Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Dancing in the Dark ❯ The Sacrifice of Others ( Chapter 7 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: split personality fun 
Edward Elric searches desperately for Aeri, hoping beyond hope that she hasn't done anything stupid. But will he like what he finds? Or will he be left alone once again?
Anime/Manga: Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Comedy / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 03.17.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.4K | Visits: 202 | Status: Work In Progress
Edward Elric searches desperately for Aeri, hoping beyond hope that she hasn't done anything stupid. But will he like what he finds? Or will he be left alone once again?
Anime/Manga: Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Comedy / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 03.17.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.4K | Visits: 202 | Status: Work In Progress
Shi: The continuation has come at last!
Ed: After about an eternity…
Shi: Time is relative!
Ed: You're really pathetic, you know that?
Shi: Yes. T.T
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 7: Part 1
The Sacrifice of Others
Ed bounded down the busy city streets, alert for any sign of Aeri. He couldn't believe what had happened, and he couldn't believe it had already been two hours. He had been searching the nearby streets the whole time, but there hadn't been a single clue leading to Aeri's location. “Why'd that idiot have to run off like that?” he muttered angrily to himself as he turned a corner.
“Aeri!? Aeri Windlily!!” he shouted hoarsely, his hands cupped around his mouth.
After switching dejectedly between grumbling and hollering for another five minutes, he looked back in the direction of home. “Maybe she went back...” he suggested disbelievingly. With a sigh, he stormed off, quickly making it back. His father would be there, probably in the kitchen taking over Aeri's cooking.
As Ed stepped into the house, he realized his assumptions were correct. Quietly, he stepped into the kitchen.
“Edwardo-kun,” Hohenheim said without turning around. “I'm glad you're back, but I expected Aeri-chan to be with you.”
“Well ... about that. She ... she forgot something; she said she was going to come back and get it, but she's been gone a while. I was wondering if she ever showed up here?”
Hohenheim's expression became grim, but he still didn't turn around. “In fact, yes, she did. She showed up with a baby in her arms that she supposedly found in a dumpster. She said she just needed some blankets to wrap it in and a tub to hold it in, then she would take it to the police.”
Ed just about panicked right then and there. Trying his best to keep upright, he inched out of the kitchen. “I'll go see if I can find her there...” he managed before he made it to the door.
As he was about to step outside, Hohenheim of Light spoke again. “Edward, I know you didn't take her to go sightseeing. Did you really expect me to believe that note you left? Right now, she is wandering around in short sleeves with an automail arm and a baby,” he said sternly, still facing away from his son. “You had better get her and the infant back here alive.”
Ed was still for a second, but then he left without a word. Hohenheim turned toward the door after Ed had gone. “For your sake as much as hers...”
Ed bounded through the streets, ducking and dodging passersby as he went. “Not good! Not good!” he shouted as he grabbed a streetlight and used it to swing around a corner. Realization had hit him hard. She was going to do it! She was going to try to get back home! “NOT GOOD!”
“Of the few theories I have come up with, only one seems doable with my current resources. It's a simple act to carry out if you have the right materials, the right work place ... and a heart of ice. Little is needed in the physical sense: a basin of water, electrical wires ... and an infant.
My theory is that alchemic energy may be able to be replaced by electrical energy. Alchemic reactions are quite similar to electric reactions in many senses. If an alchemist was to place an infant in a tub of water and place the electric wires in with it, the infant should be electrocuted. This replaces the alchemic array. Then, if the alchemist was to place his hands into the tub as well, the electrical energy would surge through him, much like alchemic energy flows from the alchemist to the circle, only vice versa.
If my theory is correct, the sacrifice of the infant and the energy combined with the alchemist's internal energy, perhaps even activating it, may allow for the gate to be summoned ... or it could result in the deaths of the alchemist and the infant. Besides the fact that there's already so little chance of survival, I have many doubts it would work at all. I'm not sure the gate simply appears; I believe it may descend. From where, I am unsure, but I must keep looking.”
It had been his last entry in his log about anything having to do with the Gate or alchemy. And Aeri had read it. She now had a child in her possession. She just needed private access to electricity....
Suddenly, it dawned on him. Aeri had said she had lived in an abandoned factory for a while. It would be both private and may still have electrical reserves. The young alchemist only hoped he would get there in time....
Speeding along back ways and alleys, Ed wound his way toward the large building which was not yet useless enough to be bulldozed but without any other purpose currently. Sweat beaded his golden brows as he charged toward the door. It was locked. Frustratedly, he curved around to the left side of the building. There was an open window just out of his reach. Aeri would have barely been able to make it, which meant he was three inches short.
“If I was ever happy about being short...” he began, but then started jumping up and down angrily. “NEVER AGAIN!!”
Breathing deeply, he calmed himself down. He looked around for anything useful and was not disappointed. There was an empty crate to the side of the building that he could stand on in order to reach the window. Hastily he dragged it over, and climbed on in.
Cursing he jumped through the window and ran off down a hallway. He had taken way too long to get here only to end up taking even more time getting inside. She had better be okay. She had better be okay....
That was when he heard it.
Crying.
The Sacrifice of Others
Ed bounded down the busy city streets, alert for any sign of Aeri. He couldn't believe what had happened, and he couldn't believe it had already been two hours. He had been searching the nearby streets the whole time, but there hadn't been a single clue leading to Aeri's location. “Why'd that idiot have to run off like that?” he muttered angrily to himself as he turned a corner.
“Aeri!? Aeri Windlily!!” he shouted hoarsely, his hands cupped around his mouth.
After switching dejectedly between grumbling and hollering for another five minutes, he looked back in the direction of home. “Maybe she went back...” he suggested disbelievingly. With a sigh, he stormed off, quickly making it back. His father would be there, probably in the kitchen taking over Aeri's cooking.
As Ed stepped into the house, he realized his assumptions were correct. Quietly, he stepped into the kitchen.
“Edwardo-kun,” Hohenheim said without turning around. “I'm glad you're back, but I expected Aeri-chan to be with you.”
“Well ... about that. She ... she forgot something; she said she was going to come back and get it, but she's been gone a while. I was wondering if she ever showed up here?”
Hohenheim's expression became grim, but he still didn't turn around. “In fact, yes, she did. She showed up with a baby in her arms that she supposedly found in a dumpster. She said she just needed some blankets to wrap it in and a tub to hold it in, then she would take it to the police.”
Ed just about panicked right then and there. Trying his best to keep upright, he inched out of the kitchen. “I'll go see if I can find her there...” he managed before he made it to the door.
As he was about to step outside, Hohenheim of Light spoke again. “Edward, I know you didn't take her to go sightseeing. Did you really expect me to believe that note you left? Right now, she is wandering around in short sleeves with an automail arm and a baby,” he said sternly, still facing away from his son. “You had better get her and the infant back here alive.”
Ed was still for a second, but then he left without a word. Hohenheim turned toward the door after Ed had gone. “For your sake as much as hers...”
Ed bounded through the streets, ducking and dodging passersby as he went. “Not good! Not good!” he shouted as he grabbed a streetlight and used it to swing around a corner. Realization had hit him hard. She was going to do it! She was going to try to get back home! “NOT GOOD!”
“Of the few theories I have come up with, only one seems doable with my current resources. It's a simple act to carry out if you have the right materials, the right work place ... and a heart of ice. Little is needed in the physical sense: a basin of water, electrical wires ... and an infant.
My theory is that alchemic energy may be able to be replaced by electrical energy. Alchemic reactions are quite similar to electric reactions in many senses. If an alchemist was to place an infant in a tub of water and place the electric wires in with it, the infant should be electrocuted. This replaces the alchemic array. Then, if the alchemist was to place his hands into the tub as well, the electrical energy would surge through him, much like alchemic energy flows from the alchemist to the circle, only vice versa.
If my theory is correct, the sacrifice of the infant and the energy combined with the alchemist's internal energy, perhaps even activating it, may allow for the gate to be summoned ... or it could result in the deaths of the alchemist and the infant. Besides the fact that there's already so little chance of survival, I have many doubts it would work at all. I'm not sure the gate simply appears; I believe it may descend. From where, I am unsure, but I must keep looking.”
It had been his last entry in his log about anything having to do with the Gate or alchemy. And Aeri had read it. She now had a child in her possession. She just needed private access to electricity....
Suddenly, it dawned on him. Aeri had said she had lived in an abandoned factory for a while. It would be both private and may still have electrical reserves. The young alchemist only hoped he would get there in time....
Speeding along back ways and alleys, Ed wound his way toward the large building which was not yet useless enough to be bulldozed but without any other purpose currently. Sweat beaded his golden brows as he charged toward the door. It was locked. Frustratedly, he curved around to the left side of the building. There was an open window just out of his reach. Aeri would have barely been able to make it, which meant he was three inches short.
“If I was ever happy about being short...” he began, but then started jumping up and down angrily. “NEVER AGAIN!!”
Breathing deeply, he calmed himself down. He looked around for anything useful and was not disappointed. There was an empty crate to the side of the building that he could stand on in order to reach the window. Hastily he dragged it over, and climbed on in.
Cursing he jumped through the window and ran off down a hallway. He had taken way too long to get here only to end up taking even more time getting inside. She had better be okay. She had better be okay....
That was when he heard it.
Crying.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shi: Muahahaha! The second of many cliffhangers!
Ed: This whole conversation thing at the beginning and end of each chapter is getting kind of old.
Shi: Give me a break, will ya?! I mean, what are you? The Pessimist Alchemist?!
Ed: Yeah, and you're the idiot brigade.
Shi: Oh. Okay then. O.O
Ed: Just review already and shut her up, peoples!
Shi: I will not be silenced!!!