I hope you enjoy this oneshot as much as I enjoyed writing it.
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"Alphonse."
The boy's head whipped up as he heard his name uttered. Wrath winced. The boy looked happy to see him, delight scrawled plainly over his young features.
Wrath growled inwardly. It was not normal, not natural. Alphonse should be terrified to see a homunculus fact to face, or at the very least show some anger. All that Wrath had done to him and his brother… no, the boy should not smile. But human compassion was a strange thing; humans did not even seem to be able to comprehend it themselves. Wrath reminded himself that Alphonse did not even remember him from the old days, which had also, in a roundabout way, been his doing.
Wrath sighed, a prickle of shame creeping through him. Alphonse was so good, something he could never hope to match. Out of habit, he flexed his metal limbs; the comforting sounds of creaking joints soothed him. Then, thus reminded of his business, he motioned for Alphonse to follow, and walked further into the gloom.
He didn't want the boy to follow him. He wanted Alphonse to turn away; his cowardice was enough to make him wish it greatly. But his keen ears caught the sound of Alphonse's footsteps behind him, jogging to catch up. Wrath could almost imagine the puzzled expression on his face.
Wrath felt a wave of relief. Whatever happened now would be entirely by his choice, and there was absolutely no turning back. He was going to redeem himself to the Elric brothers, and he would die trying. Wrath permitted the smallest of smiles. Deep within him, he knew that it was right.
They did not speak during the journey. There was nothing to be said. Alphonse followed willingly, and Wrath led purposefully, sometimes having to wait for the boy to catch up. Wrath was impatient, now that the decision was made; he wanted to carry it out before he lost his resolve.
He was grateful then, when the crumbling cathedral came into view. Wrath heard the footsteps falter, then stop behind him. Wrath stopped, and half-turned towards the boy. Uncertainty filled those stormy grey eyes and a touch of fear as well.
An eternity passed. Wrath waited, waited for Alphonse to change his mind and run.
He didn't. He stepped forward again, and they continued their journey.
Dark shadows and beams of light winked upon the mosaic of shattered color that had once formed breathtaking stain glass windows, a dusty altar stood proud and dignified at the end of the long hall. The boys passed like wraiths by the altar to the dark tunnel that lay behind. They descended into hell.
As they travelled ever downward, Al spoke for the first time. "Wrath, why did you bring me here?"
"It's all right," Wrath replied. The boy would find out soon enough anyway.
The once mighty city that had been abandoned so long ago sprawled before them. Al stopped and gasped. "It looks just like Lior," he breathed. The alchemy array loomed large and menacing from the quiet city. Wrath turned from the spectacle down to the city itself. He'd seen it plenty of times before. Al hastened to catch up, and boldly strode ahead, curiously looking around him. Al knelt down and clapped his hands together, and a glowing red array came to life beneath his feet. "It's like the gate!" he exclaimed in wonder.
Al murmured to himself some more, but Wrath was only half listening. His purple eyes narrowed in suspicion, and he swung his head around this way and that, like a predator. Something here was not right. He inhaled deeply and listened. There was something…
He gasped and spun around as a large structure collapsed behind them. The boys jumped out of the way to avoid large chunks of building that crashed down. Slowly, in the billow of dust that had arisen a grotesque form appeared. Shapeless at first, it became a monstrous creature, with tentacled limbs and extra heads that snarled. At the front, a tiny head grinned leeringly down at them, small beady eyes afire with destruction.
"Gluttony," Wrath hissed. This changed things.
"Gluttony?" Al asked. "He's also a monster," Wrath growled. "Like me!"
The once portly homunculus had transformed into a repulsive abomination, the incarnation of true gluttony. Saliva dripped from its open mouth as it gurgled with glee.
Wrath growled, shuddering at the sight of a removed Oroborous.
The thing threw back its head and roared, charging Wrath and throwing him into the air. Wrath tumbled to a stop and jumped deftly out of the way as Gluttony came after him, showing no interest towards Alphonse. That was good, if Wrath could just keep Gluttony away from Alphonse long enough…
Wrath crashed onto a rooftop and started running, Gluttony tearing after him. The chase continued from building to building, until Gluttony caught Wrath a stunning blow from the back. Wrath tripped, and skidded to a halt in a city square, stunned momentarily. He saw a flash of red near his peripheral. 'No!' he thought. 'Alphonse, stay away!'
Gluttony bounded into the square, his massive weight shattering ancient water pipes below. A fountain of water erupted from the ground and rained down upon Wrath's inert form. His body ached and regenerated feebly. Gluttony bellowed in rage, and trickles of red poured forth from his skin. Wrath watched, amazed, as the liquid solidified in the water and became red stone.
Red stone. He had been repulsed from it ever since he found out that it was actually human souls that were sustaining him. But it seemed irrelevant now as his body cried out for nourishment through the pain. 'I'll take just enough to defeat Gluttony,' he thought, getting to his feet. He started to jog and then to run at the creature, desperation fueling his flight. The thing bellowed and reached for him, but he leapt and skidded underneath its distended stomach, nimbly dodged the snarling heads, and ran for the spot where the red stone lay. He reached down for it, but Gluttony whirled around and smashed him away. Wrath skidded on the surface of a giant lake like a rock skipped across a pond before slowly sinking beneath the surface.
The cool water embraced him as he collapsed at the bottom. He opened his eyes and saw clearly the red stone he had been after. He clawed at it desperately, and without hesitation threw it into his mouth and swallowed convulsively. Instantly his body repaired, new strength flowed through his limbs and his cat-like pupils dilated. Distantly, Wrath felt honorable enough to feel disgusted with himself.
Gluttony's heads sliced through the water and tossed Wrath high above them like a heron with a fish. Wrath remained limp as he fell, then came to life with a fierce cry, slicing through one of the heads and landing safely on his feet. Gluttony roared, and the heads surged forward. Wrath caught one by the teeth, and flung it past him, severing this one from the body as well. Gluttony, infuriated, slapped him away with a giant hand and he fell once again. Leaping to his feet, he saw he was in the middle of the array that Al had conjured up. Wrath instantly knew what he must do. If he could keep Gluttony here long enough, his plan just might work after all.
With a cry, he smashed his automail arm through the ground and locked his fingers into the earth, anchoring himself to the spot. With a roar Gluttony burst over the top of a building and Wrath steeled himself for his oncoming doom.
He knew he couldn't defeat Gluttony. He must win by letting Gluttony defeat him. However, even with this newfound resolve, his eyes widened with horror as he realized the consequences of his actions. With his instincts screaming for self preservation, he somehow kept still.
It came with a sickening crunch. Gluttony's maw closed in on Wraths sides. The air was crushed out of him and blood was squeezed up his esophagus from his ruined torso and trickled from his mouth, staining the floor red. It took a moment for him to feel the pain.
It was so intense that he could not scream, could not even move. It was beyond all expression. His body instinctively heaved and a great torrent of blood spattered on the ground, his breath was hoarse as he tried to breathe with failing lungs. Through the hideous agony the red stone attempted to repair the damage, his writhing organs spouting more blood from his mouth. Gluttony pulled at him impatiently and his automail shrieked and shattered, but held. Through hazy eyes, he saw Alphonse staring at him in horror.
"Now," Wrath rasped. "Transmute us. Then the gate will open to meet us…"
"I see," said Al. "The homunculi were catalysts over there too, as the catalysts of those who see the gate."
"This is why I came," Wrath hissed.
Alphonse gasped, comprehending. "I can't!" he cried.
"Please," Wrath whispered. "It's alright. I don't want the see the gate… never… but… you'll be able to find your brother… and I'll get to see Mommy again…"
Gluttony clamped his jaws harder and pulled. Wrath heard his automail pop, it was about to give.
"Hurry!" he screamed.
Distantly, he heard Alphonse's hands clap together. He felt a shudder of power ripple through him and Gluttony. Blinding light burst from the ground and swirled around them in a maelstrom of alchemy. Wrath's eyes slid shut, and he succumbed to the power that swept him away. For another awful moment, Wrath only felt more pain.
Then nothing.
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When Wrath opened his eyes, and as he saw the ominous gate before him, he knew that he was dead. A strange calm filled him as he thought of his debt, now paid. He had done his part in helping the two brothers reunite. Now it was up to them.
Wrath pulled himself up as the terrible gate drew open, golden light spilling out from within. Where Gluttony had gone Wrath did not know.
Through the warm and welcoming light he saw a figure approach, and joy leapt through him. His mother stood in the archway of the Gate, hand on her hips, a faint smile on her face.
In that instant he understood the compassion that he could not have while as a homunculus. The pure undying love that radiated out to him from Izumi, unconditional and true. And he realized that what he'd been denying all his life as a homunculus was also true; the human in him was still alive after all.
He took several faltering steps toward Izumi. Her smile widened and she held her arms out to him. Joyfully he went to her and she enfolded him in her loving embrace. Wrath knew that all his transgressions and sins were forgiven, and he was where he truly belonged. He was home.
He pressed deeper into Izumi's embrace and closed his eyes in contentment.
And at last, peace.
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Thank you so much for reading!
God bless,
-Lady Hannelore