Hi folks, it's Kat, with an uber tardy update, I know...^^'
OK, I did use the manga as reference, so some lines are taken from there. Jessi is mostly silent this chapter, but this was also the first chapter of the series, so Ed has to have his moments of glory. There be a lil fluff at the bottom nothing major though. Youswell (Next chapter) Jessi will be much more active and there will be much more interaction. -raises hand- I promise!
As always the lyric to the song are at the bottom. I haven't decided if they are refering to Jessi or the people of Lior. You decide.
Still looking for a beta.
Alright to my lovely anon reviewer! Let see here -pulls up uber long review-
yes indeedy it is you -points at reviewer- I really need a nick-name or somthing hun. Or you shall be forever lovely anon! Thank you for all the lovely complements. I'm so glad you like the story. I love working on it (when time permits). Yea, I am horrible about not formating it right. It doesn't look smooshed in my word doc, so I tend to forget to manually format it. but look! -pokes story- no more wall o text anywhere! And the annoying a/n chapter is gone! Oh no, you're not brutal at all. I'm a drama kid. Brutal is changing three scenes an hour before opening and the directer yelling at you for forgetting lines. Yikes. I actually greatly apreciate that you took the time to nit pick my story. I'm glad you liked it that much! -bows- I'm honored. Yep. I am starting at Lior. I'm going by the manga, and it seemed a logical place to put Jessi in, as Ed was in the military for three years before this. That also means I will be skipping volumes three and four as they are flashbacks to when he was twelve, first getting his license and the whole Tucker ordeal. I might add bits and pieces of those (via Jessi re-reading letters or Ed finding his letters her wrote her and filling in the gaps though his or Al's story telling) but as of now, those will be left wholely undeveloped. Thanks for reviewing, and I'm impressed you wrote that on your Wii. Hope this gives you your fix haha. I would love to e-mail you when it updates until you get an account, but I need some way to contact you. My e-mail should be on my profile. Feel free to drop me a line!
Kat
"Hey lady, I think I'm becoming interested in this religion!" Ed cheered at Rose.
"Liar" Jessi coughed into her hand. Al giggled. They followed Rose to the temple listening to her happy chatter the whole way.
"Brother Cray! They wish to have an audience with Father Cornello." Rose called to one of the priest.
"May I ask who wishes to see the Father?"
Ed stepped forward, "We're the Elric brothers. I'm Ed, he is Al. This is our friend Jessi." Ed pointed to each person as he said their names.
"I shall see if the Father wishes to see you. Please, wait here." Sighing Ed leaned against the wall. Jessi plopped on the floor doing a cat's cradle, Jacob's ladder, and any other string game she knew. Ed did a double take.
"Where did you get that string?" Jessi shrugged.
"My pocket."
"Ok."
Awkward silence.
"The Father will see you now."
"Great!" Ed cheered. Jessi stood, and walked by Al chatting quietly with the younger brother while Ed was sucking up to the Priest.
"Oh no! We would never dream of taking too much of his time!"
"You're right. It won't." About that time Cray pulled out a gun and pointed it at Al's "head". Two other men held Ed back.
"Al!" Jessi screamed. At the same time he pushed Jessi out of the way. Ed winced as Al's head flew off and he hit the floor. Rose gasped, shaking at the fact that her beloved priest had just shot someone. Grabbing Jessi's arm Cray drug her over to where Ed was being detained, pointed his gun at Edward's head.
"No!" Jessi whimpered. She had never felt so helpless. If something happened to the brothers…
"Brother Cray! What are you doing!"
"The Father has ordered these heretics die! They are trying to capture the Father! This is the will of god! Once this boy is dead we will train the girl to serve the priests."
"I guess there are some really bad gods then." Al commented as he pulled the gun from the man's hand.
"What!" In the confusion Jessi pulled free and Ed punched one of the men detaining him, and wrenched free of the other.
"Let's go!" Ed called, dragging Jessi behind him as Al grabbed Rose. Once completely free of their captors Rose realized the truth about Al.
"What is…what is he? What is going on?"
"Nothing special." Ed commented knocking gently on Al's chest plate.
"Just what it looks like." Al finished.
"He's empty." Rose voice shook. Al replaced his head.
"This is my punishment for trespassing into god's domain, and brother…"
"Ed too?"
"Well, we should get going." Jessi interrupted, changing the subject.
"Jess is right. Let's go." Jessi grabbed Ed's hand as they started walking, as if to say "you're not alone." Ed gave a weak smile in return.
"Well, I guess your "god" showed his true colors." Ed commented.
"NO! It has to be some sort of mistake!" Rose cried. "Rose, do you have the courage to see the truth?"
"This must be the room Rose told us about." Ed commented as they walked up to a pair of huge ominous doors.
"Let's see. They are huge creepy doors. That just screams "bad guy" to me. So yea, I think we're in the right place." Ed rolled his eyes at Jessi's sarcasm. Releasing her hand Ed pulled one of the doors open, pausing before entering.
"Jess, stay behind me or Al ok?" Remembering earlier, Jessi reluctantly agreed; not liking the idea of the brothers putting themselves in danger for her sake.
"Welcome, come to hear me preach?" A voice boomed across the dark room.
"Yea, tell me preach. Tell me how you con all your followers using alchemy." Ed called, taunting the older man.
"Oh dear, please. Don't confuse my miracles wit alchemy."
"That's bull!" Jessi yelled. "I barely know anything about alchemy and even I can tell your "miracles" are transmutations."
"There is only one thing I can't figure out." Ed continued. "How you're ignoring the laws…"
"That's why I keep telling you it's not…"
"Then it came to me" Ed smirked. "The Philosopher's stone. Like, maybe, it's that ring?"
"Correct. This is indeed the stone of legend. The alchemic amplifier, with this I can conjure the maximum result for minimum cost." Ed gripped is auto-mail,
"How long I've searched for that."
"Now, what's this greedy look in your eyes?" Cornello mocked. Looking at her friend Jessi saw no greed only eager desperation.
"Just what do you want it for? Money? Power?"
"I could ask the same for you? Just what do you get out of leading this phony religion? If it's money you want you can make all you want with the stone." Ed shot back.
"It's not about the money. Well, I do want the money, but I get that from the offerings with no effort. What I really want is an army. Think about it. An army created of fanatics, unafraid to die because if they do they believe I can bring them back! Soon, I shall have enough. In a few years I shall own the nation!" Cornello, in true villain fashion began to laugh evilly.
"Yea, let's move on shall we? I don't really care…" Ed drawled, bored of the "evil monologue."
"WHAT? DON'T BELITTLE MY AMBITION BY SAYING YOU DON'T CARE!" Cornello yelled. "Besides, you're a dog of the military, shouldn't you care!" Ed grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
"Well, to be quite honest, I don't care about the country or the military." Al shook his head and Jessi giggled quietly at her friend's antics.
"Ok, I'll be blunt." Ed called, all seriousness restored. "Give me the stone and I won't tell anyone about the scam you're pulling." Laughing condescendingly the priest mocked the blond.
"You think my followers would believe you? You're just an outsider. They love me. They think I speak the words of god! No matter what you tell them, they will believe in me! I have those idiots completely fooled!"
"You're absolutely right."
"!" Cornello was thrown off by Ed's nonchalant admission. Ed was clapping now, shrugging Jessi joined in. When in Rome right?
"You're sooo smart. Thanks for telling me just how you do it." Ed mocked with a sugary-sweet voice. "It is true that they wouldn't believe me; what about her?" Al removed his chest plate to reveal Rose.
"Rose, what is the meaning of this?"
"Father, is it true? Everything you just said? YOU CAN'T BRING HIM BACK!" Jessi's heart broke at the girls trembling voice and silent tears.
"While it is true that I am no emissary of god, with this stone, it just may be possible to transmute humans. Rose, I WILL BRING HIM BACK."
"Rose, don't believe him." Al pleaded.
"Rose, you can't trust him, can't you see?" Jessi spat angrily.
"Rose." Ed held out his hand for her to take. "Come back here. Once you go, there is no coming back." Hanging her head she walked to the false prophet.
"I'm sorry, but there is no other choice I can make."
"Good girl Rose." Cornello threw the praise like she was a dog who was obeying its master. "Now, for the heathens who wish to eradicate our faith…" Pulling a switch labeled "open sesame" the priest chuckled, the sound unnerving Jessi. "Alchemy really is wonderful isn't it? You can do almost anything with it. Including creating new life, have you ever seen this? A chimera?" Jessi gasp, reflexively taking a step back. A lion had been fused with some sort of lizard, and possibly a bird. The poor creature. Sighing, Ed clapped, before touching the ground.
"Whew boy, this one looks a little tough to fight empty handed. Spear in hand he motioned for Al to stand in front of the girl. The trio ignored Cornello's marveling over Ed's ability. The chimera attacked, slicing the spear in half, scratching Ed's leg with it. Jessi jerked forward, only to be stopped by Al. She was about to protest when Ed yelled,
"Psych!" Dismayed at the animal's claws failing to work against the blond teeth were commanded to be used. Sighing Ed just held up his arm. The awful sound of teeth against metal sounded though out the room.
"What's wrong kitty? Taste bad?" Jessi hid her eyes in Al's back as Ed kicked it in the head, killing it. Pulling on the cloth, Ed finished ripping his shirt, exposing his prosthetic arm. "Look, Rose. This is what happens when you forget your place. When you cross into God's domain." "So that's why…The FullMetal Alchemist."
"Get down here and I will show you there is no comparison between us you third rate hack!"
"It was always such a mystery, why a brat like you has such a fearsome alias. Now all is clear. You tried to do the impossible didn't you? Human transmutation; you have committed the worst possible sin!"
"Heh, the two of us tried to bring back one person and this is what happened. Are you ready to pay that price Rose?"
"Hahaha, and you call yourself a state alchemist!"
"Shut up! You're just at third rate fake who can't do anything without the stone!"
"Please, give us the stone before someone gets hurt!" Al pleaded. Ah Al, ever the voice of reason. Next thing Jessi knows, she is being held by Al, dust is everywhere and there is gunfire.
"Ed!" The red-head is relieved when she is passed to the elder brother who grabs her wrist and starts pulling her toward the door though a shower of gunfire, Al and Rose just behind them.
"The door won't open!"
"Then I'll make one!"
"After them!" Jessi was trying very hard not to give in to the panic attack she could feel forming. As they ran from the goons chasing them she couldn't resist the jab at her friend
"Well, you never mentioned this in your letters." Ed grinned cheekily, before taking down some guards. Jessi whistled. "Impressive." Ed smirked before pulling her along.
"Come on, we have to get out of here." Throwing open a random door, they found where the radio broadcasts were done. Seeing the look on his brother's face Al sighed. Not another one of Ed's ideas…
Jessi sat on the desk next to Ed waiting for Cornello to (finally) catch up. Yawning she rested her head on her friends shoulder. When the door burst open she opened her eyes. Watching with amusement as the priest tried to catch his breath. She heard a small "click" as Ed began baiting the man. Sitting up she listened to the monologue. Really what was with this guy? He had just finished when she and Ed looked at each other laughing.
"This is why I keep calling you third-rate." Jessi held up the control.
"Know what this is?" She sang.
"HOW LONG HAS THAT BEEN ON?"
"Um, mindless pawn, right Ed?"
"Sounds good to me!" Ed jumped off the desk.
"You brat! I'm going to kill you!"
"Too slow!" Ed transmuted his arm and sliced though the cane that Cornello was transmuting into a gun.
"This is why I keep saying there is no comparison between us." There was a flash, then a scream. It rebounded.
"AAAHHH! My arm!"
"The stone; let me see the stone!" Ed really was making himself look like an ass at the moment, but Jessi could understand. He was so close! –chink- It broke?
"How could it? It was a fake?" Ed seemed to collapse in on himself.
"Dammit!" Ed slumped even more. "Hey old man," Jessi could feel the alchemic power crackle in the air. "First you lie to the people, then you try to kill not only me, but my brother and Jessi, now you mean to tell me the stone is a fake? Stop jerking me around!" Jessi jumped as a giant fist appeared and landed right in front of Cornello. She thought the old man passed out.
"Come on Jess." Nodding Jessi returned to her friend's side, enjoying the weight of his arm on her shoulders.
"Don't worry Ed. You'll find it." Without thinking she placed a kiss on his cheek. Once realizing what she did Jessi blushed and covered her mouth as Ed looked away, a dusting of pink on his face.
"Well, let's go find Al." It could have been her imagination, but Jessi could have sworn that Ed's arm tightened its hold on her, if only slightly.
"So it was a fake?" Al questioned.
"Yea, and just when I thought we could get you back to normal too."
"We're talking care of you first brother, auto-mail has so many problems."
"Well, on to the next place." Jessi sighed. She was going to get sick of trains, she just knew it.
"How could you!" They turned to see Rose sitting dejectedly on the ground.
"What are we supposed to believe now? They told me he could come back…What am I supposed to do?" Ed paused next to the girl.
"I can't tell you that Rose. You're going to have to figure that out yourself. At least you have strong legs to take you there." Offering a hand to each boy Jessi stood between her life-long friends as they walked off leaving Rose to her thoughts.
"Hero"
I'm just a step away
I'm just a breath away
Losin' my faith today
(Fallin' off the edge today)
I am just a man
Not superhuman
(I'm not superhuman)
Someone save me from the hate
It's just another war
Just another family torn
(Falling from my faith today)
Just a step from the edge
Just another day in the world we live
[Chorus:]
I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero (save me now)
I need a hero to save my life
A hero'll save me (just in time)
I've gotta fight today
To live another day
Speakin' my mind today
(My voice will be heard today)
I've gotta make a stand
But I am just a man
(I'm not superhuman)
My voice will be heard today
It's just another war
Just another family torn
(My voice will be heard today)
It's just another kill
The countdown begins to destroy ourselves
[Chorus]
I need a hero to save my life
I need a hero just in time
Save me just in time
Save me just in time
Who's gonna fight for what's right
Who's gonna help us survive
We're in the fight of our lives
(And we're not ready to die)
Who's gonna fight for the weak
Who's gonna make 'em believe
I've got a hero (I've got a hero)
Livin' in me
I'm gonna fight for what's right
Today I'm speaking my mind
And if it kills me tonight
(I will be ready to die)
A hero's not afraid to give his life
A hero's gonna save me just in time
[Chorus]
I need a hero
Who's gonna fight for what's right
Who's gonna help us survive
I need a hero
Who's gonna fight for the weak
Who's gonna make 'em believe
I need a hero
I need a hero
A hero's gonna save me just in time