Chapter 10
Envy jumps up a roar escaping his large mouth and nearly lands on Ed and Ling. Before Ed could get good footing, Envy hits him with his tail. Not paying attention to Ling, he only goes for Ed, but I watch as Ling rushes out of no where and disappears under Envy.
"No"! I scream. Then I see Ling in my view and Envy lets out a painful roar, and falls to the ground or in this case to the blood.
"Ready", Ling yells. Envy looks over and hits him with his tail, I gasp when I see him hit a wall upside down and let out blood as the wind is knocked right out of him.
"Ling"! Ed calls for his friend, and gets up himself.
"All right Envy, time to die..", Ed stops as he sees a face with tears.
"Kill me, kill me, help me die. I beg you please kill me please", Then another head takes his place and start to laugh, Ed just looks horrified by this. I'm not too keen on it either, but what else can I do, nothing.
As I see the horror on Ed's face, Ling comes down and cuts into the head, Envy not too happy about that reaches out to attack him, only to be dodged.
"Come on, snap out of it you idiot, why didn't you attack him"? Ling yells.
"A person. Those are people, they need our help, they are trapped inside", Ed says.
"That's a trick Ed he's a monster"! Ling yells.
"But they", Ed says then Ling grabs him by the scruff of his shirt and yells, "Listen to me, those things are monsters"! Ling yells. Then Ed starts running again, the voice now screaming louder.
"Shut up", he says holding one of his ears, "Stop"!
"Big Brother, wanna play"? A voice over powers all of them. I watch as Ed looks at all the people heads with horror written all over his face, I can't help but let the tears flow down my face as I look at that face, it reminds me of me.
"I'm done playing with you", Envy says as he is now behind Ed. Ed looks back shocked. Envy picks Ed up and tosses him to the ground. Ed lets out a scream as his body fills with pain.
"Al, I'm sorry", Ed whispers, and because this place is empty it echoed it through out for every one to hear. I watch as Envy lets his gross tongue leave his mouth and grab hold of Ed.
"Open your eyes Ed"! Ling yells, "Please wake up, wake up"! Ling yells then he grasps his side in pain.
"Ed no"! Ling yells. I look at Envy's head in poor shock, I thought I had been shocked before, but this, this is a combination between shocked and horrified at the same time. I snap out of it as the word monster gets echoed through the area. I look down at Ling who is glaring daggers at the large Envy.
"Your the monster"! I scream down at him.
"Do you not see those, those are all humans, humans that once had a life and now they are trapped"! Ling yells up at me.
"Take a good look Ling, this is what your seeking, immortality, this is what it looks like"! I yell back at him, he seems shocked at this and goes quiet, looking over the form that Envy is in now.
"Even though he is in this form, I still see him as Envy", I say as I look down at the hair I have in my hands to keep me on his back as he is sitting down now.
"You know nothing of him, you call him your friend, he killed thousands of people"! Ling yells. Tears start to flow down my face.
"I know more then you do, I know he killed my town, Kular, at least started it, I'm fully aware of the things he has done, but you don't understand because you don't know him"! I yell. Ling looks at me with wide eyes.
"Even knowing that, you still consider him a friend"? Ling asks.
"Yes, yes I do, he had helped me when I was brought back with Father, I had felt alone, and lost.. The moment he showed up I basicly attached myself to him, regardless of what he wanted, at first he hated me, at first he didn't want anything to do with me, but something with in had helped me survive the hell I had to endure", I say.
"Don't waist your breath", I hear Envy say, but it wasn't harsh, it was gentle even in this giant form of his. I smile and let out a single sob before trying to calm myself.
After a while I hear Ling gasp and Envy's form flinch then I hear Ed yell, "Open up Envy your breath is killing me". Envy growls and I start to laugh seeing a foot shoved through Envy's teeth.
"I think I have a way to get us out of here", then Envy makes a gasping noise, as well as Ling. I just look at the leg shocked.
"Come on Envy let me out"! Ed yells some more. After Envy let Ed out, he explained about Xerxes and the ruins of the fragments that he seen in this place. I stayed on Envy's back while he searched for the fragments.
"Your not disgusted by this appearance"? Envy asks after a long silent moment.
"No, no I'm not even with all these other humans trying to call for help.. Its not your fault that you have to be stuck with them", I answer. Envy just huffs and continues on with his search.
"Why do you ask"? I ask curious about it.
"You do realize what the others have called me right"? Envy answers.
"I'm aware of it, I just didn't know, so I never went along with it. I wanted to see for myself and to be honest your more cool then you are ugly", I reply with a smile.
"Your a strange human", Envy replies. I only smile more then lay on my back on his back then close my eyes, deciding that it would be a good idea to catch a nap while he looks. I trust him enough that I'm sure he wouldn't let me fall if I would start to slide down.
"Hey why don't you come closer to my head, between my ears, its softer their", he says. I open my eyes and look up that way and he is right, it does look softer.
"Your too kind", I reply.
"Don't get too use to it, brat", he says annoyed. I just nod my head and crawl my way up to the spot he told me to, and when I get their, I lay down, eyes closed and content for the moment.
"I've collected all the fragments that I could fine", I hear Envy say after a loud bang was heard that woke me. I sit up and turn so I can look down at the two of them near Envy's forehead.
"Aren't you disgusted being up their"? Ling asks. I narrow my eyes at him.
"No, and besides its nice and cozy", I say as I stick my tongue out at him. He glares at me but then looks over to Ed as he gets to his feet a splint on his arm.
"Who knew that the prince is handy", I mock. Envy laughs some and Ling just yells, "Shut up".
"So this stuff, its all from Xerxes"? Ling asks as he lifts the flames high to look at all of them.
"That's right, they are all pieces of a large mural of what remains of their temple", Ed answers then looks at them all before continuing, "When I saw the remains of the mural up close I thought it looked identical to the transmutation in the fifth laboratory the one they use to create the philosopher's stones. But its actually different the sun represents the soul, the moon symbolizes the mind and then theirs the stone canvass of the mural, this represents the body", Ed says as he places his hand on one of the stones.
"Slow down try to keep it simple ok", Ling says. I nod, just my thought, I didn't have a clue as to what he was talking about.
"Basicly the mural was a summoning circle for human transmutation", Ed stats.
"I do know that one, well I think I do, is it used to bring back dead people"? Ling asks.
"Not quite, alchemy is based on the rule of equivalent exchange. You can't transmute a life form that no longer exists as a soul in this world, you can trust me on that one", Ed says. Then some how, I don't know how or when, but Envy ended up moving so we can face the stones as well.
"So this is where I got us the idea to get us out of here. I can't transmute the dead but what would happen if I transmute myself"? Ed replies.
"You mean a living person"? Ling asks.
"Exactly I can use this transmutation circle to deconstruct myself, then I'll just put myself back together, that's human transmutation, and it'll open the portal", Ed says, then asks, "You said that Gluttony was a defective portal of truth, I bet if we pass through the real portal, then we'll wind up in our own reality, I'll open up the real portal and then you three jump through it", Ed says as he looks at us.
"What happens if it goes wrong"? Envy asks.
"Then it'll rebound, a failed transmutation rickshas onto the one who preformed it, in this case that would be me", Ed says.
"I'm not going to act like I know anything about alchemy, this is all yours", Ling says.
"Right.. Hey Envy, I've got something else I wanted to ask you", Ed says.
"Humm", Envy says as he tilts his head.
"The partial mural in Xerxes it would of more or less looked like this", Ed says as he draws what he thinks it would of looked like, "This is the first thing that caught my eye, the symbol for god is written upside down", he says as he points to it, "And beneath it the two headed dragon, the alchemick symbol for a complete life form, which means this basicly translates to I will strike god to earth and become a perfect being".
"Well that's an arrogant concept", Ling says.
"Its not a big deal to talk about it, but then there's this, this piece takes it to the next level, an image of a lion swallowing the sun symbolizing the philosopher's stone. The philosopher stone is made with humans, isn't that correct Envy"? Ed asks.
"Yeah, that's right", Envy answers.
"How could a nation as advanced as Xerxes fall, let alone in a single night. What happened to its citizens, these stone fragments of the mural, you put them here to hide the evidence, you killed them, you sacrificed all of Xerxes. You turned them into a philosopher's stone", Ed says then turns around and asks, "Who was it I want to know who used it to transmute himself, who slaughtered the population of a whole country. Who created all of you, who is trying to make himself powerful enough to surpass god? It was your father wasn't it? Tell me Envy, who ever this guy is he's been using you Homuculi to try to recreate the destruction here in Amestris hasn't he"? Ed asks.
"You get us out of here and I'll gladly tell you everything, you've spent enough time beating around the bush, I'm tired of waiting for you to ask. You need to pay a tole right, to open the portal. This work"? Envy asks as he shows his stone.
"Your body, those are the citizens of Xerxes aren't they"? Ed asks.
"At one time, but their minds and bodies crumbled long ago, all that's left is energy to be consumed. They don't even remember what they look like when they where alive.. Is that pity, how childish are you. Your desperate to see these things as human because you wanna believe that your brother retains his humanity. Would you hesitate to throw a bundle of logs onto a fire because you pity the tree that they came from? These souls could never go back to where they came from you have to use logic if you want to determine what a human is, don't let your emotions decide", Envy says rather harshly.
After that, Ed makes the circle, Envy is in position, I'm no longer on him but standing beside Ling.
"Ling, this might not work out for me, if so you've gotta worn people about these guy's plans", Ed says.
"I'm not that concerned about Amestris, its not my country", Ling says.
"Are you serious"? Ed asks.
"You've got people you love waiting for you don't you? So just make it back alive and tell them your self", Ling says. Ed then turns to look at the so called human souls.
"I'm sorry, but I need to use you", Ed says. I look up at Envy and he looks down at me.
"Don't look so worried, I'll be fine", Envy says.
"Get ready", Ed stats as he brings his hands up. He then claps his hands together and activates the circle.
"Long time no see, to bad this isn't when I wanted to open you again", Ed says as he looks into the eye that appeared.
"Ling, Lisa Jump in it", Ed says. I look up at Envy and he nods his head at me, and when Ling goes, I had gone as well.
"You better know what your doing, I'm trusting you", Ling says then sets his foot in, at the same time as I did. I watch as Envy turns into nothing but what looks like ash, and looking down at myself, I too look like that, and it some what hurts for this to happen.
Next thing I know, I'm in a place that is all white. I look around after getting up and my eyes widen when they land on some one.
"B-brother", I say, the figure smiles and I see the lips move, "Don't forget, we all love you, and I'm waiting for you to set them free". Tears well up in my eyes as I stair at the figure, knowing its my brother but don't look like it.
"I don't want to leave you", I say.
"You must go, you can't be here", his voice replies.
"Sister, remember I will all ways love you, don't forget it", he says. I reach out only to watch as my hand turns into dust.
"I promise you brother I will bring them to you when I can", I call as I see my ash floating around. I watch as he tries to say something else I can't make it out, then he is gone forever.
Flash Back
I'm crying beside Envy, he had come into my room while I was crying and I'm still crying. He just sits their, the foot on the table, him looking board.
"Will you just stop all ready", he groans.
"I, I can't", I wail even more holding the spot where my heart is. I then lean over so I can't see him and try to stop, I don't want to upset him... He's the only one so far that's been nice to me.
"What is wrong with you"? He asks and I feel his hand on my back then he moves me so he can see my face.
"It hurts, my chest hurts", I say tears just streaming down my face.
"Why? Why did they all have to die? Why did you have to start it all"! I scream at him. He sighs then stands up and looks down at me his hands on his hips.
"Its what father wants", Envy answers. I gasp some but the crying didn't stop.
"I don't care what he wants, its what you did"! I yell and get up then jump him, knocking him down and punching his face countless times, and he didn't stop me.
"Why, why did I have to live... W-why did every one else have to die? Just make my pain go away, I want it to go away"! I scream then stop punching him, which proved useless since I'm still young and weak.
"Why", then I start sobbing again. I feel Envy breathing beneath me, I feel the rumble in his chest as he sighs, then I feel his strong arms go around me.
"Your a brat you know that", he says as he sits up, but don't bush me off of him. I hold onto what little shirt he has, and cry into his chest.
"Just think of it this way, your friends and family have gone to a better place", Envy stats. After hearing those words I stop sobbing, the tears remain, but the sobs go away. I slowly look up at his face, and he smiles down at me.
"Can't believe I'm doing this... They wouldn't want you to beat yourself up over it.. They would want you to continue on living", Envy adds. I can't help it this time, I put my head against his chest and shack in his grasp, pain, sorrow, guilt but also relief goes through me.
"Aww, how cute, Envy you'd be a good baby sitter", A female voice says from the door. I feel Envy tense, but don't push me away.
"Shut up you old hag"! Envy snaps, sending vibrations through me.
"Come now, its just too cute, where is a camera when you need one", she jocks. Envy growls but still don't make a move to leave. I then calm some and look behind him, to see a beautiful woman standing in the door way.
"L-Lust"? I ask not sure.
"Why yes dear, that's me", she says with a sweet smile.
"Will you just leave", Envy groans, and puts his hands on his knees.
"No, I wanted to meet this young girl, the one that keeps Envy all busy", she says.
"Fine you've meet her now leave", Envy says. I smile some at this, feeling protected.
"So what is your name, and don't worry about him, he can be rather rude"? She asks.
"Names Lisa", I answer, tears still going down my face, but not as much now. The small amount of bickering the two had done, then the way Envy changed the moment she showed up made me feel better. I then let Envy go and get up then walk over to the lady.
"Nice to meet you", I say holding out my hand to her. She smiles down at me and takes it, "Like wise, how old are you dear"?
"10", I answer. She then looks over to Envy and grins widely, "She's far too young for you".
"That is not what this is about, god some times I wish you weren't around Lust. Father asked me to look after the girl and that's just what I'm doing, no matter how annoying she is", Envy stats.
At the age of 14 I wanted to be able to help them. So what I had done that day was try to get the stone fused with my system, at first when I told Envy he just yelled at me for how stupid I am, then stormed out muttering things. I walk down the hall, making my way to his room. Once their I look inside and smile.
"Why, I want to be able to help you guys", I say looking at him sitting at the table.
"Because your human you won't be able to take it, I mean its a hard processes to deal with", Envy says as he looks at me.
"Oh come on, let the girl try", Lust's voice comes into the room. I look back and smile, both her and Gluttony are here.
"Get out of here old hag"! Envy snaps in response.
"Why don't you let her, if she wants to be stronger that is the way to go", Lust says. Envy gets up, his chair crashing to the floor behind him, and his one arm on the table hand in a fist as he glares at her.
"No way, I will not put her through that pain.. Not again"! Envy yells, and I take a step back seeing the table creak under the pressure of his arm.
"Envy cares for the girl", I hear Wrath's voice. I look over and he is standing in the door way.
"So what if I do, I was her care taker, I can't just let her throw herself into that", Envy says.
"He's become soft because of a human", Lust says as though I'm not even here.
"Do not, ever say that again"! Envy growls. I look at him and watch him take a threatening step closer to Lust.
"I'm sure your the one that talked her into wanting this", he stats.
"So what if I am, you loath humans just as we as I do, why not let her get turned into one of us"? She asks her arms crossed over her chest.
"She may not survive"! Envy yells my eyes widen at that, Lust never told me about that part. I don't know what quite happened after that, but I ended up in my room, Envy had walked me here. I sit on my bed thinking it over, if I die, then I would actually have nothing to lose. I've lost my brother when I was 8 years, then my family and friends at the age of 10 so what difference would it make if I did die during the process? Feeling tired I decide to lay down and get some shut eye before I go with what I feel would help them.
A couple of mornings after that argument I get up then walk down the hall. I didn't care if I ate something first, or seen Envy I just wanted this and no one is going to stop me from getting what I want. I'm going to ask Father if he would allow it. I walk into his room and he is reading a book, like usual.
"Father", I say after stopping at his feet.
"Yes child"? He answers.
"I want to become a Homuculi as well", I say balling my hands into fists, and shaking a little knowing what may or may not happen. He puts his book down and looks at me with confusion on his features.
"Now why would you go and do that"? He asks.
"I know how much you and the others hate humans, so I would rather help you as one of you, not as a weak human", I answer looking at the ground.
"Very well", Father says as I hear him get up off his chair. I look up at him and smile.
"I will not permit it"! Envy's voice cuts into the room. I turn from Father to look at him, watch him struggle against lust trying to get into the room.
"Envy", Father replies.
"Dammit Lust", Envy growls and puts all his weight into getting free, which works. Lust catches her balance with a grunt. Envy then rushes over to Father and I, getting in between the two of us.
"Envy", I whisper. I know the day before he had been arguing with me, telling me that its not a good idea to go through with getting a philosopher's stone. He told me the risks, but I hate being stuck here every time they go out, I want to go where they go, and I don't want to be a burden to them.
"Out of the way, she wants this", Father says.
"Please Father, she don't know what she is talking about, you know these humans", Envy stats, seeming to be out of reasons. I look past him to Father and he looks amused.
"And what should we do with her"? He asks.
"She has been here for far to long, being nothing but a rat in a maze". I then see Envy's hands ball into fists at that comment.
"We can use her, I mean she is one that no one knows", Envy says. Father seemed to take a moment to contemplate this.
"Such a good idea", Father adds.
"Smart thinking, she can be a spy that they won't know about". Envy seems to relax with this. I look down, because I know for this he is going to beat the crap out of me.
"But I'll give her a stone, one that she don't need in her system", Father says as he turns around and heads for his chair. He sits down then tosses Envy a red stone.
"Yes Father", he says. Envy then turns and walks right past me as though I'm not even their. I look at Father and he seems to have a dark look to him right at this moment.
"Well, brat, lets go"! Envy's voice snaps me out of my stupor and I get up then turn and walk toward the door, where Lust is standing with a smirk on her features.
The moment I walk out into the hall, I get pushed to the wall, and then a fist lands right beside my head, his hand can't be seen.
"You idiot", he growls. I put on a not sure smile and try to form words, but instead I close my eyes and look down defeated, I hate it when he looks at me with anger.
"Urg, well lets go, now we have to teach you how to use this thing", he says as he pulls his hand out of the hole he had created, and turns then walks. I open my eyes and look at Lust she just shrugs her shoulders at me.
"Well, come on", she says as she walks over to me. I smile at her and she smiles at me, then we follow behind Envy.
Feeling a bit strange after that, I rest against something warm, I can hear voices, more then likely Envy's souls screaming in pain. I open my eyes and groan then look around, they then widen at what I see.
"Father's room", I say then get up and look, Al is hugging Ed, Envy is on the ground, Father is looking at all of us shocked and confused. Still not really able to hear well, I see Al on the ground bowing to Ed, and Ling looks at them after he stops walking.
"Envy", I say but can't fully hear myself. I walk over to his head to see if he is still alive, and sigh a relief that he is. I can hear Ed's voice but I can't quite make out what he is saying.
"This is some what surprising. People emerging from his stomach", I hear father say and I look up at him, he has his one hand cupping his chin in wonder, as he looks at them.
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