It hurts. It hurts! IT HURTS!!

Those were the thoughts completely possessing Edward's mind, and every time he thought those words they became more and more frantic.

IT HURTS!!! iT hUrTS!!!!

Edward lay collapsed on the groud all alone, his whole body was writhing in pain. He tried, without a positive outcome, to speak; no words escaped Ed's dried and burning throat. Sweat was making its way in sheets down his forehead slicking both Ed's face and hair in the hot, wet, and sticky liquid. His whole body felt like it was burning, but the burning sensation wasn't on Ed's skin it was under it, the fullmetal achemist felt like he was being burned alive from the inside out.

Earlier that day

Edward laid in one of the two beds in his dorm room. He refused to open his tired eyes.

"Brother," Alphonse began, starting to move towards Edward's bed his armour body making a quiet clicking-clacking noise. "You should be getting up now. You can't forget you have an important meeting with Colonel Mustang."

Ed's eyes didn't open, but his mouth did.

Foul words escaped in a long stream of hateful words all intended for the Colonel.

"Brother," Al began scornfully. "The Colonel has been helping us out in our search for the philosopher's stone. You should really be nicer to him."

"Uhrg," Ed groaned, finally opening his eyes. "Why should I be nicer to the Colonel B-"

"Brother," Alphonse sqeaked cutting Edward off. Edward had always thought it as kind of funny that with Alphonse's giant body he still had a squeaky voice that really didn't seem to fit the bulky shape of his brother.

"Fine," Edward said after some reluctance, pulling himself out of bed. "I will be a little nicer to that ba-"

"Brother!"

"Fine, I will be a little nicer to the Colonel."

Ed knew that if Al's armor face could make expressions, that the expressioon Al's face would be that of approvment.

Edward was annoyed with the idea of being nice to Mustang, even if it is only a little. He balled his fists, shooing Al out so that he could dress.

Mustang sat at his desk a scowl set on his face as he looked at the file infront of him.

"That is what we pulled up about the Fullmetal alchemist's..." The General's speaking paused trying to find a word that fit. "...shenanigans." He finally said looking at Mustang with a look that told the Colonel that the man expected better of Mustang.

The Colonel sighed he placed the file on his desk, the man infront of him was higher up than the Colonel so he didn't have much of a choice.

"I will speak with fullmetal this afternoon. I have already aranged to meet with him, and will give him a warning."

"A warning?! Colonel Mustang, That is why you will not be talking to Fullmetal today." The man snorted, adding emphasis to the Colonel's rank to prove that he was above the Colonel. "I don't think you understand I, along with several other higher-ups, expect him to be punished, and it seems as if you can't do such a simple task as keep him in shape. If this continues we will have to remove him from under your juristicion and place him under someone who can handle him."

Mustang was angry before, but now... lets just say there weren't words for what he felt now.

"I will deal with Fullmetal, and give him what I, and those who sent me, think is an appropriate punishment," The General announced.

"Yes, sir, Whitman," Mustang said with clenched teeth. He wasn't even trying to hide his anger now.

"General Whitman," The General corrected.

"Yes, sir, General Whitman," Roy hissed.

"Tea, Fullmetal?" General Whitman asked.

Edward wasn't sure how he knew, but he could tell that, from the way the General asked, he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Edward decided to accept the tea, guessing that he won't be asked again during the 'visit'.

"Sugar?" The man asked.

"Yes, um..." Edward took the cup that was offered to him and realising that he was probably in trouble for something he did. I mean, why else would a higher ranking official come to visit the famous Fullmetal alchemist except to punish him for something.

It wasn't like Edward was always getting in trouble, but he did have a tendency to be reckless and destructive. He fixed the things he destroyed, well, most of the time, and it wasn't like he was purposely going around being reckless and throwing caution to the wind. That was just how he was. He was a destruction magnet, but the way he was had probably had gotten him in trouble with the higher ups. Not a good place to be, so Edward decided to be in his best behavior.

"Thanks," He said taking a sip.

"Now, Fullmetal, about the destruction of your last few missions..."

Hours later, the talk, more like scolding, was concluded. Edward's mood had gotten a whole lot worse, but he was free to go.

"Fullmetal!" Edward wanted to throw something and yell at the General, telling him that he had just gotten out of a long discussion -scolding- with him and wasn't quite ready to have another 'talk'. Also wasn't feeling that great.

"I want to speak with you in private."

"But I thought we ju-"

"Fullmetal," The General interrupted. "I want to talk with you about something I don't want the Colonel around for."

"Fine, coming, Sir." Edward walked with the General, in silence, down the hall. They walked until they came to a door the General stopped at. "We can talk here. Come in."

Edward stepped through the doorway hearing the General click the lock behind him.

"Now, Fullmetal, you look like you could use a glass of water."

"Um, sure, thanks," Edward said, not completely sure of what to say.

"Here you go," General Whitman announced as he poured water from a nearby pitcher into a glass and gave it to the boy.

Edward took the glass and downed it quickly so as not to waste time. He was about to ask what it was that the General wanted to talk about, when a strange dry feeling robbed Edward's throat of all moisture. He was quite suddenly feeling incredibly unsatisfied with only that one glass of water.

"How are you feeling, Fullmetal? You don't look so hot."

"I'm- I'm fine," Edward rasped out. A cough threatened to break through his lips. "I must have swallowed the water down the wrong pipe," Edward said even though he knew that was not what happened. The feeling in his throat was not the feeling you get when you inhale water.

"I don't think so, Fullmetal." General Whitman smirked.

"Is it hot i-"

"Is it hot in here or is that just you?" The man interrupted, taking the words right out of Edward's mouth.

"How did-"

"How'd I know that? You know, Fullmetal, for a child genius, you are pretty show."

Edward breath hitched. "Poison!"

"And the penny drops."

Edward tried to think clearly. He had been poisoned by the General.

"Come at me, boy," The General taunted.

Edward tried, but his legs wouldn't allow him to go more than a few steps before he fell to the floor, gasping for breath at the exertion.

"You don't look well. It was to bad I wasn't around when you suddenly fell ill."

"W- why?" Edward chocked out. His ability to breathe quickly abandoning him.

"Why? Because you have been making enemies with the TRI-Generals. They think you are getting to close to exposing them."

"T- tri... G- gen... erals?" Edward stuttered out, his strength wavering.

"I'm sorry we can't talk more, but my train leaves soon, and I must be on it. Goodbye, Fullmetal."

Edward heard the click of the bolt in the door as it was relocked behind the General, while he retreated away.

Roy Mustang almost fell out of his chair when he, just, remembered why the small pin on the General's coat looked vaguely familiar. It was the insignia of the TRI-Generals, a group of people who had kidnapped the children of military officials, demanding a ransom for their safe return. They had been the talk of the town a few years back, but now you didn't hear anything about them. No one had ever been taken in, but the kidnappings stopped about two months after they started. There had been several rumors going around Central saying that the TRI-Generals were actually a group of greedy, money-hungry, Generals, hence the name, that knew they wouldn't get caught. Mostly everyone had let go of those rumors and realised that that was highly unlikely. But now Mustang wasn't so sure.

I just had one of the TRI-Generals in my office!, Mustang internally screamed.

"But why would they send him here? Maybe he isn't here for them but, is just here to do his job." That is, his military job.

"But then why would he wear the pin and risk being exposed?" Mustang stopped.

Why did he come here? To see Fullmetal? If the higher ups wanted Fullmetal to be punished they would have told him to punish him, and not waste their own resources.

"Fullmetal!" Mustang bolted from his chair, running out the door.

"Sir?" Asked a slightly confused Hawkeye as her superior officer ran out of his private office.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, which way did the General go?!" Mustang demanded.

"I'm sorry, Sir I didn't see which way he went. Why?"

"Lieutenant, follow me!" Hawkeye was quickly on her feet and following Roy.

Out in the halls, Mustang caught sight of the General walking away.

"General Whitman!" Roy shouted.

Whitman stopped and turned to Roy, "Yes, Colonel?"

Roy continued towards the now stationary man. When directly infront of the man, he stopped and said. "General Whitman, you are under arrest for your involvement in the TRI-General kidnapping conspiracy."

At his back, Roy could hear his Lieutenant shift in surprise. Infront of him he saw the General's face grow white in shock. Whitman attempted to bolt, heading towards the nearest exit. He was stopped by Lieutenant Hawkeye, who had already made her way around the Colonel. Expecting the man to run she had pinned him down.

"Now, tell me. Where is Edward Elric?" Mustang demanded.

"Too late," Whitman hissed as Hawkeye pulled him to his feet and cuffed his hands.

Mustang surppressed the panic that was rising up.

"Not what I asked. Where is Fullmetal?!"

"It doesn't matter. It's too late."

"Tell me!" Roy was getting angrier by the second.

"No, I'll let you find his body." Mustang lost it when the General said that. He brought his fist back and sent the man sprawling.

"Lieutenant, take the General here to a holding cell, and the rest of you," Mustang turned to address the rest of his crew, who had come out when the Colonel had first run out of his office. "Come with me. We are going to find Fullmetal."

Thanks for reading! Please review!

-UNAU/IME