fight the good fight

by julia bebop

Ed is still searching for question that might lead up to a certain stone that he was looking for, but he goes blind in the quest. It up to his brother Al to help through

Fight the good fight.
By Julia Macgregor

Ed had to stop and grab something to eat if he wanted to be on time for the train to take him, Winry and his brother Al to the next town. It was a long and hard road to find the Philosopher's Stone. The smell of cooking soup and boiling greens at a small café near the train station was too much for Edward Elric to bear. He glanced at the large picture window at the enterance to the café. Two ladies were standing at the counter, waiting for customers.

Ed had to be careful as counted out his money for the train fare. He glanced at the clock. He knew that Winry would flip out if he would go over his spending limit. Automail was very pricy and hard to up keep with all the battling they had seen.

Al noticed Ed counting out the small silver and copper coins in his hand. There was one bronze coin and no gold coins in Ed's purse.

The paycheck of a state Alchemist was not always the best pay around. He was paid almost like a foot solider or train conductor. Yet, he was always willing to do side jobs to fill in the gaps. Al noticed Ed counting the pocket change in his brother's hands. He wondered if there was enough for the three of them. He said, "Brother, what are you doing?"

"Just seeing about our money," Ed said as he pulled a fake smile on his lips.

"Oh," Al sighed. He could read his big brother like a book. There was no two ways about it. Ed was Ed and there were things even Al could read into, like the lack of money. He said, "Big Brother…how much money do we have?"

Ed winced as he stared at the coins. He wanted to be happy and get some good grub down his belly. He stared at the pathic lot of coins. "Not enough for one full meal. Just even…" he thought. "…for three cups of coffee and six rolls, if I'm lucky."

"Brother?" Al said as he added up the coins after he glanced at them.

"What?" Ed said in a sharp matter a fact tone.

"I'm not that hungry. You can buy something nice for Winry," Al said.

The shop keeper glanced over to where Elric brothers were standing.

She noticed the black cross on Ed's jacket. She became weary of the signs in which Alchemy was using young men in the blackest arts imagable. The shop keeper said with a weary tone, "Are you going to order or not!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Ed grinned, slightly emberessed. He walked up to the counter to give the take out menu above his head, hanging from two golden coloured chains a once over.

"Ed?" a female voice asked as Winry entered the shop.

"What?" Ed sighed, the feeling of being caught was closing around him.

"Are you counting your money again?" she asked as she walked over to see him.

"No," he lied, glancing at the sign once more. He swallowed before saying, "Just looking at the weekly specials!"

He knew Winry was up to her old tricks of sniffing around Ed as he doled out cash for food. He smiled, turning around to see a slightly steamed Winry.

She asked with a raised eyebrow, "Are you sure that we have enough for food?"

"Yep!" he winced.

Growing weary of the young Alchemist just standing there with money in hand, she folded her arms over her chest, "Come on…come on…I haven't gotten all day!"

"I will…in a sec!" Ed said.

"Yes," the shopkeeper agreed. She didn't like to wait either.

"I will," Ed huffed softly as he glanced at the hard rolls. There were at least three trays of seed encrusted rolls on the very top shelf of the glass case. He noticed the price was right for him, not too high. He quickly scanned the menu above his head for a large cup of coffee or tea. He would ask for a large cup and two smaller cups for him and Winry. He said with a weak smile, "I would like to have three of these!"

Then, he pointed out three small brown rolls with seeds and a sweet frosting.

"Oh?" the clerk asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yea," Ed nodded stupidly.

"O.k." she huffed as she went to the case where the rolls were.

Ed turned to see both Winry and Al. Al was his usual self. Yet, Winry was not happy. She hoped to get some extra cash for the automail parts that Ed needed badly. He had been through the mill in the last encounter with Lust and Gluttony. Lust did have some powers as her power of being a homunculi were pretty impressive. "You know that we need cash for your arm!" she sighed as she folded her arms over her chest.

"But, you know that we need food. Even if it's a small mouth full to get by!" Ed sighed.

"Edward?" Winry growled. Her eyes were now seeing red. She didn't want to over spend.

Ed folded his arms over his chest. He knew that Winry was getting under his skin. He growled a little in protest, "I have been working hard all this week and I need some food!"

Winry was a little surprised at Ed's tiny out burst. She sighed, trying to save face, "Oh?"

The owner stepped in as she said, "When you two are finished talking, please leave the bakery!"

Ed miffed at now the bakery owner, placed his money on the counter. He waited for the owner to finish out the order. As he waited a flash back came to his mind's eye. He reflected on his younger days. He thought, "What if mother hadn't died. What will I and Al be doing right now?"

He watched as the owner quickly gathered up the buns into a paper bag. Glancing over to where Winry was, Ed sighed. He had think about himself if only the time it took to eat a bun.

Roy Mustang was in his office at the Istar Army. He was busy with a new stack of paper work. He had the phone off the hook in order to concentrate on his work. He didn't want no one bother him until he was finished.

Then, to break the peace of the office there was a knock on the door. Roy flinched, his pen tearing into the paper as he wrote. He gapsed when he gazed stupidly at the paper. It took him weeks to type and sign each order of a commanding officer.

Roy grumbled a little before he gripped the end of desk which was closest to him. He cleared his throat for a minute. Then, he barked in a cold snap, "Come in!"

The door opened and young man entered the room with a small blue-gray book in his hands. He said, trying to make eye contact with Roy, "Minster Mustang!"

"Officer!" Roy quickly corrected him.

"Officer!" the young man restated in a quick yelp. He could see Roy's face with the redness starting to bristle out from under his collar.

"What?" Roy glanced up at the young man. He didn't like people waiting his time.

"I have this book…" the young man began with a quick tone of voice.

"Oh, nuts!" Roy thought.

On rolling his eyes, Roy said in a tired voice, "What's the book about?"

The young man glanced at Roy with amazed stare. Then, he smiled with stained joy. He said, waving the book in the air, "It's about fire and metal Alchemy."

"What?" Roy gapsed. He was a born fire alchemist. The state was using him since he had signed up after his eightenteeth birthday. "What is this a joke."

"Sir?" the young officer gaped. He wondered if Roy any additional training. He thought he was doing Roy a favor. "It might help you!"

Roy placed both hands on his desk. He lifted himself into a standing pose. His blood started to boil just a mere hotter than it was a few minutes ago. "I'm a fire alchemist. I was born one. I set my father's chair when I was ten on fire."

"Sir?" the young officer gaped for a second time. He could see his own welcome in Roy's office growing thin. "You set fire to your father's chair."

"It was a mistake!" Roy growled. He had strong memories of the day he had set fire to his father's chair.

"A mistake, sir?"

"Yes…I was with my cousins who were into doing dumb things. I was pushed into by them when they saw me playing with a brush pile outside!"

"You knew about that power of yours?"

"I some sort of feeling…yes in a way. I am not complete an idot. I didn't have this feeling until was fourteen!" Roy snapped. He didn't like the idea of own his discovery and power being so late in life. He wasn't a young student of alchemy like the Elric brothers. There was a tiny fraction of envy between Roy and Al. It never really sufaced unless Roy called Al 'Shorty'.

"Sorry, sir!" the young officer yipped, standing completely still in a bolt stiffness fitting an officer.

Then, the phone rang. Roy was relieved, yet didn't show it as he thought, "Saved by the bell!" On quickly picking up the phone, Roy glared at the officer. He mouthed the words, "Get lost!" The officer took the hint. As he turned to see himself out, he noticed the clock on the wall. It was getting late. Things around the camp were going to be quiet for a while. The young officer walked over to the door. On opening the door, he heard Roy still talking on the phone. He was going to busy with the phone call.

+++the day seemed hotter than the last. Ed could feel the heat raising in his body. He wanted to stay in the shade as best as he could. When he moved, he felt the sun following him with every step. He wondered if he was going to find shade in the heat. He heard Winry talking to Al. there was no cold spot in the lonely town in the outside. What looked like a small courtyard in the middle of the town square were just two straggly trees with greenish-brown leaves and matching grass to boot. There was a tiny well sitting in the middle of the trees. He thought, "I wish I some money to buy some water or something!"

he had also the feeling that the town's people hated Alchemy by the way they were staring at him, Winry and Al.

"Brother, are you all right!" Al asked as he stopped to see if Ed needed his help.

"No!" Ed snapped, a little weary. He tried not to look up at his little brother. He gulped back the cotton ball feeling in his mouth. He half walked-half marched down the street, trying to aviod eye contact with Al.

Winry was a little weary of the two brothers as they talked. She wondered if Ed needed a good fashion talking to. She had no idea why Al and Ed were fighting. Sometimes she would let the two brothers fight it out with even the use of Alchemy. Feeling that she had to step in, Winry was going to say something about a local café she had spotted.

She jogged a little bit to keep in time with Ed. Ed groaned as his efforts of avioding his brother were not working out at all.

"Oh, Edward?" winry said in a fake smile. She batted her eyelases at him, trying ot get his attention.

Ed instatly halted and asked, "What is it, Winry?"

"Oh, nothing!" she smiled once again. She placed a hand on Ed's shoulder in order to make him stop. "Are you thristy?"

"yes," he growled in a low tone. "What's it to you!"

"Oh, nothing," she shrugged. She was going to neddle him until he broke down. "I just thought it would be nice to stop and get a drink!"

He smiled hard when he turned to see Winry staring at him. "What is that you want, Winry?" he gasped through clenched teeth.

"Are thristy?" she asked in a nonchanant tone of voice. "I thought you were!"

"Yes!" he nodded, still smiling.

Then, things began to grow ugly for the three. When Ed and Winry came up to the café, Al stayed behind to see something which caught his eye. Ed counted in his mind up to ten as his feelings for Winry turned back to a normal guy and gal thing. He glanced at Al for a second. He wondered what was going on with Al. He told Winry that he was going to see what Al was looking at.

"Hey, Al…what's that you are looking at?" Ed asked. He was trying to see for himself the sight that was pulling Al around.

In a heartbeat, Ed jerked a little as he noticed the image he was staring at had instantly vanished. He said, trying to cover up his little staring spree, "It's was nothing!"

"Oh?" Ed sighed. He stared to feel someone staring at him. He quickly brushed it aside. He finally thought of getting the much needed drink of water or tea to stop Winry from worrying about him. "Winry…where is it that you want to go?"

"There?" Winry sighed, poiting at the café. She was in heaven at the sight of café with the miniture trees and wooden tables. "It's so cute!"

"Cute?" Ed gasped a little surprised at Winry's sudden mood change.

He believed that she was now crazy from the heat. Normally Winry had two things on her mind, automail and the discovery of the Philososper's stone. She wanted to help both Ed and Al with the possible link of the magical stone and the recovery of Al's body. It was something two brothers had their dreams pinned on. "Cute?" he asked again, this time with a raised eyebrow.

"Yea…I'm a girl. You forgot that?" she gasped a little surprised. The three had been traveling for so long that Winry was treated more like a guy at times by Al and Ed. "I would like to sit down in a place that has table clothes and flowers in vases."

"Now?"

Throwing her hands up into the air, Winry sighed loudly, "As good time as any!" without saying one more word to Winry, Ed caved in. he glanced at Al for any sort of moral support. He groaned when no answer came from his younger brother. He said, "O.K. I go…if it make you happy!"

Winry giggled in delight as she clapped her hands together. "Great!" she sighed loudly.

In the back of Ed's mind, he thought, "What have I done to desire this?"

The three walked over to the café. Ed had a feeling he was being watched. He knew this feeling from before. It was like Homunculi was following his every move. Yet, who was in the area that knew were he was at such pin point detail. He had to give some thought at a better time. He didn't want either Al or Winry panicking at the mere mention of Homunculi. He went along with Winry to get a drink of sorts. He had to be weary as well.

In the café, two younger women where sitting at a table, eating a local dish. They heard the door bells ringing. They looked up at the new comers entering the café. They smiled as Al, Ed and Winry walked up to the counter near the far end of the café. Al noticed the many bowls of flowers on the tables. They seemed very fimiliar to him. Ed stood at the counter and saw a picture of a train on an ad for a local fair. He said, "Excuse me?"

After a minute, a young girl came out of from the back and said, "Yes, may I help you?"

Ed nodded slightly. He noitced another menu taped on the counter. He asked, slightly ashamed, "Can we have some water, please!"

The girl without taking no noitce of their plight, smiled as she said, "Yes. You can have a glass!" "Thanks!" Ed smiled slightly relieved. He noticed the girl's one hand. It had strange marking on the palm of her one hand. He didn't feel asking her about the markings. He told Winry and Al to pick out a table. He was going to get the glasses of water. He asked for two more.

The girl smiled as she welcome the strangers. She and her family had the café for years. There was a family picture on the counter. There was not much business during the middle of the week. She hoped for any sort of break from the boredom of cleaning coutner and tables where no one sat at. She began to make small talk with Ed. She asked, "Are you travelers?"

"Yea, sort of…" Ed said. He didn't want the girl tossing them out because of their search for the Philosopher's Stone.

"Oh, that's nice," the girl began to set up a tray of water glasses. She noticed Ed's gloved left hand. She had a feeling he was someone special.

Ed asked, "Why is it so hot here?"

The young girl glanced around to see if she was being watched. She said in a staged whisper,"Well, since you are new here. I'll tell you. This place has a curse on it."

"A curse?" Ed said with a raised eyebrow. He had heard all before. In his travels, Ed had seen and heard things that no normal young man at his age would have seen. He gave the girl a weary smile when he stepped back

"Yes…" the girl laughed a little. She didn't want to scare off Ed or the others. she tried to think of another subject to talk about.

"Oh," Ed said. Then, he was given the tray of water. He thanked the girl before walking over to the table.

"You got water without asking how much it was?" Winry asked. She kept a running account of the money that Ed earned from the state.

"thanks Winry…" Ed groaned. A foolish feeling fell on him as he placed the tray down on the table. He always believed that water was a free item to be shared. He turned back to walk over to the counter. He noticed the girl was still standing at the back. He asked, "How much for the water?"

"for you…it's nothing," the girl smiled.

At the mention of the free water, Ed thanked the girl once again. He walked over to the table to tell both Al and Winry that the water was free. Winry said, "For once, you got off easy!"

Ed winced as he said, "Winry…"

"Nothing," Winry smirked, trying to stop Ed short.

"Brother?" Al asked as he took his seat.

"What, Al?" Ed said. He took the third seat at the table. On assuming a glass of the free water, Ed asked, "Something on your mind?"

"Yes…don't you have to call up Colonel Mustang?" Al asked. His automail was being dry from the desert heat. "Right," Ed rolled his eyes at his younger brother. He knew that the war was still being raged. He just had wished he wasn't a state Alchemist. All he wanted to was find the Philosopher's Stone. There was a sort of attraction to the stone for Ed. Yet, he had seen all the dangers of using the real thing if only a mere chip was manipluted. He also viewed the horrors of the fakes which was spread all over the country side. He knew that Lust was up to no good by spread some of the fake stones. She wanted to use all of her charm and powers of her name sake to put to right of the Fuhrer. Al wanted to end that and go back to the years before his mother had died. He yearned to see Al back to normal. How many years before that was going to happen, if that ever will. "I will give that creep a ring tomorrow. I have to get a library or a book store to find out where the possible leads of the Philosopher's Stone."

"I am not sure for now. Yet, I do have a feeling someone is watching us!" Ed said before taking his glass for a sip of water.

Lust and Gluttony were walking around the main square of the town where Ed, Al and Winry were staying at. They had heard about a possible movement of the Isrtar army. The army was very close to the village.

Lust noticed a shop with display of books, stones and digging tools. There was some mining in the outskirts of the town. It was usually tiny bits of gold or raw pig iron. Nothing really to make any sort of money. Something caught her eye. It looked like a ruby or a blood stone sitting a small bowl with other stones. She smiled slightly and said to Gluttony, "they are so blind!" "What?" Gluttony asked in his usually child like manor. He placed his index finger up to his lips.

"There is a red stone over there. It's almost in colour to a chip to the Philosopher's Stone!" she pointed to a mount of dirt. There resting on top was a small red stone of the others.

"Can I eat it?" was Gluttony's reply to Lust's statement.

"No!" she sighed, in order to stop Gluttony from eating the entire mound of dirt. "I have an idea!"

"What?"

"Give me a minute. I have some thinking to do!" Lust said as she moved like water across the dirty road towards the mining site. When they came up to an enterance way leading up to a mine, Lust noticed a young man sitting on a pile of rocks. He was taking a break from his long hours of mining. He was drinking out of a bottle the much needed water he carried for his job. He had to do a double take when he stared at Lust. A tiny swell of water bubbled around in the bottle before it left the bottle neck. The young man felt it entering his mouth. It nearly made him choke. He pulled out the bottle from his mouth. He coughed for a minute. On gasping, he stared at Lust even more deeply. He wasn't use to seeing striking woman in his life. She was the most haunting creature cross his way.

She said in a cat like purr, "Watch yourself!"

He gasped once again. He was starting to relax.

"I have a favor to ask of you?" she asked. She smiled slightly, not giving up on the thrill of the hunt for the stone.

"What?" he uttered. He was isntantly falling for her.

She gave it some thought. The red stones were so perfect fakes it was scary. She knew that Ed, Al and Winry were still searching for the stone. She had an idea of using a stone to bend Ed to her will. It was going to be hard to come up with a staight forward plan, yet she wasn't going to let that little boy get his hands onto the stone.

"I want you to find a large stone, clear and red in colour. Can you do that for me?" she asked.

The man shook his head slowly.

"That's good!" Lust smiled. She placed a hand up to the man's shoulder for a minute. Giving it a sharp squeeze, the man became an instant puppet for Lust's idea of fooling Al and Ed.

Al and Ed found a tiny bed and breakfast in the town. The owners didn't mind having two quiet state Alchemists and a traveling companion. They were getting tried of the low lifes that would use the B and B as a hang out. It was a little on the run down side, yet to have a soft bed was the only thing Ed wanted for one night's stay. Winry had the room next to his. He sat in the lobby, reading a copy of a local paper. Al was sitting next to him playing with a cat. The cat was the owners and loved to be around travlers. She would perch on Al's large shoulders and tried to play with Ed's hair.

Ed shifted his glance at the cat. He didn't like cats. He wouldn't hurt them. Yet, they were his sore spot. Al said, noticing his brother reading the paper. "What are you looking for, brother?"

"There have being rumors of people using a rare stone for health benfits. There is something going on that doesn't sound right!" Ed said, he began folding the paper in his lap.

The cat meow. Then, it leapt on the folded news paper. It stared up at Ed. He groaned, "Cat!"

Al giggled a little, "She likes newspapers!"

"What?" Ed groaned for a second time. He tried to push the cat off with both hands in a gentle sweep.

The cat wasn't going to move from it's perch. It seemed to be very happy where it was at. Ed groaned, "Come on, cat…move your tail!"

"Merow!" the cat yipped. It began to dig its claws into the newspaper through into Ed's pant legs.

"I want to this newspaper, alone!" Ed winced. He still had flesh contecting to his automail leg. He didn't like to be clawed by a cat.

"Me-meow!" the cat protested.
Instantly, Ed had to give in. he sighed, "O.K. have it your way, you stupid fur ball!"

The cat craned it's neck to glare at Ed. Al noitced the cat's sour expression. He tried to sound sincerity, "You shouldn't have said that!" The cat raised its one paw in mid air in a shift movement before Ed's face. Then, Al watched as Ed received a large scratch in the left check. Ed screamed a little as he instantly threw his hands at his lap. "Stupid cat," he hissed.

The cat was tossed onto the floor. It landed on its feet with a thud. It hissed back at him with its back arched and eyes on fire.

"You are!" Ed growled, waving his hands in the air. Then, he reached up with his right hand to see if he was bleeding or not.

The cat switched its tail at Ed before running out of the room. Al said as he turned to see his brother staring at a long red line on his fingers, "Cats are smarter than you give credit for!"

"Even that one?" Ed groaned. He didn't want to have a fight with the cat. He felt tried and needed a good night's sleep.

Al said when he raised his hand, "Yes, that one especially."

"Great!" Ed grumbled as he folded his arms over his chest.

Winry entered the room with a large book in her hands. She had been to library before it closed. She helped Ed with finding out any local legends about the Philosopher's Stone. He did call up Roy about being in a place where the news of finding red stones was going back to the Amestris army. It didn't look good for either Ed or Roy. Winry noticed Ed's new wound. She asked, "What happen?"

"There was a battle going on between Ed and a cat!" Al giggled little.

"A cat?" Winry asked, her eyebrow twitched a little out of amusement.

"Yes…a cat!" Ed snapped back. He lifted his arms sligtly only to bring them down again. He huffed in a soured grunt. He knew it was much for Winry to figure out.

"Oh, and the cat won?" Winry asked Al.

"Yes!" Al shook his head.

Ed stood up quickly to walk out of the room. He turned on his heels for a second. Glaring for a minute at Al, Ed huffed again, "Are you coming, Al?"

"Oh," Al said before standing up. He placed a hand up to his chin. He uttered quickly, "Yes…I am!"

Winry watched Al follow his brother out of the room. In the hallway leading up to a stair case Ed and Al walked slowly. Ed had placed a hand up to his chin. He said, "What does Roy need me for?"

"I'm not sure, brother. Yet, we can't go without checking up with him first!" Al said.

Ed stopped in front of the stair case. He rolled his shoulders up a little after feeling a draft tickling his face. He said, "It's always me that has to the dirty work. Yet, if we find the stone…I hope Roy doesn't pull a fast one and uses it for himself!"

Al said as he waited for Ed to take the first step on the case, "I don't think. He wants nothing to hurt anyone else. He had seen too much like we are doing now!"

Ed nodded his head slightly. He was still thinking of what could happen to himself if he got a hold of a mere sliver of the stone. The power was deadly in a dazzlingly way. Was it so much to ask for, to have one's arm or leg back.

He tried to think of how his mother would have felt if she saw him. She would have been upset with him and told him never to use it. He had always walked a very fine line between his love for Winry, his mother and the power of the Philosopher's Stone.

Ed walked up to a hall. It was a rather plan hall with a couple of paintings. He and Al walked down to their small, but comfortable room. He said to Al, "Look. I have to make a phone call to Pryo. Then, I am going to take a shower. I think I need one!"

Every muscle in his body ached. He wanted to relax before heading off again to the search. He wondered if he was doing it for himself.

"You better not let him hear you call him that!" Al said following his brother down the hall.

"He's a big push over!" Ed chuckled to himself. He stopped to see the room numbers on the doors.

Al knew Ed and Roy were at odds when Ed didn't follow Roy's direct commands. He said quietly as the two stood at a door, "He will have a cow if we don't!"

"Al…" Ed groaned, throwing his head down in fake agony. He was going to reget having Roy as his watch dog. Then, there was a stillness in the air. Ed could sense it. Al felt a presence, the same one that was now casting a spell over Ed. The cold was nipping, it could stop a person's heart. As quickly as the two felt the presence, it was gone. Ed had to find his room in a hurry.

On finding his room, Ed checked the room number on the pass key. He was double checking on the numbers before unlocking the door. He fumbled for the knob. Al flipped on the lights as he and Ed entered the room.

To their surprise, the room was just as plain as the hall. There was a desk off to the side of the room. In the middle were two twin beds with brown quilts. The walls were a light cream in colour and one small curtained window fisnished the very cheerless room.

Ed walked over to one of the bed to see if he was going to have a good night's sleep. He sat down on the edge of the bed. Al left the room for a couple of minutes.

Checking the clock, Ed had to wash up a little before hitting the bed. Bending down he began to untie his shoes. It was sorely known, army shoes were not the most comfortable in the world. Ed winced at the pain of much walking on hard wooden floors and long rocky roads.

There was a knock on the door. Ed said, "Yes?"

He got up from the bed and walked over to the door. he fumbled at the door knob. He said, "Who is it?"

"It's me brother," the voice sounded hallow.

Ed could think of only person who belonged to that voice. "Al...let me open the door!" he said.

"Thanks brother!" Al said as the large suit of armor waited for the door to be opened.

Al knew Ed and Roy were at odds when Ed didn't follow Roy's direct commands. He said quietly as the two stood at a door, "He will have a cow if we don't!"

"Al…" Ed groaned, throwing his head down in fake agony. He was going to reget having Roy as his watch dog. Then, there was a stillness in the air. Ed could sense it. Al felt a presence, the same one that was now casting a spell over Ed. The cold was nipping, it could stop a person's heart. As quickly as the two felt the presence, it was gone. Ed had to find his room in a hurry. On finding his room, Ed checked the room number on the pass key. He was double checking on the numbers before unlocking the door. He fumbled for the knob. Al flipped on the lights as he and Ed entered the room.

To their surprise, the room was just as plain as the hall. There was a desk off to the side of the room. In the middle were two twin beds with brown quilts. The walls were a light cream in colour and one small curtained window fisnished the very cheerless room.

Ed walked over to one of the bed to see if he was going to have a good night's sleep. He sat down on the edge of the bed. Checking the clock, Ed had to wash up a little before hitting the bed. Bending down he began to untie his shoes. It was sorely known, army shoes were not the most comfortable in the world. Ed winced at the pain of much walking on hard wooden floors and long rocky roads.

There was a knock on the door. Ed said, "Yes?"

"Brother…are you still up?" Al's voice could be heard through the door.

"Yes. I'm not tired yet. What's wrong?"

"Can I come in?"

There was a faint ticking of a wall clock in the room. Ed glanced around until he had found it. It hung at the far wall. The time was reading at nine minutes after eight. It was still very early to go to bed. Ed said before standing up, "Give me a minute. The door is locked."

He stood up to walk toward the door. A feeling struck him dead to the core. He wondered of something bad would happen. He had to brush it aside to get to keep his mind on what was at hand, easing his younger brother's fears. Sensing on Al's tone of voice, Ed asked as he went about unlocking the door, "Are you having second thought, again…Al?"

The door slowly opened and the tall automaul suit stood with no idea what his brother felt or thought. Ed asked, "What's wrong…you sound worried!"

"In a way!" the voice sounded a little scared. He was still human in a way. Al didn't want to make waves as he and his brother looked for a cure. He said, "I had a strange feeling all day, brother. Can I come in?"

"Yes," he said as he opened the door a little further to let his brother enter the room. Al noticed the plain room. He walked over to the bed and slowly sat down. He said, "I think we have been followed!"

"I have the same feeling." Ed's voice was very distance. He knew the whole day was having a dark running line of dread. It began when he was in the bakery. He glanced up at his brother, "Did you have the same feeling!"

"Yes, it's like when we were kids and we did something really wrong and knew about even before mother punished us for the crime!"

"I remember that!" Ed sighed. He glanced over to a small bedside table. There was a tiny table with a plain white shade sitting in the middle of the table. He wondered how many times he saw plain looking lamps in his young life. "Yet, she did love us!"

"Then, is it someone from Central is watching our performance to see we are doing well?" Al asked. He knew there were spies from the higher posts of Central.

"Maybe!" Ed shrugged.

"I have been thinking about that for a while!" Al sighed.

"Yea, what's with that idea?"

"It's a matter of trust."

Those words seemed to be a touchy subject. He could care what happened next. Yet, did it matter for time that he, Al and Winry traveled. He had to sleep on it. The two talked until the early morning hours. Al did apologize to Ed like always. Ed forgave his younger brother like always. Al wanted to see who was following them since the time the entered the town. Ed yawned before blurry-eyed stared at the clock. Nearly two it read. The staying up was making Ed wore out. He had been traveling for days. He needed sleep. The two exchanged their goodnights before Al got up and left the room.
When Ed went to sleep, his mind had wondered. He tried to piece things together as he washed a little of the dirt from his achy body. The bath was soothing, but something was eating at him. "The past!" he thought as he tried to drift off to sleep. The room was dark and warm.

Why did he and al tried Alchemy. Why did he felt so greedy as he and Al tried in their young lives to bring back their mother.

Then, he heard a lullaby in his mind. He wondered about where he had heard the song before. Going in a strange slumber, Ed could barely make out the words from the tune.

The next day, Ed woke up with a start. The lullaby was just a mere breath on his cheek. He wondered if his mother was checking up on him. "Mom?" he gasped, placing a hand on his cheek. Still lying in bed, Ed had to get up and get dress. There was going to be another long day ahead of him.

As he tried to piece together the dream he had when he slept, Ed not thinking let his hand reach up to run through his bangs. Then, it pushed the bangs back. He thought, "I wondered too long about the past. I have to think of the future. Yet, they seemed to be so connected it's frightening."

Ed's hand groped around until his finger tips felt soft pillow case. He rolled over in an attempt in getting up. He told himself when he forced himself out of bed about the people if there was more than one who was spying on him.

After getting dressed, Ed came down for breakfast. When he entered the dinning room, he searched for any sign of Al or Winry. He had to tell at Al, he was giving up Alchemy for good. It was too mind controlling. He was tried to be used both by his powers and the state. He found an empty table near a window.

He took a chair at the table. It seemed he needed to get his work finished if he could force himself to do it. There were a few people getting their breakfasts. He placed a hand on his right cheek as he glanced out the window. He noticed a group of kids milling up the street on their way to school. They were age when he and AL started to study alchemy. He wonder if his mother wouldn't have died, could he and Al be normal kids and grow up?

He wondered if he was not normal. His father was a state alchemiest. Was it predermened?

"BROTHER?" Al's voice called out to him. Ed heard the familiar clanging noise of Al's suit of armor. Ed turned to see Winry and Al walking up to the table. Ed was so lost in thought, he nearly didn't hear Winry ask, "What are you doing, Ed?"

He shook his head a little when he said, "Sorry, I was day dreaming!"

"That's O.k., Brother!" Al uttered. He could tell Ed was hiding something. Ed wasn't going to be hiding it for very long. He took the chair opposite of his brother. He asked, "Brother…what is thing you are going to tell me?"

"Uh?" Ed goaded a little. He was very surprised to see Al asking him that question. He quickly recovered his mind set before speaking. Forcing a fake smile, Ed uttered, "Not right now…"

Then, his glanced around the room. He found the officer staring at him. There was an odd feeling Ed was getting off of the officer's stare. He said trying to keep things low key as possible, "I have to talk it over with you guys in private!"

"O.K." Al said.

After a short breakfast, Ed decided to go to the local library. He had heard about alternative books on alchemy. He had read and researched all of the books he and his brother could have found. Even the books in which case were considerably destroyed or lost had been recovered by a plucky young girl named of Sheska. He had still to find another route to possibly creating a Philosopher's Stone without the use of human lives.

Al was at the local auto mail shop with Winry. They had to buy some parts for Ed's arm. Lately Ed's left arm was starting to show some wear on the main joints. He had not had a break from fighting or use of his powers in a while. He needed repairs or he would risk losing his arm all together.

Al was the bull in a china shop for the auto mail shop was tiny enough with the large amounts of clutter everywhere. He stood, watching Winry as she shopped for spare nuts and bolts she couldn't make herself. He heard a voice of the owner talking to Winry. He asked, "What are you here for?"

"Sight seeing. I have noticed the workmanship you put on your auto mail is first rate!" Winry smiled at the owner of the shop.

The owner of the shop had seen better days. He was old man who wanted more than anything to have a quiet retirement. Due to the war, he had not seen a day yet, he could put down his tools for a more peaceful day. "Thank you," he nodded as he stood behind the main counter of the shop.

Then, he glanced at Al. he said, "And your friend. What is he?"

"Oh, Al?" winry piped in. she glanced at a quiet Al. she smiled, "He is a suit of armor…yet, he has a soul of good friend!"

"Winry?" whined Al, blushing. He knew that he was just a suit of armor for now. If he and Ed became strong in alchemy, he could return to being a human once again.

The shop keeper beamed, "Well, now…I hope your stay here is a good one. I have no doubt that you will find this place to be very pleasant!"

"Thanks!" Winry nodded. Then, she finished out her shopping. Then, something shiny happened to catch Winry's eye. She found a pocket watch similar to Ed's. The watch hung from an iron hook surrounded by a glass case. She said, "Where did you get that watch?"

"Oh," the shop keeper said as he glanced at the watch case. He tried to not think about the past, the watch or the owner of the watch. He felt like he had lost a few things and didn't want to bring them up. He said trying to cover up the past, "Another travel such as yourself had needed money so, he sold his watch for a bit of money!"

"What?" Winry gaped.

She noticed the emblem on the face cover. It was no mistaking the watch was that of the State army of Amestris. She stared at it for minute before asking, "What was this solder like. Did he have any children?"

It seemed like Winry was fishing for any answers of the where bouts of Ed and Al's father. Their father had been gone for many years. Ed had held the belief that his father was the cause of Trisha Elric's passing. Ed hated his father for not coming any sooner to possibly save his wife. The shop keeper said, "I can remember him being very tall and very quiet. He didn't speak too much?"

Al wondered what was on Winry's mind. Was her idea of finding his father such a big point at this time? "What are you asking about the owner of the watch?" Al asked innocently.

"I have a feeling that's all!" Winry said before trying to make a mental note of the watch. She wondered if Ed would have seen it, could he have any clue to his father's where about. Or could he have cared less for his father like he had done for the years Ed's father had lost to the legend of the philosopher's stone.

"Al…why don't we go to the library and talk to Ed!" Winry said. She was handed a small brown paper bag by the shopkeeper. She turned once again to finder her way to the shop's exit. She had to think of what to say to Ed when she got to the library.

When Winry and Al noticed stack of books that Ed had on a table where Ed was studying in main hall of the library.

Ed was reading on the other ways of making the philosopher's stone. The details were very sketchy. He had a hard time on figuring out what to make out of the text in one book. It was written in a dead language that hadn't been use in at least one hundred years. He nearly gave up when he saw Al and Winry walking up towards the table. This was more difficult than the last time he had to look for Tucker's notes. He glanced up his brother and friend. He started to run a hand through his hair as he said, "I am going to give up…you can't believe how hard this is!"

"What are you talking about, brother?" Al said. He noticed the dusty book in Ed's hands nearly falling apart as Ed tried to careful as he read it.

"This old book," Ed said as he held it very carefully up to let Al look at it.

Al studied it for a second, trying to read the cover. It was no use. The lettering was too old and faded to even read. He asked, "Do you know what you are doing?"

"Maybe not. Let, I am not going to let no rock unturned until I found a way of getting back my arm or Al's body!" Ed said as he gently placed the book back onto the table.

Then, he took up a pencil and started to scribble out a brief interpretation on the passage that he had read on. He wondered if the entire book was true. He had been on too many wild goose chases in the past.

Winry was restrained in her thoughts. She had to tell Ed about this or flip out on telling him later. She was doing what she thought was right for the time being. She had to think about Ed. He was so wrapped up in his work, if she would tell Ed about seeing another watch like his and the possibly of it being his father, he would have told her she was nuts. On the other hand, he could drop what ever he was doing to see what else he could see about his father. He knew his father was not the best. He blamed his father for everything.

"What's on your mind Winry?" Ed asked as he glanced at the quiet girl who was standing in front of him.

"It can wait!" she smiled half heartily. She knew she could be in the wrong if he heard about the watch and the possibly of his father being found.

"Then, all right!" he shrugged. He slowly closed the book. Scribing down some notes, Ed wondered what was on Winry's mind. He placed the pencil that he was using into his jacket pocket. He thought, "Why is Winry so gun ho about this place where she got the auto mail supplies!"

"Are you going to stop for today, brother?" Al asked. He noticed Ed was tired from the studying.

"Yea," Ed yawned. Then, he stretched his arms over his headed. He had a feeling he was going down the wrong path once again. He needed a rest from the day's studying. "I hate dead ends. The only time that I feel like I am doing something right is when all the pieces fall into place. Today is not one of those days!"

He got out of the chair after giving it a good push. He started on cleaning up the mess on the table he had for many hours. He took his notebook into his large jacket pocket for safe keeping. He didn't realize he was not only going to loose the note book that he was going to loose his sight within forty hours from now.

"What is on your mind?" Ed asked as he, Al and Winry walked back to the hotel rooms. He had to stop at the local telegraph station to cable Roy about the findings he had searched in vain for.

He noticed her eyes being so full of surprise that he wondered if she went over board on her spending.

"Nothing really," she sighed, trying to remain calm. Then, she stopped in mid step she had no idea that someone was watching her until she turned her head to see a person staring at her from a shop.

"Nothing?" Ed asked. He couldn't read her mind just by looking at her eyes. He had to really break her mind open by asking, "Did you over spend yourself in the shop. Grandma Pinko would not like that!"

Winry went from all excitement to on the edge of anger. She knew she had a tight hand on the purse strings, yet she couldn't pass up on a sale on auto mail. Her face became red with rage as she yelled, "NO! I DON'T!"

"Whoa…Winry!" Ed said as he waved his hands in front of her. He wasn't going to let her boil over in rage. She had loud disagreements with Ed before. Yet, she was going to let him ask, but she wondered why he asking such a personal question. "Sorry! I have been in study mode all day. I hope you can calm down for a minute. I also hope you didn't over do anything. Roy would have our heads if we spent the money on stupid stuff then he would kill us. Remember the time me and Al bought a bunch of toys and mangas. He wanted to hurt me!"

"And for good reason too!" Wirny sighed, rolling her eyes at Ed. He had pulled some crazy stuff in the past that even Roy couldn't put a finger on why Ed and Al did what they did.

"Old flame jerk better be good to us…" Ed said before trailing off. Without warning, Ed felt the most bone splitting pain he had felt in a long time. It began in his head. The pain was like that of a pair of knives slamming into his skull. He let out a scream of terror.

Winry and Al were beside themselves in horror. they didn't know what had hit Ed so hard. he felt like his head was being pried open with a large screwdriver. What was causing the pain.

"ED?" Wirny screamed as her eyes grew wide.

"BROTHER!" Ed squeaked loudly.

Another jolt slammed into Ed like he was being attacked for all sides. then, he grabbed both sides of his head to stop the pain. he couldn't stop it for all it was worth.

"What is going on?" a voice purred from a distance.

"Uh?" another voice added as two figures watched as Ed threw himself to the ground.

"Poor little boy!" a third vioce sneared as three people stood in the shadows near a building.

"You have a way of getting the most usual people to do your dirty work, Pride!" the first voice said in a deep dark tone.

"Thank you, Lust!" Pride's smile widened.

Pride happened into the village like the flu. there was no way of getting Pride out of the village when pride happened to hide in plain sight. He was King Bradley, the most powerful of all men in the State Military and the ruler of Amestris. How can a powerful man have so many sides was a question he asked himself daily.

"What's going on, later with the test subject?" Lust purred deeply.

"i found a young man with untapped powers. he was never sure that he had sort of power before. i couldn't image it myself until i watched him use the stone."

"Where is the boy?" Lust asked for the second time. she wondered if king bradley was hiding the boy for a good reason.

As if King Bradley were reading Lust's mind, he said, "Look to your left and see!"

there was a young boy, no older than Al himself was holding a small wooden box which was opened.

Lust was very curious. she wondered out loud, "What's in the box?"

"A fake stone. THere is power behind it, although...i have placed a strong transline between the fake stone and a chip the real Philosopher's Stone."

"what...i never thought it could be done!" Lust was a little shocked about the use of other stones.

"It's like the Philosopher's Stone in many ways. Yet, it lacks the same elements in power and control as the Philosopher's Stone. It is been said that those stones are used under certain situations in which there is only one small fragement of the Philosopher's Stone, then the stone used as a catalyst.

"You don't mean?" Lust gasped quietly in order not to bring attention to herself and the others.

"You did find the man who studies about local myths and folk tales. The catalyst stone is a local, but not unheard of stone used in trying to find the Philosopher's Stone."

Placing a hand under her chin, Lust said looking rather puzzled, "The stone is called the stone of balance...here! why then, we have to go and find it."

King Bradley was light years ahead of Lust. he smiled agian before saying, "There is many reasons...one is non use of a human sacrifice one I would highly op for!"

it was like King Bradley had to be very careful as he tried to control both the state and the war. he wanted full control of the people. yet, the Philosopher's Stone was a dangerous tool to be using at the lightest of costs.

"what will happen to the boy. He doesn't look all that harmful!" lust said with a fair amount of concern.

"Yet, he has power. In fact, he is using more than he dreamed of!"

"BROTHER!" Al's cries could be felt and heard through out the square. it was a desparate scream for help.

Winry and Al watched as Ed now lay in agony, his eyes bugging out in fear. it was like someone had ripped him in thousands of pieces before throwing the pieces into the fire.

Winry felt a screaming bolting from her mouth as she yelped, "I NEED HELP HERE!"

Al wanted to help, yet his automail body couldn't feel the same way if he had a body made out of flesh and bone. he was at a loss. he said in a calm voice, "Brother...stay with me!"

"PLEASE...ANYONE!" Winry screamed again.

A group of people who were at the market square heard the cries for help from Winry. they came running to see what was going on. When they got there, Ed was still in his state. Al was trying to keep him from blacking out and Winry was standing next to Al in a stunned state. One of the group, a young man noticed the state Ed was in and ordered someone else to fetch a doctor quickly.

Ed was now sleeping so soundly that Al wondered if Ed was going to wake up anytime soon. It was like an evil witch had placed a spell over Ed. Ed couldn't get out of it by any means. He had bee looked over by an old doctor which was still practicing. He, Al and Winry were taken to an old house at the edge of the village. It was a brown stone that was constructed in a strange way. It was like someone took two shoe boxes and placed one over lapping the other with one end sticking out in mid air.

Ed finally opened his eyes sometime during the early evening. He lay on a cot on the first floor in a very bare appearing room. He wondered where he was at. He asked for Al. Al was standing in the hallways with Winry. Winry sat on a very small chair. Al waited for Ed to wake up. He heard his brother call out for him.

Winry said before letting Al go in, "Be careful…Ed didn't look good when he passed out!"

"Al…" Ed said as he glanced around the room. He felt terrified at the thought that he was left behind. There was a very strong bond between the two brothers. He called out for the second time, "Al…where are you?"

"I'm here…Brother!" Al said as he began to walk towards the opened door.

"Where?" Ed gasped. He tried to move his head. A large jolt of pain clung to his neck in a heart beat. He let out a scream as he tried to ease his body. Yet, the pain was eating at him with the speed of a bullet ripping into his soul.

Quickly Al ducked down to enter into the room. He felt his own brother's pain. It ate at him too. He wanted to take the pain away from Ed. He stopped for a second as he took a step inside. He asked, "Brother…are you going to be able rest for a while!"

"What?" Ed yelped. Then, he turned his head to see his brother standing in the room. He wondered if he was going to yell some sense in his younger brother. For an instant, he calmed down. "I will!" he groaned.

"You are very stubborn!" Al sighed, remembering the countless times he had seen Ed go off on a stupid whim. Then, later, coming back Ed was mad or upset with the results. He wanted to make sure; Ed wasn't going to be fool in his reoccupation.

"I will!" Ed hissed through clenched teeth. "I have this weird feeling in the back of my head…anyways!"

"A weird feeling?" Al asked in a tone of voice that he used when he wanted Al to clam up. He moved very carefully in order not to stir up his brother's outburst. He asked, "What really happened to you?"

"All I can remember was working in the library for a long while. I have been checking out a series of notes someone else had left on the making of the stone!"

"And?" Al asked the same question he before. It seemed like there were thousands of dead leads to the fabled stone.

"Nothing. It seemed like they were rehashing what Tucker and some of the others even in Central knew!" Ed sighed, his head ached. Then, he eyes grew wide. It was like he was standing in front of strange looking doorway. Turning his head to see who was standing in the doorway, Ed felt his heart nearly stop. Who was standing in the doorway? He said, "Is Winry there?"

"Yea…" Al said as he pulled up close to the bed. He glanced at Ed's face. Appearing to be much drained of every possible thought, Ed wanted to see Winry. "…she's outside!"

The words 'bring her in' were a direct order from Ed.

Winry heard her name being called. She wondered if Ed felt like seeing her. There were times that she stuck her nose when it wasn't really needed. She got up from her chair to walk over to the doorway. She asked in a nervous vice, "Can I come in?"

"Yea…" the young state Alchemist sighed. He raised his right arm up to see if there was any damage to his body. Nothing the arm was still normal; Ed answered Winery's questions slowly. He didn't feel like talking. He just like Winry does all the talking.

When word got back to Central, Colonel Roy Mustang was now getting the last of the paper work done for his trip to the village where Al and Ed were staying at. He had to see what the Erlic brothers were doing. He had received a phone call from Al telling Roy about what had happened to Ed. Roy was experiencing a very horrible feeling from the phone call. He knew someone had Al and Ed right where they could do the most damage.

Roy stopped over Hayes's office. It was the same hurried pace as his own office was. There were strings being pulled, but from where. He had a ton of paper work still stacked up nearly to the ceiling as he heard Roy's knock on the door. Hayes said, "Come in…if you are careful…then you can take the pile of papers with you!"

"You idiot…" Roy huffed as he opened the door to Hayes's office. He gaped very slightly as he noticed the stack from a former nightmare.

"Sorry, Roy…you know how much we have to do. I promised the wife to be at home before it got too late!" Hayes shrugged his shoulders.

Placing one hand on his right eye brow and tucking the other underneath his bent elbow, Roy groaned a little. His friend was getting nailed by the higher ups at central. He wondered if there was a shortage of staff. He closed the door slowly in order not to cause a gust of wind to topple the stack of papers. He walked up to the desk and asked, "What else can go wrong?"

"Are you serious, Roy?" Hayes pondered out loud. There was no way of getting around the paper work in one day. "What's going on with you?"

"Did you hereabout what had happen to the Erlic bothers?" Roy said; his voice was a mix of concern and regret.

"There was a phone call from Al…Ed had pass out at a library in a village. He didn't want to tell me all just yet!" Roy said; now standing in front of Hayes's desk. Placing both hands on his hips, Roy had a strange feeling of fear. It was like the time he was a young officer on the first time doing a mission's run. He was trying to follow orders. Then, he and his troop were ambushed. Then, the blood bath had broken out and many innocent lives where cut down in a heart beat. He didn't want it to happen. Relieving it could be the most devastating thing could bring him to his own demise by a mere troop deployment on the town.

Hayes scanned his friend's face with grim determination. "What was Roy thinking about?" he thought to himself.

Roy glanced up at Hayes, and then back down at a pen he was holding in his hands. He said, "Full-metal is in grave danger!"

"What?" Hayes asked as his jaw dropped very slightly.

Turning his head to face at spot on the wall past Hayes was standing, he related the story of what was happening to Ed. Hayes's gut was aching when Roy was beginning to ask many different questions about Ed and Al.

"All I know is Ed is at a very small clinic trying to re-coop… that's all!" Hayes said, shrugging his shoulders.

"And…" Roy's voice seemed cold, calculating. The word seemed to hang in midair. He wondered what else was going on.

"There was talk," Hayes added. His own reaction to the situation of possible homunculi was on the loose. That was not going to sit well with either Roy or Hayes.

"Which one?" Roy was reading into the statement. He had a sense of dread when word got back to Central about the missing data on section thirteen. The missing data was vital in the development of transmutation in massive usage and the idea conditions for the use of the Philosopher's Stone.

"Anyone…" Hayes sounded vague. Yet, he had to be careful. There were even mouths in the walls as well as ears. He thought of his daughter and wife. There was so much to live for in Hayes's view point. He loathed the idea of people harming his daughter and wife. He had to protect them at all costs.

"Hmm!" Roy sighed. He thought of a safe place to talk about this new situation with the Elrics. He asked Hayes if there could be a change in the plans.

"Do you have any plans for tonight?" Hayes asked, mixing personal with the military.

"Why do you ask?" Roy questioned his friend. He knew Hayes was in love with being married and having a little girl of his own. Roy wasn't going to be tied down like his friend, yet not.

"How about a nice home cooked meal?" Hayes smiled with a shrugged.

"Are you nuts?" Roy gaped, knowing full well that Hayes was trying to ease the idea of family life into Roy's iron trap of a mind.

"Wait…pal," Hayes grinned sleeplessly. He had hit the sourest of notes with Roy. He leaned to one side for a just a second. Then, he placed his hands up as if he was looking thought a camera lens. "…I just like seeing you settled down!"

Roy placed one hand under his chin. He glared at Hayes, "Don't you mean tied down?"

"Funny!" Hayes chuckled. Then, he said, "I need to talk to you in a safe place…that's all!" His face had changed. His eyes had a cold cast to them, like he was going to be in danger if he didn't make his moves very carefully.

"O.K. You win!" Roy said, reading into his friend's eyes. "I'll come…"

"That's good…what time?" Hayes asked.

Ed was sleeping soundly. He was given a strong draft of an herb tea mixture that was said to ease nerves and calm troubled minds. He knew there was a creature on the outside of the house. He could hear it talking, calling out his name. He wondered if the creature was just his own imagination playing a really bad trick on him.

Al was sitting across from him, watching over his older brother. Al heard the wind as it played across the house. He said to him, "What is going on?"

Ed murmured in his sleep a little, "Al…where's mom?"

Al snorted softly as he thought, "he misses mom just as much as I do!"

"Mom?" Ed murmured for the second time before drifting into a deeper sleep.

"Will we get her back, brother?" Al asked as he glanced at his sleeping brother. He was in fear what could happen to Ed. Ed was everything to him, more so since their mother died. Then, forcing them to grow up when they explored the world of Alchemy. Then, they were sabotaged and forced by the state to become state Alchemists. Ed wanted to go back to the day before everything had happened.

"Mister Elric?" a gentle male voice asked as the door opened.

A little nervous, Al knew it was the doctor who was looking after Ed when Ed had an attack of this a strange stroke like illness. He watched as an older man with close cropped salt and pepper hair entered the room.

"How is the patent?" the man asked.

"Uh..." Al said as he glanced at his brother for a second time. He had to look at his brother to see if he was sleeping. He had a little trick of not sleeping. "He was sleeping fine. What is that you want, sir?"

"Nothing," the older man smiled. He walked over to take Ed pulse. Very carefully, the man picked up Ed's right hand. He knew about the state bringing in children to do the hardest of tasks. He mentally counted the beats of Ed's pulse. He knew it was going to be slow in part from the tea he had given Ed to help him sleep. As the man finished taking his mental notes, he remarked quietly, "Your brother is sleep very deeply. He had no problems before he went to the library?"

"Yes sir!" was Al answer. Al felt all out of sorts. What had happened in short span of nearly five years could make a young man feel like he was outsider. He wanted to go back and fix what had happened. He needed his brother's help in doing it. Yet, at what cost was this so called fix up was wroth.

The older man pursed his lips a little before glancing down at the floor. He remembered a long ago tale of a curse. He did not to want to stir up any mentions in the room. He had to be very careful. The state had been watching him for years. He believed a few of the villagers had contacted the state about the old man's knowledge of history and possible where about of certain stones.

"I have something to tell you!" Al said as he felt the urge to speak up about his brother.

"You have no idea what will happen to you brother…" the older man had beaten Al to the punch. He could understand what was going on with the two boys.

"Yes, sir!" Al said as he folded his arms over his chest. He knew Ed was sick, but what was causing the illness. "I know this very a strange situation with me and my traveling companions, but we have been looking for a particular item!"

"What are you on quest for?" the older man gently prodded with his easy going manner.

"I can't tell you for right now. It's too personal!" Al said. He could feel the old man's question trying to chip away at Al's wall of protection.

"That's aright… yet. you can't be more than…" the older man placed a hand underneath his chin as through in thought, "Fourteen!"

"Almost!" Al uttered, he heard his brother murmuring softly in his sleep. He could make out what Ed was talking about. He worried always for his older brother. "We started to learn Alchemy as early as four or five!"

"What?" the older man gasped. He wanted to laugh at the things Al was talking about. It sounded like Al was pulling his leg.

Feeling apologies mixed with a touch of his own envious fear, al began to wave his hands in front of him. He uttered loudly, "It's all my brother's idea…we lost mom and we were trying to get her back!"

The older man stopped laugh for a second. He looked at Al. he wondered if Al was telling the truth or not.