A/N: Ta-da! The third chapter, I wouldn't say it's my best work but here it is anyways.

Chapter 3 - The Demonstration

Michael POV

Michael was completely lost. Both mentally and physically. His head still hurt but it was getting better. He could also feel his electricity slowly rising, getting back to normal levels. Yet he had no idea where he was, and had so many questions in his head that they just made him more confused.

Then there are the Elric brothers.

They were interesting, the things they said made no sense, yet Michael felt like he could trust them. After all they did take him in from the street and cared for him. They know about his electricity, he told them, and now they want a "demonstration", no telling how that's going to go. Their questions were good natured and honest but it was so annoying and painful just to think of answers that were no longer there. It feels like I just lost a part of me.

After Edward left me and Alphonse sat quietly for a moment before Al got up, excused himself for the night and followed Ed into their room. Leaving me alone to attempt to sleep, but sleep seemed impossible right now. The dream he just awoken from was still fresh in his mind and it wasn't pleasant.

The dream went like this…

I found myself in a place with no walls or features of any kind, just white. I looked around but found nothing not even where the light was coming from. then I heard this creepy smooth voice behind me.

"Why, hello there." I quickly turn around and am startled to find something or someone there for once. It just barely had a shape that looked human, and it was also white. The only way I could differ between the background and the figure was a weird kind of black mist surrounding it.

"Who are you?" I asked naturally

"Why I am so glad you asked!" The figured exclaimed and a smile showed over the thing's blank face. "I go by many names including Fate, God, The Universe, The World, and most importantly the Truth."

"What does that mean? How are you The Truth?"

"It means just what you think." It said with it's sickly smooth voice. Suddenly there was a large THUMP! behind me. I jump and stumble forward in fear, I turn around to find a huge door that had just appeared out of nowhere behind me. It was about twenty feet tall but it didn't touch the "floor", it also had a weird intricate design on it that resembled a tree with unreadable symbols all over it.

"Sadly you are not an alchemist so you do not understand the concept of equivalent exchange like others, and that leaves me to have to tell you." it sighed as if that's the last thing it wanted to do. But it continued talking anyways. "There is this principle that I love oh so much, it's called equivalent exchange, I can sum it up like this, you cannot gain something without first giving something of equal value in return. You, my electric-child, have to go somewhere else for a little while. But first there is a toll you must pay."

I had turned back around to face the figure again; I felt slight shock at how he knew about my electricity, but it was quickly replaced by another question. Why did I have to pay a toll if I didn't want to go? But instead I said.

"What toll?"

"Why, the one needed to pay for your trip of course, but another one as well. You will not be able to survive in that world without some knowledge, the price for that is knowledge in return." It finished widening it's ever creepy smile.

"What does that mean?" I cried. Before I even finished I heard the door behind me creak open slightly. I turned around and looking inside the door. It was pitch black except for one wide sideways red eye hovering in space.

I felt fear rise higher and higher as Truth responded.

"Oh, you'll figure it out eventually." Tiny black hands started to seep out of the crack in the door, coming towards me. They looked like children hands but without arms, just ribbons. I stumbled away, but something invisible tripped me and the hands were able to catch up. The first ones I shook off but ten more grabbed on all over my body and started to drag me towards the door. I started to scream.

"Hush now, there's no need for such a fuss, have courage. Good luck child of the Electroclan."

The last thing I saw before the door closed was that creepy white smile. There was a moment of pitch black, then all at once everything happened. A force from all around me started to rip me apart till I felt myself growing weaker and break apart. I felt the force reach inside my head too and mess with my mind. I screamed through it all. Just as suddenly as it started, it stopped with a flash of light. Next thing I knew I was awake.

Despite my desire not to fall asleep again for fear of reliving such a nightmare, my exhaustion won and I fell into a blissful sleep.

I was awoken by a hand on my shoulder, and someone saying my name. I opened my eyes and saw someone hanging over me. At first I didn't feel fear just drowsiness and it took a moment for my brain to catch up. I jolt to full awareness.

"Gahh!" was the sound that escaped my throat as I jerked myself off the couch and onto the floor. The Elric brothers promptly started laughing their heads off. I also joined in but half heartedly. "Ha ha very funny. Please don't do that again." I say trying to hide my embarrassment. They still laughed, but it eventually faded.

"Nice one Michael, but all fun aside, how about we get to breakfast?" Edward suggested and my stomach growled in response. I realized I can't remember the last time I ate.

"Sounds good." I reply getting up and brushing myself off.

We had a simple breakfast of toast. I gobbled up seven slices before I couldn't eat any more. I asked if Al wanted any but he said he wasn't hungry, I thought it odd but I was too occupied filling my own stomach to pursue it. I was taking my last bite when the brothers spoke again.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Alphonse asked. I finished chewing and answered honestly.

"Good, thanks to you guys. Though I've been better, I think."

"Good. Do you think you can give us a demonstration today?" Edward asked. I felt my stomach drop at that. I knew this was coming but I was dreading it.

"Yeah. Sure." I said in a tense voice. I could see their excitement at that. "But before I start can I just ask that you don't tell anyone. It's better if less people know." I finished nervously. Both brothers nodded. That'll have to do. I walk back to the couch, Ed and Al followed. I then turned around to face them. I didn't know what to do, but I had a feeling.

I put my hands together as if catching a moth. If I was paying attention I would have seen the brothers's reaction at that; Ed's eyes widened and Al got tense. I pulsed and felt electricity jump between my hands I pulled one hand away and in the palm of the other was a small perfect sphere of crackling electricity about the size of a golf ball, thou slightly smaller. I felt a small smile on my lips as I looked at the Elric's reactions, wide eyed with jaws to the floor.

"Wh… What the… How the…" Ed stuttered

"It's beautiful." Al commented in a whisper.

The lightning ball was sitting harmlessly in my hand, even though it was making loud cracks and pops as arcs jumped from it to my hand and back. It would have left blisters to anyone else but there was no sign of harm to me.

"Doesn't it hurt?" Ed asked out of his stupor. He started to get closer and closer it till it reflected in his eyes with a bright blue light.

"Not really, it just tickles." I answer.

I saw his hand rising to touch it too late.

"No Don't!" But his right hand had already made contact with it. His body immediately went stiff but shivered at the same time. I quickly pulled the ball away and dropped it, it hit the floor with a loud snap like a firecracker. Ed fell limp to the floor with it.

"Brother!" Al cried and rushed to his side. I did the same. "Oh no. Brother! Wake up!" I knelt down and check his pulse and breathing. It was there, and strong too. I lean back and let out a sigh of relief.

"He's fine." I tell Al who relaxed at that. "He just got knocked down." I heard a small chuckle from the large suit of armor, and turned to look.

"That's just like him. Do something stupid, but won't stay down." Al said, obviously amused by his brother's common antics. As if on cue Ed woke up.

"That hurt." he said sitting up.

"I would expect it to, you just electrocuted yourself. You okay?" I say while helping him up onto shaky legs.

"Yeah I am, except…" He looks at his right arm that is hanging limp at his side. He then looked at Al who was shaking his head in disappointment.

"Winry is going to be furious." Al said with a hint of dread in his voice.

"Who's Winry? And what's wrong with your arm? Is it numb?" I ask confused and worried. The brothers share another glance, and I caught a slight nod from Ed.

"We have something to show you too." He said and worked on taking off the white glove on his limp hand. I saw a gleam of metal, I thought it was just a bracelet or a watch but once it was off completely I almost didn't believe it. His whole hand is made of metal. Now it was Michael's turn to have his jaw to the floor.

"Wh… What the… How the…?" I can't help but stutter. It seemed impossible to me, and it moved so naturally before.

"It's called automail, it replaces missing limbs. I lost mine in a skirmish in the war out east." Ed said simply, as if he's said it a lot. I would've asked more questions but something told me not to. I left it at that.

"What's wrong with it brother?" Al asked

"I'm not entirely sure but I think the wires are fried. I just know it hurts like crazy." Ed said.

"Any way to fix it?" I ask. A sudden flash of memory jumped into my consciousness. I bet Ostin could fix it. I think dreamily, but before I could recall anything else it disappeared. I groaned in frustration and put my fingers to my temples.

"... in Rush Valley." I was too preoccupied with my thoughts that I missed Edward's response. "Michael?" He added noting my strange behavior.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I just remembered something but it's gone." I say waving it off. "what did you say, I missed it." I added feeling embarrassed.

"I said. my mechanic, Winry, could fix it. But she's all the way in Rush Valley." Ed repeated, but then added. "I guess I could try to fix it myself." He then started to undress, which was difficult with one limp arm. When he was done he was in a sleeveless black shirt. His automail went all the way to his shoulder and ended in some nasty scars. I couldn't help but stare at the gleaming metal.

Ed then went over to the coffee table and placed his metal arm on it with a clank and sat down next to it. Al and I went to sit on the couch nearby. He started to take off the large metal plates that covered the mainframe a small puff of smoke came out as he did. On the inside was a series of cable and wires running all the way down the arm. I saw that some of the wires had scorch marks on it.

"Ah man, this stuff is fried." Ed commented examining the ruined wires. "This will need more than just a little tune up. Definitely more than I could do."

"So are we going to Rush Valley or are we calling Winry here. Either way she won't be happy, she just made that for you." Al said. Instead of answering, Ed got a distant look and shuddered.

"Yeah. Let's avoid that." Ed said, his face looked pale. We all started to think about how to fix Ed's arm. Not like I could help much, I hardly knew anything. Before any of us could think of something. there was a knock on the door.

"Ed? Al? You guys in there? It's me Winry. Can I come in?" Came a muffled voice of a girl.

"Is that who you were talking about?" I ask turning to look at the two brothers. Alphonse looked like he was trying to act like stone, and Edward looked like he was being electrocuted again. Another knock at the door shook them out of it and Alphonse went to open the door. I heard him and Winry exchange greetings and watched as a young, beautiful, blond girl with blue eyes enter.

"Winry, what are you doing here?" Ed asked hiding his limp arm behind him and trying to look innocent but failing and looking guilty instead.

"It was really weird, I had this bad feeling that my automail was broken even if I haven't heard from you in a while, maybe that's why." She replied very innocently. but then turned almost demonic as she glared at Edward who seemed to tremble. "What have you done to it now?"

"Wh-wh-what a-are you t-talking about? It's fine, best work you've ever done." Edward said trying to be innocent but was trembling hard.

"Turn around." She said sternly

"Y-you can't tell me what to do!" Ed said rebelliously but I could see sweat on his face. She just stared at him. I could see the sweat increase until he finally admitted, facing her and letting her see the limp metal arm. "Okay I did break it, but not like the other times."

"How?" she cried "Never mind, just let me see it. Come here."

"What? No, how can I trust you not to kill me with a wrench?"

"You can't, but come here unless you want to be hit with a wrench." Unhappily, Ed compiled and went over to her standing by a chair and settled into it with a humph placing the metal arm on the armrest. Winry put down her luggage and pulled several tools and an apron out, she tied it on, grabbed a wrench and began to work.

Me and Al became background characters for the entire time. I even wondered if she knew I was there in the room at all.

"Well, the plating is all right but the wires are all fried. Gees Ed, what'd you do? Get electrocuted? Can you move it at all?" She asked after doing a full inspection.

"Um… kind of, and no I can't move it"

"What do you mean 'kind of' you either did or didn't get electrocuted." Winry said detaching the burnt wires and making Ed wince with every one of them, my curiosity piqued as I wondered how it could be hurting him. I was starting to fear that Ed will tell her about my powers, I anxiously fidgeted and twitched and watched him to see if he would.

"Well, I...um…" Ed saw me and I hope he could read what I was begging. "Touched a stray wire. Yeah that's it, I accidentally touched it. You know how some hotels can be, not always in the best of SHAPE!" Ed rushed the excuse that ended in a jerk as Winry pulled another wire.

I visibly relaxed at hearing a lie. Winry just mumbled something under her breath as she finished taking out all the bad wires and started putting in new ones. Again, Ed jerked every time a new one was put in. Winry finally finished putting on the thick top plates.

"Done. Now please stop destroying it before I end up killing you one of these days" she said in exasperation as she got up and started putting things away. Only then did she notice me standing next to Al. "Oh, hi there." She greeted warmly, nothing like how she acted with Ed. "Are you a friend of theirs?"

"Um, yeah I'm their friend. My name's Michael."

"Well it's nice to meet you Michael. I'll be staying in town for a few days a few blocks down, and please don't come up with any plans that include you breaking it again." She said and with that she picked up her bags and left.

"Well," Al said "That went better than I thought."

"Yeah, tell me about it" Ed said with a relaxed yet worried expression. Ed then turned to me. "Do you want a tour of the city?"

I couldn't think of anything else to do so I nodded.

"Alright then let's go." Ed said with a little bounce in his step and the trio walked out of the hotel.

A/N: Sorry it was extra long, about 3000 words! but I hope it was just as good as the last one. Again, if I am writing the characters wrong or any other mistakes, tell me!

Alright so after this I don't have many ideas on what will happen, I would like some ideas. No idea when I will update next, it will be whenever I have the fourth chapter done. Till then Enjoy!