The Winged Alchemist: Blood Lines
Summary: While Ed struggles to live normally, the military has found out about the power of the Dark Angel and want to use him for war. If that wasn't bad, Ed soon realizes that his own blood is killing him. Sequel to The Winged Alchemist (Revisted).
Chapter One: Eyes Full of Pain
Golden eyes opened in the middle of the night, staring up at the ceiling with an empty stare. Remaining open for the passing seconds, pain flooded into them and spread across his head, down his neck, and into his chest. It traveled down the length of his spine to the tips of his toes until he blinked, a cry escaping his lips.
Edward Elric hugged his legs to his chest and grimaced, a hot and blinding fury burning him from the inside out. He gasped, unable to breathe until finally it stopped. He stayed in his ball-like position a moment before releasing his limbs and falling back onto his bed. He panted, sweat now covering him and rolling down his temples, making his pillow moist. "What the hell was that?" He asked aloud, expecting the ceiling to have all the answers. He sighed and rolled over to his side, curling up in the fetal position and closing his eyes.
He had been having nightmares for weeks. He was fine after everything had settled down in Central. He was fine when Hughes was laid to rest and the military paid their respects. He was fine when everything had been covered up and life was ordered to go on as normal as possible. He remained fine for a year. Until that night when he was coursed with a pain so great, he couldn't even remember what his nightmare was about.
Of course, he didn't need to be reminded. His nightmares had grown so vivid he had been lucky to catch any sleep at all. Demons, angels, war, and sorrow filled his mind each night and each time, he awoke with fright and kept himself awake the rest of the night to avoid a repeat situation. Ed was surprised when sleep tugged at him as he lay there and he graciously accepted it, wanting nothing more than to get a good night's rest.
"Brother?" A hollow voice called to him what felt like minutes later and he opened his eyes to see his armored brother staring down at him from his bedside. Ed groaned, pulling the blanket over his head and cramming his face into the pillow.
"Alllll, I don't want to get up!" Ed spoke, his voice muffled. Al tugged the blanket from his grasp and grabbed him by the waist, yanking him to his feet.
"Too bad! The Colonel needs to see you, and if you're late one more time, you're gonna get us both in trouble!"
"Alright, alright, spare me the lecture!' Ed retorted, throwing the pillow down and yawning. He stumbled to the bathroom, grabbing his clothes on the way in. Al shook his head as he watched his older brother take the same pants he wore the day before, along with the shirt and undershirt.
"Brother…"
"What? I didn't do anything to stink up my clothes. What are you, my mother?"
"Sometimes I feel like it…"
"What?"
"Nothing!" Edward quickly cleaned up and they left the dorm room, heading to Mustang's office. The now 17 year old rubbed the back of his neck, a terrible feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. He sucked in a large breath and knocked, listened for Mustang's invitation, and entered. He sat down, not making eye contact with the raven haired man who sat before him. Mustang was writing something, but put his pen down and pushed the papers away from him. At her own desk, Lieutenant Hawkeye eyed his every move, but kept her mouth shut because of the brothers' presence. Ed inwardly smiled.
"Edward…would it have killed you to shower?"
"Shut it, old man." Ed spat. Roy leaned forward in his seat and folded his hands to rest his chin a top of them.
"Pipsqueak has quite the mouth today." He said with a grin.
"WHO YOU CALLIN' A PIPSQUEAK!"
"Why, you of course! You're the only one I can lose in a room! Why, the furniture stands taller than you!"
"I'M NOT SHORT!"
"Brother!" In the blink of an eye, Ed's face had turned red from anger, Roy's face turned red with hysteria, and Al was holding back his brother by the hood of his coat as he clawed to beat the older man to his wit's end. It wasn't until they all heard the uncocking of a gun's safety that they decided to calm down again.
"I wanted to talk to you about something. It involves what happened last year." Edward blinked, unsure what was going to come next.
"Yeah? What of it?"
"The Fuhrer has ordered to speak with you about your…condition." Edward felt his face pale.
"He…knows?"
"Yes. He has told me that nobody else has been notified, but he wants to evaluate you."
"You mean he wants to see if I can be a valuable weapon."
"…" Mustang looked down at his papers and then back up. "I suggest you act as normal as you possibly can. If he expects you to show off anything, tell him you aren't capable." He frowned. "I don't think it wise to go sprouting wings around everybody. Especially the higher ups who have hands on with starting wars."
Edward stayed silent, his stomach doing back flips. The last thing he wanted to become was bait for warfare to kill every man, woman, and child that crossed his path. He could imagine it now, the military claiming they had the wrath of God himself…"I can't do this."
"What?"
"I can't go through with this, Mustang. I can't take much more." Ed breathed out, tired of everything. He just wanted to be human again. He missed the days when he woke up in the morning knowing he could focus on finding a way to give his brother a flesh and bone body. Now, everything was so complicated. It wasn't fair, especially to Al.
"You have to, Ed. Don't worry. We have your back." Mustang whispered. Ed made eye contact with the man and let his shoulders droop.
"I don't need your help." Roy scoffed.
"You don't even have the energy to sound serious. What's going on? Where's the Fullmetal I know?"
"Shut up, flamer."
. . .
"Brother, are you gonna be ok?"
"I'll be fine, Al. Just wait for me at the cafeteria."
"Want me to get you some food while I wait?"
"Sure. No milk, though." Ed departed from Alphonse, walking down a long and polished hallway. At the end stood an oak door, the chimera symbolizing their military carved into it intricately. He knew by eye it had been done by hand and not alchemically produced, making him feel respect towards the individual who had taken the time to do it. He envied the person for a moment, wishing his life could be that normal.
Before he could knock on the door, it opened and he flinched away, darkness awaiting him. He took a breath and stepped inside the room, the door closing behind him. "Welcome, Fullmetal. Please, take a seat." Fuhrer Bradley's kind voice filled his ears and a light shined down on a stool in the center of the room. He was reminded of the interview he had taken before getting his pocket watch, only this time the stool had four legs instead of three. He walked to it and sat down, facing Bradley. When his eyes adjusted, he felt the urge to scream. He was surrounded by military men. Brigadier Generals and their Lieutenants. There had to have been at least 30. In the back of the room, he spotted Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Hawkeye. He made eye contact with them and they nodded their heads. He sighed. "Do you know why you're here, Edward Elric?" Bradley asked him, sitting in the center and closest to him.
"Yes, sir."
"Alright. Can you tell me what happened in the alley a year ago?"
"I believe you already know, sir." Edward said. His voice was flat, holding no emotion. He didn't think the man deserved any.
"Please, tell me what happened again."
"I'd rather not."
Bradley smiled. "It's an order."
Edward growled, his head drooping down. "I was walking down an alley because something had caught my attention. When I reached the end of it, I was faced with…a monster."
"And the monster was who?" Ed looked up, looking back at Mustang, whose fists were clenched.
"Major Maes Hughes."
"Go on."
"He attacked me."
"How did he attack you?"
"…"
"Answer."
"With claws and teeth sharper than a wild beast." Murmurs swept across the room and the Fuhrer kept his eye on Ed, his posture remaining perfect and still.
"And after that?"
"He bit me and injected me with a venom. Demon venom." The murmurs grew louder and one Brigadier from the South stood hastily from his seat.
"Absurd! You expect me to believe this rubbish?"
"Brigadier Calhoun, please sit down and listen. The boy isn't finished." The man listened and did as he was told, biting his lip to keep himself quiet. "Go ahead, Edward. Tell us the rest."
"After that, I woke up in the hospital and I was healed." Edward pursed his lips. He refused to say a word about the angel Sabina. He wouldn't give her up. It was humiliating enough that he had to tell a room full of higher ups his story of becoming a freak.
"Quit stalling, Fullmetal! I'm growing tired of your antics!" Bradley suddenly shouted, spit flying from his mouth. The room grew uncomfortably still and Roy looked at Ed with a fierce look. He was worried. Ed was worried. But he was growing angry because the expressions of the men's faces around him were those of interest and curiosity. He didn't want that.
"I've told you everything you need to know."
"The boy can heal at a fast rate? I won't believe it until I see it with my own eyes." A Lieutenant spoke from the far corner of the room. Edward scoffed, but Bradley raised a brow.
"Can we have a demonstration of your abilities, Edward?"
"I can't do anything on command, sorry." He spat, no longer hiding his irritation. I'm not a test subject, asshole!
"Oh, really?" The Fuhrer tested. Edward stood his ground.
"Really." A moment of silence passed and Bradley stood up, pulling out his long and very sharp sword. Ed instantly stood, too, backing away from the blade as it approached him. "Get the hell away from me." The older man smiled.
"Well, you said that you couldn't do it on command, so I thought I would do it in a way your body would respond."
"I didn't agree to this."
"It's not a choice, Edward."
"The hell it's not!" Blood beginning to boil, Ed felt a familiar ripple down his spine and he shouted out, painfully holding in his demonic form. Each time danger was apparent, his body seemed to instinctively change and this time it was working against him. And that was what the Fuhrer wanted.
"Come on, Ed. Just let it out. Do what's natural." Bradley hissed, holding the sword steadily and aiming to strike. Edward's eyes widened and he threw his automail arm out in front of him, blocking the first attack. On impact, he dropped to his knees and threw his head back, his skin shimmering and threatening to change into its glossy, black shell. He suppressed it, but knew everyone had seen it. Soldiers were standing in their seats now, trying their best to get a closer look. Ed screamed out again, climbing to his feet and staggering back to the wall. He was covered with a thick sheen of sweat and he thought his chest was going to burst from holding back his power. Edward, you must remain calm. Do not let your blood control you. Sabina was in his mind now and he scoffed.
Yeah, easier said than done. He dropped back to his knees, trying to catch his breath. He wouldn't be able to hold it back if Bradley attacked again. He would have no choice but to give in to his body's demands. The fuhrer approached, a bigger grin on his face. He raised the blade above their heads. Ed locked eyes with him and knew it was the end of any chance for a normal life. The military would cage him. The blade came down and his skin began to change…
But the blade never made contact and he felt his blood simmer down. Ed looked up and his eyes widened. In front of him stood Mustang, his arms out and blocking them both from the sword. Blood dripped down his arms and he glared at the King of their military. "That's enough, sir." Mustang barked defensively. Bradley returned the hateful expression.
"You dare interfere, Colonel Mustang?"
"As a member of my team of soldiers I swore to protect, yes." Bradley withdrew his sword and sheathed it at his side, his eye traveling from the raven haired man to the alchemist behind him. Ed glared, too and the Fuhrer took in a breath and plastered his smile on his face once more.
"Very well, Mustang. I'll let it slide this time. We saw a glimpse of what we came to see. That will be all. Dismissed." He looked back down at Ed. "You fight it so hard, Fullmetal. But I can see how sad you really are through your eyes. You'd be better off to just give in to your madness and make it useful for us."
The room began to empty, Roy keeping his place protectively in front of Ed until it was just them and Lieutenant Hawkeye. Once they were sure everyone else had gone, he knelt down and shook his head. Ed was still catching his breath, his automail arm wrapped around himself. He looked at the Colonel and leaned his head back against the wall. "…Thanks, Colonel." He managed through gasps of air. He shut his eyes, focusing on bringing his heart rate down. Roy frowned and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you alright?" He asked, paying no mind to his crimson covered uniform. Hawkeye knelt down next to him and wrapped his wounds, keeping silent.
"Just fucking dandy." Edward spat. Roy smiled a moment at his remark, but the expression fell from his face seconds later.
"I didn't know he had told so many others. But we shouldn't be surprised. This will only make things worse for you." He looked away and sighed. "I think you should lay low. Go back to Resembool for a while. Take your brother with you. I can try to stall whatever it is they have in mind."
"It's no use, Mustang. They'll find me wherever I go. I may as well stay and face it head on." Ed admitted, his fists beginning to shake. "I'm going back to my dorm. Al's in the cafeteria. Tell him to take a walk." Ed pulled himself up from the wall and stumbled a few steps before straightening himself up. Roy and Riza watched him until he left the room. Roy looked at his Lieutenant and frowned.
"Tell Al his brother needs some time to himself and to come see me. I'll fill him in on what happened."
"Sir."
. . .
End of Chapter one. Hope you liked it! Please review! Next chapter, Ed will be sent on a mission that will provoke his inner powers and will find out the military was behind it all. Things are going to get messy…