Chapter #4
Prison
It's been seven months since Izumi took me in. For about three of those months I was trapped in the mountains, training with her husband Sig is brute force... and I have the bruises to prove it! Once I could move the auto mail a little, I had to learn how to make it move the way I wanted. Now, there is pressure control. With auto-mail, I can't feel. I could go to comfort someone by placing a hand on their shoulder, and accidentally smash their face into the ground... or a playful punch could knock them into next week. For three months I've been leaning control the auto-mail- from punching Izumi in the Jaw to feather-light stocks across Kin's back. For hour and hours I simply sit under a tree and work on my motor-functions... Izumi gives me random objects with goals-like "can you juggle two balloons in you're left hand for an hour without popping it?" or "Can you poke this maple leaf without punching a hole into it?" Simply things for a normal limb. With a flesh-and-blood arm, I can feel the pressure against my skin that tells me to stop, but with auto-mail I have to figure out how much pressure I have to apply in a split second.
It's been eleven months since I started training with Izumi. Just yesterday I figured out how to properly use my auto-mail arm. That's right, it just clicked (literally) when I finally punched Izumi in the face.. Only to have to cough up blood -again- and be rushed inside for a couple hours.
Imagine a life without your arm- unable to do anything without it help. I will pay any price, and go to any lengths to be able to stand alone, proud and whole, for gaining my real limb back. One day, I will destroy the military! I swear it!
-Izumi-
She's up to something, I can feel it. It's been about a year since I began my 'special' training with the brat, yet I still have the uneasy feeling something she'll do with disrupt something.. and with her blowing everything up, well that doesn't help.
I stare at the cook-book in front of me with mild interest. Rosemary bread Hm..? 1 cup water, 3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons white – I hurl the book at Ayce, hitting her straight in the face as I grab her wrist and throw her over my shoulder and into the nearest tree, creating a crater through it's center..
"I'm SO SICK OF THESE TREES!" She crawls out of the crater, then glares at me. "OLD L-" I roundhouse kick her in the head, sending her flying into Mason; an employee at my Butcher shop. I feel a vein pulsing in my neck as I send a glare in his general direction.
"I'm NOT OLD!" She just laughs at me while pointing a finger;
"I'll beat you, just you wait!" I smirk, well then..
Ayce POV.
It's the last week of training.
"Again!"Izumi barks at me. I send a side way glance to Kin, who is just a few meters away from me, perched in a tree. My arms lay limp in my pockets as I run at Izumi. She doesn't use her cook-book anymore; cause I've kicked it out of her hands once to many times I don't even think it's considered a book anymore!
According to Izumi, I tend to drop into a certain stance where my upper-body portions are relaxed. As in I tend to shove my hands in my pockets or cross my arms together across my chest. The only time I use my hands is with Alchemy, and certain maneuvers; like handstands or flips. To create a inner circle by clapping my hands together, the one out of two things I gained from that Egotistical jerk.
I charge at Izumi. Quickly I lift my left leg and hook Izumi's neck with my foot, to smash her face into the ground. She grabs my shoulders and flings herself backwards, sending me toward a tree before I can. At this rate the land-scape has changed so much in her back yard, it's like a huge sandbox! Kin barrels into her legs in attempt to knock her over, she kicks him in the side sending him into a nearby window. Harsh.
Instead of crashing into the tree, like usual, I kick off it (which still brings it's demise), propelling myself backwards in a series of back-flip I end in a double-handed headstand, spin, and kick her in the torso, legs and tail bone. She doubles over, but stands up quickly and cracks her knuckles.- I haven't grown all that munch since I started training. Mason often jokes it's because Izumi hurdles me into trees so often. I think he might be right..- So Izumi still towers over me, seeing how I'm only 5'1.
She runs at me, aims for my face, knees, upper torso. I barely manage to dodge until I trip over a smashed tree. Oh just my luck.. Good thing I'm used to thinking fast! Using the opportunity I flip backwards and kick off another tree and barrel myself into Izumi. We fall to the ground in an ungraceful heap, until Izumi starts coughing up blood. I jump off her and pick her up – rather awkwardly- and rush into the house where Sig takes her from there.
Last day of training
Izumi, Sig and Mason are gathered on the train platform seeing me off. Mason gave me a huge jar of lollipops for a 'goodbye' present. Sig stared at me and I shook his hand, while Izumi oh-so-gracefully flung me into the train by breaking a innocent window.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do, Brat!" I laugh out loud, and wave dramatically out the back of the train.
"See you later Old Hag!" I scream as the train pulls away, only to have my – guess I forgot it when she flung me- suitcase into my head, making me barrel over. Wonderful.
After I'm well out of Izumi's 'Ayce-disaster-senses' I flop into one of the uncomfortable train benches and stare at my reflection in the window.
I still wear black leather cargo pants riddled with pockets that end half way up my calf, held up by a dark brown belt- but the belt now has Izumi's Flamel marking on the front. Trisha never got to keep her promise of getting me a new white cloak, I wonder if they think I disappeared? Or was kidnapped? Heh, probably. Anyway, Izumi ended up getting me a pure white -hooded- cloak with another Flamel on the back.. but it's fabric material is almost organic when it moves! I still wear a black midriff that shows off most of my stomach, but instead of bandages- I don't wearing anything on my feet... just cause I'm to lazy to wrap my feet up all the time!
My skin is still a light tan, but thanks to Izumi's love for her kitchen knives, I have three distinct 'whisker' marks on my right cheek.. the same side of my face I pretty much consider cursed. Sure, my eyes are naturally a 'honey gold' as my brother put it, but my right eye -thanks to that stupid gate and my own idiotic nature- my right is is a dark shade of mauve, almost violet. It's cat-like.. almost evil, so I usually hide it under the bangs that frame my face.
I pull a map out from my cloak pocket and stare intently at it until I see a familiar red dot just above Ishval. I knew it, a Military laboratory is stationed just next to Ishval.. Many most likely don't want to be near a deserted civilization, go figure. For the last couple of months I've been destroying Military lab's; using the excuse of training. Izumi doesn't know.. if she dd I would have to get another auto mail limb..
After a couple hours, I arrive at the station just before Ishval, in an unnamed town. Before talking to anyone – I rush out of the city, and dash across the desert. Now, running in the desert isn't a good idea.. But man the sand is HOT! I gotta move fast or my feet will become my lunch! Kin just sleeps soundly under my cloak, the jerk.
After about fifty minutes of running, I come to an abandoned Mine and stop dead, just behind some boulders. Seven guards are stationed outside the mine's entrance, this is definitely a lab! I grin, and set up a small camp.
"Now Kin, lets wait for night to fall.." He mewls in response, and tightens his grasp on my neck. I sigh and lean against a boulder and close my eyes.
I snap awake when I realize the light in my face isn't the moon, but a flashlight.
"Who're you! What are you-" I knee the man in the forehead, knocking him out before he could finish his rant. Not even checking to see if the bastard is alright, I sneak forward and clap my hands together before slamming them into the ground. Gold lightning flashes around me, and shoots through the ground, making the sand burst to life. The men scream in fright, then fire on it as I make it swallow them a few feet under the sand; hopefully killing the bastards!
I stare at the sand, and reluctantly lose the sand and spring them high into the air, they land with a few 'thuds' all out cold, but breathing. Tsk.
Quickly I sneak into the entrance hugging the wall. Thanks to my right eye I can pretty much see clear as day in pitch black places, cool right? No, not really it's really confusing is what it is, but what ever. I turn a few corners, climb up some stairs, and then things start to change. The rock turns to metal suddenly, and the dirt ground turns to tiles. Looking at them – it sorta looks like a Hospital hall way... and I hate those. Wires and pipes line the walls, making me smirk and clap my hands together. Heh, heh.. heh!
I make it to the comer and peak over the rim of what looks like a railing. The place Is like a huge dome, with two flours and a bunch of shiny things for me to throw at people. A group of scientists are gathered around a table where a large man – he looks like a prisoner-is tied up. Alchemist runes are drawn onto his forehead and chest... I glare at those tune, those are soul transferring circles!
"They are creating soldiers!" I gasp harshly to myself. There is so way I'm letting this place go, I'll sink it! I clap my hands together and create a small looking device with a large red button on it before jumping up and screaming;
" Well! Look what the DOGS dragged in!" Everybody in the room whip toward me, they're faces irritated.
"Who're you?" A scientist that looks important asks. I hold of the fake device and put my worst 'evil smirk' on.
"This is what's going to end you're lives!" I duck back into the corridor and book it down the caverns. They're like cockroaches, they'll survive! Even if the don't I don't care.. they took my brother from me those Bastards!
The caverns begin to light up unnaturally, making me look back- deciding that's an absolutely horrible idea I turn a quick corner and fly out of the cavern toward that little city came here by.
"HAHA! Kin wasn't that awesome? Lets move north and find another-" My sentence is interrupted by a husky voice of a male.
"Well, well well; look who we have here... Triple A, ehh?" I spin around to glare at the man speaking, only to find myself nearly falling back in disgust.
It was a miracle he could even move, his arm alone had to be at least as wide as her body, arms out. The fat rolled in hairy waves, sweat covered him like another skin, tight like mesh. His beady green eyes glanced at me in a predatory way... like he was measuring the amount of rope he would need to- lets not go there. The worst part though, he isn't wearing a shirt. Rolls upon rolls move as he walks, the flesh bouncing as he did so. Grease as thick as dried bacon fat was evident over his stark red hair. What's grosser? He's wearing military pants and has like twenty men behind him. I give him another look and shiver is disgust, Ewwwwwwww! I don't even give him the type of day when I clap my hands together and slam them on the ground.. To bad something hit's me in the neck, making my vision fade. Dammit!
I wake up in a dark – half way dark anyway- prison cell. Thing is, this cell has huge alchemic circles on every wall.. But not the floor. I snicker, until someone comes in and sits on a stool across from me. I go to attack them, only to find my feet chained together with my wrists bound, not to mention the chain around my neck connecting me to the wall.
"What the hell do you want?" I growl at the man. He's a tall, lean man with a military uniform, a thin scruffy beard, spiky black hair, and rectangular glasses that frame golden green eyes. I stare at him; how can such a kind looking man be here?
"Hey Kid, do you know why your here?" What? He doesn't even introduce himself? Despite his kind face – he's got a serious look.
"I Dunno.. Why don't you tell me?" He leans forward and pulls out a folder.
"For the last three months five Military Lab's have been destroyed by a kid around 5'0, only seen with a white cloak and a strange looking cat-" Kin pops out of my cloak and growls at the man, who gives him a strange look.
"Whoa! He really IS weird looking! A Chimera?" I keep my mouth shut, making him sigh.
"We already know it's you; so why don't you just-" I shoot forward with the intent to bite the man; but he shoots back and draws a knife from his sleeve. "I coulda lost my arm there you know!" He squeaks comically. A wide smirk crosses his face as he reaches into his pocket... only to pull out hundreds of pictures. How do that many pictures manage to survive in the small pocket?
"Wanna see my LOVELY wife Garcia?" Ugh, he must have dubbed me harmless.. great.
Time skin, 1 year three months, seven days.
The one thing I've learned about prison, is that the food is horrible. Absolutely disgusting, grotesque! I wear they're just gonna kill us with their food! Every day that man, Hughes, walks into my cell and talks his life away. Hell, I would do that with him to, except for this creeping feeling he's my interrogator – which he admitted a few weeks ago. Apparently a man named Roy Mustang is his best friend, and his wife is now expecting a baby. I shiver at the thought of more photos. They took my cloak when I got in here, but Hughes managed to get me gloves, and a long sleeved version of my Midriff to cover my auto-mail.
"So we have a new recruit, he's 12 years old!" My head snaps up. Ever since a week ago they took off my chains, except they just replaced them with a friggen straight jacket which makes my arms burn from lack of movemt.. not that I move them much anyway.
"Whaa? Really?" Hughes nods, pleased to get me talking to him.
"His name's Ed, and he has this brother whose in a seven foot tall suit-" I stare blankly at the man, making him wave his hand in front of my face. Edward Elric, you're gonna die.
No one's POV
Mustang sits at his desk, rubbing his forehead with enough friction to cause a fire. He has loads of things to do. He really doesn't want to have anything to do with the work of being Führer; he just wants, well,everything else. Which makes him nearly slam his head into the desk in irritation, being a Lt. Colonel; he has enough paperwork to deal with.
The door to his office burst open, and in came Hawkeye, Armstrong, Havoc, Falman, and; of course; Fullmetal. Despite being here for only a few days; he's managed to cause a riot within the office. Mustang rubs the breech of his nose in irritation.
"Mustang, sir," Hawkeye begins. He glares at her, but she just stares back at him, sweat on her brow. This makes Mustang raise a questionable eyebrow, Hawkeye? Worried?
"What now Lieutenant?" he growls and glares at Fullmetal who has made himself very comfortable on Mustangs sofa. His face looks almost ghostly since the Nina incident..
"There has -," she broke off as the ceiling in the middle of the room caves in. A cloud of dust envelopes everything in the room, Mustang included. The group got ready for intruders, only to hear Hughes exclaim;
"Wait! You can't- !" A very harsh and irritated growl interrupts;
"Do I look like I care? Where's the brat!" I raise an eyebrow, a Prisoner? The dust soon clears with an unusual breeze, but it was welcome nevertheless. Even if that meant Armstrong is now standing shirtless in the corner of the room.
Mustang peered over to where the voice had come from, only to see Hughes next to a very pissed off looking red head. She's wearing a straight jacket, meaning she must have been here for a year at leased and under Alchemy watch, her right eye is covered by her bangs.
"Excuse me," Mustang says coolly. "Who are you and why are you here?"
"I'm Pissed off!" the figure replies, then screeches. "Who are you and why are you here?"
"Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, and this is my office." The figure stares at Mustang with a twitching eyebrow for a moment before her golden eye locks onto a certain shrimp.
"YOU!" She howls, and barrels into him, "WHAT DID YOU DO?" This makes everyone look at her, she knows the shrimp? Who care about that, she's a prisoner!
"Who're you! How do you know me!" She would probably be ringing his neck if not for the restraints.
"UGH!" She growls and then just stands in the middle of the room, clearly having the same thoughts as Mustang. Hawkeye is ready and aiming toward the figure, who now is clearly a girl, while Fullmetal stands, bewildered.
Slowly, the straight jacket begins to tear, making Hughes mumble 'oh... not again'. In less then 30 seconds, the Jacket bursts open, only to reveal a long sleeved Midriff shirt that shows off most of her stomach, but the sleeves are hiding her hands.
"Edward Elric! You little Pipsqueak!" He opens his moth to rant, but Alphonse bursts int the room.
"Brother! What's wrong?" He turns to look at the girl, "AYCE?" He yelps. She stares at him blankly, before something seems to click.
"ALPHONSE!" She slams into him, steals his head and squeezes into his steel body through the neck leaving everyone with a raised eyebrow.
"Eww! Don't move around in here Ayce!" He squeaks making her scoff.
"I'm not coming out!" Everyone turns when Hughes slams his head into the wall... Mustang turns to Hawkeye and smirks,
"You were saying Hawkeye?" She snaps back to attention, not that she actually lost it.
"Sir! A 'class A' Alchemist has escaped from her cell. Her name- Unknown, Age-Unknown, Height short," Edward snickers, then puts on a thoughtful expression, "The Military calls her "Triple A" for her initials-" Mustang holds up his hand and turns to Alphonse/Ayce.
"Mind filling us in Red?" Ayce Bristles.
"I'm 11 years old!" Is all she states.
"Your Eleven and a class A criminal? Hawkeye what did she do" Edward exclaims.
"She blew up five Military Labs.."
"SHUT UP!" She screeches. "Those bastards deserved being buried! They were all doing experiments on humans!" The group pales, and Mustang dismisses the group except for Fullmetal and Alphonse.
"Why don't you come one out now.. Ayce." Ayce hisses with disapproval,.
"No way you old pervert!" Edward laughs at this, but then sits on the couch with a serious expression.
"Who're you?"
Ayce's POV
Does he really not remember? I lived with them for like.. a couple weeks! He hasn't really changed though, except how he's like two inches taller then me.. and is that a Flamel on his cloak? Oh dear Izumi got to them too.. She'll kill them if she knows what they did! Wait.. They tried to bring someone- Oh Trisha.
"Edward you fool.." I whisper, but Alphonse hears.
"Ayce, where have you been? You disappeared before our auto-mail was even useable!" I laugh, oh if only they knew I was pretty much kidnapped.
"Didn't you hear? I was blowing things up Al."
"So you admit it?" Mustang bites in. I sigh in irritation and crawl out of Alphonse.. wow that sounded wrong.
"I've been in that prison for over a year. Yes, I admit I blew up those Labs, but the Military killed my brother, this is my revenge." I smile, and glare at Mustang.
"Should I kill you too? Dog boy." He opens a drawer and slips on a pair of white gloves, Ohh ignition gloves. I run at him, and narrowly escape a flash of flame.
"Holy crap, don' actually try to fry me! I'm red enough!" I squeak, and clap my hands together before slamming them into his desk, which instantly turns into sand. The stares at it.
"Couldn't have aimed a little higher, and hit the paperwork instead? I liked that desk." I glare at him, and slam my hands into the ground, making it into a sand-like substance , it bursts into flames. Damn wooden material. Three more second later, Edward is sitting on my back.
"GET OFF ME PIPSQUEAK!" She plants his -rather heavy- leg on the small of my back.
"SHUT UP! YOUR SMALL TOO!
"YOU JUST ADMITTED YOUR SHORT!" He growls and looks up at the Lt. colonel.
"What do I do with her?"
"Brother! Don't be so harsh! Don't yo remember Ayce? She was treated by mom for about a week after her auto-mail was installed!" I grunt under Edward, he must have auto-mail, he weights a ton!
Edward picks me up bridal-style and dumps me on the floor. He stands tall (as tall as he can get) and stretches as a freaky man with blond hair, blue eyes and taller then Alphonse bursts into the room..
"How dare you drop a woman?" He booms, tearing his short off. Ed struggles to get free, but the man holds him tight. Taking the opportunity, I punch Ed in the head for dropping me, and sitting on me.
"You jerk! Eventually Alphonse attempted to help break up the fight, and the four of us started fighting. A few minutes later, that pretty Hawkeye lady waltzes into the room, stares at us for a moment, and shoots six rounds at us before turning the leaving. Lets just say I'm not sitting on the couch like a good girl.
"Edward I'm giving you a new mission. Watch over miss Red.. she seems to know more then she's letting on." He's so pointing out me using Alchemy without a circle... How does he know I don't have one tattooed on my body somewhere? Not that I want him to look but still! Wait, what?
"NO WAY!" I charge toward the window, and fling myself through the glass without hesitation. "FREEDOM!" I scream, running over the roof-tops. Haha! Only to have a armored head slam into the back of my head. Great.