Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.

Part Two: Plans and Ponderings of the Enslaved

---------------------------------------------

"Good morning, Envy. I see you've brought your new…friend with you. Good."

Envy nodded absentmindedly, resting his hand on Alphonse's head, playing with the golden-brown locks of hair as he did so. He waited patiently for Dante to begin her interrogation, trying not to betray his evil glee.

"Alphonse, come here." Dante ordered, hiding her face behind a peacock-feathered fan. Her plum-colored eyes were the only part of her face that was visible.

Alphonse nervously obeyed, feeling his toes sink into the plush carpet. He looked up at the extravagant-looking woman through the fringe of his bangs, a faint blush coming to his cheeks.

"Miss?" he squeaked out, looking shamefully down at his feet. Envy's lips began to curl into a grin.

"You're sweet." Al felt a warm, pale hand ruffle his hair affectionately, a smile evident in Dante's voice. "I needed to ask you a very important question. It's regarding your brother."

Alphonse felt a slimy lump slither down to his stomach, feeling it squeeze tightly. "Tell me…what you want to know."

"I need to know what type of girl Edward likes. Kind? Smart? Innocent? Loving? Or maybe…passionate?"

Envy hurriedly turned his chuckle into a hacking cough.

"I…um…" a blush enveloped Alphonse's face. "er…I don't really know…I guess he likes someone who he can depend on, someone who is kind…and…I guess he likes them pretty…"

Dante's eyes smiled coldly. "Very well. Thank you, Alphonse. You are a very useful boy. I hope that Envy is treating you well?"

Alphonse nodded. "Oh, yes. I'm learning lots of things from him—mischief is much more fun than I thought."

Dante nodded from behind her fan. "I'm glad to hear it. Dismissed."

As Envy and Alphonse left the room, Al couldn't help but feel that he had helped Dante a little too much.

------------------------------------------------

"Master, I'm hoooome!"

Wrath pelted through Dante's mansion, searching high and low for That Person. He had just come back from the construction area, with information to give Dante about Edward. He smirked wickedly at the thought of that alchemist being reduced to a simple worker, begging for food and water like the rest.

It was a pleasant image.

"Hello, Wrath. I'm guessing you had a pleasant trip?"

Wrath nodded, brushing his tangled raven hair out of his pale-blue eyes. "Yes. Edward has become a hard worker."

Dante smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. But…I hope you and Lust have let him sleep sometimes?"

Wrath shrugged, his smirk still in place. "Sometimes. Lust is far too kind to him at the moment, but she knows about your plan for Edward, so I wouldn't worry about it."

Dante nodded again. "Very well. You're dismissed, dear."

A few minutes later, Wrath was heading towards the playroom, savage glee printed on his pale features.

----------------------------------------------------

"…And this is the library. Some of the books are getting a little too old, and will crumple if you aren't careful."

Alphonse nodded, in absolute awe of the huge room. It was crammed with books—most of the room was made up of bookshelves and a large table. The marble under his feet felt cool and slick, making him shiver a little as he walked across the floor. In a moment of ecstasy, Alphonse spun wildly around and turned to face Envy, arms outstretched.

"It's GREAT!"

Envy grinned, resting his arm on a shelf. "Glad you like it." He stroked the cherry wood furniture, a blissful look on his face. "This room grows over the years. You may not realize it, but I've been in this house a long, long time."

Alphonse blinked. "Do you like it here?"

"When it's peaceful, like right now. I like it when it's violent, too—that's usually my doing."

"Oh. I…see."

Envy shrugged, and spun around in a circle himself, his hair and culottes floating around him as he did so. His lips formed a blurry smirk as he spun faster and faster. Alphonse was captured by the alien grace of his companion, hypnotized by the dance-like movement.

Sssssh-thunk.

A razor-edged machete quivered in the doorframe, with two raven-black hairs attached.

Wrath gasped for air as he leapt to his feet, eyes wide with shock. His eyes flicked over to the machete for a brief instant, then managed a feral grin.

"Your aim's still too good."

Envy turned to face the wild boy, a smug look on his face. "So is your dodging. Welcome home, Wrath."

Alphonse stared at the two Homunculi, marveling at the brief, casual exchange. Was this really what Envy wanted him to act like? Shaking his head, he decided to check out the library…and be as far away from his companions as possible.

"I…I'm going to explore the shelves. I'll let you two talk, or fight, or whatever it is you do." he said nervously, trying to keep his gait slow and not panicky.

"All right. Be gentle, Alphonse—some books aren't as sturdy as they used to be." Envy called over his shoulder, a warm smile fixed upon his face.

As Alphonse disappeared out of view, Wrath coughed "Greenhorn" and began to snigger nastily.

Envy rolled his eyes. "He's a part of Master's plan, so don't jump to conclusions. He's got potential."

Wrath squinted testily at his older companion. "What do you mean, Envy?"

"Surely you haven't noticed it? He has the same capabilities you did when I first found you, captured by the military. He's an innocent, even after all these years. And as you probably know by now,"—Envy's smile became a grin of malicious delight—"innocents are the most fun to twist."

Wrath's confused expression changed into a crafty smirk. "I love the way you think, Envy."

Envy shrugged, and brushed his hair out of his eyes. "Well, I am Master's most trusted servant."

The two Homunculi shared near-identical menacing laughs, knowing that the plan that Dante had constructed was as useful to both master and servants as a double-edged sword.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edward quietly traced a map in the rough sand with his non-metal finger.

"Hey, Colonel, where is this place located again?"

"Away from everything we love. I don't know, ask someone else!"

Edward rolled his eyes, glaring at Roy through his clavicle-length bangs. "I take back what I said all those years ago, work really is bad for you."

Roy sighed, and closed his eyes, his sunburned hands sifting through the sand half-heartedly.

"And just think, back home the girls would be all over me still. 'Oh, Colonel Mustang, your hair looks so sexy long!' And I'd say, 'Even to my spine?' And they'd say 'Oh, of course, any style looks good on you.' And then"—he chuckled fondly—"Riza would fire, to miss, just to scare them off."

Edward grinned bitterly. "And Winry would use her wrench to fight off any girl that tried to get their hands on me."

"Well, you have to admit you've had quite a bit of luck with the ladies. I remember hearing about Psiren—lucky dog—"

Edward found the strength to blush. "That wasn't anything. She was trying to attack me—"

"With the tattooed transmutation circle on her breasts? Or her little cards?"

"Will you shut up—!"

Roy grinned wearily, sounding like a show host. "I can just see it now: the new card game for rabid Fullmetal groupies: '52 Edward-Pick-Up'! How many can you pick up to free Fullmetal from a uncompromising position—hmm?"

Edward groaned, and buried his head in his arms. "At least your twisted humor's still intact. How's the scars?"

Roy winced as he gingerly brushed his fingers against his back. He shook his head, shuddering at the very thought of Wrath and his whip. He watched Edward softly stroke his own back, his eyebrows knitting together in pain as he estimated the pain scale. A seven for Fullmetal, I'll bet. I suppose I win again.

Edward gazed blearily at his companion. "So. What's your number, Colonel?"

Roy winced again, a single tear forming in his left eye. "Ten. I'm guessing yours is seven?"

"No, six. You win. I'll give you my bread tonight."

Grinning weakly, Roy asked "Hey, Ed…do you think any of us here—Havoc, Fuery, Breda, Falman and all the rest—do you think any of us, on a scale of 1 to 10, have ever hit a zero since we got here?"

Edward snorted bitterly. "Nah."

Turning onto his stomach, Roy stared off into space. His bangs nearly obscured his eyes, making him look like some sort of wraith. Edward listened as the ex-Colonel's stomach began to growl pitifully. Soon, his own belly began to join in with a rousing chorus of "If You Don't Feed Us, We'll Implode". Ignoring the discordant notes, Edward flopped onto his stomach as well, looking at the dunes that rose from beyond the small cave that he and Roy, like so many other slaves, now resided in.

As usual, his thoughts drifted back to his brother, Alphonse. Where was he now, out searching for him, or captured? Or maybe—his insides burned with guilt—maybe Alphonse had grown to hate him. Now there was a thought. It would make sense, a twisted irony to end all ironies—Cain and Abel reincarnated. Kill the mother, kill the sons. One happy family, all residing in the Gate.

"Edward. Edward!"

Edward jumped, and swiveled his head to stare at Roy, who was now kneeling right beside him. "What is it?"

Roy shuddered. "Don't make that noise, Edward. It's terrifying. What were you thinking about?"

"Just Al."

Roy stared at him in a scrutinizing way. "If you say so. So"—he flopped back onto his stomach, which gurgled again—"do you think that Lust woman or Wrath will visit you tonight?"

Edward shrugged. "Probably Lust. Wrath visited last night."

Roy nodded, grinning coyly. "You know, I wonder what she kisses like—"

"Mustang."

"All right, all right, don't get violent, Fullmetal. Do you think she likes seafood? Such as—shrimp?"

For the first time in four years, Edward roared "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT YOU COULD TEACH HIM FLEA-BACK RIDING."

Roy rolled on his back, heaving huge belly-laughs. "That's…not half bad Fullmetal…I haven't heard…that tone of voice from you…for way too long…" he gasped.

Edward found himself smiling a little. "Yeah. It has been too long, hasn't it?" he chuckled, this time a little happier.

All that was needed was his brother smiling beside him to make the brief moment perfect.

End of Part Two…