Hello again my fellow readers. Here is the next chapter. Warning: Has strong implied mentions of child abuse. If this offends you, then I apologize to you in advance. Please enjoy, and feel free to be a critic.


Chapter 4: Strangers

The eerie silence that resonated within the mysterious mansion lingered on as two figures silently drifted through the elaborate halls. Shadows fell all around little August as she struggled to keep up with the strange elderly woman beside her. As she tried to squint through the gloom cast by the barley lit lamps, August couldn't make up her mind about her new host. She acted just like a sweet old woman and even looked like the typical sweet old grandma that would bake cookies all afternoon.

August, being the child she was, smiled goofily as her mind began to conger up delectable images of trays among trays of hot steaming cookies straight from the baker's oven.

She drooled a little.

August quickly shook her head and wiped her mouth as she attempted to dispel her daydream. Wide sea green narrowed in concentration as the little girl struggled to stay on task, despite the tantalizing images of fresh cookies that now danced around in her brain.

'Focus' she warned herself as she returned to the matter at hand.

Still, this kind old lady was letting her stay in her very big, big, big house, August mused as she allowed herself to become distracted yet again.

Her clouded eyes began to wander around the beautiful hallways. August inwardly marveled at the flawless rose-colored walls that shone in the dim light that fell softly from the strategic golden lamps that littered the hallways, and the ornate delicate wooden carvings that lined the decorative boarders of said walls. The little girl couldn't help but become excited. August had never seen such a pretty house,

…And this was just a hallway.

August again stole a long glance at the owner of this abet pretty yet all together creepy house.

'But then again…'

She had briefly seen what this old woman was capable of. August had briefly seen when this sweet looking old lady made those giant pointy rocks out of nothing, and repeatedly stabbed the two strangers from before. The little girl shivered as goose bumps pricked her bare arms. What had scared her even more was when they got up after a few minutes and acted as if it were nothing. August suppressed a whimper as the images began to creep into her mind's eye. She gulped as she stole a fearful glance at the smiling old woman.

Was she a witch? Was she going to eat her? Would she make her into little girl cookies? August continued to watch the nice old lady warily.

August had a bad feeling about this one.

"Were ever you taught that staring is rude little one?" Dante questioned indifferently as she spared the little girl, who had fallen a little ways behind her, a meaningful glance. August gulped nervously as she quickly broke eye contact with those cold eyes. For some reason those eyes alone terrified her. Dante frowned at the girl's timidness as she observed her carefully for another moment. She stopped abruptly, with August nearly bumping into the folds of her robe.

"We're here little one," Dante announced as she push aside the large oak door leading to the white marbled washroom. August blinked against the bright gleam of the blank tiles as she observed the lavish bathroom. As August watched the old woman slowly bend down to turn on a strange-looking device that served as a faucet, August was left to wonder just how wealthy she really was. While August was caught up in her own imagination she had no chance of seeing the secret vial that Dante slipped out from the cloak of her gown. A small malevolent smirk slowly wormed itself the old wrinkled face as she began pouring the strange smelling medication into the water. With a soundless clap and a flash of blue light, the smell almost undetectable as Dante stood.

August tensed as she felt a bony hand come down on her slim shoulder. She tried not flinch, as she looked up, straight in the elderly woman's warm smile yet hypocritically cold gaze. The old woman smiled reassuringly at August.

"I take it you know how to bathe yourself my dear" Dante bared a false smiled once more as she straightened herself.

"Take all the time you need. One of my…servants will show you to your room once you are done" Dante spoke as she strolled briskly past the little girl.

August watched warily as the old woman took her leave. She held her breath when the strange woman stopped in the threshold and gave one last glance at her. To August the smile she wore seemed forced.

"We will talk in the morning, good night dear."

The sound of the door closing loudly behind her was the last August heard of the mysterious old woman as she finally took her leave. August's shoulders suddenly drooped as she released a heavy sigh she hadn't realized she had been holding.

"That woman was scary" August concluded as she clutched at her still racing heart.

August watched her grimy reflection stare back at her from the polished marble floor for what seemed for a long time. She sat down as she inspected her reflection. After a while, she looked up, only to note that the water was no longer emitting steam. A small frown made itself way over her delicate little features.

She knew that the water had lost most of its heat and if August despised anything more than someone stealing her pillow, it was taking a cold bath.

Where was that pillow anyway?

Another sigh and the sound of fabric falling to the floor were heard as August slowly eased her battered and bruised body into the large bathtub and grumbled at the temperature.

The little girl suddenly cried out as she gripped her stinging calf and bit her lip. A wisp of bright blood could be seen trialing from the still bandaged mess that was her calf, amidst the dirt and grime that now freely floated in the lukewarm water. August winced in pain again until she began to feel the sharp pain gradually subside until it was only a dull throb. She breathed a sigh of annoyance.

"Got to be more careful next time." The little girl scolded, as she suddenly felt strange. Shaking her head at herself August stifled a yawn as she grabbed the bar of soap that hadn't looked like it hadn't been used in a while and went to work.

August knew she should have been astonished at all the filth that polluted the now murky water but all she could bleakly make out in her own mind was the sudden overpowering urge to sleep. Her head even began to sway from side to side as she tried in vain to make out one coherent thought, and failed. The world was spinning in August's perspective as she began to feel detached from her own body. Her muscles suddenly began to lightly twitch as her throat began to feel itchy.

August gasped as she suddenly felt a sharp twinge her chest.

August could only whine in pain as the muscles in her chest and back began to spasm viciously, feeling as if a knife were twisting trough her chest. Screaming was futile once the little girl began to feel her throat slowly constrict into itself. Choking, gasping, splashing, proved all but useless for her as she quickly began to feel light-headed. A defending buzzing sound started to drown out everything.

'Wait help! Somebody hear me! Somebody help me please!' August pleaded as her head began to throb.

She squeezed her eyes shut as she mentally willed for someone to come to her aid before she passed out and drowned. Her brain racked through the short list of people she knew were here in this house. Whether if they even heard or cared about her struggle she probably would never find out as August felt her arms give out completely and she became engulfed by water.


Envy sat on the floor of his room, glaring at the dark wall before him. Well, what was left of it. After being charged with taking responsibility for that brat he had been rather upset.

All right that was understatement…

It had taken the envious sin a few minutes to process just what Dante had sentenced him to, and even a few more seconds to realize that she wasn't jerking him around, but when he did he didn't take the news lightly. Destroyed halls, pulverized furniture, and massive craters of various sizes indented into the stone ground were all a testament to only a few things that transpired during one of Envy's latest tantrums.

Violet cat-like eyes narrowed as he suddenly fought the urge to smirk when he heard a soft but enraged shout for him from the main ballroom.

If Dante were so upset about the damn furniture she definitely wouldn't like the events that had just transpired in Dublith either. Envy had to smirk at that.

"Serves the old woman right after all." He chuckled as he rose and stretched lazily. Feeling his bones crack unnaturally with satisfaction. Spinning on his heel, the smirking sin strolled casually out of his room and down the elaborate halls. He could hear various oaths and curses coming from the cracked doorway as he passed by the previously destroyed ballroom. He ignored them as he passed the cracked doorway and continued on. His head perked up as he noticed Lust pacing up and down the next hall to his right. Her normally neat and orderly hair was in slight disarray, as if it had tugged on it, and a deep-seated scowl marred her pristine features.

"What the hell has gotten you so worked up?" Envy scoffed as he stalked up to her. Lust paused momentarily in her fruitless pacing to spare him a black look before giving her back to him.

"Nothing" The normally composed sin snapped in restrained annoyance. Envy snorted in amusement before moving to brush past her.

"Aw come now Lust, that's not very nice. What is it this time, missing you little boyfriend from that decrypted old town out east?" He mocked as he continued to smirk maliciously at her frustration.

"Oh what was his name? Hmm, let me think…" Unseen by him, Lust curled her lip into a silent snarl as her annoyance for the assertive sin got the better of her.

"…Leej- No. Lujen? Nope. Ah, Lujon, was it-?"

"Envy, go find that girl, she is missing" Lust hissed angrily as she cut him off in mid-sentence. Her fingers extending into long sharp spears unconsciously as she fought the urge to swipe at the snide sin, knowing very well that it would not end well for her.

The growing smirk that had been plastered on his face was wiped away completely as one of Envy's eye twitched in barley retrained anger.

"Like hell I'm going to go searching for that little brat. I have better things to do."

Lust raised a sculptured eyebrow. "Really now, what could that possibly be?" Envy snorted in response and folded his arms while childishly turning up his nose.

"Master made that child your responsibility…" It was now Lust's turn to smirk mockingly. "Its your duty to know where she is not mine." Envy soundlessly gritted his teeth harder with every passing word.

"Can it you old hag!" He hissed menacing as he roughly shoved past the smirking female sin.

"I would hurry to find her if I were you Envy, I can imagine that our Master will be extremely displeased if you fail such a simple task-" Her taunt was cut short as a large onyx blade stabbed the wall beside her. A strand of silky raven hair fell silently to the ground. In a spark of red the same lock was revived as the old strand of hair faded to dust on the wooden floor. Lust remained unfazed despite the large blade beside her head and simply glared at the enraged face inches from her own.

"I would watch it if I were you Lust. After all, I am not the one with a weakness that lies just outside that miserable little town to the east." Envy grinned wickedly, knowing he had won that argument judging by the almost undetectable shift in her stance. Envy chuckled as he pulled away and continued thundering down the halls.

Narrowed silted pupils glared heatedly at everything that they landed on as Envy glowered to himself.

"Stupid old hag! How dare she make me babysit some little, stupid, human brat; what was going through her senile old mind anyway?" He ranted as he continued down the halls, with half of himself wondering where he was even going. Suddenly Envy became aware of an odd splashing noise and wetness on his feet. He looked down.

There was a puddle of water pooling at his feet. He blinked, and blinked again as he allowed his eyes to follow the stream of cool water down the hallway. Following the miniature river of water down a few more various hallways, the envious sin came to a halt in front of what he vaguely remembered to be a bathroom.

"What the hell…" He trailed off as he jiggled the door handle.

It remained locked. Envy grunted in annoyance before twisting the handle and breaking the flimsy lock.

He quickly let the door swing open without a second thought to the persons' inside privacy.

"Alright who is the idiot who…" Envy trailed off.

The washroom was empty.

Envy, the first, strongest, and most seasoned of the homunculi could only utter the most intelligent response he could conjure for a moment in a situation such as this.

"Huh?"

Envy scratched the back of his head as he took a 'sloshing' step into the deserted bathroom. Turning to his left he noticed the source of the water and grumbled in annoyance.

"Where is the idiot that left the water running?" He stalked over to the still running faucet still grumbling to himself about "idiots" as he leaned over to stop the overflowing bath water. Envy scrunched up his nose in disgust at the filthy thick water and a strange sickly sweet smell that suddenly pierced his sensitive senses.

He stopped suddenly, something catching his attention from the corner of his eye. Turning slightly to his side he noticed a pile of dirty clothes discarded on the pristine marble floor. What really caught the sin's attention the most was the familiar string of bloody bandages laying just next to his knee. Envy cautiously picked up the soiled bandages.

"The brat was in here…" He paused as he glanced around, something nagging at the back of his mind. "Then why did she leave without her damn clothes!?"

Envy stood and observed the room once more. He stared at the door for a minute, something nagging his mind still.

The handle was still swinging from the force of the impact he had used to rip out the lock.

The lock…

He suddenly growled as it suddenly hit him.

The door had been locked from the inside.

The little girl never left the room.

She was still here.

Envy abruptly turned towards the overfilled tub. He eyed it critically.

Then that means…

"Damn it!" He yelled as he darted to the tub and plunged his arms in. After grabbing the motionless body he felt floating underwater, Envy yanked the little girl out of the bathtub and into his grasp. He quickly glanced down at the naked kid lying in his lap and froze. The little girl wasn't moving or breathing, and she was excessively pale.

She looked like a corpse.

Envy didn't know what to do. But he knew one thing, if his master found out of this, she really would get rid of him for good.

Envy yelled out in rage as he punched the floor beside the prone child's auburn locks. A small crater became indented there after that. He began seeing red as he glanced down menacingly at the child before curling up his fist and aiming at her.

This was her fault. All of it!

His already keen senses where sharpened from his resonating anger. He could hear everything. From the still dripping faucet to the sound of his soaked glove squelching as he tightened his fist. Envy paused.

'What was that?'

A soft thumping noise broke through the red haze that clouded his senses. He stared down at August in disbelief. After ignoring every fiber of his being that recoiled in utter disgust at himself for doing this; Envy hesitantly placed an alert ear to the little girl's still chest and listened for a short moment.

'Thump…'

"That better be what I think it is."

'Th-thump'

Ah, so she was alive!

Immediately the sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed in the still washroom as Envy wasted no time in harshly punching the little girl in the stomach. Green orbs flew open as the little brunette sprang back to consciousness. As soon as she awoke a strange look pass over her face as August frantically clawed at her throat.

Envy stared at the frantic August as she struggled to breathe. He would have laughed sadistically at the pathetic runt if her life didn't mean his life as well. Again he was frozen, not understanding what he needed to do.

So he did the only thing that came to mind.

He punched her again, this time upwards against her diaphragm. Another strange look passed over August's face before she twisted violently in Envy's arms and began heaving.

He made a noise of disgust and quickly dropped the girl before taking a few steps back. August paid no heed to being dropped to the cold floor and promptly began expelling the filthy bath water from her lungs and stomach.

After a couple of minutes, August finished expelling the last of the foreign fluid from her body and bleakly tried to open her eyes. Suddenly a shadow fell over her. Unaware of the manacle intent radiating from the looming presence, August slowly glanced up at what she thought to be her savior. The little girl was met with a surprising sight.

The person had very unique features that August had ever seen on anyone else before. This person had long strands of deep green hair fanned out across their back and down to their waist; a body structure that looked both very strong yet at the same time feminine in some places; and they even had a set of soul piercing, purple, cat-like irises.

August blinked owlishly and then blinked again. The poor little girl couldn't figure out whether the form before her was either a man or a woman, or maybe a cat, or hell even a palm tree. August felt so confused.

Being so caught up in her disoriented thoughts, August hadn't really seen the dangerous psychopathic look that Envy was giving her; all August saw was a scary set of glowing violet eyes.

If looks could kill August would have been murdered in the most grisly possible way known to man, and a few unknown ways, too at that point, by a very enraged homunculi.

August tried to slowly push herself up but everything felt weightless and disoriented. Suddenly the little girl found herself airborne, and a screaming pain bit at her scalp. August could not even muster the strength to scream in pain or shock as she was brought face to face with her supposed savior.

Envy glared at the pathetic human as he hauled her to his eye level by her hair. The kid's face contorted in pain but she didn't scream or flinch away from his grasp like he expected her to. He grunted in disapproval before narrowing his eyes and curing up his fist.

"You little shit. Did you really think that suicide was going to save you?" Envy hissed as he glared murderously at her. The little girl only stared at him in confusion. He growled at her clueless expression.

"Don't pretend you don't know anything brat! Drowning yourself in a bathtub in beyond pathetic, even for a pathetic worm like you!" He barked as he tightened his grip on her hair. Inwardly, Envy blanched as he realized he was, in fact, scolding the stupid, little, brat.

August had never felt so angry towards anyone this much before. Especially this wired androgynous teenager for assuming that she had tried to commit suicide. What was his problem? Was he blind? She hadn't been trying to die, she had tried to fight whatever had made her pass out in the dumb bathtub in the first place. August growled inwardly at this stupid stranger.

The little girl squirmed a bit before shaking her head at him in denial of her charge and glaring with as much force as she could muster. Envy snorted at her vain attempt to deny it.

"Fine, don't confess, see if I care. But I am going to have to teach you a lesson you brat."

August suddenly felt an exploding pain in her stomach as the green haired youth shot a fist deep into her abdomen. She choked as the wind was knocked out of her lungs. Through the tears she watched helplessly as the purple-eyed monster curled its fist again and sent it crashing back into her stomach again and again. It felt like an eternity for little August until the punches stopped and she could breathe again. Her breathing was coming in gasps and her eyes began to feel like lead. The pain was miles away and yet searing through her veins with every breath. It felt all too familiar.

Envy dropped the kid back onto the unforgiving hard marble floor. A smirk wormed its way onto his features as he crouched down next to the battered kid and observed the rapidly forming bruises that covered most of the little kid's stomach. Gripping her hair again, Envy lifted the beaten child, not broken, as he had made sure not to cause too much damage, to look at him. Glazed over mint eyes stared blankly back at him. His smirk widened as he brought back his fist for one last punch.

"Please stop, dad" Envy paused as his fist was just inches from connecting with the bruised flesh beneath him. His amethyst eyes widened in stunned surprise. He immediately dropped the girl.

"Please stop hurting me…please stop hitting big sister too." Envy blinked as he stood very still. He glanced down in puzzlement at the little girl.

Her eyes were closed and her breathing had become even. August's face would crumple for a few seconds before remaining peaceful and twisting in pain again.

"What the hell?" He breathed as he simply sat back on his haunches and watched August continue to mumble drowsily. Envy had no clue how that brat managed to just fell sleep like that, but finding out that she slept talked was interesting. He had never seen that before. August twitched and gave a gimmick in her sleep as an old memory began to unfold before her mind's eye.

"No. Because I heard the other grown-ups say it's wrong… I don't want to dad, it feels wrong…" Envy sat back as he processed this, imaging all sorts of situations that could have resulted from those vague words.

He narrowed his eyes slightly as it finally occurred to him.

So this kid had those kinds of problems…and with her father no less. Envy scowled in pure revulsion and crossed his arms.

"Human are as stupid as they are disgusting."

A sudden whimper caught his attention. He glanced down at the sniveling brat, waiting for her to say something more.

"I don't want to do it, I don't want to. Don't make me that, don't make me do that please…" Envy abruptly stood and watched indifferently as the child kept crying out in her sleep. After another minute he began strutting away.

He had heard enough.


A sleeping August continued to whimper in her sleep for while longer before subsiding as her nightmare came to a close. August shivered as the water droplets that still clung to her naked form felt icy in the now cold marble bathroom.

Suddenly August felt a surge of warmth engulf her. It felt as if she had been cocooned in something soft, warm, and ultimately fluffy. She began to wonder if she died and was in heaven.

'No I would have to have opened my eyes already. I think…'

Again, August was surprised as she felt herself moving, a slow jostling movement every few seconds. To the physically aching, mind-numbed and emotionally drained August, this was paradise. The last thing the little eight year old felt was her head hitting something soft and something else giving a quick hit to the back of her head, before it was lights out.


The sound of a loud sigh was heard echoing across the empty hallways as Lust continued roaming around aimlessly. She had hoped to find that little child herself by now, but it was fruitless in the end. A growling sound sounded off next to Lust as Gluttony held his rumbling stomach. He whined as he rubbed his aching stomach. Gluttony then sniffed the air questioningly.

"Something smells funny Lust" He frowned as he scratched his chin. Lust frowned as well.

"Yes. It seems familiar" She mused as they rounded a corner.

"But what is it Lust? Do you know?" Gluttony continued as he stared up adoringly at her.

"Yes, I believe so. Though I wouldn't know why it would be here." They continued down the halls, letting the time crawl away.

Lust suddenly paused by a partly open doorway. She stared at the wooden door for a moment longer and made a step towards it.

"Oh no Lust that's-I know Gluttony" Lust interrupted as she turned back towards her companion.

"Gluttony, go get something to eat in the kitchens, I need to be alone for a moment." Said sin looked up dejectedly at his female companion.

"Oh? Ok then Lust I'll go…" Gluttony nodded childishly as he went on his way to search for something to try to quench his insatiable appetite. Lust watched the fat, bald, sin disappear around a corner before focusing on the scene behind the cracked door. She placed her hand on the door frame and slowly pushed it open.

Even though the lights in the room were now off, Lust could still make out a small curled up figure lying on the bed. Her eyebrow rose when she realized it was the alchemy child. Her eyebrow then disappeared into her hairline when she remembered in whose room she was standing in.

"How interesting" She whispered aloud.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?!" Lust turned to meet the heated stare of the silhouette that leaned against the opened door frame. Envy glared at the female sin.

"What are you doing here?"

"Honestly Envy, when I told you to go find the human child I wasn't expecting this-"

"Shut up Lust its nothing like that" He scowled as the magnitude of his glare increased ten-fold. "I had nowhere to put the stupid brat."

"Really now Envy, then why would you have gone so far as to drug the poor child?"

"What are you going on about, I didn't...wait-" Envy blinked. "Did you say drugged?"

Lust sighed heavily.

"Yes. Haven't you noticed that strange smell." Envy opened his mouth to say something more, most likely something indirectly insulting, when Lust interrupted him.

"That smell is from the extract of the Valerian root, it is used for extreme causes of insomnia."

Envy raised an eyebrow. "And what would be the point in that?"

"In large amounts it can knock a human unconscious and if introduced in the blood stream it may cause seizures, blackouts, and perhaps hallucinations" Envy suddenly became quite. Too quiet for Lust's liking.

"Tell me something then Lust…" Lust crossed her arms. "…how did you know all that useless garbage?"

"The master educated me on the purpose of this drug and its more lethal effects, to put them to use on certain… clients" Envy simply sniffed and raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"And why the hell should I believe you?" The female sin simply huffed in annoyance at the overly paranoid homunculus and made to move past him.

"Your little house guest will wake up in a couple of days-" A pale arm suddenly shot out in front of her, preventing her from moving any further. Lust turned to glare at the oldest homunculus in a mixture of annoyance and mild curiosity. To her surprise he didn't even glance at her. She followed his gaze to the sleeping figure on the unused bed. Envy was the one to break the long silence that followed afterwards.

"The Master has the same herb in her garden doesn't she?"

Lust said nothing to confirm or deny the indirect accusation, though it was rhetorical, as she watched the jealous sin warily.

She knew from experience that a silent Envy, meant a lethal Envy.

After another long minute he finally glanced back at her. They stared at each other for a moment before Envy grunted in annoyance, reverting back to his original attitude.

"Get the hell out of here already!' He snapped as he roughly threw open the already mangled wooden door.

The sound of a door slamming shut was all Lust heard as she walked off towards the kitchens, where she knew her chubby companion would be waiting for her like a loyal dog. Lust paused as she looked back. From the corner of her eye she would have sworn that she saw the pale muscular back of Envy's figure, stalking down the hall, before disappearing into the shadows of the eerie moonlit mansion.


Thank you for reading. Please feel free to respond by reviews and messaging on my account. If my spelling or grammar is wrong in certain places, please inform me. Again thank you for reading and reviewing to those whom already have. I hope you all continue reading!