I am so annoyed right now at the place I volunteer at. But I shall answer some reviews and then perhaps go let off some steam in my profile. Now that I am finally home... grrr.
oruchuban: Yay, cookies! Thank you so much, I'm feeling slightly better now with cookies.
Ethereal: Almost cried? I suppose I need to start passing out tissues then, just in case.
GreedxEd: Well I am glad NY was nice, and how did I know you'd hit Roy...
Paon: -ends it there and cackles-
Nini: You really have lost sanity haven't you XD.
Mary: Oh there's more to come, do not worry. I made that in particular short for a reason.
Egypt: Aww, I really should start providing just in case tissues.
Bar-Ohki: Umm... me as well? Apparently I am an evil woman XD. No, I never did specifically, but I hinted around it without spelling it out in black and white. And yes, that does get explained obviously, I wrote this while having post-it notes everywhere of things that needed to be explained before the end, because this does have a lot involved in it. Probably even more than you're picking up.
anmb: He's officially scared of you.
xharuka: Thank you very, very much.
Shawn: Why must I be evil... hmm... good question. -cackle- I made Roy an artist because it seemed like a good outlet for him to express his hidden emotions. He's always so closed in about things, that he needs a release. And art seemed like a therapuetic way of giving him a release, and a way to keep himself from drowning in the process of hiding his feelings for Edward.
dontwaitup: You'll have to see about the dreams -grins- And I am merely glad to see you back.
And now that I have this up, I can go off and continue being annoyed.
I hope you all continue to enjoy. And I don't think this chapter will require possible tissue use.
Chapter Fifty Three
Squealing tires, blaring horns, the frenzied shouts, all rose from the main road where a rampaging chimera was continuing to bolt. The acrid smell of burning rubber and smoke permeated the air, and only got stronger the more chaos the chimera caused.
"Come back here damn you." Edward growled as he continued to chase after the chimera.
At least the beast was cutting a path through the afternoon traffic. But even so, this wasn't good. And he was losing ground against the beast. He wasn't fast enough on foot, and the chimera would only be hindered to a slower pace by the traffic for so long.
Edward sprung aside to avoid being sideswiped by a car that was spinning out, and continued after his quarry.
"Whatever idiot who thought chimeras were a good idea needs to die, painfully." Edward panted out as he did his best to keep pace.
It was at the moment that the chimera smacked with a sickening crunch into the side of a large transport truck that had jackknifed right in front of it, that Edward took his chance.
He launched himself at the beast, piercing his automail blade down into a shoulder as he vaulted up and on. His legs closed around the creature as it whirled with teeth snapping, trying to get him. He had chosen right, to get himself up and out of the way to finish it off. Had he remained on the ground, he would have likely lost an arm.
But before Edward could remove his blade from the meaty shoulder of the hyena-like chimera, the beast had suddenly whirled about in the other direction to begin to claw its way vertically up the truck that had halted its bolt. The sharp claws dug in with hair raising screeches as the chimera shimmied up the side of the truck, up, and bounded over to continue racing about.
Edward knew, as he clung to the back of the chimera, that the beast was only scared. Hence the running from explosions, and now, the pain inflicted on it by Edward's automail blade which was still wedged firmly into the wiry muscles of the shoulder.
Blood was pooling out, and splattering the wind like a red mist, and trailing down the foreleg.
Edward made a decision, either he could wrench his way free and finish off the chimera now, or he could muscle the beast to Headquarters. So far, it seemed to be the path the chimera was taking. So Edward made the choice to stay aboard for the ride, his blade still dug deep. The chimera's gait was choppy and surely would have tossed his sore body off unless he kept himself anchored.
How they managed to cover so much ground with only mashing into a few things along the way, Edward would never know. But truly, he didn't care.
All he cared about right then was rapidly approaching in the form of the main gate to Headquarters.
The buildings all were long familiar, little had changed since he left. Well, there were armed officers running towards the gate now, but he paid them no mind.
Instead he gave a quick wrench of his arm to slide his automail blade out from its secured location in the chimera's shoulder. The new flash of pain made the beast scream in pain and outrage, and in its headlong bolt to try and escape the pain, it ran blindly into the main gate.
The metal squealed and hinges snapped, the clash of the gate falling in echoed around the courtyard and caused the birds in the trees to take flight in alarm. Sparks shot up from the pavement, and flames began to sizzle at what weeds and dried leaves littered the in-reach area.
Edward was half-thrown from the chimera, his automail leg becoming stuck between the gate that now lay on the ground and the heavy ribs of the chimera. The force jerked on the nerves that attached his automail, and Edward drew in a sharp hissing breath of pain. Yet he wouldn't remain ensnared for long.
The chimera in its panic rolled over backwards, freeing Ed's leg, but momentarily crushing the alchemist beneath the bulk. All the while flinging blood across everything.
Edward grabbed fistfuls of wiry fur through the blow of pain of being rolled over on by this tank of an animal, and let the chimera haul him up as well. Again his legs closed into the sides of the beast as they came upright. This time, when he plunged in his automail blade, he ignored the shoulder areas.
Instead the blade pierced down straight through the neck. The spinal cord severed, along with the esophagus, quickly halted the chimera.
Edward managed to slide off in time before he was crushed again by the crumpling and twitching form of the dying beast as the last nerve signals took their course.
"No one attacks Roy." Edward hissed out as he stalked forward as fast as his body would allow, and made one last slice with his blade to sever the head off entirely.
That done, Edward straightened with a gasping breath and the feeling as if his bones were becoming brittle, and his muscles burned. He was covered in a fine spray of chimera blood. He got rid of his automail blade, and pushed his hair out of his eyes. Somewhere along the line, his hair tie had vanished, and now his blonde hair was wanting to cascade into his vision. But his golden eyes were having enough difficulty focusing through the pain that wanted to cloud them.
Before Edward was able to think of what he should do next, he was suddenly finding himself shoved roughly to the ground by three burly officers, and four guns aimed at his head.
The pavement bit into his skin, but Edward didn't resist them as they bound his hands and hauled him to his feet.
"I do love the welcome backs I've been getting." Edward muttered, and glared as he was cuffed over the head.
"Stop talking, traitor." Glared one officer.
"Traitor." Ed laughed bitterly and shrugged.
Whether or not he had condemned himself by coming back here after all was up in the air. He still had no idea what Roy planned to do. He would either be freed, or killed. His options didn't seem that impressive right now. But it was his decision to choose the path he had in the end.
Meanwhile inside Headquarters…
"Edward just crashed through the main gate with a chimera." Havoc said in a flurry of words as he suddenly burst into the main office to rush up to where Hawkeye was sitting at her desk.
"He what?" She blinked up at him in shock. Edward wasn't supposed to be here, and not with a chimera. What was going on?
"Apparently he killed it, now they're putting him under arrest again."
"What?!" She burst up from her seat, her gifted rifle from Edward suddenly in her hands. "Why the hell is he here now? Where's Mustang?"
"He left." Jean reminded her.
But to no avail, Riza was all ready racing out the door, and he quickly followed. Something was going on here, and he was not going to be kept in the dark this time.
People were calling out to her, but Riza ignored them as she ran down the hallways and stairs. All the while loading several rounds into her rifle. Something wasn't right, and it seemed her suspicion from earlier had been correct. There was no way things would have gone this smoothly.
Back in the courtyard Edward was still remaining quiet as he stared down at the severed head of the chimera. He wasn't thinking about the men around him who were debating what to do with him. Didn't care that these men once would have been overjoyed to be noticed by the man they now deemed a traitor.
Instead his thoughts were on Roy. He didn't doubt the man had made it out okay, but then what? How long would he have to wait to see him again? Would Roy come straight back here? Edward did not need to question himself if he were truly ready to die by the hands of the man he loved. He knew he would. Though he did worry for Roy in the aftermath of such an event. But if this is what it took to prove he'd rather die than betray the one he loved, then so be it.
Life had never been fair before, why should it start now?
"Hey, stop spacing out!" The order was followed by another sharp smack to his head, and Edward was snapped rudely from his thoughts that had since gone on to toy wistfully with the idea that Roy believed him.
"Your chatter bores me." Edward replied rather calmly, his temper quieted by both physical and emotional pain.
Suddenly a gunshot fired.
But not at Edward.
The bullet ricocheted off the pavement at the feet of the officer who had hit him.
The man gave a yelp, and back-stepped in alarm. "What the hell?!"
"Hit him again, and I'll shoot higher next time." Hawkeye growled from where she stood, rifle raised.
"He's only a traitor." Another officer protested.
Riza's eyes narrowed dangerously. "That has yet to be proven through the courts. And based on evidence recovered, he will be cleared of his charges. Release him now." And there was no doubt that it was an order.
"But he'll run off!"
Riza fired again, and now one officer was hopping about on one foot while clutching the other and howling in pain. She ignored him. "Edward," her eyes turned to the blonde man now, "do you plan to run off?"
"No." He said simply, and managed a small smile at her. "I see you've good aim with it." He'd honestly been very glad to see her, and felt oddly touched that she was here now and ordering him to be let loose.
"Yes, thank you for the gift." She replied back, and glared at the officers. "Are you going to release him or would you rather he break out of those himself and ruin your restraints? Because I assure you, nothing you could think up would be able to hold him if he wanted to get away. He's only amusing you."
Edward chuckled darkly, knowing she was right. If he did want to get away it would only be too easy. But he'd done nothing wrong. As he was let loose, he gave the officers one last look, before stepping forward towards the rifle bearing woman he called friend.
"Now get that chimera out of here." Riza barked at the officers before turning to Edward worriedly. The man looked the worse for wear, and something in his eyes didn't seem right. A kind of sadness that didn't sit well with her. "Ed, what happened? Where is he?"
Edward didn't need to ask to know to whom Riza referred. "I don't know." He admitted honestly, his eyes lowering to the ground. "We split up. He… he was told that I betrayed him, and all this was a ploy to get him killed. That I wanted him dead. He attacked me, but I know he has doubts. He never tried to kill me, and he could have, I only defended. I… I told him to kill me if he thought I betrayed him. You know I'd rather die than betray him… I love him. I was attacked by some of the faction, and went after the chimera who tried to kill Roy while I wasn't looking. I hope he believes me… but I just don't know." He finished as he blinked hard against the tears.
Riza remained silent through Ed's entire outpour, not saying a word until the alchemist had fallen into a deep silence again. And suddenly the rifle was on the ground and Edward was being embraced by her. "You know how he is, sometimes he acts like an idiot. But he never stays that way. Trust in him as you always have. You love him, so don't give up, Edward."
He nodded mutely, returning her hug.
"So if you love Mustang, why are you hugging her?"
Edward pulled away at Havoc's voice, and smiled tiredly at the man. "Sometimes even I need a hug."
"Then allow me." Havoc said and before Edward could launch a successful protest, had seized the man away from Riza and was squeezing him in a hug. "She's right… I've no idea what you said to make Hawkeye say Mustang is an idiot, but he is, sometimes. If you love him though, you can't give up on the idiot."
"Thanks." Edward muttered, and pulled away.
"And welcome back, sir." Havoc smiled at him.
"So far you two have given me the best welcome back yet." Edward remarked and shifted uncomfortably.
"Am I to assume you didn't get the pain pills I sent for you?" Riza asked quickly, astutely noticing Ed's discomfort.
He shook his head. "But if you have some, I could use a break from the pain."
She nodded. "I'll bring you some food too. Havoc, stay with him."
Edward watched as Riza hurried off, before turning to look towards the city again. "It's too quiet." He whispered to himself, and ignored Havoc's look of concern. "If the faction is here, and they must be, because that chimera was let loose from somewhere, there should be more noise. I can just hope they haven't found Roy again yet."
"Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?" Jean finally asked.
Edward turned to look at him, "it's not really that hard. I'll explain everything once they get here." He said, nodding to where Breda, Falman, and Fuery were now hurrying towards them.
