A/N: Omg, ph34r.
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Ren, Horohoro, and Manta woke to find themselves back at Hao's place- or what they assumed was Hao's place considering Hao was standing in front of them- but this was a room they didn't recognize. They found themselves to be standing upright, but upon further inspection the three noticed they couldn't move either, and realized they were chained to the wall.
"Welcome back," Hao remarked with a sneer.
If Ren was known for anything it was his short temper, and this case was no exception, "What do you want with us!"
"Oh you get straight to the point, don't you? Sorry I had to take such extreme measures. It's simple, really. Just tell me where I can find Anna, and you're free to wander off. I know you know where she is."
Remembering Yoh's earlier words, "We'll never tell you anything!"
"Yeah you sick freak!" Horo added, "Now let us go!"
"I was afraid you'd say that. Very well then, I'll let my friends 'play' with you until you change your minds." Edward and Paninya emerged from behind him, grinning like mad with a look in their eyes that made the captives shrink in terror. Hao walked over to the door, pausing once to say, "I leave them to you. Do what you will."
"With pleasure."
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"Manta!" Yoh called, "Ren! Horo! Where are you guys!" His friends had disappeared on him a few hours ago and Yoh was very worried, he'd been searching the city ever since.
/No...it couldn't be-/ his eyes widened as realization hit him full-force and he turned on his heal towards the Funbari Inn. /Hao's using them to get to Anna! I have to save her/
He got two blocks down when he started to slow his pace, thinking about his earlier talk with his brother.
How about someone that ruined our lives, does that count!
"Ruined our lives..." Yoh stopped walking entirely, "What am I doing? I hate Anna...and not just because of the things she makes me do now. Back then I wanted nothing more than to see her suffer for what she did. What's different now? Why should I stop him?" He shook his head roughly as if to clear the thoughts, "Because it's wrong to kill anyone for any reason, and they'll kill him if he does! I gotta stop this," he started running again with a new-found determination, and shouted into the night, "THE MADNESS MUST END!"
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Paninya and Ed studied their current prisoners critically. Finally, Paninya sighed, "No girls."
Ed grinned, "Then I guess you no play for keeps."
She smacked him in the back of the head, "It's not funny when you talk like that," she paused, "but I guess you have a point. Who do you want?"
He thought for a moment, "Well, the one kid's kinda pale, but the other is just scrawny. And don't even get me started on the ultra-midget, we'll just give him to Russel for his experiments," he laughed to himself, "Russel likes to 'experiment'."
She hit him again, "Perverted jokes aren't funny either."
"GOD, you're worse than Winry!"
She hit him for that too.
"I'm scared," Manta whispered to Ren who was closest to him, "What do you think they're going to do to us?"
Ren didn't answer. No answer he could think of would be something the kid would want to hear.
"So which one are you going to pick?" Paninya asked her blonde companion, getting bored and a little aggrivated from their arguing.
"I dunno," Edward put his hands behind his head, "I don't wanna end up looking like Wrath."
"So you opt for disproportion?"
"Hm, point."
Ren was getting ticked from listening to their conversation, "Disproportion? Scrawny? I'm not small!"
Ed grinned again, "You're not short small, but you got no meat on your bones, dude," he glanced Paninya's way to see her acting nearly bored out of her mind, "Alright, alright! I pick the albino. I can get a tan."
Horo didn't exactly understand what he meant by the last part, but the first struck a nerve, "I'm not that pale!"
"Whatever! Let's get to work!" he tore off his long-sleeve shirt to reveal he wore a tanktop underneath, but that wasn't what surprised them- it was that he also supported a shiny metal arm underneath. The blonde stretched for a moment, then advanced in the Ainu's direction.
"W-what are you going to do?" Horo's voice couldn't help but shake as he spoke the question.
"Honestly?" Edward laughed maniacally, "I'm going to tear you limb from limb."
Horo's eyes widened in terror as Ed slammed his right palm- the metal one- into his right shoulder, digging into the wall, shattering the bone on impact. The boy cried out from the intense pain, and a sickening pop was heard as his arm was trying to be ripped away from his body.
"HORO!" Ren and Manta screamed together, and they jerked at their bonds, trying deperately to get free and help their friend but to no avail. All they could do was watch in horror.
Blood started to seep through his ripped sleeve as Ed's strength was begining to overpower his arm's grasp on the rest of his body, and Horo grit his teeth together, trying to surpress another scream. Finally Edward managed to successfully tear the arm away, one last cry escaping from Horohoro. He laughed to himself lowly, clutching the blood-covered limb to his chest, "I'm surprised you're still conscious. I thought you'd've passed out from the pain by now," he glanced at Horo's agony-twisted face, "I know I did."
He laughed again (a/n: the freak) and tossed the arm to Paninya, "Catch! I'll take that to Winry later. For now..." he focused his attention back to the boy, "I'm not through with you yet."
"STOP! That's enough!" Ren yelled, struggling again, "Leave him alone!"
"Shut up!" Paninya shouted back, slapping him across the face so hard that it left him an a daze, unconsciously obeying her order.
Edward slammed his right palm again, already slicked with blood, into Horo's left kneecap. He let out another shriek along with the nauseating crack that followed the blow.
Manta looked away from the scene, trying to tune out the screams. It was sadistic and cruel, and he simply couldn't take any more of it.
A final cry died on his lips as Horo lost consciousness from the excruciating hurt and, losing patience, Edward yanked harder on the broken appendage. It came off shortly after due to the force he was using on it.
Like Manta, Ren also couldn't bear to watch the scene any longer...but for different reasons.
Ed whiped the sweat off of his forehead with his left arm, then flashed a "V" at Paninya who in turn gave him a you're an idiot look.
"Your turn, if you want," he said to her, dropping the leg to unshackle the rest of Horo's bloody body from the wall, "Winry!"
The beckoned girl came down the stairs upon hearing her name, "What is it?"
"Take the arm and leg and wrap them up for me will ya?" He said, picking up the body to carry it properly. The two of them exited the basement, taking with them all proof that Horo was ever down there, aside from the blood-stained walls and floor.
The three were alone in silence for a short while before Paninya said, "Let's get on with it shall we? Scrawny boy?"
Ren kept his head bowed, "...are you going to do the same to me?"
The dark-skinned girl tilted her head to the side, "More or less," she advanced on him, continuing, "Generally I would take both of your legs, but since I'm not playing for keeps..." she leaned in close to his face, "I'll make you a deal."
He only glared, so she pressed on, "What if I said, if you tell me where I can find this Anna...I'll let the both of you go, untouched. How does that sound?"
He scowled, "I spit on your proposal. There's nothing you can offer me that'd make me give in now."
"Oh but I beg to differ," she spoke, voice dripping with malicious intent, "You seemed pretty upset when Edo was picking on your other little friend. You want him back, yes?"
Ren kept quiet, secretly wanting to hear her out.
"How about, in addition to what I said before, I'll make sure you get back your friend. He won't be as good as new I'm afraid, but he'll be alive."
Ren was silent for a long moment, contemplating this. If you really thought about it, black and white, the deal came down to this- Kill Anna for sure, but save himself and Horo. That was pretty appealing to him right now. But on the other hand, he had promised Yoh. Though, if he declined this offer it'd mean the certain death of Horo and himself, and they'd most likely find Anna somehow anyway.
"Though...Russel will be disappointed," she mused to herself, "If you don't mind I'd like to take some compensation for sparing your friend," she pointed a finger at Manta, "The tiny one will do nicely."
"W-what?" Manta gasped, suddenly terrified for his life. He looked up at Ren pleadingly.
Paninya smiled, the evil glint in her eyes returning, "So what'll it be?"
The Chinese shaman didn't know what to do. Now not only at stake was Anna's life and breaking a promise, but Manta's life as well. He felt ashamed that accepting still looked so appealing to him. But...
"I'm sorry..." he finally said, and both stared at him trying to figure out who he was talking to, "...Manta..."
The midget was overcome with a heavy feeling of dread, "...what...?"
He coninued, "I can't let Horo die..." head still bowed so he couldn't see his eyes, "I-I love him..."
Manta's mouth fell open in shock, while Paninya supported a smirk that said I knew it, "Good choice. Now, where is the girl...?"
Lowly, Ren told her about the Funbari Inn and how to get there and everything.
"Perfect. I'll just take this now," she unchained Manta and carried him easily though he squirmed, "and I'll be back with your reward."
Knowing his struggling was in vain in the insane girl's vice-like grip and seeing his short life flash before his eyes, Manta screamed one thing to take out all of the anger and frustration he felt at that moment, "DAMN YOU TAO REN! DAMN YOU!"
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A/N: Oh wow, I could stretch it longer! Needless to say, this isn't the end. I was going to make this the last chapter, but last minute I decided to add a bunch of things to the end, and I thought this would be a nice place to cut it off for now. No worry! Next part should be up in a couple of days. Sorry for shortness, OOCness, and Horo-torture, I'm sure to get some flames for that one I think.