[Let's Write!] An Avatar/X-Over Adventure!

[rmthorn]

[X]It's really Ed's decision, not mine.

[Shader]

((Finally might be able to post something in this thread. I'm usually too late or unable to. Suppose it helps that I have zero knowledge of the core universes that this story is based on and draws characters from...))

Tactical Advice: Something smells off, and it doesn't mean you need to go have a bath... Evade and Escape. Trust Ed's judgment. Beware unnecessary attachments.

[X]What's in it for us?
then
[X]It's really Ed's decision, not mine.
then get out of there!

[Epsilon]

I hate to sound like I'm begging but I was wondering if anyone who is reading the story might take the weekend pause as a chance to perhaps offer some insight into what they think of the story so far. Including anybody who isn't voting but just reading. Is the story good so far? Entertaining? Segments too long? Too short? Any other commentary at all?
-----------
Epsilon

[Sweno]

I only have vague knowledge of both series (seen the first season of Avatar, and a few episodes of FMA). So if there are any interesting hints that have been dropped, there is a large chance I've missed them

But the story has introduced enough threads/questions to keep my interest for a while. The segments are a little shorter than I'm used to, but they come out fast enough that I'm not complaining (chapter size is also constrained by your feedback-driven plot points).

Other commentary:

I like how most of the characters have their own internal motivations.

I think that Nin hasn't dealt with the body-shock of being gender swapped (this can be explained as with 'purposefully not wanting to deal with it' plus 'not having the time/proper situation for it to truly sink in'). Or you can handwave it away and say 'magic helped her deal'.
-Terry
-----
"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy

[robkelk]

You're giving a good amount of exposition on FMA for folks (like myself) who have only a minimum knowledge of the story.

So far, there's been a lot of Ed and Nin going places and seeing other people do things, and not too much of Ed and Nin doing things themselves. (The taking of the Fire Nation ship notwithstanding.) I know this fits both source stories, but I'm not sure that it works in this format... you might try making Our Heroes a bit more proactive and see what happens.

It's still too early to critique the overall plot, since you haven't had a chance to really show it to us; you've been showing us the setting and the characters instead (which is necessary at this stage of the story so we don't get lost later). In a more traditional story, everything you've posted so far would be part of chapter 1. It might be time to go on to chapter 2...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Black Aeronaut]

hooo boy. I wouldn't have put on such a flashy performance. Military guys like this... they're the 'victory at any cost' variety, and they'll be more than happy to put Ed and Nin in chains, much like they suspect has become of Al.

Oooh! Epiphany! They could turn this to their advantage by stating that there's possibly a fire nation weapons lab out there with Al working under duress. The General will see this as a genuine threat - even if Al is not there teaching them alchemy, taking down the weapons lab will be a huge technological victory, and possibly even an intelligence victory as well (think of all those cipher keys and messages).

[paladindythe]

I think that the story is pretty interesting, and I'm looking forward to more. I'm not quite sure what theme you're going for though, so I'm in a wait and see mode at the moment.

[Shader]

I'm actually rather interested in the story. The parts are a good length, and the characters have depth to them. You've managed to make it such that I don't think that I'm completely lost because I have zero knowledge, yet I'm sure that those have some knowledge of the universes are still hooked.

[Ayiekie]

[ ]I don't feel comfortable teaching people how to use alchemy for use in a war.

That has the distinct possibility of spiralling rapidly out of control.

[Epsilon]

Noon Day Nine, Earth Nation Fortress

“Ah, I can't really speak for my teacher,” I pointed out,
suddenly nervous for some reason. “I'd have to consult with him.”

“Go ahead, of course.” Fong gestured magnanimously.

I hesitated. “Here?”

“I don't mind.” He smiled.

I turned to Ed, trying to keep my frown off my face. “Ed, I'm
going to say something but I don't want you to overreact...”

“They want us to teach them alchemy,” Ed said, leaning back on
his human foot and crossing his arms behind his head.

“How did you...?”

“I heard the word for alchemy a few times, and the demonstration
kind of cinched it.” He flicked his eyes between Fong and his
secretary, then to the dozen men situated around room. “Plus while
you've been stuck in the hospital I've had a chance to wander around
the place the last couple of days. These people are desperate. I can
see it in their eyes, even if I can't understand the language. I've
seen that expression before.”

“So what do you want to do?” I asked.

“First, tell me what you think we should do.”

“A test?”

He dropped his arms to his side and shrugged. “Not a test.”

“Well...” I paused and thought about it a second. “Frankly...
I haven't thought about what we should be doing. I mean, I don't even
know why we're here, or what is happening, or even where here
is or why I'm...” I slowly curled my hands into fists. “But I'm
not certain I want to tie myself here. I can see this getting out of
hand too easily and I'm not certain I trust that General.”

“Is that it?”

I ran my tongue over my teeth and snapped my fingers. “What about
Al?”

“Al?” Ed gave me a direct look.

“We can get these guys to help us. We explain that Al knows
alchemy too and that the Fire Nation may be torturing information
about alchemy out of him. Not that I think they are,” I hastily
added. Ed turned and looked out the window. “But if he really
thinks that it could change the course of the war he'd be willing to
help us rescue your brother, to keep that kind of knowledge out of
their enemies hands if for no other reason. Then we can teach them a
bit of alchemy in return. Equivalent exchange.”

A few seconds passed in silence. “That's what you want to do?”
He looked over his shoulder at me. “Just help my brother?”

'I want to help you.' I did not say. I wanted to tell him
that over the last week, the more time we had spent together the more
I had thought of him and... I looked down at my feet. How could I
tell him things like that while I looked like this? So instead I only
said, “Yeah.”

Ed snorted. “No. I won't teach them a thing.”

“Huh, but why?”

“Back in Amestris, the state commissioned alchemists to use their
skills for the military. I've seen exactly what happens when alchemy
is allowed to be viewed as a weapon.” His eyes narrowed. “If I am
going to introduce alchemy to this continent, I'm going to do it the
right way.”

“ I see...” I nodded. “Now we just have to break the news to
him.” I nodded my head towards the general.

“I take it from your friends posture the news isn't good?” Fong
said with a self-effacing smile.

“No, sir.” I bowed in apology.

“Ah, well. Still, you should rest for a while longer here. Perhaps
you will rethink your position before you leave?”

“He seems adamant, but...” I rubbed at my face. “Stranger
things have happened.”

*

We had no sooner gotten back to our room at the infirmary when Ed
claimed his need to go for a walk and had left the room. That left me
alone with nothing but my thoughts. That was not a pleasant place to
be. I'd been relying on various distractions to keep me from thinking
about my situation, but now it had been thrown into my face again.

My body felt wrong, like a badly fitted dress. And my face was
itching on top of all the other little niggling details. I reached up
and rubbed at it only to pull my hand away as if it was burned. Was
that... hair? I rubbed at the face again, grimacing in disgust. Oh
great, I was growing a beard. A beard!

My face fell into my hands and I just broke down. I don't know how
long I spent crying by myself, but eventually the sound of heels on
the stone floor drew my attention.

“I'm not interrupting, am I?” It was the general's secretary.
She was standing in front of me, her arms crossed under her breasts.
Her outfit was cut such that this displayed more of her cleavage. I
snorted in amusement.

“What do you want?” I asked thinly.

“I was hoping to talk to you, actually.” She smiled
coquettishly.

“About?” Great, on top of having my body betray me, I now had
women flirting with me.

She leaned down so her face was level with mine.“I think General
Fong is planning on throwing you into prison,” she whispered.

My head snapped up. “What?”

“Perhaps we should take this conversation elsewhere.” She gave
a significant look towards the walls before leaning back up and
giggling then continuing in a more normal volume. “Don't make me
repeat it, I'm embarrassed.” She cupped her cheeks with her hands.
“I've just never met a genuine hero like yourself...” she trailed
off an gave another significant look at the door.

I rose mechanically to my feet and followed her as she sashayed her
way out of the infirmary. Every eye in the place followed us, well
her, until we were out of sight. The courtyard was wide enough and
empty enough that it wasn't long before we were out of earshot of
most people, though she kept strutting.

“Uh, not to tell you your business,” I said, “But are you
trying to get everyone's attention.”

“You and your friend are being watched,” she said softly.
“There's no way to get to you without anyone knowing. This way,
everyone is paying attention to everything other than my mouth.”

“Yes, well...” I coughed into my hand. What was this feeling?
I... felt really angry towards her. I didn't like her one bit.

We walked for awhile in silence, eventually she led me to a stairway
which led up to the top of the wall. The view from the top was
breathtaking, with narrow valleys through the mountains stretching
out in all directions like a maze. The sun was just dipping to the
horizon, but it was on the far side of the fort. Glancing around, I
saw that the wall was virtually abandoned, except for a pair of
guards in a tower almost a quarter turn around the wall.

“As good a place for a private conversation as any,” I said,
turning to her. She was standing artfully outlined in the light. “So
what the hell were you talking about?” I asked sullenly.

“General Fong wants to secret of your... alchemy.” She walked to
the parapet and ran a hand along it. “And he means to have it. If
you refuse to teach him those secrets, he'll force you to.”

My mood darkened even more. “Why are you telling me this?”

“I'm part of a secret society,” she said. “ Our people can be
found all throughout the elemental countries. We've been spending the
last hundred years preparing for the Avatar's return.” She turned
to me. “And yours.”

“Wait... mine?”

“You don't think your arrival here was an accident, do you?”

“You know why I'm here?” I asked, suddenly stunned.

“Yes.” She walked up to me and reached out with her hand towards
my chest. I took a step back, flinching. She paused, her hand
hovering over my heart. “And I know that you are... incomplete.”
Her eyes softened with sympathy. “Trapped in that body, it must be
like a living hell.”

“I... you really know about that?”

She peered into my eyes. “Yes. And we can help you, fix you.”
She stepped back. “Unfortunately if we stay up here any longer,
we'll attract the wrong kind of attention. If you want our help,
sneak out of your room at midnight and meet me at the base of that
tower.” She pointed at the nearest guard tower. “I'll get you and
the Elric out of this fortress and somewhere safe.”

“Wait... somewhere safe?”

“Yes.”

“Can you help us rescue Ed's brother?”

She paused. “We can't risk taking you to the Fire Nation right
now. Not before we've had a chance to prepare you for what you need
to do.” And with that she vanished down the stairs.

*

Ed slid the door closed behind him with a loud crack. I looked up
from the bed, my frown softening. “All right, we're getting out of
here.”

“We are?” I asked.

He nodded. “I'm not going to trust that general. I've been in
fortresses before. I know a thing or two about getting out of them.”

“I...” I took a deep breath and told him about my encounter with
Tsubaki, the general's secretary. The only thing I held back was her
talking about my condition. I wanted to tell him, but I chickened out
at the last second and only told him something vague about her
knowing something about how we got here. His frown deepened as my
words continued. When I finished he crossed his arms.

“I don't trust her.”

“Why not?”

“I don't know... something about her just makes my skin crawl.”
He shook his head. “We're breaking out of here by ourselves and
heading North to look for my brother.”

“Ed, this is important to me. She can... she might be able to help
me.”

He sighed. “I have to find my brother,” he said firmly. “And
I'm not going to trust anyone in this fortress but you.”

I ducked my head, my cheeks burning at his declaration.

[ ]Go with Ed's plan.

[ ]Part ways with Ed and trust Tsubaki, we have to pursue a chance to
be normal again!
[ ]Reason with him. Trusting Tsubaki is the best choice for both of
you.
[ ]We don't have any proof that Fong is going to betray us, confront
him first.
-------------
Epsilon

[paladindythe]

[ ]Reason with him. Trusting Tsubaki is the best choice for both of you.

This could be a good time for the (dramatic) reveal.

[Black Aeronaut]

[X]Reason with him. Trusting Tsubaki is the best choice for both of you.

Agreed. ^_^

[robkelk]

[x]Reason with him. Trusting Tsubaki is the best choice for both of you.

In this case, enlightened self-interest ties the plot threads together...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Bob Schroeck]

[x]Reason with him. Trusting Tsubaki is the best choice for both of you.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Ayiekie]

Like everyone else,

[ ]Reason with him. Trusting Tsubaki is the best choice for both of you.

But if he won't listen:

[ ]Part ways with Ed and trust Tsubaki, we have to pursue a chance to be normal again!

Nothing bad can come of this plan and you can totally trust this person!

[rmthorn]

Good to see Nin finally getting some time to react to her body problems.  

[X]Reason with him. Trusting Tsubaki is the best choice for both of you.

[Epsilon]

You people keep chosing the sensible option all the time and I'll stop offering it as a possibility. ;p

Evening Day Nine, Earth Nation Fortresses

“Then don't trust her, trust me,” I implored him, standing up
abruptly and clutching my hands in front of my chest. He backed up a
step, his gold eyes blinking. “I don't want to have to choose
between you and...” I trailed of.

“Me and what?” he said. “What did she offer you?”

“A way to fix this...” I said under my breath, staring at the
floor again. He stepped closer to me, until he was within my personal
space. I felt my heart beat quicken and my palms grew sweaty. There
was a smell to him, sweat and ink and iron that somehow mixed in a
way that was distinctly Ed. Up this close it was thick, almost
cloying but I didn't want to step away. I felt a certain part of
myself stir and I groaned in discomfort and moved away. “Please,”
I begged, not certain what I wanted him to do.

“What is with you?” Ed asked. One eyebrow was quirked and his
perpetual frown had turned into a confused grimace. “Why is this
woman so important to you?”

“We shouldn't separate,” I said. “Just think about it. You
still don't speak a word of the local language. Your leg is a
makeshift replacement you can't repair yourself if it gets broken, or
replace if you lose it. You can't use your alchemy to defend yourself
from any benders you might encounter.” I looked him in the face
again once I felt I had my racing pulse under control. Hopefully he
would excuse my flush for simple enthusiasm or frustration. “If you
go on your own, your chances of success at saving your brother are
almost zero. With me at your side, they improve dramatically!

“Not to mention how much I need you.” I rushed through the words
to get them out. “Not just to teach me alchemy, but because you're
the only person on this continent that I can trust. You've
saved my life multiple times already. If I go with this woman, I need
someone to watch my back and make certain I don't get in over my
head.

“Working together, we are stronger than apart. So if you can't
trust this woman for whatever reason, then don't trust her! Trust
me!”

I began gasping for breath after my verbal explosion. My hands were
shaking, my fingernails cutting small crescents into my palms and my
jaw ached as my teeth clenched. Ed reached back and rubbed at his
untamed mess of gold hair, his slim but muscular shoulders bunched in
tension. His eyes blinked languidly.

“I don't like it,” he said stiffly. I suddenly felt off balance.
“People who have something to hide from the public, why should I
trust them? I've been on the bad side of too many secret groups.”
It was like the floor had crumbled away underneath me. “I've seen
what happens with groups who have big plans for the future,
especially my own. Just because she wants to keep you safe for now,
doesn't mean she has anything good planned for you.”

He held out his hand to me. “There is nothing that her and her
group can do for you that you can't do for yourself, with a little
help from me. You have two good strong legs, use them to stand on
your own feet.”

I blinked away a few tears. “You don't understand,” I said.

“Understand what?”

“She might be able to fix me!” I shouted, no longer
caring if he knew. If he refused to come with me anyway, what did it
matter if he thought of me as a freak? “This body... I can't even
stand to think about it!” I clawed my fingers into the air before
my face and leaned forward. “I drive it from my mind every chance I
get. I throw myself into the situation at hand, hoping not to think.
I haven't so much as looked into a puddle of water, much less a
mirror, because if I do I think the sight might drive me insane!
Somehow, if I don't see it, it isn't real. But it is real!

“You must know what I'm talking about? Have you ever felt as if
your missing leg was hurting, or cold or just disconcertingly there,
even though it was not? Imagine that, but across your entire body. I
don't just have phantom limbs, I have an entire Phantom Person!

“And Tsubaki has offered me a chance to fix that.”

“You...” Ed was staring at me, his eyes wide and his mouth
slightly open. “You're body... is wrong?”

“And the worst part is...” I took a deep breath. “The worst
part is that I think I might be...” I glanced down at myself. “The
reason I don't want to go alone is because despite this body, I
still...” Oh god, I was sounding like some teenage schoolgirl. Just
out with it! “I think I may care about you.” I looked down at my
feet. “A lot.”

For a long moment the room was silent. Did I mention I hate silence?
It wears on the nerves. At least with noise, even painful or
frightening noise, you know what is happening. Silence is just the
absence of meaning, so your mind fills it with all sorts of things.

“C-care about me?” Ed asked, his voice thin. I couldn't look at
him. “I mean... we hardly know each other... how could you
possibly... that is... I'm a jerk and a sceptic and...”

“I don't know,” I said just loud enough that it would carry to
him. “Maybe its just the action, driven together, fighting for our
lives, unable to trust anyone else...” I cleared my throat. “It's
probably just hormones,” I finished feebly.

“Listen, you... you have to understand... I don't exactly...” He
swallowed. “And there's somebody else I-”

The rest of his words cut off as I dashed from the room.

*

“Stupid, stupid!” I rubbed at my face with my sleeve again. “How
did you think he would react? Might as well have been a gorilla!” I
leaned my head back against the wall and stared at the ceiling of the
small storage room I had fled into. A small oil lamp cast flickering
shadows across the ceiling. “I'm acting like a child,” I admitted
to myself. “Of course he already has somebody. Guy like him wants
to get back to his loved ones back home. He's right, I barely know
him. All I know is he's brave, and smart, and funny and loyal beyond
all reason...”

I banged my head against the wall, but that hurt so I stopped.
Standing up I looked around the room. Finally I found a metal tray
which was shiny enough for my purposes. I buffed it with my sleeve
and finally took a look at myself. This was the person Ed had just
seen confess to him.

I gasped. Some people has suspected that Ed and I were brother's in
the past, but I had assumed that they were talking about the fact
that we both had foreign hair and kin tones and just weren't used to
the differences between those of our race. However the resemblance
between Ed and I was uncanny. My hair was messier than Ed's, shorter
as well. My chin was a little more defined, my cheeks had a bit less
baby-fat than his. It was the eyes, the exact same eyes. If I didn't
know better, I could be his older brother. Heck, I could be Ed
himself, just a few years older and leaner.

“What the hell?” I probed at my face in astonishment. “Why
hasn't more people...” Then I realized that my assumption had been
working in reverse. The people of this continent were not used to our
race and thus it was not the differences they had a hard time
noticing, it was the similarities. We looked uncannily similar, but
they would be two busy noticing the big differences between us and
them to notice the similarities between Ed and me.

“But why hasn't Ed said something? He must have-” My musing was
cut off as the door to the storeroom began to open. I looked up
sharply. “Ed, is that you?”

“Sorry, no.” Tsubaki glided into the room. “You weren't at the
tower so I came looking for you.”

“Is it that late?” I asked. She just raised a trimmed eyebrow.

“What happened to Ful... to Edward?”

“We had a... disagreement.”

“He doesn't trust me,” she said, sounding more amused then
annoyed.

“Frankly,” I looked at her. “I don't trust you.”

She tilted her head and smiled in a winsome manner. “Fair enough.
So, you plan to turn down my offer?”

“I didn't say that.” I put the silvered tray aside. “If
anything, I have more questions for you now.”

“This isn't the place to talk about them.” She stepped outside
the door. “General Fong should be thoroughly exhausted at the
moment, but this is a fortress used to siege. Both of us will be
noticed missing before long. We have to go, or it will be too late.”

“What about Ed?”

“His absence is regrettable,” she said. “We were hoping he
would help you master alchemy.” She started walking away and I
stumbled after her then jogged to keep up. “We don't have time to
wait for him. You're too vulnerable now. Let's go.”

She led me through the tunnels. Most of the men who would have
filled them were asleep at this time of night but every now and then
she gestured for me to stop while soldiers patrolled in nearby
corridors. Soon enough we came to a large bared door, locked with a
thick iron padlock.

“What's this?” I asked.

“A secret exit.” She reached into her cleavage and removed a
key. “An escape tunnel in case the worst happens and the fortress
falls.” She unlocked the door with a loud clack and grabbed the
large brace. I was surprised when she easily shifted it out of the
way. She was stronger than she looked.

The door opened up to a long dark tunnel, angled down. The sound of
water echoed ahead. “Hurry,” she said and started into the tunnel
after grabbing a lamp from the wall. I grabbed one as well.

I paused at the threshold. Did I really want to do this? Tsubaki
stopped after a few steps and looked coyly over her shoulder at me.
“You don't have time to regret or doubt. Trust me, I would never
hurt you.” She turned and placed her hand over her heart. “You
are everything to me.”

I closed my eyes. It was a very near thing, but I had to know. I
followed her into the tunnel.

The trip was surprisingly short before we came to the end of the
line. The tunnel opened up suddenly into a great chasm. Down below,
beyond the light, I could hear the rush of rapids. The other end of
the chasm was at least fifteen meters away. It might as well have
been forever.

“What kind of escape tunnel is this?”

“An earthbending escape tunnel. Only earthbenders can build a
bridge over the chasm.”

“How were you planning on getting across?” I asked a little
acerbically.

“You can create a bridge.”

“But I don't know that kind of...” I trailed off because Tsubaki
had pulled something else from her cleavage. It was a scroll, and on
that scroll was an array.

“I came prepared.”

“You... you know alchemy!” I gasped.

“I know how it works, of course.” She placed the scrolls on the
ground in front of the chasm. “I can't use alchemy myself, of
course.”

“How do you...?”

“I'll answer all your questions once we're safe.”

I paused and then nodded. I knelt next to the scroll and placed my
hands on it, my eyes scanning the array. I closed my eyes, picturing
it in my head. The chorus sang. When I opened my eyes again the light
in the room was just returning to normal and there was a simple
bridge stretching across the chasm. Tsubaki didn't pause, quickly
moving across the bridge with deceptively dainty but rapid steps.

I followed. Soon we came to what looked like a blank wall. Another
earthbending defence mechanism. I wondered idly about what would
happen to the non-benders if they were forced to flee the fortress
while Tsubaki pulled another scroll from her amazing cleavage of
storing. The sight of her doing that made me fume, and the reaction
that followed was perhaps a little violent, releasing its energy in a
loud bang rather than a steady crackle like normal.

We stepped out of the newly formed door and into the moonlight. A
quick glance around showed we were on the side of a mountain and the
fortress was nowhere in sight. We hadn't walked that far so we must
have passed through one of the mountains surrounding the base. The
ground here sloped gently down to a valley, which stretched out into
the horizon.

“Okay, let's talk,” I said.

“We're not safe yet,” Tsubaki said.

“No. I'm not going on step further without an explanation. What is
going on here? How did I get here? What is wrong with my body? How do
you know alchemy?”

“Yes, those are interesting questions.”

My head snapped up and around. General Fong was standing on a small
cliff above the door we had exited, his expression was smug. Flanking
him on both sides were five men, each wearing the wide brimmed hat
and green armour of earthbenders. Further up beyond them were a half
dozen of those strange lizard-ostrich things that Ed kept calling
'chimera' no matter how much I tried to correct him.

Next to him, encased from head to toe in rock so that only his nose
was visible, was Ed. He looked like he was trying to scream. My heart
skipped a beat and I clenched my fists.

“Tsubaki, I'm deeply hurt. Was my company so distasteful?” Fong
leapt to the ground, the earth rose up to meet him partway down and
then gently sank back until he was standing level with us. The four
men on the cliff snapped their hands up and rock walls blasted from
the ground behind and beside us, pining us in.

“Let's just say the earth didn't exactly move,” Tsubaki said
with a smirk, cupping on fist under her cheek.

“You followed us?” I asked.

Fong turned to me and sighed. “No, I was waiting for you. I'm not
as much of a fool as she took me for. When I noticed the key was
missing from my desk, I knew were you were headed. Thankfully, on
ostrich-horse back, the trip here was much quicker.”

He turned back to Tsubaki. “I always thought you were too good to
be true. A beautiful young women like yourself, interested in a
broken down old warrior like me?” He laughed, but there was
bitterness in his voice. “So you were just using me after all.”

“Family comes first,” she said.

“Family?” Fong shook his head. “Whatever. I can't let these
young men leave our care. This strange bending of theirs could upset
the course of the War.”

“Damn you,” I stepped forward. “You can't force us to help
you! Let Ed go!”

“You're right.” He looked at me. “I can't force you to help
me. But I can keep you under control. This alchemy must either be
under the Earth Kingdom's control, or we must prevent anyone from
potentially using it against us.”

“What?” My eyes widened.

“Secure him.” He gestured and I tried to move but the earth
moved faster. Pillars rose from the ground at odd angles, catching my
limbs before I could so much as take a single step. “As for you, my
dear, I'm afraid its treason.”

“Even after all the time we've shared?” she smirked.

That was evidently the wrong thing to say. His expression darkened.
“Kill her.” He gestured sharply again.

She didn't so much as have a chance to move before five pillars
struck her from five angles. There was a stomach churning crunch and
her body bent at angles human bodies were not supposed to bend. I
turned my face away, clenching my eyes shut and tried to hold down my
lunch.

“A pity,” Fong said, his voice shaking. “Such a beauty...”
He coughed and when I opened my eyes he was rubbing at his eyes. “If
only she had been loyal...”

“Bastard!” I hissed. “You murdered her in cold blood!”

“She was an enemy of the state,” he explained, but sounded only
half-convinced himself.

“If you think there was any chance of me helping you, you can
forget it now!” I snarled.

“It's war.” He turned away from me and the body. “Secure the
two prisoners for transport back to the base.”

There was a series of thumps as the earthbenders landed all around
me. I futilely struggled as they moved closer. On of them was
carrying Ed on his back, and set down the boy next to me, right next
to the body. They had us surrounded and trapped, was this how it
ended?

“Thank you for that.”

All eyes spun back to the body. It was rising. She was grinning.
There was a series of sickening cracks as her shattered form
realigned itself. Swirling blue light played across her form, causing
the cuts on her skin to heal up, like they were simply reversing
themelves. Only her clothing was left damaged, revealing more of her
chest. My eyes were drawn to a newly revealed tattoo between her
breasts, a black circle, a serpent devouring its own tail. Ed's
muffled screams drew my attention next, his eyes were widen and his
face had drained of all colour.

“Tsu-tsubaki! You're... you're alive!” Fong shouted, his voice
choked.

“I'm not as easy to kill as a human. But I did need your men to
come closer.” She crossed her arms under her breasts and bowed.

Then ten black spikes erupted from her sides, two impaling each of
the earthbenders through the chest. The shocked men didn't even
flinch until the inhumanly fast spines had driven themselves clean
through their bodies. One gave out a chocked cry, another seemed to
faint. Tsubaki rose. The spines were her fingers, somehow grow to
inhuman length and sharpened into terrible claws.

“See how easy humans die?” she asked in a lyrical tone. Then she
uncrossed her arms. The men screamed, blood breifly fountaining from
their chest before they collapsed to the ground. “Like puppets with
their strings cut.”

“Wh-what in the name of all the spirits are you!” Fong screamed,
backing up a step.

She looked at me and Ed in turn then back to the general. “Tch. I
was hoping not to have to reveal this until later, especially not
with the Fullmetal brat watching. But you were going to take away
Mother, and I simply can not let that happen.”

“Mother?” I breathed. Ed's eyes narrowed.

“You're a monster!” Fong roared, and then stepped forward,
gesturing sharply with a raising hand.

Tsubaki drifted sideways, avoiding a spear of earth. But Fong was
not finished. Using the time he gained he spun his arms in a circle,
raising a circle of earth around him with a square cut out in the
middle for himself. Tsubaki leapt away as the edges of the circle
grew thick spikes and began to spin like a saw. She landed lightly on
her feet, her lips curled into a serene smile.

“I'm hurt,” she said lightly. “We homonculi are just like you
humans in many ways. We have feelings and souls as well. We're just
superior to you, and that makes us monsters? What does that make
benders then?”

“Monster slayers!” Fong screamed and stamped his foot against
the ground. The earth under Tsubaki opened in a chasm which she
jumped aside to avoid. As she moved, Fong lifted his hand and the
circle of spinning stone around him levitated over his head. Spinning
in place he threw his hands out like a discus toss and the stone spun
straight at Tsubaki while she was in mid-air.

Tsubaki pulled her hands in, the claws vanishing in an eyeblink and
she snapped her palms against the disk, pushing herself just up and
over it. One of her legs was caught by the spikes and ripped off her
body. But even as she put her other foot on the stone wheel her torn
leg was regenerating in a flare of blue light. She ran along the top
of the circle and launched herself off towards the general.

His eyes widening he crossed his arms and stood back, raising a wall
of earth in front of himself to fend her off. Her smile deepened.
“No, that won't stop her!” I shouted, but it was too late. Still
in midair she gestured with one hand, and the claws shot out so fast
I couldn't even see them grow. They pierced through the stone like it
was air. Fong coughed and looked down, five black spikes were sunk
into his chest, with small spikes emerging from the back.

“Ah, earthbenders. Always so straightforward. Meet any attack head
on, right?” Tsubaki landed on the ground lightly.

“Wh-why...?” Fong coughed out.

“Like I said, we homonculi have feelings, too.” She glanced at
me. “Like love for our family.” She turned her attention back to
the general. “It's terrible when family gets between a romantic
couple, but we have to break up.”

I turned my head away as she pulled her hand viciously to the side.
I tried not to hear the wet thumps that followed.

“What's the matter?” Tsubaki asked as she walked up to me. She
flicked her hand, causing the blood on her fingers to splat on the
ground. “I only did that to protect you.”

“What the hell are you!” I shouted. She recoiled as if slapped.

“Did I anger you?” she asked with what looked like sincere
contrition.

“Anger me? You just slaughtered half a dozen people while I
watched!”

“They were only humans.” She gestured towards me and there was a
black flash. I fell to my knees, abruptly free. I glanced around and
saw the neatly chopped sections of stone scattered around me.

“Only humans?” I asked, dazed.

“Oh, are you worried I'll hurt Fullmetal?” She laughed. “Much
as I'd like to, he's perfectly safe.” She gestured towards him and
again there was a flash of black as her fingers extended and then
retracted in an instant. Ed landed on his side, but wasn't there for
long. He kicked himself to his feet.

“Homonculus!” he shouted, pointing at her. “How... HOW! You
died! Al told me that Mustang burned you to a crisp! You burned to
death!”

Tsubaki crossed her arms under her breasts and smirked at him. “We
homonculi are closer to the Truth than you humans. We don't die. We
just go on to the next cycle.” She laughed to herself and Ed backed
up slowly. “Though I admit that what your colonel did was most
unpleasant. I took more than a little pleasure in working towards the
murder of firebenders, as you might imagine.”

“Ed, what's going on?” I asked.

He looked at me, then back at her. “Go ahead, Fullmetal, tell
her.” She smirked and it was only then I realized she was speaking
in Ed's language now.

“She's not human,” Ed said. “She an artificial life form, a
homonculus, formed via alchemy through the use of a Philosopher's
Stone.”

“Philosopher's stone?” I asked.

“A horrible perversion of alchemy,” Ed snarled. “Human souls,
trapped in a stone. All of their Gates combined amplify alchemy to
inhuman levels, allowing one to bypass the laws of Equivalent
Exchange.”

“Perversion? Mmm. I like the sound of that.” She chuckled
throatily. “But you're leaving out the best part, Fullmetal.
Certainly you must have suspected all along. You're a bright boy and
must have figured it out by now. Tell her what she is.”

“He's... she's a human being!” Ed snarled back.

“Close,” Tsubaki turned to me. “You are so much more than a
human, Mother.”

“Don't listen to her, she's a vicious liar!” Ed shouted.

“You keep calling me that, Mother. What does it mean?” I asked.

“What else would it mean?” Tsubaki tilted her head and stroked
her cheek. “You are our Mother. We are born of your essence,
descended from your information. We are your children, and everything
we do we do for you.”

“What? That's impossible!” I shouted. “I would remember having
children!”

“Yes, we were afraid of that.” She shrugged. “Unfortunately it
could not be helped. We had to construct you a new body suitable to
hold your essence, and only Fullmetal was a compatible donor. I'm
sorry about the condition of your body and memory. It was
unavoidable. Though it is our fault we lost track of you for so
long.”

“No, you're lying... you're lying! I remember my life! My brothers
and sisters and all the places I've been, all of that...” I trailed
off.

“Fragments, nothing more. Pieces of the lives that went into
making you.” She smiled. “When you close your eyes, can't you
hear the voices?”

I slumped forward, slapping my hands on the ground. No, it was
impossible. I was myself! I could remember... remember something
specific. Some name. Some place. Yes... so many. Too many.

“Come with me,” she said, extending her hand. “I can fix you.
We're already beginning preparations to get what you really need.”

“You bitch, leave him alone!” Ed snarled and stepped forward.

“Ah!” Tsubaki held up her hand, her fingers extended into claws.
“I wouldn't, Fullmetal. Without your alchemy, you're just a weak
human. I could kill you without any effort.”

“Then why haven't you?” Ed snarled. “I stopped you maniacs
last time, I can do it again here!”

“Convenience. We need someone to teach Mother alchemy. Well, not
so much teach. Help her remember, mostly. She has to be prepared for
what is to come.”

“And you expect me to help?” Ed snarled. “You monsters are
just planning to kill more and more people, you nearly destroyed an
entire country before we stopped you.”

“It's not like its your country this time,” Tsubaki said with a
pout. Ed growled and she laughed. “Oh, its not like I plan on
giving you a choice.” She tilted her head. “I see you managed to
get your arm back.”

Ed's eyes widened and he tried to dodge, but the claws were just
that much faster. He screamed and clutched at one of the two black
spines shoved clear through his shoulder.

“Maybe I'll take it back?” she said.

“Leave him alone!” I shouted, jumping to my feet.

“Oh, you actually do care about him?” Tsubaki blinked.

“If I'm your Mother, I order you to leave him alone!”

“Ah, sorry Mother, I can't do that.” She twisted her hand a
little and Ed let out another cry of pain. “We knew you might be
confused at first, so we're prepared to engage in a little tough
love.” She smiled apologetically. “Though your feeling for the
brat are helpful. It means I can just threaten to gut him if you
don't cooperate instead of risking hurting you while you're still
vulnerable.”

[ ]I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt him anymore!
[ ]I'll never help you, and threatening my friends won't break my
resolve!
[ ](lie) I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt him anymore!
(wait for her to lower her guard and...)
[ ]You monster! I'll kill you! 

Woo. That came out a little long and angsty, but hey, revelations abound. So, now you know the Truth (or, at least, some of it...).
Just a note on the decisions the MC made in this chapter re going with Tsubaki without Ed. Just because you people decide to go with a course of action doesn't mean its going to succeed. ^_^ So when that happens, the second most popular choice (in this case Ayeikie's half vote for abandoning Ed) may be what ends up happening. That's why all votes matter, even if they go against the majority!
--------------
Epsilon

[Sweno]

very nice, now I'm really looking forward to what happens next.
[x]I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt him anymore!
-Terry
-----
"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy

[robkelk]

You people keep chosing the sensible option all the time and I'll stop offering it as a possibility. ;p

Yeah, yeah.

[x]I'll never help you, and threatening my friends won't break my resolve!
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[paladindythe]

[ ]I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt him anymore!
Though this os more of an information gathering tactic, rather than complete capitulation. 'Lust' already told us that she doesn't ant to kill Ed.
While Nin could get thr moral high ground from saying she's never help the homunculi, it doesn't quite fit with her established personality to suddenly grow a backbone.

[Ayiekie]

The sensible option in my eyes was not to trust her at all.

[ ](lie) I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt him anymore! (wait for her to lower her guard and...)

[Vincent Ursus]

[x](lie) I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt him anymore! (wait for her to lower her guard and...)

At least until more information is available.

[Bob Schroeck]

[X](lie) I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt him anymore! (wait for her to lower her guard and...)
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[rmthorn]

Looking forward to the next installment!

[X](lie) I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt him anymore! (wait for her to lower her guard and...)

It'd be silly for Nin to try and do anything *now* though, since she's just seen how easily Tsubaki managed to dispose of several earth-benders.  She should probably try to get more information from Ed first.  

[Epsilon]

Early Morning Day Ten, Mountainside Tunnel Exit

“Stop! Just... stop!” I feel forward onto my knees and planted
my hands on the ground. “Please, just let him go, I'll do anything
you want.” This close to the ground, I could see it was covered
with a layer of dust.

“No! You can't give in to her!”

“Quiet, brat.” Ed screamed.

“I said I give up!” I cried out, bowing my head to the ground.
My hands raised slightly off the ground, just barely enough. My thumb
began to scrawl on the dirt.

“I'm almost disappointed.” Tsubaki said with a sigh. There was a
soft sound and a loud clank as Ed collapsed to the side. He bit by a
curse. “Oh get up. You're embarrassing both of us.”

I hoped my delay would look like hesitation or fear. I was doing
this entirely from memory of a n array I had seen once, and then only
for a few seconds. Not to mention I was scrawling the symbols in the
dirt with my thumbnail. The potential for something going horribly
wrong was staggering. I held my breath, not willing to risk my breath
disturbing the tiny lines. Finally I was finished and I stood up
slowly, attempting to look as reluctant and sullen as possible. I
didn't need to fake the tears in my eyes.

Once my head was up straight I took a step forward, concealing the
tiny array with my legs and made a show of raising both hands. She
followed my hands with her eyes. Good.

“So what happens now?” I asked bitterly.

“It doesn't have to be this way,” Tsubaki said, her voice thick
with regret. “I don't want to have to force you. I wasn't lying
about being able to fix you. When we're through with our work, you'll
have the perfect body.”

“And how many people have to die for that perfect body?” Ed
growled. He had managed to make it to one knee, but his good hand was
clutching his shoulder.

“Maybe she's right...” I said, ducking my head.

“What!” Ed looked at me in shock.

“You don't know what its like.” I shook my head. “Trapped in
this form is torture. If she can make me whole, maybe I should go
along with her.”

“You can't!” Ed cried out. “I trusted you, you didn't seem
like That Man so I trusted you! Just because you're not human,
doesn't mean you have to be a monster.”

“You trusted me but never told me your suspicions.” I looked at
him. I could only hope he could see my intentions in my eyes. I
couldn't say anything. I needed Tsubaki to trust me. “You were
always testing me, weren't you? Ever since I woke up in that cell
you've been studying me like a specimen, trying to figure out how
much of what she told me I had remembered.”

“I... it's not like that...” Ed bit some words and shook his
head. “When you risked your life to save me, risked your life to
save a man who had tried to burn your head off, that was when I knew
you weren't like them. Even the homonculi have feelings, and you can
be a good person.”

“Please, Fullmetal, it's obvious she's seen through your shallow
lies.” Tsubaki sauntered towards me. “The only question now, is
are you going to help us.”

“What reason do I have to do that?” Ed snapped back. His eyes
were full of betrayed anger.

“Do you really want to save your brother?” she asked, almost
absently.

“Al?” Ed rose to his feet, blood dripping between the fingers
pressed against his shoulder. “What about Al? What have you done
with him!”

“I'm certainly not going to tell you if you don't agree to teach
dear Mother what she needs to know.” Tsubaki stopped right next to
me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “You are useless as a
sacrifice, but as an instructor you are the best thing this world has
to offer. It would be annoying to try and teach her how to control
her alchemy without your help.” She smiled grimly. Her attention
was all on him, so I slipped my hand onto the handle of my knife.
“Annoying, but not impossible.”

“Ed... Edward.” I looked at him. “I'm just going to ask you
this once, as your friend.” Ed's eyes narrowed at that. “You have
to trust me when I say this... RUN!”

My elbow drove into her stomach like a piston. Her breath exploded
from her mouth and she splayed forward over my arm. My knife came up
and straight into her jaw. There was a sickening crunch as it came
out the top of her skull. I spun out from under her hand and stepped
back behind my array, dropping one hand to it.

Please work!

A stone bridge erupted from the ground under her, forming in
a haze of blue lightning as it rammed straight into the air. The
leading edge caught her in the stomach and launched her skyward. I
didn't even bother looking as I turned and sprinted from the still
finishing transmutation.

“Why are you just standing there with your mouth open! I said,
Run!”

Ed slammed his jaw shut and turned on his human heel to sprint after
me. “You, but, what, how?”

“I lied to her,” I said. “Talk later. Run now!” The ground
was uneven, covered with dust and loose stone that made getting a
good sprint impossible. Ed might have been able to outdistance me,
but he had to control his pace to account for the dead weight of his
artificial leg. We probably made it fifteen meters down the slope
before I heard the roar behind us.

“MOTHER!”

I risked a glance over my shoulder, trusting my memory for a second.
The bridge I had transmuted collapsed in a pile of carved rock.
Tsubaki leaped over the pile and raced after us, her legs practically
blurring. There was no way we could outrun her at this pace.

I cursed under my breath and skidded to a stop. “Don't stop, keep
going!” I shouted.

“What, are you crazy?” Ed slowed down.

“You can't fight her with that leg slowing you down,” I told
him. “And that wound will only grow worse if you aggravate it. Now
run!”

“I can't leave you!”

“I swear to God, Edward Elric!” I grabbed his collar and lifted
him off his feet. “If you get yourself killed trying to save me, I
will never forgive you. Now GO!” I pushed him away and he stumbled
a few steps back. His eyes widened. I didn't care about his feelings
at that point. As long as he lived. That was all that mattered.

“Da-damn it!” Ed turned and ran as fast as his heavy metal leg
allowed. I spun in place to face the charging for of Tsubaki. She dug
in her heels and came to a stop a few meters from me.

“I revise my opinion. I'm not disappointed.” She snapped her
hands to the side and the claws flared from her fingers. “I'm
annoyed.”

I turned to face her head on. I had no knife. There was no way I
could create an alchemy circle, especially not with the limited
circles I had memorized. Still, I couldn't help but smirking. “It
was for your own good, dear.”

Her frown deepened for a moment, then she broke into a grin and
laughed. “What's that old saying, we always hurt the ones we love?”

She came in fast, almost faster than I could react. Almost. I threw
myself backwards. Painful lines raced across my chest. I landed, my
feet slipping in the shale. My hand came down, steadied myself. There
was no time to prepare.

I jumped forward. Her eyes widened. I crashed into her shoulder
first. I pinned one arm to her waist. We both went tumbling
backwards up the cliff, briefly defying gravity. Then it took over
and we were rolling with increasing speed down the incline.

Outcrops and loose rocks pounded into my body as I wrestled with her
for control. My still tender ribs and shoulder throbbed. My breath
came in burning gasps. My free hand snapped out and grabbed her free
wrist. I had to keep her from using those claws, no matter what. It
was the only chance I had. She jerked her arm, very nearly
dislocating my bad shoulder. My God she was strong. Nobody who looked
that demure should be that strong.

Our chaotic tumble came to a stop when a boulder broke our momentum.
Somehow she took the worst of it rather than me. Her back arched and
she cried out in pain as the boulder crushed her spine. Her head
lolled forward and she coughed blood onto my arms. I stared as the
blood slowly vanished. It was sinking into my skin. I could
feel it. My wounded shoulder stopped throbbing.

“What the hell...”

“Blood is thicker,” Tsubaki grinned. I tried to snap my
attention back to her, but it was too late, she had recovered while I
was distracted. Her head slammed into mine. Black comets raced across
my vision. When I came too I was sliding away from her, the back of
my shirt disintegrating.

I rolled and used the momentum to fling myself to my feet. I landed
unsteadily. Tsubaki took a moment to adjust her hair as she rose to
stand before me. “What exactly do you hope to accomplish?” she
asked. “You can't kill me. Not as you are now.”

“I've already done it,” I said. “Hopefully Ed is halfway down
the mountain by now. He's resourceful and experienced. Once he gets
into the valleys and ridges and cliffs down there, you'll never find
him.”

“All this to protect one human?” A sneer of disgust crawled
across her face. “You really do need a lot of work before you'll be
ready.”

“I'll fight you to the end,” I spat.

Her sneer transformed into a lascivious smile. “Let's play rough
then.”

She came in fast again, but this time her claws had vanished. I
tried to meet her head on, but somehow she sidestepped me in
mid-rush. Her hand came down on the back of my neck. I collapsed to
the ground.

My ribs spiked in pain as her foot caught me, lifted me off the
ground, threw me back into the boulder. I didn't have the breath to
scream as I slid to the ground. Somehow, I managed to get a hand
under me. My other arm scrambled for purchase on the boulder,
dragging me up to my feet.

“Still standing? I'm impressed.”

I pushed away from the rock and raised my hands in a boxing stance.
My fists kept waving in the air. This time all I could do was brace
for her charge. She broke through my guard like it wasn't even there.
Her fist drove into my underarm, my side, my back in rapid
succession, spinning me like a top. She guided me with one palm and
struck with on fist. It was like some sick ballet, but instead of
dancing she reduced me to a bruised and bloody mess.

Contemptuously she pushed me away from her as I swayed and blinked
in the air. Half my vision had vanished into a black fog, the rest
refused to stay in focus. I saw her blur forward. Then her heel
pistoned into my chest, and her knee cracked into my jaw. I floated.
I crashed.

“Just give up,” Tsubaki said, her voice practically begging.
“I'll even promise not to go after Fullmetal. I don't want to hurt
you anymore.”

“Haf to kill me...” I managed to say around the pain in my jaw.
My hand searched for purchase, found it. My leg bunched. Slowly,
agonizingly, I got to me feet. “Nefer gonna... help you...”

Tsubaki clutched her hands into fists. Was she crying? I couldn't
make out enough of her face to see, but I could hear a hitch in her
voice. She stepped forward slowly, raising one hand.

Then a yellow-topped blur landed beside her, a long brown thing at
it side. Her raised fist dropped. The arm attached to it fell to the
ground. I could imagine her look of shock.

“Gotcha!” Ed cried, and spun, driving the haft of the spear
against her remaining arm. Tsubaki screamed in pain as she was sent
tumbling back. Ed reversed his grip on the spear. He charged into
her, driving the point through her other arm. The both of them rushed
backwards for a half-dozen steps. There was a shriek of metal against
stone as Ed drove the blade into the boulder. He staggered back,
breathing hard.

“You came back...” I breathed. Of all the stupid, asshole thing
to do! I threw myself into a fight I couldn't win to give him a
chance to escape and he throws that away by coming back! How could he
be so rude! How could he discard my feeling so easily! I was probably
never happier.

My vision was clearing and I could see Ed was smiling at me. “If I
left you alone with her, that would make me the monster.” He turned
back to Tsubaki. His shoulder was wrapped in crude bandages. Her
missing arm was reforming itself even as the one Ed had chopped off
disintegrated into a cloud of blue sparks. She hissed and brought up
her unpinned arm, slashing the spearhead dug into her bicep to
shreds.

“I told the others that sparing Fullmetal was a stupid plan.
You're the one that turned Mother against us.” She charged at him.
“For that, you die!”

Ed tried to dodge, but his artificial leg was too heavy and ungainly
to allow him to get out of the way in time. I cried out wordlessly
and ran to him, grabbed his shoulders and threw him behind me as I
pulled myself into the path of the incoming claws. My eyes closed...

...and I was still alive?

I opened my unswollen eye cautiously. My vision immediately focused
on the small black spine hovering his in front of my pupil. Tsubaki
was sweating, her eyes wide with relief as she stood overextended. Ed
appeared from around me side and hopped forward, bringing up his
metal leg into the air, then down like an axe into her face. She
crashed to the side, rolling away and too her feet. Ed landed, wiping
his hand to the side, pressing it against the ground.

“Quick, the array!”

I looked behind me. There, draw in his blood, was a hasty array. I
dropped to my knees and pressed a palm against it. The voices sang.
A long shafted spear practically erupted from the ground. Ed reached
over and caught it as it fell, spun it once around himself and
settled the tip pointing at her. “Not bad, little heavy on the back
end, but good work.”

“You...” Tsubaki's eyes narrowed.

“Shut up,” I snapped. “You can't kill me.” Her gaze floated
to me. “I'm too important to your plans, so against me, those fancy
claws are just for show.” I didn't take my eyes off her. “Ed, I
am your shield. You are the spear. Together we can beat her.”

“Damn straight!” Ed laughed. “Go!”

Somehow my aching legs found the strength to run. I heard the
pat-clank-pat-clank of Ed following in my footsteps. Tsubaki growled
and tried to shift to the side, give herself a clear shot. But I
moved in tune with her, keeping my body between us. Finally we
closed. “Right shoulder!” Ed cried. His spear came in under my
right arm, aiming up. Tsubaki grinned and began to bring her claws
down. I punched out, my arm practically mirroring the spear, floating
alongside it. Her claws stopped before they touched me. The spear
drove into her shoulder.

“Legs!” I screamed as Ed pulled the spear free. I jumped up,
doing the splits in mid-air. Her shoulder was already regenerating,
but both her arms were above my legs and she couldn't bring her claws
down without hitting me. She dashed backwards, the blade scoring an
angry red line along her right calf before she was out of range. Her
eyes widened in shock.

I ran after her and now she was retreating from us. “Left side!”
Ed's spear cut into her flank as I blocked her arm with my left.
“Right thigh!” Another strike, this time I ducked my head into
the path of her claws as Ed gouged her. “Heart!” I couldn't even
tell who was shouting the instructions and who was responding
anymore. She scrambled backwards, only getting a small nick. She
wasn't even trying to parry anymore.

“Right arm!”

“Left flank!”

“Liver!”

“Right foot!”

“Left elbow!”

“Head!”

Tsubaki stumbled away, clutching at the bleeding gouge in her
forehead. Her eyes were filled with fury and pain. Ed was panting
behind me. I was barely standing. Her back was to a cliff. Nowhere
else for her to retreat.

“You'll run out of lives eventually, just give up,” Ed ordered
evenly.

“Heh. Haha. Oh, that look in your face.” Her smile was wide and
she straightened her back, gesturing to her sides in surrender. “I
love it. Those hard eyes, willing to kill but not wanting to. Now
maybe I see what Mother sees in you.” She glanced at me. “It
appears my powers are particularly unsuited to taking you back with
me in one piece, and since you are so determined.” She grabbed one
arm by the wrist and then pulled the hand away just as quickly. Red
flowed. “A parting gift.” Before I could react she flicked her
wrist and the blood splattered against my chest. I cried out, but it
felt warm. I heard...

It was like a dozen screams ran through my body.

...and then I shook my head. The pain was gone.

“I leave her in your hands, Fullmetal. Teach her well. We'll met
again.” And with that she stepped off the cliff.

“Damn it!” Ed shouted and ran to the edge of the cliff, but her
figure had already vanished into the maze of rock down below. “She
got away...” His hands tightened on the spear.

“At least we're alive,” I said softly.

“Yeah, but she'll be back. And next time, she'll bring friends.”

“Then I suggest we get moving.”

*

“This is ridiculous!”

“Stop shouting, you'll scare him.”

“I'm riding on a monster,” Ed pointed out.

The ground was flying by beneath us. The animals made soft 'kweh'
sounds as their powerful hind legs propelled us across the uneven
ground. The first time one of them jumped a three meter wide crevice
Ed had shrieked like a little girl, his arms wrapped firmly around
the animals thick neck.

“They're not monsters.” I pulled on the reins of mine, steering
him towards what looked like a break in the mountains. Ed's followed
me, since he was mainly just clinging to it and looking miserable.
“They're called ostrich-horses.”

“They're chimera,” Ed insisted, sticking out his tongue. “Where
I come from, these things are illegal!”

“Aw, come off it. They're obviously native animals.” I pointed
to a pair of deer-like creatures with huge curving horns. “I've
never seen animals like that either.”

“Chimera,” Ed insisted.

“And the pigs back at Tyro's village. They had wool. Wool on a
pig, Ed.”

“Chimera, chimera, chimera!”

I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to the path ahead of
us. “Well, going back to get them was still a good idea. We're
moving much faster now.”

“I'd prefer to walk,” Ed whined.

“What, does your little butt hurt?” I teased.

“Thathasnothingtodowithit!” Ed returned far too quickly.

“Poor baby. Ask me nice and I may massage it better when we stop!”
I called over my shoulder. Then I stopped and gulped, my face
suddenly turning red. A silence descended between us. Great, here I
was practically his clone and I was hitting on him. Plus apparently I
ate blood through my skin to heal. Could I get any more creepy? I
desperately changed the topic to the first thing to come to mind.

“Why did she keep calling you Fullmetal?”

“...it was my title.” Ed coughed. “The Fullmetal Alchemist.”

“Title? Like from a king?”

“The military.” Ed paused. “Every alchemist who worked for the
state received a title to show their specialization. Flame Alchemist,
Strong Arm Alchemist and so on. I was Fullmetal, because of my
automail arm and leg.”

“You worked for the military?”

“...yeah.”

I considered asking why he was so adamant about not working for the
Earth Kingdom now, but I think that question answered itself. “What
about that woman, what was she?”

“Her real name is Lust.”

I pulled my ostrich-horse back a bit as we started down the
foothills. A wide plain stretched out before us. Thankfully the
saddle-bags had some supplies in them, even if they had been only out
for a short run to catch us. Fong must have planned ahead in case we
managed to give him the slip at the escape tunnel. Ed's mount slowed
to keep pace with mine, a fact for which Ed was obviously grateful.

“She's a homonculus.” He collected his thought as he sat up
gingerly in his saddle. “There is a form of forbidden alchemy which
can steal a person's life, their soul. Their Gate. It converts their
bodies into a red liquid we call the Philosopher's Stone. With the
Stone you can bypass the Toll from the Gate and exceed the laws of
Equivalent Exchange, but each time you do so you use up some of the
Gates stored in the Stone.” He stared out across the plain.

“Back home some fools were tricked into sacrificing an entire
country, millions of people, to form a massively powerful
Philosopher's Stone. They thought it would make them immortal. It
did, in a sick way. They lived on, trapped inside the Stone while the
very first Homonculus, whom they called Father, absorbed it and
gained all its powers.

“Father then concentrated all the human emotions from the people
he absorbed into seven collections of emotion and... pushed them out
of himself along with portions of his Philosopher's Stone. Those are
the homonculi. Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath and Pride.”

“Seven of those monsters?” I winced. “And Father? What does
that have to do with what they called me? Mother...”

“I don't know what it has to do with you.” He looked back at me.
“But even if you are an artificial being that doesn't mean you
aren't human. In the end, Greed turned his back on Father and
sacrificed himself to save us all. Your origin isn't your destiny.”

“How long have you suspected...”

“I suspected since they put you in the cell.” Ed looked down.
“Father created his own body out of the cells of my biological
father, and was basically his twin. When you managed to do alchemy
without any training and just a hastily assembled array, which is so
improbable its practically impossible, my suspicion grew.” He
paused. “But then you never acted like Father, or used any of his
powers. You kept risking yourself to help others, even people who
were your enemies. Father would never have done that. He murdered his
own children if it would get him one more scrap of power.”

I looked down, our mounts had ambled to a stop at some point.

“I trust you,” he said. “With your help, we can stop them from
doing to this continent what they tried to do to mine.”

“How?”

“We teach you alchemy.”

“But that's exactly what they want!” I protested. “How can we
be sure that if I learn too much, I won't remember doing horrible
things and then...”

Ed nudged his mount closer to mine. “I just said I trusted you,
didn't I?” he said. “Besides, they are going to come back for
you. They're persistent if nothing else. If you can't defend yourself
they will take you. So what if they want me to teach you alchemy?
We'll give them what they want, all right. We'll give them so much of
it, they won't know what hit them!”

I couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm. “Okay, but aside from
that?”

“I still want to rescue my brother, but if the homonculi are
holding him that's just gotten even more difficult. Can we risk
walking into an obvious trap with you unprepared?”

“What about the Earth Kingdom?” I said. “Do you think they
know what's happening in their own borders?”

“Maybe. I doubt they know the whole deal. If the homonculi are
working with the Fire Nation they can't have let the Earth Kingdom
know that. Plus the ultimate plan will involve sacrificing ever
living soul on the continent, including their patsies.” he paused.
“Fong certainly was surprised. So not everyone is in on it, at
least.”

“So maybe we can make our way to the head of the Earth Kingdom in
their main city, see if we can warn them about the danger?”

Ed shrugged. “We need allies. I only one last time because so many
people were willing to risk everything to stop them and help me.”

“The Avatar?” I asked.

“Yeah, but where is he?” Ed looked glum. “I have no idea
what's happening on this contient. Who we can trust and who we can't.
The Earth Kingdom already betrayed us once...”

“So, where can we get help...” I mused aloud.

Two votes this time!
[ ]Head North, the Avatar was last seen there and its close to that
Point Mako we learned about.

[ ]Head East, to the capital of the Earth Kingdom, Ba Sing Se.

[ ]Head South, the priority is getting away from the homonculi for
now, allies can come later.
[ ]Head East, back to Tongli. Tyro helped us once, and maybe we can
check on Haru to see if he's been rescued/found. If not, help with that.

Ed doesn't have unlimited time to teach me alchemy, he should focus
on:

[ ]Teaching me how to protect people (including myself).
[ ]Teaching me how to attack my enemies.
[ ]Teaching me non-combat ulility/combat avoidance techniques.
[ ]Forget alchemy, I want to learn some of those martial arts moves
he knows.
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Epsilon