A/N Hi! I realised that I haven't done an A/N for this story yet, so oops and sorry about that! This story now has a cover, drawn by Silver! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favourited and followed so far, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own/have never owned Fullmetal Alchemist.

"I'm suprised you stayed to help." Ling hissed.

"Shove it up your arse." Ed snapped, not in the mood to deal with the Xingese prince.

One of us. Creepy. All anyone saw in a homunculus was a monster. It was all anyone would see in him. If they knew, he would become a monster in their eyes, anyone he used to be in their eyes dying and being replaced by something else. Isn't that how he saw himself? As the monster who he was becoming?

Why bother? No amount of acting would ever change how they saw him after they knew. All they would see was the word homunculus. No! It wasn't true! He would just have to prove them wrong, he could still save himself. Even as he thought it, he knew it was a weak argument.

"How the hell are we going to fight it?" Ling mumbled from where they were hiding. Just then, their hiding place was swallowed by Gluttony, and the three barely got away in time.

"Where the hell is that stuff even going?" Ed yelled.

"How should I know, you're on-"

"Stop it Gluttony!" A familiar voice barked. Envy, not even bothering to hide his form stormed into the clearing. Ed thought that in another time, in another world, that the look of shock on Envy's face would be funny. But as the homunculus stared at him, Ed felt like his blood had turned to ice.

"But... But I killed you!" Envy choked. "How the hell are you here! You were dying! I shot you!" His voice rose with every word, leaving the group silent. Then slowly, Envy's shoulders shook with silent laughter, and gradually his voice joined in, letting out mad cackles.

"Oh man, I get it now. This... This is gold... I can't believe the old man actually did it!"

Quietly, Ling spoke. "I'm sorry. I believe you now Ed." What? He what? No... Suprisingly, Ed found himself filled with rage. Now? What about when I needed someone, anyone to believe me, believe in me?

But maybe he knows now, maybe he can help me now?

"It really was you." Was. That... hurts.

"Brother... I-I don't get it What's he talking about?" Al asked timidly.

"Envy turned up and caused some trouble. Thankfully the bastard knew medical alchemy and saved my life." Ed invented quickly.

"S-saved your life... HAH!" Envy was still besides himself with laughter.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Al sounded so betrayed. The lies were hurting him. The lies were hurting everyone. Why couldn't he stop hurting people?

"I didn't..." Ed trailed off staring at his hands. I didn't want you to hate me. I didn't want to hurt you... And look how it turned out.

"Can I eat them?" Gluttony whined, just to top off all the insanity.

"The two Xingese, yeah. The armour and shrimp are off limits." Envy smirked.

Ed ended up helping Ling deal with Envy, while Lan Fan and Alphonse had the pleasure of fighting Gluttony. Ling couldn't stop feeling guilty. All along, it had been Ed. All along, his friend had been suffering.

He'd done nothing to help and only made things worse. He had threatened him, and only now could he even begin to understand what had happened...

For all he knew, he had pushed Ed further away from humanity.

"And here I was, ready to call you a wannabe," Envy smirked, "but you're adapting pretty well. I'm actually impressed!"

"Shut up!" Ed snarled, swinging his automail blade at the homunculus. Anger had made his movements sloppy and the smirking homunculus easily stepped away.

"Automail, huh? Why keep it?" Envy questioned, smile never leaving his face. "It's pathetic."

"I made a promise!" Ed snarled. "I'm not getting anything back until Alphonse can get his body back!" And with that, he tried to punch Envy again, this time succeeding in smacking the older homunculus in the face.

Automail... A promise... The signs had been there all along... Ling had missed every single one of them. If only he had seen. Maybe he could've helped. Done anything to prevent the darkness that now lurked in the alchemist's golden eyes.

He'd just have to make it up to Ed.

Ling darted forward, blade whistling past Ed before stabbing Envy between the eyes. The homunculus staggered backwards, fingers slipping as he tried to pull the blade out.

"Sorry." Ling told Ed, trying to somehow tell Ed everything. All his regrets, with that one word.

Ed nodded, but his eyes were dull. It was like he had already given up.

Envy finally managed to get rid of the sword. Blood dripped from his forehead and off his chin. "You know, runt. You really are just like us. You just haven't stopped running, turned around and face it yet!" Envy sneered.

"Don't listen to him Ed! You're not a monster." Ling yelled desperately, swinging his sword at Envy again.

Ed smiled weakly. "Not yet." He told them both, and ran into the fight, aiming for Envy's stomach, helping Ling.

At least he had a chance to fix things. And he sure as hell wasn't going to waste it.

They ended up fighting Envy for a full more five minutes before the wall that separated them suddenly collapsed and Al and Lan Fan stumbled into them.

"Stay still!" Gluttony roared, storming after the two.

"What happened?" Ling asked, staring at them.

"What the hell? Get on with it and eat them Gluttony!" Envy yelled.

"Watch out!" Ed warned, rushing towards the two Xingese Gluttony was aiming to swallow.

"Hell no! No way am I getting in trouble for letting another sacrifice die!" Envy growled, and also raced forwards, trying to pull Ed backwards, as Gluttony suddenly opened his mouth and swallowed them all.

Darkness was the first thing that Ed noticed. Wherever he was, it was nearly pitch black, and he wasn't sure he had actually opened his eyes. Then he became aware of the fact that he was in some kind of body of water, but he couldn't tell what it was. Groaning, he slowly tried moving each of his limbs. He hoped his automail wasn't broken... Winry would kill him. His automail... He sat bolt upright, checking to see that he did, indeed have metal limbs instead of flesh.

Good, he was still safe. For now. Al... I promise that I won't break our promise. Even if I'm a monster. Even if you hate me. I'll get you back to normal.

Ed began to stand. You gave me an arm and a leg. Now I'll use them to stand up.

Stop running.

Not yet.

I can last a little longer.

Ed looked around, seeing only piles of rubble and skulls, all half submerged in the liquid. Looking closer, he realised that it was awfully dark for water. Too dark, in fact. Just then, he became aware of a smell that he had missed before because of his panic over his automail.

"Iron... Wait, this is blood?" He choked, staring at the blood that was dripping off his hand. He thought back to everything that happened. Last thing he remembered, Gluttony was about to swallow them...

"No way! I'm in Gluttony's stomach!" He realised.

One of us.

Why?