Envy laughed as his arm regenerated and he countered Wrath with a strike of his own. Blood flew, and he smiled viciously. Wrath couldn't regrow limbs or heal his wounds; this fight would be almost too easy.

He may have been laughing on the outside, but on the inside, Envy was a nervous wreck. Sure, on his end, the battle was going well. It would be over soon. But on Edward's end…he didn't know, and he had no way of finding out. Either he would hear from Ed telling him to come to Central, or he would hear about an intruder to the Fuhrer's mansion that died while being chased off.

The homunculus cried out as his stomach was stabbed, swallowing the lump in his throat. He had to concentrate on the fight at hand.

Envy had missed this, the special cruelty that comes with trying to kill someone. Yet this time it was different. It was more intense, more crucial when he was fighting for the right to be with Edward. Before, he had been fighting more or less for the hell of it. Now, there was meaning to it. The feeling was both excruciating and exhilarating.

Pulling the blade out, Envy snarled and snapped it in two, cutting his hands in the process, advancing on the bleeding Wrath. He grabbed the homunculus's head, ignoring the blade that pierced his side as he did so, and squeezed with all the strength of his true form.

Wrath popped like a party balloon.

Now splattered with blood, Envy considered the fact that he could have used a less sloppy method. Oh well.

The homunculus headed back in the direction of Dorbush, so he could wait in a hotel room, hoping for a call that might not come.

Ed looked nothing like himself, but at the same time, he looked completely ridiculous. He had transmuted a lightweight metal over his flesh arm, making it appear that both limbs were automail. That, however, was only the beginning of the changes.

Edward kept his hair, which he had dyed black, down around his shoulders. He had painted thick lines around his eyes (though unfortunately he could do nothing about their distinctive color). The alchemist was wearing even taller boots than normal, making him appear to be around average height. He had completely changed his clothes as well, so that he wore white from head to toe in an odd sort of robe.

There was no way anyone would recognize him. Ed slipped into the Fuhrer's mansion though a side door he created—the security was suspiciously lax—and transmuted his automail in preparation for the coming fight. Just then, creeping down the hall, did he realize that his signature move could and would give him away.

A moment later, the blade on Ed's arm was gone, replaced by some formidable spikes on his knuckles. That ought to do the trick.

"Looking for me?" A child's voice spoke behind him.

The alchemist spun around to find Pride standing casually. This wasn't good. In a deserted hallway, Pride would be free to use his abilities with no one the wiser.

Edward turned and punched a wall, succeeding in both causing a ruckus and blocking the first shadows the homunculus sent his way with the debris.

Almost immediately he heard the sound of footsteps and a woman's panicked voice. "Selim!"

Pride scowled and sent another round at Ed, which he blocked with his automail. Mrs. Bradley rounded the corner and screamed. "Don't hurt him! Don't touch Selim!"

Edward felt incredibly cruel for attacking a child in front of his mother (for that is what Mrs. Bradley would see), but he had too. He leaped forward and slammed his fist straight into Pride's face.

While his attack was successful, Pride had been sneaky. He shot out a single shadow from behind him, piercing Ed's flesh leg. The alchemist reared back, crying out, and smashed into the light on the wall.

The entire hallway was plunged into darkness. Edward experienced a moment of terror, believing he would be cut to shreds any second, but nothing happened. The only sound was Mrs. Bradley sobbing for Selim.

Ed made his move. He felt around until he found Pride, who tried to struggle but could not escape without his shadows. Edward had no idea why the homunculus was powerless, but he would take it.

Again and again he pounded in Prides face, feeling sick as he did so; even though it was necessary, he still didn't like destroying someone completely.

However, with a last hit, something came out of Pride's forehead and smacked Ed. He grabbed it, cursing the lack of light. He felt for the wall, sprinting down the hall until he found a room.

Once inside, he turned on the lamp, and found a miniscule child, a baby really, sitting in the palm of his hand. This was… Pride.

Was he still dangerous? Edward doubted it. He felt his way back through the dark hallway until he found Mrs. Bradley lying on the floor, mourning her son and undoubtedly expecting death herself. Ed laid the child by her knees and left, limping profusely.

He ditched his costume in a nearby trash bin, but only made it a block before his leg collapsed. Looking down, he saw a bloody trail. Shit. He clapped his hands and transmuted the blood, dividing its contents until only water and a powder of the other components remained. It quickly blew away in the wind. Ed then tied his shirt tight around his leg, preventing any further trail.

Edward dragged himself to a phone box. He wasn't in danger, just pain, and so he dialed Envy's number first.

"Edward?"

"Mission accomplished."

Envy heaved a sigh of relief, which crackled over the receiver. Immediately, however, he was alert again. "You sound faint. Are you okay?"

"Pride got me in the leg. I'll be fine."

"Ed! Go call a doctor!"

Smiling despite the pain in his leg, Edward answered. "I will. Glad you're ok."

Envy hung up. There were no words for what he was feeling. He would get it through to Ed when he got to Central.