Here's to the double-update after an obscenely long putting-off from finishing! Venge's POV, by the way. Get ready for a massive plot twist...

I was nervous. I didn't know what to expect, but at least I could know Raven and I were meeting. If I could've had one of the other homunculi keep an eye out for anything they were trying to pull on me, I would've, but nobody came to mind. Except maybe Wrath. Dammit! Why didn't I think of him?

I looked down at the neatly-folded piece of paper she'd given to me, with directions on how to get there. I wondered if I should even go, considering that little voice in the back of my head that kept screaming "YOU IDIOT YOU #$%ING IDIOT!" Did I really trust her, what with the military being involved? Especially...crap! Especially because Pride was in charge of the military. I slapped myself in the face for not thinking of telling her. "You idiot, you #$%ing idiot!" Unless maybe she didn't tell him specifically...

Finally, I reached the place. It was some motel in this obscure part of Amestris. I saw a man in a royal blue uniform standing at a door, motioning me to come in. I gulped.

Even while wearing my trenchcoat, I still felt a chill go up my spine. I thought just how ass-brained it was to do this, but whatever. If it got too crazy, I could just explode my way out, right?

"So," a voice said. I looked up to meet the man to whom it belonged. Deep black eyes stared back at mine. "You were the same homunculus seen a while back right?"

"Uh..yeah. You heard of me, that's cool," I chuckled nervously. Wow, was that the wrong thing to say.

"Well, yes. Anyway, try not to cause any trouble. A friend of Fullmetal's asked us if we could come here in case you did anything. Believe me, if I had it my way I'd probably just have you burned," he said, in a surprisingly upbeat tone.

Oh yeah? Well I bet I could burn you first! I thought, but only giggled and rubbed the back of my neck. Just perfect, how epically failing I was.

I walked inside the place. Raven was there, sitting on a couch, Josh right next to her, his crutches leaning against a wall. I took a seat in a chair across from them.

"Okay," Raven said. "Whatever it is you need to say, just say it,"

After a nervous pause, I laughed awkwardly. "Heh, this feels like I'm about to get 'the talk' from my parents or something,"

"I'm serious!" Raven pressed, even though Josh was laughing too.

"Okay," I said, still grinning a bit. Josh was trying to stifle his own laughter until Raven nudged him. Man, she was way too serious sometimes.

"Okay," I repeated. "I uh...I've been thinking. That even though I kind of have this grudge against Josh and all...well, and to be honest, you too Rae,"

"Why me?"

"You stabbed me with a knife and chased me out a diner!" I spouted. "I hope you get fired from that job!"

"Excuse me, but that job is keeping us both in a place to stay,"

"Wanna trade places with me? It sucks!"

"It sucks for us too! You realize that, right?"

"Screw you! Try having Bastard-sama for a mentor?"

"I don't know who that guy is, but we're barely above homelessness,"

"Good! And you know what? I'd take homeless over the assholes I actually call a family!"

"The two of us have been struggling to get by ever since -"

"BOTH OF YOU GUYS!" Josh finally stopped us. "Come on you two. We're supposed to be talking about...whatever it is Vengeance wanted us to talk about. And I don't think it was supposed to be an argument,"

"You're right. We're sorry for that, that was juvenile of us both," Raven said.

"Whatever," I shrugged.

"Okay, so what did you want to say, er, Vengeance?" Josh asked.

"Well..." I breathed. "I uh...know what? I'll just come out and say it; I'm sick of this,"

"'This'?" he asked.

"Yeah, all of it. The other homunculi treat me like crap, I still hate you, I'm the buttmonkey of the entire group...did I mention I friggin hate you?"

"And...?" Josh prodded.

"And...heh...and I just think it makes no sense that I'm taking it all out on you," I said. "I mean, okay fine, it's kind of your fault, but really, who do I really honest to God want to beat the crap out of? You? Hah! You're an easier target, that's for sure, but you're not getting me anywhere,"

"Vengeance, where are you going with this?" Raven asked.

I sighed. "I...well, really, I just want to be back to normal," I said. "Like...I get these memories of my past life...they're all really fuzzy, but you know, I just feel like I want to reach out and grab at them...but they're just out of my reach. And I know I can't get them back without you guys,"

Josh's eyes brightened up. He looked at Raven, then at me, then said "Do..do you really mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"You mean you'll join us and we can help you be a human again?"

"Uh...yeah,"

Raven spoke up. "You mean, even if that involves going against the other people you're working with?"

"Yes,"

"But wouldn't that mean you're betraying your own kind?"

"Of course!"

"I'm sorry," Raven said, adjusting her glasses. "but it sounds too good to be true. I don't entirely believe you,"

I pouted. To be fair, I didn't do a whole lot to prove that I was entirely on their side. Truth be told, I wasn't on their side...I was on whoever's side would promise to bring my humanity back, and theirs just looked like I had a better shot at it.

Josh smiled at me.

"Hm?"

"It's funny, you do it just like..." he glanced down, "kind of how our friend used to pout,"

"Oh yeah? I..." I rubbed the back of my neck. "...well, aren't I technically your friend anyway?"

"I wouldn't go that far," Raven muttered with a smirk.

"I heard that you know," I shot back.

"Alright," she answered, "well, sorry; forgive me if I think 'friend' is a little much for someone like you. You don't exactly treat us like friends, that's for sure,"

Ouch. Sheesh, she was definitely holding a grudge. Not that I cared.

"Okay," I said, brushing it off. "But...just so you know, you aren't getting any intel from me on the other homunculi. They're assholes, that's all you need to know,"

"Why would we want intel on them?" Raven asked.

"Isn't that why you brought the military into this?"

"We brought the military because you blew up a train, and nearly killed us too," Josh said. "I mean, with that heat-power of yours,"

"Right," I rolled my eyes. This wasn't exactly going too well. "But...uh, just how many people in the military know about this? About us meeting...and me, I mean?"

"Why?" asked Josh.

"Just tell me," I said.

Raven and Josh looked at each other. They must've thought what I asked was a little suspicious, which it was, and I was mentally kicking my own ass for asking it. Why did I always run my damn mouth?

"Well..." Raven began, "At least as far as we know, Edward and Alphonse, plus Mustang and his team are the only ones who know about it,"

"Mustang...is that the guy I met at the door?"

"Yes, it was,"

"So is he the one that's going to fry me if I do anything funny?"

"Yeah probably," laughed Josh.

Well, at least I knew we were friends now.

"So uh," I stood up, the other two looking up at me. "I...I might not be the best person to get along with, but I'll try. I just want to get my humanity back, that's all. So what do you say? Are we like, friends now?"

Raven stood up, and Josh struggled to his crutches. The latter hobbled over to me, shifting his weight on his one leg, and reached out a hand.

"I wouldn't call us 'friends' yet," he said, "but we're on the same side now and all, so what's that called Raven?"

"Allies," she said. "We're allies,"

"Right," I shook his hand, "Okay, that's cool. We're allies,"

OMG plot twist! Yup Vengeance is on the good guys' side now...maybe. I dunno, I thought about why she'd be so hell bent on torturing Josh, but if there's anyone she should be mad at, it's Envy. Something tells me she's in for some serious crap. (As if she hasn't been through it already! XD)

And...yay, Roy Mustang cameo! I feel like I totally butchered it on his character, but the scene was pretty short, so I guess it's okay. I really want to try to have the canon cast in here a little more, so I'll do my best to get them into later chapters.

As always, please review!