Dusk

A Fullmetal Alchemist Darkfic

By: OhHolyCow

UPDATED 10 March 2014

I'm falling down into my shadow

Gasping on my every breath

as I await the deadly night

So scary, but you can't give into this

Fear of Pumpkin carriages, for all the witches

See it in your eyes

See you in your dreams yeah, baby

Your nightmares too, that's where I'll find you

~Papermoon, by Tommy Heavenly6

And so the night draws near...

Central Command Center: Roy Mustang and Edward Elric

Edward Elric chanced a gaze at the window of Roy Mustang's office, recognizing, with mild chagrin, that the sun had already begun to set. With a roll of his eyes, he thanked whatever god was out there that his automail hand could not cramp, as a certain Roy Mustang had him drafting documents and writing reports for the past several hours. It was with this thought that the boy realized with a slight smirk that half of his writings were complete bullshit. That was, however, for him to know, and for Colonel Bastard to find out. Yet regardless of how liberated the thought made him feel, he could not escape the fact that, still, he was stuck in this damned office. He groaned.

"Can't I go home, Colonel? I've been here forever! Isn't there some bullshit policy about worker's rights or something? I wanna go home, damn it!" Edward asked, continuing to write his rather long mission report, not yet realizing that his steel appendage had begun leaving dents in the table upon which housed his nonsensical writings. Edward knew that he would have to write something up upon his return from yet another failed lead regarding the Philosopher's Stone, but really, could the Colonel be this much of a bastard? He supposed the man truly did live up to his nickname. Sure, perhaps he had contributed to a few mild damages out West but come on. Naturally, the boy was fuming at his superior's response.

"Not until you've finished that report, Fullmetal. You know as well as I do that our superiors aren't at all happy, considering that little mess you made down in West City. God knows how much that's going to cost!" Roy huffed, rather irritated with his subordinate's characteristic irresponsibility.

The boy sprung a loose nerve at Mustang's remark. "Hey! I helped them clean it up!" Edward yelled, practically giving off indignant steam.

The man stopped writing at that one. "Fullmetal... You made it worse. I wouldn't exactly call what you did 'helping'." Roy replied, still irritated.

"Well at least I don't just sit on my ass signing papers all day!" Edward yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Roy, his face taking on a characteristic red at the mention of his little incident. Yes, the one which entailed his absolute humiliation as a state alchemist.

Roy's fuse grew shorter. "Hey! I'm not the one who blew up a mile of city! Shut your damn mouth and sign, Fullmetal!"

"It wasn't even my fault! That... psychopath is the one who set off the bomb! And if not for Al, everyone in the city would have died! I think you owe me and my brother a goddamn 'thank you'!" Edward practically screamed, slamming his fist on the the Colonel's desk. Roy's eyes narrowed.

"The only thing I owe you is a cut in research funding, you delinquent!" Roy replied angrily, losing his normally stoic persona. Edward's pen snapped in his hand, and his features exhibited his surprise. "What? The-the Hell you do! You can't do that! You won't do that-I need that funding!" Edward yelled, looking despairingly uncomfortable with this turn of events.

The Colonel only smirked. "Well, maybe you should have given your shenanigans proper thought before taking such risks, Fullmetal. Consider it a favor that you get to keep your job" It was that damned smirk that really started to rile up the boy.

"And Why the Hell are you smiling, Mustang? This isn't funny!" Edward began to breathe heavily, and his face betrayed a darker red as he seethed with anger. Apparently, Colonel Mustang loved to play with fire in more ways than one, and hadn't a notion for if he were to get burned.

"Maybe this will teach you to think, Fullmetal" Roy smirked as he supposedly won the banter battle. Smother, Check, and mate.

That tears it!

Edward shook with fury as he was defaced by the arrogant man before him. His eyes begun to burn with the way he glared at Mustang, the epicenter of his hostility and indignation.

"...I hate you, you... you son of a bitch!" Edward's fists clenched only tighter at his anger. Absolutely livid, absolutely at his limit for daily bullshit, Edward stormed out of the office in a huff, taking extra care to slam the door, nearly sending it off the hinges and bending metal bands. Roy Mustang sat quietly in his office for a few minutes more, enjoying how nice it was that he didn't have kids.

Well, not really. It was a passing notion that he gave little thought. With a roll of his eyes, he decided to break the silence of the room.

"Well... Might as well get the the rest of this paperwork..." Roy said as he sat down once again at his desk, his face still a trifle red from their banter. With expert timing, and a little edge, Lt. Riza Hawkeye walked into the office, bringing with her yet another stack of papers due in the morning... And a gun. Damn it.

Edward stormed angrily down the city streets of Central, his fists clenched angrily in his pockets as the sun began to set a deep crimson.

He yelled like a bottle about to burst. "Damn him! Damn that bastard to hell! He keeps me there for three extra hours, loads me up with all that bullshit, and then he completely disregards anything I have to say... all for some stupid goddamn report! It isn't like it was my fault in the first place! And did he ask me about my side of the story? Did he question the validity of Commander Blake for even a second? Did he even consider believing me, he own subordinate? No, no, and NO!"

He kicked a pebble as he continued down the boulevard, his mind going in circles to rationalize what the hell just happened. He thought... he had thought the Colonel trusted him. He thought that Mustang would believe him if he told him the truth. But... that was a thought soon shattered, along with his meals, thanks to bastard and his pay cuts. The future looked bleak as he considered the pounds of instant noodles and Fuhrer Fries he'd have to eat. They'd start calling him the Heavymetal Alchemist for sure, those damn kids.

The sun set further as the sky was painted in shades of rubies, soon in a rainbow of dark colors. and in good time, dusk was upon the city streets, reflecting the end of the day, and perhaps, something lurking in the night. It was then, that the light began to fade.

A Purple girl turned

the Scarlet smirked

the black-eyes stared

And Gold was in the distance

There was a soft snicker from afar that seemed uncomfortably close to Edward. He heard it again, his trail of thought derailed. The boy stopped, and turned, seeing only an alley that began filling with nighttime shadows. Nothing out of the ordinary, though it still bothered him to no end.

Edward always had a way about him, where he could pick up warnings... like a foreboding power, a sixth sense of sorts, honed from his many years running away from the Truth, embracing the Truth, and slaying the Truth. But even with his looming suspicions, Edward continued to walk as night befell the city, unaware of what lurked in the growing night.

This proved to be one of the biggest mistakes he would ever make.

The city air was tainted by a dark shadow-filled danger as the unthinkable happened. Edward Elric, the legend, the hero, the unstoppable, the Fullmetal, was abducted from the city streets. A hand was clamped over his mouth and eyes as a surge of energy collided with his face. A flash of light and a scream all his own were the only things that his muse wrote down before he blacked out into the abyss of unconsciousness. And on this night, his life would change forever.

A Scream, a thump, a gaze and a sneer

"Your destiny is in my hands now, Boy"

Chapter 1: The Abduction

So... so dark... It's so dark, here. Wh... where... am I?

It's... so cold, too...

I need to stay... I need to get out of here... I...

I... I can't...move...

I can't move!

Edward's eyes snapped open at the realization, his breathing gaining a quicker tempo. His eyes searched frantically for something, for anything, any sort of explanation for where he was and why. All that he could make of the situation was that he was bound to the floor, in a large and dark room. Damn.

Edward looked up as a bright candlelight from above showed him his surroundings: the room, no longer dark, revealed itself as a lavish ballroom, free however of dancers, party-goers and any feeling of joy. The walls were painted a melancholic color of lavender, their essence reflected by the emptiness of the room. It was then that he heard a haughty voice.

"Comfortable?" a man asked. Edward cringed at the tone, trying to loosen his bindings.

"Who are you…? What the hell's going on?" Edward asked, his tone beginning to rise. He challenged his fetters as he felt more than ever the cold of the floor and the beat of his heart.

"Do you like it? This is my home… and you are in my ballroom now. Beautiful, isn't it?" still, the man remained in the shadows, shrouded in darkness and waiting for the perfect moment to reveal his cold features.

"Shut up! Who are you?"

"I am merely a man searching for something that you would never once understand. Do not fret, child. You will be leaving my cozy little abode shortly. That is... after she's done with you, of course" And with this ghastly statement, the figure stepped out of the shadows. The dark echo was finally revealed to be an elderly man. A very... short elderly man. He wasn't the type to give out hard candy, or one who had a friendly visage, but more like the decrepit, wicked type. His hair was a false shade of black, combed back and filled to the brim with gel and mousse. He was wearing a red and black tuxedo, making him look all the more devilish. His walking cane was long and black, with a skull on top, whose eyes seemed to glow if one were to stare.

"You…Let me go, you old bastard! Now tell me… who is… who is 'she'?" Edward yelled, trying to figure out the position he was in. The man, predictably sneered at the boy's words.

"Ha! You think that I would go through all the trouble of having you captured just to let you go? And here I thought you were a prodigy! You will be going nowhere until…well, until later, I suppose." He laughed again.

"What's you're problem? " Edward yelled, anger building in his eyes.

"My problem? See not the old man before you, nor the aged and grey visage. See only the Truth, boy. See only that which makes you despair. Any problem of mine is rooted within that despair, within the past, the present, every moment I exist in this world. But fear not, boy. It is nearly time for me to depart." he betrayed a grim smile as he began to walk away.

Edward struggled against his bindings. "And just where the hell are you going, you fucking psycho?!" Edward yelled out in a fit if rage. The man only sneered, waved as he was consumed by the shadows of the far off door. "Do not fret. Surely, I shall return soon to finish what I've started."

"Ugh! Lieutenant, just how long are you going to keep me here? It's past midnight!" Colonel Mustang pouted, waving his arms in exasperation.

"The parallels between you and Edward are astounding, Colonel." Hawkeye mused, keeping her stoic demeanor. The Colonel was at a loss for words.

"What? Lieutenant, don't you start comparing me with that half-pint! He's really started to irritate me lately. Hell, I'm overdue for a raise with all the stress he's caused me!" he exasperated, still rather frustrated from their previous encounter. "Alright, Hawkeye, I've finished this stack for Commander Davis. It's past midnight, and I'm due here in less than six hours. Can I please leave and get a little shut-eye?" Mustang groveled, still entirely consumed with his growing need for a soft mattress. Lieutenant Hawkeye didn't waver in the slightest. "Sure, you can leave" she replied with her usual calmness.

At the sheer notion he could leave, Mustang was enraptured. He nearly jumped from his chair at the implication that he could go home. "Really? You're serious, aren't you? Because I really do need to get home and-" One would think that tearing the man down was one of Hawkeye's sick hobbies.

"That is, after you finish this last stack of paperwork, sir" The Lieutenant said, setting down yet another large stack of documents, which needed signature by morning, upon his already busied desk. Before Mustang could get in another word of protest, the office phone gave a curt ring.

"Who could that be at this hour?" Mustang mused, a little glad to have a decent break, if one could even call it that. Roy picked up the black phone at his desk, only to hear a very concerned Alphonse Elric on the other end. Alphonse was talking a mile a minute asking questions and trying to get answers about something of which the colonel hadn't a clue. When the boy paused for breath, the colonel took the opportunity to stop him.

"Alright, calm down, Alphonse. Now I want you to tell me exactly what's going on. What's wrong?" Mustang asked, waiting patiently for the boy's response.

"Is Edward there?" Alphonse asked in a panic.

Roy Mustang was bemused at the notion. Something didn't feel right. "Uh... no, he left a few hours ago. Is he not home yet?" Mustang asked, his voice showing only a hint of worry.

"Y-You mean he's not there? What could of happened to him? Do you think he's okay? C'mon, Colonel, talk to me! I-I need to find him! I-" Alphonse bellowed to the point of screaming.

"Alphonse, calm down! We'll go look for your brother right now. I'll... call some of my subordinates to help with the search. We'll find him. I'm sure he's fine, Al." with that, Mustang hung up. His voice took on an authoritative edge, usually lost in his banter and whining. "Lieutenant, it would seem that Fullmetal's gone missing. Alphonse said that he hasn't arrived to their dorm yet. Call Hughes and Armstrong, and while you're at it drag out whoever's still here. We need to find him" Roy explained sternly.

"Sir. Fuery, Havoc and Breda are still here. I'll get the personnel you requested at once," Riza replied, running out of the office.

Fifteen minutes later, the requested team arrived, as well as Alphonse Elric, who ran as fast as his armor would allow.

Roy marched to the front of his team, his eyes growing bags but his tone still holding its authority. "Alright! Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, has gone missing. We must find him at all costs. As of now, he has been missing for about four hours. While there's a good chance of it, no one is to assume that he is not in danger. It's certainly unusual, but God knows how many enemies he must have as a 'military dog'. Right now, we are assuming that he is alive, with the possibility of capture. Leave no place unsearched!" Mustang ordered.

"Sir!" replied all of Mustang's subordinates, leaving the room.

Edward... You had better be alive...!

The boy was left alone for a while, and decided, without much else to pass the time, to survey the room he was being held in. The entire room, or rather, ballroom, was colored in black and lavender, decorated thickly with flowers of several varieties, except…

They were all dead.

Edward decided it best to leave his curiosity at bay in order to asses the situation, and focus on getting out. He turned his head, finding his left arm bound, and his right still attached. His legs appeared the same way… And with that fleeting sense of relief, the bastard reappeared.

Damn it, here he comes. The bastard.

He sauntered over, holding an array of instruments in his hands. He smiled rather wickedly as he bent over at Edward's side, his gaze penetrating and fierce. HERE

"W-what are you going to do with that?" I breathlessly asked, pointing towards his large, intimidating knife.

"Oh… nothing at the moment, but I do want to play with this." He sneered, holding in his other hand… a wrench.

"Let's have some fun, shall we? And since you asked, I am simply going to remove your arm. Then, I am going to feel guilty about it, and put it back on; then I will get nervous for my safety, and take it off again. And I am going to do this over and over and over again until I feel in the mood to try something else! But first… let's give you this!" He said politely, injecting the syringe into my left arm.

"What is that? What did you do to me?" I screamed, terrified with the possibilities of that container.

"Oh… nothing at all! It is simply a drug that I created that prevents one from passing out or falling unconscious! It only lasts for 20 minutes, but it sure does add to the fun!" He beamed, holding the wrench to my arm.

"Ready?"

"Uh, n-no!"

"Set?"

"Wait! Hold on a second, I-"

"Go!" he said, removing the arm painfully. I didn't scream… I never do; but it still hurt like Hell; but then, just as fast as it had left, it can right back on. On and Off. On and Off.

"Again!" He yelled, about to take it off for the fourth time.

"A-Ahhh!" I screamed in pain.

My arm is getting numb now! Wait… is that... blood?

A stream of blood began to pour from my arm as he attached it again

My screams began to get louder, and louder, and louder as he continued his work in a vicious cycle of torture and pain.

"Again!"

"L-let me go! Let me go!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, trying in vain to get away from his grasp.

"But what fun would that be?" The man asked, a sneer on his elderly face.
Damn it! Make it stop! My arm! I… I cant feel anything! I can't feel! I can't breathe!

Ahh! P-please, make him stop!

No…

"Aww! Tired already? Well phooey! I suppose we can get on with the night, since I am getting bored!" he said with enthusiasm. He took out a blindfold from his pocket and put it over my eyes. Unfortunately, I had no choice but to allow it.

"Now then. Let's play a game, shall we? He's how the game works: I am going to cut you somewhere on your body, and if you scream quietly, I will stab at a different spot. But if you scream loudly, then I will continue to stab there. And the louder you scream, the deeper I cut, do you understand?" He said with a chuckle.

I grit my teeth, preparing myself for the pain.

The knife cut deep into Edward's left arm, causing him to cry out in pain. The man smiled as he cut again, again, again, again, blood spattering on their faces and on the ground

Cry blood scream pain die death murder murder die stab stab STAB STAB STAB BLOODLUST BLOODLUST BLOODLUST

STOP IT!

Edward lay still on the cold, blood-luscious ground, his breaths coming out in chimney puffs. Frowning, the man gave a pout, a pout that did not last long as the diabolical man got a horrible idea. Grinning madly, the man reached into his coat pocket for a pair of scissors.

The man placed the knife, unbeknownst to Edward, above his left arm, preparing to cut. Slowly, painfully, he began to scrape the knife across Edward's flesh, causing the boy to wince in pain. When he did not scream, the man grabbed his scissors, and cut off Edward's shirt. Smiling to himself, he cut zig-zag patterns across the boy's chest, causing Edward to wince a little louder. Hearing this, Edward's captor pressed the knife into Edward's gut

No! I… I have to help my Brother first! I can't just let myself get killed!

The elderly man came back to my side, a dark syringe in his hands.

"W-what is that?" I asked, beginning to panic.

"This? Why… this is nothing! Just a poke, Edward! This little number will help to speed things along!" he said as he pressed the tip into my arm. I began to feel funny, and my mind and vision began to haze. I felt sick.

"W-whudidja do... to- me…" I couldn't even talk right. Damn it!

"Well, let's start the fun, shall we?" Said the mysterious man.

"W-who are you?"

"Foolish brat! I might be a man of science, but I'm not a mad scientist. I'm not just going to tell you everything! I might be old, but I'm sharp as a nail!" The old man bellowed, causing a growl to erupt from Edward.

"Now, where were we? Oh, yes, the experiment. Brace yourself, boy, because this is going to burn like hell!" the geezer yelled, activation the massive transmutation circle.

He stood atop the flight of stairs, and his eyes began to glow in a tint of scarlet. His hands lit up, as did the circle-

Wait. A… A transmutation circle? What the hell?

"What the hell is this?" I screamed, my eyes burning with angry tears.

"Now then, it is time, Edward Elric, that I give you just Despair"

And a bright flash began its run.

Edward's screams of agony could be heard throughout the city, making children cry, pigeons stir, and people look out their windows in shock. Fortunately for the teen, Mustang's Unit could hear his screams just as well.

"That was Edward!" Riza yelled, trying to keep her composure.

"Hurry! This way! By the sounds of that, we have no time to lose!" Mustang bellowed, running towards the chateau.

The horrible old man simply just grinned happily at the adolescent covered in blood as the sinister transmutation neared completion.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Perfection! From this point forward, all your eyes shall see is hell! Images of evil and putrescence shall be your life! You will finally see the world for what it truly is! A Pit of Despair! MWAHAHO!" The old man screamed (who was clearly insane, mind you. Perhaps it was dementia?).

As the group approached the ghastly abode, sounds of a dark waltz being played on a sinister violin could be heard in the background of Edward's screams of nothing short of torture. The group was terrified by the possibilities of what lay behind that old mahogany door. Without another thought, the group barged into the mansion, using Armstrong's strength to their advantage.

And everything was much worse than they had predicted.

Atop the flight of stairs, the man played a sinister tune on his red violin, even faster now, laughing in merriment at his completed experiment. But that wasn't what caused their eyes to bulge, no. It was the sight of Edward, on the floor, covered in a crimson embrace. Mustang looked to the transmutation circle for any signs of what in Hell was happening to Edward, but all that was still visible was a strange black symbol, which, for one reason or another, had appeared familiar to Roy.

Slowly glancing back at Edward, Roy continued to stand appalled at the sight. His bones were jutting out of his body, and his mouth continued to excrete blood and bile. The boy rattled in shakes and bursts of alchemist energy, his screams no longer present, as his mouth began to be filled with black bile. As the young Colonel stared wide-eyes at his subordinate, Edward slowly looked up. The Colonel nearly blanched at the boy's eyes; no longer did they hold ambition and will, but instead held fear and deep pain. And his eyes... they held a transmutation circle... a horrible, crimson transmutation circle. Not one of Mustang's men could say a word that could explain the situation before their very eyes. Blood, bones, bile and black was the only sight that lay before them.

This was Madness...

This was Horror...

This was Despair

For Death was surely upon him.

A/N:

1*: He uses electricity as his main element, though has many other tricks up his sleeve. Whenever he did become a State Alchemist, he did not become known for his electric alchemy, but that of another kind.