Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Guilt ridden II: That F'ing stone! ❯ Back alley arguement, Ed's dilemma ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Full Metal Alchemist, just a fan here folks.

 

Warning: LEMON scene's, Language, violence & other stuff.

 

Summary: It isn't a sequel to my other Guilt ridden, more a different set of events with a similar, but not quiet, idea. EdxWinry, RoyxRiza, AlxRose (Implied).

 

Chapter 7: Back alley arguement, Ed's dilemma.

 

Ed feet pounded the concrete of Dubliths back streets.

His breath was coming to him raggedly as he tried to catch the chimera. And yet no matter how hard or fast he ran it seemed that all he could manage was a glimpse of tatty cloak or shine of pasty bald head as the chimera slipped around the corner ahead of him.

Dam he's fast Ed wondered as he felt the glass bottle within his coat pocket slam against his chest. Just slow down! He thought skidding around the corner and having to duck under the low archway that crossed across the alleyway. He saw the chimera come to a halt in front of a huge wall that stood at the end of the alleyway and a small smirk crossed his lips.

“Got ya now you little runt, where you going to run too now?” Ed said as he slowed down. The chimera turned its head and grinned insanely at Ed “you'll have to do better then that to catch me” it said before leaping to the top of the wall in one bound. Ed stopped dead in his tracks, head craned backwards so he could measure the height of the wall, no way I'll be able to jump up there he thought dejectedly as he rested his back to the smooth cold brick and caught his breath.

As his chest rose and fell and his breath came in ragged gasps Ed tipped his head forward and closed his eyes. How long has it been since I've pushed myself so hard? He asked himself feeling as though he had just run a marathon. He struggled to keep his knees from collapsing out from under him.

“Where'd he go?” Ed looked up to see both Mustang and Al standing in front of him, both of them as out of breath as Ed. Without trying to stop catching his breath Ed pointed up. “Up there?” Mustang said having caught his breath and now looking up to the top of the tall sheer brick wall. “So why have we stoped?” Al asked clearly struggling to catch his breath.

“You going to jump up that high? `Cause I can't” Ed stated. “Then why not just go through it?” Al asked clapping his hands together. “NO!” Ed exclaimed causing both Al and Mustang to jump in shock. “What? Why not, you were always the first to use alchemy to solve simple problems like this” Al said with an honest confusion written all over his face.

Ed let out a long sigh before opening his coat and revealing the bottle in his inside breast pocket. “Oh” Al said “well just because you can't use alchemy I will” Al moved forward to create an opening in the wall. Ed stepped in front of him his features taut with seriousness.

“Sorry Al, but I'm just not comfortable with alchemy anymore, of any kind regardless of who's doing it” Ed said. “Wh-, what the hell are you on about? It's just alchemy and you were always more then ready to use it yourself” Al said a look of confusion and annoyance on his face. “That was then, this is now and after everything I-…… look just forget it and don't use alchemy around me okay Al?” Ed said with a heavy sigh.

“Afraid not Ed, if you want to impose such a wild restriction on this mission you'll have to do better then `just because'” Mustang said folding his arms in disapproval. “Yeah big brother, it's such a crazy request that I'll need a better explanation” Al said. “Well I can't tell you, sorry but you'll have to trust me on this” Ed said. “Then I can't not use my skills big brother” Al stated defiantly.

As Al clapped his hands together Ed reached out and grabbed his younger brother's wrists “can't let you do that Al” he said with a low voice that bordered on a whisper. “Let go Ed” Al said back defiantly. “No” Ed said without yelling, the two of them were so close both glaring at each other with defiance and annoyance in their eyes. So loaded and tense was Ed one word reply that it would have only ruined things had he yelled.

Al squirmed, trying to free his wrists, “I said let go!” Al yelled. “Let go Ed” Mustang said seriously, clearly no longer amused with this whole situation. “Fine” Ed said letting go of Al wrists and throwing his hands up in the air in a display of theatrical defeat “but you're the ones who will be sentencing innocent people to death” Ed said causing both Al and Mustang to stop dead.

“W-What, what do you mean?” Al asked. “You heard me” Ed said glumly as he sat down, his back pressing against the cool brick wall and his legs stretched out in front of him. “Death? Innocent people, where, when?” Al asked in confusion. “The other side” Ed mumbled looking away in disinterest.

“The other side of what?” Mustang asked his back rigid as he kept his arms folded. “What do you think? The other side of the gate” Ed said in disgust as he shot a glare of irritation at Mustang. “You expect me to believe that the deaths of innocent people on the `other side of the gate' are what allow us to perform alchemy, not energy?” Mustang said glaring right back.

“And just where the flying hell do you think that energy comes from Mustang? Energy isn't just created you know, it has to come from somewhere and only the death of hundreds of innocent people on the other side of the gate can recycle enough energy into our world to allow alchemists to do alchemy” Ed stated staring right back at Mustang his gaze never waving.

The look of shock that dawned on Mustang's face was almost comical, “T-that is the single most…….. Unbelievable thing you've ever said Ed, you honestly expect me to believe that's you reason for no longer doing alchemy and why you don't want us doing it either, you must be mad” Mustang said as he seemed ready to start laughing in disbelief.

“If you don't believe me fine, I know the truth and even if he isn't consciously aware of it Al knows the truth as well” Ed said turning his gaze from Mustang to a very quiet and shocked Al who stood stock still wide eyed and clearly seeing something in his minds eye.

“Right Al?” Ed `asked' hoping for one specific answer. Al's eyes were clouded and glazed as he saw something deep within himself that no man or women could see outside of himself. And then the glazed look evaporated and he blinked “huh? Oh yeah I err…… big brother's right, it's on the other side of the gate” Al said his voice a quiet mumble of shock and embarrassment.

“I can't believe you two” Mustang said. “Well it's the truth so if you want to do your little `party trick' of throwing flames around be my guest, but the blood will be on your hands” Ed stated. “Fine, if it'll make you two happy then no alchemy, but we need a way to find that little bugger” Mustang said looking back up to the top of the wall.

“Then perhaps I can be of assistance” a loud deep voice called out from behind them. Ed looked past Al and Mustang and saw both Armstrong and Riza standing at the end of the alleyway. “And just how did you know we were here?” Mustang asked turning his back to Ed.

“Easy” Riza said with a small smirk “we just-“she was willingly cut off by Armstrong. “Used the legendary Armstrong tracking skills that have been past down for generations” he said with a pose as small pink stars twinkled around him. “And just how did I know he was going to say that” Ed mumbled good humouredly breaking the previous tension in the air and causing both himself, Al and Mustang to start chuckling.

“And given that the three of you left a great big hole in Mr Curtis's backyard it wasn't too difficult to figure out that something happened, so we just came looking……. Fully prepared of course” Riza said revealing the two holstered pistols underneath her jacket. “You think you can spare one of those?” Al asked taking Ed by surprise. “Sure” Riza replied unholstering a pistol and passing it to Al before removing the other and holding it out towards Ed “since you won't transmute things anymore” she said as if sensing the question he was about to ask.

“Umm…… Thanks, I guess” Ed replied in surprise as he reached out and accepted the firearm. It was a heavy weight, solid and good kept to an above average level of cleanliness and readiness by Riza's constant attention and skill. It occurred to Ed that he was going to, more then likely, shot something or someone with it and it shocked him how comfortable he was with it.

Pushing himself upwards Ed carefully slipped the pistol into the top of his pants and looked at the others “well, let's go find the little bastard……. Wherever he decided to go” he said with a small smile of re-found confidence.

 

A/U: Okay, it's short but it took forever and I honestly just want to hurry up and finish this story, it's going to be shorter then the other one but it'll have more action. Anyway, the O.O.C. is getting worse I know, and I apologise but it can't be helped. And as for Ed's reluctance to use alchemy, well that'll come into play. Special thanks to `HIYA24' who actually posted comments about this fic (yeah!) the first one to do so actually, so a big thank you goes to you! And I can't think of anything else for now so until next time LATER……….