Disclaimer: I do not own Full METAL ALCHEMIST or ENVY (no matter how hard I try). I only own Nirvana Seiga and the title of The Bloodied Alchemist. Oh, and Neko Kirishima. (Well, my sister (Neko Kirishima) owns her—well, Neko is Neko… Ah, you don't understand.) Oh, I also own Envy's subconscious!
Author's Note: Wow… after a double update and killing Al… I don't know what else I can fit in there! Well… Totschafe, I'm not going to give anything away, but your wish might come true! ONTO THE NEXT CHAPTER! Wah! It's going to be over soon! I don't want it to end! I'm thinking of writing a sequel… any takers?
WARNINGS: BLOOD AND GORE and all other necessities.
LAST…
(((( Lust jumped off the roof and landed behind the library where Gluttony and Sloth were waiting. "Sloth, I want you to take care of Flame. We have two days till the Full Moon. Gluttony, take this to him in the Sewers. I'll take care of Envy."
The two disappeared and Lust crossed her arms over her chest, sneering unpleasantly. "Envy… Two alchemist's left… How are you to bend to our will?" ))))
NOW…
I walked home silently, twisted and confusing emotions running through me as I opened my door, walking in to kick off my boots and walking up the stairs, running a hand through my hair that was still matted from where I had ran out this morning.
I threw my keys on the side table and pulled off my over shirt and pants, throwing them to the side. I turned to my bed and sat on the edge, picking up a black silk headband with a familiar red triangular design on the front. I ran my finger over it and looked around my room, seeing only my window opened.
'Envy's headband? Why would he leave this?' I shrugged but sat it down on the small side table and crawled back under the covers.
(((( MILITARY OFFICE: ROY'S MUSTANG'S ))))
"A transmutation circle?" Roy Mustang said quietly, turning the doll over in his gloved hands, the porcelain scratching along the ignition cloth. He frowned and sat up setting the doll on his desk.
Hawkeye, Havoc, Breda and Falman were on their break and had left their superior officer to try and break the riddle that was the new alchemist killings. Mustang pulled off his glove and pressed three fingers to the circle. Immediately it lit up and a second later, the mauled body of Izumi Curtis lay on his desk.
The Brigadier General scrambled back and held his hand over his nose, the smell of blood and decay overpowering his nose. He hurriedly pressed the circle that was on her wrist and then there was a porcelain doll on his desk, the smell of decay gone.
He was still for a moment before scrambling up, grabbing the doll and running out of his office door. He made a beeline to the Fuhrer's office where he walked in without knocking and stalked over to Juliet Douglas.
She looked up and the then came to her feet, smoothing out her skirt calmly before looking at Mustang like a mother looks at her daughter. "I see you found it out, Roy Mustang. I was expecting Edward to do it. But, I will give you credit. Gluttony?"
Mustang immediately reached for his gloves but only to notice that there weren't there anymore. He looked down to see a kid with long black hair holding them behind his back. "Did I do good, Mommy?" He asked and Juliet nodded.
"Yes. You did." The last thing Roy Mustang saw was a streak of bluish water coming at him then utter coldness.
Sloth stood up and smoothed her skirt down again, reaching down to pick up the unconscious body of Mustang. She walked to the window and then looked back at Wrath. "Wrath, go to this side alley here and create his body. Gluttony, take Flame here and take him to where the rest are."
They both obeyed quickly as Sloth sat back down, looking towards the window, a frown marring her usual emotionless mask. Her mind was locked onto the problem that was arising between the oldest homunculus and the Bloodied Alchemist.
Even she, an amateur at reading emotions could tell that Envy loved her… Or at least cared for her more than he would ever admit and Nirvana… that woman had so many mixed feelings it was hard to tell whether she liked the chain-smoker or the homunculus who was sure to betray her?
Sloth almost felt sorry for the way things had to turn out for her, but… Humanity is wasted on those human. Let those inhuman become human so humanity is not just a state of mind for them.
She stood up and walked to the window, seeing Wrath finishing up the doll of Roy Mustang and gave a smile to her adopted son.
Something would work out. It always does.
Plus, remember, evil never survives against light.
(((( UNKNOWN ))))
Envy sat contemplating Lust's most recent orders; kill the Chizome Chibi, or bring her to the Lair to be killed. Either way, the feisty spirit would die. And in two days, no less.
He leaned against the chimney behind him, his green hair blowing around without his usual headband on. That was another thing that bothered him; he willingly left his headband at the woman's house and he left it there, knowing she would find it.
An unusual warmth spread out through him and it wasn't from the fire inside the chimney and it wasn't the pleasurable pain that came when you were being blown up from the inside out by a deranged and psychotic woman who was seriously ticked off at her favorite homunculus. This new emotion that spread throughout his fingertips was oddly alluring and he felt as if he could sing the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' without being drunk.
Envy shook his head, snarling with such feelings. He didn't feel these types of things; he never felt this type of feeling. Something that even made his skin crawl. Love; such a human and petty emotion. How could he, the oldest and wisest of the homunculi bow down to this pathetic human emotion?
Because of her…. His subconscious whispered placidly. Envy snarled at his previous human side and stood up in the wind, immediately regretting it as his hair twisted around his face and got in his mouth.
Because of who! He hissed back.
Nirvana… the little alchemist you met… I can feel how you feel, Envy. Human weaknesses are not weak as you may think. They are what makes us so strong! Love is the strongest strength of them all. Not a weakness as you may seem to think.
Envy jumped off the building and looked towards the alley where Wrath was sitting on the edge of another building. "Are we going?" He called and elder gave a sneer.
"No."
She is nothing! Only a simple toy who I used.
Then why are you buying time to keep away from going to throw her in with the rest of the alchemists who's only purpose now is to be used as a sacrifice for the Philosopher's Stone? And why are your feet stopping!
Envy, who had been unprepared for what his subconscious said, tripped while he was standing and Wrath gave a hoot of laughter. The palm-haired man gave a sigh and slumped against the wall, running his hand through his hair and relishing in the silkiness.
Though it's not as smooth as our little Chizome Chibi's, no?
Why don't you shut up and leave me alone?
Not until you give in and admit that you are in love with our alchemist. If not that, at least admit you care for her.
Envy looked up at Wrath. "We're going." The child jumped off the roof and landed next to him, putting his hands behind his head. I will not admit to such foolish thoughts.
His subconscious gave a mysterious laugh. But you do care for her, don't you?
I never said that!
You just said that you'd never admit to it. But not that you didn't HAVE such foolish thoughts.
Envy gave another one of his famous snarls at it and then continued walking, each step seeming harder than the first. Wrath stopped and looked back at him. "Envy? Why'd ya stop?"
"Nothing. Shut up brat and keep walking." Envy looked up at the neighborhood that they were nearing to and he felt his own heart slow to a crawl and his steps even heavier.
I don't want her to be killed… He thought with a deep remorse and sadness. He gazed at the house that was less than a hundred yards from them and for some reason, the knowledge that he was going to be aiding in the death of one of the only people, mortal or immortal, who could understand him and relate to him in the least likely of bad situations.
His subconscious, who had been listening in quietly gave a happy and contented sigh. If this is all I'm getting… just hearing him feeling regret about killing the one he loves is enough for me to disappear happily into the background of his thoughts.
Nobody ever said that falling in love was a piece of cake.
(((( NEKO'S HOTEL ROOM ))))
Nirvana gave a wave as she left the room, Edward sitting down heavily onto the couch. In his hands was the book that his brother had been reading and the porcelain doll. Neko frowned and went to the small kitchen, quickly making a pot of coffee.
When she walked back in, Edward was emerged in his brother's notes, some of the glazed look coming off. "Ed?" Neko asked quietly and walked over to sit next to him, handing him a warm cup of coffee. "What did you find?"
He looked up and there was excitement shining in his eyes. "Call your sister, and Mustang. I just found something that's worth looking at." She grabbed the phone and quickly dialed her sister's house.
"What the hell do you want?" The voice snapped, slightly breathless. Neko pulled back in shock and gave a tiny whimper.
"It's just me, Vanny."
"Oh. What do you want?"
"Ed just found something and wants you to come over quick. I'm supposed to call Mustang also." Nirvana hummed lightly.
"Sure. Be there as quick as I left." She hung up and Neko dialed Mustang's office.
Hawkeye answered, her voice choked. "Sorry, Kirishima… but the Brigadier General was recently murdered by the same killer that killed Alphonse. Tell Edward to stay with you for the time being." Neko stared at the phone as Hawkeye hung up.
"Well?" Ed asked, a pen already scratching out pieces of Al's handwriting.
"Nirvana's on her way… Mustang… he's dead." Ed looked up, a hard look etched on his face.
"He's not dead. But all the more reason to get your sister here." Neko didn't hear anything past, 'he's not dead.'
"What do you mean he's not dead! They are scooping his body out of some unknown place and you say, 'HE'S NOT DEAD'!"
Ed answered the door and a heavily panting Bloodied Alchemist fell in and into one of the chairs. "What's all the yelling about?"
Ed pulled the notebook onto his lap. "Everybody who's been caught or 'killed' aren't dead. These porcelain dolls. There is a transmutation circle carved in the back. Look. This is the one that was found where Armstrong's body was buried. They looked. Now watch." He pressed two fingers against the circle and the exact thing happened that had happened in Roy Mustang's office.
The doll turned into the mauled body of Louis Armstrong and Neko gave a very girly screech backing into the wall. Nirvana leaned over the table, covering her mouth and resisting the gag reflex, as she pressed the symbol on its back, returning it to the porcelain form.
"That's nice and dandy, but what's the point in calling me?" she asked and leaned back. Ed picked up the notebook.
"Nobody is dead, like I said. The homunculi want to create a Philosopher's Stone. But to do that they need human sacrifice. Alchemists work better than regular humans because we already have our own Alchemic Energy instead of stealing it from Red Water and stones. The only homunculus that can do alchemy is Wrath."
"That little kid…" Nirvana whispered and then turned back to him.
"So to do this, they would have to stage a death for the alchemists so no one would come looking for them. But they never realized that the scene wouldn't be found later, or investigated, so we found the dolls.
"Now, I have a definite feeling that I'm going to be one of the ones that they grab next. They already nabbed Mustang and the only other powerful alchemist is Nirvana here. Sorry Neko, your firebombs are great and all… but your sister can do a lot of stuff with those two tattoos."
Neko nodded in understanding then gave a glare at him. "So what you're saying is that most likely both of you are going to be nabbed and then I'm here all alone while all of this weird stuff happens!"
Ed calmed her down with a glare and then flicked to a large circle in the notebook. "Look at this. This is the array used to make a Philosopher's Stone. But then look at this," he flicked to the next page.
"It looks the same." Nirvana said but Ed shook his head, smiling softly.
"No. Look here. These seven hexagons spread out throughout the original array are used to hold the sacrifices. We'll be put in here. But on the one that Al drew, each hexagon is missing one side which opens another Philosopher's Stone array." There, inscribed at the bottom of the page was the directions to make a Philosopher's Stone using the seven homunculi.
"How do we do that? There only Sloth, Lust, Envy, Gluttony and Wrath! We're missing Greed and Pride!" Nirvana said and looked at he page.
"Not nesscarily. Pride had an eye patch that he wore to cover the Oruborus on his left eye. He was born with that eye patch so it is a part of the homunculus. Mustang has it in his office. And Greed? I know where we buried him so if we retrieve some of his ashes, it'll work just fine and all we have to do is have each alchemist erase a part of the array."
Nirvana was pacing now, a thoughtful look on her face. "I could ask Jean to get the eye patch… then get caught myself…"
Neko glared at her. "What if Envy knows what you're doing? You two seem pretty buddy-buddy!" Ed looked up sharply.
"What!" He hissed and the older woman looked over at her sister.
"You forgot one thing, deary." She spat. "I never said anything when he asked for it. And you know what he did to me." The younger sister bowed her head back and left Ed glaring at Nirvana.
"It's nothing Edward. Get Greed's ashes. I plan on getting this eye patch in a moment. I'll be seeing you around." Nirvana left in a flurry of her black hair, the automail glinting distractedly.
Ed leaned back on the couch and fingered a small, red-velvet box. He closed his eyes and heard Neko walk into the kitchen. Once he was sure she had gone, he pulled it out and popped it open. A simple gold band with a two diamonds and a sapphire glowed beautifully in the setting sun.
As he placed the ring back in its box, he lifted the notebook and held it up with one hand. "The Full Moon, huh? Two days… NEKO!"
The woman poked her head out. "What?"
"You free tonight for a delightful dinner at The Blue Crow?"
(((( STREETS ))))
I fingered the eye patch between my fingers as I walked back home. My own eye patch looked extraordinarily like Pride's and that's when the idea came to me. Instead of carrying Pride's in my pocket or something, I could switch mine with it and then not have to worry about anyone finding about it!
I threw mine in the nearest trashcan and winced as a few of the people nearby scurried away in fright for my empty and scarred socket. I pulled Pride's eye patch over my own eye and fitted the string to fit around my head.
Then whistling a tune I hadn't heard since my early life in the old village I walked home and sat on the couch, flopping down on my stomach and picking up one of my steamy romance novels.
Two hours later, I sat down the book, blushing furiously and incredibly aroused. "Okay… no more books that Neko decides are 'good for my heath'… specially when she wants me to try these out on Jean!" I muttered the last part and suddenly my hair stood on end.
a-a-n-n-o-o-t-t-h-h-e-e-r-r---p-p-o-o-v-v-
Envy stood outside of the Bloodied Alchemist's house, Wrath standing beside him. "Stay here, Brat." He said quietly then forced the door open and walked in seeing Nirvana reading a book. He saw her blush and sit it down.
"Okay… no more books that Neko decides are 'good for my health'…" He didn't catch the rest but he moved up a bit.
Nirvana stilled and he lunged foreword, wrapping his hands around her neck. She turned to look at him and betrayal shot through her eyes, her metal hand clawed at his chest. "Why?" she choked out her eyes starting to roll up in her head.
He said nothing but punched her squarely and watched her head fall back, blood seeping from her head. Envy then dragged his claws down her arms, watching the blood seep onto her couch.
"Wrath!" He called and picked up Nirvana, her head lolling back. The child walked in with the porcelain doll and walked over to the couch, doing his work. "Here." They dripped some of the woman's blood onto the doll then he transmuted it into a very mauled version of Nirvana Renegade Seiga.
Envy walked out of the house, the woman in his arms. He looked down at her and her question rang through his ears. "Because I had to." He whispered and jumped onto the rooftop.
Wrath looked behind him as Sloth walked up, her hands clasped in front of her. "Mommy? What's going to happen?"
Sloth smiled at him, bright emotion sparkling in her eyes. She pulled him close. "Nothing, Wrath. Nothing at all."
(((( THE BLUE CROW ))))
Edward pulled out Neko's chair as the waiter sat them down near the stage where a small group of jazz musicians were playing softly. Neko's red-hued eyes were drawn to the music as they sat down, a bottle of wine being sat before them.
"Why'd you bring me here?" Neko asked, gladly taking the wine glass Ed offered her. He just smiled around the rim of his glass, his golden eyes twinkling in the dimmed lights. "You look too happy."
He just leaned over and gave her a quick kiss, grabbing her left hand as he sat back. He threaded his fingers through hers and gave her a cheeky grin. "Do I really need a reason to be happy while I'm with you?"
A blush appeared on her cheeks and while she scrolled down the menu, Ed reached into his pocket and pulled the velvet box out. He quietly popped it open, and while Neko was still looking at the menu, he slipped it on her ring finger.
Her head shot up, the coldness of the gold jarring her senses. She pulled her left hand back, but Ed held onto it, grinning at her. "Neko Luna Kirishima, will you marry me?"
And the saxophones played on.
Well? READ AND REVIEW PEOPLE!
I want reviews! Please please please! Please! Even if it's only a 'UPDATE' PLEASE! I would really like reviews!
