Iserlohnn - continued

Tenshi’s Truth Revealed

Once Edward was gone Juliet Douglas gave the Furher a folder, which he held up saying, “In here is all that we know about Toshi. His crimes go beyond causing that train wreck. Your brother is a very evil man.”

Tenshi’s eyes widened in horror. He knew his brother had gotten in with a bad crowd since their parents left them but he had no idea how bad. The folder the Furher was holding was thick and Tenshi could only imagine what information lay within.

“Do you want to see this?” the Furher asked.

Tenshi wasn’t sure if he wanted to know what Toshi had gotten himself into. He had thought his brother died in the train wreck that almost cost him his own life. However, he had discovered that wasn’t the case while he was living with the man who had rescued him from the wreck. News Toshi was out there alive somewhere had given the young alchemist hope he would be reunited with the only family he had left. But part of him was afraid of finding Toshi. Afraid his brother would force him to use his alchemy to do his dark deeds. If Toshi was actively seeking him after all these years it could only mean one thing:

He either wanted revenge or to turn his little brother into his alchemy slave.

The folder was held out within arm’s reach. Nervously Tenshi took it and dared to look inside…


Doctor Ferguson put away the supplied she and Katarin had purchased. The Princess only stayed at the safe house long enough to put away the items she purchased. She told the doctor she would be back after she tied up a few loose ends. The Doctor had a feeling one of those “loose ends” was Edward Elric. The Princess was the only one who could freely go to the Furher’s mansion without being questioned about it. She was technically the emissary of a foreign government and, as such, she did have a few perks no one else in their group possessed. Even though she didn’t say she was going to check up on Edward, Seris Ferguson had a feeling Edward was a major part of Katarin’s plans since she had left the safe house with his note firmly gripped in her small hand….


Lust cast a bored look at the blond Lieutenant who was staring at the doorway to the parlor. The room they were in adjoined the parlor and was also accessible from the hallway where Edward sat impatiently waiting. It was too quiet and both of them were beginning to wonder if Sloth and Pride were doing what they were told to do.

“Go and check on them,” Lust told Hawkeye whose only response was a sharp glare.

“Why?”

“Because I don’t think they were convincing enough,” Lust replied airily. “You would think after all the time he supposedly spent searching for his beloved Toshi that the boy would WANT to know what his brother has been up to all this time.”

“Finding out your brother is the reason your body is more metal than flesh might be more than the kid can bear,” commented Hawkeye.

“Yes, and maybe he’ll stop caring about Toshi and begin to cling a little more tightly to his new family.”

“Fullmetal and his even more metallic brother.”

“Exactly,” Lust continued in her usual breathy way. “Little Edward wants to restore his brother’s flesh body. Now that Fullmetal knows the equivalent exchange needed to use the Philosopher’s Stone, he is desperate to find another way. The power of the Divines IS that other way. We just follow him and eventually-”

“Yeah, just like before. We get him to do all the work FOR us,” Hawkeye completed sounding like she had heard all of this way too many times. “The Stone can make us human and so can the power of these Divines. But if the Master finds out about our plans to use the kid-”

“We’ll have to make sure he doesn’t,” Lust stated firmly. “As long as he thinks us loyal, we can move about freely and keep an eye on the Fullmetal one and his friends.”

The sound of crying coming from the parlor room caught the ears of both women. Lust motioned to the Lieutenant to go in and this time she follows the order. Hawkeye enters the parlor room and sees Tenshi sitting on the small divan with the folder on the floor at his feet. He is crying, his sobs muffled by the fact his face his buried in his hands, and both the Furher and his secretary are watching in stony silence.

Hawkeye glares at the duo and goes over to Tenshi to try and comfort him. He buries his face in her shoulder, his sorrow barely abating, and she looks up at the Furher and his secretary ordering, “Let Fullmetal back in.”

Both of them look at her puzzled and, after being sure Tenshi can’t see what she is doing, Hawkeye mouths to the pair, “Lust’s orders!”

Juliet Douglas quickly goes to the door, opens it and motions to Edward to come back inside. He is inside in a flash and stops when he sees Tenshi crying on Hawkeye’s shoulder.

“What happened?” Edward asked.

“Read that,” Juliet Douglas tells him motioning to the open folder on the floor by Tenshi’s feet.

Edward grabbed the folder and scanned its contents. He had no idea how such a monster could be related to Tenshi. What made the situation worse was that it wasn’t the accident that had cost Tenshi his limbs and eyes but Toshi’s deal with an organ broker. He sold his own brother’s body parts for gold and left him for dead. Edward couldn’t imagine how anyone could do that to another human being, let alone their own flesh and blood. No wonder Tenshi was an emotional wreck. Edward had no idea how he was going to help Tenshi get over THIS blow…

Hawkeye helped Tenshi to his feet. “He’s going to stay here for a while,” she told Edward. “He’ll be safe here.”

Edward couldn’t argue with her on that front. He doubted Kenton would even consider looking for Tenshi at the Furher’s home. He said nothing as Tenshi was escorted out of the room leaving him alone with the Furher and his secretary.

The Furher took the folder from Edward saying; “I think we’ve had enough of Toshi Hikaru for one day. Now we have other matters to discuss.”

Edward looked at him puzzled. “Such as?”

“The disk, Edward. The one Mustang gave you that came from his homeland.”

Edward stared at the Furher. How the hell did he know about the Iserlohnn disk? The woman at his side was eyeing him intently. What was going on here?

“I gave it back to the Colonel,” Edward said quickly.

Suddenly a giant bubble of water enveloped Edward. Through the swirling liquid he could see the bubble was connected to Juliet Douglass via an arm that was half flesh half liquid. The woman was no longer clad in a business suit but was wearing a form fitting black gown and upon her breast was tattooed the Orobouros. She wasn’t human at all! She was another homunculus like Lust, Envy and Gluttony. While he struggled to keep from drowning Edward wondered by what name this woman was known.

“We need him alive Sloth,” came a bored command from behind.

The woman called Sloth lowered the bubble so that only Edward’s head was above water. He coughed heavily freeing his lungs of the water that managed to seep into them and glared at Lust.

“What do you want?” Edward challenged the homunculus.

“The disk,” she told him. “Now tell me where it is.”

“I don’t have it.”

Lust stepped forward and studied Edward. The water held him like a vise and he couldn’t move. It also made most of what he had on his person visible. The bulge of his state alchemist’s watch, coins in his pocket, the travel passport he had tucked inside the front pocket of his short black jacket, it all could be seen through the watery haze. He was telling the truth. The Iserlohnn disk wasn’t on him.

“So I see,” she commented as she mentally undressed him with her eyes and she smiled knowing those baggy clothes concealed a very handsome physique. “But you do know where it is. And you are going to tell me.”

Edward made no verbal response. He just glared defiantly at her.

One of Lust’s fingers transformed into a spear and stabbed him through the shoulder where flesh met Automail. Edward groaned in pain but he kept his silence. Another finger transformed and pierced him right below the collarbone. She kept doing this until all five of her fingers were long spears piecing him through his body in spots that all narrowly missed major organs by mere centimeters. Lust knew what she was doing. Her only goal was to cause enough pain to loosen the stubborn boy’s tongue.

The water binding Edward was soon the color of his blood. Lust’s attacks were extremely painful but he had felt worse. The homunculus had no idea Edward compared all pain to the pain he felt the day he got his Auto-mail limbs. Compared to THAT nothing really hurt very much. It was remembering that agony that allowed him to stay focused enough NOT to do what Lust wanted.

“He’s tougher than he looks,” the Furher commented.

“He doesn’t care about his own life,” Lust realized as she withdrew the sword fingers. “We’ll have to find another way.”

Sloth withdrew the water and the bubble around Edward vanished. Without the support of the water holding him up, the agonized Edward crumpled to his knees. The stab wounds oozed blood slowly and it hurt for him to move his Auto-mail arm. Sloth and the Furher left with out a word leaving Edward wondering and worrying over what had become of Tenshi.

Edward looked up at Lust saying, “I don’t know what you promised King Bradley to get him to work for you but it must have been pretty good.”

“Every man has his price, Fullmetal,” she said simply. “Even you.”

Edward glared at her. “I don’t think so.”

“We’ll see…”

The door to the hallway opened and in walked Envy with a bound Tenshi in tow. He tossed Tenshi at Lust and he landed in a heap at her feet. Tenshi was secured so his hands were kept apart to prevent him from using his Alchemy and his feet were chained together at the ankles. He was also gagged so he couldn’t speak but his lilac eyes were staring fearfully up at Edward.

“Look he doesn’t know anything!” Edward stated. “Let him go!”

“Give me the disk and I’ll give you the boy,” Lust said.

“I told you I don’t have it!”

Her pointer finger became a long spear and she held it within scratching distance of Tenshi’s pulsing jugular vein. “Tell me where it is or he dies.”

“How do I know you won’t kill him even if I do tell you?”

She withdrew the finger. “Because we Sins abide by a few rules of our own. Now, where is it?”

“I left it at the house where Lieutenant Hawkeye picked us up.”

Envy grabbed Edward by his braid forcing the Alchemist to look up at him. “It had better be there or I’ll rip this braid out of your head.”

“It’s there. But it takes brains to find it which means I doubt you’ll have any luck,” Edward sneered.

Envy backhanded Edward and left him lying on his back bleeding from his nose and mouth. He stormed off to get the disk. Lust sighed as she watched Edward struggle to get back up to a sitting position.

“Envy is the eldest and strongest of us,” she said. “It is unwise to provoke him.”

Edward wiped his bloody nose and mouth on his sleeve. “Thanks for the warning.”

“That disk had better be at that house,” she stated. “Or it won’t be ME you’ll be answering to…


When he got close to the house, Envy shape shifted into Edward’s form and made his way through the darkened street. The house looked unoccupied which would make his job easier. He picked the lock by shaping his finger into a key but stopped before entering when he felt something like a weird electrical field hit him as he tried to go over the threshold. He put his hand only across and, when he was certain the strange energy wouldn’t hurt, him he walked into the house.

The barrier he had passed through was made with Alchemy. Who created it and what purpose it had was lost on the homunculus. Whatever it was had no effect on him and that was all that mattered. He began searching the house one room at a time. Every drawer was opened and upended, cushions removed from furniture, any spot that could hide an object was carefully inspected. The house was going to look completely ransacked by the time Envy was done but he didn’t care. He had a mission and, if it wasn’t successful, he would have Full Metal’s blond hair on a pike…


Edward tried to make a fist with his Auto-mail hand. He was able to do so but it hurt like hell. Lust had damaged something when she was spearing him with her fingers but only Winry could tell him what that something was. He was inwardly glad she hadn’t gone back home yet. Yes she would be mad at him for getting himself damaged again but he probably wouldn’t get a wrench over the head for it when she knew he got hurt trying to save Tenshi’s life.

Tenshi tried to wriggle out of the gag but it was on too tight. He whimpered and his plaintive sounds caught Edward’s attention. Edward tried to approach him but was kept back by Lust’s scalpel sharp spear fingers. He was already damaged enough by her that he wasn’t going to risk any further injury. Edward positioned himself so his friend could see him easily but stayed out of Lust’s reach.

After a long while the door from the hallway burst open and Envy appeared. He looked less than happy.

“Well?” inquired Lust.

“He lied!” Every stated. “It’s not there!”

Edward smirked. “It’s there. I know it is because I hid it in that house.”

Envy grabbed Edward roughly by the front of his jacket and growled, “Then where is it?”

“In the dining room.”

“WHERE?”

“I said in the dining room!” Edward repeated. “Are you deaf as well as dumb?”

Envy was about to put his fist through Edward’s face when someone from behind grabbed his wrist. He turned and gasped in shocked surprise when he saw who had him.

Kenton Ares.

Envy let Edward go quickly and backed off. Kenton looked down at the wounded Alchemist and raised an eyebrow speculatively at him. “You aren’t supposed to be here.”

Edward glared at Envy and Lust saying, “Tell THEM that.”

Kenton chuckled. His amused expression turned serious, as he demanded, “Where is that disk?”

“Like I told your lackey. It’s in the dining room!”

Envy wanted to slug Edward for the “lackey” crack but Lust held him back. Losing their cool around Kenton was a bad idea.

Kenton shot Envy a look. “Go back to that house and get the disk!”

Envy glared at Kenton but said nothing. He turned on his heel and left.

“How do you know he isn’t lying?” Lust asked.

“He is telling the truth,” Kenton stated. “Just not the whole truth.”

He turned his pointer finger into a long barbed spear and shoved it through Edward’s shoulder right where flesh and Automail connected. The barbs of the spear made contact with one of the connecting screws where it connected into Edward’s collarbone and the pain was indescribable. Edward stopped breathing for a long moment it hurt so much. When he remembered to breath his breaths came in pained gasps.

Kenton withdrew the barbed spear and Edward slumped to the floor still gasping for air. Tenshi struggled futilely to be free of his gag and bonds. He wanted to help Edward and felt stupid for allowing himself to be captured so easily. Kenton noticed Tenshi’s pained expression and smiled at him.

“I’ll spare you the pain of watching your Sempai being disassembled piece by piece,” Kenton told Tenshi who tried to scream in anger around the gag but his frustration and rage came out as loud muffled groans. “Lust, take him out of here.”

“No!” Edward said as he made a move to get Tenshi away from Lust.

A barbed spear that went through Edward’s thigh into the floor pinned him in place. Lust pulled Tenshi to his feet and dragged him out by his bound hands. Edward knew he couldn’t take much more of this abuse. He was already beginning to get lightheaded from the blood loss. Kenton was toying with him the way a cat does with a mouse. He would have a better chance of rescuing Tenshi if he got a little help from his friends. And the only way to do that would be to get back to the safe house.

When the spear came out of his leg Edward involuntarily moaned in pain. He edged away from Kenton trying not to get scared by the amount of blood that was oozing from his thigh. As he put some distance between himself and the white haired man Edward subtly reached into his pants pocket where he had hidden the Port Key.

“The Sins asked me to spare you,” Kenton said. “They think you might be more useful to me alive. They think you might actually HELP me.”

Edward glared at him. “Why should I help you?”

“To keep your Kohai alive,” Kenton stated. “I know you don’t think your own life is worth much but his? Are you willing to sacrifice him?”

“I’m not willing to sacrifice anybody!” Edward stated flatly.

“Which is why you blew your one chance to be restored,” Kenton remarked.

Edward knew he was referring to what happened when he and Al discovered Lab 5. Edward could have used the Red Water and those prisoners to forge a fake Philosopher’s Stone strong enough to do what they needed done. But Edward had balked when he realized he would have to kill to make the Array work. As much as he wanted to bring Al back and heal his own shattered body, Edward wasn’t willing to kill to achieve this goal. As ruthless as he had become in his years serving the State, he had only killed in self-defense. He had NEVER stooped to murder. THAT was one line Edward hadn’t crossed

Not yet, anyway.

As much as he wanted to rip the smile off Kenton’s face Edward realized he would have to bide his time and destroy that thing another day. He would consider himself lucky if he had the strength to get the Port Key to work.

Edward felt the Port Key in his hand. Before he charged it he said, “You have won this round. But this fight has only just begun!”

And with that Edward Elric was gone.
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more to come...stay tuned!