Chapter Text
Ed stared out the window as the teacher droned on. Boring lectures, about things he already knew when he was 5. But Amestris didn't exactly have a school for the gifted. They barely had the orphanage Al and him were stuck in. Of course Cameron didn't have any orphanages at all. Or they would have been there.
And all because of the fucking tax collector. They had been doing fine for 6 without their mother. Using the alchemy she had taught them to earn “pocket money” from the neighbors in their home town of Resenbool. Payed all the other utilities on time, but taxes had been late that year. So the nosy fucker came looking. Found 2 kids, no parents and of course went right to the authorities.
Next thing they knew they were rounded up and shipped off to Amestris, barely even had time to pack their things. All because some fucker couldn't keep out of other peoples business. Well, jokes on them, Ed's gonna turn 18 in only 6 more months. Then he'll get out of this hell hole and take Al with him.
And nothing will be able to stop him because he'll be an “adult” then, so he'll be a valid family member to look after Al, who will still have a bit to go then. And they'll go right back home. Or perhaps somewhere else. He's not decided yet, and of course Al has a say too.
If only they hadn't separated them, put Al in the other building, far from Ed and his potential adopter sabotaging. As if Ed would let anybody adopt Al without also taking Ed. Just because Al is the polite Elric, doesn't mean Ed's gonna let anybody adopt his only family left. And nobody ever showed any interest in him. Not surprising, between his mouth and his rep. The staff would never suggest Ed to potentials.
“Mister Elric, are you paying attention?”
“Yea, yea, you were talking about light refraction, and how prisms break it up in to different wavelengths. Boring!”
“Be that as it may, do pay attention. This will be on the finals test I'm sure.”
And the teacher went back to droning on about whatever. It wasn't like any of their tests were hard. It was harder to dumb down his answers so whoever was grading didn't count something as wrong, simply because they didn't understand it. Happened enough times in the beginning. But he didn't have the energy or the interest to argue those fuckers anymore.
It would only result in solitary again. To “teach him respect”. As if respect is something automatically given, and not earned through action. And none of the fuckers had earned even an quark amount of respect from him.
“Sigh”
Dinner time couldn't get here fast enough. It was the only time Ed and Al were allowed to sit together. Even then though, they were still being watched. That they didn't do any freaky unnatural stuff. As if Alchemy is freaky or unnatural. Stupid fucks. Anybody with some decent intelligence knows Alchemy is a science. And most defiantly not unnatural. Especially if you considered all these rules on how exactly it works and where the energy comes from.
Suddenly there is a loud knock on the classroom door. Ed looked over, this was def not the norm. Maybe a kid in his class got adopted?
Ed watched as the teacher hushed the class and went to the door. Maybe there's be a crazed gunman behind it. Some ex-orphan that had gotten solitary one to many times. It could happen... All though Al keeps telling him his mind is a weird place. When Ed tells him about his speculations.
But no, its just the principle slash boss of the orphanage. Prob just to inform the teacher they'll be getting another new kid. That Ed then would have to beat up because they undoubtedly remark about his height relevant to his age. Never mind that the food here isn't exactly growth spurt inducing. Besides he's sure he'll get those extra inches any time now.
The teacher re-enters the classroom.
“Mister Elric, please pack all your belongings and follow the principle please.”
Ed jumped to his feet.
“What the fuck! Did something happen to Al? Tell me!”
“Mister Elric, please behave. You are to gather up your belongings and follow the principle, he'll explain things.”
Quickly, Ed shoved all his stuff haphazardly in to his bag. Not caring at all where everything went in to the generic back pack all the orphans had there. He'd tried turning his red once, only to earn him self 5 days of solitary and have his bag replaced by the generic bland beige color all the other bags had.
It was terrible really, how they stamped out any kind of individualism in kids there. Or tried to at least. Just because they never saw it, doesn't mean there aren't gargoyles, bats and spiderwebs in his notebooks. And other things. They're just hidden, and only if you knew where and how to look... That one had pleased Ed the most. That his creations were right there and the fuckers couldn't even see.
After shoving everything in his bag, Ed practically ran to the door. Completely ignoring the teacher's “You don't need to run Mister Elric!” and jerking the door open. “Is everything ok with Al? Can I see him?”
The principal just sighed.
“Your brother is just fine mister Elric, please follow me.”
Breathing heavily from the sudden adrenaline spike, and glaring at the principle's back as he started walking down the hallway.
“If Al,s fine. Why'd you come get me? Finally found some poor sucker willing to takes us of your hands? Or did you fuckers finally decided to try and sell me to the local pimp hu?”
Another sigh from the principle.
“I was going to wait until we reached my office to explain things. But since you insist on being your usual crude self. An individual has come forward to inform us that the two of you do indeed still have living relatives. Relatives that up until recently had been unaware of both your parents deaths and of your very existence. And as you are no doubt fully aware of. It is our policy to always reunite children with their family if at all possible. That your mother even had living relatives at all, was not made aware to us until today. So can you PLEASE, be on your best behavior this time. If only so that the man doesn't decide he only wants to take in your brother and leaves you here for the next 6 months.”
“Bullshit, mom didn't have any living relatives. She was a orphan just like dad.”
“The individual's papers beg to differ. Though I can see how being disinherited can feel like becoming an orphan. They are two very different things.”
“hmpf, if they disinherited mom, why the sudden interest in us hu? I still call bullshit.”
“If you find in the next 6 months that the individual is being fraudulent. You and your brother are of course welcome to return here. But I have the feeling, that isn't something we'll have to worry to much about now would we?”
Ed glared at the principles back suspiciously. That sounded very close to a, please don't come back here, even if the fucker is lying. I'm perfectly aware you are able to look after your selves just fine. And its only 6 months you need to stay out of trouble for. After which you'd no longer be our problem.
“Fine, but they better want to take in both of us. Not just Al.”
“Last we spoke, they showed far more interest in you as the oldest. But then, they haven't met you yet.”
“Funny...”
And then they rounded the last corner to the principles office. And there was Al, waiting just outside. Looking completely fine, if a little nervous.
Ed ran up, passing the principle to check over Al in person. After all, just because the fucker said Al was fine, didn't mean he was telling the truth. He could have just as easily been lying. For what reason, Ed's still working on. Checking over Al, was taking priority.
“Oh brother, what you do this time?”
“Not me, this time Al. Fucker said we might have some long lost relative that just happened to come out of the woodwork's 6 months before we'd get out of here. Personally, I don't care if its true or not. As long as we can get out of here.”
And then the principle ushered them in to the office where a blond young man was sitting. Unlit cigarette in his mouth.
“Eh, hi. I'm your.. eh Uncle. Name's Havoc, Jean Havoc. Pleased to meet ya.”
And the guy stood up and towered over Ed. The guy was almost a head taller. Ed narrowed his eyes, he could smell bullshit a mile away and just because the guy was blond. Doesn't mean they're even remotely related. The fact that the guy hesitated over it and introduced him self with his last name first. Had all the marks of a con job.
But Ed wanted out of that place, and this guy, Havoc didn't exactly look all that bright. Using him to get the two of them out of there would not be hard. And staying away from any nosy guys interested in the technicality of those 6 months wouldn't be all that hard. So Ed plastered the biggest fake grin on his face.
“Hi! I'm Edward, and this is Alphonse. Are you here to take us home Uncle Havoc?”
Al gave ed a weird look, and Ed just nudged him. Come on, play along. Then we get out of here and never have to eat that mush they call a healthy meal ever again! Al rolled his eyes at Ed but followed his play. Even as they could see the look the Principle was giving them.
But this guy Havoc's papers were as legit looking as possible. Ed was pretty impressed with the fakes. According to the documents, the Havoc's were a wealthy merchant family in Ishval. And when supposedly their mother had fallen in love with a day-laborer from Cameron. She had run of and married him without her parents permission. Which had prompted the disinheritance. Havoc was apparently the baby-brother. And now that their parents were gone, had gone looking for his estranged sister. Only to find her grave in Resenbool and a report of two nephews that had been sent to the orphanage.
The last part was probably true, but why this Havoc went looking for their mother, Ed didn't know. But he'll find out. AFTER, they get out of the orphanage though. No point wasting this chance at early release. Besides, them playing along on the con was actually making that Havoc guy relax his guard a bit. Maybe he thought they'd have called him on his bullshit? Well, he'll find out soon enough how wrong he is for trying to con an Elric. Mother hadn't raised any fools, even if they only got to keep her till they were 5 and 4.
With Ed cooperating in an almost suspiciously eager way. They soon had all the papers signed, their things packed in suitcases and ready to leave. In fact it went so smoothly, Ed was sure that Havoc must have greased the process some. Which would make sense with his cover story of being a merchant from Ishval. They prob thought the guy wanted to get this done quick so he could get back to his business. Idiots, the whole lot of em. But just this once their foolishness would work in Ed and Al's favor. So, hey ho, here we go and all that. At least until they're far enough away from the orphanage, that they can ditch the fucker and stay out of reach.
Which prob meant until they at the very least, had left the city. Then it would just be a matter of stealing their new travel and identity papers from the guy and then figure out where to go next? Maybe Xerxes? Everybody is blond like them in Xerxes right?
With everything packed, in two large suitcases and their school bags. Havoc carrying the suitcases, because they're just weak kids. No point to clue in the guy, that Ed was the best fighter in the place with Al a close second only because Al hates hurting people. Let the dumb smuck carry their things for now. They first need to be out of range of the principles lackey's. No point getting this far, only to run in to those idiots.
Ed had, had plenty of run in's with the runaway children division of the local police force. After all, he wasn't just going to LET them lock him and Al up in that dismal place. Longest he'd managed to keep him self and Al out of sight had been 3,5 months. And they had only been caught because of those damn kittens Al had found. If not for those fur-balls they would have managed to make enough cents to buy two train tickets to Riviere. And from there it wouldn't have been a long trek to Drachma. Who doesn't have an extradition agreement with the Amestris-coalition. So, they'd have been home free. Especially since the age of adulthood is 16 there. They had even managed to teach them selves passable drachma. So they'd have been fine. And unlike the Amestris-coalition. Drachma has at least some knowledge of Alchemy. Not as much as Xerxes, but then nowhere in the world can you find as much about Alchemy but there.
Ishval had been a second choice, but since its to close of the same direction as Resenbool, Ed had figured they'd have lookouts in that direction. Ishval being a former piece of Xerxes, before it was given to the Ishvallan people who had been enslaved in Xerxes. And then the mountain tribes had all moved there to build up their own nation. With the generous help of Xerxes of course. Its THE place to go to if you want anything Alchemy related outside Xerxes. Since Xerxes it self has pretty strict rules on who is allowed to study Alchemy.
If that Havoc guy was planning on taking them to Ishval though, that might be worth sticking around for. Unlike Drachma, at least in Ishval they still accept the cent, and perhaps from there they can figure out what it takes to get to actually study Alchemy in Xerxes. That was the dream after all, to use what their mom had taught them, and become famous Alchemists. Maybe even find a cure for the illness that had killed her. Mom had been self medicating with her own concoctions of course but Ed still wasn't sure if some of the stuff she had put in there hadn't been what had ultimately made her heart stop that night.
Ed grimaced, he hated remembering that morning. Waking up, going in to mom's room. Only to find her cold body. Still looking as if she was asleep. Al had been devastated, had kept trying to shake her awake. As if she'd ever wake up again. It had been hard, and adult bodies are heavy when you're only 5 years old. But Ed had used the wooden desk that mom wasn't going to use anymore to create a coffin on wheels. Then he'd carefully put her in it wrapped up in her favorite blanket. Then they had dug a grave for her in the back yard. Ed had known even then, that telling anybody their mom had died would have just caused them trouble.
Thankfully the remoteness of their house meant it wasn't unusual that people didn't see each other often. And for a time, only seeing Ed and Al had worked. Until that effin Tax collector.
“What are you growling about brother?”
“That Tax collector!”
“Ah.”
Ed didn't have to explain. Al knew. If Ed ever saw that fucker again, he's gonna so kick the jackass in the balls, again. Really, the guy deserved it for snooping in other peoples business.
A cough from that Havoc guy.
“We're... ah, here. At least for tonight. Gotta catch an early train east tomorrow.”
East hu? Only things east were Cameron, Ishval and Xing. Xerxes too but that was a bit more North-east. For now that sounded like a useful enough thing to not just jet ditch the guy.
Ed looked up to the building they were in front of. The Hotel wasn't the most up scale one in the city. But it wasn't shabby either. Probably didn't have vermin like some of the cheaper places. Interesting... Ya could tell a lot from a guys choice in lodging. Specially about how much coin they had to spend and how much they valued comfort.
“I know it's not the La Granda. But you have to go to Xerxes for that level of opulence. For now, this will have to do.”
Ed's eyebrows raised. That sounded like the guy had actually been there. See it. Interesting. Perhaps this wasn't a case of trying to get free labor after all. He wondered what Al thought. Al was always better at reading people. Not that Ed was bad at it per-se. Just that he had a tendency to disregard emotional clues sometimes. Usually when they didn't fit his decided supposition. Which was of course unscientific but Ed was just not as good a emotional nuance like Al. Too practical he guessed.
And with that thought, the 3 blonds entered “The Belle Inn” Hotel.