Soldier Blues

XIV

Ed screamed in pain as electricity was sent through his body. The boy had a high threshold for pain before he started to actually make noise and writhe, but these sadistic bastards seemed to always go a step beyond. Envy would’ve been proud. Pissed, but proud. They’d gone on like this for hours. Edward hadn’t eaten, hadn’t been given any fluids, hadn’t been given any respite. The only thing that kept him conscious was anger and the taste of his own blood. He had resisted initially. But after days of torture and starvation, Edward had figured out if he cringed and whimpered a little, he could get some food and water. Cringe and whimper a little more, and they wouldn’t put in the sedative that knocked him on his ass if he had too much of it. Today, though, he’d resisted a little just to gauge their reactions. He listened, eagerly, because he knew that Roy hadn’t been captured or killed, so Envy would be doing something to retaliate. He would be a final priority, he knew, not out of hated (and Envy certainly resented him) but out of practicality. Alphonse would have to be secured first, and then Envy would have to make the insurgents desperate enough to use Edward prematurely.

And watching the way things were going, his deployment was looking to be sooner rather than later.

Edward really didn’t pity these people. It was a huge tangled web they were all caught up in. The whole war had begun because the Amestrian government had gone into these people’s homes and took everything because the pompous politicians had used up all their own supplies and craved more. The rebels were just fighting back. They would lose, because the military was just superior, and because the military’s ranking officers were Envy’s… comrades. And Ed knew one of them had always wanted to rule. Whether it would be better or worse, Edward didn’t know, but this war would stop. The blonde slumped when the current stopped coursing through his system and panted. Right now, he had to count on others to get the job done. All he could do was delay the inevitable and hope he could give Envy enough time to do whatever it was he needed to do. He feigned unconsciousness for a moment, wanting to catch his breath before they deigned to shock him again.

“You know,” came a voice from above, crackling with static, “this is only making it worse for you. What do you have to live for, Edward?”

Gold eyes cracked open to stare at the one-way glass above his head. “Want a list?” he spat.

Vicious laughter. “Is it your brother?”

Edward snarled.

“Don’t worry about little Alphonse. He’s in a better place now.” The voice was smiling. “Bombs, Edward. Your precious Amestrian military blew him to pieces.”

Edward stared, blank. It was a lie. He knew it was a lie. Alphonse was safe with the Ishbalans. He had to be. Envy wouldn’t let anything bad happen to Alphonse and neither would Scar.

“Boom.” The voice was saying. “One after another. Don’t believe me?”

An image flickered on the one-way mirror. Edward stared at it. As much as he knew it had to be a lie, the images weren’t. They depicted a mess of tanks and bodies, of Ishbalans picking through the wreckage. Edward took it for what it was – propaganda, of course – but he saw Scar there. Alone.

It was a lie.

Had to be a lie.

Lie.

Lie.

LIE.

Edward let out a primal scream of rage and was silenced when the current of electricity shot back through his body. He writhed, using the pain in his body and in his heart to fuel his rage. Despite the obvious lie, Alphonse wasn’t in the image. Only Scar was. Alone.

Edward shut down completely after a few more moments, seeing without seeing, hearing without hearing. Only when his skin begin to etch out red runes did the laughter begin.


Alphonse hurried after the Ishbalan unit he was with, hearing gunfire behind him. They had ambushed another convoy, always moving and whittling out the insurgent numbers. The unit he was with always seemed to get hit the worst, though the Ishbalans were masterful at escaping with only minor injuries. He slid down an embankment and hurried after his friends, trying his best not to lag behind. Scar had placed him as close to the fighting as he could. His reasoning was that Alphonse would be safer the closer he was to danger, and Alphonse wished he could dent Scar’s head with a stick. So far, the Ishbalan monk had been proven right, but all the Ishbalans fighting were now heading to Central as per Scar’s – or Envy’s – orders.

Alphonse had gotten to read Envy’s letter and unfortunately, Alphonse understood the code his eldest brother had used. Edward had been captured. Fall back to Central. We’re having a coup so come join the party. Alphonse shook his head. For being related, they certainly were very different. Still, Central was defensible, and with the military knuckling down for their own coup, Central was probably the safest place to be.

If only because Envy was there.

Alphonse slid into a hastily dug trench and made his way to where Scar was waiting. He passed the older man with only a glance and got a nod in return. Others in the trench passed by the large Ishbalan as well, moving toward hidden trucks. Alphonse was there first, helping the wounded into the covered backs as he watched the forest line behind him suddenly erupt in flame. One by one trucks filled with people started up and pulled out and still Alphonse waited. He was holding the truck back, no doubt causing some to begin to panic. If they were, he couldn’t tell, but he felt their relief when Scar appeared. He pulled himself onto the truck and nodded at the driver. As the truck rumbled away, the trenches they’d dug suddenly exploded, and men and machines went flying into the air.

Scar gave a derisive snort and looked at Alphonse. “You okay?”

Alphonse smiled. “Dirty and bruised, but otherwise, I’m just fine.”

Scar made a noise and simply draped an arm around the boy. Alphonse was grateful for the strong arm around his shoulders. Carefully, he settled his head on Scar’s chest and tried to sleep. Central was less than a day away, and Alphonse was sure he was going to get very little sleep from here on out. Scar woke him almost three hours later so he could stretch his legs and get something to eat while the wounded were treated. Alphonse didn’t wander far from the trucks, always keeping in sight of Scar. The last thing anyone needed now was for Alphonse to be captured too. Alphonse looked up at Scar when the red-eyed man set a hand on his arm. The boy tried to smile, but Scar’s stern gaze never softened. Alphonse gave up, eventually, and sighed.

“We’ll get Edward back,” Scar rumbled. Alphonse jumped against him at those words, but Scar said nothing to indicate he felt the movement. “Have faith.”

“I do.” Alphonse whispered. “I do. But it hurts. All this fighting and nothing to show for it.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not. Perhaps we Ishbalan are fighting for a pipe dream, but we are fighting. Your brothers, too, are fighting. Each man has his own path to walk, Alphonse, and while it may look bleak for a while, there is always victory.”

“You really believe that, don’t you?”

Scar cracked a smile. “I believe in plenty. The question is, do you?”

Alphonse looked up at Scar in askance but found his mouth sealed by a rough kiss. Hands splayed upon his back, pulling him closer and while Alphonse initially fought, heat drove him to cling to the older man as he was subjected to one kiss after another if only so he wouldn’t fall down when Scar drew back. The Ishbalan monk held onto the youngest Elric casually, as if he hadn’t just disrupted the boy’s cognitive ability. Scar bent to whisper in Alphonse’s ear.

“When we reach Central,” he purred, eliciting shivers, “I expect an answer.”

“What kind of answer?” Alphonse whispered. Scar shrugged and turned, leaving Alphonse alone and fighting away teenage hormones. Perhaps it was for the best that the Ishbalans lingered for a while; it gave Alphonse time to get his body under control and find a place in his mind he could hide in when Scar came close to him. The whole ride to Central, Alphonse mulled over his answer – or what his answer would be – and tried to keep from looking at Scar.

Of course, the Ishbalan found an excuse to touch Alphonse, and the younger Elric bit the inside of his cheek to keep from reacting. Scar was doing it on purpose, and Alphonse wanted to hit him. Problem was it felt so good, those touches, that Alphonse decided to give the older man a taste of his own medicine. Then it was Scar who was avoiding Alphonse and the boy seemed proud of his petty victory. All too soon, Central loomed on the horizon, a cloak of ash-black smoke hanging over it. Bodies lay still, cold and white, and here and there was the sound of gunfire. Buildings were bombed out, black, soulless things that made Alphonse think of graves. Some were, and the boy could see limbs buried here and there. He only hoped his friends and brother weren’t among those dead.

The trucks ambled through the streets, slowly moving toward the Command building. Soldiers in blue uniform hurried here and there, saluting at the trucks and pointing out the safe roads. One by one the trucks rumbled into the main courtyard of the Central Command and followed the waving hands to where the medics waited. Alphonse leapt down the first chance he got, moving with Scar, hoping the Ishbalan would take him to see Envy. It turned out to be the other way around, as Envy and Greed exited the building, the former making a beeline for Alphonse. The blonde fought with instinct to run and stood his ground as Envy came at him, blinking when the green-haired man hugged him. It was a quick hug and probably the only bit of affection Alphonse was going to get.

“You okay?” Greed asked Alphonse as Envy made hissing noises.

Alphonse nodded. “Banged and bruised, but I’m fine.”

Envy sputtered a little bit, mocking his younger brother it seemed. He bristled a moment later, glaring at Greed who simply held up his hands in surrender.

“Alphonse, get inside and get cleaned up. Put a uniform on,” Envy’s glare silenced any protest, “and you’re going to work in the medic wing.”

Alphonse sighed. “And your coup?”

“Progressing.” Greed said almost curtly. He pointed toward the door. “Go.”

Alphonse nodded and hurried within the building. It Greed or Envy noticed Scar following, neither said a word.