All A Dream full story

CHAPTER 1

“I’m sorry.” The words escaped his dry lips. He lay on his back, facing the leaking ceiling of the xenotime hotel. Alphonse had been traveling, looking for something to bring his brother back, anything to bring him back. He had hoped Russell and Fletcher could help him, but alas, they haven’t made any progress on the stone since they were last here as ‘imposters’. Al had been searching all day; he was tired, lonely, and crying. “I’m so-so-,” his eyelids closed, “ry…” sleep claimed him.
Something smaller was spooned up to him when he awoke. The blonde’s eyes snapped open, only to find him buried in golden hair. ‘Eh?’ was the only thing his mind could process. Afraid of this new companion he gathered himself and kicked whomever it was to the floor in a ‘THUMP’. The boy tried to stand up, “Are…kuso. What are you trying to do? Break my back? Ugh, I swear…” he is on his knees now and twirls around to meet the sight of Alphonse. Al’s eyes widen in both fear and utter shock, “Your…your back?” he stumbled out next to Ed, but noticed he looked younger than usual. “Where would I go? Jeez..” Edward’s words trailed on but Al’s brain could not process what was happening ‘He is back. He is back. He is back.’ These words scrolled among his thoughts over and over until he realized where he was and what was happening. The younger Elric launched himself at the older and hugged him to no end. “What the hell, Aru…” but he was caught off by a pair of soft lips on his own. “I missed you.” ‘It was all a dream. It was all a dream, the 4 years of traveling, the 2 agonizing years without brother was just one night’s worth of my mind’s creation.’ He pulled back for air and looked at the 11 year old, shocked none the less, Ed in front of him. “What did you miss me from…” was all he could say at the moment still in partial shock. “You’ll never know.”


CHAPTER 2

“Ha ha! Hey Al! A slug with a broken leg could beat you!” “Very funny, Brother, heh.”  I feel the wind in my short hair, just as I did in my dream. What seemed like 6 years was just my mind’s trickery. Or was it? It seems so similar… We run up to the door. “Hello Mom! Sorry were late!” Ed says happily and I recall the familiar moment. Wait….no…this can’t happen again. My eyes widen at the scene playing once again in front of my eyes. Moms dead. “Huh! Mom!” Ed drops his basket and I run to her side as well. The sweat runs down her face and Ed runs to get Auntie Pinako. “Mom….hang in there…” I whisper, but I know it’s no use.

Later that night

“Ed,” he looks up at me, “Y-yeah?” he croaks out watching Mom’s chest rise and fall roughly. “Mom…mom is going…going to die. In about an hour…” I mumble sadly and look at him, his eyes full of hurt looking into mine. “How can you say that!? How can you just claim such a thing!? AL!” he comes up and shakes my shirt. I look down at my finger, and see the scar from the night we tried to bring her back. “Never mind...the doctor told me…” I lie to him; I know that my actions won’t change the course of time. Because it has already happened. “Oh…sorry.” His eyes drop and he lets the truth sink in. Ed moves to the side of the bed and holds her hand one last time. We see her mouth out silent words, and her eyes fall dismal…I was wrong? Maybe time just went slower for me before. I stay silent, but my brother starts to sob and cry, shaking Mom, and talking to her soulless body. “A-al, why!? Why did she leave us!? Tell me THAT!” He looks at me with pleading eyes. “She left us…so we could find ourselves.”



CHAPTER 3

“Al, we’re going to get her back.”

I look up at him, “But…BROTHER!”

“Shut up, we’re doing it.”

I look up at him, tears in my eyes. This can’t happen again! Never!!



“Brother…we won’t be able to do it…” I say as he pricks his finger and hands me the knife. “What are you talking about, we’re in too far to go back now!” He smiles, oblivious. “I-I’ll lose m-my...body…” I hang my head. He looks at me and backs away, “What are you talking about? Al, the theory is perfect.” He laughs lightly, “That’s just it…it’s not. I’ll lose my body, and you’ll lose your leg…one drop of blood isn’t enough. The only thing we’ll make is a monster…that wants to kill…kill us.”  I peek at his expression, confused. “Al, where are you getting this junk?” Ed starts to hystericly laugh, “Your nuts! Absolutely nuts!” he falls over laughing. “Brother-“ I hold out my hand. “No-no stop, your too much!” He keels over laughing at me. “You all think I’m making this up…don’t you?” I squint my eyes and tears form, “You don’t get it!” I lash out, “I’ve seen this before! All of it!” I scream at him. “What?” he wipes a tear from his eye. “I’ve already seen what will happen if we do this…” I say softer. “Shaddup, come on. We have to do this.” He kneels and looks at the circle smiling. “Mom.” He whispers and looks at the dish of minerals. I remember what Noah did, how she saw Ed’s memories… and decided to see if something worked. I walk over to my brother…and put my forehead to his, clapping my hands together, I place them on his head. Instantly I feel my mind barrier break. “Al, what the hell is this?” He screams, seeing grizzly images of Greed, Nina, Wrath, Izumi sensei, and tonight…6 years ago. “See…what we have to go through? See…what I have gone through. I don’t want to again Brother, I don’t.” I shake my head, and lean back to look at his face. Morbid. Horrified. Scared. He reaches up and touches me with his index finger on my forehead. I nod and he gets up, kicking the dish over. “You know, we still have to deal with other things, like the Homunculus…and the new seventh sin…whoever that may be.” I make a point, he nods in return. “We are not going to be a part of this dream any more…this nightmare.”


CHAPTER 4




“We won’t be part of this dream anymore…this nightmare.”

“Yeah, but…how?”

I grin, “Training of course.”

He furrows his eyebrows at this, “Whaddaya mean?”

“It’s time we visit our old teacher.” I glance over at him, he seems confused. Unlike in the past, we didn’t get a teacher before bringing our mother back.

“We need to head to Dublith.” I stand up and hold out my hand, “Come on.”



“Two tickets for a ride to Dublith please.” I hold out the money for the train tickets, and take the papers the man gives me. “Come on Brother,” I drag him along by the hand. “We have to go find out where we’re sitting.” We make it onto the platform and find train Y7, cart B.

            “Here we are.” I set my things down and flop onto the seat. “It’s been forever since I’ve seen teacher alive!” I laugh, “What happened to Izumi?” Brother asks, “Well, when she made her homunculus she sacrificed her-“I cut off my sentence and my eyes widen, “How did you know her name?” I ask excitedly, “Dunno…”he scratches his head, “Maybe you can remember, too!” I shout happily. Brother is coming back to me, maybe he can remember, too! So I’m not the only one! I launch myself onto him, “Can you!?” I shake him, “Can you remember anything?” I look into his eyes, and he looks back into mine. “I don’t know right now, Al, I just don’t. I guess we’ll wait.



Xxx FLASHBACK xxX



“Nii…san.”

Ed stops digging and looks over in disbelief.

“NII-SAN!”

“OW!”

“NII-SANN!”

“OWW!!”

“Nii-san, Nii-san!!”

“OUCH!”

I stop and let him out of my metal grip, “Were you always this tall?”

“Al... WHADDAYA MEAN ‘were you always this tall’!?!?” He hits my head off.

I grab it from the air and look around, someone shouts “The Devil has been set lose!” and we are under fire, “Did you do something again? You’re always getting into trouble.” I look over at him accusingly.

“Why you…” he shakes his fist at me and looks around, “Lets get out of here!”

He grabs onto my back and throws armor at them, screaming the whole while.

“Run!”

“Which way!?” we skid into the hall

“Run!!”

“Which way!?”

“Just RUN!” He holds onto my shoulders and screams into where my ear would be.

“Which way!” we run off and my voice disappears down the hall.

Both of us sit down, “This is in the gate? It’s so beautiful.” I observe the faint city of lights and soothing sounds of cars.

“It’s beyond the gate,” he sits down and takes my arm in his grasp, and almost clings to it, “but more importantly, you’re really Al?” He seems fazed “But, why are you still armor?” He glances up, looking hurt.

“Still?” I ponder this, “Oh, you mean when I used to pretend to be an armor.” He looks confused.

“I’m sorry Brother, I can’t remember anything. That night we transmuted mom…then I realized I was being taken too central by a girl named Rosé.” I shake my head, and the image of him starts to fade. “I’ll open the door from our side, and then I can get you back!”

He clings to my arm again, “Al! Al!!”

I wake up on the other side, and feel hysterical.



Xxx END FLASHBACK xxX



I wake up and glance at the time; we have another hour to go until we reach Dublith.

“You’re awake?” Ed says indifferently and looks out the window, “I’ve been thinking about those dreams of yours.” His eyes glance down, “Was it my entire fault?” He holds out his right arm and looks at it, as if it were made of some alien substance. “I never even told you about your arm yet, only your leg.” I muffle, and he shrugs, “I had a…flashback I guess you could call it.” Ed looks at me with intensity in his eyes, “You were gone, and…there was blood, oh so much blood. My blood I guess…and, this thing on your back.” He reaches for me, I let him, and he pulls my shirt off. A look of astonishment crossed with horror sits upon his face. “Your blood seal.”

CHAPTER 5

“I had a…flashback I guess you could call it.” Ed looks at me with intensity in his eyes, “You were gone, and…there was blood, oh so much blood. My blood I guess…and, this thing on your back.” He reaches for me, I let him, and he pulls my shirt off. A look of astonishment crossed with horror sits upon his face. “Your blood seal.”



“But why is it still there?” he asks,

“I don’t know, I still have injuries and scars from my past…our past, er, future I guess you could call it.” My eyes light up when he nods, “Brother, come here for a second.” Ed gives me a confused glance and sits down next to me, “Let me see your right arm for a second.” I ruffle his shirt’s sleeve up and see what I was looking for. “The scar the fox gave you!” I laugh at the look on his face, “I was bitten by a fox? What the heck were we doing back then!?” I wave in his face, “No time for that now, we’ll talk about that later, unless you get some memories back.”

            He’s just like me, when I forgot my memories. I smile at him and look back, thinking how much I missed him, Even though he is here, he isn’t the Brother that I knew…I frown at this, But he’s still here, and he has memories, too. Maybe Ed will come back to me. The sudden realization of this makes me miss him, miss him so much, make me think he is gone forever, think that he is dead…or worse. Make me want to see him again, feel him again, just a touch on the cheek, anything. As if reading my mind Brother reaches out and grabs my chin and makes me face him, “What’s your problem?” he demands, seeing my face change about 4 times in the last few seconds. I jolt at the sudden, cold, feeling of his hand. “What? Oh, uh, nothing. It’s ok, really.” I smile and scratch the back of my head.

“I’m not buying it.”

“No really! It’s not anything!”

“Really? Well your face went from happy, sad, confused, to horny in a minute or so.”

“Wha!?”

“Your face is too easy to read, Al.” he quirks his eyebrow.

“I wasn’t thinking about anything!”

“Oh really? Tell me then, what made you change faces so much?”

I blush and look away, avoiding the question. My blush increases and I try to keep it down.

“Al…”

“…”

“Al what is it?” he teases

“…nothing, none of your business.” Every part of my body hates me for not taking him up in my arms and squeezing the shit out of him…or worse. I like Ed? When the hell did this happen? I feel horrified.

“You are my business, spit it out.”

“No.” This is for your own good Ed, I don’t know what the hell I’ll do if you touch me again.

On cue he reaches for my face again, I catch his hand, “Al, its ok. You can tell me.”

My thumb wanders on the back of his hand, dammit, “I’ll tell you later, it doesn’t matter.” I lean back and try to sleep, still clinging to his hand. Ed pulls away and a whimper lingers from my lips, oops, “Keep your pants on,” he jokes and lifts my body up…then puts mine down against his, Ed encircles his arms around me and goes to sleep. I feel the soft gusts of his breath on my neck, feel his face against my shoulder and neck. Dammit Ed…I miss you. “I’m right here. Go to sleep.”

CHAPTER 6

I miss him so much.

“I’m right here, go to sleep.”

I nod my head and feel his breath fall steady on my neck as we take our ride to Dublith.

“Teacher…I hope you remember.”



His arm apparently found its way around my chest while we were asleep, I dare to open my eyes and see where I am. Apparently he was also cold, and used me as a blanket. I try to get away and he just pulls me closer, “Brother…wake up.” I try to wiggle again, but he just keeps pulling me back tighter, a few noises come out of him, and a whine or two about “Comfy.” And “Al, you squirm too much.” But he refuses to wake.

“Just like old times. Refusing to do anything he doesn’t find suitable.”

“What?”

“Eek!”

“Its only me calm yourself.”

“Eh..”

“And stop using me as a pillow!”

“ME.”

“Yes you!”

“You’re the one who has his arm around my waist!”

“Well, maybe you put it there!”

“I am offended!” I pin him down on the seat.

“You!? I’m the one who’s in an awkward position!”

“Do you have problems with awkward positions?” I raise my eyebrows, “You’re the one who was mumbling about being ‘comfy’ and that I ‘squirm too much’.”

His blush creeps onto his face, “You’re making things up again!”

“What do you mean by again?”

“OK, so maybe you don’t make things up…but why would I say something like that?”

“I dunno. It’s your mouth.” I poke him, still pinned to the red velvet seat of the train car.

The whistle of the train blows and he jerks up in fright, his face comes close to mine, and, by accident, our lips touch. He just sits there for a moment, still ‘kissing’ me I guess you could call it. Aw god Ed, you idiot. Now look what you’ve started. My head lowers and my eyes close.  He still doesn’t struggle, but his eyes widen a little. I push down more and it reminds me of the night I woke up, the night it all came to me.

Xxx FLASH BACK xxX

I feel something spooned up against me, and in fright I push it onto the ground, more like kicking it, but I don’t think it hurt the animal, so I wouldn’t call it a kick.

“Jeez, what was that for?” Ed rubs his hand on his head.

“You’re back?” I stare amazed.

“Where did I go?” He turns and looks at me.

I launch myself at him and…kiss him. He doesn’t fight back though.

“I missed you so much.”

Xxx END FLASHBACK xxX

I feel my eyes open again, and feel slightly sleepy. The same feeling of that night is back, a form is in front of me…and I’m kissing it, but, they aren’t the small lips of the 11 year old I was just kissing. They are older, more refined. I find my hands buried in golden hair, and look into the eyes of the person. Gold. “Ed?” I stare at the 18 year old…Am I back?





CHAPTER 7



Gold.

Am I back?

Ed?

What’s happening?

I…was kissing him…but he wasn’t him.

Why isn’t he fighting back?

Is he too stunned?

Did I disgust him?

I just…miss…miss him so much.

“Al?”

Ed breaks the silence outside my mind, “Al?”

I stay quiet, stunned at myself.

“What is this?”

“What do you mean?” I speak, my voice sounds as if it hasn’t been used in years.

“Weren’t we just on a train? Wait…no we were just at Alfonse’s funeral…” he looks so confused.

“What? That was you all the while?”

He nods, then shakes his head, then nods again. “Weren’t we just…here?”

“I don’t know.” The memory of the train and on starts to fade.

“Al…”

“Yes?”

“Why’d you kiss me?”

“You…I…uh.” Great, how do I get out of this one?

“Complete sentences, Al.”

I sigh then try again, “…because we’ve been through more than enough.”

“I know.”

“You-?”

He presses himself against me, trying to sever the space between us. I feel his hands run up my shirt and down again. I close my eyes, he puts his lips to mine. He smells of honey suckle and sun rays, my tongue feels the velvet softness of his lips, they part and he does the same.

“You’re warm.” Ed finds space between our bodies and whispers in my ear.

“Thanks to you.” I cling to him and fall into a drifting sleep.



~owari