Trust Within Itself: CH1

Trust Within Itself: Chapter 1: Always Together Within the Heart

[ There is a prologue. Go here to read it: princessfirestix.deviantart.co… ]

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, only this plot. I would rate this fanfic PG-13 for violence and language. This fic will have either subtle yaoi or Parental!RoyxEd, it depends on how you want to look at it. I prefer the latter. This is also AU. The homunculi aren't really homunculi. Now on with the fic!

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"Brother, are you done yet? I'm hungry!"

"Shut up, Al. I'm still researching."

"Researching what?"

"Harnessing and controlling pure alchemic power. Now hush!"

"That's it? I can do that in my sleep!"

"Oh, really? Show me." Edward squinted at his brother with disbelieving.

"Brother, you're so... so... pompous," Al rolled his eyes and got up, backing away from anything that could be easily broken or messed up. "Watch and learn."

Al took out a stub of chalk and quickly drew out a circle. He took a deep breath and placed his hands to the edge. He slowly brought his hands up, a glowing purple aura forming between the palms of Al's hands. Al positioned his hands as if we were holding a sphere and concentrated. The purple aura soon began to shape into a sphere. Al squinted harder and then pushed the sphere towards the chair he vacated. The sphere impacted the chair, shattering it into pieces and leaving a dark burn circle on the ground, under the impacted area. Alphonse drew another circle and transmuted a chair identical to the previous one, plopping in it, exhausted.

"Oh wow, Al. I had no idea that you could harness and control! That's more advanced then my clapping method!"

"It's really nothing special, Brother. It's actually quite simple. Now can we get food?"

"Ugh, you're only fourteen. You're not supposed to have all these hunger urges yet."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on!" Al was halfway out the door when he remembered all of their things. He ran back and piled up all of their personal books and research notes. He chalked out a transmutation circle next to the pile and then plopped the pile down on top. He clapped his hands to the edge of the circle and the large pile began to transform into a small cardboard box, as big as Al's fingertip. He pulled at the chain on his neck, withdrawing a small box-shaped metal locket with a flamel engraved into it. He admired it for a second before placing the cardboard in it and shutting it closed with a click. They would simply un-transmute the dense cardboard back into their research later. Ed smiled at his brother's abilities. Al was really coming a long way with alchemy. He might even surpass Edward Elric himself.

"Come on, Al. There's a stop and shop place a few blocks away. I don't have a lot of money left. We'll have to transmute some later."

"Aw, but Brother, I wanted to have a fancier lunch today. I wanted mashed potatoes and a steak. Yeah, a steak. Mmmmmm..."

"Al, you act like such a rich kid sometimes. You're getting a hot dog and a bag of potato chips."

"Okay, that works, too."

The boys made their way out of the branch library and down the block towards the stop and shop. Ed bought a couple hot dogs, two bags of chips, a chug of milk and a soda. Ed offered Al the milk and a hot dog and chips.

"Brother, you should really drink the milk, not me."

"Why? I hate milk."

"So you'll grow!"

"Shaddup!" Ed glared at his brother before gulping down some soda to make a point. The two were sitting on the curb of the silent street. This street was never particularly busy, so it was peaceful and made well for a picnic.

Al squinted into the distance. Something felt wrong. Something was off. Something wasn't quite right.

"Brother... Something... something..." Al struggled with his words. Ed eyed him. Al never stumbled on words. Something was wrong. Edward knew that his younger brother had somewhat of a sixth sense. Al could sense things before they happened. The day their father left, the day that their mother was murdered, all had been days where Al would act as if something was amiss.

"Al, do you sense something?" Ed got up and motioned for his brother to do the same.

"It's... it's... that feeling..." Al sat still in shocked fear. Something was definitely wrong.

"Come on, Al! Get up!"

"Ed..."

Edward tugged at Al's arm. If Al sensed something, they had to get a move on! He grunted in frustration. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out and Ed ducked, tackling Al with him. He heard a loud hiss go pass his ear. He took in a sharp breath at the ringing in his ears. He jumped back up and searched for the perpetrator. Alphonse rubbed his head from the impact on the ground and stood up shakily.

"Hello, chibi-san," A man resembling a palm tree wearing a sports bra and a mini skirt stood in front of Ed, a disposed-of gun thrown a few yards away.

"Don't call me small," Ed grunted, "what the hell do you want from us?"

"Oh, nothing, really. You see, my, erm, organization is collecting skilled alchemists for our own reasons. And the Orphaned Elric Brothers are extremely skilled."

"How do you know who we are?" Al demanded, stepping up to stand next to his brother.

"Ah, the older brother speaks."

"I'M THE OLDER BROTHER!" Ed charged at the man. However, he sidestepped at the last second, causing Ed to crash to the ground.

"Oh, really? Well, good for you."

"Bastard..." Ed stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. "Besides, we're the FACELESS Orphaned Elric Brothers."

"Ah, but I know your face, therefore you're not faceless."

"Bastard."

"My name isn't Bastard. Let me introduce myself. I am Envy. I am in an organization called The Homunculi. We kidnap and use skilled alchemists."

Al's eyes widened and then he scowled. Withdrawing a piece of chalk, he speedily chalked out a circle. Grunting as he clapped his hands to the ground, a spike erected from the ground beneath Envy, who jumped up a little too late. The spike scraped his leg, causing Envy to scowl.

"Damned brat... I am so taking you back." Envy glared at Al, who shriveled back behind Ed for protection. Envy let out a cry and charged towards the younger boy. Ed jumped in front of his brother protectively and spread his arms and clapped. A spear grew from the ground and into Ed's hands.

"AL! Start harness and control!" Ed looked back at his brother, who nodded, before charging at Envy with the spear.

Al began to draw out the circle, but his chalk stub cracked, small pieces rolling away.

"Damn..."

Al went after a piece, naively running towards Envy.

"ALPHONSE! WATCH OUT!" Ed shouted as he saw Envy change direction towards Al.

"AGH!" Envy grabbed Al roughly and wrapped his arm around the boy's mouth, preventing him from talking or screaming for help.

"AL!" Ed dashed toward Envy, who was now making his escape.

"Later, pipsqueak!" And with that, Envy was gone in a flash of light.

"ALPHONSE!!!!!!!!" Ed ran in the general direction Envy went, but the kidnapper was long gone.

"Al..." Ed fell to his knees and then hugged himself into a rock-like form. "AL!!!!!!!!! NOOOO!!!!! Why? WHY? You damned so called God, why the fuck did you take my brother from me? Alphonse... Al..."

"Hey, shrimp! Where's your precious little brother?"

Ed lifted his head and squinted at the figure looking down on him.

"Duke..."

"Hey, guys! Looks like the shrimp's brother left him, too! Just like his mommy and daddy!"

"Cut it out, Duke. You don't know anything about me."

"Aw, come on shrimp, I'm just messing with ya."

"Fuck you."

"Hey guys, did the shrimp just say what I think he said?

"Don't call me that..."

"Guys, I think we should punish him. Don't you?"

"'Course, Duke-sama, 'tever ya say!"

"Stop, it, Duke!"

"Go and get him, guys." Duke smirked and took a step back as his gang of four other guys around his age walked up to Ed, who was still kneeling on the ground. Ed sighed. There was no point. He lost Al. There was no longer any point in living. They could kill him today, beat him to death, he didn't care. He didn't care...


~To be continued...