~.~
-THE OUTSIDER-
by Iland Girl
'for those in search of home.'
A Fullmetal Alchemist Fanfiction
I don't own anybody but Erin... for now...
Chapter Nine: Theft
"Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you."
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
"You know, you could be a little bit nicer about it."
The two men walked down the hall side by side. Riza followed behind shortly with Thor at her heels. He'd met up with Maes bringing the canine back from a walk, and the guy just followed him onwards.
"Fullmetal knew what he was getting into." Roy dismissed. Maes glanced at him, a slight frown on his lips.
"I was talking about Erin," Roy blatantly ignored the comment and kept walking. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about trying to interrogate her again."
"That was barely an interrogation. I only asked a few questions." Roy kept a level voice despite the dad tone coming out in Maes' voice. The parent sighed, scratching the corner of his eye underneath his glasses. The frames bobbing upwards on his face as he did so.
"Look, that girl has seen something big. It's enough to turn her into this mess. If you go charging in there you might wreck whatever is left of her."
"Relax, I'm not going to attack her." Roy's voice lifting in irritation. He paused then, thinking back to the kid's reactions to his questions. The agony that was so blatantly across her face. "But even you must be curious."
Roy wanted to know. No... he needed to know what happened to Anatol. The man had been a prominent figure in his life, up until he just vanished into thin air months ago. How could such a well-established individual just uproot his life, disappear, and then die all in the span of a few years? More importantly, where had he been this whole time? Where had this family of his been?
"Yeah," Maes admitted lightly. "I almost don't want to know but..."
Maes trailed off, paused, then started again.
"I want to take her to Central with me. She can stay with Gracia and I. I'm sure some sense of normalcy will help her recover." Maes was planning to head home soon. In a week tops. It had already been way too long that he had been away from his family. He'd already started the withdrawals.
"And you think she's safer with you? This is the safest place for her right now." Roy taunted, giving a smirk to Maes.
"You really think so?" Maes asked, challenging the cockiness of his friend.
Instead of answering, Roy stopped his walk, deciding now would be enough time for the girl to calm Fullmetal down from his tantrum. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Roy looked back between Riza and Maes.
"She knows something," he said suddenly. "And my guess is she had something to do with it."
"Oh come on Roy!" Maes was fed up with the accusations now. "You really think that kid killed Anatol? Seriously?"
"I'm not saying she killed him, I'm saying she had something to do with his death. Besides... I'm not completely convinced she really his kid." Roy said so confidently it took Maes aback. When he noticed his friend's pause, he continued.
"When was the first time you ever heard of Mary?" Roy asked his two friends. Riza paused, then thought about it.
"Six years ago sir, right after the war in Ishval." She answered promptly, then realized the implications. Roy nodded, starting his walk back to the room.
"First time I ever heard of Andy having kids was maybe five years ago. So you're telling me that chatterbox kept a secret family for over ten years?" Roy looked to Maes, who seemed dumbfounded. Roy ran the image of Erin's face through his memory, recognizing the look easily now.
It was guilt.
Maes hesitated. He knew that the numbers didn't add up, that it didn't make any sense, but when you looked the kid in the eye, there wasn't a doubt in his mind that Erin was Anatol's kid.
"True, but how much have you heard about the Lallier family? The mansion's still sitting empty... probably." Before Maes could continue his defense, they'd returned to the office. Roy had left Falman at the door.
He was in a heap on the ground instead.
"Falman!" Roy called, rushing up to his subordinate. He feared the worst, reaching for the man's shoulder and yanking him.
Falman startled, taking in a huge breath of air. His eyes darted everywhere; his breathing labored.
"Wh-at ahhh... happ... who-" He looked confused; his words slurred as if his tongue was too big for his mouth.
"Falman, what happened?" Roy attempted to grip him and get his attention. Maes rushed past him and into the room.
"Erin!" He called. Riza raised her gun and followed. Falman seemed to settle slightly.
"He... He just- what? I was stand- standing and he... woah..." Falman teetered slightly, Roy catching him to sit upright again.
"Stay with me Falman!" He urged, raising his gaze to Riza and Maes as they came back to the door.
"She's not here sir." She said quickly.
"Get the alert out immediately! They can't have gotten far. Erin Lallier is the top priority now."
In the back of his head, Roy wondered if he should've sent Erin away with the two Elric brothers after all.
Thor barked, bolting out the window. Maes noticed the growl in his tones and attempted to call him back as he rushed to the window. It was a two-story drop, but he watched in surprise as the giant hound raced down the street.
Maes ducked back in and spoke quickly with Roy as he rushed by the group.
"Follow the dog! He knows something we don't!"
Edward grumbled while trying to find a comfortable position on the train. One would think a steady stream of travelling via train would've made him grow more accustomed, but today he felt abnormally anxious and could not find a relaxed position.
"What's wrong?" Al asked him, the armor glinting in the sunlight as he shifted. Ed winced to cover his eyes as the glare hit them. He gave up the potential comfort and rotated himself again. This position was less comfortable.
"I can't get comfy." He grumbled. Al giggled.
"Or maybe you're anxious?" The tone in his voice made Ed suspicious. Ed adjusted himself again before giving up as he sprawled across the seat.
"Why would I be?" He somehow felt insulted when Al giggled at him.
"Oh I dunno, maybe you don't want to speak with the Colonel, or maybe you're worried Hughes will show you pictures? Hmmm, maybe it's because we get to see Erin?" Al's whimsical tone abruptly brought forth the image of Erin standing on the train platform.
She had looked so lost, her one visible eye a clouded grey. He just wanted to make her feel better. She had literally jumped in front of danger for him, the least he could do was make her feel appreciated.
But holy hell, he didn't expect her whole face to soften like that. Just a few seconds, but he'd committed it to memory unintentionally.
"Okay, I'll see you soon then."
His neck felt hot, making him fidget to try and get comfortable again. He was brought back to the conversation he had with Mustang again. Right before he had tossed the phone to Erin and left him hanging.
"I asked about him, about Anatol." Ed said, dodging Al's commentary completely. It didn't go unnoticed, but Al let it slide.
"Erin's dad? What about him?" Al asked, shifting again. Thankfully the light didn't shine in his face.
"He was working with the core group we've been following. Doctor Eastrin, Doctor Marcoh. He had something to do with that research." Ed pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, the very same one Marcoh had slipped to him before he left.
National Central Library, First Branch
It was their next stop after saying hello to Erin.
After another hour, they arrived in East City. Ed yawned as they both got off the train. Al followed casually, looking through all the crowds.
"I wonder what Erin's doing today? What did she say when you talked to her?" Al asked, but Ed was immediately annoyed.
"That was three days ago! You think I'm going to remember it now?!" Ed grumbled.
The brothers made their way to Eastern Command, Ed nonplussed by the dreary weather that seemed to always hang over the city. They were almost there and noticed several military vehicles circling the streets. Officers walking in pairs, armed.
"What's going on?" Al wondered. Ed felt a pit in his stomach as he paused on a street corner.
Loud barking came from his right. Both boys turned to see Thor coming up the sidewalk. He barked, almost sounding like a whine.
"Thor? What's up buddy?" Ed bent down to look at the massive dog but was surprised when the dog yanked at his automail arm. He was tugged forward a few steps, until he heard yelling coming from the other direction.
"Thor! Here doggy! Come back!" It was Master Seargent Fuery, who took a flying leap at Thor before wrapping his arms around his fluffy neck.
"Got you!" He shouted, wrapping a leash around his neck as he corrected his posture. Ed and Al stared, completely confused as Thor whimpered.
"Uh, not to sound rude but, what's going on?" Ed asked while absently petting Thor's head. Fuery scratched the back of his, looking mildly embarrassed.
"Oh uh, hiya Ed, sorry but we've been trying to catch Thor for a whole day. He got out yesterday and has been freaking out ever since Erin vanis- oh."
Fuery immediately realized his mistake when both boys stood ramrod straight.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST HER?!"
Ed vividly remembered the commentary he had been given in leaving Erin behind.
"She's safer here."
"She'll be under 24/7 watch."
"You can barely protect yourself, never mind your brother and a little girl now."
He had only agreed because he thought it was the right thing to do. But now, standing in front of Mustang, he felt like a caged animal ready to pounce. He didn't even know exactly why he was so pissed off, but in the back of his mind he remembered the look of her back as she stood in front of Scar. The utter fear on her face, but she did it anyway.
"Calm down, we didn't lose her." Mustang explained calmly. "She was abducted."
"Oh like that's any better!" Ed shouted again. "I should've never listened to you. Erin should've come with us in the first place!"
"Why? So you and your brother could be struck at your weakest?" Mustang quipped. Ed hesitated.
"You said it yourself. You thought someone was after her. You really think you could've done anything after Scar destroyed your arm? You could've done better than a full building of military officers?"
Ed gripped the edges of the desk tightly, his automail arm stressing the wood. He didn't have a true answer, because as much as he hated it, Mustang was right. He and Al probably would've been sitting ducks. Or worse, Granny and Winry might've been dragged into it.
"So what leads do you have? When did she go missing?" Al asked, trying to refocus the conversation. He was anxious to find Erin too.
"Immediately after I handed the phone to you, I went for a walk. Falman was watching the door. I was only gone for ten minutes. In that span, someone broke into my office, took Lallier, and escaped."
Both boys quieted, digesting this information.
"Falman was also attacked, but he cannot remember exactly what happened. He claims the assailant simply touched him and he fell over. He was admitted to the hospital, unable to use his legs properly for until this morning."
That was new, both boys looked at each other. This meant Erin was in a lot more danger than they initially suspected.
"We'd like to help in the search, Colonel." Al said confidently. Mustang was on the fence with the idea. It wouldn't hurt to have fresh eyes, but it wasn't like they hadn't scoured the city already.
"Alright, you can contact Hughes for more information. He might have more information for you to go off of." He took a deep breath. "I want you to be realistic about this though. There is a good chance that-"
"No way." Al cut him off. Ed looked to his brother, then nodded in agreement.
"Look I get you're trying to prepare us for the worst. Really, I do, but..." Ed could still vividly remember Erin's absolution as she gripped Scar's arm, the relief when they found her under the train tracks, the resolve in her eyes despite the fear. He couldn't help but give a tiny smirk when he looked back to the Colonel.
"Something tells me Erin Lallier is tougher than she looks."
Everything felt numb.
One minute I was standing in Roy's office, and the next I was slung over this guy's shoulder. All he had done was touch me and my entire body went completely numb. He leapt out of the window; barking was following us. I couldn't do anything, the pressure in my chest became heavier as I realized that breathing was an extremely laborious task. I had to focus on just inhaling and exhaling without choking on my own drool as the man kidnapped me.
How ironic, the place that I was promised was the most safe, I was swept away like it was nothing.
Did anybody even notice I was gone?
Did anybody even care?
If anyone cared, it was Maes and the Elric Brothers. But Maes was talking about going home, the Elrics weren't in town for days, right? It almost felt comical, that when I needed someone most, I realized that nobody was there again. One year was all it took for me to wind up in the same position.
I was utterly and entirely alone.
Again.
It made me feel bitter and embarrassed, but I had to focus on breathing lest I die dangling over this guy's shoulder.
At one point, he tossed me off his shoulder. I fell in a heap on the floor. The energy needed to breathe became a bit easier when I wasn't folded in half, but I still had to concentrate.
We were somewhere dark- when did it become so dark? I stared up into the man's face, focusing on using my lungs and not dying. He sneered, placing a glove back on.
"Look at you, absolutely pathetic." He knelt down beside me, using his gloved hand to grab my chin and adjust my body. I took a big breath in easier, he tsk'd.
"I don't know what Mother sees in you. You're one of the worst incarnations I've ever seen," he stood up then and yawned, stretching as if I had messed up his shoulder when he carried me. "Oh well, none of my business."
He exited the room, a door that gave the only light slammed shut as he did so.
I was left in absolute darkness.
I wasn't sure how long I laid there.
It was long enough that the numbness had begun to wear off. I managed to sit upright against a wall, and then began to wiggle my legs. They were still shaky, and I found that forming words was impossible. My tongue felt too large for my mouth.
Eventually I had enough mobility to feel around this tiny space. The door was tightly shut. I considered using alchemy to open it, but without chalk and with limited knowledge, I figured trying to do so would end in a disaster. What was worse, I had zero idea where that guy was.
I found a rock and began to toss it at the wall across from me. It would bounce, then I would go find it, and toss it again. It was the only thing I could do, and I had done so for long enough that I needed the bathroom, and my stomach was grumbling. Turns out when you start eating properly you get used to the constant meals.
It was only after a while of tossing the rock, that I heard a tapping noise behind my head.
Tap...tap tap... tap...tap tap...
It was rhythmical and continued for a few moments. Then it stopped and all was silent. Against my better judgement, I tapped the same rhythm back.
Tap... tap...tap tap tap....
It did it again, and again I repeated it back.
I heard the alchemical reaction before seeing a small hole open behind my back. I shifted away clumsily, squeaking.
"Sorry, didn't know where you were." An older male voice called. I stared at the hole, no bigger than my arm. I had to feel for it in the darkness.
"Did I scare you? You are... human, correct?" The voice was tentative. I coughed.
"Y-Yeah..." I tried to speak. The man hummed.
"I apologize, you must've been hit by Lax's poison. He's a- well... he's quite the character that one." The man said calmly. I tried to adjust myself to be next to the hole, then glanced down at it as if speaking to a person right there.
"You...Know... Them?" I felt like I was chewing around my tongue as I spoke.
"You could say that. I have... it's been a long time that I've been down here." He sounded at peace with this information, if a little sad. I took a deep breath and puffed it out.
"Why?" I asked, feeling like it was rude but ultimately did it really matter?
The man chuckled.
"They threatened my family. I suppose I could've escaped, but at the risk of my entire family? No, I couldn't do that to them. They are not at fault for my sins." He paused, then asked, "do you have any family waiting for you?"
My heart panged at the memory of Auntie and Bray.
"Yeah." I tried not to cry, the horrible realization that I was probably never going to see them again was beginning to creep into my chest.
"I am sorry." He said, sounding genuine. There was a pause as I opened my mouth to breathe easier.
"Do you know why they wanted you?" He asked suddenly. I shook my head before remembering he couldn't see me.
"Not...Re-ally. They knew- They... Knew my last name though." I huffed a few times, opening my mouth wide to breathe around my tongue. "Think they- knew... knew my... Dad..."
"Ah, the sins of the father should not be known as the sins of the son- or daughter." The man said smoothly. It made me frown.
"My dad was a- he was... good...a good man..." The talking was beginning to get easier, though I still struggled to take in larger breaths.
"He was a good father, no doubt. I can tell that you love him just from the way you defend him so quickly. But a good father and a good man are not exclusive to one another." He chuckled a bit. "I would know."
This man made me uncomfortable. The way he spoke so freely was strange. It felt like a confessional.
"What- What did you – do?" I asked. He shifted a bit, possibly getting more comfortable.
"I was part of a research team that funded human experimentation. We had two tasks. One was to create the perfect substance, the fifth element if you will. While the other task was to use this element to open a portal."
"A what?"
"One of my colleagues had a theory, that there was another world adjacent to ours. And that there was a connective branch between the two. We called it the Gate. He believed you could jump through the gate and enter this other world."
It was quiet for a moment, before he started to laugh at himself.
"Oh heavens, listen to me. I must sound insane to you." He laughed some more until I replied.
"I believe you." I fussed with my tongue, rubbing it against my teeth and lips as feeling came back to it.
There was quiet for a moment.
"You do?" He asked, sounded tentative, then snorted. "You're the first then. My own wife thought I had lost it."
"Did you see it then? The Gate?" I asked slowly, feeling my level in my words.
"... Yes... Once." He paused. "It was... nothing like I imagined."
"How so?" I encouraged him to elaborate.
"Well, I never believed in a God, but to experience it being so... belittling was quite... enamoring." He cleared his throat. "Once we had created the... resources to follow through on the plan, the three of us on the research team came through the first part of the gate. I hadn't expected it to work, much less so well. But once inside, I met a being. It didn't want to be called God, though it claimed to have been called as such. It didn't want to be called 'the one' or 'the end'."
"I am One, I am All, and therefore, I am you." I quoted, remembering the being I had met as well.
The man went completely quiet.
"Y- How did you-"
"What happened to you in the Gate?" I asked, evading the question. The man was silent, contemplating for a while.
"Once inside, we were offered knowledge. It appears each of us had our own experience with... with The Truth. As I never saw anyone else there, but I do know we each experienced it."
"Our resources protected us, at least from my understanding... But when I awoke back on solid ground, only one other researcher stood next to me. We presumed our third member to have been... given... in exchange for us. The two of us presumed the worst, called it a failure, and decided to scrap the idea..."
"But then, I cannot believe it, but two years later that son of a bitch came back. And he told us that we were right. There's a whole other world out there, with it's own physics and time constraints. Apparently, it exists on a condensed time frame to ours. But it's real, and it grew differently than ours."
I sat quietly, digesting all the information. That was a ton to take it, and I was trying to wrap my brain around the idea that people had been trying to cross the gate for some time now.
"Well, guess I'm not the first." I sighed, slumping against the wall. "You're right though. There is a whole other world. Alchemy doesn't exist there, at least to this scale. It's more like an old psuedo-science than what this world has. We progressed in engineering and electronic discovery."
"So you're claiming to be from the other side now?" He asked, sounding more curious than skeptical. I leaned my head back, glancing down at the hole.
"Doesn't sound that crazy, now does it?" I joked, feeling dry and empty. "Truth is, I am kinda glad to hear all this. Means I might actually make it back one day... if I don't die here first."
"... My name is Doctor John Eastrin. Can I ask, just who are you?"
Eastrin? Where had I heard that before?
"You're the guy the Elric brothers are looking for? Here?" I asked, surprised. "Oh, my name is Erin Lallier."
There was a big pregnant pause where nothing was said. Then finally.
"What... what was your name?" He sounded uncertain.
"Uh... Erin? Erin Lallier?" I felt weirdly nervous at that tone of his. Eastrin was dead quiet for a several more minutes, but I could hear tiny mumbles under his breath that didn't quite make it to me.
"Erin... you have to get out of here." He told me firmly. I paused, then glanced at the hole again.
"Well yeah, but I'm not sure how." I confessed.
"You mean he never taught you alchemy? That little..." Eastrin took a breath.
"What- What do you mean?" Why was he making me feel so anxious out of nowhere?
"Erin, the third researcher... his name was Anatol Lallier. Your father."
Ed and Al walked through the city, trying to find any clue as to what happened to Erin. Maes lead them to where he had last seen the man run off to with Erin.
"So the man jumped out of the window and took off down the street towards the east gate. From there, eyes witnesses saw him run through an alleyway. But nobody saw him come out." Al said as he read the papers. Maes tiredly nodded.
"Uh, sir, you know you can rest right? Brother and I can look on our own." Alphonse insisted. Edward felt about the same. Maes rubbed under his glasses, he hadn't slept properly since the disappearance.
"I'd rather we check for more clues." He said dismissively. The brothers recognized stubbornness when they saw it and decided to move on.
"Right, so if he never left the alley way, there must be somewhere in here that has a clue." Edward said, looking carefully down the long chute between the buildings. Maes let him lead, standing at one end. Alphonse followed him, also checking meticulously.
"There are no marks, no secret passages. It's like he just vanished." Maes admitted, frustration evident in his tone. "Even the dogs just circle this spot when we tried them."
Edward paused, then looked at the two walls. Something didn't add up.
"You said this guy jumped out of the Colonel's office window? Form the second floor?" Edward asked. Maes nodded.
"Been trying to figure that one out myself. How does a guy jump that far down, carrying a hundred pound girl, and there is no marks or evidence of struggle on landing?" Maes stared at the boys with his arms crossed. Both boys looked at each other, until Edward saw a pigeon flying overhead. He stared at it, before it dawned on him.
"Wait..." He moved away from the others and kept looking to the roof. "If this guy could do that... what if he could scale the wall too?"
Edward clapped his hands and made a staircase from the wall. Rushing upwards, he made it to the top. Down below Alphonse and Maes looked at him.
Edward looked around, trying to find any clues. Then- across from him, he saw something in the distance. It was a locket. Small, oval, made of gold. The chain was delicate and looked to be broken.
It was the locket Erin wore on many occasions. Meaning she had been up here. He returned to the ground floor and showed Maes and Al his findings.
"This is Erin's, I'm sure of it." He said, eyes clearly fixed on Maes. The Colonel could've slapped himself stupid.
"That means he could be anywhere. We'll have to get the hounds out again." Maes commented. Edward paused, remembering Thor's reaction earlier.
"No, just one."
"You really think this will work?" I asked, staring into the darkness. There was now a light under the door, which according to Dr. Eastrin meant that someone was coming to finally check on us.
"As long as you don't let him touch you with his bare hands he can't use his ability. Trust in the plan." He said it quietly, before closing the hole back up.
Footsteps could be heard going across my doorway. They passed by me and went in the direction of Dr. Eastrin's. I heard muffled talking, then two pairs of footsteps walking away.
"As long as Lax is distracted, you should be able to escape quite easily. They told me I will be moving to a new location tomorrow, so you are probably moving as well. This will be your only chance to escape."
His words ran through my head as I pulled out the piece of paper he passed through the hole.
"Who are they?" I had asked him. Eastrin didn't answer, which made me wonder if he knew or not.
I took the piece of paper with the alchemical circle drawn onto it. Biting my lower lip, I stood up and made my way to the door. I rested the paper against it, but just before I could press my palm to the door as well it flung open. I stared, wide eyed, at the girl on the other side of the threshold.
Her purple cat eyes were identical to Lax's.
Eastrin never mentioned another one. Did he not know?
She glared at me, her full lips snarling as she reached forwards and grabbed my throat.
"Just what did you think you were about to do?" She asked. Her grip was terrifyingly strong. I struggled to breathe as she lifted me off the ground. My hands went to her arms, but she immediately pulled back before shoving me away. I fell backwards, tucking my head in to stop it from slamming into the floor.
"Don't touch me!" She hissed.
I wheezed, scrambling to my feet as she took a step towards me.
"Fury, lay off." Lax called, stepping closer to the door. Eastrin was held by the back of his neck, looking sadly at me.
So much for an escape plan.
"Don't be afraid, she's just a weakling. Doesn't know alchemy at all from the looks of it." Lax said down his nose. I felt myself shaking, fear crept up my spine as I realized that this Fury could snap me like a literal twig.
But it wasn't just fear, there was something else shaking me, some hot and burning.
Fury sneered at me, and in a flash came forwards to yank me by my hair. I screamed as she yanked me to arch my neck back, exposing my scar. Fury whistled.
"That looks like it hurt a lot." She laughed to herself, then yanked me along. Fury and Lax dragged Eastrin and I to God knows where. I ambled after her, not entirely able to see from the angle my one eye had.
We emerged into daylight, the sun being so bright that it blinded me for a few moments until Fury shoved my hood up.
"Stay quiet girly, or I'll gouge out that one good eye." She said with honey sweet words. I was shoved into a vehicle, the door slammed immediately afterwards. The motion knocked my hood off. I looked up, trying to figure out where I was.
"C'mon boy! What did you want to show me?" Edward encouraged as he raced after Thor. Maes and Alphonse were hot on the trail as they followed the large dog halfway across the city.
No wonder they never found Erin. She was nowhere near where they had been suspecting!
Thor came to a stop by an apartment complex. He sniffed around, then pawed at the fence. Edward didn't hesitate as he tried to push it open. When he realized it was locked, he opened it with alchemy. Thor bursted through the fence and rushed forwards. Ed took off after him as they rounded the back alley. Thor sniffed around, as Ed watched him like a hawk. Thor whimpered at a door, pawing at it, but just before Ed could force this door open, Al shouted.
"Brother! Look!" He looked up in time to see a blonde resting their head against the window of a car. The person looked out, and for a brief second he made eye contact.
It was Erin.
Ed tried to chase after the car fruitlessly. Al took the lead and shouted over his shoulder.
"I'll follow! You cut them off!" He shouted as Thor also took off after the car. Without the limitations of a body Al was the best option to give chase. Ed and Maes returned to the main street and watched as the car took off, cutting off traffic.
"I'll get the military on board, you and your brother stop that car!" Maes said as he raced to the branch.
Ed turned, but then paused before racing after them.
'Just where were they trying to go?'
Ed thought for a moment, before the idea came to him.
He turned and ran in the other direction.
He yawned, watching from where he sat at the top of the building as the mice scurried around. He glanced at the pipsqueak in a red coat running in a new direction, then looked back to the car.
"Just what are you two up to?"
Well, he didn't have anything better to do.
In one swift motion, he slid off the side of the building and fell five stories onto the floor below. He made a dent in the ground, thanks to his weight, but stood calmly afterwards as he brushed himself off.
"Let's see what all the fuss is about, huh?"
I wasn't sure what to do.
On one hand, Edward and Alphonse were clearly on our trail. Thor's barking was enough to alert me to them.
On the other hand, Eastrin had reached over to grab my arm and make me face forward again. I looked at him, hoping he might have something to say.
"Stay quiet," he said calmly. "The entire city is their hostage."
"They threatened my family. I suppose I could've escaped, but at the risk of my entire family? No, I couldn't do that to them."
He was still behaving for them then. For his family.
The image of Fury crushing Alphonse's armor, Edward's arm, or breaking Maes' neck had me freezing in the car as well. Eastrin looked calm as he closed his eyes.
"Just let it all go." He whispered. I swallowed, the anxiety still clawing inside of me to just do something already.
Maybe it would be better if Edward and Alphonse never rescued me?
I shuddered but didn't say a word. Instead, I kept my hands balled into fists the entire time and didn't unclench them once.
They pulled into a parking lot by the train station. Our hoods were shoved up and over our heads.
"Keep your heads down, and board the train. Quietly." Lax said smoothly. Fury was a twitching mess next to him. He patted her shoulder.
"Easy Fury, we're almost home." He said it so calmly like he wasn't kidnapping us. I hesitated to get out of the car, but Fury didn't wait as she hauled me out. I was on my feet so quickly it made me dizzy.
"Move it or lose those little toes of yours." She said into my ear. I kept my spine straight and my head hung low. She shoved me in the direction I needed to go, and I didn't disobey.
If we got on the train, there was a chance to escape. I probably couldn't come back to East City, but maybe I could run into one of the smaller towns to hide? I could escape?
But I just kept remembering the images of my friends being hurt, and suddenly the fight dropped out of me all at once.
We were brought onto a train, cuffed in one of the cars. Eastrin's hands were pinned separately, while only one of mine was held down.
While we were seated, I kept my head hung, defeat evident on my face. Lax paused after cuffing my hand and grabbed my jaw with his gloved hand. He made me look up at him. His purple eyes and dark hair framing his face made him look menacing. I didn't react as he tsk'd again, dropping my chin none-too gently.
"What an embarrassment you've become. I almost don't want her to see you like this." He stepped away and out of the car. When the door shut, I hung my head again.
"Erin?" Eastrin called. I didn't react, instead slumping a bit more to hide my embarrassment.
"I am an embarrassment." I admitted. Weirdly enough, it felt so good to say it.
"No you're not. You're-"
"No you don't understand! I am!" I looked up at him, my hair yanked away from my scar. I knew he could see it.
"I am..." I whispered; eyes cast to the floor. "I am not the Erin Lallier that could've done something. I am... I'm just a-"
"A tiny human girl."
My head snapped up at Eastrin's words. He gave a small smile at me.
"You're just a little human girl who has had bad things happen to her. That's it. But that is how you become extraordinary." He leaned a bit into where I sat.
"You just keep moving forward."
My lower lip quivered, but I wiped my face aggressively. My sleeve hit my scar, but weirdly it didn't bother me in the moment.
"Okay... Okay..." I refocused, trying my best to calm my breathing, then I held up my right hand and unclenched it.
In my hand was the transmutation circle that Eastrin had drawn for me. He looked surprised, then smiled.
"So much like your father." He commented as I gave a small nod. I started to place the paper in position before breaking the chain of my hand cuff. It worked, so I used it to break the cuffs on Eastrin as well. He rubbed his wrists after they were free, nodding to me.
"You know, you should be able to skip using a circle, if you remember the steps for it." He commented, but then stood. "But enough of that, we need to get out of here."
"Right!" I stood but felt a bit sheepish. "But uh... how will we do that?"
Eastrin glanced at the doorway, then looked down at me.
First, we need to get to the front. If we get them in the front two cars and release the rest of the train, they'll have no hostages to back up with. Then we must detach the engine from the front car. We'll escape with the engine." He explained carefully. I nodded, listening the best I could.
"We should also split up. I'll take the roof, you take the hall. Do not get caught, alright?" He eyed me in a warning way. I nodded, feeling a willingness to act flourish in my gut.
"See you on the other side." I said, glancing at the door. Eastrin ambled out of the window, vanishing from my sight after a moment. I turned and leaned my ear against the door, hearing nothing over the sounds of the train. Carefully, I opened the compartment door. I slid it slightly ajar, then a little more when I saw nobody.
Everything seemed quiet, so I snuck out with my hood up. As an afterthought, when I went through another compartment, I found a scarf. I tossed it above my jacket hood to make myself a touch less recognizable.
I took my time, sitting in corners and random spots to not seem obvious of my destination. Lax passed me at one point and didn't notice as I sat next to an older lady. She seemed kind enough, especially when I held her purse for her while she removed her coat. She thanked me and I bolted shortly after seeing Lax walk into the other car.
Finally, I made it to the top two cars. It was just the coal pile and then the engine. I tried to psych myself up for it, and took a running leap-
Only to have something grab my ankle and yank me back.
I slammed into the door of the car, seeing stars as someone grabbed my neck.
It was Lax who held me tightly, his fingers cutting off air.
"You should've stayed where you were, little Azoth."
He suddenly let go and slapped me so hard I fell over. My face was less than a foot from the tracks as I half dangled off the train. Lax grabbed my hair then and pulled me back. I screamed in pain, feeling hair rip from my scalp. He was knelt over top of me, his head next to mine.
"I really wanna kill you now." He said lowly, and I knew he was going to do it. I thrashed, attempting to get away, but with ease that terrified me he flipped me over and flat onto the platform. He laughed at me then, rearing his fist back as the other continued to choke me.
Was this really it?
Was anybody going to help me?
I could hear the sound of an alchemical reaction before I saw it. A literal fist was made from the coal and slammed into Lax, sending him flying through the car door and into the car itself. I stared, stunned to finally be free, before looking over to see Edward grinning from the other side of the coal pile.
"Right on time!" He said proudly. I was so shocked I just stared at him for a moment.
"Edward?" I whispered, not believing my own voice. In the meantime, Edward had hoisted himself along the path of his transmutation and jumped down next to me. He offered me a hand and easily lifted me to stand. I couldn't help the awe I felt as he just grinned.
"What? Thought we weren't coming for that visit?" He joked. I almost laughed, but another explosion alerted me to the enemy closing in.
"You. Fucking. Brats!" Fury screamed as she ripped off the door on the other side of the car. Alchemical reactions happened behind her, and the next thing we knew the back cars were cut from the line.
Edward stood in front of me.
"Erin, climb the coal. It'll be safer there." he said, clapping his hands and making his metal arm into a blade. I knew I was only in the way, even if I wanted to help.
"Edward, please be careful. Whatever they are, they're not human. If he touches you, you'll go completely numb. And she's- scary." I finished lamely, looking at the two-standing close to each other. In a flurry they rushed at Edward. Edward met them, doing his best to fight back but clearly not getting the upper hand. I wanted to help, but there was literally nothing I could do to even the odds-
"You know, you should be able to skip using a circle, if you remember the steps for it."
Could I?
Wouldn't be the most insane thing I'd see this month.
I clapped my hands, imagining that my entire body was the array instead of drawing one. Instantly I felt energy ignite in me, a pressure building.
I was completely blindsided to a strike from Fury, who punched me in the gut. It knocked the air straight out of me as I flew into the coal.
"Erin!" Edward shouted. I was in a daze, but then saw Lax about the strike Edward.
Dr Eastrin split the floor between the two, using it to create spikes that struck Lax and made him back off. His blood was gushing from his right arm as he swore loudly.
Fury had turned from me and went straight for them. Edward evaded as best as he could, but I could see he was getting tired.
This was my last chance.
I clapped my hands and made the array again, but instead of over-thinking, I just reacted. I jumped across from the coal to land on Fury's back. She never expected it of me, and I placed both my palms onto her.
Instantly, chemical compounds and the general makeup of her body came to me. I broke apart the carbon atoms, realigned the calcium atoms in her bones, and shoved her forwards all in one motion.
Fury screamed, flailing forwards as Edward raised a fist to punch her. She met him head on, rearing a fist back to hit him. But on impact, her arm snapped like a twig. She screamed, the muscles and skin on her arm bursting from the impact. She flailed back, falling to the floor, whimpering like a wounded animal.
Edward looked at her, then at me. I stared at him, then to my hands.
Did I... Did I just do that?
"Erin! Move it!"
I was brought back to the present by Eastrin. He was standing between us and the duo. I felt Edward gently push me towards the coal. He jumped across first, then looked back at me. He steadied himself, before reaching a hand out to me. I stepped forward, but a gentle hand on my shoulder stopped me.
I looked behind me, to Dr Eastrin. He smiled, before nodding at me.
"You are your father's daughter," he became serious then. "Central library, Marcoh kept all the notes. You must read them."
I looked over his shoulder to see the duo rising. My eyes widened, but when I tried to say anything, Eastrin shoved me. I practically tripped across the gap, leaping at the last second directly into Edward and sending him crashing into the coal.
I turned to look behind me, as did Edward, as Eastrin clapped his hands. He smiled at both of us, before he touched the train. It unclasped from out car, then his car shattered into pieces and flipped off the tracks in a display of sparks are smoke. He, Lax, and Fury, were out of our sight within a minute, and as much as I wanted to stop, to go back and check on him, the only thing I could bring myself to do was to just lay down where I was and breathe.
After God knows how long, I was finally able to breathe again.
Hi everyone!
Guys I didn't take a year to update! OMFG I have been trying to get this bitch out for FOREVER! I had a huge break through with my writing. Gosh I hope this was good. It's 2am, i think I formatted correctly If I didn't im so sorry but I seriously want this bad boy out for y'all! Btw I have 1,000 readers now! Thank you so friggin much for coming along on this journey! It means sooooo much for me! I love this story, I really do, and I want to amke it perfect for all of you. But I realize also that it's a fanfiction! It can get messy and thats okay! So yeah, I'm happy with new choices I will be making because I was trying so hard to stay close to canon to keep track of what was happening that I'm nowe realizing that I really dont have to.
Anyway! Onto reviews! Oh, btw, if y'all read the first series, this must feel so different eh? I believe there was a blimp kidnapping instead of this last time...
Notsofrilly: Well glad to have you back! Thanks for the review!
Lupe Rouge: Thank you for this beautiful review. In all honesty, Erin was initially made to mirror Envy. There were certain story dynamics in the original adaptation that did not make it to this cut, but essentially her storyline was meant to reflect Envy and show the different paths one can take. Erin in the original lacked the emotional depth for you to really feel that agony, but you're right, she was very charming. I think my writing wasn't evolved enough to portray her as she needs to be. Perhaps I'm still not there, but I'm much happier with this version. Erin's character was created in two points in the anime, dunno if you can guess but her talents are at one stage and her character at another. I'll tell all in the end. But anyway, hope you check in again and are happy with what you find!
Guest1: I honestly cannot understand AO3, otherwise I might consider it.
Guest 2: Hope you stick around to find out!
Oh, side note, I saw another author that I love on here who also takes forever to update her stories make a little post. She said anyone who wants to know what happens in the story is free to PM her and she would answer questions. Since I take literally forever, you are free to ask away in PM's so long as you never mention spoilers in reviews. I may not answer everything but you're welcome to ask since I take so bloody long! That goes for an stories of mine that I have a clear outline for! I might even make a tumblr to answer them tbh.
A HUGE THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! It seriously means a lot.
You're not alone, my little Outsiders.
Please stay safe and healthy.
Iland Girl