L'alchimiste et l'Apothicaire Chapter 8, a fullmetal alchemist fanfic

Author's Note

As promised, chapter eight! A lot faster than my last update. Pray for me that I can actually get chapter 9 written and proofread before the end of the year..!

I'm pretty much literally pulling this out of thin air as I go, because I realized that the story I was originally wanting to go with made no sense when you considered the homunculi's motivations, so I'm sorry if it seems a little confusing. I'm hoping to clear things up in chapters 9 and 10. And then, and then!

I didn't originally plan on making a series—that kind of happened when I started getting all these ideas—but eventually I'll cut this story off once the kids get to central, and there will be a (kind of? brief?) timeskip and I'll be starting another story after that. It's partly lazy writing, but also partly because I know that if I don't write it this way, I'll never be able to finish writing this. And I... really want to finish this. It'll be one of a very, very few fics that I'll ever have been able to complete. And probably the only complete one that'll be like, well written?

Anyways thanks for reading through my ramble! You can find me on LJ under Alkahestric and on Tumblr as HerbalAlchemist!

Anyways thanks for reading through my ramble! You can find me on LJ under Alkahestric and on Tumblr as HerbalAlchemist

It takes us a little over an hour to get to West City's headquarters, and my feet are sore by the time we stop at the front gates. The building is stark and spartan on the outside, the courtyard—if it can even be called that—is monstrously massive and gives the ground a thoroughly uninviting look. Normally, Ed would take Alphonse with him inside and ask to see Enton himself. Apparently, it's a little harder to justify dragging me along for the ride. I'm barely any older than them, if at all—it's not like I ever asked—and there's only so much Edward's title and rank can do.

So before Ed goes anywhere near the place, I hold onto his sleeve and take out the pen and scrap paper from my bag.

"I have questions for him," I explain quickly, scratching things down into the paper. I bite back a curse when the ink smears. "Foxglove won't help Claire, so either I'm wrong about the plant he was after, or the homunculi want foxglove for some reason. And you should ask him why he would do anything for them at all, if they asked him to do anything to begin with."

"Anna, geez, calm down," Ed says, putting a heavy metal hand in my shoulder. The pen slides across the word I was writing. I scratch it out.

"I don't want you to forget anything, and I can't go in with you!"

"Don't worry, Anna," Alphonse says, putting a hand down on my other shoulder. "Brother's got a good memory, it'll be fine."

I bite the inside of my cheek in consideration before stuffing the paper and pen back inside my bag.

"Besides," Ed continues, crossing his arms and puffing his chest. Like this, you could almost believe he's the taller of the two of us. "It's not like I haven't thought about all of that! Gimme some credit, I am a state alchemist."

"Yeah well, that's exactly why I want to make sure you don't mess up," I mutter bitterly, shoving my bag behind my back and pulling on the strap.

And with that, Edward rushes off across the courtyard towards the military building, and then he's gone. I slump forward and lean against Alphonse. It didn't escape my notice that there are public phone booths across the street, but...

"You should call Doctor Moore," Alphonse provides, completely and wholly unhelpfully. "He must be worried. It's been a few days, and I haven't seen you call him once."

I wince at that. It's not a lie, but the idea of speaking with what is sure to be a Very Angry Doctor isn't a pleasant one. When Alphonse takes a step forward, I'm forced to stand on my own.

"Ugh. I know you're right, I just..."

"I can dial the number for you," the younger brother offers. "At least that'll be out of the way, and then all you have to do is talk!"

"You make it sound like talking is going to be the easy part," I complain, but when Alphonse walks across the street, I follow him anyways.

I walk myself into a booth and put my hand on the receiver. Take a deep breath, pick up, dial and wait.

"Doctor Moore."

"Um—uh. Hi. It's Anna?"

There's a pause. I can hear a deep breath being taken.

"Anna Belrith, I hope to god you've become religious because prayer is about the only thing that can save you right now."

Oh no. Moore is livid. Furious. Not that I didn't expect it, but his tone is harsher than I thought it would be. Is there something else he's mad about? Maybe the supplies I took..?

"I'm sorry, but they're state alchemists, they can get me the books and knowledge I can't get from you and there's only so much you can teach me when I'm this young and I want to learn more about alchemist and alkahestry and I could just—"

"Look, stop, I understand why you did it," the doctor says gruffly. I can almost hear him run a hand through his graying hair. "I get it. But what am I supposed to tell your parents?"

"Have they... did they call?" I ask hesitantly, turning back around to look at Alphonse. He stands patiently outside the booth, doing his best impression of someone who absolutely has a million better things to do than eavesdrop on a phone conversation.

"...no, I still haven't heard from them," the doctor answers quietly. His anger sounds like it's fizzing out into nothing. He sounds apologetic. I don't like that it feels like he's pitying me. "Where are you, right now?"

"Oh. Uh. I'm, uh."

"Out with it, girl."

I swallow thickly. "I'm uh, right outside West City's military headquarters?"

I hear something clatter to the floor and doctor Moore swears.

"You're what?"

"They had business here! I think! Look it's a quick stop and then we're going straight to Central—"

"Anna Belrith you are coming back here on the next train or so help me—!"

"Sorry Doctor I can't hear you! What was that? Doctor?"

I smash the receiver back in, with maybe a little more force than necessary, and hold my breath for a second. It's not like he could call back, right? And if we leave soon, he won't possibly have the time to actually come hunt me down, right..?

Once my hands stop shaking, I sigh and slowly walk out of the booth. Alphonse rushes over, hands up but unsure what to do. I can't blame him.

"That could've gone better," I state, trying to make it sound pleasant, but even I can acknowledge that I sound miserable.

"Did he say anything? Are you alright?" His concern is almost heartwarming. It's enough to make me smile, even if only a little.

"I'm fine. But he hasn't heard from my parents, and..." I trail off, looking off to the military building across the street. "I don't know how my parents would feel about me being here. Or going to Central. They've never been big fans of the military."

Alphonse lowers his hands and his head in what I assume is understanding. I playfully punch one of his arms.

"Hey, don't worry about it, Alphonse! You guys are letting me see libraries I probably would never be allowed to get close to," I say, trying to reassure him. And myself. "I don't think my parents would be super angry about that, so it's worth it, for me."

"I just hope we don't make things harder for you at home, that's all," Alphonse says quietly, looking very much like he's twiddling his thumbs.

"Like I said, don't worry about it." I pat his arm and walk past him on the sidewalk. "Come on, there are a few benches over there. We might as well sit down somewhere while we wait."

Though I'm aware Alphonse probably doesn't... really care, whether or not he stands, it eases my nerves. I pull my jacket closer to me. Though fall's just beginning to settle in and the sun is still warm, the breeze is getting cooler.

"I've been meaning to ask you, Anna," Alphonse begins. I can feel the hairs stand up on my arms. He has the voice of someone who's about to reprimand you as gently as possible.

"The smoking, right?" I ask, making a point to stare at the road in front of us.

Alphonse nods, and looks down at his hands.

"Aren't you too young for that? Did you steal them from the doctor?"

"Yeah, I... it's complicated. I haven't really talked about it to anyone, ever, and I don't know—"

An armoured hand on my shoulder makes me flinch. I'm met with Alphonse's unwavering glowing red gaze.

"I won't make you talk about it, then. But you can always talk to me about anything."

I hate how this absolute, actual child feels more like an older brother, more of an adult than most people I've met. I nod slowly and exhale sharply. That could've gone worse.

And then I get a solid smack in the back of the head.

"Mmm, yeah, I deserves that one," I mutter sheepishly, rubbing the back of my head.

"Brother and I have sacrificed a lot for something unobtainable," Alphonse says quietly, lacing his fingers in front of him. "We've seen a lot of people sacrifice almost everything for things that ended up not being worth it." I expect him to turn to me. He doesn't. Instead, his voice grows even quieter. I have to leak in close to hear. "I don't want you to sacrifice your health, for anything."

The sincerity in his tone shocks me. Because it comes from someone younger, and someone who barely knows me at all. After a second of hesitation, I decide to put my hand on Alphonse's shoulder in a way I hope comes off as reassuring and appeasing.

"Hey, I didn't realize you were so worried about it," I reply just as quietly, stating closely leaned in. I decide to look out into the street. He may not have facial expressions, but somehow, staring at the younger too intently still makes me feel self conscious. "It's not like I spoke for a while anyways. Maybe by the time we get to Central, I'll have kicked the craving altogether!"

As if I'm cue, a cat—probably a stray—bursts out onto the sidewalk from the bushes, and Alphonse's mood instantly lightens.

Meanwhile, I try not to think about how little I've heard from my parents lately.

When Edward emerges from West City HQ nearly an hour later, he runs down the stairs so fast he skips almost half the step. Doesn't look both ways before rushing across the street to meet us. When he finally stops, he doubles over with his hands on his knees trying desperately to catch his breath. Alphonse and I wait patiently for him to speak.

"Good news is, " Edward starts, doing his best to speak through his heavy breathing. "Enton's only gonna be there a day at most."

"Let me guess, a mysterious benefactor paid off whatever was due and now he's free to go." Alphonse tries to sound unimpressed and reprimanding, but his tone falls a little short.

Ed's answering grin is so wide it could eclipse the sun. I can't help but smile; surely, Enton wasn't in his right mind when he tried to steal from a garden full of poisonous plants. No one could be.

Edward's face darkens almost immediately though, and motions for me to move over so he can sit down. He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees, turns his head to look toward his brother and I.

"The real problem is why he was in that place to begin with. Apparently, someone with a weird tattoo said that they'd help his sister out if he got a specific plant for them."

"It wasn't foxglove, was it," I ask, more or a statement than a question. Ed shakes his head.

"No, and that's the thing," he continues, looking back down as he laces his fingers. "What Enton was there for us a thing called jequirity."

I stumbled up on my feet and cover my mouth. That can't possibly be right. Jequirity beans are one of the five most deadly plants my parents had always told me to be weary of. No one even wants to touch them; plants are usually burned as soon as they're found.

"What's wrong, Anna?" Alphonse asks, standing up next to me.

"Jequirity beans," I start, clearing my throat and forcing myself to blink. "Are so poisonous that literally just touching them can kill you. Craftsmen have died trying to make jewellery out of them. One bean can make enough poison to kill at least five grown men."

"What could you even do with those?" Alphonse's voice is small and quiet; sounds every bit as young as he is.

"If they really are homunculi..." I trail off, looking down at Edward. His left hand clenched tightly around his right.

"They'd be able to handle them without a problem," he says, voice hoarse, finishing my thought.

The silence that hangs between us stretches on for a while. Several cars roll by in the meanwhile. It's hard to wrap my mind around it—how what are essentially immortal, artificial humans are chasing after a poison so deadly just touching it could kill you. I don't know that I want to think of why they want that.

My mind immediately springs back to Enton. I slump back down onto the bench, next to Edward. He'd been wearing at least one glove, but I can't remember if he'd had two. He had to have been, right? The thought of anyone putting that boy in danger, and using his sister as leverage, left a bitter taste in my mouth.

"We... you can do something to stop this, right?" I ask, not directing the question at either brother in particular. "I'm worried someone might go after Enton. If he failed..."

"She's right, brother," Alphonse starts, taking a step forward. "We can stay another day or two to keep an eye on him, right? Colonel Mustang isn't expecting you back in Central for another two weeks."

Edward makes a face and groans, sitting up straight and tossing his head back.

"Man..! It's not like I can just leave that kid here like that knowing what might happen." Ed runs a gloved hand over his face, turns a bit to look at me. "I don't need to ask, do I?"

"Not a question," I answer, shaking my head and grabbing the strap of my bag as I stand. "If there's anything I can do to help you two or Enton, I want to stay. Especially if it means preventing someone's death. Central's library can wait."

Ed sighs but rises to his feet anyways.

"Well, we better get back to the inn then," he says, as nonchalantly as he can manage given the situation. "Enton's safer in there than anywhere else, so he'll be fine until they release him tomorrow. We can come pick him up then."

I bite my lower lip to stop the grin from splitting my face. Alphonse and i quickly catch up.

"Thanks, Ed," I say quietly, after walking for a few minutes. "You probably wouldn't have had to do this if it wasn't for me."

I simple forward when Edward smacks my back.

"Don't sweat it! This kind of ties in with our research anyways, so it's not like it's completely out of the way!"

"Besides," Alphonse continues. "If we'd found this out without you, we probably would have spent even more time figuring out what jequirity beans are, so you're kind of making it easier for us!"

I exhale sharply through my nose, pulling my jacket closer to me and trying to ignore the heat rushing to my face.

"When you put it that way..."

Ed rushes a few steps ahead before turning around. Again, his grin is wide enough to lift up the night sky.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving!"