Title : Shavings of Reality

Genre : Anime/Manga

Category : Full Metal Alchemist

Disclaimer : I don't even want to know what would happen if I owned this. Sadly, I don't.

Summary : As the chimeras cry, Edward does too.

Warnings : Angst, possible mild language, and frightening and suggestive situations. You have been warned.

Rating : T

The light of a hundred candles or more danced wildly off the walls, almost as wildly as the look in the twelve year old's golden eyes. Fear shown through the youth's hardened exterior as pained cries made their way to his ears. He tried so hard to block out the sounds that were invading his soul, but they were just too loud to refrain from hearing.

His gaze quietly landed on the older man that stood just a few feet away from him, his back turned, working intently. The blonde could hear the man faintly humming something that sounded like an old lullaby from days past; the noise sending chills resonating up and down his spine. He trembled, though only slightly, fear of being noticed charging through his veins.

He stood still, taking the sight in, the urge to vomit circulating through his system. His small hands were clenched into two tiny fists, one slightly larger and a hell of a lot more powerful than the other; the other shaking slightly every so often. He hadn't quite taken in the entirety of the room yet, a bit fearful at what he might see. The sounds were more than enough to herald his imagination.

A bloody array lay at the man's feet, though it appeared as though he was hard at work on another, more complicated arrangement, sweat droplets mixing with the crimson substance. He stopped suddenly, the liquid that was on his hands making a sickening squeal across the cement floor.

"Hello, Edward, and how are you tonight?" Shou Tucker's voice filtered through the boy's sensitive ears. "Up for a midnight snack?" the casual question hung in the air, a response tentatively pending. "But you know, the kitchen's back the other way."

"What are you doing?" Edward questioned sharply, his voice balancing between shaky and afraid. His brow narrowed, not wanting to appear weak or naïve in front of the older man.

"Well, that's pretty evident now, isn't it?" Tucker replied, his eyes hiding behind the comfort of his glasses, the candle light efficiently blocking out the madness that haunted them.

"Answer my question!" Edward yelled, his heart beat quickening. "What are you doing?" His quivering voice bounced off the array-filled walls, something catching his eye from the corner of his vision. His golden orbs widened as he realized the entire room was filled wall to wall with chimeras, all locked away in cages appearing too small for their large bodies. One by one, they met his gaze, fear and loathing surging through their eyes. He froze momentarily, taking the horrific sight in.

"You know, Edward, I do recall that you asked me awhile ago if you could see the talking chimera I made. Do you remember?" Tucker asked, standing to his feet, an eerie grin plastered across his face.

Edward continued to stand still, his hands still clenched tightly, though now, he could feel the sweat gathering on his palm and fingers; feel it start to run down his forehead. His breaths were coming quickly and shakily, his chest trembling a bit. His brow narrowed further as he fished for the correct way to proclaim his anger. It didn't take long to annunciate them.

"What are you getting at? What are you doing?" Edward's venom-filled voice exclaimed, anger continuing to flare in his golden orbs as he tried to see what was hidden just out of his vision. "What is that?" he asked, eyes widening as he made out two figures laying on the ground just behind Tucker's feet.

"My, my, that's an awful lot of questions for a twelve year old that should be in bed now, isn't it?" the man grinned again, cocking his head to one side. The smile grew faintly wider as he took a few steps towards the smaller boy. "I could tell you to go to sleep, and it'll all be better in the morning; or I could let you watch. Hmm," he stated in a thoughtful tone, stroking his chin. "I think, perhaps, you can watch!" the sudden outburst came from the Sewing Life alchemist, instantly standing at Edward's side.

Shock was slowly wearing off the twelve year old as the man gripped the boy's wrists, pushing him back into the concrete wall, holding his arms above his head. Edward could feel his limbs shaking, but the strength that he needed--the strength that was missing at the moment--left him helpless and trembling like an infant, eyes wide with alarm. Even his voice went silent again.

"Isn't this what you want, Edward?" the older man prodded, grinning deviously. "Isn't this what you wanted to see?" he shouted into the kid's ears, spittle flying from his mouth and hitting the boy in the cheek. "Since you're so interested, then I think you should have a little taste of it, don't you?" he cackled, his hot breath hitting Edward straight away.

"Stop it, you bastard!" Ed shouted, trying to push away from the man, adrenaline finally starting to pump through his veins. "I said get off me!" he yelled, managing to knock the man back a ways, giving him just enough room to see what was lying next to the array. Cold seized his soul as Nina and Alexander came into view, his legs moving faster than he could even tell his brain to move them.

"Nina!" his voice came out in only a whisper as he flew to her side, his knees sliding through the crimson circle. "Nina, wake u-" his words were cut off as two large hands wrapped around his waist, easily pulling him back from the girl. "No! No! Nina! Nina, wake up!"

"Shut up!" Tucker howled back, his voice deepening a bit as he threw Edward up against a table. "That's your main problem, Edward," he said, his voice cooling down a bit. "You never know when to shut that mouth!" he screamed, slamming the child's head against the edge of table, darkness filling Edward's vision. It felt as though he had been dropped into a pool of blood that was slowly and painstakingly being filled up, minute by minute.

"Nina…" he whispered, the hour glass of light quickly fading away. He tried to tell his body to move, to do something, but a dull, throbbing ache had already settled in his nerves, immobility now his counterpart. "I'm sorry…" the faint voice left his lips, fading into the background of his mind. "So sorry…"

&&&&&

The twelve year old awoke with a start, sweat spilling down his small body. He shivered, the images still fresh in his mind. He didn't know why he'd seen the things he'd seen, knowing that a person could never be vicious enough to do that to their own pet and daughter. It was just too despicable. His brow narrowed a bit, still confused and shaken up by the terrifying pictures, though thankful that none of it was real. It was all just a dream.

He pushed himself up, stopping when the faint glow of candlelight met his eyes. He blinked a few times, trying to figure out where in the world it was coming from. Wasn't it morning?

Panic stopped his heart as he realized there were no windows in the room he was in, though there was at least one in the bed room he shared with Al. The ability to breathe soon became harder, his breaths coming out more sluggish and ruggedly than he would have liked.

Something's not right, he told himself, terror slowly easing through his veins. Something's not right at all. The light soon became almost blinding, forcing him to squint to still see. The sound of the wax burning also caught his ears, his brow quietly declining. Fear leaked down his spine, making him tremble once more.

Wait, what's going on?

The sound of metal clanking met his hearing, hope filling his soul. That's Al! I know that sound anywhere! He went to speak, but before he could, another noise claimed his attention. It was the sound of Tucker's voice, filtering through the door, for some strange reason, setting him off. That bastard! If he hurt Al…

But before Ed could finish his thought, the door creaked open, two figures appearing before him.

"I really appreciate you taking the time out to show me this, Mr. Tucker; but why can't we wait on Ed? I'm sure he'll be out of the bathroom in just a few minutes. He always stays in there awhile when he first wakes up," Alphonse's innocent tone met Ed's ears.

"Oh, he'll see it soon enough," Tucker replied smiling, placing a gentle hand on the back of Al's steel suit. "Now take a look," the man grinned toothily, gesturing towards Ed.

Ed's eyes widened, uncertainty gripping his heart and holding it tightly. Why in the hell was Tucker pointing at him? The twelve year old went to open his mouth, an outburst on the tip of his tongue. But oddly, the ability to speak seemed foreign in a way, a confused look setting upon his features. Al doesn't know it's me?

"Go on now, say hi," Tucker urged, madness in his eyes, a wicked beam set across his face. "He's a bit shy and all," he explained to Alphonse who was still in awe of the creature sitting before him.

"Alphonse?" the name slowly exited Ed's mouth, his eyes growing wider as the voice didn't even sound like his own. "Alphonse?" he asked again, this time his voice quivering. He was scared to death, a feeble sensation breathing over his nerves. "Al?" one more time, almost inaudible.

"Wow! He can say my name, Mr. Tucker! That's amazing! How'd you do it?" Al questioned, moving forward to gawk at the childlike chimera that sat before him.

"After many years of practicing and experiments, Alphonse. It is amazing, isn't it?" the devious man asked, staring straight into Ed's golden eyes which were filling with pain at an alarming rate.

Edward started to shake his head, not liking at all where this had gone. "No," he mumbled, shaking his head faster. "No," he repeated a little bit louder, his whole body starting to tremble and ache. "No! No! No!" he screamed, so bloodcurdling even Al felt a sliver of fear run through him.

"What's going on?" the eleven year old inquired, backing away, fright in his tone. "What's wrong with it?"

"Oh, it just needs rest…"the older man explained, a gleam searing through his transparent orbs.

Edward continued to scream as Tucker shooed Alphonse out of the room, then came back to the boy. The boy didn't even see it coming, and was soon rendezvousing with the dark pool once again.

&&&&&

The twelve year old awoke with a start, his heart pounding in his ears. He looked around the room, though his vision seemed slightly fuzzy, he only being able to make out a silhouette that hovered in the corner of the room.

"Al?" he asked, his voice still not his own.

"Hello, Edward," Shou Tucker's whisper of a voice wound its way through his ears, only making the boy scream louder, inwardly knowing what kind of hell he was trapped in.

Yes, once again, another pointless one-shot; but hey, can you seriously blame me? ;)