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Chapter Fifteen - Beyond Rivalry

"Hey Ed," Al called out as he watched a familiar form walking across the Squad Four courtyard toward the spot where he was standing. From a distance his brother seemed normal but as Ed drew closer Al could tell that he was, once again, injured. Blood coated his right shoulder and he was walking as though something had happened to his left leg. "Ugh," Al sighed.

Ed noticed the scrutinizing gaze that his brother had directed at him and all he could do was smile. He knew that his brother was getting somewhat tired of treating his constant injuries but what could he do? He was constantly training and going on small missions to the world of the living and sometimes he got hurt during one or both of these activities. It wasn't as though he did it on purpose, it was just the way things were. "Sorry Al," he muttered as he came to a stop in front of his brother. He offered his brother a sheepish grin as Al gazed at him, taking in his bloody appearance.

"Come with me," Al said, turning and leading the way toward the entrance to the Squad Four barracks.

Ed nodded and fell into step behind his brother. The going was slow, since Ed could only hobble after Al, but the brothers did eventually make it to one of the closer exam rooms. Al ushered his brother inside and then followed, closing the door as he did so.

"So what happened this time?" Al asked as he watched his brother sit down gingerly on the exam table.

"Hollow," Ed replied in an uncustomary quiet voice. There was a strange look in his golden eyes as he said this, as though he were lost in thought.

"A Hollow?" Al repeated, somewhat surprised that a single enemy had managed to get the drop on his brother and cause such serious injuries. It wasn't like Ed to allow something like this to happen. Al had actually been thinking that the older boy had probably gotten a little carried away during training or something.

"No," Ed snapped, some of the fire returning to his golden eyes. "A large group of them."

Well that made a little more sense, Al thought to himself as he began to treat Ed's injuries. If he had been ganged up on by a large group of Hollow then it was only natural that he sustained some injuries. But this revelation brought up another question that Al wanted to know the answer to. "So why were you fighting so many on your own Edward? Did you run off without thinking again?"

"No," Ed growled, his hands clenching into fists as he thought back to the events that had brought him here to the infirmary. The movement caused a flash of pain in his injured shoulder but Ed found that he didn't care very much at the moment. He wanted blood over this particular incident and was already plotting a way to get even. "I went with a group of five. Unfortunately they didn't really see any need to help me."

Al gasped, his gray eyes widening in horror. "You mean they left you?"

Ed shook his head. "No. I mean they stood around and watched the fight, from a safe distance of course. Tomori thought that I should have no problem taking on the group of Hollow, and I might not have if they had been your average low level Hollow but these were something else."

"I'm sorry Ed," Al apologized as he continued to treat his brother's injuries.

"For what?" Ed asked, one eyebrow arched as he gazed at his younger brother.

"For thinking that you brought this upon yourself," Al murmured, his gaze focusing anywhere except on the face of his brother.

Ed laughed which caused Al to look up. There was a broad smile on Ed's face and he didn't show even a trace of anger. "You don't have to apologize. After all the trouble I get into is usually my fault so why wouldn't you think that? It's okay Al."

Al offered his brother a smile. "Thanks."

"The one whose really gonna regret that this happened is that bastard Tomori," Ed growled, clenching one hand into a fist and holding it up. He had learned his lesson as far as that was concerned and he kept his right arm still so as not to further aggravate the wound on his shoulder. "He just stood there and watched while I fought those assholes."

"And the others didn't even try to help?" Al asked, shocked.

"They might have," Ed said in a thoughtful tone. "If Tomori hadn't ordered them not to. They're all scared of him so they did as they were told. I don't blame them half as much as I blame him. As soon as I get just a little bit better with my zanpaktou I'm going to challenge him and he's going to regret this grudge that he has going on against me."

"Why does he hate you so much anyway Nii-san?" Al asked as he finished treating his brother's wounds. He had opted to use a healing kidou instead of his zanpaktou, so the wounds would still be somewhat sore for a couple of days, but his brother would be fine after that.

"I have no idea," Ed replied as he hopped down from the exam table. "Normally I remember the things I do to piss people off and I can safely say that I haven't done anything to that bastard. He just took a disliking to me for whatever reason and now he's made it his official job to make my life miserable." An evil aura suddenly surrounded the young blond boy. "But he's going to regret it, this I promise you."

"Just try to stay out of trouble for a little while Nii-san," Al begged as the two brothers left the treatment room together.

"Oh come on," Ed said, turning to glance at his brother over his shoulder and offering him a roguish grin. "If I did that then what would you do to keep busy."

"Trust me," Al said, shaking his head. "I have plenty to do without having to fix you up every other day."

"It's not every other day," Ed snapped.

"Close enough so as not to matter," Al maintained.

"Anyway, thanks for the help," Ed said as he and Al reached the end of the courtyard. "I should probably get over to Squad Five so that I can report to Captain Kurosaki."

"Are you going to tell him what happened?" Al asked, a questioning gaze focused on his brother.

Ed shook his head. "Just that I fought a group of Hollow and ended up wounded. The other thing that happened is between me and Tomori and I WILL get my revenge. You can count on it. Equivalent Exchange is a bitch."

Al sighed, thinking that his brother was going to get himself into trouble, but said nothing on the subject. "Take care Ed."

"I'll see you later Al," Ed said, waving over his shoulder as he walked away.

As Ed made his way toward the Squad Five barracks his thoughts shifted back to the battle that he had fought in the world of the living. That group of Hollow had appeared normal enough, until he had engaged them in combat that is. That's when he found out that they were anything but normal. They had fought like madmen and had been so strong that they were almost like genetically enhanced Hollow.

"What the hell..." the young boy thought to himself as he slowly walked toward the Squad Five barracks.

What had taken place didn't make any sense to him and the young Shinigami decided that he would have to investigate the situation and find out what had caused that particular group of Hollow to be so damn tough. It was suspicious and he wanted to know what was going on.

The enemies that he had fought had reminded him of something and Ed searched his memories, trying to recall exactly what that something was. Then he gasped as the answer came to him in a flash. The Hollow that he had fought reminded him of chimera, beasts created by alchemy to be the ultimate weapon.

"No way..." Ed thought, his golden eyes widening.

It wasn't possible... was it?

A/N - This chapter was short but I hope that you enjoyed it. Please leave a review and tell me what you thought.