Chapter Twenty-Five
Ed was such a jerk! Why did he always insist on embarrassing him when they were together and Emma happened to be around? So what if he liked Emma? Alphonse kicks a rock as he walks towards town. Once again Ed had decided to make it clear that Al had a crush on Emma, and this time Emma seemed to have caught on and blushed.
Al wasn't sure if it was a good blush or a bad blush, and he had run off before he could find out. Now he was just walking around Resembool until his head cleared and he could face Ed without breaking his nose, because at that moment he really wanted to break Ed's nose. And then he wanted to transmute it to look like a pig nose, just because he thought it would be funny.
As Al was walking, he sensed that he was being followed, so he picked up his pace. Surely if he made it into town, the person following him might not make a move against him, for fear of witnesses. Of course this wasn't to be, because his follower seemed to sense his plan and Al was suddenly being pulled against a body, by two strong arms. His yell was cut off by one of the hands coming up to cover his mouth, and then a pair of lips was next to his ear.
"You will do everything I say, Alphonse Elric, or your precious family will be no more. If you have any doubts of this at all I will be more than happy to prove it to you," whispers a decidedly male voice. Al had no doubt that this man was telling the truth. He seemed big and strong enough to pull it off. Not only that, but he knew his name! If he knew Al's name, then it wasn't a long shot to guess that he knew his family members' names as well.
When Al didn't struggle, the man removed his hand from Al's mouth. When Al didn't scream, the man let go of Al, but grabbed his wrist. "Very good. It seems that you believe me. I'll be taking you to Central. There is a man there that is eager to meet you."
"Why?" asks Al, warily.
"That isn't important right now. Come along," says the man, moving in front of Al, to pull him towards town. That was when Al got a look at his captor. The man was very tall, and he wore a trench coat, as well as a hat, that shielded his face.
By the time they reached the train station Alphonse was having second thoughts about the whole situation. He felt that he was being way too cooperative. If he had been Ed, he would have kicked this guy's butt. Of course Al wasn't Ed, so when he yanked his hand out of the man's grip and started to inhale enough oxygen to let out his loudest scream, the man had quickly grabbed his arm and covered his mouth.
"That's it, they're all dead. I hope you're happy," he growls, before yanking Al, who was crying now, onto the train.
The train car was empty, and the man literally threw Al onto one of the benches before taking a seat on the bench opposite of him. They're all dead. Al choked back a sob as the words muttered to him mere moments ago, flood his mind. His little stunt had cost him his family.
Of course, it hadn't occurred to Al that the man was on the train with him and therefore couldn't kill his family, but if it had maybe it would have given Al some hope for his family's welfare. Since he hadn't thought of it, Al was overcome with remorse. He'd just gotten his family killed because he was stupid, and he had tried to be like Ed.
Al lays his head against the window and looks out at the passing scenery. Maybe, with any luck, the man he was going to see would kill him when he got whatever it was he wanted from Al. He really didn't want to be the last Elric.
Al noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and looked over at the man. He was watching Al with a maniacal glint in his eye. Then, with a grin, he spoke. "It's too bad I don't get to watch your loved ones die. I'll have to ask my men to tell me how it went," says the man. "If only you had behaved back there at the station."
Al goes back to looking out the window. He didn't want to show this man weakness. It was what he wanted, after all, but the tears wouldn't stop coming.
XxXxXxXx
When Ed and Hoenheim arrived in Central, the first thing they did was get a room in the nearest hotel. Hoenheim didn't know how long they would be in Central, but he assumed it would at least be over night, even if they got lucky and found Alphonse right away. He hoped that nothing bad had happened to Al, Trisha wouldn't be able to bear it if anything happened to her youngest son; Hoenheim knew that.
"Edward, you know people in the military, correct?" asks Hoenheim, as he and Ed unpack their bags.
"Yeah. I know a few people," says Ed, already knowing where Hoenheim was going with his line of conversation. "You want me to go to headquarters?"
"Yeah. As soon as you get done there," says Hoenheim.
"What about you? What are you going to do?" asks Ed.
"I have a hunch about who may have taken Al. I'm going to go check it out," says Hoenheim, as he closes his suitcase.
"Why can't I go with you?" asks Ed.
"It's just better if you go to the military, Edward. If I find anything, I'll call," says Hoenheim, as he walks towards the door.
"Call where?" asks Ed.
"I'll call the military. Whose office should I ask for?" asks Hoenheim.
"Colonel Roy Mustang," says Ed, just before Hoenheim closes the door.
When Ed gets to HQ he receives a visitor's badge, before going to Mustang's office and knocking on the door. Hawkeye answers the door and looks surprised to see Ed standing there.
"Well, hello, Edward. I didn't know that we were expecting your company," says Riza, stepping aside so that Ed could enter.
"Yeah, I know. I wish I could say that this was just an informal visit, but I came because there's something wrong," says Ed, as he approaches Mustang's desk. Mustang, who was supposed to be doing paperwork, but was looking out the window instead, had turned to give Ed his attention at the mention of trouble.
"What seems to be the problem, Fullmetal?" asks Roy, clasping his hands together in front of him.
"It's my brother, Al. He's been kidnapped! Hoenheim and I came here on a lead from the woman at the train station. Hoenheim thinks he knows where Al was taken, but he felt that it was important that I come here," explains Ed, as he plops down on the couch.
"When was he kidnapped?" asks Roy, as he grabs a sheet of paper and a pen and begins writing.
"Well, he left on the eight o'clock train to Central, yesterday evening," says Ed. Roy nods as he writes.
"What did the woman at the station say?" asks Roy.
"That at first she had thought that he was going with the man willingly, so she didn't say anything, but when she had rethought about it, she realized that something had been said to make Al cooperate," says Ed. "She couldn't describe the man though, because he was wearing a trench coat and hat."
"Okay. Did Hoenheim say anything about who he thought was involved?" asks Mustang.
"No. He just told me to come here and that he would call," says Ed.
"Alright. I make some calls and see if I can find anything out with the information you provided. The least I can do is find out if your brother is even in Central," says Roy, as he motions for Riza. When she reaches his desk, he hands her the paper. "Take this to the information department, tell them who we're looking for, as well as a description of Alphonse. Edward, what was he wearing?"
"Um...," Ed had to think about it before he could continue, "A white long sleeved shirt under a red t-shirt, and tan pants."
"Okay, do you have all of that, Lieutenant?" asks Roy.
"Yes sir," says Riza.
"Good, we have no time to lose, go," orders Roy. Riza immediately stands at attention, salutes, and walks out of the room. Ed watches her go before turning to Roy and snorting disdainfully.
"That's it? You're just going to send her to another office?" asks Ed, incredulously.
"Is that a problem, Fullmetal?" asks Roy.
"I just think you could be doing more. Pick up the phone and make your own phone calls or something. Hughes always seems to know a little bit about everything, call him," says Ed, crossing his arms over his chest and sticking his nose in the air.
Roy sighs heavily before picking up the phone and dialing Hughes' office. "Hughes," says Maes.
"I have Edward Elric here," says Roy, looking at Ed, who was watching Roy intently.
"Say no more! I'm on my way there! Tell him not to go anywhere," says Hughes, cheerfully, before hanging up. Roy looks at the phone in his hand, quizzically, before hanging it up.
"He's on his way," says Roy. Ed nods before settling in to wait. When Hughes got there, he immediately pulled Ed into a hug before promptly bombarding him with pictures of Elysia, who had grown a lot since Ed had seen her last.
As Ed was looking through the pictures – he didn't want to be rude after all – Roy was busy telling Hughes the real reason Ed was in Central. "Not to worry, Edward. You've come to the right man!" says Hughes, jovially. "I'll go call around and find out where Al is." With that said, Hughes takes the photos from Ed and leaves the room.
Ed sighs heavily and lays down on the couch, looking at the transmutation circle on his auto mail hand. He had to admit that Winry had done a great job engraving it into his hand for him. He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew, he was waking up and the phone was ringing.
"Mustang," he hears Roy say. There was a moment of silence, and then, "Fifth and Ash wood? I understand. We're on our way." There was another moment of silence, and Mustang spoke once more. "Understood. I'll make sure he stays here." And then Ed heard the phone being hung up.
"Breda, you and Falman need to stay here and make sure that Fullmetal doesn't leave this room," says Roy. That's when it all clicked for Edward. The person on the phone must have been Hoenheim. He had found Al, and was calling in the military to help him save Al, but he didn't want Ed to come along. He was trying to keep Ed away.
"Like hell I'm staying here," argues Ed, as he pulls himself into a sitting position.
"It's too dangerous for you, Edward. Stay here. We'll get Alphonse back. Don't worry," says Roy, just as Riza and Havoc walk in. They were both checking their guns and ammo. Riza had a rifle slung across her back.
"I'm coming with you!" insists Ed, just before the sound of a gun being fired, reverberated through the room, and a bullet grazed Ed's cheek. Ed yelps as his hands go to the small cut on his cheek.
"You're staying," says Hawkeye, flatly. Ed quickly nods his head and watches as Riza places her gun back in its holster, before following Roy and Havoc out. As the door closes, Ed begins formulating his escape. He was going to save Al, even if it was the last thing he did.
End Chapter
A/N: I know I said Monday or Tuesday! And I realize that it's Sunday...so I'm like 5 or 6 days late, and I'm sorry! I was really busy those two days. Heck, I was busy today, but inspiration finally took hold I guess, so I was able to write the second half of this in like an hour. That's like a record for me.
So, I watched Trigun: Badlands Rumble the other day, and it's awesome! If you liked Trigun, then you'll love the movie! If you don't know what Trigun is...you must live under a rock...lol, actually I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know. It's kind of an old anime. But, if you like shooting, and bounty hunters, and destruction, and over all silliness...you might like it...you'll have to look it up. It has some voice actors in it that you'll recognize though.
Okay, so getting off of that topic...I think that this story might be coming to an end...maybe...I don't know...I'm still debating on whether or not to make this story run into my next story. Which, by the way, is going to be Ed and Winry get married and Winry gets pregnant! That seemed to be the one you guys wanted. So, if you guys like that idea, let me know, and if not, let me know...I'll decide my next course of action that way.
So, thanks for reading! Please review! And with any luck I'll meet my goal! Thanks again! Sayonara! =]