Russell laid in agony, feeling every one of his wounds. He realized then the consequences of being a State Alchemist. Didn't Fletcher beg him not to join? Fletcher... his precious little brother, who brightens the room with his mere presence. A tear formed in his eyes at the thought of never seeing him again. He shook his head no. No, he won't give up this easy. Ed wouldn't. Besides, Fletcher needed him. He painfully reached out and tried to drag himself away from the laughing maniac he had been sent to this godforsaken warehouse to find. Well, he found him, Rather, the maniac found him. Russell had gone about five feet into the abandoned warehouse when he suddenly felt the sharp blade of a meat cleaver connect with his shoulder. He tried to use alchemy to save himself, only to be struck again and again, always before his mind could clear itself long enough to make an array.
He tried getting away from the cleaver-welding lunatic, only to have fallen down the steps into the basement he was now in. The steps were few, but they may as well have been hundreds of feet long from the agony Russell felt.
Barry smiled maniacally as he approached his victim. "Aw, don't go away. We're just getting started!" He looked approvingly at Russell's wounds. "Not bad, if I do say so myself. Hey, how's about I give you a nice, big, smile, hm?" He gently brushed the blade against Russell's cheek.
Russell shuddered a bit, knowing full well what he meant. The Drachma Smile, where one cuts a gash on either side of the victim's mouth to his ear, then hits the victim so his face tears apart when he screams. His shook his head no.
"No? But I beg to differ! EVERYONE should go out with a smile!" He raised his cleaver, studying Russell's face.
Russell moaned, cursing his inability to move. This psycho is really going to DO it! He tried once again to get up, block him, anything. But the blood loss has made him too weak to move. Only a prodigy State Alchemist could save him now, he thought as his mind went into total darkness.
The next thing he was aware of was heaviness. No not really heavy, more like... bandaged? He opened his eyes.
He also became aware of an extra heaviness on the side of the bed. He looked over, and found the small blonde head of his little brother there. Fletcher was holding his hand and had his head on his own arm. He appeared to be resting. He smiled down at him and gently took his hand away, then gently ruffled his brother's hair. "Hey, little guy."
Fletcher looked up, his face stained with tears. He immediately broke into a smile. "Brother!! Brother, you're awake!!" He got up and wrapped his arms around his neck. "Oh Brother, I was so scared! I thought you were going to...leave me..."
Russell held him as best as he could, within the limits of his bandaged shoulder. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere. Didn't I swear to you I wouldn't?"
"Besides, he's too tough to go out that easy, Fletch. I trained him well!" Ed smirked as he walked into the room. "How're you doing, big guy?" he patted Russell's good shoulder gently.
"I'm ok. A bit puzzled, though. What happened? How did.."
"How did you get out alive, you mean?" Ed gave a knowing grin.
Fletcher beamed at his big brother, his hero. "Ed saved you, Brother! He told me he came to the warehouse looking for you, and found Barry just about to..to.." he looked down, not able to say the word "kill".
"What he means is that I found Barry standing over you, and I kicked his crazed butt. With my automail foot!" he let out a chuckle, remembering. "Then I bandaged your wounds and got help to get you out. "
Russell smirked at him. "Thanks. I don't blame you for getting help. I mean, even with your automail arm, if you'd have carried me over your shoulder my feet and head would've been dragging on the ground."
Ed glared at him. "WHAT WAS THAT, BEANPOLE??!!?"
Fletcher looked pleadingly at Russell. "Please, Brother, you're hurt. Don't make him mad."
Russell just smiled and kissed the top of Fletcher's head. "Aw don't worry, Fletch. I just wanted to show him I'm feeling better."
Ed managed to grin at him, secretly glad his counterpart is alright. "I already see that, Tringham. Just hurry up and get healed so we can settle this in a sparring match."
"I look forward to it, Ed." He grinned at his little hero.
THE END