Wow I haven't written in a while.
Bleh... I don't have an excuse. I've just been uber lazy.
Anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy my random thoughts of inspiration!
"I want you to torture him." "What?" "Torture Fullmetal boy. Do that, and we'll let you go." Envy grinned. "Yes… After all, a hospital can be a very scary place. Don't you agree, Nightmare?" He chuckled in a sinister way. Nightmare growled. "Listen here Sin. My personal experiences are not yours to meddle in!" "Then show him." Lust gazed off as she normally did. "Show him your experiences." "Pssh. He's human, Lust. How's he gonna pull that off without being caught?" "That's where the meaning of my name comes in."
Ed opened his eyes and suddenly felt an uncomfortable pain in his lower back. He sat up. "Ah! That's the last time I sleep in a chair…" He gazed around and immeditly noticed that Roy wasn't in his bed. "Ugh… Damn Colonel…" He stood up and reached for the doorknob, but felt weak in the knees before he could grab it. "Evening Edward Elric." Ed spun around and caught sight of Nightmare standing on the other side of the room. "Nightmare? What are you doing here?" "Do you know how dangerous an abandoned hospital is?" Ed stepped back. "Wh-What are you talking about?" "I like you Edward, don't get me wrong… But there are certain things you've got that I want." Nightmare pulled out a sword from what appeared to be the inside of his cloak. The blade was thin, and seemed to have been recently sharpened, and recently used. He pointed the tip at Ed and grinned. "Run for your life, alchemist."
Ed screamed and stumbled back towards the door. He flung it open and dashed down the hall, feeling a wave of panic. He turned the corner into another hall and leaned against the wall to catch his breath. Fear boiled up inside him as he listened for Nightmare's footsteps. They were quiet and appeared to be rather far away. Death wasn't what Ed was afraid of, it was the thought that Nightmare remained calm, that he didn't need to catch him in order to know where he was. "No one can hear you scream now Edward!" Nightmare quickly turned the hall and swung the sword at Ed, catching him in the side of his face. Ed fell back and lifted a shaky hand to the slit that had opened on his face.
Nightmare's grin grew wider as he attempted another attack. Ed was able to recollect himself before he was struck with the hilt of Nightmare's sword. He stumbled to his feet and dashed off again, frantically trying to open every door before him. After trying six of seven locked doors, one finally open, and Ed ran in. He looked around for anything – a place to hide, a weapon to defend himself. He found nothing but a trash bucket filled with used needles. "Elric! You're pissing me off!" Nightmare kicked the door open and quickly made his way over to Ed. "Get away from me!" Ed screamed and jabbed one of the used needles deep in Nightmare's arm. He cried out in pain and dropped his sword, giving Ed a chance to swipe the sword and make his way toward the exit.
However, fate wouldn't have it so. Ed jerked on the handle, but it was locked. "No!" He pounded his fist on the door, trying to break through. "Why won't this door fucking open?" "Because I don't want it to open." Ed shivered, feeling a gun being placed to the back of his neck. "How's it feel to be confined in an abandoned room… Knowing you're about to die?" He chuckled. "Just… Like… Alphonse…"
"NOO!" Ed jumped awake, screaming from the dream he just had. He took deep breaths, trying to calm himself. Just a dream… He gazed down at Roy and smiled. At least the Colonel's okay… He sighed and went to the bathroom to wash away the fear that probably showed on his face. But as he turned the light on, his reflection shocked the memory of his dream back into his mind. Dried blood stained his cheek – right where Nightmare had struck him. He stumbled out of the bathroom and caught himself on the edge of Roy's bed. "Colonel! Wake up! There's something going on here!" Roy made no response. "Roy? Can you hear me?" Ed ran his fingers over his stained cheek and realized he didn't have a cut. Upon looking at the spot where he'd placed his head, he found blood that had dried into the sheets. Roy was bleeding.
"Ma'am! Wait!" A nurse walking down the hall turned to Ed. "Yes Mr. Elric? What is it?" "Colonel Mustang is bleeding! I don't know from where but there's blood everywhere!" The doctors dashed in immediately and dragged Roy into another room. Ed begged to go with them, but the nurse wouldn't allow it. So he sat in the waiting room, hoping Nightmare would appear so he could question him about the dream he had. But he never arrived and Ed was forced to sit alone in the room for hours. Just as he was about to daze off, one of the nurses tapped him on the shoulder. "Colonel Mustang wants to see you now."
On the way to Roy's new room, the nurse explained to Ed that one more day would be all he needed before being sent back home. "Colonel? Do you feel better?" Roy was currently seated in a wheelchair, a bored look plastered on his face. "If by better you mean not spilling my guts everywhere, then yes." He sighed. "You should call my office and let everyone know I'll be back tomorrow." He pointed to a phone on the table near Ed. "Why me?" "Because I'm on the other side of the room." Ignoring Roy's smart comment, he picked up the receiver and dialed the number to Roy's office. After a long pause Ed placed the phone back down. "There's no answer." "What? Let me see that." Roy stood up and walked over to the phone, pissing Ed off. "Why didn't you do that earlier?" Roy trapped his foot while listening to the continuous rings. "Strange. If anything Hawkeye should be there. I can understand if Havoc isn't but…" The phone rang. "… Hello? Havoc! What are you doing?" A pause. "I suppose I could make a trip over… How important is it?" Ed listened to the murmured voice on the other line but couldn't make anything out. "I'll be right there." He placed the phone down and turned to Ed. "Can you drive?"
The black vehicle pulled up near the military gate. "C'mon Ed, you're coming with me." "Wait Roy! Tell me what Havoc told you!" "You'll find out." Havoc was waiting in Hughes' office for the arrival of the two alchemists. "Tell me you're joking Havoc." The second lieutenant shook his head. "She went missing a week ago, as did many others. For some reason, they all have something to do with the military." "Riza's missing?" Roy sighed. "Yes Ed… Have you found any other information?" Havoc shook his head. "No. But Hughes left a while ago to check with the Führer." "How'd this happen?" Roy paced the floor. "Wait… You said she went missing a week ago?" Havoc nodded. "But… I saw her just a couple days ago, at the hospital." "Impossible! She was last seen just after Roy went there." Before Ed could reply, Hughes skipped into the room. "I'm back! And you aren't going to like what I've found out."
"So… How did it happen?" Nightmare looked up at Lust. "How'd what happen?" "The hospital incident?" He looked down at his feet. "Oh… That…" He sighed. "I was in a car wreck that killed my parents. The day before I was going to be sent to the orphanage, I noticed something strange about the doctor. He was acting harsher than usual. But I just shrugged it off and kept living. And so… After dark, he tried to kill me." "And you defended yourself?" "Somewhat." Lust looked up towards the night sky. "You're a very brave person. If there's anyone I'd rather spend my day with, it'd be you." "That's flattering but –" "Your and interesting person, but you let your past get the best of you sometimes." She sighed. "A deal's a deal. You're free from us. You can go now and pursue your future. Just make sure me and Envy aren't in it." "I'll try." And with that, Nightmare left.
"A Homunculi? I thought you killed them all Ed!" "Wha? I wasn't the one suggesting it!" "So what, are you blaming me now?" "I never said that!" "Bullshit!" Hughes got between them. "Knock it off you two! Fighting isn't going to solve this." Roy rubbed his temples. "Perhaps we should all sleep on it… Maybe we can convince the Führer to hold a meeting on this tomorrow." "Roy's right. We should all get some rest. Oh, and Colonel, you've five days worth of paperwork to do tomorrow." Roy let out a sigh of annoyance.
"Why do you want to go back to the hospital?" Roy stared out the window of the car. "Perhaps if I fake being sick the nurse will let me stay there." "So you can get out of doing that paperwork?" "Of course." Ed glared at Roy and stopped the car. "So where will I go for the night?" "Uh…" Roy dug around in his pocket. "Here, you can stay at my place for the night." He dropped the set of keys in Ed's hand. "Don't destroy this vehicle, it's the only one I've got. And don't snoop around my room, got it?" "Geez, alright!" Roy cupped Ed's cheek and leaned over to him, landing a tender kiss upon his lips. "Watch your back Fullmetal. I don't want you disappearing on me too." "I'll be fine…"
Roy had returned to his room a while ago, but Ed couldn't leave. He was lost in his thoughts about the events going on at the moment. They all seemed linked together but how? Ed was immediately snapped out of his thoughts as something rather cold pushed back his bangs and was placed on his temple. "Drive Elric. Take us to Mustang's before I become even more impatient than I already am." Ed's eyes widened as a flash from his earlier dream returned. "N-Nightmare?" "Let's go Fullmetal! I don't have time!" He clicked the gun, loading a bullet into the barrel.
