Falling Illusion - Prologue

[meredavey]

Title:  Falling Illusion
Author: meredavey
Rating: T 16+
Spoilers: Manga series
Warnings: Teen rated things; mentions of death, violence, sex, swearing, everything under the sun.
Summary: Everything has been and always will be an illusion, and so he gave up everything to set all the wrongs right. And whatever was left, well, then he’d see.
Notes: Mostly accurate, however there are a few parts which /might/ happen to not actually happy in the FMA verse, but will happen in the continuation of the one I'm writing.

 

“The fifth one is here!!!”

 

Edward felt his brother’s coolness on his back, could see Izumi standing next to him out of the corner of his eye and Mustang still in shock, in front of him. He couldn’t even see his father amidst Father any longer.

 

“What are we here for?”

 

“You are the five sacrifices that will open the Gate!” the black blob of eyes chuckled, and the grin spread.

 

“The Gate?” Alphonse’s voice stuttered within the armor. “Why?”

 

Pride stared ahead, “You have no need to know that.” He let a small smile slip. “There’s no way you’re stopping us – maybe you could have if you’d just taken your body back. Yes, Edward, your brother could have had his body back.”

 

“Al?” Ed’s voice was shaky. “You could have had everything. Why?”

 

“I promised to fix you too, Brother. Remember?”

 

“Al…” Ed moaned. “I would have been able to fix myself! I promised you!”

 

“No, Brother. It wasn’t fair!”

 

“What brotherly love!” Father sniped. “But it doesn’t matter. Alphonse, the Ms. Curtis and Colonel Mustang might escape unscathed any further – but you, Edward, will die. You will die here and now. You will be crying out in pain and fear, you will be unable to think clearly and no one will save you. You’ll regret everything you did – you caused Ms. Curtis to be in this position by taking her on as a teacher, your father for joining the military, your brother for performing human transmutation, and Colonel Mustang because you sent that letter. In essence you’ll be repenting all your sins, hmm? What do you say Edward, I’ll pay the price, restore that man’s eyesight and bring your brother’s body back if you open the Gate and do as I ask. All that’s required is that you open the Gate and you die.”

 

Edward took a step forward. “Fine.”

 

“Stupid boy!” Izumi snapped. “Do you trust him?”

 

Ed let a small smile curve his lips. “Sure do. My father is part of him, and that’s the part that’ll make everything he says happen.” He turned to Father. “How do I open the Gate?”

 

“Human transmutation.”

 

“Izumi – can you open the gate with Pride’s stone? Give Al and Mustang their respective parts back first?”

 

Father frowned but nodded. Pride drew out his stone and handed it to the woman who transmuted it, opening the Gate and circumstantially letting Father retrieve Al’s body for part of a stone, and Roy’s sight for another.

 

“Now, Edward,” Father began, “turn and face your friends, and watch them as you die.”

 

He met Izumi’s eyes, wide and surprised, then his brother’s human body. “Oh, Al,” he whispered, “You’re so beautiful.” He smiled.

 

Then he met Mustang’s seeing eyes, again, and grinned. “Thanks Colonel Bastard, for everything. There’s no doubt you will make Fuhrer. However, I can’t pay you back for that. So…” Digging into his pocket Ed retrieved his pocket watch and tossed it to him. “Take that.”

 

With eyes still on him, he clapped.

 

Pressing palms to his body, he shivered. Alchemy rippled off him, turning him into a blue glow, he felt the alchemic reaction burning against him as his clothes slipped to the floor from his body. Another shiver crawled through him as he stepped away from his clothes.

 

“Brother!” Al shouted reaching for him, but Ed jerked back.

 

“Ed…” Izumi gasped softly… “Your body…”

 

Ed looked at his human arm and leg. “Well…not what I was aiming for.”

 

His Gate appeared shuddering before him, for all to see and it opened, the misty whiteness taunting him.

 

“Edward Elric…” the voice whispered. “Back yet again…so soon.”

 

Father’s blackness rose up behind him. “He’s yours, just give me my immortality. Use this power he contains! Devour him and everything he is!”

 

“Is that all you have to offer? He may be delectable, but he also has an…interesting future that’s ahead of him. An unexpected lover, his friends, his brother, his family, himself, restored, fixed, if his power keeps building…I almost want to see what it’ll be.” It reached out and touched Edward making him try to stifle the cry of pain, but not quite managing.

 

“Does it hurt?” it asked. “Does it hurt a lot? The price of equivalent exchange? It always will, you see, you are the price for everything.”

 

Ed gave a small sob as the blue glow invaded his body, he felt his organs being burned, torn apart by the fiery energy.

 

“Take it,” he moaned, “take my soul, my life, end my agony, I’ve fulfilled my promises. So please end it!”

 

“You could live, Edward Elric,” the Truth told him. “But well, it is your choice. Come, bring Hohenheim from your depths, black beast, leave him out here, and come for you immortal body within here.”

 

He eyed Edward. “No, wait a moment more, see your loved ones, you lover out there, one last time.”

 

“My…lover?”

 

The Truth grinned. “He’s here.”

 

“He?” Edward moaned again, “in this building?”

 

“Yes…” Truth disappeared, and within, Father was locked away, within the immortal body of the Gate, supplying the energy to Amestris.

 

The Truth returned quickly, and watched as Edward eyed his friends. Ed held out  a hand to Mustang, “Come closer so I can tell you something.”

 

Mustang took a step forward as Edward leaned in and whispered, “Watch my brother for me, please. Help him, he’s not going to have me anymore…please. Tell…the others…Havoc, Hawkeye, Breda, Fuery, Falman, even the Armstrong’s, thanks for me, would ya? And Gracia. Especially Gracia. And Elysia too. And Hughes.” Ed grinned. “The Truth isn’t all bad now.” He stepped back as the Truth enveloped him.

 

“Edward Elric, your price is paid!” The last of the blue glow fading, the doors slammed shut, leaving Edward to fall forward.

 

Alphonse dashed to his brother’s side and let out an anguished cry. “BROTHER!!!!!”

Hohenheim sitting up frowned as Mustang picked up Ed’s light body.

 

“Alphonse, come. Your brother asked me to look after you. Put on his clothes, he has no need of them anymore.”

 

He moaned with sadness, and Izumi watched, tears clouding her eyes. Hohenheim kept his face stoic as Mei followed the group up the stairs, past where Scar and Wrath lay defeated, and to the front of Central Command where the Military was gathered.

 

Faces looked up saw the Colonel with the Major in his arms, saw Alphonse and his father, saw Mei and Izumi and let out a cheer.

 

Breda sighed in relief that Bradley was gone.

 

Alex suddenly asked, “Is young Edward okay?”

 

Alphonse let out a sob and Izumi covered her mouth.

 

Everybody went silent.

 

“Fullmetal will be buried with full honors.” Mustang’s voice was firm, “he died for us.”

 

Horrified gasps echoed across the center and the message was passed quickly, and Hughes, whom the Gate had fairly returned at Envy’s death, hugged his wife and daughter to his chest.

 

Sunset eclipsed the horizon as Mustang stepped down towards his men, glancing at Hawkeye to make sure she was all right, then at Havoc who had come from the East to help, standing on two legs as Mei grinned cheerfully at him.

 

“Hohenheim,” The Colonel addressed the Elric’s father, “where do you want to bury your son? I’d like to bury him here, in Central, where he created a new foundation for future generations.”

 

Hohenheim looked out over the streets, “Yes, a fitting burial for my son.”

 

Eyes stretched beyond the horizon, and suddenly, it was as if they could hear his laugh echoing through the streets, see his red cloak flapping in the wind, see him carrying books and food, going about his daily life, and it seemed as if he had affected everyone around him.

 

From the silence there were the words whispered, “And so, the price is paid.”