Hello everyone!

Purin: "If any of you are wondering why I've updated this early, when my limit is still like three or two weeks from now, I have good news and bad news! I'm updating this week but next week I will try everything to avoid touching my computer! We've got...a big exam and my parents said my grade was a little lower than usual and stuff like that, you know what I mean, right?"

Pumpbie: "My parent's been pushing me with all the studying like my life depends on it."

Purin: *nod* "Yeah... Oh, by the way, it was Pumpbie's idea to update today! So...

Please enjoy this Chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood!

Chapter 10

"So, we're all cool and friends now, right? No more shooting and gun pointing necessary?" Al muttered in slight panic at the sight.

The former alchemist was on the ground, the gun that was previously held firmly in his shaken hands were on the other side of the room and on the ground. Straight across from the man was, wouldn't you know it, was Seth, and he was holding a gun to the man's forehead, plus that gun doesn't look like the one Alice used on him.

Seth rolled his eyes and sighed before pulling the gun back and shoving it in his robes. He crossed his arms over his chest, "Hey, he started it. I just did it out of reflex," he said calmly with a slight shrug.

Alice sweat dropped mentally, 'Out of reflex? He looked like he was ready to pull the trigger!'

The man staggered slightly and looked down, the shadow covering his face, "How can the military find me here?"

"Oh no, you have it all wrong, Doctor," Alex said. "We were only passing by, our destination is still further up east," his words seem to calm the doctor slightly.

He furrowed his eyebrows and nodded, "I-I see…"

Ed yawned slightly; this wasn't exactly all that interesting to him. He glanced back and raised an eyebrow at Alice, she was… Hiding? She was scrunching herself behind her brother anyway; you can call that hiding, right?

Alice furrowed her eyebrows and gripped Seth's sleeves tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white. 'That's… Dr. Marcoh?' she thought to herself.

"Hey, Alice," she glanced back and saw Ed looking at her with slightly furrowed eyebrows. He moved closer before whispering, "You alright?"

She thought about his question for a moment before her grip loosened, Seth noticed this though Alice herself didn't seem like she realized her action. She looked up at him, keeping a firm gaze to his golden orbs. "Yeah, I'm fine," she muttered softly and looked away.

Ed narrowed his eyes, "Are you sure?" 'She looked like she just saw a ghost.'

Later, after all the confusions had passed and they were all calm.

The six sit calmly and quietly in the room, though some might be calmer than others. The brothers finally finished their little story to Marcoh for their reason to search for the Philosopher Stone.

The man nodded and hummed, "I see… So, you managed to take back your brother's soul and placed it in this armor. And now you need to get his body back, am I right so far?"

Ed nodded, "Yeah, more or less."

"But you did know that Human Transmutation was a taboo in alchemy, didn't you?"

"Y-Yeah…"

Marcoh narrowed his eyes and gazed down to his lap, obviously thinking hard of what he should do. Alice was sitting across from the man, though she seems to be the only one in the room with the equal amount of fear as the former state alchemist. She narrowed her eyes and gripped her pants tightly, her knuckles turning pale white. She glanced up slightly, seeing the man's troubled look. Her gaze turned harder and she gritted her teeth, various emotions mixing inside of her and more than ready to burst out.

Seth glanced at his sister for a moment before his gaze turned harder, 'Alice… Will she really be alright?'

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything about that cursed stone."

"What? Why not?" 'This isn't the first time I've heard that line…' Ed thought, his gaze falling at Alice for a moment before he returned to glaring at the man.

Marcoh grunted, "I can't because you might be able to create an actual stone!" He glanced up with narrowed eyes and a horrified look, "Listen to me boy, there's a lot about alchemy that aren't meant for the human mind and body, that's why they're called taboos. If you obtain the actual knowledge of how to create a Philosopher Stone, then you might-"

BRAK!

Everyone in the room jumped slightly before their gazes stopped at the only girl in the room. Alice was looking down to the floor with her bangs covering her eyes and both her hands slammed to the surface of the table.

Seth furrowed his eyebrows, 'Alice…'

"I'm sorry, I…" she muttered, "I… I need to get some fresh air." She turned and made her way across the room, slamming the door shut on her way out. The rest of the people in the room gapped at the sight, well, other than one.

The four turned quiet before they looked back at Seth, who in return sighed. He stood and glanced towards Marcoh with an apologetic look, "I'm sorry, but please pardon my sister's behavior. She's a bit… Troubled, that's all."

"Seems it's something much more than that," he muttered lightly. The man furrowed his eyebrows, "What's your name? I don't recall you or your sister introducing yourselves earlier. And you seem awfully familiar somehow…"

"I'm sure you knew my father well, doctor." He smiled, "My name is Seth, Seth Lockhart."

Later Outside the House

Seth scratched the back of his neck and grunted, "Damn it, that girl's still good at hiding." He glanced around the small alley, he knew she was upset but she couldn't be as stupid as to run off alone in an unknown town, is she?

He sighed, "Well, no hurt in looking for her in town," he muttered before shoving his hands in his pockets and walking towards town, hoping he would get a trail of that girl in some sort.

Meanwhile, the girl herself sits on top of a large and bushy tree, it'd be nearly impossible to spot her from afar. She was leaning back against the tree trunk with her head thrown back so she'd be gazing up the tree. Her right arm was limp by her side while the other one was holding on to a small notebook.

She lifted the book up to her eye level, "The Philosopher Stone," she mumbled. "Seth's name is the Crimson Eyed Alchemist, isn't it?" she paused and furrowed her eyebrows, stinging pain surging through her, "When in reality, that name suits me way better."

Her gaze softened, "Dr. Marcoh… That man is going to get sucked up in a lot of trouble," she smirked and looked to the opposite direction, "as if he hasn't already."

Alice blinked and stared at the small crimson stone, her large forest green eyes filled with curiosity. She glanced up when she heard slight chuckles, meeting the gaze of none other than Dr. Marcoh himself, "Well, aren't you the curious one?"

She grinned, "I'm daddy's daughter after all!"

"Oh, that's right," he kneeled down and patted the girl softly. His gaze softening, "Maybe you'll be able to beat your father someday, won't you?"

"Of course!" she said confidently. She glanced up with determination in her eyes, "I'll beat brother and then I'll beat daddy! I'll even beat you as well!"

The man stared at her with bewilderment for a moment before smiling again. He nodded, "Well, then I guess I don't need to look for a replacement for when I retire then, do I?"

"Alice," the two glanced back. Alice smiled brightly at the sight of her father walking into the room. He held out his hand, "Come on dear, we need to get back before dark, Seth is already waiting in the car."

"Okay," she looked back and gave the doctor one last smile. She turned and skipped towards her father, taking hold of his hand, "Let's go home!"

"Let's go home…" she mumbled to herself. "…If only we could."

Later in the Afternoon

"I'm worried about Alice," Al mumbled softly towards his brother, though he sounded as if he was talking to himself.

"Don't worry about her too much, Al," Ed responded. He crossed his arms behind his back and closed his eyes, "She's probably just dealing with another one of her issues. She'll be fine."

"I don't know about that." Ed glanced towards his brother with raised eyebrows, he hadn't lifted his head; "Did you see how she was when she walked out? She looked like she was going to…" he paused, "…Cry."

…

'Well, she's definitely not crying. Either that or she ran out of tears…' Ed thought as he glanced back towards the girl who was sitting next to him.

Alice was glaring straight ahead, she wasn't really glaring at anything or anyone, since the only person in front of him was Alex and he was vast asleep. After feeling the boy's gaze on her she moved her gaze towards the boy, she narrowed her eyes dangerously.

Ed gulped before finding his voice again, "A-Alice… Are you-?"

She didn't let him finish his sentence before looking away angrily. She had her feet crossed over one another and her arms over her chest.

Ed sweat dropped before looking away as well. He grunted, 'What the hell is wrong with her? What did I even do to make this mad at me?' He glanced back at her and saw she was still refusing to look at him, causing him to sigh before gazing out the window.

The two were practically alone at that moment. Seth and Alex were both asleep, Al was at the back of the train like before and that entire part of the train was empty; seems that train was in its empty days.

It's nothing personal but, it doesn't really feel comfortable when you're alone in a place and the only other person with you is so angry at you that they don't even want to look at you, does it? And just to make it worse, you don't even know why they're angry.

Ed fidgeted uncomfortably and moved his eyes a bit so he could look at Alice's reflection from the window. He sighed before building up his courage, "Alice?" Not receiving any reply, he decided to fully turn and looked at the girl, "Alice, will you listen to me?"

She didn't move or voice anything as a reply. Ed narrowed his eyes, "Alice, you know I can't apologize unless I know exactly what made you angry with me in the first pla-"

"I'm not angry at you," she cut in.

Ed raised an eyebrow, "You're…not?"

"No, no I am not," she repeated. She glanced at him with an uninterested look, "I am angry, but I'm not angry at you, Edward. So there's nothing for you to worry about."

Ed stayed silent for a moment before nodding, though it was obvious that he wasn't satisfied by the reaction he received. Alice nodded before looking away again. 'Why does she keep looking away from me? Is it really that hard to look at me in the eyes?' Ed thought.

Alice narrowed her eyes and gripped the fabric of her pants, '…I know I'm angry… But not at him…'.

And there you have it! Oh, sorry, no time to chat right now, my mom and dad are right by my tails... I'll be updating in two weeks from now and it'll be either on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Wish me luck!

Please Review!

Purin: "Hey, where's Pumpbie?"

R(1): "Oh, she said she needed to leave in a flash to study."

Purin: "What? Oh that cheater!" *runs out the studio*