AN:/ Okay. Gwen and Lillie are actual people, my best friends.

So, they are not my OC's, like Suzanne is.

I hope Envy's character is... As in character as I want him to be- But.. I also hope you understand when he doesn't act in character. -sweatdrop-

Enjoy the next chapter!
Since I have no homework-that I know of..- I AM UPDATING! Part 2.. of.. Well, this. Episode 9?
There will be a part three... Cos..
I SUCK AT SEQUENCING. AHG.
I make things short, long. And long things even longer- I KNEW THE REAL TIME IDEA WAS BAAADD!
ANYWAY!
The next part will be.. Oh..
Oh.. That.

OH...

SOMETHING IS COMING UP THAT I DID NOT EXPECT WAS SOON.

PREPARE FOR THAT.

It'd been at least a few hours since my eardrums exploded.
I was sent back to the room Ed and I stayed in by my main nurse, Jade.
Whom would not stop bugging me every corner we turned. I was also in a wheel-chair, since crutches didn't seem to suit me. Considering I was so.. un-average in height, they decided on giving me one like Edward.
"You just had to get hurt, didn't you?" I could hear him, since he allowed his voice to switch from the Alto-worthy feminine one, to his Janet-the-smoker raspy-worthy one.
"Have I ever told you what a lovely singing voice you have?" I mumble, and wince as a shot of pain burns into my thigh. It wasn't letting up, and I was debating on asking for higher dosage of pain killer.
I could hear him huff in that way he does when he feels slightly offended, and I roll my eyes. "Besides. I'm just confused as you are."
"Don't put me on your pathetic level."
"Oh and I thought we were getting somewhere."
I felt a sharp smack on the back of my skull, and I automatically swivel to glare at him. "Why the hel-"
"Shut it." He growled as we passed by a group of Hospital staff. Acting casual, I lean into the hard-as-a-rock stuffing, and deja vu washes over me. As the nurses and doctors walk on, I pinch at his right hand and he might've blown up like a puff fish.
"I'm not.. confused. You're the one who doesn't understand her own powers yet."
"Bullshit." I turn, and squint at him, and he blinks. Tapping my sternum, I raise a brow. "Please tell me you Homunculi have at least half the memory of us humans."

The paintings on the walls sped by, as my nurse "Jade" practically ran back to the room. We swerved around another corner and I had to grip onto the arm-rests just for the comfort.
"TOO FAST, YOU IDIOT!"
I feel myself yell, as a blur of light blue and gold enters and exits my vision, and I hear a gasp. "What the-!?"
Before I knew it, the sound of a door slamming closed and I was shoved forward, note still in the wheel-chair. Steeling my bones, I blink rapidly, trying to regain some sense of balance.
"You said that out loud!"
"I WHISPERED!" I try to focus on him, but there were about five of everything. "Unless someone was really bored, or really creepy, no one would be able to listen in!" I shake my head, and close my eyes, trying to calm the dizziness.
"Still! You need to be careful, or you'll blow the entire operation!"
At that, I giggle, and cover my face. Knowing that if I start laughing, I might get socked in the gut. I hear footsteps, and a hand grip the ponytail I made when I hung up the phone with Gwen.
Speaking of Gwen..
"What's so funny?"
She's coming here, and of course, she'll ask questions..
"Hey... I'm talking to you!"
How do I lie to my best friend?
"HEY! LISTEN TO ME!" I faintly feel myself lean away from the booming voice, and I snuggle into the chair I was sitting in.
I can't possibly do that... But in order for her, as well as Lillie not to be targeted and murdered like Hughes was..
Oh no.. Hughes..

Trying to scrape my mind, I just can't remember when he died. Exactly how far were we in the series? Are we close? Can I save him? Even if I do, that'll ruin everything. How Roy's vengeance keeps him going, and when he finally finds the killer...

"JEALOUSY!"

Something tugs at my chest, and I shot forward, only to almost connect foreheads with Envy, who had shifted back.
He leaps backwards like I had just spit in his face, and I rub my eyes furiously.
"What the hell happened? You blanked out!" I felt a rough grasp on my upper-arms, and an equal rough shake. "GOD, I AM NOT MADE OF JELLO! QUIT JIGGLING ME!" I yell at him, and he stops only to make a weird gurgle, and I raise a brow at him.
He had bit his finger, and then took a breath, before crossing his arms.
"..Alright. Why'd you shift back? Ed could appear at any moment." I mutter, uncaring whether or not Envy get's seen in his slutty state.
"You look like a third-rate prostitute. No offense." He seemed to prickle at my jab, and he pointed at me, again all up in my face.
"How is that not offensive? I look great! You just have bad fashion sense."
"Are we really going to go there, Mr. Man-Woman? I understand why you choose that form, you know, "Youthful and cute" How is that not girly?"
His face actually seemed to turn red with anger.
"I WILL STAB YOU-"
"Blah, blah, gender-confusion, blah blah," I mock, making gestures of someone 'talking' with my hands. "Blah, blah, anger, blah, am I a girl? Blah blah, am I a boy? Blah, blah.." I tilt my head side to side, and the tug earlier seemed to increase, which allowed some courage to destroy any warnings that entered my mind.
Which also made me more relaxed, and the fears of getting killed -repetitively- by him left. Bravery for the win.

The same tight grip almost snapped my fingers in half as it felt like I was being yanked up into the ceiling. The suddenness felt like I was being Judo-thrown, but I didn't fail and hit a wall.
I failed, yes, but I hit an Envy.

Of course, I had my eyes shut. I mean, my shoulder's were this close to being pulled out of their sockets- Which has happened before.
"Okay, why the hell did you do that?" I grumble, the tingling of the Philosopher's Stone flowed through my arms. My hands felt fine, which seemed to think that the Stone had stopped working.
There was a silence, and I frowned at the familiar feeling of air fanning my face.
Like when those Chimera's stared down at me from the ceiling.
I shivered at the thought of glowing feline pupils, and reluctantly opened an eye, only to snap it back shut at only seeing violet.
More deja vu.
The more I observed, the more I realized I could feel his entire torso-
Holy.. ..He is very muscular for a skinny dude.

Another puff of air, and I tried to lean away from the obvious closeness, and images of Laboratory number five made me almost screech and balls-kick away from him.
"Your face is red... " I wince at how loud he was up close. Even when he was talking at a normal volume -for him- it was like he was yelling. That, or my hearing was over the top.
We were in a stance like two people in a funky waltz. Or, we both held our hands up in surrender and either one of us were pressed into a mirror.
Only having the other as a reflection.
"Also, you look like you ate something sour. I'm not going to stab you."

Squinting my eyes open, I pout at him.
"How am I sure about that?" I ask, but my stomach seemed to drop at how fast my eyes switched to his own, how close, and why he wasn't moving away.
He actually looked uncomfortable, which was hilarious for me. Though eventually, he'd get over it and punch me in the face.
"Well for one, your Stone isn't working. So it'll cause Father some problems. As much as I hate to say it, you're somewhat essential."
Deadpanning I raise a brow. "Well, duh. I'm in a hospital over a wound. I thought you'd get that."
A sharp pain shoots across my forehead, and I groaned. "Ow. Ow ow. OW."
"Don't get a big head. You still need to get stronger if you want to help Father."
"Jerk."
"I try my hardest." He rolled his eyes, which up close weren't actually a dark purple, just a really dusty navy blue.
Which I actually found pretty.

"Your face is red again..." He states bluntly.
"NO IT'S NOT YOU IDIOT!" Flailing a bit in place, I manage to kick him in the leg, but he only throws me off him, and I land in a heap on the floor.
Grunting, I sit up and rub my throbbing head, only to get a foot in the face and skid to below the window.
"I AM NOT AN IDIOT! IF ANYTHING, YOU'RE THE STUPID ONE!" He yells at me, and I point at him, tears pricking the sides of my eyes.
"OW, THAT HURT!"
"QUIT BEING SUCH A WEAKLING, THEN!"
Scrambling to my feet, I wobble a bit, then take a few steps to my bed so I can try and look normal. Ed would seriously be here any second with Brosh.

"You didn't need to do that, Envy." I grumble, hoping no bruises would form so that the nurses wouldn't think I'd fallen out of bed. "The nurses'll think I tried to escape."
He was just standing by the window where I had gotten up, and to me it looked like he wanted to just hop out and leave this disinfectant-smelling place.
"Hey..." I tilt my head at his seemingly dazed state.
Maybe he's just pretending to, and if I get closer he'll chuck me out the window..
Turning away from my bed, I reach over to grab a magazine I saw laying on the table beside me, and I continue to penguin-walk my way over to him.
Lifting my arm, I poke his arm with the rolled up packet of content.
"Envy. You okay?" I poke again, only for him to switch his gaze to me, and away from the closed window. "What?"
Looking to the window, then to him, I continue to blink.
"Uh.."
"What did you ask me?"
"What do you mean?"
"Just now, what did you say?"

Moving the paper away, I uncurl it and toss it back to the table, and hope it lands on it. I have terrible aim.
"I asked if you were okay...-"
"Don't do that."
Freezing, I give him a confused look. He crosses his arms. "Why..?"
"You're a Homunculous, whether you or we like it or not. Even if you still act like a human. Even if you're not worthy of the title."
He explained it like he explained how he tortured people.
"That doesn't mean I can't ask if you're feeling alright." As much as I hated making anything harder for anybody, I wondered why he would think someone caring about someone else weakens them.
He scoffed, and gave me an expectant look.
"You can't keep the goody-two-shoes act up."
"It's not an act! I actually mean it-"
"You're going to stay a little pathetic worm if you keep acting like what your not."
"What?! I am a human!"
He then narrowed his eyes, and looked ready to slice my head off. Even though I was still scared of him, I had a feeling he wouldn't do anything too drastic. He was faithful to Father. He wouldn't go against his wishes.
That, and there's what Lust and Father himself said.
"No. You're not. Not anymore."
"Don't say that! You're wrong, just because I was forced into becoming something else doesn't mean I have to give in." There was a sudden pressure against my neck, and the air was knocked out of my lungs.

The same navy blue were colder, and were staring directly at me. He had pinned me right beside the window, and more deja vu made me wince.
"It's useless to try. You're not human anymore. Just quit." He growled, and I copied his look of irritation. "No." He removed his arm, only to have it land right beside my head. I had moved to the right, and barely missed being socked in the jaw.
"What did you say to me?!"
It's amazing how fast his tolerance can change. From insults and shoves, to orders and punches. He may not be able to slice and dice me like he usually would have, but he can break me with words.
"I said no. You can be above me, but I will not lose the only thing that keeps me going!" He raised his arm to hit at me again, and paused, glaring heatedly at me. "You don't know what it's like, I'm never going to be able to talk to anybody the same way again! I know you hate me because I had what you always wanted, and I took it for granted, but for once just try and think that Jealousy hurts more than Envy sometimes." I hiss out through clenched teeth, since he had taken a hold of my neck again during my little monologue.
"Try to imagine worry over losing something, yet you lost it anyway." I fall limp, and shake my head. "I'm doing this to myself. I want something I can never have. Something I'm not going to get back. So I might as well try and keep what isn't there for as long as I can.." I was getting somewhat delirious.
The lack of oxygen, considering he was cutting most of it off, and how I was so used to him being like this. I didn't care.

We keep repeating from almost friendly, to deadly.
I was getting tired of it.
I want to help them. It's going to hurt more than help, but I want to.

I just wanted him to stop and try and accept me. Which was asking a lot.

Feeling my legs give out, I expect to stay pinned to the wall, but I fall to the floor again. I didn't get back up, and I slide onto my side. curling up, my thigh flares to life again.
"Pitiful." I feel a nudge at my ribs, only for a rough grasp on my arms.
I got tugged up, none too gently, and felt my feet drag the floor. "Stupid.. You worthless..-"
I kept hearing insults, so I tuned them out. Before, it'd be hard to understand how anyone can handle getting called "scum" and "worthless pathetic worm".
Now, I know it's a simple insult-reflex he has.
Not exactly simple, but something along the lines of that.

I felt the familiar hard as rock bed, and I didn't move from my plopped spot. There was a sharp tug at my hair, and I restrained from scrunching my nose up.
"Shrub."
Still unmoving, I let my breaths fall slow and long, acting asleep.
There was a silence, and my skin crawled at the feeling of being stared at. He can be very creepy at times.
Red flashed in my vision, and I assumed he took the form of Jade the Nurse.
Footsteps faded to my right, and I cracked an eye open slightly.

"Father wants to talk with you again..." He said, and I snap my eye closed again. "We've established that something is wrong with your Philosopher's Stone. As soon as you are discharged, we are going back.." The door suddenly squeaked open, and Jade the Nurse's voice almost jolted me awake.

"You need to be quiet, Miss Daniels is asleep." 'She' explained, with a cheery voice, and Ed's confused 'huh' almost made me fall to the floor laughing this time.

(Gwen's POV)

"Ugh... Can you feel your butt? I can't." I stretch, and shake the sleep out of my body. Winry chuckles beside me, lugging her suitcase over her shoulder before setting it down to stretch herself.
"That train ride really left me sore, so yeah." She rubbed her lower back, and stared begrudgingly towards the train she just got off, and I did the same, except slowly lifted the middle finger to the guy who kept flirting with us.
"Well, let's try and find the Ma-.. easiest way to the Hospital." I hoped she would miss my screw up, and luckily with a sigh from her, they started to walk around.
"Yeah. Knowing Ed, his automail must be broken into a million pieces."
She sudden gripped onto a wrench that appeared out of no where. "If it's happened again, I'll kill him!"

Smiling with a raised eyebrow, I nudge her. "Knowing you, you'll go easy on him." Winry puffed out her cheeks and swiveled the other way. We were passing many groups of people, which slowly had fear gnawing at my heart.
Not so good with groups of people, I grip onto my own suitcase tighter. "Let's just head on. We'll get there, and we'll both pummel our idiots." I say, referring to Ed and Suzanne.
Winry chuckled, and looked over to me, her blue eyes shining. "I can't wait to meet her! You always talk to highly of her. Besides the funny stories, she seems like nice girl." I nodded and linked arms with her, and she happily hummed.
"She is. Though at times, her naivety gets the best of her."

Oh, she just had to get in trouble. Normally, she edges away from anything remotely painful. She's not the type to help out in a fight. Rather, to stop one from escalating or starting.
The people were in clumps now, the train station having let out ten minutes ago. They were coming and going, as Winry and I made our way across the platform.
"...Ed said to look near the West exit.." Winry mumbled to herself, then I look around for a certain bald head.
I needed to at least prepare myself.
"There'd be someone familiar, right?.." I ask aloud, and she nods. "Yup."
She then pauses, and I've already noticed the sparkles.

"Hello Major Armstrong, it's us!" She calls, and tugs me forward. Being a bit slow on the feet considering I have arthritis at age 16, I hurry as much as possible.
Standing beside her, I stare up at the Major.
'Hello Miss Winry, hello Miss Gwendolyn."
"Just Gwen."
"Did you have a pleasant trip?" The Major ignores me, and I deadpan. Some gentleman.
Winry was looking around, side to side, and I knew she hoped to see Ed and Al.

"Where're those stupid Elric brothers?" I raise a brow at her word choice. The Major blinked, then closed his eyes.
"Well.. You see..."
He leaned down between us both, and whispered.
"They've been in an accident, and were sent to the Hospital."

Winry gasped, and stepped back, surprised. I looked over to her.
"The hospital?!"

"What happened?!"
A loud clunk of metal and I was jolted back to reality.

It's been about four hours since Envy had said what he did.
Something was wrong with me.
So Father would have to figure out what was wrong with me, as he was the one who gave me the Stone..

It didn't help that he was still in the room. He hadn't exactly left. Just stood beside the door, or by the window. As Jade the Nurse.

Edward made a noise of surprise, and Brosh looked over to Winry Rockbell.
Who had just entered the room.
"..Hn... Well... That didn't take long.."
"You're gonna charge me an express service fee, aren't ya'?" He said, dread in his voice. I sat in the bed moved beside him, and leaned into the pillows.
"Uh.. No.. No I won't charge you for this.. I didn't do a good enough job on your automail last time.."
Feeling bad for Winry, I want to comfort her.
Then another part of me smacks empathy away, and nags at her for not trying as hard as she could've.
"...And now you're badly injured.."
There was another pause.

"... Trust me, don't feel bad. This shrimp is way too stubborn for his own good." I say, waving her guilt off. She seemed to ignore me, though, and the little demon inside me wanted to push her out the window.
Brosh and Ross deadpan, as Ed shoots me a glare.
He then blinks at the three sets of eyes now pointed in his direction.
Flailing a bit, he tries to stutter out reassurance.
"I-It's not your fault!.. You can't blame yourself for this! I broke it because I was being reckless!" I had to lean away in order not to get smacked with his left arm.
Pouting at his dramatic approach, I scoot away. "Your repairs were flawless as ever! This was all my fault!"
Hunching in my spot, I tap my knee in slight irritation.
Oh, go compliment her one more time.. I dare you. I will smack you all the way to the Shire, where you belong...

I feel eyes on me, and I shudder at the feeling. No wonder Ed got so worked up.
Turning my gaze to the window, I see Jade the Nurse giving me a sly grin behind her clipboard.
Squinting my eyes, I hear a slight commotion. Tuning in on it, I faintly hear Edward continuing to rant.
Jade the Nurse lowered her clipboard at tapped her chest, and I tilted my head in confusion.
She straightened up as Ross turned to look over at me, and I blinked for a moment. Jade-or, Envy- seemed to get ticked off and sent an evil eye her way. The female officer retaliated with her own scowl.
Though that wasn't from hatred, but from distrust.

"-Usual rush order fee, of course."
I look back to Ed and Winry, and I saw her eyeing his milk bottle. I found it kind of funny how it literally had the label, "Milk". What happened to just the glass bottle?
Settling underneath the covers, a wave of fatigue made me snuggle into the rock-pillow.
As I was halfway into Dream-Land Escape, a loud boom made me jolt up onto my elbows.

"O..Oh, heyo Gwen. I see you're back from visiting Lillie. " I hear Winry say, and I turned over to face the scene.
Winry had milk forced in Ed's face, who was staring at the door in shock.
"Yup. Now, where is she?" I hear a stern voice in my ears, and I whimpered, curling lower under the thin sheets.
"Over there."
Of course, now she notices me!
Closing my eyes, the thunk of a suitcase hitting the floor, then harsh footsteps storming over to my bedside.
"... Hey."
Peeking an eye open, I try to understand what I'm seeing.
I'm seeing my best friend, though.. She looked different.
Her glasses weren't the turquoise rectangle\-shaped ones like I was used to. Rather, they were round- Like Harry Potter's, but even larger.
"You look like Egon from Ghostbusters." Was the first thing that tumbled out of my mouth.
She seemed displeased by that, so she glared at me.
"We haven't seen each other in ages, and this is the first thing you say to me?"
Blinking, I slowly sit up. Staring down into my lap, I give a nod.
She sighs, before giving me a tight hug.
"I've missed you, you know."
"..Yeah.."
"Lillie's doing fine- I know it's probably been hard getting to see her lately.."
"..Yeah."
"You're starting to sound like Mori."
"Yeah."
Though after that, I starting giggling. "I've missed you too. And, I'm sorry."
She nodded at that, and clapped her hands.
"That's what I have been waiting to hear." She turned to Winry, and pointed at Ed. "You do your thing. Make him suffer." Winry gave her a grin, before continuing to assault Ed.

I focused on Gwen, as she gestured for me to scoot over. I did, and she sat down beside me.
"We need to talk."
Furrowing my brows, her blue eyes told me that something was wrong, and that this talk wasn't for all to hear in this room.
Understanding this much, I nodded in response.
"But not now.. There's too much." She says, probably referring to what was about to happen during this episode. I couldn't call them days, or weeks, or months. Time sped the same slow way, but episodes suited much better than,
"Next week on Tuesday, blah blah blah."

In the background, I noticed Jade eyeing Gwen with suspicion, and my heart seemed to stop in place.
If Gwen attracted the wrong type of attention from the Homunculi, she could be killed off.
This isn't a game, where you can restart- It isn't a dream.
If anything to relate this to, Sword Art Online would be the closest.

We can't escape, and we know this world.
All we can do is survive by our wits and possibly friends.
I was scared for her, because they wouldn't kill me off so recklessly.
As far as I knew..

I'd have to be careful around her, and make sure she was safe...
Though..
I can't tell her anything about myself. Or.. What.. I am now..

I can't tell her anything at all.

AN:/ UGH

I'm sorry for being a bit late... I kind of got a "I don't want to write." moment. That, and the one website I was clutching onto for dear life, what fed me Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood episodes, went up and died on me multiple times..
My Public Library is out of stock on FMA since I told my friend about it...

LUCKILY the website got up and running again!
I feel like a pirate.
-pun pun pun-

I really do hope you enjoyed this, because it is dragging. Even I can tell.
Though, things will pick up next chapter- Mostly because my friend, who I got into FMA, will be BETAing me.

Here's a preview for next chapter, just to set the mood:

Many suits and dresses, cloaks and hats.
Out of all of these, the blue uniforms stood out among-st the dark colors.
I couldn't even attend his funeral with my own face.

It wasn't raining. The forecast for today wasn't sun, either.
It was just... Gloomy.
I knew what was coming.
Like before, I could do nothing about it.
They didn't know me.
They didn't care.
Right now, the sights were set on one man alone.

"Why're they putting all that dirt on Daddy?"
A dead man.

I hated it.

Tortured to hear it for the third time.
Almost brought me to my knees.

It happened during the night, as it did in the show, and the manga.
Though I had a front row seat, Father sent me to study and injure the man. It was like a trust fall.
My fear grew that evening.
Fear for what they did, what was going to happen, and what would become of me.

"But if Daddy get's buried then he won't be able to do all his work.."
I wanted to help, but all I did was make things worse.

"NO! LET ME GO!" Thrashing, and kicking. Clawing at arms, growling in rage. He wouldn't let me save him. I wanted to save him, because he didn't deserve to die.
He needed to, though, they told me.
It felt real enough to make me cry for weeks. When I didn't even in the first place when I read it.
Real, because it hurt.
"You fool, what are you doing? He knows too much."

After I left, I was targeted again. They wanted me back for questions, and they needed answers.
Whether I was able to kill a man or not.

"They made me watch it.. Just to make sure..."
Gripping the white of my blouse, I feel my throat close up in that familiar way.
"That I wouldn't cry.. And feel emotion.. Too much so, that it'd ruin my stability." I mumble to myself, and it seemed as no one heard me.
Because they didn't.

The funeral was long over, and it was the next day.
I had always wondered whether Gracia and Elicia visited every day, and I finally knew.

They were good people.
Such good people, that one decision from a being hidden in the shadows could ruin their lives.

I hated him.

No matter what tugged my heart, what little nag in the back of my mind told me, I hated him with a passion.
So I'd get stronger.
To make him pay.

At least, I wanted that.

Though now, I am a prime suspect for the murder of Maes Hughes.
Along with Second Lieutenant Maria Ross.