AN: Sorry for the wait. I was a little busy.

P.S. (x) separations and lack of a long chapter.

Chapter 13:
Darkness and Light Chapter 3: Dance With the Darkness

Light

Envy fell abruptly on the floor, in a pool of blood. The shards of the red jewel on Suruko's old necklace fell to the floor, a few shattering into even smaller pieces. Ed stood up at once, but Suruko sat, frozen, on the couch. There was a look of recognition on his face, as if he somehow recognized the attacker.
The door blasted open and Al burst into the room, his eyes falling onto Envy in the pool of red liquid. He drew his switch-blade and charged ahead, to the open window. He dug the sharp blade fiercely into a black cloak. The attacker agilely escaped Al's switchblade, but was a little bit cut by the slash of killer-intent. AL, who was usually kind and gentle, had eyes shining like a killer's. They flashed of pride, will, and obviously killer intent.

He kicked and punched and struggled against the hold of the cloaked-one, grabbing the kitchen window-sill for support. Ed joined it, high-kicking the man in the head. Refus fell, and sprawled, drawing dust from the sandy streets outside. His black assassin's coat fell off him, revealing the Nazi's usual clothes.

Inside, the noise of the shattered glass against the kitchen floor woke Noah, who was sleeping peacefully a few minute ago. She ran downstairs in her nightgown, a look of concern on her face, her slightly braided hair flowing behind her.

"Stay back!" Suruko's thundering voice broke through all the confusion. Noah stopped in the middle of the staircase, panting a little. She peeked a little over to where Envy was.
A small gasp started to escape her mouth, but Suruko rushed over to cover her mouth. The one outside should not have heard her. We must not draw attention to here. he thought.

In the kitchen, Envy was slowly rising from the blood. His hair was stained a little red, and his wound was recovering slower than usual. Clutching his chest with the hand that did not hold a few shards of red jewel, he stumbled towards the window, where the two Elric brothers stood, looking down at Refus on the ground.

Suruko could do nothing else but stay out and watch. He saw Envy cough up a little bit of blood in the hand that was clutching his chest but seconds ago. He watched Envy place the red jewel parts carefully on the ground with the other hand, and slammed another one to the floor, falling to his knees. Blood trickled down the green-head's chin, but the Homunculus shook himself up and regained a straight posture, dashing to the window.

Ed and Al watched him hop out of the window frame and followed him immediately. But Refus kicked them all back into the house and dived inside as well. He drew a slender sword from his belt; his previous one had fell from his hand near where Envy fell. His eyes darted towards the stairway, where Suruko and Noah stood. He licked his lips delightfully and then gazed at his small knife. It was also a slender blade, but oddly enough, was drenched in purple liquid, the same purple on the needles in the storeroom.

He made a dash for it, but Envy managed to kick him away in time. The young Nazi Lieutenant grinned slightly.
"So you came back," Envy sneering voice reached echoed through the room. The long-haired part-human bent down, still keeping his eyes on the Nazi in front of him, and picked up the purple-drenched blade by the handle.
He turned it over a couple of times, examining it carefully from head to toe. (AN: Point to Hilt.)
And he tossed it away, carelessly, towards the door.

The Lieutenant smirked. He disappeared with a flash and reappeared behind Noah. She let out a little scream, when his hand gripped her shoulder, like claws.
"How about I kill her?"

Suruko turned around slightly to face his old lieutenant. His face showed no surprise at Refus' agility, but his eyes glowed with more ferocity than Al's.
His expression turned to a frown, and he swiftly appeared behind Refus.
"You will not harm her."

"Noah!" the two brothers cried out, rushing towards her. But the former controlled Nazi leader had already tossed his old Nazi lieutenant like a rag on the ground, in front of the Elrics, who had stopped and stood.

Envy ran towards them, limping slightly, and said, in a burning tone that shook all of them, "Teme! (You bastard!) Get outta here!"
(AN: Teme means "you bastard" only in this sort of context)

He only smirked again, and when the Homunculus dashed at him, he was dodging the thrown punches and kicks from Envy. Envy's disadvantage was being still a tiny bit poisoned from the dagger, and he stopped and coughed out blood again.
But his wound has healed by now, releasing the remaining bits of purple poison into the air.
He effortlessly kicked Refus away, grabbed him by the shoulder and swung him around the room, finally throwing him into the wall.
ANd he only smirked in return.
He watched the Nazi's slight smirk as Ed and Al tied him up for questioning.

Darkness

"Sono Orokamono wa osoi. (That fool is late.)"

"Yes. It seemed that he failed," Haste, the leader, said thoughtfully. He turned his gaze towards a group of Nazi friends in a corner, just lounging and listening to his words.
They were in a reserved private room of the nearby tavern to their hideout.

"A word if you please, master. I shall go accomplish this," a tough-sounding voice spoke up. It was a little drunk-sounding as well, since they had almost all been drinking.

"Very well. But it's either you come back failed and receive punishment, die at their hands, or be held hostage."
The leader paused for a moment.
"You have great talent, Lieutenant. Take these and go."
He handed the other some gear.

"Yes."

AN: It's finished. I'd just like to say a few things. The person who said "That fool is late" is just another soldier. I got the idea for the chapter title, "Dance with the Darkness", from a Runescape song title, "Dance of Death".
Thank you all who reviewed.
I spent quite a bit of time on this chapter so please review,
Kazuki
P.S. Longer than usual, right?