The Bloody Alchemist

The Devils Nest

        Cecelia never looked up as the trio walked to the train station, melancholy echoing with their footsteps. Sig had accompanied them, his steps were heavy on their backs. The group stood on the platform and Cecelia twisted her foot into the brick flooring, staring down at the ground. She hadn't known the Curtis' for more than a day but the fact she was losing the chance to have a new teacher still had her mind spiraling.

The train whistle blew and Sig finally spoke, "Feel free to stop by if you're ever in town."

"I'm not so sure about that," Al stated solemnly

"You idiots!" Sig scolded, the kids were taken aback by his outcry, this was the first time he truly sounded angry in front of Cecelia. "You're so busy pouting you can't see what your explosion means. You aren't her students anymore so you can speak to Izumi as equals," Ed and Al shared a look, though Cecelia wasn't sure what this entailed for her, the prospect of staying gave her hope. "Unless of course, you're too chicken to try it."

Ed groaned, "Damn! Al, we haven't done what we came here to do in the first place. Thank you, we're heading back there right now."

Ed took off back to their home, Al and Cecelia followed closely behind. "Don't let her kill you,"

Edward barged into the home and let out a yelp when a sharp knife planted itself in the wall behind him, just above his head.

"What the hell are you doing coming back here!?" Izumi yelled, a demonically angry expression on her features. "And you call me teacher. I do not teach scum like you, get out of my home!"

The children knelt on the ground in front of her. "teacher!" Ed started.

"We came to you because we're trying to find a way to get our bodies back." Alphonse finished for his older brother. Cecelia was here to learn and protect the boys. Even if she wasn't going to be taught, she owed it to Maes to never leave their sides.

"Teacher, we won't leave without your help!"

"Get out now!" Izumi demanded.

"We're staying!" The boys cried together, and Cecelia nodded to their sentiments.

Izumi was silent until she looked away from the three with a sigh, "You idiots."

Izumi sat across the boys on a coach and Cecelia leaned on the wall. "Al, you didn't see the truth, did you?"

"No," He said. "I don't even know what that means."

"You must have lost your memory from the shock," Izumi concluded. "We need to get Al's memory back. His entire body was taken, just think what he must have seen."

"You're right," Cecelia chimed in. "We only lost parts of our body, but Al paid with his entire physical being, what he saw could be unimaginable."

"So, if I can remember what I saw then we might be able to get our bodies back?"

"But the memory of that thing," Izumi recalled.

"That thing," Ed added, Alphonse looked to Cecelia who nodded with wide eyes.

"What thing? Was it bad?"

"More like awful!" Izumi stood, waving her arms about in a witty attempt to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, and horrifying," Edward joined, waving his arms about like his teacher. Cecelia nodded her head, a contemplative hand on her chin.

Alphonse shook off his slight fear, "That doesn't matter. If there's a chance it can help us, then I want to do it.

Izumi gave way to the boy's determination, "I have an acquaintance who might know a way to retrieve your memories for you." The boys looked excited at that, "But, let's eat dinner first. Give me a hand."