All right, I'll cut down bare minimum of words since I'm sure that most of you are ready to move on. This story is a sequel to my first story, 'The Demon Alchemist'. If you haven't read it, I strongly suggest that you do, or you might be confused. For all of my readers who have read the first story, get after it, I'm not stopping you!
Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do own Kararu Rinamino-Elric, Challan Rinamino, Morgan Elric, Kari Stara-Elric and Serim Mustang, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone-Tringham, I'm just borrowing.
The Demon Alchemist II: Sin's Nightmare
Chapter 1: New Life
Kararu looked around.
"Where am I…?" She asked. Finally recognizing the place, she smiled with relief. "Oh, that's right…I'm married to Ed now…have been for a long time…"
She suddenly sat up when she heard something hit the floor in the next room over. She looked in the bed to find only empty space.
"Ed?" Kararu called. She pulled the covers off her legs and swung them over the side, quickly grabbing the dagger she had transmuted before she went to bed. "Something's not right…" She thought as she slowly crept to the door.
She stuck her head out in the hallway, her crimson eyes being the only thing to glow.
"Sutra? Simon? Are you two up?" She called.
There wasn't an answer.
She looked at the closed doorway of Simon's room to see someone's feet disappear from behind it. She held in a gasp.
"This is my house…I have to see who's in it…" She thought as she slowly inched towards the door, her dagger at the ready. She gulped, her hand reaching out to grip the handle on the door.
She turned it silently then shoved it open. What she saw made her scream.
There lay Ed, in the middle of the floor, a pool of blood surrounding him.
"ED!" Kararu shrieked, then looked over at the bed. Two figures that looked almost identical to one another lay there, the crimson liquid staining the sheets around them. "SUTRA! SIMON!"
She looked over at the window to see someone jumping out of it, her eyes widening in shock and disbelief as she saw who it was just before they disappeared.
"NO!"
XxXxXxXxXxXx
Kararu sat straight up in bed, gasping for air, cold sweat trickling down the side of her cheek.
"Not that again…" Kararu grumbled, shoving her face into her hands.
"Wha'swrong?" A voice whispered groggily beside her asked.
She turned to look at the other side of the bed, whispering, "Sorry to wake you Ed…"
"You have another nightmare?" Ed asked.
Kararu nodded.
"The same one?" Ed questioned as she swung her legs off of the bed.
Kararu repeated her previous gesture.
"Where are you going?" Ed watched as she got up, pulling on a robe as she headed for the door.
"I'm going to check on the kids…" She said as she almost made it to the door.
"I'll go with you…after that, we can go make you some hot cocoa…how does that sound?" Ed asked, trying to be of some comfort to his wife, especially after the horrible nightmare she had just had.
Kararu gave him as best a smile as she could at the moment. "I…I guess." She said, then opened the door and started to walk down the hall, Ed quickly coming out of the bedroom door to catch up.
Kararu quietly made her way to the same room she had seen in her nightmare and gulped, closing her eyes before gently opening the door. She forced herself to open her eyes, hoping she wouldn't see what she had in her dream.
She sighed in relief seeing her eight-year-old son sleeping peacefully in his bed, his jet black hair with amber tips all messed and ruffled with sleep.
Kararu smiled, then gently closed the door behind her, turning to the one across the hall to open it as well. She smiled, seeing her son's twin sister sleeping on her bed, her amber hair pulled back into a braid as she slept, the end of the braid black, seeing as she had black tips.
She sighed, then closed the door. Ed took her gently by the shoulders, whispering, "Come on…let's go get you something to drink." She nodded, letting herself be led to the kitchen.
Upon arrival, Ed pulled up a stool next to the counter for her to sit on while he got her a drink. She sat, burying her face in her hands and started sobbing.
Ed immediately turned around, running over to hug her, gently rubbing her back.
"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay…it was just a dream. What's wrong?" Ed asked her.
"I…I saw…I saw who…" Kararu said through her sobs, only to break down crying before she could finish.
"Saw who?" Ed asked, then nodded. "You saw who killed us, didn't you?" He asked.
Kararu nodded, her head buried in his chest.
"Who was it?" Ed asked. Kararu shook her head.
"Will you tell me, please? I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong…" Ed said quietly.
Kararu took a deep breath, sitting up, wiping her cheeks free of tears. "Well…it was…was m-my-"
A voice from over by the door interrupted her. "Mom? What're you and Daddy doing up at this time of night?"
Kararu turned to see who had walked in. "Oh, Sutra…we were just talking. You want us to go put you back to bed?"
Sutra nodded. "I think Simon woke up too…" She said, sleepily pushing a few strands of hair out of her brown, amber speckled eyes.
"All right sweety. Come on, let's put you back to bed." Kararu said as she got up, her cup of hot chocolate forgotten.
"Mommy, why're your eyes red and puffy?" Sutra asked.
"It's nothing…I was walking down the stairs and I got some dust in them, is all." Kararu lied smoothly, not wanting her daughter to know she was having nightmares about her dying. Ed looked after her and his daughter sadly, then he walked behind them as Kararu led her back up to her room. Kararu tucked Sutra back in while Ed made sure that Simon was still asleep.
Once they made it back to their room, Ed went back over to the bed while Kararu went over to the window seat.
"Aren't you…going to sleep?" Ed asked, confused.
Kararu shook her head, pulling her knees up to her chest to hug them.
"Kararu, you know you'll get sick again if you don't sleep…remember after you had Simon and Sutra you didn't sleep and you got sick? I don't want to see you like that again…" Ed whispered as he came over to gently rub her back.
"But…if I sleep…I…I haven't told you…but I've been having nightmares…nightmares that…they're back." Kararu said, averting her eyes out the window.
"Who are 'they'?" Ed asked.
"The Homunculi…" Kararu whispered.
"They're all dead except for Wrath and Envy. You know that."
"But Ed, I made a-"
"No, Kararu. Come on, let's go to sleep. Please? I hate to see you like this…" Ed urged.
She sighed in defeat. "All right…"
Ed gave her a light smile and took her hand, leading her back over to the bed where she lay down, him behind her.
After a few minutes, Kararu heard his even breathing, indicating that he was asleep, and sighed. "I guess I'll try to sleep…" She listened to the slow, deep breathing of her husband behind her and slowly drifted off to sleep.
XxXxXxXxXxXx
xxSometime Laterxx
Kararu jolted awake to the sound of a phone ringing. Ed grumbled behind her and threw his pillow over his head, trying desperately to drown out the sound.
Kararu looked out the window to see that it was still pitch black outside.
"Who would be calling this late?" Kararu asked groggily. She reached over, picked it up, mumbling groggily, "Hello?"
"Kararu! Thank goodness someone answered!"
"Russell? What's wrong?" Kararu asked, instantly fully awake and alert by the tone in his voice. "What's the matter?"
"Well, it's…""Is it Shikou?"
Instantly, Ed's head was up and looking at her, the pillow falling from atop his head to hit the floor with a soft thump.
"Yeah…she's having the baby." Russell answered with panic clear in his voice.
"Russell, calm down. Just hurry and take her to the hospital. I'll get the twins up and we'll all be there in a minute. Meet you at the hospital?"
"Yeah, that'd be great…thanks so much…""No problem, just hurry and get her to the hospital." Kararu said.
"All right…bye." Russell said, then the line went silent.
Kararu set it down, quickly pulling the covers off of her to run over to the wardrobe to get out some clothes.
"What's going on?" Ed asked, knowing that he should get clothes on as he quickly jumped out of the bed to run over to the wardrobe as well.
"Shikou's having the baby." Kararu said, quickly pulling on the shirt she grabbed over the short nightshirt she was wearing, slipping the pants on over her short shorts. "You finish getting dressed, I'll go get Simon and Sutra up." Kararu said.
Ed nodded and she quickly ran out of the room. She ran into Simon's room first.
"Simon, honey, Mommy needs you to get up." Kararu said, gently shaking his shoulder.
"What's wrong?" He asked groggily, sitting up, rubbing his amber eyes sleepily.
"Aunt Shikou is having her baby. We need to go to the hospital." Kararu told him.
"Really?" Simon asked, instantly awake. "I'll get dressed!" He said, quickly jumping up.
Kararu smiled, then got up and ran into Sutra's room.
"Sutra, wake up." Kararu said, shaking her shoulder.
"What is it Mommy? Can't it wait?" Sutra asked, rubbing her eyes as she gave a deep yawn.
"No, it can't. Aunt Shikou is having her baby. Do you want to come or stay?" Kararu asked.
"You're telling me I'm gonna miss out on the birth if I don't go? Why didn't you wake me up sooner? Gah!" Sutra shrieked, quickly jumping up to run over to her closet. Kararu smiled, then shook her head as she ran back to her bedroom.
"All right, Ed, are you ready?" Kararu asked, quickly grabbing the keys to their car.
"Yup!" Ed yelled just as she slipped on her sandals. She quickly checked her pocket to make sure she had her State watch, Ed doing the same, before running down the hall to the kids rooms.
"You ready kids?" Kararu yelled when they were almost to the rooms.
"We're ready!" The kids yelled in unison, running out into the hallway to run after their parents.
"All right kids, we discussed this…when Shikou's having the baby-" Kararu started, but was interrupted by Sutra.
"-We have to stay outside the room."
"Right. And you can't-" Kararu started, but this time Simon was the one to interrupt her.
"-Go in to see the baby until after it's born. We know Mom, you've told us a million times."
"Simon, you can't even count to fifteen, don't even think about using the word 'million', it'll make your brain hurt." Sutra said as they finally made it outside the mansion.
"Shut up, Sutra!" Simon said, running over to the car with his sister and Ed while Kararu made sure the house was locked.
"Kids!" Kararu yelled as she ran up to the car, unlocking it so they could all climb in behind her.
"Yes ma'am." Sutra and Simon said as one as they got into the car, Ed doing the same.
Kararu started the car and drove off at full speed. No one was on the road this late at night, so she made it to the hospital in less than five minutes.
The family piled out of the car just in time to see three people running into the hospital ahead of them.
Kararu ran in first, seeing a doctor rushing away with Shikou, Russell and his six-year-old daughter Larka standing dejectedly next to the door until he saw them.
"Oh, thanks for coming on such short notice…" Russell said quietly as they ran over.
"Anything for you three." Kararu said, brushing the hair out of his face.
"Yeah…I got Al and Rose on the phone, along with Hughes and Gracia, but I couldn't get Mustang and Hawkeye…I'll try again in a minute." Russell said.
Kararu nodded. "They did say they were going to be out late tonight." Kararu said. "Come on kids, sit in the chairs, and be patient. I'm going to go give Shikou some moral support, you guys just sit tight with your father and Uncle Russell, okay?" Kararu said.
"Yes ma'am." They said in unison, sitting in the chairs, Larka walking silently to sit in a chair near them.
Kararu nodded in approval, then Ed watched as she walked through the doors after getting directions from the nurse.
"So…you nervous, Russell?" Ed asked.
"Are you kidding?" Russell asked. "Nervous doesn't even begin to explain…"
"There's nothing to worry about. You remember how worried I was when Kararu had these two? Just stay calm so you won't be running around like crazy." Ed told her.
Russell grinned. "Yeah well…Kararu doesn't have as big a temper…"
Ed looked thoughtful. "True…" Ed said, remembering when Shikou first found out that she was pregnant seven years back, remembering the tantrum she had…and it just so happened that the two were at Kararu and Ed's mansion at the time.
Flashback"TRINGHAM, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
Russell looked up with wide eyes from his book. "What'd I do?" He asked.
"I dunno." Ed said, then he saw Kararu run in through the door. "What's wrong?" He asked at seeing the look on her face.
"Russell, run!" Kararu warned him, moving out of the way.
"Why?" Russell asked, then saw Shikou running in.
"Tringham! Just wait till I get my hands on you!" Shikou yelled. Russell gulped, then ran for his life.
Kararu and Ed sat on the couch, watching them run around in circles in the living room until they ran into the kitchen.
Kararu heard pots and pans bang around, and Kararu laughed. "She's thrown everything but the kitchen sink at him!" She then stopped laughing when she heard a loud crash. "Okay, nevermind!"
End of Flashback"Yeah, I do agree with you now." Ed said. At that time, nine people ran in, Ed and Russell looking over. Kari and Elicia were the first ones in, running over to sit patiently by the twins. Rose and Al ran in, Rose carrying the two-year-old Alexander, Al holding the hand of his nine-year-old daughter Gabriella. Behind them, Hughes and Gracia ran inside, Gracia holding the hand of an eight-year-old Elizabeth.
"Hey. Kararu already ran back with Shikou, if you two want to go." Russell told Gracia and Rose. They nodded, taking off through the doors, but not before Rose could hand Alex to Al.
"Well…I guess all we can do now is wait…" Al said with a sigh, sitting down in one of the chairs on the free side of the twins.
Hughes nodded, grinning.
"And hopefully…just maybe, she won't kill you."
XxXxXxXxXxXx
xxOne Hour Laterxx
Everyone waited outside the room, waiting for someone to come and tell them how everything turned out. A minute later, they heard what sounded like someone coming out and they all stood, looking at the door.
It opened and Russell came out, beaming at them. "Guys, I'd like you to meet my daughter…and my son." He said.
"She had twins!" Kararu squeaked.
Russell nodded.
Kararu squealed quietly, then ran over and cooed over them.
"What're their names?" Gracia asked.
"The girl's name is Izumi, and the boy's name is Casey." Russell answered, his grin broadening.
They all smiled and cooed at the names until they heard a familiar child's voice behind them.
"Momma, what's wrong with Daddy? Where are they taking him? What's wrong? Why isn't he moving? Momma, what's wrong with him?"
The voice that came after it made them all go silent.
"Please…please just…" There was a sob. "Try to…stay calm, okay? Stay calm for Mommy? Please?"
"Momma, why are you crying? What's wrong with Daddy?"
"Serim…would you…take your brother to the waiting room for me, please?"
Everyone's eyes widened in shock.
"No…" Kararu whispered, turning to see Hawkeye at the end of the hallway, along with her twelve-year-old daughter Serim and her six-year-old Leroy, or Roy for short. She instantly noticed the look on Serim's face, as well as Hawkeye's. She also noticed that there was a small spatter of blood on Hawkeye's cheek, and another larger splatter on Serim's forehead, almost covering her whole face from where it had dripped when it hit.
"Momma, I don't wanna go with Serim! What's wrong with Daddy? Where are they taking him?" Roy asked as Serim tried to grab him, but he evaded her grasp.
"Roy, go with your sister."
"But Momma…"
"Leroy! Now!"
Tears streamed down Kararu and Gracia's cheeks, everyone going pale, Hughes' heart feeling like it stopped, everyone's blood running cold as they listened to Roy Mustang's sons' next statement.
"But Momma…I don't want Daddy to die!"
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I do own Kararu Rinamino-Elric, Sutra and Simon Rinamino-Elric, Challan Rinamino, Morgan Elric, Kari Stara-Elric, Alexander and Gabriella Elric, Serim and Leroy (Roy's son) Mustang, Elizabeth Hughes, and Izumi, Casey and Larka Tringham, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone-Tringham, I'm just borrowing.
Well, I got it up as fast as I could, and I even managed to add suspense, didn't I? I hope you all enjoyed it, and will continue to read!
Join me next time for:
Chapter 2: They're Back