Thank you so much Jolteongrl for inspiring this chapter. I really needed the push. I am truly sorry bout how long it too nthis chapter to go up, I have no good excuse.

This is quite a bit darker than the rest of the story so, be ware.

Black fog swirled around inside Edward's mind in a flurry of pain and confusion. It was pitch black, or maybe he just couldn't find enough power to open his eyes. The cold metal that he was strapped onto was making his back and legs stiff and numb.

Empty. Everything was empty and silent. He didn't know how long he had been there. How long had they left him here? How long has it been since cold needles stabbed his arms, and pain coursed through his limbs in a mix of alchemy and chemicals?

And more importantly, how had this happened? How did he get here? What had he been doing before?

Where was Al? Whee was his little brother? Was he here too? Was he being hurt like Ed was?

The thought somehow makes it through the twisted, heavy maze of his mind, and he jerks on the table. They can't be hurting Alphonse. Not his little Alphonse. The only thing he had left.

He starts yanking on his arms and legs, trying to pull away from his bonds. He can't quite seem to get enough oxygen through his nose, as his mouth has been covered up. He kept biting their hands.

His frantic thrashing and the small whispers that manage to slip out of his mouth quickly draw Them to his room. A quick prick in his arm and darkness overtakes him.

Roy presses his back against yet another doorframe, bringing his hand up just under his chin. There were so many doors down here, the team had lost count a while ago. Alphonse shifted nervously, sending a glance to Maes who is standing on the other side of the door, Riza behind him. Alphonse had, by far, been the most anxious member of the party, Edward being his brother and all.

The door slowly swings open to reveal yet another empty room. Well, mostly empty. There is a small metal desk in the corner, accompanied by almost empty bookshelves. The group sighs at the disappointment and continues into the next room; they hadn't stopped moving yet and now was not the time.

They moved to the next door. And the next, and the next. Until five more doors had been opened and closed with no results.

"This is so stupid!" Al yelled, kicking an empty plastic tub across the hall, and throwing his hands in the air. "We've been here for almost two hours, and still nothing!? He_ said he'd be here, and there is no sign of either of them! That-that bastard has had him for almost a week, there's no telling what...what could have happened to him," he stopped pacing, and leaned his forehead against the dusty, white walls. Everyone stands awkwardly for a moment, staring at the younger Elric brother and trying to will away the painful silence.

"_could have been lying, Alphonse," Mustang states after a moment. "Edward could just not be here, there's no use fussing about it. We just need to finish the last few rooms and go back to the office. We can figure out what to do from there," Al sends a death glare at Roy and opens his mouth to say something, but stops when a gentle hand is placed on his shoulder.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Roy could be right. Settle down and we'll Finnish looking for him and go home. Hevan knows we all need a bit of rest," soft green eyes shift over to one of the last remaining doors when the smallest of sounds comes from it. It sounds like someone talking, or... whimpering? Quickly, three other see pairs of eyes dart over to that same door.

Soon the static clears away and is replaced with a smiling face. Edward was lying on a stolen table behind him, leather straps went across his chest, knees, hips, and _lower legs. He is shirtless, only loose black shorts covering his lower half. There is a black plastic mask covering his mouth, going around the back of his head to clip at the back of his neck. His eyes are wide and unfocused, blinking and jerking around randomly along with his arms; Automail and flesh.

"I bet you were pretty let down that your precious kitten wasn't where I told you he would be," the smirking face says. Al's hands make fists. Fingernails digging into the soft flesh of his new hands.

"He isn't a kitten," Al says harshly. "He is my brother, and I want him back!"

"No use in talking," the man continues, "This is a recording and by the time you see this kitten and I will be long gone. I know that it is kind of stupid and fairy tailish for me to just, reveal my whole 'evil plot' to you all, but I'm almost done so...who cares," he took a deep breath and glared back at Ed who, apparently, whimpered too loudly. "Shut up kitten! You'll be back with your _people soon enough,"

Contrary to the man's wishes, Edward didn't calm down at all. "Stupid brat," he hissed, walking out of the camera frame. A moment later he came back with a small serene in his hand. "Calm down, you'll mess everything up,". The needle pierced the skin of his shoulder, and after a moment, he settled down. His eyes closed almost completely, noise stopping entirely, and body going slack.

Some part of Roy's mind registered a door slamming and that Al was no longer in the room with them, but it was pushed away because the man started talking again.

"I am going to turn him into a Neko. A cat, if you didn't know. Not fully a cat, only a bit. I plan on only giving him ears and possibly a tale. But that's not all. You see, the whole reason I am doing this is that he sabotaged my chimera project a couple years back. And I thought to myself 'what could be better than turning him into a chimera himself?' Then I did a bit more thinking. If I simply turned him into a cat and was done with it, he would probably die, thus I would never get to see the fruits of my labor in the kittens loved ones. So I thought to myself 'why do I see if I can de-age him? Turn him into a child and a Neko, then give him back to his family,"

"So, that's what you will see when you find him," the man said with a satisfied sigh. "I will send you a letter today, it should be at Mustang's office by the time you get back. Have fun, and I'll see you soon,"

End Part One