Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.

"Oh! Well, that did the trick," Ling sighed contently, setting down the last empty can of food. "Thanks Edward, Lynette, you're too kind."

"It's amazing that you're not a giant fatass," Edward remarked, looking at all the empty food cans scattered across the ground in front of us.

"He ate all of our rations," Darius frowned, shaking the empty backpack that had previously been filled with food. Ling looked up at the two chimeras curiously.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your two pals?" Ling asked.

"Oh, that's Mr. Gorilla-"

"My name is Darius!" Darius interrupted Ed.

"And I'm Heinkel." Heinkel said. "We're ex-military. But we wound up getting stuck working with these kids somehow." I rolled my eyes.

"Psh, kids," I mumbled under my breath.

"So, what's this guy's story?" Darius asked abruptly, pointing at Ling.

"Well, you see… It's really kinda complicated…" Ed trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm a homunculus!" Ling chimed bluntly. I hit his arm as Ed gasped and the chimeras looked at each other in shock.

"Can't you try to be more discreet?" I whispered to Ling, my voice sprinkled with irritation.

"Seriously?" Darius said.

"It'll take too long to explain," Ed quickly interjected, before turning to Ling. "But what are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in Central."

"To put it lightly," Ling said, his tone turning serious, "Greed had a falling out with the other homunculi. So I took advantage of his confusion, and managed to regain control of my body. I had to get out of Central," At this point, his voice sounded strained, "and needed some place close by to hide… So I-" Ling cringed in pain, leaning down. It was obvious he was fighting hard to stay in control.

"What's the matter?" Ed asked, concerned.

"It's Greed," Ling muttered, "He's starting to fight... back…" Ling doubled over, one hand over his face as he groaned in pain.

"HEY!" Ed yelled, his fist coming down on the back of Ling's head. "No! No! No! No! No! No! No! Fight him back you idiot! Don't let him overpower you!" Ling grabbed Ed's fist with both of his hands.

"Geez," Ling growled, "Listen! That guy beneath Central, the one they call their Father… He's going to open the portal… On the Day of Reckoning." Ed stared at Ling intently as he continued, "I could be wrong about this… But I think you and Al should jump in the moment he does. It's the best chance you have to get your bodies back."

"Wait a minute," Ed said, and I could see the wheels in his head spinning, "That makes sense and everything, but… There's a toll that must be paid to even open the portal!" He paused for a moment, and I couldn't tell what he was thinking. "This day of Reckoning," Ed continued, "Do you know the exact day he's going to open it?"

"It's happening-" Ling's sentence was cut off as he doubled over in pain again, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Ling!" Ed said, "Come on!"

"Damnit…" Ling struggled to get out, "I can't hold him back much longer…" He tried to straighten himself up. "The message… You got it to Lan Fan, right? You gave her the message?"

"The message…" Ed repeated, thinking for a moment before realizing what Ling meant.

"Al gave it to her. She's doing alright. I don't know where she is… But she's safe." I reassured him, and I could see he was relieved.

"Thank you both…" Ling said, "That's good to hear…" He doubled over again, a hand over his face. Ed leaned forward, shocked and worried.

"Ling!" He said.

"Sorry…" Ling chocked out, "That's it for me…" Ling's struggling seemed to stop, and his body froze for a moment, his face covered by his hand. He let out a big breath, taking his hand away from his face and straightening himself.

"Damn…" I recognized the tone as Greed's, "That pain-in-the-ass prince. He needs to learn to keep his big mouth shut."

"Is that you, Greed?" Ed asked, and Greed looked at him.

"Yeah, what tipped you off?" A click of a gun followed Greed's comeback. I glanced up to see Heinkel with his gun out and aimed at Greed.

"Don't bother." Greed said, standing up and brushing himself off. "You can't even scratch me with that thing." Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he casually started toward the door, ignoring the gun pointed at him. "Well, see you later."

"Hey!" Ed exclaimed, bouncing to his feet. Greed stopped in his tracks. "Aren't you going to try to capture us?"

"Huh?" Greed asked, looking at Ed over his shoulder. "Were you even listening to anything the prince told you? I'm working on my solo career now. All these memories came flooding back, and I kinda went nuts and attacked Bradley… Who knows what they would do to me if I came crawling back. I don't work well with others so it's probably for the best. And that's that." Greed turned his head forward again, walking toward the door.

"Why don't you team up with us?" Ed's sudden offer stopped Greed in his tracks again. Darius and Heinkel turned to him with a surprised, "Huh?" And I just stood up, leaning on the back wall as I watched what happened.

"You've got nowhere to go," Ed said, "Why not come with us?" Greed turned back to look at Ed, taken off guard. Then, suddenly, he chuckled.

"Team up with you?" I could hear the disbelief and dripping sarcasm laced in his voice. "You want me to follow you?" Greed laughed again. "Thanks for the laugh. Up yours kid!" Greed's voice had a strong, possessive edge to it now. "This world is my possession, not yours." Greed pointed at Ed. "Now, it's a different story if you want to follow me. You're welcome to join my team." With another laugh, Greed walked away, into the darkness of the fallen night.

Ed turned back to look at me, and we caught each other's eyes.

"You really should go after him." My voice pierced the silence. "He's one of the strongest allies we can make right now." Ed seemed to ponder over my words for a second.

"You sure?"

"I'm completely positive."

"HEY! Ling! Wait up!" We had finally caught up to Greed, all four of us skidding to a stop in front of him.

"How many times do I have to tell you," Greed growled, "I'm Greed! Not Ling!"

"It's too difficult to keep track of," Ed said. "I'll just call you Greeling from now on."

"No! You will not!"

"Listen to me, Greeling," Ed interrupted, "I'll follow you." The look on his face as those words escaped Ed's mouth was priceless. I had turned away, stifling a snicker at Greed's dumbfounded expression.

"Huh?" He said, obviously caught off guard.

"I thought about it and I've decided to join your team after all." Ed said, seeming a little pleased by Greed's reaction. "And since these guys seem to follow me everywhere, you have two chimeras and a crazy alchemist on your team as well." Darius and Henkiel then proceeded to chase Ed around a bit, yelling something along the lines of "WHO MADE YOU THE BOSS?!"I nearly joined them, but then remembered it was my decision too, but still grumbled to myself over being called a "crazy alchemist". Greed just watched all the chaos, sweat dropping. I stood beside him, patting his shoulder.

"You'll soon come to find I'm the least crazy out of all these guys." I said, "Good luck with your new subordinates." Greed sighed.

After the two chimeras had stopped trying to kill Ed, he dusted himself off. "I've realized something," Ed said. "I've been a follower ever since I became a dog of the military. I lost my pride awhile back, so I'm already used to rolling over on command. And besides, there's too much at stake. I can't let any information you've got slip through the cracks." Ed chuckled to himself, "I really can't let my ego get in the way."

Greed looked even more shocked by his words. But he only kept that expression for a moment before breaking into a full out grin and laughing in a way that made a chill run down my spine. "Alright kid!" He pointed at Ed, "But working for me means you have to live in the shadows. I don't want to hear any regrets."

"Give me a break," Ed said, in the same kind of twistedly amused way. "I've already got a million regrets! What's one more?"

It's in those voices that I realized how much more they had been through than I had even seen, and how much I was most probably in for. Even though I knew everything that would happen, the way they said it scared me a little.

"A million and one." Darius and Heinkel sweat dropped. I had inconspicuously edged behind them, creeped out by Ed's and Greed's weird vibes.

"Good, then it's settled," Greed said, walking toward the chimeras."So then you guys are working for me too."

"Doesn't seem like we have much choice," Heinkel said.

"I don't care who I follow, as long as they're feeding me." Darius said.

Greed's gaze traveled to me, where I hid behind Darius, and I gave a small wave. "Hi," I said simply, "I'm just another rogue military alchemist with nothing to do with my life." And with that, I padded over to Ed, leaving Greed to talk with the buff chimera guys.

"Hey," I said, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." He sighed, and I smiled softly, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"It's going to be okay," I said, "It's going to be hard, but it's going to be okay." He looked into my eyes, and I could see he took my words to heart. He never really had someone by his side to support him, whisper to him that it would be okay, and reassure him that he was alright. But even if it wasn't for long, I wanted to let him know I was here, and I would fight alongside him for a better world, and help him along like I had meant to this whole time.

"Thank you." He said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. And with that look in his eyes, I knew he meant it.

"Come on, lovebirds, let's get moving," Greed's voice came from behind us, and we both grinned at each other before turning, following after the greedy homunculus and the two chimera men.

Little did I know that I didn't have much time left to smile.

HI GUYS! I AM THE BIGGEST JERK I KNOW!

All of you probably hate me by now, and I'm sorry for making you wait for months. Seriously, I don't get how you darlings put up with me sometimes! And, even after I've been gone for so long, I have the audacity to update a short chapter. I really do suck.

So, putting my procrastination behind us, the story is moving along quite nicely. There were a few hints in this chapter of future events, so even if it's short, pay attention!

The Promised Day is coming up really quick! Like, in the next chapter or two. All the action, fighting, and stuff! Man, it'll take me a while to get on these chapters because, if you haven't already noticed, I watch all the episodes over again and take some excerpts from the anime. And with all the fighting coming up next, I'll have to be spot-on so I won't mix anything up. So, I know this is selfish to say, please don't blame me for taking a while. I'll try to update at least once every week and a half, though, because I love you all so much, you marvelous sweeties!

I hope you'll look forward to my writing! I've improved quite a bit, but with that, I've matured over the past few months, so I hope you'll be anticipating a more aware Lynette! A little more grown up, and a little more human if you will. I'll try really hard to get out of that kind of Mary-Sue character, and more into a realistic badass.

Also, CELEBRATING 75,000 views! Oh my gosh, I love you guys! Also, 178 followers! Come on guys, make it 200~!

I love every single one of you and you're all so wonderful and supportive no matter how slow I am at updating. Whether you were with me since the beginning, or you just joined me recently, you all are spectacular and I hope you will have a wonderful day!

My lovely readers, please review~!

Thanks!