As I had suspected, his worry was unnecessary, for we arrived at Central without any incident. When we got there, though, an unpleasant surprise awaited the both of us.

"Quicksilver Alchemist! Fullmetal Alchemist! You have returned!" Suddenly we were taken up in a strong bear hug, unable to move. "Take note of this strength - it has been passed down through the Armstrong family for generations!" Major Sparkles - I mean, Armstrong - said, releasing us to flex his muscles, his shirt ripping away from his bulked-up form.

"Unnecessary," I said, panting, due to the fact that he had forced all the air from my lungs. Edward seemed to be in a worse condition than I was, leaning over with his hands on his knees. Keeping any form of concern from my eyes, I instead showed something akin to haughtiness - better to be thought a snob than someone who cared.

"You need . . . to stop . . . doing that," the runt said after a moment, still out of breath. His eye was twitching in irritation and a vein pulsed in his forehead, but I could not tell if it was because of I or if it was due to Sparkles' shirtless appearance.

The Major seemed somewhat offended, and I would have apologized for my insubordinate behavior had Colonel Mustang not appeared to save me from it. "Colonel Mustang, sir!" I greeted him with a sharp salute, casting a glance at Fullmetal, who simply shoved his hands into his pockets.

"At ease, Quicksilver," came the expected reply, and I looked up at him. Mustang most certainly was not as tall as the Major, but he still towered far over the other Alchemist I had brought along and about a half-foot over me.

I relaxed my tensed posture, my hands falling to my sides as I replied with a simple "Thank you." My gaze drifted once more to the boy who I had just recently met, realizing that I didn't know what to call him besides Fullmetal.

"I'm glad to see you both, actually. It's better to tell you two this when you're together, and it makes it all the easier since it's obvious you've already met. Fullmetal, Quicksilver - I'm assigning you both to a specific duty. Edward, you'll have to tell her about what we've found out recently. /All of it,/" the Colonel explained, directing the last part of his instructions towards Fullmetal.

Edward . . . so that was his name. Wait. Turning to the midget, I gave him a quizzical stare. "Edward as in the oldest Elric brother?" I couldn't help the note of surprise that entered my tone, but it was only to be expected.

"Yeah; did you think I was some /other/ Fullmetal?" he snorted, looking at me as if I were some sort of idiot.

My eyes narrowed, and I decided to push a few buttons. "No - I just thought you'd be taller, that's all. Thank you for informing me, Colonel," I said with a polite nod to Mustang before turning away from the four of them - Al had stood silently in the background the entire time - and walking down the hall towards the exit.

As I closed the door, fingers as sharp as daggers pierced the wood that was not far behind me, leaving deep gouges in it. A tree near me fell over as a rounded man practically rolled towards the two of us, cutting off any chance of escape I had. I quickly backed up against the door, thinking that I might have a chance to get back inside, but that hope was quickly dashed.

"How rude, to leave without saying hello!" the woman said dramatically. My eyes were drawn to a symbol upon her sternum - an ouroboros tattoo. The man's tongue hung from his mouth as his large jaw hung slack, showing the same image.

I shook my head, not believing my eyes, but didn't say a word. Apparently that was the wrong move, or so I soon discovered. "Still quiet? If it weren't for the fact that she was standing, I'd think she was dead!"

"Can I eat her, Lust? Can I eat her?" the gelatinous blob of a man begged, beady black eyes locked upon me. A shiver of disgust ran up my spine, and I took another involuntary step backward. Another incorrect move on my part.

She smirked, painted lips parting somewhat in a faint sneer. "You can't leave yet - the fun has just begun!" Her fingers extended with incredible speed, all but one narrowly avoiding me. That single spear-like digit was all it took, though. It struck me in the side, sanguine pouring from the fresh injury as I stood there, practically frozen by fear. Drawing each finger back once more, she speared me in both the right and left shoulder, tearing through the skin. "Now you can eat her, Gluttony," the woman - apparently named Lust - said with an expression bordering on disgust, before walking away and leaving me with him.

Gluttony shuffled up to me, taking a deep sniff. Taking my shaking left arm in his hand, he shoved it in his mouth up to the elbow before simply biting through the skin, flesh, and bone. I couldn't hold my pain inside anymore by that point; a scream ripped from me. He did the same with my other arm, and most likely would have continued with my legs had the door to the side of me opposite him not opened with a slam. I faintly heard a sharp snap of fingers, saw blurred, bright orange flames strike the round man. What I saw next should have been impossible, but it occurred anyways. The flames died, and yet he remained standing, perfectly fine. Sticking his finger in his mouth, he gave a childish pout before leaving with a few last words. "But Lust said I could eat her . . ."

Then darkness encroached upon my vision, and time and memory ceased for me.