Here we go!
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Winry turned her eyes away, crying into her hands. It was too painful to watch, but neither Roy nor Al could stop watching as Ed clashed with the blue-clad mob. They seized him and trussed him, kicking or punching him whenever they got the chance. And overseeing it all was General Hakuro himself. It was over before Al could even get to the car. As it sped away from him, he could see Ed's bloody face look back and call his name. Then the officer riding next to him slapped him. Ed hung his head, resigned.
Ed couldn't keep himself from screaming in agony when the soldier threw him to the floor of his jail cell. His leg and shoulder hurt so badly. "Dammit." he growled. He was alone now. "Why didn't I tell Al? Now. I couldn't have sent him to face the military by himself. Mustang wouldn't have helped. It had to be me." He hardened himself again. Yes. Him. It was his fault. All of it. It should be him.
Later an officer he'd never seen before came in with a pen and a pad of paper. Sitting down outside Ed's cell he spoke to him.
"Alright kid. Sit up and let me ask you a few questions, hm?"
"I can answer them as I am." Ed countered.
"Kid, look. I don't want to be cruel. Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Then why won't you sit up, kid?"
"Don't call me 'kid'."
"Well, uh" the man chuckled " " 'Mister Elric' (chuckle) where were you on Feb. 7th?"
"Well uh, 'Mister Officer', I was on a train to Central from Rush Valley."
"Why were you there?"
'oh shit.' Ed couldn't tell him he'd been looking for people who had seen the Gate. He tried a different tactic. Shrugging off his jacket he said "Guess why. I have 2 automail limbs."
The man stared. Ed could see the fear in his eyes. "You-y-you're." the man thought he was a freak. Well, he was, wasn't he?
"Tell me what was supposed to have happened in Risembool." The man shook his head, stood up and walked out, a still-stunned look on his face. Ed closed his eyes.
'I'm a freak. I'm a trapped, useless freak who put his brother in a suit of cold armor. I don't even deserve for Al not to hate me, let alone to have Mustang put up with me. I'm a sick freak.'
Sleep was a blessing when it finally found him.
"FullMetal Alchemist. You are hereby charged with theft from the following Risembool businesses:
Ris' Inn, Risembool Booksellers inc, and Buns 'n' Butter Bakery and Eats." Ed stared ahead. How had it come to a hearing? This was insane. "We will now call up our first witness, Ms. Rosa Manning, owner of B'n'B Bakery."
"Well," the woman paused. Ed looked at her closely for a moment. He'd never seen her before, he knew that. He'd also never known there was an actual bakery in Risembool.
"You see, the blond boy who stole from my shop was much taller. I'm afraid this is the wrong one."
"Don't call me little! Or small! Or short!-"
"Silence!" The judge bonked his mallet against his desk. "Stand up, Mr. Elric."
Ed stood, easing weight off his left leg. All the witnesses from Risembool stood suddenly and all exclaimed, in perfect unison,
"He's way too short!"
"WHY I OUGHTA-!!" Ed howled in rage before the judge sighed.
"I suppose, if you're all sure..."
"Yes! Too short!"
"Not nearly as handsome!"
"Longer hair!"
Ed tried to keep his face from turning purple, without much success. "All right. I hereby pronounce you not guilty." the judge sounded bored.
He was limping out of the building, relieved but confused, when suddenly all he could see was pink fur and yellow hair. "Isn't her costume the cutest thing you've ever seen?" Someone gushed.
"I know it's not Halloween yet, but doesn't she look just like Cupid's little helper?"
"Sure Maes." Ed pushed the disturbing picture out of his face.
"So Ed, are you in trouble? Rumor is you were supposed to be on trial for petty thievery."
"I don't know what happened back there, Lt. Colonel. I just want to go-..."
"Home?" Hughes offered gently. Ed nodded.
"Yeah, but before that, I bet Mustang'd love to see those pictures. Why don't we drop by?" Ed grinned. This was going to be fun.
"Well sure, but first, are you alright? You look like death warmed over. And that's putting it nicely."
"I am warmed over." Ed sighed. He couldn't remember what he was saying when a military officer brushed past, causing Ed to tip to his left. Ed fell over onto Hughes to avoid the weight on his leg.
''How uncool'. That's what Al would say.'
"Ed? Hey Ed! Are you alright?" Hughes patted his shoulder, trying to get a response out of him.
"Sorry. I'm fine." Ed stood. Too dizzy. Oh gods he was going to heave. But he'd only eaten some bread. That's all they'd given him. He staggered out the door onto the flat above the stairway and leaned over the short wall to heave, incidentally, on a speechless trio of Breda, Fuery and Falman.
"What the hell!" Breda finally screamed.
"Vomit: Contents of the stomach partially digested mixed with stomach acid-"
"I KNOW!"
Fuery just whimpered in disbelief.
Ed continued to stare down at them. He was glad there were several stairs between them, because Breda looked furious.
"Whoa. I think you might've caught something there. Maybe you should take a nap somewhere, huh?"
"Call a cab will you? When it pulls up I'll come down. Until then I think I'll hid here." Ed was trying to be humorous, but it really didn't sound funny. Ed sat down before Breda could actually look up.
Maes ran down the steps and called a cab. Ed limped down the stairs and climbed in next to Hughes. "Thanks." He gave the driver Roy's address, then leaned back and shut his eyes. Oh his burning automail...
"Isn't that Roy's address?" Hughes murmured.
"Yup." After a pause
"Shouldn't you crash in the dorms?"
"Mustang adopted me." Ed watched Maes' face as he tried to figure out exactly what "adopted" meant. Ed pulled out a copy of Hawkeye's form and let him glance at it. Hughes only raised his eyebrow.
They pulled up to the tacky flaming mailbox to see Roy waiting for them. Ed paid the driver, the hobbled out after Maes Hughes to meet Roy's glare. As he motioned them inside, he whispered to Ed "I'm going to throttle you, idiot." Ed couldn't help but grin. He headed upstairs, leaving the Colonel to deal with an overly curious Hughes.
'Ha.'
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Um, I don't really know what happens when a military officer commits a crime, so please forgive me. I'm slowly researching this stuff on the Internet, but if it's incorrect or something, I can just say that's my version of their military, right? Is that legit? ha ha ha (laughing nervously)
Thanks for reading!