-1A/N: This is part of a fourshot based on a alternate universe.
In this one the good guys have switched with the bad guys.
So that means that Edward, alphonse, roy, winry and three others are homunculi.
This is a oneshot on the day that winry was rescued by Edward and turned into a homunculus.
The first chapter of the story will be posted up later today.
Please enjoy
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Winrys point of view
I'm shivering.
Whether from coldness or fear I cant tell, but its most likely due to both of it.
A woman who is hugging her two children on her knees looks over to me sympathetically. But she doesn't make a move to help me, she has her own children to worry about.
I bring my knees to my chest and wrap my thin arms around them in an effort to conserve body heat.
My legs and arms hurt badly and I can barely move from this mornings beatings from resisting them.
A loud noise makes us all jump or flinch. Everyone just buried their heads in their hands or their eyes jumped from place-to-place never quite relaxing.
We're in a dirty and damp room. People, no slaves, lined the walls.
Its almost time. We'll be taken back outside and sold like animals. If I am lucky I might get bought but if I aren't then the 'Rounder's' will beat me again.
I have no more strength to try to defend myself or to ever even dream of fighting back.
The beatings are always worse when they one of they back.
A door opens hard against the wall, our heads snap up. Five men stand there, one with papers in his hands and the others with whips.
"Line up and follow" barks the man with the papers. "Those who resist will be punished" he said motioning to the men with the whips.
We all get up, I do so slowly ignoring the pains the shoot through me with each move.
We're wrapped in chains, over our wrists, ankles, and necks to make sure we couldn't do anything.
I was number seven in the line and all too soon it was my turn.
A man grabbed me by the back of my neck and pushed me forward. My eyes scrunched closed as I stepped out into the sunlight for the first time in days.
I looked into the audience out of habit and saw about fifty people looking at me on the stage.
I fought with myself, trying to will myself not to faint from hunger or pain.
Dimly I heard the auctioneer tell some of my history and habits. I closed my eyes not caring, I had heard all of this before. Soon enough I heard voices from the crowd, the telltale sign that the bidding had begun.
I opened my eyes and take a deep breath, smelling clean air, and look into the crowd.
Its made up of mostly men, mostly grown and old, with huge muscles and beautiful woman looking for servants.
The sun beats heavily from the sky, as if to remind me of my thirst.
I swallow thickly hoping that, that would soothe my throat.
Something to the right of me catches my eye. I turn as much as I can with the guard still gripping my neck.
The thing that has captured my eye was someone wearing a long black cloak, despite the heat, with the hood up so I couldn't see the face, with black pants, shirt, and boots to match.
It seems like they are looking straight at me, I cant tell.
Their hands go to their hood and pulls it down, I feel the breathe remaining in my body leave in a rush as I lock gazes with the most beautiful boy I had ever seen.
He had long golden hair with gold eyes to match. His gaze, which held mine, was so intense and filled with rage? that if it wasn't for the guard I would have taken a step back.
I was scared of him but for some reason I couldn't look away.
He started to walk towards the stage, my heart started to pound faster.
The auctioneers voice trailed away as the mysterious boy got unto the stage, how did he get up? I didn't see him climb up and there aren't any stairs there, and walked up to him.
"Would you like you buy this slave kid" the auctioneer asked the boy.
He ignored the auctioneer and stopped when he was right in front of me.
He was taller then me, I shrunk back from his shadow shivering.
His hand reached towards me, I closed my eyes and flinched as instinct.
I felt his fingers brush and caress my cheeks softly, gently.
I open my confused eyes to see that his eyes had softened to something akin to soothing or comforting.
"Kid do you want to buy her or not. If not then stop wasting our time" the auctioneer said aggressively, not used to being ignored, and reached a hand towards him.
What happened next happened very fast.
The auctioneer was reaching towards the boy and with lightening fast speed he had grabbed the arm with his hand that wasn't at my face and twisted the auctioneers arm so much that he twisted it out of its socket.
Only the boys arm moved, his body, head, and other arm didn't move nor did his expression change.
The auctioneer was screaming and clutching his arm, my eyes drifted from the boy to the auctioneer writhing in pain and I couldn't help but have a small smile appear on my face.
The muscles were stiff and unfamiliar, when I looked back at him I saw that he was smirking at me, or with me.
"What's your name" he asked me. He had a beautiful voice.
My tongue wet my lips, or at least tried to. The pressure from my neck had lifted because the guard had left to help the auctioneer but my throat was dry, I couldn't make a sound.
I tried but whenever I did my throat had hurt even more. He saw this and placed the fingers on my cheek to my lips silencing me and my attempts to speak.
The guard looked at him with an murderous expression and started to step towards him until he put his hands around the chains around my neck and ripped them off and all the chains followed them to the ground, with his bare hands.
The guard, the auctioneer, and everyone else was frozen and before I could blink he had me in his arms bridal style and was walking away.
"You can go to sleep if you want. We have a long way to go until home" he told me.
He shifted me slightly in his arms so that my head laid on his chest.
I felt someone stroking my head hours later.
"Are you okay kid" I heard someone ask.
The voice was different, not the one I expected. More masculine yet still gentle.
I opened my eyes slowly and I saw a black haired man with green eyes and glasses looking at me curiously.
"Are you okay or not kid" he asked again.
Before I could answer we heard a voice from the doorway exclaim "Hughes"!
We jumped slightly and turned to the doorway. There stood the boy from earlier holding a big plate in one hand and behind him another boy, his brother?, looking into the room.
The boy motioned with his thumb with his other hand to the doorway and said, no ordered, "Leave now".
Hughes shrugged, threw me another curious look, and left.
The boy walked in and his brother followed him with a small smile on his face. He froze when the golden-haired boy turned and looked at him after placing the plate on a table.
He quirked an eyebrow at the blonde haired boy whose expression never changed.
"Alphonse"? he asked.
The boy pointed to the door and the other boy just grinned, winked, and said "Behave brother" before leaving.
He shook his head before uncovering the plate. The smell of the food waved towards me making my stomach growl. My face flushed in embarrassment as his eyes looked up into mine filled with amusement.
He pushed the table towards me, how was he so strong? I asked myself for the first time and said "Eat".
I immediately picked up the fork and practically inhaled the food on the plate. He quirked an eyebrow at me and pushed another plate towards me with a smile which I once again scuffed it down without tasting it.
After the third plate, where were they all coming from? I only saw one plate, I slowed down enough to savor the taste.
"You'll make yourself sick if you continue like that" he said leaning back in the chair looking at me with calculating eyes.
I leaned back also in the bed breathing heavily. I cant remember that last time I ate so much. My stomach felt so full. I closed my eyes and licked my lips.
I heard him push something else on the table. I couldn't eat anything else. I was too full.
"Drink" he said.
Opening my eyes I saw a tall glass of water.
Reaching for it I saw for the first time that someone had bandaged all my wounds. My arms, legs, torso, and …chest.
My fingers prodded the bandages on my chest. My head snaps up and looks at him with a semi-horrified look. He avoids my gaze by looking to the side and I'm pretty sure he's blushing.
"I didn't do anything if that's what your thinking" he said still not looking at me. "You were just hurt there so" he trailed off. "I didn't look" he assured me.
He looked at the water once more and when I did I froze. Instead of the clear liquid I saw moments ago had turned blood red.
I looked back at him, I'm sure my face was frozen in a shocked expression, his expression however wasn't anything. Actually if anything he looked glad, like he was expecting it.
I opened my lips to ask him a question. When I tried to make a sound a sharp pain went through my throat. I grabbed my neck and flinched violently I closed my eyes, giving a silent whimper.
Soft fingers caressed my neck making my eyes open in shock. The boy was right on me. I was sitting on my knees with my hands at my throat. He was sitting with his legs on either side of me, straddling me, and his hands were also at my throat. His face mere inches from mine.
"Don't try to speak. Your vocal cords were bruised from that oaf" his eyes darkened momentarily then lightened as he reached behind him and…something pushed the glass to him.
His fingers curled around the glass and he held it to my lips and tilted it so the liquid would slip into my mouth.
"The things that turned the water red is to help you heal faster. Trust me and drink it" he urged.
His eyes never left mine as the water entered my mouth and slid down my throat.
Whatever the red stuff was it was working. I shuddered and closed my eyes, letting the water fill me. There was a warmth that spread through my body with each drop and every passing second my strength returned.
After drinking half the glass with his help, I took the glass into my hands and greedily drained the rest.
When it was empty he took the glass back and set it back on the table and took my left arm in his hands and started to unravel the bandages.
I watched him, my body feeling wonderful and energetic.
Once he got the bandages off my arm I looked and saw to my astonishment that my wounds had healed.
I saw him and nod and reach for the other bandages.
I smacked his hand away, gently, and reached for them myself.
He watched with amusement when my face went through different versions of shock.
"Told you about the medicine. It works very well on anything" he said smugly.
I cleared my throat and finally asked the question that has been bugging me since I first saw him "What is your name"?
His eyebrows raised in surprise "She speaks". He then smirks and says "My name is Edward. And yours milady" he asked her.
I smiled and told him "My name is…" I stopped for a moment and concentrated on trying to remember. He waited patiently for me and I finally said after a few moments "Winry. My name is Winry".
"That is a nice name" he complimented looking at me.
I blushed and looked around the room we were in for the first time. It wasn't that big but it wasn't small either. There was a wardrobe and two doors. One leading to the hallway and the other I didn't know.
He looked to where I was looking at and said "In there is a bathroom and a shower so you can get clean. Do you have any questions or anything" he asked me.
I looked back at him and asked "Where am I? Why did you bring me here" I asked him.
He hesitated and said "I cant tell you where you are but the reason I brought you here is simple. You interest me" he said simply.
"I interest you? What do you mean? What do you have planned for me" I asked starting to feel a bit hysterical.
He rolled his eyes and said "Calm down Winry. Don't worry I have no plan to hurt you or have anyone else hurt you".
He turned to the doorway and got up. He looked at me and said "Go and take a shower and freshen up. I have something's to discuss with someone. I'll be back soon" and left the room.
After a few moments I still laid on the bed thinking hard.
The door opened slightly and startled me, I turned to the door and saw Edwards brother, Alphonse was his name, peek into the room and when he saw me he brightened up and walked completely into the room.
"Hi! I'm Alphonse Edwards younger brother" he said when he was standing in front of me.
"Hi, I'm Winry" I said waving.
A few awkward moments passed with him just staring at me with a smile on his face.
"What did Edward tell you" he asked me.
Shrugging I said "Not much. Where did he go" I asked him now.
He bit his bottom lip and said "Our father called him about something" he trailed off not quite looking at me.
"Its me isn't it. They are talking about me bring here" I said.
He still wouldn't meet my eyes when he said "We're not supposed to bring anyone here so he's kinda in trouble".
"I didn't want him to get in trouble because of me. I'll leave" I started to get off the bed when he pushed me back down gently and said "Don't go. My brother wants you to stay and it isn't that often that he wants something like that. He never gets close to people anymore and I think you'll be a good influence on him" he said.
I looked at him hesitantly and he smiled. It was a bit contagious so a small smile appeared on my face.
He got up and said "I have to go and help my brother now. Not about you, not about you" he said holding his hands up defensively seeing my stricken look and continued "Its something else trust me". He squeezed my shoulder, smiled once more, and left.
After he left I got off the bed and walked towards the bathroom.
I let the water run and stepped into it letting the water course down my body and for the first time in years I was able to get clean.
Stepping out with a towel wrapped around my body and my wet hair sticking to my back I saw that Edward had returned into my room and was holding something on his knees.
He saw me and held it out. It was shirt and pants and undergarments.
He turned around and faced the wall as I put it on quickly.
When I was done he turned back and said "My…father desires to meet you".
"Your father" I asked my voice shaking slightly.
He noticed this and said "Don't worry. I said I wouldn't hurt you and that went for everyone else" he placed a hand on my shoulder and continued "I'll protect you don't worry".
"Thank you" I said smiling at him which he returned.
He took my hand in his and led me out of the room. With my heart beating wildly I tightened my grip on his hand and he squeezed back reassuringly.
We went through a corridor and around a bunch of twists and turns.
Finally we entered a big room and in the center was a big chair with tubes and all sorts of mechanisms coming from the behind of it. Its back was to us and the person in it was with his back to us.
"Hohenheim" Edward said.
Turning around I saw a man that looked like Edward a bit, they had the same golden hair and the same golden eyes. When he smiled I could see it was a little forced and there was a coldness in his eyes as he looked at me.
I was shaking and Edward who saw this put his arm around my shoulders.
"So this is the young girl that my son is interested in" he said getting off his chair and starting to come down towards us.
Edward then placed his arm around my hip and pushed me behind him, he was protecting me. When he saw this Hohenheim raised an eyebrow.
"Edward" he said looking at him "You and I both know that humans aren't aloud here and when they find this place" his cold eyes locked gazes with me "Then they are taken care of".
My insides froze when the full meaning of his words sunk in. they were going to kill me.
"Like I ever cared what you ever said. She's staying and that's final" Edward said putting his arms around me.
Hohenheim looked at me again and said "Well there is one way she could stay" he trailed off.
"No" Edward shouted. "She's not doing that"!
"Doing what" I asked in a whisper. He ignored me and continued glaring at his father.
"We have no choice Edward" he said and grabbed me by the arm from behind Edward and started to pull me towards a table filled with chemicals.
"Edward" I screamed frightened.
"Let her go old man! Winry" he shouted back at me trying to get me back.
With one look towards Edward a wall from the earth sprang up and blocked him.
Hohenheim threw me to the floor and the earth curled around my wrists and ankles holding me in place.
This must be what people called 'Alchemy'. I had heard of it but never actually seen it be preformed. But I heard that a person needed something called a transmutation circle, how was he performing Alchemy without one?
I heard Edward calling my name sounding a bit frightened.
Hohenheim was holding something in his hand and he was walking towards me with it extended towards me.
The wall separating me and Edward was all of a sudden busted down. Looking at Edward
I saw that a large shadow was surrounding it and it was pushing the wall away with hands that looked like claws. His eyes were alight in madness.
"Leave her alone" he shouted diving towards me.
All of a sudden more earth bound from the ground and wrapped it around Edward. When he landed on his knees a light on the space on the ground appeared and he started to scream in pain and cough blood.
"Behave Edward" Hohenheim said. Turning back to me what he said next was directed towards Edward. "Remember Edward you brought this on yourself by bringing her here. And the chance is she will die" and extended his arm towards me.
I whimpered and tried to get away but the earth around my limbs didn't let me get anywhere.
A piece of the earth made a cut on my arm and whatever it was in his hand he let go over the cut.
Pain. From the moment the substance touched and entered my bloodstream that was all I felt.
Its energy was coursing through me.
'Accept me' I heard something say in my mind.
I turned around and all of a sudden I was surrounded by waves of something. I felt two eyes staring at me.
'Accept me or die human' it said.
'Who are you' I asked.
'That is none of your concern. Give me your body human or die a most painful death' it hissed at me.
'I refuse' I told it.
'Then too bad' it said almost mournfully.
More pain coursed through me and I screamed.
"Winry, Winry"! I heard someone shouting. Edward. It was Edward calling out to me.
I raised my hand trying to feel through the darkness to him. Something gripped my hand and from it I found a source of strength.
The pain went through my entire body never stopping. The hand never strayed from my grip only gripping harder.
All of a sudden the pain turned into something akin to strength filled me.
I focused on Edward and Edward only. His smirk and smile, his voice, his looks. My heart tightened with a new thought. I might never see him again.
One more time. I had to see him one more time. Please let that happen I begged from whoever as unconsciousness overtook me.
Waking up my body felt different. Stronger. Firmer.
Someone was holding my hand. I tried to open my eyes. It was like they were glued shut.
"Winry" someone asked tentatively. "Are you okay" hesitantly.
I opened my mouth to take a breath. I gasped in air and I felt my back arch forward.
Gasping for air my hands clawed at the material under them and I felt someone trying to push me back on the bed.
Finally my breathing was normal and I cracked open my eyes wincing slightly at the pain from it.
"Edward" I whispered. I needed him.
"I'm here Winry. I'm here" someone said from next to me.
I turned my head and I saw that Edward was indeed standing right next to me worry clear in his eyes.
I sit up. And I notice something. My clothing was different. Instead of the shirt and pants Edward had given me earlier was gone and replaced with a long black dress and heels.
The dress seemed to be a part of me along with being a dress. When I tried to move it, it didn't budge.
I got up and looked into the mirror. The dress was a bit low-cut stopping at the right place and it was long enough to almost hit the floor but showing my new heels.
And something else I had noticed was a tattoo on my chest over my heart. It was a dragon in a circle, it looked like it was about to swallow its own tail. And in the circle it made there was a six-pointed star, two triangles one with the point going up and the other one going down.
"That's our symbol" Edward said coming from behind her. He moved his shirt away from his right shoulder and turned around. I looked and saw the same symbol on him.
"What happened to me. What did your father do" I asked a bit horrified.
Before I could say anything else or before he could say anything else I noticed something.
My arms were turning into liquid. I started to breathe heavily as my entire arms turned into water and soon I was screaming.
Edward was trying to calm me down but I couldn't hear him. All I could see was my arms turning into liquid.
Edward grasped my arms and shook me. "Winry look at me" he ordered.
Shaking I turned to him, we looked at each other eye-to-eye, just looking at him calmed me down and slowly turned back to normal.
Edward directed me towards the bed and sat me down. Once I sat down he sat down next to me and started to explain everything.
He did tell me everything. He told me about who they were, they being himself, Alphonse, and the person before Maes Hughes were all beings called Homunculi.
Humans beings given the Philosophers Stone. The elixir of life. Like I was earlier. Both times.
When I asked him what he meant by both times he said "When I gave you that red water it was water with some of the powdered way of the Philosophers Stone. It was to help heal you faster and get more strength. It was also why Hohenheim had to talk to me before when you took a shower and he figured that since you had already digested the stone it would've been a bigger chance of you surviving the transformation".
"Surviving?" I asked.
He looked up from his knees and said emotionlessly "When most humans have the Philosophers Stone into their bloodstream its energy usually just kills them. Only a few handfuls, even less, survives the transformation".
I had almost died. I slumped back into the bed as the thought entered my head.
He took a deep breath and continued with his explaining. That they had two names. The first one is the one they use whenever they were in public and just blending in was their humans names and the other one was used whenever else they went out and to know who they were. We were named after the seven deadly sins of humanity. Pride, envy, greed, sloth, gluttony, wrath, and lust. Edward is Pride, Alphonse was Envy, and Hughes was Greed.
I was now Sloth. That was what Hohenheim had chosen for me. Kinda ironic seeing as I had worked hard ever since I was sold into slavery. Sloth. To be lazy and not wanting to work.
We all had special powers as well. Each sin had a different power. Edward had a shadow power that I had saw earlier. He can move his shadows around and command and do as he wills. Alphonse can turn into any person or any animal completely. And Hughes was able to make a shield over his body, an impenetrable shield.
As it turns out I could turn my entire body into water or just parts of my body like my arms. It can be as sharp as a blade and cut through anything.
My life was different now and it would be forever. But as I looked into Edwards eyes it told me I knew that no matter what happened or what is said he would protect me and be there for me.
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"Winry" a voice called me out of my thoughts.
I looked behind me from my place on the balcony and saw Edward standing there waiting for me.
"You okay" he asked me raising an eyebrow.
I smiled and said "Fine just fine" and looked back into the land and leaning on the banister.
He came to stand next to me and also placed his arms on the banister and also looked into nothing. "What were you think of right now" he asked.
"The past" I replied. It had been years now. The four of us that had been before had turned to six adding Roy and Riza, or Lust and Wrath, to the ranks.
"The past" he said a bit skeptical. He had changed over the years. Became more quiet and almost never speaks anymore. The fact that he was talking to me now just showed that something might be wrong or he was starting to get tired of almost never saying anything, hopefully the latter.
I had changed too. I had gotten more confident and wasn't afraid anymore. Of course getting rid of my past, personally, had helped. The first people I killed. My old masters and the auctioneer and guards, the looks on their faces when they saw who I was and how I had changed, and when I killed them with my own hands I will never forget. Anyone that had ever 'owned' me or beat me I got my revenge. Edward was proud and said that if I didn't do that then he would have.
"What part of the past" he asked.
"Why the sudden curiosity Edward" I asked with a smirk.
He looked at me his golden eyes locking onto my blue ones, they still captivated me as now as they did when I first met him.
"When we first met, when you saved me, and when I was turned into this" I motioned to my body that was still wearing that old black dress, not that I had a choice it was a part of me.
He seemed to smile although I couldn't tell since he wasn't facing me.
All of a sudden he said "In my entire life I had never hated Hoenheim then more then I ever had in my entire life".
"Why" I asked curiously.
He looked over at me, his eyes unusually solemn "Because people usually die from the stones power as you know. I was afraid that you were going to be killed".
I smiled and I felt my heart expand.
I took his hand in mine and squeezed it. He squeezed back. Words were spoken without actually being said. Old promises were rekindled, not that they were ever broken, and reassured.
He would always protect me, even now when I didn't need it and was perfectly capable of taking care of myself, he would never leave me. He would always be there for me.