Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Second Time's the Charm ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

“There is no price greater than one’s own life. It might be useless, even if I use everything I know,” Ed said quietly. It was silent in the large room, but for the sound of his own voice and his heartbeat. He stood in a large transmutation circle, smaller circles drawn on his arms, chest and forehead. “But there’s no way I’ll let you disappear. Come back, Al.” He clapped his hands together and pressed them over his chest, activating the many circles.

The transmutation quickly filled the room with light, and Ed felt a strange sensation of floating. When he opened his eyes, he could see the Gate in front of him. Its large, iron doors slowly swung open, and a white figure emerged from behind them. Ed tensed as he stared at the Truth; and the Truth seemed to stare back. “Well, well, little boy,” it said quietly. “What are you doing here again?”

“You know what I’m here for,” Ed growled. “Give me back my brother, I don’t care what you do to me! Just send him home!”

The Truth sighed. “So impatient…Well, I suppose that’s not too much to ask. What will you sacrifice, though?”

Ed gave a short, harsh laugh. “Whatever the hell you want. My arms, my legs, my life…Just give my brother back what I took from him.”

“You’re certainly willing to give up quite a bit, just to help him. Alphonse got himself into this situation, you know. The whole self-blame and pity party gets kind of old after a while,” the Truth said, sitting down cross-legged, and leaning back on its hands. “How do you think he’d feel to go back home, only to find you’d killed yourself to get him there?”

“How do you think I’d feel, going home and knowing I could’ve saved him?!”

“Well, now, you’re starting to sound a little violent, Edward. Calm down, why don’t you?”

The alchemist clenched his fists. “I can get a hell of a lot more violent than this, “ he said angrily.

“That sounds like a threat,” the Truth said, standing up. “If you’re gonna be like that, I suppose I should fetch Alphonse, then.” The figure turned, walking back through the Gate.

Ed blinked. This was turning out to be quite easy. A little too easy, really. He tensed as the being reemerged from the Gate, carrying a small figure in its arms. “Al…” Ed whispered as the Truth came near. He reached out a shaking hand towards his brother. He was so thin, Ed was afraid that if he said anything more, his brother might just blow away. When his fingers reached Al, the older boy gently wrapped them around a single lock of the thick, golden-brown hair that reached well past Al’s shoulders.

“We still have the matter of payment for Alphonse’s body to settle, Ed,” the Truth stated matter-of-factly. “I suppose I can accept the same payment as last time, but what about the soul? Alphonse technically never died, so you can still take it back, but what will you give me for it? It’s certainly worth more than a leg.”

“Then take both my legs,” Ed spat, watching as his right arm was once again deteriorated and taken by the Gate.

“I don’t know…Having you pay for everything seems a little unfair, really. I mean, just having you pass through here will need paid for by your leg. Remember?”

Ed blinked, feeling a sudden pain as his leg was swiftly torn away below the knee, and fell into a sitting position.

“And it just wouldn’t do for you to need all automail limbs, would it?” the Truth asked, lying Al’s body down, facing the ground. “I should probably take something from Alphonse.” Ed shook as he watched the Gate’s black tendrils snaked towards Al’s left arm.

“Leave him whole, dammit!” Ed yelled as the strands wrapped around the Al’s wrist.

“Oh, be quiet, you,” the Truth sighed. “You should be glad I’m doing this. The price for a soul would ordinarily be much higher, but I’ve grown rather fond of Alphonse, so you get him cheap.” The frail body twitched as the Gate pulled his hand away. “You’ve got excellent timing, you know,” the Truth said conversationally.

“What d’you mean?” Ed asked slowly.

“Well, no body can truly survive without a soul, you know,” the being stated. “And you tried to take his whole soul back, all those years ago. You only left him a little sliver, just enough to stay alive.” It paused before continuing. “He liked talking to me, you know. And since his soul was still connected to the part in the armor, he’s felt every desire that he’s ever had.”

Ed frowned. What was the Truth going at? “Like?”

The Truth giggled. “Oh, you’ll see. It just happens that I’ve been helping with one of his strongest desires. I’d only just finished when you showed up.” It turned, walking calmly back towards the Gate. “Run along now, Edward.”

“Wait,” Ed said, crawling towards Al’s body. “What’d you do to him?”

“Be patient. You’ll find out.”

Ed placed his hand against Al’s back, looking him over in an effort to see what the Truth had done. “What’d you do? Tell me!” He turned quickly to face the Gate, and saw the Truth looking back at him over a shoulder. It waved silently, and the Gate swung closed. “Hey!” Then a flash of light forced Ed to close his eyes. He felt a sudden, jolting pull, and when he opened his eyes again, he and Al were back in the underground room. He gasped loudly, grasping at his bleeding shoulder.

“Ed!”

The blond turned, and saw Rose running back into the room, accompanied by Russell and Fletcher. He laughed quietly, both annoyed at Rose for not listening to him, and grateful for her coming back. There was simply no way he could get himself and Al out of here by himself. Fletcher pulled Al into a sitting position, and draped Ed’s coat over his naked shoulders. Al seemed very dazed, and Rose lifted him into her arms, bridal style. “Come on,” she said, turning and carrying the younger Elric across the room. Russell and Fletcher pulled Ed up, and both helped to carry him after Rose. The events of the day and blood loss caught up to Ed quickly, and he passed out long before the group emerged from the underground city.

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So…there we go, I guess. ^^ First chapter is done, please tell me what you think! Should I continue, or does this completely suck? Remember: Reviews make authors happy, and happy authors write faster and give cookies to their reviewers!