Fullmetal Kingdom ~ Chapter 121

Chapter 121: Crimson's Invitation

"A simple rock, red as blood, which promised to turn pain into light, war into victory, and death into life, it was a thinking person's dream, reason conquering all, and it was indifference to this that it was called the Philosopher Stone." ~ Alphonse Elric

On the next day at Central's Hospital, Sora met with the Elrics, who told him about what they discovered…

"…what?"

"Just as I said before, the Philosopher Stone requires a large amount…of living people."

Sora sat down on the chair between Donald and Goofy's hospital beds, depressed by Edward's explanation. Sora said, "How can it-…why would-…" Al then said, "We felt the same way Sora…something as terrifying as this…should've remained a secret." Ed then said, "This all turned out to be a quest for murder and sacrifice…" Sora wondered, "I've been helping you search for something that causes more death…guys…you can't-!" Ed interrupted, "-I KNOW! Damn it, I know…"

"Excuse me sir." Ross said as she came in the room along with Block. Ed looked at her and asked, "What are you doing here?" Ross replied, "I came to see how the five of you were doing. From the looks of it, you're all still pretty shaken from what happened." Sora nodded, "Axel was tough…but the news about the Philosopher Stone-…it's harder to take in. Live humans in exchange for the power of God, it sounds incredible…but…"

"-But it's still murder and sacrifice." Donald said as he sat up from his bed. Donald then looked at Edward and asked, "The ingredients are revealed, you now know the bargain, so, what will you do?" Ed replied, "It's pointless to chase after it…is that what you want me to say? Well that's the situation, so be happy and get out of Amestris while you still have a carcass." Donald then said, "Did you forget? Goofy and I came here to your country to find the president of Fantasia, our friend. He's here, somewhere, and if you're too much of a pushover to help, then I'll take Sora and find him without the 'child'."

"…I never thought I could agree more with a talking duck." Ross said.

Ed looked at her and said, "I don't need your opinions about me, 'lieutenant'. Just get out." Ross didn't comply, so Ed repeated, "Didn't you hear me? I said GET OUT." Ross still wouldn't budge, making Block worry about what his partner was going to do…

"You're frightened aren't you?"

Ross's words snapped Ed's patience, so he yelled, "LEAVE ALREADY!" Ross then said, "You're afraid that every answer you thought possible wouldn't change anything, but that's not it, is it? You're really terrified to admit that everything you've done…was wasted effort." Ed's ferocity grew, but he couldn't say anything to counter Ross's accusations…

"Am I wrong?"

Ed couldn't tell her off, for the first time in his life, a human, with no alchemic talent, defeated him…

All he could do is cover his tearful face in shame…

"…It's okay to feel lost and not have reasons." Ross said.

Sora looked at Al, and then at Ed, until finally, he spoke, "…We have to go back."

Everyone looked at Sora as he made the suggestion. Alphonse then asked, "Back where Sora?" Sora answered, "Back to the library, that IS where Marcoh's Notes are, right? We can try looking through them together this time, alright Ed?" Ed answered with a question, "What would be the point of reading them again?" Sora then asked, "What would be the point of Lieutenant Ross talking to you? I think she's trying to help you, just like us. Me, Al, Donald and Goofy, we've supported you since we met, and now, it looks like Ross and Block want to board the same train as us."

Ross then added, "Verifying whether or not Marcoh's research is accurate or not is worth SOMETHING if you ask me, after all, what you're looking for is bigger than you OR Al. Why don't you try searching through them again Ed, but this time, without the worries? Find the final results, and don't have regrets."

Ed sighed and said, "…you're crazy. Enthusiasm got me where I am today, and it'll do the same to you."

The Fullmetal then stood up and said, "I'm taking a breather, don't wait up." Al then said, "Brother, wait a minute-!" As Ed left the room, Al followed after him to try and stop him. Ross turned to Sora and said, "Why don't you go with them? Ed might need a friend to talk to." Sora replied, "…you got it Ross, I'll bring him back just like he brought me back!"

As the Keyblade Master rushed after the Elrics, Maria clenched her fist and said, "…it's our job as adults to help them…yet sometimes it takes a child to show another that the world hasn't collapsed yet."

"(chuckle) The world won't collapse my dear…just Amestris." Crimson said as he watched the Lieutenant and the others.

"OH WEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAASEEEEEEEEEELS!"

One hour later…

(gasp-gasp) S-sorry boss, there's just SO many stairs to climb!" Smarty said as he and the others came in…

Crimson nodded and said, "That's an understatement. Now let's see…Smarty, Greasy Psycho, Wheezy and-wait, where's the other one?!" Smarty and the others looked around and wondered where the 5th weasel could be until Smarty noticed some chewing sounds…

"Get outta the boss's fridge Stupid!"

Stupid stuck his face out of the fridge, and his mouth was stuffed with sandwiches, chocolates, and a bottle of Crimson's private Watermelon Wine stash! Crimson slapped the food out of Stupid's mouth and pointed towards the other weasels, signaling where Stupid should head towards…

As the Weasels lined up, Crimson said, "(ahem) Since I arrived in Amestris, the Keybearer has gained the power to see into the memories of other people. Whether he's aware of this or not is unknown at this time. However boys, this presents a chance of a lifetime! For he has seen my past…garbles of it at least, and that should be enough to show him who was the victim! Now, the job I have for the five of you will require-!"

"Seven."

"…what?"

Smarty explained, "There are seven of us, not five. It just took us a while to hear back from our comrades. In fact, they should be on their way right now. First off, there's Flashy-!" Suddenly, a camera flashed at Crimson from behind the weasels, temporarily blinding him! As the Golem King rubbed his eyes, a red-ish brown weasel came through the weasels wearing a green cap and a long tan-colored coat with a badge that said 'JOURNALIST'.

Flashy then turned towards Smarty and said (in a fast-talking speech pattern), "HOW'ZA-FAM-DOIN'-BOSSY? NUTH'N-TA-REPOIT-FO'-NOW-BOSSY, BUT-LEMME-TELL-YA-BOSSY, WHEN-BOSSY-GIVES-OL'-FLASHY-AN-ODO-BOSSY, FLASHY'LL-SNAP-'N'-SKIDADDLE-BOSSY-(QUIP)!" Smarty stopped Flashy from yapping by grabbing his nose! Then Smarty said, "SHYADDAP FLASHY! Look, it's good ya made it in one piece, but where's the other piece?" Flashy asked, "WHACHU-TALK'N-'BOUT-BOSSY?" Smarty explained, "I mean the seventh of our troop! Y'know, Gelly!"

"Did somebody call my name?! Tell'em to wait! I'm busy fixing my hair!"

Now, to the weasel's surprise, a black weasel with a black leather coat, a white shirt underneath, and Elvis-like hair nudged through them while paying more attention to his hair, which (like his fur) is coated with green Gel! Gelly then placed his comb away, took out a greasy mirror, looked at himself and said, "Yup, there's the hair that gives me-…uh…the hair!"

"HEY, J-E-L-L-O, LINE UP WITH THE OTHERS AND SHUT UP!" Crimson ordered.

Gelly sighed and lined up with his felonious friends while Crimson spoke, "So there are seven of you, huh? Excellent, then this job shouldn't be a problem for ANY of you. This job requires the best out of the worst, boys. I'm talking about stealth, intellect, thievery, and diversion. These four talents can only be mastered by talented thugs, and what I have for the seven of you DEMANDS the best, so tell me boys, are you the best?"

The weasels looked at each other…then nodded their heads while Smarty said, "You asked for our help, so you've got the best ready to do their best! Just tell us the job boss, and me, my boys, and I will creep, crawl, and crack down on anything without a sweat!" Crimson then said, "Good, I'm glad to hear it. You weasels have two jobs, distract the military long enough to capture the Elric Brothers!"

"HOORAY!" Stupid said while the other weasels felt nervous…

Greasy then asked, "As underhandedly sly as this sounds boss, I'm not so sure we can pull off kidnapping those two." Smarty agreed, "Yeah, Greasy's got a point boss. I mean, aren't those two specialized in alchemy?" Crimson replied, "They're teenagers, they'll be too busy with their personality problems and abandonment issues to care about who and what 'clubs' them from behind." Flashy then asked, "SO-YOU-WANT-BOSSY-ME-AN'-THE-OTHERS-TA-GRAB-DA-BROTHERS-WHILE-DISTRACTING-THE-ARMY?!" Crimson explained, "Boys it's simple, split into two groups. One distracts, and the other captures." Greasy then asked, "Sir, I think we're forgetting someone, the child with the 'Blade-Key'." Smarty nodded, "We heard this 'Sora' kid was their bodyguard."

Crimson then said, "He's nothing to worry about, trust me. Now as soon as you have the Elric Brothers, take them to the lower dungeons." The weasels were unsure of their employer's intentions, but they nodded and left the throne room.

As they left though, Crimson said, "Hm-hm-hm, of course Sora won't be a problem, I'll be the one to 'deal' with him…"

Back in Central City, Edward was still walking through the city, deep in thought about what Ross said to him…

"Brother!"

Alphonse finally caught up with him. Alphonse then asked, "Your friends were only trying to help brother. Can't we at least try to do it their way?" Ed replied, "I've had enough Al, enough of the truth, enough of these 'quests'-!"

"WELL I'M NOT THROUGH WITH IT LIKE YOU!"

Ed was surprised by Al's words, so Al continued, "Brother, I wanted to use the stone to give you back your arm and leg, to restore you! You wanted to find the stone because I lost my body, or at least, that was what I thought…" Ed was startled and asked, "…what do you mean?" Al answers, "I 'mean' Lieutenant Ross was right. You wanted to be right all the time, so when you found the truth, there would be no turning back! Brother, sometimes family is more important than the facts. I thought I was important to you, more important than power itself, but all you ever thought of was the truth, like how mom died, how she could NEVER be brought back from the grave. Should the Philosopher Stone REALLY matter if it means sacrificing innocent people? To me, the stone's existence is chaotic, used only to show how sick we can be when we think of nothing but ourselves! But we're better than that brother…there are people who are better than that, and it's for the sake of those people, that we should find another way."

Edward stared at his brother, surprised by Al's words…

"A-Alphonse…"

Meanwhile, Sora was trying to catch up with the Elrics when suddenly-!

(loud gun shots)

(explosives)

"KYAAAAA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-BOSSY!"

"What's happening over there? It's probably a gang war or something." Sora decided to continue on the path to find the Elrics, however, as he rushed, he noticed that they were nowhere in sight…

Sora wondered, "They couldn't have gone far, so where are they? Could they be-? OH CRAP, THE GANG WAR!" Sora immediately turned around to where the gunshots and cackling were when suddenly, a familiar voice was heard!

"You saw a secret…"

Sora stopped and looked around, but the one who spoke was nowhere to be seen!

"These memories were NOT for you to see…"

"Being mysterious isn't going to keep me from remembering your voice. Show yourself already, Crimson." Sora said. No sooner did Sora call out his name when out of nowhere; a dark portal appeared before him! The voice was heard again, "Can't a man disappear and reappear without getting the 'Spoiler' treatment from a 'Thistle Bush'?!" Sora asked, "STOP POKING JOKES AT MY HAIR! Anyway, what's your master plan THIS time? Planning on sacking me and bringing me to your club house for a 'live-or-die' choice on the topic of joining you?"

"Oh darn, you figured out HALF my plan. I'm not kidnapping you, boy, I'm inviting you-!" Crimson said. Sora shook his head and said, "-to join you. Sorry, but repeats get boring after the second time. Go convert a goat or something and beat it."

"CARE TO GUESS WHERE THE ELRICS ARE WHILE I'M AT IT?!"

Crimson's words stunned Sora, forcing him to cooperate with his enemy's game. The Keybearer turned around and asked, "…what did you do to them?" Crimson answered, "I've taken precautions. You won't join me willingly, so now I'm forced to do something REALLY drastic. I invite you to my hideaway, Hollow Bastion, where you can witness my army's growing strength as well as discuss our alliance. Accept the 'party invite', Sora…or your friends will die."

End of Chapter 121