Chapter 62: Chapter 61 – Returned Puppies

Alphonse held Felecia by the waist to save her from falling on her face. Her arms wriggled and swayed. It travelled down into her legs, making it impossible for her to remain on her own two feet.

Alphonse smelt the pungent stench of alcohol from her breath. Her head was closed. The faint warmth on his neck sent tingles down his back. Her hair was in a mess, wrangled from the dancing session before. A shrill beeping noise emitting from their personal devices interrupted them.

Why do I have to look after everyone? Alphonse gave a wry smile. He watched the idiots in front of him hug each other in an embrace as they trotted down the service hallways, singing a song he had never heard of before. Haydon was the loudest, his tone death singing screeching throughout the drab passageway.

“Woow, Al-phooonse. You shmell like fwowers,” Felecia’s head rubbed her face on his t-shirt, her nose taking in little whiffs of his scent like a curious puppy. “Itsh noice.” She broke into a small giggle, faint hiccups emerged from her body.

I wonder if it’s because of the Underworld Flower evolution? Alphonse thought. He turned his nose to his unoccupied shoulder. A sweet rose scent entered his nostrils. I really don’t want to smell of flowers…

Alphonse finally made it to the class A barracks, if it could even be called that. A large hallway entered his vision, a long line of doors sent his mind into disarray.

“Guys, what’s your room number?” Alphonse spoke up, his words appearing like mumbled up, made up sentences to the inebriated group.

“Aooii, Alphinse. I-Iii don’t swing that way you hear me?” Markus sent a light punch towards Alphonse’s shoulder, it completely missed.

“You hear that Hay-Hayman, Hayman,” Tariq broke out into laughter as his arm grasped around Haydon’s shoulder, sending them tumbling against the hard walls of the hallway. “You’re hay, like dried grass.” His laughing continued as the others joined in, the noise billowing through the long hall.

The door next to them shot open. “I’m trying to fucking slee-p.” A tall young man with golden hair half stepped out of the doorway, his hair slicked back as the unusual sight of glasses perked up on his nose. His voice stuttered as he saw who it was that smashed up against the wall.

“Wook who it ish.” Felecia tried standing up straight, her hands placed on her wobbly waist.

“If it ishn’t the lighthouse wishard.” Tariq poked Gabriel’s chest.

“Hey Gabriel,” Alphonse said. “What room is theirs?” His face was calm, as if Gabriel hadn't tried to kill him.

Gabriel told him the room numbers before retreating into his room. Alphonse grinned at the retreating back of Gabriel as he brought the rest of the group to their individual rooms. Some kicked, some moaned. In the end, Alphonse resolved it with force, locking them in their rooms.

Alphonse wiped the sweat from his forehead as he looked down at his personal device. His information was updated. He was now in Class A and they had given him a room.

He walked down the hall, given the size of each room, the doors well spaced apart. A few people from the other years of class A were arriving. Their steps were slow and calm. It looked like the curfew wasn’t as strict for those here.

Alphonse stopped in front of the door. “Room 24” He pressed his device against the scanner that was just above the door handle. A green light flashed, and the door swung open.

Lights automatically flashed on, displaying a clean, white room. Alphonse walked in, his finger dragging along the shoe cupboard as he entered. There wasn’t a speck of dust in sight.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they cleaned it with a skill or something. Alphonse thought in wonder.

His eyes focused on a large, flatscreen TV that overlooked his double bed. Although it was just one room, it had everything he needed to live a life of luxury. A spacious kitchen with a full sized refrigerator, an en-suite bathroom, kitted out with a large bath, capable of fitting two people comfortably.

Although the sights surprised him, it was the bed that brought his full attention. He jumped up and fell onto the bed, the soft, cotton duvet wrapped around him like a bed of well-groomed feathers. The pillow was made of some sort of memory-foam material that somehow stayed cool. The refreshing feeling felt like bliss. His eyes became heavy. It had been an exhausting day.

***

What did I do? I embarrassed myself last night. Felecia lay curled up on the bed, her arms wrapped tightly around a fluffy bear. It had a cute little pink ribbon tied neatly around its neck. She looked down at her clothes. She was wearing a fresh set of pyjamas. How the hell did I get into these? She couldn't remember. She gnawed at her nails, trying to recall what had happened. Everything was so blurry in her mind.

“Did Alphonse… change me?” She couldn’t help but say it out loud. She buried her head into her covers, her screeching scream muffled by the covers.

***

Alphonse yawned, his well developed arms and legs stretched out, feeling the soothing coolness of the bedsheets around his skin. It was like brushing up against a velvet cloud. He looked at the ceiling. There were no sounds of monsters scuttling through deep passageways. He didn’t have to keep an eye out while sleeping, nor did he have to pick up his cleaver and swing until creatures had no limbs left. It was silent. It was a strange feeling, one that he wasn’t used to.

With no soldier or officer screaming at him to wake up–Alphonse relaxed in bed–he grabbed hold of his personal device as he flicked to the smart TV option. The flatscreen flickered to life. He pressed every button it had, and tv shows and movies of all different genres showed up.

Then, he stopped on a cartoon, it was clearly made for children but he felt his heart tighten. Nausea hit him. He rushed over to the toilet as his pile threatened to eat away at the ceramic water bowl. Thankfully, whatever water was in the toilet contained it. Alphonse clutched at his heart. It was beating faster than ever before. A cold sweat formed, drenching the back of his shirt.

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What the hell is going on? His eyes shifted back to the TV screen as he felt his heart palpitate once more. Moving over to his device, he turned the screen off. The palpitations stopped soon after the blank screen was on display.

I can’t go on like this. I need to find out about my past. Alphonse got dressed as he rushed over to Felecia’s room, his loud banging shocking the sleeping beauty awake.

The door opened as her puffy face greeted him. Seeing Alphonse’s serious expression, she let him in.

“Alphonse, what’s up?” Felecia poured herself a glass of water. Her voice was hoarse, her hair was a mess. She felt like shit, but more than that, the thought of her pyjamas send her mind into a spiral. She couldn’t look him in the eyes.

“So…” Alphonse didn’t really know where to begin. “I have that skill that makes me go crazy, uh-, it makes me forget things, things in the past. I was wondering if you could tell me anything about myself, anything relating to me back on Earth?”

“Wait, you’ve forgotten everything about your childhood?” Felecia said in shock. If that was the case… How sad would that be?

Alphonse could see the sadness in her eyes. “Yes, everything.”

“Oh, alright uh, well, you said nothing about your past.” Felecia sat down. She took little sips from her cup as she refreshed her dry mouth.

“Nothing?” Alphonse was shocked. How did that make sense? They had fought together, and he hadn't once told them about his family?

Felecia shook her head. “Maybe you told the others from Class E?”

“Maybe, thank you, Felecia. I’ll go ask them.” Alphonse nodded. He was quick to leave the room. He checked the time on his personal device. It was the time Class E had breakfast.

He remembered the Class E canteen well, as well as he could, anyway. His eyes drifted around the hall. It had a lot fewer people than he remembered. Then, he spotted the large figure of Dillan and walked over. Alphonse could feel the gazes from everyone around the hall.

“What do you want, Alphonse?” Ellena frowned, pain visible in her eyes.

“I wanted to ask you something about my past.” Alphonse tapped his finger on the table. His eyes struggled to maintain eye contact.

“You want to ask us something after what you did?” Ellena spat. She slammed her fork on the table.

Alphonse clenched his hands into fists. He didn’t know what to say.

“Whatever, just leave me out of it. I can’t look at you.” Ellena stormed out.

Dillan sighed. “Sorry about her Alphonse, it affected her pretty badly. I heard it was because of you we even finished the mission, thank you.”

“Don’t say sorry, I don’t blame her,” Alphonse took a breath and shook his head. “I shouldn’t have asked that… How are you doing?”

“We’re doing okay, still getting over the feeling of being watched by bloodthirsty monsters, you know?” Dillan nervously chuckled. “You?”

“Actually, that’s what I needed to talk to you about. The skill I have, that erases my… humanity,” Alphonse said. “It also erases my memories. I was wondering if I told you anything about my past?”

“Shit, I’m sorry. The only things you talked about really were the times after you had left home. You were homeless for a while, bouncing around people's places. That’s all you really told us. You weren’t really one to talk about your past that much, Alphonse.” Dillan crossed his arms.

“Alright, thank you.”

Fuck, I was hopeless. Alphonse shook his head.

“Hey Alphonse, don’t go disappearing, okay? Ellena will come around eventually. I’ll try to convince her.” Dillan stood up and placed his rough hand on his shoulder.

“... Alright, sorry for everything.” Alphonse reached forward as he placed his arms around Dillan.

“You’re creeping me out.” Dillan laughed as he reciprocated the hug.