Fic - Baiting the Hook chapters 1-3
Title: Baiting The Hook
Author: evil_little_dog and cornerofmadness
Genre: Action
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 8,778
Characters/Pairings: Edward/Winry, Envy, Alphonse, Lust
Warnings: 2003 Anime,
Summary: When Envy and Lust kidnap Winry, it’s up to Ed and Al to rescue her.
Disclaimer: Arakawa owns all
Thanks To: Copperletters for the art that inspired the story. written for fmabigbang
Links: AO3
X X X
More than anything, Winry wished she could see. Maybe not more than anything; she really, really wished that she’d realized the woman who met her at the train station wasn’t Miss Gracia. But she’d been so excited to get the invitation to Elicia’s birthday party - even more so when Miss Gracia said that Ed and Al were in town, and she’d invited them - and planned on a cake for Ed, too. So she’d gotten on the first train out of Risembool, and traveled to Central City, and had climbed off the train and onto the platform, and thought she’d seen Miss Gracia.
She’d looked like Miss Gracia. Completely. With her pretty green eyes and sweet smile, and the way she’d given Winry a hug that made her feel so good. And she’d led Winry to a taxi cab, and it would be her very first time in riding in one of those, and Winry had been so excited! But the driver didn’t taking them to the house on Mayflower Street, instead, driving them away from the few parts of Central City Winry actually knew.
Curious, Winry asked, “Where are we going?”
Miss Gracia had smiled at her. “It’s a surprise,” she said, but her voice sounded different, gravelly, a little strange. She rummaged in her purse, pulling out a handkerchief. It had a funny smell to it, one Winry thought she recognized. Why did she know that smell? She turned to Miss Gracia, only to have the handkerchief slammed over her mouth and nose. Fighting against Miss Gracia’s grip, Winry coughed into the fabric, choking on that stench. “Go to sleep, bait-girl,” she heard Miss Gracia say, but her face shimmered with a peculiar red light, and her eyes were purple now. “Go to sleep until you can be of some use to me.”
Ether! Winry had realized too late, as the drug dragged her down into darkness.
Above her, Gracia Hughes’s shape shimmered with a ruby light, her form changing from feminine curves to harsh angles, her short hair lengthening and changing color to emerald. The driver met Envy’s eyes in the mirror, her own lavender irises glinting with malice. “You really believe this girl is enough to get Edward Elric’s attention?”
Envy smiled, shoving Winry’s body off his shoulder, chuckling when her skull bounced off the window frame. “Oh, he’ll come running when he knows we have her,” he said.
X X X
“I don't see why I have to call in like I'm a child,” Ed said into a telephone booth's sticky receiver. It left smudges of something he didn't even want to think about on his gloves. Outside the booth, his brother rattled and Ed swore he could see a glare knitting up the helmet that passed as Al's face.
“Brother,” Al hissed and Ed waved him off. He was dealing with Colonel Shit. There was no need to be nice.
“If I had something to report, I would call and tell you. I don't need kept on a short leash, calling in every day.”
“What if I had information for you?” Mustang's voice sounded tinny on the line and Ed wondered if anyone was listening in. He knew Hughes was always wary of that, or at least planned for it.
“Like you'd know something,” Ed replied. Yes, he knew it was unfair. Mustang did have contacts and had given them a lot of good leads already but it didn't do to have him thinking he was more important than he already did. “So? Do you know anything?”
“Nothing new. Have you made contact with Tanner yet?”
“No, Central's a big place. Do you know how many John or J. Tanners there are in the phone book?” Ed thumped his living hand against the book. He could dent Al's metal head with it, it was so big.
“Sorry, Fullmetal, I didn't have an address for him,” Mustang replied.
“Yeah, well, got anything else for me?”
“No. Try not to break the city, Edward, and report in tomorrow.”
“Right.” Ed slammed the receiver down, rubbing his glove on his black pants. “Dick.”
“Brother,” Al said, exasperated.
“What? He is. He told me not to break the city.”
“You do have a track record for that sort of thing, Brother.”
Ed swung a lazy fist at his brother and Al caught it on his arm without even trying hard. “Brat.”
“I think you're talking about yourself,” Al shot back. “So what next?”
“Guess we keep working our way through the list of Tanners. Someone has to know an alchemist by that name.” Ed stepped back into the phone booth and pulled out the coin he had transmuted around a string. If Mustang had just been willing to do the ground work for him, Ed wouldn't have to spend every last cenz on phone booth calls, so cheating the system didn't feel like cheating. Al didn't agree but since he couldn't really fit inside the phone booth there wasn't much he could do about it. Ed sighed and started making more calls.
Chapter Two
Lust couldn't hold back a giggle. Alchemical power snapped around Envy's bloodied face as it repaired his broken nose. That would teach him - okay, no it wouldn't, not if he hadn't figured it out in all this time - not to underestimate humans. The girl had cocked back her trussed together legs and landed a kick into Envy's unsuspecting face. He should have known tied up didn't mean completely helpless.
“Shut up,” he growled at Lust, his lavender eyes flashing at her. “The bitch broke my nose.”
“I'll do more,” the blonde promised, tugging at her bonds.
Lust had no doubt that the girl would try. Once Rockbell had stopped throwing up from too much ether, the girl had hurled one barbed insult after another at them. Envy was in favor of using more ether but Lust had heard that there was a danger in using too much. They didn't want the girl dead, well at least not yet. No until they used her to lure Fullmetal into their trap. Lust wasn't entirely sure what Envy wanted with Shortmetal. Lust was bored, which was reason enough to help out. This was entertaining. It was worth the effort just to see Envy get kicked in the face.
“What are you?” the Rockbell girl asked.
“Nothing you need to worry about,” Lust replied.
“Where is Mrs. Hughes? Did you hurt her, too?” The girl tried to put up a brave front but Lust could almost taste her fear.
Envy stood to the side this time as he yanked her hair back, looking down into her face. His features morphed smoothly into the Hughes woman's. “She's right here. Or do you like this face better?” Gold eyes glittered out from a face framed by a long, blond braid. The girl's face went pale.
“You're a monster,” she hissed.
“So you say. We say we're perfection,” Lust replied.
“Did you find anything out?” Envy asked, changing the subject.
“I found out our job will be easier. The Elric brothers are already in town.” Lust grinned.
Envy's face practically split in a smile more terrifying than happy. “Perfect. Then we don't need to hang on to her for very much longer.” Envy let go of Winry's hair, shoving her head down. She lifted her chin, glaring at him. “You can scream if you want,” he invited her, waving a hand at the dilapidated warehouse. “No one is going to hear you, but it might tempt me to break your jaw.”
“What do you want with Ed and Al?” the girl asked.
“Nothing you need to worry about. All you are is bait, so lie there like the worm on the hook and it'll go better for you,” Envy replied.
“I’m not going to help you hurt them!”
“Didn’t you hear me? You’re bait. You being here is what’s going to hurt them.” Envy grinned at the girl’s stricken look. “But if you’re good, maybe you’ll live through it.”
The girl’s eyes darted around the warehouse, as if searching for a way out. Lust sighed. Bound as she was, she wasn’t going anywhere. But even with that, Envy’s plan had some holes in it. Somehow, Lust didn’t think things would turn out quite the way Envy planned.
“Now, all we need is some way to let the brothers know you’re our hostage.”
“Oh, let me.” Lust’s fingers stretched, forming into a pair of scissors. The shears snapped closed next to the girl’s cheek, making her flinch. Smiling, Lust clipped off a hank of her hair, then jerked a piece of jewelry from her ear. The girl squeaked in pain, tears starting in her eyes. Blood trickled down her neck from Lust’s rough treatment. Turning back to Envy, Lust showed her the hair and the earring. “I think they’ll recognize this, and then Fullmetal will do whatever we want him to.”
Envy smiled broadly. “I’ll take the bait to Fullmetal.”
“Of course you will,” Lust purred. “Just don’t do anything to him. We’ll save that for later.”
X X X
The outdoor café smelled amazing, making Ed’s mouth water. He stared at the menu and the little pictures of the food offered, trying to make a decision. Yeah, sure, he hadn’t found the Tanner guy yet, but Mustang had to understand he needed to eat, right? If he fainted from hunger, he wouldn’t be good for anything, especially finding some John Tanner.
“Brother,” Al said, his tinny voice getting Ed’s attention.
“Huh?” He didn’t look up from the menu.
“The waiter’s here,” Al said.
“Oh! I want a mutton and cheese sandwich, and a side of rice, please. And an orange soda.” Ed gazed hopefully up at the man with the thin moustache, dressed in a blue and white uniform with a hat with a narrow brim perched on his head.
“I am not a waiter,” he said stiffly. “I am a messenger.” He passed over a manila envelope. “For the Fullmetal Alchemist.”
“You’re not the waiter?” Ed asked, disappointed. His stomach growled in protest.
“I am a messenger,” the man repeated. He cleared his throat, holding out his hand.
Ed stared at him blankly.
“Brother, give him a tip!”
“Oh.” He flushed. “Yeah.” He fished out some coins, passing them to the messenger. The man touched the brim of his tiny hat and spun on his heel, walking away.
“Who’d send you a message, Brother?” Al asked.
“Dunno.” Ed scowled at the envelope for a second, then realized the waiter was coming to the table. His expression brightened. “I’m ready to order!” He repeated the order he’d tried to give to the messenger, and, after the waiter left, picked up the envelope. “Huh.”
“What is it?”
Ed shook the envelope, hearing something rattling around inside it. The weight wasn’t balanced; it shifted based on how he held the envelope. “It’s not paper,” he said, and pried the flap up with his automail finger, tearing it open. “Huh?” Upending the envelope, he watched as strands of pale hair spilled out onto the table, something bouncing in the hair and landing on the ground.
Al leaned over the table, poking at the hair with his forefinger. “Brother,” he said, sounding worried.
Leaning over, Ed spotted a flash of something, grabbing it and holding it up in front of his face. “Damn it.”
“Brother, is that,” Al’s voice trailed off.
Ed gritted his teeth. “Yeah. Winry’s earring. And her hair.” Slamming his fist on the table, he made the cutlery bounce. “Damn it! What’s she even doing here in Central?” No, that wasn’t what was important - that was who had her, and why.
“We should tell Colonel Mustang!” Al said, tapping his fingers together.
“No way are we telling Colonel Shit. This is our problem, not his.” And if Winry ever found out he’d killed her parents, well, Ed didn’t even really want to think about it. Bad enough he had to know it. “The question is, who has her, and how the hell are we supposed to find her now?”
X X X
“Don't you think you were confusing with that message?” Envy kicked back on some ratty couch they had found in an alley and brought into the ware house. Lust sat stiff-backed on a wooden chair that had already been in the place. “It's not like you told them where to find us or what we wanted.”
“The problem with you, Envy, is that you don't understand subtly,” she replied, dragging her fingers through her hair.
He morphed into her form and bobbled his huge, ersatz boobs. “And you do? You wear it all right out in the open.”
“Oh, but I do. There's nothing subtle on the surface of lust, true, but underneath, there are a thousand of manipulations to get exactly what you want. Right now, all the brothers know is someone has their friend. They won't know who or why. All they know is she's in danger and their panic levels rise.”
Going back to his own form, Envy nodded. “Imagination can be scarier than reality.” He glanced over to where he had left the Rockbell girl, this time gagged. He had finally gotten tired of hearing her scream and insult him. “Of course, it only counts if we're right about what this girl means to them. I'm trusting you on that.” As much as Envy didn't like to admit it, Lust was better with emotions than he was. He understood the negatives ones perfectly but love escaped him.
“I think it's a safe bet,” Lust replied. “Could they be a problem for us?”
“They're human,” Envy smiled at the remembrance of kicking the hell out of the Fullmetal brat in lab five. “But I only need Fullmetal.”
“Then I'll be sure to keep his brother occupied.” Lust scowled. “Too bad it wasn't the other way around, Envy. I'm built for keeping teenaged boys busy, not empty suits of armor.”
He snorted. “Guess you'll just have to improvise.”
X X X
Chapter Three
Ed wanted to scream, to run through the city, do anything than sit here in the hotel room with Al. Winry was out there somewhere, someone’s hostage. Who knew what the hell they were doing to her. He slammed his fist onto the arm of the couch. “Damn it!”
“That’s not helping, Brother,” Al chided, but Ed could hear the plate mail rattling, proof Al was just as worried as he was.
“Why would anyone take Winry?” Ed growled. His feet hit the floor hard enough to make it ‘boom’. He didn’t even care that there could be someone in the room below theirs.
“Maybe someone’s trying to make a point?”
“Someone who?”
Having no answer, Al spread his hands. “We’ll find her, Brother.”
“Of course we will.” Ed hoped his voice wasn’t shaking like Al’s armor.
X X X
The floor of the warehouse had been made of rough concrete, and Winry rubbed her wrists back and forth against it, hoping she’d be able to fray the ropes enough to get free. Her skin burned from the friction, but better that than those monsters hurting Ed and Al. Even if that green-haired - man - said it was an abandoned warehouse, Winry thought she’d be able to find someone pretty quickly if she could just get free. And even if she couldn’t find someone, it’d throw a monkey wrench into the plans these two had for the brothers.
The woman seemed to be smarter than the man, though Winry didn’t doubt they both were clever. The man had managed to somehow look like Miss Gracia, close enough to trick her. She’d seen his face and body just change. How could that even happen? How had the woman made her fingers elongate and sharpen, enough to cut through her hair? Winry shivered at the memory of those fingers brushing her cheek. They’d felt cold, like bone; like ice, and the ‘snick!’ of them through her hair sent shudders through her body.
All the more reason to get out of here, she reminded herself. She couldn’t trust them to just let her go, no matter what they might tell her now. Winry tried look like she was dejected, beaten down. That she’d given up. It was hard, though. Those two kept peering at her, like she was some sort of exhibit at a freak show. Winry wanted to scream at them but the gag kept that from happening. More than that, though, she wanted to get free, and keep the brothers safe from whoever these two were. Chewing on the gag, she kept rubbing the ropes over the floor, twisting her wrists to put tension on the bonds in her attempt to break free. It felt like something gave in the ropes. Winry bit harder on the cloth in her mouth, ducking her head to hide the glee flaring through her body. This time, she wasn’t going to be the weak point, or need a rescue, like she had at the hands of Barry the Chopper. This time, she was going to break free, and she’d keep Ed and Al safe.
“Hey!” The green-haired man snarled at her. “What are you doing over there?”
Winry flinched, raising her head. Still, she couldn’t help the anger that flashed in her eyes.
The man started toward her, his nearly-bare feet noiseless on the floor. “Kitten wants to play, hm?” He squatted in front of her, his elbows on his knees, wrists crossed and hands dangling. “I don’t get it. Why you?” He poked at her cheek and Winry jerked back at the sting.
“Stop playing with her, Envy,” the woman said in her languid voice.
“But I want to know what makes her special,” he said, without looking back over his shoulder at the woman. He studied Winry, taking hold of the loose strand of her hair that framed her face, letting it slide through his fingers.
Her mouth worked the gag, and if she could have, she would’ve spit at him again. Instead, she lunged forward, using her own skull as a battering ram. It hurt, damn it, more than she expected; her forehead bouncing off of the man’s. It flung him back onto his butt. He squalled like a wet cat, leaping up and grabbing hold of her hair, hauling her up off the floor. Winry kicked her feet, but didn’t get anywhere close to striking him. Her hair felt like it was going to yank off her skull. “You little bitch,” the man railed, shaking her again.
Tears sprang in her eyes at the pain but Winry tried to kick him again. He threw her down, and Winry landed sideways, feeling something pop in her arm, agony sweeping through it like an electric shock. Part of her wondered if that was how Ed felt when she reattached his automail before the pain overwhelmed her, forcing the tears to roll down her cheek, over the bridge of her nose and dropping to the floor. She could almost see a pattern in the drops.
“Look at this, Lust!” The man grabbed her arms, pulling Winry up again. Black dots danced in front of her eyes and she moaned at the pain. “She’s trying to escape!”
“Enough, Envy. Just tie her back up on the chair. If you hurt her too badly, you won’t get Fullmetal to do what you want,” Lust replied. “Speaking of which, shouldn’t you send the next messenger so they can find this place?”
He scowled at her. “Yeah. You better go do your part, Lust.”
She nodded. “I’d behave if I were you, girlie. I’d hate to think what Envy might get up to when I’m not around.”
Winry hurt too much to answer. If she couldn’t think of some way out of this soon, they all might die. Her arm might be broken. She hoped that wouldn’t stop her.
X X X
Al could barely slow down to keep pace with Ed, his body jangling like an oil barrel going over a cliff. It wasn’t Ed’s fault. Al’s metal legs were just that much larger and he was every bit as frightened for Winry. It had only gotten worse when some street urchin had found them - apparently several had been scouring the city for them - and told them where to go and who wanted them.
What Envy wanted, Al didn’t know, but it was all he needed to know at the same time. The homunculus wouldn’t care if it killed Winry, but they had to think she was still alive. Envy would be smart enough to know that they’d agree to nothing if she were dead. That didn’t mean she wasn’t hurt.
Next to him, Ed was blowing like Mr. Thompson’s horse the time it got spooked and ran through town. The warehouses were in sight now and Al put out his hand. Ed nearly stumbled into it then swatted it away.
“Al…” he rasped.
“Catch your breath. You’re not going to be any use to Winry, Brother, if you can’t fight because your muscles are cramping!”
Ed glared but didn’t argue.
Al wanted to discuss a plan of action but knew his brother wasn’t much on long term planning. It was one of the reasons he could always beat him sparring. “I think we should split up, cover more ground.”
Ed shook his head.
If Al could scowl, he would now. It was not the time for his brother to be overprotective of him. A noise caught his attention. Al turned and thought he saw someone, female, not that that ruled out Envy, really. “You keep on that way, Brother. I’ll follow her.”
Gritting his teeth, Ed clenched his hands into fists. He looked back toward the warehouse the kid had told them to go to, then at the shadow where the woman had disappeared. Finally, he said, “Be careful, Al.”
“You, too,” Al said, heading around the building. Whether or not this was Envy, Al knew she had to be here for a reason. She would know where Winry was and he planned on making her tell him, no matter what it took.
X X X
Ed gulped down a deep breath of air as Al left him. His heart thundered in his chest and sweat rolled off his forehead, making his bangs stick to his skin. Winry would be okay, he reminded himself. She couldn’t be dead, because Envy - Ed swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry - Envy would want him to see whatever it was he had planned to do to her. “Damn it,” he growled, hands trembling, and started walking purposefully toward the old warehouse.
It looked like it hadn’t been used in years; some of the windows were broken out, and the sign above the bay door hung at an angle. Ed could smell rust in the air, knowing that somewhere, machinery had been left behind to ruin and decay. Winry had to hate it, he thought, knowing what that particular smell meant. He pushed the thought out of his head, knowing he needed to concentrate on Envy and whatever that green-haired freak wanted. And, more importantly, getting Winry to safety.
X X X
From the grimace on her face, Envy knew he’d hurt the girl. She wasn’t scared though, not nearly as frightened as he’d like. Her arm hung at an odd angle, and a bruise was forming on her forehead. But her eyes met his unflinchingly and he could read the hatred in them.
Envy prowled closer to her, grabbing a handful of hair and jerking it. She grunted, tears sparkling in her lashes. Twisting the strands tighter around his hand, Envy said, “I know how much you hate me. Don’t worry, I hate you even more.”
The gag kept him from understanding whatever it was she tried to say, but her fury and pain spread over her face. “Soon, your friends will be here. And they’ll do whatever I tell them to do, to make sure you walk out of this alive.” He fished a knife out of his waist band, flicking it at her eye, the point stopping a hair’s breadth from her iris. Her lashes caressed the end of the blade when she blinked. She shuddered, almost hard enough to escape his hand. “You’d like to walk out of this alive, wouldn’t you?” The knife moved away from her eye, tracing down her cheek, leaving a thin, red line behind. Not bloodied, yet, but just the tiniest bit of pressure would cut through her skin. Envy considered it, wondering how her blood might taste, whether it would be sweetened by the tears she fought to keep from shedding. “Then be a good girl,” Envy purred in her ear.
He dropped the knife in her lap, reaching for another rag out to wrap over her eyes. “Stop fighting,” Envy growled when she jerked back. It didn’t do her any good. He covered her big eyes, tying the rag tightly around the back of her head. Envy stepped back to study her. “There,” he said, “now, you’re ready for the Fullmetal pipsqueak.” Pulling her out of the chair, he slung her over his shoulder. “Hold on tight. We’re going to see an alchemist.”
X X X
Winry swallowed hard, once; twice. Her arm kept jogging against the green-haired man’s skull, the agony of it making her nauseous. His bony shoulder dug into her midriff and Winry could swear he was bouncing her deliberately. If she threw up, Winry knew she could suffocate on her own vomit since the gag would keep her from expelling it. When the man tossed her to the ground, it was almost a relief, even though she landed on her hip, gravel digging into her thigh. He didn’t leave her there, though, hauling her to her knees. Winry chewed the gag, wishing she could scream out her pain.
“Hello, Fullmetal,” the green-haired man said gaily. Something cold and sharp pressed itself against Winry’s cheek, her skin giving slightly under the point of the knife.
Suddenly, Winry was glad she couldn’t see anything.
X X X
Winry. Ed froze at the sight of her, on her knees, Envy standing next to her. He smiled, a knife appearing between his fingers before he pressed the point to Winry’s cheek. A drop of blood formed, slowly trickling down her skin. Ed found his voice, yelling, “Leave her alone, Envy! I’m the one you want.”
“You’re right, pipsqueak, she’s just the bait. And you sure came running, didn’t you?” Envy pulled the knife, twirling the blade between his fingers.
Gritting his teeth, Ed tried to figure out how to get Winry out of there and to safety. Something was wrong with her arm, and he could see a big bruise on the side of her face. Something inside him twisted painfully at the sight. “Damn it, Envy!”
Envy grabbed a handful of Winry’s hair, tugging it hard enough to make her back arch painfully. “Ah, ah, Fullmetal, be careful what you say.” He leaned close to Winry, showing sharp teeth. “She doesn’t deserve to hear such language, does she?” Winry tried to pull away from him, but his grip on her hair kept her from moving. Her grimace of pain, even masked by the blindfold and gag, made Ed’s skin flush and his fists clench.
He clapped his hands together, touching his automail arm. The familiar, bell-like tone and the flash of light preceded the transmutation. The arm grill stretched into a sharp, thick, punching blade. Lunging forward, he shouted, “Gah! Leave her alone, Envy!”
X X X
The warehouses felt like ghosts, staring at him with eyes made of broken windows. Al didn’t creep; armor didn’t allow for that with the metal plates rattling against each other. He tried to make as little noise as possible, but knew that if Envy was waiting, he’d be discovered long before he saw the homunculus. “Why’d you have to take Winry?” he wondered to himself, already knowing the answer - somehow, Envy’d figured out what she meant to Brother and him. He didn’t want to think about how that had happened; the idea of someone in the military betraying them made him wish he had a stomach so he could throw up. Then again, Envy might’ve slipped in, posing as anyone, and checked Brother’s military files.
Al hated how run-down everything was. There were too many places to hide, and spy on him, with the broken-out windows and doors sagging on their hinges. He peered around corners, not even sure what he was looking for. Envy could be anything, anyone. He could appear even as Winry, but he could never be Winry. Al was sure he’d recognize a dupe. Winry was Winry, after all; and unless Envy spent a lot of time around her, he’d never know how to portray her well.
Someone was watching, Al knew it. He couldn’t see anyone, even swiveling his helmet around, but Envy had to be there. Somewhere.
Something clattered, a sliding sound, then a stone, maybe, hit a tin awning and bounced off. Al whirled toward it, seeing a silhouette, far curvier than Envy’s favorite form. If he could’ve, he would’ve swallowed. “Who are you?”
Her voice purred across the distance to him. “The armored Elric. I was hoping you’d find me.”
“I need to know where Winry is!”
She folded her arms. “Safe, for the moment. If your brother cooperates, maybe she’ll walk out of this alive.”
Al clenched his gauntlets into fists. “What if we win?”
She threw her head back. The sound of her laugh reminded Al of glass breaking. It wasn’t much of a chance, but he took it, dropping to the ground and drawing the transmutation circle he needed. His speed was inhuman - he wasn’t, after all, not really - and Al planted his gauntlets on the circle, sending a surge of alchemic power through the cracked concrete and earth, sweeping toward the woman as she laughed.
The bell-tone of the transmutation’s activation alerted her, and she leaped sideways, but now Al was ready. The circle was what he needed, and he touched it again, feinting the transmuted earth toward the woman, but her sideways dodge was what he was waiting for. The stone hand reached up from behind, grasping her torso tightly, pinning her arms down to her side. She screamed, enraged, kicking her feet, but Al knew, even a homunculus would have a hard time getting free from that transmutation.
“You just wait right there,” he said, “someone will be back to let you free soon.” With a quick wave, he set off to try to find either Winry or his brother, before anything else happened.
X X X
onto chapter four
Author: evil_little_dog and cornerofmadness
Genre: Action
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 8,778
Characters/Pairings: Edward/Winry, Envy, Alphonse, Lust
Warnings: 2003 Anime,
Summary: When Envy and Lust kidnap Winry, it’s up to Ed and Al to rescue her.
Disclaimer: Arakawa owns all
Thanks To: Copperletters for the art that inspired the story. written for fmabigbang
Links: AO3
X X X
More than anything, Winry wished she could see. Maybe not more than anything; she really, really wished that she’d realized the woman who met her at the train station wasn’t Miss Gracia. But she’d been so excited to get the invitation to Elicia’s birthday party - even more so when Miss Gracia said that Ed and Al were in town, and she’d invited them - and planned on a cake for Ed, too. So she’d gotten on the first train out of Risembool, and traveled to Central City, and had climbed off the train and onto the platform, and thought she’d seen Miss Gracia.
She’d looked like Miss Gracia. Completely. With her pretty green eyes and sweet smile, and the way she’d given Winry a hug that made her feel so good. And she’d led Winry to a taxi cab, and it would be her very first time in riding in one of those, and Winry had been so excited! But the driver didn’t taking them to the house on Mayflower Street, instead, driving them away from the few parts of Central City Winry actually knew.
Curious, Winry asked, “Where are we going?”
Miss Gracia had smiled at her. “It’s a surprise,” she said, but her voice sounded different, gravelly, a little strange. She rummaged in her purse, pulling out a handkerchief. It had a funny smell to it, one Winry thought she recognized. Why did she know that smell? She turned to Miss Gracia, only to have the handkerchief slammed over her mouth and nose. Fighting against Miss Gracia’s grip, Winry coughed into the fabric, choking on that stench. “Go to sleep, bait-girl,” she heard Miss Gracia say, but her face shimmered with a peculiar red light, and her eyes were purple now. “Go to sleep until you can be of some use to me.”
Ether! Winry had realized too late, as the drug dragged her down into darkness.
Above her, Gracia Hughes’s shape shimmered with a ruby light, her form changing from feminine curves to harsh angles, her short hair lengthening and changing color to emerald. The driver met Envy’s eyes in the mirror, her own lavender irises glinting with malice. “You really believe this girl is enough to get Edward Elric’s attention?”
Envy smiled, shoving Winry’s body off his shoulder, chuckling when her skull bounced off the window frame. “Oh, he’ll come running when he knows we have her,” he said.
X X X
“I don't see why I have to call in like I'm a child,” Ed said into a telephone booth's sticky receiver. It left smudges of something he didn't even want to think about on his gloves. Outside the booth, his brother rattled and Ed swore he could see a glare knitting up the helmet that passed as Al's face.
“Brother,” Al hissed and Ed waved him off. He was dealing with Colonel Shit. There was no need to be nice.
“If I had something to report, I would call and tell you. I don't need kept on a short leash, calling in every day.”
“What if I had information for you?” Mustang's voice sounded tinny on the line and Ed wondered if anyone was listening in. He knew Hughes was always wary of that, or at least planned for it.
“Like you'd know something,” Ed replied. Yes, he knew it was unfair. Mustang did have contacts and had given them a lot of good leads already but it didn't do to have him thinking he was more important than he already did. “So? Do you know anything?”
“Nothing new. Have you made contact with Tanner yet?”
“No, Central's a big place. Do you know how many John or J. Tanners there are in the phone book?” Ed thumped his living hand against the book. He could dent Al's metal head with it, it was so big.
“Sorry, Fullmetal, I didn't have an address for him,” Mustang replied.
“Yeah, well, got anything else for me?”
“No. Try not to break the city, Edward, and report in tomorrow.”
“Right.” Ed slammed the receiver down, rubbing his glove on his black pants. “Dick.”
“Brother,” Al said, exasperated.
“What? He is. He told me not to break the city.”
“You do have a track record for that sort of thing, Brother.”
Ed swung a lazy fist at his brother and Al caught it on his arm without even trying hard. “Brat.”
“I think you're talking about yourself,” Al shot back. “So what next?”
“Guess we keep working our way through the list of Tanners. Someone has to know an alchemist by that name.” Ed stepped back into the phone booth and pulled out the coin he had transmuted around a string. If Mustang had just been willing to do the ground work for him, Ed wouldn't have to spend every last cenz on phone booth calls, so cheating the system didn't feel like cheating. Al didn't agree but since he couldn't really fit inside the phone booth there wasn't much he could do about it. Ed sighed and started making more calls.
Chapter Two
Lust couldn't hold back a giggle. Alchemical power snapped around Envy's bloodied face as it repaired his broken nose. That would teach him - okay, no it wouldn't, not if he hadn't figured it out in all this time - not to underestimate humans. The girl had cocked back her trussed together legs and landed a kick into Envy's unsuspecting face. He should have known tied up didn't mean completely helpless.
“Shut up,” he growled at Lust, his lavender eyes flashing at her. “The bitch broke my nose.”
“I'll do more,” the blonde promised, tugging at her bonds.
Lust had no doubt that the girl would try. Once Rockbell had stopped throwing up from too much ether, the girl had hurled one barbed insult after another at them. Envy was in favor of using more ether but Lust had heard that there was a danger in using too much. They didn't want the girl dead, well at least not yet. No until they used her to lure Fullmetal into their trap. Lust wasn't entirely sure what Envy wanted with Shortmetal. Lust was bored, which was reason enough to help out. This was entertaining. It was worth the effort just to see Envy get kicked in the face.
“What are you?” the Rockbell girl asked.
“Nothing you need to worry about,” Lust replied.
“Where is Mrs. Hughes? Did you hurt her, too?” The girl tried to put up a brave front but Lust could almost taste her fear.
Envy stood to the side this time as he yanked her hair back, looking down into her face. His features morphed smoothly into the Hughes woman's. “She's right here. Or do you like this face better?” Gold eyes glittered out from a face framed by a long, blond braid. The girl's face went pale.
“You're a monster,” she hissed.
“So you say. We say we're perfection,” Lust replied.
“Did you find anything out?” Envy asked, changing the subject.
“I found out our job will be easier. The Elric brothers are already in town.” Lust grinned.
Envy's face practically split in a smile more terrifying than happy. “Perfect. Then we don't need to hang on to her for very much longer.” Envy let go of Winry's hair, shoving her head down. She lifted her chin, glaring at him. “You can scream if you want,” he invited her, waving a hand at the dilapidated warehouse. “No one is going to hear you, but it might tempt me to break your jaw.”
“What do you want with Ed and Al?” the girl asked.
“Nothing you need to worry about. All you are is bait, so lie there like the worm on the hook and it'll go better for you,” Envy replied.
“I’m not going to help you hurt them!”
“Didn’t you hear me? You’re bait. You being here is what’s going to hurt them.” Envy grinned at the girl’s stricken look. “But if you’re good, maybe you’ll live through it.”
The girl’s eyes darted around the warehouse, as if searching for a way out. Lust sighed. Bound as she was, she wasn’t going anywhere. But even with that, Envy’s plan had some holes in it. Somehow, Lust didn’t think things would turn out quite the way Envy planned.
“Now, all we need is some way to let the brothers know you’re our hostage.”
“Oh, let me.” Lust’s fingers stretched, forming into a pair of scissors. The shears snapped closed next to the girl’s cheek, making her flinch. Smiling, Lust clipped off a hank of her hair, then jerked a piece of jewelry from her ear. The girl squeaked in pain, tears starting in her eyes. Blood trickled down her neck from Lust’s rough treatment. Turning back to Envy, Lust showed her the hair and the earring. “I think they’ll recognize this, and then Fullmetal will do whatever we want him to.”
Envy smiled broadly. “I’ll take the bait to Fullmetal.”
“Of course you will,” Lust purred. “Just don’t do anything to him. We’ll save that for later.”
X X X
The outdoor café smelled amazing, making Ed’s mouth water. He stared at the menu and the little pictures of the food offered, trying to make a decision. Yeah, sure, he hadn’t found the Tanner guy yet, but Mustang had to understand he needed to eat, right? If he fainted from hunger, he wouldn’t be good for anything, especially finding some John Tanner.
“Brother,” Al said, his tinny voice getting Ed’s attention.
“Huh?” He didn’t look up from the menu.
“The waiter’s here,” Al said.
“Oh! I want a mutton and cheese sandwich, and a side of rice, please. And an orange soda.” Ed gazed hopefully up at the man with the thin moustache, dressed in a blue and white uniform with a hat with a narrow brim perched on his head.
“I am not a waiter,” he said stiffly. “I am a messenger.” He passed over a manila envelope. “For the Fullmetal Alchemist.”
“You’re not the waiter?” Ed asked, disappointed. His stomach growled in protest.
“I am a messenger,” the man repeated. He cleared his throat, holding out his hand.
Ed stared at him blankly.
“Brother, give him a tip!”
“Oh.” He flushed. “Yeah.” He fished out some coins, passing them to the messenger. The man touched the brim of his tiny hat and spun on his heel, walking away.
“Who’d send you a message, Brother?” Al asked.
“Dunno.” Ed scowled at the envelope for a second, then realized the waiter was coming to the table. His expression brightened. “I’m ready to order!” He repeated the order he’d tried to give to the messenger, and, after the waiter left, picked up the envelope. “Huh.”
“What is it?”
Ed shook the envelope, hearing something rattling around inside it. The weight wasn’t balanced; it shifted based on how he held the envelope. “It’s not paper,” he said, and pried the flap up with his automail finger, tearing it open. “Huh?” Upending the envelope, he watched as strands of pale hair spilled out onto the table, something bouncing in the hair and landing on the ground.
Al leaned over the table, poking at the hair with his forefinger. “Brother,” he said, sounding worried.
Leaning over, Ed spotted a flash of something, grabbing it and holding it up in front of his face. “Damn it.”
“Brother, is that,” Al’s voice trailed off.
Ed gritted his teeth. “Yeah. Winry’s earring. And her hair.” Slamming his fist on the table, he made the cutlery bounce. “Damn it! What’s she even doing here in Central?” No, that wasn’t what was important - that was who had her, and why.
“We should tell Colonel Mustang!” Al said, tapping his fingers together.
“No way are we telling Colonel Shit. This is our problem, not his.” And if Winry ever found out he’d killed her parents, well, Ed didn’t even really want to think about it. Bad enough he had to know it. “The question is, who has her, and how the hell are we supposed to find her now?”
X X X
“Don't you think you were confusing with that message?” Envy kicked back on some ratty couch they had found in an alley and brought into the ware house. Lust sat stiff-backed on a wooden chair that had already been in the place. “It's not like you told them where to find us or what we wanted.”
“The problem with you, Envy, is that you don't understand subtly,” she replied, dragging her fingers through her hair.
He morphed into her form and bobbled his huge, ersatz boobs. “And you do? You wear it all right out in the open.”
“Oh, but I do. There's nothing subtle on the surface of lust, true, but underneath, there are a thousand of manipulations to get exactly what you want. Right now, all the brothers know is someone has their friend. They won't know who or why. All they know is she's in danger and their panic levels rise.”
Going back to his own form, Envy nodded. “Imagination can be scarier than reality.” He glanced over to where he had left the Rockbell girl, this time gagged. He had finally gotten tired of hearing her scream and insult him. “Of course, it only counts if we're right about what this girl means to them. I'm trusting you on that.” As much as Envy didn't like to admit it, Lust was better with emotions than he was. He understood the negatives ones perfectly but love escaped him.
“I think it's a safe bet,” Lust replied. “Could they be a problem for us?”
“They're human,” Envy smiled at the remembrance of kicking the hell out of the Fullmetal brat in lab five. “But I only need Fullmetal.”
“Then I'll be sure to keep his brother occupied.” Lust scowled. “Too bad it wasn't the other way around, Envy. I'm built for keeping teenaged boys busy, not empty suits of armor.”
He snorted. “Guess you'll just have to improvise.”
X X X
Chapter Three
Ed wanted to scream, to run through the city, do anything than sit here in the hotel room with Al. Winry was out there somewhere, someone’s hostage. Who knew what the hell they were doing to her. He slammed his fist onto the arm of the couch. “Damn it!”
“That’s not helping, Brother,” Al chided, but Ed could hear the plate mail rattling, proof Al was just as worried as he was.
“Why would anyone take Winry?” Ed growled. His feet hit the floor hard enough to make it ‘boom’. He didn’t even care that there could be someone in the room below theirs.
“Maybe someone’s trying to make a point?”
“Someone who?”
Having no answer, Al spread his hands. “We’ll find her, Brother.”
“Of course we will.” Ed hoped his voice wasn’t shaking like Al’s armor.
X X X
The floor of the warehouse had been made of rough concrete, and Winry rubbed her wrists back and forth against it, hoping she’d be able to fray the ropes enough to get free. Her skin burned from the friction, but better that than those monsters hurting Ed and Al. Even if that green-haired - man - said it was an abandoned warehouse, Winry thought she’d be able to find someone pretty quickly if she could just get free. And even if she couldn’t find someone, it’d throw a monkey wrench into the plans these two had for the brothers.
The woman seemed to be smarter than the man, though Winry didn’t doubt they both were clever. The man had managed to somehow look like Miss Gracia, close enough to trick her. She’d seen his face and body just change. How could that even happen? How had the woman made her fingers elongate and sharpen, enough to cut through her hair? Winry shivered at the memory of those fingers brushing her cheek. They’d felt cold, like bone; like ice, and the ‘snick!’ of them through her hair sent shudders through her body.
All the more reason to get out of here, she reminded herself. She couldn’t trust them to just let her go, no matter what they might tell her now. Winry tried look like she was dejected, beaten down. That she’d given up. It was hard, though. Those two kept peering at her, like she was some sort of exhibit at a freak show. Winry wanted to scream at them but the gag kept that from happening. More than that, though, she wanted to get free, and keep the brothers safe from whoever these two were. Chewing on the gag, she kept rubbing the ropes over the floor, twisting her wrists to put tension on the bonds in her attempt to break free. It felt like something gave in the ropes. Winry bit harder on the cloth in her mouth, ducking her head to hide the glee flaring through her body. This time, she wasn’t going to be the weak point, or need a rescue, like she had at the hands of Barry the Chopper. This time, she was going to break free, and she’d keep Ed and Al safe.
“Hey!” The green-haired man snarled at her. “What are you doing over there?”
Winry flinched, raising her head. Still, she couldn’t help the anger that flashed in her eyes.
The man started toward her, his nearly-bare feet noiseless on the floor. “Kitten wants to play, hm?” He squatted in front of her, his elbows on his knees, wrists crossed and hands dangling. “I don’t get it. Why you?” He poked at her cheek and Winry jerked back at the sting.
“Stop playing with her, Envy,” the woman said in her languid voice.
“But I want to know what makes her special,” he said, without looking back over his shoulder at the woman. He studied Winry, taking hold of the loose strand of her hair that framed her face, letting it slide through his fingers.
Her mouth worked the gag, and if she could have, she would’ve spit at him again. Instead, she lunged forward, using her own skull as a battering ram. It hurt, damn it, more than she expected; her forehead bouncing off of the man’s. It flung him back onto his butt. He squalled like a wet cat, leaping up and grabbing hold of her hair, hauling her up off the floor. Winry kicked her feet, but didn’t get anywhere close to striking him. Her hair felt like it was going to yank off her skull. “You little bitch,” the man railed, shaking her again.
Tears sprang in her eyes at the pain but Winry tried to kick him again. He threw her down, and Winry landed sideways, feeling something pop in her arm, agony sweeping through it like an electric shock. Part of her wondered if that was how Ed felt when she reattached his automail before the pain overwhelmed her, forcing the tears to roll down her cheek, over the bridge of her nose and dropping to the floor. She could almost see a pattern in the drops.
“Look at this, Lust!” The man grabbed her arms, pulling Winry up again. Black dots danced in front of her eyes and she moaned at the pain. “She’s trying to escape!”
“Enough, Envy. Just tie her back up on the chair. If you hurt her too badly, you won’t get Fullmetal to do what you want,” Lust replied. “Speaking of which, shouldn’t you send the next messenger so they can find this place?”
He scowled at her. “Yeah. You better go do your part, Lust.”
She nodded. “I’d behave if I were you, girlie. I’d hate to think what Envy might get up to when I’m not around.”
Winry hurt too much to answer. If she couldn’t think of some way out of this soon, they all might die. Her arm might be broken. She hoped that wouldn’t stop her.
X X X
Al could barely slow down to keep pace with Ed, his body jangling like an oil barrel going over a cliff. It wasn’t Ed’s fault. Al’s metal legs were just that much larger and he was every bit as frightened for Winry. It had only gotten worse when some street urchin had found them - apparently several had been scouring the city for them - and told them where to go and who wanted them.
What Envy wanted, Al didn’t know, but it was all he needed to know at the same time. The homunculus wouldn’t care if it killed Winry, but they had to think she was still alive. Envy would be smart enough to know that they’d agree to nothing if she were dead. That didn’t mean she wasn’t hurt.
Next to him, Ed was blowing like Mr. Thompson’s horse the time it got spooked and ran through town. The warehouses were in sight now and Al put out his hand. Ed nearly stumbled into it then swatted it away.
“Al…” he rasped.
“Catch your breath. You’re not going to be any use to Winry, Brother, if you can’t fight because your muscles are cramping!”
Ed glared but didn’t argue.
Al wanted to discuss a plan of action but knew his brother wasn’t much on long term planning. It was one of the reasons he could always beat him sparring. “I think we should split up, cover more ground.”
Ed shook his head.
If Al could scowl, he would now. It was not the time for his brother to be overprotective of him. A noise caught his attention. Al turned and thought he saw someone, female, not that that ruled out Envy, really. “You keep on that way, Brother. I’ll follow her.”
Gritting his teeth, Ed clenched his hands into fists. He looked back toward the warehouse the kid had told them to go to, then at the shadow where the woman had disappeared. Finally, he said, “Be careful, Al.”
“You, too,” Al said, heading around the building. Whether or not this was Envy, Al knew she had to be here for a reason. She would know where Winry was and he planned on making her tell him, no matter what it took.
X X X
Ed gulped down a deep breath of air as Al left him. His heart thundered in his chest and sweat rolled off his forehead, making his bangs stick to his skin. Winry would be okay, he reminded himself. She couldn’t be dead, because Envy - Ed swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry - Envy would want him to see whatever it was he had planned to do to her. “Damn it,” he growled, hands trembling, and started walking purposefully toward the old warehouse.
It looked like it hadn’t been used in years; some of the windows were broken out, and the sign above the bay door hung at an angle. Ed could smell rust in the air, knowing that somewhere, machinery had been left behind to ruin and decay. Winry had to hate it, he thought, knowing what that particular smell meant. He pushed the thought out of his head, knowing he needed to concentrate on Envy and whatever that green-haired freak wanted. And, more importantly, getting Winry to safety.
X X X
From the grimace on her face, Envy knew he’d hurt the girl. She wasn’t scared though, not nearly as frightened as he’d like. Her arm hung at an odd angle, and a bruise was forming on her forehead. But her eyes met his unflinchingly and he could read the hatred in them.
Envy prowled closer to her, grabbing a handful of hair and jerking it. She grunted, tears sparkling in her lashes. Twisting the strands tighter around his hand, Envy said, “I know how much you hate me. Don’t worry, I hate you even more.”
The gag kept him from understanding whatever it was she tried to say, but her fury and pain spread over her face. “Soon, your friends will be here. And they’ll do whatever I tell them to do, to make sure you walk out of this alive.” He fished a knife out of his waist band, flicking it at her eye, the point stopping a hair’s breadth from her iris. Her lashes caressed the end of the blade when she blinked. She shuddered, almost hard enough to escape his hand. “You’d like to walk out of this alive, wouldn’t you?” The knife moved away from her eye, tracing down her cheek, leaving a thin, red line behind. Not bloodied, yet, but just the tiniest bit of pressure would cut through her skin. Envy considered it, wondering how her blood might taste, whether it would be sweetened by the tears she fought to keep from shedding. “Then be a good girl,” Envy purred in her ear.
He dropped the knife in her lap, reaching for another rag out to wrap over her eyes. “Stop fighting,” Envy growled when she jerked back. It didn’t do her any good. He covered her big eyes, tying the rag tightly around the back of her head. Envy stepped back to study her. “There,” he said, “now, you’re ready for the Fullmetal pipsqueak.” Pulling her out of the chair, he slung her over his shoulder. “Hold on tight. We’re going to see an alchemist.”
X X X
Winry swallowed hard, once; twice. Her arm kept jogging against the green-haired man’s skull, the agony of it making her nauseous. His bony shoulder dug into her midriff and Winry could swear he was bouncing her deliberately. If she threw up, Winry knew she could suffocate on her own vomit since the gag would keep her from expelling it. When the man tossed her to the ground, it was almost a relief, even though she landed on her hip, gravel digging into her thigh. He didn’t leave her there, though, hauling her to her knees. Winry chewed the gag, wishing she could scream out her pain.
“Hello, Fullmetal,” the green-haired man said gaily. Something cold and sharp pressed itself against Winry’s cheek, her skin giving slightly under the point of the knife.
Suddenly, Winry was glad she couldn’t see anything.
X X X
Winry. Ed froze at the sight of her, on her knees, Envy standing next to her. He smiled, a knife appearing between his fingers before he pressed the point to Winry’s cheek. A drop of blood formed, slowly trickling down her skin. Ed found his voice, yelling, “Leave her alone, Envy! I’m the one you want.”
“You’re right, pipsqueak, she’s just the bait. And you sure came running, didn’t you?” Envy pulled the knife, twirling the blade between his fingers.
Gritting his teeth, Ed tried to figure out how to get Winry out of there and to safety. Something was wrong with her arm, and he could see a big bruise on the side of her face. Something inside him twisted painfully at the sight. “Damn it, Envy!”
Envy grabbed a handful of Winry’s hair, tugging it hard enough to make her back arch painfully. “Ah, ah, Fullmetal, be careful what you say.” He leaned close to Winry, showing sharp teeth. “She doesn’t deserve to hear such language, does she?” Winry tried to pull away from him, but his grip on her hair kept her from moving. Her grimace of pain, even masked by the blindfold and gag, made Ed’s skin flush and his fists clench.
He clapped his hands together, touching his automail arm. The familiar, bell-like tone and the flash of light preceded the transmutation. The arm grill stretched into a sharp, thick, punching blade. Lunging forward, he shouted, “Gah! Leave her alone, Envy!”
X X X
The warehouses felt like ghosts, staring at him with eyes made of broken windows. Al didn’t creep; armor didn’t allow for that with the metal plates rattling against each other. He tried to make as little noise as possible, but knew that if Envy was waiting, he’d be discovered long before he saw the homunculus. “Why’d you have to take Winry?” he wondered to himself, already knowing the answer - somehow, Envy’d figured out what she meant to Brother and him. He didn’t want to think about how that had happened; the idea of someone in the military betraying them made him wish he had a stomach so he could throw up. Then again, Envy might’ve slipped in, posing as anyone, and checked Brother’s military files.
Al hated how run-down everything was. There were too many places to hide, and spy on him, with the broken-out windows and doors sagging on their hinges. He peered around corners, not even sure what he was looking for. Envy could be anything, anyone. He could appear even as Winry, but he could never be Winry. Al was sure he’d recognize a dupe. Winry was Winry, after all; and unless Envy spent a lot of time around her, he’d never know how to portray her well.
Someone was watching, Al knew it. He couldn’t see anyone, even swiveling his helmet around, but Envy had to be there. Somewhere.
Something clattered, a sliding sound, then a stone, maybe, hit a tin awning and bounced off. Al whirled toward it, seeing a silhouette, far curvier than Envy’s favorite form. If he could’ve, he would’ve swallowed. “Who are you?”
Her voice purred across the distance to him. “The armored Elric. I was hoping you’d find me.”
“I need to know where Winry is!”
She folded her arms. “Safe, for the moment. If your brother cooperates, maybe she’ll walk out of this alive.”
Al clenched his gauntlets into fists. “What if we win?”
She threw her head back. The sound of her laugh reminded Al of glass breaking. It wasn’t much of a chance, but he took it, dropping to the ground and drawing the transmutation circle he needed. His speed was inhuman - he wasn’t, after all, not really - and Al planted his gauntlets on the circle, sending a surge of alchemic power through the cracked concrete and earth, sweeping toward the woman as she laughed.
The bell-tone of the transmutation’s activation alerted her, and she leaped sideways, but now Al was ready. The circle was what he needed, and he touched it again, feinting the transmuted earth toward the woman, but her sideways dodge was what he was waiting for. The stone hand reached up from behind, grasping her torso tightly, pinning her arms down to her side. She screamed, enraged, kicking her feet, but Al knew, even a homunculus would have a hard time getting free from that transmutation.
“You just wait right there,” he said, “someone will be back to let you free soon.” With a quick wave, he set off to try to find either Winry or his brother, before anything else happened.
X X X
onto chapter four