Of Lust and Wrenches
Ember Sunblaze: Welcome back! Hope everyone is having a fantastic summer vacation! I know I'm not! Kidding, kidding….but with all seriousness I've been busy with summer classes this summer so it's been hard for me to find time to update. However, next week is my last week of summer classes, so I should have more extra time to spend on this story.
As Neusuada pointed out in a review, I did accidentally confuse Alexander's name in the last chapter. For some bloody reason I swear his name was Napoleon. My bad! Sorry about mistake folks!
Also, some people have been asking about if Greeling is going to make an appearance in the story….I'm sorry guys but that's something you're just going to have to wait and see what happens lol xp
Once again, thank you all for your wonderful reviews. Keep them coming! My goal is to have this story make it over the 200 review mark! We can make that happen people! And thanks for the cyber cookies!
Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.
Chapter 11: Fallen Tears
BOOM!
Glass rained down upon him as Ling jumped from the second story window, leaving behind Wrath and Gluttony. He landed on his feet, the impact slightly stunning him. Grimacing with pain, he slowly got up and ran, Lan Fan's limp body falling over his shoulders.
From the broken window, Wrath looked down at him with a frown. "A smoke bomb and a grenade all in one? That reckless fool is beginning to annoy me." He turned away, descending down the steps of the building. Gluttony followed close behind. "Do you think you can follow his scent?" he asked, turning to the large homunculus.
"Yep!" Gluttony replied, licking his chops eagerly.
"Where's Scar?"
"I heard he was in Sector 8!"
"Sector 8? But that can't be! I just got orders from headquarters to report to Sector 11!"
"Are you all deaf?! I can hear the fighting from just down the block! That's where Scar is!"
"That can't be right! Fuhrer Bradley blocked off that section! He said no one is to enter until he gives the all clear. That includes military personal!"
Lust ignored the whispers and rumors floating around as groups of confused soldiers scurried to locate the rampaging Scar. In the midst of it all, Lust weaved her way through darkened alleys, keeping to the shadows as she made her way toward the battlefront.
"Wrath must not want any of his soldiers interfering." Lust whispered, skirting quickly into the safety of an alley as another horde of soldiers ran past, frantic looks upon their faces. "Good. It's not like they would be of any use against Scar. It's better to leave this to the professionals."
"Lust you still never told me who Scar is!"
Lust sighed, annoyance already building up.
Her keen gaze fell on the barricade that stood over the entrance to Sector 8. With a quick glance around she bounded over swiftly, ignoring the barrier and entering the blocked off alley. Seeing the broken debris and shambles that was scattered around, she figured they were getting close. The loud rumble of an explosion in the distance, seemed to confirm her theory.
Lust wasn't the only one to hear it. Winry, too, felt the vibrations of the nearby attack. Unease settled in Winry, glancing up at a thin puff of smoke rising up in the alley a several yards away from where they stood. "What is going on here? Is Ed really in danger from this Scar person?"
As Lust made her way through the alley, she felt an uncomfortable tug from inside, making it difficult to walk forward. She gave a frustrated sigh, fighting back the urge to curse. "This is no time for games girl! We have a job to do."
"I don't care!" Lust reared back slightly, taken aback by Winry's harsh tone. "I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers. I'm tired of being left in the dark!" Winry glared at up at Lust, face set determinedly. "Now tell me! Who is Scar? Why are we after him? And most importantly, WHY IS HE AFTER EDWARD?!"
Winry waited for Lust's response, cheeks reddening from anger. Lust stared at her for a moment longer, before finally stating, "Fine. I'll tell you. But we have to move." Winry blinked, taken aback by Lust's answer.
Once Winry loosened her control over her limbs, Lust began to talk as they made their way quietly through the alley.
"Scar an Ishvalan survivor." is Lust began quietly. "A monk turned warrior after the war ended. For the past few months he's been on the move, murdering State Alchemists all across Amestris. " Lust peeked around the corner of an alley, continuing her trek once she saw it was deserted. Winry listened with bated breath as she continued. "That's why he's after Fullmetal and the reason why we're after Scar." She sent Winry a warning glare. "And don't even bother asking why we need Fullmetal alive. That's the least of your concern."
However, delving deeper into the Homunculi's secret was the last thing on Winry's mind. The world seemed to freeze as the words 'murder' and 'State Alchemist' rang out. Ed's being hunted down? This Scar person wants to kill Ed? This can't be happening."
"I…I don't understand. Why would Scar want to kill Edward? I mean… he's a State Alchemist….but he didn't do anything wrong!"
"Fullmetal is a soldier of Amestris. Forever signed on as a dog of the military." Lust replied, her voice void of emotion. "As far as Scar's concerned, that's good enough reason to kill."
"But…." Winry argued, a desperate edge to her voice. "I know soldiers have done terrible…horrible things…" Images of her dead parents flashed before her eyes, their retreating backs as they left their home and daughter for the very last time. Another flashback appeared, this time of Winry watching Ed's retreating back. Winry clutched her chest, a sharp pain shooting through her at the thought of losing Edward just like her parents. "But Edward isn't like that. For goodness sake we were both little kids when that happened! HE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT STUPID WAR!"
Lust stopped, turning a cool gaze down at the frantic girl. "Did the State Alchemists care who they killed in the war?" Winry looked up silently, blue eyes wide. "No, so why should Scar care about who he kills?"
Lust continued to stare at Winry, her tone hardening as she spoke. "State Alchemists slaughtered the people of Ishval ruthlessly, drenching their so called holy land in blood; following the orders of their higher ups without a second thought. Truly like the dogs they are named after. It just shows how mindless you humans are."
"Scar wants to soak his hands in the blood of the people who invaded his land and killed his people. That is what revenge is."
"That doesn't make it right!" Winry yelled, temper rising.
"Pathetic girl." Lust remarked icily. "Keep thinking like that and you're sure to wind up killed someday. Not that it would matter. The world has no room for people that are weak." She glared down at Winry darkly. "Its human nature to want to take back what someone has taken from you. Everyone seems to get that, except you."
"Killing isn't going to bring them back!" Winry argued, hand's clenching at her side. "Especially someone who's innocent in all of this!"
Lust gave a dark, humorless chuckle. "Innocent? Trust me, no one is innocent in this world. Everyone has their sins…Even you." Before Winry could answer, another blast erupted from an alley nearby. Lust glanced in the direction of the fighting, smiling slightly. "Looks like the bloodbath's already begun."
"ED!" Winry yelled, panic rising within her. She turned to Lust, blue eyes wide with fear. "Lust, we have to hurry!" She made a desperate attempt to make her body move, but to no avail.
Lust quirked an eyebrow at the frantic girl. "Relax girl. Fullmetal's not dead yet. He may suck at fighting, but he isn't that bad. Remember our main priority is destroying Scar. That's not going to happen if you rush in like some crazy bitch. We have to lead Scar to where Gluttony and Wrath are waiting."
"I don't care about Scar!" Winry replied impatiently. "Look. I just want to make sure Edward doesn't get killed. I mean, isn't that important to you? Isn't Edward supposed to be some kind of sacrifice or something?"
"True. Keeping Fullmetal alive is important." Lust agreed, making her way slowly toward the sound of the fighting. "But he's not going to get himself killed right away. It's not like this is his first time fighting Scar."
Lust paused, feeling shock radiating from the girl within her. She turned to her curiously. "What? You didn't know?"
"No…" Winry muttered quietly. "I didn't." It suddenly came to Winry - the last two times Edward and Alphonse had called on her services. Edward returning home with his automail totally destroyed with no explanation. Him calling her to Central to fix his arm yet again, refusing to tell her what had happened. "Was Edward's automail destroyed because he was fighting a crazy psycho? Dammit! Why didn't I realize this before?!" Winry growled, berating herself. A sudden thought gave to her, instantly sobering her mood. "Why didn't he tell me? Me and Granny are like his family. He should have told us that he was in trouble."
"I don't understand. Why couldn't Edward say anything? I could have helped him….maybe made his automail a little bit stronger….something." Lust listened to Winry's lament with little interest. "Why did he have to leave me in the dark?"
"Doesn't he trust me?" Bitterness tinging her thoughts.
"Guess he doesn't trust you as well as you thought he did." Lust commented, smirking slightly as if reading Winry's thoughts. Winry didn't answer. The two girls could hear themselves getting closer to the fighting. Lust stopped at the entrance to the next alley, looking down it.
Two soldiers were lying unconscious on the ground, a dribble of blood oozing from one's head. Lust ignored them, her senses instead focusing on the sound of battling going on in the nearby alley. Winry, however, looked down at the soldiers worriedly. "Are they dead?" she inquired quietly.
"Most likely just knocked out." Lust answered, her tone expressing deep indifference. Lust walked past the soldiers, looking up as the three alchemists came into view. Alphonse stood closest to them, large armored body blocking Scar's path. Edward stood on the other side, leaving Scar in between them.
Winry was shocked to see Edward's condition. Bleeding and breathing heavily, he stood facing Scar with an angry expression. Their battling had ceased for the moment, both Scar and the Elric Brothers seemingly in a deep discussion. Neither of them seemed to notice the homunculus watching them. Taking this as her cue, Lust crept closer, snippets of their talk reaching her ears.
"It's true Scar...State Alchemists have made some serious mistakes." Lust and Winry heard Edward say, golden eyes glaring at Scar. "But despite what you think, that doesn't make what you're doing right! We can't let you continue!"
"Fullmetal's sure full of himself, isn't he?" Lust remarked. Winry remained silent, listening intently. Something wasn't right…she could feel it. Edward had never sounded this angry before.
"You're so self-righteous...but do you remember two Amestris doctors named Rockbell!?"
Lust felt Winry stiffen, confusion radiating from her. "Rockbell? Could he mean..." She quickly glanced back to Scar and saw a look of surprise flash in his face, similar to Winry's. It was then that she noticed something else. Her eye's widened slightly, when she realized someone had spotted them. The younger Elric, Alphonse, was staring at her, his red orbs wide with panic.
"The order came down to end the uprising and exterminate Ishaval but that didn't stop them. They kept right on helping your people!"
"Wait Brother!" Alphonse called out, turning away from Lust and Winry quickly.
"Don't you remember them? Those doctors saved your life! AND YOU KILLED THEM!"
It was as if the world had stopped. Those words hung in the air like dust from an explosion, shaking the inhabitants from their very core. Lust only had a moment to blink, before she realized Winry had taken over. She didn't fight it. Lust knew when to fight her battles, and she somehow she knew this was a fight she couldn't win. "Besides", Lust thought, as she observed the confusion, sadness, and could it be….fury radiating from Winry, "This could be a battle that needs to be fought."
"Brother!" Alphonse yelled, pointing towards Winry.
Edward blinked confusingly, glancing down the alley to his left. His golden eyes widened once they caught sight of Winry standing a few feet away. "Winry!?"
"What are you talking about Ed?" Winry asking quietly, staring at him with wide eyes. She turned her attention to Scar. "This man killed my parents?"
"I…uh..." Edward stuttered, at a loss for words, staring back at Winry with guilt.
"You mean he's the man…the one who killed them…my parents? He killed them? What's worst, they saved you and you killed them?!" Winry took a good look at the Ishvalan standing before her. From his tattooed arms to the old war scar across his face, no doubt healed by the caring hands of her parents. The ache in her chest returned, the same ache she had as she watched her parents walk away for the last time. The ache that she thought she had buried a long time ago right after her parents funeral.
"We won't be away too long. You be a good little girl okay?"
"Your father and I will be back before you know it."
The voices of the past seem echoed within Winry, amplifying the pain. She fell to her knees; the world starting to spin around her. "Why did you murder mom and dad?" She asked in a daze. "What did they ever do to you? They were doctors. They helped people." Winry's voice cracked, as her eyes filled up with tears. "They didn't deserve to die!" She clutched her head, body shaking with sobs. "Give them back! Give me back my mom and dad you MONSTER!"
Throughout all this Lust listened and watched, mindful of Winry's reactions. Why do humans hold the hope of their loved one's returning even when the evidence of their passing is so clearly before their eyes? It made her sick to see the girl like this, sobbing and a complete wreck.
Lust's mind drifted to the memory of Winry with her mother, how happy they had looked together…
She blinked, an idea occurring to her. Her mission right now was to kill Scar. That much was clear. It was out of the question for her to fail again, not when she had already let Scar get away once. With Winry in control like this, there was no way she could defeat him. "Unless…" she frowned, glancing towards Winry who still had tears still falling down her face.
Scar killed her parents. Winry must feel some hatred towards him. No…Lust knew that Winry, or at least a small part of her, hated the murderer. She could feel it deep within the girl, smoldering and burning deep in the depths of Winry's despair, waiting to ignite. Scar would die. That Lust was sure of. All she needed to do was fan the flames.
"If Winry and I must work together," thought Lust. "I need her to be stronger. This could be the only way that can happen."
"Get up Winry." Lust ordered roughly.
Winry remained in her bowed position, a small sob escaping from her. Lust growled slightly, opening her mouth to make a biting remark. However, she stopped herself, taking a calming breath. In a quieter tone, she began speaking to Winry, hoping her words would get through to the girl.
"Winry you need to get up. You can't let Scar get to you. You have to be stronger than this!" Lust exclaimed, violet eyes flashing angrily.
"I can't."Winry whispered hoarsely, not looking up. "I feel so hurt…so sad….so angry. But there's nothing I can do about it. Nothing I can do to bring them back to me!" Lust keen gaze caught Winry's body shaking, whether from anger or sadness she couldn't tell. "Not a damn thing!"
"You could kill him."
Winry's eyes flew open, caught off guard by the suggestion. Lust continued in an even, reasonable tone. "You and I may not agree on many things, Winry. But that anger, that hate you're feeling right now is something I can understand. Don't let go of that anger, use it to take down Scar."
"No...I…can't." Winry began slowly, the meaning of Lust's words beginning to sink in.
"Yes you can!" Lust urged, voice rising. "You are right that killing Scar won't bring your parents back. But killing him will bring you peace. Your parents are dead and Scar is still living and breathing. Do you really think that's fair?"
Winry wanted to argue with the homunculus, wanted to yell and scream at the horrid woman to leave her alone, but couldn't find the will to do so. In fact, she couldn't even think of an actual reason to do so.
After all…was it fair that Scar got live when her parents couldn't? Her parents helped people, saved lives, made the world a better place but were now rotting in the ground…cold….dead...gone….
Slowly and wordlessly, Winry started to rise up from her crouching position. A mere few feet away Ed and Al stared at their friend with wide, frightened eyes, unaware of the inner turmoil going through Winry's head. Likewise, Scar watched the girl with expression unreadable.
And was it fair that their murderer…who killed them in cold-blood after they selflessly saved his life…was still walking around…threatening to take away everything else she loved in this world? Silently, Winry lifted her hand up and stared at it with glazed eyes.
Edward gazed darted from Winry to the hand she was staring at, realization dawning on him. "Winry! No!" He ordered, voice trying to stay calm. "Whatever you're thinking right now, don't do it!"
"Winry!" Alphonse exclaimed, fear filling his voice.
Through the haze of jumbled thoughts and piecing agony, Lust's voice cut through Winry like a spear, blocking out any others. "What Scar did to you was horrible and unforgivable, Winry. You have a right to get your revenge on him. You have the power to within you to do so. He's already killed your parents and many other people. Who else will be next on his list….you….EDWARD?!"
"No." Winry growled, finally lifting her head up, revealing her normally beautiful blue eyes, narrowed into deadly, slits. Even though tears still shone within them, a cold fire of rage had burst within their depths. She lifted her hands up, pointing a finger straight at Scar.
"Winry! Stop! Put your hand down now!" Edward pleaded, begging her to quit. "Please!"
"You know you don't want to do this!" Alphonse yelled.
"This girl is the doctors' daughter?" Scar, who had remained silent throughout this, finally spoke as he glared at the young girl before him. "You have the right to be angry at me. However," he added, his tone growing dark. "If you stand in my way, you will become my enemy."
"Scar!" Alphonse yelled, anger filling his voice at the threat to his friend.
"If you think I'll let you hurt one hair on her head!" Edward growled, glancing away from Winry and back at Scar.
"Are you going to let him talk down to you like that?" Lust purred into her ears, her silky voice filling her with encouragement. "Do it Winry. Cleanse the world of this piece of scum!"
"I mean it Scar! Don't you lay a hand on her or I'll…"
"Ed, don't."
Edward stopped midsentence, both him and Scar turning back the girl in front of them. Ed felt his heart plummet at the look of pure hatred on her face as she glared at Scar. An expression that reminded him all too much of a certain homunculus.
"Leave Scar to me Ed. He's my problem now." She remarked, her voice cold and distant.
"What in the world are you talking about?" Ed asked, confusion lacing his voice.
More tears streamed down her face as she spoke, her voice filled with a mixture of sorrow and anger. "He killed my parents….he's hurt both you and Al….I'm not going to let him hurt anyone anymore. You and Al just go."
"I'm not going anywhere!" Edward yelled angrily. "Winry, you don't know what you're talking about! This isn't you!"
"Don't listen to him, Winry." Lust whispered, "Fullmetal doesn't understand. He didn't even tell you about your parents' murderer in the first place. This is what you deserve to do. Scar killed your parents without a second thought and now it's your turn to do the same. Don't let him live to see another day!"
"Winry!" Edward yelled, realization dawning on him. "Don't you dare listen to her! Whatever she's telling you, just block it out!" His golden orbs locked onto her own blue ones, pleading with them. "Please Winry… you know what's right!"
"I'm sorry Ed." A look of anguish came upon her face. "BUT I HAVE TO DO THIS!" Five razor-sharp nails flew out, all aiming right at Scar. With lightening quick reflexes, Scar opened his palm up to blast them away, when a sudden red blur flew in front of him, standing in his way…
"ED! DON'T!" Alphonse screamed.
"WINRY STOP!" Lust ordered quickly, keen eyes widening.
"NOOOOOOO!"
Silence filled the alley, everyone frozen in place as they stared at the scene before them. Edward stood in front of Scar, with Winry's nails stopped inches from his face. Despite his near death experience, he didn't look scared. He stood like a statue, unmoving, blocking Winry's attack from hitting Scar.
"That idiot." Lust hissed, relieved that Winry had managed to stop herself in time.
Behind him, Scar stood rigid with shock. His normally dark expression was shaped into one of surprise and absolute disbelief at not only finding his mortal enemy standing before him, saving him from being stabbed, but also finding the girl attacking him having the exact same powers as the woman he had met in the sewers of North City. "What is going on here?"
But no one in the alley was as surprised as the attacker herself. The façade of anger was long gone from the girl, to be replaced by a look of absolute horror. The fire had died from her eyes, leaving them wide and terrified at the sight in front of her; her claws stopped just inches away her friend. If Lust hadn't called out…..if she hadn't stopped herself in time….she could have….
"Oh my god….what have I done?" Winry cried, nausea overwhelming her.
For a moment, no one moved, too shocked at what had occurred. Alphonse was the first one to come to his senses. He yelled, aiming a kick at Scar. Still in shock, Scar ducked, jumping backwards. He lifted his hand, blowing a hole into the alley wall and escaped.
"Brother you idiot!" Alphonse yelled, giving his brother an angry glare. "I'm going after him. Take care of Winry!" With that said, the suit of armor followed the Ishvalan, leaving the two teens alone.
Edward sighed, turning his attention to Winry. "Winry?" he asked cautiously, making note that her claws were still extended. "Are you okay?"
"That man….he killed my mom and dad…..he attacked all those alchemists….he tried to kill you! But you still…you still saved him. Why?! Winry screamed, tears running down her face. "I could have killed you…WHY DID YOU STOP ME?"
"Because you're not a killer." Ed answered, gaze resting on her. "And I'm not going to watch you become one."
"Why shouldn't I?" Winry asked, voice trembling. "He took their lives away. Shouldn't I have the right to do the same? To take back what I lost? Equivalent exchange."
"It doesn't work that way." Ed replied quietly. "You won't gain anything from following that path. Equivalent exchange doesn't work with human lives."
The tips of Winry's fingers stretched farther, forcing Ed to take a quick step back. He looked up and saw Winry glaring at him, hurt and sadness reflecting in her eyes. "You're wrong Edward! Lives can be measured! My parents spent their lives saving people. What has Scar done? Nothing but murdering innocent people. He deserves to die! It's my right to kill him. To stop him!" Winry closed her eyes, trying to stop the angry tears that spilled from them. "EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THIS, BUT YOU!"
"TELL ME WINRY!" Edward yelled, throwing caution to the wind and taking an angry step towards her. "IS THAT YOU TALKING OR LUST!?" Winry's eyes flew open, his words cutting right through her. "This isn't who you are. You're better than this. You're right that Scar done some terrible things and he needs to be punished." His voice softened, his golden eyes staring directly into hers. "But not by you. You're not meant to hurt people Winry."
"How do you know?" Winry asked, voice trembling. "How do you even know who I am?" She thought back to fighting Kotetsu and how just a moment ago she her claws had almost cut through Scar. "I've changed." She whispered, barely audible.
Ed was silent, his expression unreadable. Then to both Lust and Winry's surprise, he reached out and wrapped his hand around the tip of Winry's claw. She inhaled sharply, his touch sending unexpected shivers to run through her. Tightening his hold on her, Edward started to make his way towards her, his voice speaking softly to her.
"You may think she isn't there anymore. But you're wrong, she's there. I can see it. The Winry I know, she helps people without asking for anything in return. She gives them strength when the world is falling apart around them." Ever so slowly, Edward moved forward step by step, his hand pushing her claws down as they slowly withdrew, his words soothing her. Even Lust listened, his words having the opposite effect on her, his hand on her nails causing her body to scream out in protest.
"She cares for everyone with all her heart, but can throw a hell of a wrench if she has keep someone in line. She cries because the people around her aren't strong enough to do it themselves." He knelt down next to her, caressing her hands against his own, his voice barely more than a whisper. "These hands…they delivered a baby back in Rush Valley. They gave me an arm and leg to replace the ones I lost. They're meant to give life, not take it away."
The two teens sat still, Edward's hands still wrapped around hers, which were now back to normal. Winry bowed her head, gaze looking away from him. "That girl's gone. I'm not the person you once knew Ed." Her eyes watered, a single tear drop falling onto the back of her palm. "These hands don't belong to me anymore."
She felt Edward's grip tighten on her hand, he tone hardening. "That's not true Win. This will always be your body. These hands belong to you! Don't let her take that away from you."
Edward eye's widened when Winry flew into his chest, silent sobs raking her body. Taking off his cloak, he clumsily draped it over her shoulders, wrapping his arms around her awkwardly as her hands clutched his shirt while tears rolled down her face. He let her cry her sorrow out, his hand rubbing her back soothingly. Finally, he felt her shoulders stop trembling.
"Ed?" Winry asked, voice barely audible.
"Yes?" Ed answered quickly, relieved her tears had stopped.
"It's too late for me." Ed opened his mouth to say something, but stopped as Winry continued. "The longer I stay in this body, the more I lose control. Just look at what I did…." He heard a sob escape her voice. "At what I could have done! I'm losing this battle Ed. And in the end, I'll just turn into a…"
"Don't say it." Edward growled, gripping Winry's shoulders. "I won't let you give up!"
"Please Ed, just go." Winry said quietly, not looking at him. "I don't want to hurt you."
"I'M NOT GOING TO LET THE PERSON I LOVE TURN INTO A MONSTER!" Edward yelled, not thinking. He blinked, his month falling open as he realized what word had escaped his mouth. He looked down, hoping Winry hadn't noticed. To his dismay, she had lifted her head up and was staring up at him, blue eyes blinking curiously.
"Did you say….love?"
"Aggrrrrhhh!" Lust screamed, eyes narrowing into a painful slits as memories bombarded her. Images of Edward, Winry, and Al as children, playing together and having fun. Their memories of past lives, all hitting Lust at incredible speeds, completely overwhelming her. "Control yourself girl!" Lust hissed, trying to keep control of all these emotions.
Winry, however, seemed oblivious to the dilemma Lust was in, too focused on the alchemist in front of her. A warm sensation was spreading through her chest, making her heart flutter as she gazed into his eyes; those eyes that can chill a person to the bone or flare with the hottest flame. She looked up at him, waiting for his response.
Edward, on the other hand, seemed unable to speak. The muscles in his face twitched involuntarily, while nervous sweat dripped down. The more she looked at him, the harder it was, the tears from earlier making her sapphire eyes sparkle brighter than ever. A brilliant blush lit his face.
"I….uhhh…you see…I mean….uhhh?" Edward stuttered, his condition only worsening as she moved closer to him. Or was he moving closer to her? He couldn't tell, the air around him felt unusually warm, making his head feel dizzy. "Winry….I"
She had to get out, a burning sensation was stifling her, making it hard to breath. The sensation was too much. She was drowning in it. His presence only making it stronger, more powerful. She couldn't fight it. She had to get out! She had to get away!
"GET AWAY FROM ME!"
Edward screamed, clutching the side of his face as Lust latched out, nails raking his skin. Like a spooked animal, she jumped up, fleeing deeper into a connecting alley.
"Wait!" Ed yelled, removing his blood soaked hand away from his eye. "Come back! Winry!" He heard her footsteps growing dim, already fading away. He punched the ground, teeth grinding in frustration. "Nice going, you idiot." He muttered angrily. Even as dim as he was, even he couldn't miss the flash of hurt in her eyes before her soul was taken over.
Back in Fuery's apartment, Riza and Roy sat around the radio, listening for news about the battle below. It seemed the military had finally pinpointed the location Scar, despite the two's efforts to stall. Now all they could do was wait for an opportunity to strike.
"We've spotted the Fullmetal Alchemist on the battle scene. A young girl was seen fleeing the scene. Identity Unknown. I repeat a civilian was seen fleeing the battle zone."
"Young girl?" Riza repeated, taking off her headsets and glancing at Roy. "You don't think…."
"Let's go." Roy spoke abruptly, rising to leave. Riza's hand shot up, catching hold of the Colonel's sleeve. He paused, looking down at her curiously. "Lieutenant?"
"Sir, I think it would be best if I go alone." Riza prompted, keeping a firm hold on his arm.
"Nonsense." Roy growled, shaking his head. "Not with Lust down there. It's too dangerous."
"What about your cover?" Riza replied, eyes narrowing.
"Scar is down there after one of my men!" The Colonel argued, growing impatient. "I'm sure no one would find it suspicious for me to be on the battle front!"
"And what about the homunculus? What will you do if one of them show up?" Riza reminded him, her stern gaze burning into him. "We're not supposed to know anything about them!" Roy blinked, not sure of how to answer. "I believe it was you who told Fullmetal how important it was to stay low." Riza reminding him bluntly. "Maybe you should follow your own advice."
The Colonel growled, eye's glancing toward the door angrily. The hold on his arm tightened. He looked down and saw Riza's intense gaze hardening. "There are more important things at hand sir."
"Fine." Roy muttered darkly, finally breaking. "But wear a disguise." He ordered, pointing a finger at the closet in the back of the small apartment. "Your position is at stake just as much as mine."
"Right." Riza nodded curtly, turning to rummage through the clothes they had stashed in case of emergencies such as this. She selected a long white lab coat, along with a pair of thick eye glasses.
"You know where to meet at." Roy said, nodding his approval at her choice. "Remember, don't be followed."
"Okay." Riza replied, already knowing the drill. She walked to the door, glancing back at him one last time. "If something goes wrong, I'll let you know."
No reply came from the Colonel who had turned his attention back to the radio. She shut the door quietly behind her. The room remained silent for several seconds, the only sound coming from the dial up of the radio.
"HEY SIR! PLEASE STAY OUT OF THE FIELD!" Riza yelled, slamming the door open once more and surprising the Colonel.
"I know Lieutenant. Now go." Roy answered, giving her a weary, yet genuine smile.
"Damn ! Another dead end!" Ling cursed, staring at the large brick wall before him. He turned, his squinty eyes scanning the roof tops for a sign of Gluttony. He had been determined following close behind them, tracing the scent of blood that the Prince left behind.
Sensing Gluttony was not yet upon them, Ling quickly back tracked, running down a different alley. He hoped the alley would lead them somewhere, anywhere away from the homunculus.
"Wha…what happened to me?" Ling hear Lan Fan whisper as she slowly regained consciousness.
"You got hurt, but you're fine." Ling answered between puffs of breath as he ran. "Just a little scratch. Nothing you can't handle." He didn't hear a reply. "Lan Fan, what's wrong?" he asked sharply.
"My arm..." Lan Fan gasped, with a hint of panic. "My Lord….I'm useless to you now!"
"What are you talking about?!" Ling demanded, growing angry at her belittling comment.
"You can't burden yourself with me." Lan Fan explained through labored breaths. "If you do, they'll only get you too! A king is no king without his people, but a people without their king would be lost as well! You can't do that to them! My lord, think of our clan!" Lan Fan begged, tears falling from her face and landing next to the blood spots on the ground. "You must live for their sake!"
"I won't leave you!" Ling replied stubbornly, his hold on her tightening as if he thought she would break free. Unease filled the prince at the silence that followed his statement. "Lan Fan?"
"Sometimes someone must be left behind." She whispered softly, pulling a cloth over her mouth. She took out her kunai and twirled it so the point was pointing directly at her. "For the greater good!"
"LAN FAN! WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING?!" Ling yelled, fear gripping him as he saw the light reflecting off a blade at the corner of his eye. "NO DON'T DO IT! LAN FAN!"
Lust ran, trying to get as much distance as possible from her and Fullmetal. The burning sensation was slowing easing up, leaving her sweaty and breathing heavily. She stumbled into a deserted alley, using its brick wall as support. She closed her eyes, trying to take deep, calming breaths. She had never experienced anything like that before, and she wasn't sure how to deal with it.
"Lust what's going on?!" Winry asked, confusion and anger tinging her voice. "Why did you hurt him like that!?"
"Because Fullmetal needs to learn how to keep his distance!" Lust growled half-heartily, her tone sounding more weary than threatening. Something Winry noticed quickly.
"Are you okay?" Winry asked, looking closely at Lust's hazard expression.
"Do I look okay to you?!" Lust snapped, leaning her head against the cool wall. In a more tired tone she asked, "Didn't you feel it too?"
"I'm not sure what you're talking about." Winry said, tilting her head slightly.
"Never mind. Just forget about it." Lust pushed herself off the wall, taking a few steps forward. "We have to hurry and get after Scar. I can't let him get away again. That damn Fullmetal already wasted enough of our time." She paused, feeling the familiar tug of Winry.
"No." Winry said, her tone quiet.
"No? What do you mean 'no'?" Lust hissed in frustration. "I thought we already went through this! He killed your parents!"
"I know." Winry said, her voice trembling slightly. "And it hurts." She took a deep breathe, continuing. "But Edward's right. This isn't who I am."
"Winry please, you're not actually going to fall for…." Lust's remark was cut short by a loud rattling sound.
"What's that noise?" Winry asked curiously, looking around. Lust turned, walking deeper into the alley. She passed a corner, coming to a dead end. The only thing that laid in her path was a rounded manhole. As she drew nearer, it was getting clear that the source of the strange noise was coming from the hole.
"What the…" Lust exclaimed, before she jumped back claws extending slightly as the lid to the hole slid open. A dark haired, girl pushed herself through, collapsing onto the ground in exhaustion.
"Lan Fan!" Winry cried, recognizing the abnormal ninja outfit the girl usually adored.
"You!" Lust hissed, also remembering the girl.
At the sound of Lust's voice Lan Fan looked up, black eyes widening at as they fell on the blonde in front of here. "No….not you." She whimpered, clearly in pain.
Winry gaze wandered over the Xing girl, falling on her blood soaked side. She saw Lan Fan clutching a piece of clothing on to a wound near where are left arm was…wait…her arm….? Winry gasped, her stomach sinking as the memory of Alphonse holding Edward in her doorway, his arm missing and bleeding out came to her. "Her arm….it's missing!"
"Looks like she's met up with Wrath." Lust observed, expression steely. She turned away, heading towards the exit.
"Wait! What are you doing?!" Winry demanded angrily. "We can't just leave her!" Winry looked back, taking notice of Lan Fan staring at her warily, the fabric covering her wound already soaked through with blood. "She's still bleeding! If we don't help her, she could die!"
"Not our problem." Lust replied simply.
"Lust please!" Winry begged, staring at Lust's weak form. "I have to do this! I CAN'T LET HER DIE!" she looked down at her trembling hands, eyes saddened. "I've already done so much today. I've almost destroyed a life with these hands. Please Lust, I just need to do this one thing. To prove to myself I'm not losing who I am." Lust eyes widened at these words, for it was the same thing she most feared about this new body. Winry continued, not aware of Lust's feelings. "I know you may not understand, but….it's something I feel I have to do to!"
Lust was silent for a moment, pondering. "If I let you help your friend….afterwards we have to go fight Scar. No objections. We still have a mission and I intend to get it done. Do we have an agreement?"
"I…yes…okay." Winry reluctantly agreed. She bowed her head slightly, a small show of thanks. "Okay Lust I promise."
"Fine." Lust replied curtly, not used to coming to agreements with the girl. She turned around, walking towards Lan Fan, who had been watching the homunculus carefully, like a wounded animal watching its attacker. Seeing Lust approached her, Lan Fan gave a feral growl, using her one good hand to reach down and grab her kunai, holding it up threatening.
"Stay…away…from me!" Lan Fan hissed, teeth clenched in pain.
Lust quirked an unamused eyebrow. "You humans really don't know when to give up do you?" She knelt down next to Lan Fan, ignoring the kunai. "Look girl, believe or not I'm actually here to help you. I'm afraid you're not going to get very far fighting me in your condition. My blades are slightly bigger than yours." Lust commented, extending her nails. At the sight of them, Lan Fan paled, her expression turning fearful.
"Lust! Put those away! You're supposed to be helping her, not scaring her!" Winry berated. She turned to Lan Fan. "Lan Fan. It's okay. It's me, Winry. We won't hurt you I promise. We just want to help you."
Lan Fan made a choking sound, her dark eyes widening as they gazed at Lust, sensing the young mechanic's chi. "Winry? You're…." Lan Fan's head slumped over, as she started to lose consciousness from the blood loss. "Alive?"
"Oh no! Lan Fan!" Winry cried fearfully. "Quick Lust! We have to hurry!"
For once, Lust seemed totally lost. "What….what do I do?!"
"Here let me take over." Winry urged. Sensing Lust's hesitation, she added "As soon as I'm done, you can have it back!" Winry said, rolling her eyes. Once she was in control, she rushed over, kneeling down and examining her missing limb. From what she could tell, it was a smooth amputation. The arm was most likely being removed with a sharp instrument like a sword or knife. It was then quickly wrapped together with what looked like someone's vest. The patch job was rough at best and definitely looked like it was done in a hurry. The main issue was to stop the bleeding and apply pressure to the wound.
"We need to cover this up more. This just isn't doing the trick." Winry muttered. Lust watched her work with slight interest. She had seen many people lose limbs before, mostly because it was her who was doing the removing. This was a first for her to actually try to heal someone. She had to admit it was sort of exciting in a way.
"How are you going to do that?" Lust asked, eyes darting around. "We don't really have any instruments."
Winry paused, thinking. Her hands found their way to her shoulders, feeling the soft fabric of Edward's red cloak, which he had left with her. Sadness filled her eyes, before they were quickly replaced with determination. She yanked the cloak off, covering the wound with it. Silently she began to the procedure of tying the cloak around the wound, tying it into complicated knots to make sure it stayed on and make sure it applied the right amount of pressure to stop the bleeding.
They were silent, Winry busy concentrating on her job, while Lust watched. Then out of the blue, Winry spoke. "Hey Lust?"
"Hmm?" Lust hummed.
"I want to say I'm sorry." Winry said, not looking up from her work. "In some small way, I believe you wanting me to kill Scar was your way of making me stronger. I think everyone finds their strengths from different ways. Some find it through overpowering others and proving their strength." She tied the last knot, giving it a final pull. "But I believe I have to find my strength in a different way." She smiled, blue eyes shining as she looked at her handiwork. "But thank you for trying anyway."
Lust was silent. For once in her life at a loss on how to respond.
"SCAR GET BACK HERE!" Alphonse clapped his hands to the ground, transmuting a giant brick hand to rise up and try to grab the escaping Ishvalan.
Scar sidestepped, jumping over the hand and landing over the next brick hand that rose above it. Alphonse followed, running up the hand he had created. The two of them landed onto the Central water tower that stood above the railroad track. The two glared at each other, Scar beginning to breathe heavily from fighting with the boys.
"I'm not going to let you get away Scar. Not after what happened back there!" Alphonse growled, his normally gentle voice filled with anger. "You owe my friend an apology for what you've done to her!"
"That girl." Scar murmured, his deep voice troubled. "Is she human or is she another monstrosity created from your people's alchemy?"
"What? Of course she's human!" Alphonse answered heatedly.
"Those powers…I've seen them before, back in North City. However, the demon who bore them was not a creation of God." He noticed the suit of armor stiffen at these words, his red orbs revealing nothing. "I find it strange to find another bearer of those exact abilities, almost as if they were the same being."
"You're wrong. They're different! There not the same!" Alphonse answered, his response leaving no room for arguments. Scar glared at him, unconvinced.
"If they're not the same then tell me, how did a normal human girl get in possession of that sort of power? Are you and your brother like every other alchemists in this country who like to play the hand of God with living creatures?"
"NO!" Alphonse yelled, glaring daggers at Scar. "We would never do that! We would never transmute a living thing!"
"Is that so? Is that why there's nothing inside that armor of yours?" Scar observed, red gaze meeting Alphonse. "You have no body in there do you? You poor boy. Alchemy has trapped you inside that thing and it's turned your friend into a monster! How can you still have faith in it?!"
Scar had no time to say more. At the word 'monster', Alphonse had clapped his hands together and hit one on to the side of the water tank. Scar barely had time to dodge as a large hole formed, spraying a ton of water out of the tower and on to the train court yard. Scar jumped down, landing on the ground nimbly as Alphonse followed.
"Don't you EVER call Winry that again!" Alphonse threatened, standing up to his full height. "We know how she got the way she is, but I know for certain that alchemy will be able to bring her back. As for my body, it may be inconvenient at times, but it's nothing I can't live with. We don't need any pity from anyone, especially you."
Scar frowned, listening as Alphonse continued. "My brother used alchemy to save my life. I believe he could do the same thing to save Winry. I believe in him, just like I believe in alchemy. I can't lose hope, not when my friend's life is at stake."
"Is that so?" Scar growled, putting his hand up to the water that was still pouring down from the tower. Alphonse gasped as steamed burst forth, blinding him. In a second, Scar was on him, raising his hand up to destroy his armor.
"Ahhhhh!" Edward yelled, bursting forth and kicking Scar away from Alphonse.
"Brother! You're here!" Al exclaimed, as Ed landed in his normal at his brother's side. "But where's Winry?"
Edward looked towards Scar, avoiding making eye contact with his younger sibling. "She…she ran away." He mumbled, as if trying to avoid the subject. Alphonse whipped his head around, glaring at his brother.
"What?! What did you say to her?!" Alphonse asked with an accusing tone. Ed's eyes darted to Al, a slight blush tinging his cheeks.
"I didn't say anything to her!" Ed yelled, defending himself.
"Brother! Your face?!" Alphonse exclaimed, just noticing the blood that soaked the left side of side of Edward's face.
"Don't worry, it's just a scratch." Ed mumbled, turning his attention back to Scar. He heard Alphonse give an exasperated sigh next to him.
"You really should be more careful of what you say to her brother." Alphonse commented knowingly.
"I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!" Edward yelled, blonde hair rising up like an angry cat.
"That's the problem." Alphonse mumbled, turning away from him.
"Just forget it." Ed grumbled, getting into a fighting stance as he once again faced Scar. "We'll go after her after we deal with this guy." The three alchemists stood ready, about to end their long fight.
"OH I FOUND YOU! ISHVALAN!" Came an all too familiar voice.
"You again?" Scar growled, looking up to find Gluttony standing on top of the parked train.
"GLUTTONY?!" Both Ed and Al gasped, shocked to find him here. Scar turned to them, red eyes narrowing.
"Friend of yours?"
"Not quite." Edward replied sarcastically.
"He's a homunculus!" Alphonse informed quickly.
"A homunculus?" Scar muttered, glaring back at Gluttony. "That explains everything." He had no time to let this news sink in when Gluttony ran at him, long tongue flopping out of his large mouth. Scar dodged, grabbing Gluttony's head and making his insides to explode. Blood exploded from the homunculus' mouth and eyes, splattering at the Elric Brother's feet. Red light erupted, healing Gluttony's wounds.
Quicker than his large size betrayed, Gluttony tackled Scar from the side, ramming him into the side of the train. "Gluttony going to eat you now!" Gluttony growled, pinning Scar tightly to the locomotive. It was then that both Ed and Al jumped up and kicked Gluttony to the side, knocking him several feet away from the Ishvalan.
Before Ed and Al could make a move, a loud rattling sound came from the manhole next to them. A moment later, Ling exploded from it, sword in mouth and an enraged look in in his eyes.
"It's Ling!" Edward yelled, watching anxiously as Ling fell on top of Gluttony. The Xing Prince growled, pulling out a hand made bomb and sticking it down Gluttony's throat.
"GO! MOVE IT!" Ling yelled, jumping off Gluttony quickly. Ed and Alphonse followed suit, moving as far as possible from the homunculus. A second later, Gluttony looked up with a pained expression.
"Hm." Was the last sound he made before his whole body exploded into millions of pieces. Ed and Al yelped, Gluttony's tongue having landed right near their feet. Slowly, the large homunculus started to rebuild himself.
"Give me some strong cable." Ling ordered, jumping in between Ed and Al.
"Right! On it!" Ed replied, sensing Ling meant business. He sprinted to the train tracks, hands already at work transmuting the pieces of metal. Ling grabbed it, jumping back on top of the homunculus as his body starting growing, skin growing over the masses of bone and tissue that was destroyed.
With great skill Ling began tying the cable around Gluttony, constricting his recovering body. "Your own regenerating abilities is working against you." Ling hissed, pulling the cable tighter as Gluttony gave a cry of pain. "Your flesh won't stop expanding. It'll keep you tied up nice and tight." He stood up tall, roaring with rage. "YOU'RE MINE NOW, HOMUNCULUS!"
Scar limped over, gaze following on Gluttony. "So this is a homunculus…"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Scar let out a cry of pain, as a bullet lodged itself into his leg. Ed and Al turned in surprise to see a car speeding towards them, the driver a pretty blonde with glasses. It only took Ed a second to put two and two together.
As Riza parked, she kept her handgun locked on Scar, keeping him at bay. "Put him in! We're getting out of here!" She barked out.
Ling lowered himself, wrapping his hands around the huge homunculus. Ling gave a roar of pain as he lifted Gluttony up by his cables, dropping him in the back of the vehicle. With beads of sweat pouring down his face, Ling jumped in, sword tip aimed at Gluttony in case he tried to escape.
"Hold on a sec, Ling…" Ed called, holding up a hand to stop them. He paused as Hawkeye glared at him, holding a finger to her lips. "There's already high suspicion that the homunculus could be in correlation with some of the military's higher ups." Roy's voice repeated in his mind. "If that's the case, then we have to proceed with caution. If word got around that we were trying to stop one of their homunculi then they'll do whatever it takes to stop us." So that bastard is trying to help us.
"Wait, what are you…?" Al began, before he was stopped by Ed.
"Al!" Ed said, voice low. "The MP's are watching. Just pretend we don't know her."
Behind them, more military soldiers were pouring into the train yard, guns pointing towards the speeding car. "They're getting away! After them!"
"RIGHT!" The patrol chorused.
Al looked down at Ed in confusion. Out of the corner of his mouth, Ed explained. "The colonel wants to keep his involvement low key, so the military won't catch wind of anything. We can't blow their cover by revealing that was Hawkeye."
"So the colonel is going to help us?" Alphonse asked, hopefully.
"I guess so." Ed muttered, still doubtful. His golden eyes fell back on Scar. "Come on Al. We have something to finish." Alphonse, who had followed his brother's gaze, nodded.
Scar looked up from his crouched position just in time to see an automail fist come flying at him. The Ishvalan grunted as the fist made contact, numbing that side of his face. Ed flipped back as he swung at him, barely missing. Scar dropped to the ground, transmuting the ground beneath him so rocks would rise up after Ed. Ed dodged to the side, leaving him and Al facing Scar together. Scar growled, realizing he was trapped between the two alchemists in front of him and the train to his back.
"We have to get him Al!" Ed yelled, remembering all the hurt this man had brought Winry and the people who had cared for her parents. Both brothers bought their hands together in preparation. "You killed the Rockbells and Nina. Among many others!"
"You're going to answer for your crimes…ahhhh!" Al screamed in surprise as a small girl in braids appeared out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground.
"Al!" Ed yelped, his attention diverted to his fallen brother. It was then he noticed the little girl standing on his chest plate. "Who the hell are you?" he asked, in a slightly stunned voice.
Instead of answering, the girl jumped up and bought her legs together and jumped, landing right onto Edward's face, completely knocking him to the ground along with his brother. She then swirled, getting into a graceful marital arts stance next to Scar.
"Are these two giving you trouble servant?" the girl asked, glaring at the boys. Both of them still laid where they fell, their legs giving painful twitches.
"Why is everyone aiming for my face today?" Ed moaned quietly to himself.
The girl ignored the comment, pointing a threatening finger at the both of them. "This the servant of the man who saved my life! You better leave him alone, puny little boy!"
In a second Edward was up, seething down at her. "WAIT A SECOND! WHO YOU CALLIN PUNY!?" It was then that the soldiers came, surrounding Scar, along with the girl, guns pointing and loaded.
"Hey! Where that kid come from?" one soldier asked, noticing the young girl.
"Get away girl! It's dangerous!" the senior officer barked, pointing a gun straight at Scar's head.
The girl glanced from side to side, her face scrunched in concentration. "They've got us outnumbered." She said, coming to a conclusion. To everyone's surprise, she then pulled out several small kunai. "It's time to retreat!"
With that said, she threw five knifes at the wall of the train and five more on the train compartment next to it. With swift and practiced movements, she quickly drew a strange design that resembled a star on the ground with the tip of her foot, throwing five more knives down. She brought one hand down, causing all three designs to glow blue with alchemic light.
"Is that…" Alphonse whispered.
"Alchemy?" Edward finished, eyes wide as the three designs exploded, causing smoke to surround train yard and completely blinding them.
"What kind of alchemy was that?" Edward gasped, coughing as smoke filled his lungs.
"She did it from that far away?!" Alphonse exclaimed, surprise and a slight admiration tinging his voice. He groped his way, trying to find his brother.
Edward coughed some more, straining his eyes to locate Scar through the smoke. He couldn't let him get away, not after what he put Winry through. "Damn it! I can't see a thing!" Edward cursed. He growled, throwing his head back and giving out an anguished yell. "SCAR!"
"Lust! Lust help me please!" Gluttony whined, his words hardly audible with the coils tightened around his mouth. He sat, unable to move as him and his capturers sped away, dodging traffic at break neck speeds.
Ling crawled up front, setting a hand on Riza's shoulder to get her attention. "Where are we heading?" He yelled, trying to be heard over the noise of the engine.
"Back to the safe house!" Riza replied, keeping her eyes on the road. She felt Ling grip tighten on her arm. Glancing up, she saw Ling looking down at her, his expression desperate.
"Please! We have to turn around!" He yelled, pointing his sword in the direction. "My friend Lan Fan, I left her behind!"
"What?" Riza exclaimed, shaking her head. "No. I'm sorry but we can't! We don't have time."
"Please!" Ling begged. "She got hurt during the fight. She could be dying! I have to go back to pick her up!"
Riza looked from the road to Ling, indecision weighing on her. Was saving a life worth risking the mission? Sighing, she took a sharp left turn, almost overturning the vehicle. "You had better make it quick!"
"Okay we saved your little Xing friend." Lust grumbled grumbly, supporting the unconscious Lan Fan over her shoulders. "Now what do we do with her?"
Winry paused, thinking. In truth, she hadn't really thought that for ahead. Her main goal was to make stop the bodyguard from bleeding to death. Now that the blood flow was stable, at least for the moment, she really didn't know what to do. The young girl was usually always at Ling's side. She had never seen them separated. But then where was he and why had Lan Fan been wandering in the sewage?
"I guess we need to find Ling or Ed." Winry suggested unsurely. "They'll be able to take care of her."
"Oh no." Lust said, cutting down that plan. "We've already wasted enough time looking after this girl! We need to just dump her somewhere and go after Scar!"
"We can't just leave her!" Winry protested.
"Winry wake up! We have no idea where any of your friends are and it's not like they're going to just pop up out of the blue…"
Both Lust and Winry looked up in surprise at the sound of squealing tires reached their ears. A black convertible sped off the street, speeding to a screeching halt, blocking the exit to the alley. Riza was sitting in the driver's seat, while Ling stood in the back. "Ling?"
"I stand corrected." Lust muttered, with a hint of surprise. It was then her eyes fell on the giant mass that lay in the back of the vehicle, wrapped up in coils of metal cable. Gluttony looked up at her, one black eye pleading with her to save him.
"Is that Gluttony?!" Winry asked, also noticing the homunculus being held hostage. "But what is he….LUST WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Winry screamed as Lust extended her claws out, hovering them dangerously close to Lan Fan's exposed neck. A look of pure cold hatred had taken over the girl as she glared over at Ling and Riza who gazed down with mixtures of horror and surprise on their faces.
"Let him go!" Lust hissed, violet eyes blazing a deep red. "LET HIM GO OR I SWEAR I'LL TEAR HER HEAD OFF!"
Please review and tell me what you all thought of the chapter! Hopefully I'll get the next one up as soon as possible!