Prologue: Sakebi (Scream)

Standard Disclaimer Applies

Finally got around to making this fic possible. The Saiyuki muse caught me too hard for a while, and I broke free from it to write the beginning of, what I hope will be, a multi-part Hagaren fic. I'm a bit nervous--this is my first time EVER writing for the fandom--but I sincerely hope that everyone will enjoy this story, anyway. Even though I know it's probably bad. -Sheepish grin-

Comments and constructive criticism are all greatly appreciated!

Synopsis: --AU, supernatural themes, language, violence, surrealism later- Ed thought keeping his and his brother'sresidencewith the government's deal of his, 'talents,' being put to use would be easy. They both were
-very- wrong.

When he heard the crash rebounding off the alleyway's restricting vicinity, Alphonse almost yelped in surprise.

However, in the situation they were in right now, such childish actions could not be spared; and he bit down, painfully, on his lower lip to refrain him from doing so. The dim street lights did not serve as any comfort, for they could hardly see more than a few feet in front of their vision. The tall blonde shivered, wondering why the air had suddenly seemed colder just then.

"Nii-san…" He murmured to the smaller form in front of him, clutching at its coat. "What do you think that sound was just now?"

Edward turned to his sibling, honest curiosity and confusion writ across his features. "A sound? What're you talking about, Al? Don't tell me you're starting to hear things…"

"I'm not, Brother, I swear! Do you think that…they've already tracked our location?"

The emphasis on Al's, 'they,' did not go unnoticed by his older brother. "I don't think so…we've been pretty quiet this whole time, so that'd be just a little bit too fishy. Street punks they sent out 'prolly wouldn't be able to detect us from here. Unless…" Ed's voice lowered a decibel, amber eyes narrowing. "…Did you forget to lower your chi concentration?"

A frightened, nervous whimper and another sound in the night answered him.

"Shit!" Edward swore, dark shadows streaming about with the motion of swirling coattails. "Al, get out of here! When those guys come, there's no way you'll be able to stand up against them! Run back and tell everyone where we are!"

But Alphonse was tentatively standing his ground. "No…Brother, you can't! If I leave you by yourself…"

"Forget about me! This is a mission, do you understand!?" Ed grabbed the youngling by his shoulders, shaking him vehemently. "The more time we waste, the less chance we have to live! If we don't keep following the government's orders, talented or not, they're gonna kick us out! We've got no other place to go, Al…"

Alphonse nodded, tearfully replying. "I know that, Brother! But I…I-I don't want you to be hurt when I'm not there to protect you…"

Tromping footsteps began to quickly approach down the empty sidewalks, and Ed shoved his brother in the opposite direction.

"Go, Al! Hurry, before they get here!"

Sensing Alphonse's still-present hesitance, Ed offered him a small grin; it was less of a false expression now, and more of a method of comfort, honest and empowered by regret.

"Don't worry…I'm not gonna die by the hands of some bastards I don't even know. And if it's any consolation…I've still gotta kick that taisa's ass for messing with my head these past few days!"

Heartened by Edward's laid-back response, and fueled by the prospect that his brother had never broken a promise to him yet, Alphonse ran out of the passageway, never once looking back.

He watched Al disappear into the night, smile slowly fading. "Now, to deal with these amateurs…"

Ed glared mutinously at the dark-cloaked men crowding around him, stare wandering from one shadowed body to the other. Definitely at least six of them, and probably more coming as reinforcements, if needed. Boots grinding into the pavement, the older blonde weighed his options. Taking down these greenhorn minions would be a cinch; but what of the strong energy forces he could feel mere meters away, and heading toward him swiftly? Normally, fighting under pressure came naturally to Edward, but the ominous aura around these fighters left him almost trembling beneath the jagged claws of Fear.

"The military's newest dog, huh?" One of them said, mouth hardly visible beneath a concealing hood. "Certainly looks scrawny enough."

Infuriated at the final comment, a vein persisted in twitching atop Edward's face. "-Who- are you calling a fucking scrawny dog?!"

Another figure from the obscure mass emerged, tall, slender legs obvious even when covered by their long coats. This one's hood was slipping off already, and by the spring in his step, it was obvious to see why.

Long tendrils of mysterious jade swayed from the sides of its face, cloaked by moonshine and silhouettes. Edward could not ignore the being's overt, pining smirk—and the urge to immediately transmute his auto mail arm was heightened even further. "It's been a while, hasn't it, Fullmetal squirt? I bet you missed me, didn't you?"

"Y-You again…!" Edward condemned angrily, brandishing his metallic arm. "Why're you with the Kazutaka!?"

Face revealed fully, the being waved his hand about dismissively. "Ah, a bunch of reasons…but that doesn't matter for the moment, now does it?" Leisurely sauntering over, one hand slipped across Edward's rigid face, brushing against the Halfling's skin.

"You know, we may be enemies on the field right, but..." The silken voice intoned, emerald orbs aglow. "…I wouldn't mind being acquainted with you…"

"…If you didn't make me so sick to my stomach, that is."

And then, the hand suddenly jerked at the boy's thick golden bangs, pulling him forward roughly. At the same time, his fist went slamming down hard into the young soldier's stomach; coughing up blood, violently, Ed was released, slumping to the ground in a tangled heap of limbs. He could hardly speak, but managed his next words nevertheless, desperately wishing he could ruin the smug expression on his rival's countenance.

"Asshole…why the hell are you so…obsessed with me, anyway?" Edward ground out, teeth clenched, infuriated.

Sneering, he tugged at an object located somewhere in his pocket, shuffling around in the fabric to find it. "Well…what do you think? Your father never cared for me...he was always too busy with his beloved sons to care about the homunculus abomination he created. That's why my new name rather fits me…"

Silver blade gleaming as it was unsheathed, Edward's eyes widened in fear as it was pressed to his already throbbing stomach. Distantly, he could hear the other men swarming around him; but his vision was mostly focused on Envy, who was kneeling directly before him, terrifyingly malicious gaze centered solely upon him.

"After all, I have envied everything that you are for so long…and now, its time I get something in return for all the waiting."

Only just heard by the perceptive within the confines of the night, Edward Elric screamed as the knife ripped into his flesh.