Chapter 16

"Are you sure?" Gracia asked for the hundreth time. I nodded, snapping my suitcase closed.

     "Where are you going to stay tonight?" she asked for the two hundreth time.

     "I have some money," I lied. "I'll stay at an inn somewhere."

     "What about food?"

     "You know I don't eat."

     "Are you taking Dieter with you?"

     I looked down at Dieter, who was staring at me with his ears down and his tail between his legs.

     "I have to," I said. "He's...he's my dog."

     "But you can't feed him if you don't feed yourself," Gracia said. "How about this, I'll take care of Dieter until you're on your feet and you have a home with money and dog food." It felt like a icy cold fist had wrapped itself around my heart, thinking about giving Dieter away to Gracia, but I stiffly nodded and slid on my coat and gloves.

     "Goodbye, Gracia," I said quietly, going down the stairs to the front of the shop, her and Dieter following. "and thank you for everything."

     "You don't have to go," she said, a hand on my shoulder. "You can stay if you want to. I still need the extra help around the shop."

     "I'm sorry," I said, shrugging her hand off of my shoulder. "I'm an adult, I have to make a living. I can't be a freeloader forever."

     "You heard my conversation with officer Hughes, didn't you...?" she sighed and crossed her arms.

     "I'll be okay," I said. "I'll visit....sometime later."

     I began my walk down the street. A ways down the raod, a car stopped ahead of me on the road, and a man got out of it, facing me.

     "Can I help you?" I asked him, stopping dead in my tracks.

     "Are you Lucille?" he asked.

     "Who wants to know...?" I asked him warily.

     "Just come with me," he said, opening the passenger side of the car. "I'll explain on the way."

     "I really don't think I--"

     "Just get in the car," he said. "Mr. Elric needs you." I froze. Did he mean Edward?

     "What for? Is he hurt?"

     "Just get in the car!" The man was getting really annoyed by now. He pulled out a gun that looked similar to the one Edward had, and yelled at me again to get in the car.

     I did. And I knew that it wasn't taking me to Edward.

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He took me into the castle with thick ropes around my wrists. I was a prisoner.

     It was dark most of the way, but he eventually pushed me into the same room where Edward and I first saw the Transmutation Circle. It was on the second floor, too.

     "Is she the one!?" he cried, pushing me into the room. I would have fallen, had a pillar not been there for me to lean my face against awkwardly to stop me from falling.

     If it isn't Pain! a familiar voice shouted happily. I gasped, not beliving what I had just heard.

     Aw, Pain, what's the matter? he taunted. Scared without your little alchemist by your side!?

     I leaned my head over the edge and looked up. I almost fell.

     There was a big green dragon curled under the next floor. And I knew it was Envy.

     "What do you want with me!?" I screamed, falling backwards onto my rear.

     To open the Gate, what else? Envy snickered. The man who had brought me there in the first place came behind me and untied my arms. He then yanked me up off of the floor and pushed me over the edge to the hard cold stone floor below.

     It wasn't a comfortable landing.

     I stiffly sat up, resisting the urge to CRY because I landed on my arm, and it really hurt.

     Aw, did Pain hurt her arm on the way down? Envy said with a laugh. So sad. But not sad enough. Do the Transmutation!

     I crawled over to the edge of the Transmutation Circle, and then laid donw on my stomach. I started to feel extremely tired just then, as if all those sleepless nights were catching up on me finally.

     "Not now," I whispered, surpressing a yawn. "Not now..." I laid my head on the ground, and I thought I heard the faint sound of drills and rocket engines....

     "Lucy, don't do it!" Edward screamed. I opened my eyes and looked back up at the 2nd "floor". I saw Edward on the oposite side of the room where I got pushed off.

     "Ed," I said weakly. "Get out now. Get out... Envy..." I stupidly placed my hands on the edge of the Transmutation Circle without realizing it. I felt the rush of alchemic power and instantly got my strength back. The air around me rippled with power, there was a purple glow emenating from the Circle.

     "Lucy!" Edward screamed again. Envy laughed. I looked up and heard a gunshot, then saw Edward fall off of the platform.

     "Edward!" I screamed.

Reviews

[Anonymous]

AUGH!!!!!!!! EDWARD!!!!!!! LUCY!!!!!!

[Emunah June.]

Hmmm....interesting. Starting to sound a little like Reverse here lol, which makes it easier to connect with me. Nice work!! CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER!!! HOP TO HOP SING!!