The Winged Alchemist

Chapter 5: Attack in Central

All throughout the rest of the night, Ed kept having horrible detailed nightmares of that night back in the alley. He then would wake up after the bite and look around his room of the dorm, catching his breath. He would then go back to sleep and repeat the episode. After three hours straight, he gave up and sat in the chair across from his bed, watching Winry sleep. He then thought about what he had read a few hours ago. Dark Angel, is that what I'm called? Hmph, just great, I go on a mission alone and wind up turning into a freak, not only that, but I'm the only Dark Angel out there.

Ed sighed loudly and clamped his hand over his mouth as Winry opened her eyes to stare at him. "Ed why are you up so late?" She looked at him with her blue sapphire orbs, little bags underneath of them, due to lack of sleep. He looked down at the cold hard floor. "Can't sleep" Winry slid up out of the bed, holding her wrench in her right hand. "Bad dream?" She rubbed her eyes in an attempt to wake up. "No… yes" Ed let his head hang down, knowing that she must be thinking that he was nuts.

Winry got up off of the bed and pulled up the other chair next to his and sat down. She then put her hand on his knee to get him to look up at her. He did and revealed his red face against the soft moonlight pouring into the room. "Where did you go a while back?" She looked at him with a stern expression. Ed looked back at her with surprise. "How did you know—"Trust me Ed, your automail could wake an army the way you try to sneak away, now tell me where you went or your gonna be acquainted with Mr. Wrench."

Edward laughed at this statement. She had said it so simple and non chalantly that it didn't even sound like a threat. He then stopped and thought about the passage from the book. "I went to the library." "And…" She waited for the rest of the story. Ed looked back down at his feet and stuck his hand in his pocket, pulling out the page that had the passage. He wanted to research it later, so he ripped out the page. Without realizing it, Winry plucked the page out of his hand, leaving him to stare at air. "Hey, give that back!" He tried to grab it, but she pushed his hand back and read on. After a minute she stared up at him, confusion marking her face. "I don't get it." She looked back down at the page. Ed snatched it back and shoved it into his pocket. "S'nothing."

Without another word, Ed got up out of the chair and crawled back into his bed. Before he shut his eyes, he felt the covers lift up some and Winry climb in with him. He felt his face warm up, and was afraid to turn around. The girl behind him wrapped her arms around his waist and whispered into his ear. "Sleep soundly now." He smiled and then shut his eyes, drifting in an easier sleep.

The next day Ed had gotten up to find Winry gone, a note in her place. He picked it up and read thru it very quickly.

Ed,

Hey, good morning! I'm out on the town with Hawkeye, she had the day off, and so I offered her a fun day! Well, see you later!

Love,

Winry

P.S- Mustang wants to see you in his office. Sorry, and don't bite his head off!

Ed read the letter twice, especially the end where she signed it. "She has never signed it with love." He then got dressed and shoved the letter in the inside pocket of his red coat. He than walked out of the dorm to see what the colonel wanted.

Reaching the office door, Ed resumed his normal I-hate-Mustang-I-wish-he-would-drop-off-the-face-of-the-earth attitude and knocked on the door. The usual "Come in" was heard and he entered, shutting the door behind him. Roy turned around and sat down in his chair, leaning forward with his elbows on the desk, rubbing his temples. "You're late, as usual." He shut his eyes, trying to relax himself. Ed sighed and glared at him. "What do you want now?" He could feel himself growing agitated at the sight of the bastard before him.

"Cocky so early in the morning, even after a dreamy night with your girlfriend?" Roy smirked. Edward blushed and felt his last nerve break. "What the hell did you just say!" He started to walk towards the desk when a file was shoved into his face, knocking him off his train of thoughts. He caught the papers and looked at them. He frowned deeply. Roy stood up and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure you can handle this by yourself." He looked up at the colonel and shrugged his hand off of him. "Why are you making me do this?"

Silence filled the room after this being said and Mustang went back to his desk and sat back down, this time leaning back. "You might want to tell Winry to stay with Hawkeye or in the dorms since she refuses to leave." "Why?" "That monster that attacked you, whatever it is, has been spotted in Central." Ed felt his jaw drop. "YOU BASTARD, HAWKEYE AND WINRY ARE IN CENTRAL, BOTH OF THEM!" Roy took a moment for this to soak in and then stood up, worry on his face. Ed dropped the file and ran out the door, thinking about Winry, and hoping that she and Hawkeye were alright.

Reaching the automail section of the town, Ed ran down the aisle ways of glimmering metal limbs, hoping to catch a glimpse of the two blondes when something knocked him off of his feet. He put his metal arm on his head and was about to yell at whomever did it, when he noticed something very familiar. He gasped as he saw the creature from his flash back, readying itself to strike at him.

Ed rolled out of the way before the demon could bite into his flesh, and clapped his hands. He then transformed his automail into a blade. "I'm ready for you this time!" The demon stood up and growled out deep hoarse words. "Fool, you are, half breed, for you shall not be ready for this…" The monster moved to show both Winry and Riza on the ground, tiny pools of blood forming underneath both. "No… NOOOO!" Edward launched himself at the beast and aimed for its eyes, missing by inches. The fiend swiped its claws, hitting his shoulders, causing skin to break, blood spurting. He yelped and jumped off of the thing, grasping his left arm. "Persistent bastard."

The alchemist then launched himself back on the thing and tried to stab it anywhere, but the skin was tough and slick, making it hard to break through. Again he was thrown off and he got back up, this time hearing the woman's voice in his head. "Grab your friends and go" He shook his head of the thought and did a back flip out of the way of the demon's mouth. The woman then spoke again, this time louder. "Fly to a safe place, and hurry!" Ed felt the demon's claws come in contact with his stomach and threw up blood. He spat up the remaining liquid coming from his mouth and looked back to his friends. Now or never Ed, you have to save Winry before its too late. Dodging one more blow from the demon, Ed made a run to the blondes on the ground, chanting the verse inside of his head. He reached the two and grabbed their waists.

A sensation filled his mid back and he knew there were wings coming from it. "Dammit I have never even flown before, how the hell and I gonna do it now?" He winced from the unhealed wounds and concentrated at the task at hand. He started to move the black feathered wings in an up-down motion, hoping that would do the trick. Then, before the demon could reach him, he felt his feet lift off of the ground. He held the women tightly and flew off, low at first to the safest place he could find.

The first time flight didn't last long. Finding an alley, Ed fell to the ground, hitting it first, so Winry and Hawkeye wouldn't be hurt, and felt exhaustion creep over his muscles. He then felt his wings fold up and he took deep breaths to calm down his shaken body. Ed then looked at Winry and Riza.

Riza didn't have much damage to her. Her side was split from what looked like a swipe of the claw, and her arm looked broke. Her bleeding stopped, so the cut wasn't all that deep. He then looked at Winry. He let out a sob of fear and pain mixed. She was bleeding freely from her shoulder, which was supporting a huge gash, and her side was bruised, showing a broken rib. He quickly took off his coat and shredded a piece from it, wrapping her bleeding shoulder. Then he took her in his arms, rocking back and forth, hoping that she would be ok.

"Fullmetal?" Ed looked up and saw Roy running towards him. "I saw you fall, how the hell did you get them here so fast?" Ed didn't answer; instead he continued to hold Winry, wishing she would wake up. Roy ran to Riza and picked her up. He then stood next to Ed. "An ambulance is on its way. They have a spot for both of you, will you be alright on your own while I flag them down?" No answer, but a tear that slid down his cheek. "Winry, please wake up, please?"

Well, I hope this chapter turned out ok. I tried to keep up some ideas. Well anyway, hope you liked, tell me what you think, thanks! Send over some reviews!