Chapter 4 "Devil's Nest"
Disclaimer I do not own anything involving Fullmetal Alchemist.
The story starts out kinda like the 2003 anime, but it dissolves into the 2009 Brotherhood version. By the way, this little notice won't be going away until it's officially transitioned over.
Also, once again thank you to all who reviewed. :)
Enjoy the read!
***
A little bird stood perched on a branch of a spindly tree. Though this tree wasn't born from the soil of the rich earth, but rather looked like it was peeled off a sketchbook. The bark, the leaves, the outline; all were the colour of fresh black paint still wet from the watery brush. It twirled and smeared across the white background like it was a piece of art, with occasional splatter marks resting here or there.
"You left your cage. Do you have any idea on what to do next?" the bird sang. It scurried around the painted branch, making it extend out farther along the paper-like world.
"If there is one thing you can remember is I'll be watching you very closely. Ah, but don't flatter yourself, these eyes aren't for admiring! You're not important enough. Why do I watch you then? I'm simply waiting for the day to collect. Until then my dear, these eyes will see all." Suddenly the painted tree smeared deeper into the spindly tree, darkening every speck of white. And the only thing heard was the unusual bird singing a morbid tune.
***
"Runt, it's time to go. Wake up!" A pair of droopy eyes reluctantly opened wide to meet Martel's green ones. "If you sleep any longer we'll have to wait until the next stop."
"Oh, okay Lady," Ode yawned. Martel helped her sleepy comrade up from the secluded box car, and onto the morning dew grass. It took awhile for both girls to race away from the train, and blend in with the leaving passengers, but their sneaking techniques were a successful. Not a soul could confirm they got a free ride.
"Hey," Ode called.
"What?"
"Where are we again?"
"We're in Dublith. You've forgotten we are suppose to meet up with Greed and others too?" Martel jeered from ahead of the doddling pale girl.
"No, I haven't forgotten," she said. Her focus made its way up to the sky, as she was mesmerized by the true beauty of a starry night. But, the stars no longer shined playfully into the dark. They were gone.
Did—did it change colour?
Ode's cinnamon eyes traced along the wide-open space of dark sapphire, now mixed with a pale blue with shades of pink and orange. It didn't take long for her to spot what was responsible for the drastic change. It also didn't take long for her to be terrified of the glowing flame rising from behind the landscapes.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH WHAT IS THAT?!" she shrieked, pointing a finger towards the glow. "What is that? Is it gonna get us? What is that?" The older blonde was taken by surprise by the Jane Doe's next move. Ode leaped off the path and into the arms of a disoriented Martel, nearly choking her in the process.
"Calm down, Runt!" Martel ordered, trying to pry Ode off her body. "It's the sun, it won't get you—would you let go of me?" The frantic girl came to a stop at the word 'sun' and to Martel's appeasement loosened her tight snare on her neck.
"Oh, so…that's the…sun," There were times in the not too distant past, Ode would hear about astronomy. Some alchemists would talk about how hot the sun was that afternoon, or how they heard some city called…Loral, (or something like that) worshipped the sun as some kind of God. She learned it orbited around the world, and gave life to the outside world.
The sun was precious.
"Come on we are wasting time."
"Alright Lady."
***
Lady was the first one to head down the steep stairway into the pub. A sign hanged above the entrance written in red bold letters that said 'The Devil's Nest'.
"Why did we end up here?" she sighed. Her right foot stepped down into the dark abyss, echoing along the staircase. Several more echoes followed shortly after the first one, in a fast pace, stopping when Ode reached the bottom. Ahead of the stairs was a smoky purple living area. Simple furniture littered around with an occupied bar on the opposite wall.
"It's about time you two got here," Dolcetto yelled, clarifying he was one of the occupants sitting at the counter, clutching some sort of beverage encased in his strong hand.
"What's that?" she inquired towards the red liquid swaying inside the glass.
"Huh, this?" he raised the glass higher into the air, only intriguing the Jane Doe further. "Here try it."
Dolcetto placed the drink into Ode's hand, and watched the young girl sip the alcoholic drink. He couldn't help but snicker at Ode's scrunched up nose, and her lips sneering at the glass like it was its fault for tasting so bad.
"I'd figured you wouldn't like it," he smirked, grasping his red drink out of the girls hold.
"Where's Lady?"
"She's somewhere. I'm sure she's talking to the boss in the back." He guessed, pointing his thumb over his shoulder.
'So there is more to this place.'
The teenager wandered away from the counter, ignoring whatever Dolcetto was saying, or intending to say and headed to the ominous doorway connecting to the hallway. Other doors were found along the hall with members from the group huddled in small groups talking, or walking past her. It was well light compared to her other home, giving off a welcoming feeling wherever she went.
If there was one thing she felt either in the Devil's Nest or trapped inside the cement prison walls; she was always curious about what was around unopened doors.
Ode stopped in front of one of the many doors, before grasping the bronze doorknob and lightly twisting it open. The door swung wide open, ending with a loud bang that vibrated down the hall. She didn't bother looking around to see if anyone noticed or not, after all, she did only open a door.
The brown eyed girl took a step into the room, scouting the whole room incase someone unfriendly lurked inside.
She waited.
Nothing.
The room was a plain bedroom with a semi-large bed in the middle, and a dresser shoved in the right corner. A few random boxes were piled up on the side, and the carpet seemed a bit dusty from the years of never being used. Aside from it needing to be cleaned up nothing else was wrong with it.
"This wasn't interesting at all." She frowned, standing next to bed, biting down on her pink lip.
"Are you sure you weren't fused with a cat?"
Ode spun around, gasping at the sudden voice right at the entrance. "Greed."
"That's right." Greed mused. He was leaning back against the door, casually grinning at her. "Have you been enjoying the outside world?"
Both corners of her mouth tugged sharply forming into gentle smile. "Yes, I still can't believe how amazing it is."
Greed watched her for a moment, then pushed himself off the wall, strolling on toward her. "That's good to hear, it makes me satisfied to know my possessions are happy."
'Possessions?' Ode was never called a possession before. It made her stomach knot in the most peculiar way. Why was that?
"Now listen, I know your memory is a bit off so here's a little tip for you. Consider the Devil's Nest as your new home," he stated, letting his hands fall onto Ode's shoulders. "But while you are here I suggest keeping your guard up, especially around the bar, understand?"
"I guess," She hesitantly said. "But, why do I need to keep my guard up?"
Greed's violet eyes flashed darkly down at the naïve girl. "Would you like a demonstration?" He took no time for her to respond as he forced her backwards, causing her to topple onto the bed. Ode's heart began to race rapidly against her chest, when she realized Greed towering over her. Her hands were pinned to the side of her head, unable to even shake wrists from the weight of his strong grip.
With a playful smirk, he leaned down, nearly connecting his lips to her neck. She could feel his breath graze against her skin, making her body shiver with immediate chills. Greed noticed a shade of red rising around the girl's checks and the bridge of her nose.
"We haven't even started and you're already blushing," he chuckled, now resting his lips on her sweet neck. "I'm interested to see how you will react if we go a little further…How about it sweetheart?"
'Go further? What does that mean? This isn't far?' Ode's became overwhelmed by the exotic tension she was experiencing. It was foreign; something she never knew existed. Was this some kind of game? He wouldn't make her play a game she was oblivious to, would he?
"Greed…" she whispered, catching his attention. "I don't want to play anymore." Greed only smiled into her neck, soon to lift the upper part of his body off her.
"Somehow I knew you would say that." He completely got off Ode and stood a foot away from the bed. "I may be greedy, but I have no intention of taking advantage of a woman like that."
Ode raised her body up from the laying position she was in to look at her strange boss. "Is that what could happen at the bar?" she asked
Greed released a grin and nodded his head. "Yeah, except in most cases if you ever get yourself into that kind of situation they won't be as nice as I was to you."
"So…keep my guard up, and this won't happen, right?"
He gave a small laugh, before patting the top of her head as if praising a child. "That's a good girl." Greed walked to the door, but turned around, just when he was about to leave the room. "And just remember, I'm the only one who can do that."
And with that being said Greed left.
"This day has been," Ode seemed to space off as many new memories rushed through her head. "…So bizarre."
