Shattered Lives

Chapter 2: Reacquainted… sort of.

Edward Elric kept his golden eyes fixed on the ground in front of him, his hands clenched at his sides. The shackles around his wrists and ankles were rubbing off his skin, the collar around his neck uncomfortably tight as it was pulled by whatever slaveholder lead him across the stage. He didn’t dare look up. He didn’t want to know who was going to buy him this time. He didn’t want to know what kind of hellhole this auction would send him to. He could avoid the outcome longer, at least in his mind, that way.

Three years… three fucking years since that day. After the battle with Dante and the retrieval of Al’s body, Ed had dragged his brother to the surface, his automail still with him. He had felt his consciousness leaving him, so… he’d hidden his brother and then hunkered down to wait. A fatal decision on his part. He should’ve called someone… anyone… forced himself to stay awake waiting for them. But he had been found, unconscious, by slave traders from the East. Luckily, Al had been hidden well enough… that he hadn’t had to endure all those years in hell.

Ed had been passed from one buyer to another, stubbornly rebelling at first, confidant that the military would try and come for him. But they never did. He tried several times to escape on his own, but he was always found again and then punished brutally. His automail arm was barely functional anymore. Finally, Ed had decided to just survive in this new world as best he could.

Gradually, Ed’s self worth began to fade away as people tried to break him again and again... as he was sold again and again to one horrible place after another… used so many times he’d lost count. Ed had become those he’d pitied in the past… used, dirtied, broken, discarded… just another nameless face among many.

The slaveholder holding his leash hauled him up onto the platform and Ed just stared blankly at the floor as the bidding began.


Roy’s happiness at finally finding the blonde alchemist quickly faded as he was able to see the skin that was too pale covering a frame that, while still fit, was much too thin. Edward’s eyes were downcast, his dull hair that had once shone brilliantly falling unheeded into his face. Edward looked small, broken… nothing like the raging ball of rebellion that was the Fullmetal Alchemist. He had to get the blonde out of here… and fast.

When the bidding began, Roy simply remained silent, biding his time until he would be guaranteed the sale. When the bidders had been narrowed down to two, and the final bid almost winning at $100,785, Roy smoothly interjected.

“$300,000 dollars!” He yelled loud enough for the auctioneer to hear, as well as the entire assembly.

A man that must’ve been Ed’s previous owner shouted out “SOLD” before the auctioneer could get a word in. He seemed eager to secure the sale in case Roy changed his mind.

Sure it was a lot of money, but Roy would’ve given anything to get Edward out of this place. Besides, he had enough saved up to cover it. Roy waited impatiently for the remainder of the auction to wrap up, before bolting for the ‘pay and pick up’ area. He eagerly paid the man that was Ed’s previous owner, wanting to strangle the fat man all the while.

Roy watched with one onyx eye as Edward was lead to him on a leash, his shackles having been removed. Ed refused to look at him and was keeping his eyes firmly on the ground. Roy felt his anger flare when he saw the skin around Edward’s wrist that had cracked and was bleeding. He had better get them both out of there before he just started snapping and turned the entire assembly to dust. Try explaining that in paper work. Definitely harder than explaining using vacation time to attend a slave auction.

“Let’s get you out of here, Edward,” Roy coaxed gently, taking the leash from the slaveholder and carefully guiding Ed out of the auction house and to his car, the blonde never looking up. Roy didn’t dare look at Ed until they were in his hotel room, safely tucked away from anyone or anything Roy might want to incinerate when he saw what had been done to the blonde.

He stood awkwardly with the boy for a few moments, unsure where to start. Ed hadn’t said anything since he’d gotten him… hell, he hadn’t even looked up. Well, first thing first, they had to take care of the blonde’s raw wrists. He carefully unclipped the leash from Ed’s collar, noticing that the golden eyes seemed to become even more downcast with his approach.

“Still won’t look at me?” he asked quietly, not really expecting an answer, and still disappointed when he received none. Not wanting to cause the blonde any more stress, Roy backed up a few paces and moved to his bag in order to fish out his first aide kit.


Edward stood awaiting orders in what must have been the man’s hotel room, finally allowing himself to become aware of his surroundings.

He didn’t dare to look up, knowing that if he did without permission he’d be beaten. Before the car, he’d thought that someone had said his name, but he knew it was just his mind. He no longer had a name. He was whatever his new master would call him… he would never be Edward again.

The man unleashed him, odd, and said something but Ed wasn’t paying attention. It wasn’t an order so it didn’t concern him. He heard the man move away to dig through a bag and then to a sink.

Ed was confused. What was this guy waiting for? Normally by now he would at best be shoved into a corner and told to ‘stay put.’ At worst he would’ve been stripped and on the bed in ten seconds flat. Why hadn’t he been given any orders yet?

Ed was startled from his musing when something cool and wet was pressed to his wounded wrist. He immediately froze, expecting to be punished for his flinch, but the washcloth just continued to dab at his raw skin, wiping away the blood and grime. Ed kept his eyes down but could see the man’s hands and his boots. It was definitely the man who bought him, why was he being tended to so gently by his master?

The voice was there again, and this time, Ed listened.

“Luckily for you this doesn’t look infected. Bastards need to be lynched, the whole lot of them. Are you hurt anywhere else?” the words were a gentle growl that tickled something at the back of Ed’s mind. Almost as though he knew that voice, but couldn’t remember it.

“No master,” was his automatic response. He had been healed up enough to pass by his last master, obviously in hopes he’d sell well.

“Edward, don’t call me that,” the voice was firm but still oddly gentle and it sent a spark of recognition through Ed’s mind. It sounded like… no, it wasn’t… couldn’t be. He hadn’t seen the man since before his battle with Dante. He’d hallucinated being found before, and he knew this couldn’t be real. That man wasn’t here. He wouldn’t get his hopes up; he couldn’t bear to have them crushed again.

“Yes sir,” he answered instead.


Roy frowned at the title. So, Ed really hadn’t recognized him. Well, it had been a while since their last encounter, that and Ed hadn’t even looked at him. Slowly, Roy placed the washcloth down and took a fragile looking hand.

“Edward, look at me,” he said quietly, not sure if the blonde would obey.


Ed didn’t want to. The voice was still teasing him and Ed didn’t want to look and see once and for all that it wasn’t the raven haired soldier. Though, if he didn’t look up Ed knew he would be punished. With a deep breath, Ed raised his golden eyes from the floor, up to the face of his new master, and began to tremble.


Kuragari: let me know how you think it’s going and thanks for the reviews!!!