Dear Readers,
5/6/11 I have officially edited and updated this chapter, adding in a few changes that I'm sure a few of my readers will notice.
Okay, so here it is! It's not as long and meaty as I wanted it to be, and just as a warning; I may add some more to this and re update. So be on the look out! i just really wanted to get this out before this month was over! Believe me, I've been working on this all month, coming up with the ending and all that...Not that I'm saying it's near being over, but I've been coming up with a lot of good plot twists, and this chapter had a lot of stuff happening! So, enjoy, and this chapter is taken from episode 48, but only a small scene. Anyways, ENJOY MY READERS!
-Ramona F.
P.S- i don;t know why, but during this chapter I kept listening to Jeffree Star. I'm a freak.
Cavalry
Edward was pissed. Which was an understatement.
As he stared into the glowing red spheres of his younger brother, who stood a good ten feet away from him, he couldn't help giving him a bitter glare. Alphonse was harboring the creature that claimed to be their mother inside his armor, protecting it. The thing that had been the cause of the loss of his limbs, and his youngest siblings entire body, save for his soul. Their sin.
And now, Lust claimed that it was the fake philosophers stones that made her evil.
Ha! Like I'm going to believe that crap!
Exhaling, Edward knew he had to calm himself in order to make Alphonse see he was wrong.
"Al, look-"
"No Ed! Your wrong! She isn't bad!"
Edward bared his teeth in wrath. "She's got you fooled!" He hissed.
"You heard what Lust said about the stones! And can't you tell a difference?" Al plead, holding his arms out as he took a step forward.
Stubbornly, Edward shook his head. They all had to die. Every single one of those humunculie. In his eyes, they were nothing but abominations. Sins of foolish alchemist, like himself, who couldn't bare with the loss of a loved one. Creatures who start war, anarchy, just for the sake of a mystical stone in the shameful dream of becoming that which they claim to detest. Edward cringed inwardly, recalling Lior...The red light shining down on the chaotic city and the thousands of soldiers, evaporating them into nothingness...Well, if that's what it took to make the blasted thing...The sacrifice of human lives to such an extent...He didn't care if he ever got his limbs back. Edward wouldn't allow for pointless bloodshed.
The humunculie and their wicked master were to blame.
They not only stole lives of countless humans, but had also stolen someone precious to him.
He tightened his hands into a fist, recalling Winry being kidnapped right before his eyes.
"Al, this is your last warning...Help me, or..." He struggled with the words...
Al stiffened, but seemed to be angry, and held his ground. "Or what Ed?" He challenged.
Edward stared into his brothers glowing eyes. Remembering what he looked like as a child, Edward looked away quickly, realizing that he would never be able to return his body to his brother. Would never be able to fix the huge mistake he had made all those years ago...
"Just stop it."
Edward stiffened when Sloth softly spoke from inside of Alphonse.
"It's pointless to argue with him Alphonse...Edward isn't the sort to listen to reason when he's angry..." she chuckled sadly, "Like someone else I know..." Her voice was almost airy, wistful. Not condescending and malicious, as it had been moments before...Edward wouldn't let her trick him, wouldn't let her fool him like she had Al. He could see through her act.
"Shut up!" He yelled angrily, running forward but stopping a few inches away from his brothers chest, as to not touch the markings on the metal there and cause a reaction.
"What do you know, anyway? Your not our real mother!" He quipped.
He heard the dripping of water from inside his brother, and the sound of breath being exhaled sharply. "N-no...No, I'm not." Sloth agreed, sniffling a bit.
Blinking a few times, Edward clenched and unclenched his fists in aggravation.
What was with her change of attitude? Was she playing the part of "having changed"? Or did she think him a complete fool?
"Then you don't agree with Lust? When she says you are our mother, but not complete?" He asked, staring at the armor fiercely.
The echo of her sigh rang throughout Al's entire body, along with her sloshing about.
"I'm not really sure...But I do...I do have memories of the two of you. That is true," She chuckled under her breath once more, "And I do have this sense of protectiveness over you boys...I do not know why...Perhaps it's my memories driving me...Or possibly because I really do care about the two of you."
Baring his teeth like an animal, Edward's fiery stare bore into the armor.
"Stop lying." he hissed.
A sigh, then the swishing of water.
"I am telling the truth." She insisted.
The eldest Elric took a few steps back, then turned around, not wanting to look at his brother, nor the sin. He didn't want to believe what she was saying. Didn't want to give into yet another sin, at least not one that he himself had created. This thing...that creature...Was she telling the truth? The rational part of his alchemist mind was telling him to destroy her now, to listen to the facts, which where clear and simple. The humunculie where evil, vile beings who's soul mission was to cause devastation in order to gain what they wanted. He knew he should destroy them all.
But the other part...The part that was still a teenage boy who deeply cared for his brother, the girl he loved, and missed his mother...That part was being completely irrational. Telling him to give her a chance, and to hear what she had to say. Maybe Lust was right about the stones...And the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Greed had broken away from the rest of the humunculie after having been in some sort of chamber for a long period of time, with out access to the stones...And he was the humunculie that Edward actually felt bad about killing. Also, there was Wrath...Who had definitely changed since he and the little creature had first met. Maybe he should listen to her.
Maybe if we work with them, we can get to Winry faster...
But that was going against everything he stood for! To help them...The very creature that looked like his mother, and had used that to it's own advantage countless times! That was wrong...But...If it would help them find Winry quicker...
Maybe I could giver her a chance-
A startling bang, and the shattering then fall of glass from the other half of the warehouse stopped his train of thought. Both he and Al looked in the direction from whence it came, confused and startled. Inside of Al's armor, Sloth sloshed around, and whimpered-Yes, whimpered-at the sound.
"What was that?" She called, her voice echoing.
"Brother, what was that?" Al asked, his voice quivering an coming out in a whisper.
"I-I don't-"
A sharp cry filled the air, coming for the area they had heard the bang. It was strangled, and cut off too quickly to have ended well.
Edward stared off, narrowing his eyes for a sign of anyone emerging from behind the tall crates, which where protecting them.
All became quiet. Too quiet for Edward's liking. As he stared off in the direction of the noise, he all but too late remembered who it was that was in that direction.
Lust!
Scuffling could be heard, someone stepping on glass, another cry...Without a second thought, Edward pushed himself forward, using his automail leg to propel himself like a bullet, whizzing across the warehouse.
"Brother!" Al called, the sound of his empty footsteps falling behind him closely, along with the sloshing of water.
"Wait-Edward! We don't know if it's safe!" Sloth warned.
"Shhh!" Edward snapped as they neared the noise, which had grown louder. Yes, someone was definitely whimpering...
"Who are you!" He heard Wrath growl as they hid behind the large crates.
Edward's blond eyebrows pulled together in confusion. Grinding his teeth, he looked back at Al, who was standing close to him, but not close enough to cause a reaction. Holding up his fake hand, he motioned that he was going forward but for Al to stay back. Reluctantly, Al nodded his helmeted head, his large body quivering slightly. Turning his attention back to the noise, and the harsh breathing of Wrath, Edward inched himself closer to the edge, then, he slowly peered over the edge of the crate.
Eye's widening considerably at the sight before him, Edward stepped out from his hiding place, his mouth dropping open.
"Scar...?" Edward breathed.
Blood red eyes looked up from the unconscious Lust's face, staring into his own amber orbs. The Ishbalan's eyes tightened, and he nodded his head, as if acknowledging him.
"Edward." he said gruffly, then turned his attention back to the rather pale, and weak woman he was cradling tenderly.
To his shock, Edward's eyes widened even more, as he looked at the man's arms.
Winry's automail...
He hadn't seen the finished product of Winry's work, but he had to give her credit. The limbs looked both deadly, and beautifully crafted. Usually the eldest Elric didn't notice those sorts of things, but now, as the tall dangerous man hunched over, the lights gleaming off his deadly looking arms as they cradled the fair humunculie, Edward felt a chill roll up his spine. The man's bright, ruby colored eyes locked onto Wrath, who yelped in fear of the menacing man. His face, which was always set into a scowl, was sinisterly calm, deadly. With eyes that wanted to see the small creature suffer for hurting the quivering temptress. His eyes, never leaving what Edward guessed was Wrath's face, narrowed once more.
As he slowly stood from his crouch, glass crunching beneath his thick boots and falling off his dark trench coat, Edward noted the broken trail of glass which led to the array. The alchemist figured he must have jumped through the window beside the one he and Wrath had busted earlier, possibly as a distraction to startle Wrath from whatever he had been doing to Lust. And from the looks of it, she had been close to loosing her life. Puddles of melted Philosophers stones lay at the now standing man's feet, slowly dissolving into nothingness.
"Let me go!" Wrath hissed, sounding as if he was struggling with someone.
Confused, Edward stepped further from behind the large crates surrounding the Ishbalan and the wounded homunculus. His eyes fell upon a rather strange sight.
"Marta?" Al confirmed, confused.
The snake chimera was currently holding her beloved buck knife to the enraged humunculie's throat while she shamelessly had him pinned to the ground, wriggling beneath her for dear life. While one of her combated feet was pressed squarely to his small chest, her opposite knee was lodged in his groin. Edward winced at the pressure she put to it when he bucked beneath her once again, then cried out as she jerked her knee upwards.
Looking up from the boy's agonized face, her eyes falling on Edward and Alphonse, she smiled with her puffy lips. "Hey boys! Glad you could join us."
"W-what are you doing here?" Al demanded.
Marta's smile drooped as she pouted.
"I thought you'd be happy to see me."
"And what's Scar doing here?" Edward asked, looking at the colossal man with suspicion.
Scar tore his murderous gaze away from Wrath, then inflicted it on Edward, who was used to it after all the times he had fought the Ishbalan. But he knew it would make a normal man piss his pants.
"I came for her." He stated the obvious, gesturing to Lust, then looking down at her with a focused gaze.
As if on cue, the woman began to stir slightly in his arms, moaning softly.
"Mmmm..." Lust murmured, clearly confused as to what was going on. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, thick bat wing lashes moving rapidly, her eyes focused onto reality.
"S-Scar?" She whispered, reaching up with a feeble hand to caress his cheek softly, barely touching him.
Scar nodded his head softly, and Edward noted that his eyes slightly lost their malice as he looked at the weary enchantress.
"I...I'm not dead, am I?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly.
"No, but you would have been if it weren't for me and lover boy here." Marta chided, smirking at the temptress, who jumped a little at the sound of the snake chimera's voice.
Looking over and seeing the crude chimera, who cheekily smirked at her, Lust groaned.
"What is that reptile doing here?" she asked, her voice still weak but managing to insult.
Marta's mouth dropped open in clear anger. "Hey, I didn't come to save your sorry ass!" Marta looked down at Wrath, then scowled, "And if anyone's gonna kill you, it's gonna be me! Not some kid."
"Now I wish I had died..." Lust said, rolling her eyes.
"Wait a minute...When did the two of you leave Resembool?" Edward asked, wondering how they could have gotten here so quickly.
"Not long after the three of you." Marta explained, then gestured to Scar, "He made sure to wait until he knew the train you had gotten on had departed to sneak on. We rode on top."
Edward's mouth dropped open. When they had been on the train, they had to run, due to the officers discovering them. If Marta and Scar had been hiding...Then that would mean that they actually had gotten to Central before them.
"So you go here before us?" Al asked, realizing the same this his brother had.
Marta shrugged. "Pretty much."
Edward pointed to her, enraged.
"We told the two of you to stay behind!"
A blood vessel appeared on the blond chimera's brow.
"If it weren't for the two of us, Miss dark and dreary would be toast!" She eyed Lust and smirked, "But I have to say that it was pretty dumb of her, walking straight into that little twerps trap..."
"What was that, snake?" Lust hissed, trying to sit up in Scars arms. Grunting in pain, she only fell back with a clank as she hit his automail, wincing slightly.
"Try not to move so much, without the stones your weaker."
Edward looked back to see Sloths' head poking from Alphonse's side, worry streaking across her smooth features, filling her navy blue irises.
"What the hell?" Marta shuddered, clearly startled by the head now sticking from the small hole in Al's suit. "W-what's that?" She asked, wrinkling her nose.
"Sloth." Edward grunted under his breath.
"I...I'm fine..." Lust tried to sit up once again, but gasped and held onto her stomach in clear agony.
"Woman, lie still." Scar snapped, causing Al and Ed to both jump.
Obeying him, much to everyone's surprise, Lust lay back into his arms, turning to look at Edward with a sad smile. "Sorry...Looks like I'm useless now."
Before Edward could reply, Wrath screamed, his rage cutting through the air.
"GET OFFA ME!"
Suddenly, Marta was thrown half way across the warehouse. Falling into a pile of crates, they smashed under the chimera, a short cry coming from her lips as the wood pierced her skin and dust clouded around her.
"Marta!" Al cried, taking a step forward, but Edward placed an arm in front of him.
"Al, run." he ordered, taking a step back himself.
"B-but brother what about Ma-"
Wrath let out another cry, lunging wild eyed at Scar, who leapt back from his bladed arm. Scar narrowed his eyes, clenching his teeth in displeasure as he briefly looked down at the sin in his arms, who was shielding her face into his chest, quivering slightly. He dodged attack after attack from the child, who seemed very angry to have been stopped from carrying out whatever he had been about to do before the snake had stopped him.
"Wrath, stop it!" Sloth cried from withing Al, them emerged, holding up her gloved hands as she materialized back to her true form.
Edward watched with disbelieving eyes as she wrapped her arms around Wrath the same way she had with Edward earlier, trapping him in her powerful tentacles. Binding his arms, she began to drag him backward, away from Scar and Lust. "Calm down!" She ordered.
He thrashed about wildly, even going so far as to bite the water that held him, not hearing her pleads.
"Please Wrath, you must stop..." She plead, eyes soaked with tears once again.
"Why is he attacking her? Didn't he say she was his mother?" Al asked, looking at Ed for answers.
"The creature seems to be in a rage."
Edward and Al jumped at the sound of Scar's voice beside him, since he had been on the opposite side of the room moments before. He held Lust to his chest, and walked to Alphonse, holding her out to him. Al took her, obviously hesitant about his markings. But, fortunately, humunculie could not set off the array for some strange reason-Possibly because they weren't human-and he effortlessly held her to him.
"Protect her." Scar instructed the younger Elric, locking eyes with him for a moment before he turned to leave. Quickly, Lust grabbed at his arm, her eyes wide.
"Wait-"
Scar didn't give her a moment to finish before he tore his arm away from her grasp, then looked down at Edward with his piercing stare. His mouth was folded down into it's usual frown, and he looked as he always did...But Edward knew there was something different about him..Something...
"Go. We'll handle the child."
As he said this, Wrath broke free of his restraints, looking back at Sloth with hateful violet eyes.
"Mommy, why are you doing this?" he hissed, clearly confused at her actions.
"Wrath, please listen, your being-" The woman began, trying to reason with the boy, but he seemed to be in a daze of sorts...A rage uncontrollable, unstoppable. Moving faster than usual, he lunged at Sloth, slapping his hands together and turning her arms into thick stems of ice, reaching all the way to her shoulders. It was obviously painful, and Sloth cried out.
For some reason, this slightly angered Edward. He felt a tightening in his chest as he watched the face of his mother distort into pain. And he had to question why Wrath was attacking her, when he clearly had been protecting her before...
"Mom!" Al screamed, then went to run foreward.
"No Alphonse!" Sloth screamed, stopping him in his tracks and causing Edward to gasp. her face was still twisted in pain, but it also held the protectiveness of a mother who's child was in clear danger.
"Edward, take you brother and get out of here!" Sloth ordered, taking on the tone he remebered his mother using when she was angry, "Now!"
As a chill rolled down his spine, he heard a low, menacing growl. He watched as Wraths animalistic eyes shifted from Sloth to where Edward stood, and the boy bared his rabid, wild teeth.
"This is your fault, isn't it?" His voice rumbled with hate as he stared at who was clearly his next target.
"Edward, run!" Sloth screamed, trying to stand.
As Wrath went to move forward, pushing himself off the ground and darting forward in a rushing leap, Marta's arms went around him next. The side of her face was dripping with blood, seemingly to have been caused from the gash on her head, but still, she held on with a fierce gaze.
"Get out of here Edward! Go!" The snake woman called, gritting her teeth.
Wrath bit down on her arm, causing a torrent of dark blood to burst from her stretched limbs. The chimera hissed in pain, and tried to hold on longer, but not until the boy began to try and pull a chunk of her flesh off with his powerful jaws. Marta retracted her arm, cussing hotly under her breath,forming it back into it's normal length and holding down the part of flesh that was barely holding on to the bone. She went down to her knees.
"Marta!" Al cried once more, taking a few steps forward.
The snake looked up, pain clearly etched onto her face, which was dripping with perspiration.
Wrath lunged once again, turning both his arms into long scythe-like blades that gleamed a deadly sheen. He ran, race determined, mouth soaked in the chimera's blood. Jumping in the air, he went down like a missile, feet first, to take down Scar. The Ishbalan held his own, putting up his arms above him to block the boy. But Wrath was only using him as leverage, and bounced off the scarred man's new prosthetic limbs, landing in a crouch, inches away from Edward Elric.
Winry stared blankly at the bed sheets. They where burgundy, and quite soft.
Her eyes where blank, as was the rest of her, and she had not moved from that exact spot of the bed in two hours. With her legs drawn to her chest, the mechanic sat in a daze-like state, replaying what had transpired between she and the humunculie she had fallen in love with.
She had been trying to sleep, since she was pretty exhausted from having walked on her hurt foot (Which still throbbed) she had been sitting on the soft bed, thinking about the kiss she had shared with the emerald haired humunculie, when she had heard something thump against the door to her room. Then, the door had opened, revealing who else but Envy himself. But he had been...In a trance. His eyes where wide, but his pupils so large to the extent of them making his eyes look pitch black. He had been shaking, and looked to be on the verge of tears. Worried, Winry immediately went to him to make sure he was alright...One thing led to another, and she ended up checking him for a temperature, using a method she had learned from her grandmother recently.
When she had pressed her forehead to his, Winry had definitely felt electricity run through both of them, and she was sure Envy had felt something, because he had..well...He had kissed her quite forcefully. And when Envy kissed forcefully...
Whew...
Getting delightful chills up her spine just thinking about it, Winry tentatively touched the tip of her fingers to her lips. She recalled the way he had touched her...Had made her feel...She had completely lost herself in him, as she had the other night...And would have let him have his way with her, if he hadn't spoke in the way he had...In a way that made her remember that Envy had no recollection of their past together. That he just simply wanted her...Because...
Because...
Because...?
And that conclusion was the reason why why she had been sitting on the bed for two hours after he had left, reducing her to tears because she was so confused.
Why on earth would he still kiss her when he claimed he hated her? Wanted her to die and all the other numerous threats he had made? He was actually worse than when they had fist met...At least then Envy didn't have memory loss. And his temper was much better...Not to mention that he didn't press her for sex, or have black outs where his eyes turned black...
No, Winry preferred old Envy much more. Sure, old Envy was still cruel, slightly sadistic, and had a grin that could make a child cry...But that Envy...that Envy was the Envy she fell in love with...
And she would get him back. Somehow..She would get out of this, and get him to remember her, if it was the last thing she would ever do!
But the problem was, how was she going to get him to remember? And why didn't he remember?
Did he hit his head?
She rolled her eyes. The probability of Envy being so clumsy as to falling and hitting his head was out of the question...and if he was to somehow hit it against anything, she knew that his scull was harder than the densest of steels.
So, if not through an injury, then how? How does one just forget a person?
Poof, their gone?
Magic?
Winry thought for a second, then shook her head.
If not magic than...Alchemy then?
She didn't exactly know how alchemy worked, but she didn't think it could alter thoughts...But then again, she didn't know much about alchemy...
Sighing in frustration, Winry curled up into a ball and nestled into the bed, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt her head was about to explode from over use.
As a tear fell from her eyes, she bit her lip to fight off tears.
"No..."She said to herself softly, "No more crying Winry Rockbell. What would the old Envy do if he saw you now? He'd call you a miserable little cry baby, that's what..." She smiled, imagining him calling her that, "You stupid human," She tried in her best Envy impersonation, "Don't just sit around crying like a weakling! Do something!" She began to softly laugh at her measly impersonation...But she was slightly comforted by her made up Envy pep talk.
Closing her eyes, Winry decided it was best for her to try and get some rest before she tried to think again. So, pulling the warm sheets over herself, Winry snuggling into the plush bed, glad that Envy had given her one of the better rooms. And as she inhaled, she smelt the scent of lilac...
Drifting off to sleep with a smile on her face, Winry murmured, "...Love you..." Before a fat tear rolled down her pale cheek.
Wrath smiled a deadly grin, his lips dripping with ruby red blood as his starling eyes bored into Edward's form, revenge clearly swirling around in their violent depths.
Edward leapt back as the sickly blades came dangerously close to his nose, grunting in annoyance.
"Al, run!" He screamed, hoping his sibling would listen to him.
"DIE!" Wrath hissed as he jumped in the air and spun, the blades nearly hacking off Ed's braid as he ducked down.
Still in a crotch, Edward slapped his hands together, and as Wrath landed before him, he quickly touched the floor. Stone slithered up Wrath's legs, up his torso, then covered his arms, easily welding onto his malleable homunculus body. The stone reached his neck, and for now, he was stuck.
Standing and dusting himself off, Edward locked eyes with the sin, who was squirming madly in rage, baring his fangs and hissing. His thick, ebony hair whipping around him as he moved his head rapidly from side to side, strands sticking to the thick blood on his face. "I"LL KILL YOU!" He screamed madly while thrashing about.
The blond only shook his head, then looked about the small rag tag team. Marta was still across the room, blood dripping down the side of her face and arm, but standing proud. His eyes went to Sloth, then narrowed. She was having trouble standing, her arms still frozen solid. Going against everytyhing he stood for, Edward walked over to her, ignoring the little voice in the back of his mind telling him to stop. As he came close to the humunculus, she looked up at him, her eyes large. She frowned.
"Why didn't you run when I told you to?" She snapped, her voice taking on a motherly tone.
Edward narrowed hisw eyes, buit crouched down before her, slapping his hands together.
"Spare me the lecture. Your not my mother." As he pressed his palms to her frozen skin, the material turned back to liquid. Blinking in shock, Sloth looked down at her arms, then back to him as they turned to flesh.
"Thank you." She said tentively.
shrugging, Edward stood and surveyed the damage his broken hand had endured. It was dented, and a bit stiff, but he could still manage.
"I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!" Wrath screamed, interrupting his inspection.
From beside him, Sloth stood. He watched her from the corner of his eye, watching as she looked at the demon child. her eyes where sad, full of somber. He remembered seeing her look like that when she was looking out the window, searching for his father on the horizon of Resembool. As he thought of this, he couldn't help but wonder why she had told him to run, and why she had helped them...
His amber eyes widened as a singer tear rolled down her porcelain cheek. It was the only time he had ever seen a humunculie cry.
As Edward watched the creature who's face so resembled his mother, he couldn't help but wonder if her tears where real, or fake.
"She alright?" Marta asked softly, coming to stand near Ed.
Edward looked away from her form, and to his wounded friend. Blood still pored down the side of her face, thickening in clumps as it clotted. The wound on her arm also looked painful, and the skin appeared to be hanging on by a mere flap. He wrinkled his nose as his stomach flipped slightly.
"Are you?" he asked, gesturing to her bleeding arm and head.
She went to shrug, but winced slightly. The chimera smirked.
"I'll be fine. Now, where's Alphonse?" She asked, her snake-like eyes scanning the wreckage.
Remembering his brother, Edward too began looking around. He decided to head off in the direction they came when they had run before, walking past the large crates. He heard the faint screams of Wrath fading behind him, and as he came into the next building, which was much more open then the last, and was actually missing a wall, he squinted as the afternoon light touched his fair eyes.
He saw his brother, and the humunculie he was sitting gently on the top of a discarded table. She was still weak, but was very much awake, and must have asked him to let her lye down.
"Al." Edward called as he began to walk over.
"Brother! Where's Wrath?" Al asked, looking for the sin.
"Detained." Edward smirked as he got closer.
"And the others?"
Sighing, Edward looked around, "There alright. Marta's bleeding a lot, but I'm sure she'll be fine. She's not exactly human, after all..." His voice trailed off as he looked back to the resting humunculie. "Is...Is she alright?" he asked softly.
Stepping a bit closer to his brother, Al spoke softly.
"She says she is...But I'm not sure-"
"I can hear you, you know." She said, causing them both to jump.
Scratching the back of his head, Edward smiled.
"Sorry," He them approached her, looking down at her as she lay weakly on the table, hardly believing this weak woman was the Lust he knew, "But really Lust, are you going to be okay?" he asked, his voice completely serious.
Opening her eyes slightly, Lust turned her head slightly to smirk at him as a cat does to it's master.
"Are you concerned for me, Edward Elric?"
Smiling, Edward couldn't believe she was teasing him at such a time. But then again, this was Lust.
"Maybe..." he then locked eyes with her, "But I have to make sure your alright. I can't have you dying on me...Winry would kill me." he smirked, and she merely rolled her eyes.
She sighed, "I'll be fine in a few moments. Sloth had the same happen to her, and she's alight, isn't she?" The woman inquired, rhetorically.
At the mention of Sloth, Edward's eyes grew a bit darker, and Lust seemed to take notice, for her playful smirk vanished. "Did you...Kill Wrath?" She asked, deadly serious.
Edward shook his head, and watched as Lust closed her eyes.
It was quiet for a few moments, before she spoke again.
"I just...Need a few moments to rest. Then we can carry on."
Edward smiled. "You don't have to push yourself Lust."
Her dark eyebrows pulled together, but she still did not open her eyes.
"No...We must get to Winry as soon as possible."
Remembering the task at hand, the alchemist nodded, even though her eyes where closed. Seeing her breathing become slower, Edward guessed she had drifted into sleep, so he walked over to Al.
Al's glowing eyes were on Lust's face, and Edward could tell he was worried for the sin.
"She'll be okay." Edward reassured his worried little brother.
Al sighed, then looked down at the ground. "She...Risked her life...For us."
Edward looked away from Al, and onto the green scenery. He watched as nature sat still, while they had almost lost their lives. Smirking to himself, he shook his head.
"Never thought I'd trust a humunculie." He muttered under his breath.
From his peripheral vision, he could see Al suddenly look at him.
"So that means...?" He began, but trailed off.
Sighing, Edward looked back at him.
"She's not our real mother...But," Edward turned to look back at Lust, "I believe Lust's theory about the stones. I think their master is just controlling the humunculie, using the philosophers stone as false hope. And using the fakes to make them..." He couldn't quite think of the word...
"Insane?" Al tried.
Looking up at his brother, Edward chuckled.
"Ya, I guess." Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he began to walk back to where the others where. He knew they would have to leave soon, and that they all couldn't go with them. Marta was in no condition to fight, despite what she had said earlier. And he wanted sloth to take care of Lust. he supposed he could use Scar's help..."I'm going to go and get the others...We really should get put of here soon-"
"Winry?" He heard Al breath, causing him to stop.
Edward stiffened upon hearing her name, and turned to find himself looking at said girl.
Her hair pulled up into it's usual high pony tail. Eye's blue as an azure sky...
She was there...She was alive!
"W-Winry...?" Edward said, his voice shaking as he took a step toward the girl he loved.
"Edward!" She gasped, and began to walk to them, arms outstretched. "I'm so happy to see you!"
"Winry! Your alright!" Al exclaimed, running forward.
Looking her over, Edward noted something.
She was wearing her usual, white tank top and black skirt...
But wait...
Making his hand into a fist, Edward narrowed his eyes. "You are not Winry Rockbell." He said in a hard steely accusation he knew to be true. Winry wasn't wearing that when she had been kidnapped, and he doubted that Envy had given her something to change into.
From behind Al's approaching form, he could see the Winry imposter hesitate, before declaring, "Alphonse, your the one I've always loved!"
Gasping, Alphonse stopped his pursuit, but was too late. The girl rushed the armored child, grabbing his left arm and swinging him around, forcing him to fall on his knees as she twisted his arm behind his back.
Edward took a step forward, his eyes narrowing.
No reaction. So that means-
His face went from shock, to a deadly scowl as he realized just who it was holding his brother.
"Well, that was easy." The imposer said in a very un-Wirny-like tone.
"Your too late! I am the Philosophers stone!" Al stated.
Looking down at him with a quite relaxed face, Winry smirked a smirk Edward recognized.
"Ya, that's what I've heard." She said, her way of speaking sounding all too familiar...
It could only be-
"Why don't I give the new you a test drive?" as she spoke, Winry's voice began to lower in octave, and became the effeminate, velvety voice of none other than Envy himself. White enveloped the crown of the blonds head, working it's way down and bringing with it the lithe form of the smirking shape-shifter. His translucent skin, emerald hair, and shimmering violet eyes making Edward's blood boil in hatred. For the last time he had seen the sin, he had stolen Winry away from him. Taken her from her own home...
Edward's hands curled into tight, bone shattering fists.
"Now that you've become the stone," Envy continued on in his regular form, lifting his gloved hand and flexing his elegant fingers, that Edward knew could rip easily through bone itself if he wanted, "Let's see how much your cute little seal job can take." he said, reaching his entire arm through the hole in Al's armor with a smirk.
A clang could be heard within, and Edward tensed as a bright red light shone from the hole, red glowing symbols illuminating around the crevice.
"Stop you bastard!" Edward hissed, "What did you do with Winry?" He added.
As the glowing continued, Envy turned to look at Edward, his face playful and stance relaxed.
"The girl?" he licked his upper lip slowly, causing the alchemist to see red, "She's delicious. I can see why you keep her around, pipsqueak...Though I have to say she is quite eager to please...But I like that." His eyes flashed as he smirked triumphantly, as if knowing something Edward didn't.
Edward could barely contain his rage. Just the idea of Envy so much as touching her...Edward had to calm himself, knowing that if he made a move Envy would do something to Alphonse. Besides, he knew how Envy felt about humans...There was no way he could be telling the truth. If there was one thing Edward knew for sure, it was that Envy would never change. He would always be a sadistic, malicious killer. Who's only real enjoyment was taking human lives and causing other pain.
But still, the elder Elric couldn't help but imagine the sadistic things Envy could have done to his mechanic...
As Envy took his arm out of the glowing hole, Edward watched as he carelessly slung Al over his slightly muscled shoulder with his other arm.
"Put him down!" He called, taking a step forward.
No way was he letting that thing take off with another one of his loved ones.
Over my dead body!
"I know how you love being protective," Envy drawled, returning his attention back to the Fullmetal Alchemist, "but you don't have to blow a gasket. I'm just taking him back to my master."
Edward's eyes narrowed as Al squirmed over the creatures shoulder.
"Your master...?" Alphonse questioned softly.
"That must be the one Lust talked about," Edward said, "She said this masters only using you. To get the philosophers stone and achieve immortality without concern for you humunculie!" Edward said to Envy, as if trying to get him to reason. Perhaps telling his about his "masters" true intentions would work to his advantage...
With a look of complete and utter disregard for the news just given, Envy smirked, curling his upper lip slightly and arching a green eyebrow. He rolled his violet eyes.
"Who cares?," he drawled, then locked eyes with Edward, "And you shouldn't speak so impersonally. You and my master go way back." Envy snickered, revealing his glistening teeth.
His amber orbs widening for a second, Edward's fast moving mind began to figure out the mystery that was "The Master"...
"Your master knew about our mom's homunculus from the start. Sought her out and few her red stones so she's live," His face shifted as he spoke, turning into a completer mask of hatred, "Who else would do that except-"
"Don't say it Ed! Dad would never do that! Never!" Alphonse interrupted him, his body being suddenly jostled by Envy.
"We've talked enough." Envy smirked, turning to go.
But standing in his path was Lust. Holding herself as if she wasn't about to fall, with fierce garnet eyes and her chin held high. She looked upon the green haired sin with a smirk, her arms casually folded beneath her breast.
"Your looking well." The enchantress purred to the effeminate sin.
Envy's smirk widened, and he placed his hand on his jutting hip.
"If it isn't the traitor. Didn't think I'd be seeing you again."
Her smirk fell. "I should be the one calling you that."
Envy's eyes narrowed as his smirk also disappeared, then he began walking forward, as if she wasn't there to strop him. "I don't have time to chat." He stated.
Staying rooted to her spot, Lust continued, "How strange Envy...Your being especially obedient..." Her eyes tightened.
Form where he was standing, Edward couldn't see Envy's expression, but he did see his hand curl into a fist.
"I don't ever remember you being the masters faithful little dog, or has something happened since I've been away?" Walking forward, Lust spread out her curling claws, ready to strike. "Now, why don't you be a good dog and put the boy down." Her dark lips formed into a hard line, her face as deadly as her claws.
Throwing his head back in sick laughter, Envy shook his head of emerald locks, which looked slightly shorter than the last time Edward had seen him.
"Your making threats, how cute..." His voice became a low purr, "I can smell your weakness Lust. You can hardly stand...If you even try to attack, I would be able to defeat you with this trash can in my arms and one hand tied behind my back." Taking a step forward, Edward just knew Envy was no longer smirking as his tone turned acidic "So step aside."
Dammit Lust...Don't...
Narrowing her garnet eyes, Lust went at him with surprising speed for her condition, bringing her speared hand back, she bared her teeth.
They moved so quickly, Edward could hardly follow them. The only think helping him keep track of their jerky, inhuman movements was the sound of Alphonse's cries. Edward tensed, but he knew he could do anything at the moment but wait...He hated this...
They were almost evenly matched, Lust and Envy. They moved nearly at the same speed, despite Lust's condition and the fact that Envy still had Alphonse over his shoulder. But Edward could see that Lust was slowly loosing focus, her eyes fluttering and her face slightly dripping with perspiration as Envy easily dodged her attacks, his body moving with the fluidness of water itself. He made dodging her long spears look childish, as if he could do so in his sleep. And with a smirk on his face, he lunged at Lust. She narrowly missed his fist, and her black lips pulled into a frown as she and Edward both realized Envy was messing with her.
Retaliating, Lust narrowly missed the side of Envy's smirking face by just inches, him dodging just in the nick of time. But she did manage to slice off a strand of his green hair. His eyes narrowed at this, and he spun, round house kicking her in the stomach with Alphonse still hoisted over his right shoulder. Lust's eyes doubled, for her stomach was still uneasy after having lost her stones. She grunted in pain-which was something Lust hardly ever did- and Edward ran to catch her as Envy flung her across the room with surprising force, using only his left leg. She began to sail through the air, and Edward caught her with a thud as he fell back to the ground.
"Lust?" He asked fervidly, checking her to see if she was alright.
She began to cough forcefully into her hand, her eyes shut tight as she clutched at her stomach.
"Bastard!" Edward snapped as he looked up to see Envy scowling down at her.
Envy smirked. "I did tell her to move," He shrugged his shoulder, than turned around and began making his way out of the building, but not before Edward heard him mumbled a, "Whatever" under his breath.
He was about to chase the shape-shifter, setting Lust softly to the ground as she shook and quivered uncontrollably. When a scream halted the military dogs pursuit.
"MOMMY!"
Whoa, another friggen cliff hanger!...Ya so lots of smack down going on in this up beat and crazy quick chapter! My hands hurt, and I'm currently about to pass out! So ya, Ed's getting off his damn high horse, and Sloth is so fun to pick on. She's so emotional! I have to tap in to my inner mommy! lol, anyway, hope yall like this chapter. I feel like a hobo asking for chump change when I ask for reviews, but I'll do it anyways! Oh, and please, I know there will most likely be lost of grammar and spelling mistake, which I notice after I re-read my chapter on the site. I try and go back and fix them but, seriously, who has the time? I'll do it when this puppy is finished. I DON'T LIKE HOW SHORT THIS IS! So, I WILL be adding more to it later today. I'm just so sleepy...Please...Let..Ramona... d'pawdce0aw0iescuw8e8
Envy, "Ramona has just passed out. Please, review or I eon't be in the next chapter."
Sloth, "Oh, the poor dear."
Wrath, "MOMMY?"
Lust, "For the love of god, shut up."
Winry, "Would someone like to tell me why I only have, like, a three second part?"
Al, "At least you don't have to say brother this and, brother that! I feel like a robot!"
I wake up, having all of these character's suddenly crowding around my lap top, sitting on my bed and typing away (Not that I mind Envy sitting on my bed, but seeing my in my sleepy, ugly state? Hell no) I gasp and try and shove Al away because he's about to snap my poor bed in half.
Ramona, "Will you all just shut up? I'm trying to sleep!"
Wrath, "MOMMY!"
I smack wrath.
Ramona, "Mama's boy!"