"If I were you, I'd forget about it and go home," Ed said plainly. "It'll only cause you heartache."
Al nodded. "I agree," he said. "Don't pursue it, you'll only regret what you find."
"But you two have seen it, so my journey wasn't a waste. Tell me more about it, please. I have to know. And how can I see it again?"
"You can't, it's gone," Ed said.
"Sealed tight," Al said.
"But how?"
"In order to save our lives we had no choice but to close it forever," Al said. "And the key to opening the gate is gone forever. It was called the Philosopher Stone."
"I found information on the Philosopher's Stone, but it's only supposed to be a legend."
"Oh, it was real alright," Ed said. "And we found it. . ."
"And used it," Al finished. "The Philosopher Stone and I were bonded as one at one point," Al continued. "But that's all water under the bridge. The point of the matter is, it's gone forever and its never coming back. Not if we have a say in the matter."
"Why is that?" Noah inquired.
"Because it took human lives to make it work," Al told him.
Ed cleared his throat. "Al, I think that's enough information," he said.
Al nodded. "Agreed, the rest just gets gruesome," he said.
"So the Gate is sealed and the key is gone forever?" Noah sighed, and frowned. "So my journey was a waste after all."
Ed produced a smile. "Don't think of your backpacking across the country as a waste, think of it as a learning experience," he said. "You may never be able to see the Gate, but that doesn't mean it never existed. We're proof if that."
"Ed's right, and now you can go back home and make up for lost time with your family," Al said smiling. "I hear that your uncle really misses you."
"I've been away from my family for a very long time, maybe it is time I go back home and see them again." Noah nodded. "But first, let's deal with this Envy guy. If he's half the guy you say he is, you're gonna need me."
"I think we can handle him by ourselves, but thanks for the offer," Ed said cocky. "He's holding our friend hostage inside her own body and we haven't found a way to get him out yet."
"What does he want?" Noah asked.
"Me," Al bluntly said. "He thinks I have the Philosopher Stone embedded in my body somewhere, but he's only deluded. I don't have it."
"Maybe you don't know you have it?" Noah suggested.
"That's crazy, I'd know if I had it," Al remarked.
"Maybe Envy knows something you don't?"
Al was thoughtful for a moment, and then looked at Ed strangely. "What if Noah's right?" he said. "Envy did read both our minds when we were in the Mind Meld, and maybe he discovered something deep in my subconscious that's hidden from even me?"
"Don't start questioning yourself, Al," Ed said. "You don't have the Philosopher Stone, there's no way you can. It was destroyed when we were transmuted back to your body."
"But what if a portion still remains inside me like Envy says?"
Ed put up his hands in a halting fashion and then huffed frustrated. "Al, what Envy thinks is idiotic, and besides, he'd need the entire Philosopher Stone to do anything. Anything less would be useless."
Al shook his head. "That's not true, Ed," he said. "We've seen a partial Philosopher Stone made in liquid form and then refined into a working stone. What if the Philosopher Stone's power still resides in me in some fashion, but that renders it inert, and like blood that flows through a human body, the essence of the stone has become a permanent part of me. I'm the only one to ever become a Philosopher Stone and live to tell about it."
"I'm telling you, Al, Envy's messing with your mind," Ed said.
"But what Noah suggests could have a ring of truth to it, and maybe I have the Philosopher Stone and don't know it. If I do, how do I use it?"
"You're being stupid, Al!" Ed barked out.
"And you're being close-minded!" Al shouted back.
They both snarled at each other like angry wild animals.
"Hey, hey, cool it, you two," Noah said, getting between them. "This is no time to fight amongst ourselves. There's a killer on the loose and he's stolen your friend's body. Now, what's more important, settling this dispute, or finding Envy and saving your friend? I'm sorry I opened my mouth on this issue."
Al nodded. He said, "You're right, Noah, finding Envy and saving Winry is more important that proving my brother is an small-minded idiot."
Ed growled at him and grabbed Al's jacket in anger with his Automail hand, and in his haste, ripped the collar.
Al slapped his brother's hand away and looked at his jacket. Actually, it originally belonged to his brother. But after he abandoned it, it became his. Al looked at the damage to his jacket and became very angry. He gritted his teeth and then back looked at Ed and cursed at him. "You bastard! Sometimes I wish I'd never find you, brother," he said through clenched teeth. "You were better off in the other world. You're nothing but a nuisance."
Ed's mouth dropped agape in shock. "Al, you don't mean that," he said.
"You damn right I do!" he said, raising a closed fist to further express his anger. "And after we find Envy and dispel him from Winry's body, you and I are going our separate ways. I don't need you anymore. I'll move to Central and be closer to command headquarters. You're too damn cynical, Edward, and I don't need that in my life right now. I'm still trying piece my life back together. Maybe it's better off that you're not in it. I've done pretty damn good without you these last two years."
Ed took a step back, his mind in total shock and disbelief. Something was wrong, Al never acted like this. "Al, I know you don't mean that," he said. "I think you need a time out."
Al snorted with a smirk. "Like mother told us when we were kids after we fought? C'mon, who do you take me for! You may be older than me, but you've never been a match for me, and you know it. I beat you every time, and I can still beat you."
"You wanna take me on, Al, after everything we've been through, are you sure?"
"That's enough guys, cool it!" Noah said it like an order, but it was he wasn't there, they didn't listen. They were so focused on hating each other, that it was like the rest of the world didn't exist.
"Noah, I think you'd better move back -- we need to settle something," Ed said.
"But Envy, and your friend--"
"I'm aching to kick your ass, Ed," Al said. "First you transmute me into that metal monstrosity and then when I finally get my body back, you leave me. Some brother you turned out to be."
"I thought you'd forgiven me for what happened eight years ago, but apparently you lied to me," Ed said, rubbing his automail arm, preparing for a fight. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Al, but looks like you do harbor some hate towards for what I did to you. But I am still your older brother, and whether I have to beat it outta you or not, you will respect me."
"The hell I will!" Al shouted, and attacked Ed with the sword.
To be continued...
