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Fasten the rose collar
Hold the silver chain in your mouth
Tonight, too, someone will meet his end
You are so despicable
Kneel and lick up
The bitter droplets of love
A blue dressage performed for angels
~The Forbidden Game~
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Chapter 1
"Grow Lost and Realize"
"Colonel Mustang knows how to make you feel bad, brother." Alphonse Elric said to his older brother, who was much shorter than he was.
Edward, the older one, look up at his brother with a hint of disgust gleaming in his golden eyes,
"What makes you say that?"
"You always look so down, brother. What does he say to you?"
Ed just looked out the window of the train, watching the objects outside fly by with out any warning. Mustang had scolded Ed for the accident in his office. Ed didn't tell Al what happened, but Ed wasn't even sure himself.
**Flashback**
"So…Fullmetal. How was your trip here?" Roy Mustang, a man with raven black hair and a blue central command outfit, stood and almost smiled in Ed's direction.
Ed stiffened, he didn't like the way Roy was looking at him. It looked as if he wanted to devour him.
"Same as always, I guess…why?"
"Oh, just wondering…" Roy walked around his desk, and leaned up against it. Crossing his arms, he looked directly at Ed.
"You know. Edward, I love it when you come and see me like this."
"Like what?"
Roy motioned for Ed to come closer, he knew if he didn't do what Roy asked him to, he would get a major yelling at. So he hesitantly stalked over to Mustang, also known as the "Flame Alchemist" and stood just within his reaching distance.
"When you come and see me…" he pulled Ed closer and Ed tensed up, "…like this, Fullmetal." Roy grabbed the back of Edward's head and pulled him closer. Ed couldn't take it any more, he jerked backwards out of Roy's grasp and smashed into a table in the middle of the room. The table held a priceless heirloom of Roy's. A two-foot golden alchemy trophy that belonged to Roy's great-great-grandfather. It came crashing down onto the hard wood floor, shattering into pieces.
Ed stood there, looking at Mustang. Roy's eyes caught the item on the floor, and his lips twitched.
"I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't mean to-" Ed was cut off by Roy's screaming.
"HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" The screaming went on and on until Ed was finally released from the office.
**End Flashback**
"It was nothing, Al. Trust me. I'm fine." Edward smiled at his brother. Alphonse was smiling back, but you wouldn't be able to tell because his spirit resides inside a big suit of armor. It happened when they tried to bring their mother back to life, Ed lost his leg while Al almost lost his life. Edward used his arm as material to attach Alphonse's spirit to the armor.
- - - - -
When the train docked, Ed and Al stepped off the train, and reported to Roy that they were in Triune. Ed got on the phone, and dialed central's number, Mustang picked up.
"Yes?"
"We're here in Triune. What next?" It wasn't weird talking to him after the incident because it often happened.
"I need you and Alphonse to walk back towards central. Look for a young girl with long black hair, and bright blue eyes. Once you've spotted her, pursue her."
"What he hell?! Couldn't you have sent us to where the hell ever you're sending us in the first place?! This is stupid!
"Don't ask questions, Fullmetal! Just do it!"
And with that, Roy hung up.
Ed slammed the door to the booth open and marched right up to Al.
"We have to walk back."
"Why?"
"Because Mustang's a bitch. That's why."
Edward and Alphonse turned their tails around, and began walking back to Central. That was going to be a long walk.
Ed told Alphonse about the girl they were looking for.
"She sounds pretty, brother. Did the Colonel say how old she was?"
"No, he didn't." Ed thought for a second, then he stopped,
"HOW THE HELL DOES THAT BASTARD EXPECT US TO FIND HER?!"
Al cowered back a bit. Even though he knew the screaming wasn't directed towards him.
"This is so stupid, Al. Where do we even begin?"
Ed placed his palm against his forehead and sighed.
"Damn it…"
- - - - -
The two walked for quite sometime before they reached a deserted town on the outside of Central. Ed whined,
"I'm so hungry…is there any place near hear that's open?"
Ed looked around the small town that didn't have much of anything, and saw maybe twenty people tops.
"Al, go look for somewhere to eat, okay? I'm going to look for that girl….I think she might be in this town…."
"Okay, Brother." With that, Al took off on his "mission".
Ed walked down the barren street, and breathed. The air smelled of roses and morning mist. A lovely combination, but why in this empty town? There was no sign of flowers, or mist for that matter, anywhere. There was only dusty walkways, and deserted roads.
Then, out of no where, an object flew by him with blinding speed. Sending Ed into the alley along with the thing that passed him in such a hurry. He didn't have time to stop and ask who it was, he merely looked in the direction of the object.
The only thing he saw was the back of a black-haired beauty. Her hair reached her mid-back. She was standing at the back wall of the alleyway. Could this be her? He didn't say anything. Edward's eyes widened and he ran after her, but right before he grabbed her, she and he both disappeared into a force field.
- - - - -
Ed woke up to the sounds of a female voice, whimpering.
"P-please….get off…me…" Before Edward could move, she kicked her legs up and sent him flying backwards. He landed with a 'thud' on the ground in front of this woman.
She placed herself in a cat-like stance, ready to attack him.
"Who the hell are you?!" She demanded. Her eyes, an icy blue, that seem to pierce the darkness in his soul. Ed stared at this beauty, and slightly blushed. He shook the blush off, and glared at her.
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Tell me who you are!" She screamed.
"Why should I?!" He replied.
"Because if you're hear from central, I'm not giving up that easily! I'll fight 'till the end!"
How did she know he was from central?
…
The watch!
'Damn it! Damn that watch!' Ed thought to himself.
'It always gives me away!'
She stood, and took out her gun quickly. It was merely a 9mm. Nothing special. she aimed for his head. That's when Edward took in her appearance. She was only 4'10". She was shorter than he was. Way shorter. Her hair fell, framing her face. Which in Ed's opinion, was angelic.
He shook the thought, stood, dusted himself off, and raised his hands.
"Okay, okay. Yes, I am from central. But I'm hear under -" She interrupted him quickly.
"Mustang's orders…yeah, I know!"
"How do you know that?"
She lowered her gun, and frowned,
"Mustang's been after me for two years, ever since my parents died."
She looked at him with disgust.
"You make me sick! Leave my city, or I will kill you!" Within mere seconds she took off in a direction away from him.
Ed blinked, and then pursued after her. It took him sometime to catch up to her, because she was really fast.
When he tackled her to the ground, she turned her body over under him, and her blue eyes were different now. They had slits for pupils instead of normal circle ones.
"How can I leave if I don't know how to get out?! Where the hell is this place?" Ed screamed.
"I told you…I will kill you…" Her voice was different now, mono-toned. Edward froze for a second and then jumped to his feet, his skin was ice cold. As if her touch made his skin freeze over.
"What the hell-?"
She stood, her upper body slumped over, and demonic smirked across her face.
"You never did tell me your name…" She looked at him, her eyes still the same freaky shape, "Dog!"
Ed hated being called that. So, out of pure embarrassment, he yelled,
"My name is not 'dog'….it's Edward Elric!"
She began laughing in a demonic, maniacal laugh.
"So, Edward….want to play?" She pronounced his name with a hint of sarcasm and pulled out two long, thick daggers and smiled at him.
"Let's play hid-and-seek. You hide, I seek." She closed her eyes and began to count, "1...2...3..." Ed took this as an opportunity to attack her, but before he could even think of a strategy, she had him tackled to the ground with one of the daggers to his throat.
"I told you…I seek…" The blade gently slid across his skin, barely scratching it. He jerked his automail leg into her side, and sent her flying into a nearby wall. She laid there, unconscious.
Ed stood and cracked his left shoulder.
"You psycho….what the hell are you?"
He walked over to her and rolled her onto her back. Her hair was framing her face, and her eyes were closed. But, she was breathing.
"Damn…" Ed wondered if he overdid it.
…
Nah.
He picked her up into his arms and carried her to a nearby stream. Stalking under the bridge that was above them, he placed her on the slanted bank and sat next to her.
He couldn't kill her, there was something about her.
He studied her unconscious body warily.
Her skin was extremely pale, paler than normal. He leaned over her and looked closer at her features. Her eye lashes were long, and dark, like her hair. Her nose was pixie-like and her lips were full and pink and there was a lip ring on her lower lip; it set off to the right of her mouth. Her face was beautiful. He lifted her upper lip and looked at her teeth. Her two top canines were sharp, extremely sharp.
Edward blinked a few times and then gasped.
Vampire?
No way! They didn't exist. She couldn't be.
Wait! He once studied about a rare species of humans. Created by alchemy, yet not a normal human transmutation. It was when they used all the ingredients of a human and combined them with a living human and a bat. That's where the bat theory come from for vampires.
This species was said to be extinct.
That's why Mustang's after her. For her species.
…
Roy's a disgusting pig.
"Repulsive…"
She stirred, and Edward doubled back.
He needed to be a lot more quiet than what he was, or she would wake up and kill him.
- - - - -
Minutes turned to an hour. Ed wondered what Al was thinking at this point. He bet that Alphonse was definitely worried. He slightly laughed and stood.
He stretched and glanced at the water. It was a clear blue color. He leaned over the stream and cupped the water in his hands. Sipping it, he sighed in approval.
He smelled the air once again, the smell of roses and morning mist filled his nostrils. It must be her. He looked over at her, and smiled. He figured she wouldn't wake up for another half hour or so.
So, he took his over coat off, along with his shirt, and shoes. All he was wearing was his pants, but he took them off as well. He placed his right foot in the water.
It was warm, like bath water.
Ed stepped in, the water rippled around him, causing his reflection to move. He dove under and came back up. Pulling his hair out of his braid, he ran his hand through it, then continued to swim.
- - - - -
He lost track of the time, and forgot about the girl on the bank, who had been awake for ten minutes, give or take. Watching him, she placed her chin in her palm, and smiled.
Why hadn't he taken her to central?
It amazed her that someone from central would actually take care of her instead of trying to take her to Mustang.
She cleared her throat, and Ed froze. His upper body was out of the water, ready to dive in again.
"Edward….I'm sorry, for attacking you like that…I was worried that you would take me to Mustang…but I see now, that wasn't your intention in the first place."
Edward was so confused.
Was she actually apologizing?
He simply smirked and rubbed the back of his head,
"Well, I-I'm sorry too. For kicking you."
She smiled and nodded.
He trudged himself out of the water, and grabbed his clothes and dressed himself.
So what's your name?"
The girl slightly laughed.
"Alice Winds. This is my city: Runes."
She stood and her vision went blurry. Her body weakened and gave out from beneath her. She fell into his arms.
He blushed and so did she, as soon as she caught herself, she pulled away. Embarrassed, she turned her back to him.
"I-I'm sorry…."
He turned away also.
"It's…okay…."
She shivered as a wind came through and chilled her body.
Ed caught the shiver, and placed the coat around her.
"H-Here…take this."
She looked up at him and smiled. Flattered, she blushed.
"Th-thank you. Edward." She pulled it closer to her body, and walked up the bank.
"Come….I want to show you something."
He followed.
- - - - -
As he listened to her talk about the empty city, and the reason it was so barren. She told him it was an economy crisis, and central kept coming to capture the city, and sell it. But, according to Alice, it was the only thing that she had close to her people…her family.
Central declared war against them, and Alice's family was the only surviving people. Central took this as an opening to set off a toxin in the air. It was a toxin that froze your lungs, and caused you to die quickly. The reason Alice was still alive, is because her family had sent her on an errand earlier that day. She came back and found her family to be dead for a few hours.
That was when Alice met Mustang. Who tried to seduce her, take her to central, and use her.
Disgusting.
She wouldn't have anything to do with that repulsive male. So, Alice set up an alchemy activated force field to hide her.
That's why Roy sent him on this mission. To get him to bring this girl back. Ed wouldn't do it. He just wouldn't. It was wrong.
"Hey, Alice?"
She turned to him and smiled,
"Yes, Edward?"
"Um….don't mind me asking this…but…how old are you?"
She laughed aloud, and looked at him.
"I'm fifteen...how 'bout you?"
He blushed. Her smile was devastating.
"Uh….fi-fifteen…"
He stopped and thought for a second.
"Alice…? Have you ever heard of a 'Philosopher's stone'?"
She froze and automatically answered,
"No."
He looked at her and shrugged.
"Oh, well, thought I'd just ask."
"Fine. Ask what ever you want."
Edward got curious, and stopped in front of her. He turned around, grabbed her by the shoulders, and looked her in the eyes.
"You have so heard of the stone. I know you have."
She tore away from him and glared at him,
"Never ask me that! I. Do. Not. Know."
"LIAR!"
She pulled the front of her blue button-down blouse open, exposing her black lace bra. Ed stared at her for a second, and then turned around quickly.
"Cover yourself! Please!"
She sighed,
"Ed, look at me…please…you have to see this."
He swallowed and turned slowly, and behold, there was a philosopher's stone embedded in her chest. The area where her heart's located.
"A-Alice-"
She buttoned her shirt back up, and sighed,
"That is what keeps me alive Edward. Not a blood seal, or some artificial life support, but a stone itself. It happened when my parents died. They left a note, telling me to place the stone in my chest, they said it would keep me stronger than the average human. Which is why I've survived these two years alone. But, I soon came to realize that if the stone is removed or destroyed, I will die."
Ed stepped back a bit, and just stared. He didn't know you could do that.
"You know you won't be able to leave for a few days…" she smirked.
"Wait…Why?"
"My force field only deactivates when I need it to."
"How long could that take?" He asked.
"Depends on how my body acts, if I run out of food for instance, or need other things, I leave for a few minutes, then return."
He sat on the ground, and growled.
"This is so not good. Alphonse has probably called central, telling them that I've disappeared. Damn…"
She laid his coat across his lap.
"They won't know you're here…There's a town nearby that looks exactly like this one, deserted as well. They usually look for me there."
"You're pretty smart for a fifteen-year-old." He smirked.
She tapped her chest, where the stone was,
"Only because I have extra brain power." She laughed.
He stood, and steadied himself.
"Where are we going now?"
She didn't say anything, just lowered her head.
"Alice? What is it?" Ed grabbed her shoulders when she didn't answer.
"Alice?!"
…
"They've found me…" She grabbed his hand and glared into his beautiful golden eyes.
"We have to go. NOW!"
And with that, she darted, dragging him along for the ride.
"Wh-what? You said they-"
"Well, I was wrong! They know!" Turning a corner, Ed pulled a power slide to keep up with her.
"Damn it! Slow down!"
"I can't! If they get in, we're screwed!"
She let go of his hand and dove under the front entrance to the building that looked to be 'City Hall'.
Edward tried to copy what she did, but instead of succeeding, he hit his head pretty damn hard.
His vision blurred, and he slipped into unconsciousness.
- - - - -
Ed came to, and heard voices.
"Ed? Are you okay?" It sounded like Hawkeye.
He rubbed his temples, and groaned.
"Yeah…"
Riza Hawkeye, a woman of about 26, long golden hair that was always pulled back in a clip. Her eyes were an auburn color.
Her stare was gentle, unlike that man behind her.
…
Mustang.
He looked pissed. As usual.
Just. Fucking. Great.
"What the hell's wrong with you?"
Roy gave the best death glare to Ed, and said nothing.
"Whatever…"
Roy stared even harder.
"No, Damn it. I didn't find her."
"Liar!"
"Listen, Mustang, I. Did. Not. Find. Her!"
A voice,
"NO!"
It came from behind him, and he turned to see if it was…
It was Alice.
"No! You can't take me!"
Two soldiers were dragging her from the building. There were tears coming from her eyes.
"No-i-can't-go-with-you-you-can't-take-me-leave-me-here!"
She caught a glimpse of Edward and turned, trying to run to him.
"ED! Please?!"
They held her by the arms and kicked her in the back of the knee. She fell to the ground, crying.
Ed had the urge to run after, and before he could even think of it, a soldier came up behind him and held him back with all of his strength.
Roy walked over to Alice and knelt down, taking her face in his hand, he smiled.
"You are just as beautiful now, as you were then."
He caressed her face, and she spit in his.
"You filthy mutt!!" Her words stung, and the slap across her face would sting more. When his hand made contact with her face she yelped.
Ed cried out,
"Stop it! Leave her alone!"
Roy ignored him, and leaned in close to Alice.
"Don't worry…" He chuckled to himself, "You'll be in Wonderland soon."
Her eyes widened, because she knew what that meant.
It meant he was going to do whatever he wanted with her.
In turn, she was more or less going to be his little "play-thing" as he once preferred to her as once upon a time ago.
Wonderland…
Wonderland…
Wonderland…
Mother. Fucking. Wonderland…
The words turned in her head
'Wonderlandwonderlandwonderlandwonderlandwonderland…'
She thought of all the bad things that were going to happen to her if she didn't escape now.
Her thoughts were cut off by a soft touch, Roy was kissing her. She tried to double back, but the hold on her arms was too much for her to handle. So, instead, she lifted her knee up to his groin as hard as she could. His eyes watered, and he grabbed himself. Collapsing to the ground, he whimpered. The soldiers that were holding her were distracted by the pain Mustang was in and let her arms go for a minor second. This gave Alice the opportunity to make her escape. She jabbed her elbows into the stomachs of the soldiers, and ran as fast as she could in a opposite direction.
She stopped, and turned around to see Edward's face one more time before she made her grand finale.
Alice steadied herself on her tiptoes, closed her blue eyes, and placed her folded hands across her heart. The stone in her chest was glowing brighter and brighter by the second, until it consumed her body and she disappeared into thin air.
No one could hear her voice, save for Edward.
"Thank you so much, Edward. I really appreciate your help." It sounded as if she were smiling at him, "I hope we'll meet again in the near future, but for now…our story has just begun but must end also. Farewell, my friend." And with that, she was gone. For how long, no one knew. Where to, Ed would not know.
- - - - -
Ed and Al both sat on yet another train, to some other city or town. Ed was telling Al that he'd just gotten lost in that city, and that he didn't find the girl. Alphonse believed him, but was still curious.
Ed watched the world fly by again, and wondered were Alice had gone. Her voice still echoed inside his head. They would meet again, soon, Ed felt.
At the other end of the train, a silhouetted figure sat with it's back turned to Ed and his brother. The only thing noticeable, was when it turned to it's side to hear more of the conversation, a strand of long raven hair fell gently off its shoulder, and tiny little fangs were visible in it's smile.
Sinister, yet, devastating.