Chapter Text
White. He was surrounded by white in a place that always haunted him in his sleep. Turning around he found the being who makes him equally terrified and annoyed.
"Al! Alphonse! Stop! What you are going to do is human transmutation even if you combined it with alkahestry Truth won't be fooled. Hell that bastard-"
"Brother please i can't lose you yet. Your kids can't lose you yet" Edward turn his gaze away from his brother sorrowful eyes. He knew that he won't live long, rash as he was to sacrifice his life span and his gate in his youth it was worth the result. Beside it was the only acceptable way for him.
"Al listen.. one of the reason why i decided to sacrifice my alchemy was that i know i will have another source of strenght in you guys. You have two healthy feet on you now Al...use it, move forward. You realized you have Mei and her clan, the stupid Emperor, Winry, your nephew and niece hell even general useless" his brother snort at the phrashing, it loosened the knotted worry in him a bit.
"Brother ..it was only to return your alchemy. I promised i wont do anything else. Please brother let me do it. Let me help you." He grabbed his brother's shoulder to maybe shake some sense into him. People were not wrong when they said he was stubborn but Alphonse was always the more obstinate one between them when he had something in his head.
"Al! You can't be serious. What will you do for the payment?. I refuse to have you sacrificing your body when we spent years to get it back." Desperation shone in his eyes, desperate for his brother to understand, to let him go. A hand closed around his own thin one which was ravaged by the same illness that took their mother away.
"Brother don't worry your researchs along with the arrays that you hoarded" " hey" "help alot. Mei and I we come up with an array to compress pure energy similar to those of a philosopher stone sans souls. The only weakness is it will break down instantly without a stabilizing array to hold it up."
What he heard stunned him momentarily, head churning with questions and ideas before a stabbing headache stopped him. Dimly aware of hands massaging his scalp before he relaxed again.
"Okay i will think about it but i want to see the array first. Make sure you and that runt of a woman didn't put any surprise for me." He grumbled at Al's scandalised gasp, with hands on his hip Al began his earnest lecture about how he shouldn't insult his fiancee.
It was peaceful in that moment.
"Hello Mr. Alchemist, fancy meeting you again." That mocking tone always sets him on edge. Clenching his hand around the stone he offered it to the being.
"This for my alchemy"
"Hee.... A stone of compressed pure energy. Yes it could work, however you barely have enough for the return trip. A detour is in order Mr. Alchemist."
"Wha- what do you mean- Truth"
Little black hands dragged him toward his newly returned gate. A disintregrating stone and Truth's grinning face was the last thing he saw before the gate closed. He had to fight hard to retain his sanity during the familiar process of information and knowledge cramming.
The sound of air rushing in his ear followed by a sudden impact toward hard soil knocked his breath out before he lost consciousness.
"It has been a long time Edward Elric. Make it as amusing this time as well."