Disclaimer shite : FullMetal Alchemist belongs to the makers of said Anime. This fanfiction belongs to Sarah Deva and Sique Morgenthau (Sique).

Chapter 2 : Transferral

Nausea swam over Lucy as she was placed down into a chair to the side of the dark room. Dimly lit by candles sparsely dotted around the walls, she was vaguely able to realise a large library, tall bookcases framing the large empty space she faced. In the very centre of faintly visible markings, a pale blanket masked the room's focus.

The man, Greed, had strolled to the other side of the library, and now lazed against the wall closest to him, arms crossed as he sported a serious expression. Mauve eyes followed Dante, who's elaborately dressed form was positioned near the blanket and the object under it. Lifting a corner of the blanket with a jewelled, wiry hand, she inspected it's contents scrutinously, eventually nodding in what seemed like satisfaction.

The last figure, Envy, squatted atop a towering bookcase in the shadows, seemingly not making any effort to pay attention to Dante. He remained still and silent, only offering a glance toward the furthest corner of the library from time to time, its interest masked by the darkness encasing the room.

Lucy was incapable of struggling; even her fear was reduced despite her lack of understanding for the current events. Long crimson hair framed a stunned and numbed expression, jade eyes left to wander after Dante helplessly. Clearly, she had been drugged, sedated; this powerful intoxication rendered her dumb and prevented panic. It was an eerie feeling, to understand everything just as you always did, but to be unable to react surprised or frightened. Lucy assumed that it was much like being paralysed, though it was parts of her reactions which had been frozen, and not her body.

" Alchemy has been shunned by the Christian faith for centuries, and yet covertly it has always been present in our world," Dante begun, standing and nearing the young woman as she continued, " But in order for the world to move on, humans need to evolve into a more competent species. Why would humanity ban or discriminate against a process in which millions of lives can be saved, in which we can prevent death?"
Dante left a pause for effect, now facing Lucy, stood a few footsteps away from the chair.
" Because it scares them, that's why. They hide behind their God, allowing only him the right of life and death so that they don't need to face such responsibilities. This is why Alchemy was considered Witchcraft, although over time humanity has been lead to believe that God has forbid it. Such is incorrect. Surely God would want us to save lives and bring happiness if we could, no?"

Dante turned back to the blanketed lump in the centre of the library, candlelight ebbing over her figure as she knelt there, bony fingers finding a corner of the blanket to hold. Slowly, Dante revealed top of the contents; exposing none other than John Parker's corpse.
" Surely God would want you to have your brother back, Lucy-chan."

Regardless of her sedated state, Lucy's physical reactions proved themselves to be working as she threw up to the side of her chair. Tears falling down her face, the taste of sick stained her mouth as she choked violently, muscles aching as the urging continued.

Above her she heard the sound of Envy's cruel laughter, interrupted by heaves and coughs spouted forth from her stained lips. She trembled, near-expressionless as she began to regain control over her body's responses. Calmness continued to ebb at her from within, her physical state mismatching her mental.

Slowly in the middle of the room Dante arose elegantly and drifted over to the frightened figure of Lucy. Placing a hand on Lucy's shoulder she comforted her in the best voice she had; still insincere and cold.

Lucy shivered at the tone of Dante's voice; efforts to reply were wasted as Greed interrupted. "Could we hurry up? Being above that chamber is so creepy."

"Scared of a woman?" Envy taunted, "If you're that scared then leave; we don't need you."

"Envy." Dante's voice said sharply "Enough."

Envy stopped cackling and smiling, face falling in reluctant command. He made no attempt to apologize, simply glaring at the other man, who's response was matching. Greed shifted from one foot to the other, unused foot propped against the wall behind him as he slipped back into silence.

Finally mustering a mumble, Lucy queried, neutrally, " Why.. Am I needed?"

Evading the subject, Dante turned to face the sedated form of Lucy, a false smile spread across her thin lips as she cooed, " Your brother will return to this world, soon."

In reply, Lucy forced her emotionless stare to the centrepiece. Aided by sedatives, the shock had now been overcome, allowing Lucy to take a proper look at her deceased brother. Three days ago, John had seemed peaceful in the coffin, blessed by God and laid to rest, but now his corpse was somehow frightening. The spoiled skin of his round face was bloated and pale; hazel eyes, closed politely before, now offered an eerie, glazed stare - mouth agape.

Dante stepped back toward the faintly-marked circle on the floor, gently uncovering the entirety of John's body and revealing onyx bowls placed around his overweight, well-muscled form. Rolling up the sleeves of her luxurious dress, Dante extracted a petite knife from behind John's corpse, nicking her index fingertip neatly and beginning to trace familiar circles onto her weathered skin. One for her left arm, one for her right arm, one on both ankles, one below her throat. These symbols seemed to be miniature versions of the large circle etched onto the floor, no doubt a tool of Alchemy.

Dante turned her neatly combed head in the direction of Envy and Greed, smiling wisely as she instructed,
" If the situation gets out of hand, please aide me in transferral."

The little flames held by candles flickered as fog encased the library, a soft hissing noise present in the centre of the room. Shadows enveloped lumpy forms, the room shrouded in mystery. A wheezing hacking noise appeared, one of the shadowy figures heaving from within the smog. Greed stood upright in reaction, edging curiously toward the centre of the room, interrupted by the voice of Dante;

" It's alright, Greed-kun. Everything is… successful." Dante's voice was significantly weaker and less formal, and she made no effort to move. Greed neared the older woman, tall form bent by her side as he offered out a marked hand, eyes locked on Dante.

" I'm afraid you'll have to bring her to me, Greed." Dante mused, shifting within the fog.

Greed took a step back, nodding obligingly and stalking toward the chair, towering over Lucy with a hand outstretched, just as he had stood over Dante moments ago.

There was no sarcastic smile or flirtatious expression present on Greed, and Envy had fallen eerily silent. The very air of the room was ominous as Lucy lent a reluctant hand to Greed, unable from preventing the movement.

As Lucy was led toward Dante and the post-John, the mist unveiled to reveal a blood-coated circle, Dante drenched in the crimson fluid, hunched over and supported by her arms. Beneath her flowing dress, a lack of form suggested amputation, causing horror to Lucy even while sedated. Greed stepped away a little, lingering behind the wide-eyed Lucy obediently.

Although trembling from blood-loss and significantly weaker, Dante remained calm, cool copper eyes staring at Lucy as the pretty young girl gawped hopelessly around her. From the corner of her eyes, Lucy was unfortunately able to make out a heaving shape, the lumpy form emitting wheezing breaths from the shadows. Faintly, Lucy could make out a face, centred on the misshapen humanoid lump.

Sudden pain overcame Lucy's form, snapping her attention toward Dante as lunges of agony struck her. Sedated still, the girl's body arched backwards, petite hands rising somewhat as a faceless shadowed form clutched at her, multiple, clawed limbs striking into her body and sinking inside without drawing blood. The pain was dominating, however, and she was rendered helpless, so pained she was unable to even twitch in response to the attack. As Lucy's mind slowly ebbed away, she recognised the features of her brother beside her, mutated and sinful within the writhing mess that heaved and wheezed.

This truly is the work of Satan…

Dante began to stand, feeling refreshed and young again her new eyes travelled to the mass laying beside her. Her old body had been ripped into two, drenched in the crimson liquid that had once been apart of her. Now she stood in a new body, red hair framing her face and feeling much better.

Envy was peering from above, eyes wandering across the lumps of squelching mass where the corpse of John had lay. Deep, rapid breaths hissed from the newborn homunculus, the disfigured creature observing it's surroundings with a hollow gaze. Envy wrinkled his nose, disgusted, and turned his sight back on Dante.

Dante had already travelled over to her old body and was taking out a purse from inside the torn dress's pocket. She made her way back to the being on the floor and knelt beside it, digging her supple hand deep into the container to extract gleaming red stones. She smiled contently and offered it to the new homunculus, watching with satisfaction as the creature began to eat away at them.

"Well?" Envy asked impatiently, "Who is it?"

A smirk on her freckled face, Dante answered with no hesitation, "Gluttony."