Metallic Hearts -FullMetal Alchemist- Episode Twenty-Four: Bonding Memories

As the sun began to set, two boys sat in a tent, Scar infront of him. The older boy, Leo, held a spoon with warm soup infront of his lips.

Leo: "Here, eat up. You need to eat and build up your strength! Fine do what you want! Why do I have to nurse this guy anyway?" His little brother, Rick, was more excited.

Rick: "Does your body still hurt anywhere? Do you want me to get you some more medicine?" Scar gripped onto the sheets gently as he remembered the Homunculi. An elderly man opened the tent flap and looked inside.

Grandpa: "How is he doing?"

Leo: "He won't listen to me at all. We helped him before, and he left without an explanation."

Grandpa: "Those who have the blood of Ishbal are protected by our God Ishbala. Everything was planned by God." There was an explosion and everyone looked up. Men dressed in military uniforms with machine guns drove around the camp, firing at will.

Man: "What's wrong? You're not going to participate?" He looked over at none other than Barry the Chopper.

Barry: "Of course I will. That is what I was hired for. I'm going to slice these guys up, and bathe in their blood." Barry jumped up and put his ax to work. Blood came down like rain, and the man smirked.

Man: "That's right. Kill them. Spare no one." A machine came out of his back and spears crashed into the ground, creating a Transmutation Circle which sent Lightning flying everywhere.

Grandpa: "Is God still trying to test us with this ordeal?"

Scar: "This is not the will of God... This is the doing of a sinful human." He began to walk but he dropped to his knee in pain.

Grandpa: "You cannot move in this condition."

Scar: "God."

Affixing Memories

Images of the fight you and Ed had just crossed through your mind as you walked down the street, rain pouring down.

You: "Ed, why didn't you answer me? If I'm not human, what should I do now?"

Man: "Thief! Stop!" The younger one tripped and something fell off his neck. "It's a thief! Stop right there!" The two ducked into an alley and the butcher ran past.

Leo: "We got away." He handed an apple to his younger brother. "Here, eat up."

Rick: "I don't need any. You stole that out of the blue... Mom wouldn't allow such a thing." His stomach growled.

Leo: "See? Don't act so tough."

You: "You shouldn't steal from other people." They looked up as you looked at them from the corner of your eye, your back to them. "Are you guys from Ishbal?" They glared at you and you let out a chuckle.

With Ed, Al and Winry

Winry: "Excuse me. Have you seen this girl?" She held up an old picture of you.

Man: "No, I didn't."

Winry: "I see. Thank you. Ed, the only you can do is hep find Lita and talk to her." Ed just stood there with a sad expression.

Ed: "I'm afraid... There has been something I've wanted to ask her... But I've been afraid to ask."

Al: "Could that be?"

Winry: "But there are something's you have to talk about in words."

With You

You looked around amazed to see all of the Ishbalens living under the city.

Grandpa: "Is it unusual to see someone living here?"

You: "No, not at all, I'm sorry I followed them here."

Grandpa: "It's nothing, it seems these children have caused some trouble. By the way, you seemed to be oddly dressed. You looked down. You were in a black shirt, and a pair of beige pants.

You: "Uh, yeah. Well..."

Scar: "She is safe." You looked behind you to see the taller Ishballen starring down at you.

You: "Scar."

Scar: "We meet again, Lita Nitro."

You: "I didn't know you were here, too." You glared at him and the little brother ran up to him.

Grandpa: "Do you two know each other?"

Scar: "Yes. Barely though."

Grandpa: "That makes things better. Please don't tell anyone our location, Miss. Guest."

You: "You can trust me. I've heard of what happened to Ishbal. But how did this happen?"

Leo: "The military attacked us!"

Scar: "Yes. They massacred us once before. But it seems they have not yet killed enough. If you want to defeat me, now is your chance." You smiled and stood up. He waited for you to throw the first punch, but what you did shocked him. You held out your hand.

You: "We're not all bad. And hearing stuff like that, sometimes it makes me regret I wear this." He looked at the watch around your neck, his eyes traveling down to your hand. He looked into your eyes carefully, and could see the pain you were going through right now, and that you meant this. Maybe, just maybe. He reached out slowly and took your hand. You smiled and looked down, he looked at you oddly, seeing your blush.

Scar: "Where is Full Metal?"

You: "Don't know. Don't care." The younger brother grabbed onto his collar and looked around.

Leo: "Rick? What's wrong?"

Rick: "It's gone! Mom's locket!"

Leo: "Oh that? Forget about it."

Rick: "I dropped it back there." He turned around and ran off.

Leo: "Hey! Wait up!" Leo jumped up as well.

Grandpa: "Hey! You musn't go outside right now! Rick! Leo!"

Scar: "I'll bring them back." You sighed and stood up, following Scar. "Lita Nitro. I do not know what happened, but if you and Edward hate each other. It makes things easier on me." You tensed up, thinking he might turn around and kill you where you stood. You looked down sadly and he looked down at you.

You: "Scar. What do you think of me? Do you feel something, talking to me? Do you think that I'm human, even like this?" You let your ears out from under your hair and your tail unravled from your waist. He continued walking, you looked down, you're heart breaking.

With Leo and Rick

A man looked at the two through a pair of binoculars.

Man: "I found some. They're from Ishbal all right."

Leo: "Rick, give it up already." Just as Rick spotted it, you picked it up.

You: "Is this what you're looking for? So it's a keepsake for your deceased mother."

Rick: "Yeah." You were all walking back, Rick had his hand in yours as you all continued down the street.

You: "What's inside?"

Rick: "I don't know, I've never opened it before. But that's okay."

Leo: "Just throw that away."

Rick: "No!"

You: "You shouldn't talk about your mothers keepsake like that."

Leo: "That woman isn't my mother. All she did was force rules on us. She's never been nice to us before."

You: "That's because she cared about you guys."

Leo: "No! She didn't give a shit about us!"

You: 'This is weird. Does this guy want to forget about his past? He's the exact opposite of me.' Scar took out a piece of glass and flashed it, a flash of light was given in return.

Scar: "You guys go first."

Rick: "Wait." He ran down the alley and looked around. "Okay, it's clear!" Two guys jumped down, one grabbed Rick while the other shot at the three of you. You transmuted your tail into a large shield and stood infront of the two males. Another guy shot a bomb and you and you closed our eyes in pain as the bomb hit your tail. The men ran at you, your tail turned into a spear and you blocked the blow he through at ou with his gun and kicked him. Another tried to hit you but you just knocked him out of the way.

Man: "Bastard!" Scar set his hand on the ground and the stone under the last man collapsed.

You: "Let go of Rick!" They ran. "Stop!" One threw a smoke bomb and you coughed.

Break

Scar: "So they were mercenaries."

You: "It seems they use a facility on the outskirts of town. Rick should be there, too. But, Scar, are you sure about this? We're about to go fight."

Leo: "Hey! Do you have a problem with us coming along?"

You: "Not that. Um..."

Grandpa: "The people of Ishbal value the bond between the same flesh and blood. If I can safe Rick's life, I do not care if I lose my own, old-geezer life."

Leo: "Yeah. That's important to the Ishbal people." Leo looked at you in an admiring way. "I hope it can be important to you too." You smiled at the older brother, you couldn't stop staring at his eyes. The same thing happened when you were around Scar, the eyes were the windows to the soul they say.

Break

Winry: "What? Lita called you?"

Ross: "Yes, it seems she is involved in a weird case." You: "Not to intrude, but what did happen to your Mom?"

Leo: "Mom was praying to Ishbala, as usual. When the military attacked, I reached out for her, but she ran into her room, leaving us there. Then her room exploded with flames. I made a decision... that Rick didn't have to know about this... and that I would protect Rick." The car stopped.

Scar: "It's over there." Leader: "We'll be getting a lot of money from the military for this job."

Man: "We can just play around for a while then?"

Man 2: "We brought one kid with us, just like you told us... but will they come?"

Leader: "That's an easy question. There is a strong bond between them. Once we can lead the cat girl and the scarred guy..." Bars shot up around the men. "What the?" The wall exploded and Leo carried Rick away. "An Alchemist, huh?"

You: "State Alchemist. Get it right." The floor exploded and Scar appeared.

Leader: "We have the scarred man on this side. You guys get the girl. I'll deal with him." The leader slashed at Scar, who dodged the blows.

You: "Scar!"

Barry: "We meet again, little girl. Why are you here!"

You: "Who the hell are... Barry?" He jumped at you.

Barry: "Don't get so excited. I'll put you out of your misery! Then you wont have to worry if you're real or not." You dodged his Ax, but you were blown forward after the aftershock of a bomb. You whimpered in pain as you clutched your ribs. He ran at you again and you looked down.

Ed: "Stop!" Ed threw him off.

You: "Ed? Why are you here?"

Winry: "Are you stupid, Lita? He came here because he was worried about you!"

Man: "Fire!" You put up a barricade and you both pressed your backs to it.

Ed: "Lita. All this time, I've been afraid to ask you. Do you hate me? Since it was my fault for putting you in that body. That's why I... was afraid you hated me for that." Ed brushed his fingers against your cat ears.

You: "Ed, is that what you wanted to ask me?"

Winry: "Lita! Behind you!"

You: "Ed, I... I don't hate you." Al ran up and punched Barry in the skull. Spears landed around Scar, the Transmutation Circle appeared and a ball of energy flew towards him.

Leader: "What?" Scar grabbed onto the leaders collar, and he could see the anger in his eyes. He used his Alchemy but the leader only flew back. "I'm still alive. Looks like the guy I have heard about in rumors cannot kill someone if he's still weak. Shoot him! Someone shoot him!" He gasped as he saw his entire team in a cage.

Ed: "Give it up. You're the only one left."

Leader: "Who the hell are you?"

You: "A cat of the military. Unlike you."

Leader: "That can't be."

Barry: "This is a suprise. You're a State Alchemist, eh? Let me thank you for making me look like this!" He lifted up his head and half of his skull was gone thanks to Al's punch. He ran at you but Al stepped infront. Scar ran up and destroyed the armor, while said metal fell on the leader. The Alchemy counteracted with the military metal on the leader and all the spears were sent flying. One landed right in Rick's chest, and he fell over.

You: "Rick!" Scar stepped on the skull as you ran over to him. Leo held him in his arms. The boy began to stir and he opened his eyes.

Leo: "Rick?" Rick lifted up the locket and there was a dent in it.

Rick: "Mom saved me." It opened and four yellow beads fell out.

Grandpa: "This is eye medicine."

Leo: "Medicine?"

Grandpa: "You're mother died from a rare eye disease. But she probably pretended to see, so you guys wouldn't worry. Come to think of it she told me she couldn't do anything for her children because of that. She must've had a hard time on the inside, though."

Leo: "She couldn't see... Then... She went to our room to look for us." You smiled and wrapped your arms around Leo and he cried into your shoulder.

Break

Leader: "What the hell? I was hired by the military! So why did the State Alchemist interfere? Hey! Are you listening to me? Say something, you..." Water filled his mouth, and he gasped for breath, only to suffocate. The Fuhrer's Secretary smiled and sipped her coffee while looking out the window.

With You

You: "Where will you guys go now?"

Grandpa: "We know some other people who are in hiding like us. We think we'll visit those people."

Leo: "Lita, thanks a bunch. I'll treasure my mom's memories from now on."

You: "No prob." You couldn't stop smiling.

Scar: "Lita Nitro. Back there, I saw it. I saw your invisible tears. You are human."

You: "Scar!" You jumped on him and he just stood there, looking down at you.

Ed: "Scar! Let me ask you one thing. Did the Ishbal people have the Philosopher's Stone, and did the military go after it?"

Scar: "No. We sought the Philosopher's Stone to stop the military from completely destroying us."

Ed: "And did you guys create the Philosopher's Stone?"

Scar: "Let's go." They pushed off and Leo looked at you and reached into his pocket quickly.

Leo: "Lita!" He threw something at you and you caught it. He blew you a kiss and waved. You looked down, it was a locket. You opened it and it was a picture of Leo and Rick, both winking and you and waving. You smiled and looked at the guys, just a little dot on the horizon line.