Sharpie addict: Yay updates! Please don't kill me for the five page update last time! I swear I'll write more…... I think…

EclipsedRose13: very good questions. Well, first off, everyone's dead because that's the only friggin' way to be at the gate and not loose a limb, eye, or intestines. Second, ever heard that the simple act of observation screws with it's natural occurrence? The other Envy's consciousness melded with this Envy's, which is why Envy has a body. So, no, he didn't disappear. And it's not that they had to go back that far so Envy would be there, they were just picking a good spot to drop in on. Also, Envy's a little bugger and wasn't where he was supposed to be in the first place. Also, I know where you live, so don't diss my characters, okay? LOVE YA SIS! Also, the sixth person in the dream scene was supposed to be Kate from NCIS FYI SIS.

Rei: okay, so it's my turn again! Wonder how everyone will react to my pitiful fainting spell? Also, Sharpie addict is trying to work on some plotlines, so this may or may not be a momentous chapter…

Envy: Didn't someone ask for longer ones of these?

Sharpie addict: Yes, and she would be CRAZY. Nobody reads these things except her. They all decide to skip to the story… 'cause they don't care. Well, this one is longer, at least…

Reiko: Yeah… Oh! Miss Riza's back!

Riza: Sharpie addict owns nothing, no matter how much she wishes for it.

Dot!

Rei

When I woke, I found that I was being moved. My first thought was as to what happened. The next one actually made me open my eyes. Who the hell was carrying me?

I opened my eyes and squinted at the sun that glared down at me in the midst of an unbroken blue sky. So we were still in the desert. I turned my head slightly to the side, and was met with a black tank top, which would explain the intense heat radiating off of it.

"Oi! Lust! She's awake!" I was promptly dropped on my ass. I blinked the spots out of my eyes from the sun and found Envy and Lust looking intently at me.

"It's rude to stare, you know," I huffed, crossing my arms. Envy chuckled and sat down opposite me. Lust looked disdainfully at the sandy ground and remained standing, eyes focused on me.

"Now, you're going to tell us what happened," Lust said, her lips turning down in a frown. I scratched my head nervously. I really didn't want to tell her the truth, but lying outright wasn't an option, either. So I settled for a half-truth.

"I don't know." Yes, my half-truth. Lie. Whatever, it works. She raised an eyebrow but turned to move on.

"See that it doesn't happen again." Whew. Lovely, unassuming Lust. "This will be mentioned to Father." Shit. That bitch. I sighed and stood up. Irritation was rocking off her in waves, I could taste it. Envy was amused and irritated at the same time. I was beginning to see the good in my exchange. I could tell what they were feeling, and so long as I learned to shut it out, I wouldn't have to deal with questions from anyone for now.

I slowed my pace for Envy, who had only just stood up when Lust was almost well out of sight. He caught up and gave me a look, gesturing for me to slow down even more. He waited a bit more, and then started the real interrogation.

"What happened? I know you know," He hissed lowly. I lowered my voice to match his.

"I'm technically still human, Envy. That means I have to follow the laws of equivalent exchange. When Truth met up with me in my dream, he told me I had to have something given for my powers. So I got to pick my poison," I said. His eyes narrowed.

"And what exactly, is your poison?" He asked. I glanced sideways at him. Was it really that hard to see that I could feel everything around me? That right now I could tell that something was eating something alive? That it was hard to endure that pain? Surely I must've been at least grimacing. I opened my mouth to reply, but I cut short when Lust came back, looking completely pissed.

"Were you two planning to leave anytime before sundown so we're not sleeping in the open? Bugs crawling over you is more preferable to bandits raping you," she replied testily. Envy rolled his eyes.

"Would it really be rape for you, Lust?" He asked. Her lips twitched upwards before settling down in a frown again. I sped up the pace to stay with Lust, partially because I didn't feel like dealing with bandits, and partially because I really didn't want to tell anyone about what was really going on.

We walked. And walked. And walked. For hours. Lust was still walking across the sand, in her high heels, I might add. Envy and I, on the other hand, were having a bit of difficulty with it, considering we were both practically or entirely barefoot on hot sand. Envy made quite the scene for a while, hopping swiftly across the sand, screaming "HOTHOTHOTHOTHOTHOT! OWWWWW FUCK IT'S HOOOOOT!" for an hour until Lust finally yelled at him to stop. He didn't stop jumping, though. My feet felt like they were going to spontaneously combust at any moment by the time we reached a cave to spend the hottest part of the day in.

Yes, fucktards, we were traveling by night and early morning. Did you think we were stupid? Yes? Well, maybe gluttony… wait, where was he, anyway? I turned to Lust, only to find her perched on him.

"When did he get here?" I asked, pointing at Gluttony. Lust looked down idly and shrugged. Envy leaned next to my ear and whispered, "You shouldn't ask too many questions. We kind of just leave him alone and hope he follows Lust." I nodded, not sure wether to be scared or not.

I'm not quite sure when I fell asleep, but the next thing I knew Envy was shaking me awake roughly. I sat up sleepily and looked around. "Where are we going?" I asked sleepily. Envy rolled his eyes and hoisted me up to my feet.

"To see Father. Are you always this slow in the mornings?" He asked, grinning. I nodded absently.

"My head isn't awake yet," I mumbled, staggering after him. This elicited another laugh and a low giggle from Lust. What was so funny about it? I shook my almost empty head and followed obediently. The sand wasn't as hot, considering it was night, and we were soon out of the desert. By the time morning came around, we were in a lush forest. I was even more amazed that Lust could walk in those heels over roots and rocks and greenery.

We were soon out of the forest, too. We came upon a cliff, and I was able to see the vast expanse of central. My mouth dropped open. It was huge! Way bigger than Chicago, or even New York. It was like a whole state covered in concrete. What was that stuff even made out of, anyway?

Amusement was rolling off of Envy and Lust.

"Never seen a big city?" Lust asked, smiling. I blinked and closed my mouth.

"Actually, I have. Just never seen one that covered so much area. It's almost as big as a small country!" I said, turning to them. I was starting to get the impression that they enjoyed this part of the escort extremely. Lust laughed and gestured to a barely-visible path.

"Well, we're going to be taking a little detour route to see Father. Some people wouldn't take kindly to seeing us as we are." She shot a look at Envy, who returned it by showing her his hand sign for "Cactus" (1) I laughed quietly and trailed after them on the path. It led down the cliff, then through a human-sized rabbit hole and through a hallway/ sewer/ walkway thing that creeped me out just because I knew that chimeras were lurking just out of sight.

Finally we made our way to the big room where Father sat in all his monstrous glory. He was extremely intimidating in person; I could feel the god complex from the moment the door was opened. His eyes fell on me the moment I glanced up at him, his eyes boring into me as if I was so insignificant and shallow that only a glance had my entire being analyzed, understood, and pushed aside. I met his gaze as best I could, keeping my eyes locked firmly with his and refusing to look away for anything.

I watched his eyes go from cold and calculating to a steely sense of want. Ahh, so I was something of interest now. Envy grabbed my arm, shaking me out of my little epic battle and pulling me towards my enemy. Father smiled coolly at me, filling me with the icy feeling of absence. It took me a moment to realize that he must be feeling something he already gave up. One of the seven deadly sins, but which? It gave me a sick feeling. Like when you haven't eaten anything for a day and a half and you burp, tasting the taste of acid rubbing against the walls of your stomach. I had a sudden urge to throw up. At least Lust and Envy and even Gluttony had had some natural emotions.

Lust gave a brief introduction as well as an update of my fainting spell. Father looked over and smiled at me. I felt very sick right now. It was obviously supposed to be a warm, fatherly sort of smile; to me it felt like the look a rapist gives a little kid when offering up candy. It was twisted and abhorrent. "You look a little green now, young one," He said, reaching down. I flinched away from is touch, the feeling intensifying.

He raised and eyebrow but didn't push, withdrawing his hand and leaning back once more.

"Where did you come from?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Where the wind starts it's howls and the sea it's waves, from the beginning and the end, I guess," I stalled. Father was sure to know I was bluffing at the "little town just east of Xing" comment I had made to Lust earlier. He emitted a wave of displeasure, but continued on as though unaffected.

"You have a sister who is human, how?"

I glared up at him. "With all due respect, I wasn't aware that I wasn't human myself until a few weeks ago, Sir," I said. He smiled his fake, stomach-acid smile again.

"You may call me Father, if you wish. It is obvious that your creator has abandoned you and left you to an unassuming, boring life. Stay with me, and you will be great." Dishonesty pooled out from him, but I ignored it. I focused all my energy into looking interested in his proposal.

"Are you offering to adopt me, Sir?" I asked calmly. His smile grew bigger, and that absent feeling creeped in as well.

"Something like that," he said. I nodded and smiled with tremendous effort at him.

"That would be okay then… Father."

Obstructive Third person (Father)

Father watched as the girl left. She had been sickened by the very though of him, it seemed. He gestured for Lust to come closer. She came up and smiled at him warmly.

"What do you need, Father?" She asked. He smiled.

"You and Envy keep an eye on her, train her in our ways. She has potential." Lust's smile faltered a little. Good, he thought, the longer they are kept deprived of what they truly want, the longer I have to devour their lives, adding to my godlike power.

She bowed and left, leaving him presumably alone in the room. That is, until a boy came out from the shadows. He smiled blankly at him.

"Pride," Father said. Pride inclined his head to the side to show he was listening. "I want you to find out what the new homunculus wants. She is repelled by me, and yet she still accepted my invitation. I want her… de humanized." Pride bowed and disappeared into the shadows once more.

"Yes, Father."

(1)She shot a look at Envy, who returned it by showing her his hand sign for "Cactus" – The sign for cactus is the middle finger, in case you were ignorant of such things.

Sharpie addict: So, waddaya think? Something fishy is going on with Father and Pride!

Pride: I thought you liked me.

Sharpie addict: I do. But who else would Father trust to get close to Rei and uncover her hidden motives?

Rei: What does he mean by "De-humanize?"

Sharpie addict: keep reading and you'll find out!

JA NE!