CHAPTER TWO
The entire room goes quiet and the thought of a celebration flies out the window. Hawkeye stands up grabbing her coat and walks over and stands next to the Colonel. Brother is staring at his feet, I run up to him.
"Brother what's going on?" I ask him, almost too scared for the answer. When he doesn't answer I get agitated and grab Mustang's collar. I lift him several inches off the ground. "Where are you taking him?"
"Al, don't." I look back down at Ed and his eyes look sad. "I have to go."
"Where?" I let go of Mustang almost reluctantly, my focus back on Brother. "Where are they taking you?"
Mustang speaks up this time, "He has a trial Alphonse, for his… Crimes." He looks away not wanting to meet my gaze.
"What crimes? Brother hasn't done anything wrong!"
"We have a record Alphonse, of." Mustang pauses. "Of unexplained deaths where you and your brother have been traveling recently. I'm sorry to say this, but you might not know your brother as well as you think you do."
"Shut up!" His face expression doesn't change. "I know my brother and I know that Ed would never kill anyone!" I look at Ed and he seems unreasonably calm. "Ed why are you just going with this? This isn't like you! Fight! Resist! Anything!"
"Al there is nothing I can do to get out of this. I have to go."
"No we can-"
"ALPHONSE! Just stop!" Ed shouts at me. Everyone jumps when they hear him yell. But Brother never once looks at me. "I told you, I have to go."
I fall to my knees making a loud clanking noise. I stare at his boots and he walks away with Mustang and Hawkeye following closely behind him. I continue to stare at where he was standing. After the three of them leave no one in the room makes a sound. They all are as confused as I am. I hear Hughes mumble something to himself and run out of the room in pursuit of Mustang.
"Alphonse?" Armstrong kneels beside me. "Alphonse didn't you say you needed to pick Winry up from the train station?"
"Oh no." I get up and start running. "Winry!"
AT TRAIN STATION
"Alphonse! Hey Al!" Winry waves at me through the crowds of people. She pushes her way over and smiles at me. "How are you? Where's Ed?"
"He's been taken in for a trial." I try to explain to her.
"Is he a witness for something?" Winry's smile stays plastered on her face.
"No. He's t-the defendant." She stops smiling and she finally understands.
"WHAT? Why? What is he being accused of?"
"Countless murders apparently."
"Well Edward would never kill anyone so we have nothing to worry about!" Winry tried to smile again but failed.
I thought that too but the way Brother yelled at me. He seemed so sure in himself that he had. I don't tell Winry this but guide her to a military car waiting to take us back to the Eastern Command.
Edward's Perspective
"Roy!" I can hear Hughes running up from behind us. "Mustang stop!"
"Fullmetal hold up for a second." I stop my head still hung low.
"Roy does that mean Edward has taken on the mission?"
"Yes. We are heading to his trial now." I can feel their eyes watching me. "Fullmetal." He starts.
"Please don't Colonel." I look back at him. "Just don't."
I hear Mustang's door open again and Alphonse runs out going the other way. I stare at his back as he runs. Where is he going? He's probably mad at me for yelling at him. I can't lie to Al, this death row thing will kill him more than it does me. What was I thinking? I subconsciously take a small step towards Al, but Hawkeye steps in my way, blocking the path. She looks at me and shakes her head slightly. My head drops again. This is my decision. I have to go with it now.
AT TRIAL
I strain my ears every time the door opens, waiting for the clank of metal. I almost don't hear the judge call my name, but Mustang taps me on the shoulder forcing me to pay attention and get up.
"State Alchemist, Edward Elric." The judge a fat man says looking down at me.
"Yes sir." Just then I hear the door open and close, metal clanging down an aisle, and sitting down loudly. "Shit." I whisper.
"You have been arrested for the murder and disappearance of several men. The men are Father Cornello of Liore, Lieutenant Yoki of Youswell, and the State Alchemist, Shou Tucker of East City." He looks up from his paper meeting my gaze. "Is there anything that you would like to say to defend yourself?"
Mustang nudges my arm and whispers, "At least play the part Fullmetal."
I drop my head. Play the part eh? I start laughing, quiet at first then I get louder. I look up at the judge, glancing over at the jury. "You got me." I smile though inside I am dying.
"You, Edward Elric have pleaded guilty to these charges and will be sentenced to death. You are hereby stripped of your State Alchemist certification." The judge stamps a piece of paper and yells for the next person. Mustang takes my pocket watch from within my red coat.
Behind me I hear Alphonse jump up. "No that can't be true! Brother it isn't true!" I look back at him not sure what to say but my jaw drops and I stop completely. Mustang runs into me. Winry is sitting next to where Al was sitting gaping at me. Wide eyed and confused.
Mustang notices to and he pushes my back leading me out of the courtroom. "Come on Fullmetal."
Al follows us out into the hallway with Winry in tow. He jumps in front of us, forcing us to stop. "Brother this isn't right! We still have lots to do remember?" He looks at Mustang and launches himself at the colonel. "You didn't do anything to help Brother! What is wrong with you? You just want another promotion, don't you?"
"Ed?" Behind Al, a small voice speaks up. "You didn't really kill those people did you? This is just some sort of sick joke, isn't it?"
I can't look at her. Mustang talks instead. "Winry I'm sorry." Then he pushes me past Al's big suit of armor, guiding me to where a car will take me the prison in the middle of town. The two of them don't follow us this time. We turn around a corner a ways away from them and I spin around pinning Mustang to the wall.
"Damn it you bastard! Why the hell didn't you tell me Winry was there?" I feel tears of frustration coming and I bite my lip, dropping my grip on Mustang's collar.
"I didn't know Fullmetal. Honestly." He puts his hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort me. "Let's go, your car should be here my now." I walk in silence in front of him while Hawkeye comes up beside me. She puts her arm around my shoulder, wrapping me in a sort of hug.
AT PRISON
When I reach the prison it's about a quarter past noon. I am placed in a prison cell with no one else in sight. After about an hour a young guy, about twenty or so, brings in a tray filled with my lunch. He stands outside the cell facing away from me. I ignore him and begin to eat.
I spill something on my coat and when I pick up my napkin a note falls out. I reach down to the floor grabbing it and start reading.
'There is a key to your handcuffs in your potatoes. A key for your cell resides in your milk. Once you get out meet me at the end of the hall.' -R
This must be the guy I am supposed to be looking for. If it is going to be this easy I can go back to Al in no time! Cautiously I fork through my 'potatoes' and find the key for my cuffs. I unlock them, grabbing it before it hits the ground. I fish the second key from the revolting white liquid on my tray, and sneak over to the guard that faces away from me. Mentally apologizing, I wrap my automail arm around his neck suffocating him until he falls to the ground unconscious. I unlock the cell door and stoop down taking the man's keys. Dragging him into my cell, I lock the door behind me and throw the guard's keys into the adjacent cell. After, I run to the end of the hall. I can see a man with long blond hair which is pulled into a ponytail. He is wearing a blue military uniform and applauding me.
"I'm impressed. Your stealth is amazing." He turns on his heels and walks down another hallway. "So the Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric has been sentenced to death for a few measly murders eh? How intriguing. I thought you of all people would be a good little dog! I think you're just playing with me!"
For a second, Mustang's words flash in my mind. Play the part. Instantaneously, I transmute my arm into a blade and throw the man against the wall, threatening him with the sharp point.
"Are you leading me into a trap? Where are we going? Tell me unless you would like to see your blood spill to the floor." He smiles and raises his hands as if in defeat.
"You win Elric! The name's Ricky." He holds his hand out for me to shake. I lower the blade, transmuting my arm back, I shake his hand. "I'm busting you out of here. There are a few men I would like you to meet." Ricky starts walking down the hall again and I follow along side of him. "We are planning a sort of project if you will. And we need men like you. I'm looking for people who hate the military with a passion." He looks over at me. "Do you hate the military Edward?"
I smile deviously at him. "Hell yes."
