(FMA) Touch the Stars - Complete
Title: Touch the Stars
Spoilers: The Whole Series
Pairings: Depends on what you want to read into it. ^.~
Word Count: 3846
Author's Commentary: I started this with no idea where it was going, and have been pleasantly surprised by it over all. Amusingly enough, the title directed the fic rather than the other way around. Usually, the title comes to me last, but on this one, the title was suddenly there. It came as *quite* the shock to me when I finally figured out where my little problem child was headed and how the title fit into it all. XD Enjoy!
The first thing Edward Elric noticed as he woke up was that wherever he was, it was warm. The heat that permeated the area carried no uncomfortable weight or humidity, but instead gave just enough warmth to be comforting, calming. The soft, smooth texture of a blanket brushed gently against his bare arm. He inhaled deeply, feeling the rush of temperate air fill his mouth and lungs, and then slowly released the breath. With a mumbled sound, he shifted and burrowed deeper into his cocoon.
The faint scent of coffee made its presence known next, tickling his nostrils with its tempting aroma. So what if science had shown that it stunted your growth? Science also seemed to think that milk aided in the lengthening and strengthening of bones, but even that didn’t give Ed incentive enough to drink the damn stuff. It tasted awful, regardless of what benefits it might have had. Coffee, though - coffee was delicious, warm and hot, and just right in the mornings.
Clink! A spoon hit china somewhere nearby, and Ed realized with a start that he couldn’t possibly be alone in the room. Jarring as the thought was, though, that in itself would not be enough to draw him from his pleasantly lethargic state. Footsteps approached, and a cool hand pressed itself gently against his face. A chair scraped loudly against the floor as, with a soft sigh, someone sat beside him. Pages ruffled, and then a voice drifted down to him.
“At that moment a shadow fell over them. The bright moonlight seemed to be suddenly cut off.” The voice began. Like the blankets covering Ed, it was soothing and warm. The tone was rich and smooth, like chocolate. More than that, though, it was familiar. Ed’s eyes shot open. “Several of the Riders cried out, and crouched, holding their arms above their heads, as if to ward off a blow from above.”
The voice continued to speak, but Ed no longer paid it any heed. Instead, he began to slowly withdraw his right hand from its pleasant hollow. Warm as the air was, it still felt cool upon his palm after the blanket. It surprised him to notice how the hand shook as he reached it towards the speaker seated across from him.
“…cloud. It wheeled and went north, flying at a greater speed than any wind-“ Contact, skin touching skin. Ed let his hand fall loosely to the bed as the startled reader looked up from his page. The book dropped from the dark-haired man’s hands as his deep brown eyes stared into the now open golden ones before him. The darker orbs went wide for a moment, the usual covering mask slipping from it just enough for the shock to show through. Just as quickly as it had fallen, the mask readvanced itself over the higher face, a smirk covering any concern.
“Well, Fullmetal,” said Colonel Roy Mustang as he stared at the boy lying before him, “nice to see you’ve decided to join us this afternoon.”
Ed briefly considered glaring at the man and fighting with him, but ultimately settled for drawing his arm back under the blankets and subtly shifting his position on the bed. It was indeed a bed, Ed now realized - which explained the cozy blankets and the soft but supportive pillows beneath his head. The wall behind Roy was cream colored, and when Ed tilted his head back he noticed that the ceiling matched. Ed watched the fan spin in lazy circles, its deep mahogany contrasting sharply.
“What…?” Ed began, startling himself when his voice cracked, dry and strangely brittle. Roy hmphed superiorly, gazing down at the blond stretched out before him. He shook his head lightly, once more stretching forward to lay his cool fingers upon Ed’s brow. The boy leaned into their touch, allowing his eyes to flutter closed. Roy’s hand lingered a moment longer, then pulled back.
“Rest, Fullmetal. That’s an order.” Roy said calmly, almost indulgently, but with an unwavering note of conviction in his voice. “We’ll discuss what happened when you’re not about to pass out… again.”
This time Ed managed a look if not a full on glare, and the twinkle in Roy’s eyes showed that he appreciated the effort. Then the older man rose to his feet, picked the book up from the ground, and headed across the room. Ed followed his progress until doing so would have required him to move, at which point he simply gave up. The blankets were so warm after all…
“Sleep well.” The words came to him from a great distance, seemingly whispered on the wind as the lights dimmed - or was that his eyes closing? - and Ed gave in to sleep once more.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Fullmetal!” The voice said sharply. Ed groaned and rolled over, burying his face in the pillow. Hands came to rest on his shoulders, flipping him over. With a groan, he released the fluffy object and allowed himself to be pulled away from it. Sighing, he opened his eyes.
“What do you want?” Ed asked, blinking at the man irritably. Roy merely arched an eyebrow at the younger man. With a put upon sigh, Ed started to sit up, only to wince and give up the effort halfway, collapsing back upon the pillows as his face twisted in a grimace.
Roy watched him struggling, waiting for the boy to regain his composure. Ed once more glared at the man, who stared at him from beyond an unblinking façade. When at last the smaller alchemist’s expression cleared, Roy said nothing, merely reached down and pulled him quickly but carefully upright before stuffing an extra pillow behind his back. Ed clenched his jaw and fidgeted a bit before taking a slow breath.
“What are you doing here?” Ed asked, meeting the older man’s gaze steadily. Roy watched him carefully a moment longer, then allowed the corner of his mouth to quirk upwards.
“Well, Fullmetal, I see your skills in observation are as sharp as ever.” The colonel said dryly, turning away and walking from the bed. He meandered slowly across the room to a table, on which Ed could see a small tray, now that he looked. It was functional and frill-less, but as he inhaled he caught the undeniably tantalizing scent of freshly made eggs.
With the same alacrity that had brought him to the tray, Roy returned to Ed’s bedside and placed it before him. Ed looked up at his superior for a moment, then reached out and grabbed the fork on the tray with his right… hand…? He froze, sitting perfectly still for a moment, then raised his head.
“Where’s Al?” He asked, his voice calm in a frozen sort of way, his golden eyes meeting the other man’s darkened orbs fixedly. Roy glanced down and away.
“Al! Where’s Al? What happened to him?” Ed’s voice rose in pitch and speed as the man still did not respond. He shook his head frantically, pushed the tray started to rise, eyes wide, muscles screaming, threw the tray aside not fast enough where -
“Stay, Fullmetal.” Sharp and crisp words, hands on his shoulders, his right shoulder he could feel the hand Al!
Ed’s eyes went wide as a blow caught him harshly across the face. He reeled a bit, but shook off the pain. Al! Where was he, where was he where was he wherewashe? Al! Al! Eyes darted wildly about the room. Armor, where was the armor? Didn’t see it, couldn’t find it, where?
At a great distance, Ed could vaguely hear a voice shouting at him as he fought off the hands that held him, finally landing a blow and getting a start on moving forward. Then there was pain, and darkness.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“…there some other way?” That voice - he knew that voice, he was certain of it. His muscles tensed involuntarily as he struggled to quash the urge to harm the speaker before he determined who it was and why he should so arbitrarily feel violent towards them.
“I’m afraid this is for the best. His condition is touch and go at best, if he tears those stitches again…” Hmm, this one was unfamiliar. The voice’s cool professionalism irritated Ed, and he shifted restlessly, keeping his eyes closed as he tried to ignore the two and go back to sleep.
Ed moved back and forth a little bit before deciding that lying on his back had become distinctly uncomfortable. Ignoring the slight haze still fogging his mind, Ed turned casually onto his side - at least, that was what he intended to do. The blonde shifted several times, trying to get his body to move, before at last the cloud gave way and he realized his arms had been trapped to their respective sides of the bed. His eyes shot open.
The Colonel stood at the foot of his bed, watching him carefully as he had been every time so far. Bastard. A soft click echoed in the small room, and as Ed couldn’t see anyone else in the room, he assumed it had been the doctor leaving. He had to give him credit, really - it took a certain something to glare as sternly at someone in a hospital bed as you would at someone standing in your office after a particularly earth - shattering mission. Ed tugged helplessly at the leather bands binding his wrists to the protective bars on his bed, trying to figure out the best way to get them to release him.
“That won’t work, Fullmetal.” The colonel said as he strode casually around the side of the bed. “The bonds have been alchemically fused closed. I trust even you are intelligent enough to realize that short of someone placing chalk in your hand -“
“Who’re you calling super hyper uber short like a bean?” Ed protested, straining against the pleasant lack of awareness that seemed unusually clingy and the ties binding him. Mustang gracefully drew a chair up to the side of his bed and slipped nonchalantly into it. Ed glared at the man, eyebrows furrowing as his lips became a thin narrow line. After a moment of silence, Ed continued quietly, “What’s going on?”
“Stop struggling and maybe I’ll tell you.” The older man replied, giving Ed a look that declared to all and sundry that he could wait all day but that he would be obeyed before he would continue.
The colors in the room became slowly sharper, and it seemed an equivalent trade for that and the information to be still. He leaned restlessly against the pillows, muscles remaining taut even as he feigned relaxation. Mustang watched him as he shifted in an attempt to become more comfortable, waiting until he was completely settled before speaking.
“Approximately one week ago, you were found unconscious and seriously injured, with your missing limbs restored.” The colonel began, speaking slowly and carefully. “Since that time, the military has been attempting both to save your life and to locate your younger brother. Thus far, neither effort seems to have succeeded.”
“Al… where’s Al?” Edward started, and would likely have continued - save for the fact that a gloved hand covered his mouth and prevented him from doing so.
“Do NOT panic, Fullmetal. That’s an order.” The older man said sternly, freezing his body ramrod straight. Ed looked into his eyes, and found to his surprise that an extra emotion tinged the warning he had expected to find there. Deliberately, he inhaled and then exhaled once, twice. The rough touch of the glove removed itself.
“At this time, we do not know what has become of Alphon -" Roy continued.
“I have to go look for him!” Ed yelled, commencing his struggles against the bonds that held him once more.
“FULLMETAL!” Roy shouted angrily, hands reaching out to grab the boy’s shoulders. A brief shake later, and the motion of the young man halted even as his eyes darted wildly about the room. “Now, if I may continue uninterrupted?”
Ed slumped across the bed behind him and glared at the man as soon as the tight grasp released him. Roy flopped haphazardly in the chair at the boy’s bedside, sprawling in it slightly. His eyes, though, never left the golden orbs gazing up at him.
“Thank you. As I was saying, at this time, we do not know what has become of Alphonse. However, it has been over two years since you disappeared without word or sign. Two years in which your brother has been occupied with various pursuits completely unrelated to the military. We are currently attempting to contact him.” Roy lifted his eyebrows and leaned forward in his chair. “Your actions in the past years have come under suspicion, particularly in light of your desertion.”
“Who cares?” Ed replied, tossing his head flippantly. “It’s not like I intended to desert. Besides - you’re still here. I doubt the military will do anything to me if it didn’t bother to do anything about someone executing a coup. How did you get away with that, anyway, Colonel?”
“You’re behind the times, Fullmetal.” Roy said, shifting back in his chair. “Even before you disappeared, I had been promoted to Brigadier General.”
Ed rolled his eyes. Roy’s features drew in upon themselves, his expression turning serious once more.
“I don’t think you get what’s going on here, Major.” The older man said. “Not only are you a deserter, you’re a deserter who performed human alchemy. You think the military’s just going to let you go? Don’t go making accusations you can’t back up, either. All anyone knows about the Fuhrer’s death is that Archer was involved, and both I and Colonel Hawkeye were injured protecting him.”
The young alchemist studied the man before him for a moment. The Flame Alchemist had chosen to sit on the right side of his bed, arms crossed superiorly across his chest. As he had spoken, Roy had subtly shifted his head so that he stared off and to the right, giving Ed a clear view of the disfiguring scar that ran the length of the left side of his face.
“I see.” The boy’s voice fell flatly, echoing in the empty hospital room. At least Al didn’t have to worry about the military, wouldn’t have to think about it now. Two years and still free, and relatively safe - Al would be all right. Was he human now? Did he have real limbs, as Ed did? Had only his soul, and the armour, been recovered, or -
“You indicated before that your absence was not by choice. The military will require you to present a full account of your whereabouts prior to your reappearance here in Central City.” Well that was carefully worded. Usually the colonel - the General Ed reminded himself sharply - would flat out demand to know what had happened. “We will, of course, deal with your captors as swiftly as possible, though they seem to have treated you well. The nurses tell me that although your height is still well below the average for your age -“
Roy paused significantly, waiting for Ed to interject as he normally would have. Funny, how the comment didn’t rankle as it once might have, now that he was awake enough to hear it properly. The younger alchemist sighed, knowing what was expected of him.
“Who are you calling so small an ant would have to search to find him before it could squash him?”
“… You nevertheless have grown a bit.” The general continued with a satisfied smirk.
Ed glared balefully at the man, utilizing what talent he had at acting to his advantage. The room had to be bugged, and there was no point in risking a less than perfect act when a camera could very well be there as well. It was part of the military, after all - nothing but a military hospital for State Alchemists. Mustang’s comment had bought him the time necessary to start thinking of an alibi. They’d never let him free of these restraints if they thought he was crazy and, truthfully, fact was stranger than fiction in this case.
“Is there anything you could tell me that would aid the military in its search for your captors?” Roy asked, smooth and calm.
“Eh, General, I’m afraid I won’t be much help.” Ed said, puzzlement coloring his tone. “I don’t really remember what happened… it had something to do with what happened at Liore…”
Known facts about the more abstract parts of alchemy… what have I seen references to that I’ve *seen*, what can I mention without being too general or too focused… just enough to sound real, not enough to make them want me to stay…
“Al… Al had been kidnapped by one of those things…” He mumbled, drawing together the events of years passed as best he could remember. The great benefit of two years’ distance from them showed itself as his confusion had a degree of earnestness in it.
“Those things, Fullmetal?” The General questioned, raising an eyebrow in what could be nothing less than an insult to his vocabulary. Ed ignored him.
“I went after him, to save him… They wouldn’t kill me; they wanted something from me…” This was all on record somewhere from Hughes’ investigations after the events of the Fifth Lab, he knew it. Hughes… “There’s city underneath Central… I remember arrays, and then…”
“And then?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing, Fullmetal?” Crisp, clear words falling from the mouth of his superior, prodding far too gently for him to really expect an answer. Ed fought to keep the smirk off his face.
“I… I don’t remember… What could have…? And those arrays!” Now that last, that had been sincere enough and true enough to his character at the time of his disappearance that he could get away with it. If it really had stopped there, his reaction after ensuring Al’s safety would have involved… “I have to go back and see them again.”
“I’m sorry to say that’s impossible for the moment.” Roy replied. The corner of his lip tilted ever so slightly upward as his eyes narrowed knowingly, and suddenly Ed knew he’d have to explain it all to the general some day. “You need to rest and heal from your injuries…”
Ed glared at the man, then glanced significantly at his bound wrists, and finally back at the man.
“Yes, well, if you weren’t so prone to fits, those wouldn’t have been necessary, now would they? Really, Fullmetal, you should have them check to make sure you don’t have epilepsy while you’re here.” The General rose to his feet and, with a smirk, added, “Although I doubt they have a cure for a short temper.”
Ed’s rage could be heard throughout the hospital as Roy laughed his way out the door. When at last he felt he’d been at it for a believable amount of time, the blonde dropped the act. He smirked to himself as he allowed his eyes to fall close once again.
“Bastard.” He snorted quietly… and then the darkness closed comfortingly around him once more.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Alphonse Elric had arrived in Central about a week after Edward finally woke up. He had, it was eventually explained, been training with their teacher on the island near Dublith, and thus completely out of contact. Ed had been resting, half-asleep on his bed, when Roy had opened the door and allowed Al to enter the room. The younger Elric had approached the bed slowly, scarcely believing his eyes as they feasted upon the sight of his elder sibling.
“Brother…” Al had choked out, reaching a hand to touch the human flesh of his brother’s right arm. Ed’s eyes had fluttered open in response.
“Al…?” The restraints that still bound the blond to his bed kept him in check, but nothing could have prevented Al from throwing his arms around his brother in a fierce, desperate hug. Tears of relief, of joy, of hopes born out, sprang to the boys’ eyes, and finally - safe and whole, together at last, protected from the rest of the world by one who had looked out for them so far as he was able - the boys at last allowed them to fall.
It had been a shock to discover Al’s missing years, missing memories. Mustang had only been able to communicate so much to Ed without risking saying too much. From then it had been several long weeks of hospital rest before at last he had been allowed to move from bed.
Edward Elric had been called many things in his time, but a fool was certainly not one of them. His injuries had, admittedly, been fairly severe… And yes, okay, so maybe he did toss and turn in his sleep… Still… The restraints had not been to prevent him from injuring himself, couldn’t have been given how long they stayed on. Precisely what tests they had run on him Ed figured he’d never know. Luck had definitely been on his side, insofar as he had been found by civilians who recognized him. Word had gotten around that the Fullmetal Alchemist was back, and without a significant case to make against him, particularly given the shape in which he had returned, the military had eventually been forced to let him leave.
Sometimes, being a military dog who worked primarily for the people had its perks.
Against Al’s numerous objections, and to the complete astonishment of one Roy Mustang, the Fullmetal Alchemist had resumed his role within the military. For several years, he had continued traveling around the country, fixing things here and there, and generally working to better the lives of the people of Amestris. Although the Fuhrer’s disappearance had greatly improved the state of affairs within the country, much work still needed to be done. Ed found something satisfying in doing it himself.
On the occasion of Ed’s twenty fifth birthday, his friends collaborated to throw a grand party. Everyone, even Mrs. Hughes and the now thirteen year old Elysia, attended. After the dinner, the cake, and the presents, when only those who had been closest to Ed remained, was the question finally asked.
“Brother?” Al had asked, his voice still maintaining a bit of its childish innocence for all his twenty four - eighteen - years, “What happened when you disappeared?”
For a long moment Edward had gazed off into the distance, staring at images only he could see of another world, of science and scientists who disbelieved alchemy, of a father he had known, really known, all too briefly, of flight and rockets… Then he had glanced around the circle before allowing his eyes to close. When at last he spoke, a mysterious smile quirked the edges of his mouth.
“I found out what it’s like to touch the stars, Al. I found out what it’s like to touch the stars.”
~* End *~
Spoilers: The Whole Series
Pairings: Depends on what you want to read into it. ^.~
Word Count: 3846
Author's Commentary: I started this with no idea where it was going, and have been pleasantly surprised by it over all. Amusingly enough, the title directed the fic rather than the other way around. Usually, the title comes to me last, but on this one, the title was suddenly there. It came as *quite* the shock to me when I finally figured out where my little problem child was headed and how the title fit into it all. XD Enjoy!
The first thing Edward Elric noticed as he woke up was that wherever he was, it was warm. The heat that permeated the area carried no uncomfortable weight or humidity, but instead gave just enough warmth to be comforting, calming. The soft, smooth texture of a blanket brushed gently against his bare arm. He inhaled deeply, feeling the rush of temperate air fill his mouth and lungs, and then slowly released the breath. With a mumbled sound, he shifted and burrowed deeper into his cocoon.
The faint scent of coffee made its presence known next, tickling his nostrils with its tempting aroma. So what if science had shown that it stunted your growth? Science also seemed to think that milk aided in the lengthening and strengthening of bones, but even that didn’t give Ed incentive enough to drink the damn stuff. It tasted awful, regardless of what benefits it might have had. Coffee, though - coffee was delicious, warm and hot, and just right in the mornings.
Clink! A spoon hit china somewhere nearby, and Ed realized with a start that he couldn’t possibly be alone in the room. Jarring as the thought was, though, that in itself would not be enough to draw him from his pleasantly lethargic state. Footsteps approached, and a cool hand pressed itself gently against his face. A chair scraped loudly against the floor as, with a soft sigh, someone sat beside him. Pages ruffled, and then a voice drifted down to him.
“At that moment a shadow fell over them. The bright moonlight seemed to be suddenly cut off.” The voice began. Like the blankets covering Ed, it was soothing and warm. The tone was rich and smooth, like chocolate. More than that, though, it was familiar. Ed’s eyes shot open. “Several of the Riders cried out, and crouched, holding their arms above their heads, as if to ward off a blow from above.”
The voice continued to speak, but Ed no longer paid it any heed. Instead, he began to slowly withdraw his right hand from its pleasant hollow. Warm as the air was, it still felt cool upon his palm after the blanket. It surprised him to notice how the hand shook as he reached it towards the speaker seated across from him.
“…cloud. It wheeled and went north, flying at a greater speed than any wind-“ Contact, skin touching skin. Ed let his hand fall loosely to the bed as the startled reader looked up from his page. The book dropped from the dark-haired man’s hands as his deep brown eyes stared into the now open golden ones before him. The darker orbs went wide for a moment, the usual covering mask slipping from it just enough for the shock to show through. Just as quickly as it had fallen, the mask readvanced itself over the higher face, a smirk covering any concern.
“Well, Fullmetal,” said Colonel Roy Mustang as he stared at the boy lying before him, “nice to see you’ve decided to join us this afternoon.”
Ed briefly considered glaring at the man and fighting with him, but ultimately settled for drawing his arm back under the blankets and subtly shifting his position on the bed. It was indeed a bed, Ed now realized - which explained the cozy blankets and the soft but supportive pillows beneath his head. The wall behind Roy was cream colored, and when Ed tilted his head back he noticed that the ceiling matched. Ed watched the fan spin in lazy circles, its deep mahogany contrasting sharply.
“What…?” Ed began, startling himself when his voice cracked, dry and strangely brittle. Roy hmphed superiorly, gazing down at the blond stretched out before him. He shook his head lightly, once more stretching forward to lay his cool fingers upon Ed’s brow. The boy leaned into their touch, allowing his eyes to flutter closed. Roy’s hand lingered a moment longer, then pulled back.
“Rest, Fullmetal. That’s an order.” Roy said calmly, almost indulgently, but with an unwavering note of conviction in his voice. “We’ll discuss what happened when you’re not about to pass out… again.”
This time Ed managed a look if not a full on glare, and the twinkle in Roy’s eyes showed that he appreciated the effort. Then the older man rose to his feet, picked the book up from the ground, and headed across the room. Ed followed his progress until doing so would have required him to move, at which point he simply gave up. The blankets were so warm after all…
“Sleep well.” The words came to him from a great distance, seemingly whispered on the wind as the lights dimmed - or was that his eyes closing? - and Ed gave in to sleep once more.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Fullmetal!” The voice said sharply. Ed groaned and rolled over, burying his face in the pillow. Hands came to rest on his shoulders, flipping him over. With a groan, he released the fluffy object and allowed himself to be pulled away from it. Sighing, he opened his eyes.
“What do you want?” Ed asked, blinking at the man irritably. Roy merely arched an eyebrow at the younger man. With a put upon sigh, Ed started to sit up, only to wince and give up the effort halfway, collapsing back upon the pillows as his face twisted in a grimace.
Roy watched him struggling, waiting for the boy to regain his composure. Ed once more glared at the man, who stared at him from beyond an unblinking façade. When at last the smaller alchemist’s expression cleared, Roy said nothing, merely reached down and pulled him quickly but carefully upright before stuffing an extra pillow behind his back. Ed clenched his jaw and fidgeted a bit before taking a slow breath.
“What are you doing here?” Ed asked, meeting the older man’s gaze steadily. Roy watched him carefully a moment longer, then allowed the corner of his mouth to quirk upwards.
“Well, Fullmetal, I see your skills in observation are as sharp as ever.” The colonel said dryly, turning away and walking from the bed. He meandered slowly across the room to a table, on which Ed could see a small tray, now that he looked. It was functional and frill-less, but as he inhaled he caught the undeniably tantalizing scent of freshly made eggs.
With the same alacrity that had brought him to the tray, Roy returned to Ed’s bedside and placed it before him. Ed looked up at his superior for a moment, then reached out and grabbed the fork on the tray with his right… hand…? He froze, sitting perfectly still for a moment, then raised his head.
“Where’s Al?” He asked, his voice calm in a frozen sort of way, his golden eyes meeting the other man’s darkened orbs fixedly. Roy glanced down and away.
“Al! Where’s Al? What happened to him?” Ed’s voice rose in pitch and speed as the man still did not respond. He shook his head frantically, pushed the tray started to rise, eyes wide, muscles screaming, threw the tray aside not fast enough where -
“Stay, Fullmetal.” Sharp and crisp words, hands on his shoulders, his right shoulder he could feel the hand Al!
Ed’s eyes went wide as a blow caught him harshly across the face. He reeled a bit, but shook off the pain. Al! Where was he, where was he where was he wherewashe? Al! Al! Eyes darted wildly about the room. Armor, where was the armor? Didn’t see it, couldn’t find it, where?
At a great distance, Ed could vaguely hear a voice shouting at him as he fought off the hands that held him, finally landing a blow and getting a start on moving forward. Then there was pain, and darkness.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“…there some other way?” That voice - he knew that voice, he was certain of it. His muscles tensed involuntarily as he struggled to quash the urge to harm the speaker before he determined who it was and why he should so arbitrarily feel violent towards them.
“I’m afraid this is for the best. His condition is touch and go at best, if he tears those stitches again…” Hmm, this one was unfamiliar. The voice’s cool professionalism irritated Ed, and he shifted restlessly, keeping his eyes closed as he tried to ignore the two and go back to sleep.
Ed moved back and forth a little bit before deciding that lying on his back had become distinctly uncomfortable. Ignoring the slight haze still fogging his mind, Ed turned casually onto his side - at least, that was what he intended to do. The blonde shifted several times, trying to get his body to move, before at last the cloud gave way and he realized his arms had been trapped to their respective sides of the bed. His eyes shot open.
The Colonel stood at the foot of his bed, watching him carefully as he had been every time so far. Bastard. A soft click echoed in the small room, and as Ed couldn’t see anyone else in the room, he assumed it had been the doctor leaving. He had to give him credit, really - it took a certain something to glare as sternly at someone in a hospital bed as you would at someone standing in your office after a particularly earth - shattering mission. Ed tugged helplessly at the leather bands binding his wrists to the protective bars on his bed, trying to figure out the best way to get them to release him.
“That won’t work, Fullmetal.” The colonel said as he strode casually around the side of the bed. “The bonds have been alchemically fused closed. I trust even you are intelligent enough to realize that short of someone placing chalk in your hand -“
“Who’re you calling super hyper uber short like a bean?” Ed protested, straining against the pleasant lack of awareness that seemed unusually clingy and the ties binding him. Mustang gracefully drew a chair up to the side of his bed and slipped nonchalantly into it. Ed glared at the man, eyebrows furrowing as his lips became a thin narrow line. After a moment of silence, Ed continued quietly, “What’s going on?”
“Stop struggling and maybe I’ll tell you.” The older man replied, giving Ed a look that declared to all and sundry that he could wait all day but that he would be obeyed before he would continue.
The colors in the room became slowly sharper, and it seemed an equivalent trade for that and the information to be still. He leaned restlessly against the pillows, muscles remaining taut even as he feigned relaxation. Mustang watched him as he shifted in an attempt to become more comfortable, waiting until he was completely settled before speaking.
“Approximately one week ago, you were found unconscious and seriously injured, with your missing limbs restored.” The colonel began, speaking slowly and carefully. “Since that time, the military has been attempting both to save your life and to locate your younger brother. Thus far, neither effort seems to have succeeded.”
“Al… where’s Al?” Edward started, and would likely have continued - save for the fact that a gloved hand covered his mouth and prevented him from doing so.
“Do NOT panic, Fullmetal. That’s an order.” The older man said sternly, freezing his body ramrod straight. Ed looked into his eyes, and found to his surprise that an extra emotion tinged the warning he had expected to find there. Deliberately, he inhaled and then exhaled once, twice. The rough touch of the glove removed itself.
“At this time, we do not know what has become of Alphon -" Roy continued.
“I have to go look for him!” Ed yelled, commencing his struggles against the bonds that held him once more.
“FULLMETAL!” Roy shouted angrily, hands reaching out to grab the boy’s shoulders. A brief shake later, and the motion of the young man halted even as his eyes darted wildly about the room. “Now, if I may continue uninterrupted?”
Ed slumped across the bed behind him and glared at the man as soon as the tight grasp released him. Roy flopped haphazardly in the chair at the boy’s bedside, sprawling in it slightly. His eyes, though, never left the golden orbs gazing up at him.
“Thank you. As I was saying, at this time, we do not know what has become of Alphonse. However, it has been over two years since you disappeared without word or sign. Two years in which your brother has been occupied with various pursuits completely unrelated to the military. We are currently attempting to contact him.” Roy lifted his eyebrows and leaned forward in his chair. “Your actions in the past years have come under suspicion, particularly in light of your desertion.”
“Who cares?” Ed replied, tossing his head flippantly. “It’s not like I intended to desert. Besides - you’re still here. I doubt the military will do anything to me if it didn’t bother to do anything about someone executing a coup. How did you get away with that, anyway, Colonel?”
“You’re behind the times, Fullmetal.” Roy said, shifting back in his chair. “Even before you disappeared, I had been promoted to Brigadier General.”
Ed rolled his eyes. Roy’s features drew in upon themselves, his expression turning serious once more.
“I don’t think you get what’s going on here, Major.” The older man said. “Not only are you a deserter, you’re a deserter who performed human alchemy. You think the military’s just going to let you go? Don’t go making accusations you can’t back up, either. All anyone knows about the Fuhrer’s death is that Archer was involved, and both I and Colonel Hawkeye were injured protecting him.”
The young alchemist studied the man before him for a moment. The Flame Alchemist had chosen to sit on the right side of his bed, arms crossed superiorly across his chest. As he had spoken, Roy had subtly shifted his head so that he stared off and to the right, giving Ed a clear view of the disfiguring scar that ran the length of the left side of his face.
“I see.” The boy’s voice fell flatly, echoing in the empty hospital room. At least Al didn’t have to worry about the military, wouldn’t have to think about it now. Two years and still free, and relatively safe - Al would be all right. Was he human now? Did he have real limbs, as Ed did? Had only his soul, and the armour, been recovered, or -
“You indicated before that your absence was not by choice. The military will require you to present a full account of your whereabouts prior to your reappearance here in Central City.” Well that was carefully worded. Usually the colonel - the General Ed reminded himself sharply - would flat out demand to know what had happened. “We will, of course, deal with your captors as swiftly as possible, though they seem to have treated you well. The nurses tell me that although your height is still well below the average for your age -“
Roy paused significantly, waiting for Ed to interject as he normally would have. Funny, how the comment didn’t rankle as it once might have, now that he was awake enough to hear it properly. The younger alchemist sighed, knowing what was expected of him.
“Who are you calling so small an ant would have to search to find him before it could squash him?”
“… You nevertheless have grown a bit.” The general continued with a satisfied smirk.
Ed glared balefully at the man, utilizing what talent he had at acting to his advantage. The room had to be bugged, and there was no point in risking a less than perfect act when a camera could very well be there as well. It was part of the military, after all - nothing but a military hospital for State Alchemists. Mustang’s comment had bought him the time necessary to start thinking of an alibi. They’d never let him free of these restraints if they thought he was crazy and, truthfully, fact was stranger than fiction in this case.
“Is there anything you could tell me that would aid the military in its search for your captors?” Roy asked, smooth and calm.
“Eh, General, I’m afraid I won’t be much help.” Ed said, puzzlement coloring his tone. “I don’t really remember what happened… it had something to do with what happened at Liore…”
Known facts about the more abstract parts of alchemy… what have I seen references to that I’ve *seen*, what can I mention without being too general or too focused… just enough to sound real, not enough to make them want me to stay…
“Al… Al had been kidnapped by one of those things…” He mumbled, drawing together the events of years passed as best he could remember. The great benefit of two years’ distance from them showed itself as his confusion had a degree of earnestness in it.
“Those things, Fullmetal?” The General questioned, raising an eyebrow in what could be nothing less than an insult to his vocabulary. Ed ignored him.
“I went after him, to save him… They wouldn’t kill me; they wanted something from me…” This was all on record somewhere from Hughes’ investigations after the events of the Fifth Lab, he knew it. Hughes… “There’s city underneath Central… I remember arrays, and then…”
“And then?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing, Fullmetal?” Crisp, clear words falling from the mouth of his superior, prodding far too gently for him to really expect an answer. Ed fought to keep the smirk off his face.
“I… I don’t remember… What could have…? And those arrays!” Now that last, that had been sincere enough and true enough to his character at the time of his disappearance that he could get away with it. If it really had stopped there, his reaction after ensuring Al’s safety would have involved… “I have to go back and see them again.”
“I’m sorry to say that’s impossible for the moment.” Roy replied. The corner of his lip tilted ever so slightly upward as his eyes narrowed knowingly, and suddenly Ed knew he’d have to explain it all to the general some day. “You need to rest and heal from your injuries…”
Ed glared at the man, then glanced significantly at his bound wrists, and finally back at the man.
“Yes, well, if you weren’t so prone to fits, those wouldn’t have been necessary, now would they? Really, Fullmetal, you should have them check to make sure you don’t have epilepsy while you’re here.” The General rose to his feet and, with a smirk, added, “Although I doubt they have a cure for a short temper.”
Ed’s rage could be heard throughout the hospital as Roy laughed his way out the door. When at last he felt he’d been at it for a believable amount of time, the blonde dropped the act. He smirked to himself as he allowed his eyes to fall close once again.
“Bastard.” He snorted quietly… and then the darkness closed comfortingly around him once more.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Alphonse Elric had arrived in Central about a week after Edward finally woke up. He had, it was eventually explained, been training with their teacher on the island near Dublith, and thus completely out of contact. Ed had been resting, half-asleep on his bed, when Roy had opened the door and allowed Al to enter the room. The younger Elric had approached the bed slowly, scarcely believing his eyes as they feasted upon the sight of his elder sibling.
“Brother…” Al had choked out, reaching a hand to touch the human flesh of his brother’s right arm. Ed’s eyes had fluttered open in response.
“Al…?” The restraints that still bound the blond to his bed kept him in check, but nothing could have prevented Al from throwing his arms around his brother in a fierce, desperate hug. Tears of relief, of joy, of hopes born out, sprang to the boys’ eyes, and finally - safe and whole, together at last, protected from the rest of the world by one who had looked out for them so far as he was able - the boys at last allowed them to fall.
It had been a shock to discover Al’s missing years, missing memories. Mustang had only been able to communicate so much to Ed without risking saying too much. From then it had been several long weeks of hospital rest before at last he had been allowed to move from bed.
Edward Elric had been called many things in his time, but a fool was certainly not one of them. His injuries had, admittedly, been fairly severe… And yes, okay, so maybe he did toss and turn in his sleep… Still… The restraints had not been to prevent him from injuring himself, couldn’t have been given how long they stayed on. Precisely what tests they had run on him Ed figured he’d never know. Luck had definitely been on his side, insofar as he had been found by civilians who recognized him. Word had gotten around that the Fullmetal Alchemist was back, and without a significant case to make against him, particularly given the shape in which he had returned, the military had eventually been forced to let him leave.
Sometimes, being a military dog who worked primarily for the people had its perks.
Against Al’s numerous objections, and to the complete astonishment of one Roy Mustang, the Fullmetal Alchemist had resumed his role within the military. For several years, he had continued traveling around the country, fixing things here and there, and generally working to better the lives of the people of Amestris. Although the Fuhrer’s disappearance had greatly improved the state of affairs within the country, much work still needed to be done. Ed found something satisfying in doing it himself.
On the occasion of Ed’s twenty fifth birthday, his friends collaborated to throw a grand party. Everyone, even Mrs. Hughes and the now thirteen year old Elysia, attended. After the dinner, the cake, and the presents, when only those who had been closest to Ed remained, was the question finally asked.
“Brother?” Al had asked, his voice still maintaining a bit of its childish innocence for all his twenty four - eighteen - years, “What happened when you disappeared?”
For a long moment Edward had gazed off into the distance, staring at images only he could see of another world, of science and scientists who disbelieved alchemy, of a father he had known, really known, all too briefly, of flight and rockets… Then he had glanced around the circle before allowing his eyes to close. When at last he spoke, a mysterious smile quirked the edges of his mouth.
“I found out what it’s like to touch the stars, Al. I found out what it’s like to touch the stars.”
~* End *~