The Waters Of Lethe
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, I just like to play around in it's world and torture Ed for awhile..
Author's note: Post series, may contain series and movie spoilers. This is my attempt to write an account of Edward's life in our world as a series of drabbles. The type will vary: angst, drama, suspense, tragedy, mystery, etc. Rating is "M" for later violence, sex, blood, and maybe bad language.
Beta: Kittygirl109
Chapter Two: Pills 'n Thrills (Pillen und Thrills)
After Edward had been found bruised and bleeding in the rubble of a bombed out building in London, Hohenheim noted he had never been the same. The once robust boy now tended to be sickly and he fell ill every few months with one machine world ailment or another. When the job offer from Munich University came his way, Hohenheim jumped at the chance. It wasn't just the prestige and the extra pay which swayed him, but the opportunity to get Edward out of London. He utterly loathed London doctors and in turn, they were glad to see the back of the "evil tempered little sod" who gave them such grief.
Not that Munich doctors had any better luck with the ornery boy . But Hohenheim took advantage of his position as a faculty member of the university to introduce Edward to Professor Jungbeck, head of the engineering department. When he was again bedridden by illness, Edward had spent his time drawing up design schematics for prosthetic metal limbs, and Herr Professor was astounded by the precocious teen's talent. He in turn introduced Edward to some of his brighter students to help him turn his drawings into solid objects.
These machine world copies of automail would never be as durable as the real thing but Edward wasn't expecting to fight homunculi with them. He just wanted to stand on his own two feet and take care of his physical needs - washing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom. After Edward patiently explained myoelectric and neural theories to Professor Bauer, head of surgery at the hospital wing of the university, installation of the prosthetics was performed in one of the operating theatres. It was very painful, and it took weeks to recover but the day Edward was able to stand without using a crutch was the day his view of this world forever changed. He actually smiled at his father soon after and it was if the sun had come out after weeks of cloudy weather.
It also brought the Elrics to the attention of the Thule Society, and the Nazi Party. Hohenheim thought their babblings about "Shambala" amusing and the weekly rituals around their idea of an alchemic array charming, so he joined the society and dragged a bemused Edward along as well for what he later termed "supernatural hootenannies". But the Nazis weren't quite so amusing when they confiscated Edward's schematic drawings and ordered him not to discuss his prosthetics with "foreigners".
"They act as if they own me." he grumbled to his father.
Which was the crux of what Hohenheim wished to talk about to his demoralized son that December evening. "Edward, finish your dinner," he urged. "You need to keep up your strength for the days ahead. Somehow, I don't know exactly how, but the leadership of the Thule Society now know we are from the alchemic world. Very soon, I fear we will have to run."