This one was brought on by a combo of re-watching Greed's death in Brotherhood and listening to Sorrowful Stone (the background music for that scene, and one of my favorite tracks of the series). I love Greed's character, he's awesome and totally badass. His death really touched me, because it was done in a way that was so completely unexpected. I mean, we knew that he had to die at some point, but his little monologue death scene was beautifully done and more than a little heartbreaking. And paired with Todd Haberkorn's brilliant acting (when he's yelling at Greed not to do it!), it really is one of the most emotional parts of the series, at least.

Now, enough of my emotional rambling!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. *cries*

Martel… Dorochet… Roa… Bido... {Bido, who you killed with your own two hands}.

You're a homunculus, damn it! You aren't supposed to feel anything! Not these foolish human emotions, not those flickers of doubt, of sadness, of guilt. You are more than human, better than human. An Ultimate Shield, immortal and invincible, impenetrable by any force of man.

So why do these images in your head, these memories of a man with a lizard's tail and a girl with tattoos down her face {oh Martel, I'm sorry, so sorry} plague you so? And why, why, is Wrath the one spilling their blood, their life, across the ground, his swords flying and cutting through their soft, mortal flesh like butter?

These memories- not yours, no, they're not! These belong to the other Greed, the old Greed- are cruel, taunting you with something familiar, something wanted, yet so out of reach, and all you can think is I want that.
But you don't. No, you don't. You can't, because it's not the things that you find you want, but the people, those few who you could call friends.

And now your human host- the foolish prince, the heir of Xing, who gave his own self up in his quest for power- is shouting at you, telling you these things that make no sense. That this is what you've always wanted, the chance to have friends like that Elric kid, or the two chimeras who tag along with him. The Xingese princess and Elric's brother, Van Hohenheim and Ling's girl, Lan Fan. These people, who are willing to sacrifice everything they have- the notion is so inconceivable, so mind boggling- to save their home.
{Foolish thoughts, stupid ideas. And yet…}

In that instant, as you fight against the pull of your Father's will, you realize with a jolt of pain that he's right. All your life you've been part of a set, just another part of your Father, one of seven 'children'. You found yourself wanting; money, women, power, you craved it all. But in the end, as you lie about your intentions, your will to fight (the first and last lie you'll ever tell. The prince should be honored, really), the realization is painfully clear. These people, they are what you wanted. Edward, Darius and Heinkel, and Ling, these people have supported you, even as you say that you stand strong, alone. And never, not once, did they leave you, because somehow a supposedly emotionless homunculus such as yourself latched onto them in a way that you weren't able to understand until you finally broke free and went drifting, flying free for the first time in your life.

These people are your friends. They mean just as much to you as the money and women and power you craved so much- even more so, actually. They are the ones you care for most.

And in the end, Greed the Avaricious, the Ultimate Shield, the hoarder of wealth, gave up everything in an instant, because what could he possibly gain that was more valuable than these people?

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