The Nature Of A Homunculus
Inside Devil’s Nest, Greed gathered several of the chimeras around in order to tell them of his plan, even though it was simplicity itself. They would find their target, capture him, and then bring him to Devil’s Nest for questioning.
“Everyone understood?” Greed asked.
The chimeras nodded, something that made the homunculus grin.
“Okay, then let’s go.”
“Not so fast.”
Surprised to hear an unknown voice in the establishment, everyone turned towards the door. They certainly didn’t expect to see a scarcely-clad young man with long green hair standing there, a big grin on his androgynous features. The man didn’t address them, though. In fact, he hardly acknowledged them as he took a couple of steps inside, locking his gaze on Greed.
“Hello, Ultimate Shield.”
Greed smiled, but everyone present could tell that he was mocking the newcomer. “Hello yourself, Ultimate… Oh, wait. You like to be called ‘monster’, don’t you?” He chuckled. “I’m sorry for the unimaginative name-calling, but after 100 years of imprisonment, one’s humour grows stale.”
Envy snorted contemptuously. “You can consider yourself lucky. You weren’t meant to be freed in the first place.” He circled the taller homunculus in an inspective manner. “So what happened to the skeleton?”
This was the first time that Greed showed any signs of nervousness.
“I… destroyed it, of course.”
“Really? Funny, considering you can’t even touch it,” Envy said sarcastically. “No, you keep it somewhere safe, of that I’m sure.” His grin broadened. “All I have to do is take it back and she’ll seal you all over again.”
“I won’t let you!” Greed exclaimed, arms turning black and claw-like.
Envy was hardly fazed. “You could try,” he said. “But that’s not what I came for.”
Greed raised an eyebrow in mild surprise and changed his arms back to normal. “Then what is?”
“Oh, nothing all that important,” Envy answered, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. “I have a message from her.”
“And what does she want?”
“She’s not exactly thrilled that you’re here,” Envy said.
“Why do you think I came here in the first place? To get on her nerves,” Greed declared, smirking.
Envy clicked his tongue in disapproval. “You give yourself too much credit. She’s not interested in you whatsoever. In fact, she’s willing to let you do whatever you want with this town on one condition.”
“Which is?”
Envy examined his nails. “There are two alchemists circulating in this town. Their names are Elric. You are to stay away from them or pay the price.”
“I see,” Greed said. He crossed his arms and made a face as though he was thinking hard. “Well, that’s quite the inconvenience. I have some business with the Elric Brothers myself.”
“And what business could that be?” Envy asked.
“That’s none of your concern,” Greed answered back.
“I’m sorry, but… it is my concern if it messes up her plans.”
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Two elongated nails pierced the hearts of two chimeras that stood nearby, killing them on the spot, while another chimera’s scream seized abruptly as it got mercilessly gobbled down by a fat, man-like creature. The rest of the chimeras took a step backwards in fear, staring at the other two homunculi who had entered quietly in the meantime.
Envy chuckled to see Greed so taken aback. “You know Gluttony, naturally,” he said, and then pointed at the female homunculus, whose expression was unreadable. “This is the new Lust. And you should be happy to know that we have a new Pride and Sloth as well.”
Greed clenched his jaw. “I see. We’re becoming seven once more.”
“You catch on fast,” Envy noted in a matter-of-fact tone. “Now… do you still want to anger her?”
There was silence for a few moments, but finally Greed raised his hands in a gesture of peace. “I’m ambitious, but smart. You can have them.”
“Good,” Envy replied. “That will be all then.”
And with that, all three homunculi turned around and walked out, not bothering to look back. If they had, they would have seen Greed’s angry expression.
“You can have them,” the renegade homunculus muttered, “Once I’m done with them!” He turned to his henchmen, and quickly gave the signal for their departure.
They all had work to do.
Silence reigned in the hospital room, where the boys still stared at their teacher after what she told them. Their eyes were wide open, and they looked as though their jaws would drop on the floor any second.
“Failed… human transmutations?” Al said. His voice was barely audible in his stunned state.
“Then… that’s why they want to become human?” Ed breathed out. “To complete what their creators started?”
Izumi nodded.
“But that doesn’t make sense!” Ed exclaimed. “The homunculi aren’t supposed to be able to perform alchemy; that boy can!”
“And he’s not like the others!” Al seconded. “Envy and Lust will stop at nothing to get what they want, and he hasn’t shown any wish to find the stone!”
“Because he doesn’t remember,” Izumi answered. “All homunculi are like children in their first years of life. But as they grow older and more powerful, they only become more corrupted, until they end up hating their own creators and everyone else who has what they don’t.”
“Souls…” Ed breathed out.
“That’s right,” Izumi said. “As to why this boy… this homunculus… is able to perform alchemy can probably be explained if we take under consideration the precedent - your friend.”
“Beregond?” Al wondered, but realisation caught up with him. “Wait a minute… They both spent years inside the gate!”
“Which means that, in a way, they became part of the universal truth,” Ed added. His expression was quite dark now, and he was looking at his automail hand in dismay. “But Beregond was brought here because his gods allowed it, while the homunculus cheated his way out by using my limbs.”
“We don’t know that for sure, but all clues point in that direction,” Izumi said. “It’s fortunate that the homunculus isn’t aware of this yet.”
“So you think he really doesn’t remember the gate?” Ed asked.
“Yes. After all, Alphonse doesn’t. Your friend didn’t remember most of it either until his memories were triggered,” the woman reasoned. “However, we have to make sure the homunculus’s memories aren’t triggered; otherwise, the consequences could be bad for all of us.”
“So what do we do?” Al wondered.
“You will help me get back on my feet,” Izumi said. “I want you to find my teacher. She’s knowledgeable in medicine and she can concoct something to strengthen me. Once that is done, we’ll deal with the problem in our hands.”
Both boys nodded their compliance. “So… where does your teacher live?”
“In a secluded area in the forest just outside of town,” Izumi said. “Her name is Dante.”
Greed stepped out of the shadows of the alley where he was hiding to look around the corner. He needed to look at the area better before going any further.
“Is this the place, Loa?” he asked, pointing at the butcher shop that was just a few feet away.
The large man nodded.
“Good,” Greed said, and his hands instantly turned black and claw-like. “Let’s knock on the door, then.”
The chimeras didn’t have to be told twice. Most of them took their positions around the shop to make sure no one escaped, and then waited for Greed, Loa, Dorochet and Martel to make the first move. Smiling smugly, Greed broke the door in a single swipe and walked in.
“What’s going on?!” A large man, apparently the owner, rushed to the entrance. His hands clenched when he caught sight of Greed and he got ready to attack; but Loa lunged at him and tackled him against the wall so forcefully that the whole place practically shook.
“I would stay still, if I were you,” Loa all but snorted.
“Boss?” a young man’s voice sounded and, soon enough, the young man himself appeared as well.
“Get out of here! Take the children!” The owner managed to cry out before Loa managed a punch on his stomach. Seeing the danger, the man hurried up the stairs, but Martel was proved quicker, moving so fast that her feet barely touched the ground. Seconds later, she managed a powerful kick to the young man’s head, rendering him unconscious.
Greed’s toothy grin broadened at the prospect of success.
“Dorochet… sniff our prey out.”
With his hand on the hilt of his sword, the dog chimera nodded and let out what sounded suspiciously like a howl before heading upstairs. Greed waited patiently for Dorochet to return, sure that he would get results soon enough. However, when Dorochet returned, he was empty-handed.
“He’s not here,” the chimera said. “The trail is relatively cold too. He must be gone for some time.”
Greed snarled in indignation. This wasn’t going how he had planned at all!
Dante, he thought angrily. The homunculus was sure that she had something to do with this. She wanted the boys too, so she obviously acted even faster than him!
That, of course, called for a visit at her place as well.
“Greed, look what I found,” said Kimblee at that moment, stepping inside the shop. He was holding a small boy by the waist and dragging a young girl by one of her wrists.
“Let go of me, you creep!” the blond girl exclaimed, doing her best to free herself, but Kimblee was hardly deterred. He just pushed her into the hands of Dorochet, who held his blade close to her neck.
Though the girl stopped struggling, she still felt compelled to shout: “What do you want?!”
“Nothing from you, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Greed said nonchalantly. He turned to Kimblee and pointed at the boy. “Release him. He’s not the one we’re looking for.”
“I still think he’s good enough,” Kimblee answered. With that, he lifted the boy’s right foot, where Greed clearly saw the sign of the Ouroboros. “I saw it when he tried to kick me,” the alchemist explained.
“Really?” Greed asked, intrigued. He picked up the unconscious boy from the scruff of his neck and examined him carefully. “Where did you find him?”
“He was about to jump out of the back window along with his friend, but that’s not all,” Kimblee said. “The window was broken through alchemy; his alchemy.”
It took a lot to take Greed by surprise. This time, however, he had to admit that he was astonished. One didn’t see a homunculus able to perform alchemy every day, after all. More importantly, it was obvious Dante didn’t know about him. If she did, she would have taken him along with the Elric Brothers.
Greed couldn’t help but grin once more as a whole new prospect was unveiled before him. He was in need of allies, and now, by a sheer stroke of luck, he had gotten a most valuable one.
“Lock the girl in a room,” he ordered. “We’re leaving at once.”
TBC…
“Everyone understood?” Greed asked.
The chimeras nodded, something that made the homunculus grin.
“Okay, then let’s go.”
“Not so fast.”
Surprised to hear an unknown voice in the establishment, everyone turned towards the door. They certainly didn’t expect to see a scarcely-clad young man with long green hair standing there, a big grin on his androgynous features. The man didn’t address them, though. In fact, he hardly acknowledged them as he took a couple of steps inside, locking his gaze on Greed.
“Hello, Ultimate Shield.”
Greed smiled, but everyone present could tell that he was mocking the newcomer. “Hello yourself, Ultimate… Oh, wait. You like to be called ‘monster’, don’t you?” He chuckled. “I’m sorry for the unimaginative name-calling, but after 100 years of imprisonment, one’s humour grows stale.”
Envy snorted contemptuously. “You can consider yourself lucky. You weren’t meant to be freed in the first place.” He circled the taller homunculus in an inspective manner. “So what happened to the skeleton?”
This was the first time that Greed showed any signs of nervousness.
“I… destroyed it, of course.”
“Really? Funny, considering you can’t even touch it,” Envy said sarcastically. “No, you keep it somewhere safe, of that I’m sure.” His grin broadened. “All I have to do is take it back and she’ll seal you all over again.”
“I won’t let you!” Greed exclaimed, arms turning black and claw-like.
Envy was hardly fazed. “You could try,” he said. “But that’s not what I came for.”
Greed raised an eyebrow in mild surprise and changed his arms back to normal. “Then what is?”
“Oh, nothing all that important,” Envy answered, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. “I have a message from her.”
“And what does she want?”
“She’s not exactly thrilled that you’re here,” Envy said.
“Why do you think I came here in the first place? To get on her nerves,” Greed declared, smirking.
Envy clicked his tongue in disapproval. “You give yourself too much credit. She’s not interested in you whatsoever. In fact, she’s willing to let you do whatever you want with this town on one condition.”
“Which is?”
Envy examined his nails. “There are two alchemists circulating in this town. Their names are Elric. You are to stay away from them or pay the price.”
“I see,” Greed said. He crossed his arms and made a face as though he was thinking hard. “Well, that’s quite the inconvenience. I have some business with the Elric Brothers myself.”
“And what business could that be?” Envy asked.
“That’s none of your concern,” Greed answered back.
“I’m sorry, but… it is my concern if it messes up her plans.”
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Two elongated nails pierced the hearts of two chimeras that stood nearby, killing them on the spot, while another chimera’s scream seized abruptly as it got mercilessly gobbled down by a fat, man-like creature. The rest of the chimeras took a step backwards in fear, staring at the other two homunculi who had entered quietly in the meantime.
Envy chuckled to see Greed so taken aback. “You know Gluttony, naturally,” he said, and then pointed at the female homunculus, whose expression was unreadable. “This is the new Lust. And you should be happy to know that we have a new Pride and Sloth as well.”
Greed clenched his jaw. “I see. We’re becoming seven once more.”
“You catch on fast,” Envy noted in a matter-of-fact tone. “Now… do you still want to anger her?”
There was silence for a few moments, but finally Greed raised his hands in a gesture of peace. “I’m ambitious, but smart. You can have them.”
“Good,” Envy replied. “That will be all then.”
And with that, all three homunculi turned around and walked out, not bothering to look back. If they had, they would have seen Greed’s angry expression.
“You can have them,” the renegade homunculus muttered, “Once I’m done with them!” He turned to his henchmen, and quickly gave the signal for their departure.
They all had work to do.
Silence reigned in the hospital room, where the boys still stared at their teacher after what she told them. Their eyes were wide open, and they looked as though their jaws would drop on the floor any second.
“Failed… human transmutations?” Al said. His voice was barely audible in his stunned state.
“Then… that’s why they want to become human?” Ed breathed out. “To complete what their creators started?”
Izumi nodded.
“But that doesn’t make sense!” Ed exclaimed. “The homunculi aren’t supposed to be able to perform alchemy; that boy can!”
“And he’s not like the others!” Al seconded. “Envy and Lust will stop at nothing to get what they want, and he hasn’t shown any wish to find the stone!”
“Because he doesn’t remember,” Izumi answered. “All homunculi are like children in their first years of life. But as they grow older and more powerful, they only become more corrupted, until they end up hating their own creators and everyone else who has what they don’t.”
“Souls…” Ed breathed out.
“That’s right,” Izumi said. “As to why this boy… this homunculus… is able to perform alchemy can probably be explained if we take under consideration the precedent - your friend.”
“Beregond?” Al wondered, but realisation caught up with him. “Wait a minute… They both spent years inside the gate!”
“Which means that, in a way, they became part of the universal truth,” Ed added. His expression was quite dark now, and he was looking at his automail hand in dismay. “But Beregond was brought here because his gods allowed it, while the homunculus cheated his way out by using my limbs.”
“We don’t know that for sure, but all clues point in that direction,” Izumi said. “It’s fortunate that the homunculus isn’t aware of this yet.”
“So you think he really doesn’t remember the gate?” Ed asked.
“Yes. After all, Alphonse doesn’t. Your friend didn’t remember most of it either until his memories were triggered,” the woman reasoned. “However, we have to make sure the homunculus’s memories aren’t triggered; otherwise, the consequences could be bad for all of us.”
“So what do we do?” Al wondered.
“You will help me get back on my feet,” Izumi said. “I want you to find my teacher. She’s knowledgeable in medicine and she can concoct something to strengthen me. Once that is done, we’ll deal with the problem in our hands.”
Both boys nodded their compliance. “So… where does your teacher live?”
“In a secluded area in the forest just outside of town,” Izumi said. “Her name is Dante.”
Greed stepped out of the shadows of the alley where he was hiding to look around the corner. He needed to look at the area better before going any further.
“Is this the place, Loa?” he asked, pointing at the butcher shop that was just a few feet away.
The large man nodded.
“Good,” Greed said, and his hands instantly turned black and claw-like. “Let’s knock on the door, then.”
The chimeras didn’t have to be told twice. Most of them took their positions around the shop to make sure no one escaped, and then waited for Greed, Loa, Dorochet and Martel to make the first move. Smiling smugly, Greed broke the door in a single swipe and walked in.
“What’s going on?!” A large man, apparently the owner, rushed to the entrance. His hands clenched when he caught sight of Greed and he got ready to attack; but Loa lunged at him and tackled him against the wall so forcefully that the whole place practically shook.
“I would stay still, if I were you,” Loa all but snorted.
“Boss?” a young man’s voice sounded and, soon enough, the young man himself appeared as well.
“Get out of here! Take the children!” The owner managed to cry out before Loa managed a punch on his stomach. Seeing the danger, the man hurried up the stairs, but Martel was proved quicker, moving so fast that her feet barely touched the ground. Seconds later, she managed a powerful kick to the young man’s head, rendering him unconscious.
Greed’s toothy grin broadened at the prospect of success.
“Dorochet… sniff our prey out.”
With his hand on the hilt of his sword, the dog chimera nodded and let out what sounded suspiciously like a howl before heading upstairs. Greed waited patiently for Dorochet to return, sure that he would get results soon enough. However, when Dorochet returned, he was empty-handed.
“He’s not here,” the chimera said. “The trail is relatively cold too. He must be gone for some time.”
Greed snarled in indignation. This wasn’t going how he had planned at all!
Dante, he thought angrily. The homunculus was sure that she had something to do with this. She wanted the boys too, so she obviously acted even faster than him!
That, of course, called for a visit at her place as well.
“Greed, look what I found,” said Kimblee at that moment, stepping inside the shop. He was holding a small boy by the waist and dragging a young girl by one of her wrists.
“Let go of me, you creep!” the blond girl exclaimed, doing her best to free herself, but Kimblee was hardly deterred. He just pushed her into the hands of Dorochet, who held his blade close to her neck.
Though the girl stopped struggling, she still felt compelled to shout: “What do you want?!”
“Nothing from you, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Greed said nonchalantly. He turned to Kimblee and pointed at the boy. “Release him. He’s not the one we’re looking for.”
“I still think he’s good enough,” Kimblee answered. With that, he lifted the boy’s right foot, where Greed clearly saw the sign of the Ouroboros. “I saw it when he tried to kick me,” the alchemist explained.
“Really?” Greed asked, intrigued. He picked up the unconscious boy from the scruff of his neck and examined him carefully. “Where did you find him?”
“He was about to jump out of the back window along with his friend, but that’s not all,” Kimblee said. “The window was broken through alchemy; his alchemy.”
It took a lot to take Greed by surprise. This time, however, he had to admit that he was astonished. One didn’t see a homunculus able to perform alchemy every day, after all. More importantly, it was obvious Dante didn’t know about him. If she did, she would have taken him along with the Elric Brothers.
Greed couldn’t help but grin once more as a whole new prospect was unveiled before him. He was in need of allies, and now, by a sheer stroke of luck, he had gotten a most valuable one.
“Lock the girl in a room,” he ordered. “We’re leaving at once.”
TBC…
Subtitles
- Brother's Debt
- Fullmetal Body, Fullmetal Heart
- A Quiet Day
- In The Night
- Two Men's Faces
- Transfer
- Making Plans
- Shadows Of The Past
- Underworld
- The Price Of Immortality
- Departure
- The Key
- Enemy Revealed
- A Step Back
- A Step Closer To The Truth
- A Race
- Rush Valley
- Responsibility
- Izumi
- Time To Stand Still
- Wild Child
- Encounter
- Riddles In The Dark
- In Search For Answers
- A Teacher's Mistakes
- Complications
- Visits
- The Nature Of A Homunculus
- Dante Of The Deep Forest
- Kidnapped
- Fight At The Devil's Nest
- Innocence Lost
- Blood Spilt
- Recovering
- Bearers Of Ill News
- The Flame Alchemist
- True Colours
- Markings On The Ground
- The Mission
- Heading To Liore
- Change Of Plans
- The Scar
- Holy Mother
- A Mother's Face
- Final Moments