So, I didn't want to leave chapter twelve up alone for too long because of the implied scene. So, here's an early update!
Chapter Thirteen
"Excuse me," Ed called out to a man working in the town. "Is this place called Kanema?"
"It sure is," the man said. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"We're looking for someone," Ed said. "He may be going by Ho?" Winry had mentioned briefly about Hohenheim going by Ho when they were in Liore.
"Oh, yeah, he's over here working," the man said, guiding them. Ed frowned when he saw his father working in the distance.
"Mr. Ho," the man called out. "You've got some company. Hohenheim looked over to his daughter, his eyes lingering on her for some time.
"Edelle," Hohenheim said as he stood. Ed frowned. She hated that name. "I didn't think-" He was interrupted by Ed flying her fist into his face.
"That felt good," Ed said.
"You could've at least warned me you were about to slug me!" Hohenheim exclaimed. "And with your metal hand too!" He stood from the ground, recollecting himself and approaching the foursome. "I see you've made a new group of friends."
"We're not-" Darius began.
"It's more like we're all on the same sinking ship," Heinkel interrupted.
'That's right; and you could say I'm the captain of that ship," Greed added.
"So you're the one in charge then?" Hohenheim asked Greed. The Homunculus nodded. "Then I'd like to thank you for looking after my daughter."
"Sure, but you know she can be in a pain in the ass," Greed commented.
"HEY!" Ed exclaimed.
Hohenheim's eyes lingered toward Greed's hand. "That's an interesting tattoo."
"Yeah, you noticed," Greed said. "Guess there's no point in hiding it. But let's make this honesty thing mutual, pops."
"Look, we need to talk," Ed said. "The Promised Day is tomorrow."
"Fair enough," Hohenheim said. "I'll tell you everything."
Hohenheim explained everything. He explained how he was a living Philosophers stone because of what had happened centuries ago in Xerxes. How 'Father' was created from his own blood. Ed brought a hand to her face in shock. Her father was...Was she...?
"I was worried this might be more difficult for you to accept than it was for Alphonse," Hohenheim said.
Ed wanted to lash out about how that could be a remark about her gender, but instead she asked, "Wait, you told Al about this?"
"I did. I'm sure he has his own thoughts on the matter, but he accepted it nonetheless," Hohenheim said. "If you want to use me to get your bodies back, you can."
"Are you crazy?!" Ed exclaimed. "Maybe you are a living Philosophers stone! But I'm not gonna sacrifice innocent souls! It's our fault we lost our bodies!"
"I'm proud my daughter feels that way," Hohenheim said with a smile on his face. He marveled on the fact that his daughter was standing in front of him before growing hard. "There will be a solar eclipse tomorrow. He plans on harnessing it for his scheme."
"An eclipse?" Ed asked. "So that's his plan..."
"Listen, Edelle, he has to be stopped at all costs," Hohenheim said. "I need you to help me."
"Help you?" Ed asked. "Now look here, I'm gonna stop that bearded bastard, but I'm not doing it because you want me to help you! Our best chance to beat this guy is teaming up and that's the only reason I'm even talking to you right now!" She turned with the others and began to walk away.
"That's fine with me," she heard Hohenheim speak behind her. "It doesn't matter what your reasons are, as long as you'll still fight alongside me."
Suddenly, Ed stopped in her tracks. The message...
"Granny asked me...to give you mom's final words," Ed said. "'Sorry I couldn't keep my promise, but I'm dying first'. So there!" She whipped around. "I told you-!" Ed stopped suddenly. Her father was standing before her with tears running down his face at this message. She was frozen in shock.
She finally found the motivation to walk away. Walk away from him and the past that stood with him.
Ed found herself with some dinner along with Darius and Heinkel.
"You know, Ed, don't you think you should try to be a little nicer to your old man?" Heinkel asked.
"Yeah," Darius agreed. "You could at least call him 'dad'."
'It sounds like you've had a rocky past with him, but he doesn't strike me as the type who'd abandon his wife, ya know?" Heinkel commented.
"The guy must've had his reasons," Darius added. "Why don't you give him a chance to explain?
"SHUT UP!" Ed exclaimed. "Did you ever think I've got my reasons?!"
"Oh, yeah, let's hear 'em then," Heinkel said.
"You're just stubbornly holding a grudge," Darius said.
"Such a whirlwind of emotions," Greed commented as he approached them. "I can see why. The guy's a walking talking Philosophers stone. And to make it worse, he also happens to be your father."
"There's more to it than that," Ed said. "It's just...he's not what I was expecting."
"Excuse me," Ed spoke to a woman at a fabric shop. "Can I get a roll of red fabric, please?"
"Here you go," the woman said as she handed it over."
"Thank you, ma'am," Ed thanked. She laid out some change to the woman before taking the fabric over to a barrel, resting it down.
"And what exactly is that for?" Greed asked. Ed didn't answer, clapping her hands and transmuting the fabric into her old red coat that she wore before Briggs.
"Whoa," Darius commented.
"Come on, what's wrong with what you're wearing now?" Heinkel asked.
"That doesn't seem flashy do you?" Greed asked.
"There's a good chance this is gonna be the last battle we ever fight. I wanna do it in style."
She wanted to go down in style.
So, I'm gonna tell you the reason why Ed is still working with Greed after what had happened. The reason behind it is that Ed understands that they need Greed for the Promised day, and so is willing to work alongside him until that day happens. Since (spoiler alert) Greed dies during the Promised day anyway with Father taking his stone, it works into the story well.
And onto reviews.
Lily (Anon): "Yay! You updated again! has Roy figured out about Ed yet? Since he heard Bradley call her edelle"
Great question. Roy actually hasn't figured it out yet. I'm not trying to make everyone think Roy is that dumb or saying he is dumb, but that's just not the first thing you would think of in a situation like that. Thinking of it from Roy's perspective, he's known Ed since she was eleven/twelve years old, so he has no doubts of Ed's gender. Of course, he's wrong about it, but it's not the first thing he's thinking about. He sure does know Ed's hiding something, though.
