Chapter Twenty-Eight

Envy was kicking his ass. It was all Ed could do to dodge, and any attacks of his that did manage to make contact weren't doing any damage. Envy's wounds healed almost as quickly as he received them. He could hear Al yelling for him through the door. Words of encouragement and worry that helped Edward remember just what it was that he was fighting for. He would do anything, give up anything, if it meant saving his younger brother.

With that thought in mind, Ed claps his hands and slaps them against the floor. A wave of blue light moves over the floor as the transmutation is performed, shifting the clay and gravel into large spikes that he aimed at Envy. Envy dodges, but he's too slow and one of the spikes pierces his foot, trapping him.

Ed grins in triumph as he claps his hands once more and touches the wall next to him.

"Don't think you've won just yet, pipsqueak," says Envy, as a white light flashes around his foot, breaking down the spike and healing his foot, just as the wall shifts and more spikes come at him, but this time Envy manages to dodge. "I'm impressed, it seems that you do have some skills after all."

"That's not all I have," says Ed, clapping his hands once more. "I'm done playing with you. I'll be going all out from now on."

"Oh? Then maybe I should go all out as well," says Envy, as his body begins to shift and grow. Ed could only watch in horror as Envy takes on the form of a large green monster with what appeared to be human bodies all over it. With a single strike of his massive tail Envy effectively rids the hallway of the spikes Ed had created.

"What the hell are you?" whispers Ed, in fear as he takes in the sight before him.

"I'm a homunculus."

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When Al heard the large crash he just knew that Ed was in trouble. "Brother, hang in there!" screeches Al, as he looks around wildly for something, anything that he could draw a transmutation circle with, but there just wasn't anything.

Al tugs on the chain again, wishing that he could get his foot out of the cuff. He had already pulled and twisted his ankle to the point that the skin was raw and beginning to bleed in some spots. Al tries once more to free his foot, but only succeeds in making his ankle bleed even more, the blood running down the cuff and pooling on the floor. And then an idea hits Al. He could use his blood!

Al quickly begins drawing on the floor with his blood, creating a small transmutation circle which he uses to remove the cuff. Once free, he runs to the door and draws a second circle which he uses to unlock the door. "I'm coming, Brother," says Al, as he opens the door, just in time to see Ed get knocked against the wall by a large tail.

"Brother!"

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Roy wasn't sure what to do at that moment. The man they were fighting was wrist deep into Hoenheim's gut and Hoenheim was obviously in pain. Hawkeye and Havoc were watching the scene with wide, terror filled eyes. "We need to help him!" barks Mustang, causing them both to jump.

"I agree, sir, but what do you propose we do?" asks Hawkeye. Havoc was nodding his head in agreement to Hawkeye's words.

"We need to stop him!" he shouts, and Havoc snorts.

"You pretty much already said that, sir. How?" retorts Havoc. Mustang wasn't sure, he had hoped that one of them would chime in instead of looking at him like he was an idiot. He glares at Havoc.

"I know!" barks Mustang. "Since you seem to be so smart you tell me!" snaps Mustang. It wasn't like they had all of the time in the world to figure it out.

"Well, not trying to state the obvious here, but attacking outright doesn't seem to do us any good. Perhaps you could try using alchemy while he's distracted," says Hawkeye.

"I could give it a try, but I'm not good at much outside of my flame alchemy," says Roy, wishing he had focused more on the other alchemy he had learned. He almost wished that Ed was with them, he seemed to know more about matter alchemy than he did.

"That's true, but I've seen you pull through before," says Hawkeye, her eyes full of determination and confidence in her superior officer. With a heavy sigh, Mustang racks his brain for a transmutation circle that he could use.

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Ed was in a daze, but he could hear Al's voice. It sounded much closer and more clear. And then his younger brother was in front of him. "Al?" he asks, hoarsely.

"I'm here, brother. Are you okay?" asks Al, as Ed wipes his eyes.

"Are you okay?" asks Ed, as he tries to get up.

"What are you doing out of your cell?" demands Envy, as he runs towards them. Al quickly draws a circle and activates it causing the floor to shift and transform into vines that wrap around Envy.

"We should just get out of here," says Al, helping Ed to his feet.

"Hell no, we've got to make sure he can't hurt you or anyone else," growls Ed, as he claps his hands just as Envy gets free. Ed slaps his hands against the wall, causing spikes to form again.

"This trick again?" sneers Envy, lashing out with his tail and destroying the spikes again.

"Any better ideas, brother?" asks Al.

"Just one," says Ed, as he takes a step backward.

"What is it?" asks Al, just before Ed grabs his wrist and begins running down the hallway.

"We run like hell!" screeches Ed, as Al regains his footing and pulls his wrist free so that he can run next to Ed. Al had to admit that Ed ran pretty fast for someone with an auto mail leg.

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Roy was just on the verge of remembering the basic transmutation circle that he knew, when he heard multiple yelling coming from down the tunnel, along with a roaring sound. "What the hell?" asks Roy.

Suddenly, Ed and Al burst into the room with a giant green monster chasing them. "WHAT THE HELL?"

"He's all yours, Colonel!" screeches Ed, as they run behind Hawkeye.

"What did you two do?" demands Mustang.

"I was trying to save Al!" snaps Ed.

"We couldn't beat him, sir," says Al, apologetically.

"What do you expect me to do?" asks Roy.

"Flame his ass!" demands Ed.

"You owe me, Fullmetal," grumbles Roy, before snapping his fingers and engulfing the creature in flames.

"What is that thing?" asks Hawkeye.

"His name is Envy, and he's a homunculus," says Ed, watching the flames die. Envy was standing, burned, but healing. "It's going to take more than that to defeat him."

"Now you tell me!" sneers Roy. "I'll figure him out, you save your father!" Ed and Al look over to where Hoenheim was struggling to get the man's hand out of his stomach.

"Dad!" shouts Al, worried.

"Hoenheim!" yells Ed. He claps his hand and slaps the floor. A spike shoots up from the floor,, spearing the man's arm and Hoenheim stumbles away. Once free, Hoenheim runs over to the group.

"Al! You're here! Thank you, Edward," says Hoenheim.

"Yeah, next time, you can go save Al," says Ed.

"How nice, the family is reunited," says the man.

"Just give it up, we're all here now, and we'll defeat you," says Hoenheim.

"Envy! Quit toying with that man and come here," demands the man, ignoring Hoenheim.

"Yes, Father," says Envy, taking on his human form and going back to his father's side.

"So you think, but you have yet to harm me," says Father.

"Did you forget what Ed did to your hand?" asks Havoc.

"That was mere luck," says Father.

"'Luck'?" scoffs Ed. "That was skill!"

"You keep telling yourself that, pipsqueak, but if you couldn't defeat me, you have no hope against Father!"

"I wouldn't be so sure. It's six against two, and four of us are alchemists. The odds are against you, even with your philosopher's stone!"

"He has a philosopher's stone?" asks Ed.

"Yes, but it's okay, because we have one too," says Hoenheim.

"We do?" asks Ed.

"Where?" asks Al.

"It's inside my body. I'm a living philosopher's stone," says Hoenheim.

End Chapter

A/N: Thanks for reading! Sorry I took forever again, but I literally wrote one page and got stuck, and I wrote this whole chapter with writer's block, so I hope it doesn't suck too much. I had also thought that I would make this the last chapter, but alas, that didn't happen, and I didn't feel like making the chapter any longer, so I guess the next chapter or two will decide their fates and end it so I can move on. Also, it's really hard to get inspired without reviews! So please please please review! That is all. Sayonara! =]