The Beginning Of The End
Things in Central Headquarters were quite agitated, especially after the Brass heard news of the Fullmetal Alchemist’s abduction. Not because they were all that concerned about the boy, mind you, but because his court-martial had to be delayed once more.
“I personally recommended that kid to become a State Alchemist!” General Hakuro cried amid all the voices that could be heard as the Brass took conference in the privacy of the main hall. “How could he have brought such shame to the military?”
How indeed? Roy thought, yet he kept his expression neutral. He had been watching the conference for quite some time, listening to all the generals bickering amongst themselves as if somehow trying to win the favour of the Führer once more. As for Bradley himself, he was sitting at a separate desk almost motionless, his single eye betraying no emotion except for cold-blooded calculation. Roy was sure that that kind of display that his generals showed pleased the man to no end, even if he wasn’t foolish to show such a thing.
“Are we sure that this child was connected to the insurrection in Liore?” another general asked.
“Well, according to this report,” Lieutenant General Grumman said, “Edward Elric was there a year ago, and he exposed a fraud priest who was using alchemy to trick his followers. However, several reports claim that this same priest caused the rebellion in Liore.”
“Yes,” Roy intervened at that moment. “And, from the look of things, the citizens meant to rebel against the Amestrian military.”
General Hakuro sat up at once in his seat and stared at Roy incredulously. “Are you criticising my actions in Liore?”
“Please, gentlemen,” Bradley said, finally deciding to intervene. “Let’s not forget of Colonel Mustang’s exploits in both Ishbal and Liore. If anything, this man has proven his loyalty to the military.”
The generals didn’t say anything to that. They simply nodded, accepting the Führer’s word. The Führer, however, was far from finished.
“Still, Colonel Mustang… I don’t understand how you could allow such an unfortunate thing take place. And I’m honestly surprised that you only sent Sergeant Beregond in order to retrieve the Elric boys. This isn’t a covert mission, is it?”
He’s suspecting something, was Roy’s first thought, but he kept his head. “Sergeant Beregond’s scouting abilities are unmatched. He can help Major Armstrong and his team to locate the Elric Brothers, as he has done before,” he answered. He paused for a few moments to straighten his uniform, and then he boldly stood up. It was time to take things a step further. “However, it has also come under my attention something quite disturbing about your secretary, Colonel Juliette Douglas. I see she’s not here.”
“Indeed,” Bradley replied coldly. “She requested a few days off, which I granted them to her.”
“That’s interesting… and inconvenient,” Roy replied,” I wanted her to be present when I laid my accusations on her.”
“Oh?” the Führer asked, raising an eyebrow. “And what kind of accusations are those?”
It was now or never. So Roy took the deep plunge.
“I have proof that shows that the military records concerning her person have been tampered with. I also have proof that she was directly involved in the attempted murder of Brigadier General Hughes.”
That the news took all the people present by surprise would have been an understatement. A series of gasps filled the room and everyone started talking, trying to understand if Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, had actually gone mad.
“Yes, Brigadier General Hughes is alive,” Roy insisted. “If you don’t believe me, you may speak with the man himself.”
At the next moment, Roy opened the doors to the hall and signalled to someone to come in. A man in a long trenchcoat and a mask walked inside, looking at Roy as if asking for some sort of permission. When Roy nodded, the man pulled out his mask, and everyone were taken to see Maes Hughes standing before them in the flesh.
The only one who didn’t seem shocked was Lieutenant General Grumman. In fact, he regarded Roy, the words he wanted to say reflected in his eyes.
Well done, boy.
Havoc huffed a puff of smoke and got ready to toss the cigarette end away. Fuery, however, was faster and showed the second lieutenant the ashtray.
“There’s a reason they made these,” he said. “Use them.”
Havoc raised an eyebrow. “Did Riza leave you in her place or something?”
Feury glared at Havoc, not sharing the humour, so Havoc decided to relent for now. He took the ashtray and put out his cigarette in it.
“Hey, Falman… what time is it?” Breda asked at that moment.
Falman checked his watch. “Quarter past four.”
“They should have been back by now,” Havoc pointed out.
“Relax,” Breda replied. “If anything bad had happened, we would have been put under arrest by now.”
A soft whining sound came from the corner of the small room everyone was in, making everyone turn to that direction. Black Hayate was resting on the floor, his head resting on his front legs and with eyes reflecting his misery.
“Cheer up, Hayate,” Fuery said, petting the dog affectionately. “Riza will be back.”
The dog barked once, appreciating the gesture. Even so, he didn’t seem any happier. That is, until he suddenly pricked up his ears, clearly picking up a set of familiar footsteps. At the next moment, he got on his feet and rushed to the door, barking and wagging his tail in abandon.
“Heh,” Breda said with a small smile. “Annoying critter or not, he sure knows how to tell friend from foe.”
Sure enough, the door opened to reveal Riza, followed closely behind by Roy and Maes. All three looked tired, yet there was still a strange gleam in their eyes; a gleam that burnt more brightly in Roy’s coal-black gaze.
“I take it that it’s done, then?” Bred asked, looking at the newcomers with a knowing wry smile.
Roy didn’t answer, not in words at least. He simply nodded and motioned to take off his coat, but Riza proved faster.
“I’ll take that,” she said softly.
“So, what did the Brass say after seeing a dead man before them?” Havoc asked, locking his gaze on Maes.
The brigadier general chuckled wryly. “Some of them became so pale that they looked like ghosts,” he said. “The Führer, on the other hand, smiled and declared that he was pleased to hear how the conspiracy has been finally unmasked.”
Fuery swallowed hard. “Why does this give me the creeps?”
“Because it should,” Roy answered, sitting down on one of the chairs with a heavy sigh. “He claimed that Juliette Douglas must have been the Drachmanian informant that was sent to infiltrate the military according to his latest info from his spy network. And that kind of audacity can only be answered in one way.”
“What’s that?” Falman asked apprehensively.
“War,” Maes replied. “The Brass expects us to go up North as soon as enough forces are gathered.”
Breda snorted in an almost contemptuous manner. “Nice. They hope to off us all there and blame it on the enemy crossfire.”
“So what happens now? We’re actually going there?” Fuery asked, his eyes wide like saucers.
“We can’t disobey orders,” Roy said. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t have one last card to play.”
“Which is?”
At that moment, Black Hayate pricked up his ears once more, and started barking at the door. None of the people present in the room were alarmed, though; Hayate’s bark was happy. It still made Havoc curious enough to look out a small window, then finally open the door.
Armstrong stepped in, practically towering over almost everyone in the room, Lieutenant Ross and Sergeant Bloch following closely behind. Roy chuckled, regarding the large man with an amused expression on his features.
“I have to say that your timing is perfect, Major,” he said. I was just about to tell them about our plan.”
Armstrong beamed. “The perfect sense of timing is an art handed down the Armstrong family for generations,” he declared, and he sat down on the small couch nearby.
“I’m sure it is,” Roy said, smirking; then started telling everything about the dangerous plan everyone would have to see through.
Ed dared a peek around the corner, and watched the people go by through dark glasses. Everyone seemed to be focused on their business, talking idly about all sorts of things; but, frankly, the teen alchemist didn’t care about that. He was mostly on the lookout for anyone who wore the familiar blue uniform that belonged to the military, as well as a certain building that served as an entrance to another world underground.
“Well, Brother? Do you see anything?” Al asked, standing beside Ed.
“No,” Ed replied, and he turned to Beregond. “Are you sure this is the right way?”
“Positive,” Beregond answered,” The church was one of the few buildings that were reconstructed again after the city that preceded Central sank.”
“Yes,” Izumi seconded. “According to Hohenheim’s letters, it was an attempt for normalcy after everything that happened - to forget.”
Al’s flickering eyes widened in realisation. “That’s right. If people forgot about what happened, then they would forget the danger of creating a philosopher’s stone as well.”
“And then, in time, there would be again alchemists who would try to create the philosopher’s stone for themselves,” Ed completed. “All Dante had to do was wait for the right moment.”
Beregond bowed his head, a sickened expression etched on his features. Al placed a hand on the Gondorian’s shoulder in concern.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes,” the man answered. “I just couldn’t help thinking that that was probably what Dûrinas had in mind, too.”
“Well, you stopped one crazy alchemist, we’ll now stop another,” Ed said, and beckoned everyone to follow him. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Now that is quite the surprise,” a feminine voice said just then.
Everyone turned around to see with Lust, Sloth and Wrath standing just a couple of feet away from them, ready to attack if any of the alchemists tried to put up a fight. Ed clenched his jaw to see his mother’s doppelganger with that sweet smile, a mocker of what he once loved; while Izumi clenched her hands into fists at the sight of the young boy that had the form of her son.
“Pride was supposed to have you captured. We were actually on our way to collect you,” Sloth said again, taking a few steps forward. “You do know how to escape the military’s clutches.
Ed, Al and Beregond gasped, for her words shook them to their very hearts. There was another homunculus that had infiltrated the military, but who was it? All three exchanged a glance, the thought crossing their minds almost simultaneously.
Bradley. It couldn’t be anyone else. And so, the final piece of the puzzle that they had been trying to puzzle was added at last.
“I’m surprised to see you out here in the open,” Ed said, gritting his teeth. “What’s it gonna be? Are you going to pretend you’re our mother again so we won’t hurt you?”
Sloth chuckled. “Hardly. You’re not my sons. But it would be to your best interest to come with us quietly.”
“Brave words, Homunculus,” Izumi declared, her voice icy-cold. “Pity I can’t say the say thing about your companion.”
Indeed, Wrath held up his alchemised spear with shaky hands, keeping his fearful eyes constantly on Beregond. It was as if he was expecting the Gondorian to lunge at him at any second.
“What’s the matter?” Izumi asked Wrath relentlessly. “Does he wake up too many memories from the Gate?”
“Shut up,” Wrath snapped, but his voice was painfully strained.
“It must have been a frightening place. Why else would you want to escape from it so badly that you stole another boy’s limbs?” Izumi continued on, hardly fazed. “But you also know that the Gate isn’t forgiving.”
“I said shut up!” Wrath turned to Lust, eyes glazing in panic. “Kill him! We have the others; we don’t need him!”
Lust looked at Beregond, and then smiled cruelly. “But why, Wrath? Dante has been telling us all along not to harm any powerful alchemists.”
“I SAID KILL HIM!” Wrath was now almost beside himself in a state of panic, shaking violently and with legs about to give way underneath him.
“You’re not in a position to give orders,” Lust replied in contempt.
“But I am,” Sloth said, facing the other female homunculus. “We already have three powerful alchemists; we can always claim that this one resisted.”
“She’ll never believe that,” Lust said, waving her hand dismissively; then glared at Sloth. “You can always kill him yourself, you know. Or are you just as afraid of him as the runt you mother so lovingly?”
Sloth clenched her jaw, her anger evident on her features. “Do as I say,” she commanded, her tone expressionless. “We don’t need him. Have I made myself clear?”
Lust pursed her lips for a brief moment, then nodded slowly. Her heels clicked on the pavement as she stepped closer to the Gondorian, while Beregond looked at her with eerie calmness, even as her nails extended for the kill.
But Beregond didn’t move. He even grabbed Ed by the arm the moment that he sensed the teen alchemist shifting, ready to attack the female homunculus; for he had seen something in Lust’s eyes that was different from the last few times they had met. He had to trust his instincts now, and hope that they didn’t fail him this time.
Just when things looked most dire, Lust spun around and launched her nails at Sloth and Wrath. Only their quick reflexes saved the other two homunculi, for Sloth liquefied herself and Wrath transmuted a wall, serving as a safety barrier. Lust retracted her nails and got ready to attack again, but Sloth and Wrath ran off at once, practically disappearing.
Ed, Al, Izumi and Mr. Curtis regarded Lust sceptically at that display, but she didn’t acknowledge them at once. She simply retracted her nails with a shake of her head, then finally faced them.
“That was noble of you,” Ed said, unable to hide the sarcasm from his voice. “What gives? You don’t like their company anymore?”
Lust snorted. “Let’s just say that I’m tired of being used. But we should hurry. Though they didn’t expect this, they won’t be taken by surprise twice.”
“There’s no ‘we’,” Izumi declared, eyes reflecting her wariness. “I’m not willing to trust anyone who was about to create the philosopher’s stone for the sake of a delusional woman.”
“I’m not asking you to,” Lust replied. “Whether you like it or not, however, I know their strengths and weaknesses. You need me to fight them.”
“But… We’ll be fighting your own allies!” Al exclaimed in disbelief.
“Then so be it,” she said, waving her hand in a dismissive manner. “We should go.”
“What about--?” Ed started.
“Ed, it’s fine. I can always keep an eye on her while you focus on Sloth and Wrath,” Beregond said then.
Ed scrunched his face to a frown as he tried to figure out what they should do next. In the end, however, he made up his mind.
“Fine.” He transmuted his automail arm into a blade and regarded Izumi. “Should we split up?”
Izumi nodded. “It will be easier that way.”
“Alright,” Ed said. “So… Al and I will take the left side, you and Mr. Curtis can take the right side, while Beregond and Lust can serve as our eyes from above. Does that work with you?”
Everyone nodded their agreement, and they each went their separate ways. Beregond beckoned Lust to follow him, and she obeyed, albeit reluctantly.
“This should work nicely,” Beregond answered, pointing at a ladder which led to the rooftops. He motioned his hand, looking at the female homunculus. “Ladies first.”
Lust regarded Beregond, raising an eyebrow. “Your sense of chivalry is disturbing,” she noted; nevertheless, she started climbing up the ladder.
“I could probably say the same about your change of heart,” Beregond retorted, following her.
“I’ve already told you--”
“You were aware that you worked for someone else, and yet you didn’t have a problem until now,” Beregond said. “So what’s the real reason you decided to stand up to Dante?”
Lust sighed and continued climbing up. “There’s no fooling you, is there, Gondorian?”
Beregond didn’t answer, encouraging her to speak.
“I still want to become human, don’t get me wrong,” Lust said. “But I remembered your words back at Liore, and I realised something important.”
“And that is?” Beregond asked.
Lust looked down at him, actually smiling.
“Your solution is simpler.”
TBC…
“I personally recommended that kid to become a State Alchemist!” General Hakuro cried amid all the voices that could be heard as the Brass took conference in the privacy of the main hall. “How could he have brought such shame to the military?”
How indeed? Roy thought, yet he kept his expression neutral. He had been watching the conference for quite some time, listening to all the generals bickering amongst themselves as if somehow trying to win the favour of the Führer once more. As for Bradley himself, he was sitting at a separate desk almost motionless, his single eye betraying no emotion except for cold-blooded calculation. Roy was sure that that kind of display that his generals showed pleased the man to no end, even if he wasn’t foolish to show such a thing.
“Are we sure that this child was connected to the insurrection in Liore?” another general asked.
“Well, according to this report,” Lieutenant General Grumman said, “Edward Elric was there a year ago, and he exposed a fraud priest who was using alchemy to trick his followers. However, several reports claim that this same priest caused the rebellion in Liore.”
“Yes,” Roy intervened at that moment. “And, from the look of things, the citizens meant to rebel against the Amestrian military.”
General Hakuro sat up at once in his seat and stared at Roy incredulously. “Are you criticising my actions in Liore?”
“Please, gentlemen,” Bradley said, finally deciding to intervene. “Let’s not forget of Colonel Mustang’s exploits in both Ishbal and Liore. If anything, this man has proven his loyalty to the military.”
The generals didn’t say anything to that. They simply nodded, accepting the Führer’s word. The Führer, however, was far from finished.
“Still, Colonel Mustang… I don’t understand how you could allow such an unfortunate thing take place. And I’m honestly surprised that you only sent Sergeant Beregond in order to retrieve the Elric boys. This isn’t a covert mission, is it?”
He’s suspecting something, was Roy’s first thought, but he kept his head. “Sergeant Beregond’s scouting abilities are unmatched. He can help Major Armstrong and his team to locate the Elric Brothers, as he has done before,” he answered. He paused for a few moments to straighten his uniform, and then he boldly stood up. It was time to take things a step further. “However, it has also come under my attention something quite disturbing about your secretary, Colonel Juliette Douglas. I see she’s not here.”
“Indeed,” Bradley replied coldly. “She requested a few days off, which I granted them to her.”
“That’s interesting… and inconvenient,” Roy replied,” I wanted her to be present when I laid my accusations on her.”
“Oh?” the Führer asked, raising an eyebrow. “And what kind of accusations are those?”
It was now or never. So Roy took the deep plunge.
“I have proof that shows that the military records concerning her person have been tampered with. I also have proof that she was directly involved in the attempted murder of Brigadier General Hughes.”
That the news took all the people present by surprise would have been an understatement. A series of gasps filled the room and everyone started talking, trying to understand if Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, had actually gone mad.
“Yes, Brigadier General Hughes is alive,” Roy insisted. “If you don’t believe me, you may speak with the man himself.”
At the next moment, Roy opened the doors to the hall and signalled to someone to come in. A man in a long trenchcoat and a mask walked inside, looking at Roy as if asking for some sort of permission. When Roy nodded, the man pulled out his mask, and everyone were taken to see Maes Hughes standing before them in the flesh.
The only one who didn’t seem shocked was Lieutenant General Grumman. In fact, he regarded Roy, the words he wanted to say reflected in his eyes.
Well done, boy.
Havoc huffed a puff of smoke and got ready to toss the cigarette end away. Fuery, however, was faster and showed the second lieutenant the ashtray.
“There’s a reason they made these,” he said. “Use them.”
Havoc raised an eyebrow. “Did Riza leave you in her place or something?”
Feury glared at Havoc, not sharing the humour, so Havoc decided to relent for now. He took the ashtray and put out his cigarette in it.
“Hey, Falman… what time is it?” Breda asked at that moment.
Falman checked his watch. “Quarter past four.”
“They should have been back by now,” Havoc pointed out.
“Relax,” Breda replied. “If anything bad had happened, we would have been put under arrest by now.”
A soft whining sound came from the corner of the small room everyone was in, making everyone turn to that direction. Black Hayate was resting on the floor, his head resting on his front legs and with eyes reflecting his misery.
“Cheer up, Hayate,” Fuery said, petting the dog affectionately. “Riza will be back.”
The dog barked once, appreciating the gesture. Even so, he didn’t seem any happier. That is, until he suddenly pricked up his ears, clearly picking up a set of familiar footsteps. At the next moment, he got on his feet and rushed to the door, barking and wagging his tail in abandon.
“Heh,” Breda said with a small smile. “Annoying critter or not, he sure knows how to tell friend from foe.”
Sure enough, the door opened to reveal Riza, followed closely behind by Roy and Maes. All three looked tired, yet there was still a strange gleam in their eyes; a gleam that burnt more brightly in Roy’s coal-black gaze.
“I take it that it’s done, then?” Bred asked, looking at the newcomers with a knowing wry smile.
Roy didn’t answer, not in words at least. He simply nodded and motioned to take off his coat, but Riza proved faster.
“I’ll take that,” she said softly.
“So, what did the Brass say after seeing a dead man before them?” Havoc asked, locking his gaze on Maes.
The brigadier general chuckled wryly. “Some of them became so pale that they looked like ghosts,” he said. “The Führer, on the other hand, smiled and declared that he was pleased to hear how the conspiracy has been finally unmasked.”
Fuery swallowed hard. “Why does this give me the creeps?”
“Because it should,” Roy answered, sitting down on one of the chairs with a heavy sigh. “He claimed that Juliette Douglas must have been the Drachmanian informant that was sent to infiltrate the military according to his latest info from his spy network. And that kind of audacity can only be answered in one way.”
“What’s that?” Falman asked apprehensively.
“War,” Maes replied. “The Brass expects us to go up North as soon as enough forces are gathered.”
Breda snorted in an almost contemptuous manner. “Nice. They hope to off us all there and blame it on the enemy crossfire.”
“So what happens now? We’re actually going there?” Fuery asked, his eyes wide like saucers.
“We can’t disobey orders,” Roy said. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t have one last card to play.”
“Which is?”
At that moment, Black Hayate pricked up his ears once more, and started barking at the door. None of the people present in the room were alarmed, though; Hayate’s bark was happy. It still made Havoc curious enough to look out a small window, then finally open the door.
Armstrong stepped in, practically towering over almost everyone in the room, Lieutenant Ross and Sergeant Bloch following closely behind. Roy chuckled, regarding the large man with an amused expression on his features.
“I have to say that your timing is perfect, Major,” he said. I was just about to tell them about our plan.”
Armstrong beamed. “The perfect sense of timing is an art handed down the Armstrong family for generations,” he declared, and he sat down on the small couch nearby.
“I’m sure it is,” Roy said, smirking; then started telling everything about the dangerous plan everyone would have to see through.
Ed dared a peek around the corner, and watched the people go by through dark glasses. Everyone seemed to be focused on their business, talking idly about all sorts of things; but, frankly, the teen alchemist didn’t care about that. He was mostly on the lookout for anyone who wore the familiar blue uniform that belonged to the military, as well as a certain building that served as an entrance to another world underground.
“Well, Brother? Do you see anything?” Al asked, standing beside Ed.
“No,” Ed replied, and he turned to Beregond. “Are you sure this is the right way?”
“Positive,” Beregond answered,” The church was one of the few buildings that were reconstructed again after the city that preceded Central sank.”
“Yes,” Izumi seconded. “According to Hohenheim’s letters, it was an attempt for normalcy after everything that happened - to forget.”
Al’s flickering eyes widened in realisation. “That’s right. If people forgot about what happened, then they would forget the danger of creating a philosopher’s stone as well.”
“And then, in time, there would be again alchemists who would try to create the philosopher’s stone for themselves,” Ed completed. “All Dante had to do was wait for the right moment.”
Beregond bowed his head, a sickened expression etched on his features. Al placed a hand on the Gondorian’s shoulder in concern.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes,” the man answered. “I just couldn’t help thinking that that was probably what Dûrinas had in mind, too.”
“Well, you stopped one crazy alchemist, we’ll now stop another,” Ed said, and beckoned everyone to follow him. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Now that is quite the surprise,” a feminine voice said just then.
Everyone turned around to see with Lust, Sloth and Wrath standing just a couple of feet away from them, ready to attack if any of the alchemists tried to put up a fight. Ed clenched his jaw to see his mother’s doppelganger with that sweet smile, a mocker of what he once loved; while Izumi clenched her hands into fists at the sight of the young boy that had the form of her son.
“Pride was supposed to have you captured. We were actually on our way to collect you,” Sloth said again, taking a few steps forward. “You do know how to escape the military’s clutches.
Ed, Al and Beregond gasped, for her words shook them to their very hearts. There was another homunculus that had infiltrated the military, but who was it? All three exchanged a glance, the thought crossing their minds almost simultaneously.
Bradley. It couldn’t be anyone else. And so, the final piece of the puzzle that they had been trying to puzzle was added at last.
“I’m surprised to see you out here in the open,” Ed said, gritting his teeth. “What’s it gonna be? Are you going to pretend you’re our mother again so we won’t hurt you?”
Sloth chuckled. “Hardly. You’re not my sons. But it would be to your best interest to come with us quietly.”
“Brave words, Homunculus,” Izumi declared, her voice icy-cold. “Pity I can’t say the say thing about your companion.”
Indeed, Wrath held up his alchemised spear with shaky hands, keeping his fearful eyes constantly on Beregond. It was as if he was expecting the Gondorian to lunge at him at any second.
“What’s the matter?” Izumi asked Wrath relentlessly. “Does he wake up too many memories from the Gate?”
“Shut up,” Wrath snapped, but his voice was painfully strained.
“It must have been a frightening place. Why else would you want to escape from it so badly that you stole another boy’s limbs?” Izumi continued on, hardly fazed. “But you also know that the Gate isn’t forgiving.”
“I said shut up!” Wrath turned to Lust, eyes glazing in panic. “Kill him! We have the others; we don’t need him!”
Lust looked at Beregond, and then smiled cruelly. “But why, Wrath? Dante has been telling us all along not to harm any powerful alchemists.”
“I SAID KILL HIM!” Wrath was now almost beside himself in a state of panic, shaking violently and with legs about to give way underneath him.
“You’re not in a position to give orders,” Lust replied in contempt.
“But I am,” Sloth said, facing the other female homunculus. “We already have three powerful alchemists; we can always claim that this one resisted.”
“She’ll never believe that,” Lust said, waving her hand dismissively; then glared at Sloth. “You can always kill him yourself, you know. Or are you just as afraid of him as the runt you mother so lovingly?”
Sloth clenched her jaw, her anger evident on her features. “Do as I say,” she commanded, her tone expressionless. “We don’t need him. Have I made myself clear?”
Lust pursed her lips for a brief moment, then nodded slowly. Her heels clicked on the pavement as she stepped closer to the Gondorian, while Beregond looked at her with eerie calmness, even as her nails extended for the kill.
But Beregond didn’t move. He even grabbed Ed by the arm the moment that he sensed the teen alchemist shifting, ready to attack the female homunculus; for he had seen something in Lust’s eyes that was different from the last few times they had met. He had to trust his instincts now, and hope that they didn’t fail him this time.
Just when things looked most dire, Lust spun around and launched her nails at Sloth and Wrath. Only their quick reflexes saved the other two homunculi, for Sloth liquefied herself and Wrath transmuted a wall, serving as a safety barrier. Lust retracted her nails and got ready to attack again, but Sloth and Wrath ran off at once, practically disappearing.
Ed, Al, Izumi and Mr. Curtis regarded Lust sceptically at that display, but she didn’t acknowledge them at once. She simply retracted her nails with a shake of her head, then finally faced them.
“That was noble of you,” Ed said, unable to hide the sarcasm from his voice. “What gives? You don’t like their company anymore?”
Lust snorted. “Let’s just say that I’m tired of being used. But we should hurry. Though they didn’t expect this, they won’t be taken by surprise twice.”
“There’s no ‘we’,” Izumi declared, eyes reflecting her wariness. “I’m not willing to trust anyone who was about to create the philosopher’s stone for the sake of a delusional woman.”
“I’m not asking you to,” Lust replied. “Whether you like it or not, however, I know their strengths and weaknesses. You need me to fight them.”
“But… We’ll be fighting your own allies!” Al exclaimed in disbelief.
“Then so be it,” she said, waving her hand in a dismissive manner. “We should go.”
“What about--?” Ed started.
“Ed, it’s fine. I can always keep an eye on her while you focus on Sloth and Wrath,” Beregond said then.
Ed scrunched his face to a frown as he tried to figure out what they should do next. In the end, however, he made up his mind.
“Fine.” He transmuted his automail arm into a blade and regarded Izumi. “Should we split up?”
Izumi nodded. “It will be easier that way.”
“Alright,” Ed said. “So… Al and I will take the left side, you and Mr. Curtis can take the right side, while Beregond and Lust can serve as our eyes from above. Does that work with you?”
Everyone nodded their agreement, and they each went their separate ways. Beregond beckoned Lust to follow him, and she obeyed, albeit reluctantly.
“This should work nicely,” Beregond answered, pointing at a ladder which led to the rooftops. He motioned his hand, looking at the female homunculus. “Ladies first.”
Lust regarded Beregond, raising an eyebrow. “Your sense of chivalry is disturbing,” she noted; nevertheless, she started climbing up the ladder.
“I could probably say the same about your change of heart,” Beregond retorted, following her.
“I’ve already told you--”
“You were aware that you worked for someone else, and yet you didn’t have a problem until now,” Beregond said. “So what’s the real reason you decided to stand up to Dante?”
Lust sighed and continued climbing up. “There’s no fooling you, is there, Gondorian?”
Beregond didn’t answer, encouraging her to speak.
“I still want to become human, don’t get me wrong,” Lust said. “But I remembered your words back at Liore, and I realised something important.”
“And that is?” Beregond asked.
Lust looked down at him, actually smiling.
“Your solution is simpler.”
TBC…
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