run, i'm a natural disaster

27. Reinvigorated [giving new life]

Xing is a prosperous country, to the east of what used to be the great country of Amestris, which has been made smaller by the neighbouring countries of Creta and Drachma invading them about two centuries ago. People from other call Xing many names, most of which change due to what mythology they are using. There is a legend that the Emperor is immortal, that even when Xing decided to change to a democracy, mimicking the countries surrounding it, and split itself into self-governed provenances, the Emperor remained, watching over them, and advising them. He is a religious figure, with his bodyguards with the strength of lions and gorillas, the skill of ninjas and a special type of magic called alchemy. The alkahestry that runs through the country is still the same at a basic level, but its name has changed, as well as the things people who can do with it. Art of the Emperor, a young man of around twenty has been dated to a thousand different centuries, with some even appearing today, marked by the odd tattoo of a dragon on his hand. He is an object of reverence, hoped by many to have been a real figure, and still alive today. Scholars say that it is impossible, but then again, nothing is truly impossible.

Greed and Ling sit in the place dubbed "the Emperor's secret palace", and if the myths were to be believed, it would be hidden within a mountain. It has the same art from centuries ago, the Emperor's prized library and portrait gallery. It is richly furnished, with plush chairs and stuffed hunting trophies of extinct species. Ed stretches on the sofa, settling with a purr on the silk cushions. Her head is on Heinkel's lap, who is idly playing with her hair as he sketches scenes from nearby towns. Darius is deeply engrossed with discussing political theories with Heinkel and trying to take a peek at what he is drawing. Lan Fan stands to the side, her face hidden in shadow as she guards the group from the… screaming, biting, red things outside. She thinks that they are unnatural, all of them are, but they must be protected at all costs, as that is the Young Lord's wish. (That it is also her own remains unmentioned.)

Heinkel, unexpectedly for the tactical and cautious, fatherly man had died first. He had jumped in front of an attack meant for Mei Chang, and no amount of Alkahestry could fix it. Mourning lasted for weeks, and a village hidden amongst mountains, descended from the Chang clan still has a shrine to him. Darius had been soon after, saving a young family from a fire. On the site where the house once was, there is now a grove of trees growing. It is said that a carving from the tree will make the bearer strong, daring and chivalrous in battle; like the warriors of old. Ed and Lan Fan died together, guarding the other's back, doing their duty as protectors to the Emperor.

Of course, they did have a backup plan in case (because of) the mortality of their group. Ed had refused to leave Greed and Ling alone, saying that they'd find immortality far too boring without her, and she knew that Greed wouldn't take kindly to her being 'stolen' by death. Lan Fan had just looked at Ling, then at her arm, and then punched him. She would not leave her Young Lord. The chimeras weren't going to abandon Ed, nor Greed and Ling (and Lan Fan was becoming dearer to their hearts as well) ; so, cursing animal loyalty all the way, they had forced the homunculus' hand.

And so Greed absorbed their souls, adding them to his own, and feeling grateful as they fought their way out of the circle the same way as Ling did. Working out how to make their shared mind into the image of a palace took time, but visualisation and imagination was the key, as well as patience. And the five of them had tons of them all.

Greed and Ling look at their rag-tag family, and are grateful that their avarice was an excuse for keeping them as close to them as possible, for as long as their immortality lasts.

[They don't say forever, because nothing lasts forever, not even supposed immortals.]

A.N: Please don't kill me!

Umm... I can explain? Basically, there are three reasons why this hasn't been updated in such a long time:

1. Swimming season has officially started, so I am being entered into galas thereby eating up all of my spare time by training etc
2. The scout group and my explorer unit have been running quite a lot of camps
3. Exams are in 10 weeks and I need to start revising, and there are loads of papers and essays I'm doing

Since I normally update at weekends, and these have been my weekends... yeah. BUT I HAVE UPDATED. At long last.

If I ever go this long without updating, without warning, feel free to send me angry PMs or tumblr messages or whatever. Please.

On the bright side, I've watched about five new anime series, and given this story a cover? :D

Well, thanks for reading, and I'm sorry it's taken so long! D:

- Tom

[ thanks, as always, to the wonderful reviewers: WhatExistsInFalling, Hyper V, , FluehatrayaRoy-Mustang's-Girl, and aeva elementia