Title : Whispers of a Nightmare
Genre : Anime/Manga
Category : Full Metal Alchemist
Disclaimer : Nope, this one belongs to someone else as well.
Summary : Takes place after the incident with Nina. Something's wrong with Ed, and Al just can't quite figure out what it is. Serious situations and angst ensue.
Warnings : Angst, mild language, violence, and other issues that shall go unnamed for now. I don't want to give away too much of the plot just yet, now do I? ;)
Rating : T
Chapter 11 : Woe of the Beholder
The water poured down, a thunderstorm in itself. And underneath of it sat the small body of Edward Elric, huddled as tightly into the corner of the shower as was physically possible. The water was almost scolding hot, but he was shivering, albeit uncontrollably. His golden locks were dulled in color underneath the sheet of water that was pouring on him, matted to his reddened face and shoulders, his golden eyes peering out between strands.
His teeth were chattering, his lips quivering just beyond his control; but he continued to let the superficial rain run down on him, covering him from head to toe. Steam filled the air, making it even harder to breathe, but he pushed the thought away to the back of his mind, other, more important things for his brain to attend to.
Emotions mixed within his soul, he knowing he wouldn't be able to keep them in much longer. Day after day, thoughts of that woman haunted his being. Those emerald green eyes would come to conquer him sometimes in the middle of the night, and there was nothing he could do to stop them. He was just as helpless now as he was then, only there was no life left in them now.
He shivered once more, her perfect grin turning ugly and grotesque, images of yellowed and rotted teeth sticking out of that ugly smile, meant just for him. He shivered once more, chills strangely making their way down his spine. His eyes widened as he recalled the later images, the ones when he was hovering in between consciousness and unconsciousness, the ones filled with blood and hellacious gore.
The twelve year old was so numb he couldn't even feel the tears that were streaming down his cheeks, mixing with the hot water. He could still see the images as if it had happened the day before. He saw those eyes, as lifeless as ever, yet there was so much hate still contained in them.
And then the picture would change and transform into the beautiful face of his mother, her eyes gleaming at him as well, green, but not as bright as the LaShea woman's. He could see her smile, hear her gentle voice, so soothing yet there was pain hidden in the undertone.
And he knew the reason for that. All because of his damned father, the man whose blood he had running through his veins. His brow narrowed as the man's visage graced his eyes, his teeth grinding harder against one another. Hohenheim Elric. He was the reason why there was pain her voice. He was the reason for her giving up. This Edward knew, but a piece of him still believed that he was also somehow partially responsible. And no matter how hard he tried to shake the notion, it beat against his brain like a wave crashing on the beach.
He'd wanted to bring her back so badly, just to hear and feel her; but he failed. His dream was true. If his bastard of a father had been there, she probably would have been able to come back, happy and as vibrant as ever. But he wasn't his father, and he told himself that he never would become like the man, no matter how much he resembled him or had his head stuck in an alchemy book.
The twelve year old pulled his knees inward still, the water continuing to shower him with its hot temperature. But he paid it no heed, his mind focused on his tormentors. Their faces haunted him day and night, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. He couldn't even tell Al, the one person who was always there and truly cared about him. But he couldn't tell him because his little brother's face was one of those that he was forced to look upon night after night. And each and every time, he was reminded of what he had done, and how it was his fault Alphonse was stuck in a metal body.
Faint sobs echoed off the shower walls, he trying so carefully not be heard. But he knew Al was stupid, and he sure as hell wasn't deaf either. But everyone has a breaking point, this he knew, and the possibility of reaching his danced before his eyes. A person was only supposed to be able to handle so much, but what happened if they snapped?
He shook his head, his wet hair sticking to his face. He closed his eyes tight, forcing his mouth closed, making sure he kept silent. He couldn't snap. Edward Elric was not allowed to snap and go off the deep end. He was stronger than that, and he knew it, but believing it was the hard part.
He jumped as he heard the bathroom door open slightly, armor clinking ever so lightly, chilly air entering the room. "Um, Brother?" Alphonse asked, albeit a tad uncomfortably.
"Yeah?" Ed quickly replied, standing to his feet, making a huge mistake.
"I just wanted to let you know it's almost time for the party. It's four thirty…I figured you'd want to get there on time," he answered back, his metallic suit steaming up quickly.
"I'll be right out," the blonde responded, grasping the shower wall for support. He fell back to his knees as he heard the door close, shaking once again. He looked up, unable to make out anything in front of him. Huge purple and blue spots blocked his vision, rendering him temporarily blind. He could just make out the outline of the shower, and that was about it. "Dammit," he whispered, starting to panic.
His whole line of sight was swaying before his eyes, colors and shapes melding together to create a black hole, so to speak, in front of him. His small body rocked back and forth, water continuing to drip off of him, spiraling into the drain spout below. He felt the urge to be sick, but quickly shut it out, not wanting to make more noise than was necessary. Slowly, he took one step forward, reaching out to turn off the knobs. The water soon stopped, steam continuing to fill the air.
He blindly reached for his towel, but missed, knocking the shampoo to the floor, the bottle cap breaking and the fragrant liquid splattering everywhere. "Dammit!" the loud whisper left his lips as he scrambled to pick it up, his hands managing to land everywhere but where the broken bottle lay.
"Here, why don't I get that for you, Brother?" Alphonse's voice cut through the humid air, Ed nearly dropping back to his knees from fright.
"Al!" he shouted, his golden eyes as wide as saucers. "What are you doing in here?" the twelve year old exclaimed, looking much like a dear caught in headlights, anger and panic in his tone.
"Don't yell at me, Brother. I think we need to talk," Al stated in an almost flat tone, gently pushing the towel into Ed's chest as he cleaned up the mess on the floor, not even bothering to look up.
Edward hurriedly wrapped the towel around himself but stayed motionless for a moment, trying to train his still dizzied vision on his little brother, a head ache slowly creeping over his skull. "I thought you went out," he mumbled through a clenched jaw, his eyes slowly drifting towards the floor.
"Hurry up and dry off your automail. I don't think Winry would like it too much if she had to replace it just because it was rusty," Al said calmly, though there was still anger hidden in his tone. He finished cleaning up the soapy liquid and stood up, exiting the room and sending another blast of cold air into it.
Edward's brow declined as he shivered involuntarily, goosebumps igniting on his skin. Hesitantly, he stepped out of the shower, his arms wrapped around his trembling body. The black hole was slowly becoming transparent, though his vision was still not totally restored, pissing him off even further. He reached a quivering hand out for his clothes only to realize they were no longer where he had left them, his teeth gritting in reflex.
"Al, that is not funny!" he called out, reluctantly opening the door, immediately regretting it. It was freezing inside the other room, he forgetting to turn the radiator on. "Now give me my clothes," he ordered, holding out his automail hand, his vision still a bit fuzzy.
"Brother, you've been keeping something from me, and I'd like to know what it is," Alphonse stated, holding the clothes just out of Edward's reach, making the shorter one stand on his tip-toes.
"I hope you're liking this because this is the meanest thing you've done to me yet!" Edward exclaimed, clutching the towel with one hand, the other stretching as far as it possibly could but still not even touching the much needed necessities.
"And this is the meanest thing you've done to me yet," Al shot back, continuing to make his older brother suffer for the moment, his tone still laced with anger.
"What are you talking about?" Ed yelled, exasperation in his voice, resorting to jumping as the clothes continued to climb higher and higher in the air.
"This!" Alphonse cried out, poking his brother in the ribs that were now clearly visible. "I knew there was something going on! I knew it! And yet you've lied to me this whole time! You said everything was just fine, and that you were alright when you weren't! You lied, Ed! You lied!" he shouted, sounding much more like the eleven year old he was supposed to be, dropping the black materials on the floor.
The twelve year old's heart beat frantically in his ears, desperately trying to erase the last minute of his life. He quickly grabbed the clothes and went back into the bathroom, the dizziness having subsided for the moment; and slammed the door shut, Al hearing the lock click noisily from the other room.
"I could easily break this door down, Ed," Alphonse stated simply, his shadow visible underneath the closed door.
Ed scowled as he hurriedly pulled on his pants, tightening the belt immediately, ignoring how loose the leather was now.
"But I won't, because then I would be invading your privacy!" he yelled, his voice growing louder with each word, sarcasm finding its way to the end of the statement.
"That's not fair, Al, and you know it! Just because you don't have to wear clothes anymore…" his voice trailed off as he reached for his shirt that had fallen to the floor, this time easing his way up to a standing position, his eyes accidentally meeting himself in the mirror. They widened slightly upon seeing himself, the paleness of his face catching his attention first. His line of sight lazily drifted to the rest of him; from his more than prominent cheekbones, to each and every rib that was now visible, his skin transparent and seemingly paper thin. He slowly traced one, a frightened expression creeping over his hallowed visage.
"Are you listening to me, Ed?" Al questioned from the other side of the door. "Because I don't think you are…"
"Of course I'm listening!" he piped up, hastily shoving his undershirt over his head and pulling his arms through that and his zip-up one. "We're going to be late," he said as he opened the door, two unamused, soul-filled eyes looking down at him. "Come on, Al. We'll talk about this later," Ed muttered, walking past him while braiding his hardly dried hair. He tied it in place and slipped on his red jacket, an uneasy silence resting between them. "Are you coming or not?" the twelve year old snapped, opening the dorm room door, staring expectantly back at his little brother. Al followed suit without a word.
The walk to the Hughes' house was quiet and utterly tension filled, but all the while uneventful. Al clanked without a word, obviously something going through his jaded and confused mind. Ed however, tried desperately to hide the limp of his left leg due to the chilling weather and dropping temperatures; but couldn't quite make it unnoticeable, earning a few strange looks from passersby.
It was a quarter 'til six before they showed up at the door, the walk taking longer than what they'd planned. Edward had just raised his fist up to knock when the door opened, Maes' face staring back at them. The blonde had pretty much prepared for the door to be slammed in his face before the hazel eyed man jerked his little brother inside, but instead, a warm smile lit up his features, the door opening wider.
"Glad you two could make it," Maes said, still smiling. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to come," he added, an almost concerned look silhouetting his eyes. "Well, don't just stand there, come in." His tone was just as warm as his expression, making Edward feel all the worse for the event that had preceded the party.
The twelve year old opened his mouth to apologize but was instantly cut off by Hughes, putting a finger to his lips. "Don't worry about it. Go on and have fun," he nodded towards the other guests, closing the door behind them.
Edward could feel tears instantly threaten his eyes for a reason he couldn't explain, quickly blinking them away and saving them for another time. His eyes scanned the small but conversational crowd in front of him, a hint of a smile gracing his lips as he realized it was the first time he had ever seen the majority of them without their uniforms on, amusing him a bit.
He didn't even realize Alphonse had left his side until he saw him talking to the person who was the guest of honor, Gracia. His stomach clenched as something else hit him, he forgot to bring a gift. Good one, the chide ran through his mind, quickly thinking of something to transmute.
Looking around, he snuck back outside, hunting for the nearest rose bush. He had just snatched up a few of the almost withering crimson colored objects when light footsteps befell his ears. He turned around quickly, almost dropping the small bouquet he had gathered.
"You don't have to do that, Ed," Hughes stated, a small smile still touching his lips. "Just you being here and being alive is a gift in itself," he stated, that worried look burrowing further into his features.
"Yeah," the blonde nodded sadly, his head bowing. "Listen, I want to apologize-"
"Don't worry about it, Edward," the hazel eyed man interjected with a wave of the hand. "There's nothing to be sorry for." He paused for a moment, his gaze drifting to the horizon above them, twilight coming into view. "I know you're upset about the orders, that's a no-brainer; but what I can't figure out is why you won't eat. You can't keep doing this to yourself or your body's going to shut down. You're not an idiot, Ed, so tell me what's going on." He looked down at the twelve year old who had managed not to transform his youthful visage into a tormented scowl. Yet.
Edward was silent for a moment, his head hung, eyes staring down the ground. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came, a confused grimace marking his features. Before he could control it, his hand started to shake, the flowers he'd picked crumbling to pieces. The lost petals were picked up by the wind, carrying them towards the street.
"This isn't like you, Ed. I know I haven't exactly known you for the longest time, but I have known you long enough to know you don't keep things inside like this. Alright, if it makes you feel any better, I won't tell anyone we had this conversation," he added, holding up his right hand as though he were testifying on the witness stand.
"Not even Mustang," the whisper came through a clenched jaw and pained voice, the flowers completely dissolved into the breeze.
A sigh parted Hughes lips, a nod following. "Not even Roy," he agreed, observing the youngest State alchemist in the history of Ametris. "Spill it, Ed."
"Do you swear?" the boy asked, taking no chances as he gazed up at the man standing in front of him, bangs partially hiding his golden orbs of circumstance.
Hughes shot him a get-on-with-it-already look, apparently good enough for the child to continue.
"Every night-" He cut himself short, his voice starting to shake, his body beginning to follow suit. "Every night," he repeated, this time with more anger. "I see their faces in my dreams. And they-they tell me how awful I am," he stated, his voice threatening to break in two. He sniffled, holding back his tears. "And no matter how hard I try, they won't go away. They never stop…," his voice trailed off, a stray tear peddling down his cheek.
"You know just as well as I do that those dreams aren't real," Maes offered, speaking softly. He placed a comforting hand on Edward's shoulder, realizing just how much the twelve year old was trembling. "You've got to stop doing this to yourself, Ed. And you know that. Whatever they're saying, it's not true. And you can't let them get to you. It's all in your head." His hazel eyes studied the broken boy that stood before him, his red jacket catching the whispering breeze.
"But it's all my fault!" the outburst came, the child's eyes widening with fright. "All of it!" he shouted, his throat giving up on his vocal cords, rendering them silent for the moment. The only sounds making their way out of him were quiet, pained sobs, wrenching the older man's heart. Slowly, he took Ed into his arms, tears threatening his eyes as well.
"That's not true, Ed." His tone was serious but filled with understanding, his eyes reflecting his words. "Humans aren't perfect, that's just the way it is. And because of those imperfections, we make mistakes. If we didn't, the world as we know it wouldn't exist."
The twelve year old continued to sob into the man's stomach, tears escaping from his eyes. "But I made too many mistakes," he whispered, talking so fast Hughes couldn't get a word in edge wise. "I failed my mom, I failed Al, Nina…I've let down everyone I've ever cared about…" His voice became swiftly silent once more, his shoulders trembling as he clenched the sides of Hughes shirt in his hands. "And no matter how hard I try," he said through gritted teeth, "I'll never be able to bring back my mom or Nina. I'm starting to wonder if I'll even be able to give Al his body back."
"Don't think like that, Edward. You can't think like that," his statement sounded more like a command, feeling almost like a father to the quivering child in his arms. "You can't doubt yourself or you'll never be able to accomplish anything. And that's not fair to your brother or you. You can't give up, Ed. Besides, you're way too stubborn, right?" he offered, trying his damnedest to lighten up the mood, only catching another sob from the twelve year old.
"It's getting cold out here, why don't we go inside, hmm?" Maes asked, gently pushing Edward away from, looking him in the eye.
"Sure," Ed mumbled, wiping the tears from his cheeks with his sleeve. "Lieutenant?" he questioned, his weary golden orbs meeting Hughes'.
"We're not at work, Ed, so you can call me Maes, or Hughes. Whichever," he replied with a sly smile and a shrug.
"Thanks," he said, his voice still barely audible. "You know, for…that."
Maes nodded, shooing the blonde inside. "Go on now, there's a big cup of hot chocolate just waitin' for you," he smiled. "Get in there, I'll be in in a minute," the hazel eyed man gave another quick grin, folding his arms across his chest. With a sharp nod, Ed listened and went in, thankful for the warm air that blasted him in the face. He felt slightly better, not having opened up to anyone like that since…ever. He'd never even broke down on Alphonse like that; but maybe that was because he couldn't, or thought he couldn't for that matter.
His little brother's voice slowly drifted through his ears, sounding surprisingly happy despite the words they exchanged before arriving. A small smile made its way to his lips, life slowly easing back into his golden orbs, though torment still lingered at the back of his mind.
&&&&&
"How touching," a curious yet sarcastic Roy Mustang made his way towards Hughes, a drink in his hand, and an eyebrow raised.
"Better than what you could do," Maes replied matching the other man's sarcastic wit, a small smile creasing the corners of his mouth.
"You're probably right," Mustang agreed, taking a sip from the sweating glass, ice swimming around inside the yellowish liquid.
"Roy, this is more serious than I thought," he said, his hazel eyes piercing the jet black ones that were now holding his attention.
"How so?" Roy asked casually, leaning against the door, one arm folded underneath the other, his black dress jacket creasing slightly.
"The kid has the whole weight of the world on his shoulders," he explained, carefully choosing his words, not wanting to divulge more than he promised. "Something's gotta give or he's gonna break," Maes stated with worry in his eyes. "But just one talk isn't going to do it. And for all I know, he's just putting on another act until he's by himself again. God only knows what goes through that kid's head," he muttered, stealing a drink from Mustang's glass, earning a respectable, half-hearted scowl.
"Maybe I should have a talk with him then," Roy mumbled lowly, wishing he had bit his tongue instead.
"Oh yeah, I can just hear it now. 'What did I tell you, Full Metal? When you signed your name on the dotted line, you became property of the State. And that means you have to listen to me and blah blah blah, blah blah blah.' Something like that, right?" Hughes laughed, reaching for Roy's glass again.
"Get your own," the deep voice growled, yanking the glass away and nearly pouring the drink all over his plain white button-up shirt and black blazer.
"Um, sirs," Lieutenant Havoc asked, poking his head outside the door. They both turned to look at him. "Um, we're about to light the candles--"
"I almost forgot!" Hughes blurted out, rushing back inside. "Coming honey!" he called loudly, scaring half the people in the vicinity.
Mustang sighed and reluctantly followed, his eyes slowly drifting over towards the oldest Elric brother. He was sitting on the sofa, a steaming mug clenched tightly in his hand. He watched the boy set it down on the coffee table and stand up when the cake was brought out, a lost look still set in the background of his golden eyes even though there was a grin plastered on his hallowed out face.
There was only one time Roy could remember seeing himself like that. It was right after the Ishbal War. He sighed, nostalgia creeping over his wandering mind. After seeing all the things he had, and doing all the things he'd done, he was surely ready to give what little he had up. He didn't care anymore, had lost all hope. The image of the gun wafted across his vision, and the trembling hands that were glued to it.
That feeling-that feeling of complete and utter hopelessness, he recalled it so well. He had been on the verge of insanity, and surely would have made it if not for his best friend, the man who would see him to the top, if he remembered correctly.
As cowardly as he thought he might have been, the man had still saved his ass, and for that he would be eternally grateful. Had Maes not seen him through the situation, he wouldn't have made it to where he was, nor where he hoped he'd be.
But being as thoughtful and caring wasn't as easy as Maes put it out to be, or so he thought. Roy Mustang was simply not the mushy type, nor the hugging, emotional type either. He was the strong, secretive, capable, and intelligent kind; not sensitive or weepy. Hell, he couldn't even remember the last time he'd cried. No, on second thought, he could; in fact, it was the day he'd held the gun inside his mouth but couldn't pull the trigger. His tear ducts had been closed off and boarded up since then.
In a way, Edward Elric was so much like him that it scared him somewhere deep within. Of course, both were unusually stubborn; both needed almost twenty-four hour supervision by someone close to them due to their ability to act first and think second; and both had a tendency to piss one another off with such ease and few little words that it was uncanny, really.
But they were also different in many ways. At twelve, Roy wasn't worried about regaining an arm or a leg, nor bringing a soul back from the dead, far from it actually. His youthful mind had been concerned with other things, far more trivial situations than what had been laid down upon that child.
He took another drink, his gaze resting on Gracia as she blew out the candles on the obviously made-by-Hughes birthday cake. He couldn't help but let a small smile, not a smirk, but a genuine smile cross his lips as he watched his best friend rub icing across Gracia's nose, generating laughs from the small crowd, even Edward.
Perhaps Hughes and Hawkeye were right. Maybe he really should say something to the kid, but what? What in the world could he possibly say to snap the boy out of his downward spiral? He was Roy Mustang, Lieutenant Colonel, to be exact, the one who was cool and collected and intellectual; and yet not one phrase came to mind. Not one.
He went to take another drink from the glass when he realized that all was left was the ice which had melted to about a fifth of its original size. He set the empty tumbler down on the table, and made his way over to the sofa, taking a seat. He was quiet as Edward sat down on the opposite side of him, holding a fork and a small plate with cake on it. A few bites were taking from the sugary concoction, but quickly placed back on the coffee table with the cold cup of hot cocoa.
"Not hungry?" the words rolled off Mustang's tongue casually, his words directed at the boy but his eyes looking elsewhere.
"Not really," Edward muttered, his annoyance level jumping by leaps and bounds. He'd already been through this enough for one day, and hearing another lecture or concern would piss him over the edge. "I'm fine, thanks," he stated, preparing to get up.
"Sit," Roy ordered, his arms resting on the back of the couch. "And don't even think about leaving already, the party's just started," he continued with a sly expression, reaching out to push the boy back down onto the soft cushions, earning him a exasperated sigh and a roll of the eyes from the twelve year old. "Now listen, Ed, I know you've been through some, tough times recently," he started, immediately setting the boy into a whispered frenzy.
"Thanks for your time. Not interested. See ya tomorrow," Edward smiled through grit teeth, pushing himself back up again, inwardly swearing up and down if he sat there and listened to the whole thing, his ears would start to bleed.
"Not so fast," Roy returned the fake smile with ease, pulling the kid right back down. "If the experiences you went through a few weeks ago are affecting you this badly, I think we should converse about it," he said, still not giving the boy so much as a glance, already recalling how red and bloodshot the kid's eyes looked.
The twelve year old's lips pursed together for a moment before he gave a response. "Whatever I went through yesterday or the day before is my business and mine alone; and I don't need some washed up, full-of-himself, wannabe Fuhrer try to make me feel better about myself, or whatever it is you're trying to do," the words came out almost too fast for the man sitting next to him to understand. The blonde stood up swiftly, but not fast enough for Mustang to still grab a hold of him.
"The orders Hawkeye gave you still stand. Tomorrow at ten o'clock, Elric," the command flowed from his lips with such ease it disgusted the boy even further. "And don't be late," he added with his trademark smirk, letting the boy's jacket slip between his fingers.
"Yes, sir," he murmured through a tightly clenched jaw, making his way over to Al. "Come on, let's go," he said gently, lightly tapping Alphonse on his metallic shoulder.
"Huh? Oh," was Al's quiet response. He stood slowly to his feet, exchanging good-byes with the officers he was having a chat with. "It was nice talking to you," he nodded, reluctantly following his older brother. "Why are we leaving so early?" the eleven year old questioned, his metal clanking with each step.
"Because I'm tired and I have a lot of work to do," Edward replied wearily, pulling his red jacket tighter. Before leaving, he made his way over to the Hughes', forcing a polite smile onto his tight features. "Happy Birthday, Mrs. Hughes," he said with a bow, his bangs quietly making their way into his face.
"Happy Birthday, Mrs. Hughes'," Alphonse echoed, bowing as well, careful to make sure his helmet didn't fall off in front of everyone.
"Thank you, boys, it was very nice of you to come. Why don't you take some cake with you?" she asked, a warm smile on her motherly face.
"Um, you don't have to-"
"Of course," Alphonse interrupted his smaller, older brother, his voice as cheerful as ever. "That would be very nice of you, Mrs. Hughes."
"I'll be right back," she stated, standing to her feet, and disappearing through the kitchen doors.
Edward shot Al a sideways glance, a pout forming on his lips. "Thanks a lot, Al," he murmured out of the corner of his mouth, his face reddening slightly.
Hughes looked up at them, adjusting his glasses. "I'd like to thank you boys for coming too. Oh, and before I forget," he said reaching behind him. "You left this," Maes stated with a quiet smile on his face, handing the blonde a file folder.
Before Edward had a chance to reply, Gracia came back into the room, handing him a small box. "Here you go, boys. And be careful out there, okay?"
"Oh, yes, ma'am. Um, thank you," he replied, a touch of sadness in his voice. He gave a weak smile before turning around and heading for the door.
"Good night!" Al called over his shoulder as he followed Ed, giving a polite wave.
The streets were quiet and pretty much desolate as they made their way back to HQ, their shadows being the only other form of life around. The sky was hidden beneath a blanket of clouds, the moon's light confiscated as well. A chill swept through the air, wrapping itself around the two boys, though only one of them could feel it.
"Al," Ed's surprisingly subdued voice penetrated the silence between them, his golden eyes sparkling in the street light, the hollowing of his face even more present and noticeable. "I'm sorry, for earlier. It's just…I've had a lot on my mind lately and all…and I shouldn't have taken it out you. I'm sorry," he repeated, his face crestfallen at his guilt.
Al was silent as he digested his brother's words, knowing he couldn't stay mad at him for long. It just wouldn't be right. "It's okay, Ed, really," he replied, conscious of the situation still at hand. He was silent again, trying not to let his anger get the better of him.
Edward played off the quiet for a minute, letting his thoughts find their way to his tongue. "There's something I need to ask you. It's important," he added, small swirls of mist flowing from his lips, the air growing colder.
"What is it?" Alphonse asked reluctantly, Ed gaining his full attention and curiosity.
"I-I didn't tell you before, but Mustang's trying to force me to stay here for awhile. He thinks I have issues to work out before he lets me travel again. That's what this is all about," he said, holding up the file. "This is the new case he wants me to work on, but…"
"You have other things in mind, right?" Al deadpanned, staring at the road ahead.
"I want to go back, Al. I want to go back to Kiase and see what we can find. That woman said she got that stone from a doctor there, and there's a possibility some of the townspeople might know who he is. Look, I know--" His fast-talking was cut off by his little brother, clearly not amused.
"What? Are you crazy, Brother? Do you know what kind of trouble you could get into for doing something like that?" Alphonse paused for a moment, trying to ease his troubled soul. "And besides, after what happened back there, do you really think those people would even talk to us?"
"I guess I didn't think about that…but still, there's a chance, Al. And we can't give up now! Do you realize how close we were? That woman had a genuine stone, Al! It wasn't a fake!" his voice raised, sounding lively for the first time in weeks.
"And she was going to use it on you!" Al shot back, anger in his tone. "Ed, there's something I've been meaning to tell you too. Something Kania told me. He said that the reason he killed people was to make the stone work. Like the souls he collected brought life to it or something," he explained, a sad undertone in his voice.
"That's crazy, Al! I mean, seriously, killing people to make it work? You've got to be kidding me," Edward pushed his little brother's words away, a disbelieving look on his face.
"Don't act like you haven't heard the theory before, Ed! Don't forget Equivalent Exchange. You have to give something in order to get something," Al reminded, a chastising edge to his voice.
"But the Philosopher's Stone bypasses that law!" Ed returned, dead set on his own thoughts.
"Not when you have to create one!" his little brother quipped back, stopping dead in his tracks. "
"Who said we had to create one?" the twelve year old questioned, craning his neck to look up into his little brother's soul-filled eyes.
"There's always a possibility, Ed. We don't know if one exists or not," Al explained, his tone calmer than before.
"So are you telling me that you would pass up the possibility to get our bodies back to normal?" the blonde questioned with such seriousness in his eyes that Al had to take a minute to respond.
"It depends."
"On what?" Ed exclaimed, impatience burning in his golden orbs.
"Do you honestly think you can get away with just disappearing like that? I mean, is it really safe?" the younger one questioned, unsure of whether or not he was actually thinking what he was thinking. Am I seriously agreeing with this? I had a bad feeling about the last time, and I didn't stop it, and look where it got us. What it wrong with me?
"Al, nothing's ever safe. There's risk no matter what you're doing. Even I know that," Edward responded with an air of superficial confidence.
An unexplained sigh emanated from Al's metallic body, even if there wasn't air in his inexistent lungs to back it up. "Fine, say I do agree to this. When would we leave?"
"Tonight," was the older boy's simple reply, a mischievous smile sliding across his face.
Author's note : Okay, THIS chapter did not want to end on me. I think this is the longest one yet! Hopefully, it wasn't too boring or confusing. I get lost writing sometimes. :o
Once again, thank you all so much for your continuous support and reviews. Your kind words are wonderful to read, and are giving me inspiration left and right, so THANK YOU to Akamori-chan, Ominous-Shadow, Lyemi, Roy-Fan-33, marufu-chan, Aemilia Rose, Kuropuu, agent000, ArkofPathos, JChrys, Legendary Chimera, hyperdude, Birth of Venus, Jaz the Wolf, vampirelf, Harryswoman, and all of those who have put me on your favs list or story alert list. Really, THANK YOU:D
The one shot's coming, it got stalled due to the length of this chapter. Well, hope you guys enjoyed it! Until next time…