Chapter Twelve
Author's Note: Alrighty! I am excited about this chappy! This is the battle between Edward and that other Chimera guy; Redux! Prepare yourself for some long awaited hinny kicking. Ooh, but who will prevail? Warning: there may be some graphic scenes.
Mustang pushed himself off the roof, landing gracefully on the ground below. He wasn't as young as Edward, or half cat for that matter, but he kept himself in top shape for occasions such as these. Catching a glimpse of Ed's red cape as he turned the corner, Mustang sped after the two. Clouds were coming in from the East and obscured the light from the waning moon. Roy had to rely on the clanking of Edward's metal foot to know which turns to take. Deeper and deeper they ran, climbing ever further into the heart of Amestris.
"Why don't you stop and fight me, you coward!" Edward yelled as he steadily gained on his opponent. He received no answer. Ed had been chasing the shaded figure for almost ten minutes. He could hear Mustang's foot steps behind him, but they were progressively fading and becoming less energetic. With a quick burst of strength, Edward leapt forward at his target and knocked him to the ground.
The black figure recovered with a cartwheel and turned to face Ed.
"We are going to end this now!" Edward shouted, flexing his wrists.
A course dry laugh filled the humid air, causing Ed's fur to stand on ends. "Why are you in such a hurry to die… Brother." The Chimera glared at the young alchemist.
"You don't have the upper hand this time… And don't call me your brother!" Edward said his fists tightening.
"But alas, we are kin Me and you, we are one and the same…" The figure began to laugh again as Mustang caught up with them, he was somewhat out of breath. "Ah, and I see that you have brought a friend. What, not quite sure you would be able to hold your own against me?"
"This fight is between me and you! I don't need any help!" Edward turned to look back at the Colonel.
"Yes, but see unlike you I have manners and I will not let your comrade be left out of the fun. You're in my neck of the woods now…" The Chimera said.
Edward glanced around him and realized that he was surrounded by trees and shrubs. They were in the middle of Central Park.
"Well, now I can kick your butt across a bigger field." Edward said as he clapped his hands together and a spear emerged from the soil. He had condensed the carbon and nickel atoms along with a few others to create a resilient steel weapon.
The Chimera shrugged and whistled through two fingers. As if materializing out of the darkness itself, dozens of awkward unnatural creatures stepped into view. "Just to make sure our fight isn't interrupted… Go ahead my friends, take care of our uninvited guest. While I have a chat with my dear little brother." The assembly of Chimeras dashed toward Mustang, who met them readily with two poised fingers. Edward's opponent crouched down in a fighting stance. "But I wont be too rude and will answer a previous question of yours. I am nobody… and I have no name, but if your prefer to call me anything, let it be Michael…"
"Ok, Michael, enough with the stalling. And let us begin." Edward said twirling his spear threateningly.
Michael was the first to attack. He sprinted straight at Ed, dodged his drive of the spear and slashed him along the chest with extended claws. Edward leapt backwards, eyes fixed on his enemy, and stroked his wound. Michael began again, this time jumping above Ed's thrust and over his head. He landed on the alchemists shoulders and with his momentum flipped Ed at a tree. There was a loud smack as the teen hit the trunk and fell to the ground, but Ed landed on all fours and glared up at were Michael should have been. Instead, the black Chimera was to the left of Edward and placed a foot against his rib cage sending him flying into a patch of thorny bushes.
Meanwhile, a vicious boar/dog charged at Mustang snorting and slobbering as it did so. Roy snapped his fingers and lit the beast on fire as another leapt off of its burning kin and tackled him to the ground. Mustang rolled from underneath the creature before it could sink it's fangs into his arm and overwhelmed it in a blaze of fire. Three more struck, two on the right and one left. Mustang eluded the blitz and produced a pillar of fire, consuming all three of the Chimeras. He had a slight moment of stillness and looked around to see Fullmetal being kicked into a group of bushes.
Edward rubbed the dirt from his eyes. I can't beat him with alchemy alone… He's too fast. I've got to take advantage of my new body and abilities. Ed reassure himself with his new found approach and climbed out of the prickly shrubs.
"It doesn't seem like you really ment what you said." Michael chuckled as he picked up the spear on the ground and looked at it as if admiring the handy work. "I will give you another chance to redeem yourself, then I shall draw the curtains on our little charade, dear brother." And he tossed the weapon to the alchemist. Edward caught it and threw it to the side, all the while glaring at his enemy.
"Oh, so little brother wants to see what he's really made of." Michael crouched down into his battle stance again. "Then let's go."
This time Edward was the first to attack. He ran towards Michael and jumped perpendicularly from him without removing his eyes. Ed clapped his hands while in mid air and landed on a low branch of a tree. A blue light lit the area and Edward flipped off and onto the ground next to his opponent. Michael stared at him, head cocked slightly, then pounced at the kid. Edward leapt vertically, allowing Michael to pass underneath him. Using his tail to change direction in the air, Ed did a right turn and came crashing down on the left side of the Chimera. He grabbed Michael's arm, pulled himself down to the ground, arched his spine so he could roll back and propelled Michael in the other direction using his hind legs. On his feet again, Edward sprinted toward another tree, clapped his hands and touched the base of the trunk. His battle was finally taking a turn for the better.
Mustang ran along the side of a row of burning bushes. His right arm was severely mauled. Running parallel to him were about six more Chimeras, he didn't bother looking behind him to see how many were there. Mustang had long since understood what Fullmetal was planning to do, but just wished he'd hurry.
Michael wiped his face with a forearm and glanced around for his adversary. He watched as Edward clapped his hands and slapped another tree. The Chimera couldn't understand why he was wasting energy, but didn't want to misuse his sudden advantage and bounded toward the boy.
Ed dashed to the next tree. The last one. He said to himself and connect his hands, when he was struck from above. White dots briefly appeared before his eyes as he slid to the side digging his claws into the ground to retain his balance. Ed looked over to see Michael glaring back at him. His tail waving to and fro like that of an angry cat's. Edward's muscles tensed and twitched as he darted forward. Michael side stepped and stuck out a flexed claw just as Ed came into striking range. But Edward anticipating such a move, grabbed Michael's outstretched arm with his metal one and hurled him into the ground. This unexpected maneuver knocked consciousness from Michael. Edward leapt back and searched around for Mustang.
Once their eyes met, Roy came sprint toward Fullmetal, with almost two dozen Chimera in suit. Before Mustang could reach Ed, he was tripped by one of the creatures. Four more leapt on top of him. Edward raced in the direction of the fallen Colonel. He clapped his hands together and transmuted his metal arm into a steel blade and drove it through the first Chimera he met, while kicking another with his foot. Edward shoved the next off of Mustang as a creature dug it's teeth into his side. Ed yelled out in pain and furiously grabbed the Chimera with his flexed clawed hands and ripped off one of it's limbs. He leapt at the nearest, thrust his claws into the back of it and pulled in opposite directions tearing the flesh from the beast. Ears twitching, Edward heard Mustang get to his feet, coughing. He turned to the Colonel.
"Let's get this over with." Roy said as he dodged an attacking Chimera. Ed jumped from the back of the maimed creature and headed toward a tree. Clapping his hands together, Ed slapped the trunk of the tree, clapped his hands again and touched the ground. In a big circle the land turned to a dull dark metal. Residing in that circle was the cluster of Chimeras and Michael, who had just begun to receive consciousness.
"Now!" Edward shouted, he clapped his hands together once more and drove them to the ground. The entire metal floor including the trees Ed transmuted came together in a giant fist. Mustang snapped his left glove followed by the right. The fist erupted into a colossal ball of white fire.
While fighting Michael, Edward transmuted the surrounding trees into tin along with the ground. Since tin has a very low melting point and high malleability, it allowed Mustang, who used both his gloves for maximum heat, to liquefy the tin.
The metal melted together and the shrieks and cries of pain cut through the wet air. Edward with his hands still placed on the ground exhaled and hurtled the large molten fist to the ground, breaking it into innumerable pieces. Smog and dust filled the area.
Ed stepped forward after the pollution cleared. He glanced around searching for any signs of survivors. Mustang followed behind him, clutching his arm. Nearly five minutes passed and there wasn't a sound when something brushed against Edward's leg. Looking down Ed stared into the slitted green eyes of Michael. He was half crushed under another Chimera and some metal. Blood was seeping from him and evaporated as it came in contact with the still hot tin.
"I must s-say little brother… You are quite good." Michael whispered. Ed knelt down next to him. "I had a son… he would have been about your age… now. His name was Michael. He was…" he coughed up some blood. "Taken from me… years ago." Michael looked into Edward's eyes. "Your eyes are full of hope… the same hope I used to have, but don't be foolish… little brother, you're an alchemist, you… should know…" What clarity that was left in his voice began to fade. "There is no cure… no turning back from what you've become… I'm sorry… little brother… this is who you must to be, but… be strong." And life escaped from Michael's body. His eyes stared out at nothing.
"No!…" Edward banged his fist against the ground. "No… th-there's got to be a way! There must be! I can't go on like-like this!… Nooo!" Tears wandered down Ed's face, but he didn't try to stop them, didn't care to. Mustang stood besides him, speechless as a resonance of thunder announced the arrival of rain.