...
Nina stares quietly at Daddy's bent legs as he stares at her- equally as quiet. The room is very dark. The anguish she feels has nearly doubled since she has been turned into a chimera, yet neither Daddy or herself realize it. She endures it in a state of hope while Daddy cant stop smiling and rubbing his hands together.
Daddy smells different.
He smells like sweat. The sweat you'd find under the armpits of a murderer. He also smells like danger. Danger...
Daddy is good to Nina.
Daddy gives Alexander treats.
"Da...ddy..." says Nina softly, her voice weak, full of sorrow.
But Daddy wont talk to Nina.
Maybe Nina was a bad dog.
She hangs her head, whimpering in her depression.
Daddy then begins to stroke her along the side of her face.
It feels really nice.
It almost makes her feel loved.
...
The boys arrive, and he quickly leads them to the room where the chimera is kept.
"There it is, boys." he tells them. He walks over and stands beside it, smiling down at it in admiration. "A chimera that understands human speech."
The two boys stay silent. The boy called Alphonse stays near the door, while the one called Edward waits; he cant stop staring at the chimera.
"Let me show you." he says to the boys. He takes a knee in front of the chimera, saying, "Listen to me," he takes the creature's face gently by the chin, raising its face to meet his own. "That person over there- that's Edward."
The chimera responds perfectly. "That person..." it says. "Ed-ward..."
"Yes, yes," he praises the chimera. "That's very good." As he stands, the chimera watches his face, tilting his head up as if it were afraid he might leave.
"Wow! A chimera that actually talks!" says Edward. He walks towards it and squats down beside it, his mouth open, eyes large with awe.
The chimera turns its head to the boy. "That person...Edward..." it repeats, staring into Edward's face.
He watches the boys admire the creature, smiling to himself.
"That person...Edward..." the chimera says again, then again: "That person...Edward." The chimera's face turns into a look of pain, its mouth opening more wide, showing off its human teeth. "Big Brother Ed..!" it says at last.
...
Edward and Alphose have some to visit. Daddy let them in.
Daddy re-introduced Nina to Edward, opening a window of mixed memories. But when she spoke to him, Edward looked terrorfied.
"Mr. Tucker..." he says, his head low. "When did you first get your state certification?"
"Let's see..." Daddy says, putting a hand under his chin. "It was two years ago."
"And when did your wife leave you?" Edward's tone is becoming shakey; upset.
"That was two years ago, too." Daddy sounds sad, now.
Nina keeps her head down, not wanting to get scolded.
"I just have one more question..." he turns towards Daddy, his expression angry. "Where is Nina and Alexander!" he demands.
Daddy is silent; a hand moves to his glasses, then freezes. With wide eyes, he looks at Edward with a startled expression, saying, "Damn brat, figuring me out so quickly..."
Edward screams and launches himself at Daddy, pinning his against the wall in a savage thud.
"Brother!" shouts Alphose in alarm, taking a step forward.
"No, Al!" warns Edward, his eyes locked on Daddy. "You need to know- he's done it again! Two years ago, it was his wife- This time- he's used his own daughter and her dog- turned them into a talking chimera!"
Alphose looks at Nina, but Nina continues to stare blankly ahead, locked inside her own painful exsitance. The yelling and angry voices cause her to whimper inwardly, but she says silent.
They continue talking- yelling- but Nina isn't listening.
Edward is punching Daddy with his metal fist; his blood is the strongest scent in the room. His glasses lay broken on the floor.
Nina and Alphose watch quietly.
Edward continues beating Daddy. The sound is like a watermelon being dropped from ten feet; wet, yet firm; a shattering of something that isnt easily broken. It is only when Edward starts really hurting Daddy that Nina feels the strength to move.
Edward isn't nice to hurt Daddy...Daddy is good to Nina.
Daddy loves Nina.
Edward is screaming, pulling his arm back to hurt Daddy again. But Alphose takes hold of his wrist, holding him back.
"Stop it, brother!" he tells him. "If you hit him anymore, you'll kill him!"
Edward tried to kill Daddy...? But Edward is her friend.
She walks over to Edward and takes hold of his shirt in her mouth, pulling gently with a soft whine. "Edward...No..." she says. "Daddy...hurting...dont..."
...
The boy called Edward lets him go, lets him slump to the ground in an aching fit of pain.
How could the boys be so blind? Alphose may see some truth to it- but Edward.. He is in denial; he will not accept the fact that he and Edward are just a like in every way.
His eyes are swollen shut, but he can hear the boys walk across the room.
Foolish boy...
But he is the one who won the fight; Edward have have lost his trust in him, but he has gained a talking chimera.
He winces, pressing himself tighter against the wall. He felt as though his nose was broken; there sure was a lot of blood. There was a long moment of darkness, then he is thrown into the cold emptiness of unconsiousness.
...
Nina sits down, watching Alphose, who walks over to her. He takes a knee and begins to rub her head.
"Even with all of our power," says the metal suite of armor, "we can't do anything to change you back."
At first, the cold metal against her fur made her nervous. But it did not hurt. In a way unlike Daddy's, it was comforting. Nina ducks her head, allowing the boy to keep touching her.
"I'm sorry..." says the Alphose. "I'm so sorry..."
"Can.. we...play now...?" she asks Alphose very quietly, hesitant. She remembers this boy- this metal warrior- how much fun it was to ride on his shoulders. It made Nina happy. It made Alexander's tail wag.
And now...? Nina just wants to feel happy again- to have something to distract her from her agonizing pain that just wont go away.
But Alphose wont answer.
...
He withdrew his pendant; the symbol of a top-alchemist. "I've made it just in time!" he says, cupping his precious pendant in his hands. "I can remain a state Alechemist!"
He hears Edward scoff in anger, but he doesnt look at him. Let him scoff! He was going to be the next greatest Alchemist who ever lived!
Without warning, Edward kicks the pendant out of his hands. The chain it was attached to breaks, and the round pendant skids across the floor.
In panic, he scrambles towards his prize and hugs it against himself like a child. He feels Edward's heated gaze on his back, but he continues to caress the pendant, checking it for damage.
He will be like god...the creator of surpreme life-forms..
No mere boy can ever take that away.
...