I would like to start my three part apology for not updating last monday by saying you are all beautiful human beings. I would also like to apologize for the fact that this chapter ... isn't very eventful. I'm sorry, but this has to happen, so I daresay it's kind of boring. Thanks for reading, though, and forgiving me for not updating last monday. So, here you are, a early-bird special of the latest chapter. Have fun!

1. They didn't tie the scarves very tight around his eyes and mouth.

2. They allowed his feet free when they got on the train.

3. They didn't seat him next to an overbearing guard that used him as a punching bag.

They offered to feed him, eventually.

Edward was shortly on the way to thinking of a number 5 on his list of 'bright sides' when the train jostled painfully, making him cry out against the restraints. Wiggling around in his seat was a good way to try and get the other's to his attention, screaming angrily against the gag, trying to twist his arms painfully around his restraints. They had weird cuffs around his wrists, a bar placed between to keep his hands a good foot apart. He had to hand it to them, they weren't stupid.

"Shut up! Jeez!" The man seated behind him reached over and smacked him upside the head, scoffing and turning back around, "Stop struggling so much!"

Edward groaned and worked the gag around in his mouth, elated when he felt it slipping against his teeth, loosening it's tie. They'd had a hard time tying the gag around his head against his loose hair, so they'd gotten frustrated and tied it loose. Maybe they weren't as smart as Ed previously thought.

They were probably half way to Aerugo by now, as they'd been on the train for about three hours now, and it was speeding faster than any train he'd ever been on before. Either someone was anxious for him, or the conductor had a need for speed. Slumping back against the seat behind him, Ed searched the flat wood of the backrest, hoping to find a loose splinter of wood or maybe a fallen screw or nail. Anything that he could use to pick these locks, but also anything that could distract him from the searing thumps of pain coursing through his body. They'd forced him to swallow some Aerugian medicine, and while it numbed some of the pain and was supposedly going to help his body with the healing process, he felt sick that he had to use it - and it didn't work. They'd re-wrapped his numerously-broken arm again tightly, but even that act had been redundant as they had immediately shoved it behind his back to restrain him. His chest was tight and painful, but he could breathe, and his head was just a bit clearer. He didn't know if it was the medicine or his own stubborn will, but he was just sick and tired of being in pain all the time.

With a jubilant cry, Edward worked the gag out of his teeth and flexed his jaw, moving it around before leaning forward, licking his lips tiredly. He still couldn't see, but he knew that there were two men behind him, and two men in the seat directly in front of him. Sighing, he tried to find a helpful hand in the man in front of him, the man who had yet to speak a single word, "Hey."

The other's didn't hear him, they were too busy talking amongst themselves, but Ed was almost positive that the man in front of him heard him. There was a scoff as the man's feet scraped against the ground, "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay quiet."

"Yeah, well, I've been told I'm not the smartest tool in the shed." Edward smirked, tilting his head as the tried to listen to the subtle sounds around him. There couldn't be more than ten men in the train car with them, and there was an air of excitement among them, many of them talking amongst themselves and chittering so low that Edward couldn't hear them. They were happy about something, and Edward had a sinking feeling that he was the reason.

"Can I use the restroom?" Edward tried, flexing his hands around and twisting them at the wrist, trying to get some leeway so that he could press his fingers together, but all he was met with was air, "Please? I'm going to go on the seat."

"I'm not going to buy that." The man didn't have the same jubilation that the other's had, his voice monotonous, "You can hold it until we get you to Lord Irving."

"Lord Irving?" Edward didn't try again with the bathroom bit, because he knew no matter how hard he pleaded, they wouldn't let him up from his seat, even if the train was stopped for hours on end. Didn't even matter that he really had to use the restroom, "Is that the Aerugian leader who wanted to kidnap me? What possible use could he have with me?"

"You just don't know how to shut up, do you?" The man didn't answer his question, and his lips were zipped from then on. Edward truly didn't know what else to ask, hoping to goad the man enough so that he could gather some information, but he didn't know what he'd do with it once he had it. Choosing to shut his lips was a good one, letting him focus on wringing his arms around to get his restraints off his wrists. They didn't bother to come and shove the gag back in his mouth, so he tried to find a way to use it to his advantage.

His mind was tied at the moment. He was worried about the others he'd left back in the hospital, especially Roy and Mika. They'd be freaked out when they got back to the room to find it devoid of Edward, only containing half of Giovanni and a severely freaked-out Alphonse. He didn't want to think of the lengths Roy would go to to get him back, once the Major General put his mind on something or if his loves ones were threatened, he would do anything and everything to get them back.

Edward cursed under his breath and wrenched more at his wrists, scoffing at the thicker tendrils of pain lacing down his back. He needed to get out of here and get back to the other's before Roy did something he regretted.

Sighing, Edward smirked, "Could one of you at least tie my hair back for me? It's getting annoying."

"What the hell did you think you were doing!"

Gio winced at the words, ducking in closer to himself and looking away, feeling his cheeks heat up in an ashamed flush.

"Edward trusted you, he trusted you, and yet you go and do something like this?"

Gio had never seen anyone so angry, none the less Mika, a usually calm and collected man who seemed to have more sense than all of them combined. If anything, his words seemed to bite even more, making Giovanni's insides twist and churn in discomfort.

"What were you thinking?" Mika's voice was tight as he paced in front of Gio's hospital bed, trying to not get himself too riled up and failing miserably. With a single glance to the solitary figure seated in the corner, he realized that he was a sight calmer than the other man in the room, as the Major General had flown past the point of screaming and was in a dead silence.

For Gio's sake, Mika hoped that Roy didn't get his voice back, for he would fear for Giovanni's life.

"I don't know what I was thinking, okay?" Giovanni finally shot back, keeping his head lowered and his eyes trained on the dips in the fabric that used to be his legs, "I just got so sick of seeing Edward in pain, every time he saw someone use alchemy, he'd get this look on his face. I was so tired of everything happening to him, everything bad that could happen, would."

"And you thought that performing alchemy on him was the answer?" Mika sighed, running a tired hand through his hair, feeling more old and haggard that he had in years, "Did you even know the consequences of what you were doing?"

"Of course!" Gio sighed, turning his head away and feeling smaller than an ant under the gaze of the wise alchemist, but he too was grateful that Roy had yet to start on him, "Edward warned me multiple times, every time I brought it up he'd get all clammy, and he wouldn't stop yelling about how bad human transmutation was."

"Then why? Why did you do it? Knowing Edward's history with it?" Mika chose to shake his head rather than listen to Giovanni's excuse, taking a deep breath of the sterile hospital air and finding a seat, sighing, "I just don't understand. Why..."

It was a matter of seconds before the door was slammed open, and they wouldn't admit that they were all happy for the distraction. The air in the room was thick, thick with disappointment and worry. Roy was up and out of his seat in a matter of seconds, strutting quickly up to the lower ranked general, nearly throwing him to the ground in the rush to get his information, "What did you find out?"

"T-There was a hijacked train just outside the border of the city, not two hours ago...and..."

"Two hours ago!" Roy could have started a fire with sheer will-power alone with the anger that was billowing through his veins. He tried to quell the overpowering worry in his chest with reassurances that Edward was alright, that he could handle himself, but he still found it was hard to breathe and he was angered at the smallest trigger. Calming himself worked for a few moments, but his hands didn't stop shaking no matter how hard he tried, "where? Where was it?"

"The train was taken just outside Rush Valley." The man didn't have the will power to look the Major General in the eye, and as soon as the words left his lips, he was pulling back and walking down the hallway. The hospital was overrun with State Alchemists, and every single one of them had warned him against the wrath of Roy Mustang as he walked down the hallway towards Giovanni Frayne's hospital room. He felt almost as if he was walking toward the light in his own death.

Mustang didn't move as quickly as Mika had thought he would. Instead of jumping right into action, the black-haired man simply slid the door closed very slowly, his palm resting against the flat of the wood. His brows were knitted together in pain, and he stood solitarily against the cold white of the walls, the room looking large around the lost man.

"I'm going after him." Roy spoke with a level voice, but his voice was tight and withdrawn, showing much more emotion than if Roy had lashed out in anger.

Mika shrugged, sinking further into his seat, "I didn't expect anything different."

"And you're not coming with me." Roy sent him a look, knowing that it was the next question on Mika's lips, "You're staying here with Gio."

"If you say so." Mika truly felt in his gut that he should fight with Roy, demand to accompany him in pursuit of his favorite client, but he knew that it would be futile. Giovanni needed someone to stay here with him, talk about his options, talk about the situation. Heavens knew that Alphonse wouldn't provide any emotional support for the boy, and there was a heavy chance that Alphonse would tag along with Roy, despite what the flame alchemist said.

Giovanni sat forward, the blanket around his chest falling forward and pooling in his lap, dipping further where his missing leg would have been. His voice was confident when he spoke, but it held an edge of fear and uncertainty, but never once did he ever lead that he was ashamed of what he did, "You're going to get him back?"

Roy's hands started to shake when Giovanni spoke. He truly didn't know what to think about the small boy, but it was the first time he truly wanted to strike a child. He hated the feeling it built in his chest, but just thinking about what Giovanni did to Edward made him shake and churn, his heart beating a bit faster. He hated the feeling, but he disliked the boy in the bed more.

Roy left the room without a word, letting the door slam behind him, the wood shaking against the wall. The room was even more empty and silent, leaving them both with goosebumps covering their arms, the silence almost choking them.

Sighing again, Mika let his shoulders shake in a silent laugh as he tried to think over just what had brought him to this situation. He really couldn't believe he let himself get this deep into Edward's life, and now he wouldn't be able to untangle himself no matter how hard he tried. It was futile, and while he had initially not wanted to get this deep in anyones life ever again, he couldn't say that he regretted it. Edward was quite the character, and he would have regretted it the rest of his life if he rejected the offer to create the famous Fullmetal Alchemist's automail. He knew he was going to get over his head the second he met the blonde.

"So." Giovanni knew he shouldn't be talking to anyone right now, for the fear he'd get his head torn off again, but he couldn't keep his lips closed. He fisted his hand over the material where his leg should have been, feeling his heart thump deep in his chest, "would you make automail for me, Mika?"

Mika didn't even think for a second, knowing the question would be asked, knowing his response even before Gio asked it, "No, I will not."

Gio's eyes widened as he looked over at the man, his brows drawing in pain, "Look, I said I was sorry, I know what I did was wrong, but you can't-"

"That's not why I'm not doing it, Giovanni." Mika softly chuckled, but it was audible this time, and it made Gio's furrowed brow soften just a bit. Mika's eyes were hazed over in pain as he pursed his lips, raising his arms slowly to cross them over his chest, trying to rub some warmth into his biceps, "I'm not making automail for a child again."

Giovanni could have pouted if he wasn't positive Mika was set on his decision. The man was stubborn, Gio knew that much, and he wouldn't be dissuaded, especially not by him. Gio wasn't looking forward to finding another automail mechanic to build his legs, but he figured Mika would at least tell him the names of a few good mechanics.

There was a few more moments of silence, and Mika could have groaned when Giovanni started talking again, making him wonder if the boy would ever know how to shut the hell up.

"What do you mean, knowing Edward's history with human transmutation?" Gio's voice was small, but held enough curiosity to almost make Mika want to answer it.

Shrugging, Mika smirked, "If he hasn't told you already, I'm not going to be the one to tell you."

Giovanni could have screamed, his annoyance growing by the second. No one was talking to him and they weren't answering his questions, and he knew that he was partially at fault for that. Maybe he deserved the silent-treatment, sure, but he just had so many questions, that combined with the intense need to follow Mustang to find his teacher was setting him so far on edge that he could have fallen off his bed.

"So." Gio mumbled, still pouting and whining, "What did you mean? About the kid thing? Cuz I'm not some wimpy child that can't take some pain. Don't degrade me."

Mika was up and out of his seat in a matter of seconds, heading toward the door with a murmur of getting water, the reverberant slam almost leaving as much impact as when Roy had left in his wake. Gio grumbled as he watched the closed door, his brows drawing together as he pouted deeper. This whole situation was getting way too over his head.

Staring down at the bed, he sighed. Maybe what he did was wrong, but why did he feel so content with it?

Edward was the master of the universe, he decided, as he flexed his fingers behind his back. It had only taken him a mere hour and a half to get one of his hands out of the restraints, and although he was sure there would be permanent bruises, that didn't dampen his mood in the slightest. Plus, it couldn't have been a better time, either. The sun had dipped low beyond the mountains not thirty minutes ago, and already the soldiers around him were starting to drift off, fatigue from the taking a toll on their bodies. He didn't have any definite proof to support his argument, seeing as he still had a wrap around his eyes, but all the conversations had drifted off and he swore he could hear the subtle snorts as one of the soldiers snored in his light sleep.

It was a risky move, but Edward slowly reached up, pulling up the bottom edge of the handkerchief around his eyes. The soft swaying light of the cabin left him blinded for a moment, but when his eyes adjusted, his thought was confirmed. All of the men's heads were dipped forward, eyes closed and their breaths coming slowly, nearly all of them in a deep sleep. The men in the seat in front of him were leaning against each other, mouths wide and gaping, obviously very deep in sleep. A quick glance told Edward that some of the others in the back part of the train were still awake, but playing a game of poker, so their attention was otherwise occupied.

Edward hunched forward, dipping low on his feet as he inched forward, the heavy metal of his leg under him giving him more comfort than he thought possible. It was amazing, the sheer pleasure that came with having his leg back, and he reveled in these small accomplishments. Mika was a master craftsman, if the completely silent shift of gears or the absolutely painless transfer from stump-to-limb was any consolation. It was with a side note to give Mika a larger check that Edward shifted forward more, eyes roaming the uniforms of the men in front of him, wether to find keys for his other restraint or at least a pen.

It would be foolish to try and escape right now, Edward mused as he reached forward hesitantly, his hand steady as he reached for the man in front of him, or more importantly, the pen sticking out his breast pocket. It was pitch black outside, and not to mention miles upon miles of desert. If he were to use his alchemy now, it would not only alert every single soldier in the train, but what would he do then? Go running into the darkness of the desert and hope for the best? There was only so much that alchemy could do, and he knew from personal experience that sand didn't transmute into much.

With a flick of the wrist, Edward held the pen in his hand, wincing at the impending motion that would wake up the soldier. With one more movement, he reached back and pushed the pen into the knots of his braid, effectively hiding it within his own golden locks. Looking around a bit more, trying to find anything more that he could use and scavenge, yet still hide somewhere on his body. They'd forgotten to feed him earlier, so even scraps of food dropped on the ground were fair game, seeing as he didn't have much room for dignity today. He could still smell the food in the air when they'd eaten an hour ago and his stomach was grumbling fiercely.

When Edward shifted back to his seat, he was concealing three pens, four bobby-pins, a shoelace and a loose hair tie. It wasn't much, but even it was enough to get himself out of trouble later. He'd have to lock himself up again, but a concealed bobby-pin would make quick work of the restraints. But that didn't make the click as he fastened the metal around his wrist any less unpleasant.

He just hoped that when he did make his jail-break, Roy would be there to meet him.

Mika sighed as he slid down into the cold wooden chair perched near the water fountain. He couldn't blame Giovanni, but he needed to get out of the room before he hit something, and he really didn't want it to be the young boy.

Her name had been Benedict, but yelled at anyone who didn't call her Bennie. He could still remember her brother's mocks at her name. She had been really small for a child her age, but her family had been a close friend of his, so he was quick to accept their plea for help despite it. He'd never done automail on anyone younger than eighteen, so he wasn't positive on how she'd react to the pain.

She was five when she lost her arm, cut off in the middle of her bicep. She'd been riding on the handlebars of her brother's bicycle and they'd hit a loose rock; they'd both tumbled down the ravine off the side of the road. Chaz, her brother, was fine, but Bennie's arm needed to be amputated.

She was nearing nine years old when they'd saved enough money to afford automail, and they'd contacted Mika immediately. He was hesitant, both to take the money they offered and to operate on such a small child.

Taking a deep breath, Mika sighed and stood to his feet, running both of his hands through his hair and closing his eyes. Giovanni was a far cry from nine-years-old, and if they waited until he hit puberty and grew a little, so he could take the physical stress, there would likely be no problems. But...

Taking a single drink of water from the fountain, in hopes that he could clear his mind with the cold water, he was disturbed to find it luke-warm and coppery. It was a sad state when the water from a hospital depicted his state-of-mind, but he found it oddly appropriate.

The door creaked as he opened it, making him wince and his brows draw together as he glanced over at the bed. He didn't know how long he'd been outside, but Giovanni was asleep in the bed, mouth gaping open and limbs splayed out like there was not a problem in the world. Maybe after a few days the boy would fully come to understand the repercussions, and Mika would be there to hold his hand and make sure he didn't get himself into any more trouble.

There was a deep darkness surrounding him completely, so completely that he could feel it digging into his skin and under his eyelids. He tried to keep his eyes wrenched shut, but it was almost like he could see through his own skin, seeing the passing images and shapes like his skin was translucent. It hurt, it was almost painful, the speed that the images were flashing by his eyes, smashing into his mind, filling it with various bits and pieces of information. It was blissful pain, and it felt as though he couldn't get enough of it. It was whizzing by and he was absorbing everything, every sentence, every word, every image. He was gathering everything and he never wanted it to stop yet he wanted it all to end. He was full to the brim of information about nothing and everything, and just when he was close to screaming from the excruciating pain, it all stopped.

I didn't respect alchemy.

Sitting up swiftly from a deep sleep, Gio couldn't breathe, his chest constricting and his body heaving as a cool sweat started to pool on his brow. He didn't remember the dream, though he wasn't sure he wanted to. It was painful yet almost exhilarating at the same time, and he could feel the drying tears on his cheeks and his throat was raw from screaming.

The room was dark around him and he could have sobbed, his brows drawing together as he felt his chest constrict, his hands shaking as he tried to find a source of comfort. All he was met with was the cold sheets and the chill of the room around him, dark, dark like his dream.

I didn't respect alchemy.

Edward's words were repeating over and over in his head, much like the sporadic and short images from his dream. Never before in his life had he so wanted someone to hold his hand. His head was overwhelmed with different emotions, but the forefront was grief. He wanted nothing more than to see Edward; the repeating words of his teacher was sending him deeper and deeper into a spiral.

Was what he did wrong? So wrong?

There was a knock at the door, and Gio didn't have time to say a word before Mika barged in, a large smile on his face, a clear juxtaposition from his mood yesterday. He held two large brown bags in his arms, and as he shifted around with the door, he flicked the lights on, flooding the room with color.

"I'd ask why you're sitting all alone in the dark, but it's not like you could get up and turn on the lights yourself." Mika laughed at his own words, shifting to shut the door then make his way over to Gio's bedside, taking a quick seat, "So, I got a couple of hamburgers and fries or I got some noodle bowls if that's what you're hankering for."

"Was it so bad?" Giovanni tried to get his hands to stop shaking as he sent a scared and small glance toward the other alchemist, his eyes shined over with tears. He sniffed, shifting his hands so that they clutched at the fabric over his stomach, hunching in over himself, "Was it so bad? I can't understand it, I did it to myself, I chose to do it, why is it so bad?"

Mika sighed again as he set the bags off to the side, only slightly disappointed that they wouldn't be able to eat dinner before Gio started on this. Kids had bigger metabolisms, so maybe he could talk the boy into eating before they started on this emotional rampage, but it was already started. Mika turned toward him and slid his hand forward, carefully placing it over Gio's, leaving the boy with the decision to seek the comfort, "I know that you think what you did was honorable."

"It was." Gio argued, sending a single glare at Mika before glancing down at the blankets again, not removing his hand from Mika's hold just yet, "I don't get what everyone is saying. I lost my legs, so what? Edward got his alchemy back."

"It's exactly such thinking that makes it even worse." Mika sighed, holding the small hand tighter, the cool fabric of the bed cold against his fingers, "You disrespected alchemy, such actions should never be taken. You broke a large law of alchemy, you used a human being as fodder for human transmutation."

"So?" Giovanni scoffed, pulling his hand from under Mika's in a swift movement, turning to look out the window, his lips pursing together as the words and images flashed in his mind again, "So what? It wasn't like I was trying to bring him back from the dead or anything else. I was just helping him."

"Giovanni." Mika's voice was strong and it held an edge of annoyance and anger at the small boy for his words, "If Edward didn't have the alchemical power that he does, he would have died. You remember Alphonse saying that he saw alchemy pouring from Edward, that means it was his own alchemy that finished the transmutation. If it wasn't Edward, or if your transmutation didn't succeed in getting his power back, Ed would have died. You would have killed Edward."

Giovanni gulped, his shoulders squaring as he clenched his eyes shut. That's what he was afraid of. He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that those were the consequences he so narrowly avoided, but he didn't want to address it. It was like that blackness from his dreams, from his memories, was back in his chest, swallowing him whole with the realization of what he'd done. His chest ached and he felt his eyes sting with tears again.

"So it was stupid..."

"Ah, well, now we're getting somewhere." Mika clapped loudly, almost making Gio jump in his seat as he did so, before reaching down swiftly to grab the only momentarily forgotten brown bags and dropping one in Giovanni's lap, "now eat some burgers or something."

This time they just put a bag over his head.

It may have been better than the blindfold, because it didn't get caught in his hair and it didn't give him a headache from the hours of pressure, but he didn't like the constant musty smell. He'd tried to make an agreement with them, maybe they could let him go without the blindfold, but they'd immediately shoved the sack over his head and told him to shut up.

As soon as they stepped off the train, Edward could feel the warm and sunny air around him, the grass under his bare feet and the gentle hum of life around him. They were in a busy place, maybe a market or a courthouse, the pulse of daily life moved around them and Edward instantly felt more comfortable. They weren't going to hurt him in front of a huge crowd of people, right?

"Come on."

They tugged harshly at his arm, dragging him through the grass and through the hoards of people roughly, shoving past the on-goers and not caring where they were dragging him. Edward collided with many people, some of which cried out, some of which were too distracted either by the military, Edward's obviously foreign appearance, or some combination of the two to speak a word.

The only glimpses he got of the world around him were through the loose bottom of the bag, hanging open around the base of his neck. The grass was very green, and every pair of feet they walked by were wearing loose sandals, the skin tones mixed and ranging. There wasn't much he could get out of this, but the familiar tap of his braid in between his shoulder blades gave him confidence. He had ways to get out of this situation, and it was early enough in the day that he could act long before nightfall.

The air was thick with the smell of sweat and work, mixed with food and goods, spices littered the air and burned at his nose. He'd heard through rumors that the Aerugians were people of the earth, using spices and plants in much of their foods and medicines. They had no powers like Xing or Amestris, so they relied more on their physical strength. It showed, as no matter how hard Edward struggled against their meaty hands, they never budged and never balked. They were strong, much like their spices.

Edward snorted, realizing that it was a bad idea because it both aggravated his injured lungs and allowed a large whiff of spice to enter his sinuses, making his eyes water and his nose run as his eyes watered. Broken limbs and bruises be damned, nothing was more painful than a nose-full of Aerugian spice.

It was while he was finishing hacking up a lung that they shoved him into a hut. His lungs burned with a vengeance but he could still feel the dirt under him cool as he was thrown in the shaded enclosure, and he was positive it was small enough that only he was currently inside. He could hear words spoken quickly, mostly in Aerugian, and he was only able to catch one or two words. He'd learned with Izumi back when he and Al were studying alchemy, but he barely remembered any of it. He caught the words 'Lord Irving', 'cheese', and 'restroom'. Either they were gonna grab some cheese on the way to the bathroom, they were going to the restroom because of some bad cheese, or this lord Irving frequented a snack while on the can, but Edward was quite positive he didn't know what the hell was going on.

The moment of silence allowed him to gather his breath back. They were gone with the subtle snap of the door closing, leaving him in the soft cool air, the warmth of the sun seeping in through the cracks in the wood walls. Shifting forward and dipping his head over, Edward shook his shoulders and neck enough so that the bag fell off his head easily, allowing him to breathe deeply without the stink of dirt and spice.

The air filtered in and out as he got used to the light, but as soon as he could see the cracks in the wood and the grass on the ground, he was moving, shifting on the ground and looking all around him. He didn't have the time to try and wrench his hand out of his hold again, and he wasn't positive his wrist could handle it. There was absolutely nothing on the ground, nothing but the soft dirt and grass.

Hunching up carefully, Ed took a deep breath and slid his hands forward, under his knees and feet, pulling his hands under his body and in front of himself, clenching his teeth and holding back a cry as his chest wrenched and churned. This pain was really getting annoying, Edward decided as he flopped onto his back, taking a deep breath and sighing as he grew more and more annoyed with the situation. Why could Roy just be here to break down the door and sweep him off his feet? It wasn't as if Edward couldn't take care of himself, but for the first time in his life, Edward just wanted to...lay in a bed or something. He shouldn't have taken it for granted the past few weeks.

Reaching up and back behind his head with both of his connected hands, Edward awkwardly pulled a single bobby-pin from the base of his hair, flipping it around in his fingers and attacking the keyhole of the handcuffs with a vengeance. Even if Roy wasn't here, he was still gonna get himself out of this shit-hole.

It took all of Edward's will power not to cheer for joy when the wristlet clicked and fell off his arm, leaving his hands free to roam. It was so amazing, feeling his wrists without those constraints, without something shoved into his mouth, and without something covering his eyes. It was amazing, yes, but what wasn't amazing was the realization that he could go nowhere. There were probably numerous guards just outside the door, and not to mention the chaotic amount of people in the market place just beyond there.

There was no way he was getting out, but at the same time, there was no way he was going to allow them to cuff him again. He'd had enough of that for one lifetime.

Sitting up slowly and plopping down properly on the soil, Edward took a deep breath for what seemed like the millionth time, allowing himself a moment to think things through. He felt like an old man, for the first thing he thought of was of what he would have done not five years ago. A small hut like this would not hold the great Fullmetal Alchemist, and the idea of guards outside would make his fifteen-year-old self laugh at the absurdity. Guards? With a single clap of his hands, Edward would make the sky light up with his power, taking down the guards with either a mighty hand from the ground or a bending hand from above, nothing could withstand the power of the Fullmetal Alchem...

Edward slowly brought his gaze to his hands, his fingers twitching as he felt the forlorn power already surging through his veins. His hands felt abnormally heavy, as if they held something they hadn't touched for years, the power of his once lost art once again surging through him. It was as if he'd never lost it, yet his whole body was yearning for it as if he'd gone more than three years without it.

Yes, the old Edward would have run full on into the situation, leaning on his alchemy to get him out and being brash about it. The old Edward would have done a lot of things...Edward shook his head with a heady laugh, clenching his hands to get them to stop shaking. That was the old Edward, yes, but that moment with Truth, the meeting, the door building behind him, that hadn't been a dream, it happened.

Edward uncurled his fingers, looking at them once again, the blood flowing through his fingertips, the soft white of the pressured pads of his palms. He could just feel it...so hesitantly, Edward clapped his hands together, the sound making him wince as it resounded the room.

"Hey, what's going on in there?"

Edward gasped as he heard the door creak open, and with one hurried movement, he slammed his hands to the ground, closing his eyes tight and hoping for the best.

What he certainly wasn't expecting was a sudden explosion of power, blue lights flashing all around them, and sending everything up and twisting in a huge blast of smoke.

Thank you all for reading, and I hope it wasn't too especially boring. I also have to apologize for the fact that I might have to... not update next Monday. I don't have the next chapter written yet, and while I know exactly is going to happen, I don't know how much I'll be able to write with work and school and ... video games. But! Reviews make great fodder for the mind, and I might just be persuaded to think otherwise about writing slowly. :)