Mute

Chapter 5: Number 43 and 66

(Al's POV)

Brother and Y/N sure are taking a long time in there. What's happening? Are they alright? Why am I even worrying? They're one of the best State Alchemists in the Military, maybe even the best. They surely couldn't have gotten into any trouble...

Suddenly, I hear a clanking noise from on top of the roof. I hear it jump down and move out of the way. It then starts slashing at me and saying how it would be fun if it could cut me up into tiny little bits. Creepy...

"You sure move swift considering the armor you have." It says to me.

"Who are you?"

"Why, I'm Number 66. If you were to find out my real name, you'd probably soil yourself. But I'll tell you anyways.

"My real name is Barry the Chopper!"

"Huh?" I say, never hearing that name and very confused. He's also told me he is hollow.

"What are you doing?! You're supposed to be screaming and wetting your pants! Why aren't you?"

"Because I'm just like you." I then show him my blood seal; Equivalent Exchange.

Now, he's screaming like I was supposed to do (apparently).

"Why are you here?"

"My brother and friend are inside."

"Oh, is your brother and friend the tiny pipsqueak and the girl?"

"Yes," I say.

"And you have feeling for the girl, don't you?" How did he know?! "I take your silence as a yes. Well, what if I told you that what you feel is merely fabricated? Not real?"

"No, that's impossible!"

"Oh, but it is! What if you didn't even have a brother, if he had just created you along with his friend."

"That's... That's impossible!" I say.

But is it true? Is that what brother had wanted to tell me?

(3rd Person POV)

Y/N was ready to face Number 43. He had made a mistake choosing you to fight. He thought you only had the two swords on your back and the little swords on your outer thighs, but you still had another dagger on your right calf and hidden blades. You were the definition of deadly.

You wouldn't kill Number 43, though. He was just like Al as you had found out. Hollow. Ed had noticed it first and told you. You nodded, ready to fight.

The fight began with Number 43 striking first. You dodged with ease and took out your two shorts swords with the blades facing the ground. You were able to fight more efficiently this way, speed damage wise. 

You run to Number 43, aiming for his chest, but he uses his sword to flick away one of your swords, leaving you with just the one in your left had. You attempt to strike again, but he flicks away the sword in your left had. You unsheathed your two long swords from your back and had the blades facing up this time, knowing a new grip and fighting style would be needed to defeat Number 43.

You were trained to use two fighting styles in combat by the Military when Ed became a State Alchemist, courtesy of Roy Mustang. Roy wanted you to begin training with hand-to-hand combat at a young age so that by the time you were older, you would be able to protect many people. Your motive to protect the Elric brothers, especially Al, made you complete the training in a year and a half. You learned to develop your own technique, which is the style you use most often, and you learned how to fight like an ancient race that is now long gone.