Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ The Audigy Alchemist ❯ Another Train, Another Pain ( Chapter 7 )

Here it is! Chapter seven in the Audigy Alchemist series! I would like to thank the people who have bothered to read all the chapters and I would like to thank `Moonshadow14' and `The Stargate Alchemist' for being the first ones to write reviews. After you finish reading this, please read my new work “1986” this is another FMA fic combined with the world of George Orwell's 1984. After finishing this chapter I had a cliché thought should Cloud make an appearance?! Any who,

 

Audigy Alchemist

Chapter 7: Another Train, Another Pain

 

 

The next morning the residents of the Farrin household got up and Dane made his pancakes.

“Too bad you'll be going off on your own. I'm going to miss these pancakes.” Ed said patting his full stomach.

“You'll be ok” Dane said finishing his off and licking a bit of syrup off the fork “too much tasty food is bad for you anyways.”

“It has been an interesting trip at least.” Al said. He looked like he had a lot on his mind.

“Well at least you had fun.” Dane said smiling

“Uh…Dane…” Al said shyly “about what we talked about when you were at the piano.”

“Yes, I will take care of that when we arrive at central.” Dane said in a business like manner, “right now, you need to get ready Ed.” He looked in Ed's direction.

“Alright.” Ed said getting up and heading out of the breakfast room, making the scene resemble some kind of normal household, which in this case it was anything but normal.

“And don't swipe any of my books!” Dane called after him. “I wonder if he heard me.” He said turning to Al, laughing. “Don't worry about it, I wanted to do it while in central, while you have lived in the rural areas all your life, you haven't lived in the city.”

“Yes I have” Ed said “when brother joined the military.”

“You lived in the city as a human?”

Al was shocked by the question, it was true, he never did experience life in the city as a flesh and blood human.

Dane read the silence as a `no'. “Just try to enjoy the trip back and don't think about it, anticipation make time move much slower.”

Half an hour later Ed, Al, and Dane exited the house. “Didn't forget anything?” Dane said as he closed and locked the door.

“Nope, let's head out.” Ed said. “Hey, why do you have only one case?” He asked as Dane replaced the key in his pocket.

“Only need one” Dane said smiling “the other two had the large instruments, I don't need them any more.” He looked like a great emotional weight was off his shoulders.

They arrived at the train station and headed towards the ticket counter until Al said “Hey, look! It's the girl from the café.” She was running to catch up.

“Wait!” she shouted entering the station “Don't leave without me.”

Dane sweat dropped as she finally caught up. “You ok?”

“NO THANKS TO YOU!” She shouted beating him upside the head with a frying pan and knocking him to the ground. “You could have stopped by and told me!”

Dane got up and said “If we did you'd still be packing last minute things.” She beat him over the head again.

Ed and Al took a step back, scary both of them thought.

Dane got up and headed to the counter, “four tickets to Central” he said. After getting the tickets and paying they went to the platform to wait for the train.

As the train pulled up to the platform someone called out “Hey Dane! Aren't you going to tell your uncle goodbye!”

They all turned and saw Mr. Stringfellow walking towards them. “He's your uncle?” Al asked.

“You didn't know?” the Girl asked.

“I didn't tell them” Dane said. “I knew you'd be here, so why would I have stopped at the house.”

“I'm not the only person who wanted to say good bye.” Mr. Stringfellow said. “Half the town wanted to see you off.”

“You mean that half?” Ed said pointing off into the distance going bug eyed. What looked like half the town had come out to say farewell to the three heroes of the town. Ed, Al, and Dane spent a while shaking hands and saying good byes, then the train whistle sounded.

“Got to run!” Dane shouted and the four travelers got on the train. As they took their seats, they opened the window and waved good bye as the train pulled out of the station.

As they settled down for the train ride, Dane explained to Ed and Al the procedure for temporarily switching souls. After finishing Ed asked “How did you come across something like this?”

“Never you mind,” Dane said recalling a vaguely unpleasant memory “some things are best left buried.”

Ed was about to start to grill Dane when the train came to sudden stop, throwing all the passengers. “What now?” Ed asked in frustration.

As in answer to his question the conductor came in and made an announcement. “One of the rail beams has been removed, the driver has sent word to the next station and a train will be here within the hour.”

As he passed through to the next car the back door opened again and four familiar faces entered. “GET ON THE FLOOR! THIS IS A HEIST!”

“It looks like out friends have returned” Dane said grinning.

“Some people never learn.” Ed said transmuting his arm. As he stood Dane grabbed him and pulled him back to the ground. “What are you doing?!”

“Shhh. Just wait and see.” Dane said with a grin.

The robbers came to their seat with an empty sack and one of them handed it to Dane and shouted “Fill it up!” He pointed his gun at the other three. “Hand over the valuables girly!”

“Girly.” Dane's beautiful companion said clenching her fist.

The robber looked at Dane to ask what her problem was when his memory clicked. “Wait…you're” He said taking a step back from Dane.

“Hello!” Dane said, waving, as a large frying pan came out of nowhere and hit the robber in the face. He collapsed quickly “Goodbye.” Dane said as he hit the floor.

“I'm not girly!” She said stepping into the walkway. She stood like a gun slinger. The other robbers stood, ready for a quick draw tournament. Before any one on the train could react she chucked three heavy pieces of cooking ware at the robbers, all three fell. “My name's Wendy!” she shouted triumphantly.

Ed and Al went bug-eyed and sweat dropped, Dane sighed. “At least he didn't call you hag.”

“What?!” She growled with a human sized skillet appearing suddenly in her hand.

“Nothing.” Dane said sweat dropping and taking a step back.

An hour later two trains arrived, on one with a repair crew and the other a passenger train. After the passenger train was boarded and it departed, the Elrics, Dane and Wendy settled in for a long ride. The ride lasted about a day due to the older model train that pulled the cars. When the four finally arrived at Central they were worn, exhausted, and headed straight for a place to sleep.

The next morning all four of them headed to Roy's office to make their report.

“How long is this going to take?” Wendy asked Al, both were waiting outside Mustang's office.

“It won't be too long, just a little longer” Al said placating the bored girl.

 

(Meanwhile, in Mustangs office)

 

“Is that everything?” Mustang asked the pair of Alchemists.

“Yes” Ed said complacently, anyone could tell he would rather be anywhere else that that office.

*Yawn* “Should be.” Dane said groggily, his eyes almost completely closed. “I have my own assignment that starts soon, so I won't be working with Fullmetal or staying in your department.”

“Is this mission anything I should be aware of?” Mustang asked with mild interest.

“Not really” Dane said.

“Can I go now? I got things to do” Ed asked leaning against a chair.

Mustang considered it for a moment. “Go on, you'll need to report back later today for your next assignment.”

“Fine” Ed said and left.

Ed opened the door and found Lt. Hawkeye on the other side. “Oh, hi Lieutenant.” Ed said smiling and moving out of the way.

“Good morning Edward, when you have some free time I would like to hear about you trip.” She said walking in to the office.

“Sure, later.” Ed said closing the door. He turned to look for Al just to find Wendy a few inches from his face. “AAHHH!” Ed screamed “How the hell did you do that?!”

“Is Dane done yet, he promised to show me around today.” She said with big puppy eyes

Ed went bug eyed “He'll be out in a moment, I'm sure.” He said sitting down on the bench outside the door.

 

(Meanwhile, in Mustangs office (again))

 

Hawkeye closed the door and went to her desk.

“It seems you were a good influence on the Elrics after all.” Mustang said leaning back in his chair “Will you be returning to this office after you finish your business?”

“I might, if I do there are some people I would request to work with” Dane said slowly “Of course the Elrics, but along with them there are some people I have worked with on a team for many years.”

“And you want them to join you.” Mustang said “I think that will work, I look forward to seeing you again” Mustang and Dane stood and shook hands.

“Before I leave” Dane said, reaching into his pocket “I think you might want to hold onto this.” He procured his pocket watch. “This mission is `black ops' so to speak and we don't want it to be linked to the military.”

“I'll hold on to it.” Mustang said placing the pocket watch in his desk drawer. Dane turned to leave the office when Mustang stopped him, “What do you know of the Elric brothers?”

He's trying to make sure their secret is safe, those boys will have no better comrade than him, Dane thought and smiled “Nothing worth mentioning” Dane replied, his eyes meeting Mustang's, both reaching an unspoken understanding that all their knowledge on the Elrics would best be kept secret.

Mustang nodded and sat back down “Any ways, best of luck on your mission.”

“Thank you, Mr. Mustang, oh and one more thing.” Dane said moving to the door “I know you are aware of Alphonse's condition, I ask you to not give Full metal any assignments for three days. I had developed a technique some time ago and it temporarily grant's the subject a new body.”

Mustang nodded and grinned “Alright, but don't let him get hurt, with out his brother, Fullmetal's useless.”

Dane turned the knob and said “Will do” with that, he left the office.

“Are you done yet?!” Wendy said rushing Dane as he closed the door.

“Almost, just one more thing.” Dane said “I just have to make an excuse, not to show up here for a while.”

“Fine! After that can we go?” Wendy said getting excited.

Dane patted her on the head “Yep, it should take just three minutes.”

“Who are you going to talk to?” Ed said getting up.

“The Fuhrer” Dane said.

“I don't think I'll be going with you…” Ed said grimacing at the thought of sitting in on a meeting with the Fuhrer.

“What are you going to see me about?” Someone said stepping from around the corner, it was The Fuhrer, King Bradley. Every one in the Hall straightened up and saluted, even Wendy followed suit. “Now, now” he said in a pacifying tone “you can all stand at ease. Dane, its good that you are looking for me, because I have been looking forward to your report. Will you please accompany me to my office?”

“Of course” Dane said and the two of them headed off. “I'll meet you outside the front gate.” Dane called back to the Elrics and Wendy, they waved and left.

After taking a seat in the Fuhrer's office the Fuhrer started the conversation. “What was the status of your covert mission?” He asked plainly.

“As you suspected, he did succeed and made about 200 gallons, but due to the structure's age it collapsed before I could extract any.”

“I see” The Fuhrer said looking Dane in the eyes, Dane could feel his eye probing his mind for any hint of lie, but Dane knew how to fool this technique.

“Also,” Dane said taking a breath “I will be starting a black-ops mission soon, so I have left my state certification here in the building. I don't think we would want the military tied to any shady actions would we?”

“No we wouldn't” the Fuhrer said considering asking Dane about the mission, but Dane headed him off at the pass.

“I also will refrain from informing you of it so you have complete deniability if I do not succeed or do not cover my tracks correctly.”

“I see” the Fuhrer said standing and looking out his window “If you die on this mission we will not acknowledge it, you will simply disappear and there will be no investigation.”

“Just how it should be.” Dane said standing.

“Very well, you may leave.” The Fuhrer said.

Dane exited the Fuhrer's office, he walked to the front doors, looked outside, and upon spotting the Elrics and Wendy he joined them. “I'm done, let's go.”

“YAY!” Wendy said grabbed Dane's arm started pulling him to the city.

“I'll meet you tonight at the hotel.” Dane called out to Ed and Al.

The Elrics waved and sweat dropped. “I hope she doesn't hurt him.” Al said

“Yeah, that's right, he figured out how to give you a body for a day.” Ed said, grinning. “So what are you going to do first when you get to…you know…” Ed said awkwardly, trying to avoid hurting Al's feelings.

“I'm going to have one of Dane's pancakes!” Al said “If you liked them as much as you did then I guess I'll have to try them too.”

Ed laughed “That sounds good to me, but we're going to have to plan that day's event out so you can do as much as possible.”

“Yeah.” Al said imagining what it would be like to eat real food again.

 

The rest of the day passed with little incident, Edward and Alphonse spent their time relaxing and planning what to do and Dane took Wendy around the city. The day ended with the Elric brothers running into Winry in the city and Dane and Wendy getting kicked out of a restaurant because Wendy insisted on trying to cook her own meal. Dane and Wendy came back to the hotel that night to find Ed and Al.

“We're back!” Dane called as he opened the door and walked in followed by an exhausted Wendy.

“There's too much to see here.” She said stumbling towards the couch, but stopping half way as she noticed an unfamiliar person sitting on the couch. “Wait, where's Ed and Al, do we have the right room?”

Dane looked towards the couch, “Oops…sorry about the…yeah.” He said apologizing to the stranger.

“Oh its no problem,” she (the stranger) said “Ed's taking a shower and Al's getting ice.”

“Oh” Wendy said “that makes sense” and she flopped down on the couch.

Winry sweat dropped “and who are you two?”

“That's Dane and Wendy” Ed said, walking back into the room with his pants and a sleeveless shirt on. “They came with us on out last mission.”

“You must know Al, right?” Dane said to Winry.

“Of course I do, Ed Al and I have been friends since we were children.” She said matter-of-factly.

“Wonderful, it turns out that Ed and Al have tomorrow off so you three can run about town and have fun.” Dane said smiling.

Winry sweat dropped at those words “yeah…run around town.” She said “I'm tired so I'm going to head back to my room, I'll come by tomorrow morning.” She said getting up “It was nice meeting you” she said bowing to Dane and Wendy and left.

“You shouldn't scare people like that.” Wendy said half asleep from the couch.

“and you shouldn't try to cook your own food every time you step foot in a restaurant.

She got up and smacked Dane on the back of the head “'night everyone.” She said and went to bed.

When Wendy was in her room Dane turned to Ed “I don't have much time to teach you this, so we have to move quickly.” He said urgently.

“Why what's happening?” Ed said, confused and getting worried.

“If you want your brother to have the energy to run around town tomorrow, I'll need some sleep.” Dane said.

“Yeah, you will.” Ed said, smiling and sitting at the table with Dane.

Al walked back in to find Ed and Dane pouring over diagrams and notes at the table.

“Al!” Ed said looking at his brother “Perfect timing, we're going over the procedure right now.”

Al put the ice next to the sink and sat with Ed and Dane to see what would be happening.

“So,” Dane said continuing what he was talking about “when the transfer happens this part of the circle” he pointed to a ring of incredibly fine print and complex symbols “will tether a tiny fragment of the soul to its original body. So when I said the transfer was very unstable, you need to take it with a grain of salt because when the soul becomes dislodged it will be pulled back by the tether piece.”

“How long can the effects last?” Ed asked.

“I would guess the maximum amount of time to be sixteen hours, I would suggest you reverse the effect at 15 hours to minimize any risk to the bodies because it is possible for the souls to be ejected, but not return.”

“What do you mean?” Ed and Al said simultaneously.

“I mean” Dane said leaning on the table “if you allow the effects to wear off naturally, the tethers might not be as effective as they would when controlled. Now,” he said, switching gears “let's get some rest, we'll all need it for tomorrow.” He got up and went to bed.

Ed stood up and got a glass of ice water. “Dane's right, I need some rest.”

“Yeah,” Al said dreamily “I want this to go well” he was lost imagining what the next day would hold.

Ed went to bed and had a nightmare in which the procedure had gone horribly wrong and his body got switched with Winry's. He woke up in the middle of the night what a freaky dream! He said to him self before turning over and falling back to sleep, dreaming of what normal fifteen year old boys dream of.

At 6:45 a.m. Dane and Ed woke up just as planed. After quickly getting ready the went to the TV room where Al had moved the furniture out of the way and placed in the center two tables side by side with enough room for Ed to walk in-between them. Ed took out the diagram with the circle on it and looked it over again. Placing it in his pocket, he clapped his hands together and made the transmutation circle. Al and Dane both laid down on the tables and Ed moved to where their heads were. Taking a small knife out of his pocket he poked his thumb and let a drop of blood flow out he pressed it against Dane's forehead, waited a moment for more to come then pressed it to the interior of Al's armor right beneath the seal.

“Alright,” Ed said placing a hand on each of their foreheads. “Here goes nothing.”

“I'll see you on the other side.” Dane said to Al.

“Like wise.” Al said with determination in his voice.

Ed closed his eyes and activated the circle.

Both Dane and Al felt like they were falling in all directions at once, yet not moving at all. All around them was darkness except two lights, in front of the lights stood a person. That person walked to the light opposite to him, and as they passed each other they looked at each other. Dane smiled faintly at Al, in his human form, and walked into the light and vice versa. When they reached their respective lights they reached out and touched it and immediately felt a pulling sensation. Dane could felt his senses of touch and taste disappear, his hollow body. Al noticed a flood of feeling enter him, he could feel and taste.

When Al and Dane opened their eyes, they knew their worlds of perception had changed dramatically.

 

For Al, the world was once again filled with a pallet of descriptive forces all bombarding his mind at once. Feel, smell, even taste (Dane's toothpaste left a funny aftertaste) were restored to him. He looked at his hands, his hands, not the metal gloves that operated as hands, but real hands. He turned his head to look about the room, the colors were so vivid and the image so sharp. As his head turned he could feel the small currents of air move across his cheeks, he could feel his heart beat. Of all the things he missed, the heart beat was at the top of the list, he felt the heart knowing he was truly alive. He sat up and felt the muscles in motion, he could tell Dane's body was still tired it hadn't stretched that morning and the muscles and tendons were still tight. “Wow” Al said, although he used Dane's voice, it was a little higher anyone who knew Al could tell that was him. “You haven't stretched yet!” He said holding his arms straight out to his sides, he could hear his bones and ribs crack, the muscles and tendons relax, it hurt a little, but Al didn't complain because he could feel it.

 

Dane's eye's “opened” although they never closed, he could feel his spirit asserting its control over the body and he had now could see. The image wasn't what he thought it would be. Everything was a little…distorted, like he was looking through a pair of scratched glasses or through a light fog, the images were accurate but not what they should be. He could hear too, the sound was not what his trained human ears were used to, but a sort of hollow reflective sound. Every thing was as it should have been, but not quite. He noticed that even though he could control the body, his control over his senses seemed diminished. He noticed his body could move with great ease as he sat up, no body mass registered with his “mind's” strength regulator, so he didn't know how much strength he need to use for actions. He heard Al speak “I know,” he said distractedly, trying to figure out how to regulate his body “I thought you might do that for me.” His voice was his own, but had the same echo quality that Al's had when in the suit.

 

Ed could say nothing, but just fell to the floor in amazement that it worked. “It worked?” he faintly mumbled. “I can't…” he trailed off looking at his hand. Dane got up off the table and walked over to Al a little unsteadily, and offered him a hand up. The two of them moved over to Ed and pulled him up and sat him on the table.

“Brother, are you all right?” Al asked, smiling widely. “Come on, we have a busy day!”

Ed's mind was still processing the information.

“I'll cook you some breakfast then” Dane said moving to the kitchenette.

It was at this moment Winry walked in, beaming. “Good morning everyone!” She said cheerfully, walking over to the table where Ed said and Al shaking him. “Hey Dane, what's wrong with Ed?” She asked with mild concern.

Dane answered absent mindedly “He's kind of in shock.”

Winry did a double take, Dane was standing right next to her, but his voice came from the kitchenette where Al was. She looked at Ed (in Dane's body) and he smiled and said “Hey Winry.” She could tell it was Al in that body.

Winry looked at Ed and said “huh?” then passed out. Ed and Al caught her before she face planted on the floor.

“She's out cold” Al said, laying her on the couch.

“Don't blame her.” Ed said, regaining his senses.

“Well I guess I'll wake her up” Dane said placing his bowl of batter on the counter top. “You two stand her up.”

Ed and Al nodded and lifted her into a standing position, putting her arms over their shoulders and supporting her from the sides. And picked up a piece of ice and walked over to her.

“Turn her around” Dane said.

“What are you doing?” Ed said slightly perturbed at Dane doing something behind her.

“Ice on the back of the neck,” Dane said “the temperature change shocks most people awake.”

“Fine, get on with it.” Ed said annoyed.

Dane moved Winry's hair and placed the tip of the cube against the back of her neck. Nothing happened.

“Hmm, didn't work.” Al said.

“No” Dane said leaving the ice pressed against the blond girl. “but it will when the ice starts melting” he said, if he had a working face it would have been grinning wickedly. The ice started melting and it traveled down her back, but still nothing happened.

“Its gone down her back and she still hasn't woken up.” Ed said “Lets try something else.” He moved to put her down, but accidentally bumped Dane's hand causing him to drop the cube, it slid down the back of her shirt and slipped into the back side of her dress finding a much more…shocking…target.

Winry's eyes snapped open to the sudden sensation of a piece of ice in her underwear. Her arms clenched down putting ED and Al into headlocks and spun to find the culprit. “Alphonse!” she shouted upon seeing Dane (in Al's body armor). With that the bodies of Ed and Al caught up with their heads, knocking Dane over. Winry let go of them and took a step forward to beat Dane senseless (still thinking it was Al) but as the leg moved forward the ice moved and once again pressed against her skin causing her mind to snap back to what was most important. For a moment she was going to rip her dress and underwear off right there, but she retained enough of her senses to find the nearest doom and run in there before even thinking about retrieving the rouge ice cube. She moved quickly to the room trying to ignore the sensations walking caused, slamming the door, Ed and Al were still on the floor in a state of semi-consciousness. Afew minutes later once Winry had retrieved the renegade ice cube, discarded it, and recovered, she walked back into the room and stood in front of Dane “Al, I can't believe you would do something as perverted as that!” She shouted at Dane.

“So…pretty” a half conscious voice came from the floor.

Winry looked straight down to see she was standing with her feet on either side of Ed's head. Winry blushed and from out of nowhere a 3 ft wrench came and smashed Ed's head. After he bounced away she snapped her legs together and crouched on the floor.

“I'm not Al.” Dane said calmly “I'm Dane, we used a very tricky alchemic technique switch my body with Al's for today.”

Winry looked at Dane (the one in Al's armor) and said “you mean…Al has a…” she looked over to Al and saw him sitting up rubbing his neck. “Al?”

Al looked up at Winry, “hey.” He said grinning sheepishly. Winry ran to him and gave him a hug.

At that moment, another door opened and in walked Wendy. Seeing Winry hugging Dane (at least she thought it was Dane) she pulled out a giant frying pan and moved towards them, but before she could get there, the new Dane (in Al's armor) stopped her.

“Leave them be,” he said “Al's earned some time with his best friend” his soft voice echoing dimly through the plated armor.

Wendy looked up and Dane with dawning comprehension “so you did it? Gave him your body for a day?” She said, the pan disappearing somehow.

“Yeah,” Dane said looking at Winry and Al pulling Ed together into a group hug. “now that I have this body I can start to understand how horrible an existence it is for Al. This is just my way of giving him a small break from this torment.”

Wendy smiled gently and leaned against Dane “you idiot” she said softly “you still haven't changed.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Dane said looking down at the girl leaning on him.

“You still go out of your way for those who need help, even risking your life”

“Yeah, I guess…but even if I couldn't do it, the others were there to help me.”

“What about me?” She asked coyly.

“You…” Dane searched for the right words “were there when it was over-”

“Oh, thanks!” she said lightly punching him.

“No, no, hear me out” Dane said laughing “you were always like the light at the end of the tunnel for me, no matter how bad it got, no matter what happened, you made sure I was alright. It gave me the strength to go on and continue helping those who asked it.” He wrapped his arms around her, she could feel the cold metal against her skin.

“Have you ever thought of getting everyone back together? You could do a great deal of good in this world if you stayed.” Wendy asked softly.

“I have, but since Thomas and Randy are dead, I don't think it would be the same.” Dane replied with heavy sorrow in his voice, he found at that moment that the body was unable to cry. “But if I did I would definitely make an addition to the team.”

“The boys?” Wendy asked looking at Ed and Al who were getting ready to go.

“If you insist” Dane said sarcastically, “but I was talking about you, well I guess I'll have to tell Ed he's in and not you.” Dane said walking away.

“Hey!” Wendy said following after Dane.

“Ah, I just kidding!” Dane said to a slightly fuming Wendy, she opened her mouth to retort but was interrupted by someone else.

“We're going!” Ed called to Dane and Wendy.

“Alright, please take care of my body!” Dane called back.

“If ya don't I'll never forgive you!” Wendy called too.

Everyone laughed and Al said “Don't worry, I will, I'm not like Ed.” With that, the door closed and Dane and Wendy could hear Ed's voice recede down the hall. what do you mean `not like Ed'?!

“Well…I guess, we'll have pancakes for dinner” Dane said going to the kitchenette and putting the batter in the mini-fridge, Wendy laughed.

Well, his was going to be the last chapter, but with the way things are going I might squeeze one (or two) more in. This way I can go into more detail about Al's day in Dane's body and not bore you to death with a 40 pg chapter (Keep it short and sweet, that's my motto ^_^) I was not expecting any romance, but the story just writes itself, and I said to myself “what the heck, why not?” so the question about Dane now is; will he and Wendy live happily ever after?

 

Please review, loads of people are reading, but no one leaves any reviews, it makes me sad inside.

 

So until next time, I bid you farewell!