Alright, I'm updating! WOOHOO! Now that it will work...
Anyways, I'm just hoping you guys will like this new chapter! I had a lot of fun writing it! Plus, more is on the way so hold onto your seats- you're in for a bumpy ride now that I have a new, faster computer! WOOHOO!
Chapter 7- A Picture Worth A 1,000 Words- Crimson Butterfly
Edward finally collected himself; he began to answer Alphonse's questions of what happened. He told the whole story of Sae and his visions-everything.
A chill fell down Al's imaginary spine.
He and Alphonse soon began to search the room for any clues to Sae's past and/or whereabouts. Finally, deciding that there was nothing in the room, they exited to the next.
Dolls lined the wall, two with missing heads and orange kimonos. Those stood out the most against the dark, velvet colors to Edward. An aura encircled
them, glowing with an enchanting blue mist. They sat Indian-style. One was placed at the very top of the shelves, the other opposite on the bottom.
Ed reached out, preparing to take the doll nearest, but decided better of it and reeled back. "Hey, Al," he mumbled, never taking his eyes off the shelves.
"Take a picture of these dolls."
The suit peered back at his brother from the recesses of the armor. "Brother, wouldn't that just be a waste of film? I mean, shouldn't we save it for
better things? Like-?"
"I know what it should be used for, but… but I'm getting a weird feeling…" Ed's eyes looked glazed, as if he were staring into the far distance to
what was beyond.
Alphonse sighed. He says that he's got a knack for this… that he's been getting these 'vibes' all night… so… maybe he's right? Why not try
it… it couldn't hurt anything…
The suit lifted Camera Obscura up to where his eyes should have been, focused, and then clicked the camera.
Unlike normal photos, this one printed immediately, shooting into Ed's waiting hands. He inspected it.
"Just like I thought," he announced. "Take a look at this."
The younger brother grabbed the picture, looking closely. The dolls had rearranged themselves, placing the orange dolls both on the top, side by side, their
heads now in place. A small frame had opened beside them…
Suddenly, another photograph popped out of the camera, shocking the two boys.
Ed stooped over to pick it up.
"Maybe it's, uh… a misprint?"
The picture was portraying a corner in a long, musty hallway. The door on the left was propped open slightly, a small, feminine hand clinging desperately to
the frame. Bloody handprints and streaks decorated the wall, illuminated menacingly by candlelight. Claw marks were etched deeply into the wood- the signs of a struggle that got out of hand.
"What is it?" questioned Al. He glimpsed over the blonde's shoulder, taking in the image.
"I've been there…" Ed mumbled. Al tilted his head to the side.
"What? No we haven't! Well, you might have, but you never said-"
"That's not what I meant!" the golden-eyed boy snapped. "I mean, I know where it is… I can lead us there.."
The suit of armor, naturally, was skeptical of his brother. Brother's been acting weird ever since we got into that field… he thought mildly. He's tense.
Well, so far he's known what he was doing, but this… this is a little far-fetched… sigh… I guess I'll just have to trust him. Besides, what harm can it do? Hm… I've been thinking that a lot lately…
"Alright! Lead the way, Brother!" Al exclaimed, gesturing wildly toward the door.
Edward grinned slightly, then waltzed masterfully out of the room, continuing down the hallway. He took a left, another, a right…
Finally, candles began popping up on the walls, and soon the door, painted in blood, appeared before them. Just as the picture had shown, claw marks and
Handprints were strewn all over the walls and door, not to mention the floor.
"Well," Ed claimed, smiling at his brother. "Let's go!"
The brothers strode through the doorframe (Though it was a little resistant. It felt almost as through something, or someone were holding it closed).
Like most other rooms, boxes were the décor, along with some portraits lining the walls. Tables were overturned, burns etched deeply into the woodwork.
Wax rushed down the tabletops and splattered on the paper walls, which were now scorched. They had a nice little draft in the room.
Al began to explore recklessly, looking for what he expected to be in the room: the doll heads.
Ed, on the other hand, was a little more cautious. He looked carefully in drawers, behind tables, into the closet…
"AL!" Edward cried, sprinting away from the threshold to seek refuge behind his brother.
"What? What is it?" asked the suit of armor, fishing the camera haphazardly out of his chest from within the mass of papers.
Just as the lens was visible, a body toppled carelessly from the darkness. It was a woman.
She was covered from head to toe in cuts, bruises, scorch marks- anything you could think of. Her skin took on a purplish tint, probably from a mix of
oxygen depravation, blood, and bruises. Her eyes were but empty, lifeless sockets, staring into the endless night. Hair of red- though Ed and Al both assumed it had once been blonde- was now matted to her head in a pompous lump.
The woman began crawling to her knees, then to her feet. She limped sloppily toward the brothers.
Al pulled the camera to his eye and snapped a photo quickly.
She reeled back, holding her sockets as though she had actually seen the flash. The redhead ducked to the left. The lens followed.
Unfortunately for Alphonse, he wasn't the fastest moving piece of metal. Also, he was out of film.
She dove through Al- yes, THROUGH him- and attacked the one of flesh as Al dug through his chest to get a new roll of film
Ed yelped and danced away, distracting her long enough for Alphonse to reload and let him get a decent shot.
The woman screeched in agony, clawing helplessly at her eyes. She hurtled forward in frenzy, latching onto Edward's arm as best as she could and tearing at him eyes and skin.
He cried out as cuts and gashed appeared on his body; Alphonse spun around and snapped the picture.
Once more, the lady screamed as she flickered once-twice- three times, then disappeared, her screeches still echoing in the children's ears. In her place were two small, oriental doll heads- beautifully painted, smiling with whimsical black hair falling from their crown.
The suit of armor stooped over to pick up the heads, then turned to tend to his brother.
"Brother, are you okay?" he asked.
Edward nodded, smiling. He whipped a small sum of blood from under his eye. "I'm fine," he responded. "Did we get what we came for?"
Al showed the heads to Edward. The blonde grinned. "Good." he cooed. "Now, back to that room."
---
The two walked back in silence with long, determined strides.
"Al, the doll heads for the nice ladies," Ed chuckled giddily as they stood in front of the shelves once more. Al handed the items to his brother.
Carefully, the golden-eyed boy set the craniums upon their bosoms; he stepped back quickly, expecting something big.
Nothing happened.
Al knocked on his armored head. "I don't understand," He pulled the picture back out, Ed gazing at it intensely beside him.
Ed snapped. "Of course!" he announced, stepping back up to the dolls with new resolve. "The orange ones need to be at the top of the temple!"
He began rearranging the dolls around the orange-kimono doll on the bottom row.
Left-up-right- right-up-left-back right twice- up and once more- up.
There was a small distinct click then a small slot appeared to the right of the figurines.
Gold orbs followed his pale hands as he reached into the opened. He pulled the key out. Light glistened delicately off it.
"Well," Ed mumbled. "Where does this little one lead?"
The two at in silence pondering.
Edward ruffled his hair in frustration.
"I don't get it! What are we supposed to do- run around trying each door?!"
He sighed and handed the key to Al. "Hold onto that. It may come in handy later."
Alphonse nodded, tying it loosely to his cloth belt.
The two continued to ponder over what to do next.
Interrupting their thinking, the floor began to quake violently. A shimmer behind Ed burst to life, throwing the boys for a loop.
They flew headlong across the room, Black light cut even deeper into the night. Then, poof! A large, burly figure with long white hair and ash colored skin hovered over them. Spirits danced forlorn around him.
Ed rubbed his head. "Nice entrance… slightly flashy… Good for parties, I'm sure…"
Al yelped as he once again recognized the figure. He grabbed hold of Ed's hand and heaved him to his feet. "Run!" he cried.
Ed attempted to catch his footing to keep stride with Al, but failed. He sprawled out on the floor. The Kusabi was not tight on their heels.
The suit of armor hunched over, grabbed Ed once again, pulled him up- this time, he impatiently waited for his brother to gain his balance- and sprinted as fast as his armored legs would carry him. Edward did the same.
"Stop," a feminine voice ordered.
The Kusabi stopped the chase and stood stock-still. Ed did the same- only, he stopped out of curiosity-, and Al followed his lead.
"Brother…?"
"SH!" he commanded. "Who's there?" he called, though he was pretty confident he knew the answer.
"Come now, Edward, how do you sleep at night? Forgot my name, already? Tisk, tisk…"
Sae wrapped her arms around Edward from behind, nuzzling her chin into the nape of his neck.
Ed cried out and tried desperately to pull away, but Sae pulled him back against her. "No, no, no, no, no… We can't have you get away again, now can we?" Sae teased. The raven-haired girl snapped, and the Kusabi appeared behind Alphonse, who had become strangely silent, standing still; he seemed totally unfazed by the Kusabi's appearance.
"Alright, I'll strike a deal with you," she whispered. Ed waited for more. "You come with me quietly… and no harm will befall your dear brother."
Edward chuckled. They really think they can hurt Al? He's a hollow suit of armor! What could Sae and freak-show here possibly do to hurt armor? No way. We gotta break for it. This is our chance to run. If they're distracted by the camera, then we can get out! At least we'll have a good twenty-foot lead on them before they realize where we've gone to…
"Go ahead and try to hurt my brother, he's strong as steel!" he said. The blonde elbowed Sae in the chest, then dove away. "Al! Come on! Snap a picture and let's go!" The camera fell out of Al's grasp as Ed turned to leave. "Al! Come on!'
Time stood still.
A hand jutted out of the armor's chest now, a small, grayish ball in its grasp. It much resembled the souls spiraling around his head.
Al fell to the ground. His red eyes had turned a suspicious black color…
Ed's eyes widened in horror. "Alphonse…?" he whispered, his voice cracking.
No response.
"Al!" Edward rushed to his fallen brother, shaking him violently, "Al! Al, get up! Come on, Al! Al! ALPHONSE!" Tears streamed down his cheeks by now.
"No, Al!" he sobbed, burying his head in the armor's shoulder.
Sae smirked with satisfaction. "Did you really think I hadn't investigated your brother before this? I knew he was hollow… and how do you get rid of a soul tied to an item? Disembody the soul. Now he's dead, and it's your fault. You must have thought so much of your abilities. Even in that shell of his, he wasn't invincible. Too late now. Come on."
Al's not getting up… he thought, sorrowfully. He's dead… for real this time… It's all my fault… A numb feeling grew in the pit of his stomach.
My fault… he thought. My fault, my fault, my fault…
Charcoal eyes burned into Ed as she hauled him to his feet. "Now, come." she cooed. "We have a ritual to finish."
Ed put up no fight. He followed in silence, repeating those two words to himself the whole way. Then, another thought entered his head. I've got to finish the ritual… he thought. For her… for… my sister… The voice was not his own.
Sae smiled. The preparations are complete. she thought wickedly. Now that Ed thinks he has nothing to live for, he'll do my bidding. And now, my sister, I can see you again. We'll become one, at long last…
---
Ed cried out and tried desperately to pull away, but Sae pulled him back against her. "No, no, no, no, no… We can't have you get away again, now can we?" Sae teased. The raven-haired girl snapped, and the Kusabi appeared behind Alphonse.
Al jumped in fright and tried to get away, but his feet seemed as though they were glued to the floor.
"Brother!" he called, lifting his head to see Ed.
Ed was not himself. His eyes were glazed, staring unseeingly to the ground as Sae whispered intently in his ear. He mumbled back a few times, but mostly just let her talk. It was almost trancelike…
"Brother! Brother, don't listen to her! It's not true! I'm here! It's a-"
"Stop." Sae commanded, eyes glistening angrily. "Love, stop him."
Al felt a presence as it penetrated his armor. He looked down. The Kusabi was holding a spirit in his hand, but, contrary to what Edward believed it wasn't Alphonse's.
The Kusabi dropped the soul to the ground, where it crystallized.
White light- the same light as when he first met Sae- cut into his vision, and Al fell over, unable to control his functions.
Then, the room disappeared all together, leaving the armor alone in the blackness. But, before he passed out, he heard his brother's tortured voice, called longingly out to him.
---
When Alphonse awoke, he felt just as alone. The only other thing in the room was the crystal the Kusabi left.
The idol glowed ominously, holding a deep, crimson color.
Al picked up the gem, inspecting it closely. Maybe this will fit into the Spirit Reader! he thought.
The suit's chest plate opened wide; random papers spilled out of it.
The radio and camera sat on the hardwood floor. Al placed the jewel into the slot and listened.
A small light appeared and shown behind him, but the young boy leaned in closer to the woofer, waiting for a voice.
"Ahem," The voice cleared its throat.
Al heard the tap of nails on metal. "Behind you."
Alphonse jumped and spun around.
A young boy with soft, gray hair stood in the place where the Kusabi had stood a little while before. His violet eyes were soft, as was his voice. His skin was a pale white. He towered above the kneeling metal, though we all know he wasn't that tall- only about 5'3" Al guessed.
"My name is Hiro Shakyou. Thank you so much for freeing me." Hiro bowed deeply, leaving Al only to wonder where he'd come from… and what he wanted now that he was here.
So what do you think? Good, bad, ugly? Please review!!!
Oh! And a little bit in my personal life: I've gotten a lead role in a play! WOOHOO! So, in the months to come, I'll have a lot to do, so I'll update as much as I can!
Love!
---Talim---