Chapter 63: Uncomfortable Confrontations
3 Years ago
Alphonse paced around back and forth behind the stage as he read over his script lines again, and again, and again and again. At the front of the stage he could hear the murmuring of what was no doubt dozens and dozens of people waiting for his arrival and his speech to them.
He stopped; he looks up from his page and takes in a deep breath in before letting it out loudly. The light from the glowing stones around illuminated the room as he looked around him; Hange, Petra and Armin all watching him.
"Are you feeling alright?" Hange asked.
"Yeah I think, I don't know I'm kind of nervous I guess." Alphonse admitted "It's strange really, you think after everything I've seen, what I've fought both on my world and here… talking to a crowd of people would make me nervous."
"Have you ever done public speaking before?" Armin asked. "You're good a motivating people."
"No, honestly Ed was the one who would talk to a crowd and get their attention." Alphonse said. "I was a part of it but he was always the loud one."
I… I wish Ed were here…
He felt a strange mix of anger, frustration but yet… it wasn't directed at Edward, or at least he didn't think so. Maybe he was anger at himself and-
"That's not surprising." Petra joked. She walks up to him and grabs him by a shoulder "But you're here, you have to be the one to help build this and lead them." She then pats Alphonse on the head, reaching up to him "We're right behind you." she stood on her toes slightly, stretching up "Damn you've gotten taller." She jokes dropping her arm.
"Captain, they're ready for you now." A scout said from behind the stage background.
"Thank you." Alphonse replied, he turned back to the others "Wish me luck."
"You'll knock them dead." Hange said giving him the thumbs up.
"Remember, we're right behind you." Petra assured him.
Alphonse then walked towards the opening at the side of the stage as he moved towards the front, his friends behind him, as he came into view of what looked to be a hundred faces looking at him all standing rank and file dressed in the uniform of the cadets uniform.
The sky was blanketed in darkness and decorated in stars and the moon hanging over them as the torches behind him illuminated him, casting a shadow over the cadets.
There were whispers among them as they caught sight of Alphonse as he stood up onto the stage in front of them; they all looked at him silently waiting for him to speak.
Alphonse cleared his throat; he looked down at the script and then placed it behind his back, where he stood at attention to them.
"Good evening." Alphonse greeted as clearly and loudly as he could "I'm Alphonse Elric, many of you know me or my brother and the deeds we've done, and I know that some of you possibly refer to us as the angels sent from God or the Alchemist send from another realm." He looked at the faces of those in the crowd. "From here on out; from the start of your training to its end, be it its completion or its failure, I will be your teacher, not your leader or your commanding officer but your teacher."
"Each one of you was chosen by the higher ups because of the potential you showed in the academic and theoretical part of your training." Alphonse stated "I look at all of you, I've read some of your profiles, and I see very different people; some of you were among the top ten graduates and others excelled only in their academic work, that does not matter to me. None of that matters to me." He said with his hand pointing at himself. "Because I know with every part of me that there's not a single person here who isn't capable of being one of the best alchemists."
"And that is why I will not be seen to you as just your commanding officer" he reiterated again "Though we are brought here because of the military, alchemy is far more than just something to be used by one person, one group or one people; it belongs to everyone."
"I will teach you more than just Alchemy and being able to perform it." He told them "And I will judge you on more than just your ability to perform alchemy; the values that my teacher had instilled in both my brother and I will be passed down to you, the values of what makes an alchemist and what an alchemist should be for will be taught alongside every scientific and academic aspect of your training."
"I see more than what will be named the 'alchemist battalion', another arm of the military; I see people who are going to make a difference in their communities, I see people who are going to pioneer new research and studies and above that, I see people who are going to serve the people." Alphonse stated before pausing for a second as he let his words echo around "Remember these words, Alchemists be thou for the people. Not one person, not one group, not one organisation and not one community but all people. All people." He emphasized "This will be the teaching I will tell you and the standard of which I will judge you."
He looked around at the faces of those cadets, gauging their reactions. "I will not cast you aside because you can't perform alchemy right away, I know that each and every one of you have the potential whether it means you achieve that in a week's time or even a year, that doesn't matter to me. But what matters to me is what you intend to do with alchemy and if I find out that you would use alchemy to harm others for your own benefit than I will cast you aside." The last bit was spoken more sternly, capturing everyone's attention. "Do I make myself clear?" he asked.
"Yes sir!" the cadets called out in unison towards Alphonse.
"Good." He replied "Tomorrow meet me at the lecture hall nearby, we go over the basics."
Two years ago...
Eren sat looking outside the window of the port mansion window; it was a nice cloudless day with a light blue sky and dark blue water meeting each other on the horizon. He rested his chin on his hand as his eyes then turned down to see the new few man delegation; in the distance he could make out the figure of Kiyomi introducing people dressed in smart clothes to Erwin and other officials as the two sides shook hands and greeted each other.
He watched as Erwin politely pointed them towards the entrance of the mansion and the group merged together to enter inside. "Ed, they're coming in." Eren called out to him.
"Thanks." Edward replied as he took his seat at the table near the window. "You remember the briefing on them?" Ed asked.
"The Association to protect the People of Ymir'" Eren replied "They advocate for the freedom of Eldians across the world, and have a history of blaming Paradis for everything."
"We just have to win over hearts and minds; we'll give them a piece of our mind later." Ed replied with a sly tried smile "Just got to hear these guys out."
"We have that meeting with the scientists after this." Eren then commented.
"Yeah, schedule is packed." Ed said with a yawn "I'm already exhausted."
The doors then opened; Commander Erwin, Kiyomi and three men walked into the room, both Edward and Eren stood up and greeted them.
The three men were middle aged, dressed in smart clothes and nervous faces took their seats opposite to Ed and Eren, they both offered their hands to the men. The three looked at them, hesitantly for second as they weakly reached their own hands out to them.
"Its fine, we don't bite." Ed joked "Well speaking for myself of course." He said before then looking to Eren. Eren shook his head before then elbowing Ed in the ribs slightly, lightening the mood in the room. A smile crept on the faces of the three men before they shook hands with Eren and Ed.
They all sat down, with Erwin sitting on their side and Kiyomi sitting on the head of the table, acting as a moderator between the two.
"The letter you both had written to the association was…interesting." One of the delegates said "The promise of peace and freedom for the Eldian people is… something that almost sounds too good to be true…"
"Yet you're here." Erwin replied.
"We had to listen to the plans you have." One of the delegates replied "If you truly have a peaceful way of making sure the future of Eldians is secure."
"Trust me; we wouldn't be here if the solution that is going to be proposed wasn't peaceful." Ed assured them "Erwin wouldn't have our support if the plans involved war or bloodshed; we're looking to do this without a single shot being fired."
Eren listened quietly to Ed as he held his tongue.
The memories of his predecessors briefly flashing through his mind like pictures; Eren Kruger seeing his family burned in front of him, the thousands of Eldians kicked off a wall and turned into titans, the torture, the screaming and the blood. The image of Faye being eaten and torn apart by dogs as Marley officers watched.
"That is good to hear, Marley is still home to many Eldians and its destruction would no doubt put us all in danger." One of the delegates spoke.
"Indeed Marley's existence at the present time and maybe for the foreseeable future is beneficial to Eldians' existence." A second said "We cannot risk weaken or harming Marley."
Eren bit his tongue.
The only reason they've keeping you alive is because they can use you…
"If we wanted to set the world right once more…" Grisha's words echoed in his mind "We had to bring Eldia back to power…"
"Restore Eldia's freedom and dignity." This time it was Kruger.
Eren shut his eyes and inhaled deeply for second as he tried to clear his head.
No… no I can't… there's a better way… There-
Then in his mind, like thunder streaking through him, a memory of the future… or a possible future…
Thousands of colossal titans standing on the edge of cites across the world, Eldians walking out of the internment zones as Paradis and other soldiers greeted them with tears and open arms.
On an open field, armies, numbering hundreds of thousands, began to drop their weapons at the feet of the colossal titans as they placed their hands upon their heads. While Paradis soldiers with the banner of what looked to be a snake around a cross next to the Paradis flag watched, standing above the surrendering soldiers on rock platforms that Eren could only assume was formed by alchemy.
These visions flashed before Eren's mind every so often, he would usually wonder through the memories looking…
For his friends, who were nowhere to be found.
Instead the only memory of them was Ed lying on the ground staring at him with blank eyes.
He began to rub his eyes as he tried to refocus on what was going on in front of him; he looked back to the delegation, still talking to Erwin and Ed.
"Eren Yeager, we have… heard… about your father." said one of the delegates "Do you share his ideas?"
Eren was slightly taken aback by the question before he recomposed himself "My father Grisha… While I have only learnt about his restorationist ideas in his journals, my beliefs are my own and what I want is my own."
"That is a relief to hear." One of the delegates replied "After the purge of the restorationists in Liberio, Eldians lives grew even more difficult in Marley and we cannot risk further destruction to our communities or the country that stands in the way of our genocide."
"Conflict with Marley is the last thing we would want." Erwin assured them "We are aware of the scale of damage that such a war could have on both Paradis and the world."
"We're heard about the technological advancements that have taken place on the island." The delegate continued "Even as we arrived we saw your soldiers armed with weapons that neither of us has seen in our years of travelling across the world."
"Consider that a reason why I won't support a war." Ed stated "I… help make the weapons, I know what they do and if I and my brother can help it we will prevent them from being used."
"Then why make the weapons in the first place?" one of the delegates ask.
"Same reason I know how to fight." Edward replied "I don't go picking fights... well not now at least" he admitted. "But it came in handy when others did."
"I do find if reassuring that war is something not being discussed." One of the delegates stated
"Sir, you've been awful quiet." Kiyomi said looking at one of the delegates he sat looking at the table almost uneasy. The man looked up at the table.
"We could be killed if anyone else finds out about this talk." He said, his voice trembling "Our family… they'll be…"
"I can assure you that your tracks are well covered." Kiyomi tried to assure him "Marley does not know you had even left your homes let alone are in Paradis."
"But if they find out then it's going to be over for us, over for our families, the association and anyone we know will be… it will be a death sentence for all of us…"
"Rest assured the contacts from the Kiyomi family and my scouts have hidden your presence here from the world, Marley authorities and other countries are ignorant to these talks." Erwin
Eren couldn't help but feel a sense of confusion and… frustration listening to them.
"You speak of the need to not harm Marley…" Eren spoke out "Yet you all know that the treatment from Marley to Eldians is…" Eren paused for a second "Nothing short of horrific…" the delegates stared at Eren almost wide eyed "It's like a prisoner sticking up for their warden who beats them."
"I thought you didn't share your father's ideals." One of the delegates responded.
"I said that the beliefs I share are my own and no one else." Eren reminded them "And if I question Marley's treatment of Eldians than that is my belief alone."
"Even with that being the case, opposing Marley is… it won't benefit Eldians." One of the delegates stated "It's through Marley's hegemony and their need for the titans that keeps us alive and if Marley falls then the voices of the world that call for our extinction will grow."
"But what if there was another way?" Erwin this time interjected, catching everyone's attention.
"Have you been lying to us this whole time?" one of the delegates questioned, suddenly becoming more defensive.
"I knew it was wrong to come here and talk to these island dev-"
"Please, I understand the reputation that is placed on the island but I can assure you that those fears are baseless." Erwin told them, sticking out his hand in front of them with an open palm "But we wish for a future without fear of invasion from Marley on our home and safety for Eldians across the world." Erwin lowers his hand. "But we must become strong enough to challenge Marley, the Mid-East Alliance or any nations who seeks to harm us."
"To take over?" the delegate presumed "To resurrect the Eldian Empire?"
"To speak for ourselves." Eren this time spoke "If no one is gonna stand up for us then we must stand up for ourselves." Eren then clenched his fist "Us and every person under the heel of all empires or nations."
"What we want to do is create an alliance of nations and groups, all equal in stature among ourselves but united in one purpose." Erwin told them "To advocate and, if need be, create a unified front against any aggressor."
Two of the delegates were completely taken aback by the declaration… except for the one previously hesitant delegate who looked back at Eren. Giving him the slightest of nods.
Hange began to scribble down notes in her book; underneath was the heading 'PATHS' as she, Eren, Ed and a room full of other scientists, all formed along a round table, trying to compile ideas around what this paths that Eren had described from his memories.
There was chattering and commotion in the room as some shouted out their ideas. Hange looked around at the faces of those in the room; some were from Hizuru, scientists who were sent by the Azumabito family, some defectors from Marley and some were assistants from the scout regiment.
Hange took a sip from her mug of coffee, travelling to the port and back to the walls wasn't easy travel, or not just yet until the railway was done, but she had to be there.
Armin can look after the squad while I'm gone.
Ed stood up at the table as he recalled his encounter with the mysterious force or connection known as 'paths.'
"So there was a door?" one of the scientists asked. "But where was this door located."
"It's hard to explain." Ed replied "I was… back in the realm of the Truth, the thing that sent Alphonse and I, and in that place is usually the source of gates, which are connected to people's ability to perform alchemy." He explained "But this time it was just this door, with a tree that had wide reaching branches."
"It must have been nine branches." One of the researchers said.
"There are only nine titans." Said another.
"Are you sure there wasn't eight branches?" asked another "The truck of the tree could be the Founding titan."
That's a good thought… Hange scribbled down that note into her book A tree, eight branches for the other titans and its truck being the founder.
"I'm not sure, wasn't exactly counting the number of branches, but it looked like a lot." Ed replied.
Hange looked up and then raised her hand to Edward, catching his attention "Edward, the alchemy gates that are usually in the Truth's realm, are they any different from the Paths gate in its design or…?"
"Yeah, it was almost the same in its structure but pretty different in the details." Edward replied "Every gate has a tree on it but those branches are filled with the knowledge of alchemy and maybe a couple branches connected but this one had main branches and then smaller ones carved into the stone, it just seemed never ending, and there was nothing written on the door."
"Written on the door?" one of the Hizuru scientists asked "So there is something written on the doors that represent a person's ability to perform alchemy?"
"How can one access that?" this time a Marley defector questioned further.
"Can we keep the questions strictly to 'paths' please." Hange called out with her hand raised up. She caught Ed's attention again "Edward, did you open the door?" she asked "Can you open the door?"
Ed then looked down at his hands "Yeah, I opened the door." Edward almost began to act out the memory "The door was… heavy but I managed to open it… past the door was… sand, an endless open field of sand under a night sky."
"Sand?" one said
"A night sky?" another asked.
"It was just a starry night, there was a green light in the sky" Ed continued.
"Did you step inside?" asked another.
"No, I only looked from the outside for a second until the door then slammed shut on me." Edward stated "I tried to open it again but it felt like someone was pushing back against me on the other side."
"The lights in the sky, that's must be paths." Eren spoke up this time.
"Is there any way we can access that realm where the paths are?" one of the scientists asked.
"No, not unless you're a shifter or a person of Ymir." Eren stated this time.
"But Edward managed to glimpse into paths, he is not an Eldian." One of the attendees spoke.
"I…" Ed then stared down at his hands for a second, Hange watched with hawk eyes as he noticed his eyes within before quickly retreating them back to his sides. "I don't know how I did that, but I'd… probably say it had something to do with the Truth being there with me."
"The Truth, the God entity that sent you and your brother to this world." One of the scientists asked eagerly.
"Hey remember!" Hange raised her hand reminding them all.
"Its fine, Hange." Edward said "Yeah the Truth was there with me, they were the one that brought me back there when I was out cold; it told me that paths was a 'perversion of the cycle of nature." He explained "Something that was both 'lives separately to the universe yet still acts within it."
"Why would it say that?" an attendee asked.
"Because the laws of nature, the laws of the universe, are equivalent exchange; if something is created then something of equal value must be taken, no action occurs outside on its own and everything is connected."
"And the titans, they don't come from anything." A scientist assumed.
"Exactly." Edward said.
"So… then Eldians are unnatural then?" one of the attendees said.
"What did you say?" shouted one of the Paradis questioned.
"That's what's being implied, right?"
Suddenly the room turned tense, as accusations and insults were being thrown. Hange stood up from her seat "Hey!" she yelled out above the noise "Quiet down!" she caught the attention of everyone's attention; years of expeditions trained her voice for loud noises. "All of you need to cool off." She told them "Guards, escort the ground to their quarters, we'll meet back later." The guards opened the door as the other attendees stood up from their chairs and shuffled out as they were escorted out of the room leaving only Hange, Eren and Ed behind.
As the doors shut closed, Hange got out of her seat and to her side pulled up a bag. She walked up to the two and stood next to them. "Academics huh?" she said with a smile on her face "Crazy and irritable bunch."
"I should have watched what I said." Ed said as he rubbed his temple.
"They knew what you meant." Eren said "They're just willfully misinterpreting you."
"You think?" Ed asked.
"Enough about those guys, let's get back to the discussion." Hange said as she then scrambled around her bag before then pulling out a syringe and a vial of blood.
"Whose blood is that?" Edward asked.
"This is Historia's." Hange said as she began to pull a bit from the vial. "I was looking over some old notes about the titan powers and I had a talk to some of the medics who were treating you Ed, when you were looking at paths while unconscious you had your hands together, covered in blood."
"You think blood has something to do with it?" Ed asked.
"No, I think blood might be a way to access paths itself." Hange said, she then turned to Eren "Eren, when Historia touched you, you both managed to see certain memories; because of her royal blood and you having the coordinate, it made me wonder what if you came into contact with just her blood if alchemy could possible access paths with just regular blood."
"You're going to inject me with Historia's blood?" Eren asked.
"No, that was the initial idea but Armin asked, well begged, to forgo that idea." Hange said "So I'm just gonna put a drop on your hand to see if it will do anything."
"Okay." Eren said as he held out his hand, Hange hovered the syringe over it and squeezed out a small drop onto the centre of his palm.
Both Hange and Eren tensed as the blood dropped onto his hand. There was a moment of silence as nothing happened, Hange looked around the room. "Hm, nothing huh-"
Then she looked back to Eren who sat almost statute like as he stared off into space with his hand out and mouth slightly agape.
Ed placed his hand on his shoulder "Eren? Are you okay?" he tried to shake him, no response.
"Eren, what is it-" Suddenly Hange stepped back and almost tripped back, her eyes wide as she held her breath. As a familiar voice called out to in her head.
"Hange…" it was Eren's voice. "Hange, can you hear me?" Then Eren, who had been sitting still for a couple seconds, let out a deep sigh as he clenched his fist and shut his eyes before then slowly opening them up. "Step forward, Hange." Hange stepped forward, curiosity pushing her forward.
Eren then breathed in deeply and suddenly… it felt like something which she hadn't of known had taken over her had then let go.
Hange stumbled forward and Eren placed his hand on his head as they both breathed in raggedly as Ed just stared at them with a look of confusion and concern.
"What just happened?" Ed asked, he didn't know who to check on his.
"Eren… how did you-"
"I saw it." Eren said, interrupting Hange "Paths, the place that you saw Ed." They both then looked immediately at Eren. "The founder… and the tree and…" Eren then stopped.
"What else did you see?" Hange asked.
"The sky, the bright colours." Eren replied calmly "That's it, that's all I saw."
"How did you do that?" Hange asked, stepping towards Eren.
"Do what?" Eren asked.
"Call out to me." Hange stated. "How did you do that?"
"I just thought of you while I was there and called out to you." Eren replied "That's it, I… I saw it… the paths that connect everyone."
"What else?" Ed asked. "Was there anything else?"
Eren looked at Eren for a second before looking away "That was it, it was like you said when you saw through that door but… I just didn't see the door."
Suddenly the door to the hallway burst open as one of the guards walked through, catching the three off guard. "Squad leader!" the guard called out "There's a fight breaking out between the guests, we need you you're help!"
"Right!" Hange replied, she turned to the others "C'mon you guys." Hange then picked up the bag as she rushed out of the door; both Eren and Ed rushed behind her.
As she ran through the hallway she looked through her bag.
Did I leave it back in the room? Where's the blood vial?
Present
As he walked up to the door, he could hear the sound of his students arguing about something, he could recognise some of the voices and picture their faces. A testament to how well he had gotten to know all of them…and how few there were of them now…
As he approached the door "Then we could all end up like Joesph!" a voice yelled out. Alphonse's hand froze as he held the door handle and continued to listen to the heated discussion going on. "Marley will want to eradicate us off the face of the earth; I'm just saying that the government should consider the proposal from Yeager's supporters." He knew the voice arguing for Eren.
Isaac…
"We're in this because of Eren Yeager and his brother." Another voice argued "We have to stick to the idea that we can resolve this peaceful." He could recognise Emma's voice "Then we'll be forced to use alchemy towards killing people, that isn't what Alphonse and Edward wanted for us."
"We're still soldiers, even if they want us to use alchemy for anything other than killing." Another voice argued. "We're still far away from the world that they want."
"That doesn't mean we should abandon the principles behind alchemy or the fact that everyone was meant to benefit from it." Another argued "Remember, Alchemy be thou for the people."
"Does that include Marleyans?" another asked, the voice belong to Jacob.
Alphose pushed open the door towards the lecture room, as he stepped into the room everyone fell quiet, he looked back to the familiar faces of the students and now alchemists who he had taught all looking at him. Three years ago he looked at the faces of a hundred students as they were chosen for his first batch, now there were just over forty faces looking back at him. Such was the cruelty of the alchemist training, not every clever person was cut out to be an alchemist… and some should never be alchemists.
"Good afternoon." He called out to the students.
"Good afternoon, sir." The room called back.
"How is everyone?" he asked "You guys all relaxed a bit after the expedition." Calling it an expedition left a terrible taste in his mouth; from believing in reclaiming the lost land of humanity to… launching raids on foreign soil.
"We're doing fine, sir." Olivia said.
"Sir, we heard about what happened to Squad leader Petra…" Jacob said "We're so sorry, we know that both you and Edward we're close to her."
"Yeah, she was there at the trail" Alphonse said, reminiscing "She was there patching me up afterwards" he said with a chuckle "She helped us with our ODM training, was with us during the first expedition, during the uprising, during Shiganshina…" he then scanned the room "She was there, standing behind me when I first introduced myself to you all three years ago…" the room fell silent once more. "I heard what you all were talking about, about Marley and what had happened and about the future of alchemy too."
"It's just…" Jacob spoke up "We know that Marley and its allies are going to come for us now, there no doubt about it. But now… we still have the advantage; we have alchemy, the coordinate, better technology and now a majority of the titans, if now is not the best time to press them then when?"
"You're talking like quite a few others I knew back where I'm from." Alphonse said, leaning up against his desk "People who were very ambitious and bullish about the chances when everything looked to be going their way." Alphonse made eye contact with him "They had state alchemists, the military behind them and others more powerful than people… they still lost." Alphonse then stood up from the desk, standing straight "Arrogance can be the downfall of anyone, including an alchemist who believes they can win on the basis of their own skill."
"But it won't just be alchemy sir." Jacob argued "It's a whole range of different factors."
"That is true." Alphonse conceded "But if the foundation of your plans is overconfidence than you'll never see the cracks."
"Sir, what do you propose we should do?" Olivia asked.
"I think its best for now that we stick to commander Erwin's plan." Alphonse stated "If we can still form that united front then surely we can discourage Marley and others from attacking."
"Sir… what if they still continue on with an attack?" this time Isaac was the one who asked. "Or… what if they take out their anger on Eldians across the continent or even around the world, what can we do?"
This time Alphonse couldn't answer. Because he simply didn't know how to answer; what could possibly be the solution to such a question?
Even at his own disgust and hesitation… he couldn't help but think of Armin's proposal as his mind tried to find a solution of his own…
One that seemed to elude him.
Edward struck Alphonse in the gut before pushing him against the desk, slamming his back. "You idiot!" Ed yelled at him.
Alphonse, slumped over slightly, stood up straight with a look of anger on his face as he readied himself, hands up in a stance Ed knew all too well.
Ed shook his head slightly before then throwing another punch at Alphonse, Alphonse blocked the attack and this time struck Ed in the stomach before he could move back.
Ed stumbled back, Alphose then went for the finishing blow to Ed's head when Ed ducked down and hooks his arm around Alphonse's body before slamming him onto the ground.
"I thought you knew better!" Ed yelled at him as he held Alphonse on the ground.
Alphonse quickly throws a punch against Ed's face as he lay on the ground but Ed threw his own back. Marks now dressing their face as they then held each other; Edward almost strangling him while Alphonse grabbing at Ed's throat.
Suddenly the door slams open and Levi barges through, grabbing Edward off of him and almost throwing him back, as Alphonse stood up he marched over to them.
"Oi!" Levi shouted at Alphonse with an arm out, separating the two. "That's enough!" the two, Edward and Alphonse stood back as Levi stood between them.
There was a sound of a rush as a group of people watched from the door, their friends among them with one of them in tears.
Ed shook his head and gritted his teeth as he walked out of the door, moving past everyone.
"Ed…" a voice almost called out "We're so-"
Edward opened his eyes abruptly, sitting up from his seat; an empty train seat in front of him and the rolling scenery of Maria under an orange sky passing by. Ed rubbed his eyes and looked around; if he didn't know then Ed would believe he was back in Amestris on a train to somewhere with rows of train seats ahead of him.
He rubbed the back of his neck, slightly stiff from the awkward sleep.
There was a sound of high pitch cry to his side; he turned his head to see a baby crying as their parents tried to quiet them. One of the parents turned to Edward "I'm so sorry for waking you up." they said.
"No, don't worry, I was already awake." Ed reassured them; he looked towards the baby crying and sighed before then turning away back to the window.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his watch, opening it to grab the photograph of him, Alphonse and Winry all together. "I'm sorry, Winry." He muttered quietly to himself before placing it back into his pocket with the watch. He then reach back into it and pulled out the wooden knight.
He placed his hands over his eyes, trying to stop himself from crying publicly.
"Move my queen three spaces to the left." Pieck asked as she looked at the board, Armin placed Pieck's queen in her position, Armin then grimaced slightly as he did an overview of the board. "Looks like you're stuck."
"I have to admit, looks like I am." Armin replied with his hands up slightly. "Might as well call the game for you." as he then began to reset the board and its pieces. "So that makes it five each?"
"I've beaten you five times, you've only won three." Pieck pointed out with an eyebrow raised.
"I'm counting those battles from last time in the tally too." Armin said with a small, innocent, simile. Pieck rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a smile of her own.
Armin moved his piece first.
"Armin, did you know Annie?" Pieck asked, looking at the board "Also move my pawn two steps forward."
Armin moved her piece "Yes, I knew her for three years back when we were both cadets." He replied "That was a long time ago…"
"What was she like?" Pieck continued to ask.
"She was quiet." Armin replied "Pretty reserved and tried to keep to herself, well tried, but there were others who make it their mission to be her friend."
"We're you her friend?" Pieck asked, ignoring the chess game now.
"Yeah… well I'd like to think I was her friend for a time, before her secret was discovered." Armin replied. "She tried to convince us not to join the Scout regiment when it was time to sign up for a military division."
"I heard about your army divisions." Pieck replied "The Scouts go outside the walls and get eaten by titans."
"Well that was in the past." Armin said. "I think she didn't want us to join so that we wouldn't get killed by her, Reiner and Bertholdt."
"How do you feel about them?" Pieck continued to ask. "I imagine you hate them."
"No… I… I know that I have every right to hate them but before we knew about the world outside, all I felt was scared about what all of you would do and had planned, I still am now." Armin replied "I don't hate them… I don't even hate Annie, I cared about her and I think I still do." There was a silence between them as neither looked at each other.
"We're you the one who fed Annie to the other Female titan's holder?" Pieck asked looking at him.
Armin looked up from the board and towards Pieck, their eyes locking, as she waited for an answer "No, I wasn't the one who fed Annie to the current holder." Armin admitted "But I was there… I don't think I could have stopped it from happening." there was a pause and thoughtful silence "It wasn't meant to happen but… my friend who had Annie killed, he cared deeply the current holder." Armin stated "She was dying and it was the only other option besides letting her die. I think if I was in his situation I would have done the same."
"You don't have a protocol with titan serum?" Pieck asked.
"There is, there was a mess afterwards." Armin explained.
"You didn't want to stop him?" Pieck asked.
"No… I cared about Annie and the current holder." Armin looked away; off to the side before then looking back at her "But Alphonse loved the current holder."
Pieck was taken aback by the omission "I thought the mission of the Elrics was to 'help you live for generations' or something like that and then leave, doesn't a relationship complicate things?"
"That's an understatement." Armin replied.
"I'm guessing this has driven a wedge between them?" Pieck continued to prod.
"No, it hasn't." Armin replied; almost side eyeing Pieck "If anything… I think they might fight harder if Marley marches on our shores." Armin then began to move his piece on the board "Pieck, what was Zeke like?" he asked "How long had you known him?"
"Since I was in the cadet." Pieck stated.
"In the warrior program?" Armin asked.
Pieck's eyes widen slightly before then sighing slightly from her nose "I guessing either the volunteers told you or-"
"Zeke, he was the one who told us the most about it." Armin said "Well through letters and information he told the volunteers." Armin had a very small but sly smile. "He told us a lot about all of you; Porco's tensions with Reiner, Marcel's intervention in the military to make sure his brother wouldn't become the armoured titan… your father's condition."
Pieck almost glared at Armin "He didn't leave anything out." She said.
"Well… almost everything, he never talked about his time during the warrior program, only the people around him." Armin continued.
"The boy wonder has a lot of secrets." Pieck said almost mockingly, she then looked towards the chess board and pointed towards her chosen piece then towards the square.
"The boy wonder?" Armin asked with a confused smirk as he moved her piece. "Isn't he almost thirty?"
"His nickname among the higher ups." Pieck clarified.
"Do you know anything about him?" Armin asked. "Beside what you knew when you two were comrades."
"Honestly I probably know a lot less than you." Pieck stated "If you think he's secretive then he played his cards close to his chest with us, so close that we never saw his cards." Pieck rested his head on his fist as she looked at the board "If you wanna know then all I can say is that Yelena and him are pretty close."
"That we know." Armin said as he raised his eyebrows up a bit. Pieck chuckled slightly as she saw Armin's reaction to that. "He's been pretty open to us about what he wants and his plans… though we know he hasn't been exactly honest with us." Armin then moved his piece forward "Do you know a guy called Xavier?" he asked.
"Xavier? The previous Beast titan holder?" Pieck asked. "What about him?"
"How was their relationship?" Armin asked.
"They were close, played baseball whenever they had free time." Pieck said, she notice Armin shudder slightly at the mention of that. "Other than that we don't know anything about their relationship." She pointed to her queen and to a space on the board, Armin placed her queen accordingly.
Armin leaned back slightly as he positioned his knight at the centre of the board. "Did you know Zeke was the one who recommended that if we ever face the warriors you should be taken out first?" Pieck raised an eyebrow at the statement as she watched the board, listening to Armin "Said that you were the smartest among the other warriors."
"Hmph, academically I was better than my comrades." Pieck commented. "And what do you think?" she asked pointedly.
"That you're intelligent, having faced you on the battlefield and now you've shown that." Armin said "And I think you're smart enough to know that we're both being played by him."
Suddenly the door opened and a scout walked in, saluting Armin. "Lieutenant, a letter had arrived for you." the scout handed Armin the letter.
"A letter?" Armin said as he began to open it. "Thank you." Pieck watched as Armin read the letter, making sure not to show her its contents. His face was blank and calm yet… he held his breath as he continued to read the letter. "Who else knows?" he asked the scout, he turned his head to them "Who else has read this?"
"No one else, Lieutenant." The scout replied.
"Good." Armin replied, he placed the letter down on the ground before taking out a glove from his pocket, putting it on and then snapping his fingers; the letter then suddenly bursting up in flames and into a pile of ash. "You're dismissed." The scout saluted before marching out as Armin removed his glove and sat back down.
"Would it be useless to ask what that was about?" Pieck asked.
"It's nothing really." Armin replied, his blank expression conveying it to be something important "Just got the go ahead from my teacher."
Hange sat in her office reading over some of the notes and sorting them; some of them were a mix of alchemy notes and some were about paths. She shuffled through her papers sorting them out into separate piles.
"If only Armin was here, he'd help me with these papers." Hange said with a tired smile "Or even Moblit, wonder how he's doing…" She looked over to her side, a picture, photograph, of her, Moblit and Nifa, at the port.
Her old squad, even after the restructure of the regiment.
She then leaned back on her chair and sighed loudly, suddenly the door opened, she sat back up to see Erwin walking into the office. "Erwin, what brings you here?" she asked, she then noticed the bottle of wine in his hand "What are we celebrating?" she said with a smile. "Or you just want some company while you drink?"
"Nothing like that, Hange" Erwin replied "I need you to examine this wine for me."
"Are you planning on getting into wine making?" Hange joked "Never thought our funding was so bad we had to sell commodities." She was handed the bottle of wine from Erwin.
"Perhaps that would bring in more money but funding for the regiment isn't a concern." Erwin replied "I was talking to Nile not so long ago and he told me that the Military Police had a stockpile of wine that they had captured from the Marley ships four years ago."
Hange looked confused "They had a stockpile of wine on their ships, how did we not know of that?"
"Handling the prisoners was the responsibility of the regiment and taking note of the items captured was the MPs." Erwin stated "I'm assuming that when they discovered the Marleyan wine they were reluctant to inform the rest of the military."
"Greedy bastards, holding out on us." Hange said as she looked at the bottle. "Though… why would a scout ship have so much alcohol?"
"That is why I'm here." Erwin said "If there's anything in this wine then we have to find out; this may very well be part of a plan from the volunteers and Zeke Yeager."
"You think it might be poisoned?" Hange asked "There hasn't been any reports of deaths among the MPs, unless it's something else."
"That is what concerns me, your proficiency with alchemy means you could separate the elements in this wine." Erwin said "And I'm asking this of you because I trust that you'll head back to me immediately when you find something, I'll be here in the capital."
Hange then looked down and pulled out a draw on her desk, a microscope sitting inside with a glass slide and syringe. She took them out and placed them on the desk. "I'll get right on it, she opened the bottle, taking some of its contents with the syringe as she places drop on the glass slider before putting it under the scope.
"Thank you, Hange." Erwin said before he then walked back to the door and stepping out, leaving Hange alone again in the office.
Hange looked through her scope at the wine, examining the cells of the wine; the bright colours and sights looked normal for its contents… until she noticed an anomaly.
Something else within it.
"Now what do we have here." zooming in on the strange substance among the other cells.
On a farm somewhere in this forsaken lands, Gabi and Falco are sitting by the window and watching the coming moon over the sky as they talked to Kaya, the adopted child of the devil couple who owned this farm.
Gabi turned her attention from the window to Falco and Kaya who chatted away in the corner of the room silently to each other. Gabi gritted her teeth and scrunched her face, not attempting to her distain, as she watched the two chatting away like good friends.
Friends… with these devils…
She moved from the window and then towards the other two, catching their attention for a second as she sat down next to them. "Hello Mia." Kaya said to her, Gabi didn't respond, only sat down and looked at the ground.
A mix of resent and… shame within her as she was near Kaya, after their talk in that abandoned village nearby.
Falco then elbowed Gabi in the ribs "Ow!" Gabi exclaimed as she shot Falco a look, Falco gave her a stern look as if to say Be polite! Gabi turned to Kaya "Hey Kaya." Gabi replied.
"I was just telling Kaya that we were grateful that she kept our secret to herself." Falco informed her quietly, he then turned back to Kaya "We are truly grateful, Kaya." Gabi used every fibre in her body to not roll her eyes.
"Mia, I was just telling Ben that there is a Marleyan who is running a restaurant in Trost." Kaya told them "They came here a few years ago on ships."
"Ships? That must have been the survey teams from a few years ago." Gabi said.
God knows the horrors they had to endure… but now they're working in their own restaurant inside the walls…
"How do you know this?" Falco asked.
"My big sis, she's well…" Kaya paused for a second and looked away with a red tinge on her cheeks "They're pretty close."
"Oh…" Falco said as his own cheeks went red.
"What?" Gabi said "It shouldn't be right for a Marleyan to be friends with people here."
"No they were 'close'" Kaya repeated, Gabi continued to look at her confused.
Falco then leaned in to Gabi's ear and whispered "What she means is…" Gabi's eyes widen as she recoiled back in disgust.
"An Eldian… and a Marleyan… that's… that's…" Falco quickly put his hand over Gabi's mouth before she could say anything else.
"They were pretty close." Kaya continued "Big sis would gush about him when she was here, that and his cooking."
"Thank you for telling us this." Falco replied as his hand slipped from Gabi's mouth. "Though now the only issues is trying to get there."
Kaya then looked around, as if checking for something, both Gabi and Falco looked back with her; everyone else in the room was either talking to each other or sleeping. She then slipped her hand into her pocket as she pulled out a piece of folded paper before then handing it to Falco. "Here Ben."
Falco opened the paper, Gabi peering by his side; they both gasped slightly "A map…" Gabi muttered. "Why are you giving us this?" she asked.
A smile proudly began to form on her face "Because it what big sis would have done too." Kaya told them "She never turned down people when they needed help, its why she joined the scouts."
Gabi gritted her teeth, almost breaking them when she heard the name of that group 'the scouts' the group who raided and burned down her hometown. Kaya's 'big sis' was a proud member of that group… she probably was there for the attack.
"Thank you, Kaya." Falco said. "We… won't forget this… won't we, Mia?" he said looking at Gabi.
"Yes, we won't forget." Gabi replied.
When the night had finally arrived, Gabi lay awake as everyone around her was asleep. She crept silently out of her bed, weightlessly walking over the wooden boards as she reached towards the stairs, lightly tapping the edge of her feet quickly down the steps.
She made her way to the kitchen and towards a cabinet; inside was full of tin food, quickly she began to take a few tins and stuff them into her coat before then folding it into a basket. Suddenly the sound of a footstep caught her attention, she froze in place and quickly turned her head to see.
"Falco." She whispered as he looked back at her "Help me." Falco scampered towards her "C'mon, take more tins."
"Now, we're doing this now?" Falco exclaimed silently.
"Yes, right here, right now." Gabi "We're leaving."
Falco shook his head as he grabbed a few more tins from the cabinet "Sorry…" he muttered.
"Don't apologise." Gabi and as she stood up and then crept towards the back door, taking the key off the hook to the side and then slowly unlocking the door, each turn of the lock felt like a loud scream going through the house. The last click and the door slowly opening kept them at the edge.
And the silence that proceeded was a relief to hear.
"Lets go." Gabi urged Falco as they ran out of the backdoor. "Leave the door." She told him as they made their way to the barn.
Rushing through the open space as the wind covered their footsteps. They ran inside the barn and towards the horses who had awaken with the arrival.
"Take the one." Gabi told Falco as she went over to grab a saddle, a pack and some feed for the horse. Falco carefully took out one of the horses from their section and led them out of the barn.
Gabi threw the saddle onto the horse and lifted herself up before then helping Falco on who held onto her from the back. "The map said to head south east." Falco said.
"Then let's go." Gabi said as she whipped the reins of the horse, galloping into the night.
Ed didn't know what to think or how to feel; he thought he'd be apprehensive or anxious, maybe even sad or still frustrated but instead he felt numb and shameful. As he walked down the familiar streets of Karnes he thought back to the first time he had walked down this road, the eager face of the child who greeted them for being scout soldiers and the feeling of nervousness and anticipation about the coming expedition.
There was certainly anticipation but one he couldn't get a sense of overcoming a challenge to be faced head on.
I've been trying to run away from this… what a coward… I can't believe this is what…
He then came upon a familiar house, standing just outside its door. He walked up to the door and lifted up his hand and freezes for a second as the night air brushes against him before he then knocks on the door.
There was a silence at first before the sound of footsteps inside approached with the turning of a key and the click of a handle, the door opens.
"Hello Mrs Carolina." Ed greeted as a familiar middle aged woman opened the door, she looked older now than when they first met more than a few years ago.
"Edward, we didn't know you were going to come." She replied "But we're happy to see you." she said with a wary smile. It stung Ed a bit but he ultimately understood why.
"I'm not too late, am I?" Ed asked. "I just wanted to visit, can I come in?"
"Of course, come in." Mrs Carolina said as she waved him in "No you're not too late, you got here just in time actually." Suddenly footsteps caught their attention; they turned their heads to see Mr Carolina again.
"Hello sir." Ed greeted him; he walked up to Ed and offered his hand. Ed shook his hand.
"Hello Edward, if you're looking for Alphonse then I think he might be at the capital for a day or two." Mr Carolina said.
"No I'm not here to see Alphonse." Ed said. "I'm here to see Emmanuel."
"Mina has him, she just playing with him before she puts him to bed." He replied. "You can go meet him before then."
"Thank you, sir." Ed replied as he then walked up to the stairs and onto the second floor, on the door to his side he could hear what sounded like laughter, Mina's laughter.
He stopped by the door and once more raised his hand up to it, freezing for a second as he took in a deep breath and sighed before knocking on the door.
"Come in." Mina called out from the other side, Ed opened the door; inside Mina was sitting on the ground as a baby no older than a year had sat facing her.
Mina was shocked for a second seeing Ed at first "Ed, I didn't know you were coming this soon."
"Yeah sorry for the unexpected visit." Ed replied scratching the back of his head.
Mina smiled before then picking up the baby and standing up, Ed then got a good look at the child.
Who looked a picture image of a baby Alphonse yet with dark hair and grey eyes.
Hello everyone,
Sorry for the delay, I've been focusing on getting into work lately and a few rough spells knocked the wind out of me.
I've been thinking about this chapter for a while, some of its scenes, and now being able to write this feels strange. Though I'm sure some of you caught on pretty quickly.
I have to edit some of my future chapters so the next one may take awhile again.