Travelers

Man. This title. I thought about it for a couple minutes. And then I was like...yeah...that fits...and it fits for each section. Hurrah.

--
In Tyler We Trust--\'Jack\', from Fight Club
--

Edward Elric could remember the very first time he’d met Alfons Heiderich.

He’d gone to Romania, more specifically, to Sibiu, Transilvania, to meet a man called Hermann Julius Oberth. This man, a Russian named Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, and an American named Robert Goddard were all doing research independently on rockets, perhaps with the intention of space. Perhaps it could help him get home.

Those days were hard for him. The constant traveling. His father had rebuilt and constructed auto-mail limbs for him. Sometimes his father managed to find out where he was and sent him money. That was difficult too—as it had to be cash. Ed found he could not just walk into a bank and open an account, after all. He would be asked awkward questions and while his famous, eccentric father could pull strings in most areas, this was one subject he could not. Special favors sometimes extended to Hohenheim only, not this young man who’d never been seen before but Hohenheim claimed was his son. The son whom several people had seen crushed just a year or so ago.

However, when he finally managed to track down Oberth he found, to his dismay, that the man had left…going to some sort of scientific exposition a neighbor told him. A convention from what he managed to find out.

However, it seemed Fate was willing to lend him a little luck that day. He had left the man’s house, dismayed and despairing. He walked out to the street, little battered suitcase in hand. He felt a drop of water hit his head and, irritably, he looked up. It had been sunny this morning and now the sky was cloudy, dropping water.

The rain came down hard and fast, Ed clutched the suitcase to himself, trying to keep it dry. He could feel his hair sticking to his face, getting in his eyes. A bicyclist screamed in some other language at him as he swept by. In his surprise, Ed tripped and fell into the gutter.

Ed didn’t even jump up. He just laid there for a moment, feeling the numb mask drape over him. He took a breath and heaved himself to his feet. He was covered in mud and dirty water and he only had one change of clothes. He still had some money though; maybe he could find a place to spend the night.

Suddenly, a man was beside him. “Hallo,” he said.

Ed looked blearily at him, barely seeing him. He tried on a weak smile. “Uh. Hi.”

“You look like you’ve had a bad day,” the man said, taking off a pair of spectacles, cleaning the lenses and then perching them back on his nose.

“Something like that.”

The man nodded, a strange tick in his posture. “What are you doing out here in the rain?”

At the moment, Ed didn’t care what this man knew and what he didn’t. “I was searching for a man named Oberth—but evidently he’s at—“

“The exposition?”

Ed gave him a careful look, trying to blink rainwater from his eyes. I should have bought a hat. “Yeah…”

“I’m something of a scientific man myself. I’ll be heading up in a couple of days after I find a sitter for my daughter. Do you know where it is?”

Ed shook his head. “His neighbors didn’t know either.”

The man frowned, the craggy lines in his face catching water that brimmed-his hat didn’t guard him against. “Are you truly interested in science?”

Ed nodded, but he was tired. “Why are you asking me these questions?”

“Come over here, boy,” said the man, walking away from the gutter and ducking under a tree. He opened his own briefcase and drew out a pencil and some paper. He wrote something on it. “Go here. That’s where the Heiderichs are.”

“Heiderichs? Who are they?”

The man blinked at him, as if surprised. “They’ve been working with Oberth. If you go to the convention and don’t find him—look for them.”

And with a wave, pulling up the collar of his overcoat, the man was gone. Ed stared after him, feeling abruptly odd about the exchange. He’d felt as if he’d seen that man before.

The tick in his posture. A little odd. Obviously scientific…

He blinked.

Shou Tucker.

But Ed was too stunned to go after him, and by the time he managed to get a hold of himself, the strange man was gone. It couldn’t be… A trick of the light was all. It was raining. There was water in his eyes. Just a trick of the light…

Ed bunked down under a bench that night, wet and cold. He’d need his money for the trip tomorrow. To find this convention. His head was filled with uneasy dreams.


Ed was endlessly impressed with this convention idea. He wondered why something similar hadn’t been thought of back home. Although with alchemy I suppose it’s different… Here, it seemed, was a haven for scientists and inventors. There were prototype displays—new machines (a man named John Larson was showing off a strange invention called a Lie Detector--Ed was uneasy about this one. How on earth could it detect lies? It had no mind of its own….er…right?), new ideas, scholarly pursuits. There were demonstrations and people handing out pamphlets and all sorts of things.

During this time, Ed completely forgot about Oberth and the Heiderichs. He simply wondered, taking it all in—wishing he had more eyes so he could look at everything at once (his neck was beginning to ache). He clutched his suitcase, walking quickly, stopping at times, gazing over so many things he’d never seen before and something amazing called a robot that seemed almost alive.

“Hey. Not often we see someone so young here.”

Ed turned to look at a dark-skinned man, who was smiling with very white teeth. “Is that so?”

The man smiled cheerfully. “Yes, sir. Are you here for something—a demonstration or to check out some of the prototypes?”

“Er, yes. I met a man,” Ed forced his mind away from Tucker. “—who told me about this. I…couldn’t help but come.”

“Ah, you’ve a scientific mind?”

Ed smiled softly. “Yeah.”

“Well, have a seat, young sir. What’s your name?”

Ed ticked his head to the side just slightly, but he sat down with the man on a bench against the wall. “Edward Elric.”

“Jeremiah Bones,” he replied, sticking out a large, dark hand to shake. “My specialty is biochemistry. Although I didn’t bring anything for show. What’s yours? Physics? Chemistry?”

Uh…

“I’m…kind of a jack-of-all-trades,” he said carefully, shaking the man’s hand with his flesh one. “I’m…just getting into serious study. I’ve just gotten out of school.”

The man grinned. “Ah, the terror of formal learning. Where did you go?”

Oh geez...

This is where things got awkward. He could either lie or he could…lie. He’d attempt to avoid the subject. “I studied in Germany,” he told him quickly and then leapt to, “My interest though, is mainly chemistry… and some physics as well.” The chemistry he could back up, having an extensive knowledge of elements from alchemy.

“Physics! Have you seen the pamphlets for the rocket demonstration?”

“Er…no. What’s going on?”

“Oh, the Heiderichs are here from Germany. John and his boys—his nephew—as well. They’ll be doing an outdoor demonstration around seven this evening. Twilight, to make a better light show, I suppose.”

Ed swallowed, clenching the paper in coat pocket. He’d forgotten all about the Heiderichs. “Have you seen it?”

“Once. They were at another convention—they’re trying to get a patron so they can continue research. They’re big names underground.”

“Underground?”

“Oh, you have big shots scientists who are the cleverest men you’ll ever meet—just ask them, they’ll tell you.”

Ed grinned.

“But they brush off people like the Heiderichs—can’t fathom that they could come up with something they never could. Arrogant bastards. Underground people like you and me—who love the craft and aren’t in it to look down our noses at others—we want to help each other out—hence expositions like this. The big whigs go to the formals and drink champagne,” and here he comically lifted an imaginary glass and stuck his pinkie out, rolling his eyes, and making Ed laugh. “The rest of us have a great time and later we’ll eat and have our own shin digs. We’ll smoke and drink and all that. Ha! Ha! Americans love it—they banned alcohol in the United States just last year or so. Crazy, isn’t it? But anyway, anyway—the rocket show. You should see it. Especially interested in physics like you are.”

Ed nodded. “Thank you for that. I appreciate the suggestion. Where is it being held?”

“Out back. Can’t miss it. Don’t get into trouble now. You look pretty clever though and quiet—you must be, what, in your twenties?”

Ed grinned to himself. “I’m seventeen.”

The man blinked. “Really? That’s impressive. You look older. Your face just lights up like a kid in a candy store though when you look around. Be sure to tell me if you like it when it’s all over.”

Ed nodded. “Sure thing. Thank you again.” He gave the man a friendly wave and disappeared into the crowd.

So, around seven in the evening, Ed found a back exit and went to where a large crowd was already beginning to gather. There was wide circle, picketed off and a sort of wooden platform.

Ed stood some distance away from the people, feeling boxed in by the crowd. They had to wait ten minutes as the sun dimmed and twilight set in. Ed clutched the piece of paper. An older-looking, blond-haired man came up onto the platform. “I apologize for the delay,” he shouted, as the audience went very, very quiet. “We’re going to finish setting up now. Um, well, for those of you who don’t know us—which is probably ninety percent of you—“

“Aw! Don’t be modest John!”

John grinned, but otherwise ignored the shouter. “My name is John Heiderich—my sons and nephew are wrapping things up—so I’ll introduce them later. Are you all ready?”

The spectators cheered. John Heiderich turned around and clapped his hands together (and for a split-second, Ed started violently…and then remembered where he was) and waved. He hopped off the platform (his sons and nephew must have jumped off the back) and Ed saw a brilliant flash of orange and gold light and a white cylinder blasted into the air with a roar and a haze of thick smoke.

For a few moments, the evening sky was ablaze with amazing colors and a streaming tail, like a shooting star. It’s like alchemy… The golden light and everything. Ed followed it with his eyes.

I could get home with that, couldn’t I? Couldn’t I?!

And suddenly, everything went dark. The rocket had…gone out perhaps? Edward wasn’t certain but for a few seconds there was dead silence and then in a swelling roar the spectators were clapping and shouting approval.

And John Heiderich leapt back onto the platform, three blond young men—hardly more than boys—followed him. They cheered and bowed and shook hands, looking positively thrilled, introductions completely forgotten.

Ed didn’t need one.

He stared. No….no…. He snatched up his suitcase and forced his way into the chaos, hammering aside the happy crowd—in its festival-like atmosphere—until he reached the front line.

Horrified, he stared at the third boy. Blond-haired and fair-skinned.

He flashed instantly to Al, putting these two side-by-side in his mind.

That’s impossible…

Al…

No, he would have sought me out…

What color were his eyes?

But then people were pushing him aside, clambering up to talk to John Heiderich and his sons but the nephew, who must have been the third boy [as he resembled the elder Heiderich hardly at all], nodded to John and, smiling, walked off the platform.

“Al,” Ed muttered. He felt as if his mind was slipping away. “Al.”

He dove through the crowd, coming out at the right end of the platform, just in time to see the boy go around the back of it. Ed ran after him, clutching his suitcase. When he whipped around the corner, the boy, who’d been taking a drink, started violently, choking and coughing. He blinked.

“Uh…hello.” There was an awkward silence as they stared at each other. “Um, is there something I can do for you? My uncle is better at answering questions than I am.” He seemed to take in Ed’s disheveled appearance. “Um.” He shifted his eyes. This boy’s yellow eyes were unsettling. “Um. If you could just—“

“What’s your name?”

The boy blinked again. “Uh….Alfons.”

The young man paled considerably. “Al…” It barely came out as a whisper, his eyes widening and his shoulders going slack. He was carrying a little suitcase. It thudded into the ground.

“Oh, well, I never go by Al…”

“Alphonse? I…how did you get here?”

The boy called Alfons cocked an eyebrow at him. “By…by train. Uh…what are you talking about?”

Suddenly, Ed remembered Tucker. It was clear in that moment. Ed closed his eyes, shaking his head, opening his mouth to speak. “I-I…uh…I’m sorry. I just…thought you were someone else. I…I’m sorry.” He looked at the boy and suddenly saw bright blue eyes.

Al’s muddy brown-gold eyes came to him. No. This wasn’t Al. This was another Al. “I-I’m sorry.” Think fast. “I’m looking for someone. I was told to find you…I’m looking for a man named Oberth.”

Alfons’ body appeared to relax but he still looked at Ed, a little wary.

Ed could feel a mix of embarrassment and despair. “I’m sorry. I’ve started this all wrong. I thought you were someone else. But I met a man who knows your uncle. He gave me this.” He took the slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to Alfons. He studied it. Ed continued on. “I’m looking for Oberth because I want to study rockets, physics and chemistry with him. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen.”

Alfons looked up, boring his eyes into his. “All right,” he said finally. “Er…come with me and meet my uncle…”



Russel and Al sat in on their beds on opposites sides of the small room.

“What are you going to decide, Al?”

Al glanced up. He swallowed hard. “What’s your opinion?”

Russel snorted. “As if he cares about my opinion. He wants you more than me. Even if I said no—if you said yes—he’ll do it anyway.”

“I don’t know about creating a Stone though.”

Russel nodded. “I remember when your brother left. I regret that day.”

Al looked at him, puzzled. Russel had never spoken of this. “Why?”

He glared at his hands. “I didn’t go with him. Fletcher asked if you were all right and he said, he’s just a little lost. And then I let him go alone. When Rose told me he was gone…” Russel shook his head. “But the Stone was the reason for all of it. If not for it…Ed would be here and you’d still have your memories. Of course, you’d probably still be armor too.”

“There are a lot of pros and cons to this situation.”

“Roy Mustang told me that he was with Marco when he was forced to hand over his prototype Stones but he only knew a little bit about it. Crane said he couldn’t find anything on it.” Russel sighed. “I still remember how to do it, of course—from what Mustang could tell me, the substance seemed similar—his was just better and it didn’t make people sick.”

“Have you continued research on it?”

Russel paused. “Some,” he admitted. He smiled. “I was like Ed, I guess. I just couldn’t leave it alone. Fletcher wanted nothing to do with it. After a long time though, I picked it up again and managed to make it purer. Not nearly as good as Marco’s but still, it was something. It didn’t make anyone sick.”

“I’m uneasy with this, just making a Stone like this. As if it’s just something we can use when it’s convenient—even if those Homunculus are gone.”

Russel folded his legs and put his elbows on his knees. “Yeah. If we consider all sides though, it’s an opportunity. You get your brother. The memories are almost blackmail but the guy is smart to do it. If it was me, that’s what I’d do.”

“And you and Fletcher never have to worry about anything ever again.”

“That would be nice.”

“But creating a Stone?” Al shook his head. “That’s an awfully big con.”

“I agree.”

“But he said he’d only take the Stone after I returned with Ed. So…”

“We could just destroy it when we return. And he said that we’d be more than a match for him.”

“But what if Ranen turns on us?”

Russel considered that for a moment. “That’s a good point. But I dunno. She uses sand. You’re a first class alchemist, Al.”

“So are you.”

Russel shrugged modestly. “Maybe. You think we could outmatch her?”

Al smiled. “Probably. I don’t have to use a Circle after all—I’ve seen the Gate.”

“Well, yes, but she’s got those tattoos.”

Al nodded. “Well, we’d just cut her hands off.”

Russel laughed. “You’re awfully bloodthirsty.”

Al grinned. “Not really. But, she has to control every particle of sand. It takes a lot out of her. We’d just wear her out and then lock her up or something.”

Russel tongued his cheek, looking satisfied with this plan. “All right. So if she turns on us when we get back—we’ll kill her and destroy the Stone. That Crane guy is sneaky anyway. I don’t like him. And if it comes to fight, we’ll get him too.”

Al nodded, looking uneasy, then he blinked. “We?”

Russel looked away. “You don’t honestly think I’d let you go alone, do you? I won’t make that mistake again.”

Al half-smiled sadly. “Thank you.”

Russel shrugged, seeming uncomfortable. “Yeah, well. I owe Ed. Somebody has to make sure you don’t get arrested or something.”

“I don’t get arrested!”

Russel grinned at him.

“So…wait…this means that we’re….agreeing, doesn’t it?”

Russel’s smile fell. “Yeah…I guess it does. I guess it does…”

“What if we’re choosing wrong?”

Russel bit his lip and shook his head. “Then I guess we’ll chose wrong. Or we’ll end up dead.”



Winry received a phone call the same evening. She dropped her blowtorch, tore off her mask and leapt for the phone. “Hello?”

“Winry Rockbell?”

“Ah,” Winry sighed, recognizing the gravelly voice of Roy Mustang. “Roy! It’s good to hear from you. Did Riza get a hold of you?”

“Yes,” said Mustang, suddenly sounding a little angry. “She said Alphonse and Russel told you they were coming to see me.”

“That’s what they said. Hawkeye—er, damn, I mean Riza—said that she wasn’t sure about it because…you worked on your own agenda.”

“I took a post up north.”

“Up north?!”

There was silence for a second. “Yes.”

“They told me you were in Central.”

On the other end, Roy blinked. “No. I visited Central a short time ago but I didn’t stay. I came back north when I finished there.”

“What were you doing there?”

There was another awkward silence. “I went to see my people. To see how they were doing.”

Winry blinked and rolled her eyes at the ceiling (Hawkeye, in other words—not that he’d ever admit it), but she couldn’t help but smile. “Ah,” was all she said.

“But anyway,” Roy muttered gruffly.

Winry suddenly sat up. “Wait a second! Al said you sent him a letter!”

“What? I didn’t send him a letter.”

“That damn boy! I’m going to kill him when I see him! I get so tired of all these lies, Roy! If it’s not Edward, it’s his fucking brother! I don’t understand why they just can’t tell me the truth once in a fucking while!”

“Winry, calm down!”

Winry thought of something else, laced with fury. “Hey, remember that weirdo Al met on the road a couple months ago? Ranen? She said she met you in Central.”

On the other end, Roy crooked his eyebrows. “I didn’t see her, then.”

Winry went still. “What do you mean?”

“I never ran into her.”

“Wait a second…” Winry thought fast. She remembered Ranen telling Al that she’d run into Mustang and that Mustang had said hi. But she said she didn’t talk to him any further than that because of Hawkeye.

And two days later, Al comes to her and says he’s going to Central to see Roy. Ranen neglecting to mention to Winry that Roy was usually posted up north and Winry hadn’t even considered that Roy would have no way of knowing Al was there and even if he did, to send Al a letter the day after he’d arrived at her house...Al had told Russel he had no idea how Roy could have known he was there…but that didn’t make sense either. Roy wasn’t the type to sneak around on his friends.

But, you know, it’ll only be a matter of time…

“That bitch!”

“What?” Mustang shot back.

“Ranen’s been saying that she has heard of way to find Ed but I didn’t let her tell Al because…well, I didn’t want him to get his hopes up and I don’t wanna lose him too. I told her to leave him alone.”

“You think he went with her?”

“Obviously! There’s no other explanation! She left the same day he did! Oh, I should have known!”

“What is she talking about? How could she find Ed?”

“I don’t know. She would never tell me the details. That’s why I didn’t trust her. She asked me about it a couple times—if she could tell Al, but I always told her no, to leave him alone. He’s had a hard enough life without having false hopes.”

There was silence over the phone for a moment. “Do you remember which way they went?”

“Al said he’d head southwest because you hadn’t given them a time schedule and he wanted to take the scenic route. But everyone’s been lying to me so much lately that I have no idea if that’s true.”

On the other end, Roy looked out the window into falling snow. He thought fast. “All right, I’ll head back to Central and talk to Hawkeye. She is in command of my former group. Havoc, Falman, Breda and Fuery. I’ll convince her to dispatch them to find out information about the area. If they went southwest, Al must have a purpose in mind—he was never as sneaky as Full Metal. He’s too honest. When I reach Central, I’ll follow them. What about the woman?”

“Ranen? Shoot her on sight for all I care! She’s going to get Al killed!”

“All right. Havoc and the others will probably arrive in a couple days, I’ll tell them to call you from the station. Is that all right?”

“Yes. Seems as though all I have to do is come home and suddenly everyone needs to stay with me. They better make their own dinner though. I’m no one’s maid.”

Roy grinned. “I’ll tell them.”

Winry nodded, staring at the floor. “Thank you, Roy.”

“We’ll find him, Winry.”

And with a goodbye, Winry hung up the phone.

I’m not just going to sit around. She glared out into the late September sun. Once Havoc and the others arrived, she was gone. No more waiting on you, Al. I’m sick of waiting.

And with that, she strode off to pack up her things.

--