I just saw the new Transformers movie. GOD DAMB ITS FANTASTIC! 10 thumbs up!
That being said, I thought I might take this moment to inform you about my next Ranma fic: Recreating the World. It's based on the fantastic RPG SMT: Nocturne. My fic depicts the Nerima Wrecking Crew in a post-apocalyptic world, filled with demons. Ranma and the others are trying to make a new world. There will be love, betrayal, corruption, and Kuno-delusions. A word of warning, while there's romance, it will be a considerably darker fic than this one.
Finally, 7000 Hits!
Chapter 12
Redemption and Sin
Ranma fell onto his back, blood gushing from the stump of his left arm, feeling as if it were on fire.
Akane, hearing his screaming, saw that his arm was ripped off. Forgetting Sloth, she dashed over, soon joined by Winry, who had bought some medical tape with her.
As Ranma's stump ceased to bleed, and Winry began to patch him up, Gluttony laughed mockingly. "Is the fem-boy so fragile? Look at you, crawling on the ground, back to your women. I've never seen anything so-"
"Hey Pantyhose,"
Gluttony whipped around at the mention of his old name. "You dare to-"
A mallet came into contact with the homunculus's head. He staggered backwards a few steps. Ranko stood there, holding a hammer labeled 'Mallet of Doom Mark II'.
"You chewed my old body's arm off-"
She punctuated this with another whack!
"-and now you have the audacity-"
Whack!
"-to taunt him-"
Whack!
"-while he's down!??!"
Whack! Whack! Whack! Whack!
"You are without a doubt the most vile, decadent creature on earth!"
Gluttony was beyond rage by now. "I'LL SWALLOW YOU WHOLE, YOU BITCH!"
Gluttony began to shift into his more powerful form. His mouth extended down his chest, his eyes became blank, and a large eye appeared in his enlarged mouth. His ribs began to stretch out, grabbing at Ranko like tentacles.
"Well. This oughtta be fun."
---
Screeech!
Father's crystal blade ground against the sword that Scar was using. Normally, the beast of Ishbal wouldn't use a weapon, but seeing how this man was facing was nowhere near normal, he had to improvise and use a blade that Ed had tossed him.
Father's hair and beard were soaked with sweat. He breathed heavily, swinging again. He and Scar had been at this same routine for quite a while now, ever since Scar had gouged his third eye out.
"You know, Scar, before I learned of this world, you were once a prime candidate for our human sacrifice."
"Hmph. I'm honored."
Scar made a swing at Father's neck, a wound no amount of Philosophers Stones would heal. Father ducked backwards and stabbed at Scar.
"It will all be over if you just accept your death, Scar. I could very well use you as my new second sacrifice, now that the transgender boy is gone. Or I may not. This array could very well work without two sacrifices."
"Then why use a second one?!"
"Better safe than sorry, as you insects say."
Scar swiped at his neck again. "You caused a war, threw my people into turmoil, killed my brother, and caused me to force myself to hunt down innocent lives for revenge."
Scar stood several feet away from Father and pointed his sword at him.
"I can never forgive you for that."
---
Ed dug his automail arm into Envy's gut. The Philosopher's Stone that kept Envy alive immediately activated, healing the wound. Envy smirked. Despite their opposition, he respected Ed, so he was going to give him a choice of how to die, the same choices he gave Ling long ago.
He stretched his arm, wrapping it around Ed's neck several times. His hand transformed into that of a cobra, making Envy's arm, for all intents and purposes, a snake. His other arm shifted into a long machete.
"So how would you like to die, Fullmetal Pipsqueak? Would you like to be strangled…"
He tightened his hold.
"Bitten…"
The cobra hissed.
"Or sliced up?"
Light reflected off the machete.
Ed just glared angrily.
"Don't call me pipsqueak, you Palm Tree."
"DID YOU JUST CALL ME-"
"TENCHI AMIGURIKEN!"
Envy's eyeballs nearly fell out of his head. His arms slowly retracted from Ed. He stood there unmoving. Ed grinned evilly.
"And three, two, one."
Envy's arms flew to between his legs, the pain finally setting in. His voice was screaming several octaves higher than usual, as one would expect after being kneed in the groin over 100 times in less than a second.
"Ed! Look out!"
At the sound of Al's cry, Ed spun, bringing his arm up for self-defense. Greed's claw ground against it, his eyes ablaze with the fury of battle.
"Ling! Please, snap out of this! You aren't like this!"
Greed cackled insanely.
"I told you before, kid. Ling died long ago. He's gone, and there is only GREED!"
Ed narrowed his eyes. "You disgust me, Ling. I once considered you a friend."
"Do you really think I care, kid? Did your precious friendship save your friend from losing an arm? From your brother losing his body? Face it kid…"
He leaned his face close to Ed's.
"Friendship does not exist."
"Remember Lanfan?"
Greed froze. By mentioning his old bodyguard, Ed seemed to have gotten to him.
"She cut off her arm, to save you from Wrath and the old Gluttony, remember? She may not have said it, but she loved you, and if I know Ling Yao, the eighth prince of Xing, you loved her also. But look at you now- you've become the creature you both tried to kill. You're nothing but scum now."
Greed's- no, Ling's- eyes were wide at this point. His shield retracted from his hand. Ed could see his eyes change colors, from the violet that marked a Homunculus, to the deep green that was Ling's. Ed knew that he had reached the old Ling.
Horror obvious in his eyes, Ling stared at his hands, as if he had never seen them before.
"My god… Ed… you're right… I'm a monster… Lanfan… kill me… please…"
Ling slumped to the ground, back against the wall, tears streaming down his face. Somber-faced, Ed knelt down, placing his hand on Ling's shoulder.
"Ling. My friends need help. I don't care if you stay here or not. It's your choice to make. But please…"
Ed didn't have to say more. He turned his attention back to Envy, who was finally recovering from extreme ball trauma. Ling clenched his fists, eyes filled with determination.
---
The chimera's neck snapped as Mousse tightened his chain. The flow of chimera's finally seemed to be slowing down.
Of course, the last one is always the worst. A huge, three-headed chimera came thundering down the hall, roaring with each of its heads.
Upon seeing this monstrosity, Kuno spun around as he beheaded another chimera. "Alas, I must go and save the fair pigtailed girl and the beautiful Akane Tendo from their gruesome fates! Farewell!"
As the True Blunder of Furinkan High dashed down the corridor, he could hear Ukyo calling out "Coward! COWARD!"
Kuno silently gritted his teeth and shut out her cries. Truth be told, he really came here to rescue his sister. While he did love Akane and the Pigtailed Girl, he held his sister in the highest regard. They may have fought a lot, but he loved her. (a/n: No, you sick freaks, this is not Kunocest!)
He only hoped that he would get there in time.
---
Kodachi twisted her head to avoid the stray dagger flying her way. People had tried five times to get her down, but the human-like beasts continually stopped them.
Ed dodged Envy trying to get him with the snake again. No longer grinning, Envy breathed heavily. Ed suddenly felt something curl around his legs. Envy had transformed his leg into a rope. Envy smiled and kicked upward. Ed fell to the ground, landing roughly on his back.
Envy's perverse grin widened as his hand turned into long talons. Aiming for the pipsqueak's face, he swung it downward. Unable to block, Ed closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see his death.
Clang!
There was no pain.
Ed slowly opened his eyes.
There was a familiar black claw blocking the talons. Ling had his other claw dug into Envy's side. Ling turned his head and grinned at Ed.
"Does this answer your question, Ed?"
Envy's face warped with rage.
"You TRAITOR!"
The two homunculi were immediately fighting each other. Ed, who was still on the ground, had noticed something.
There were markings on the ground near his head. From his viewpoint on the ground, he could see that they spread across the chamber, unnoticed by the combatants. Ed could see that these markings made up a large transmutation circle. Turning his head, to look at Father, he could see that he and Scar had moved during their fight. Father appeared to be moving toward the section of the circle where most alchemists put their hands when doing a transmutation.
Something seemed strange about this circle, though. The markings appeared to be made up of hundreds of thousands of small dots. He looked closer. Ed found that the thousands of small dots were actually thousands of small Ouroboros markings.
Everything suddenly clicked into place as he realized what Father was planning.
Ed leapt to his feet, ignoring Kuno as he ran past him. He sprinted to the wall. Working quickly, he transmuted several small platforms jutting from the wall.
---
Kuno sliced Sloth's chest open with his bokken, trying desperately to reach his sister. Sloth had taken up position near Kodachi and was hurling anyone away who got near.
"GET OFF OF THE GROUND! NOW!"
Kuno suddenly heard the short one yell in a hurried voice. The other ones fighting the Homunculi immediately dashed for the platforms. He felt strong metal arms wrap around him and pull him away from his sister. Kicking and protesting, he and Kodachi yelled for each other as Al dragged him away.
Father blocked Scar's blade yet again as he reached the special point of the circle. As Al pulled Kuno onto the platform, Father quickly knelt down and placed his hands on the circle. Scar swung his sword downward, but the deed had been done.
The huge transmutation circle lit up, the Homunculi standing on it along with it. A moment later, Kodachi felt a great burning sensation, and screamed as her body lit up and she looked upon her brother for the last time.
Ling, who was off the transmutation circle with Ed, felt his head hurt. He could almost feel the circle pulling at him. Kuno, eyes filled with tears, desperately yelled for his sister. Al held Shampoo close to him. Ranko clutched Akane's hand.
Seconds later, the transmutation ceased. Kodachi and the Homunculi were gone. In the middle of the circle stood a man. He was bald, and had rather plain facial features. He wore clothes in a style akin to the Homunculi. Smoke wafted from his body. He rose his head up and spoke three words to the fighters and alchemists.
"I… am… SIN."
---
DUN DUN DUNNN! Big climactic battle next!
By the way, I originally planned to have Greed-Ling die in this chapter, but I couldn't work in how a regenerating man with a impenetrable shield would die. Seriously though, I think it will work out much better this way.
