Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Unknown Sacrifice ❯ Death of a Friend ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: Uniasus

Unknown Sacrifice

AU from Manga chapter 35

Chapter 2— Death of a Friend

How could Edward have these memories, which weren't his? Roy thought. How can I be seeing them? The answer presented itself in Ed's memories, which Roy now had memories of. His contact with the raw material for the Stone.

It had transformed Edward into a god for a short time, was it possible that he had retained some of that power? It seemed he had, nothing else made sense. Or was it that these memories were told to Ed by their owners?

Watching the interactions between the two alchemists from a near by rooftop, Lust smiled. It seemed that Father was right. The Stone's incomplete material, though not perfect, was still powerful. In coming contact with it, Fullmetal had absorbed some of its powers, amplifying his alchemy. Yes, Lust thought, He will do nicely now.

Roy was witnessing a conversation between Major Armstrong and Sergeant Brosh. Ross was already locked up, and it seemed that her gun had a shot unaccounted for. It was thought to be the one that killed Brigadier General Maes Hughes. Brosh though was telling Armstong that that shot had been taken at the Lab 5 incident, before the major had arrived, on some whack job that Alphonse had been fighting. Roy once again used Ed's memory and confirmed. Armstrong, who was denied admittance to see Ross, asked why the sergeant didn't bring this information to those in charge of the case. Brosh replied that they refused to listen, plus there was the added fact that the Lab 5 event was not openly known.

As the memory faded away, a new one surfaced. Roy once again opened his eyes to look at Edward. He seemed to glow slightly, but it could just a trick of the moon behind the blonde, and seemed to be straining against something invisible.

Ed ground his teeth. These new memories…he didn't recognize them at all. He tried to stop the flow, but couldn't. The memories kept coming, they threatened to overcome him, and he wasn't strong enough… All thought left as he witnessed the latest memory and passed it on to the bastard colonel.

The memory belonged to Maes Hughes. He had left the office to call his friend Roy Mustang. What he had could not be overheard, it was classified. Just what Hughes knew, which was not the whole thing, was cause for the universe to turn inside out. The uprisings around the country were forming the outline for a giant transmutation, drawn in the blood of the people.

(I'm taking a stab at this. In the manga Maes figures something out looking at a map, but it's never stated.)

Once in the phone booth he made the call and then turned around upon hearing a voice telling him to put down the telephone. He was facing Second Lieutenant Maria Ross. “Who are you?” Hughes asked.

“I'm Second Lt. Ross. We met several times at the hospital --”

“No you aren't. The Second Lieutenant has a birthmark under her left eye.”

“Is that so? I was being careless,” With that, the figure placed its finger in the indicated spot of the missing feature. In a small nova of blue light a small dark birthmark appeared. “Is this okay?”

Hughes gave a cry of surprise. What type of alchemy was this? Turning back around the Lt. Colonel said “It's like something from a dream…”

“That's right. You're having the ultimate nightmare,” the fake Ross said, placing its gun on the small of Hughes's back. “What a horrible disaster because you're so quick witted.”

“Hey, cut me some slack! I've got a wife and a kid at home.” Maes dropped a throwing knife down his sleeve and into the palm of his hand. Quickly turning around quickly he exclaimed, “I can't die here!!”

Half way through the motion he stopped, catching the figure finishing of the image of his wife Graica.

“You're not going to stab you're wife are you?” the shape changer asked, matching the voice perfectly. The question was answered by the fact that Hughes had not attacked yet and was trembling, sweat dripping down his brow.

“Nice effects, aren't they? Lieutenant Colonel Hughes.” The fake Graica shoot the gun and Maes Hughes collapsed backwards into the phone booth. He didn't move, but stared out of the booth's door. His sightless eyes watched the receding back of his killer.

Roy heard his own frantic voice coming from the phone, calling for his friend to no avail. The figure changed shape once again, to a skinny youth dressed in tight black clothing with long spiked green hair that was slick back. The boy stopped, and turned toward the sound of the voice from the receiver. Grinning he continued forward and slipped away into the night.

Envy…Mustang thought, grounding his teeth and clenching his fists. You bastard.

There was no doubt now in Mustang's mind that Second Lieutenant Maria Ross was innocent, and he was as determined as Edward to rid the world of the homunculi. “Ed…” he breathed out, to apologize for his mistakes with his eyes still closed as his mind mulled over what just transpired.

“Brother!!” Al's shrill voice broke through the night and caused Roy's eyes to snap open.

Roy looked down at Ed. The blonde's sweat covered face held wide, empty eyes. The features told of pain and an internal battle. Looking down Roy saw five, long, slender black spears that had been thrust through Edward's body. Tiny tributaries of blood started down the alchemist's chest and back where he had been wounded racing each other to the ground like raindrops on a window. With a soft plop the race was won. The weapons retracted, and Ed fell forward into his superior.

The Flame Alchemist look up into the eyes of a homunculus called Lust.

There was a moment of silence, and then Roy Mustang set down the still breathing body of Edward Elric. Following the same brainwave, he and Alfonse Elric charged together toward the woman between them.

Lust jumped to the side, laughing as the two attackers stopped just in time to avoid smashing into each other. In an effort to attack she elongated her fingers, grazing Flame's cheek and nearly dislodging Al's head. The pair charged once again, Roy with his hand in front preparing to snap.

Flame erupted and hit the wall, but Lust had already ducked and moved. She now stood over Edward.

“Thanks so much boys,” she cooed.

With that the fiend lifted the lithe alchemist and to her shoulder and jumped to a roof top over looking the alley way. Looking down she called. “This new insight makes him perfect for a sacrifice. Thank you so much Colonel Mustang for breaking and tiring him out for us. I can't wait to give him to Envy to play with before the ceremony.”

With that, the busty woman disappeared into the shadows of the night that hid her kind so well.