Choices: Choices

Earth : the Scientific World

No one believes Edward about his ‘tales’ of actually being from another world. They only think it’s a bunch of fantasy, stories he made up to pass the time. He lives with Alfons Heiderich: a friend he met, while they were studying rocketry together at the university. Alfons has mixed feelings toward Ed. He doesn’t believe in the existence of another world, and wishes Edward would stop talking about trying to go back home.

He’s sick of being thought of as only a dream, and wishes Edward could see his very real. Thathe has feelings, and that he doesn’t understand why Ed wants him to leave so badly. He feels angry, because he can’t see why Edward 'hates’ him, when he cares about him so much.

When a young lady by the name of Sumira Lanor, show up. She soon finds herself staying with Edward Elric, and Alfons Heiderich. Unlike other people, she seems to enjoy hearing Edward’s stories the most. She never ceases wanting to know more about his home, or the adventures he had there.

This causes Heiderich to question why she insists on humoring Ed’s fantasies. Her face took ona saddened look, as he did so. Her reply was she wasn’t doing it to humor anyone. Edward insists his stories are real, and she asked, “Who are we to say they aren’t?”

Unlike Edward, she would actually sit down, and take an interest in Alfons Hiederich as well.She would listen as he talked about his day, or ask questions, to better understand and learn about the rockets he was so excited in. He began to feel somewhat bittersweet. Here was a woman who hadtrusted two complete strangers to help her. She had only known him for a short while, and took more interest in him, than the 'friend’ he’d been living with for two years.

Edward enjoyed having someone who he could tell his stories to, without having to be toldhow there was no way that world was real, or that he’d come from there. At the same time though, he felt suspicious of her, since she was the only person who didn’t call him a liar. When he finallyconfronted her about it, he was shocked.

“If I can’t believe in your world, how can I ever hope to go back to mine?” was allshe managed out at first.

“What do you mean?"he asked.

"I mean I’m not from this world either,” she said slowly. “The name for thingsare different, and not all the things are here, that exist in mine.”

“Are you serious?” he asked, sounding skeptical. “Or are you just making fun ofme?”

“I’m serious…” she said, her face falling when she realized he didn’t believe her.She walked into the room they’d given her, and burined her face in her knees. It wasn’t until he spoke, that she realize he was sitting in front of her.

“Tell me about your world.” he said, his own face looking remorseful. She looked athim quickly, as he had startled her. He noticed her cheeks were flushed, and reached his hand out to brush away the rest of her tears. “I’m sorry…” he told her, looking away for amoment.

His eyes glanced up to meet hers, when he felt a hand lay on his arm. “I understand…"he nodded, knowing he’d been forgiven.

After that, she began to tell him about her world. Of how the clothes women wore were lessrestrictive; of how boats ran on steam, and electricity, powered by paddles; of how planes were used daily for travel, and were much larger. She described all of the different foods, and frozen treats, of the way people always seem in a hurry there. She told of how the forests, and farmlands had all but disappeared, and how cities were constant and wide - spread.

When he asked…she admitted the world she had come from was in a downward spiral. Shewarned of the pollution factories. like the one Heiderich worked at, would one day cause. She told of how science created so many weapons, and how there was the nagging worry, that someone would destroy everyone. She told him of how the peace that existed here, was an unknown fantasy in her world; all the years she spent there, she never knew real peace.

She went on to tell of how she spent her life growing up in poverty; even admitting how selfish,and self - serving her world’s people were. She told him she was no better than any of her family, or the others who didn’t accept her. "I was selfish…I was never happy in my world, and even when I was, it would never last.”

She said her hatred died..but for so many years, she had hated the people around her;hated her family, her own mother. It went on for so long, it just died out, and it never came back. She doesn’t hate them anymore…but she still has many unanswered questions…the one above all…was simply, “why?”

As she was telling him all this, he was watching her. Really looking at her. He really didn'tsee any hatred, as she descrived what had been done, and what she did or did not do. She wasn’t angry…She wasn’t bitter. To him, she seemed …lost..almost. Like she had never belonged anywhere in her world. He could tell she had been through great pain…been betrayedby the people who trusted the most.

Her eyes betrayed her heaviest burden. The sadness, all the hurt she’d been given. Despiteit all, she was still willing to keep waiting. She was still seaching for people to believe in, and until she found them, she would put her faith in dreams…in hope and chances.

He finally told her one day…that she was nothing like the other people of her world. Shestared at him for a moment, and asked simply, “Why?”

“You still believe that there is hope, even when all that is good seems lost.” hetold her. She threw herself at him then. He held her tightly, resting his chin on top of the head buried in his chest. She had her arms wrapped around his waist, and he let her stay that way, rubbing slowly swirls in her back, with his real arm.

The voice that spoke, seemed almost lighter then. “Thank you..” she whispered,and he kissed her forehead reassuringly.

* * *

The day came, when Edward came home smirking. Alfons smiled, and called him on it, but hissmile quickly faded when Ed said he’d seen his brother, and that there was a chance he’d get to leave this world after all. Later on, Edward went after Alfond, who was on the way to the factory. He told him to stop.

“Why should I, Ed?” he asked, suddenly angry.

“Those people you work for are trying to take over my world!” he yelled.

“So, Let them!” Alfons yelled. He darted down the stairs, and Edward ran after him.He finally caught up to him, when Alfons started coughing horribly.

“Are you sick? You need to rest.” he said, but when he tried to reach for him, hishand was smacked away.

“It’s a little late to start caring now, Ed.” Alfons said coldly. He coughed,hacking up blood into his hand. He made a fist, and took off. Edward went back inside, slamming the door closed behind him. He sighed heavily, leaning his back against the wood, and sliding down, to sit on the ground.

“What’s wrong?”

He looked up, and realized she was still there. She looked worried, and he groaned, and shookhis head. “It’s nothing…”

“You’re lying…” she said, kneeling before him. “Did something happen with Alfons?”

“How did you know?” he laughed, half - heartedly.

“I heard yelling, and took a guess…” she admitted, shrugging.

“You know why then..” he sighed.

“No..I couldn’t make out the words.” she shook her head.

“The people who hired him are planning to invade my world,” he told her finally, aftera long moment of silence. Her eyes widened. “I can’t let that happen…”

“Let me help you.”

He looked at her. “What…?”

“I want to help in anyway I can.” she said.

“You can’t, Mira!” he said, suddenly panicked. “They’ll try to kill you!”

She touched his arm then. “I am going to help.” she said, more firmly.

“You’re not giving mea choice, are you? he asked, smiling a little.

"Not a chance.”

* * *

“Can you fly this thing?” Ed asked, looking back at Fritz Lang.

“More or less,” the man shrugged, from the pilot seat.

Edward looked over at the girl beside him, as they carefully edged out onto the wing of theplane. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, and she nodded.“Okay!” the both jumped off at the same time.

They used their feet to break the window they jumped through. But, she missed the rimentirely, falling straight down. While Ed had slammed into the serpant’s body, which caused him to be thrown onto the rim, below the circle. She landed down in the back of a truck, thankfully goingunnoticed by any of the soldiers. Meanwhile, Alfons stared up at Ed, watching everything carefully.

Eckhart, and two soldiers stood on the other side. “And here he is…dropped from theheavens…seems we can’t do this without you,” Eckhart said.

“You mean using that psychic army stand - in didn’t work,” he spat, angrily. “How could you…”

“But it’s your world on the other side, isn’t that right, Edward?” Noah asked.

“Well, it’s not Shamballa, I can promise you that.” he said.

“I wanna see it…no, I wanna go there, and never come back!” Noah screamed.“Isn’t that the only place where I can belong? Another world, where people won’t hate and distrust me?”

“You are a fool, Noah!” a feminine voice screamed, and they looked down then.Alfons eyes widened when he recognized her, and ran over, followed by his team.

“What would you know?!” Noah demanded.

“The world you want, doesn’t exist!” she screamed. “There is no such thing asperfection!”

Hoss glared at Alfons. “Shut her up, or I will have her disposed of.” She glaredright back, but allowed Alfons to lead her away.

“I thought your people were proud of their ways.” Ed spat harshly.

“But I want something more!” Noah pleaded.

“Trust me…what lies ahead for us…is no dream.”

* * *

Ametris : the Alchemical World

Meanwhile, in Amertris: Wrath was battling the mutated Gluttony, whose ouroboros mark hadbeen removed. He lured Gluttony over to the transmutation circle, and punched his automail arm into the floor, as an anchor. Gluttony bit into him, and Wrath told Alphonse Elric to transmute both of them. He did.

* * *

The transmutation circle started to glow, and Ed pointed a gun at it. “I wouldn’t dothat..” Eckhart warned, and pulled down a lever. It removed a sheet that had been covering the serpant’s head. Edward looked at what lie between Envy’s teeth in disbelief.

“Dad…How did he get here?” he demanded. “What’s going on?”

“We found this was the most effective approach for keeping the great serpent calm andquiet,” Eckhart smirked, crossing her arms. “Luckily for us, your father doesn’t die so easily.” Hohenheim groaned, lifting himself up so he could look.

“Hey… there you are..bout time…” he gasped, looking at him son.

How dad… How did they catch you?“ Ed asked.

"Easily… I wanted to create a portal between our worlds..by using the science and magicthey study on this side of the gate,” he explained. “Houshoffer made me a proposal.”

“I’m getting you down,” Ed put away the pistol, and started to move.

“Son…no,: Hohenheimtold him. "This is what I wanted. I’m a sinner, Ed… I failed to bring my son back to life…instead I turned him into a monster, and abandoned him.. ”

“I took the lives of countless people to save myself..” he gasped, and went on. “ThenI couldn’t stop this beat from hurting you…” Envy, as the serpant, growled lightly.

“So what?!” Edward yelled. “How are those reasons for helping them!” Hohenheim looked up at the circle above him. “You’re trying…to get me home..” Ed said, his voice lower, as he realized.

“I will offer my life as the price, then transmute Envy to open the portal…"Hohenheim started to say.

"Forget about the portal, I don’t need to go back!” Edward shook his head, andscreamed.

“Give Al…my respects…” Hohenheim gasped, and started forcing Envy’s jaw the rest of the way down, until it crunched, and he was dead, his blood spewing down below. Edward collapsed to his knees in shock; He looked up, in time to see a gateway form above. Suddenly, Eckhart pulled a gun, from her jacket, and shot him, causing him to fall down below.

“Why!” Mira screamed. One of the nearby soldiers backhanded her, knocking her tothe ground.

“Prepare the rockets! We’re going through!” Eckhart ordered.

* * *

“Really..your the lucky one Ed…” a voice whispered.

Suddenly, Edward woke up, and looked around. Alfons ran over, shushing him quickly. “Whatis this?” he whispered, realizing he was strapped in.

“I’ve set everything up so you can go back home…You can take this second rocket whileEckhart isn’t looking..” he explained. “You ready?”

* * *

“Lietenant…Inform the Fuhrer of our situation,” Eckhart ordered, and the soldierran off. “Professor…is the portal stabilized now?”

“It seems to be, but that’s not the point. I don’t believe it’s Shamballa. I think thatEd’s right!” he insisted.

“Yes….I’d realized that,” Eckhart shot him in the arm.

* * *

“Right in the fake arm…Good thing she’s a bad shot,” Alfons joked, while Edchecked the damage. “Our rockets peak at over 2 kilometers per second…should be enough speed to punch through the pressure, and get out safe.” Ed looked at him. “That’s Houshoffer’s theory, anyway,” he smiled. “This two seater shouldn’t have any problem.”

“Two - seated?!” Edward asked, shocked. A groan came from behind, and they both lookedback at the other seat.

“Oh..geez…” she groaned, rubbing her neck where the soldier had hit her.