Chapter Sixteen - Sensei
Nick's State Alchemist assessment had taken place a couple of days ago and after passing, the boy had been granted a few days off as a reward and also as a period of recovery from both the physical and the mental punishment that he'd had to endure. It had not been an easy thing to find out that his dad had held the title of Fullmetal Alchemist before him and the young boy still wasn't sure how he felt about it. His mom and dad were still in Central and they were staying at the Hughes' house during their visit, so that they could spend a little quality time with the son they hardly ever got to see.
It was early in the morning and Nick found himself awake and unable to go back to sleep. He hadn't been sleeping well since the revelation that his dad had also been a state alchemist and tonight was no exception. He'd only been asleep for a few hours when some slight noise awakened him. He tried to regain his blissful state of unconsciousness but it was no use, sleep still eluded him. So giving up he got out of bed and dressed in black pants and a black shirt with white trim.
Once he was dressed, Nick left his room and slipped silently downstairs. There he found his father sitting in a chair in the living room, staring out the window. Ed was gazing out at the rising sun but looked over when he heard his son enter the room.
"Good morning Nicholas," Ed said quietly as his son entered the room.
"What are you doing up so early dad?" Nick wanted to know.
"Couldn't sleep," Ed said. "And you?"
"Same."
Nick sat down on the couch across from the chair where his dad sat and gazed down at the hands that he held clasped in his lap. Sometimes it was still awkward to hang out with his dad and at times Nick was at a loss as to what to say to the man. They had so much in common and yet there were times when Nick felt as though he were talking to a complete stranger. He hoped this feeling would go away once he had reached his goal.
Without so much as another word to his son Ed stood up and walked toward the stairs.
"Don't leave on my account," Nick said, watching as his dad walked toward the stairs.
"I'll be right back," Ed told his son, a somewhat lop-sided smile appearing on his face as his gaze returned to the son that looked so much like him. "There's something I need to go and get from upstairs. Stay there."
Nick nodded and watched as his dad disappeared.
Ed returned a few minutes later carrying a medium sized, rectangular box. He walked across the room and sat down on the couch beside his son, who was staring at the box with a questioning expression on his face.
"I have something I'd like you to have." Ed handed the box to his son and watched him expectantly.
"What is it?" Nick asked, taking the box from his dad.
"A memento from my days as a dog of the military," Ed informed the boy.
Nick opened the box and pulled from it a red, hooded coat with the symbol of their teacher embroidered on the back. Nick held the coat up and inspected it. "Wow."
Ed smiled. "I wore that coat for many years, while in the service of the military. Now I think it's only right that I pass it on to you, Fullmetal Alchemist."
"Thanks dad." Nick pulled on the coat and, to his surprise, it fit perfectly.
"It looks good on you." Ed gazed at the son that looked eerily like him, especially now that he wore the red coat, and suddenly decided that the two of them should spend a little quality time together. After all he didn't get to see his son as often as he would like. "Hey Nick how about the two of us go for a walk? You game?"
"Sure," Nick said, a smile spreading across his face. "Should we wake Mom and tell her that we're leaving?"
Ed shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I'm sure that we'll be home before she becomes worried."
"Alright dad," Nick said, shrugging his shoulders. "If you say so."
So together Ed and Nick left the Hughes house and strolled out onto the streets of Central, laughing and joking with one another as though they were just an ordinary father and son. It had been a long time since the two of them had spent any time together and they both thoroughly enjoyed joking and taunting one another.
The sun had barely risen when Ed and Nick left the Hughes' house so there weren't any other people out and about. The two of them had the streets of Central all to themselves.
"This is nice," Nick said. "I've never seen Central this deserted."
"This is the best time to see Central," Ed said.
Father and son were walking along the sidewalk in downtown Central when Ed suddenly spied a huge muscular man standing in front of one of the shops. Recognizing the man immediately, Ed turned to his son, a barely veiled look of concern on his face. "Come on Nick. I think we need to take a trip."
And with that Ed grabbed his son by the arm and commenced to drag him down the street.
Nick fought his dad's grip on his arm, confused and slightly irritated over the sudden action. "Wait dad. Can you at least tell me where it is we're going?"
"I'm not sure," Ed replied, still walking and half dragging his son along with him. He didn't have time to stop and explain things to the kid or else it would turn very bad for them in a big hurry."As far away from here a possible."
Nick was still confused. "And why exactly do we have to run? For that matter, what are we running from?"
"Trust me Nick," Ed said, as he turned his head from side to side as though searching for something. "You don't wanna know."
"Yes, I do," Nick snapped, his golden eyes narrowing in annoyance.
"No, you just think you do," Ed assured him, continuing to drag his son in the direction of the train station.
Ed and Nick were almost at the train station when a woman and a man stepped from behind some old crates and directly into their path. The woman was of slightly above average height and had dark hair, which she wore up in a mass of braids. The man was taller still and he also had dark hair and big, bulging muscles. Ed groaned under his breath as the duo stepped out to bar their escape route.
"Sensei!" Nick gasped, now fully aware of why his father had wanted to flee Central as fast as possible. "This is bad," the boy thought to himself, now in complete agreement with his dad that they should run far and run fast. "What the heck are you doing here?"
"Did you think I wouldn't hear about it Nick?" Izumi asked angrily. "Did you think I'd rejoice at the news that once again my idiot apprentice abandoned everything I taught him to become a dog of the military?"
Nick stared at his sensei, a horrified expression on his face. "I knew you didn't care much for the military but I never knew you felt that strongly about it."
Izumi ran over, grabbed Nick by the shirt collar and punched him in the stomach, hard. The boy gasped and sank to his knees. His vision blurred and then he completely lost consciousness. Watching as his son sank to the ground Ed merely raised his hands above his head and admitted defeat. He'd much rather surrender and avoid bodily harm, if that were at all possible when dealing with Izumi.
As he regained consciousness, Nick found that he was now bound by ropes and sitting in the passenger car of a train. "What the hell's going on?" he mumbled as his vision ceased to be blurry. The position that he now found himself in was not the least bit comfortable and the young boy struggled against the ropes in a vain attempt to loosen them enough so that he could escape.
"So you're awake huh," his dad's voice said from the seat across from his. "That's good."
Nick looked up and saw that his dad was sitting across from him and had also been tied up. "Dad what happened?"
"Sensei," Ed replied simply.
Nick's eyes widened as he remembered what had transpired in Central. "So now where are we?"
"On a train bound for Dublith," Ed replied in a calm voice, as though this were the most natural thing in the world.
"Damn," Nick muttered.
"Yea," Ed said with a chuckle. "My sentiments were also somewhere along those lines."
Nick examined the ropes that held him and decided that it wouldn't be too terribly difficult to get free. "Hey dad," he said, an evil grin appearing on his face. "You wanna run?"
Ed shook his head. "No. No I don't. And I don't think you should either. It's not a good idea." Ed shook his head and sighed as the ropes that had bound his son fell to the floor. The kid didn't listen to a word he said.
Nick stood up and stretched. Then he headed over to the door of the passenger car. As he went, he absentmindedly put his hands in his pockets and it was then that he made a new discovery. "They stole my silver pocket watch." The boy placed his hand on the door, preparing to open it.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Ed said from his spot on the seat, where he was still tied up. "You'll regret it."
"Oh come on." Nick rolled his eyes in exasperation. "They're all the way up in the front of the train. I'll be long gone by the time they know anything about this."
Ed stared seriously at his son. "I'm telling you kid, you don't wanna do that. It is not a good idea."
"It'll be fine dad," Nick said, a self-assured tone in his voice.
Ed shook his head. "Alright Nicholas. I guess you'll just have to learn the hard way, again."
Nick opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. He made it all of two feet out of the passenger compartment before an object came flying out of nowhere and struck him in the head. Seeing stars, the boy collapsed to the ground. His silver pocket watch clamored to the ground beside him.
The man and woman from the train station stepped out into the isle. They stood there, staring at the young boy who was lying in the isle seeing stars.
"Where do you think you're going Nicholas?" the woman asked, glaring at the boy.
"I'll get him Izumi."
"Thanks honey."
The man walked over and effortlessly picked up the small boy. He carried Nick back into the car and placed him on the seat he'd just escaped from. The woman stepped up beside him and gazed over at Ed, who was still tied up.
"The boy really is just like you," the woman commented dryly.
"I'm not sure whether I should take that as a compliment or an insult," Ed said, his gaze focused squarely on the woman who had taught him alchemy so long ago.
"Depends on the day," the woman told him. "However I see you've learned to behave at least, Edward."
"Depends on the day," Ed said with a smile. "So don't get used to it."
"Oh I won't," the woman said. "Besides things would be very boring if you behaved yourself all the time."
"That's good to hear Sensei," Ed said with a grin. "That means that you'll forgive me for this."
As he spoke, the ropes that had bound Ed fell to the floor.
The woman smiled. "You did that a long time ago Edward. You've been holding the ropes in place since before Nicholas woke up."
"So you did know," Ed said. "I figured as much."
"You didn't honestly think you could use your alchemy without my knowing about it did you Ed?"
"Not really," Ed said.
Not long after that, the train that they were aboard slowed and pulled to a shaky stop at the station in Dublith. Ed picked up his still unconscious son and followed Izumi and her husband off the train.
"Wh. . .What the hell just happened?" Nick mumbled.
"Ah, he awakes," Ed said, placing his son down on his own two feet. "Welcome back to the world of the living. Again. Try to stay conscious for a little longer this time, okay Nick?"
Izumi turned around and looked at Nick, who immediately shrank away and slid behind Ed.
"Hiding's pointless kid," Ed said, continuing to follow Izumi and her husband down the street. "You should know that by now Nick.
Realizing that his dad was right Nick stopped hiding behind Ed and followed the group down the street, in the direction of Izumi's house. He didn't really want to go with them but he realized that he had no choice. Unfortunately for him there was no escape from Izumi and it would be bad for him if he attempted to run again, so he resigned himself to defeat.
"Maybe she'll make it quick and painless," Nick thought to himself as he followed his sensei, her husband and his father down the street toward sensei's house. "I think that's all I can reasonably hope for at this point."
As the group approached Izumi's house they saw that a man was standing outside, watching their approach. The man smiled and waved as they came to a stop in front of the house.
"Well if it isn't Edward," the man said, smiling. "And young Nicholas. It's good to see you again."
"Hey Mason." Ed shook the man's hand warmly. "How have you been?"
"Pretty good," the man named Mason replied. "And how about you?"
"Can't complain," Ed said.
"So Nick," Mason said, switching his attention to the young boy. "Have you improved your alchemy?"
"Maybe a little," Nick said.
"That's wonderful," Mason said. "Glad to hear it. I always knew you had talent. You really are just like your dad."
The group was standing outside the house when they suddenly heard the screams of someone from a little ways off. Without thought Ed, Nick, Mason, Izumi and her husband took off running toward the sound of the screams.
After running a short distance, the group came upon a tall tree. And dangling from one of the branches of the tree was a young girl.
"Help me!"
Suddenly the girl lost her grip and fell from the tree.
Without thought Nick ran forward, clasped his hands together and transmuted the grass into a pillow just in time to cushion the girl's landing. The girl landed without harm and Nick collapsed beside her.
Izumi gasped as she saw Nick's transmutation without an array. "Oh no," she gasped under her breath. "Not another one."
Up until this point Izumi had only had her suspicions about what Nick had done but now she had proof. His transmutation without the use of an alchemy array proved her suspicion beyond a shadow of a doubt. Yet another child had traveled down the path that Ed and Al had walked so many years ago and this knowledge saddened her deeply. No one should have to endure such suffering.
Ed ran over to the two kids and knelt down beside the girl. "Are you okay?"
The girl sat up shakily and slowly nodded. Then she abruptly turned and hugged Nick. "Thank you for saving me." And with that, she jumped up and ran off.
"Honey," Izumi said, turning to face her husband. "You, Edward and Mason should return to the house. Nick and I will be along shortly."
Izumi's husband nodded and the three men turned and walked back in the direction of Izumi's house, leaving Izumi and Nick behind. Ed cast one last look over his shoulder at his son before following the other two men off in the direction of Izumi's house.
As soon as the others were gone, Izumi whirled to face Nick. "What did you do?"
"What do you mean Sensei?" Nick asked confused. He had no idea what he could have possibly done to evoke her wrath. "I saved the girl from serious injury."
"Yes." Izumi glared at her young student. "You saved the girl by using alchemy without a transmutation circle. And you've acquired an auto-mail arm since last I saw you. Now tell me what you did."
Nick gazed at the ground, dreading what he knew he must tell her.
"Answer me."
"I. . .I transmuted . . .transmuted my sister," Nick answered.
Nick gasped as Izumi grabbed hold of his shirt collar and punched him in the face. The boy gasped in pain as his sensei continued to punch him, in the face, in the stomach.
After several punches, Izumi released her hold on Nick's collar and allowed the boy to drop to the ground. Nick coughed and gasped for breath while his sensei stood over him, glaring down at him.
Nick glanced up at Izumi and then got shakily to his feet. He stood his ground and gazed at Izumi, ready for whatever else she saw fit to do to him. He knew that he deserved her anger and thus refused to defend himself. But he was surprised when her next move was to hug him.
Izumi grasped the boy tightly and pulled him close to her.
Tears immediately appeared in Nick's eyes and he placed his head on Izumi's shoulder. Sensei and student held each other, both with tears streaming down their faces.
"I'm sorry Sensei," Nick whispered, tears flowing down his face. "I know what I did was wrong but what could I do? She was my sister and it was my fault she died. If I'd been a better big brother, she wouldn't have died. I had to try."
Hearing the boy's words made Izumi's tears fall at a quicker rate. This shouldn't have happened. It could have been prevented and yet here was another youth going through the very same torture that Ed and Al had endured.
Ed, Mason and Izumi's husband Sig were sitting out on the porch when they saw Izumi and Nick walking toward the house. They were traveling at a slow pace and Nick was limping slightly. Ed gazed at his son and knew instantly what had transpired between the boy and Izumi. As he watched their approach, he wondered whether or not Nick would tell him what had happened.
Nick walked over and came to stand beside his father.
Ed gazed down at the boy, waiting for Nick to say something about what had happened and yet the boy did not.
"Edward," Izumi said.
"Yes Sensei?"
"You should probably give Winry a call and let her know that you and Nick are safe. She's probably worried about the two of you by now."
"You're right." Ed's eyes widened. He'd completely forgotten about Winry. "I completely forgot about Winry. May I use your phone?"
Izumi nodded and Ed dashed inside to call Winry before she came looking for him and Nick. He was in a hurry because he knew that if Winry came looking for the two of them, she'd be out for blood and as bad as it was he'd much rather face Izumi's wrath.
Ed ran over to the phone and grabbed the receiver. He quickly dialed the Hughes' phone number and listened as the phone rang. After a few rings the phone was picked up and a voice came over the line.
"Hughes here."
Ed was ecstatic when he heard the sound of Hughes voice issuing from the other end of the phone. He had not relished the thought of personally telling Winry what had happened and where he know was and now, thanks to the general he didn't have to.
"Maes, it's Ed."
"Hey Ed," General Hughes said in a friendly tone. "Where exactly did you run off to? We all woke up this morning and found you missing. And Nick's gone too. We've all been worried sick about the two of you, especially Winry."
"I know and I'm sorry but it wasn't exactly something that could be prevented and it definitely wasn't planned," Ed said. "The kid and I went for a walk early this morning, because neither of us could sleep, but then we were ambushed in Central by Sensei. I didn't plan for it to happen but Nick and I are now in Dublith."
"Dublith huh?" Hughes said. "No wonder searching for you in Central was useless. So when do you plan on coming back?"
"I'm not sure," Ed told his longtime friend. "Whenever Sensei allows it, I suppose."
"I see." Hughes voice was filled with understanding. "Not that I blame you for not being in a hurry to get back. If I were either of you I wouldn't wanna come back here either because you're both in a whole lot of trouble."
"I know, I know," Ed said.
"Alright Ed," Hughes said. "As long as you know."
"Could you do me a favor Hughes?"
"Sure Ed. What do you need?"
"Tell Winry that Nick and I are safe and that we'll be back as soon as possible. And let Mustang know that Nick didn't desert the military."
"Wait," Hughes said, in a slightly whiney voice. "Ed, I don't wanna do that. Mustang I can handle but I don't know about Winry."
Ed ignored Hughes' protests. "Thanks Hughes, I owe you one."
And with that Ed hung up the phone.
As he placed the phone down Ed heaved a sigh of relief, grateful that he hadn't actually had to talk to Winry and tell her that he and Nick had been kidnapped and dragged off to Dublith. He did feel slightly sorry for Hughes but he was sure that that feeling would pass.
"I owe you one Hughes," Ed said aloud to no one.
Then he walked back outside and rejoined the rest of the group.
"So," Nick said, as his dad came to stand beside him. "How did Mom take the news that we're in Dublith?"
"I don't know," Ed said.
"You didn't tell her?" Nick and Izumi said together.
Ed shook his head. "No. Hughes answered the phone and I told him to relay the message."
Nick shook his head. "I can't believe you dad. Making the poor General do your dirty work for you."
Ed looked down at his son. "Well if you really feel that one of us should break the news to your mother then you can call back and tell her yourself Nicholas."
"No that's okay," Nick said quickly, the very thought of the idea making him tremble.
"Alright then," Ed said. "That's what I thought. You have no right to criticize me."
"You're right," Nick said. "I'm sorry dad."
"Apology accepted," Ed said.
A/N - and that's the end of yet another chapter. Hope you enjoyed.