Yuriko (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
chiba_yuriko) wrote2005-10-23 08:03 pm
chiba_yuriko) wrote2005-10-23 08:03 pm
The real you...
The Real You
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
chiba_yuriko
Beta:kaitou_marina
Genre: Gen AUish
Rating: G
Spoilers: None
A lone child sat on the floor, blinking back tears he was trying to pretend weren't there. "Okay, Al, you ready?"
There was no response but the boy grinned nervously and continued ahead, gold eyes darting to the circle laid out before him and the pile of raw materials in its center.
"We'll bring Mom back, Al, I promise... and then... then..."
Again he took his gaze away from what he should have been concentrating on to look next to him. The empty space at his side brought more stinging to his eyes that he rapidly wiped away with the back of his hand. After taking care of this, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and slapped his hands to the white chalk lines. An echoing slap could only be heard by his ears alone.
Slowly the room was bathed in a gold glow as the transmutation began. It was working! Soon they'd have their family back. A mother and two sons.
The young boy focused intensely despite the look of utter awe on his face. He'd known they could do this. Adults just hadn't wanted it enough. He wanted this so badly he could taste it in the tears that slid down his face and over his lips.
His mother and his brother and him. Together again.
A tremor running through his small frame shook him from his amazement and his eyes widened as the crackling energy of alchemy took a more sinister hue. "Wha..."
A scream cut through his questioning as the pain hit. His leg was on fire! Like thousands of needles biting into his skin. He tore saucer-sized eyes from the goal at the array's middle to see what was wrong and simply screamed again, leg vanishing as he watched...
When the boy came to, the room was smoke-filled and his leg still felt as if it were burning and his head ached with a painful pounding. He struggled to sit up and gave a strangled cry at seeing the stump where his leg had been before retching violently. This wasn't how it was supposed to be! He swore, coughing and wiping at his mouth when it hit him. Their mother!
Breath catching with hope he peered through haze to where his mother should have been waiting for him with her soft smile.
He dry heaved at what he found. It wasn't human, that much was certain. "A... Al..... it wasn't supposed.... to be like this! Shit!" He clutched at the stump of his left leg and cast about the room hopelessly. He looked for anything that could help him find his way, what to do now.
The pain-dulled gold gaze fell on a fallen suit of armor, left behind by their so-called father.
A sickening sense of hope lurched in the child's stomach. He.... he could still....
"Al.... I couldn't bring back Mom, but I can't be alone..." he whispered, crawling over to the empty armor. Trembling fingers dipped into his own spilt blood, knowing what needed to be done - the Truth had shown him. With a shudder, he closed his eyes and forced out the images of unblinking eyes peering from inky darkness. Instead he tried to remember everything he could about his little brother.
The dirty blonde hair, bronze eyes always warm. Slick, cold trails were painted over his arms. The sunny laughter and forgiving hugs. The skinned knees and bruises. The riverside making up. Now one carved over his chest. The afternoons spent lost in alchemic texts. The lazy days of playing with Winry and Den...
He had lost all of that, but now... maybe he could get it back. Even if he had to give everything for it.
Briefly his mind flashed to the pale face and a chest that didn't rise or fall. Of sweat dampened blonde hair plastered to clammy skin. His little brother, not yet even 11 years old, lying dead in the bed they had spent many nights sharing. They had been so close to their goal, and perhaps the younger hadn't rested as he should have. Hadn't spoken a word of protest, striving too hard, too long.
He hadn't known about the sickness...
He hadn't been able to save either of them...
But.... he could have Al back. And it didn't matter how. Not anymore.
"He's.... my little brother.......... I want him BACK!"
The last thing the little boy remembered was the flash of alchemy and the burning needles biting into his arm.
---
"Brother?"
Edward Elric shook his head, letting the dark memory fade into the background and looked over to the hulking chunk of metal that had been by his side for four years now. "Yeah?"
"I'm sorry... that I doubted you... I will remember, I was a human being named Alphonse Elric, not a fabrication!"
Ed gazed for a moment longer into the glowing red that served as the window to his brother's soul before he had to avert his eyes.
"Ah...."
Not a fabrication...
At least you won't be when I get the Stone, Al... I'll bring you back. The real you...
"Brother, are you alright?"
Ed gave a too-wide grin and nodded. "Let's get going Al, we've got a Stone to find!"
The armored head nodded with a cheerful affirmation and the two turned from the boat dock to continue their journey.
Author:
chiba_yurikoBeta:
kaitou_marinaGenre: Gen AUish
Rating: G
Spoilers: None
A lone child sat on the floor, blinking back tears he was trying to pretend weren't there. "Okay, Al, you ready?"
There was no response but the boy grinned nervously and continued ahead, gold eyes darting to the circle laid out before him and the pile of raw materials in its center.
"We'll bring Mom back, Al, I promise... and then... then..."
Again he took his gaze away from what he should have been concentrating on to look next to him. The empty space at his side brought more stinging to his eyes that he rapidly wiped away with the back of his hand. After taking care of this, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and slapped his hands to the white chalk lines. An echoing slap could only be heard by his ears alone.
Slowly the room was bathed in a gold glow as the transmutation began. It was working! Soon they'd have their family back. A mother and two sons.
The young boy focused intensely despite the look of utter awe on his face. He'd known they could do this. Adults just hadn't wanted it enough. He wanted this so badly he could taste it in the tears that slid down his face and over his lips.
His mother and his brother and him. Together again.
A tremor running through his small frame shook him from his amazement and his eyes widened as the crackling energy of alchemy took a more sinister hue. "Wha..."
A scream cut through his questioning as the pain hit. His leg was on fire! Like thousands of needles biting into his skin. He tore saucer-sized eyes from the goal at the array's middle to see what was wrong and simply screamed again, leg vanishing as he watched...
When the boy came to, the room was smoke-filled and his leg still felt as if it were burning and his head ached with a painful pounding. He struggled to sit up and gave a strangled cry at seeing the stump where his leg had been before retching violently. This wasn't how it was supposed to be! He swore, coughing and wiping at his mouth when it hit him. Their mother!
Breath catching with hope he peered through haze to where his mother should have been waiting for him with her soft smile.
He dry heaved at what he found. It wasn't human, that much was certain. "A... Al..... it wasn't supposed.... to be like this! Shit!" He clutched at the stump of his left leg and cast about the room hopelessly. He looked for anything that could help him find his way, what to do now.
The pain-dulled gold gaze fell on a fallen suit of armor, left behind by their so-called father.
A sickening sense of hope lurched in the child's stomach. He.... he could still....
"Al.... I couldn't bring back Mom, but I can't be alone..." he whispered, crawling over to the empty armor. Trembling fingers dipped into his own spilt blood, knowing what needed to be done - the Truth had shown him. With a shudder, he closed his eyes and forced out the images of unblinking eyes peering from inky darkness. Instead he tried to remember everything he could about his little brother.
The dirty blonde hair, bronze eyes always warm. Slick, cold trails were painted over his arms. The sunny laughter and forgiving hugs. The skinned knees and bruises. The riverside making up. Now one carved over his chest. The afternoons spent lost in alchemic texts. The lazy days of playing with Winry and Den...
He had lost all of that, but now... maybe he could get it back. Even if he had to give everything for it.
Briefly his mind flashed to the pale face and a chest that didn't rise or fall. Of sweat dampened blonde hair plastered to clammy skin. His little brother, not yet even 11 years old, lying dead in the bed they had spent many nights sharing. They had been so close to their goal, and perhaps the younger hadn't rested as he should have. Hadn't spoken a word of protest, striving too hard, too long.
He hadn't known about the sickness...
He hadn't been able to save either of them...
But.... he could have Al back. And it didn't matter how. Not anymore.
"He's.... my little brother.......... I want him BACK!"
The last thing the little boy remembered was the flash of alchemy and the burning needles biting into his arm.
---
"Brother?"
Edward Elric shook his head, letting the dark memory fade into the background and looked over to the hulking chunk of metal that had been by his side for four years now. "Yeah?"
"I'm sorry... that I doubted you... I will remember, I was a human being named Alphonse Elric, not a fabrication!"
Ed gazed for a moment longer into the glowing red that served as the window to his brother's soul before he had to avert his eyes.
"Ah...."
Not a fabrication...
At least you won't be when I get the Stone, Al... I'll bring you back. The real you...
"Brother, are you alright?"
Ed gave a too-wide grin and nodded. "Let's get going Al, we've got a Stone to find!"
The armored head nodded with a cheerful affirmation and the two turned from the boat dock to continue their journey.