Warning: Depressing chapter...
Liz: Oh fabulous.
Envy: Then again, we're used to it.
Ed: No argument there.
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Third person:
"This is it?" Envy could already see the gigantic house in the distance and sighed. "Why would any human would need this much space is beyond me."
"Dante had a whole city underground and you call this big?" Ed muttered.
"Hmm, good point" Envy shrugged with a smirk.
"...Your agreeing with me is freaking me out."
"Don't worry, that was only a rare occasion."
"Right" Ed sighed still eyeing the homunculus warily. Ever since earlier that day he felt like anything he said would make Envy snap. Maybe he was being paranoid but he wouldn't put anything violent past Envy. And he wasn't anxious to be strangled again. It wasn't a pleasant expieriance.
"Are there alot of gaurds around the place?" Envy asked lightly.
"Unfortunately yeah." Ed nodded.
Envy flashed a wide, malicious grin "It's not unfortunate pipsqueak. How else do you think we're going to find Liz?"
Ed swallowed in spite of himself "Look Envy... don't... kill anyone ok?"
"Yeah yeah I know...They can't talk if they're dead you know." Envy rolled his eyes. "And the goal here is to not be seen so the less confrontations the better."
"Right, and we want to get Liz before they know we're here and get out."
"...Right"
Ed couldn't put his finger on it but there was something off about Envy's voice at this word. Like he almost did think this was going to happen. Or like he was hiding something. Ed shrugged the feeling away quickly.
They would get Liz... she would be fine.
Once they reached the property Envy sighed and closed his eyes "Well I'm getting out of this form." there was a long flashing as Envy morphed into his old form, pale, skinny with long green hair and violet eyes. The only thing that stayed the same was the smirk. "This form is easier to move in."
This was the first time Ed had seen Envy back in his normal form since that day two years ago. He remembered now just how much he really hated the sight of Envy and instead averted his glare at the ground "Right. Let's hurry and get this done."
"Yes, working with you is starting to make me sick" Envy smirked.
"My thoughts exactly." Ed retorted with with a growl.
The window Ed had entered through with Liz the last time they had gone snooping around was luckily still broken. Envy was able to jump easily through the window in a single in human leap while Ed had to clamber up a little more ungracefully. He lost his footing on the stone and his foot slipped, causing him to start careening back to the ground. A hand grasped his wrist and kept him from falling before jerking him the rest of the way from the window and sending him sprawling on the hard wood floor of the hall.
"Graceful pipsqueak" Envy commented with a smirk.
"We can't all be super human" Ed snapped in annoyance, bringing himself to his feet. "Now what."
"Hey! Who are you?" Ed turned to see two gaurds who had just come around the corner.
"Now..." Envy grinned broadly. "I have fun."
Before the gaurds could react Envy had lunged at them, knocking the first out in one swift blow to the head. He turned on his heels in an instant and knocked the second gaurd's gun out of his hand before siezing his arm and twisting it painfully behind him. The gaurd was slammed up against the wall and Envy drew a dagger from the man's belt and pressed it against his neck hissing in a deadly calm voice "If you scream, I will slit your throat."
Ed stared wide eyed. The homunculus had moved... really quickly. He couldn't think of anyone else who could match that speed... except maybe his teacher.
The man Envy had shoved against the wall was wide eyed with fear, sweat running down his brow.
"Do you happen to know" Envy was asking in a deadly voice leaned down next to the man's ear. "Where a girl named Liz is being kept? A quick answer would be nice."
"N-No..." the man replied, his eyes never leaving the knife blade that hovered inches from his neck.
"You wouldn't happen to be lying to me would you?" Envy flipped the knife so that the man could see the hilt "I'm not stupid. This is one of her knives. Unless you can describe that little pattern there on the hilt."
Ed drew in a sharp breath and looked at the hilt as well. Sure enough, the transmutation circle was engraved on the hilt
"I...uh..." the man stuttered helplessly.
"I'm going to ask you again" Envy hissed. "Where is she?" at the man's silence he let a demonic smile creep onto his features. "If you don't tell me I'll have to force you too talk. I can make your death very painful. Starting with shredding that lying tongue of yours" he tapped the blade of the knife on the corner of the man's mouth. "So that you can't scream when I start taking all of your fingers one at a time. What do you say? Hmm?"
"Alright!" the man finally sobbed. "Just don't kill me! Take a left at the end of the hall and then take the third turn on your left. She's the fifth door down!"
"There, that wasn't so hard was it." Envy smirked before he hit the man over the head with the hilt of the knife and let him drop to the ground. He drew the second knife from the unconcious man's belt and held them out to Ed, his face calm like had nothing had just happened "She's going to want these back. You hold onto them."
Ed cautiously took them, still staring wide eyed "Would you have actually... done any of that?"
Envy raised an eyebrow "Scared Fullmetal?" Ed glared at him indignatly and he sighed. "No Probably not. Wouldn't want to get that cowards blood on Liz's knives. Come on."
Ed had a funny feeling that two or three years ago Envy would've done everything he had just threatened.
And watching that he had been a little bit afraid.
He followed Envy down the hall twoards the place where Liz was being held. The homunculus suddenly stopped walking and spoke "Hey, pipsqueak... after we get Liz... you know the way out don't you?"
"...Why are you asking Envy?" Ed asked warily.
"So I know you'll be able to get her back by yourself." the homunculus replied simply.
"But why would that-" Ed stopped in mid sentence, realization dawning on him. "You're... not planning on leaving... are you?"
"These people know where Hoenhiem is... I'm going to find out..." Envy murmured.
"Why does that matter!" Ed demanded. "And what if they don't know! There are alot of them Envy. You won't be able to beat your way through to get to Hoenhiem! You're not invinsible! If you stay they're going to end up... using... you... for... the... circle..." Ed trailed off as he saw the homunculus looking back at him, his face almost unreadable though a slight smirk was drawn over his face.
"Have you figured it out yet little brother?"
"You're going to... let yourself be..." Ed swallowed before growling "Idiot! Why?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Was this... was this your plan all along? This was the only reason you actually let me come along isn't it!"
"Yeah." Envy started walking forward again but Ed caught his wrist in his fake hand just to ensure he had a good hold.
"Wait... Envy..."
"What?" Envy asked a note of impatience in his voice.
"I can't..." Ed clenched his jaw in frustration, closing his eyes. "I can't let you do that..."
"Why?" Envy asked seeming genuinely suprised.
"Because you idiot!" Ed exclaimed. "I already told you why! You can't just leave. Liz-"
"Has you."
Ed stared wide eyed at the homunculus un able to retort.
Envy sighed "You two are best friends... you care about eachother don't you?"
"Not like that!" Ed protested. "She's like a sister to me sure but..." he drew in a shaky breath "...She told me... everything... about why you..."
"I figured she had..." Once again Ed was left without words as the homunculus continued. "It's the only reason why you came to me to get help. You're reckless, and you would've tried to get her out yourself but you knew I would help. You had to have known."
"But... about Hoenhiem..." Ed muttered staring at the ground. "Look, revenge... it isn't-"
"It's not normal revenge little brother... don't rate it on that level. It's a grudge I've carried for over four hundred years. It is in my nature to carry this grudge and I can't let it drop so easily. You'll never know what it's like to carry a grudge for that long. At this point the only thing I need is it to be gone even at the cost of my own life..." a bitter smile spread over Envy's face. "The only way the grudge will disapear is if Hoenhiem dies. It's the only way."
"But-"
"And if the gate opens then Liz can go back home." Envy cut him off. "I know it's been killing her being stuck here... and regardless of whose fault she thinks it is that she ended up here she needs to get back before she snaps."
"What about them trying to invade our world!" Ed demanded. "If they take over-"
"Somehow I think that you guys will be able to handle that." Envy smirked his familier smirk.
"Envy listen..."
"No, you listen" Envy said staring hard into Ed's gold eyes with his violet ones. "I'm going to do what I feel like and you should know that. I'm telling you because you're going to have to keep Liz from following me and get her out."
"But-"
"Promise me Edward."
Ed stared. It was the first time his actual first name had exited the homunculus's mouth. He didn't want to promise the homunculus anything. But Envy would do what he wanted regardless and he couldn't let Liz get caught up in the cross fire. So what choice did he really have?
"Damn it Envy" he growled. "She's going to hate me for this."
"Is that a yes?"
'I'm sorry Liz...'
"...Yes."
Yeah, this ended up being completely in third person.
Ed: Sigh...
Envy: Luckily it's Liz's turn to angst next time!
Liz: Screw both of you.
Al: REVIEW!
