Bonus Chapter: A Broken Alchemist
This isn't something I normally do, but I felt it was necessary. I think we should see what Edward has been up to since he left the show. Keep in mind that this chapter takes place one month after he left.
1602jaw: Yeah, Iida won't be too thrilled to commit gang activity. There are a few people here, though, that would excel at it.
TheMasterKat: Tari has always been really emotional, but her friends are what are helping her handle it. Coyle really made a G move. As for what's in store for her, I do plan to dive into her backstory and explain her motives.
SteelRobot: Oh, they're not too happy about their elimination. Not one bit. And yes, their clothes are still there in the desert.
TheHiddenAuthor5000: All will make sense in due time, my friend.
Guest: I dunno. But Screamer is out, so it sucks to be him."
ThelastCyberKnight: Don't worry. Terry's still a total Chad, no matter what life throws at him.
Thenewsubwayguy: The SCP portion was all foreshadowing for when we get ready to see more of them. Man, everyone really liked that teleporter scene.
Guest: Thanks.
Happiness studios: Tari still isn't completely over it. She feels a little better, but not completely. As of now, she's mad at Edward. And frankly, who could blame her? I just wanted to be original, as I don't like to intentionally do things that other authors have done. I like to be different. I understand if you don't like Coyle. Honestly, there's more to her I haven't delved into yet. She's more than just a "generic villain." She's smart, unhinged, but suffers from an inferiority complex and loss of humanity. Just please wait, as I'm going to do more with her character soon.
We all good? Good. Now, let's commence!
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We open up in Chris's personal quarters, with his whole crew gathered there as well. The host didn't look like he was in a good mood.
"You guys still haven't found him yet?!" Chris asked Ginyu.
"We're very sorry, boss." Ginyu said glumly. "I've had my men searching everywhere, and still nothing. It's like he disappeared off the face of the earth."
"Either that, or he's the best darn player of hide and seek I've ever seen." Jeice said.
"Poyo popoyo popoy poyo?" (Why are you so concerned about finding him anyway?) Kirbo asked.
"That guy equals big ratings." Chris explained. "We bring him back on the show, think of the drama he'd start by his mere presence."
"Still though, we're getting nowhere." Gura said.
"But we will not quit the search, boss." Ginyu said with optimism. "We'll find him, come hell or high water."
During this talk, some of the other contestants were eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Man, they really can't find Edward, can they?" Joe asked. "It's really got Chris riled up."
"Guess not." Susie replied. "But you know what? Screw him. That was a dick move on his part. If Ed ever shows his face again, somebody better hit him."
"I don't know…" Deadpool said hesitantly. "It's not the same without him. We're good friends. Or at least, I want to still think so. I still hold to the belief there's more to this that we don't know."
"I hope it's not bothering you too much, Tari, but I want to ask you something." Kiryu said. "How are you feeling about all of this?"
"Still feels a bit awful." Tari answered. "Definitely not one hundred percent done with it. But I'm getting over it slowly. Just gotta learn that sometimes, life can be rough. But if you worry less about what you've lost, and think about what you have, it feels a little better."
"Interesting. I only asked because one of those guys that attacked us in Romania said that he was looking for Edward."
"Wait, what? Why?" Tari asked.
"Not sure. But I am sure there's a connection."
"And you've just been keeping that little nugget of info from us?!" Susie asked angrily.
"I'd been meaning to talk about it. This just felt like the right time."
"It doesn't matter." Tari said bitterly. "Whatever he's doing, it's his choice. But if I ever see him again, I will give him a piece of my mind."
"Just where are you, Fullmetal?" Giovanni thought. "And what are you up to?"
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(Gjira's airship)
"He's a sly little brat, isn't he?!" Gjira roared on his throne. His three top commanders stood there looking worried. Gjira was always a heavy drinker, and you never knew what kind of drunk he was gonna be. This time, he appeared to be an angry drunk.
"Unfortunately, he's brutally murdered every soldier and assassin we've sent at him." Ghido explained. "At least when they find his location. One of them we sent last week even joined his side."
Gjira took the gourd of liquor he was drinking, and smashed it on the ground.
"GRAAARGH! THAT LITTLE PUNK IS GOING TO RUIN MY PLAN! HE'S BEEN ON THE RUN FOR A MONTH! THE WORLD IS ONLY SO BIG, SO WHY CAN'T WE STOP HIM?!"
"I…...I don't know." Kogus stuttered. He was beginning to get more scared. He really didn't want Gjira to beat him and his siblings again. And he turns into his Godzilla form when he beats them.
"Don't worry, master." Sura said. "You'll achieve your dream. No one wants to see you accomplish your goal of dying a legend more than we do."
"Very difficult when literally nothing can kill him." Ghido thought.
"But I did send one guy who will get the job done." Gjira said, his mood taking a complete 180. Like I said, he's an unpredictable drunk.
"Who was he?" Kogus asked.
"Just a well renowned mercenary. He'll fall right into his trap. And he won't even need to fight him."
"You mean….him?!" Ghido asked with surprise.
"Yes. Him."
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(Location: Unknown)
All that could be known about the location was that it was a snowy forest. We see a man wearing a black hood. There were two people with him. One was a woman wearing a pink winter jacket.
The one in the hood began to growl.
"I think more of them are coming, Ed." Perona said worriedly.
The other man was big and muscular, wearing a black suit that covered his entire body. But the suit looked like it was...alive. He had large white eyes, and a mouth filled with sharp teeth and a long, slithery tongue.
"What do you suggest we do now?" The black suited man known as Venom.
*Record Scratch*
Reader: "Hold up. What's Venom doing here with Edward? How'd this happen?"
Me: Remember that person that Ghido said joined Ed's group a week ago? Yeah, that was Venom. After duking it out, Venom liked Ed due to a certain reason I'll explain in a couple minutes. Because of it, he decided to join in on the fun. Besides, Gjira screwed over the Symbiote wearing monster before when it came to payment. He was looking for a reason to stick it to the overgrown lizard.
There. End of explanation. I wanted to include Venom, and here you go.
And now, back to the plot.
Ed stands up, his face still obscured by the hood.
"More of his soldiers are coming." Edward said, his voice now sounding more gruff and deep.
"So? What's the plan?" Venom asked. "We slaughter them?"
Ed nodded, Perona got a terrified look on her face as Edward gave the order with sadistic glee.
"Kill every last one of them!"
Ten minutes later, we see the trio walk away from the woods. The forest was now completely engulfed in flames. Edward and Venom were unperturbed, but Perona was still in shock. As they walked away, many screams of pain and agony could be heard inside the forest.
"Do you have to kill everyone?!" Perona cried. "That was a bit excessive!"
"Yes." Edward replied coldly. "They've caused me so much pain. I'm ready to do whatever it takes to kill Gjira, and anyone affiliated with him. I will have his head, and hang it from the gates of hell."
"God, I love this bloodlust deep inside of you, kid." Venom said. "We get to have all kinds of fun."
"Look, can we just find somewhere to crash?" Perona asked. "I don't want to rough it out in the woods any longer. Besides, you haven't had much sleep lately."
"Why should I sleep?!" Edward said hysterically. "If I sleep, I'm defenseless. And I don't want to have those nightmares again."
He then continued to talk in shaky sentences. "Those nightmares. Those moments. That night it all came crashing down. They will all die for this."
You might be wondering why Ed is acting like this. Things were going fine when he and Perona set out on their journey to stop Gjira. But Ed began to have nightmares and traumatic visions of the events of the night he left. This messed with his mind, and practically shattered his psyche. His goal of saving everyone deformed and deteriorated into a vengeance quest where Edward is now out for blood. And honestly, he's having a bit too much fun with it. This didn't help when Gjira's forces literally attacked him every day, on top of the nightmares and PTSD. There was no time for him to let his guard down.
"Fine. We'll find a hotel or something. But I'm not planning on sleeping.
They walk through the snow, and stumble upon a little village. Nothing too weird, just a drab Scottish village. The dreary little town did have a few buildings where a warm glow emanated from the windows.
"You might want to look less suspicious." Ed told Venom.
"I got it, I got it."
The Symbiote begins to shrink and hide itself, making the guy look like regular old Eddie Brock.
"That good enough for you?"
"Keep being a smartass and I'll rip your throat out." Ed threatened.
The three walk into town and enter an inn. They sit at the counter of the bar inside, and Ed pays for some drinks and room and board for all of them in silence.
The other patrons stared at Edward, and we're fairly suspicious of him. This whole time, he wore the hood, and his face still remained hidden.
As they sit there quietly, until two men and a small child enter the inn. The man wore gray armor and a helmet, with a jetpack on his bat. The other man next to him looked man was tall. He has black hair and seems to wear makeup on himself, with a touch of lipstick. He wore around him a two headed swan with wings, a long, pink overcoat, and ballet slippers.
The kid himself looked fairly normal, except for the blank expression on his face. This group got even more stares from the other patrons.
They sit at the bar, and the first guy takes off his helmet, showing a good looking man with well groomed short hair and a small moustache. The man looks over at Ed and his crew and gives him a friendly smile.
"Can I help you?" Edward asked.
"Ah, so you're the one I heard about." The guy said. "Edward Elric. The one who's sticking it to that pesky Gjira."
Ed's ears perked at this.
"He's caused more damage to me than I have to his forces." Ed growled. "I'm pretty much dead at this point." He then proves this by removing his hood.
His face had several scratches and splotches of dried blood. Edward let his hair down, now looking long and unkempt. The most distinguishable thing on his face was a long slash mark across his right eye, covered by an eye patch.
"Consider yourself lucky an eye is all you lost." The man said. "I should know. I've lost more than you could ever imagine."
"Just tell me who the hell you are!"
"Apologies. Where are my manners? I am Count Suffer, a highly regarded mercenary across many universes. That kid over there is my son, Neo."
The boy with them known as Neo waves to them silently.
"And you can call me Bon Clay!" The man in the make up said. "A proud dancer okama, and fellow passenger with this fine gentleman."
"He snuck on my ship when I went to Impel Down on an assignment." Count Suffer said.
"Hey, I've heard of that place." Perona said.
"So what do you want, pal?" Venom asked.
"I've come seeking this Elric fellow." Count Suffer explained. "I too, have a vendetta against Gjira, and offer my assistance."
"Why should I work with you?" Edward asked skeptically. "I'm already pretty wary of the guys I got with me. No offense."
"Because I may have the stuff you need for your quest. Instead of you all going from town to town, you can all stay with me on my ship. I'll help take you to where you need to go."
Ed clutched the logbook he kept in the pocket of his hood. He still had a long way to go until he'd be able to find an SCP Foundation facility. He could really use the transportation. He'd be much closer to stopping Gjira and taking his head.
"I wouldn't do it." Perona said. "He's more sketchy than this Venom guy."
"You know what? Sure. I'll join you." Edward answered. "We will spill Gjira's blood. All we need is transport to the nearest SCP Foundation facility."
"Hmm. Not quite sure what that is, but we can talk about that later." Count Suffer said. "Come. You all will be much more comfortable on my ship."
The whole group gets up and leaves to head to Count Suffer's ship.
"You're a dead man, Gjira." Edward thought triumphantly. "I'm one step ahead of you."
"Hook, line, and sinker." Count Suffer thought to himself devilishly.
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Okay. Ed is starting to scare me.
Geez, bet you didn't expect Gjira's actions to mentally screw with him that much. But as he's trucking on, he's met a couple new faces to help him.
A big thanks to 1602jaw for giving me the idea to use his OCs, Count Suffer and Neo, to use for this plotline. Seems Ed may have made a mistake trusting this guy. But what could this lead to? Who knows. For now, they're en route to the SCP Foundation. And if Ed sees his former friends again, what will they think of the new him?
Well, thanks for checking out this little side story. As always, review and let me know your thoughts. Next time, I'll see all of you in Los Santos. Until then, this is MemeKing, signing off.