"We're doing it tonight," Greed declared.
"Why tonight?" Ling narrowed his eyes at him.
Greed resisted the urge to groan. He did not deserve this. The kid should have been thankful that he had decided to help him at all.
Instead Ling felt like it was his prerogative to question him every step of the way.
Really, Greed didn't need all this shit.
He leaned forward and looked the princeling right in the eye. "Pride and Gluttony are not in Central," he whispered. Father had sent them away from the capitol on some errand that Greed was not made privy to. "Me and Wrath are the only ones left right now. There won't be a better time, kid."
"We should wait for Fu and Lan Fan," Ling insisted stubbornly, "They could be back any day now. The four of us will have a better chance."
"You said the same thing yesterday," Greed sighed. "And the day before. And the day before that," he glanced around the restaurant, listening to the clanking utensils and the chattering of the humans around, "Your friends could get to Central five minutes from now. Or five days. Or five weeks. We're not in control of that. Two more people won't make a difference if Pride gets back before them, kid."
The prince huffed lightly and slouched back in his chair. Then he nodded, his face suddenly solemn. "Alright, Greed. Tonight."
"Right," he lifted his glass and finished the last drops of the whiskey. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he gave Ling a lopsided smile. "I'll have to pay for you again, won't I, kid?" He chuckled as he reached into the inner pocket of his sleeveless jacket and tossed a small stack of bills on the table. "Mooching off of the embodiment of avarice... Sounds like a bad joke, ain't it?" Greed shrugged, "Come by the "Crown" hotel at about midnight. You know the place, right?"
The kid nodded and he got up and prepared to leave.
"Greed," Ling's voice stopped him in his tracks and he turned to look down at the prince. "I want to know... Why are you doing all of this? Why help me at all?"
Greed just eyed him for a moment, uncertain.
Because ever since Wrath said that Envy was probably dead, he was coasting along and going through the motions, mind foggy and in constant denial, his bitterness against his family rising more and more every single day.
Because Ling, naive and idealistic as he was, had something that Greed had never had in two centuries of living. An actual purpose. A purpose that steeled him and compelled him to keep going. Greed desperately needed a purpose right now.
He hated lying.
But that didn't mean that he always had to tell the whole truth.
He didn't have to spill his guts.
So he smirked down at Ling and put his hands in the pockets of his leather pants. "I figure it'd be sweet, having the future Emperor of Xing be in my debt," he laughed when he saw the kid's lips tightening. "I'm not known for my charity, buddy, what did you expect? See you at midnight," he added as he turned his back and left the busy restaurant.
As he ascended towards "Crown"'s penthouse, Greed leaned his back against the wall of the lift, suddenly struck by how ludicrous the whole affair was.
After their little tête-à-tête when he told Ling about the creation of a Philosopher's Stone, Greed had expected the kid to let it all go, terrified and shaken. He remembered that it had it been difficult for Fullmetal to even force himself to use a Stone back in Gluttony's belly, and making one was infinitely more gruesome.
Ling didn't have it in him. That much was plain.
But Ling also didn't give up, apparently.
"What about your military?" He had asked Greed a couple days later, once again managing to ambush him unnoticed. "They are under your brother's control, and Ed said that they've tried to make Philosopher's Stones more than once."
"I guess they might have made a few tiny ones over the years," he had shrugged, "What? You thinking of stealing one?"
"I won't sacrifice innocent people," Ling had been adamant. "But I could take a Stone that someone else made. There's no way to release the souls inside and restore their life, right?"
"Nope," Greed had grinned, "Way to find a loophole, kid. You don't seem to like it, though."
"It's the truth, Greed, I don't have to like it," Ling hadn't sound pleased. "If I have no way to help those souls, I'd rather use them to save my clan than leave your brother to fuel his atrocities with them."
"Careful," Greed had smirked at Ling, "Tell me more about shitting on Wrath's plans, and you might get me roped into this little scheme of yours."
The prince had just smiled at that.
And so, over the course of a few more random meetings, Greed had actually found himself roped in.
He had no reason to help Ling.
He had no reason to deter him either. At this point family loyalty meant very little to Greed.
Hell, if they played their cards right, maybe nobody would even notice.
There were a few kinks that wanted ironing out, however.
The biggest one being – where to even find a Stone in the first place? It wasn't like Wrath would just put them in a drawer in his office. Luckily, since Pride had ordered Greed to keep an eye on the lair, he could explore to his heart's content. Eventually he decided that his best bet was the Third Laboratory, the same one where Lust had died. It was connected to the lair, it was close to Wrath's home and it had definitely been used to make Stones before.
The other problem had taken care of itself when Pride and Gluttony left Central.
And now they were ready to move.
When he entered the penthouse, he found Bido studying the plans of Wrath's residence that Greed had procured a day before. The chimera seemed glad to have something to do.
"How's it goin', gecko man?" Greed put on a confident smile as he moved closer to the table to take a look. Fake it till you make it, yeah? Just like there was no need to confess the full depths of his motivation to Ling, Greed saw no reason to act differently in front of Bido; he didn't have to know that his boss felt like he was in constant freefall ever since Envy left. "Found anything interesting?"
"Yes, Mister Greed," Bido pointed at a part of the plans with one bony finger. "I can get in from there, then move through the servant quarters, then up this staircase, and..."
"Great, great," Greed interrupted him amicably. "Just remember, don't get in trouble, don't take anything and don't hurt anyone."
"Yes, Mister Greed, I know," the chimera nodded, his lizard's tail waving lazily behind him. "But... What's the point, then?"
"The point," Greed paused as he stalked towards the minibar and bent over to inspect its contents, "is to make a ruckus. I want to make sure that Wrath's attention is not focused on the lair. Alls you have to do is raise enough of an alarm and then get out. His wife will be frightened, and most likely she'll call him home or something, and he'll spend the rest of the night comforting her."
"Right," Bido looked down at the plans again, his big eyes moving over the lines, "But why?"
"That, my old friend, is a dangerous question that's best left to me. You just do your part and whatever you do, do not get caught."
The rest of the day slowly faded away.
Greed felt antsy, looking at the clock again and again, and that made him even more impatient.
He was staring at the darkened sky when he heard the knock. There was someone at the door the penthouse. He frowned, knowing full well that it was too early for Ling to be here. And he had told him to meet him outside the hotel.
Curious.
"See who it is," he told Bido.
It was probably someone from the staff. Maybe Sandra. Greed hadn't even looked at her since Envy went away. He hoped that she wouldn't try to start something. But if she did, well, there were plenty more people who would make decent managers, he supposed.
Shuffling his feet, Bido did as he was told and went to opened the door. Greed heard him gasp, followed by a different noise, sharp and fleshy.
He whirled around and felt his blood freeze in his veins.
Wrath was standing at the doorway, his eye staring straight at Greed.
The thin blade of his sword had skewered Bido all the way through, sticking out of the chimera's back. Greed could see the blood soaking his coat like a dark, wet bloom.
Bido let out a pained gurgle as Wrath shoved him away and stepped over his body as he fell.
"Good evening, Greed," the Führer said, his face expressionless, before he looked down at Bido. "Ah. It seems I missed one of your chimeras back in Dublith," he shrugged lightly. "Not that it matters."
A sudden flash of anger took Greed and he let out a howl of utter fury.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" He roared and rushed at Wrath.
His brother smiled very lightly beneath his black mustache and moved towards Greed.
The two clashed before the Ultimate Shield could cover Greed's whole body. Greed made a furious swipe at Wrath with an armored hand, but the Führer was just as quick as he remembered him from Dublith.
He sidestepped the sloppy attack and answered with a slash of his bloodied sword. Greed hissed when he felt the blade cutting the skin of his chest, but his ability to think clearly had all but evaporated. All he saw was red. His brain was on fire with one very simple, overwhelming desire.
Kill, kill, kill him! Kill him, kill him, kill the bastard, KILL HIM NOW, KILL HIM!
"Didn't you learn anything from the last time?" Wrath asked calmly as he ducked a powerful blow and used his sword to stab Greed's thigh.
Greed roared, pain and rage mixing and bleeding into one another inside his mind.
Wrath let go of the sword, leaving it inside Greed's leg and swiftly drew a second one from his spare scabbard, slashing at Greed's head.
Without thinking it through consciously, Greed's hand shot out and gripped the blade. The clash between steel and the Ultimate Shield drew sparks. With a furious cry, Greed used his other hand to try and pierce Wrath right in the belly.
By God, he was going to make this one-eyed son of a bitch eat his own guts.
But Wrath was quick, much quicker than his aged face suggested. He might have been a mortal Homunculus, but he was still a Homunculus. He swung his body away so Greed's claws only grazed his side, let the second sword go and reached with his left hand to pull the first one out of his brother's thigh.
Greed cried out, the red lightning of his Stone shooting up and sizzling around his wound, but he didn't let that slow him down.
He had learned something in Dublith.
Trying to take on Wrath in hand to hand combat while his brother used swords was an exercise in futility and pain.
Inadvertently, though, Wrath had given him a weapon.
Greed fixed his grip on the sword's handle and he jumped at Wrath. The two blades clanged loudly and locked together. For a moment the two Homunculi stood still, each trying to overpower the other. Greed's face was twisted and enraged, his shark fangs bared in a hateful snarl. Wrath looked as composed as he did when he worked at his office and pretended to be the leader of Amestris.
"Why?" Greed growled.
"Do you really need to ask?" Wrath rose an eyebrow at him. "It's a pity that I only got your chimera. I had hoped to take care of that Xingese boy too."
Greed roared and pushed his brother away, pummeling at him with messy but powerful blows. He wasn't a swordsman, though, and it showed. For all the anger of Greed's assault, Wrath was able to deflect and dodge every slash and stab Greed sent at him.
Even the furniture around the penthouse became a part of the fight, terrain to be climbed to gain a brief high ground or to be used as cover.
A well-aimed kick managed to slip past Wrath's defense and he staggered backwards, towards the balcony.
Greed's fury had simmered down, just enough to allow him to notice his surroundings. He pressed forth, forcing his brother to retreat until his back was pressed against the glass doors.
He slashed at Wrath who dove sideways and used his free hand to push the doors open and step out on the balcony.
Exactly what Greed wanted. The less space Wrath had, the better.
Wrath made a savage swing at Greed's throat. He parried – barely – and shoved the Führer's arm away. Greed's claws shot forward, raking bloody gashes at Wrath's face.
Taking advantage of the closer quarters, Greed rushed into his youngest brother's space and reached to grab his throat.
It didn't work.
Wrath merely turned his torso sideways so Greed's arm flew uselessly by his neck and then his sword flashed from the left. Greed tried to raise the Ultimate Shield up, but he wasn't fast enough. The blade pierced Greed's neck.
His own blood choked him as his fingers twitched, dropping his weapon. Greed lurched forward, eyes blurred from the pain. When Wrath used the moment and stabbed him through the chest, he opened his mouth to cry out in agony, spewing blood everywhere as his Stone desperately tried to repair the wounds.
Greed's knees wobbled and he crashed against the railing. When he looked down, he saw multiple military vehicles parked below "Crown" and the soldiers scuttling around them.
Dammit!
He felt Wrath's hand grabbing at the back of his head. "You're an idiot, Greed," he said simply before he pushed him off the balcony.
He woke up before Father's throne, coughing and hacking as his Stone brought him back to life.
"Greed," the old man said, his voice even and civil as if the two of them had last seen each other at dinner. "My treacherous son. What do you have to say for yourself this time?"
Greed groaned and slowly pushed himself up off the ground.
"Whatever do you mean?" he asked lightly, disrespectfully.
Did the wrinkled bastard expected him to beg? He was going to be sorely disappointed.
"You planned to steal a Philosopher's Stone and give it to some human troublemaker," Father lightly tilted his head, stroking his beard and studiying Greed under his cold gaze. "After I welcomed you back when I could have... ended you. Is that how you repay your father's mercy?"
"How did you even know? Pride is not here to play spy for you."
"Did you really think that Pride is my only means to keep myself informed?" The old man sounded bored. "Nothing happens here without my leave. You should have known better. Not only are you willing to betray me again, but you did it sloppily and carelessly," Father leaned back in his throne. "Why?"
Suddenly, Greed felt exhausted. It was funny, it should have happened much more dramatically, but he realized that he was done.
Finished.
Even a century ago, when he left, he had told himself that it was temporary. That one day he was going to return to Central, depose his dear old dad and claim his rightful place.
The prospect felt as empty and meaningless as everything else he had ever taken.
What good was that now, when he no longer had anybody to share it with?
How ironic, to finally comprehend that all he ever wanted was utterly impossible. A fucking paradox. To be the embodiment of avarice, and have the fire that had fed his bottomless greed since he was created be consumed by the desire to have people at his side. Friends. Family. A lover.
In truth, everyone he had called a friend had been just a pawn, a servant.
His family had been nothing but accomplices and rivals. To call them siblings was to spit upon the very concept.
And his lover... Envy had wanted nothing more than to be the only one for Greed, and he had spurned and humiliated, and hurt them so many times that he had long ago lost count. Without malice, but also without remorse and without a second thought. And now they were gone.
He let out a soft, forlorn chuckle.
"Why?" He repeated. "Why not? It's not like I have a reason to obey you anymore."
"So this is about Envy?" Father sounded perplexed, if that was even possible. "Your plaything is gone, and now you lash out? Are you truly so childish?"
Greed's whole chest constricted.
Here it was.
The final nail in the coffin.
"That's it," Greed reeled slightly and wiped the dried blood from his chin, "You're done, old man!"
He lunged towards Father's throne, his Ultimate Shield kicking in. He flexed his armored claws as he ran, more than ready to put an end to it all.
He never even saw the gargantuan fist that suddenly closed around his head and drove him face-first into the ground. The impact and the abrupt loss of momentum drove the breath out of Greed's chest.
The huge hand squeezed and he could feel his bones underneath the Ultimate Shield straining. He tried to scream but the force that was pressing his head to the granite floor was so great that he couldn't even open his mouth.
"What a bother," grumbled a deep, listless voice that Greed hadn't heard in more than a century.
Shit.
Sloth could move faster than the eye could see whenever he felt like making the fucking effort. Greed had forgotten all about him. His presence here must have meant that the nationwide circle was finally complete. Father was yet another step closer to the Promised Day.
And Greed was, apparently, yet another step closer to death.
He heard footsteps and saw the tips of Wrath's black shoes as his youngest brother moved to stand in front of him.
"Foolish," Wrath observed. "Though not unexpected, I suppose," Greed's ears were ringing and he could feel the inside of his skull pulsing painfully. Wrath's disinterested voice sounded strangely faint. Greed tried to push himself up, desperately mustering all the strength of his arms and chest. Sloth just grunted in annoyance and applied more pressure on his head, literally driving it into the ground. Greed felt the stony surface crack underneath his face in unison with the bones shattering beneath the carbon cover of his Shield.
His lungs were burning and his neck felt like it was about to snap. A part of him wanted to shut off, to get into the merciful embrace of oblivion.
As his vision blackened, he wondered if he was going to see Envy when he died.
Would be sweet, even if it lasted only for the few seconds his Stone needed to revive him so his brothers could kill him all over again. And again, and again, until it ran out of energy.
Greed lost conscience just a couple of seconds before the explosion shook the throne room and the bag full of smoke grenades hit the floor. He never heard Ling's frantic voice calling his name.
In any universe, in any form, in any body, Greed is destined to stand on the opposite side of his evil family when the time comes. I believe that wholeheartedly.
Also, writing fights is a bitch.
Until next time!