A/N- I promised this chapter would be extra long, so I hope it lives up to everyone's expectations! It took me a while, so I also hope you're all happy with it. I apologize if this chapter confuses you a little... I promise you'll understand it after a while! Trust me! You just kinda gotta finish reading the whole chapter first.
Disclaimer- I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or the characters.
Chapter 6- Beginning of Pride
When the realization of becoming a sin hit Edward for the second time, hard and strong, he was in the middle of a dream. It was nothing like he had ever seen before. Fog clouded his vision, and all around he thought he could hear the screams of children and adults alike, all crying out in pain. Something that was obviously his fault... But how?
He finally opened his eyes, although still sleeping. All he could see for miles around was a wasteland. A big, destroyed city that had become nothing but a useless mess, torn apart by an immense power. Still having the cut in his arm, he flinched when he rolled over, putting his weight on the right side of his body. Only a few thoughts were beginning to strike him at this moment. None of them seemed entirely important, but..
"Where's my brother?" Ed asked himself, beginning to panic. Apparently, he hadn't realized he was sleeping, and tore around in an insane matter, lifting himself up and running towards the empty and demolished area, hoping and praying, hell, even pleading to God, whom he didn't usually acknowledge the presense of, that Al was there, somewhere, maybe even buried in the rubble but at least alive and breathing. "Al?" He called out, trying his best not to expect an answer. Though when he didn't get one, he began to worry again.
It was getting so bad that he was digging in the rocks, the demolished area where buildings had once stood. Dead bodies littered the ground. His brother had to be there somewhere, only hopefully, he would be alive, and looking for Ed.
After a few minutes of almost hopeless, and unbearable digging, he thought he'd finally discovered Al.
Alphonse Elric, Ed's younger brother lay mangled among a few other bodies, exceedingly bloody, eyes shut, with an almost peaceful look on his face. And, still forgetting he was in the middle of a dream, the thought was bringing tears to the older Elric's eyes. After a mere few seconds, he was in tears, and whether his brother be bathed in blood or not, he was still hugging him, muttering instances of it not being his fault, and that he was sorry anyway, and that hopefully Al was in a better place now. Still, he didn't want to believe it. Edward was having his personal moments when Envy appeared next to him, an obvious sparkle in his eye as he looked down at what would soon become his companion.
"I thought I would allow you to witness this event now, while you still had your precious emotions to deal out to every living thing that lost a life... You are very emotional, Fullmetal, and I envy you for that." Well certainly, Ed thought to himself, that Envy had his name for a reason. "Of course, when this actually does happen, I won't be allowing you to feel anything for your brother. He's already a lost cause, though I'm sure you knew that..." At this moment, hearing someone talk this way about Al, Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist, Deadly Sin Pride, snapped. He just lost it.
"My brother is not a lost cause now and he never was!" Ed stood up, not quite Envy's height, but that didn't matter. He was furious in unimaginable ways, and ready to kick some ass.
"He has been a lost cause ever since that night of your failed transmutation, Fullmetal. Don't you understand? I suppose not. It's impossible to understand how he felt, being trapped in a suit of armor for most of his life, all because of you." All the tears that had left Ed's eyes in fury were returning again as he fell to the ground on his knees, gripping the rocks with his hands, his face screwed up like it used to when he was little.
"That's not true..."
"Oh yes it is, and I'm sure you know that... You want to wake up now, don't you? Go back to that world where your brother Al still exists?" And Ed felt himself nodding, crying out at the same time as Envy smiled at him evilly. "You digust me to this very day, Fullmetal. Always wanting what you can't have. Perhaps I should have named you Greed. Then again, you always did seem to appreciate yourself more than ever before, proud of absolutely everything you did, regaurdless of whether you made a bad choice or not..."
"No! I knew I made a bad choice when I transmuted his soul into the armor, but I didn't want to lose him!"
"You're going to lose him soon anyway. And his death will be by your hands, Fullmetal." Ed shook his head. Envy reached down, picking him up by the collar of his shirt, and dragging him upward, looking him straight in the eyes. Their faces were very close, and the tears were still dripping from Ed's face as he struggled to get away. Envy wouldn't allow it. "Answer my question, Edward. Would you like to see your brother for the last time, or not?" Ed nodded. "Fine."
The dream world Ed was in dissapeared, leaving him to sit in the middle of a simply gorgeous looking field with many flowers, and nothing but the sound of birds and crickets chirping. Al was next to him, just staring off into the distance. Without any explanation, Ed was hugging his younger brother, just in appreciation that he was there for him, happy to see him alive and well again, even if it was just one of Envy's cheap tricks. He remembered to himself, that if he ever did manage to get out of this predicament, he was never going to take Al for granted again. Of course, he never had after Al had been returned to a normal body again. Edward had learned his lesson the first time around.
"Ed, are you okay?" Al asked, as Ed finally let go of him. Ed nodded happily. "Brother, there is something I've been meaning to ask you... About your arm?" And Ed knew... Could this possibly be the real Alphonse? The inquisitive younger brother Edward had known his whole life, always loving and appreciative of what other people sacrificed for him? "Why was it bleeding when Havoc cut you?"
"Well Al... I really don't know how to explain everything. Somehow it just... Came back."
"That's not a very good answer, brother... But if you say so, I guess I'll just have to believe you." Another thing Ed had always loved about Al. Although Al was pretty pressing with some matters, there were just times when he would allow Ed's lesser answers to slip past. "I never did call Winry after I got my name... Not that the name is something to be very proud of." Ed couldn't agree more.
"Al, if that's really you, I just want you to know that I'm sorry... For everything that's happened." Ed said, his gaze averting to the ground beneath him as his brother stared at him in suprise, then sighed, smiled, and shook his head sarcastically, even bothering to roll his eyes. "What? I am!"
"There's really no reason, Ed. I can't remember being in any suit of armor anyway. I can only remember when Mom died, and when we tried to bring her back... Nothing afterwards." Ed nodded at him, a little happier his brother never wanted to pin the blame specifically on him. Al had always done his part, and he'd always done it right. No exceptions. "I suppose we really should be getting back to Mustang. Otherwise you know he's going to get angry." Ed wasn't sure he could go back to Mustang. He wasn't sure where'd he end up when he finally awoke, but at least he was able to see Al one last time... He hoped Envy wasn't telling the truth. Killing his brother would be the single most fucked up thing he'd ever done.
It happened in a flash, but as soon as he'd stood up to follow his brother, hopefully back to wherever Roy was located in that dream world, he awoke, laying on the concrete floor again, coughing up a bit of blood as he did so. He pushed himself up off the ground and took another good look around the room, wondering where Envy would have been off to...
"Suprised to see you awake so soon, Fullmetal." Envy stood right above Ed, looking down at him with pure disgust. He knew he still had the chance to save Al, so right now, there was only one other thought coming to the mind of Edward Elric.
"Where's Winry?" Ed asked, standing up to get a better look at his enemy. Envy waved him off. "I want to know where she is!" Pointing to a corner, Envy sighed and shook his head, wandering away hopelessly and leaving the elder Elric to do as he pleased. Winry was laying down, still sleeping. With a sudden adrenaline rush, Edward was over to his childhood friend in a flash, and seconds afterward, was cradling her in his arms. "Oh please, Winry... You can't become a sin..." And Ed knew... Becoming a sin was about the same as dying. For some reason, there was blood splattered on the once clear white shirt Winry was wearing. Ed wondered what she'd been going through, and suddenly, a memory hit him.
"Brother, something's up with Winry," Al stated, lowering his voice so Winry, whatever she might be doing, wouldn't hear him talking about her. Ed looked up, and rolled his eyes, trying to ignore Al's protests. "I'm serious, Ed. She's acting strangely."
"Well maybe she changed a little while we were gone. You know, five years can be a long time to some people..." Still, Al protested.
"How often have you known Winry to put off fixing your automail for a day at a time? She's obsessed with automail. Something's wrong with her. And aside from that..." Al took a moment to reach into the pocket of the trench coat he had on. It was red, like Edwards. What he pulled out was quite odd looking to Ed. A razor, stained with drying blood, a little bit dull from some obvious overuse. "I think..." Ed gulped. "She might be slaughtering animals."
"Al! What are you, an idiot!" Ed slapped himself over the face. "Where did you find that thing, anyway? If you found it in the kitchen, it's possible that's food on it or something..."
"I found it on Winry's bed." At this, Ed cringed a little, thinking of what this might mean.
It came to him. Slowly at first, but something was happening, and Ed knew it was bad. Inspecting Winry's left arm, he finally saw all of the horizontal and vertical slashes alike, blood dryed and slowly becoming scars that would forever haunt the poor girl, even after she became a sin, though she would probably never realize how it all came to be.
"How could I be so stupid..." Ed asked himself. "Aw Winry, I'm sorry this had to happen to you." He held her closer, knowing he'd never get the chance to be this near to her again, and to actually understand how much it meant to him once he became a sin. The same went for Winry, though Ed wasn't sure she liked him the same way. Why should she, after all? He was a complete jerk...
Bypassing that thought for the moment, Ed knew that both of them needed to get out of that building, but how? It wasn't too much longer before they got their chance.
"Now Fullmetal, I need to go look for Wrath." He snapped his fingers, and Edward felt a horrible pain in both of his arms and his chest again as the markings glowed with crimson color, illuminating the pitch black room for just a few seconds before dying down. Ed dropped to the ground, blacking out again. "Be good while I'm gone. Try not to get too desperate in those nightmares I've created for you..." Envy walked through the doorway.
On the other side of Central, it was suffice to say that things were going a lot easier for Al than they had been for his brother.
"You know, Al, I'm actually very pleased with Edward's work for once." Al smiled and nodded, pleased his brother had achieved something with his sloppy, left-handed penmenship. "This report is half-decent, to say the least. Now where did you say your brother was off to in such a rush?" Alphonse wasn't sure exactly how he should answer. He hadn't seen Ed for the longest time now, and Edward hadn't exactly told him where he and Cassidy were going...
Lost in thought, Al wasn't broken out of his mind-numbing questions until he heard someone screaming from outside. He immediately recognized the voice to be Cassidy, and sure enough, when he looked out the window, he realized he was correct. And the other person he saw, well, let's just say he wasn't quite so overjoyed.
"Come on now, Nina..." Why was he calling her Nina? "You need to go back to your big brother now. He needs you..." Nina was trying to wretch away, in fear she might face the same end as her many friends.
"No! Let go of me!" She squealed, making a bigger scene than Envy probably would have liked. After all, he was in the middle of public. Not that there were many people outside to see. "I don't like you!"
"Well I don't particularly like you either," Envy sneered. "You little brat! Quit kicking and screaming and come with me!" Still, Nina was an adamant young girl, and managed to pull away with ease in the next few seconds. Not knowing how much more suspense he could take, Al jumped from the window. It was lucky for him he landed upright, and didn't break anything. His leg was in a slight amount of pain, though. "Oh god, Fullmini's little brother..." Nina went running for Al, who stood in front of her, trying to gaurd her with his life. He always had adored that little girl, and was still a little confused as to how this was Nina...
"You never give up, do you?" Al asked him, taking just another second to transmute a pole next to him into a staff. He pointed it at Envy, who simply smiled, and shrugged. "Where's my brother?" Envy didn't answer. He seemed to be playing with a coin he'd discovered on the ground. "Listen to me! You'd better answer, or I'll tear you in two!" Al moved forward a few more steps.
"Your funeral," Envy replied, and he melted away, into thin air. Nina sighed in relief. Al bent down to her height, wanting to ask her a few questions, but unsure as to whether she'd know how to answer or not.
"So, you're Nina?" He asked. She nodded, red eyes glowing with admiration. "I don't by chance think you remember me?"
"I know you from off the train earlier. And uh... That's it." Al shrugged and smiled at her, before taking her hand and readying himself to take her into the building. Roy had his head shoved out the window. Apparently, he'd been watching the entire conversation.
"Hey, Alphonse!" Al looked up to the window at his "superior," who was pointing down the street, into the distance, where Edward was running towards them at full speed.
"Ed?" Al asked, as Ed stopped right in front of him and attempted to catch his breath. Edward nodded, staring at his older brother in awe. "Did you know Envy's here!" The question was burst out as Ed flinched a little, then looked upwards at Al and nodded. "He just tried to attack... Nina? Yeah!"
"I knew something was wrong with this town," Ed replied. He motioned backwards, the direction in which he'd been running from. "There's a building back there, and there's a bunch of dead children inside!" Al's face turned immediately horror-struck. "Mustang! I don't care what you say! I have to go back there and rescue those little kids! Some of them might still be alive!" Roy nodded.
"Go ahead. I'll send some back up after you. They'll be there shortly."
As soon as Nina was safely back in the building, in the care of Riza, Edward and Alphonse were tearing down the street, running as fast as they could, desperate to save anyone still alive in that hell hole. Al seemed to be running faster than his brother. Ed was, for some reason, deciding to go a little slower now. "What's wrong, brother?"
"Oh, nothing..." Ed replied, as they came up to the second rundown building in the city. "Al, you go in first... I'm a little... Frightened of what I saw in there before..."
"Don't worry..." Al said, walking into the building in front of Ed, who stayed behind outside. "Certainly is dark..." And he knew... Just knew he was in deep when the doors suddenly slammed shut behind him, and everything went dark, pitch black, more or less. "Ed? Edward?" He wandered around, hands out in front of him, reaching around for something, anything that could explain to him exactly where he'd ended up. Al found nothing. "Edward!" Ed appeared in front of him, staring him down with an evil glare in his eye. That was when Al noticed it... The eyes weren't yellow.
"Now Al, I don't want you to be afraid but... Uh, well, let's just say, I'm hoping you're not frightened of me, seeing as I am your older brother..." A well-placed punch to the face, and Al was lying on the ground, not quite knocked senseless, but regretting following his so-called brother around.
"You don't have to pretend, Envy, I know that's you!" Without another second wasted in the short alchemists body, Envy returned to his usual shape, looking down to Al, who now had a huge red mark plastered across his face. His eyes showed that he was enraged, furious, and Envy was pleased as could be.
"I never knew you were that stupid." He kicked Al across the face as Al flinched, believing his nose was now broken. It didn't stop there. Envy was showing no mercy when he proceeded to kick Al in the stomach several times, knocking the wind out of his opponent before Al even had the chance to strike back. Talk about cheating. He didn't stop until blood was simply pouring from both Al's mouth and nose, and he had quite a few cuts on his arms and legs.
"You're going to kill me?" Al asked, shakily. Envy pulled him up by his shirt collar, as he had done for Edward, and looked straight into the younger Elric's eyes.
"No... Actually, I'm saving you for your brother. He'll be here to do you in later." And with that, Envy tossed Al down to the ground again, where he lay, coughing and sputtering in the dirt, trying not to swallow that horrible tasting blood.
Elsewhere, Ed was trying his hardest to move. He'd awoken from a painful nightmare, consisting of his brother's death for the second time, and getting beaten to a bloody pulp by an enraged ex-Fuhrer, who was obviously not pleased he was being replaced by a, as he had put it into words, "pipsqueak." He'd managed to drag himself along the concrete floor, moving Winry along slowly behind him. He couldn't just leave her there...
It was another ten minutes before he made it out the door, finally able to stand, but not sure if he was capable of carrying Winry. He had to try, however. Picking her up, and heading through the streets, he didn't stop until he felt another sharp pain.
This one was different from the others. It could only be described as though his organs were switching places within his body, and the markings were beginning to bleed. He had no idea whether this was supposed to be normal for what was happening to him or not, but it didn't really matter. The last thing he saw before he fell to the ground was Winry finally waking up, and going into a panicked state as to what was happening to Edward. Then Envy appeared above them, and he blacked out.
A/N- Long! Happy? BTW, Fullmetal Flutist, Thank you for pointing out I was using the word massacre wrong. I'll try to get around to thinking of another name for the chapter A.S.A.P.