Fullmetal Alchemist 1. Return

Aka Ame: Red Rain

Chapter One:

Upon the golden colored floor of a ballroom four hundred years or older crouched a lean form wearing a dark brown trench coat. Blood stained white gloves were clenched into fists as a dry sob broke out from the owner's mouth. Edward sucked in air as he pushed himself up from the floor. Beside him were a large brown suitcase and not too far away a raven which glared at Edward who didn't return it. He had paid his price to come from the other side of the Gate. Hissing he turned to catch sight of the glaring raven.

"Hey Hagane no chibi-san."

Ed covered his face with a gloved hand at the raven's words. "Don't tell me. The Gate sent you as my babysitter."

The bird shrugged its 'shoulders.' "Hey don't look at me. It's not like I'm happy to act as a damned telephone between you and that damned thing which didn't send me to where that bastard is. Thanks to you I can't change my form until you deem that I'm well behaved enough."

"Ah. Sorry to burst your bubble but the bastard is dead if you can't already tell by the blood on my gloves." He said pulling them off to reveal his hands, stuffing them into his pocket.

"You got your damned limbs back?"

"Hardly. It's just synthetic materials that look like skin covering prosthetic limbs, the other side of the Gate isn't very kind to invalids."

Envy choked on the word invalid. The Fullmetal Alchemist was anything but invalid given his fiery nature and hard punches. Come to think of it his jaws were still aching from the beating he received from his half brother. Damned automail. "You invalid. If my memory serves right brat, your damned automail sure as hell can give quite a shiner."

Edward stared at the floor for a moment tracing the lines of the transmutation circle with his eyes. That was five years ago and he had since learned to keep his voice silent. What he witnessed during his life in Munich gave him nightmares and what he just went through only moments before would only add to the pile of nightmares he suffered from. He took a deep breath as he screwed his eyes shut then let it out. He didn't have time to make light banter of anything not when he still had duties to fulfill.

Catching sight of his suitcase he bent over and picked it up from where it lay on the ground.

"Hey aren't you going to answer me shrimp?"

Golden eyes bore down into similar colored eyes. Envy saw that they were exactly the same as the ones he saw at the Gate before he jumped in. They were silent, assessing eyes burdened by personal experience.

"No." Edward replied as he crouched down and picked up the raven form Envy from the floor, stuffing him in the other pocket of his coat as he stepped out of the transmutation circle. With the clap of his hands the markings vanished. People from the other side of the Gate would never gain access to Amestris, not with him around to keep an eye on things.

"Come on, let me out of here! It's not like I'm some pet needing to be coddled!" Envy protested feebly knowing that in his current state he couldn't do squat.

"I'm not going to coddle you. Tell me where Dante normally did her work."

The raven sighed then directed the young man having no other choice in the matter. Moments later they were in a large library where Ed proceeded to head toward a shelf then reveal a vault which held currency. Withdrawing a sufficient amount he then returned the room back to its original state before backtracking and leaving the ground level walking on the high causeway which led to the cathedral in Central City. Silence permeated the atmosphere as it always did. Finally he reached the abandoned cathedral. Clapping his hands together he sealed away the passage to the underground city.

Edward noticed that it had recently rained from the puddles on the ground next to him which reflected his weary state. His clothes were still pristine but his face looked drawn. Drawing away from the puddle he left the ancient house of religion. Once outside he clapped once more as the ground shook after he slammed his hands down onto the ground. Slowly the cathedral sank into the ground until there was nothing left but earth. Turning from the now barren ground, he made his way from the outskirts of Central to the city itself.

People moved around him ignoring him in favor of going about their daily lives. His first stop was at a clothing store where he bought more formal clothes given that he was used to wearing such clothing after living in Munich for five years when he caught sight of the date from a small newspaper stand. It was only 1917, barely a year since he had left this world for the other beyond the Gate. Oh the irony. Edward moved onto various other stores.

He had to readjust to his former world before moving forward to search for Dante and prevent her from trying another massacre. Two wars and living in oppression for years left him worn for the wear. Darting around he found a small inn to stay for the time being. In his room he immediately set about planning what he would do.

"Oi. Hagane, what the hell are you doing? Don't you have a home to go back to, a brother to check up and possibly getting your limbs checked out? Prosthetic limbs can't do squat for all its worth."

"No. As much as I want to, I have a job to do which concerns your mother's affairs." Edward replied calmly as he took out some sand and metal. With a clap of his hands they became a pair of glasses. He then began to mix hair dye.

"I may be a bird but I swear if you hurt my-"

"I'm not looking to hurting Dante. It's not what he would have wanted because in the end he still loved her in a twisted way perhaps as a fellow buddy for four hundred years. However I can't simply ignore my 'job.' What the Gate wants it gets." The dye traveled up his hair until all traces of blond vanished leaving black. Next were the eyebrows.

Envy ruffled his feathers in a disgruntled manner. "If you're not gonna hurt her then just what the hell are you going to do?" He demanded.

"Take away her alchemy. The Gate never stated how I went about doing the job as long as it was done."

"You're a heartless bastard you know that?"

Edward cleaned up his mess then gazed at the raven sitting on the headboard of the bed. He had been called cold by the women on Earth. Dante had called him cruel for not returning Roze's affections and Winry had always looked so depressed when he didn't return her affections. It wasn't that he didn't like them, it was just he couldn't bring himself to be too close to anybody but his brother who was the only family he had left. Anything outside of that didn't matter. He had grown up too soon and knew his burdens which he bore.

However he wasn't heartless. Edward had gone through hell and back for the sake of those he came to care during his travels. He went out of his way to help those during his excursions as the dog of the military. On Earth he learned what it was like to be persecuted and live in fear that his irregularities would be found out and exploited. He hated it. It left him distant but not wholly without heart that was why he proposed on only sealing away Dante's alchemic abilities rather than outright killing her when he had the right.

"I'm only being reasonable. You're the one who's acting rashly for a four hundred year old half brother."

The raven flinched at the soft tones. It was just like the bastard's in a way with intensity behind them. Then again this Edward looked vastly older than the one he killed. Envy couldn't argue with the fact that Edward Elric was being reasonable. A while ago the blonde would have killed the woman outright. Though he would never show it in public, Envy feared his younger half brother more than any other being, his mother included. One just didn't mess with the appointed Guardian and walk away to live the tale. There was the inconsistency to take into factor about Edward Elric. The man was unpredictable.

One minute he could be childish about certain things like height then the next he would be hell bent in murdering for the sake of his younger brother. Wait, that happened quite a few times. Now as an adult who had experienced God knew what from the Other Side, Edward Elric was even more dangerous. So far everything had been pretty good considering that Edward hadn't strangled him yet. (It was bound to happen soon…who would be stupid enough not to take advantage of their murderer if given the chance?)

"You sound like the bastard. I liked it when you were yelling and being a brat." He sneered as he pulled from his thoughts.

Edward gave the raven an amused grin. Envy however saw flashes of weariness in them. "I never noticed. Al always had more of mother's genetics than me. Then again you look just like him and at least can get away by changing your appearance. I on the other hand don't have that luxury. There were so many times I wanted to hurt him for making my mother suffer more than abandoning Al and I."

This was new. Envy never heard of this. "He abandoned you?"

"It was shortly after Al was born. My mother soon fell ill afterwards and did nothing but watch out the window waiting for him to come home. Then she died. The rest as you know is history." He replied neutrally as he headed toward the door of his room, ready to leave.

"What are you doing?"

"I have to get a job don't I? The best paying one without raising any suspicions would be the job of a State Alchemist."

Envy shifted his weight onto his left 'leg.' "How sneaky. I thought you had morals about honesty or something along those lines."

"Sometimes I have to do unpleasant things to protect those I care about."

With that he left the room but not before Envy hopped off his perch and landed on Edward's right shoulder. Together they made their way to Central Headquarters. Military personnel milled about running errands. A few stopped momentarily to throw odd glances his way as he made his way up the marble steps as he did years before. At the desk he was greeted by a secretary who handed him the application with a pen all the while blushing deeply.

"So, what brings you to the military Mr…"

"Holderlin, Madame. I'm only trying to apply for a State Alchemist title." Edward answered as he flipped through a few pages of the application before swiftly filling out the necessary requirements. One could easily create an entirely new identity without having people know the better when applying into the military since there was no way of having international records when the world was recovering from various states of war be it civil or otherwise.

He had been sure to write down the address of a small, rural area like Risembool quite a ways to the West. Nobody would question the reasons behind his address. Alchemists by nature tended to be rather reclusive when not part of the military preferring to research. Finished with his application packet, he handed the pen back and followed the secretary to a small room where she took his picture.

"The test is about one and a half months away Mr. Holderlin. Good luck." She said.

Edward nodded his head politely as he left the military headquarters.

Meanwhile on the second floor in a large office sat General Roy Mustang currently buried in piles of paperwork looking rather peeved as Riza Hawkeye glared balefully at him, her hand resting at her hip ready to whip out her gun any moment. He prayed somewhere for a deity to take pity on him and give him a break from all the boring paperwork when suddenly there was a knock at his door. He nearly cried out in joy but restrained himself just in time. Instead he looked up slowly from his paperwork and called out, "Come in!" before resuming his work…

Slowly the door opened to reveal the receptionist Amanda who held a packet in her hands. "Sorry to interrupt you sir but here's the newest applicant for the State Alchemist Examination." She said with a bow, handing the packet over politely as Roy took them.

More paperwork…at least if was more interesting than the ones he had to deal with. Casually he flipped through a few pages before coming upon the photograph of Thomas Holderlin's face. The young man had every feature that every woman liked in attractive men. Well proportioned face framed by jet black bangs and hair tied up in a neat ponytail with a pair of molten gold eyes behind thin wire rimmed glasses. His clothes were extremely formal by normal standards which could suggest a wealthy background.

Roy had seen plenty of the wealthy alchemist types before and never liked them much. (With the exception of Alex Armstrong…if one could ignore his eccentric tendencies…) However something in the man's eyes told him that Thomas Holderlin wasn't soft from years of aristocracy. In fact those eyes seemed rather old for a face so young. He scanned the information filled out neatly, almost mechanically in the provided spaces. All applicants for the State Alchemist Exam were given a small preliminary test before allowing them entrance and Thomas Holderlin answered them to the utmost detail. He continued on reading a brief description of the man's specialty which revolved around mechanics along with research into bioalchemy, which seemed rather contradictory given the two fields were vastly different from each other.

'This year's Exam should prove interesting.' He thought with a smirk.

Roy had very little idea how true it would become.

When the one and a half months passed, Edward found himself once again at Headquarters ushered into the very same hall he once sat in to take the written exam. Once again there weren't very many people there. The written exams didn't differ much from the one he took when he was twelve. Yet there were subtle differences. Alex Armstrong along with Roy Mustang was proctoring the exam instead of standing to the side. Unlike last time, Edward finished the test down to the last question, finishing earlier than the other candidates. He caught a few glances from the others knowing that they were meditating on the fact that he finished early. The pressure was on.

He leaned back against his chair to stare up at the plaster ceiling of the room. Soon he fell into a daze where his surroundings vanished as memories rose up from his mind.

_Snap. Snap. Snap. Snap._

_Repetitively the cover of the pocket watch snapped open and shut as Ed stared out the window of the train he was currently riding in. It had been that one particular train ride while he was fleeing from Germany that he came across a mother with two children. They reminded him of his family years ago before it all went downhill. _

"_That's a beautiful pocket watch though the craftsmanship is reminiscent of the military. Were you in the war?" _

_The cover shut with a soft snap as Edward put it away. _

"_A friend crafted it for me as a keepsake." _

Edward suddenly started when a hand landed on his shoulder and looked up to see one of the personnel looking down at him.

"The exam's over, you may now leave."

Slightly embarrassed, Edward apologized profusely as he made his way out of the military building noticing a few alchemists throwing glances his way. He calmly ignored their glares and inquisitive glances at him.

"You tend to make a lot of enemies don't you?" Envy asked as the blonde haired man made his way down the steps carefully minding that he still had his damned prosthetic limbs to take care of.

"Not intentionally." Edward replied as he took out a small schedule from his pocket. He saw that he had a week before they started the interview. Seeing how he had a good amount of funding from the underground city with sufficient amount of time he could get his prosthetics replaced with automail given he would need better mobility in the future.

Jamming the schedule in his pocket he turned to the bird perched on his shoulder. "What would you say if we took a little detour to my hometown?"

Envy started at the question. He might have been a rather rude homunculus before the Gate decided to hook him up with Ed playing the telephone between the two but he knew from years of being around his mother that an invitation much like the one his half brother was giving was personal. What sane man would go around inviting his murderer to his hometown? It was something one did with close friends. For God's sake they weren't even remotely chummy with each other, having tried to kill the other for quite some time. (Four odd years come to think of it) Just when would the damned man (yes man) stop being so unpredictable?

Yet the fires of hatred and envy were somewhat damp after hearing the offer. Was this what he had been looking for? Acknowledgement from a family he never had? A father who abandoned him? Envy just didn't know exactly. "Exactly why are you inviting me to come along? It's not like I have much of a choice."

"You do have a choice. Everybody does. You may be a homunculus and five years ago I considered all of you inhuman for being created rather than born but I was wrong." Edward said quietly as he looked at his gloved hands. "We all are wrong. In ways you do have souls if you can feel emotions as strongly as any other regular person. Many would have considered Al as an animated object…to consider him otherwise…I was wrong, Hohenheim was wrong and so is Dante. I guess I want to atone for whatever sins that we both committed and I can't very well go around ignoring the fact that you are my half brother." He finished as he shoved his hands into his coat pockets, making his way through the city to the inn.

The raven sat in stunned silence. Just what the hell happened to make him think like that? It wasn't that Envy didn't like it or anything- it just was a new experience for him. Nobody ever treated him as a human not even his own mother Dante after Hohenheim resurrected him from the dead so to speak. Then again Ed's actions only added more to the list of oddities about him. Acceptance wasn't something easy to give out and by all means the time he spent with the Fullmetal Alchemist taught him that everything that the young man did held sincerity.

Sighing he shook his head. "Why the hell not, it's not like it'll kill me or anything. From what I heard is it truly a hick town?"

Edward chuckled at the question. "It's rural but I'm not sure if it's deemed a hick town just yet when it has an automail shop."

Three hours later Edward stepped off of the train carrying his suitcase in one hand and coat in the other. He had forgotten how warm Risembul got during April when Central was still moderately cool. He took his time walking down the beaten path saying hello to a few farmers who stopped occasionally to greet him despite the fact that he was technically a stranger.

"It's different from the other places I've been." Envy commented softly as he ruffled his feathers. "Quiet."

"It's always been this way from as far as I could remember. People here are generally nice and hard working people." Edward replied as he continued to trek his way toward the Rockbell household asking for directions along the way even though he knew how to get there just fine. It was rather ironic that no matter how he tried to turn away from his past it always caught up to him or rather how it always pulled him back to the beginning.

He didn't mind as much as he used to, seeing how badly he missed it after five years of being stuck in a world where color seemed to have vanished from all existence, where the world was one cruel day after another with people who glorified in war…No, he wouldn't dwell on those thoughts today. He had plenty of other nights to do so. Still on the dirt road he continued to walk toward the growing yellow house which stood at the top of a gentle sloped hill.

As he drew close to the property boundary he heard pattering of feet behind him. Out of curiosity he turned to see a small blonde haired boy running toward him and further back a dark haired woman at a slower gait…His eyes briefly widened as he recognized the woman. Izumi Curtis his former sensei. Then the boy…it couldn't be could it?

"Come on sensei! We're almost there!" Alphonse yelled as he caught up to the dark haired man making his way toward the Rockbell residence carrying a large brown suitcase and folded up coat. "Hello!" He said cheerfully, missing the look of shock running through the man's eyes before they gentled.

"Hello." Edward replied as he let the shock fade away into content that his brother was alive.

"Are you coming over to the Rockbell's for a check up?" Al asked glancing up at the man.

Edward smiled down at Al. "I heard that the Rockbells were some of the best automail mechanics around in Amestris. I've been contemplating on replacing my prosthetic limbs with automail for some time now." He replied honestly.

"Sorry if my student is being rude." Izumi said as she caught up to them with an apologetic expression.

"Ah. That's not a problem. I was heading toward the Rockbell residence in hopes of getting myself proficient limbs given how prosthetics can only go so far." He replied as they reached the front porch. Edward brought his right hand up and knocked on the door, almost making it look natural from years of practice.

The door jerked open to reveal a grinning Pinako Rockbell with a pipe stuck in her mouth. "Welcome back Izumi, Al and welcome young man. Come in." She said, opening the door wider to allow them entrance to the house.

Once in the living room, Pinako turned away from the guests and faced the stairs, bringing her hand near her mouth. "Winry get down here! We have some guests!"

Seconds later came a storming of feet upon wood floor as a young woman with blonde hair entered the living room rushing toward Alphonse and Izumi, immediately immersing herself into conversation. Pinako only puffed for a few moments before turning to Edward, a slight smile on her face. "My, you're a new face around these parts. Is there something I can help you with?" She asked as Edward gave her a small grin.

"Yes. I heard rumors that the Rockbells were rather good automail mechanics. I'm in need of automail seeing how my prosthetics can only go so far with movement." He said apologetically.

Pinako scrutinized the young man. "Eh? It looks like you still have your limbs." She said pointing at the small portions of flesh limbs showing through his sleeves and gloves.

Edward pulled off his gloves, rolled up the sleeve of his right arm then dug his nails into the fake flesh.

"What are you doing!" A voice cried out. Ed tossed a swift glance at Winry, Al and Izumi before digging deeper.

Silence permeated the air as he ripped away the synthetic skin to reveal metal. A pipe fell to the floor in surprise. "It's been covered up by synthetic skin to keep it from deteriorating at a fast pace as well as a safety measure." Edward casually said.

Winry stared at the taller man unsure of how to act at the sight of metal peeking through synthetic skin. Just a moment ago his hands seemed so normal, so natural as if they were really flesh. It wasn't disgusting or anything but a bit strange. Never in her life had she witnessed somebody cover up synthetic limbs to that extent. Ed had covered up his automail with long sleeves and gloves very much like the man standing in their living room but never went as far as to cover them up with something resembling flesh. Yet there was a beauty in that as well. It meant that automail could serve to recreate limbs to the perfection of human limitations.

"Well, we'll have to look at your limbs then, don't we?" Pinako asked, bending down to retrieve her fallen pipe. She then went over to Edward and dragged him into the surgeon room where she made him sit on the surgical bed. In a commanding tone she made him strip down to his boxers causing him some discomfort. Envy had sense enough to perch himself on a high shelf out of the elderly woman's way. Moments later Winry entered the room wearing scrubs and an apron.

"So which limbs are we going to look at today?" Pinako asked.

Edward bent down to his left leg and removed parts of the synthetic flesh nonchalantly before working on detaching them from his body to reveal stumps of flesh. Pinako whistled as she whipped out measuring tape taking his measurements swiftly.

"What did you do to lose your limbs in such a fashion?"

"A car accident. Apparently drinking and driving don't go hand in hand." He said with a light chuckle.

"You were drunk!" Winry exclaimed as Edward removed his clothes from the right side, allowing her to examine his right shoulder.

"I wasn't the one drunk. It was my driver. Poor man kept blaming himself about it." Edward ran his flesh hand through his hair. "I guess in the end I was stupid as well, I should have at least offered to drive instead of him."

Pinako nodded her head at the man sitting on the table. "Not many people would look at the situation as maturely as you Mr. Holderlin."

A few days later Edward went through the pains of attaching automail for the first time in five years. The pain was no different from all the other times. Envy who had never seen or heard of automail attachment gave him some sympathy on the matter.

"Is it always that bad?" the bird asked when Edward pushed himself off of the couch to test out his automail. He did a few tentative stretches getting used to the automail and its vague familiarity.

"Well it's not a pleasant experience not when wires are being attached to nerves. I almost wanted to scream but that wouldn't be good for the baby now would it?" He said lightly as he put on his clothes.

When he came out of the room he met Winry at the door along with Al. Over the past few days he had gotten to know them once more even though he wasn't revealing himself to them no matter how much he wanted to. His gloved hand landed on Al's head, ruffling downy hair lightly as he took his coat off the coat rack. "It was nice meeting all of you. Thanks for your hospitality." He said turning to Winry who held out his suitcase with a small smile.

"That's no problem Mr. Holderlin. Be sure to drop by every six months for regular check ups."

Edward smiled at them both. "I will Ms. Rockbell." With that he took the suitcase from the young woman and walked out of the Rockbell household.

For some strange reason Winry couldn't say but when she watched the broad shoulders vanishing down the dirt road she felt as if she were watching Ed. Why she thought of Ed that moment she couldn't explain but it left her unsettled until she felt tears prick her eyes.

"You don't need to cry. He'll be back in due time. He always will."

Winry looked down at her grandmother in surprise as did Al. "You know him?" She asked incredulously. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"No, but he's the type. Someday you'll find out." Pinako said mysteriously as she watched the man's figure completely vanish from view.

'He'll always come back no matter what. That's just the type of person he is, no doubt about it.'

Back in Central, Roy Mustang ran a hand through his hair as he glanced down at the train schedule in exasperation. Alright, the military didn't have any control over State Alchemist candidates but even so! It was common sense that one would stay in the city to avoid being tardy for any part of the test. He couldn't really complain when Mr. Holderlin passed the written exams with flying colors, nor could he complain when Risembul was a few hours away from Central station on its newest train.

Oh well, there was nothing he could do about the fact that Mr. Holderlin left Central in the middle of an important exam. The man's papers said that he was a traveler by nature drifting from place to place. However that wasn't the only thing nagging him during the day. From the old sector of Central he heard rumors of Hohenheim being spotted about two months ago then simply vanishing to God knew where after that. If one person knew where Edward Elric was, it most definitely was Hohenheim the ever elusive all powerful alchemist who happened to be the boy's father. Roy Mustang opened a drawer and withdrew a thick folder from within, slapping it down on his desk as he flipped open files on Hohenheim which also included a photo which flew out of the file landing over Mr. Holderlin's.

As he moved it aside he froze. The resemblance between the two was undeniable down to the passive face. Could it be that Mr. Holderlin had a tie to the Elric family? Hadn't he heard that there had been a third child from the elusive Hohenheim from a previous marriage? A smirk formed on his face. Well he'll be damned. If that was the case then perhaps the damned man would know something about Edward Elric.

The next two exams came and went by swiftly. Mr. Holderlin passed them exceptionally. It was a disappointment on Roy's part that he wasn't able to witness the man's alchemy given that the young man submitted designs for a flying machine with equations on how to build it and even added alchemic equations to explain the process of creating the 'plane' in alchemic terms for alchemists. Odd yet completely acceptable in military standards, what he couldn't wrap his mind around were the various derivations of the same machine presented in vague sketches after the main sketch. Roy himself had looked at the alchemic equations for air pressure, accounts of gravity and such. He found a whole world of possibilities opening up to him.

So on the day Mr. Holderlin came in to receive his watch and second name, Roy Mustang took advantage of the man's initiation to the military with an inquisition.

Edward had entered the General's office when he came face to face with the infamous 'bastard smirk' as he aptly called it when he had been a teen. (He considered continuing tradition…) He replied with a neutral face. Roy Mustang hated neutral faces, especially unmoving ones. Edward had plenty of practice in Germany to pull off the perfect poker face.

"Congratulations in joining the army Mr. Holderlin." Roy smirked as he pushed the envelope with the silver watch and photos on top across his desk.

A dark eyebrow rose as golden eyes gazed down at the photos for a moment before pushing them off to retrieve the envelope and the watch. "General you must have forgotten to put away the photos."

"On the contrary Major Holderlin, I must say that the resemblance between you and the man in the photo are rather uncanny. Or would it be better if I say Major Elric?"

Edward passively gazed at the dark haired man. Roy Mustang had squat. There wasn't enough evidence to prove otherwise. "Ah. The Elric family, that's a family name that hasn't been mentioned in the West for quite some time, especially in my small village."

Roy blinked in confusion. "What?"

"My village used to serve a noble family by the surname of Elric until they nearly vanished four hundred years ago; it had something to do with the eldest son dying or vanishing…or something of that sort."

The dark haired man slumped against his chair. Just when he had thought he had found a connection! Damn it! Well, Holderlin did have a connection with the family after all…a four hundred year connection. Given what he knew of small rural areas, people tend to look alike from 'inbreeding.' It would seem that Mr. Holderlin was no exception from that theory.

"My apologies."

"That's alright." Edward replied with a smile as he opened his envelope to look at his second name. "Avian Alchemist?"

Roy smirked at the young man. "I find it rather suitable don't you?"

Edward knew a dismissal when he heard one. He took the silver pocket watch and put it in one of his coat pockets. In ways the name was rather ironic. Yet he found strong symbolism in it. He left the office carrying the weight of his new watch which rested next to his other one.


	2. Rainy Day

Aka Ame: Red Rain

Chapter Two:

Rain fell from the swollen sky as Edward leaned against the window of his train compartment on his way to Rush Valley in order to confirm an investigation on a serial killer. He hated cases like those. Especially when they included chimeras…he knew he shouldn't have written down that he knew some bioalchemy. However he put it off as Roy Mustang trying to get him to show his brand of alchemy which after a few weeks in the military he hadn't really shown. If he did, he made sure that they only caught the barest of glimpses.

When he stepped off the train, with his suitcase in hand he threw up the hood of his military issued trench coat wishing not for the first time that he could wear his own given how much more comfortable it was compared to his military issued clothing. He didn't bother to bring an umbrella along. What was the use? The blasted thing would just get in the way.

"I hate the rain." Envy muttered darkly from beneath the coat.

"Well, look at it this way, you're warm and relatively dry. I'm the one getting soaked to the bone about the whole thing. I thought ravens are supposed to enjoy the rain."

"I'm in a raven form! That doesn't make it much easier for me!" Said bird protested.

Edward shrugged his shoulders as he made his way to the officer standing next to a car with an umbrella. He hated military recognition as much as he hated the military uniform. As for other forms of recognition from the regular people…he didn't mind at all. Sighing softly he made his way to the officer noting briefly that he was a Sergeant Major.

"Major Holderlin." The man said with a stiff salute. Edward gazed at him for a moment racking his head for a name…oh yeah…Sergeant Major Daniel Barten.

"At ease Sergeant Major Barten, I'm not going to bite your head off." He said with a chuckle as the man opened the door for him to enter. Edward worried that the other man wouldn't ease up until he saw ease enter the other man's eyes.

"Sorry it's just it's not really common to see State Alchemists down here nor is it everyday that we have an alchemic related serial killer." Barten said apologetically.

Golden eyes gazed out of the window of the car assessing the rain which continued to fall outside. "There's no need to apologize. I'm sure that you want this person out of your hair as soon as possible." The car stopped in front of a small alley.

'It's always an alley.' Edward thought bitterly as memories assaulted his mind. Gingerly he stepped out of the car ignoring the fact that he had stepped into a puddle as he examined the alley. God was a cruel deity indeed. All the time whenever he had to investigate something, he always ended up in front of an alley, a church or some sort of underground facility. He ignored the rain as he stared at the end of the dark alley for a moment before moving forward.

Carefully he removed the glove to his left hand as he knelt down to the ground. Even with all the rain the blood still hadn't washed off completely, he could smell it. Just as it was with Nina's death. However unlike Scar's case, whoever this serial killer was used chimeras to do his dirty work. He reached down and rubbed water, grit and dirt together between his forefinger and thumb noting the faint tinge of pink. More than one chimera had been used…chimeras which had been transmuted with human beings.

Edward then suddenly stood up allowing the rain to wash away the blood and dirt on his left hand before jamming on his glove. "This is the work of a human transmuted chimera." He said with a tight voice.

Sergeant Major Barten stared at the alley with some shock then at the dark haired man. His superiors had said that unlike normal military entrees, State Alchemists were exceptionally sharp as well as living weapons; even the weakest of State Alchemists knew how to look at the impossible and produce results. Even so, it still took them some time to pin point certain vices on a case, but this man…Major Holderlin took just a glance at the ground for a grand total of three minutes and came up with a vital clue about the investigation…

"Human transmuted chimera?"

Golden eyes gazed back into Barten's dark green ones. "As I was reading the debriefing on the train on my way here I took into account of what the coroner found in the 'corpse' of the victim. Normally one would dismiss it as a plain tooth, however if one looks closely at the structure; you will find characteristics of a human incisor. Also being here confirms it. Transmuted human chimeras have a thing for getting into alleys." Edward replied quietly as he shot one last glance at the alley before entering the car.

The next couple of days were frantically spent compiling information of the last whereabouts of each victim, alibis, witness reports and what not. What few precious breaks he gave himself, he spent wandering around Rush Valley trying to pinpoint the next possible area of attack which was difficult provided the place was filled with countless alleys. He knew from running all over the place chasing after a thief by the name of Paninya years ago. The alleys with people in apartments near them were ones generally avoided.

Also the vast majority were perhaps done in the middle of rainy nights. Luckily the night he arrived nobody died, however it was only a matter of time before somebody did. Now all he could do was hope that he had enough facts to catch the culprit before another person could lose their life. Sighing, Edward took one more look at the pile of papers scattered around his desk and decided that it would be best to take a break now as well as glean any information from Envy that could shed some light into the case.

He changed out of his military uniform, donning civilian clothing as he made his way around for the thirtieth time, formulating and narrowing down the possibilities of another attack at a certain place. Fluttering of wings brought him out of his thoughts as he felt a familiar weight on his shoulder.

"Have you found anything of interest?" He asked softly.

Envy nodded as he took a cherry from Edward who seemly always had food on him. (He wasn't sure if it was because of him or the man was keeping up with is infamous appetite.) "There's something definitely fishy about this one pet groomer that had moved into Rush Valley a little over six months ago."

"Pet groomer? Those people are always suspicious. I mean come on; they carry around brushes to pretty up pets for heaven's sake." Edward replied. "Tell me what's stranger than that?"

The raven took another offered cherry. "How about this? The man is obsessed with strays."

Golden eyes narrowed in thought. There were so many possibilities and Envy did present a good point. Nobody in an area the size of Rush Valley cared much about stray animals. (Al would be one exception having a healthy love for cats.) Didn't Barten say something about the recent drop of homeless in the city? Possibly could be a major connection…He had stared at photos of the victims' bodies for hours on end discerning teeth marks trying to find heads of tails of what animals were used with the human-chimera transmutations.

"That could shed some insight on the open possibility on materials along with the recent drop in the homeless population on the outskirts of Rush Valley. Is there anything else you should tell me?" Edward finally asked as he sat down on a bench in a nearby park watching children play. Parent watched on underneath the shade of trees.

"If you ask me, the man reeked of alchemy."

"You can smell alchemy." Edward said flatly as he peered down at the raven

"It's not hard… I am a carrion bird…" Envy drawled as another cherry landed none too gently in his beak.

Edward sighed as he leaned against the park bench watching the children run and play.

"Oi, you're acting like an old, old man." Envy snickered when he caught onto Edward's body posture.

Had it been five years ago Edward would have laughed it up or gone all out crazy over that comment. However he went through trying events that would have made him buckle if it hadn't been for his desire to come back, to see his younger brother the only family he had left. On Earth he had lived away from the touch of other people. Seeing doubles only pained him more as he constantly reminded himself that they weren't the same people he knew. His prosthetic limbs made him even more aware of his situation especially with the rise of a man by the name of Adolf Hitler who despised all forms of imperfection. What he went through, what he saw added on top of the manipulation he underwent from a youthful age made him more aware than most people his age.

Now all he could do was quietly agree with Envy. In a sense of experience he was old. Edward never deluded himself as his older brother did for four hundred years. Envy was still learning to break free of the dream to see the truth but it would take some time for him to find his own wings. Another factor which played into his ingrained sense of maturity came from the fact that he was a father to Al. He had responsibilities, duties and a promise to fulfill. He would carry the sins and protect Al from the worst the world had to offer. That was why he sacrificed the memories of their journeys for the Philosopher's Stone…that way if he had died then Al wouldn't have anything to be guilty over.

Guilt, pride, pain, tears and committed sins would never leave him, staying to him like wine stain to white tablecloth.

He had walked ten thousand miles, seen the God awful truth, died, resurrected and touched God. He accomplished more than any ordinary man could boast, seen more than a normal alchemist could hope to see and was a product more than four hundred years in the making. Gloved hands clenched together.

"Old huh? I guess I am." Edward remarked as he suddenly stood up then left for the station to continue his work on the case.

Meanwhile at the Rush Valley train station Winry stepped off the train with a large grin on her face as she confidently strode toward the sprawling city. "Rush Valley I've missed you!" She cheered.

"Winry! We know how glad you are to be back but please move out of the way. People need to get to their destinations." Al said from behind the blonde haired girl with a crooked grin as she sheepishly moved out of the way to allow people pass in and out of the station.

Sometimes the older girl was simply a handful when it came to mechanics…It could almost match Ed's drive for alchemy. Al frowned slightly at the thought. He had learned under Izumi sensei for a year and yet he hadn't come up with any answer to get his brother back save for through the use of the Philosopher's Stone. When he mentioned it, she flipped. He couldn't blame her though. The stories he heard about what his brother uncovered made him shiver. However, there could be the possibility of finding another way or so sensei said.

'Your brother kept logs of a lot of things that even the most prestigious alchemist wouldn't compare to whatever Ed had filled his books with. There's a strong possibility that you might find what you're looking for in one of his books but are you willing to become the dog of the military?' She asked with steel in her voice.

Al was more than willing if it brought his brother back.

"You're no fun sometimes Al." Winry replied with a small pout.

The eleven year old scratched his face a little. "Really?" Al replied with amusement coloring his young voice when all of a sudden screams erupted from the city square. People were frantically trying to get away from something. Throwing the blonde haired girl a look, they both took off in the direction of the source of the commotion.

Once they arrived on the spot they found the source of the peoples' terror. There standing in the middle of the street was a man surrounded by chimeras. The mad man grinned at them as he drew a silver whistle to his lips and blew. Chimeras immediately began to turn their heads toward Al and Winry, their unnatural eyes gleaming in the afternoon sun, turning the normally beautiful day into something out of a hellish scene. Before they could have time to do anything the chimeras attacked.

Winry brought her arm around Al, squeezing her eyes shut when there was a thunderous clap that sounded over the rampaging chimeras, surprised, they paused, their gazes elevated, staring at something behind Winry and Al. Both blondes turned to see none other than Mr. Holderlin with raven on his right shoulder and holding a crystalline sword with a dusky colored hilt. His glasses flashed briefly in the sunlight before the shine died away to reveal cold golden colored eyes that could freeze even hell itself. Power radiated from his normally serene form.

"So, you finally grew impatient and arrogant."

"What do you mean by that?" The alchemist sneered as he brought his whistle to his lips.

Flapping wings saluted the beginning of the onslaught. Winry closed her eyes when she felt pressure on her head. "What the hell are you doing! Get out of here! He didn't plunge himself in that heaping mess, to have you ripped to shreds! If you can go to the military station and tell Sergeant Major Barten that there's a code red in the city square!"

Mutely, Winry grabbed Al by the hand and ran, pushing the thought that a raven had just talked to her. Al on the other hand could only watch with wide eyes as Mr. Holderlin's figure diminished as they ran toward the military station. Once there, they sagged as an officer rushed to them.

"Is everything alright Miss?"

"Mr. Holderlin told us to tell Sergeant Major Barten that everything's on code red, whatever that is, but there are chimeras in the city square!"

The officer's eyes widened then he shot toward the general direction of the offices, pushing up a lever on the way as bells rang throughout the building. Winry leaned against the counter, holding Al closely as officers streamed out snapping cartridges into their guns before rushing out of the doors.

"Miss, please stay here, it'll be safer."

Winry looked up to find the officer she had talked to earlier with another officer next to him. She only nodded as they too rushed out of the door. A grip on her hand made her look down at Al who had a frown on his young face.

"That bird…it talked. That's not natural. It's not a chimera but a raven however what troubles me is that it can talk and has intelligence. Sensei once talked about a homunculus that could change form…what if Mr. Holderlin is a homunculus?" Al asked hesitantly as he glared down at the floor.

"If he was a homunculus then he wouldn't have gone out of his way to save us. They're generally selfish creatures and you're forgetting that Mr. Holderlin uses alchemy…" Winry trailed, her eyes widening. "He can use alchemy without an array!" She exclaimed, smacking a fist into her palm.

Al's eyes narrowed. Sensei had said that people who could do alchemy without circles or arrays were ones who broke the ultimate taboo of human transmutation. Out of equivalent trade for creating homunculus the alchemist had to give parts of their own bodies. Izumi sensei lost several internal organs…Ed had lost his right arm and left leg…

He swiftly gazed up at Winry who had wide eyes as she too came to the same conclusion as him. What if Mr. Holderlin was Ed? Yet…it seemed strange. Edward was short- Mr. Holderlin was tall, taller than most men with a standing height of 6'2 which a few people could challenge. There was also an age barrier. Edward would have been seventeen and Mr. Holderlin was twenty-one who at times looked older than his age. However there were similarities which couldn't be ignored.

Golden colored eyes weren't common by the least. Sure there were honey and amber but never gold. Only two people could ever have eyes of that color- Hohenheim Elric and Edward Elric. Then there was the thing about the automail limbs in such precarious areas which most likely couldn't have come out of an automobile accident. The final evidence which couldn't leave their minds was the fact the way Mr. Holderlin smelled. It wasn't particularly strong or unpleasant but it was one scent both Winry and Al could identify from any other simply because only three people ever had that scent following them anywhere.

Al as a child always smelled that scent on Edward no matter what if he hugged Edward or stood near him. It seemed to overpower the scent of corrosive chemicals normally used in alchemy. Also he would catch faint whiffs of it curled around the house before it was burned down.

'That smell belongs to dad.' Edward had once said when Al asked. There was so much anger in Ed's voice that Al never told his older brother that he too smelled just like dad. He also knew that Winry too could smell it on Edward. She had often told him that Ed smelled pretty whenever Edward wasn't around. (Which wasn't for too long.)

Out of curiosity Al had asked Winry what he smelled like. 'Different from Ed, you smell a little like your mom. Sweet grass and rain.'

"Do you think that it's possible that Mr. Holderlin could be…my brother?" Al finally asked.

Winry stared out of the window. "I don't know anymore. Dante too had the scent with her. I would have thought that all alchemists who tried to do human transmutation ended up with that scent or something but Izumi never had that scent. Even though Mr. Holderlin does have familiar characteristics, I can't be sure. Nothing about him is concrete. What we do know now is that he works for the military. I doubt that General Roy Mustang is lying about his search for your brother. He's just not that kind of person despite the fact that he killed my parents from an order." She said as she leaned against the counter, placing her automail bag on the floor.

Back in the city square Edward held his bloody sword in his hands as a small boy stood next to him with a frown. Bodies of chimeras lay strewn about with their blood collecting in pools. The afternoon sun didn't help either given that it brought about the sickly sweet scent of death. The whistle kept blowing and more chimeras kept appearing.

Wiping away sweat, Edward adjusted his sword as the fresh batch of chimeras came at him and Envy.

"Geez, why do I have to be stuck in a four year old's body?" Envy whined as he spun to the side when a chimera dove at him. He brought his leg down on the creature's neck.

Edward gracefully flipped over a group of chimeras that surrounded him, slashing at them with his blade made of diamond. "That's a question you're going to have to ask the Gate, not me. I gave you freedom to change form." He answered as he crouched down from a paw swift then stepped away, coming to his full height only to duck and bring his blade up in defense.

He heard running footsteps behind him then the familiar sound of loaded guns. Before Envy could finish trying to kick another chimera in the neck, Edward efficiently plucked him out the way.

"I was just about to-"

"Start acting like a child in shock. The military's here."

Envy sighed as he immediately skillfully maneuvered himself behind Edward. He put on the perfect act of 'frightened child' as he heard footfalls behind him.

"Major Holderlin!"

"Take the child and stay out of the way! Make sure that the men are on full alert, there might be more chimeras lurking!" Edward yelled as Sergeant Major Barten shot a chimera before retreating with the child in his arms.

"Child! That thing is a fiend!" The serial killer screeched as Edward smirked before continuing the dance. He could hear a few fired shots in general directions, but they came from a distance, no doubt killing off excess chimeras which served the crazy man.

So far he hadn't gotten much damage from the creatures which came as a surprise given that took a major beating from fights. Perhaps it had something to do with his sword made of diamond by using carbon in the air. One good thing about the hellish place called Earth was that it gave him so much more opportunities to add to his alchemic arsenal. He leaped out of the way of the last chimera which had begun to attack him almost in desperation. He frowned down at it. Out of many chimeras he had killed, this one had been one of a few to have been transmuted with a human. With his tiring body, he drove the sword cleanly into its body. He then turned to the man who caused the deaths of so many innocent civilians including a little girl.

Blood dripped from his blade as he pulled it out with a vicious jerk. He walked away from it as he slowly made his way toward the serial killer who had started to panic at the sight of Edward approaching him with the bloodied blade. The silver whistle fell from shaking hands onto the cobblestones as Edward stood in front of him. A drop of still liquid blood fell from the blade. There was a rustling of the man scrambling to get away from the hellish visage. The murder who had taken joy in killing people with his creations couldn't stand the sight of the dark haired man covered in blood that stained his once off white shirt and dripped off a sword seemingly from heaven looking much like an avenging angel as blood stained the streets from slashed corpses of chimeras. It would have been beautiful if it hadn't been for the fact that Edward was coming after him.

Long fingers scratched the road as hands pushed the body up from the ground; legs stumbled as they tried to propel him forward. Edward only continued his march toward the man. With his arm upraised, he brought the sword up. It gleamed blood red in the light of the sun as he brought it down. The man squealed in fright as the sword crashed into the ground next to his head as he fell backwards onto the bumpy cobblestones of the street.

"Please, please don't kill me!"

His face reflected off of wire rimmed glasses as golden eyes bore down with veiled disgust. Edward peeled the cowering man from the street with his left arm at the same time yanking out his sword from the street then proceeded to drag the man back toward the wall of military personnel who stared at him in awe. He thrust the man into the arms of waiting officers. Sergeant Major Barten handed him a jacket and a blanket. Silently he took them, donned the jacket and wrapped the sword with the blanket. He then pushed his way toward the young boy standing sulkily near another officer.

"Don't worry, it's all over." He said as the blonde rushed over to grasp Ed by the legs.

"God damn it, you didn't have to make me worried." Envy growled quietly so that only Ed could hear it.

Golden eyes softened. A small smile graced his face. "You were actually worried about me?"

"No way! You're a big man and can take care of yourself just fine!" Envy shouted, bringing attention from the military personnel.

Edward turned to face them with a wry grin of embarrassment. Sergeant Major Barten's eyes widened. "Major…is that your son?"

Son? Oh dear. Now this did bring about problems.

Author's Note:

I was doing a character study when I was hit by an epiphany. Edward rarely if ever acts like the older brother. In fact if looked closely upon he's always played the role as a father to Al. There's great evidence the way Ed stops Al from doing certain activities. It's that authoritative voice of a father that gets through to Al. When Al bursts after the Lab 5 incident, Edward definitely shows strong paternal attitude with his understanding of Al's outburst.

Seeing that Edward has always played the father role I wanted to write a fic playing on that fact. I would appreciate it if you would give me feedback on whether I'm doing a good job of conveying that or if I'm not…


	3. I Know Nothing

Aka Ame: Red Rain

Chapter Three:

Al stared up at the man who passed him carrying a small child in his arms. He could smell metallic blood all over the man however the familiar scent still prevailed. He could only guess what had gone on after he and Winry came to the station. The blood spoke volumes and Al wasn't too sure it any of it belonged to the man. So much didn't make sense to Al who felt as if he were trying to hold onto straws.

"Mr. Holderlin!" Al called out just in time, stalling the dark haired man from continuing his march toward who knew where inside the building.

Ever so slowly the man turned with expressionless golden colored eyes as he shifted the blonde haired child in his arms. Al bit his lip.

"Sorry Alphonse, I'm not really in the mood to talk. Perhaps tomorrow?"

There was weariness in the normally brilliant, serene golden eyes. Al contemplated for a moment before he nodded in defeat. Winry looked down at the eleven year old boy with a small smile as she ruffled his hair. Together they left the station to return to Dominique's Automail Shop.

Inside the locker room Edward cleaned himself off watching the blood wash down the drain in a swirl of pink. The steam only heightened the stench of metallic blood before he lathered himself in liberal amounts of soap. He massaged nearly an entire bottle of shampoo and conditioner into his hair, scrubbing furiously to wash away the blood, all the while feeling more tainted. Today he had killed, and he wouldn't deny it, not when the blood of others stained his hands.

He put his forehead against the white tiles of the wall taking a deep breath allowing the hot water to wash away some of the insecurities that had surfaced from within his heart. Edward reached up with his right arm to touch the area above his heart.

"You don't look so well."

Gold eyes free from the filter of glass lens bore down on the small boy with intensity. Wilhelm held his ground despite the unsettling intensity behind those eyes. They reminded him too much of Hohenheim's. The small boy feared that this one time out of all the time he spent with Edward that the twenty one year old would finally clam up on him. However, Edward proved otherwise.

"I guess I don't." Edward replied softly as he pushed himself away from the tiled wall then turned off the faucet.

Wilhelm saw a flash of thinly veiled sorrow. He knew from the time he spent with his half-brother no matter how short that he suffered from nightmares that curled even his toes. He had lived four hundred years and seen pretty much everything to the point where almost nothing could affect him or at least surprise him in the least but what he heard in his half brother's nightly murmurs sent chills down his spine, a new and foreign sensation that he didn't like in the least. The guilt was more than tangible, the pain more than real and the horrors more than haunting. When he queried about the dreams Edward had dully told him things that made Wilhelm sweat despite the fact he wasn't wholly human.

The things that happened on the other side or what would happen on the other side showed him the true terror of humans. Things he had done as a homunculus with Dante didn't amount to the crimes of what Hitler committed or the future where one simple device could wipe out the whole world in the blink of an eye and it wasn't even alchemy- it was a machine the size of a car.

'So you're saying that you see the future?' Wilhelm asked.

'Not really. It's just I know the future of that world. I can't predict what happens here but I know what will happen there, what is happening there.'

To be plagued constantly with a hellish past and knowledge beyond humankind…Wilhelm couldn't comprehend how Edward could have possibly stayed sane.

'How long have you experienced this?'

'Since I touched the Gate at ten.'

The eyes bore back into Wilhelm with such depth that they tore at him. Even Dante's eyes didn't hold that look, not even Hohenheim's.

"Maybe you should rest. You haven't been sleeping for a while. I can type your report for you." Wilhelm offered hesitantly.

Edward toweled off, cleaned up his clothes with alchemy, put them on and patted Wilhelm on the head. "That's alright. I can do it myself but thanks for worrying."

"I-I wasn't worrying. You need to do your job if you want to get paid. I doubt that the General will allow you to be the freeloader."

He was answered with another ruffle before he was lifted up by the taller man and carried out like a sack of potatoes. "Hey what are you doing?" Wilhelm protested as he futilely tried to dislodge himself from Edward's grip.

"Nuh uh. I think it's time for you to take a nap."

"I'm not a blasted kid!"

"Well you are now, and my kid at that." Edward replied smoothly.

"Your kid? I can't tell you how many degrees of 'wrong' you just passed." Wilhelm muttered darkly as he tried to glare at Edward, achieving only to glare at black hair.

"It's the only believable explanation as to why you suddenly appeared."

"Damn it. I hate it when you're right."

"Aren't I always."

Wilhelm gave up. There was no way he could argue with the man but it did kind of feel nice to be pampered. Kind of…alright a lot but he wasn't going to admit it out loud.

Meanwhile in Dominique's Automail Shop Al moodily ran through many scenarios and theories about Mr. Holderlin. Nothing made sense except for the glaring fact that the man held a strong connection to his brother. When he had asked Winry if there was a possibility that somebody acquainted with his older brother would have any information concerning Thomas Holderlin, she only shook her head. However he was able to get something from her.

'The day Mr. Holderlin left our shop, Grandma knew him, saying that he would always come back because that was just the way he was. If you ask me there's a strong probability that he might even be your father. I mean logically speaking the resemblance is rather uncanny even without the beard, dyed hair and slightly different hairstyle. The voice is even the same, so it can't be Ed…his voice was lighter, however if we corner Mr. Holderlin who is in my belief your father then we can find out what happened to Ed…'

Was it possible? Al sighed. Tomorrow he would find out. Mr. Holderlin promised him that much.

He couldn't help but feel some frustration. The answer had been in front of him for quite some time. Or at least a probable answer. He couldn't wrap his head around the thought of his father being the one behind everything. From what he heard from Roze, Edward had taken the news of their father's rather oddity in stride quite well. Al never knew his father seeing he had been one year younger when Hohenheim left home meaning that Ed knew the solitary man better than he. Yet as far as he could remember Ed showed a distinct dislike toward their father but Al loved his brother who had been the father Al never had despite the one year difference. So help him God if Hohenheim was keeping Ed from him. He was his brother and father. Don't get Al wrong, he didn't dislike Hohenheim, he just felt frustrated that his father was keeping secrets as of again.

"Al."

Grey eyes looked up to clear blue ones. "Oh. Winry…I want to know, do you truly think that he's really Hohenheim?"

Winry smiled down at the boy. "I'm sure."

Al turned to the window to gaze up at the night sky, hoping that tomorrow he would find some answers to his questions.

Edward woke up covered in sweat at his gripped his shirt at the pain that shot through his chest. He turned to Wilhelm's bed to find the boy asleep. Quietly he left the room slightly staggering to the right of the hall as a fresh wave of pain shot through his chest. As swiftly as he could, he left the station to lean heavily against a wall, breathing in the cold night air. Rush Valley being located near a desert region had cool nights and hot days. His breathing came out in harsh pants.

'W-what's happening?' He asked silently as he felt darkness swim into his vision as more sweat rolled down his face.

'**Aka Mizu…the raw philosopher's stone…it never left your body. Your body is trying to repel it as a foreign and harmful substance…I believe it was called Red Water Poisoning.'**

Trust the Gate to butt in during the most important time of the night. However it did prove a point. Years ago he had found the poisons of Red Water along with side effects with its prolonged use. Equivalent Exchange… He figured that over the years that the substance had diluted into his body and passed out of his system…however it would seem that not all of it left him over the five years. Assessing himself, he figured that it wasn't severe miraculously enough given how many gallons of the stuff he had stepped in and absorbed.

The pain finally resided as he let in large gasps of air to his tired lungs. He buried his face in his hands as he sat against the station wall. Memories plagued his mind as he sat there regaining his breath. Some of them came as flashes of his childhood, the failed human transmutation, Dante, the Sins, his father and the people of the military. Then of course were the memories of the people of Earth, the hell he never wanted to live in. The people there thrived in hatred, anger and destruction. Here, there were a few people of that disposition but not the extent of Earth…never to that extent.

They would only continue their path to pain and ignorance for a few more decades until they learned painfully of what they wielded. He felt drained of energy as his mind ran swiftly through flashes of sight, sound and color. Each and every scene playing on knowledge melding with memory, the Gate had taken his leg as a price for such knowledge. It had given him knowledge for sacrificing his whole being to the Other Side and in turn he gave it his freedom to stop Dante from achieving her goal of reaching the Other Side, upsetting the balance. (If there ever was such a thing.)

Knowledge was a powerful tool. However, playing instrument for the Gate went far beyond the power of knowledge, it was being the instrument of God.

Edward never was a religious man but after coming face to face with hells best left unseen he knew that there was a deity indeed that watched the follies of man over and over again. A deity who didn't particularly care deeply, but enough to try and teach the wayward human race that certain things were best left to God. (Or whatever deity.) An alchemist could never bring the soul back from beyond the Gate, nor could an alchemist create a soul. Only the mind and body. Such pathetic mimicry of trying to be God.

God indeed was a benevolently cruel being. He softly chuckled at the contradiction. Life wasn't perfect nor was alchemy.

Lost among his memories, knowledge and wisdom, Edward leaned back and waited for dawn to welcome him into her golden-red arms.

To put things rather bluntly, Winry mused, Mr. Holderlin looked like shit, but the real sin was the fact that he didn't look it. Nope, nada, zilch. His eyes on the other hand told as much, even the normally all knowing, silent serenity in those more than unusual eyes were weary. She could see that they were also full of barely concealed pain. Frightening if she thought about it. In then man's lap sat the four-year-old boy, Wilhelm who eerily shared a strong resemblance to any Elric male that she had ever known. (She often wondered what it was about the Elric family and males.)

She never asked how he found out that she and Al were currently staying at Dominique's Automail Shop when he arrived that morning dressed as impeccably as ever. Winry had wryly noted that he wasn't wearing the uniform but civilian clothing- clothing that made him look rather bookish despite his good looks. Al had 'glared' at the man when he entered the shop carrying the small toddler in his arms.

For a good five minutes they sat at the table in tense silence when the man broke it by telling everybody the name of his son, Wilhelm. Winry swore that Al wore a pained expression on his face before it melted away to reveal neutrality on the matter.

"Mr. Holderlin…or rather Mr. Elric."

The weariness vanished from the man's eyes to be replaced by amusement. "Mmm. So you figured it out. I had been wondering when you would catch on."

"Sir, this really isn't the time to be playing around. Now that you're here, Al and I had been hoping that you could shed light on Edward's disappearance."

From behind wire rimmed glasses, golden eyes dimmed down once more before turning serene. "I see…Edward. His disappearance…if it's any consolation, he's not dead but merely somewhere else."

Al slammed his hands on the table as he stood up abruptly. "Somewhere else? Then why didn't he tell me? Why do you know! Ed was my brother, please father, and tell me where he is. After that we won't bother your new family." Al said, nearly choking at the last words that flew out of his mouth.

Edward leaned back in his chair. So, they thought that he was Hohenheim, not that he blamed them…Perhaps this could be better leverage. "My new family isn't really new as you know. Wilhelm was Envy."

The breath in Al and Winry came out in shocked gasps as they gazed at the frowning four-year-old boy. It couldn't be possible could it?

"Did you really have to go and say that father?" The toddler scowled as he rolled his eyes.

Winry had to give Hohenheim the benefit of the doubt. She knew that Envy was a sarcastic being with a nasty temper when it came to Hohenheim, so why in the world was the former homunculus with the one man he hated? "Sir, I don't understand if he's Envy then why isn't he proceeding to maul you?" She pointed out flatly at the pouting toddler with his arms crossed across his chest, looking quite the rebellious child.

"Edward was the first to successfully do human transmutation, Al is testament to that and now Wilhelm to some degree. What Edward did was give a portion of his soul to Wilhelm to make him human in many degrees, as a result Wilhelm can do limited alchemy, only able to transmute himself into various forms."

Al sat back down with a shocked thud. His brother had done that? It was in every textbook currently printed that Edward Elric had exceptional talent in binding souls, knowledge of human transmutation without amplifiers, and was the first to achieve perfect human transmutation. However this was just beyond belief. To cut a portion of a soul then transfer it into an artificial being…It was unheard of.

Edward on the other hand briefly reminisced what the Gate told him to do shortly after arriving to Risembul. The old codger. However he had expected a rebound but realized that the crazy plan might work because he and his half brother shared essentially the same blood though Hohenheim who had rather potent DNA. It wasn't as hard as he had believed; nor did it require a large sacrifice given he was essentially was the one giving a part of his soul to the former homunculus. The mark of such alchemy was on Wilhelm's back as a tattoo, mixed with his blood.

"Then what happened to Ed after he turned Envy into a human? Where did he go? Tell me what do I have to do? Make the Philosopher's Stone?" Al asked desperately, his voice cracking at choked back tears. Edward wished dearly that he could tell Al who he really was, but he couldn't afford Dante's wrath to fall upon them. He just couldn't.

"I don't know. He just up and vanished. I had been traveling when I found Wilhelm wandering around but whatever you do, I beseech you not to pursue the Philosopher's Stone. Al, you don't want to kill millions of people for a dream that might not need to be fulfilled by only you. Edward will come back I assure you but we can't always dwell on the past. We have to move forward…"

Winry's eyes narrowed. "Care to explain the automail and the perfume?"

Edward smiled painfully. He hated lying to her of all people besides his younger brother. "Soul corruption. My body is decaying; parts of it are decomposing at various rates. My legs and arms are going fast."

Al's eyes widened. Sensei had told him about this before. She had called it the 'Rotting Curse' seeing how the soul after possessing a body slowly decayed from constant chafing with the original soul of the body. Anybody would have been repulsed by the news- Winry had when she heard but Al understood to some degree.

"You sound almost as if you're looking for him." Al said softly.

"I am."

"Then is the disguise really necessary?" Winry asked.

Wilhelm sighed as he shifted from his seat. "If you value your lives. Dante isn't dead so she'll do anything to possess Hohenheim or Ed because of their knowledge of alchemy coupled with the fact that both have traveled beyond the Gate more than once; especially Ed who truly went beyond and into the realms of death and successfully came back. She'll use the both of you as bait or harm you in order to coerce both Hohenheim and Edward to do her bidding."

"That idiot. He doesn't have to hide away; Al and I can take care of ourselves. We're not babies that need pampering." Winry huffed angrily. "He always has to do things by himself, always. He's the one that needs protection, not us."

Edward stood up from his seat, carrying Wilhelm. "Perhaps you should come with me to Central. We can find some hints to where his whereabouts might be. I'm warning you however that things won't be easy once Dante resurfaces. All I can tell you is that she's more than ready to extract revenge and fulfill her desires."

In Central Roy Mustang looked up from his paperwork when a yellow envelope landed on his desk. Riza Hawkeye glared down at him. "Thomas Holderlin's report, sir. Apparently I received a phone call from the Rush Valley station with some rather surprising news about Avian Alchemist. He has a four year old son. How shall you proceed?"

Roy sighed as he picked up the envelope. It wasn't uncommon for military officers to keep their mouths closed about their family. Then again State Alchemist application forms didn't have an area dedicated to filling out family information, yet it did put a small twist on the whole situation. Which meant more paperwork for him to fill out, especially ones on pensions and whatnot.

"I say that we just let him be. The forms didn't indicate for him to fill out any information on his family or marital status. I agree that it is an interesting development but what I'm more interested in is his brand of alchemy since he hasn't revealed anything related to alchemy given how the other generals fawned over his designs for that flying contraption, though I have to admit that it does have its uses." Roy muttered darkly as he flipped through a few papers scanning them for information.

His frown deepened when he hit upon the words 'human transmuted chimeras.' The sentence in the report sounded neutral enough but to one with sharp eyes and sharp mind, one would be able to pick out the subtle distaste from Avian Alchemist about the subject. Roy Mustang himself wasn't too thrilled with it either. Flicking to another sheet he found statistics of Rush Valley's sudden drop in homeless and strays. Everything was detailed to a capital 'T'. When he reached Avian's personal account Roy's brow twitched.

'Engaged the enemy and used alchemy.'

Roy had to admit it. His curiosity about Avian's alchemy ate away at him…who wouldn't be curious about the man's alchemy? Nobody knew a single thing about the man save for that he knew mechanics in depth and had some knowledge in bioalchemy but beyond that, showings of his alchemy were nonexistent. Some said behind closed doors that Avian didn't use alchemy or was opposed to using it. Roy himself didn't pay any mind to those rumors. Others speculated that Avian might have the same thing as Edward Elric- the ability to do alchemy without transmutation circles or arrays but had no desire to reveal it since he was a modest man. Roy would have snorted if it hadn't been for the fact that Avian did have copious amounts of modesty.

Then of course came an even odder rumor. Avian had alchemy to do with the raven on his shoulder. Some even went as far as to say that the man could turn himself into a chimera then turn himself back to normal. Whatever it was, Roy just wanted to see what the hell the man could do. A small smirk made its way to his face. Curiosity killed the cat and satisfaction would bring it back.

"Hawkeye."

"Yes General?"

"What do you think about me going on a mission with Avian?"

Riza Hawkeye stared at her superior officer for a moment, her hands twitching for her gun before she sighed. There was no way she could deny one of the upper echelons of the government. Roy was Roy. He did what he wanted. She just supported him. (The only time she ever enjoyed the liberties of haggling him had to do with paper work.) "If that is what you wish sir."

Roy beamed at the woman thanking whatever deity above that he had been let off easy. Besides it had been a while since he had the pleasure of doing something field related. A door knock broke through his musing.

"Come in." He called as he pulled the documents together to form a neat pile on his desk.

Avian Alchemist came in dressed in military uniform with his sidekick on his right shoulder. Roy didn't miss the sheath on the man's side as he was given a salute. Roy waved it away. "Ah. It's good to see that you've managed to crack the case in such little time. I already have another mission lined up for you."

Edward nodded stiffly.

"This time you'll have a partner with you, me. You'll have to go into a border city called Brandenburg to help in dealing with the border skirmishes between this country and Creata since you're familiar with the area. We'll be leaving in a week."

Edward studied the single onyx colored eye closely. The General was most definitely up to something and that didn't mean good news. The man must have been desperate to see his brand of alchemy to have gone this far. Edward knew the man's obsession of knowing everything around him but never to this extent. He mentally let the topic go, there were other things to do. Instead he bowed then left the office.

"You know, I can tell you some stuff about Creata." Wilhelm said as Edward navigated his way through the headquarters until he was outside, greeted by the sight of Winry and Al.

"Ah! Winry! Al! Long time no see! How are you two doing? Who's your friend?"

The group turned to find military librarian Sheska and one of General Mustang's many secretaries run up to them. Edward saw that she hadn't changed much; then again, it was only one year since he had vanished from this world but it felt like a lifetime especially with him being on the other side for five years.

Winry scratched her cheek lightly before giving the brunette a grin. "Hi Sheska. Sorry for not talking to you in so long. My training had been taking up my extra time and Al here just finished his with Izumi. Now he's looking for Edward, as for our friend here, he's Major Thomas Hol-"

"Major Thomas Holderlin? The Avian Alchemist? I heard of you sir, I just didn't think that I would actually run into you given how the rumors are about you of the late." The librarian said apologetically.

Edward started slightly at her words. Rumors? Ah. Oh well…they could speculate. He didn't care to take them seriously. As Fullmetal, he had been subjected to his fair share of military gossip…and world gossip so to speak. "That's quite alright. I'm not the type to use alchemy too much when there are other methods to deal with situations. We can't always depend on alchemy or else we'll never progress. I guess I made a pretty bold statement when I turned in my design for the airplane." He said with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his head.

"The rumors aren't that bad Major Holderlin, a few other State Alchemists support your view and the military won't give you flak about it given that they were able to successfully create the plane."

"Plane?" Al asked in confusion.

Winry smacked a fist against the palm of her other hand. "So that's what Dominique was telling me about on the phone!" She cried out. "I can't believe it! I thought that he was kidding around when he told me that a few of Rush Valley's best mechanics were commissioned by the military not too long ago to create a machine that would fly."

"A machine that could fly…that sounds rather farfetched." Al said. "I mean a lot of people tried to achieve flight for years. Alchemists and mechanics alike tried for years."

Edward nodded. That was true in this world, however on Earth with different scientific theories that could be applied to this world the impossible or near impossible would become possibility. Planes were great modes of transportation on a moderately sized level. What he had given the military had been a standard small plane that could carry a few people at a time. Trains were still great modes of transportation but planes could cut time over a given distance. "That's true, however the approach had been wrong for centuries. If one spends enough time observing the flight patterns of birds instead of just wing structure, there's much to be learned." He said as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "Well, it's good to hear that the military appreciates my design. Please excuse us but we are in quite a hurry to get to the library for some research."

With that said, he dragged Al and Winry toward the main library.

Author's Note: Urgh. This chapter gave me a major headache. In my personal opinion I could have done a better job but after rewriting the thing a grand total of five times, I figured that this was going to be it. I had spent way too much time on this chapter. Please review, I need feedback in order to further my writing skills in order to churn out a well-written fic. A good writer makes a good story, a better writer- even better story.

Please also take the time to check out 'The Jesus Figure' a pretty in depth character study of Naruto and gang. (Don't let the title scare you away.)


	4. Mortality

Aka Ame: Red Rain

Chapter Four: Mortality

The book landed on the floor in a disgusted crash. Slowly an elegant hand picked it up carefully before placing it on the shelf.

"Mistress it's best if we refrain from destroying important materials."

"It simply won't do Diana! I have to find him! He's the only one who can actually fulfill my desires…just like his father…no much better than his father. Only he has the means of giving me all that I ever wanted. In turn I will give him everything he deserves."

"I understand your pain Mistress Dante; however his disappearance has been somewhat of a concern. Not even the military has been fruitful in their searches." Diana said as she smoothed her skirts with her pale elegant hands. In the dim lighting Dante could make out the woman's platinum blonde hair and cool grey-blue eyes, which stood out sharply against the darkness.

Dante slowly nodded as she stared off into the darkness of her expansive library, the lamplight illuminating the features of her newly acquired body. Unlike the previous one that suffered from constant chafing between souls, which helped speed up the process of 'soul corruption' this one simply contained one soul. Hers. The body's original soul had swiftly moved on, it had been within Dante's luck that she had run into the young lady when she did.

Luxurious black hair fell past her back, framing a pale face graced with luminous emerald eyes which took a sinister air, glaring out of the darkness of the library. "For a year even I couldn't feel his presence…Now…I can feel him resurfacing, where I don't know but when I find him, he'll be mine forever, body, mind and soul." She said with a small grin as she closed the book on her desk.

Thud.

Alphonse Elric gazed down at the closed book before leaning back against his chair. What he found wasn't what he had been hoping for. His gaze wandered over to the tall, dark haired man who stood between shelves of books intently reading one. It was a gesture that reminded Al strongly of Edward. Mother had chided Edward so many times for reading in the library standing up like that for hours on end. At sensei's Al along with sensei had voiced that it wasn't good posture to read while standing up.

'Edward Elric, there's a reason why man invented tables and chairs then brought them to libraries. One simply can't just stand between shelves for hours and read. Now sit down!'

His older brother never did feel comfortable sitting at a desk, instead developing a rebellious streak and sitting all over the place but at a table and chair when he read books. Sure he read while sitting on the floor, on the couch, in the middle of a porch or two and even in trees but never sitting at a desk. (He only read like that on rare instances.)

The posturing was exactly like Ed's. 'Mr. Holderlin' was leaning forward ever so slightly, his face almost literally buried in his book, his eyes swiftly taking in the text. In the soft lighting of the library lights, Al noticed that the man really wasn't that old. That part nagged him for a couple of days since the initial 'revelation.' Last he heard Hohenheim was forty-something. Sure once in a while he could see that shine through in the man's eyes. They were world weary eyes. Eyes that spoke of years of hardship that he could only fathom. Then there were times when 'Mr. Holderlin' didn't look any older than in his late twenties. Simply put the man was a walking contradiction. If it hadn't been for the blatant facts in which a few people under the number of ten knew, then Al would have been severely suspicious of the man.

His whole theory and Winry's on the man being Hohenheim was swiftly falling apart. The man made no such claim of being their father until they assumed out loud that he was…the small put out look he had caught when he had been talking to the man wasn't from about Edward but simply on the fact that he knew that Al had a stubborn streak and wouldn't hear out the man's identity. Al mentally cursed his straightforwardness. So then who exactly was- It couldn't be…could it?

Molten gold eyes suddenly bore into his grey colored ones. Al felt his throat seize up. "Is something the matter? Do you need help with your book?"

"N-no." Al stammered softly as he gazed down at the closed book once again.

He felt the heavy gaze bearing down on him before it lifted. He clenched his fists when he heard the rustle of cloth. "I see." A hand landed gently on his shoulder before the pressure eased. Al swallowed harshly when the hand left…the gloved hand. God he wanted…no he needed…

It hurt. It hurt more than anything else in the world. He felt tears stinging his eyes as he bit his lip to hold them back. Why? Why all the lies, deceit? Didn't…wasn't…Al didn't know anymore. Nothing made sense anymore…He had been saying that so many times of the late. They had promised.

"Al?" Concern shone through the rich tenor voice.

His breath hitched painfully in his chest. Lies…over a year's worth of them.

"Al?" A sweet alto voice asked. Winry's voice.

The tears fell as he clenched his hands together.

'Sometimes, people do bad things to do what's right…and sometimes it's alright for you to cry Al. It's not good for you to keep things bottled in.'

'What about you brother?'

Ed never answered his question.

"Why?" Al choked out pounding his thighs softly to express barely restrained anger, frustration, pain and hope. He felt Winry stop him to continuing. "You never were good at lying…then why, why do you still try?"

Winry gazed at Al in confusion then turned her eyes accusatorily at the dark haired man looming above them. What was Al trying to say? Her eyes narrowed. She had suspected as much from the beginning but didn't finalize her theory due to a great number of differences. Mostly she had been afraid for Al.

Moments later a slap rang throughout the library as people stopped to stare in shock at the scene before them. Edward didn't move as he felt the sting of the slap on his cheek. His eyes were trained on the ground. He never had been good with lying and took the risk anyway. Next to him Wilhelm shifted betraying his unease of the whole situation. Edward felt guilt build upon more guilt.

"You!" Winry hissed angrily. "I've put up with you and waited when you would tell him. You may fool the rest of the world but there's no snowball's chance in hell that you can fool us despite your brother's memory loss. I've had it with your charade."

Her anger melted away when golden eyes bore into hers silently. Pain, she saw nothing but pain and guilt wearing away inside of him. He was smiling at her that damned smile of understanding. "I know." He said quietly.

She couldn't speak when she felt him brush by her to leave.

"Wait!" Al cried out as he stared at his brother's back.

Edward paused but didn't turn around to face them. Then he shook his head then continued to walk away. Al scrubbed his tears away with a hand then knocked back his chair as he ran after Edward, hearing Winry follow him. None of the other occupants of the library tried to scold them for the noise as they passed.

Outside Edward took a deep breath as he continued his slow yet steady march toward the street in front of the library just simply to get away. Risks…he always took them and look where it got them. A bitter chuckle escaped his lips. If only he hadn't insisted on trying to revive their mother, then nobody would have been in this predicament. However no matter how he looked at it, in the end Dante would still have found him and used him to fulfill her delusional dreams of immortality because he was a son of Hohenheim Elric.

"You know I have to agree with her back there, you were a jerk for doing that to them even though it's for the greater good. The lesser of the two evils." Wilhelm remarked as he preened himself.

The former blonde didn't comment.

"Blondes at two o' clock."

Edward ignored the jibe.

"Wait!"

This time Edward did.

"D-do you hate me- us to have left like that?" Al asked as he gazed at the broad shoulders of his older brother.

It wasn't hard to recognize the pain in the younger boy's voice. Winry opened her mouth to grace the man with her opinions rather vocally when he turned around slowly, allowing the passing breeze to catch his coat and hair. Emotions in his eyes were unmistakable. Pain. Plenty of it was embedded in those brilliant, unearthly eyes.

"Never." Edward said finally as he turned his gaze away from the two to look up into the heavens which were a deep blue. It would be a clear week.

"Then why?" Winry asked as she placed a hand on Al's shoulder.

His eyes left the clear blue heavens to gaze into crystalline blue and tear filled grey.

"Because I'm human, fallible, and most importantly I'm mortal."

Winry's eyes filled with tears at Ed's hidden message in those words. He did it because he loved them and that he didn't want to lose them like he lost so lessen it? Winry reached out to touch him when she withdrew. Edward had never been a physical person and she had forgotten. "You did it even though you knew that it would hurt everybody even more…Dante…Are you truly afraid of her?"

Edward took a deep breath then let it silently. "Yes and no."

She stared hard at the concrete ground as she bit her lip, tightening her grip on Al's shoulder. He had changed so much that she could hardly recognize him anymore. Where did that confident and easily tempered boy go? Could one year of vanishing cause that much difference? Winry couldn't see any trace of a stubborn seventeen-year-old boy on Edward's face. He looked so old, so weary.

"I see." Winry answered with a small smile of her own.

Al reached out and touched Ed's arm. "Brother…I…"

Edward grinned at the blonde haired boy. "I know."

----

Roy Mustang stared at his subordinate rather blandly. He had hoped that he could do something…anything to bring Major Holderlin from his unreachable 'pedestal.' So far he wasn't succeeding. The train ride to Creata was awfully boring. Though Roy could keep appearances up rather well, he wasn't sure that he would be able to deal with the golden-eyed Major if this kept up. For the past two hours without fail the dark haired man didn't say a single word, but stared out the window he sat next to not really paying any attention to the countryside fly by in a whirl of green with some occasional color to break the monochrome.

Normally he wouldn't mind. Not one bit. However when it came to Major Holderlin, for some strange reason he felt the need to do anything to ruffle the man's feathers. No pun intended. He teased the Avian Alchemist, hoping just once to coax the man into showing something besides his normally calm, serene persona or at least what Roy believed to be a persona. His efforts to get the man to show his brand of alchemy also went down the drain. All in all the man was infuriating when he wasn't doing _anything_. Roy wanted to scream to the heavens. Just how could someone who wasn't doing anything have a way of irritating others? (Alright he had to admit, he was the only one who gave a flip about his subordinate's unnervingly calm personality and firm refusal to reveal his alchemy in public view.)

Then he saw what he was searching for from the reserved young man who hadn't made a single noise for the duration of the train ride. Discreetly Roy saw the pupils of the golden eyes dilate into small pinpricks as the neutral face frowned and eyes behind wire rimmed glasses sharpened. Major Holderlin's breath had hitched as if he realized something rather unpleasant. Then before he knew it, the man shot up from his seat then made his way to the compartment door, passing passengers who stared at the blue uniformed officer with a raven on his shoulder. Roy smirked.

The dark haired man wearing an equally dark eye patch gracefully rose from his seat, quietly tailing the taller, younger man who seemed suddenly grimly determined to reach somewhere on the train. No, it wasn't a bathroom thank you very much. Roy had seen for a fleeting glance a spark of anger in those orbs before they pulled away from the window. Finally after passing five cars he found Major Holderlin standing in front of a seat. He couldn't see the occupants to his disappointment. However, he could try to eavesdrop on the conversation. It wasn't noble but he was more than dying to find out what Major Holderlin had up his sleeve.

"…You followed me, why? It's dangerous." Major Holderlin said softly, almost imploringly.

"We won't stay home and let you take her on just by yourself. You did that last time. I won't allow it." A familiar voice said with equal quiet passion.

"She's right." It was a child's voice at about adolescence.

Roy saw the young man shake his head slowly before sitting down. Cursing he leaned forward ever so slightly to catch the conversation yet still at the same time stay hidden.

"I understand, however I can't allow the both of you to get hurt because of the mistakes I've made in the past. It's my mess; I have to clean up after myself. How many times have I told you two that?"

General Mustang knew that tone of voice. He heard it plenty of times as a child. A father's scolding.

"You can't keep pushing us away. We've been through a lot together…please, just let us follow you." The child implored.

"I-if that is what you want."

There was pain in the tenor voice as well as defeat. Roy guessed that the conversation that he was hearing had been spoken a number of times.

"However I want you to promise me that you won't do anything rash."

"We promise." Two voices chorused.

The dark haired man with equally dark eye patch sighed. There wasn't much to glean from the conversation and he figured that they were deliberately editing their conversation given that a train was pretty much public. Roy heard rustle of cloth.

"By the way how did you know that we were here? We were sure that you didn't see us board this train." The female voice said.

Roy caught a small shrug coming from Avian's shoulder given that was the only thing he could currently see from his position.

"It's not difficult to sense your presence, I'm constantly aware of my surroundings…especially concerning the two of you."

From then on the conversation went on about traveling which got to Roy's nerves. He didn't get anything from the conversation save for the fact that the people Major Holderlin had found weren't supposed to be following him. He would have to have a long talk with Avian about family matters. However he couldn't say anything because Holderlin didn't bring them along. They came on their own free will and also surprised him with them being on the train.

As abruptly the conversation started, it ended, forcing Roy Mustang to retreat with nothing but travelogue facts stuck in his brain. Avian Alchemist knew how to encode his life. Every action hid something beneath, that much Roy knew, but what, he didn't. Ten minutes he found himself gazing up at the young Major who sat down gracefully. He didn't miss the fleeting studious gaze from eyes covered by a shield of glass and wire.

Two days later they arrived at Brandenburg. Edward stepped off the train, following Roy Mustang toward their hotel that had been booked beforehand. Everywhere he looked, he found poverty. It was to be expected given that the city stood at the border between Amestris and Creata. He sat heavily on his bed, shortly joined by a small boy who sat next to him with a bored expression. Edward caught it and couldn't help but smile a little. He had agreed to meet Winry and Al at the city square.

Besides, Roy couldn't complain when he was gathering information on the city's situation.

Once he donned his civilian clothing, he made his way to the city square without too much trouble given that he had been given a small map beforehand. Winry and Al stood next to the fountain when he approached them. He slowed when he caught sight of two other people standing near the fountain. It was a young woman around his age with long dark hair and what he presumed to be her maid standing next to her with platinum blonde hair. Something about the pair made him suddenly uneasy. His unease only grew when the dark haired woman paused from talking with her maid and turned around, the parasol in her hand revealed a face that was pleasing to look at, but her eyes were cold.

He knew those eyes all too well.

The coldness in them vanished to be replaced with glee and hunger. Wilhelm shifted on his shoulder uneasily. Edward's breath came out in soft hitches as he gazed in horror at her smile.

"Ed!"

He ripped his gaze away to see Al peering up at him with worried grey eyes. Swiftly he turned his gaze back to the spot where Dante and her maid were only to find nothing. "Sorry."

"You don't look so well." Winry said softly as she reached out, hesitated and then touched his arm gently. To her surprise and delight, he didn't pull away from her.

Al gazed up at his older brother. Edward never paled like that before, not even when he hurt himself or faced sensei's wrath. It was almost as if he had taken a look at a hell he didn't wish to see but still did because he had no other choice but to. He worried because Edward had always never shown any ounce of fear until now and Al saw why his brother had lied about his return. Even so, he wanted to help. It wasn't fair when Edward kept his end of the promise he made. Though Al remembered nothing of what happened he knew instinctively that his brother had sacrificed himself to grant him his body back. So what if he didn't remember? It was a small price compared to what Edward still had to pay. Why? Why couldn't Edward have an easier life? Wasn't it enough that his brother had suffered so much?

Without thinking, he grabbed his brother in an embrace. A gloved hand landed on his head as Al tried to fight back from crying. "It's alright Al. Come on, we still have some catching up to do."

Winry shook her head at the two brothers. "Well, given that your investigation will take longer this time than last, I figured that we should treat you something in celebration of your much belated seventeenth birthday." She said, lightening the mood, or at least trying to.

Somehow it worked since Al peered from Ed's embrace with a small grin. "You do have a point, Ed did miss his birthday, we should perhaps take him out to a restaurant knowing how much he loves to eat." He said in a teasing voice.

"Really, I'm not a pig." Edward said as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Sure, sure, says the person who can inhale food like no tomorrow and still not gain one pound." Winry shot back, a vein throbbing. Truly, Edward could eat three times his weight and still not gain one pound from it. She had expected it to go somewhere but he was like a bottomless pit. (Okay, perhaps it went to his brain…) Now she could see that his food excursions paid off since he stood well over six feet. Sometimes she envied his high metabolism since hers wasn't nearly as fast. A girl's got to keep her figure!

Al waved limply at Winry. "I always did wonder about that with him. It's not natural I tell you."

With that Winry grabbed both males and began to drag them off. "Well natural or not, we're going to stuff pretty Ed's face!"

"You know, I hate to break it to you Ed, but she does have a point." Wilhelm quipped with a snicker.

Ed merely sighed.

Hours later Roy bolted from his seat when Ed entered the station dressed in civilian clothing rather than military uniform. A few officers shot him a questioning glance but went off to run their errands. They couldn't afford to waste time, not when Creata was ready to assail the city any time. Edward didn't spare any of them a glance as he made his way to Roy's desk.

"Major Holderlin, you do understand that you have to be dressed in military uniform, especially in a war zone." Roy said casually.

Edward knew that the man was trying to get a rise out of him. Roy Mustang had always been a difficult man to understand no matter what. "I understand sir; however I was out gathering information on potential spies. It's already problematic as it is with all these military personnel stationed here to deal with Creataian troops in hopes of expanding their own borders." He answered politely.

Roy smirked. The man was sharp. "Were you able to find anything?"

"Not much but we have a start. Apparently there is one suspicious person that came to mind. A young noble woman."

"Noble woman?" The single eyed man asked in surprise. "Are you sure that it wasn't a wealthy sympathizer? Whatever nobility we have left won't take too kindly with an accusation such as yours, especially not with half of Parliament's members coming from noble houses."

"I know the differences between nobility and gentry." Edward replied calmly. He himself had been part of Europe's social strata for quite some time to spot the differences without difficulty. He had seen many of them still cling onto the dignified remains of what had been 'Victorian' Europe amongst the rise of the middle class's power infrastructure after World War One. Here in Amestris he saw that there wasn't much of a strong social distinction seeing how nearly everybody stood at the 'middle class' stratum.

On the other side however, he stood with the 'gentry' to the nobles given that he attended Berlin University, a favored university among the nobles given that Prince Louis-Ferdinand was attending along with a few other well notable families. Though Edward had been an introvert, preferring to act as an assistant professor on his spare time, he had taken the time to know the prince and a few of his friends despite the man's somewhat bias against commoners. (It wasn't that bad; more on the lines of that commoners shouldn't marry into royalty.)

Given that he was in good graces with his Majesty, Edward of course had been invited to attend various social functions. He had plenty of practice in those. (Military issued social events, plus sensei's training required for him to learn etiquette.) The skills he learned and practiced were rather useful on the other side given how much he had to use them.

"Gentry? Now that's a word that's rarely used anymore." Roy replied with amusement. He himself knew of the term since his family was part of the gentry class, or had been for a few generations now. "Ah, so there is more to you than meets the eye Mr. Holderlin. Even educated State Alchemists can't tell the difference between the gentry and the nobility. They simply see them as the same. Wealthy people with refined life style and their manners in society aren't distinguishable so how is it that you can distinguish between the two classes? However the way you dressed told me as much about your preferences Major Holderlin. Not many men go out in such formal attire if I do say so myself, save for perhaps Major Armstrong who comes from a long line of nobles, eccentric nobles at that."

Edward nodded slowly. Roy was sharp as usual. "My teacher insisted on refinement given that she is part of the nobility. Her family didn't take too kindly that she was teaching a commoner, however, they tolerated me for her sake since she was the only alchemist of the family." He lied through his teeth. "As for the suspect, it is a noble woman for now." With that he gave a stiff bow then left the office, leaving a fuming Roy Mustang.

Damn Avian and his slippery tongue! Roy swore that the man should have been called the Serpent Alchemist rather than Avian for his ability to slip away at the last minute, however he had been fruitful in ruffling the man's feather's a tiny bit when he made a remark about the rarely used class distinction. The man did have a temper, though it was well curbed. Though Roy had training from his youth to never show emotions such as anger or sadness he couldn't have a resolution as strong as Major Holderlin's. His control over his emotions were perfect, yet that moment when he brought up the subject of classes, a small flash ignited in his eyes before dying away.

Meanwhile Edward sat at the edge of his bed, a hand buried in his face, trying to come to a conclusion of the events of a few moments ago. It seem more like an eternity to him. Roy was prying rather forcefully; Edward was on his wit's end, especially with Dante's sudden reappearance.

"Ed?"

Golden eyes closed.

"That woman…she was her wasn't she."

"Yes. That woman was Dante." Came the pain filled hiss.

Author's Note: Whew. Chapter Four is finished. Personally in my opinion, this wasn't my best chapter, however on the brighter side, I'm going to go into detail of some of Ed's experiences on the other side of the Gate.

For my beloved reviewers be sure to check out my profile. I have a number of websites that you can visit with lots of interesting things from free anime music downloads to sites with interesting info and stuff for every FMA lover like myself. If you're simply bored then be sure to check out my 'recommended list' for other great anime/manga to pass the time with.


	5. Sepia Colored Memories

Aka Ame

Chapter Five: Sepia Colored Memories

_A shot rang through the frigid winter air with a resounding crack that echoed throughout the church. Pigeons roosting in the belfry ascended to the heavens in a panic, shedding feathers which drifted aimlessly to the wood floor. Golden eyes watched in a jaded fashion as the corpse of what had been a woman landed on the floor with a sickening thud, the head bouncing twice before permanently settling to the cold floor, cushioned by luxurious black curls. The pupils of once brilliant hazel eyes filled with fear began to dilate._

_The soul no longer resided in the body._

_Somewhere long ago he had heard that it was easier to destroy than to create._

_Then as an afterthought the woman's arm slumped limply, her hand lying outstretched as if she had been clutching something in hopes of preparing herself for her impending death. Slowly blood began to blossom from the gunshot, inching its way across the floor, staining it dark red as if to reach for the chalk inscribed symbols._

_"A failure. It should have worked."_

_Golden eyes finally left the corpse to focus on the ring of people standing just beyond the chalked lines of an alchemy array._

_"Should have…" Edward echoed softly as he stonily gazed at his father standing across from him. One by one the members of Thule Society began to drift apart, leaving the church. Others would come by later and clean up the mess. He didn't look toward the dead woman as he slowly made his way out of the church thoroughly disgusted by the people in the world he was stuck in._

_Five years ago he would have screamed, yelled and tried to stop them from killing the woman…done anything. He had been so tired of death that it pained him more than anything in the universe. God cursed him the day he tried to revive his mother and killed his brother. However in the end he set things right with the sacrifice of his own blood stained hands. Five years ago he would have cursed every single one of them regardless of his own condition which was frowned upon by the people of Germany especially in a time with Hitler's rise._

_However that was five years ago._

_Now…now all he could do was watch numbly at the atrocities that the people in this world committed on a daily basis with no power to stop them. Common sense had ruled out, as did the need for survival; He had to get back to Amestris no matter what. It was his goal even though still after five years nothing became accomplished no matter what theories he pursued or what people he met. One of a few things he still could hold onto in this cursed world was his focus._

_His footsteps echoed softly as he made his way down the stairs of the church feeling the bite of the winter air as a few light flakes of snow fell upon him. The snow had nothing in common with the snow back in Amestris. He felt sullied by the touch of the snow from this side of the Gate unlike the snow back home which sometimes cleansed him of his troubles. Edward didn't bother to shrug off the hand, which landed on his shoulder to give him comfort. Five years wore him down in this world. Instead he gave a weary nod in understanding of what Hohenheim was trying to do._

_"I'm sorry."_

_Edward let out a pained sigh as he glanced up at the grey heavens to search for an answer that wasn't there. "There's nothing to be sorry about. It's not like I haven't killed somebody before or watched somebody die a brutal death. At least she died a more dignifying death than some of the people I've seen." He replied, his voice thick. "Judging from your reaction I don't think that you expected them to go this far."_

_Hohenheim tightened his grip on Edward's shoulder. "No. I never did. As for what you've said earlier, perhaps it's best if you start telling me what you exactly did when you joined the military. You can't keep going on like this."_

_Oh the irony._

_The conversation wasn't by any means new, nor did it come by rarely. In fact for the past five years Edward received discreet questions about the hell he called his life. Each question in turn met his stony gaze and flat 'no' of refusal. He had been civil and in turn Hohenheim received the message that Edward did not wish to talk about it to him of all people. In many ways the attitude would have frustrated many to the point of forcing the story out of him; however Hohenheim knew the reason why his second son wouldn't open his mouth. They had no foundation of trust mainly on Edward's part. He never tried to establish a foundation whatsoever. Hohenheim on the other hand waited and did what he could. Sometimes he did feel frustration at Edward's refusal to accept any sort of affection and it pained him._

_'Please just stop it. I'm not a child anymore, let me handle my own problems, you worry about yours.'_

_Hohenheim felt guilty every day for leaving behind his children and wife and he knew he deserved it yet it didn't help with the pain nor with the longing he had to just reach out and touch his son. In many aspects it bothered him that Edward put everybody at an arm's distance away save for Al. He noticed long ago that Edward didn't see his brother exactly eye to eye. Instead he played a paternal figure to Al which tore at Hohenheim. It wasn't right to see Edward suffering in silence, assuming the role of an adult when he himself was in many aspects a child. Yet as he got to know a little more about his introverted son, Hohenheim saw only grim silence._

_"As you wish, I'm tired of arguing with you about it." Edward replied dully as he got into the car, staring out of the window at the church he and his father had just exited._

_He knew that tonight the woman would visit his nightmares along with others. His head rested against the cool glass dreading of what would come once he got inside the house. To hell with it. What did it matter? He was tired of hearing the man bring the subject up and tired of coming up with excuses to avoid the subject. The car trip had been spent in silence._

_Once they reached the house, Edward landed on the couch without bothering to take off his shoes._

_"Do you want some tea?"_

_"No. Just get it over with. I don't want to dwell on the past anymore than I have to." Edward replied curtly, mustering whatever energy he had left._

_Hohenheim didn't comment on the rude remark but took a seat across from Edward who leveled him with a world weary gaze that he had hoped would never be in his son's eyes. Life was never perfect._

_So he sat and listened with a heavy heart of Edward's full tale without any editing or omissions of any sort. Each word made him want to reach out and reassure Edward…to do something to alleviate the pain yet he saw the warning signs from Edward's eyes._

_"There you have it." Edward choked out. It wasn't easy to relive his hellish past. Not at all._

_Every night he was haunted by visions of his past yet mostly it was the Gate that peered at his very soul. He heard soft whispers in his ear accompanied by children's laughter. Then he would see his mother turn into the creature…homunculus. No._

_His hands clutched at the fabric of his pants as he tried to banish his thoughts from his mind. Today didn't help matters. He was tired of having to see people die in front of him, tired of living in this world and tired in general. Hadn't he already paid enough for his transgressions? Wasn't it enough?_

_A bitter chuckle escaped his lips. No. Nothing was enough for the Gate. Nothing. Soon the bitter chuckle became dry sobs as he felt himself slip under the pressure of so many years of stress, anxiety and guilt. He felt overwhelmed with his pent up emotions. He could see no end to them as his dry sobs continued to shake his body, however tears did not fall. The day he broke a forbidden taboo, he lost his ability to produce tears no matter how overwhelmed he was with emotion._

_"Can you please leave me alone?" Edward asked as he tried to bottle in the dry sobs that had escaped him._

_A strong hand landed on his shoulders. Though Edward wished to get it off of him, he didn't have the strength to do so._

_"You know I can't allow you to your own devices Edward. Not when you're not well." Hohenheim said softly kneeling next to Edward who leaned forward on the couch, his face hidden by his blonde bangs._

_The sudden nearness of his father gave him enough strength of will to abruptly stand up and gaze down at his father who was still kneeling on the floor. "I'm fine." He replied monotonously when he felt his world spinning around him. Weakly he fell backwards to land on the couch once more._

_Hohenheim noticed the movement and took a closer look at Edward and frowned deeply at the young blonde haired man. "How often have you been getting sleep?" He asked sharply as he brought his hand up to Edward's face only to have the boy jerk back. Unrelenting, Hohenheim brought his hand to the boy's face while holding him tight. Why hadn't he noticed it before? Edward had a fever, which explained his more than slight distant look when the woman was murdered and his weak will to fight against him._

_Edward could feel his father's hand against his forehead and attempted to swat it away only to find himself restrained by his father. For a man rotting to death, he sure had a killer grip on him. "Often enough." Edward replied as he once again made a feeble attempt to get away._

_"No you haven't Edward. I'm surprised that you didn't collapse in the middle of the ceremony." He answered sharply causing Edward to look at him suddenly. Then to Hohenheim's utter shock, Edward gave him a wry smile._

_Edward never smiled. "I was wondering when you would become fed up with me." He said nonchalantly as he relaxed against the couch as Hohenheim's hand did the same. A smile was tugging at Hohenheim's mouth as he felt tears prick his eyes from behind his eyelids. A start._

_"Good grief man, stop giving me that smile. I'm fine."_

_Six months later Edward and Hohenheim fled Germany. Thule Society had managed to find out that Hohenheim knew more than basic theory of alchemy when he accidentally left a notebook with various experimental arrays out in the open. He had managed to retrieve it but the damage had been done. Prince Louis-Ferdinand along with a few of his friends at the university helped them escape from Germany to England._

_However to their behest, Thule Society was hell bent on getting the pair. To make matters worse was the fact that Thule Society held affiliations with the Nazi Party. In the end Thule Society had flushed them out from their hiding place in England to none other than the Stonehenge._

_The skies were overcast when they reached the Stonehenge._

_"They were herding us here the whole time." Edward said as they reached the top._

_"No. I led us here."_

_Edward turned to the older man. "Why? Why here! They're going to catch up with us!"_

_"This is the only way to send you back." Hohenheim replied._

_Golden eyes widened, as Edward understood the unspoken words hanging between them._

_"T-that's not possible. This world…"_

_"I've thought of the possibilities Edward. It was so simple, so simple that it was overlooked. You see, we're not from this world are we? Though we can't use alchemy, we know how to access the Gate more than they do."_

_Edward stared in shock. It couldn't be that simple could it? Yet, it all made sense. His thoughts were cut off at the sound of incoming cars. He turned to Hohenheim._

_"Hurry! You know the array! It's the one that you've used to get here!" He hissed as he pushed Edward to go to the other side of the large monument as he brought a knife and slashed his hands. Frantically both began to work on the array._

_They were almost finished when a shot tore through the air shattering the quiet countryside. Edward looked up to see his father slump over onto the dirt ground. He saw red blossom in the man's chest. He didn't know what possessed him but he got up from his position and ran toward his fallen father. He landed next to the man and cradled his head with his shaking hands. His breaths came out in quick pants as he tried to register the rising feeling from within his chest as his throat made a small noise; a word on his tongue._

_"Dad?"_

_It came out in a hoarse whisper as Edward felt unfamiliar pricks behind his eyes. A dry sob broke out of him; he didn't care if there was an audience or that he was too old to cry, being twenty-one years of age. A hand reached out and lightly touched his face. There was a small smile on the man's face._

_"I'm sorry that I couldn't have been a better father, I'm glad that we were able to get to know each other more. Finish the circle, it's the least I can do after giving you so much grief. Never forget…I'm proud of you Edward…both you and Alphonse."_

_The tears came out of Edward's eyes after eleven years of being dry wasteland. They landed on Hohenheim's face._

_"I wish that I haven't been so rude to you…"_

_There were clicks indicating that guns were about to shoot. Hohenheim reached for Edward's left hand and gave it a firm squeeze. "Go."_

_His eyes blinded by tears Edward left his dying father as he dashed toward the unfinished part of the alchemy array as he heard loud clicks of the trigger being pulled. Time slowed to a fashion as he kept dashing. From the ground, Hohenheim watched as his blood seeped into the dirt and blocked out pain to watch his son for the final time. Bullets whizzed by Edward as he landed next to the array taking his blood soaked left hand and scribbled the last of the symbols. Then a crack drew his attention as his finger left the ground, Edward's eyes widened as he caught sight of a man with his gun aimed directly at him._

_Before he could react something large blocked the bullet's path. No…_

_"Aaaah!" Edward screamed in anguish as his father's lifeless body fell to the Earth with a sickening thud, much like the Jewish woman's from six months prior._

_'Never forget.'_

_Lightening flashed through the sky as thunder roared. Edward slammed both his palms together looking much like a man praying to God then slammed them onto the ground. At first nothing happened as more guns clicked then in a nerve rattling rumble of thunder and pierce flashing of lightening Edward saw the alchemic array glow white blue from underneath him. He could feel the beginnings of rain coming down from heaven as if to weep for his father's death._

_Ignoring certainty of death, he dragged himself and his suitcase toward Hohenheim's dead body._

_"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He said in a shaky voice, as the array he sat in grew brighter._

_He could faintly hear cries of shock and fear. The presence was familiar. He had known it since the day he had tried to revive his mother from the death and the various times he visited it. His existence was a conundrum in any reality. The Gate owed him. His ears heard the familiar creak of the doors opening._

_**'What is the price you are willing to pay this time Mr. Elric?'**_

_"It doesn't matter as long as I can…as long as I can see my brother." Edward replied softly as he sat hunched over his father's body._

_**'Your freedom…'**_

_With that, Edward felt more than familiar hands grab him, his suitcase and his father's body. Then before he knew it he was jerked backward into the Gate, catching a glimpse of panicked Thule Society members who could only stare in disbelief as rain poured down on them. A searing pain ran up his back before it faded away. All he could do was watch the lights around him flash as the hands pulled him toward his destination._

Author's Note: This chapter was extremely short, sorry about that. If it's a little weird, blame the music I was listening to. (FMA OST's, Xenosaga OST, FF Advent Children OST and Xenosaga II OST) Okay. Now I'm off to type Chapter Six. Please give me feedback on my fic. More feedback better writing.

To all of my reviewers please check out my profile for more goodies. (Tell me, what author is nice enough to provide goodies for their audience neh?)


	6. Doppelganger

AN: Before we start this I would like to say that I'm in dire need of constructive critics to point out a few grammatical errors or disagreements in writing style/content. Please none of that singled lined: 'Great' either because I'm not learning anything from it. Comments! Questions! Just as long as I can work with something to improve my writing skills.

Okay, enough said about ranting. On to the fic.

Aka Ame

Chapter Six: Doppelganger

A week ago Edward had run into a wall of inevitability that his charade wouldn't last much longer since Dante had easily seen through him. Now all he could do was doggedly hold onto whatever advantage he had which included his 'used-to-be' homunculus brother and the inconsistent Gate. He didn't dare drag Alphonse or Winry into the fray of his making, hell he even tried to talk Wilhelm out of it only to be berated and reminded that the boy was over four hundred years old and could take care of himself.

So on a bright Monday morning after gathering his wits, Edward entered the office of his superior office to find the man with a dark frown on his face. Edward returned it with a faint smile of his own. "Is there something the matter General?"

The single dark eye flashed then softened a tiny bit. Sure the Avian Alchemist sometimes annoyed him with his secrecy but it wasn't to the extent that it constantly rubbed on him like Fullmetal's secrets. Oh no, that boy had an entirely different set of problems. Even so at least Avian had the decency to be civil…He pulled his head out of his nostalgic reminisces to gaze at the dark haired man and in the morning sunlight he couldn't help that he looked a little like Hughes. The conundrum that was Avian would never reveal itself but at least the man would lend a listening ear.

"We've been called back to Central." He answered as he waited for Avian's response to find that the young man wasn't perturbed by it.

"I see." Edward replied as he turned his gaze out the windows. She had already done what she needed to.

"That's the least of our problems Avian."

Edward's attention turned back to the single eyed man. The tone of his voice…

"Fullmetal Alchemist has returned and is currently in Central. All ranking officers from Major on up is required to attend the negotiation delegations, I'm sure that you know of the other nations' demands for the past year and a half."

The shock had been carefully schooled so that neutrality only showed but Edward felt more than shock in that moment. He felt as if his world was ripped away from him once again. Dante certainly had been busy in his absence. "How can you be sure that it's the Fullmetal Alchemist that's currently at Central?" He asked guardedly revealing only neutral calm toward the man who returned to his distressed silence.

"Everything in the reports says that it's Fullmetal…I don't know what to think but what I do know is that we have to return now." Roy gritted out as he fought hard to contain himself. A year and a half…

"Then I will get ready for the departure General." Edward replied as he saluted the General then left the office to run into Winry and Alphonse.

The blonde haired girl looked around then grabbed him by his arm, dragging him to an alley where she thrust a newspaper in his face. News traveled at ungodly speeds. On the front of the page a blow up image of his face at sixteen gazed back at him with headlines declaring the return of the 'Peoples' Hero.' "Ed, what's going on?" She asked, her voice full of worry.

"Dante." He replied gravely as he looked down on his brother and friend. "You better hurry and pack. The General and I are going to catch a train for Central. Be careful."

"It's you who needs to be careful." Alphonse answered to have his older brother squeeze his shoulder before Winry took him and steered him away. He tossed one last glance at the tall figure before facing forward feeling a deep dread descending upon him.

Full of regret, Edward watched as they both vanished.

"Ed?" Wilhelm asked as he turned his gaze at the young man.

Golden eyes tore away from the empty alley. Turning on his heel, Edward left, weaving his way through the streets to his rented room.

Several hours later Edward stepped off the train as he did millions of times before to be greeted at the sight of a buzzing Central City. Everywhere were boys calling out headlines of the newspapers, which announced the day's news of Fullmetal's return. He gracefully wove through the crowds with the General next to him easily keeping up despite his shorter height. Finally they left the crowded station to catch a cab on its way to Headquarters. Upon entering the personnel were in a flurry to greet the General as Edward followed silently. Debriefing papers were thrust to them as were directions to head toward the Parliament House where Roy would take a seat among the Board of Generals and Edward among those on the lower Board, but being a State Alchemist he was granted the first tier which gave him a spectacular view of the proceedings with the foreign emissaries who were there to strike up negotiations to stop the border skirmishes and possibly prevent a world war.

However his eyes were locked onto the sight of one person. Himself. It was a perfect copy of himself before he left this world for the next sitting toward the center looking rather bored with the talks. Silently his hands gripped into fists. He could see Dante stamped all over the doppelganger. The woman had such a sick mind he couldn't see where the foulness stopped or began. He would give her credit for being meticulous in detail as disturbing as it sounded.

"As we all can see, we have brought forth Fullmetal Alchemist who has returned from a year and a half of absence with justified reason that the knowledge he possessed placed him in danger to those around him…"

It was the biggest lie that Edward had to date since he had lived besides Dante's whole entire puppet theatre spectacle. Instead he kept a straight face as he examined the rest of the room, taking note of people before his eyes strayed back to the doppelganger. He had no doubt that Dante had managed to nab something with his DNA on it to have created a clone of him such a strand of hair or even blood. Lord knows how much he bled on his missions and whatnot. He could almost imagine the ingredients she used in his doppelganger's creation. Clever.

"I knew that my mother had an unhealthy obsession over you, I just never knew that it would extend this far." Wilhelm muttered softly in Edward's ear.

Edward's hands relaxed. "She showed an obsession of our father did she not? What makes this any different? What she sees in me is Paracelsus Theophrastus Philippus Aureolus Bombastus van Hohenheim." He replied just as softly as he hands came to rest on his laps as he leaned back on his seat. Wilhelm choked at the long name. Never in his life had he heard the full name of his father nor was it ever mentioned. He had always believed that Hohenheim had been his father's name for quite some time.

"Just how in the nine gates of hell and seven circles do you know that?" He asked in a rather strained voice.

"Alphonse and I were never to know but I found out one day when my mother had taken him out for shopping. It was merely by accident. You do know that Edward isn't my first name but a middle one? However Alphonse's name is just Alphonse van Hohenheim." He answered.

Wilhelm shifted on his feet before settling once again. "Then what is your name?"

"Theophrastus the Second." Edward replied with a wince. "Or rather if you want to be formal, it's Theophrastus Edward Philippus Aureolus van Hohenheim. The Edward was added because it was my mother's father's first name. As for the Paracelsus part, that's a name that father took up during his alchemic studies."

Wilhelm felt no resentment that his siblings had names given to them from father. He had long since forgotten his, answering to Envy by Dante until his brother had given him a name. A name that didn't sound wimpy or degrading but oddly noble. He would have to grill his brother on the meaning behind the name. Yet he couldn't help but feel somewhat sympathetic for his brother having to carry the name of their father. Why their father bestowed such a heavy name could perhaps be attributed with the fact that Edward (He was going to call him Edward; he wasn't going to change after calling him that for all those years.) was somebody he saw in the future. The rare times Dante ever spoke of his father had been about his uncanny intuition of the future.

"Did you hate the name so much that you went by Edward instead?" Wilhelm asked.

Edward turned a golden eye on his half brother. "Yes but to tell the truth I later on found out that either way my first or middle name means the same thing. Guardian. Add that with the other names then you get Guardian full of light." He turned away from his half brother to gaze at the doppelganger.

For a while the doppelganger didn't notice but soon he did. Edward locked gazes with the twisted creation of Dante's inner mind and saw recognition enter those eyes that mirrored his own.

"You."

The proceedings stopped as all eyes landed on Edward's still form leaning back against his seat as he smoothly took off his glasses.

"What is the meaning of this?" one of the Generals demanded as the doppelganger stepped down from his area and made his way toward Edward.

There was a clap and the sound of electricity filled the silent Parliament House. Edward gazed at the blade in front of him with a calm eye. "What about me?" He asked, his golden eyes boring into golden eyes.

"You're a Homunculus."

Immediately the whole House went into a flurry of yells and scraping of chairs. Despite the chaos Edward remained calm as he pushed back his chair to stare down at the blonde haired doppelganger. "What facts do you have of your accusation? Fullmetal Alchemist? I must say she did a thorough job of educating you after your creation. However she lacked certain details. Tell me, what is your father's full name?"

Roy Mustang gripped the table in front of him, his single eye widening at the scene unfolding before him. Avian a homunculus? Yet, it nagged him that of all the people, Avian would demand the full name of the father of the Elrics. He had been certain that the boy in the center had been Fullmetal. He certainly acted like it…

"Blasphemy!" A few officers shouted as Edward gazed down at the doppelganger.

"What is his name?"

Golden eyes glared up at him filled with loathing. "Hohenheim. That's all he ever left us." With that he lunged forward swinging the blade.

Seconds later, sparks flew as the sword was parried by another blade with opaqueness about it, as if it were made of glass. All eyes could see the scabbard that the blade had rested in now stood empty. A few officers nearby scrambled out of the sudden fray, mindful of keeping their heads and lives.

"Incorrect." Edward answered as Wilhelm took off from his shoulder making way for the imposter's face.

A cry fell from the copy's mouth as he stepped back, sporting a few scratches across his cheek.

"What do you know of anything Homunculus!"

"No. I am not a Homunculus though I know quite a bit about them." Edward intoned as he took a step forward at the copy which then aimed a kick toward his midsection. He skillfully dodged the incoming attack with the finesse of a dancer. "It's a fact that of all the things that Dante's ever taught you, she has never spoken the name of the one you claim as your father save for a surname."

From his seat, Roy stared in disbelief. Before the Elric brothers' father's departure nearly two years ago, before Edward's disappearance, the man had disclosed his full name in hopes that Roy would be able to protect the two brothers. How could it be possible that Avian knew of it? He was sure that despite coming from similar regions that Hohenheim would disclose such personal information to an 'outsider' not of his discretion.

The imposter faltered. "S-surname?" He asked in confusion, his eyes widening at the settling truth. Then in an instant he lunged forward to attack. However this time various State Alchemists took the time to restrain him as the Board of Generals and the delegates pinned Edward with inquisitive stares.

"Avian Alchemist. Just what in the world are you doing?"

"Verifying the truth. He's an imposter because the real Edward Elric would have correctly answered the question despite his displeasure in being reminded of it. Another factor to take into consideration is that the person behind this imposter hates Hohenheim with a passion and yet at the same time can't help but still love him."

"Then, how would you know of the name when by state all information were kept behind closed files and there has been no mention of Hohenheim of the Light's full name." Roy asked stonily as Edward squarely gazed back at him.

The charade was up. Edward snapped his fingers then brought them to his hair as they chased away the black dye, revealing deep gold hair. "I would know because I bear his name. Edward Elric has been but a small portion of my name and my mother's maiden name. The name which I had been christened with by my father and mother is Theophrastus Edward Philippus Aureolus van Hohenheim."

Roy slumped against his seat staring at disbelief down at the now blonde haired man who stood tall, his face strongly resembling that of his father's as well as his voice which rang out clearly with graveness as if the fact he spoke was an inevitable fate in his life that he recently had come into terms with. The name wasn't one that he could forget easily, not when altogether it meant Guardian Full of Light or rather, Guardian of Light. Thinking about it brought unwanted shivers up his spine. Words that made up the name were ancient with hardly any origin to trace back to save for what he had been told by the elder Hohenheim himself.

"I-I can't believe it." The dark haired man choked out in a silent room where hundreds of eyes were focused on the tall figure of a deep blonde haired man who only stood calmly amidst the chaos. It just didn't make sense. How...?

Golden eyes narrowed briefly the suddenly a gloved hand drew out a gun and pointed it at a dark haired woman wearing the Amestris uniform, her dark curls pinned up. "You may have killed me before Dante, but as you can see I refuse to stay dead."

The delegates from the surrounding countries stirred at the name telling Edward that they had come into contact with her. Typical.

"Don't you dare shoot her!" His doppelganger yelled, still restrained by the alchemists, unable to do anything given he was rather small with a number of adults holding him.

Roy finally tore his gaze away as he made his way down, pushing people out of the way to the center of the chaos until he stood near the tall blonde haired man, taking in the face. Older yes, but he could see the ghostly images of the Fullmetal Alchemist from a year ago. How? How could it be possible for him to change so much? What did he mean by being killed by that woman Dante?

"My God."

Edward ignored the oath, still gazing at the dark haired woman staring down the barrel of his gun. He would fulfill his bargain with the Gate.

Deep green eyes bore into his golden ones filled with hunger and amusement as she brought a hand up to the barrel of the gun. She firmly held the barrel as if the tempt him into shooting her brains out.

"I've noticed as much." A curling smile graced her features as she put pressure on the barrel, wanting to direct it downwards.

"This grudge you have has nothing to do with them. It's only between you and me." Edward intoned as he kept a firm grip, not allowing himself to succumb. She had no rights to this world any longer. Her time was long overdue.

She jerked her head at the assembly who stood frozen, unsure how to react. "They're worthless. Nothing but cannon fodder, they aren't worthy of learning the arts of alchemy. You on the other hand are worth all the years I've spent in searching in alchemy for. You've overcome the impossible…because your father expected that you would." The smile unnerved him.

The gun felt cold despite the barrier of cloth protecting his hand. "What are you playing at?" Edward snarled, readying himself for what she had up her sleeve. He wouldn't have been surprised if it would level the whole place.

"You've always known the answer very well Edward Elric. The unnamed nightmares you suffer from, memories you sometimes experience that is not your own, the sheer capacity of your intelligence and uncanny ability to connect with alchemy like none other is more than unusual is it not?"

Edward stepped back, lowering his gun.

"What the hell are you doing?" Wilhelm yelled. "Don't stall!"

Edward did not heed the yell as the gun dropped from bloodless fingers as the whole assembly watched in morbid fashion, unable to move or tear their gaze away from the unfolding events. What did she know about him? Nothing…True, she might have watched him forever but she couldn't possibly know what burdened his heart. She simply couldn't.

Deep green eyes tore through his golden gaze and he felt something within him stir. The doubt he had felt growing up had been locked away…He had often seen himself in the mirror to see his father's face staring back. Years of silently suffering from visions not of his own…He never even told his mother or even Alphonse but he knew that they sometimes heard him crying out in his sleep often mistaking it for his hellish childhood memories.

"You did something didn't you?" He said with dry lips.

"Resistance will only put you through more pain than necessary. Edward Elric."

Roy who had been seeing the foreplay between the two couldn't help but feel immense dread. Dread so tangible that it would change everybody in the room who were watching the interactions of Fullmetal and the woman named Dante. Given how they were talking with each other- they knew each other pretty well.

"You're saying my name as if it never existed; you've always said it in that way…" The feeling stirred once again.

"Because you're not Edward Elric any longer, but Paracelsus Theophrastus Philippus Aureolus Bombastus van Hohenheim. You see, your father infused a small portion of his soul into yours in hopes that you would have a bit of him if he ever died, living out his life as a mere mortal."

He felt nauseous at the words.

Author's Notes: Urgh. This chapter really bites. I don't know but it's always the sixth chapter that bogs me down. Sigh. I can hope that I can come back someday to edit it. I can bet that you certainly wasn't expecting something this twisted eh? Yeah as for the other sins...they'll come around soon.


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