Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or its characters, nor do I own or claim to own the FMA movie. I am just a fan. My ideas are original. If I use another show's ideas or themes, I will list them at the bottom of the chapter. However, I do not intentionally base my work on the work of others.
Author's note: Just a few facts to get you into the story. First, this story takes place three years after the movie, so five years after the anime series. Therefore, the year is 1925, and Ed is 20, and Al is 19.
Chapter 1: Distant Memories
There he was again, in that dark circular room. It smelled like gunpowder from where he was standing. He was staring up helplessly at a huge dragon with a figure in its mouth. He hated being helpless. He couldn't do anything – he would be dead if he took one wrong step. He had no idea how many weapons were being pointed at him.
He had literally fallen right into their trap. They needed him to open the gate from this side. So for now he could stall… but for how long?
Damn it. If only I could use alchemy…
He hated this world for taking alchemy away from him. It was his life. He felt less human without it. Now he was just a guy with a metal arm and leg. Fullmetal meant nothing over here. In a strange way, he wanted the gate to open.
But not like this.
He didn't want his friends and the only family he had left – Winry and Al – to be put in harms way.
"Father!" He gasped. Father? I haven't called him that for years. For as long as he could remember he hated his guts. The thought of him made his blood boil.
He used to have happy memories of him though, but that was a long time ago – back when things were good. Now… now things were different. He knew his 'Father' didn't make choices for him, but in a way he blamed everything that happened to him and Al on Hohenheim.
"What is this? What the hell is this!"
He listened to Hohenheim, but he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
He did this for me? So I could get back to the other side?
For a fleeting moment, his heart skipped a beat.
Maybe he did really love us…maybe I'll really get to go back…In his heart, he wanted to get back there. But his mind harboured the reality that it should be impossible. In a world where alchemy doesn't exist anymore, how could he even get to the gate, let alone cross it?
But these crazy fanatics were telling him a way. He didn't want to believe it… but he had to. After all, he had seen Al's soul again. It had to be true. He witnessed it work once. Why not again?
Snap out of it, you idiot! Do something.
It was too late though. Blood was already surging out of the dragon's mouth and the alchemy circle began to glow. Everything had slowed down now. He could hear voices, but they were muffled by the sound of his heart beating his ears.
Lub-dub Not like this… Lub-dubA gunshot went off.
Lub-dubHe fell off the platform somehow. Lub-dub. The air was rushing through his hair. Lub-dub. He was nearing the hard stone floor. Lub-dub. And then… Lub-dub... blackness surrounded him…
Edward woke up. He hated that dream. After that day initially happened, Ed dreamed about it for months. He had gone nearly three years without having it again. Why did he have to have it now?
He rolled over in his bed and threw the sheets off. He was hot. His heart was beating hard in his ears.
Damn it – go back to sleep.
But he couldn't. His heart was keeping him awake.
Lub-dub.
Lub-dub.
Lub-dub.
Al was sleeping soundly in a bed across the room. Suddenly he felt better after hearing his shallow breaths.
Lub-dub.
At least we have each other.
Lub-dub.
Ed closed his eyes. Lub-dub. He began drawing an alchemy circle in his mind. He knew it was pointless to imagine alchemy, but it was one of the few things that could put him to sleep quickly.
Lub-dub.
He thought of a new one this time.
Lub-dub.
An octagon with a star inside.
Lub-dub.
If only I could use it…Lub-dub.
Lub-dub.
Lub-dub.
Well, that was my first go ever at a fanfic. I love reading them, and since I enjoyed FMA so much, I decided to try writing a fic about it. This has the potential of being really long… so I don't want to continue unless I get some (positive) feedback as to whether or not I should bother writing more. Let me know in the review section! Thanks for reading!