Title : Whispers of a Nightmare
Genre : Anime/Manga
Category : Full Metal Alchemist
Disclaimer : Nope, this one belongs to someone else as well.
Summary : Takes place after the incident with Nina. Something's wrong with Ed, and Al just can't quite figure out what it is. Serious situations and angst ensue.
Warnings : Angst, mild language, violence, and other issues that shall go unnamed for now. I don't want to give away too much of the plot just yet, now do I? ;)
Rating : T
Chapter 8 : Insanity's Plight
They were getting deeper into the forest, the wind starting to howl past them, though neither could actually feel it. Though Alphonse knew that if he could, he'd more than likely be shivering. He looked around, taking in his surroundings and the sound of the quiet rain filtering through the thick trees. Thoughts ran faster through his mind, he trying to make sense of the situation at hand.
He had so many questions and wanted to ask them, to get some type of answers; but the more he tried to voice his fear and confusion, the more his voice just didn't want to work. He tried several times, but the only sounds that were whispered between them was that of the low hum of the still evident insects and the wind's cry, growing stronger the further they walked.
Al glanced down at his working arm, feeling suddenly guilty as the damaged one hung limply in it. He was actually shocked the thing hadn't been smashed to pieces due to the ferocity of Kania's blows. He had several cracks politely positioned all across his armor, the guilt rising.
Great, just one more thing brother's going to have to fix, if he still can that is…
Fear gripped him at his last thought. He didn't know where it had come from or why it had occurred, but the more he trained himself on it, the worse the feeling was getting. What if Ed had gotten himself into more trouble than he thought? What if it was something he couldn't get out of?
Stop it! Brother might not be the brightest person, but he isn't stupid either! He wouldn't get himself into a situation he couldn't find a way out of…could he? No, he wouldn't. He wouldn't, he told himself, though only half believing it. There was a feeling nagging at him that he couldn't quite place, and the longer they walked, the worse it got.
That's it, I know it. Brother's gotten himself into trouble. I've got to find him!
His steps quickened, placing him side by side Kania. There were still too many things he didn't know, but one thing he was sure of was that he couldn't quite put his trust in this person, his soul hidden in a hallow shell or not, there was still something about him that was odd; off.
Al didn't like the fact that he had absolutely no clue as to where he was actually going, or if it was to a real house or not. Strategies and plans started to form in his head, he needed a back-up or an alternative if anything were to happen. Although, going through with anything would be slightly difficult due to the minor handicap he was stuck with.
"You know, I've been wondering something," he began, knowing the only way he could get anywhere was with conversation. "And I'm sure you're faced with the same problem as well. See, the thing is, I'm trying to figure out how my blood seal didn't wash away. Brother told me that if even the slightest amount of water touches it, there was the possibility that it would wash away, basically killing me in the process. But I fell into the water, and I know it was deep, so how did I survive?" he wondered aloud, hoping to catch Kania's interest.
There was silence for a moment before the other suit of armor emanated a response. "I pulled you out before it could," he replied simply, though his voice held something in it, something Alphonse couldn't quite figure out.
"But why would you do something like that, if you were just trying to kill me earlier? Why wouldn't you have just let me go?" he asked, confusion dripping from his tone. "I'm sorry if it sounds bad, but I don't understand."
"Because I was told not to," Kania answered, continuing to delve deeper into the thick path of branches and bushes.
"Your mother?" Al asked, a sad note in his voice. Thoughts of his own spiraled through his mind, nostalgia getting the better of him. His pace slowed slightly, he almost getting lost in his own little world.
"Yes," came the one-worded response from the person Al still considered to be a stranger. Even if he could identify with him, he still in all actuality knew hardly anything about him, or at least, who he was now. The only qualities he had been graced with so far were Kania's murderous tendencies, and his quietness. He still had no idea what he was capable of, and that scared him all the more.
"So…she's the one who put you in there?" he asked without truly thinking, immediately regretting it. He had his own thoughts as to why Edward had saved him, but since he never knew anyone else that was like him, he didn't know what their reaction would be to a question like that. "She's an alchemist as well?"
"In response to both of your questions, yes. She was the one who taught me everything I knew," he stated, a faint frailness edging through his tone. He sounded almost sad in a way, regretful.
Another questioned ran through Al's mind, he almost too afraid to ask it. "Forgive me for the-"
"My father," Kania replied bluntly, anger now threatening his tone. "She gave up my father," he answered completely, stepping onto a narrow dirt road, obviously the one that led to his house.
That was not the answer Alphonse was expecting, not in the least. He spoke once more, though his voice did give a hint of a tremble. "But the bartender said that he had passed away sometime later…after you supposedly did." The fear that was in his soul was rising, and he could swear that he caught his armor quivering, something he definitely wasn't accustomed to.
"Well, if sometime later means a couple of hours, then I guess he was telling the truth. We're here," he announced, a small cottage coming into view. He was about to take another step when he stopped suddenly, something apparently startling him or catching his eye.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Alphonse asked, stepping up behind him, careful not to make any noise due to the sudden silence. The last thing he needed was their armor clanking together to cause some sort of commotion.
"It's nothing. Come on, let's go," he responded, quietly leading the way up to the house, leaving Al with a sinking feeling that something was just bound to go wrong, if it already wasn't.
&&&&&
His head swam momentarily even though his eyes were closed. It felt like gravity was trying to defy him and throw him against one of the nearby walls. Or perhaps a better description would be that it felt as if his brains were turning to mush, either way, it wasn't pleasant.
Indistinct voices meddled through his head, running in and out of his hearing. The twelve year old could just make out the old woman's, then a male's voice, then another male's which sounded vaguely familiar. What are they talking about?, he wondered, trying desperately to listen to their conversation, though the ache that was resounding in his head was vying for control.
Everything on him ached, even his teeth from gritting them so hard. His right shoulder was killing him as well as his left leg, the joints where everything was connected feeling as if it were on fire, then dulling momentarily and going right back to paining him again. His energy had drained to practically nothing in minutes, a fever working on him.
He heard the voice once more, and after much forcing himself back into full consciousness, he opened his eyes just enough to go undetected for the time being. He saw three persons; one being the old woman's, the other two middle-aged looking men. The one that was doing most of the speaking had his back turned to him, but there was still something about him that he knew.
"They're on their way right now," the man stated hurriedly, his body obviously tense from fear or worry.
"And how do you know this?" the old woman questioned, an icy chill to her tone as well as her eyes.
"Because they came in Lydia, and they didn't look too happy either. We've got to do something! We came here as fast as we could, but they're the military so there's no telling what they're up to," he explained, running a shaking hand through his graying hair. That's when it clicked.
That's the bartender, the thought circulated through Edward's tired mind. What the hell is going on here? He's in on it too? But if they know…Wait, military? A part of him felt slight excitement for this, but when he heard the rest of what the man had to say, second thoughts crossed his mind.
"I gave them the wrong directions. I told them to go a few miles upstream and they went from there; but I think the man knew I was lying…," his voice trailed off, definite traces of fear running through it. "It's only a matter of time before they're here. I know it."
"Well then, I guess we'll just have to speed up the process then, won't we?" she quipped bitterly, her voice stinging all those who heard. "I want the both of you to go retrieve Kania, and if that other distraction is still around, get rid of it. The last thing we need is another one of those around."
Just hearing that statement riled the State alchemist, his small fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. Another one of those? I'll show that witch…
"Yes, Miss LaShea," the two men answered in unison and headed for the door, but before they could exit, it was opened from the outside, two suits of armor standing in the doorway.
"Kania, you're just in time, sweetheart…," her voice stopped suddenly upon realizing the boy wasn't alone. "I thought we discussed this already," she stated, her voice as cold as ice. It was suffice to say that the perfect mother act was beginning to wear thin, which frightened Edward all the more.
Discussed what?, Edward thought, trying to lift his head up without being spotted so he could catch a glimpse of who was at the door, unfortunately for him, no matter what position he was in, he still couldn't see them. Dizziness impacted his skull with each try, rendering his attempts useless. But something was going down, he was sure of it. He just wanted to know what, and lying on the floor with six chains cuffed to him was making that slightly difficult.
"We need to talk," Kania replied. "Alone," he emphasized the word, glancing at the bartender and the other man.
"Very well then. Jonathan, Laine, keep watch outside. We don't want any interference. Do you understand?" she commanded, the too perfect grin washing over her features like cold water. Her eyes were gleaming again, Edward was sure of it. "And take him with you," she added, the smile still set in place as she nodded at Alphonse.
"I want him to stay," Kania interjected, placing a heavy gauntlet in front of Al's chest plate, quite defensively at that.
"But you just said you wanted to speak alone with me, so which is it, my son?" she questioned through the grin, her teeth likely gritting in the process. The anger was there, just not as evident as it was meant to be.
Who? Wait, is that Alphonse? Al? Without thinking, he opened his mouth, in a typical Edward-like fashion. "Al!" he tried, though what came out couldn't even be deemed audible. He knew his throat was sore, just not as bad as it sounded, so he tried again and again. "Al! Alphonse! Al!" he cried out, his voice weaving in and out of his hearing. This was bad. If he couldn't get Al's attention, and she did succeed in getting rid of him-- "Al!" he tried once again, this time managing to attract some sort of attention to himself.
The voice made its way into Al's hearing, confusion striking him for the umpteenth time that day. Was that…? "Brother?" he asked, peering over Kania's bulky shoulder. In the corner of the house, he could see a patch of golden hair amidst the din of the dark room. "Brother!" he shouted, nearly pushing Kania out of the way to get towards Ed; but before he could, blue light erupted before him, knocking him back into the wall. It took him a moment to regain his footing, finally seeing the cause of it kneeling before him.
Lydia LaShea was on the floor before him, approximately ten feet away, a scowl distorting her wooden features, strands of graying hair dangling in her face. Her emerald orbs locked onto Al's soul-filled ones, and for the first time since he had acquired his metal body, he actually was unsure whether or not he'd make it out alive.
"No! Al!" Edward breathed, tears in his eyes. He yanked at the chains once more, even though subconsciously he knew he couldn't get out of them. It was almost as if he was trapped in a nightmare with no way out. The thought made him shudder, yet try harder, determination settling in his eyes. "Al, she's going to--" His words were cut off as she turned towards him, blue light flashing again, the chains growing tighter. It felt as though his limbs were being torn apart by the seams, forcing a cry to escape his lips.
"Brother!" Al exclaimed, his single arm reaching out absentmindedly for his older sibling, the other one falling lifelessly to the floor. "Uh…oops," he muttered, inwardly chiding himself for being so clumsy in front of everyone, especially the old woman who apparently fed off others weaknesses.
"Al!" Edward's tiny voice came from across the room, guilt and pain flooding through it as soon as he saw the piece of armor hit the floor. Doubt gently ran through him, reminding him ever so presently that he--that they both were in fact still children, and would be for quite some time, if they lived that long.
"My son, you've done better than I thought you would; but I don't understand, why didn't you finish what you started?" she questioned, slowly standing to her feet, swaying a bit as she reached full height.
"Mother, it's not my place," he answered, the long lifeless emerald eyes staring at her from the face plate.
"You're right, it's mine," she cut in quickly, turning towards Alphonse, the grin growing wider, showcasing the imperfect teeth that littered her mouth. "Don't worry, child. This won't take long, and I'm sure you won't feel a thing. You didn't when you entered the gate the first time, now did you?" Before any of them knew it, she was down on her knees once again, blue light literally flaring from her fingertips.
But the suit of armor was quicker than she anticipated and moved out of the way, nearer to his brother. He had the lower hand any way he looked at it. This woman could produce alchemy without the use of a transmutation circle; and on top of that, she had both her arms. He, in fact, had neither one on his side, leaving only brute strength in his pocket. Yet what good would brute strength be if she could just use her alchemy to block it or hide from it? Either way, this was not a fight he would be walking away from any time soon, but he knew he needed to think fast. It would be they're only way out of there.
"Al!" Edward cried out again, evidently in pain. He raised his head up slightly, trying desperately to see his younger brother, though his vision tried more than once to fail him. "Al, be careful, she's got the stone and she's going to try and use it on--Ah!" he screamed again as the chains once again got tighter, his body literally being stretched to its limits. "On me!" he finished, doing his best to keep the attention on himself rather than his little brother.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was being reminded of the fact as to why they were searching for the stone in the first place, and that in itself made him want to suffer. It wasn't Al's fault, it was his and his alone. He wanted--no, he needed this, to suffer for what he had done. Nothing could ever make him forget, let alone forgive himself. This was just a tap on the wrist compared to what he truly deserved, at least, that's what he kept telling himself.
"Shut up!" the old woman screamed, her voice as shrill as a banshee's cry. "Shut up! Shut up, you little brat!" She was suddenly still for a moment, her perfect smile cast downwards in one of the most hatred-filled glares Edward had ever seen in his short twelve year life. His mother never even looked that mad when he transmuted one of her favorite plates into a cracked and misshapen vase. But then again, his mother wasn't insane either.
"She's going to try to use the stone to put his soul into my body!" he blurted out as quickly as he could, ignoring the searing pain that was shooting through his arms and legs. Every time he spoke, it felt as though needles were stabbing him, one at a time. He didn't know how much more he could take. Adrenaline only took you so far…
Shock electrocuted Al's system as his brother's words befell his hearing. He immediately turned to Kania who had been still the whole time in the doorway. "You knew about this? You knew about this and didn't tell me," he repeated, though in a statement form rather than with a question. The one-armed suit of armor was hesitantly still, feeling anger bubble through his soul. No one messed with his brother like that. No one.
"You talk far too much," Lydia whispered, her tone so cold that ice could have spewed from her mouth. She walked very slowly, almost crookedly towards the State alchemist, her right leg not in sync with her left one. She bent down quickly, sliding off one of her rings and holding to his mouth, blue light evaporating from her hands. "There," she smiled as she looked at her handiwork, a metal plate now covering Edward's mouth, preventing him from speaking for the time being. "No more interruptions," the words slid from her crimson colored lips as she placed her hand on the blonde's cheek once again.
He didn't even flinch when he felt the nails dig in and peel the skin off his cheek. He could only hear Alphonse scream something at him, but it faded into the background of his mind, along with his own voice. Things weren't looking good. The thought of death slowly crept through his brain, forcing the tears out of his eyes. And he couldn't stop them no matter how hard he tried. He felt like a helpless child, with no hope of getting away. It was over with.
"Leave my brother alone!" Al yelled, picking his arm up and hurling it at the woman. It knocked her straight across the face, a look of shock and terror finding its way to her eyes.
"Mother!" Kania shouted, raising his voice for the first time since Al had heard him speak. There were so many emotions implanted within it that it was hard to tell what he was truly feeling. Anger mixed with hate; fear mixed with pain; longing mixed with sadness, they were all present, Al just wasn't sure which one was the dominant factor behind the rest.
The older woman stood there in silence, her face still turned to the side from the force the arm had when it knocked into her. Blood was more than trickling out of the wound that ran from her left eyebrow down to her mouth. The gaping cut was jagged, flared up, the skin around it raised and already turning a slight shade of yellow. It was disgusting to say the least, and the sight would have made Edward vomit if his mouth was plastered shut.
The five second silence that ensued was broken, the old woman bursting into a fit of laughter, deep and almost guttural. Blood poured from her mouth and a few teeth fell out as well, though she continued with the eerie cackle, her gaunt body shaking from the force. It soon became higher, more shrill, her emerald eyes flaring with deviousness. Her obvious insanity was in full swing, and from the looks of things, were only going to get worse within the passing minutes.
"Is that all you can do?" she asked, her laughter slowly residing, though the craziness was overly apparent in her bright green orbs. "It is, isn't it?" she questioned once more, basically answering her own question. "Such a foolish child you are," the insult came, the toothy grin stretched across her face, the firelight making her look even more deranged and mentally deficient, the dark circles under her eyes multiplying a plenty. "Say good-bye to your brother," she whispered, pulling the red stone from her pocket, her hands strangely unsteady.
"You're not going to do anything to my brother!" Alphonse shouted, anger smoldering in his tone. His gloved hand was clenched at his side, his soul-filled eyes giving off the emotion that was snaking through his soul.
Edward tried as hard as he could to scream something, all the while knowing the effort would be fruitless, but he tried anyway. Tears streamed down his flushed cheeks, the saltine substance mixing in with the blood that was still oozing from the thin lines that had been etched across his face. He was shaking violently, the chains rattling continuously, catching the old woman's hearing. She turned towards him, her grey hair completely free of the small leather strap that it had been confined in.
"Don't worry now, it won't be long," she cooed, Edward cringing at the sound of her blood hitting the floor. The wound appeared to be bleeding worse than what it had been, an apparent sign that her heart beat was rising, and more than likely, her insanity level as well.
All fell silent for a second time as three shots rang out through the tension-filled air, sounding as though they were almost right outside the door. It didn't take long for two more figures to make their way into the small home, decorated in all out military attire.
For the first time since he'd been there, Edward felt hope singe through his heart as Mustang's and Hawkeye's faces made their way into his stumbling vision, his eyes lighting up at their arrival.
The older woman stood still, striking a pose almost like a frightened wild animal. Her eyes were bulging, appearing as though they could fall out of her sockets at any minute. She too was shaking violently, the red stone looking as though it could fall out of her hand at any time. Though in as little time as took for her to attain that position, it too faded as her strong front cast itself back over her features, the grin slowly sliding back into place, though this time, there was blood polluting it.
"Well, look, Kania, we have guests," she said in a most hospitable voice, her body becoming completely still. "Why don't you make yourselves at home," the older woman grinned, gaps in her now imperfect smile where her decaying teeth should have been.
"Lydia LaShea, you are under arrest for the criminal misuse of alchemy-" Lieutenant Hawkeye began, gun steady in her hands, only to be cut off by the clearly insane woman.
"Do you think that little piece of metal scares me?" she scoffed, her eyes gleaming wildly. "So what they say is true, the military has fallen into a shambles. Perhaps it is a good thing you didn't apply, son," she stated, turning towards the stoic suit of armor that had remained still once again, its green eyes glowering. "But then again, you would have been the most intelligent of all their dogs," she gave the insult, returning her crazed glare in the direction of Mustang who appeared to not be amused in the least.
"I highly doubt that," the onyx-eyed man retorted, his trademark smirk threatening the corners of his mouth. He stood perfectly still, his back straight, his chest forward, looking almost as if he was standing at attention, though in all actuality, he just wanted to look presentable; or foreboding, the thought shot around Edward's mind. "I see you're quite the talented alchemist, Miss LaShea," he continued as though this were nothing but a polite conversation held at a causal luncheon.
"You can omit the pleasantries, Lieutenant," she stated crisply, blood matting her brittle hair. "But I do accept the compliment," the older woman added slyly, such coyness to her tone that it almost made Mustang sick. "However, they will get you no where here," she stated bitterly, dropping down to her knees, electric blue light appearing again, flooding straight towards the Lieutenant Colonel and his assistant.
The reaction was quick, the poorly constructed wall that appeared in front of them was disintegrated with a snap of Mustang's fingers, the firelight lighting up his eyes as well, though with more of a mischievous air.
"You must be exhausted," he stated calmly as he regained his composure, his eyes trained on her slightly shaking body and her disheveled appearance. "After making that contraption," he said, nodding towards the now angry looking Edward, metal piece still affixed to his mouth and all. "Hell, I think any one would be," he noted, his voice as causal as it was before, he obviously trying to retain the air of coolness that surrounded him.
She gave a grunt in response and tried again, Mustang proving to be quite the distraction. She didn't even notice Alphonse making his way over to his brother or the gasp that escaped his armor when he saw the entire contraption his brother had been set in. Instead, she continued sending one array after another at the Flame alchemist, all being rejected as well. The older woman gave a cry sending one last shot of blue from her trembling hands, almost all pf her energy being literally sucked right out of her. She fell to her knees, breathless. "Kania…get them," she managed out while trying to suck as much air in to her lungs as possible, pointing to Mustang and Hawkeye, her wild eyes finally catching the sight that was happening behind her. "No!" she cried out, crawling over to the transmutation circle, her right leg dragging behind her miserably.
"Mother!" Kania yelled, rushing over to her. "Mother, no! Stop this!" he shouted, his metal suit clanking uncomfortably as he landed on his knees at her side. "Just stop, we'll find another way!" His tone was pained, and if he could cry, surely tears would have been falling down his cheeks.
"No! I will not!" she screamed, tears haunting her sunken face. "You deserve to be whole once again! You deserve to be my little boy! Flesh and blood, not some putrid piece of metal that cannot feel anything!" she screeched, her nails digging into the floor as she drew nearer to the circle where Edward was still franticly impatient at Al's ability to only have removed two of the stakes.
"Mother, this is not the way! It's not right! Please just listen to me for once!" his voice broke as he held onto her now by the waist, his strength easily outweighing hers. "These boys don't deserve this," he whispered, his voice deathly serious in her ears.
"And neither do you! I'm sorry, Kania! I'm sorry!" she screamed, still clawing madly at the floor, the red stone dropping out of her hands in the process and rolling onto the edge of the circle. A faint light started to emit from it, glowing in the darkness of the shadow of the firelight. "I'm putting you back to the way you used to be," she stated, attempting to place her hands within the circle, now only inches from it. "Please forgive me, my son," she whispered, hardly sounding like the crazed animal she had before. She reached out for the circle just as a wall of flames engulfed the both of them, the circle lighting up bright red as well at the same time.
Smoke covered the entire room as silence fell upon it, leaving the Lieutenant Colonel and his First Lieutenant waiting for it all to clear. They weren't prepared for what met their eyes.
Author's note : Am I cruel or what? Judging by the cliff, I think I am. :D
Firstly, I just want to say THANK YOU because I never, EVER expected to get sixteen reviews for the last chapter, and I am more than grateful. I'd like to thank the following people for their wonderful reviews : Akamori-chan, Roy-Fan-33, Lyemi, Kuropuu, Aemilia Rose, Ark, hyperdude, marufu-chan, JChrys, Legendary Chimera, vampirelf, Kakari, Harryswoman, Birth of Venus, Uzamaki Kakari, TreeStar, and everyone else who has either put me on their favs page or story alert. The support you all give means a lot to me, and I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. And yes, I am sorry for the evil cliff, but do you guys really mind? Next chapter up soon.
Oh, and sorry for the lack of Ed. More angst shall ensue.
