Three months since I last updated...

Three months since I last updated...

Three months since I last updated.

THREE FUCKING MONTHS SINCE I LAST UPDATED!!!

You have permission to slash my thoat.

Chimera Ed

Chapter 25

Unfair Exclusions

(Ed's POV)

I didn't want Winry to hear the conversation I was having with the others. That morning, I had gotten Izumi, Alphonse, Russell, and Fletcher in the kitchen with me, careful not to wake Winry.

I needed alchemists. I knew that these four people who sat with me now were all very exceptional alchemists. My teacher, my brother, my lover, and my lover's brother. I knew I could rely on them.

But the last thing I wanted was to get Winry involved in this. Over the years, Al and I had kept so many secrets from her, not to hurt her, but to protect her. I had to keep her away from all the fighting. Especially now, with these Carnarians on the loose. I had never seen them, but the stories Marta told me about them gave me an idea. These guys were bad news. I couldn't let Winry know about any of this, because I knew she would demand for me to let her fight.

"So what's the news with the chimeras?" Russell asked.

"They have a name. They call themselves the Homanimoids."

Russell paused to take it in, then asked me, "So, do they want something from us?"

"Well, I that's why I need your help. You see, I told them you guys could help them with their mission."

"Their mission? What's their mission?" Al asked.

That's when I told them. I told the four of them all about the Homanimoids and the Carnarians, the whole story that Marta had told me.

(Normal POV)

Winry wanted to kill Edward.

Why had he kept all of this from her? She shifted in her position above the kitchen, where the others resided. She had found a nice hole in the ceiling and started listening in. She had learned to be more discreet since Ed first became a chimera. It seemed with his superior catlike senses, he could easily catch her eavesdropping on him, so she had to be careful.

She peeked back through the hole. After this was over, she was going to kill Ed.

(Ed's POV)

"The Homaimoids are outnumbered, and since they can't go out in the daylight, they're powerless to stop the Carnarians from terrorizing the people of Central and Dublith. That's why I told them that I'd get you guys to help in the fight." I finished.

There was a long pause where the others all absorbed this new information. Finally, Russell spoke up. "I'm in."

"I'm in too!" Fletcher followed.

Russell gave him the evil eye. "No, you're not." He said slowly.

Teacher sighed. "I suppose I should help too. I'm in."

"Me too. I'm with you all the way, brother." Al said.

"Now you have four new recruits!" Fletcher concluded.

Russell glared at Fletcher through one eye unhidden by his hair. "No you don't!"

"Brother, I can do this, I wanna fight too!" Fletcher argued.

"NO!"

"But I'm just as good an alchemist as you are!"

"You're only ten years old!"

"But I know I can-"

"I SAID NO!"

(Normal POV)

"I SAID NO!" Russell's scream was so loud, Winry fell over from her position upstairs and smacked her head on the shelf nearby. "Daaaamn..." She moaned, rubbing her head. She paused for a second. Oh, crap. I hope Ed didn't hear that...

(Ed's POV)

Fletcher stood up so quickly, he knocked over his chair. Everyone seemed tense, and ready to leap into action, should Fletcher do something crazy.

He then banged his fist against the table and yelled, "I'm not helpless!" Teacher and Al both looked away, not wanting to see Fletcher with a look of hurt.

Finally, he stormed out of the room. Just as he disappeared, I noticed a few small droplets fall from his eyes. And then he was gone.

There was an awkward silence for Teacher, Al, and I, who had had nothing to do with this fight, but were still caught in the middle of it.

I looked back at Russell. He had his head down and his hands were balled into fists, pressing down on the table, his knuckles turning white. I wanted more than anything to comfort my lover right now, but refrained from doing so.

I followed Russell upstairs. When he went into our room, I came up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist, pressing my face into his back, in hopes of calming him down. As soon as I had him in my soft grip, rubbing his chest with my hands and breating in his scent, I could feel him relax a little.

"Ed..." Russell whispered. "You're on my side, right?"

I pulled away from Russell and sat down on the bed. I motioned for him to sit next to me. He complied.

"You have a younger brother too. You wouldn't send him to fight some unknown enemy, would you?" He said.

"Russell," I began. "Al is a ten foot tall suit of armor. He can take care of himself."

"Yeah, but Fletcher doesn't have that kind of protection."

"He can use alchemy, can't he?"

"Alchemy isn't enough!"

"His abilities match yours, don't they? He can be just as strong as you."

"But he's just ten years old! The chimeras will eat him!"

(Normal POV)

Of course, Ed and Russell weren't alone in their debate. Fletcher knew that Ed would have smelled him if her were right outside the door, so he transmuted a vine with two cup-shaped flowers on the ends and listened in, from afar.

It's just not fair! Fletcher though. I'm just as good an alchemist as he is! Why shouldn't I be allowed to fight? Can't Brother see I just want to help?

"Fletcher is too young an innocent! We can't let him get involved in this!"

Finally, he decided that he had heard enough. Fletcher pulled at the vine and quickly left.

(Ed's POV)

"You know, there's probably something he can do without any risk. He can help them in the Devil's Nest, without ever having to leave and fight the Carnarians. Consider it, Russell!" I argued.

After about a million years, Russell finally sighed and gave in. "Fine. We'll ask Greed if there is something Fletcher can do."

I grinned and kissed Russell on the lips. "Allright then. Let's find him."

(Fletcher's POV)

I walked down the streets of Dublith, wondering what to do. Even Ed couldn't convince Russell to let me help. I wished Russell would start treating me like an adult. I may be ten years old, but I knew I was very intelligent for my age. I could be a big help if they would let me.

"Hey, Fletcher!"

I turned around. It was Ed's friend, Winry. I wondered what she wanted from me.

She came up to me. I noticed how incredibly tall she was. I started to feel even more like a child. Especially when she bended down to reach my eye level.

She looked at me, smiling sadly. With a lowered voice, she said to me, "They think you're useless to them, right? They don't want you fighting those evil chimeras."

My eyes widened. "You eavesdropped on us?"

Winry grinned. "Yup!"

She smiled at me sweetly, which made me blush and look downat the ground.

"Look,I know how you excludedme from all of this too. Worse, Ed didn't even bother to tell me."

I looked back up at her. "But, umm, I'm sure he was just trying to keep you safe." I mumbled.

Winry scoffed. "The same way Russell is trying to keep you safe? I've heard the story millions of times. The point is, they treat me like Ican't hold my own in a fight!" She stood up and reached into her black jacket to produce a wrench.

She grinned mischeviously. I wondered what she was going to do.

Almost instantly, she swung her arm around and smashed her wrench into a stop sign.

I jumped back, shocked to say the least. Her wrech had left a huge dent in the middle of the metal sign.

Okay, now I was scared.

I now had a deep, abiding respect for her. Not only because she could wield that wrench like a mighty sword, but because she knew how it felt to be unfairly excluded because people underestimate your abilities.

Winry and I talked. Mostly, we vented out anger and frustration at the unfair exclusions. I told Winry how, with my botanic alchemy, and generous supply of red stones, I would be a very strong opponent to face.

"Well, I don't even NEED alchemy to fight. I could beat anybody's ass with my wrench. I'm strong from all those years working on mehcanics," She flexed her muscles impressively. "Plus, I'm good at espionage. I can pick any lock and break into any security sytem. I would make an awesome secret agent!" She started laughing at herself.

I laughed along with her and added, "No evil chimera could ever stand up to the two of us!"

"I'm sure." A new voice added in.

Winry and I both stopped laughing and looked around.

"Who's there?" Winry asked.

All of a sudden, an man appeared out of the woods behind us. I was shocked that I hadn't even heard him coming.

The man wore a nicely pressed suit and tie. The kind that wasn't worn in any formal event, but worn in everyday life to show people that you were a very professional, sophisticated person. The man hid his face under a dark-rimmed hat. All I could seeof his actual featues was a thick wave of longish red hair, left loose.

Winry and I both stood our guard as the man approached up.

"You're looking to fight of some evil chimeras, aren't you?" The man said.

Winry and I both remained standing still. But inside, my heart was racing. How did this man know about chimeras?

The man then pulled up his hat, to show us his face.

That's when we both let out a gasp of shock.

The man had strange red markings on his face. Except they weren't markings. They were... fur. He had fur growing on his cheeks.

I realized it looked just like the fur markings on Ed's face,back when he turned into a demon-cat.

Then the man smiled at us, showing off two gleaming fangs. His deep green eyes turned into cat-like slits.

He was, no doubt, a chimera.

"My name is Seth." He said to us. "I am part of a group of chimeras known as the Carnarians. And I would like to offer you a little deal..."

To Be Continued...

A/N: Oh, gawdz, I'm so sorry for taking so long! I just... well, I've been getting fewer and fewer reviews for this fic, I think people are losing interest. Come on, tell me what's wrong! Can you guys atleast tell me what you want to see more of in this fic? So that I can write it the way you want it? Please. Thank you.

Oh, by the way, in four days, it will be Chimera Ed's second anniversary. Wow. This fic is two years old! This fic is going to go on for many, many years... I hope we all don't grow up by the time it's finished. XD