Fifteen minutes had passed.
Kyoya was breathing heavily, that last encounter has unnerved him greatly. It wasn't just the fact that he had seen her changing, it was that scar. That scar was at least the size of a construction pole...Someone wouldn't have, shouldn't have survived something like that. Unless Ed had extremely fast healing skin cells (which was impossible, of course) she would have died from blood loss within minutes when the object was pulled out, it wouldn't matter how much or what kind medical treatment she was given. Then the question remained, how the hell was she still living? There was no doubt that that was what he had to ask her. Kyoya stood up from the couch, making up his mind to go up there and ask (though it mightn't have been the smartest idea, considering what had happened). He started to walk towards the staircase when the front door opened with a slam, and Tamaki bounded over to him with a dorky smile.
"Hi Kyoya!" Tamaki quipped, "How's Edlyn?"
Kyoya frowned, "I was actually going to check on her right now."
Tamaki's smile faded a little, and he moved closer towards the steps. "Alright, I'll go with you."
Kyoya pursed his pale lips, but didn't object. It would seem suspicious if he was to object. And though he did want to ask Edlyn that question as soon as possible, it would have to wait. Tamaki padded up the steps with purpose, and Kyoya followed duly behind.
"So, how was Edlyn doing today?" Tamaki turned to him and asked.
"Fine." he said shortly, staring forwards as they walked leisurely towards Edlyn's room down the long hallway.
"So, did you check on her lots?"
Kyoya nodded, "Although the last time I tried to check..." he trailed off and snapped his mouth shut. God that was stupid, he shouldn't have mentioned anything. He inwardly hoped that Tamaki would just brush it off and just continue walking. His hopes were dashed.
"Hm? 'Last time you tried to check', did something happen?" Tamaki looked at him concernedly, eyebrows slightly clinched together worriedly.
"Well, um..." Kyoya looked away embarrassed, "I, er, accidentally saw her changing-"
Tamaki exploded. "You saw her changing?!" he yelled at Kyoya, then turned away muttering, "Oh, no...my poor little cousin...her innocence lost...going to kill him..."
Kyoya jumped back, startled when Tamaki stopped walking, turned to him and looked him straight in the eyes, "You. Didn't. Try. Anything. Did. You?" he said, punctuating each word with a hard poke to the chest.
Kyoya backed away even more, adjusting his askew glasses. He frowned deeply, and started walking away. Tamaki followed. "Tamaki, you know that I wouldn't do something like that. Besides, I hold no attraction to Miss Elric-"
"Really? You seemed interested in her, more interested that anyone else I've seen you meet. Plus, you didn't refuse when I asked you to take care of her!"
"Tamaki, I...um-" Kyoya tried to reply coolly, but it felt like his tongue was glued to the roof of his mouth. That was not the reason he had wanted to help, couldn't he just help someone without being suspected of ulterior motives? He started to reply again but Tamaki cut him off.
"See, you can't really reply to that! So I guess you do like Edlyn!" A faint dusting of crimson came over the normally emotionless host's face.
"No I don't."
"Yeah, sure." Kyoya stared, blushing after him, and attempted not to lose face.
Ignoring Kyoya, Tamaki skipped ahead to the oak door and turned the handle quickly, opening the door as fast and as quietly as he could. Despite his efforts the door still squeaked, though it sounded almost ominous. Tamaki's smiled as he entered the room. "Hi Edlyn, I'm home-!" Tamaki abruptly cut off, his smile fading immediately and his expression fading into one of horrified shock. Kyoya's mutely flustered expression dissolved into one of slight panic. With the sliver of light that shone through the blinds they could see that Edlyn was sprawled on the floor, her blonde hair soaked with blood. Her lips were slightly parted, allowing a steady trickle of blood to seep out onto the wooden floor, just adding to the pool of blood. Teary Golden eyes looked unexpectedly dull, staring off into nothingness, not registering the two males that had entered the room. Both of them rushed over, Kyoya already taking out his cell phone to call the doctors. Tamaki lifted her up bridal style, not minding the blood that was being spilled on his expensive jacket or how heavy she was, and hurried downstairs with his friend following.
Kyoya gritted his teeth was the phone rang a couple times before picking up to a woman's voice. Her voice was calmly annoying, and radiated bored feelings.
"Hello Mr. Ootori, how may we be of service?"
"My acquaintance is having an attack and coughing up blood, please send an ambulance to the Suoh residence at..." he gave her the address, feeling unbearably tense and anxious. "Please note that she has foreign prosthetic limbs, on her right arm and left leg." His grip on the phone was tight, and the plastic felt like it was bending under his thin fingers that shook like leaves in the wind.
"Duly noted Mr. Ootori, an ambulance is on its way." he flipped the phone shut and shoved it in his jacket pocket, then turned to Tamaki, who had cleaned her hair off her face and was already setting Ed down on the couch and piling pillows under her head to prop her up. Once satisfied with her position, he stepped away and turned to Kyoya.
"Hey, Kyoya, when did you check on her last?"
The tall teen glanced at his watch. "Around fifteen minutes ago. Why?"
Tamaki looked down and gripped the sleeve of his own jacket, frowning sadly, "I just find it really scary how quick something like this could happen...What do you think triggered it?"
"Well, I saw her changing. Maybe that stressed her out enough to cause an attack?" Kyoya felt his heart clench at the thought. Tamaki looked to the side thoughtfully, pursing his lips in thought. His eyes lit up with a sudden brightness.
"That actually might be it. Remember how the last attack started?"
Kyoya's heart sank as he recalled how Tamaki had gotten her upset about her not wanting to wear the dress, and how she had run off crying, only to be discovered lying in the fountain with blood dribbling out of her mouth. So he had caused the attack. She must have gotten upset when he had seen her scar, after all, she seemed the type to keep things like that hidden, so it didn't show her weakness. He sighed, downcast, and looked up. "Yes, I remember. So, it's my fault." he felt guilty, but there was no way he could have known that she was going to be changing at that very moment.
Tamaki kept silent, staring at Edlyn, whose eyes were still staring blankly up at the ceiling. Kyoya looked at her and his breath caught in his throat. Her head was lying flat, which meant that if she were to cough up blood, it wouldn't trickle out; it would pool in her throat, like it had on the floor, and she would end up choking to death on her own fluids. He walked-sprinted over to her and tilted her head to the side, sliding a nearby garbage pail underneath her head so the fluids could trickle out into the waste receptacle. Tamaki muttered a quiet 'Thank you' cursing his incompetence.
The sound of sirens started getting closer, and the black haired host looked to the blond, mentally asking for permission to bring the girl outside. Getting his message, Tamaki nodded sagely and motioned for him to carry her out the door, then walked off, presumably to tell his grandmother about the incident. Kyoya slid his strong arms underneath her slender form, he let out a small 'oof' as he lifted her to his chest. She was really heavy, though it must have been mostly the automail (she had mentioned that it was solid metal), and he swayed as he struggled to walk to the front door. Maids and butlers alike stared perplexedly at him while he made his way to the door. One maid clucked her tongue sympathetically and rushed to open the heavy door for him. He nodded gratefully to her, and made his way to the front steps, waiting for the ambulance.
His head tilted down to look at her face. She looked so helpless, not at all like the fiery blonde he was used to seeing, and yet she looked so...he hated to admit it, but she looked cute. It wasn't as though he liked her, but he could appreciate her appearance, couldn't he? Her eyes had closed and it almost looked like she was sleeping in his arms, not having a serious attack that might put her in the hospital for a couple days. Her long eyelashes framed her lids gently, giving her a look of childlike innocence. Her face was a little pale, but it looked like the porcelain of a china plate. He was fascinated. Without realizing it, he was leaning closer, and closer, a sudden brush was felt at his lips. His eyes widened and he snapped his head back.
What had he just done, had he kissed her? God, why had he done that? It was pure impulse, pure stupid impulse. That's what it was, nothing more. 'Yeah, sure' Tamaki's voice rang in his mind and he nearly smacked his forehead against his hand.
The sirens soon grew to an ear-splitting level as the white ambulance drove swiftly into the yard. The back doors opened while medical personnel jumped out and a gurney was pulled off of the floor and onto the ground. A stocky brunette woman with creamy dark skin jogged up to him with a balding man in tow. Her serious eyes met his while he stared back. "We'll take it from here Mr. Ootori, just hand her over." he hefted her into the woman's arms while she let out a slight grunt at the weight, but quickly recovered and strapped her onto the gurney. He stared as she was lifted into the back of the ambulance. Kyoya turned to the balding man.
"I'm coming as well." he said calmly. The man looked incredulously at him.
"I'm not sure that's the wisest of ideas." Kyoya stared and the man faltered, noticing the resolve in his eyes, "Alright, fine, come. Just try not to get in the way." he followed him into the back of the small space and sat down. The doors slammed shut behind him. The balding man, his name-tag read 'Hiro', turned to him again and sized him up. "What's your relation to her anyway? Boyfriend?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
The faintest of embarrassed blushes appeared on Kyoya's cheeks, and he looked away slightly. "She's a friend of mine." he said coolly, frowning.
"Oh." he turned away and helped the others with Edlyn. Kyoya busied himself with dialling Tamaki's cellphone number, then held it to his ear as the phone began to ring. It clicked as Tamaki picked up.
'Hello?'
"Hello Tamaki, It's Kyoya."
'Kyoya?! Where are you right now? '
"In the back of the ambulance, we're driving to the clinic right now."
'Okay- wait. In the back of the ambulance?!'
"It is my family's team of doctors after all."
'Oh. Um, I'll be at the clinic in a couple minutes, I'll see you then.'
"Alright."
The phone clicked off and Kyoya flipped it closed, setting it in his pocket again. He sat silently until a loud 'dammit!' shook him from his thoughts.
"Fuck, she's not breathing!"
"Put a respirator on her then!"
His hands trembled slightly as he watched the workers snap a mask on her face. He clenched his fists in a ball and stared down at his knees. Please let her be okay.
...
Edlyn stared out across the crater, adrenaline pumping through her veins and tears streaming down her face while she looked at them all, hoping to gate that Alphonse had not just done what she thought he had done. Mei stared at her with tears running down her cheeks, her face contorted with pain. No no no, this wasn't supposed to happen. Dammit! How could Al have been so stupid!? She would have been fine! She would have survived, she always did... But somehow she knew that she wouldn't have been okay. If Al hadn't done that, she would be gone, her body lost to Father. She gritted her teeth and thought hard. Then her eyes lit up and she reached down to the ground, picking up a sturdy piece of wood, she cleared an area.
She drew the lines of the array she knew down to the last line, that one that had ruined her life and yet sculpted it. Ling furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, then widened his eyes with realization. "Is that...a human transmutation circle?! What the hell are you planning Edlyn!" she grinned and clapped her hands, slapping them onto the circle. It lit up with the electric blue that she knew so well.
"I'll be back soon everybody, and this time I'll have Al with me!" the blue consumed her until all she saw was a blank expanse of white.
"Back again are we Elric?" the white being with a feminine figure smirked at her.
She grinned wider. "Yup, and I'm here for my brother."
"Hm, and what do you have to offer me?"
"Truth, you do know that I've been saving Amestris for the last couple days?"
"And your point is?" the being frowned.
"Don't I get something for my efforts?"
The being smirked again, wider this time. "I guess you do, well played human. Although, your brother is quite...sick. If you had come to save him earlier-"
Ed growled. "Shut up, just give him to me!"
"Ooh, pushy, pushy." the white being smiled-smirked, "You didn't have to be quite so demanding, but then again you always were." it stepped aside to reveal a terribly thin and naked Alphonse, who grinned weakly at her. She walked quickly past truth and wearily looked at Alphonse.
"Al." was all she said as she dropped down beside him and dragged his arm across his shoulder, "Let's go home."
He grinned again, "Whatever you want sister..."
Truth smirked at the two, then turned to Edlyn. "Elric girl, I'm still taking your arm back as payment. Your deeds, you see, still aren't quite enough-"
"Whatever, if it's for Al, I'll do anything." Al looked baffled at her, wanting to protest, but it was already done. Ed's just newly restored arm melted away and appeared on truth, while her automail one reconstructed itself back on the port that had been stuck in her arm.
"Good choice girl. Now go-" the doors of her gate opened, not revealing a black expanse, but a light filled one, "-the exit is right over there." Truth grinned devilishly as the two disappeared through the light expanse, not noticing the gates that melded together as they left. Its devilish grin turned into a panicked frown.
The two reconstructed on the array, and Ed grinned while Al still had a smile on his face. Her grin slipped right off her face as Al dropped to the ground, his body going limp. She caught him right before he hit the dust, then set him down lightly. A coat was offered to her, which she took and covered him with. "Hey Al, you okay?" she smiled nervously at him, waiting for his answer anxiously. He didn't reply. "Al, is something wrong-?" she stopped abruptly. His chest wasn't moving up and down.
"He's not breathing!" she cried out in anguish. She placed her hands on his chest and pressed down thrice, then forced air down his throat. People rushed over, and from there it was all a blur. She tried again and again. She knew he couldn't be dead, wouldn't be. This was Al for Gate's sake, he was a survivor, someone who would stay alive no matter what! He always managed to find a way to live, even when everything seemed against him! She pressed down again and again, pumping air into his lungs. Al just had to live. She couldn't be alone! "Fullmetal, you need to stop." a voice abruptly stated. She ignored it and continued. "Fullmetal- Edlyn, he's gone."
"NO HE'S FUCKING NOT! I CAN STILL SAVE HIM IF I TRY HARD ENOUGH!" she yelled, her heart pounding. The speaker stepped back, but someone else stepped forward. Her arms were restrained and she was lifted up onto her feet. She thrashed wildly, jerking to and fro, but those strong arms kept her still.
"Ed, you've been trying for twenty minutes. He- Alphonse is gone." she stopped thrashing and stayed still, the cold realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She stopped feeling anything and dropped to her knees, her face in her hands. The arms had let her go. Footsteps sounded and small warm arms were suddenly around her and someone was crying helplessly into her shoulder. She looked up blankly, her dulling eyes filled with tears, Mei Chang clung to her tightly and wept and Ed allowed her to. With a sudden horrible feeling of emptiness she felt more tears stream down her cheeks and she suddenly needed someone, anyone. Her arms clutched at the girl that held on to her so, so tightly and tears stained the Xingese outfit. And the two cried together, because they knew that the person that they had loved was gone, and that they were never, ever coming back. It wouldn't matter what they would try. Al was lost, gone, disappeared. They needed each other in that moment, because they understood how the other was feeling in such heart wrenching detail, because they felt the same way. They both wept and clutched at each other tightly, it didn't matter who was there, or who was watching. They needed someone, and that someone was right in front of them at that moment.
And in a room in the clinic, with it's white walls and floor, Edlyn Elric woke up with her face stained with tears and the smell of Mei's outfit in her nostrils.
Silver: Welp, that was the longest thing/chapter I've ever written so far. I hope I wrote it well. Anyway, review and tell me what you thought!
Chapter by: Silver Quil
Next chapter by: CheetahLover101