Chapter 6: A God's Wrath (Sorry about the chapter number typo)

ZUKO'S P.O.V.

I walked over to Ed's room where he had been asleep.

I used my good arm to open the door considering my right arm was still in terrible shape.

Ed was still asleep and Al was watching over him.

Ed has taken out his braid and his long golden locks were skewed across his pillow.

His automail arm was in full view, along with the bright scars lining his shoulder.

I could only imagine where each scar came from.

Ed began to twich and move saying, "Mom... No... Mom! No... No... Nina... I'm sorry..."

His eyes shot open and he yelled, "I'M SORRY!"

I stepped in and said, "It's alright Ed... It's just a bad dream."

He looked at me and said, "We're going to the command center."

I nodded and said, "I'll get the umbrella... It's still raining."

Ed gripped his metal arm and said, "Yeah... I can feel it."

As we walked in we ran into Hawkeye who was putting on her coat.

She looked at us and asked, "What's the matter, you three? You're up awfully early."

Ed looked at her and said, "We...need to know... What's going to happen to Tucker and Nina?"

She sighed and said in a low tone, "Shou Tucker was scheduled to be stripped of his certification and stand trial for what he did to Nina. But...they're both dead."

Ed and Al took a step back in complete shock.

Al whispered, "Dead?!"

I asked, "How?"

She replied calmly, "You'll find out anyways, so I might as well tell you. They've been murdered."

Ed step closer and asked, "They... How? By who?!"

She replied, "We don't know. I was just heading over to the scene right now."

Al then said, "We're coming with you."

Riza replied, "No."

They stared at her and Ed asked, "Why the hell not?!"

She opened the door and said,"You don't need to see this."

She walked out the door letting in Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph.

Aang looked at Ed who was still grief stricken by the news we just got.

"Ed? Are you alright?"

I looked at Aang and said, "He needs some time... We just got some... bad news...Some really bad news..."

Sokka looked at Ed and Al and how they stayed close to me.

Sokka replied, "Something happened to Nina... Didn't it?"

Al nodded and said, "They found Nina and Tucker this morning... both are..."

Ed looked at them and said, "Some one killed them... They're both dead..."

Aang shook his head and said, "Why? Why would someone do that to a little girl?!"

Katara hugged him and said, "It's alright Aang..."

Ed looked at me and Al and said, "We should head back to the hotel..."

I nodded and said, "We'll see you guys later... Alright?"

Sokka nodded and said, "Be safe."

I nodded and walked towards the door following my brothers into the down pour of rain making the gloom even worse.

EDWARD'S P.O.V.

We sat down at a fountian and just let the rain roll over us.

I looked up and said, "I've been thinking about this for a long time. We put all our trust in alchemy, but in the end, what is it? "Alchemy is the science of understanding the flow of matter and its laws...the process of comprehension, deconstruction, and reconstruction. The world flows too. It must also follow laws. Everything circulates... Even Death is a part of that circulation. You must accept the flow."

"Teacher sure drummed that into our heads, didn't she? I thought I understood it, but I didn't understand anything. Mom proves that. Now here I am again, trying desperately to figure out a way to do the impossible. I'm such a hopeless idiot... All this time, and I haven't grown up one bit. I thought maybe the rain would wash away some of this gloom that's following me. But right now, every drop that hits my face is even more depressing."

Zuko nodded and said, "I know how you feel... It days like these where I remember the hardest time in my life... My banishement... My tourment... My scar... even now everydrop of rain sends me back to the day he did this... The day my father became my enenmy... This rain brings back the dark parts of my life... parts I wish never existed..."

Al looked up and said, "At least you two can feel the rain, I don't even get that much. Without a body, I can' t feel the rain hitting my face. That's something I miss... All the time... I want to get my body back soon, Brothers. I just want to be human again. Even if it means going against the flow of the world and trying to do the impossible."

I sat back when a hooded figure with a set of sunglasses approched me and asked, "You, boy, you're the Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric, correct?"

I gave a nod to the stranger and he tried to attack me.

Luckily I jumped out of the way in time and he deconstructed the fountain.

Zuko yelled, "Ed!"

The man went for another grab at me and he ended up deconstucting the stair well.

We began running and Zuko asked, "What the hell is going on here?!"

The man was close behind us as was speeding up.

Who is this guy?

What does he want?

This is bad, this is really bad.

I have to move...now!

I yelled to my brothers, "Zuko! Al! Let's go! Run for it!"

The man yelled, "No you don't."

He was deconstuctioning the wall behind us trying to slow us down.

Damn it, what the hell is this guy's problem?!

Making enemies isn't something that I...well... I never really avoided it.

But there's no reason someone should be trying to kill me!

He finally cornered us in an alley way and Zuko asked, "Who are you, anyway?! Why are you after us?!"

The man looked at me and said, "As long as there are 'creators' like you in this world, there must also be destroyers."

Then I replied, "Then it looks like we're going to have to fight."

Al and I begin attacking with alchemy when the man get close to Al and said, "Gutsy one, aren't you? But...too slow."

He deconstucted the side of his armor.

Zuko and I yell out, "ALPHONSE!"

Zuko charged at him with fire in hand throwing flames and yelling out, "You're going to pay for hurting and trying to kill my little brothers! You hear me you sick son of bitch!"

The man moved at lighting speed and kicked Zuko into the wall breaking his sling.

He felt to the ground with a loud snap and a scream of pain.

I watched as Zuko's injured arm began bleeding heavily and he began coughing up blood.

I yelled, "You bastard!" I charged at him and he tried to deconstuct my automail, only to rip my jacket.

He looked at my automail and said, "An automail arm... Then that explains why my attacks didn't do the damage I expected. Most unusual."

Al looked at me and said, "Brother, don't! Just grab Nii-san run away!"

I yelled, "You idiot! I'm not going to leave you behind, Al!"

I clapped my hands together and sent spikes at the man.

He looked at me and said, "You press your hands together to make a ring, and then you perform transmutation... Now I see."

I charged at him in a raging fury when he grabbed my arm.

"Then I will have to start by destroying this abhorrent right arm of yours."

He deconstructed my arm leaving it in shambles.

Zuko and Al yelled, "BROTHER!"

The man then said, "Now you will not be able to use your heretic's alchemy."

He looked at me and said, "I will give you a moment to pray to god."

Zuko could barely move but he yelled out, "Ed! Run away! Brother!"

I replied to the man, "Unfortunately, there isn't any god I'd like to pray to. Am I the only one you're trying to kill today? Or are you going after my brothers Al and Zuko, too?"

The man replied, "If they interfere, I will eliminate them, but, Fullmetal Alchemist, you are the only one who's receiving judgement today. You alone."

I replied, "Okay... In that case, I want your word. Promise me you won't hurt my brothers!"

Al yelled out, "Brother...!"

The man looked at me and said, "I will keep that promise."

Zuko crawled toward me and Scar picked me up by the face and Zuko yelled, "No, Edward, what are you trying to do? What are you thinking? Run! Get up and run! Stop! Don't touch him! He's my little brother! No...! No, you can't! Stop it!"

I took a deep breath and waited for my eventual death...

Zuko... Al... I'm sorry...

In order for you to live...

I must die...

Goodbye... Brothers...

ZUKO'S P.O.V.

I yelled, "No, Edward, what are you trying to do? What are you thinking? Run! Get up and run! Stop! Don't touch him! He's my little brother! No...! No, you can't! Stop it!"

"That's enough! You won't be killing anyone else today, Scar. I'm taking you into custody, where you will answer for the murders of at least ten state alchemists."

I turned and saw Mustang, my friends, and his men with guns pointed at the man they called Scar.

Scar dropped Ed and said, "Alchemists alter things from their natural form, perverting them to something else, something grotesque. They profane God, the true creator of all things. as an agent of God, I am here to hand down his judgement. If you interfere, I will eliminate you as well."

Mustang smirked and said, "Oh, is that right? You guys stay out of it."

He handed off his gun and pulled out his ignition gloves.

Riza yelled, "Colonel Mustang, sir!"

Scar looked at him and said, "Colonel Mustang...so this is the Flame Alchemist. Volunteering yourself to receive judgement. This is truly an auspicious day!"

Mustang glared at him and said, "So you know who I am, and you still want to challenge me? Bad decision."

Then Hawkeye knocks Mutang to the floor guarding him from Scar.

Mustang yelled, "Hey, Hawkeye, what the hell did you do that for?"

She replied, "You know as well as I do you're useless on rainy days. Please stay back."

Mustang looked embarsered as Havoc said, "Oh yeah, I forgot. It's kind of hard to get a spark going when it's raining, huh?"

Scar smriked and said, "It is fortunate that you can't create your blasphemous flames, State Alchemist. For I will destroy all who interfere with my mission, right here and now!"

"I'd like to see you try it!"

Scar turned around and saw Major Armstrong standing behind him.

Scar muttered out, "A newcomer..."

Armstrong stepped up with a boom and yelled, "You have to be quick to avoid my fist."

The Major threw a punch but Scar dogded it.

Armstrong yelled, "Not bad...not bad at all. You said you were going to destroy us all. In that case, why don't you start by defeating me?! We'll see how you fare against the Strong Arm Alchemist, Alex Louis Armstrong!"

Scar looked at him and said, "Yet another State Alchemist. God is putting them in my path for me."

Scar charged at him but the Major, dogded his attacks.

Armstrong yelled, "Not backing down? In that case, you courage will earn you a demonstration. I'll show you the art of alchemy that has been passed down the Armstrong family for generations!"

The Major tranmuted spears out of the ground and Scar deconstructed them.

I crawled over to Ed and Havoc, Katara, and Aang ran over to us.

Ed looked at him and asked, "Who is he? The man who attacked us?"

Havoc whispered, "That's the same man who murdered and his daughter."

Aang yelled, "It's him?!"

A large stone came rolling near us and Aang bended away.

Havoc yelled out, "Major, watch what you're doing! We don't want to destroy the city, do we?!"

Armstrong looked at us and said, "What do you mean?! Destruction and creation are the same sides of the coin. You must destroy to create. That is the law of the universe!"

Then he ripped off his shirt.

Sokka yelled, "Did he have to strip?"

Hawkeye replied, "Are you surprised? He's clearly insane."

Armstrong looked at Scar and said, "Non-alchemists may fail to see the inherent truth of that statement, but we understand, don't we, Scar?"

I looked at him and said, "So this killer is an alchemist, too?"

Ed popped up and yelled, "That's it! The stages with the transmutation process are construction, deconstruction, and reconstruction. This guy just must stop at the deconstruction phase."

Aang looked at him and said, "But if Scar is an alchemist as well, doesn't that mean he's strayed from whatever his 'ways of god' are, too?"

Mustang then asked, "And what would be his reasons for only targeting alchemists with state certification?"

Armstrong began hitting at Scar faster and he yelled, "I have you cornered, Scar!"

Scar ducked and went for the Major's ribs when I heard a bang...

The too fimilar sound of a gun shot...

Riza had her gun pointed and smoke coming out.

Mustang looked at her and asked, "You get him?"

She shook her head and said, "He's too fast. I only grazed him with one shot."

Scar's glasses were gone revealing two cold red eyes and a trickle of red blood.

Armstrong gasped and said, "Red eyes, and brown skin... That means he's-"

Mustang yelled, "Of course! He's an Ishvalen!"

Scar said quitely, "Perhaps there are too many..."

I sat up with a bloody cough and said with a wheeze, "You might as well give up, Scar. You're not getting away."

Scar pressed his hands on the ground and created an explosion...

When the dust cleared a hole lied in the streets and Scar was gone.

Havoc yelled, "Bastard is in the sewers."

Mustang yelled, "Stay put."

Sokka replied, "Sure, you don't have to tell me twice."

Mustang tossed the Major his jacket and said, "Sorry Armstrong, but thank you for buying us enough time to surround him."

The Major nodded and said, "Mm. I was hardly buying time. It was all I could do to keep myself from being killed."

A man popped out from behind a vechice and said, "Oh! Is it over now?"

Riza looked at him and said, "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, where have you been this whole time?"

He replied, "I thought it best to lay low."

Mustang yelled, "You didn't think about maybe backing us up?!"

Hughes replied, "Of course not! A person like me shouldn't get dragged into a freak show with you pack of pseudo humans! It's bad for my health! Don't just stand there! We've got things to do! Deploy troops! Circulate his description!"

The solider replied, "Yes, sir!"

I began to cough up more blood and Ed looked at me.

"Zuko! Hey big brother, stay with us! Don't die on me brother!"

I smiled and said, "Don't worry Ed... I'm not going anywhere..."

Katara looked at me and said, "I think he puntered his ribs in to his stomach, he also has a concussion..."

She looked at my arm and said, "And his arm is really bad shape... we need to get him to the hospital...Soon..."

I looked back and said, "But... Al..."

Ed jumped up and yelled, "Oh no, Alphonse! Alphonse! Al! Talk to me! Are you all right?"

Armstrong looked at me and Al and said, "The black hair boy... is the Elric's older brother and that suit of armor is Elric's younger brother Alphonse, is it?"

Havoc looked at us and said, "There's got to be a really long story behind this one."

I nodded and cringed in pain as more blood came out of my mouth.

Ed yelled out, "Come on, Al! Al, do you hear me?"

Al punched Ed and Ed yelled, "Ahhhh!"

Al yelled out, "Why didn't you run away with Nii-san when I told you to?! What kind of idiot are you?!"

Ed yelled, "No way! I'm not just going to run away and leave you behind!"

Al punched Ed again and yelled, "Which is exactly why you're an idiot!"

Ed yelled back, "Why do you keep punching me like that for? If I'd run away while carrying Zuko, you could've been killed, you know that?!"

Al yelled, "And maybe I wouldn't have been! Making the decision to die is something only and idiot does!"

Ed replied, "Hey, easy on the idiot stuff! I'm still your older brother, got it?!"

Al grabbed Ed's shirt and said, "I'll say it all I want to! Survival is the only way, Ed. Live on, learn more about alchemy, learn more about our brother. You could find a way to get out bodies back, and help people like Nina. You can't do that by dying! I won't allow you to abandon the possibility of hope and choose a meaningless death!"

Al's arm fell out and he yelled, "Oh, great! And now my arm's come off because my brother's a big, fat idiot!"

I smiled and said, "I guess that make three of us... I basicly did the same thing in Liore, Ed did here..."

Ed looked at the two of us and said, "We're really falling apart, aren't we, brothers? We look like we belong in a junkyard."

I replied, "But we're still alive."

Al nodded and said, "Hm. We are."

The rain finally stopped and noticed all the blood draining on the ground from my battered body.

Hughes looked at us and said, "Good grief. I've stumbled into an extra special kind of freak show, huh?"

Mustang nodded and said, "Yeah, sorry."

He smiled and said, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone upstairs. If this got out, things would get complicated."

Mustang nodded and said, "Yeah... the older brothers aside, I wouldn't even know how to explain the younger brother's body."

Hughes shook his head and said, "I don't envy you. This is one tough customer you're dealing with."

Mustang nodded and said, "And now we know he's Ishvalen."

Sokka looked at him and asked, "Who are they?"

He replied, "The Ishvalans were a race of people who lived to the east of us. They believed their god Ishvala was the one, absolute creator. Even after they were annexed into the country, there were still conflicts between us and them. Then, thirteen years ago, a military officer accidentally shot and killed an Ishvalan child... And that led to a full blown civil war. One uprising led to another, and before long, the rebellion had spread to the whole eastern sector. After seven years of this. an order came down from the military high-command...to exterminate Ishval. Many State alchemists were brought in to act as human weapons. Needless to say, the State Alchemists produced striking results. That man is an Ishvalan survivor. In a sense, his revenge is justified."

Ed shook his head and said, "No way! There's no justification for taking revenge on people who had nothing to do with it! He's just dressing his ugly lust for vengeance in the mantle of his god and calling himself an agent of justice."

Mustang sighed and said, "Still, the fact is, he's coming at us with full force. We can't let ourselves be killed for his cause. Next time there will be no more talk. Got it?"

All Mustang's squad all yelled, "Yes sir!"

Hughes looked at my brothers and said, "Well, Ed, Alphonse, what are you two going to now? What's the plan?"

Ed replied, "We're going to keep moving. We can't just sit around, not as long as we're still alive."

I smiled but then felt my head grow dizzy.

Ed looked at me and said, "Zuko!"

I fell lying on the ground while gasping for air.

Everyone started blurring out and I heard some one yell, "Get the paramedics here ASAP! We have a civillain down! I repete civillain is down and bleeding severely!"

I shut my eyes falling into a deep sleep.

When I awoke I was in a hospital bed once more, only feeling even worse than before...

I looked over and...

Okay, am I dreaming or is that Uncle and May over there next Ed and Al who was in a crate?

Al looked at me and said, "Brother! Nii-san is awake!"

The three rushed over to me with tearful eyes and smiles on their faces (with the exception of Al and May, Al can't show emotion, and May's smile is a smirk...)

Uncle cried out, "Oh Zuko... That the spirts you are alright..."

I smiled and said in a weak voice, "Thank to Ed and Al uncle... They're my..."

May replied, "We know... Ed and Al told us about you being brothers... and told us what happened to your..."

She placed her hand on my shoulder and I made a realization...

I can't move my right arm...

I can't feel it...

I gently lifted up the cover and saw why...

It was gone... my right arm was gone...

Ed looked at me and said, "Scar tore off your nerve... blood was going in but not coming back out so... to save your life... they..."

I nodded and said, "Yeah... I get it..."

Ed looked at me and said, "Well, at least you'll be able to go meet the best automailist there is."

Al looked at Ed and said, "Brother..."

Ed sighed and said, "We've got no choice. It's been a long time, but we need to pay a visit to our mechanic."

Ed looked at me and said, "As soon as your recovered we'll take the train there..."

He looked at me with a mournful look and said, "We... also can go see Mom..."

Uncle looked at me and said, "Wait, she's in the country? Why isn't she..."

I replied, "Ed hasn't told you the full story Uncle... Our mother... she gone..."

Uncle sighed and said, "I'm sorry to hear that..."

Ed smirked and said, "At least I have my brothers..."

I nodded and said, "Right... Nothing going to split us up... Ever."

Al looked at us and said, "Yeah! But Ed..."

Ed looked at him and said, "Yeah Al?"

He asked, "What will Winry do when she see your automail?"

Ed gulped and said, "What she always does... She pound me with a wrench."