Wait! Goodbye Hug

A Chapter by Emunah June.

For those who couldn't make it out of the city on time, they were sprawled dead onto the pavement. More explosions swallowed the city, and I began to have trouble breathing. "Noah! Are you okay? Noah!" Alfons called. "I'll be fine! Let's just get out of here!" I said as we ran faster and faster. I accidentally let the remark of "I'm not going to die twice" escape my mouth, but Edmond and Alfons didn't hear it. Finally, we found an uproad forest that lead out of the city. Were we surprised when we saw a whole crowd of people ontop of the hill! Alfons ran to his rocket buddies. "Thank you Edmond and Noah! For everything!" he had said before he went to his friends. Edmond stayed with me. I looked through the large crowd, trying to spot Hohenheim. If he was okay, then I was going to force him to tell me how to get back home. Or, at least, what he knew about the subject.

Finally, I spot him.

"Hohenheim!" I called. He turned around and looked at me. His eyes went wide when he saw Edmond. Edmond stared for a moment or two, then grit his teeth. "Oh...so you meant this Hohenheim! I wouldn't have come if I knew," Edmond told me. He passed me a this-is-all-your-fault look as he approached Hohenheim. "Hello, son. Nice to see you're okay," Hohenheim said. Edmond's face twisted in pure anger. "Don't you 'hello son' me! I don't even want to hear you talk!" Edmond screamed.

I felt like I had missed something. "What's wrong Edmond? Why are you so angry with him?" I asked. Edmond didn't respond, but Hohenheim did. "I would imagine you would be angry. After all, there's no excuse," Hohenheim said softly to the angry boy. Edmond swallowed so hard you could hear it, then said "Why? Why did you do it?" Hohenheim looked closer at his son. "Did what? There are alot of things I did, so you need to be clearer," he said. Edmond's fist clentched hard. "You and that girl, Dante! Explain that to me!" he screamed.

Dante?

"How do you know Dante?" I asked Edmond. But he was too angry to respond. Hohenheim placed his hand on Edmond's shoulder. "There are alot of reasons why. But the main was that I loved her," he said bluntly. My mind immedietly whizzed to a picture of Trisha. How could he do such a thing to her? Have two sons with Trisha, then leave her for Dante? Is that why I never met Mr. Elric until now? I found myself angry too. Edmond was furious though, so I stepped back, trying to stay out of his way. "If you loved Dante so much, then why did you marry my mother!?" Edmond cried.

His mother?

Wait....

"I loved your mother very much. Which is why I left Dante so I could be with her," Hohenheim explained smoothly. Edmond didn't seem to be buying it. "Then why? Why did you leave! Why did you leave?!" Edmond said, his face looking hot and exausted. "I didn't deserve my two children. They were my pride, my joy, my life. I didn't deserve such a gift. So, I went to the land where sinners like me are excepted. There is no place for me in the land of alchemy," Hohenheim said.

Alchemy....

That might be the answer!!

"Hohenheim!" I interrupted. Edmond and Hohenheim both looked at me. "Can I use alchemy to get home?! Can I? My friend....your son......he used alchemy all the time! You know, the one you let die?" I asked. Hohenheim shook his head, but Edmond stayed still. "Alchemy doesn't work on this side of the Gate. There's no possible way," Hohenheim said. Then, he turned around, not looking at me or Edmond.

"Face it. You're trapped here. Forever."

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"It can't be forever!" I shouted. Edmond nodded. "There has to be a way. Alchemy exists everywhere. Maybe in this world, it's just untapped," Edmond explained. "We can do something. Equivalent Exchange, after all," Edmond said again. Hohenheim shook his head. "Even if alchemy resides secretly in this world, you couldn't use Equivalent Exchange. Do you know why? Because it doesn't exist," Hohenheim explained, turned around to face us once more. Edmond became angry again. "You're sounding just like Dante! Cut it out!" Edmond screamed. Hohenheim turned around. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go," he said as he walked away from the crowd. Edmond and I watched him walk away for a while. When Hohenheim began to walk down stone steps, Edmond followed close behind. "No! Wait! I'm not done with you yet!" he cried, running after Hohenheim. I didn't hear the rest of the conversation because they were on a lower plain. I turned around and looked at the burning city. So many people...they all died for no reason. No reason at all. I felt tears come to my eyes as the images of all those dead people came to mind. Then I really began to ball when I remembered Edward and Alphonse. I had failed them. This burden would forever sit on my shoulders. I wiped my eyes.

No more crying. The least you can do is make is so Edward doesn't have to see you cry. Wherever he may be.

I turned around and debated whether or not to go after Edmond. He seemed angry at everything. Why was that? This new person who had taken Edmond's body obviously was frightened by his or her surroundings (allthough I was pretty sure it was a he) and decided to take in out in anger.

Almost like Edward, really.

Ed was always mad everything. He had that sort of demeaner. And I don't have to be on Al and Ed's long journey to know he gets fiesty sometimes.

An air piercing scream intterupted my thoughts.

No one else turned behind them to see, but I did. I couldn't see anything, but I could see smoke rising from the bottom of the hill. I felt my feet push against the grass, as if deciding whether or not to go and see what happened. I decided to take a look and see.

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Below, a burning building had collapsed, and a body lay under the planks. They were moving, trying desperetly to move and get away. "Are you okay?! Let me help you!" I cried as I ran to grab their hands.

It was Edmond.

"Edmond! Oh my gosh! Um...okay, grab my hand!" I said, holding out my hand. Edmond shook his head. "No.....I need....I know how to get free...." he said as blood dripped down his face. Weakly, he brought his hands in front of his face and moved them around, and finally, clapped his hands together.

"Alchemy!" I screamed, and he looked at me with a look of pride in his eyes. "Noah? You know of....." he began before he winced in pain. "Don't you remember what Hohenheim said? Alchemy doesn't work on this side of the Gate! That's not going to do anything!" I said. "It may! Maybe he's been too stupid to try! Quick, Noah, draw a Transmutation Circle on the ground near my hands! Maybe that's what I need!" I said. I obidently picked up a stick. "But....but.....Ed never used a Transmutation Circle! How am I supposed to know what one is?" I said back. Edmond's face winced in agony. Then he looked at me with anger burning in his eyes. "Well, then try---wait, did you say Ed never used a Transmutation Circle?" he asked. I nodded, tears swelling in my eyes. "Yeah! I've only seen him use alchemy once! Twice, if you count the time he tried to save me. But he's only used it in the backyard of Winry's house! He never used a Transmutation Circle! He just clapped his hands together!" I screamed in fright. I wiped my eyes. Edmond screamed as another hot plank fell onto the back of his legs. "I'm sorry Edmond! I'll help you!" I said. Edmond got a sly smile on his face.

"Hey, I have an idea. How about you stop calling me Edmond and call me by my real name: Edward Elric, okay?"

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Did I just hear correctly? "Edward.....Elric?" I asked again. He nodded. I grabbed his hand and pulled. He screamed. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" I said as I pulled his hand some more. Ed looked at me. "Maybe you should try something else!" he suggested. "Oh, curt remarks already?! Yeah, good to see you too, Ed!" I said as I pulled his hand some more. "There's too many pieces of wood! Try pulling them off!" he exclaimed. I nodded, and tried to grab one of the planks. The minute my hand touched it, it burned. "Ow! That's not going to work Ed. Let's try something else," I said. "I don't think there is anything else!" he said. I grabbed his hand one more time. "I'm going to pull you as hard as I can! Try to push yourself out as I pull okay?" I said. Ed nodded, then placed his other hand down on the ground at the ready. "Noah...I mean, Koda, I'm lightheaded from bloodloss and I can't move very well," he said. I nodded. "How did you know it was me?" I asked a moment later. He smiled. "No else panics like you. Now hurry!" he commanded. I pulled hard, making him scream some more, but he pushed anyways. Finally, his legs slipped from the wood encased in the angry embers and he stood up where was laying. "I'm out! Thank you so much Koda!" he said. I smiled. "I'm glad you're okay! I really am!" I said happily. Then Ed did something I never ever ever thought he would do:

He grabbed me and pulled me into a warm hug.

His arms were around me tight. I felt my face go red. "I'm so glad you made through the Gate okay," he whispered. I felt myself swallow hard as I dared to place my arms around him too.

Never in my life did I think Edward Elric would hug me. Alphonse, I would expect that, but Edward? C'mon, think about it.

Finally, he let go, and I did the same. "Let's get out of here. Allright?" he said. I nodded. His body heat was still lingering on my clothes, and I felt better than ever.

I didn't for long.

Before he could turn around, the crackling sound of wood and fire increasing in size made us stop. Ed looked up, and in a swift second, the rest of the house had fallen on top of him. The fires licked hungrily at the wood, and soon, the wood and everything with it was on fire. "Edward!" I screamed as I ran over to the pile. My heart stopped as I knelt in front of the burning pile. "Edward! Edward! Please don't leave me! Not again!" I screamed, the tears running like broken faucets. I felt my knees go wet. I looked to my knees and screamed.

Blood soaked the entire bottom of my dress.

No two ways about it: Ed was dead.

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