A/N:

Being Inhuman

Chapter 2

Joining the Ranks

"An Ouroboros significates ever lasting events, infinity or immortality. And who or what closely bound with them."

Lust asked curiously. "Is there anything wrong?"

"No," I answered dryly. "Just something with my tattoo."

I was looking myself in the mirror after Dante said I should dress proparly. And there was an Ouroboros tattoo in front of my right shoulder. I'd seen this before, on Lust's chest, on Gluttony's tongue, on Envy's leg. But not just them. I knew what an Ouroboros is and what it signified. It must just a random thing that all Homunculi had for me, but it wasn't.

"We all have it, you know." Lust said with apathy. She knew I already knew it. Just trying to relax me.

She walked beside me. "So, I hope you're alright with your appearence, because you'll look like this for a long time." I took a look again to my reflection.

I was short. Probably a little more taller than Gluttony. And slim. My pale skin causes a great contrast against my jet black hair which is spiky and reaching my mid-back. One of my bangs is covering my left shoulder but the majority of them are going everywhere exept downwards.I had big, violet coloured eyes. That was normal. I thought. Only things that made me strange, was the red lines that on my forearms and legs.

Lust was struggling with wardrobe in this while. "No, no, no, yes but too long. Hhmm… Yes, I think it must be your size." I take a glance to the dress she choose. It was a long dress that have frills on it. I raised my brow. "Are you serious?"

Lust shrugged. "I though you'll like it."

"I don't like skirts, it's against my nature. How about the clothes Envy wears? They're very cool." Lust sighed than handed me some strech trousers and a blouse, which completely black of course. I grinned. "That's better. " I put on them behind a curtain than looked myself in the mirror, once more. They were sit on well.

Lust smiled. "They sit on well… what are you doing?" When she was talking, I folded of my trouser's right leg to my ankle, ripped other's knee than tied this part on my ankle, and finally slid my blouse's strap over my shoulder, just behind my tattoo. After this, I turned to the perplexed woman and explained. "I hate symmetry."

"I see." Lust said, than added. "You know, there are some extraordinary things about you." I cut looking my awesome design and turned to her again. "Like what?"

"You chose your own name. You chose your own clothing. It's peculiar."

"I can't just allow everybody decides on me. Is this a bad thing?"

Lust smirked faintly. "No, Envy is just like you, too. Only our master doesn't thinks that's a good thing."

I turned to mirror again, observing my shoulder. "You know, I owe to her. For saving my life. For adopting me. But this isn't means I must wear in what she wants."

"Cruelty." Lust's voice was sharp. I never heard she talked like this. "I know you owe to her, we all do, but there is more than clothes and names." I looked her blankly. She continued. " She knows you owe to her and she will use it. I don't say she uses it but Dante has plans. And she'll use you in her plans. Just remember that." Then she walks off.

I thought. Dante adopt me because I was just a defenceless, little Homunculus right? So she has plans and she helped me to I help her. This was logical. I can accept it.

But she also had said a thing about taking revenge from humans. Humans. I had didn't take this seriously because I was feeling anything different. Then I remembered there is no differency already. I've been always a Homunculus. From I born. About a month before.

When Envy came out and said Dante wants to see me in the backyard, it was merely half an hour passed. Envy was looking amused, so I thought something funny about me. "What is the humorous thing about me?" I asked in a dreadful voice. Envy seemed didn't care it. "Oh, nothing. Just I was thinking your outfit would like Sloth and Lust."

"Okay. So Sloth is female too, or he has a bizarre fashion sense." Envy just rolled his eyes. I wanted to teasing with him a little. And learn something about him in while. I started to walk behind him.

"So," I begint innocently, "you was in a apprehension when I lying in the bed."

Envy was looking like he was thinking about his act. "You see, there isn't many Homunculus. Only a few alchemist tries human transmutation. Less of them success and we can found a little piece of their… results." Finally he describe himself. "Therefore we all very precious." One awkward silence later he spoke again. "Look, we're here."

Envy opened the big door of the mansion. We didn't said a thing while we were walking to the backyard. There was a big open field surrounded by trees and flowerpots. And beyond them, there was a wood, which almost reaches to the horizon in somewheres. There were sunshine and songs of birds. I sighed. Everything can't be perfect.

Dante was sitting in a chair, drinking tea, under the shade of an umbrella. There were other chairs too, encircles a small table. Lust and Gluttony was here of course. Lust was reading a book while she elegantly sitting beside Dante. And the little cute fat was sitting on ground, looking to the table like he wanted to eat it, which he probably did.

I smiled and waved. "Hi everyone." Gluttony smiled widely and Dante just nodded to show she noticed me. Lust closed her book and slightly smirked like we never had a conservation intricater than clothes. Interesting, I think.

Envy smirked and said to them: "Hey, what are you doing, drinking tea and talking about flowers? Cruelty gonna think we are nice people." Dante's face had a disliked expression. "Do you still want to use that name?" I shrugged. "It sounds more satisfying than Wrath." Envy raised his eyebrow. "Oh, and more threatining, of course."

Dante sighed, than talked, this time trying to hide the irritation in her voice. "Look, Cruelty, as long as, you, me and others will work as a team; I want from you to test your skills. And you can see what your body able to."

"My body? What kind of skill?" Even I did't know my abilities if there was any? How was she so sure?

"All Homunculi born with a power."Dante answered like she had read my mind. "We just don't know yours."

"Oh, are you sure? Like what?"

"Like this." A voice came behind me… my voice?! When I look to the place which Envy must be, I saw a mirror image of me was standing there. I could only recognized by his smirk. "Envy?"

"Me" flashed through from "her" bottom to the top, consequently taking the shape of Envy. The only thing that wasn't change was the look on his face. "Nice trick, isn't." I rolled my eyes. "And Lust probably had…" Two black blur flashed beside me. When I turned my back I found Lust's two nails extend and became two long spears that left my neck between them. She explained calmly while she quickly withdrew them. "Ultimate Spear." Finished my sentence as result.

Envy made a bored sound. "She's just make her nails grow fast." Lust answered him coldly but there was a light of amusement in her eyes. "And they can pierce through steel. Yes, I think yours is better." I asked just for I bored of this topic. "And Gluttony?" I looked to the little guy. My question couldn't draw his attention from the table, so Envy answered for him: "Nothing important. He just eats everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything." Well, this explains a lot.

I knelt beside Gluttony, patted his head and he smiled me. Everybody had a bad side. And also he's just a cute one with eating diorders. "Including humans." Envy added. I couldn't take the point. If he waiting for me to the I think it's a big deal to not being vegan. "So?" I asked.

Envy grinned. "Nothing."

Dante breaks in. "This means are you going to use your power?"

"If this means if I demonstrate it to you, yes." But I didn't know a thing about it. Then I understanded. Or I remembered. But it wasn't a memory. I hadn't any memory clear. Just echoes. But it was a thing like walking or speaking. A part of me. I looked to my right hand. Then it started to glow, elbow to fingertips. It became almost white as it covered by heat and electric currents.

I swung my arm to the nearest tree. When it contacted with the wood, it created a cutting sound, some sparkles than tree fell in two pieces as I expected. "Well," I grinned as I turn them. "I hope you don't have close memories with this tree." Envy could merely said "show off" and Gluttony's eyes widened. Well at least I could impress somebody.

But this somebody definetely wasn't Dante. "Hhm, so you can turn your arm into a blade of energy by using your body generated power."

"It sounds boring when you take it like that." I stopped using my blade. And then I noticed it my arm hurting. Since I turn it a blade. I looked to my arm and I could see the burnmarks hardly because it healed almost fast as I cut power.

"What the…"

"Before you ask," Lust said, as she noticed my look to my arm " this isn't a part of your power. All of us like this."

Envy spoke in a serious mode, which was very rare to him. "We can't die with injurement." Gluttony added "Or illness" Lust adjoined too. "Or by anything."

I looked to Dante. "What they're talking about?"

"They're meaning you are completely immortal since you're Homunculus." Her sound was almost jealous.

Well, I think I can live with it. And certainly I will.

Dante carried on. " Since we identified your ability, we can decide your role in our plans." Well, and probably I must live with it too.

"What plan?" I asked sceptically.

Dante changed her sitting position. Most likely it's going to be a protracted explanation.

"Do you know, my dear," she started with a sweet tone, almost in a cheating tone but I didn't mind. "You, Homunculi, don't possess a soul. In order to fill this gap, you need certain amount of Philoshopher's Stone." The last two words had an impact on me but I didn't mind it, too. "Philosopher's Stone, also known as the Red Stone, has the power of keep you alive. And all of you have it inside of you, already." My sight rotated to my torso, the place I have my stone, just like the others. So this things is keeping me alive. This was not an encouraging idea.

"The stone is essential for you. But it is made of living humans' souls and even I, can not produce all of the stone that you need. But…" A flash of cunning come into view in old woman's eyes. "People can be manipulated. We can made them create the stone, than use it for our own. This is our mission. Finding alchemists who are talented to create Philosopher's Stone, persuading them and take the hold of stones." Envy and Gluttony were interested however Lust was seeming fascinating about this thought. Me too.

"This is brilliant!" I bursted suddenly (maybe too suddenly, Gluttony's almost choking by table). "First, you're using alchemists, than trowing away when your work finish." I clenched my teeth. "Just like they did to us." Envy grinned. "This is why we're calling this revenge. This is a way to make them suffer. I was thinking you'll love this plan, Cruelty."

I grinned like an answer. "I chose this name for a reason, remember? If you give permission to me," I turned to Dante. "To perish all alchemists we'll use, when our job is done with them."

Dante nodded. My grin became even wider. "Then I accept to be a part of your plan."

Lust was the one, who's first talking. "I'm happy as you joined in our mission." We were talking in the Lust's room. After the conservation in the garden, she' d wanted to talk with me. Again.

"As I say, it will be exuberance to trick humans." I said cheerfully. Lust, in the other hand, wasn't delighted as me. "You should be careful. Dante wouldn't just send you in a mission. A few days later, Gluttony and I will go to the Liore, which Envy heard rumors of a man who would do anything for the stone." I jumped out from my chair. "What?! But I'm ready!"

"You're not."

"Yes, I am. If you want, I can prove it." Energy formed around my right hand so, it became a knife of force. Lust didn't react.

"It will be boring. We'll just find a egoist alchemist and give him the stone, so he'll alure the other alchemists who wants the stone. It will just talking. I can do it on my own."

I sitted back with doing bored noises. "But why Gluttony is coming?"

She answered calmy. "He's very loyal to me. If I'll go without him, he'll upset." I couldn't help my laugh. Gluttony was such a big baby, but he was lovely.

Lust was still trying to help. "We'll back as soon as possible. You can study, and then join us when we're back."

I managed to smile. "Thanks Lust."

I met with Envy in the stairs, when I'm heading to my room. Suprisingly, he was smirking.

"How's going kid?"

"Fine." I tried to ignore him. I was in a bad mood and if he didn't stop acting like this, I could slice him, and it would be revolting even he can't be harm in this way.

He cut my way. "Hey, I just want to talk with you. Can't you just be clement?"

"Don't call me like that!" I shout while I charged to Envy with my now-transformed hand into a sword. "My name is Cruelty!"

A second later Envy was holding my arm in my back. I was so suprised that I forgot my anger or I should apologise for it. Envy grinned.

"Nice try. If you want to harm me, you must be better. And you have time too. I'm free for a while, so we can practise until you'll be ready for going out." I struggled but Envy's grip was like metal. Envy laugh. "But maybe you'll just wait."

I didn't mind his teasing. He was wanting to test my power in his way. My own laugh suprised him a little. "So, if I can break away from your grasp, would I be proved?"

Envy hesitaded. "Yes, but…" I broke my arm with a hard yank. Envy's eyes opened wide. "Did you just boke your own ar…"

I twisted and stroke with my other fist to Envy. He quickly blocked it, than dogded my other blows.

I stopped only when my arm is completely restored. Envy didn't get a single strike. I was breathing hardly on the ground. I pulled out a lock of hair in front of my eye. "Did you forget?" I asked. "I'm Cruelty. I'm spiteful, even to myself."

Than I smiled and got myself to feet with Envy's hand. He smirked. "Kid, we'll get along well.

Author Notes:

Cruelty: I learned a lot of thing about Homunculi in this chapter. And about me, of course.

Blue: Like you're a masochist.

Cruelty: I'm not! I only don't care about pain. I was talking about my power.

Blue: Oh, yes, it's remarquable, isn't it. Simply, as Dante told, you just use your energy in your body to create a weapon. You can turn your right hand into a blade, a hammer, a mace etc by using this ability of yours.

Cruelty: I'm sorry for the first human who I meet.

Blue: I'm the first human you ever met.

Cruelty:

Blue: Review.