Chapter 4: Bite

Edward squinted his eyes as a perfect beam of sunlight struck him right in the face. He pulled the covers up over his head and tried to go back to sleep, but it wasn't going to happen. He groaned and decided to get up. He sat up and stretched and rubbed his eyes with his flesh hand. He was not in his own room with Al. And, he was alone.

"Uh, oh." He remembered last night and it excited him for a split second before terror set in. He found his pajamas, got dresses and poked his head outside the door to Winry's bedroom. No one was there. He crept back to his room knowing that there was no way he could sneak past his brother. "Al?" A great looming shape sat up from a chair by the windows.

"You are in trouble, Edward." He said solemnly. "If you don't tell me EVERYTHING!" Alphonse's eyes turned into large pink hearts and he got up and ran over to Ed.

"Al..."

"You were there ALL night, brother, I may be younger, but I'm not stupid." He almost giggled.

"Did you kiss her?"

"Well, yeah..."

"And?"

"C'mon, Al, that's sort of private."

"Did you?"

"….yes." Ed knew he couldn't lie to his brother.

"Edward!"

"Please, Al, don't, don't be mad..."

"I'm not MAD! I'm excited for you!" the suite of armor grabbed his brother in an enormous bear hug and squeezed. "I'm happy for you. Ed, you're a MAN!"

"Al, please, you're squishing me!"

"Sorry." He released his brother.

"Don't you say one thing to Winry. She promised it wouldn't be weird between us." Edward slipped off his pajama bottoms and pulled on his black leather pants, black shirt and he lugged on his heavy soled boots. "I don't want to freak her out or anything." He couldn't find a brush so ran his fingers through his hair and platted it into a messy braid. "C'mon, I'm hungry...and we need to get over to Ratzull today and get a report to the Colonel."

"I'll try not to say anything, Brother." The boys left their room.

Pinako scurried in the kitchen, making oatmeal, bacon and eggs. She raised an eyebrow as the boys sauntered in.

"Do you need any help, Granny?" Al loved being helpful.

"No, dear, but I think Den wants to play ball, can you handle that so I can have a chat with your brother." She placed a mug of coffee down in front of Ed.

"I can do that...good luck, Ed." He grabbed Den's bouncy ball and practically ran out of the house, the black dog with the automail leg followed.

"Great." Ed muttered, his eyes practically hit the table, he knew he had been caught.

"Edward." Pinako sat down with her own coffee.

"Nice day, huh, Granny?" He hoped to change the subject, but it wasn't working.

"Not in MY house, Edward."

"What?"

"I would be a terrible guardian to both you and Winry if I condoned that in my house." She said this matter-of-factly. "That said, I was your age once..."

"...back when dinosaurs roamed the earth..." Ed muttered under this breath only to be whacked on the head with a small frying pan that Pinako had hidden in her left hand. "Owie."

"...and I know how it feels to be in love, or think you are in love." She placed the frying pan down and pulled a small package out of her pocket and placed it in front of Edward." Here."

"What?" Ed picked up the package and read the label. "Condoms?" He felt like he was going to throw up.

"I had the same talk with Winry very early this morning. She tried to sneak out of her room. Really, all this sneaking around, but you all are as loud as elephants. I barely got any sleep at all."

"I'm going to be sick." Ed moaned holding his stomach. "Where is Winry?"

"She said the same thing but went down to her shop to work. I'd like you to take her breakfast down to her...and keep the door open!" She brought over a tray of food.

"I can do that." Ed grabbed some buttered toast and shoved it in his mouth, he was grateful to get out of the kitchen and the embarrassment of the old woman KNOWING what went on last night. Pinako chuckled as he ran out of the room. Edward made it to the shop door and turned the handle. It was locked. "Hey Winry!" He positioned the tray in his left hand and knocked on the door with his metal one. "I, I, have some food for you, open up." He turned so his back was against the door and he placed his ear to the wood.

"I'm just SO busy, Edward, come back later, OK?" The door muffled her voice but didn't hide the strange pitch and timbre that was very un-Winry. Winry wasn't working. She had been in the shop thinking for hours before Edward got up. She tippy-toed to the door and placed her head on the wood on the direct opposite side that Ed rested his.

"Are you sure?" Ed exhaled. He really wanted to see her face and figure out if everything between them was alright. She sure was acting weird, even though she promised no weirdness. He got no answer from the door. "Win, Al and I are headed to Ratzull and we'll be back for dinner. Still, no sound from the shop. Ed's shoulder's dropped and he set the tray down. "Food's here, when your ready." He placed his new hand on the door, feeling the new sensation of the hard wood on his fingertips.

"EDWARD!" Al's voice boomed through the house. "PINAKO!"

Winry had her hand on the door as soon as she heard the terror in Al's voice. "What's wrong?"

"C'mon!" Edward grabbed her hand with his automail one and pulled her toward the sound of his brother. His desire to see Winry quickly changed to concern for his brother.

"Oh, my god." Winry's knees felt wobbly. The scene before her so similar to one of many years ago, one of a large suite of armor, desperately cradling a bleeding Edward and begging for her and her grandmother to save him. Only this time, Alphonse was carrying a smaller boy and mercifully, he was not bleeding, but obviously he was hurt.

"He, he just stumbled into the yard when Den and I were playing." Al held the boy toward Pinako who examined him.

"Fever, and he's exhausted." She motioned to Alphonse to carry the boy to the sofa in the other room. "Winry, gets some water, he's probably dehydrated too."

"Yes, Granny." Winry obediently ran to the kitchen and poured a large glass of water.

"Who is he?" Edward asked.

"I don't know, Brother," Al gently placed the child on the sofa and Pinako continued her exam.

"He's been bitten, here..." She pointed to a menacing bite on his left forearm, distinct upper and bottom teeth marks unmistakably human. "But, that's minor. It looks like he's been running all night.

"Here sweety, drink." Winry gently raised the boy's head and held the cool glass of water to his parched lips. He grabbed the glass and downed all of it.

"More!" He gasped. "Please?"

"Sure." She ran off to get it.

"What's your name, kid?" Edward asked. "Where did you come from?"

"My name? It's Tate." He eyed Winry running back with the water and he grabbed the glass, drinking more slowly this time. "I live...I live in Ratzull village, just south of here."

"Brother, that's where we were to investigate today."

"Yeah, about twenty miles...you must have been traveling all night to get here this morning."

"Did I make it to Risembool?

"You did." Pinako placed her hand on his shoulder. "Tell, us why you ran all the way here during the night. I bet your parent's are worried."

"No! I can't go back! You can't make me go back!" His demeanor changed from calm to hysterical in a second. He began thrashing and waving his arms, the water glass flying into the air and smashing on the floor.

"It's ok, honey, you can stay here," Pinako picked up the boy, who instantly calmed down but kept crying. "Let's get you something for your fever and let you rest, you can tell us everything later, Tate. Alright?" she handed the boy to Winry and he clung to her tightly. "Let's put him in Alphonse's bed and get him comfortable. Edward, get the constable's office on the phone and let him know." She followed Winry upstairs with Tate. Edward and Al ran to the phone and dialed for the operator.

"Constable, please." Edward instructed the operator who told them they would be connected. The line just rang and rang, no answer. "Damn it." Ed slammed the receiver and picked it up again, dialing zero for the operator, the rotary dial humming as it whirled around. "Operator, I can't get through to the constable, try again." She connected him again and the same response. "Al, no one's picking up."

"Maybe they are just away from the phone...like the bathroom?"

"Maybe..." His attention turned toward Winry, coming down the stairs.

"Is he going to be ok?" Alphonse asked.

"Yeah, Granny is trying to get him to sleep, he's so tired. He said he's six years old. Ed?"

"Yes?"

"Something terrible happened in his village. He's mortified over it. Maybe some sleep and he can tell us. What did the constable say?"

"No one picked up the phone."

"That's strange, but we can try again."

"Right." answered Al.

"Winry, we are supposed to be going to his village today. We'll investigate and try to find his parents. They can't be hard to locate, they're probably frantic for Tate by now." Edward put on his red coat. "It will take us three hours to walk there...do you know where we could borrow a car?" He grinned.

"I don't feel right about this, Ed. Something's wrong there, are you sure you have to go?"

"That's our assignment. Don't worry, the kid probably just ran away from home or something. Beside, we're supposed to investigate some old cemetery there, nothing in a boneyard can hurt us." His eyes squinted. "Now about that car..."

"Now, you know how to drive this, don't you?" Winry stood outside the old convertible roadster as Edward lovingly ran his hands around the steering wheel.

"Sure, nothing to it." He smiled.

"It's the Newmeyer's, and they only said Granny could borrow it to go to town while they were in East city this summer, so you better take care of it!" She scowled at him.

"Brother and I will take care of it, Win." Al reassured her but deep down, he was worried. Edward had only driven a handful of times and never very well.

"Don't worry, we'll be in and out and back for dinner. Just one thing."

"What?"

"Stay inside and keep the doors locked...and try to get the constable on the phone again before we get back." He looked up at her and grabbed her shoulder pulling her to him so he could kiss her lips quickly. "Stay safe, Win." He smiled. Both their cheeks blushed bright pink. Winry couldn't respond but she backed away and waved at the boys as Ed put the car, or tried to put the car in gear and they sped off.

The road to Ratzull was bumpy. The fact that Edward had only driven a car a handful of times and on paved roads in Central didn't help. Ed's mind wandered when he should have paid attention to the ruts and pot holes on the country road they traveled. He thought of Winry and worried how the hell he was going to iron their relationship out in the midst of restoring his and Al's bodies. She told him it would not be strange, but he knew enough about females to know that sometimes they assured you one thing but expected you to know another.

"Watch out!" Al screamed and held on to his helmet as Ed steered them into a monster of a chuck hole in the road.

"Sorry, Al. We're almost there. I told you this was better than hoofing it here."

"Not by much." Alphonse still held on to his head. "We're just saving time, but I think I'm losing parts."

"Ah, you're just being a baby." He turned the wheel drastically to avoid a crater in the road and after over correcting the turn, sent the vehicle careening into the grassy field. Both brother's screamed in terror as the roadster went airborne. Ed summoned just enough presence of mind to clap both hands together in a mid-air alchemic reaction transmuting the air, dust and grass below them into a haystack cushioning their fall.

"Ed..." Al sat up, his hollow body stuffed with hay. Hay filled the car. Hay still slowly fell all around them.

"Relax. We're here anyway." Ed opened the door and stumbled down the mound of hay. "It looks like the car is fine. Let's go!"

Alphonse pulled clumps of hay out of his armor as he quickly caught up to his smaller big brother, Ed. The village in front of them was small and quaint like their own. They walked slowly through the town square to the fountain in the center. The water flowed gently on this warm day, the sound of it almost hiding one sinister fact. The village was deserted. It was late morning and the town should be swarming with people buying and selling and visiting tradesmen. The only movement now was that of the water flowing in the fountain and the whipping of Ed's coat and hair in the wind.

"Where are all the people?" Ed whispered loud enough for Al to hear him. He surveyed the buildings: the butcher shop; the pub; the barber; the schoolhouse-all seemingly empty.

"Perhaps we should start with the official's office, the police?" Al motioned to a building with a sign that read "Constable."

"Good idea, Brother." Al joined him as they walked toward the building.

Edward turned the knob to the door and slowly opened and entered. The interior was dark, the only light coming in from the windows and the bright daylight from outside. It was a small town police station consisting of two jail cells in the back and some administrative desks in the main room, and the Constable's office to the left. The room, including the jail cells were empty. The boys headed toward the office.

"Even if the Constable is out, there is always someone in the office..." Ed's words were cut off by the blast of a shotgun. It was a poorly aimed shot, hitting the desk to the boy's right and creating a large crater. "Take cover!" Ed yelled as he and Al leapt behind other desks.

"The shot came from the main office." Al said quietly as he hunkered low. He may be made of metal but he didn't want the buckshot to dent him up if he could help it.

"I'll flush'em out." A mischievous grin spread across the elder Elric's face. He clapped his hands together causing blue alchemic sparks, then slammed both down on the ground. The flooring rumbled and a line of disturbance ran from the boy's hands toward the office. A louder rumble roared from the room as the reaction Edward caused made the far wall of the office push forward along with all the furniture and the lone occupant. A dark figure was forced to exit the door or be crushed. He had no where to run. "Stop!" Edward stood, ready to dodge another blast. He was joined by his brother. "Are you the Constable?" The figure slowly lowered his weapon and spoke.

"You living?"

"'Course we are!" Edward pulled out his silver pocket watch. "I'm Edward Elric, State Alchemist. Who are you and why did you try to kill us?"

"Praise Lito." The man came into the light. He was a law officer, his ragged uniform gave that away. He looked exhausted and wounded, having a large gash on his left forearm, a gash that also resembled a bite. "I'm officer Daves...I think I'm the only one left...when is Central sending backup?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Daves, Brother and I were only sent to investigate the looting of the cemetery on the hill."

"The cemetery?" Daves snickered. This turned into a boisterous fit of laughter that almost choked him. "The god damn cemetery is probably the safest place in this town." He found a chair and painfully lowered his tired body. "We need guns, not alchemists." He put his hands over his eyes in despair.

"Officer, get me a phone and I'll get the help we need." Edward scanned the room and saw a telephone. This elicited another fit of laughter from Daves.

"Sure, call 'em up. I don't know why I didn't think about that."

Edward picked up the receiver and held it to his ear. It was dead.

"Lines are down, cut, gone." Daves laughter was almost insane. "You got any more ideas STATE ALCHEMIST?"

"Al, Daves. come on. Let's get out of here." Ed motioned toward the door. "I've seen all I need to see. Mr. Daves, you can brief us on the way back to Risembool."

"You don't have to ask me twice." Daves stood up to join the brothers and as he did, pain shot through his body. He clutched his sides and shrieked.

"Daves?" Edward placed a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Stay away!" He jerked it off and immediately fell to the floor writhing in pain. "The bite! It bit me. It was the bite!" He starred at gash on his flesh then raised his hands to his hair and pulled. "The bite!" He convulsed on the floor.

"Ed, what can we do?"

"It's alchemy. Look!" Ed pointed toward the man's head. There was a tiny blue spark and sizzle of flesh as the faint outline of a small transmutation circle etched itself into the center of Daves' forehead. On cue, Daves' face turned toward the boys.'

"If you bastards want to live, you will take this gun and blow my fucking head off!" Foam and spit flew from his razor sharp teeth as he screamed those words, the last words he would utter as a human. The boy's watched in horror as his grin enlarged and his features grew more angular. His brown eyes glazed over, the pupils blew and irises turned gray. His muscles stretched and grew as did his height. His fingers flexed and long talon-like claws replaced his fingernails. No longer capable of human speech, Daves growled and then lunged at them.

"Distract him, Al!" Edward leapt out of the way, as Daves slashed the air with his claws.

"C'mere big ugly!" Alphonse taunted him, distracting him long enough for Edward to reach the shotgun, long discarded. Daves turned his attention to Al, and grabbed his arm. He opened his now gaping maw and brought it down on Al's hand.

"Bite." Edward committed the scene to memory. "Stay away from him you Bastard!"

Daves', disgusted that his teeth struck leather and metal instead of flesh, now turned toward Edward. Alphonse was now considered non-edible and nothing the boy could do would sway the monster's attention from his brother. Edward was ready, he had the shotgun, raised it and fell backward. He gulped and pulled the trigger just as the monster reached him. Officer Daves got his wish for the boy's shot had cleanly blown his head off. Edward gasped in terror as the headless carcass of the once-human fell in front of him.

"Al...I think we should leave. Now!"