House of Homunculi

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist. If I did, Lust and Greed would have chopped Dante into mincemeat by now and she'd been tossed to Gluttony's stomach... But sadly, that didn't happen.

Introduction

I was wondering if I made Dante in character. For those who watched all the episodes already, especially 45- 51, do you guys think she's in character? I apologize to any Dante fans, though. We later find out she's quite err... sadistic and also she 'pretends' to be all nice and stuff, but we know that's a big no-no. So what do you guys think?

Eureka! I just figured something out! Homunculus probably DO have a soul! Because why would Greed want to have someone do a soul transmutation on him if he never had one? Neh? But then again... he died. So that theory's chance of being proven crashed and burned... like that carcrash a few days ago...Anyway, back to the Introduction.

-The Story Thus Far -

Over 400 Years ago, Dante and Hohenheim bore a child... the boy died from Mercury poisoning and as a result Hohenheim committed the ultimate taboo. Resurrecting the dead is forbidden, the baby turned into a homunculus, presently named Envy. Dante, a skilled and talented alchemist has lived for many centuries in her manor in the woods. Just a few centuries ago, her beloved Hohenheim has vanished and left her side. Somewhat, desperate and frantic, Dante searched for her love. The man who created the Philosopher's stone.

Dante, now a lonely 'housemother' has preserved the love letter from Hohenheim as well as a fragment of the Philosopher's stone. Using its abilities she extended her life by stealing bodies. In addition, she spent her years plotting away and extending her knowledge of Alchemy. 200 Years from present day, Greed was born. The ressurection of one of Dante's many husbands, but its natural for a homunculus to despise their creator... as does Envy with Hohenheim. Another city vanished, Xerxes the city in the east vanished in one night... In response, she sent her two sons, Envy and Greed to investigate.

After a fruitless search, the hunt for Hohenheim seemed more and more hopeless by the years, at the same time Greed was beginning to grow a massive rebellious streak against his so called 'mother'. Loving mainly materialistic and human pleasures, he despised the idea of being controlled. Dante, then created another... the homunculus named Gluttony. After discovering the existance of Hohenheim, Greed and Gluttony failed to drag him back home. In the meantime, Envy secretly infiltrated the military, boosting his prestige and destroying it from the inside. The military, as a part of their plot was to hold a great purpose in their plan...

Greed, who constantly ran away from home and refused to abide to Dante's rule was given the ultimate punishment... He was grounded for many years, and ultimately was sealed in the basement of the 5th Labratory...

Now, many years later...

Chapter X: The Little Boy

Act XX: Passing Years

Setting: Old Central Ruins

Envy stared out at the underground... A massive city submerged underneath the earth. Old Central was massive... Almost the exact same size as present Central City. Why did this great city fall again? Oh yeah, that's why. Envy snickered in delight. The reason why such a huge place was down in the Earth's bowels was because foolish humans commit foolish things. Envy often heard from Dante about Old Central... humans accused other humans in a time of chaos. A massive plague broke out, those who were infected blamed it on others to be 'witches' or 'heretics'... so often times witch trials were held. Hundreds of people were hanged or imprisoned as witches.. Envy felt all giddy inside, it was a shame he wasn't there to see it. At that time he was nothing but a pile of mutilated parts, afterall. But if only he was there to watch the pitiful humans suffer... die off like cattle.

"Humans are such moronic fools." Envy chuckled to himself. "They blame each other for their stupidity, and fear drives them like animals..."

Dante also told him that humans sometimes praised Alchemists... other times they scorn Alchemists as witches (like in old Central)... Either way, everyone was dying. Envy wondered what kind of plague it was... maybe the bubonic? the helix? Or maybe it was a massive spread of small pox? All of them were equally brutal. Since there was so much chaos all around... Hohenheim, Dante and a handful of other alchemists sacrificed the whole city to become the philosopher's stone. To hide the evidence, they sank the city under the earth. It was nothing but a ghost town afterall... Those who survived, spread the rumor... those who get close to the stone dies. It is evil, cursed. Envy knew, this was deffinitely not a complete lie. Soon, New Central was built on top of where Old Central once stood...

"Ohh well, enough reminiscing for now." Envy released the gate he was leaning on. It's large, black iron bars creaked as he hopped off... "History lessons tend to bore me." Envy said yawning the words out.

It was early in the morning... possibly around 4 in the morning. Envy walked passed a series of old houses... they were old fashioned, a gothic feel to them. The windows were empty and black... no one lived here anymore. It was way too quiet... The underground connected tunnels everywhere. Believe it or not, Dante still lives down here. She can never forget that this was once her home, despite its lonely deposition.

Back then they believed in religion... back then they believed in a savior. Statues of their so called messiah, or christ was decorated all over the place. Envy blankly stared at the statue of a woman holding a baby...a baby that was said to be blessed. It was reaching up to the sky with its tiny arms... Aside from the mother there were many others bowing down to it. Holding it tightly and raising it up to the skies... Angry, Envy smashed the statues to bits. His kicks were a bit off, and his legs missed and smashed the baby's arms off. The Ultimate mask walked down another tunnel, following the stairs to what seemed to be a fountain. On the contrary, it was more like a series of ruins that just happen to have a waterfall flowing out.

"Oh, how I wish i could terrorize a few idiots, right about now!" Envy's voice echoed in the emptiness.

Staring down at the water below his feet he noticed his reflection. A mirror... he could see his true form. The face that looked like him! Envy furiously kicked the water around. His favorite form returned to him...

"What nice faces they all have." Envy ran his fingers into the cool water. "They should all be so happy... those miserable, wretched creatures get their own faces... faces they call their own." Envy then crushed the ground below him with his fist. "Lucky bastards, while I'm stuck with his face! His goddamn face!"

The voice echoed in the emptiness.

"So many nice faces..." Envy's smile was a mixture of adorable treachery. "You people are so lucky! But that's ok. You'll all die around me, and after that... I'll be the only one left. And your faces? They'll belong to me... and after that, you'll all be envious of me!"

Envy's echoing laughter could be heard around the dark, empty, underground cavern. Envy was positively ecstatic with happiness. Since when was Envy ever not happy? His laughter rang around the ruins, Echoing... echoing...

-

Setting: Old Theatre House

Gluttony sat on the floor of a large theatre-like room. In the front of the room was a massive stage, decorated in gold and lights. The crimson curtains and the gold room gave this place a nostalgic yet grand feeling... It was great. Kind of like the adazzling ballroom... But Gluttony wasn't interested in that, frankly he could care less about the decorations. The only thing the youngest homunculus could think about was the next meal... Lady Dante wasn't present at the moment, but even so, Gluttony made himself at home by chewing on what looked like a large leg. Who's leg it was... well we really don't want to know. But the large homunculus was contently devouring it, blood, bone and all.

They weren't allowed back at home. Dante's manor was now officially off limits for the next 30 or so years. This was problematic to Gluttony because...

A) The Underground ruins lacked any refrigerator or food storage, well they did have one... but it was kind of small...

B) Walking around the massive ruins was a big no-no. (He could easily get lost)

and C) Envy was gone for most of the day doing more military infiltration.

Because of these three factors, the ultimate hunger was lonely most of the time. When Dante needed a mission handled, it was no longer Greed and Gluttony, now it was Envy and Gluttony. Quite frankly, he disliked it. Envy scared the living daylights out of him, but the best part was Envy allowed him to devour as many people he wanted. Greed didn't. Big difference.

Why they were prohibited from entering Dante's manor is simple. Dante has a new husband... To make sure they don't reveal anything too suspicious, Dante instructed them to hide out in the Old Central ruins... Gluttony had only one thought to this. Dante's husband looks tasty... All humans looked tasty. The young homunculus took another large bite out of the leg, It was tender... full of life. It was lonely all the time by himself... Envy going to work, Dante flirting with her husband. Well, they both seemed to be happy.

"Happy..." Gluttony swallowed the pieces in his mouth. "Happy?"

Envy was happy when he killed and terrorized humans. Greed was happy surrounded by humans and riches... And Dante is happy when she's by herself. Gluttony began to think... what made him happy? Was it eating...? No... that was something he depended on. Though he may enjoy engulfing himself in food, it was no happiness to find a meal that could never satisfy him. Nothing satisfied him... sadly.

"Is Gluttony happy...?" Gluttony put his finger in his mouth, thinking to himself.

"I don't know, are you happy, chubby?" Envy entered the room. "How ya doing, Gluttony?" Envy waved, smiling playfully. "Not bored again, are you?"

"Envy." Gluttony smiled as his older brother entered the room. "Welcome back. Did you finish your work?"

"Ehh... sort of." Envy rubbed his neck. "Pain in the butt, work is. I have to keep changing my appearance every 30 to 40 years to make sure nobody gets suspicious. So, you still hungry?"

Gluttony nodded in response.

"I'm hungry too, let's get something to eat." Envy stretched his arms as they marched out of the old theatre house.

"What was that light?" Gluttony asked.

"Huh?" Envy scratched his head, "What are you talking about?"

"That red light when Greed died?" Gluttony asked, "What was it?"

"Who died?" Envy asked. He obviously didn't care much about Greed.

"Greed." Gluttony persistantly asked.

"Oh him, I don't know." Envy shrugged, he put his hands behind his head as he strutted down the theatre house. "If you are so curious about the pretty lights, why don't you ask Dante?"

"..." Gluttony merely let out a small whimper. Ever since that day, so long ago. How many decades has it been? Gluttony was curious. It wasn't that he necessarily MISSED Greed. It was more like, he was afraid. He was lonely more since Greed was the one who took care of him most of the time... Also Alchemy was really scary. From what Hohenheim did to Greed that night, and what Dante did to Greed... everything was scary.

"First of all, why the hell are you bringing this up now?" Envy asked irritated, "And Second, he's not dead. Well... It's probably worse than being dead, but the idiot had it coming for him." Envy noticed Gluttony shivering, his hands over his head. Envy crouched down, "You're not afraid, are you?" Envy asked.

"Scary... the red light was scary..." Gluttony mumbled sadly.

"Look..." Envy put up a smile, "There's no reason to be scared. Greed was a dumbass who deserved what he got." Envy winked, "You be a good little homunculus, and we'll be just fine. Gee... Decades after that moron's death and your bringing it up now? Well he aint getting out of there. Not on my watch."

"Are you sure?" Gluttony asked.

"Positive." Envy gave a cute smile. "Now how about that meal, eh? I'm itching for something to eat."

"Eat?"

"Hmmm more like... to satisfy my hunger of seeing people suffer and die. Technically, you'll be the one doing the eating." Envy patted the baby's bald head. "Now let's get outta this dump and get you some humans in that belly of yers."

Act XXI: The Hands of Time

Setting: Dante's Manor

If there was one thing Envy was curious about, it was what Dante was thinking. She may have a brilliant mind, but little is known about the thoughts that swim in her head. She was always one or two steps of every situation. Sadly, these one or two steps weren't enough to capture Hohenheim... That man seemed to be 3 or 4 steps of all situations. Ever since his encounter in Central, that man was even more determined to keep his location hidden. This proved to be most irritating to both Dante and Envy... Even so, the oh-so powerful philosopher's stone may be abundant in strength, the Red stone can still never stop time. Time keeps moving, time never looks back, time flows like a river and never stops.

Even with the stone in one's disposal, time can never be changed, pushed forward or stopped. Thus, it did not stop the years that flew past. Envy, the Ultimate Mask was bored out of his MIND! Nothing interesting happened in the past 80 Years! It's been 80 years since that imbecile was sealed. Other than the usual wars, and day-to-day killing spree, Envy desired a new target. Though, the poor homunculus couldn't figure out what it was...Maybe he was growing old? Nah... so far he was proud of two of his accomplishments. One was that because of his constant mingling with the military, he raised the hostility between Amestris and the Country in the northern border, Drachma. Second, he murdered the current fuhrer and is temporarily taking his position. All he had to say, was this... THE JOB WAS A SNORE FEST! And Envy HATED disguising himself as the old fart, he was OLD! Practically in his mid-70's! Why a senile old man is controlling the country was beyond him...

Dante has been having alot of husbands recently. About 3 or 4 since after Greed...Envy was curious why there was no new Homunculus in their family for a while... maybe it was since her last dupe of making a renegade? What the heck was that woman doing with her men? Playing tango in the sun? So far, all her husbands weren't very attractive... for humans anyway. No faces that Envy wanted to steal, anyway. Good thing Envy was quite patient... not like he wanted this boredom, but so far he hasn't destroyed cities due to boredom.

"So Gluttony what do you want to do today?" Envy asked... he then paused. He seemed to know what was coming. "Besides Eating!"

Gluttony put his finger in his mouth, sucking it tenderly. His eyes blankly staring forward. "Someone is here..."

"Huh?" Envy looked down at the chubby homunculus who was sniffing around."What are you talking about? No one can come down here... It's an abandoned city. ABANDONED. Want me to even spell it for you?"

"Someone is here." Gluttony repeated, "I smell someone..."

"Errr... have you eaten another porcupine again? You know what that does to your stomach, right?" Envy shook his head, "The probability of a human other than Dante coming down here is as rare as humans finding the philosopher's stone."

"..." Gluttony blankly stared at the dark alleys of old Central. It was dark and gloomy, the wind echoed like moans of pain. But even so, the chubby homunculus could smell something. It was an odd smell too...It smelled almost like a human, actually it smelled more human... Gluttony's belly made a growl. Humans smelled delicious...

"Come on, Tubby. You must be going nuts from lack of eating. Let's get moving. That's why DIETS never work." Envy grabbed Gluttony by the arm and dragged him out of the old abandoned city. "First you start thinking too much, now your smelling things that don't exist! It's the porcupines! you gotta stop eating them! It's not healthy!" Even when he was dragged, Gluttony kept facing into the darkness. His eyes fixed at the looming shadows. Something is there... he sucked his finger some more.

Gluttony then waved. "BYE BYE!" Gluttony yelled in the darkness. "BYE BYE!"

And from the shadows, two peering eyes appeared. Out of the shadows a young boy quietly walked out, a small scar over his eye. The eye had the tattoo of the Ouroboros. His hair was short and tidy. On his face was possibly the cutest most gentle smile anyone ever saw. But that smile turned into a treacherous grin...

"Hello Gluttony, Envy, My name is Pride... nice to meet you."

Setting: Dante's House

60 years before Present day

"Oh Dante! Long time no see!" Envy chorused. He and Gluttony walked into the old manor in the woods. Dante was sitting in her study and peered up to see her two sons walk in. She had a new body, it too was getting old from the changing times. Her once golden locks were turning white and ashened color. Wrinkles spread across her now elder face.

"What's this? A new fashion?" Envy asked pointing at the eye patch over her eye. "Just to let you know, it doesn't really suit you very well."

"I made you another brother Envy, Gluttony." Dante replied, her hands held a small book. "He should be arriving any minute now."

"Where is he?" Envy asked looking around, "I don't see anything or anyone."

"He's not here yet." Dante shrugged, "I made him run a few errands. You might be quite surprised."

Envy sighed, "Whew... I thought he might have some invisibility powers or something."

"I've been tending to your new brother for a while now, from its birth to its maturity." Dante replied with a small smile.

"Oh, so you already fed it redstones? Good thing too, I don't want to take care of another ball of mutilated shit." Envy shrugged. Dante stood up, her book clicked shut as she walked across the large room.

"I've been taking extra care. He's my latest creation so be nice, understood?"

"Ehhh, ok." Envy began to play with his hair, "So what did you name it? Greed 2.0? Or possibly another sin name? Y'know, since Greed is still alive. He might not like it if someone else has his name. He's a greedy bastard."

"Pride." Dante smiled, "His name is Pride."

"Pride... how come he gets a cool name?" Envy asked, possibly jealous of such an intriguing name such as pride.

"Because Envy, everyone knows you seem to lack any pride at all." Dante answered back. Envy gave a cute smile, the fact was true. His pride was in his killing, but aside from that the Ultimate Mask doesn't mind playing dirty. Die for Honor? What trash! More like don't die at all! He thought about it and came to a conclusion... Envy suited him better. Envious of other people, they live in the light while the homunculus live in the darkness... he was damned the moment he was reborn. He hated humans, he hated Hohenheim. Yep, Envy is about right.

Envy was intrigued with this Pride. If someone is prideful that must mean he must be powerful, right? Someone who's confident and refuses to die... huh... Envy wanted to meet this Pride. Mainly to see who was stronger. Envy would probably be a bit jealous if someone else was stronger than him... Gluttony already feared him enough and Greed, well... Greed was not going to wake up any time soon, anyway!

The doorbell echoed in the large house, "What the hell?" Envy looked around, "Who in the right mind would come all the way out here? You're new apprentice?" Another echo of the doorbell remanated through the empty house. Soon followed by heavy knocks.

Dante merely began to scribble some more notes in her small notebook. "Stop complaining and open the door, Envy."

"Hmph, fine." Envy walked up to the door swinging it open. He couldn't take the constant ringing of the bell and the knocking on the door. It racked his nerves like CRAZY. "Sorry, but NO ONE's home! Go away!"

He looked around... "Ah, What the hell?" No one was there... He slammed the door shut.

"Hmm... maybe it was just me hearing things." Envy thought, "Or maybe Gluttony ate something bad again... his growling stomach never knows when to shut up, anyway. Speaking of which... I bet the little rascal DID eat another porcupine! Why I oughtta bounce on that fat stomach of his and force him to spit it out!"

Suddenly another loud knock got his attention. BANG BANG.

"What the hell?" Envy opened the door once more, "What the hell do you want? Can't you see this house is- what in the world?"

Standing in front of him was a small kid. He had dark black hair, and he had a cute smile. Envy leaned on the door, staring at the kid... "What the hell do you want? We don't buy boyscout cookies, now go away."

"I'm not selling cookies." The boy smiled some more... it was so sweet and gentle it almost made Envy gag. I mean, it was one thing for the smile to be nice looking and cool... but this kid had the sweetest smile. It made Envy kinda sick... Like fuzzy rabbits... and other cutesy things.

"Then who the hell are you? The paper boy? Sorry, we don't need newspaper deals."

"Nuh-uh, not that either." The boy replied.

"The milk boy?"

"Nope."

"Some other delivery kid?"

"Not that either."

"Ok, well run along kid before I smash that cutesy smile off yer face." Envy was about to shut the door, but the small child held it open, popping his head in. Envy got even more pissed... "Hey, kid, this ISN'T your HOUSE. Now Scram! What part of GO AWAY do you NOT understand?"

"Are you still going to guess who I am?" the boy asked. he smiled more, his head cocked to the side. That kid's smile (n n);; was just too cute for Envy. It made him pissed off.

"Hey kid, run along now. If you don't I'm going to kill ya. Or maybe beat you to a frothy, bloody, shitty pulp. Get my drift?" Envy's voice was icy threatening. "So run along now, run fast. And maybe, just maybe, I won't kill you. You got parents kid? Go bug them."

"I don't have parents." the kid replied.

"Oh, jee that's too bad." Envy sighed sarcastically, "I don't do charity, so goodbye." He was about to shut the door AGAIN but the kid just kept it open once more.

"Are you going to guess who I am now?" the boy asked again.

"Yes, a dead one." Envy then slammed the door on the kid's head. With a triumphant smile he walked away clapping his hands. "Well that's another thorn outta my side. Boy, oh boy did that feel GOOD!"

"That wasn't nice..." The boy chuckled. Surprised, Envy turned around. The Kid's head was reattaching with his neck!

"WHAT THE HELL? WHEN DID YOU-? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU? WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" Envy almost choked.

The kid snapped his neck back into normal position. "Me?" The boy smiled, opening his eyes for the first time. "My name is King Bradley...umm... well that's what Dante calls me anyway. But you can call me Pride." The boy's smile was now twisted, his eyes revealing the tattoo of the Ouroboros. "I have the ultimate Eye...Nice to meet you... big brother."

To be Continued.

Yay! It's PRIDE! For those of you who don't know, he's the only Homunculus that can age. Special, makes him more humane. Lol, anyway, I kept implying that sweet smile, because I remember the first time he smiled I was like aww... what a nice old man. Well we learn otherwise, but seriously, who WASN'T FOOLED by that man's sweet smile? I mean seriously. Of course, later he turns more and more obvious that he's evil, but that guy is just TOO nice sometimes.

I also heard he was really good looking when he was younger. Lol and in this story he looks alot like his son (in the anime and manga) Selim. Sorry for the long update, I'm just not in the mood lately. (sigh