Arrogant Surrender
Chapter One
How It All Began
- mirage -
"Keep him out of here. Keep him out of here!" Mustang barked slamming his hand down when he saw the flap to his tent move. It fluttered with the sharp thrust of a fist and let the dank cold air into his pitiful fortress. The constant and relentless calling for him was now being kept at bay by soldiers. "What is this?"
"Sir this is the statement from headquarters." Hawkeye direct leaning into his desk and pointing to the last paragraph. She was relatively clean considering the soiled ground caking to mud with the rain. Above her boots very few splatters peppered her pants, and her hair was neat and pressed. "This is delaying a shipment of our inventory until Tuesday."
"What!" He could not say the same. The mud had not been kind to him.
"Sir!" Havoc came in quickly, and in the midst of the man's run he saw a peek of blonde hair outside having a fit. "We've reached the road block." Havoc solute stopping at his desk out of breath and dirty. He stood at once, pushing the flimsy fold out chair he used back in the dirt glaring.
"Good. Call up the first two flanks, I want men at the roads, we're going to be talking to whomever we need to talk to." He ordered and Havoc nod and left quickly while Hawkeye produced another piece of paper.
"The Brigadier General is calling for you sir. He's missed you each time."
"Has he left a message?" He asked trying for the life of him to sign the document confirming he was aware inventory was delayed and Headquarters was personally telling him and all of his men to bend over. "Will you Shut him up!" He yelled to the front door bringing a hand to his temples before throwing his pen. "Get me a pen that works damnt." He growled dropping his hand and Hawkeye had one extended looking concerned.
"Elric is upset." She supplied gently and he scribbled his name shoving the paper away from him.
"Obviously." He grabbed his gloves from the desk. "How long has it been?"
"Two days." She supplied and he stopped, one glove mid hand.
"Not since he went missing." He correct quickly. "You think I wouldn't know that?" He asked quietly and she averted her eyes. "Our station. How long since we were stationed out here." He frowned and she thought for a moment.
"Three weeks." She answered and he nod heading past her and sweeping his tent door open.
They were at war and had been so for three weeks. There was land being bought and sold, two towns merging into one. Then, a small murder which blew the entire thing to pieces. With the towns at war they were sent in and apparently the towns liked the army less than each other, and band together to fight them. About his shabby tent and office, he was surrounded by his remaining camp of tents and about all else: mud. The field they had taken looked more like a circus with soldiers in every corner. The city visible up ahead with roof tops and smoke.
"SIR!"
"Enough." He waved the soldiers off the boy calling for him and stepped up to him. "We are going to the front lines. If you are to come with me, you must keep your big mouth shut." He ordered and the innocent face started nodding at once.
"I only want a chance to help. I am not just infantry." Alphonse begged grabbing his arm when he went to turn away and he pulled the boy up along side of him.
"Shadow me and stay by my side." He ordered and Alphonse followed with Hawkeye looking a bit out of sorts but ready. The boy was adorned as a soldier, carrying a weapon and had complete boot camp just like any other. "You are not to talk for any reason. No matter what you see or hear."
"I understand." Alphonse nod running a hand though his short blonde strands. "You'll do whatever you can right? Roy? You're going to right?" The boy rambled and he snort. In the bleak weather his complexion was not what he preferred it to be, and his eyes were dark. Dark with hate for this zoo of sticky filthy chaos. He sent a side glance to the boy and smiled.
"I am not called a flame alchemist for nothing Alphonse." He chuckled bitterly. His name had come with a heavy price. "If I need to, I will use force on these people."
"If the colonel goes forward, stay back with me Alphonse." Hawkeye direct sweetly following along behind. He head through the sopping puddles and taffy clumps of earth to their barricade, and past it to the main road of the town. This road was wide separated only by the two large barricades, theirs and the towns both caked with mud.
"Stand down!" He called raising his arm above his head and signaling his men to withdraw their aimed weapons. "Everyone stand down!" He yelled loudly keeping his arm raised for a moment before dropping it to his side and stepping out from the barricade. It was made of an old stone wall they had relocated, before adding sand bags. A mess. Chipped from bullets, and damp from rain this town and this base were the last place he wanted to be.
"Are you the colonel!" A voice called and he took another step forward and stood there frowning. His presence and arrogant silence would tell them his rank and soon enough a few of the people scurried back and they were bringing forth 'the leader.' A tall willowy man with chin length brown hair and a wide smile.
"Colonel Roy Mustang!?" The man called and he grunt. "They've sent a colonel all the way out here?" The man yelled giving a laugh.
"Withdraw your resistance!" He called. "This town is to be apprehended and order restored. Your public disturbance will not be tolerated!" He ordered and the leader took fast aggressive steps forward to retaliate against his words. "What is your name?" The man looked pissed.
"Wessinger." The man barked. "And we have no intention of laying down for the military who doesn't give a damn about our affairs until we slow down the trains!" The man yelled erupting a group holler to support him. He made a face.
"Is all this chaos really worth the result? Is all this worth the ground you're standing on?" He asked and Wessinger stepped forward and spit into the dirt just as Havoc came from behind and whispered to Hawkeye.
"We've waited all this time for you!" Wessinger called. "Thought you could come in and scare us! Well we waited and now we're prepared to fight!" The man yelled throwing up his fists and the crowd cheered behind him raising pitch forks and boards.
"This is ludicrous." He growled turning to Hawkeye as she snuck up to stand slightly behind him. "I will ask you again to stand down! Or we will use force!" He yelled and she stiffened.
"The brigadier left a message this time sir." She whispered quickly turning to go already. "He said we are not to enter the town." He froze.
"We're ready to fight!" Wessinger called encouraging the crowd's enthusiasm until they were yelling taunts and swears.
"What is he talking about?" He growled beneath his breath.
"That was the entire message." She answered and he stood where he was listening to the banter. The crowd spitting to his face and to his men.
"Are you too big a chicken now!" Wessinger called seeming confused. "You've set up an entire base Colonel Mustang!"
"I will give you time to consider my offer. I do not want it to come down to bloodshed!" He called trying to relieve himself and his men gracefully, but Wessinger only grunt. The town wanted a battle, it was insane.
"If you won't come willingly, maybe we can entice you!" The man called before turning to his men. "Get the prisoner!" He called and he closed his eyes.
"Son of a bitch." He swore hoping it wouldn't come to this. "Hawkeye."
"I understand sir." She answered stepping closer to Alphonse. "Stay with me Alphonse." She hushed before her voice became lower and over the cheering crowd he could no longer hear her words. From behind the barricade the sea of villagers were parting for a tall burly man who was coming forward pulling a rope and Wessinger was cheering with the rest of the men waving him out. After the new citizen came the prisoner, hobbling with a bad limp on the left side. Rope tied about his neck, arms bound behind his back. Ed was being drug faster than he could walk and was fighting to stand on his own two feet.
"Don't you want your man back!" Wessinger called kicking Ed to the ground once the boy was up front, and his face hardened.
"That is a poor way to treat a negotiator." He growled and Wessinger gave him a dramatic shrug and exchanged glances with his crowd.
"These are times of war." The man figured reaching forward and lifting Ed's head up by his hair and the boy glared forward at them, gagged with a wood bit forced into his mouth and tied about his face. "You'll fight for your man won't you?!" Wessinger called raising his arms so the crowd cheered again.
"Orders sir. Remember them." Hawkeye whispered catching sight of his fingers which were getting ready to snap.
"I gave you my offer." He explained politely. "You have twenty four hours to think on it." He said turning firmly from the man and stalking back to the barricade. He left quickly, but not before he saw Ed's eyes widen as he deserted the field.
"Your man has been without food or water for two days!" Wessinger yelled after him, but he continued walking and this brought about a slur of swears. He stalked past Hawkeye and Alphonse's horrified face and continued into the barricade closing the front exit with sandbags after they had returned.
"What does he mean I cannot enter the town?" He was on Hawkeye instantly.
"We're just leaving my brother with them?" Alphonse demand and he held up a hand to silence the boy.
"Sir. I know only what I've told you." Hawkeye shook her head trying to seem reassuring for him, but all he felt was the migraine he had getting stronger.
"I am at a time of war. These decisions are mine to make. I am the commanding officer on this battlefield." He sneered and she was silent letting his anger vent. She was on his side of course.
"Sir!" Havoc called from the barricade waving him over and he went to the man looking as the man point. "They're building something." He looked at the villagers laying down boards in front of their barricade for a small structure.
"Watch them."
"Could it be something to propel weapons?" Hawkeye looked instantly concerned.
"Get Fuery on this. It's his specialty." He ordered and she left his side quickly with Alphonse staring ahead to the town looking saddened. "Your brother is stronger than he looks Alphonse. Two days without food or water is nothing to an Elric." He offered kindly laying his hand on the boy's shoulder and Alphonse grunt a bit, but the boy's eyes didn't move.
"I should have gone with him." Alphonse muttered and he was silent. "I should have gone instead." Alphonse said turning from him and his hand dropped. His orders were for Alphonse. Enter the town safely and deliver the army's terms. It was a simple negotiation, easy and respectable. It would be the boy's first assignment and first chance for experience. Edward was furious with him, and demand he assign it to someone else. The brothers had fought with one another in their tent. Alphonse felt Ed was under handing him and Ed did not want his brother in danger. An hour before the mission was scheduled they discovered Ed had left to carry it out. The boy did not come back.
"Find out what this structure is." He ordered turning from the scene leaving Havoc in his post. "Alert me first, as soon as you are informed." He clarified heading back for his tent and Havoc salute silently. All eyes were trained ahead for danger, watching the villagers hammering diligently at a pine structure.
"My choice for the younger Elric brother to be the negotiator was based upon his ill experience." He explained to his tent. The brigadier had shown up and seat himself on one of the rickety chairs placed within his room. "Alphonse Elric is part of the infantry division and has been a soldier for five months." He informed glancing to the boy who stood at attention in the corner. He was silent then and let his hand lazily scratch the side of his face. "Edward Elric was acting out of orders." He conclude.
"This looks bad Mustang." The brigadier insult irritated. "A state alchemist taken captive? You make it sound as though our talents are nothing."
"He wasn't acting as a state alchemist at the time."
"Nevertheless." The man snapped. "The Elric name is widely known. He's the state alchemist of the people, and now his own people have captured him. How many negative angles does that give us?" The man puffed straightening up in his chair. "I don't know what is worse. The fact a state alchemist was taken hostage, or the fact it was the state alchemist the people loved the most."
"Let me be clear." He said sitting up further and leaning into his desk. "Edward Elric was acting without any clarification from the state at all."
"Reprimand him when he returns. Right now I want to know what you're doing to fix the situation." The man barked standing up and he sighed.
"How shall I address the situation? I cannot enter the town." He gave a short shrug. "Do you suggest I will him free?"
"Being out here on the battle field is making your head fat Mustang!" The brigadier barked standing before his desk like a bull about to charge. "Frankly I am appalled with what I see in this operation, and the blunder that is your managing style!" The man yelled and he rose to his feet staring back at the man. He locked their eyes and hung on.
"If you wish to impugn me, be prepared to do better." He countered, and the Brigadier grunt giving a short wave of his hand and the three soldiers who had traveled with him left with the man. He remained standing as they exit, with Havoc, Hawkeye and Alphonse at attention within his tent. "This is not the first time your brother has cost me trouble within the ranks." Hesnapped pointing firmly at the younger who stood looking obedient and even apologetic. "I've had it up to here with him and his disobedience."
"Ed's looking out for his younger bro sir. I can understand that." Havoc spoke giving him a half smile and he shot his eyes to the man.
"Don't take his side." He ordered and Havoc salute quickly. "While the Brigadier is here I want..." He trailed with the sudden noise he could hear. Not noise from the town, but from his own men. "What is that?" He asked frowning and Hawkeye pulled her gun while Havoc and Alphonse opened the flap and looked out.
"I have figured out what the structure is." Fuery announced waltzing in with a lazy salute and giving Havoc and Alphonse a curious eye ignoring the noise. "A guillotine."
"A what!?" Alphonse cried, before the man laughed and waved it off.
"Just kidding." Fuery smiled turning the clipboard he held around. "It's looks like a form of pillory, used to hold an individual. They aren't used much anymore, and judging by the base, they could do just about anything with it." Fuery informed as Havoc began beckoning them to the tent door.
"No you can tell what it is by looking at the whole damn thing!" Havoc yelled staring out of the tent. "Fuery you idiot!" Havoc snapped shoving the guy as he walked to his tent door with the group. From over the barricade you could just see the top sketch Fuery had provided. Like an empty doorframe nailed to a raised floor. That was all it was.
"What is it used for?" He asked frowning and Fuery glanced at Alphonse briefly before turning to him.
"Public humiliation. Flagellation most likely." The man answered and Alphonse turned to Fuery before to him quickly.
"For my brother?" Alphonse asked sounding slightly alarmed. "Are you talking about for my brother!?"
"Yup." Havoc groaned stepping outside and raising to his toes to see. "Sir, they're dragging him out." Havoc said and Alphonse shot past him and started for the barricade.
"This is great. Get the Brigadier at once. If I am to disobey commands, I want him present when I do it." He ordered and Fuery left his side while Hawkeye stood watching him concerned. "It will make for a better case that way. And I want to rub it in his face." He growled stomping for the gate trying to see over his own men who were crowding about watching.
The rebelling towns were cheering and banging their makeshift weapons for noise as Ed was being drug toward the platform by the same buff man who had now removed his shirt. As if this were necessary. "Should I remove Alphonse?" He asked aware Hawkeye would catch his voice, no matter where she stood.
"I am not sure he'd go." She whispered. "I can't think of an order you could give him now he'd follow." She supplied and he frowned making it to the front with her. "Having him openlycontradict you would not look well with the Brigadier here sir." He frowned. No it wouldn't. He couldn't risk it, but Alphonse was smack in the front with both hands flat on the barricade watching.
The sky was turning gray indicating the oncoming rain. It would pour soon, thunder maybe, and against the frame and cheering crowd the picture was simply Shakespeare. Disgusting. "You are to stay put." He growled marching up to Alphonse and hissing his words below his breath. The boy heard him but he barely received a response. Ed was stumbling forward out into the dirt still trying to struggle even while unable to walk. The hefty man started up the platform, and Ed wedged his heels down at the side, like a stubborn child trying to escape a parent's hand. However this only causing him to double forward and fall into the planks, hitting hard without his hands.
"What's this thing do!?" Alphonse cried turning to Fuery who stepped up with Havoc and the man made a face.
"Shit should I know kid."
"These people are pissed sir." Havoc mumbled lighting up a cigarette with a shaking hand and Ed was drug onto the platform on his side and attacked by the two men waiting on it. In less than a second they had the boy on his feet, pulling his arms up and tying them tight above his head to either side to the frame.
"Where is he." He growled to Hawkeye who was behind him. He could feel her hesitance, the stance, his body as a shield. As a force to hide behind in case she had to turn her eyes away.
"A row away, at the front." She whispered and he followed her directions to the Brigadier.
"We going to let him take our own men!?" Havoc yelled bitterly before ducking his face when the man's head shot up. He kept his hard as stone, glaring back at those beady eyes of authority. This man stopping him from silencing all these people in a second.
"We're going to let them do this!?" Alphonse cried slapping his hands down on their wall and he turned his eyes back to the stage. Ed was being stripped of his pants roughly. Thin chicken legs, pale and cold emerging from tight black leather. The boy was a noodle, straggly even; and was pulled taught by his arms now bare where he stood. With the wooden gag still tight in his mouth he could see Ed straining to see behind him as the third of the men backed up pulling something from his pocket. "They're humiliating my brother Roy!" Alphonse snapped turning to him mad. "In front of everyone!"
"That's what I said isn't it." Fuery sighed, arms crossed before his chest. The man looked like a pug, bottom lip up, fat cheeks settled into a manner of distaste. Fuery looked like he felt, asthough he were walking into a situation he knew was sour and could not prevent.
"Captives are we!?" Havoc shot again, turning fully around when the Brigadier huffed and moved closer to them unable to tell who was yelling.
"That isn't helping!" Alphonse snapped mad before looking up when the crowd began banging their boards and shovels against their own makeshift barricade. Vaguely, he considered how funny it would be if they broke it doing this.The event and the high level of adrenaline it was coursing into him, the anxiety and restlessness was starting to make his mind wonder the way war always did.
"They're going to beat him." He state when he caught sight of the whip, but nothing was happening as they waited for the 'leader' to arrive at the front.
"Shouldn't we negotiate! Or something!" Alphonse cried raising a hand to the sight turning to him.
"Ed was the negotiator." Fuery sighed puffing his chest a bit where he stood.
"SO!?" Alphonse cried turning to the man as he watched the leader walk onto stage and exchange some words with the hefty man who now held the whip.
"So that was the negotiation. Ed failed. We don't negotiate more than once." Havoc explained half way down his second cigarette. The man was smoking quickly and he saw the tension in his men the way he felt it inside. "We should have taken this town when the colonel wanted to." Havoc grumbled.
"Mind yourself Havoc." He spoke staring into the crowd and Havoc shift. Speaking so bluntly about the orders, who gave them, and who's were better while about so many ears was unsafe. "This will be it." He said watching the hefty man step back and toss the whip onto the planks a bit. He saw Ed figure this one out and the boy turned his head around and tipped it down bracing. "They'll stop at ten most likely Alphonse." He informed but these words didn't make it to the boy. Alphonse stood eyes so wide you could watch the scene from within them.
The first crack of the whip came so fast he was shocked. He'd barely seen it move. The man's fat arm raised, the black snaked pulled accordingly and then he heard the noise and Ed jerked where he hung. After the first the man wasted little time and was cracking them left and right. After four fast consecutive blows Ed struggled a bit, and by the sixth he heard the boy scream though the gag. Alphonse heard this sound on the forth and by the forth was threatening him where he stood.
"Roy get my brother down now. Or I'll have to do it myself." The boy hissed, standing along side his shoulder pushing into his face. Alphonse was taller than Ed and so was slightly over his shoulder, but not by much. The boy's spiked hair made the height more extreme than it was.
"You'll do no such thing." He growled snatching the boy's wrist firmly. So it hurt and Alphonse gasped. "Don't disrespect me at a time where I will be forced to reign my full command." He whispered glancing down at the boy and locking their eyes. He could not afford to submit to Alphonse Elric. No matter how close he was to the boy, or his brother. In front of all his men, in front of his boss, he could not submit to a simple soldier who was barely over his shoulder.
"Roy." Alphonse whined breaking his expression. The boy's voice could become so soft. So gentle at times. It was a marvel, like words equivalent to the stroke of a thumb over glass. Sleek without a flaw. "Please." Alphonse hushed leaning closer to him and he turned his eyes away. He heard Ed in that boy's voice. The brothers. Shared so much the same. Same mother, and blood. Memories, hopes, vocal cords, bodies so similar. Ed called to him from his shoulder. Voice soft and shaking slightly the way it did when he held the boy's legs apart and licked from base to tip. With his eyes he saw the boy cry out and spasm each time he was hit, with his ears he heard him begging through his brother. The less pride Elric. The yet to be Alchemist.
"Should I pack up camp?" He spoke loudly earning him the eyes of his men and finally the Brigadier. It was of course and odd time to bring that up. "I've seen all there is to see here. Should I start packing?" He asked turning to the man and cocking and eyebrow. "Apparently we are leaving the towns in turmoil. I see no reason why we should continue to waste the military's funds on a camping trip." He spoke sarcastically and the Brigadier growled. The man's eyes pinched up, sharp, with small beady nubs like a lobster. Having one of their state employees publically stripped and beaten did not look good for them. Especially if they came back empty handed.
"Fine." The man muttered turning from the front. "Do as you will." The man grunt with a wave. "But you better stick to the objective Mustang. At all costs." The man threatened before pushing through the crowd to get away. He waited until he could no longer see him before turning his eyes to those waiting. Havoc. Fuery. Alphonse. Each at attention, and behind him Hawkeye's presence as strong as ever.
"We will do as we planned. And take the city now." He ordered low, strained.
"WEAPONS!" Havoc yelled into the crowd raising an arm. "ARM YOURSELVES!" Havoc barked and the crowd was dispersing. Those with weapons moved to the frond and dropped to a knee aiming. Those without scurried and reassembled as he stepped through the exit of sand bags and walked out into no man's land.
"Sir are-"
"Alphonse come stand here." Hawkeye whispered and the boy's voice fade away behind him. He watched Ed move a bit where he stood now that all eyes were on him. The boy's head was hanging and he was stepping awkwardly between the frame as he reached a few feet out and stopped with a smile.
"FORGIVE ME!" He yelled raising his right arm and placing his fingers together. The entire crowd was watching him even the leader who was frowning confused. "But that was probably only one hour!" He yelled before swinging his arm down and with a snap of his fingers the windows on either side of the street burst out. His command activated the army and his men charged forward. Yelling weapons raised ready to fight before shooting in accordance to prior direction. "Alphonse!" He grabbed the boy who charged forward. "Your brother is your mission." He ordered firmly and Alphonse nod running for the platform with his weapon and he followed. "Take few prisoners!" He yelled eying the leader through the chaos. That's the man he wanted most of all and he knew Havoc would pursue him. Havoc loved the challenge of a capture, and the man would head right for the rooster.
The ground where they were was sandy on the uphill so your feet never had proper leverage. As soon as the soldiers were into the towns, the shots stopped. There was no reason to shoot at unarmed untalented villagers. There were brawls everywhere however. Items being overturned, windows broken through. Small fires, he saw to that. These villagers would remember their place, and the power of the military and he made it to the platform and climbed up surveying the crowd for further directions. His men were doing well and he turned firmly to Ed and kept his face hard.
"Roy!" Alphonse called alongside reaching up to him. He grabbed the boy's hand and helped haul him up. Alphonse scurried up so fast the boy tripped a bit. "Ni-san? Oh my gosh, ni-san we're going to get you down!" Alphonse cried rushing about behind the boy and surveying him with hands held to himself as though Ed were off limits. Ed's head was sloppy on his body and rocked constantly unable to hold itself up while trying to. The boy's arms were at their prime height above him bound at the wrist to the frame and Ed hung by them. Ed looked stretched and tiny within the frame. Thin beating chest where you could see the lower ribs, before the sunken stomach and bony thighs.. The boy's hip bones were prominent before the soft and small amount of pubic hair. Ed's dick was just as thin as the rest of him and flaccid hung pitifully between the boy's legs which wound down slumped into the plank. "It's ok ni-san." Alphonse was hushing standing on his toes to untie the boy's right hand as fast as possible. "Roy stand back!" Alphonse snapped growing aggravated and slapping his hands down transmuting the frame smaller. Ed dropped to his knees with this adjustment, head hanging with some soft muffled sounds.
"Sir!" Hawkeye appeared saluting alongside the platform forehead bleeding slightly. "We've got him."
"Excellent." He clipped turning to her. "Secure the town. And prepare a medic." He ordered and she glanced briefly at Ed before nodding.
"I need help." Alphonse choked from behind him. "He's out of his head!" Alphonse cried and Ed was in the boy's arms now. Head up and looking to the town. Alphonse was trying to hang onto his scrawny older brother without touching the wounds. The wounds he now saw with Ed squirming about. Hot red stripes bleeding down the boy's back. The whip had cut him in fine long lines, so the boy looked as though he'd been laid back down on a grill. "Roy!" Alphonse snapped as Ed reached for the town groggily, pushing at Alphonse with barely any strength but it was making it difficult.
"Ed." He snapped grabbing the boy's reaching arm and looping it over his shoulder. "Contain yourself." He ordered standing and Ed slumped into his side with his height. He felt the boy's head on his shoulder. The hair resting on him.
"We have to get him back to camp!" Alphonse said stripping off his jacket and working it about Ed's waste where the boy hung on him. Alphonse tied it on the side toward him, in hopes to cover both Ed's limp dick, and small ass at the same time.
"Alphonse move ahead and clear the way for me." He ordered moving to the edge of the platform as Alphonse jumped off. He followed but the harsh jerk brought a scream through the wooden gag he wanted out of the boy's mouth. "Keep going." He ordered when Alphonse turned to the sound and the boy was walking ahead of them, allowing his body to take the bumps from each soldier, and push aside who he needed to so they were hit as little as possible before making it to their barricade. The front of it was permanently open and men ran from inside and out raiding more supplies, collecting more ammo, bringing back the few captives he'd asked for. He drug Ed inside the door and Alphonse ran ahead into the circus of tents to secure one. "NO!" He yelled to the boy when he saw Alphonse heading right for their med tent.
"Your tent!" He yelled shaking his head and Alphonse moved a bit hesitating where he stood before running toward the Elric tent. Both brothers were sharing it. It was small twelve by five with two cots, a small fold out table and a chair. Ed was openly panting noises as he pulled the boy inside and Alphonse tied the flap up and ran for the doctor. "Ed relax."He whispered pulling the boy to his bed and easing him stomach down. The boy's back was bloody and now had sand stuck to it from the blowing wind. "Shhh." He hushed watching the boy's hands travel up to the metal top of his bed and grip it. "Shhh." He hushed feeling the boy's hair trying to find the knot securing the gag and he did.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The doctor spoke from the doorway stopping him. Their doctor wore army issued uniform pants like them, and a white long top. Below his arm he carried his supplies, across his front splats of blood. "This is the Fullmetal Alchemist." The man state coming in and to the side of the bed and he stood up and drug the base sharply into the room. Both of the boy's cots ran parallel to each other, up against the tent walls. He drug Ed's to extend into the room and the doctor dropped to his knees across from him examining the boy's back. "Fresh water!" The man snapped and Alphonse shot from the tent.
"He's not going to be gagged like an animal." He glared at the man working on the gag again and the man was silent.
"He's insulted every time I ask him for a little piss. This boy is full of pride Colonel." Dr. Crisnoph watching his fingers argue through the twine. "Perhaps he wouldn't want the men to hear him screaming?" The man asked cocking an eyebrow. Their Doctor was tall and thin much like the boy with a sharp prominent nose and long eyes. The man reminded him of a bird, and once had cocked his head so similarly he shivered.
"He'll be fine." He answered undoing the back before coaxing the wood from Ed's mouth.
"Aaa." The boy pant as he pulled it back slowly. The front was covered with spit and a little blood and Ed cringed when he took it. Alongside the boy's mouth at either end it was beat red and sore from the wood. "Cuuur...neeel." Ed gasped licking his lips delicately before grimacing at the taste and he swallowed.
"Edward Elric." The doctor spoke leaning about to the boy's face where both eyes were tightly closed. "You have eleven long lacerations on your back. I am going to bandage them and you are to hold yourself steady." The man ordered and Alphonse came back walking carefully with a fullbowl of water. The man took a fat cloth and soaked it before bringing it to Ed's back and the boy arched.
"Aa-AAA!" Ed yelled jerking. Every muscle locked up as the man ran the water over the hot wounds.
"He's going to need new linens after this." The man deduct watching the pink water drizzle off the boy's sides. "He bled a lot."
"Ni-san bleeds easy." Alphonse whispered watching this before startling when Ed cried again to a new batch of water. Dr. Crisnoph was trying to wash the sand off the boy's skin and carefully from his wounds. "Ni-san you're going to be ok." Alphonse hushed leaning down to Ed's sweating face and he moved from his spot and stood again.
"Take good care of him." He ordered to the doctor.
"You're leaving sir?" Alphonse asked looking up surprised.
"I am a colonel. I must attend to all my men." He answered firmly.
He left the tent in time to catch the blast. It started at the back of the town and rippled upward stopping twenty feet behind the barricade and stage the villagers had created. It blew his hat off, took his hair from his roots, and he covered his eyes to save them from the dust. It was not a big bomb, but many small ones. Timed and fast, destroying the front portion of the city and blowing up about the soldiers who had stormed inside it. From the back of his mind, and corner of his ear he heard Alphonse yelling at Ed to lay still as the boy called toward the city.
Edward Elric, the failed negotiator, state alchemist of the people and Fullmetal to the state had been informed and injured bad enough he couldn't speak to mess with the boy. He learned all of this while protecting himself from debris, and took in the bitterness of it all.
Hello Everyone! Thanks for reading and I hope you like it! I just started--this new penname and this is the first story I am posting under it. (more Fullmetal to come!!) However as a new author I have a 4 main penname standards I abide by (they're in my profile if curious)
Arrogant Surrender is a completed story (I only post completed fics) This story is six chapters long and I will post a chapter every two weeks. Chapter Two: Watch It All Dissolve Into A Single Second will be posted Friday 01/18/08.
Please leave me a review! Let me know what you think of the beginning! I hate to admit it...but I am so nervous!!