Author Note: Sorry I didn't notice that there were doubles of chapter 35 so many of you missed this. I'm glad I eventually noticed.

Disclaimer: FMA and its character belong to Hiromu Arakawa.

Chapter 34: In Kanama

Edward let out a weary sigh as they arrived at Kanama. As they walked Edward's mind wandered back to what Winry had said to him before they left Resembool. Edward had told her that it would be best that she leave the country with Pinako but she didn't appreciate his concern; she had scolded him for only telling his loved ones to flee and demanded that he defeat the homunculi and then return to them with his brother, both bodies intact and whole. Edward was shocked by her outburst at first but then swore that he would. He smiled as he remembered her waving at them from the porch of the house as they left. Edward went to ask one of the residents if they knew where Hohenheim was but Sarah started leading the way without asking. Edward and the others followed after her even though they didn't know where they were going. They all stopped and stared in surprise when she led them directly to the man they were looking for with very little effort. How did she know where to go? Edward wondered but the thought was quickly forgotten when Hohenheim looked in their direction. The man rose and spread his arms out with a smile. It was almost as if he expected Edward to come running into his arms…the fool. Edward did come running but not to hug him. Hohenheim groaned as he hit the ground. He brought a hand up to where Edward had punched him as he looked up at his enraged son.

"Didn't see that coming." Hohenheim said with a sheepish smile. He then slowly rose to his feet as if he was an old man with aches in his joints. He then patted his pants to get the dirt off them. Once he was done he looked back up. It was then that he noticed the group behind his son. "Oh…I see you have some friends with you." He said to his son who was still glaring at him. Hohenheim walked forward and introduced himself to the group, shaking hands with each of them until Sarah was the only one left. He held his hand out for her to shake then tilted his head a bit in confusion when she didn't immediately reach for it. Sarah looked down at the hand then slowly brought hers up to clasp his. Hohenheim silently gasped at the surge of energy that flowed from her hand into his. The energy ran throughout his body from his head to his toes and mingled with his own energy. They were so similar that it seemed that they would merge at any second. Sarah stared silently into the man's wide eyes fully aware of what was happening inside him. Hohenheim stared back into hers with understanding and surprise. The girl's energy started to recede back into her hand and it wasn't until it was fully gone from the man that Sarah pulled her hand back to her side. Hohenheim's hand remained outstretched for a few seconds before it too fell back to its owner's side. The look in the girl's eyes clearly told him that they weren't to discuss this in the presence of the others so he restrained himself from blurting out his questions. Hohenheim mentally shook his head to focus back on the others and his son. Edward was watching the exchange between the two with narrowed eyes; something just didn't seem right about what had happened but he didn't know what. Deciding to ask Sarah about it later, Edward pointed out to his father that the Promised Day was almost upon them.

"Right…Come with me…I'll tell you everything." Hohenheim said as he motioned for them to follow him to the edge of the woods where they could talk privately. It was night by the time Hohenheim had finished telling them everything and everyone was staring at the man with wide eyes. Edward was shocked by it all…how could he not be…he had just found out that his father was a living Philosopher's stone. Hohenheim told his son that he could use him to get his and Al's bodies back, which Edward responded angrily to…there's no way he would willingly sacrifice someone to get what he wanted. Hohenheim was proud of his son for saying so. He then revealed that on the Promised Day, an eclipse would occur, which was part of Father's plan and that he needed Ed's help in stopping him. Edward scoffed as he got up to leave.

"No…I'm following my own path but you're allowed to come along and help me." Edward turned and started walking. With his back turned Edward missed the smile that Hohenheim wore at his words. He looked up when Edward suddenly stopped with his back to him. "Granny Pinako wanted me to tell you Mom's last words." Hohenheim's eyes widened at the mention of his wife and listened eagerly but also sadly. "She said, 'sorry I couldn't keep my promise…" Edward paused as he forced the next part out "'…I'm dying first.'" Hohenheim's eyes widened even further as he remembered the day Trisha had made that promise. It wasn't long before tears streamed out of his eyes and he didn't bother to wipe them away. Edward turned to angrily tell him that that was all but he stopped when he saw the tears. He stared at the man, surprised that he showed sadness at the death of his wife; the image he had of his father from that one memory was nothing like the man before him. The group decided to leave the man alone for a time so they went to get some food. While at a food stand Heinkel, Darius and Greed encouraged Ed to at least have a decent conversation with his father but Ed refused because of all that he had gone through because of him. The men stopped trying to convince him otherwise when they realized that it was pointless to continue. It was at this point that Edward noticed that Sarah was nowhere to be seen. He felt a shot of concern but he reminded himself that she could take care of herself and that she probably had something that she had to take care of. The memory of the weird exchange between her and Hohenheim flashed in his mind and made him figure that she was with him. He frowned then got up and began walking back to where they had left Hohenheim; for some reason he felt that he had to go there and see what was going on with those two.

Hohenheim was looking up at the sky thinking about Trisha and how he had failed to fulfill his promise to her.

"Trisha…I'll see you again soon." He whispered to the sky. He then looked down at the ground when he felt the presence behind him. "Is now a good time?" He asked though he kept his back to the person.

"Yes…" Sarah said as she looked at the broken man before her. The man was quiet for a moment as he focused his senses on the woman's energy.

"You are the same…" He stated after analyzing her energy.

"To an extent." Sarah said in response though she didn't elaborate.

"I didn't think there were others." He said after turning to look at her. Sarah remained quiet for a moment as she thought back on the story Hohenheim had told them earlier. She then looked up at the sky.

"I have no memory of it…" She said with a faraway look in her eyes. "I don't know if I was always like this or if something happened and made me this way." Hohenheim looked at her with sympathetic eyes, as he understood what she was feeling to an extent. He went to say something, he didn't know if it was to comfort her or not but it didn't matter as he never got to say anything. Edward came running and stopped when he saw the almost forlorn look in Sarah's eyes, he only got a glimpse though as Sarah quickly composed herself so as not to worry him further. Sarah then walked over and began leading Edward away, the incident seemingly done and over with according to her. Edward looked over his shoulder at his father hoping to get some kind of explanation from him but only saw sad eyes directed at Sarah so he looked back towards where they were going. He glanced at Sarah and saw her closed off expression. He sighed when he realized that this was one of the things she wasn't going to talk about with him.

A little later the group left Kanama through the woods. Edward, now clad in his familiar red coat, kept mulling over what had happened between Sarah and his father but he just couldn't figure it out. He suddenly stopped when he heard a familiar sound…clanking…from a suit of armor. He looked up and, sure enough, he saw his brother.

"Al!" Edward called out as he ran eagerly towards his brother. However, he froze in place when Sarah yelled out to him.

"No! Edward!" Sarah ran forward and pulled him away as strange shadows appeared around the suit of armor. They were shadows she knew all too well…after all she had felt them slash through her in the tunnels beneath Briggs. Edward stood there in shock as the shadows squirmed around the armor that he knew was his brother.

"Al…?" Edward whispered. He then flinched when a strange voice came from the armor, sounding nothing like his brother's.

"You have good instincts." It said, clearly talking to Sarah. Sarah glared at the armor as she stood protectively in front of Edward. She then smirked. Payback time. Sarah thought as she remembered their last encounter.

Author Note: Hohenheim makes his appearance. I decided to give you guys another hint about Sarah. She and Hohenheim are similar but still different.

Please Review.