“Abandonment”

Alphonse raced down the stone stairs, then shot down the corridor of cells, following directly on Ed’s heels. Their red robes fluttered out behind them, as they jumped off the stairs and ran down the hallway. Passing cell after cell, the little brother felt the urge to shudder. This had been his and Ed’s accommodations for the last week or so. They had just escaped certain death, claimed their clothes, just to retire back here. Lost cause, in Al’s opinion.

“Brother—” his questioning tone wasn’t half as strong as he wanted to be, and he sounded like the little brother he was, pleading for his big brother not make him go somewhere scary.

“There’s an exit on the opposite end,” Ed comforted through rushed gasps.

Al’s nerves calmed at his brother’s reassurance, and he smiled gently—

His eyes went wide, and he skidded to a stop in front of one of the cells. “Ed!”

Edward halted suddenly at the end of the hall where the corridor cut into two. “What?”

Al bowed suddenly to the cell, then straightened. “Colonel, what are you doing here?”

“So, you two escaped.” Roy Mustang sauntered up to the edge of the cell, his hands tied in barnacles, so he couldn’t transmute. His military jacket had seen better days with tears through it, and its once vibrant blue faded. His ruffled hair displayed only a small amount of torture he had endure. “I figured as much, though I thought you would have been by sooner. What took you two so long to escape?”

Ed took the sneer with a wide smirk, then crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, I never thought I’d get a chance like this. You know, I have suddenly forgotten how to transmute metal. Al, how about you?”

“Brother!”

“Fullmetal, your cooperation, though we know how little you give it, will be appreciated in this matter.” Mustang’s grim expression and burning eyes more fierce than any flame only tugged Ed’s smirk wider.

“You know, that threat gets older and older every time you say it.”

“Brother,” Al admonished, “we don’t have much time.”

“Listen to your brother, Fullmetal. If you do not let me out, your time will be cut rather short.”

“We’re safely on this side, Colonel,” Ed remained, tracing his finger down a bar. “I don’t think I need to worry all that much.”

“But I will not be behind these forever, and I make sure all my dogs are properly disciplined. Trust me. I don’t hit a paper into your nose.”

Al didn’t tremble at the threat, though he knew Mustang meant every word. “Brother, do it or I will.”

“Hold a second, Al.” Ed put a hand on his brother’s chest but stared at Mustang. “You know, Colonel, I think it’s time to discuss my compensation.”

“Compensation?” Mustang blinked, then grimaced. “You’re running from death, and you’re talking about your salary?”

“Well, I’m no longer just feeding myself with that, you know.” Ed patted his brother’s shoulder. “Al now eats just like the rest of us, so I gotta pay for all that, too. Really cuts down on my paycheck.”

“Ed!” Al thumped his brother on the shoulder.

“What? It’s true! I’m not complaining.” He smiled and ruffled his little brother’s spiky hair. “I’m just saying we could eat a little better with a bigger paycheck, that’s all.”

Mustang rolled his eyes. “If you don’t do I say—”

“You’ll do what?” Ed grinned mischievously.

CLANG!

“Brother, there’re coming!”

“Hold on two secs. He’ll break.”

CLAP!

Ed growled at his brother, as the bars twirled and contorted until they allowed enough room for Mustang to walk out. With a second slap, Alphonse freed Mustang of his bonds, then turned to his brother’s anger.

“Al! Do you want to get me court-martialed?”

Alphonse smiled. “Well, then I can become the State Alchemist, and you won’t have to worry about our monetary situation.”

Ed rolled his eyes, but his eyes quickly shot down the corridor at the sounds of clanging metal. “We’ve got to move.”

The colonel shocked both Elrics when he turned. “Are you coming?”

When the man stepped into the dim light, both Al and Ed gasped, then simultaneously clapped. The metal bars once more curled into place, keeping the man captured.

Al’s eyes trembled, and he couldn’t keep there, staring at him. With a shake of his head, he darted down the hallway in front of the group.

Edward watched him go only to glare at the man. “You bastard.” Then, he followed his brother without a second glance.

Mustang couldn’t blame the boys for hating their father after what he had heard, and though he hated leaving a man behind, Hohenheim wasn’t one of his men.

Thus, he followed after the Elric Brothers and never looked back.