"So how's Edward been?" Julian asked. He looked up from his tea to find Winry oiling a new auto-mail part for Ed. He was jealous of Edward, even though he had never met him. Julian had been in love with Winry since he saw her, but she paid more attention to someone she never saw then to somebody she saw everyday.
"He's been getting into trouble a lot lately. A few weeks ago while you were away he actually came by." Winry replied.
"Oh really? What did he say? What happened?" Julian asked.
"His arm was...well destroyed. It was in a million pieces. He needed a new one."
"Oh? What did you do?"
"I whacked him over the head then made him a new one from scratch. I was so pissed at that kid." Winry said angrily. Julian smiled.
"Then?"
"Oh, when I reattached his arm he left then next morning with Al." Winry said calmly.
"Were you upset by this?"
"A little. I wish he would visit more often."
"Yeah, me to." Julian added. Winry scoffed.
"Yeah right! You wish he'd fall off the face of the Earth." She laughed. Julian smiled
"I heard there was a boy named Edward Elric who became a State Alchemist at the age of 12, Riza! Tell me about him! I heard he was assigned to Colonel Mustang." Rina asked joyfully. Riza looked at her sister and smiled.
"He's a very smart boy. He's only fifteen now, but he's already either that same as or surpassed his superiors in both intelligence and experience. He's a true genius and prodigy." Riza replied to her sister. Rina closed her eyes softly.
"What's the catch?" She said calmly. Riza laughed then sipped her tea.
"He's a hot-headed kid! And...he's got a real intense and pain-ridden past."
"Oh, really? Tell me all about him."
Riza sighed. "When he was 5 or 6 the poor boy's mother died from an illness. He was left to take care of his younger brother, Alphonse. They trained and trained with an alchemy teacher never telling anyone they'd planned on using Human Transmutation."
Rina gasped. "No.."
"Yes, and once they had finished training they headed straight home to try to bring their mother back. They'd gotten all the ingredients to make a human, but it failed."
"Of course."
"And! Alphonse lost his entire body, while Ed lost his left leg. Ed had crawled over to a suit of armor in the corner and preformed a perfect soul transmutation."
"No way!"
"Yeah! But in doing so, he lost his right arm. Al rushed him over to their friend old lady Pinako and she saved Edward from bleeding to death. After, Colonel Mustang and I searched for the Elric Brothers, they were said to be very talented alchemists. When we got to their house, the back room was covered with blood. Mustang looked everywhere for those boys and finally found them at Pinako's. He hated Edward once he had seen what he'd done, but stopped once he had saw how sorry he and his brother were. And saw the soul transmutation. He offered Ed the job as a State Alchemist and said they should try to find a way to restore their bodies through that. Ed ordered auto-mail from Pinako and her grand-daughter Winry. They outfitted Ed with auto-mail and a year later they came to Mustang requesting to take the State Alchemist test. He said they could. Ed did and he passed with flying-colors. He can transmute without a circle too."
"No way! That's almost impossible!"
"Almost and he can."
"Wow. I've got to meet this kid!"
"I don't know where he is."
"Okay, but can you tell me what they're doing now?"
"They're searching for the Philosopher's Stone. They seek to restore their bodies with it."
"Oh. Well what's this kid look like?"
"Edward has blond hair and deep, kind, friendly golden eyes. His right arm and left leg are steel auto-mail and he's only about 4'9!" Riza laughed. Rina did too.
"I can't wait to meet this kid." Rina sighed happily
"Brother!" Alphonse yelled. He couldn't move to reach his brother, he was chained to a wall and hung upside-down. His helmet had fallen off his armor body, but he could still watch his brother fight for their lives. A man in a suit of armor stabbed Edward brutally in the stomach and retracted his sword. Ed stumbled back a few steps then stood still. He'd already had his chest slashed and shoulder cut open. Ed paused. He stumbled back another few steps then hit the wall. The armored man ran towards Ed. "Brother!" Al yelled.
Ed watched as the man ran toward him, sword pointed for his head. Ed clapped his hands and slammed his fist into the man's armored stomach. The armor split in half and the man jumped out.
"What have you done to my armor? " The man yelled.
"I used alchemy to destroy it." Edward laughed. The man paused.
"There are three stages in alchemy: Construction, Deconstruction, and Reconstruction. You stopped at stage two, deconstruction."
"Yup, you finally got something right!" Ed laughed, but stopped when he realized the man was still putting up a fight. The man grabbed the sword and ran towards Ed. Edward ducked as the man swung at his head. Ed back-flipped as the man tried to stab Ed's stomach again. Edward clapped his hands and transmuted his right arm's protective plate into a hand dagger. Ed ran towards the man and slashed the hand that held his sword. The man yelled in pain and Ed picked the sword up. The man growled and clamped his hands together. While Ed picked to sword up the man struck Edward's head. Ed hit the ground, the sword piercing hit upper-chest slightly. Ed stood and snickered. Ed transmuted his right arm back to normal and grabbed the man by his hair and dragged his head down. Ed kneed his stomach hard. The man gagged for a second then fell over on the ground in pain. Ed picked the sword up and through it over to the other side of the room. He walked over to Al.
"Brother! You're bleeding!" Al said. Ed smiled. He felt kind of lightheaded and wasn't thinking straight.
"Yeah, I guess so." He laughed. Ed unhooked his brother. Al thanked him and walked over to the man. He wrapped the chains around his hands then picked him up.
"Should we leave, brother?" Al asked. Ed was leaning on the wall.
"I gue...guess...-" Ed fainted from blood loss before he could finish his sentence.
"Brother!" Al yelled. He dropped the man, who grunted angrily when he hit the floor, and ran to his brother's side. Al sighed and opened up his chest plate. He put Edward inside.
"You'll be safe there brother." Al said and picked the man back up. Al jogged out and headed for the nearest police station, unaware that his brother may bleed to death. He turned in the man and walked carefully to the nearest hospital. He saw Ross on his way there. She ran up to him.
"Hi, Al!" She said.
"Hi, second Lt. Ross!" Al greeted her. Ross looked at Al's legs.
"Alphonse, why is there blood dripping down you're legs?" Al looked down, then remembered what had happened to his brother and realized why he had fainted.
"Oh, No!" Al yelled.
"What is it?" Ross asked.
"Brother, he's hurt!" Al said and opened his chest plate. Ross looked inside. She gasped at how much blood there was and grabbed Ed.
"Why didn't you take him to the hospital?" Ross yelled as she cradled Ed in her lap on the ground.
"I didn't know he was hurt this bad! He didn't show any signs of pain!" Al yelled nervously.
"Let's go, Al! He's lost to much blood!" Ross said. Al nodded and picked Edward up gently. Ross led Al to the hospital quickly. They walked into the lobby.
"Ma'am this boy needs to be taken to the emergency room! He's going to bleed to death!"
The woman looked over and saw Ed. She gasped and nodded.
The phone rang as Winry finished the last touches on Ed's auto-mail. She walked over to the phone and picked up.
"Hello, Rockbell Prosthetics, how can I help you?" She answered cheerfully.
"Hello, is this the Rockbell resident?" A woman asked.
"Yes, Winry speaking."
"Oh, hello, Winry."
"Hello?"
"I'm second Lt. Ross, from Central. I'm here to tell you-"
"This is about Edward. What did he do this time?"
"Uh, He's been seriously injured. He's in the hospital. His brother requested you."
"Al did?"
"Yeah. It would great if you could arrive as soon as possible."
"Alright, I'm on my way!" Winry said devotedly and hung up. She put her gloves away and grabbed her coat. "I have to go see Ed, alright Julian?" Winry said as she grabbed Ed's auto-mail to put it away.
"What's wrong?" Julian asked.
"Ed's been hospitalized." Winry said as she put Ed's auto-mail on a shelf nearby."Oh, really? How interesting."
"Yeah, and I have to go see him. So I'll see you later, Julian." Winry said then left. She walked to the train station and headed for Central.
Riza let her sister's phone ring twice before answering.
"Hello, Hawkeye resident." Riza said.
"Hello, Is Riza Hawkeye there?" A man asked.
"Speaking."
"I know it's you're day off, but you must report back to H.Q." The man said.
"Fury?"
"Yeah, It's me. Please Hawkeye, please report to H.Q."
"Why?"
"It's about Edward."
"Oh, alright."
"Yay! Thank you." Fury said and they both hung up. Riza looked at Rina.
"Wanna meet the Fullmetal Alchemist?""Yeah!" Rina accepted the offer gladly. Riza smiled.
"I can't believe you're only 18." Riza laughed. They left and drove towards Central.
Ed awoke strapped onto a gurney. He looked to his left and right and saw people hurrying him somewhere.
"Hey, where am I?" Ed asked one of them calmly. They looked at him fearfully.
"You're in the hospital, son!" One answered. Ed laid back down.
"Oh..great." He said sarcastically. One laughed. Ed sighed as he was pushed into a doctors' office. They sat him on the table and forced him to lay down. A guy with a white lab coat on cut Edward's shirt in two. Great, something else I have to fix when I'm out of here. Ed thought. They started disinfecting Ed's wounds and wiping the blood away. Ed winced every time they touched him. They finally started stitching his wounds shut. They started with his shoulder. Then they moved onto his chest. They stopped when they saw the stab wound in this stomach. They doctors looked at each other then at Ed's relaxed and impatient face as if this was nothing. Which it was for Edward. He was looking out the window. He saw Al and Winry. He smiled happily like a child. The doctors looked at Ed confused.
"Why are you smiling, boy? Aren't you in pain?" One asked. Ed still smiled at Winry and Al.
"Not really, I've been through worse." Ed commented. They looked at Ed's auto-mail.
The doctors started talking among themselves.
"It's gone all the way through."
"How could this kid stand this much pain and be smiling?"
"I don't know. But we'll have to perform surgery on this wound." One doctor concluded. Ed stopped smiling and sat up.
"What? Surgery? It's not that serious!" Ed argued. The doctors looked at each other for a second then forced Ed back down on the table.
"We need to perform surgery to close this wound." One said. Ed looked angrily at the wall.
"Do what you have to, just don't put me to sleep. I can handle it." Ed grumbled. The doctors nodded and started the surgery. Ed didn't cry or moan once throughout it. The worst he did was wince sometimes. Ed actually fell asleep out of boredom near the end of it. The doctors were stunned. When they finished, they sewed Ed back up and rolled him into one of the rooms. They set him gently on the bed and left with the gurney.
Winry and Al waited by the door. They were waiting for Ed, but he had left through the other door. A doctor came out. Winry stood quickly.
"Is he going to be alright?" She asked him. The doctor laughed.
"Yes, of course. He is one strong boy. He didn't make a sound throughout the entire surgery. He actually requested we didn't put him to sleep, but he fell asleep on his own near the end anyway!" He laughed loudly.
"Uh, sir. May we asked which room he's in?" Al asked.
"Yes, room 257." The man answered.
"Thank you!" Winry and Al said in unison. They had to walk through the waiting room to get to room 257 of course though. Ross, Armstrong, Mustang, Rina, and Riza were waiting for either Ed or Al to pass by. Ross ran up to them.
"Hello, Al! Who's this?" She asked.
"I'm Winry Rockbell." Winry introduced herself.
"Oh, you must be Edward's girlfriend that he talks so mush about." Ross lied happily.
"He calls me his girlfriend?" Winry blushed wildly.
"Yes, he's always saying how kind and sweet you were to give him his auto-mail and what a great mechanic you are!" Ross lied a lot. Winry blushed more than she ever had before.
"Uh-" Al began.
"Winry Rockbell It's a pleasure to see you again! How have you been?" Armstrong inquired.
"I've been great Major Armstrong. What about you?"
"Oh, Thank you for asking Miss Winry! I have been wonderful!" He laughed. Rina ran up to Winry.
"Can you take me to Edward Elric? He's my hero! I'm his number one fan!" Rina asked enthusiastically. Winry smiled.
"Sure!" She said. Rina looked at Alphonse. She gasped.
"You must be Alphonse Elric! Edward's little brother!" She squealed. She hugged Al joyfully.
"I'm so glad to meet you! I'm Rina Hawkeye!" She said as she let Al go.
"Oh, Would you happen to be first Lt. Hawkeye's sister?" Al asked.
"Yup! Riza's my big sis! She was visiting me and was telling me all about you and Edward! I'm you guy's biggest fans!" Rina was jumping up and down now. "Let's go see Ed now!"
"Uh, wait. I think he's asleep." Al said. Rina looked at him.
"Why? It's the middle of the day." She asked curiously. Al laughed nervously.
"Well, we had a rough morning." Al said.
"Oh, I'll be really quiet!" Rina promised. Al cocked his head,
"Alright?"
"Yay! Let's go!" Rina squealed. Al and Winry started leading them all to room 257.
"You're sister is really annoying." Mustang commented to Riza.
"I know. But it's her birthday." Riza said "She turns 18 today."
Al peeked into Ed's room silently.
"Yup, he's asleep." Al said and walked in. Everyone followed. Rina ran up to Ed's bedside. She listened to his steady soft breathing. Then stood next to him.
"He's so adorable!" She whispered. Al and Winry laughed. "He's just like how sister described him! Golden blond hair that shimmers in the sun! Flawless facial features and...and...We have to wake him up. I must see his eyes." Rina demanded. Al put his hands out.
"Uh, no. You shouldn't. Brother doesn't like being waken." Al warned her. Thinking the only way to wake him up is to- Rina interrupted Al's thoughts.
"He's such a runt too, just like Riza said!" Ed's eyes shot open and he sat up violently.
"Don't call me-!" The pain struck mercilessly. His head fell. "Ow..."
"You're just like Riza described you!" Rina said. Ed looked at Rina.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"I'm Rina Hawkeye." She said happily. Ed thought for a second.
"Great," He held out his hand "I'm Edward Elric, nice to meet you." He smiled. Rina blushed immensely. This was always how he greeted pretty woman now. Winry looked at him. She'd never seen his greet anyone like that.
"That's new. I've never seen you greet anyone like that." Winry said suspiciously. Ed looked at her curiously.
"Really?" Ed asked. Al leaned in close to Winry and everyone so only they could here.
"Brother greets all the pretty girls he meets like that now. He's such a player." Al laughed.
Everyone laughed.
"What did you tell them?" Ed yelled. Al laughed more. Rina looked clueless, but she forgot about it right away. She leaned over to Ed and hugged him lovingly. Now Ed was confused. He had never been hugged like this before. It was more like a loving embrace. Like mother... Ed thought. He started blushing immensely. He couldn't control it. Everyone laughed except Winry and Al.
Everyone left except Al, Winry, Riza, and Rina. Which is pretty much only Ross and Mustang.
"Rina, you can drive yourself home, correct?" Riza asked.
"Yes, sister. I'll drive myself home later." Rina replied.
"Alright then. Goodnight, sister." Riza said and left. Al and Winry were going to find a hotel later.
"Hey, Winry?" Rina asked.
"Yeah?"
"Do you think I could bunk with you tonight?"
"Sure."
"Great! I was hoping I could come again tomorrow to visit Ed. If it's okay with you." She asked Edward, hoping he would say it's alright. Every time Ed saw Rina, he remembered his mother. She was just so much like her, in actions, personality, stuff like that.
"Of course!" Ed smiled happily. It was seeing his mother. He couldn't say no to her. Rina looked at her watch. She gasped.
"It's so late! Winry I'll call you to tell you which hotel I picked out for us!" Rina said and left.
"It's only 8 o'clock." added Al. He and Winry looked at Ed. He was smiling happily at the doorway where Rina had left.
"Do you miss her already?" Winry said sarcastically. Ed looked surprised then irritated.
"Of course not!" Ed yelled at her.
"Oh, really. I bet you're in love with her already." Winry said. Ed blushed.
"No!" He looked away. He was in love with her, but in a platonic way. The way he loved Al. It's not supposed to be like this. I shouldn't love her. Not in this way at least. I should at least feel sexually attracted to her! Ed thought. Winry got up.
"Bye, Ed. Thank you for the complements on my auto-mail," Winry said thinking of what Ross had said "I'm going to catch up to Rina." She said and waved goodbye. Ed waited for him not to be able to see her, then he turned to Al.
"Al! I'm in love with Rina!" Ed told him frantically.
"Great! She's a great girl!" Al said.
"Not that way! I love her in a platonic way!" Ed stressed this.
"Uh, is that bad?"
"Yes it's bad! She reminds me of mom! I love her like I love mom! I can't say 'no' or anything like that to her! This is horrible! What if she dies, Al?" Ed yelled.
"She's not going to die!" Al insisted. Ed covered his head.
"This is really bad." He mumbled. He laid down.
"Brother, when she goes home, you'll forget about her. I know you will, you always find another girl."
The two of them talked about this until 10 o'clock.
"Brother, visiting hours are long over. I have to go." Al said. Ed sighed.
"Alright. Bye, Al. Goodnight." Ed said.
"Goodnight, brother." Al said and left. Ed laid down in the dark room and fell asleep.
Ed woke up rather late the next morning. He looked over to the left of the room. Armstrong was there holding gauze and scissors. He smiled at Edward.
"Hey, morning Major Armstrong." Ed greeted him and sat up slowly.
"Good day, Edward. You know it's around noon right?" Armstrong asked.
"No, why?"
"The changing of you're gauze is long overdue!" Armstrong walked towards Ed.
"Uh, no. It's okay. I can just have a nurse do it!" Ed said nervously. A nurse walked in then and snatched the gauze and scissors from Armstrong.
"I can do it." She insisted. Armstrong smiled.
"Very well, you are the medical professional!" He laughed. She smiled. Ed took his shirt off and set of beside him. Just then, Rina and Winry walked in. Rina gasped.
"He's so muscular!" She gasped. Ed smiled happily at the sight of Rina. He didn't care what she said. Winry rolled her eyes. Rina ran over to Ed to admire his muscularity and confidence in his body.
"She wouldn't shut up about you all night." Winry said as she sat beside Ed. Ed smiled.
"Oh, really?" He laughed. The nurse pushed Rina beside so she could put new gauze on Ed. She took it off carefully. Rina and Winry looked at the large stitches on Ed's shoulder, chest, and stomach. Rina pointed out the stab on Ed's stomach.
"Its looks like you had surgery there." She commented. Ed smiled sheepishly.
"Yeah, that's where I got stabbed." He said sheepishly as well.
"Stabbed?" The girls said in unison. Ed remembered he hadn't told them about the battle.
"Uh..yeah..I was in a rough fight. The guy got me a few times, but I kicked his ass." Ed told them reassuringly. Winry rolled her eyes while Rina's eyes glimmered with love.
"Cool!" Rina said excitedly. The nurse finished wrapping Ed with gauze and left. Ed started to put his shirt on when Rina touched his chest. He paused and looked at her. Rina ran her fingers gently down Ed's chest and to the top of his pants. Rina looked at him. Ed's face was as red as a strawberry and was as hot as boiling water.
"Uh..." Ed said. Rina put her hand on his chest. Winry looked at them. It was as if she wasn't there. Ed's face was redder and hotter than ever. Rina took her hand away and giggled. Ed put his shirt on. "Okay..?" Ed muttered. She didn't remind him of his mom anymore. He wasn't in love with her anymore, but he felt something. Ed turned away from the girls. He didn't know what to say. The only girl he had ever really talked to was Winry. Ed looked around for Armstrong. He had left. It was only Ed, Winry, and Rina. Hell no. AH! Ed thought. Then Al came to the rescue.
"Al! I'm so glad you're here!" Ed said happily. Al looked at Ed, sitting in his hospital bed a beautiful girl on either side of him.
"Uh?" Al started to walk away.
"Al, don't go!" Ed yelled to him. But he was gone. Ed laughed nervously.
"So...uh how'd last night go?" Ed asked them. He was so nervous.
"Oh! It was great! Winry is really cool!" Rina said happily. Winry smiled.
"Thanks! We're good friends now!" Winry added. Ed felt a wave of relief.
"That's great!" He said. They were all smiling now. Suddenly Ed's right arm collapsed. Only he noticed. He looked down at his arm. "What the hell?" He said.
"What?" Asked Winry.
"My arm...It..I can't move it..." He said. Winry looked at it.
"Take you're shirt off." She said. Ed did as he was told. Rina was again hypnotized by his abs. Winry was used to them though. "Lay on you're stomach." She said. Ed did. Winry sat on Ed's back and looked at his auto-mail. Ed laid there, his face heating up. Rina got onto the bed and sat where Winry used to be sitting. She adjusted the auto-mail. She got off him then. Ed was relieved that nobody saw them. Ed got out of bed then. He stood and stretched, but as he did, something tore.
"Ow..." He mumbled. He looked down. His stomach was bleeding. "Aw, shit." He said. He sat on the bed. The girls noticed the blood
"Ed! What did you do!" Winry yelled at him.
"I didn't do anything!" He argued. Winry picked up the scissors.
"Lay down!" She commanded. By this time Ed was all the way on the bed.
"No! Don't do anything! I'll be fine!" Ed insisted. Winry tried making him lay down, but she couldn't get the right angle. Finally she sat on him and held his arms down on the mattress. They glared at each other angrily. Just then Lt. Colonel Hughes walked in with Al. They stopped as soon as they saw Ed.
"Uh..I can see you're busy..I'll come back later.." Hughes said and ran away. Al just stared.
"Brother..uh...I guess I should...go...?" Al said and ran after Hughes. He shut the door behind him. Ed looked back a Winry.
"Can't you see how much trouble you're causing!" Ed yelled at her. She stopped and sat up. She teared up slightly. "Winry! Sorry! I didn't mean it that way!" Ed tried desperately to calm her down. Winry whipped out a wrench from her pocket and hit Ed over the head with it. "Ow! Dammit, Winry! What the hell?" He yelled.
"Lay down!" She commanded. Ed did. He was nervous that if he didn't she would hit him again.
Winry started to cut off the gauze. She was calm now. Winry was an amateur doctor. She was the one, along with Pinako, who outfitted Ed with auto-mail.
"Look, Ed. You opened the wound on the stomach, you dummy." She said. She grabbed a needle from a drawer a few feet away and started sewing the wound shut. Ed looked out the window. It was raining outside. Pouring actually. Ed saw some lightening.
"What a sad day. I'm glad I'm not outside." Ed commented sadly. Winry nodded.
"How bad would it be?" She asked.
"It wouldn't be that bad. Not bad enough to stop me from moving." Ed said. Winry nodded again. When she finished she put new gauze on him.
"All done!" She said happily. Rina giggled. Ed sat up slowly. Ed got out of bed though.
"Where are you going?" asked Rina. Ed put his shirt on.
"I'm going to go find Al. He probably won't come back here for a few hours, so I should find him." Ed said. He put on his crimson coat. "He's never walked in on me having sex before. He'll be totally freaked out." Ed laughed. Winry scoffed.
"We weren't having sex! Plus we all know you're a virgin!" She yelled at him. Ed's face blushed.
"You are too! Unless you've already gone to it with Julian." Ed laughed. This time Winry blushed.
"Just go find Al and explain to him what happened!" Winry yelled. Ed grinned and left. For some reason it was really cold that day to Ed. Why the hell is it so cold? It's only autumn. Ed thought. He finally found Al in the waiting room. Hughes was talking to someone.
"You okay, Al?" Ed asked as he sat beside him."Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little shell-shocked." Al commented. Ed laughed.
"We weren't doing what you think we were! Winry was just trying to hold me down so she could re-close my wound!" Ed laughed. Al looked at him.
"You opened it?" He asked.
"Not on purpose. I was just stretching when the damn thing opened." Hughes walked over to Ed smiling.
"I didn't know you worked even where you're hospitalized, Ed!" He laughed.
"We weren't doing that! She was just holding me down!" Ed argued. Al butted in.
"He's still a virgin, Lt. Colonel Hughes!" Al laughed. Hughes laughed harder.
"No I'm not!" Ed yelled. He pouted while Al and Hughes laughed at him.
"Oh, yeah? When?" Al inquired.
"Remember Rose?" Ed asked.
"No you didn't!" Al yelled. Hughes just kept laughing.
"You don't believe me? Ask her!" Ed said proudly. Al and Hughes laughed. Ed got up and left then.
Ed looked out the cafeteria windows. It was sunny a little bit.
"I should go for a walk. Nothing better to do." Ed said. He thought he wouldn't need to be hospitalized anymore anyway, but why discharge himself? He could leave then come back later. Ed went to his room. No one was there. They must have left to find Al themselves. Ed thought. He looked through a few drawers and found his clothes. He put them on then wrote a note for Al and the others. It read.
Al and Winry, I've left to go for a short walk. Be back soon,
"This should suffice." Ed said and left. He looked at the sky. It was sunny enough he could go for a short walk. It wouldn't be raining in an hour. Or so he thought.
Ed walked down an alley way to get to his favorite treat shop.
"Why not treat myself?" He asked. He walked into the store. The man at the counter recognized Ed.
"Hello, Edward! How may I help you today?" He asked cheerfully. Ed laughed.
"Just some sweet tea, thanks!" He said. The man grabbed something from under the counter.
"Ah, holding back today, huh?" He asked.
"I'm not aloud to eat to much candy for awhile." Ed laughed. The man handed Ed his tea and Ed handed him the cash. Ed started drinking it right away. He got halfway down the alley when someone tripped him. "What the hell? You made me spill my tea!" He yelled. He stood up, and a guy emerged from the shadows. Ed glared at him. "You know, that cost a lot money!" He yelled. The man smiled.
"And you must have a lot of money to be able to buy something that expensive." He growled. Ed looked at the guy suspiciously.
"You're not getting any of it, either." Ed said. He started walking away, but four other guys were guarding the exit. Ed sighed. "I really didn't want to have to fight you." Ed said. The guy behind Ed ran at him. Ed turned and the guy ran right into Ed's outstretched leg. The guy's stomach heaved while he laid on the ground. The other three guys ran at Ed screaming. Ed sighed. He jumped above then and smashed his feet into the middle guy's face as he looked up and slammed the guys on his left and right's heads together. Suddenly it started sprinkling lightly. Ed looked up. The sky was gray.
"Shit..." He mumbled. Suddenly he felt something stab into his back. Ed reached behind him and pulled it out. It was just a small pocket knife. Ed through it on the ground. The man who'd stabbed him struck Ed across the face with another pocket knife. It didn't go deep though. Ed clapped his hands and transmuted spikes onto his right fist. Ed punched the guy hard in the stomach. The guy fell. It started to down pour. Ed hunched over his stumps aching majorly. Another guy stood in front of Ed. He picked up Ed from the shirt and held him so his feet didn't touch the ground. He slammed Ed's head into one of the walls. Ed felt something snap inside him.
"Ah!" Ed yelled. The pain was suddenly almost to much to bear. "What the hell did you do?" Ed asked him calmly. The man started choking Ed. Ed slapped his hands on the man's wrist. The guy smiled. Ed lifted his left leg silently and kicked the guy in the crotch. The man fell on the ground moaning. Ed heard a gun cock. He turned quickly, another guy had a gun pointed at Ed.
Winry picked up the note and turned to Rina and Al.
"It says: 'Al and Winry, I've left for a short walk. Be back soon.'" Winry read it aloud. They all looked out the window. It was worse than it had been earlier. The lightening was much closer and it was raining even harder.
"We have to go find him!" Al said and started walking briskly down the hall. Rina and Winry followed. When they came to the waiting room Mustang and Hawkeye were there.
"Where are you going?" Hawkeye asked.
"We're going to find brother." Al said.
"He's outside in this mess?" Mustang asked, obviously concerned.
"Well, I'm sure he thought it wouldn't start raining like this again, but he's it trouble. When you have auto-mail you're stumps ache in bad weather. This is bad enough Ed must be paralyzed by the pain!" Winry explained. Rina gasped.
"Come on." Mustang said. They all left then on a search for Edward.
The gun fired, but just as it did Ed hunched over and vomited.
"So scared you puked, kid?" He asked then laughed.
"No...," Ed said "Just the weather..." He ran and slammed his right hand into the barrel of the gun. He crushed is easily. The man gasped. Ed ripped the gun out of his hand and hit the guy over the head with the butt of it. Ed sighed. He felt a sharp pain in between his neck and auto-mail. It was something deep in there and felt like it was crawling inside him. Ed stood up straight, completely freaked out by this feeling and ripped the thing out of his neck. It looked like a sea urchin. "What the hell is this?" He asked himself. Another thing hit his neck, then back, then left shoulder. He felt something cold rush through him suddenly. He fell onto the ground. "What..is this?" He mumbled. A man behind him laughed.
"They're called Wikas'. They admit a deadly poison to whomever they touch. First they attach themselves to you're skin, then dig into it. They stab you with a needle they have and inject you with a poison unknown to man. All they know is that it kills anything within 12 hours. There's only one cure and I'm not going to tell you." He laughed. Ed glared at him. "Oh, yeah and it's extremely painful." He said and left.
"Great. Just more-" He stopped as the pain of the poison finally hit him...everywhere.
"AH!" He shrieked, his voice broke as well. He fell onto the ground, breathing heavily. It was like 1000 needles stabbing you everywhere, then having lemon juice poured on it, and more stabbing over and over. Ed shrieked again. It was extreme pain, more than Ed had ever imagined.
Winry heard a second screech. They all did. Everyone ran toward the screaming. It sounded exactly like Edward. They all ran to a dark alley outside a candy store called National Candies. Winry saw him first, mostly because she was way ahead of them all. Ed was leaning on the wall. She saw something in his hand move slightly.
"AH!" Ed shrieked again. Blood spurt out from behind the thing in his hand. It was literally digging. Ed grabbed it and ripped it out of his hand. He winced as his did. He through it on the ground. Winry watched horrified as she saw his blood covered body. The last time she'd seen him this blood covered was when he lost his arm and leg. The wikas had all literally dug into Edward's flesh and every minute were shooting more poison into his bloodstream, causing immense pain. He couldn't help but scream aloud when they did. It was the worst pain in the entire world. They dug in deeper every time they injected him too. Everyone had caught up to Winry now. They were all panting except Al. Abruptly, they saw blood squirt from all the spots the wikas' were.
"AH!" Ed shrieked for the fourth time. He tried standing. He ripped the wikas on his shoulder out. As he did he winced. Red and black liquid poured from Ed's wound. Ed threw the creature onto the ground, he fell on his hands and knees.
"Al..." Ed let out quivering breaths. Then shuddered violently. "Take them out." He ordered. Al ran over to his brother.
"What?" He asked.
"Take the damn creatures out of me!" Ed yelled into the ground. Al saw the strange sea urchin types things on Ed's neck, shoulder and back.
"What are they?" Al asked wildly.
"Just rip them out, Al!" Ed demanded. Al paused as the things moved and blood and flesh squirted out behind them. Ed shrieked again. "Now!" He yelled again painfully. Al ripped them out violently. Ed relaxed and was breathing again though it was heavy. It was still down pouring. Ed tensed again and vomited onto the ground. Al picked him up and turned Ed over. He was unconscious, and he looked bad. Al walked up slowly to the others. Hawkeye touched Ed's neck. She gasped.
"He barely has a pulse! We need to get him help now!" She ordered. They all headed quickly the hospital.
Ed awoke in the same hospital room he had been in before. Nobody was there. He was alone again. Ed sat up quickly. Where is everyone? He thought. Ed got up and stood up the floor. He was suddenly dizzy. He fell onto his hands and knees. Ed got himself steady then stood again. He thought back. He remembered everything up until he vomited last. Ed walked over to a coat hanger. His jacket was the only one there. It was torn slightly. Ed set it on the floor and transmuted it to it's original way, except for it being slightly thinner. He put it on. It was still cold for some reason. Ed looked at his platform shoes sitting by the door. They were neat and clean. Ed walked to the window. He looked at the ground from his fourth story window. Mustang and Hawkeye were entering the building with a suitcase.
"Why does Hawkeye have a suitcase with her?" Ed asked himself. Ed suddenly felt the same pain he'd felt yesterday. He fell onto his hands and knees. His mouth opened. Ed gasped twice at the immense pain rushing through him. Thousands and thousands of needle hitting him at once. Ed shut his eyes tightly and stood up. He stumbled over to the trash can and vomited in it. He stood again and wiped his mouth. Ed collapsed onto the bed. He sat up and covered his face with his hands. He wiped his face subtly. Ed sighed. The pain had lessened slightly. Winry walked in then.
"Hey! You're awake!" She said happily. Winry was holding a basket of candy.
"Candy?" Ed asked. She smiled.
"I thought you wouldn't be feeling to good and brought over some candy for Rina, You and me to share." Winry replied cordially. Ed smiled.
"Thanks..." He said blankly. Suddenly it felt like another hundred needle struck him where the wikas things had been. He gasped slightly and shut his eyes tightly.
"What's wrong? More pain?" Winry asked. Ed nodded sheepishly. "Don't worry. Miss Riza is here with the antidote. She'll be in with Colonel Mustang soon."
"Great..." Ed mumbled. "Where's Al?"
"Oh, he's with Rina. They were chatting all about you earlier." Winry said.
"Oh..." Ed held his head for a minute. Breathing as calmly and quietly as possible. He'd learned that doing this subsided pain.
"What are you doing?" Asked Winry.
"Trying to relax..." Ed said painfully. He stopped though since it wasn't helping. He laid down, but sat back up as Al and Rina entered. Ed's pain subsided.
"Hi, Ed!" Rina said happily.
"Brother, you're awake!" Al said excitedly. Rina ran right over to Ed and hugged him.
"I was so scared you were going to die!" Rina literally cried with tears of joy into Ed's coat. She hugged him tightly as if they were dating. Nobody noticed, but Ed was almost crying to from all the pain Rina was causing him. She let him go. He almost collapsed.
Ed smiled sheepishly as his face got redder. Rina giggled happily. Winry remembered what Ross had told her suddenly about Ed saying they were dating and bragging about her skills.
"Oh, Ed!" Winry said cheerfully.
"Yeah, Winry?" Ed replied.
"I can't believe you told everyone what a great mechanic I am!" Winry thanked Ed joyfully.
"Uh...okay?" Ed was confused. What the hell is she talking about? He thought.
"I also can't believe you told everyone we're dating either!" Winry was full of joy at this thought. She'd always liked Ed and she'd grown to have a huge crush on him.
"What? I never told anyone that!" Ed argued. Winry was crushed.
"You didn't?" She said.
"No! Who told you that?" Ed said angrily.
"Lt. Ross told be that you'd been telling everyone that we were boyfriend and girlfriend and that you were always bragging about how great a mechanic I am." Winry said sadly.
"Oh, Winry. You gullible girl." Ed laughed.
"What? Shut up!" Winry yelled. Ed kept laughing.
"I would never tell anyone that!" He laughed. Winry teared up. Ed stopped laughing. "Winry...I didn't mean too.." He started.
"You jerk!" She screamed and whacked him with a wrench. Ed rubbed his head.
"Ow!" He yelled with emphasis. Winry glared at him still teary eyed.
"Winry. You're the best mechanic in the world. I just never tell anyone because it's never brought up or I'm busy." Ed said gently. Al was amazed. He never saw his brother being that nice to anyone. Ed was about to pat Winry's head when the pain struck him again. The same as yesterday and earlier. A thousand needles stabbing into him over and over. Ed's pupils shrunk immensely and his lips parted slightly. He let out a small "ah". As the pain coursed through him. He was frozen and there was no way to stop the pain. He felt like he was about to die. Rina looked at Ed's face. His eyes were full of pain and torture. She gasped. Winry looked up at Ed's face. She saw it too. Ed shut his eyes and leaned back slowly.
"Brother?" Al asked as he touched Ed's arm.
"Ah!" Ed yelled. "Don't touch me!". Al retracted his arm quickly. Ed sat there eyes shut tight, face cringed, hands grabbing at the sheets violently. This pain was almost unbearable. Ed wished he would just pass out or something. Why is this happening? Why hasn't anyone given me the antidote yet? Ed screamed in his head.
Finally the pain passed. Ed opened his eyes, full of relief. They were all staring at him. Sweat was dripping down Ed's forehead.
"What was that?" Winry asked. Ed fell into his bed.
"Just some deadly poison coursing through my veins." Ed muttered. Rina and Winry looked at Ed totally frightened while Al left quickly.
"Where are you going?" Rina asked.
"I'm going to find Hawkeye with the antidote." Al said devotedly and left. Rina looked back at Ed. His eyes were shut tight again and he was almost tearing the sheets.
"Is that pain back?" Rina asked.
"Yeah...I wish I...would just pass..out." Ed replied through clenched teeth. Rina and Winry looked at each other. Ed finally relaxed and his breathing became heavy again instead of none. He laid on his back exhausted from the strain on his body. Al came in with Riza and Mustang then. Ed didn't even look up. He was so exhausted. "He's been in so much pain." Winry told them. They both looked at Ed's sweat-ridden face and saw his heaving chest.
"Well, we'd better give him the antidote soon." Riza said. She started opening the suitcase on the floor.
"What do you say, Ed?" Rina asked. Ed smiled weakly.
"Yeah..." He said. Ed looked at it. She was holding a bottle full of a thick, crimson liquid. Ed recalled it immediately.
"That's...blood?" Ed said nervously.
"Yes. It's human blood." Mustang said. Winry and Al looked down, ashamed.
"You have to...drink it." Rina said. Ed glared at Winry and Al.
"Did you know this?" He yelled at them. "You know I can't drink that!" He directed this at Riza and Mustang.
"You must if you're going to get better. The extra iron eliminates the poison in you're bloodstream, Edward." Riza said. Ed glared at her angrily.
"I can't drink that. It's human blood!" Ed yelled at her. "I'd be like a fucking vampire!" Winry stood up and stared at Edward hard.
"You are going to drink it so you don't die!" Winry commanded.
"NO!" Ed yelled at her. He hoped his pain wouldn't come back. Winry got onto the bed. "Eh..what are you doing?" Ed asked. He backed away from her.
"Give me the antidote." Winry said and held her hand out. Riza gave it to her. Winry shoved it in Ed's face. He stared at it nervously."Drink it!" She demanded.
"NO!" He argued.
"Drink it or I'll make you!" She warned.
"NO!" Ed yelled and shoved it out his face.
"Hold him down, Al." Winry said. Ed looked at Al nervously as he walked toward him.
"Sorry, brother. But this is the only way you'll get better." Al said as he grabbed Ed's arms. Ed struggled uselessly.
"Let me go!" Ed demanded.
"Hold his legs, Riza!" Winry told her. She did. Ed still struggled to get free, but Winry sat on his chest. Ed looked at her and stopped. His pupils were minuscule and his face full of fear. If he drinks this blood. He's afraid to drink it. He really couldn't. Winry thought to herself. Winry held Ed's mouth open and poured some blood into it. She held his mouth close to. Little drops of blood came from the sides of Ed's mouth. My poor auto-man... Winry thought. Ed relaxed again. He laid there, depressed. Great, now I'm a fucking vampire. Why is this happening to me? Why am I going through this much pain? What reason is there to put me through this? Ed thought. He pondered for a minute. Then laughed loudly. Everyone stared at him, but then Ed stopped and started frowning. Is this God's special way of treating people who have committed taboos? I guess that's only fair. I wish he would be merciful and kill me instead of putting me through this pain. I suppose that if I hadn't gone for a walk...or if I hadn't gone to that candy shop...that I wouldn't even be in the hospital anymore...Damn it all...At least I have Winry...and Al...Ed thought. Al and Riza let go of Ed. Winry got off him. Mustang walked over to Ed.
"Fullmetal." He said. Ed opened his eyes and looked at him.
"Yeah?"
"You're very strong...and..brave." Mustang complemented him.
Ed laughed."I've finally gone insane." Ed smiled. They knew he was kidding. Mustang left with Riza then. Rina bent over Ed's face.
"I've got to be going soon too." She said sadly. Ed sat up.
"You do?" He asked curiously.
"Yeah." She said. She quickly leaned into Ed's face. He blushed strongly. She pressed her lips onto Ed's. She kissed his lovingly. Ed kissed back. They shut their eyes and enjoyed the moment. Rina grabbed Ed's back and pulled him toward her. They kissed. And kissed. And kissed. Then Riza entered to tell Rina something. She looked over and her mouth became agape. Winry and Al's were too. Mustang poked his head in. Finally his mouth dropped open too. Ed and Rina just kept making out. Rina moaned slightly. She and Ed disconnected. Rina panted while Ed just looked shell-shocked."Rina?" Riza asked. Rina pulled Ed to her again and they made out once more. Mustang fell over, passed out.
"What's going on in there?" They heard in the background. They were standing now. Ed on tiptoe and Rina bending down slightly. Rina broke it. She smiled at Ed."See ya later..., Fullmetal." Rina said as sexy as possible and stuffed a note inside Ed's shirt. She stepped over Mustang and left. Ed just stood there.
"She...she...she's and excellent kisser." He added. He collapsed onto the bed then and passed next day.
Mustang walked into his office angrily. He stomped over to his desk and sat down. His underlings looked at him. Riza stood beside Mustang trying to stifle a laugh.
"How could Fullmetal get you're sister and I can't get you!" Mustang yelled.
"What?" Havoc yelled. Everyone except Riza and Mustang's mouths dropped open.
"What happened?" Fury asked. That was what everyone was thinking. Mustang turned away from them, dumbfounded by how Ed could get a girl and he couldn't.
"I walked in on Hawkeye's younger sister and Fullmetal making out." He sighed.
"Really? I wish I had been there!" Breda yelled.
"Yeah, meet to! It must have been fun to watch!" Fury said.
"To think that Ed could get an older girl..." Havoc said wondrously.
"She's only three years older than him." Riza laughed. She couldn't hold it in any longer.
"I bet that Ed had to stand on tiptoe to reach her!" Havoc laughed.
"Yeah!" Fury agreed. Rina walked in then. They all looked at her.
"Hi, Rina. Come to say goodbye?" Riza asked.
"Yeah! Who are these guys? They look like a bunch of stiffs." Rina said. She turned back to her sister as all their heads fell sadly. "Riza were you there when me and Ed made out?" She asked. Riza smiled.
"Yeah." Riza laughed. Rina smiled lustfully as she thought of Ed.
"He's such a good kisser. Very passionate and loving." Rina said. "I bet he's the same when he's having sex..." The underlings tried not to laugh as best they could.
"Well, maybe you'll see him again soon." Riza laughed. "Bye, Rina."
"Bye, sister!" Rina said as she opened the door. She bumped into Ed. Al was standing behind him. They all stared to see what would happen. Rina looked down at bent down to whisper something in his ear.
"That note I gave you, It has my address and phone number. Call or visit me sometime."
"Uh...okay.." Ed said. Rina pressed her lips onto Ed's for the third time. And again everyone's mouth, except Riza's, fell open. They made out for awhile before Rina finally broke it off.
"Bye, Ed." She said and left. Ed's entire face was red.
"Uh...Bye...?" He said. Al looked at his brother.
"Wow, brother! She must really like you." Al said excitedly.
"Uh...Yeah..." Ed replied.
"Do you like her back, Ed?" Al asked. Ed ignored him. He was focused on Rina's sexy ass and hips. Ed cocked his head sideways slightly.
"She is a really good kisser..." Ed whispered.
"Really? She looks like one." Al said.
"Looks like what?" Fury asked.
"A really good kisser." Al told him. The underlings laughed softly at Ed's ignorance toward woman. But then, Riza finally realized what Ed was doing.
"Hey! Don't stare at my sister!" She commanded. Ed's face grew hot again.
"Ha, sorry!" He said sheepishly. Mustang looked at Ed, still stunned.
"Uh, what did you come here for?" Fury asked. Ed turned to him.
"I wanted some leave, so I could search some more." Ed said.
"Or you just want to be alone time with Rina?" Havoc asked. Ed blushed. He was right though. Ed really just wanted to get into a room alone with Rina.
"Sure, Ed." Mustang agreed. Ed nodded and left. They heard Ed yell to Rina once he was out of sight. They all started laughing again.