Dear Readers,
Yall like how fast I updated? HA! LICKIDY SPLIT! Thank you to all who commented. And once again, just watch episode 42/ the first half of 43 to see action and talking scenes. HOWEVER, I had to change up what Winry says to Hohenhiem during a certain scene. PLEASE READ THE NEXT FEW SENTENCES. THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE STORY/TIMELINE CRAP TO HELP MAKE THINGS EASIER TO UNDERSTAND Let me Explain. While thinking intently, I have come to the conclusion that winry was abducted duirng episodes 14/15. And, instead of going to her, the Elric's make her come to them. (and I really didn't think much into why she was staying Sheska...I don't even think they knew her by then. But, that just one of those miner things that you'll have to look past. like how Rose was unprego one chapter, and had a baby in the other! Yes...But, the story really is coming together now, but it is FAR from over.) ANYWAY. She wasn't there wehn they went to Rushvalley, visited Teacher...NONE OF THAT. SO, she never found out who actually killed her parents. THUS, my dialouge change. Sorry makers of that dialouge...But it had to be fixed for the sake of His Amethyst Eyes! Little bit of humor to this chapter...You'll see why. I had a really hard time writing those damned fighting scenes, but I guess the upcoming lemons will be harder. * sigh* well, go ahead, READ!
-Ramona F.
Night and Day
" What's going on?" Alphonse Elric asked, looking down his large armored body to see his black legs. " Feel strange...My body..."
Morning had come, and Lust's body stood against the hot desert sun, appearing like the grim reaper. Her body hunched over like a gargoyle, her blood red eyes nearly glowing. In the distance, one would have mistaken her for a large raven, peering down at it's next victim.
The bringer of death.
Which is exactly what she felt like.
" You bastard!" Scar snarled as he lifted Kimblee, who was still broken and bloody, but managed to smile, into the air with his only remaining hand. His blood red eyes where fiercer than usual, and Lust could see he cared deeply for the younger Elric.
Her black lips turned into a scowl.
Well, now this complicates some things. First he goes and gets his arm ripped off, and now he get the other Elric turned into a bomb.
" My work is so intricate, only an explosives artist like myself can diffuse it...But you'll have to find someone else...Because I'm about to retire..." His voice grew more strained and raspy during the sentence, then suddenly his who body heaved and he spat a large amount of blood at the Ishbalan's knees. When he had finished his momentary pause, he looked back up at the man slowly, " No need to hurry. There's still plenty of time left. I've made his armor react slowly with the oxygen in the air, gradually spreading until he's completely black. I want him to have time to think about his death, and reflect on how meaningless his efforts...have been..."
And those where the last words of Solf Kimblee, as his bright eyes slowly faded away into nothingness, and Lust watched with anticipation as all of the life drained from his face. Leaving him still with a smile on his bloody lips. Scar, seeing the man was finally dead, dropped his hold from him and let the Crimson Alchemist fall to the ground with a ear shattering thud, penetrating the silence the mans words had created.
Lust narrowed her eyes.
Then there's no other way? The youngest Elric is really doomed?
Mean while, Alphonse was having a panic attack, looking around himself frantically.
" No! It has to be a lie! My body!" The boys high voice shrieked as his large body trembled, taking a step back and compacting his blackened foot into itself, causing him to crash to the ground with a cry of desperation.
" I'm scared..." Lust heard his young voice say, and her heart stilled again.
She watched as Scar slowly made his way over to the child, and decided to make her move.
The sin jumped down from her perch, landing erect on her heals without making a sound.
" Stay still Alphonse Elric." The scarred Ishbalan said in a low voice, kneeling before the Elric. " I'm not sure what's happening with your body, but we don't want to make it any worse. Just try not to exert yourself." he raised his hand to touch the boy, and she found her voice, having been momentarily mesmerized at watching the now gentle man.
" I wouldn't touch him if I where you, scarred man." Her voice came out to be smooth as silk, and covered up all of the nervousness she actually felt at actually speaking to the man who captured her interest.
His red eyes widened, and she turned to looked at her.
She felt her heart beat crazily.
Jeez Lust, calm yourself down. You act like you've never seen a man before.
But she hadn't...Not like him.
She smiled, her full black lips curling ever so slightly.
" Homunculus..." he growled under his breath, and she felt her once quickening heart slowly stop.
She didn't move, didn't bat an eyelash. She gave off the mask of having not even heard him. But her inhuman ears had. And she couldn't stop the pressure she was now feeling weigh down on her.
" Just leave us alone..." Alphonse pleaded, his soulful eyes shimmering with despair.
She couldn't stop herself from feeling sorry for the child.
It was now in her nature.
She wondered what Sloth would have done in this situation...
" That arms only good for destroying things, not remaking them. Now if Edward where here, he would be able to transmute his brother into some other substance, disrupting Kimblee's alchemy and stopping this bomb." She stated as she walked over to the man of her memories slowly, unfolding her arms from her chest.
" You think that would work? Altering his composition?"
He was so determined...So damned handsome to her...
" Leave him..." She purred.
Lust reached out for his clutched fist with her own hands, happy the bottoms where glove-less so she could get a feel of his rugged skin. His eyes widened at the contact of her cold skin to his, and she could stop the flutter in her stomach and the electricity that jolted throughout her body and missing soul.
" He's a lost cause...You have to think of yourself from now on, and your own goal of forging the stone." She whispered, black lips forming each word with accuracy, while her mind was racing, wonder what the hell she was saying.
As her words sunk in his red eyes filled with disgust, and she felt herself grow cold.
" Just as I thought..." He growled, then ripped his hand from hers, staring at her as if she was some sort of horrifying creature. Disgust and hate in his beautiful eyes. " You aren't my brothers love. The woman I knew would never have acted so heartless and cold." He stared with that determination she so admired.
She glared at him, masking her hurt.
Lust was at a loss for what to do...
This really wasn't her...But in a way it was. This was who she was...She was no one else.
Or was she?
If she just had that damned stone...
Edward tackled the damned homunculus to the ground, using his spear to keep him there with both hands. The sin buckled from underneath him, ordering him to get off. Edward's sharp eyes darted up to Rose, who's baby had stopped it's crying while it's mother had regained her voice. Her beautiful face was twisted with fear.
" Go Rose! Get outta here!" Edward demanded, looking into her eyes.
She gasped, jumping slightly, then, without hesitating, spun around and ran.
" Get offa me! Get off!" Wrath screamed, his loud, childish voice hurting Edward's ears.
Edward gritted his teeth, trying to keep the wretched kid down. But the child was bucking and squirming out of control. " Dammit!" Edward said, before clapping his hands together while holding onto the spear. He split the blade, and Wrath's eyes widened when the alchemist brought it down to trap his wrist.
" I'm not gonna sit back and let you keep using my right arm for your alchemy!"
" It's mine now!" Wrath said defensively as he used his strange powers and gripped the staff, turning it a blue and trying to dismember it from it's hold. Edward intercepted this, and made the spears head into a claw, holding down the child's arm- his arm- tightly.
Edward leaned back, looking down as the boy as he struggled, pulling uselessly as the welded material.
" Now now, that's enough Ed..."
Ed stiffened, his body going ridged as he turned back to look at that damned woman again.
" Come here and give mom a hug my prince of cool." She said this with her slow voice as she raised her arms, her glossed lips pulling into a smile.
Edward stared blankly at her as he stood slowly, his arms dangling uselessly at his eyes. Swaying back and forth. He walked slowly over to her, his determination set clearly on his face as he made his way to the woman with her out stretched arms and cold smile.
" It's been haunting me for a while now...Your appearance. So much like her...Still I tried as hard as I could not to think about it..." Edward kept his words strong, even as her body ripples, " Not to face the truth. What we made...On that night..."
Glowing eyes...The sputter...Echoing all around...The mist...
Edward golden eyes blazed as he slowly went to her.
" We created you." he said, his voice much softer and slightly quivering.
She smirked, giving up the facade of kindness. The humunculie brought her arms out swiftly before her, with a fastness Edward wasn't expecting. She swirled her arms around as they turned into water and whipped around. Before they hit him, Edward slapped his hands together and brought both arms out to his side, struggle momentarily against the force behind her blow as he turned the water into something else, sweat slowly dripping down his face. He gritted his teeth and looked back up at the woman who looked so much like his beloved mother...
" So it's true what you are." He said fervidly as he clapped his hands together, creating his trusted blade, " Our sin and our burden to bare." He declared as he lunged, automail ready and waiting to slice through her.
He swiped at her, but she moved away from him, seeming to flow as if she was...Water. Easily dodging his blows with the stealth and grace only a homunculus could bare. He kicked at her face, but she merely stepped back, smirking as she did, her dark blue eyes shinning, then turning magically into a dangerous shade of violet, along with her pupils dilating and turning into slits. Finally, her body exploded into water, erupting from her clothing and tearing into the cloth. Edward watched with wide eyes as she moved backwards, only to reform in a new attire...A long dark purple dress and matching gloves.
Her ouroboros tattoo caught his eye, and he felt his insides turn.
" Clearly, your with them..." He growled, his voice taking on a n almost animal tone. " Okay, so we know you've been working in the military, but why? What's the point?" Edward asked, fully business now and trying to get to the bottom of the humunculie's plots. If he played his cards right, he knew he could somehow get them to squeal. They where sometimes prone to evil monologueing.
" Don't touch her!"
Edward turned around, seeing Wrath come at him angrily as he freed himself. He came at him in his fury, yelling, " I'll kill you!"
He heard Sloths heeled steps approaching and gasped, sweat rolling down his face as he clapped his hands together, feeling the electricity of alchemical reaction run through him, smacking his hands to the ground, causing his attackers to gasp and look up. The ceiling shook as large spikes erupted from the stones, trapping the humunculie.
Edward smirked, then used his small size to easily wriggle out of the spikes, and with a huff, he was finally pout. Greeted by Rose's smiling face. He smirked, walking to her.
" Come on Rose. Lets go." he said, still looking at her as he passed her by, not wanting to waste one more second, seeing as how the humunculie didn't die as easily as he had thought.
The girl smiled, then turned and followed him as he ran past Lyra...Who was just standing there with her eyes closed and this damned look on her face.
" Take's more than that to end the life of a homunculus for good Ed." She said in that tone he hated.
He stopped, and turned his gaze downward.
What the hell is wrong with her?
" You'll never defeat them if that's the best you can do." She finished.
He didn't know what was wrong with Lyra...But he didn't like it./ What could have changed her so much? And how did she know about the humunculie so well? He figured it must have been the teaching of Dante...But how had she known so much in the first place? What was Lyra not telling him?
He heard Rose gasp, and he remembered she was there. He realized he must have been worrying her again, so he turned to her with a smile.
" Isn't it great Rose?" He asked, and she turned to look at him with large purple eyes.
" Your voice, it's finally back." he closed his eyes and grinned stupidly.
" I guess so...Thank you." She whispered happily, tears in her eyes.
He opened his eyes again and couldn't help but think how beautiful she was...he slapped himself mentally, and continued. " And thank you for telling me what I needed ta hear." he said sincerely, his voice becoming softer...He looked down at her sleeping baby. " And, for your babies cry." He finished, his voice much softer.
She blushed, and looked down at her baby, then kindly nuzzled it's soft little face against hers.
The tears in her eyes slid down her tanned cheeks.
For a moment, all the Fullmetal Alchemist could do was stare.
Because he was momentarily reminded of Winry.
The azure sky was clear above her head, beating down on her sickly pale skin, catching in her raven hair, but not doing a thing to heat up her now stone cold skin.
Her body shook with emotion from the cruel words from the man before her.
His blood red eyes bore into hers, which still flickered back and forth between the two colors, but he continued his work trying to fix his robe.
" I'm sorry I don't live up to your memories." she said bitterly.
" I would never have expected you to." he said harshly. " I told you. You are not the same woman my brother tried to resurrect. You just look like her."
Her face pulled into a frown and her lips trembled.
Is what he saying really true?
She stared at the tanned man who had captured her dead heart. The feelings she felt for him she knew where real, and she couldn't help but deny him. This had to work. It had to.
" But if I use the Philosophers stone to become human I'll become er." she tried, and smiled faintly.
" No you won't." he said harshly.
Her smile vanished and her now violet eyes where suddenly full of despair.
" How do you know?" she asked softly, her voice quivering, no longer sultry and smooth.
She felt like she was breaking down from the inside out.
" because the dead can never come back to life."
His red eyes met hers, and as he looked back down to place his hand on Alphonse once again, her eyes flickered red, and a slow tear escaped her eye. Lust quickly whipped it away as her eyes widened, trying to figure out what he was doing.
" what are you gonna do to him?" She asked the determined man. When he didn't answer, her emotions went out of control, suddenly afraid for the boy who was slowly dying, and the man who might end up killing them both. " Tell me dammit!" she cried as she made her way to him.
" Stay back!" he barked, holding up that damned locket once more and making her insides twist in both fear and admiration. She felt her body jolt once again from seeing it, but she wasn't close enough for it to take affect. His eyes locked onto hers as he continued his threat, " Now just shut your mouth, and watch."
Lusts heart flew up into her throat. A chill went down her spine as she was suddenly rooted to her spot. His voice was so powerful, so commanding, she felt like nothing more than a helpless chimera. She took a deep breath and watched as he tied the locked around the child's waist, then placed his hand back to the armor.
Scar grunted, his face tensing along with the rest of him. Suddenly, the red light shone around his fingertips and arm, creating some sort of reaction. Lusts eyes widened as as his hand actually fused with Alphonse's armor, and the scar man let out a cry. When his arm and the boy where fully one, he pulled back, loosing yet another limb. Now he was a armless man, staring down at the boy who's armor was now covered in the strange symbols of what the man called "heretics".
That stupid, stupid man.
" Now what have you done?" she asked, her voice low and full of emotion.
She couldn't believe he had actually...Couldn't understand why he would do something so stupid...And all for what?
The man stood slowly, somehow still able to stand after loosing not only both his arms, but half of his blood. She knew he didn't have much time left.
" That arm was given to me by my brother. He trapped the souls of the dying Ishbalan's inside it, by turning his own body into a transmutation circle."
Now she was even more pissed.
" He did that with good reason. To create the Philosophers Stone within himself...A gift he passed onto you," Lust's eyes widened with sudden realization, " So that means..."
Scar only continued to stare at her, then looked down at Alphonse.
" I've attached the locket to his armor, that way you can't get anywhere near him. You can only stand back and watch."
Her anger overflowed within her once again, taking control of her mouth.
" Have you lost you mind? You want to turn this boy into the Philosophers Stone?"
The idea sickened her. Lust had had no intentions on using Alphonse like that. This man, however, didn't really seem to care, as he made his way down the street, leaving the child he just cursed with his own burden.
With one last look at Al, she huffed, and followed the armless man down the street angrily, his stubborn attitude getting on her nerves.
" Better that than a bomb. You said if he changed his body into something else he wouldn't explode, it was the only way I could help."
She followed behind him closely, staring daggers into his back.
" And what about the actual stone? Don't tell me your planning on handing it over to those boys once your done?"
she couldn't believe she thought for a moment she was even attracted to such a silly, silly man.
" I don't even know whether or not if this will work. But if by some miracle it does, the stone will be theirs. They can do with it what they want."
She let her anger take over her, and she retracted her ring finger and thumb into spears, grazing the sides of his face slightly. He halted to a stop.
" I'm afraid I can't let you do that. I need you to make the real Philosophers Stone, you understand?" she hissed. " Don't waste all your work, all the work of your brother, just to save that boy. How is that going to fulfill your dreams? " Her voice shook with emotion.
Lust would get her way. Would find out...She and to.
He was quiet. Too quiet for her liking.
" If you kill me where I stand right now will that help you fulfill your dreams?" he asked softly, moving his head slightly to the side, trying to look back at her. She scowled, narrowing her eyes. He was lucky she didn't kill him.
Then suddenly, he just walked away.
She couldn't believe him.
No man had ever simply walked away from her before...Showing now fear..Like he was...
Memories assaulted her as she withdrew her spears.
That man...His brother...His glassed...Eyes closed...Her in a bed...
It was all too much.
She smiled, despite her pain and the sweat beading on her face.
" have it your way...And if there does come a time when a stone is made, I'll find a way to use it myself." she paused, tearing her eyes from the retreating man and the shell of Alphonse Elric, lying motionless on the desecrated city street.
" Whatever happens to that poor boy now, it's not my responsibility."
" I'm making pancakes!" Winry sang as she stirred the batter ferociously.
After her "episode" that night, she had been ordered to stay in bed. But she been so full of energy she just could help herself. She felt like Sloth in over drive, and as she poured the creamy batter into the skillet, she couldn't help but grin. She actually had learned a few tricks while she had been "kidnapped".
Marta stared at her like she was inside, but didn't move from her spot on the kitchen counter. Normally, Winry would scold someone for doing this. But she felt just so good she couldn't deny poor Marta her cave woman habits. Ever her scratching her back with a long wooden spoon didn't phase the mechanic as she hummed happily to herself.
" Have you gone crazy?" Marta finally asked.
Winry turned to her and frowned.
" Nope. Why?"
Marta rolled her eyes.
" Well, first you faint and start crying like you saw some ghost, and now your all chipper and making breakfast? Do you have multiple personalty disorder?" The snake commented, taking a strawberry from the batter and cramming it into her mouth.
Winry huffed and frowned, puckering her lips into a pout, than dragged the bowl away from the hungry chimera. " Fine, you don't want my breakfast, then don't have it."
The snake chimera's eyes widened and it was her turn to pout.
" Ah come on gears for brains, don't be a sour puss. I'm just saying your acting a bit nutty!"
Winry's eyes sparkled as she produced a wrench from thin air and held it to her side.
Marta held up her hand and shook her head as the blond girl raised the tool.
Suddenly, Winry stopped her actions and looked around.
" hey, where's Edward's dad?" she asked, blinking rapidly.
She heard Marta let out a sigh and mutter something like, " crazy automail junkie" under her breath before saying, " He took off a while ago. Before you where up. Said something about visiting someone?" While trying to snatch a strawberry from the bowl.
Winry narrowed her eyes at the sneaky snake, and bashed her over the head.
" Ow!" Marta cried, holding her head and hissing up at Winry.
" Get your nasty snake fingers outta my batter!"
As Marta cursed hotly under her breath ( something about midgets needing to learn to control their mechanics or something along those lines) Winry stared out the window above the sink, looking at the distant hills of Resembool.
She knew exactly where he was.
It was where Edward always went.
And if they where anything alike...
" Hey Marta, you know how to make pancakes, tight?" Winry asked as she took off her apron and stood on her tippy toed and placed it of the chimera, who looked at her like she had actually gone insane.
Even if Granny had told her to take it easy that day...
The buzzing mechanic couldn't help herself.
" W-wait, I can't-" Marta stuttered, blinking rapidly at the fleeing girl.
Before she left, Winry paused ion the door way, taking on the sight that made her smile.
Marta was standing with a spatula in the middle of the kitchen, wearing her usual tough army attire with a pink frilly apron.
" Don't worry, I'm sure it'll just come naturally to you. Like hibernating in winter."
Marta narrowed her eyes at the girl, and before she could say anything, Winry fled, giggling along the way. She took the stair steps two at a time, making her way to her room and grabbing her usual basket of flowers. She patted Den on the head as he continued to sleep in, which she was only allowing because it was a Sunday. She smiled to herself at his cuteness, then rushed down stairs.
She passed Granny Pinako in her workshop, filling some order she hadn't asked Winry fore assistance on. She looked up from her work, inhaling from her pipe as her granddaughter slipped on some boots and began to shuffle outside with letting the old lady notice.
" Hold it right there Winry Rockbell!"
Winry stiffened, almost out the door.
" Yes?" She squeaked timidly, sweat dropping.
She guessed she dis look a bit ridiculous...Wedged halfway between the door and the wall...Trying to sneak outside with a basket that clearly could make it through the small crack she was wedging herself through.
" And just where do you think your going?" The old woman asked, breathing out smoke.
Winry frowned.
" N-no where really...Just going for a walk, clearing my head."
She realized how horrible of a liar she was in the face of her grandmother.
" Not going out to cause trouble, are you?"
Winry smiled nervously and swayed her hands in front of her face.
" Trouble? Me! Ah Granny, why ever would your beloved granddaughter ever get into trouble?" She laughed nervously, and reflected back on her ...Rebellious tendencies. Like her earrings, for example. When granny had seen what Winry, herself, had done to her ears she had flipped her lid. Not mentioning the fact that she had twice as many piercings when she had been her age...But Winry wasn't saying anything. The old woman was scary when she wanted to be.
Granny smiled, and shook her head.
" Just don't get the military involved this time."
Winry smiled.
And sometimes she could be the best guardian ever.
Winry bounded down the steps, the sun brights and catching in her golden hair. She took it up into her hands and quickly made it into a high pony tail as the Resembool heat picked up. She couldn't help but smile and breath in the fresh, rural air.
She didn't know why she felt so good.
So full of energy.
Making her way up the large hill, Winry recognized the worm path created in the tall grass. She remembered walking up it every day, flowers in hand, with her grandmother. She also recalled going up it when scouting for the Elric brothers, who would stand on the hill top for hours in end, staring at one stone. She can see them now...Edward in his little suit, face serious and thinking, his fists shaking...Alphonse on the ground, his eyes sad and body shivering. She dried her eyes of the tears that escaped her and blamed them on the wind.
Sure enough, she saw him there. Sitting before her grave. He was looking down at a ring of flowers he had made. His eyes hidden by the reflection of his glasses.
Maybe this was a bad idea...He looks like he's so deep in thought...I don't want to disturb him.
Winry took a deep breath and gulped, but took a step forward. She really wanted to talk to the man, and she decided that putting flowers on her parents grave was a perfect excuse to do it. Well, that and she hadn't been to visit them recently, and she had been feeling slightly guilty.
She made her way over to the graves, staring at the names engraved in them with sad eyes.
" Winry?"
She stopped, a d turned back, seeing the man had acknowledged her. A smile broke out on his face, and he raised his hand slowly. She smiled and raised her hand enthusiastically.
" Hey Mr. Hohenhiem." She said as she made her way up the hill slightly, not wanting to impose on him or anything. She felt a little nervous suddenly, like she was stepping in on something special.
" Sorry if I'm interrupting..." She frowned.
" No no, not at all. Come and take a seat. I was getting rather lonely up here."
She smiled brightly and made her way to the man, picking her way past the tombstones and taking a seat beside him.
" And please, just call me Hohenhiem, or even just Van. Mr. Hohenhiem is just so...Formal. Makes me feel old." he smiled and rubbed the back of his head.
She blushed slightly and smiled.
" Okay..Hohenhiem."
she had to admit, it was a strange name. She wondered for a moment where he was from. Surely not Resembool.
" So, are you feeling any better from last night?" He asked.
She smiled nervously, suddenly embarrassed.
" O-oh ya, sorry about that..."
She really had no idea what to say. She had never told anyone about what had happened to her, and everyone just thought when she started crying like that it was because of Edward or her parents. Not Envy...No one even knew she had ever met the homunculus or Dante.
It was all bottled up inside of her.
Ready to pour out.
She stared at Hohenhiem's kind, and gentle smile.
She took a deep breath.
" Hohenhiem?" she asked softly.
He blinked a few times, " Yes, Winry?"
She was suddenly nervous again, and began twiddling with her fingers, " H-have you ever...Have you ever been in love with two people? But kinda liked one person more than the other one when you know you shouldn't, but you just can't help it, and they clearly don't like you, and then there's the poor other guy who loves you a lot and is much better for you but you can't help but love the other person because there just so perfect for you? And then you feel all sick inside because you know you'll never see that other person ever again, and they hate you and never wanted to be with you in the first place and him and the other guy hate each other and the other guy doesn't even know you where with the other one?" She said in a rush, all of her words morphing together and coming out in a slur.
He blinked his eyes a few times once she was finished, and she blushed, sweat dropping along with him. She hunched her shoulders and looked down at her hands, which she was wringing together.
" Repeat that..." He said.
She took and deep breath, and exhaled.
" have you ever loved two people at once? One being bad for you, and the other being who your supposed to be with?" She summed up.
Winry stared at the man intensely as he looked at Trisha's grave, and that damned sad envy smile came on his face. She felt hot in the cheeks, but continued her stared, holding her breath.
" You sound like one confused girl." he finally said, laughing a bit.
She sighed and frowned, closing her eyes.
" But...I can say I've never had that happen. Not...Exactly."
Her eyes opened, and she edged closer to the man.
" What happened?" she pried.
He frowned and rubbed his beard.
" Well, I was with someone before I met Trisha...But I had never really felt like I was in love with her...And after being together for a long time we grew apart, and I left." he looked down at the ring of flowers, and touched a petal softly, his eyes seeing something she couldn't. " And then I met Trisha. The love of my life..."
Her heart melted at the mans compassion.
So much like his sons.
But who was the other woman?
" H-how did...The other woman handle it?" she asked softly, feeling a bit like her.
Hohenhiem shrugged. " I don't know. I just left."
Winry's jaw dropped. " You just took off on her?"
His eyes met hers for a second.
" it's not what you think Winry. She was...A horrible person. She only cared about herself and gaining power over others. Not about a persons soul. Not about love, " he looked up at the sky and closed his eyes, " Not about anyone but herself."
She was quiet for a moment as she watched him, seeing how much in love he had been with Trisha, and clearly still was. She wondered for a moment how he would react if he met Sloth...But decided not to say anything. Sloth wasn't really his Trisha. And she wasn't even sure if he knew about the boys trying to bring her back.
She turned her attention to the horizon of Resembool, it's hills and vibrant colors relaxing her. A large cloud covered the sun overhead, and the brightness was taken away.
She compared this sudden reaction to Envy and Edward.
Edward, like the bright sun, making everything bright and contrasting. Everything being light and shadows. Good and evil. And him standing as the lone protector for good.
But Envy was the filtered sky, casting shadows over everything and making it hard to tell the difference between right and wrong. One minute his actions are evil and she hates him, and the next he's saving her, and she's head over heals. He illuminates everything, while at the same time, nothing.
Night and day.
Dark and light.
The two boys where exact opposites.
While being exactly the same to her.
Their smiles. Hate for authority. Destructive tendencies. Rash thinking. Impulsive actions.
She guessed they where different in some ways...
Like, how they kissed, for example.
Envy was rough, but gentle, trying his best not to hurt her with his smooth, sure touches. He was so sure of himself, his hands never stopping or doing anything other than pleasuring her and slowly caressing, holding onto her softly and giving her the feeling of him never wanting to let go.
Edward, on the other hand, was fast and rough, but drove her senses insane with his fast, fumbling human hands which seemed to be everywhere at once. He held onto her as tightly as he could, not caring if he crushed her and thrilling her that he cared so much.
Envy held back, whereas Edward hardly restrained himself.
Edward's hands where hard but soft, human.
Envy's where smooth, graceful, unearthly.
A demon and a man.
Good and evil.
An immortal and mortal.
And what was she?
Winry had never considered herself pretty. Never had a man tell her so before. She never fussed with her looks for more than ten minutes, and didn't have enough money to buy nice clothes like Lust. She didn't posses any grace, wasn't refined or interesting. She was also a freak about automail, and had a strange obsession over tools. What guy would ever want her? A clumsy, ugly automail mechanic living in a run down town like Resembool?
She looked down at her small, pale hands.
I don't deserve either of them.
" So, who's the rival to my sons affections?"
She jumped a bit as Hohenhiem suddenly spoke. She turned, and looked at him, her skin the color of a tomato.
" Oh...Well...He's...We're not really together anymore."
He frowned. " But you still have feelings for him?"
She sighed and looked up at the giant cloud which had taken always the sun.
" It's really complicated...We...I don't know what we where actually."
she could almost feel him frown. " So, it was a fling?"
She huffed and fell back into the grass, spreading out her arms and legs and staring up at the giant "Envy cloud". She stuck her tongue out at it like it was actually him. He would have laughed and probably done something weird. Like licked her tongue. She flushed at the thought and put that as another con on her building " How Envy and Edward Are similar" list which has growing.
" No...Not a fling..."
No, it had been more real than a fling.
Waking up in someones arms every morning after not even having sex was defiantly not a fling!
" So if it wasn't a relationship...And it wasn't a fling...Then what was it?" Poor Hohenhiem asked, still confused, and maybe even more so.
Winry shook her head.
" I don't know!" she huffed.
" Did he ever tell you how he really felt?"
She gasped.
She balled her hands into shaking fists a shot tears pricked her eyes. Luckily, not tears of sadness, but tears of anger.
Winry sat up, fury flaring on her cheeks.
" No! No he didn't!" She yelled at the now startled man.
He frowned. " Did you?"
Her anger didn't subside as she placed her hands on her hips. " Everyone knows the boy is supposed to say it first! Edward told me before I told hi-" She covered her mouth quickly as she said this, but not before the man smiled brightly.
" Really now? And you think that rule applies with every man, do you? Like it's apart of our DNA?" He smiled, clearly amused.
She scowled and fumed.
Because Envy had never actually told her how he felt. And dammit, he was supposed to!
" Damn straight it is!" she said hotly.
She stood suddenly and stared up at the sky, pointing her angry glare at the face of Envy she now saw. She couldn't help the tears that streamed down her angry face as she recalled her last moments with him. Seeing his beautiful eyes as he flung her out the window. Feeling the point of his blade in her back.
But he had never said it.
Never told her what she had wanted to hear, and what she was too shy to say.
" I hope your happy, wherever you are!" she called to his face in the cloud.
The cloud began to clear as she cried, letting the sun shine on her still angry face.
She closed her eyes before the last of the shadows left, trying to get her message through to the sin.
" I hope your happy..."
Envy was not happy.
Not one bit.
Currently, he was sure he was bleeding to death.
And the fact that he couldn't actually die, led him to the conclusion that he was going to be bleeding for a very long time. Decades maybe...
And that thought just really ticked him off.
He didn't like feeling the sticky warmth his blood created as it stuck to his side. It made him feel like he was wetting the bed or something ridiculous like that.
Before Dante had left, she had made sure to scar him up in other places, and had actually licked his wounds. It had not only disgusted him, but had actually hurt his skin, making him itch. And because of his current immobility, he was unable to scratch his nose. Which he wanted to do, very, very badly at the moment. Along with killing Dante, of coarse.
The sin didn't ever see himself getting out of the blasted room.
And there really wasn't much he could do to pass the time.
Besides stare into oblivion and thinking sexual thoughts about Winry. But that just taunted his body, and if he couldn't even move to itch his nose, then he could relive his body of it's...Wants, on his own either. So he kept his fantasies to a minimum. He also imagined torturing Dante, but that just made him itch more. So he spent most of his moments through excruciating pain, which happened a lot, and counting as high as he could go.
He was currently at one thousand five hundred and fifty six.
Envy also was well aware that on top of his stomach bleeding all over the place, it was also rumbling with hunger. He estimated he hadn't had anything decent to eat in about...A month. And he could really use a chocolate parfait. His mouth watered when he thought of the chocolaty goodness on his tongue. But such thoughts always led to his stomach gurgling, which made him bleed more. Via him having to not think of food whatsoever. Which was very, very hard.
He slept soundly, as always, but not for long. Recently, he had been awakened by dreams of his human life. Dreams that hadn't been bothering him for nearly three hundred years or so...
So at the moment, Envy was not very content with his life.
And he was pretty bored. He was sick of counting, and he couldn't currently think of anything that would amuse him, so now he was left with his other activity.
Stare at the wall.
After about thirty seconds of that, he gave up and began his other activity.
Envy tried once again to thrash about, but he only caused himself more pain.
I thought you had given up already?
He was almost happy to hear the voice in the back of his head. He had actually forgotten it was there, since he hadn't heard from it in what seemed like forever. But then again, everything was seeming like forever to him in that room. Minutes could tick by and it would feel like years. So the proposition of having a conversation with something, anything, seemed alright to the sin.
Oh, so you want to be trapped down here forever as Dante's love pig?
He and the voice both shivered at the thought.
Hey, I'm not even real. As long as your not out being all lovey dovey with that blasted human, I don't care what you do.
Envy rolled his eyes, all he could do at that point to show defiance.
A few minutes continued to tick by, and Envy's boredom was beginning to drive him insane.
Voice? He called in his head. He couldn't believe it had actually come to that...
The voice seemed startled, Yes?
Envy hadn't really thought that it would respond. So he asked the first question that popped into his head. Do you have a name?
This is how far he had fallen. He was now conversing with voices in his head on his own free will. Asking them for their name, like they where real.
I'm your subconscious you dolt! I AM YOU!
Envy blinked a few times. Oh...But we don't think the same way.
The voice huffed in the back of his head. Yes, because I'm the voice of reason. You know...Kind of like the little devil and angel on someones shoulder?
Envy slightly managed to frown. You lost me.
The voice sighed, I'm the voice to tell you the difference between right and wrong! So of coarse I think differently from you! You idiot! When you want to do something that you shouldn't, I try and tell you other wise!
Envy sat for a moment, which was really the only thing he could do. But he contemplated what the voice had said, trying to think back to all the times he had heard the blasted thing. And came to one conclusion.
His amethyst eyes widened.
You showed up when I met Winry.
If the voice had a face, it would have smiled, Envy could feel it inside him.
Bingo.
Envy's brow pulled together slightly.
I don't get it.
The voice hissed again, and envy grew angry.
You never spoke up when I was going to kill all of those other people, or any other bad decisions that I clearly have made my ENTIRE existence! So don't get all pissy! I just don't fucking understand what your doing in my mind! Envy screamed.
The voice didn't respond for a long time, and Envy was afraid for a moment it had left.
He frowned.
After wanting to get rid of the damned thing for such a long time, I can't believe I was worried about missing it at all.
I'M STILL HERE YOU PRICK!
Envy's eyes doubled in size and he narrowed them quickly.
And for your information, when you killed all of those people and did all that other bad shit, nothing was wrong with that! Your where doing what you where supposed to do!
Envy mulled this over for a moment as he tried to will the itching in his nose to stop.
So...Basically what your saying is...That it was okay that I killed all of those people?
YES!
Then...Why do I feel so damned bad?
The voice sighed, because you let some cheeky little blond blind you to what's really important! Eating the delicious stones and killing Hohenhiem and Edward!
Envy narrowed his eyes, having only heard the comment that he supposed was directed at Winry.
Cheeky little...? What are you talking about! Winry isn't-
You let lust cloud your judgment! And I tried to make you see the light!
Envy chuckled in his mind, Oh, and what light was that?
That your meant to kill! Not love another!
Envy closed his eyes, and once again saw Winry's face.
His lips trembled.
His heart cried out as his mind toyed with him more.
I already knew that you stupid voice.
The voice was quiet, and Envy basked in Winry's glow.
Then how could you let yourself love her? If you knew you would just end up...Like this?
Envy opened his eyes, staring at the skull from across the room. He wanted to crush the damned thing, but that would only wind up killing him in the process.
But in the event that Dante did take over Winry's body, which he wasn't sure about, he decided to end it all.
When Dante tried to claim him by tricking him with Winry's body, he would kill her.
Then himself.
By crushing that skull.
As he closed his eyes as drifted off into sleep, Envy was greeted by the warm sun beating down on his large, tanned hands. He moved his golden hair from his eyes and smiled to his father, who walked behind him. His mother stood beside him, beautiful and content, pale blue eyes smiling as she looked from her husband to her son. " William!" She called, her voice kind. He stopped, looking back.
He then saw her with a spoonful of something. The liquid smelt bad, and tasted just as bad. He didn't want it, but every day she fed it to him. He hated it. It made him feel sick, made him break out into a sweat and get sick all over himself, spilling blood all over his tanned hands. He looked up. Now his mother wasn't smiling. " Oh William, you need to take your medicine..." Her eyes where cold.
Envy opened his eyes suddenly, his body shaking.
No, he couldn't let himself fall asleep again.
Sweat rolled down his face.
His eyes met the skulls black sockets.
Williams eyes.
Lust raced after the man, her heals slapping loudly against the concrete.
She didn't know why she was still following him.
" They had orders not to move into the city." She shouted to her armless companion.
" Then this must trully be the will of Ishbala." Scar said, still keeping his quick pace.
She hated to admit it, but she was afraid. Afraid for the man. And afraid of what Pride was going to do to her once he realized how much she had meddled. Was she really doing the right thing? She couldn't help but ask herself that as she followed the man, watching his back intently and waiting for anyone to dare and attack him while she was watching over the Ishbalan. He may not have wanted her help, but she was just as stubborn as the scarred man.
As they passed an alley, Lust heard a solider cry, " I found him!" And stopped.
She gasped, stopping momentarily with wide, violet eyes as the men lifted their guns at her.
She lifted her arm as the bullets went off, waiting for the impact as she shielded her eyes. She had been shot before, and she hated when they hit her eyes. It took a while for the bullets to come out.
But the contact she was waiting for never came.
Lust heard a grunting from in front of her, and lowered her arm to see Scar.
Why did he...?
He teetered slightly, then fell to the ground. She watched him fall with large eyes, then turned her predatory glare on the soldiers before her. She gave them a sickly smile as she extended her Ultimate Spear, killing them all with a quick blow.
Once she was satisfied after hearing their screams, she immediately turned her attention back to the Ishbalan, who lay on the ground with closed eyes. She dropped down beside him, her hands sure and she hauled him up and stared into his face, which was contorted with pain,. She felt that jolt again from touching him, and her insides burned.
Why would he do that...After he made it clear he hates me?
" You fool. You knew it takes more than bullets to kill me." She murmured, a soft smile pulling on her lips.
She was grateful to this man. For his strange act of kindness that made her feel..Human.
Vulnerable.
" I...Couldn't control myself..." he grunted as he opened his eyes. " My damned body has a will of its own."
Lust's eyes fell and her lips parted.
And she realized what she hadn't seen before.
" You..You loved me, didn't you?" She said softly.
He looked far away then, seeing the woman she had once been.
Her body turned to be that woman. To receive that look.
" No..." He grunted.
Her stomach turned. Her face fell even more.
" Not you...But her."
Lust grunted again and she pulled him up as she heard another fleet of soldiers coming in. The stubborn man pulled against her touch slightly, but as his wounds leaked more blood, he dizzily let her guide him into a nearby house. She slowly sat him down by a window, then moved herself tot he other side of the room, not able to stand behind close to him. She crossed her arms over her chest, and stared down at the cold ground.
She couldn't help but wonder why.
Why did he make her feel this way?
Why did he have such...Power over her emotions?
Lust couldn't deny the fact that the thought of his taking a bullet for her...It moved her.
" I hated...My brother, so much. He turned his back on the teachings of Ishbala to immerse himself in the sacrilege of alchemy instead. And even though I knew he'd given me his arm to save my life...Still there was no room in my hate filled heart for forgiveness."
She continued to stare at the ground, not sure why he was opening up to her so much.
Maybe as his final words?
" But the Elric brothers...They live only for each other..."
Her face softened a bit. " That's true..." she agreed softly.
" Seeing their...Love for each other...It made me long to say those words myself."
she could tell by the emotion in his voice that he was crying. And Lust just couldn't imagine it. Couldn't see a man as strong as Scar crying...But then again, she could. She looked at the man now, and her heart opened to him as he was opening his to her. She wanted to go to him, hold him. But was afraid.
Never had she feared a man such as him.
" Bother...I love you." he closed his eyes, whispering his words of devotion to his brother.
Lust couldn't help but gaze at humanity and long for it.
She had read of it in books.
Heard about if from others.
But she had never actually seen it.
Never before had she truly felt someones humanity.
Not like this.
" So that's why you did the same thing for this younger brother. As your older brother did for you." she whispered, staring at the man she admired.
The light shone though the window, casting shadows on his slumped form. She could smell the iron in the air, and knew he had bled profusely. His body trembled, and he forced himself to stand.
" Come on, lets go. This life of wickedness has once closing act."
He walked past her, revealing the pool of blood from where he had been sitting.
Her mind swam with the choices she should be making.
Let him continue and possibly create a Philosophers Stone, making her human...
Or save the only man she could stand being around?
The boy from her memories...
She stopped him before he could leave.
" Tell me, what's your real name?" She asked softly, afraid this was the last time she would see him ever again. The thought made her heart go up to her delicate throat.
She watched as his profile stared proudly out the door, and she relished in his handsomeness, something she could believe she hadn't seen before. He was clearly her type of man...Rugged, strong. And not afraid to put her in line. Not afraid to do what he thinks his right and doing anything to get his way, just like her. Scar was a fighter, willing to die for his cause.
Was she just going to stand by and let him?
Now that Lust knew of something she wanted so badly, was she really willing to let herself let him go? Was she going to just stand by while he died?
" Long ago this body did have a holy name, given to it by God. But that person died years ago from a life of sin, malice, and retribution." He then walked out the thresh hold, only to be greeted with the sounds of gun fire and soldiers.
She heard his quick footsteps fade away, and the soldiers chase after him.
She closed her eyes, a tear streaming down her snow cold cheek.
" Then goodbye, Scar."
Winry smiled and made her way up the hill, basket in hand. The sky was as clear as it had been the day before, and after speaking to Mr. Hohenhiem for such a long time ( And after he had spent ten minutes trying to get her to stop yelling at that poor cloud, and another ten minutes calming her down as she blubbered like a baby) she wasn't as shy around him as she had been.
So after finding that he had left in the middle of the night, she knew where to find him.
She walked up the hill, and smiled at his stopped form once again, but saw he didn't have a ring of flowers. He was propped with his back against the graves, looking down.
She made her way to her mothers grave, and decided to start the conversation.
" You spent the night out here again?"
He started, then looked up from his train of thought. He let out a sigh then smiled and laughed. " Oh, uh, thanks for waking me, I could have slept all day." he scratched the back of his head and slowly stood. " I've been loos'en track of time...But tell me, when did Trisha die?"
Her eyes softened and she continued to keep her eyes on the now standing man.
" It's been six long years." She said softly, smiling sadly.
So many things have happened since then...
he made his way over to her slowly, staring down at the grave.
" I see...The boys must have been torn up over their loss..." he stiffened as he recognized the name on the grave she was standing by, and he leaned over slightly, stray strands of his blond hair falling into his tanned face. His eyes never left the words.
" my god I've done it twice..." he looked back up at her and stood straight, " I was thinking you where Sarah again."
Winry smiled, delighted to hear that comparison to her mother again.
" You must have been good friends with her. I guess memories don't age."
She turned to look at the gravestone and her face saddened, her delicate eyebrows pulling together at the sight of her mothers name in the stone. She always felt a little sad looking at it. " Sarah was my mom, and a great one at that."
Memories flew past her.
Her mother singing to her as she tucked her in at night. Kissing her cheek. Pulling the covers up over her and snuggling in with her when she would get scared. Which was frequently.
Winry loved those memories.
The sound of approaching footsteps caused the pair to look over, only to see Pinako as she made her way though the graves. She looked around with unchanging eyes, hands folded behind her back, and was once without her pipe.
Hohenhiem slowly knelt down to Sarah Rockbells grave, and Winry watched as he rubbed her name with his tanned hand. " So much pain...All because of that damned war..." he murmured to himself.
Winry mad her hands into fists, narrowing her eyes eyes at the ground.
" I can't imagine what it was like there...My parent where killed when they where just sent there to help. All they where doing was treating wounded soldiers and Ishbalan's..."
The idea of her kind parents...Being killed...She shook with almost as much agony when she thought of Envy.
" How sad we are..." Hohenhiem murmurer.
Winry shook her head and looked at the still crouch man.
" You can't sum this up with one word. It's a lot more than just sad..." she looked down, eyes glistening with tears, " When I was little, I imagined the people who killed my parents as demons...But I think If I where to meet the man who did it...I wouldn't be able to do anything..."
She looked down at her feeble, human hands. They where shaking. Just like the rest of her. Tears fell, splattering on her delicate finger tips.
" I feel lost..." She whispered.
" There's no good reason. We're all lost. That's why we're sad..."
UGH so, I really hate just going from all of these peoples perspectives like that. But I do like writing as Lust. She is such a man hater. Edward is the worst. he's just so nice! But he is funny. But his slang is getting annoying. ANYWAY, what will Lust do? Will she save the man she loves of let Dante's control over her and her fear of Pride keep her down? she's already defying them secretly, but will she make her rebellion public? And what of Envy? Will he ever get his chocolate parfait? Oh, and that's a true fact. FullmetalAlchemistwiki it. it was proved in some video game that Envy loves chocolate parfaits. SO, if your really in the spirit, eat one while reading His Amethyst Eyes! They're 196 calories!