Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Protection ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

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

Guess whose back, back again, Ashley's back, tell a friend!?*does a little jig* Yes, I know that was rather corny, `cause one… it was just corny, and two… I've been here the whole time so… yeah. Why yes, I am retarded*bows*

(Algernon) Everyone knows that.*sarcastic voice*

(Dms) What the hell are you doing in here? This isn't your gawddamn story… be gone nimrod!*pushes out of story*

Any who. I am starting a fan-fic for Fullmetal Alchemist. I have original stories… but none fan….full? So yeah, it's a yaoi between my all time favorite character and heart throb… Scar*glomp-clings* and…… *drum roll* Alphonse Elric!*squee*

Why this couple you ask, or you don't, anyways I'm telling you >.> Heh. Well this is my all time favorite couple. I've noticed that Scar isn't in any yaoi fan fics, or none that

I've seen, so I figured hell… make one with my fav. Couple *squee*

Going to have major spoilers as you will see ahead in the story, and it isn't fully planned but I have an idea*prepares for flamers* don't hurt me…too bad.

I find this couple adorable because of certain issues I have going on inside of my head, plus how sweet Scar (or how I think he was) was towards Al when they were at lab 5.

So yesh, enjoy and please leave comments or ideas you would like me to add to the story, I don't mind if somebody has something in particular they want to happen or places they want them to go. Also I do not own any of these characters in anyway (though I wish I owned Scar*wink* as me being a major Scar fan)

All characters owned by Hiromu Arakawa, their creator so blah.

*prepares for flamers once more* Bring forth the critics!*battle screech*

Oh, and the point of views will vary in chapters; this one is Scar's point of view…

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Protection

`Chapter One'

Blood, so much blood. How can I still be alive, or is it, how `am' I alive? I used myself as an ingredient in the philosopher's stone. So much pain, but now, now I lie here, in this room that I am not familiar with. My body like it was before I died, both arms gone, blood pouring from each, but no bullet wounds. How is this possible? Who in the Hell brought me back, and how, why? I can't think on this right now, someone is approaching the small rotted door that I lie inches from. This is a cellar I suppose, filthy with dried corpses and the smell of sulfur, my stomach churns ailing at this odorous room. I-I can't stay…… a-awake.

Thud.

The next thing I remember when I opened my eyes was sunshine that kissed my cheeks in several different places. The stench no longer lingered around me, in fact, the smell was different. A soft, sweet fragrance of wild flowers and earthy soil. This was not the dank, filthy basement, no, I was elsewhere. My stubs were wrapped tightly in layers of bandages, a damp cloth placed on my forehead. Where am I?

“Well Al, you're just going to have to get over the fact that you can't just barge in and expect him to… oh, I see you're awake.” A young girl with golden tresses pulled back in a bandana smiled gently, carrying a wide-brimmed bowl in her hands. Just a few feet behind her was a small boy looking rather timid. His golden eyes wide and innocent as he stared dumbfounded at me, clutching the girls' arm softly, as though an attempt to hide but he carelessly staggered from side to side.(A/N+ Heh, I rhymed) At first glance something like hatred brewed inside of me. His physical appearance was ghastly relative to Edward Elric, evenly known around as the Fullmetal Alchemist. If it weren't for his small size I would have suspected it to be Edward, but he was much more timorous, soft spoken and gentle. His appearance too was different from Fullmetal.

His hair slightly toned more than the other and cut short, bangs brushed to the side. He was shorter than the other, though only about a foot or so.

“I'm sorry if we woke you.” The girl murmured lightly as she entered the room and placed the bowl on the small bedside table beside me. Her blue eyes scanned my face and she bit her bottom lip some. Something was bothering her. The boy on the other hand remained in the doorway staring in as if afraid he would be smacked if he entered. She ignored his presence and removed the warm towel from my forehead. I twisted under the sheets that came up to my chest and glanced around. The room was big enough to fit about a dozen people. The only furniture was the bed I laid on, the small table, and a chest that lined the wall on my left side. It was very comfortable.

The boy still lingered in silence until the girl turned abruptly and glared at him, the voice she had entered with returned. Not a hatred voice no, more like a demanding voice.

“Al, if you don't have a reason for being here then please leave.” The boy squeaked and took off quickly. I stared up at the girl and watched her expression soften as she caught my eye.

“I'm Winry by the way, I would have introduced myself earlier, but you were unconscious when you were brought to me.”

I finally found my voice and spoke. “Who brought me here?” My voice scared me. It seemed like it had been years since I used it. It cracked and had a breathy accent to it, the only thing I could find familiar about it was the tone, the depth I had always had from earlier years.

Winry dipped the towel in the bowl allowing water to soak through its threads. I suddenly felt thirsty, my body felt weaker than it ever had. I found myself watching each individual drop falling back into the bowl as she rung the remainder out.

“Alphonse found you, he was in the area looking for someone and he recognized you. He brought you back to Risembol(sp) as fast as he could. I still couldn't believe it. He told me who you are.”

My stomach clutched tightly at her last words, I had this morbid sensation that I was going to be turned into Central soon. I was grateful that Edward didn't find me though. He would have been shocked at seeing me alive. No, I'm wrong. Alphonse was the one whom I believed saw my death. I probably left a large dent in his memory. He was the one who had found me. That's when it hit me. The girl, Winry, I believe had called that smaller boy Al. The last time I saw him was… it can't be. I tried sitting up when Winry placed her hand on my chest. I glanced up at her, searching for an emotion this time. All I seen was care.

“Don't worry, we won't turn you in, if you'd like I can call Al back in here. He was just in the way earlier.”

I was right. Al got his body back.

Winry again laid the moist towel on my forehead. I felt queasy, the pain came back to me, it ached in my chest, my head spun rapidly. Memories drown my mind, from Kimbley to the homunculus, I twisted my head to the side, sure enough, and I knew my face was tense. All that was clear to me in all of those memories was Al. I saved him from what Kimbley had done, but I had turned him into something that he didn't want. Now though, he has a body. Flesh, blood, touch. My eyes stung as I held back sudden emotions.

Al toddled into the room looking at me with wide eyes. Again I was struck with shock. This small boy had once been the bulky suit of armor that asked me what I felt when he talked, asked me if I felt a human presence. I did. Every time he spoke.

He approached cautiously and glanced at me softly, his eyes glazed with tears. Tears? Why did he look this way? I was taken aback myself when he leaned foreword and glanced into my crimson eyes. My breath caught as he ran a soft hand against my feverous cheek, his fingers were cool like glass as he slid them along my jaw line and then on my brow. His eyes tracing like his nimble fingers did.

“I wanted to feel with my own hands, not metal.” Al cooed. Even though his appearance was different, his voice was more than distinguishable, more gentle and innocent than Edward's. I longed to touch his face as well, to cup my hand around his small, rosy cheek. I wanted to hold him, examine his weight, and discover this new Alphonse.

Impossible. I now knew what Al must have felt with that hollow body he had. Not able to touch.

“Alphonse.” My voice came out as a mere whisper. I noticed how he shuddered at my voice. I just wanted to take him in my arms, arms that I no longer had.

“Scar?” He replied in the same breathless whisper. His golden eyes shimmered gently as he watched me. I could tell he was swelling with questions. I, myself wanted to ask him so much.

“Why did you bring me here?” I knew my voice sounded cold and heartless, I wanted it to sound that way. That's the kind of person I was, I didn't like giving people my emotions.

“You would have done the same thing if it were me wouldn't you?”

I stared up at that small, innocent face. Even though he appeared to be thirteen in age, his voice was much more mature. A question answered with a question. I didn't know how to respond. I turned my face away and glared out the dusty window to my right; the curtains weren't pulled well so I could make out rolling hills with dirt roads going as far as the eye could see. I couldn't reply to his question, but it would have been a yes.

************************************************************** **********

Al left a while after, his eyes still fogged with emotions and many unanswered questions. Winry threatened to forcefully remove him if he didn't leave. I stared out that small window for the longest time, pain often making me flinch. Not until I had a tray set into my lap did I turn away. Winry glanced at me in question, but bowed gracefully and added a hopeful smile.

“I…didn't know what you eat, but I made broth, if it's fine with you?” I glanced down at the steaming bowl before me. My stomach churned as aroma met my nose. I turned my face away some. I still hadn't gained my appetite, quite opposite; I felt any minute I might get sick. I simply bowed my head in thanks. Winry smiled brightly and then bound out of the room. It was like I had a nurse. It felt pathetic.

Later on in the day, pain sank in deeply. My eyes moist with tears. I could only lie there and ride it out. The bandages I wore bled through and I had sudden hot flashes, the rest of the time I would feel cold. I suspected a fever.

I smelt a sweet smoke flow into the room that eased my senses. A much older woman walked in with a pipe between her lips. She was much, much shorter than both the Elric brothers and had her gray hair pulled into a huge, cylinder-like bun. With her she brought fresh bandages and a tall, thin bottle with a rusty coloured liquid inside of it.

“You know, I don't really understand why we're helping you.” The woman addressed through a puff of smoke. Her eyes roaming over me, making some type of judgment.

“I guess it's because of Al.” She added taking the bandages and what I believed to be either an ointment or a painkiller, and sat them on the bedside table. “You should thank him young man.” She began to uncoil the bandages caked with dried blood, I twitched when she got down to bare flesh, and I could feel the blood beginning to flow. Why was I allowing help? I felt blank. I couldn't harness any sort of emotion what-so-ever, I wasn't angry, I wasn't scared, I was just, blank. This elderly woman noticed it too, she stared at my face often without even moving her head, it bothered me some.

Finally as she cleaned my pulsing wounds with the liquid, she spoke.

“I heard you were supposed to be a dangerous man, Scar, is it?” Her voice was slightly mocking, but I could sense she meant to start a conversation. The only problem was, I would have felt much more comfortable talking with Edward than this woman.

She took a long drag from her smooth oak pipe and slowly exhaled. “You know, you look a lot like Edward did when he lost his arm, confused and soft spoken. The only difference was he went on about becoming a state alchemist.” She gave a hearty laugh and began to carefully rewrap fresh ivory bandages along my shoulder and to the end of the stub where blood had already come up in a thin sheet. Why was I being compared to Elric? This had to be worse than physical pain. I didn't want to be compared to this military dog.

“You should thank whoever you worship that you were given a second chance.”

For some pitiful reason I felt my tan face flush and an anger bubble inside of me. Why was this woman here telling me I should praise for being alive? It wasn't MY choice in the first place to even be brought here! I would have been better off in that damn basement. Who did she think she was? Scowling me about life. I knew I lost my temper after that.

“You have no right in telling me what I should do lady! I didn't ask to be here right now, I didn't ask for Elric to save my life, I didn't ask for your sympathy and help, so don't start telling me I should thank anyone!” I felt my nerves being pushed beyond. I couldn't stay here, I didn't want to. I couldn't face this. With as much strength as I could manage, I forced my body into a sitting position and before I knew it was shambling out of the small room and down the hallway. The blanket I had, had been wrapped around me, so I didn't have to worry. It pooled limply around my shoulders and down my chest. It wasn't going anywhere.

As I rushed past Winry and towards the front door, I had just now noticed that Alphonse had been standing by the door way when I snapped, his face flushed and his eyes teary. Why was he crying again? I wanted to turn around and just stare at him, throw him a glare that asked him `what the hell is your goddamn problem?', but I knew perfectly well what was wrong. It was me.

************************************************************** **********

I got as far away from that small house as I could physically stand, making sure my face was concealed by the blanket. My death had been spread throughout the cities and villages I knew. Someone would probably freak out if they saw me walking around, then I would really be screwed.

I huddled against a rough dogwood tree and tied my body close together. The day was almost done and I felt mist stick to my face and trickle down my neck when built up. It was going to rain.

I wasn't going to go back no matter what happened. Even if the military was in the area, I was not going to go back.

I found I couldn't stay awake. My eyelids grew heavy and slid down along my tiresome eyes. It had begun to rain before I fell asleep, I didn't care. Let the rain pour down. It wasn't going to change my decision. I would have rather died like this then go back.

“Scar…” A soft voice played around in my head as I slept. I felt comfort in that voice, I wanted to be wrapped in it and stay there forever. I felt a certain protection flowing from it. Almost mesmerizing to me.

“Scar…” There it was again. This time it grew thicker, in my ear. A whisper that descended on to my hearing. As I awoke, I felt a weight on my face and chest. My eyes all but refused to open properly. Slowly I started to gain vision. Somebody was pressed up against me.

That sweet voice echoing again, dripping with care. “Scar.” I moaned softly as pain shot through my neck, the ointment that had been applied to my wounds earlier was now wearing away. The blur on me now came out as a small figure with a head full of dark blonde hair, golden eyes staring at me worrisomely. Alphonse.

I sat up some, and at my consciousness, Al rushed off of me and into a squatting position several feet away. He always respected my personal space from when I could remember him.

Those eyes. Those damned eyes again. Why did he look so sad? If I had both my arms I would just shake him until he quit looking at me that way. I hated it so much, yet, I shivered every time I saw it. What was it with this boy?

I sat straight up and stared at him in an irate manner. He slumped down into himself but remained locked with my eyes. He had so many questions I could tell, the way he was searching my face.

For the second time that day he had me taken back. He was inches from my face tracing his slim fingers along my jaw line, both hands cupped my cheeks, and then finally he ran a finger down either side of my cross shaped scar. I shivered at the contact of his cool fingers against my searing flesh. I suppose I was either answering some of his questions right now, or making them build up consciously.

“You… y-you're alive.” He murmured gently, eyes wide and innocent as he examined my face down to the last detail of sprouted hairs on my tanned chin. I turned away from him, unable to stare into those golden eyes. Why was he so concerned about my life? I knew that is what he wanted to ask me. How I was alive. Hell, I don't even know how I was alive.

“Yes, I am,” was all I could manage out of my taut, parched throat. I didn't know how to answer him, I didn't know if `Oh I see you're alive as well, how have you been?' would be good enough.

“But, how?” He questioned with awe, those rosy cheeks bright with chill, eyes shimmering beneath thick, blonde eyebrows. I searched for a reasonable answer. Something that would make enough sense. I couldn't seem to find one.

“I don't know.” I whispered gently, I couldn't think of anything else, but I tried, “I just, am.”

“But, this… this can't be. I mean, there has to be a logical explanation… I've been trying to figure it out ever since I found you. You… you,” His eyes glazed over with tears.

“Died?” I stared at him blankly; I couldn't have thrown out any emotion even if I wanted to.

“Yes… You, you used yourself in the creation of the philosopher's stone, right?”

“That I did.” I couldn't believe how much my voice sounded alien to me. “I've a question for you; you have your body back now I see. How is it possible for you, I mean, how did you go by doing it?”

“Edward went beyond the gate and, found my body. My armor was eroding away because of the stone, it was too powerful to hold on long with the body I had. I just… everything is too hard to talk about for me, but I have my body back.” He gave a soft chuckle that made his age seem well over that of a small boy.

He had wisdom, and I had already experience it back in Central and Liore.

Edward had always been there for his brother. I knew he wouldn't stop until he fixed what he messed up. I had to admit, even though I hated Fullmetal, I had confidence in him. He's a good guy.

“Where is Edward now?” I asked and curled the blanket around my shoulders better, the rain was starting to pour down even harder, Al shouldn't be out here in this.

“Please don't go after him, even though he is with the military, please… don't hurt him.” I stared down at him silently. I hadn't even thought about going after Fullmetal. I hadn't even planned on being alive.

“I won't… I was just curious, I didn't know if he was still…” I stopped myself before going any further. I was expecting Elric to have been dead for some reason.

“Still what?” Al asked with a sense of strength in his throat. I shouldn't have even started talking with him.

“Nothing, just forget I even said anything.” I murmured and turned away some. I felt his eyes watching me like a hawk.

Alphonse crossed his legs underneath him and pulled under the tree better so he wasn't entirely getting soaked. His eyes bore into the profile of my face.

“Edward,” He began,” Has gone to Xenotime to do research. I have been told to stay here with Winry to study and help out. He's been much more protective of me since I got my body back.”

I stared at him with halved eyes, he was shivering silently.

With pain popping in my ears, I leaned forward and shook my blanket off and onto him, it almost devoured his tiny body and I couldn't help but give off a little smile. He needed it more than I did. It was, anyways, too cold for him to be out in khaki shorts and a tank top. I could handle the weather; I've handled much worse lately.

He looked at me with a confused little expression, his dark, blonde hair hung down in thick groups sopping wet.

“It's too cold out here,” he tilted his head sideways,” You should go back to Winry before you catch a cold.”

“But, you could get worse, you have wounds.” He pursued with a pouted face.

“I'll be fine.”

“I'm not leaving without you.” I glared. Persistent wasn't he? He wasn't going to leave if I didn't come with him, just like his brother.

“I think I upset your… Grandmother?”

“Pinonka? I'm not related to her, she's a friend of the family like Winry is.”(A/N+ I have no freaking clue how to spell her name :P forgive me if I spelt it wrong.)

“Yeah, she probably won't let me back into her house.” I added. I shouldn't have exploded the way I did.

“She didn't tell me what happened, she just told me it was her fault and that she would apologize to you, please come back with me. You could get sick out here, plus you have bad wounds that need medicine and attention. I don't want to leave you out here, I won't leave you.” I shivered at his voice.

“Fine.” I mumbled with a thick sigh. Alphonse smiled triumphantly and helped me up. I wasn't used to his small body; I was used to that thick shell that was much bigger than me. I never knew he was so small and fragile. He was smaller than Edward. I believe it was because of the gate, his body never really grew so this was probably how he was before he lost his it.

Before we left, he draped the blanket back over my bandaged shoulders and ushered me down a dirt road. He came up to the top of my rib cage and was rather slim. I couldn't help wonder if this too was due to the gate. He hadn't eaten in years, was it hard for him to get used to it again?

As we walked he would incessantly look up at me, questioning me with his mind, asking me questions that I could never answer, or I didn't want to answer. It was a matter of time before he started asking them aloud. I wouldn't be able to answer them as I hadn't been able to already. I also had questions; he had answers for them, but didn't like talking about them. I need to find them out, I had no other choice. If I was to know more about the philosopher's stone, I had to break through his barrier, by whatever means.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A/N: Yay chapter one*squees* I didn't think I would be able to get it done as fast as I did, probably because I really got into this one better than the other ones.

Okay… I apologize if I spelt any names wrong for places, and if I did, please mention them to me so I'll know. I don't have any reference for spelling with them, so I pretty much have to guess or dig through my memory of what I think it is.

If anybody has any ideas, as I've said before the story, please leave me a notice and I'll think about. Comments and flamers are greatly appreciated, so yesh. *ish ready for flamers* Bring them on *runs into a bus* Ow…