The Elric Sister: Those Golden Eyes

Chapter 19: The Truth Behind Truths

Al aged 14, Ed and Van aged 15.
Van POV:
"How can this be possible? After all this time. Years of searching, sacrificing and this is the answer we get. The secret ingredient to make a philosophers stone, the only way to make it work, live humans and in mass numbers." I watch Ed grimace at this overwhelming truth that we just discovered.

We head to our room in silence and we all stare at the ground. Not a word is spoken while we lay around in the room until Ed began to talk, his eyes dull.

"God must really hate people who go against him. I was 11 years old then and he still has me marked."

The ceiling fan creaked while he talked but I couldn't bring myself to move. It was like every ounce of energy had been sucked from my body.

"Every time I thought I was in reach, he's pulled it away so I'd fall on my face and then, when I've finally got my fist around it, he raises his big obnoxious foot and kicks me in the teeth."

I hear his automail hand clench and then it falls.

"It's gonna be this way our whole lives."

Al turns to look at Ed. "Don't say that."

A tear falls down my face as Ed continues to talk and I realize I may just have to go the rest of my life without my voice. I may never get it back and maybe it's time I came to terms with that.

"We'll find the stone brother, we will."

I look up at Al... and realize just how selfish I've been. It doesn't matter if I get my voice back but Al's body... Ed's arm and leg. I have to try for their sakes.

Time passes but I can't tell. I'm to busy in my own mind. Half wishing I could give up, and half hoping that we can find a solution. 

Al gathers papers on the coffee table while Ed and I hardly move. My back is pressed to the wall and my head is on my knees. I'm trying to think my way around the problem and think of another solution when I hear Ed yell and a glass smashes against metal. My initial reaction is to be at Al's side, but when I get there, I realize it had been Ed who hit the glass. I must have been so deep in thought that I didn't hear what they had been talking about, but I can bet it was about the papers that are now scattered across the floor.

The three of us sit in shock and silence.

"Brother?" Al says it as a question, but it also sounds like a plead.

And then it's silent again until Ross and Brosh enter the room.

"Is everything okay in here sir?" Ross asks.

"It's just a broken cup. Go back in the hall. Sorry Al." Ed says as he lays back down.

I worry about Al and rest my hand on his arm and just wish that he could feel the warmth of being touched. I want to get that back for him, so I begin to pick up papers as I look up at him with a weak smile. He knows Ed didn't mean it. We both do. Ross begins to help as well.

"So Ed, that's really the end of it? You won't regret it than? Giving up before you're finished? That's interesting. I didn't realize what you were searching for was so incidental that you'd abandon it this easily." She says while placing the papers on the coffee table.