Hunted

Hunted Chapter 6

KK:Ok so chappie 6, so how do people like the story so far? I'm gonna try
to update more often, from now on, we'll see how that goes. So if I can,
this chapter is going to be about all the characters but Alfons, Alphonse
and Engel.

Hunted Chapter 6


Well her plan to sleep after working on the sketches hadn't really worked.
She was still up, and still working on the plans. It wouldn't be easy but
she knew she could piece together a new arm and quite possibly some spare
parts for a leg and extra arm as well. From what Edwards little brother had
mentioned, Ed had a tendency to constantly break his automail. Winry chuckled,
she found her new friends amusing, true it would be dangerous being around
a Halfed and a Changed, but Engel was far more than capable to defend herself
and the two boys that belonged to her. The blond Hunter hoped that if she
ever needed help that Engel would protect her aswell.Engel seems like she
may like me. I can only hope. As strong as she was Winry was best at talking
her way out of trouble, though as it seemed she normally only got herself
into more trouble than out.

The blue eyed woman giggled, now where did I leave those wires? Her plans
were drawn out and she was now finding parts and equipment to build the
automail limb. Rummaging through her unorganized apartment, the Hunter found
her favourite tool set and most of the things she needed to build the new
limb. She wished her surrogate grandmother Pinako had still be around, she
would have been able help, as hard as it had been to live with that woman,
Winry had to admit she was a genius when it came to mechanics.

Thinking back Winry realized that maybe the reason she was so happy to have
new friends and be working on repairs for a human was because she had been
raised by humans. I miss my families. Her shoulders drooped somewhat.

**********

As a child Winry had been abandoned by her mother, when still very small,
a well off family had found her one day when she was wondering in the fields.
The child was half starved and barely clothed, having no children of their
own the land owner and his wife took in the blond haired child. Only days
after they adopted her as their own did they realize that she was not like
them, it did not matter how much the child ate or what medicine she was
given she grew sicker and sicker. The priest in the village was called upon
he was their last hope if their daughter was to be saved.

When the priest arrived he knew instantly that the blue eyed child was
not one of human race. He insisted that she be destroyed, but the child's
parents resisted, "She will only grow into a monster, just like the Hunters
that attack our village." cried the priest. "She is ours now, if she is raised
by humans..." "She will never be human." "If she grows up learning our ways,
she won't be a monster," sobbed the mother. "Is there nothing we can do
for her?" The woman's husband begged. The priest sat down to think, it hurt
him to even think of harming a child who had not yet had a chance to become
a killer like the rest of her race was, but at the same time to leave her
alive could mean the end of the village and neighboring villages in the area.
Thinking to himself the priest, decided that if the child was to be raised
properly then perhaps her morals would side with humans and she might deny
her bloodline.

That settled it he couldn't bring himself to harm her. "Feed her Ox blood,
that should sustain her." He sighed, that was all he could do. "Ox?" "Blood?"
The parent spoke. "It will be in place of human blood." The adults nodded.
"It will be difficult to raise this child, she will not be like raising
a human child." The priest looked at the child in the young woman's arms,
"I'm guessing she is only two or three years old, she will not age the same
as the other children in this village." He took a deep breath, "From what
I have seen over my many years, Hunters do not age fast, it will take her
past your own years, for her to even look as though she is a teen. She will
not only out live you both but, she will only appear as a young woman, for
many, many hundred years past your life time." The child's parents came
to accept what the priest had said to them, the child was theirs and would
be raised as such.

She was named Winry after her new mother's mother and for some fifty years
she remained with that family, the couple who had adopted her had no children
and when in an attack from a Tamaculus her parents died, she left the village,
still only a young girl.

She traveled about for sometime, surviving on small animals while she was
alone. Her second family found her years later, she still only remained
to the eyes of most a child of eight or nine. A mother and her small child
happened upon Winry, while out gathering wild mushrooms.

"Child where is your family? Why are you alone?" The mother asked. Winry
answered, "My parents are dead, I'm alone now, I do not belong with people."
Although she had already lived for many years alone, sixty some years, Winry
knew what she was, and had hoped to spare humans her burden. "Do not belong
with people? Good heavens child what are you saying? Come, come here, you'll
be coming home with me tonight." The woman was sincere enough, her heart
was truly in the right place. Winry felt bad, this woman knew nothing of
what she was, and yet in Winry's heart she truly wanted a family again.

A few days turned into a month and the month into a year, Winry was happy
again, she had yet to tell her new mother and brother what she was. The
woman had yet to notice that the child she had taken in was not aging. One
night just after her brother and her had been put to bed for the night a
loud noise awoke the family. "Children hurry, hurry a monster is attacking."
Their mother cried franticly as she pulled her children from their beds.
"We must run." Winry and her family fled the house and ran into the night,
Winry looked over her shoulder as she ran, a large rat Tamaculus was in
the process of tearing down each house in its path. While fleeing, her brother
fell, "Mama, MAMA," he shrieked as the rat had now taken interest in the
frantic child. Knowing there was little she could do Winry ran to aid her
little brother, the rat threw her away, her mother was now putting herself
between her children and the beast. "MOM."

The woman was also thrown aside, Winry screamed, running at the Tamaculus,
she hoped that what little strength she did posses would help. She grabbed
the tail of the rat and pulled it off her brother. Her mother had pulled
herself together and now had her son in her arms. She watched as the child
she had come to love as her own was pulling back the beast that was attacking
her family. Winry jumped in to the air, though she was still small she was
able to take the rat along with her as she flew up. Her jump was still only
about ten or so feet from the ground but was far more than enough to get
the Tamaculus away from the woman and boy. Tossing the furry rodent at the
ground Winry landed on it seconds later. Her weight was enough to crush
the neck of the creature. It was over the rat was dead, its body vanished
from beneath Winry in a small puff of greenish smoke.

"Winry?" The woman looked at the girl. What had she allowed in to her home?
Falling to the ground the lady looked at the blond child. "Winry," her tone
was low. WInry looked at the woman her eyes watered as she guessed this
would be the last she saw of this family. "Sister," the boy ran to the girl.
"You saved us sister!" "Grynn." Running to the children the woman, embraced
the two. "Winry, that was amazing."

Winry had spent the rest of the night explaining what she was and about
her previous family. Mother and son accepted the girl as she was and for
the next many years the young Hunter child lived with the family. Many years
passed and the mother eventually grew old and died, Winry and her brother
moved on, and soon she had out lived another family. Grynn's family accepted
her after he had been married and had children of his own, Winry was the
equivalent of a twelve year old when her brother and his wife had died. She
occasionally visited her Niece and Nephew families but by the end of their
own lives she withdrew from seeing them, only did she go to see them at
their funerals.

After many years alone Winry was once again taken in by a man and woman
and accepted as she was in to the family. She lived with her new parents
and her grandmother for many years. Until one day her parents who were doctors
were killed, they had gone to a country at war, for what should have only
been a few weeks they will killed for helping the enemy, by the soldiers,
they had gone to save.

Winry stayed with her grandmother working in a small garage that the woman
owned. She took a loving to repairing machines, the old woman taught her
everything she knew, so that in the future when she to had passed on, Winry
would have something to do while living among the humans. Old age finally
took WInry's last remaining family member, she had lived with the old battle
axe for nearly thirty years and for the first time in over a century Winry
was once again alone.That is until last night, when she befriended Engel
and her new human friends.

********************

Winry sighed as she remembered her past, although it hadn't been a glorious
childhood, her first family had embedded her love for human to her heart.
She ran down to the garage in which she worked to collect some more parts
for the automail, she would be working on the arm for more than just the
day; Edward would have to wait a few more days to get a new arm.


-----------------------------------


Maes had been asked by Gracia to pick up their daughters, both he and Edward
left the police station early to go get the girls from school.After the
little incident with Roy earlier that morning Maes had brought Ed to see
his boss, Hakuro. After some discussion on the boy's age and why he was missing
an arm, Maes had convinced the older man to let Ed apprentice at the station.
Now he would have to find a way to forge identification papers and what
not for his blond house mate, he figured he'd better get some for Ed's brother
and Alfons as well. He'd have to ask his friend, Grumman for a favor later.


Once they arrived at the school Edward and Maes were sitting in the car
waiting for the classes to end for the day, "So Alfons jumped up to the
roof tops on his own?" Maes asked Ed to break the silence. "Yeah it did
a little more than surprise us," Answered Ed. "Impressive."

Edward was deep in thought again, how had his sickly friend done that? Only
the morning earlier he was dying, what had that woman done to him, done
to his little brother? He did have to admit he had been so happy to see
Winry, even if she wasn't 'his' Winry, she was almost the same, better even,
No Wrench... yet. He was going to have to find a way to sit down with the
female Hunter and have a civil conversation, hopefully one where he didn't
end up flying into a wall. Scratching the back of his head Ed looked out
the window of the car, he couldn't believe his eyes, in the field beside
the school was Sig. Well not the Sig he knew but the Sig of this world,
a smile crossed Edwards face.

"Ed?" Maes waved his hand in front of the boys face, "Earth to Edward,"
still no response, "ENGEL'S GOING TO HIT YOU!!!!" That did it." "WHAA...
Wait she's not even here." "Heh Heh, it got your attention didn't it. Schools
out I'm gonna go find the girls wait here."

Ed watched as Maes got out of the car and walked towards the schools entrance.
Kids were running out of the front doors, a few adults were leaving the
school to. Watching the people a tear ran down Edwards face, smiling and
walking along the lawn was Izumi. Attached to her arm was Wrath, or at least
his doppleganger. They looked so happy, mother and son were laughing and
talking, most likely about the days events. Sig a moment later walked up
to complete the happy family. The boy wore the biggest smile Ed had ever
seen, the trio walked out of the school yard and out of Ed's sight, This
world may be screwed up, but at least sensei can be happy here.

"ED?" "Oh your back, got the girls?" "Right here." Maes said as he raised
his arms, a girl attached to each limb. As the girls got in to the car,
Maes spoke to Ed. "I saw you looking at the Curtis's, you know them to?"
"Yeah." "They're teachers at this school, their son is in the girls class.
Lucky they are!" "What do you mean?" "The boy..." "Wrath, daddy." "Wrath
was just adopted by Mrs. Izumi and Mr. Sig." "Adopted?" "Yeah the boy ran
in front of their car a few weeks ago, had no family no nothing. The Curtis's
have been trying to have a family for years now with no avail. Finding the
boy was a miracle for them, yep I've never seen a happier family." "Little
big brother why are you crying?" Nina asked. Ed brought his hand to his
face, tears were streaming down his cheeks. "I'm just happy they can all
be happy, that's all."

Ed remembered Al had told him he had used Wraths body for the transmutation
to open the gate, so it seems that like Nina, Wrath also came to this world.
Who else made it to this side of the gate?

-------------------------------------------

Those boys here? He didn't understand how they to had managed to make it
to this god forsaken world. Hell he didn't know how he had no idea how he
had gotten here. Before he had woken up here, he was fighting with the Homunculi,
the woman with spear like fingers and the fat man who he had thought had
eaten him. It made no sense at all to him. Nope none. Now in this world
at least he could try to do some good for people, seeing as how his last
life, yes that's what it was, another life, he had hurt so many. He hoped
that boy that the Hunter had brought in had survived, if he had maybe he
would see him and the Elric boys again. Or he could just look up Hughes
in the phone book. Long had it been since he had seen his old friends from
his military days. Regardless if they were the same people as the ones he
had known all those years ago. He was a doctor here now and for as long
as it would last this was his job.

"Doctor Marcoh, Doctor Tim Marcoh, please report to the OR immediately."

----------------------------------------

"MOMMY!" The boy cried as he saw his mother walking out of the school,
he ran to her and attached himself to her. "Wrath," the lady laughed as
she felt her arm being tugged on. The woman ran her fingers through her
son, yes her son's hair. From the moment she and her husband had laid eyes
on the boy, they knew they had been meant to be a family. "How was your
day my boy?" "I learned a lot!!" "Like what?" The boy smiled," Why do men
fart more than women?" Izumi looked at the boy, "Just what have you been
learning?" "Cause women can't keep their mouths shut long enough to build
up pressure!!!" Both mother and child broke out in a fit of laughs. "I heard
it from Selim." "The Head Master Bradley boy?" Wrath nodded. "Papa!!" "Honey.
" A large bearded man nodded as he approached the two. "How was your day
Honey?" "Hnngg." Izumi hugged her husband, a man of few words, he was, just
like the day she had married him. Thinking back only a few weeks, memories
of how she and Sig had happened upon the boy she now called her son.

*****************

She and Sig were on their way home from the movies, when out of no where
a small child appeared in front of the car. "SIG." Tires screeched and the
car stopped only inches from the child. Izumi rushed from the car to where
the child lay, "Oh no," She thought that they had hit the boy, or at least
she thought it to be a boy. Kneeling beside the child she extended her
hand to the child's face. Suddenly the small body shuddered and arm attached
themselves around her waist. "MOMMY." The child cried. Her breath left her
as she heard the words uttered from the small being that held tight. Picking
the child up she looked to her husband, who was only now getting himself
out of the car, "Sig." Her heart was breaking as the boy cried in her arms.


They had taken him home and cleaned him up. Izumi had let the boy, who they
now knew as Wrath, sleep with her and Sig that night. The next morning she
started to look for the boys parents, a week later with no luck, child services
had let her and her husband adopt the boy.

*******************

Wrath told his joke to his father, he was so happy, as he and his parents
were walking out of the school grounds he saw him. Edward Elric. He was
sitting in a car apparently waiting for someone, was it really him? From
the look on the blond boys face as he watched the family, Wrath knew it was.
Perhaps he and his brother had been reunited. He hoped so. Wrath smiled
at him, as he and his parents turned the corner and out of sight of the
Elric, Wrath heard his mother mentioning that Mason would have dinner made
for them when they got home.

--------------------------------------

"Do not be so down, for it is I Alex Louis Armstrong." Said a Large bald
muscular man who had just entered the room. Everyone in the room panicked
and was running around, back and fourth. "Mr. Armstrong." A woman said as
she batted pink sparkles out of the way. "Maria, wait, for, me." Bellowed
a blond haired man. "Maria, Denny." Riza said, "Armstrong." Alex nodded
to the smaller woman who had walked over to him and his subordinates. "Riza
its been too long." The two women shook hands, by now the rest of the office
had somewhat calmed down. Falman was helping Breda down from the top of
some filing cabinets and Roy had locked himself in his office was peeping
through a crack in the door, which only hours earlier had been slammed in
his face.

Everyone was now in the lunch room conversing, it had been many years since
everyone had seen Alex Armstrong. "So where is Maes today." Alex asked
as he looked to the faces of his friends. "He's out with Edward, picking
up his daughters." Fuery answered. "Edward? Daughters? I thought Gracia and
him only had one little girl?" "That's right, didn't you hear? They adopted
a little girl about two or so years ago." Mentioned Roy. "As for the Pipsqueak.
." "Edward, sir." "Yes, Edward, he's a young man staying with the Hughes's
right now. I can't say for how long though, probably till the kid finds away
to get his brother and friend from that Hunter." "HUNTER???" Alex Armstrong,
Denny Brosh and Maria Ross all chimed in unison. "Oh yeah, you guys haven't
heard whats new here have you.?"

So all that had been told to them and all that they had seen and knew themselves
was told to the trio that had now joined the small but seemingly growing
number of people that knew about Engel.

"My quite a bit has happened as of recently, hasn't it." Maria said. Everyone
nodded. "SO your saying there are at least two Hunters out there that are
not only out to get a meal?" Denny asked. "We sure as fucking hell didn't
make it up." Retorted Breda. "I still won't believe it till I see it with
my own eyes." "Well we're not all going back to Maes and Gracia's tonight,
we caused enough trouble for Gracia last night." Riza spoke. "Mr. Mustang,
you have a call, do you want me to send it to your office?" Sheska asked
out of breath, she had been running around the building to find him. "No
I'll take it in here, Sheska." "Ok." Walking over to the phone on the desk
in the lunchroom, Roy answered the phone, "Hello Roy Mustang speaking."
"Roy its Maes, did I leave my cell phone in the office?" "Maes?" Roy looked
at the receiver, "I don't know. Hey we were just talking about you and your
unusual company." "With who?" "Armstrong is back." "Is that Maes? Here
Let me speak with the lad." Alex budded in, taking the phone from Roy.
"MAES HUGHES Its been too long."

-----------------------------------

Maes looked at the phone he swatted at the sparkles, "Alex? Where's Roy?"
Pffft, Maes blew the last of the pink sparkles away. On the other end of
the line Maes could hear, well he didn't know what he was hearing, "Who
is is dear?" Gracia asked. "I think Alex and Roy are fighting." "Alex? You
mean he's come back? Oh dear they're not all coming back tonight are they?"
"No WAY. I expect to get some well deserved sleep tonight." "What if Engel
and the boys come tonight?" "I don't care I, I Will be fast asleep with
my wife next to me tonight." "HELLO---?" "Oh Alex? yes yes its me, the girls
are fine, so is Gracia. She's right here. Yes yes. NO, Maybe. See you tomorrow.
" "What was that all about?" " No ones coming tonight, not from work at
least. They want to meet the Hunter and Ed and all, and Alex wants to see
the girls." "They?" "Denny and Maria came with him." "Oh?"

Gracia went off to finish making supper in the kitchen, and Maes went off
to find Ed.

"So your on your own tonight, then k?" Maes said. "Try not to let Engel
Kill you. Or destroy my house any further."

Dinner was finished and everyone got themselves ready for bed, Maes was
looking forward to getting a full nights sleep. Ed caught a few hours sleep
on the couch before a knock at the door woke him up.

Walking over to the door Edward opened it. "OH SHIT."

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KK: So how's that for an ending!!!! READ AND REVIEW you know the drill.

Word count:4056