Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Our Brothers ❯ Final Inspection ( Chapter 5 )

Our Brothers

By: joyfulmusic

 

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. None of it… Ain't that just so sad?

Warnings: A few small spoilers. There are some thoughts of suicide, and there will be an eating disorder... or two.

 

Chapter 5 Final Inspection

 

“Are you alright Ona?” The soft voice was coming from the table.

 

I looked down and saw Al. That's right, I'm trying to help him get a body and find his brother. That's why I had the nightmares. “Just a bad dream Alphonse. Don't worry about it.”

 

I looked at my watch; it was already close to six in the morning. “What time is it?” I smiled, Al was thinking along the same line I was. He was as anxious about the new body as Clemont was. To those two it meant so much more than just having the experiment work. It meant everything to them. And in truth, it meant a great deal to me as well.

 

“Time to go check on Clem. He should be ready by now.” I moved from the bed. I slept in my clothes, again. My mind complained as I looked down at what I was wearing. It seemed to have started becoming somewhat of a habit.

 

I changed clothes quickly, though they were as wrinkled as what I had on. Ironing them in the attic was way out of the question. At least they smelled fresher than the ones I had worn the day before. And they felt cleaner too.

 

“Stay quiet until we get down there.” I told Al after I'd finished dressing. I took him from the table and held him in one hand. “I'm going to have to stop and freshen up on the way.”

 

He didn't say anything but I knew he'd obey. We both realized that others finding out about him could lead to his being taken from me. Not to mention the fact that I could be silenced.

 

I didn't know who his brother had dealt with. That was why I couldn't trust the government. There were too many horrible possibilities of what could happen to me and my friends. Fuhrer Mustang could easily get rid of me, if he wanted the young Elric to force Fullmetal back into the service.

 

 

I quietly let down the hidden staircase, and looked around before coming down. After descending I gently raised the stairway up into the ceiling. Soon it looked as though the closet had nothing but linins inside.

 

Silently I opened the door and peered out to make sure there were no unwelcome visitors. The hallway was empty so I came out and made my way slowly to the bathroom. I sat Al on a small shelf before entering. I didn't bother to shower, I'd done that the day before and didn't have the time at the moment. I brushed my hair and teeth quickly before emerging again.

 

Everything was still silent, the children were all sleeping. After making it down the dark stairs I moved to the living room. Opening the panel I made my way to the cellar room, where the body was supposed to be.

 

There it was, lying on a cot resting. Clemont was sitting at his desk making all sorts of notes. They were starting to pile up down here as well. This was even more secretive than his other projects. Nothing could be left where it would be found.

 

I moved behind him and lightly touched his back. He jumped with a yelp causing the body to wake. It didn't rub its eyes or anything, simply opened them. Then it lay there without any motion at all. It just stared up at the ceiling, its eyes unwavering. Because it was devoid of a soul to control it the thing was creepy.

 

I sat Al down on the table before I spoke up. “I'm sorry, we were just wondering how it faired.” I pointed over to the body. “How did it do last night? I know you were worried about it.”

 

Clemont nodded and yawned. “Yes, it did just fine.” Then he looked to the compact. “Are you ready to try Alphonse?”

 

“Yes!” I could tell the boy was both nervous and excited. The vivid emotions could be heard in his voice.

 

I slipped my necklace through the place where a chain could be hooked to the compact. Then I turned to look at my friend. His brow was furrowed and I could see the worry in his eyes. He wanted this to work just as much as I did. Not for himself but for the boy whom he had promised to help. It was a lot to sit on Clem's young shoulders. But he was a medical and alchemy genius, if anyone could do it, he could.

 

“I think perhaps I should make a few preparations first.” He murmured, standing and stretching. Then he walked over and urged the body out of the bed. It complied, if only to keep itself in balance.

 

Clemont checked the eyes, making sure the lids closed tightly. He looked in the ears and tested them for how much sound they picked up. Checked the reflexes to be sure the muscles were working properly.

 

I ended up laying my head down while he poked and prodded his masterpiece. It really was a work of art. The detail he'd put into he highlights. The way the eyes look at me. It was as though they were the eyes of any young boy. He'd checked all sorts of things to make sure it would be perfect.

 

 

Meanwhile, I was off in dreamland land looking for the older brother. I saw myself walking down streets and asking in different stores, hoping with each stop that it would hold the treasured Elric. Yet while the shops, homes and people changed the answer never did.

 

“Please, could you tell me, have you seen this boy?” I'd hold out a photo and point to a picture of the great Fullmetal Alchemist. My heart would momentarily stop, waiting for an affirmation.

 

“No, I'm sorry.” They would always shake their heads. “I just haven't seen anyone that looks like that around here. Why don't you try the next town? They might know something about him.”

 

 

My mind drifted to the girl whom I had spoken with on the phone. She had been so upset about having been reminded of the missing Elric. What was she to them anyway? The Fullmetal Alchemist wasn't said to have a sister. Yet she'd seemed so heartbroken over the phone. But the fact that her name hadn't rung any bells in Al's mind left me to wonder.

 

On the other hand the only people the child did remember where his mother and brother. Memories simply refused to surface for the boy, no matter how hard he had tried. A thought had crossed my mind. What about his father? Maybe he's dead? Did he die with their mother in some accident likes mine? Or perhaps he's just a deadbeat runaway? It seemed that so many of them left when times got hard. Maybe he'd done just that, leaving the poor woman to deal with the two children on her own.

 

The problem was that she hadn't survived long enough to raise her boys. Yet their father hadn't returned. It could be that he didn't know about her death. Or that he simply didn't care enough to try and find his sons.

 

 

Thoughts of Alphonse alone in the world worried me. I wouldn't let that happen. Even if I had to raise the child myself, he would have a family. I was already finding myself thinking like an overprotective mother, or older sister. I'd refused to let Lori take care of him while I was helping look up paperwork.

 

She had laughed, “You're thinking like me.” Then she wrote down the rest of her thoughts so Al wouldn't hear. `You're thinking like a mother.'

 

 

 

Author's Notes

 

I bought a baby naming book, all you writers out there who have a hard time naming characters, buy one! Just make sure you tell your family what it's for! My sister got the wrong idea.

 

If anyone has an idea where to get last names I'd be grateful. McJoy was the best I could come up with in my first story. It's not all that creative. : (