temperance, part 4.3
Sep. 14th, 2004 03:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mikkenekoI'm so not even keeping track of where the sections fall any more.
Oh yes, and![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
windandwater gets MAD INSPIRATION CREDIT. askerian too.
Fandom: Full Metal Alchemist
Title: Temperance (working title only.)
Warnings: Angst, action, drama, drug use and abuse.
Rating: R
Pairing: None
"Ah, Mr. National Alchemist," he called out carelessly, smiling. "Welcome to my city, Elliotsburg."
"It's not your city," Ed growled, as he stalked inside. Al followed, keeping himself between his brother and the open door. "Using alchemy to trick innocent people like this, I don't find that too impressive."
Doring stood up from the couch, an abrupt motion, and strode across the room to stand in front of the window. "My alchemy has made this city mine." The man began to pace, moving in quick, short circles across the far wall. "Who runs the factories that bring this town wealth? I do. Who owns the properties, and the businesses, and the workers? I do. Who controls every man, woman and child in this town, and grants them blissful happiness in return? I do!"
"You've got some fucking gall," Ed said through clenched teeth, "to feed poison to innocent people and think that gives you some kind of lordship over them."
"Oh, yes." Doring cleared his throat, and then turned around, a wide smile fixed on his face. That smile uncannily resembled the expression of the stone gargoyle perched on the mantelpiece. "My Rapture. My lovely drug. How did you like it, Mr. National Alchemist?"
Ed's hands tightened into fists, and he began stalking towards Doring, murder in his eyes. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just pound you into the floor right here," he said. His hands were trembling.
The older alchemist took an uneasy step back from Edward, but kept on talking. "Most people have told me that the first time they took it, they saw a heavenly vision, like the face of God. But I'm told your reaction to it wasn't quite so nice. Tell me, Mr. National Alchemist. I'm quite curious. What did you see?"
"Shut up," Ed hissed, and clapped his hands violently together, the blue sparks arcing violently over his automail arm, transforming it into a weapon. "I've got a score to settle with the maker of that fucking poison, so let's settle it now!"
Doring backed away further, a fearful look crossing over his face. He ran up against the wall behind him, and couldn't retreat any further.
"You'll need it again!" he said, voice rising on the end of the sentence. "You've felt it, haven't you? The longing for my lovely drug. I'll bet you think you're different, that you can leave it and not take any more, don't you? Well, dozens of strong men have said the same thing, and in the end they all came crawling back to me, crawling on their knees! You will too, just wait a few hours until the cravings devour you from the inside out, and see what kinds of threats you can utter then!"
Ed stopped dead. His human hand was clenched tight into a fist, enough that Al half expected the glove to tear. Al couldn't see his brother's expression, but judging from the gloating leer that crossed over Doring's, and the way his spine stretched and his chest swelled, it wasn't good.
"You have felt it," he said mockingly. "It hurt, didn't it? I've seen men beat themselves bloody against stone walls, trying to escape it. But you can't. There is no escape, and I hold the only cure, I am the only one who can give you what you crave. Lay a hand on me, and you'll never see another drop of it."
Al slammed the door shut, cutting out the possibility of anyone witnessing this. Doring jumped, twitching with surprise, as he was abruptly reminded of the presence of a second person in the room.
"My brother is strong," Al said, voice dark with anger. "He doesn't need any worthless drug, and he doesn't need you. I still haven't heard any good reason why I shouldn't pound you now."
Doring snarled at Al, face twisting into an ugly mask, mouth working. "I don't know how you managed to escape what the so-famous National Alchemist couldn't," he sputtered after a moment, "but if you think you've gotten lucky, you're wrong. You'll never leave, and all the food, all the water in this town is under my control. It's only a matter of time before you will be, as well."
"Then it will be a long time," Al said heatedly, "because I don't need to eat your food, or drink your tainted water. I'm --"
"Al," Ed said sharply, hand unclenching from the fist it had been balled into. He turned his head to shoot his brother a glare. "How many times?"
"Right, Brother," Al said, instantly subdued. Ed met his gaze for a moment, and then nodded and turned back on Doring, who blanched back a little bit from the violence promised in his eyes.
"Al's right," Edward said, voice clearer again. "I'm not afraid of you, or your poison. And I think we'd be doing the world a huge favor if we just wiped you out like the bug you are."
"Oh! You think so, do you?" Doring said, and his tone was mocking, but his voice was clearly shaken. He deliberately turned his back on Edward, moving around the sumptuously decorated room like a nervous horse. Ed watched him move, eyes narrowed and hard on the man's back, trying to read the source of his confidence.
"If those guards you had at the gate were any measure," he said slowly, "there's not a chance in hell that you could stop us."
"What, an elderly man like me, stand a chance against two young thugs like you? No, no," Doring scoffed. "How could I possibly defend myself against such brutality?"
"Let's find out," Al said eagerly. He started forward, but Ed suddenly put out one hand; confused, Al stopped, looking at his brother.
Doring looked up at them, smirking again. "Oh, I don't think you want to do that," he said, in a disgustingly singsong tone. "Maybe -- and it's your own funeral, not mine, boy -- maybe you can shake off the effects of my precious drug. But if you get rid of me, then what about about all my poor people? You pretend to care about them, so you must see how cruel it would be to deprive them of me."
"To free them from their slavery? How would that be cruel?" Al began, outraged. Ed interrupted with a fierce headshake.
"Say what you damn mean!" Ed barked. "Before I lose my temper and kill you anyway!"
"Kids have no patience," Doring said in mock-sorrow. He smiled again, and stretched his arms out to the side; intended to to be dramatic, it rather gave him the impression of a well-dressed scarecrow. "This is my city. Every person on these grounds is beholden to me, and far few of them are as stupid -- oh, I'm sorry, as stubborn as you. If the entire city, all of them dependent on me for their drug, suddenly can't get the next dose they need, suddenly find themselves bereft -- well," he broke off, smirking.
"You tell me, Mr. National Alchemist -- boy. You've felt the sickness that comes without it. And that was just one dose, boy, and one day. What do you think will happen to all my people when their supply -- that's me -- is removed?"
Al's gasp of disbelief echoed in the suddenly silent room. Doring clasped his hands behind his back, and came over to circle around Ed, standing stock-still in the middle of the room, shoulders hunched. "You can imagine it, can't you?" he half-whispered. "If you try. All the people in the streets, in the buildings, crying and screaming and vomiting, pinned in place by bodies that won't work for them any more. Men and women devoured from the inside out for the hunger they can't satisfy --"
Ed lunged; with a clatter and a crash of books, he slammed the older man up against the heavy bookshelves, left hand tangled in the man's collar, right arm drawn to strike, trembling with fury at being held back. The gargoyle on the mantelpiece toppled and swayed from the impact, inching perilously close to the edge as it leaned over and grinned down at them.
Doring grinned, too, even as Ed's knuckles pressed hard against his throat. "Do you remember that hunger? Can you imagine the fear that would rise in them, the panic, as the need mounts without relief in sight? Can you imagine them attacking each other, breaking into houses, tearing apart the rooms, in search of hidden stockpiles? Is that the sort of city you'd like to see... National Alchemist?"
There was a pregnant pause, in which all that could be heard was the ticking of the clocks, and Ed's harsh breaths. Doring's face was overtaken by smugness. "I thought not."
Ed's hand snapped forward; the automail spike buried itself point-first into the stone gargoyle statue beside Doring's head. It burst into a shower of fragments and rock dust, splintering the bookshelf and sending splinters and pebbles across Doring's flinching shoulder. Ed stumbled back, throwing Doring to the ground with violent force. "You gloating bastard!" he snarled, eyes wild with rage.
Doring gulped for air, sure that he had looked death in the face for a moment. But he groped for the edge of the bookshelf and pulled himself to his feet, quickly regaining his confidence. He watched as Ed raged helplessly, tearing up the books and bookshelves, and slowly regained his smile.
"That," he said, "is coming out of your salary."
~tbc~
Oh yes, and
windandwater gets MAD INSPIRATION CREDIT. askerian too.Fandom: Full Metal Alchemist
Title: Temperance (working title only.)
Warnings: Angst, action, drama, drug use and abuse.
Rating: R
Pairing: None
"Ah, Mr. National Alchemist," he called out carelessly, smiling. "Welcome to my city, Elliotsburg."
"It's not your city," Ed growled, as he stalked inside. Al followed, keeping himself between his brother and the open door. "Using alchemy to trick innocent people like this, I don't find that too impressive."
Doring stood up from the couch, an abrupt motion, and strode across the room to stand in front of the window. "My alchemy has made this city mine." The man began to pace, moving in quick, short circles across the far wall. "Who runs the factories that bring this town wealth? I do. Who owns the properties, and the businesses, and the workers? I do. Who controls every man, woman and child in this town, and grants them blissful happiness in return? I do!"
"You've got some fucking gall," Ed said through clenched teeth, "to feed poison to innocent people and think that gives you some kind of lordship over them."
"Oh, yes." Doring cleared his throat, and then turned around, a wide smile fixed on his face. That smile uncannily resembled the expression of the stone gargoyle perched on the mantelpiece. "My Rapture. My lovely drug. How did you like it, Mr. National Alchemist?"
Ed's hands tightened into fists, and he began stalking towards Doring, murder in his eyes. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just pound you into the floor right here," he said. His hands were trembling.
The older alchemist took an uneasy step back from Edward, but kept on talking. "Most people have told me that the first time they took it, they saw a heavenly vision, like the face of God. But I'm told your reaction to it wasn't quite so nice. Tell me, Mr. National Alchemist. I'm quite curious. What did you see?"
"Shut up," Ed hissed, and clapped his hands violently together, the blue sparks arcing violently over his automail arm, transforming it into a weapon. "I've got a score to settle with the maker of that fucking poison, so let's settle it now!"
Doring backed away further, a fearful look crossing over his face. He ran up against the wall behind him, and couldn't retreat any further.
"You'll need it again!" he said, voice rising on the end of the sentence. "You've felt it, haven't you? The longing for my lovely drug. I'll bet you think you're different, that you can leave it and not take any more, don't you? Well, dozens of strong men have said the same thing, and in the end they all came crawling back to me, crawling on their knees! You will too, just wait a few hours until the cravings devour you from the inside out, and see what kinds of threats you can utter then!"
Ed stopped dead. His human hand was clenched tight into a fist, enough that Al half expected the glove to tear. Al couldn't see his brother's expression, but judging from the gloating leer that crossed over Doring's, and the way his spine stretched and his chest swelled, it wasn't good.
"You have felt it," he said mockingly. "It hurt, didn't it? I've seen men beat themselves bloody against stone walls, trying to escape it. But you can't. There is no escape, and I hold the only cure, I am the only one who can give you what you crave. Lay a hand on me, and you'll never see another drop of it."
Al slammed the door shut, cutting out the possibility of anyone witnessing this. Doring jumped, twitching with surprise, as he was abruptly reminded of the presence of a second person in the room.
"My brother is strong," Al said, voice dark with anger. "He doesn't need any worthless drug, and he doesn't need you. I still haven't heard any good reason why I shouldn't pound you now."
Doring snarled at Al, face twisting into an ugly mask, mouth working. "I don't know how you managed to escape what the so-famous National Alchemist couldn't," he sputtered after a moment, "but if you think you've gotten lucky, you're wrong. You'll never leave, and all the food, all the water in this town is under my control. It's only a matter of time before you will be, as well."
"Then it will be a long time," Al said heatedly, "because I don't need to eat your food, or drink your tainted water. I'm --"
"Al," Ed said sharply, hand unclenching from the fist it had been balled into. He turned his head to shoot his brother a glare. "How many times?"
"Right, Brother," Al said, instantly subdued. Ed met his gaze for a moment, and then nodded and turned back on Doring, who blanched back a little bit from the violence promised in his eyes.
"Al's right," Edward said, voice clearer again. "I'm not afraid of you, or your poison. And I think we'd be doing the world a huge favor if we just wiped you out like the bug you are."
"Oh! You think so, do you?" Doring said, and his tone was mocking, but his voice was clearly shaken. He deliberately turned his back on Edward, moving around the sumptuously decorated room like a nervous horse. Ed watched him move, eyes narrowed and hard on the man's back, trying to read the source of his confidence.
"If those guards you had at the gate were any measure," he said slowly, "there's not a chance in hell that you could stop us."
"What, an elderly man like me, stand a chance against two young thugs like you? No, no," Doring scoffed. "How could I possibly defend myself against such brutality?"
"Let's find out," Al said eagerly. He started forward, but Ed suddenly put out one hand; confused, Al stopped, looking at his brother.
Doring looked up at them, smirking again. "Oh, I don't think you want to do that," he said, in a disgustingly singsong tone. "Maybe -- and it's your own funeral, not mine, boy -- maybe you can shake off the effects of my precious drug. But if you get rid of me, then what about about all my poor people? You pretend to care about them, so you must see how cruel it would be to deprive them of me."
"To free them from their slavery? How would that be cruel?" Al began, outraged. Ed interrupted with a fierce headshake.
"Say what you damn mean!" Ed barked. "Before I lose my temper and kill you anyway!"
"Kids have no patience," Doring said in mock-sorrow. He smiled again, and stretched his arms out to the side; intended to to be dramatic, it rather gave him the impression of a well-dressed scarecrow. "This is my city. Every person on these grounds is beholden to me, and far few of them are as stupid -- oh, I'm sorry, as stubborn as you. If the entire city, all of them dependent on me for their drug, suddenly can't get the next dose they need, suddenly find themselves bereft -- well," he broke off, smirking.
"You tell me, Mr. National Alchemist -- boy. You've felt the sickness that comes without it. And that was just one dose, boy, and one day. What do you think will happen to all my people when their supply -- that's me -- is removed?"
Al's gasp of disbelief echoed in the suddenly silent room. Doring clasped his hands behind his back, and came over to circle around Ed, standing stock-still in the middle of the room, shoulders hunched. "You can imagine it, can't you?" he half-whispered. "If you try. All the people in the streets, in the buildings, crying and screaming and vomiting, pinned in place by bodies that won't work for them any more. Men and women devoured from the inside out for the hunger they can't satisfy --"
Ed lunged; with a clatter and a crash of books, he slammed the older man up against the heavy bookshelves, left hand tangled in the man's collar, right arm drawn to strike, trembling with fury at being held back. The gargoyle on the mantelpiece toppled and swayed from the impact, inching perilously close to the edge as it leaned over and grinned down at them.
Doring grinned, too, even as Ed's knuckles pressed hard against his throat. "Do you remember that hunger? Can you imagine the fear that would rise in them, the panic, as the need mounts without relief in sight? Can you imagine them attacking each other, breaking into houses, tearing apart the rooms, in search of hidden stockpiles? Is that the sort of city you'd like to see... National Alchemist?"
There was a pregnant pause, in which all that could be heard was the ticking of the clocks, and Ed's harsh breaths. Doring's face was overtaken by smugness. "I thought not."
Ed's hand snapped forward; the automail spike buried itself point-first into the stone gargoyle statue beside Doring's head. It burst into a shower of fragments and rock dust, splintering the bookshelf and sending splinters and pebbles across Doring's flinching shoulder. Ed stumbled back, throwing Doring to the ground with violent force. "You gloating bastard!" he snarled, eyes wild with rage.
Doring gulped for air, sure that he had looked death in the face for a moment. But he groped for the edge of the bookshelf and pulled himself to his feet, quickly regaining his confidence. He watched as Ed raged helplessly, tearing up the books and bookshelves, and slowly regained his smile.
"That," he said, "is coming out of your salary."
~tbc~
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 04:26 am (UTC)*wonders if Ed will eventually start injecting his smack* Remember not to share needles, kids!
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 06:26 am (UTC)I hope Doring gets nailed.
Liked the "how many times?" comment, by the way :)
Am really interested in how this is going, not to mention where, so let's hope there's more soon?
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 11:46 am (UTC)Very astute, reader. ^_~ Of course, the problem with that is that this stuff is a pretty complex chemical compound, and Ed has not idea how to make it. It's not as simple as shifting rock or metal around, or putting an inn back together. *grin*
*wonders if Ed will eventually start injecting his smack*
Well, what makes me hit my head against the wall over this fic is the fact that I started this fic basically knowing nothing about drugs other than, you know, what they teach you in biology/mandantory drug education classes. xp I'm thinking about putting a big disclaimer on top saying "THIS IS ALL JUST PRETEND, PEOPLE, I'VE GOT NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THXBYE." Think that would annoy the audience?
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 11:47 am (UTC)Hee! Al never does learn, though. A year later in Lior he'll be back to blurting out their secret weaknesses again.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 02:07 pm (UTC)Oh, bah, Ed is a genius and he has a pile of the stuff (until he snorts it all). I'm sure he can figure out how it's made. :)
Since you're sticking with a made-up drug, you're pretty safe. Other than the idea that Ed is downing an ounce of this stuff at a time (which makes me think it's some pretty weak-ass shit) nothing has made me question so far.
The trip was really trippy too. :) I liked that a LOT. It squicked my own beta - that's an accomplishment!
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 03:50 pm (UTC)Ah, well, I had specifically thought that that was a very impure form of the drug -- tailored to be cooked into food and undetectable. The pure form would take a lot less, I figure.
It squicked my own beta - that's an accomplishment!
Woot! *adds notch to keyboard*
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 03:55 pm (UTC)Natch.
Write more *pokiepokie*
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 06:21 pm (UTC)Doring is actually a very good villain. I adore the salary comment.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 06:22 pm (UTC)... admit it, you just want to see Ed tapping his veins trying to find a good one to shoot up. Or maybe falling face first into a pile of Rapture, like the coke scene in Scarface.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 06:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 07:58 pm (UTC)Yeah well Roy will come in search of his lost loves and smit you to hell Doring and he'll
magicallyalchemically save everybody and then they'll be lots of happy wild thank you sex. Yeah.Between you and the cannon, I might as well just hide under my bed.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 08:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 08:18 pm (UTC)^^; Whoa, girl, remember to breathe! Also remember that this story is set when Ed is fourteen and Al is thirteen, so this is before the series start, so nobody can die or get
toopermanently maimed.Besides, have more faith in Ed! He can take care of himself. ^_~
and then they'll be lots of happy wild thank you sex.
...not that I don't like this idea. >_>
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 08:20 pm (UTC)Oh good! I always worry about my villains. Although this time I was spending somewhat less time on trying to make him scary as trying to keep his motivations and personality consistant... hmm. Suppoise I'm on to something here?
no subject
Date: 2004-09-14 08:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-15 02:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-15 08:24 pm (UTC)While this seems to be turning out okay -- people like it, anyway -- I think it could be a lot better. I just see a lack of dynamic motion going on in the story, if that makes any sense. Maybe it can be fixed and maybe it can't, but either way, it's not the story it could be.
...You didn't want an essay, did you? xp
no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 07:31 am (UTC)