Panorama Ch. 4
A/N: Originally there were only three chapters, but I had to devide them differently from what I had planned because they were too long for LJ.
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CHAPTER 4: The Only One
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A sudden splash of ice cold water woke him up. It was the most uncomfortable awakening he had ever experienced in his life. His body ached and his vision swam, along with a sense of unwelcoming nausea bubbling in his throat. Alfons lifted his head up hazily with a soft groan. He focused straight at a blurry and tall man with four heads and an equal amount of notepads in his hands. Alfons blinked a couple of times as the man curved over him and forced his head up to shoot him in the eye with the sharp light of a small torch. Then he seemed satisfied, let go of him and eagerly jotted something down on his notepad.
“You’ll be alright, Mr. Heiderich, just sit and relax right there while you wait.”
Alfons was relieved his number of heads and notepads had decreased to one of each now, and recognized him immediately. Robert Reinert!
He finally became more aware of where he was and tried to move, his heart starting to beat faster as he realized he could hardly move at all. Both of his hands were tied together to the chair by cable ties of plastic behind his back. His legs were fastened with wire ties as well. Even if he struggled experimentally, it was impossible to snap them unless they were cut with something sharp. The more he tried to get free, the more they chafed painfully at his skin. And what had the man just said? Wait? Wait for what?
More importantly, why was Robert Reinert here seemingly unhurt when he was missing, and presumed dead? And where was...?
Alfons snapped his head around anxiously in search for Edward. The room, apparently the basement underneath the house, was a very spacious cellar, he noticed. In the middle of the room stood a long table with colourful liquids in all kinds of beakers, and shelves with books and papers as well as notes fluttering everywhere. What the hell was this? A secret laboratory
of some sort?
Robert Reinert had turned away from him and had his attention elsewhere, standing by a table placed beside an odd square machine with a tube of crimson liquid attached to it. Alfons didn’t like this much. He kept staring around for Edward and finally found him by twisting his head almost completely behind him.
“Edward!” he whispered, not daring speaking too loud. He didn’t want to be shot by the tranquilizer gun again.
Edward was tied up to a chair as well, his head hanging forward. He was still out cold. Alfons felt a pang of worry and twisted his hands around the small loops of thin bonds behind his back. If he could only get one hand free... But his effort was in vain. He dropped his head in defeat, and then noticed that his chair had wheels. Alfons got an idea, and started pushing himself leisurely backwards on the chair by using his tip toes; which fortunately could reach down to solid ground even while bound.
He made sure the man in the other side of the room didn’t turn around to stop him, and continued until he was right next to Edward’s unconscious form.
“Edward,” he whispered again. “Please, be alright. Wake up.” He carefully bumped his knee, causing the older to stir.
Edward groaned a bit and shifted on the chair. He lifted his head and blinked at Alfons as his vision started to clear out. “Fuck...” he muttered. “That guy got us... How cheap.”
Alfons sighed in relief. He seemed to be okay despite the grim circumstances. Edward sent him a sidelong glance. “Alfons, are you hurt?”
Alfons shook his head. “I’m okay.” He lowered his voice. “But I don’t understand. Obviously Reinert had neither disappeared or died after all, and now this. What does that mean?”
“He’s up to something, alright,” Edward agreed. “But at least that should prove I didn’t kill the bastard.”
“That’s right.”
A low growl behind Alfons startled them both, and they turned to the direction of the big man with scaly skin. He grunted warningly again, but didn’t step closer.
Alfons couldn’t help shaking as he stared at the beast. Who the hell was he, and how did he end up looking like that?
“Alfons,” Edward mumbled under his breath. “Does he look familiar to you?”
Alfons stared from Edward and back towards the man. Now that he mentioned it, some things seemed quite familiar with him, but Alfons didn’t remember what. Whatever had happened to him, it had deformed his features too much to recognize his face.
”Ah, I see both of my test objects have finally awakened,” a voice behind Alfons said. “But I can’t allow you to whisper to each other for now.”
Alfons fidgeted nervously. Test objects?
Edward glowered at Tim Marcoh’s doppelganger as he advanced and pulled Alfons’ chair backwards, away from him. “What the hell are you doing?” Edward demanded. “Why am I being accused of killing you?”
Reinert grinned. “You see, Edward Elric, since our last meeting I’ve been working very hard. It’s an interesting project I’ve been developing for months. I see you’ve already met my first result of it - Mr. Rippert.”
Edward gawked and stared at the monstrous man. “Otto Rippert?”
Alfons’ eyes widened at the beast of a man as well, and now that he was saying it - that’s why he had seemed so familiar. He still had some of Otto Rippert’s features left, but not many.
“Yes,” Reinert chortled. “You’ve figured this much out by now, I hope? This is the first homunculus made by man.”
“Homunculus... How?” Edward scowled. “What the hell did you do to him?”
Robert Reinert scoffed and approached slowly. “You see, I followed you two when you headed off to Ufa, and soon after you left I had Mr. Rippert alone and injected my latest experiment into him. As you already have noticed, the result is tremendous - except for the lack of human features. He obeys only to me. My goal is to create a homunculus with the perfect human features and mind, just like the one in my movie.”
Alfons couldn’t believe it. What the hell had Mr. Rippert been injected with that had made him like this?
Edward snorted spitefully. “That isn’t a homunculus! They are made through alchemy. There’s no way alchemy has been performed in this world.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Reinert declared, stopping right in front of Edward and crossed his arms. “My technology has been developed through years with studying occult magic, or what you’re calling alchemy. Thule Society has provided me the necessary information and tools, but of course, they don’t know about it. I’ve kept my research and results to myself.”
“Thule Society again, huh?” Edward muttered. That organization kept showing up everywhere. “So, you know my father too then? He was part of that organization. I’ve figured he gave you some inspiration for the movie.”
Reinert laughed. “You could say that. And thanks to your father, I got the most important ingredient for my research.”
Ed flattened his expression and arched an eyebrow in return. “Which is?”
“This.” Robert Reinert proudly held up a small glass tube with some sort of red gelatinous liquid inside. It reminded Edward sickly of Tim Marcoh’s red stone in fluid form. But it couldn’t be…
Edward narrowed his eyes at the beaker with crimson. “Where the hell did you get that?”
Alfons was confused. “What is it?”
Reinert turned away from Edward and sauntered back towards his work top. “The answer to those questions is a national secret. But, either way, both of you already know too much so I can let you go.” Reinert’s lips split into a grin as he leaned against the desk, showing two rows of yellow teeth.
Alfons shuddered and twisted nervously from hearing those words. He wouldn’t let them walk out of there alive?
“That’s right,” Edward said, sounding rather unaffected and mostly curious. “You don’t have anything to lose by telling us, so go ahead.”
Reinert stifled a short laugh. “You’re very interested, I understand. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since you are son of Van Hohenheim.”
Edward narrowed his eyes into a deep scowl. “You failed to mention your acquaintance with my father the first time we met.”
“I left it out, since it would probably have led you too close to the truth about my research. I needed to preoccupy you with other things while I faked my disappearance and took a private plane to Berlin.”
“So that’s how you managed to get there so fast,” Edward frowned. “And your diary said conveniently that I was after your life.”
“In order to keep you busy when you got back from Berlin,” Reinert commented with a diverted snigger.
“What the hell do you want with us?” Edward demanded. He looked like he wanted to chop his head off with his prosthetic.
“You’ll find out in due time,” Reinert reassured. “For now, just relax and watch.” He went towards Mr. Rippert with a needle in his hand. The bigger man looking like a monster had been standing by the wall some metres away from Edward until now. “Mr. Rippert, lend me your hand if you please.”
The man in the form of a monster reached out his hand to him.
Alfons scowled at them, remembering how much Mr. Rippert had seemed to dislike Robert Reinert when they met him at Ufa. “He’s... obeying him without even blinking,” he commented slowly.
“Even if it’s obvious that he’s going to...” Edward started, and then shuddered as Reinert inserted the needle into Mr. Rippert’s arm.
“His blood will be very useful to me. I created him in order to have this source,” Robert Reinert said. “A finished mix of human blood and the solution I injected him with. The result is a completely newfound solution.” He filled the needle’s tube with Otto Rippert’s blood.
Edward scowled at him. “Tell me, what is that national secret you mentioned earlier? Is that where you got the original solution from?”
“Indeed.” Robert Reinert picked up the tube with the original red liquid. “This is what made Mr. Rippert a homunculus. The reason is simple. This is blood of a real homunculus, from your world.”
Edward’s eyes widened. “You know about my world?”
“Yes,” the writer confirmed. “The homunculus has the form of a large dragon. I tapped some of its blood when the Society wasn’t paying attention, knowing I could use it for my experiments.”
“A dragon...” Edward repeated in a whisper. “Envy...”
Envy had transformed into the shape of the Ouroboros before he went into the Gate the last time he had seen him. And now he had gotten himself involved with people of this world?
“Now, my latest solution will be a new one,” Robert Reinert said, holding the needle with Mr. Rippert blood next to the tube with Envy’s. “By mixing these two, I will get a solution where the blood of the homunculus is already accustomed to a human’s. The result will hopefully be a much better homunculus. One that looks completely human, but also gains the speed and strength of one. A real superhuman.”
Alfons and Edward exchanged looks. This was beyond anything they had imagined when they first started this journey. The problem was to stop him before he went that far.
Robert Reinert then injected Mr. Rippert’s blood into the cap of the tube and inserted the crimson substance into the other, combining them. When he was done, he pulled out the empty tube and replaced the cap on the other, looking very pleased with himself. “There. And now, the question is, which one of you will be my improved test product?”
Edward’s eyes widened in realization, and so did Alfons’. Did he really intend to…?
The man scoffed and went over to Edward again, eyeing him closely. “You could’ve made a really useful homunculus. Your limbs are quite fascinating; just imagine the extra strength you would get for free. But that is the downfall about it too. Your body would not handle it very well since you have an incomplete body. And your strong temper is also an issue; I might not be able to control your mind as easily as with Mr. Rippert. That’s why I didn’t necessarily need you, and let everyone think you responsible for my death so I could get easier access to my other potential subject.”
Edward gave him a stare so venomous that if he glared hard enough, the man might drop dead. “Reinert,” he said, his voice sounding like a storm coming. “If you think you can get away with this inhuman and immoral crime, think again. I’ll beat the living shit out of you if-”
“That’s what I mean, you probably have a lot of fighting experience and training as a result of those limbs, I reckon,” the writer said, ignoring Edward’s further oral insults. “It’s a pity, I could even have developed your metal limbs to use them for different purposes. You would definitely have been useful to me.”
“Fuck you, you crazy bastard!”
“Therefore,” Reinert continued and turned away from him, facing Alfons instead. “It’s good there are two of you.”
Edward’s eyes widened. “Fucking creep, you don’t dare touch him, or I’ll kick your brain mass out of your head and feed it to the maggots!” His threats were constantly coming to further creative levels.
Robert Reinert stopped in front of Alfons, cupped his cheek and straightened his head up. “Not as well built, but you’re not scrawny either. And you’re taller-”
“WHO ARE YOU CALLING TOO SMALL TO BE AN EXPERIMENT OF YOUR INSANE RESEARCH CRAP?!”
“-yes, I think you’ll do,” Reinert concluded and let go of Alfons’ face, nonchalantly ignoring the rant coming from Edward. “I had already decided, really. That’s why I told Mr. Rippert to pick you up in Berlin. But unfortunately he was unsuccessful.” He smiled wickedly. “Good thing you are such intelligent and curious young men, and went straight to me.”
Alfons stared horrified at him as the writer went to the table by the machine and started preparing it. Alfons swallowed as he looked closer. The table made it possible to restrain a person down to it, arms and legs and stomach. Alfons started associating it all with Dr. Frankenstein. And soon he’d become the Frankenstein monster apparently.
“I could’ve tried it on both of you if I had had enough solution left, but I can’t steal too much of it at once, so unfortunately I have only enough for one more experiment, for now,” Robert Reinert said. “Besides, if this one succeeds, it’ll be better than any other developed homunculi in this world. It will be a human with less monstrous features and more intelligence, but still under my control.”
Edward was going wild in his restraints. “I won’t let you do it, you freak!”
Alfons gazed over at Edward, feeling scared, but what could they do? As long as they were tied up like this, they didn’t have much of a chance. But if Reinert was to cut over the wires and untie him to restrain him to the table - which he would have to do to move him - perhaps he’d have a chance to take him down. Reinert was an older man, and his movements were slow. Alfons had learned self defence from Edward for almost a year. If he depended on the act of surprise, he might be able to take him down. Obviously Reinert felt he wasn’t very physically competent-as compared to Edward, that is.
Edward met Alfons’ eyes, concern written in those deep orbs of amber. Alfons tried to mollify him with his look, but didn’t know if he succeeded, even if Edward had already figured out a plan. His eyes moved to a pair of scissors on the table a couple of metres to his left, and Alfons caught on. If he managed to confuse the writer enough to get a couple of metres head start, he’d have time to snatch the scissors and run to Edward, cut his wires, and then they could disarm Reinert together before he managed to sedate them again. The only problem was Mr. Rippert. He might try to stop them too. Though, right now Mr. Rippert was busy standing in a corner, occasionally taking a pirouette around his own axis while staring mindlessly up in the ceiling.
Reinert headed back to Alfons’ chair. “Now,” he said. “Let’s move you to the table over there and get started.”
Both Edward and Alfons tensed, and Alfons readied himself to spring up as soon as his wires were cut. But then Edward shouted. “Wait!”
Alfons frowned at him questionably, but then he turned and saw the small handkerchief in Reinert’s hand, and Alfons understood. He’d get sedated before he was untied. He would never be able to fight!
“It’s only a mild sedative,” Reinert assured. “I need you to be awake when I perform my experiment on you, but unfortunately I can’t risk freeing you while being fully conscious.”
Alfons fidgeted nervously. “That’s not necessary,” he said fast. “I don’t know how to fight and I’m not very strong either.”
“Don’t be so humble,” Reinert said, seemingly enjoying himself. “I’m sure you’ve learned a few tricks from your friend.”
“Clearly,” Edward butted in, “you’re underestimating my abilities!”
Reinert gave him an indifferent stare. “You think? In my opinion I’ve made quite good measure concerning you.”
“My body has been through a lot more than a few simple metal limb operations before,” Edward bragged. “I can withstand a lot. You should really reconsider your test subject.”
Alfons’ jaw went slack as he gawked at Edward. Was he really trying to persuade Reinert into taking him instead?
Robert Reinert looked amused. “How interesting. You’re willing to go far to protect your friend, aren’t you?”
“I’ll do it willingly,” Edward said. “I’ll even let you experiment on my prosthetics as much as you want. Hell, write a fucking movie about me, I’ll play the part myself!”
Reinert cackled out in laughter like the mad scientist he turned out to be. “Very interesting! You amuse me. I had planned to kill you, but now… now I’m reconsidering. Hmm, I’ll consider it, boy. But unfortunately, it won’t change the fact that I choose Alfons Heiderich for now.”
Edward tensed up again and glowered at him. “Bastard, I only said I’d do it if you leave him alone. Because if you do choose to go ahead with this, I will kill you.”
“This is very entertaining.” Reinert grinned wickedly, and Alfons tried desperately to twist his hands out of the tight nooses, like he had been trying to do the last minute while Edward kept Reinert occupied. But it was still futile. His shoulders sank and he sent Edward an expression of gratitude. He was willing to take his place to save him. He’d never forget it.
Beside him Reinert coated his handkerchief with a small amount of colourless liquid.
“Alfons!” Edward shouted, just as the man pressed the cloth against Alfons’ mouth and nose, limiting his breathing.
Alfons twitched and muffled out a small cry. His vision started swimming and all he could hear was the incomprehensible nonsense of drowned voices as his sluggish mind became unable to translate what all the sounds meant. He lost his consciousness for a while, although it couldn’t have been more than a couple of minutes.
When he came to he had already been strapped down on the table with his shirt removed. Alfons stared hazily up in the ceiling and tried to keep his eyes focused. His eyes kept betraying him and wanted to close. Sleep.
“This might hurt a little, but when you’re done you won’t be able to feel pain the same way as other humans.” Robert Reinert stood over him, speaking with a gentle voice, like he was a doctor. The man connected some wires to his chest and his temples which led to the strange machine. “Like Mr. Rippert, your nervous system will decrease in function so you won’t feel pain unless it’s a fatal injury.”
Alfons tried to move his arms, but they were strapped tightly down by his sides with belts, and so were his legs and stomach.
“Just keep still, my friend. It will be over in a second. When you’re done you’ll feel much better.” More wires were added to the insides of his elbows.
The drug was finally starting to wear off. Alfons blinked against the sharp light in the ceiling and twisted his head to both sides. His head was the only part of his own body he could move. Then his ears caught the sound of Edward’s voice, and he immediately became more aware.
“Let him go, you fucking bastard!” Edward shouted. “When I get off this chair, I’ll punch you until you can no longer see in colours!”
Robert Reinert simply ignored him, and Alfons felt a cold sensation of alcohol on a cotton ball rubbing gently against his arm.
Alfons took a deep breath, feeling his own heart rate increasing in his chest. Don’t panic, don’t panic!
“Why are you doing this?” he managed. “Nothing good will come out of it. When we first met, you talked about how you wanted to prevent movies from being misused by politically influencing people’s minds. But then you act unethically yourself by turning Mr. Rippert into this?”
“The question why is indeed relevant,” Robert Reinert agreed with hint of mirth dancing in his tone. “To make people see the world in a panoramic view, I will make them see things they have never seen before. I’m turning you into a superhuman. Just imagine the possibilities of a discovery like that. I will take you with me on a journey to America, where I will make vast amounts of money in a currency that is actually worth a damn. The movie industry is in advanced development over there. I’ll use you in my movies and make fortunes from your special abilities visualized on the screen.” Robert Reinert leaned closer, his wicked smile plastered on his lips. “That’s why it’s important that you keep your looks in the process. People like watching pretty monsters.”
“You’re a sick bastard!” Edward griped out loud. “What are those wires anyway? I thought you only injected that shit into Otto Rippert, no more.”
Robert Reinert scoffed. “You’re right about that. This procedure is quite different. What’ve injected into Mr. Rippert has only a temporary function.”
“Temporary?” Alfons repeated fast. “You mean he’ll turn back to normal again?”
“Yes, although I don’t know how long it will take,” Reinert said. “His spleen will eventually clean out the unfamiliar cells of his blood, and then get rid of it.”
Edward felt slightly relieved. This injection wasn’t invincible after all. “Then, it will be temporary on Alfons too?”
Reinert turned to him and grinned. “No. Look at the floor by my feet, alchemist.”
Edward’s eyes widened and his gaze shot down to the place where Reinert and Alfons’ table were standing. He wanted to rub his eyes in disbelief, but he couldn’t.
It was a transmutation circle. He hadn’t even noticed it before now. The array evolved all the way around the table and the machine, with Alfons in the centre.
“What’s this?” Edward muttered. “Are you going to perform some weird occult ritual?”
Robert Reinert laughed out. “The power from your world can also be used here, with the right sources. Everyone thinks the art of alchemy is lost to this world, but they’re wrong.” He pointed at the wires connected to Alfons’ body. “These wires use Mr. Heiderich’s life source and power the alchemic circle and will be combined with the blood from the serpent-like homunculus, which works as fuel for this machine. It will create enough energy to activate the circle and turn Alfons into a permanent homunculus.”
“No way...” Edward whispered.
Alfons started to get really freaked out by all this. He tugged nervously at his straps restraining his arms and legs.
“Don’t worry about his life span,” Robert Reinert continued lightly. “Even if I use a bit of it for my magic, turning him into a homunculus will make him close to immortal. Isn’t that amazing?”
“There’s no guarantee that it will work!” Edward shouted. “Stop it!”
Robert Reinert turned back to Alfons. “Enough talk. Let’s find out instead.” He advanced and placed a hand on Alfons’ damp forehead, as to calm him. “First, I’ll inject you with the solution. It might not feel comfortable at first, but your body will adjust to it eventually. Then I will activate the machine and the circle, and make your body permanent like that. All you have to do is relax. Is that understood?”
Alfons shook his head. “No... Don’t do this.”
But naturally, the man didn’t listen to him. He lowered his hand with the needle ready, pressing the sharp tip against his arm.
“Alfons!” Edward shouted. “ALFONS, NO!”
The needle sank into his vein, and Alfons pressed his eyes shut as the crimson mixture forcibly pervaded into him.
“There,” Robert Reinert whispered. “Don’t fight it, or it’ll only hurt more.”
Alfons trembled, his lips parting to scream, but not a sound came out. His voice seemed to have become stuck in his throat, while a burning sensation reached his brain from his arm. His large crystal blue eyes widened to their full size, his corneas filling with fully visible red veins.
Pressure. That was all he felt. Everything in his body seemed to be pressing at his inner walls. His organs, his muscles, his veins. Blood was pounding in his ears and decreased his hearing like he was under water.
Every muscle in his body tensed sharply in the restraints and felt like they just kept swelling, growing on the inside and threatened to rip him apart. His heart beat a million times a second, his pulse throbbing rigidly and visibly at his neck. At that point he was screaming, although he didn’t realize it. The pain was like knifes twisting their way outwards from the inside, like torture. His body arched mindlessly upwards in the mist of agony, but his restraints held him down. He had no idea how long it took, before his nervous system seemed to shut down, and if it still hurt he couldn’t feel it anymore.
His body stilled on the table, his heart rate decreasing fast into a more normal speed, and he could only breathe rapidly, like he couldn’t get enough air into his craving lungs.
“Good boy,” Robert Reinert whispered. “Do you hear my voice? It’s the only voice you’ll need to concentrate yourself on. No one else’s. You will do as I tell you to, and everything will be alright.”
His brain felt like it was pulsing in his head. His eyes were open, but he couldn’t see. Couldn’t focus. The voice somehow had a calming effect. He could understand the words. Alfons twisted his head in the direction where the words had come from. Robert Reinert stood there, stroking over his hair like he had just made himself a new pet. It was a gentle, comforting touch. Alfons blinked again and gazed emptily up at him.
“Yes, that’s right,” Robert Reinert said. “You’re almost done now.”
Meanwhile, Edward was struggling fiercely on his chair. “God...damned...plastic!” he uttered through gritted teeth. That madman had actually injected that shit into Alfons’ arm. This would soon be completely irreversible if he didn’t do anything!
Robert Reinert stepped out of the alchemy circle. “Watch now, alchemist, how alchemy can be performed in this world as well. You’ll be amazed.”
Edward gasped out as Robert Reinert turned the machine on, powered it, and it made a loading sound until a point where Alfons’ body jumped abruptly in his restrains, like he had received a sharp electrical shock. Red sparkles as lightning were brightening up the room like glistening fire, making the circle glow vibrantly around Alfons.
The sight was... nostalgic.
“No!” Edward twisted around on the chair while memories of his little brother losing his entire body to the Gate in the similar glow of bright light visualized itself in his frantic mind, and he couldn’t let anything happen to Alfons! Suddenly he felt a shadow cast over him and he whipped around to see Mr. Rippert standing behind him, his features spattered with his own blood. Edward froze, and met the man’s glassy eyes. Though, he felt like they were more expressive now than earlier.
Then Mr. Rippert suddenly lifted a knife and cut over Edward’s bonds, freeing him from the chair. Edward didn’t waste a second wondering why. He jumped up and sprinted towards the machine which contained Envy’s blood as fuel. He knew only one thing he could do.
With a well-rehearsed side kick, he hit the machine hard on its side, making it flip over and crash loudly to the floor. Immediately the transmutation circle died down.
Edward breathed out a little rapidly. “Combining alchemy with machinery... How fake.” Although, he wondered if he had been too late. But he didn’t have time to check upon Alfons yet.
Robert Reinert glowered at him with rage in his small eyes. “You little devil. You will pay for destroying my experiment!”
“You’re simply destroying yourself by going this far, you bastard,” Edward spat. “When the police find out about this, it’ll be the end of you and your madness.”
Robert Reinert made a sudden move towards the tranquilizer gun that had at some point dropped to the floor, but Edward was faster. He leaped forward and crushed the thing beneath his metal foot.
Reinert stopped, snorting nonchalantly. “Do you think you can stop me? It’s not that simple.”
“I’ll goddamn try nonetheless,” Edward stated sternly.
“Have you forgotten already?” Reinert sniggered. He looked so different from Dr. Marcoh when doing that, Edward didn’t even feel directly bothered by their similar physical appearance. “Even if I can’t make any more permanent homunculi for now, that doesn’t change the fact that I’ve made Alfons obey me.”
“He’ll never do that,” Edward hissed.
“Want to bet?” Reinert sneered. He stepped unflappably passed Edward, who turned around cautiously as he passed by, until he reached the table where Alfons now lay still. Reinert stopped by his side and removed the wires from his body. “Time to wake up, Alfons,” he called gently.
Alfons’ eyes opened suddenly.
“You remember me, don’t you? I’m your new family.” Robert Reinert unfastened all his restraints, starting with his legs and arms, and at last the one around his stomach. “Stand up and try out your new body.”
Alfons sat up slowly, his sharp eyes scanning the laboratory warily.
“Alfons?” Edward called out, feeling slightly anxious. At least Alfons looked normal. He didn’t have deformed features or serpent-like scale-skin like Otto Rippert.
“Are you okay?” he tried again. To his disturbance, Alfons made no notion to have even heard his voice.
Alfons put his feet down on the floor and stood up in full height, scanning the ceiling where the sharp light was glowing down on him.
“There you go,” Robert Reinert said slowly, gently touching his shoulder. “You’re free now. You’re stronger, and better. Do you feel that?”
Alfons didn’t make any vocal reply, but stared down at his hands, like he was investigating if they were different. If they were stronger.
“Get your hands off him,” Edward snarled and advanced.
Reinert glowered at Edward. “I’m sorry, Edward. You’re going to have to say good bye to your friend. He’s mine now, my little pet.” He patted Alfons on the head. “He does seem more intelligent than Mr. Rippert, doesn’t he? But it seems you can’t talk yet, right Alfons? Don’t worry, I will teach you.”
Edward flashed his teeth and gnarled in anger. “I said, get your filthy hands off him, you insane bastard!” Anytime now, he would attack with the intention to kill.
“Now, now,” Reinert crooned. “If you don’t realize it yet, let us do a test to see who he obeys more. Alfons, that blond midget is very troublesome, isn’t he? He wants to hurt us. He deserves to be punished, doesn’t he?”
Alfons looked up from his hands and turned towards Edward. His face had never been more expressionless, and Edward started to get really anxious.
“Alfons...” Don’t you recognize me?
Robert Reinert grinned. “Kill him.”
Alfons didn’t even hesitate. He leaped forward with great speed, straight for Edward’s throat. For a second Edward stood there, frozen in shock, seeing Alfons heading for him in a speed that made every other movement in the basement turn into slow motion. Then he snapped out of it with a short gasp, and dodged by curving backwards, catching himself with his hands before he hit the floor, and then quickly pushing himself around in a backwards somersault. He rolled back onto his feet as Alfons charged straight on again.
“Alfons! Stop, it’s me!” Edward shouted, just as his comrade let his fist swing into a punch that could have killed if it had hit. He didn’t seem to recognize him at all! Edward tried to think, as the blows fell like rain, barely being able to avert the more damaging ones and withstand the smaller ones.
Somehow Alfons had become an expert on coordinating his moves, and attacked at every possible spot Edward couldn’t manage to defend at the same time as defending himself everywhere else.
Edward ducked under another swing, and shot out his leg into a side kick to Alfons’ stomach, just enough to make him slow down. But to his horror, his attacks had the same effect as with Otto Rippert. Alfons didn’t even sense it.
“I never thought you’d surpass me in sparring,” Edward crooned out as he dodged another attack of Alfons’ strong arm. “You would never let me forget it if you knew!”
Alfons seemed completely oblivious to the words.
No matter how rapid and sharp Edward was, no matter how much he tried to make a surprising move, Alfons followed him effortlessly, targeting him with hollow eyes.
After a while Edward hit a table with the small of his back, breathing sharply and swallowing hard while trying to get an idea. His right eye was swollen and his nose bleeding, his left arm had been cut up slightly sometime during the fight without him even noticing.
If the alchemy transmutation had really failed, Alfons would turn back to normal eventually. But how long would that take? Would he have to fight him in an endless battle for days until that happened? Or worse, if Edward was unlucky enough and got killed?
He jerked quickly to the side as Alfons’ hand slammed down, breaking the entire table in two.
“Shit,” Edward breathed. “Stop doing reckless things like that or you’ll hurt yourself!”
Alfons chased after him, and this time Edward didn’t find anything better to do than to just run. From behind him Robert Reinert was chortling out wicked laughter. “I told you, boy! You can’t do anything the way it is now. He’ll kill you before he knows what he has done. Then he will have no other choice but to come with me to the States. I’ll find another way to make his state a permanent one.”
Edward reached a dead end and stopped abruptly in front of the innermost wall of the room. He was trapped. He turned around and stared intently at his comrade, straight into his vacant eyes.
“Goddammit, Alfons,” Edward grit out. “I know you’re still in there. Pull yourself together!”
Alfons caught his throat and squeezed, making Edward choke on his own breath before he could say more. His back got pressed into the wall, and his eyes clamped shut. He couldn’t believe that this was happening. His Alfons. His best friend. His only friend-had been turned against him. And there was nothing he could do. He cursed inwardly and opened his eyes again.
Alfons simply stood there, cold and stiff. Frozen into the deadly stance.
Edward refused to give up. This wasn’t Alfons. He had to get him back somehow.
“You know I don’t like being a sap,” Edward rasped out, wondering if he managed to utter the words coherently at all. His lungs were screaming and hurting. “But I can’t lose you.” It took him great effort to continue. “You’re the only one I have… and I won’t let you kill me… I love you, for fuck’s sake.” With the last of his strength, he lifted his legs and shot them forward as hard as he could, in the middle of Alfons’ gut. It was a kick that would make a normal human pass out or worse.
Alfons let go of him and stumbled back, looking a little confused. Edward took a couple of sharp breaths before he acted again, and tackled Alfons right to the floor on his back, pinning his arms.
Hollow, crystal eyes stared impassively up at him, and Edward knew he wouldn’t be able to hold him down for long. Both Robert Reinert and Otto Rippert were watching them from a safe distance, but right now he was desperate.
“Hell with it all,” Edward muttered. Then he curved down and caught Alfons’ lips with his in a deep and ardent kiss.
Remember it. Remember me. Think of me.
Alfons stiffened in his grip, seeming confused of what he was doing and responded only passively to the treatment. Still, Edward refused to stop.
“Ah, so you had secrets of that calibre as well?” Robert Reinert said in a mocking voice. “No matter what you try to do, it’s futile. Didn’t I tell you? A homunculus is merely an imitation of a human being, unable to love and without caring feelings of other humans. A Homunculus doesn’t feel love.”
Edward refused to listen to him. Alfons’ lips were warm and soft like always. Despite of being inattentive, he didn’t fight him off either.
Robert Reinert started to lose his patience. He addressed the man in the form of a monster standing a couple of meters away. “Mr. Rippert. Please remove Mr. Elric from my new creation, if you please.” But to his even bigger annoyance, Mr. Rippert didn’t move. “Do as I say, you dumb monkey!” he groused.
Mr. Rippert turned to him with a low grunt. Then he advanced slowly towards the man with a dangerous look in his eyes.
“Wait a minute!” Reinert uttered nervously. “What do you think you’re doing? Stop there immediately. Have you forgotten who I am?”
Mr. Rippert kept approaching him, and Reinert started backing off.
“I will not tolerate this behaviour!” Reinert warned. But his anxiety probably reeked off of him, filling Mr. Rippert’s sharp nostrils with his fear. Then he realized that the blood in Mr. Rippert’s body had already started changing and giving him back more of his rational senses again.
Edward didn’t know what was going on between the two men, and ignored the shouting coming from Robert Reinert, and the sounds of furniture breaking and glass shattering further away.
He parted his lips slowly from Alfons’, afraid that nothing would be changed about him. That he would start attacking him again the second he stopped. But Alfons had closed his eyes, and lied still on the floor.
“Alfons?” Edward tried. “Can you hear me?”
Alfons’ blue eyes opened again, very slowly. He blinked at the light attacking his irises and moseyed up at Edward, his breathing uneven and shaky. “Edward...?”
Edward could’ve died of relief. Alfons recognized him... “You bastard!” he grated. “How dare you scare me like that!” He rose to his feet and reached a hand down at his comrade to help him up.
Alfons accepted the hand slowly and let him support him back up to his feet. His body was shaky and felt tired and he almost doubled over, feeling slightly beat up everywhere. He dizzily lifted his shaking hand and touched his temple. “My head... what the hell happened?”
Edward sighed deeply. “You might be better off not remembering...”
They heard a loud crash to their left, and they both turned sharply in the direction of the loud noise. They could only partly see Robert Reinert where he lay underneath a large heap of destroyed tables and the machine in pieces, almost covering the entire alchemy circle on the floor.
Otto Rippert was already on his way back up the ladder and disappeared out the door above. Alfons took a quick step forward. “He’s getting away!”
Edward quickly held him back by the arm. “It’s okay. He won’t hurt anyone. I think he’ll get back to his real senses very soon.”
Alfons sighed. “Oh, that’s good...”
“So,” Edward started, staring him up and down. “Are you... feeling alright?”
“I’m fine... I think,” Alfons said slowly. “Tell me... he didn’t turn me into a homunculus, did he?”
Edward laughed nervously. “He might have... There’s only one way to find out.”
Alfons swallowed. “And what’s that?”
Edward reached out his hand. “Arm-wrestle with me.”
“What? Now?”
“Of course! If you beat me, you’re a homunculus, but if I win, you’ve turned back to normal.”
Alfons crossed his arms. “What if I’m normal and beat you nonetheless?”
“That’s not possible!”
Alfons mumbled. “Alright then.”
They took a stance by a table which wasn’t yet broken and decided to arm-wrestle with their left-hands, since Edward’s prosthetic would hardly be fair either way.
With their elbows resting on the table and their palms attached, Edward said: “Okay, one, two, go!”
Alfons pressed at Edward’s arm as hard as he could, but hadn’t even been doing it for more than two seconds before Edward snorted a short laugh, and then beat him.
Alfons glowered at their hands for a second, and then stood up. “How is that possible?”
Edward grinned at him, full of relief, but didn’t want to show it too much. He considered never telling Alfons that he had more or less beaten him up earlier. “I think I know the reason why. Robert Reinert mixed Envy’s blood with Mr. Rippert’s before he injected it into you. What he wasn’t aware of at the time, was that Mr. Rippert’s blood had started to get cleaned out and was therefore pretty weak already. It might have been more human blood in the solution than the homunculus’, which means it would take a shorter amount of time before you got your senses back.”
“I see,” Alfons said slowly. His hands were still shaking, and Edward took his right hand gently in his metal one and smiled softly. “The human body is quite amazing.”
“Yeah...” Alfons agreed silently. He looked down on Edward’s metallic hand, squeezing it in his pale and trembling one. Even if he couldn’t remember anything since he had been strapped to the table, he still hadn’t forgotten about certain other details.
“Now what?” he asked quietly. “What are we going to do about this homunculus being in the hands of that Thule Society organization?” He was afraid this wild goose chase would never end. He was pretty much fed up for now.
“Thule Society is indeed troublesome, yes,” Edward muttered. “But,” he smiled. “I guess I’ll take care of that some other time. I’m just happy you didn’t turn into a permanent freak...”
“Thanks,” Alfons said dryly. Although, he really was grateful.
--
The following night he could finally lay down to rest next to his treasured ponytailed wonder, and let him lie on his chest and be his cover while Edward was listening to his heart’s rhythmic beating.
The last of the circumstances had worked out. The police had taken care of Robert Reinert, and Edward was no longer under suspicion.
Alfons could vaguely remember the words Edward had told him in the basement when they were lying on the cold floor, his mind hazed with emotions unfamiliar to him, and the words had triggered something in his mind that had helped him lull himself back to his senses.
“You’re the only one I have… and I won’t let you kill me… I love you, for fuck’s sake.”
Considerably romantic for Edward, he surmised. Mission accomplished.
“I love you too,” Alfons murmured softly.
Edward shifted on top of him and stared at him with questioning eyes. “Alfons... the next time you want to go out on a movie date with me, let’s pick a comedy.”
“That’s perfectly fine with me,” he agreed.
Alfons nestled his nose into Edward’s soft locks, and in the mist of drowsiness he figured he would never need that extra physical strength anyway, as long as Edward would be there to strengthen his very soul with emotions of such value. Until their next big adventure, that would preserve keeping him at ease.
The End.
--
Back to main post
--
CHAPTER 4: The Only One
--
A sudden splash of ice cold water woke him up. It was the most uncomfortable awakening he had ever experienced in his life. His body ached and his vision swam, along with a sense of unwelcoming nausea bubbling in his throat. Alfons lifted his head up hazily with a soft groan. He focused straight at a blurry and tall man with four heads and an equal amount of notepads in his hands. Alfons blinked a couple of times as the man curved over him and forced his head up to shoot him in the eye with the sharp light of a small torch. Then he seemed satisfied, let go of him and eagerly jotted something down on his notepad.
“You’ll be alright, Mr. Heiderich, just sit and relax right there while you wait.”
Alfons was relieved his number of heads and notepads had decreased to one of each now, and recognized him immediately. Robert Reinert!
He finally became more aware of where he was and tried to move, his heart starting to beat faster as he realized he could hardly move at all. Both of his hands were tied together to the chair by cable ties of plastic behind his back. His legs were fastened with wire ties as well. Even if he struggled experimentally, it was impossible to snap them unless they were cut with something sharp. The more he tried to get free, the more they chafed painfully at his skin. And what had the man just said? Wait? Wait for what?
More importantly, why was Robert Reinert here seemingly unhurt when he was missing, and presumed dead? And where was...?
Alfons snapped his head around anxiously in search for Edward. The room, apparently the basement underneath the house, was a very spacious cellar, he noticed. In the middle of the room stood a long table with colourful liquids in all kinds of beakers, and shelves with books and papers as well as notes fluttering everywhere. What the hell was this? A secret laboratory
of some sort?
Robert Reinert had turned away from him and had his attention elsewhere, standing by a table placed beside an odd square machine with a tube of crimson liquid attached to it. Alfons didn’t like this much. He kept staring around for Edward and finally found him by twisting his head almost completely behind him.
“Edward!” he whispered, not daring speaking too loud. He didn’t want to be shot by the tranquilizer gun again.
Edward was tied up to a chair as well, his head hanging forward. He was still out cold. Alfons felt a pang of worry and twisted his hands around the small loops of thin bonds behind his back. If he could only get one hand free... But his effort was in vain. He dropped his head in defeat, and then noticed that his chair had wheels. Alfons got an idea, and started pushing himself leisurely backwards on the chair by using his tip toes; which fortunately could reach down to solid ground even while bound.
He made sure the man in the other side of the room didn’t turn around to stop him, and continued until he was right next to Edward’s unconscious form.
“Edward,” he whispered again. “Please, be alright. Wake up.” He carefully bumped his knee, causing the older to stir.
Edward groaned a bit and shifted on the chair. He lifted his head and blinked at Alfons as his vision started to clear out. “Fuck...” he muttered. “That guy got us... How cheap.”
Alfons sighed in relief. He seemed to be okay despite the grim circumstances. Edward sent him a sidelong glance. “Alfons, are you hurt?”
Alfons shook his head. “I’m okay.” He lowered his voice. “But I don’t understand. Obviously Reinert had neither disappeared or died after all, and now this. What does that mean?”
“He’s up to something, alright,” Edward agreed. “But at least that should prove I didn’t kill the bastard.”
“That’s right.”
A low growl behind Alfons startled them both, and they turned to the direction of the big man with scaly skin. He grunted warningly again, but didn’t step closer.
Alfons couldn’t help shaking as he stared at the beast. Who the hell was he, and how did he end up looking like that?
“Alfons,” Edward mumbled under his breath. “Does he look familiar to you?”
Alfons stared from Edward and back towards the man. Now that he mentioned it, some things seemed quite familiar with him, but Alfons didn’t remember what. Whatever had happened to him, it had deformed his features too much to recognize his face.
”Ah, I see both of my test objects have finally awakened,” a voice behind Alfons said. “But I can’t allow you to whisper to each other for now.”
Alfons fidgeted nervously. Test objects?
Edward glowered at Tim Marcoh’s doppelganger as he advanced and pulled Alfons’ chair backwards, away from him. “What the hell are you doing?” Edward demanded. “Why am I being accused of killing you?”
Reinert grinned. “You see, Edward Elric, since our last meeting I’ve been working very hard. It’s an interesting project I’ve been developing for months. I see you’ve already met my first result of it - Mr. Rippert.”
Edward gawked and stared at the monstrous man. “Otto Rippert?”
Alfons’ eyes widened at the beast of a man as well, and now that he was saying it - that’s why he had seemed so familiar. He still had some of Otto Rippert’s features left, but not many.
“Yes,” Reinert chortled. “You’ve figured this much out by now, I hope? This is the first homunculus made by man.”
“Homunculus... How?” Edward scowled. “What the hell did you do to him?”
Robert Reinert scoffed and approached slowly. “You see, I followed you two when you headed off to Ufa, and soon after you left I had Mr. Rippert alone and injected my latest experiment into him. As you already have noticed, the result is tremendous - except for the lack of human features. He obeys only to me. My goal is to create a homunculus with the perfect human features and mind, just like the one in my movie.”
Alfons couldn’t believe it. What the hell had Mr. Rippert been injected with that had made him like this?
Edward snorted spitefully. “That isn’t a homunculus! They are made through alchemy. There’s no way alchemy has been performed in this world.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Reinert declared, stopping right in front of Edward and crossed his arms. “My technology has been developed through years with studying occult magic, or what you’re calling alchemy. Thule Society has provided me the necessary information and tools, but of course, they don’t know about it. I’ve kept my research and results to myself.”
“Thule Society again, huh?” Edward muttered. That organization kept showing up everywhere. “So, you know my father too then? He was part of that organization. I’ve figured he gave you some inspiration for the movie.”
Reinert laughed. “You could say that. And thanks to your father, I got the most important ingredient for my research.”
Ed flattened his expression and arched an eyebrow in return. “Which is?”
“This.” Robert Reinert proudly held up a small glass tube with some sort of red gelatinous liquid inside. It reminded Edward sickly of Tim Marcoh’s red stone in fluid form. But it couldn’t be…
Edward narrowed his eyes at the beaker with crimson. “Where the hell did you get that?”
Alfons was confused. “What is it?”
Reinert turned away from Edward and sauntered back towards his work top. “The answer to those questions is a national secret. But, either way, both of you already know too much so I can let you go.” Reinert’s lips split into a grin as he leaned against the desk, showing two rows of yellow teeth.
Alfons shuddered and twisted nervously from hearing those words. He wouldn’t let them walk out of there alive?
“That’s right,” Edward said, sounding rather unaffected and mostly curious. “You don’t have anything to lose by telling us, so go ahead.”
Reinert stifled a short laugh. “You’re very interested, I understand. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since you are son of Van Hohenheim.”
Edward narrowed his eyes into a deep scowl. “You failed to mention your acquaintance with my father the first time we met.”
“I left it out, since it would probably have led you too close to the truth about my research. I needed to preoccupy you with other things while I faked my disappearance and took a private plane to Berlin.”
“So that’s how you managed to get there so fast,” Edward frowned. “And your diary said conveniently that I was after your life.”
“In order to keep you busy when you got back from Berlin,” Reinert commented with a diverted snigger.
“What the hell do you want with us?” Edward demanded. He looked like he wanted to chop his head off with his prosthetic.
“You’ll find out in due time,” Reinert reassured. “For now, just relax and watch.” He went towards Mr. Rippert with a needle in his hand. The bigger man looking like a monster had been standing by the wall some metres away from Edward until now. “Mr. Rippert, lend me your hand if you please.”
The man in the form of a monster reached out his hand to him.
Alfons scowled at them, remembering how much Mr. Rippert had seemed to dislike Robert Reinert when they met him at Ufa. “He’s... obeying him without even blinking,” he commented slowly.
“Even if it’s obvious that he’s going to...” Edward started, and then shuddered as Reinert inserted the needle into Mr. Rippert’s arm.
“His blood will be very useful to me. I created him in order to have this source,” Robert Reinert said. “A finished mix of human blood and the solution I injected him with. The result is a completely newfound solution.” He filled the needle’s tube with Otto Rippert’s blood.
Edward scowled at him. “Tell me, what is that national secret you mentioned earlier? Is that where you got the original solution from?”
“Indeed.” Robert Reinert picked up the tube with the original red liquid. “This is what made Mr. Rippert a homunculus. The reason is simple. This is blood of a real homunculus, from your world.”
Edward’s eyes widened. “You know about my world?”
“Yes,” the writer confirmed. “The homunculus has the form of a large dragon. I tapped some of its blood when the Society wasn’t paying attention, knowing I could use it for my experiments.”
“A dragon...” Edward repeated in a whisper. “Envy...”
Envy had transformed into the shape of the Ouroboros before he went into the Gate the last time he had seen him. And now he had gotten himself involved with people of this world?
“Now, my latest solution will be a new one,” Robert Reinert said, holding the needle with Mr. Rippert blood next to the tube with Envy’s. “By mixing these two, I will get a solution where the blood of the homunculus is already accustomed to a human’s. The result will hopefully be a much better homunculus. One that looks completely human, but also gains the speed and strength of one. A real superhuman.”
Alfons and Edward exchanged looks. This was beyond anything they had imagined when they first started this journey. The problem was to stop him before he went that far.
Robert Reinert then injected Mr. Rippert’s blood into the cap of the tube and inserted the crimson substance into the other, combining them. When he was done, he pulled out the empty tube and replaced the cap on the other, looking very pleased with himself. “There. And now, the question is, which one of you will be my improved test product?”
Edward’s eyes widened in realization, and so did Alfons’. Did he really intend to…?
The man scoffed and went over to Edward again, eyeing him closely. “You could’ve made a really useful homunculus. Your limbs are quite fascinating; just imagine the extra strength you would get for free. But that is the downfall about it too. Your body would not handle it very well since you have an incomplete body. And your strong temper is also an issue; I might not be able to control your mind as easily as with Mr. Rippert. That’s why I didn’t necessarily need you, and let everyone think you responsible for my death so I could get easier access to my other potential subject.”
Edward gave him a stare so venomous that if he glared hard enough, the man might drop dead. “Reinert,” he said, his voice sounding like a storm coming. “If you think you can get away with this inhuman and immoral crime, think again. I’ll beat the living shit out of you if-”
“That’s what I mean, you probably have a lot of fighting experience and training as a result of those limbs, I reckon,” the writer said, ignoring Edward’s further oral insults. “It’s a pity, I could even have developed your metal limbs to use them for different purposes. You would definitely have been useful to me.”
“Fuck you, you crazy bastard!”
“Therefore,” Reinert continued and turned away from him, facing Alfons instead. “It’s good there are two of you.”
Edward’s eyes widened. “Fucking creep, you don’t dare touch him, or I’ll kick your brain mass out of your head and feed it to the maggots!” His threats were constantly coming to further creative levels.
Robert Reinert stopped in front of Alfons, cupped his cheek and straightened his head up. “Not as well built, but you’re not scrawny either. And you’re taller-”
“WHO ARE YOU CALLING TOO SMALL TO BE AN EXPERIMENT OF YOUR INSANE RESEARCH CRAP?!”
“-yes, I think you’ll do,” Reinert concluded and let go of Alfons’ face, nonchalantly ignoring the rant coming from Edward. “I had already decided, really. That’s why I told Mr. Rippert to pick you up in Berlin. But unfortunately he was unsuccessful.” He smiled wickedly. “Good thing you are such intelligent and curious young men, and went straight to me.”
Alfons stared horrified at him as the writer went to the table by the machine and started preparing it. Alfons swallowed as he looked closer. The table made it possible to restrain a person down to it, arms and legs and stomach. Alfons started associating it all with Dr. Frankenstein. And soon he’d become the Frankenstein monster apparently.
“I could’ve tried it on both of you if I had had enough solution left, but I can’t steal too much of it at once, so unfortunately I have only enough for one more experiment, for now,” Robert Reinert said. “Besides, if this one succeeds, it’ll be better than any other developed homunculi in this world. It will be a human with less monstrous features and more intelligence, but still under my control.”
Edward was going wild in his restraints. “I won’t let you do it, you freak!”
Alfons gazed over at Edward, feeling scared, but what could they do? As long as they were tied up like this, they didn’t have much of a chance. But if Reinert was to cut over the wires and untie him to restrain him to the table - which he would have to do to move him - perhaps he’d have a chance to take him down. Reinert was an older man, and his movements were slow. Alfons had learned self defence from Edward for almost a year. If he depended on the act of surprise, he might be able to take him down. Obviously Reinert felt he wasn’t very physically competent-as compared to Edward, that is.
Edward met Alfons’ eyes, concern written in those deep orbs of amber. Alfons tried to mollify him with his look, but didn’t know if he succeeded, even if Edward had already figured out a plan. His eyes moved to a pair of scissors on the table a couple of metres to his left, and Alfons caught on. If he managed to confuse the writer enough to get a couple of metres head start, he’d have time to snatch the scissors and run to Edward, cut his wires, and then they could disarm Reinert together before he managed to sedate them again. The only problem was Mr. Rippert. He might try to stop them too. Though, right now Mr. Rippert was busy standing in a corner, occasionally taking a pirouette around his own axis while staring mindlessly up in the ceiling.
Reinert headed back to Alfons’ chair. “Now,” he said. “Let’s move you to the table over there and get started.”
Both Edward and Alfons tensed, and Alfons readied himself to spring up as soon as his wires were cut. But then Edward shouted. “Wait!”
Alfons frowned at him questionably, but then he turned and saw the small handkerchief in Reinert’s hand, and Alfons understood. He’d get sedated before he was untied. He would never be able to fight!
“It’s only a mild sedative,” Reinert assured. “I need you to be awake when I perform my experiment on you, but unfortunately I can’t risk freeing you while being fully conscious.”
Alfons fidgeted nervously. “That’s not necessary,” he said fast. “I don’t know how to fight and I’m not very strong either.”
“Don’t be so humble,” Reinert said, seemingly enjoying himself. “I’m sure you’ve learned a few tricks from your friend.”
“Clearly,” Edward butted in, “you’re underestimating my abilities!”
Reinert gave him an indifferent stare. “You think? In my opinion I’ve made quite good measure concerning you.”
“My body has been through a lot more than a few simple metal limb operations before,” Edward bragged. “I can withstand a lot. You should really reconsider your test subject.”
Alfons’ jaw went slack as he gawked at Edward. Was he really trying to persuade Reinert into taking him instead?
Robert Reinert looked amused. “How interesting. You’re willing to go far to protect your friend, aren’t you?”
“I’ll do it willingly,” Edward said. “I’ll even let you experiment on my prosthetics as much as you want. Hell, write a fucking movie about me, I’ll play the part myself!”
Reinert cackled out in laughter like the mad scientist he turned out to be. “Very interesting! You amuse me. I had planned to kill you, but now… now I’m reconsidering. Hmm, I’ll consider it, boy. But unfortunately, it won’t change the fact that I choose Alfons Heiderich for now.”
Edward tensed up again and glowered at him. “Bastard, I only said I’d do it if you leave him alone. Because if you do choose to go ahead with this, I will kill you.”
“This is very entertaining.” Reinert grinned wickedly, and Alfons tried desperately to twist his hands out of the tight nooses, like he had been trying to do the last minute while Edward kept Reinert occupied. But it was still futile. His shoulders sank and he sent Edward an expression of gratitude. He was willing to take his place to save him. He’d never forget it.
Beside him Reinert coated his handkerchief with a small amount of colourless liquid.
“Alfons!” Edward shouted, just as the man pressed the cloth against Alfons’ mouth and nose, limiting his breathing.
Alfons twitched and muffled out a small cry. His vision started swimming and all he could hear was the incomprehensible nonsense of drowned voices as his sluggish mind became unable to translate what all the sounds meant. He lost his consciousness for a while, although it couldn’t have been more than a couple of minutes.
When he came to he had already been strapped down on the table with his shirt removed. Alfons stared hazily up in the ceiling and tried to keep his eyes focused. His eyes kept betraying him and wanted to close. Sleep.
“This might hurt a little, but when you’re done you won’t be able to feel pain the same way as other humans.” Robert Reinert stood over him, speaking with a gentle voice, like he was a doctor. The man connected some wires to his chest and his temples which led to the strange machine. “Like Mr. Rippert, your nervous system will decrease in function so you won’t feel pain unless it’s a fatal injury.”
Alfons tried to move his arms, but they were strapped tightly down by his sides with belts, and so were his legs and stomach.
“Just keep still, my friend. It will be over in a second. When you’re done you’ll feel much better.” More wires were added to the insides of his elbows.
The drug was finally starting to wear off. Alfons blinked against the sharp light in the ceiling and twisted his head to both sides. His head was the only part of his own body he could move. Then his ears caught the sound of Edward’s voice, and he immediately became more aware.
“Let him go, you fucking bastard!” Edward shouted. “When I get off this chair, I’ll punch you until you can no longer see in colours!”
Robert Reinert simply ignored him, and Alfons felt a cold sensation of alcohol on a cotton ball rubbing gently against his arm.
Alfons took a deep breath, feeling his own heart rate increasing in his chest. Don’t panic, don’t panic!
“Why are you doing this?” he managed. “Nothing good will come out of it. When we first met, you talked about how you wanted to prevent movies from being misused by politically influencing people’s minds. But then you act unethically yourself by turning Mr. Rippert into this?”
“The question why is indeed relevant,” Robert Reinert agreed with hint of mirth dancing in his tone. “To make people see the world in a panoramic view, I will make them see things they have never seen before. I’m turning you into a superhuman. Just imagine the possibilities of a discovery like that. I will take you with me on a journey to America, where I will make vast amounts of money in a currency that is actually worth a damn. The movie industry is in advanced development over there. I’ll use you in my movies and make fortunes from your special abilities visualized on the screen.” Robert Reinert leaned closer, his wicked smile plastered on his lips. “That’s why it’s important that you keep your looks in the process. People like watching pretty monsters.”
“You’re a sick bastard!” Edward griped out loud. “What are those wires anyway? I thought you only injected that shit into Otto Rippert, no more.”
Robert Reinert scoffed. “You’re right about that. This procedure is quite different. What’ve injected into Mr. Rippert has only a temporary function.”
“Temporary?” Alfons repeated fast. “You mean he’ll turn back to normal again?”
“Yes, although I don’t know how long it will take,” Reinert said. “His spleen will eventually clean out the unfamiliar cells of his blood, and then get rid of it.”
Edward felt slightly relieved. This injection wasn’t invincible after all. “Then, it will be temporary on Alfons too?”
Reinert turned to him and grinned. “No. Look at the floor by my feet, alchemist.”
Edward’s eyes widened and his gaze shot down to the place where Reinert and Alfons’ table were standing. He wanted to rub his eyes in disbelief, but he couldn’t.
It was a transmutation circle. He hadn’t even noticed it before now. The array evolved all the way around the table and the machine, with Alfons in the centre.
“What’s this?” Edward muttered. “Are you going to perform some weird occult ritual?”
Robert Reinert laughed out. “The power from your world can also be used here, with the right sources. Everyone thinks the art of alchemy is lost to this world, but they’re wrong.” He pointed at the wires connected to Alfons’ body. “These wires use Mr. Heiderich’s life source and power the alchemic circle and will be combined with the blood from the serpent-like homunculus, which works as fuel for this machine. It will create enough energy to activate the circle and turn Alfons into a permanent homunculus.”
“No way...” Edward whispered.
Alfons started to get really freaked out by all this. He tugged nervously at his straps restraining his arms and legs.
“Don’t worry about his life span,” Robert Reinert continued lightly. “Even if I use a bit of it for my magic, turning him into a homunculus will make him close to immortal. Isn’t that amazing?”
“There’s no guarantee that it will work!” Edward shouted. “Stop it!”
Robert Reinert turned back to Alfons. “Enough talk. Let’s find out instead.” He advanced and placed a hand on Alfons’ damp forehead, as to calm him. “First, I’ll inject you with the solution. It might not feel comfortable at first, but your body will adjust to it eventually. Then I will activate the machine and the circle, and make your body permanent like that. All you have to do is relax. Is that understood?”
Alfons shook his head. “No... Don’t do this.”
But naturally, the man didn’t listen to him. He lowered his hand with the needle ready, pressing the sharp tip against his arm.
“Alfons!” Edward shouted. “ALFONS, NO!”
The needle sank into his vein, and Alfons pressed his eyes shut as the crimson mixture forcibly pervaded into him.
“There,” Robert Reinert whispered. “Don’t fight it, or it’ll only hurt more.”
Alfons trembled, his lips parting to scream, but not a sound came out. His voice seemed to have become stuck in his throat, while a burning sensation reached his brain from his arm. His large crystal blue eyes widened to their full size, his corneas filling with fully visible red veins.
Pressure. That was all he felt. Everything in his body seemed to be pressing at his inner walls. His organs, his muscles, his veins. Blood was pounding in his ears and decreased his hearing like he was under water.
Every muscle in his body tensed sharply in the restraints and felt like they just kept swelling, growing on the inside and threatened to rip him apart. His heart beat a million times a second, his pulse throbbing rigidly and visibly at his neck. At that point he was screaming, although he didn’t realize it. The pain was like knifes twisting their way outwards from the inside, like torture. His body arched mindlessly upwards in the mist of agony, but his restraints held him down. He had no idea how long it took, before his nervous system seemed to shut down, and if it still hurt he couldn’t feel it anymore.
His body stilled on the table, his heart rate decreasing fast into a more normal speed, and he could only breathe rapidly, like he couldn’t get enough air into his craving lungs.
“Good boy,” Robert Reinert whispered. “Do you hear my voice? It’s the only voice you’ll need to concentrate yourself on. No one else’s. You will do as I tell you to, and everything will be alright.”
His brain felt like it was pulsing in his head. His eyes were open, but he couldn’t see. Couldn’t focus. The voice somehow had a calming effect. He could understand the words. Alfons twisted his head in the direction where the words had come from. Robert Reinert stood there, stroking over his hair like he had just made himself a new pet. It was a gentle, comforting touch. Alfons blinked again and gazed emptily up at him.
“Yes, that’s right,” Robert Reinert said. “You’re almost done now.”
Meanwhile, Edward was struggling fiercely on his chair. “God...damned...plastic!” he uttered through gritted teeth. That madman had actually injected that shit into Alfons’ arm. This would soon be completely irreversible if he didn’t do anything!
Robert Reinert stepped out of the alchemy circle. “Watch now, alchemist, how alchemy can be performed in this world as well. You’ll be amazed.”
Edward gasped out as Robert Reinert turned the machine on, powered it, and it made a loading sound until a point where Alfons’ body jumped abruptly in his restrains, like he had received a sharp electrical shock. Red sparkles as lightning were brightening up the room like glistening fire, making the circle glow vibrantly around Alfons.
The sight was... nostalgic.
“No!” Edward twisted around on the chair while memories of his little brother losing his entire body to the Gate in the similar glow of bright light visualized itself in his frantic mind, and he couldn’t let anything happen to Alfons! Suddenly he felt a shadow cast over him and he whipped around to see Mr. Rippert standing behind him, his features spattered with his own blood. Edward froze, and met the man’s glassy eyes. Though, he felt like they were more expressive now than earlier.
Then Mr. Rippert suddenly lifted a knife and cut over Edward’s bonds, freeing him from the chair. Edward didn’t waste a second wondering why. He jumped up and sprinted towards the machine which contained Envy’s blood as fuel. He knew only one thing he could do.
With a well-rehearsed side kick, he hit the machine hard on its side, making it flip over and crash loudly to the floor. Immediately the transmutation circle died down.
Edward breathed out a little rapidly. “Combining alchemy with machinery... How fake.” Although, he wondered if he had been too late. But he didn’t have time to check upon Alfons yet.
Robert Reinert glowered at him with rage in his small eyes. “You little devil. You will pay for destroying my experiment!”
“You’re simply destroying yourself by going this far, you bastard,” Edward spat. “When the police find out about this, it’ll be the end of you and your madness.”
Robert Reinert made a sudden move towards the tranquilizer gun that had at some point dropped to the floor, but Edward was faster. He leaped forward and crushed the thing beneath his metal foot.
Reinert stopped, snorting nonchalantly. “Do you think you can stop me? It’s not that simple.”
“I’ll goddamn try nonetheless,” Edward stated sternly.
“Have you forgotten already?” Reinert sniggered. He looked so different from Dr. Marcoh when doing that, Edward didn’t even feel directly bothered by their similar physical appearance. “Even if I can’t make any more permanent homunculi for now, that doesn’t change the fact that I’ve made Alfons obey me.”
“He’ll never do that,” Edward hissed.
“Want to bet?” Reinert sneered. He stepped unflappably passed Edward, who turned around cautiously as he passed by, until he reached the table where Alfons now lay still. Reinert stopped by his side and removed the wires from his body. “Time to wake up, Alfons,” he called gently.
Alfons’ eyes opened suddenly.
“You remember me, don’t you? I’m your new family.” Robert Reinert unfastened all his restraints, starting with his legs and arms, and at last the one around his stomach. “Stand up and try out your new body.”
Alfons sat up slowly, his sharp eyes scanning the laboratory warily.
“Alfons?” Edward called out, feeling slightly anxious. At least Alfons looked normal. He didn’t have deformed features or serpent-like scale-skin like Otto Rippert.
“Are you okay?” he tried again. To his disturbance, Alfons made no notion to have even heard his voice.
Alfons put his feet down on the floor and stood up in full height, scanning the ceiling where the sharp light was glowing down on him.
“There you go,” Robert Reinert said slowly, gently touching his shoulder. “You’re free now. You’re stronger, and better. Do you feel that?”
Alfons didn’t make any vocal reply, but stared down at his hands, like he was investigating if they were different. If they were stronger.
“Get your hands off him,” Edward snarled and advanced.
Reinert glowered at Edward. “I’m sorry, Edward. You’re going to have to say good bye to your friend. He’s mine now, my little pet.” He patted Alfons on the head. “He does seem more intelligent than Mr. Rippert, doesn’t he? But it seems you can’t talk yet, right Alfons? Don’t worry, I will teach you.”
Edward flashed his teeth and gnarled in anger. “I said, get your filthy hands off him, you insane bastard!” Anytime now, he would attack with the intention to kill.
“Now, now,” Reinert crooned. “If you don’t realize it yet, let us do a test to see who he obeys more. Alfons, that blond midget is very troublesome, isn’t he? He wants to hurt us. He deserves to be punished, doesn’t he?”
Alfons looked up from his hands and turned towards Edward. His face had never been more expressionless, and Edward started to get really anxious.
“Alfons...” Don’t you recognize me?
Robert Reinert grinned. “Kill him.”
Alfons didn’t even hesitate. He leaped forward with great speed, straight for Edward’s throat. For a second Edward stood there, frozen in shock, seeing Alfons heading for him in a speed that made every other movement in the basement turn into slow motion. Then he snapped out of it with a short gasp, and dodged by curving backwards, catching himself with his hands before he hit the floor, and then quickly pushing himself around in a backwards somersault. He rolled back onto his feet as Alfons charged straight on again.
“Alfons! Stop, it’s me!” Edward shouted, just as his comrade let his fist swing into a punch that could have killed if it had hit. He didn’t seem to recognize him at all! Edward tried to think, as the blows fell like rain, barely being able to avert the more damaging ones and withstand the smaller ones.
Somehow Alfons had become an expert on coordinating his moves, and attacked at every possible spot Edward couldn’t manage to defend at the same time as defending himself everywhere else.
Edward ducked under another swing, and shot out his leg into a side kick to Alfons’ stomach, just enough to make him slow down. But to his horror, his attacks had the same effect as with Otto Rippert. Alfons didn’t even sense it.
“I never thought you’d surpass me in sparring,” Edward crooned out as he dodged another attack of Alfons’ strong arm. “You would never let me forget it if you knew!”
Alfons seemed completely oblivious to the words.
No matter how rapid and sharp Edward was, no matter how much he tried to make a surprising move, Alfons followed him effortlessly, targeting him with hollow eyes.
After a while Edward hit a table with the small of his back, breathing sharply and swallowing hard while trying to get an idea. His right eye was swollen and his nose bleeding, his left arm had been cut up slightly sometime during the fight without him even noticing.
If the alchemy transmutation had really failed, Alfons would turn back to normal eventually. But how long would that take? Would he have to fight him in an endless battle for days until that happened? Or worse, if Edward was unlucky enough and got killed?
He jerked quickly to the side as Alfons’ hand slammed down, breaking the entire table in two.
“Shit,” Edward breathed. “Stop doing reckless things like that or you’ll hurt yourself!”
Alfons chased after him, and this time Edward didn’t find anything better to do than to just run. From behind him Robert Reinert was chortling out wicked laughter. “I told you, boy! You can’t do anything the way it is now. He’ll kill you before he knows what he has done. Then he will have no other choice but to come with me to the States. I’ll find another way to make his state a permanent one.”
Edward reached a dead end and stopped abruptly in front of the innermost wall of the room. He was trapped. He turned around and stared intently at his comrade, straight into his vacant eyes.
“Goddammit, Alfons,” Edward grit out. “I know you’re still in there. Pull yourself together!”
Alfons caught his throat and squeezed, making Edward choke on his own breath before he could say more. His back got pressed into the wall, and his eyes clamped shut. He couldn’t believe that this was happening. His Alfons. His best friend. His only friend-had been turned against him. And there was nothing he could do. He cursed inwardly and opened his eyes again.
Alfons simply stood there, cold and stiff. Frozen into the deadly stance.
Edward refused to give up. This wasn’t Alfons. He had to get him back somehow.
“You know I don’t like being a sap,” Edward rasped out, wondering if he managed to utter the words coherently at all. His lungs were screaming and hurting. “But I can’t lose you.” It took him great effort to continue. “You’re the only one I have… and I won’t let you kill me… I love you, for fuck’s sake.” With the last of his strength, he lifted his legs and shot them forward as hard as he could, in the middle of Alfons’ gut. It was a kick that would make a normal human pass out or worse.
Alfons let go of him and stumbled back, looking a little confused. Edward took a couple of sharp breaths before he acted again, and tackled Alfons right to the floor on his back, pinning his arms.
Hollow, crystal eyes stared impassively up at him, and Edward knew he wouldn’t be able to hold him down for long. Both Robert Reinert and Otto Rippert were watching them from a safe distance, but right now he was desperate.
“Hell with it all,” Edward muttered. Then he curved down and caught Alfons’ lips with his in a deep and ardent kiss.
Remember it. Remember me. Think of me.
Alfons stiffened in his grip, seeming confused of what he was doing and responded only passively to the treatment. Still, Edward refused to stop.
“Ah, so you had secrets of that calibre as well?” Robert Reinert said in a mocking voice. “No matter what you try to do, it’s futile. Didn’t I tell you? A homunculus is merely an imitation of a human being, unable to love and without caring feelings of other humans. A Homunculus doesn’t feel love.”
Edward refused to listen to him. Alfons’ lips were warm and soft like always. Despite of being inattentive, he didn’t fight him off either.
Robert Reinert started to lose his patience. He addressed the man in the form of a monster standing a couple of meters away. “Mr. Rippert. Please remove Mr. Elric from my new creation, if you please.” But to his even bigger annoyance, Mr. Rippert didn’t move. “Do as I say, you dumb monkey!” he groused.
Mr. Rippert turned to him with a low grunt. Then he advanced slowly towards the man with a dangerous look in his eyes.
“Wait a minute!” Reinert uttered nervously. “What do you think you’re doing? Stop there immediately. Have you forgotten who I am?”
Mr. Rippert kept approaching him, and Reinert started backing off.
“I will not tolerate this behaviour!” Reinert warned. But his anxiety probably reeked off of him, filling Mr. Rippert’s sharp nostrils with his fear. Then he realized that the blood in Mr. Rippert’s body had already started changing and giving him back more of his rational senses again.
Edward didn’t know what was going on between the two men, and ignored the shouting coming from Robert Reinert, and the sounds of furniture breaking and glass shattering further away.
He parted his lips slowly from Alfons’, afraid that nothing would be changed about him. That he would start attacking him again the second he stopped. But Alfons had closed his eyes, and lied still on the floor.
“Alfons?” Edward tried. “Can you hear me?”
Alfons’ blue eyes opened again, very slowly. He blinked at the light attacking his irises and moseyed up at Edward, his breathing uneven and shaky. “Edward...?”
Edward could’ve died of relief. Alfons recognized him... “You bastard!” he grated. “How dare you scare me like that!” He rose to his feet and reached a hand down at his comrade to help him up.
Alfons accepted the hand slowly and let him support him back up to his feet. His body was shaky and felt tired and he almost doubled over, feeling slightly beat up everywhere. He dizzily lifted his shaking hand and touched his temple. “My head... what the hell happened?”
Edward sighed deeply. “You might be better off not remembering...”
They heard a loud crash to their left, and they both turned sharply in the direction of the loud noise. They could only partly see Robert Reinert where he lay underneath a large heap of destroyed tables and the machine in pieces, almost covering the entire alchemy circle on the floor.
Otto Rippert was already on his way back up the ladder and disappeared out the door above. Alfons took a quick step forward. “He’s getting away!”
Edward quickly held him back by the arm. “It’s okay. He won’t hurt anyone. I think he’ll get back to his real senses very soon.”
Alfons sighed. “Oh, that’s good...”
“So,” Edward started, staring him up and down. “Are you... feeling alright?”
“I’m fine... I think,” Alfons said slowly. “Tell me... he didn’t turn me into a homunculus, did he?”
Edward laughed nervously. “He might have... There’s only one way to find out.”
Alfons swallowed. “And what’s that?”
Edward reached out his hand. “Arm-wrestle with me.”
“What? Now?”
“Of course! If you beat me, you’re a homunculus, but if I win, you’ve turned back to normal.”
Alfons crossed his arms. “What if I’m normal and beat you nonetheless?”
“That’s not possible!”
Alfons mumbled. “Alright then.”
They took a stance by a table which wasn’t yet broken and decided to arm-wrestle with their left-hands, since Edward’s prosthetic would hardly be fair either way.
With their elbows resting on the table and their palms attached, Edward said: “Okay, one, two, go!”
Alfons pressed at Edward’s arm as hard as he could, but hadn’t even been doing it for more than two seconds before Edward snorted a short laugh, and then beat him.
Alfons glowered at their hands for a second, and then stood up. “How is that possible?”
Edward grinned at him, full of relief, but didn’t want to show it too much. He considered never telling Alfons that he had more or less beaten him up earlier. “I think I know the reason why. Robert Reinert mixed Envy’s blood with Mr. Rippert’s before he injected it into you. What he wasn’t aware of at the time, was that Mr. Rippert’s blood had started to get cleaned out and was therefore pretty weak already. It might have been more human blood in the solution than the homunculus’, which means it would take a shorter amount of time before you got your senses back.”
“I see,” Alfons said slowly. His hands were still shaking, and Edward took his right hand gently in his metal one and smiled softly. “The human body is quite amazing.”
“Yeah...” Alfons agreed silently. He looked down on Edward’s metallic hand, squeezing it in his pale and trembling one. Even if he couldn’t remember anything since he had been strapped to the table, he still hadn’t forgotten about certain other details.
“Now what?” he asked quietly. “What are we going to do about this homunculus being in the hands of that Thule Society organization?” He was afraid this wild goose chase would never end. He was pretty much fed up for now.
“Thule Society is indeed troublesome, yes,” Edward muttered. “But,” he smiled. “I guess I’ll take care of that some other time. I’m just happy you didn’t turn into a permanent freak...”
“Thanks,” Alfons said dryly. Although, he really was grateful.
--
The following night he could finally lay down to rest next to his treasured ponytailed wonder, and let him lie on his chest and be his cover while Edward was listening to his heart’s rhythmic beating.
The last of the circumstances had worked out. The police had taken care of Robert Reinert, and Edward was no longer under suspicion.
Alfons could vaguely remember the words Edward had told him in the basement when they were lying on the cold floor, his mind hazed with emotions unfamiliar to him, and the words had triggered something in his mind that had helped him lull himself back to his senses.
“You’re the only one I have… and I won’t let you kill me… I love you, for fuck’s sake.”
Considerably romantic for Edward, he surmised. Mission accomplished.
“I love you too,” Alfons murmured softly.
Edward shifted on top of him and stared at him with questioning eyes. “Alfons... the next time you want to go out on a movie date with me, let’s pick a comedy.”
“That’s perfectly fine with me,” he agreed.
Alfons nestled his nose into Edward’s soft locks, and in the mist of drowsiness he figured he would never need that extra physical strength anyway, as long as Edward would be there to strengthen his very soul with emotions of such value. Until their next big adventure, that would preserve keeping him at ease.
The End.
--
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