Fullmetal Alchemist and the Flight of the Anti-Social Butterfly

Chapter 14: Chimeras Don't Live Forever

     Alphonse had just finished cleaning the bedding for DeAnna just as she got indoors.  "Thank you, Alphonse." she said.  Then he frowned, "But Zoe isn't doing so well."  DeAnna cried, "Oh, no!  What happened to my poor Zoe?"  Edward looked over the ill chimera hybrid then explained to his girlfriend, "Zoe is very sick and she's barely hanging on for life."  DeAnna sobbed, "My poor Zoe!    Please don't die on me!  We're supposed to help each other, remember?"  Zoe whimpered, but she could barely move.  Edward said, "DeAnna, please try to understand.  Your therapy pet has lived a fulfilling life and she is sad that you are crying.  She wants you to be happy because of the memories you've had with her.  But her time on Earth is almost up and now it's time for you to say goodbye to her."  DeAnna hugged Zoe as she sobbed into her therapy pet's body.  Alphonse asked DeAnna if she wanted to say her goodbyes at a veterinarian or if she wanted Zoe to die peacefully where she is loved, but DeAnna couldn't stand to see her therapy pet's dead body in the house so she wanted Zoe put to sleep by a veterinarian.  So the Elric brothers went with DeAnna and towed Zoe to the veterinarian to say their farewells to Zoe as she was euthanized.  

     DeAnna just couldn't take the heartache so Edward asked if something could be done to help.   Alphonse inquired, "Would you ever want another chimera for a pet?"  Then DeAnna answered sadly, "I only want Zoe. Not another pet, you idiot!"  Alphonse frowned then Edward corrected DeAnna by putting his hand on his heart then sadly saying, "Ouch!  You hurt me, DeAnna.  You broke my heart." Alphonse asked, "Aren't you going to apologize to Edward for breaking his heart?"  DeAnna shouted, "I want Zoe back and I want her back now!"  Edward tried to calm DeAnna down, but she bit his arm which made him bleed.  Alphonse scolded, "Hey! You be nice to my big brother!"  Edward told his younger brother, "It's ok, Alphonse.  She is just going through a grieving stage so I understand and I forgive her.  Remember how hard I took Nina's death?  Zoe's death for DeAnna is no different."    DeAnna just noticed the blood dripping from Edward's arm so she got out a few bandages to place on Edward's wounded arm.   "I am so sorry, Edward.  But I just don't know what I'm supposed to do without my precious Zoe the chimera now.  I didn't mean to hurt you."  Then she cried as she ran up to his arms for comfort.  Alphonse requested the collar to be removed so DeAnna would have a keepsake to remember her fallen therapy pet and the veterinarian agreed. 

      Then a few days later, Edward scratched Zoe's name on a polished rock and told DeAnna, "We may not have been able to bury your therapy pet, but we can always have this monument to remember Zoe by.  She is watching down from the clouds and smiling at you."  DeAnna asked, "You mean Heaven?"  Edward sighed, "I am not a religious person, but if that's how you want to look at it then yes."  DeAnna carved a circle in the sand with a wooden stick until Edward corrected her by saying, "No, DeAnna!  You don't know what you're doing!  Bringing back your dead therapy pet is not the answer.  Do you want Alphonse or myself to be sacrificed in the outcome?"  DeAnna asked, "Why do you ask?"  Then Edward got Alphonse to join and they talked about the story of how they failed at bringing back their dead mother using human transmutation.  Then after they explained about how their failed attempt created a Homunculus instead of their own mother, DeAnna threw the stick far out of her own reach then she agreed to obey Edward.  He hugged her then he praised DeAnna with happy tears, "Thank you so much for listening, my butterfly princess.  I care about you so much that I don't want you to make a decision you might regret.  Who knows?  There might just be another chimera in the future that you love just as much or even more!"  DeAnna sighed, "But I still miss Zoe."  Alphonse explained, "You will miss her for awhile, but she doesn't want you to worry because she is protecting you in spirit just like Edward is on Earth."  DeAnna giggled then they went indoors for rice balls and fish since it was time for dinner.