Equivalent Exchange

Germany: Exchange

"Ed! Ed!" Al shouted.

His brother wouldn't answer him. He felt as heavy as a rock. Al scanned the room, trying to find something that could help him stop the bleeding. There were boards of rough blueprints, tools hanging up on racks, which must have been meant to take apart the bomb... he suddenly remembered Ed was wearing a scarf. Al quickly unravelled his brother's red scarf from around his neck.

"Hold on brother, please," Al whispered as he placed him on his back.

"I - I shot him..." Tricia was staring at the two Elric brothers. They were meant to be her enemies, but how could an enemy look so much like her son?  She had learned about her son's death through the military. He wasn't even supposed to be in London, but that's just where her Edward ended up. She watched Al wrap the scarf around his brother. She realized that her Edward would have never wanted her to kill anyone. She covered her mouth in shock.

"Good work Tricia," Laestrygones came in from the doorway. He was holding onto the bullet wound in his arm. He began to make his way to Al.

"Stop!" Al raised his gun, "Stay away!"

"You won't kill me."

Al pulled the trigger and the bullet pierced Laestrygones kneecap. The man shouted and fumbled back. Al watched the disgusting being force his way into a standing position. He was smiling... Al felt his eyes widen and he began to shake. He fired again, but missed. Laestrygones started towards him.  

A loud slicing sound ripped through the air and a gust of wind blew into Laestrygones. A terrifying scream rose from the crazed man and Al watched blood gush from his body. Laestrygones fell and tried to grab the diagonal wound on his body. He fell onto his side and his eyes rolled back into his skull. 

Another gust of wind crashed into Tricia. Al watched his mother's alternate self fly across the room. She crashed onto the table with the bomb and Al watched in horror as the bomb fell towards the ground. The window behind the table remained in tack, but the glass shook violently. 

Al blinked and suddenly, there was a man holding the bomb. Both of his hands were lifting it. Al followed the motion and managed to make eye contact with the man. He had messy brown hair with dark red eyes.  Although the man was clearly thin, his strength was incredible. The man was wearing a strange black suit with glowing lights along his shoulder pads. He wore a red tie and red pants. He looked up at Al and smiled calmly. Al placed his hand back on Ed's bullet wound. 

He looked at Al and smiled calmly, "You didn't listen to Kim."

"You're with that organization? How did you know about this!?" Al glared at him.

"Your mother's alternate self is here. We studied this place very seriously. We knew that if you and your brother came here, your judgement would be flawed and thus end in one of your deaths. Agh, it's such a pain to clarify."

"He's not dead!"

"He is beyond help. Obviously."

"Who are you!?"

"I will not bother explaining."

The man was holding the bomb. Al felt his chest twist with uncertainty. He and Ed had spent so long tracking that thing... There was only one thing to do.  Al lowered Ed to the ground and watched his brother as he stood up. He grabbed the gun he had put down early to help Ed and pointed it to the stranger. "I can't let you take that," Al spat out.

The man sighed and put the bomb back on the table, where Tricia laid. He pulled out a strange stick from his jackets pocket, "This is going to be bothersome."

Both of them were standing across from one another.  One had a gun trained on the other while the other one with a stick. Al knew better than to write it off as nothing. This stick had to be some kind of weapon. He didn't understand who these people were, but they didn't seem to belong here in this world either.

It only took a blink and Kimberly appeared standing next to the man.  Al flinched at the sudden arrival.  He felt sweat drip down his forehead. He had no idea how fast someone would have to be in order to move like that. 

"I deal with him," Kimberly smirked, "You shouldn't have to waste time on him mi'lord."

Al felt sweat fall down his neck. When did he get here? How was this happening? 

A shadow grew larger on the window behind the two men. It looked like something was...

The window smashed with a loud crash. The glass shattered into little pieces and spewed across the room. The stranger and Kimberly turned around in shock. A thick black boot slammed into each of their faces and they fell backwards. Kimberly slammed into the floor as the other man caught himself. He took a step back and Al moved his line of sight to see what just happened.

There was a girl with thick blonde hair pulled back into a braid. She wore similar red pants and red tie as Kimberly's superior. She wore a black trench coat with red gloves. It appeared that she was smiling and her hands each held golden glowing sticks.

"Now now Darrius. Let's fight somewhere the bomb won't be in the way," the girl smiled.

"Eden... What a pain," The man - Darrius - glared at the new arrival.

Kimberly pushed himself off the floor and Al could see cuts from the glass along his triangular face. The guy cracked his neck and face the girl. Al was completely forgotten.

The girl laughed, "Do you like books Darrius? How about you Kimmy?"

"Don't call me that," Kimberly hissed.

The girl dropped the glowing sticks and whipped out a brown leather book from her trench coat. The two men jumped at her to grab the book but she simply opened the cover. They all vanished and Al was left alone. He watched the book drop to the floor. 

There were no words to describe how he felt at this moment. Staring at the book, Al began to worry. The cover moved and it looked as if it was trying to open itself. The front swung open and a bright white light filled the room. Al covered his face with his arms and when the light faded, he saw the girl.

She quickly slammed the book closed and snapped her fingers at Al. "Give me that scarf! Quick! I can help your brother after!"

When a magical girl appears out from a nowhere, enters and then exits a book, then asks for a scarf, Al knew he had to do it. He unwrapped the scarf from his brother's shoulder and threw it to the girl. She smiled at him and then tied the material around the book. 

"Words of closure, seal until I bid thee thy name!" Her hand hoovered over the leather and the red scarf flinched and wound itself even tighter around the book.

She stood up and turned to Al. "I know this is a lot to take in but could you do me a favour so I can help your brother?"

"W-What?" Al didn't know what to do.

"Surely you know of equivalent exchange? I can revive your brother if you make an oath for the both of you to help me with a favour. You have to decide soon, considering if Edward stays dead for two more minutes, he'll really be dead."

Al felt confusion twist his face, "W-Who are you? What request?"

The girl rolled up her sleeve and checked her watch. "Two minutes remember. I'm Eden Elric from another world much like this. The request I have is you helping me find an artifact to help me get back my sister. It's a long story that's going to take more than the time we have." She stuck out her hand, "Deal?"

"Elric? Like my last name..." Al didn't see how she could be making this up. Her entire look and attitude reminded him of Edward. Could she be an Edward from another world? He had to risk it. Al grabbed Eden's hand and shook.

"I claim a deal from the Elric brothers in order to revive a soul," she whispered and yellow dust rose from the handshake. The dust circled Al and fell upon Edward. 

Al watched as his brother twitched.