I'll Stay With You
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A flash of surprise crossed his face, which was quickly gathered up and turned into a contemplating smirk. That smirk. It was vile, filthy to look at. Yet I felt compelled to gape at it. That smirk. Envy's smirk.
He held me like that for a few second before breaking the silence by announcing in his suave voice, "Out of your cell, Chibi? And two arms, no less? I suppose I don't give you enough credit."
My blood boiled as I watched him, unmoving. In one swift motion, I could bring out my collected odds and ends and rather easily force them upon my capture. But I stood there, my body rigid and my mind blank.
"Nothing to say, Chibi?" he goaded.
I didn't give him the satisfaction of pathetic cowering or an uncontrolled outburst. Instead I waited for him to lose his cool, his concentration. A plan formulated in my mind. Once he was unnerved, getting him to slip up would only be a matter of time. But once he was paralyzed, I would have all the time in the world to figure out how to deconstruct him.
I cleared my throat to speak, sounding scratchy from the lack of use. "Guess what, Envy? My father hugged before he left for the Other Side and told me how much he loved me and told me why he abandoned you! He detests you! Even as a baby, he thought you were the most disgusting being ever! You made him sick to his stomach! You are a thing!"
A vein popped at Envy's neck. His face grew beet red and contorted into an ugly shape. Just a little more.
"You were an accident. No, not an accident. An error. A mistake! Nobody loved you, you were hideous and-."
"Shut-up, shut-up, shut-up! I can't take it!" His violet eyes flashed.
I grew confident. My face was now in smirk, whilst Envy was snarling like a defensive animal. I came to the breaking point after a few more insults and now came the choice. Fight or flight. I had never known Envy to flee from a fight, so when he lunged at me, I was expecting it and took a step backwards, avoiding the attack. His assaults were sluggish and I got out of the way with no problem. After a matter of five minutes, I had my items out, and one by one, I tried throwing them at Envy as he desperately dived at me. The hair ribbon: no. The emerald: no. The coin: no. I tossed the pocket watch at Envy and he froze, as if he had been slapped by an indignant lady. As it clattered to the floor, Envy shook his head angrily and glared at me.
"It's over, brother," I said sourly.
"I guess so," he submitted. "But tell me... where is Hohenheim? So that if in another lifetime..?"
I spat disgustedly. "You, a creation of alchemy should know that when we die we become energy for alchemy, not reincarnations. So, truthfully, you never could-."
"Think fast, Chibi!"
I had gotten so wrapped up in my discussion that I had forgotten that it was the Sin I was talking to. As I had blabbed on, Envy had prepared for another onslaught.
Narrowly, I ducked a rough hewn stick that he had thrown at me. This, however, gave him the opportunity to grab his gun, which he pointed at my face. I stared down the barrel and looked at death not for the first time. My eyes widened and, as if in slow-motion, I watched as Envy tugged the trigger of the weapon. I heard a muffled shout, the sound of the gun, and blacked out.
Upon awakening, I thought that I was surely dead. But as I opened my eyes and stared at the florescent light fixtures swaying above me, I realized that somehow, I had pulled through.
Sitting up, I saw Envy sprawled on the ground, feebly scratching at his own head, as if to try and make unheard voices go away. I also saw another figure, standing over Envy with a cruel demeanor. I could make out two glinting automail arms on him. The cold steel reflected into his eyes as they flashed angrily. The hair was tied in a ponytail in a harsh matter, his face squarely framed. At first I only thought of why Envy was cowering, but then realized that I shouldn't worry about why, but who. I glared at the figure and he turned to face me. To my utter surprise, I found this icy man to be my own brother.
Instantly, the ice from his eyes melted away, revealing a soft spot that was undetectable moments earlier. A smile graced his lips, that once I would have held dear. But now, I questioned it. Al... would never have such a cruel look about him. But there was no other explanation.
My trust was harder to gain than ever before. And this... this person willed me to believe something after all the lies that had been told? What truths could I hold as true? What lies could actually be called deceit? Could trust be put in anything other than myself? What about myself? Could even I be trusted?
This... stranger offered me a hand up. This strange man with a frosty glance. This strange man whom was dead and gone.
I grasped his hand and the instant I was on my feet, grabbed his arm and held it behind his back. I heard the crack that signified that I had disarmed his automail. He turned his head calmly and laughed a little. I was left dumbfounded by this and dropped his arm, which hung useless. He put his other arm around my back and said, "Alert as ever, Brother."
I struggled away from his grasp. He seemed hurt.
"Brother... you're not happy to see me?"
"Who... Who are you?" I demanded. "How do I know..."
Al laughed a little again. "Brother, let's get out of here first. Then we talk."
"No!" I quickly transmuted my arm into a blade and pointed it at Al.
"Answers now!"
Al shrugged a shoulder in defeat. "Very well. What is it you want to know?"
"You've changed. You're different. Cold."
"Times are hard on everyone, Brother. Not just you." His eyes flashed, then returned to normal.
"And you arms..."
"A freak accident. An ax fell from-"
"Liar!" I interrupted. "Those scars are jagged, indicating that whatever disposed of your arms off did it by ripping, not cutting. Also, I noticed that you did alchemy without circle, right before I blacked out. You've seen the Gate. And it's taken its toll, hasn't it?"
A rather irritated look washed over his face. That soft face that I had once held so dear. The soft skin, bright eyes, the full lips, the downy hair, all which I had hoarded, treasured so dearly that I had given up my body and my soul and my blood to revive him. Now I stared at a foreign face which regarded me as only slightly higher than the ground which he walked upon.
"Truthfully, Edward, I hoped this could pass with you at least trying to be ignorant for your own safety's sake. This may be too much for your being to take because you so thoroughly sought for the truth. I suppose it would eventually come to this. In fact, I knew so. Since you've come thus far, I will explain exactly what I intend to accomplish.
"When you brought my through the Gate, supposedly to Earth, you were merely experiencing a doll of me with part of my soul attached. Meanwhile, I was here making all things necessary. To initiate my plan, however, I needed Envy, who could play me for however long I needed.
"So, I revived Envy, the homunculus, which cost me two arms. Once he was back, and I was his master and creator, I only waited for my clay doll to die and for you to find a way home, depressed and bedraggled. You came back within a year, which pleased me so. I sent Envy out to greet you, and you two became acquainted.
"Why all of this trickery? Why all of this bloodshed for a seemingly unapparent reason? The same reason it was twenty-one years ago, Brother. The same reason why I was in armor for six long years, tagging along after you, hoping that we would find help an all righteous way. The same exact reason that you have automail and that there was a homunculus named Sloth. The same reason we burned our house down. The same reason you sought for a teacher. The same reason you were willing to put me on the line for. And now, Brother, I am going to return the favor."
Al snapped and seemed as though he were fighting back tears. At the sound of the snap, Envy rose up behind me and pinned my arms behind my back, snapping the rough automail in two. I cried out as I heard a crack in my other arm and Al shouted, "Careful! Don't... hurt him."
Before I could register all that had happened, I was being dragged into a large room that I was all too familiar with. It was a large bright room, the room where Al and I had done the quick exchange of a life for a life. But, was it really a life for a life? I thought I saw Rose dancing about in a long white dress, but blinked and it vanished.
I looked about and saw Al standing behind a pillar like a scared little boy, who had just been smacked about. His face was grim and quite pale. He blinked quickly. His eyes darted about. Did he really want this path? Is this what he had really chosen?
Straightening up, Al said, "Brother, please, activate the transmutation circle. Bring back Mother."
I spat at him.
"Edward, if you don't, half of Central will die. Envy has rigged a chain reaction of explosions going throughout the city. It's your choice. I will release you, if you wish. But then you will be responsible for thousands of lives."
"You... you... I'm going to kill you!"
I ripped myself from Envy's grip and lunged at Al, fully intending on killing him. I drew my sword with my left hand and slashed wildly. Al backed away, ducking and dodging, escaping with minor wounds. Envy jumped between us and proceeded to strangle me. I dropped the sword and clawed at his vice grip.
"What about Winry, Brother?"
Envy released me and allowed a grace period of coughing and sputtering.
"Don't call me 'brother' again!"
"I can kill Winry, if you prefer."
"No! You wouldn't!"
"I'm serious, Ed. Activate the circle. This is your last chance. Do it. Do it now!"
A hot tear slipped down my cheek. There was no way... this wasn't him... my little brother... I had given him everything... I created... a monster... Al...
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