.:Two:.

Horrible Beasts and Other Fun Developments

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So many emotions swarmed around in Ed's mind that he hardly knew what to do. He was relieved, excited, nervous, thrilled, weary…the familiar sensation of the breeze from the lake that sailed across his skin distracted him; it was so different and so much more real than anything in the Gate had felt. His mind began to race, coming to focus on the person who mattered most in the world.

He slowly pushed himself to his feet, legs shaking slightly, and found that there was a stupid grin on his face he couldn't quite wipe off. The ground was solid beneath him.

Even after a moment, it was still solid.

No vague threats in the distance, no shifts in the air, and time flowed steadily. Around him were only steel and cement and plaster, with bricked walls topped by black-shingled roofs. As far as he could see, there were no improbable creatures in the general vicinity, and the only invisible thing here was the light sea breeze. Instead of gatekeepers to cling to him or barrage him with one-word questions, there were only people pushing past him on their way elsewhere in the world.

Throwing his head back, he gazed at the sky above him. It was a calm and cloudless blue, just as it had always been in his vague memories of hazy Risembool summers. After a minute, he began to chuckle to himself and then, gradually, to laugh aloud. This was insane, wasn't it? Was he insane? The warm sunlight on his face made him quiet down, and he was rapidly overwhelmed by the feeling of comfort, of home.

In fact, he probably would have stood there for longer if not for a slight prickling on the back of his neck and the vague notion that something was wrong.

Following his instincts had saved his life on more than one occasion, but this time might have been more than instinct. Most people hadn't noticed the odd darkness in the water, but Ed felt it. The same wild feeling of alchemy that had surrounded him in the Gate was now emanating from somewhere below, where the cement supports for the city walkways slithered down into the deep green water.

He gaped over the railing, leaning forward to study the rippling canal water that faded to black just a few yards away, and then the blackness briefly pierced the surface of the water in something that looked like a dark and shimmering shell. Ed's stomach plummeted as he got a better look. What little sunlight filtered through the dark water showed him that there was no mistaking the shiny, armored body, the red-brown eyes that flickered about as though searching for something, the strong, wide tail…there was no mistaking it at all.

It was an Angler, just like the one in the Gate. There were only a few words Ed could think of to properly sum up the situation, and he used them all, spitting the profanities into the air.

He drew himself up, only faintly aware that the Beast was beginning to gain the attention of a few crowds of tourists. How the hell is this possible…? He thought to himself. If the Angler was here, then he—Ed—must still be in the Gate…but then where was all of the alchemy? The familiar buzzing of the alchemy that had surrounded him at all times was now completely absent—which can only mean that I've left the Gate…right?

People were still brushing past him even as he leaned over the railing. These were real people, weren't they? Real people, who were living and dying outside of the Gate, and who were beginning to notice the odd black shape in the water.

The Beast was nervous, Ed noticed abruptly, and it had abandoned its normal silent glide for jerky, stilted movements. It was almost too large for the canal, and it was walled in closely on both sides, as this was where the waterway ran to meet the lake a little farther on…

It was probably scared as hell, Ed realized. And a scared and cornered Beast was the worst kind.

"What is that?" someone murmured from somewhere over Ed's shoulder. People were beginning to crowd in for a closer look, hugging the sides of the railings and pressing closer to see whatever was drawing attention down below. The Angler wriggled its large, dark tail, splashing water aside and diving below the surface. A freckled woman balancing a little girl on her shoulders was opening and closing her mouth like a fish.

Ed waited for it.

She screamed.

"A sea monster!" someone cried. It didn't take long for the panic to spread; half of the crowd began hurrying away and shouting, gathering up their children and bags, and crashing into each other in their haste to leave. The rest pushed in more closely, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of what surely couldn't be a monster.

"Get out of here," Ed muttered to the few people who had the guts—or the stupidity—to stick around and peer into the river, "I have the feeling this is gonna get messy."

Questions aside, he was in his element now. Worries and doubts flew out of his mind as he concentrated on the situation at hand with a practiced ease: this was something he could do. Whether he was inside the gate or out of it, dangerous situations suited him just fine.

The voice in his head that sounded like Al politely reminded him that this particular Beast had killed him in the Gate a few more times than he'd like to admit, and if he had truly escaped from the Gate, then this was the only life he had left. And I still need it, he added.

Ed hesitated, but not for long. He began to walk along the side of the river, following the Beast's twisting path in the water, weaving in and out of the people who were stupid enough (he was now reasonably certain that it was just stupidity) to remain. Considering that the creature had not yet attacked and had done nothing but zigzag back and forth, however, perhaps the bystanders were beginning to think it was docile.

Not everyone thought it was harmless, apparently. Ed's eyes fell upon a few fishermen farther down the way who had gathered near the middle of a bridge over the water. Several had come bearing rifles or harpoons, and were now shouting orders to each other and taking aim.

"Don't—" he shouted, but it was too late.

They fired at the Beast, spurred on by a few cheers from the crowd; the ensuing splashes in the murky water made it difficult to see anything at all, and the onlookers seemed to hold their breath as one as they waited to see what had happened. The water settled, and the fishermen looked triumphant for several moments ("Idiots," Ed said, "they've just made it mad…") until the Beast roared out of the river, sending sprays of water everywhere as it catapulted itself toward the bridge, cracking the supports.

Ed instinctively clapped his hands together, his thoughts wheeling about his mind before he quickly settled on one, and slapped them onto the pavement.

Nothing happened.

He froze. Again, he clapped his hands, slamming his hands down harder.

No change.

No alchemy.

He couldn't quite process the absence of the alchemy that had surrounded him completely from the moment he had been lost in the Gate, and he only distantly heard the creaking of the bridge and the screams of the frightened crowd. Alchemy was gone, he realized; he couldn't feel any alchemy anywhere at all…except from the Beast.

He stood and hung over the railing to see the broken bridge, which was crumbling slowly into the water. The few visible fishermen were dangling from the edge and clinging to the wood in desperation. Alchemy or no, there wasn't much time.

Ed was a genius with more than just alchemy, though, and presently his mind whirled through what he knew of Aquaroya: the city's layout, the waterways and bridges, the military and weaponry used, the structure of the buildings, the docks and inspection areas, the pound locks—

—the locks.

All at once, everything snapped into place. A few precious moments were spent in an attempt to work out the details and the geography, and then he was off, sprinting as fast as his feet would carry him.

"Find an alchemist!" someone roared from behind him. "We have to get that bridge back up!"

Ed stopped suddenly, turning to see an ash-haired man in a military uniform—a Major, by the shoulder stripes—running along the railing and ordering a few privates and sergeants around. Finally, someone up there is looking after me, he thought, doubling back.

"Alchemy isn't working," Ed called hurriedly as he approached. The man spun around, a look of annoyance sweeping over his face as he took in the teen before him.

"Look, kid, we don't have time for this."

"I'm a state alchemist," he said, automatically reaching into his pants pocket, "I—" He stopped short, feeling around and finding nothing. His watch was gone. He realized what he must look like—a wild, shirtless kid claiming to be a state alchemist—and grinned sheepishly at the Major. "Look, you're just gonna have to trust me on this."

The man was not amused. "Get back. Civilians need to be out of the way." He turned his back, nodding as a private relayed information. Ed growled in frustration.

"Hey, I just need a boat. A fast one. If we—"

"I thought I told you to get back."

"But—"

"Don't worry, we can take it from here, kid."

"Just listen," he snarled. "I can't believe you're…"

He trailed off as the man moved away, shouting orders at the nearest officers, who readied their harpoons.

"Don't fire at it, you idiots!" Ed shouted, and some of the men glanced his way in surprise. "Its shell is too thick, you'll just—"

"Look, you little brat," the Major said suddenly, unable to ignore Ed any longer, "If you don't get out of here in the next three seconds, I'll have you arrested."

"You bastard—"

But the Major was distracted once more, this time hurrying to berate a man who was fumbling his gun at the railing. In the meantime, the Angler had become furious, and it was only a matter of time before it began thrashing and trying to destroy the walkways and walls.

Ed ran a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated breath as he gathered his thoughts. He'd forgotten how useful that damn watch was. It was annoying being treated like a kid when you needed it least. How was he supposed to work things out if no one listened to him?

"I got a boat," said a voice from behind him.

Spinning smartly on his heel, Ed came face to face with a small, freckled boy—maybe ten or eleven years old—with dark brown eyes and hair, a strong chin, and a look of determination on his face. Beside him was a smaller boy with similar features who bit his lip in worry.

Ed softened immediately. "I need a fast boat." he clarified, already beginning to move away.

"I got a speedboat. Fastest in the city."

Ed stopped. "Can you drive it?"

The kid grinned at him. "I'm practically professional."

The alchemist hesitated. "Look, kid, I don't think you know what you're getting into. If things go wrong—"

"Hey, from the looks of it, it's not like you got a lotta other choices."

Ed slowly let out a breath of air, acutely aware of the screams, shouted orders, and the sound of splashes coming from behind him. "Yeah, I guess I don't."

"Long as you make sure not to wreck my boat, I'll help."

"I'll do my best," Ed said. The boy grimaced but shrugged. Turning quickly to the younger boy, he added, "I'll need you, too, though," Ed continued, "but for a different reason. I need you to go talk to the workers at the locks. How fast can you run?"

The younger boy grinned suddenly as well, almost a mirror of his older brother, and Ed was suddenly and painfully reminded of Al.

"How fast do you need me to get there?"

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"I'm still not sure about this," Ed yelled over the wind to the boy—Anthony, as he had introduced himself—as the boat sped upriver. It had taken them a few minutes, at a sprint, to reach the boat's dock. The boat turned out to be quite small, about the size of an average automobile. This, as Anthony explained as he started it up, was quite helpful in allowing it to reach high speeds. There was a rather large motor, at least relation to the size of the boat, that Ed had watched him start with no small degree of curiosity.

Anthony had been right. The boat was quite fast—fast enough, Ed hoped—and the kid himself was a natural with the controls. "Don't worry," the boy shouted back, "my dad built this boat from scratch, outta only the best stuff. And I've gotten her through every storm that's ever come our way. Whatever that is isn't going to take us out."

I hope you're right, Ed said, momentarily dwelling on the futility of this mission: he, armed with only a harpoon gun he'd managed to swipe from the military officers and absolutely no alchemy whatsoever, was endangering a child's life by allowing said child to pilot a handmade boat which may or may not be faster than the Beast that was to chase them, and they were basing the entirety of the situation in the hope that an even younger kid had managed to convince the canal lock workers downstream to cooperate with an impossible plan. Could things get any worse?

Don't ask that, Ed chided himself, or else they will. Besides, things have been worse…

The two of them tensed abruptly as they rounded a bend, catching sight of the broken bridge. "Slow down," Ed yelled. "We need to see where it is."

The engine quieted and spluttered as they slowed down, both of them peering over the sides of the boat to see. The Beast was either absent or adept at hiding, not that it was difficult to hide in the murky depths of the grimy canal water, and someone must have had the sense to have the few other vessels clear the water.

"Turn the boat around. Just in case. And kill the engine."

Anthony followed his instructions wordlessly. The only sounds they heard were footsteps, distant voices, and the water lapping against the sides of the buildings.

"You! Down there!"

Their heads jerked up at the sudden shout. Ed groaned at the sight of the ashen-haired major, surrounded by many gun-wielding officers. There was a fair amount of civilians on the other side of the river who were watching with interest.

"Get the hell out of the water!" The Major ranted. "That thing is still down there, and it can repel bullets; even we can't—"

"I know. Don't worry," Ed grinned up at him, deliberately using the Major's own words, "we can take it from here."

"You little—!"

Ed ignored him after that, because he felt the Beast swim closer from somewhere just ahead of the boat. The absence of alchemy in the air around him made the alchemy inside of the Angler strikingly clear by contrast. "There," he murmured to Anthony, who tensed and peered in the direction that Ed pointed.

Even the idiotic Major shut up.

The Beast was swimming close to the wall; they could see its dark, shimmering skin below the water, a deep black point in the murky green. Its eyes were flashing as it watched the boat above it.

"Get ready," he ordered, and Anthony powered up the engine again, maneuvering the boat while watching the creature carefully out of the corner of his eye.

Ed looked over the side of the boat very slowly, making sure to keep the majority of his weight on the other side of the craft. He was intensely aware of the Beast's position, of its powerful tail and the way the water rolled as it lazily floated past. The crowd was quiet and tense as Ed moved, gazing over the railings in wonder.

But Ed had stopped. The Beast moved slowly around the boat as if to get a closer look, and it finally caught sight of him. With a wry grin, Ed shielded his eyes from the sun and waved, watching the beast through his own dim reflection in the water. "Hey, there, old buddy."

Its eyes locked in recognition, and they flickered with anger. Ed had never understood why the Beast chased him whenever it could, but this was the first time that the trait would—he hoped—work to his advantage. "Go," he yelled to Anthony as he braced himself, and the boat shot off as though Anthony believed the devil itself was after them, which may have been close enough to the truth.

The splash that the boat made must have temporarily confused the Angler, because Ed could feel it getting farther away. For a moment, he began to think that his idea hadn't worked (perhaps the Beast liked killing him less than he thought it did) but his doubts were assuaged when the Beast rushed out of the water, pulling his head from beneath the spray enough for Ed to see its rows of familiar sharp teeth.

The canal flowed in a relatively straight path toward the lake, filtering off into lesser streams here and there, but Anthony ignored them, as they were far too small for the Angler to fit through, and their destination was along the main channel. The wind whipped through Ed's hair as the boat parted the water, marking their path with foaming trails.

Ed kept an eye on the Beast, thankful that the boat was as fast as Anthony had said it was. They were getting farther and farther away from the creature, and Ed began to feel the confidence he usually felt just before things began to go wrong.

And of course they did.

A flicker of alchemy and a giant jet of water spouted suddenly from the river just in front of the boat; Anthony swerved and only narrowly avoided missing it. The boat rammed into the wall, and Ed barely managed to keep from being thrown from the boat, though his flesh shoulder cracked painfully against the cement. Quickly checking the engine and redirecting the boat, Anthony put them back on course, coaxing all the speed he possibly could out of the little boat to make up for the few seconds lost time.

"What was that?" he shouted over the howl of the engine, shooting a worried glance at Ed. The alchemist was silent for a moment, staring into the water behind them in dismay.

"Looks like…we can't do alchemy, but it can."

"You didn't mention that," the kid said, sounding annoyed

"I didn't know that," Ed said testily.

Anthony was quiet for a moment, watching the water before him. "Okay, hang on. We're almost there."

The water began to roar behind them; Ed turned his head to see what looked like a miniature tidal wave that was rising from just above the dark shape in the water. Or at least, it was miniature at first, but it grew steadily, and within a minute it was higher than the top of Ed's head.

"Anthony," Ed said faintly, "how close are we to the locks?"

"I can see them!" Anthony shouted suddenly, and Ed spun around to see the metal gates glistening in the sunlight in the distance. He could have shouted with joy.

"Can't this thing go any faster?"

"It's at full speed!"

There was a commotion at the locks, which Ed could only take it as a sign that someone, somewhere, was listening to Anthony's brother. The closer they got, the louder the noise became: there were crowds of people waiting around and leaning over the sides of the river; Ed could only hope that someone was manning the gates. As he watched, the first silver structure began to open slowly, granting them passage. Ed grinned; at least something was going right.

He turned to face the Angler, grabbing the harpoon gun that he had swiped from the military officers. He settled it like a rifle in his arms. It dawned upon him that this was the first time he'd have to use a gun outside of the shooting range, the first time his ability to hit a target might mean the difference between life and death. Guess I'll have to thank Havoc when this is all over, he thought distractedly to himself as he aimed. The boat slowed as they approached the second wall of the lock, and the Beast—and wave—steadily caught up.

"Almost…" Anthony said as Ed fingered the trigger. "Okay…go!"

Ed fired the harpoon; a split second later, Anthony twisted the boat to avoid hitting the back wall of the lock. The wave crashed down upon them an instant later, capsizing the small craft and sending both Ed and Anthony flying into the water.

Struggling in the murky river water, Ed moved his heavy limbs as quickly as he could, regretting that he had never learned to do much more than keep his head above water and dog-paddle. He finally broke the surface, gasping the fresh air and shaking the water from his eyes to see Anthony before him, wide-eyed but unhurt. Both of them immediately swam as close as they possibly could to the closed lock wall; the first wall was slowly closing farther away.

"Did you get it—?" Anthony gasped as they swam for a nearby ladder.

"Think so. I'm not usually the best shot, but even I wouldn't have missed something that big. Hurry." Ed was suddenly aware of the Beast again; the harpoon wouldn't keep it for long. A splash alerted him to the Beast's sudden movement.

Quickly closing the distance between himself and the ladder, he grabbed at the slippery metal rungs and clumsily hoisted Anthony over his injured shoulder, ignoring the fiery throbs as he climbed faster than he had thought possible. A strangled cry from Anthony made him move faster, finally shoving the boy forward and into the outstretched arms of the crowd. He hoisted himself up the last few rungs, pausing at the top to peer down at the beast that stared furiously up at him, the remnants of its damaged tail swaying behind it. The harpoon had slowed it down, at least, and though Ed had actually intended to pin one of the creature's appendages to the ground, he couldn't argue much with the way things had turned out.

The crowd was yelling and shouting at an earsplitting volume, but Ed didn't care. He let out his breath, suddenly too bone-weary to clamber up the last two or three rungs, and too content to stay where the sun and warm breeze could play on his skin again. He shot a lazy grin at Anthony, who sat up on the ground with his legs dangling onto the top rung. "Not bad, kid."

The boy's face split into a grin of his own, but he looked down and winced as a sudden crack came from below.

Ed glanced over his shoulder. "Looks like I owe you a new boat."

"I'll hold you to that," Anthony said with a slight grimace.

"But come on, wasn't it worth it to say you took on a real sea monster?" Ed asked, earning a tired laugh.

There was a loud shout, and Anthony nearly tumbled forward as his brother wrapped him in a tight hug, then dragged him back and away from the ladder.

Ed chuckled wearily at the display, and as the brothers disappeared, a few hands stretched forward in Ed's general direction—he knew he must look like a tired, drenched mess—and Ed reached for one gratefully.

Only to feel cold metal slip around his wrist. He jolted, scowling at the man above him.

"You were warned," said the ashen-haired Major, "and now you're under arrest."

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A/N: Oh no! A dose of déjà vu there at the end…also, a few quick things, in case you're interested:

Anglers: The Angler is named for the real-life Anglerfish, which has so many teeth that it scares the hell out of me. The Anglers in this story are just giant fish with lean bodies and longer tails than Anglerfish, though they have just as many teeth. The teeth are very important.

Locks: For those of you who don't know what water locks are (I never knew what they were called before I looked it up when I wrote this), I basically just used them in this story as a chamber in the water composed of two gates that can open and close. If you're curious to know what they're really used for it might be helpful to check out Wikipedia, from which you can learn the basic idea of locks in a minute or less (guaranteed!…or you might end up in a thirty-minute Wikipedian loop).

Ed's marksmanship: You didn't read wrong—Ed can shoot a gun! This story is in the same universe as a one-shot I'll be posting in which Havoc finds himself teaching Ed to shoot. It's not at all necessary to read it in order to understand this story, but it will vaguely explain Havoc and Ed's friendship in this fic.

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed last chapter! Especially for the anonymous reviewers, since I can't pm you guys to thank you. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter!

~ket

Next Chapter: A Warm Welcome (Why Is No One Surprised?)