(AC: Lapis Philosophorum – FMA:B OST 1)
Winry was shocked and horrified by the implication that Ed and Al had both made with the strange man lying on the couch.
"Then you do know the formula for creating a Philosopher's Stone. You know its dark secret." The man said as Ed and Al both grimaced.
"Yeah but why come to us?" Ed asked.
"Because I cannot perform the transmutation on myself. I need someone else to do it for me!" the man pleaded but Ed proceeded to tear the paper to shreds, the man's eyes widening in horror.
"Forget it! We're not turning you into a Philosopher's Stone!" Ed yelled, furious at the man's mere request.
"And why do you want yourself transmuted into a Philosopher's Stone?!" Al asked. The man took a deep breath to calm himself a little bit before answering.
"My name is Doctor Victor Garand, also known as the Living Hand Alchemist. I used to be a State Alchemist working under Fuhrer King Bradley's command…well, more like under the command of Bradley's master." The man explained as the brothers and Winry quietly scowled.
"You mean Father? The Homunculus?" Ed asked as Garand gave a nod.
"Yes. Him. I was tasked along with two other State Alchemists to create Philosopher's Stones for the military in Laboratory Five. I imagine you recognize that name too." Garand said as the Elrics scowled again.
"Then you probably knew Doctor Marcoh." Al said but Garand seemed startled by the name.
"Yes I knew Dr. Marcoh, but he was transmuted into a stone as well." Garand said but Ed and Al looked at each other.
"No he wasn't. He's alive, at least he was two years ago." Al replied, surprising Garand.
"He is? Good, then perhaps there's a chance our other associate is still alive too but that's beside the point! After we created the Philosopher's Stones for Father, I was handed over to someone known as the Immortal Alchemist, an Alchemist in league with Father who founded the Red Kingdom after Father's defeat." Garand explained. Ed seemed to scowl at the news.
"The Immortal Alchemist? His name wasn't Van Hohenheim was it? Did he resemble Father at all?" Ed asked but Garand shook his head.
"No, neither of those. The Immortal Alchemist…I don't know who he is or where he comes from but there's a secret alchemic formula that I discovered while working in Laboratory Five, and the Immortal Alchemist wants this formula." Garand explained.
"But how did you find us here?" Al asked as Garand let out a pained grunt and held his bandaged side.
"I stole a car and drove here to Resembool. I knew that the Fullmetal Alchemist lived here and that you would return eventually…but I was discovered. Agents of the Red Kingdom tracked me here! I need to leave! Your lives are in danger so long as I stay!" Garand said, attempting to sit up but Winry held him down.
"You're not going anywhere! Not in your condition!" Winry argued.
"What about the military? General Mustang could probably help keep you safe." Al suggested but Garand's eyes widened in fear at the thought.
"No! Not the military! If they found out about the formula I possess, they would come after me as well!" Garand exclaimed.
"Well there has to be some way to help." Ed said thoughtfully.
"There is! Transmute me into a Philosopher's Stone!" Garand yelled.
"Shut up! We're not going to transmute you or anyone into a Philosopher's Stone!" Ed yelled angrily as Al clapped his hands together and slammed his hands against a wooden chair, and the couch Garand was laying on, the chair morphing into a set of sturdy wooden restraints, pinning Garand down on the couch.
"Stop moving!" Al exclaimed. (AC: Envy Revealed – FMA:B OST 2) Suddenly they heard Den start barking again. This caused all four of them to turn towards the door in time to see a large grey furred beast burst into the house, shredding the doorframe apart with its massive claws and wolf-like features.
"They're here!" Garand exclaimed as the beast and Den growled at each other. They then noticed that the large Chimera was wearing a red bandana around its neck with the symbol of a black castle turret and the symbol for infinity above it.
"AL!" Ed exclaimed as Al clapped his hands together and slammed them against the floor, causing the ground to ripple towards the beast, launching it out the door. Before they could celebrate, the front window was shattered by a red reptilian chimera with patches of fur growing beneath a few armored scales as it burst through. Alphonse quickly freed Garand with alchemy, the couch and restraints returning to normal and allowing Garand and the others to leap clear just as the chimera leapt at them, crushing the couch beneath it and tearing the cushions to shreds before turning towards them. The chimera eyed Garand with a ravenous glare and suddenly charged towards him on all fours but was suddenly bludgeoned in the side of the head by Winry's wrench. The chimera was hurt but angry as it glared at Winry who paled. Ed noticed this and grabbed a fire poker from the side of the fireplace. The chimera charged at Winry but was suddenly stabbed in the right eye by Ed who gave the poker a hard twist, killing the beast.
"There's more!" Garand exclaimed before they suddenly heard a loud explosion come from outside. Al ran to the door and saw part of the hill near the house on fire with a strange woman standing in front of the blaze. The woman had long greying brown hair that rested around her shoulders and wore a green overcoat over a black work shirt and brown trousers under a green skirt that matched the overcoat. Around her neck was a red bandana with the same black castle icon with infinity symbol. On her hands were a pair of black gardening gloves and on her head was a wide brimmed green hat with pink band around the crown of the hat. In her hand was a silver metal lighter. Before her was a pack of at least seven chimeras.
"Who is that?!" Al asked as the woman raised her left hand, revealing a transmutation circle on the palm of the glove before thrusting her hand towards the house, causing the grass and flowers in front of her to suddenly wither and die, releasing a strange cloud of green gas. She suddenly raised the lighter, causing Al's eyes to widen.
"GET DOWN!" Al yelled as they dove for the floor just as the gas was ignited by the lighter, causing an explosion. The explosion didn't harm anyone or anything but was mostly used to disorient the four inside the house. The four had just gotten to their feet when two chimera burst in through the door and leapt at Garand. Winry quickly grabbed Garand by the arm and pulled him away just in time for the chimeras to miss him while they ran for the stairs. At the same time, Al leapt through the window outside while Ed attempted to pull the poker free from the dead chimera's skull but had to abandon it as the other two chimeras turned towards him. He quickly grabbed the growling Den and hurried into Winry's workshop, quickly grabbing an automail arm off the wall and turning in time to smack down a pouncing chimera. Outside, Alphonse landed and quickly transmuted a large stone arm to rise up from the ground and pin two or three chimera's underneath. He heard the flicking sound of a lighter and quickly transmuted a rock wall up in time to shield himself from another explosion, the rock wall crumbling.
"Very impressive, boy. Transmuting without a transmutation circle. Very impressive indeed. Although I suppose it's only fitting for the Fullmetal Alchemist to have such a talent with alchemy." The woman in green said as she kept her palm facing Al, her lighter still in hand.
"Fullmetal Alchemist?" Al asked himself softly for a moment before snarling.
"Yeah? And who are you?!" he asked angrily. The woman merely smiled coyly and placed her hand on the head of one of the chimera, causing it to howl in pain before she released it, sending it towards Al who quickly raised his arm only to freeze in horrid realization.
"Flesh! Not metal!" He exclaimed mentally, having instinctively attempted to fight as if he were still in his metal body and realizing it but not until it was too late. The chimera sank its teeth into Al's arm, causing Al to cry out in pain before quickly punching the chimera in the throat, causing it to release his arm, giving Al an opportunity to turn and run. The Chimera was about to chase after him when a number of large glowing blisters formed on its body before the chimera suddenly exploded. The woman calmly walked through the smoke of the dead chimera bomb to find Al quickly drawing a symbol in the dirt. Al quickly pressed his wounded arm against the symbol and putting his other hand against the edge of the circle, causing it to glow blue for a moment. The woman calmly raised her hand towards Al, intending to turn the plants around him into an explosive gas but was caught off guard when Al clapped his hands together and transmuted a large rocky sphere to close up around her, just like he had done with the Homunculus Pride two years ago. Al took a second to catch his breath, rolling up his bloodied sleeve to look at his injured arm. The bite wound from the chimera was partially healed thanks to a quick usage of Xingese Alkahestry. Inside the house, Winry shoved Garand into her room and slammed the door behind them, propping a chair against the door before diving under her bed for something.
"That won't stop them for more than a few seconds!" Garand said as Winry stood up from next to her bed, pulling out a very large wrench and a metal strongbox.
"A few seconds is all I need." Winry said as she opened the strongbox on her bed, revealing an Amestrian military service pistol with a box of ammunition. It had been left there by the Briggs soldiers that had escorted her home two years ago for her own protection but she had never had need to use it before now. She quickly loaded the gun and stuck it in her belt before raising the large wrench defensively as they heard the growling of a chimera outside the door. Suddenly the door was reduced to splinters by the grey wolfhound chimera which was suddenly killed when Winry brought the large end of her wrench down on its head. There was little time to celebrate as another chimera appeared at the door. Winry attempted to raise her wrench but the chimera caught the head of it in its teeth, attempting to pull it away from her.
"Oh no you don't!" Winry grunted as she found herself playing a losing game of tug-of-war with the chimera. At the same time, Garand dropped to one knee and started drawing something on the ground using the blood from the dead chimera. A second later, Winry lost her grip on the wrench, the chimera tossing it away and turning back to growl at her.
"Miss Winry! Move!" Garand ordered. Winry didn't hesitate and ran to the side just as the chimera pounced at her. At the same time, Garand slammed his hands onto the edge of a transmutation circle drawn in blood, the chimera caught in the center of the circle. Winry watched as the chimera landed but heard a loud crunching sound as it landed coupled with the creature howling in pain before Garand stood up and brought his foot down on its head, collapsing its skull with a crunch.
"What did you do?!" She asked as Garand helped her to her feet.
"I weakened the carbon atoms in its skeleton, making its bones extremely brittle to the point where many of his bones broke when he landed. Come on! There'll be more on the way!" He replied as they headed for the door to her balcony. Downstairs Ed was grappling with another chimera as it bit down on the automail arm in Ed's hands. As the chimera forced Ed down against the table, Den leapt up and delivered a vicious swipe with her automail paw, clipping the chimera's ear, causing it to roar in pain and fury, giving Ed an opening to shove it away, pulling the arm loose of the Chimera, and beating it in the ribcage with it until the chimera turned and scampered away, letting out pained whimpers as it ran. Ed and Den chased after the chimera, chasing it back into the living room where Ed suddenly found the arm ripped from his hands by a long wet tongue. He turned and saw a large frog-like chimera, the arm clinched in its mouth.
"Damn!" Ed grunted as the frog-chimera made a couple of short hops towards Ed who backed into the unlit fireplace, shaking it slightly and hearing a rattling sound from over his shoulder. Before the chimera could make a move, Den leapt in between Ed and the chimera. The chimera let a loud but monstrous 'ribbit' as Den barked angrily at it. At the same time, Ed was trying to think of a way to kill the chimera or drive it away when he heard the rattling over his shoulder again. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Al's old helmet sitting on the mantelpiece. Without hesitating, Ed grabbed the helmet and brought it down onto the chimera, the spiked horn on the helmet going through the chimera's head, killing it instantly.
"Thanks Al." Ed mumbled as he pulled the helmet free from the chimera's corpse. Outside Al had just enclosed the alchemist woman within the stone sphere but heard an animalistic roar behind him. He spun around in time to see a catlike chimera leap at him. Al quickly raised his left arm, the chimera clawing at his arm and scratching the side of his face before the chimera was suddenly shot dead. Al looked up towards Winry's balcony and saw Dr. Garand holding Winry's pistol aimed at the chimera.
"AL!" Winry called to the young alchemist.
"Winry! Are you alright?!" Al asked as Winry gave a nod.
"What about you?! You're bleeding!" Winry called down as Alphonse quickly knelt down and drew another Alkahestry Purification Circle into the dirt, partially healing his injured left arm with what little Alkahestry he knew.
"I'll be fine! Get out of here!" Alphonse yelled.
"We're not leaving without you, Al!" Winry called. Before Al could respond, he heard a loud rumbling sound and turned to see the earth sphere surrounding the alchemist woman opening back up. Al looked to see the woman kneeling in the center of a large transmutation circle, opening the earth back up. The woman was glaring angrily at Alphonse as she raised her hand towards him. Before she could react however, a figure crashed into her from behind with a loud yell.
"Brother!" Al exclaimed as he saw Ed head butt the woman while wearing Al's old helmet, the metal spike impaling the woman through the lower abdomen on her right side. The woman let out a pained hiss of fury, Ed backing away, pulling the helmet from her back. She quickly put her hand to her wound and put a metal dog whistle to her lips and blew. Suddenly a large brown furred chimera with a saddle on it approached her, Ed leaping clear as she climbed onto the chimera.
"We'll meet again Fullmetal! You can't hide the secret forever!" the woman yelled towards Al before raising her hand towards the plants near the house, turning them into the explosive gas then flicking her lighter, causing the gas to ignite, setting part of the house on fire with Winry and Garand still inside.
"WINRY!" Ed exclaimed as the woman and the remaining chimeras ran away. Alphonse quickly dropped to his knees and transmuted a large fire hose from the ground, quickly spraying the fire with water from the ground. Ed quickly started using the helmet as a bucket, collecting large piles of dirt tossing it on the fire.
"This isn't working!" Al yelled. Ed grimacing in frustration.
"We need to stop the fire! If we could starve the fire we could-…wait that's it! WINRY TAKE A DEEP BREATH!" Ed yelled. Winry didn't question him and took a deep breath along with Dr. Garand.
"AL!" Ed yelled as Alphonse clapped his hands together and raised them towards the fire, robbing the fire of part of its oxygen, causing the flames to partially die down while Ed grabbed the hose and aimed it at the fire, the water putting out the fire easily. (End Ambiance) Winry and Garand started to breathe again as the white smoke started to rise from house. The brothers collapsed onto their rumps from the ordeal, catching their breath.
…
After a quick inspection, the four were gathered in the kitchen. The house suffered only minor fire damage and could be easily repaired. In fact, Al had already used alchemy to remove the broken wood and would have started working on converting some lumber into usable planks had Winry not insisted he stop so she could treat his wounds. Al's arms, despite being partially healed through Alkahestry, were bound in white bandages wrapped around his arms. There were small bandages on his face from the scratches. Ed was cleaning up some of the broken glass with a broom and dustpan.
"Man, they really made a mess." Ed grumbled as Garand helped repair some of the broken furniture by using alchemy. Winry was disposing of the chimera corpses, dragging them out of the house with Al's help. Al would then set the corpses ablaze with some lighter fluid and matches.
"Edward…during the fight, I never noticed you using alchemy. Indeed, the only alchemy I saw used the entire time was my own and your brother's. How he performed a transmutation without a circle is beyond me. If you're the Fullmetal Alchemist, why didn't you use alchemy?" Garand asked, repairing a broken table with a transmutation circle drawn on a tablecloth as Ed looked at Al's helmet which was back up on the mantelpiece and had been cleaned.
"That's easy. I can't perform alchemy anymore." Ed replied, continuing to sweep up broken glass.
"How is that possible? Your hands still appear to function. What's keeping you from doing alchemy?" Garand asked as Ed sighed and walked over towards Garand, dumping the glass in the dustpan onto the transmutation circle before dropping down onto his knees and pressing his hands against the circle, nothing happening. Garand blinked in surprise.
"You really can't perform alchemy?" Garand asked.
"I gave it up for Al." Ed replied as he stood up, sweeping the glass back into his dustpan.
"Your brother? I don't understand." Garand said as Ed looked out the window towards where Al and Winry were burning the chimera bodies. (AC: Trisha's Lullaby ~A Reminiscence~ - FMA:B OST 3) Ed sighed heavily and rolled up his left pants leg, revealing his automail leg. Garand blinked in surprise at the sight.
"Six years ago, Al and I committed the taboo. We attempted to bring back our mother in a human transmutation. As a result, I lost my leg but Al…he lost his entire body. I sacrificed my right arm to bind Al's soul to a suit of armor in order to keep him alive. We spent four years that way until Al sacrificed his soul to restore my right arm at a crucial moment. I in turn sacrificed my ability to use alchemy to bring Al back in body and in soul." Ed explained.
"But can't you regain your leg? Haven't you tried to regain your alchemy?" Garand asked but Ed turned to glare at him.
"That would just make the sacrifice I made to bring Al back meaningless. My leg serves as a reminder of the mistake we made and giving up my alchemy was the price to bring him back completely. If I had to make the decision between Alphonse or my alchemy again, I'd choose Alphonse over alchemy any day." Ed explained as Garand seemed to look at Ed curiously.
"How exactly does one surrender their alchemy?" he asked but Ed glanced away.
"It's difficult to explain but I guess the only way you'd ever understand is if you saw the truth." Ed replied as Al and Winry walked in, Al having buried the remains of the chimera bodies underground via alchemy. (End Ambiance)
"Well the bodies are dealt with." Al said as Winry scratched the back of her neck.
"I think I'm swearing off meat for a while." Winry mumbled, a little green from the smell.
"Doctor Garand, those were Red Kingdom chimeras weren't they?" Al asked as Garand nodded.
"Yes. That woman was most undoubtedly one of their alchemists too." Garand replied.
"You think they'll attack again?" Winry asked.
"As long as I'm here, yes. That's why I beg of you to do as I asked and transmute me into a Philosopher's Stone." Garand pleaded.
"Forget it. We're not doing it, no matter what happens." Ed replied.
"Why do you want to be transmuted into a Philosopher Stone anyway?" Alphonse asked as Garand glanced away.
"It's so that the secret I carry dies with me and so my soul can be used to help someone." Garand explained.
"That's no excuse. You can still help people without being transmuted into a stone." Al said as Garand finished transmuting the couch back into its original condition.
"Look, we can all discuss this in the morning. For now, we need to get some sleep after all of this. Let's go to bed. Dr. Garand, are you alright on the couch?" Winry asked as Garand nodded.
"Yes, I'll be fine." He replied as Winry retrieved a blanket and pillow from the hall closet.
"Come on, Al. Let's get some sleep." Ed said as he and Al headed upstairs.
…
It was well past midnight and the brothers were sleeping in a pair of twin beds…or at least laying in them.
"Hey…Al? You awake?" Ed asked softly.
"Yeah." Al replied, staring at the ceiling.
"Let me see something." Ed said as he climbed out of bed and approached Al's bedside. He proceeded to lift Al's left arm slightly, rolling up the sleeve of his nightshirt and staring at the bandaged arms.
"Brother?" Al asked as Ed scowled.
"Earlier…that woman called you Fullmetal. Why did she call you that?" Ed asked.
"She mistook me for you, Ed. Why?" Al replied as Ed grimaced slightly.
"You didn't correct her?" he asked but Al shook his head.
"I wasn't going to correct her, no." Al replied.
"Al, you weren't trying to protect me were you?" Ed asked as Al grimaced. (AC: Brothers (vocal version) – FMA OST 1)
"Ed, you can't use Alchemy anymore. You aren't able to fight her like you once could. I was trying to protect you." Al replied as Ed looked at him for a moment before stifling a laugh. Al stared at him curiously in confusion.
"Well this is a switch. Usually it was me protecting my little brother. Now it's the other way around." Ed said, smiling at Al. Al smiled back, sitting up in bed while Ed sat down on the side of the bed.
"So you're not upset that I didn't correct her?" Al asked but Ed scoffed.
"After all the times you got mistaken for me in that armor, why should it change now that you're flesh and blood again?" Ed asked before pausing and looking at Al's scratches and wounds worriedly.
"Al…there's something you said earlier that, after tonight, has me concerned." Ed said as Al arched a curious eyebrow.
"What?" he asked.
"You said that there are times when you still feel like you're in your armor." Ed said as Al nodded.
"Sometimes, yeah." Al replied.
"Look at your arms, Al. You're not in your armor anymore. You're flesh and blood but you fight like you're still in your armor." Ed said as Al looked at his arms quietly.
"You're going to have to learn another way to protect yourself besides just brute force. You could even get a couple of metal arm guards and use them as the old arm blade I'd use with my old automail arm. Just think about it Al." Ed said, Al remaining silent in thought. The two brothers sat in silence for a while before Ed stood up and started walking back to his bed.
"Brother?"
"Yeah Al?"
"Would you be mad if I became a State Alchemist?" Al asked as Ed paused. He turned towards Al with a curious look.
"Mad? Why would I be mad? By rights, you should've become one six years ago when I did. Only reason you didn't was because of your armor body. If you want to become a State Alchemist, then I'll proudly endorse you one hundred percent. Heck, I'll even let you call yourself the Fullmetal Alchemist. God knows you've been called that by mistake so much you might as well make it official." Ed said with a smile. Al smiled back at him with a thankful nod.
"Thanks Ed." Al said as Ed yawned.
"Come on, Al. Let's get some rest. We've got a lot of work to do to repair the place in the morning and you know how Winry can get." Ed said as Al nodded and laid back down in bed, rolling over away from Ed, looking at his suitcase on the floor nearby.
"If I can become a State Alchemist, maybe I can divert the Red Kingdom's attention away from Ed. He and Winry deserve a rest without fear of danger. It's the only way I can think of to thank brother for all that he's done for me. If the Red Kingdom thinks that I'm Ed, then they'll follow me and leave Ed alone…and the sooner I leave, the better." Al thought to himself. (End AC)
…
Just outside of Resembool, inside of an abandoned house, the woman in green limped into the building, treating her wounds with a first aid kit. As she treated her wounds, a wall mounted telephone started ringing. The woman glanced at the phone, calmly approaching and picking up the receiver, putting it to her ear.
"Hello?" she asked.
"The Red Kingdom Rises." The voice on the other end said.
"False alarm. Garand is still alive and is being protected by the Fullmetal Alchemist." The woman replied.
"Damn. Perhaps Fullmetal does not know the secret after all." The voice said.
"It's possible but unlikely. Fullmetal is the one who killed Father after all. He was one of the human sacrifices. But for now we'll need to drop back to plan B." the woman said.
"Plan b? Jumped the gun, did you?" the voice asked as the woman scowled.
"We've lost several chimeras and I was wounded. I need to get my wounds treated and replenish our chimera supply before making another attempt against Garand." The woman said as the voice on the other end sighed in frustration.
"Your call but time is fleeting. We have only days left before-…" "I know how much time we have! We will have the secret before time runs out!" the woman snapped.
"Okay, fine. What do we do about Fullmetal though?" the voice asked.
"Look but don't touch for now. We need to see what he does next." The woman said.
"For the Red Kingdom." The voice said.
"For the Red Kingdom."
…
Meanwhile in Resembool, Al had waited until Ed was asleep before sneaking successfully out of the house. He was dressed in a white work shirt, brown vest with matching coat and trousers, and carrying his suitcase at his side. He paused and looked back towards the Rockbell house with a smile.
"Take care, brother. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Al said softly before turning and resuming down the path towards the train station. He knew there was a midnight express to Central from Ishval that he could catch. As he arrived at the train station, he saw a figure standing on the platform.
"Dr. Garand?" Al asked, startling the figure who turned, revealing it to be Garand himself.
"Alphonse?! Not so loud!" Garand replied in a terse whisper.
"Sorry." Al said apologetically.
"What are you doing here? Following me?" Garand asked but Al shook his head.
"No. Actually I'm heading to Central. What about you?" Al asked as Garand glanced towards the tracks.
"Opposite direction actually." Garand replied.
"Why?" Al asked curiously.
"Because the further away from Central I am, the harder it will be for the Red Kingdom to find me." Garand said as Al looked towards the rails in the opposite direction.
"Kind of the same reason I'm heading to Central. If I go to Central, then maybe the Red Kingdom will follow me and leave brother alone." Al said as Garand looked at him curiously.
"Follow you? Why would you want them to follow you? Are you begging to be killed?" Garand asked but Alphonse shook his head.
"The woman alchemist who attacked us, she thinks I have some kind of secret and is after me. As long as I'm here, my brother is in danger. Besides, he deserves a rest after six straight years of near endless traveling." Al explained.
"You care deeply for your brother, don't you?" Garand asked as Al smiled towards him. They heard the train whistling in the distance.
"Brother gave up his right arm to save my soul when we tried to bring back our mother. He then sacrificed his ability to use alchemy to bring me back in body and mind. I owe him a debt I can never repay. If I can make his life easier, I will do whatever it takes to make it so." Al explained as the train started its approach to the station platform.
"How did he do it, though? How did he bring you back at the cost of his alchemy?" Garand asked as Al looked at him with a serious expression.
"To truly understand, you'd have to have seen the truth." Al said as the train came to a stop at the platform, Al beginning to approach the coach. He turned and bid Garand a silent farewell before boarding the train. Garand watched Al board the train which departed shortly afterwards. Garand watched the train start to roll out of the station but as he watched he quickly began to run alongside the train before leaping onto the rear most car, holding onto the back of the train as it picked up speed, putting distance between him and Resembool.
…
That morning…
Winry was finishing her work on Ed's new leg down in her basement workshop when Ed entered.
"Hey Winry, have you seen Al around?" Ed asked but Winry shook her head.
"Not since last night I'm afraid." Winry replied. Ed seemed worried by her answer.
"I wonder." Ed mumbled before hurrying upstairs. Winry quickly followed after him, following him up to Ed and Al's room. She watched Ed as he searched the room frantically for a moment for something then stopped, slamming a fist into the ground.
"Damn it! His suitcase is missing!" Ed cursed angrily.
"His suitcase is missing? Where could he have gone?" Winry asked, Ed pausing in thought.
"I think I know where he's going. He's heading to Central to become a State Alchemist!" Ed grumbled.
"Why would he do that?" Winry asked as Ed froze, grimacing sheepishly.
"Well…we might've talked about it last night." Ed mumbled as Winry groaned.
"Edward!"
"We were just talking about it! How was I to know he was going to up and leave in the middle of the night?!" Ed argued as he slipped past her and started heading down the stairs only for his temporary automail leg to let out a loud snap, causing Ed to grimace and prop himself against the wall in pain.
"Ed! Think about this for a moment! Even if you do catch up to Al, what are you going to do?" Winry asked as Ed paused.
"I…" Ed stammered.
"Ed, I think part of this is you're having a hard time realizing that Al's grown up and…well, he doesn't need you around all the time anymore. He's almost eighteen and he's trying to make his own way in the world. Alchemy is both yours and his passions but you can't use it anymore. Al isn't trying to spite you or flaunt it, he'd never do that, he'd never even dream about it in a million years." Winry said as Ed smiled slightly.
"Yeah...I know. After all that's happened to him, losing his body, getting it back…he deserves to have his freedom. I guess I'm just mad he left without-…wait, where's Dr. Garand?" Ed asked as he and Winry looked towards the couch but only saw the blanket and pillow on the couch. The blanket was neatly folded and the pillow placed on top of it, a small handwritten note reading…
"Thank you for your kindness, but as long as I am here, the Red Kingdom will continue to hunt me down. For your safety, I have left. With any luck, the Red Kingdom will follow me. – Dr. V. Garand."
"Guess he's gone." Winry said as Ed sighed in exasperation.
"I'm going to get started on repairing the house. I've got a lot of work to do but I can't do that without my leg." Ed said as Winry moved to help him.
"Come on, Ed. Let's get your leg fixed up. I've got other things I need to work on too." Winry said as they headed down into the basement.
"Oh yeah?" Ed asked as he sat down in a chair near the workbench, Winry quickly putting the final touches on the new leg.
"Uh huh." Winry replied absently, glancing towards a part of the room that was curtained off, Al's armor box nearby.
"I just hope I can finish it in time." Winry thought to herself.
End Chapter 3
Please R&R…
I decided to follow Hiromu Arakawa's example of using the names of weapons used during the World Wars to name new characters. As such Dr. Garand is named after the M1 Garand rifle that was used primarily during World War II.
I own Dr. Garand by the way.