Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ The Fullmetal Paradox ❯ Wrong ( Chapter 1 )

Warnings: anime spoilers, plenty of language, violence and lots of angst.

 

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist and all affiliated characters and settings are the creative property of Hiroaki Arakawa and all companies that hold license to its title. Characters picked on and plots shamelessly twisted without permission, but sadly, I don't make money off of my stupid plot bunnies.

 

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Chapter 1: Wrong

 

I never did enjoy history, despite Izumi-sensei's insistence on studying world history. Since I had no records from my own world, I had nothing to rely on but my mind. It was a gamble, but I'd hoped it would be a worthwhile one. After I'd checked my calculations, I spent nearly a week or so pouring over old records, trying to find pieces of the past that coincided with what I remembered of the history of my home world.

 

I found approximately thirty-five key divergence points; key events that enabled my universe and the one I currently resided in to split and evolve into their current forms. Of course I knew there would be others, and that I ran a great risk of choosing the wrong variables. I only hoped that somehow I could hijack the Gate's universe-jumping powers and use those to find my way home.

 

Only… I didn't realize that historical events alone would not be enough to get me back to where I wanted to be. However, it didn't help that my current residence was governed by a suspicious government that didn't want anything to do with my sort of research.

 

--

 

“You must have gone insane.” The last word escaped the elderly physicist's lips as a disgusted hiss, his hooded eyes opened wide with disbelief and teeth gritted in furious surprise. “I would expect this from the government-controlled scientists, but I know you're a freelancer, Elric. I wouldn't have trained you in any other way.” He waved a worn page angrily in the air before letting it float back down to the table. The page was coated on both sides with penciled notes and markings in the younger man's handwriting. “This… this is impossible. Don't you get it, boy? There is no `other side' to this universe! What you've told me about has to be from dreams. Quantum physics… Hah! It's just not possible.”

 

Edward snorted derisively. “Believe what you will, Doc, but I'm not changing my mind. If there is any chance that—”

 

“There is no chance of anything when it's not physically feasible!” Doc - who refused to be called by any other name - spat back, pounding his fist on the paper and causing Edward to flinch impulsively. “I won't have anything to do with this heretic black magic, and I'm damn sure I don't want my former student dabbling in this sort of preposterous behavior. If the government catches wind of this…”

 

Ed sighed; he wasn't getting anywhere, and a pounding headache wasn't helping his frustration at all. He really needed the professor's help in order to make it work; there needed to be someone left behind to guide the machine properly. Hohenheim was not allowed to do it, end of the question.

 

“Look, Doc… I'm well aware of the dangers of this research, and I will not allow some insane government lab to pick up on my hard work and destroy it,” Ed replied with a sigh. “Trust me, I'm a little too knowledgeable when it comes to keeping the government's nose out of my business. Please, you've got to help me with this; it could be my last chance to find my way back h—…” The final word choked and died in his throat, prohibiting him to say it aloud as if it were some sort of bad omen.

 

Home.

 

Ed buried his face in his good hand, trying to hide the hot tears that sprang up in his eyes. Doc's expression softened; he wasn't a cold-hearted man by any means, but he was concerned that Ed's burning desire to return to whatever world he came from - God only knew how he got here - would cause him to act irrationally. With a relenting grunt, he stiffly rose to his feet and strode over to stare out the only small window letting natural light pour into the study. Silence dominated the conversation for a few short moments, just long enough for Ed to reign in his emotions.

 

“How long would it take you to build this cockamamie… contraption of yours?” Doc asked quietly.

 

Ed looked back up at him with wide eyes, and then back at his hands with a rueful smile. “It's already half-built, Doc. I—I haven't stopped working on it since I checked over my numbers a week and a half ago…”

 

“A week and a half?” the elderly physicist exclaimed. “And it's already half-built? God, boy, you're a machine! I've never heard of that kind of build-work done in such a short amount of time!”

 

“I…” Ed looked sheepishly at his hands. “I haven't slept, really.”

 

“Then it's no wonder you look so damn tired! You stupid boy, get some rest - you've waited three years to find this kind of an answer, so I think you can wait another week or so until you see it fulfilled.” Even as Ed opened his mouth to protest, the professor added, “Besides, you don't want to make any mistakes because you're tired. Go sleep; I will look in on your current work if it'll make you feel better.”

 

Ed nodded slowly, as if hesitantly agreeing. Once Doc wrested the information of the project's whereabouts from the young man, he shooed Ed from the study to find a more suitable resting spot while he went to investigate this `cockamamie contraption.'

 

--

 

Edward slept the remainder of the day, and all that night as well. Doc felt a pang of pity for the boy as he watched him sleep, but after seeing what kind of machinery that the boy had engineered in such a small amount of time, he was duly impressed - and at the same time completely horrified - with Ed's ingenuity. He could barely figure out the machine himself, and he'd been the one to train Edward in his current field. Honestly, he wasn't sure if he could find any mistakes, since he didn't quite understand the hardware the boy used. All these dates and random events made very little sense to him, though the theory - which he'd gone through, at least three times - was perfect. The mathematical proof was there, but it lacked solid physical evidence… which the machine would provide.

 

Hopefully.

 

While the theory itself was perfect, a million doubtful questions flooded the physicist's thoughts as he waited for Elric to awaken so he could vent some of the mental pressure to him. Surely the boy would have thought through every possible scenario; he would be a failure as a teacher and mentor if his student didn't know better than to do at least that much.

 

For now, it was important that the shaky German government didn't learn anything about their research, since Elric didn't seem to fit the role of government dog… even though the boy did have some uncanny ability to deal with his authorities so tactfully, as if he'd had a lot of prior experience on the matter. But no matter; Elric had his secrets, as did the Professor. It wasn't in his personality to pry too far.

 

Though he wanted Edward to get rest, he also hoped that the boy would awaken soon. He had a sinking feeling that time really wasn't on their side, as much as he desired to have an infinite amount of space to work with.

 

--

 

“The hell—? How the fuck did they get a hold of that paper?” Edward exploded at the professor. The elderly man calmly met his gaze without so much as a flinch. He knew he was being accused, but he held himself confidently, perhaps in innocence. “The only people who know about this project were you, me, and… Oh god.”

 

Hohenheim. It hadn't been spoken, but both seemed to hear it. Ed shakily rose his hands to his face, pressing his fingertips into his eyes.

 

“You don't know that for sure,” Doc said in an attempt to give Ed some shred of hope. “I'm sure he wasn't the only other person who knew something about it…”

 

“That damn old man doesn't want me to go home!” roared Ed. “God, he doesn't realize how much he's screwed up my life, and he doesn't want to let me even try to pick up the pieces he left. He's so goddamned selfish!” The small rant was followed by an equally angry growl as the young man paced angrily by the study's only window.

 

The elderly physicist sighed, having a small thought that perhaps the librarian had something to do with it - maybe Elric had misplaced a page of his research in the library at some point. Highly likely, considering the boy had stubbornly refused to get a good night's rest for nearly two weeks and was understandably exhausted. He easily could have forgotten pieces of his hard-earned research notes.

 

“At this point, Elric, it's too late to try to point fingers at who might've tipped the government off,” Doc tried again. “They're probably on their way over here right now, and God knows what kind of punishment they'll give us.”

 

Ed snorted, but nodded anyway. “Damn. We'd better head over to the warehouse before they get there, huh…”

 

“I hope you're ready to leave, because you certainly aren't coming back once you step in that machine. We didn't have time to finish the retrieval feature…”

 

“Doesn't matter. Even if I could come back here, it's not worth it to me now with the government breathing down my back and no family to speak of - current company excepted, of course,” Ed noted with an attempted smile.

 

Doc half-smiled in return, but turned to look out the window nervously. “Really, son, you should get going. It wouldn't be worth losing all that research to have them catch you because you're being sentimental.”

 

Ed's smile became genuine, and he bowed his head slightly in agreement. “Ready?”

 

“When you are.”

 

--

 

At least I wasn't stupid. I knew we were - rather, I was - in serious trouble with the government. They were afraid, I think. Afraid we'd get them in trouble with the Allied powers and destroy the shaky peace that barely existed between battle-torn Germany and the victors of what was a truly hellish war. Perhaps the Allies would be afraid that we could find a way to go back in time and change the outcome of the war. They obviously didn't know me well enough to realize that of all the things I am, selfish ranks pretty high on my list. They also didn't know how much I hate war, and that I simply want to find my way home. Well, not so much `simply' as earnestly, and in my desperation to keep my promise to my brother I would do almost anything.

 

I was playing with fire, and I knew it. I didn't care.

 

--

 

Doc and Edward hardly had time to punch in the dated variables into the machine's database when the doors of the warehouse were literally kicked in. A bright spotlight blinded both physicists and bathed them in bright white light as rapid German orders were hurled through the air like rocks from an angry child. Ed noted wryly how similar German was to his own native tongue; perhaps that was why he had little trouble picking it up when he'd been transported across the Gate.

 

“Put your hands in the air!”

 

“Don't move, or we'll shoot!”

 

“Which one of you is Edward Elric?”

 

“On your knees!”

 

Damn, alchemy would really come in handy right about now, Ed found himself wishing.

 

Doc slowly turned, hands in the air as ordered, and knelt down between Edward and the German police. Edward began to do the same, but his mentor shot him a glare.

 

“Elric, go!” Doc hissed. “This is your last chance; don't waste it!”

 

Ed scowled. “What about you?” he whispered back angrily. “I'm not going to let you sit here and become target practice for these government dogs!”

 

With a cynical smirk, Doc replied evenly, “I'll be fine. You get your ass in that machine and let me do my part. We spent too damn long on this thing to let it go to waste now!”

 

“Stay where you are!”

 

“God, just go, you small idiot!”

 

Ed flinched and angrily whirled on the old man with a sullen glare. “Who are you calling so small that germs outsize me?”

 

Doc laughed. “Go, damn you! I'll cover your short ass.”

 

Sobering quickly, Ed frowned, but seemed ready to comply anyway. “I still don't like this idea… so remember that this was all your fault, you old fool.”

 

With that, the golden-haired boy jumped to his feet and sprinted towards a small metal door providing the sole entrance to a large, cage-like metal room. Gunshots and loud shouts rang out behind him, ricocheting off the metal in the warehouse, creating such a loud racket that Edward's ears rang sharply and ignited another debilitating headache, much like the one that caused passed out after finding the key formula. Crying out, Ed clutched his head and fell to his knees just shy of the metal door.

 

“Edward!” an all-too-familiar voice called in concern.

 

D-Damn it, old man… you bastard traitor.

 

“Stop shooting, damn you!” Hohenheim shouted at the line of firing police. “He's unarmed; you've already killed one unarmed man tonight! There's no need for you to stain your hands further with innocent blood.”

 

Edward chanced a blurred glance over at where the doctor had been kneeling, only to find that he had been killed. With a grimace and a sharp gasp, he tried to focus past his throbbing skull to find a way to get into his machine and go the hell home. The firing stopped momentarily as Hohenheim tried to stand between the line of fire and his son.

 

“We're on orders to arrest the boy and his mentor, and we were instructed to kill them if they resisted,” one police man snapped. “Get out of the way, or you too will be charged with aiding the suspect.”

 

“Edward, can you stand?” Hohenheim whispered, seemingly ignoring the policeman's threat.

 

Ed grunted. “You bastard, why are you here?”

 

“Just get up and do as I tell you. You've got to get into that door and lock it so I can start it up without having to worry about your safety.”

 

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

 

“Damn it, stop being so stubborn! Get in that room!”

 

Ed jumped at the flare of anger in his father's eyes; he'd never seen that kind of a look from the man before, and he was sure he didn't want to see it again. Nodding uncertainly, he pushed himself to his feet and drunkenly staggered towards the door. Hohenheim ran towards the control panel and began to flip switches. The policemen shouted at him and told him to surrender, but when he clearly wasn't going to listen, they began shooting again. The machine flared to life, emitting a whine that increased in pitch as it warmed up. When Ed reached the metal door, he suddenly found himself falling forward into the room, pain flaring in his left shoulder. A second sharp pain stole his right leg from beneath him, and he toppled into the dark, metal cage-room with a strangled cry.

 

“Edward!”

 

“Just do it, damn old man!” Ed snarled through gritted teeth, unable to stand in order to get the door shut.

 

Hohenheim brutally pulled the final power switch down as it sparked in his hands. He suddenly cried out and fell to his knees as a bullet struck his back, and as brilliantly bright blue light filled the warehouse and enveloped the metal cage, Ed caught sight of his father smiling at him with tears in his eyes, holding a bloodied hand out towards his son in farewell.

 

“Father!”

 

--

 

The late summer's sun shone brightly and bathed the farmlands of Rizenbul in a pleasant warm glow. Ron Smithy wiped beads of sweat from his brow with his grimy glove-covered wrist and smiled up at the sky, enjoying his daily work in his fields. He'd been born and raised in a busy city, where he'd met his now wife Chelsea during college. After they'd married, her parents had asked him to come live with them on their Rizenbul farm and help work the land and act as the son they'd never had. Once his wife assured him it was what she also wanted, he happily moved to live with his in-laws, and found that he loved the peace and quiet of a small farming town.

 

He continued coaxing the bridled mare next to him to keep moving forward, dragging a heavy metal plow through the smooth soil beneath his feet. This field had not carried a crop the past season to allow the soil to replenish its nutrients, so this season they would rotate the crops to ensure that they had healthy soil to flourish in.

 

Whistling as he worked, Ron merrily patted the mare - Lilly - every so often, letting her know that he was content and that she was doing a good job. Lilly usually didn't seem to mind the reassuring contact, but this time she suddenly reared, nickering and skittishly trying to move backwards, away from the far edge of the field. Ron frowned as he grabbed her reigns, talking to her quietly and trying to soothe the horse's nerves. Scanning the field to try to see what spooked the gentle-mannered mare, his eyes fell upon a shadowed lump at the edge of the field; he swore to himself that it hadn't been there earlier. Ron quickly unhitched the plow and led Lilly to a fence post to tie down before he cautiously wandered over to investigate.

 

Ron Smithy was very surprised, then, to find the body of a very oddly-clothed, golden-blonde young man on his field. Since Ron couldn't see any movement, he assumed that the poor soul was dead… but when he reached down to try to haul the body to a more suitable resting place, he jumped and dropped the boy when he heard a low, pained moan. Immediately, Ron's eyes widened with concern - was the boy hurt? Sick? How did he get here? Ron rolled the boy onto his back and noticed that there were a few signs of blood on the young man's clothes.

 

“Hey, are you alright?” Ron asked quietly, giving the boy's non-bloodied shoulder a gentle shake. He was surprised to find that the arm was a prosthetic, but not like what he had seen the Rockbell family affix to people. “Boy? You okay?”

 

Eyelids fluttered open to reveal intense eyes of smoldering gold, hazy with disorientation and distant pain. The light seemed to hurt the boy's eyes as he held up the prosthetic hand to shield out the sun's rays.

 

“W-Where is this?” the young man suddenly asked, the rich voice hoarse.

 

“Rizenbul, a small farming town. Listen, I think I'm going to have to take you to a doctor…” Ron began, but the young man's eyes suddenly widened and he quickly sat up. Too quickly - he ended up pulling his face into his hands to fight away an apparent dizzy spell.

 

“What year?” came the next murmured question from the mysterious boy.

 

“What?” Ron asked, surprised by the question.

 

“W-What year is this?”

 

Ron lifted a brow. “Continental year 1909, late August. Is something the matter?”

 

The young man suddenly looked up, an almost-unreadable expression on his face. Ron saw traces of fear, victory, sadness… and something else he couldn't quite figure out. The young man winced, grunting in pain as he clutched his head in his hands just before he fainted dead away, no matter how fervently Ron tried to talk the boy back from the darkness.

 

--

 

1909. It turned out that I'd arrived back in my own hometown just after my mother's death, and just after my former youthful person had left the area with his - my - brother to train in the alchemic methods. We'd done it to try to revive our mother, our pillar of support and bastion of love. The moment I realized that I'd been presented with a chance that could completely change my own life… I'm ashamed to say that I didn't hesitate to take that chance.

 

---

 

.end chapter 1.

 

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This chapter took me a while to finally get out. I wrote it in bits and pieces as ideas came, but I got on a roll tonight and finished it up. It hasn't yet been edited, though I do plan to run it through the wringer in the near future. For now, it gets the job done: keeping me working on this story so that I don't lose the plot bunny!

 

If any of you readers happen to be good in physics and see a great deal of error in this story, please do let me know! I've never taken a physics course in my life, though I have done some outside research on time traveling theory. I'm a history/political science major, not a science guru... XD

 

Thank you to those who read the prelude, and thank you for the review, fute! ^^ Sorry (to anyone who is interested, haha) for the wait that will have to come after this chapter; school really owns my soul for the time being. X3 I hope that this chapter - as messy as it is for now - isn't too much of a disappointment.

 

Remember, comments are love! :D Let me know what you think!