Sunlight was only beginning to creep across the horizon as Mustang's team prepared to set out for the train station. Envy leaned against one of the walls in the sitting room, observing the hurried way the humans bustled about, collecting bags and document folders for the journey. Their brows furrowed together as they watched Falman place several thick files into a black briefcase, shut it, and then lock it before placing it into another luggage case and locking that one as well.

That's a little excessive, I bet it has something to do with all that secret information I'm 'not' allowed to know. Maybe I can sneak a peek at it later, if I can ever get away from colonel horsehead.

As if he could sense their thoughts, their warden approached them and placed one hand on his hip, the other reaching into the pocket of his uniform pants to fiddle with something. His expression was stern, and they had the distinct impression they weren't going to like whatever he was about to say.

"Envy, we will be traveling by train to New Optain and from there we will use trucks to reach Lior. I'll need you to adopt less conspicuous attire before we head out, something that covers your homunculi markings." He watched them carefully, waiting for their compliance.

They frowned at his order, glancing down to their current choice of dress and then back at his face. Shifting the form of their clothing wasn't quite as tricky as forcing their entire body to change, and the crackles of red energy snapped around their figure in twisting arcs as their new wardrobe materialized on their body. Their blue military uniform was fitted to their lithe, toned frame, but loose enough across the back and shoulders to be comfortable. They had created a hat to wear that would cover the marks on their forehead, and just to toy with their keeper they had added some extra bells and whistles to their uniform, the most notable of which were the shiny gold epaulets on their shoulders, emblazoned with the three star marks of a ranking general. They offered their warden a smug grin, reaching up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind their ear.

"Blue isn't my favorite color, but I think I pull it off well enough, what do you say, Mustang?" Their smirk didn't last long as he leaned in close to them, reaching out a hand to poke them between the eyes with his index finger.

"The day you outrank me will never come. Remove the extra trimmings from the uniform and you'll be fine."

Envy rolled their eyes, tilting their head to the side and clicking their tongue at him before altering their epaulet pattern to match that of the first lieutenant's. Mustang snorted and waved a finger at them.

"Nope. Change it."

Frowning, they changed the pattern again, lowering their rank to that of a sergeant major. Mustang arched his eyebrows at them.

"Still not right. Keep going."

Narrowing their eyes in suspicious annoyance, they did away with any decorative marks entirely, reducing their symbolized rank to that of a lowly private. Mustang smiled at them, an amused, entirely smug look of approval gracing his features.

"Perfect! Now, the next thing I need you to do is to take one of your arms out of that jacket and let me see your back." The hand that had been in his pocket came out in a fist, grasping something they couldn't see. Violet eyes flickered between anxiety and anger for a tense moment before they slowly reached up and began to unfasten the buttons of their jacket.

I can guess where this is going, damn you Mustang. If I could do it without getting burned I'd put my fist right in your cocky face.

They turned their back to him, their coat dangling off their left arm as they braced their hands against the wall. A slight shudder ran down their spine as they felt his rough fingers slip beneath the black shirt they wore under their jacket. The material slid upward, revealing their back and the unique v-shaped design of their nodes at their shoulder blades. Mustang gripped their shirt in a fist, keeping the material bunched out of the way as he pressed a sharp object against the central node over their spine. They hissed at the stabbing pain of the puncture, but it didn't feel as though it had gone more than a half inch in before it came to a stop, a cold, flat disc of metal holding it in place against their skin. Mustang pressed two more pins of the same style into their remaining shoulder nodes, then lowered their shirt and lightly tapped the top of their hat.

"I appreciate you cooperating so easily with me on this." He met their gaze as they turned around, his expression showing relief at not having to battle with them so early in the morning. "I can't risk you shifting your form and doing anything that might create a scene on the train or in Lior. I'm sure you can understand why it's necessary to inhibit your abilities."

"Oh I understand, Colonel Mustang, but you and I both know I'd run away before I caused a scene. That's what these are for, to keep me on an invisible leash only you can remove." They buttoned their jacket up, offering their warden a knowing sneer of contempt. It was one thing to be forced to parade around as the lowest ranking member of the team, a mere grunt, but to be trapped in a state where they couldn't use the powers they were created with, or the healing attribute of their stone on top of it, was rubbing salt in the wound.

"I wanted more time here, more time to adjust you to this team before we had to travel, but things don't always go according to plan Envy. There are times you must make the best of the situation and adapt to your circumstances." He met their anger with firm resolve, arms folded over his chest and jaw set. They puffed their cheeks out in response, huffing an agitated sigh over his unyielding demeanor.

"I AM adapting, in case you hadn't noticed! I just hate feeling like I'm trapped in a single form, and even worse, that if I'm injured it won't heal." Gnawing at their lip, they changed tactics, adopting a contrite expression that was almost passable as being genuine, peering up at him with pleading eyes and a small frown. "I swear I won't be any trouble on the train, or in Lior, can't you take them out? Haven't I earned just a little trust yet? These things are really uncomfortable, they hurt."

The colonel's dark eyes narrowed into thin slits as he stared at them in absolute silence. From behind him came a snort that had to be Breda, and it took a significant amount of their will power to not growl at the man for mocking their appeal. Mustang rubbed his hand over his chin, seeming as though he were considering their request.

Does he actually believe me? I know I'm good, but even I'm surprised, that was too easy.

Just as they were contemplating victory, he reached out and gave their shoulder a heavy-handed pat. He offered them an encouraging smile as he squeezed their shoulder firmly.

"I know you can bear the discomfort for now, because I know you'll behave and earn an even greater amount of trust by complying with my decisions as your warden." Smirking with a wry sort of amusement, he settled his hands back into his pockets. "That was a nice try though, you're a decent actor Envy."

Had any of the humans called them out for sulking as Mustang walked away from them, Envy would have surely attacked them, but there were few words that better fit the homunculus in that moment, shoulders hunched, arms tightly crossed over their chest, eyes narrowed, and their lips set in a glowering pout.

The colonel waved a hand into the air as he opened the front door of the house. Breda and Havoc were hauling briefcases and travel bags outside, Fuery was following them with a locked equipment box rolling behind him. Mustang glanced around the foyer and then back toward the sitting room.

"Second Lieutenant Falman, turn off the lights on your way out, Private Smartass, join me in the car with Lieutenant Hawkeye."

Envy offered their warden a mocking salute as they stalked past him and out the front door. They slid into the back seat of the waiting vehicle, watching as Mustang settled in next to them and shut the door. Hawkeye took her place behind the wheel and shifted the car into gear. Turning a bit in their seat, they could watch as Falman got into one of two vehicles that would be following them to the station. They weren't certain which human was operating the large truck, but they imagined it contained all the books they had sorted the previous day. The drive to the station was mostly silent; something they found they were glad for, as it gave them time to think.

Heading back to Lior, after all this time has passed. Squinty said that the city had taken heavy damage, had to be from all the rioting and chaos we stirred up there. Not that it was terribly difficult to do, heh, humans are so ridiculous. Well, most humans. This group is harder to maneuver. I'm not as skilled at coercing humans without tricking them into thinking I'm someone else. You were the one that knew how to read and manipulate the best of us all, Lust. I would never have figured out what to do without you, and now I…I'm working with the people who destroyed you.

Their eyes narrowed as a bubble of self-loathing began to fester inside them, turning a knot in their gut as their mind circled over their recent interactions with the humans.

I'm not a traitor…I'm NOT like him! The circumstances were different! I was trying to survive, and this, this is also surviving. I'm limited in my options right now, I just need to wait, and if I give them a little of what they want now, then I can make a better move later. Something will turn up, some opportunity! I just have to wait for the right moment. I'm playing the game Lust, that's all this is.

Reminding themselves of these thoughts quelled the emotional turmoil that had been brewing within their chest, relaxing the tension they hadn't quite realized had settled in their muscles. They turned their head away from their window, relaxing in their seat beside the colonel for the rest of the drive.

Bustling crowds of people traveling to various locations, loud whistles and plumes of smoke were the typical sights at any station they had ever perused in the past, but the station at Paumis was a stark contrast to what they remembered. Despite being part of the central province of Amestris, the city was considered small and its depot was a single brick building with a long wooden platform. The only mildly interesting thing about the station was the engine house and multiple junction tracks that allowed for freight carrier engines to load cargo without interrupting the faster, passenger trains zipping along between Central and other cities. One of these trains was pulled out on a spare track, the books and other supplies that had come in the truck being shuffled into a freight car by several workers.

They observed a few groups of people on the platform, checking tickets with the station master before boarding. A military man with a woman and a baby, an elderly couple, two young women, a middle-aged man with a bushy mustache in a striped suit, and a woman with two small boys, Envy frowned at how small the passenger line for the train was.

Mustang was worried I would cause trouble huh? I doubt we'll even SEE any of these people on the train, they'll take one car, we'll take the other, and I'll be stuck with my 'team' the entire trip.

Once he had made certain all the cargo was accounted for, Mustang joined Hawkeye, Falman, and Envy where they stood near the base of the platform. He gestured toward the second passenger car, and as they had anticipated, their entire team boarded into what may as well have been a private car. There were no sectioned off booths for secluded conversations in the train car. Rows of comfortable, common seats adorned the carriage on both sides, with a single aisle down the length of the center. Havoc and Breda were positioned near the right front of the carriage, Fuery was seated about midway on the left side with Falman, and Hawkeye had taken a seat opposite them with her canine. They started to walk toward the seats where Fuery and Falman were, but a hand at their shoulder brought them to a halt. Turning, they found the scrutinizing face of the colonel looking at them.

"Sit with me at the back." It wasn't a request, and as annoying as it was to constantly be ordered about by the man, they had learned it was easier not to argue about everything with him, particularly when it didn't affect any change in his decisions anyway. They settled into the seat nearest the window, absently rubbing their hands over the fuzzy fabric of the seat cushion as Mustang sat beside them. The quiet murmur of conversation from the other members of the team drifted back to them, but their focus was too bent on their warden to try deciphering any of the chatter they could hear. His posture was more relaxed now that they were on the train, and they took that as a good sign. A sluggish heave forward signaled that the engine had begun its journey from the station, and they let their gaze shift from their quiet keeper to that of the fields and hills rolling by outside the train carriage.

"You stare out the window a lot." The soft-spoken observation drew their attention away from the scenery, to a pair of questioning dark eyes.

"I do, so what?" Frowning slightly, they watched him shrug.

"It makes me wonder, why you do it? What's so special out there that catches your attention so frequently." He brought a hand to his chin, tapping at his lower lip with his index finger. "Or, is it just your way of avoiding me while we travel?" A hint of a smirk, he was teasing them.

"Every time I've tried to talk to you about anything I actually want information on, you shut me down, so why wouldn't I prefer to avoid talking to you? I don't really enjoy being lectured until my ears bleed, but that's all you ever do colonel." They raised their eyebrows to emphasize their point, to which he actually chuckled in response.

"I have been lecturing you a good deal lately, but I'm certain you need each and every word of it." He settled his arms comfortably across his chest, turning his body slightly in his seat toward them. "You mentioned earlier that you should have gained some small trust for your recent effort and behavior. I've considered it, and I'm willing to discuss some of the questions you had about what happened, on the Promised Day."

Violet eyes went wide as they stared in mute shock at their warden. They swallowed back the surprise over his offer, allowing their tongue to briefly wet their lips before their gaze became more suspicious.

"I already know some things thanks to the pipsqueak. I know about Gluttony, and I know what happened to Father. What I don't know is what became of Wrath, Pride, Sloth, or even that idiot Greed. If you're going to tell me anything, tell me what happened to them. Where are they?" They attempted to keep the strain of anxiety from their voice, but the obvious concern laced their words heavily, and they didn't bother denying it when they saw Mustang's brows arch.

"If I told you where they were, what would you do? I could tell you they were gone, dead and lost to you forever, or I could say that they were being held in similar or even more secure situations than you are. Knowing where they are won't change the conditions of your future, Envy, so that's one question I won't give you an answer to. It would only serve to increase your chances of making a serious mistake." He seemed to be aware of their displeasure over his answer, and brought a hand up to stem the tide of their temper. "I can, however, tell you some of what happened on that day, after Edward put you in that box and we continued down the tunnels."

I guess that's better than nothing. Sighing in exasperated resignation, they nodded at him to continue.

"Your warning about encountering your fellow homunculi proved true, and there was a battle between Wrath and Scar, and between Edward and Pride, but the outcomes of those battles are classified for now, what I will say is that you were right about the Gate. Your father intended to force us to open it for him, and we refused to do so, but Pride had gained the ability to activate alchemic transmutation circles, and he forced the gate open with us, as if we were part of the circle." His voice grew harsh, the thick current of anger and disgust seeping through each syllable.

Envy observed the tension in his jaw and the rigidness of his posture, the darkening of his eyes as he delved into the memory of his experience. They flexed their hands against their knees and shifted uncomfortably in their seat, apprehension pooling in their stomach.

"I'd never been before the Gate, I had never seen, Truth, as it called itself. It was something I hope I never see again, but when I came back from that place, my sight had been taken from me. I could no longer see, and the prospect of continuing the fight was grim at best. Lieutenant Hawkeye became my eyes in the final battle, and with her support I was able to assist Edward." He took a slow breath at the end of his account, his demeanor calming considerably.

The homunculus fidgeted, the displeasure of being reminded of their father's failure difficult to endure, but no longer brewing a storm of rage within them. They absently found it odd that they didn't feel sickened by the loss, but pushed the puzzlement aside in favor of gleaning information on a key point from their warden's story.

"You said Truth took your sight, if that was equivalent exchange then you should still be blind." They met his gaze with a frown, that only deepened when he offered them a wry grin.

"After the battle, before we took counsel to determine what should be done with you, I was approached by an individual who could help me with my vision, provided I make some amendments to certain policies. I agreed, though I required that Havoc be treated as well. It was perhaps a day or so later that you came into my custody." He glanced at them again, watching as they gnawed their lower lip thoughtfully, their eyes narrowed to thin slits.

I knew they used a Philosopher's stone on Havoc! I wonder who that person is that had one. It could have been a left over from the doll soldiers, pfft immortal army my ass, little more than cannon fodder, but even if that's where the stone came from, who used it? Someone versed in medical alchemy-wait! It couldn't have been….

"I can tell you've come to some sort of conclusion there. I'm going to guess it's about how we were healed?" Mustang met their sharp stare evenly.

"Not exactly, but you're on the right track. I'm more concerned with the person that performed the transmutation. It had to either be that Xing girl, or a doctor very well versed in the human body and the stones, of which I only know one that would have tried to help you, that bastard." Their gaze grew dark for a moment as they thought back to the only other human that had ever reduced them to their weakest form. Before they could seethe too violently over their past defeats, Mustang's hand crossed their line of sight and cupped the right side of their face, turning their head to look in his direction.

Steeled obsidian bored into startled violet as he glared disapprovingly at them, his thumb firmly hooked around the curve of their chin. Envy felt the ire inside of them fading, anxiety swallowing the flash of their temper under his threatening stare. His voice was quiet as he spoke, but the commanding confidence of his tone carried the weight of his resolve clearly enough.

"If you so much as think about going after him ever again, I will make you regret it countless times." He squeezed their face slightly in his hand, then let his palm drop back to his lap, his gaze softening into a reproachful frown. They squirmed under his gaze, rubbing their hand over their face and trying not to openly curse at him. Mustang released a long-suffering sigh.

"You know, you actually have made a little progress, set backs are to be expected, but you need to ask yourself if it's worth it. You have every option to throw all the forward steps you've made recently to the wind and revert back to how you were in the tunnels, a vicious, hateful creature, ugly inside and out." He gestured toward them. "You can do that, and you can take the heavy penalties that will come with it, or you can look at the situations of your past and see them for what they are, reflections of who you were and what you thought, and how you acted as a result of those things. The outcomes of your decisions are directly connected to your own choices Envy, and brooding over the past and allowing it to jeopardize your present and your future is a foolish decision. You should consider very, very carefully, how you want to respond to your past."

They jammed their arms across their chest, huffing as they listened to him talk. It was beyond irritating to them that he had so easily slipped back into scolding them. His words carried logical reasoning once again, and that was more infuriating than the tinge of embarrassment that came with his chiding.

"You're doing it again. I told you, you're always lecturing me." Grumbling at him over their verbal chastisement was easier than making any effort to truly consider his words. He responded with a snort, but when they looked up at him, his lips were pulled into a faint smile.

"And I will keep lecturing you, until you either start paying attention to what I'm saying or firmer measures become a requirement." At that he made eye contact, his brows lowering to give his expression a sterner tone that caused a wave of apprehension to rush down their spine.

What does THAT mean? Firmer measures? I'm not asking, I don't think I want to know.

Wetting their lips, they tugged at their uniform and smoothed their hands over the material a few times before attempting to redirect the conversation.

"So, since you saw Truth, you don't need transmutation circles anymore, do you? It's like the pipsqueak and his brother, you just clap now, right?" The nervous edge in their voice eased off as their warden nodded in affirmation. They tapped their fingers against their knees, considering the new information, then abruptly jerked in their seat to frown at him. "Then why have you been raising your fingers like you were going to snap at me all the time?!"

"Snapping my fingers was a behavior that was linked to pain in your mind, and was there for the easiest way of keeping you under control without having to exert more effort than necessary." He shrugged, unconcerned by their annoyance. "Given the circumstances, there was a need to keep certain types of information from your knowledge, since I had no way of knowing how you would respond to me initially. You should realize that in divulging some of that information I am continuing to give you opportunities to progress." With that final point, he fell silent.

Envy blinked, slowly digesting the fact that despite their attitude, he was still making efforts to work with them, to coax and lead them in the direction of whatever goal he had in mind. It was entirely alarming.

Who IS he? I'm never going to understand this human. I don't want to talk anymore, he gives me a headache.

Shifting their attention to the window, they spent the rest of the lengthy train ride in silence.

The station at New Optain wasn't much of an improvement from Paumis in their opinion. A brick building with a long platform, scattered people, and lots of junction tracks. The only notable difference was that this station had seating for those waiting to board their trains. Envy didn't bother indulging the view of the humans as they exited their carriage car behind Mustang. They were feeling weary of the journey, likely due to their conversation with the colonel, and had a desire to put the day behind them entirely, but to do that, they still had to drive to Lior.

They provided some assistance to the rest of the team in loading the freight from the train cars to the waiting trucks, a task that went relatively quickly considering the work force that the station had on hand. About an hour after their arrival, they were seated in the trucks, revving the engines to head out onto the dirt road. They had no intention of making small talk during this part of their journey, tucked uncomfortably between Hawkeye and Mustang, with an alert canine panting softly behind them. The steady bump and lurch of the truck as the lieutenant steered it along the road provided a lulling sensation that ebbed at their mind. The combination of the movement of the vehicle and the continuous hum of the engine eventually brought a sense of drowsiness to them, their head bobbing slightly as they tried to resist the urge to close their eyes. The last thing they recalled was staring out the windshield to distant, grassy mountains.

"Envy! Wake up!"

Snapping to attention at the sharp voice, they whipped their head around to discover the truck was parked within Lior, and the sun was beginning to set. They climbed out from the cab of the truck, adjusting their hat a bit more securely on their head as they took note of the sheer number of people in the area. Humans were active everywhere, buying and selling goods, chattering away in pleasant tones, and displaying an overwhelmingly cheery and optimistic mood. Their mouth fell open at the sight.

This place, it was torn apart in civil war, we made certain of it, it was a crest of blood! How are they so calm and happy? It hasn't been that long! How, do humans bounce back like this? I don't understand, it's not fair that they can just shrug it all off.

They glanced to their warden, meeting his questioning look with a frustrated glare. It wouldn't do any good to try and voice their complaints to him, he'd only spout off into another lecture about the resilience of humanity and how they needed to aspire to loftier goals and behavior. They'd had more than enough of that sort of talk for one day. Their saving grace came in the form of Falman, who joined them with a quick salute and a grin.

"I've secured the accommodations for us in the hotel across the square. Three rooms, as you instructed, at the end of the hall on the top floor. Our luggage is already being carried over." He looked down to Envy, his grin softening slightly. "How did the trip go for you? I found it a little boring myself, but here we are! I'll see if I can't find some doughnuts before we start work on the library tomorrow."

They had little concern for entertaining him at the moment, and only responded with a huff and a shrug as they continued to scan the city street. Falman seemed unperturbed by their dismissive attitude, engaging Mustang in a quiet conversation that they didn't bother eavesdropping on. Something particular had caught their gaze and absorbed their focus entirely. A tall spire rising into the sky, standing out as a blackened shadow against the dusky blue of the twilight. The tower of the cathedral of Leto. A strange chill settled in their bones as they stared at the pointed roof of the tower.

It's still standing. How long ago was it that we were there, in that tower together?

A solid hand on their shoulder ripped them out of their distracted state and brought their focus back to their warden. He cast a curious look at them, but they only shrugged, hoping he wouldn't press them about anything in the middle of the street.

"I said the hotel was this way, but you kept staring at the temple, is something wrong?" He narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but seemed satisfied when they shook their head and began to walk with him.

"No, nothing, I just, was surprised to see it is all." They tucked their hands into their pockets, frowning as they listened to their boots clop against the pavement. "It's so tall, you called it a temple?" It would be easier to allay his doubts if they feigned ignorance of the place.

"Yes, it's a place of worship for a deity that some of the people in Lior believe in. The Elric's deposed the leader of that faith as a fraud, but his followers continued to grow, claiming distrust of the military, and of those who did not agree with their beliefs. The unrest within the city grew, and the military intervened, but somehow things only got worse and war broke out in a chaotic explosion all throughout the city. It was a terrible time here. From what I understand, the small group of the populace that still believes in some of the teachings of Leto keep the temple running and live inside it, but they eschew the more violent claims of their former brethren. They've participated with much of the reconstruction efforts I've been told." Mustang chatted in a matter of fact tone, his expression giving away nothing of his thoughts as they entered the hotel and made their way up the stairs to their floor.

Their room was the last door at the end of the hall, a relatively small space with a desk and chair, a modestly sized dresser, an over-head light, a mirror, and two beds. Envy squinted at the beds as their warden closed the door and moved around them to the wall near the dresser, taking one of the suitcases and placing it onto the bed nearest the door. He opened the clasps, and began pulling out spare shirts and uniforms, neatly stacking them on the bed, then taking the stacks and placing them into the drawers of the dresser. Realization dawned on them.

"We're staying in this room, together, aren't we?"

The flame alchemist looked over at their unenthusiastic expression and had the nerve to smirk. Envy twitched. As if spending their entire journey to Lior with him hadn't been enough, now they were going to be bedding down in the same small room. Ignoring the urge to complain about their situation, as it would be a pointless effort, they crossed the room and flopped heavily onto the second bed. Lying on their back, their gaze focused on the ceiling.

"So what are the plans for tomorrow? Second Lieutenant Squinty said I'll be working on building a library with him?" They kept their eyes on the ceiling as they spoke, resting one hand behind their head and the other on their stomach.

"Not quite, the library is built, but it does need to have all the books we brought added to it. You can help Falman with that for a while." Mustang closed the lid of his luggage and began removing his uniform jacket. "What I intend to have you spend most of your day on tomorrow is a subsequent construction project. Fuery will provide you specific supervision and assistance, but the task is mostly labor intensive, transporting materials from one location to another." He sat down on the end of the bed and removed his boots.

Envy's eyes drifted from the ceiling to their warden, absently watching as he dressed down to his undershirt and boxer shorts. He folded his uniform, setting it beside the dresser on the floor before pulling out a simple pair of dark gray sleeping pants and sliding them on. He turned to face them, and adopted a contemplative look.

"If I have you sleep as you normally do, you'll lose your uniform. You and Fuery are practically the same height though, so I might be able to get a spare jacket and hat off of him for you if you lose the ones you created."

They frowned, sitting up on the bed and waving a hand as if to slow him down.

"Hold on a second, I don't need hand-outs from anyone. I actually don't need to sleep, remember? I could just sit up all night, and then you don't have to worry about finding me a spare anything." They sighed softly, pulling one knee up close to their chest and curling an arm around it. "Since you won't be removing my pin cushion status while we're here."

Their warden was unimpressed with their dry sarcasm, but he appeared to be willing to work with them to some extent, if his nodding meant what they assumed it to.

"If that's the way you want to do it, fine. I'll need your hands out in front of you." He went to his luggage again, removing a thick pair of wrist cuffs and a length of chain from one of the bags. Approaching their bed, he waited for their compliance before locking their bindings over their arms. The manacles were different than the ones they had worn at the house, thick layers of metal that bound them from wrist nearly to elbow, and were connected by a sturdy strip of solid metal rather than a chain. They tested the flexibility, finding they could not move either of their arms independently of the other in these restraints.

Their warden placed several of the pillows on the bed against the head board, and gave them time to wriggle their way back against them before binding their legs down to the bed via the chain. He wrapped the length of it around the posts, then draped it across their legs just above the rim of their boots. Clapping his hands, he transmuted the metal links into solid circular cuffs around each leg. They could shift a bit, but no more than an inch or two to either side. Mustang seemed pleased with their secured immobility, and returned to his luggage one last time. When he came back to their bed side, he had brought over a roll of bread and a bottle of water. Envy blinked at the items as he set them down in their lap.

"Bread and water huh?" They snorted and received an unconcerned shrug in response.

"It traveled the easiest, it's only for tonight, and I don't want you saying I didn't offer you food again. Now, I'm going to get some rest. There are many things on the agenda tomorrow." He sounded slightly tense at that, and their eyebrows arched as they wondered what could be so stressful about constructing a building for an alchemist, but they didn't press the issue.

Mustang crossed the room and shut off the light, then found his way back to his bed in the dim, dappled moonlight that dotted the floor from the small window of the room. He shifted about in his bed a few times, yawning softly before stilling.

"Good night Envy."

They blinked in his direction in the dark, frowning and digging their finger nails into the roll they had been given.

"Maybe for you.." It was a low grumble, almost a hiss of annoyance, but he didn't respond, and they turned their attention to wondering about what the next day was going to bring, in Lior, where so many memories were calling them.

I want to go there, just to walk around, stand there again, where we were. I need to find a way to get to that temple. I have to!