Chapter 2
Overcoming difficulties
"Well just who are you?" Greed/Ling asked me. A flicker of hope sparked inside me and I opened my mouth to speak but closed it slowly when I realized it wouldn't work.
"Well kid?" he said sounding concerned. I must look like I need help I thought as I realized that I was on my knees collapsed on the ground. I slowly got to my feet and looked up at him. He was still quite a bit taller than me. "Hey if you aren't going to talk to me then don't expect me to hang around." he gave a slight wave and began to turn away but froze suddenly and seemed deep in thought.
"Greed don't just walk away she might need help." Ling said inside of Greed.
"She won't talk to me so why should I care?"
"Well then let me try." Greed/Ling turned back to me his scowling face rearranged into a smiling kind mask.
"Hello there. What's your name?" I instantly could tell by the voice it was Ling. I stood there silent I looked down sadly. "Please I promise I won't hurt you." I opened my mouth but once again no sound came out. Ling paused and had the same look Greed had a second ago when Ling asked to take over,
"I told you she doesn't want our help." Greed said in Lings thoughts.
"No." Ling responded. "There is something wrong, I can feel It." he turned back to me. "Please tell me what's wrong." Gingerly I touched my throat and sadly looked up at him.
"Greed," Ling mumbled. "I don't think she can talk."
"What?" Greed said inside of him. "That's ridiculous."
"Is it true little girl?" Ling asked me nicely. My eye twitched. Did he just call me little girl? I am not a little girl! I clenched my teeth and nodded. Ling instantly made a face that showed he took pity on me. I felt helpless unable to tell him anything. Useless, I thought I'm useless.
"Well what do you say Greed? Should we help her?"
"And how do you expect to do that? We can't give her, her voice back." Ling nodded in understanding and turned back to me.
"I'm sorry but unless you need help with something else I can't help you." His face changed and it told me he was now Greed. He turned to walk away but I grabbed him by the arm and shook my head franticly for him not to go. I don't know where I am, I don't know where the homunculi are, I need to find Emmie, I need to go to central, I need protection from the homunculi, I need to get my voice back, my to do list just seemed to get longer and longer.
"Look kid unless you need help with something else I can't help you." I wish he would stop calling me kid. I thought. I shook my head yes and he froze. "You DO need help with something else?" I nodded again. "What is it?" I looked around franticly trying to think of how I could tell him I need help from the homunculi. I guess it's a game of charades. I pointed to myself.
"You," Greed asked I nodded and pretended to scream.
"Scream." I shook my head no and bent down picking up a stick. I put one end in the mud and began to write.
"H-E-L-P….you need help I think we got that kid." I began writing again.
"You want protection?" I nodded "protection from what?" I pointed to him. "FROM ME, I'm trying to help you!" I shook my head no and wrote it out 'Homunculi.'
"You need protection from the homunculi?" Greed asked. I smiled and nodded happily. "You want me to protect you from the homunculi?" I nodded again. "What do I look like a body guard? Sorry kid, no way." My jaw dropped hadn't expected that.
"Greed, come on!" Ling said angrily.
"Fine, fine I'll help her." he said. He looked back at me and said, "On one condition you have to agree to be my possession." I glared at him for a second. What choice do I really have? I nodded in agreement. Greed smiled proudly. "What's your name anyway?" I stuck the stick back into the puddle of mud.
"Sophia?" Greed asked I nodded. "Alright Sophia why are the homunculi after you?" I glared at him. I can't speak dumbass. He waited then remembered. "Oh yea I guess that would be too much to write out well in mud anyway. Well come on kid I'm on my way to central." Followed him happily down the street taking in every detail I could. It was a bright sunny day the temperature was just right. The street was crowded with people drawn anime style and suddenly I smelled something that made my mouth water. I stopped in my tracks and took in the smell of fresh pancakes and it occurred to me I hadn't eaten in who knows how long.
"What's the matter, kid?" Greed asked and my stomach growled. I gave a shy smile and Greed's face dropped. "You are just like him now I have to deal with two of you?" he gave a slight sigh but after all I was his possession he couldn't just let me starve so we began walking towards the small restaurant across the street. "That's more of my money." Greed grumbled meanwhile inside Greed Ling laughed.
"I like this girl!" Ling said as Greed's thoughts raced with frustration. Ling kept laughing at Greed's anger. Might as well feed both of you at the same time, Greed thought and relinquished control over to Ling. "Thanks I'm hungry." Ling said with a smirk and inside Greed crossed his arms and mumbled in frustration. Ling and I sat down at the table closest to the window and ordered pancakes, fruit, bacon, sausage, rice cakes, biscuits, and milk yes milk. And we ate happily even though Greed continued to get annoyed.
I wanted to break the silence we ate it so badly the words. So Ling why are you going to central? Danced on my lips but even when I tried I couldn't say them I couldn't make a sound. In silence we ate and I debated whether or not I should have just gone with the homunculi when they chased me then they would have been the payment and I wouldn't have had to deal with this silence. One of my downfalls is that on a normal basis I was a chatter box and silence was a torture. I needed to find a way to communicate ASAP before I went insane. I also had to tell them that I need to find the homunculi I need to get Emmie. I was finishing my last pancake when Ling called the waitress over.
"And may I please have one last thing." He said. "Would you happen to have a spare notebook and pen we could have?" the waitress seemed startled but when Ling held up a wad of money as her tip she didn't hesitate to give him hers. We both got up bill paid and walked away as we left he handed me the pen and paper and said.
"If you need to say anything just write it down ok?" I smiled brightly that was nice of him. Then his face changed in a way that is difficult to describe and I knew it was Greed. I scribbled onto the paper and raised it up to him. He quickly read it.
Hi Greed!
"Hey kid." He said I scribbled my bad handwriting onto the pad.
Don't call me kid my name is Sophia.
"Kid I don't care."
Don't call me kid.
"Kid!"
Fine then your greed/Ling.
"My name is Greed unless I say otherwise."
Greed/Ling
"Fine I will call you Sophia, now stop."
Ok Greed/Ling. He stared at me in disbelief for a moment before turning to walk and ignore me. But I didn't move I began writing something on the paper and then practically shoved it in front of his face.
"WHAT!" Greed said in anger. Then his eyes quickly moved over the writing and his face went from anger to interest. He snatched the pad of paper out of my hand and re-read it.
I need your help. I am from the other side of the gate and that's why I can't talk. As equivalent exchange it took my voice. The homunculi attacked me and my friend and made off with her and that's when I followed. I need to find them and save my friend please help me. I may be able to use alchemy but I would need a teacher first. Please I need your help. He looked at me for a long moment before saying.
"Alright kid. I'll take you to the homunculi but you have to be careful and what makes you so sure they won't kill you?"
They wanted me as a sacrifice. I wrote. They won't kill me till promise day but I think they are searching for me. Emmie is in danger. Please help me save her I don't know how much time I have.
"Ok I'm helping you I get that." he sighed. I was headed to central HQ as of now we are just on the outskirts but I guess I could show you the hideout. You're not going to do anything foolish are you? I don't want them taking another of my possessions."
I'll be fine. I promised.
"Alright Kid."
STOP CALLING ME KID! He ignored my last note and began walking. "Just a few blocks away." it only took a few minute to get there but it felt like each hour was an eternity. I had nothing to say so I put the notebook and pen in my back pocket. Just then Greed turned and walked down an ally pulling open a gate for me. "If you go in there I am not coming. I won't be there to protect you are you sure you want to go?"
I gave him a sincere bow of thanks and ran through the gate into the long dark tunnel that was more than likely leading to my death. I heard the gate creek closed behind me and footsteps walk away leaving me alone in the black. I slowly made my way forward and wrapped my arms around me. I'm freezing. I thought and hugged myself tighter. Then I heard something skitter behind me. My head shot up and my senses rocketed to their full height.
I slowly looked behind me to see red eyes glowing in the darkness. They belonged to a strange animal that I normal wouldn't believe existed.
It's body was of a wolf the same size same 4 legs same position it was ready to pounce, except it had a thick large heavy scaly tale about 3 feet long trailing behind it the size and thickness of an alligator. My blood ran cold and two more creatures appeared behind it. They also had the bodies of wolves but instead of tales they seemed to have…wings, large bat like wings. All of them had bright scarlet eyes. And I heard them growl and deep low menacing growl. I turned on my heel and began running my feet pounding loudly against hard stone floor.
Suddenly all sound was drowned out by a loud shriek. It came from the animals that were racing after me. It was like nothing I have ever heard before and it sent chills down my spine. I ran as fast as I could, pumping my arms for more speed my lungs heaving. Faster, faster, faster! I mentally screamed as the monsters began closing the distance between us. I rounded a corner and saw a door. Please be unlocked! I mentally pleaded.
I grabbed the handle and it flung open. YES! I flung myself into the room and slammed the door behind me. And the monsters ran past the door down the hall their footsteps quickly fading to silence. I sighed in relief and then heard voices right outside.
"What set off the chimeras?" Prides small child's voice asked still sounding creepy and demented. I looked around the room there were no other doors no other escape routes. I took a step away from the door and lost my balance and fell on my butt with a load thump in the quite hideout.
"Did you hear that?" Envy asked.
"Yes." I heard Lust answer.
"I can smell it!" Gluttony said excited. "It's a little girl." Then happily he began to chant. "Can I eat her can I eat her!"
"Maybe Gluttony, let's see who it is first." Lust said calmly and I heard steps approach the door. I scrambled to my feet and suddenly the door flew open in front of me. I didn't have time to react before I could blink Envy had grabbed me and Prides Dark shadows were all around me spears pointed and ready. My hands were behind my back and I couldn't move and I didn't know what to do.
"Oh look who it is." Envy said mockingly. I clenched my teeth in anger for all of them.
"Looks like our lucky day." Lust said Gluttony gave her a look and she said. "Sorry Gluttony you can't eat her." Gluttony hung his head and Pride smiled and withdrew his shadows.
"Speak of the devil and thou shall appear." He said. I wanted to yell at them to demand they give Emmie back I wanted to tell them exactly what I thought of them, but I knew I couldn't.
"It looks like we will have our sacrifice after all." Lust said. Envy shoved me forward hard out the door into the hall. His hands released me and I stumbled into the middle of the hall and Lust's nails came up a few inches away from my head.
"Walk." She said threateningly I felt the sharp edges gently skim my neck sending goose bumps up and down my body. I clenched my teeth as if I was growling but started slowly walking forwards down the hall. Pride and Gluttony walked on either side of me while Lust's nails never got more than a few inches away from my neck, and the entire hallway was black encased in Prides shadows. Large eyes open and staring at us from nowhere. There was no noise except for out footsteps echoing down the dark hall.
Then once again I heard the chimera's shriek there was something about it. It sounded as if it were in pain. I shivered from the sound before I realized it was getting closer. The sound of a dog running came closer and closer and all the homunculi and me stopped. The chimeras aren't supposed to attack while I'm with the homunculi but they already latched attention onto me and wanted me dead now. They came into view and came right at me.
I closed my eyes and turned my head holding up my hands as if to ward off a blow but it would be like trying to block a lion. Then there was the sound of impalement I looked back to see the first beast dead at my feet Lust's spear sticking out of it. Then I heard a sound of impact and one of the creatures whimpered in pain as Envy punched it and it slammed into the wall. Gluttony attacked the 3ed one biting off part of its tale. The two injured dogs decided it wasn't worth it and began to run.
"Such a Pity we can't trust them anymore." Lust said sarcastically. Pride smiled and two spears black as night shot out of nowhere and slammed into the surviving creatures. Killing them instantly, before the black even faded. I stared in shock at the 3 bodies that were lying in pools of blood.
"Can I eat them?" Gluttony asked. I swallowed I don't want to see that. I really don't want to see that. Please say no please say no! I begged mentally.
"I'm sorry Gluttony but we have to bring her in right now you can come back for them later." Oh thank God. I thought relived.
"Keep walking." Pride said with no emotion. I stepped over the dead beast in front of me. We walked down the hallway and I felt too stiff. It was hard to walk. I had to face facts I was dead meat and I really had no hope of surviving this weird experience. We kept walking until we got to the only thing I recognized and that was the large door leading to father's throne room. Envy opened the door and I felt Gluttony nudge me inside the door. We kept walking closer to the man in the chair. He had white hair and was wearing a white toga he looked exactly like Hohenheim.
"So you found the other one?" Father asked the homunculi. The homunculi nodded and father turned to me. "What is your name?" I crossed my arms and turned away I might as well pretend like I meant to be silent. "Answer me." He demanded. I stayed quite obviously.
"When Father tells you to talk you talk!" Envy yelled at me as he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and lifted me off the ground. My eyes widened a bit and my teeth clenched but still did not make a sound. Envy pulled back his fist and slammed it into my stomach. I opened my mouth into a silent scream still there was no sound. Envy threw me to the ground and I stood up holding my stomach with one arm Bitch! I thought I wanted to scream but didn't bother. It hurt like hell and I think it broke one of my ribs when I landed.
"Well!" Envy called to me. "Yell damn it!" I clenched my teeth and glared at him. He took a step towards me to do it again but Father interrupted.
"Stop Envy, the look on her face she wanted to scream and cry out in pain in fact she meant to." the homunculi looked at him wondering what he meant. "Look at her. Nothing is missing yet she crossed the gate alone. I believe the gate took her voice." Everyone looked at me and Envy began to laugh. "Is that true?" Father asked. With a scowl on my face I nodded. "Come here. I can see Envy broke your rib." I didn't move. "Come I won't hurt you." No but you'll be happy to sacrifice me for your own purposes. I thought snidely. But I reluctantly took a step towards him. It hurt I wasn't about to pass up him healing it. I walked up to him and he waved his hand in front of me and almost instantly the pain was relived and I was just fine.
"See," he said. "We're not such bad guys."
