Finally, it's about time I get out another chapter over 3000 words. I think it's the flashbacks that make the difference.
I'm going to warn you all right now (and this goes for all my stories), there is a moderately high chance I will not update for a while after this. School starts next week and I'm having some personal complications that are interfering with my writing. Just so you know.
Also, I might make a sequel to this story (hell, maybe even a Trilogy-type-thing, although I haven't thought that far ahead). How would you guys feel about that (considering this would mean an incomplete ending for Ensnared, but also mean that the plot would continue on a lot longer)?
Oh, and I meant to bring this up a LONG time ago, but I kept forgetting. An anon reviewer brought to my attention that in episode eight () of season one of Criminal Minds, Garcia has a model of Alphonse (armour version) on her desk.
Trust me, it's there. I found it and stared at it in wonder for about ten minutes. ^_^ So yeah, that pretty much made my life. No joke.
Disclaimer: I've never owned FMA or Criminal Minds, and I still do not. I could never write anything that good.
Chapter Seven
One man may hit the mark, another blunder; but heed not these distinctions. Only from the alliance of the one, working with and through the other, are great things born. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Edward and Alphonse turned slowly to face the tall shadow that loomed over them. Edward's eyes narrowed dangerously. Alphonse's gaze flickered between his brother and the shadowed figure, calculatingly.
"Scar." Edward hissed lowly. Scar's hood had been drawn back from his face, and his sunglasses removed. There was no mistaking him. Edward clapped his hands together and there was a bright flash of alchemy, transforming his automail arm into a blade before running at Scar. His blade clipped against Scar's arm and suddenly he was blown backward into the alley wall. His head snapped back, cracking against the brick. Scar has pushed back a few feet as if by a harsh wind.
"Brother! What just happened? Are you okay?" Alphonse asked, rushing to Edward's side. Edward stood up, slowly rotating his shoulders, a perplexed expression on his face. Scar also looked confused.
"I'm fine." Edward said, blinking. Alphonse frowned and fussed about him for a moment, prodding his back, neck and head.
"But... But... You just..." Alphonse looked between the slightly cracked and crumbly wall and his brother, astonished. "What the heck just happened?" At that moment Scar charged at them, his arm crackling with red alchemy. Alphonse clapped his hands and slammed his palms to the ground. Spikes of cement erupted from the ground in Scar's path. One looked like it was going to ram straight through his abdomen, but went it made contact with Scar it disintegrated and Scar stumbled back a few steps.
"Al, what's going on?" Edward asked, dodging an attack from Scar.
"I don't know..." Alphonse's brow furrowed. 'Could it be that... No, that's impossible... But if it isn't... I need to make sure before brother comes to the same conclusion.' Alphonse nodded to himself, hovering near the wall until the right moment. Scar lunged at Edward, his arm extended. 'Now!' Alphonse slid in the way of Scar's attack as Edward dodged.
"Alphonse!" Edward yelled. Alphonse shut his eyes, praying he was right. He felt a pressure on his chest, making it hard to breathe for a moment, but the pressure was gone as quickly as it had come and he flew back, pushed right off his feet.
'This is all so odd...' Alphonse thought. A moment later he hit the ground. The initial impact sent a wave of pain through him and knocked the wind out of him. But the pain faded almost instantly and his breathing was back to normal after only a few gasps of air.
"You bastard." He heard Edward growl. Alphonse's eyes fluttered open and he looked down at himself. He was completely uninjured.
Scar had been blown back when his attack touched Alphonse, and seemed completely unscathed, even though he had skidded along the asphalt. Edward stood a few feet away, livid. He clapped his hands and pressed his palms to the ground, transmuting a large spike that shot out of the ground and into Scar's back. It turned to dust when it hit him.
"Brother." Alphonse got up and walked over to Edward. "I'm fine."
"Alphonse!" Edward spun around and gripped his brother's shoulders (more harshly than he intended). Alphonse winced. "What the fuck were you thinking?" Alphonse met Edward's furious, panicked gaze and smiled.
"Don't you understand, Brother? We can't be fatally harmed in this world." Alphonse emphasized each word carefully. Edward blinked and slowly released his shoulders.
"We..." Edward paused, processing Alphonse's words. A moment later his eyes light up. "You're right." Alphonse nodded vigorously. Scar stood a few feet away, his eyes widening marginally.
"Ow!" Alphonse rubbed his head, frowning. Edward lowered his hand, glaring at the other blond. "What was that for, Ed?" Edward hit him over the head again.
"For scaring me, idiot!" Edward growled. Alphonse gave him a stern look.
"I knew I wasn't going to get hurt." He retorted, indignant. Edward's glare turned icy.
"You promised you'd be careful! How was that careful?" He replied angrily. Alphonse glared back defensively.
"It's nothing you wouldn't do, Ed." He said harshly. Edward scowled but didn't reply (mostly because he knew Alphonse was right). Instead he turned to Scar.
"We were brought here together, and we can't hurt each other now." He began thoughtfully. "It may be in our best interest to work together." Scar watched the Elrics thoughtfully.
"I suppose..." He murmured in agreement.
"Then what do we do?" Alphonse questioned. There was a pause when Edward seemed to be debating whether to ignore him childishly or answer him. He chose the latter.
"Well, that Axiom guy said we could go back to our world after we finished the 'task' he'd brought us here for." Edward said, looking at Scar. Alphonse rolled his eyes.
"So," Scar began, musingly. "we need to figure out what the task is, and proceed to complete it."
"Sounds easier said than done." Alphonse murmured. Edward nodded.
...
"They're going to work together." It was a very off-handed comment, but it was not the tone that made Truth's gaze snap to Axiom, it was the words.
"They are? ... I guess it was to be expected, they would have had to work together in my world soon enough as well." Truth said. It sighed heavily before locking it's gaze with Axiom's. "Well done, Axiom."
"Everyone has the ability to be both good and evil. It is the people and events around them ultimately shape them." Axiom paused, grinning. "That is the principle I like to work from."
"Hm." Truth paused thoughtfully before smiling crookedly. "I think I like the sound of that. I might just borrow it."
...
"Do you have any idea where they would go?" Hotch asked the younger pair that sat in front of him. Olivia shrugged helplessly, while Reid shook his head.
"They don't have any family, and they never mentioned where they were living before we found them. Quite honestly, I don't think they are even familiar with the area." He said, solemn. Hotch scowled.
"Well, it hasn't been long, we'll just have to canvass the area and we should get a lead." He said, sighing.
"Come on, Reid." Morgan added, appearing at Hotch's side. Reid nodded and stood.
"I'll see you later, Olivia." He said over his shoulder. Olivia nodded and walked out of Reid's apartment with them before disappearing into her own apartment.
...
"This is weird." Alphonse said, breaking the ten minute long silence between the three Amestrians. Scar and Edward both silently agreed. Edward had long forgotten his brief anger at his brother, and was deep in thought. The trio sat in a small run-down cafe which was empty besides them and a young waitress who was listening to blaring music from a tiny device that none of them recognized. Scar had black coffee, Edward had some kind of clear carbonated beverage, and Alphonse had an Earl Grey tea with extra sugar.
"So, Scar, who are the two murderers you were working with." Edward emphasized 'were', giving Scar a hard glare. Scar rolled his eyes.
"One of them was a man, I don't know his real name, but he goes by GOD. And the other was a younger woman, Janet. She reminds me of Lust..." Scar trailed off, taking in the now ashen faces of the brothers. "What?"
"Janet as in the woman who lives... Er, lived... in Detective Marker's building?" Edward asked. Scar paused.
"Yes, I believe she mentioned a Marker..." Scar's face darkened. "Oh, right. Him."
"You killed him." Alphonse's voice was a mere whisper, his eyes watching steam rise from his tea.
"I didn't have a choice." Scar grunted, scowling and glancing out the window. Edward's fists clenched and it took all he had to not jump out of his chair and attack Scar.
"You always have a choice, Scar. And you've made all the wrong ones." He growled. Scar sighed silently and turned to look at Edward.
"You're not the only one who's spoken to Axiom, Fullmetal." He said coldly. Edward deflated slightly at the name, while Alphonse's head snapped up. Edward eyed Scar with suspicion.
"What do you mean, Scar?"
-Flashback-
Scar was dumped unceremoniously at the feet of the white-outlined shadowy figure. He quickly got to his feet, glaring at the leering Axiom.
"Who the hell are you?" He growled. Axiom chuckled.
"Let us remember our manners, Scar." The dark being smirked. "My name is Axiom, I am the God of this world." Axiom mockingly bowed.
"What do you want?" Scar hissed, neither impressed nor amused by Axiom. Axiom snickered.
"So impatient, aren't you? Alright. I've brought you here to tell you something. Please, sit." Axiom said, sitting cross-legged on the ground. Scar watched him uncertainly for a moment before cautiously following suit.
"Well?" He prodded. Axiom smiled and got straight to the point.
"Soon, in my world, you will meet two murderers. The Siren and The Judge, as the humans call them. You will know them when you see them." Axiom paused, relishing the look of frustration that appeared on Scar's face.
"And? What about them?" Scar pressed.
"I want you to gain their trust. By any means possible. You will have to kill innocent people, in fact, I want you to kill anyone who crosses your path until you meet these two people." Axiom said. Surprise flashed across Scar's face, making Axiom grin.
"... Why?" Scar said after a moment, oddly calm.
"Because, if you don't gain their trust, you will never be able to complete the task I brought you here for. Good luck." Axiom added the last part as an afterthought while an eye opened below Scar and white hands dragged him back to Earth.
-End Flashback-
"That bastard told you to kill people?" Edward asked, his eyes wide. Alphonse looked absolutely horrified. Scar just nodded.
"Yes." He paused, frowning in thought. "Obviously, Janet and GOD have something to do with this 'task' we have to complete."
"Maybe..." Alphonse murmured. Scar and Edward looked at him, expectant. "Maybe we have to... Kill them. Or, at least stop them from killing anymore..."
...
"Have you seen either of these boys?" Reid asked a middle-aged woman who had two children trailing beside her. He felt bad for bothering her, but it had to be done.
"No, sorry, I don't think I have." The woman said, tired. Suddenly the older of the woman's children, a girl of about ten, made a slight gasping sound.
"Oh! I saw them! They were going that way!" She said excitedly, pointing East down the street. Reid knelt down so he was at her eye-level.
"Are you sure?" He asked kindly. The girl nodded her head vigorously, and glanced at her younger sister.
"Yes! Right, Maddie?" The girl paused and blushed while the younger one, Maddie, nodded. "They have really pretty hair."
"Thank you, that's a big help." Reid smiled at the girls and stood, nodding to their mother before hurrying over to Hotch. "Hotch, they were witnessed going East."
"Excellent." Hotch typed out something on his phone and Reid noticed the other BAU members check their phones and turn Eastward.
"Hopefully they are still in the area." Reid said, walking down the street with Hotch. Hotch nodded.
"Hopefully we find them before someone else does."
...
"So, if we kill -or at the very least, arrest- Janet and GOD, we'll be able to go back to Amestris?" Scar said slowly. Edward shrugged. They were in another alley, Edward and Alphonse leaning against one wall, and Scar leaning against the opposite one.
"Seems that way." Edward agreed. Alphonse nodded.
"It would be easier to kill them." Scar murmured. Edward and Alphonse both glared at him.
"Killing them will be our last resort. We aren't murderers." Edward said harshly. Scar's eyes narrowed.
"Don't pretend you haven't killed, Fullmetal. Maybe your brother hasn't..." Scar spared Alphonse a glance. "No, he certainly has not. But don't even try to tell me you haven't."
"Well, unlike you, Scar, I don't kill in cold-blood." Edward ground out, his jaw locked. Alphonse glanced between the two of them uneasily. Scar let out a brittle chuckle.
"Does it really matter why or how you kill? It's all the same, you still take another person's life." He said, almost mirthfully.
"I'm nothing like you, Scar." Edward growled darkly, his entire body tensing angrily. Scar watched him indifferently. Alphonse put his hand on Edward's shoulder and leaned close to his ear, glancing at Scar in a reprimanding way.
"Ignore him, Ed. I know you aren't like him, and so do you. That's all that matters, right? To hell with him." He whispered. Edward sighed heavily, his muscles relaxing slightly and he smiled at Alphonse, amused.
"Wishing Hell upon someone? How unlike you, Alphonse." He said teasingly. Alphonse laughed quietly.
"I suppose so. You're rubbing off on me." He quipped. Scar watched their banter curiously. He had never seen Edward when he wasn't out for his blood, and he had never seen Alphonse without the stoic suit of armour. It was a weird sight, to see the pair so light-hearted... So human.
'What the hell... Oh.' Scar jumped slightly as the cellphone Janet gave him vibrated. He took it out and glanced at the text on the screen.
Where are you, Scar? Did you find the kids?Scar scowled and used a bit of alchemy to destroy the device before throwing it away.
"We should move." He said suddenly, pushing away from the wall. The Elrics glanced at him in surprise, and Edward released Alphonse from the headlock he had had him in. Alphonse nodded.
"Right, let's go."
...
Janet sat restlessly, tapping her nails on the coffee table and staring at her phone. GOD sat across the room, reading.
"It's been almost half an hour since I texted him, what the hell is Scar doing?" She finally growled, shooting to her feet and stalking across the room to look out the window. GOD looked at her fleetingly.
"... Maybe he got caught." He said monotonously. Janet raised here eyebrows at him.
"Ah. It speaks." She mused. "I suppose he could have been caught... No, he's too careful. And how could the police catch him with that power he has?"
"Alchemy." GOD offered.
"Right, that. No way the police could catch him." Janet nodded to herself, twirling a piece of her dark hair around her index finger. "But then, why is he not replying?" GOD just shrugged. "Yes, I suppose it's probably nothing. He's not that good with phones, maybe he just forgets how to use it... Yes, yes. That makes sense, right?" GOD finally closed his book, meeting her agitated gaze evenly.
"Sure."
...
"Everything is falling into place." Truth murmured, looking between Edward, Alphonse and Scar's gates.
"Indeed. It's only a matter of time now." Axiom agreed, watching his world in with a slight sense of pride, and a twinge of amusement. "Hey, Truth?"
"What is it, Axiom?" Truth questioned, looking at the other figure curiously.
"I... I have a request." Axiom began, frowning. Truth's brow furrowed and it turned it's full attention to Axiom. The other being was rarely so serious.
"What? Out with it, Axiom." He prodded bluntly. Axiom sighed and stared intensely at Truth, who leaned forward in anticipation. Axiom cleared it's throat before continuing in a quieter voice:
"Well, I know it's a lot to ask, but..."
Wow. GOD actually spoke. Such a surprising turn of events! Well, not really.
Sorry about the fight scene, by the way. I tried to make it more intense... but it didn't pan out well, obviously. ^^; Oh well, it served it's purpose, and our antagonist is turned protagonist... OR IS HE? You will have to wait to find out.
I wonder what Axiom wanted to ask Truth... Hmmm (actually, I already know, but I'm sure you guys don't, or at least, I hope it is not THAT obvious) ...
Please review, if you wouldn't mind. I won't bite, and I really appreciate your opinions! ^_^