Hello everybody!

I'm not used to write my stories in English (it's not my mother tongue AT ALL), but EvilKitten, my beta reader, wanted me to translate one of my fanfictions. So thank you EvilKitten! \o/

Jailed, the Translation

That was how long he was there, a prisoner of the darkness of the crypt? The only source of light was the hole in the rock on the left, the only thing that prevented him from going crazy. He moved painfully part of his body, he did not know why. He knew what he looked like. Or rather what he did not look like. He was not human; he was a faceless monster, a creature that was best not to see in daylight. He could not do anything – he was born that way. And his creator, the man with blond hair, guarded the prisoner in the shadows.

So it had been for centuries, and it would never end…

Hohenheim smiled blissfully. He was holding his little Alphonse, his second son. Or, rather, the third, but Hoju had been gone for so long… The man suppressed a shudder and looked adoringly at the baby playing with his hair. Edward, his eldest son, stood on tiptoe to see his brother. Hohenheim leaned forward to show him, welcoming his boyish smile. Then he saw the time and handed the child to his dear Trisha, who looked at him with understanding.

He left the house and went into the forest adjoining the village where he lived for many years. At the heart of the green expanse, hidden by the trees, was a cave, closed by a locked door. His secret shame was hidden inside.

He pulled the key from his coat, inserted it into the lock and pushed the panel aside, being careful to close the door behind him.

The thing was waiting, chained to the stone floor, as monstrous as ever.

Hohenheim gave him the bread and fruits he had brought with him. He did not see much, but he heard the sound of his prisoner crawling towards the food, grabbing it, and devouring it eagerly. Once the meal was over, he resumed his usual place. Hohenheim turned to leave, but was stopped by the voice of the creature.

"You look happy. Did something happen?"

"How does it concern you?" asked the man, with fear and disgust.

"I said it like that. Usually, when you come, you look nauseated. Today, you're happy, I think."

"How could I be?"

The thing chuckled.

"You're a bad liar, Hohenheim… You had already made the head… It was there how long already? A year, perhaps? Two? Hard to say, because I spend my life in this prison, just eating the food that does not nourish me, just–"

"Thou shalt have none other. You know that very well."

The man left the cave and returned home, his heart heavy.

Years passed quickly. Edward and Alphonse grew like mushrooms and enjoyed learning alchemy with the help of their father.

They were blonde and had the same golden eyes as Hohenheim. They were his pride and joy, everyday.

Nevertheless, Edward had one problem: a fatal defect called curiosity.

Since birth, and even before, his father sometimes went into the forest with food and returned without, which Edward found intriguing. He would never reveal anything to them about what he did in the forest. One day, Edward decided to follow, without being seen, dragging his little brother with him.

They followed Hohenheim far into the woods and hid behind a tree when he disappeared into the cave.

"Brother, I'm afraid… let's go home!"

"No way! I want to know what's in there! I'm not leaving!"

He looked at Hohenheim, out of the cave, and enjoyed to the maximum the brightness of the sun, which appeared in the doorway. Then he sighed when it disappeared. He saw it every day, but he burned the feel on his skin. So he left his thoughts, his only distraction. He thought of the past, when he was born, the pain he had felt then, and his imprisonment…

Strange noises reached him, and he listened closely to identify them: Laughter and crying children. Young children.

"But Ed, I want to go home! Forget about Dad's secret!"

Children of Hohenheim! He had children? He dared?

One of them was called Ed, probably a nickname for Edward or Edmund…

There was a knock at the door.

"Is someone here?" asked a youthful voice, certainly that of Ed.

"Brother, don't do that!" said the younger.

"Don't worry, Al, we're not doing anything wrong! I just want to know what's in here!"

The thing did not know what to do to attract children to him. Then he sang.

"Ahhh! There's someone here! Ed, let's go!"

"My name is Edward. Who are you? Can you hear me?"

The creature continued to sing his song to the kid who bumped against the rock.

"What has happened? You're a genius or something?" continued the boy.

No answer, just a lament.

"Let's go! Mom called us!" hissed Al.

"Ugh! I wanted to stay… Goodbye, Cave Person!"

The thing stopped singing when the children were gone.

He will be back, he knew.

"Edward…" he whispered into the darkness.

It was dark, because no light filtered through the rock. Light and hesitant steps were heard.

"Finally," he blurted, with an unhealthy joy.

"Are you there? It's me, Edward!"

He was silent for a minute.

"Can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can hear you."

"Ah! Good evening! Did I wake you?"

"No, not at all. I do not sleep."

"Who are you?

"A poor devil locked in here because they did not want people to see…"

"That's cruel! Who did it?"

"A very bad man, for centuries."

"You are very old, then?"

He laughed softly. This kid was very blunt.

"Can I help you? I don't have a key, but if I can do something…"

"You are kind. There is indeed something you can do."

"What?"

"In your father's study, there is a pot with translucent red stones inside. Could you bring me a little, every day?"

"I… I'll see what I can do…"

"Yes!"

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Can you sing again? Please?"

"With pleasure."

The creature then sang a tune he had created for the boy, saying that if he saw him as he was, he would flee, running and screaming.

"You'll pay Hohenheim! And your son will be the instrument of my revenge." He thought viciously.

The next day, Edward took advantage of his father's absence, who left for the cave, to delve into his office. He found a jar, which he hastened to open. There, a heap of scarlet stones lay waiting.

"Hah!"

He reached inside and stole some, hiding them in his pockets.

Then he put the pot back and hurried out of the room. When his father returned, he pretended to go for a walk in the woods. Arriving at the cave, he knocked on the stone.

"Edward?" said the voice.

Ed found it hard to believe that the person detained there could be so old. His voice was young, enchanting, and very sweet. And he sang beautifully.

"I found what you asked me for."

"Well, good boy. Now you'll have to give it to me."

"But I don't have the key…"

"There is a hole, on your right, in the wall. You can put them in there."

"Okay."

The boy complied, and heard strange noises in the cave.

"What are you doing?"

"I am eating."

Edward laughed.

"Are you kidding me? Nobody can eat stones!"

"You are right."

"What's your name?"

"…I have no name."

"But… what about your parents?"

"I am the sin of man; I have no name because he did not see fit to give me one."

The blond thought about this.

"Hmmmm… Shall I give you a name?"

"…If you wish."

"Hmmm… Ah! Got it! You're the sin of man, right? Even though I don't really get it…"

"What name did you find?"

"Envy!"

"Envy?"

"Yeah, it's one of the seven deadly sins! But it fits, right?"

"It does sound nice... Envy. Yes, it pleases me."

"Ah! It's almost time for dinner! I have to go…"

"You'll come back tomorrow with stones?"

"Yeah, count on it. Goodbye, Envy!"

"Goodbye, Edward."

This time, Edward had made a mistake. He stole the key from his father in order to see his new friend.

He opened the door, causing a backward movement of the prisoner.

"What are you doing here?" the creature snarled, hiding in the shadows.

"…I wanted to see you, so I took the key… Why are you hiding?"

As he spoke, the boy walked a little in the dark.

"Do not look at me!" cried Envy. "Get out!"

"What? But don't you want to be free?"

Envy realized he had frightened the boy and his voice softened.

"I mean ... It's not the right time. And it's not really that door – the problem is these channels."

"I can destroy them, I'm an apprentice alchemist!"

"No, that wouldn't be wise. My body is a mess, you see. I must regain strength before leaving, otherwise I might die."

"Oh… say, Envy?"

"What?"

"I have a question. Why didn't my father help you? My dad is nice!"

"Your father is nice, yes, but he's afraid of me. He is afraid of what will happen if I go against him. He feeds me, but he cannot release me."

"But you wouldn't do us any harm, right?"

"I would never hurt you, kid."

"Ah, that's good! Say, Envy?"

"What?"

"When you go out, what will you do?"

"Hmmm… First, I will give you a hug because you're the nicest boy I know. Then I could stay with you forever and sing as many songs as you like! Would you like that?"

"Oh, yes! That's great! I could introduce you to my little brother, Alphonse! And my mother!"

"I cannot wait to meet them. You have the stones?"

"Yes I do! Look. Where should I put them?"

"Throw them on the ground in front of you.

Edward did so, throwing the gems into the shadows. Once again, he heard the strange noises.

"Weird…"

They chatted, each passing day for two weeks. During this time, Edward did not dare open the door, and his father never realized what he was doing.

"Tomorrow, bring the key with you," Envy said one day.

"No more stones?"

"No more stones."

"You… you're going out tomorrow? I can see you?"

"Yes, I am! Tomorrow, we'll be together!"

"But… what about my dad, huh?"

"Do not worry about it."

"Yeah! Envy will go out!" cheered the kid.

"Be careful, and don't let your dad see you take the key, otherwise he will get angry and we will never be able to meet!"

"Okay! See you tomorrow!"

"Yes, tomorrow."

Envy remained pensive after the departure of the kid. Two weeks earlier, he had intended to kill Edward upon his release. Now he was no longer sure of his plans. And if left alive, just to have a little fun? Killing Hohenheim will be ample enough… right?

The next morning, Edward got up at dawn; he was so excited. He slipped into the room of his parents, who still slept, and carefully took the key from the collar of his father's neck. The silver key shone in the morning light seeping through the window, but he clenched it in his hand and left quietly. Unbeknownst to Edward, though he thought he did not make any noise, his father awoke as he was leaving the house and rubbed his eyes, wondering what had awoken him. He fumbled around his neck and felt his blood run cold. The key was not there. Who could have taken it?

He got up, put on pants and a jacket over his pajamas and left his room. He checked the children and saw with dismay that his elder son, Edward, had also disappeared.

"Ed, what have you done?" he lamented.

He rushed out of the house and went straight into the forest without slowing down once.

For his part, Edward ran to the cave, heart filled with joy. However, he stopped for a moment because he thought he heard footsteps following him. Terrified, he quickly continued, sure that his friend might protect against the prosecutor.

"Envy!" he cried, reaching the end of his run.

"What's going on?" asked the disembodied voice.

"I think someone followed me!"

"In that case, open the door, quickly, and I will protect you!" Envy's voice was urgent.

Edward thrust the key into the lock and turned it once. One more and his friend would be free…

"Edward!" Hohenheim cried, seeing his son. "Don't do it!"

Edward turned and stared at his father with incomprehension, hand still on the key.

"Dad?"

"Edward, what are you doing? There is a monster in there… if it comes out, it will kill you!"

"What?" the blond gasped.

"It's a lie! I ould never do you any harm, Edward!" Envy said in a convincing voice. "He lies because he is afraid!"

" Is that true, Dad?"

"I am afraid, yes, but not for me! If it gets out of there, it's will be a disaster! It's not human, Edward, it's nobody's friend."

"But who is it then?"

"A Homunculus! A human created by a human. He feels nothing for anyone and has no soul… It looks nothing like a human, it's monstrous…"

"It's not my fault! I was created, Edward!" pleaded Envy. "I did not have a choice! I was forced to be born, and to live, and when they realized that I was not human, I was locked up in here like a monster! And guess who created me, who locked me away?"

"Who?"

"Your father! Good, nice Hohenheim! He isn't normal either, He is more than four hundred years old! He is the one we should fear!" Envy spat furiously.

"Is… is that true, Dad?"

Edward turned to his father. He had covered his face and turned towards the ground.

"I should have told you earlier, you and your brother… I'm sorry, Ed."

Edward, goggle-eye, did not know what to do. His hand trembled, and he was afraid to make a bad decision. If he listened to his father, an innocent might be locked away for life in a cold, dark cave. If he believed Envy, it could be dangerous and hurt his family. Or he was telling the truth and was unable to harm anyone. Who to believe? Envy or Hohenheim?

"Edward," said Hohenheim, begging. "Don't do it."

"Edward," Envy whispered, tempting. "You know I mean you no harm."

He stood for a moment without moving, his fingers sticky with perspiration.

Suddenly, a cold thing wrapped around his wrist, the one who held the key.

He screamed and tried in vain to escape.

"If you don't choose, I'll do it for you," said the voice of Envy.

The thing was actually a long tentacle ending in a form of hands and, looking at the ground, Ed realized it had come from under the door.

He could not stop the thing from taking control of his fingers, and he watched, helpless, as it turned the key in the lock.

"Ed!" Hohenheim screamed when the hand finally dropped. "Get back!"

The boy jumped back and hid behind his father, who spread his arms out to protect him.

The door swung open, and the noise that followed was made by the twisting of metal as the chain holding the monster back broke. The silence returned, followed by a juvenile laugh was heard, demented, and a noise like heavy object being dragged on the ground.

A clawed and scaly hand rested on the panel, which groaned under the force exerted by its ex-prisoner. Edward stepped back, nearly paralyzed with fear. A white flash hid the sunlight, then hand was covered with white skin, translucent fingers becoming long and spidery. And the rest of the body, Envy, appeared before their eyes. It was easy to tell he was taking pains to appear as attractive as possible: dark purple irises, a young and mischievous face, a muscular torso, molded in a black top, a firm and flat tummy, a rash to damn a saint, barely concealed by a short night color, firm thighs, one with a red blood tattoo, long slender legs, but the apparent curves left guessing powerful muscles playing under the satiny skin pale as marble, bare toes overcome leggings. The most astonishing part of this person was his long hair, black as coal, but creating soft reflections of jade in the sunlight.

He was breathtaking.

"Finally free!" He exclaimed, laughing and throwing his face back to feel the breeze. "I can't thank you enough, little silly," he told Edward, who yelped, clinging to his father's jacket.

"I forbid you to approach my son, Homunculus!" growled Hohenheim.

"Your son? Is it not he who betrayed you?" sneered the creature, pointing a finger at the child. "This adorable kid who obeys my every command and gave me that power? As if I was going to hurt him! I won't. The one I want to kill, Hohenheim, is you. You will pay for those centuries of imprisonment! I will tear out your youngest son's guts, kill your wife before your eyes, and kill you the slowest way possible. Ultimately, Edward will do better than you, staying with me."

"Envy! Don't do it!" Edward begged.

The Homunculus gave him an annoyed look.

"What did you call him?" wondered Hohenheim.

"Envy! This is the name that your darling son gave me. You see, it's been two weeks and he's given me more than you did in four centuries; a name, red stones…" Envy sneered. "Well now, let's get serious. Edward, come here."

"Ed, run to the house when I tell you," his father whispered quickly into his ear, making sure Envy couldn't hear. There, take Alphonse and Mom in the basement, in my workshop. Under the carpet, there is a transmutation circle. Stand in the center and activate it. He cannot do anything until you get there.

"Okay… what about you?"

"I'll manage."

"It's over, you're whispering? Ed, come on!" Envy got angry while extending a hand to his target.

"I'm sorry, Envy, but I won't obey you more," Edward said firmly.

The Homunculus scowled and approached them unhurriedly, convinced of his power.

"Right now! Run!" cried Hohenheim.

The creature had no time to catch the child as his enemy intervened and faced his creation, ready to fight.

"But it's not you I want," whined Envy.

"Exactly! You'll have get him over my dead body!"

"With pleasure!"

Edward ran as fast as the wind. Soon, the hill on which his house stood appeared between the trees. The chimney was smoking, indicating that his mother and brother were awake and preparing breakfast. His side was burning and he had sore calves. He hoped that his father was doing well against the Homunculus, but at the same time, he felt sad to lose Envy so quickly. One of them would die, and whoever the loser, Ed would be terribly unhappy.

"All because of my damn curiosity!" he growled.

"Edward!" a voice he knew well came from behind.

He stopped and turned. His father was alive and rushed towards him.

"Dad? You won?"

"Yep! That dirty Homunculus will not bother us anymore!"

Edward began to walk toward him. Then he stopped.

"You are not my father."

"Wha… What?"

"My father doesn't talk like that. Also, it's impossible that he managed to catch up to me so fast. You're Envy."

The other stared at him, looking a little lost. Then he smiled. White light surrounded him, and when it cleared, Envy stood in his place.

"You learn fast, kid!"

He seemed easily accept being unmasked. He slowly approached the blond, who was struggling not to panic.

"Don't move!"

Envy raised his hands to calm him and–

Jumped on him and forced him to the ground, pinning him there.

Edward struggled, but the other was too heavy and too strong for him.

"Stop moving, you're pissing me off! I said I wouldn't hurt you, right? I just want you to calm down and be quiet."

"What do you want from me, Envy?" the boy moaned, tears in his eyes because he was having trouble breathing."

Taken aback, his assailant thought about the question.

"…I want you to live, that's all."

Schocked, Ed stopped struggling.

"Wha… What?"

"I just want you to stay with me, forever, if possible. I want to keep my promise and sing your song again and again…"

"Really? What about my family?"

"I'll leave them alone."

"And my father?"

"Grmmm… I guess I'll let him live…"

"Where is he?"

"I have no idea, probably in the forest, slightly injured. I wanted to find you quickly."

"Well, if you want me to live, get off of me, or I'm really going to die!"

Envy grinned and stood up, dragging his friend with him. He carefully brushed and combed his hair.

"Why should I believe you? You deceived me once, you might very well do it again!"

"I swear on my life that I mean you no harm," said the Homunculus solemnly. "Otherwise, I would have turned you into a doormat, don't you think?"

"Why do you want me to stay with you? You haven't been very friendly, you know!"

"It was a bluff. I love you well, in fact."

"You have a funny way of showing it! You used me, and you squashed me like a pancake!"

"Sorry, but it was the only hope I had left. Would you have listened to me if I told you I was a monster? Good thing you didn't see me without the red stones! You would have pissed in your pants!"

"Yeah, it's true… Well, if I agree to go with you, will you let me go say goodbye to my family?"

"If you want."

He fell into step with Edward to the white house on top of the hill.

"Can you stay there?" Ed asked when they arrived on the doorstep.

"…Okay."

Envy waited patiently on the stone, hardly believing his luck. He lived alone for centuries, locked, and there was he free and was going to have a kid just for him! Sacred change!

Five minutes turned into a quarter of an hour, then in twenty minutes… Envy lost patience and went into the house, confident that he had been duped. He searched the entire ground floor and the first floor but found no one. Then he headed for the basement, in the laboratory of Hohenheim. There a strange sight awaited him.

His little Ed was there, sitting on the floor with his mother and brother in a circle of light transmutation and oddly shaped. Nothing happened, apart from the onset of fear in the eyes of three people and anger in those of Envy.

"What're you doing, kid? You were supposed to say goodbye, not play little alchemist!"

He put one foot in the circle to pick him up and drag him by the back skin if necessary.

And he screamed in pain and fell forward, right on the drawing shining wildly, as if in response to his presence.

"What?" he stammered. "You betrayed me! Dirty little–!"

He was unable to finish, bisected by a wave of excruciating pain. Was Hohenheim behind this? The trap felt like something Hohenheim would do.

It had a built-in rails and he vomited red stones, these stones he had finally obtained after four centuries of abstinence!

He felt intense anger at the small family's horrified looks as he desperately tried to reach them with an outstretched arm.

"Don't look at me!" he yelled.

He continued to screech as the stones of life left his body. Soon, none remained.

Edward began to regret his actions, seeing Envy reach out to him, calling for help. He stopped the action of the circle and approached Envy, despite the calls of his mother. The body of his old friend narrows to resemble a tiny lizard that struggled to breathe and squirmed slightly in the dust. He picked it up carefully.

The lizard, believing his last hour had come, jumped, feeling hot tears land on him. Edward crying?

It is at this moment that Hohenheim emerged into the room, breathless, holding his injured leg.

"Dad!"

"Ed, that–? You managed to use my circle? Whew… I was scared; I thought that you three had been killed!

Hohenheim had not the heart to finish Envy off. Instead, he laid it on the ground, in the garden, free, but too weak to move.

"He will probably be dead by tomorrow…"

He looked really sorry for the Homunculus. He told his family the whole story.

In his youth, he had met a woman called Dante, who had inspired him to create the philosopher's stone. Thanks to her, they became immortal and had a child, Hoju. He had succumbed to mercury poisoning and Hohenheim, mad with grief, wanted to bring him back to life, but he failed and created Envy instead. Because he had created the monster, he could not bear to release it into the wild, and shut it up in a cave. He left Dante and lived in a house near the Homunculus for about four hundred years. He then gave some stones at the creature so it would not die, and then gave him some more normal food. He had spoken to Trisha, his wife.

He then apologized to his family for putting them as risks. Ed apologized for stealing things from his father and vowed to do it again and not be curious. And all ended well.

Forgotten at the back of the house, Envy tried to get to his feet in vain. He felt ill… He was really going to die… A shadow suddenly appeared, a shadow of a mature woman. She gave him something.

A red stone.

He took a bite and gratefully accepted the rest, because the woman had a whole basket.

"Eat, my child. My name is Dante."

The Homunculus swallowed hard and whispered a name, just one. That of vengeance, that he would never forget, that the only human being who he ever loved…

"Edward…"

The End.

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