It hurts. It hurts! IT HURTS!!

Those were the thoughts completely possessing Edward's mind, and every time he thought those words they became more and more frantic.

IT HURTS!!! IT HURTS!!!!

Edward lay collapsed on the groud all alone His whole body was writhing in pain. He tried, without a positive outcome, to speak; no words escaped his dried and burning throat. Sweat was making its way in sheets down his forehead, slicking both Ed's face and hair in the hot, wet, and sticky liquid. His whole body felt like it was burning, but the burning sensation wasn't on Ed's skin. It was under it; he felt like he was being burned alive from the inside out.

Earlier that day

Edward laid in one of the two beds in his dorm room. He refused to open his tired eyes. He just wanted to melt into the bed and sleep forever.

"Brother," Alphonse began, starting to move towards Edward's bed, his armour body making a quiet clicking-clacking noise. "You should be getting up now. You can't forget you have an important meeting with Colonel Mustang."

Ed's eyes didn't open, but his mouth did. Foul words escaped in a long hateful stream all intended for the Colonel.

"Brother," Al began scornfully. "The Colonel has been helping us out in our search for the philosopher's stone. You should really be nicer to him."

"Uhrg," Ed groaned, finally opening his eyes. "Why should I be nicer to the Colonel B-"

"Brother," Alphonse squeaked cutting Edward off. Edward had always thought it as kind of funny that with Alphonse's giant body he still had a squeaky voice that really didn't seem to fit the bulky shape of his little brother.

"Fine," Edward said after some reluctance, pulling himself out of bed. "I will be a little nicer to that ba-"

"Brother!"

"Fine, I will be a little nicer to the Colonel."

Ed knew that, if Al's armor face could make expressions, the expression on Al's face would be that of approvment.

Edward was annoyed with the idea of being nice to Mustang, even if it is only a little. He balled his fists, shooing Alphonse out so that he could get dressed.

Mustang sat at his desk a scowl set on his face as he looked at the file in front of him.

"That is what we pulled up about the Fullmetal alchemist's..." The General paused as he tried to find a word that fit. "...shenanigans," he finally said, looking at Mustang with an expression that told the Colonel that the man expected better of him.

Mustang sighed; he placed the file on his desk. The man in front of him was higher up in the ranks so he didn't have much of a choice. The General was immensely annoying. It was like he believed he was better, but Roy couldn't do anything about it so he just sat there. He sighed again after scanning the papers stacked on top of each other. "I will speak with fullmetal this afternoon. I have already aranged to meet with him, and will give him a warning."

"A warning?! Colonel Mustang, that is why you will not be talking to Fullmetal today," the man snorted, adding emphasis to the Colonel's rank to prove that he was above him and that what the General said was practically law. Roy was thinking that the man would make a very nice candle, and people with their hair on fire tend to run away. Unfortunately, with human candles, comes screaming. "I don't think you understand. I, along with several other higher-ups, expect him to be punished, and it seems as if you can't do such a simple task. If it comes to light that you can not keep him in shape, and if this continues we will have to remove him from under your juristicion and place him under someone who can handle him."

Mustang was angry and annoyed before, but now... lets just say there weren't words for what he felt now. The man was trying to swipe Fullmetal out from under him. Fullmetal was his subordinate, and he should have had the right to punish or warn him. He didn't need help with that.

"I will deal with Fullmetal, and give him what I, and those who sent me, think is an appropriate punishment," the General announced. His face twisted in annoyance like he was unpleased. There was something else under his eyes. A hidden ambition, maybe several.

"Yes, sir, Whitman," Mustang said with clenched teeth. He wasn't even trying to hide his anger now. He felt it rising.

"Brigadier General Whitman," The General corrected.

"Yes, sir, Brigadier General Whitman," Roy hissed. He was already deciding that he hated this man. And the human candle idea wasn't sounding all that bad.

Edward froze when he saw the General (He didn't care about his specific rank) giving him a death glare. He had kicked in the door as usual. He hadn't expected the General to be sitting there, messing with his shoelaces.

"Fullmetal, out that door right this minute" and come back in here like you know you should." Edward felt like a child being scolded. "Now, Fullmetal! Or you will be punished."

Edward stormed out the door in annoyance, slamming it as he went out. He was not happy with this, but if he just got through this quicker, he could leave sooner. He opened the door nicely, rolling his eyes.

"Again." Edward's face must have looked shocked. He was scowling and was about to yell at the man to get off his case. "I said, again." There was an undertone of a threat in his voice.

Edward spun on his heels, storming out again. Whoever the General was, he had better be happy with whatever Edward did next because he wasn't going out again. He was not having this.

He knocked, hearing a "good enough" and an admission from inside, and pushed open the door.

"Now, sit down. I'm General Whitman. I've come to talk with you regarding some things."

That doesn't sound good, Edward thought. He dropped down onto the couch, leaning back as the General scowled.

"Sit up."

Edward sighed. This was just going to be awful, but he sat up. The quicker you accept this, the faster it goes.

"Tea, Fullmetal?" General Whitman asked.

Edward wasn't sure how he knew, but he could tell that, from the way the General asked, he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. So much for "the quicker you accept this, the faster it goes".

Edward decided to accept the tea, guessing that he wouldn't be asked again during the "visit" or "talk".

"Sugar?" The man asked.

"Yes." Edward took the cup that was offered to him, realising that he was probably in trouble for something he did. Why else would a higher ranking official come to visit the famous Fullmetal alchemist to talk except to punish him for something?

Damage and destruction.

It wasn't like Edward was always getting in trouble, but he did have a tendency to be reckless and destructive. He fixed the things he destroyed. Well, most of the time, and it wasn't like he was purposely going around being reckless and throwing caution to the wind. That was just how he was. He was a destruction magnet, but the way he was had probably gotten him in trouble with the higher-ups. That was not a good place to be, so Edward decided to be in his best behavior.

"Thanks," he said taking a sip.

"Now, Fullmetal, about the destruction of your last few missions..."

That's what he was afraid of.

Hours later, the talk, more like scolding, was concluded. Roy watched Edward go. Fullmetal was followed out a moment later by General Whitman who looked plenty pleased with himself. He had walked off without dismissing himself, which showed the amount of respect he thought the Colonel deserved.

Mustang rolled his eyes in annoyance. Did he enjoy wasting everyone's time? He hadn't even assigned a punishment other than limited research funds. Roy could have easily done that without the unnecessarily long scolding. He would have only needed a call to tell him that that's what they wanted him to do with Fullmetal to subdue him.

And was it absolutely necessary to have him present? He had to listen to the whole scolding as the General purposely chose to indirectly reprimand and discredit his ability to control his subordinate.

Resentment was hard to refrain from acting on when Whitman deserved the punch in the nose that Roy so desperately wanted to give him. He had insulted him, his abilities, his rank, all these among others as well. And Roy wasn't even been able to use that time to work on paperwork that needed to be finished desperately. It was all a waste of time. One single scolding, even if accompanied by limited research funds, wasn't going to be enough for Fullmetal. He was annoying like that. Unpredictable.

If Roy knew anything about Fullmetal, the kid would either act like an absolute brat just to spite them, or he would act like the most innocent child until he wasn't in trouble anymore.

Edward's mood had gotten a whole lot worse, but he was free to go. He just needed to get out of there. He needed to get away from everyone. The thought of going back to the dorms, collapsing in bed, and sleeping forever- or until he forgot about all of this- was so appealing. It would be perfect. And Alphonse would understand how annoying and unfair this all was. He might scold him for all the profanities he was planning to use in his retelling of this story, but he would understand.

"Fullmetal!" Edward felt like if he didn't bite his own tongue off trying to hold back, it would be a miracle. He just wanted to turn on his heels and throw something at the man's head. He wanted yell at the General, telling him that he had just gotten out of a long discussion -scolding- with him and wasn't quite ready to have another "talk". Also he wasn't feeling that great, and wanted to get out of there right now.

"I want to speak with you in private," General Whitman said. He spoke in a kind way. It was different from how he had addressed him when they had first met. The man was confusing.

"But I thought we ju-" Edward was interrupted before he could finish his complaint.

"Fullmetal," The General started, a little bit of a warning in his voice. "I want to talk with you about something I don't want the Colonel around for." He sounded so much less obnoxious when he wasn't trying to fix everything about Edward, but the warning layered in his voice was enough to tell him that this was nonnegotiable.

"Fine, coming, Sir." Edward walked in silence with the General. They kept on their way down the hall until they came to a door the General stopped at. "We can talk here. Come in." Whitman opened the door for Edward, letting him pass.

Edward stepped through the doorway, hearing the General click the lock behind him. Chills crept up his spine at the noise. He shivered.

"Now, Fullmetal, you look like you could use a glass of water."

"Sure, thanks," Edward said, not completely sure of what to say. It was an awkward way to ask if he wanted some water.

"Here you go," General Whitman announced as he poured water from a nearby pitcher into a glass and gave it to the boy.

Edward took the glass and downed it quickly so as not to waste time. He didn't question the pitcher, assuming that the General planned to talk in private all along. He was about to ask what it was that the General wanted to talk about, when a strange dry feeling robbed Edward's throat of all moisture. He was quite suddenly feeling incredibly unsatisfied with only that one glass of water. It was so strange to feel this way. It was like he had tried to drink burning sand instead of water.

"How are you feeling, Fullmetal? You don't look so hot. You aren't sick, are you?" Edward couldn't figure out how to classify Whitman's tone in that moment.

"I'm- I'm fine," Edward rasped out. A cough threatened to break through his lips as his dry throat tickled. "I must have swallowed the water down the wrong pipe," Edward said even though he knew that was not what happened. The feeling in his throat was not the feeling you get when you inhale water. This is what it feels like to walk through a desert for a week with only a drop of water to quench your thirst.

"I don't think so, Fullmetal." General Whitman smirked. It was a malicious smirk.

"I- i- it's just hot i- in here. M- more water, please? I need i-" Edward rasped hopefully, only to be interrupted.

"No, that won't do. You have had enough for it to take effect," the man cut in, scowling at Edward.

"Wha- what do y- you mean b-" Edward coughed on his dry throat, unable to go on. He gasped and inhaled hot, thick air. It was getting a bit hard to breathe in the oxygen he needed.

"You know, Fullmetal, for a child genius, you are pretty show."

Edward breath hitched. It was so obvious. Why hadn't he seen it? "P- poison!"

"And the penny drops." The smirk on his face only grew. "That wasn't too hard."

Edward wasn't sure if that last line was to say that it hadn't been too hard to take him down or if it was to say that figuring it all out wasn't hard. He tried to think clearly, though. He needed to concentrate on this. It was serious right now. He had been poisoned by the General. Why?!

"Come at me, boy," the General taunted as if reading his thoughts.

Edward tried, but his legs wouldn't allow him to go more than a few steps before he fell to the floor, gasping for breath at the exertion. He sucked in gulps of as much air as he possibly could.

"You don't look well. It really was too bad I wasn't around when you suddenly fell ill." The General obnoxiously stepped over him, giving him a look like you might give a rotten apple you nearly stepped on in your best shoes.

"W- why?" Edward chocked out, his ability to breathe quickly abandoning him.

"Why? Because you have been making enemies with the TRI-Generals. They think you are getting to close to exposing them."

"T- tri... G- gen... erals?" Edward stuttered out, his strength wavering.

"I'm sorry we can't talk more, but my train leaves soon, and I must be on it. Goodbye, Fullmetal."

Edward heard the click of the bolt in the door as it was relocked behind the General, while he retreated away.

Edward shivered and tried to drag himself to the door, giving up and collapsing in a heap before he could make it an inch away from the spot where he laid.

Mustang stared at the wall, ignoring paperwork that needed to be finished. He couldn't understand what about all of this was bothering him. He reexamined the General over and over in his head. If only he had Hughes here with him. The man would have solved the mystery ten times over by now.

Maybe he just really hated the man and was just searching for a reason why he should be allowed.

His mind was working at it. What was it? What made him cautious of the man? What was tipping him off? Was there anything? He wanted to scream at his head to either figure it out or give it up.

To Mustang's surprise something surfaced in his mind. A tiny pin. Why was it familiar? Why was it important? Tiny parts of Roy's mind filed the information. He scanned his mind.

Roy almost fell out of his chair when he, just, remembered why the small pin on the General's coat looked vaguely familiar. It was the insignia of the TRI-Generals, a group of people who had kidnapped the children of military officials, demanding a ransom for their safe return. They had been the talk of the town a few years back, but now you didn't hear anything about them. No one had ever been taken in, but the kidnappings stopped about two months after they started. There had been several rumours going around Central, saying that the TRI-Generals were actually a group of greedy, money-hungry, Generals, hence the name, that knew they wouldn't get caught. Others said the name was because they singled out generals. Mostly everyone had let go of those rumours about them being Generals and realised that that was highly unlikely. But, now, Mustang wasn't so sure.

I just had one of the TRI-Generals in my office! Mustang internally screamed. That was why he felt off. Or maybe it was just convenient that Roy had hated him. Whatever it was, the man was a criminal.

"But why would they send him here? Maybe he isn't here for them but is just here to do his job." That is, his military job.

"But then why would he wear the pin and risk being exposed?" Mustang stopped.

Why did he come here? To see Fullmetal? If the higher-ups wanted Fullmetal to be punished they would have told me to punish him, and not waste their own resources. He had been right to be suspicious of the strange insistence of the General's way of punishing. He had something up his sleeve. But what was Edward's real punishment?

"Fullmetal!" Mustang bolted from his chair, running out the door. He prayed that they could catch the General. He was probably already on his way to either a hotel or the train station.

"Sir?" Asked a slightly confused Hawkeye as her superior officer ran out of his private office.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, which way did the General go?!" Mustang demanded.

"I'm sorry, Sir I didn't see which way he went. Why?"

"Lieutenant, follow me!" Hawkeye was quickly on her feet and following Roy. She could probably sense the panic coursing through his body. He didn't have the time to explain everything.

It didn't take too long to find Whitman in the halls, Mustang caught sight of him walking away. They had caught him. He was still in the building. Relief filled Roy. They could stop him before he got to Fullmetal. "Brigadier General Whitman!" Roy shouted. He noticed the man was alone. So Fullmetal was definitely safe.

Whitman stopped and turned to Roy, "Yes, Colonel?" His face seemed to be calm to the outside world but there was also an underlying panic, or maybe a better way to describe him was on edge.

Roy continued towards the now stationary man. He could see how the General twitched and tried to pull away. When directly infront of the man, he stopped and said. "General Whitman," He started, smirking, "you are under arrest for your involvement in the TRI-General kidnapping conspiracy."

At his back, Roy could hear his Lieutenant shift in surprise. In front of him, he saw the General's face grow white in shock. He must have been horrified. Whitman attempted to bolt, heading towards the nearest exit. He was stopped by Lieutenant Hawkeye, who had already made her way around the Colonel. Expecting the man to run, she had pinned him down. He grunted in discomfort.

"Now, tell me. Where is Edward Elric?" Mustang demanded. Fullmetal is safe, his mind whispered.

"Too late," Whitman hissed as Hawkeye pulled him to his feet and cuffed his hands behind him. He was sneering at Mustang.

Roy's safe phrase shattered. He suppressed the panic that was rising up. He couldn't be wrong about Fullmetal being safe. He couldn't allow that. "Not what I asked. Where is Fullmetal?!"

"It doesn't matter. It's too late."

"Tell me!" Roy was getting angrier by the second. He tried to hold back the urge to strangle him. He needed to find Fullmetal.

"No, I'll let you find his body." Mustang lost it when the General said that. He brought his fist back and sent the man sprawling. It didn't even feel good. His gut was too twisted up in anxiety.

"Lieutenant, take the General here to a holding cell, and the rest of you," Mustang turned to address the rest of his crew, who had come out when the Colonel had first run out of his office. "Come with me. We are going to find Fullmetal."

Thanks for reading! Please review!

Edit: I'm still not satisfied with this, and I know that I have still missed a great deal of mistakes, but I made these corrections on my phone. I hope it is better than before, though. Thank you to Rogue's Rhetoric for pointing it out.

-UNAU/IME