Me: OMG I've been gone forever!

Roy: And your stories suck! What's your point?

Me: ………(SLAP!)

Roy: Owie!

Me: Let that be a lesson to you, or next time I'll release chibi Riza on you!

Roy: (whimper)

---

Disclaimer: I own DVDs. Lots and lots of DVDs… nothing else.

---

Chapter 14: The X Factor

"Oh… I don't feel so good…" moaned little Ed as he came inside with SoulReaper and Smarty-Pants.

"Just go to bed," muttered Greed, "you're probably just tired." Sloth nodded weakly, hobbling away.

"So, Mr. Future-Man," started Ed after his smaller counterpart had gone. "If you're really ahead of all us, then would you mind filling me in on the X-factor that's prohibiting me from completing the reversal equation to this dilemma?"

Al just stared at him a moment, then walked away, mumbling, "You're insane."

Mr. Smarty-pants puffed out his cheeks childishly and stomped back to the Eds' room, slamming the door behind him.

"What have we here?" chirped wrath Ed sarcastically, "Have I been replaced by a mad alchemist?"

Greed flopped down in a chair across from the other boy and sighed. "I hate this," he growled. "And it seems like no one is doing anything to stop it!"

"Oh… you mean the whole 'why don't I know the secret' thing, right?" Greed gave him an icy glare. "Well I'll keep my word; when my time comes, I won't hold back."

"Whatever that means…" muttered smart Ed, crossing his arms.

Just then, Edwina and little Al walked in. "Sorry to interrupt," she said, "I'm just getting a deck of cards we can play with." She went over to a cabinet in the back of the room while Al went up to the table to talk to the other Eds.

"So you're like really smart, right?" he asked Greed.

"You could say that, or you could say that I'm the most brilliant alchemist in the entire country—no, make that 'the world'!" he bragged stupidly.

"Then why can't you fix us?"

"Uhm…"

"Why can't you shut up?" grumbled wrath, looking away.

"Well," continued Al, trying to ignore that particular Ed, "you at least have a plan right?"

"Do you at least have a brain?" snorted the boy again.

"Hey, quit it, okay?" snapped smart Ed cautiously. He looked back at Al and smiled nervously. "Not exactly a plan—more like a…"

"An idea?"

"Which is something you apparently never have." spat wrath.

"Alright, you can stop right there. He's just a kid—leave 'im alone!"

"What're you gonna do about it, four-eyes?"

"What're you two arguing about this time?"

"Stay out of it, girly!" shouted wrath Ed.

"Temper, much?" she asked, backing away.

"Why shouldn't I have a temper?" he demanded. "After everything I've been through, I have the right to vent!"

"Don't you think you're going a little too far?"

"Don't try to control me!" he yelled, smacking the deck of cards out of her hand.

"Calm down!"

"Make me!"

"Niisan, stop it!" cried Al.

"Shut up, you brat! I'm not listening to you anymore!"

"That's enough!" shouted the other two Eds.

"No it's not! You wanna know why?" he glared down at little Al as the others tried to restrain him. "Because I hate you, you stupid little brat! I've always hated you!"

"STOP IT!" screamed Edwina.

"You're an idiot! Mom's gone and she's never coming back so stop whining about that stupid homunculus!"

"EDWARD!" shrieked the girl in his ear. "That's. Enough." She stated firmly. Wrath turned to glare at her, but her look was worse than anything he could've ever given her.

After a moment, Ed looked back down at Al. He had his head bowed and his shoulders were shaking. "Al, I," he started slowly.

"Why…" sniveled the little boy. "Why didn't you tell me before?" he asked quietly.

"Why didn't I…" Ed looked away, still being held back by his other selves. "Why would I have told you? You're my little brother; I don't want to say stuff like that to you."

"Then why," he hiccupped, rubbing his eyes.

"I… I couldn't help it… it's just that now…"

"You really meant it though, didn't you?" he sobbed, gazing up at Ed with tear filled eyes. "You really do hate me. You can't take it back!"

"Do you… want to know why though…?"

"B-because I won't let go of mom?"

Ed shook his head, still not facing the boy. "Because you… you keep me alive." Al looked up at him wide-eyed. "There were so many times when I wanted to just end it all, but you… you were always there to help me through…" he looked down at the small boy and grinned weakly. "I'm pathetic, aren't I? Relying on my little brother when he needs me more?"

"Brother, I…"

"I'm sorry Al, I'm really sorry…" with that, he began to glow the same red that had caused all these messes and Greed tried to back away, muttering, "Not again." But before he could get away, a bright flash blinded him momentarily and when he opened his eyes, wrath Ed was gone.

"He just disappeared." said Edwina, very freaked out right not. "Where'd he go?"

Greed looked down at his hands and saw that they were taking in the red light. "I think we absorbed him."

"EW!" screeched the girl. "He disappeared—he's in us—he's gone!"

"Stop going mad, woman!" shouted the other boy. "I think this is what he meant when he told me that he wouldn't hold back." That Ed stopped, waited a moment, and then cursed. "That jerk! He didn't stick around long enough to tell me what the hell his secret was!"

"Is all you care about that stupid experiment of yours?" demanded Edwina hotly.

"YES! I want to get back to normal!" the girl huffed and turned away, stalking out of the room until she stopped and turned back to little Al. "Are you alright?"

He nodded slowly, still swiping away tears. "Yeah… and what he said… I understand."

Pride smiled slightly. "Soo… are you still up for a game of euchre?" Al smiled and followed after her.

Greed sighed and flopped down in a chair. "What is the secret? What is the x-factor that I'm missing?"

"Ohh…" moaned little Ed, shuffling into the room. "I couldn't fall asleep, and I really, really don't feel good."

"Well don't hurl while I'm here." He stood up. "I'm going back to my lab for some peace and quiet."

"Don't… leave…" groaned the smaller boy. "It feels like I drank milk… ugh…"

---

Roy: Is it just me, or does this keep getting worse and worse?

Me: It's just you.

Riza: I think it's getting worse, too.

Winry: Me too.

Al: Me three.

Me: Well you know what? Then you don't have to read it!

Roy: But it's still funny.

Riza: And halfway interesting.

Winry: And once we start reading a story,

Al: We can't stop.

Me: Thank you OCD. Heh heh… Please review.