Trigger warning: Mentions of rape, violence and slightly more cussing.
Previously...
As soon as Hughes caught sight of the man in front of them his blood ran cold, this was no ordinary person. "It's Sin…"
Hawkeye's eyes grew wide and cautious as her vision focused more on the mans' facial features. "Alphonse! Stay back, this man is dangerous." Her unnaturally shaken voice betraying her as she called out in a pathetic attempt to keep the emotionally distraught Alphonse to stay put.
The warning fell upon the armor but made no impact as the soul within the hollowed shell boiled, "my brother…you hurt him and he's not even conscious! You have truly messed with the wrong people, you will pay!"
"Alphonse no! Damnit…"Hughes glared at the worrying scene taking place in front of him, then, swiftly glancing at the woman standing next to him, he whispered, "Lieutenant Hawkeye-"
"I'm on it."
"Ahh the Fullmetal Alchemists brother I presume? He has cried out for you, you know. He truly thought you were going to come to his rescue long ago- but I'm afraid to say you are far too late to save him now."
"Shut up!" Putting a shaking hand on the transmutation circle directly in front of him Alphonse soon had the evil man incased in a hallowed stone circle. To his dismay the middle of the small prison started to glow a dark red until the material had finally disintegrated.
"A philosopher's stone?" With both fists clenched at his sides Alphonse chuckled darkly, "figures, I knew brother wouldn't have made this pillar for nothing after all. You are too weak to even use your own alchemy- having to depend on a stone to do it for you."
"Careful with your words Alphonse Elric, you don't really know who I am after all." The smug man frowned as Al positioned himself for another attack.
"Let my brother go, I will not give you anymore warnings or chances."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, like I said, you are too late and he is mine now."
Hughes grit his teeth as the man finished, "you bastard, for your sake I hope you are lying."
Turning quickly Sin smiled at the familiar officer that was currently holding him at gun point. "Maes Hughes? My, the years have done you well old friend."
Hughes narrowed his eyes, "shut the hell up and give us Fullmetal, if you put him down now I might give you a swift death."
"Come now Mae's, let's not make empty threats here."
Upon hearing a frustrated growl Sin smiled as he looked down at the still unconscious boy in his arms, carefully brushing a stray strand of gold hair from the child's face. "He truly is a remarkable boy, my Fullmetal Alchemist."
Hughes felt sick, all he wanted to do was separate the two people in front of him and get Fullmetal out of this situation. "Don't you dare touch him! Focus on me Sin, or you will be sorry."
Sin smirked in response, "Is that so?"
It was in that moment a shot was fired, Sin easily dodged the bullet that was otherwise headed straight for his shoulder. Glancing at the nearest building ledge he smiled, "little Hawkeye herself is here too, eh? No need to hide up there though-" Raising a hand Sin easily shifted the ledges materials under Hawkeyes feet, sending her falling several stories only to be caught by a quickly transmuted stone hand no thanks to Alphonse.
"That's enough Sin, I'm your enemy right now- not them." Al tried to keep the shaking of his metal body to a minimum but it was no use, too many emotions swarmed through his soul. He hated seeing his brother so vulnerable and hurt- even worse though, he hated seeing him in the evil man's arms holding him as if he were his own child.
"Very well Alphonse, let's just see if you have what it takes to earn your brother back, hm?" Sin smirked, however the man's jovial facial expression melted as the child in his arms stirred.
"N-no…don't fight! Stop!" Golden eyes sleepily opened only to find the reality in which he could only moments ago listen to, upon meeting Sins stare Edward fought to get free. Pain wracked his body as Sin tightened his arms around him.
"Alphonse!" Edward chocked out, tears now evident in his shimmering eyes. He swallowed his annoying fear, narrowing his eyes he called out, "Don't fight! He- he's messed up but he won't kill me! He just-"
"Ah come now my child, no need to give away all my secrets, let's have a little chat before I let you visit."
At that moment, to everyone's horror, the ground below Sin quickly gave way allowing him to sink into the sewer systems below. Ed fought harder as he heard Alphonse call his name out in pure angst.
Dropping the boy Sin transmuted a single band of rock around Ed's torso and arms to the nearest wall, "now my sweet Fullmetal here's the deal, you will not utter a single word about what I have said or done to you. Oh- and for my sake and your own do not stray too far. I will find you, I promise, I am not done with you and do not intend to be until I get my way. Fortunately you can determine whether this will be an easy going case or not depending on what you tell your friends up there, understood?"
Edward tried to back away in horror as the man closed in on him, Sins face now only centimeters away from his own. He wanted to ask why, he wanted to ask what else this man could possibly want from him but the words were lost long before his brain could even fathom the possibility of making it verbal. Edward Elric was terrified for his life and all he wanted at this point was the presence of his little brother- not some creep with an apparent death wish.
Sin smirked at the terrified reaction of the emotionally destroyed boy in front of him, "until next time, Edward Elric."
With that one phrase Ed was released from the wall and, almost instantly, found himself laying on the road exactly where Sin had originally been standing. He looked up to see his younger brother hovering over him, a faint sound of his voice could be heard but Ed could not for the life of himself piece together the sounds.
"Brother? Do you hear me?!"
Hughes grimaced as he and the other officers neared the hysterical Alphonse trying his damndest to make a stunned Ed speak. His concern peaked as the group brought Ed over to the nearest brick wall to lean him against, Ed would not mutter a single word.
Hawkeye tore her beyond worried gaze away from the young boy as she set her mind to the general task at hand. "Havoc, get to the nearest phone booth and call the paramedics…then call Colonel Mustang…we don't have time to report to Fuery."
With a slight nod the shaken solider dropped his cigarette and ran around the corner in desperate search of a phone booth, his sense of direction now heightened as the morning sun dimmed the foggy lights of Central.
As Havoc fled Hawkeye, Breda and Falman stayed a safe distance away from the three others grouped against the alley wall. As much as they wanted to know and understand the full situation they also knew that with all the hysterics of the two younger boys it would not help to crowd.
Hawkeye sighed as she glanced over at the dull eyes of Edward Elric, "Sin…I haven't heard that name since the Ishvalan war."
Breda tilted his head a bit, "that name somehow doesn't ring a bell…"
Falman hummed as he thought, "I can't say I remember that name either."
The two men looked at each other in confused concern as the blonde- haired woman that stood before them crossed her arms, attempting to provide herself some sort of personal comfort as she looked up at them.
"Lieutenant Hawkeye? Are you-"
"Sin was a state alchemist in the war…but he was not in it for the fighting or protecting of our country- nor even for the fun of killing like Kimblee…Sins motives were even more sinister."
Upon receiving only silence Hawkeye continued, "As all the state alchemist were fighting off the local citizens they couldn't help but notice a certain population decreasing from the crowd they were going against. Children…all around the ages of twelve to fifteen- male or female, they were just gone. It was not until Colonel Mustang himself stumbled upon the incident that the sickening acts stopped.
All soldiers were on complete understanding that Sin was fighting on the outskirts of the Ishvalan territory but that is not what happened, he had been gathering this certain age range of children and…he had been raping them then murdering them. Colonel Mustang had managed to hear the scream of a young boy as he was investigating a home invasion but…he found Sin and the boy instead.
It took every ounce of him not to burn Sin to a crisp that day, he had turned him in to the government but we never heard a word about him again. It had been like he had just disappeared from the war all together. We had assumed he had gotten executed as the Fuhrer was furious the day Colonel Mustang turned Sin in…but apparently not."
Breda and Falman both looked at the mute boy across the alley way in unimaginable fear and anger, "so…you think that he-"
Hawkeye cut the shaking Breda off in haste not wanting to think about it herself, "I don't know…not yet. However, I do know that no matter what we have to catch this man."
Deciding that Alphonse's methods of hysterics were not working Hughes put a hand on the shaking armored shoulder, "Alphonse, would it be ok if I tried to talk to him?" He asked in a gentle tone. If there was anything that Maes Hughes had learned about these boys in the short time he had known them it was that they were inseparable- especially when tragedy struck.
Although the armor only gave off a faint glow in replacement of eyes for Alphonse, Hughes knew in that moment those glowing red orbs staring back at him help such tremendous pain. "Y-yes..you can."
Nodding Hughes then took a knee, his emerald eyes piercing into the dulled golden ones that would only stare straight ahead. "Ed…please look at me, you are hurt really bad and the paramedics will be here soon but it might help them if you can tell your exact injuries."
That got an unexpected reaction, Ed scrambled to get up as his senses picked up on one word- paramedics. "No! No…I am fine. I promise. I am just a little confused, my head hurts and-"
"It might be a concussion brother you need to stay still!" Alphonse pleaded as he and Hughes closed in on the already cornered Edward and held him in place.
"I'm fine Alphonse! Damnit, just let me go back to the hotel, I can take care of myself there!"
Hughes took that moment to speak up not wanting the two to fight. "Edward, you and I both know that these injuries are too severe to be patched up. You have to go to the hospital, I promise you that I will get the most trusted doctors in that place, you will not have to worry about any danger." He knew Sin's past, about the rapes and murders of countless children, Ed's persistence to avoid the hospital only proved his theory right.
Ed looked at his broken auto mail arm hanging limply at his side, trying to figure out the quickest way he could just clap his hands together. It was futile as Hughes saw this attempt and sighed, "Ed, you can't run from this..." He was infuriated, here was this strong kid that had already been through hell and back and now this?
Ed shook his head hopelessly as he looked away from Hughes and up to his little brother, "Alphonse please get me out of here."
Al looked at his pleading brother, "Brother I can't…"
"Al…please! I-I just want to be with you!"
Alphonse's soul ached as his brother looked up at him with such a desperate and lost gaze, it resembled that of when he was stuck in the human transmutation creation they had unsuccessfully created for only a few seconds, Ed reaching towards him, his eyes drowning in terror and that gut wrenching scream- "N-no brother you have to get medical help, I will be right beside you, I promise."
Ed clenched his left hand, trying to draw strength back into his body. He knew he would inevitably have to go to the hospital, it had been a trivial fantasy to think otherwise honestly. Yet, Ed couldn't accept it, if they took him there they would undoubtedly find out what sick things had happened. He wouldn't be able to even look at his fellow comrades anymore without feeling horrible, not only that but how would he explain to his little brother that such a thing happened to him?
What if they don't believe me?
Ed's eyes grew at that realization, would they even believe him? Would they believe that he, the Fullmetal alchemist, tried to defend himself the best he possibly could and tried everything in his power to keep anything from happening? Or would they think that he somehow meant for this to happen-
Upon hearing an ambulance pull up Ed once again fought past Hughes and Al's arms to get up, "No…I'm not going and that's final!"
Ed tried to keep his hysterical emotions at bay but as the three paramedics started towards him he grew frantic, his nerves firing, willing him to get the hell away from this place no matter what. "NO!" Ed began coughing as he tried to jerk his flesh arm over enough to just connect his hands but to no avail.
As the coughing fit continued Ed became less trouble, he fell to his hands and knees coughing, blood started dripping from his mouth as the coughs grew more severe. Paramedics clothing flooded his ever-disappearing vision as tears swelled in the corners of his eyes. They are going to find out.
As the coughing subsided and the paramedics had him held down to the stretcher Ed then sunk back into the reality of his actual situation as he heard his own sobbing between his raspy breathing, Al's desperate screams, the sound of fighting and yelling.
He could only cry now, it was all he had wanted to do the entire time and now that he couldn't run, fight or barely even breath, Edward Elric simply cried. He casted his eyes forward at the scene of Hawkeye, Breda, Havoc and even Falman trying to hold Al back from a transmutation circle he must have drawn.
"A-Al…" He sounded pathetic to his own ears but to anyone else it was not even a whisper that could be heard from the boy, he just wanted his brother.
"Brother! Let me go with him!" Al howled as the paramedics assured him that he could visit, "Sir! you cannot fit in the ambulance! Your brother needs medical attention immediately, if you could just meet us at the hospital-"
"I can't leave his side!" More fighting ensued as the paramedics rushed back to Ed's stretcher, concern and slight fear plagued their faces as they continued to wheel Ed towards the ambulance.
A wave of fear crashed down on him as he looked up at the two paramedics pushing him, one was a petite girl but the other was a guy. Taking no other observation of the middle-aged man Ed fought past the pain in his throat and ribs and let out a scream, it was broken but all the while desperate.
He tried anything he could as the third paramedic joined in trying to get the damned restraining straps around his body.
Irrational thoughts of further violation crossed his mind as he fought against the restraints with all the energy he had. No... not again! This will not happen again!
Chaos ruled over the crisp autumn air until an angry shout pierced through everyones thoughts.
"Alphonse Elric!"
Ed watched in horror as Al's body gave in on itself and collapsed on its knees, Is Alphonse ok? Why isn't he moving?! … Are they with Sin? Is that Mustang- is Mustang with Sin? Are they…all with Sin?
"Alphonse!" Ed desperately called out, his flailing persisted even more as the ambulance doors slammed shut.
"We need to get him calmed down now, he is going to hurt himself even more at this point!" Called out the anxious petite woman nurse, to Ed's relief another woman answered across from her. She was also quite small, but seemed completely calm. Even in Ed's chaotic mind her stare seemed to soothe him,
"Edward- that's your name right?"
Feeling as he was almost in a dream Ed nodded in delirious stupor, his kicking and screaming ceased as he could have sworn the woman was his mother.
"You are going to be ok Edward, I can only promise that if you let us help you though. Will you let us help you?"
Ed's eyes glossed over as tears once again took the lead in the string of manic emotions cursing his senses. As he stared at the woman in tired fascination and amazement the other nurse took that opportunity to lightly sedate the already delirious boy. He didn't even look over as she carefully administered the needle and began to attempt to stop the major bleeding in his arm.
"…lost a lot of blood…delirious…immediate help…...surgery….."
Ed accepted the by now welcoming darkness as his conscious gave in on itself.
"…Brother…"
No worries.
"Please wake up…"
No sadness.
"….can't leave me….."
No fear.
"I need you."
Then again….no Alphonse.
Tired golden eyes opened as Ed tried to make sense of what his conscious just did, "Al.."
An unexpected gasp, "Brother!"
"Jeez…w-what a nightmare…" Ed coughed as he tried to sit up, instant pain ran across every nerve ending making him stop with a pained grunt.
"Brother…"
Ed's eyes widened in horror as he looked around him, all the pain and memories rushing back. Letting himself fall back into the bed Ed stared at the hospital ceiling above him in unfiltered hopelessness and confusion.
"No."
Definitely a little more character building going on in this one I feel, let me know what you guys think!