"Al! Al!" Ed screamed into the darkness of the echoing halls.

"Ed, please don't move. You're hurt," breathed Adelina Rose.

"Al could be dead for all I know, and you want me to worry over a stupid sprained ankle!" He tried standing, but fell down again, his ankle unable to hold his weight.

"Dammit!" he began to crawl down the hallway on his hands and knees.

"You can't help Al if you're hurt, Ed! Please, let me find him." Adelina smiled softly to Edward.

Ed stopped for a moment. "I... I can't let you do that! He's my little brother!"

"Then you leave me no choice." Adelina backhanded Ed hard in his head, knocking him out. She bent down and whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry, Edward. I couldn't let you get killed." Then she stood and sprinted down the dark hallway.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Some blurry shapes hovered above, obscuring the light. It took a second for Edward to realize that he was still lying in the corridor. Adelina Rose had knocked him out. Damn. Al...

"Mr. Edward, sir! Are you alright? It looks like you took quite a beating to the head."

Slowly, Ed's vision cleared. He saw Fuery standing over him, a concerned expression on his face. Ed groaned and tried to sit up. Fuery pushed him back down.

"I think your ankle's broken, Ed. You should just take it easy. And besides,-."

"Al! Damn! Adelina Rose, she..."

Fuery motioned to someone beyond Ed's line of vision. They came around and knelt down beside him, examining his head. After he was satisfied, he questioned Ed about his ankle. Like 'does it hurt here? Can you stand on it?' A paramedic.

"I think his head's okay. Now I'm more worried about his ankle. We could bring a stretcher down, or you could carry him up to the medical wing. Whatever's easier for you." The paramedic was talking to Fuery.

Fuery sighed out of relief. "That's good that he's not badly injured. I thought from the blood all over the walls..."

"Yeah. At first I was startled too. But then I-."

"Al! I'm coming!" Ed had stood up, using the wall for support and began stumbling down hall. Fuery and the paramedic turned to grab him, but Edward transmuted the wall in their path. He had blocked the corridor from behind him so nobody would be able to stop him.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Padding carefully down the hall, Adelina Rose smelled for blood. The same blood, which had been shed where Ed hurt his ankle, was making a trail down into the unknowns of the abandoned Central east wing, lower level.

Every now and then, she would pick up faint traces of a human, as if it had been washed over to be covered. The lighting only got worse, the farther she went. It dimmed, more and more out of repair. The wall was crumbly, unpainted cement. It matched the floor, looking more like a bunker than a military head quarters.

She had noticed that the end of the hallway wasn't even in sight. Was it the lighting, or was there no end?

Adelina Rose picked up a strong scent of blood inside of the wall to her left. She pressed her nose against it and met the nasty smell of decay and mold. The moldy smell was too strong to check for blood. So Adelina Rose did it the old fashioned alchemist way. She drew an array and transmuted a door.

Her trepidation of what was on the other side was replaced by doubts that there was another side. A stench of decay that strong had to have deep roots. With a room behind it, the smell wouldn't be as pungent.

Deciding it was worth a try, Adelina Rose pushed the door, it creaking on its cement hinges. The room was vast, stretching itself the whole length of the corridor. It was hidden behind the cement wall, however, and didn't appear to have any doors. The only way in was with alchemy.

And as one can imagine, a room without window or doors gets dark, damp, and musty. The room had a stuffy feeling, a feeling that crept up through your nose and made you cough. The air was so thick, it felt like you were breathing in saw dust.

The room did contain two lamps, so it was not completely dark. One lamp sat on a rickety wooden table, near the middle of the room. The other lamp stood by a chair. The chair was located by a tall wooden bookshelf. A reading corner.

The floor, unlike the hallway, was made of cobblestone and the walls were made of brick. All except the wall that was separating the room from the corridor.

It had a certain air of nobility about it. But it seemed to have faded over time and though decay. But it still had a mysterious quality; it made you want to walk in further and explore its vast empty space.

But as Adelina Rose walked into the chamber, she noticed another thing about it. There was a huddled form not three yards from where she was standing. It was hard to make out, the lights few and dim. She crept closer to it, turning her face away at the strong smell of blood. This was the scent she had been following. This person's blood.

Adelina Rose stood right over the figure. She could tell it was a guy, and he was wrapped in a towel. Shivering. She bent over to glimpse his face. Every so carefully, she turned his head to gaze upon him. Adelina Rose peered at the person, and nearly screamed.

"C... Callum?"

--------------------------------------------------------------

Edward continued limping down the hall, going down the hall Adelina Rose had tread. There was only one corridor, with no tuns or twists, so it made following easier. He walked, his breath ragged from yelling, his eyes stinging from salty tears. His ankle throbbing more and more every time he stepped on it. Even with the wall's support.

It was slow progress he made, but he wasn't hindered by anyone. Ed sought for Al. That was his mission. No one would get in his way. Not the military, not the homunculi, not Adelina Rose. Not even Equivalent Exchange.

----------------------------------------------------------------

The boy lay on his side, rolled up into a ball. He had a white sheet covering him, which was quickly being colored red with blood. His face was contorted, as though it were in pain. But his facial expressions were soft, his lips large and red, a few freckles dotting his cheeks, and his eye lashes long and fluttering. His tawny hair rested lop-sided on his forehead, framing his face.

Even though the room was dark, hardly lit, Adelina Rose could tell this was her little brother. This was Callum. She knelt down beside him and brought his limp form into her arms, petting his hair. She whispered to him, "I've got you now, Callum. You're safe. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."

The boy winced and managed to open his eyes. He coughed and sputtered, as though he had never breathed before. After breathing hard for a few seconds, the boy looked at Adelina Rose and said, "Wha... What are you talking about? I'm... Al."

Adelina Rose nearly dropped him out of shock. This boy looked exactly like Callum. His voice was the same, and his scent was identical. There was no mistaking it. This was Callum. She petted his head again, shushing him. "It's okay. I'll take care of everything, Callum. Just close your eyes; rest."

The boy shook his head, but fatigue took him and soon he slept. Adelina Rose became worried about the blood. But, she smelled no fresh blood. It was all at least a half-hour old. She scratched her head in confusion, wondering aloud, "Only a fatal blow would make this much blood. But apparently, he stopped bleeding right away, and he's perfectly fine. He's not even pale."

"I see you've found my boy." The voice was female, beautiful, coming out airy. It didn't sound natural.

Adelina Rose changed into a Sphinx, tossing the boy onto her back. She prepared to run from the danger that lurked in the shadows of the room. A female figure strode from a corner. Adelina Rose cursed herself for not smelling the rotting scent coming from this figure before.

"You won't be taking my son anywhere," the woman said.

She was gorgeous. Her body was flawless, her eyes bright and yet dark at the same time. She wore a tight fitted black dress that matched her black hair. She had a strange marking on her chest. Adelina Rose had read about it before. The orobourous. The orobourous was a symbol of the cycle of life in the form of a dragon that ate its own tail, constantly eating it. But as fast as the orobourous could eat its tail, the tail would grow again. This was always tattooed on homunculi.

"You're a soulless homunculus. You could never have a son. And besides, you look nothing like my mother," Adelina Rose spat.

"You aren't my child. Why would I look like your mother?" the homunculus toyed.

"Because Callum's my brother!"

"Callum? This is Alphonse Elric. He is my son, not your brother."

Adelina Rose stuttered. "B...But I... I was sure that... he..."

"Was him?"

"... You're lying! This is my brother! His name is Callum!"

The homunculus changed before Adelina Rose's eyes. She became liquid-like, keeping her form, but... just like the red water. Peter, Adelina Rose's brother, had brought home a small vial of it for her. He had told her it was a vital alchemic ingredient. Then he had shattered the vial and told her to watch what happened to the liquid. She had watched in fascination as it became solid. She poked it to find it flexible and squishy. But not at all like the earlier liquid form.

Only later did she learn what the 'vital ingredient' was and what it was made of. The truth burned through the happy oblivion of lies her brother had bestowed upon her. She did not know when he had gone insane, or she would have helped him. But Adelina Rose was disgusted with Peter for even letting her lay eyes on the vial stuff. It made her sick to even to see a substance like the red water.

Adelina Rose extended her claws fully, a ripple of excitement running down her withers. She always became anxious just before a fight. The homunculus shot a jet-stream of water at Adelina Rose, who dodged it, leaping from the reading chair tot he bookcase. From there she took a flying leap to attack he homunculus, who quickly dodged.

The boy on Adelina Rose's back nearly slided off, so she ran behind the shelter of the bookcase and dropped him off. Very reluctantly. Then, she popped around the other side and changed into a full lion, ignoring the feeling of having her limbs torn.

"That's a special talent," laughed the homunculus. "I don't believe I've told you my name."

Adelina Rose roared and slashed at the homunculus, almost tearing the liquid into two. She merely chuckled. "It's Sloth, if you care. All I want is my boy, little kitten. Run off and go play."

The liquid turned back into its human appearance. She had a smug smile on her face. But at the same time, it was mysterious. It was a lot like Edward's. Adelina Rose pounced again leaping for the head, her jaws wide open.

Suddenly, the door that Adelina Rose had made earlier, was flung open. Edward was leaning on it, panting. He looked to see his mother's head about to be torn off by a lion. The lion was Adelina Rose. It didn't take Edward long to react. It was instinct. He clapped his hands and slammed them on the ground, creating a wall in front of the lion. Adelina Rose smashed into it with such force that half of it cracked and fell on top of her. A terrible howl of pain arose from under the rubble.

Edward shook his head. What had he just done? "Adelina... Rose... are you... alright..?"

No response came from the rubble. A great chocking feeling came up Edward's throat. He had these all the time. But mostly, he was able to suppress them. This time, he wasn't. He began to cry, coughing like a machine out of use. Then he remembered his mother.

Edward turned to look at the woman who looked so much like his mother. She was exactly the same. He hesitated, then uttered, "Mom?"

She kneeled down for him, opening her arms like she wanted to embrace him. Edward ran to her, hugging her and crying, explaining everything that happened to him along the way. About the state alchemy exam, Mustang, the philosopher's stone, and about the homunculi. Edward had been so eager to see her again, he hadn't noticed the oroborous tatooed on her chest. Or the red lines along her skin. He had just noticed Mom.

Sloth turned one arm into liquid as discreetly as she could. Then, with a quick jerk, she shoved it down Edward's mouth. She had tried to make knocking him out as painless as possible. Even though she despised them, she loved them. Sloth cursed her motherly side. She felt Ed go limp and removed her arm from his mouth, slinging him across her shoulder like a rag-doll.

Just then, the rubble moved, and Adelina Rose (in human form) stepped out, with gritted teeth. Her eyes were filled with hatred for Sloth. Her body looked beat-up, but she had survived without major injury.

Pushing a large slab of concrete away, as though it were nothing, she straightened up. "Let-him-go," she snarled.

"I'm so sorry dear, but I need this child. And I'll be taking the little one too."

"No you won't!" screamed Adelina Rose. She darted to where the boy lay and picked him up in her arms. She held him defensively, ready to do almost anything to save him.

Sloth placed Edward on the floor and attacked Adelina Rose with such speed that the girl hadn't had any time to prepare a defense. Sloth had jabbed Adelina Rose in the stomach with such ferocity that her hand went into it, being greeted by a spurt of blood.

Adelina Rose dropped the boy, leaning on Sloth's hand in shock. I have failed Callum again. That creature will take him away. I have failed Callum. Failed. Failed. Failed... And then she blacked out.

--------------------------------------------------

PLEASE READ MY PATHETIC AUTHOR'S NOTES!

Poor delusional Adelina Rose. Tsk, tsk. I tease her very much, do I not?

I was very unhappy with the last review turn outs. I make a frowny face now:o(

See! You made me sad because you didn't review. Do you want to make me sader? Or make me cough stop writing? Because I GOT THE POWER! starts dancing

Just review, okay? It makes this one very happy.