Dear Reader,

Well, it's late, but I managed to pump out this chapter. I basically just copied down what happened in episode 49...*sweat drops* yeah, I hope I don't get sued or something. Anywho, Im super sleepy, so imma go to bed now! Reviews are always welcome, and oh, take a look at my pole~~~~

-Ramona

The time had come. Envy would finally be able to slaughter that runt with his own bare hands. His eyes gleamed at the thought, and a large grin appeared on his face as he looked at the tantalizing red stones in his hand. In the dim lighting of the mansion they still seemed to glisten.

The click of a door shutting made him pause.

He turned, seeing Dante closing a door behind her. He wrinkled his nose, seeing the old hag had tried to "freshen up" for the alchemist, doing her best to hide her rotting flesh and dousing herself in the sickly perfume she loved. He was about to comment on her look, when his voice died in his throat.

Behind her was Winry, all dressed up in a large, frilly ball gown. He would have mocked her for her appearance, since she looked slightly foolish. But he stopped. The look in her sky blue eyes made him feel a slight sense of unease and alarm.

Her normally vibrant eyes were dead, drained of all life and void of emotion. She followed silently behind Dante like the marionette she now was. The cold woman shot him a smirk, her jaded eyes landing on the stones in his hand.

"Better eat up," She commented, "Your brother will be here soon."

His pupils turned to slits as he glared at her, baring his teeth.

"I already have the strength to defeat him; these stones won't make a difference."

She merely raised an eyebrow, continuing to walk on as her new companion followed her. She led Winry to the door, and Envy kept his predatory eyes on the blond the entire time. Dante did this to her new selections when they were being uncooperative. Especially when she was trying to put on one of her idiotic plays, something Envy had once enjoyed. But time was dragging on, and he wanted to just kill the blood of Hoenhiem and get it done with.

And then there was Winry, Dante's new candidate.

Normally, Envy wouldn't have given a rat's ass. Nonetheless, it bothered him to see that dead look in her eyes. She was so cold, and all the life he had once seen in her blue orbs was gone.

"Now, go and dance for Edward," Dante smiled, "Welcome him with open arms and invite him to dance. Tell him how you've always loved him." Dante cooed into Winry's ear while stroking her hair and touching her face.

Envy's eye twitched.

"Edward…" Winry said softly.

"Yes that's right, you love him."

The sins hand formed into a fist, crunching the stones to dust.

"L-love..." Winry's voice had dropped to barely a whisper.

"Yes, you lo-"

A loud crash came from the other room, and the sounds of Gluttony throwing a fit could be heard. He was screaming and shouting for Lust. Dante narrowed her eyes, and as Envy was about to go take care of it, she held up a hand to stop him. He raised his eyebrows as Dante pulled up her skirts and walked briskly past him, her eyes full of malice. Envy felt almost sorry for the fat ass.

He was left alone with the girl, and his eyes were glued to the back of her head.

Looking to the door Dante had gone through he narrowed his eyes, then used his inhuman speed to almost teleport to the girl. He ran his eyes over her face, seeing her dead, lifeless eyes stare into nothingness. He went to swallow, and the back of his throat made a clicking sound.

"Hey…" He said in a whisper, nudging her shoulder, "Gearhead."

No response.

Envy put both hands on her shoulders and gripped them tightly.

"Hey!" He raised his voice slightly, "Look at me." He hissed, leaning down slightly to try and look into her eyes, to meet her gaze.

Still, she gave no response. Her lips, which had a slight sheen to them due to what he guessed was make up, parted slightly. The girls face held no expression, and her dullness was beginning to piss Envy off. He wanted to slap her in the face. Make her what she was again, who she was. He didn't care if she started babbling nonsense; he just wanted her to speak to him.

Shaking her shoulders a little too rough, he bared his teeth, "Winry!" He hissed.

She blinked, and seemed to look up at him, her eyes still dull but her mouth parting even more.

He paused, his entire body going completely still.

Licking his lips, his entire body went on edge.

Envy knew what Dante was going to do to her. He knew after this, when he looked into her eyes, they would be cold. Winry would cease to exist.

He didn't care. He told himself he could care less.

Envy didn't care for things. He didn't have stupid, irrational feelings that would get in his way. He didn't give a damn about anyone but himself. He hated all the humans in the world, and hoped every single one of them would rot in hell as he sat back and watched. He was Envy the Jealous, and he despised the world and all its inhabitants. But in the back of his mind, he had made an almost special place for Winry. She was special.

As he searched her unresponsive eyes, he felt a flood of strange emotion wash through him, a burning sensation in the back of his throat and a tightening in his chest. He didn't like this, he wanted it to stop. He wanted her to say something.

Leaning in, he placed a desperate kiss to her lips, which she didn't return. He hoped she would pull away, slap him, or even return the kiss.

This couldn't be it, this couldn't be the end to it. What did he have to know? What had she been telling him to remember? He wanted answers. Envy wanted to know why he felt the way he did, why as he kissed her he felt a vague sense of familiarity.

It was no use. She remained as emotionless as she had been before.

Putting his forehead to hers, Envy parted his lips and closed his eyes.

Winry was nothing more than a shell now.

His grip on her shoulders loosened, and his hands shook.

He didn't like this.

He wanted to smash a hole in a wall and gouge Dante's eyes out.

"E-Envy…" Winry whispered, and his eyes shot open.

Grip tightening once again, he looked down at her.

A single tear rolled down her pale cheek, his eyes widened as he heard the door opening. He was away from her in a flash, sitting on the couch, his heart beating crazily in his chest.

Dante shut the door behind her and looked to him, then to Winry.

Envy simply sat, looking up at the ceiling.

Shaking her head, Dante crossed the room, and grabbed Winry's hand harshly, opening the door and letting it swing closed behind her. He heard the record start playing, and Envy rolled his eyes, but his face was focused.

He had a lot of things on his mind.

White, blank, void.

This would describe what Envy the jealous had been staring at for what seemed like eons.

He could either stare at the giant, menacing gate of truth, with its twisted, horrific sculptures. Or the vast nothingness that surrounded him.

Sitting on the ground, his legs criss crossed, he impatiently drummed his fingers on his leg, turning his attention to the gate before him.

"This is stupid…" He grumbled to himself.

He figured out how he had gotten there in the first place, with nothing else to do but think, Envy had all the time in the world to ponder. He had realized he wasn't really himself. He was just a fragment of what he was.

More like, a piece of his own memory, but…As a person?

Or more like a bit of his, dare he say it, soul, transported to the gate.

Hell, he hadn't thought he even had a soul.

That part still confused him.

It was like Dante took the new Envy, the one with feelings other than hatred, and replaced him with the old. To do that, all she had to do was erase Winry from his memory completely.

A grin spread to his lips.

From what he had seen through the gate, the Envy currently running around doing Dante's dirty work was having a hard time keeping his memories at bay. In no time, Envy was sure his body would snap out of it and regain its memories in no time.

Or so he hoped.

If he didn't, Envy feared he would be stuck in this void for eternity. And that seemed very, very boring to the sin. He just hoped that his body would eventually remember.

It was surely taking it's time. From what the gate had been showing him, Winry didn't have much long before she was used as Dante's new living space.

Envy bared his teeth and narrowed his eyes.

He could kill the other him for not remembering.

Drumming his slender fingers against his knee, Envy blew a lock of his forest green hair from his eyes, looking up at the gate and frowning.

He wished he at least had the voice to talk to, but it seemed to have vanished once he got there. He almost pitied Alphonse's soul for having to sit in front of his own gate, for what, years? Envy knew he had only been there a few days and he was slightly going mad.

"Come on body," He shouted, looking up at more nothingness, "Hurry the fuck up already!"

She was spinning in the center of the grand dance floor when Edward Elric laid eyes on her. Long, blond hair flowing around her and catching in the light as she continued to dance, dress twirling along with her hair.

"Winry…" He whispered as he watched her.

He had forgotten just how beautiful the blond mechanic was.

Abruptly she stopped, arms still stretched out at her sides. Turning, she looked at him with a blank expression, her eyes dull. "Edward…" She said his name softly, and then her lips formed into a smile, "I've been waiting for you."

"Winry…" He took a step forward, "I'm sorry it took me so long."

She continued to smile, and walked to him, arms outstretched.

"Dance with me."

He raised his eyebrows. "D-dance?"

Edward was confused. He was coming here to save Winry, he figured she would be terrified and tied in ropes. But here she was, safe and unharmed, wearing a ball gown and wanting him to dance with her…

He looked back to Lust and Sloth for help. The horrified expression on Sloths face worried him, and Lust merely looked around with a tense look on her face. Her lips formed into a scowl.

Before he could stop her, Winry had grabbed him. He tensed, but relaxed as he realized she was merely dancing with him, swaying to the music, all the while with that smile to her lips.

"I've been waiting…For you…" Winry said softly.

He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist as they continued to dance. He took that moment to take in her smell, the warmth of her body.

"I know, I'm sorry I couldn't have gotten here sooner."

She leaned back, looking down at him.

"Edward, I love you."

His cheeks darkened, his voice caught in his throat before he could answer her.

"You do?"

A baby's cry filled the room, and Edward jumped, pulling away from Winry to look behind him.

Lyra, dressed in the same luxurious fashion, had entered the ball room. She smirked at Edward, and from behind her he could see Rose, holding her baby to her chest lovingly.

"Rose!" He called out, but the mute woman was silent, her eyes just as dull as Winry's.

His eyes narrowed as he looked at Lyra. Something wasn't right. He wasn't expecting to find her here…

"It's a good thing you made it Edward," Dante smiled, "Winry has missed you."

"Lyra," He ignored her statement, his glowing eyes narrowing, "Why did you bring Rose to this place?"

Shifting his eyes he looked to the spot he had seen Lust and Sloth in.

They were gone.

"Before Dante died she told me about a city that only old alchemists knew about, it sounded safe." The girl answered as she walked to the center of the ballroom, heels clicking softly.

Winry walked past him to stand behind Dante along with Rose.

Something wasn't right.

"I know you said before that Dante had been murdered," he stated, locking eyes with her, "But you were oftly vague. You never told me who did it or why."

Her answer was quick, "That homunculus named Greed killed her," She paused, "I could have sworn I told you that."

The alchemists golden eyes narrowed, "You're lying to me."

"Am I?" She quipped.

"The transmutation circle in Dante's mansion was designed specifically to drain a homunculi's power," He got no reaction from her, so he continued, "And the human remains that were Greed's weakness were laid out in the same room. Even if he wanted to, Greed couldn't have made a move against her."

A coy smile fell to her lips, "That's all very interesting, but I saw her corpse with my own eyes." Her tone was amused.

Edwards was not.

"That proves nothing except that the body she was squatting in could no longer serve its purpose."

"What?" Her voice held a laugh to it.

"Let's say the philosophers stone could be used to jump from one body to another, that would make a human capable of living for hundreds of years," His hands clenched into fists, "I think Dante used the stone to take over a younger body, a body like yours would be just the right fit." He accused, watching as her face went from being completely blank to one full of emotion.

Her brows drew together as she pleaded, "Edward stop it! It's not true!"

Immediately he clapped his hands, Dante leaning forward in anticipation as he pulled a spear from the ground and flung it at her, waiting to see how she would react.

The sound of clapping hands filled the air, and she merely held her hand out to the spear, blue light and electricity popping around it as she turned it into nothing. Lowering her hand, Dante glared at him.

"That was too close." She narrowed her eyes.

Edward was on edge now.

"When did you see the gate? That's the only way you could transmute without a circle! And Lyra couldn't do that before." He knew he had her. "Your secrets up, Dante."

Her face softened, her eyes holding a strange twinkle.

Edward knew he was right. This wasn't Lyra, but the leader of the homunculie, the one who had been causing trouble for centuries.

"When did you find out? Fair son of Hoenhiem…"

He felt his blood boiling.

"So it's all true…"

"Indeed. Every last word." She looked almost amused.

"So how many times have you jumped bodies?"

"Well," She laughed, "In four hundred years you can lose count. It's less than ten, after all I had to use the philosopher's stone each time."

"And that's what happened to this city..." He hissed, having seen it one the way down the elevator. Edward had been horrified, and the homunculie had remained silent. "Lives for the stone."

"Don't forget the fabled lost civilization in the east. It was the same. But I'm not the one who made it happen." The small smile on her lips and the smug look to her eye was beginning to annoy him.

"No, it was Hoenhiem of light." He said darkly.

"You say it so formally, why don't you just call him dad?" She asked, a grin forming on her lips.

"Did he live this way too? Stealing bodies, creating wars? And for what purpose!"

"Because we were worth it."

His eyes narrowed. "What the hell's that supposed to mean? You ruined thousands of lives to create each philosophers stone, then you take it for yourself so you can live longer. And you actually think that's justified?"

"Humans can't handle the stone."

He was beginning to see red.

"Right, so you have the mercy to take it from them? The grace to kill anyone who's involved, so only the legend remains."

"I'm glad you understand so well. Humans are controlled by their sins, and the philosopher's stone has power far greater than any weapon ever forged. So I've taken cities? Humans would destroy the world. The lives lost have been necessary martyrs. Saving mankind from itself. I am the guardian, the Sheppard of sins; I have to live on, to prevent you humans from doing something foolish with the stone."

She was absolutely insane.

"Don't kid yourself! You're human just like us!"

Her eyes were cold, dead, her face porcelain mask as she answered; "Not anymore."

"LUST!"

They both turned, seeing Gluttony emerge from a pair of double doors, frantically looking around the ballroom, searching for his Lust. "Where are you?"

"You're breaking my heart Edward," Dante said, going to Winry, "Talking to me this way," She put her hands on Winry's face, leaning in and pressing the side of her face to the mechanics, "I was looking forward to taking her body and being loved by the son of Hoenhiem."

Edward spun around, glaring at Dante with clenched teeth.

"So it's Winry this time?"

"Yes," She continued to rub her face, "I have to celebrate the newly born stone."

The alchemist took a step forward, "You will do no such thing!" He barked.

She continued to smile at him.

"What have you done with Al?" He demanded, losing his patience with the witch.

"No no! What have you done with Lust?" Gluttony yelled to Edward.

Dante smiled, "Why don't you ask him, Gluttony?" She purred, seeming to have a trick up her sleeve.

Edward drew in a breath, turning to look at the big man.

"Where's my Lust?!"

He charged him, and Edward instantly held up his automail arm, just as the creature clamped its teeth around him. "Where's Lust?" His voice was muffled, but easy to understand with the arm between his jaws.

Lust had told him to lie to Gluttony, to tell him she had been killed if the question should ever be brought up. Along with Sloth. The homunculie apparently wanted the element of surprise. For a moment he wondered where they were. Up in one of the balconies perhaps? He knew they were watching, waiting for their time to strike.

"I'm sorry," Edward shouted over the sins frantic wailing, trying to wrestle his arm for freedom, "but she's gone."

"Lust gone? Lust gone?"

"Yeah…Wrath killed her. She died trying to help me." His voice grew soft.

Gluttony pulled his mouth from Edwards arm and stumbled back, falling to the ground with a crash, whimpering.

"Gluttony stop this." Dante insisted.

"I can't…" He whimpered and used his long arms to help himself stand.

"You don't have feelings."

Edward twitched slightly, hearing her remark.

A line of drool slipped down Gluttony's chin as he aimlessly walked around the ball room, saying Lusts name, crying as he did.

Spinning on his heels, Edward had had enough of this, "Let's do it!" He shouted, clapping his hands together as he charged Dante.

Placing her hands together she created a giant snake, which lunged from the floor roaring, heading in Edwards direction. Clapping his hands he formed his arm into a blade and jumped up as the creature dove down face first into the floor. He gracefully landed on its body as it crashed loudly; dust forming around the stone beasts head.

Edward smirked to himself, then ran down its body and jumped, looking down at Dante, who had gasped in surprise. He sliced mid air, just as she dodged. Hn, he though, she's quicker than I thought.

Bits of fabric scattered to the ground, and Dante landed soundlessly a few feet away with a very annoyed look on her usually coy face.

Gasping, she looked down at her town dress, and Edward scrunched up his nose at what he saw. The skin was revolting, dark green and puckered around her breasts. He would hate to see what the rest of her was like.

"I knew it," He stated as he stood, "Your soul can't sustain bodies anymore, it's been attached too many times. Equivalent exchange. Every time you jump you lose part of yourself."

"Equivalence," Dante brought her hands up to her chest, transmuting her dress back to the way it was, "Don't tell me you still believe in that naïve theory."

"It's no theory; it's the absolute law of alchemy! No, the whole world. To obtain anything something of equal value must be lost, you couldn't have gotten anywhere without no 'in that."

"A beautiful story, told to comfort the oppressed and make children do their lessons. The truth is the law of equivalent exchange is a lie."

"Impossible!" Edward insisted.

"Too gain something of equal value must be lost. Conversely if you give something up you will always gain of prize of equal worth in return."

"Exactly. That's why people work hard at anything they do, 'cause it pays off."

"Wrong. People work because they believe it will pay, but equal effort does not always mean equal gain."

His eyes widened, and he felt his breath catch.

"Like what?"

"Consider the state alchemy exam, which you passed with flying colors. How many others took the test that day? Spent months, years preparing? Some working much harder than you. Yet you were the only one who passed. Where was their reward? Is it their fault they lacked your natural talent?"

He tensed, but remained silent.

"Or what about the equal value of each person's life?" She clapped her hands together and Edward quickly moved out of the way as Dante's creature moved once more, quickly snatching Rose's baby from her arms and slithering up too high, out of Edwards reach. His eyes widened and he looked at Dante with a scowl. The baby, resting on the things toung, began to cry loudly.

"If I just clap my hands this baby won't survive."

He looked to her, "Stop it!" He demanded, watching as her smile remained in place.

"And if I do it," She continued, "Where's the worlds balance in that? Does it mean the baby was only born so that it could die? Its doing all an infant can to survive, breathing, crying for help. But what does it get in exchange? People can say there is a balance, a logic that everything happens for a reason, but the truth is far less designed. No matter how hard you work, when you die, you die. Some try their entire life to scratch their way to the top and still die in poverty. While others are born into wealth without ever working at all. It's a cruel and random world, and yet the chaos is all so beautiful."

He couldn't take anymore.

Everything he believed to be true, to be right, she was spitting on it. Edward knew the truth. He had seen it with his very own eyes.

"That's enough Dante!" he clapped his hands together, making the reptile vanish and looking up, hands outstretched as Rose's baby fell in the air. Edward caught him in his arms.

"My baby." Rose rushed over as Edward placed him in her arms.

"Equivalent exchange is a myth, a contrived order to give sense to a world that has none. Can you accept that now, or do you need another explanation?"

He was shaking with fury now.

"Don't use a child to fuel your agenda!"

Dante closed her eyes, smiling, an almost knowing look on her face as she opened them once more to look at the alchemist. "Your dad said that too."

He let out a shaking breath, a sense of dread washing over him as he slowly looked over at the baby, who was shrieking.

Suddenly, an array glowed on the baby's stomach, and Edward was suddenly in front of the gate.

Edward's eyes were wide, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. He stared up at its tormented, twisting surface. seeing it for only a split second before suddenly everything was black.

He felt himself…Laying down.

Blinking open his eyes, he saw a green chair, and a red rug, which he felt he was laying on. "H-hello?" He spoke out, "Where am I?" He stood, looking over on the walls. His head throbbed painfully as he looked around the room, seeing pictures of odd things.

"Oh my head feels like it's been put though a…" He moved his hand up to rub at his eyes, but stopped.

Edward felt his heart move up into his throat, letting out a surprised gasp as he looked down at his hand, which was usually covered in automail, and saw…Flesh. Tan flesh, which he could remember seeing as a child.

Looking around the room frantically, his whole body went still when he saw a mirror.

Shakily he stumbled to it, taking in his reflection. He basically looked the same, but his hair was very short, and he was wearing different clothes, along with having all his limbs. Edward was very freaked out.

"O-okay…That's odd."

"What's odd?"

He blinked, looking across the room to a door, which had just been opened. He quickly took in a sharp breath as he saw someone who appeared to be his dad…But younger. Much younger, and without glasses. He looked to be about eighteen, just a little older than Edward. He was handsome, and had a kind look to his golden eyes.

"U-um…Who am I?"

The boy blinked.

"Edward? Are you alright?" he tilted his head slightly, taking a step forward and holding out his hand.

"What the hell is going on? Who are you! Where am I?!" Edward took a step back, holding his flesh hand out in front of him. His heart pumped so loudly in his ears that he could hardly hear the boy.

"Edward it's me," he walked closer, "It's William, your brother."

Edward was really, really freaking out now.

"S-stay away Dammit!"

The guy, William, ran a hand through his messy dirty blond hair, and was about to speak again, when all of a sudden a strange sound filled the air. It sounded like a siren. Williams face became completely blank as his eyes widened and he looked up, the blood draining from his face.

Edward heard footsteps approaching and nearly backed up into a wall.

"William, Edward, quick," A very familiar voice said, "It's an air raid."

Van Hoenhiem appeared behind William, who was about the same height as he. William licked his lips nervously and gave him a shaky nod, rushing out of the room.

Van looked over at Edward expectantly, "We have to go now."

Edward didn't know where the hell he was, and why his bastard of a father was there, but he gave him a nod. He did not like the sound of those sirens.

Van turned and ran; quickly they came upon William, who was opening the front door. Van grabbed him, pulling him along.

"Come on!" William shouted.

"Wait!" Edward snapped, pulling his grip away from his.

"What the hell's going on here old man? What is this place? Where are we?"

People ran down the cobbled streets screaming and running for their lives. Edward ignored all of them, staring down at his father with a frown.

"Wait, Edward, you're not sounding like yourself." Hoenhiem stated.

"Funny, I don't really feel like myself either." He looked up, "And what is this city?" The buildings were strange, he looked down at his father again, "And what's happened to my body? Did Dante do this?"

"Father….What is he talking about?" William asked quietly, and Hoenhiem ignored him, walking straight up to Edward and grabbing his jaw, pulling his face in close and staring into his eyes. Edward protested, hissing and trying to pull away, until his father spoke.

"Transmute? Does that word mean anything to you?"

He broke away from him.

"Of course it does!"

His father's eyes widened behind his glasses.

"But how did you get here…?"

` "Yeah, good question!"

Loud explosions filled the air, and Hoenhiem looked up, along with Edward. Hoenhiem grabbed his arm, "We'll talk later!" He insisted, pulling Edward along as William followed close behind.

"What's attacking?" Edward asked as they ran.

"Zeppelins." His father answered simply.

"Zep what?!"

There was a loud explosion that caused Edward to jump, and he looked back with wide eyes as he saw a long object emerge from a thick smog of black clouds. He felt his insides grow cold.

Where the hell am I?

Well, all the action will hopefully be in the next chapter. Sorry this one's so boring. I fuck'in hate dante. she's such a creep. ugh. welp, see ya next time *falls asleep*