Title: Whipping Boy

Author: S J Smith-Evil_Little_Dog

Rating: Teen

Disclaimer: If I owned any of this, I'd be less concerned about being out of work.

Summary: Pride orders, Envy disobeys.

Greed vanished, and that left them at six – well, five. Sloth was busy digging and digging and digging, and no one really paid much attention to where he was. Pride cared about Greed leaving, though, and sent Envy off to find him.

Envy really didn't care what Greed had done, or where he'd gone. There were other things far more fascinating, and instead, Envy took a look at Briggs, causing some havoc there before heading down to the East, and trying to start some trouble there. Lust came after, though, and brought Envy back to Central City, where Pride and Father were waiting.

"You didn't find Greed. Did you even look?"

"Who needs Greed?" Envy shrugged.

Pride's shadows whipped across the floor, slicing into Envy's skin. One arm sacrificed to Pride's anger, disappearing in a flash of reddened powder as it fell to the floor. "Hey! You little bastard!" Envy shouted, lunging across the floor, taking on the dragon form. Mouth opening, Envy started to close its maw over Pride.

Shadows sliced again, whiplike tendrils that ripped through Envy's teeth. They clattered as they landed, shattered as they landed, and Pride fixed Envy with a cold eye. "You are supposed to obey me," he said, his voice even colder than icy Briggs.

Teeth hurt growing back in, but it was over in just a few seconds. Envy shrank back to the cute form, a cruel smile curling its mouth. "If that's the way you want it, Pride."

"It's the way we are, Envy. Don't make me remind you again. I speak for Father. You do as I order."

Envy bowed like a courtier, parts of its body still stinging with the after-effects of regeneration. "I'll remember that." If the words came out as sarcastic, Pride didn't seem to notice, and trundled off on little boy legs.

Licking the new teeth, Envy bared them at Pride's back. Someday, Pride would pay for its insolence, for its loving families, for being Father's first-born. Today, Envy would do as asked, and try to find Greed again. Next time, though, Envy wouldn't be Pride's whipping boy.

~ end ~