A/N Well, yeah... I started this directly after updating chapter 4, enjoy and don't you forget to leave me a review, cause you guys keep me inspired. XD
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Full Metal Alchemist, so far just my character Kara :P Though someday I plan on luring them here for the promise of cheese and then they'll be mine, just you wait!
Read this story! A Forgotten Memory, it is a very very good story I must say, by one of my good friends LadyRiona. Just check it out, I'm sure that you'll love it, cause I sure did! And don't forget to review, telling her just how much you loved it too!
The figure stood just outside of a large bank, a strange, sadistic smirk playing on his lips as he looked at the building hungrily, at the happy families that entered. He had to do it, he had to destroy it, chaos, he needed chaos so badly. "Die you simple fools." He growled before, in an instant, the building exploded in flames.
The screams of those trapped inside caused his grin to widen greatly, showing off sharp, white teeth, teeth that had ripped apart the flesh of many creatures in an instant. Blood, he could see the foolish creature's blood spraying, boiling in the heat. His vision closed in on the scene, such pleasure it brought him as he stood there, knowing that the others were about to do the same to other buildings. It was time to find Kara, to make her suffer for what she had done to them.
Calmly he walked away from the scene as crowds gathered, gaping in utter horror as the flames reached skyward and the sun was blotted out by the heavy smoke.
&
Mustang was in his office, talking to Hawkeye when the building was shook with a massive explosion. "What the hell was that!" He shouted, standing and making his way to the window.
He gasped at the sight, the entire eastern wing had been destroyed. "Hawkeye, we have to get out of here!" He exclaimed, pulling the woman along behind him as he rushed out of the room, seeing a younger, and rather shaken officer he called out again, "What the hell happened! The whole eastern wing has- has been destroyed!"
"Sir, the entire base is in utter chaos, nobody knows what happened or if anybody that was over there survived, we are looking into it now, sending rescue teams into the rubble, we can't wait." With that the younger man tore down the hallway then, leaving Mustang and Hawkeye standing, utterly confused by the goings on.
Mustang walked towards the rubble filled hallway and was surprised to hear Ed's voice coming from beneath an oddly tall pile of junk, "Get me the hell outta here!" A single automail hand stuck out of the top, allowing them to see why Ed hadn't simply used his alchemy to escape.
"Ed?" Mustang called, rushing towards the pile and pulling pieces of rubble off little by little, after about 10 minutes of silent work he was able to see the boy's face.
Ed's eyes were closed, his face cut and bruised. The area around his lips was turning slightly blue, causing Mustang to quicken his furious digging. His gloves tore as he quickly yanked the boy's now limp form from the rubble.
"Ed!" He shouted, slapping his face, "Wake up damn it, wake up!"
"Mustang!" Hawkeye said softly, "we have to get him to Dr. Narahashi quickly."
"Of course." Mustang stood quickly, Ed's limp form held securely in his arms, before both he and Hawkeye tore down several staircases and into a rather crowded medical room, "Doctor!" He cried, "We have a boy who stopped breathing a few minutes ago! He needs immediate attention!"
The older man made his way to them, and in no time Ed was lying on a bed of his own, a tube ran through his nose (gah! I watch the Critical hour and when they do that, I cringe...) and soon his breathing was being supported by a machine. There were several sighs for relief as his chest rose and fell slowly on its own.
"Ed!" Al came clunking into the room and stood by his brother's side, "What happened to my brother?" He asked, turning to Mustang and Hawkeye, "what happened to Ed?"
"During the explosion he was- buried alive." Mustang said, "he'll be fine now."
"Are you sure?" Al's monotonous voice was laced with concern.
"Al?" Ed's voice came out weak and went almost unheard.
"Brother!" The younger of the two Elrics gasped with relief.
"What happened?" Ed's hand went to his forehead and he winced as his fingers brushed over a deep wound.
"There was an explosion, brother." Al said, "You went off to get something and then it happened."
Ed sat up swiftly, accidentally pulling on the tube that had been shoved through his nose and he yelped, "What the hell is this!" He whined.
"You weren't breathing." Dr. Narahashi moved to his side once more, "we had to support your lungs somehow until you could breathe on your own again."
"Well, can you get it the hell out?" Ed glared at the man, wincing at the feel of the strange tube.
"Fine, but you musn't squirm." The good doctor said, "And lay back down."
Ed lay down and did his best not to move as the doctor pulled it out, he gritted his teeth and shut his eyes tightly, "Son of a bitch!" He gasped at last, rubbing his tender nose, "Next time just let me die."
"That's not funny, brother." Al said softly, "I almost lost you, you could be a little considerate towards the way that others feel about that."
"Sorry Al, I was just kidding." Ed said, his eyes on the ceiling.
&
He sat in front of the large apartment building for nearly twenty minutes, allowing the destructive power to build up inside of him. He listened rather smugly to the voices that filtered out to his sensitive ears and smiled smugly, these people would soon have nothing more to worry about. He closed his eyes and released the built up power, feeling the force of the explosion as flames shot up into the air.
He was upset by the simple fact that he hadn't been able to hear any screams, but the overpowering scent of blood caused him to smile and lick his lips before moving away, slipping into the shocked crowd, there was no need to stay anymore.
&
Kara's body jerked forward as she awoke from yet another nightmare, "Damn, I didn't get out of Central in time." She swore angrily, hitting her hand with her fist.
Hughes was awoken by her outburst, as well as several other passengers who complained rather loudly at being awoken. "What's the matter?" Hughes asked, leaning forward.
"They- they've begun to destroy the city, but I'm sure that the military can handle it." Kara said softly, "especially with the alchemists around."
"Are you sure?" Hughes asked worriedly.
"Yes, and- oh! This is our stop." As the train pulled into the station Kara stood and made her way to the exit, Hughes not far behind.
The two were the only ones to step off at the desolate, out of the way station, Kara headed into the trees nearby, bent on reaching her home, on reaching the haven that would hide her from her enemy. She quickened her pace as the trees grew dark, and finally came upon a two story home that was in a state of disrepair. "Is this it?" Hughes asked, surprised by the sight.
"Yes, but there is one thing- don't go into the kitchen." Kara said softly.
"Why not?" Hughes asked, not really meaning to contradict her, it was just one of those questions that popped into his head within an instant.
She stood in the doorway and stared at the massive amounts of blood that covered the room- her blood- the sudden realization caused her to cringe, she had lost an arm, leg, and a foot in her efforts to return her parents to life, and those efforts had failed miserably. She had shortly learned that one that died was not meant to be returned to life- a lesson that would have been better off learned beforehand.
Kara turned from the room, towards the forest. This would be the day that she became a state alchemist and began her search for the philosopher's stone. She would never again set eyes upon this home of despair.
"Kara?" Hughes felt a twinge of recognition, the great wall in his mind seemed to crumble just a little bit, allowing him to see the downcast face of a girl, she always seemed to wear a smile, a smile meant to reassure others and hide the pain lurking inside of her soul.
"Hm?" Her glassy gaze shifted towards him.
"Isn't this the kitchen?" His eyes moved back towards the dark room, he saw nothing but shadows and smelt a strange coppery scent mixed with dust. The bulky shadow of a refridgerator was what had clued him in upon the fact that it was the kitchen.
"Ah!" She fairly shrieked and slammed the door shut, shuffling quickly towards the front door, "sorry about that Hughes." She murmured.
"Wait! Why don't you want me in the kitchen?" He asked, "And why does it smell like blood?"
Kara froze, her hand on the front door and Hughes could see tears flowing swiftly down her cheeks. "Something horrible happened in there several years ago when I was but a child, no need to concern yourself with it."
"How'd she lose her limbs?" Hughes asked, staring at the girl who was attempting at becoming a State Alchemist.
"The girl attempted to do Human alchemy, to bring back the lives of two State Alchemists who were killed by Aritomo Mitsubishi, whom the girl killed herself in the end." Mustang replied, "it was done in her own kitchen."
"Aritomo?" Hughes gasped, "That murderer?"
"Yes." Mustang said, "The one and the same"
Hughes stood just inside the doorway, looking at the dusty rooms, furniture lay about, as good as the day that they were bought, simply waiting for the return of their master. "This place is so lovely." He said mournfully, "yet it is in such a state of disrepair..."
&
"Who is responsible for these bombings!" Mustang was pacing his office, Al, Ed, and Hawkeye sat in various areas around the room, "It doesn't make sense... A bank, the military base, an apartment, what's the connection? What is the significance of attacking these three places?" And then it hit him,
"Because Kara has been to each- whoever is bombing us- they are searching for her. That's why she left, she was attempting at keeping them away from us, but she was too late." He sucked in a deep breath and cursed, "Why didn't I see it before damnit!"
"Wait a second." Ed said at last, "Are you saying that Kara left? When the hell was this?"
"Yes, Ed, she left and took Hughes along with her for some god damned reason." Mustang rested his head in his hands, "Just last night she left."
"Damn her!" Ed growled.
"Brother-" Al began.
"She should have said something." Ed said, "we're friends- we've been traveling together for years, she should have said something damn it!"
"Don't get angry with her, Ed." Mustang sighed, "The girl was merely trying to protect her friends."
"Yeah, and now her attempts were pointless." Ed was positively seathing, why had she left himself and Al behind, weren't they supposed to be a team?
The room shook violently as an explosion rocked the foundations, another building had been attacked, "How much more are they going to do?" Mustang slammed his fist down angrily, "There have already been well over 200 deaths!"
"Colonal-" Hawkeye began, "We can't sit inside all day, we have to find these people."
&
It was dark, he felt the knawing hunger claw at his stomach as he saw the woman making her way past him. He saw that her blood was in a turmoil- the cause most likely seemed to be the explosions that had taken place earlier that day, she was on edge, just waiting for another explosion to take place.
He moved behind her, walking in step with her before grabbing her and pinning her arms by her side. He sniffed savagely at her throat, noting the definate increase in the pace of her heart as his teeth tore into her jugular, such wonderful fluids filled his mouth. The warm, sticky substance ran down his throat as he drank of her. Her body soon grew limp, and after draining her completely he threw her to the ground and wiped at his lips before moving on, away from her as though revolted by the sight of her body.
&
Kara was lying in her bed, trying her hardest to get to sleep, but every time she got images of more and more people dying. She had to go back to Central, she had left too late and now the people were suffering because of her mistakes, it seemed lately that people were always being hurt because of her.
She tiptoed out of the room and into Hughes' she saw the man's face twisted in pain. No doubt that in his sleep he was reminded of what had truely happened that night, whether he would remember it in his waking was another story.
"Hughes," She whispered, "Hughes, we have to go back to Central now."
"Mm, why?" He mumbled tiredly, that pained look gone from his face as his eyes fluttered open.
"Because if I don't go, if I don't just give myself up to them-" Kara swallowed, "What is one life compared to thousands of others?"
"What are you talking about?" Hughes was now wide awake and sitting up, "You can't just give yourself up to them."
"And why not?" Kara asked emotionlessly, "why allow them the pleasure of killing more innocent people?"
"You should never give up- you still have to- find yourself a good husband and settle down."
Kara sighed heavily and rolled her eyes, "That is so like you Hughes." She shook her head, "We leave for Central now, get up and get yourself together"
She turned away from the stunned man and fairly ran back to her room to throw her things back together before making her way to the front door, "Hughes? Are you ready to go?" She called, only to recieve silence, "Hughes?"
Her hand rested upon the banister and she prepared herself to race up the stairs to his assistance at any sign of trouble. "I'm sorry, but he doesn't seem to be available right now." The voice caused Kara's heart to freeze as the familiar sound of it purred into her ear, "My, how you've grown into such a pretty young woman. I would never have expected that from such a scrawny child."
"Get away from me!" She hissed, trying to move but finding that her feet were frozen to the ground, "If you knew where I was, why did you attack Central?"
"Oh come on, you know that it wouldn't be any fun if I didn't slaughter hundreds of innocent people in the process of acquiring you." She could practically feel him smirking as her legs grew weak.
She turned wearily, knowing that in her condition she was no match for him, "Damn it, this is not a game, you can't just go around killing people!" She attempted to strike him, only to find that he grabbed her hand easily, blocking her attack and twisting it painfully behind her back.
"Tsk tsk, now how is it that I easily blocked that? You aren't slacking as of late in your training are you?" The voice questioned slowly.
"I've had a bad month." Kara yanked her hand from his grasp and backed away, "These past two weeks have been hell."
"Aw, and I guess that I should be feeling bad right now? Should I come back next week when you're feeling better?" He grinned malisciously.
"No, you should be getting the hell out of my face." Kara growled, unconsciously sinking to her knees.
"My you have gotten scrawny." He said, poking her in the side.
"Grrr." Kara said defensively, "it's what happens when you haven't eaten in a while."
"Well, good, at least I don't have to fight very hard to get you to come with me, in your weakened state it'll be a piece of cake, and besides, I can now say that if you don't cooperate and come with me, I'll kill your friend upstairs."
Kara bowed her head in defeat, she couldn't let another person die for her.
&
Hughes groaned and sat up rather groggily, unsure of what had actually happened to him, "Kara?" His voice came out thickly, "Kara? Where are you?"
He stood unsteadily and made his way to the stairs, all the while calling for Kara. He searched the entire house for her and was at last standing before the kitchen door. Taking a deep breath he opened it- his senses were overrun with the coppery scent of blood. "My god, what happened in here?" He breathed, looking at the remnants of two alchemic circles.
Mustang was sitting by the front entrance to the base when all of a sudden Hughes burst inside, "Hughes, what's going on?" He asked, immediately pulling himself to his feet in concern.
"What- what happened to the city?" Hughes asked quickly, "why are there so many buildings that have been turned to rubble?"
"We've been attacked by terrorists, now, where is Kara?" Mustang asked, looking over Hughes' shoulder expectantly.
"S-she disappeared." Hughes gasped out, "someone was in the house, they- I think that they took her."
"What! When was this?" Mustang was instantly alert, more so than before anyway.
"I don't know- I only remember waking up some time later, but by then she was already gone. The kitchen- why is her kitchen so bloody?" Hughes looked at Mustang, "Does it have anything to do with her metal limbs?"
Mustang looked down, "When she was younger she tried to do forbidden alchemy to bring back her parents, in the act of equvilant trade she lost an arm, leg, and foot."
"Colonal!" A voice broke off their conversation as Hawkeye rushed over to them, "We- we are dealing with vampires here, not just any vampires, vampires that can survive in the sunlight. Their names- as was delved from Kara's detailed report on them several years ago- are as follows: Atsutane Kenmotsu, the leader and most powerful of the group, Haranobu Gushiken, the second in command, Seiryo Akera one of the lower members, and Hirotsugu Chikamatsu another of the lower members. These vampires are bad news, they have a taste for carnage and are nearly undeafeatable."
"So, we've got a lousy group of vampires on our hands?" Mustang growled.
"The body of a young woman was found this morning with two puncture wounds in her throat, her blood was completely drained from her body."
&
Ed stared at the early evening sky, still angered by the fact that Kara had left them. What made him angrier were the damned terrorists that had killed so many people, how could they do that? "Edward Elric?" The voice was cold and seemed to be disembodied.
"What the hell do you want?" He glanced around him, searching for the source of the voice.
"You're coming with me." He felt a splitting pain in the back of his skull before the blissful, pain free darkness took hold.
He hadn't even had time to retort. A mere exclamation of surprise left his lips as he fell forwards.
They had rushed outside at the sound of the cry, only having time to see Ed being carried away from them, "Brother!" Al's voice could be heard, "No!"
And then both boy and captor were gone. (For some reason I am reminded of an unkown poem at that line... XD)
A/N well, I'll end it there, seeing as how I can... I hope that you liked it, don't forget to review! By the way, if you hadn't noticed, this no longer follows the course of either anime or manga...
Chapter 6: There is no escape
Ed, Kara, and Winry are trapped in an underground cell with seemingly no exit but the hole in the ceiling nearly 50 feet above them. It seems that in their moment of utter despair, someone is going to reveal their feelings ;) find out next time!
If you really want to find out what happens leave a happy little review...
Review Responses:
LadyRiona: Thanks for the advice, I guess it is rather smart to put that up... anyway thanks for the review!
Tsunade-chan: yup, they sure do... otherwise there really would be no interesting fight scenes and whatnot... not that I have any here or anything, I'm just saying... XD
Jackie(Ed's secret lover): I do these things to make people want to read more ;) It adds tension to the story and whatnot. Glad to see a new face!
Okay guys, now don't dissappoint me! Review okay? Tell me what you think...