The Water Alchemist

Unlikely Ally

Welcome back to The Water Alchemist. I don't own any of the intellectual property of Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Unlikely Ally

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"I know who you are, Ling Yao, Elias," the woman at the wheel said as she tore through Central, the tires screeching, piercing Elias's ears. She glanced back at them through the rearview. "Don't worry. We're on our way to a secure safe house."

Elias had been hesitant to join them but having to sit next to the very monster that had tried to eat him not a few hours ago was too much. He didn't want to be so involved, and yet, here he was, headed to an undisclosed location with a flurry of strangers, each seeming formidable in their own right. He had felt a sense of indebtment to the two who had saved him from certain death, but things were quickly getting out of hand. He tried to scoot away from the bound monster as much as he could, but with each sharp turn, he was either flung into it or vice versa. An unpleasant ride indeed.

"No, we have to go get Marina!" the young man who had captured the monster, presumably Ling, spoke up.

"What?" the woman asked, seeming surprised. Elias blinked at him awhile, just as confused. He had assumed she had ended up somewhere safe, at the very least.

"She's hurt, badly. We have to get her!" he cried.

"Make it quick," the woman grimaced, shifting gears and turning the wheel so sharply that everyone in the car slid to the right, and Elias bumped into the monster. After the turn, he righted himself, scooting as far as he could in the cramped space. They eventually came up on an alley, Ling giving the woman orders on where to turn, and she let the car idle as he jumped from the cab and, to Elias's surprise, into the sewers. Elias stood, looking out over the edge of the car.

"What the hell?" the woman at the wheel said, puzzled.

"She's down there," the young woman with the arm injury said from the front seat. He turned to her questioningly. "I can sense her." There was a rattling as Elias turned back around, and sure enough, he emerged with Marina unconscious in his arms.

"Marina!" Elias yelled as they approached the vehicle. Elias could have sworn he heard that monster stir at the mention of her name, mumbling something incoherent, but he didn't have time to dwell on it.

"She's breathing," Ling said as he hopped in and handed her off to Elias, who sat her carefully upright.

They both were nearly rocked from their feet when they took off again, and after he found his bearings, Elias studied Marina's face. Her skin was cold to the touch, and blood dribbled from her mouth. He scanned over her until he noticed the tear in her top and the glint of fading sunlight reflecting from something beneath. He tentatively lifted the edge of the shirt, revealing a bloody mess of what looked like ice fused to skin. His hand hovered over it, shaking.

"What the hell happened to you?" Elias asked in a whisper. The girl didn't respond, but Ling did.

"She was stabbed. You said you have medical experience, right?" he said, glancing around the vehicle. Elias looked up in shock.

"I'm not a doctor!" he yelled, tugging the shirt back over the unsightly gash. "The most I can do is basic stitches. This is serious! She needs actual medical attention; she needs a hospital." Ling frowned, turning forward.

"We can't go to a hospital with this thing," the woman grunted, tilting her chin to the mass of monster. Elias grit his teeth.

"A doctor, at least," Elias said. The woman nodded.