Miles sat on the elaborately woven rug that covered the hard packed earth floor of the one-room shack that was used as the Headman's meeting house. With him was the Headman, Little Brother and Cleric Bozidar, who had been Little Brother's Master.
"As we expected, Brigadier General Mustang wants to meet with the Ishvalan leadership to organize the restoration. He's worried about possible terrorist attacks by Ishvalans," Miles was saying.
"Then will he be able to work with Little Brother?" asked Bozidar.
"Major General Armstrong thought Brigadier Mustang's reaction to Little Brother would be ... interesting," Miles said, "but she obviously expected him to be able to cooperate. I don't think that will be a problem."
"Mustang will deal with me," said Little Brother. "Why not? He's already done it."
The Headman snorted in disgust. "State Alchemists tried to wipe out our entire people," he said. "Mustang was one of them - he was promoted and called a hero for it. And you want to know if he will be able to work with one Ishvalan who killed some of them? He is right to worry about terrorists. He is the one who must earn our trust - especially from those who would like to continue what Little Brother started."
"He is aware of that," Miles said. "That's why he's returning the Ishvalan Philosopher's Stone as a token of goodwill."
Cleric Bozidar muttered a prayer in Ishvalan. The Headman grunted in shock and disbelief. Surprise flitted briefly over Little Brother's face, but was quickly replaced by a slow nod and a tight smile.
"How do you know he really has it?" asked the Headman.
"He showed me," answered Miles, "although I have no way of knowing that what he showed me was really a Philosopher's Stone at all, let alone that one."
"He showed you?" asked Little Brother. "What did it look like?"
The Major described what he had seen. "Could be," Little Brother said. "If I held it, I would know for certain."
"And you believe he will actually give the Stone up?" asked the Headman, unsure.
"Why should he not?" asked Bozidar. "The Amestrians have already suffered greatly from these Stones. And they surely are powerful enough without them."
"I don't know if we can can trust him, but it is something he would do," said Little Brother. "Did he tell you how he got the Stone? I thought Dr. Marcoh had it."
"No, he didn't. I'll see if I can find out," answered the Major. "What will you do with it?" he asked, turning to the Headman and the Cleric.
"We will release the souls trapped within it," answered the Cleric, not waiting for the Headman's response. In this, his authority was absolute.
The Headman nodded agreement, but then asked, "Couldn't we use it to cure some of our people first?"
"Can we cure everyone?" asked the Cleric. "How would we choose? And what of those who would be tempted to steal it for destruction rather than healing? No, the souls have suffered long enough. We will release them to Ishvala as soon as we get the Stone."
"As you say," agreed the Headman. "But I'd like it to be done with the witness of the assembly. Let Little Brother receive the Stone from the Flame Alchemist himself, identify it, and destroy it."
Author's Note: 07 Nov 2010:
I got the name "Bozidar" for Scar's Master from Cap'nHoozits fic "Sons of the Desert'. At first, I thought she had found the Master's name in the manga. When I found out she had come up with it herself, she gave me her permission to continue using it.