"That one wasn't as effective as I had hoped," Father continued. Edward turned around slowly until he could see him as he spoke. "He only managed to catch Kimbly, and he wasn't my first choice. Hopefully this last one will be better…" he trailed off, and another figure stepped out of the shadows to join Father.

The woman—a homunculus—was large, curvy in the extreme, but still attractive in a round sort of way. However her expression was blank, he mouth slack in a smile of sorts. It almost looked like—

"Gluttony?" Alphonse asked.

Father nodded. "And Lust, yes." He turned to Roy, watching as the man walked over and put his hand on Edward's shoulder, before addressing all three of them once more. "You're all quite clever. You knew I was combining homunculi, or at least creating new ones, almost right away."

Ed could not suppress a shiver once he realized what Father meant. "So the homunculus that was controlling Al…"

"He was my first, Pride and Envy." Father said, sounding almost regretful. "He completed his task well."

Edward had known, more or less, that Father had instructed that homunculus to go after him…but hearing what was tantamount to a confession, to have the reason for the torture he went through stand in front of him…Ed fought the urge to vomit.

"Why would you do that?" Alphonse whispered, head down. "I thought you needed Brother as a sacrifice…now that he can't use his alchemy, can you even use him?"

"He was too much of a liability," Father admitted, his voice betraying bitterness. "If I hadn't had that homunculus suggest to him in a dream that he get rid of his alchemy, Edward here would have posed too much of a threat."

"Hang on, you mentioned that half of that homunculus was Pride…who was he?" Roy asked. "We knew of Envy, Lust, Gluttony, and Greed, but…"

Father actually chuckled, and Edward felt Roy tense behind him, his fingers clenching on Ed's shoulders. "Oh, you knew Pride—to you, he was Selim Bradley."

Edward's eyes widened, and Alphonse gasped audibly. Roy settled for a muttered curse. "H-he was a homunculus?" Al murmured, almost to himself. Then, louder: "What about-?"

"His father?" Father interrupted. "Fuhrer King Bradley? He was Wrath, half of the homunculus you all just killed. The wife was normal, though."

The three were silent, unable to comprehend what they had just been told. Obviously, the homunculi were a problem, but to have infiltrated Central, the government of all of Amestris, to such a degree was unbelivable.

"Why?" Edward's voice was weak, so he tried again. "Why would you do this? What's the point?"

"If I told you," Father said dispassionately, "I would only be putting myself at a disadvantage."

"Then why tell us about you combining homunculi?" Alphonse asked.

Father's mouth twitched as though in a smile, an odd gesture on the normally static face. "Because you already knew, and besides, I didn't come here just for the show. I need something from you, and you all have to know what's in store for you if you don't comply." He gestured to the homunculus at his side. "Just as you thought, this homunculus is the result of combining Lust and Gluttony. And just like the others, she possesses extraordinary power."

Edward heard Roy snapping behind him, a sign of his nervousness and agitation.

Father went on. "Just like Lust, she can extend her nails. However, rather than cut you, her nails now consume you. You would be trapped in her stomach."

Alphonse shuddered beside Edward.

"Now," Father said, a satisfied light in his eyes. "On to what I require from you."

They held their breath as Father lifted a hand, and pointed directly at Roy.

Ed found he couldn't speak, his throat suddenly choked. He wanted Roy? No! Despite his efforts, Edward found himself trembling, falling to his knees as his legs buckled.

"The Flame Alchemist. Colonel Roy Mustang. You will be a valuable sacrifice."

No, no, no. This wasn't happening!

Of course, Roy wasn't one to give in. "You don't expect me to just volunteer, do you?"

"Actually, yes. See, you have two options. I alone know how to remove someone from her stomach. Armed with that, consider your choices carefully. First, I take Edward here. If you choose that option, you will not be told how to release him until you surrender yourself, of course, and I'll give you a hint: if you kill my homunculus, Edward will die as well, so don't think that will save him."

Ed looked up to see Roy's reaction. The man's face was dark, featured contorted in a grimace. He squatted, once again placing his hand—hands, this time—on Edward's shoulders possessively.

Father went on. "I thought not. Option two, then: you surrender yourself, and I leave Edward alone."

"Why would I trust you?" Roy spat.

"Because," Father's tone was that of an adult speaking to a small child. "What do I have to gain from harming him? I want you; the ex-Fullmetal Alchemist is of no use to me anymore, nor does he pose a threat. You've been around him—he's been wrecked. He's not a concern to me."

Roy practically growled, his hands becoming painfully tight.

"Choose quickly, Flame Alchemist," Father murmured. "She's getting hungry…"

The homunculus, hearing the word "hungry", seemed to come out of a daze and shifted, lifting a hand and smiling eagerly.

Roy stood again, and stepped around Edward.

Ed gasped, realizing what he was going to do. "No! Roy, no! I'll go, I'll be fine, you need to be here—" he lunged for Roy's leg, grabbing hold and clinging to the limb.

"Alphonse, I have to do this." Roy refused to address Edward, but he could hear the strain in the older man's voice. "Hold him."

Edward felt hesitant arms wrap around his torso. They tightened with resolve just as Roy yanked his foot from Ed's grasp.

"No!" he shrieked, trying to toss Al off. "No, Roy, please!"

"Excellent. Go ahead," Father said.

The homunculus shot her nails out, tapping Roy's head, stomach, chest, and arms. Edward screamed wordlessly as the man was consumed, seeming to be sucked into the nails.

That quickly, it was over. Alphonse released Ed, who lay gasping and sobbing on the ground. "No, Roy, no…" Suddenly, a wave of anger swept over him. He shot up, ignoring the throbbing in his arm from the sword. "Give him back, bastard!"

But Father was gone.

Edward looked around, ran down the street as fast as he could manage, but Father and his damned homunculus were nowhere to be seen. He let himself fall against a tree, sliding down to the ground. Footsteps alerted him to Al's presence, but Ed didn't care.

All he could think was that his freedom had just been traded for Roy's demise.

Up next in this series is Counterfeited, go check it out!