Ace: Hey, look, lots of fan-mail/reviews for Sonya.
Sonya: *glare* I hate you all.
Lela: Sonya, be nice. *hands reviews*
Sonya: Hey, Lela, this one's for you. It's from Furorensu-Chan, whom I now hate because YOU WANT ME TO GO OFF MYSELF!
Ace: Um, I never told them about that part.
Sonya: Oh.
Lela: What the? I guess he might not be a playboy. Envy could have been lying when he said Roy wasn't quite the ho he and everyone else thought he was...
Sonya: Okay, EternalHypernova, you are officially on my hit list. No one calls me little or batgirl except Greed, and that's because I can't kick his butt into the next millennium. But you're way down there for saying I'm cool and making Ace's day by complimenting her story and choosing the bobble-head of her double.
Kayla: Okay, Bloody Bonez Alchemist XD now. I asked you a while ago if you minded me borrowing your name for when I become a State Alchemist just like Ed, but you never answered me. It made me sad. And yes, I liked jumping in there with Ed too, though I think he had rather mixed emotions about that...
Sonya: DarkVampirePrincess8, once again, for me. *reads review* HOLY SHIT! First off, Kayla is not wild, she's just stupid.
Kayla: Hey! I'm not stupid!
Sonya: Secondly, Envy is only nicer because he enjoys punishing his kitten when there isn't a chance of her smacking him upside the head with wet fur.
Lela: I don't do that!
Sonya: And finally, I suddenly no longer wish to murder you in your sleep because you defended me from having to go off myself and were happy that I can now see.
Ace: *in small voice* Now that you're happy, Sonya, would you do the disclaimer?
Sonya: ... Fine. Ace5980 does not own FullMetal Alchemist. *sniff* I hope you all enjoy the chapter, 'cuz I'm not in this one.
8: A Trip to Liore
(1 year later)
Lela did not like being left behind when Envy went on missions since it brought on spurts of depression. Coincidentally, the homunculus didn't like leaving her without a babysitter for more than a day after she tried to take her life three months ago. He'd also learned to get rid of his excess prescription medications that day. Then she'd taken up cutting herself, shallow, superficial wounds every time, behind everyone's backs.
Thus, she was taken with him, Lust, and Gluttony when they all went to Liore. She may as well have been left at home since they left her alone in the little room. Then again, maybe not; Envy had tied her to the bed with the cat collar before they'd left.
Lela didn't bother to test her boundaries or attempt an escape. Her space was no doubt severely limited and escaping would only end in recapture on her part. Instead, the chimera rolled over onto her back and glared at the ceiling, hating the way her new clothes rubbed her fur and hair the wrong way. After the cutting was discovered, Envy had decided that as Lela's master, he was entitled to deciding what his kitten wore now, leaving her with little choice and no input into the matter. She kept the collar of course, but her old clothes all went. He first brought her a cut-off tee, black to match the collar, and a pair of skin-tight shorts, also black, with a hole cut for her tail, and that was only her first discarded gear he'd brought her. When she and Envy finally reached an agreement on an outfit for her, the shorts had changed to a knee-length skort similar to his and the tee to a black leather vest, zippered. She thought she'd die of shame by now.
Lela played absently with her zipper, glad she'd cut a hole for her tail in the skort too. The light slowly faded from the room as the sun went down, but she didn't bother turning on a light, knowing her eyes had far superior night vision than a normal human's thanks to the alchemists. It was only once the stars had come out that they returned, Lust complaining loudly about some Cornello guy. Lela pushed herself up lazily, turning her gaze expectantly to the door.
She was not disappointed. Envy, also in a fouler temper than usual from their dealings with Cornello, came in quickly, closing the door behind him and instantly began roughly stroking his kitten. She permitted this, by now knowing better than to fight or deny him, and he carefully checked her over for injuries, finding none he hadn't placed on her himself. But to her surprise, Lela actually found herself purring for the first time as his fingers danced over her skin, fur, and healing wounds. How odd.
Kayla didn't like being left behind, not one little bit. Why else would she venture forth from their hotel room, against explicit orders not to on Edward's part, dressed in a dark blue cut-off spaghetti-strap shirt, a pair of long jeans, dark blue overcoat that seemed vaguely reminiscent to that of the Amestris Military ones, her pair of sturdy white leather gloves, dusty brown boots, and a worn-out faded brown hat here in Liore? Contrary to the Elrics' belief, Kayla Animalia had not come here expecting to find Lela or Sonya. No, she'd given that search up years ago, pushing it firmly aside to more of a hobby or something to do if she had the time. Instead, she'd come here partially to help them search for the Philosopher's Stone and mainly because they were her pack now, Ed was her undisputed Alpha, and she was merely following orders. Of course, it did help when she was as fond of someone as she was of Edward Elric, FullMetal Alchemist of the military of Amestris.
When Edward and Alphonse came towards her, unhurt, a relieved smile found its way across her features. She bounded over to them, quickly looked around to make sure no one was watching them, and licked Ed's nose like she always would. It didn't matter to her how much time went by; every time she was left alone, she always expected alchemists other than the two of them to haul her away to perform horrible experiments upon her like they used to. It was an irrational fear, she knew, but it was one only Ed could chase away.
She had to ask. "Did you-"
"No," Ed murmured bitterly, "it was an imitation, and it crumbled when he over-exerted it."
"I'm sorry." She paused. "I didn't find anything on my sisters either, if it makes you feel any better." Not that she had bothered to look.
"Not really. Looks like Liore was a dead end after all."
"Yeah," Kayla murmured distractedly, "I guess it was."
Lela sometimes couldn't believe what had happened to her over the past forever. Apparently, the Cornello guy had failed miserably and Lust had been forced to take him out. There was no excuse for incompetence for the homunculi, extenuating circumstances or not. Lela could understand that.
Just because she understood it, however, did not mean she thought it was right. She didn't. She also didn't think she should be forced to watch the murder either, but Envy disagreed, and since he was the master, she watched. She may have hid behind him, peeking out from behind his hair, when Lust performed the horrible deed, but she watching it all the same.
Sonya: Ace, I hate you so much right now. Why am I not involved in this chapter?
Ace: Um, because I thought I kinda went a little too long to include you. But don't worry; you get the entire next chapter all to yourself!
Sonya: Oh good. Now all you Sonya-haters have to suffer for an entire chapter while the story moves on! Mwahahahaha!
Kayla: I brought balloons for the reviewers! *plays with blue balloon tied to tail*
Lela: Um, Kayla, where are the other balloons?
Kayla: Oh, I gave them all to Ed to hold onto!
Ed: *distant* KAYLA!
Kayla: OMG OMG OMG, I'M SO SORRY EDWARD! I DIDN'T KNOW THE BALLOONS WOULD MAKE YOU FLOAT AWAY!
Ed: GET ME DOWN FROM HERE, KAYLA!
Kayla: *runs off* I'm on it!
Sonya: *sighs* I'd better help them, right? But, if there are any balloon survivors after I'm done with them, you reviewers are welcome to them. *flies away*
Lela: I'll go blow up more balloons and tie them to Envy this time. He's heavy enough to not be forced into orbit. *walks away*
Ace: AND I STILL NEED RECOMMENDATIONS PEOPLE! MANGA LAB 5 OR FIRST ANIME LAB 5? I NEED HELP TO GET PAST THE WRITER'S BLOCK AND WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD CHAPTER 12, THE CHAPTER WHERE THEY ACTUALLY DO ALL GO TO LAB 5, HOSTAGE UNTIL MY DEMANDS ARE MET!
Sonya: *chucks fire extinguisher, which no one quite knows where she got it from, at Ace* STOP ABUSING THE CAPS-LOCK BUTTON!
Ace: MAKE ME!
Sonya: WITH PLEASURE! *dives for Ace*
Ace: OH SHIT! *runs for cover*