Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Memory ❯ Chapter 1

Memory

by

Sari-15

~Birthday Fic for Sueric~

~January 13th, 2006~

 

 

“You haven't been home in so long, Al. I've really missed you.”

 

Looking up at the familiar voice, he was surprised to see his childhood friend leaning against the doorway to Izumi-sensei's library. Seeing Winry tended to be bittersweet for Alphonse Elric, the one constant in his life that reminded him that things had changed—the only real proof that he had that the things the rest of the world told him were in fact the truth. Without her around, Al could live in denial of the strange truths in his life.

 

“Sorry,” he answered, pulling out the chair next to him as she entered the library. “I've just been a little absorbed in my studies since I got back here.”

 

“That's what Izumi-san told me,” Winry replied, ruffling his hair as she joined him at the table.. “I think you need a haircut.”

 

“Yeah?” he sighed, marking his place in the textbook before closing it. “Well, I guess I've just been a little busy for that too.”

 

She gave him a weak smile, the pity in her eyes something he couldn't face. “Listen, I know I'll probably be ignored as usual—but don't work yourself too hard, Al.”

 

“You aren't my mother, Winry,” he snapped, grabbing another textbook from the stack before randomly turning the pages open. He didn't care what he was looking at; he just didn't want to focus on her.

 

“I know,” Winry sighed, taking the book from his hands and closing it. “Why won't you even look at me, Al? It makes me feel like I did something wrong.”

 

Al closed his eyes in frustration, burying his hands in his ash brown hair before taking up the obvious challenge put forth by the mechanic. Locking his gaze on her blue eyes, he took a deep breath hoping that maybe—just maybe—she'd give him the answers he needed.

 

“Four years is a long time to lose, Winry. When it comes to the world around me, I can pretend it doesn't matter. People act as if they know me, but only after being told who I am. I don't recognize them, and that's okay because they obviously don't recognize me either. I can pretend they are strangers because for some reason in their own eyes, I am one.

 

“For all the people that do recognize me, like Izumi-sensei, it doesn't bother me. They haven't changed much in the four years I've been gone. I can ignore the look in their eyes, the things like pain and pity they try to hide from me. I can pretend things haven't changed.

 

“Then there is you, Winry. I can't pretend when I look at you,” Al closed his eyes, finally unable to maintain eye contact with his childhood friend. “I see you and I have to face the truth. Suddenly there is a five year age gap between us, and I don't remember you growing up. There are years missing from my life, secrets people won't tell me, and I am reminded of them when I look at you.”

 

“Al…”

 

“The last thing I remember is trying to transmutate my mother, but supposedly I spent four years with Ed. Everyone remembers Ed, everyone says that I was there with him. I don't remember being with him—and no one recognizes me.” Dropping his head to the table, Al took a shaky breath to calm himself. “I don't understand, it's like some big secret that no one wants to tell me. I know something big happened, but no one will tell me. How am I supposed to get him back if I don't know what happened?”

 

“I'll be right back,” Winry managed to choke out as she quickly fled the room.

 

“I should have known she wouldn't tell me either,” he said to himself, rubbing his forehead with the palm of his hand. Pulling the textbook Winry had confiscated back in front of him; he opened it to a random page before skimming the text for something of interest.

 

The door slammed open behind him, making him jump in surprise as he whipped around to find an irate Izumi-sensei storming into the library, Winry on her heels. “You think you are ready to know? The truth is a very painful thing, Alphonse. Do you think you can really handle it?”

 

The array of emotions covering both their faces didn't detour him, he hadn't gotten any answers in the past few months. He thought it was time; he needed to know. “Does it really matter if I can handle it? I can't do anything until I know the truth.”

 

Izumi came around the table, placing her hands on the wood as she stared at him—pain and heartache evident in her brown eyes as she assessed him. “Fair enough, but I need to know some truths from your mouth as well. I already know the answer, but since you don't remember telling me I want you to tell me again. I will give you one answer with your admission. What did you boys try to do that day?”

 

Al's eyes widened before he quickly looked away from his teacher. She grabbed his face with her hand and forced him to maintain eye contact. “I—we tried to transmutate our mom.”

 

The hit that struck him across the face was expected, but the tears that swelled in her eyes following the strike surprised him. She quickly turned away before he could get a good look at them, walking to the window as she stared out of it. “That is for going against my teachings.”

 

“I'm sor--”

 

“Don't apologize, Alphonse. There were reasons that I forced that into the two of you,” Izumi straightened her shoulders, bringing a hand to her stomach before turning around to face him. “Don't think that the two of you have been the only ones to attempt it. Alchemy is based on equivalent exchange; what can someone possibly give to bring back a human life?”

 

“I don't even know what happened,” Al said, lifting a hand to his burning cheek as he watched Izumi fight whatever demons had suddenly appeared for her. “I don't remember anything except the attempt. We failed didn't we?”

 

“Success or failure; they don't matter at the moment. You'll discover those truths for yourself on your own journey. This isn't just my story to tell; there are many others out there that can help you piece together those years.” Izumi held her hand out to Winry. The mechanic handed his teacher a picture frame, a sad smile covering both of their faces. “The two of you aren't the only ones to attempt a human transmutation, though I am sure you were the youngest. It's the consequences of the attempt that matter, so success or failure have no real meaning—I lost a large portion of my internal organs when I tried it.”

 

Izumi placed the picture frame face down on the table in front of him, far enough away that he would have to reach for it. “My answers are there? In a picture?” He looked at Winry, who wouldn't make eye contact with him before turning back to Izumi.

 

“Yes, if you really think you are ready to find out the truth—it is there in front of you. It is your choice.”

 

“If I want to find my brother, I need to know everything or I won't know where to look.” Al stared at the first big puzzle piece as he debated whether to look at it or not, he closed his eyes and reached for the frame. Pulling it to himself, he clutched it against his chest as he looked at Izumi. “I will know the consequences; what happened during the transmutation, right?”

 

Izumi sat down in the chair across from him. “Yes, I will tell you everything that happened that day. The rest of your answers you will have to find on your own.”

 

Slowly he lowered the picture from his chest, getting his first look at the four years that were missing from his life. Staring back at him was the smiling face of his brother standing next to a suit of armor that had stood in the corner of the library of their home when they were growing up. Fingering the familiar sight he noticed something different about Edward in the photo. “Automail?” he asked, turning to look at Winry.

 

Winry nodded sadly, “Yes, I fashioned it for him before the two of you left. Of course he kept getting into trouble while he was gone and I would have to go make repairs on him.”

 

“So, he lost an arm and leg during the transmutation?”

 

“No,” Izumi answered quietly. “He lost the leg when the two of you transmutated your mother. The arm was his sacrifice for affixing your soul to the suit of armor so he didn't lose all of you too.”

 

He stared at the suit of armor in the picture as the implications of her words sunk in. Dropping the frame against the table, the shattering of glass was the only noise that graced the room until he finally found the words to ask the question on the tip of his tongue. “Are you trying to say that I am that suit of armor?”

 

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

 

Apparently `Never attempt Human Transmutation' wasn't the only teaching they had gone against in the four years he was missing. Al looked at the address Winry's friend Shesca had given him before they parted ways. Though for the life of him he couldn't figure out why Ed had joined the Military, it just didn't make sense. `Brigadier General Mustang; that's the only name Sensei would give me. Who is he? What does he know about my past?'

 

Matching the address on the piece of paper to the house in front of him, Al knew he had found his location. According to Shesca, Ed had served beneath Mustang during his time in the military but the Brigadier General had been injured while on duty and might not be up for visitors yet. Since it was the only clue he had, Al didn't really have a choice but to hope that he was willing to talk to him.

 

Knocking, he heard some rustling around immediately behind the door before an attractive blond woman pulled it open. She paused for a moment, staring at him in a way that made him instantly want to run for cover. “I don't really like kids, so incase you have some reason for being here, I suggest you leave before I let my dog play with you.”

 

“I-I-I have a reason,” he blurted, the harmless-looking dog not worrying him as much as the deadly glare he received from its owner. “I'm looking for the Brigadier General. I was told he might be here.”

 

“He's here but not really up to having visitors,” she answered, stepping away from the door as she started to close it.

 

“I'm Alphonse Elric!” he yelled, not sure what that would do to help his effort but it was the first thing that came to mind. Apparently it worked, since the door stopped right before it slammed in his face.

 

Slowly, the door reopened and the face that met him was much softer than it had been moments before. “Alphonse? I should have guessed that on my own. If your hair was just a little longer you would be a spitting image of your brother. Come in, we'll see if he'll talk with you.”

 

Following the woman up the stairs, she threw open the door without knocking and forcefully announced his arrival. “You have a visitor, Sir.”

 

“Tell whoever it is to come back later,” a voice growled in response.

 

“He says his name is Alphonse Elric.”

 

A short period of silence followed before he heard a muttered, “Fine, send him in.”

 

The woman moved aside to allow him entrance to the room, giving Al his first glance at Brigadier General Mustang. Apparently, he was gaining entrance to his bedroom, since Mustang was sitting up in bed surrounded by blankets as he inspected Al with his one eye uninjured eye. “I must say, it's nice to see you again, Alphonse. Riza, can you bring that bag for me?”

 

“Yes, sir,” she replied before taking her leave.

 

“I'm sorry to bother you, sir. I just had some questions that I was told you might be able to answer,” Al said, tentatively stepping into the room.

 

“Go ahead and sit down,” Mustang said, indicating the chair that sat next to the bed. “I heard that your memories never came back.”

 

“No, sir.”

 

“What did you want to know?”

 

He'd thought about it long and hard on his way to Central; he still had a lot of questions about what happened to Ed that he needed to have answered but something told him the Brigadier General wouldn't give him the answers he needed right now. “Sensei said that you are the one who recruited Ed for the military. Is that the truth?”

 

Mustang adjusted the strap on his eye patch before answering, “Well, I recruited both of you. Honestly, I was surprised you both passed the entrance exam.”

 

“You mean I took the alchemy exam too?” Al stood up from his chair as he stared in amazement at the Brigadier General.

 

“Actually, you scored higher than him on the written exam, but we decided that it would be better if only Ed finished out the testing.” Mustang gave him a pointed glare, before adding, “Considering your condition at the time, we thought that would be best.”

 

He nodded, sitting down in his chair again under the Brigadier General's glare. “Why though? Why would either of us want to join the military?”

 

“Easy, you wanted to find the Philosopher's Stone.”

 

“But that's just a myth, isn't it?” Al asked, digging his fingers into the armrests of the chair.

 

“Excuse me, sir. I brought the bag you asked for.”

 

“Good, bring it here.” Mustang pointed to the floor next to him as the woman entered the room. “Alphonse, this is Riza Hawkeye—one of my lieutenants.”

 

“Nice to meet you,” he said, standing up to shake her hand.

 

“It's nice to see you again, Al,” she replied, shaking his hand briefly with a grip that made him wince before turning back to the Brigadier General. “Do you need anything else before I go?”

 

“I don't think so,” Mustang replied as she headed out the door. Once she was out of earshot, Al noticed him smile. “I don't know how she puts up with me…”

 

“Sir, the Philosopher's Stone?”

 

Mustang scratched his head, “That's something you'll have to discover for yourself. The two of you learned a lot on your journey and it wasn't often that you weren't there by his side. Ed created quite the stir in the military and was pretty popular with the people. I am sure we have a nice large file on him.” He frowned, looking at the bag on the floor. “They are military files, though. I don't know how you could get them without the right credentials.”

 

“Sir, do you have any information that could help me figure out what happened to Ed?”

 

“Truthfully, I have my suspicions—as does your teacher, I am sure. I think these are answers that you need to discover on your own though.” Mustang sighed, lifting a hand to rub his forehead. “That bag is for you; don't forget to take it when you go. First, I have a story to tell you about something you might not be able to discover right away.”

 

Pulling the bag towards him, Al frowned; he was confused about what the Brigadier General would be giving him. “What is it?”

 

“You can look at it later. I need to tell you about something that happened around the time that the two of you were preparing for the exam. I placed you with Shao Tucker, the sewing life alchemist. He had successfully created a talking Chimera a couple of years earlier and I thought that he would be a good person for the two of you to be around as you studied for the exam. Looking back, that probably wasn't the best choice for you.”

 

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

 

Al wandered around Central, not really sure what to think about his visit with Brigadier General Mustang. They had been just kids when they learned the truth of Shao Tucker's research, had been forced to grow up in order to deal with the job that Ed had decided to embark on. He couldn't help but think that learning someone they respected—a mentor—had used his own family members in his research would have made a huge impact in their lives.

 

A man they met had sacrificed his four-year-old daughter for science. Tasting bile in the back of his throat, Al rushed for the nearest bush, dropping the bag he carried in the process. He didn't think he could handle this, knowing Mustang had told him this was just the tip of the iceberg he would uncover. He didn't even remember this little girl—he couldn't imagine how he had felt at the time. Apparently, Ed had turned in his State Alchemist watch, furious because he believed government officials would cover up the entire incident.

 

Brigadier General Mustang had told him the story, because that is exactly what had happened. It was information that no matter how much research he did, Al would never find it.

 

Ed had been a State Alchemist though, so in the end he hadn't turned in his watch. There had to have been a reason he was so determined to find information on the Philosopher's Stone.

 

Getting to his feet as the wave of nausea passed, Al walked over to pick up the belongings that had fallen from the bag when he dropped it. He'd been told that they were some of the contents of Ed's locker and his personal belongings. It contained three items, each something that appeared to be items of importance to his brother.

 

Picking up a photograph of the two of them, Al smiled wondering what things had been like during their travels. How hard was it for them to hide the fact that they had attempted human transmutation when he was traveling around with a suit of armor? Who had they met? What did they learn?

 

Al picked up the State Alchemist watch, studying the military insignia covering the front of it. `I still can't believe he joined the military. Why? Why would finding information about the Philosopher's Stone be that important?' He flipped open the front of the watch, it needed wound as the hands had stopped. Inside the cover, he noticed an inscription: “Don't forget 3 Oct 11.”

 

Burying his hand in his hair, he knew that date was after the attempt to transmutate their mom but didn't know what it was Ed didn't want to forget. “Is it around the time that Nina died?” he said to himself, picking up the last item from the bag. “Someone has to know what it means, right? I can at least figure out where we were and what we were doing around that time.”

 

Getting to his feet, he tossed the bright red jacket over his shoulder as he placed the watch and photo in his pocket. Pulling out the slip of paper that Mustang had given him, it listed his first destination: the Youswell coalmines. He knew getting some of the answers he needed wouldn't be easy; the last time that anyone had seen him, he'd been a suit of armor.

 

“I don't know how he did it,” Mustang smiled to himself, looking out the window. “Your brother wasn't just another `dog of the military' to the people he helped. `The Fullmetal Alchemist' was a name that people respected. They knew who he was on sight, whether he was with you or not—the young alchemist in the red coat. The sight of him brought hope to people who needed it.”

 

Remembering Mustang's comment during their conversation, Al pulled the jacket off his shoulder, looking it over carefully. It was the same one Ed had worn in both of the pictures he'd seen of them during those years. `He definitely would have stood out,' he thought to himself. `With or without an empty suit of armor.'

 

“Alphonse?I should have guessed that on my own. If your hair was just a little longer you would be a spitting image of your brother. Come in, we'll see if he'll talk with you.”

 

Riza Hawkeye's words ran through his head as he stared at the jacket. No, he wasn't his brother—he'd never be a State Alchemist; his temper wasn't nearly as quick to fire, and he tended to think things through a little more than Ed. He'd do anything to get his brother back though, and this journey would be the only way he could learn the truth.

 

Edward had been a champion for the people, and Al intended to follow in his footsteps during his journey. His hair may not be long enough to pull back in a ponytail yet, but it would be soon. His face may not be recognizable as Alphonse Elric to those who knew him as a suit of armor—but those who would recognize the armor would recognize an alchemist in a red coat.

 

Slipping his arms into the sleeves of the jacket, Al smiled. His brother had left behind a name for himself and Al would follow the path he forged to discover what he had done to create it. He would find his answers as he brought hope to the people, reminding them that once there had been another alchemist in a red jacket that had brought them that same optimism. Alphonse Elric would forge his own name through the memory of his brother.

 

He wouldn't let them forget Edward Elric—it was the memories of the people that would help him get his brother back

 

 

 

I do not own Full Metal Alchemist or the characters affiliated with the Manga and Anime. They are the property of Hiromu Arakawa…I am just `borrowing' them for my own nefarious deeds. I own nothing, suing me won't help anyone.

Sari-15