Chapter 18

Four sins

"If Al ever finds out he and Ed will tear me apart." I muttered as I reluctantly dug up the grave. But we needed to defeat sloth. I didn't tell anyone not even Breeze. After that we got there and ran into guess which Philosophers stone? Hohenheim YAY! He took Ed aside to explain the entire philosopher's stone thing and I meanwhile went to the market alone to find stuff for dinner. I just spotted a very fresh looking fruit stand and was about to check out the apples when I glimpsed anime Lust following me.

'not now' I thought and dashed down the street. She faded into the alley behind me but a block away I saw her keeping pace with me running in between houses. I kept watching and running until I got lost and accidently ran into the woods. She was still very close to me and I was so very much out of breath I couldn't run much farther. I finally stopped in a small meadow unable to run. She walked up beside me and I turned to face her still breathing hard and the run had made me dizzy and I stumbled back and fell on my butt. I looked up at her knowing I was either about to die or be taken back to be used for a homunculus. She looked down at me and extended a hand to me. Her nails not growing at all, I stared at her puzzled, as she pulled me to my feet.

"Did I scare you?" she asked, Only a slight snicker in her voice. I didn't respond still a bit on edge. "I can help you." She said. "But I want you to do something for me in exchange."

"What is it?" I asked.

"I want you to make me human. To do this I need an alchemist. What do you say?"

"I'm sorry but I don't know. Not only do I not know how but I don't think It's possible. I'm not a very skilled alchemist if you haven't noticed." I silently wished I had paid more attention to the first anime. She looked at me sadly and asked.

"But you saw the show you have to know."

"Just because I saw the show doesn't make it a cure all." I sighed and said. "I don't really remember this part and this world with both Father and Dante is different. I will have to discuss it with Breeze if I am to remember. If you come with me maybe we can figure something out but I am not making any promises." She nodded and walked with me back to town. I finished buying food and we headed back. Everyone was around the campfire while Breeze was busy trying to climb a tree. I called up to her.

"Breeze come down we need to talk." She heard the note of urgency in my voice and came to me seeing Lust behind me she pushed me behind her and took a protective position.

"It's ok." I said. "She is on our side." Breeze looked from Lust to me then back to Lust and stepped away. I waved for Lust to wait there while I went with Breeze to discuss our options.

"Do you remember what happened after she turned good?" I asked.

"I remember what happened between her and little Wrath." I nodded I couldn't tell Lust that.

"What about actually turning her human is that a possibility?"

"If there was would you actually attempt it?" Breeze asked in a bit of shock. I looked her in the eye and she said startled. "April no, if there is a way the price would be to great it might kill you. Besides she is homunculus. Are you going to try and help her because she wants to be human? Envy is Envious of humans what you want to turn him human too?"

"Breeze this is serious." I responded. "I can't help but feel sorry for her. she is from the anime she actually has feelings. We should at least try…besides if it follows the anime she might not make it anyway." Breeze sighed.

"I still don't like it but we could use her help."

"And on the off chance she lives then I will try and help her." Breeze sighed again and nodded.

"First we need to survive this….after promise day maybe you can try and help her." I nodded then there was a movement in the shadows and I tensed.

"I think it's time," I said. She nodded and we ran to Lust. "Ok here's the deal. If you help us and we all manage to live through this we will do our best." She nodded understanding how slim her chances were. "carve a human transmutation circle." I ordered her. "quickly we don't have much time." I added as I saw anime Sloth run through the shadows. She lengthened her nails and went to work drawing a transmutation circle into the hard cold ground beneath us. Hopefully she would finish in time. I ran up to Amanda and asked her. "Amanda can you do me a huge I mean huge favor?"She looked at me and answered.

"Sure what's wrong?" I felt so mean for manipulating her.

"Can you please run into town and get me some milk. Ed annoyed me and I am going to get him back." Amanda rolled her eyes and said.

"Sure but only because I'm thirsty as well." I smiled and handed her a handful of sans (the money they use)

"And if you could get something chocolaty I would be very thankful." She nodded and headed toward town. I smiled and waved but once she was out of sight I ran back to Lust and Breeze. "Amanda is safe." I stated. The circle was almost done and I saw little anime Wrath. This was going to be an epic yet dangerous fight. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small wrapped bundle. It was Trisha's remains. It should work even though we are in the monga world. They are the same person after all. When I looked back the circle was finished. I let out a sigh of relief and looked at Breeze. "Are you ready?" I asked. She nodded. "stay here I will go lure Sloth over here but I need you two to help me get her on the circle. Breeze nodded and stopped.

"Wait, you would need Trisha's remains to destroy anime Sloth." I gave her a sad look. "You didn't!" she asked startled. I ran off to lure Sloth out. I saw her run around somewhere to my right but when I looked she wasn't there. I took a nervously glance around and approached where I had seen her. I felt something wet wrap around my foot and I tried to jump back but Sloth held on tight, and caused me to trip. I yanked hard and pulled out of her water grip and scrambled to my feet. I stumbled back and she reformed into Trisha's look-a-like this was going to be hard for Hohenheim or Ed if they see her. she took a few steps toward me and I turned and ran in the direction of Lust and Breeze. I was so close I could see the circle. Sloth stopped running when she saw it slowing to a stop right in its center. She made a move to leave it but I threw the box at her as she tried to melt away the circle and they went inside of her freezing her as she tried to turn human. Breeze smiled at our success. I clapped my hands and reached down but something or should I say someone hit me hard and sent me tumbling to the ground. little Wrath raced towards Sloth trying to get the box out of her.

"Get the runt!" I shouted for fear of all the work we just did ending in vain. Lust shot her spear and managed to swipe him batting him off the circle before he reached Sloth. I made a dive for the circle and clapped my hands again this time hitting the circle and the bright light flooded the nearby forest and Sloth screamed.

"MOMMY!" Wrath yelled.

"She's not your mommy Wrath." I said as I climbed to my feet. "Izumi is your mom."

"You're lying!" he cried out and ran at me I moved out of the way and clapped my hands. he smiled and said "You can't kill me. I was made with my remains. Transmutation on me won't do any good."

"You are only alive as long as you have stones inside you then." Lust said. "And I can rip those out. one life at a time." she said as she flexed her figure nails. Wrath's face lit with fear and he turned away to run. Lust gave chase and soon they were out of sight. Fighting among the trees. I sighed in relief one more homunculus down I thought as I looked at where Sloth had been. I heard Ed and the group in a commotion not that far away at our camp sight.

"AL!" I head Ed cry out." Breeze and I raced to the camp. Where we saw Al's body being controlled by Pride's shadows. The sight creped out Gluttony was standing off in the cover of the shadows to the right hiding in the trees. Pride looked at me and said.

"Looks like I've finally found you two, so where's your friends?" Breeze looked around startled noticing Amanda was nowhere to be found. I tapped Breeze on the shoulder and whispered.

"It's ok I sent her on a wild goose chase a little while ago." Breeze nodded understanding. And we turned back to Pride. Gluttony emerged from the shadows and came barreling at the group mouth open wide aiming for Greed/Ling. Greed/Ling managed to doge him. Pride's shadows approached everyone and everyone took a step back. But a small hand managed to grab Breeze's ankle she let out a cry of shock and tried to get away but fell flat on her face. Pride pulled and she went kicking and screaming and slid into the depths of shadow.

"BREEZE!" I screamed and reached out to grab her but was forced to retreat when Prides shadows threatened to swallow me as well.

"Care to join her?" Pride asked and pieces of shadow grabbed at me. I stumbled back but had ½ a mind to dive in. "Breeze," I muttered still dazed that I might have just lost her. but a small hand wrapped around my ankle and swirled around my leg until I was up to my thigh I tried to step away but it yanked and I fell to the ground. I began to slide back into Pride's darkness.

"Look out." Ed called and clapped his hands. Whatever he transmuted made the lights of the nearby town go down and all of Pride's shadows vanished.

"Heinkel, Go find Pride his body should be somewhere just beyond those trees." Greed/Ling commanded.

"Why me?" Heinkel shot back.

"Because you can see in the dark now lion up and go." Heinkel sighed and obeyed. It was pitch black I couldn't see anything I could only slightly make out outlines only slightly. "Darius you go fight Gluttony you will both be relying only on smell so you will evenly be matched." Darius growled but he to obeyed and approached.

"Breeze!" I called as I ran in the direction she had been taken. I was stumbling on roots and trying my best to let her know my location. "April!" I heard her call. I ran in the direction of the voice until I hit something or shall I say someone. "Breeze!" I said happily. She hugged me and we looked around but that was mostly my expression tightened. "Move," I said sternly and shoved her to the ground 3 feet away. just as Wrath and Lust came running between us their red eyes glowing.

"How did you know?" Breeze asked "Listen you can hear their footsteps." I looked in the direction they ran in and followed just as a bright flash of white light went off back by the others.

"Lan Fan and Fu are here." Breeze said, who was keeping pace with me. "We are headed back to the circle." Breeze said. I gritted my teeth and ran harder trying to catch up to the two homunculi. When we got there I saw Wrath throw something at Lust she tried to bat it but it got stuck between her fingers and she became paralyzed. The necklace. I realized and ran at her trying to get there before Wrath could transmute but I was too late he brought his hands down on the circle and a bright light flooded the area. I was too late and came to a stop at the edge of the circle blinded by the sudden light. Lust screamed and when the light faded I knew she was gone. Wrath turned to look at us his red eyes glowing. then a bright orange light flooded the area the forest fire had started and Pride was now strongest. I could smell the burning wood and hear the trees fall in the distance. I doubled back and ran trying to get back to the others Breeze following. Wrath didn't chase us, why I don't know but I wasn't about to argue. We reached the others just as Pride looked at Gluttony.

"Gluttony…how many times have they killed you?"

"Um…I'm not sure I lost count but it was a lot."

"You know they might have a chance here. Good bye Gluttony." Pride's shadows shot out a face showing in them as a mouth wrapped around gluttony.

"NO PRIDE PLEASE DON'T EAT ME!" he began to cry "It hurts I don't want to die again it hurts." I looked away licked his lips and said.

"His smell is incredible." He took a long sniff of the air. "I could do without the constant hunger but it will do." He smelled the air again. "I know those smells. Hohenheim" he said with a hate. "And Amanda." he gently added and looked at Breeze and me.

Amanda's view

There was a load boom and I could hear fighting in the distance. I looked back towards the campsite to see the entire area was covered in flames.

"April," I muttered under my breath with a vengeance. She knew this would happen. And she sent me away. The slight smell of burning wood wafted in from the distance. I was going to kill her for this. I thought and I took off running towards the fire the bag of snacks swinging side to side as I ran.

April's view

I glared at Pride he was probably going to try and get Amanda I had to do something. I glanced beside me to see Breeze had the same expression I had. But she suddenly dived out of the way and yelled to me. "Look out!" I looked back at Pride to see one of his shadows race out and wrap around my waist. I gasped in shock at how fast they were and he threw me off behind him into a tree I slammed it hard and the breath was knocked out of me. I gritted my teeth to the pain and tried to look back at them. Prides shadows where running rampant and attacking every one and cutting down all the trees. I tried to stand up but the grip around me tightened and the next thing I knew I was sailing through the air towards the others. I landed face down on my stomach black spots dancing before me.

I could taste blood and I tried to catch my breath. But Pride still had a strong grip and I couldn't move. I looked over at Breeze to see Prides black spears flying at her she was trying desperately to doge them but she was still getting cut up pretty badly despite the fact she was avoiding a good number of them. I felt the grip tighten and he was about to throw me again just as Breeze tripped and a black spear raced towards her.

"NO!" I screamed just as there was a bright flash of light and all of Prides shadows evaporated. I rubbed my eyes and waited for the lighting to return to normal. When it did I looked around to spot old man Fu and Lan fan had their flash grenades. I scrambled to my feet and ran farther away from Pride.

"April you brat, how could you send me away you knew something was going to happen!" I heard a voice calling from behind me. I turned around to see Amanda. My eyes lit with horror Pride saw her and I saw his shadows making their way towards her.