Chapter 3 - Brońtả Thike

(The Battle)

I woke up with the sun shining on my skin. I quickly ran and shut the blinds. I placed my hand on my face and sighed gratefully when I found that it wasn't burned heavily, not knowing how long the sun was on my skin. But then I remembered that tonight was the night of the Full Moon, and my battle with Fullmetal. Hawkeye, I remembered, and quickly got dressed for battle. I changed my hair color (a simple thing I could do with my abilities) to brown, and found my prayer beads, which I attached. I grabbed a white neck wrap-around tang and a pair of shorts with a skirt on the side. My scrimmage uniform. I ran out of my room towards Hawkeye's room. I knocked on the door, but she wasn't there. Damn. I thought, before running down towards the battle field. I still can't believe Mustang is making me do this!

I got to the battle field and an abundance of noises filled my head. It hurt, but I ignored the major headache was getting. I stepped into the sunlight, which burnt my skin slightly, being who I was. Edward stood in the center of the field, and Hughes, with the microphone, was also out there. Good luck… he thought. I nodded and walked out in front of the tiny Alchemist.

"Shake hands," Hughes ordered, and we did. "Go to your corners," and we did. "On my right, we have the Fullmetal Alchemist, the blonde haired Edward Elric!" Everyone cheered for him, but his expression was kept firm and ready for battle. "And on my left, our very own, Crimson!" Few people cheered for me. Elric smirked. Do you think she can beat him? She's just a girl, she can't win! My money is on the boy! Everyone thought. I was used to it. Hughes took a step back and screamed into the microphone as he ran away. "Begin!"

I closed my eyes and let fire come from my fingertips. Edward's eyes showed confusion, yet his mind gave nothing away. I couldn't hear anything from his mind. It was as if he wasn't thinking anything. I threw a large fireball at him, and he took a step back, missing the fireball swiftly, but it was a close call. I smiled and ran towards him, my speed too fast for the human eye.

"Too slow," I said as I brought myself behind him. I slapped him against his head and ran back out in front of him as if I had never moved from the original spot. Kill him…drink his blood! The voice in my head yelled. I placed my hand to my head and growled, telling myself not to transform. He is an Alchemist! Kill him! Kill him! Kill him! "No!" I yelled, feeling my eyes turn from the blood red they usually were to the black.

Don't transform, Crimson! I heard Hughes growl in his head. Stay as yourself!

"Don't underestimate me!" Ed yelled. He put his hands together and slammed them on the earth. A giant cannon, at least 1000 times bigger than the average cannon, appeared where Ed was just standing, with him at the top.

"Now, well I really feel short. I can see how you feel on a daily basis!" I yelled up at him.

"What is that supposed to mean?!" he yelled back. I couldn't help refrain a laugh.

"It means don't create a weapon that uses fire!" I snapped my fingers and the giant cannon disappeared in an explosion of fire and smoke. Some men cheered and whooped. Now, Ed was in the hole, a small river of blood coming down from his nose. I picked up the sweet scent of his blood with my heightened sense of smell. It was so sweet, too sweet to explain. Kill him! Drink his beautiful blood! It is your name! The voice yelled.

I covered my nose with my hand and took a couple steps back; it didn't help at all. Crimson! I heard Hughes yell again. Don't do it, girl! Don't do it at all! Don't let Blood get to you! I took it from the harsh tone of his voice that my eyes were midnight black, when my blood inside of me starts to get to me.

"Don't turn away from me!" Ed yelled. He came up in front of me and punched me in the stomach. I smiled. He had punched me with his human arm instead of his automail arm: it didn't hurt. But my body coughed up some blood. I wiped it away and a new scent drifted in the air; and I cringed at it.

More blood.

He has good blood. Pure…untainted…you need to drink it! Do it now!

It was then I lost control.

I jumped up, grabbing him by the shoulders and licked his neck. I could smell, hear, and almost taste the blood flowing in his neck. I kissed his neck and then opened my mouth, letting the venom in my fangs flow. I placed my fangs on his neck, smelling the blood.

Something crashed into me, sending me flying away from my prey. Once my vision cleared, I saw that it was Hughes; his yellow green eyes were filled with fury. "I told you that you wouldn't! You are too strong for that!" He snapped at me. A tear fell down my face as he yelled at me. His thoughts repeated the same words. Blood began to control me, and I lunged forward, my fangs bared at Hughes. Everyone had gasped as they saw my charcoal black eyes. She's attacking him! I told you she wasn't normal! Pay up! She lost! Everyone watching us yelled. The only voice that was blank was Edward's mind. I looked into Hughes eyes. There were frightened green yellow orbs that were staring into midnight charcoal eyes. Crimson… his voice whispered in his mind.

Something else pulled my body off of Hughes. Edward grabbed me by the shoulders and punched me in the stomach, and I coughed up much more blood than ever before, probably too much for my body to take. I felt light headed, and I passed out, whispering one word : "Sorry…"