Hooray for the next chapter! More fighting in this one.

Liz: Because it's a climax.

Envy: And climaxes in anime are non stop fighting.

Ed: heck in Brotherhood it lasted for like a box set.

Al: Doesn't talking about the Brotherhood universe make our heads explode since it's an alternate reality?

Wrath: Yeah, I'm not even in it.

Lust: And I die early on.

Ha! Sucks to be you!

Liz: So sympathetic.

Envy: Yep.

Wrath: REVIEW!

We were relatively quiet as we walked down the hall. I hadn't cried outright at Spite's death but it was oddly like watching myself die. You know, since we were personality and physical twins alike. I really wished I had known her a little better.

Honestly I was the only one who was greatly affected by her death. Ed and Al hadn't known her. Envy knew her but I could tell whether or not he cared at all.

When the silence became too much I came up beside Envy and asked. "Why didn't you ever tell me about her?"

For a moment he didn't answer. I was going to open my mouth to ask again when he spoke.

"You are very similar Liz but you two aren't the same person."

"Huh?" I asked.

"You and Kristen." He said, glancing at me. "It was her, originally, that made it harder for me to hurt you. Because you looked like her. But you are different. I wasn't sure if you'd realize that if I told you who Spite was."

"So…" I said slowly. "You thought I would be… jealous?"

He shrugged.

A bit my lip to keep from laughing. "Really?"

"Well, I know a thing or two about jealousy." Envy said. "My name is Envy, just in case you forgot."

"Right." I nodded. "Well, some humans succumb to it more than others. I might have been jealous, I don't know." I shrugged. "But I was mostly pissed off about being kept in the dark."

"Yeah, I'm not surprised." He shrugged. "Anger is less dangerous than jealousy though so I'm glad I took that risk." He smirked. "I mean your anger isn't very effective against me seeing as I can't die."

I aimed a swipe at his head and he ducked neatly away from it.

Still, what he said did oddly reassure me. It was nice to know that he cared about me because of me and not someone else.

"This thing goes on forever!" Ed complained, peering into the dark.

"Well we can use the walking time to come up with some sort of plan." Al suggested. "Like how to get the homunculi into the circle. Fear or Malice. Something tells me we'll have to go through them first before we can lay a finger on Dante."

"Especially Malice and Fear." I nodded. "They seem to be pretty loyal to her, even if their relationship with each other is tentative."

This place will probably have several rooms." Envy said. "I say we split up. Two of us will fight and the other two will draw the circle in the next room. Then we'll lead them into the trap."

"Ed and I will take care of the circle." Al said.

"Which means Envy and I will fight." I said. "Fantastic. I hope a long awaited attack doesn't spring on me at the last second."

"You'll be fine." Envy said, though he looked a bit doubtful himself.

"This is hoping that we only meet one at a time right?" Al asked.

"That would make things easier." Envy said. "And because of that I wouldn't count on it."

"We have Fear's remains." I said, feeling the ring in my pocket. "Malice is going to be the tricky part. We'll have to get him in the circle somehow."

"I'm thinking improvising is a good strategy." Ed said.

"Improvising and not dying." Envy nodded.

I sighed. "I'm glad we have that whole 'planning' thing down to science."

The room below was large and looked much like a large cave. The floor was smooth and paved but the roof was rough and bumpy with stalactites hanging down in some places. It wasn't quite as grand as the opera room, I had to say but it worked when it came to intimidation.

"Maybe she didn't start decorating until later in." Al speculated.

"Yes, I very much doubt Dante would let her hiding place go without any sort of decorum." Envy said. "She's obsessed with appearances."

"It looks like this room leads off into another one." Al said, peering through the next doorway. "It's much better decorated in here. It looks like an actual room in a house."

"We could use that." Ed nodded.

"Yes, you could." A familiar voice sneered. "That is, assuming I let you."

Fear dropped down from seemingly nowhere and landed in a hard crouch on the concrete ground. She raised her head, gazing at us with violent eyes. A sadistic smile was curled over her face.

"Hello everyone. How nice of you to drop by."

"Well, your response time is fantastic." Envy commented lightly.

"Thanks." Fear held her arm out to the side and allowed the flesh to melt into a metal blade. "We do try."

"Ed, Al," I murmured. "Go draw the circle in the next room. Hurry."

"How much time can you give us?" Ed asked.

"Preferably fifteen minutes." Envy said. "Think you can handle that?"

"Of course." Al said. With that the two brothers were gone. Fear tried to go after them but Envy barred her way.

"You have enough trouble beating me when it's just the two of us. So you don't want to direct your focus on anyone else. Then you'll just end up with a broken hand." Envy smirked.

Fear's grin twisted into a snarl. "I'll be crushing your hands this time. Let's see how strong you are when you're afraid."

Her eyes flashed but nothing happened. I turned to see Envy looking at the ground. He grinned. "You can't use your gift without direct eye contact now can you?" He let his arm morph into a blade. "Good to know."

Fear looked like she was about to lunge at him but evidentially memories of broken hands came back to her so she did the next logical thing.

She lunged for me.

I was anticipating this however and I managed to bring my knives up in time to parry the stab of her blade. I spun around and aimed one knife for the back of her neck but upon feeling the sharp metal she rolled forward and out of my range. She spun on her hands and looked back at me, eyes gleaming with hatred.

"You know Malice says he gets to kill you, but you know what I think?" She grinned. "I say first come first serve."

"You mean there's a line to kill me?" I sighed.

"You're just that good at making enemies, Liz." Envy smirked.

"Great." I muttered, flipping my knives around in my hands to get a better grip. "Just. Freaking. Perfect."

Fear lunged at me again her eyes gleaming with a desire, even desperation to kill me.

For every homunculus I be friend another wants to kill me with all their being.


"I'll guard." Ed said. "You draw."

"Alright." Al said, pulling a piece of chalk from his pocket. "You think Envy and Liz will be alright."

"Envy's dealt with Fear before, they'll be fine." Ed said, looking around. "Looks like Dante didn't start caring about appearance till this room."

"Yeah it looks nice." Al said.

"Keep drawing." Ed said. "We don't have time to waste. If we don't hurry and draw this-"

He got no further before a fist rammed into his gut and sent him flying back into the wall.

"Brother!" Al cried.

Ed looked up to see Malice standing there, a long knife in one hand.

"Then one of the homunculi might show up to stop you?" Malice finished Ed's sentence. "Too late to worry about that, Fullmetal Alchemist."

"Shit." Ed muttered, standing. "Al, keep drawing. I'll handle this guy."

Malice smirked. "You will try."

Then he lunged.


Fear must have been practicing her fighting because she was managing to hold her own against Envy and I. Envy was the big issue for her I guess but the sheer fact she could avoid him was something.

"How long has it been?" I asked when Envy managed to kick Fear yards back.

"Ten minutes." Envy said. "We give them five more and then we get this one in there."

"You won't get me into any of your damn circles." Fear grinned. "You don't have my remains. Your dumb cousin destroyed them."

I was sorely tempted to pull the ring out right then and rub it in Fear's face but Envy gave a small shake of his head.

'Wait to surprise her. Not yet.'

I nodded back. Instead I settled for lunging at her again. "Don't you say a word about my cousin you little freak!"

She laughed and jumped easily out of the way. "He was. He was to think he could beat me. He was dumb to think he could find any of his sister in me."

"He wasn't looking for his sister in you. He knew you weren't her." I growled. "Nothing good could exist in someone like you."

Fear's grin twisted into a sneer and she stabbed out at me again. I took a few steps back out of the way.

"You're not as good as Clara, or as nice, or as strong." I said, holding onto the thing that made her mad. "You're weaker than her. Than all of us! We are stronger than you."

"Shut the hell up!" She almost managed to get her blade across my throat this time but Envy knocked the blade aside and kicked her back.

"Try not to piss her off just yet. You need to live for a few more minutes." He said.

"Right." I swallowed and nodded. "Good idea."


Malice was quick, no doubt about it. Ed had a hard time keeping him away from Al, and keeping himself alive at the same time. Plus Ed had to keep his arm away from Malice's hand so that he wouldn't destroy it like he had before. It reminded him of fighting Scar if he had no purpose and was faster and more sadistic.

Ed rolled out of the way of Malice's hand as it smashed against the ground, driving cracks through the tile floor.

"Careful, you'll wreck your master's décor." Ed said.

"I'm sure she'll come to forgive me." Malice smirked.

"Well, you never know with Dante." Ed said, He elbowed Malice back from where Al was still drawing. "How's it coming Al?"

"I'll be done soon!" Al said. "Give me a few more minutes."

"I'll try!" Ed said.

"And you will fail." Malice sank his knee into Ed's gut. Ed gasped out and barely managed to stumble out of the way before Malice could bring his knife down on Ed's neck. He was not, however, able to dodge the next stab, which all the way through his flesh shoulder and into the wall behind him. Ed screamed in pain as blood poured from the gaping wound.

"Brother!" Al cried.

"Keep going." Ed managed to gasp out.

Malice smirked and twisted the blade in Ed's shoulder. Ed gritted his teeth in effort to contain pained yells from escaping his mouth.

"How would you like it if I wrecked your other arm too?" Malice asked. "If you get out of this alive you'd have to get another metal addition."

"Screw… you…" Ed hissed.

"I don't plan on letting you get out of here alive of course." Malice said lightly. "I'll deal with you. Then your brother. And then with dear Lizzie."

"Why do you hate her so muc?" Ed growled. "What did she ever do to you?"

"That's a surprise for her and her alone." Malice said. He yanked his blade out of Ed shoulder and raised it above his head. "Farewell Fullmetal alchemist."

"No you don't!" Al cried, slamming his hand against the ground. A smaller circle let up and a giant stone fist shot from the floor. Malice was scooped away by the fist and slammed against the wall. He struggled but the stone had encased his middle. Even he wasn't strong enough to break through that thick of stone.

"God… damn it." Malice writhed in his binding. His arms were pinned to his side, preventing him from using alchemy.

"Thanks Al." Ed clasped a hand over his shoulder and slowly slid down the wall. Blood was pooling around him from his wound and he was starting to feel woozy.

"Are you ok?" Al asked, looking panicked. "You're bleeding a lot."

"I'm fine. Finish." Ed insisted. "Promise."

Al looked doubtful but he nodded and hurried back to the circle.

"You'll have to let me go if you plan on getting me into that circle!" Malice shouted, still struggling in vain against his stone prison. "But you'll never get me inside."

"It's not for you." Ed snapped. "It's for Fear. Will deal with you after she's gone."

Malice didn't seem to care much about the threat against Fear. He just rolled his eyes. "You will try to deal with me you mean."

"No we will deal with you." Ed said. "And after you, Dante."

"It's done brother." Al called.

"Good." Ed said. "Just be ready."


Wrath and Lust stayed near the back of the soldiers along with Mustang, ready to keep Arrogance at bay should he appear. But Wrath found himself restless, shifting from foot to foot, back and forth, back and forth.

"I need to help them." He thought. "I need to help the brothers and Envy and big sister. They need help. Dante is scary. Four isn't enough."

"Are you alright?" Lust asked. "You seem nervous. You know you can't die Wrath."

"I know, I know." He nodded. "It's not this. I'm not scared of war. I'm scared for the others fighting Dante."

Lust sighed. "They'll be fine."

"But how do you know?" Wrath asked. "What if one of them gets hurt. Or dies? Isn't it likely one of them dies? Only Envy's immortal and Dante is good at those circles that kill homunculi. So what if one of them or big sister gets killed?"

Lust sighed. "Wrath…"

"You don't know do you? But I do know. I have a bad feeling and I want to find them. Please Lust. Can't you help here? Can't I go help them? There are so many soldiers here, they don't need me!" Wrath pleaded.

Lust gazed down at his wide pleading eyes for a long time, obviously weighing her options. "Well… I'm not sure…"

"Please!" Wrath said.

"Let him go." Izumi said, coming up beside Lust. "It will be good to have another person down there to keep my idiot students out of trouble."

Lust eyed her cautiously. "You're sure?"

"We can handle things here." Izumi nodded. "Let the child help where he thinks he is needed. He's old enough to decide for himself."

Lust sighed and nodded. "Alright."

Wrath beamed. "Thank you!" He bowed his head. "I-I'll help them. I promise."

"I'm sure you will." Izumi ruffled his hair.

"Thanks mommy." He said and he ran off leaving Izumi standing there frozen, wide eyed and dumbstruck at his words.


Liz: Hey look! No one died in this chapter!

Ed: What? No depression?

Envy: Take it away!

You know I feel like we've talked about this sarcasm thing before.

Al: Yes but last time you had a chainsaw... not a bat with nails embedded in it.

Oh that's right.

Liz: Shit!

Ed: RUN!

Lust: I feel like this kind of thing happens alot too.

Wrath: Deja vu.

REVIEW! MWAHAHAHA!