Stand Up and Walk

Determination to be Whole Again

"I still have too long a life ahead to get rid of these feelings, right? I want to try doing over the things I've left undone. I thought I was running after something carried over from my dreams, yet I'm stumbling into people on this narrow, winding road. It's not like I want to go back to the way things were back then; I'm just searching for the sky I've been losing. Here's hoping you'll understand. Stop making that sad face as though you were a victim. Sins don't end in tears; you have to carry the pain forever. Who am I waiting for in this maze of emotions with no way out in sight? I want to purge myself more simply, as if writing in a blank notebook. What is it I want to escape from? ...Is it reality? It makes me want to scream that we're alive for things to come true. Can you hear me? I can't put up with playing it safe. ...I've got nowhere to go home to! I'm always grateful for kindness; that's why I want to grow stronger (I'm on the way). I even welcome this pain for the things I miss."
—Yui, Again

...

"Looks like you can finally sit up now, huh?" Ross says cheerfully. She beams at you and Ed, but you both just glare at her, highly unamused.

"What happened with the Fifth Laboratory?" Ed asks blandly.

"Well..." Brosch hedges awkwardly. "It, um—"

"Somebody blew up building," Ross inserts, embarrassed, "and now there's nothing left of it but rubble?" She trails of at the end, raising her voice as if in question.

Ed facepalms aggressively, his eyebrow twitching as he comes into contact with the thick white bandage wrapped around his head.

Oh, that's right. Did I forget to mention that you're in the hospital?

Your bed is in the same room as Ed's, thankfully. You two had to stay overnight getting patched up. Between the two of you, you had several deep lacerations, three broken ribs, a slight concussion, a fractured wrist, mild internal bleeding, and some malfunctioning automail.

"Damn it!" Ed yells, kicking his legs in frustration. "You mean they wiped out everything?!" He suddenly lets out a wheeze and doubles over, clutching his side in pain. "That didn't feel good," he groans. He twitches again. "This isn't fair!" he whines.

You tug at your papery hospital gown in discomfort. "Do you know how close we were to finding out the truth?!" you moan. "We're wasting our time sitting here in the fucking hospital!"

Ross and Brosch exchange meaningful glances. Ross crosses the room to stand by your bed, and you look up at her suspiciously.

"We do apologize in advance for this!" both soldiers say simultaneously, standing stiff at attention. And you don't even have time to flinch before Ross' hand cracks across your cheek, leaving a sharp, stinging pain behind. Your head snaps to one side and you blink at the wall, beyond bewildered.

What the fuck?!

You open your mouth to speak, still staring at the wall, but Ross' angry voice cuts you off. "You acted like selfish children!" she snaps hotly. "You only escaped with your lives because you were lucky." You stare at her, single eye open wide as she cuts her gaze back and forth between you and Ed. Judging by the red mark on his face, he was given the same punishment.

Ross' voice softens. "You don't have to do everything by yourselves, you know; you can lean on other people." Her shoulders slump slightly. "Like us. Not all adults are the enemy. You can trust us."

You hang your head in silent shame. Little do they know...

"That's all!" the two shout suddenly and simultaneously, both standing stiff. "Please forgive our abusive words and conduct! It will not happen again!"