Thank you Chrosis, karbyly, Lightpaws2.0, and Taiyoukai Taika-sama for taking the time to leave me a review!

Pairings: Edward/Winry and Roy/Riza (later chapters)
Disclaimer: I have no ownership rights to FMA. I'm just an obsessed fan, who wanted to write a story involving some of the characters from the anime/manga.

Special thanks to: Hiromu Arakawa, Square-Enix, Bones, Funimation, and Viz, for bringing FMA to life

Extra Comments (Q & A)
karbyly: I'm glad you enjoyed reading my fanfiction so much, and thank you for taking the time to read it, even though it wasn't a fanfiction in your native language.

Lightpaws2.0: Thanks for giving me the link to that awesome picture of Edward as a wolf. I like how the artist made Edward look cocky and elegant, even when he's a wolf!

Chapter 5 - Steel Talons
"No, this can't be!"

"Ed... I'm scared."

"I'm sorry, Winry."

"Why does it have to be like this?!"

"I'm so sorry."

"... It's... It's okay."

"Winry."

"You don't have to go through this alone, Ed... I'm here."

Confused by her dream-filled slumber, Winry sat up in her bed and wiped away the tears that had formed in her sleep. She stayed still for a moment, trying to remember what had happened in her dreams, but couldn't recall anything more then the voices she had heard. Winry glanced over at her room's wall clock and read the time, thanks to the aid of moonlight through her slightly opened hotel room window.

Midnight.

"Great," Winry yawned sarcastically.

Noticing that her bed sheets had managed to tangle around herself in her sleep, Winry began to straighten out her covers, mumbling words of annoyance while she worked.

A sudden force, from the next room, began to slam repeatedly against the northern wall of Winry's room, sending out vicious waves of energy and shaking all the contents inside of it. Winry screamed as the fierce power threw her off her bed, and down onto the hard wood floor. Quickly, Winry pulled the wrapped covers tightly around her and curled into the fetal position as plaster began to fall down like rain from the ceiling. A picture frame, which hung on the Western wall crashed down, sending shards of glass all across the floor.

The slamming stopped, and the air grew still instantly. Winry stayed under her protective covers, shivering from the sudden fright.

"What the hell was that?" Winry's mind began to race.

A haunting scream from the next room answered her thoughts.

Winry could tell that it was Edward, when the scream first began, but as it continued, it sounded less and less like Edward. The scream grew louder with each passing second, as its pitch subsequently dropped; shape-shifting itself into a feral wail of unbearable agony.

"He's changing again," Winry cried to herself. "No, not again! Please, not again!"

Courage, unknown to even Winry herself, took hold of her, and lifted her to her feet. She bolted out of her room, and over to the two brother's room, where she was greeted with a distressed Alphonse.

"Winry, go back to your room! You're not safe here!" Alphonse said, still showing his normal concerned side.

"No, Al! Edward needs us both. You can't do this alone."

A hiss sounded, and a dazzling blue light shown brightly from underneath the door, of Edward's room; a sign of an alchemic reaction.

"Brother!"

Alphonse grabbed the door handle and turned it, only to find it was locked from within. Without a second thought, he began to shoulder the wooden door with his massive metal frame. Winry stood back and watched, feeling useless, tears falling from her reddened eyes.

"Open the door, brother!" Alphonse cried, throwing himself harder into the door, as the frame groaned, and started to give way. Another alchemic hiss and light came before Alphonse finally knocked the door of its hinges.

Alphonse stepped onto the fallen door, while Winry slipped in beside him. They both gasped and stared in awe, at the sight that welcomed them.

A great wolf-like beast stood tall, in front of them, its head only half a foot below the ceiling. Painful golden orbs glowed from its monstrous skull. Its gold, silky fur shined brilliantly in the moonlight, and a glint, from metal limbs, fueled by the moonlight, nearly blinded the two.

Winry shrunk against Alphonse, disturbed by what Edward had done to himself.

Edward had modified his auto-mail limbs, to suit his demonic form. The hand and foot that Winry had made, with her own two, loving hands, had been transformed into beastly paws, with sharp, steel talons extending from each finger and toe tip.

"Brother?" Alphonse spoke softly, not daring to take a step forward, and spook his brother-turned-wolf.

Edward emitted a low growl, and took a step back on his transformed auto-mail leg; its claws clicking as they came down on the floor.

"Edward," Winry whimpered, still huddling against Alphonse.

Alphonse... Winry...

Edward ceased his growling, and relaxed his once tense muscles, underneath his dense fur, and brought his left leg forward, back into its original place. His shoulders eased down slowly, and he let out a slight huff, causing the bangs that hung in his line of vision to fall onto the side of his muzzle.

Both Alphonse and Winry hinted from his actions that Edward was himself once again, not on the outside, but on the inside.

It seemed like everything would be fine, until a challenging howl found its way into the Edward's ears again, switching his new instincts back into overdrive.

Edward reared back and roared with ferocity neither Alphonse or Winry had ever witnessed.

"Brother, calm down!" Alphonse yelled, trying to be heard over his brothers' roar, and took a step forward, immediately regretted doing so.

Shocked by his brother's advance, Edward directed his roar at Alphonse, who stepped back into the doorway, to fearful to approach his brother again. Winry shifted behind Alphonse, as he backed up, knowing that it was the best thing to do. With another roar, Edward hurled himself through his hotel room's window, bringing with him a shower of glass.

With Edward out of the room, Alphonse and Winry rushed to the window, just in time to see Edward run down the street and disappear behind the corner of a building.

"We need to go after him," Winry turned, speaking in a shaky voice. Alphonse took hold of one of her shoulders and turned her around.

"No Winry, you need to stay here. I know you want to help, but you saw what he's capable of! In the state he's in, Edward is capable of doing anything! I won't let him hurt you."

Winry pushed Alphonse's arm off of her shoulder, and started to punch his chest plate uncontrollably.

"Don't ever say that again, Alphonse! Edward would never hurt me, and he would never hurt you! He cares about us, and he would never do anything, on purpose, to hurt us!" Winry bawled, as her punches began to weaken and turn into taps, until she just leaned against Alphonse, sobbing into his cold, metal build.

Alphonse stared down at Winry for a moment, empathic toward the hurt she was feeling, and mentally kicked himself for raising his voice at her. He dropped down on one knee, and hugged Winry, trying to give her comfort. Even though he couldn't feel much, Alphonse knew that Winry was wrapping her arms around his massive armor, showing thanks, and returning the offered reassurance.

"Sorry," Alphonse and Winry said in unison, then gave a small laugh and stepped away from one another.

"I can't believe it's still alive," Alphonse said, glancing toward the window.

"What?"

"It was the chimera that attacked Ed. That's what howled. I'm certain of it."

"Edward told me that you killed it."

"I know, I thought I killed it too. I don't know how it could have survived."

Winry shivered, from the cold breeze coming through the broken window, and realized that she was just in a nightgown, during the whole event. She couldn't help but blush, knowing that she rarely ever stood in front of either of the brother's, in just a nightgown. Winry happened to glance over at Edward's bed, and noticed something odd.

"Alphonse, look at Edward's bed."

Alphonse stepped beside Winry, and peered down at the bed, knowing by looking at it that its metal frame was missing.

"You think that's what Edward added to his auto-mail?"

"Yeah, it has to be."

A knock came at the door, and Alphonse and Winry could here the hotel clerk questioning about what had happened, and why there were so many strange noises coming from their rooms. They didn't need to explain much, however, because a good friend of there's showed up, and fixed everything up, "nice and pretty".

Wind whipped through Edward's fur, cooling him as he launched himself down street after street. Every now and then, Edward would stop running on all four haunches, and climb up a building to get a better view of the city.

Before turning one corner, Edward stopped. He picked up the scent of something, and took advantage of being down wind, by hunkering down, and waiting for whatever it was to turn the corner. He could hear the footfalls coming closer and closer. Edward licked his lips and curled them into a snarl.

Once Edward saw the figure, he pounced on it, hearing a masculine scream come out from under him. It sounded human to Edward, and sure enough, it was; just not the human Edward had expected it to be.

Edward looked down to see Roy, quivering and wide-eyed, underneath him. Edward let out a surprised bark, and jumped off of Roy.

Whoa! Sorry, Colonel!

Roy scrambled back until he hit a lamppost, but even then he was trying to crawl back, and get further away from the horror before him.

Edward woofed at Roy, making Roy give out a frightful cry.

Oh, come on! Lighten up, Mustang.

Edward walked up to Roy, who started to reach into his jacket, frantically, but Edward ignored Roy's actions, figuring his colonel was still scared shitless from the pounce. Edward was just a foot away, when Roy found what he was searching for, and pulled a gun out, from within his coat.

Edward froze, a pinch of fear boiling within him.

"Back off, or I'll shot your damn brains out!" Roy yelled, but still sounded fearful.

Edward listened, and took a few steps back, causing Roy's expression to turn into disbelief.

"It understands me?" Roy thought to himself. Then, Roy noticed a shine, coming from the beast's right front leg. It was made of auto-mail.

"E-Edward?" Roy eased down his gun.

Edward barked and waged his tail a little, ending his last bark in an annoyed whine.

Took you long enough, Roy.

"Oh my God... You were telling the truth!" Roy yelled, almost with a smile.

Edward was about to reply when he caught a scent. A scent like his. Edward sped away, leaving Roy behind him, roaring as his anger began to build.

"Wait, Ed!" Roy called, but was never heard. As Edward disappeared down the dark alleyway, Roy put his gun away, dusted himself off, and started to run again. Someone was still waiting for him, in Central park.

"It's about time you showed up, you little shit head!" Damis shouted as he saw Edward begin to climb down the side of a building, in front of him. "I've been waiting for a whole damn hour."

When Edward was almost to the ground, he let go of left arm, and right leg, causing him to slide down the side of the building, sparks flying, as the auto-mail grinded against the brick.

Damis raised an eyebrow.

"You must be a pretty smart puppy if you were able to figure out how to run around with that auto-mail on you." Damis said, honestly impressed. "But you weren't smart enough to decline my challenge."

Edward leapt down to the ground, and roared at Damis, before picking up a dumpster and hurling it down the alleyway, flying just inches over its target's head. Damis didn't even flinch.

"That's your weakness, pup. You have no self-control," Damis began, pacing back and forth while he talked. "You can't control yourself, at least, not right now. When you get older, and your hormones stop bouncing around, then maybe you could control yourself, but until then, you going to be controlled by nothing but your feelings and instincts. Sucks, doesn't it?"

Edward growled, but was otherwise oblivious to what Damis had said to him. He was too focused on finding the right time to attack the monster that ruined his life.

"That's what I thought," Damis said, proving his point. "You know, if the Fenrir found out about you, they'd probably turn you into a good fighter, but then again, I'm the one who bite you. I made "the new" you, although, not intentionally. Anyway, it's a shame you aren't going to live to see those glory days, because now, I have to kill you."

"Let's make this quick, whelp." Damis said through a wicked smile. "I've got a bitch to feed back in the den."

Edward's feral impulses could take no more torment and over threw his ability to reason; channeling his rage to barrel toward Damis, with a bellow of odium.

After Notes-
Sorry for the long wait, but homework and extra curricular activities have been taking up most of my time. The plot is going to become very twisted soon, (Like it wasn't twisted before?) and I hope that you, the readers, will still continue to read Gibbous Panorama, even though it's a ridiculous fanfiction. Thank you for reading, and your patience. Also, if you could spare a minute or two, please leave a short review.

With openness and respect,
Heza Ulric