I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter 7

In Central...

"So, how do you plan to bring back the Elric brothers?" Roy asked.

Winry thought the plan through her mind quickly. "From what I read, it says that there is another world that provides the alchemical power that we use. In one of the book it said that if you were to sacrifice a life in each world it is possible to open the gate and travel between the two worlds. If w do that Ed and Al may be able to come back."

Roy thought it over for a moment. "I see, but are you able to sacrifice a person?"

Winry smiled. "That's the point. The books said that you had to sacrifice a life, it didn't say you had to sacrifice a human life."

"You're right," Roy said. "But what about the Equivalent Exchange?"

Winry stared hard at Roy. "I'd be willing to sacrifice anything if it meant that I could see Ed and Al again."

Roy didn't know how to argue to the determined tone in the young girls voice. Roy smiled. "Let's get ready." Roy stood up in his chair and walked over to the door, threw on a coat, and then headed out into the hallway.

Winry followed and soon the two of them were standing outside the National Library. "Do you think we'll find more information about where Ed and Al are?" Winry asked.

Once inside the library Roy showed his pocket watch to the lay at the front counter and Winry immediately dives into the alchemy books, her blue eyes darting left and right as she read. Roy looked through the books more slowly, taking his time trying to find valuable information.

Once Roy settled down with a book Winry runs over to him with a book clutched tightly in her hands and says, "I've found something." Winry thrust the now open book into Roy's hands and pointed at a paragraph t the bottom of the page.

Alchemy is powered by the deaths of people that come from a world that is advanced in technology. It is possible to travel from the two worlds freely without Equivalent Exchange only if there are two sacrifices on both sides. Few people have succeeded in traveling from one world to another, most that try have died along the way.

Roy looked up from the book and looked into Winry's blue eyes. "The book says that most people die when trying to do it."

Winry stared at Roy, her eyes full of strength and determination. "I've seen it happen before; Ed's traveled here once and survived, he can do it again."

"Winry, but what of it doesn't happen like that this time?" Roy asked calmly.

"I have to try," Winry announced. "I'm going to bring Ed and Al back. I have to."

Roy looked up at Winry. "I won't argue with you." Roy stood up. "Come on, do you know the transmutation circle we need?"

Winry nodded. "I know it off by heart."

Roy smiled. "Well then, let's go bring back the Elric Bothers."

Ed looked around at the small clearing they were in. It looked so different from last night; flowers bloomed on a nearby bush, the leaves on the trees were bright green, the ground sparkled with the early morning dew that was slowly disappearing. Despite the beauty of the small clearing, something didn't feel right. The summer breeze felt cold and threatening, the crows in nearby trees screeched loudly as if something was wrong, the sun shone too brightly into the clearing, and the atmosphere around Ed felt distant. A rustling in the bush alerted him.

"Looks like we found him," A man sneered as he walked out of the bushes. His body was large and packed with muscled, his eyes were small and dark, and his brown hair was cut short.

Three more people emerged from the bushes after him. Although they weren't as large as him, Ed could clearly see the outline of muscled beneath there military uniforms; each had a gun strapped to their side.

Ed turned and spotted Al standing a few feet behind him. Eddie stood off to the side of the clearing, his eyes wide and nervous. "Hey Al," Ed called. "You finished packing up yet?"

Al nodded and Ed let a smile spread on his face. He quickly hid the grin and turned to the four men, his eyes narrowed and he said in a steely voice, "What do you want?"

The taller man looked like Ed had just asked an amusing question, for a stupid grin appeared on his face, followed by a laugh. "Shut up, give us that kid and we'll leave you alone." The boy pointed at Eddie.

Eddie took a nervous step back as if he knew something about these men that Ed didn't. Ed clapped his hands and transmuted his automail into his blade and took a step toward them small group of men.

"You do realize that you're out numbered?" The smallest man, who still looked about six feet asked.

"Yeah," Ed replied with a sigh. He narrowed his eyes. "But we've fought more battled than this. A while ago we were out numbered about two to fifty." Ed turned back to Al. "Remember Al?"

Al looked at Ed for a moment before fully understanding the plan. Al nodded. "I think there was a greater difference than that. I swear it was more in the 90's range."

"You're probably right," Ed said.

Ed glanced back at the group of men. His plan was working; one of the men has started to sweat and two more of them took a small step back. The biggest guy however, didn't look nervous at all, in fact he seemed to be enjoying it.

"Bravo!" He announced as he began to clap his hands together. "Great performance, again."

The other men seemed to regain themselves because they grabbed their guns and each pointed their gun at either Ed Al, or Eddie.

Ed glanced behind him at Al who nodded. The two brothers clapped their hands and placed them on the ground, creating a large wall to separate them from the newcomers. Ed bent down and grabbed his bag at his feet. He was about to leave then their was a loud bang and the wall he and Al had made crumpled to the ground.

"Can't stop us that easily," The largest man sneered.

Ed didn't want to fight anymore, he was still tired from the lack of sleep due to his many nightmares, but he didn't want to turn down a good fight. Clapping his hands, Ed placed them on the ground and transmuted a sphere. He tossed it to Al who caught it with ease. "Lets get them."

Ed and Al charged forward before they had a chance to load their guns. Ed swiped his automail blade and knocked the gun from one the hands of one of the men. Al did the same until all until the leader was unarmed.

"Give up now," The largest man, their leader, snarled.

Ed thought it over for a moment. "I don't feel like it," Ed said, pushing his blade up to the man's neck.

The man just grinned. He fell backwards and kicked Ed hard in the ribs. Ed stumbled back on hand where he had been kicked, the other, his automail arms, ready to fight.

Ed stepped forward quickly, ready to punch the man in the mead but Eddie yelled out stop. Ed froze.

"Stop! Don't fight!" Eddie yelled again, running over and pushing Ed away from the man. "You can't fight them!"

"Why?" Ed demanded.

Eddie looked down nervously. "You can't kill the people I've trained with for years," he said softly.

Ed didn't know why Eddie meant by 'the people I've trained with for years'.

Eddie stood there facing Ed, his eyes full of anger and a slight hint of fear. "Don't hurt them."

Ed saw the man on the ground grin and punned a gun off of the ground and pointed it at Eddie. "You betrayed us," He snarled. Eddie turned to him, his eyes widening in fear. The man continued. "You left us when we needed you most, prepare to die."

In the split second that the man pulled the trigger, Ed clapped his hands and placed them on the ground. A wall of stone shot up, separating Eddie from the man and blocking the bullet.

"Come on Eddie." Ed grabbed Eddie by the arm and began to pull him away from the clearing. Al followed, his arms full of their bags and supplied. The three of them ran for a while until Ed was sure they weren't being followed.

"Al, let's stop here for now," Ed said and Al dropped the bags, breathing hard from the effort it took to run full speed up hill carrying several heavy bags.

Ed turned to Eddie. "Do you know them?"

Eddie nodded slightly. "I trained with them during the time I spent in the army. Their leader was my closest friend."

"Why were they attacking us?" Ed questioned.

"I ran away from the military a few weeks ago; they were ordered to hunt me down and bring me back," Eddie explained, his voice sounded broken from grief.

Ed felt his heart jump in his chest as he realized that the three of them may have another organization coming after them. We have to get back to Amestris quickly, Ed thought, his panic that he had been holding down for so long was slowly beginning to rise again.