CENTRAL (2 days prior to Guts' arrival at Liore)
"And what do you have to do that's so important?"
"I told you," said Lust. "The master wants me here, for future developments. She doesn't tell me everything, and I know not to bother asking."
The thin, androgynous figure across from her tossed his head, throwing his green dreadlocks back over his shoulder. He sneered, crossing his arms and leaning back against the nearest gear. He was Envy, and never was a creature more aptly named.
They'd met in the clocktower, that night. It had been a short trip by train from Dublith, really the trickiest part of the business had been getting word to her fellow Sin, and setting up a meeting. That was the problem with him... You could never be sure where Envy would show up at any given time.
"Where's chubby?" Envy asked, breaking her train of thought.
"Out eating. I didn't need to bring him along for this." Gluttony was actually in their safehouse, keeping an eye on Pet.
Envy sighed, drumming his hands along the gear, making muffled "Gong" sounds. "So. To review... I'm to go out to Liore, deliver this stone to fat baldy, and keep an eye on the situation from the shadows?"
"Yes. Gluttony and I were originally going to do it, but evidently the Master has different plans."
"Tch. You're the one who seduced that false priest to begin with. You should be on hand, to keep him satisfied."
She felt a twinge of anger. Her eyes narrowed, as she replied.
"I merely helped him realize his ambitions. And, if he gets too lonely and can't find any willing acolytes, then... You know, you ARE capable of taking my form..."
Envy's arms whipped out and stood straight at his sides, as he stalked toward Lust, and jabbed his finger at her chest, face a mask of rage. "I won't do THAT! Give a HUMAN that kind of pleasure? Agh!"
Lust smiled.
"No one said you had to. What difference does it make though, anyway? We're not human, our bodies are just one more tool to realize our ambitions."
Envy shook his head again. "The very thought disgusts me..."
"Because you'd feel nothing?"
He glanced at her, sidelong, masking his curiousity with a smirk. "Is that how it is? You don't feel anything?" She hid her response. He's the oldest among us, and he's never even tried sex? Though, he wasn't of age when he came across. That might make a difference with his chemistry... Or perhaps he's worried of losing himself even more...
"That's how it is. I feel nothing, so it doesn't matter to me." That wasa bit ofa lie, but she was damned if she'd admit a weakness to him. Memories sometimes came, when she was tangled intimately with another. And those hurt most of all.
Envy was silent for a long moment, tossing the stone up and down in his hand. "Hmph. Well, the priest's old stone is probably almost worn out by now, with his taste for big budget miracles. I suppose if we don't want to lose our investment, he'd better have this."
He sighed. "Stupid, sandy, boring Liore. Well, maybe he'll have a few heretics executed while I'm there. Liven the place up."
He looked out the window. "Have you checked in with his nibs yet?"
"No. That's my next stop, to drop off instructions for Pride. And Sloth, too. Are they still working together?"
"Yeah. They make a fairly good team. Itried to get her to handle some streetwork with me, but she wasn't interested..." Lust tuned Envy out for a second to think. She didn't like the idea of Pride and Sloth forming a bond. Pride was likely to give her the most trouble when she finally made her move, and if he had allies, that could make things tricky. No matter, she could probably recruit Sloth before Pride got wind that there was trouble. But, first things first...
"Oh, one more thing."
Envy raised an eyebrow. "What now?"
"The master's working on a project, something big. She doesn't want ANY disturbances for a week or so."
"Tch. Typical. I wonder what she's found this time?"
Lust shrugged. "Again, I know better than to ask..."
"Well, enough delay. It's a day or two to Liore, as the owl flies."
And with a shifting, flickering of energy, and the thin, green-haired figure changed, shrinking... Until a large owl was left, a tiny red brand on its left leg. Catching up the red stone in its claw, it hopped to the window of the clocktower, and took flight in silence. Lust watched it go, with a thin smile.
Well. That was easy enough.
Now for the hard part.
---
The blue-coated man smiled, as he sipped his tea and watched Lust leave. From his vantage point at the window of his office, he watched her cross the empty parade ground, and vanish through the gate. With a fur cloak and hat covering her features, particularly her brand, no one would especially take note of her going.
He set his tea cup down with a Chink, before standing. His features were known across the country, especially since that chiseled jaw, eyepatch, and warm smile adorned the five mark bill these days. His photograph was in the newspaper across the nation, and he was a welcome guest at the finest social events of the upper crust. His record in war and peace was spotless, and his subjects loved him.
He was Fuhrer King Bradley, and he was not human.
He was createdwith power, for power, the perfect heir to the forces, wealth, and alchemy of the most advanced nation on the continent.
Years ago, his creator, his master, had chosen a prominent young military officer. In the chaos of the Ishbalan war she had kidnapped him, and used his likeness to forge a homonculus. She designeda homonculus to rise to power,bymurdering theformerFuhrer, andgrooming her own candidate. And sureenough, when the time came, the Sins had made sure that a homonculus took the position. He was that homonculus, and he bore his mark hidden in plain sight. And it was more than his mark, it was his special power.
No one can hide from the eye. Not even you, Lust.
Many of his fellow homonculi were given to gloating. It was a weakness, really. He kept his true thoughts silent, and hidden... As watched as he was, the day he revealed himself was the day that Dante had no more use for him. And for now, he could not afford his Master's ire.
For now.
Still, it amused him to no end that he was the only one of the Sinssuitable for this position. But then, form follows function, after all...
He let his face slip back into a smile, and pushed the button on his desk.
"Miss Douglas, could I see you for a moment?"
A few seconds later, the door clicked open, and high heels clicked on the wooden floor. His smile lasted until the door closed, and then his face became cold, and motionless.
The woman across his desk looked back, her face equally still. She had long brown hair, and wore a permanently bored expression. Her clothes were professional and modest, and she also was not human.
Pride looked upon Sloth, his eye glittering, backlit from the electric lamp by the window. "What instructions did she give you?"
"I cannot speak of them." Sloth's face didn't shift from her bored expression, and her dull gaze didn't budge from staring out the window.
"Interesting, don't you think? I'm not supposed to speak of mine, either. This is the first time that the Master's forbid us internal discussion."
"Is it?"
"In my existence, yes. And it makes me wonder."
"Wonder what?"
"It makes me wonder if Lust knows that the Master had a phone installed last week, for the purpose of relaying her orders directly to us."
Sloth glanced down, at the Pride's unsmiling face. "What are you implying?"
"Oh, I'm implying nothing. Merely following an idea."
"Lust did mention that the Master didn't want to be disturbed..."
"So? The maid will have to answer the phone, then."
And Sloth's lips twitched into a small smile. "I take it that I have a phone call to make tonight?"
"Unless it countermands your orders."
"Not at all." And she left.
Five minutes later, she was back. "No reply. No one picked up. Perhaps she disconnected it..."
"No. The Master isn't that handy with modern technology. Have a telegram sent in the morning. Have it say... Please confirm validity of latest instructions RE gardening. Yes, that should do it."
"Very well. You should go home, it's late."
"Is it? Well. Can't leave my wife and son waiting, then..."
The man smiled, as he leaned back into the light. Pride was banished, and he was once more King Bradley. And Sloth left, to find her quarters and maintain her own facade of Juliet Douglas' life.
King Bradley steepled his fingers, and smiled as his thoughts turned inward.
I could tell you were lying, Lust. You can't fool the eye. I don't know what your game is, yet...
Well. We'll see what news the telegram brings...
And with that, he stood and shut the curtains, as the moon rose high over Central city...