Dante Of The Deep Forest
The forest outside the town of Dublith was quiet at this time of day. In fact, nothing was moving amid its tall trees, except for a young boy dressed in black, accompanied by his brother, a giant suit of armour, on their way to the errand their teacher had sent them on earlier.
“Do you think this Dante person can help Teacher?” Al asked at that moment, wishing to break the silence that surrounded him and Ed.
Ed shrugged. “Teacher asked us to go, so that alone means something.”
There was silence once again. Finally, Al decided to just go ahead and ask what was really in his mind.
“Brother… there’s something that’s been bothering me. If homunculi are failed attempts of human transmutation, then Mom--”
“I can see the mansion,” Ed exclaimed, cutting Al off mid-sentence. “Hurry up.”
The suit of armour sighed in defeat. It was clear that Ed was trying not to think about that kind of possibility, so Al followed his brother all the way up to the mansion without another word.
Ed knocked on the door, but nothing seemed to happen.
“Hello?” Ed cried out, knocking on the door again. “Is anyone there?”
“Brother, you’re supposed to wait,” Al reasoned. “Look at the size of this place for starters.”
If Ed meant to say anything to that, he never got the chance. The door opened and a young girl dressed as a servant appeared.
“Welcome, honourable guests,” she said politely. “Your teacher called and Dante’s been waiting for you… Oh my...” she added, her eyes slightly widening at seeing the boys. But the girl’s surprise was nothing compared to the utter shock the boys were in.
“You… You’re the girl I fought on my first mission as a State Alchemist!” Ed exclaimed. “Lyra!”
Oh yes, Ed could remember the incident only too well. Mustang had ordered him to go to the Yoswell mines to check on a corrupt lieutenant who was in charge there. He managed to expose the lieutenant and his bribing ways, thus ensuring that the villagers would once again be able to live freely and prosper. However, Ed also had to face the lieutenant’s servant in an alchemy fight, something that made things a bit more challenging than he would have liked. And that servant was none other than Lyra.
Surprisingly, she only smiled. “It’s good to see I’m remembered. Now come along. Dante is upstairs.” And with that, she beckoned them inside and led the way.
“I still don’t get it,” Al said then, regarding Lyra curiously. “What are you doing here? The last time we saw you, you were placed in prison along with Lieutenant Yoki.”
“Still trying to fulfil your dream of becoming a State Alchemist?” Ed said; his eyes were still locked on her, expecting her to attack him at any moment.
“I understand your bitterness after what has transpired between us,” Lyra said, still smiling sweetly. “But after our fight, I realised that I was looking at things from the wrong perspective. So, after some wondering during which I tried to figure out a new purpose in my life, I decided to become Dante’s apprentice.”
“Do you like it here?” Al asked, trying not to notice the angry glare he earned from Ed. After all, though Al believed that there was always a time and a place to justify suspicion, he also felt this wasn’t one of them.
“Oh yes, she’s very good,” Lyra said, nodding. “She’s been teaching me how to depend on my own strengths and I’ve already learned quite a lot.” She turned to Ed’s direction. “So… I guess I should thank you for what you guys did.”
“You’re welcome, I suppose,” Ed muttered.
She just giggled, obviously thinking that Ed was merely joking. In the next moment, she walked up to a small wooden door and knocked.
“Yes?” an old woman’s voice sounded from inside.
“I have brought them, Dante.”
“Very well, Lyra. Send them in.”
The girl obeyed. She opened the door and she let the boys walk inside; then closed the door behind them. Ed and Al watched her go, but Dante’s voice made them fae her again.
“Ah, the Elric boys,” the old woman said, closing the book she was reading and standing up. “I have heard of you, but I never expected to see you here. When your teacher called, it was quite the pleasant surprise.”
“You know of us?” Ed asked, raising an eyebrow.
Dante chuckled. “But of course. And I already know why you’re here, so I’ll prepare the medicine right away.”
Greed walked in the forest, looking to his left and right for anything out of the ordinary. After all, he knew that one couldn’t be too careful around these parts.
“Mr. Greed? Is everything all right?”
It was Dorochet who asked that, although the other two chimeras that were escorting the homunculus apparently wanted to know the same thing. As for Kimblee, he just walked in a nonchalant way, giving the impression that he hardly cared about anything that was going on around him.
Greed didn’t answer; not at once anyway. He just stopped, locking his eyes on the mansion that appeared in the distance.
“We’ve reached an evil place,” he said.
None of the chimeras knew what to make of that statement. Kimblee, on the other hand, shrugged.
“You should have taken the boy with you,” he said. “He might have proved useful.”
“He’ll be fine back at the Devil’s Nest,” Greed replied.
“Until he wakes up,” Kimblee reminded him.
“Even after that,” the homunculus said. “I’ll make sure he knows what is in his best interests.” He turned his gaze back to the mansion and then raised a hand in a signal for all of them to stop. “I’ll go ahead to check the grounds. You know what to do.”
And with that, he sprang up to the nearest tree with the ease and grace of a large cat. Leaping from one branch to the next, he finally got so close to the mansion that he could see everything that was going on in the garden.
His hands clenched into fists when he saw Dante talking to the boys he had been looking for.
So I was right, he thought in dismay. Well, hag… this means war.
Ed and Al still watched Dante cutting several herbs that she was growing in her garden, completely oblivious to their surroundings. They were certainly impressed by her vast knowledge of the plants and their healing abilities, and they even tried to keep in mind several of the things she told them about in case they came handy in the future.
“You could have become a very good pharmacist, Ms. Dante,” Al commented. “Why did you decide to become an alchemist?”
She chuckled kindly. “It was a little impulsive from my part, I have to admit. But I was young then and I wanted to make a difference, so I thought the best way to do that was through alchemy. You, of all people, must know that alchemy is necessary to people.”
The boys nodded. “We’ve been trying to make a difference as well,” Ed said. “Wherever we can, that is.”
She smiled. “That’s good. But you must also understand that alchemy alone doesn’t change anything. You have to combine hard work as well. Only then you can truly reach your goals.”
“That’s what Teacher has been telling us too,” Al said.
That made Dante chuckle. “She’d better, I taught her after all.” She looked briefly at the basket and, obviously thinking that she had picked up enough herbs, she walked inside the house. Ed and Al followed closely behind her, wishing to know more about the healing plants… and also something else. While Dante was boiling the plants in a small pot, Al asked the question.
“Ms Dante… what do you know about the philosopher’s stone?”
The old woman seemed surprised by the question. She looked at both boys thoughtfully.
“Why do you want to know?” she asked. “Are you thinking of creating one?”
Ed and Al shuffled their legs in an uncomfortable manner. That, apparently, was enough as an answer to her, for she shook her head.
“They say that there’s only one way to create a philosopher’s stone. And one has to be driven by despair if he’s to go down that road,” she said. “Your father certainly knew that.”
“Our father?!” Al exclaimed at once. “Did you know him?!”
Ed didn’t share his brother’s excitement. His features changed to a deep scowl.
“Yes,” Dante said, not seeming to notice the boys’ different reactions. “Hohenheim of Light was searching for the philosopher’s stone as well before he disappeared.” She paused for a moment, then looked at Ed and Al curiously. “I don’t suppose you know where he is, do you?”
Ed snorted. “I don’t even want to know.” And with that, he stormed out without so much as looking back.
“Brother…” But Al knew it was already was too late, so he sighed ruefully. “I’m sorry about that, Ms Dante.”
“Don’t worry about it, dear,” the woman said. “It’s clear I said the wrong thing.” She stirred the contents of the pot, checking to see if the mixture was getting the right colour.
Al considered for a moment that perhaps he should let the matter be for now. However, he knew nothing about Dad, and Ed wasn’t willing to say much about him either. So, now that he found somebody that could tell him a few things about his father, he knew that it was too good a chance to pass up.
“Ms Dante… why do you think my father was driven by despair when he tried to create the philosopher’s stone?”
Dante sighed. “Fear of death is enough reason to make someone despair.”
Al suddenly felt uneasy. “You mean… he was trying to make himself immortal?”
“No… not himself. Your father was too noble for that,” the old woman said at once with a wan smile. “He wanted to defeat death for those he cared for.”
It was then that Al understood. Dante was clearly telling him that Dad was aware of Mom’s illness, and he was trying to figure out any means possible to help her.
Too late though, Al thought sadly. And he could only wonder if Dad ever found out about her death.
Probably not. After all, if he had known, he would have returned to Resembool at once. Because of that, Al felt really sorry for Dad, and he couldn’t help thinking that, if Ed knew, perhaps he would have felt the same way.
Ed stepped out of the mansion with a huff, trying to rid himself of the last remnants of his anger. Damn it, why did the old man have to be mentioned in the conversation anyway? Yes, he was looking for the philosopher’s stone too. Yes, he probably knew more about the philosopher’s stone than Ed, or anybody else for that matter, would ever be able to find out. But Ed had already decided to never find that bastard and ask him personally for help; that would be sinking too low.
Before he realised what he was doing, he kicked a small pebble and sent it flying to some bushes nearby. It made him a feel a bit better somehow, releasing some of the tension he was currently feeling.
However, he didn’t expect the pebble to land back in front of him and explode in the next moment. Ed quickly snapped his head up to see who was responsible for this. And when he saw a smartly dressed, thin man with yellow eyes looking back at him with a smirk, Ed recognised him at once. After all, it took more than a neat suit and nicely combed hair to change a person.
“Kimblee.”
Kimblee didn’t say anything, and Ed soon understood why. There was someone trying to sneak up on him from behind. Ed could clearly see their shadow towering over his. Not wishing to be caught unawares, Ed turned in the blink of an eye and punched his would-be attacker straight on the jaw with his automail fist.
The man didn’t even move a muscle. In fact, he just grinned broadly. Shocked, Ed retracted his metal arm and moved his fingers, trying to determine what the problem was. He quickly figured it out when he noticed the violet-coloured eyes and the tattoo of the ouroboros on his adversary’s hand.
“Surprised?” the homunculus said, the maniacal grin never leaving his face. “You shouldn’t be. They don’t call me the Ultimate Shield for nothing.”
The last thing Ed before everything went dark was the homunculus’ fist landing on his face.
“You became awfully quiet,” Dante said, noticing that Al had sat in a corner with his head bowed. “Is everything all right?”
Al snapped his head up, feeling as though he had just been dragged out of a dream. “I’m sorry, Ms. Dante,” he said. “I was just thinking of a few things.”
“About your father?” she asked, though her tone showed that she already knew the answer.
Al nodded, something that made her smile in understanding. Even so, there seemed to be something else in her mind as well, because she approached Al and sat beside him.
“Alphonse,” she said. “I realise that it must be painful for you and your brother to go through this but… perhaps it might be to your best interest to find your father. If there’s anyone who knows about the philosopher’s stone, it’s him.”
“I know, Ms. Dante,” Al said. “But if we can’t find him anywhere…”
“Nothing disappears without a trace. You just have to know where to look,” Dante insisted.
“What do you mean?” Al asked, unsure what to make of that statement.
“Surely, your father is a powerful alchemist,” Dante replied. “You must have been able to see his handiwork somewhere; or even heard people talking about him.”
“Yeah,” the suit of armour said. “But it didn’t do any good, I’m afraid. The last time we heard anything about Dad was--”
A scream filled the air, cutting into Al’s words like a knife. Recognising Lyra’s voice, Al sprang to his feet and opened the door.
Lyra was indeed at the end of the corridor. However, Al was shocked to see another woman hit the servant girl on the head with a small club, making her collapse on the floor.
“Lyra!” he cried, but he didn’t have the chance to do anything else; another noise made him turn around. To his shock, the window was open, and a huge man had sneaked in to hold Dante at knife point.
“No heroics. No one needs to get hurt,” the man instructed, keeping his eyes on the suit of armour. “Dorochet, inside.”
A smaller man came in through the window, sniffing the air as he did so, then drew his sword and pointed the blade at Al.
“Okay, don’t move,” he said. He stepped towards the door and opened it. “Did you get everyone, Martel?”
The woman that Al saw before now entered the room, strapping the small club back on her belt. “It was just the girl. There are no sign of the others.”
That was all Alphonse could take. “What others?!” he asked in confusion. “And who are you people?”
The small man, Dorochet, cocked his head. “Isn’t it obvious? We’re kidnappers and you’re comin’ with us. Got that part clear?”
Al crossed his arms. “Sorry, but Teacher told me not to go anywhere with strangers.”
The kidnappers looked at each other with a bemused expression before Dorochet decided to talk to Al again.
“How old are you?” he asked, scrutinising the suit of armour from head to foot.
“Fourteen. Fifteen in a couple of months,” Al answered honestly.
“Right,” Dorochet said. “So if you’re that old, you should be able to think and act for yourself by now.”
Al smirked, though he was perfectly aware that none of the kidnappers could tell that. “Really?”
“Really. If you ever want to be a man, then start acting like one. You can’t just let your teacher run your life forever. You need to make your own decisions.”
“Oh, I see!” Al said, as though he was at the verge of a great revelation. “I should think for myself!”
Dorochet grinned. “Now you’re talking! So, you’re gonna come with us--”
Al punched Dorochet on the jaw and sent him almost flying to the wall. Martel rushed to the man to get him back on his feet.
“I decided not to go with strangers,” Al declared and placed his body in defensive position. “That’s my decision and mine alone.”
“Then we have no choice but to use force,” the huge man said.
“Be careful, Loa!” Martel cried.
Loa nodded. Throwing Dante aside, he unbuckled a wooden sledgehammer from his belt and attacked. Seeing the danger, Al quickly sidestepped. The sledgehammer hit the wall instead, forming a huge crack. That was proof enough to Al that he was dealing with a very powerful opponent indeed, probably not even human. When Loa attacked again, Al leapt back, because he didn’t dare think what would happen if the sledgehammer hit his head.
But Al quickly found out that he couldn’t afford to worry only about Loa. Dorochet had recovered from the punch as well, and now he had joined the fight as well. He wielded his sword fast, trying to find any opening in the armour’s defence.
He couldn’t. Al was too good a fighter.
Nevertheless, the kidnappers had one last trick up to their sleeves. Pushing his sword in a crack on the armour’s neck, Dorochet used the blade as a lever to detach Alphonse’s helmet from the rest of the armoured body. That in itself wasn’t bad, since Al could still control his body. But then Martel leapt on his shoulders and pushed herself inside the armour.
“Pardon for the intrusion,” she said almost sweetly, twisting her body with the agility of a snake to make herself comfortable.
“WHAT?!” Al cried out, for he realised what the woman was trying to do.
She didn’t seem to mind him. “It’s a lot more spacious than I thought at first. This makes things easier for me.”
It took a lot for a calm boy like Al to freak out, but now he was practically running around in a state of panic.
“Ew, ew, EW!!! It’s gross!! I don’t feel it, but it’s definitely gross!” He reached for his chest plate. “I’m getting you out!”
“No, you aren’t!” she declared smugly.
Al was horrified to realise that the woman’s limbs suddenly stretched to incredible length, filling the space inside his arms and legs. Al now knew that none of his adversaries were human. He tried to bend his arms again, but Martel still fought back.
“How does it feel to be controlled from the inside?” she asked.
Al didn’t plan to give up so easily.
“You can’t… control me… completely…” He bent his arms again, attempting to place himself in defensive position again.
She laughed, however. “I don’t intend to, kid. I just want to slow you down.”
Sure enough, Al didn’t manage to react in time when Loa lunged at him and threw him to the ground, twisting Al’s arms behind his back and forcing him to stay down.
“Are you all right, Martel?” Loa asked when it dawned on him that his treatment wasn’t exactly gentle.
“I hit my forehead,” the woman said, sounding dismayed.
“Sorry,” Loa said. He looked at the suit of armour, his grip not loosening in the slightest. “Well, Alphonse Elric, it seems you now have no choice but to come with us.”
Al could do nothing but accept his defeat.
TBC…
“Do you think this Dante person can help Teacher?” Al asked at that moment, wishing to break the silence that surrounded him and Ed.
Ed shrugged. “Teacher asked us to go, so that alone means something.”
There was silence once again. Finally, Al decided to just go ahead and ask what was really in his mind.
“Brother… there’s something that’s been bothering me. If homunculi are failed attempts of human transmutation, then Mom--”
“I can see the mansion,” Ed exclaimed, cutting Al off mid-sentence. “Hurry up.”
The suit of armour sighed in defeat. It was clear that Ed was trying not to think about that kind of possibility, so Al followed his brother all the way up to the mansion without another word.
Ed knocked on the door, but nothing seemed to happen.
“Hello?” Ed cried out, knocking on the door again. “Is anyone there?”
“Brother, you’re supposed to wait,” Al reasoned. “Look at the size of this place for starters.”
If Ed meant to say anything to that, he never got the chance. The door opened and a young girl dressed as a servant appeared.
“Welcome, honourable guests,” she said politely. “Your teacher called and Dante’s been waiting for you… Oh my...” she added, her eyes slightly widening at seeing the boys. But the girl’s surprise was nothing compared to the utter shock the boys were in.
“You… You’re the girl I fought on my first mission as a State Alchemist!” Ed exclaimed. “Lyra!”
Oh yes, Ed could remember the incident only too well. Mustang had ordered him to go to the Yoswell mines to check on a corrupt lieutenant who was in charge there. He managed to expose the lieutenant and his bribing ways, thus ensuring that the villagers would once again be able to live freely and prosper. However, Ed also had to face the lieutenant’s servant in an alchemy fight, something that made things a bit more challenging than he would have liked. And that servant was none other than Lyra.
Surprisingly, she only smiled. “It’s good to see I’m remembered. Now come along. Dante is upstairs.” And with that, she beckoned them inside and led the way.
“I still don’t get it,” Al said then, regarding Lyra curiously. “What are you doing here? The last time we saw you, you were placed in prison along with Lieutenant Yoki.”
“Still trying to fulfil your dream of becoming a State Alchemist?” Ed said; his eyes were still locked on her, expecting her to attack him at any moment.
“I understand your bitterness after what has transpired between us,” Lyra said, still smiling sweetly. “But after our fight, I realised that I was looking at things from the wrong perspective. So, after some wondering during which I tried to figure out a new purpose in my life, I decided to become Dante’s apprentice.”
“Do you like it here?” Al asked, trying not to notice the angry glare he earned from Ed. After all, though Al believed that there was always a time and a place to justify suspicion, he also felt this wasn’t one of them.
“Oh yes, she’s very good,” Lyra said, nodding. “She’s been teaching me how to depend on my own strengths and I’ve already learned quite a lot.” She turned to Ed’s direction. “So… I guess I should thank you for what you guys did.”
“You’re welcome, I suppose,” Ed muttered.
She just giggled, obviously thinking that Ed was merely joking. In the next moment, she walked up to a small wooden door and knocked.
“Yes?” an old woman’s voice sounded from inside.
“I have brought them, Dante.”
“Very well, Lyra. Send them in.”
The girl obeyed. She opened the door and she let the boys walk inside; then closed the door behind them. Ed and Al watched her go, but Dante’s voice made them fae her again.
“Ah, the Elric boys,” the old woman said, closing the book she was reading and standing up. “I have heard of you, but I never expected to see you here. When your teacher called, it was quite the pleasant surprise.”
“You know of us?” Ed asked, raising an eyebrow.
Dante chuckled. “But of course. And I already know why you’re here, so I’ll prepare the medicine right away.”
Greed walked in the forest, looking to his left and right for anything out of the ordinary. After all, he knew that one couldn’t be too careful around these parts.
“Mr. Greed? Is everything all right?”
It was Dorochet who asked that, although the other two chimeras that were escorting the homunculus apparently wanted to know the same thing. As for Kimblee, he just walked in a nonchalant way, giving the impression that he hardly cared about anything that was going on around him.
Greed didn’t answer; not at once anyway. He just stopped, locking his eyes on the mansion that appeared in the distance.
“We’ve reached an evil place,” he said.
None of the chimeras knew what to make of that statement. Kimblee, on the other hand, shrugged.
“You should have taken the boy with you,” he said. “He might have proved useful.”
“He’ll be fine back at the Devil’s Nest,” Greed replied.
“Until he wakes up,” Kimblee reminded him.
“Even after that,” the homunculus said. “I’ll make sure he knows what is in his best interests.” He turned his gaze back to the mansion and then raised a hand in a signal for all of them to stop. “I’ll go ahead to check the grounds. You know what to do.”
And with that, he sprang up to the nearest tree with the ease and grace of a large cat. Leaping from one branch to the next, he finally got so close to the mansion that he could see everything that was going on in the garden.
His hands clenched into fists when he saw Dante talking to the boys he had been looking for.
So I was right, he thought in dismay. Well, hag… this means war.
Ed and Al still watched Dante cutting several herbs that she was growing in her garden, completely oblivious to their surroundings. They were certainly impressed by her vast knowledge of the plants and their healing abilities, and they even tried to keep in mind several of the things she told them about in case they came handy in the future.
“You could have become a very good pharmacist, Ms. Dante,” Al commented. “Why did you decide to become an alchemist?”
She chuckled kindly. “It was a little impulsive from my part, I have to admit. But I was young then and I wanted to make a difference, so I thought the best way to do that was through alchemy. You, of all people, must know that alchemy is necessary to people.”
The boys nodded. “We’ve been trying to make a difference as well,” Ed said. “Wherever we can, that is.”
She smiled. “That’s good. But you must also understand that alchemy alone doesn’t change anything. You have to combine hard work as well. Only then you can truly reach your goals.”
“That’s what Teacher has been telling us too,” Al said.
That made Dante chuckle. “She’d better, I taught her after all.” She looked briefly at the basket and, obviously thinking that she had picked up enough herbs, she walked inside the house. Ed and Al followed closely behind her, wishing to know more about the healing plants… and also something else. While Dante was boiling the plants in a small pot, Al asked the question.
“Ms Dante… what do you know about the philosopher’s stone?”
The old woman seemed surprised by the question. She looked at both boys thoughtfully.
“Why do you want to know?” she asked. “Are you thinking of creating one?”
Ed and Al shuffled their legs in an uncomfortable manner. That, apparently, was enough as an answer to her, for she shook her head.
“They say that there’s only one way to create a philosopher’s stone. And one has to be driven by despair if he’s to go down that road,” she said. “Your father certainly knew that.”
“Our father?!” Al exclaimed at once. “Did you know him?!”
Ed didn’t share his brother’s excitement. His features changed to a deep scowl.
“Yes,” Dante said, not seeming to notice the boys’ different reactions. “Hohenheim of Light was searching for the philosopher’s stone as well before he disappeared.” She paused for a moment, then looked at Ed and Al curiously. “I don’t suppose you know where he is, do you?”
Ed snorted. “I don’t even want to know.” And with that, he stormed out without so much as looking back.
“Brother…” But Al knew it was already was too late, so he sighed ruefully. “I’m sorry about that, Ms Dante.”
“Don’t worry about it, dear,” the woman said. “It’s clear I said the wrong thing.” She stirred the contents of the pot, checking to see if the mixture was getting the right colour.
Al considered for a moment that perhaps he should let the matter be for now. However, he knew nothing about Dad, and Ed wasn’t willing to say much about him either. So, now that he found somebody that could tell him a few things about his father, he knew that it was too good a chance to pass up.
“Ms Dante… why do you think my father was driven by despair when he tried to create the philosopher’s stone?”
Dante sighed. “Fear of death is enough reason to make someone despair.”
Al suddenly felt uneasy. “You mean… he was trying to make himself immortal?”
“No… not himself. Your father was too noble for that,” the old woman said at once with a wan smile. “He wanted to defeat death for those he cared for.”
It was then that Al understood. Dante was clearly telling him that Dad was aware of Mom’s illness, and he was trying to figure out any means possible to help her.
Too late though, Al thought sadly. And he could only wonder if Dad ever found out about her death.
Probably not. After all, if he had known, he would have returned to Resembool at once. Because of that, Al felt really sorry for Dad, and he couldn’t help thinking that, if Ed knew, perhaps he would have felt the same way.
Ed stepped out of the mansion with a huff, trying to rid himself of the last remnants of his anger. Damn it, why did the old man have to be mentioned in the conversation anyway? Yes, he was looking for the philosopher’s stone too. Yes, he probably knew more about the philosopher’s stone than Ed, or anybody else for that matter, would ever be able to find out. But Ed had already decided to never find that bastard and ask him personally for help; that would be sinking too low.
Before he realised what he was doing, he kicked a small pebble and sent it flying to some bushes nearby. It made him a feel a bit better somehow, releasing some of the tension he was currently feeling.
However, he didn’t expect the pebble to land back in front of him and explode in the next moment. Ed quickly snapped his head up to see who was responsible for this. And when he saw a smartly dressed, thin man with yellow eyes looking back at him with a smirk, Ed recognised him at once. After all, it took more than a neat suit and nicely combed hair to change a person.
“Kimblee.”
Kimblee didn’t say anything, and Ed soon understood why. There was someone trying to sneak up on him from behind. Ed could clearly see their shadow towering over his. Not wishing to be caught unawares, Ed turned in the blink of an eye and punched his would-be attacker straight on the jaw with his automail fist.
The man didn’t even move a muscle. In fact, he just grinned broadly. Shocked, Ed retracted his metal arm and moved his fingers, trying to determine what the problem was. He quickly figured it out when he noticed the violet-coloured eyes and the tattoo of the ouroboros on his adversary’s hand.
“Surprised?” the homunculus said, the maniacal grin never leaving his face. “You shouldn’t be. They don’t call me the Ultimate Shield for nothing.”
The last thing Ed before everything went dark was the homunculus’ fist landing on his face.
“You became awfully quiet,” Dante said, noticing that Al had sat in a corner with his head bowed. “Is everything all right?”
Al snapped his head up, feeling as though he had just been dragged out of a dream. “I’m sorry, Ms. Dante,” he said. “I was just thinking of a few things.”
“About your father?” she asked, though her tone showed that she already knew the answer.
Al nodded, something that made her smile in understanding. Even so, there seemed to be something else in her mind as well, because she approached Al and sat beside him.
“Alphonse,” she said. “I realise that it must be painful for you and your brother to go through this but… perhaps it might be to your best interest to find your father. If there’s anyone who knows about the philosopher’s stone, it’s him.”
“I know, Ms. Dante,” Al said. “But if we can’t find him anywhere…”
“Nothing disappears without a trace. You just have to know where to look,” Dante insisted.
“What do you mean?” Al asked, unsure what to make of that statement.
“Surely, your father is a powerful alchemist,” Dante replied. “You must have been able to see his handiwork somewhere; or even heard people talking about him.”
“Yeah,” the suit of armour said. “But it didn’t do any good, I’m afraid. The last time we heard anything about Dad was--”
A scream filled the air, cutting into Al’s words like a knife. Recognising Lyra’s voice, Al sprang to his feet and opened the door.
Lyra was indeed at the end of the corridor. However, Al was shocked to see another woman hit the servant girl on the head with a small club, making her collapse on the floor.
“Lyra!” he cried, but he didn’t have the chance to do anything else; another noise made him turn around. To his shock, the window was open, and a huge man had sneaked in to hold Dante at knife point.
“No heroics. No one needs to get hurt,” the man instructed, keeping his eyes on the suit of armour. “Dorochet, inside.”
A smaller man came in through the window, sniffing the air as he did so, then drew his sword and pointed the blade at Al.
“Okay, don’t move,” he said. He stepped towards the door and opened it. “Did you get everyone, Martel?”
The woman that Al saw before now entered the room, strapping the small club back on her belt. “It was just the girl. There are no sign of the others.”
That was all Alphonse could take. “What others?!” he asked in confusion. “And who are you people?”
The small man, Dorochet, cocked his head. “Isn’t it obvious? We’re kidnappers and you’re comin’ with us. Got that part clear?”
Al crossed his arms. “Sorry, but Teacher told me not to go anywhere with strangers.”
The kidnappers looked at each other with a bemused expression before Dorochet decided to talk to Al again.
“How old are you?” he asked, scrutinising the suit of armour from head to foot.
“Fourteen. Fifteen in a couple of months,” Al answered honestly.
“Right,” Dorochet said. “So if you’re that old, you should be able to think and act for yourself by now.”
Al smirked, though he was perfectly aware that none of the kidnappers could tell that. “Really?”
“Really. If you ever want to be a man, then start acting like one. You can’t just let your teacher run your life forever. You need to make your own decisions.”
“Oh, I see!” Al said, as though he was at the verge of a great revelation. “I should think for myself!”
Dorochet grinned. “Now you’re talking! So, you’re gonna come with us--”
Al punched Dorochet on the jaw and sent him almost flying to the wall. Martel rushed to the man to get him back on his feet.
“I decided not to go with strangers,” Al declared and placed his body in defensive position. “That’s my decision and mine alone.”
“Then we have no choice but to use force,” the huge man said.
“Be careful, Loa!” Martel cried.
Loa nodded. Throwing Dante aside, he unbuckled a wooden sledgehammer from his belt and attacked. Seeing the danger, Al quickly sidestepped. The sledgehammer hit the wall instead, forming a huge crack. That was proof enough to Al that he was dealing with a very powerful opponent indeed, probably not even human. When Loa attacked again, Al leapt back, because he didn’t dare think what would happen if the sledgehammer hit his head.
But Al quickly found out that he couldn’t afford to worry only about Loa. Dorochet had recovered from the punch as well, and now he had joined the fight as well. He wielded his sword fast, trying to find any opening in the armour’s defence.
He couldn’t. Al was too good a fighter.
Nevertheless, the kidnappers had one last trick up to their sleeves. Pushing his sword in a crack on the armour’s neck, Dorochet used the blade as a lever to detach Alphonse’s helmet from the rest of the armoured body. That in itself wasn’t bad, since Al could still control his body. But then Martel leapt on his shoulders and pushed herself inside the armour.
“Pardon for the intrusion,” she said almost sweetly, twisting her body with the agility of a snake to make herself comfortable.
“WHAT?!” Al cried out, for he realised what the woman was trying to do.
She didn’t seem to mind him. “It’s a lot more spacious than I thought at first. This makes things easier for me.”
It took a lot for a calm boy like Al to freak out, but now he was practically running around in a state of panic.
“Ew, ew, EW!!! It’s gross!! I don’t feel it, but it’s definitely gross!” He reached for his chest plate. “I’m getting you out!”
“No, you aren’t!” she declared smugly.
Al was horrified to realise that the woman’s limbs suddenly stretched to incredible length, filling the space inside his arms and legs. Al now knew that none of his adversaries were human. He tried to bend his arms again, but Martel still fought back.
“How does it feel to be controlled from the inside?” she asked.
Al didn’t plan to give up so easily.
“You can’t… control me… completely…” He bent his arms again, attempting to place himself in defensive position again.
She laughed, however. “I don’t intend to, kid. I just want to slow you down.”
Sure enough, Al didn’t manage to react in time when Loa lunged at him and threw him to the ground, twisting Al’s arms behind his back and forcing him to stay down.
“Are you all right, Martel?” Loa asked when it dawned on him that his treatment wasn’t exactly gentle.
“I hit my forehead,” the woman said, sounding dismayed.
“Sorry,” Loa said. He looked at the suit of armour, his grip not loosening in the slightest. “Well, Alphonse Elric, it seems you now have no choice but to come with us.”
Al could do nothing but accept his defeat.
TBC…
Subtitles
- Brother's Debt
- Fullmetal Body, Fullmetal Heart
- A Quiet Day
- In The Night
- Two Men's Faces
- Transfer
- Making Plans
- Shadows Of The Past
- Underworld
- The Price Of Immortality
- Departure
- The Key
- Enemy Revealed
- A Step Back
- A Step Closer To The Truth
- A Race
- Rush Valley
- Responsibility
- Izumi
- Time To Stand Still
- Wild Child
- Encounter
- Riddles In The Dark
- In Search For Answers
- A Teacher's Mistakes
- Complications
- Visits
- The Nature Of A Homunculus
- Dante Of The Deep Forest
- Kidnapped
- Fight At The Devil's Nest
- Innocence Lost
- Blood Spilt
- Recovering
- Bearers Of Ill News
- The Flame Alchemist
- True Colours
- Markings On The Ground
- The Mission
- Heading To Liore
- Change Of Plans
- The Scar
- Holy Mother
- A Mother's Face
- Final Moments