Oh my god...MY EXAMS! I FINISHED OVER HALF OF THEM! THE PRACTICAL EXAMS ARE ENDING ON WEDNESDAY! I PASSED ONE OF MY WRITTEN EXAMS! (weird cheering dance commences) I'm so very happy...so very, very happy! FINALLY! T_T :D
Update (15. May): ...I'm still happy about passing half of my exams but...eh, I sort of got into this one-week-maybe-more depression phase where I'm just...depressed...I put on a smile for my friends and all but...ugh. This sounds freakishly emo, but I feel so...dead inside lol. Apologies dear readers, first world problems here .
ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:
Panic: Hi there buddy. Yeah, I've thought of it too (I also haven't actually watched the 2003 version but bits and pieces here and there, I prefer Brotherhood but that's just my opinion) but I thought maybe showing the differences between the characters would be...convenient? Eh... Ah, thank you :3 I like writing EdWin too, especially since I think that's how me and my boyfriend (...in the far, far away future if ever T_T) would act like them :3 Yeah, I created her with martial arts/spear fighting in mind, but she uses alchemy when she either gets disarmed or doesn't see any other way but to use alchemy. Thanks again for the compliment :) (wipes tear away) Thanks Panic, really, but I get that my writing doesn't appeal to many readers since I'm not all that experienced in good writing and such. But still, thank you :)
Lily: Nah, don't be, I partially ignore it don't worry bout it ;)
Penguin20: Eh...I respect HackerSlashe's opinion even if it's a bit...on the forward side. :)
WARNING: OOC Greed up ahead! Not too much but...yeah
A Homunculus Can't be Trusted Part 2
"So, got any plan?" Greed chanced a glance at the woman walking beside him, he noted how tense she seemed at his presence.
Lena didn't even look at him, "You'll find out soon enough," was her curt reply and Greed's confidence faltered slightly.
"Geez, what's up with her anyway? The ladies usually wait in line for me to talk to 'em! Maybe it's your fault! I want my handsome body back!" Greed ranted to Ling in their mind, the strongest soul portraying Greed nearly barking at Ling's sitting figure.
Ling sighed heavily, hanging his head down, "Lena is actually very kind and sweet, but she doesn't really get along with people she doesn't trust...um...and she still thinks you may have something to do with that mob chasing after you," Ling grinned nervously, awaiting Greed's fury.
He wasn't disappointed, "What the hell?! I told her I did nothing! Why doesn't she believe me?! Urgh, women!"
Greed snorted loudly, crossing his arms and Lena rose an eyebrow but remained quiet. Greed poked an eye open, looking at her.
Lena felt a bit uncomfortable, she tried hard to ignore him but after several minutes of enduring his stare that was sent from hell itself, she turned around and looked at him, but Greed swiftly turned his head to the other side, pretending to look at the passing buildings. Lena huffed, aggravated, crossing her arms and looking in the other direction.
"Um...maybe if I take control she will-" Ling offered, before being brutally shut down.
"SHUT UP PRINCE! I think I can deal with her myself!" Greed barked, nearly growling.
A few minutes later...
Dead silence.
Greed deduced she was crazy or maybe even a lesbian since she didn't fall for his charms or react positively to his advances.
Well, it didn't hurt to ask, "Do you like women?" Greed asked shamelessly, leaning in to inspect her face better.
Lena turned her head and icily glared at him, "If I tell you I do, will you shut up and stop staring at me?" she rose an eyebrow in question.
Greed huffed, "Hey, hey, hey, I wasn't staring at ya! Women stare at me!" he growled, "Besides, I can't take the silence,"
Lena deadpanned, "You have Ling in your head to talk with," she continued walking, a bit amused at his earlier question of her possibly being a lesbian because she didn't respond to his advances.
"Tch, the prince is dumb as shit. Talking to a beautiful lady is far more up my alley," he grinned.
"I WANT MY BODY BACK YOU STUPID HOMUNCULUS!" Ling roared, reacting to the insult about his intelligence and desperately clawing at control. Greed was seen visibly struggling and that made Lena highly amused.
"Seems like Ling didn't take kindly to your compliment," she giggled, grinning widely when Greed shot a exasperated look her way.
"Oh now you laugh?!" Greed groaned, slapping himself to regain control but the prince was too strong at the moment. Damn it!
"Hey Lena! Long time no see my friend!" Ling suddenly greeted her, the same kind closed eyes she had known.
She smiled pleasantly, hugging him briefly, "Hey Ling! Finally I can talk to you! Better than with that grumpy Homunculus anyway," she smiled cheekily.
"Did she just call me 'grumpy'? DID SHE?!" Greed silently fumed to Ling, who only ignored him.
Ling turned serious however when he asked her this, "So, what's the plan? Did Ed tell you anything where he may be?"
Lena frowned, "No, but going over to Resembool is too dangerous, there may be someone following us, maybe one of the Homunculi," Lena glared at her surroundings, suspicion radiating off her in waves.
Ling focused his chi, trying to detect any other potent chi's from around him that could possibly belong to one of the deadly sins, "Hm...I don't sense any at the moment, but you're right. So where are we going then?"
Lena smiled, "We'll check a location I heard Ed once used to hide in, if we don't find him there we'll go to Garfiel, I heard Winry's in town and I wanted to update her on Ed's situation. The midget probably forgot to call her again," she shook her head, smiling as she did so.
"So you and Ed are close?" Ling rose an eyebrow in amusement, a kitten-like smile on his face.
Lena snorted in amusement, chuckling, "Not in the way you think, Ling. We are good friends, we helped each-other out and such. He helped me once on one of my journeys and ever since we kept running into each-other here and there. Besides, I'm rooting for him and Winry to finally grow some balls and confess. I've been keeping tabs on them since I met him a year ago, who knows how many moments they've had before," she couldn't help but grin at that.
"Hm...interesting..." Greed commented, making Ling nervous at his hidden intentions, "So, the lady isn't taken huh..."
"As if she would go out with someone with no fashion sense like you!" Ling barked, irked by Greed's womanizing attitude.
Greed released a bark of laughter, "That's why she ain't dating you prince!"laughter echoed within the recesses of his mind and Ling growled aloud.
"WHY WOULD WE EVEN DATE IF WE AREN'T INTERESTED IN-"
"...Everything ok Ling?" Lena stopped walking and titled her head sideways, looking at him weirdly, one hand on her hip and the other holding her Quandao across her shoulders.
Ling scratched at the back of his neck with a impish smile, "Ahh...yeah...sorry about that...he...he drives me crazy," Ling pointed at himself, or rather at Greed, pathetically.
Lena smirked, "Hm, thought so. I can't even imagine having that guy in my head, I would rather jump off a cliff," she giggled and Ling snickered, feeling Greed's soul shatter.
"JUMP OF A CLIFF!? Hey! That stupid woman doesn't even know me-"
"But I suppose he isn't that bad. After all, Ed said once he saved him, so I'm willing to trust him...someday," she winked, smiling as she started walking again.
Greed immediately regained control of Ling's body, jogging after her frantically, "Hey! Sweetheart! Wait up!" Greed grinned.
Lena bristled, shooting him a dark look, "I'm not a candy or your sweetheart!" she huffed, purposefully turning away.
Greed frowned, "Heh, you know I would feel honored, not many ladies get the privilege of catching my attention,"
Lena remarked smartly, "Oh? You mean the attention span of a flea?" she laughed at his dumbstruck expression, her own one softened, "Hey, look. It's not like I got a personal grudge against you or anything, it's just that...well...despite you being in Ling's head and sharing his body and all that, I don't know you,"
Greed considered her answer and looked down at her, "Then get to know me," she froze, startled by the absence of his bravado and flirty tone.
Rather quickly, she started walking again, "Uh, I think we should keep moving," Greed watched her go, wondering just what was going on through her head.
He shook his head, "Better not dwell on that too long, seems like she doesn't really trust me," he frowned.
Ling snorted, "You don't say," came the sarcastic remark of the Xingese prince.
"Shut up," Greed barked.
They walked in silence for a while and Greed refrained from shooting her curios looks, she was easy on the eye but for some reason he made her feel uncomfortable. Was it really just because she didn't know him? Was it because of him being a Homunculus? Greed shook his head.
"Um, when did...this happen?" he looked at her, mildly surprised she asked him something.
"What?" he rose an eyebrow.
"Your...situation," she gestured at him and Greed realized she was talking about him sharing a body with Ling.
"A few months back...or has it been a year? Something like that. Yeah well...he wanted to become immortal, so I granted his wish like the good guy I am,"
Ling deadpanned in their mind, "Actually you were in a vial and that bearded man made me drink you,"
"Hey, hey, don't ruin the moment!" Greed wished he could swat at him like this.
"Why you asking?" he shot her a curious look and Lena had the decency to look embarrassed.
"J-just curious," this was the first time he heard her stutter and Greed's curiosity spiked.
"Ah," he dug his hands in his pockets, surveying the area around him as they entered some sort of alley, "Hey, where are we going?" he looked around suspiciously.
Lena made a shushing motion with her finger, motioning ahead, "There," she motioned to a sewer opening and Greed rose an eyebrow.
He moved the heavy lid out of the way and Lena went inside first, Greed following suit. Lena grabbed a lighter from her pocket and the soft glow of the lighter showed them the dark, damp sewers of Central, "Romantic," Greed commented dryly and Lena rolled her eyes.
"We're here to meet Ed, not on a date," Greed scoffed at her comment.
"Yeah, this is a place to find him alright," Lena smirked at Greed's comment, walking forward with the lighter in her hands.
She suddenly felt something brushing against her shoulder and lower back and she nearly hit Greed with the end of her staff as she whirled around to glare at him with a fierce blush, "Stop molesting me you pervert!" she tried to ignore how the light accentuated his admittedly handsome features.
Why do the handsome ones have to be jerks?
Greed's eyes widened and he held his hands up in defense, "Oi, oi, I didn't touch you sweets! Now unless you want me to of cou-"
Lena growled and spun back around, marching forward resolutely, "Ugh! Save it! L-let's just go!" Greed blinked at her back, deciding to keep a bit of space between them in case she thought he groped her again.
Women...
Several minutes of walking on the damp cobblestone passed and again, Lena felt something brush against her lower back, this time going even lower-
"THAT'S IT!" she spun around and slammed her staff against Greed's head, a loud echoing sound of metal screeching against metal filled her ears and the tunnels of the sewer as her staff bounced off Greed's ultimate shield covered head harmlessly.
"What the-Hey!" Greed dodged again out of her way.
"You IDIOT! Let me harm you damn it!" Lena swore, swinging at him again but Greed caught her wrist holding her staff and pressed it against the wall, effectively hindering her from swinging at him further.
He positioned his body sideways so he wasn't trapping her against the wall, merely holding her down for his own safety, his violet eyes seemed to glow, "Would ya shut up and listen to me for one second? Ask the stupid prince! I did not grope you!" with a frown, Greed released her wrist and turned around, "I may be a bastard of a Homunculus but I don't go groping women around when I feel like it,"
Surprise filled Lena when she realized Greed hadn't even bruised her, not when he lightly pressed her against the wall, not when he caught and held her wrist...a sense of guilt overwhelmed her and she looked at the dark ground, "If you d-didn't do that then...who did?"
Greed turned around, suspicion written all over his face as he moved close to her and pressed his back against her own, activating his shield, "Get ready, I don't think we're alone in here,"
Lena tightened her grip on her Quandao and quietly whispered, "Can you see in the dark?"
Ling's soft voice greeted her, "I can sense chi," that was good enough for her as she pocketed her lighter and complete darkness settled over them.
Lena tensed when she felt a hand on her shoulder and Greed's voice was far too close for comfort, "Relax sweets, I ain't here to hurt you after you saved my ass," the small reassuring squeeze on her shoulder stunned and relaxed her and she nodded, before she remembered he couldn't see.
"Y-yeah..." she swallowed, entirely too high strung after that "groping fiasco" and suddenly facing an enemy in total darkness.
"It's coming our way," Ling's voice informed her quietly again and Lena had no idea how fast they can switch who's in control.
"Dodge left!" Lena did as Ling told her, jumping on her left side and bringing her staff up diagonally in defense.
There was a loud wail of pain and worry shot through her before she realized it wasn't Ling or Greed that released that yell.
She quickly grabbed her lighter and a soft warm glow bathed the space at arm's length in front of her to reveal Greed, holding what appeared to be...
"LAZY ASS?!" Greed unceremoniously dumped the writhing form of Yoki into the sewer water next to him, rage and disbelief filling his face, "What the hell are you doing here?!"
Lena whacked the weird stranger on the head repeatedly with her staff, "You lech! It's you that groped me you good-for-nothing little-"
Greed quickly grabbed her staff and her other wrist, preventing her from effectively killing the already bleeding man in the water, "Oi, oi, we want him alive when I beat him up!" Lena struggled against Greed almost comically, intent on punching the daylights out of the man.
Yoki rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, "Uhm...hello! Nice to meet you-"
"WE'LL SEE HOW NICE IT IS TO MEET ME ONCE I SKEWER YOU ALIVE YOU GROPING BASTARD!" Greed sighed as he struggled to hold the woman at bay, shooting death glares at the cowering man behind him. Greed's face was pressed against her stomach as she tried climbing over him.
"Let me at-woah!" Lena's eyes widened when she was suddenly slung over Greed's broad shoulder, the Homunculus kept a hand firmly on her back so she didn't fall and promptly turned around to regard Yoki.
If looks could kill...
He pointed at the soaked man, "I'm only doing this because you know where the Elrics are at in this stinkhole and because you ain't worth it soiling her pretty hands with your stupid blood," Yoki's soul nearly left him at Greed's blunt threat, falling back into the water.
Lena was covering her flushed face, "C-can I please get down?"
Greed suddenly realized in what manner he was holding her and immediately set her down gently, rubbing the back of his neck as she stared up at him in confusion, "Right..." he turned his attention towards Yoki, "I'm listening," he crossed his arms.
Yoki shivered in fear when Lena shot him a death glare, "T-T-this way! B-but keep her away from me!" when Yoki bypassed Greed, the Homunculus slammed his fist unceremoniously on his head.
"If you had kept your hands to yourself..." Greed rolled his eyes and followed behind the smaller male.
Lena couldn't help but glance at Greed from time to time, remembering how, despite being slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, he still scolded Yoki about groping her despite making passes, admittedly of non physical nature, at her.
"Hey..." Greed turned his head to look at her and Lena blushed in embarrassment, chewing on her bottom lip as she stared at the ground.
"I uh...I'm sorry I..." she forced herself to talk and not stumble over her words, "I'm sorry I accused you of touching me..." she briefly looked up at him, "I trust Ling when he says you aren't bad..."
Greed blinked, "Hoho...see? That's the first step to trusting you!" Ling laughed in his head but Greed ignored him, too stunned to let the words register in his mind.
The Homunculus ran a hand across his neck, "Yeah..." he sent her a sly grin, "So...am I allowed to-"
"No," Lena shot him a glare but it slowly wobbled into a shaky laugh, pushing at his broad shoulder before she followed after Yoki, who slightly sped up after realizing his literal human shield wasn't between him and his possible executioner anymore.
"Aw, is the big bad Greed going soft?" Ling's irritating sing-song voice snapped him back to attention.
"Tch, as if I would let myself get swayed by a human," he snorted and followed after them.
Soon enough, Yoki led them through what appeared to be a dead end, he knocked twice on it and scratched on it once, a few minutes passed before the wall of stone suddenly morphed into a solid door.
"Gotta admit, alchemy's neat," Greed commented with a grin as Lena smirked and nodded.
"Yoki! What took you so long? You know that brother gets grumpy when he doesn't eat a sandwich every once and a-?" none other than Alphonse Elric himself opened the door and he immediately spotted Lena next to Greed.
"Greeling?" Greed grit his teeth, annoyance filling him at the stupid nickname the older Elric made up for him, apparently now sweet innocent Alphonse was using it too.
"Oi, it's Greed-"
"Al?" Lena sent him a huge grin, running straight at the armored boy.
"Lena!" Alphonse' jaw dropped before he nearly fell over and laughed as he hugged her in surprise, "What are you doing here? I thought you were somewhere in Liore?"
Greed watched how the two friends rejoiced, Lena smiling again, and again it wasn't because of his influence. Not that he cared anyway.
"What are you doing here? Where's that thick headed brother of yours?" Lena inquired, searching under Al's armored legs.
"Um..." Al meekly pointed to a cross armed Edward standing a little away, a shadow covering his eyes when he noticed Lena was searching on the ground for him.
She blinked, seeming surprised by his growth spurt, "Ed! Oh wow...hey you grew taller! You're as tall as me!" she excitedly went over to him and Ed shot her a dirty look when she compared their identical heights.
Ed scoffed, "Yeah, yeah, save the comments for later," despite turning his head away, he sent her a small grin.
Lena smiled, "I missed you guys," she hugged Ed too and the Fullmetal Alchemist shook his head and enveloped her in a friendly hug as well.
"We missed you too, didn't think you'd show up here though," when he released her, his smile was warm and kind, gesturing to the damp location of their temporary hideout.
Lena grinned, "Heh, thought to drop by after so long, besides I heard there was some trouble and you know I'm a magnet for one," she winked playfully.
Ed smirked, "Tell me about it," he turned to look at Greed and grinned widely, "Oi, it's-"
"Greed," Greed couldn't have stressed his name enough...
"Greeling!" Ed laughed at the infuriated look on the Homunculus' face.
"Stupid brat..." he muttered under his breath, cursing the blond boy with every swear word he knew.
"Oh, you two know each-other?" Al whipped his head back and forth between Greed and Lena.
"Uh...well...it's a complicated story..." Lena mumbled under her breath.
"Actually, let me tell you," Greed grinned, "A mob was chasing me and wanted my head on a pike for no good reason, I didn't even do anything. Then came this – lovely creature – to my aid and healed me," Greed grinned, revealing sharp teeth, "We had a very romantic moment on our date-"
"That wasn't a DATE!" Lena shouted at the conversing duo, she added as an afterthought, "And we didn't have a moment!"
"-and I was the being the perfect gentleman while she doubted my morals-"
"YOU'RE A JERK!" Lena ran a hand down her face.
"-all because of some snot nosed lazy ass groping her in my presence," he sent a look toward poor Yoki, "So in all, she's warming up to me,"
"No, I'm not!" Lena let out a frustrated wail.
Lena nearly let out a surprised yell when she saw what devious expression Al was sporting, "I didn't know you would like Greed so much!" he grinned a innocent, kitten-like smile, "I also didn't think he would be your type, since you like tall, dark haired, handsome...oh wait!" Alphonse suddenly took out a pen and a notepad from nowhere, ticking off things on some sort of list.
Ed drawled dryly, "You can scratch "handsome" off," Greed glowered at him.
Lena slammed a hand to her face, "Why am I surrounded by idiots..." Lena rolled her eyes when Greed slung an arm around her shoulders.
"Relax, sweets, your tall, dark and handsome stud is right here," Greed's grin was devilish and Lena shook her head in exasperation before turning serious as she looked at Ed.
"How does the situation look like now? I've seen the townsfolk on edge lately and sightings of strange attacks and...something eating people," she rose an eyebrow, her eyes searching Ed's.
She still didn't remove Greed's arm, so he made no move to remove it.
"Gluttony..." Ed clenched his fist, "Bradley is a Homunculus too and they're planning to use me, Al and the Colonel as sacrifices for their plan. They want to turn the whole world into a large transmutation circle," Ed's grim expression was met by Lena's disbelieved one.
"What?! Bradley? Damn...and he seemed so cool too!" Lena hung her head down before she realized something, "Wait...how do they plan on making a transmutation circle without the appropriate circles and marks? They can't just carve it into the earth and even if they could, it would take years to finish it,"
Ed's low voice unsettled her and everyone else, "They've been planning this for years,"
"...Oh..." came Lena's eloquent reply to which Greed tightened his grip on her making her eyes widen comically.
"Tch, as if the old man could get away with that with me still alive and kickin-"
"Why are you still holding onto me for?!" Lena slipped away under Greed's arm and moved closer to Al and Ed, shooting him dirty looks.
"Told ya she still doesn't trust you," came Ling's comment.
"Hey! At least she didn't try to kill me like a few hours ago!" Greed was starting to get annoyed at the prince's comments.
Ed blinked in confusion, looking at his friend, "Does this remind you of a romance movie?" he whispered to Al, who nodded rapidly.
"Shut up!" Lena punched Ed square in the face.
"Ugh! You're just like Winry with her wrench! Give me a break!" Ed rubbed his nose, mumbling something under his breath about all the "violent women" in his life.
Lena shook her head and Greed couldn't help but notice how he thought up a new name for her.
"Princess badass..." Lena rose an eyebrow and looked at him suspiciously, "Huh?"
Greed shook his head coolly, inspecting his nails, "Nothing,"
Al grinned like a cat.
"Unbelievable..." Ling sat indian-style within the torrent of souls, shaking his head hopelessly at Greed.
Part 2 finished. Yeah...sorry for Greed's OOCness here! . T_T