SCA: Hola me amigos! I'm updating in a reasonable time frame! Aren't you all so happy?

Ed: Dude, no one cares

SCA: Yes they do!

Ed: Just keep telling yourself that

SCA: -runs off to cry in a corner-

Al: Nice Brother

Ed: What?

Emily: -sighs- SCA doesn't own FMA. And she never will

SCA: You all just hate me, don't you?

Ed: Yep

On with the chappy!

*EDITING PROCESS STARTED ON MAY 13, 2011*

Chapter 9: Going Down

"Did you find him?" Alice asked as Emily walked into the room. Alice was currently sitting on the floor of Edward's room, watching Ross try to force milk on him.

"Yeah...he didn't want to come back with me though."

"Well..." Alice muttered thought fully, looking down at her half eaten apple. "Maybe he's PMSing?"

"..."

"What? It's a joke! You always laughed at it back home." She grumbled, taking a bite of apple. Emily ignored her, walking over to the bed where the milk war was taking place.

"Just drink it, Edward! You need your bones to be strong with all the stuff you get into!"

"Ross is right, Ed." Emily commented, taking the bottle from the older woman and shoving it in the alchemist's face. "Drink it."

"No! That stuff is absolutely repulsive!"

"Give it here." Alice said calmly, getting up. She strode over to Emily and took the milk bottle from her. "If the shrimp isn't gonna drink it, don't let it go to waste."

Ed grimaced as Alice tilted the bottle back and took a sip.

"See?" She asked, grinning. "I'm still alive! It's a miracle!"

"Oh shut up!" Ed snapped, blushing as he snatched the milk back and took a drink. "I know it's not deadly!"

Alice's grin grew as the blonde suddenly realized what he had done. Yelling about cow secretions, he ran into the bathroom to rinse out his mouth. Emily was laughing and Ross was watching with an odd look.

"That's all you have to do." Alice stated, picking up her apple and taking a bite. "I think I'm gonna go work my magic on Alphonse. Where is he?"

"He's actually not that far from here. Go down the fourth hall on the left. He was sitting on one of the benches there." Emily replied, her eyes sparkling with a silent smile as she watch Ed trudge out of the bathroom.

"'Kay. I'm off, my brave comrades. I know you'll miss me, but down worry. As long as you keep m-"

"Just go!" Emily interrupted, shoving her forward with a laugh. Alice stuck her tongue out at her friend before heading off down the hall.

"Does she hate me? I think she hates me."

Emily turned to look at Ed, unsure if his comment had been serious or sarcastic.

"Nah, she doesn't hate you. She's just naturally mean. Ask her yourself next time, she'll say the same thing."

Ed raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

~X~

"Alphonseeeeeee! Al! Look at me when I'm speaking to you, please!" Alice let out a sigh of relief as the armor finally looked up. She came to a stop in front of him and took a moment to look him over.

"Can I help you, Alice?" He asked, his echo-y voice sounding more tired than she had ever heard it.

"How many times have I told you you can call me Allie? And give me a moment, I'm considering the different ways I can work my magic and their various outcomes."

"...What?"

Alice gave a little laugh, sitting down beside him. "Well, since I just managed to get Ed to drink milk, I figured I'd come out here and try to bring you back to the room."

"Really? You got Bro-Edward to drink milk?"

"Yes...Are you feeling alright, Al?"

"I'm ...fine."

"You don't sound fine."

"I'm fine! Alright? Just leave me alone."

"Al..."

"I said I'm fine!" He snapped, reaching over to shove her away, like one might shove away an irritating friend. Unfortunately, Alphonse was stronger than most annoyed friends and his shove ended up sending her flying. She let out an undignified, high-pitched yelp as she fell off the bench and hit the floor. She let out a hiss as she made impact. She certainly didn't remember the floor being this hard.

After what felt like an eternity, but was really only a few seconds, Al mumbled something and got up, disappearing into the shadows of an adjacent hallway. Alice sat there in silence, staring at the spot he had been in.

"Alice?"

She turned, looking up to see Edward standing a few feet away, giving her a look that clearly said he thought she was crazy.

"Ed? What are you doing here?"

"I..came to see if I could help. Considering Al is my brother and all. Why are you on the floor?"

"Er...He's stronger than he thinks?"

Ed came forward, frowning. "What does that mean? Are you saying he hit you or something?"

"Oh! No, no. He didn't hit me. He just shoved me. Harder than he thought he had. It happens to me all the time, no harm done."

"Does it now?" He asked, his voice suspicious.

"Look, I'm sure you would have rather had him hit me, but really, it's nothing." Alice's face reflecting Edward's frown, she stood up and brushed herself off. She began to walk away, in the same direction Al had taken, but then Ed's words stopped her.

"Why would I want my brother to hit you?"

"Well...back home, when some dislikes a person a lot, they aren't exactly against them being hit."

Edward sighed, crossing his arms. "Who said I disliked you?"

"It didn't have to be said. It's sort of obvious."

"Is it?" Ed lifted his head, his eyes meeting hers. Alice gasped a little; his eyes seemed to be burning with rage. What had she done now?

"Y-yes." She stuttered, swallowing. "You always glare at me, you still don't trust me even though you have no problem trusting Emily, and you shoved me off that wall!"

"You're still going on about the trust issue?"

"Yes, I am still going on about the trust issue!" She cried, stepping closer to Ed as her voice rose. "Never in my life have I had to work so hard for someones trust! Just what is it about me that makes me so unworthy of your trust? What did I do? I haven't betrayed you, or lied to you. I used to think it was because you didn't believe my story, but you trust Emily! It's driving me crazy! Why won't you trust me? What am I doing wrong?"

Gasping from her tyrant, she stared at the floor, a rosy color spreading across her cheeks. Without bothering to give an excuse, she turned and slid into the very shadows Al had used to make his exit. She strode down the hall, shaking. She was angry and embarrassed and she never wanted to face Ed again. Even if he hadn't disliked her, he probably hated her now.

"Alice! Alice, come back!"

Alice ignored him, looking for another hallway she could take. Nothing. Nothing but doors, doors that led to rooms, doors that led to people. She didn't want to see people. And then she hit something.

She let out a cry of surprise as she tumbled to the ground, landing on her already bruised rear. With a soft curse, she looked up to find she had crashed into none other than Alphonse. Apparently his escape hadn't gone any better than hers had. Giving him a smile, she tried to lighten the mood.

"Knocking me over again, Al? I really must have pissed you off." She gave a small laugh but her efforts were met with silence. She frowned a bit, waiting for him to turn around.

"Alice! Why are you on the floor again?"

Alice groaned, her frown deepening to a scowl as she buried her face in her hands. Today just wasn't her lucky day.

"I realized that I really like the floor. I've decided to spend the rest of my hospital stay on it." She answered sarcastically, her voice muffled.

She opened her eyes, staring into the darkness her cupped hands had created. Hospital stay. That's right. She had almost forgotten why she was here.

"Sure." Ed muttered, grabbing her arm and yanking her up. She winced, had she hurt that arm? It felt like it but she couldn't remember.

"Sorry."

"It's fine." She replied, crossing her arms. "Why'd you follow me?"

"To clear things up. But it seems as though you're having some problems with Al too. What's going on?"

"Nothing's going on, Ed." Al said, finally speaking. "Alice is just a klutz."

"I take great offense to that!" Alice snapped.

"Why don't you go back to your room, Alice? I'll talk to you later, alright? I'll stop by on my way back." Ed said, his eyes trained on his brother.

"Alright..." Alice grumbled, turning. She didn't bother to look back as she left.

~X~

Al watched Alice leave in a rage. He was mad that they were all lying to him. Acting like they knew him, like he was a real being.

"What if your 'brother' created you? How do you know that you even existed before you became armor? Your 'brother' could have easily given you false memories."

"Al, there's something I've been wanting to tell you, but I've been too afraid."

What if Barry the Chopper was right? What if Edward really had created him? Yes, he had memories, and yes, there were people who claimed to have known him before the armor. But those memories could easily be manufactured, the people paid off to lie. Winry, Granny, all of them. Even Alice and Emily. Ed must have gotten to them right away and told them. Or let them believe the lie. The more he considered it, the more it seemed possible.

He wanted to ask, to ask his so called 'brother' if everything was an act. But he'd probably just lie more, say things like "Why would I risk my life to create a fake person?" or "Just ask Winry, or Granny. They knew you!" Maybe it was a little crazy, risking your life to create a fake person. But he didn't know Ed anymore, did he? Maybe he had escaped a loony bin. And maybe Alice and Emily were old friends that he had met there. It would be a simple explanation for the story they gave.

Maybe everything about Alice and Emily was a lie. They seemed innocent; they couldn't do alchemy, or fight. They were clueless about Amestris. Or were they? Maybe they did know how to fight, how to use alchemy. Maybe they had even helped create him. But why would they run off, only to return a few years later? A cover-up perhaps?

"Al?"

Al's head snapped up to find that Edward was still standing in the hallway with him. He wanted to yell at the blonde, to demand an answer. To hold him hostage until he had heard the truth, word for word, straight from Edward's mouth.

But he couldn't do that. Not yet.

So he stepped around the alchemist and walked away.

Edward didn't bother to follow.

*EDITING PROCESS CONCLUDED ON MAY 14, 2011*

SCA: Well? I know Alphonse was unbelievably OOC, but please forgive that! I also know it's somewhat short, but please forgive that as well.

So what does everyone think? Was this a good chapter? Or a sucky one? Please tell me! I wanna know! Click that smexy button! Click it!

Emily: Thanks for reading!

Envy: Have a nice day!

Everyone:...

Envy: What?