Full Summary:
Envy prided himself in his use to Father, his superiority over humans and his abilities as a Homunculus. But even having lived nearly two hundred years, in a space of a day he had been defeated, humiliated and broken. With a bit of luck and one last trick he is alive, but things are different. The Promised Day has come and past, and with his other Homunculi siblings dead and Father as well, Envy is left without purpose. He has only one desire now, and will go through anything to get what he wants and deserves: revenge.
It was a performance alright, the greatest Envy had ever done. He had been alive for one hundred and seventy-five years, and it sufficed to say his most recent act was his magnum opus. He had survived. Envy would be lying if he said he had known it would work, in fact he had only mulled over the possibility of it being successful.
In what he had assumed originally to be his final moments he had been humiliated and the brat had pointed out what every one of the sins loathed to say. They were jealous of humans. Envy had the benefits of being one of the oldest of the Homunculus and the one that interacted with humans the most and knew what made them tic. He could read and understand the homunculus more than they would ever like.
Each one was jealous in some way. Gluttony was jealous of their ability to feel full, something he had never experienced nor would he ever. He was a black hole that sucked in more and more things but none would ever satisfy him. Gluttony the Voracious was doomed to never feel satisfied. He may have been too simple to realise it but he did feel jealousy.
Lust, she would never admit it, but she was jealous of the human ability to love. She hated the idea, many times she had raged to Envy about how it was a false feeling merely propagated by the human body to ensure that a male remains with a female to raise their young. She was certain that love was just lust being moulded to better suit the survival of the human race. However Envy could tell, just like when you mess up and you tell yourself that it wasn't your fault, you don't quite believe it. Envy still believed Lust, even in her final moments, probably never truly believed what she told herself.
Wrath, he was in a way the most complete of all the homunculus. Envy hadn't really known him well enough to have made judgements about him. Nevertheless Envy had always noticed that he had chosen willingly to take a wife, when asked by the others why he had merely said "It is the only choice I was allowed to make in my life." Perhaps he had been jealous of humanity's free will, however subconscious it was.
Sloth's jealousy was really quite simple; he coveted what most human's take for granted. Sleeping. For one hundred and fifty years Sloth toiled without break to complete the circle for the Promised Day. For one hundred and fifty years the only thing that kept him company was Pride's shadows which merely made sure that Sloth kept doing his job. Sloth had never said, but Envy thought Sloth resented the other Homunculi for leaving him alone and never allowing him any rest.
Greed was jealous of humanity for a multitude of reasons, and Envy knew that while Greed never admitted it, he did appear to care for them. Envy thought in a way that the other Homunculus was jealous of the ability of humans to be satisfied but not like Gluttony. Greed was jealous of their ability to not want more, there were times where Envy thought Greed was disappointed with wanting more despite having it all. He was irritated that some humans had less than him and yet they were content while he wanted more. But that was the nature of Greed the Avaricious.
Pride, the eldest Homunculus, enjoyed the privileged position he held as the oldest and, loathe as Envy was to admit it, ultimately the strongest Homunculus. His sin was also his greatest reason for jealousy. His confidence and self-assurance was what made Pride what he was, a creature of arrogance. Father's greatest sin. However, although he never admitted it, the first-born desperately craved Father's praise and recognition. He was jealous of humans' who didn't need to feel pride for they were praised by those they held in high esteem.
And what about him? Envy the Jealous? What did he crave and resent humans for having? In a word? Everything. He hated to admit it, but everything about humans Envy hated and so desperately craved. They were able to overlook each other's backgrounds and failings something Father and the other Homunculi could never do. Despite wronging each other they were able to ally and become friends. Father had created Envy as a literal personification and a vessel to hold all of the envy and jealousy he had, so it was no surprise he was the most jealous of all the Homunculi.
And now here he was sat in his weak form and true form, barely alive. He would admit he felt childish pride for still being alive and yet the stinging pain and the humiliation of his defeat with his entire person being laid out for the world to see was still like a red hot poker to his skin. Still, he could overcome this humiliation with time. Although he wasn't sure if he had much.
The fourth-born Homunculus had pulled a fast one so to speak, although it was more complex than that. In his true form he was weak and defenceless and barely capable of shapeshifting. What he had done was ambitious and to be honest seemed impossible to him, he had just used it to justify his suicide. It was like a waiver for him, so he could avoid admitting that he was, in his eyes anyway, taking the coward's way out. He had tried to use his last ounces of strength to transform into dust, giving the illusion that he had died, as the philosopher's stone was an integral part of his body he had also used his meagre reserves to give the illusion that it had been broken. He was certain it would fail and in reality he knew he was committing suicide to avoid dealing with the humiliation any longer. However he used it to give him the final push he needed.
However, he was conscious once more, indicating that contrary to what he may have believed it very much was possible. Envy couldn't believe it to be honest, he was in his true and weak form yes, but he was alive.
The green creature blinked in disbelief before focusing on the red stone in its appendages attached by what seem to be a single tendon keeping it apart of his body and therefore keeping him alive. It was hanging by a thread, literally.
Envy quickly forced the stone into his maw carefully guiding it back and making sure that it didn't snap the tendon that connected it to his body. That would be the second greatest humiliation of his life and also be his last.
Envy stared at his surroundings, he was back where he had been defeated with the signs of battle looking older but not cleared up yet. This told him two things; for one that time had passed, the fact that the Elrics nor Mustang were no longer looking at him with pity and revulsion confirmed this. And two not a huge amount of time had passed. Amestris was efficient; reconstruction efforts would certainly be underway within the month. Especially considering he was in Laboratory 3. So Envy had likely been unconscious from several hours to at most two weeks. The lack of knowledge was irritating him but he was on thin ice at the moment so he needed to keep quiet.
Envy was shaken out of his thoughts by footsteps, boots clacking as they made their way down the stone corridor. Humans were coming, and he needed to make himself scarce or else he would die for nothing. He quickly hugged himself against the shadows and crawled into a small cranny in the wall.
The two soldiers walked lazily down the corridor, they were chatting to themselves excitedly and one appeared to be chewing out the other but without a hint of edge or worry to their voices. This alone told Envy that his lowest estimate of him being out for several hours was wrong. There was no way even the most laid back of soldiers would act this way hours after the Elrics had come rampaging through. If he was to guess, he would say that they had been sent to make sure no one was trying to get in or out of Laboratory 3. Envy stood at the ready poising to seize the opportunity.
The elder soldier walked on ahead before turning to look back and frowning in displeasure at his companion "Damn it Conrad tie your fuckin' laces." He then looked away, likely in disgust of his companion's stupidity.
The younger man sheepishly grinned "Sorry Sarge, I'll get it to it now." He leaned down to look at his laces.
Envy blinked, was it his birthday?
"What the hell did I say about calling me Sarge?" grumbled the other, although there was no real anger in his voice.
The younger man smiled "You said that, and I quote, "If I like you, then you can call me Sarge, but guess what? I don't like you!" That's what you said sarge."
"Shurrup private" grumbled the other "the shit I have to put up with from you."
Envy was already making his way across the ground snaking his way towards the private currently tying his shoes. In his original state he was parasitic, and a host was presenting himself. It was like all of his one hundred and seventy-five birthdays had come at once.
He clung to the private's clothes and quickly but softly climbed his way up the private's back towards the man's neck, if he was too quick and too clumsy he would alert the man and his chance would be forever lost. Although he didn't like it, patience was not only useful it was necessary.
He latched on to the private's clothes holding on to his collar. If he took over while the private was tying his shoe laces there was a chance the man could fall, that would arouse suspicion. He would prefer to get through this patrol and back into the main camp or wherever the soldiers were stationed. He could deal with everything from that point on as it came. When the man stood, yes then he would enter.
The private finally tied his laces and got up smiling oblivious to what was upon his back.
Envy gave off what would be the closest to a smirk he could give in this form and laughed to himself internally.
"Why don't I just let myself in?"
The parasite dug itself into the private's neck, immediately beginning to rip into and shred the cerebral cortex moulding it and repurposing for Envy's needs. The man stumbled reflecting his pain and shock of having his neck dug out and something forcing its way in.
The sergeant heard the stumble and turned around "Goddamn it private, what the hell are you doing now?"
The private stared intently at the ground for a couple of seconds as the opening that Envy had made began to slowly mend itself before looking up and rubbing the back of his head sheepishly "Sorry Sarge, I forgot to double-tie it."
"God you are an idiot Walsh, how the hell did you get into the military anyways?"
Envy smirked at him keeping with the act "My devilishly good looks sir."
"Good to know private. Here I was hoping that you were secretly competent." groaned the sergeant although he did look amused.
Envy pretended to double-tie his boots, as the private had done so already, before looking up and deciding to prod for information "Hey Sarge did you hear anything interesting recently?"
The sergeant looked back at him "Well apparently some idiot from 5th battalion fell during a training exercise onto his rifle bayonet. I heard it got stuck in his ass."
Envy stopped himself from groaning "No sir, I mean like anything interesting politically you know?"
The sergeant stopped to think "Well apart from the Fuhrer dying to stop the whole country wide alchemist plot from happening, not much has happened." He looked at him "Are you an idiot seriously? You asked me the same question fuckin' five minutes ago."
Envy smiled closing his eyes "Sorry sir, short-term memory."
"Conrad you would embarrass a goldfish."
Envy was keeping cool on the outside but on the inside he could feel himself getting anxious and the human he was wearing was reflecting that with sweat and a heightened heart-rate.
"And what about those who were behind it? What happened to them?"
"I hear the Full-Metal Alchemist, his brother and Colo- or should I say Brigadier General Mustang killed the ones who were really in charge, and most of High Command has been implicated in the plot and put on trial."
The Promised Day had come and passed.
The plan had failed.
His brother and sisters were dead.
Father was dead.
Envy twitched "The Full Metal Brat and that Flame Alchemist have ruined everything! I should've let Gluttony eat "em when I have the chance!"
The sergeant looked up at him in shock "Conrad have you lost your mind, what the hell are you talking about?"
Envy looked at him with raw rage and reached into the private's holster grabbing the gun and aiming it instantly at the sergeant "Shut up!"
Envy unloaded the 9mm pistol and all of its rounds into the soldier leaving him a sieve. The man hadn't even got to scream in pain he was so full of bullets. He merely looked at him like a deer in the headlights before he gurgled and fell to the floor.
The homunculus wasn't finished and took a knee bringing to down the butt of the gun repeatedly seeing red, a mix of the sergeant's blood and his own rage. He blanked out repeating the gesture until he felt the gun striking something hard.
Envy looked to see that he had completely caved into the man's head and was now smashing the gun into the ground.
He got up and tried to calm himself slightly, it was hard, but he was Envy not Wrath. The Homunculus looked at his vessel and the current state of the Sergeant before groaning "Shit."
Getting into the camp was impossible.
That didn't matter. It was simple, he would seek out the Elrics and Mustang and kill them and avenge the all of the Homunculi. He would take the damn Flame Alchemist and roast him alive. He would step on the Pipsqueak and he would tear up his tin can of a brother and melt him down.
Envy began walking down the hallway heading straight towards the exit with purpose. His brisk pace began to slow before coming to a halt. What the hell was he thinking?
"I was defeated by them in my final form never mind when I am in this form. If I go back to them I will be humiliated again and this time they will roast me for good! No, I need to rest up and heal." Envy muttered to himself as he stopped holding his chin in thought "I am certain I will be able to take my preferred form once again I just need to allow the Philosopher's stone to replenish. I just need time."
Envy knew that every time he possessed someone as a parasite he fed his Philosopher's stone, all it would take was for him to take over a dozen or more humans and he would be back in top shape, well at least in theory that was how it worked. He had never done it before. He had only been in this form three times, once when he was born, once when he was forced into it after his defeat at the hands of Marcoh and now.
The implications of this were beginning to bug the personification of jealousy "Even then I can't face them; I need to increase my power if I ever want to see those bastards beg me for mercy."
He stomped his foot down on the ground and bared his teeth aggressively "How the hell am I so weak? I am over one-hundred and seventy five years old and have killed in the hundreds personally and my actions have caused the deaths of millions and yet I can't kill a fucking brat, his tin-can of a brother and a damn Colonel!"
Instead of calming, Envy was beginning to overthink and was working himself into a frenzy pacing around in a circle holding his head "Why the hell did Father make me so weak? Homunculi are supposed to be perfect, completely infallible! Did he want us to lose? How the hell was he so stupid? Why the hell are the alchemists so strong?"
Envy remembered Mustang burning him to a crisp "Why is he so strong, what did he do to deserve that power? I deserve it, I served Father loyally from my birth until now but somehow I am unable to defeat someone like him."
Envy looked at his hands "I deserve that power, I want that power, and I need that power."
"You're jealous of us."
Envy roared and threw the gun against the wall smashing it to bits "I am not jealous of humans. I despise the cockroaches, I wasn't thinking straight when I said that. I will prove it, I will become stronger than all of them and then they will beg me for mercy! They will be jealous of me!"
There was only one way to go about that and it was something Envy wasn't looking forward to but it was necessary.
He was going to have to learn Alchemy.
This was going to be difficult.
Well, Envy is still alive and kicking and is on a mission to avenge his family. I won't spoil anything, but this story will obviously contain a mixture of new and old characters. It will also cover both Envy in the present and the past, with some chapter being flashbacks to his 'childhood' or earlier years establishing the relationships all the Homunculi had with each other. It will also show how all of the Homunculi felt about Father.
Also while this story will be Envy-centric, with him being the main focus of everything going on within the story, some chapters may focus on other characters if it serves the plot enough. Also be warned, Envy is a sadistic guy, and is, arguably, the most sadistic person in the Full Metal Alchemist Universe. I mean we hand often talk about how evil Tucker was for using his daughter to create a talking chimera, but keep in mind Envy shot an Ishvalan child knowing that it would cause a brutal civil war with a smile on his face. So be prepared for some brutality from him Guys who have watched the 2003 Anime will be happy to know that I have watched it and will draw upon some of Envy's personality from that, however he is still Envy from the Manga/Brotherhood.
That's all I have to say. Goes without saying, but if you feel like it review.