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Chapter Forty

The Awakening

The trip back to Central took half the morning, and by the time we arrived, the sun was high and hot overhead. Al had checked in on me dutifully, even offering at one point to carry me, which – after some convincing – I gave in to. My legs were just so heavy underneath me, and it was slowing us down. So, as we entered the city, I was set upon Al's back, absorbing the subtle warmth of his armor against my chest, and cheek. It was strangely soothing.

"You can rest if you'd like," Al offered, but I shook my head.

"No, I don't want to leave you alone," I said, though my eyelids were heavy. He chuckled.

"Aright," he said. "Marina?"

"Hmm?" I hummed.

"It may be selfish of me, but... I am glad I'm not alone."

"It's not selfish at all. I'm glad too," I assured him. I rested my eyes for just a moment but blinked them open again. I played chicken with sleep, now and then getting a glimpse of the city around us. We mostly traveled through the back alleys on the outskirts of the city, slowly making our way inward. After a while, during a long stint of resting my eyes, I felt a nuzzling at my cheek, and I looked up to see the small panda that had accompanied us this far, a little shocked it was still there. It looked at me with curious and cautious eyes, and I smiled. "Hey there." The creature retreated further down Al's shoulder. I examined our surroundings groggily, noting the dark alley we were in and the entrance that stood before us.

"We're here," Al said, and I nodded.

"You can set me down now," I said, already slipping from his back. My feet tapped against the ground, and I swayed a moment, gaining my bearings, looking around the alley we found ourselves in. Al fidgeted, looking between me and the Homunculus, who gestured to the dark entrance ahead of us.

"Let's go, let's go!" Gluttony said excitedly, disappearing into the building. I looked up at Al, who seemed frozen.

"You ready?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah," he said, and I could hear the uncertainty in his voice beneath the sheer determination to get his brother back.

I latched onto his upper arm, and we descended into the lion's den. There was an oddly gentle breeze that blew my hair around as we stepped further down. There were multiple ominous gates to pass through, each leveling off yet another staircase before we eventually entered what seemed to be a sewer system, but there was no light streaming in, no access to the surface. Just the constant hum of rushing water and the stench of blood. As soon as it hit my nose, Al stumbled over a discarded carcass, and I pulled back on his arm so he wouldn't fall as the small panda on his shoulder squealed. It was so dark; I hadn't even noticed the small graveyard around us.

"Hey, what's with all that?" Al asked as we sidestepped piles of bones to catch up with Gluttony.

"Huh? Oh, the Gate Keepers did all that," he said simply.

"The Gate Keepers?" Al questioned quietly.

"They won't rip you up as long as you're with me," Gluttony assured us, trekking on.

I felt something wet and slimy drip onto my face. I wiped the wetness away, and – against my better judgment – looked up to see where it had come from. Red eyes glowered at us from above, and my breath caught in my chest. Chimeras. Al pressed my head down and pulled me closer to him. His arm and his focus were steady.

"Just pretend they aren't there," he said, comforting me and the frightened panda on his shoulder. I nodded into him, moving forward. "Do we have much further?"

"Not too far. It's just ahead now."

"You said your father made you… does he know what happens to the people you swallow?"

"I'm sure he does. Father knows everything!" Gluttony said excitedly.

He went on to babble all about his father's accomplishments, but I wasn't paying attention. I was too focused on the burning sensation growing stronger with each step in my stomach. It wasn't like anything I had ever felt before. I clutched at my abdomen.

"Are you alright?" Al asked, worry apparent in his voice.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," I said, dropping my arm. Eventually, we came upon a door two times over the height of either me or Al— which was really saying something in his case.

"So, this is it? Your father is on the other side?" Al asked in nervous eagerness.

"That's right," Gluttony said, placing his swollen hands on either side of the door, pressing them open. It opened to what was a dim but spacious room that seemed much too tall for being underground. The ceiling was high, and the floor and walls were covered in gunmetal pipes of varying cylindrical thicknesses. There were large gears that ran along the walls, but all were at a stand-still— as if time itself stopped in this world beneath Central. Al and I looked around in a mix of shock and awe, just absorbing the vastness of the space. Gluttony cried out, waving his arms around. "Hello, Father! I've brought you the human sacrifices!"

"Your father? Where? This is happening too fast!" Al exclaimed, and we both looked around nervously. The small creature on his shoulder seemed just as nervous.

"And who is this?" a voice called from somewhere above us.

We looked to the source to see a man situated on a pedestal of sorts, near a strange throne of pipes and wires. My breath hitched as I recognized the face of a man who I had met only once before, but I knew that it wasn't him. They may have looked alike, but the chill this man sent down my spine was unique to him. It sent my brain into overdrive.

"Dad?" Al asked, unaware that the man only took the appearance of his father.

I was about to correct him when Gluttony's stomach suddenly began spurting blood, and the void we had seen before Ed and Ling had disappeared re-emerged along with the fangs that surrounded it. Blood poured from the eye at its center, rippling across the floor as Gluttony keeled over and began to writhe. He clung to a metal pipe as he choked on his own blood, eventually ripping it from the floor, creating a smokescreen. Al shoved his arm out in front of me as we watched Gluttony with uncertainty. Red sparks crackled around him as a giant and gruesome green arm erupted from his stomach, and a monster sprung forth, limb by limb. The creature emerged fully, multi-legged and almost goblin-like, with a giant tail and what looked to be faces surrounding its head. It flew past us, and Al and I watched as the monster landed across the room, its hollow groan echoing in the space. I looked down at the tail that fell just at my feet.

"Envy?" Father asked.

"Envy? That thing?" Al asked, looking disbelievingly between Father and the creature.

"That's his true form," I murmured, and Al gasped at me. I remembered. I could remember this. I could remember Envy emerging from Gluttony, and Father, and I remembered— I looked around frantically until I spotted blonde hair through the green gunk, and Al seemed to notice too.

"Brother!" he exclaimed as he ran to his brothers' side, crouching in front of him. I was frozen, watching as Al pulled the green slime from Ed, who sat motionlessly. My heart dropped.

He's not moving— why isn't he moving? I thought, my mind spinning with the worst-case scenario. He groaned.

"Al?" he asked hoarsely. The sound of his voice reached my ears, and I clutched at the fabric of my shirt as I exhaled harshly. He was alright. "You're back in your armor. So that means…"

Ed looked over, and I followed his gaze. Ling was there too. They both came back. I had been so on edge this whole time— but he was alright. They both were. I clutched at my shirt harder, barely managing to lock my knees in place so they wouldn't give beneath me as they fist-bumped.

"We're back in the real world," Ling said.

"Guess so," Ed agreed.

"Brother!" Al cried, and he enveloped Ed in a tight embrace, swinging him around gleefully.

"Ow, ow, ow, Ouch!" Ed yelped.

Al eventually put him down. They were talking, but I barely heard a thing they were saying. I was so lost in my own head; I didn't even notice Ling had come up to me until he spoke.

"Glad to see you doing alright," he said. I nodded numbly.

"You too," I croaked. I noticed Ling was grasping around his stomach. He looked more banged up than we had left him. "Are you alright?"

"Better, now that we're back," he half chuckled, and I nodded. "We thought you, Al, and Elias had been swallowed up with us, so when we didn't find you, we hoped you hadn't been." I sucked in a sharp breath.

"Elias… he— he pushed me out of the way," I said quietly, my gaze falling to the ground. Ling looked around.

"Oh yeah? Where is he?"

"He's not here," I said, the words forcing themselves from my throat. "He… he lost his arm." Ling's eyebrows shot up in surprise before falling into a frown, giving him a sour look.

"I see," he said, hanging his head.

"He's alive and with people I trust," I added quickly. Ling nodded.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said solemnly.

"There's nothing you need to be sorry for. It was my fault it happened. Did you…" I trailed off, then shook my head. "Ah, never mind."

I had thought to ask if they had— well, found Elias's arm. But it didn't seem to be the case. Besides, the thought of even asking made my stomach lurch. A moment of quiet passed when Ed yelled out my name.

I looked over, and we locked eyes. He looked mad. Real mad. He lifted from his crouch, not breaking eye contact, and we stared for a moment before either of us moved. He moved forward first, taking long strides as his face contorted even further into a frown. I made a step but stopped short at the look he gave me.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he exclaimed before grasping my shoulders and jostling me, his golden eyes fiercely gazing into mine.

I opened my mouth and just as soon closed it, realizing the question was rhetorical. Then, much to everyone's surprise, he reared his head back and slammed his forehead into mine. I cried out, stumbling back a bit as I grasped my forehead. He, too, recoiled from the contact, and Ling watched us in shock— maybe slight amusement. I couldn't really tell as I opened my eyes and looked at my surroundings with doubled vision.

"Brother!" Al exclaimed, running up to us.

"What?" Ed growled, followed by a string of 'ow's'. "She's got a hard enough head!"

"It's alright, Al," I said, blinking a few times, rubbing at the knot forming on my forehead where our skulls collided. "I deserved that."

"You're damn right you did!" Ed hissed, his face scrunched and his forehead red. He shook his head out and then pointed at me. "What were you even thinking?" I realized his expectant stare meant that he actually wanted me to answer that question. I swallowed hard before I found my voice.

"I thought if I just went with them, no one else would get hurt," I said, pushing past the lump in my throat. Ed's frown deepened.

"We had it under control," he said, crossing his arms. "We were trying to protect you!"

"I know, I just… I thought I could protect you."

"What?" Ed breathed.

"You've all done so much for me, I... I thought, if I could make a difference, if there was even a slim chance that I could be useful, I wanted to be. I wanted to be like you, and Al— I wanted to be someone you could depend on to look out for you. That's what I promised you. I don't want to be a burden," I rambled, my guilt and my fears bubbling to the surface. I could feel tears well in my eyes, but I suppressed them. I had cried enough. Ed's shoulders slumped just slightly, and I shook my head. "But I'm not like you guys. I see that now."

"No, you're not like us," Ed sighed, a hand on his hip. His eyes were intense as they watched me. "But we don't expect you to be someone you're not, Marina. You can just be you."

I stumbled back a step, blinking rapidly. My heart was thumping loudly in my ears from just five simple words. You can just be you, he said. My eyes searched his, looking for the catch. There had to be one. There was always a catch. But I couldn't find any deceit in the steady calm of his gaze. He meant it. No one had ever given me… permission to be myself before. No one had genuinely cared about who I was— frankly, me included. I had spent my whole life trying to be like my mom, so I wouldn't end up being a carbon copy of my dad— and, I realized, I had spent most of my time here trying to be like Ed and Al. But I wasn't them, and I wasn't my mom, and I wasn't my father. So then, who was I? He strode back up to me, and I stiffened as he wrapped his arms around me tightly.

"Ed," I said and let out a shuddered breath. I let myself relax, hugging him back. "I'm sorry."

"I know," he sighed. "You damn idiot."

"And… thank you."

"For what?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Nothing. Forget it. You've got a hard head, Elric," I said, shifting subjects.

"I'd argue yours is harder," he said with a huff, lifting his hand to his forehead. I smiled, burying my face into his chest.

"Welcome back," I said. Ed chuckled, a welcomed sound reverberating in my ears. I clung to his shirt tightly, afraid that he'd get swallowed again if I let go.

"Yeah, thanks," he said as he spoke lowly into my hair. He pulled away, taking in our surroundings. "So, you gonna explain where we are? And why you're here?"

"I promise I'm not here because I'm stubborn, for once," I said dryly.

"This is somewhat surprising," the voice from before called. We were startled by the sound, and Ed moved defensively in front of me as he squinted at the figure emerging from the darkness. I was suddenly reminded of the strange sensation in my stomach as we turned to see Father approaching, a curious hand to his chin. "People emerging from his stomach." Ed grit his teeth.

"What the… Hohenheim?" he spat angrily, making the same mistake Al had. I couldn't blame them; the resemblance was uncanny.

"Steel appendages… and an armored body," Father said, almost to himself. Ed and Al exchanged a look, and suddenly, Father was much too close, examining Ed. He jumped back, and Al pushed me further behind them. The burning in my stomach was red-hot now, and it wasn't letting up. The man looked between the boys. "Are you two the Elric brothers?"

"So, you're not…" Ed trailed off, seeming to realize that this man and his father were not akin.

"Have you mistaken me for someone else? Well, hold on. Hohen… the name you said, by any chance, do you mean Van Hohenheim? And how is it the two of you are acquainted with him?" Father asked, genuine curiosity on his face.

"Well, he's our father," Al admitted quietly. Father looked down at Ed, who made a surprised sound as he grabbed either side of his head, jerking him around.

"He's your father? This is indeed surprising! I had no idea he had children," he said, finishing with a laugh as he pat Ed's head. I could tell by the way Ed's shoulders tensed that he was getting pissed off. I felt a bead of sweat trail down the back of my neck, sending a shiver up my spine. "If you are indeed his progeny, then why is it your family name is Elric?" Ed threw the far too chummy hands from him in a flourish, having had enough.

"Elric is our mother's last name!" he shouted.

"Oh, is that so? So where has he been spending his time?" Father asked.

"Who cares? Just forget him— who the hell are you?" Ed asked, pointing an angry metal finger at him. "And why do you look exactly like him?"

"I know that he can't be dead…" Father trailed off, completely ignoring Ed and mumbling to himself.

"Listen!" Ed cried out in frustration, waving his arms around.

"Brother, this guy is the one who—" Al grabbed Ed's arm to get his attention, but he quickly released him as Ed cried out in pain. I had noticed there was a splint on his arm before but I hadn't been sure of the extent of his injury. He certainly grabbed my shoulders for a headbutt just fine.

"It would appear that you are injured. And you're missing your left hand, aren't you?" Father noted, stepping forward and placing his hand on Al's missing armor. In a flash of brilliant red, Al's arm rematerialized in a matter of seconds. Al gasped in disbelief, and Ed's eyes widened as he watched. "There, how's that for you? Your arm is broken." Father took hold of Ed's splinted arm with both hands, and with a similar flash of red, he released Ed. Ed drew back swiftly, undoing the bandaging and flexing his hand.

"It's not broken anymore!" he realized in disbelief. Father grasped his shoulders and then felt down along his ribs. Ed protested. "Hey— ow!"

"A few broken ribs as well," Father said before he ran his hand against the ribs in question with his alchemy. Ed tapped around his body in a mix of amazement and confusion. "I consider the two of you to be vital resources. You must remain alive and healthy."

"This isn't right, Al," Ed said, lowering his voice to discuss the matter privately with his brother. As Al bent to discuss with Ed, Father had a clear view of me, and I froze under his gaze.

"Hmm? Who are you?" Father asked, and I swallowed hard as he stepped around Ed and Al to reach me, stopping to look at me questioningly.

"The sacrifice you wanted!" Gluttony shouted so very helpfully. A look of recognition seemed to cross Father's face.

"Oh, yes— Marina Wayde, correct?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah," I said uncertainly. The burning in my stomach was incessant now and screaming at me to move, but I couldn't. His brow furrowed slightly.

"It seems your shoulder is injured," he said. He reached out and grasped my shoulder, pressing down on it. I squinted at the contact as red sparks flew around me. There was a familiar warmth I had felt the last time Marcoh had healed my shoulder, but unlike then, it grew much too hot. "Oh?"

A sharp shot of pain invaded my chest and settled in my stomach. I cried out breathlessly and jerked back, taking a few wary steps away from Father as the burning in my stomach intensified. If I could describe it, the pain was what I imagined being struck by lightning would probably feel like. Ed was at my side in an instant as I doubled over, panting raggedly, Al keeping a trained eye on Father.

"What did you do?" Ed shouted, gripping my shoulders. I caught my breath and realized my shoulder was viable again, dropping the sling and flexing my hand, looking up to Father just as curiously as he examined me.

"Well, that's certainly unusual," Father remarked, stroking his beard. Father seemed to think a moment. "I wasn't expecting you to possess it. Though, it seems that someone has tried to ensure it remains inactive. Curious."

"What does that mean?" Ed asked. I gripped my stomach as I tried to piece together what was going on with me. I felt like I was going to throw up. "What the hell do you want from her!"

"Explaining it would prove unnecessary," Father said, finally acknowledging us. "All you need to worry about is maintaining your health."

"You aren't human," Ling accused in a low growl, his sword gleaming in the light as he pointed it toward Father. "Who are you? What the hell is inside you?" Father looked to Ling with a cold and dead glare, a look that only made worse the burning that rose like a plume of smoke to my chest.

"I would ask who you are, but I honestly don't care," Father shot back. A bead of sweat ran down Ling's face as his jaw tightened. He turned to Gluttony. "You can go ahead and eat him."

"Okay!" Gluttony shouted excitedly, waving his hands around as he approached Ling.

"What? No, hold on! Don't!" Ed shouted as Al went to Ling's defense. Ed glared Father down. "This guy is our friend— you wanna keep us happy, right? So, don't kill him, please!"

"But I have no need for him. Your friendship doesn't make him any less useless to me," Father said, waving him off.

"What did you say?" Ed asked through grit teeth.

"Ed, he's not joking," I warned, and Ed looked back at me nervously as I stood. The pain in my stomach had settled enough for me to stay on my feet, but I could feel a fever rise at the cold sweat on my back.

"Brother," Al called. "The Homunculi keep calling this guy their father. I think he's the one that created them."

"What," Ed said more than asked. He looked to me for a sort of affirmation, and I nodded.

"He did heal our wounds, though," Al noted, looking down at the hand he had been missing earlier that day.

"He didn't heal mine," Ling said, stumbling forward. It was clear that he was still quite injured as Ed and I joined them. "I don't like him. I can tell he looks down on humans and calls us fools." Father glared at us all.

"When you notice an insect on the ground, do you stop to consider it a fool?" Father asked. The air in the room shifted until it was unbearably suffocating with each word he spoke. "The life of an insect is so beneath you that it would be a waste of your time to even consider judging it. That would be an accurate summation of my feelings towards you humans." Ed was quick to lash out with his alchemy. He clapped his hands to the floor and sent spikes Father's way, but it did not affect him as he countered with red sparks. There was a distinct frown on his face as the ruble crumbled to the ground.

"Look, you might have healed our wounds, but that does not mean we're friends!" Ed shouted, pointing at Father. "It's pretty apparent that you're the root of all this evil! I'm taking you down— I don't care how many cronies you've got!"

"And just who are you calling a crony, pipsqueak?" Envy taunted.

"Pipsqueak?" Ed yelled angrily, a vein in his head throbbing. He clapped his hands and transmuted the piping all around us in a flash of blue, ensnaring Father in a binding. "Gotcha now, boss man!"

Ed's triumphant cry came a little too early as red sparks disintegrated the hold. Envy sprung forward and slammed a hand to the floor, upsetting the ground beneath us. The shockwave sent me flying across the pipped terrain. I groaned as I lifted myself, choking up dust, but I stopped short, feeling something warm ooze at my stomach. I was out of the way of the fighting, and I hurriedly unbuttoned my shirt to reveal a bloodied bandage, the stain growing bigger with each passing moment.

"Damnit!" I cursed to myself, lifting my head to see that the fight had been scattered around the room as Father stepped forward with a sigh.

"This is a waste of time," he groaned, slamming his foot against the ground.

Like the ripple of a lake, from his step a wave of red energy surged, expanding outward. The red line came at me fast, and as it passed, a strange draining of energy washed over me, nearly blowing me away as if the very pulse of my being halted. As the strange sensation died down, I looked up to see Ed and Al attempt transmutation to no avail. Ed looked around frantically, his eyes falling to me before Envy trampled both he and Al to the ground.

"Ed! Al!" Ling and I yelled simultaneously. As I tried to rise, he ran to them, only to be tackled to the ground by Gluttony. I watched in horror as he started eating the sword Ling had been wielding blade-first, like a sick party trick.

"Ling!" I yelled, trying to get to them.

I managed to scale a pipe taller than me that stood between us, but I slipped and fell, hitting the floor hard. I groaned as I held my side, rolling over to see that Father had begun producing a Philosopher's Stone from a third eye that opened at the center of his forehead. I clapped my hands together frantically. My heart was beating in my ears as I pressed them to the floor, willed a spark— but there was nothing. I noticed something incoming on my left, and I just narrowly dodged Envy's tail. I tumbled a few feet, and before I regained my bearings, his tail swung back, and it slammed into me hard enough to force the wind from my lungs. I landed near Ed, could hear his voice calling my name, but I couldn't move or answer as a weight crushed me. The following events were blurry as I tried to inflate my lungs with the air they so desperately craved. There was a lot of arguing and something about the Philosopher's Stone that stood out to me, but it was getting harder and harder to separate the voices, the tone of sound. The only sensation grounding me was the slow spread of blood that bloomed beneath me. I sucked in a sharp breath as the fire in my stomach seemed to react with something. It just burned hotter and hotter, unbearably so until suddenly, it was back to normal. I groaned after the episode, the voices returning and becoming manageable for my brain to comprehend.

"You're lying! Ling would never give up and surrender himself so easily!" a voice yelled. It had the somewhat grainy tone Ed's voice would get when he was angry. It must've been him.

"Yeah, well, sorry to disappoint ya, kiddo," a strange, new voice said. I moved to open my eyes, the world spinning around me before coming into focus. I first noticed the ground I was pinned to, and then the green hand that held me there.

"Marina?" a soft, sweet voice called. Al's. I turned my head to the sound and noticed they were as I had last seen them, though Ling was standing above them now, a sly grin on his face. He turned to me with it.

"Well, look who's up," he said, trotting over with a nonhumanness to his movements. The strange voice had come from him, and I swallowed hard.

"Ling?" I asked, just to be sure of what I already feared.

"Nope, just Greed," he said, crouching before me.

"Greed," Father called, and we both looked at him. "Bring her here."

"You got it, Pops," Greed said.

"No! Don't you touch her!" Ed yelled out, and I felt the pressure of Envy's hand lift from my back. I made a move to bolt, but Ling – or rather, Greed – was faster. He caught me by my arm before I could fully stand, twisting it painfully around my back. I went to grab my knife with my other hand, grazing the hilt of the blade, but he caught my wrist.

"Behave yourself, would ya?" he said in my ear, and I swung my elbow back into his chest. He let go of my wrist at the surprise of the blow, and I yanked my other hand from his hold, stumbling into a run. I tore across the terrain like a track star, hurdling pipes until Envy's tail crashed in front of me. I spun to alter my direction, but Greed was already on me. He slammed me against Envy's tail, folding my arms behind me. I cried out at the impact, my stomach aching unbearably. I must have torn another stitch. "I really don't like fighting women."

"Let me go!" I yelled, struggling against his hold as he pulled me up and walked me toward Father. I kicked my legs out, tried catching them on pipes that laced the floor, but he was like a plow, guiding me with no regard. He presented me to Father, who still looked me up and down, his eyes lingering at my abdomen.

"Your father was Carter Wayde, correct?" he asked. I blinked. He knew my father?

"How did…" I trailed off in disbelief.

"Would you know where he is?" he asked, skipping right ahead. I shook my head.

"I don't, and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you," I growled, trying again to break from Greed. He was as sturdy as before, and my attempt went unfounded. I huffed. "What do you want?"

"If you possess the key, does that mean you also happen to be in possession of his journal?" he asked, stroking his beard. I furrowed my brow.

"Key?" I asked. What was he talking about? There hadn't been a mention of a key at all, nor did I have one. He stepped forward, his eye still trained on my bloody abdomen.

"So, you are unaware of it, then," he said, holding his hand out toward me. "Allow me to enlighten you."

I jerked away as far as I could with Greed at my back, but Father still pressed his hand against my stomach, and red sparks coursed through me quicker than the blood pumped through my very veins. I cried out— my voice strangled and strained as he pressed his hand even further into my stomach. He pushed so hard I was sure he'd go right through me, but he didn't. I could hear Ed and Al calling my name frantically, but their voices were like hollow echoes at the other end of a tunnel. I writhed under his touch, the fire in my stomach a pit of lava, burning hotter and hotter until all I could see and taste and feel was red. It was all red. I erupted with it, could feel the fiery crackles on my skin as it expanded across my whole body. It reached each end, and all at once, moved to contain itself at its starting point. It raced from the tips of my toes and the top of my head back to the original point of contact. It concentrated there like a red sun, a dwarf star, and tore into me a circle. It was like someone was slowly etching a branding iron across my skin, and I felt every nerve screaming out against it as the circle was completed. As quickly as it started, it was over. I felt the wrappings around my waist fall to the floor— could feel the circle branded in my stomach as Father removed his hand. The only thing I couldn't feel before I lost consciousness was the stab wound Wrath had previously inflicted.

"Marina!" Ed screamed again, his voice raw.

He didn't know what the hell that bastard was doing to her, but hearing her cries, it didn't matter. He'd destroy him. He squirmed beneath Envy's hold, even contemplated at one point using the gun to try and put some distance between Marina and that Father guy, but he'd risk hitting her, or Ling— who wasn't really Ling anymore, but he was still Ling. He watched helplessly for what seemed like an eternity of her agony before the red sparks died down, and Father removed his hand. The wrappings around her abdomen fluttered to the ground, exposing the freckled skin of her stomach. There wasn't a gaping hole anymore, but perhaps more alarmingly, there was a transmutation circle embedded there Ed had never seen before. It had both the sun and the moon at opposite ends, and five diamonds rested at the edges of the circle, interlaced with the symbol for God, one after the other. He did his best to study it, to understand its strange arrangement, but as quickly as it had appeared, the red lines faded as if they had never existed.

"Do you understand now?" Father asked her, but Marina wasn't listening. She had slumped forward, unconscious, with only Greed's hold of her keeping her upright. "Oh, it seems that was a bit too much for you." Father looked between his palm and at her curiously, like even he wasn't sure what exactly he had done. It made Ed's blood boil. Greed let her go, and she collapsed to the ground with an unsettling thud.

"Marina!" Ed yelled, enraged. He clapped his hands again and then to the ground. Nothing. "Damnit, what the hell did you do to her!" Ed squirmed beneath Envy, trying that much harder to break loose.

"This won't do," Father said, ignoring Ed yet again, looking to his outstretched palm with a dissatisfied sigh. "I need to know where that journal is. Greed, take her upstairs."

"Sure thing," he said, crouching to lift her.

"No!" Ed cried out desperately. They couldn't take her, not after all they went through to keep her safe. He just wanted her to be safe. There was a creak of a door, and the room seemed to get wider as he heard the cries of what seemed like a distressed animal. Greed halted his actions as they all craned their necks to inspect the new arrivals. Ed was surprised to see Scar and a little girl, who had no trouble spouting insults about his stature. Though Ed already decided he didn't much like her, he was grateful for her fury being the reason he and Al escaped from Envy's grasp. A giant fist sent Envy flying along with most of the floor, and Ed grinned. "Bout time we can use our alchemy!"

He and Al touched the floor they landed on. But nothing happened. Ed's eyes darted to Marina, who had been thrown across the floor, away from Father. Amid the chaos Scar and the girl kicked up, Ed used the opportunity and sprinted to her, and Al followed suit. Ed scooped Marina up, running off with her, panting all the way. Father didn't look all-too-happy, but he didn't get in their way either. He looked like a predator biding his time to strike when the moment was right. It's what unsettled Ed most about that guy. They took shelter behind a piece of upturned floor, and Ed laid her down gently. She was breathing – just unconscious – but she was burning up.

"Is she alright?" Al asked. Ed tucked away a piece of her hair that clung to the sweat on her face. He looked down at her abdomen, wondering if he had just imagined what he had seen before draping her shirt closed.

"I think so," Ed breathed, panting heavily, but he wasn't really sure. He checked around the corner, wondering if Greed was going to go after them. He was still perched by Father. Ed turned to watch the two who had come in with alchemy blazing.

"It doesn't make sense," Al said, following Ed's gaze. "How can they still transmute?"

"I dunno— I have no idea. But I think this is our chance to turn things around," Ed said, patting Al's shoulder. "Watch her."

He ran off into the middle of the battlefield, edging Scar on by exposing Envy for the scum he was— for taking the life of an innocent child and starting a war that stunted the growth of his town, that stole the lives of hundreds, even thousands of people, and made monsters out of people like Scar. Like Elias. It was unforgivable, and Ed thought it about time Envy paid.

"Now tell me, for what purpose did you choose to slaughter all of my people? Depending on your answer, I'll send you to join God," Scar growled, his arm outstretched and flashing brightly with so much alchemical power it looked as if he held a lightning storm in his palm. "No, you don't deserve to stand by God, alongside my fallen brothers. Your only solace from my wrath will be damnation!"

Scar, with angry fervor, uprooted the floor of the entire facility, sending everyone flying. Ed groaned as he sat up from being blown across the room, and he looked around noticing that Ling was on the move. He trotted over casually to a spot surrounded by upturned bits of floor that he disappeared behind, only to re-emerge with Marina in hand, heading back to Father. Ed scrambled to stand, running after him. He leaped with an outcry and kicked out at Ling, who ducked out of the way, but Ed spun and made a connection against his head with his other leg. It wasn't as powerful as the hit of his automail, but it did send them both across the floor. Ed ran to Marina's side, quickly assessing her before he turned to face Ling.

"I know you're still in there, Ling!" Ed called, preparing himself to fight.

"Nope, just Greed," Ling said, lifting his tattooed hand before engaging the ultimate shield Ed had faced once before. Ed ran at him, giving way to a chase around the terrain. They traded blows, each of Ed's moves either countered by Ling's quickness or that pesky ultimate shield. Ed huffed, catching his breath a moment, and he noticed the noise of the room had died down considerably, and with a quick glance, he noted that some of its former occupants had disappeared. Ed grit his teeth as Ling swung out at him. Ed bent backward into a flip and jumped away, putting some distance between them before running at Ling and landing a thwarted kick to his abdomen. "That was a good, solid kick! This should be better than I expected!" Ling grunted out, going after Ed with carbon-laced claws. Ed managed to dodge the blows as he slashed at him, and the sound of metal scraping against carbon rang in his ears.

"You idiot prince!" Ed yelled, his arm pressed against Lings. "Wake up, Ling!"

"The name's Greed," he growled.

"Shut up! Give Ling his body back," Ed growled back.

"Sorry, can't do that," he grunted as he tried to headbutt Ed.

Ed leaned back as Ling kicked at his side, but leaped up and used the momentum to swing around Ling and into his blind spot, landing a kick to the back of his head. Ling recovered quickly and swung at Ed, who crouched to avoid it. He swept his leg out, bringing Ling down.

"Give up already, you idiot!" he snarled, slamming his metal fist down. Ling caught it before the blow landed, but Ed wasn't finished. Not until he had his friend back. "What about your country? Have you forgotten all about Lan Fan?"

Ling's eyes went wide at the mention of her name, and Ed swung his arm down, successfully contacting Ling's cheek. He panted a moment as blood dribbled from Ling's mouth, a distinct look in his eye. A look of recognition. The moment passed as Ling grasped Ed's hand and brought him down into a leg hold, pinning him to the ground.

"Hey, Pops! I caught him for ya," Ling said as Ed struggled against the painful maneuver. Father approached them, as stoic and indifferent as he had been through this whole ordeal.

"Upstairs. I want them all taken directly to Wrath."

"Hey, where are you taking us?" Ed asked. Envy had transformed back to his more human-like form as they allowed Ed and Al to collect Marina, and after he had, he lead them down a long and windy corridor that ended with an elevator shaft.

"Just get in," Envy said, turning to the opening doors of an elevator.

Ed and Al exchanged a look before following him inside. The doors closed, and there was a slight jump before the elevator kicked into gear, taking them up, though they weren't sure where 'up' lead. Ed chanced a look at Marina, cradled in Al's arms. Sweat beaded at her forehead, but she was breathing a bit more evenly. Ed's jaw set tightly. What happened back there? He had sworn he had seen a transmutation circle, but there wasn't any proof of it having been there. Why hadn't she woken up yet? She should be awake by now. Ed was drawn from his thoughts as red sparks flashed, and Envy took the form of a plain-looking Amestrian soldier. The car stopped, and the doors opened to a familiar hall, and Ed and Al both gasped as Envy exited. They ran out after him, not believing their eyes.

"This looks like…" Ed trailed off, looking around.

"It's Central Command," Al confirmed. "We were right below it."

"Hey!" Envy called. "You guys are plastered with filth." Ed frowned as Envy turned, and they followed him to the entrance of the male locker room. Ed opened the door and stepped inside, but Envy stopped Al.

"Hey, what gives?" Ed asked, poking his head out. Envy pointed to Marina.

"She can't go in," he said, pointing to the sign above the door that marked it as the men's room.

"She's unconscious," Ed countered, earning a glare from Envy which he returned in kind.

"I'll look after her out here," he smirked, motioning for Al to hand her over.

"Nope," Al said, stepping back and shaking his head. "Not gonna happen."

"We're not going to leave her with you, you creep," Ed hissed, swatting Envy's hand away.

"What, you don't trust me?" Envy taunted, rubbing his hand.

"As if I'd ever trust you," Ed growled. Envy chuckled.

"Afraid I'll do something you'd like to?" he asked. Ed's face flared and he swung at him, but Envy stepped back.

"You palm-tree bastard," Ed huffed, and Envy rose a brow.

"Touchy, aren't we?" Envy said, dusting his shoulder off. Ed glared him down, and Envy glared back a bit before breaking the contact with a sigh. He cocked his head to the side, rolling his eyes. "Fine. But I'll be right here, waiting, so make it snappy. Don't try anything funny."

Al shuffled past Ed in the entrance, and Ed just stuck his tongue out before slamming the door shut on Envy. Al settled on the floor with Marina in his lap as Ed undressed and hopped in the shower, grateful that he had an opportunity to freshen up after returning from that bloody hell. Ed was glad to be back at all— glad that his theory wasn't unfounded; human transmutation was possible. He glanced over his shoulder at the top of Marina's head. Ed wondered briefly if Elias had brought her here using a variant of human transmutation. He needed more information. As far as he could tell, through the circle he had made, he was able to connect to this world. Were different circles required to move in between worlds? And if so, what did Marina's worlds look like? And if they managed to pull it off, how would they know it worked? He thought briefly to the circle that appeared on her stomach—he had never seen anything like it. Where had it come from, and where did it go? And why was Father so interested in it?

"So, they've been there this whole time," Al said, drawing Ed from his musings. "I never would have guessed they were beneath the Command Center."

"Yeah, I figured something was up with this place since Mustang and Marina rescued Hughes, but I'm starting to think it's not just the Fuhrer. The whole military might be involved," Ed sighed as he turned the faucet. "But hey, there is some good news in all of this. I saw your body, Al. Your body is at the gate."

"You saw it?" Al exclaimed as Ed snatched the towel from the hook and began to wipe his hair. "My body's still in there?"

"It is. I tried to reach out for it, but it said it couldn't go with me because I wasn't its soul," Ed explained, a smile crossing his face. It had been years since he's seen his brother look like; well, his brother. Even sickly thin and awfully pale, that was his brother. He was in there. And Ed was going to get him out.

"My body… it still exists… yes, yes!" Al exclaimed, wiggling around happily.

"Yes!" Ed said, wrapping his towel at his shoulders, stepping from the shower. "And now that we know it's there, we're one step closer to getting it back."

"Brother! Cover up!" Al said, shifting around. Ed quirked a brow, confused.

"What's the big deal, Al?" he asked, momentarily forgetting his company.

"Marina!" Al hissed, and Ed looked down, suddenly remembering the unconscious girl settled in Al's lap. The sound must have spooked her because her body jolted, and she sat up suddenly— her eyes flying open as she breathed heavily. She blinked a few times before looking up at Al.

"Al? What…" she turned to see Ed, and he froze. Her eyes met his before taking in the rest of him. The very exposed rest of him. Her face resembled a tomato as steam puffed from her ears, realizing what she was looking at. Marina shrieked and turned into Al, covering her eyes. "What the hell!" Ed let out an embarrassed, disgruntled sound as he shuffled clumsily to cover himself, made harder by the blood rushing to his head.

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Envy yelled into the room, swinging the door open. He, too, got an eyeful, and if Ed weren't so embarrassed, he'd have killed Envy on the spot. They both yelled, and Envy quickly slammed the door shut, opting instead to talk through it. "Get a move on!"

"I tried to warn you," Al sighed.

"Shut up!" Ed yelled back, managing to get a towel around his waist and diving into the shower stall with his clothes.

A scarlet glow filled my chest. It was blinding, taking over my senses until there was nothing but red. The color entered my throat, and I choked it down until it reached the depths of my soul. I burned red from the inside out, and it expelled itself from my body in laser rays. It was hot, too hot. I was becoming something like the sun, a ball of hellfire that engulfed me until I was one with it, and I ceased to exist.

I jolted awake, panting heavily as I took in the room I was in. It was set up like a locker room, and I furrowed my brow, realizing I was sat on something quite uncomfortable, stabbing at my back. I looked up to see Al, whose lap I was in, explaining the crick in my neck.

"Al? What…" I trailed off, confused. The last thing I remembered was that weird dream again, and before that— Father did something to me. I turned to see Ed standing above us, and he froze. He was dripping wet, with a towel draped around his shoulders. His hair and body glistened with the droplets of water, and my heart was thumping in my ears as my eyes drifted, seeing something I was not supposed to see. I gawked at the sight a moment, the heat rising to my face fervently before I shrieked and turned into Al, covering my eyes. "What the hell!"

I didn't open my eyes again until Ed was fully dressed.

"Alright, I'm done," Ed said, and I peeked up at him. There was still a slight blush lingering over his cheeks, similar to mine. I removed my hands completely and tried to think of something to say. Should I congratulate him? I wondered briefly, but I quickly shoved the bad thought away, clearing my throat. I was practically choking on the awkwardness. "You, uh— you can shower if you want." I looked between them, then back at Ed.

"Sure, but uh…" I trailed off. He blinked.

"We'll go in the other room," he said quickly, motioning to the opening around a corner.

I nodded, and Al and I stood. I watched as they disappeared around the corner, and I gathered what I needed. I turned the faucet, glad that the water was nice and hot. I wanted to scrub away the last two days, both figuratively and literally. I managed to get the blood and grime off after a thorough washing, but I looked down to my stomach, wondering just what the hell had happened. My hand traced over the perfectly intact skin, even looping around to where the wound had once protruded to my back. There was nothing. There wasn't even a scar. No reminder of what had happened there. And there was nothing left of the branding sensation I had felt either. Not even a slightly raised surface. I wondered if I had imagined the whole ordeal and maybe just passed out from blood loss or something. But the absence of my wound made whatever Father did to me real. Tangible. I shivered as I realized the water had run cold. I turned the faucet, toweling off in the stall to avoid any possible mishaps, and changed in there too. Envy had managed to scrounge up a pair of tan trousers that were too long but at the very least stayed up at the waist, along with a plain black shirt that I tucked into the pants. I came out of the stall and heard Ed yelling at Al about something. I poked my head around the corner.

"Are you serious?" he exclaimed. "She's inside your armor?"

"Brother!" Al chided, petting the panda at his shoulder. "Stop yelling! You're gonna disturb her!" I blinked a few times as I entered the room fully, and they both turned to me.

"What's inside where now?"

Wow! Forty chapters in. It's so strange to think back to what I had in my head eight years ago and see it become this. That story had thirteen chapters before I gave it up and now look at me. I've been a little anxious lately about the story and how it's going, but I was kindly reminded that I started this for me, for fun, and I should still find the joy in writing it. I'm glad I didn't give up on it, even when there were times that I wanted to. Anyway, I enjoyed writing this chapter quite a bit. I especially loved writing Marina and Ed's reunion. What better way to get through a hard head than with another hard head? I am always trying to be mindful of the character's interactions and their physicality because I in no way want to romanticize or glorify abuse of any kind, especially physical, so I hope that came across in the way it was intended. Are you ever 15 and have an identity crisis? Marina can relate. And what's all this about a key and transmutation circles? Well, just wait and see. I hope you all have a great week, and I'll see you next time.