RECAP
"I see... now I understand you two, Elric, Vinez."Cornello said. I stabbed the needle-like tip of my tail in the sand and supported myself once again as I sat in mid-air. (THAT'S what I get for watching Soul Eater's Medusa for too long, stealing her pose! lol) "You crossed the line and did what was strictly forbidden! You tried to create human life and you and your brother's bodies were taken from you! And the other had desperate parents who thought nothing more than 'Make her better', when in reality, they just made you worse!"
"We told you Rose..."Edward said solemnly."About the Sun God, a word of advice;
"Get too close, and you'll burn."He and I chorused.
"Apparently so, but you were crazy enough to find out for yourselves!"Cornello yelled crazily."You two are the Fulmetal and Silver Wolf! The Fullmetal and Silver Wolf Alchemists!"
Episode 2:
Body of the Sanctioned
We stood there in that candlelit, sand filled room, watching Cornello's wrinkly face morph into a cruel smirk as he did the same to us.
"Well, that does answer a riddle."He stated while looking at our AutoMail."Why the military would give pups like you such stern names. Fullmetal. Silver Wolf. They're both literal."He paused and then continued."Zeros. Alchemist forbid their own from transforming led into gold. But there's one practice more taboo. A technique forbidden by man and nature itself."I growled lowly. This guy was already on my bad side from the start, but if he does this... I swear, I won't hold back from punching his old baggy face in!"Alchemy... On human souls."Edward and Alphonse looked down while Rose gasped. All the while, I was crouching down, tail in the air, hands in front of could say it was a mix of when a Olympic runner crouches and a dog's 'Butt in the air' position. My metal tail was swishing in a large circle roughly, cutting through the air. If I could just get a good aim... AHA!"You miserable little boys, dabbling in Human Alchemy without knowing it's penalty. You stepped on the toes of God!"I moved my right hand up to my tail slowly, hoping not to give myself away.
"You don't know the story!"Alphonse retorted softly, only to be stopped by his brother.
"Al, Bailey."I sighed and returned my hand to the sand in front of me before standing straight again.
"But..."Alphonse started,"We just wanted..."
"THEY JUST WANTED THEIR MOM BACK, YOU BASTARD!"I yelled. This so called 'Holy' man was really just picking my nerves, one by one, with clippers and prying them out of my brain! At this, Cornello laughed.
"But they failed!"I retaliated back, readying my hand near m tail again.
"Yeah, I'd label that a failure, alright."Edward said softly. I looked at him, in pity, for a moment, just a split second."Al lost his whole body and I lost an arm and a leg. I ruined every signpost because I was reckless and wanted it bad enough."He started to bring his right hand up and looked at he pink-haired wonder."Rose, this is what happens when you bring back hat's dead."He made a fist, and I readied my hand again. One thing was for sure here... hell was gonna break loose."You really wanna go through with that?"Rose seemed to be thinking of her options, staring into space, still in mid-gasp. But then, as she put her head down, Cornello put his hand on her shoulder, making her jump and look at his old, haggish face.
"Don't let them worry you, Rose. You forget that the Great Sun God Lito has blessed me with the Philosopher's Stone."He brought his left hand up proudly."Besides, I have far more experience than these heretic children did."At this, Edward stuck his foot forward.
"Don't be stupid!"He said, somewhat harshly."Nome matter what kind of powers you have, some things can't be done!"
"Oh? Then why are you so anxious to get the stone?"Cornello smirked again and brought the ring up to show."You want to beat the laws of Equivalency just as I do and bring your Mommy back!"Now I growled again, my right hand hovering over the carved circle on my silver appendages.
"Wrong, 'Holy' man!"Edward yelled, making Cornello's face contort to surprise."All we want is to get our bodies normal again."He smirked and grabbed his right arm with his left."See, we don't lie about what's possible. We didn't start a cult."Cornello grunted a few times and I could see him sweating from here. Maybe, if I just place my tail right here, by my side, I can get a good aim... Al brought up his right hand- um, glove. My bad.
"We will ask one more time."He said calmly."Please give us the stone."At this, Cornello did that one-side smile.
"You are damned State Alchemist. May the wrath of God fall upon your head."
"Stop hiding behind that crap!"Edward brought his metal fist up."Get down here and I'll show you some wrath!"Suddenly, my earspearked at a familiar buzzing sound.
"The stone..."I whispered, hen looked at Ed."Get down!"
"Wha-"Red lighting spouted from behind Cornello in a flurry full of cracks. Rose backed away from the man, seemingly terrified. As he brought his hands out from behind his back, he grinned insanely, pulling a huge machine gun.
"Sinners!"He yelled as he aimed the gun at us. Then, suddenly, all I could hear was the echoes of bullets and guns. I crouched down, hand on the circle on my tail. Before I knew it, I was against a cool wall and bullets ricocheting on metal sounded in my ears. In a moment, the bullets stopped and the dust cleared to show a silver wall spouted from my tail and a block of metal two feet beside it. As I looked at the block, I saw Ed and Al behind it, Ed's hand on it, breathing heavily.
"Close call."He said, relieved."Thanks for the warning. Heh..."I rolled my eyes and smiled a small smile.
"Well, i wouldn't want to clean up your guts afterwards, so-"Before I could finish, another voice sounded in my ears.
"Father Cornello!"I looked behind me and saw, none other than, Crey and his cronies."You..."He took out a pistil and began shooting at Al, who brought his arms up in defence. I sighed and put my tail behind me, the silver wall receding into one of it's many plates, then began running past all the bullets, swiftly dodging them by twisting just the right way. I was planning on getting in front of Al and making a wall similar to the other one, but Edward waved us over.
"Al, Bailey, this way!"We began to follow the oldest of our group to one of the side walls surrounded by pillars, opposite to the one where I hit my head (It still throbs, by the way).
"Idiots!"Cornello yelled."You're running into a dead end!"I laughed.
"When you're an Alchemist, nowhere's a dead end!"Edward clapped his hands and put them an the wall, a bright blue glow emitting from them. A moment later, an iron door was before us. We shoved it open and began running through the hall, I was in front, Edward directly behind me.
"Damn it, how're you so fast?"He asked suddenly. I just laughed and kept running. A moment later, I could hear the footsteps of the cronies behind us.
"Come on, we hav'ta get out of here!"I whispered harshly. i looked around the many suits and armors and drapes that decorated this hall, before an idea popped into my head. I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at the drapes, smiling broadly.
"What the... move Bailey!"Edward tried to push me to go on, but i just knocked him away with my hand.
"Al, do me a favor and stand right... there."I pointed to a conveniently placed empty spot between two drapes.
"Uhhh... ok...?"Alphonse did as I said, and my smile grew.
"Now, stand perfectly still."as he did so, the footsteps became louder and louder.
"This is no time for decorations! Let's go!"Edward said, trying to run. I rolled my eyes and took his arm, walking up to one of the drapes, then bringing it over him.
"Now shut up!"I then walked over to the opposite drape and stood behind it, standing as still as I could. Footsteps echoed everywhere, getting louder and louder, until they passed. I sighed, relieved, and walked out from behind the red tapestry, Ed doing the same."You can move now Al."Suddenly, our metal armor's head turned plain, red-rimmed eyes wide.
"Th-they walked right past me... it was so scary!"Suddenly, I was crumpled into a bear hug by Alphonse, being swung around like a toy."What if they had found me? Oh, I wouldn't be able to see Brother or you again! Well, maybe I would see you, we'd be tied up together... but still! I was so scared that they would take me away and find you guys and-"Before he could finish, I somehow got out of his death grip and took a deep breath of sweet, sweet oxygen."Oh! Uhh... sorry Bailey..."
"It's... alright Al... just gimme... a sec..."I replied between breaths. With one large inhale, I stood straight again and sighed."Okay, now that that's over with..."
I folded my arms behind my head and looked at the full Moon above the three of us. We had successfully got out of the horrid church and were now sitting beside a statue in town. Alphonse, who was still standing, seemed to be pondering about something.
"Why did they treat us like we were evil?"He asked. I looked up at him thoughtfully."If we really wanted the stone at all cost, we would've taken it by now."I ten looked at Edward, who's hand was on his chin and a pouting face that a five-year-old would do whenever they don't get a special toy on Christmas. Then, some speaker spouted on, ringing, making me reach for my hood. But then, I noticed something. I left my cloak in the church!
'Damn it...'I cursed myself inside my head before listening to the announcement.
"People of Lior,"Crey."This evening, a band of unbelievers tried to take the life of the Great Prophet, Cornello. One short and blonde,"At this, I couldn't help but snicker slightly. Edward shushed me though, and i listened again."One wearing armor, and the other is..."as we stood up, Crey could be heard whispering in the speaker."Wait, ears and tail of a wolf...? How could... And the other, a female, with the appendage of a wolf's on her head and as a tail. Father Cornello asks you all to stay in your home, he's worried for the safety of Lior."I could hear them, running up to us, getting closer. I scratch that comment I made in the church. Now hell was gonna break loose."Please, take all necessary precautions."
"Well, crap."I remarked. Before we could even move from our place, we were surrounded by, guess what? A mob. I was at least hoping SOME of the people would stay home, but apparently taking down a fraud is an insult to the whole town. Edward and I held the same annoyed and unimpressed expressions while 'Al' stood completely still. Luckily, Ed had thought quickly and made the statue we were sitting at into an exact replica of his brother. Now, where the real Al is, i have no clue.
(LOL, just noticed that, actually. If you pay attention, the 'Al' in that scene doesn't move and is on the platform where the statue used to be)
"No questions guys, they're the ones."One of the many people holding pitchforks said."The short newcomer, the tin-can, and... Holy Lito, she is part wolf!" I rolled my eyes as everyone stared at me now. They were interested in 'Alphonse', but now that someone said it, I'm the center of attention.
"M-maybe they're just... d-d-decoration... y-ya know...?"Someone else in the front said. My ears perked in his direction and I looked at the guy, my tail thrashing man recoiled quickly."N-n-n-nevermind!"I was so developed in the guy to notice Edward ranting about his size, really.
"Nobody said that, now back off!"Was all I heard. I looked at the guy who first talked to see Ed up in his face. Huh, I guess he went off again."We got more important business to settle."Edward stepped back and put a metal finger to his head, tapping it once, then looking at me, then 'Al'.
"What kind of depraved souls are you?"Another guy asked."How could you go after the prophet?"
"We welcomed you here. You made us believe you were good."A woman said. Edward and I looked at her, the same, unimpressed emotion etched our faces. Edward sighed and held out his hand.
"Look, lady, we never asked you to believe anything. That's your priest! He's a phony! He's just using Alchemy."
"Liar!"Everyone turned to the voice, looking at the violet-eyed pain in the- Well, you know. The crowd parted to show Rose."Just now, my boyfriend spoke to me. Cornello is bringing him back."I sighed. Joyous.
"you mean ol' Kane we lost in the accident? He was a good kid! Good for you Rose!"
"There' ya' see?"The woman said."And he's not the first, either. There've been many others who've come back."
"She's right! and "Yeah!" and others of the such were shouted, and I sighed for the twenty-eth time.
"HEY!"I shouted. Soon, everyone had shut up and looked at me."Have you guys even looked at these people close up? I heard they all left town not a day after they 'came back'!"I put air quotations over 'came back' to prove my point.
"Look!"One of the random people of the crowd yelled. I growled.
"Oh yeah, just ignore me! Not like I'm saying anything impor-"I stopped mid-sentence as the ground shook beneath me. I looked to the sound of the tumbling ground and saw one of the may statues moving, walking toward us."Oh shiz..." Seven of them surrounded us, acting as a barrier. I sighed, once again, and brought my hands to my temples, massaging them fervently."Great, just great! Now, not only do I hav'ta back-talk a mob, but I also have to kick at least four asses of pure rock! At the end of this, I'm gonna sue you for my new AutoMail leg, ya' hear me Cornello?"Swiftly, one of the staues lunged one of their staffs at me."Eep!"I quickly bent back into a back-bend (bent back back-bend x_x) and the staff went over me and into 'Alphonse'. Of course, Edward and I had to act as if he was real.
"AL!"We both chorused. I quickly brought my legs up and flipped over, just in time to see Edward get bonked on the head (CartoonNetwork moment XD) and another spear aiming for me. I jumped up and landed on the spear, left foot in front of my right, hands at my sides.
"Oh did I mention that I took gymnastics when I was little? No, no I don't think I have."I used the spear as a beam and bent forward, griping it with my hands and springing my feet into the air, then continuing front flips from there until I was at the statue's head."It really comes in handy when half your spine is missing."I then put my hands on each side of the head and jumped forward. I could see it in slow-mo, me jumping over the head, completely vertical, then beginning to fall, and then, finally, the satisfactory 'crack' of when the rock head broke of, into my arms as I landed. I lazily threw the head away and yawned."Okay, one down, six to go... yay."As you can see, I am completely over-enthusiastic. Just as I was getting ready to attack one of the statues that was wacking at 'Alphonse', I felt a pounding in my head.
'Uh-oh... I forgot about the... the...'I couldn't help but fall to the ground as blood poured from the back of my head.'Damn Cornello, knocking me into a... a... a pole...'
'I... I don't really remember much... Where am I? Oh yeah... Lior, with Ed and Al... why was I being carried? I must've been caught when I fainted...' I opened my eyes a small bit and saw, guess what? Candles. They had a really bad obsession, ya' know? I looked at the cronies carrying me and sighed. My head hurts too much to argue with them. They dragged me up beside two more of them, my long tail looked like a snake behind me. I looked to the person the other pair was holding and groaned.
"Oh, well that's just perfect."Edward said."Now Cornello gets you, too."
"Aw, shuddup."I muttered."I have a migraine."
"Probably because you flipped to many times..."
"NO. It's because some BASTARD threw me into a FRIKKIN' PILLAR!"
"Well, my bad for ASKING!"
"Yeah, it is your bad!"This seriously wasn't helping my headache.
"How was it my bad?"
"You just admitted it was!"
"No I didn't!"
"Ahem."We both looked at the old man before us.
"WHAT?"We chorused. Cornello grinned and we both walked up to Edward and took a silver chain in his hand, a round pocketwatch in his palm. With a swift pull, he broke the links that connected the watch on Edward's then looked at me, and frowned.
"Now where do you hid yours...?"He asked, putting the hand with Edward's watch to his chin. I smirked.
"You think I'm gonna tell you?"My smirk was growing, until Ed spoke, directed at me.
"Give it to him Bailey. We'll prove to him we can last without some stupid amplifier."I looked at him, in disbelief, before moving my tail up to my mouth. I took a loose screw into my mouth and pulled, the metal plate sliding downward by gravity, exploiting tangled masses of red and blue wires. In those masses, was a silver chain, connected to a silver pocketwatch. I took the chin in my mouth, then swung it at Cornello. Unluckily for me, he caught it in his opposite hand. He took both of them and looked at them in the dim light of flames.
"So these are the official pocketwatches of the State Alchemist? Never seen one close. It's the reason why you can do transmutations without a circle, isn't it? It amplifies all of your work. I think you'll be quite harmless without it."He then started laughing, as if he had one. But what he couldn't see, was that under Ed and I's locks, were identical smirks. Boy, had he had it wrong.
I woke up in a rock-walled room, my hands tied up by leather binds and Edward sitting beside me. A single candle lit the room above us, shining on the gold-encased coffin beside us. I was perplexed by the casket. Why in heck's name would they put a SOLID GOLD coffin in the room they held prisoners? The door in front of us opened and we looked to see our visitor. Guess who it was? Rose. She was carrying a tray with bread and a bowl on it, our food, I suppose. How they expected us to eat, I have no idea. She walked up to us and Edward smiled.
"Great, ya' came to feed me! And I thought you were mad!"He opened his mouth wide, expecting her to stuff it all into his mouth. Rose's face was shadowed as she placed the tray in front of us, practically letting us drool since we couldn't reach for it. She then hurried and turned, running for the door. But she stopped and gasped as Edward spoke again, this time more serious."I hope he's real, Rose.I just don't want you to get disappointed." She balled her fist and ran out of the room, slamming the door shut. Edward sighed and I rolled my eyes.
"That went well."I muttered sarcastically, moving my tail forward and piercing one of the loafs of bread with it, then bringing it to my face so I could eat. I took a bit and chewed, thinking."You know, they should of at least tied my tail down. This is easy..."Edward looked at me enviously (lol PUN! XD sorta, anyways...).
"Would you, uh-"
"No."He sighed again and I smirked. I was on the good side, for sure, but I couldn't help but be a bit evil. My ears perked at a sound, the sound of metal of us looked to our left, and smiled at our armored savior.
I took my tail and pierced the leather binds holding Edward's hands, already done so to myself. If this went according to plan, we would get the Philosopher's Stone and Al could get his body back! Although I wasn't related, I wanted to... help him. I guess you gain a certain bond when you travel with the same two boys for some years... Again, my ear perked at the sound of footsteps. I sat down in my original place and lifted my hands up, as did Ed. A minute later, the door opened to show, the one and only, Cornello. He shut the door and smirked, walking up to us.
"This little charade of yours will be found out soon enough."Edward spoke to the old man.
"the faithful are not likely to distinguish between Alchemy and the works of God."He spoke."Really? As long as I'm bringing them happiness, what do they care where it comes from?"I rolled my eyes as Edward smiled.
"Right..."I remarked.
"So, what's in it for you?"Ed asked."Besides all the kowtowing?"Cornello chuckled, somewhat evilly."What, is it the money you're after?"
"Oh, I can get all the money I want from the offerings."He stated offhandedly."But you think too small. I'm making believers who would gladly throw away their lives in my name. And why not? They believe I can resurrect them. They aren't afraid to die. There is no greater army than those with a holy call!"H opened one pale periwinkle eye and grinned at us. He then turned away from us, seeming to begin walking out of the room."Mark my words. In a few years, I'll have a following large enough to tear this country apart!"He lifted his left fist in glory."And rebuild it! In my name!"I groaned and put my hands down, taking a bowl of water and sipping it. Edward took the remaining loaf of bread and began to munch on it.
"Makes no different to us."I sighed boredly. Cornello turned to us quickly.
"What?"
"After all, there's no real way to bring people back to life, right? Once you cut us down, we're gone for good."At this, he smirked.
"I'm afraid that's right. Even with the Philosopher's Stone, I wouldn't dare try Human Transmutation with Alchemy. I'd end up like Edward here."I rolled my eyes again and drank the water,a satisfied 'Ah' sounding from my lips when I did so."And why would a king risk his life for the sake of his mindless pawns?"As Edward took another bite of his bread, Cornello seemed to realize something."wait a second..."Edward and I grinned as we leaned in opposite directions, indicating a small break in the brick wall which hid a microphone. Cornello gasped, and seemed to yell as if he were in hell's very flames."WHAT? How long has that thing been on?"
"For the whole mindless pawns part, I would think." I snickered.
"How did you get my broadcasting equipment?"
"Al rigged it up!"Edward grinned even more so than before, if it were possible."We know, you smashed him into pieces,but that was just some metal I whipped up to look like him! Pretty clever, huh?"
"No, my children! They lie!"Cornello screamed again."Lies! Don't believe them!"Suddenly, he made another machine gun, and the bullets sounded in my ears. I took Edward's wrist and dodged beside the old man. As the dust cleared, Cornello panted, until he saw us standing there. Quickly, Edward clapped his hands and a blade came out from his AutoMail arm, then sliced the gun in two.
"Oh, by the way,"He started,"I don't get my skills from a pocketwatch."The candlelight reflected off the metal blade, and Cornello gasped and stepped back a few steps before dropping the rest of his severed gun and running out the door. I smiled and laughed at the wimp, until Edward stopped my by retracting his blade."It's not over yet, Bailey. C'mon."I nodded, smirked, and ran out the door with him. As we kept running, we entered the main room, and out the doors I ould see the red lightning and Cornello yelling "Behold God's power!" Next thing I know, the ground is shaking, almost like an earthquake, put in a rhythm. Stop, start, stop, start. Almost like footsteps. Edward and I walked out to see the statues walking around, and I sighed.
"Those guys again? My head still hurts from yesterday..."Cornello gasped, once again, and turned to the two of us.
"I'm warning you,"Edward said, left hand on his hip,"Give it up."Cornello smirked that evil little smirk and 'Hmm'ed.
"you didn't fool me with that little display down there."he pulled out both of our metal pocketwatches."Without this, the only Alchemy you can perform is on your own metal arm."I snickered.
"Wow, old man. You're really stupid, ya'know?"His face contorted to one of surprise.
"You're not the only one who can't stand doubters, Preach."Edward said. He clapped his hands together, blue lightning surrounding them, then smashed his left on the ground. The lightning spread behind us, illuminating the church's insides."Here's the real hammer of God!"Cornello began backing up and I smirked a smirk of my own. The ground trembled three times as more, the church's ceiling being pushed so forcefully that is shattered, Cornello gasped as the huge statue from inside the steeple stood tall and seemed to look down at him, and only walked forward a couple of steps, the crowd gasping at it's humongous glory.
"I don't believe it..."Cornello spoke."Not even the Philosopher's Stone can move something as big as that!"
"Well, of course not!"I grinned as the statue held up a fist."He's the one and only, Fullmetal Alchemist."The fist came hurtling forward, and Cornello screamed bloody murder. The statue beside us was pummeled by the stone hand, dust rising in the quake. As it cleared, Cornello looked at the arm of pure stone. He was so surprised and amazed, that he fell to the ground, gasping for air. Edward advanced on him while I smiled and began to walk down the stairs, preparing to slice through the crowd in search of Alphonse. Though, I looked back as Cornello tried to run, shouting he wouldn't give back the stone. But then, he fell to his knees, holding his left arm. Then my eyes widened as he rose it up. There were bulges of skin, tubes of metal, veins of red and blue, gouging from that arm, the one with the ring."How the... the ring! It's a... a..."Edward ran up to him and took the old man's wrist, looking at the golden band. a moment later, I could just barely see a red spark."A fake."
"After al this, all this trouble you put me through, even the stone's a fake?"Edward let go of Cornello's arm and stood before shouting to the sky,"STOP JERKING ME AROUND!"
Edward sighed as he gave me my watch back, Al, Ed, and I sitting on a railing on the street.
"Just another wild goose chase..."He groaned."He looked at Alphonse."And here I thought we could finally put you in the flesh again."
"No, Brother."Al said."You'll be the first we fix. That AutoMail's so tough on you."
"Not as bad as you, Bailey."They both looked at me, and I jumped.
"Wh-what? N-no! I'm just here to be here! You guys are definitely going to be right first!"I waved my hands crazily."Besides, I've lived Fourteen years with these, I can live a few decades more!"Edward sighed again and we all stood.
"I guess we'll hav'ta start the search again, huh?"I nodded.
"Seems like it, yeah."
"You should never have come here!"we turned to Rose, who was seemingly angered."Father Cornello gave us hope. What right did you have to take that away?"I sighed and put my index finger and thumb on each side of the bridge of my nose, massaging slowly."With him, we believed we could do anything, even bring back the dead. We're a desert village, we had nothing before that!"
"You're saying we should have left everything to go on as it was?" I opened my eyes. Everything clicked, if we let them be, none of this would happen.
"well, why not?"rose asked, close to tears. what do I have to live for now that I know Kane won't come back?"I removed my hand from my nose and looked at her before walking up to her, and slapping her cheek. It was silent for a moment, everyone's eyes wide and on me. My voice came out in a low growl.
"Don't you ever think that. you have a full, healthy life ahead of you and many more possibilities. Now SHUT UP and live your life!"She looked at me, her purple orbs huge. I sighed and turned on my heel, walking the opposite direction. Edward looked at Rose as I walked past.
"you've got a good pair of legs, Rose. You should use them."He then turned and followed me to the exit, while Al stayed to comfort her for a small while.
I looked at the sunset, marveled by it's glowing affect on the god sands of Lior. I couldn't help but be reminded of the time of my childhood, when my mother would sing to me as I looked at the sunset. How her lips moved in that sorrowful melody, and how it seemed so familiar to my thoughts. The song of two brothers, and how they blamed themselves for the other's pain...
Bratja
And so Ends Episode 2:Body of the Sanctioned
Stay tuned for Episode 3:Mother