part two
A few months later Envy and Jealous stood before the cave that Envy had mentioned. Behind them was Lust and Gluttony who would wait there. As much as Jealous a.k.a Illanya didn't want to admit it she had been thinking an awefully lot about Al. She missed him and Ed and even her brother. She didn't want to believe that they were bad people. But if she wanted to stay alive then she had to pretend that she was convinced that they were. But she had also noticed that Envy had taken a very strange liking to her. Shaking away the thoughts she turned to him. "Alright, let's get this done."
Envy nodded as he changed form until his form looked just like Jealous's Chimera form. Jealous did the same and took on her Chimera form. Once ready they flapped their wings and made their way towards the cave. Little did they know that Ed and Al weren't far behind.
Though they weren't anywhere near the cave they were in fact looking for it. Thanks to Lust; who had once more betrayed the other Humuncli. Though they had no idea that she had lied to them. She had sent them to the opposite end of the valley. "Alright Al, that cave is supposed to be here somewhere."
"I can't believe she actually believed what Envy told her," Al said. "To think that her brother would actually want her dead."
At that Ed smiled and shook his head while saying, "I doubt she did." At Al's questioning look he said, "Think about it; they need her help right? So if she plays along she can not only find out what their planning but can stay alive."
"Gee.....I never thought about it like that," Al admited. "It does make sense."
"You'll see Al; when we find her she'll be ready to go." Though secertly Ed doubted his own words. From what Lust had told him in private Illanya had been heartborken. If Envy could have actually fooled her into thinking that then......they'd have to watch their step. After awhile of walking they came to a cave opening. "Wonder if this is it."
"Shouldn't there be someone guarding the outside?" Al asked.
"I doubt it Al. After all no one is supposed to know that their out here." Ed thought for a moment. "And it does have the feeling of Alchemy around it." He took a step forward and felt the ground crumble underneath him. he stummbled back and knocked his brother to the ground. But the ground kept shaking and with a roarin groan the ground opened underneath them. Both let out a yell as they fell into the hole.
Jealous picked up her head and looked over her shoulder. Had she heard something? "Is something wrong?" Envy asked.
"Mmmmm...no; it's nothing," Jealous answered. She flew to the left of Envy and he had to admit that the cave was pretty dark. "Is it much further?"
"Shouldn't be; we're almost................" Envy never got to finish because the cave they were in started to rumble. Huge boulders started to fall in every direction. One hit Envy square in the head; knocking him out. Jealous lunged for him as he transformed back to his green haired form.
She flew over to an opening and slipped inside. She set Envy on the ground as she went back to her own Human form. From what she had been told since coming back all the Homunculi had lost their ability to regenrate leaving them as easy to hurt like any Human. Though Envy was still able to use his shape shifting ability. She set his head in her lap and gently pared his hair. There was a large gash on the back of his head.
She ripped the egde of her dress until she had a nice long strip. She spilt it in half and use a piece to clean away the blood. But she had to work quickly or they'd be trapped. She was able to use Alchemy to reinforce their hide out but it wouldn't last forever. "Envy.....come on. You have to wake up!" She wrapped the wound as she tried to wake him.
On the outside Lust and Gluttony had backed away from the cave. They watched with wide eyes as the opening crumbled into nothing. "Their trapped." But Lust didn't understand....what had happened? Jealous would have known better to use Alchemy. Then she thought she understood. Edward and his brother must have been around. Had they found another way into the cave? But Envy would know better then to let a fight happen. Episcally since none of them could heal themselves anymore.
While Lust was right because it was in fact Ed that had started the chain reaction. A gaint hand held both him and his winded brother. Ed was on his knees; trying to hard to catch his brother while Al laid on his back. "W....wow big brother."
"Yeah....your not kidding," Edward answered. "But look; we opened up a new way into the cave." Once both were ready Ed had the hand lower then gently into the cave. "No good Al....you'd need wings for this one." Then an idea hit him as he said, "Which would be perfect for thoes two!"
"But they couldn't be in this one," Al tried to reason. "The shock of using your Alchemy would have sent boulders crashing down on them."
Ed's face turned pale at that thought.....he hadn't thought about that. "Ri...right...let's look somewhere else." Though neither knew it; Ed had been right to suggest that this was the cave.
As they were leaving Envy finally let out a groan. His eyes slide open and he looked up at Jealous in surpaise. "What happened?"
"Some idiot used Alchemy and caused a cave in," Jealous answered. "You were hit by one of the falling rocks." She looked around with a sigh. "Luckly my own Alchemy stopped us from being crushed."
With Jealou's help Envy sat up and placed his hand on the back of his head. "Dammit....I prefered it back when I could heal myself." He sighed and lowered his hand and then looked over at Jealous. Though he was grateful for Jealous for helping him he wanted to kick himself. Being saved by a girl was embarrassing. The others would never let him live that one down.
"At least your alive," Jealous said. "You had me worried."
An amused exspression came to his face as he asked,"You were worried about me?" He had never had anyone worry about him before. It felt kinda....well kinda good.
"Of course I was," Jealous answered with a slight blush. "In any case your the only one who knows where we are in the cave. If we act quickly we can get what we came to and get out."
"Well.....if we're in the same general place when the rocks fell then what we seek in only a bit further in." Envy went to stand but ended up getting dizzy. "And at the moment I don't think I'll be much help."
"Can I get the object myself?" Jealous asked.
Envy thought for a moment and then shrugged. "You might be able too but why risk it?"
"Because once I start something I finish it no matter what." She transmutated a rock into a point stick. "Here; use this to mark the object's location."
Envy looked at the girl before him completely amazed. He decided to take the stick into his hand. He looked at it for a moment then dug into the ground. He dug out the location starting at where they were now sitting. "I haven't touched it yet but I'm sure they'll be some kind of trap guarding it."
"Got it," Jealous said with a nod of her head. "You rest up and I'll meet you back here."
"I don't like this but alright," Envy said. He sighed as he drapped his arms over his legs. "Just......be careful."
Jealous nodded and smiled as she said, "Count on it." She gave him a thumbs up and went to her Chimera form. "Be back in flash." She went to the wall of stone and slapped her clawed hands together then placed them on the wall. It glowed and the wall gave way. Once out she got ready to jump out but stopped. "Ahhhhhhhhh.....this is a problem."
"What is it?" Envy called from where he was.
"The cave end ruined the entire cave. No way we'll be flying." She clicked her beak in thought then went back to her Human form. "But no matter...I think we can still get to it." She slapped her hands together once more and then slammed them agaisnt the wall. There was the usual glow but Jealous let out a whelp.
Envy turned in time to see Jealous fall to the ground. Stunned he sat there for a moment and then charged forward. He picked her up into his arms and looked down on her. "What did you do?"
"I...used your map and transmutated it into the tunnel," Jealous said tiredly. "At least....that's.....how....it....should have........"
"Shussh; you expanded too much energy already." Envy looked down the tunnel and bit his lip. "Looks like I'll be the one to go after all. A bear should be big enough to carry you."
"Leave me here," Jealous said. "I'll just....rest." Her eyes slide closed at that and she laid still in her arms.
Envy only shook his head and laughed then transformed. "And here I thought you finished your missions no matter what." Gently he nosed her onto his back and turned to the cave she had created. She had grat skill. Prehaps with a bit more training psyhically she could do even greater things without getting so tired.
Then shaking his great head he walked forward then paused. A roar ecasped his lips as he saw Edward and Alphonse. "See Al; there has to be someone who created this." He stopped though when he saw the bear.
Al was the only one who recongized Jealous. "LOOK! It has Illanya! She was here! She must have made the tunnel!" He approached the bear slowing not knowing who it really was. "Ni...nice bear. You won't eat her right?"
Knowing he was in a tight bind Envy simply tilted his head to play along. He aloud Al to come closer and lay a hand on Jealous to make sure she was ok. But when Al tried to pick her up he growled. That caused Edward to pull Al away. "Back up Al; I doubt he'll hurt her. He must of found her laying here. Animals have been known to help Humans from time to time."
"And who excatly are you calling an animal?" Envy asked using someone else's voice. Changing form again he turned into a long haired teen. He had long back hair and sapphire eyes and slightly tanned skin. In his arms laid Jealous. Looking down at the girl he asked, "So her name is Illanya? That's odd....she told me it was Jealous."
Getting suspiuos Ed asked, "How did you two meet?"
"Hmmm.....Oh right. It's a funny thing really. She had been fighting with this black haired boy. At first I thought he was a Chimera like me and her but he wasn't. He would have killed her if the cave in hadn't happened. As we fell the boy left but I managed to get into postion for her to land on me. Before she passed out she created this tunnel so we could get out.....but it seemed to be too much for her," Envy said sadly.
"And what exactly were you doing in this area?" Ed asked.
"Well I am half bear," Envy countered. "I protect this land from poachers and normally when someone's in trouble I don't ask questions. Which reminds me; she said this tunnel wouldn't last long."
"Yeah, we already took care of that," Ed answered. He didn't really trust this guy but...as long as they found Illanya it didn't matter. "By the way I'm Edward Elric and this is my brother Alphonse."
"I'm Joseph," Envy lied. "It's nice to meet you." He looked down at Illanya and sighed. "Guess the mission is over after all."
"Do you mind if my brother takes her?" Ed asked.
"Oh....uh sure," Envy said as he handed her over. "Ummm.........would you mind if I came with you guys until she woke?"
Before Ed could reply Al spoke up saying, "Sure, you did save her after all."
"Great," Envy said with a slight blush. He bowed low as he added, "Thank you very much."
"Let's get out of here," Edward said with a side glance at "Joseph."
"Wait....Before we go Illanya was mentioning something about a rock being here." Envy looked at Edward as he said, "It should have been somewhere near where you came in."
"A rock?" Edward asked. "Actually now that you mention it we did find one." From his pocket he withdrew a very round sapphire. "This it?"
Envy shrugged as he said, "It could be; you'd have to ask her." He watched as Ed placed it back into his pocket. "She just said it was important."
"It must have been what Envy wanted," Edward said in thought.
"Envy?" Envy asked. "Is that the guy that tried to hurt Illanya?"
"Yeah; he's a Homunculus," Ed answered.
"He's also our half brother," Al added with a sigh. "He tried to kill us a few years ago." He looked down at Illanya and said, "Let's get out of here." Once back at a motel; Edward went to call Mustang while Al laid Illanya on a bed in the room they rented.
Once both were seated Envy turned to Al and asked, "What is a Homunculus if you don't mind me asking?"
"No, it's ok to ask," Al answered. "A Homunculus is the product of a failed Human transmutation. The ones we came up agaisnt were known as the Seven deadly sins."
"Which is where the name Envy came from right?" "Joseph" asked.
"Right. Envy is our half brother by our father. From what we were able to learn Envy died as a teen but our father brought him back. Shortly after that our father left Envy and Envy's mother. Then he met our mother and had us....but once more he left."
"Did you ever learn why?" Envy asked not really caring.
"No and now that he's dead we never will," Al said sadly. "Though we learned that Envy hated us because of our father. Because we had everything that he never would."
"Really now," Envy said with a shake of his head.
A few hours later Illanya woke and Ed helped her sit up. After finding out what happened and nearly blowing Envy's cover she was now sipping some hot tea. She explained what Envy had told her and then Ed withdrew the Sapphire. He was now more sure then ever that the boy that sat next to Illanya was in fact Envy. But why she was protecting him? Illanya took the stone into her hand and smiled. "Envy will be happy to see this."
But she frowned for a moment as she said, "Wait....this stone isn't real."
Edward looked over at her and said, "That was the one that was there."
"This isn't the stone we were going for," Illanya said tossing it to the side. As it happened Env caught it in his hands and looked down at it. This WAS the stone they had been gunning for so why was she lying?
"What stone were you supposed to be looking for?" Al asked.
"The one I was supposed to help him get was a milky white one." Illanya crossed her arms and bowed her head. "Which reminds me; Joseph and I should be going."
"Your not going to stay with us?" Al asked. After everything they had done to find her and she was leaving? Had she really joined their ranks. "Illanya.....I...."
"Please don't say it Al," Illanya said quietly. She looked up him and he could tell she was about to cry. "Granted it's only been a few months but I've changed in that time. You don't honestly think they'll just let me go do you?" She sighed as she shook her head. "I won't allow you, Ed, or my brother to get hurt because of me."
"But that should be our choice to make!" Al protested. He went to Illanya and took his hands into his own. "Please Illanya....don't go."
"Al.....let her go," Edward said quietly. "If they wanted to hurt her they would have. Besides with her on the inside we'll be able to know what their planning."
"I promise Alphonse...I will be careful," Illanya said. She drew him into her arms and placed his lips agaisnt her own. She could feel him resist at first and then give into it.
Both Envy and Edward looked away as the two had their kiss. Though Edward noticed the slight glare Al was receving. "Joseph....why don't we go outside and let them talk."
"Huh........oh..........ok," Envy said flatering for a moment. Why was he so mad that she was kissing Al? Once they were outside he leaned agaisnt the wall and crossed his arms. "Guess their together huh?"
"Yeah they are," Edward said without a hint of amusement. "And because of that I want to know what you want with her.....Envy."
Envy turned his head and then smiled widely though he didn't transform back. "So you knew it was me hmmm?" He kept his arms crossed as he tilted his head. "As for what I want her for....that's none of your business. After all...I haven't hurt her....have I?"
"Then why was she unconciuos in your arms?" Edward asked taking a step forward.
It was then that Envy transformed back to his green haired form. He watched as Ed took a step back. He placed a hand over the bandage and removed it. Then he began to explain what had happened. "And as you can see we Homunculus can no longer regenarate."
"So she saved you and then transmutated that tunnel," Edward said. He sighed as he placed his hands on his hips. "But HOW have you all come back?"
Envy Shrugged as he said, "I have no idea. But I know that in order to make sure we STAY that way we need these certain rocks. And that's why we needed Illanya and her particular abilitly."
"You mean you needed someone who can use Alchemy? Then why not come to me?" Edward asked.
At that Envy laughed and said, "In case you forgot I tried to kill you. If you were me would you go asking for your help? Besides....I still hate you guys."
"So what will you do once you no longer need her?" Edward asked.
"She'll be free to go. And we Homunculus will go back into hiding," Envy said. But Ed noticed that when he said it he sounded kinda of.....sad?
"Doesn't sound like much of a plan," Ed said.
"And what would you have us do?" Envy asked. "I may be able to hide what I am but why should I?"
"You won't have too," Came a voice from behind Edward. Illanya stepped out into the hall with Al beside her. "I'm going to talk to Roy and make sure all the Homunculus can live a normal life."
"There is no way Mustang would go for that," Edward said. He gazed at his brother and saw how withdrawn he looked.
"He'll do it if I threaten to start killing innocents." Illanya hadn't fully thought out the process but....if it worked.
"But Roy wouldn't believe it," Edward said.
"He would if it was Al that I killed." At the gasp from both Envy and Ed she explained, "With that rock you got Envy can heal himself. If he takes on Al's form then I can kill him instead of the real Al and Envy will still live."
"But........He'll know it's not real," Edward said.
"No he won't," Illanya said with a smile. "People do amazing things when pushed to the edge."
"Well.....seeing as we can't change your mind. What's the plan?" Edward asked.
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