Authour's note: Thank you for all of the reviews, but now for the chapter you all been waiting for... I think. I hope you like it as well. :) Thankyou again for reading. I think I might spend the weekend on Sorcerer's Skill though but at least I have a few chapters made up for this story so it will all be fine.

The Tales and Tails of Elric

CHAPTER 7

Tamed

"I don't think he will be any more trouble. Give him one more go."

Edward stared out blankly across the large cement room. His body was curled in on itself against the wall trying to keep in some body heat, but it was just being drained out of him by his soaking wet clothes. By one more go, the crazed brother, Timothy Tucker, meant till he dropped dead. The hose has been going on and off for what seemed like days, but was probably only several hours. They sprayed his face, nearly suffocating him, the water hit across his chest, beating his skin raw, and it hurt. Edward felt the pain ache through his body as the men set the hose down on the floor for a break. Edward cringed at the loud chink it made, pounding his ears out. It seemed that the scientists were even getting tired of all of that, but they weren't soaking wet, they weren't freezing, they weren't in pain on the cold cement floor. Edward shivered as he brought his knees up to his chest trying to grasp the heat from them, but it wasn't there. His automail drained him of anything warm. He hated it, the cold. It seemed no matter where he went, he could never escape it. He tried fighting the water, he always did, trying to find some way to breath but there was no air to be found. At one point Edward tried running, when he still had the energy, but they held him down at sprayed even more and more gallons of water on him. They probably drained all of the oceans around Aurego. There was a low chuckle that sounded across the room as Tucker sat back where it was dry and read through his files. His voice was cruel, cold, and unforgiving as it hit his ears. He heard the screeching of chair legs as the man got up and strode over to him. He was shuddering, panting, too weak to move. It felt like he had given up.

"You know, my brother was an idiot. I don't blame you for having him arrested. He was a shame to the scientists, just trying to make some pathetic creature to pass an alchemist exam. It was sad really. I mean, look at my lab, look at my wonderful masterpieces that were produced here. I am actually sort of glad that you took him out, however, he was still family and I could never forgive someone for that," he frowned, his voice rattling his eardrums. Edward felt the anger rising off of him. His ears pinned down to his head, afraid that he might grab them, and he flinched away slightly. The man chuckled lightly seeing how pathetic he was. Edward wanted to claw the man's face off and teach him a lesson not to laugh at him, but he was just so weak, he hurt so much, he was tired, and all he wanted to do was sleep, but he couldn't. He felt a hand slowly start from his head and drag itself all the way down his spine and across his shivering tail. The man petted him like he was a house cat. Edward shuddered as the hand continued. He hated being touched, petted, tackled, bad things came after all of them. He wanted someone to help him, someone to get him out of there, but there was no one around. He was alone, fully by himself with the crazed scientists, touching, tackling, prodding, and drowning him. He needed to get out of there, but he was too weak. He could barely lift his hands off of the cement floor, how could he make a run for it now? If he did run, they would surely give him the hose again. He didn't want that. He really didn't.

"You know, I think you had a brother too, at least that is what the file said. It was pure coincidence that we picked you up off the streets to bring you to the safety of our labs, but what a relief. We couldn't have you running around after what you did to Shou. Ironic justice this is. However, I think I might make a request. I heard that your little brother helped you take down Shou. If he is anything like you, his body would be in perfect condition to make another chimera. I am thinking a dog. That would be nice. Then we could have the all of the scum off of the streets, too bad he isn't a soldier or we could sell him to the buyer as well."

"N-no, D-don't T-t-touch h-him," Edward panted, his eyes widening with the man's cruel threat. He would do anything to keep his brother from coming here. Even though he didn't have a body, they probably could still find a way to make it work, or kill him trying. Edward couldn't stand that. Let him take the circle, let him take the hose, just don't touch his brother. It was all he had left aside from his coat that laid drenched over him. The idea of his brother being safe and sound away from here were all that he could ever want, but they were about to take that away. The man frowned at him in disappointment as his hand stopped petting him as if he was a cat that just clawed him. Timothy leaned down and grabbed a tight hold of his ear, yanking it slightly.

"I am trying to advance the human genome and you said no?" he spat rhetorically in his face. Edward yipped as the grip tightened around his delicate ear.

"P-p-please, n-not my brother," Edward gasped, eyes watering slightly. He didn't care if he cried anymore, his body was already soaking wet. "N-not here. D-don't bring h-him h-ere, p-p-please." Out of a deep silence, Edward saw a crooked smile draw across his face. He was begging the man and he knew it. He gently set his head back down on the cold cement floor, releasing his hold on his ear and gave him a light pat on the head.

"Yes, I think you are done for today," he said stiffly. The man got up to walk away and Edward felt some strange arms wrap around his body and lift him off of the floor. The cold wracked his body from the air and he shivered. His chest shuddered and heaved as water fell down from his eyes. He wanted Alphonse to be alright. Please, don't let them take anything else from him. He begged the man to stop, and he was still begging silently to himself. He wanted everyone to be alright. He wanted someone to make sure that he was alright. He wanted everyone to be safe. The men set him down on a small gurney and started to push him away. They didn't even bother to strap him in knowing full too well that he wasn't going to try anything. Tears fell down his face as he winced in pain. Please.

…

Edward stared blankly out through the bars of his cage. His eyes were wide and seemed to refuse to blink as his mind went spinnning around and around. He could feel it, the water, still dripping down his soaked clothes. It poured over him, over and over and over again as if refusing to stop. His breath caught in his throat several times as if his body still thought he was under the pressure of the hose. Breathe, Breathe. He shivered slightly as the cold got to him. Not even the thick fabric of his coat could protect him from the freezing water. His tail was pinned so close to his legs trying to stay warm, Edward thought it could just break with the force.

He didn't know what day it was. No one cared to tell him. Doc didn't talk to him anymore, he never saw him since the incident in the gym. There always just seemed to be a fresh bowl of nasty cat food waiting for him when he woke up after his many long sessions in the bath. They went on for what seemed like hours on end. Time seemed to stretch and warp itself he soon didn't know whether it was day or night. He tried counting, he really did, but he only got to five baths before he started to confuse them all up. That was a long time ago, at least he thought. It felt like they trying to beat the fight out of him, but now he could barely lift his arm. He didn't want to fight anymore. He just wanted them to let him go and stop drowning him, suffocating him, and touching him. Yet they continued. Wasn't this what they wanted?

The room was deathly silent. No one bothered him, nothing could be heard screaming down the hallway. It was just him and his thoughts. Edward wished dearly for some sound, he wished to hear someone's voice. He hated being alone. He hated when the scientists came in to grab him for the next bath, but he hated the aftermath even more. It was just him, shivering wet in the cage. He felt alone, like he had to fend for himself but he couldn't move at all. Edward knew he was alone, for a long time no one came to save him, but now he felt like himself wasn't even enough company. He felt useless, pathetic. He closed his eyes slowly, forcing them shut with the little energy he had left. He didn't want to listen to his mind wander anymore.

...

"I am telling you that you went too far!" a voice yelled, piercing the silence that fell over the empty room. Edward's eyes broke open as he was woken up from his deep sleep. His body was sore and his mind was clouded. Footsteps pounded to the door and it was flung ferociously open by Doc with Jackson grumpily following at his tail. Edward jolted up from where he was lying as his head went into sudden alert. Doc stormed over to his cage and looked down at him. His black shaggy hair was distorted as if he was running his hands through it in anger. He guessed the man would have pulled some of it out too. Blue eyes danced over him as he waited with a heavy chest for the man to do something, anything. It was the first time in forever since the Doc came into the room and the presence was disturbing. His bold demeanor was rather terrifying compared to everyone else's cruel side glaring tendencies. Jackson rolled his eyes and shoved the man out of the way.

"I did what I needed to get the job done. See?" Jackson scolded the man. He tapped the far end of the cage motioning for Edward to get over to that side. He faltered for a bit, but the man gave him a threatening glare as if sending him back under the hose already. Edward quickly crawled over to that spot pathetically. Jackson smiled as he walked over and tapped the other end. Edward reluctantly moved. It was relieving that the man didn't do anything to him if he simply obeyed. Doc rolled his eyes as he watched Edward's pathetic display. He knew that he was weak, but the fight was gone. The black haired man reached down below his bed and pulled out a strange looking bottle. He pointed it at him and squeezed it. Water flew into his face and Edward pulled back flinching, clawing at his face to try and dry it. It was cold and unrelenting. Edward wiped his face raw trying to get it off of him. That was cruel, sending him back in the hose when he didn't do anything wrong. Unless he did do something wrong. Doc shook his head angrily, slamming the bottle down with a loud noise.

"Great, great! You made it afraid of fucking water. I bet it couldn't even go outside today with the rain!" Doc cried out. "This is what happens when you train an animal like that!"

"Cats already hate water, what's the big deal? It isn't like it is going to be going outside today in the first place. The boss wanted fast training and you got it," Jackson growled back at him. "It can't disobey an order now."

"If it does, you just beat it to death is that it? You are making it afraid of you. The instant it has an opening, it will bolt. That is what happens when you do stupid shit like this!"

"Well, this is what the boss wanted. He gave me control over the project," Jackson retorted. He crossed his arms defiantly and gave Edward a glare, eyeing him like he suspected that Doc was right. But that look was quickly washed away with a tight huff. "Just feed the damn thing already," he ordered as he spun around and strode out the door. Doc growled something unintellectual underneath his breath as he bent down and started to scoop some food onto a plate. Edward still wasn't used to the nasty stuff, but the smell of it was rather intimidatingly sweet. He wished it tasted as good as it smelled. The Doc's face was twisted into aggravation as he set the food on top of his cage as he packed away all of the boxes and trash.

"That stupid, idiot, ruining my perfect creation. God, what am I going to do with you?" he droned to himself as he looked up at Edward. Blue gaze met golden and they just stared at each other for a long while. The man looked away and stood up taking the food dish off of the top of the cage and walking over to the cage door. "There won't be another shot like you. You know that? You were the first one. The rest will just be god damn copies. It's not as fun. The science just isn't there anymore. It's just production." Edward sat patiently in the corner waiting for the man to finish up and leave. He liked it that the man was talking to him, he liked it that he wasn't alone, but he felt unsettled. It was as if he feared if the man stayed any longer, there would be complete chaos. He half expected the man to lash out in anger at him. Doc shook his head at him as he set the food dish down and closed the door. Edward waited for him to take a few steps back before he slid over to pick it up. The nasty, sweet smelling food sat in the dish. It was still the grossest thing he ever tasted. Doc watched him pathetically as he tried to taste the substance.

"This was supposed to be science," he huffed as he tapped an end of the cage. Edward growled to himself as he forced himself to move over. He didn't know if the man would spray him again or not, but he knew he just as well could. He hated being pathetic. Doc shook his head as he watched him. "Jackson, you idiot."

…..

Roy grumpily sat at his office desk, tossing a ball of paper in the air. The rain was pouring down in buckets and he was stuck inside filling out work and signing forms. He should be out trying to find a new lead on the where abouts of his subordinate. Edward had been missing for a full six months. Roy was worried that he would never find him. For all he knew the kid was dead in a ditch. He was actually scared of what he might find when Edward eventually popped up. Anything could have happened to him and it was all his fault. Roy angrily tossed the paper ball blindly across the room.

"Sir," the grumpy voice of Riza rang out. Roy looked up in surprise to see the lieutenant standing in his doorway holding the crumbled ball of paper. She unwrinkled the paper and set it back on his desk along with a file. "Please try to send your paperwork back without any creases. You know the secretaries hate that."

"Well, they should just know that I hate paperwork," he huffed under his breath. He slowly picked up the creased paper and started to straighten it out on the edge of his desk half mindedly. How could he think of actually doing paperwork with Fullmetal missing? There seemed to be a permanent cloud of misery over the entire building. Havoc wasn't as chipper as usual, Fuery never smiled, he wasn't even going to think about Armstrong. Roy shook his head and found that he absent mindedly crinkled the paper back up. He growled under his breath and tossed it over his shoulder in annoyance. Paperwork shouldn't be so pointless, weak, and flammable.

"Sir, we are going out," Riza said flatly.

"Out where?" he mumbled pathetically.

"The office is heading out on another lead. It is all the way down in the warehouse district. We might be out for a while," she told him. Hearing the news, Roy quickly got up out of his seat and grabbed his coat off of the back of his chair. This was going to be it. He was going to find Edward. Dead or alive. Roy quickly shook that stray thought from his head. Of course it was going to find him alive. Dead wasn't an option. Today was going to be the day they were going to find him. All of their other attempts wouldn't be in vain. A loud crack of thunder rang out and shook the entire office. Roy paused and looked out the window and saw the pouring buckets of rain.

"Sir," Hawkeye started but Roy angrily cut her off.

"Don't give me that!" he shouted at her, furiously shoving his rain hat over his head. He took a step towards the door, but Riza held out her arm and stopped him. He knew what she was going to say and he didn't want to hear it.

"Sir-"

"I will not stand by and just watch!"

"Sir," Havoc's dreary voice came out from the doorway. He looked terrible, never smiling anymore, permanently tired. He rubbed his brow as if he had a head ache and sighed. "You can't go."

"We don't want to have to look for another body, sir. Stay here and finish your work," the first Lieutenant told him. She sounded as if she truly believed Edward to be dead, like she expected to find his lifeless body somewhere. Roy shook his head. He couldn't forgive himself if they brought back a body bag. He needed to know for sure.

"He isn't dead," he said pathetically. Havoc put his hand on his shoulder as if trying to reassure him, but it just felt heavy and empty.

"We know Boss, we just want to make sure we don't have you in one as well. We don't know what we are going up against. With the rain you will just be in the way," Havoc said.

"So you're telling me I'm useless," Roy muttered, but the man shook his head trying to deny it. It was obvious he couldn't make fire in the rain, but that didn't mean he couldn't do anything. He could help in anyway possible. He could lead the charge, he could guard the exits, he could examine the building, he could send a child off on a death mission.

"Sir," Hawkeye said, slightly softer than her usual business order. Roy tiredly turned away from her and stumbled back over to his desk. He didn't want to hear anymore of it. He peeled his coat off and haphazardly tossed it on the floor.

"Don't you dare come back without him," he breathed. Riza and Jean glanced at each other but quickly made a salute. Roy didn't return it. His arms felt weak and pathetic. Useless.

….

There was a loud bash as the door was kicked open. Edward quickly covered his ears trying to block out the noise as it raced around the room, hammering his drums. Shouting quickly filled the room, angry and scolding as Jackson and Doc stormed in. They wore terrible scowls at each other. Edward couldn't make heads or tails of what they were arguing about, it was so loud and muffled together. They approached where he was crouching but they didn't pay him any attention. They just kept yelling at each other. Both looked like the lacked sleep, their hair a mess and their eyes carrying bags of luggage. Edward pinned his ears down to his head, drowning out the terrible noise. He never heard them yell so angrily at each other. It was always banter or slight scolding, but this was horrible. Their faces were all red and chests were puffed out. Suddenly, Jackson slammed his hand down on top of the bars of his cage, causing the entire bed to rattle and shake. Edward looked up to see his dagger eyes glaring down at him. He winced slightly at how sharp and painful they looked. The man said something but Edward didn't make out what it was, or he didn't want to listen to what it was. There was another crash as the man hit the cage again.

"Get out!" he yelled at him. Edward faltered to decide whether to do what he said or not. He wanted to get out so that the man wouldn't send him back under that aweful hose again but the bars of the cage were the only thing preventing the man from strangling him right there. The look in Jackson's eyes made him fear that that might be the case. Suddenly a spray of water hit his face as the man poured a large bottle of it on top of him. "Get OUT!" he yelled. Edward choked as he quickly tried to move about to get out from underneath the cold wet water. He covered his face as he crawled towards the door trying to wipe the water off of him. He could feel it soak through his shirt, coat, hair, and chill his skin as it dripped down him. Edward scrambled to get out through the door, feeling the substance drip all over him, soaking him, drenching him, suffocating him. He basically fell to the floor trying to get out and away from him. Doc was yelling something at the attacking scientist.

"Stop it Jackson, you are making it worse. It's supposed to be neutral when it enters its psychology exam," Doc scolded him ripping the bottle out of his hands. "I will not be testing a patient who can't even think right."

"We wouldn't have this problem if you haven't gone crying to the Boss with your ethics. We never had to do a psych evaluation before," Jackson retorted.

"We never got this far before." Jackson growled to himself in response and stared down at Edward like everything was his fault. He stormed over to him, heavy footsteps pounding against the ground. Edward scrambled backwards, knowing that the man was out to get his throat.

"Get over here," he ordered as he reached down and grabbed a hold of his ear. Edward yelped and clawed at the man's hand trying to make him let go as he was dragged to his feet. Doc ran over and tried to force the man to let go.

"Get off of it! You don't know what you are doing!"

"I am head of the research now and this is how you tame a beast. If you need it for a psych examination take it now," Jackson growled at him. Edward felt his grip tighten and the finger nails of the scientist were digging into his ear, pinching the nerves.

"You were made head of the research because the boss has no sense of patience. You know as well as I do that I am the one best suited for this. You are just taking your anger out on it! Look at it! You can barely even recognize my beautiful work!" Doc yelled. Jackson looked down at Edward as he tightened on his ear. Pain filled tears were welting in his eyes though he tried to keep them back. The man scoffed at him. Edward kept a strong hold of the man's hand trying to relieve some tension in his ear but it didn't help.

"This is as much as my work as yours. Don't get cocky!" Jackson yelled at Doc.

"I am not getting cocky. I am just-" The man gripped Edward's ear so tight that he felt something warm and wet trickle down his head as his skin started to burn. All he wanted was for the man to let go. Suddenly, Edward felt something connect with his automail fist and his ear was released. He fell to the floor holding his hurting head as Jackson came tumbling back down next to him. Doc was left standing in shock at his fallen comrade. The room was strangely quiet as Edward made the sudden connection. He punched the scientist.

"You shit!" Jackson cursed, his breath still wheezing from the impact. Edward's eyes grew wide as he scrambled away from the man. He was going to send him back under the hose for sure. There was no doubt about it. He didn't want to go back there, it was just self-defense. He didn't want to drown in the cold water.

"S-sorry, I-" Edward stuttered as he backed away from the angry man. Doc carefully took a step towards him, gingerly and cautiously.

"Calm down, all I wanted was to perform a psych evaluation. Just calm down there. Jackson won't-"

"Yes I will!" the other man raged as he weakly stood up, glaring with all of his might at Edward. He still felt the blood trickling down his ear from when the man had grabbed him and he spotted some red on the man's tightly fisted hands. Edward backed away some more but he felt his back hit the wall as Jackson took an angry step forward. Edward didn't really think at all before he found himself bolting towards the door, scrambling to get up to his feet. The scientists behind him yelled at each other and at him as he raced towards the exit. He threw open the door and jumped out into the hallway. There were a few people casually walking through the halls to different labs and they froze when they saw him. His heart pounded in his chest harder than a bass drum. Doc sent out a shout and Edward turned to see them charging at him, Jackson at the head with his face flushed in anger. He spun around and quickly jolted down the hallway, his bare feet pounding the floors. He sprinted down the way, passing door after door. Some more straggling men joined the chase slightly confused as to how he managed to get out. He tugged his coat tighter around himself as he ran, bursting back into the stair well. He remembered where he went the last time and that he didn't make it, but that was the only way he knew how to go. The scientists raced after him, stumbling up the stairs as Edward gracefully climbed up them. Floor after floor, the shouting chase continued. His heart was pumping fast and with every beat, Edward could feel a jolt of pain race up his ear. It hurt, but he knew that if he stopped running now, it would hurt even more. When he reached the ground floor, he found that the door was locked exactly how he remembered it. He looked back behind him, breath catching in his chest as he heard their heavy footsteps draw nearer. Edward glanced at the door and out the window. There was no one outside to help him. He brought his metal fist up and slammed it against the glass shattering it. The sound rang out against his ears, shattering the ear drums, but Edward grabbed the handle on the other side and the door jolted open. He staggered out, shaking glass from his coat as he ran. Some nurses who were coming out of a couple rooms screamed as they saw him bolting down the hallways. Edward heard Doc and Jackson shout behind him. He quickly turned down another hallway and spotted the large open lobby. It was the door, the exit, the way out, freedom. With all of his might, Edward tore down the hallway towards salvation. Suddenly, he felt something ram him in the chest as he collided into a gurney that a medic was pushing out of a random room. The air was knocked out of him as he stumbled back up trying to regain himself.

"Hey! Are you alright?" the woman asked as she stopped pushing the empty bed to help him. She must have caught sight of his anomalies, ears and tail, as she let out a little shriek. "Oh, my, god!" she exclaimed taking a step back from him. Victorious shouts flew down the hallway from behind him and Edward spun around to see the scientists race towards him, closer than they ever were before. Edward gasped as he staggered backwards towards the doors. The nurse said something to him as if begging him to stop, but he was already racing back towards the doors. He pushed one of the double doors open and started on the next one before he froze. Water. It was everywhere. It poured down from the skies and tore out of the clouds with thunderous claps, shattering his ears. A cold burst of wind flew in through the doors and chilled him to the bone. Edward heard the hollering from behind him come closer and closer as he tried to force his body to move forward, but it wouldn't budge. Suddenly, Edward was jerked backwards as someone grabbed his ear again. Jackson. He could hear his loud angry shouts as he scolded him, yanking his ear. Edward felt the nails dig harder and harder into his head as he was tugged so hard it felt like his ear might finally pop off. Edward let out a shriek of pain as his elbow flew back and pounded right into the man's face. The man pushed off of him, staggering backwards from the blow as Edward raced forwards away from him. Water pounded his face and his skin, immediately soaking through his clothes. He raced on into the storm, trying to get away from the crazy men behind him. He pulled his hood tighter around his shivering ears and tucked his frightened tail around his chest to try and keep them warm and hopefully out of arms reach of the scientists. His feet hurt as they pounded against the cement. It hurt, but he knew that if he stopped, he would hurt more. He raced on through the cold freezing rain trying to scramble away from the shouts of the lunatics behind him. He was outside. He hasn't been outside in ages. It was different, it was loud, it hurt, but he kept on going. He begged to whoever would listen, that he would make it out of there and away from those men. He wanted to be dry, he wanted to be safe, he wanted to see his brother again. With his heart in his throat, he sprinted out of the parking lot and down the streets into the night. He wanted to be free.

….