A/N: Yay, this chappie is nice and long. <33 Longer than the last one, anyway. xP
Chapter 2
-Wounds-
After a week or so of studying the materials and make up of persocons, Edward was confident that he could make one - and without all the expensive software, too. Without funding from the military, he and Al were having to 'rough it', so to speak.
The return to the ancient building in which Ed had performed his first and last alchemy in this world brought back painful memories - mainly leaving behind his old world - Winry, aunty Pinako, Roy Mustang, and other companions he had had. Not that Mustang had really been a companion - more like an acquaintance.
With a stick of chalk, Ed traced over the lines that had faded with time. He could only hope that alchemy could still be performed here, and that he would still be able to do it after so many years. But he had to try. There was a hope in this place, and these persocons could allow his dream to be realised.
Alphonse entered the room a few moments later, laden with the correct items they would need. Lucky for the brothers' budget, when not installed in a persocon, the items came cheaply. Rather like the atomic make up of a human being, really. The words came back to him, as clear in his mind as if they had only been spoken minutes ago.
"... All these items can be bought on a child's allowance ..."
Edward allowed himself a chuckle. Rose had been so foolish back then.
"Brother?"
It took Ed a moment to think of two simple and over-used words. "Yeah, Al?"
"Will it work?"
"I hope so, Al. I hope so."
"Me too, brother."
Al carried their ingredients into the center of the transmutation circle, one by one. He counted them off as he placed them carefully down on top of the central rune.
When all items had been placed, he jogged to his brother's side.
"Let's do this, Al," Ed said quietly, looking at his hands.
Alphonse nodded.
Clapping their hands together in unison before bringing them down on the circle, the brothers waited in anticipation for a result. For the longest time, nothing happened, and it seemed as if nothing would. But then a flicker of light under their fingers, searching for a path into open space. Despite their surprise and delight, the pair concentrated, focusing on what it was they wanted. The light spread and soon shone beneath the ingredients that had been placed upon it. A childish grin spread over both of the alchemists' faces, and even without the golden light, they would have been radiant and excited, as they had been all those years ago. A fear tugged at Ed's mind - the fear of a dark purple light swirling about them, disspiating to reveal the huge, terrifying doors of the Gate ... the faceless, cruel, unfeeling eyes that waited behind them ... the thieving fingers of those who had succumbed to the Gate's power ... But it didn't happen. The light remained steady, a yellow-orange in hue, clinging to their skin and reaching up to the ceiling of the huge building.
When the last of the light disappeared, all that was left in its place was the slender, unclothed frame of a young woman - perhaps twenty. Mousy-brown hair framed her pale, unmoving face. This was no homunculus, no chimera, no abomination. It had been a successful transmutation.
Ed slowly stood up, barely daring to believe what had occured. He ran swiftly across the circle to the product of his efforts - he found himself unable to run fast enough, and unable to run slow enough. But when he made it, he bent down again to touch the persocon's face. Just like his mother's. In the manuals, it had stated that the power button was near to the ear receptor - sure enough, just behind the red and white prism was a small button of flesh - certainly not something you would find on a normal human. His fingers moved slowly and gracefully up her neck and behind the 'ear', and he pressed softly down.
It happened slowly - the persocon's eyes opened slowly and mechanically. They didn't seem to have any pupil or whites, but the tawny-brown hue was just the same as his mother's had been. Colour seemed to flood through the girl's skin as she slowly sat up. She looked quizically at Ed for a moment, before touching his hand with silken hands - they were as soft as any human's. "Hello," she said brightly, smiling softly. "What is your name?"
As she spoke those words, Ed's eyes widened. This girl looked exactly like his mother had done when he had last saw her - beautiful, soft, and sweet beyond reason in body and mind. It cut him deep to see her ask his name. He avoided eye-contact with her as he said quietly, "Edward. Edward Elric." His voice was strained, and slightly choked.
"Brother ..." Al said quietly, touching Ed's shoulder. "I'm Alphonse Elric," he told the persocon.
She smiled at the two of them. "Thank you. I have remembered this. Please choose a password, masters."
"A ... password ..?" Edward asked, looking up. His face was dark and tear-stained.
"Yes," the persocon replied firmly. "That way, I cannot be used by anyone else."
"Then ... mother," Edward told her after a moment of thought. "Is that okay, Al?"
Al nodded. "Yes, brother."
The persocon smiled again. "Thank you, master. This has been recorded in my data banks."
Ed looked down again, choking back a sob. "Your name ..." he murmered. "Your name will be ... Trisha."
The persocon nodded. "Thank you. I will now respond to this name, master."
"One more thing," Ed continued. "Please do not call either of us 'master'. Got it? Call us by our names."
"Yes, Edward," the persocon said quietly.
Ed said nothing, but stood up. This persocon looked so much like a human ... Looked so much like his mother ... and yet it brought him back to reality that the persocon didn't even know his name. He shook himself. He was twenty-four, for goodness sake. It was a bit too late to be worrying about mothers. "Let's go, Al. You too, Trisha."
Both nodded. Al remembered then that the persocon still lacked clothing - he took off his coat and wrapped it around her. "That'll work for now. Right, brother?"
Ed nodded.
"Thank you, Alphonse," Trisha said brightly. She smiled. Just like their mother had.
It was then that Ed realised that time could not heal the wounds that death created. People said 'it will heal with time'. But they were wrong. It was never long enough, and the wounds were still there. The incident today had just opened them again.