鋼の錬金術師 (FullMetal Alchemist)
Chapter 3 The Soul of Regret
Ed looked at Hohenheim and Yeng talk. He had felt Yeng's aroma, and that had reminded him of his father. They had the same smell. Ed had been curious lately of whose body was Hohenheim holding. Dante had explained that they had been surviving for centuries by transmuting their souls to other people.
He was shook off his daydream by Winry, who out of no where, kissed him. He smiled at her, and they kept walking.
"They are getting to sticky". Envy commented, after seeing his brother.
"You are jealous. I, on the other hand, understand it". Lust said.
"They are eating each other slowly…". Gluttony said, smiling happily.
His Homunculi friends gave him a weird look.
"Anyways, they are just being lustfull". Envy said.
"They're so full of me". Lust said, as a joke.
"Get over yourself!". Hope said.
Xiao Mei was showing interest in Al. He was very nice, but this green-haired guy hadn't been so bad. Only Al… He seemed more vulnerable. His soul was a little weaker. Envy, on the other hand, had an almost invisible soul.
Little Xiao jumped off Mei Yang's shoulder, and ran to Al. He crawled up his leg, while Al stopped to see what was happening. Xiao gave him a weird look, as if he was trying to find something in his hairs.
"Don't worry. I'm good to animals –Ed likes it or not!". He said.
"I heard that!".
Al scratched Xiao behind his little ears. The warmth of his hands seemed to spread all over his fluffy body, and he fall down, as he had done with Envy. Al caught him, and kept scratching him softly.
"Why is everyone so nice to that freakin' doll?".
The freakin' doll reacted, and jumped onto Ed's head. Xiao bit off Ed's distinctive little hair, and he screamed in pain. The bear flew through the air, and landed on the floor with his four legs, and a lot of blonde hairs in his mouth.
"MY HAIR! HE CUT OFF MY BELOVED HAIR!".
He moved towards Xiao Mei, willing to stomp him, but Al, Envy and Mei Yang stopped him.
"LET GO OF ME! HE TOOK MY HAIR! THAT'S ALMOST AS BAD AS CALLING ME… pipsqueak!". Ed yelled.
"Oh, come on, you have enough hair to comb up a new one". Pynako said.
"Yeah, but… I have had it for so long…".
"Brother, it went away every time your hair got wet. You just combed it up again, and you are not even fully sure if you always used the same hairs". Al told him.
"Besides, you insulted Xiao Mei first". Envy said.
Everyone gave him a weird look now.
"What? He did!".
o0o
After combing up Ed's little hair again, they kept walking.
"Your son is quite short tempered". Yeng said.
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A-". Envy smacked him in the face.
"Show some respect, three hundred and eighty years younger brother!".
"I'm not short… You're all… I'm… It's…".
"You should have made yourself taller with the philosopher's stone as we crossed the gate". Hohenheim said.
"May I?". Ed asked to Envy.
"Yeah, go ahead, four hundred years of hatred can't be forgiven so easily". Envy said.
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A NATURE MISFORTUNE THAT CAN'T GROW UNLESS HE TRIES HUMAN TRANSMUTATION?".
"That's not what I… Hey, actually, it is".
Ed would have killed Hohenheim, if only he hadn't tripped with a step on the stair they where supposed to use to go to the guests room.
o0o
Yeng left them in the giant room. The furthest wall was one hundred meters away from them. Along the way, in both sides of the room, there were tens of beds, all lined up.
They settled near the door, as they wanted to be ready to go to dinner as soon as possible.
Ling and Ran Fan sat with Ed and Winry, and started talking. They talked about the kind of things they did for each other.
"Well, as soon as we woke up here, I was completely lost. I woke up in the Palace, and I didn't know where to go". Ran Fan said.
"I woke up in the Imperial Bedroom. Since I saw Mei Yang, I knew I wasn't alone, but the first days here were a living hell. I didn't know where to go, so I looked quite ridiculous to every servant. We looked around for about a week, and once I was quite skilled on finding myself in here, I started looking for a way out. Which prooved to be difficult. You have seen the paper labrynth. Besides, I'm not allowed to go out".
"I, on the other hand, traced the memory of the Ran Fan on this side of the door, and it became quite easy".
"Mei Yang and I were lost in the Labrynth for two days".
"I found them, because Xiao Mei went looking for Mei Yang, and I followed him".
"Whoa…". Ed said.
"Nice story".
o0o
The gate of the room opened, and Yeng made them stand up. He walked them to the giant door, and sent them into the dining room.
The Emperor was sitting on a magnificent chair. Ling sat down to his right, and Meu Yang to his left. Right to Ling, was Ranf Fan. Next to her, Winry sat down, and next to her, Ed. Then came Al, Hope, Envy, Lust, Gluttony, Hohenheim and Pynako.
"Yeng won't join us?". Hope asked.
"He is not a guest. He works for me, and that's all".
o0o
Yeng walked away silently, hiding in the shadows. He went into the Symbol room, and stood before the Ouroboros. He walked surrounding it, and looked at the circle he had drawn in the back of it.
He liked to think it was perfect.
He clapped his hands, and transmuted a part of his soul to the circle, which shined brightly.
The Door appeared before him.
It opened slowly, and a shadow floated down.
"I'll give this part of me to talk to my Master".
"So be it". The sahdow floated away.
Another shadow, taller and thinner, with female characteristics, floated towards Yeng's piece of soul.
"Tell me, apprentice".
"The alchemists are already here. The one you asked for is specially interested in me".
"Van Hohenheim".
"Should I prepare everything?".
"Listen… I'll use this piece of soul, which is worth more than many others, and give you a little philosopher's stone".
"What shoul I do with it?".
"Tie it to an arrow, and shoot it at the Emperor".
"What will happen to him?".
"If the arrow hits him, he will become an Homunculus".
"I'm an exceptional shooter. Why would I miss?".
"It doesn't matter if you miss… Just shoot him. Whatever happens after this will be good. After that, run away".
"Yes, Master". Yeng said, vowing before the sahdow.
The shadow laid a hand on top of Yeng's head, and the sould got abosrbed into one little red stone.
Yeng woke up. A part of his soul was missing. He had lost a lot of soul in the door, and this was the ost important time of all. The little stone, shining lightly in the dark, seemed to be calling for him.
o0o
The food was excelent. Gluttony was obliged by Lust to stop. He even seemed to be starting to be full. They all laughed and talked with the Emperor, and happiness rose form the table.
The doors opened faster tan usual, and Yeng's shade showed itlsef due to the moonlight. He moved onto the table, and with a bow and and arrow in his hand, aimed at the Emperor.
Before anyone had time to react, he shoot.
The arrow cut through the air, and finally reached an objective.
Ling had jumped onto the table, and covered his chest with his left hand. The arrow had pierced it, and entered his chest. He fell heavily to the table.
Ed jumped next to him, looking at the bloof that was being spilled. The Emperor was still shocked and didn't fully understand what had happened. Ran Fan and Winry were panicking.
"Oh, just shut up!".
Ling rose from the table, with the arrow still piercing his hand and entering his chest. Hope saw a little circle starting to be drawn with what seemed to be blood. A red substance was moving in the stick of the arrow, and entered the wound in Ling's hand.
He pulled the arrow off, and then, with the right hand, took it out of his left hand.
"Well… Once again, I've been thrown to a body. This one looks younger than the other one, though".
The wounds in Ling's body disappeared, and Envy was terrified once he saw what was drawn on Ling's left hand.
"This can't be!". He shouted.
"Well… If it isn't the biggest bastard since Hohenheim!".
"GREED!".