Those with Sparks in Their Eyes: A FMA(B) FanFic

Chapter Six: Everyone's Secret

Ed and I just stared at each other, shocked. All you could hear was our breathing, heavy from the sparing.

"Leah, why didn't you...."
begins Al.

He knows why I didn't tell them. They had no reason to know. And if I told then the truth, I could be arrested.

"And what about you! You didn't say anything either!" I scream, "I just.....lost it in an accident."

"Really? You won't preform alchemy, and you travelled half way across the country just to meet with an alchemy teacher, even though there are lots of alchemists in the West. What's more, you have an automail leg." Ed points out.

"You....don't know that! I lost it in an accident! I came this way because a friend of mine told me about Izumi!"

"Drop it! I don't buy. Was it really an accident? Or a human transmutation!?"

"Brother!" Al cries.

"What do you know! What about you!?An automail arm!"

"Never mind me! I want to know the truth, Leah."

"Damn you!" I charge at him sword drawn.

He claps and runs one of his hands over the opposite arm, turning his automail into a weapon.

No Transmutation circle.
Something isn't right here.

I swipe at him furiously, not giving him a chance to hit back, all he can do is block with his arm. I'm taller than he is, so I'm beating down on him. Every time I hit his arm, he flinches. I'm in a fit of rage, wanting to hurt him, for coming into my life, and learning the truth. But I also didn't want to at the same time.

I was certain I was going to bust his arm, until Al throws his own on my blade. I freeze. The sound it made, when I hit Al......that hollow clang...

Hollow......

I lift my sword off Al's arm and jump, grabbing the little bit of hair on his helmet and pulling. Just as the noise suggested. Alphonse was hollow inside. I put my hand on my mouth and back away. What is this? Some sort of trick?

Hollow body. Automail arm.....
No, please tell me no.....

"Al." I mutter.

"It's ok, Leah.", he says, "We know."

"It's time to come clean. Both of us. We'll tell you everything, but you tell us everything first." Ed says.

I freeze. No one has ever said anything like that to me. My sword falls from my hand to the ground and both my legs are weak. I can feel the tears swelling in my throat and I collapse on my knees in the grass.
I press my palms to my face and let out a series of sobs until I can hardly breathe. I try to stop, but when the wounds and scars from the past are re-opened, it hurts.
I continue to sob until I feel Ed's hands on mine, pulling them away from my face.

"Let's go inside." he says.

***

Izumi is sitting on the couch under a blanket when we get inside.

"Teacher, we-" Al begins.

"Yes, I know. I could hear everything."

"So you know about..."

Izumi looks down at the ground.

"Yes."

It took a while for me to calm down and be able to speak, and I had cried out all my tears. I sat beside Izumi, with Ed directly across from me and Al beside him. Neither of us said anything for a long time. I figured I should be the one to speak up this time.