Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ For Your Own Good ❯ Deliberately Disobeying ( Chapter 4 )

For Your Own Good

Disclaimers: If I owned Full Metal Alchemist you can bet Hughes wouldn't have died. XP So no, I don't own it.

 

Whoo. I'm back. Love me, for I have decided to update. All of about two people care, though. -insert goofy face-

 

This chapter is for you, Twins. You know who you are. XD

 

-LAST TIME ON FOR YOUR OWN GOOD-

 

He could almost hear them... crackling as they moved silently through the air.

 

There was no mistaking the taste of smoke.

 

“In one night? Impossible. This is Central, the most secure military city in the world.”

 

“Up and at 'em, Fullmetal.”

 

Edward felt somewhat silly standing in his boxers in front of a fully uniformed lieutenant colonel.

 

“I don't know the first thing about putting out fires.”

 

“But sir, there's children in the house there…”

 

“You are to go to the units and put out that fire first. You hear me, Ed? That is a direct order.”

 

Defiant still.

 

“Fullmetal needs to learn his place. He needs to learn that in order to be in this military he has to follow orders. And for once he needs to damn well learn some damn respect.”

 

“You horrible heartless bastard!”

 

“Make sure they follow orders, Hughes.”

 

“Uh. Yes, sir,” answered Hughes somewhat glumly.

 

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Chapter Four:

Deliberately Disobeying

 

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“The fellow that agrees with everything you say is either a fool or is he is getting ready to skin you.”

-Kin Hubbard

xxx

 

Maes Hughes wasn't one for breaking up disputes. He didn't like standing in between typical soldiers, let alone alchemists. And he didn't like refereeing either. Roy had already commented that he made a lousy one. It was only Mustang's knowledge of Hughes personality that gave him the advantage to his and Ed's play fight.

 

But for all the years they had known each other, Hughes had never seen Mustang react with such military strictness. It bothered him. Something was definitely happening inside that guy's head that he hadn't mentioned to anyone else. Not even he, Hughes, knew what was bothering him. Riots happened before, certainly not this many at the same time, but Roy Mustang seemed to have totally lost his composure with Edward.

 

A few fires and riots wouldn't shake him up, not against Ed. Mustang never got angry with Edward. And to see him, matching shout for shout, threatening the state alchemist- it was unnerving.

 

Hughes narrowed his eyes, thinking harder as if it might help him understand. But he couldn't. He had thought that the reason Mustang had pointed the Elrics to the Military and had helped them out on so many occasions was because he was amused by the kids- just like Hughes himself was. They were ambitious and hopeful.

 

Hughes assumed, that in some way, Mustang saw himself inside the elder boy. Roy was far too nice to Edward all this time… Covering for the boy when he made obvious mistakes. Hiding their deepest and darkest secret even at threat of his position. Letting them save lives, letting them be super heroes.

 

Roy liked Edward. It was in his smiles to Edward's insults. It was in the way he looked at Ed with such admiration- with almost father like appreciation. The colonel looked at Edward much like Hughes looked at Elicia. Roy expected great things from Edward. He had watched, just like Hughes, Edward grow slowly from a helpless crippled badmouth child into a handsome and powerful young man, who sometimes still had a bad mouth.

 

But only moments ago those eyes that had once looked on with such respect and care, were now hard and cold. Sure he always had hidden his approval from Edward but these weren't his typical indifferent eyes either. They were almost… terrifying.

 

“Why now, all of the sudden, do you change?” Hughes muttered under his breath. “Why now are you suddenly a hard ass, Roy?”

 

Hughes sighed and turned, hoping to somewhat lessen Edward's seething rage. It would be hard. Edward wasn't easy to calm, especially when it came to the Colonel.

 

“Don't let what Roy says bother you,” Hughes muttered softly turning towards the alchemist. But instead of facing a child, clad in red robes and blonde braided hair, and his giant suit of armor brother- there was no one.

 

“Damn!” Hughes hissed whirling about. The alleyway they were on was completely bare. The boys must have left his side long ago. Only one pair of footprints followed him here and those were his own. He must have been so wrapped up in his own thoughts he had neglected to notice them leave.

 

But it was no matter. Hughes knew where they were going.

 

“Ha, well, we will just be a little late in joining Mustang then,” Hughes smiled softly walking back where they came, “I'll take my time- maybe they can save a kid or two before I catch up.”

 

Hughes stopped at a distant shout. It sounded like someone was calling his name. A rush of footfalls came from behind him. Hughes assumed it was a sentry- sometimes they sent them as messengers. Perhaps Roy had a change of plans for them. Maybe he had come to his senses and was letting the Elrics stay to save the children. Grinning, Hughes turned to accept what he thought would be good news.

 

But he heard nothing. In mid turn, someone rapped him over the head with a blunt object. He went down hard. Only half conscious, and numbly noticing warm blood slipping down his face, Hughes felt someone drag his body into the shadows. No sentry ran pass. His so-called messenger was his attacker.

 

Pain distorting his vision and consciousness slowly seeping out of his opened wounds, Hughes was only able to cling onto the words his quiet attacker decided to tell him.

 

“… in the way. I can't have that.”

 

Squinting as blood dribbled over his left eyelid, Hughes could make out nothing. “W-who are you?”

 

The shadowy figure smiled and unbuttoned his side pouch. At least he was dressed as a military officer. Hughes still couldn't see its face.

 

He pulled out a black handle and snapped it open. It gleamed in the moonlight and Hughes eyes shined with fear. A blade. The person pressed the knife against Hughes throat. It enjoyed watching him swallow and tremble just slightly at its cold touch.

 

“No,” he withdrew and Hughes breathed easier. “Not tonight Hughes. We'll let you live a little longer. We have something special planned for the likes of you.”

 

“W-what are you after?” Hughes sputtered in what he hoped was a brave voice.

 

The creature smiled and cut Hughes' cheek, watching the blood issue from the wound with sinister pleasure. Hughes winced. The person crouched close and Hughes could feel their hot breath on his skin. He shivered involuntarily.

 

“Little boys,” it grinned licking the blood, Hughes' blood, off its silver blade. “The blonde state alchemist kind. That's what I want- tonight anyway.”

 

Hughes found his vision failing him at last. Before going completely under he heard the quiet laugh of his attacker wishing him pleasant dreams.

xxx

 

“Where are they?” Roy grumbled to himself.

 

Surely they hadn't disobeyed him. Edward might have but Hughes wasn't like that. And it was this that worried him.

 

The fires raged and Armstrong finally returned holding many officers in his enormous muscular arms. Mustang watched silently as Armstrong and many other alchemist worked in bringing members down from the fire alive. They were even lucky enough to have a few alchemists on hand that specialized in manipulating water.

 

Running his fingers through his small patch of blonde hair, Armstrong finally approached the Colonel and Hawkeye.

 

“Good work, Major Armstrong,” Hawkeye saluted so Mustang didn't have to.

 

Louis was staring peculiarly at Mustang, as if he could almost read the man's anxiousness in his eyes. Mustang moved his eyes to meet Armstrong's and the man faltered.

 

“Everyone is out of the building!” came a distant shout. And then came another, “It's coming down!!”

 

The three military dogs watched solemnly as the building collapsed in on itself. People pushed past them, voicing were shouting, but Mustang did not move. His eyes were totally taken in by the uncontrollable flames.

 

“It's been too long,” he said at long last.

 

“Pardon, sir?” inquired Hawkeye not really hearing him. Armstrong was looking over again.

 

“I'm going to look for Hughes and Full Metal. You and Armstrong take charge, Hawkeye,” Mustang spat before taking off in the opposite direction.

 

He left them without any chance to protest. Hawkeye and Armstrong exchanged disgruntled stares.

 

“The brothers are in trouble,” Armstrong proclaimed darker than necessary. “Stay strong, Elrics. Let brotherly love keep you alive-!”

 

“I'm sure it's not that serious,” said Hawkeye offhandedly interrupting him.

xxx

 

Alphonse stood resolutely against the hydrant carefully aiming the water at the parts of the structure that were still stable. He couldn't risk Edward getting trapped. Every few minutes he would push and pull the funnel in a new direction. It was his job- his big brother had entrusted him to it.

 

The flames reflected in his armor's shine eerily.

Al stared with his soulful red eyes through the thick flames, wondering how his brother was fairing. There would be no sign until he emerged back into the safety of the night. And Alphonse hated waiting. He hated not knowing and he absolutely despised his tendency to worry in these times. His imagination had grown more grotesque over the years. Having already seen his brother half dead, limbs severed, and blood soaked once before, it was quite easy for the youngest Elric to come up with even more gruesome deaths for his brother.

 

The children's cries had long since died away leaving only the sounds of the roaring fire echoing in the night. Why had Edward gone alone? Alphonse still thought he should have gone in himself. But Edward's calm reassurances made Alphonse stay. Ed was faster, Ed wasn't scary looking to children, and Ed was smaller. Course, while it took a lot for Ed to admit this, it was true.

 

But the thing Edward left out was, he wasn't immortal. His had flesh that burned. Edward was strong but not strong enough to move something that might fall on him. He had bones that could be crushed.

 

In reality, Edward was a fragile little doll. And while he might not have considered his own wellbeing as being important, Alphonse thought it was. While he might think he's invincible with his alchemy, Alphonse knew he wasn't. Edward wouldn't admit it, but Alphonse knew he knew. Edward was putting himself in great peril by attempting to get those children out by himself.

 

It might have been just the trick of the light but Alphonse thought he saw the building sag. Worried, Alphonse moved the fountain of the water another direction. The house trembled as the water hit… but it didn't do anymore than that.

 

And then Alphonse Elric heard it. The one sound he couldn't ignore.

 

A kitten's cry sounded from the building. And Alphonse's supposed heart hammered.

 

Oh no, he thought with trembling fear. Brother… What should I do?

xxx

 

Edward reached the second landing just as the stairs gave way. Flames biting at his flesh and christening him a much darker hue, Edward moved quickly. He had no time to morn over the loss of the staircase. He would just have to find another way down.

 

The children's cries had stopped but Edward knew which window they had called from. The hallway he was in was littered with debris and the carpet was slowly erupting into a lawn of flames. Skillfully dodging the patches of flames, Edward had quickly and easily reached the room.

 

His breathing was starting to go shallow. Edward assumed that he had maybe a good couple of minutes before the smoke started to bring him down.

 

The other rooms in house had all their doors opened except the last one. Ed has cast quick looks into all of them, in case he fell upon some other person he had not anticipated. He found no one.

 

Edward reached the end room, looking only momentarily at a picture of what looked like someone's grandmother on the wall. He drew back and clapped. The rest the physics of alchemy took care of. With simply running the palms of his hands into the solid oak, the wood imploded.

 

It looked to have been one of the kid's rooms. A boy's room, judging by the large kid friendly train set in the corner that was starting to smolder. Edward saw them immediately. There were two boys and a girl. One of the boys looked to be about Edward's age while the other two were around eight or seven.

 

Regrettably, Edward knew he couldn't carry them all. He quickly reached the first boy and felt for a pulse… but he was gone. Trying not to be affected, Edward moved on to the younger brother. A pulse vibrated softly from his neck. The little one was still alive and was even managing to breathe. The girl was actually coughing softly which indicated that she could still breathe as well.

 

Edward left the oldest and draped both the younger children over him. The boy woke at the movement but was too weak to say anything. Edward hadn't noticed until the child's terrified eyes met his.

 

“It's okay. Everything's going to be alright. I got ya,” Edward reassured him, carefully rising to his feet. The floorboards began to groan and in anticipation, Edward quickly took leave of the room.

 

The girl was still unconscious, while as the boy was now clutching tightly to his shirt. He still had not spoken. His eyes were of an amber color. Edward was strongly reminded of his own younger brother when holding him. It caused him great ache and a certain loss of concentration.

 

Ed stepped falsely and the floor gave way beneath their weight. The boy let out a hallowed scream as they started to fall- but Ed's instinct was far faster. He managed to grab hold of the corner of the hole they just made with his automail arm. The boy had fastened his grip around Edward's neck still crying piteously. The little girl had fallen off Ed's shoulder but not before Edward had fastened his hand about her wrist. She hung limply bellow them, looking not much different from a rag doll.

 

“Drop her!” The boy on his back cried. “Or we'll die too!”

 

“Shut up!” Edward snapped swaying a bit too much for the boy's liking. “Damn coward.”

 

The boy held onto Edward tighter, tears pouring down his face, “I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die.”

 

“You won't die, now shut up,” Edward grumbled, “What kind of man, are you?”

 

The boy whimpered some more but quickly silenced himself. Edward was thinking quickly, this was a tricky situation if he had ever been in one.

 

Frowning, Edward looked back at the boy clinging to his neck. It wouldn't be long before the boy's arms gave way. And while the drop wasn't far, theoretically speaking, to the next floor, there seemed hardly a safe place to land without landing in flames or breaking through to the basement floor.

 

And being trapped there was a really bad thing.

 

Edward focused upon his fading grip over the young girl's. He had to come up with something fast… or else…

 

“S-should I?” The boy started to push himself up back to the next floor but Edward jerked against him.

 

“No. Just hold on to me real tight.”

 

The boy started to shake. He held onto Ed tight, wrapping his tiny legs and arms over Ed's much larger body. Ed felt sorry for the boy but more so for the girl. What he had planned would harm her far more than the little boy.

 

“Be strong,” Edward grunted in warning to the boy just as he let go.

xxx

 

“Hughes!” shouted Mustang seeing his best friend's form in the shadows huddled against an ally wall.

His heart thudded painfully at the sight, and he was suddenly reminded of Scar.

 

He might not have been a state alchemist but that hadn't stopped Scar from killing others before. Maybe he had gotten in Scar's way of Edward… His heart beat faster at the thought.

 

When he reached the body, he gratefully let out a sigh of relief. Hughes was snoring deeply and peaceful against the brace of the back wall. There was dried blood on his head where he might have suffered some physical blow to the skull, and some more from a thin cut on his cheek.

 

Someone had been toying with him, Mustang concluded. But then did that mean that Ed and Al were… kidnapped? The very idea of it was rather inane. And Mustang couldn't see why Ed and Al would do this to Hughes either. Sure they were physically capable of knocking the lieutenant colonel unconscious… but then that didn't explain that thin cut nor did it explain why Ed and Al couldn't just outrun Hughes as they had in the past.

 

It just didn't make sense, and Hughes was in no position to fill the colonel in. Roy sighed and squatted down to Hughes' level, eyeing the sleeping man with both displeasure and amusement. He tested the man's pockets and pulled out a thick and full wallet. Plenty of untouched pictures of his daughter and a good amount of cash still left.

 

“Who the hell did you piss off Hughes for them to not even bother robbing you?”

 

He laughed but immediately stopped when catching sight of a silhouette on the opposite side off the alley. Lighting flashed overhead, lighting up the man's facial features for Roy Mustang. And after that, Roy felt as though he had stopped breathing.

 

The rain started to pitter down from the skies becoming the perfect backdrop to the perfect living nightmare. Mustang crouched beside his unconscious comrade completely frozen as Scar stood only feet away not noticing them.

 

Scar turned and Roy took this moment not to attack but to hide behind the corner. He was sweating and shaking uncontrollably. It couldn't have been him, could it? And why did it always have to rain when that guy was around?

 

Roy peeked around the corner again. Scar was still there, looking about as if he were searching for something…

 

Or someone.

 

Roy held his breath and closed his eyes, pressing himself as flat as he could against the wall. There wasn't much he could do but wait until the man left. He was alone and Scar wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of such a rare opportunity.

 

He cursed himself for being scared. He cursed himself for being weak. And just in spite of everything he snapped.

 

The snap echoed through the ally like a trumpet and, of course, his glove was too damp now to even spark. Roy hissed curses at himself and crushed his fingers beneath his foot. But it was too late. He could hear the looming footfalls grow closer. Soon Scar would see Hughes and Mustang would have to reveal his position to protect him.

 

Awaiting the inevitable, Mustang pressed himself tighter against the wall. His heart was pounding wildly, and sweat beaded feriously down his face with the rain.

 

And then came the scream. It was horrible bloodcurdling shriek that filled all the ears around that could hear it with intense dread. A tormenting piteous cry that was so dreadful it almost sounded inhuman. Roy didn't recognize it as fast as Scar.

 

“Full metal,” a bodiless voice grumbled only a mere seconds after the scream was cast. Mustang leapt around the corner hoping to stop him- but Scar was gone.

 

“No,” Roy hissed while turning in the direction he thought it might have come. “Edward.”

 

To Be Continued…

Please R & R!

 

From here on out there will be a lot of time and things left unexplained and unknown. It's a mystery! So let's see if you guys can figure out what happened to Edward and Al after we last saw them. Whoo.

 

Oh and Mustang might have been a bit OOC but that will be explained later. It has something to do with the nightmares he's been having lately.

 

Anyway, thanks you all for reading. Review responses are up in my journal. Go to my profile and click on the memories link, from there clicky on the link called RRFMAStories. It would be the entry dated Friday August 5, 2005.

 

Those that reviewed last chapter were: Shichan Goddess, Kitsunefan203, golden-eyed-heretic, Steve128967, Tiff-chan, Gozilla, shadows-insanity, OneDreamADay, and OCEN-CAT.

 

Thanks so much. Make sure you reviews. Your support can only make this story better.