Customary Disclaimers Apply to this chapter and all after this one.
Chapter 1: Equivalent Trade; Return
Edward Elric couldn't believe what he was seeing. The blood red stone on his hand shimmered, like a ruby. How could the Kenjya-no-Ishi, or the Philosopher's Stone, exist in the other world, in the world he lived in now, where alchemy was not even used?
Then again, he was glad to have found it. The Philosopher's Stone had extremely powerful alchemic properties, and would be wonderful aid in this world. Anyway, perhaps this was his one chance to get back to Al, his little brother, even though he wasn't sure whether it would work…
Edward got out a piece of chalk from his pocket. He had never given up on the search for a means to return to his own world, his original world. Thinking for a while, Edward knelt and etched out a Rensei-jin, transmutation circle - after all, alchemy was hard enough in this world with a circle, he would need one, even if he had the Kenjya-no-Ishi, even if he WAS the Fullmetal Alchemist. Edward gingerly placed his hands on the circle.
The circle glowed and flashed with blue light.
Alphonse Elric trotted out of Central, puffing slightly. Where was the library again? After all these years, he still kept his resolve to get his brother back. He remembered nothing though of the incident when the two of them had tried to resurrect their mother, breaking the taboo on human transmutation. He remembered nothing of their long and perilous journey – or let's say, quest – to regain their original bodies. He had been told, however, by Winry and his other friends, of the events which had happened, though only Edward himself would know the facts about the entire journey, after all, his brother had been beside him all along, even if he didn't remember it.
Edward Elric, his brother had given up his own body a few years ago so Alphonse could return to his. As much as Alphonse though his brother was a baka for doing it, he had to feel grateful for the extended life and feel respect for his brother's sacrifice, as well as 'brotherly love', of course…
Not only had he forgotten about all the events though, Alphonse had also come back 'unaged'. He was now, instead of one year younger than his brother, would be almost six years younger if his brother had been alive. Even Winry, was now much older than him, for all she stayed with him, sometimes, he felt a little left out.
"Al?" there was a shout from inside, as he heard approaching footsteps.
Al turned to see Rose running towards him. "Hi, how's the search going?"
Rose had come to Central from the East a few months ago. The now Fuhrer, Roy Mustang, let her off the hook, saying she had nothing to do with the War (more like massacre) in Lior three years previously which had cost many of the lives of military men when Scar created the Philosopher's Stone in the empty armour which was Al. Rose had been named as the leader of the rebellion and had been force to go into hiding. When the news was announced publicly, Brigadier General Hawkeye had smiled knowingly.
As much as the Fuhrer seemed confident, he was in deep guilt over the 'death' of Ed. He had done what Mustang would have never tried to do, given up his body to save another, even if the other did not remember him. Mustang had been deeply affected by his best friend, Maes Hughes', murder, and yet did nothing about it, until at last the Homunculus Fuhrer was 'killed'.
Roy knew though, as well as anyone did, that the true killer of Hughes-san was still alive, in a sense. As alive as Edward had to be anyway, as Envy had followed Edward through the Gate and neither had been heard of since.
Winry come now with Scieszka in tow. She waved merrily as she dashed into an automail parts shop, the look on her face which was usually associated with automail. Scieszka looked like she was about to drop and shot a pleading look at Al which obviously said silently 'save me', but Al only grinned back.
Even though no one had shown it, they were more affected over Ed's 'death' than they admitted. Al could see it in the way Rose would look sad whenever she saw someone doing alchemy, Winry would be somber as she looked over the automail arms and legs in her workshop, Scieszka would stare at the books Ed used for a long while, remembering that she had helped him; at least a little, Mustang would look fierce, hiding the guilt deep inside, and Riza Hawkeye would be simply silent, not revealing anything in her face yet her posture revealing sadness. Lieutenants Maria Ross and Denny Brosh were also quite affected by Edward's death in their own way. They couldn't believe the Fullmetal Alchemist, who had never give up, would just give up his own life without a fight.
Al turned suddenly as he saw and heard an alchemic reaction. Only a small reaction, yet it seemed powerful. Al watched the bright blue electric light running over the ground.
It was coming… from underground…
Edward pulled his hands back off the transmutation circle. The Gate hadn't opened, why in the world had he thought it would? He mused for a while before rolling his eyes at himself. The years of not doing alchemy must have diminished his knowledge greatly for not remembering to get something to trade for the gateway. Toukan-koukan, equivalent trade. Even if there was no Law of Equivalent Trade, he still needed something to gain something. He hadn't offered anything so hadn't received anything.
He sighed. Did he really want to leave that badly though? For now, it was okay. He had found his brother's parallel, had found the parallel for Rose, had found a parallel for Winry. They were all quite the same. There was a parallel for everyone he knew, the same in appearance, in personality, and yet, so different. He had even found a parallel for Hughes-san, who had died in the other world, his own world. Even though Ed knew he was dead, it was nice to be able to talk to him again, his playful humour was strangely reassuring…
Ed clenched his mechanical right hand. Before he had passed through the Gate, he had been whole, yet the Gate had spat him out again missing his arm and his leg…yet he regained the mechanical parts from his automail, ironically. His father, Hoenhiem, hadn't been able to make him automail, but gave him a robotic arm which he could use, but wasn't as durable or as steady as automail could ever be. He was glad though for his robotic limbs. Life could be even worse without them.
Edward's trained ears heard a low growl behind him and he twirled around. His eyes widened as he saw the person – or more accurate – thing behind him. It resembled a dragon, yet Ed knew it was Envy, or to be more exact, his elder half-brother and a homunculus.
Edward sprang back, grabbing the Philosopher's Stone, and whipped out the chalk again. Hurriedly scribbling a transmutation circle – although he wasn't sure if this would work, trying to open the Gate was one thing and this was another, besides it hadn't even worked – Edward placed his hands on the circle and transmuted a spear out of the ground.
Grabbing the spear, he whirled to face Envy.
[ANCIENT Author's Notes:
Something which I'm not really happy about though is how I can figure out whether to use Edward or Ed. In the anime they always go "Edo" and "Aru" and I suppose that because they always do that with non-japanese words but writing that seems wrong too…and keeping on writing Edward and Alphonse is annoying.
Notice that I've given people promotions too:
Roy Mustang – Fuhrer
Riza Hawkeye – Brigadier General
Maria Ross – Lieutenant
Denny Brosh – Lieutenant
I didn't mention Alex Louis Armstrong but he can be a Brigadier General too.
How is this going to end? Wait and see for yourself!!
New Author's Notes: I'm not sure this would work... it wouldnt in my current theory...