Disclaimer: I don't own FMA. Arakawa-dono does.

A soft wind brushed over the urban jungle of Central, dragging a chilled air with it. The stone trees that were the buildings seemed twice as cold as the air to the touch. The obsidian night sky was covered with tiny, luminous diamonds, some of which fell to the ground as snow. The few humans who walked the streets tonight were all but oblivious to the impossible threat that loomed over them all. The homunculi. Their newest brother watched the center of the city with blank, emotionless, golden eyes. He seemed unhindered by the cold.

"Why..." he whispered. "Why do I feel...like I know this place?"

The breeze picked up and his long, dull blonde hair flew behind his head. His pale skin was covered with complex red markings, one of which was clearly the mark of a homunculus on his right shoulder. His clothes were similar in design to one of his brothers, Envy, only his feet were completely bare and there was no headband. His physique was rather lean with only hints of muscle tone, yet he clearly had greater strength. A talent denied his fellow monsters; he could perform alchemy, the reason no one knew except for faint whispers of who he was before. Those whispers never reached his ears.

This homunculus was dubbed Pride, the seventh sin. As long as he could remember, he had felt a sense of familiarity from this city, particularly the military headquarters and two people who appeared there frequently, General Roy Mustang, and a young man called Alphonse Elric.

"Why do...I seem to know them...when we've never met before?"

Pride was there to take the lives of those two; Father seemed to know why, Pride only obeyed because he was told to. He had seen them both several times from a distance, and every time he had the same sensation. The most accurate way to describe it would be...rats. Hundreds of rats, clawing and crawling all over his body, and they all whispered, 'How can you not remember?' The reason behind his feelings was a deep mystery to him, maybe the targets would understand. Answers were his top priority, and a plan was forming in his mind how to get them.

It wasn't possible...
It wasn't fair...
He always suffered because of him...and now...he...
All those years ago with mom... He was supposed to die...But his older brother risked his life to bring him back.
And only a week ago...
Dammit! It wasn't right! That blade should have gone through him! It was supposed to have pierced through /his/ blood seal, and to end /his/ life.
Not...

"S-stupid Edward..."

Crimson blood...the image still burned in his mind. And then...that idiot...coughing up his life's blood and muttering something about another way...another way to get his body back.
He hadn't been able to stop him...and before he knew it...a bright flash, the gates standing in front of him...
The exchange had been his brother's life.
Alphonse Elric hadn't moved from where he was seated, at the corner, only a few blocks away from the military headquarters, for the entire day.
Not since one of Mustang's subordinates had left him there thinking he would return back to the inn. Mustang and the others didn't seem to trust him alone, knowing that Edward's sudden absence might make him attempt something rash.
He had scarcely eaten anything over the past week, even though now he could finally taste food.
He had scarcely slept...even though now he could close his eyes to rest...

Just sitting here... his legs brought up to his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his knees...and blank silver eyes unblinkingly staring off into the streets...

He had long ago stopped crying.

But it still hurt...more than anything else...

The wind ruffled his short blonde hair, but the 14 year didn't seem to notice.

Pride watched Alphonse and the creeping feeling came again. What connection could he possibly have with him? Who was this 'Edward? Unlike his brothers and sisters, Pride was kept from knowing how his kind came to be. Now he was anxious as ever to learn who they were, and most importantly, who he was.

Al began mumbling to himself. "Edward...nii-san, how could you be that stupid? We were supposed to become whole together. You promised...

"I think I understand a bit now." Pride said stepping forward. "This 'Edward' was dear to you."

'T-that...that voice...'

Hearing it again...Was almost like having a knife shoved deep into his heart.
His eyes widened with fear, as slowly, his head turned in the direction of the speaker.

"It's..." Al lost his voice. He couldn't move...paralyzed with fear.

That...face...the reckless grin, that odd look that flashed in his eyes whenever he had a reckless plan...replaced by an emotionless void.
And those eyes...bright gold always narrowed into a ferocious glare whenever someone made the mistake of calling him short. Now blank and dull.

And dead.

"No..." Alphonse took a step back. "No...you're not him..." His shaking legs suddenly gave way beneath him, sending him to his knees. "It's..." He shut his eyes tight, trying to block out the image. "It's not possible!"

"You called him nii-san. He was your brother then." He took a few steps closer.

"Get...Get away from me!"
Al scrambled back as Pride took a step forward.
/He's dead, dead and it's all my fault.../
Images replaying in his mind...all that blood...

"I now know who Edward is, but I fail to see his connection with me." He tried to advance again, when he did, the scratching became a sharp pain inside his head; both his hands flew to it in a futile effort to make the pain stop. Images and scenes crammed into his mind, a woman in bed dieing, a giant suit of armor holding a boy with only two limbs, red stones, and several other things that didn't make sense.

It stopped as soon as it started and Pride stood there panting, "What happened? What were those visions?" he thought aloud.

The boy stood there shivering as the homunculus fixed his pupilless gaze back on him.

"You know don't you?" he said, a tinge of anger in his voice. "Who am I really? What does Edward have to do with me?!"

Al winced, lowering his eyes and focusing on the ground.
He just wanted to die...to let the pain end.
Because of him...Edward was not only dead...but...
Ed would have hated it...to be a homunculus, for the rest of eternity.

"Y-you're...my brother..."

"What..." Pride was confused, and he didn't like it. He hoisted up Al by his shirt collar, the tips of his shoes just barely scraping the pavement.

"Edward was your brother not me! Or are you trying to say that we are the same person?!"

"Nn-"

Al gritted his teeth, inhaling sharply, as he forced himself to look into Pride's eyes.

/Nii-san...this...this can't be you. /

"Ed...please...don't do this..." Al managed to mutter. "I can't stand...seeing you like this..."

(Bwahaha! Cliffy! Read and reveiw, or I'll make Envy rape somebody. Wait...some of you would want that...nevermind!

Envy: Phooey! -zips up his pants-)