Everything at that moment was a blur. Seiren's attempt to kill Scar. Scar almost killing Seiren. Seiren's arrow missing Scar. Seiren's bow breaking. Seiren's blood.
Edward stood frozen in fear. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't leave Seiren on the floor bleeding. He couldn't even move. Who IS this guy? This is bad! Bad! Bad! BAD! Ed thought. Everything from the core of my body is telling me to run away, but my legs won't move! Oh no… Scar began to proceed forward. But he wasn't going for Edward.
He put his hand towards Seiren's head. "All of those who stand in my way shall perish…" he repeated.
Seiren sat motionless on the floor. Not moving a muscle. She was stricken in fear and it paralyzed her to the ground. She couldn't move. I'm going to die…I'm going to die…! Seiren thought panicked. She failed to save Edward from Scar's hand. But if Scar got distracted killing her, it might save Ed and Al. Nevertheless, she couldn't move. She wanted Ed to leave her there, and run. For all she knows, the Elrics had already ran away. She couldn't sense anything. She couldn't hear anything besides the racing of her heart. She couldn't see anything besides her broken bow. She couldn't smell anything besides her own blood.
*GONG!*
The bell of the grand clock struck loudly, causing Ed to snap out of his daze. Ed contemplated all of the options of what to do. With one glance at Seiren, he knew that fighting was out of the question. He shook his head and then turned to Al, sending him an urgent look.
"AL!" Ed shouted. Al turned to him. "Grab Seiren and run!"
"You won't get away!" Scar said intently.
Alphonse swiftly pulled Seiren towards him, causing her to jerk somewhat. She was still in a daze, not able to move. Al did what he saw fit and pulled her over his shoulder right in time before Scar could destroy her.
They began to run as fast as their legs could carry them. Unfortunately, Seiren's arm was still bleeding heavily and making a trail of blood. Ed looked back to find Scar tailing them, not too far behind. Ed began to run faster.
They made it to a set of stairs and begun to race down them. Before they knew it, Scar was blocking their path, a frown of displeasure on his lips. "Oh, no you don't," he growled placing his hand on the staircase.
Red sparks emerged from his arm and started to proceed down towards them. The staircase began to crumble away, leaving Ed, Al, and Seiren hopeless. Ed begun to fall, but before he could, Al caught his ankle, still miraculously holding Seiren over his shoulder. The miracle didn't last long as the place where Al had been holding crumbled as well, causing the three teens to soar through the air.
Seiren was only vaguely aware of being airborne, and landed roughly in a heap next to Al. Her head rebounded off the earth, causing a yelp of pain to escape her. She turned over on her side, gritting in pain. She lifted her left hand and touched a tender spot on the back of her head. When she pulled it away to examine her hand, she found more gleaming black cherry staring back at her. Not only was her head now bleeding, her arm was giving out majority of her blood. Blood encased Seiren's entire arm so she couldn't see what exactly was making her bleed like that.
Being out of her daze for only what seemed like a second, the next thing she perceived was being hoisted up from her landing spot and was now being cradled like a football under Al's armored arm.
Ed cursed. "Damn it! What the hell is this guy's problem?" Ed yelled, exasperated. "Making enemies isn't something that I…" he trailed off, his face turning annoyed. "Well, it's not something I avoided…But I didn't make anyone want to kill me! Seiren," Ed turned his head to Seiren's dazed form. "Did you do something to piss this guy off!"
Seiren stared at her left hand longer before she shook her head. "My bow…Where's my bow?" She demanded. She looked at her hand before her eyes widened and then she narrowed her eyes. "THAT SON OF A BITCH!" She screamed. "He broke my fucking bow!"
"Seiren! Is now really the time to be cursing him out?" Al scolded.
Seiren growled. "Is now to be criticizing my cussing problem?" She shot back. "That was a state of the art bow! It was one of the designer versions from way back when! An ANTIQUE!" she blared and then began to thrash in Al's hold. "I'm going to kill that son of a bitch! Alphonse! Let me go!"
"With what?" Ed yelled back. "Your bow's broke! What are you going to fight him with?" Seiren reached down to her thigh, yanking her skirt up and showing her underwear in the process. Ed's face burned red. "W-What the hell are you doing!"
"Just shut up!" Seiren yelled and put down her uniform skirt, bringing up a pocket knife.
Ed rose both of his eyebrows. "You brought a pocket knife to school!" He exclaimed, exasperated. "Didn't your teacher's take that away from you?"
"What? A teacher's going to reach up a female student's skirt to get a knife? They'd get fired!" Seiren retaliated and then put the knife in her mouth, still trying to get out of Al's hold while not dropping her knife. "Al, let me go!"
"At the state you're in? I'm not letting you go until we're in a safe place!" Al shouted. Seiren groaned when they turned a corner and pulled the knife from her mouth. "This way!" Al stopped and bent down, a piece of chalk in his hand.
"He saw us go in here, Al!" Seiren protested and thrashed around his hold.
"Just watch!" Al said and then scribbled a transmutation circle on the ground. He put a hand on it, and a huge stone wall blocked the alleyway's entrance.
"Oh! Nice thinking Al!" Ed praised.
"Thanks brother," Al said sheepishly.
"Uh…" Seiren began. Al looked at her. "You can put me down now, Al."
If suit of armors could blush, Al would be right now. He stuttered a bit before gently setting Seiren on the floor. "S-Sorry…" he stammered.
A scratching noise startled Seiren, and she snapped her head towards the stone wall. "U-Uh.. G-Guys…?" Seiren squeaked out.
"What is it, Seiren?" Al asked. Just then the entire wall had begun to collapse. The small chunks of stone had begun to come crashing down to the ground. The debris landed at Ed's feet and he looked at the cause of the disaster.
To find none other than Scar.
"You've got to be kidding me…" Ed said in shock. He turned towards the deranged man.
Scar put his hand on a wall, and a red alchemical serge went through his arm and down the wall. When the red current reached a certain point, it blew up, causing debris of the wall to land in a heap blocking the exit. Ed, Seiren, and Al looked back to find their only hope of getting away gone. Seiren turned back and glared at the white haired man.
"You bastard…" Seiren cursed under her breath.
Ed narrowed his eyes at Scar, a look of fear displaying on his face. "Who the hell are you?" he asked. "Why are you after us?"
Scar just looked down, a solemn agreement in his head eating at him. "There are those who create…And those who destroy."
Ed and Al stared at him, making a silent agreement between themselves. Ed clapped his hands and touched a pipe hanging from the wall. Blue sparks emerged from his hand, and the pipe began to morph into something sharper. Seiren stared at him in shock. Alchemy without a transmutation circle? she thought. The pipe stretched out into a blade, and Ed turned into a battle stance. Alphonse resumed a martial arts stance.
Seiren shook her head and then resumed a comfortable position in which her arm was outstretched and ready to stab anything if necessary. With one glance at her, Ed laughed a little. He clapped his hands again, and then touched Seiren's small blade transforming it into a sword. Seiren had to blink her eyes a bit to register what had happened. She touched the gleaming metal with her bloodied hand, causing her blood to smear it. She smirked and chuckled emptily as she assumed a similar stance to Edward's.
"You didn't have to do that you know. I'm better with shorter weapons once I'm out of arrows," Seiren said looking at Ed in the corner of her eye.
Ed rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. Have you seen what this guy could do with his hand? You get close to him and you're dead."
Seiren hid her eyes. "Maybe that's what I'm trying to do," she said softly. Ed didn't hear her.
"You're not afraid…" Scar said stiffly as he cracked his fingers.
"HERE WE GO!" all teens shouted at once and begun to charge forward.
Scar dashed forward as well, ignoring the two blades almost coming in contact with his flesh. "But you're slow!" he said and placed his hand on Al's side. Red sparks emerged from his hand and shattered Al's body, revealing the nothingness inside. Scar's eyes widened seeing the emptiness of Alphonse's body.
"AL!" Both Seiren and Ed shouted in horror.
Ed ran forward, intending to kill Scar right there. "YOU SON OF A-"
Before Ed could finish his sentence, Scar sprung forward, placing his hand on Ed's right arm. "I said you're too slow!" he persisted and then the red sparks appeared again.
"FULLMETAL!" Seiren screamed.
Ed was sent flying backwards, his coat tattered and shredded. He landed roughly on the floor with a loud thump. His weapon had been destroyed and lost in the close contact with Scar. Ed moaned in pain and then got up quickly.
"Damn it!" Ed shouted enraged. He threw off his coat, revealing his automail arm. Seiren sighed dramatically.
"Automail…?" Scar asked and then let the fact process in his brain. "It's no wonder my body disrupting attack had no effect." he turned to Al. "And him…I was planning to strip him of his armor before I destroyed him, but there's nothing inside." He turned to Seiren. "But her…even when she's wounded it seems to have no effect."
"You're more of an idiot than I thought! Now that he sees that you have automail, it's over!" Seiren scolded silently so that no one could hear her. Ed clapped his hands, and touched his automail arm. Blue sparks appeared, and his automail morphed into a blade of steel.
"You're a strange trio…" Scar said distastefully. "This has taken longer than I thought…"
"Don't think that we'll be following you're schedule!" Seiren yelled and then sprung forward, sword at ready.
"Seiren! Don't!" Al shouted.
Scar stood examining both Seiren and Ed, who have begun to advance forward, at both ends. "Hm….The girl seems to take her wounds and ignore them, thus amplifying her determination. Once the wounds are ignored, her abilities seem to heighten to those above mere humans," he assessed of Seiren's actions. His statements were proven correct when Seiren had appeared right behind him at blinding speed. She swung her sword in a fluid motion, almost slicing Scar in the stomach. "But her alignment and balance is off key." Scar turned towards her in incredible speed as well, and hit her straight across the face with his elbow. When she began to fall backwards, he kicked her in the gut sending her into the wall with great force and shattered her sword.
"SEIREN!" Al shouted. "You idiot! Before your wounds get worse, run! Take brother with you!"
Ed had stopped for a moment, staring at Seiren's condition in horror. "Seiren!" he yelled.
Seiren coughed, and covered the bleeding spot on her temple. "Don't mind me. I'll be fine in a few minutes. Just…Do what you have to do." Ed stared at her with wide eyes. Seiren nodded her head. "Redeem me before I get a bad reputation back at HQ. I'm supposed to have heightened senses, remember?"
Ed shook his head as he nodded. "No problem." He sprung forward, yelling a battle cry as well. His blade was in position, and there was no way he could possibly miss. Seiren made sure by scanning his alignment and balance. It was superior to her own. Ed clapped his hands again, making the blade sharper and stronger.
Scar assessed Ed's actions as well. Taking into consideration every last detail. "Hm…he creates a transmutation circle by putting his hands together…And then use the power that flows between them…" Scar smirked as he cracked his hand. "Well then…"
Scar sprung forward in the same incredible speed that surpassed Seiren's in her weakened state. In one motion, he took hold of Ed's arm in his right hand. At the speed Scar was going, Ed didn't have time to react. "I'll start with your arm," he said simply and the red sparks emerged from his hand. "Allow me to destroy it."
Seiren cringed as the sickening sound of twisting and crunching metal reached her. Al stared in horror as the red sparks engulfed Ed's right arm. Seiren's eyes widened in horror. It was the first time she even spoke Ed's name.
"EDWARD!" she shrieked.
"BROTHER!" Al screeched.
Ed fell backwards, and if possible, it seemed like time had slowed down. As the scraps of shattered metal and screws littered the air, Ed fell to the ground. All Seiren was aware of was the shattered bits of Ed's automail arm lying around on the floor. It reminded her vaguely of her bow shattering, but the thing is…she could fight without it. Ed cant' do much without an arm. He wouldn't be able to perform alchemy, his most deadly ability. Al watched in horror as Ed fell lifeless to the floor.
The lightning sounded, and so did the thunder. At that moment, the rain had pelted the earth harder than ever before. Ed tried to crawl backwards and away from the deadly man, but he fell to the side. When he fell, he didn't even try to get back up. He laid there, lifeless as if there was no hope. Seiren had stopped breathing, and her eyes were engulfed in horror. Ed's form reminded her so much of herself, that it angered her.
"I'll give you one moment to pray to God," Scar said as he stepped forward towards the lifeless boy.
Ed chuckled. "Sorry to disappoint you, but there's no God that I believe in…" Ed replied. Scar stared at him solemnly. "Am I the only one you're after?" Ed asked.
At those words, Seiren reacted violently. She knew what Ed was trying to do, and she needed to stop it. Her eyes became red in fear and her fangs grew noticeable. She screamed her lungs out.
"NO! STOP IT! DON'T!"
Seiren leaped forward, fear engulfing her. "Don't you dare!" she shrieked. She landed right in front of Ed, and she spread her arms apart, shielding Ed from any harm. Her eyes were filled with horror and fear, and they were a deep red. "Please! I'm begging you! Don't touch him!"
Scar was taken back at her glowing red eyes. He stared at the raven haired girl before him in shock. Fangs peeked out from her mouth, and her skin was a pale snow white. He didn't know what to make of her. She didn't look human. She looked like something else.
"Who are you?" Scar asked firmly.
Seiren balled her hands into fists as she screamed at him. "That doesn't matter!" She said throwing her arm to the side. "Just don't touch Ed! If you do, I'll….I'll kill you!" she shrieked.
Al stared at her in wonderment, but that soon dissolved as he saw the position she put herself in. "Seiren! Get out of there! Get away from him! Run as fast as you can and bring brother to safety! RUN!"
"I'm not doing that Alphonse!" Seiren said throwing a glare in his direction, showing him her gleaming red eyes. Al gasped. Seiren turned to Scar, a determination overcoming her. "You're killing State Alchemists, right? For what reason?"
Scar shook his head. "I am an instrument of God. I am doing God's will," he replied.
"God's will…?" she asked softly. Scar stared at her in response.
"The State Alchemists have done horrible things. I'm am correcting them by meeting them with death," Scar explained.
Seiren looked down, a single tear traveling down her cheek. "Edward is just a child…He's innocent. Don't kill him…"
"It is the word of God, girl. I must," Scar stated as he put out his hand to extract Seiren from Ed.
"If it's the word of God, then kill me in his place…" Seiren said softly.
"What?" Al yelled. "What? What are you doing! Stop it! Get away from him!"
Scar looked down on the raven haired girl again, looking her over. Her fangs were shown, and her eyes were a gleaming red. Scar nodded. "I see. You are not of this world. An abomination," he said. "You poor child. Creation that stray from the acts of God."
Seiren nodded and covered her eyes. "So…I'm asking you, no, I'm begging you…Kill me in his place," Seiren said softly.
Ed's eyes widened as he stared at Seiren's back. Unable to see her eyes. "Seiren?"
"What do you mean? What are you doing? Don't! Seiren, Run! Run and Take brother with you!" Al cried.
Seiren shook her head. "I can't do that, Alphonse…" Al stared at her in shock. Seiren pointed her words at Scar. "Kill me in Ed's place. He has a little brother to take care of…He has to get his original body back. He has to get his brother's body back. He has a purpose in life. He can't die just yet…" she looked up at Scar, her eyes going from her glowing red back into her hazel color, and back again. Shifting from either color. "I'll give you my life if…you promise me one thing."
"What is it?" Scar asked.
"Kill me, and leave them alone. Kill me in their place," Seiren said. "Promise me this."
Scar nodded. "Very well then. I give you this moment to pray to God."
Seiren bowed her head down, accepting her death. She knew this time would come. And she accepted it with open arms.
"No! Seiren please! Run! Run away!" Al shouted at her.
"Alphonse, my entire life I've been running away," Seiren replied in a soft and tired tone. "My life isn't important anymore. I have no family. I have no friends."
"Seiren!" Al yelled urgently. "You can't die! Not yet!"
"Why not?" Seiren asked. She looked down, a small and mournful smile displaying on her face. "I'm anything but normal. I knew this was going to come. I knew there was going to be a time when everything would come crashing down on me. The fact that I have no purpose in life. I failed that simple task."
"No…" Ed murmured.
"If it truly means this much to you, I shall return you to the face of God," Scar said and then placed his hand on her head.
"No! Seiren! You can't die! What are you talking about!" Al shouted.
"Seiren, you can't," Ed implored as he tried to get up.
A gunshot rung in the air, paralyzing everyone in place.
What happened became a blur again, and Seiren felt her consciousness slowly leave her. Her eyes finally settled onto the light hazel color, and her fangs began to shrink. Her blood began to stream out again, and her heart was racing and beating in her ears.
"That's enough," a male voice announced.
Seiren peered in to her in front of her. Everything became hazy, and the world seemed to spin. She only saw a blurred image, but she knew fairly well who he was. "…M-Mustang…?" Seiren asked.
Mustang smirked. "That was pretty close, Seiren."
Ed snapped out of his daze at that moment, and he shouted to warn others about this scene. "Colonel! He's-"
"This man is suspected in the serial killings of State Alchemists," Mustang stated. "And judging from what I'm seeing, that suspicion just became fact." Mustang glared at the man. "The murder at the Tuck estate…Let me guess. That was you?"
Ed's eyes widened and he turned to Scar, a murderous look in his eyes. Scar growled as he clenched his hand into a fist. "This world was made perfect by God. Alchemists change the natural into the unnatural…Twist things out of their true form…They sin by defacing God's creation," he said. And then looked up. "I am an instrument of Divine Judgment!"
"Makes sense…but then why?" Mustang asked. "Do you only target State Alchemists when there are so many other alchemists you could kill?"
Before Scar answered, he hesitated and Seiren took notice. "If you insist on stopping me, I'll eliminate you too."
At that statement, Mustang's eyes lit up like a flame. He began to move forward, and threw the gun he had at Hawkeye to catch. "Oh you will, eh?"
"Colonel Mustang!" Hawkeye warned. "Stay out of this."
At the name, Scar's interest turned up. "Mustang…The State Alchemist?" he asked. Seiren's eyes widened in horror and annoyance at the same time.
"The one and only!" Mustang said and pulled on one of his gloves. "I'm the Flame Alchemist, Roy Mustang!"
"Uncle Roy -!" Seiren was interrupted as coughing overcame her. Ed put a hand on her back in an attempt to calm her down.
"Seiren, easy, easy…" Ed shushed. "You've got injured badly. The Colonel knows what he's doing."
Seiren shook her head. "The r…The r…!" Seiren tried to speak but her voice came out strained and muffled due to her coughing.
"The what?" Ed asked.
Scar chuckled as he began to proceed forward. "I never thought I'd see this…You turn from the path of God, then come to meet judgment on your own free will…" Scar said and then ran forward. "What a glorious day this is!"
Mustang put his hand in a snapping position. "You know who I am, but you still want to fight me?" Mustang asked. "You're a Fool!"
Seiren choked on her words, and Ed struggled to hear her. What came out surprised the blond. "Idiot…"
When Mustang snapped his fingers, a puff of smoke came out instead of what he intended. Hawkeye sprung forward and kicked the feet from under him, causing him to fall backwards. He yelled out in surprise and she began to shoot at Scar. When Mustang fell to the ground, Scar was already a few yards away, dodging bullets.
"What the heck Hawkeye!" Mustang demanded.
"You're useless in the rain, sir. Please stand back, Colonel." was her calm reply. Ed snickered while Seiren shook her head. Mustang sulked as if the word useless hit him in the head.
"Oh yeah. It's sort of hard to get a spark in water…" Havoc said looking at the raining sky.
Scar stood against a wall to free him of any bullets. "Lucky for me you came to fight and can't produce flames…" Scar looked back at them, and something caught Seiren's eye. "State Alchemists, sympathizers, and everyone who tries to stop me! I will destroy everyone here!"
Seiren paled as she fell backwards. Ed panicked as he tried to get her to sit upright again. "Seiren! Are you okay!" Ed asked urgently.
Seiren turned to him with a gloomy face. "Look for yourself…" she said.
"Go ahead and try."
A huge figure towered over Scar, and he threw his fist towards him, just barely missing Scar.
"Mm….You dodged that? Not half bad…" the figure said and removed his fist from the wall. "You brazen insurrectionary! I've had enough of you. You want to destroy everyone here? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!"
Everyone's face paled just as Seiren's did. Looks of annoyance flashed across the place as the figure spoke.
"Why don't you try to beat ME FIRST!" the man strutted forward as he struck a pose to symbolize his iron gloves. "I'M THE STRONG ARM ALCHEMIST…ALEX LOUIS ARMSTRONG!"
BN: And I'll stop this chapter at that point. :3
Until Next Chap! =:D