Ch 10: Bullied
Rated K+
Characters: Alphonse, Izumi
Timeline: BH/Manga
Notes: originally I was going to use this prompt to finally make a full-fledged story about that "bullying incident" i reference in several of my stories (which i think so far is only really in simple things because like 2/3 of my fma stories aren't published yet…). Basically, i keep vaguely mentioning this situation when al was getting bullied in elementary school, and ed let himself become the target until even he couldn't handle it anymore and had to get help from pinako. But alas, that story is going to have to wait AGAIN, because i got this idea and just HAD to write it. It's the motherly!Izumi content we all NEED! Takes place, obviously, during ed and al's training with izumi
The first time Alphonse came back to the meat shop in tears, Izumi told him to toughen up. Life's not meant to be easy, and we can't expect to get through it unscathed.
The second time Alphonse came back to the meat shop in tears, Izumi told him the same thing, but made him some hot chocolate afterwards.
But the third time Alphonse came back to the meat shop in tears, Izumi began to fear there was something deeper than just difficult alchemy training going on here.
She had been sending the Elric brothers out to the park nearby to do some community service for the past week—separately, of course, because they needed to learn to rely on themselves, not just each other. While one brother was busy cleaning trash at the park, the other would be busy helping Sig in the meat cellar. She was planning on letting them start to work together after this week, then separate again every other week, but now she was determined to get to the bottom of this discrepancy before that. Why was it that Edward could come home from the park totally fine, but Alphonse could not? And why was it that Edward didn't seem to know anything about these tearful returns, when Alphonse would normally tell him everything? If it was bad enough for Al to keep it a secret, it must be bad.
Today, Izumi split the boys again, much to their confusion.
"But you said we would work together this week," Edward said.
"Life is unexpected. You can't always rely on plans," Izumi replied.
"But I wanted to clean with Al," Ed continued.
"No arguing, Ed. Unless you want double the work?"
Ed pouted. "No, Teacher."
"I thought so. Now go meet Sig downstairs."
Edward trudged away, leaving just Al and Izumi. Al shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other for a moment before speaking. "Why can't he come with me?" he asked.
"Because I said so; that's it," Izumi replied.
"But…" Al trailed off. He wasn't one to talk back or question Izumi's orders; that was Ed's thing. But it was clear to Izumi that he really wanted to this time, and it brought her concern up further. "Okay." Al left the meat shop, obviously not wanting to.
Izumi busied herself tidying up the counters, and after about fifteen minutes had passed, set off to the park herself to see what was going on.
The park was about an acre of land, square, and filled with trees. In the center was a small play area, with a merry-go-round and a couple metal slides. Picnic tables dotted the grassy field, and various flower beds and benches lined the dirt trail loop going around the park. Izumi spotted Alphonse on the far side of the loop, watering flowers like she'd instructed. A few children were playing on the merry-go-round. Nothing looked out of the ordinary.
Izumi sat on one of the benches, watching Al tend to the flowers. Every once in a while, he would discreetly look at the other children on the playground. Izumi figured he wanted to play with them, but was avoiding doing so because of his task. She was pleased with his self-control; she was willing to bet Edward wouldn't have stayed on task like that. The few times she'd walked in on the boys playing when they were supposed to be working, Ed would admit to being the one to start it.
Slowly, Alphonse made his way around the loop, and that was when things changed. When he got closer to the play area, the other children started watching him. One boy elbowed the next, nodding to Al. They got off the merry-go-round, walking up to Al, all grinning. Izumi narrowed her eyes, waiting to see how the three other boys interacted with her boy. They were all taller and bigger than Al, probably a couple years older.
The moment Al noticed them approaching, he stiffened, but kept dutifully watering plants. That was when the oldest looking boy shoved Al's shoulders, forcing him to pay attention to their presence. Al turned around and said something Izumi couldn't hear, and the three boys laughed. Then, another one snatched Al's watering can, holding it as high as he could. Al reached for it, but he wasn't tall enough.
Izumi watched with interest as to how Alphonse was going to handle this. Children were innocent and naive, sure, but they could also be mean. All it really took was for somebody to be more mild mannered or "weak", and the tougher kids would eat them up. Izumi, admittedly, had been more of the latter as a child; she would never deliberately belittle someone now (at least not with the express intent to hurt them…), but she still took no bullshit from anyone. Edward was the same way from what she'd gathered, and she wouldn't have been surprised if he'd beaten up a few kids in his ten years of life. Alphonse also didn't take any nonsense, but he was a lot kinder about how he handled that nonsense. He tried to make peace before resorting to violence—something that kids like Ed or a young Izumi would probably misconstrue as weakness at first glance. Alphonse was not weak; but he also was not as outspoken as his big brother.
The three children started a game of keep away, tossing the watering can between themselves, and always out of Al's reach. She could see Al's mouth moving, despite not being able to hear his words. The other kids laughed at whatever he said, and the one holding the watering can kicked it away—probably denting the aluminum in the process. That was when the three older boys stepped up closer to Al, causing him to shrink back. Izumi stood up, not liking where this was going. She thought he would have physically defended himself by now, what with all the martial arts training he and Ed ate up like candy. But instead, Al just held his hands out, and the biggest kid shoved him to the ground. He got a couple slugs into Al's chest, while the others laughed and cheered.
That was enough. Izumi marched toward the play area, ready to put an end to this. Alphonse saw her coming and paled slightly, but the others hadn't noticed her yet.
"Hey!" Izumi barked. "What do you think you're doing?" The three boys turned to her, the one holding Al's shirt looking ready to fight.
"What's it matter, lady?" he spat, letting go of Al.
One of the other boys punched the leader's shoulder. "Wait, Noah, I know her!"
The third child joined in. "Yeah, that's the scary butcher lady!"
Noah blinked, looking up at Izumi. "Oh…it is!"
"Scary butcher lady?" Izumi repeated.
"They say she's good at alchemy, but even better with a knife, and she'll chop up anyone who gets in her way," the first boy whispered to Noah.
Izumi almost wanted to laugh at that rumor…but not yet. Not until she'd taught these kids a lesson. "Well, they're right," she said. "And considering Alphonse here is my student, you've definitely gotten in my way…"
The three bullies' faces blanched.
"Wait, you don't get it!" one cried.
"Yeah, Alphonse is our buddy!" Noah added.
"We were just roughing him up, friendly like!" the third said.
Al looked unsure how to respond. He knew Izumi wouldn't actually chop anybody up, but he wasn't sure how mad at him she was for letting himself get in this situation. Should he pretend he was actually friends with these kids? Or tell her the truth, that they'd been tormenting him all week?
"Really?" Izumi asked incredulously. "Because I don't think he would agree."
The three bullies exchanged nervous glances, clearly knowing she wasn't buying their story.
Now, by a general principle, Izumi didn't use her alchemy to solve her problems. When the problems were grand, like the flood she met the Elrics during, she was more inclined to use it; but when the problems were small (or even average), like a broken lamp, she preferred to fix them naturally. Alchemy was not the answer to all life's problems, after all; to rely on it and it alone would only hurt in the long run. That was why she was trying to teach the Elrics that there were more important things than alchemy, as useful of a tool as it might be. However…there were still times when she could put aside her general principles for the greater good.
Izumi clapped her hands, sparking an alchemic reaction to life. She reached down, pulling iron and carbon from the dirt and latex from a nearby tree. It came together in a wicked-looking meat cleaver, and when the boys saw it, their eyes lit up with horror.
"She's gonna chop us up into little pieces!" Noah cried, scrambling back.
The other two bullies screamed, all three looking dangerously close to tears, and with that, the trio ran as fast as they could.
Once they were gone, Izumi deconstructed the knife, reshaping it into a small rubber and steel garden trowel (which would come in handy later for the boys' community service).
Alphonse looked up at her, quickly getting to his feet. "Teacher, I—"
"Wait, Alphonse," she said, cutting him off. "Just tell me what happened."
Al swallowed. "I don't really know…those three guys just like picking on me while I'm trying to work. I haven't done anything to them, I promise!"
"Picking on you?" Izumi repeated.
"Yeah, like calling me names and pushing me and taking my stuff."
"Just today?"
"Well…kinda since the beginning of the week," he replied, hanging his head. "This is the first time they've broken something, though! Please don't be mad about the watering can!"
Izumi scoffed, tilting Al's head up to meet hers. "I'm not mad about the watering can, Al. What upsets me is that you didn't stand up for yourself."
"I…you saw?" Al asked.
"I saw enough. Why didn't you fight back?"
Al shifted uncomfortably. "Well…I didn't think…I should. My brother always fights back and it gets him—and me—into trouble. So I didn't think—why would I?"
Izumi sighed, kneeling down to be eye level with the boy. "Listen, Al. There are times when fighting back can be bad. When the person you're fighting didn't do anything to justify it, of course, or when your actions outweigh theirs. Your brother gets in trouble because he often fights too harshly or when he doesn't have to. But you had every right to defend yourself when those boys were picking on you."
"But…I didn't want to hurt anyone." A tear runs down Al's cheek, and Izumi brushes it away with her thumb.
"There are times when you won't be able to avoid it, I'm afraid. Allowing yourself to be hurt to avoid hurting others is not a way to live. I know you're tough, and you can put up with a lot. You'd have to, as Edward's brother," Izumi smiled, getting a small laugh out of the nine-year-old. "I'm not telling you to go around beating up any kids who look at you funny. But if you ever find yourself in genuine distress like this again, it's okay to fight back."
"Okay…" Al said, sniffling a little.
"Come here," Izumi said, opening her arms. Al buried himself within them, wrapping his small arms around her tightly.
"I'm sorry, Teacher," he said.
"It's alright." Izumi squeezed him one more time before releasing. "Now let's head back, and see what kind of things your brother's done, shall we?"
Al giggled, wiping any remnants of tears from his face. "I bet those kids won't be back here anytime soon." He started walking alongside Izumi toward the shop.
"What makes you say that?" Izumi inquired with a sly grin.
"They're gonna be having nightmares about the scary butcher lady for months!" Al laughed. "How'd you make that knife, anyway? Can you show us, please?"
"Maybe later. I don't know if I want your brother making weapons quite yet." Izumi ruffled Al's hair lovingly.
And for the first time that week, Alphonse didn't return in tears.