Oh my life it took me for ever to finish this one! It wasn't hard, just a lot on my plate over the summer, but now that some things are settling down it's good to have this out finally I'm very proud of myself, although I am apologizing ahead of time for any errors you may find, but on the plus side I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 20: Homunculus in the Shell
All eyes were on the two intruders, the man now known as Scar, and a little girl that nearly identical to Ling's nationality. No, Elise was sure of it, just as she read the two off hand it was becoming clear. And that man with the scarred face was none other than the notorious Ishvalan that she had seen so many times in the newspapers back in Dublith, "Scar!"
"And the little girl from before!" The panther took a small gaze at them, looking to the small girl who went from stern face, to frighten, moving even closer to Scar who merely looked down at her What is she looking at? She studied her eyes and followed to where she was staring. Father of course. He was probably the only thing in the room that wasn't just a homunculus. Not like Envy or Gluttony, he was something else. And the girl had the same ability as Ling. Elise had found out just by that alone, and sighed as she looked to Greed who was looking to the door lazily. Again she tried to sense something in him, something that rang he was the Greed from Dublith, but the avaricious was never one for lying. But how was it possible for this Greed to be different? To not be the same.
She searched his mind, and his soul, the persona the same, but memories wiped clean. She didn't understand if Father had brought her back a false Greed. She was slightly irritated by this thinking how once this was over he was going to explain this fake Greed's rebirth. And the more the thought sunk in the more her claws sharpened, and her canines showing towards the old man, but she stopped when she suddenly saw a little panda bear jump off of Alphonse and right up to the little girl.
She cried tears of joy, making Ellie almost tear up herself when she had a flashback to Hakuro. She didn't mean to, it was the last thing she wanted to think about. The hurt, the loss. She missed her little buddy more than anything. Then she gasped and whipped her head to the sound of slow clapping. It was Greed with a face flat, seeming somewhat amused by the two's reunion, "I really don't get it but isn't that a touching reunion?" Just then Scar called out to Ed, by his Military name, "The Full Metal Alchemist!" He seemed surprised to see him, and the girl was ecstatic by the name looking around giddily for the boy, as if she couldn't see him, "Where? Where's the Full Metal Alchemist?"
"Right there, that's him."
"Huh?" She looked around a second time, again not seeing him and only looking annoyed by his 'fib', "He's not here is?"
"I'm telling you that little thing right there is the Full Metal Alchemist."
"What?" It took a minute for her to realize who he was, Edward only looking over to the two brothers before suddenly having the most distraught horrifying look on her face. She looked like she was on the verge of crying too until she gave a screaming outburst, "How dare you play with a maiden's pure heart you micro sized runt!"
"WHAT'D YOU CALL ME GRAIN OF RICE!"
"Brother what did you do to this girl take responsibility!" Al exclaimed ashamed of his sibling of doing…Whatever it was he did, but Ed looked at him in disbelief, "I didn't do anything!" The two began to go off on each other, Scar and some of the others watching while Elise began to hone in on Father speaking to Gluttony.
The big guy had mentioned something of knowing the Ishvalan, and Father acknowledging it to stare down the man, "The disobedient nation? If I remember correctly, he's the one who keeps getting in our way with his destructive alchemy. Hmm…"
Suddenly Envy boasted growling as he listened in on his creator, Ellie only to stand by and wait for an opportunity to talk to Father. She didn't care about the others at this point. He was going to answer for the rebirth of the new Greed. A twist to his little promise that he would pay dearly for, "Get rid of him Gluttony! He can't use his Alchemy here!" The blob was happy to reply with a hungry grin, tongue out and salivating from the sides of his mouth. It was a disgusting sight to see him run at Scar like a wild starving animal before the man put the homunculus in his place. Ellie's eyes widened as she gasped, everyone else as well to see the rebel still able to perform his type of alchemy.
"He's still able to…" Elle was about to say more, but suddenly the girl started to go off, "Mess with a maiden's heart and then you kidnap Xiao Mei on top of that! It's unforgivable! You'll all pay! All of you!"
"What the-," The panther skipped back when she noticed the daggers hitting the floor. They were design in a pattern. A pattern she could see very quickly and leaped back far enough to miss the attack. Unfortunately Envy he was right in the middle of it, getting a large rock formation of a hand to make impact with his stomach, releasing the Elric brothers in a heart beat to let the boys separate and rejoin attempting to use alchemy on Envy when Ed knocked him in the head, but again failed his transmutation, "I don't get it! Why can't we use our alchemy but the other two can!"
"I don't know!" Al called out before the two turned to the rest, everyone at a stand still before the metal boy looked his brother, "What now?"
"I don't know, I don't know, but…This might be our chance to get out of this…" Ed then turned his full attention to Envy and pointed an accusing finger to the monster, "HEY SCAR! I'LL YOU WANT THE TRUTH ABOUT THE ISHVAL REBELLION! THIS GUY, ENVY DISGUISED HIMSELF AS A MILITARY SOLDIER AND SHOT THAT CHILD TO START THE CIVIL WAR! THEY INSTIGATED IT ON PURPOSE, AND KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!" Elise's breath hitched. So that's it. It wasn't enough to be killing adults, but kids were involved all over. It was the price with war, but if it wasn't for Envy for shooting that child, the rebellion would've never occurred, right? Unable to keep her thoughts to herself Ellie grit her teeth before scoffing loud enough to get the others to look over to her, "Figures, how cruel do you have to be to murder a child in cold blood."
"Oh can it precious." Envy spat before the Ishvalan spoke with a spine tingling calm low voice, "It seems like I'll have to ask you to explain this in detail." The gaze in his eyes, no longer shock behind them but devious and horribly intents that he surely thought of as he looked to all of them. Even Elise as Gluttony regenerated from the side of the man, "Answer! Why did our people have to fall in ruin!" No one answered.
It was quiet. Until Gluttony jumped up from behind to get the surprise on him, but Scar was no fool, he was ready for another attack, "According to your reply I will send you-," He stopped in mid-sentence hitting the hungry homunculi with his alchemy yet again to send him down on the ground in a pile of his own intestines. It was a sight that left Elle covering her mouth, but she was no stranger to the sight. It was almost similar to what she did to those unknown white coats, "No! I will not send you to God where my fellow brethrens reside! Think of yourselves as undeserving of rest or redemption!" His snarled his face sour with promise in his words. He planning to kill them all. And since Elise didn't have time to move out far enough, she could only put up her forearms with a hold of her breath when the angered man let out an even bigger destructive attack, causing rubble everywhere, not a corner was over turned causing walls and tubes to crumble above.
When the light had dissipated and everything had calmed, yells from Envy and the others to silence, Ellie opened her eyes and gasped to find any rubble, that would've fallen on her, floating in mid air. She slowly spread them out away from anyone near her, and let them drop to the ground with a frozen look to the things that fell around her.
She was panting too, others noticing what she did as well when suddenly Greed chuckled to her, "Nice, nice! You and that X-guy are definitely something. What do you call that anyway?"
"Telekinesis?" She replied in a question for some reason, still taken back by her quick reflexes until she looked to Greed who smirked back widely, tilting his head when he hopped onto a large boulder, "You're not Lust are you?" His guess was way off, and his reply made the panther want to smack him for even assuming it, "Hell no!"
"What are you doing, Greed? Take care of the outsiders!" Father suddenly called out getting the two to disperse, the new avarice making his way forward with a hand rubbing his neck, "Yeah yeah…" Then he stopped when he noticed someone next to him. A little higher up from where he was, "Heh, but sorry old man." Ellie saw who it was too, Father noticing after, "But it looks like this guy's first."
"I won't believe that you're not in there Ling. I know you can hear me!" Greed, or whoever this was merely laughed at the boy and shielded his hands with a devilish grin, "Don't mix things up kid, I am Greed!" Second time he said this and again Elise's heart dropped at the name, at how he said it. She wasn't sure what to feel. If anything she felt angry, feeling as if he was an imposter. But for now the panther attempted to turn her attention to Father who was stuck on now watching the Ishvalan who was attempting to attack Envy in the process.
Ellie wanted this to be her chance to ask Father about his new homunculus, but the man didn't seem to notice her when he stepped towards Scar. Then he leaned into him, "You there." The man turned around sharply, wide eyed, "How did you use your alchemy?" Now with even wider red eyes the Ishvalan showed his teeth before bringing a hand to Father's face, attempting to use his alchemy quick in a light blue light that did nothing in the end.
Which was odder than odd. His alchemy, did nothing. Nothing! The man stood there profound, hearing the blonde man hum with amusement, "Deconstruction…No, decomposition is what you wield. But it's not enough to rid me human." Scar was struck with surprise, not expecting this little outcome when a bright red light illuminated from Father, giving the Ishvalan enough time to realize what was happening and jump back only to get his forearm slightly injured from the power that Father sprouted from his feet. The scarred man fell to his back onto a big flat boulder he had made previously, his counter part, the little girl to notice her friend's fall, "Mr. Scar!" Unfortunately when she looked away Gluttony took his opportunity to swipe at her causing the girl to roll and tumble into another rock. She was stunned, but her small tiny panda stood before her, arms out and shaking like a leaf.
Elise's heart pinged again, a flashback of when Hakuro running through her head when she remembered when he hissed at the Envy, knowing it was him instead of Greed. The only thing she could remember was him being ripped out of her arms, and again her blood boiled when Gluttony came for them. She almost felt compelled to jump in but Alphonse beat her to the punch, kicking Gluttony clear across the room to stop in front of the collapsed child, "Are you alright?" The girl just whimpered, but the fight wasn't over yet, Al may have saved her but now as he picked her up, Envy had spotted them and growled, "Where do you think you're going!" Elise watched Al take off out the double doors, only wanting to run after the two before noticing Greed and Ed still going at one another, her eyes went back and forth between the two, Ed giving a hard kick to the homunculus's stomach.
The new avarice growled back almost moaning as he complimented on the boy's kick, "Mm…That was a good one, I'm gonna have more fun with you that I thought!" He sounded enthralled by the fight ready for more at every throw, fist and all, "Stupid prince! Get a hold of yourself!"
"It's Greed!" He pronounced well enough for Ed to hear him, but the blonde only retorted back, "Like I care! Give Ling his body back!" Punch after punch and high kick after 360 the alchemist tried to bring down this reborn man, hoping he would get one up on the guy, but with Greed and his ultimate shield on his arms, chest, and legs it was nearly impossible to get a good shot at him. Now at a stale mate Greed could only use an arm he had been holding Edward back with an push him away the should of his shield and Ed's auto mail clanging against one another when they began to fight again, "That I can't do." Back and forth Greed went for a head attack but missed and smacked a rock behind the blonde, and when Ed found an opening he tried a kick to the man's face.
But the shield again was used to make the avarice smirk widely, "It won't work."
"You damn moron!" Ed went from a low kick to the prince's ankles this time, getting the man's right leg to cause him to drop to the floor, "What about your country!" And the alchemist was pissed, determined to bring his friend back when he tried to punch him I the face. The strike was stopped by Greed's shielded hand, but Ed used his other hand asking another question, one that led the possessed boy to gasp, "Have you forgotten all about Lan Fan!" This time, the avaricious couldn't block the punch, the auto mail fist causing the man to bleed from the mouth.
The two were frozen in place almost as if Ed had noticed something in the eyes of this once prince of Xing. But it was too late, his pause caused Greed to gain the upper hand. He knocked Ed back in the face, getting him straight in the jaw before the avarice put him in an arm hold. It all happened so quick that even the sounds of explosions and falling tunnels seemed to fall quiet.
Then Elise realized, the fight was already over, Scar had escaped, the little girl was gone and Envy was holding Alphonse like a toy in hand, "Hey old man I got him!" He announced proudly before Father had bend down to see Gluttony's condition. It didn't look so good, and from the looks of it, he wasn't regenerating. Which was a new discovery for Ellie. She had no idea that's how their regeneration power worked, but now she was starting to see why the Greed she knew said he wasn't entirely immortal. That they could still die. She also remembered the same principle from Lust's death, "Go above then, take the boys to Wrath."
"Sure." Was what Greed replied before handing over Ed to Envy. As the avarice walked away, Elise could only watch intensely at his stride, the way he frowned and his shoulders hunched forward when slipped his hands into his pockets. She couldn't deny it, this new Greed had the whole persona of the new, even each step made her skeptical as to why he was considered a 'new' Greed, "Elise you will stay here until the others return. Until then you are welcome to return to your quarters." The panther looked from the homunculus and the others being led out, to the man still hunched over his other 'dead' son. She glared and crossed her arms over her chest with a slanted frown, "I don't think so. You're going to explain to me why you think you can just doop me into thinking that the new homunculus is Greed. I'm not a juvenile, and I want the real Greed back. Not a cheap imitation."
Father stood from his spot by Gluttony, and turned towards the girl with a signature emotionless face, "He's no imitation. He is still my avarice but due to some 'complications,' his mind you could say is- just anew."
"Damn you…Damn you to hell…You never intended to keep your promise to me." Her nails were sharpening and her canines began to grow with the spark of violets quickly switching over. Her own anger started to get the best of her before the man glared back at her light morph in features, "Do you need to speak with such vulgar language? And don't give me that look! Your parents were of the high elite scientist in the Military, I doubt they would teach you such manners for a young woman such as yourself! Or do all human girls like you do this?"
"My parents were the ones that got me here in the first place, so now I want to know why you couldn't keep your damn promise! Are you asking for a death wish!"
"So you can sense it then. The change...I mean, I guess he is more obedient." He added almost with a condescending tone to make Elise step forward, "Obedient…You mean."
"Child if I brought back the Greed you ask for, he would only rebel like before. In order to keep you both under control until the promise day."
"Promise day? Listen I don't care about any promise day just tell if this is the real Greed or not because it feels like it is, but you did something to him! Explain it!"
"Yes, this is the same old Greed you knew, but he has no past, just a future."
"You bastard…You had this planned the whole time." Father chuckled with a hand of amusement, "On the contrary, dear Elise. I had thought of doing as you asked, and giving you my son back, but when you wanted to save the boy, I basically gave you an equivalent exchange for both. You can keep the boy alive while having Greed, so it all worked out." With that he continued to back to taking care of Gluttony, examining his body before waving off a hand to the girl, "I grow tired of all this nonsense, be a dear and go to the room like I asked earlier and wait for your orders."
"I'm not going back to the room. It's too small, I can barely stand being in there for 30 minutes without loosing my mind. Either give me another job to do or I walk."
"Without your avarice?" He asked trying to poke at her, but Elise growled back at him, "That isn't Greed…"
"Believe what you want Elise Greed is here and if he's not to your liking I don't know what else to tell, but I have more pressing matters to attend to." She didn't want to believe it, as much as this Greed acted and spoke like the last one made her worry if it really was him. It could have, but Elise refused to believe that Greed, of all people, would forget about her. Her heart shattered, and she could only stare blankly at the back of the old man's back, his hand reaching into Gluttony's belly to make him grunt a whimper and squirm.
She couldn't stand looking at him for very much longer without thinking of some gruesome acts flashing through her mind, so Elise did the best thing she could do, and that was stomp back to her room in a huff, she was feral, and pissed, betrayed and lied to without even really intentionally lying.
But now she had a Greed who had no recollection of her, their past, their friends, nothing. And she could sense it all, like this one was as father put it, 'anew'. By the time she reached her room she opened the door and slammed it behind her with a high pitch growl. She literally leaped back with her bottom directed at the bed and plopped down with a lay of her head against her pillow. Again she huffed and snuggled herself into the mat, with her back to it and her eyes glaring at the ceiling. If only she could burn holes….Suddenly a small part of the ceiling actually became aflame, and Elise's eyes widened with a heart attack in suit. She jumped to her feet and bounced on the mat to pat out the tiny flame.
So, apparently she could burn holes into things, and in the process, when she had stopped bouncing on the bed, out of the corner of her eyes the panther had noticed the open vent from earlier and stared at it for a moment with a contemplative thought or two of escaping like before. If they really wanted to they probably find her, but she sure as hell didn't want to stay in this forsaken place any longer. In fact, she wanted to leave, right now. And she proceeded to with another bounce for the open shaft above her head, fumbling around on her feet before she continued up the vent's metal surroundings, the sound of the thick layers slightly bending and creaking to the sound of her moving around.
It was only when she had reached the leveling of stories to Central command she entered another area that led down the path. She heard the sound of someone talking, whispers and the sound of machinery. Or so she assumed when she crawled through it with ease. It also sound like it was getting distant, as if it was moving down the vent itself, with the sound of a familiar voice responding before the sound dissipated with the sound of a metal object opening. She wasn't entirely sure what, so she closed her eyes and honed in on the noise, finding that a mysterious man had found Scar who had escaped from Envy's mitts, and was now making their way to the outside through an air vent just up ahead.
It was her lucky break, but the moment she felt a smile coming on for sweet relief, she immediate froze with a cold sweat to the scent of something foul. Not as a stink, but of something coming. Or someone.
She looked back for a moment, but nothing sounded out of the ordinary. Yet, to Elise, she could hear clearly what was coming, and held her breath as she made a quick break through the vent, she crawled on her hands and feet, using her talented techniques and skills from the panther to keenly make her way faster through these small areas.
Though as cold as they felt, the metal was starting to feel hot, as if she was getting closer to the boiler, or something of that nature. She didn't want to think about it, and continued to nearly fly at the pace she was going on her tip toes. She could hear the darkness swallowing the vents behind her, Elise's ear falling back and flinching to the sound when she began to pant. It started slow, but the closer the thing got the quicker she began to breath.
She refused to make notice of what was coming after her, only afraid of what would happen if she didn't go faster. All she knew was she had to make it out of this place no matte the cost. She needed the air, she needed the freedom and she refused a monster of Father's caliber to keep her underground as a slave.
She tried to use her telekinesis to see what was behind her, but with the fear choking her alive and all she could read was that it wasn't of this earth. The closer it got, the more the girl could hear it chuckle, the sound high and low to mesh into one voice when it tittered in amusement. Was this thing even a homunculus? Because even though it may have felt like one it sure as hell didn't look like it when Ellie easily shifted herself around the vent to kick the small opening Scar and the strange had used before. The ground was just a story down, which was nothing to Elise, but when she took one look up at the vent she fell out of, she got a quick glimpse of what was chasing her, and felt it catch the coat she wore to cover her ears and tail, "Ah!" She pulled the coat off as fast as she could, slipping her arms right out before the creature could get a good grip on her. It would've gotten her too if it hadn't stopped just on the lining of the light shining against the metal. It dared not reveal itself to the light that now shined on a small inside of the metal.
Whatever it was, it had no form, only many eyes and many grins to fill the entire hole, the shadows curling, moving, and crawling every inch of its corners. What in the bloody hell…When she hit the ground, she refused to stop, instead she continued to sprint, running as far, far away as she could, panting even harder as she made it for the trees, leaping through one, and flying through the others at a suddenly remembrance of the faces that took her away back in Dublith. She growled and felt a swell of tears begin to sweep, but wipe them away faster than they could sprout before she continued down on foot. She stopped half way into an opening, looking around with the sound of panting taking the air.
Then she took a few steps forward her breath becoming wavering and faint when she finally landed to her knees and looked up at the trees hiding the sun above. Her eyes were glossy, tired, she felt like she was about to snap just managing to keep was sanity she had left to find some kind of freedom from these people. It felt as if it would never end.
For goodness sake she couldn't even go outside without them chasing after her. She was scared, and her lip quivered when she felt herself about to break. She covered her face about to let it all out before suddenly giving a tiny soft gasp when she heard the sound of a twig snapping behind her. She was quick to her feet, and looked around thinking it was that creature again, but she again came to terms that the thing was repelled by light, and began to think it was something else. An animal?
No, the smell was too familiar, and it only made the panther instinctively take a whiff of the air, the scent, sound, and above all sight of who it was. She gave a low growl this time from her throat, and began to speed off again, but just enough to send herself a couple trees ahead before jumping into one when she turned into another opening.
She awaited quietly on a branch, looking down at the fall seasoned ground fill of orange and yellow leaves and twigs. Her eyes went from patient, calm and focused when she heard the sound of footsteps crushing the leaves under their feet. Then she took a steady footing and readied herself for the pounce of her stalker. Just as the person came into view she came down on their head, but only missed when the ducked at her brutal swipe, "Hey now, no warning? That's a damn shame I was hoping to check up on ya."
"Get away from me!" She declared, more irate when she came face to face with the new Greed in Ling's body, "Not even a hello too. I have to say I'm hurt doll."
"Shut up!" She attempted to give him a swift jump kick to the face but the merely grabbed her foot, cocking a brow at her before she attempted to use the other foot to make this new avarice release the previous one. She got him good, but he blocked force with his shield, leaving him unfazed and untouched. Slowly his eyes looked to the girl, hers only widening and then venomously glaring at the avarice with a hiss, "Just get away!" She then jumped back and leaped a foot forward to dash off with a few pull of two small oak trees down to slow the homunculus.
He held up his arm to stop the dust barreling at him, but was fast to catch up, now lured by what Elise had just administered, "Well I'll be…" The homunculus grinned picking up his pace until he was flying right pass the girl, backwards, "Pretty nifty trick you got there." He complimented but Ellie scoffed and felt herself fluster and take a left and right hook at the avarice, but he merely laughed the faster she tried to hit him, missing each time to make his grin grow, "And you're fast, amazing reflexes doll, you gotta tell me how pops gave you your powers."
"Do you know how to take a hint buddy! Get lost!"
"Why don't you make me. If you can."
"Oh…you!" She skid on the side of her feet, and reached for the nearest largest boulder she could find and picked it up with a motion of her hand. She took a glance at it, and held out her palm with her fingers bending upward. She imitated the motion of lifting the large rock, and looked to the new Greed with an intent to do what he assumed.
He looked back getting into a stance when he realized what would happen next, "Listen, I just want to talk-," She didn't listen instead she grunted and threw the rock his direction, but with just as equally flawless reflexes he had successfully leaped over the rolling in motion boulder, and jumped down on the ground to look back at where the boulder had gone.
Well, it couldn't be seen for much longer, and when Greed turned back around, Elise was running through the trees, "Oh come on! I'm not that bad am I? You don't even know me."
"Oh but I do! You work for Father, which makes you a threat!"
"I don't have much of a choice, the old man's kind of got me by the balls. But I plan on expanding long enough." She froze, her head tilting as she stared him down with a hazy glow in her bright emerald greens "Expanding…"
" Hey, I'm the incarnation of Greed. The purest of it. I want money, power, and women, status, sex, and glory…" Out of nowhere Greed was able to leap and sprint in a quick speed enough to catch up to Elise once again, and made a complete circle around her, and slash a couple of large branches above the panther to slow her down.
It worked, and the chimera looked up with a faint gasp before she began to swoop down from the branches she stood on like a jungle gym. She was able to leap out of the way in the kick of time to miss the branches, but flew forward against the ground when she felt someone push her down.
She caught herself of course, in the stance of a cat on all fours and hissing back with her fangs at the homunculus to make him shine a smirk her way, "And I above all…I-,"
"Crave eternal life?" The man's turned soft, no longer full excitement and mockery but with an odd confused feature that made the girl stare back into the violet iris's of the possessed boy. Her mind slowly searching for something when she sparked the quote, "How did you…"
"When the Elric's made mention of the Greed from Dublith? Yeah, I was part of the last avarice crew."
"Ah, that make sense." With Ellie confused she leaned forward, "It does?"
"Yeah, you were from the last Greed's crew, so you're made that pops told you something else. I get it. I'd probably be pissed too. I hate liars. Not really keen for it if you know what mean."
"Yeah well niether am I. Father lied to me, saying that he'd bring him back if I worked for him." By this time, she could see the avarice before her softening his gaze a bit, just listening, not really in empathy, but with wonder of the girl's words she spoke. Then he whistled and chuckled a bit his pockets covering his hands, "Bad decision on your part." But seeing the look on his face only made the panther smirk with a scoff, "I didn't have much of a choice at the time either you know. Father kidnapped me when my friends and I were escaping. He killed my friends and captured my boss long enough to eat him. Can you believe that he ate him! I will not sit here and be taken a fool by him or anyone!" At first, he seemed to be in his own world, staring Ellie down as she stared back with an even more annoyed look than before, "Hello am I talking to myself here! I gave you my answer now you want to stare at me all stupid, what the heck!"
"Sorry it's just…I couldn't help but wonder…If you're a human how'd you get the ears and tail? And I didn't know your eyes changed color, that's pretty cool." He wasn't even listening. Now, the girl was infuriated and balled her fist as she took a step towards him. Actually, she took a few until she was almost chest to chest with him, glaring venom into the smirking homunculus before he raised his brows up and down, but she wasn't having it, "I'm about to stick my foot up your ass."
"Oh? Sounds like a blast, bring it on doll, but I much rather prefer you-," Before he could answer she raised her brows and widen her eyes, "If you even think about saying what I think you're about to say you better shut your mouth right now before I shut it for you!"
"Well come on then show me more of those super powers of yours."
"They're not super powers your dad and mine decided it would be fun to make a hybrid out of me! I'm not human anymore I'm a freak of nature! I got enough souls in me to build an entire army and more from what they've done to me, the tests, the changes! You couldn't understand what it's like to loose both of your worlds in a matter of a night.
"Look on the bright side you got this levitation business-,"
"It's more than that, like I said you wouldn't understand. I don't just make things fly out of thin air. I make them levitate using telekinesis. The doctors, my parents started the process by turning me into a chimera, in which when direct lighting caused a reaction to make the delayed process switch over when they had injected or fed me philosopher stones. I'm not sure which one, but from how I awoke in a smelly rotted cage in the bottom of an abandoned lab I would say that I think they made me eat them. Not like all the others. Probably because I was already changed once by the philosopher stone to inject more would only mean death. So I don't know what caused me to be but they weren't done. After another experiment I had this. So thank your daddy for giving me this new ability because it sucks when you can't use it to save the ones closest to you."
"You shouldn't have let them get close then." Was all he could retort to say not realizing that when he said that her eyes began to change the violet he saw once before, "Whoa."
"How dare you insult my motivations and bad mouth the people I cared about! I'll have you know that if it wasn't for them I would've been left behind in those cages and in that lab! Your father and brothers were the part of my confinement part of my world falling apart! They caused it! They would've left me there to die until I clawed my way out or died when the laboratory crumbled to the ground!"
"Huh, look this is nice and all but are we going to walk back or do I have to drag you back?"
"Why are you doing this! Tell me! What really motive and what good will it do to take me back?"
"Nothing, Pride told me to bring you back since he saw you escape out the vents. By the way, horrible idea. You ran right out into the middle of the road where I saw you run into the bushes, so either way we saw you completely out in the open." Elise took a minute to think back and whispered when she realized who he was talking about, "Pride…"
"Yeah, you know, looks like a bunch of shadows, kind of sounds like whispers through the walls before he sneaks up on you and gives you the creepy stare with his bug eyes?" She shook her head a bit with a sound of what resembled a pant before she nodded with a cold sweat, "No, no I definitely know who…it is."
"Heh."
"What's so funny?" She asked almost insulted by his quiet titter, "Huh? Oh, well you called him 'it' I thought it was funny that's all."
"I don't consider Pride a…homunculus…I don't even know what that is or what he was trying to do, but he scared the living shit out of me, running at me like he would devour me completely."
"He likes to do that. Keeps the pray on their toes-," He noticed the glare, the repulsive look she was giving him as her arms tightened around her breast. He could tell by the way her chest was starting to blossom a little, and looked up away into the distance to correct himself, "Or-, so he's told me."
"Whatever. I'm still leaving."
"No you're not."
"Yes…I am." She threatened about to walk pass him before he walked in front of her. When she tried to move to the side at a lightening speed he only stopped her with a hand wrapping around her waist, and another holding her arms in a bind, "Ngh! Let, me, go!"
"Look I don't like it any more than you do, but they said if I have to, kill you if you don't cooperate! It's the last thing I want to do!"
"That's not what the real Greed would do!"
"I'm not the old one damn it! Get over him you big baby!"
"THAT'S IT! YOU'VE MOCKED ME ONCE AND YOU'VE MOCKED ME TWICE! NOW YOU'RE GOING TO-,"
"Pay the price?" He asked murmuring the last part in her ear to make her gasp in irritation and growl in a fit of rage, "Let go!" She leaped her legs back until they were so high in the air she could have just as easy dislocated his knees from the trajectory, but Greed shielded his knees just in time and swung her off balance to flip the panther over and land on her feet facing away from him. Then he twirled her under one of his arms in one go till they were inches away from each others face, nose to nose. To some it would've almost seemed like a dance, but Elise was far from enjoying the one-two step or the proximity of this man's charming grin, "Mm…Chocolate, not a particular scent you usually get from a beautiful woman such as yourself." It was the last straw, this time the panther knocked him back with the blunt force of her forehead getting the homunculus to grunt before she pushed him back with another force, her palm when she took a strike at his chest, and elbowed Greed in the back of the head to cause him to kneel down.
He was only so lucky to have his shield protect him because with the hard hits Elise was giving him, the avaricious would've surely broken his neck. Even a bone or two, but the man merely cracked his neck, and groaned in delight at the electrifying feel. Then he turned his eyes to the panther, and gave a loud cackling laugh, "It'll take a lot more than that to defeat me sweetheart. You're gonna have to kill me to get the results you're acquiring."
"What freedom!"
"I guess. If that's what you want to call it." There was a small pause in between the offense and defense, Greed putting up a finger to indicate a time-out, "How about a bargain. If you leave they'll only track you down and would probably do worse the next round."
"Then what do you suggest, because I refuse to kill anyone for those bastards." She added clenching her teeth, her hands reaching for her hips as she watched the homunculus with a weary glare, "You won't have to kill, who said anything about killing?"
"You know what they do, you're their son you should have an idea of what they do." She replied getting him to shrug, "I really don't care what they do as long as I get what I want."
"Of course, an avarice attitude all the way, but I still won't believe you're Greed."
"I am Greed."
"Right, and I'm high chief commander of Drachma, give me a break."
"You say I act and sound like him but you refuse to believe, what's stopping you from realizing that I am Greed?"
"I don't know, your memories? How can you be the real Greed you have no recollection of memories previous this?"
"Because I never existed until now. The Greed you knew is gone. Sorry to say doll but I doubt pops will ever give you what you want. " Elise wanted to say something, to still fight for what she had been hoping for, what she thought could redeem what she couldn't save. To save a life that once saved hers. But this Greed had a point, and as much as she yelled at him, and scorned him, it wasn't him she was angry at. But herself. She felt a complete fooled into thinking she'd get the Greed she once knew, but this just proved that she lived in a fantasy world that everything she had done to get him back, was for a falsie.
Yet, there was still unfinished business here in Central, business with her parents, her mother and father still working there in the laboratories and in the building she stayed in, and now with all these new developments, this Greed taking possession in the prince of Xing's body, and the Elric's with their confrontation with the homunculi. She only wondered how long it would be before she would see them again, because now here she was in front of one other person that seemed to want to communicate with her rather than speak to her like a common child, or the next prodigy.
After a moment of staring into the eyes of the avaricious, Ellie could only frown and shaking her head before closing her eyes and breathing out slowly, looking away in such disappointment that the homunculus could only pat the girls head, "Hey, it won't be so bad. If it makes you feel any better, I have nothing to do…I could…You know…Keep you busy."
"Keep me 'busy' how?" She was about to hit him before he put up his hands in surrender, "I didn't mean it that way, it's just…come on now, there's nothing down there. Nothing! If I wanted to hang with ya would it really be so bad? It'll help us both keep our sanity." She huffed and blew some of the longer strands of her bangs out of her face and rolled her eyes when she nodded, unsure if she really wanted to do this or not, "Yeah, I guess…Fine. But I'm not agreeing to anything! I'm…Coming back, but I refuse to be a part of any operations or used for whatever your Father's wish of me. If you could get your dear pops to agree to let me do my own thing, I may think about it." She smirked knowing that it was definitely something Father would probably never agree to, but Greed just shrugged and asked, "That depends, what do you want…And how do I get in on this little deal?" He asked calmly, but anxiously walking behind the girl as she began to stride away in a power walk. Her arms were once again across her chest and her back was so straight. she continued forward with such a perfect posture that Greed had to start picking up the pace.
After Ellie had found some kind of familiarity, she stopped and sniffed the air around her before walking off again, this time she slowed her pace, and found Greed eventually at her side, quiet but gazing down at her to make her growl, "I'm sorry, am I making you uncomfortable?"
"Yes. Not only are you gawking at me your dirty mind are so loud I can't block you out."
"What…?" He chuckled softly thinking of what she meant before she stared him down, now knowing she really did know what he was thinking.
And he was definitely thinking of something that would've gotten him smacked. He itched the back of his neck biting his lip before finally stifling a sound of registry, "Oh."
"Yeah, oh."
"So it's true then."
"Yes." She replied plainly not really trying to get into her story of how her powers worked, but apparently he was very curious, and continued to keep in fast stride of the woman trying to keep her distance, "Any way you'd want to tell me what you are made of?"
" Human-based Homunculus, Chimera, and something else I can't quite put my finger on. Any other questions you want to ask?"
"Yeah, where's your tattoo if you're a homunculus." She rolled her eyes sighing heavily as she stopped stomping a foot lightly at the ground like a little girl before she twirled her hair up and revealed the dark blood red tattoo, still there, and still vibrant as ever. When he saw this he smirked and grinned, "It suits you there. Very sexy."
"Thanks for the compliment Romeo but I'm exactly proud of it. It only marks me as damned now."
"So, how did pops get a hold of you again?"
"My parents. Look it's a long walk back can we just enjoy it without me having to bring up my traumatized past. If you must know, my parents worked at one of your dad's labs, I had been meaning to 'reunite' one day, but since my time with the last Greed didn't work out so well, I'm here in this predicament. That's my life story."
"Were you and the last Greed buddies are something."
"No. As I said he was my boss."
"Boss huh? Like, you did what he told you."
"Not in the way you're thinking." She glared, "We were topside at the bar he decided to make our home. It worked pretty good for awhile, friends, drinks, parties, girls, and men alike for the choosing."
"Sounds fun." Greed was still smirking his eyes never straying as she continued, leaping over the two logs that she had previously created. Elise had been leading the way, whether Greed liked it or not, he's was fine with his directions, but since she had a better sense of her surroundings and more, he figured to take it easy. He did have all the time in the world to be stuck underground after all, and Ellie was more than just any ordinary woman. Not only was she a subject of science, willing or not, she also carried the genes of a homunculus. A hybrid was never made, and he was sure everyone was trying to get their hands on what she was. What she could do.
Especially Father. Could this girl really be as valuable as she says? Not to mention she knew the old Greed and he was quite curious to know what kind of life style he lived. If it was as the girl said, it was with taste, and he liked the sound of that. Sounded close to something he would've wanted, money, women, power, henchmen. That Greed was already on a good start before Father caught him, which made this avarice think twice and wait for the right moment to gain what he desired, "It was." She finally said breaking the small silence that came between them, Greed looked up from his moving feet and to the panther, and her ears that were bent back a bit, just enough to flick and perk them up when she heard a busy street ahead.
She frowned and began to walk the other way before the avarice noticed, "Where are you going?"
"We'll have to make a detour."
"Why?" He asked cocking a brow now turning towards Ellie as she did the same for him, "Because I have no coat. That thing Pride took it away from me."
"Well…What if we just go get you a knew one?"
"Uh-huh. And are you going to go buy the jacket for me?" Greed thought about and then shrugged, "Only if you give me the money to do so. Then again I could just walk into a store and walk out just as easily without paying." Of course Ellie didn't like the sound of attracting attention to them and she shook her head at the idea, "No, if you go in and give them the money I'll consider letting you buy it for me."
"All so you can walk out in public?" He asked chuckling a bit before the panther smiled back, "Actually I need some chocolate pronto or you and your family's gonna have one pissed off cat on your hands."
"Ha, why not buy a pack of smokes?"
"Because smoking's bad for you. And dark chocolate is good for you. A little. But I like to eat a whole bar to myself."
"Is this a habit of yours?"
"Yeah."
"Heh, how long?"
"oh, ever since the last Greed freed me. Went to this little store in the last town I lived in, they had the best chocolates around. Kind of miss it, but I'll have to settle with what's here." The avarice was already searching out for stores, and walked off without a word, to the point that when Ellie looked back to wonder the utter silence, she gasped at quick ran up to stop him before Greed could make it out of the bushes, "Hey hey hey where'd you think you're going?"
"I'm getting you a jacket so we can get you some chocolate."
"Why?"
"Because you're a total wreck, and you just said you wanted some chocolate."
"Well-, it-, just warn me before you walk off next time. Here, take this, and go to that store." Elise had already placed the money in the man's coat pocket, and pointed out the store she spoke of. At this Greed could only ask one thing, "Any particular reason that one?"
"I know the cashier and designer that works there. Just…uh…here!" She was searching her small pockets and found the receipt from earlier today, and then pulled out a pen she had clipped to the back of her skirt belt before she handed him the scribbled note, "What's this?"
"Look it's very simply, you go in there talk to the blonde woman in the front, tell her you came to find a coat on my behalf. She'll take care of the rest."
"Why do I feel like I'm running an aron more than a favor?" He asked as if she just gave him a tall order, but she merely nodded, "Because you are. Not intentionally…Look if it'll make you feel any better-, uh-, we'll…go out for drinks after this." She tried to bribe this avarice hoping he'd take it, but he seemed to stare her down as if it wasn't going to work.
Until he smirked widely, and chuckled lowly, taking a step forward to her, "Don't toy with me woman. Are you saying that you'll buy me a drink if I do this favor for you?" She almost felt suffocated by his form looming over hers, his violet iris's and blackened slits giving her the shivers before an actual gust of wind blew pass, "Yes, I will buy you some drinks."
"As in-,"
"Multiple. Can't very much go into a place buying just one simple drink now can you? Besides, without the coat I can't get the drinks."
"Yeah…" He trailed off considering the offer, it was only another century before he'd be able to lay back for a drink, especially with a girl buying for him. Kind of made him feel awkward before he shrugged his shoulder, thinking, "What could be the harm."
"Besides alcohol poisoning?" She joked smirking back to watch him laugh softly then pet on of her ears before she shook her head away from his touch, "We're homunculus, we can't get alcohol poisoning."
"I wasn't speaking in technicalities of us, but the liquor itself." She reassured as he began to take soft steps towards the public street, "Well when I get back you'll have to tell me what's your favorite."
"Not big fan of liquor." She retorted back flatly.
"Then we'll make you one." He added before jumping out, making a B-line towards the shop while the panther stood there stewing on what he said, and what he meant by it. She knew what he talking about, and Elise tried to shake her head in a scoff to hide a small smile that was starting to appear on her face. Then she shook her head again and jumped into a near by branch to wait for the homunculus to return.
Ten minutes went by before Greed had return with a large bag, a hand in his pocket and shifty eyes as he walked back into the bushes, whistling softly to get the panther's attention. When he heard rustling up above, he noticed the shimmering greens staring at him, her rosy cheeks and soft smile making the avarice smirk back with the bag in her sights, "You ready?"
"Yep." She put on the sweater, and it fit like a charm. The jacket even worked well even better with the outfit she wore, and when the inside nuzzled her ears Ellie's smile out only brighten when she realized what she was getting next, "Can we still stop to get the chocolate first before the drinks?"
"Whatever you want to do. You're the one with the money, but I hope you don't mind if I'm the one to lead."
"Lead what? There's only two of us."
"Still makes us a group."
"I guess." She shrugged wrapping her tail smoothly under the jacket and around her waist before they both walked towards the next destination. Greed waited outside his eyes closed and body leaned up against the pillar of the candy store that happened to be just a couple stores down from the clothes shop. Once Elise had her fix, she was nearly sighing and moaning with joy as she chewed softly at the creamy texture, "Mm, oh so good. Mm…I'm going to savor this till the last piece."
"This is just weird. It's like you're in love with the chocolate itself."
"I am." She said simply getting them both to laugh before walking into the nearest bar they could find. Not just any bar of course, Ellie had enough to go to a high top bar if she wanted but she wanted something right in the middle. Something homely to what she remembered a bar to be.
Then, they found one. It was down another familiar street that the panther seemed to recognize. If Ellie didn't know any better, it was actually the same place she heard Sven mentioning when the girl had run into him. Keeping that in mind she found it maybe to be a bad idea to have come here, since her gut was telling her so, but she did in fact bribe this new Greed for drinks, so here she was, and with a full house of people and a band on stage blasting their instruments to the crowd who listened happily. The atmosphere was intoxicating, and sent chills through the panther's spine as she looked around, a smile planting her lips when she sent eyes on the couples dancing, and twirling, the women laughing and men smoking their cigars.
There was a table full of men that seemed to have just come off of work from the Military base too, and were clashing mugs together chatting it up like…Like human beings. No longer was there some kind of guidelines and rules to work and be stuck to the 'great chain' of a 'honest' wage, but some good times with the boys. And that's what they would remember, what Ellie remembered seeing in all the faces of the people in front of her. She was nearly smiling so much that she took in a deep breath so loud that Greed heard it, and followed the girl through the crowd of people standing around and talking, some smoking while others drank, "So! What'll it be my friend."
"Friend huh?" They both went to sit up on the stool of the bar, Ellie with her front to the counter in front of her, and Greed with his back turned to it and elbows propped as he looked around the room full of men and women. The women especially. He was paying extra attention to one that walked by in a short dress, "After what's occurred I would think you find me as a threat."
"It's an expression to lighten the mood." She replied rolling her eyes before waving one of the bartender over, "A little odd but okay. But uh-, what do they have for brandy?"
"The best or the worse?" She asked looking to him with a lean forward toward the counter, her arms now on the table as she crossed her legs, "Heh, the best of course."
"Excuse me? Could you give us some of your good brandy, and also a mimosa if you can please?"
"Sir thing miss."
"Thank you." With that Ellie turned to the band playing, her toe tapping to the smooth thump of the string of the cello being pulled, the sound of saxophones, and trumpets, and piano at full blast. She was loving it, it had been so long since she enjoyed the sound of music, and even longer since she had sang on stage. Just the thought gave her a heartache to her chest. She remembered singing and all she could think of were the old faces of the smiling crowd. God how she missed the old days, "Here you are miss."
"Oh-, thank you. Here you are."
"Why thank you again. Anything else I can get'cha ma'am?"
"No thanks. Unless…Greed?"
"I'm good. I got what I came for." He was drinking back the bandy already like water his eyes amongst the amount of ladies walking passed him and giggling with their girlfriends. At one point the was staring at one of their asses which made Ellie roll her eyes and sigh deeply, "Nice place huh?" She was more of trying to change the subject and luckily on her behalf it worked, "Yeah I'm loving it already, and the alcohol here is divine."
"You mean the women?" She retorted smirk at him now before he smirked back, "Are you jealous?"
"Hardly." She scoffed taking a sip of her drink and licking her lips when she sat it down, "I was enjoying the music."
"So I noticed."
"Well, I don't get it when I'm underground. I don't think I could get a radio station down there even if I wished it."
"Good point. I tell ya, I might have not been alive long enough to hate it down there, but I have a feeling I'm already going to have to find something to keep myself occupied."
"You and me both."
"Heh, fish in the same boat." He replied before taking a swing before he noticed a weird look on the girl's face. She was in mid drink when she looked from the avarice back to her drink she then sat it down and began to listen in on the music again, this time, it was the same band players, but a woman singing on stage, one of the performers of the place she assumed, and sighed sadly before she began to gulp her drink down. When she placed the empty glass down she looked to Greed who suddenly asked with a light chuckle, "You know, you've bought me a drink and all, but you have yet to tell me what your name is."
"What? Pride didn't tell you?"
"Nope. He saw me coming back from handing off something to the brothers and said to go after you, that I had a better advantage at bringing you home." Elise didn't reply at first, but only said it quick enough for him to catch it, "It's Elise."
"Elise? Mm, the name suits you. Very charming and beautiful."
"Thanks." She couldn't help it, even when she attempted to ignore his corny compliment she still slightly flushed at it, but washed it away by calling the bartender back for another round, this time for something a little stronger, "Could I get another drink please?"
"Something different?" The man asked smiling and winking, "Actually, I think I might. I'll just have a shot or two of vodka, for old times sake."
"Coming right up."
"Old times?" Greed asked confused, but Ellie shrugged a shoulder before she chuckled softly, unaware she was slightly frowning, "I just…miss everyone."
"Who's everyone? You gotta be more specific there doll."
"Sorry. You see…When I got out of the labs, the old gang and I had this bar we stayed at, we turned it into our own little paradise that place. Still looked like crap, but it was home."
"Ah." Was all he could say as he scanned the room, yet still listening in when he turned his attention back to Ellie, "Anything special about it?"
"We had a lot of girls there, dancing, singing, it was like a weekly talent show, and there were pool tables in rows, table for poker and other games, there was a stage and…and music. I loved it. Then…My boss thought it would be a good idea to use me as a cover."
"Why?" The kitten blushed suddenly seeing the vodka glass in front of her and took the shot in one go. Greed watched with amusement and even more intrigued when she asked for another, "Another one please." There was a short silence, and the avarice took this chance to turn himself around, "He uh…He heard me singing, so we decided to turn the bar into…Well, what this was. I was the special attraction."
"No kidding. You sing?" She smiled shyly and nodded slow, "Yes. At first I was horrified, but…After a few more days it got better." She said smiling and fast forward to avoid everything else that happened previous to the incident of her rebirth. "Did it get anywhere?" He asked.
"We weren't trying to be big, it was just to make sure we had money in our pockets without causing any disturbances if you know what I mean." She eyed him causing Greed to look up at the ceiling boredly, "Yeah I get it. So, were you any good?" He asked leaning in grinning before Ellie looked to him to see the look on his face, and chuckled breathlessly looking down at the table, tuning out long enough to drift off from the conversation. Something she heard was throwing her off. It was the sound of a woman's voice, but she sounded in panic, and as if it was coming in whispers at the start.
The woman cursed muttering from what it sounded like to Ellie. Her ears perked under her coat, and she looked around the room like she would in a normal state, but from the look in the girl's eyes, Greed could see something had caught her attention, "What is it?"
"That voice…It's so…" She trailed off realizing that the sound wasn't coming from the room, although the person was in a close proximity enough for Elise to hear her. And it sounded awfully familiar. He began to think of names people she knew, but no one from Central suited the voice. Ellie stood up from her seat and began to look around the room, closing her eyes when she felt her heart began to pump hard, the voice becoming more clear and the word more coherent, "Hey doll-,"
"Shh." Greed stopped flat face about to say more until the girl's head shot to the right, "Lila…" Was all she could ask in question in a soft tone.
"Lila? What? Friend of yours?"
"She's not a friend per say…" Her words were like ice the more her eyes began to widen, she almost sounded distraught which made the avaricious stand next to the girl, "Then what would you call her?"
"She…She's…" Ellie couldn't finish, whatever she was hearing and Greed could not was causing her to become distress.
On the panther's side of things, what she was hearing was the woman's mind, her thoughts all over the place because she was in panic. She was there in the pub, and from what Elise could hear, the red head had spotted her, and began to ramble on about what sounded like her part in an ambush. An ambush…Then hit Elle, and her ears rose up as her tail unwind. She listened intently to the rest of her words, making sure she wouldn't jump to conclusions. But it was all true, every word she heard Lila think, and every sentence spoken made the panther scan the room sharply, Oh god she knows I'm here! Why else would she be here! Oh no, no…She's come to finish the job because those bastards told her. O-Or she killed them for the information…Once those military monsters knew I was disposable they threw me under the bus. I knew this was a bad idea. I should've never told them about the hide out. I got get out of here! It was when Ellie's eyes hit the other side of the room where there was another entrance to the other side she found the red head making a break for it, already pushing pass some men that were crowding the door, "She's a dead woman…Here!" She slapped the money down for the next round of drinks for him and dash out leaving Greed looking back and forth between the money and the girl. He then patted the table and tried to smile off the girl's sudden change in persona, and told the bartender to keep the change before he ran off after Elise, now wondering what had made this woman so frantic, "Elise! Wait!" The panther dashed out without a flaw, pass by the entrance in a hurry to have Greed right behind her as she ran after the one she desired, the woman she was going to make sure was going to suffer her consequences.
Ellie didn't know what to think, her mind was racing a mile a minute but the only thing she could think was could it be true. Was that the reason for the Military finding their hide out. She had already assumed it would be a matter of time before they found them but thanks to that red headed woman that nearly killed her once before it began to all make sense. That woman wasn't just crazy, she had killed Greed because no one else could have him. She did say he better protect her, but she never thought this hussy would've gone this far as to take down the whole place and killed everyone in it!
Now the fangs were out, the claws were sharpened against the brick walls she pass by in a quickness, Greed could barely see or keep up with her when she saw the mysterious woman screaming and running for her life when she saw Elise. He had no idea what was going on, but he was going to find out before the panther really brought attention to herself.
She took a sharp turn down the alleyway Lila took trying to through the panther off, but she was too fast and smart for cheap tricks. When she was right behind her, Ellie took one last great leap forward to grab the girl by the collar of her shirt and throw her hard into the neighboring wall.
Lila gasped back hissed at the pain of her forehead scrapped and bleed down the front of her face, "What the hell! AH!" Elise took the girl by the tail of her long hair and with an animalistic growl she threw the girl again, threw around like a toy, a doll, in a way an wild animal would, screeching and clawing at the girl when she'd throw her again. Each time the girl cried out, grunting, moaning, and yelling out, cursing more when she began to cough up blood.
By this time, Greed had been close behind and came just in time to watch the anonymous woman lay nearly unconscious, bloody, bruised, her once lovely feminine features now blistered and some bones broken. The panther had really did a number on her, and as the avaricious stood there and looked to Ellie, he could see this look in her face. It was frightening to say the least, her teeth grinding against each other when she achingly made her way up to Lila, "You…It was all you…" The red head turned her shaking form to Ellie, trying to back away until she hit the wall, "Please! I didn't mean to! It just got out of hand!"
"Out of hand…?" Elise's voice was monotone, low, cold, shaking from the rage that was boiling up to the point of no return, that even Lila could see the death scenting the air, in fear of what will happen to her as she gazed into the now violet orbs of the hybrid, "When I'm done with you…" Was what Elise started with when she balled her fist out to the red head, the green eyes of the human girl filling with terror when the panther's hand started to warp some kind of force around it. And when their eyes made contact, Lila's face went pale, "You won't have to worry about your hands…In fact, there won't be anything left of you."
Next-Chapter 21: Lifting the Vale
I felt bad it took so long, so I decided to make it '4 pages' longer than I usually do the chapters, I hope it was worth the read, and as I always say until next time