(DISCONTINUED) The Flames of Envy (Envy x OC)

Chapter 3

"Alright," Mr. Dominic said, throwing his coat on, "There's no time to get her to a hospital, so I'll go fetch the doctor. I'll be back as fast as I can." Winry was in the room where Satella was laying on the bed, accompanied by Ridel. Winry was panicking about Satella, who was saying there was no time. "This baby's coming whether we're ready or not-- Ugh!" Winry said nervously, "Well, I-I did take a medical course. I-If you trust me...I can give it a go...?" Satella nodded and Ridel said, "Okay. We trust you, Winry."

"Okay! Paninya, go get a bucket of boiling water! Ed! Al! You two go get towels! Alexis, a set of clamps and scissors! Sterilize them with your flames!" Everyone went on their tasks and Winry got started.

After some time, Edward, Alphonse, and Alexis were sitting outside, waiting. Edward looked over at Alexis and saw that she had tears in her eyes. "A-Alexis...?" Alexis didn't look at him. Ed sighed and reached over, drying the tears that fell down her cheek. She looked up at him, then back down. "E-Edward...Alphonse...I-I...." "Winry!" Edward stood up, but saw Paninya walking out. The trio watched her, then she grinned and gave a thumbs-up. Edward ran into the room, leaving Alexis and Alphonse outside. Al looked at Alexis, who gave a disappointed look, but took a deep breath and put a smile back on her face.

Al followed Alexis into the room, thinking to himself, "I think I see, now...I think she...likes Brother...." He sighed and went to rejoin the group.

Later, Mr. Dominic returned with the doctor, who gave a full check-over of Satella and the baby, stating that Winry did a fantastic job and that both mother and baby were perfectly healthy. Edward suggested to Dominic, "Why don't you consider taking Winry on as a sign of gratitude...?" Dominic refused yet again, but said, "I have a friend I can recommend and I wouldn't be opposed to her popping in occasionally to see my new grandson." Winry jumped for joy and thanked Dominic.

Alexis and the Elric boys soon got on the train to Dublith, leaving Winry on the platform. Winry told the boys, "You two take care of yourselves, now. I don't want to hear that you've gone and broken your arm again, Ed!" Ed waved her away and said, "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll try." The train started to pull away and Winry started to run alongside the train, still talking to them, "Alexis, make sure to stay safe! Bye! Come visit soon! Call before you do!" Alexis sat in the booth across from Ed and Al. The three let out a huge sigh as the train picked up speed.

Alexis fell asleep, laying on the booth, and Alphonse started to talk quietly to Ed. "Brother...I'm worried about Alexis." Ed sighed, "Yeah. Me too. She's been sort of depressed lately, hasn't she?" Al nodded and said, "I talked to her a little bit yesterday. She said she hasn't been sleeping well, but I don't think that's it." Ed said, looking at her face, "She...she hasn't...?" He took off his red jacket and put it over her and sat back in his seat.

When they got there, Al picked up the still-sleeping Alexis and brought her to a hotel room. Laying her on the bed, Edward left his jacket covering her.

Several hours later, she woke up, seeing that she was no longer on the train. She noticed that she was covered with Ed's jacket and she blushed. She stood up and walked out to the living room, but found no one was there. She looked around through the hotel room, but didn't find either one. She did, however, find a note on the coffee table. She put on Ed's jacket and sat down, taking a look at the note.

"Alexis,

If you wake up before we get back, we went to Curtis Butcher Shop.
Have a good rest.
You need it.

- Ed"

She smiled and said aloud to herself, "Ed's so sweet." She got up and decided to go to see how they were doing. Locking the door before she left, she started walking through the streets of town, looking for the butcher shop. She had just turned a corner when she felt a hand over her mouth and her stomach, pulling her into the alleyway.

"Call for help and I'll cut you down here, sweetheart."

She didn't recognize the voice, but she knew he meant business. She saw several people start to gather around as her captor dragged her into a basement of sorts. He tied her up to a chair and gagged her so she couldn't scream, then he said, "Right. Now, then. Down to business. You're here because I need something from those two boys you're always with. As long as you cooperate, you won't get hurt. Alright, sweetheart?" Alexis struggled against her bonds but saw that he had an Ouroboros mark on his left hand.

He wrote something on a piece of paper, then handed it to one of his cronies, saying, "That should do nicely. Go get those Elric brothers." The strange man ran off, followed by his buddies. The man with the Ouroboros mark turned back to her and said, "You're quite the looker, aren't you? Wait here, sweetheart. I'll be back soon." Alexis struggled as he walked out behind the others.

"Damn it! I have to get out! I have to warn Ed and Al!" She struggled against her bonds, but was still unsuccessful. "Who was that? Why does he want to get to Ed and Al?" She tried even harder to get away, but the chair started to tip over. Her heart skipped a beat, but the chair was caught by someone behind her.

"Woah, easy there," a raspy, ambiguous voice said, "You don't want to get yourself hurt, now, do you?" Alexis looked around as they picked up the chair and set it back up. "Now then, Ginger, I just want you to remember the face of Envy." Standing in front of Alexis was an adolescent teenage boy, dressed in black shorts and a black, skin tight crop top. He also had long, greenish-black hair and an Ouroboros mark on his left thigh. "You will make a great sacrifice...and I will be the one to bring you to Father," the boy said. Her blue eyes grew wide as she recognized the boy as the one who carried Edward out of the collapsing Fifth Laboratory. "Wait! I know him! He's from the Fifth Lab--" The boy punched her, successfully knocking her unconscious.

"Hey. Hey, Alexis! Wake up, Alexis!" She slowly opened her eyes. "Th-that's Al's voice...! Alphonse is here!" She looked beside her, then saw Alphonse, head detached from his body, a girl inside him. Al said, relief in his voice, "Alexis! Thank goodness! Are you okay?" Alexis nodded and tried to talk, but remembered the cloth in her mouth. She glared at the man who kidnapped her.

He let out a sigh and said, "All right, all right...I'll let you talk. Just don't try anything funny." He untied the cloth, then she said, "Alphonse! Where's Ed?! Are you okay? What happened? Who--" "Woah! Calm down, Alexis! I'm okay! I came alone! I'm just glad you're okay." The man chuckled and said, "Oh, what a touching reunion." Alphonse looked around and said, "You! You claimed that those guys are...Chimeras...but...b-but that's impossible. No one has ever been able to make a Chimera that can talk." Alexis thought of Nina and knew that Al had the same image in his mind. "What do you mean," the man said, "The government has the technology. That's right. Look at that guy." He pointed to the very tall guy behind him. "He was made from...what were you...a cow?" The big guy nodded and said, "That's right." The man continued introducing his henchmen, "The girl inside you is part snake. We've also got a lizard and a crocodile. Oh, and he has a tendency to lift his leg when he goes to take a piss." Al said in disbelief, "Part dog...?" The dogman said proudly, "It's really not all that bad, you know."

Alexis snarled at the boss, "Yeah, okay, so if they're all what you say they are, then what are you?" The man grinned and said, "Me? Why, I'm a Homunculus, sweetheart. I'm known as Greed." Alphonse spoke up, "Wait. A-a Homunculus...? Th-that's not possible." Greed sighed, "Fine. I suppose I'll just have to prove it." With those final words, the oxman swung his weapon, smashing off the top half of Greed's head, spraying blood and brain matter everywhere. Alexis yelped, a few drops of his blood hitting her face, but Greed, though he was missing the top of his head, put a finger up as if to say, "Wait, there's more" and Alexis and Alphonse watched as Greed started to regenerate. They were awestruck and speechless as soon, his head was totally regenerated.

"Is that proof enough?"

Alexis and Al both began to speak against Greed, when they heard Edward's voice from the doorway.

"HEY! You there! Let my brother and my friend go!"