Yes, so i'm back updating this story first cause honestly it's my favorite and me and Ash really relate.

enjoy.

"Thank you again for taking me and our friends in"

Chris smiled as he bowed to the elder couple. Ed scowled as he watched him be the perfect gentleman, but he wasn't fooled in the least. Still now he had some clue as to how the two boys had gathered the information.

"It's no problem, before we used to be the house to be at, ya know? Hostin parties and what not, right George?"

The elder woman laughed as she tapped the man's chest beside her. The man didn't say anything simply smiling contently and nodded,

"Well come on in. It's getting late and you must be hungry"

As thy ate dinner Ed and Al were once again amazed at how the two young boys seemed to drive the conversation talking about interesting and mundane things that revealed nothing personal about them. The older woman who went by the name of Lois was laughing having a grand time as if she hadn't laughed like that in years and her husband seemed to watch her with a look so loving it melted their hearts,

"You know, I don't think I've heard George speak?"

Al said when things began to quiet down. The table sobered instantly and Al looked to Ed wondering if he had said something strange.

"George... George can't speak"

Lois said sadly and George walked over to her, patting her back and giving her a nod. She seemed to understand and exhaled loudly,

"After the military left the land was never the same. Some people went down to the mines to scrounge for anything they could use for profit..."

Her eyes began to cloud and you could see her fighting back the tears,

"Our granddaughter was sick she lost her parents in a car accident so we were caring for her. George went down to the mines to find something but the men all fell sick after..."

At this point she could no longer contain them and the tears poured like a waterfall. James slowly reached out to hold her hand giving it a comforting squeeze.

"She died, and George lost his voice permanently"

They all sat in silence as the woman sobbed bitterly at the table, no on able to find the words to ease her pain.

Ed and Al stood outside the house quietly thinking over everything they had heard, from the history of the town to Lois' story; it was almost too cruel.

"We have to help them"

Al said, all Ed could do was sigh,

"I'd like to Al but who knows how bad the damage is, I mean look around you, there's nothing here. Even if we find out what's going on in the mine... He won't get his voice back."

They both knew the reality of the desolate town once a treasure now painfully broken; but even then their hearts ached equally.

"Let's go AL"

Chris and James watched from the second story window as Ed and Al disappeared most likely to the mines. It was fool hardy to leave and investigate at night but after hearing George's story how could someone not be moved? Ed and Al though had said they were to stay and go to sleep, but when had they ever listened?

Despite the height James jumped out of the window unafraid and landed as quietly as possible on the ground. The two auto mail legs gave hi a boost in durability and power he really loved. Chris on the other hand jumped out grabbing a limb from the dying tree by the window and swung down landing a bit lighter. He wasn't as adventurous as James was to test the strength of his new leg. Looking to one another they nodded in silent agreement before running to the mines.

Ed wasn't afraid or a least he wouldn't admit it. The mines were cold and dark, despite the fact that the mines were said to be abandoned lit torches lined the wall and Ed couldn't tell if it was because people in town were still looking for something of value or James' intuition was right; still they pressed on.

As they walked down they came what looked like the end of the tunnel; and it certainly was an ending. It broke off into a large room that you had to descend stairs to get to, large tubes filled with strange liquid rising to the ceiling lined it's edge. There were a few tables that had papers and potted plants probably for experiment,

"Brother what is this?"

Al said looking around and approaching one of the tubes that was filled with a red liquid,

"Red water"

Ed said making Al turn to him Ed was at one of the tables looking over some of the papers reading them quickly,

"Although i'm not exactly sure it seems like it has something to do with alchemy"

"Alchemy?"

Al questioned skeptical as he walked to the opposite side looking around the room,

"Yea...It's like they're trying to...! This is!"

"Brother?"

Al turned just in time to see a door open and two rather large men stood in the threshold,

"BROTHER!"

"AL THIS IS!"

Ed turned excitedly around to see Al staring at two intruders and frowned,

"Oh dear, it looks like one of them found us out"

The man on the right said as he crossed over his comrade and walked toward Ed.

"Are you the one's doing this research?"

Ed asked as he put the papers down so he could get into position faster seeing as the man walking to him didn't look like he was just going to talk,

"And what if it is? That really isn't any concern to you."

The other burly man said as he cracked his neck n walked toward Al who was slightly confused,

"Brother?"

"Oh! They're brothers how cute"

The guy facing Ed said as he put his hands away in his gray sweats,

"Al, these guys are using alchemy and these chemicals to produce the philosopher stone"

"WHAT!?"

Al jumped,

"It's also thanks to the dangerous mixture of these chemicals that the people of this town are getting sick"

"Sacrifices to a greater cause"

The man approaching Al said,

"Sacrifices?"

Al growled,

"Yes unfortunately it would seem that we're still missing a crucial piece if only we had Marcoh's research..."

The man said drifting off in thought but not stopping his approach,

"Marcoh?"

"You don't know? He's like amazing!"

The guy facing Ed beamed,

"Heard he knows how to make the philosopher stone and even has one!"

This made both boys look at each other in hope,

"Oh! don't tell me you're thinking of looking for him"

The smaller man cackled,

"That man's been missing for years and well you're not leaving here alive..."

He smiled as he rushed toward Ed and kicked, Ed managed to dodge just in time but the table that was behind him wasn't so fortunate as it was sent flying across the room smashing to pieces.

"BROTHER!"

Al shouted with worry,

"Name's Luke by the way that one's Brian, He's the researcher i'm just here cause it's interesting ya know?"

"Interesting?"

Ed questioned as he brought his fist up, the scrawny man who went by the name Luke smiled his eyes crazed enough to make Ed think there was probably something mentally wrong with him,

"Yea people suffering is interesting, ya know?"