Chapter Fourteen
Well here is another chapter. Yay! Anyway's we are getting to the closing ceramony. Sad isn't it? But alas, all good things must come to an end. Anyway, now for the legal speal. I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or anything. By I thank Haromu Arakawa for creating it.
As Riza and Roy came upon the scene the military was in a savage battle with numerous chimera. And they seemed to be losing badly. Riza quickly drew her guns and began to fire while Rot pulled on his gloves and began to snap his fingers. Chmeras began to fall under their constant fire. But the more that fell the more seem to replace them. There just seemed to be no end to them. Neither Roy nor Riza could figure how that alchemist, Lorin, could have made these chimera in such number in such a short amount of time. Unless she had them waiting in the wings in case someting like this did happen. A backup plan if her dragon was possibly defeated. As it was. And judging by the magnitude of the attack she seemed to be royaly pissed.
In the midst of all the fighting Roy could see Havoc running towards him. He gave him cover fire as he approached. When at last he reached them he bent over and tried to catch his breath.
"You know, if you quit smoking you wouldn't have that problem Havoc." Roy said.
"You really think now is a good time to be sarcastic Roy?" He stood up and took one last deep breath. At last getting control of his breathing he attempted to speak again. "They just keep coming."
"I've noticed that. Where did they start coming from?"
"The sewers. We sent a group of men down there to see if they could find the sourse. None of them have returned."
"Son of a bitch." Roy cursed as he snapped his fingers. Taking out a chimera that had lunged itself at Havoc. Havoc ducked and covered his head as the flame flew over his head. The he looked back to Roy.
"Could you warn me next time?"
"No time for that. Unless you wanted to get eaten?"
Havoc just shook his head and stood back up. "We're losing ground here sir. Breda and his group fell back inside H.Q. but the chimeras crashed down the doors and followed them inside. So who knows whats going on inside. We lost contact with him and everyone inside. No ones answering the radio."
Roy and Riza just looked at each other. At a complete loss. There was no way there could be an infinate amount of these things. There had to be an end. But they figured the only way to end it, was to find the sourse. And to take it out. They would have to kill her. It just seemed like the only way.
Seeming to understand what Roy was thinking, Riza turned to Havoc. "Havoc! I want you to gather as many soldiers as you can without depleting the defense too much! Bring them here! We're going into the sewers!"
"Are you sure thats wise?"
"Are you questioning me?"
"No mam'. I'm on it." He turned in his heels and ran back in the direction he had come from. Riza started to weigh the options in her mind. Chances were they would get bombarded as soon as they entered the sewers. But with such a small area they could funnel the flow and use it to their advantage. Put an even number of allchemists and normal soldiers up front to use a combination of attacks. She relayed this to the others as they arrived with Havoc. They nodded in agreement and faught their way to the sewer entrance. Once inside they could here the roaring in the distance. Swallowing their fear they pushed forward, taking out chimera as they went. The funneling technique was working for the moment and after some time the flow of chimera seemed to thin out. At last they came to an intersection and found disembowled soldiers everywhere. Bloodstains painted the walls causing some of the younger soldiers to turn away and vomit from both the smell and sight. Riza ordered them to keep it together and they quickly fell back into the ranks. Swallowing back any further rising bile. One soldier called from the farside of the room.
"I found a survivor!" They all turned and ran over. Indeed one soldier had survived anong the at least forty that were littered across the cavern. Riza knelt down in front of him and spoke soflty.
"Private?"
He slowly looked up. Blood streaked down his face and she could see a large gash on his forehead. He smiled weakly as he tried to say something that just came out in indisernable garbles.
"Shhhh. Take your time. Did you see which corridor they came from?"
He raised a shaky arm and pointed to the left tunnel. Them he took a hold of her uniform tightly. "SHe was with them." He said quietly. "She was smiling and laughing. Telling them to rip everyone apart. To help in exacting her revenge. The she walked passed us. She told them to continue till there was no one left. Then she walked off, saying there was something she had to do yet. And that they could only stop when she returned. Returned with her...prize." He took a long ragged breath as he gripped her uniform tighter. "She said...said the bastard had to die. All links to his blood had to be eliminated."
Roy gasped from behind her. "Edward."
"And Winry." Riza added. "And no doubt Alphonse as well. We have ti get back to my place!"
"Mam'?"
She looked back down at the younger man. "What is it?"
"Tell my mother I'm sorry. I promised her I'd come home safe. But I guess I lied."
"Don't talk that way. You'll be okay."
"I know when I'm going to die. You officers just say that to try to comfort us. Thats how we know we're done for. So please tell her that. And tell her I love her." His eyes glazed over and he let out a long breath. Then he went silent. Riza shook her head and then closed his still open eyes. She stood up and turned to the others.
"I want a group of you to stay here. I don't want these soldiers chewed on by those creatures."
"But what if the chimera come again?"
"I don't think they will. It looks like we found the end of them. Just defend this corridor from any that may come back. We need to get to Fullmetal."
Havoc having been in back moved towards them. "He's alive?"
"You mean you didn't hear the comotion at headquarters earlier?" Roy asked.
"I was transporting a general to the station."
"Well yes he's alive. And he and the others are in danger. We have to get back to them." Havoc nodded and gathered a group of soldiers to go with them. Then after one last lecture to the soldiers who would be staying behind they made their way out of the sewers and headed as quickly as they could back to Riza's.
Ed sat back down at the table with a cup of coffee. Al was sitting acrossed from him going over some of hie medical books. He looked up as his brother sat down.
"Where's Winry?"
"She's taking a knap."
"Maybe you should take one too. It doesn't look like you've healed completely yet brother."
"What do you mean? I'm fine Al."
"I saw you limping around brother. Don't try to hide it from me." Ed just sighed and took a sip of his coffee.
"I wonder how the military is doing with those chimera?"
"Don't get any ideas brother. You're not going out there."
"I now. Don't worry Al. I was wondering something though."
"Hm?"
"Where's Noah? I haven't seen her since I got here."
Al looked down sadly at his book.
"Al?"
"She's gone away foe a while. She kept having nightmares about the rape. She checked herself into a clinic to try and get some help with it. She's been there since a month after the incident and she still hasn't improved much. I'm thinking of going to visit her. If she'll let me."
"I think that would be a good idea. If any one can help her really, it's you. We're really the only people other than the other Alphonse that she really trusted. And of course the other Gracia. Can't leave her out. But the point is she trusted us with her life. We couldn't protect her then. But we will now. I think going to see her would do her some good."
"Yea. I think so too."
Ed smiled and took another sip of his coffee.
"Hey Ed?"
"Yea?"
"When are you going to ask Winry to marry you?"
Ed turned a little red. But he couldn't understand why. He should be use to this by now. "I've already got the ring. I'm going to do it Al. I'm just still a little scared I guess. But I'd better do it soon. She's probably wondering that herself."
"Well when you do I get to be your best man right?"
"Of course Al. You're my brother. You're going to be right there with us. Like the family we've always been."
"It's funny to hear you say that. It looked like you always did whatever you could not to admit that."
"I was trying to protect them. You know that."
"I know that. But look at Winry. I think she was more than capable of taking care of herself. She throws a pretty mean wrench."
"Yea, I know." Ed said as he winced at the memories of that accursed wrench. "But I did almost lose her to that Barry the Chopper."
"No one was expecting that."
"Yea well no one expects anything bad to happen to them. Just to other people. But that is never the case. No ones immune to tradgedy."
"I know brother. But no ones cursed to the point where it's the only thing that happens to them. Like I know you still believe."
Ed just grumbled something and went back to his coffee. Thats when they heard a large crash from upstairs. The brother looked to each other before quickly running up the stairs. What they found they naver would have expected.
In the bedroom where Winry was sleeping stood a chimera. But it was one of the chimera that had a human form. And in his arms he held a very frightened Winry. A blade to her throat. Ed made a move meant towards them but the chimera pushed the blade closer to her neck. A small trickle of blood ran down causing Ed to stop in his tracks.
"Don't move boy. I have orders. If you do anything to try and stop me I'm to kill her. And judging by her belly I'm guessing she won't be the only one i kill."
Ed ground his teeth, seething. "You bastard."
"To insure her safety all you have to do is stay out of my masters buisness. Let her finsh her master plan. And then she'll be lat go."
"Now thats bullshit! I know she wants me dead! And I know she wants our bloodline dead! She holds onto the past too much!"
"Thats not for me to worry with. I'm just supposed to pass on her words to you. Whatever she does is up to her. If you'd really like she could die right here and now. Makes no difference to me."
Ed grumbled a few incoherent things before dropping his head in deafeat. If he did anything she would die right here.
"Good choice boy." Then the chimera turned and jumped out the window. Ed and Al ran over as he sprouted wings and flew off into the sky.
"Hold on Winry! We'll get you back! I promise on my life!" He wasn't sure if she heard him. In fact he was pretty sure she hadn't. But it was all he could do at the moment.
He slumped over the windowseal. Shards of glass cutting into his arm and hand. But he didn't care.
"Brother?" Al said as he laid a hand on his shoulder.
"What was it you said Al? About tradgedy? About how no ones cursed to the point wher it's the only thing that happens to them?"
Al just opened his mouth to tal but nothing came out. There was nothing he could say.
Below them in tha alley acrossed the street Lorin smiled broadly. The first part of her plan was working. Soon, everything would go her way. And no one would be able to stop her. With great satisfaction written all over her face, she turned and disapeared into the shadows.
In the house Ed was on his hands and knees now. Tears streaking down his face and making dark marks on the floor beneath him. Al was knelt next to him, a hand on his shoulder. He said nothing. He was crying as well. Wondering inside why all this wouldn't just end. Ed and Winry had been through enough. Why did things like this keep happening to them?
They both jumped as they heard a crashing sound coming from downstairs. They stood, preparing for a fight. Until Roy apeared in the doorway.
"They're in here!" He yelled to the others as he walked into the room. "Where's Winry?"
"That bitch took her." Ed mumbled quietly.
"Shit. We were too late." Riza said as she walked in. "Did she say anything to you?"
"She wasn't the one who broke in. It was another chimera of hers. One of her human looking ones. He said that they would keep Winry as collateral basically. As long as I stayed out of her buisness she'd let her live. But we all know she'll kill her anyway. She wants all her husband blood dead."
"That's what I figured. That's what one of the soldiers told me before he died. She wants you dead in a bad way. All of you."
"Then wouldn't she go after Roy too? I mean, he has the blood of the guy that helped her husband." Al questioned. Roy just shook his head.
"My ancestor was a small fry. No direct source of anger to her. She just wants to yake out her husbands bloodline. The one who betrayed her."
Ed walked over to the bed and sat down, covering his face in his hands. "Did I...," he began, "did I curse her? Anyone who gets too close to me gets hurt."
"Don't start that again Edward. You know Winry would get pretty upset with you if she heard you say that." Riza said as she sat next to him.
"Yea well, she's not here to do that is she? I mean God! She was just kidnapped before and now she's got her again! Thsi is the third time she's been kidnapped while I was around! I haven't once really been able to save her!"
"That's not true brother. You've always been there every step of the way. You do whatever it takes to protect her. When Barry took her, if you wouldn't have been as quick as you were to follow that truck she would be gone. You bought time for the military to get there. You keep getting upset at yourself for not doing more that day and never take into account that no matter how much you may have acted it, you were not an adult. You were a kid. Going up against a psycho maniac. What could you have done more than you did? You risked your life for her. And you've done it again and again. You have saved her brother."
Ed just got up and headed out the door and down to the kitchen. He saw the other doldiers had set up a perimiter downstairs. They all looked quite surprised to see him. He just gave them an aggrivated look and went for the fridge. He rummaged around in it for a moment then turned to go sit in the front room. There he sat and thought of what to do next. The others watched him. They watched as he got back up and started to walk around the room and then sit down again. He did this a couple times before permenatly sitting down. By this point Al, Riza, and Roy had come back downstairs and wathed him nervously walk about. They knew what was on his mind. Al walked over once he settled down and sat next to him.
"You're going after her? Aren't you brother?"
"I have to."
"But you said..."
"That was before she was kidnapped! I'm going to get her back Al! I know she can damn well take care of herself but this time she's pregnant! Just like the first time this dumb bitch grabbed her! She can't fight back without risking our child! I have no choice!"
"You don't have to yell brother! I understand! But I'm going too! And don't you dare say no! Cause I'll go anyway! You got that?"
Ed just stared at him before nodding his head. Winry was family to him too. He had every right to help out. "Alright little bro. But we have to think this one through this time."
"You think things through? This really is a miracle." Al said woth a smirk.
"Shut up. This isn't the time for sarcasm."
"But it's helping you isn't it?"
"Yea yea." Ed got up and walked into the kitchen and motioned for the others to follow. They did so and sat down at the table with him.
"So what do you got one your mind Ed?"
"Well Roy. I've never been very good at planning things through so you guys are going to have to help me. This time that bitch is going down for good."
"She does have a name brother. Even if you don't like her."
"I don't give a flying fuck. She could be god for all I care."
"Brother, leave him out of this. You always blame him for everything."
"Fine. But only for you. But I was just trying to make a point. You get where I'm going with this."
"Yea I do. So what do we do about her?"
"Well no doubt the way Winry is she's already got her hands full. She doesn't know what she's getting herself into." Riza pointed out with a smile. "But I do have a plan in mind."
"Well by all means. Lets hear it."
The first thing Winry did whren she saw Lorin was start swaering right at her face. Obviously Lorin didn't particullarly enjoy this but she withstood it. She couldn't hurt the girl. Not yet anyway. But she was curious as to how the boy could put up with her. He must have more patience than he had shown with her. This girl was just plain ruthless.
"Stop it or I might have to hurt you. And I don't think you want that considering your condition."
Winry moved back a bit but was by no means backing down. The fire of anger still burned in her eyes. "Ed will come."
"If he does, you will die. You and your offspring. He won't risk that."
"You're right. He won't. But you don't know Ed. He will come. And you won't be able to lay a hand on me."
"You're quite confident aren't you?"
"Of course. Besides, you plan to kill us anyway. I'm not stupid you know. So it's better for him to do something rather than nothing. Then at least he tried."
Lorin stared her down for a moment. The girl was afraid. She wasn't hideing that. But the girl was also a fighter. She wouldn't go down easilly. She would fight for her life and for her childrens. "You two really love eachother don't you."
"Of course!"
"I haven't seen a love like this in some time. I didn't think it to be possable anymore."
"Well if you'd open your damn eyes you would see that! There is still room for love in this world. It's always there. Even if you don't always see it."
After a moment more of stareing Winry down Lorin sighed and turned away. "I'm sure your love will be here soon then. We'll see what he has in store for me." Then she walked out and closed the cell door behind her. But Winry noticed something as she left. She didn't seem to be angry anymore. Just, sad.
Well on to another chapter. What will the final battle bring? I guess you'll just have to read to find out. Because frankly, I don't even know yet. (snickers) Well anyway. Please review.