deviantART: by:cowboys-and-alchemy

Still Alive

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:32:01 PDT

Sorry for the lack of updates! The group is still working on the story but this has been a very busy summer for everyone. With any luck we can get through this slow period soon and have some fabulous new fic available to you! Thank you so much for your continued interest, we thrive on the feedback you give us!

*hugs you all*

LONG TIME!!! WE GOT UPDATES!!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:46:04 PST

YO! Finally, finally we have something to show for ourselves! XD

Thank you all so much for your patience and for sticking with us! You totally rock!! Our index has been completely updated, and the newest chapters are out. Check out the latest here at lj! [link]

Thank you!!!

NEW CHAPPIE!!!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 22:02:37 PDT

We got the next chapter out, and the next will follow very soon! Thank you all for your amazing patience!

[link]

BIG SECRET OF CHAPTER 28!!!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:47:01 PDT

Major reveal is exposed! Check out the 2 part chapter 28 here at the index!!!: [link]

CHAPTER 27 IS HERE!!!!!!!!!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 01:08:24 PDT

And honestly, there is so much spoilarage, I can't left a single segment of text without giving stuff away! So all I can do is provide links! Now go- READ!!!!

Part 1: [link]

Part 2: [link]

Part 3: [link]

Chapter 26, a Two Parter!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 22:42:17 PST

Holy cow, it happened again!! Once more there's a fabulously tasty new pair of chapters just waiting to be read!! Go.. Go now!!

part 1: [link]
part 2: [link]

Or read this excerpt first... BUT THEN GO!!!! GO AND BE FREE!!!!!!!

********

She peered into his glum face, and followed his gaze to where Ed had almost finished his careful construction of the circle. "Ducky," she murmured in surprise, "you're really going to miss them, aren't you?"

"No," he retorted. "They've been nothing but trouble since they got here. It'll be good to get back to a normal life." When she slowly turned back to him, regarding him under pointedly raised eyebrows, he snorted. "Shut up." As she continued with the knowing look, he rolled his eyes and left, walking closer to where Ed was working. Heist stayed back, out of Ed's sightline. Out of sight of most of them, actually, as they lined up around the edge of the circle like some kind of paying audience.

Ed, meanwhile, was putting the finishing touches on his drawing, as Singer stood by the edge and teased him. "Butterfly," the older man said, arms casually crossed, "you're making needless work for yourself."

"I wish you'd stop calling me that," Ed muttered. "And I'm doing what's necessary. You have to get a transmutation circle exactly right, for something this complicated--"

"You don't need the circle at all," Singer told him. "You have all you need already."

"And you're the alchemy expert now, I see. Maybe in the other world, I could clap my hands and do this, but I probably wouldn't risk it for something this important. In this world, though, I need to draw the circle for something like this."

"You have all you need without it," Singer repeated, crouching at the edge of the circle, elbows on his knees and hands hanging between them. "You and young Steppin' Wolf." He watched the young man work, a fond smile touching his lips.

Heist also smiled silently at the exchange. She wasn't as sure as Ducky that they'd find a normal life again, after the three guys from the other world were gone. But even though they pretty much hated her now, she contemplated their departure with gloom. Somehow they'd grown on her, despite everything. And apart from the little matter of having to run for their lives, they'd given her a glimpse of a wilder, more amazing life than either she or Ducky had ever imagined before. And Ed was a genius! He'd picked up more understanding of computers and programming, in just a few weeks, than most people would learn in years. Give him another month, and he might even rival Ducky -- or her! -- in his proficiency.

She grinned to herself. Couldn't have that, could we? Maybe it was a good thing Ed was leaving, or she could lose her status as Hacker Goddess.

So lost in thought was she, that even the cracking of the branch behind her didn't clue her in, until the arm was wrapped around her throat and the soft, too, too familiar voice was murmuring in her ear, "Just hold still and be quiet, and we can get this finished quickly, all right?"

CHAPER 25- BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!!!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:10:05 PST

Sorry for the late posting, but chapter 25 is up, and in 4 parts cause of its hugeness!!!

As per the norm, here's a preview!!

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At first it was a darkly amusing thought, but a cold chill quickly snaked down his spine, and he darted a nervous glance around. The weight of the knives he'd hidden in various places on his body gave little comfort as he peered into the darkness. Maes shivered -- not from the relief on his bladder, but from the feeling that he was being watched, and he suddenly felt extremely vulnerable.

He chided himself as he zipped his pants and started back to the car, but he couldn't shake the sense of foreboding that had suddenly come over him. He kept close to the building and cautiously poked his head around the corner, then immediately pulled a knife from his belt.

In the watery, reflected light from across the street, he could see Tom outside the car with his gun in his hand, held non-threateningly down at his side -- but his thumb was resting against the hammer, ready to pull it in an instant. The older man was talking to a whip-thin woman in a waitress' uniform, but Maes couldn't hear what was being said. From his position, if the woman were a threat, there would be no chance that he'd be able to hit her; Tom was in the way. The best he could hope for would be to wing her... and that could be a death-sentence for his partner.

He cursed silently and attempted to slink along the wall of the bar without being seen. He never took his eyes off of her and something about her demeanor tugged at his over-caffeinated brain. She was standing stock-still, but her head would keep tilting slightly to the side, as though she were listening to someone whispering over her left shoulder.

As he drew closer, he caught a glimpse of a tiny red light blinking in her ear, and the horror of what he was seeing made his already upset stomach lurch. Keeping to the shadows, he peered around and spied Bond arrogantly sitting in a window booth in the diner -- sipping from a steaming cup. Across the table from him was another waitress -- a plump, older woman -- sitting stiffly upright with her hands flat on the table top. The assassin set the cup down, then grasped his hostage's wrist. She made to yank her hand away, but something he said made her stop.

The girl with Tom then glanced Maes' way and stammered, ÂY-you may as well s-stop cowering in the dark, Hughes. He-- I know you're there.Â

Maes swallowed, palmed the blade, and strode out of the shadows to Tom's side. ÂBond,Â he spat.

ÂYup,Â Tom said. ÂAnd according to the young lady here, he has a message for us.Â

Now that he was closer, he could see the girl was only about 18 years old Â- Barely an adult... like Kitten was -- Her eyes were so wide that her pupils were little more than pinpricks in a sea of white, her face was damp with sweat and tears and her lips were bloodless. She was shivering and sniffling, absolutely terrified.

Maes laid a finger to his lips and she nodded, understanding. Then he reached out, hesitating when she flinched. When he knew she wasn't going to bolt, he touched her chin and turned her head to the right.

He knew it would be too much to hope that the sadistic bastard had simply used a cheap, store-bought transmitter. The thing had Stealthwork's signature all over it. It looked like a tiny mechanical spider with a dozen red pin-points around the body that blinked in a cascading succession. Thin, dark threads trickled down her neck from the eight legs which had embedded themselves into the flesh and cartilage of her ear.

She whimpered and then said, ÂHe said, 'You're not stupid enough to try and take my little pet off of her, are you?' Oh God, what does he mean?!Â

The words were no sooner out of her mouth, when the spider trembled and one of the legs tore itself from her ear. It dislodged itself from the main body, sprouted hair-thin legs of its own, and then started to snake around the girl's neck. The filament it pulled in its wake was nearly invisible, except for the crease that had begun to appear in the pale flesh of her throat. When she squeaked in disgust and attempted to brush it away, a spark popped and she jumped, yanking her hand back.

She was just about to start going into a complete, blind panic when Tom grasped her shoulders and said with amazing calm, ÂYou need to stay still. Do you hear me?Â

His words had the desired effect, because she froze, stared uncomprehending a beat, then blinked and nodded. She didn't relax -- it would be impossible for anyone under the circumstances -- but at least she wasn't flailing about.

The spider's leg had made its trip all the way around the girl's neck at this point and had reattached itself to it...

CHAPTER 24 IS UP!!!!!!!!!!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:26:45 PDT

Hey people! Come one come all!!! Fresh chapters are now available! They're tasty, sweet, and just a touch of salt! Eat them with a slice of pineapple and a big mug of raspberry iced tea!

Appetizer: [link]

Salad (no anchovies please): [link]

Main course: [link]

*********************

And for those who like to gorge, a little nibblage to snack on:

Excerpt from part one:

"'Brother and I will be happy to help'," Ed mocked as he stood in the center of the dilapidated barn, hands balled into fists and jammed into his hips. The bright morning sun from the open doors behind him and cutting through spaces between slats of weathered siding all around only illuminated fragments of what looked like an enormous, sleeping beast lurking in the shadow of the loft. Dust-motes and hay-flakes -- awakened after who-knew-how-long by his arrival and now floating lazily in the stale air -- sparked briefly, then faded a moment later as they passed the terminator from striped light into banded darkness. "Al, next time you feel like volunteering us for something... don't."

Next to him, with his arms crossed and studying the same enormous stack of broken furniture and wood scraps, stood Al. Except he didn't seem to be even the tiniest bit irritated at the work ahead of them, nor did he seem ashamed of himself for aiding their conscription into manual labor. "It's not so bad. I bet it won't take us long to move it at all."

"Are you looking at the same pile of junk that I am?" Ed spun on Al and jabbed an accusing finger back at the trash slated for the fire pit. "Small favor my ass! There's nothing small about that."

Al sighed and his shoulders slumped. "The Branches are being nice to us Brother. It wouldn't hurt us to be nice back."

"This isn't 'nice'. It's slavery," Ed complained as he stomped up to the pile, grasped an amputated chair leg and yanked. It came free with less effort than he'd anticipated and he stumbled backwards a few steps, then fell on his ass with a soft whump that kicked up a fresh cloud of dry hay and dust that tickled his nose. The stack wobbled dangerously for a tense, breathless moment, but the tangle of broken furniture quickly stilled and both boys exhaled at the same time--

--Then Ed sneezed, and it all came crashing down with a chorus of clattering snaps and cracks and flying splinters as both boys scrambled to get out of the path of destruction.

A low chuckle drifted along the tail end of the avalanche, then a familiar voice said, "Still letting your emotions override your focus, I see."

Ed sprang to his feet and into a defensive stance as his head darted around. "Where are you, asshole?" he demanded. His gaze landed on his brother, who was calmly looking up.

Al glanced sidelong at him, then back up and silently pointed toward the loft.

Ed let his eyes follow the line from Al's finger to the sagging platform with an annoyed leer. "What the hell are you doing here?"

As a hunched form shifted in the dim space overhead, light bounced off an oval of glass and a halo of wavy, sandy hair, and illuminated half of a face that was crinkled with a wide grin. "I'm not there, I'm here."

"Stop being a smart-ass, Singer. You know what I meant."

"Then you should say what you mean."

Ed ignored the soft snicker from next to him and sneered. "Fine. What are you doing there?" he clarified as he fluttered a hand in the general direction of the hayloft.

"Isn't it obvious?" The light coming through the large, open doors spotlighted Singer as he unfolded himself and took a step to the edge of the loft, bringing him into stark relief. The harshness of the morning sun in contrast to the deep shadow behind him only highlighted the rumpled state of the fatigues over a faded grey t-shirt sporting a dream catcher in the center and worn jeans with fringed holes in the knees. Combined with long sandy hair hanging loose past his shoulders and bits and pieces of old straw sticking out all over him at crazed angles -- along with that insufferable grin -- the wanderer appeared more insane than Ed remembered. "Are you always this slow?"

"Are you always this damned literal?" Ed snapped. "Or do you reserve that honor just for me?"

Singer bent, grabbed the straps of the olive-green duffel next to him, then gracefully leaped down. He landed so close to Ed that the younger man instinctively threw his right arm up and staggered backwards. Ignoring him, Singer faced Al and bowed. "It's good to see that you've gained your freedom, Steppin' Wolf."

Attention faithful BOP Fans!!!!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 23:42:08 PDT

We love you! And in appreciation for your faithful reading, we have something special to offer you!

To see the secret, follow the [link]

YAY LOVE!!!!!

New Chapter!!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 15:08:35 PDT

After 8 grueling months, where dispair and anguish froze the blood and hopelessness crowded the senses, a new hope has arisen.

BEHOLD!!!

The dawning of the age of reason is upon us, and a new chapter is posted. For those of you not willing to leave this page quite yet, here is a taste of that which you should have scrolled down and clicked on rather than reading my masticated post:

skip the jazz and read the damn story: [link]

part 2: [link]
***********************************************

Heist charged through the doors into the parking garage stairwell and jogged up to the next floor. A sense of urgency was pushing her, but it was no longer the need to elude capture. She'd led the security team pursuing her on a merry chase throughout the hospital, dodging and ducking and luring them down dead-ends that only she knew the way out of. At one point, when she was certain she wasn't being followed too closely, she dumped the wig in the hamper of a cleaning cart and made a bee-line for the rendezvous.

No, it was an unexplainable feeling that something was going terribly wrong. The chatter on the walkies had all but stopped from Hughes and she'd lost contact with Term and Ducks awhile ago. Even Tom and Pandora were unusually quiet... and that disturbed her the most.

For once caution took over, and instead of her barreling blindly out of the stairs into the garage, she hesitated and glanced out of the small window in the door. It looked like everyone had made it; they were all standing around, facing a familiar form. She broke out in a grin and almost dashed out to tackle Siddo in a big bear hug. With him there, they'd be sure to make it out without having to come up with bail money.

Except something wasn't quite right about the scene. Tom was pointing his gun at Sidney, and everyone looked scared and pissed. Heist couldn't see Pandora well though; just a patch of curly hair and a part of her shoulder, but it looked like she was using her own body as a shield between Tom and Sid. Tsk, tempers, she thought. Tom and Sid probably had a communications malfunction and Pandora was playing peace-maker. Well, Heist thought as she grabbed the bar to push open the door, at least Pandora will knock reason into both their heads. Literally, if she has to.

As she started to step out, she caught a better view and forgot how to breathe. What the bloody hell?!

CHAPTER 22 IS POSTED!!!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 20:31:16 PST

GO READ!!

For those of you following this epic megolith, the next chapter of arc 1 is now posted. Due to its vastness, it has been split into two parts:

part 1: [link]

part 2: [link]

For those not familiar with this project, it is the continuation above all continuations of the hit anime series, "Fullmetal Alchemist". It takes place a couple of years after the movie, and involves everything from gate jumping to hackers to time travel to rouge evil alchemists. And I realize my itty bitty intro does not do it justice, therefore I've included an excerpt. Enjoy!

WARNING, THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BOTH THE SERIES, AS WELL AS THE STORY...

***************************

Al fidgeted in the wheelchair as Ray brought him to a stop by the nurse's station. The sling and icepack that were wrapped around and immobilized his not-really reinjured arm were irritating to the point of near pain and he rolled his shoulder to alleviate the discomfort. He started to get up so he could see clearly over the counter and through the locked door, but a large hand on his shoulder held him down. He twisted and glared up at Ray, then said, "I still don't understand why I have to sit in this thing. My legs are fine."

"Insurance purposes" was all the answer he got as Ray added a little more pressure to his shoulder.

There was no negotiating this, Al knew, but that didn't make it any easier. Where Ray had parked him blocked his view around the corner of the the station to the door, which meant Al couldn't see his brother coming down the corridor. His head just barely poked over the false horizon of white shelf, and he craned his neck in an effort to at least get an advance peek. It wasn't a two year separation this time, but it felt just as miserable because they were in the same world and divided by mere circumstance. Anticipation had grown over the past few weeks --ever since Ed had finally contacted him by email-- and only managed to make time drag slower. It was enough to try even Al's patience and he was beginning to feel like he was at the end of whatever reserves he had left. Of course, last night's crushing disappointment and the worry that followed to keep him awake all night didn't help matters.

At least Gene's diabolical card game had managed to pump a little adrenaline into him, because he could feel exhaustion creeping up on him again. He rubbed his knuckles and scowled as Gene rolled up next to him. "Remind me to start wearing gloves when I play cards with anyone from now on," Al said.

Gene just smirked at him.

"How you holding up there, Tiger?" Ray asked.

Al turned his attention to the nurse, who was watching him with an upraised eyebrow. "Fine. I'm looking forward to seeing Brother again."

Ray chuckled. "What's with the 'Brother' thing? Does he not like his name or something?"

"Huh?"

"You keep calling him 'Brother.' Why don't you use his real name?"

Al had never really thought of why he called his brother 'Brother' instead of Ed. "Well... he's my brother. And I don't want to forget it, I guess."

Gene piped up. "I like Ed better."

"Edward Elric, the... " Al trailed off, smiling and shaking his head slightly as he realized he was about to introduce Ed as a State Alchemist, something he hadn't been for a long time and a title that would hold no meaning for Ray or Gene. Old habits die hard.

Ray's eyebrows were just about at his hairline and Gene prompted, "The. . .?"

"Never mind. It's not important anymore. Still, I can't wait for you guys to meet him!" Al started to bounce again.

"'Ed' and 'Al,' that's kind of cute." Ray smiled and ruffled Al's hair. "But unless the name 'Ed' starts with an 'h,' I don't think I'm gonna meet him tonight, kiddo."

Al stopped bouncing and felt disappointment settle in his stomach. "But. . . he said he was coming to get me! Where - ?"

"Whoa there, Tiger!" Ray put his hands on Al's shoulders. "Settle down. He's coming, but he can't be the one to meet you here tonight. The Duckman said that 'H and H' would be here first."

"H and H? Who's that?" Al asked, his nose creasing in concentration.

Ray shook his head. "You're asking the wrong man. Think, Al. Who do you know that your bro would trust you with, whose name begins with an 'h?'"

Time seemed to stop for a moment as the pieces fell into place. "Hughes," Al breathed.

This wasn't an off-hand comment in an email; black and white text that carried all the impact of discussing the weather. This was reality. He's here. Not a homunculus masquerading as Hughe...

THE STORY OF ED AND AL ELRIC CONTINUES!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 05:12:42 PST

1921

Edward Elric passes through the gate into a battle scarred Germany.

1923

After defeating an invading threat to their homeworld, the brothers return to Germany, this time to stay.

2006, NOW

They tried to stop the bomb, and the gate took them for another ride...to Walmart?

Ed and Al are thrown 80 years into the future. Though it may work as a passage to new lands, the gate is fickle, and the brothers find themselves separated, and dependent upon some very strange friends (and a friend they thought was lost long ago) to help them find each-other, and maybe, just maybe, find a way back home again.

"BALANCE OF POWER"

This epic, mega-novel started as a random crack, and evolved into an event unto itself. Guided into being by an initial 3 writers, it is now staffed by a number of talented individuals. Currently at 21 completed chapters, we have only just begun what is rounding out to be a monolith of staggering proportions! Separated into three "arcs" this colossal saga smashes the idea of mere "fanfic", bringing it into an entirely new category all its own! If you haven't experienced "Balance of Power", you truly have not read the whole story of Fullmetal Alchemist!
Already the word is spreading as fans from around the globe are following the continuing adventures of the Elric brothers. Separate fanfics inspired by BOP have been written, and a multitude of fanart by a number of different artists has been created! "Balance of Power" has arrived!

If you want to see for yourself what all the hype is about, then follow the link!

[link]

New Art!!!!!!!!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 02:45:48 PDT

You MUST check this out, no excuses!!! It's the latest submission by

Go tell her how awsome she is!!!

Here's the [link]

More Chaps, More Pics

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 16:19:22 PDT

A two-part Chapter 21 was recently added! Here's a preview:

[link]

Hughes kept his arm around Reilly as he watched Ed's retreating back. The sloped shoulders and downcast head somehow making the young man look even smaller. He wasn't angry, that much was obvious; he looked...defeated. The last time Hughes could recall Ed like this was after the Lab Five incident, when he'd been fighting with Al. He'd never learned what had come between the two brothers, but it was serious enough to make Al disappear and Ed damn near panic as he and Winry went searching for him.

Hughes didn't need to be a trained observer to notice the growing bruise on Ed's cheek and the scraped knuckles on Reilly's right hand. He didn't know for certain what had happened, but he could take an educated guess. Tension was running high right now, and both of them had similar enough temperaments that this level of frustration was bound to explode out of them in a dramatic way.

He suppressed a chuckle at a memory from the previous time. When all was said and done, Ed had sported a new knot on his head, and Al had a few fresh dents in his armor. With a soft sigh, Hughes thought, What I wouldn't give for Winry and her wrench right now.

He shoved the thought away with vehemence. His shoulder twinged in sympathy and Hughes straightened his posture. Hed thought he was finished with such thoughts, but it was hard to avoid every little reminder of home. A childs laughter, homemade apple pie, fading photographs It was the simple things that brought everything painfully back, but it was the less pleasant memories that weighed on his mind.

Bond was still out there. And he wasnt going to stop at just civilian casualties. The man was a sadist without any sense of limits, and given time and enough loathing for his victims there was no level of depravity he wouldnt descend to. If Bond found them, what happened to Kitten would seem merciful in comparison.

Hughes was going to have to find a way to stop him, but what that would involve

Nickel for your thoughts?

Hughes craned his neck to look down at the woman nestled into his side. I thought the going rate was a penny.

Reilly shrugged gently under his arm. They seemed pretty heavy, so thats double the usual fare, and theres inflation to take into account.

He cracked a smile and shook his head. He was going to miss her talent for bringing light to dark situations after all this was over. I'll return that nickel and add a dime if youll tell me what happened with Ed.

Reilly stiffened. I hit him. He was drawing too much attention and I was frustrated and I hit him.

Hughes paused. It was one thing to guess what had happened, but it was entirely another to hear it out loud. Someone said something about his height, didnt they? he sighed. Ed always goes overboard. Usually Als the only one that can bring him back down.

I didnt have to clock him like that. I just lost it. He was out of line but he didnt deserve that. Reilly pulled away, and Hughes realized she was fighting back tears. He probably hates me.

Reilly. Ed doesnt hate you. Hughes reached out with his good arm to rub her back. If anything, he needed someone to knock some sense into that thick skull of his. Hes a good kid, and there isnt any hate in him. Hell be fine.

How do you know? Reilly asked, and swiped at her eyes with the heel of her palm. Hughes took her hand and smiled crookedly.

I know Ed. And besides, hes taken worse dozens of times. One little tap like that should barely faze him.

Reilly slumped further into herself and took a long breath. Thats not exactly comforting, Hughes.

No. I suppose its not. Hughes watched an ant train crawl along a groove in the picnic table and remembered the first time hed ever met Ed. Only eleven years old and already as scarred as many veterans of the war in Ishbal. It wasnt fair, and it wasnt comforting to know that Ed had taken infinitely more abuse since then.

He shook it off. There was no point in dwelling on the past when the future loomed unpleasantly in front of them. Ed couldnt see anything past saving Al and Reilly had no choice but to march grimly on. Bond had burned all their bridges for them, and sooner or later he was going to catch up with them. And then

Whatever youre planning, Maes Hughes, stop it right now.

Hughes looked up to see Reilly frown in concentration. Reilly?

She shook her head and turned a speculative look on him. I get the feeling youre either going to do something very stupid or very brave, possibly both, and theres no way in hell youre going to do it alone....

More chapters Uploaded!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 15:40:08 PDT

The crew of BOP has been working like mad to crank out chapters for the needy folk who follow this incredible epic! If you haven't had a chance yet, I urge you to check out the LiveJournal, crackbunny syndrome: [link] in it, you'll find freshly picked chapters, BOP inspired short stories that fit in that universe simply called Crack stories, links, and more!

You'll kick yourself repeatedly if you don't go!

To inspire you, here is an excerpt from the latest chapter,

The Calm Before the Storm
Arc One: Chapter Twenty
Balance of Power

.............................................................................

Where is he?

Al had given up on crouching behind his bed after the poker game, and instead sat cross-legged on the mattress, clutching the teddy bear to himself.

Why isn't he here yet?

The soft fur under his hands didn't stop the trembling in his fingers, and he constantly looked at the door, hoping. Waiting. Praying.

He should be here by now!

He swallowed the lump in his throat and curled more closely on himself, trying to keep the tears out of his eyes. Gene had exhausted himself and gone to bed. Ray had gone to keep watch. All he could do was wait.

He was really tired of waiting.

But the longer he waited, the more Al wondered if something had happened. Something had to have happened; Brother would've come, hell or high water, if he possibly could've. He wouldn't have been late. Well... he wouldn't have been too late, anyway.

The isolated feeling, the sense of I'm not supposed to be here kept growing, and Al curled further in on himself. He felt so alone, even with Ray and Gene around. They were great friends, and good people to hang out with, but... but...

I want my brother.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't cry. He shouldn't cry. He couldn't cry. He...

He heard footsteps in the hall.

Al sat up, wiping hurriedly at his eyes he wasn't crying, he wasn't and getting off the bed. It's about time, he thought, grabbing his bag and going to hide just out of sight of the door. He wanted to be sure it was Ed. Then he was going to punch his brother for taking so long.

However, as he sat and listened to the semi-hurried footsteps make their way down the hall, he had the feeling he was going to be disappointed. They took too long hitting the ground to be his brother's; the stride was for a taller man. And there was no sense of almost-limping that one automail limb would produce.

He knew he was wrong when Ray came through the entrance, and shut the door. "Al, you in here? I heard from Ducky."

Ducky. Not Ed. Ducky. Something happened.

Al climbed out of his hiding spot and looked at Ray, the worry that kept his gut clenched in fear appearing in a quavery voice. "What's going on, Ray? Where's my brother?"

Ray sighed, then crouched down so he and Al were eye-to-eye. The feeling of dread in Al's stomach worsened. "He didn't tell me a whole lot. Just that something got fragged, and they're trying at ten tomorrow night."

Al's heart plummeted into his stomach, and he swallowed back tears that had welled up with renewed vigor. His voice caught, and he looked away. Large arms, warm and comforting, came around his shoulders, and Al let his head drop to Ray's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Tiger."

That one word was the last straw, and all the force of his emotions went into his arms and voice as he shoved Ray away. "MY NAME IS NOT TIGER GOD DAMN IT!!!"

Al caught Ray's saddened look as he turned away, but he ignored it, tears and frustration and anger rushing through his head with the force of a tidal wave. "I AM NOT A TIGER. I AM NOT A JOHN DOE. MY NAME IS ALPHONSE THEOPHRASTUS ELRIC. I... I'm a human being..." All the anger drained from his body, and he fell to the floor, unable to stop the tears this time. "I'm real... I'm not fake..."

"I know you're not fake, Al." Those arms were back, and Ray gave him a hard hug there on the floor. "You're real. You're here. It'll all be okay."

Letting the words soothe him, Al let his head fall back on Ray's shoulder, and cried.

MANGA!!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 22:27:12 PST

In case you missed it, there's a new "short" (heheh) manga in the gallery! It's a spoiler for the upcoming epic, "Balance of Power".

In other news, has added a ton of stuff to her website, so you really need to check that out! The link can be found here: [link]

If you have any submissions, stories, poetry, or other that relates to this club, please send me a note with the link and I'll gleefully add it to the gallery!

If you arn't already a membber, I'm eager to fill this place up, so let me know!

Thank ya!

Club Rule Thingies

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 15:13:20 PST

I guess at some point, every club has some sort of "rule" list. This is nothing dramatic, just something to show the intent of the club (as if it wasn't already known!)

Anyhow, here goes:

1. First and foremost, the club is designed to show our appreciation for the work of .

2. All styles of fan appreciation are accepted, such as artwork, stories, poems, etc. The work must be specific to the characters of Heathenesque's stories though. These include characters from FMA, Star Trek TNG, and Cowboy Bebop. The ideal is work that shows the different series in a crossover fashion, but the characters by themselves is cool too.

3. The only thing considered not acceptable is basically anything that goes against the submission rules of deviantart itself. So, no dirty stuff guys! (I know, *sigh*)

4. Oh yeah, sorry, but no yaoi stuff either. The characters are meant to be as close to canon as possible in spite of the fact that they are in an alternate universe.

Well, that's pretty much it. If you have any questions, of course feel free to note me and I'll get right back to you!

Take care!

-Tanya

General Info and Stuff

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 22:43:44 PST

My japanese name is ç¿æ¸¡ Saruwatari (monkey on a crossing bridge) ç¾æ´ Miharu (beautiful clear sky).
Take your real japanese name generator! today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Name Generator Generator.

Heheh.

So, now that that's out of the way, I had a thought. At some point, I'd love to do a contest. However, that can't happen till there's more members. (I'll work on that ) But, for current members, if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear it! Also, there's a few new images added to the gallery, so you should go check them out! And I'd love any other art you guys want to submit, so send it in!

January 24, 2006

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note: don't miss new episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist every Saturday night on Adult Swim! (yes, I do watch it, and no, I have no beef with dubs.)

Welcome!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 21:33:46 PST

Heathenesque has recently begun adding her story chapters to her site. To view and comment, please click the [link]
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This site is dedicated to the wonderful works of Heathenesque! Specific stories are as follows:

Gotta Knock a Little Harder: Synopsis: Spike and Jet are headed back to mars when they get a bounty dropped in their laps. Easy money. But where did that wormhole come from? And how are they going to get back home with a broken ship? Use Alchemy you say?![link]

Once More, With Pirates: Synopsis: Nano Project: It's been a little over a year since Jet and Spike crashed at Amestris, and met the Elric brothers. A little over a year since they found a way back home. A lot has happened in that time. Faye, Ed and Ein came back; Spike died, and was resurrected; bounties were caught, or not; and the crew has eaten more bell peppers and beef (without the beef) than they want to admit.
Then, one morning, while enjoying a little downtime on Mars, Spike gets a private message about a private bounty, and heads out on his own to see about it. Things start going downhill when he crosses paths with a penguin on Morocco Street.
Once again, the intrepid crew of the Bebop, and the Brothers Elric (along with Mustang, Havoc and Hughes), are thrown together in unusual circumstances that are completely out of control. Only this time, NO ONE has the home court advantage, as they all end up in a different universe, with warp drive, androids, scary aliens, and a petulant God that has decided one puny human has over-stepped her boundaries, and puts her on trial.[link]

Never Gamble: Synopsis: Sergeant Major Cain Fuery always bets in the office pool when Havoc and Mustang compete for the attentions of a pretty woman. All too often, he looses, though. But not tonight. TWT, One Shot. [link]

Please read them, and Please Please comment!!!

For the backstory on Spike and his return to the land of the living, check my story: "Play Me Some More of that Old Blues" Summary: Some things forgotten, some things remembered. Faye and Jet thought they were all that was left. Something from the past returns.[link]

Want to Join?

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 03:04:46 PST

Just sent me a note with the subject heading: "Join" It's as easy as that! If you want to add a link to the club in your signature, that would be cool too!

Welcome to Cowboys and Alchemy!

~cowboys-and-alchemy — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 02:58:14 PST

This site is dedicated to the wonderful works of Heathenesque! Specific stories are as follows:

Gotta Knock a Little Harder: Synopsis: Spike and Jet are headed back to mars when they get a bounty dropped in their laps. Easy money. But where did that wormhole come from? And how are they going to get back home with a broken ship? Use Alchemy you say?![link]

Once More, With Pirates: Synopsis: Nano Project: It's been a little over a year since Jet and Spike crashed at Amestris, and met the Elric brothers. A little over a year since they found a way back home. A lot has happened in that time. Faye, Ed and Ein came back; Spike died, and was resurrected; bounties were caught, or not; and the crew has eaten more bell peppers and beef (without the beef) than they want to admit.
Then, one morning, while enjoying a little downtime on Mars, Spike gets a private message about a private bounty, and heads out on his own to see about it. Things start going downhill when he crosses paths with a penguin on Morocco Street.
Once again, the intrepid crew of the Bebop, and the Brothers Elric (along with Mustang, Havoc and Hughes), are thrown together in unusual circumstances that are completely out of control. Only this time, NO ONE has the home court advantage, as they all end up in a different universe, with warp drive, androids, scary aliens, and a petulant God that has decided one puny human has over-stepped her boundaries, and puts her on trial.[link]

Never Gamble: Synopsis: Sergeant Major Cain Fuery always bets in the office pool when Havoc and Mustang compete for the attentions of a pretty woman. All too often, he looses, though. But not tonight. TWT, One Shot. [link]

Please read them, and Please Please comment!!!

For the backstory on Spike and his return to the land of the living, check my story: "Play Me Some More of that Old Blues" Summary: Some things forgotten, some things remembered. Faye and Jet thought they were all that was left. Something from the past returns.
:[link]