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 and very AU. Some movie events will happen, just differently
Warning: Some movie spoilers, also violence, blood, death, and maybe sex.
Beta: Kittygirl109
18. Decision Point (Entschiedungspunkt)
Edward's stomach began to niggle at him after an hour or so of reading, and it was with a sigh he replaced the book in his suitcase and left his compartment in search of the dining car. It was three cars up and he got there just in time to get a roast beef sandwich and a bottle of beer. Since the car was about to close, Edward took his purchases back to his compartment.. He pulled down a small table which was built into a wall of the car and sat down, but he didn't feel comfortable. Edward got up again and pulled the shades, both on the outside windows, and the ones looking out onto the corridor. Finally, he locked the door and at last feeling secure, he was able to enjoy his little snack.
While he thoughtfully chewed and swallowed the sandwich, thin slices of roast beef between slabs of thick bread spread with stone ground mustard, Edward mulled over his choices once the train arrived in Vienna. What direction shall I go? He could make a jog east and still go to France, or dive south west to Spain. He could also keep going straight south to Italy, or go south east to Turkey. Edward took a sip of his beer then put his head back and closed his eyes. Choices, choices.
He decided to flip a coin in the end and dug into his coat pockets, eventually coming up with a ten pfenning piece. Edward looked closely at it and his eyes misted over. He'd gotten this coin only last week, his father had been preparing guides for his students who would soon begin their studying for finals and they hadn't had time to go home for lunch. Hohenheim had given Edward a few marks and told him to run to a sandwich shop across the road from the University and buy some sandwiches and drinks. The ten pfenning piece had been mixed in among the change and somehow his fingers had missed it when they deposited the rest of the coins on Hohenheim's desk.
Edward looked hard at the coin in his palm. Okay - heads, I go south. Tails - I go east. Not west, that is still too risky. He flipped the coin into the air and it seemed to just hang there for longer than normal, spinning and reflecting in the compartment lights. It smacked back onto his hand with a solid thunk, and Edward turned it into his metal palm without looking.
Heads. South it is then.
Now he had another decision to make. Heads, I go straight south. Tails - I go south east or south west. Edward repeated the maneuver and the coin came up Tails.
Third time's the charm. Heads - south west. Tails - south east. He flipped the coin for the third time.
Tails.
When a wave of weariness crashed against his mind, Edward looked at his watch. It was nearly eight o'clock, he'd been awake for nearly twelve hours but his nap on the kitchen floor didn't count as he'd cried himself to sleep. He unzipped his fall jacket and wadded it up to serve as a makeshift pillow, and after pushing the table back into the wall, he carefully set his plate and the empty beer bottle where they wouldn't be accidentally stepped on. He did the same with his shoes after taking them off, then settled himself on the bench seat and used his coat as a blanket. Edward reached up to the wall switch and turned off the light before he lay back down and tried to make himself comfortable on the thin leather covering over wood.