Two Roads Chapter 2
Lan Fan ran through practised motions under the hot Rush Valley sun. In three months, she had managed to develop control over the major movements of her arm. Any kind of detailed movement of her hand and fingers was out of the question, but the kind mechanic who had let her stay at his family's home was stunned by her progress. That meeting with Greed had only strengthened her resolve to be at her master's side. He was still alive and fighting the beast (or so she hoped), so she must be ready for when he needs her again.
She threw the final kick of the morning's last kata, then walked over into the shade of the cliff face. The midday sun was harsh, and her limbs were slick with sweat. Her usual dark, heavy uniform had been abandoned in favour of lighter clothes; a thin t-shirt that barely covered her midriff and a pair of shorts. She was grateful for the seclusion of her chosen training field, as she felt somewhat exposed without the armour. She missed her mask.
Lan Fan was halfway through draining a bottle of water when she felt a sinister but familiar aura flow through her senses. A homunculus. There was no doubt in her mind as to which it was.
"Show yourself, Homunculus!" The bottle fell to the floor as she reached for her knives. Laughter echoed through the chasm.
"Oh but where's the fun in that, toots?" She scowled at the nickname. She cautiously paced over the open ground, watching for any signs of movement. "How have you been?" A dark shape silhoutted against the sun. He stood at the lip of the cliff wall, staring down at her.
"That is not your business." She replied. He made a noise of agreement.
"He's getting pretty worried though," Greed kicked a rock off the ledge. She watched as it shattered against the hard stone of the ravine floor.
"The Young Master need not concern himself with me." Her arms fell from the defensive stance she had assumed. She wasn't sure whether she actually saw him roll his eyes or whether it was just a trick of light.
"You try explaining that to him. He's very stubborn, you know." He took a few steps back from the edge, disappearing from her sight. Shock and fear coursed through her when suddenly he leapt from the top of the cliff. She rushed forwards as he plummeted to the ground. A resounding thud rolled through the gorge as he slammed into the earth.
"MASTER!" She cried as she dropped to her knees by his side. She pushed him onto his back and pulled him to her lap. Before she could assess the damage, red lightning shot across his skin, weaving it together and reconstructing his bones. Lan Fan watched, enthralled, as his body repaired itself. When the dust settled, she was staring down at Greed, who stared right back, smug and very much alive.
"Impressed? He would have died just then." He snaked an arm around her shoulders and grinned as he sat up. "I just saved his life, you owe me."
"Young Master would not have jumped."She removed the offending limb, stood up, and marched back to the shade. "Therefore I owe you nothing." Greed leered at her as she walked, gaze fixed on her legs.
"Mhm, sure thing. I've gotta say, I'm lovin' the get up. The kid tells me the guard uniform's normally a lot less... interesting." Lan Fan's face turned scarlet as she sat down on a rocky outcrop.
"B-be silent, homunculus." She reddened further, cursing her clumsy tongue. He laughed and shook his head as she picked the empty water bottle off the ground, fiddling with the lid.
"I do have a name, you know," He leant his face against his hand and drew patterns in the dirt with the other. "You should learn to use it."
"You are a homunculus, so I will address you as such" She stated matter-of-factly. He groaned.
"Come on, I don't call you 'human' all the time, do I, Lan Fan?" An unpleasant tingle crawled over her skin at the way he drawled her name, savouring the sound. Silence hung between them for a beat.
"This is the second time we have met. Even if you did, there hasn't been enough time to notice." She sighed quietly and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "Why are you here this time?"
Greed hummed as he stood and slowly wandered in her direction, eyes roaming over the scenery. "Your little prince got lonely, told you earlier, he wants to see how you're doing."
"And as I said earlier, Young Master does not need to worry about me." Greed sighed theatrically and sat down in the dust near her feet.
"Oh but that's not going to stop him." He frowned and shifted uncomfortably then paused, appearing to be deep in thought. He grumbled and pulled a medium sized package out from the inside of his coat. "Hey, he wants you to have this."
She took it and carefully peeled away the paper. Her mask stared up at her. She stifled a gasp and gently ran her fingers across its smooth surface. It wasn't perfect, there were a number scratches in the shaky paintwork, and the edges were uneven, but she didn't care. She had her mask back, the symbol of who she was. Her uniform was plain and undistinctive, designed for practicality. Every Yao clan guard wore the same uniform. It was their masks that set them apart, each design unique and belonging to solely them. He'd returned her identity to her.
Greed noticed her surprise and moved up to sit next to her on the rock. "He made it himself, he says sorry for any mistakes," She started to say thank you but he held up his hand. "Don't thank me, it wasn't my idea. I think our little chat affected him," He grinned and ruffled her hair. "So there, for cutting off your arm, you get a mask. Generous guy, your prince." She glared at him.
"I have told you that I do not expect any reward. I serve my master out of-"
"Yeah, yeah, honour and duty and all that. Geez woman, I've only spoken to you twice and I'll already know what you're gonna say!" He let out an exaggerated sigh. "You really are no fun at all."
Lan Fan softly placed her mask on the rock and rewrapped it, then she stood up and walked out into the harsh sunlight again. She threw a glance at him over her shoulder before settling into a defensive stance. "I must continue my training. You can leave now Homunculus." She felt uncomfortable saying such a thing to Ling's face, especially considering what he had just done. Greed scowled and folded his arms over his chest. He strutted towards her, kicking up little clouds of dust as he went.
"Hmph, that's no way to be grateful. I came all this way just for you." He grabbed her automail arm and winced at the blisteringly hot steel. "How's this thing going?" She tore it from his grasp.
"It is not your concern. Leave." She turned away from him and fell back into her routine. He stepped back, content to watch her fluid motions, her muscles as they shifted under her skin, her hips as they arched into another graceful kick.
"Stop it, Greed. I do know what you're thinking. I thought you were the 'avaricious one', not Lust." Ling's voice echoed in his head. Greed flashed him a sly smile and backed away from her, retreating to the shade.
"It's just a different kind of greed. Besides, it's not like you don't want her. And don't try to deny it kid, this thoughts thing works both ways." He picked his coat up out of the sand.
"Not everyone is as greedy as you," said Ling. Greed snorted as he batted dust from the fabric.
"Oh of course not, but you'd be surprised how close certain people come." Ling didn't reply, instead hung his head in shame. The homunculus let his gaze linger on the bundle of paper containing the mask for a brief moment before he turned and left. Lan Fan didn't spare him a glance as she heard the fading echo of his footsteps as he walked away.