Beta: TaintedLetter

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

According to Kimblee, Scar—and possibly Doctor Marcoh—were last seen heading into an abandoned industrial area several miles away from Fort Briggs. Due to the heavy snowfall—a telltale sign of an oncoming blizzard—it took nearly half an hour to arrive, and when they did they immediately split up to search.

Kimblee tried to assign someone with Elizabeth, but she put her foot down and insisted on working by herself. She headed off in the opposite direction of everyone else, hating how cold it was, and hoping they could hurry up and find Scar soon.

She was admittedly a little nervous about leaving her friends alone to deal with them.

After all, Scar nearly killed them before.

'But this time, I'm here.'

Elizabeth felt the snow crunch under her feet. It wasn't nearly so deep that she worried about falling in, but it was enough that she had to exert extra effort to lift her feet back up out of the snow.

She felt a tingle on her leg, familiar and cool, and her heart leapt up to her throat.

"Selim?" she asked out loud, feeling his shadows wrap around her.

"Hello, Ellie."

"What are you doing here?" she asked, genuinely surprised. He could technically stretch his shadows across Amestris, but the further away from Central the harder it was to do. Creating corporal shadows that Elizabeth could feel this far away would take significant concentration and be exhausting for him unless his vessel was nearby. Elizabeth doubted that Selim's vessel was near them, which meant he was expanding the effort to reach her.

She hoped he would be able to get some good rest afterward. About a minute of being this stretched out would mandate an hour of deep sleep to restore himself.

"Not happy to see me?" he teased, causing Elizabeth to hurriedly assure him that she was—as always—very happy and honored that he visited her. "I came to check up on you. You were supposed to call when you reached Briggs."

"I got sidetracked," she sincerely apologized. "I'm so sorry."

"Sidetracked by what? Why are you out here anyway?"

"Hmm... well... to start with I tested the fungus on all of the soldiers at Briggs—" Elizabeth began.

"You what?" Selim's prides went still, his red eyes widening in genuine surprise, and his tone turned a touch incredulous. "Why?"

"Armstrong killed Raven," Elizabeth explained. "I considered the possibility of Briggs going rogue. They're too much of a threat to ignore. Isn't that why I was sent there? To destroy them?"

"You—-no—but—good. Good job, Ellie. We were going to have Kimblee pull in some Drachma soldiers for Briggs to apprehend and give to you as subjects, but this works out well," Selim said, pleased by this. His shadows reached up to tickle Elizabeth's cheeks in a rare gesture of affection. "If Briggs had gone against us it would have made things difficult, and with the Promise Day being so near we do not need them anymore. I take it the fungus will continue to thrive and prevent Drachma from launching an early invasion?"

"Yes," Elizabeth confirmed, her heart warmed by the praise. It made a wide smile stretch over her face. Had the cold not already turned her cheeks red, Selim's words would have done so. "Come spring it should have run out of nutrients and died off to safely collect the bodies."

"How easily can you reproduce it?" he inquired.

"Extremely," she said.

"Could it be adjusted to live wildly in Amestris?"

Elizabeth considered this, pausing in walking in the snow to focus her thoughts. "Hmm... in most areas, yes. The only questionable zone would be in the north. It doesn't handle the cold well, but the only place in Amestris that regularly drops to degrees that could kill it is the north."

"Excellent." This warranted another brief tickle on her cheeks, causing Elizabeth to giggle in delight. "Now what are you doing out here?"

"Hunting Scar," Elizabeth explained. "And I suppose killing off the remaining Briggs soldiers."

Selim's shadows stretched out around her, several pairs of red eyes glistening as they searched around. "It is time we put an end to Scar's nonsense. I will hunt him with you."

Elizabeth's eyes sparkled with joy. She so adored hunting with her best friend!

"Yes, please!"

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

The industrial park was quiet except for the footsteps of the soldiers. Selim's shadows, while weak due to distance, were more than enough to rapidly search every nook and cranny. His decades of experience in hunting down humans gave him ample advantage. As he searched, he lifted Elizabeth carefully into high vantage points and watched her drop down on unsuspecting guards.

Silent, she would leap down and dig her rapier straight through their head, using the force of her fall to provide the necessary strength. Before the other soldier(s)—for they always travelled in twos, or threes—could shoot her, she had already launched toxic needles into their exposed throats or eyes.

A shout, or yell, did escape a few of them before they passed. If Elizabeth was off her aim, or didn't sever the vocal chords fast enough they drew attention to themselves.

But they were far enough away that Elizabeth could take care of their bodies.

Meaning Selim already devoured them, or Elizabeth maimed them enough to pass it off as a Scar attack at a glance.

One group at a time, Elizabeth and Selim hunted the soldiers.

Until Selim found their prize.

Scar.

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

He was hiding out in one of the abandoned buildings, trying to keep to the shadows. He unknowingly walked right over Selim, alerting them to his position.

The shadows carried her up to the building, and she moved without making a sound.

She loaded her weapons, prepared her grenades, and then—

She attacked.

Out of the darkness, she leapt at Scar, throwing out her first toxic needle that he effortlessly dodged. Her appearance startled Scar, causing the Ishvalan to widen his eyes, and grimace.

Elizabeth landed delicately on her feet, smiling with vicious glee as she curtsied. "Good evening, Scar. I will be your hunter for today."

He scoffed, launching himself at her with speed that would rival Papa's. Selim's shadows shot up from directly underneath Scar as he was in mid jump. Being human meant he had no way of changing the direction of his jump mid air, giving Selim the perfect opportunity to pierce into his limbs.

Not enough to immobilize him, of course.

A hunter didn't end the chase so quick.

Enough to hurt, though.

Enough to make him grunt in pain, stumble and clutch at his bleeding limbs.

Selim didn't hit any vital arteries, nor did he pierce straight through. If he had done either of those things Scar would pass out from blood loss within minutes and their fun would be over.

Scar warily eyed the shadows, disgust flickering over his face when he saw dozens of red eyes and mouths inside of them.

With such a large threat his next move was obvious.

He raised his arm, blue sparks flying off his fingertips as prepared to use his alchemy to destroy the entire building and escape.

Elizabeth predicted his movement and launched three needles directly into his already injured, and tattooed, arm.

They dug in enough that the toxin would inevitably be in his bloodstream, but this was not enough to prevent him from destroying the building.

Elizabeth and Selim laughed as the little worm played about so predictably, Selim's shadows pulling Elizabeth out of the building and tossing her down to the ground. Scar was already sprinting—as much as he could anyway—in an attempt to escape. With each pound of his heart, though, he spurred the toxin further into his body. Adrenaline could only keep it at bay for so long, and after a minute he was stumbling before he lost complete control of his body and fell forward into the snow.

"Ehhh?" Elizabeth mocked with vindictive glee when she reached him. "That's all? A little bit of venom and you're down?"

She was prepared for him to last at least a few minutes longer. Perhaps she should have waited to use her weapons?

'No, that would be risky.'

With Selim being so far away his shadows were significantly weaker. Enough to carry Elizabeth around, but that's as strong as they could get. Scar was supposedly a formidable enemy—enough to give Papa pause. If Elizabeth had to fight him fairly in close combat, she would lose.

Without the use of her bioweapons, and Selim, Scar might have killed her. He certainly would have escaped.

He's already escaped enough, Elizabeth thought, her eyes narrowing with disdain as she recalled the beaten state he had left her friends in. He murdered her colleagues, and nearly killed Edward and Alphonse.

He was scum beneath scum.

Scar twitched, trying to regain control of his body. Elizabeth dug her rapier straight into his shoulder, twisting it to dislocate it. He cried out in pain. Elizabeth proceeded to the same to his other shoulder, then she moved on to his hip, knees, and ankles.

Had she been closer to a medical lab she could use she would have simply chopped off his limbs then and there.

As if remembering something, Elizabeth felt around her pocket for the philosopher's stone.

"Selim?" Elizabeth asked sweetly.

"Mn?"

"Do you think Grandpapa would like his arm to study? The tattoos are very interesting."

Selim's shadows crept along the snow, circling around Scar and Elizabeth as his mouths grinned with taunting malice. "Why yes... I think he would like that."

Elizabeth could hardly refuse then!

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

The remaining men who survived—literally three Briggs soldiers, and the rest were Kimblee's men, along with the Elric brothers—arrived to find an unconscious Scar laying on the snow. Beside him was Elizabeth, who was delicately placing his severed arm in a canister she had made with the philosopher's stone.

When they arrived, Elizabeth turned around and smiled. "I've captured Scar. It's time to go back to Central."

Kimblee offered her a look crossed between admiration and irritation. He wanted to be the one to hunt Scar down, but he couldn't argue with the impeccable results Elizabeth provided. His men, efficient and professional, moved forward to apprehend the criminal.

The only one who was visibly upset by this capture was oddly Edward.

Elizabeth didn't understand why Edward would be bothered. Scar had attacked and nearly killed Edward and his brother, why should Edward care?

Perhaps Edward was kinder than Elizabeth originally thought.

Or—?

"Are they friends now?" Selim whispered in her ear, his voice soft and dangerous as he studied Edward's bothered expression.

'But why?'

A chill ran down Elizabeth's spine.

'Are they... really not my friends?'

"Elizabeth, you'll be returning to Central with Scar, then?" Kimblee drawled out.

"Y-Yes," Elizabeth said, her brow furrowed as she stared at Edward. "Edward? Are you okay?"

"Wha—oh, yeah, sorry," Edward stumbled, looking away from her. "You're taking Scar to... the führer?"

"Yes," she answered, not missing the slight twitch in Edward's face when she said that.

"He's hiding something," Selim hissed in her ear, his shadows hiding underneath her hair and clothes. "Let him loose, delay returning to Central for a few hours. I will follow him."

Elizabeth cleared her throat, her stomach flip-flopping and fluttering. Anxiety clawed her heart, but she refused to let it show.

"Call for a returning train," she ordered one of the soldiers, shoving down her unease. "We're returning to Central tonight. Including the Elrics, and their friend Winry."

"Actually—" Edward was about to say, but Elizabeth waved him off.

"I'm sure you want to make sure Winry makes it home alright," she encouraged, offering them a false smile. "And after what Scar has done to you, I know you'll want to see it through. It'll take a few hours for the train to come back to us, so don't wander too far."

"We came north looking for someone—a girl," Edward tried to explain. "She used an odd form of alchemy. We think she might be able to help get our bodies back. We can't go back to Central without her."
"Ah, I see..." Elizabeth shifted her weight, considering if she should offer her assistance. If she did so, they might be wary and keep whatever they're hiding a secret. Perhaps it would be best if she pretended to prioritize guarding Scar, giving Selim free reign to follow them. "Good luck in your search. I'll stay with Scar."

"Mn! Thanks, Lizzie," Edward and Alphonse echoed, the two brothers excusing themselves.

She felt Selim's shadows slip away from her, her gaze narrowing into slits as she watched them leave.

'Are you my friends?'

'Or are you my enemies?'

If they were friends with Scar, that would translate as a blatant act of treason. She could overlook what had happened at the Fifth Laboratory and the philosopher's stone, but partnering up with a serial killer who targeted State Alchemists?

Moreover with someone who had already nearly killed them?

Why?!

For what purpose—what reason could there be?

'Unless the beatings were faked. They were the only ones to escape a Scar attack alive... along with Mustang.'

It was hard to dismiss that thought once it was inside of her head. It made her heart skip a beat, and her palms sweat from the burst of adrenaline piercing through her chest.

'Did they betray me?'

'Did they lie to me?'

It—

It hurt.

Her chest was tight, her head swimming in pain tinged fear.

'There was a reason they're on Papa and Selim's watchlist.'

Elizabeth bit hard on her lip, not wanting to physically display her inner turmoil. She couldn't decide if she wanted to scream in anger, or cry. She was sick to her stomach, and the cold air did not make it easier for her to catch her breath.

She needed to get away. She needed a moment to collect herself.

"I'm going back to the cars," she muttered to Kimblee, who was watching over his men wrap Scar up tightly before carrying him away.

"Mn. Good call. A storm will be rolling in soon. Perhaps we should return to Briggs to wait for the train?" Kimblee mused.

'Ah.'

"Kimblee," Elizabeth said softly, reaching forward and tugging on his coat. The polite murderer bent down at her beckon, allowing her to whisper into his ear, "I used Briggs as my testing ground."

This caused a slight stiffening of shock, followed by a snort of amusement.

"Well," he said, straightening back up. "That's certainly one way to get your subjects. I take it you're behind the missing men, too?"
Elizabeth only smiled, her green eyes dancing with dark mirth not unlike Selim's.

"Hmm. My, my, you keep surprising me," Kimblee praised, chuckling without humor. "Go ahead with Scar and your... friends. I'll handle the remaining Briggs men."

Elizabeth curtsied as thanks. "Thank you, kind gentleman."
He waved her off, "Warm up in the cars, Elizabeth. No need for you to stand out in this tundra."

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

(Wrath)

Wrath sat back at his desk in Central Command, his paperwork mostly done for the afternoon. He was reluctant to take back on the expense and allocation reports, but Elizabeth wouldn't be able to cover that portion while at Briggs. Before that awful back office drone stopped by with the accounting paperwork Wrath hoped to enjoy a cup of his daughter's carefully crafted lavender tea.

It was easily his favorite tea, a special hybrid plant of lavender Elizabeth grew just for him. It was a pity he couldn't enjoy his favorite tea with his favorite cookies.

He'd ask Elizabeth to make them when she returned home.

Assuming Pride wouldn't hog all her attention like the immature child he could be. Every time Elizabeth was out of Central when she returned he'd have her baking all sorts of goodies just for him.

Would he ever share them?

Of course not!

He even made Elizabeth bake a tower of croquembouche as tall as Wrath and taunted Wrath about how delicious it was and how he got to eat it all while Wrath was stuck doing paperwork.

For being the eldest homunculus Pride had a surprisingly spiteful side to him. His arrogance wouldn't allow him to share anything he viewed as his own. He'd sooner eat Gluttony's leftovers than admit it, but it was blatantly apparent that Pride had a soft spot for Elizabeth, and the homunculus had no way of knowing how to deal with that aside from possessiveness and manipulation.

Not that Wrath was much better. Affection was not his strong suit, and more than once he had manipulated his wife and daughter to suit his own needs. He did not deal with jealousy well, and he absolutely loathed the idea of slimy little meatsack humans proposing to his trained heir.

Nearly every member senior member of the staff had subtly—and not so subtly—proposed arranged marriage for Elizabeth.

It made Wrath want to ram his rapier through their eyes and swirl their brain around since they were clearly too stupid to comprehend common sense.

It was common sense that Wrath would not tolerate such foolishness.

He could only be so lucky that Pride didn't overhear these conversations because Wrath wasn't confident that his older brother had the maturity to restrain himself from devouring them whole.

"If they honestly thought that was a possibility they're too stupid to be of use," Pride would sneer, leaving Wrath to clean up his mess.

WIth less staff around there'd be more paperwork for Wrath to deal with.

That was simply not acceptable.

Riza Hawkeye was currently brewing Wrath's beloved tea. He sat back in his desk, recalling that Pride had mentioned something interesting to him last night.

Wrath remarked, "I understand you've found out about Selim."

To her credit, Hawkeye only hesitated for a split second before answering, "Yes, sir."

"And my own true identity as well," he went on.

"Yes, sir."

"As one of this country's people, how do you feel about its leader and his son being homunculi?"

She thought for a second before answering. "I think it's sad that the family in whom I've trusted is fictitious. You're a make-believe family. Pretending to be the humans that you sneer at as fools."

'Aha.'

Wrath stood up from his desk, turning away to look out the window at the gray skies. "It's true my son was given to me from someone higher up. Everything, from my position as führer, to all of my men were given to me. You might say I am a make believe potentate"

Wrath mulled over whether to admit to her something else.

"However, my wife, and my daughter, I chose," he decided to admit. "My wife is strong and kind, and I have raised my daughter to be greater than myself. Human, or not."

This caused a flicker of surprise on Hawkeye's face.

"Is the tea ready?" Wrath asked, ignoring the expression.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. You know Elizabeth made this for me," he quietly bragged.

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

(Elizabeth)

The train arrived on time, and they loaded Scar up without a fuss.

Elizabeth had sat in the car, alone, not wanting to let herself jump to any further conclusions. She let her mind drift away, focusing on her breathing, and she slipped into a light meditation as she waited.

When the train arrived, and she took her seat, she wondered if she should delay the train to wait for Selim, but decided against such. He could tell her what he found back in Central if need be.

Kimblee and the Elrics did not return with her, but Winry accepted the ride back with a grateful smile.

Elizabeth got her own private quarters where she could rest—or at least try to.

And then came shadows carrying a bundle smaller than Elizabeth. They knocked on her window door, and Elizabeth opened up to the dark snowy night to allow Selim to drop the package on the floor.

"For you," he said, eyes narrowed. He handed her back a now empty vial of the paralysis drug Elizabeth had been carrying with her—she didn't even notice he had taken it. Elizabeth bent down, opening up the ragged blanket to reveal a small child, unconscious.

"What is this?" Elizabeth asked, confused.

"This is the child the Elrics were looking for. She was traveling with Scar... and Doctor Marcoh. The Elrics had already made contact with Scar prior to Scar's capture, and they made contact with this child again," Selim monotonously explained.

A sick thrill went through Elizabeth, her heart hammering inside of her.

"They were working together," she whispered, realizing with burning horror that they had lied to her.

They had betrayed her.

Anger did not even begin to cover what Elizabeth felt. Her hands clenched tightly into fists, her eyes brimming with rage and hurt. For years, Elizabeth had allowed herself to trust and care for other humans—to have friends.

'And for what?!'

For them to nearly die like Maes!

For them to betray her like the Elrics!

For them to beat her like her family!

No.

'NO.'

Enough was enough.

She was burning from the inside out, gnarled fangs and sharp claws digging their way through her. She was disgusted with herself for letting it get so far—for letting them hurt her this much. She itched to dig her rapier straight through their guts and stomp on their hearts—it would only be fair!

Selim's cool shadows were a breeze on a hot day, wrapping around her and pulling her hand off her rapier that she had unknowingly pulled out.

"Never again," she whispered, quivering from her terrible anger. "Never again."

The shadows smiled at her. "I know."

"I want them dead."

They tickled her cheek, and cooed in her ear, "Soon."

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

I gotta say writing Elizabeth/Pride/Wrath's relationship is interesting. I normally try to write very positive / healthy relationships so doing a toxic / obsessive one is a nice challenge.

Next chapter is the final chapter—and what I dub as a realistic ending. I considered doing multiple endings for this series, but the ideal ending seems impossible without taking Pride & family way out of character.

Thank you all for this lovely journey. It's been a good challenge to try and update every week. :)

Answer: Depends on the type of zombies. If they're shambling / slow / stupid then yeah I'd be okay. If they're super fast / super strong / semi smart then nope. Would probably choose to join the zombie side then. *shrugs*

Question: Whatever halloween costume you wear will turn you into that monster / person every full moon for the rest of your life. What costume do you put on?

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Recap / Comparison for those interested:

Canonically:

After capturing Gluttony, the gang head out to a safehouse to help Lan Fan with the whole cutting off her own arm to throw Wrath off her trail thing-a-majig. Gluttony figures out that Mustang is there, and flips the fuck out because Mustang killed Lust, and ends up eating Edward, Ling, and Envy. Alphonse & Gluttony head off to meet with Father to try and save the three from inside Gluttony's false dimension, but Edward & co end up saving themselves right as Alphonse meets Father. Meanwhile, Scar and Mei notice Alphonse and Gluttony heading into the sewers and decide to follow them. Father heals up Edward, they have a bit of a chit chat and Edward and Alphonse attack Father. Father disables their alchemy, just as Scar arrives with Mei and those two can still use their "alchemy." Battle ensures but ends with: Scar escaping with Doctor Marcoh, Mei escaping by hiding in Alphonse's armor, Edward being escorted to the führer by Envy, and Ling becoming the new Greed. Greeling is hot stuff y'all.

The führer politely threatens the brothers to behave or he'll kill Winry, and also threatens Mustang to behave or he'll kill all his men (which he has already made Hawkeye his personal assistant, and sent the others off to the battlefield to die).

The brothers decided to go north to look for Mei (who escaped and ran off with Marcoh) so they can learn how to use her version of alchemy to defeat Father / get their bodies back. They go to Briggs, but Armstrong throws them in prison because she suspects they are hiding something from her. Sloth breaks through Briggs while trying to dig the massive alchemy circle around the country, and the soldiers barely manage to subdue. Raven shows up with Kimblee (who is chasing after Scar & Marcoh), and orders Armstrong to put Sloth back in the hole he came from, and get over the men she lost. She kills him, and Kimblee brings up Winry as a hostage to use to force Edward & Alphonse to help him hunt down Scar and do a little genocide.

Winry tricks Kimblee into letting her tag along in the hunt.

Edward & Alphonse find Marcoh & Mei who say they've come across a way to Save the Day from the homunculi, but they need Scar. The heroes reluctantly save Scar from Kimblee's men, and come up with a clever ruse for everyone to get away safely. The good guys go into hiding after faking their deaths, get separated, and each prepare for the Promise Day.

After Armstrong learns the truth about Wrath being the führer and all that other shit, she deicdes to say fuck that shit and plans a coup with the eastern forces.

.

.

.

Pride & Humility: After Gluttony is captured the gang head to the safe house per canon, but this time Pride encourages Gluttony to break loose. Gluttony still ends up eating Edward & Ling, forcing Alphonse to come along with Gluttony to meet with Father per canon. This time, Father is the one who rescues Edward & Ling since Envy is not with them (cuz he is dead as dead can be) to help them set up the transmutation circle.

Same canonical fight with Scar & Mei showing up, ending with the mostly same results.

Edward & Alphonse head off to the north to search for Mei, get thrown in the jail cell when Armstrong realizes they aren't telling her everything she needs to know.

Elizabeth, Kimblee, and Raven show up.

Armstrong kills Raven, but is caught by Elizabeth who now views Armstrong as a threat. Elizabeth proceeds to set up bombs around Briggs to detonate when she leaves, but comes across the Elrics. Kimblee had called up Winry to use as a hostage, but per Elizabeth's insistence all three are ultimately released.

While Elizabeth & co head out to find Scar, Elizabeth detonates the fungi bombs in Briggs, infecting everyone inside. It turns into mass chaos and no one who has breathed in the fungi spore survives. This has now eliminated Armstrong and 90% of Briggs, so they will not be able to defend humanity on the Promised Day.

Pride—who had been in the area to kill the rest of the men who went searching for the first group of men in Sloth's tunnels—checks in with Elizabeth and is hella amused by her decision to just commit mass murder. He decides to help her deal with Scar and the remaining Briggs forces.

This results in Scar's ultimate death meaning they will never be able to translate those notes to help defend humanity on the Promised Day, and that Scar himself is off the playing field.

Winry heads home, and the brothers help Marcoh escape Kimblee so they can meet up later and try to save the day. Unfortunately Pride manages to kidnap Mei all secret like and brings her back to Elizabeth as proof that the brothers are betraying her.

This instantly pisses Elizabeth off, and she decides she is Done™ with humanity in general. She and Pride head home with an unconscious Mei, amputated Scar, and a whole dead bodies behind 'em.

Big Result: Briggs, Armstrong, Scar, & Deus Ex Machina notes are no longer available for the Good Guys. Envy is still dead, but Lust is alive. Mei is temporarily(?) out of commission.