Managing to free himself from one of the bounding chains, Edward screamed again. That was his only hope. Scream. Scream. Scream. Shou narrowed his eyes and nearly flew above the young, helpless alchemist, calloused hand grabbing his neck. "Shuddup Edward!" he mused, wicked grin and overly amused, mischievous gleam glowering down at Ed. "Or this'll take even longer! Hell, it might take days more before I'm finished!"

Edward choked and rolled his head to the side, his flesh hand weakly clawing at Shou's arm. His face began to turn a light tint of blue, and his eyes weakly closed. "I plan to turn you into a very advanced chimera Edward," Shou mused. "But keep struggling, and I might just kill you for ruining my life..."

Falling limp under the weight, and losing strength every second that the elder man's hand was wrapped around his throat, Ed stopped his worthless battle. He may have one this battle, Edward thought, but he hasn't won the war yet...

Shou smiled wryly, releasing the instance Ed desisted his squirming. "Good Fullmetal. At least you follow orders like the Military taught you too."

"You unimaginable bastard," Ed hissed through clenched teeth, golden eyes glimmering in the dim light. "You ruined your own life and Nina's in the process! You took her mother away from her! I should kick your ass... but I guess that's why you took my automail, huh? You're weak... and you know you can't beat me if I had it..."

"Shut up!"

"Why?! You killed your own daughter, dammit Shou! You should be here in this freaking Transmutation circle! Not me! I should kill you for what you did to her! But I don't use vengeance as an excuse for murder . . ."

Behind Shou, Nina was peeking around the corner of the door, hands gripping the frame as if she was about to lose her life. Her eyes were wide with terror. "Daddy?" she whimpered inaudibly.

Ed's brows furrowed together and he growled lowly. "You shouldn't even be an Alchemist! You turned your daughter into a puppet with a stolen soul, didn't you?! You sewed memories into her, so she could be who she used to be! Who's soul did you use, bastard?!"

The loud voice of Edward bounced off the gray walls, and into Shou's ear like a trumpet blasting out it's highest pitched note. "I said shut up!" he shrieked, forcing his hands down onto the circle again.

Once more, the deadly reminder of Ed's mother came to mind when the deep violets and dark blues swirled together, mixing into a midnight black color. "Daddy, no!" Nina squealed, running past her father and into the circle with Edward. "Don't hurt wittle big bwotho!"

Shou's eyes went wide. "Nina! Get away from him! Get out of the circle now!"

"No daddy! Not without wittle big bwotho!" Nina yelled, as Ed screamed at the enormous amount of pain moving through his body. "Daddy! You awe hurting wittle big bwotho! Stop it!" she shrieked, wrapping her arms around Ed's neck.

"You little idiot!" Shou hissed, not about to stop the transmutation again. "You can die with him!"

Nina shut her eyes tight and clung to the older Elric brother. She buried her head in his chest and held tightly to his torn shirt. His blood slipped onto her palms, and stained her dress where her heart was. A little bit more Shou thought sadistically. Who knows Edward, you might not even make it if the dumbass Colonel finds you. Who knows, after all, you'll be incredibly different...

"Nina! G-Get out of here!" Ed yelled in agony. "S-Save yo-yourself!"

Nina shook her head again, tears beginning to fall from her big blue eyes. "No wittle big bwotho . . . I won't leave you!" she cried.

Edward closed his eyes, gold vanishing behind his pale colored eyelids. "Nina," he mumbled. "I love you . . ."

And that was the last thing that Edward saw; Nina was lying on him, holding him, loving him like her own real, big brother. In the end, all Shou saw was blood. Nina, however, saw everything. Her father's sadistic and sickened smile, Ed on the verge of tears from her caring so much.

Beyond what they even saw, so visible and obvious, deep in the pit of Nina's little stomach, hidden far away from the naked eye, she was horrified. She was scared, but she wasn't going to leave. She was incredibly brave, and that's all Ed could even think about. How stubborn and brave she was.

The Transmutation grew larger and the rays grew bigger and longer.

Darkness set in on Ed's mind and body. He went limp. More blood seeped out of his body . . .

Just as quickly as he went lifeless, a shock wave of pain speared him straight through the heart- he jumped awake . . . and he screamed once more.