By Selim
Rating: M
Summary: It looked like an innocent alchemy book, but it was anything but. After activating it, Edward becomes a four year old child in body and mind and the only person eligible to take care of this child is a reluctant Colonel Mustang.
Disclaimer: I do not own FullMetal Alchemist Pairings: Roy + Edward
Thank you (and sorry for not updating recently): (FF) Mieko8804, Lady of G'mer, Alaine, EmoNekoNinja, AncientHistory, InuyashaanKagomerlovers, Evil Ball of Fluff, SoSickofNyQuil, TuffChick, Demonskid, Syao9, Kane-chan, QuitexSoul, Chibibunny-chan, (AFF)Radcat, Nusku, Amethyst-eyed Koneko, Xfairygirlx, Kags21, LadyRonin, and Rucina Dema.
Notes: I will warn you when this chapter gets dark. You can skip it until I tell you it's all right to continue reading (I'll also summarize what happened just for those that skip it). No Child porn or rape, because I love Ed too much, but the suggested content is sick.
The cold metal hand felt very strange as it tightened grip to cross the road, nothing like the loving warmth his mother emitted when walking he and his brother into town. In fact, it was nothing like the warmth that Roy gave off when they went into town, even though Roy's felt more obligated than loving. The armor wearing soldier (Ed wasn't sure of this though because no one else wore the same outfit as Al did) waited patiently for a horse buggy to move by before he walked Ed towards the play area across from Roy's apartment. Staring up with wide eyes, Ed hoped that Al would let him go play with all the other kids. The metallic man nodded and released his hold on Ed's hand.
With a squeal of delight, Ed ran towards the metal slide where two other kids were climbing up the slide. Tugging off his shoes, he jumped towards them and joined in on their play, all under the watchful eyes of Alphonse. It wasn't even five minutes later that Ed grew bored with the fun and his new friends that he rushed over to Al and dragged the man over to the sand box. "Can I fill your helmet with sand? Please? Please? Please?" He jumped in the sand.
Al pulled back, his large fingers clicking the armor nervously. "I can't take the helmet off Ed."
"It's okay!" The boy picked up some sand in a small pile and pushed it through the holes around Al's face. The boy seemed quiet for a second as he listened to sand move down the sides, making a hissing noise until it fell silent.
"Ugh," Al cried out, "I think I swallowed some of that sand." Ed smiled at the answer and started pouring more down the man's helmet. Reaching over, Al shoved a pile of sand down the back of Ed's shirt, causing the boy to scream and pull away. Laughing, Al pointed. "Take that, the last pile had a little rock in it." Unable to stifle a giggle, Ed reached over and put more sand into his 'babysitters' helmet.
It was awhile until Ed realized he lost Al's attention. The mental man was staring over his shoulder at a little boy sobbing by a tree. "I'll be right back, Ed. Don't move."
"Okay." Ed started piling up sand. With a song at his lips, he pushed the sand up to make a sandcastle he'd only seen in books. He only looked up when the area around him darkened, only to stare at the deep eyes of the man Roy had told him not to talk to just the day before. He tried to remember the man's name, but couldn't. "Mister Roy told me not to play with you."
The man's face faulted, but the smile reclaimed his lips. "But he never said we couldn't talk."
Racking his brain, Ed nodded in agreement. "Yea."
"How old are you, Ed?"
Holding up his fingers, Ed whispered lowly, "This many." He knew it was four, but he didn't want the man to think he was young. The man smiled. "How old are you?"
"Thirty." The man smiled, taking a seat where Al had once been. In the distance a chime was heard, but Ed didn't pay mind to it.
"That's old."
"I suppose it is." He looked around at the source of the chiming. "Look, the ice cream cart. Do you want an ice cup?" The blond nodded and jumped to his feet, rushing towards the cart. The man followed close behind, his wallet out to pay for the frozen treat. Eating his food, Ed walked around the area, smiling sweetly at the man. "Do you want to go sit somewhere so you don't make a mess?"
Nodding, Ed took the guy's hand and was lead across the street. "Oh, wait! My shoes!" He ran back to get the articles. Just as quickly, the man walked close behind. "Look, there's Al! Let's bring him too!" The blond pointed towards the metal man returning across the street. As he was standing up, he was grabbed and hoisted in the air, both shoes dangling from his fingers with his ice cream cup as the man carried him in the other direction. Kicking, Ed reached tugged at the man's hair. "Put me down! Put me down!" Ed scratched into the man's shoulder. "Al! Al!" Ed cried, but the man took off in a dead run causing Ed to drop one of his shoes.
A few feet later, he dropped his ice cream followed by his other shoe as the man entered an apartment complex. With one hand, he held up Ed on his shoulder as he fumbled with his keys, head tilted to avoid quick feet as Ed's screams echoed across the apartment complex.
"Colonel!" A small man with the rank of private rushed forward, clenching papers. "We looked up Tom Buttram like you asked sir and we came up with four in the area." Roy turned all attention to the private, but seeing that the man wasn't going to speak anymore than that, he snatched the documents from the private's hands. Three of the four were within the age group he was expecting. Another lived too far from where Ed's shoe was found, but Roy heard something deep inside him say that didn't mean anything.
"I want these checked immediately."
Nervously, the small guy fumbled with his fingers. "You don't have the authority to do that sir."
"Are you questioning my orders?"
"N, No sir! I'm, uh...going to go check this one out." He flapped an address quickly and rushed off. Rubbing his eyes, Roy glanced back at the still Al. His hard eyes softened a little as he took a seat beside the devastated child. God, sometimes he pitied Al. Having Ed as a brother wasn't easy, judging by the way today was looking. First a child was shoved into the body of armor. Then a teen was reduced back to a child. And now said armor lost said child. Al wasn't suppose to have these troubles.
Putting a hand on the large shoulder, Roy sighed. "It's okay, Al. Maybe I'm overreacting," he tried lying to himself. "I gave Ed money this morning so maybe he wanted to do some shopping?"
Al's large knees pulled up on the couch, causing the piece of furniture to groan in protest. "I don't know colonel. Ed wasn't the kind of kid to ignore orders." Roy stifled a could have fooled me as Al continued, "When we were growing up, he always did what mom told him to do. He was mommy's little boy and was so possessive of that title. We have it in his little head at this point that if he does something wrong, we'll tell mom. In Edward logic, that means mom won't want love him anymore."
"I don't understand."
"Ed's really insecure. He probably seen through our lie in his own way. Alchemy, hah. He really wants to believe that's why he's here. He probably thinks mom sent him here because he did something he shouldn't. He listens to everything you say, Colonel, because he doesn't want to be here indefinitely, so he's been on his best behavior – believe it or not."
Roy leaned back against the couch. "I guess you'd only know this because you're his brother."
Al gave an air of confidence. "I was always getting Ed in trouble so I could have mom." Even though it brought an ill feeling to Roy's stomach, he laughed.
His head hurt.
Ed tightened his grip on his legs, staring over his knees at the puppet show Tom was putting on. He wanted to laugh at the antics, but found himself too scared to do anything but crunch up tightly and watch. His throat had began to hurt after crying so much, so he had stopped after Tom promised to give him something real good if he behaved. That something had been candy, so after scarfing it down Ed watched quietly as Tom tried amusing him.
"What's wrong Ed?" The man glanced up from his skit.
"It smells in here." Ed admitted.
"Ah. Don't worry your pretty head about that. Would you like a glass of milk?" He started towards the kitchen. Ed stuck his tongue out. "Okay then, how about some juice?" He opened the refrigerator. "Oh, look! I even have cookies. Want one? They're chocolate chip." He chimed happily as he poured two glasses of juice and brought the cookies over. Ed slid to the floor.
"Want to have a camp out?"
The blond blinked. "Camp out?" Eagerly, he took the cup handed to him and soothed his sore throat.
Tom smiled and walked out of the room, leaving the cookies beside Ed. Happily, the blond began to dig into them as he watched the adult move around the apartment with blankets. In the matter of minutes, two blankets were raised above him to form a makeshift tent and the adult was laying on his belly, enjoying his own cup of juice. And as Ed finished off the plate of cookies, he found his eyelids grow heavy until he was laying out on the floor in sweet bliss, unaware of the evil that lurked around him.
Tom watched from the rim of his cup as Ed curled up on his side, thumb heading upwards to his lips, and found himself unable to hide a smile. This had caused him so much trouble. He knew he didn't have enough time to gain the boy's trust, especially after the blond had informed him that Roy Mustang hadn't wanted them to interact any further, but Tom couldn't help it. A blond was perfect for his collection of dolls.
Reaching down, he let his fingers linger against warm skin. No, the boy wasn't perfect yet, he realized before standing up to collect his tools. The tent came down just as quickly. There was no more reason for it to remain standing. Marching towards the back room, he unlocked the door and entered it, breathing in deeply the familiar, exotic stench of decay. His other dolls, little boys varying from the ages of three to six, sat around a table in a dead stance, their faces rotting with age. The oldest doll of his collection rested on the bed, his face most gone and chewed up by flies and other insects.
Dolls always did this to him. Children never wanted to play with him when they were warm with life, but dead, they did everything he asked them to. But soon, they became bored with him and would disappear under his watchful gaze.
With a smile, he whistled a tune as he pulled out from under the bed an old briefcase that contained the needed items to make little Ed into a doll. Tom returned to his living room just as quickly, taking a seat beside the sleeping child. He let his fingers brush to the boy's mouth to tug the thumb out. As cute as it was, it'd be in the way. Dolls can't speak, he'd have to remove the child's tongue to ensure the boy wouldn't cry out for help any more.
And the minute his fingers entered the blond's mouth to pull the boy's tongue out to be cut off, golden eyes snapped open. "Ed, I'm sorry, did I wake you?" He asked sincerely. The doll groaned.
"Colonel..." His eyes narrowed, trying to see clearly. Tom blinked. That wasn't the voice of the doll he'd brought home. This new voice seemed more defined. "Colonel, my arms are hurting. It's the book's alchemy isn't it? Don't make me return to that darkness. I need help."
Colonel? Tom blinked. "I am not that person, Ed. Now go back to sleep."
Gold eyes widened. "Who are you?" His voice hinted confusion.
"I am your master, my doll. Now go back to sleep." The sleeping pills that he put in the cookies usually kept the child asleep until their heart slowed, why was Ed not infected? Tom squeaked as a child's fist connected with his chin. Ed was sitting up, hands fumbling to feel his own body, as if to make sure that everything was still in place.
"Master! You fucking psycho!" The child was off the ground quickly, his hands forced together with a sudden clap, followed by the shake of the couch shifting forms. Tom stepped back, not understanding what was going on. Those sharp eyes lost focus and brightened, but it was gone in seconds with an angry look. "The park. I was at the park. You kidnapped me!" Ed's hands fumbled again with a noisy clap, the table followed the same path of light that the sofa had until they were throwing dirt in the air during their morph.
Tom stepped back again. Was little Ed an alchemist? Was that what as going on? He tried to run, to save his other dolls, but was stopped as sharp metal was thrown into his back, immobilizing him. His body was twisted by a chain, making him turn to face the blond. Ed's eyes were losing focus again, but it didn't stop him from working a machine that was slowly killing him.
The newly formed couch was now something of a cannon with a large chain shot from it like a bullet. At the child's hands was a lever, slowly retracting the chain and pulling Tom back. That was until Ed stopped and grabbed his head with a sob. "No, go back. I don't want to go back!"
Very confused, Tom tried to resist his own pain to reach his hand out to his doll. Ed bit his fingers, but didn't apply enough pressure to actually hurt him before the child collapsed on the ground. Still attached to a chain missile going through his shoulder, Tom could only sit in agony, wondering just what had happened.
When Ed woke up again, he found himself scared and confused. The first thing he saw was a large machine he'd never seen before with a chain escaping the front, projected forward and into Tom's body. He knew for a fact the man was close to dying, judging by the slowness of his breathing.
Whimpering, Ed rushed to the door, scared of what had happened to the man and who could have done something so brutal. The boy's eyes filled with tears when he found himself lost just outside the apartment. He couldn't remember what roads Tom had taken when he ran from the park, so the idea of never seeing Al came to mind. Sobbing, Ed rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. If he couldn't get back to the park or Roy's apartment, there was only one other place to go – his mother's. That idea in place, Ed took off down the road in hopes to find the train station.
Because if anyone could make everything all better, he knew his mother could.
Roy bent down in front of the apartment of one Tom Buttram, picking up the second drop shoe of the day. "Ed's here." He spoke calmly. His selected troops nodded and started inside the building. Behind them, Roy blinked as he took in the pitiful architecture.
"Thank god your here," a ragged voice came from behind. Turning, Roy faced an aging man with a gruff face. "I've been calling the police for hours, but they're not coming here. My neighbor, Tom, he's not well. Well, it wasn't well before anyway – sick in the head is more like it – but recently there's been a god awful stench coming from there. The Police say they can't do anything about that, some people just stink, but earlier today he brought home a kid. After that, there was screaming, silence, yelling, and then a noise I can't even describe!" He glanced towards the open door. "I went in there to tell him to shut up, that I was on third shift last night and need some sleep, only to find him bleeding everywhere."
Roy glared. "Men, get up in that room now!" Bleeding was not a good thing. He wanted that fucking man to talk.
"Where you guys taking him?"
"For questioning after whatever is wrong with him is patched up. This kid he brought up, was he a little boy, about four years old, with blond hair?"
"Yea, that'd be the kid."
Roy frowned. "Colonel, come here for a moment." Nodding, the officer walked towards the room indicated where he was lead to the back room. The stench that the pedestrian spoke of became more apparent as he walked. A stench Roy had smelled before. Death. Five children laid about in the room, decaying. Three sat at a table in the looks of having a tea party. One laid on the bed. The last was bound against the wall, he (or she, it was hard to tell) was cut open.
"What the fuck..." Roy whispered, putting a handkerchief up against his nose. "Get the mortician here. Have this room blocked off. How's our Mr. Buttram?"
"He bled. Some internal damage, but he's not dead yet. The thing is, Colonel..." The soldier frowned. "You saw the machine in the living room?" Roy grunted. Of course he'd seen it. It was horrendous, obviously a cannon that got fucked up with a grappling hook. Alchemy perhaps? Edward? "It's alchemy. Something of that fine craftsmanship is anything but."
Roy grimaced as he returned to the living room where Tom Buttram was being carried out. "Any signs of Ed in this vicinity?" They'd been the first to enter the room.
The man that stood at the door still spoke up loudly. "The blond kid ran. I saw him rush out the door just before I called the police again for the noise. He took off that way," he pointed north.
Roy groaned. Ed wasn't making this easy for him.