Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Collision ❯ Equal Trade ( Chapter 1 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Mujitsu 
Getting the plot going
Anime/Manga: Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.21.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.9K | Visits: 276 | Status: Work In Progress
Getting the plot going
Anime/Manga: Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.21.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.9K | Visits: 276 | Status: Work In Progress
Collision
Chapter One
Equal Trade
Chapter One
Equal Trade
Parallel universe.Another dimension.The same world existing on a different plane. Society believes this to be only myth, something to fantastic to be real.But it is true that there exists something beyond this world.There is another world similar to this one beyond the gate, with only small differences.However, travel between these two worlds can only be achieved through disaster and tragedy.
The Principle of Equal Trade.
There were two brothers who lived, and almost died by this rule.To gain something, you must give something in exchange.For one boy, it was an arm and a leg. For his brother, it was a whole body.And in the end, the ultimate sacrifice was made.One gave up his life for the other.
But he did not die.
He passed through a gate.The link between two worlds.And he left behind everything he had ever known.
Until one day when tragedy struck again, and the two brothers were reunited once more.And this time the younger brother made the sacrifice.The sacrifice to leave the world he knew to be with his brother.He made the decision to forget his old life and forge a new one.
But fate is never predictable, and lives that are so tightly entwined can never be completely untangeled from each other.
And lines that are parallel, when turned off of their axis, can collide.
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1916, The World Beyond the Gate
“Oi, Al, let’s fight.”
A young, golden-haired man opened one eye lazily to meet the golden gaze of his older brother. With a sigh, he closed his eyes again and flopped his head on the table of their kitchen. “It’s too hot, Nii-san. I can barely move…and besides, don’t you think it’s kind of unfair now?”
Edward Elric plopped down in the chair beside his brother. “Unfair? How?”
Without opening his eyes, Alphonse lifted his arm and tapped his finger on Edward’s right arm, indicating the steel beneath. “You still have your automail in this world and that’s an advantage even without being able to use alchemy. But I…I don’t have anything anymore. I’m just a normal human."His voice trailed off as he got lost in thought, but he seemed to shake it "It doesn’t seem quite right to still fight when you can break a bone in my body without even trying.”
Ed stared at his brother as he thought about what he had said.. It had been almost two years since they had left the world they had been born in for the last time, sealing the passage to the gate behind them so no one else would be able to use it for evil. Since then the two brother’s had traveled just like they used to, trying to find their place in this new world. Eventually they ended up in the countryside, far away from the war that was now raging in the cities, in a place that uncannily resembled Rizenbool. It had been home for them for the last two months. Lately it seemed Al was missing his old life, and the old world, but Ed knew there was nothing they could do about it except forget about it and everyone there. He had distanced himself from that life.
“Ahhh, Al, you’re no fun!” he said, standing up from the chair and stretching, keeping one eye on Al. His brother’s face didn’t change and Ed felt his mood drop. “Al…?”
The fifteen year old boy gave another sigh and cradled his chin on his arms, staring unseeing at the wall in front of him. “…Winry’s birthday is next week.”
Ed hid a wince. Winry….the one person he couldn’t forget about his old life, no matter how hard he tried. So many what if’s, and if only’s with her. Blue eyes filled his thoughts, and he shook his head hard. There was no point in wishing for what could have been. He was past that. Really.
There was nothing left for him in the past.
“Next week, huh? I completely forgot.” Of course he hadn’t. She would have grown another year older, another year without him. Had she found someone to give her time to? Someone to care for instead of…damn it, there were those thoughts again.
Alphonse eyed him askance. “You forgot? You never forget, even when you say you do. And why are your fists clenched?”
Edward immediately let his hands relax, cursing on the inside. “Because I’m ready to spar with you. Let’s go.”
“Nuh-uh, Nii-san,” he said, shaking his head. “Not with you in that mood.”
“I’m not in a mood,” Ed said, trying not to let his temper get the best of him. “I’m just impatient, and don’t want to stand around talking about what can’t be changed.”
Al’s face immediately fell, and Edward felt like a heel. “Al, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I know we can’t go back. It’s just…don’t you ever miss it? Miss them?”
Since Al wasn’t looking at his brother, he didn’t see golden eyes harden almost imperceptibly. Turning around and walking away, Edward tossed back over his shoulder, “No, I don’t. They stay in my past, where they belong. They can’t touch me now.”
Alphonse heard the front door slam, and stared at the place where Ed had stood. “You could never lie well, Nii-san,” he whispered into the empty quiet.
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The transmutation circle was almost complete. And it would be perfect. After years of waiting, she would finally get to meet him.
“Emma, are you sure this is a good idea?” the young man said in the quiet hush of sunset. “Alchemy is forbidden in Lior.”
“We’re not technically in Lior,” the girl said impatiently. “We’re in the outskirts in a filthy abandoned barn because the dimwitted people in the city think that alchemy is the source of all of their problems.”
“That’s because it is…was the reason the city was destroyed. They outlawed it when they had to rebuild. Besides, doing something illegal isn’t the only thing wrong with this.” She followed his gaze to the crate of chickens squawking loudly as if cursing their fate.
But fate was unchangeable.
The boy saw his sister’s eyes harden and turn back to her work. “Something needs to be given in order to get something. You know that, Patrick. A sacrifice. The Law of Equivalent Exchange.”
“It still seems wrong to sacrifice them.”
“The commoners were just going to eat them anyway,” she said, standing up and wiping the dirt meticulously off of her hands. She turned to her brother. “Ready?”
“I still don’t think this is a good idea,” Patrick said, picking up the crate and gingerly placing it in the middle of the transmutation circle. It was just past sunset, making the rundown stable they were in dark and ominous. Patrick shivered in the night, although it wasn’t cold. He looked at Emma across from the circle, kneeling down despite his reservations.
“Shouldn’t we do a practice run?”
“Idiot, you can’t do a practice run with this type of alchemy. We just need to open the gate and he’ll come through.”
“How can you be so sure,” Patrick persisted. “We don’t know what’s beyond that gate. Or if we can really open it.”
“I’ve studied the books. I know he’s there. He’ll come through. Now, get ready.”
Heart pounding in anticipation, she put her hands on the edge of the circle, waiting for him to do the same. She was too close to back down now. She was a worthy alchemist, and she had studied until her eyes felt like they would roll out of her head. All just to finally meet him.
The Fullmetal Alchemist. Supposedly the best alchemist in existence, not to mention the youngest. Her eyes sharpened. They would see about that.
Both teenagers held their breath as the circle began to glow with eerie blue light…
…and faded away a moment later.
Emma stared in shock in the fading light. The chickens sang their chorus to the sky, happy to be alive for another day, the transmutation circle lying harmlessly on the ground.
“It….didn’t work?”
“Emma?” Patrick said, approaching his sister cautiously.
“Why didn’t it work?” she whispered, and her fists clenched in the dirt. “I had it planned perfectly. It should have worked.”
“We can try again later,” he said soothingly. “We’ll find out what we did wrong.”
He gently lifted her to her feet and put his arm around her shoulders, leading her away from the circle…
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Al wasn’t the in the house, but Ed knew where to find him. Even in this new world, his brother was still predictable. The creek offered comforting sounds in the darkening twilight, something the younger brother took solace in. Something to remind him of home.
Ed found him sitting by the bank, drawing in the sand. Sighing, he plopped down into the sand next to him and looked at the picture.
Al was drawing a transmutation circle and Ed felt his face fall.
“Al…” he began, not knowing where to begin. Al spoke first.
“Brother, do you remember when you asked if I hated you, back in Resembool? Because you had put me into that empty suit of armor…you thought that I would hate you for taking my life away.”
“You said then that you didn’t hate me.”
“I was telling you the truth. I’m glad you put me into that suit of armor. I’m glad you helped me live so we could be together. I don’t regret that. Just like I don’t regret leaving everything behind.”
“Sometimes I think you would have been better off if you would have stayed. You would have been happier and-ow!”
Al calmly took his fist off of his brother’s head. “Just like I was happy without you before? Then why did I spend so much time trying to get you back? I made sacrifices then too. I wanted to be where you were, and had to give up something for it.”
“The Law of Equivalent Exchange…you know that’s not necessarily true.”
“We’ve lived so long by that rule that it’s still the only thing I know. People died, we lost those that we loved, but we’re still together.” He drew one more circle within the transmutation circle he was making and turned to Ed. “Do you know what this is? What the significance of it is?”
Ed shook his head.
“This is the circle I used in the underground city to try and bring you back. Although all of those sacrifices were made, I’m glad it worked. I’m glad I’m with you again.”
“But you seem to miss everyone so much….”
Al let out a little laugh, and stood up, pulling Ed to his feet as well. “Of course I miss them! They were our family.”
They started walking along the river towards the house, leaving the transmutation circle behind. “It’s okay for you to miss them too. You try shield yourself, but it only hurts you more.”
Ed was silent for a moment. “Maybe I do wish we could go back, sometimes.”
As soon as he spoke, the hair on the back of his neck stood up, as if the energy in the air turned up a notch.
“Brother….”
He looked at Al, who was staring in shock behind them. His gaze followed, and he stopped his mouth from dropping open.
The transmutation circle was glowing blue…
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Emma had been so certain it would work. She had spent two years going over the procedure, perfecting it in every detail. They had her alchemy, they had a circle, and they had something to give in exchange.
And yet it still didn’t work. She had failed. The thought of going back to study what she did wrong made her want to scream. She had done nothing wrong! It had been perfect, god damnit!
She turned to glare balefully at the circle that had failed her, and stopped in her tracks.
“Patrick, where are the chickens?”
“What?”
“The chickens. Did you let them out of the cage?”
“No, of course not. I left them on the….circle….?” He was staring now at the empty crate. The empty, locked, crate.
“Where did they go?” His voice shook. “They were just there a second ago.”
A flash filled the room with blue light, and the siblings had to cover their eyes. The glare faded away to leave the circle glowing softly. “Is it working?” Patrick whispered to Emily.
“It’s working.” Her voice sounded dull with shock. “It’s working! Patrick, we did it!”
She laughed in glee as her eyes were glued on her circle, waiting for Fullmetal to appear. Her smile disappeared as the transmutation circle turned a bright purple, and then a dark red.
“Emma, what’s happening?”
She didn’t hear Patrick over the collective scream that filled the air, coming from the direction of the city. She turned and bolted out side and stared in horror at the city of Lior, the same red glow encompassing the city as the screams continued, a haunting melody.
There was a great boom in the air as the glow seemed to explode, knocking her and Patrick off of their feet to land in the dirt.
She uncovered her eyes and stared desperately at the city.
The screams had stopped.
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Back by the river, a breeze gently blew the leaves into a whispering cadence, filling the empty bank with a sweet lullaby.
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(Well, Mujitsu makes a triumphant return. Somewhat. I’ve been out of the writing loop so long, I think I’ve forgotten how to do it. I know that after I finished “Midnight Meets Moonlight” I said I would do a Full Metal Alchemist fic. I don’t know if it’s quite smart of me to start a long-term story now, because I’m so busy….but this one just begged to be written. I hope you liked it. I have big ideas for this one, so be patient with me. If you liked my work before, you know you won’t be disappointed. And if you are…sorry.
Until next time,
Mujitsu)
The Principle of Equal Trade.
There were two brothers who lived, and almost died by this rule.To gain something, you must give something in exchange.For one boy, it was an arm and a leg. For his brother, it was a whole body.And in the end, the ultimate sacrifice was made.One gave up his life for the other.
But he did not die.
He passed through a gate.The link between two worlds.And he left behind everything he had ever known.
Until one day when tragedy struck again, and the two brothers were reunited once more.And this time the younger brother made the sacrifice.The sacrifice to leave the world he knew to be with his brother.He made the decision to forget his old life and forge a new one.
But fate is never predictable, and lives that are so tightly entwined can never be completely untangeled from each other.
And lines that are parallel, when turned off of their axis, can collide.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
1916, The World Beyond the Gate
“Oi, Al, let’s fight.”
A young, golden-haired man opened one eye lazily to meet the golden gaze of his older brother. With a sigh, he closed his eyes again and flopped his head on the table of their kitchen. “It’s too hot, Nii-san. I can barely move…and besides, don’t you think it’s kind of unfair now?”
Edward Elric plopped down in the chair beside his brother. “Unfair? How?”
Without opening his eyes, Alphonse lifted his arm and tapped his finger on Edward’s right arm, indicating the steel beneath. “You still have your automail in this world and that’s an advantage even without being able to use alchemy. But I…I don’t have anything anymore. I’m just a normal human."His voice trailed off as he got lost in thought, but he seemed to shake it "It doesn’t seem quite right to still fight when you can break a bone in my body without even trying.”
Ed stared at his brother as he thought about what he had said.. It had been almost two years since they had left the world they had been born in for the last time, sealing the passage to the gate behind them so no one else would be able to use it for evil. Since then the two brother’s had traveled just like they used to, trying to find their place in this new world. Eventually they ended up in the countryside, far away from the war that was now raging in the cities, in a place that uncannily resembled Rizenbool. It had been home for them for the last two months. Lately it seemed Al was missing his old life, and the old world, but Ed knew there was nothing they could do about it except forget about it and everyone there. He had distanced himself from that life.
“Ahhh, Al, you’re no fun!” he said, standing up from the chair and stretching, keeping one eye on Al. His brother’s face didn’t change and Ed felt his mood drop. “Al…?”
The fifteen year old boy gave another sigh and cradled his chin on his arms, staring unseeing at the wall in front of him. “…Winry’s birthday is next week.”
Ed hid a wince. Winry….the one person he couldn’t forget about his old life, no matter how hard he tried. So many what if’s, and if only’s with her. Blue eyes filled his thoughts, and he shook his head hard. There was no point in wishing for what could have been. He was past that. Really.
There was nothing left for him in the past.
“Next week, huh? I completely forgot.” Of course he hadn’t. She would have grown another year older, another year without him. Had she found someone to give her time to? Someone to care for instead of…damn it, there were those thoughts again.
Alphonse eyed him askance. “You forgot? You never forget, even when you say you do. And why are your fists clenched?”
Edward immediately let his hands relax, cursing on the inside. “Because I’m ready to spar with you. Let’s go.”
“Nuh-uh, Nii-san,” he said, shaking his head. “Not with you in that mood.”
“I’m not in a mood,” Ed said, trying not to let his temper get the best of him. “I’m just impatient, and don’t want to stand around talking about what can’t be changed.”
Al’s face immediately fell, and Edward felt like a heel. “Al, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I know we can’t go back. It’s just…don’t you ever miss it? Miss them?”
Since Al wasn’t looking at his brother, he didn’t see golden eyes harden almost imperceptibly. Turning around and walking away, Edward tossed back over his shoulder, “No, I don’t. They stay in my past, where they belong. They can’t touch me now.”
Alphonse heard the front door slam, and stared at the place where Ed had stood. “You could never lie well, Nii-san,” he whispered into the empty quiet.
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The transmutation circle was almost complete. And it would be perfect. After years of waiting, she would finally get to meet him.
“Emma, are you sure this is a good idea?” the young man said in the quiet hush of sunset. “Alchemy is forbidden in Lior.”
“We’re not technically in Lior,” the girl said impatiently. “We’re in the outskirts in a filthy abandoned barn because the dimwitted people in the city think that alchemy is the source of all of their problems.”
“That’s because it is…was the reason the city was destroyed. They outlawed it when they had to rebuild. Besides, doing something illegal isn’t the only thing wrong with this.” She followed his gaze to the crate of chickens squawking loudly as if cursing their fate.
But fate was unchangeable.
The boy saw his sister’s eyes harden and turn back to her work. “Something needs to be given in order to get something. You know that, Patrick. A sacrifice. The Law of Equivalent Exchange.”
“It still seems wrong to sacrifice them.”
“The commoners were just going to eat them anyway,” she said, standing up and wiping the dirt meticulously off of her hands. She turned to her brother. “Ready?”
“I still don’t think this is a good idea,” Patrick said, picking up the crate and gingerly placing it in the middle of the transmutation circle. It was just past sunset, making the rundown stable they were in dark and ominous. Patrick shivered in the night, although it wasn’t cold. He looked at Emma across from the circle, kneeling down despite his reservations.
“Shouldn’t we do a practice run?”
“Idiot, you can’t do a practice run with this type of alchemy. We just need to open the gate and he’ll come through.”
“How can you be so sure,” Patrick persisted. “We don’t know what’s beyond that gate. Or if we can really open it.”
“I’ve studied the books. I know he’s there. He’ll come through. Now, get ready.”
Heart pounding in anticipation, she put her hands on the edge of the circle, waiting for him to do the same. She was too close to back down now. She was a worthy alchemist, and she had studied until her eyes felt like they would roll out of her head. All just to finally meet him.
The Fullmetal Alchemist. Supposedly the best alchemist in existence, not to mention the youngest. Her eyes sharpened. They would see about that.
Both teenagers held their breath as the circle began to glow with eerie blue light…
…and faded away a moment later.
Emma stared in shock in the fading light. The chickens sang their chorus to the sky, happy to be alive for another day, the transmutation circle lying harmlessly on the ground.
“It….didn’t work?”
“Emma?” Patrick said, approaching his sister cautiously.
“Why didn’t it work?” she whispered, and her fists clenched in the dirt. “I had it planned perfectly. It should have worked.”
“We can try again later,” he said soothingly. “We’ll find out what we did wrong.”
He gently lifted her to her feet and put his arm around her shoulders, leading her away from the circle…
&&&&&&&&&a mp;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&a mp;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&a mp;&&&&&&&
Al wasn’t the in the house, but Ed knew where to find him. Even in this new world, his brother was still predictable. The creek offered comforting sounds in the darkening twilight, something the younger brother took solace in. Something to remind him of home.
Ed found him sitting by the bank, drawing in the sand. Sighing, he plopped down into the sand next to him and looked at the picture.
Al was drawing a transmutation circle and Ed felt his face fall.
“Al…” he began, not knowing where to begin. Al spoke first.
“Brother, do you remember when you asked if I hated you, back in Resembool? Because you had put me into that empty suit of armor…you thought that I would hate you for taking my life away.”
“You said then that you didn’t hate me.”
“I was telling you the truth. I’m glad you put me into that suit of armor. I’m glad you helped me live so we could be together. I don’t regret that. Just like I don’t regret leaving everything behind.”
“Sometimes I think you would have been better off if you would have stayed. You would have been happier and-ow!”
Al calmly took his fist off of his brother’s head. “Just like I was happy without you before? Then why did I spend so much time trying to get you back? I made sacrifices then too. I wanted to be where you were, and had to give up something for it.”
“The Law of Equivalent Exchange…you know that’s not necessarily true.”
“We’ve lived so long by that rule that it’s still the only thing I know. People died, we lost those that we loved, but we’re still together.” He drew one more circle within the transmutation circle he was making and turned to Ed. “Do you know what this is? What the significance of it is?”
Ed shook his head.
“This is the circle I used in the underground city to try and bring you back. Although all of those sacrifices were made, I’m glad it worked. I’m glad I’m with you again.”
“But you seem to miss everyone so much….”
Al let out a little laugh, and stood up, pulling Ed to his feet as well. “Of course I miss them! They were our family.”
They started walking along the river towards the house, leaving the transmutation circle behind. “It’s okay for you to miss them too. You try shield yourself, but it only hurts you more.”
Ed was silent for a moment. “Maybe I do wish we could go back, sometimes.”
As soon as he spoke, the hair on the back of his neck stood up, as if the energy in the air turned up a notch.
“Brother….”
He looked at Al, who was staring in shock behind them. His gaze followed, and he stopped his mouth from dropping open.
The transmutation circle was glowing blue…
&&&&&&&&& ;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& ;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& ;&&&&&&&
Emma had been so certain it would work. She had spent two years going over the procedure, perfecting it in every detail. They had her alchemy, they had a circle, and they had something to give in exchange.
And yet it still didn’t work. She had failed. The thought of going back to study what she did wrong made her want to scream. She had done nothing wrong! It had been perfect, god damnit!
She turned to glare balefully at the circle that had failed her, and stopped in her tracks.
“Patrick, where are the chickens?”
“What?”
“The chickens. Did you let them out of the cage?”
“No, of course not. I left them on the….circle….?” He was staring now at the empty crate. The empty, locked, crate.
“Where did they go?” His voice shook. “They were just there a second ago.”
A flash filled the room with blue light, and the siblings had to cover their eyes. The glare faded away to leave the circle glowing softly. “Is it working?” Patrick whispered to Emily.
“It’s working.” Her voice sounded dull with shock. “It’s working! Patrick, we did it!”
She laughed in glee as her eyes were glued on her circle, waiting for Fullmetal to appear. Her smile disappeared as the transmutation circle turned a bright purple, and then a dark red.
“Emma, what’s happening?”
She didn’t hear Patrick over the collective scream that filled the air, coming from the direction of the city. She turned and bolted out side and stared in horror at the city of Lior, the same red glow encompassing the city as the screams continued, a haunting melody.
There was a great boom in the air as the glow seemed to explode, knocking her and Patrick off of their feet to land in the dirt.
She uncovered her eyes and stared desperately at the city.
The screams had stopped.
&&&&&&&&&&a mp;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&a mp;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&a mp;&&&&&&
Back by the river, a breeze gently blew the leaves into a whispering cadence, filling the empty bank with a sweet lullaby.
&&&&&&&&&&a mp;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&a mp;&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&a mp;&&&&&&
(Well, Mujitsu makes a triumphant return. Somewhat. I’ve been out of the writing loop so long, I think I’ve forgotten how to do it. I know that after I finished “Midnight Meets Moonlight” I said I would do a Full Metal Alchemist fic. I don’t know if it’s quite smart of me to start a long-term story now, because I’m so busy….but this one just begged to be written. I hope you liked it. I have big ideas for this one, so be patient with me. If you liked my work before, you know you won’t be disappointed. And if you are…sorry.
Until next time,
Mujitsu)