Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Soul Journeying Brotherhood ❯ Childhood Memories ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist, but if I did, well, let's just say you don't want to know…or do you? No I'm kidding. But I do own a DVD. *Cries.* Okay not even, so what if I borrowed it from a friend. Anyways, it's my first attempt at a Full Metal Fanfic so don't expect the works okay.

 

 

 

Author's notes: Anyways, it's my first attempt at a Full Metal Fanfic so don't expect the works okay.

Anyway, I don't have the internet right now, so it will probably take me a really long time to update, okay? Well until chapter 2.

By the way the lines _______________________________________________________ after each paragraph represents a different characters point of view.

“” This is for talking.

`' This is for thoughts.

 

 

Chapter One: Childhood Memories

 

Clouds, so many of them were shapely, every one of them contained there own original form. They were shaped by the air and materials of natural production of the sky. Logically, they told no story, they possessed no shape, nor did they have any representation other then the scientific factor they had been created for.

Yes they did have a shape, but not as so many as children would make them out to be. Imagining horses, unicorns, rabbits or dancing relatives that had long since left this earth for whatever destination they had in the hypothetical after life.

 

No matter how many times he tried to convince himself of those facts, he never got out of the habit of having some childish qualities, at least that's what he thought they were. He reached one hand in the air, reaching for two clouds that suspiciously reminded him of two passed family members he'd lost so long ago.

The hand he'd reached out wasn't a normal hand, the light of the sun felt hot on part of his shoulder that still remained. The light shined on the mettle material fashioned as a human arm in a mechanic outward appearance. The heat that resulted from the light reflecting the mettle from the constant warm temperatures during the day affected the inside of the mechanical arm. The technology was more advanced, and the one mechanic who'd created the arm had inserted into it the wires attached to the human insides of the wearers right shoulder a sense of nerves.

 

That way, the arm could easily be moved and flexed, the wearer had to go through extreme pain in order to first connect the arm, but the burden of having to carry such machinery made it worth his while.

 

Automail these days was exceedingly rare, and to find a mechanic who could fashion such delicate and intricate hardware was even legend to find.

He had been very lucky to be able to grow up with such a family with the exact technology he needed to survive. What would he have done without them?

 

Putting his replacement limb back in the place it had been occupying before, he thought of himself and why he could see the real form of the clouds where no one could. Unlike normal people, Edward Elric could see deep within things, it was like a sense of guilt; no one could lie or hide the truth. He could see through illusions, or rather particles and separate them.

 

Looking through a bird nest to prove his point, he looked at the bird, he could choose to see deeper if he chose. Looking through, he could see the muscles moving while it chirped. He moved on to the internal organs, and then the skeleton of the bird's body. His eyes widened when he noticed six small skeletal bodies beneath the birds own bones.

He used his sight to inverse the process of the scene ad could see the little birds moving around trying to pry their way.

 

Sudden surprise took him once more, but the crack of the egg is what brought him back out of his trance like state. He got up and walked only a few feet before reaching the old oak tree. He neared the bird, still at a distance so the mother would not think she was in any predatorily danger, but still close enough to see the hatchlings beginning birth. He was amazed. It hadn't been the first time he'd seen birth happen, but never had he seen anything like this. He grasped his heart in wrenching pain falling to the ground. The sudden flash of memories was to overwhelming for him, but still he remembered his little brother.

 

He remembered his birth, and how happy he was that he finally had someone to pick on and teach about the ways of the world. He had thought of teaching his younger brother never to take delight in the treacherous and evil claims and taste of milk, he would teach him how to properly play with Winry. On a second note, he decided not to share Winry and keep her for himself. He had been willing to share anything else, besides Winry. Of course he could leave that small bit of information out the next time he talked to her. He was ready to love his brother and try to make his parents proud by giving his baby brother the devotion he saw his mother give to the laundry every time she cleaned his clothes.

When he informed his parents of such devotion, his father had looked at him strangely and both his parents had looked at each other before they laughed. He laughed with them, making the young brother's crying cease.

 

He remembered the times were his little brother had hurt himself when he had fallen off of the wooden horse that he'd been specifically told not to go on because he wasn't tall enough yet. Edward had swallowed his pride and had bandaged his brother after the small argument he'd had with his father when he didn't want the young one meeting Winry.

He remembered how they would fight to see which one would marry her first when they were older. He remembered when he had to be the one not to cry when their dad left them. He remembered the love of his mother Trisha Elric who'd still given all her devotion to them, but still seemed sad.

 

He remembered when he had to be strong and grow up again for the little one after his mother had died. Sickness had taken her away from them and he couldn't be the one to cry. No matter how hard he had tried, he still cried, but he put his feelings aside and took responsibility of the both of them. Winry's grandmother was the only one who'd offered to take them in.

 

He couldn't take it anymore, his bangs covered his eyes. He could no longer withhold the tears that spilt out with his sorrow. His fist still grasped his garment, but his other hand, the arm on his left, was digging into the earth trying to escape the sudden jolt of pain that emitted from the rest of the body it was connected to.

He wasn't use to the sudden flash of emotions, for several long years, he kept his feelings in check and even hid his deep pain from the people he cared for most.

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She had woken up at mid day light that day jumping out of her bed in fright. Fear and panic took control of her as she quieted her movements. She slowly reached for her wrench that had been on her bedside table and slowed her movements while going straight for the door. `Has someone broken in?'

 

She pulled on the doorknob slowly, her heart was pounding in her ears, but she'd bested up all of her bravery and swung the door open wavering around the wrench pointlessly at an imaginary enemy within thin air. She stopped noticing no intruders, quickly roaming around the small living space they had, she went to go look outside of the window. She looked outside and smiled at the different colours of the sky. She had forgotten how beautiful the mixtures of the sunrise were, a great deal of orange and yellow stood on the horizon. Pink and blue were also apart of the exquisite sight that beheld her.

 

Something had caught the corner of her eye; she switched her sight on the moving figure of red. She then realized it was Edward heading to the oak tree a few feet away from their little home. She looked at him curiously. It had been the seventh time this week. He had woken her up every time he went out. She wondered why he went out so early, but then remembered the tragedy. He had lost his brother during this time.

It had been his birthday and a terrible accident had happened. Unfortunately, he had been so distraught that he had tried the unthinkable. The event had cost him his brother and both of his limbs.

Sure she knew of his abilities and had thought he went our in the late evening because he had wanted to use them alone without interruption or judgment. Maybe it had been for the same reasons, but she was sure it was because of his memories. Everyday she could see the pain in his eyes, at first; he had been very good at hiding it. But in the end, she knew Ed to well not to notice the impending sadness.

After that day, they were never to speak his family's names inside the household, he had asked them not to, and it pained him to remember them.

 

She sighed before turning around and going to bed for the rest of the morning.

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For years the Rockbell family had been born and raised for the art of designing and repairing Automail. In the past, it was not normal not to have had any other shops, but many people abandoned the type of machinery because it was either to complex for them, or their prices for them were too high.

Soon after, the mechanics who sold them had to move elsewhere because some had feared the technology, this day and age was still pretty new to technology and rejected and destroyed whatever they feared. That is how the average human worked.

 

The old woman sighed as well. She knew all that was happening, Winry's constant growing feelings for Edward had made her in tuned with his feelings and wakening. As a child, she adored both little children and grew up with them becoming their childhood friend. After Ed's father had left them, she had been the shoulder for the elder brother.

He had to be strong for the younger one, but a child at that age could barely handle adults saying no.

Over the years, Winry had been able to console Edward in her own way without having to say anything. The years of both children had gone by as such. Now, both had grown fond of each other. The day the two got together would be the day she could say “I told you so…”

 

It was like this every year around Ed's birthday, he would wake up very early in the morning before sunrise on the last days of summer at the bottom of the oak tree and would stare into the distance. He would be back every time before breakfast.

 

Pinako stopped her wondering thoughts and slowly proceeded to go up the stairs. Some of the steps creaked with age as she mounted them one by one. As she reached the end of the staircase, she rested herself to catch her breath. She put one foot on the stair case testing to see if it would make any creaks, and it did.

“This is just ridiculous; I can't even go up my own stairs without tiring myself out. I should put Edward to work by forcing him to make me a well built elevator. Better yet, I should get him to replace my stairs, they are getting rather old.”

 

Well rested, she then stopped at her granddaughter's door and knocked slightly before entering. Yet again she laid in her bed the blankets thrown on the floor as she snored very so lightly. Pinako made her way to Winry and slowly shuck her. The girl woke up yawning and stretching both arms in the air before mumbling something Pinako was sure it had been a reply of sleep.

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Winry had woken up when her grandmother had entered her room. She felt very tired but knew it had to be somewhat around 9:00 or 10:00 am, it was the only late time she ever needed someone to wake her up at.

She suddenly felt cold; she opened her eyes slightly and noticed that she had once again thrown the covers on the carpeted floor. Not having to reach very far, she reached with tired hands and pulled up her blankets wrapping herself once more in warmth.

 

Pinako went to the window and opened the curtains while the hot light of the sun burst through lighting the entire room.

 

Winry winced and mumbled to her grandmother. “Grandma, please let me sleep some more.”

Pinako had a knowing smile and crossed her arms before talking. “Its noon Winry, you should hurry up and get dressed, I'm sure Edward's hungry.”

She headed for the door and was slowly closing it. She took her time to go down the stairs and groggily commented on the age of the stairs once more before making it to the kitchen.

 

Winry literally jumped out of her bed dressing as quick as she could. She quickly gathered up her tools in her small brown case and ran down the stairs.

In her hurry, one of the steps gave way and her foot caught into the newly created hole. Screaming out in pain, she quickly took out her foot before yelling out.

“Grandma! You could have warned me that one of the stairs was loose.

 

As Winry came around the corner, Pinako sat down sipping her tea before glancing at her granddaughter rubbing her aching head. “I went up and down those stairs like any other person, now if you come running down those stairs like an elephant, of course that's going to happen. There almost as old as I am.”

Winry sat down at the table a little embarrassed by Pinako's words.

“Besides, I already plan to tell Edward to fix them up for me when he gets back.”

 

Winry looked surprised at the statement. “He still hasn't come back yet?” She went to go get her coat, but Pinako stopped her before she could put it on.

 

“Don't worry about Ed Winry, he'll come back, he just needs some time alone, you know how he is around this time of year. Besides, it's your turn to cook lunch today.”

She put down her coat on the chair she'd been occupying earlier and took out a pot from the white cupboard in front of the kitchen sink. Opening the tap, she filled the pot up with water until it was full enough with the amount of water she needed. She put on the old oven and put the pot on top of the small burner. While she took out the plates and cups while setting them on the table, curiosity got a hold of her mind. “I wonder if Ed's still under the oak.”

She looked outside of the window and sighed. He had been outside all this time? She pondered this while watching him. He had been looking at the sky before turning his attention to the birds. She turned away from the window to check on the water, she then went to the cupboard again and took out a pan. From the refrigerator, she took out some eggs, bacon and some left over bread from yesterday's meal. “Hey Grandma, I'll have to go to the store today, we need more bread and we have no more milk.”

 

Pinako put down her finished cup of tea sand smiled while turning to Winry. “I'll give a few coins after lunch; you can go ask Mr. Walter to prepare some food for my stair case while your there.”

 

Winry nodded before turning around and continuing to ready the food. The bacon was in the pot, the eggs were also cooking and the bread was on the counter waiting to be cooked on the fire place. Winry took one last glance outside the window to check up on Ed. Pure shock came to her face when she saw Edward collapse on the floor grasping his collar. She saw tears drop to the ground. That was all she need before she stopped everything that she was doing and hurriedly went straight for her brown jacket that lay on the chair from before.

She scrambled to put on her shoes and was opening the door stopping to listen to Pinako before going to Ed.

 

Pinako had seen Winry look through the window watching Edward she had thought, but when the sudden expression of worry hit her face, she too began to worry. “Make sure you come back in time so that you don't burn anything like last time.” She got up and slowly made her way to the hallway before looking back at Winry for her response.

 

Winry looked confused before asking her question. “But can't you keep an eye on it while I'm out; I'm only going to be gone for a few minutes.”

Pinako shooed her by waving her hand at Winry. “I'm too tired to stay up; it's time for my nap. Had you woken up earlier, I could have. Besides, if you're only going to be gone for a few minutes, everything should be fine. Come and wake me up when it's done.”

 

Pinako yawned before disappearing going into her room. She closed the door leaving a puzzled Winry in her wake. Winry took note and hurried to what she was doing. She ran across the hills and stopped before reaching Ed. She thought about what she was going to say. But nothing came to mind, when caught in these situations, she'd learned that silence was the best solution when it came to helping him feel better, but this time, she wasn't so sure it would work.

She decided to walk closer to Edward and sit beside him without saying a word.

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Edward had heard the door open; he knew it was Winry, if it had been any other day he would have been happy, but her company wasn't what he had wanted.

 

He turned in a different direction laying his head on his knees with his arms crossing. She couldn't see his face and begun to worry even more. When she put her hand on his shoulder he only shrugged her away.

“Winry, go away!” She took her hand away like the very touch of him had burned her, but his words had hurt her even more. She almost cried. As the tears threatened to fall, she had to be careful and really think before talking, this was the first time she'd ever seen him cry. She thought about and just decided to go with her instincts. She walked in front of him. He looked up at her curiously with tears in his eyes before quickly turning away his bangs in his eyes.

She sat down in front of him hugging him. He was more then shocked, he almost had a heart attack, never in her or his life had she ever hugged him for any reason at all. He quickly got out of his shock and started struggling against her remembering his pain from before. “Winry, I told you to go away, let me go!” She continued to embrace him only ready to let him go once his struggling would stop, but he kept on going before shouting. “What do you want?!” He finally stopped struggling and squirming in her grasp realizing that he wasn't going to get anywhere. She held him closer to her chest before responding. “No Ed, I'm not going to go away, and I'm not going to leave you alone, obviously doing that didn't help all of the other years you've been feeling this pain. I want you to be happy again, I want you to stop moping around like a baby and get over your trauma. I want to help you.”

 

Her words were weakening his barrier against her, but she wasn't through just yet. He blushed at their proximity and the way she was holding him, but it was quickly replaced by anger. He threw her to the ground and looked at her filled with rage.

 

She fell but looked at him right away as he got up and stood in front of her, she gulped when she recognized his expression of pure anger. “Of all the times I ask you to leave me alone, you have to bother me now, I didn't ask for your help, I just want to think without you annoying me! You have no right what so ever to call me anything, you don't know what I've been through.”

 

She was so frustrated with him, she hadn't thought twice about it before looking at him sincerely and standing up while walking closer to him. He slowly backed away looking around for an escape before she hugged him again. He wouldn't be able to resist her this time. She backed him up into the oak tree, he was trapped, and he couldn't stop her.

 

She shocked him when she sent him flying slapping him hard across the cheek. He was so surprised he hadn't seen it coming; he held the palm of his cheek on his hand trying to cool down the sting. She looked at him dumbly before crossing her arms. She quickly got worried and turned around to look at him when he hadn't gotten up to yell at her like she'd expected him to do.

He'd taken the same position as before, he was still crying. She fell to the ground in front of him once more embracing him for the second time that day.

“Ed, I know you don't feel like talking, but I'm the only one hear willing to listen to your pain. I'm sorry for hitting you, but don't you think I understand what you're going through in some way, my parents are gone and I haven't received a single letter from them for the past eight years. Not a single one. If you don't think that I understand your pain because you think that it's your fault that your brother is gone and that you should have known better then trying what you did that day, then no, I don't understand. But I do get this, it wasn't your fault, how were you suppose to know what was going to happen?! You were only ten years old, and the only person who knew how to properly do that kind of revival was your father. But he wasn't around when you needed him.

Well guess what, I know what you're going through and I'm here to help you whether you like it or not! Your family might not be here to help you out, but I am and so is Grandma!”

 

Every word she had just said had inspired something completely new and different. Never had she been so brave and had outspoken him so well. He always pushed her away and would still try to be there for him through silence. He had tried to ignore her even when she was trying to make him feel better not to long ago, but today was different from any other day. He knew he loved her, but always from afar.

 

He would watch her use her mechanic skills that she was taught from Pinako to make Automail and do some minor adjustments on his mechanical arm. He admired her intelligence and quick ability to learn, he loved it when she smiled for him, but he would always, always push her away. She would always come back giving him his needed space. At this time he had needed someone most, he would always push everyone away, but somehow, she had managed to break down all of his walls and breach the deepest secret of his heart. He got up while Winry was still embracing him and hugged her before pushing her to the ground once more. Except this time, it was in a gentler manor.

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One moment she was yelling her at him, the next they were hugging, and now she was on the ground with him atop of her. He felt very heavy but the sudden push gave her Goosebumps and the stillness and moments without words continued to make her flustered.

 

A few moments after, he let go of the embrace but slightly held her. The look he gave her made her look away in nervousness. When he kept staring at her, she turned back to him looking him straight in the eyes as well. She couldn't stand the silence any longer. So she asked that one question that might make him realize what they were doing and in what kind of position they were in. She didn't want to ruin the moment, but she needed some kind of reassurance that he was okay and that she wasn't still in her bed dreaming of this event. “Edward, w-wha-what are you doing?”

 

He smiled at her before settling his head on her forehead and gave an answer to her question. “Winry just shut up…”

 

He kissed her; her eyes flew open, what was going on? What were they doing? This wasn't like the Ed she knew at all! Had he been abducted by aliens and replaced or had they brainwashed him in some way. A few seconds after, all thoughts left and she closed her eyes. She enjoyed the kiss before she threw Edward off of her. He hit the tree painfully rubbing his back after he landed rather gruffly. Winry got up as quick as she could and mumbled a quick apology before running back to the small house. Edward was confused and thought that the kiss had been too much of a bold move, but then the smell of burnt food reached his nose.

 

He rose from the ground and dusted off his clothes and started walking forward to go meet up with Winry, but he felt a sudden change in the atmosphere. Something was deathly wrong, he couldn't put his finger on it exactly, but something wasn't right. He searched his surroundings trying to make sure he didn't make it look suspicious. Then he felt it. Someone or more like a group of people were right behind him. He was about to turn quickly when heard a tree branch crack, but he hadn't been quick enough. He was hit at the back of the head. Turning around, he could barely make out who had stricken him.

His last thoughts were of Winry. He hit the ground with a loud thud as his blond hair loosened from its ponytail. His head was spinning and all he wanted to do was close his eyes. He tried to fight staying awake but it was of no use. He whispered her name before falling into deep unconsciousness. “Winry…”

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“CLIFFHANGER, MUHAHAHAHAHA!!!” *Pathetic attempt at evil laughter.*

After Notes: Please oh please review, I'd like to know what you think of it.