Fullmetal Rocker

Chapter 2

"That's great Brother!" Al exclaimed, as they again, walked down the same sidewalk as the day before, heading towards Central Headquarters. This time Ed was a bit paranoid about the large group of rabid fans, as he told Alphonse about how he joined Alchemic Confessions and Alphonse could be manager.

"Oh My God! It's him! The newest member!" some girl shouted from an alleyway. The young fans from before all poured out of random hiding places. Great. This time they had been stalking Ed and Al.

"Run Alphonse!" Ed shouted, sprinting forward toward the large military base. Regular personal weren't aloud there without permission. He and Al would be safe! If only the fans didn't run so fast... one of the girls grabbed into red's long red jacket, pulling him back into the mob as Alphonse kept running.

"Brother!" Al stopped, watching Ed get glomped.

"OMG! Look at his hair!" one said. "I bet he plays guitar!" another shouted. A ripping sound came over the shouting before a girl clenching red material started running off, waving her possession overhead. "I have his jacket!" she screamed, as all of the girls ran after her.

The guys, still had Ed pinned, wanting to know everything. "Woah! Look at his right arm!" One of the guys saw Ed's automail arm from when the girl's were ripping at his clothes. Ed finally managed to breath, much less speak.

"It's ok! Go on without me Alphonse!" Ed said dramatically.

"Come on, move it! Scram, you rabid loonies!" came a familiar voice. The 7 boys left all got up and ran after the girls when Maddie approached, holding her drums sticks in a threatening matter. She stepped over Ed, hands on hips, shaking her head. "You can't let them get you so easily." she said, offering a hand to help him get up.

"They're mad." Ed replied, taking her hand and then brushing himself off. His long-sleeved black shirt was ripped on the sleeve of the right arm, revealing enough of his automail.

Which, Maddie noticed right away, and grabbed his arm in the way Winry does to examine the metal. "Woah...is this automail, right?"

Ed nodded. "Why?"

Maddie shrugged giving his arm back. "I dunno. My sister's a mechanic. And I think it looks cool for you." she said, smirking. Ed didn't know, but his face had turned a little pink.

After the two caught up to Al, and made a short dash to HQ, the mob of fans had come back. They moved in a slow fashion, stalking the group all the way until they got to the main gate. "Stay back I say!" Maddie warned, waving the sticks at them. Someone with good reflexes had reached out and grabbed one of the drums sticks, which at that point she just threw them into the mob and stepped back as the guard swung the gate shut. "Goddamn...you can have them!" she yelled, watching them fight over a pair of drum sticks.

Ryan was out there, and had climbed up to one of the posts on the metal fence protecting HQ. The bars went vertically, so no one really knew how he got up there. But he was, and shook his messy brown hair out before pointing the head of his bass at the mob, and pointing with his finger.

"I shall harness their power and TAKE OVER THE WORLD!" he said maniacally. Helena stormed out, throwing another one of Maddie's drumsticks at him. "Get down! This isn't your property!" she said, with little emotion, but anger nonetheless. Ryan obeyed, whimpering as they all shuffled inside.

"Go get me the guitar. We're going to give Ed lessons." Maddie announced. They occupied one of the empty rooms in the seven story mansion that was HQ. Al sat in the corner, taking notes on random things, while the other members tried desperately to teach Edward music. Which, he was catching on pretty well. After about two hours, Ed's fingers were red and sore as heck, and had gotten the grip of how to play a guitar. (He could do some chords.)

"By the way, did you do good with your guy's performance last night? I had a mission, and missed the last half." Ed said. When he stepped out, the band was doing great. Even if he was in the crowd.

Maddie sighed, shutting her eyes. Helena shook her head a little. "After you left, somehow the power was shut off. Right in the middle of our song."

"And what's weird was, when me and a couple officers went to check the giant fuse box in the basement, it looked like someone had been tempering with the switches. But they insisted that we were the ones that blew the power. Roy-Colonel was not happy."

Ryan, totally not paying attention to the conversation, bobbed over by Ed, noticing the shiny metal of his automail. "They're like...metal brothers..." he said slowly, looking at Ed, then Al, then Ed, then Al...

"Yes Ryan. They're brothers. Very good." Maddie said, shaking her head.

"So how'd you get it?" Helena asked. "The arm. What happened?"

Ed gripped the automail on the shoulder, holding his mouth closed. Al looked at him, sinking his head. "Mistake of the past. I don't really want to talk about it."

Ryan, again not paying attention and being in his own little mind and world, acted as if he didn't even hear anyone else talking. "We should like, name the band after his arm! It's so cool!"

Helena raised a brow. "Any suggestions? We agreed on Alchemic Confessions since we all know a little alchemy. Some more than others."

Ryan nodded his head. "Yeah! But what about something like...Alchemic Metal." He nodded his head slowly, out doing himself. "Yeah...that still makes sense and it's a cool name."

Al nodded. "Let's take a vote. All in favor of a name change to Alchemic Metal." The entire group raised their hands, Helena last, seeing everyone else wanted it.

"Alright. That'll be something for the fans to know...we need to get a control on that one group." Maddie said, "I'm going to get some lunch for us. I'll meet you guys back at the hotel room." she waved and left.

The days progress. Even though Alchemic Metal's performance was over, the State still aloud them to use spare rooms to practice, since the hotel they all stayed in didn't let them. Ed was getting better everyday, and it was great even if Maddie made him play until his fingers nearly bled. Al was doing a great job managing (however the hell you do that...) and wanted to get a kitty for the team mascot.

"No." was Ed's first answer.

"Not even a black kitty?"

"No." the entire group repeated...except for Ryan, who wasn't paying attention again. Three seconds later, he answered. "No."

Al looked disappointed, but Helena titled her head. "Look Al. We can't have a cat as a mascot because we already have a fluffy dim witted fur ball. Ryan."

Somehow, that didn't help Al feel any better. Ryan looked up, hearing his name. "Huh?"

Maddie slapped Ryan across the face. She couldn't take it. He was too stupid for his own good. "Ryan, go buy us lunch. Right now." she ordered, handing him a twenty. He took it, eyes getting wide, and left the room.

"Five bucks says he comes back with crack." Maddie said, throwing on five down on the table. Helena smirked, shaking her head. "If he's hungry enough, he'll know what to do."

An hour had passed, and Ryan didn't return. "Damn, what the hell is taking so long?" Maddie questioned. The whole group had decided to go search for him, hoping for the best he wasn't in any trouble or got lost. That would be Ryan, alright.

Maddie, Helena, Ed and Al searched the city. Nothing. "Hey now. This is a huge city. He could be anywhere. He might be at HQ looking for us right now!" Maddie said, after they met up again.

"I'll go back and check. You guys keep looking around here." Helena offered, walking back toward the military outpost.

Ed just followed Maddie, not wanting to get separated again. "That rabid mob probably got him." he muttered, making Maddie giggle. "I haven't seen them around today, I wonder what caught their attention." Al said.

-+-

Helena made it back to HQ, where the mob of fans was gathered in front. She walked around them, wondering why they were there...when Alchemic Metal was out in the city. "Hey, what are you doing here?" she dared to ask, pushing through them to get to the gate. One girl clung to her arm. "Ryan!" she said. Helena yanked her arm back, wide eyed. "Where is he?" some of the fans pointed inside the gate.

The guard at the front opened the gate, letting Helena in. She took off running, but was stopped by the second guard. "Ma'am, please don't walk in through the front entrance. There's been a murder and the investigation's department is seeing to the scene right now."