CHAPTER THREE: Automail Mechanisms...

Edward stared deeply at the homunculi as the Lust-like one began towards Ed. The other two glanced at each other and began towards the eldest Elric as well. Ed panicked for a moment and he quickly brought his hands together, a sound of flesh hitting metal echoing slightly through the air, and as if for only a moment, the air felt contracted. An instant later, the atmosphere around the three homunculi snapped and vibrated, and light streamed everywhere. Iron bars of a cage sprung up from the ground and the three soulless devils were trapped. But Hatred snickered and a grin appeared on her beautiful face. Her claw-like fingers dashed out and she brought her hand upwards and sliced the cage's bars. A moment later, she walked out, the two others following behind her slightly. They weren't hurt either.

"Did you honestly think I'd just let you cage us in like that?" Her hand's fingers dangled with the claws still extended. Ed's eyes had grown very large from this, and he took a step back. Suddenly, Hatred's skin flaked and her body transformed into a whole new figure. But Ed couldn't take this. For the form she had taken was the exact look of Winry...and Ed's breath seemed like it had literally disappeared from his body. And Ed fell to the ground, to his hands and knees, and Ed's eyes watered slightly.

"You...You...YOU BASTARDS!" His voice echoed throughout the city's barrier and Al's ears perked up. Al turned to the window of Roy's office room and he watched the rain fall quickly to the ground. A storm was brewing now, and the wind shook violently. Another sound caught Al's ears, the sound of someone's screams. "AHHHHHHHHHHH...no...you..." Ed shouted as the three homunculi walked off, both Obsession and Denial holding one of Ed's automail limbs. Ed, he lay still, no movement, except for his lungs pumping air through his body. And his heart, a Fullmetal heart, pumping his only life left in his body through his veins and arteries. He was nearing close to death. Blood gushed quickly out of his bloodied stumps. It seemed the three devils had gotten to Ed and he now was severely injured.

"Brother...did you hear that, Roy? It was Ed...I...I have to go..." Al's voice faded as both Roy and Alphonse turned to the window. A flash of purple and red alchemical light struck the outside, close to where Ed was. "BROTHER!" Al shouted, running out of the office and down the halls of Central Headquarters. "Brother...no...please...please...JUST BE OKAY, DAMMIT!" Al said softly, then a little louder as he continued to speak.

Al's footsteps neared to a lone figure, curled up and bloodied. Al had slowed down as he neared closer and closer. "What...br...brother...no..." Al ran to the curled up boy. It was, indeed, Edward Elric. Ed was missing both of his metal limbs and his whole body was shaking horribly. His eyes were closed, and his conscious was lost in a void of oblivion. Ed had passed out from the loss of blood. "Ed...we...we need to get you out of here!" Al said softly, picking up the bloodied alchemist. A light weight Ed was indeed, but that was mainly because he had no automail and he had lost so much blood.

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Ed and Al arrived back at Roy's office and as soon as they walked through the door, Roy stood up, his eyes widened in shock. "What...happened to Fullmetal...?" Roy hesitantly said. Al's face was full of guilt and worry. Guilty for not being able to save him. Worried that his only family left may not make it till the end of the day.

Roy sighed heavily and looked down, then back up. "I'll go call the medic team. Hopefully they aren't too busy to help us." Roy said carefully. "I'll be right back, lay your brother down on the couch. Try not to let too much blood stain it though..." Roy said as he turned and walked out the door. Nodding slowly, Al turned to the couch and laid him upon it. The ripped cloth from his shirt held as much blood as it could. The cloth was from his shirt.

"Brother...what...happened?" Al said, a large amount of hurt in his voice. "What did you get yourself into? And why did you even dare try to defend yourself? Knowing you...you're a stubborn mule, so I can't blame ya...but what did this to you..."

Al had said this with worry in his tone. Al looked up to see his brother's eyes twitching. "Brother?" Al said, he, himself, very scared of what the current situation was.

Ed's body shook a little as he suddenly spoke, his voice engulfed in major pain from the injuries inflicted upon him. "Al...I'm...I'm sorry..." Ed's voice faded as he fell into a violent cough. Al's own body was shaken up at this.

"Brother! No...you'll be okay, you hear? YOU WILL BE OKAY!" Al yelled at Ed who had evidently fell into a deep sleep now. Ed's coughing had seized and Ed's facial expression was pained. Al's expression stayed worried, but grew more and more worried. His eyes began to well up in tears. Al slumped into a depression stage and his body was tensed. The tears softly drifted down Al's soft skin.

Roy turned the corner and stepped into his room, looking down, but soon stopped in his tracks, seeing Al crying really hurting him. "Al...are...are you alright." No reply. "Alphonse, I called the paramedics, but they said their hands were way to tied up. Do you know any body who could come out here at this time?" That's when it hit Al: the Rush Valley Automail Tournament. The man they had gone up the mountain to visit. What was his name? Oh, right! Mr. Tommy!

Al's eyes sparkled deeply, for he was now so very happy. Though tears were still present in his eyes, Al turned to Roy and nodded. "I know someone who can probably make this house call, for he was an old friend of Winrii's...do you have long distance?" Al asked, hope beinghis only good-luck charm at the time.

Roy sighed and pulled a small key out. "You're lucky you're the Fullmetal's little brother, 'cause if they find me letting you use the long distance phone, I can get in real trouble." Roy said, his eyes focused on the drawer he was opening. "Here..." Roy started, as he pulled out an old telephone, a bit covered in dust.

Al's expression softened and he nodded, as he walked silently to the phone. "Free of charge, right, Colonel Mustang?" Al asked to reassure himself that it was. Roy nodded.

Al dialed the number after searching his memory's data bank, and when he came across the number, he exclaimed, "AHA!" And began dialing it. Al waited as the phone rang many times.

On the other end of the line, a KLIK! was heard and a voice bellowed through the telephone wires to Al's ears. "...Hello? Who is this? What do you want? And Why the hell are you calling me at such a late time?"

Al decided quickly and answered his questions one by one. "Hi, the is Alphonse, you remember...Winrii's friend? Well, I called you for a good reason. My brother, um...Ed...he's severely injured and he's missing his automail. He needs your service right away. And the reason I'm calling so late is because Ed's dying from losing his automail...please, I beg of you, find it in your heart to come and save my big brother...'cause Winrii...she can't and never will be able to again..." Al said, his voice somber and filled with guilt.

"Winrii? Winry Rockbell? She's..." A long, disturbing silence took place for now, and Al pulled the phone away from his ear a looked at it strangely. "...Where are you, boy?" A voice came back onto the phone and Al quickly placed the receiver to his ear.

"Uh...um...Central. Go to the train station and get on a train. Once you arrive in Central City, go down the street and you'll come across a large building...you can't miss it. It's the biggest building in the city..." Al sweat dropped slightly and became more serious. "And please, sir, hurry...I can't afford to lose my brother...my only family I have left." Both lines went dead silent and then both hung up.