This is my first FMA story. Takes place after the murder of Maria Ross, and I honestly thought Edward would quit right then and there. So here is my version of what would happened.
Slightly OOC Edward
NarutoXFMA crossover.
It had all happened so fast. Maria Ross, subordinate to Lt. Colonel Hughes, had run by in a rush, with Barry the Chopper and Ling next to her. Barry told her to run while he held them off, but that had proved to be a fatal mistake. Edward ran around the corner to find the charred body 2nd Lt. Maria Ross lying on the ground. The smell of burnt flesh nearly gagged him, and he could only tell it was her because of the dog tag on her wrist. Edward turned to see Colonel Roy Mustang standing there, acting like nothing was wrong with what he had just done. Edward began to shake in rage as Alphonse and the others rounded the corner to see the scene.
"What the hell... WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE!" Edward yelled as he grabbed the coat of the Colonel. Mustang unleashed a right straight into Edward's cheek.
"You would dare touch a superior officer?" Mustang asked, and Edward snapped. He transmuted his arm into a blade and went to swing at Mustang when Alphonse grabbed him from behind.
"No, brother, you can't!" Al said as he subdued Ed. Ed struggled.
"Mustang, you bastard! Do you know what you've done! You fucking bastard!" Edward screamed at the man as Mustang walked away. Edward slumped against the metal chest of his brother, almost crying in frustration with the military. This was not the first time the military had revealed itself to be less than what Ed had expected. He remembered the 5th research institution, and the awful things that gone on there, or when President Bradley himself had gone to rescue the Elric brothers from the hands of 'Greed,' and had killed someone Alphonse was trying to protect.
It was then that Edward knew what he was going to do. He was done with the secrets and the lies of the military. He was done with this land. There was nothing left here to keep here, besides Winry. But he had to figure out where he was going to go first.
Edward knocked on Winry's door.
"Winry?" He asked. There was no answer. He knocked again. "Winry, you in here?" He called, but no answer.
"She must have gone out." Al said, and Edward nodded. They went back to their room.
"Jeez, we left in such a hurry that we didn't even lock our door. We're idiots." Ed said as he looked around the room to see if anything was stolen. Nothing was missing, except for one thing.
"Nothing is stolen." Alphonse said as he looked around, and Ed put his face in his hand.
"The newspaper is gone. Dammit." He said, and they sat on the couch, thinking about what had happened while they waited for Winry to return. Edward took out an Atlas and looked at it closely. There was an ocean to the south of Aerugo, and, to current knowledge, nobody knew what was beyond it. Edward grinned. He knew where he was going to go.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and both Ed and Al rushed to the door, throwing it open.
"Winry?" They said, and the bellhop fell back against the wall in surprise.
"Mr. Elric? You have a call downstairs." The bellhop said, and Edward was confused for a moment. Who would call them?
The Elric brothers arrived at the Hughes' house, knocking on the door. The waited for a few moments before Mrs. Hughes opened the door.
"Hello, boys. Winry is in the kitchen with my daughter." She said, and the boys walked in.
"Winry." Ed said when he saw her, and the blond girl turned toward him. "We've come to pick you up." He said, and Winry nodded sadly.
"Yeah, sorry." She said. Ed put a hand on her shoulder, and shook his head.
"Don't worry about it." He said to Winry, before turning to Mrs. Hughes. "I have something I would like to tell you, and if it is alright, I'd like Winry to be here with us." He said, and nodded.
"You see, because we asked Lt. Colonel Hughes to help us, he was killed because he knew too much by whoever killed, and I'm pretty sure that 2nd Lt. Maria Ross did not kill him." Edward said. "If pursuing the goal of getting out bodies back is going to get people killed, then we are going to give it up. Next could be Mustang, or Armstrong, or even you, Winry. I don't know what I would do if you died." Edward said, putting his face in his hands. Alphonse put a hand on his brother's shoulder in sympathy.
"Dying to help other people, that sounds like my husband. He was always sticking his nose into other people's business, hoping to lend a helping hand." Mrs. Hughes said with a small, reminiscent smile on her face. "Please continue to look for a way to get your bodies back. If you don't, my husband's death will have been in vain." She said, smiling sadly at the Elric brothers. Edward nodded silently, before looking over to Winry. She nodded, and they left silently. As they walked down the street, Edward looked up into the window where they had been talking, and saw Mrs. Hughes crying. Edward turned away, coming close himself.
Edward was lying on the bed while Winry polished Alphonse's armor.
"What do you think we should do, Winry?" Edward asked, and Winry looked at him for a moment. "What?"
"You've never asked my input before." She said, and smiled slightly. Edward couldn't help but smile himself.
"Oh."
"I don't know. I don't want you guys to get killed. You journey is dangerous, and if you disappeared from my life, I don't know what I would do." She said, and Edward nodded, knowing that he would give his goal up then. "But I thought about what you said at Mr. Hughes' house, and I don't want you to give up on having your bodies again." Winry said with a sad smile on her face as she turned back to Edward from her work. Edward watched Winry for a moment, before nodding. Winry went back to polishing Alphonse's armor.
"Well, I know what I am going to do." He said, and Winry looked up at Edward in curiosity. Alphonse also turned to Edward. "There is an ocean far to the south. No one knows what is across it. I want to find out. I am quitting the military. I watched Mustang murder the wrong person for killing Hughes, a young woman. I was disgusted. The military can keep their damn secrets, I'm done with them. I'm going to take Alphonse, and we are going to sail across the ocean." Edward said, and Alphonse was surprised. He had no idea about this plan. He turned to Winry, who looked like she was about to cry.
"If you disappear across the ocean, how is that any better than you dying, you idiot!" Winry said as she attacked Edward. Ed was not in the mood to deal with Winry's anger, and grabbed both of her wrists, which brought her close to him, her face only inches away from his. He stared into her eyes for a few moments before speaking.
"I want you to come with us, Winry." Edward said, and Winry was stunned, as was Alphonse. He never seen his brother exhibit any sort of interest in Winry, especially not romantically, and now, suddenly, he was. Winry blushed and looked away.
"But what about Grandma and my apprenticeship?" She asked, and Edward release one of her hands and brushed a lock of blond hair from her face. Winry's blush deepened.
"I know it will be hard, but I want you to come with us. I want to bring with us to keep you safe. Besides, I will need an automail mechanic, and you built these, so you know them better than anyone." Edward spoke softly. Winry turned in anger.
"Is that all I'm good for, Edward? My auto-mechanic skills?" She asked, and Edward laughed
"No. I want your company. Your auto-mechanic skills are just a bonus." He said, and Winry looked into the short boy's eyes. She kind of wanted to kiss him right there, but she didn't know if he would allow that. Plus, Alphonse was standing right there, looking embarrassed. She jumped when there was a knock at the door. Alphonse opened the door, and there stood Major Armstrong. He attempted to punch Alphonse, who stepped out of the way. Major Armstrong noticed how Ed and Winry were standing.
"Ah, the springtime of youth! How amazing it is!" Armstrong said, and Winry and Ed immediately separated, both blushing. Armstrong walked up to Ed, and Edward help his hand up in a 'stop' motion.
"Before you say anything, Major, I am quitting the military. Whatever Mustang ordered for me is moot point. Here" Edward tossed his State Alchemist's watch and his badge to the Major. "I am done. After Mustang killed Maria Ross, I wanted no part of this damnable organization anymore." Edward said, and the Major began to cry dramatically.
"But, young Master Elric, where will you go?" He said, and Edward turned his eyes away from the crying mass of muscle.
"I am taking Winry and Alphonse and sailing across the ocean." He said, and Winry nodded. Though she had not given her official okay, she knew she was going. She wanted to be with Edward and Alphonse, even to the ends of the earth. Armstrong nodded with a smile.
"Ah! Exploration! A noble goal. I will inform the Colonel of your resignation." He said. Ed stopped him before he could leave.
"Tell that bastard that it his fault that I am quitting. Tell him, someday, I will be back to give him some payback for that punch he gave me." Edward said with a small smile, and Armstrong nodded before leaving.
"Where are you going?" A voice sounded from behind them. Edward jumped and turned quickly, to see Shin standing there.
"No where that you can follow." Edward said, and Shin frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"We are sailing across the ocean. You can't come with us." Edward stated, and Shin nodded.
"No, I suppose that wouldn't help me in my journey of immortality." He said, and leaped out the window. Edward sighed slightly.
"I suppose that closes two problems." He said, and turned to Alphonse and Winry. "Al, we need to tell Master. Winry, you need to tell your Master and your Grandma. In the mean time, Al, I want you study on how to make sturdy sea vessels, and I'll study up on how to sail a ship. Winry, I need you to study on how to steer a ship and to know your directions. We will leave at the end of next month." He said, and the two nodded firmly.
(1 Month and two weeks later)
Winry sat on the railing of the grand ship that Alphonse had built with his Alchemy. Edward was currently rigging the ship correctly and Alphonse was loading the ship with supplies. On the dock, Pinako, Izumi, and her husband stood, watching them. Pinako was crying slightly and Izumi looked impressed with the ship. When the boys finished, Winry, Edward, and Alphonse went down to say last goodbyes.
"She sure is an impressive ship, Alphonse." Izumi said, and Alphonse scratched his helmet in embarrassment.
"I designed to be run by only three people, so we should be fine. We loaded a year and a half's worth of supplies on board, and Brother learned how to sail a ship correctly. Winry learned how to steer the ship and we plan to take shifts." Alphonse said, and Izumi patted the big armored suit of a boy on the shoulder.
"Sounds like you guys have everything planned out pretty well. Edward, is that new automail?" She asked, and Edward nodded.
"Winry designed it for me, it's lighter and more durable than my first set." Ed said, and Winry looked proud. Pinako admired it as she hugged Winry first, then Ed, and then Alphonse.
"I'm going to miss you kids. You have always been in my life, and I pretty much helped raise you two boys. Take care of yourselves." Pinako said. Izumi put her arms around both boys.
"You boys were the closest thing I had to children. Take care of yourselves. Get strong in whatever land you find, because I'll be testing you when you get back. You will be coming back, right?" She asked. Edward grinned and nodded.
"Of course, we will come back someday. We'll be so strong, that we'll topple the corrupt government and kick everyone's ass. And I bet Winry will be such a good mechanic that she will start the most successful automail business ever." Edward said, and Winry nodded with a smile. After one more set of hugs, the group said their goodbyes, and the three boarded the ship. Edward waved goodbye as they disembarked, and they set out on their long journey.
There you go, the end of the first chapter. Please R&R and let me know if there is anything I can improve on.