This is the final chapter to Pocket-Watch, Locket and Loneliness. It's sequel will be up soon, called, Pieces of the Puzzle.
When Ruby returned to where the other homunculi were, she sat back down where she had been before. The sun was rising in the sky, and soon Envy began to wake up. She sighed, wondering if Ed would come looking for her or if he would let it be.
"Thinking again?" Envy asked. Ruby looked over at him.
"Sort of," she responded.
"Do you know how you died?" Envy asked suddenly. Ruby looked at her feet.
"Yes," she replied. She shuddered, though not from cold. "I remember it because I saw Ed use alchemy, and alchemy is what killed me." Envy seemed interested as Ruby went on. "I was almost twelve. Ed was returning from some trip he and Al were taking, after something happened to their mother. I was alone in the house, getting ready for bed, when I heard someone walking down the hall. I looked out the door and saw a man in a blue uniform. Before I could even say anything, I was gasping for breath as the heater in my room turned into a large spike and shot through me." Ruby began to cry, staring blankly at the sand. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to see Envy staring sympathetically at her.
"Killed by a State Alchemist. What a way to go, seeing as Ed is one." Ruby looked at him, searching his face for any signs of a joke. "You don't have to worry about that now, though. Homunculi can't be killed quite so easily."
"What do you mean?" Ruby asked. Envy smiled.
"If you're like most homunculi, you can't be killed like any human would. It takes a lot more." Ruby sighed, looking up into the sky. What was she?
"Envy," she asked cautiously, "how am I here?" Envy didn't seem to understand. "If I'm dead, or was dead, how am I here now, walking and talking?" Envy looked at the fading shape of the moon.
"It could be many reasons. Some alchemist thought you worth their time and created you is all I can say for sure." Ruby seemed more troubled by the answer then the original question.
"Do you know anything about yourself, other then what's happened to you as a homunculus?" She asked. Envy cringed slightly.
"No." His answer was unconvincing but firm.
Al poked the fire, trying to make its flames come back. He stopped as his brother began to stir.
"What time is it, Al?" He asked with a yawn. He reached for his pocket-watch, but stopped when he realized he was holding something. He opened his hand to see half of Ruby's locket.
"What's that?" Al asked. Ed turned it over. On the back were etched two words.
"'I'm sorry', Al, Ruby was here. She left this." Ed stared down into the ashes of the fire. "Why didn't she say good-bye?" Al looked at the locket, sighing at the sight of his old friend. He turned away as Ed cried, not wanting to see his older brother so upset.
"I guess she didn't want to hurt you." Al murmured. Ed stood up.
"C'mon, Al, let's get going." He wiped the tears from his eyes. "We're going to find her."
"Brother, we can't! If she wanted to be found, don't you thing she would have left us some clue, or stayed here?" Al protested.
"I can't let her go, Al. Not again."
"Lust, I'm going to leave you for now. I have some things to take care of." Envy said. Ruby picked up Sammy and walked up to him. He wouldn't look at her as he got ready to leave.
"Go with him," Lust said. Ruby seemed confused.
"I thought you all stayed together," she inquired, "why is Envy leaving?" Lust sighed.
"We all have our own reasons for what we do. Until you find yours, you should stay with Envy. You'd be of no use to me right now, but it can get lonely on your own." She walked away, beckoning for Gluttony to follow.
Envy faced Ruby. "Sometimes I don't understand her," he said. "She tries to get others on her side then pushes them away when she doesn't need them anymore."
"So can I stay with you?" Ruby asked. Envy sighed.
"I guess you don't have a choice, now do you?" He said.
"Actually, I don't think I'll stay with you, at least, not for long." She added the last part when she saw Envy's expression seem saddened.
"Well, if you're ready, let's go." He started heading off, to the west of Moroa.