Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Disaster or Destiny? ❯ The Red Stone ( Chapter 21 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

I kneeled on the wet grass, staring at the ground and waiting to wake up from this nightmare. Ed kneeled in front of me and lifted my chin to face him. I stared blankly into his dismal eyes, unable to utter a word.

“Marie, listen to me. When I met Russell he was working on what they call a red stone. It’s an incomplete version of the Philosopher’s Stone, but powerful nonetheless. In Xenotime, where I met him, there was a man named Mugear who was hiding what they were really doing from the public. The red water they used seeped into the town’s water supply and many people became sick.” He paused for a moment, but when I didn’t respond continued. “Dr. Marcoh used a prototype of the Stone, pretty much the same thing as the red stones Russell was making, to heal a little girl that was sick from the red water. When I left, Russell offered to teach me how to make the red stones. I refused, but if I ask again I’m sure he’ll teach me.”

Everything felt so unreal. My mind was cluttered with a million different thoughts, yet I was too paralyzed mentally and physically to attempt to make sense of any of them. I continued to stare blankly at him, but wasn’t really seeing him. I was reminded of his presence and brought back to reality when he gently placed a hand on my shoulder.

I felt my love and admiration for Ed grow as I realized what he was doing for me. Without hesitation, he began thinking of a way to prevent my death, even though the very thing he was searching for was sitting right in front of him. In a sense, I was the Philosopher’s Stone now, and all he had to do was perform the transmutation.

With difficulty, I found my voice and replied in a near whisper, “What are the chances of that working?”

He seemed uncomfortable by the situation, as if unsure of how to act around me. “Well, Marcoh did it, so I don’t see why I can’t.”

The small glimmer of hope that I began to feel was tainted with a sense of selfishness and guilt. I had the ability to give Ed and Al what they had failed to obtain after three years of searching, and here Ed was desperately thinking of any possible way to keep that opportunity from presenting itself.

“Edward,” I breathed, avoiding his gaze, “If it doesn’t work, I -“

He once againt turned my head so I faced him and said resolutely, “It will work.”

“But if it doesn’t -” I breathed, averting my eyes again, “I want you to make the Stone. I want you and Al to use it to get back what you lost.”

Edward shook his head in disbelief. His voice was quiet and solemn. “How can you even suggest that?”

For some reason I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. A nagging doubt in the back of my mind was telling me that this next week could very well be last days I spent with him. “Because I want you and Al to be happy,” I whispered.

His voice gained volume as he protested, “How happy do you think Al would be, knowing he got what he wanted only at the cost of your life? How happy do you think I would be, living with the knowledge that the person I love died for my sins?” His eyes found mine and he held me with his intense gaze. “That is not Equivalent Exchange. The life Al and I lead is my fault and mine alone, and I will not allow anyone but myself to pay for what I have done.”

My eyes began to brim with tears. “Ed, if I’m going to die anyway then it would be foolish not to take advantage of it!”

He struggled to maintain his composure as he stood up, pocketing the letter and pulling me to my feet. “Don’t say that. Ever.”

He laced his fingers in mine and we walked back to H.Q. in silence, lost in our thoughts.

I wasn’t really in the mood to talk to anyone, but followed Ed into H.Q. anyway. Ed burst into Mustang’s office, his clothes and hair sopping wet. I followed behind timidly, not looking up at the Colonel as we entered.

Mustang stood up, looking alarmed. “Edward, what’s going on? What was in that letter?”

Ed slammed his hands on Mustang’s desk and ignored his questions. “You have to help me track someone down. I need to speak with him NOW.”

Seeing Ed’s anxious face, Mustang wisely decided to save his interrogation for later. Ed gave him Russell Tringham’s name and asked that he contact authorities in as many cities in Amestris as possible and ask them to conduct a search. At this request, Mustang hesitated.

“That’s an awfully lofty demand, Ed. You’ll have to give them a damn good reason before they‘ll ever comply to something like that.”

“Use threats! Blackmail! Bribery! Just do what ever you have to, but I have to speak with him as soon as possible!” Ed argued, pounding his fist on the desk.

Mustang sighed and folded his arms. “Ed, if you’ll just tell me what’s going on then I’ll do what I can to help. But I won’t be able to convince them to do anything unless I understand the situation.”

Ed glanced back at me, and Mustang seemed to notice for the first time that I was there. He cocked his head to the side questioningly and asked, “Marie, are you alright?”

I nodded to Ed, and he handed Mustang the letter. Roy squinted to read the now smudged writing, his expression growing darker the more he read. He slowly set the letter on his desk and continued to stare at it in silence for a moment. Once again, the situation became awkward as he gave me an odd look that was a combination of disbelief and sympathy. He finally broke the uncomfortable silence as he picked up his phone and asked Ed, “Then this guy you’re looking for can help her?”

Ed nodded and Mustang immediately started making calls. Ed and I sat of the sofa as he called various city authorities, informing them that Russell Tringham had to be found immediately and was to be sent to East City by order of the Fuhrer. He could get into trouble for lying like that, and I suddenly felt an admiration for the Colonel that I never thought possible.

He finally returned the phone to its cradle and turned to Ed and I. “They’re going to contact me as soon as they find him and send him on his way.”

Abandoning all formality I stood up, walked over to the Colonel and gave him a hug. “Thanks, Roy,” I whispered, hardly believing what I was doing.

Baffled at first from this rare show of affection, he finally returned the gesture. His voice was unusually kind and comforting as he replied, “No problem kiddo. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

I nodded and turned to Ed, who exchanged a rare smile with the Colonel before the two of us left his office.

He put a comforting arm around my shoulders as we walked through the rain to our rooms. “There’s nothing to worry about now. Russell will know what to do.” He sounded as though he was trying to convince himself more than he was me, but I nodded anyway and leaned my head on his shoulder. His touch was the only thing that offered any comfort.

I felt a little better after we told Al. He took the news really hard at first, but when he learned that Russell was coming he seemed confident that there was nothing to worry about. Less than two hours later the Colonel came personally to tell us Russell was on his way.

Ed waited impatiently for him to arrive, pacing the floor and glancing out the window every few minutes. I continued to cough and cursed myself for staying out in the rain so long in my already ill condition.

Ed turned to me with a guilty look. “Damn it, I can’t believe I didn’t see it. The symptoms, the alchemy; I should have realized what was wrong.” He finally ceased his pacing and sat down next to me. I noticed his eyes wander to the scar on my arm. His somber voice lowered as he added, “Especially since I was the one that gave you the wounds that allowed the red water poisoning in the first place. If I hadn’t let Thomas get the better of me this never - “

I held a finger up to his lips and looked intently into his eyes. “Ed, if I hear you blame yourself for that one more time I’m going to beat your head in, got it?”

Ed took the hand I was holding up and kissed it. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help it.”

I was going to argue when Russell burst through the door looking anxious. “Ed? What’s going on? The Colonel told me it was an emergency.”

“It is, Russell,” he replied, standing up. “How long will it take to make a red stone? Like the one you and Fletcher were working on in Xenotime?”

He shrugged, surprised at the question. “Depends on how powerful you want it to be. If you worked non stop, you could probably get a fairly decent one done in a week or so - “

With that Ed grabbed his coat and turned to Russell. “Well then, we’d better get started because that‘s all the time we have.”

Russell face contorted in confusion. “What do you need a red stone for, I thought you wanted the Philosopher’s Stone? And where do you plan on getting all the red water it requires?”

“The three of us were made aware of a fairly large supply in a city called Haden,” he recollected, referring to the incident with the homunculi. “My guess is the military’s got it now, and the Colonel is going to help us get it. Let’s go, I‘ll explain it on the way.” He grabbed a bewildered looking Russell by the wrist and began dragging him out the door.

I ran over and grabbed Ed’s sleeve, shooting him a worried glance. He released Russell and turned to me. “Ed, isn’t it dangerous for you to be around the red water? I don’t want you working with that stuff…”

He suddenly pulled me into an intense, breathtaking kiss. It was unlike any kiss we’d ever shared, and left me breathless and weak in the knees. I was amazed - but pleased nonetheless - that he’d done it in front of Al and Russell. In his hurry he pulled away quickly and caressed my cheek. “Russell knows what he’s doing, we’ll be fine. I don’t want you coming though, you’re already in bad shape and it really wouldn’t be good for you to get around the water before it’s compressed into a Stone. Just take it easy, alright?”

Al moved toward the door. “Brother, I want to help!“

Ed gave Al a final glance before rushing away with Russell, who was still staring dumbly at Ed. “Al, I’m counting on you to take care of her while we‘re gone. We’ll find a place close by to make the stones, so we can probably come back at night to sleep. That all depends on how fast this goes.”

With that he dragged Russell to H.Q., no doubt to start nagging the Colonel on the wherabouts of the red water that the homunculi had gathered in Haden.

After I recovered from the kiss enough to at least come back to reality, I walked back inside and sat next to Al on the bed.

After a long silence, he put a hand on my shoulder. “I wouldn’t worry about what was in that letter. I’ve seen what the red stone can do, and it has been used to cure someone with a condition exactly like yours.”

I nodded, and he added somewhat shyly, “And after that kiss, it’s obvious brother’s not going to give up until he gets it made.”

I blushed a little and leaned against his arm. Even though it was cold metal, it was somehow comforting. “Al, I’m sorry about this. I’m distracting you two from what you should really be working on.”

He shook his head. “You’re our friend, Marie. Taking care of each other comes first, right?”

I smiled for the first time that day, but it quickly disappeared as I remembered what I really wanted to tell him. Behind the hope that was finally becoming more than a fantasy, there was still that chance that something would go wrong. As hard as it was, I made myself accept this. “Al, I want you to promise me something.”

“Sure.”

“If this doesn’t work, I want you to make the Stone.” He began to protest but I stopped him. “Don’t bother, I already heard from it all from Ed. But it would be stupid for you not to if you get the chance. I want you to know that I want you to do that if anything happens.”

“Marie, it’s not your job to help Ed and I get back what we lost - “

I looked up at him, annoyed. “Oh Al, you sound just like your brother. Both of you need to stop being so self-critical.”

“But it’s the truth, Equiv - “

I stood up and held my hands up to silence him. “Alphonse, that law doesn’t apply to everything. Sometimes you have to bend the rules in order to get what you need. Besides, it doesn’t work well outside of alchemy. There are very few people who live by that rule, humans are just too selfish.”

Al sighed. “I know you’re right. But Equivalent Exchange is the whole reason I’m trapped in this armor, I can’t just disregard something that’s shaped the way my entire life’s turned out.”

I walked over to the box of restless kittens, who were struggling to get free. I kneeled down and started taking them out. “I’m not asking you to. I’m just saying that if something happens, I want the two of you to use it to your advantage.”

I never did get him to agree.

We didn’t see Ed or Russell for the rest of the night or the next day, and that night I finally went to see the Colonel to ask where they were making the red stone. Unfortunately, he refused to tell me anything.

“But they’ve been gone for almost two days!” I protested.

He shrugged. “Sorry Marie. Ed specifically asked me not to tell you.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And since when do you listen to Ed?”

“I promised him I wouldn’t tell you. It’s dangerous for you to go there anyway.”

I continued to beg in vain until he finally steered me out of his office. “Ed’s fine. You’ll only interrupt them if you go. Stop worrying so much about him and think about yourself. Let him finish this and you can forget that letter was ever written.”

He gave me a ressuring smile when we reached the door and I shuffled back to the barracks. I had to deal with an I-told-you-so attitude from Al when I got back, and we eventually ended up playing with the kittens until I fell asleep.

I woke to the sounds of a hushed conversation. I lifted off the blanket that Al must have put there and saw Ed and Russell speaking with him.

“You two look beat, are you okay?” I inquired of the two exhausted looking blondes. “Please tell me you’ve slept since you left.”

Ed tried to stifle a yawn. “Not much.”

“The only reason we got to leave at all is because the Colonel offered to watch the place for a few hours while we took a break. We have to go back soon,” Russell added.

I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry about this, Russell. You shouldn’t have to be dealing with this right now.”

Russell smiled and waved off my apology. “Don’t worry about it. Ed let me know what’s going on and I can understand why you need me.” He gave me a sympathetic look. “And don’t worry, alright? If we keep working like this we’ll get that stone made within the week.”

I finally realized what seemed missing from the picture, and asked, “Where’s Fletcher?”

“He’s fine, he’s staying with a friend. I didn’t want to drag him along.”

I nodded and stood up. “Well if you only have a few hours then you should get some sleep.”

Russell stood and went to the door. “The Colonel gave me a key to the next room, so grab me when you’re ready, Ed.”

Al followed him out. “There’s no sense in the Colonel staying up all night. I’ll go take watch.”

I guessed Ed and Russell must have told him where it was when they were talking. “But Al, are you sure?”

He nodded and the two of them left.

I sighed and sat back down on the bed. “I can’t believe how much trouble I’m causing all of you.”

Ed sat down next to me. “It’s not your fault. Anyway it’ll all be over within a few more days, according to Russell.”

“Is it tough to do?” I asked.

“It’s a complicated process, yes. But Russell’s used to it and it’s really just more time and attention comsuming than anything else. You have to be there almost constantly, but Russell said we’d reached a point where we could leave it for a few hours. We were going to just stay there but Mustang showed up and offered to stand watch so we could come back and get some sleep.” He paused before adding, “Plus I figured you missed me.”

I looked over and saw he was wearing a mischievous grin.

I shrugged. “I dunno, it was kind of peaceful while you were gone.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked with a scowl.

I smiled and threw my arms around him, and we both fell onto the bed. “Of course I missed you.”

There was a comfortable silence as we laid there, my head on his chest and his arm around my waist.

“I could fall asleep like this,” he whispered.

“Then do, you sound exhausted.”

Within minutes I could tell from the rhythm of his chest rising and falling beneath me that he was asleep. I soon followed, sleeping soundly for the first time since he’d left.

I woke up snuggled against Ed, who was laying on his side. The first rays of sun dappled the room with light and I closed my eyes peacefully again, momentarily forgetting that the coming of morning was to take from him from me.

I was brought harshly back to reality when Ed spoke, in a voice still raspy from just having woken up. “Damn, morning already?”

I looked at him with half-closed eyes. “Are you sure there’s nothing I can do to help?”

He kissed my cheek before standing up and slowly pulling on his coat. “Russell and I’ve got it under control. I don’t want to risk you getting near that water, it might have a weird affect on you. Speaking of which, how do you feel?”

“The same,” I lied. Each morning I felt a little worse, and breathing became a little harder. But I still wasn’t bad enough to where I couldn’t hide it and I didn’t want to worry him. “And Ed, let Al help if he offers. There’s no sense in him staying here because of me.”

Ed reluctantly agreed, and I collapsed back onto the bed after he left. Next door I caught a sample of his conversation with Russell as the latter stepped outside.

“So, did you get any sleep or were you and Marie doing something else?” Russell asked coyly.

I could picture Ed’s face as they started walking away and he argued, “Get off my back, will you? And for your information, I slept just fine…” I couldn’t help but laugh as their voices faded into the distance. I ended up falling asleep again afterwards.

A sudden drop in the temperature caused me to wake up, and I gasped at the sight of ice coating the walls. It covered the floor and blocked the door.

With the temperature seeming to drop even lower every second, I searched in vain for an exit. I screamed, but the ice was getting so thick I doubted anyone could hear me.

I tried to avoid standing still, but was soon too frozen to move. I fell to the icy floor and wrapped my arms around myself. I racked my brain for any ideas as to what I could do, but as time went by I felt my thoughts slipping away and my mind started to go blank.

I was only half conscious when I heard the cracking of ice and the door burst open. I could make out a silhouette in the door, but by then I was unable to make myself move or to even register what I was seeing. The last thing I saw before passing out were two vaguely familiar green eyes staring down at me…