Points of Authority

Lol Well, so far, we have about ten votes for picking Dante off, one for Alphonse (so Envy could comfort Ed- I couldn't do it, but I kinda considered it), and several death threats if I kill Envy. '' Don't worry! He isn't dead, though he is dying……… I should fix that… And with that thought, onward and offward!

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Envy screamed in pain, clutching and scratching at every exposed place on his body. His whole being felt as though he were being consumed by fire and then doused with acid. His breathing became labored as his incomplete Philosopher's Stone was consumed by the alchemic energy. Dante sat there, her hands on the transmutation circle, smiling with glee as she watched her eldest creation die. Finally, when his body could no longer take any more, he collapsed, laying as still as a corpse. (A/N- See where I'm going with this? Yes? Okay. Good.)

Dante smiled, believing her job to be complete. She opened the door to her room and walked down the hall, looking for Lust and Gluttony. The moment she left, Envy stirred, lifting himself heavily on one arm. His breaths came in shaky bursts, quick and shallow, and he was shaking uncontrollably. Bereft of his superhuman powers, he was unable to transform or regenerate in order to recuperate, so he painstakingly crawled to the door and latched on to it, gingerly pulling himself up, inch by agonizing inch, until he was standing upright. As the world around him spun, one thought managed to surface, to break through the haze and make itself known to his conscious mind.

Where the hell am I going to go?

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"What was that, Brother?" Alphonse asked, stopping dead in his tracks, concern lacing his voice.

"I… I dunno… It came from that manor up there…" Ed replied, staring at the mansion, looking for any possible signs of life. That scream… The voice… It sounded familiar… But who? Who was it?

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Envy slunk down the hall as quietly as his burning body would allow, trying in vain to stifle his labored breathing. He was forced to duck into Greed's abandoned room when he heard Dante, Lust, and Gluttony heading towards Dante's room. The moment they passed, Envy was out of the bedroom, hurrying down the hall with a renewed vigor. He knew that if he didn't make it to the grand staircase by the time they reached Dante's bedchambers, he would have no chance of escaping the manor alive.

A few tense moments later, he was stumbling down the stairs, clutching the rail to help steady him, praying that he could make it to the door. He heard an angry yell from Dante resonate through the halls, then she barked the order for his capture. He was just limping toward the exit, his only chance at freedom, when he was impaled by one of Lust's nails. She pinned his shoulder to the door, effectively thwarting his attempted escape. He cried out in pain, unable to yank away and heal the wound. She smiled at his affliction as she sauntered over to him.

"What's wrong, Envy?" she asked smoothly.

"Oh, let's think. I'm pinned to a door by your nail… thing…, I've just been rendered practically helpless, and I no longer have any means of healing myself," he spat, craning his head to throw her a particularly vicious glare.

"Well, if you had just gone ahead and died like a good little boy, you wouldn't be in this predicament."

"That's the problem."

"What?"

He turned suddenly, aiming a roundhouse kick at Lust's stomach and making solid contact. Her lance-like nail was ripped rather painfully from his arm, and the now unsealed wound gushed blood. Envy flung open the door and bolted down the road, heading toward East City.

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As Ed and Al neared the mansion, they heard another scream, this one of anger.

"You think they're having a domestic dispute or something?" Al asked, looking at his elder brother. Ed shrugged.

"Sounds pretty bad to be considered domestic…" he commented. They continued their trek. Suddenly, when they were about a mile from the estate, the front door was flung open, and out bolted a scantily-clad, green haired youth. "Hey… That's Envy!" Ed exclaimed. Just as the words left his mouth, Lust stormed out behind him, her retractable nails surging forward, all five catching Envy in the back. He let out a strangled, pained yelp, then fell, going limp as Lust continued to hold him upright by use of the spears imbedded in his back. (A/N- O.O I'm just torturing the poor palm tree, aren't I? Man, I'm starting to feel bad…) His head lolled forward, arms limp at his sides, legs dangling, as Lust walked forward, retracting her nails more as she got closer to her victim.

Ed, without hesitation, began running full-tilt toward them. He clapped his hands and, when he was close enough, slammed them to the ground, creating a cage around Lust. It won't hold her for long, he thought, but I may be able to stall her long enough to get Al to take Envy back to our hotel…

"Fullmetal. What a pleasant surprise," Lust said sarcastically, leaning casually against the bars of her makeshift prison, letting Envy fall rather ungracefully to the ground to land in a heap, blood pooling around him.

Ed slowed as he reached him, leaning over and gently examining him, checking Envy for the most critical wounds. There were many of them.

"What the hell have you done to him," he growled, transmuting his arm into a blade and stalking closer to the confined Lust. Alphonse, meanwhile, quickly gathered up the bloodied Envy and began running as fast as he could (which was pretty fast) toward East City.

"Well, I was trying to finish him off, but you interfered, and so I'm not guessing I'm going to get to, am I?" she wrapped an arm around her waist, placing her other arm upright upon it and resting her chin in her palm.

"No, you're not."

"How sweet, looking out for your boyfriend, are we?"

Ed blushed. "What the hell are you—"

"Oh, come now. Don't think I didn't see that kiss in the woods this morning. Yes, it's practically all your fault that Envy is in this condition. Or is fraternization with the enemy not a crime of treason in the military?" She lay her other arm upon the first, crossing her arms and cocking her hip to the side.

"Don't preach to me."

"Oh, I'm not. You're lucky, since you know our little secret, I can't really fight you, now can I? Although I wish you the best of luck saving your dear Envy. I believe it is too late for him now." She gave him a sick, twisted smile of pure evil before turning on her heel, slicing through the bars on the opposing side, and smoothly making her way back toward the manor. Ed, however, stood rooted to his place in shock and fear, the full weight of Lust's words sinking in, but totally unwilling to believe them. He turned in a whirl of movement, running frantically back toward East City, praying the whole time that he wasn't too late.

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Edward burst into his and Al's shared room, taking in the scene before him with a sinking dread. Envy lay on his, Edward's, bed, heavily bandaged. The sheets stopped at his waist, concealing whatever damage may have covered his lower body. His clothes, torn, bloodied, and useless, lay in a pile in the corner.

The young alchemist slowly, numbly, made his to Envy's side. He looked paler than usual, and he showed no visible signs of life. Ed reached out, running his fingers over the homunculus's soft cheek, tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes.

Envy… You… You can't die… You just can't… he thought, brokenly, at that moment swearing vengeance tenfold upon whoever did this to Envy. One tear made its way down his tanned cheek, halting at his jaw line and holding on to it, clinging to his skin like he clung to his hope. He collapsed to his knees, taking one of Envy's hands and pressing his forehead to it.

Al watched this whole scene from Ed's side, realization suddenly dawning on him. He lay a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Nii-san…"

And with that one, simple word, Ed broke down.

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Now, before you murder me, let me make this clear: He. Isn't. Dead. Okay? So, no death threats (well, okay, you can threaten, just don't actually carry out your threats), and no… well, no, go for it, flame me… but still… He. Isn't. Dead! Okay? Okay. Review, review! I'm still taking the poll. For those of you who missed it: Do you think anyone should die, and if so, who? I'd love to hear your criticism, comments, compliments, or complaints! Review! I'll love you… for… for… I'll just love you… Okay?

Ja, mata!

Envysloyalservant