In A Crumbling World
By Faith E. W., a.k.a. "The Maine Coon Cat"
Chapter 4: THE BETRAYAL
William straightened up, his heart pounding. "O-oh."
"I'll see you, Mr. Elric." Marjorie whispered, quickly ducking into a nearby room.
Will barely noticed her leave; he was too busy observing Hohenheim.
The doctor walked with his head down, his shoulders stooped. In his hand, he clutched something– a piece of paper? Will couldn't believe how fast he was going, either. It was as if something were driving him over the edge. "Doctor..."
Hohenheim stopped in his tracks beside William, his expression grim, hazel eyes vacant. "Ah, Elric...I haven't seen you in awhile."
"I-I've been working in the documentation room the last few weeks."
"I see." The doctor's voice was flat.
"So, how's Angel doi–"
"Elric?"
"Y-Yes, Sir?"
He knitted his brows, "Could you come with me? I have one more test for Angel. Then, I need to tell you something."
Will blinked, stupefied. "Of course."
"Thank you."
They walked the rest of the way in silence, and the moment they stepped into the laboratory, Angel's eyes zoomed in on William with a look of utter indignation.
"What's HE doing here? Angel spat.
"Never mind that." Hohenheim's voice had become low and oddly business-like. He toyed with the item in his hand before holding it up. "Angel, tell me...does this...mean anything to you?"
Will felt the room go cold.
- - - - - - - -
Light, pure and golden, suddenly shimmered as a small shockwave passed through it.
Like ripples, the shockwaves spread through the bright nothingness, eventually slamming into a certain stranded being that floated helplessly before them...
Envy felt his world go dark.
- - - - - - - -
It was a picture. Of what, Will could not see.
But Angel saw it, and studied it with a look of curiosity. "The boy?"
"The boy." Hohenheim's voice was growing impatient. "The boy."
Angel raised a slender brow, obviously startled by the doctor's tone. "No... Should he?"
Will knew then. Oh no...
Hohenheim stiffened, and he didn't speak– couldn't seem to speak– for a moment. Then, to William and Angel's shock, he thrust the photo into Angel's face, trembling. "This is my son!!"
- - - - - - - -
"This is my son!!"
When Envy's vision returned, it was as though he were looking through a tunnel at the scene before him.
What the–?
Three people stood opposite Envy, in a white room. One was Edward, the other a man who vaguely resembled Hohenheim of Light, and the last was...
Him?!
It was him, in his preferred, "Adorable" form; right down to the clothing! No...not quite. The hair and eyes...they were different...
Who was this?! What was going on?!
- - - - - - - - -
"But–" Angel's eyes widened, "I'M your son!" he cried.
"This is my real son!" The doctor snarled, "My true son, on whom you were supposed to be based!"
"Dr. Hohenheim–" Will interjected, or tried to, but to no avail.
The man was too angry now. "You really feel nothing toward him as all?!"
Angel was bewildered; stunned. For a second, William even thought the humanoid might cry.
Then, Angel choked, "Do you...is he more important to you...than me?"
Hohenheim didn't need to say anything; the expression on his face told all. Still, what he said next seemed to cut into Angel like a knife. "He...was my son. He'll always be..."
Angel began to shake, rage building in his eyes. With a snarl, he grabbed the picture from the doctor's hands. "Then I hate him! I hate him!!"
William took a step back as the humanoid ripped the photo in two and threw the pieces to the ground, stomping on them with his foot.
"I hate hi–"
SLAP!
Nobody moved.
- - - - - - - - -
Envy's violet eyes widened, and a shudder went through his body. This was...so much like before...when his own creator had rejected him.
He gritted his teeth in fury. What was this? Some kind of twisted re-enactment of the most painful moments of his life?
No... Not again. He wouldn't watch this again!
- - - - - - - -
Everything was still. Only the soft buzzing of the florescent lights and the fierce pounding of his heart were audible to Will.
Hohenheim mutely retracted his hand, watching the red mark quickly disappear from Angel's cheek. "Well, at least we know that you body's healing abilities are still functioning." he stated coolly.
The boy didn't answer. He seemed to be in comatose.
"Elric?" Hohenheim continued. "You are my partner, are you not?"
"Y...Yes, Sir."
"Then, from this point on, I am putting you in charge of Angel... I can't take it anymore."
"What...?" William asked dumbly.
"I'm stepping down, Elric."
"But, Sir..."
The doctor shook his head, sadly walking toward the door.
Will blinked, unable to fathom the scene before him. He wasn't even sure that the doctor could step down, knowing what he did. It wasn't likely that the government would let their most valuable scientist walk out on them. Still... "Sir..."
Angel had fallen to his knees, and remained that way on the floor. "Father," he growled.
The hair stood up on the back of Will's neck. That was the same growl that had come from Angel back when he lay in the tank...
And, when the creature raised it's head, William saw why.
Pupils slanted, eyes violet, gorgeous face contorted with loathing, Angel roared, "I HATE YOU!!!"
The doctor hesitated, hands spasming, before closing the door behind him with a resounding clang.
Angel stared after him, seething. Then, abruptly, violet eyes flickered back to sapphire, and the pupils became round again. Angel's head dropped down in exhaustion and grief. "I hate you..."
William swallowed hard, frightened. On one hand, he felt bad for Angel. The boy had truly believed in Hohenheim, and was now obviously devastated by the doctor's betrayal. On the other hand, Angel was just as likely to aim a kamikaze attack at Will's head than to accept any sympathy.
However...it was worth a try. The violet eyes had become blue again, so, perhaps...
William gently laid a hand on Angel's shoulder.
- - - - - - - -
Still shaken from the previous events and from his outburst, Envy felt himself go slack-jawed at the final scene before him:
Edward was...trying to comfort him?
"Angel...are you okay?" The blond-haired boy enquired softly.
Angel?
Before he could consider it any further, however, the golden void sucked him back into it's radiant depths.
- - - - - - - -
Angel trembled, frozen, staring as the floor. He could hear Elric's words, could feel his hand on his shoulder; but he couldn't move.
What...had that been?
In the midst of his anger...his hatred towards that thing he'd called 'Father', he'd felt It taking him over, using his mouth to say the words he had wanted to say...
'I hate you!'
Yes, he'd wanted to say it; wanted to with every fiber of his body– but that other entity had said it for him.
Angel had felt himself being thrust from his own body.
After the words were spoken, however, the being had left, and Angel had reentered, only to see that his creator– his father– had abandoned him.
His father had not loved him after all...he'd loved his 'true' son...the person he had hoped Angel would be. Then, when he had realized that Angel was different, he had shunned him; tossed him aside like a child tossed aside a broken toy. And now, he'd probably go out and find some other person to replace his son...to love...
NO!
Hohenheim was his father! His father! If the doctor didn't want him, then he wouldn't have anyone else– he would make sure of that!
Grimacing, he grabbed William Elric by the collar, deftly slamming the young man head-first into the floor. Elric went out like a light.
Then, standing up, he snarled to himself.
His father wouldn't get away from him that easily. If Hohenheim didn't already regret bringing Angel into this world, he would by the time Angel got through with him...
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A/N: Thanks, yet again, for all the great reviews! Please keep 'em coming!
Chapter five, Lord willing, should be up soon!)