Kaori: Well…I decided to hurry up and write this one. I had to get it out of my system...
Shadow: I have a question.
Kaori: What?
Shadow: Can TAILS do the disclaimer?
Kaori: Sure.
Tails: Kaori does NOT own Fullmetal Alchemist, Pokémon, or Shadow and I.
Kaori: But I own a whole lot of FMA and Pokémon merchandise.
"What is it?" Edward asked.
Dawn walked over and stood beside him. She looked a little nervous and Ed was about to ask her why…but she spoke before he could.
"I think your brother…is worried about you," she said quietly, just before a roar of thunder rang through the air.
Edward coughed a few times and went back to staring at the horizon. Dawn looked at him with concern, but he didn't notice. She put her hand on his arm to show that she cared, but Ed pulled it away.
"Al always worries about me," he stated, "He kind of reminds me of our mother."
Dawn was curious now.
"What's your Mom like?" she asked.
Edward looked down toward the ground.
"You should go inside. It's starting to rain harder," he told her.
She looked down also.
"I'm sorry…" she said.
Dawn walked back to the door.
"You should come in, too."
It was quiet after the door shut. Ed decided he could stay out…for just a little longer.
"Really…?"
"That must have been hard for you."
Alphonse nodded.
"We loved her more than anything," he said.
'And that's why we had to try,' he thought.
"Your mother really must have been someone great, huh?" Ash said.
Al nodded again.
"She was always there for us, even though she was sick," he explained, "Whenever Ed and I were hurt or sick, she'd give up her time to help us get better."
"That's what a mother is supposed to do," Brock smiled.
"Always there for her children," added Ash.
"Always loving them, even through their mistakes," Al whispered the last bit.
There were a few minutes between the end of their discussion and Dawn's return. When she got there, Ash and Brock were off to get some food for everyone.
"Hey Alphonse…" she started, "What happened to your mother?"
"She died from an illness she kept secret from everyone," explained Al, "Ed and I came home one day and she was on the floor. She wasn't dead then, but it was getting worse…"
Dawn looked down.
"I think I may have upset your brother," she apologized.
Al looked at her.
"Why?"
She sighed and told him, "I asked about your mother…"
The boy in front of her smiled sadly.
"Ed's more sensitive about it than I am, I think," he said, "Don't worry. He'll be ok."
The girl looked behind herself, "He's still out there, isn't he?"
Alphonse walked over beside Dawn.
"We just have to leave him alone for awhile," he said, "Ed likes to be alone sometimes…to think or figure things out."
He thought Dawn looked worried.
"Why are you so worried about him?"
Dawn looked over at Al and looked back at the door.
"He was coughing a bit…and I told him to come inside. But only so he wouldn't get sick."
Ash and Brock came back with the food and the four of them ate. Alphonse explained that his brother could come whenever he felt hungry so no one went to get him. When everyone was full, they sat on one of the couches and told stories. Ash told a story about how he and Pikachu beat a whole flock of Spearow. Brock told a story of how he almost got married to a girl, but she fell in love with someone else. Dawn told a story about how she won her first ribbon. Alphonse told a story about how he and Ed saved a town from a corrupt military leadership. They were all so absorbed in their stories, they didn't notice that Edward came inside for a few minutes, ate, and went back outside.
Night time came upon them all too soon, and left to go to bed, except Alphonse. He went outside and saw his older brother asleep on the railing. The younger brother tried to wake him.
"Hey Ed, wake up!" he shook his brother, "Let's go inside! It's dry in there."
Ed groaned in his sleep and fell off. Al laughed and kicked him lightly.
"Come on, sleepy head," he said.
Edward sat up and yawned.
"Why didn't you just let me sleep…?" he asked.
Alphonse crossed his arms.
"One. It's pouring out here. Two. You couldn't have been comfortable. Three. You're obviously already sick and I don't want you to get sick…er!" he yelled.
The older of the two stood up.
"I'm fine, Al," he insisted, "You're overreacting!"
"Dawn doesn't think you're alright," Alphonse muttered.
"Who cares what she thinks?!" Ed yelled, "She doesn't know anything about me!"
"She knows about Mom," countered Al, "I told her and the others!"
"Why the hell would you do something like that?!"
"Because they have a right to know, Ed!"
"You barely know these people and you tell them THAT?!"
"They're nice people, Brother! Accept it!"
"You don't know them well enough!"
"Yes I do, Ed!"
The two of them were facing each other angrily. They glared at each other from opposite sides of the deck.
"And I'll tell you…EVERYTHING!" Alphonse cried to his brother.
He took a deep breath.
"Ash is a nice guy! He's determined and wants to help us out now! He may be a little suspicious from time to time, but he has good reasoning! Pikachu is just as kind! He'll do anything to help anyone who has good meaning! He wants to make us feel right at home in this world, and he'll do anything to do it! Brock is like a father to Ash and Dawn and Pikachu! He keeps track of anything and everything! He even makes medicine if he has the right ingredients! And Dawn's one of the nicest girls I've ever met! She cares about you, me, Ash, Brock, Pikachu, EVERYONE! She was concerned so she came out here to check on you, and you just push her away like everyone else!"
Alphonse was in tears at this point. Edward walked over to his brother.
"Al…come on…" he said quietly.
Lightning struck close to them and they both braced themselves.
"Let's go inside Al…before something happens to us out here."
"Not until you tell me you'll be nicer to them…and to me! Tell us the truth, Brother!" Al demanded.
Ed looked down.
"Al…I don't want you to get hurt…" he started, "so just go, ok?"
"You have to promise!"
He was begging…begging for Ed to stop being secretive.
"Please promise me…I don't want you to lie to me…or anyone else anymore!"
Edward looked up at Alphonse.
"Ok…I promise Al…just go on, you idiot," he said.
"I'm…Just like you Ed," Al replied with a smile.
The two of them went inside, dried off, and set off to bed…but neither of them slept that night. They were too worried about each other.
'I know he was sick…' Alphonse told himself, 'He just won't tell me! He never does…'
'What's up with him?' Edward asked in his mind, 'I hope he doesn't do anything stupid…like tell those people anything ELSE about our past…'
Al felt like he was being stared at and looked toward Ed, who turned away as soon as his brother looked. They sighed simultaneously and pretended to sleep. As he heard a few coughs, the younger brother felt a tear go down his cheek.
'Edward…what's wrong with you? I know it's not just from this stupid storm! You were like this when we first got here…and now it's getting worse.'
Alphonse decided he was going to ask about it tomorrow…when he had the chance to talk to his brother alone.
Kaori: Man…why am I confusing myself with this story?!
Tails: You wrote it, yet you don't know what's going on.
Kaori: Nope.
Shadow: Fabulous.
Kaori: Isn't it? Anyway, stay tuned! In the next chapter, Edo and Ashy have a talk!