It had been five days since his first breakfast with Rose and she told him that her friends should be arriving today which made him both excited and nervous. He was excited to meet the people miss Rose talked about...but afraid to leave the house again and run into the villagers. Every day and every night he heard them madly searching the city for him, panicking at the thought of loosing their 'miracle child'. It made him feel slightly guilty...But they still made him nervous with their obsessive attitude.
"Come on little one," Rose said sweetly as she took his hand in hers and led him out to the village entrance, very few villagers out at this time of the morning even with the frantic searches "we don't want to be late." Harry clutched tightly to his caretaker's hand, eyes darting back and forth like a frightened lizard for any villagers. As they walked Rose gave a mental sigh sighed as she noticed his behavior, having figured out over the past few days that he was the supposed 'Miracle child' by how the child was said to have vanished when she found him as well as descriptions she got from other villagers. She had decided to remain silent though to let him tell her in his own time which she was going to stick to. The young woman gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay, sweetie. Don't be shy." She said softly. Looking up at her he gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand in return. As they reached the main gate he looked and saw what looked like a car shooting across the dessert towards them, multiple shapes inside. Harry took a deep breath, and prepared himself to meet the friends of his new caretaker. Rose smiled at him. "I'm proud that you're being so brave." Blushing brightly at her praise he looked down, trying to reign in his flushed cheeks before the jeep pulled to a stop a little ways away from them and three blondes climbed out. The first was a giant of a man who must have been seven feet tall and covered with muscle but had a gentle smile on his face while his golden hair twinkled merrily, the second man was much smaller than the first, and had the same hair and eyes as the giant along with a cocky smirk but there was something off about his walk. The third blonde was a girl who wore a jumpsuit with the top half unzipped and tied around her waist along with a tanktop while her blue eyes locked onto them. Rose waved to the group with a smile. "Over here!" She called out to the group of three. Harry looked at the one in the middle, and mentally noted that he was actually up to the man's waist, whereas with Rose, he barely came up to above her knee. Suddenly feeling his nerves coming back he ducked behind Rose's leg in fear as the three approached.
"Hey there, Rose!" Edward greeted. "Long time, no see!"
"Hello, Rose!" Alphonse greeted. "Have you been doing well?"
"Hey guys!" Rose said cheerfully as she pulled Winry into a hug, "Thanks for coming.".
"Of course," Ed said with a grin "you said you needed our help and we're always willing to help out our friends.".
"And we really needed a vacation." Winry added with a laugh before turning towards Harry "And who's this little guy?" Harry responded by whimpering and hiding further behind his caretaker's leg. Rose giggled.
"This is Harry. He's a little shy..."
"Hey there," the giant who Rose called Alphonse said, kneeling down to try and get close to eye level "I'm Alphonse and this is my brother Ed and his wife Winry. Nice to meet you.".
"H-harry," he stuttered out, still hiding behind Rose's leg "n-nice to m-meet you too s-sir."
Winry let out a squeal of delight. "He's so adorabllllllle!"
At those words he blushed a bright, brilliant red which caused Rose to giggle as she scooped him up in her arms, "Yes he is," she said proudly "and he's a perfect little gentleman.".
Before anyone could say anything else he heard a screeching voice from behind them yell out "Unhand the Miracle Child!" as he saw the same old woman who tried to kidnap him before "A follower of Cornello shouldn't be allowed to corrupt him with your taint!" before grabbing him and wrenching him from Rose's arms and moving to strike her.
As he saw this he felt rage course through him, this woman was about to hit Rose, the woman who took him in and was the closest thing he had to a mother. 'Show them not to mess with those you care for!' a powerful voice ordered from within his mind as he felt raw power course through him as it began affecting the world around him. Unbenownst to him his eyes had begun to glow a terryfing white while the winds howled and whirled around him "Don't you dare strike her!" he roared, his voice echoing with another, deeper voice. While he did this, and the old woman cowered, Rose and the Elrics looked at him in pure shock.
"I-is this why he's called the Miracle child?" Rose asked to herself as she gazed at the furious Harry that was floating in the miniature cyclone, placing himself between her and her attacker while giving off the aura of a wrathful deity.
"Ed!" Winry called out as Alphonse held on to his brother and sister in-law "What's he doing?!"
"I don't know!" Ed called out in shock "I've never seen anything like this!"
"It has to be some kind of alchemy, right?!" Winry exclaimed.
"No!" Alphonse replied. "That's not alchemy! Not at all!"
"I'm Sorry Great One!" the old woman pleaded, throwing herself to the ground in front of him, "Spare me!".
"Leave!" he roared "And never threaten Rose again!" causing the woman to nod fervently before running away as fast as her old bones could carry her. As soon as she was out of sight he felt his rage draining away and his power along with it before he felt darkness enclose around him as he slipped into the realm of Morpheus. Rose looked down at the unconscious child, then at her friends, baffled by what had just transpired.
Shaking herself out of her stupor she scooped up the little boy and turned to her friends "Let's get him back to my house." causing them to nod before they took off, each of them still thinking about what they had just witnessed. Rose looked down at the little boy in her arms sadly. "You poor dear..." She whispered.
"What was that?" Ed asked once they got back to her house "I've never seen anything like that before. The closest i can relate it to was the power of 'Father' during the war.
"I have no idea." Rose replied. "It's the first time I've seen it too..."
"Why did that woman call him 'the Miracle child'?" Winry asked in confusion
Rose sighed. "It's a long story." She said. She told them everything.
"So he's treated like father Cornello even though he doesn't want to be?" Al asked in confusion which caused her to nod before they heard a groan as they turned to see Harry waking up.
"W-what happened?" he asked weakly
Rose immediately scooped the child into an embrace. "Are you all right, sweetie?!" She exclaimed.
"R-rose?" he asked weakly before he remembered what happened to him and panicked "W-what all did you see?"
Rose smiled sadly and held him closer. "Absolutely nothing, dear, nothing at all." She shot a threatening smile at the others. "Right, everyone?"Al and Winry nodded in understanding but Ed looked like he was about to open his big mouth until Winry pulled out a monkey wrench causing him to gulp and shut up.
Harry let out a soft sigh of relief. "So...Nothing bad happened, right?"
"Just some mouthy old lady," Ed said with a shrug causing Harry to yelp and dive behind Rose, having not noticed the Elrics.
Rose sighed. "It's all right, dear, it's just my friends." Hesitantly he poked his head out and waved.
"Hello again." Alphonse replied with a chuckle.
"Hi." he said hesitantly as he moved out from behind Rose...only for Winry to scoop him up, gushing about how cute he was. Harry froze in fear as the blonde held him, not used to such strong physical affection.
"Winry stop it," Rose scolded, taking him from her blonde friend "you're scaring him." before she nuzzled his cheek softly and placed a tender kiss on it. Harry smiled with relief and rested his head on the woman's chest. This gentle affection was what he preferred. Snuggling against her he watched Rose's friends curiously, the smaller man giving off the feeling that something was missing. Hesitantly he reached forward and touched the man's forehead, silently willing whatever he felt was missing to return. Staring at the kid in slight amusement he saw the little boy reach forward and touch his forehead before scrunching up his forehead in concentration. Before he could say anything though there was a flash of light and an energy flowed through him that he hadn't felt in years...his alchemy was back.
Edward's eyes widened. "Wha...How...Can I..."
"You felt...incomplete..." he said hesitantly, realizing that he might have messed up hiding "i...i wanted you to be whole again..."
Edward looked excited. "I can do alchemy again!" He said. "This is awesome!"
"But how did he do it?" Winry asked in confusion as they turned to him in confusion, making him shrink in on himself somewhat before Rose spoke up.
"Because he's my amazing little Harry." Rose stated firmly
"Maybe he IS the miracle child." Alphonse said with a grin. Hearing that, Harry frowned, not liking the name which Winry seemed to pick up on as she hit the giant with a wrench.
Rose chuckled nervously. "Miracle child? Him? Of course not, he's just a normal child, isn't that right, sweetie?"
Beaming at her he nodded happily before turning to Edward when the man asked "So Harry, what other powers do you have?"
"Um...I...I dunno..." He replied softly. "I don't practice..."
"It's okay sweetie," Rose said as she kissed his brow before she turned to Edward "i know he's used telekenesis before as well as teleporation but i don't know what else."
Edward nodded. "Well, either way, thanks, little man." He said gratefully.
Remembering what Rose had said about him he decided to play a little joke and said in false anger "Don't call me little!"
Rose noticed the playful undertone in his voice and giggled as Edward blinked and laughed out loud. "I feel your pain, kid." He said.
Giggling softly he then looked seriously at the renewed Alchemist "Only Ms. Rose can call me that." he said seriously causing Ed to laugh happily and ruffle his hair before getting a wicked grin.
"I would love to see what would happen if this little guy ever met , I think I'll test out my alchemy by making something for the guy who brought it back in the first place." Before he could ask what Ed would do, or what Alchemy even was as he was still confused, Ed clapped his hands together before slamming them into the floor as the stone floor shifted before molding into a small statue of Rose holding him in her arms.
"Awww, Edwaaaard..." Winry cooed. "That's so sweet of you..."
"wow," Harry breathed in awe "what was that?"
Edward smirked and handed the statue to Harry. "That's called alchemy, kid."
"That's part of the reason i asked you here Ed," Rose explained while he marveled over the little statue "i was hoping you could teach him about Alchemy and other things due to you and Al being recognized as geniuses.".
"I'd love to have an apprentice!" Ed exclaimed eagerly "A pupil to mold in my image!". At those words he imagined himself with golden eyes as well as the same golden braid Edward had only for Rose and her friends to gasp as he felt his eyes and hair itch before he noticed a long golden braid sticking over his shoulder.
"I'm just not going to be surprised anymore," Winry deadpanned while he played with the new feature "but what do you think causes it.".
"I...i always imagine something happen or wish for something to happen and then it does," he spoke up hesitantly "like when i wanted to stop that woman from hurting mo-...Rose earlier."
Rose blinked at the slip, but didn't comment. "Aw, you're so sweet." She cooed as she rested her chin on Harry's head.
Smiling happily he nuzzled up into her while Ed appeared deep in thought, "If that's true then, theoretically, you might be able to do Alchemy like i do but it would be harder because you haven't gone through the gate."
"Gate?" he asked in confusion as Ed, Al, and even Rose and Winry shuddered.
"The gate is an ancient force," Ed explained seriously "found in a void of white and it shows a being that appears as a while silohouet in front of...".
"In front of two giant stone doors that open, revealing small black hands that drag you through, past flashing images filling your brain with so much knowledge it hurts," Harry said softly, getting flashes of his own experience in getting to the desert "it was terryfing.".
"Y-you went through the gate." Ed breathed in horror while the others looked down at him in shock.