A crowd of officers surrounded a steaming body, while another officer called for a medic.
"How awful."
"looks like a steam explosion. Raise the temperature of water fast enough and it expands with the force of a bomb blast. And a human body is 70% water. Let's hurry before he finds anyone else. They headed along for a few feet, but a nearby ally exploded, with small rocks the size and shape of a certain someone's bald head. Only one person takes the time to plaster their own face on every transmutation.
"Major!"
Edward grabbed his brother and shielded him as a canister of steam was sent flying their way
"Water from his canteen huh?" He muttered.
"Thanks brother, let's go, he's getting away!"
"Come then. After me, Elric brothers." Ordered Armstrong.
"Right!"
"Stop right there!" An echoing voice called out to the Freezer, who was moving rubble from on top of a circle. "I was wondering what you were doing in this alley so I came back to check it out. And bingo!"
McDougal chuckled as Alphonse appeared at the other side of the ally.
"There's nowhere to run, this time!"
"Clearly. But who's running?" A red glow Came from below him. Edward stopped and stared in shock as pillars of red light appeared all over the city.
"An alchemic reaction, on this scale…"
"Impossible! Unless… you don't think he's-"
"A philosophers stone!" Edward cut him off. Alphonse felt a cold wind flow past as the light turned blue and ice crawled outwards from the circle. Edward turned back when he heard the cracking of the ice.
"He's freezing the moisture in the air." Edward stated.
"Alphonse Elric." McDougal yelled out to the other side of the ice wall he had created, as accidentally stood on the wrong side and was stuck with Edward. "You have sworn your life to the state to be a dog of the military. But do you know the ones you serve or what their true plans are?"
"I don't know what you mean but whatever they're doing is not worth endangering the lives of innocent people!" Alphonse retorted over the noise of the wind and the alchemic reaction.
"You fool! I'm only doing what needs to be done to save innocent people!"
"How do you save people by killing them!" Yelled Alphonse, who then jumped over the wall of ice. He leapt at McDougal and swiped a few punches before kicking him back with his automail leg, narrowly avoiding Edward who jumped back out of the way from the stumbling Freezing alchemist.
"Nice work, al!"
"But we still have to stop his alchemy!"
"I know. So where is it? You have a philosophers stone, don't you?"
"What're you talking about?" McDougal grinned.
"I won't ask again, where is it?"
"And what're you going to do? You're outta your league!" And with that the nearby river burst upwards, with its water turning quickly to ice. The Freezer grabbed hold of the railing the ice was pulling up with it. Alphonse screamed, turned and ran from the oncoming ice wall, quickly followed by Edward.
"Stand back and prepare for a display of Armstrong alchemy!" Yelled out a conveniently placed Major Armstrong.
"He's all yours Major!"
"Witness the alchemic art passed down he Armstrong line for generations!" He cried out, punching the ice wall, merely causing it to divert. Into a nearby building.
"That's unexpected." He stared dumbly.
"What the heck are you doing? You're making it worse!" Edward scolded him, flailing his arms around and jumping.
"No, I was merely-" he was cut off by the return of the ice wall, which was continuing on its merry path to destruction.
"The ice walls!" cried Alphonse.
"They're merging!"
"But.. that would mean…"
"If they all meet in the middle… ah dammit! It's central command!"
"He's going to freeze it over!" The brothers both said.
"Major! Al and I are gonna slow him down, can you handle the transmutation circles?"
"Consider them erased. I'm on it."
"King Bradly, for your cold blooded crimes in Ishval, I condemn you to a frozen hell."
"Not so fast!" Bolts of alchemic energy crackled around the weakening pillar as a large suit of armour launched from it to on top of an ice wall, quickly followed by his younger brother who dropped in front of him. McDougal transmuted a wave of ice at them; but was stopped in his tracks as Alphonse deconstructed the part he was on. McDougal then turned a chunk of ice into a boiling spray of water, causing Alphonse to yell and flail his arms, as the Freezer transmuted stepping stones under his feet to the ice wall.
"Al!" Cried Edward, pulling his brother away from McDougal.
"Too slow!" Grinned the Freezer, as he boiled any water inside Edwards armour. Which thankfully, only contained the moisture in the air and there was no actual water contained in the armour. Edwards head fell off and rolled behind them, and he fell backwards. McDougal took a step towards them but Edward kicked up at him, and both brothers simultaneously back flipped to their feet.
"There's no one in there, it's empty." McDougal pointed out the obvious in shock. "That could only be true if is soul was bonded to the armour. So you lost your arm, and you brother, he lost his entire body." He grinned. "I see, it all makes sense. You fools committed the ultimate taboo!" Alphonse frowned at him, while Edward gripped onto the helmet in his hands. "You attempted human transmutation, didn't you? Alchemy's one and only unforgivable sin!"
"You know, there's some lines you really shouldn't cross." Edward muttered coldly. He then ran at McDougal and landed a punch in his gut, then slammed his fists on top his head, knocking him to the ground. Ice. Whatever. The Freezer transmuted ice spikes which broke uselessly when they hit the armour. Edward then kicked him down the side of the wall. The brothers slid down after him.
"Give it up, there's no water for you to use here."
"You've forgotten something. I have all the water I need, seventy percent of my body!" He grinned, ignoring the fact he can just get up and move the convenient mass of water that only lay a metre away from him, and the fact he had a philosophers stone that he could just use to make water without any issues. Edward gasped as two spikes of frozen blood rammed into Alphonse's left shoulder.
"Why can't you fools understand, I'm trying to save this country!" he started to laugh manically as the ice crept up central HQ.
"Al! Al, are you alright?"
"We have to stop him!" Alphonse replied to his brothers worrying. Alphonse got up and pulled out the ice spikes, wincing. He then got up and ran after McDougal.
They reached the scene, in time to some soldiers standing over a body covered with a blanket. Blood and hair could be seen uncovered.
"Huh?" Alphonse wondered what had happened.
"Good to see you Elric brothers, and job well done Fullmetal. I came out to see if I could lend a hand. And to think, I'd actually be the one to catch him. If nothing else, this should make a exiting story story for my son."
"Oh, well thank you sir!" Alphonse did a polite bow, while Edward gave a little wave.
"It's no problem at all." He paused. "I can see you're injured. Captain, would you mind escorting Fullmetal and his brother to the hospital?" He ordered one of the men standing near the body, who saluted.
"That's not necessary sir, we could manage on our own." Alphonse attempted to explain.
"Nonsense, can't have anything else happen to one of our prized state alchemists, can we now?"
"You know, we never did find out if he had a philosophers stone." Alphonse lay down on the hospital bed."
"Maybe it'll say something on the official report." Edward shrugged. The door opened and they turned to see Armstong with a large bouquet of roses.
"Greeting Alphonse Elric, when I heard you were in the hospital, I came straight over!" Both boys were cowering as close to the wall as they could be. "And as I expected, you're in desperate need of my assistance. You need an example of a perfect physical specimen to inspire your recovery! You see? You're looking livelier already!"
"Will you get out!" Edward yelled at him.
sorry for the long wait, i'll try to update sooner next time! maybe i should start by writing at times where it's not some variation of 'go the fuck to sleep' o'clock. so please, if you like it, leave a review!