Now that I’ve finished “A New Senshi” I have to admit I’m pretty sad. I’ve grown pretty close to my characters over the last month and a half that I’ve spent with them and it feels like I’m saying good-bye to a dear friend. That being said though I’m also very proud of myself for getting here. Until “A New Senshi” I had never written anything of this length and had never written a fan story before. It was actually a bit overwhelming when I sat down to start this. Pure determination actually was the only thing that really made me do it, proof to myself that I actually could. I also drew a lot of support and inspiration from knowing that as I posted this story to my writer’s blog, there were people reading it. I didn’t want to let them down either. Thank you for that.
There are a few things I think should be known about the worlds I drew from as well. I admit to taking quite a lot of liberties with the characters from the worlds I drew my inspiration from, the biggest liberty came in the form of Edward Elric and if you’ve ever seen or read Fullmetal Alchemist you know just how much liberty I took. I’d like to think that I explored a side of Ed that we never really got to see while journeying with him and his brother as they fought to find the philosopher’s stone and get their bodies back. That being said, the rest of these notes will be more about the exact worlds I drew from and some insights into why I chose them.
Sailor Moon – Naoko Takeuchi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailor_Moon
This is the first anime and manga I was ever fully exposed to and to this day remains one of my favorites. I worked primarily in 30th Century Crystal Tokyo as I knew it from the manga. When crafting Natalie’s rules and powers I drew very much on the way the outer scouts had been set up. It was actually a lot of fun to have my own sailor scout to play with. Believe it or not, even the rules I set for how Edward could gain Natalie’s life span were pretty close to truth from the original Sailor Moon story.
xxxHolic – CLAMP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XxxHolic
Holic is one of the two mangas responsible for my obsession with CLAMP. The other is Tsubasa: The Reservoir Chronicle. For those that have read Tsubasa you will actually understand the reference I made to Sakura and her party in Section 10.2 when James is explaining to Natalie where he’s been. These two stories go very much together. Using Yuko and her shop just seemed very natural to me given that Yuko is the Time/Space Witch. I worked from the world established in the manga as I do enjoy the managa more than the anime that was created from it. It is decent though and I would definitely tell anyone it’s worth checking out, but the manga in this case was far better.
Fullmetal Alchemist – Hiromu Arakawa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist
This one is very easily and very quickly becoming my favorite anime/manga story yet, even passing Sailor Moon. I pulled from everywhere for this one, the two animes (Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood), the manga, the movie (The Conqueror of Shambala), and even the second PS2 video game (Curse of the Crimson Elixir). When I set out to pick which Edward to use it was a tough choice between the one from Brotherhood and the one from the original anime. I had actually thought that saving the original anime Edward would be the reason for Natalie to meet him and the reason why he would travel with her. The more I thought about it though the more I didn’t want to do that. My reason was simple; I thought it would be too complicated given that Alphonse was also trapped in the alternate world with him. He wouldn’t leave his little brother there. So I decided to use the Edward from Brotherhood instead. I know I probably pissed off every person who thought that Edward and Winry belonged together too. I didn’t think so, not in Brotherhood anyway, and that was also a part of the reason why I picked that Edward to be the one who fell in love with Natalie. I actually thought that the Winry in the original anime deserved to get him more than the Winry in Brotherhood did so I took the liberty of setting that little bit straight. As for the reference to the game I made, well that was a small one. The ring that the original Edward gave to the Brotherhood Edward, it was the ring that Edward picks up and uses in the Curse of the Crimson Elixir game. (The game is based on the original anime story.) In the game he loses it but hey I was already taking liberties so why not one more right?
Black Butler – Yana Toboso
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Butler
The smaller part of this world that played into my story is drawn from both the anime and manga for this story. I admit to only including this because I wanted a chance to write a little for Sebastian. I also figured given Natalie’s abilities, it would be fun to have a ferryman meet a demon. When I originally set out to write this though, I had more planned for the Black Butler world, even a meeting with the Grim Reapers. In actually writing though I just felt it was too much. I may go back someday and add it all in though, but I wouldn’t count on it too much.
Negima! Magister Negi Magi – Ken Akamatsu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negima!_Magister_Negi_Magi
This is probably the most fun manga I’ve ever read even given how dark and serious it can be. I just loved the idea of being able to have my characters play around during the school festival so I had to work this one in. There are two animes for this as well but if you’re going to indulge yourself in this world as I have the manga is the only way to do it. The portion of the world that I used came exclusively from the manga. The ball here was probably the biggest liberty I took since in the manga this doesn’t happen but I thought it would fun to be able to manipulate Negi in his teen-age form even if it was only briefly. I also loved the idea of making my own pactio contract. At first I thought Natalie would make it with Negi and that would be the point where Edward got jealous but then I got the ball idea and liked that more. I couldn’t abandon the pactio idea though. Oh and if you’re wondering how a permanent contract is made, well, sadly you will have to wait right along with me as Akamatsu-san has yet to even write about it enough to know too much about it.
Bleach – Tite Kubo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleach_%28manga%29
This one is just all sorts of butt-kicking fun and I had to use it. I didn’t want to make this about Ichigo though and it actually stemmed from a joke my husband I made about Toshiro. I forget now exactly what brought it up but I ended up describing the shopping scene as part of the joke. I loved it and wanted to use it too. I have to admit thought to only having this really here as a way to move Natalie and Edward’s relationship.
Thank you everyone who stuck with me for this, I appreciate you all.
Vee – The Sailor Midnyght Alchemist
Thursday, October 20, 2011
A New Senshi: Chapter 11.3 - A Letter To Those Left Behind
Dear Yuko,
It’s been quite a long time since I saw you last and I’m sorry it took this long to write my first letter to you. I hope this letter finds you and Watanuki well. Things have been so busy and crazy here since we got back though, if I’m right, it hasn’t been nearly as long a time there as it has been here.
Edward and I were married soon after coming back since it would seem that you had been right and the keeper hadn’t taken away my ability to have children. It was actually good that we’d already planned to do it, we just moved ahead a little faster than we had planned on. But we all know how destiny or hitsuzen works, we can’t fight it, just choose how we get there. The girls were born not too long later, twins, Amy and Nina. Thanks for the advice on their names by the way, they really were great little girl names. They’re seven now and quite a handful but we couldn’t have asked for more perfect little ones. I’ve included pictures of them and from the wedding and from lots of other points in our lives so far so you can share them.
Edward has gone back to being a State Alchemist too, but thankfully now that Mustang is in charge of the military here, being a State Alchemist doesn’t mean he has to be a human weapon or a “dog of the military” anymore. Actually he’s become a teacher. Imagine that, Edward a teacher. Aspiring alchemists from all over Amestris come to Resembool to learn alchemy from him. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised given the fact that he was the youngest State Alchemist in history and one of the people that saved Amestris from complete destruction. I even used the idea of him teaching me alchemy to get close to him to begin with. I can’t miss the irony in that. His brother Alphonse helps him out from time to time considering he’s pretty gifted himself and a master of not only Amestrian alchemy but Xingese alchehestry as well.
Alphonse actually spends the majority of his time with May at their clinic though. They were married about a year after Edward and me and their son, Maes, was born about a year later. The girls pick on him something terrible but protect him just as much. If you didn’t know better you’d swear he was their little brother not their cousin.
Amy and Nina are showing a lot of promise in alchemy already too. I try to get them to leave it be until they’re older but I can’t argue when Edward counters with how young he learned to do it so I’ve given in and let him teach them. Though I can see powers like mine growing in Nina so I know it won’t be too long before I’ll be teaching her of the responsibilities that go along with it. I’m just hoping the power doesn’t completely awaken until she’s at least 18, the age I was when I received my power.
Izumi and Sig visit often too. She insists that the girls need to learn martial arts as well and though Edward and I train them regularly, she always says we’re too soft with them. Neither Edward nor I stop her though; we know she won’t be coming to visit much longer. Even now, they don’t visit as often as they did. Izumi’s health has really turned for the worse but we’re all just glad she has lasted this long. She’s been a world of help to me and she treats the girls like her own grandchildren but then Edward and Alphonse were like sons to her.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that we’re going to be blessed one more time. We recently found out that we’re going to be having another baby. Edward says he hopes for a little boy this time but I know he feels the same way I do, it doesn’t matter if it’s a little boy or a little girl, we’ll be happy just as long the baby is healthy. May and Alphonse have been seeing to that though.
Our little house in Resembool is so full of life and love and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. We’ve been truly blessed for all of the heartache and pain we’ve both had to endure to get here. Everyone gathers at our house regularly and there’s so much laughter and good times it makes everything else seem like another life.
When you see my father again, when you talk to my mother and my friends, please let them know that things are good here and that I miss them and think of them often. I hope their lives are filled with as much joy as mine is.
Hopefully I’ll hear from you soon. Thank you again for everything you’ve done and that you’re doing for me and for Edward.
Natalie Elric
Just as Natalie finished the letter and was sealing it in an envelope, Edward came in from outside. “Hey beautiful, what’s taking so long? The girls are getting antsy and they won’t start their alchemy lesson if you’re not there too.”
Natalie chuckled and quickly transformed to make the portal to send the letter. “I’ll be along in a second. Just need to send this to Yuko.” With the portal open she slipped the letter in and closed it. Changing back she took Edward’s hand and kissed him on the cheek. “Alright dear, let’s get going. We can’t keep Amy and Nina waiting now can we?”
END
It’s been quite a long time since I saw you last and I’m sorry it took this long to write my first letter to you. I hope this letter finds you and Watanuki well. Things have been so busy and crazy here since we got back though, if I’m right, it hasn’t been nearly as long a time there as it has been here.
Edward and I were married soon after coming back since it would seem that you had been right and the keeper hadn’t taken away my ability to have children. It was actually good that we’d already planned to do it, we just moved ahead a little faster than we had planned on. But we all know how destiny or hitsuzen works, we can’t fight it, just choose how we get there. The girls were born not too long later, twins, Amy and Nina. Thanks for the advice on their names by the way, they really were great little girl names. They’re seven now and quite a handful but we couldn’t have asked for more perfect little ones. I’ve included pictures of them and from the wedding and from lots of other points in our lives so far so you can share them.
Edward has gone back to being a State Alchemist too, but thankfully now that Mustang is in charge of the military here, being a State Alchemist doesn’t mean he has to be a human weapon or a “dog of the military” anymore. Actually he’s become a teacher. Imagine that, Edward a teacher. Aspiring alchemists from all over Amestris come to Resembool to learn alchemy from him. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised given the fact that he was the youngest State Alchemist in history and one of the people that saved Amestris from complete destruction. I even used the idea of him teaching me alchemy to get close to him to begin with. I can’t miss the irony in that. His brother Alphonse helps him out from time to time considering he’s pretty gifted himself and a master of not only Amestrian alchemy but Xingese alchehestry as well.
Alphonse actually spends the majority of his time with May at their clinic though. They were married about a year after Edward and me and their son, Maes, was born about a year later. The girls pick on him something terrible but protect him just as much. If you didn’t know better you’d swear he was their little brother not their cousin.
Amy and Nina are showing a lot of promise in alchemy already too. I try to get them to leave it be until they’re older but I can’t argue when Edward counters with how young he learned to do it so I’ve given in and let him teach them. Though I can see powers like mine growing in Nina so I know it won’t be too long before I’ll be teaching her of the responsibilities that go along with it. I’m just hoping the power doesn’t completely awaken until she’s at least 18, the age I was when I received my power.
Izumi and Sig visit often too. She insists that the girls need to learn martial arts as well and though Edward and I train them regularly, she always says we’re too soft with them. Neither Edward nor I stop her though; we know she won’t be coming to visit much longer. Even now, they don’t visit as often as they did. Izumi’s health has really turned for the worse but we’re all just glad she has lasted this long. She’s been a world of help to me and she treats the girls like her own grandchildren but then Edward and Alphonse were like sons to her.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that we’re going to be blessed one more time. We recently found out that we’re going to be having another baby. Edward says he hopes for a little boy this time but I know he feels the same way I do, it doesn’t matter if it’s a little boy or a little girl, we’ll be happy just as long the baby is healthy. May and Alphonse have been seeing to that though.
Our little house in Resembool is so full of life and love and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. We’ve been truly blessed for all of the heartache and pain we’ve both had to endure to get here. Everyone gathers at our house regularly and there’s so much laughter and good times it makes everything else seem like another life.
When you see my father again, when you talk to my mother and my friends, please let them know that things are good here and that I miss them and think of them often. I hope their lives are filled with as much joy as mine is.
Hopefully I’ll hear from you soon. Thank you again for everything you’ve done and that you’re doing for me and for Edward.
Natalie Elric
Just as Natalie finished the letter and was sealing it in an envelope, Edward came in from outside. “Hey beautiful, what’s taking so long? The girls are getting antsy and they won’t start their alchemy lesson if you’re not there too.”
Natalie chuckled and quickly transformed to make the portal to send the letter. “I’ll be along in a second. Just need to send this to Yuko.” With the portal open she slipped the letter in and closed it. Changing back she took Edward’s hand and kissed him on the cheek. “Alright dear, let’s get going. We can’t keep Amy and Nina waiting now can we?”
END
A New Senshi: Chapter 11.2 - Everyone Moves Forward Eventually
“May!” Edward said getting up from the couch to go give her a hug. “It has been a long time. What are you doing here?”
May and Alphonse looked at each other and just laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Edward asked.
May took Alphonse’s hand into hers and smiled. “Al convinced me to come back here once we were finished with his training in alchehestry. My clan doesn’t need me anymore especially since Ling kept his word and made sure they’d all be taken care of now that he’s become emperor and I missed you all so much…”
Edward gave his little brother a sly grin. “Oh I get it, you sly dog Al.”
Alphonse blushed. “You’re one to talk brother…” he said looking over at Natalie. “Oh! May, you haven’t met Natalie yet!”
Natalie got up and went over to stand beside Edward. “I’m Natalie Simon,” she said bowing her head slightly.
“May Chang, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she replied.
Edward put his arm around Natalie. “Yup and she’s going to be staying here now.”
Alphonse looked at them a bit strangely. “Staying here? Really? I have to admit, I didn’t even expect you two to come back…”
Natalie sighed a bit then smiled. “Well, yeah. This is going to be my home now since Edward asked…”
“I asked her to come back here and stay with me, forever.”
“You mean...?” Alphonse started.
Edward grinned wide. “That’s right.”
Alphonse grabbed Edward and Natalie and hugged them. “Congratulations you two! See Brother, I told you she would be good for you!”
Edward and Natalie just laughed as they hugged him back. “Thanks Al but what about you?” Edward said as they let go.
“Well, um…”
May laughed. “Nothing so grand, not yet anyway…”
Edward and Natalie both just shook their heads and Alphonse blushed.
“You know what, why don’t we make some lunch and we can all catch up on things,” May said with a smile.
“Sounds good,” Alphonse said. “Um, but first… Natalie, Brother, can I talk to you two first?” Alphonse asked sounding a bit nervous.
Natalie and Edward looked at each other wondering what he could possibly want to talk to them about without May there. Why did he sound so unnerved? “Sure Al,” Edward replied.
They both sat back down on the couch and Alphonse sat in a chair opposite them. “I don’t want to pry because well it’s really none of my business but um… while you two were gone… did you… um…” Alphonse couldn’t seem to vocalize what he was thinking.
“What is it Al?” Natalie asked.
Alphonse took a deep breath and tried another way to ask. “Well, while I was studying with May she taught me how to read people’s chi and well Natalie… Um… well to be honest I felt two very small, very faint ones along with yours when I hugged you earlier…”
Natalie and Edward looked at Alphonse then at each other then blushed a deep shade of red. “Wait, are you saying…?” Natalie started as she put her hand on her stomach.
“But it was just that one time…” Edward said. “And it wasn’t that long ago, how could there be anything there to…”
Natalie just smiled softly. “I’m not completely normal and neither are you anymore Ed…” she said softly.
“You think it has something to do with the stuff that Serenity and Endymion told us about?”
Natalie nodded. “I think that’s exactly it.” She then looked down at her stomach and then over at Alphonse, the soft smile on her face. It would seem that Yuko had been right about the Gatekeeper not taking this from her. “Thank you for telling us Al…”
Edward put his arms around Natalie and hugged her close and she hugged him just as tightly. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear.
Tears started streaming down her cheeks, this is the happiest she had ever been.
May and Alphonse looked at each other and just laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Edward asked.
May took Alphonse’s hand into hers and smiled. “Al convinced me to come back here once we were finished with his training in alchehestry. My clan doesn’t need me anymore especially since Ling kept his word and made sure they’d all be taken care of now that he’s become emperor and I missed you all so much…”
Edward gave his little brother a sly grin. “Oh I get it, you sly dog Al.”
Alphonse blushed. “You’re one to talk brother…” he said looking over at Natalie. “Oh! May, you haven’t met Natalie yet!”
Natalie got up and went over to stand beside Edward. “I’m Natalie Simon,” she said bowing her head slightly.
“May Chang, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she replied.
Edward put his arm around Natalie. “Yup and she’s going to be staying here now.”
Alphonse looked at them a bit strangely. “Staying here? Really? I have to admit, I didn’t even expect you two to come back…”
Natalie sighed a bit then smiled. “Well, yeah. This is going to be my home now since Edward asked…”
“I asked her to come back here and stay with me, forever.”
“You mean...?” Alphonse started.
Edward grinned wide. “That’s right.”
Alphonse grabbed Edward and Natalie and hugged them. “Congratulations you two! See Brother, I told you she would be good for you!”
Edward and Natalie just laughed as they hugged him back. “Thanks Al but what about you?” Edward said as they let go.
“Well, um…”
May laughed. “Nothing so grand, not yet anyway…”
Edward and Natalie both just shook their heads and Alphonse blushed.
“You know what, why don’t we make some lunch and we can all catch up on things,” May said with a smile.
“Sounds good,” Alphonse said. “Um, but first… Natalie, Brother, can I talk to you two first?” Alphonse asked sounding a bit nervous.
Natalie and Edward looked at each other wondering what he could possibly want to talk to them about without May there. Why did he sound so unnerved? “Sure Al,” Edward replied.
They both sat back down on the couch and Alphonse sat in a chair opposite them. “I don’t want to pry because well it’s really none of my business but um… while you two were gone… did you… um…” Alphonse couldn’t seem to vocalize what he was thinking.
“What is it Al?” Natalie asked.
Alphonse took a deep breath and tried another way to ask. “Well, while I was studying with May she taught me how to read people’s chi and well Natalie… Um… well to be honest I felt two very small, very faint ones along with yours when I hugged you earlier…”
Natalie and Edward looked at Alphonse then at each other then blushed a deep shade of red. “Wait, are you saying…?” Natalie started as she put her hand on her stomach.
“But it was just that one time…” Edward said. “And it wasn’t that long ago, how could there be anything there to…”
Natalie just smiled softly. “I’m not completely normal and neither are you anymore Ed…” she said softly.
“You think it has something to do with the stuff that Serenity and Endymion told us about?”
Natalie nodded. “I think that’s exactly it.” She then looked down at her stomach and then over at Alphonse, the soft smile on her face. It would seem that Yuko had been right about the Gatekeeper not taking this from her. “Thank you for telling us Al…”
Edward put his arms around Natalie and hugged her close and she hugged him just as tightly. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear.
Tears started streaming down her cheeks, this is the happiest she had ever been.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
A New Senshi: Chapter 11.1 - Time To Go... Home
They ended up staying the night with Yuko before they decided to leave. That morning Natalie and Edward went outside getting ready to go. Yuko and Watanuki were there to see them off but James was absent.
“Yuko, where’s my father? I thought…”
Yuko shook her head. “No, he can’t be here anymore while you are. The conditions of the deal that was made had been met.”
Natalie looked sad. “Oh, so he leaves without saying good-bye again…”
“It was because he didn’t need to say good-bye Natalie,” she replied with a sly smile.
“What do you mean?” Natalie asked confused.
“Once you’re settled, write,” was all Yuko said in response.
“How…”
“Just open a portal and toss it in, I’ll get it. Oh and did I neglect to mention James visits often?” Yuko said with a wink. “And don’t worry about your mother and your friends, they know you’re safe and they’re fine.”
It took Natalie a moment then it dawned on her. If she sent letters to Yuko then she could share them with her father and as far as her mother and Amy and Katie, well Yuko must have a way to talk to them too. She wanted to ask but something said Yuko wouldn’t tell her if she did. “Will I be ever be able to hear from them?”
“Well portals are two way doors aren’t they? No one can stop me from writing my letters in response to yours.”
Natalie smiled. This certainly put her heart at further ease. “Thank you Yuko, for everything,” she said bowing her head.
Yuko waved it off. “It’s nothing; I’m being properly compensated for my assistance. James certainly does know how to get his hands on premium sake.”
Natalie couldn’t help but to laugh. “At least he’s of use to someone.”
“Indeed.”
Edward then put his hand on her shoulder. “We should get going…”
Natalie put her hand on his and nodded. “You’re right.” She took her pen out and transformed. “Again, thank you.”
Natalie opened the portal that led back to Resembool. They were just getting ready to step through when Yuko remembered something else. “Oh and I think Amy and Nina are wonderful names for a little girls.”
Edward and Natalie both looked at Yuko. “Excuse me?”
“You’ll know what I’m talking about soon enough… Now good luck you two,” she replied basically shooing them away.
They looked at each other equally confused. Edward shrugged knowing there was no way he was going to figure it out now. With a final wave, they stepped through the portal.
When they came out, they were outside the front door of the familiar yellow house on the hill. Edward couldn’t help but to sigh happily, glad to be back. Natalie transformed back to normal. Edward went to go up the stairs but Natalie hung back. When he realized she wasn’t right behind him he turned to look at her.
“Is everything alright?” he asked as he went back down to where she was standing.
Natalie bit at her lower lip and looked away from him. This was it, they were here and she was going to be living here. All of the sudden she got really scared and nervous.
He put his hands on her shoulders and managed to contort himself to look into her eyes. “Come on spill it…” Edward said. Natalie just shook her head. Getting frustrated he decided to pick her up, he quickly slid his arm under her knees and lifted her up, forcing her to wrap her arms around his neck while he put his other arm around her back to support her. Natalie screamed at the sudden action but Edward just laughed. “Fine, if you won’t walk on your own, I’ll just have to carry you!”
“Ed! Put me down!!!!” she squealed still holding onto him for dear life. “Let me go!”
He looked into her eyes and grinned like a goof. “No way, I’m never letting you go.”
Natalie blushed. She didn’t know what to say.
Alphonse came out of the house having heard her scream. “Natalie! Brother! You’re back!”
Edward turned, still carrying Natalie and smiled at his younger brother. “Yup, we’re home. I have to admit, I didn’t expect to see you here Al. I figured you’d still be in Xing.”
“Brother… I already went and came back…”
“That fast? We weren’t gone for even a month…”
Alphonse laughed. “Brother, it’s been over a year since you left…”
Edward almost dropped Natalie in his shock. She had to hold tighter just to make sure she didn’t fall. “Ed! Be careful! Now come on, put me down!”
Alphonse motioned for them to come inside and without putting her down; Edward carried her into the house. It was almost like two newlyweds coming home for the first time. He set her down on the couch and sat down next to her. Alphonse went into the kitchen before joining them.
Natalie gave Edward a look. “I do have two perfectly good legs you know…”
“Yeah I know,” he said with a wink, “but I wanted to carry you.” He ran his hand through his bangs and sighed. “Wow, a whole year…”
“Well I did say that time could move differently in different worlds. So I guess even though it was only a few weeks for us, it was a lot longer than that here…”
“Wait, then that means I’d be 18 now… now I’m the same age as you!” Edward said sounding excited.
Natalie shook her head and laughed. “You goof ball that means I’m a year older too.”
Edward looked so defeated when she pointed that out to him. That’s the face he had when Alphonse came back into the room. He couldn’t help but to laugh when he saw his older brother looking that way.
“Ed! It’s been a long time!” said a voice that both Natalie and Edward recognized. When Alphonse had come back into the room he hadn’t been alone.
“Yuko, where’s my father? I thought…”
Yuko shook her head. “No, he can’t be here anymore while you are. The conditions of the deal that was made had been met.”
Natalie looked sad. “Oh, so he leaves without saying good-bye again…”
“It was because he didn’t need to say good-bye Natalie,” she replied with a sly smile.
“What do you mean?” Natalie asked confused.
“Once you’re settled, write,” was all Yuko said in response.
“How…”
“Just open a portal and toss it in, I’ll get it. Oh and did I neglect to mention James visits often?” Yuko said with a wink. “And don’t worry about your mother and your friends, they know you’re safe and they’re fine.”
It took Natalie a moment then it dawned on her. If she sent letters to Yuko then she could share them with her father and as far as her mother and Amy and Katie, well Yuko must have a way to talk to them too. She wanted to ask but something said Yuko wouldn’t tell her if she did. “Will I be ever be able to hear from them?”
“Well portals are two way doors aren’t they? No one can stop me from writing my letters in response to yours.”
Natalie smiled. This certainly put her heart at further ease. “Thank you Yuko, for everything,” she said bowing her head.
Yuko waved it off. “It’s nothing; I’m being properly compensated for my assistance. James certainly does know how to get his hands on premium sake.”
Natalie couldn’t help but to laugh. “At least he’s of use to someone.”
“Indeed.”
Edward then put his hand on her shoulder. “We should get going…”
Natalie put her hand on his and nodded. “You’re right.” She took her pen out and transformed. “Again, thank you.”
Natalie opened the portal that led back to Resembool. They were just getting ready to step through when Yuko remembered something else. “Oh and I think Amy and Nina are wonderful names for a little girls.”
Edward and Natalie both looked at Yuko. “Excuse me?”
“You’ll know what I’m talking about soon enough… Now good luck you two,” she replied basically shooing them away.
They looked at each other equally confused. Edward shrugged knowing there was no way he was going to figure it out now. With a final wave, they stepped through the portal.
When they came out, they were outside the front door of the familiar yellow house on the hill. Edward couldn’t help but to sigh happily, glad to be back. Natalie transformed back to normal. Edward went to go up the stairs but Natalie hung back. When he realized she wasn’t right behind him he turned to look at her.
“Is everything alright?” he asked as he went back down to where she was standing.
Natalie bit at her lower lip and looked away from him. This was it, they were here and she was going to be living here. All of the sudden she got really scared and nervous.
He put his hands on her shoulders and managed to contort himself to look into her eyes. “Come on spill it…” Edward said. Natalie just shook her head. Getting frustrated he decided to pick her up, he quickly slid his arm under her knees and lifted her up, forcing her to wrap her arms around his neck while he put his other arm around her back to support her. Natalie screamed at the sudden action but Edward just laughed. “Fine, if you won’t walk on your own, I’ll just have to carry you!”
“Ed! Put me down!!!!” she squealed still holding onto him for dear life. “Let me go!”
He looked into her eyes and grinned like a goof. “No way, I’m never letting you go.”
Natalie blushed. She didn’t know what to say.
Alphonse came out of the house having heard her scream. “Natalie! Brother! You’re back!”
Edward turned, still carrying Natalie and smiled at his younger brother. “Yup, we’re home. I have to admit, I didn’t expect to see you here Al. I figured you’d still be in Xing.”
“Brother… I already went and came back…”
“That fast? We weren’t gone for even a month…”
Alphonse laughed. “Brother, it’s been over a year since you left…”
Edward almost dropped Natalie in his shock. She had to hold tighter just to make sure she didn’t fall. “Ed! Be careful! Now come on, put me down!”
Alphonse motioned for them to come inside and without putting her down; Edward carried her into the house. It was almost like two newlyweds coming home for the first time. He set her down on the couch and sat down next to her. Alphonse went into the kitchen before joining them.
Natalie gave Edward a look. “I do have two perfectly good legs you know…”
“Yeah I know,” he said with a wink, “but I wanted to carry you.” He ran his hand through his bangs and sighed. “Wow, a whole year…”
“Well I did say that time could move differently in different worlds. So I guess even though it was only a few weeks for us, it was a lot longer than that here…”
“Wait, then that means I’d be 18 now… now I’m the same age as you!” Edward said sounding excited.
Natalie shook her head and laughed. “You goof ball that means I’m a year older too.”
Edward looked so defeated when she pointed that out to him. That’s the face he had when Alphonse came back into the room. He couldn’t help but to laugh when he saw his older brother looking that way.
“Ed! It’s been a long time!” said a voice that both Natalie and Edward recognized. When Alphonse had come back into the room he hadn’t been alone.
A New Senshi: Chapter 10.4 - What Will You Do Now?
While Natalie rested, Edward sat out in the backyard of Yuko’s shop. James came out and sat beside him.
“So you’re the young man my daughter decided to risk everything for huh?”
Edward looked over at the blonde haired, blue eyed man sitting next to him. He actually reminded him a lot of his own father now that he really had a chance to look at him without all of the drama.
“She’s not the only one who was willing to risk everything but yeah, I guess you could put it that way. By the way, how’s the jaw?”
James chuckled, rubbing at it. “Swollen but I deserved it. She packs more of a punch than I figured she would.”
“Natalie’s a strong girl… No, she’s a strong woman,” he said with a chuckle.
“I should have figured, her mother is a strong woman too but I see Natalie ended up with my temper.” James extended his hand to Edward. “I didn’t get the chance to properly introduce myself earlier, James Simon.”
Edward took his hand and firmly shook it. “Edward Elric.”
James chuckled. “A good, strong name to go along with a solid hand shake, that’s good.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I wouldn’t want to think that I’d be trusting my daughter to a man with no integrity and that couldn’t protect her.”
Edward grinned a bit. “I think I’ve already proven to her that I can do that.”
“I should hope so. I would hope she wouldn’t have fallen in love with you if you couldn’t.”
“Not that she really needs me to sometimes,” Edward said with a laugh. “I think she has more strength inside of her than most guys do. If nothing else she knows I’ll always have her back.”
James smiled softly. It was good to hear someone say that Natalie was that way. He had hoped she would grow into a beautiful and strong young lady. “Do you stand up to her too?”
“What do you mean?”
“When she tries to do something she shouldn’t be doing, do you try to stop her?”
Edward chuckled. “When it makes sense to I do. She’s not always easy to deal with when she’s got an idea in her head and you try to tell her no, especially when she’s really passionate about it. Though I guess I’m not one to talk, I can be that way too. She’s pretty good at reeling me back in when I get that way. Only her and my younger brother have ever really been good at that.”
“Ah, so you two balance each other out, that’s important.” James thought for a moment then looked at Edward. “Would it be alright if I ask how you two met? I know she came to your world and that she helped you out after you found about her secret but what happened from there?”
Edward took a deep breath. “I’m not sure what there is to really tell. She did come to my world and even though I didn’t see it at first, there was a part of me that fell for her the moment I saw her. When she tried to leave I tried to stop her, I even asked her to take me with her. She refused; she even told me that she’d lose something important to her if she let me come with her but she didn’t know then what that important thing would be.” Edward lowered his head. “After a bit of encouragement from my brother, I went after her and I just… I was selfish… I pretty much forced her to take me with her.”
“What made you do it?”
Edward chuckled. “Then, the reason I had was that she had already given up so much, or at least we both believed she had, just because she loved me. She came to my world already knowing that. Like I said, it was selfish but I couldn’t let her leave, not without knowing for sure how I really felt about her. I had pretty much given up on a lot of things when she came and I guess you could say she gave me my light back. Natalie gave me a reason to get up again and keep moving forward. My brother saw it before I did so when he pointed it out to me I just went after her without thinking about it anymore. I should have known better but that’s always been a flaw of mine, not always thinking things through completely before trying to do them.”
“I wouldn’t beat yourself up too much for it Edward, it’s a flaw most people have. Besides, I don’t think Natalie regrets it or blames you.”
Edward chuckled. “I think you’re right Mr. Simon, though earlier today when she found about not being able to go home that might not have been the case. It is my fault as I said…”
James shook his head. “No, I think no matter what she may have said to you, I don’t think she ever believed it was your fault. It really wasn’t anyone’s fault. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years is this, we all walk a path set out for us and everything happens according to that design. Yes we get to make the decisions on how we walk that path but in the end we always end up right where we’re supposed to. Given that, I do have one more question for you.”
Edward looked at him curiously. “What’s that?”
“What are your plans from here?”
Edward smiled a bit and looked down at the ground. “I’ve asked her to come back to my world, to Resembool with me…”
James chuckled. “Is that so?”
Edward nodded. “I know it’s not where she came from but I asked her to make a home there with me. She’s everything to me Mr. Simon, I just… I just want to make her happy. Seeing her crying today, seeing her in that much pain… that look has been on her face too many times already. I don’t want her to ever feel that way again. If she cries, I want it to be from happiness, not from sorrow.”
“Just promise me one thing Edward.”
“What’s that Mr. Simon?” he asked looking at him.
“Promise me you’ll always take care of her. She’s a strong girl but she’s also very fragile. She needs, no she deserves someone who will always stand with her and help her up if she falls.”
Edward grinned. “I would do that for her if you asked me to or not, but you have my word. I promise I’ll always take care of her, no matter what happens.”
“Very good,” James replied his face now turning a bit sad. “I wish I could be there to see…”
“See what?” Natalie said as she walked out to join them.
“Ah! Natalie! Feeling better?” Edward said. Both he and James stood up quickly, looking quite a bit embarrassed.
She looked at them suspiciously. “What were you two talking about?”
“Nothing really, just a father to future son-in-law talk, nothing else.”
Natalie blushed a deep red. “You told him Ed?”
“He’s your dad, of course I told him…”
James laughed. “It’s alright, I’m happy. Edward is a fine young man and our conversation just served to prove it. Even though I won’t be there, I’m proud to be able to say my daughter will be marrying a man like him.” He put his arm around Edward. “I’m proud to be able to have a son like him.”
Natalie looked at them, her lip quivering, her eyes slowly filling up. “You mean that?” she asked. “You’re not mad about all of this?”
James nodded as he let go of Edward and went over to her, hugging her close. “I do mean it and I’m not mad at all. You’ve grown up so much Natalie and I’m proud of you. I’m sorry for the things I’ve had to do and that I’ve never been able to be much of a father to you but you’re still my little girl and I hope you know that I do love you.” He gently kissed her forehead. “I just want what any father of a daughter wants, her happiness.”
Natalie stood there in her father’s arms not hugging him back. She was still mad at him but then she caught sight of Edward. His expression was soft and encouraging almost like he knew that she was debating returning her father’s affection. Natalie sighed heavily and gave in, hugging her father in return. “I understand why you did what you did,” she said softly. “I’m not sure I can forgive you, not yet, but… thank you… Daddy…”
Tears streamed down James’ eyes when she finally called him that. “That’s more than I deserve, thank you my little honeybee.”
“Honeybee?” Edward said trying not to laugh.
Natalie shot him a look. “Shut it, little man,” she said through gritted teeth.
Edward blushed; he’d forgotten that she had been there in that in between world when his mother had called him that. “Consider it shut,” he said.
“So you’re the young man my daughter decided to risk everything for huh?”
Edward looked over at the blonde haired, blue eyed man sitting next to him. He actually reminded him a lot of his own father now that he really had a chance to look at him without all of the drama.
“She’s not the only one who was willing to risk everything but yeah, I guess you could put it that way. By the way, how’s the jaw?”
James chuckled, rubbing at it. “Swollen but I deserved it. She packs more of a punch than I figured she would.”
“Natalie’s a strong girl… No, she’s a strong woman,” he said with a chuckle.
“I should have figured, her mother is a strong woman too but I see Natalie ended up with my temper.” James extended his hand to Edward. “I didn’t get the chance to properly introduce myself earlier, James Simon.”
Edward took his hand and firmly shook it. “Edward Elric.”
James chuckled. “A good, strong name to go along with a solid hand shake, that’s good.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I wouldn’t want to think that I’d be trusting my daughter to a man with no integrity and that couldn’t protect her.”
Edward grinned a bit. “I think I’ve already proven to her that I can do that.”
“I should hope so. I would hope she wouldn’t have fallen in love with you if you couldn’t.”
“Not that she really needs me to sometimes,” Edward said with a laugh. “I think she has more strength inside of her than most guys do. If nothing else she knows I’ll always have her back.”
James smiled softly. It was good to hear someone say that Natalie was that way. He had hoped she would grow into a beautiful and strong young lady. “Do you stand up to her too?”
“What do you mean?”
“When she tries to do something she shouldn’t be doing, do you try to stop her?”
Edward chuckled. “When it makes sense to I do. She’s not always easy to deal with when she’s got an idea in her head and you try to tell her no, especially when she’s really passionate about it. Though I guess I’m not one to talk, I can be that way too. She’s pretty good at reeling me back in when I get that way. Only her and my younger brother have ever really been good at that.”
“Ah, so you two balance each other out, that’s important.” James thought for a moment then looked at Edward. “Would it be alright if I ask how you two met? I know she came to your world and that she helped you out after you found about her secret but what happened from there?”
Edward took a deep breath. “I’m not sure what there is to really tell. She did come to my world and even though I didn’t see it at first, there was a part of me that fell for her the moment I saw her. When she tried to leave I tried to stop her, I even asked her to take me with her. She refused; she even told me that she’d lose something important to her if she let me come with her but she didn’t know then what that important thing would be.” Edward lowered his head. “After a bit of encouragement from my brother, I went after her and I just… I was selfish… I pretty much forced her to take me with her.”
“What made you do it?”
Edward chuckled. “Then, the reason I had was that she had already given up so much, or at least we both believed she had, just because she loved me. She came to my world already knowing that. Like I said, it was selfish but I couldn’t let her leave, not without knowing for sure how I really felt about her. I had pretty much given up on a lot of things when she came and I guess you could say she gave me my light back. Natalie gave me a reason to get up again and keep moving forward. My brother saw it before I did so when he pointed it out to me I just went after her without thinking about it anymore. I should have known better but that’s always been a flaw of mine, not always thinking things through completely before trying to do them.”
“I wouldn’t beat yourself up too much for it Edward, it’s a flaw most people have. Besides, I don’t think Natalie regrets it or blames you.”
Edward chuckled. “I think you’re right Mr. Simon, though earlier today when she found about not being able to go home that might not have been the case. It is my fault as I said…”
James shook his head. “No, I think no matter what she may have said to you, I don’t think she ever believed it was your fault. It really wasn’t anyone’s fault. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years is this, we all walk a path set out for us and everything happens according to that design. Yes we get to make the decisions on how we walk that path but in the end we always end up right where we’re supposed to. Given that, I do have one more question for you.”
Edward looked at him curiously. “What’s that?”
“What are your plans from here?”
Edward smiled a bit and looked down at the ground. “I’ve asked her to come back to my world, to Resembool with me…”
James chuckled. “Is that so?”
Edward nodded. “I know it’s not where she came from but I asked her to make a home there with me. She’s everything to me Mr. Simon, I just… I just want to make her happy. Seeing her crying today, seeing her in that much pain… that look has been on her face too many times already. I don’t want her to ever feel that way again. If she cries, I want it to be from happiness, not from sorrow.”
“Just promise me one thing Edward.”
“What’s that Mr. Simon?” he asked looking at him.
“Promise me you’ll always take care of her. She’s a strong girl but she’s also very fragile. She needs, no she deserves someone who will always stand with her and help her up if she falls.”
Edward grinned. “I would do that for her if you asked me to or not, but you have my word. I promise I’ll always take care of her, no matter what happens.”
“Very good,” James replied his face now turning a bit sad. “I wish I could be there to see…”
“See what?” Natalie said as she walked out to join them.
“Ah! Natalie! Feeling better?” Edward said. Both he and James stood up quickly, looking quite a bit embarrassed.
She looked at them suspiciously. “What were you two talking about?”
“Nothing really, just a father to future son-in-law talk, nothing else.”
Natalie blushed a deep red. “You told him Ed?”
“He’s your dad, of course I told him…”
James laughed. “It’s alright, I’m happy. Edward is a fine young man and our conversation just served to prove it. Even though I won’t be there, I’m proud to be able to say my daughter will be marrying a man like him.” He put his arm around Edward. “I’m proud to be able to have a son like him.”
Natalie looked at them, her lip quivering, her eyes slowly filling up. “You mean that?” she asked. “You’re not mad about all of this?”
James nodded as he let go of Edward and went over to her, hugging her close. “I do mean it and I’m not mad at all. You’ve grown up so much Natalie and I’m proud of you. I’m sorry for the things I’ve had to do and that I’ve never been able to be much of a father to you but you’re still my little girl and I hope you know that I do love you.” He gently kissed her forehead. “I just want what any father of a daughter wants, her happiness.”
Natalie stood there in her father’s arms not hugging him back. She was still mad at him but then she caught sight of Edward. His expression was soft and encouraging almost like he knew that she was debating returning her father’s affection. Natalie sighed heavily and gave in, hugging her father in return. “I understand why you did what you did,” she said softly. “I’m not sure I can forgive you, not yet, but… thank you… Daddy…”
Tears streamed down James’ eyes when she finally called him that. “That’s more than I deserve, thank you my little honeybee.”
“Honeybee?” Edward said trying not to laugh.
Natalie shot him a look. “Shut it, little man,” she said through gritted teeth.
Edward blushed; he’d forgotten that she had been there in that in between world when his mother had called him that. “Consider it shut,” he said.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
A New Senshi: Chapter 10.3 - Adding Insult To Injury, Are You Kidding Me?
When Natalie and Edward came back into the yard of Yuko’s shop they were all smiles again. Yuko was sitting on the front porch with Mokona, Watanuki, and another man that hadn’t been there when they’d left. They seemed to be drinking sake and chatting. Seeing the unknown man made Natalie stop dead in her tracks and her face went pale.
“What’s the matter?” Edward asked but Natalie didn’t hear a word of it. She’d already bolted straight towards the man, her fist cocked back.
“You bastard! What are you doing here?!” she yelled as her fist connected with the man’s face knocking him back.
Edward ran to catch up with her, grabbing her so she wouldn’t go crazy on the guy. He’d seen her get mad before but it had been nothing like this.
The man sat up, rubbing his now partially swollen cheek. “Is that any way to say hello to your father,” he said.
Natalie stood there seething trying to break free from Edward’s hold but failing. “Shut up you good for nothing dead beat! How dare you show up out of nowhere and expect me to be all nice and glad to see you!”
Edward knew exactly how she felt and there was a part of him that wanted to let her go. He thought better of it though knowing that rage inside of her was still too dangerous. If he let her go right now she’d probably kill him, literally.
“Well I certainly understand your anger but calm down a little and let me explain will ya?” her father said now standing up.
“You walked out on us thirteen years ago, what’s to explain? You left without so much as a good-bye and just left mom and me alone! Do you know how sad she was without you? Do you have any clue how hard she worked to raise me alone? You don’t! You just ran away you filthy coward!”
Her father chuckled a bit. “So Michelle did tell you what I asked her to.”
“What?” Natalie said, relaxing a bit because she hadn’t expected to hear that from him. Feeling her relax, Edward finally felt OK with letting her go.
“Sit down,” Yuko said, “there are still things that need to be explained.”
Natalie eyed Yuko, not liking this situation in the least, but she did as she had been asked. Her father and Edward sat down as well. “Alright then,” Natalie said, her arms crossed and her voice still sounding harsh, sharp, and angry. “Start explaining.”
Her father took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. “Where do I begin?”
Natalie glared at him. “Try the beginning old man,” she said sharply.
Her father didn’t look amused but continued. “I guess it started the day you were born. When you took your first breath, your mother and I both saw a small flash of light and a symbol on your forehead. It must have happened too fast since no one else in the room seemed to notice. Needless to say, it freaked your mother and me out to say the least but it didn’t appear again. For the next few years everything seemed to be normal but when you were about four years old that changed. You had been playing outside with some of the neighbor’s kids and one had said something that made you mad, that’s when it appeared again. I had seen the flash again. I didn’t know what to do and neither did Michelle. We took you to doctor after doctor but they couldn’t find anything to explain it, they even thought we were crazy at one point. I had reached my whits end. Finally I gave up and took you to see one of those supernatural psychic exorcist types hoping they could help. It was a young lady and her three male companions…”
Natalie’s eyes went wide. “Was the girl’s name Sakura?”
Her father thought about it for a moment. “Yes, I think it was actually, why?”
Natalie turned to look at Yuko. “Sakura, Syaoran, Fay, and Kurogane… they were in my world?”
Yuko nodded. “Yes. The white Mokona took them there in search of a feather. Mokona actually mistook your power for the power of a feather.”
Natalie lowered her head thinking about this then looked back at her father. “What did Sakura tell you?”
“Well when we arrived she had me put you in her lap and she hugged you. What she saw exactly I don’t know, but she did tell me that one day you would awaken to a great power, a power so great that it would allow you to travel worlds. She also told me one day you’d go away and never come back. I begged her to explain more but she only shook her head at me and said she couldn’t. When I asked if there was anything I could do they were kind enough to put me in contact with Yuko.”
“The Mokonas…” Natalie said.
Her father nodded. “Yuko explained your power to me, how it worked, the taboos, everything. I had to do something. Yuko promised me that she would give you the things you needed to survive with your power but in exchange…” his voice trailed off.
“In exchange James had to give up all ties to you and your mother,” Yuko said, picking up her pipe and taking a pull from it.
“Wait, he was the one who paid the price for my necklace and the advice you gave me? He’s the one you couldn’t tell me about?”
Yuko nodded. “Yes.”
Natalie looked at her father, the anger coming back. “Why would you do that?!” she exclaimed standing up again. “You would give us up just so… just so…”
Her father stood up as well and put his hands on her shoulders smiling softly at her. “Natalie, you have to understand. A father would give up everything if he thought it would make his daughter’s life one ounce better.”
She started to cry, hitting her fist against her father’s chest but nowhere near as hard as she’d slugged him earlier. “Why? Why? Why would you leave mom and I alone? Why didn’t anyone tell me about any of this before now?”
James held his daughter close as she cried. “That was part of the deal, you weren’t allowed to know. I was given enough time to explain things to Michelle. I asked her to lie to you, to tell you that I had run out on you guys. I needed you to hate me so much you wouldn’t come looking for me, not that you would have ever found me if you had tried. Once our deal was complete, Yuko arranged for me to come here and I’ve been living in this Japan ever since.” He then looked over at Edward. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the reason you wouldn’t return home would have something to do with a boy.”
Edward stood up and looked James directly in the eye. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
James chuckled. “Nothing more than this, love has no logic, no rhyme, and no reason. No matter how smart or careful you are, no matter how much you plan and prepare and try to resist it, love will always have its way. I could have given up a hundred lifetimes, paid any price to make sure she would return home someday, to try and change destiny but it would never have been enough to stop this from happening, I know that now. She was always destined to live her life this way.”
Natalie pushed away from her father, something dawning on her. “Wait a minute, if I was never supposed to be able to see you again, why am I allowed to now?”
“Because it was necessary and the price had already been paid,” Yuko answered. “Your mother actually paid the price a long time ago just before your father left. She gave her ability to have any more children in order to grant you one visit with your father when you needed it most.”
“That’s why… she knew that I would need to have this explained to me someday. And she… she never bothered to date again not only because she couldn’t let go of him, she knew she couldn’t… wait a minute…” Natalie put her hands on her stomach. “Looks like mom and I have something in common.”
Yuko chuckled. Natalie and Edward both looked at her. “What’s so funny?” she asked.
“Well about that, you remember what the gate keeper said about you not having to pay a price?”
“Yeah but then… and you were there for that?”
“Yes I was, out of sight mind you, but he only said that he was going to accept the exchange to appease you. You were rather insistent that you had to pay a price to get this young man’s alchemy back.”
“So then he didn’t take anything from me?”
Yuko shook her head. “No, and besides him and I both knew you were going to pay a far greater price for what you planned to do, it would have been too much to take that from you too.”
This was all too much; it was making Natalie’s head spin. Why did all of this have to happen at once? She felt weak and started to waver, it was clear she was going to fall. Edward rushed to her and caught her just as she fainted.
“Watanuki, show him where the back bedroom is. She can rest there.”
Watanuki nodded. “Oh course, Mr. Elric, please follow me.”
“What’s the matter?” Edward asked but Natalie didn’t hear a word of it. She’d already bolted straight towards the man, her fist cocked back.
“You bastard! What are you doing here?!” she yelled as her fist connected with the man’s face knocking him back.
Edward ran to catch up with her, grabbing her so she wouldn’t go crazy on the guy. He’d seen her get mad before but it had been nothing like this.
The man sat up, rubbing his now partially swollen cheek. “Is that any way to say hello to your father,” he said.
Natalie stood there seething trying to break free from Edward’s hold but failing. “Shut up you good for nothing dead beat! How dare you show up out of nowhere and expect me to be all nice and glad to see you!”
Edward knew exactly how she felt and there was a part of him that wanted to let her go. He thought better of it though knowing that rage inside of her was still too dangerous. If he let her go right now she’d probably kill him, literally.
“Well I certainly understand your anger but calm down a little and let me explain will ya?” her father said now standing up.
“You walked out on us thirteen years ago, what’s to explain? You left without so much as a good-bye and just left mom and me alone! Do you know how sad she was without you? Do you have any clue how hard she worked to raise me alone? You don’t! You just ran away you filthy coward!”
Her father chuckled a bit. “So Michelle did tell you what I asked her to.”
“What?” Natalie said, relaxing a bit because she hadn’t expected to hear that from him. Feeling her relax, Edward finally felt OK with letting her go.
“Sit down,” Yuko said, “there are still things that need to be explained.”
Natalie eyed Yuko, not liking this situation in the least, but she did as she had been asked. Her father and Edward sat down as well. “Alright then,” Natalie said, her arms crossed and her voice still sounding harsh, sharp, and angry. “Start explaining.”
Her father took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. “Where do I begin?”
Natalie glared at him. “Try the beginning old man,” she said sharply.
Her father didn’t look amused but continued. “I guess it started the day you were born. When you took your first breath, your mother and I both saw a small flash of light and a symbol on your forehead. It must have happened too fast since no one else in the room seemed to notice. Needless to say, it freaked your mother and me out to say the least but it didn’t appear again. For the next few years everything seemed to be normal but when you were about four years old that changed. You had been playing outside with some of the neighbor’s kids and one had said something that made you mad, that’s when it appeared again. I had seen the flash again. I didn’t know what to do and neither did Michelle. We took you to doctor after doctor but they couldn’t find anything to explain it, they even thought we were crazy at one point. I had reached my whits end. Finally I gave up and took you to see one of those supernatural psychic exorcist types hoping they could help. It was a young lady and her three male companions…”
Natalie’s eyes went wide. “Was the girl’s name Sakura?”
Her father thought about it for a moment. “Yes, I think it was actually, why?”
Natalie turned to look at Yuko. “Sakura, Syaoran, Fay, and Kurogane… they were in my world?”
Yuko nodded. “Yes. The white Mokona took them there in search of a feather. Mokona actually mistook your power for the power of a feather.”
Natalie lowered her head thinking about this then looked back at her father. “What did Sakura tell you?”
“Well when we arrived she had me put you in her lap and she hugged you. What she saw exactly I don’t know, but she did tell me that one day you would awaken to a great power, a power so great that it would allow you to travel worlds. She also told me one day you’d go away and never come back. I begged her to explain more but she only shook her head at me and said she couldn’t. When I asked if there was anything I could do they were kind enough to put me in contact with Yuko.”
“The Mokonas…” Natalie said.
Her father nodded. “Yuko explained your power to me, how it worked, the taboos, everything. I had to do something. Yuko promised me that she would give you the things you needed to survive with your power but in exchange…” his voice trailed off.
“In exchange James had to give up all ties to you and your mother,” Yuko said, picking up her pipe and taking a pull from it.
“Wait, he was the one who paid the price for my necklace and the advice you gave me? He’s the one you couldn’t tell me about?”
Yuko nodded. “Yes.”
Natalie looked at her father, the anger coming back. “Why would you do that?!” she exclaimed standing up again. “You would give us up just so… just so…”
Her father stood up as well and put his hands on her shoulders smiling softly at her. “Natalie, you have to understand. A father would give up everything if he thought it would make his daughter’s life one ounce better.”
She started to cry, hitting her fist against her father’s chest but nowhere near as hard as she’d slugged him earlier. “Why? Why? Why would you leave mom and I alone? Why didn’t anyone tell me about any of this before now?”
James held his daughter close as she cried. “That was part of the deal, you weren’t allowed to know. I was given enough time to explain things to Michelle. I asked her to lie to you, to tell you that I had run out on you guys. I needed you to hate me so much you wouldn’t come looking for me, not that you would have ever found me if you had tried. Once our deal was complete, Yuko arranged for me to come here and I’ve been living in this Japan ever since.” He then looked over at Edward. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the reason you wouldn’t return home would have something to do with a boy.”
Edward stood up and looked James directly in the eye. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
James chuckled. “Nothing more than this, love has no logic, no rhyme, and no reason. No matter how smart or careful you are, no matter how much you plan and prepare and try to resist it, love will always have its way. I could have given up a hundred lifetimes, paid any price to make sure she would return home someday, to try and change destiny but it would never have been enough to stop this from happening, I know that now. She was always destined to live her life this way.”
Natalie pushed away from her father, something dawning on her. “Wait a minute, if I was never supposed to be able to see you again, why am I allowed to now?”
“Because it was necessary and the price had already been paid,” Yuko answered. “Your mother actually paid the price a long time ago just before your father left. She gave her ability to have any more children in order to grant you one visit with your father when you needed it most.”
“That’s why… she knew that I would need to have this explained to me someday. And she… she never bothered to date again not only because she couldn’t let go of him, she knew she couldn’t… wait a minute…” Natalie put her hands on her stomach. “Looks like mom and I have something in common.”
Yuko chuckled. Natalie and Edward both looked at her. “What’s so funny?” she asked.
“Well about that, you remember what the gate keeper said about you not having to pay a price?”
“Yeah but then… and you were there for that?”
“Yes I was, out of sight mind you, but he only said that he was going to accept the exchange to appease you. You were rather insistent that you had to pay a price to get this young man’s alchemy back.”
“So then he didn’t take anything from me?”
Yuko shook her head. “No, and besides him and I both knew you were going to pay a far greater price for what you planned to do, it would have been too much to take that from you too.”
This was all too much; it was making Natalie’s head spin. Why did all of this have to happen at once? She felt weak and started to waver, it was clear she was going to fall. Edward rushed to her and caught her just as she fainted.
“Watanuki, show him where the back bedroom is. She can rest there.”
Watanuki nodded. “Oh course, Mr. Elric, please follow me.”
A New Senshi: Chapter 10.2 - It’s All About Equivalent Exchange Isn’t It?
Natalie walked the streets lost in her own thoughts until she reached a park. Sitting on a bench she pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging her legs. Resting her forehead against her knees she just began to cry. This was all her fault, how could she have been so selfish? Why hadn’t she gone home sooner? Now she’d never get to go back. All Natalie could think about was her mom and how she’d be all alone now and Amy and Katie, her best friends; they’d never laugh together or read manga together again. She never even got to say good-bye to any of them or let them know she was alright. It was too late to be able to do that now.
Edward had run after her and hadn’t been searching long when he spotted her sitting on the park bench. “Natalie, there you are,” he said walking up to her.
“Go away,” she said barely loud enough to be heard. “I don’t want to talk right now.”
Edward sat down on the bench next to her. “No, I’m not going to just go away. You shouldn’t be alone right now…”
Natalie lifted her head and looked at him. She still had that look in her eyes, the lost, given up look and her face was stained with tears. It tugged hard at Edward’s heart seeing her like this.
“This isn’t your fault Natalie, it’s mine. I should have listened to you when you said you could lose something precious, I should have said or done something to get you to stay instead of insisting on coming with you. There’s probably a million other things I could have done instead, but that doesn’t change the way things are. I can’t sit here and let you hold it all inside and blame yourself. Please…”
Natalie still just looked at him, and then she got mad. “Shut up,” she said through gritted teeth, her hands clenching into fists. “Just shut up! Maybe you’re right, so what? What can you do to make it right? Nothing! Now just leave me alone!” She yelled, getting up and starting to walk away from him. He got up and grabbed her arm stopping her.
“Damn it Natalie, I don’t blame you for getting mad at me but don’t walk away, don’t run away.”
She turned to face him, her eyes piercing as they fell on him. “Why shouldn’t I Edward? What do I have left? I’m alone, I can’t go home. I’ll never see my family or my friends again.”
Edward looked hurt by what she said and got angry himself. “What about everyone you’ve met? What about the new friends you’ve made? What about them huh? Don’t they mean anything to you?” He lifted her arm so she was forced to look at the bracelet that Jupiter had given her. “Look at that, what about Jupiter and the other scouts, don’t they mean anything to you? What about Negi and the girls in 3-A, you’d forget all about them too?” His face softened a bit and saddened, “And what about Alphonse, and what about me… you still have me. You still have all of us… I know it’s no replacement for the family and friends you’ve lost but can’t we be enough now?”
Natalie stayed fixed on the bracelet and then lifted her other hand up so she could see the ring he’d given her during the Mahora Festival. She started to cry again and felt weak. Seeing that she looked like she was going to collapse, Edward held her. Seeing her like this made tears well in his eyes too. “Please Natalie, don’t give up, I beg you, don’t give up. You helped me so much now please let me help you. If you love me at all anymore, please…”
Hearing him say that made her cry even more. She didn’t know what to do, what to say. Did he really think she didn’t love him? That’s when it dawned on her exactly what she’d said to him. It hadn’t been much but it was more than enough to be painful. Of course he’d think that she didn’t love him. Here he was blaming himself for everything trying to make this easier for her to bear and she had just pretty much said none of that mattered, that he didn’t matter. She wrapped her arms around him now burying her face so he couldn’t see it. What was she supposed to do though? “I still love you,” she said softly.
He released his hold on her a bit and put his finger under her chin making her look up at him. “What was that?”
She was breathing quick trying to keep the tears at bay, her face puffy and red and the muscles twitching as if she were ready to start balling again but she kept it back. “I said I still love you… I’m sorry Ed, I’m so sorry. I just don’t know what to do now… I always thought no matter what happened I’d always be able to go home.”
He gently brushed her bangs out of her face and smiled softly at her. “Come on, let’s go back and sit down, then we can talk OK?”
Natalie nodded and let him guide her back to the bench. She sat down, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees just looking out at the people walking on the street. Edward sat next to her, putting his arm gently across her shoulders drawing her closer to him.
“I should be the one saying sorry to you Natalie,” he said before he kissed her on the top of her head lightly. “You’ve given up everything for me and the only thing I seem to have given you in return is trouble and pain.”
Natalie shook her head. “That’s not true, Ed.”
“No it is, but…” He reached into his pocket and took out the bag that had the ring in it. He took her hand and put the bag in it. “I want to make that up to you.”
“What’s this?”
“Open it…”
She undid the string on the bag and emptied it into her hand. The ring fell into her palm and she picked it up and looked at it. “Where did you get this?” she recognized the ring from the Fullmetal Alchemist game she’d played. This thing was one of a kind and precious.
“The other Edward gave it to me before we left. He said I should give it to you when I thought the time was right. I was going to wait but…”
“Ed?” She turned her gaze to look at him.
He took the ring and put it on her left ring finger. “Equivalent Exchange…”
She looked at him oddly. “What?”
“Equivalent Exchange, I’ll give you my life if you give me yours…”
Natalie chuckled and her face got soft and she started to cry gently. “Alchemy? Really?”
“It’s what I know, what can I say?” he said with a shrug. “Just tell me you’re OK with that. I’d like you to come back to Resembool with me; we can make a new home there, together,” he said as he got up from the bench and knelt down in front of her, taking her hands in his and looking up into her eyes. “I love you Natalie and I don’t want to make you cry anymore, not from sadness or pain. I know I can’t replace what you lost but…”
She took one of her hands from his and put a finger to his lips and smiled, the tears still streaming down her cheeks. “You talk too much, you know that?” Natalie paused for a long moment then closed her eyes and nodded. “I accept your exchange Mr. Elric.”
He smiled at her, reaching up and pulling her off the bench. She fell with a squeal into his arms as they both fell over onto the ground. He held her tight and kissed her deeply. “You really know how to make a guy nervous you know that?”
“Yeah but it’s why you love me,” she said with a laugh.
“One of many reasons,” he said smiling as he got up. Once he was on his feet he helped her up as well. “Come on, we should get back. I know Yuko doesn’t care but I get the feeling that Watanuki guy does. We should at least let them know everything is alright now.”
Edward had run after her and hadn’t been searching long when he spotted her sitting on the park bench. “Natalie, there you are,” he said walking up to her.
“Go away,” she said barely loud enough to be heard. “I don’t want to talk right now.”
Edward sat down on the bench next to her. “No, I’m not going to just go away. You shouldn’t be alone right now…”
Natalie lifted her head and looked at him. She still had that look in her eyes, the lost, given up look and her face was stained with tears. It tugged hard at Edward’s heart seeing her like this.
“This isn’t your fault Natalie, it’s mine. I should have listened to you when you said you could lose something precious, I should have said or done something to get you to stay instead of insisting on coming with you. There’s probably a million other things I could have done instead, but that doesn’t change the way things are. I can’t sit here and let you hold it all inside and blame yourself. Please…”
Natalie still just looked at him, and then she got mad. “Shut up,” she said through gritted teeth, her hands clenching into fists. “Just shut up! Maybe you’re right, so what? What can you do to make it right? Nothing! Now just leave me alone!” She yelled, getting up and starting to walk away from him. He got up and grabbed her arm stopping her.
“Damn it Natalie, I don’t blame you for getting mad at me but don’t walk away, don’t run away.”
She turned to face him, her eyes piercing as they fell on him. “Why shouldn’t I Edward? What do I have left? I’m alone, I can’t go home. I’ll never see my family or my friends again.”
Edward looked hurt by what she said and got angry himself. “What about everyone you’ve met? What about the new friends you’ve made? What about them huh? Don’t they mean anything to you?” He lifted her arm so she was forced to look at the bracelet that Jupiter had given her. “Look at that, what about Jupiter and the other scouts, don’t they mean anything to you? What about Negi and the girls in 3-A, you’d forget all about them too?” His face softened a bit and saddened, “And what about Alphonse, and what about me… you still have me. You still have all of us… I know it’s no replacement for the family and friends you’ve lost but can’t we be enough now?”
Natalie stayed fixed on the bracelet and then lifted her other hand up so she could see the ring he’d given her during the Mahora Festival. She started to cry again and felt weak. Seeing that she looked like she was going to collapse, Edward held her. Seeing her like this made tears well in his eyes too. “Please Natalie, don’t give up, I beg you, don’t give up. You helped me so much now please let me help you. If you love me at all anymore, please…”
Hearing him say that made her cry even more. She didn’t know what to do, what to say. Did he really think she didn’t love him? That’s when it dawned on her exactly what she’d said to him. It hadn’t been much but it was more than enough to be painful. Of course he’d think that she didn’t love him. Here he was blaming himself for everything trying to make this easier for her to bear and she had just pretty much said none of that mattered, that he didn’t matter. She wrapped her arms around him now burying her face so he couldn’t see it. What was she supposed to do though? “I still love you,” she said softly.
He released his hold on her a bit and put his finger under her chin making her look up at him. “What was that?”
She was breathing quick trying to keep the tears at bay, her face puffy and red and the muscles twitching as if she were ready to start balling again but she kept it back. “I said I still love you… I’m sorry Ed, I’m so sorry. I just don’t know what to do now… I always thought no matter what happened I’d always be able to go home.”
He gently brushed her bangs out of her face and smiled softly at her. “Come on, let’s go back and sit down, then we can talk OK?”
Natalie nodded and let him guide her back to the bench. She sat down, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees just looking out at the people walking on the street. Edward sat next to her, putting his arm gently across her shoulders drawing her closer to him.
“I should be the one saying sorry to you Natalie,” he said before he kissed her on the top of her head lightly. “You’ve given up everything for me and the only thing I seem to have given you in return is trouble and pain.”
Natalie shook her head. “That’s not true, Ed.”
“No it is, but…” He reached into his pocket and took out the bag that had the ring in it. He took her hand and put the bag in it. “I want to make that up to you.”
“What’s this?”
“Open it…”
She undid the string on the bag and emptied it into her hand. The ring fell into her palm and she picked it up and looked at it. “Where did you get this?” she recognized the ring from the Fullmetal Alchemist game she’d played. This thing was one of a kind and precious.
“The other Edward gave it to me before we left. He said I should give it to you when I thought the time was right. I was going to wait but…”
“Ed?” She turned her gaze to look at him.
He took the ring and put it on her left ring finger. “Equivalent Exchange…”
She looked at him oddly. “What?”
“Equivalent Exchange, I’ll give you my life if you give me yours…”
Natalie chuckled and her face got soft and she started to cry gently. “Alchemy? Really?”
“It’s what I know, what can I say?” he said with a shrug. “Just tell me you’re OK with that. I’d like you to come back to Resembool with me; we can make a new home there, together,” he said as he got up from the bench and knelt down in front of her, taking her hands in his and looking up into her eyes. “I love you Natalie and I don’t want to make you cry anymore, not from sadness or pain. I know I can’t replace what you lost but…”
She took one of her hands from his and put a finger to his lips and smiled, the tears still streaming down her cheeks. “You talk too much, you know that?” Natalie paused for a long moment then closed her eyes and nodded. “I accept your exchange Mr. Elric.”
He smiled at her, reaching up and pulling her off the bench. She fell with a squeal into his arms as they both fell over onto the ground. He held her tight and kissed her deeply. “You really know how to make a guy nervous you know that?”
“Yeah but it’s why you love me,” she said with a laugh.
“One of many reasons,” he said smiling as he got up. Once he was on his feet he helped her up as well. “Come on, we should get back. I know Yuko doesn’t care but I get the feeling that Watanuki guy does. We should at least let them know everything is alright now.”
Monday, October 17, 2011
A New Senshi: Chapter 10.1 - Something Is Horribly Wrong Here
As they travelled through the portal Natalie felt a sharp tug in her chest like something was pulling at her very soul. When they came out, she collapsed on the floor clutching her chest. She felt like she was having a heart attack. Edward seeing her that way knelt down beside her. “Natalie, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t know, but it feels like someone just tried to rip my heart out,” she said sounding a little bit winded. “I’ve never felt like that coming through a portal.”
“I told you this boy would only cause you trouble,” said a voice that Natalie recognized almost immediately.
“Yuko?” she said as she tried to get to her feet. Edward hooked his arms under hers to help. “What are you doing here?”
Yuko just shook her head. “You’re not where you think you are my dear. You’ve landed in my shop again.”
“How? Did you high jack me again?”
“This isn’t my doing. Come, let’s make ourselves more comfortable and I’ll explain.”
“But…”
“No buts,” Yuko said as she motioned for Watanuki. “Help our guests to my lounge Watanuki and then bring refreshments, they’re going to be here for awhile.”
Watanuki didn’t argue as he took one side of Natalie while Edward held the other. Together they helped her walk into lounge and sat her in one of the prepared chairs. Once she was safely seated, Watanuki indicated that Edward should have a seat in the chair beside her. Edward did as Watanuki indicated and then Watanuki disappeared into the next room. Yuko had yet to join them.
“Where are we?” Edward asked, keeping his voice quiet. “Who are these people?”
“This is a shop that exists in a world between worlds,” Natalie answered, finally starting to feel better. “The lady you saw is Yuko, she runs this place and the gentleman that helped you get me in here is Watanuki her assistant.”
“How did we end up here? Given that you said this a world between worlds, I’m guessing this isn’t your world.”
“You’re right, it’s not and I have no idea how we ended up here or why. To be honest, I never wanted to come back here at all.”
“Back here? You’ve been here before?”
Natalie sighed exasperated. “Weren’t you listening when we arrived?” she asked sounding a bit annoyed.
“Sorry, but I was a little distracted worrying about you,” he snapped back at her.
Natalie took a deep breath. She couldn’t blame him for getting a bit annoyed at her and she knew the reason he snapped was her fault. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful,” she said looking at him, her eyes soft and apologetic.
Edward shook his head. “It’s alright, I get it. I didn’t mean to snap either.”
Natalie smiled warily. “But to answer your question, yes, I have been here before. It was right before I came to your world. Evidently someone paid a price for me to come here to get this,” she said holding out her necklace. “She also told me about my taboo, the one about taking people from their own worlds.”
“So she’s the one that left out exactly what would happen?”
Natalie nodded. “Yeah, she just told me what I told you.”
That was the moment that Yuko came into the room. “And now you’ve seen what would happen if you broke that taboo though I’m sure you don’t understand it yet,” she said as she sat down on her couch.
“Excuse me?” Natalie asked.
“You took this young man here from his world and now you’ll find out the price you’ve paid for that.”
“Hey wait a second!” Edward exclaimed as he stood up from his chair. “She didn’t take me anywhere, I went on my own. I’m the one that jumped the portal even after she told me not to!”
Yuko sighed sounding a bit annoyed. “Sit down and calm yourself young man, I said I was going to explain.”
Natalie reached out and tugged on Edward’s jacket. When he looked back at her he could see in her eyes that the best thing for him to do was sit back down and not push it any further.
“Now, were should I begin?” Yuko said lighting her pipe and then taking a drag from it. “Well do you remember when I said you’d lose something precious to you if you every broke the taboo and removed someone from their world?”
Natalie nodded. “Yeah, but you never said what exactly I’d lose.”
“Well you were trying to go home when you were yanked from the space between worlds and dropped here correct?”
“Yes, get to the point Yuko…”
Yuko chuckled. “I’m surprised you didn’t figure it out. Your price is simply this; you broke the taboo so the price you have to pay is your home.”
Natalie’s jaw dropped leaving her speechless temporarily. She felt like she’d been kicked in the stomach, her breath catching in her throat. “Wait… are… are you saying…” Natalie started.
“Wait a minute, are you saying because I went with her she’s not allowed to go home anymore?” Edward finished.
Yuko sat back with her pipe in her fingers. “That’s exactly right.”
“But how is that a fair and equal price? I’m the one that gave up on my home and went with her, punish me!”
Natalie reached over and put her hand on his arm. “No, I should never have allowed the chance for you to do what you did. I was careless so no matter what, it’s my price to pay.”
Edward looked over at her, there were tears streaming down her cheeks but the look in her eyes wasn’t what he’d expected. He couldn’t explain it. He expected her to be sad but that’s not what he saw. It looked like regret, like she’d just plain given up. “Natalie?”
She didn’t look at him as she got up. “Yuko, I need some air. Is it safe for me to walk around here?”
“It is. Outside of the fence is just Japan so no one should give you trouble.”
“Thank you, I’ll be back in awhile then…” she said leaving not waiting for Edward or anyone else.
Edward stood up and made to go after her. Yuko stood and grabbed his shoulder before he could get anywhere. “I wouldn’t…”
Edward pulled away from her. “How could you just expect me to NOT go after her?! She can’t be alone right now!”
“She has a lot to think about Mr. Elric and right now you’re not exactly the best person to be talking to her all things considered.”
Edward grabbed Yuko’s collar, the look of determination in his eyes. “That’s exactly why I’m the only one who CAN talk to her right now.” He pushed Yuko back down on the couch and ran out after Natalie. He couldn’t let her give up all together, just like she wouldn’t let him give up. She’d given up so much for him; it wasn’t fair for her to shoulder this entire burden alone.
“I don’t know, but it feels like someone just tried to rip my heart out,” she said sounding a little bit winded. “I’ve never felt like that coming through a portal.”
“I told you this boy would only cause you trouble,” said a voice that Natalie recognized almost immediately.
“Yuko?” she said as she tried to get to her feet. Edward hooked his arms under hers to help. “What are you doing here?”
Yuko just shook her head. “You’re not where you think you are my dear. You’ve landed in my shop again.”
“How? Did you high jack me again?”
“This isn’t my doing. Come, let’s make ourselves more comfortable and I’ll explain.”
“But…”
“No buts,” Yuko said as she motioned for Watanuki. “Help our guests to my lounge Watanuki and then bring refreshments, they’re going to be here for awhile.”
Watanuki didn’t argue as he took one side of Natalie while Edward held the other. Together they helped her walk into lounge and sat her in one of the prepared chairs. Once she was safely seated, Watanuki indicated that Edward should have a seat in the chair beside her. Edward did as Watanuki indicated and then Watanuki disappeared into the next room. Yuko had yet to join them.
“Where are we?” Edward asked, keeping his voice quiet. “Who are these people?”
“This is a shop that exists in a world between worlds,” Natalie answered, finally starting to feel better. “The lady you saw is Yuko, she runs this place and the gentleman that helped you get me in here is Watanuki her assistant.”
“How did we end up here? Given that you said this a world between worlds, I’m guessing this isn’t your world.”
“You’re right, it’s not and I have no idea how we ended up here or why. To be honest, I never wanted to come back here at all.”
“Back here? You’ve been here before?”
Natalie sighed exasperated. “Weren’t you listening when we arrived?” she asked sounding a bit annoyed.
“Sorry, but I was a little distracted worrying about you,” he snapped back at her.
Natalie took a deep breath. She couldn’t blame him for getting a bit annoyed at her and she knew the reason he snapped was her fault. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful,” she said looking at him, her eyes soft and apologetic.
Edward shook his head. “It’s alright, I get it. I didn’t mean to snap either.”
Natalie smiled warily. “But to answer your question, yes, I have been here before. It was right before I came to your world. Evidently someone paid a price for me to come here to get this,” she said holding out her necklace. “She also told me about my taboo, the one about taking people from their own worlds.”
“So she’s the one that left out exactly what would happen?”
Natalie nodded. “Yeah, she just told me what I told you.”
That was the moment that Yuko came into the room. “And now you’ve seen what would happen if you broke that taboo though I’m sure you don’t understand it yet,” she said as she sat down on her couch.
“Excuse me?” Natalie asked.
“You took this young man here from his world and now you’ll find out the price you’ve paid for that.”
“Hey wait a second!” Edward exclaimed as he stood up from his chair. “She didn’t take me anywhere, I went on my own. I’m the one that jumped the portal even after she told me not to!”
Yuko sighed sounding a bit annoyed. “Sit down and calm yourself young man, I said I was going to explain.”
Natalie reached out and tugged on Edward’s jacket. When he looked back at her he could see in her eyes that the best thing for him to do was sit back down and not push it any further.
“Now, were should I begin?” Yuko said lighting her pipe and then taking a drag from it. “Well do you remember when I said you’d lose something precious to you if you every broke the taboo and removed someone from their world?”
Natalie nodded. “Yeah, but you never said what exactly I’d lose.”
“Well you were trying to go home when you were yanked from the space between worlds and dropped here correct?”
“Yes, get to the point Yuko…”
Yuko chuckled. “I’m surprised you didn’t figure it out. Your price is simply this; you broke the taboo so the price you have to pay is your home.”
Natalie’s jaw dropped leaving her speechless temporarily. She felt like she’d been kicked in the stomach, her breath catching in her throat. “Wait… are… are you saying…” Natalie started.
“Wait a minute, are you saying because I went with her she’s not allowed to go home anymore?” Edward finished.
Yuko sat back with her pipe in her fingers. “That’s exactly right.”
“But how is that a fair and equal price? I’m the one that gave up on my home and went with her, punish me!”
Natalie reached over and put her hand on his arm. “No, I should never have allowed the chance for you to do what you did. I was careless so no matter what, it’s my price to pay.”
Edward looked over at her, there were tears streaming down her cheeks but the look in her eyes wasn’t what he’d expected. He couldn’t explain it. He expected her to be sad but that’s not what he saw. It looked like regret, like she’d just plain given up. “Natalie?”
She didn’t look at him as she got up. “Yuko, I need some air. Is it safe for me to walk around here?”
“It is. Outside of the fence is just Japan so no one should give you trouble.”
“Thank you, I’ll be back in awhile then…” she said leaving not waiting for Edward or anyone else.
Edward stood up and made to go after her. Yuko stood and grabbed his shoulder before he could get anywhere. “I wouldn’t…”
Edward pulled away from her. “How could you just expect me to NOT go after her?! She can’t be alone right now!”
“She has a lot to think about Mr. Elric and right now you’re not exactly the best person to be talking to her all things considered.”
Edward grabbed Yuko’s collar, the look of determination in his eyes. “That’s exactly why I’m the only one who CAN talk to her right now.” He pushed Yuko back down on the couch and ran out after Natalie. He couldn’t let her give up all together, just like she wouldn’t let him give up. She’d given up so much for him; it wasn’t fair for her to shoulder this entire burden alone.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
A New Senshi: Chapter 9.7 - Welcome Home
Alphonse and the other Edward came back in the room in time to see Natalie transform. They both looked at her amazed.
Natalie couldn’t help but to chuckle at them. “I told you guys I was uniquely gifted. Now once I open the portal you have to stay with me meaning you’re going to at least have to keep a hold of someone who’s holding onto me. Whatever you do, don’t let go.”
“What happened if one of us does?” Alphonse asked.
“You could be lost in the world between worlds forever. I don’t want that and neither do you,” she replied rather bluntly. “Are we ready to do this?”
They nodded and Natalie held out her staff creating the portal. Natalie took the hand of both Edwards, one on each side of her and Alphonse held onto his brother. Carefully they entered the portal.
When they came out on the other side, someone tripped and all of them went tumbling to the ground. Natalie couldn’t help but to laugh. This is how her and Edward had come out the first time he’d come through with her too.
Getting up and dusting herself off Natalie transformed back. The others got to their feet as well. The other Edward and Alphonse stood stone still when they saw that familiar yellow house of the hill. “Is that what I think it is?” the other Edward asked.
Natalie smiled and nodded. “Winry’s house? Yes it is. Just so you know though we didn’t tell her we were doing this just in case we failed to bring you back so she’d going to be plenty surprised.”
“Follow us to the house but let us get her alright? We’d like this to be as big of a surprise as we can manage.”
Alphonse and the other Edward didn’t argue and they made their way up the road to the house. The other Edward and Alphonse waited at the bottom of the stairs as Natalie and Edward went up and knocked on the door.
Winry opened it and looked a little surprised to them and so soon. “What are you two doing back here so soon? He didn’t mess up his leg already did he?”
They both laughed. “No, we actually came with a surprise for you,” Edward said as he and Natalie took a step to the side making it so she could see the other Edward and Alphonse behind them.
“Hi Winry, we’re home,” the other Edward said, grinning at her.
“Yeah, we’re back, Winry,” Alphonse chimed in smiling.
Winry couldn’t believe her eyes. “Is this a dream?” she asked softly.
Natalie shook her head. “No, they’re really here. When we left we went to the other world and got them. This was the best way we could think of to thank you for helping us.”
Winry walked past them and down the stairs to the other Edward and Alphonse. She stood there for a moment looking at them before throwing her arms around them both and hugging them tight. “Welcome home,” she said now starting to cry. Both them put their arms around her too hugging her back.
Edward put his arm around Natalie’s shoulders and pulled her close. “We did a good thing,” he said as they watched their reunion.
Natalie rested her head against his shoulder and smiled. “Yeah we did but now they’re on their own.”
“Yeah, well I think they’re going to be fine. Besides, it’s not like we can stay here with them anyway. I don’t want to feel like I did back in that other world again. That and didn’t you mention something about wanting to go back to your own world for awhile?”
“And take you with me silly.”
“Of course.”
“I want you to meet my mom and my best friends Amy and Katie. They’re never going to believe any of this. They’ve gotta be pretty worried about me by now too. I just disappeared right before their eyes.”
“I want to meet them too,” he said smiling. “And I’m sure they’re fine. Hey, for all they know you’ve only been gone an hour. One thing I’ve noticed is that time doesn’t always seem to run the same from world to world.”
“That’s very possible.”
After a few minutes, Winry, Alphonse, and the other Edward came up to Edward and Natalie. “I don’t know how to thank you two,” Winry said, hugging them.
“You don’t have to thank us; you fixed up Ed’s leg no questions asked. You didn’t even question where we came from, you just trusted us. There’s no equal for that,” Natalie replied.
“Brother and I want to thank you guys too. If you hadn’t come there to get us well…”
“We were living our lives to have minimum impact there because we didn’t belong there. You brought us back here where we belong. You guys pretty much gave us our lives back,” finished the other Edward.
Edward fielded this one. “We couldn’t let Winry stay here alone. I’m just glad you guys agreed to come back. But now that’s taken care of, we really should be going all things considered.”
Winry shook her head. “No, come inside and at least have dinner with us before you go.”
Natalie and Edward looked at each other. “What do you think Ed? How are you feeling?”
“I’ll be alright that long I think so if you want to stay we can.”
“Good!” Winry laced her arm through Natalie’s at the elbow and dragged her into the house to help her.
Edward made to follow them but the other Edward stopped him. “Hold on a second,” he said digging in his pocket for something. “I want you to have something, give it to Natalie when you think it’s a good time to.” He then handed a little bag.
Edward opened it up and a ring fell into his hand. It was silver with red jewel in the middle; the silver forming what looked like little vines around the stone and within the stone was what looked like a transmutation circle. “Where…”
“I picked it up awhile back. The transmutation circle in means nothing now but it still looks good.”
“Why not give it to Winry?”
Edward shook his head. “She has no appreciation for alchemy so I don’t think she’d really like the circle in the stone but I think Natalie would appreciate it more. That and it’s my way of repaying you. I know it doesn’t equal putting your life on the line but…”
Edward put the ring back in the bag and put it in his pocket he then extended his hand to the other Edward who took it. They shook hands and just as they were finished Alphonse came over and put his arm around both of them basically hugging them both. “Come on you two, let’s get inside.”
They all spent the evening eating and drinking and having fun but then it was time for Natalie and Edward to go. After saying their good-byes, knowing that they would probably never be back here, they made their way outside.
“OK Natalie, you ready to go home?” Edward asked smiling at her.
“Yeah,” she said as she opened the portal and they both stepped through.
Natalie couldn’t help but to chuckle at them. “I told you guys I was uniquely gifted. Now once I open the portal you have to stay with me meaning you’re going to at least have to keep a hold of someone who’s holding onto me. Whatever you do, don’t let go.”
“What happened if one of us does?” Alphonse asked.
“You could be lost in the world between worlds forever. I don’t want that and neither do you,” she replied rather bluntly. “Are we ready to do this?”
They nodded and Natalie held out her staff creating the portal. Natalie took the hand of both Edwards, one on each side of her and Alphonse held onto his brother. Carefully they entered the portal.
When they came out on the other side, someone tripped and all of them went tumbling to the ground. Natalie couldn’t help but to laugh. This is how her and Edward had come out the first time he’d come through with her too.
Getting up and dusting herself off Natalie transformed back. The others got to their feet as well. The other Edward and Alphonse stood stone still when they saw that familiar yellow house of the hill. “Is that what I think it is?” the other Edward asked.
Natalie smiled and nodded. “Winry’s house? Yes it is. Just so you know though we didn’t tell her we were doing this just in case we failed to bring you back so she’d going to be plenty surprised.”
“Follow us to the house but let us get her alright? We’d like this to be as big of a surprise as we can manage.”
Alphonse and the other Edward didn’t argue and they made their way up the road to the house. The other Edward and Alphonse waited at the bottom of the stairs as Natalie and Edward went up and knocked on the door.
Winry opened it and looked a little surprised to them and so soon. “What are you two doing back here so soon? He didn’t mess up his leg already did he?”
They both laughed. “No, we actually came with a surprise for you,” Edward said as he and Natalie took a step to the side making it so she could see the other Edward and Alphonse behind them.
“Hi Winry, we’re home,” the other Edward said, grinning at her.
“Yeah, we’re back, Winry,” Alphonse chimed in smiling.
Winry couldn’t believe her eyes. “Is this a dream?” she asked softly.
Natalie shook her head. “No, they’re really here. When we left we went to the other world and got them. This was the best way we could think of to thank you for helping us.”
Winry walked past them and down the stairs to the other Edward and Alphonse. She stood there for a moment looking at them before throwing her arms around them both and hugging them tight. “Welcome home,” she said now starting to cry. Both them put their arms around her too hugging her back.
Edward put his arm around Natalie’s shoulders and pulled her close. “We did a good thing,” he said as they watched their reunion.
Natalie rested her head against his shoulder and smiled. “Yeah we did but now they’re on their own.”
“Yeah, well I think they’re going to be fine. Besides, it’s not like we can stay here with them anyway. I don’t want to feel like I did back in that other world again. That and didn’t you mention something about wanting to go back to your own world for awhile?”
“And take you with me silly.”
“Of course.”
“I want you to meet my mom and my best friends Amy and Katie. They’re never going to believe any of this. They’ve gotta be pretty worried about me by now too. I just disappeared right before their eyes.”
“I want to meet them too,” he said smiling. “And I’m sure they’re fine. Hey, for all they know you’ve only been gone an hour. One thing I’ve noticed is that time doesn’t always seem to run the same from world to world.”
“That’s very possible.”
After a few minutes, Winry, Alphonse, and the other Edward came up to Edward and Natalie. “I don’t know how to thank you two,” Winry said, hugging them.
“You don’t have to thank us; you fixed up Ed’s leg no questions asked. You didn’t even question where we came from, you just trusted us. There’s no equal for that,” Natalie replied.
“Brother and I want to thank you guys too. If you hadn’t come there to get us well…”
“We were living our lives to have minimum impact there because we didn’t belong there. You brought us back here where we belong. You guys pretty much gave us our lives back,” finished the other Edward.
Edward fielded this one. “We couldn’t let Winry stay here alone. I’m just glad you guys agreed to come back. But now that’s taken care of, we really should be going all things considered.”
Winry shook her head. “No, come inside and at least have dinner with us before you go.”
Natalie and Edward looked at each other. “What do you think Ed? How are you feeling?”
“I’ll be alright that long I think so if you want to stay we can.”
“Good!” Winry laced her arm through Natalie’s at the elbow and dragged her into the house to help her.
Edward made to follow them but the other Edward stopped him. “Hold on a second,” he said digging in his pocket for something. “I want you to have something, give it to Natalie when you think it’s a good time to.” He then handed a little bag.
Edward opened it up and a ring fell into his hand. It was silver with red jewel in the middle; the silver forming what looked like little vines around the stone and within the stone was what looked like a transmutation circle. “Where…”
“I picked it up awhile back. The transmutation circle in means nothing now but it still looks good.”
“Why not give it to Winry?”
Edward shook his head. “She has no appreciation for alchemy so I don’t think she’d really like the circle in the stone but I think Natalie would appreciate it more. That and it’s my way of repaying you. I know it doesn’t equal putting your life on the line but…”
Edward put the ring back in the bag and put it in his pocket he then extended his hand to the other Edward who took it. They shook hands and just as they were finished Alphonse came over and put his arm around both of them basically hugging them both. “Come on you two, let’s get inside.”
They all spent the evening eating and drinking and having fun but then it was time for Natalie and Edward to go. After saying their good-byes, knowing that they would probably never be back here, they made their way outside.
“OK Natalie, you ready to go home?” Edward asked smiling at her.
“Yeah,” she said as she opened the portal and they both stepped through.
A New Senshi: Chapter 9.6 - You Have To Decide
Alphonse and the other Edward took him into their room to lie down. When they came back out Natalie rushed over to them. “How is he?”
Alphonse sighed. “He’s resting. What happened?”
Natalie took a deep breath. “I was afraid something like this might happen. He’s been in the same space with you,” she said looking at the other Edward, “too long. If we don’t do something soon he may vanish.”
Edward looked at her. “Vanish?”
“Yeah, it’s something that can happen when two of the same people are in the same space for too long. It’s sort of like a cosmic reconciling and since you’re the one most likely to be the one that belongs here it’s trying to reconcile him into you. We can’t let that happen…”
“What do we do about it though?” Alphonse asked.
“There’s only one thing I can do, get him away from you guys but there’s only two ways that can happen. Either you guys come with us back to Resembool now and then we leave from there as quickly as possible or we just leave, leaving you guys here. I really don’t want the latter though considering Ed risked himself to come here and help me find you two. It was because of him that I was even able to. Remember those headaches you were getting earlier Edward?”
He nodded. “Yeah but what’s that got to do with anything and how did you know about that?”
“Well that was Ed seeing through your eyes. That’s how we were able to follow you and find you here. For him it was like when you first came to this world Edward, when you were in the body of the Edward that belonged to this world. Remember how it felt being in that body that didn’t belong to you, that’s how it felt for Ed but he could do it from his own body because it was here too instead of just his soul being here.”
Edward closed his eyes shaking his head. “This is heavy stuff. I don’t want anything to happen to him but…”
“Damn it Edward! Not this again! Do I have to slug you again?”
“No! No, it’s just…”
Natalie shook her head. “Look Edward, I came from an alternate world of this one. This one is actually also the past to the world I came from and I’ll tell you something, nothing you do here will make any difference I can promise you that. If you go back you can at least make someone’s world a bit happier. Like I said before, Winry needs you and Alphonse too. She didn’t even get to say good-bye to you two before you left her, how fair is that?”
Edward and Alphonse both lowered their heads. They knew that Natalie had a point.
“Please you guys, let us help you set things right,” Natalie said softly. Hearing her own words she remembered that she never said good-bye to her own mom before coming on this journey, Amy and Katie too. After this maybe it would be good for her and Edward to go back to her world for a bit after this.
Edward looked to Alphonse who smiled and nodded to his brother. “Alright Natalie, we’ll go back with you.”
Natalie smiled. “Good, thank you. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to go as soon as I can get Ed back on his feet. I hope you understand.”
“That’s fine, there really aren’t any loose ends we have to deal with here anyway,” Edward replied.
“Alphonse, would you come with me to help me get Ed up? I have a feeling this might not be easy and I don’t think I should have both Edward’s that close together until I absolutely have to.”
Alphonse agrees and they went into the bedroom to get Edward. When they came in he was sleeping soundly, Natalie couldn’t help but to smile. Alphonse caught it. “You really care about him huh?”
“Yeah, seems everyone we meet notices,” she said with a chuckle.
“That’s a good thing. I’m actually glad he has someone like you. I know he’s not my brother but I can’t help but feel the same way about him as I do for Brother.”
“That’s understandable; he is your brother in a sense. Actually you and he are probably physically about the same age if I remember right. He may actually be younger.”
“Me older than Ed? Now that’s funny!” Alphonse said with a laugh.
Natalie couldn’t help but laugh as well. “Well he’s only 17…”
“Then he’s the same physical age as me though actually I’m 20. Those four years my body spent in the gate world were taken away when Brother saved me from there. I didn’t even get my memory of those years back until I came here with Brother three years ago. It’s all pretty confusing.”
Natalie just chuckled. “Yeah I can see how it would be.” She looked at Alphonse, “You know it’s actually thanks to you that he’s here with me at all, well his younger brother Alphonse. If he hadn’t pushed him he wouldn’t have come with me in the first place. His Winry wasn’t as patient as yours is and it nearly broke his heart completely when he lost her. His Alphonse pushed him to take a chance on me…”
“Both Eds are pretty stubborn and pig headed aren’t they?”
“Yeah they are,” she said looking over at him and smiling. That smile vanished quickly though because when she looked over it looked like she could see through Edward.
She rushed over and threw her arms around him, holding onto him tightly. The motion jolted him awake. “Hey! What was that for?” he asked confused.
Natalie didn’t say a word; she just continued to hold onto him for dear life, tears of panic running down her cheeks. Alphonse luckily had seen it too. “It looked like you were going to disappear…”
Edward’s eyes got wide and he held onto Natalie almost as tightly as she was holding onto him. He’d almost disappeared? He couldn’t do that, not now.
Alphonse walked over and put his hand on Edward’s shoulder. “I think we need to get you out of here as soon as possible. Brother and I have agreed to go back to Resembool with you guys and I think we should go get him and get out of here.”
Edward nodded. “I think you might right Alphonse…” he said, gently rubbing Natalie’s back trying to ease her panic. Alphonse took that as his cue to go get the other Edward.
Edward forced Natalie to let him go so he could look at her. “Come on Natalie, get it together. I’m fine, see I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere.”
“But I saw it, I could see right through you.”
“You can’t now though can you?” She shook her head. “Then see I’m fine now. Alphonse went to go get Ed and we’re going to leave. The sooner we them back the sooner we can move on too OK? Everything will be fine.”
“I was thinking of taking you to my world,” she said softly.
“I’d like that but first let’s make it through this alright? You ready to go?”
Natalie looked into his eyes and pulled him forward to kiss her. “Now I am,” she said with a smile.
Edward just chuckled and shook his head. “You’re hopeless.”
Alphonse sighed. “He’s resting. What happened?”
Natalie took a deep breath. “I was afraid something like this might happen. He’s been in the same space with you,” she said looking at the other Edward, “too long. If we don’t do something soon he may vanish.”
Edward looked at her. “Vanish?”
“Yeah, it’s something that can happen when two of the same people are in the same space for too long. It’s sort of like a cosmic reconciling and since you’re the one most likely to be the one that belongs here it’s trying to reconcile him into you. We can’t let that happen…”
“What do we do about it though?” Alphonse asked.
“There’s only one thing I can do, get him away from you guys but there’s only two ways that can happen. Either you guys come with us back to Resembool now and then we leave from there as quickly as possible or we just leave, leaving you guys here. I really don’t want the latter though considering Ed risked himself to come here and help me find you two. It was because of him that I was even able to. Remember those headaches you were getting earlier Edward?”
He nodded. “Yeah but what’s that got to do with anything and how did you know about that?”
“Well that was Ed seeing through your eyes. That’s how we were able to follow you and find you here. For him it was like when you first came to this world Edward, when you were in the body of the Edward that belonged to this world. Remember how it felt being in that body that didn’t belong to you, that’s how it felt for Ed but he could do it from his own body because it was here too instead of just his soul being here.”
Edward closed his eyes shaking his head. “This is heavy stuff. I don’t want anything to happen to him but…”
“Damn it Edward! Not this again! Do I have to slug you again?”
“No! No, it’s just…”
Natalie shook her head. “Look Edward, I came from an alternate world of this one. This one is actually also the past to the world I came from and I’ll tell you something, nothing you do here will make any difference I can promise you that. If you go back you can at least make someone’s world a bit happier. Like I said before, Winry needs you and Alphonse too. She didn’t even get to say good-bye to you two before you left her, how fair is that?”
Edward and Alphonse both lowered their heads. They knew that Natalie had a point.
“Please you guys, let us help you set things right,” Natalie said softly. Hearing her own words she remembered that she never said good-bye to her own mom before coming on this journey, Amy and Katie too. After this maybe it would be good for her and Edward to go back to her world for a bit after this.
Edward looked to Alphonse who smiled and nodded to his brother. “Alright Natalie, we’ll go back with you.”
Natalie smiled. “Good, thank you. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to go as soon as I can get Ed back on his feet. I hope you understand.”
“That’s fine, there really aren’t any loose ends we have to deal with here anyway,” Edward replied.
“Alphonse, would you come with me to help me get Ed up? I have a feeling this might not be easy and I don’t think I should have both Edward’s that close together until I absolutely have to.”
Alphonse agrees and they went into the bedroom to get Edward. When they came in he was sleeping soundly, Natalie couldn’t help but to smile. Alphonse caught it. “You really care about him huh?”
“Yeah, seems everyone we meet notices,” she said with a chuckle.
“That’s a good thing. I’m actually glad he has someone like you. I know he’s not my brother but I can’t help but feel the same way about him as I do for Brother.”
“That’s understandable; he is your brother in a sense. Actually you and he are probably physically about the same age if I remember right. He may actually be younger.”
“Me older than Ed? Now that’s funny!” Alphonse said with a laugh.
Natalie couldn’t help but laugh as well. “Well he’s only 17…”
“Then he’s the same physical age as me though actually I’m 20. Those four years my body spent in the gate world were taken away when Brother saved me from there. I didn’t even get my memory of those years back until I came here with Brother three years ago. It’s all pretty confusing.”
Natalie just chuckled. “Yeah I can see how it would be.” She looked at Alphonse, “You know it’s actually thanks to you that he’s here with me at all, well his younger brother Alphonse. If he hadn’t pushed him he wouldn’t have come with me in the first place. His Winry wasn’t as patient as yours is and it nearly broke his heart completely when he lost her. His Alphonse pushed him to take a chance on me…”
“Both Eds are pretty stubborn and pig headed aren’t they?”
“Yeah they are,” she said looking over at him and smiling. That smile vanished quickly though because when she looked over it looked like she could see through Edward.
She rushed over and threw her arms around him, holding onto him tightly. The motion jolted him awake. “Hey! What was that for?” he asked confused.
Natalie didn’t say a word; she just continued to hold onto him for dear life, tears of panic running down her cheeks. Alphonse luckily had seen it too. “It looked like you were going to disappear…”
Edward’s eyes got wide and he held onto Natalie almost as tightly as she was holding onto him. He’d almost disappeared? He couldn’t do that, not now.
Alphonse walked over and put his hand on Edward’s shoulder. “I think we need to get you out of here as soon as possible. Brother and I have agreed to go back to Resembool with you guys and I think we should go get him and get out of here.”
Edward nodded. “I think you might right Alphonse…” he said, gently rubbing Natalie’s back trying to ease her panic. Alphonse took that as his cue to go get the other Edward.
Edward forced Natalie to let him go so he could look at her. “Come on Natalie, get it together. I’m fine, see I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere.”
“But I saw it, I could see right through you.”
“You can’t now though can you?” She shook her head. “Then see I’m fine now. Alphonse went to go get Ed and we’re going to leave. The sooner we them back the sooner we can move on too OK? Everything will be fine.”
“I was thinking of taking you to my world,” she said softly.
“I’d like that but first let’s make it through this alright? You ready to go?”
Natalie looked into his eyes and pulled him forward to kiss her. “Now I am,” she said with a smile.
Edward just chuckled and shook his head. “You’re hopeless.”
A New Senshi: Chapter 9.5 - Sometimes Things Work Too Well
Thankfully the feeling passed quickly enough and Natalie was able to get Edward back to his feet. “That was the weirdest thing I think I’ve ever seen,” Edward said. “But at least we know we found the right place.”
Natalie nodded. “Yeah, but that scared the crap of me Ed.”
“Scared the crap out of you? Scared the crap out of ME… I wasn’t expecting that to happen and right after we showed up no less. Though hopefully it’ll help us find them faster.”
“Maybe, what else did you see besides Alphonse? Did you see any landmarks or signs?”
Edward closed his eyes and tried to think. “Al was sitting at a table; it looked like he was talking to someone. If I had to guess it was probably the other Edward. It was definitely outside.”
Natalie had an idea, she pulled out her card. “You wait here, I don’t want to risk anyone here seeing you, and it might get confusing especially if they know the other Edward. We can keep in touch with this,” she said holding up her card, “and if you have another one of those vision things let me know.”
“Where are you going?” Edward knew better than to argue with her about going with her. She was right anyway, the last thing they wanted to do was make this more complicated than they had to.
“I’m going to see if there’s an open air café around here. If that happened to you right after getting here I’m figuring we have to be at least close. I won’t wander far without coming back to get you, promise.”
Edward nodded. “Alright, just be careful. If he’s as much like me as I think he is, he might not trust you right away.”
“I know, I’m ready for that,” she said as she gave him a kiss. “Besides, I wasn’t planning to say anything to him right away; I just want to find him so we can follow him. When they’re somewhere it’s safe to talk then we’ll talk to them together.”
Edward sat down on a crate that was in the alley while Natalie walked out of the alley and on to the main street. What part of the city were they in anyway? She cursed herself for not paying more attention in school. Oh well, she figured they couldn’t be anywhere too bad, at least she hoped they weren’t. She walked past little shops in the first floors of what looked to be apartment buildings. Most of the shop keepers who saw her smiled at her as she walked by. They were certainly friendlier than she’d expected them to be.
She walked for awhile, covering about one block in every direction and was just about to give up and go back and get Edward when she saw a little deli with tables outside. Natalie kept her distance and tried to scan the tables. She hoped she hadn’t taken too long to find this place and lost them. She didn’t even know if she had the right place to begin with but she was in luck. She took out her card and closed her eyes.
“Ed, I found them… but they look like they’re getting ready to leave.”
“Then teleport me to you and we can follow them.”
Natalie looked for somewhere she could hide and open the circle to bring him to her. She found what looked like an open garage door and slipped inside. Closing her eyes she activated the card and a circle appeared in front if her, a moment later Edward was standing there.
“That feels even weirder than the portal I swear.”
“Yeah well it works right?”
Before he could answer her he closed his eyes and held his head. “It’s happening again…”
“Go with it for now. I have a feeling fighting it might make it worse.”
“Easy for you to say… they’re getting up…” Edward trying to focus on what he was seeing. “It sounds like Alphonse said something about an apartment and that I don’t look well…” And just as quickly as it had started it stopped. Edward looked at Natalie, “Come on, we have to hurry or we’ll lose them.”
They hurried back out onto the street in time to see the other Edward and Alphonse leave the table and head towards them. They ducked back into the room until Edward and Alphonse had gone by and then they followed them for about two blocks to an apartment building. There were a few times Natalie noticed Edward look back, she hoped they weren’t on to them. There were so many people on the street, how could they be right?
Natalie and Edward stayed outside, sitting on a bench that was on the opposite side of the street from the building Edward and Alphonse went into.
“Are we going to go in there?” Edward asked.
Natalie shook her head. “Not yet, I want to see if they’re going to be sticking around or not. There’s no sence going up there if they’re only going to be leaving again.”
“Good point…” he said just before another vision hit him. It seemed more intense this time. He could hear Alphonse clearly this time.
“Brother, are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yeah Al, it’s just a headache. Just came out of nowhere though.”
“Shouldn’t you go lay down?”
“No, I know someone was following us earlier… I want to know who they were.”
Natalie looked Edward. “What are you seeing?”
He waved her off; he needed to concentrate on what the other Edward was saying.
Alphonse got up and went to the window. Natalie saw him there. “Damn it Ed, Al’s looking out here, we have to go something…” she did the only thing she could think of and flipped his hood over his head so Alphonse wouldn’t recognize him. She tried to sit there like she was just enjoying the afternoon air.
“The other Edward knows we were following them,” Edward said to Natalie. “He’s trying to convince Alphonse that he’s not just being paranoid.”
Natalie sighed heavily. “Damn, I thought he might have been on to us. I noticed him look back a few times on the way here. There’s no help for it I guess, let’s head up there and say hello then.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea? I’m gonna tell ya, being closer to him has made these things I’m seeing more intense, I don’t know if being in the same room would be a good idea.”
“You want me to go up there alone? I can if that’s what you want…”
Edward shook his head. “No, I don’t want you to go alone though I’m pretty sure neither of them would hurt you, it’s just going to be a lot harder to explain things to them without me there.”
“That’s a true but then it might complicate things… you know, let’s go up there but keep your face hidden for now. I don’t want to freak them out until we have to.”
Edward nodded. “To get to the one they’re in we’ll have to go the top of the stairs and knock on the last door on the right side.”
“Got it, come on, let’s go.”
They got up and went into the building. Natalie went to were Edward had said and looked at the door, 103. She couldn’t help but see the irony of them being in this room. “This is it right?” she asked.
“Yup, Alphonse is the only one up. He managed to convince the other Edward to go lay down. Seems he gets a headache whenever I’m seeing through his eyes.”
“So you’re not connected right now?”
“I don’t think so; I’m only seeing what I see with my own eyes.”
“Good…” she said as she knocked on the door. Natalie took a deep breath, she had knocked but she had no idea what she was going to say to Alphonse. Edward saw the look on her face and took down his hood, changing his mind about their plan. “What are you doing?!”
“I have an idea, let me handle this,” he said stepping up to the door and staying in front of Natalie.
A moment later the door opened and Alphonse was standing there. “Can I help…” his voice cut off the instant he saw Edward. “Who are you?” he asked his face going pale and looking like he might faint.
Edward took a deep breath. “Well let’s just say we’re friends of a Ms. Winry Rockbell…” he said as he took off his jacket to show Alphonse the symbol on the back. “We’ve come here from Resembool.”
Alphonse eyed him suspiciously. “Ed… you might want to come out here…” he called to his brother.
A moment later the other Edward was standing behind Alphonse looking over his shoulder. He instantly noticed the jacket and looked into his own eyes. “What the hell is going on here? Who are you and why do you have my face?”
Natalie put her hand on Edward’s shoulder. “Let me handle this one… it’s pretty simple actually but I think it would be best if we didn’t talk about it out here where anyone could hear us. You have my word though that we didn’t come here to hurt you.”
Alphonse looked back at the other Edward who nodded. The other Edward went and sat down at the table and Alphonse moved out of the way letting Natalie and Edward in then closing the door behind him.
The other Edward looked at them trying to figure this one out. “Sit down you two…” he said sternly. Natalie didn’t hesitate to do as he asked but Edward did. He was starting to feel light headed and it wasn’t like earlier when he was having the visions. Once he was able to clear his head he sat down as well.
“OK, first things first, who are you?” the other Edward asked.
Natalie took a deep breath and rubbed the back of her neck nervously. “Well my name is Natalie Simon and this is going to be a bit difficult to understand but his name is Edward Elric, same as yours. He’s actually another you, from an Amestris that is parallel to the one you and Alphonse came from.”
“How is that possible?” Alphonse asked.
“Simple actually, we’re dimensional travelers. I have a very unique gift that lets me go where I’d like no matter what world the place exists in. We actually just came from your Amestris. I’m sure you understand the possibility of other worlds existing and that in those worlds there could be people that look like other people you know. I know you saw that when you first came over to this side Edward. Hughs, Gracia, even that film maker that looked like Bradley…”
“How do you know about that?” the other Edward asked.
“I told you, we’re travelers from other worlds too. The fact that this Ed is sitting here, he’s real just like you are. Remember when you first saw this world Edward? Didn’t you see the world through a different Edward’s eyes until the zeppelin crashed and killed him? And the Alphonse that was originally from this world, you stayed with him until the trouble with the Nazis and wanting to destroy your world. Wasn’t it because of him that you were able to go back and see your own brother Alphonse again? You can’t tell me you don’t believe any of this is possible.”
“But how did you open the gate and come here? We destroyed it three years ago,” Alphonse said.
“We didn’t come through that way. Like I said, I have the ability on my own and Ed and I came here to get you two. Winry needs you guys, she’s alone there now.”
The look on the Edward’s face turned sad. “We can’t…”
“Why not? I can take you back, safe and sound. You don’t belong here, either of you and you have people back in Amestris that love you and miss you. Why won’t you go back?” Natalie insisted.
Even Alphonse looked at his brother. “She’s right Brother, if it’s safe why can’t we go back?”
He didn’t answer. Natalie saw the look in his eyes, she knew that look. It was guilt. She got up and went over to him. When he looked up at her, she punching him square in the jaw. “You idiot! Stop feeling like you can’t go back there because of what happened! Winry needs you and you have a chance to go back to her! Damn it! Stop making her cry you dumb ass!”
Alphonse and her Edward’s eyes both went wide. He leaned over to Alphonse. “Scary when she’s mad isn’t she?” he said with a laugh.
Alphonse nodded. “Just like Winry… no wonder you two get along so well.”
They let Natalie and the other Edward hash this out and talked a bit. Edward was actually thankful to be able to talk to Alphonse again even if it wasn’t exactly his little brother.
The other Edward got up and got into Natalie’s face. He was taller than her but she didn’t back away from him, didn’t even give him an inch. “Damn it! What did you do that for?!” he exclaimed rubbing his jaw where she’d clocked him.
“Someone had to you stubborn ass. What’s so important here that you can’t leave it and go home? Tell me that Edward Elric.” Natalie stared intensely into his eyes.
He couldn’t help but notice the look in her crimson eyes looked a lot like Scar’s had once upon a time when he’d seen him in Lior and he’d been determined to sacrifice the lives of all of them to create the stone. It frightened him a little but he wasn’t going to let that on to her. He couldn’t come up with an answer though because she had been right, he didn’t want to go back because he felt guilty for leaving Winry again.
Alphonse went over to his brother. “Brother, I think we should believe them. They took a big risk coming here I mean look…” he pointed at Edward. “He came here knowing full well that you were here and that something bad might happen to him… and he trusts this girl completely so… well if another version of you trusts in her, why shouldn’t we?”
“But how do we know he’s really another version of me?”
Edward took a deep breath getting frustrated. Now he knew how everyone else must have felt dealing with him all the time. “Look, I’ll show you something…” He lifted up his pants leg to show him his automail leg. “Look at the work… first you of all people should know you can’t get anything like this here and second you should recognize the workmanship…”
The other Edward lifted up his pants leg and compared the two. They were nearly identical. “Winry…”
Edward nodded. “Yeah, Winry made mine too and your Winry just fixed it for me. I know we can be stubborn assholes but come on Ed… this is even too much for me to take…”
Natalie and Alphonse looked at each other. Neither one could believe that had just come out of Edward’s mouth. It was almost as epic as him admitting he was short.
The other Edward sighed heavily. “Damn it.”
“Come on, I can tell you don’t…” he paused mid sentence and closed his eyes. All of the sudden he didn’t feel right.
“Ed? Ed, everything OK?” Natalie said going over to him. She had no sooner gotten there than he collapsed into her. “Ed!”
Natalie nodded. “Yeah, but that scared the crap of me Ed.”
“Scared the crap out of you? Scared the crap out of ME… I wasn’t expecting that to happen and right after we showed up no less. Though hopefully it’ll help us find them faster.”
“Maybe, what else did you see besides Alphonse? Did you see any landmarks or signs?”
Edward closed his eyes and tried to think. “Al was sitting at a table; it looked like he was talking to someone. If I had to guess it was probably the other Edward. It was definitely outside.”
Natalie had an idea, she pulled out her card. “You wait here, I don’t want to risk anyone here seeing you, and it might get confusing especially if they know the other Edward. We can keep in touch with this,” she said holding up her card, “and if you have another one of those vision things let me know.”
“Where are you going?” Edward knew better than to argue with her about going with her. She was right anyway, the last thing they wanted to do was make this more complicated than they had to.
“I’m going to see if there’s an open air café around here. If that happened to you right after getting here I’m figuring we have to be at least close. I won’t wander far without coming back to get you, promise.”
Edward nodded. “Alright, just be careful. If he’s as much like me as I think he is, he might not trust you right away.”
“I know, I’m ready for that,” she said as she gave him a kiss. “Besides, I wasn’t planning to say anything to him right away; I just want to find him so we can follow him. When they’re somewhere it’s safe to talk then we’ll talk to them together.”
Edward sat down on a crate that was in the alley while Natalie walked out of the alley and on to the main street. What part of the city were they in anyway? She cursed herself for not paying more attention in school. Oh well, she figured they couldn’t be anywhere too bad, at least she hoped they weren’t. She walked past little shops in the first floors of what looked to be apartment buildings. Most of the shop keepers who saw her smiled at her as she walked by. They were certainly friendlier than she’d expected them to be.
She walked for awhile, covering about one block in every direction and was just about to give up and go back and get Edward when she saw a little deli with tables outside. Natalie kept her distance and tried to scan the tables. She hoped she hadn’t taken too long to find this place and lost them. She didn’t even know if she had the right place to begin with but she was in luck. She took out her card and closed her eyes.
“Ed, I found them… but they look like they’re getting ready to leave.”
“Then teleport me to you and we can follow them.”
Natalie looked for somewhere she could hide and open the circle to bring him to her. She found what looked like an open garage door and slipped inside. Closing her eyes she activated the card and a circle appeared in front if her, a moment later Edward was standing there.
“That feels even weirder than the portal I swear.”
“Yeah well it works right?”
Before he could answer her he closed his eyes and held his head. “It’s happening again…”
“Go with it for now. I have a feeling fighting it might make it worse.”
“Easy for you to say… they’re getting up…” Edward trying to focus on what he was seeing. “It sounds like Alphonse said something about an apartment and that I don’t look well…” And just as quickly as it had started it stopped. Edward looked at Natalie, “Come on, we have to hurry or we’ll lose them.”
They hurried back out onto the street in time to see the other Edward and Alphonse leave the table and head towards them. They ducked back into the room until Edward and Alphonse had gone by and then they followed them for about two blocks to an apartment building. There were a few times Natalie noticed Edward look back, she hoped they weren’t on to them. There were so many people on the street, how could they be right?
Natalie and Edward stayed outside, sitting on a bench that was on the opposite side of the street from the building Edward and Alphonse went into.
“Are we going to go in there?” Edward asked.
Natalie shook her head. “Not yet, I want to see if they’re going to be sticking around or not. There’s no sence going up there if they’re only going to be leaving again.”
“Good point…” he said just before another vision hit him. It seemed more intense this time. He could hear Alphonse clearly this time.
“Brother, are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yeah Al, it’s just a headache. Just came out of nowhere though.”
“Shouldn’t you go lay down?”
“No, I know someone was following us earlier… I want to know who they were.”
Natalie looked Edward. “What are you seeing?”
He waved her off; he needed to concentrate on what the other Edward was saying.
Alphonse got up and went to the window. Natalie saw him there. “Damn it Ed, Al’s looking out here, we have to go something…” she did the only thing she could think of and flipped his hood over his head so Alphonse wouldn’t recognize him. She tried to sit there like she was just enjoying the afternoon air.
“The other Edward knows we were following them,” Edward said to Natalie. “He’s trying to convince Alphonse that he’s not just being paranoid.”
Natalie sighed heavily. “Damn, I thought he might have been on to us. I noticed him look back a few times on the way here. There’s no help for it I guess, let’s head up there and say hello then.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea? I’m gonna tell ya, being closer to him has made these things I’m seeing more intense, I don’t know if being in the same room would be a good idea.”
“You want me to go up there alone? I can if that’s what you want…”
Edward shook his head. “No, I don’t want you to go alone though I’m pretty sure neither of them would hurt you, it’s just going to be a lot harder to explain things to them without me there.”
“That’s a true but then it might complicate things… you know, let’s go up there but keep your face hidden for now. I don’t want to freak them out until we have to.”
Edward nodded. “To get to the one they’re in we’ll have to go the top of the stairs and knock on the last door on the right side.”
“Got it, come on, let’s go.”
They got up and went into the building. Natalie went to were Edward had said and looked at the door, 103. She couldn’t help but see the irony of them being in this room. “This is it right?” she asked.
“Yup, Alphonse is the only one up. He managed to convince the other Edward to go lay down. Seems he gets a headache whenever I’m seeing through his eyes.”
“So you’re not connected right now?”
“I don’t think so; I’m only seeing what I see with my own eyes.”
“Good…” she said as she knocked on the door. Natalie took a deep breath, she had knocked but she had no idea what she was going to say to Alphonse. Edward saw the look on her face and took down his hood, changing his mind about their plan. “What are you doing?!”
“I have an idea, let me handle this,” he said stepping up to the door and staying in front of Natalie.
A moment later the door opened and Alphonse was standing there. “Can I help…” his voice cut off the instant he saw Edward. “Who are you?” he asked his face going pale and looking like he might faint.
Edward took a deep breath. “Well let’s just say we’re friends of a Ms. Winry Rockbell…” he said as he took off his jacket to show Alphonse the symbol on the back. “We’ve come here from Resembool.”
Alphonse eyed him suspiciously. “Ed… you might want to come out here…” he called to his brother.
A moment later the other Edward was standing behind Alphonse looking over his shoulder. He instantly noticed the jacket and looked into his own eyes. “What the hell is going on here? Who are you and why do you have my face?”
Natalie put her hand on Edward’s shoulder. “Let me handle this one… it’s pretty simple actually but I think it would be best if we didn’t talk about it out here where anyone could hear us. You have my word though that we didn’t come here to hurt you.”
Alphonse looked back at the other Edward who nodded. The other Edward went and sat down at the table and Alphonse moved out of the way letting Natalie and Edward in then closing the door behind him.
The other Edward looked at them trying to figure this one out. “Sit down you two…” he said sternly. Natalie didn’t hesitate to do as he asked but Edward did. He was starting to feel light headed and it wasn’t like earlier when he was having the visions. Once he was able to clear his head he sat down as well.
“OK, first things first, who are you?” the other Edward asked.
Natalie took a deep breath and rubbed the back of her neck nervously. “Well my name is Natalie Simon and this is going to be a bit difficult to understand but his name is Edward Elric, same as yours. He’s actually another you, from an Amestris that is parallel to the one you and Alphonse came from.”
“How is that possible?” Alphonse asked.
“Simple actually, we’re dimensional travelers. I have a very unique gift that lets me go where I’d like no matter what world the place exists in. We actually just came from your Amestris. I’m sure you understand the possibility of other worlds existing and that in those worlds there could be people that look like other people you know. I know you saw that when you first came over to this side Edward. Hughs, Gracia, even that film maker that looked like Bradley…”
“How do you know about that?” the other Edward asked.
“I told you, we’re travelers from other worlds too. The fact that this Ed is sitting here, he’s real just like you are. Remember when you first saw this world Edward? Didn’t you see the world through a different Edward’s eyes until the zeppelin crashed and killed him? And the Alphonse that was originally from this world, you stayed with him until the trouble with the Nazis and wanting to destroy your world. Wasn’t it because of him that you were able to go back and see your own brother Alphonse again? You can’t tell me you don’t believe any of this is possible.”
“But how did you open the gate and come here? We destroyed it three years ago,” Alphonse said.
“We didn’t come through that way. Like I said, I have the ability on my own and Ed and I came here to get you two. Winry needs you guys, she’s alone there now.”
The look on the Edward’s face turned sad. “We can’t…”
“Why not? I can take you back, safe and sound. You don’t belong here, either of you and you have people back in Amestris that love you and miss you. Why won’t you go back?” Natalie insisted.
Even Alphonse looked at his brother. “She’s right Brother, if it’s safe why can’t we go back?”
He didn’t answer. Natalie saw the look in his eyes, she knew that look. It was guilt. She got up and went over to him. When he looked up at her, she punching him square in the jaw. “You idiot! Stop feeling like you can’t go back there because of what happened! Winry needs you and you have a chance to go back to her! Damn it! Stop making her cry you dumb ass!”
Alphonse and her Edward’s eyes both went wide. He leaned over to Alphonse. “Scary when she’s mad isn’t she?” he said with a laugh.
Alphonse nodded. “Just like Winry… no wonder you two get along so well.”
They let Natalie and the other Edward hash this out and talked a bit. Edward was actually thankful to be able to talk to Alphonse again even if it wasn’t exactly his little brother.
The other Edward got up and got into Natalie’s face. He was taller than her but she didn’t back away from him, didn’t even give him an inch. “Damn it! What did you do that for?!” he exclaimed rubbing his jaw where she’d clocked him.
“Someone had to you stubborn ass. What’s so important here that you can’t leave it and go home? Tell me that Edward Elric.” Natalie stared intensely into his eyes.
He couldn’t help but notice the look in her crimson eyes looked a lot like Scar’s had once upon a time when he’d seen him in Lior and he’d been determined to sacrifice the lives of all of them to create the stone. It frightened him a little but he wasn’t going to let that on to her. He couldn’t come up with an answer though because she had been right, he didn’t want to go back because he felt guilty for leaving Winry again.
Alphonse went over to his brother. “Brother, I think we should believe them. They took a big risk coming here I mean look…” he pointed at Edward. “He came here knowing full well that you were here and that something bad might happen to him… and he trusts this girl completely so… well if another version of you trusts in her, why shouldn’t we?”
“But how do we know he’s really another version of me?”
Edward took a deep breath getting frustrated. Now he knew how everyone else must have felt dealing with him all the time. “Look, I’ll show you something…” He lifted up his pants leg to show him his automail leg. “Look at the work… first you of all people should know you can’t get anything like this here and second you should recognize the workmanship…”
The other Edward lifted up his pants leg and compared the two. They were nearly identical. “Winry…”
Edward nodded. “Yeah, Winry made mine too and your Winry just fixed it for me. I know we can be stubborn assholes but come on Ed… this is even too much for me to take…”
Natalie and Alphonse looked at each other. Neither one could believe that had just come out of Edward’s mouth. It was almost as epic as him admitting he was short.
The other Edward sighed heavily. “Damn it.”
“Come on, I can tell you don’t…” he paused mid sentence and closed his eyes. All of the sudden he didn’t feel right.
“Ed? Ed, everything OK?” Natalie said going over to him. She had no sooner gotten there than he collapsed into her. “Ed!”
A New Senshi: Chapter 9.4 - Good-Bye For Now
The next morning Winry came downstairs with Edward’s leg completely finished. She’d pulled an all-nighter to get it done. Neither of them were too surprised, it didn’t matter what Winry it was, she would bend over backwards to get Edward’s automail fixed.
“Come on Ed, let’s go,” Winry said patting the chair.
Knowing he didn’t have a choice he got up into the chair. “Just warn me when you’re ready to attach the nerves…” he said knowing full well she wouldn’t.
Natalie sat in the chair next to Winry’s work table and waited.
Winry went to work removing the spare and then attaching his again. “OK Ed, one, two…” and before she said three she locked down the nerve connection.
Edward let out a yelp of pain then gritted his teeth. “That’s always the part I hate…” he said still wincing as Winry made all of the final adjustments. “I thought I told you to warn me first!”
“Oh quit being such a baby Ed,” she said she tightened down the last of the connections. “Natalie, can you give me a hand? We need to move him over to the couch so he can rest and let his nerves adjust again.”
Natalie hopped up and went over to help Winry hold him up while they moved him over to the couch. He lay there, still wincing. His nerves must have been doing summersaults. Natalie had never actually seen that pained look on his face before. “Is this normal?” she asked Winry.
Winry nodded. “Yeah, most actually scream more than he did. Seems he has the same determination as the other Ed. He wouldn’t allow himself to cry or cry out when we attached his automail either. I wish he would just let it out though, it would be a lot easier on him if he did…”
“No,” he said still holding his eyes shut against the pain. Natalie and Winry both just shook their heads at him. Sometimes he was just too stubborn for his own good.
It didn’t take long for Edward to pass out. Natalie sat down on the couch with Edward and brushed his bangs out of his face. Carefully she lifted him a bit so that he could rest his head on her lap. Even given the fact that he was in pain when he passed out he still looked so peaceful when he slept.
“Thank you…” Wintry said lowering her head a bit as she sat down in the chair at her work table.
“For what?”
“For bringing him here. It’s good to know that at least one version of Ed got to be happy since I have no idea what’s happened to the one I know. Also, for loving this Ed just the way he is. He’s strong no doubt but he also needs someone who is going to stay with him even when he finally breaks down and shows his weakness, at least if he’s as much like the one I know as I think he is.”
Natalie chuckled and smiled. “You don’t have to thank me for that. He can be a stubborn pain in the butt, that’s true, but loving him… well that just seemed to come naturally to me.”
Winry smiled. “That’s the way it should be. Just promise me you’ll always take care of him. He deserves that.”
“Of course I will…” Natalie couldn’t help but think of when Edward had been nearly killed and she’d met him and his mother in that in between world. Trisha had made her promise the same thing then too. Edward really did have a lot of people that cared for him even if he didn’t always realize it. She looked down at him again, sleeping in her lap. “Besides, if I don’t take care of him, who will?” she said, running her hand over his forehead and brushing his hair back again.
Her touch made him slowly wake up. He seemed a bit surprised to look up and see Natalie smiling down at him. “Hey…” he said still half asleep smiling at her.
“How are you feeling?” she asked him.
Slowly he sat up and turned so he could put his feet on the floor. He started flexing the toes on his automail foot before standing up on it. When he was sure it was alright he started to stretch it out. “Feels a lot better, thanks Winry,” he said with a smile as he grabbed his pants and boots and put them back on.
Winry chuckled. “You’re welcome; just try not to be so rough on it oh and…”
“Don’t forget the maintenance, yeah, yeah I know…” he said sounding a bit exasperated. Didn’t matter what Winry it was, he always got this speech from her.
“Yeah well if you don’t you’re going to end up back here and I know how much you hate interrupting your little adventures just to get fixed up…”
Edward couldn’t help but to laugh. “I wish I could meet your Ed,” he said winking at Natalie. “Sounds like he’s more like me than I thought.”
Winry just laughed. “No you don’t, you two would just kill each other for no other reason than proving who was more stubborn.” This comment made Natalie almost lose it laughing.
“What’s so funny?!” Edward shot back at her.
“She has you pegged Ed, that’s all.”
He just shook his head. “Whatever…” he said looking a bit embarrassed.
“Now that you’re all set, we should get moving Ed,” Natalie said changing the subject. “If we’re going to get to that little task we had planned.”
“Oh yeah, you’re right,” he said heading upstairs to get their jackets.
“You don’t have to leave so soon you know,” Winry said to Natalie.
She shook her head. “No, we do, but don’t worry I know you’ll see us again,” she said with a smile. “I know it.”
Winry smiled though there seemed to be sadness in it. She actually doubted Natalie’s words. “Yeah when he breaks his leg again and you guys can’t go back home to fix it…”
“No, we’ll be back just to be back. Remember, I’m the one that makes this world jumping stuff happen,” she said with a wink. “We’ll come visit you again.”
Just then Edward came down the stairs. Natalie looked over at him just in time to see her jacket coming flying at her. “Hey! Warn me first!” she said as she grabbed it.
“Come on, we gotta go,” he said pulling his jacket on. He then went over to Winry and gave her hug. “It’s going to be alright, thank you for everything.”
Winry hugged him back and then lightly pushed him away. “You guys be careful OK? Now get going,” she said with a sad smile.
“We will!” he said as he and Natalie went out the door.
Winry stood in the door watching them as they walked down the road. Natalie knew she was but it didn’t matter, she knew their secret so as long as no one else was around they didn’t need to go hide. She took her pen and transformed.
“Ok Ed, you ready to try this?”
He nodded firmly, “Yup, let’s give this a try.”
“Alright,” she said as she pointed her staff. “Put your hand on mine and then I’ll open the portal. Hopefully my theory works and we’ll end up close to where the other Ed and Al are…”
Edward put his hand on hers as she asked him to and Natalie concentrated on the other world and on Edward and Alphonse. When the portal opened, they stepped through, Edward making sure to keep a hold of the staff until they were through.
When they emerged they were on a stone street in an alley. A car rumbled by them out on the main street. Natalie guessed it had to be from the 1920’s. Then she looked around and recognized the place from pictures she’d seen in her history books, the buildings, the clothes. They were in New York in the later part of the 20’s. Wow, if they had succeeded in landing where Edward and Alphonse were, those two had travelled a long way from Germany over the last three years. Natalie quickly changed back and looked for Edward.
“Ed, I think we made it…” she said as she turned around. When she did, Edward was on his knees holding his head. “Ed!!!” she exclaimed kneeling down beside him.
“I’m alright, just a little dizzy. It feels like I’m looking through someone else’s eyes… and I see… Alphonse…”
“Come on Ed, let’s go,” Winry said patting the chair.
Knowing he didn’t have a choice he got up into the chair. “Just warn me when you’re ready to attach the nerves…” he said knowing full well she wouldn’t.
Natalie sat in the chair next to Winry’s work table and waited.
Winry went to work removing the spare and then attaching his again. “OK Ed, one, two…” and before she said three she locked down the nerve connection.
Edward let out a yelp of pain then gritted his teeth. “That’s always the part I hate…” he said still wincing as Winry made all of the final adjustments. “I thought I told you to warn me first!”
“Oh quit being such a baby Ed,” she said she tightened down the last of the connections. “Natalie, can you give me a hand? We need to move him over to the couch so he can rest and let his nerves adjust again.”
Natalie hopped up and went over to help Winry hold him up while they moved him over to the couch. He lay there, still wincing. His nerves must have been doing summersaults. Natalie had never actually seen that pained look on his face before. “Is this normal?” she asked Winry.
Winry nodded. “Yeah, most actually scream more than he did. Seems he has the same determination as the other Ed. He wouldn’t allow himself to cry or cry out when we attached his automail either. I wish he would just let it out though, it would be a lot easier on him if he did…”
“No,” he said still holding his eyes shut against the pain. Natalie and Winry both just shook their heads at him. Sometimes he was just too stubborn for his own good.
It didn’t take long for Edward to pass out. Natalie sat down on the couch with Edward and brushed his bangs out of his face. Carefully she lifted him a bit so that he could rest his head on her lap. Even given the fact that he was in pain when he passed out he still looked so peaceful when he slept.
“Thank you…” Wintry said lowering her head a bit as she sat down in the chair at her work table.
“For what?”
“For bringing him here. It’s good to know that at least one version of Ed got to be happy since I have no idea what’s happened to the one I know. Also, for loving this Ed just the way he is. He’s strong no doubt but he also needs someone who is going to stay with him even when he finally breaks down and shows his weakness, at least if he’s as much like the one I know as I think he is.”
Natalie chuckled and smiled. “You don’t have to thank me for that. He can be a stubborn pain in the butt, that’s true, but loving him… well that just seemed to come naturally to me.”
Winry smiled. “That’s the way it should be. Just promise me you’ll always take care of him. He deserves that.”
“Of course I will…” Natalie couldn’t help but think of when Edward had been nearly killed and she’d met him and his mother in that in between world. Trisha had made her promise the same thing then too. Edward really did have a lot of people that cared for him even if he didn’t always realize it. She looked down at him again, sleeping in her lap. “Besides, if I don’t take care of him, who will?” she said, running her hand over his forehead and brushing his hair back again.
Her touch made him slowly wake up. He seemed a bit surprised to look up and see Natalie smiling down at him. “Hey…” he said still half asleep smiling at her.
“How are you feeling?” she asked him.
Slowly he sat up and turned so he could put his feet on the floor. He started flexing the toes on his automail foot before standing up on it. When he was sure it was alright he started to stretch it out. “Feels a lot better, thanks Winry,” he said with a smile as he grabbed his pants and boots and put them back on.
Winry chuckled. “You’re welcome; just try not to be so rough on it oh and…”
“Don’t forget the maintenance, yeah, yeah I know…” he said sounding a bit exasperated. Didn’t matter what Winry it was, he always got this speech from her.
“Yeah well if you don’t you’re going to end up back here and I know how much you hate interrupting your little adventures just to get fixed up…”
Edward couldn’t help but to laugh. “I wish I could meet your Ed,” he said winking at Natalie. “Sounds like he’s more like me than I thought.”
Winry just laughed. “No you don’t, you two would just kill each other for no other reason than proving who was more stubborn.” This comment made Natalie almost lose it laughing.
“What’s so funny?!” Edward shot back at her.
“She has you pegged Ed, that’s all.”
He just shook his head. “Whatever…” he said looking a bit embarrassed.
“Now that you’re all set, we should get moving Ed,” Natalie said changing the subject. “If we’re going to get to that little task we had planned.”
“Oh yeah, you’re right,” he said heading upstairs to get their jackets.
“You don’t have to leave so soon you know,” Winry said to Natalie.
She shook her head. “No, we do, but don’t worry I know you’ll see us again,” she said with a smile. “I know it.”
Winry smiled though there seemed to be sadness in it. She actually doubted Natalie’s words. “Yeah when he breaks his leg again and you guys can’t go back home to fix it…”
“No, we’ll be back just to be back. Remember, I’m the one that makes this world jumping stuff happen,” she said with a wink. “We’ll come visit you again.”
Just then Edward came down the stairs. Natalie looked over at him just in time to see her jacket coming flying at her. “Hey! Warn me first!” she said as she grabbed it.
“Come on, we gotta go,” he said pulling his jacket on. He then went over to Winry and gave her hug. “It’s going to be alright, thank you for everything.”
Winry hugged him back and then lightly pushed him away. “You guys be careful OK? Now get going,” she said with a sad smile.
“We will!” he said as he and Natalie went out the door.
Winry stood in the door watching them as they walked down the road. Natalie knew she was but it didn’t matter, she knew their secret so as long as no one else was around they didn’t need to go hide. She took her pen and transformed.
“Ok Ed, you ready to try this?”
He nodded firmly, “Yup, let’s give this a try.”
“Alright,” she said as she pointed her staff. “Put your hand on mine and then I’ll open the portal. Hopefully my theory works and we’ll end up close to where the other Ed and Al are…”
Edward put his hand on hers as she asked him to and Natalie concentrated on the other world and on Edward and Alphonse. When the portal opened, they stepped through, Edward making sure to keep a hold of the staff until they were through.
When they emerged they were on a stone street in an alley. A car rumbled by them out on the main street. Natalie guessed it had to be from the 1920’s. Then she looked around and recognized the place from pictures she’d seen in her history books, the buildings, the clothes. They were in New York in the later part of the 20’s. Wow, if they had succeeded in landing where Edward and Alphonse were, those two had travelled a long way from Germany over the last three years. Natalie quickly changed back and looked for Edward.
“Ed, I think we made it…” she said as she turned around. When she did, Edward was on his knees holding his head. “Ed!!!” she exclaimed kneeling down beside him.
“I’m alright, just a little dizzy. It feels like I’m looking through someone else’s eyes… and I see… Alphonse…”
A New Senshi: Chapter 9.3 - Nothing's Easy
They managed to return to Winry’s without incident after visiting the cemetery. When they came in, Winry wasn’t downstairs at the work table where they had figured she would be.
“Ed, would you go see if you can find her? I’ll see about putting something together for dinner,” Natalie said to him as she started towards the kitchen.
“Why? I’m sure she’s fine. Besides, do you think it’s the best idea for me of all people to talk to her? I mean considering…”
Natalie shook her head. “I actually think that’s the perfect reason for you to go talk to her. Winry misses her Ed and maybe having you talk to her might help ease that pain a little. But then we don’t know if anything is even wrong… but…”
“I know what you mean. OK, fine, I’ll see if I can find her.”
“Thanks Ed,” she said walking back over and giving him a quick kiss.
Edward just chuckled a bit. “The things I let you talk me into,” he muttered under his breath and went upstairs to start looking for her there.
When he got into the upstairs hallway he noticed that the door he figured was hers, since that it was the same as it had been in his world, was closed. Taking a chance he knocked on it. “Winry, are you in there?”
At first he didn’t hear anything but after a moment the knob on the door turned and the door opened. “Ed, what can I do for you?” she asked. It was clear that she had been crying.
“Mind if I come in?”
She nodded and moved out of the way allowing him to come inside. He could see that she had his leg on the work table in here. She was as much of a work-a-holic as his Winry had been. For now he stood against the wall.
Winry had followed him into the room, leaving the door open for the moment. She went right to sitting at the work table and tinkering.
“Everything OK?” he asked her. “Natalie and I were worried about you when we didn’t see you when we got back.”
“Yeah, everything’s fine,” she said softly not looking at him. It was hard for her to look at Edward. He looked the same as her Edward did the last time she’d seen him. She figured he had to be about the same age as her Edward had been when he’d gone back to that other world with Alphonse. That’s what made it all the harder for her to look at him. “I promised to have this done for you tomorrow and I usually work better in here so…”
Edward sighed. “You’re lying, I can tell Winry. You can’t hide it any better than the Winry I know can. Now come on, what’s bothering you?”
Winry put down her tools and turned in the chair to look at him. “I’m just having a hard time with this OK? I haven’t seen your face, well actually his face, in three years. I had just finally started to believe that I was never going to see him again and then you two show up here. I know you’re not the Edward I knew but it still doesn’t make it any easier. I miss him and I miss Alphonse a lot, especially now that…” her voice trailed off and she turned back away from him.
“Since Granny Pinako died…”
Winry nodded. “They all left me behind here, they left me alone…”
Edward couldn’t see it but he was pretty sure that she’d started crying again. He’d never been able to handle the sight of Winry crying and that hadn’t changed. He had to do something so he went over and put his hand on her shoulder. He didn’t want to do anything too personal but he couldn’t just let it go without doing anything. “I’m sure they didn’t want to leave you Winry…”
She just sighed and put her hand over his on her shoulder. “I know that. In the case of Ed and Al, well, I know they just did what they needed to do, they always did.”
“Sounds like Al and I. Seems your Ed and Al are a lot like us… what happened to them anyway?”
Winry took a deep breath. “Where do I start? I guess the best way to explain it was that Al sacrificed himself to bring Ed back after Envy killed him. Once he’d defeated Dante who was trying to use the philosopher’s stone so she could transfer her soul again, Ed then tried to sacrifice himself to bring Al back. He succeeded in bringing back Al at the age he was when they’d first tried to bring their mom back and Al didn’t remember a thing about traveling with Ed and their journey for the philosopher’s stone and he had no idea where Ed was. We all knew that Ed was gone but we didn’t believe that he was dead, none more so than Alphonse. He went back and studied with Izumi and three years ago Al managed to open the gate to the other world at the same time they were able to open the gate on the other side. Ed came back long enough to stop the army from the other world that came through and send them back. But he couldn’t stay here and at the time I didn’t know why. Later General Mustang told me what had happened after Ed and Al went after the commander of the airship army. After they defeated her Ed tried to go back to the other world alone to close the gate there. Alphonse stowed away and went with him. He couldn’t stand being without his brother again, not after he’d searched and studied so hard to get him back. “
Edward shook his head. “Reminds me of what Al and I went through…” he said softly.
Winry looked at him. “Tell me about it?”
Edward finally took a seat on the bed figuring it would probably be best at this point. “Well we didn’t have all the other world stuff to deal with…” He paused noticing that Winry had given him a questioning look. “The traveling worlds thing didn’t start until I met Natalie… so anyway, in our Amestris there was this guy called Father, who was basically a homunculus clone of my father who was trying to create a giant philosopher’s stone inside himself so that he could be God. He almost destroyed the entire country using me, Alphonse, my father, Izumi and Mustang as sacrifices to open the portal. My father managed to counter his circle giving everyone in Amestris their souls back but he was still powerful. He fought back, trying to kill us all again. We got pretty beat up; I ended up busting up my automail arm and getting my left one run through with a steel reinforcing bar. Al had been almost completely disintegrated and Father was just about to kill me when he decided to trade his soul so I could get my right arm back. This way I could use my alchemy again and get myself free. With everyone’s help I was able to finish off Father then I went back to the gate and gave up my alchemy to get Alphonse back, body and soul.”
Winry just sat there taking it all in. “The events were different but you all went through hell. At least you got to be together with Alphonse in your own world though. Wait a minute, if you said you gave up your alchemy to get your Al back, how did you have it now to fix your leg?”
“I have Natalie to thank for that, she got it back for me shortly after I met her. She paid a pretty hefty toll to get it back too…” Edward’s face turned a bit sad remembering what she’d given up for him.
“You care about her a lot don’t you Ed?”
Edward nodded. “Yeah, she helped me pull myself back together and didn’t give up on me. After Al and I got what we were looking for things sort of fell apart for me. I have to admit, I cared about the Winry in my world a lot too but I was a stubborn idiot and lost her. If I hadn’t had to hold it together for Alphonse while he recovered from having his body trapped in the gate world for four years, I would have completely self destructed. When Natalie came into my life, well it was like I got a second chance…”
“Was this why you didn’t go back to your own world to see your Winry to have her fix this?” she said holding up his leg.
Edward blushed a bit embarrassed. “Partially, I’m just not ready to face that yet. The other part is I don’t want Natalie decking Winry with her own wrench…”
Winry couldn’t help but to laugh. “Well I’m glad to know that at least one version of us ended up happy.”
“Don’t count out your own happiness yet OK Winry?” he said as he got up and gave her a hug. “You never know when things will change for the better.”
Just then Natalie knocked on the door. “Hey, dinner’s ready,” she said with a smile. She’d heard the last part of the conversation where he told her not to give up, before knocking on the door.
“Oh! I didn’t… I’m sorry!” Winry said getting up from the workbench, almost knocking Edward over as she did. Luckily he was able to catch himself before he fell on his rear end.
“Don’t sweat it,” Natalie said smiling. “You’re helping us out; the least I could do was make dinner right?”
“Thanks,” she said, smiling back. She headed out of the room and downstairs.
Natalie waited at the door for Edward. “Everything go alright?”
Edward sighed then smiled. “Yeah, she told me what happened to the Ed and Al of this world and I told her what happened to Al and I. It just makes me believe more that we’re doing the right thing in trying to go get them and bring them back here.”
“Ed, would you go see if you can find her? I’ll see about putting something together for dinner,” Natalie said to him as she started towards the kitchen.
“Why? I’m sure she’s fine. Besides, do you think it’s the best idea for me of all people to talk to her? I mean considering…”
Natalie shook her head. “I actually think that’s the perfect reason for you to go talk to her. Winry misses her Ed and maybe having you talk to her might help ease that pain a little. But then we don’t know if anything is even wrong… but…”
“I know what you mean. OK, fine, I’ll see if I can find her.”
“Thanks Ed,” she said walking back over and giving him a quick kiss.
Edward just chuckled a bit. “The things I let you talk me into,” he muttered under his breath and went upstairs to start looking for her there.
When he got into the upstairs hallway he noticed that the door he figured was hers, since that it was the same as it had been in his world, was closed. Taking a chance he knocked on it. “Winry, are you in there?”
At first he didn’t hear anything but after a moment the knob on the door turned and the door opened. “Ed, what can I do for you?” she asked. It was clear that she had been crying.
“Mind if I come in?”
She nodded and moved out of the way allowing him to come inside. He could see that she had his leg on the work table in here. She was as much of a work-a-holic as his Winry had been. For now he stood against the wall.
Winry had followed him into the room, leaving the door open for the moment. She went right to sitting at the work table and tinkering.
“Everything OK?” he asked her. “Natalie and I were worried about you when we didn’t see you when we got back.”
“Yeah, everything’s fine,” she said softly not looking at him. It was hard for her to look at Edward. He looked the same as her Edward did the last time she’d seen him. She figured he had to be about the same age as her Edward had been when he’d gone back to that other world with Alphonse. That’s what made it all the harder for her to look at him. “I promised to have this done for you tomorrow and I usually work better in here so…”
Edward sighed. “You’re lying, I can tell Winry. You can’t hide it any better than the Winry I know can. Now come on, what’s bothering you?”
Winry put down her tools and turned in the chair to look at him. “I’m just having a hard time with this OK? I haven’t seen your face, well actually his face, in three years. I had just finally started to believe that I was never going to see him again and then you two show up here. I know you’re not the Edward I knew but it still doesn’t make it any easier. I miss him and I miss Alphonse a lot, especially now that…” her voice trailed off and she turned back away from him.
“Since Granny Pinako died…”
Winry nodded. “They all left me behind here, they left me alone…”
Edward couldn’t see it but he was pretty sure that she’d started crying again. He’d never been able to handle the sight of Winry crying and that hadn’t changed. He had to do something so he went over and put his hand on her shoulder. He didn’t want to do anything too personal but he couldn’t just let it go without doing anything. “I’m sure they didn’t want to leave you Winry…”
She just sighed and put her hand over his on her shoulder. “I know that. In the case of Ed and Al, well, I know they just did what they needed to do, they always did.”
“Sounds like Al and I. Seems your Ed and Al are a lot like us… what happened to them anyway?”
Winry took a deep breath. “Where do I start? I guess the best way to explain it was that Al sacrificed himself to bring Ed back after Envy killed him. Once he’d defeated Dante who was trying to use the philosopher’s stone so she could transfer her soul again, Ed then tried to sacrifice himself to bring Al back. He succeeded in bringing back Al at the age he was when they’d first tried to bring their mom back and Al didn’t remember a thing about traveling with Ed and their journey for the philosopher’s stone and he had no idea where Ed was. We all knew that Ed was gone but we didn’t believe that he was dead, none more so than Alphonse. He went back and studied with Izumi and three years ago Al managed to open the gate to the other world at the same time they were able to open the gate on the other side. Ed came back long enough to stop the army from the other world that came through and send them back. But he couldn’t stay here and at the time I didn’t know why. Later General Mustang told me what had happened after Ed and Al went after the commander of the airship army. After they defeated her Ed tried to go back to the other world alone to close the gate there. Alphonse stowed away and went with him. He couldn’t stand being without his brother again, not after he’d searched and studied so hard to get him back. “
Edward shook his head. “Reminds me of what Al and I went through…” he said softly.
Winry looked at him. “Tell me about it?”
Edward finally took a seat on the bed figuring it would probably be best at this point. “Well we didn’t have all the other world stuff to deal with…” He paused noticing that Winry had given him a questioning look. “The traveling worlds thing didn’t start until I met Natalie… so anyway, in our Amestris there was this guy called Father, who was basically a homunculus clone of my father who was trying to create a giant philosopher’s stone inside himself so that he could be God. He almost destroyed the entire country using me, Alphonse, my father, Izumi and Mustang as sacrifices to open the portal. My father managed to counter his circle giving everyone in Amestris their souls back but he was still powerful. He fought back, trying to kill us all again. We got pretty beat up; I ended up busting up my automail arm and getting my left one run through with a steel reinforcing bar. Al had been almost completely disintegrated and Father was just about to kill me when he decided to trade his soul so I could get my right arm back. This way I could use my alchemy again and get myself free. With everyone’s help I was able to finish off Father then I went back to the gate and gave up my alchemy to get Alphonse back, body and soul.”
Winry just sat there taking it all in. “The events were different but you all went through hell. At least you got to be together with Alphonse in your own world though. Wait a minute, if you said you gave up your alchemy to get your Al back, how did you have it now to fix your leg?”
“I have Natalie to thank for that, she got it back for me shortly after I met her. She paid a pretty hefty toll to get it back too…” Edward’s face turned a bit sad remembering what she’d given up for him.
“You care about her a lot don’t you Ed?”
Edward nodded. “Yeah, she helped me pull myself back together and didn’t give up on me. After Al and I got what we were looking for things sort of fell apart for me. I have to admit, I cared about the Winry in my world a lot too but I was a stubborn idiot and lost her. If I hadn’t had to hold it together for Alphonse while he recovered from having his body trapped in the gate world for four years, I would have completely self destructed. When Natalie came into my life, well it was like I got a second chance…”
“Was this why you didn’t go back to your own world to see your Winry to have her fix this?” she said holding up his leg.
Edward blushed a bit embarrassed. “Partially, I’m just not ready to face that yet. The other part is I don’t want Natalie decking Winry with her own wrench…”
Winry couldn’t help but to laugh. “Well I’m glad to know that at least one version of us ended up happy.”
“Don’t count out your own happiness yet OK Winry?” he said as he got up and gave her a hug. “You never know when things will change for the better.”
Just then Natalie knocked on the door. “Hey, dinner’s ready,” she said with a smile. She’d heard the last part of the conversation where he told her not to give up, before knocking on the door.
“Oh! I didn’t… I’m sorry!” Winry said getting up from the workbench, almost knocking Edward over as she did. Luckily he was able to catch himself before he fell on his rear end.
“Don’t sweat it,” Natalie said smiling. “You’re helping us out; the least I could do was make dinner right?”
“Thanks,” she said, smiling back. She headed out of the room and downstairs.
Natalie waited at the door for Edward. “Everything go alright?”
Edward sighed then smiled. “Yeah, she told me what happened to the Ed and Al of this world and I told her what happened to Al and I. It just makes me believe more that we’re doing the right thing in trying to go get them and bring them back here.”
Friday, October 14, 2011
A New Senshi: Chapter 9.2 - We Can't Let Things Stay This Way
Once the spare leg had been attached to Winry’s satisfaction, she took his and started working on it. Edward got dressed again and was going to put on his jacket when Natalie stopped him.
“You better not, that red jacket will be likely to draw attention and we don’t want that. If you want a jacket take mine,” she said taking hers off and handing it to him. “It’s probably better anyway. I can walk around here and not be noticed but you, well without the hood someone might recognize you like Winry did. We can’t risk that if you insist on going out.”
Edward sighed but he knew she was right. He took her jacket and put it on, pulling the hood up over his head. Once he was all set and sure that he’d be alright walking they said good-bye to Winry for now and left.
As they walked down the road, Edward couldn’t help but to notice how much this Resembool was like his.
“So where are we going?” Natalie asked him.
“To the cemetery, I want to see something.”
“If Pinako is there?”
Edward nodded. “Yeah…”
As they walked Edward looked up to where the old house had been. His eyes couldn’t believe what he was seeing, the charred remains of a house and a tree. It was exactly the same. Without thinking he went up towards it, Natalie following after him.
He stopped where the front door once was and just looked. Natalie came up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder. “The Ed and Al from this world did the same thing as you did after getting your State Alchemist’s Certification. Their journey started a lot like yours did.”
“So Mom died here too and they tried to bring her back just like we did…” he said sadly.
“Yeah, doesn’t seem to matter what world you live in sometimes. There are just things that are meant to happen no matter what,” she said as she hugged him. “Come on, we should go…”
It took him a minute to get moving but finally they left. When they got to the cemetery they split up to look around. Natalie found Trisha’s grave and stopped for a moment. She was actually glad she found it instead of Edward. She knelt down and put her hand on the marker stone, a tear running down her cheek. “I’ll bring them back…” she said softly then got up to keep looking around.
“Natalie! Over here!” she heard Edward call. When she joined him she found that he was standing at the graves of Winry’s parents and beside them was another stone. “Damn it Granny Pinako… why did you leave her alone?” he asked, his fists clenched in anger. He then looked at Natalie. “This isn’t right. I know she’s not the Winry I knew but I can’t just let this stand this way. There’s got to be something we can do, it kills me to see her look that lonely.”
“I was one step ahead of you Ed,” she said softly. “That’s what I was thinking about earlier when we were back at the house. I was thinking of a way to go to the other world and get Edward and Alphonse and bring them back without putting you in danger. I want to make this right because I don’t like seeing her like that either.”
“Did you come up with anything more?”
Natalie shook her head. “No, but then I don’t know I’d even be able to find them without your help. I know what world I have to go to but I don’t know where in it they are.”
“How could I help with that?”
Natalie took a minute to think about this, she knew she was going to word it wrong and it was going to sound cold and she didn’t want to do that. Finally she just gave up though and spit it out the way she was thinking about it. “Well since you’re the same person, just from a different place, a different version, your soul might be linked to his somehow. If it is and you help me open the portal, it might just take us right to them.”
“But how do you know that Alphonse will be with him?”
“Why do you even doubt that he will be? They’re in a world that’s not theirs, and they’re as close as you and your brother are, maybe more so. Alphonse will be with him, I’m sure of it.”
“Well that still leaves the problem of what could happen to me if I’m in the same place as my other self…”
“It does. It’s a huge gamble and I don’t want to risk something happening to you because you’re together.”
Edward closed his eyes and thought about this. He played it over and over in his head. “Well no matter what I think of it still involves my having to be around him at some point or another. Like you said, you’ll have better luck finding them if I’m with you.” He looked up at the clouds passing overhead and took a deep breath. This was a lot to deal with but they had to do the right thing and bring them back. “Don’t be mad at me Natalie but I’m willing to take the risk and go get them for her. I know something bad might happen to me but I can’t just leave this and not try. I know that I would never want to know what your face would look like being alone like she is.”
“But doing this could very well make that happen,” she said softly trying not to cry. “But I know what you mean. Plus, this was my idea to begin with but…”
Edward hugged her tight, which made her lose it and start crying. “All we can do is try. If for a second we think things are going to go bad we leave OK? Neither one of us is going to accept this until we see if we can do it or not.”
She buried her face in his chest. “You’re right but promise me that if you feel even the least bit like something isn’t right and I can’t see it you’ll tell me.”
“I promise.”
Taking a few deep breaths, Natalie regained her composure. “Alright then, we’ll give this a try and see what happens.”
“So it’s settled, once the repairs are done on my automail then we’ll get going.”
Natalie nodded. There was a part of her that had a bad feeling about this but she had never liked nor agreed with this story ending the way it had. It didn’t help seeing Winry the way she was either which convinced her she had to change the ending and bring this world’s Edward and Alphonse back. She just wished that she didn’t have to put her own Edward at risk to pull it off.
“You better not, that red jacket will be likely to draw attention and we don’t want that. If you want a jacket take mine,” she said taking hers off and handing it to him. “It’s probably better anyway. I can walk around here and not be noticed but you, well without the hood someone might recognize you like Winry did. We can’t risk that if you insist on going out.”
Edward sighed but he knew she was right. He took her jacket and put it on, pulling the hood up over his head. Once he was all set and sure that he’d be alright walking they said good-bye to Winry for now and left.
As they walked down the road, Edward couldn’t help but to notice how much this Resembool was like his.
“So where are we going?” Natalie asked him.
“To the cemetery, I want to see something.”
“If Pinako is there?”
Edward nodded. “Yeah…”
As they walked Edward looked up to where the old house had been. His eyes couldn’t believe what he was seeing, the charred remains of a house and a tree. It was exactly the same. Without thinking he went up towards it, Natalie following after him.
He stopped where the front door once was and just looked. Natalie came up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder. “The Ed and Al from this world did the same thing as you did after getting your State Alchemist’s Certification. Their journey started a lot like yours did.”
“So Mom died here too and they tried to bring her back just like we did…” he said sadly.
“Yeah, doesn’t seem to matter what world you live in sometimes. There are just things that are meant to happen no matter what,” she said as she hugged him. “Come on, we should go…”
It took him a minute to get moving but finally they left. When they got to the cemetery they split up to look around. Natalie found Trisha’s grave and stopped for a moment. She was actually glad she found it instead of Edward. She knelt down and put her hand on the marker stone, a tear running down her cheek. “I’ll bring them back…” she said softly then got up to keep looking around.
“Natalie! Over here!” she heard Edward call. When she joined him she found that he was standing at the graves of Winry’s parents and beside them was another stone. “Damn it Granny Pinako… why did you leave her alone?” he asked, his fists clenched in anger. He then looked at Natalie. “This isn’t right. I know she’s not the Winry I knew but I can’t just let this stand this way. There’s got to be something we can do, it kills me to see her look that lonely.”
“I was one step ahead of you Ed,” she said softly. “That’s what I was thinking about earlier when we were back at the house. I was thinking of a way to go to the other world and get Edward and Alphonse and bring them back without putting you in danger. I want to make this right because I don’t like seeing her like that either.”
“Did you come up with anything more?”
Natalie shook her head. “No, but then I don’t know I’d even be able to find them without your help. I know what world I have to go to but I don’t know where in it they are.”
“How could I help with that?”
Natalie took a minute to think about this, she knew she was going to word it wrong and it was going to sound cold and she didn’t want to do that. Finally she just gave up though and spit it out the way she was thinking about it. “Well since you’re the same person, just from a different place, a different version, your soul might be linked to his somehow. If it is and you help me open the portal, it might just take us right to them.”
“But how do you know that Alphonse will be with him?”
“Why do you even doubt that he will be? They’re in a world that’s not theirs, and they’re as close as you and your brother are, maybe more so. Alphonse will be with him, I’m sure of it.”
“Well that still leaves the problem of what could happen to me if I’m in the same place as my other self…”
“It does. It’s a huge gamble and I don’t want to risk something happening to you because you’re together.”
Edward closed his eyes and thought about this. He played it over and over in his head. “Well no matter what I think of it still involves my having to be around him at some point or another. Like you said, you’ll have better luck finding them if I’m with you.” He looked up at the clouds passing overhead and took a deep breath. This was a lot to deal with but they had to do the right thing and bring them back. “Don’t be mad at me Natalie but I’m willing to take the risk and go get them for her. I know something bad might happen to me but I can’t just leave this and not try. I know that I would never want to know what your face would look like being alone like she is.”
“But doing this could very well make that happen,” she said softly trying not to cry. “But I know what you mean. Plus, this was my idea to begin with but…”
Edward hugged her tight, which made her lose it and start crying. “All we can do is try. If for a second we think things are going to go bad we leave OK? Neither one of us is going to accept this until we see if we can do it or not.”
She buried her face in his chest. “You’re right but promise me that if you feel even the least bit like something isn’t right and I can’t see it you’ll tell me.”
“I promise.”
Taking a few deep breaths, Natalie regained her composure. “Alright then, we’ll give this a try and see what happens.”
“So it’s settled, once the repairs are done on my automail then we’ll get going.”
Natalie nodded. There was a part of her that had a bad feeling about this but she had never liked nor agreed with this story ending the way it had. It didn’t help seeing Winry the way she was either which convinced her she had to change the ending and bring this world’s Edward and Alphonse back. She just wished that she didn’t have to put her own Edward at risk to pull it off.
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