Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Eye of the Beholder ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

Eye of the Beholder

 

LadyMad

 

Chapter One

 

He had tried…and failed. The power had been too great, just as they had been told. His unconscious mind spun with reasons why it had failed but to no avail. He could still hear his brother's screams just like before only this time his soul wouldn't come back.

 

“We have it, Brother. We have the Philosopher's Stone!” Al cried. Ed smiled and looked up at him.

 

“Yeah, we do. Now we can get back to normal!” Ed screamed out into the sunshine. Al laughed the hollow cavity his soul was held within lighting up with the sound of it. The two went to the first warehouse they found and drew the circle, the stone in the middle and ready. Ed closed his eyes, brought his hands together, and slammed them onto the concrete floor.

 

The yellow light shot up from the circle, a black light shooting up from the stone. Once again, Al was pulled into the circle, screaming as before. Ed reached out with his metallic hand. “Reach.” He said to himself as he clenched his teeth. His arm began to burn, as did his leg. He was thrown back, knocked unconscious by the concrete wall. Al screamed as his `body' and soul were whisked away…forever.

 

Ed's eyes fluttered open and he looked around the warehouse. It was completely trashed. His once neat braid was undone and hanging around his shoulders. The stone lay perfectly still in the center of the circle in the center of the room. Al was nowhere to be found. He tried to call out his brother's name but it hurt to speak, to move. He shifted slightly, trying to subside the pain in his left leg…Ed looked down. The left leg of his pants had been torn away, the metal leg gone. In its place was his own, fleshy leg. He reached out his metallic right hand to touch it, only to discover his right arm was flesh again, too!

 

He tried to be happy about this gain but found he couldn't…not without Al. He'd lost the only person he had left. Al had been the last person who gave a damn. Tears stung Ed's eyes and quickly poured out over his cheeks. He clenched his teeth and looked down at the floor then closed his eyes. The tears still came. He screamed out his brother's name over and over, hoping Al would come out from a corner or something and prove he was alright; prove he'd just hid to scare him. Al never came out from a corner, never spoke a word, never took a step, and never would again.

 

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

“…from the shock.” A voice said as Ed came around.

 

“Yes, but he'll be alright?” A feminine voice asked.

 

“He should be back to normal in a day or two.” A deep, manly voice responded.

 

“Aside from the fact that he just lost his brother.” Another voice interjected.

 

“Quiet!” The girl's voice ordered in a whisper. “I don't want him to be startled awake!” It was suddenly silent and then a few pairs of footsteps walked from the room. A door opened and closed and the footsteps walked farther away. Ed's eyes opened and he looked around the whiteness of the hospital room. His entire body felt weird, not having to cart around the metallic limbs anymore. As much as he wanted to be happy, he couldn't find it within himself to be happy. After all, he'd only reclaimed his limbs at the cost of his brother's life. He sat up and looked at his arm. Tears burned his eyes and he sat up, putting his head in his hands. His shoulders shook as he cried. The door opened and there was a pounding of feet and a gentle hand on his shoulder.

 

“Ed, are you okay? What's wrong?” Winry asked, worry touching her voice. Ed threw her off and looked her straight in her eyes, boring into her soul.

 

“I just lost my brother, that's what's wrong!” He screamed. He tore the IV needles from his arms, ripped away the blanket and stepped from the bed. Winry backed up from him until she bumped into the wall behind her. He screamed at the top of his lungs, grabbed a tray and threw it across the room. It just barely missed Winry and she turned, running out of the room. Ed screamed with all his might and dropped to his knees, ignoring the pain that shot throughout his legs. It was his fault his brother was dead! He killed his brother! If he hadn't wanted his fucking limbs back so much, his brother would still be alive! Ed's eyes traveled down to his right arm. He began scratching at it with his left hand. His nails dug deeply, causing blood to gush out, run down his arm, and pool at his fingertips.

 

He scratched at it harder and harder right at the shoulder trying desperately to tear it off, maybe regain his brother's life. His picked up at IV needle and began stabbing his shoulder over and over again, tears running down his face. Armstrong burst into the room and ran to Ed's side.

 

“Edward!” He screamed, snatching the needle from the boy's hand. “Edward! Listen to me!” He picked Ed up and hugged him closely causing him to be immobile. Ed kicked and screamed like a child against him, wanting badly to severe his arm. Roy Mustang walked into the room. He stopped and stared with wide eyes at Ed's behavior. A nurse rushed past him and put a needle carefully in Edward's uninjured arm, squeezing from it the yellow liquid. In a matter of seconds, Ed calmed down and went limp, finally passing out in Armstrong's arms. His grip loosened and he carefully put the boy in the bed. The nurse immediately began patching Ed's arm.

 

“Well, he's never behaved like that before.” Armstrong said.

 

“Like I already said, he just lost his brother.” Mustang responded, looking into the face of the fifteen year old alchemist. “Did you find it?” He asked. Armstrong looked at Mustang and shook his head.

 

“The stone was already gone when we found Edward.”

 

“Why did I think it would be?” He asked more to himself than Armstrong. Mustang's eyes finally found the man's before him. “Keep an eye on him and inform me at once if he awakens.” Armstrong nodded. Roy Mustang turned and left the room.

 

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

“Brother.” Al's voice echoed in Ed's head. He opened his eyes and looked around. Al stood about thirty feet before him, large grey eyes filled with innocence. He was just as Edward remembered him. A child forever. Secretly, as Ed walked toward his brother, he was afraid Al would begin backing away from him. However, Al stood still awaiting his brother. “Brother.” Al said again. A smile filled his face, just as one filled Ed's. Ed stopped before his younger brother and looked at him. He quickly took Al in his arms and hugged him, tears streaming down his face. “Brother!” Ed quickly backed up and looked at Al. His hands and feet began turning to ash.

 

“Al, wha—what's happening?” Al suddenly stared deeply into Ed's eyes, hating filling his own.

 

“You killed me, Brother. You killed and Mom and you made Dad leave.” Al whispered. Ed shook his head, slowly backing away. “You killed me, Brother. You!” Ed shook his head harder and faster, more tears rolling heavily down his face.

 

“No, I didn't mean…I didn't want it…Al!” Alphonse suddenly turned completely to dust and was swept away. “ALPHONSE!!”

 

“NOOO!!!” Ed shot up in the bed and looked around. He breathed heavily, sweat and tears soaking his face and neck. Alex Armstrong was suddenly startled awake. His eyes were wide when he looked at Ed.

 

“Hey, you're awake.” He said and got to his feet. “Stay here, I'll be back in a minute.” Ed allowed himself to lie back on the sweat drenched pillow and look up at the ceiling of the room. Winry poked her head into the room and slowly walked in. Ed looked at her but kept from looking into her eyes.

 

“Edward, I'm sorry I upset you earlier.” She said, her head down and hands clasped in front of her. Ed pulled himself up in a sitting position again and looked at her.

 

“No. You don't have to apologize. It's me who has to apologize. I just…I don't know what came over me. You didn't deserve any of that.” He said gently.

 

“Maybe I did.” Before she could finish, Mustang walked into the room and looked at Ed and then at the bandage on the boy's right arm. His eyes swung to Winry and he cleared his throat. She pushed up off the wall and walked from the room.

 

“I was talking to her.” Edward said.

 

“Well, now I need to talk to you.” Mustang responded, his eyes filled with something that Ed couldn't place. “We need to know what happened to you and your brother when you first lost your arm and leg. And then we need to know what happened this last time with the Philosopher's Stone.” Wide eyed, Ed just stared at him. He'd been hoping that the occasion of talking about that would never arise…but here it was smacking him in the face.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because, there are some that are charging you with the involuntary murder of your brother.” Ed's eyes became as huge as baseballs, trying to hold back his tears and frustration.

 

“They're charging me wi…with Al's…murder?”

 

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

A/N: Well, here's the first chapter. Drama, drama, drama, huh? Anyway. Let me know what you think of it. This is my first fic on FMA so I apologize if the characters are off.