DarkKalendor: "An adventure is only an inconveinice rightly considered."

Chorttle: "Cheese is only an inconveinice wrongly...cheesed."

Envy: I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!

A Trinket to Die For

My voice sounded younger as I breathlessly shock staring up at Lust's victoriously smug face, "You…monsters"

"Not for long." Lust fantasized, and then she glowered, "I shall give you thick necklace if you will come with us."

My word was consumed by darkness.

After my empty shell was lugged by Gluttony into an empty room, I saw Lust hand my helmet to…Roy? I shouted for his name, but he simply scoffed in my direction as I lied in a dark corner. Lust's instruction to Roy, I couldn't hear, but Gluttony blocked by view from them. My heart quivered, and I was about to quickly stand. After Roy closed the door behind him, Lust turned to me, and with a swift slice of her extended claws…she completely carved my armor rendering my limbs useless. Their clank echoed in the deep cell as they where dislodged from the power of my seal. I could do nothing…only witness as I became unprotected once more.

The odd sensation that someone was lightly brushing against my seal jabbed my soul. Since my bodiless existence, I had been void of all physical feelings…except for one horrifying one. Even a slight alteration of wind should come within my shell and it's micro partials should slightly tamper with my blood seal…it would feel like a needle pricking against my chest. My soul felt…lighter. Was I dead?
Since of sight was completely destroyed, but I could still hear the homunculus converse. I was completely helpless, and I could only remain silence as I determinedly tried to convey my surroundings.

I…heard my brother's voice scream with much anger and fear. Lust was still 'caring' my soul, and then…I could almost see my brother's horrified expression.

"I made a necklace today, Edward. It's amazing what…materials can be found just lying around." With all the added and broken information, I had to ask, "Brother…what's going on"

"You…monsters…" was Edward's reply, and I feel his scared.

"Not for long." Lust fantasized, and then she glowered, "I shall give you this necklace if you will come with us"

I wanted to scream out to him! It was a trap! My scream was cut short…because my brother gave his answer with a cold tone.

"Okay…I will…"

Amazingly all I had to do was drop my pocket watch to the ground, and no one fallowed. Armstrong's chest heaved with anger, and I knew he wanted to save me. Hughes steeped in front of a wreathing Armstrong, as if he allowed me to leave.

"Those….things…have Alphonse in the palm of her hand. You saw the necklace, didn't you Alex"

Stiffly confirming, Armstrong roared silently, "What are we suppose to do, then, Sir"

"Wait…We'll meet them soon. But we won't do those boys any good by charging in a rash manner"

With the riffles still pointed to us, Hughes angrily watched as we turned down a vacant alleyway. I should have felt unprotected or at least defenseless against the inhuman creations, but I could see Lust drop Al to the ground. All emotions dashed, as I quickly dashed catch him before his seal could even bush with the sand fragments. But one of Lust's claws extended and curved catching Al by the chain, and it continued to grow until it dangerously reached below my jaw line. Then I realized…he was the one who was completely defenseless.

Stiffly I raised my head as I felt the small prick against my skin. Through clenched teeth I hissed my breathing to control my rage as Lust recoiled her claw, held Al in her hand, and slip him over her pale neck.

"I think it looks beautiful on me…" she turned to face me as Al rested against her collar bone. She moved her hair with her left arm and gently brushed Al's seal with her right hand, "What do you think, Full Metal"

I shuttered as I faintly heard Al's muffled sob of pain. I had to turn my gaze towards the pavement, and my fist tightened. Lust amusingly giggled, turned, and started to alluringly slink into an old abandoned building at the end of the alleyway.

Somehow cautiously, I fallowed into the dark building. Sight became void, and the only indication of location was the voices and the stench of rotting meat. My hands where quickly chained, and my body was painfully pushed to the corner. The floor was cold and damp, and I managed to push against the wall and into a seating position.
The outside world was cut from my gaze as the lock was slammed into position upon the doorway. Shuttering, I could feel Lust standing over me in a slunk victory.

"A promise is a promise." a could feel a cold chain slip over my head and against my chest…I could feel the pendent locking my brother's soul. She then stated before leaving the cell, "Here's your medal"

All three of them menacingly laughed as they closed another heavily bolted door behind them, and they were still inside the damp and maggot infested building. The room was suddenly douched in darkness once again.

"Al!" I franticly called to the pendent. Water dropped freely from the ceiling, and the mist became a primary concern for my brother's anchor, "Alphonse? Are you still with me"

"…yes"

Sighing in relief, I relaxed at bit, but then the realization entered as I asked with a bit of anger, "Why did you fallow me? I though you where still in Ressemboll"

"I was." Al protested from the necklace, "Until your last…letter"

Grimacing, I couldn't blame him, I then sighed, "You shouldn't have come." I had managed to scratch a small transmutation circle upon one of chain links bounding my hands. Finally freed I gently cradled my brother from the most conditions of our cell.

His voice was forlorn as it questioned, "Brother…you weren't actually thinking on…doing it where you?"

Somehow…he didn't have to answer.

The stammered silence was enough for me. As I continued to lie in darkness, I was a lost in my own thoughts which were soon disturbed by a familiar voice.

"Isn't this a surprise? The monsters actually keeping their word"

"What are you doing here?" Edward gasped.

"Relax, Full Metal!" Mustang laughed, and then he asked his voice growing more solemn, "The bigger question is…did you do it"

I could feel brother's grip tighten as he coldly answered, "No…I couldn't"

The puzzles came into the correct slots in my mind, and Roy continued, "Good"

"I would have though"

My devastated gasp escaped as he tried to explain his voice close to my soul anchor, "I would have been just fallowing orders, and it would have justified it somehow"

"Justified it?" Roy slurred the statement as a half baked thought, "We answer the military's call without question, but that doesn't mean that we still wonder. They can't control our thoughts, and we are allowed to wonder if there would be a better way"

Brother then asked, "Why are you in this place, Roy"

"It's a funny story." Mustang the began, "After being stationed in Loire, I was given an assignment in this district a week ago. Before anyone knew, I was captured by the homunculus, and imprisoned in this cell. Smart little devils took my gloves, and chained my hands together, and smacked me hard with an iron bar. I've been out for six days, and just for kicks they decided to tell me everything. Cocky and unethical soulless fiends"

I wasn't surprised at my brother's reaction, but I wasn't proud either.

"So the great Flame Alchemist captured and doesn't even make an attempt to escape"

"Brother!" I shamefully scolded.

Scoffing, Roy smiled, "He's right. I guess I wanted someone to rescue me, or something"

"I don't blame you." Ed stated, "We're stuck in a situation no one would want to be in"

"What's your story?" Roy asked.

Our plan was about to commence.

I bet Lust wanted us to stew inside the decaying meat freezer excuse of a prison for a whole night to decrease our moral and make us more susceptible to their mindless whim. In any case, they forgot they where dealing with.
Slowly the prison's door creaked open, and Envy steeped and stood over me. His smug grin of victory was so nauseating, I had to concentrate fully on our plan not to become sick with hate. I had replace the shackles upon my hands and place Al's soul trinket around my neck to give them the allusion that I hadn't even tried to attempt at escaping.

"So, pipsqueak." Envy drabbled upon the nickname, and then grinned, "You must be busting at the seams with joy! You're about to accomplish your mission!" Envy then reached around my neck and held my brother at my face as he stated, "I'll be taking this back.

Although…" he knelt to see me face to face, and he tapped at my auto mail leg, "I always thought gray was a good color on you"

"Calm down, Ed." I mentally ordered my raging heart that wanted to strangle the very last breath from the monster, "Remember…he could kill Al"

I couldn't allow him to leave without one sarcastic remark as I smirked, "Right. Like crimson is for you, or black. I guess it's hard to pick your color without a soul to enjoy it"

He slapped me.

As I stumbled after his blow, his voice was a deep warning, "Your little comments will cost your brother a hefty sum. So I suggest you keep them to yourself"

He stood, jerked my shackles, forced me to stand, and lead me out the dungeon. I turned to Roy who nodded and smiled towards me, and the iron door slammed shut. We were forced back into the streets, but it was in the middle of the night. Envy forced me to remain quiet as he forced his thumb against Al's seal without disturbing the circle.

Al's pained breaths boiled my blood, but I remained quiet.

"Run, brother." Al whispered though painful gasp, "Save yourself"

Envy lowered his voice to a smug chuckle, "Yes, run, brother." with that the homunculus dropped my chains, and he pointed to the old tavern which I had just left the other day. He then commented, "There's your home away from no home. You can run and tell the big military that the big men hurt your feelings, and cry for your mommy." Taking my shirt collar, Envy warned as he lifted me into the air and glowed with his fascia colored eyes, "You should know. The moment your foot leaves this building's shadow I'll smash this worthless trinket upon the sidewalk"

"Forget about me and…" Al started franticly.

"Al." I warning interrupted, and then glowed back at that smug monster. I hissed, "I'll stay, but…you should know. If anything happens to him you won't have a reason to use to the stone"

Envy smiled as he lowered me to the ground, "Then…we have an understanding. Good." glancing towards the tavern, he whispered, "All clear. Let's go."

The pain destroyed my since of direction.

As if a foot was pressing firmly against my chest, I forcefully took staggered breaths against the pressure. I could hear Envy's voice order my brother to duck, weave, and doge in shadows to avoid the military guards stationed at every intersection in Loire. Somehow they managed to escape the street lamps and the soldier's post, and I could hear their foot steeps leave the firm sound of concrete and asphalt, and now where climbing some sand covered hillside.
Finally Envy released the presser against my soul.

We were now on the outskirts of the city, and our only light came from the harvest moon that was resting upon the desert's horizon. I lightly cursed, the military did not concern itself with the far spaced huts of the city's outer limits. Somehow my plan became complicated, and the military's chances of interference dimmed.

The ground uplifted, and we were climbing a dirt path up a hillside where the city lights twinkled below. Patches of brown grass dotted the pathway, and we where closing in on the top.
Reaching a steal gate, Envy unlatched the lock, pushed the rusty hinges, and the gate was opened to Loire's crowded graveyard. He turned to me, and I could see only his outline gently highlighted by the moon's rays. My gaze was turned to his right hand which held tightly to my brother, and Envy released his thumb against the seal.

Again Al's soul was looped around my neck, and Envy explained, "You might want to keep this dry. Where going somewhere…damp"

"Are you okay?" I asked the trinket not taking my gaze from Envy as he entered the open graveyard.

Al could only manage a moaned, "Yeah…I'm okay"

My grip tighten as I felt Al's pain, but I remained silent as we foolishly fallowed the homunculus to the center of the graveyard. Dotted with scattered headstones and covered with the same lifeless grass, dry soil, and sand, the graveyard didn't seam to out of the ordinary.

We fallowed the pathway as it wriggled through the countless markers of the dead as we continued to walk up the hill to the top.
This graveyard was different from the beautifully upkeep graveyards outside of Cornwell's old palace. The condition of the headstones and the grounds told that the immediate families of those barred where also either dead or too old to care, and was perhaps the early cemetery of Loire.

"Here we are!" Envy sighed as we reached the top, "Home sweet home"

I was shocked. A crypt? Poised at the very top of the graveyard hill was an outhouse sized crypt which was made out of a granite, cracked with age. Statues of angels guarded the steal doorway which Envy opened with ease. Lighting a torch, Envy motioned that I should enter first. Can an alchemist still be frightened of ghost?

With his other hand, Envy jerked the chain when I didn't abide by his orders. I staggered inside the spider infested crypt, and my foot fell. I gave a short yelp of dismay, as sick feeling of nearly falling filled my lungs, and I struggled to gain my balance.

"Watch you step." Envy smartly laughed, "The Room isn't on this floor"

"Brother?" Al concerning asked.

"I'm okay." I answered as I began to blindly descend down the numerous stairs.

I couldn't help the feeling of walking down to Hell as the smell of moldy death hung in the stale air, and the sound of rats and spiders crawling on the stairs and walls made my skin crawl. Envy was right, it was damp. The slippery stairs made it difficult for footing. Which I lost.

I yelled as I left foot slipped, and I about toppled forward into the darkness. The chain which Envy held tightened behind me, and he hoisted me upright. Rather he pulled me so hard that I feel painfully upon my back, and the jagged concrete steeps sliced through my bonded hands, head, and back. I moaned as I tried to gain my bearings. "Where getting no where with this." Envy cursed as he knelt beside me, and unshackled the chains around my hands. I gently touched my wrist, and felt the sticky blood drip from a dozen wounds upon them. I glanced at him as he held the torch.

"Oh." Envy laughed, as she looked back at the doorway, "Don't even think of this as a favor for you to escape. There is only one exit in this place. Not many people leave here, you know"

Stiffly I staggered to my feet, and Envy lightly pushed me ahead. This should work, I mentally stated as I gently clapped my hands together. I wrapped a protective hand around my brother's soul, and we continued to venture down into the crypt.

"Al? Al, can you here me"

"Brother?" I called hearing his voice so clearly.

"No." Ed quickly ordered, "Don't talk aloud. Just think. I've managed to create a mind link between us."

"What's going on?" I menatlly asked finally.

"We're in a crypt on the outskirts of Loire. Envy keeps on talking about a Room. Maybe they want me to create the stone there." his voice became solemn as he asked, "How are you doing?"

Vacantly I replayed, "I guess…" I then bitterly questioned my voice raised, "Brother, Why didn't you leave me?"

Ed laughed as if it was a ridiculous question, "That's stupid! They would have killed you."

"Would it be so bad?"
His anger shock the walls of our souls, as he commanded, "Never say that again."

Somehow it was…a direct mind link. Nothing was shielded…nothing was hidden from the other. Our voices couldn't be so coy or laugh off the truth, and we couldn't turn from what the other had to say.

"Al…" Ed painfully called, and then questioned, "What do you mean by what you said…about you dying wouldn't be so bad."

Unbridled emotions spilled as I bitterly cried, "Look at me, Brother! What state am I in! A trinket. An insignificant pendent. Not like it was an downgrade from when I was in that forsaken shell."

"Al"

"If I was dead you won't even be in the military, and you wouldn't have to compromise you standards." I knew my soul was exposed, but my voice confined to rave, "You won't have killed those men in that building! I can see it! Who did you see before you destroyed that building? It was me! I'm the reason your in this hell!"

My last sentence echoed against the walls of our jointed souls, and we both stood in the silence. Edward's reaction was raw.
His voice cold and deep as he stated, "What else would you like to say to me."

"Why did you join the military?" I bluntly asked.

He then yelled the answered, "Fine! It was for you! It's the same reason I tied you soul to the armor. It's the same reason why I'm in Loire. It's the same reason why I'll create the Philosopher Stone! Guilt! Not once did you fall back when we were about to get mom back, and you lost everything. I got away with a measly auto mail arm and leg, but you gave everything…for me." his voice was sympathetically burdened, and I could almost feel his spiritual tears, "Please…Alphonse…let me do the same."

"Brother"

Too late. He released his grip on my trinket, and the link disconnected. I stood starring after him as he walked out of the seal, and I was once against left inside a darkened world.

I was relieved that the mind linked was a success, but…I was left emotionally numb.

How could he say that?

I gave my reasons, and I could see his entire soul. My heart cracked a bit more as I could hear a stiffened sob emanating from the seal, but he needed time. Also he needed to know I was here, so I cupped his soul tenderly in my hands without activating the mind link.

No matter what…I was going to get his body back.
After the emotionally lengthy conversation between us, I hadn't noticed how far down we had gone until my lungs filled with a suffocating oxygen. Envy seamed unaffected as he continued to push me down the endless stairs.
Then we reached The Room.

In the bowls of the crypt and at the bottom of the stairs was a large underground room lit with half a dozen lit torches that lined the walls. The walls were composed of shelf of coffins that stretched to a high ceiling. The small underground stream that flowed in an open aqueduct in a circle slightly inside the permitted of the walls explained for the areas dampness in a desert environment.

"This place needed renovation, but there's something about this place that gives me sweet memories." Envy smiled as the torch's light flooded the room.

The stench of decaying flesh was the strongest, and the greenish colored water in the aqueduct only stated how old and unstable the room was. Slabs of concrete from the ceiling rested upon the cobble stoned floor, and a thick film of dust covered every feasible surface.
With no ventilation besides the one port for the stream of the exit, the room was inadequate for the living.

"So!" I boldly stood in the center of the room, and asked Envy as he entered, "This is where I'm going to do it? Where's the Red Water? The Transmutation circles? And don't let us forget…the ingrediance"

I continued my smug remarks, as I continued to admire the room with a sarcastic strut, "You guys should have been taking notes in Factory 5. What? Don't tell me that idiot Tucker didn't give you homework, or his best seller book How To Become A Heartless Killer"

"Enough of your antics, Full Metal." Envy hissed as he pressed his hand against a trigger imbedded into the wall. The stream's exit was tightly closed, and suddenly a rush of Red Water was pouring from the stream's head. Shock overtook me as a crimson fog emanative from the stream, and my lungs took in the toxic. "It's Red Water…out in the open…" I couched through our mind link.

Al's voice was suddenly alarmed and shocked, "Brother…you've got to get out of here!"

"Too late…" I coughed out loud as I felt myself collapsing to my knees and clenched my neck, "Alphonse…I'm sorry"

"BROTHER"

I glared at Envy, and smirked, "You idiot…how will you can you create the stone now…" My breath became shallower…my vision blurred…

"Cut the act, pipsqueak." Envy rolled his eyes, and placed a mask over my mouth. The homunculus saved my life, but my body was physically weakened to the exposure. I staggered to my feet, and found Gluttony and Lust entering the room. Great! The whole gang!

"The transmutation circles are written upon every coffin, and inside…everything else you need." Luke stated, "You'd better hurry…If you don't kill them the combined effort with the red water's residue and the confiscating effects from the coffins will"

"Let me guess…" I cursed, "The same convicts you where going to have me kill inside the truck"

"Right on, Elric." Envy laughed, "You catch on quickly"

"They'll die anyway." Lust commented turning to the countless coffins with knocked out murderers and criminals, "You're choice, Edward. Make these convicts lives into something that could make this world better, or just…let them die."

Through our mind link, emotions where felt by each. My gasped as my soul was racked with an unknown anger mixed with confounding and pained choice. I tried to push the link further to communicate with him, but…he had blocked it so only his emotions sifted though.

"Al…I'm going to do something terrible. I don't want you to hear"

His voice was forlorn and burdened, and I managed to scream before he silenced the link, "Don't do it, Brother"

"Please…let me do this."

Solemnly I tucked Al on the inside of my coat, and his vocal cries where muffled under the tick fabric. There was a pocket of air where he would be safe away from the material and my skin, but I couldn't allow him to hear the cries.
The homunculus stood at the bottom of the stair well as I positioned myself in the center. The only sound were the cracklings of the torches' embers, the rushing of the Red Water stream, the muffled sound of death, and my own thoughts…

Alchemy…has but one law. Equivalent Exchange. To obtain something, something of equal value must be lost. This law haunts me…to this day. Every time I stare at my auto mail manufactured leg and arm…every time I watch as a son and a mother walk by…every time…I see him. I gazed at my timid and slightly nervous brother, and I meet his worried gaze with a confident smile.

Seeing his gray eyes holding so much trust in me, I gave a deep and depressed breath that rested deep in my lung and trembled as it escaped my mouth. I too was nervous.

"Ed, don't you think we should…check with Daddy before we do this"

Shaking my head furiously, I answered, "Come on, Al. We need to do this now"

"Okay." his nine year old eyes turned back to the transmutation circle in the center of our basement. The pile of all traces of human makeup towered slightly in a shallow bowl in the center of the circle we both had just drawn a few hours previous. So much preparation, training, reading, studding, and we were ready.

We were going to get our mother back.

My ten year old mind was still pumping adrenaline at the prospects of what we were about to accomplish in our modest basement. Equations of perfect measurements of the forbidden taboo lied scattered upon the desk that lined the walls, along with…suits of armor.

"Let's do this." I shaking stated.

Both of us placed our palms upon the outer rim of the circle, and the thought crossed my mind. It was too late to doughty for the entire dank and damp basement was consumed in a whirlwind of yellow light and wind that stirred the papers that had taught us the art. Hope filled my heart…until.

"Brother…something's wrong"

Alphonse's frightened voice spoke my own thoughts as the yellow light turned to crimson and dark lavender lightning that illuminated the room in a somewhat evil aurora. My attention was diverted to the increasing lightning in the air.

"EDWARD"

With Al's pain and terror filled scream, I turned to see my brother's arm vanish as if being devoured by a white light that was slowly decaying his young body. I yelled his name, and was about to reach for what was left of his hand…But…my left leg was gone. Vanishing in the same manner as my brother's arm.

My awareness was turned for an instant, and he screamed my name again. Pure terror shattered across his vanishing face, and he desperately reached as snake like hands began to take my brother across some sort of threshold of pure anguish. "NO! AL"
The same hands where pulling at my own limbs…pulling me away from him. With all my strength I franticly tried to reach for…his hand. But it disappeared before the momentum would allow me to touch his fingertips, and I was pulled backwards into blinding light an information.

After breathing in oxygen of this world, and escaping the Gateway, I saw…something in the center of the circle where the transmutation would appear…where she should have been. With the anguish of my lost limbs an brother dimming, I looked to see a shadow of a creature. Was it her? Was she alive? Had….but my questions where cut short as was my gasp.
It…wasn't human.

My lungs emptied their frightened grief as a smoke like fog floated across the room's wooden flooring. Energy was slowly draining from my small body, and my thoughts turned to my destroyed brother who's clothing lied in puddles of blood. I pushed one of the suits of armor with frantic anger. I was going to get him back. With my fresh blood which poured freely from the stump, I traced transmutation circles upon my chest, arms, legs…and chest. The concern of my own existence was the last thing I cared to think about, and I screamed to the unforgiving sky.

"Give him back…Give him back to me…He's my brother….HE'S MY BROTHER"

The arms where pulling me back again as I dashed back towards the Gate, and I…could see his blinding soul walking towards me. Hardly noticing, my right arm was taken by an unidentified darkness, but I didn't care. With the light imitating from his soul, I was consumed by a flash of blazing brilliance, and then plunged back into the dark basement where…we…where I committed the sin.

Painfully, my mind awoke to the bleeding stumps, and the phantom of my limbs mixed with the physical anguish. I glanced back towards the creature who's image should have been my mothers…Before my brother's soul awoke…I had to kill it.
Through pain clenched eyes, I saw the eye slots in the armor glow with two crimson orbs, and my heart both rose and sank at the same instant. It rose for I had my little brother back, and it fell for I had bounded him to whatever forsaken state. He gave…everything.

The armor…uh…Alphonse moaned and managed to move to his knees, and in confusion, looked at his surroundings. My vision was slowly dimming as the bleeding persisted, and he must have heard my grunts of pain for he turned to me.

"I…I'm sorry, Alphonse…" I managed to grief.

"Brother! What….What happened to you? And me…What happened to me"

"There wasn't much time…" I desperately tried to explain as Alphonse held me in his cold metal arms, "I had to attach you soul to the suit of armor"

With a voice filled with hopeless lost, he asked, "And…mom?" he turned towards the transmutation circle.

"You shouldn't look." I grimiest in pain, "She…It wasn't human"
His voice was suddenly frantic as he quickly asked, "What about your equations? You're plan…it should have worked"

"It wasn't the equations. It wasn't the formulas…" I cried, and I rested against what my little brother, Alphonse, "It was us"

Equivalent Exchange…it haunts me to this day. Every time I remember her smiling face…every time I remember my foolish plan…every time I remember what he had to give.

DarkKalendor: I do realize that my verson of what happened when they falied the human transutation, but it was the best I could do.

Envy: Really?