Ignited Wishes

A Chapter by Emunah June.

His house was small and compact, but it was at the same time roomy and cozy. I looked over to see a pair of work shoes and a brown overcoat hanging on the rack nearby. "So your roomate is in...but he's sleeping? Why? Is he lazy?" Al asked as soon as we got in. Alfons placed a finger to his lips. "Ssssh! If he wakes up, he'll pester me about how loud I am...from his room!" he whispered, and Al and I both giggled. Finally, all three of us sat at the dining table. "So let's talk....how are you Noah when I saw her get burned?" Alfons asked softly as soon as we were comfortable. I gulped and took in deep breath. Finally, after a loud exhale, I spoke. "Well, there's this thing, called a Gate. This Gate seperates my world and yours. In my world, I died protecting a friend. When I died, my soul inhabited the body of Noah. When Noah, me, was burned at the stake, I was thrown back into my world. Somehow, something happened and I was put back in my orignal body. I'm back here to find my friend and his brother," I said pointing to Al. Alfons scratched his head. "How do I know you aren't lying?" Alfons asked, skeptical. I sighed. "Remember? You, Edmond, and I went to find Hohenheim," I said. Alfons jumped in his seat. "So...you really were Noah! That's so cool! Well nice to see you again Miss Noah!" he said as he extended his hand out. I shook his hand and smiled. "Call me Koda," I said happily. "Oh right. Koda," Alfons said as he let go of my hand. After a while, Al spoke. "Well, sir, have you seen my brother? Maybe?" he asked hopefully. Alfons looked at Al. "What's his name?" he asked. Just as Al was about to ask, a thunderous noise came from above us. All three of us jumped. There was a long silence before a muffled voice came from above us.

"I fell off my bed."

Alfons laughed, but Al and I just stared at each other. The voice gave a long frustrated groan before calling to Alfons again.

"Can you help me out up here? I messed up my harness in my sleep."

"Coming, I'm coming,"

With that, he got up from the table and marched up the stairs. I looked over at Al, who looked just as confused. Then, a sly grin spread across his face, and that told me he was thinking what I was thinking.

We wanted to check it out.

Before Al and I could stand up, a leather harness toppled down the stairs. "Oops! Hey, could one of you hand me that?" we heard Alfons call from all the way up the stairs. Al jumped up and grabbed the harness (which, to my surprise, had only one armhole) and dodged up the stairs. "No fair Al!" I said behind him. I fell back in my seat and closed my eyes. I was slwoly drifting back to those days in Resembool, where it was just the four of us: Winry, Ed, Al, and I. We were all kids happily going on with life. Every day was it's own adventure, and every adventure had it's own story. With every story, our friendships got stronger and more tightly packed. In the first month I knew them, Ed and Al became a part of me that I wasn't willing to let go. I tilted my head back in my seat, and drifted to that one midsummer's morning. All four of us were running on the plains. Ed was the fastest, and Wirny totted behind him. Al was in front of me, and I was trying to catch up to them. "Don't leave me behind!" I had called, but it seemed like no one was listening. Finally, my little feet gave up and I sank to the ground, ready to cry. But just then, Ed's hand was in front of me.

"C'mon! We have more to do today! Don't give up yet!"

How inspired I was at that exact moment. The moment he gave his hand to help me up, I felt useful. I felt needed. I felt--

"Oops!"

The noise Alfons made snapped me out of my daydream. I looked over to see not only the harness, but something else topple down the stairs with it. It was long, and it bounced smoothly down the steps. What was it? I looked closer, then gasped.

A...a...human arm?!

I stood up and covered my mouth. The naseua swept over me faster and faster with each beat of my heart. "Can you get that for me?" I heard Alfons call to me, but my ears couldn't hear anything more after that. I grabbed the doorknoob and ran outside, where I crouched behind the building and vomited. As I threw up, I felt the lingering gazes of passerby-ers fall on me. As soon as I was done, I stood up and wiped my eyes. What was that...a human arm?! It had five fingers, and it was a clean cut. No blood. But it wasn't a mechanical arm either. The skin was still on the arm, unlike Ed's AutoMail, which was purely mehcanical. I should know. I built one of his models. The front door opened, and Al stepped out. "Koda? Where'd you go?" he asked as he pat my shoulder. "I had to puke. Sorry," I said. Al's eyes grew sympathetic. "Oh...your Tailor's Child?" he asked. I nodded, and then gasped. "Why was there an arm that fell down the stairs?" I asked in pure panic. Al shurgged. "I dunno. Let's go check," he said. I shook my head. Al sighed. "Fine. I'll be right back. Stay here," he ordered in a gentle tone. With that, he walked back inside the house and I stayed put, right where I stood. I watched through the window.

Al grabbed the arm and felt it. A look of relief fell over his eyes. Then, his eyes fell on the top of the stairs before he gave his head a quick nod. Then he ran up the stairs with the arm and harness in hand.But nothing, not even the glass of the window, could stop the scream that came from the top of the stairs.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

It was Al's voice, no doubt, and all of my muscles tensed and told me to head inside. But the other part of me told me stay put. So I did.

Next I saw Al run down the stairs, his face red and flushed. Finally, he opened the door and stood outside with me. "What happened?" I asked as Al took in deep breaths. "I...gave the arm....to Alfons....and he...he...shut the door to his roomates room and....then...I heard...his roomate scream...and then....then..." Al said in between breaths.

"Catch your breath Al. I'll go inside and take a look."

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I walked back in just as Alfons came back down the stairs. "What happened up there?" I asked. Alfons scratched the back of his head. "Oh, nothing. But he's such a baby when I put the harness back on him. He says it 'pinches his skin'. Feh. I could handle that easy breezy," he said as he sat back down at the table. I looked back out the window at Al, who was still white faced. "What scared Al so bad?" I asked Alfons. Alfons shrugged. "He heard my roomate scream and then I opened the door and he was halfway down the stairs," Alfons replied. I grunted. "Well, what was with the arm that fell down the stairs?" I asked, suddenly nauseas again. Alfons smirked. "Oh that? Well, go upstairs and take a look yourself. Oh! Just knock first. He gets crabby if you just barge in," Alfons said, laying back in his chair and pointing upwards to the ceiling. I nodded.

Silently, I walked up the stairs, a little scared of what I was about to see. Would I see a man that butchers meat? A canibal? Or maybe...a mass murderer that collected chopped up body parts?! My imagination was running wild as I walked up the stairs faster. Finally, there was a door on my left. The light was on, and somebody was moving around inside. This was the place.

What was inside?

I knocked lightly on the door three times. "Hello?" the voice asked from the other side. "Um..excuse me sir...may I come in?" I asked, gulping. There was a long pause, and the person stopped moving long enough to stare at the door. "Who are you?" the voice asked again. I felt sweat drip behind the back of my neck. "Um...my name is Koda, sir....I just wanted to see something....Alfons sent me up here...." I said nervously. My head was spinning. A sigh came from the other side of the door. "Give me a sec and you can come in," the voice said at last. The person moved around, did something, sat on their bed, and called for me. My throat clogged as I opened the door.

I was left speechless.

My tounge seemed swollen, my eyes seemed broken, and I was wondering if I was hallucenating, because there, sitting on the bed, was....

....Edward.

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