It's time for Ed's first gig. This song is totally random, I assure you. I heard it a LONG time ago and then I remembered it recently. If it doesn't entirely fit, that's okay. It's not exactly by Vic Mignogna, either.
Why don't you go to the coffeehouse in Central sometime?"
"Nah, I think that I just keep my 'ability' on the down low for right now."
"Please, Ed. I'll be right there in the audience supporting you," Winry begged.
Just like always, Ed couldn't say no to her. "Okay, but give me some time to write more songs to sing."
…
Brother, My Brother-Ed's First Gig
The sign outside the coffeehouse on Central City's Main Street read: One Night Only! Don't miss EDWARD ELRIC: THE FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST.
Out behind the coffeehouse, the said alchemist was trying to calm his restless nerves. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all, he thought.
The coffeehouse owner opened the backdoor to speak to Ed. "Edward Elric, you're on in five."
Ed walked back into the coffeehouse and stood behind the stage. He picked up both of the guitars that he would be using and waited for his cue to walk out.
"Finally, it's time for the moment you've all been waiting for. Help to introduce to the open mike stage, Edward Elric: The Fullmetal Alchemist!"
Ed heard clapping and he walked out onto the stage. The lights were so bright that he had to resist the urge to shield his eyes.
The boy looked out into the audience to see if he recognized anybody. Did he ever! Winry sat in the front row, just as she said that she would. Many of the military officers who worked under Colonel Mustang were there.
Speaking of Colonel Mustang, there he was sitting towards the front with a table full of women. Ed glanced back over at Lt. Hawkeye and noticed that it looked like she wanted to shoot her superior officer's head off.
Ed didn't see his brother, Al, in the crowd. Oh, well, I guess that's typical, he told himself, upset.
Ed stepped up to the microphone. "Um, well…I don't really know what I'm supposed to say. Uh, I'm…Edward Elric: The Fullmetal Alchemist. I'm going to…sing four songs tonight, so…uh,…I hope that you like them.
Ed first sang the two songs that he'd sung for Winry. Afterwards, he noticed that she was crying again. I guess that she'll never get over the lyrics.
"I just wanted to mention that Alphonse, my brother, and I, had a fight yesterday," Ed spoke into the microphone. "He thinks that I 'created' him. We don't fight very much, so this really affected me. I wrote this song for my brother, so Al, if you're listening; please know that I'd never do anything like that. You're my brother and that's enough proof to know that you are real."
Ed began to strum heavily on the acoustic guitar that he was still using. Then, when he decided to begin, he strummed lighter and began the song:
Brother, my brother,
Tell me, what are we fighting for?
We got to end this war.
We should love one another.
Oh, can't we just pretend
this war never began?
We can try...
Brother, my brother
We face each other from different sides.
The anger burns. Can't remember why.
It's kinda crazy to cause such pain.
Our foolish pride makes us hate this way
We watch our world fall apart.
Tell me, what good is winning
when you lose your heart?
Brother, my brother,
tell me, what are we fighting for?
Isn't life worth so much more?
We should love one another.
Oh, can't we just pretend
this war never began?
Tell me why...
Brother, my brother
Yes, we can try...
brother, my brother
Let's take a moment and look deep inside,
and say we're willing to give love a try.
We're not as different as we seem to be.
There's so much more to me than what you see.
We don't have to be this way.
Think about the consequences.
and turn around and walk away.
Brother, my brother,
tell me, what are we fighting for?
Isn't life worth so much more?
We should love one another.
Oh, can't we just pretend
this war never began?
Brother, my brother,
tell me, what are we fighting for?
Isn't life worth so much more?
We should love one another.
Oh, can't we just pretend
this war never began?
Sometime toward the end of the song, Al walked quietly into the coffeehouse to listen to his brother sing his new song. When Al heard the many emotions: sadness, grief, pain, and above all, love, that his brother put into the lyrics that he'd written, Al felt so bad about doubting him.
When Ed finished and as the audience clapped, Al snuck up to the stage. Ed noticed him. "Al?" The older alchemist began, and then he looked down. "I'm sorry, Al. Of course, you'd never believe me. Just don't hate me, okay?"
"Brother, I…I could never hate you!" Al replied. "Can you forgive me, Brother? I should never have doubted you. We're all we've got, so we can't be fighting like that."
"Of course I forgive you!" Then, Ed spoke into the microphone again. "I've got one last song to sing. It's dedicated to my brother and to our goals and dreams, because, really, nothing else matters!"
I know, very random, but oh well. Yeah, don't ask what possessed me to write this, but I kinda like it.
So, I know that someone out there is probably going to ask why the next chapter is the last. Well, that's simple. I didn't intend for it to be too long. Also, I don't have any other ideas or songs.
If anybody wants me to continue after the next chapter, let me know. Oh, and suggestions for plot and songs would greatly be accepted if that were to happen.
Chapter 5 is going to be my standard closure. I may even throw in an extra song, sung by Alphonse. Do you want that? Let me know.
Oh, and Ed's last line is a clue to what the next (and most likely last) song is.