A/N Very dramatic chapter, lots of stuff happens. Bit of a cliffhanger, but I hope you enjoy it. Also, thank you for the watermelons.
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, I am only a doting fan.
"When were you going to tell me?" Riza asked Lust, who stood on the ready, glancing about.
"When you needed to know," Lust replied quietly, barely moving her lips, "Like I said, we both had our hands full." Riza felt scared at this.
'You're our guinea pig.'
She shivered. And then, out of nowhere, came the sound of footsteps and yells. "Roy!" Riza yelled, tears running down her cheeks. She couldn't stay here any more, she wasn't going be to be turned into some sort of experiment.
"Don't make any noise," Lust said threateningly, squeezing Riza's arm painfully. She yelped quietly, clutching it.
"I have to," Riza said quietly through the pain, "I'd rather die than be an experiment… a lab rat." Lust glared at her, and then her expression changed into one of pain. She loosened her grip.
"Riza," she whispered as they saw dots running their way in the distance, "Promise me something. Promise me that you'll live a better life than me if you escape."
"What?" Riza asked, joy and sadness attacking her at the same time.
"Don't turn out like me," Lust replied, preparing to fight the quickly approaching trio, "Don't end up a failed experiment; never let them experiment on you."
"Why?" Riza asked quietly, her throat seizing up.
"If you can get back to Central our master can't touch you. Too many people, too many chances for something to go wrong," Lust continued, stepping forward to meet Edward, Hughes, and Roy, "We're in the middle of trying to keep up this war so she won't risk upsetting the public with any disappearances or casualties. Get out of here and never speak of this again or you'll end up right back here. Do you understand?"
Riza now understood why they'd been whispering. Sloth slid over their feet in liquid form, piling up in a ball of water in front of them both, shaping back up and running forward to meet her adversaries. "Why are you telling me this?" Riza asked, quietly as she could.
"Riza!" Roy yelled, catching sight of her and running all the faster. Ed ran to the front, slicing through Sloth with his automail blade. "Because remind me of myself," Lust replied sadly, "And because you have true love. All that I have… is a replica. Homunculi cannot feel." And with that she threw Riza backwards and ran the remaining feet to meet Roy and Ed; Hughes had split off to keep back Sloth.
Riza met the ground with force, her cheek scraping painfully on the cement. She got up and felt it; it was bleeding. Ed met Lust blade on blade, ducking at the last minute as her nails swiped across where his head should be. "Roy, get over here!" He yelled, as Roy snapped a burst of flame. Ed smirked, breaking off of the fight. He clapped his hands, working quickly as he could as he placed them on the ground. An enormous transmutation circle spread out on the ground, cut into the cement. Roy snapped his finger quickly as Lust jumped from side to side.
Lust looked down at the transmutation circle, realizing what it was in a single glance. She moved to run out of it, falling down just inside of it as Ed activated the circle. Lust's stomach folded in on itself, mumbling as she gulped the air, vomiting out a mouthful of red stones. "Stop it!" Riza yelled desperately. She'd always hated the homunculi, but Lust… she owed Lust. No one could hear her over the commotion. Lust got back up slowly, red stone still heaving from her mouth as she stumbled out of the circle. Lust fell down onto the ground, lying there slumped over, motionless except for the heavy rising and lowering of her chest.
"Roy go get her, I'll get Sloth," Ed yelled, pointing to Riza and then running back to help Hughes. Roy nodded curtly. He ran to Riza, pulling her up by her arm desperately.
"Let's go," he said. Riza wiped tears from her eyes, stopping at the sound of heavy doors opening. They all looked back at the sound of a malicious, terrifying laugh.
"What do you know, he's here!" Envy said in amazement, looking directly at Roy. "Where are you going so fast? Don't you want to see what you've created?" Roy stopped at this, staring in growing horror as a woman walked out and stood beside Envy. She had shoulder length blonde hair and was wearing a tight fitting black dress with inch long straps on her shoulders. She was Riza. Greed stared at Roy, her eyes widening and glazing over as she saw him. She touched her lips.
"Wonder what she'd say if she could speak," Envy said loudly, walking down the staircase towards Roy and Riza. "Wonder what'll happen when she sees you?" He asked this pointedly to Riza, who realized that Greed hadn't seen her. The only one she had eyes for was Roy. Roy was too stunned to speak, to move, to do anything as the pair walked forward. Green came up to him, closer and closer until they were face to face. Then, grabbing his face, she pulled it forward and kissed him.
"She certainly is forward for a first meeting," Envy whistled, wrapping his arm around Riza who could also do nothing but stare. "I would be jealous if I was you." He was clearly enjoying this too much. Greed stepped away, parting from Roy, before touching her lips. She smiled widely, opening her mouth.
"Roy." It was a single word, but it was obviously immensely meaningful to her. Envy stared at this.
"She spoke," He said, even losing his smile in a look of astonishment. The ground glowed unexpectedly, Envy and Greed both falling down in pain. They both in turn began to regurgitate the incomplete philosopher's stone, Envy dragging himself out of the circle and Greed trying to follow suit. Ed crouched on the outside of the circle, his hands firmly on it. Envy lay back, breathing heavily as he stumbled awkwardly to his feet.
He ran around the rim, forming himself into Edward with an automail blade before he took a swipe at the boy. The light died out as Ed jumped to the side. "Roy, finish it!" he yelled, catching Envy's blade on his own. "You know the elements, finish her off!" Roy nodded, turning back and going down on one knee, his hands down on the circle. It glowed.
Roy closed his eyes, trying not to see Greed. He had to do it, it was his duty… but she looked so much like her. Riza ran up beside Roy, sitting down next to him. Greed actually saw her for the first time then. She froze, her only movement the heaving of her stomach as she breathed and vomited the red stone. "I love you," she said quietly, her voice raspy. "Roy, I lo-" She fell over, dissolving into a pool of red. Roy looked up, tears stinging the corners of his eyes.
He got up, turning away to look to Ed and Hughes. Hayate jumped into Riza's arms, yipping delightedly. Roy grabbed Riza's wrist and started running. She followed him helplessly, turning back every so often to see what was happening. "Lust," she breathed as she saw the homunculus finally stand up. Ed jumped forward, slicing her across the neck and she fell down, blood spurting everywhere. "Lust!" Riza yelled, reaching back.
"Riza, we'll meet you at Central, wait in my office," Roy said quickly, opening the door on a military car waiting patiently far away enough to not be able to see any of the commotion.
"Roy, I can't," Riza yelled, "I need to help, I've got to get Lust-" Roy slammed the door shut. And then he gave Riza a look. It was the kind of look that said too much.
Too much sadness, too much regret. And then he turned, rock hard determination taking its place in his expression, and ran back. The car started up and drove forward.
"Roy!" Riza yelled, banging on the window, "Lust! Get back here! Don't leave me!" She screamed as loud as she could, crying uncontrollably. "Turn back, this is an order from a military officer." She yelled at the cab driver desperately.
"No can do," Havoc replied, "I've got strict instructions from someone higher up than you Hawkeye. And for once in my life I'm the one with the guns."
"I'll make sure you're demoted, I'll find where you live," Riza screamed at him desperately, "I'll, I'll-" She couldn't speak. She could only cry at this point, and so she sat back in her seat and wholeheartedly sobbed.
A/N Announcements are that I've posted a 'Memoirs of a Geisha' one shot, and that I've just finished writing the second chapter of my Naruto fic with Witch of Darkness 'The Means to an End,' and it is hilarious, so that should be posted soon. Lastly, I need a replacement beta reader, the requirements and notes are posted on my lookup so if you'd enjoy that then email me, no PM's. Oh the cliffhangers… well, I'm feeling quite disheartened tonight, so I will say no more.