(A/N): Sad times up ahead...

After hours of travel, the train finally reaches Central Station and they get off at the familiar stop.

"So, should we visit Headquarters first? Hughes should be there." Edward suggests, glad to be back on track and to see the fatherly man.

"I want to see him." Elena nods, all for visiting Hughes first. Now that she thinks about it, this would be her first official time in the Headquarters and seeing real men of the military at work. Maybe I'll get to see that guy, again. Mustang?

The one that had started their journey to get their bodies back, along with his sharp-eyed female assistant. It was thanks to them that they were where they are today. Hoping that the man isn't as scary as he had been, which according to Edward was really a worthless idiot, yet imagining a man as ruthless as the Fuhrer, Elena shakes her head of the thought.

"Do you think he gathered more information on the philosophers stone?" Alphonse wonders aloud and Edward shrugs, reminding him of what the Fuhrer had warned them and of involving others.

"Huh? What're you talking about?" Winry asks, having no idea of the recent events they had gone through before visiting her at Rush Valley.

"Secret." Elena smiles weakly, just like old times and Edward tells Winry to bug off as Elena takes care to move her healing arm so Winry doesn't notice the bandage under the jacket.

"That's how it always is!" Winry complains, nothing changed at all about it as she sees Elena act strangely. Did she get hurt?

But before Winry can ask, they're interrupted by the sudden appearance of Lan Fan and Fu before them.

"Where is young Master Ling?" Fu demands to know, already getting a bad feeling as he studies each of their confused faces. "He was with you, now where is he?"

Ling? Elena, having completely forgotten about the Xingese young man as had the rest of them in the thoughts of the old days, now realizing that he wasn't with them. When did he disappear?

"You guys have fun with that." Edward blows them off, glad to be so easily rid of the clingy (and not to mention unfairly tall) foreigner as he turns around to leave the two poor bodyguards at it. Feeling sorry for the unfortunate ninjas, who by judging their depressed actions that this was indeed a regular occurrence, both Winry and Elena as well as Alphonse wish them the best of luck as Edward goes on without a single care in the world.


This place is huge! Elena marvels at the sight of Central Headquarters, seeming to be the only one amazed by it as they go up the steps to the enormous courtyard-like area with various buildings and barracks on all sides. Gates and bridges, guarded by uniformed officers, put up an impressive offense though some break their serious act when the shortest and youngest state alchemist passes them by. Not too long after entering, they come across a familiar face that both Elena and Winry remember.

"Huh? It's First Lieutenant Hawkeye." Edward, a bit confused, acknowledges the woman who finishes giving orders to her fellow military underlings at their post before a gate.

"Edward and Alphonse. How are you doing?" Riza Hawkeye greets the two brothers with a pleasant smile. Noticing the mute young teen behind the oldest sibling, almost the splitting image of the Fullmetal Alchemist save for the darker golden eyes and hair that resided in pigtails, Hawkeye waves at her and Elena repeats the gesture with a shy smile as Edward says that they're doing okay. "Elena Elric and Winry Rockbell, correct? You've both grown up beautifully since last time."

The two females blush at the compliment from the woman, feeling as if it was only yesterday that they had been little girls. One with a lost voice and will, the other worried for her orphaned best friends' futures. An instant friendship forms with the three as Winry adds that Hawkeye's hair, held in a tight bun, has gotten longer since that time. Edward and Alphonse, left forgotten in the presence of the three, start to wonder just where a certain lousy-

"Colonel Mustang, good morning." Alphonse greets the blue uniformed military man who exits a car as if on cue.

"Ah, Fullmetal." Roy Mustang makes it a point to look down upon the pipsqueak alchemist who couldn't seem anymore displeased at the sight of the Colonel. "Now what's with that unhappy-oh."

His nearly black eyes fall on the two pretty girls that are before him, and his demeanor becomes a picture perfect display of his rank. Without missing a beat, Roy Mustang informs Winry and Elena of who he is and if they ever need anything that they can always go to him first. While Edward mentally curses all of his luck of why the damn Colonel had to be here of all more convenient places (like the bottom of a lake, or maybe actually doing his freaking job), Elena is impressed.

Wow. He must be a very good alchemist, to be a Colonel and look after Ed. Just like back then.

Stupid fucking Colonel. Damn it all!

"That reminds me. You're an alchemist yourself. Ever thought about taking the state exam?" Roy Mustang looks the mute thirteen year-old over, much to the disapproval of Edward though he sees the Colonel's point. Elena was only a year older than when he had become a state alchemist, and had the same transmutation ability as him though Mustang didn't know that. Alphonse had already turned down the offer when Edward was admitted, no way the kind soul would do such a thing and the burden to join the military was Edward's to bear. "You seem more well behaved than the shrimp. What do you think?"

"Um..I-"

"Why are you even here?" Edward interrupts his sister's writing and glares at Mustang as he gets in between the two.

"I was transferred here two days ago. What brings you here, and with others?" Roy Mustang fires the question back at Edward as he gestures at the 'others'.

What do I think? Elena doesn't know the answer herself as Edward informs the Colonel that they're here for information on the stone, as well as beings called homunculus. Picking up on the rest of the conversation of Mustang denying that the military would have nothing on the forbidden human transmutation, Winry chimes in with:

"We're here to see Mr. Hughes, too."

"How is he and his family doing?" Elena asks, glad to escape the hopeless thoughts of if to join the military or not with the pleasant ones of the perfect Maes Hughes, lovely Gracia, and precious little three year-old Elicia. Even Edward favors the change in subject as he questions how the Brigadier General is as well as Alphonse who misses the kind man. The four seem to crowd in front of Mustang and Hawkeye, an oblivious and happy smile on each face (and aura for Alphonse) that all miss the slightest flash of a pained expression from the two military personal who know all too well the cruel fate of their best friend, Maes Hughes.

"...He's no longer here."

"Huh?"

"He went back to the countryside." Roy Mustang explains slowly, unable to face them all as he begins to walk away and Hawkeye stares at him in confusion as if she can't believe the words that come out of his mouth.

Why does he sound so sad? Elena finds the sudden one-eighty of the Colonel's behavior odd, no matter how best he hides it from the rest.

"His whole family has moved to the countryside, to take over the family business. He is no longer in Central."

"It must be dangerous, to be military man." Alphonse figures aloud, especially with all the danger they were all getting into. That must be why.

"Well, that's disappointing." Edward shrugs, thinking it a bit strange himself, but it was what it was. Hopefully the idiot kept himself out of trouble.

"I wonder if we'll get to see him again." Winry reads what Elena writes, wondering the same herself. Hoping the same. I really want to thank him still.

Where in the countryside? Elena touches the locket around her neck, trying to think of an idea as to where the Hughes family could have gone. Maybe we could visit them on our travels.

"If I obtain any information, I'll relay it to you. Lieutenant, let's go." Mustang motions for Hawkeye to follow after him. Before the two get too far away, he adds with a calm warning. "Fullmetal, keep your activities in check. Don't do anything absurd, understood?"

"Yeah, I will." Edward understands, having as much of a clue as to what that could possibly mean as everyone else does on the strange matter.


Human Transmutation, homunculus, philosophers stone. Various notes of the untouchable subjects lay in chaos on their hotel room table. Elena scans each one, learning about as much as Edward who buries his face in his small pocketbook as he lies on the couch. It was only the two siblings in the living room, Alphonse having left to check on something while Winry relaxed in the girls' shared room next door. The three subjects made no sense together, but there had to be a connection.

Greed, Envy, and Lust. He had called them all homunculi, but are there more? Elena writes the names down, shuddering at the thought of the one she knew the most of. More like him.

"What's up?" Edward temporarily leaves his book to look over at his little sister's lack of progress (his no better) and sees her lightly squeeze at the nearly healed arm. "If the Colonel bothered you earlier, I can always punch him in the face."

"You'd do that anyway." Elena shakes her head at the truth with a weak smile and Edward snorts at her little faith in him. "He wasn't that bad, you liar."

"Then what's up?"

"Do you think Mr. Hughes is okay?"

"Course he is, knowing that idiot." Edward answers, remembering how energetic and still somehow wise the man had been. Then again, with all the warnings and eminent danger they were getting into, Edward won't admit aloud that he too was worried for the comrades that were helping them out. Not wanting to worry Elena further, he changes the subject to the necklace she now holds. "Where'd you get that from anyway?"

"Mr. Hughes. As a present." Elena takes it off for him to see better.

"That right? Huh. He really is a father-" Edward takes a closer inspection of the heart-shaped locket that Hughes had gifted her for her thirteenth birthday, the memories of that chaotic day playing through his mind as well as Elena's. I'll have to thank-

"BROTHER!" Alphonse bursts into the room, the suit of armor clutching a newspaper in a tight fist as he hands it to Edward, the front page article catching his eye.

"What is it?"

"What...what the hell?!" Edward reads it once, twice, and can't believe it the third time. "Second Lieutenant Maria Ross killed-"

"What does it say?" Elena asks again, curious as to what both brothers were reacting to in shock and anguish. Getting no answer from Edward and Alphonse, suddenly very quiet as they remember her presence in the room, Elena tries to get a look at the newspaper that Edward holds.

"Go to your room." Edward orders, trying so hard to keep any sense of calm as he keeps the paper out of her reach.

"What? Why?"

"Damnit, Elena, do it!" Edward swears, loud enough for the whole floor to hear and makes his younger siblings jump as Winry is soon at their open door.

Wha-What? Elena blinks in confusion, trying to comprehend what the hell was wrong as Winry demands to know. Alphonse is speechless, torn between Edward's outburst at their innocent baby sister and the heartbreaking horror on the front page.

"Let's go, Al." Edward, unable to look Elena or Winry in the face. Damn it all!

"Can't I come with?" Elena writes, her hands shaking though not even Alphonse has an answer. Grabbing his state alchemist jacket, Edward catches a glimpse of the message.

"You stay here."

"But-"

"Edward, what is going on?" Winry, feeling left out yet again, is lightly pushed aside as Edward followed by an apologetic Alphonse hurry out of the room. Before Winry can shout another ask, Elena slips past the mechanic and after her brothers. "Ellie!"

But the mute girl is too far gone as Winry pouts about being forgotten and with strange circumstances.

Ed never gets mad at her, so why-. The newspaper. Abandoned on the messy table when Edward had grabbed his jacket, Winry's blue eyes catch on the front headline.

Second Lieutenant Maria Ross found guilty of the murder of Brigadier General, Maes Hughes.