Heart In The Armor (Alphonse X Reader)

And The World Is Falling Apart

I feel my eyes slowly drift open as I take in air. What just happened? I try to stand up but to no avail. My back is killing me, it feels like I'm ripping apart.

"(Y/n)!" I hear Alphonse above me, as the others resume their conversation. I lightly smile at him, before trying again but almost instantly crashing right back.

"What happened?" He said, his tone is worrisome, as I look down at my two automail legs.

"My alchemy can't hold together my back anymore. It's going to burst soon." I reach over to find a pole on the ground, and slowly stand up, feeling pain surge through my body as I hunch over a bit to reduce pain.

"You need to sit back down. We can't lose you. I can't lose you." He said, ready to scoop me up and place me back down on the ground.

"Well, I've gotta fight. Why else would I be here?" I look over to Father, who's screaming in pain as his fist is balled up and bright light is dimming from it. Sparks phase around him as he lets out a burst of alchemy into the sky in pain. The sounds of souls come flying out of him.

Amestris.

I feel a sense of hope in the air, that we can win this. Smoke came out of him, as he went back to his pale, small stature.

"Did it work?" Ed said as I felt a sense of joy.

"Yes. All of the souls of Amestris have returned to their bodies. And with nothing more than the soul of the Xerxians he already had, I can confirm he can't control who he calls god." Hoenheim told all of us, with a sense of pride.

Fathers hand destroyed part of his throne, as he gasped and panted. "I can always create another stone... I'm not through! There are more! A billion humans I can draw energy from!!" He stood up, as he blasted a purple orb at Hoenheim, which soon went into the ceiling. He shot another wave, which we were soon protected by Hoenheim.

"Damn, I don't have what it takes to fight his energy!" He said, holding him off for us. I push one of Meis kunais into the ground, as Ed and Al go support their father.

"Just stay focused!" Ed said, from behind him.

"I'm trying." He said, with a bit of a smirk. "I'm just a decrepit old man. But I'll give it everything these old bones can do!" He pushes foreword, as I see a distint burn on his hands.

"This has to end soon, or dad's Philosophers Stone will burn out!" Alphonse pushed him foreword.

Suddenly, blue alchemical sparks appear and spikes come out of the ground, sending Father back.

"How do you like that? Your little throne has been reduced to rubble." Ed said, in a pissed off tone. "And I think I'm done with your damn posturing. So I'm taking you down and the truth along with you!" Ed tore off his famous red jacket, and I got into a fighting stance. Ed clapped his hands and created cannons, so I made harpoons and shot them at him, to no avail. Alphonse made a giant spike and shot it at him, but that distroyed the other spikes and sent a wave of air flying back at us, causing me to stumble back. Hoenheim stepped in front of us, and used his alchemy.

"Keep it coming with all you've got! Make him use his Philosophers Stone! He'll run out of energy!" He said, in front of Ed.

"But when will that happened?" I shouted, holding my ground behind him.

"I'm not sure! But we have to keep on trying!" Izumi went down, sending a giant pipe at him, that his shield bounced off in an instant. Then chains went off, opening a big thing of lava.

"Sweet amenities! That's the exact tub I took a bath in, now it's your turn, daddy!" Greed hit him with a piece of metal, then he quickly deflected. I sent pillars flying in his direction, but his shield also deflected them.

"Get out of the way, Greed!" Ed formed a giant stone hand that lifted up the pot, and dumped it on him. A hole formed in the lava, and he came from it, and blasted himself away, into the hole in the ceiling.

"That bastard. He's going to try to make another Philosophers Stone." Hoenheim murmured,

As other people talked,, I was ready to go after Father. Until Alphonse yelled. "Brother!" I snapped over to Ed, who was trapped because of Pride.

"Go on without be, Al. I'll be ok." He said.

"Then I'm helping." I said, as I quickly made my way over to him.

"No! You'll get in th-"

"I'm not dead yet. I'm helping. I'm your guard after all, aren't I?" I cut off the restraints from Ed with a sword made of metal,

"Al, let's go. Don't let that thing beat you, Ed!" I heard Izumi's faint footsteps, along with Mei and Alphonse go off to deal with Father.

"Damn you, Greed. Have you forgotten you are one of the homunculi? Where's your honor?" Prides hollow voice said, holding his eye.

"So he should be should be a good boy and do whatever his father tells him, is that it?"

"Is that even a question? We should want to obey our father, whatever the order."

"So it's natural, huh? Natural to be a brainwashed punk like yourself?" Pride got another one of his hands and threw Ed around. I ran over and grabbed him, slicing off Pride.

"So tell me, why are you willing to be his man dog? He's wearing you ragged, tearing you down and doesn't even care." I added, getting ready for what's next.

"Why should I care, Father does it. I am not a puny weakling like you. I am one of the homunculi!" He revealed his eyes to us, thousands of trapped souls crying out for help. "What do you know, human!" The spot where his eye was had a shadow, with teeth and another eye, I stood next to Ed, ready to help. His dozens of tiny hands shot out at me, then Ed as to hold me back. I stuggled to get out, but to no avail.

I heard Ed's screams in pain, and my anger grew even more, to the point I'd bite these restraints off. But a spike came to my neck and I froze.

"This container wouldn't last much longer, but still, like my father is, you are apart of the Hoenheims blood line, so we're practically brothers. Which means, Edward Elric, I can use your container. Your body belongs to me!" Pride soon screamed, as his shadow went back into him and the souls in him screamed. Ed grabbed his shadows, and tore them off, before putting his hand on Prides face and stopping. I tore off my own shadows and ran over. His head disappeared, along with his whole body, showily turning into ashes.

I go over to Ed, and look at what he has.

"So that was his real body." I said, inspecting the tiny fetus in Ed's hand, curled up and crying. Ed put him down on his coat, and started walking away.

"I'll have to apologize for everything I've done to Mrs. Bradley. Wait right here, you foolish boy." I walked with him, but slower. He stopped for a minute, and put a hand over my shoulder, then mine over his, as we both walked up to what's left to come.

(1276 words)