The Price of Life [Fullmetal Alchemist]

Chapter Fifty

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"Just think, this time tomorrow, the world will be changed." Sonia said this aloud to her group of misfits as they walked towards the forest.

"A lot can happen in a day," Heinkel reminded. "We don't know the outcome of tomorrow."

"Either way, nothing will ever be the same."

"It already isn't," Edward stated, looking straight ahead. His mouth was pressed into a thin line as his thoughts of doubt and certainty clashed in his head. He didn't know what to expect, except bloodshed. He just wasn't sure which side would bleed out.

To that, the gang fell silent. They all knew exactly what was at stake.

The closer into the woods they got, Sonia sensed multiple energies. At first, she regarded it as the trees - Mei taught her that anything that lives has a qi, just much less active. But she was starting to tell that this was not the case. Homunculi were too easy for her to track at this point.

"Wait," she whispered through her teeth, and they all stopped in their tracks. Just before them was the entrance to the deep woods. "It's a homunculus."

"That's what that creepy feeling is?" Darius asks her, and she nods but looks at him strangely.

"You know about qi, too?"

"What? No."

"Animal instinct," Heinkel clarifies, making a lot more sense.

"What are you fools talking about?" Greed interrupts. Ed is also curious by the look on his face.

"If only you were Ling," she said, disappointed. "But shut up. It's coming this way."

To everyone's surprise, a familiar suit of armor steps out of the trees, a menacing aura confined to it. The qi helps her differentiate, but his movements are strange enough for her to recognize it truly is not Alphonse. Even his footsteps seem heavy and harsh - nothing like the sweet boy she's come to know. Sonia trembles, but stands her ground.

Ed grows a smile on his face and runs up to what he thinks is his little brother. "Alphonse! What are you doing here?!"

'This boy never listens!' Sonia thinks as she runs in front of him, getting between the two siblings. She looks behind her to Ed and explains, "Ed, that's not Al."

Black particles and smoke slowly seep through the open spaces in the worn armor. Sonia steps back and puts an arm in front of her friend so he doesn't advance.

"Al, answer me!" he calls but is only met with silence.

Sonia tries to provoke the monster. "I know it's you! One of you, anyways."

Before their eyes, the black particles form into a sharp dagger and they both jump to the ground at the last moment.

A sinister, yet childlike voice finally rings out. Multiple monster-like eyes appear in the armor's eye-holes. "And here I thought this disguise would do the trick."

"What have you done with Al! Get out of his body!" Ed shouts, jumping right back up and getting ready for a fight.

"It's Pride!" Greed shouts, grimacing.

"It has to be. But we can fight him. No matter what, he needs us. He wouldn't kill Al, so we know he's okay. He can't kill us either, so we're bound to win the fight." Sonia reasoned.

"Right!"

Pride laughs. "I think we all understand that I can do things to you that are far worse than death. I can take you to Father no matter your condition. If I have to get my hands dirty, then so be it."