We Were the Cost-Chapter Two

Chapter Two

(THEO)
The bus ride to Central was long and excruciatingly dull. Sarah fell asleep on my arm, and when I was sure she was out, I wiped the tears of frustration from her eyes.
I held the picture of Mother, Father, and Uncle in my hands. I looked creepily like father and Sarah looked just like mother. It made me a form of proud. I didn't know what to expect, us leaving home. I was full of questions.
Did I really wanna be a hero?
Was this safe?
Would Father come to look for us?
Is that what I'm expecting?
What if he doesn't come look for us?
What if he does?
Which is worse?
What if I don't find Uncle?
What if he's dead?
What if I die?
What if Sarah dies?
I closed my eyes, and bit my tongue till it bled. I heard Sarah whimper, and I looked down at her, my tears had been falling cold onto her face, and her big blue eyes were worried.
"Brother?" she whispered,"Are we going to be okay?"
"Of course!" I hissed, wiping my eyes.
"Then why are you crying?"
"I'M NOT-" she looked frightened. "I'm not crying." I growled. "Sarah, I wouldn't take you into this unless I knew we had too. We can be protected in Central. It's all government and soldiers! What could go wrong? The government will always protect us."



We got off the train at Central, and walked to-what we were told by a man sitting on the street corner with a jar of pennies-the Fuhrer's home. It was positively crawling with officers, all watching us. One man, tall with honey colored hair, looked white as a ghost when we approached.
"Fullmetal?" he mouthed. Another officer confronted us, gun on his arm. I felt Sarah trembling as she hung onto me.
"What is your business?!" he growled.
I looked at him. "We want to see the Fuhrer." The man hissed at me in reply.
"Go home, child," he spat.
"We have a letter! Don't tell us to go home!" Sarah screamed, then ducked behind me.
"Tell him it is Fullmetal, come to request-"
"Brosh!" A tall woman with short black hair in a military uniform leaned out of the window. She had a little mole under her eye. "Hey! Let those two in! Didn't you tell who they look like?!"
The pale man smiled. "Ya!" he took us into the building.

We were off to see the Fuhrer.

"Brosh, you idiot!" the woman said teasingly to the man. She smiled at us. Sarah was peeking behind me now, and soon stepped out. "Hello, I am Maria Ross! Now, before you come further, what relationship do you have to the Fullmetal-"
"Maria!" A woman in a military uniform stepped out, her hair was cut short, like a boy's, but she was so pretty. Like, for real, this woman was hot. (Mom, you can yell at me later for saying this). She had big, pretty brown eyes that were full of innocence, but knowledge. She was older, maybe in her late 30's. "Who are-Oh...Oh, my. Is Roy...?"
"I'm not sure, Riza."
The woman responding to 'Riza' smiled at us. "I am Mrs. Mustang, it's a pleasure to meet you."
I shook her hand, but froze when I heard her last name. "Mustang? As in Fuhrer Mustang? Like, for real?"
"Theo!" Sarah growled, I ignored her.
The woman smiled. "I am his wife. Would you happen to be-"
"MOMMA!!" A squeal erupted not far behind. The Madame Fuhrer sighed. "MOM-MA!!" the squeal rang again.
A girl walked into the room and screamed again. She had messy black hair, which fell all the way down to her hips in waves. Her eyes were dark, as if the pupils engulfed the whole of it and the dark eyeliner made her darker. She had on a long black dress, with a low, v-cut neckline, which showed enough to make me sweat.
"Maes-"
"Don't. Call. Me. THAAAAAT!"
The Madame Fuhrer became mad, but didn't yell. I was frankly surprised how calm she kept.
"Go alert your father that-"
"Alert me for what, Riza? Oh, I see. The Great Fullmetal Alchemist...his children, I'm guessing? You got my letter?"
I stared at the Fuhrer King Roy Mustang, unable to utter a sound.
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(SARAH)

I, along with my brother, stared wordlessly at the Fuhrer. He seemed intimidating, yet friendly.
"M-Mister Fuhrer Mustang-- I, uh..." Theo stammered. "We're here on behalf of Fullmetal!"
The Fuhrer gave a quiet laugh. "No need to be so formal. You can just call me Roy if you want." He paused for a minute and examined us. "So. Fullmetal's kids, huh? You two look exactly like him and his mechanic--well, now his wife, I guess. So, Edward actually sent you guys to Central, all by yourselves?"
Well, now it was confirmed that Dad was 'Fullmetal'. But, neither Theo nor I knew how to explain our being here.
"Father!" A blond-haired boy--he looked about 12 or 13--came running up to Fuhrer Mustang. He looked a lot like the Madame Fuhrer.
Roy looked over at him. "What is it, son?" he asked. Another blond-haired boy came running after the other one. This one looked older. Maybe in his late teens.
"Before he says anything, I swear I didn't--" the young boy said.
"I'm going to kill you, Clint!" the older boy said as he came near.
Mustang sighed. "What did he do now, Travis?" he asked the older boy.
"He made me look stupid in front of--"
"Please don't tell me this is about a girl," Mrs. Mustang said and crossed her arms.
Travis groaned and rolled his eyes. But, when he did, his brown eyes stayed on me for a while.
"Boys, can you go settle this by yourselves? We have business to discuss with the Elrics." The Fuhrer said.
Travis shifted his gaze from me and sighed. "Ah, whatever. It's fine I guess. As long as Clint doesn't do it again."
Clint nodded his head rapidly, happy to be getting off the hook. The two boys walked away. The Madame Fuhrer turned to the black-haired girl-- Maes.
"I'll go talk to her." Mrs. Mustang said and walked off with Maes.
Once they were out of sight, Roy started the conversation back up. He looked at Theo. "I just can't get over how much you look like your father. You're even just as short."
"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?" Theo shouted.
"Quiet, Theo!" I scolded.
"Shut up, Sarah." he replied.
"Hmhm. Same temper too." Fuhrer Mustang chuckled. His face became more serious. "Now, back to the matter at hand. As you read in my letter, your uncle, Alphonse Elric, has been missing for over a year. We suspect that he was captured by some sort of group of criminals. There have been many groups that have appeared in the past year that have been targeting and killing many Ishvalans, and people who are associated with them."
I saw Theo's golden eyes widen. My eyes widened as well. Uncle Alphonse could be...dead? That wasn't right! It couldn't have been!
"However," Roy continued, "Having Alphonse alive would be a huge advantage for them."
"How?" Theo asked.
"Well, considering his ties with the Amestrian Military, it would make him a good bargaining piece. They could ask us to release from prison criminals who would join them in killing and attacking Ishavalans."
"But would you get him back if you could?!" I exclaimed.
Roy paused. "... It depends on the circumstances."
"What?! You should get him back, whatever it takes!! If the opportunity presents itself we need to get him back!" Theo shouted. It was disrespectful, but we wanted Uncle Alphonse back. We wanted Dad and Mom to be happier. We wanted us all to be a family again.
The Fuhrer took a deep breath. "... Now you really remind me of Edward. In two ways. for one thing, Edward would do anything for Alphonse. Two, He always yelled at me like that."
Theo's face was getting red, burning with anger. "Don't try to be funny, this is serious! We haven't seen our uncle in years and, because of this stupid military, we may not ever get to see him again! Do you know how that feels!?" he shouted.
"Losing someone because of the military.... Yeah. I know how it feels. More than you know." Mustang replied.
"Then don't you think you would try to help us out a little!?"
"Look, kid! Most likely, they'll ask for us to release former State Alchemists! I can't have a State Alchemist be the cause of the destruction of Ishval a second time!!"
Theo was quiet for a minute. I spoke up. "I'm sorry about Theo. He's impulsive. We just really want Uncle Alphonse back. That's all."
"Just let the military handle it." Roy said. He looked out the window. The train ride to Central was apparently longer than I had thought, because the sun was already going down. "Do you two have a place to stay tonight."
We hadn't planned ahead that far... We shook our heads.
"Alright. You can stay here for the time being." the Fuhrer said.
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(THEO)
They put Sarah and I in separate rooms, which I couldn't stand. I couldn't sleep in the big bed they gave me, which sat in an even bigger room. It was too wide, and too white. I finally slept, but it was restless.
I woke around four, like I do every day, and went to wander around the mansion. I went into the kitchen and sat at the table. I sighed, and punched the table, leaving a 'thunk!' noise in the air. It rang and when it wavered out and dissipated, what was left was the sound of breathing. I stood completely still, until the person in the shadows emerged. My breath caught in my throat, then I sighed.
"I'm sorry if I scared you," said the Madame Fuhrer. Her blonde hair was curlers, but only on the strands that were long enough to curl. "Want some water?"
"If it's not too much trouble."
"Not at all." She went to the cabinet and removed a glass, which she filled with water from the tap. After handing me the glass, she studied me.
"Eh, what are you staring for? Just because you're the Fuhrer's wife gives you no right to look at me like a freak show."
"I was just thinking of how much you look like your father."
"Mmm," I said, trying not to think about it. To think about Dad...it hurt.
"Roy will want to ask you questions tomorrow. By the way, your sister's room is just down the hall, up the stairs and two doors to the right. Right next to Maes room if you need her. Alright? Get some sleep, son of Fullmetal." She left with that.
I went into Sarah's room, and pulled the blankets tight around her, kissed her forehead, and left her alone to sleep.
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(SARAH)

I was awake when Theo came in my room. I just pretended to be asleep so he wouldn't ask me why I couldn't sleep, or what was wrong. I was just glad that, in the darkness, he couldn't see the tear-soaked pillow beneath my head. I hate that I cry so much, but I can't help it. Everything that was happening was just...stressful.

I missed Mom and Dad. And Uncle Alphonse... And the fact that he could be dead, or that the military wouldn't help us get him back anyway... Or...was he being tortured?

The thought made me sick. I shook my head to clear my mind, but as one thing exited my thoughts, another thing entered. Like alchemy, or the odd pictures in the scrapbook.

All of it was perplexing, and, quite frankly, I couldn't really have figured anything out, no matter how hard I tried.

Just think about it tomorrow, I told myself. I had cried myself out and now I was exhausted. I pushed all of the thoughts to the back of my mind and, with nothing on my mind, my eyes fluttered shut and I finally got some sleep.

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(THEO)

I sat for a minute, studying Sarah. She did look like mother, and I was surprised by the fact I'd never noticed just how striking the resemblance was. Her face was slightly pinched, as if she was having a nightmare, or not really asleep.

"...Sarah..." I whispered, letting her think I thought she was asleep,"I just...I just wanna say how brave you are, for doing this. And you're right, I'd be totally lost without you. I love you, sis."

I stood and left the room, and I caught a glimpse of her blue eyes on the window's reflection outside of her room before I shut the door. Closing it, I smiled.

The door shut with a little 'click!' and I pulled the hood of my black jacket over my head as I started retreating.

Then I heard a door open again.

I turned, and immediately regretted it.

Maes Mustang stood before me, a shovel in her hands, raised and ready to strike me. I quickly pulled down my hood, but the quick movement was misinterpreted as a threat and Maes swung.

I jumped back and grabbed, the shovel, twisting it from her grasp. Throwing it to the sides, I sighed, looking away.

"It's only-"

"Gaaaaaaaaaaahhh-heeeeee!!!!" Maes came at me again, her foot connecting with my stomach, sending me back about four feet.

"Damn it!" I hissed, backed up at the dead end of the hallway. My hood was cast aside, and my blonde hair was strone thinly across my face. My eyes were shut and I grasped my gut in pain. I heard her little gasp, and her tiny footfalls as she came to sit beside me.

I felt her cool breathe on my neck and her timid sigh-sounds that came with it rang in my ears. Her pale, cold hand, brushed my hair from my face, and again she sighed her little gasp. I turned slowly to look at her, and she stared cautiously at me.

"Are you alright?" she whispered. I stared at her.

"Do I look like I'm alright?" I wheezed out. She pursed her purple lips. Her cold hands gripped my arms delicately.

"Here, let me help you up," she said. I grunted as I rose to my feet.

"That all you got?" I taunted, smirking once I regained my breath. She raised an eyebrow.

"Cocky shit, aren't you?"

My eyes widened at her language. I'd heard that language from Father, and even Pianko, but never an actual lady.

"I remember you from tonight," she said,"You're the boy with the gold eyes," she smiled, leaning in.

"What are you doing?" I asked, backing away. She took one of her hands and grasped the hair on the back of my head, holding my head still, and used the other to touch my cheek.

"Looking at them..." she whispered.

"What?" I asked, my skin feeling warm and cold where she was touching them. I shivered involunatarily, and she smiled.

"You're eyes..." she bit her purple lip, and sighed again, her cool breath on my face. I noticed she smelled like peonies and jasmine. My cheeks were burning, and I took note of her low cut black night gown, and her pale moon skin.

My sweaty palms subconsciously reached out for her, put I saw one trying to touch her waist, and I yanked it back. She smiled again, her eyes never leaving mine.

"Tell you what?" she said, sliding her arms down to my shoulders,"We'll go sparring tomorrow, and see who wins."

I smiled weakly,"O-okay..."

"I'm-"

"Maes."

"No..." she growled. "Call me Raven."

"Right," I said, shoulders shaking. "Raven."

She smiled, and started back to her room.

"Hey," I said, while she had one hand on her door handle.

"What?"

"Don't you want to know my name?"

"...Nope," she said. "Don't need to."

I stared quizzically at her. "You know it?"

She smiled, and shook her head. "Nope. Goodnight, goldie." And she left me, knees weak and heart fluttering, standing there, remembering every touch and every word that had just passed between us. I dreamt of her.

But when I woke, and hummed a song that I'd never heard, I remembered.

I didn't come to Central to meet some girl.

I didn't come to live with the Fuhrer.

I didn't come to have a vacation.

I didn't come for Sarah.

I didn't come for Father or Mother.

I didn't come for Pinako.

I came for Alphonse. Because he needs me.

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(SARAH)

I only got a couple of hours of sleep. And it was restless. I had nightmares. Terrible ones. About what could be happening to Uncle Alphonse right now. What could his kidnappers be doing to him?

Stop thinking about it, I told myself before I could start crying. Thinking wouldn't change anything. We had to actually DO something.

I got out of bed and decided to go find Theo. We both needed to go talk to the Fuhrer.

I went down the hall to my left and opened the door to the room he was staying in.

Or...the room I had THOUGHT he was staying in...

The boy in the room didn't have Theo's gold hair, the hair I was expecting to see, but had Mrs. Mustang's blonde hair, still messy from sleep. It was the boy from yesterday. The older son of the Mustangs. Travis was what he had been called.

He was standing in front of his mirror. Changing shirts. My face got red in an instant. I tried to leave before he noticed I was there, but he had seen me in his mirror when I walked in.

"Oh, hello there," he said, grinning. He turned to me, his shirt still mostly unbuttoned.

I swallowed. "Umm... I..." That's all I could manage to say.

Travis chuckled a little and continued buttoning his shirt. "Don't blame you for being speechless." he said.

Well. That was arrogant.

He got to the last button and looked at me. "Looking for your brother, right? He's on the other end of the hall." he said.

I got out a "thank you", then left the room as fast as humanly possible.

He was so...attractive. Attractive and conceited. I decided to just forget about the little encounter.

I went down the hallway to where I HOPED Theo was. I didn't want to run into another Mustang boy.

Luckily, it was the right room this time. Theo was sitting on the bed, looking like he was thinking about something.

"Hey," I said and sat down next to him.

"Hey," he replied, as if just noticing I was there.

"Something bothering you?" I asked.

"Everything is bothering me." he replied.

"Fair enough." I said. "We should go talk to the Fuhrer about what our options are for finding Uncle Alphonse."

Theo paused for a minute. "Y-Yeah." he said.

"And if he can't or won't talk to us?" I asked.

Theo sat up a little. "Well, then, I guess we take matters into our own hands."

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(THEO)

"Where's Mustang?" I had asked the umpteenth servant. Again, this one shrugged, and turned away to their chore. I screamed as this one left, humming her song.

"Damn!"

"Theo!" Sarah said. I didn't bother apologizing.

"Hey, goldie," I heard behind me, and I felt my eyes get wide as I turned stiff.

"Theo?" Sarah asked, tugging my sleeve. I didn't respond.

"I've been looking all over for you," Maes said, tracing one of her black-gloved fingers down my jaw line. Sarah stared, lack-jawed.

"M-me?" I stuttered, immediately cursing the Mustang couple for making such a freaking hot daughter. I was a teenage boy, and a girl was stroking my face after she kicked the crap out of me last night. What the frick did you think was gonna happen?

"Yeah, we were supposed to go sparring!" she said, showing me the little blade she held in her hand. I heard the boy before I saw him jog into the courtyard, as if in a movie. His blonde hair was flopping as he ran, holding an axe above his head.

"Maeessss!!!" He taunted, throwing the axe. She ducked and I covered Sarah with my body as I threw us both to the ground.

"Damn it, Travis!" Maes yelled, taking her knife and throwing it at him. It flew into a tree yards away, sticking straight out of the bark. She smiled, and running at her brother, driving him into the ground.

"What are they doing?" Sarah whispered.

"Training," I said, frowning. Travis threw Maes into the dirt and held her arms over her head, she fought to bite him in a weak attempt. She roared, and started flailing.

"Say uncle!" he hissed.

"Never!"

"Sayyyy ittttt!!"

"Just say it, Maes," Travis yawned,"Or we'll be here all night." After a few minutes, Maes gave up, and pouted at her brother. He smiled and rose. Turning, she pounced on him, pushing his face in the dirt.

"Say uncle!" she screamed, smiling.

"Wha-"

She shoved his face deeper into the mud.

"Uncle!! Uncle!!" she laughed and let him up.

"I finished you!" he cried. She smirked.

"I never said uncle."

Travis groaned, and wiped his face. He sighed when he saw us, but his eyes focused on something just behind me. I shifted awkwardly.

He smiled. He unbuttoned his shirt and walked towards me. I stared, eyes wide. And my eyes got wider as he walked right past me-

And to my sister.

"Hey, girl," he smiled. "Fancy seeing you here." Sarah's eyes got wide at the boy, her cheeks burning red, her blue eyes sparkling and afraid. He touched her cheek, and leaned and whispered something in her ear. Her eyes got even wider as Travis ran for the pond in the yard, screaming all the way, making a splash in the water. He surfaced again, and made a kissing face at my sister. I stared. I would've broken his neck if I actually knew what was going on. I knew this.

Travis Mustang had to be 17 or 18.

Sarah was 13.

I still want to break his friggin neck.

Maes easily broke my concentration as she took my hands.

"You haven't sparred with me yet," she whispered, her black eyes taunting me as she bit her violet lips. I licked mine because they felt dry and I saw my reflection in hers.

"C'mon!" she said, yanking me into the maze of bushes into the main courtyard.

"Sarah?" I asked, but Maes had taken me too far, and Sarah was alone with the half-naked son of the Fuhrer.

Crap.

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(SARAH)

While I stared at Travis swimming around in the pond, it came to my attention that I had forgotten to breathe. He was just so...beautiful. I sucked in some air and walked over to the pond, with the intention of telling him how entirely inappropriate he was being.

When I got to the edge of the pond, Travis disappeared under the blue-green water, not even giving me enough time to tell him off.

The next thing I knew, his hand came out of the water, grabbed my ankle, and pulled me in.

Travis swam towards the other end of the pond, fearing that I would come after him and hit him, but that wouldv'e been difficult for me to do. I couldn't even keep myself above the water. I couldn't swim.

There's not many places in Resembool to swim. Needless to say, I never learned.

I was flailing around, trying to keep afloat, but it was useless. I was totally submerged, with no air in my lungs. I faintly heard shouting above the water before I blacked out.