I am Weakness

The Untainted Child

Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one and only truth.

No one knew anything about this kid, only that he was on the island with Ed and Al for that one day. Izumi assumed that this boy snuck onto another boat and found himself on the island, it didn't sound very likely but it sounded better than any reason I could try and come up with. He was odd, regardless I didn't hold any suspicions towards him.

So there was something about him?

I mean, like I said, I thought nothing of him. Ed and Al did though which did make me raise an eyebrow at least but... Ya know. But things started happening when he showed up. He came with Ed and Al that early morning and Izumi started to care for him like he was her own. It seems like since the beginning the Elrics were curious about 'Forest Boy' as I called him, and I suppose they had every right to question him. I just personally didn't see the need for it.

In the yard of the butcher shop, Mason played with a cluster of children, allowing them to tackle him and grasp onto his arms and legs which would either result in trudging through their hold or to fall out in a giggling fit. His booming laughter could be heard where I stood with Yuki from the roof. I watched the youth play with the large man with a small smile on my face, until I heard the door to the roof open up. Both Yuki and I looked over our shoulders to the four people stepping outside, Ed, Al, Winry, and Wynter. Yuki held a smile and raised her hand into a wave. "Hey guys!" She greeted.

"Welcome back guys. I'm glad you guys came back without any trouble." I greeted, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Hi Yuki, hi Penelope!" Al laughed waving back at Yuki.

Ed smirked and returned Yuki's greeting gesture. "Hey, we don't die that easily."

Winry smiled and walked to where I stood on the edge. She looked over to Ed and leaned onto the ledge with her hands laced together in front of her. "So how's Izumi? Has the Teacher forgiven her students?"

Both Ed and Al shifted and then pulled their gaze to Mason stuck in the middle of a dogpile of children. Ed frowned and walked closer leaning his arms onto the ledge of the roof while Al only stepped closer and turned to Winry's direction. He relaxed and then looked away from her peering eyes. "We went against her teachings, Winry."

She rose an eyebrow and looked to Al with a questioning gaze. Wynter looked over to Ed right when he lifted his head and stared into the town's view. Houses made from white, cream-colored bricks, and bronze metal on the roof, holding only the smallest of chimneys. Ed didn't even bother looking back at the two girls, or anyone in that matter. "She taught us that we were just a small part of the world. There's a cycle to the whole thing, a flow; but we were conceited. We thought we could bend the world in any way we wanted. 'We were young' was no excuse. We let her down."

"Yeah, I don't think she'll ever completely forgive us." Al murmured.

Sounds of Mason's laughter mixing with the children below, birds chirping, and the wind blowing were the only things I could hear. No one else spoke, probably because of the need to sink everything in. What Ed and Al said was accurate and we all knew it. "That's not fair!" Wynter objected now lifting her eyes in a glare. Everyone blinked and snapped their attention over to her direction. "Everybody makes mistakes, doesn't she know that? Ya know what, I'm gonna tell her that! Let's go Winry!"

"Right!"

They both marched to the door, an objecting yell coming from the four of us. Yuki and Ed ran to Wynter, holding her back while Al and I worked on stopping Winry. I couldn't hear the two grumbling loudly over our own objections. My arms looped around Winry's stiff shoulders trying my hardest to stop her movements that she would only end up regretting later while Al pressed his metal hands onto her shoulders. "A-Al was only joking! I'm sure she'll forgive them... Eventually." I stammered.