Morphed

Chapter Eleven

Hey. So. I think this is the longest wait for a chapter since I started the story...three...four days? God...that's too long...In any case, I can't promise another chapter before I go on my holiday at Hell, but I'll do my best. In case I don't manage it, this chapter is something like... 1000 to 1500 words longer than usual...so there's that I guess. Please let me know whether you think this chapter is better or worse than what I've been posting lately, so that I can tell if my short break did me any good or not.

Anyway, enjoy. :)

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So you're tired of running
You're tired of hurting
You're tired of living in their lie
You're tired of listening
You're tired of hurting
Keep your sadness alive, alive, alive

Don't you know, the misery loves company
Yeah I heard, the misery was looking for me
Happiness is a face that don't look good on me
Yeah I heard, that misery comes looking for me

~Misery (Good Charlotte)

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Colonel Mustang stood rigid in the Fuhrer's office, with Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes to his right and Major Edward Elric to his left. Maes' fists were clenched and shaking, and his eyebrows were furrowed deeply. Edward's entire body was shaking, as much as he tried to suppress it. He was still wearing the Lieutenant Colonel's bloodstained jacket, and Mustang couldn't help but feel that the jacket itself would do nothing but hinder his case. Mustang himself was the only one of the three that was completely collected and calm. At least, he was on the outside. On the inside was a storm. Confusion, anger, fear, were only a few of the emotions swimming around in his head. Not to mention the slight intimidation by the fact that he was standing in front of Fuhrer King Bradley himself, as well as General Grumman, Roy's Commanding Officer, and General Hakuro, Maes' Commanding Officer.

"So, Fullmetal Alchemist, care to explain?" The Fuhrer said.

"I...I..." Edward stuttered. His golden orbs flickered past Mustang to Maes for support, and they were filled with fear. There was a faint sheen to his eyes, and Mustang could see he was on the verge of crying.

"It happened down in the underground laboratory, sir." Maes said. "The alchemists down there-"

"I didn't ask you, Lieutenant Colonel." Bradley interrupted coldly. "I want to hear it from Fullmetal." Maes stopped talking, but Mustang knew his best friend too well. It would be taking great restraint on Maes' part to keep his mouth shut and do as his Fuhrer told him to. "Major?"

Sweat was beginning to drip down Edward's forehead, and he was fumbling over words like a three year old who'd been caught stealing candy. One of his left fingers twitched, and Mustang was sure he'd seen, for a split second, the tip of a claw protruding from the fingertip before Edward regained control and pulled it back.

"Please, sir, let me explain." Maes pleaded. "It's not exactly an easy memory for him."

"No. Fullmetal, you have three seconds, or I'll have to force it out of you." Mustang didn't think Edward would respond, but, within two of the given three seconds, he'd began to slowly recall his tale. For a while, his voice had been trembling as he spoke, but, then, abruptly, it went blank and emotionless. Right after it did, he told them of the first Transmutation. Right from the start, Roy had been more than a little horrified by what he was hearing. It was one thing to read about rape, but it was another thing completely to have the tale told directly from the youth's lips. A chill swept up his spine as Edward was forced to delve into detail about the Transmutations. The pain, Edward described as not even comparable to auto-mail surgery. His body had literally been fused with another creature. A wolf. His insides and outsides had to be altered to adapt to the new presence. He'd been torn apart from the inside out. Mustang couldn't even imagine how that must have felt. Still, the idea the Fullmetal was kind of a dog held some appeal to him.