Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter 5

The confrontation when Al demanded explanations did not lead to a good day. Ed didn't like seeing the pain on Al's face when he learned what Ed had been through, what his older brother had done simply to survive. He wanted nothing more than to tell his little brother that it wasn't as bad as it sounded, and he was still the same Ed as always. It was mostly true, after all. He didn't think he'd changed that much.

Al refused to let Ed lie, either to himself or Al, no matter how desperately he wanted to deny the time they'd been apart. There was a look in Ed's eyes when he talked about the other world that Al had never seen before, even on their hunt for the Philosopher's Stone. He wanted to know what put it there.

The two brothers spent the better part of the day lost in conversation, and despite the topic that was mostly grim for the elder, they both felt better for it. Al learned that his brother was just as strong and clever as always, still full of determination and drive, but there was something about Ed that seemed just a little bit off. He wasn't sure what it was yet, but he was thinking about it.

Winry interrupted their conversation with dinner, and after they'd eaten they abandoned the more difficult conversational topics in favor of something they both enjoyed much more.

It had been so long since he had actually caused an effect with Alchemy that Ed was almost afraid to try it, but he was careful not to show his apprehension to his brother. Once his first attempt came out as well as it always had, he quickly forgot the worry, diving right back into the complex fundamentals and principles. The intuitive understanding that had made him such a prodigy as a child was still strong, and his passion for learning hadn't faded in the slightest.

It was just like old times again, researching and testing and debating about this circle or that pattern or that compound. It was the next morning that Al finally got a taste of what was different about his brother.

Ed was eating breakfast when Al walked in tired-eyed and yawning, and Ed figured he'd been up late talking to Winry about everything the brothers had discussed the day before. At least it explained why Winry had been so fussy at him earlier, before she went to the store to get something he liked for dinner.

"Brother, do you want to spar today?" Al asked, looking more lively as he inhaled his breakfast.

"I don't know." He rolled his shoulder, feeling the sparking pain that still remained from the reattachment.

"I'm still not a hundred percent, but I can probably go a round or two. Just be careful I don't hurt you too bad, okay little brother?" Ed grinned cheekily at Al.

"Don't worry about me, Ed. I can take care of myself. You'll be a bit slow anyway, at least at first. I'll make sure to take advantage." Al shot back a cocky grin of his own.

Ed relaxed and sat back. Al usually could handle himself, that was true enough. "Alright. I could use the exercise anyway. But don't go crying to Winry when I kick your ass."

"You can try, brother, but I've been practicing, too, you know."

Al polished his breakfast off in record time, then hovered over Ed until he finished eating.

"Hold your horses, Al. We've got all day, and we've still got to do our warmups. Not to mention I want to at least let breakfast settle before I start throwing my weight around."

Al rolled his eyes. "Alright. I'm gonna go meet Winry on her way back. We'll spar when I get back, right?"

"Sure, long as it's not in the next five minutes or something."

Ed watched as Al jogged out the door.

"What the hell's gotten into him?"

Still shaking his head in amusement at his brother's antics, Ed did a few stretches designed to ease the strain of his automail, and was relieved when he felt some of the pressure receed. Half an hour later, he saw Al and Winry walking up to the house. Al had one arm heavily loaded down with grocery bags, and the other over Winry's shoulder.

Ed whistled at them, gratified to see the bright blushes that rose in both their faces. Ed figured he only had a day or two of being able to embarass them like that, and he was going to make good use of it for as long as it lasted.

Winry and Al split up after Winry relieved him of his baggage and walked into the kitchen to put things away. Al stopped in front of Ed.

"Ready to spar yet, brother?"

"Sure, Al. Let's go for it."

After a series of quick stretches and warm ups, they squared off. They stared at each other, eyes tracking every motion as they circles, registering every twitch of muscle. They both stopped moving at the same time, then leapt for each other, just as they alway had in the past.

For a few moments, it was just like old times, a quick series of punches and kicks they both knew by heart. Competitve grin on his face, Al decided to show his brother some of the new moves he'd learned, and spun in the opposite direction than he would have when Ed last saw him.

Ed reacted quickly to the change, shifting his balance and moving his automail arm into a block, but Al had made another quick shift, and his attack connected. Ed reacted like he had learned to do in the other world. It was like he was back in the ring, all over again, and the only goal in his mind was to put his opponent on the ground and leave him there.

His recognition of his opponent as his younger brother vanished.

Ed spun around, foot flying into the air, his momentum carrying him around faster than Al was used to. Ed's foot hit Al's shoulder hard, and Al slid sideways. Al could see a vicious gleam in his brother's eyes. It was like his brother wasn't in there anymore, and had left someone completely different in his place. Someone who was entirely single-minded, and completely a predator.

Al recovered from the shock of seeing the abrupt shift just in time to block another kick, but this time it was Ed's automail leg, and it hit with enough force to break the arm Al used to try and block it.

Al retreated, trying to get out of range without getting hit again. His brother wasn't using any of the old familiar patterns he could defend against. Ed's style had warped completely, a transition as complete as the look in his eyes.

"Brother, stop!" Al repeated his shout twice more, desperately trying to wake Ed up from whatever state of mind he'd fallen into.

"Ed! Edward Elric! Wake up already damn it! Brother, it's me, Alphonse!"

It was hearing Al's name that finally penetrated Ed's conscious mind. Al could see Ed's eyes widen, as he realized what he was doing but also realized that he didn't have time to stop his punch before it would hit his defenseless brother in the face.

Ed reeled back as Al fell to the ground.

What the hell had he just done?

"Al? Al, wake up."

Al was out cold. Ed sank to the ground next to Al. He recognized what had happened now. He hadn't realized just how much his style had changed and roughened on the other side. He'd been developing his fighting abilities to their utmost, and it had led to this. Ed had been in complete control when they started, which was why the patterns from his childhood had been what he used, but when Al hit him, it triggered the instincts he had built up, and he attacked.

Ed picked Al up, staggering a bit until he caught his balance, and carried him into the house. He settled Al onto the couch carefully, and went into the kitchen to collect the first aid kit.

He was surprised by Winry almost jumping down his throat when he reentered the room.

"What the hell happened to Alphonse, Edward?" She demanded.

Ed winced.

"I- Uh... Well, I hit him pretty hard. I didn't mean to!" He snapped when she looked ready to tear into him.

"What did you mean to do then, Ed? You've only been here a few days, and already something like this has happened!"

Ed whirled to face her. "I know it's my fault, damn it! I was there! Just like I couldn't be for the last three years! Now either shut up and help me or shut up and leave!" Ed dumped his armful of supplies next to the couch and started tending to his brother, barely glancing at Winry when she began to help. Every time she tried to talk to him, he glared her into silence, until they'd finished patching Al up.

Ed was just grateful Al had still been unconscious when they set his arm.

"He should be fine." Ed said, standing up and heading for the door again.

"I'm going for a walk."

"Wait, Ed-" The door slammed shut on Winry's call.

Ed paused on the porch, wondering just where he was going to go, then set off for the river. It wasn't a place he'd used as an escape before, so he didn't think anyone would think to look for him up there.

A short trek up the river, he found a large, flat rock standing mostly dry in the middle of the river, and crossed over to it.

He laid down and raised a hand to block out the sun's rays, only to glare at his automail hand and drop it back to the rock beside him. He thought about the look on Al's face.

"He looked pretty scared." He mumbled. He'd seen that look before on his opponents, usually just before they went down and out for the count. The ones who underestimated him for being a blond pipsqueak were the ones who showed the most fear.

"Just like Al did."

He'd never imagined that it would be him who put that look in Al's eyes.