Truth revealed

by Lucifer swift

This story original belong to fallen crest Summary:- Some of the cast of FMAB were brought to a room to show the whole secret of the anestrus, the war of Ishwal And many more. But in exchange of the knowledge, they have to feel the suffer and pain of all the event, their past and future, to unravel the mystery which never has been revealed to the world.

18. Chapter 18(The Arrogant Palm of a Small)

Thanks for reviewing!

Truth Revealed

Bold- What happens in the episodes

"Episode Title"

Narrative

Regular talking/actions

(A/N: Please read the author note at the end of the story after finishing the chapter, Its a very important announcement)

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Episode 18: The Arrogant Palm of a Small Human

"Colonel!" Mustang looked up at Ed.

"What is it? I thought you were in the cafeteria helping Hughes and the others."

"Yeah, yeah." Ed grumbled. The group decided to work in silence in the cafeteria to get their ideas about the stone down before telling the rest what was going on. "But I have to fulfil my end of the bet." He held up a little book before tossing it onto Mustang's lap.

"There, it's fulfilled!" With that, Ed spun around and stalked into the cafeteria. Ed spotted Al, Hughes, and Dr. Marcoh at one of the tables so he walked over to them, smiling a bit at them.

"So, what are we looking at?" He asked as he sat down next to Hughes, looking at the map in the middle of the table. "Where'd you get the map?"

"Lots of digging around." Hughes replied, tapping his pen on the map for a second before sending a serious look at the boy and holding the pen out.

"Circle the places I say." Confused about why he had to do it; Ed took the pen.

"Okay. Go."

"First, Riviere." Hughes said. "July 1558." Ed circled the name.

"Then the civil war in Cameron. October 1661." Hughes said. Ed circled it.

"Soapman incident, February 1799. That took place in Fisk…. March 1811, The Wellsley Conflict…The First Southern Border Conflict took place in October 1835, northwest of where South City is today…The Second Southern Border Conflict happened in May 1911, just south of Fortsett…. Ishval, 1901…Pendleton, border wars with Creta…. Liore, 1914." With each name, Ed circled it, frown deepening with each one. They had discussed this possibility earlier, but to actually see all the bloodshed that had taken place, it didn't just seem like a simple possibility anymore. He drew his pen over the circles to connect the dots to make the transmutation circle for Philosopher's Stones.

"The only place without bloodshed is the north." He commented. "Which means that will be the next target." Dr. Marcoh said gravely. "But we still cannot be sure about this. We haven't even seen a circle going around the country." Al pointed out.

"And even if they started making a circle now, it would still take a long time. The country is big."

"This is verified then." Hughes said, sighing. He ran a hand through his hair. "We may not know how the circle is going to be made, but it will be. This has got to be what they are after, or at least a part of it."

"Only a part of it?" Ed echoed, frowning. "Well, immortality does seem a bit outdated for them." He rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Hughes asked confused. Ed seemed to be sarcastic when he said that, but there seemed to be more to it than that. Ed shrugged. "Well, the guy they all call Father. He has to be human to perform alchemy and make those Homunculi. And we know they've been around for at least 200 hundred years, according to Greed at least since that was his age. And he might not even be the oldest Homunculi. This Father guy, they are the one they obey, so he has had to be around for a very long time, using his stone to not age and stay alive. He probably needs another stone after so long to keep himself alive, but doesn't making the whole country into a transmutation circle seem a bit extreme for that?"

Dr. Marcoh looked at the transmutation circle that Ed drew on the map. "It does seem a bit much to make a stone like that. Since he is immortal, he can just subtly take humans and make them into stones for him. He doesn't need to take the whole country at once. Even the incomplete stones that I made the Homunculi were satisfied with. They took quite a few of them from me. I had no idea what they wanted them for and I was tired of taking all those innocent lives just for the stones so I took all the material and incomplete stones that weren't confiscated yet and ran."

"And it would be suspicious if everyone in the country suddenly died." Al added. "Wouldn't people in the other countries be suspicious? I mean, even if they don't like us, they could be scared that whatever wiped out Amestris could come to them next." Ed's eyes narrowed on the map, going to the desert that was in the east. He tapped the name. "That is not necessarily true. Xerxes, Al. It was wiped out overnight and yet, we don't know why or h–…. Well, shit."

"There is no way that a place could be wiped out in a single night." Hughes said, eyes widening. "Unless…. this father guy had to come from somewhere and he would need a big stone to survive this long."

"So, what you are saying is that the population of Xerxes was turned into a stone?" Dr. Marcoh asked thoughtfully. "It's a possibility, but we really have no proof of that." Ed shrugged. "It was just a thought, but let's stop with assumptions until we have more information." "I don't think we'll ever know the truth about Xerxes." Dr. Marcoh pointed out.

"That incident happened centuries ago. We probably won't discover anything about it at this point." Al nodded. "And we do know that the Homunculi are causing some of the bloodshed." He said, getting back on track. "They caused it in Liore, and possibly Ishval. They could have been behind other incidents that happened." "Wouldn't surprise me if they really are trying to make this transmutation circle." Edward said, tapping the pen on the map.

*Main Room*

Mustang glared darkly at the words written in the little book. Alphonse had been correct. The first sentence was impossibly hard to decipher. He had no idea of what it could possibly mean. It was like that brat was mocking him with this book. He didn't even have to be in the room! It was no surprise Al wanted to hit him in his sleep. "Yo, Colonel! We came up with a few theo–OW!" Ed snatched his travelogue that just hit him in the head out of the air.

"What did you do that for, you baby? Upset that you can't get it?"

"When we get out of here, you and that book are being set on fire." Mustang hissed.

"That's too extreme just because you can't get passed the first page!" Ed protested, dropping his book onto the coffee table. "That's it! I'm not telling you any of our theories!" Al sighed.

"Brother…Fine, I'll tell them what we thought of." And so, Al proceeded to explain that they believed that there was more to the Homunculi's plan then just making a Philosopher's Stone but they had no idea of what it could be, but all of the bloodshed that happened in the country had to do with making a possible array. There was not a single incident of bloodshed where it wouldn't be used for the array. The country was practically designed for it! And then he told them of their theory of Xerxes…

"You think that Xerxes's Wipeout had to do with the stone?" Ling asked seriously. Ed shrugged. "Do you know anything else that could Wipeout an entire place so easily and in a single night? It's only a guess though. There is really no way to prove it since it happened centuries ago." "While those theories are interesting, we still need more information and this break has been long enough." General Armstrong pointed out. Mustang nodded.

"Agreed. We should move on."

The opening song began once more.

"Aww, where is that special beginning about alchemy and human transmutation?" Havoc whined.

Ed twitched. "It's gone, Havoc! Stop asking about it. It is never coming back!" "Well, that just saddens me." Havoc said, crossing his arms.

"Resembool! This stop, Resembool station!"

Armstrong walked out of the station with Edward following after him.

"At least he really did take me to Resembool and not some strange place." Edward said dryly.

"I would not lie about where we were going." Armstrong protested. Ed shrugged. "Maybe you wouldn't, but others would…" Havoc snickered.

"Wow, Chief, you're not going to let that go?" The State Alchemist teen shot him a glare. "Never. You took me to a freakin battle zone." Havoc waved him off.

"It was a mock battle zone and we were only passing through." "They almost took my head off!" Ed protested. "Unfortunate accident." Havoc replied.

Armstrong paused for a moment, looking at something while Ed gave him a glare. When Armstrong started walking again, Ed ran after him. "Will you ever tell me what's going on? This is starting to feel a little too much like a kidnapping."

"I thought you already declared it one." Ling pointed out.

"Maybe I did, but I had to point it out to the Major just what it felt like." Ed retorted.

"Why?" Lan Fan asked confused. "Because I was…no..am…argh, damn it. Future me is annoyed, that's why!" Ed declared.

"I haven't been fully informed on the details." Armstrong replied.

"My only orders were to retrieve you and to rendezvous here."

"Rendezvous? With who?" Ed asked. The scene changed to show Breda sitting on a wall with a bag by his foot.

"With me apparently." Breda said, grinning. "I'm your guide."

"Except I know my way around Resembool, much better then you that's for sure." Ed pointed out.

"But you don't know where to go to get the information." Ling pointed out. Ed rolled his eyes. "No one does at this point!"

Upon seeing the two, Breda stood up and saluted. "I'm glad you made it alright, Major Armstrong, sir." When he saw Ed, Breda smirked and changed his salute to a wave. "Hey, what's up, big guy?"

Ed twitched and stared at Breda with wide eyes. "Lieutenant Breda?!"

Breda laughed. "You look so confused, Chief."

"When do you guys ever go to Resembool?" Ed protested. "And at such a random time! Then again, considering that I have been kidnapped yet again, I shouldn't be surprised. I usually run into more of you guys after you guys kidnap me."

"Do they really kidnap you?" Miles asked amused. "I wouldn't joke about that." Ed said dryly.

"I don't see why you are complaining." Havoc said, grinning madly. "Usually when we kidnap you, it's for a fun adventure." "That the Colonel somehow set up." Ed retorted. "And that scares me." "What an ungrateful brat." Mustang muttered.

"The Arrogant Palm of a Small Human"

The outside of the military dorms was shown. "This is weird…" Al said before the ceiling fan of the room was shown. Al and Winry were shown to be sitting in the room from a ceiling angle. "Brother should have arrived in Resembool by now, so why hasn't he called?"

"Because he's been kidnapped." Luke said, grinning. "Kidnapped kids don't get a free phone call." Mustang smirked and shook his head.

"Sorry, Al. This time, Ed can't call you. It's a sensitive matter and we can't have them tracked."

"Tell, that to my worrying future self! He's the one who needs information!" Al retorted. "If it was that simple, he would have told me in Central." Ed muttered.

"Not to mention that he's got me here to do his repairs." Winry added

"She makes it sound like I left of my own free will." Ed grumbled.

Al appeared on the screen. "And the stuff with Lieutenant Ross. I have no idea of what is going on."

"Good thing I can explain it all." Ling's voice said.

"Are you kidding me?" Ed said way too calmly.

"Ling is going to explain everything that happened to Al in Central…. And yet, you felt the need to KIDNAP ME?! Justify that, Bastard!" Mustang raised a brow, but smirked once more.

"Okay, I will. You and I are both soldiers. We could not get together alone for me to explain it because people would find that suspicious and always keep an eye on us. Ling and Al are not soldiers, so no one could possibly guess that Ling actually knows what is going on. He's just an illegal alien who escaped from prison. And if we are correct about sending Ross to the east, it means you are going to see her hopefully. It will be all the proof you need that everything you guys are told is the truth and you can tell Al when you return. But of course, this is all assuming that we are correct in our guesses." There was a silence for a moment, in which Ed's eye twitched violently.

"…. I hate you." Hughes laughed. "You only say that because he beat you this time." "You. Do not talk to me, Hughes. I haven't forgotten that you asked Colonel to come to your house after this to fry me when I destroy your pictures." Ed growled. Hughes innocently held up his hands, but his evil grin gave him away.

The bed Winry was sitting on was shown with Ling sitting next to her suddenly. There was a pause before Winry turned her head to look at him. After another pause, the outside of the military dorms was shown before Al and Winry both screamed.

"Don't just appear in our room like that!" Al shouted.

"How did you even get in there?" Brody asked.

"That room isn't on the first floor nor the top floor."

Ling grinned. "Secret."

Ed twitched. "You better not do anything stupid while in my room."

"Uh, when'd you get here?" Winry asked.

"And how did you even get in?" Al demanded.

Ling pointed to the open window behind him. "The window." Winry turned to look at it.

"That's not an answer considering the floor we're on!" Ed protested.

"It's the only one you are getting." Ling said, still grinning madly.

Ed turned to Fu and Lan Fan. "And?"

"It's the only answer you're getting." Lan Fan stated loyally for her master. Ed hung his head. "Now I want to know even more."

"I mean, it seemed appropriate for a criminal." Ling said, grinning.

"And here you were trying to convince me you weren't a criminal." Ed said dryly.

"I still believe I am a good person who does not deserve that term." Ling replied. Ed twitched.

"You can't just claim you are a good person by your own word!" "Is that so?" Ling asked. He turned to Lan Fan. "What do you think?" "I believe Master Ling is a very great person who deserves to be Emperor." Lan Fan replied, smiling. Ling turned back to Ed. "There."

Ed pulled at his hair. "It doesn't work like that!"

'Illegal alien as well as lockup escapee' appeared on the screen.

Winry and Al sweat-dropped while Ling went on smiling as if there was nothing wrong. "First, there's no need for you to worry about Ed's wellbeing." Winry looked at him.

"I'm sure he's just fine." Ling said.

A miserable Ed wearing a tan cloak appeared on the screen.

"Just fine my ass!" Ed shouted.

"You look like you're baking." Sig commented. Ed's head dropped.

"Not…."

"Oooh, fried shrimp." Mustang said, grinning.

"Sounds pretty good right now. We should have that for dinner." "Shrimp does sound good. It's been so long since I've been able to have seafood." Kei added innocently.

"…. Helping…" Ed finished, collapsing on the ground like he was half-dead.

"…Hot…" Ed said as a gentle tune entered the scene as the desert was shown. Armstrong was shown to be riding a horse with Ed on another horse behind him. "The Colonel never said we'd be crossing the border."

"Border? Are we smuggling people now?" Ed asked.

"Probably. We can't have a paper trail." Armstrong pointed out.

"But I really hate the desert. It's worst then the south." Ed moaned.

"Tight-lipped bastard." Ed grumbled.

Breda was shown to be on a horse following another man. "Mr. Han, how much further do we have left?"

"We've almost made it." Han pointed at something ahead of them. "Look, you can see the ruins ahead."

"Desert ruins?" Ed asked blankly. Of that huge desert, there was only one place in it, even if it was destroyed.

"…. Oh, you've got to be kidding me? Xerxes? I'm going to Xerxes?"

Dr. Marcoh chuckled. "And we just finished making theories about Xerxes. Maybe you'll see something of interest there."

"It is an interesting place to visit. I'm not an alchemist, so I really didn't see anything, so maybe you'll find something, Ed." Ling added.

A destroyed city was shown to be ahead of them. Different destroyed parts of the city were zoomed in upon. Ed was shown sitting in a fountain with steam rolling off of him.

"Are you okay?" Riza asked worriedly.

"Automail and heat do not go well together." Ed moaned, rubbing his aching shoulder. It really felt scorched now that he thought about it. "How cruel to send a kid with automail through the desert." He shot a glare at Mustang, who just whistled as if he was entirely innocently.

"Phew," He sighed in relief. "My automail almost sheered through my skin."

Fu, Breda, and Armstrong watched him. "Who's idea was it to bring the kid?" Fu asked.

"Fu's there as well!" Ling said cheerfully. "I guess that we are all helping you."

"Don't they just follow your orders?" Al asked. "What does it matter? They are still helping." Ling pointed out.

"It was a direct order." Breda replied.

Ed was shown squeezing the water out of his shirt. He shook it out with a smile. "So, this is Xerxes, huh? Looks just like the fable described it."

"Did you say a fable?" Fu asked. Ed looked at him.

"Yeah, the Eastern Sage. It's a story about the origin of alchemy in Amestris." A picture of a man wearing a white cloak with his hands spread out appeared behind Ed as mysterious music appeared in the scene. "It claims the entire kingdom of Xerxes was destroyed in a single night and that the only survivor wandered into Amestris shortly afterwards. He was the one who went on to spread the science of alchemy."

Fu appeared on the screen with a black and white picture appearing behind him that was designed the same as Ed's but with differences in the face and background. "How interesting. We have a similar legend in Xing about a drifter from the west. It's said that his teachings combined with our ancient techniques to form the Alkahestry we practice today."

"That certainly is a strange coincidence." Mustang said, frowning.

"Both have been said to originate from Xerxes." May added confused.

"But there was only one survivor. The survivor couldn't have gone both east and west."

"Figuring out the truths of these fables is not important." Izumi said, crossing her arms. "Unless these fables will help with saving the country." "It's not like we will be able to understand what is going on, no matter how much we discuss it. There isn't enough information just from fables or the end of Xerxes." Hughes added, sighing. He really did want to know though. It sounded so interesting.

"Alkahestry is primarily used for medical needs, isn't it?" Ed asked.

"Yes. He guided this process, and we greatly revere him." Fu said. Ed reappeared on the screen, watching him.

"We know him as The Western Sage." Parts of the ruins was shown. The group was shown to be walking through the ruins.

"So, the west is supposed to refer to here?" Breda asked. "I believe so, yes." Fu replied.

Ed looked at some things out of the corner of his eyes as he thought about something. Ling appeared on the screen saying, "I wanted to visit the ruins of Xerxes. That route goes by them." Ed reappeared on the screen. 'Sure, you did, Ling.'

"What? You don't believe me?" Ling whined.

"I barely know you. Why would I trust or believe you?" Ed argued.

"Because I'm your friend." Ling said. "There you go again, throwing that term around like it's candy." Ed muttered.

'Now I know why.'

The group was seen to be walking through a new area of the ruins with the sun shining down on them. "But if Xerxes was such a highly advanced society, how were they wiped out in a single night?" Breda asked.

"Now that I think about it. You said it was said that the survivor of Xerxes taught Amestris alchemy?" Breda asked.

"Yeah, why?" Ed asked. "It's from what you said earlier." Hughes suddenly exclaimed.

"You were thinking that Xerxes was wiped out to make a stone. And now we see that alchemy might have begun in Xerxes…."

"So, it would make sense if the stone was created there." Mustang finished. "Back to assumptions I see." Ed said. "It was your theory." Miles pointed out. Ed shrugged.

"Yeah, but I also said that we should stop making guesses and just focus on getting facts for now. Those stories about the Eastern and West Sage are just fables. We don't know how much truth they actually hold." "Your other guesses and theories have been going well since we got here." Buccaneer pointed out.

"One of them will be wrong yet." Ed retorted. "I'm not saying my theory could be wrong, but even if it is true, what does it matter? We can't change what happened to Xerxes. The truth of Xerxes will not help us save the country. It would be interesting to know the truth; that is pretty much it." "I think you just want to argue about this, even if it is against your theory which we are saying might hold some truth." Mustang said dryly. "Arguing for the sake of arguing. Maybe I like that." Ed said defensively.

Ed was shown looking at something as Fu said, "It could very well just be a legend."

Ed came to a halt when he saw a destroyed wall. On it was something that looked like part of an array, but it wasn't complete because of the wall being destroyed.

Ed's eyes narrowed on that wall.

That array looked just like…. Damn, maybe his theory was really true after all. Of course, it did make sense if it was true. Alchemy was said to be born in Xerxes. But who would be crazy enough to actually make a stone there?

"Going to share?" Izumi asked. "It looks like the array for making a Philosopher's Stone." Ed explained. "That's all."

"So, who's theory–" Mustang started. "Oh, shut up." Ed snapped.

"What are you gawking at? Come on!" Fu yelled back at him. Ed looked forward once more before looking back at the wall once more before he ran to catch up with them.

The array was shown again before the city of Xerxes was shown from a bit away. It started at the top level of the city and the screen moved down slowly before Ed's group was shown to be walking through them once again.

"Going in pretty deep now, aren't we?" Ed asked.

"Edward!" Ed and Armstrong paused and looked up to see the silhouette of a woman.

"Back east, where I was. It's a nice place." Mustang's voice said as Ed's expression morphed into a happy expression before Armstrong was shown. "None of the big city noise and lots of beautiful women." The silhouette was shown to be Maria Ross.

"Yes! I'm alive!" Ross cheered.

"We already knew that." Denny pointed out.

"But now it's been confirmed that I am truly alive." Ross explained.

"I can see the point of going to Xerxes then." Ed said.

"No one would expect us to be meeting a fugitive in Xerxes. No one would even spy on us out there since there is nothing around."

"But what am I going to do?" Ross asked confused.

"As you said, I'm a fugitive. I can't really go anywhere without being caught, even if it says in the report that I am dead." Ed snorted.

"Can you imagine the trouble Colonel and Dr. Knox would get into if it was discovered you are actually alive?" Mustang grimaced at that thought.

"I believe that is why Fu is helping us." "I see." Fu said.

"You do not need my assistance getting to Xerxes, but getting into Xing would be another matter entirely." Mustang nodded. "Yes. As a fugitive, the best place to go is another country. I guess it is lucky that Ed met Ling and brought him to Central."

Ed sighed. "I'll admit that point, Colonel."

"Aww, so are we friends?" Ling asked.

"No."

"But I help save your friend. Doesn't that instantly get me into your friend zone?" Ling asked.

Ed shrugged.

Ling pouted.

"That damn Colonel." Ed said, smiling.

Armstrong had his shirt ripped off and tears pouring down his face. "Lieutenant Ross!" He cheered before chasing Ross around, trying to hug her. "Thanks, the heavens!"

"No hugs, Major!" Ross cried.

Izumi chuckled softly. It was a strange, but happy reunion. There were like little kids being reunited after a long time of not getting to see each other. It was quite sweet and she was glad that everything had ended well, for this part at least. But how was everything else going to go was the question.

"There really wasn't any place in Amestris that we could safely hide a dead girl, especially one that's still alive, you know." Breda said.

"So, the Colonel knew that Lieutenant Ross was innocent all along?" Ed asked.

Breda smirked before the scene faded away to show a newspaper being tossed onto a desk. The scene started in faded colours before it turned to normal as Breda said, "This seems a little too showy, sir."

"I should have guessed it was you who first realized something was wrong." Ed said, grinning.

"You really are a genius analyser."

"We're all on Colonel's team for a reason." Breda replied, smirking.

"Is that what you think?" Mustang asked.

"Yeah. They make a point of arresting in public and now they announce her guilt to the newspaper before she's even had a trial. Something's not right." Breda said.

"There were in too much of a hurry to get the bait out to Mustang." General Armstrong said.

"Hurrying causes mistakes."

"Or they are just idiots who don't know how to make a decent plan by themselves." Ed said, frowning. "For Envy at least. He only cares about causing pain to humans with his sadistic ideas. He just wants to see the pain and humans destroying each other so he hurried this."

Mustang frowned as his phone rang. He picked it up and put it to his ear. "I'm here."

"Warrant Officer Falman's calling on a public line for you." A female voice said. "I'll take it." Mustang said.

There was a click before Falman's voice said, "Colonel, we need to speak to you about General Hughes's murder."

"Hey! Falman, give me the phone for a second." Barry's voice said. Mustang opened his eyes. 'Barry?'

"Yo, Mustang! You've seen today's paper?" Barry asked. "Cause there's an interesting article–" Mustang suddenly sprung to his feet with a creepy look on his face.

"Hey bunny! You know better than to call me at work."

The Park was shown. "Let me call you right back! Just hang on, okay?" He hung up the phone.

Ed and Ling shared a look and snickered. "Colonel, that was such a strange and scary look you had."

The former said. "Hey, Fullmetal, no one asked you." Mustang retorted. "And while we're at it, you all need to stop calling the office with sensitive information!" Al raised a hand like a little kid in a classroom.

"What if we came into the office to discuss it?"

"Don't." Mustang said, sighing. "It may have not happened at this point, but sooner or later Bradley or someone is going to trust me less and bug my office. They already tap the phones. Having my office bug will just make everything a whole lot harder so sensitive information that has to do with the state of the country are discussed outside and away from military offices and soldiers."

It was evening now and Breda was shown standing outside of a phone booth as Mustang's voice said, "Really? You sure about this?" Mustang was shown inside of the phone booth, arm leaning on the phone box as Barry said, "Oh, yeah. The Lieutenant fired a bullet alright, but it was at me, not Hughes."

A bubble of Barry appeared on the screen, pointing at a hole in his hand. "I still got a hole in my right hand from where it passed right through."

"Well, that changes things." Mustang said.

"What do you mean it changes things?" Ross asked frantically.

"Sounds like he already had a plan to kill you before his team and Barry informed him it was false." Izumi told her. Ross had tears of relief in her eyes.

"I may not like Barry, but I thank him so much right now."

"You sure are hasty." Ed informed Mustang. "We already proved that Envy's hurrying to get you a scapegoat caused him many failures. Maybe you should learn from that so your team doesn't have to inform you of the things out of place." Mustang's brow twitched.

"I don't want to hear that from the Prince of Recklessness." Ed growled.

Active, dramatic music suddenly began as Mustang turned to the side, smirking. "Barry, I've got a proposition you might like."

Barry was shown to be on the phone with Falman behind him. "Oooh." The murderer laughed.

"Gotcha. I promise not to kill anyone." He said as he turned to look at Falman. "How about the second street in the warehouse district?" Falman stared at him.

Mustang was shown to be scribbling something in a little book. When he was done, he ripped the page out and left the phone booth, going over to Breda.

"I need you to gather everything on this list, on the double, okay?" He handed the paper to Breda. "Sixty pounds of pork, carbon, some ammonia…" Breda looked up from the list.

"What is this?"

"The ingredients for a well-cooked corpse." Mustang replied.

"I see. You made a fake body and burned it to be Ross." Ed said, smirking. "And all those ingredients were to get the smell of a burnt corpse correct."

"You would be right." Mustang replied, having already figured it out earlier. "The fact that you knew just what ingredients to get to get the corpse to smell right is a bit disturbing. Did you make fake burnt corpses before?"

May asked, wrinkling her nose at the thought. "No. Since I am an alchemist, I know my elements. Since I specialize in Flame Alchemy and have burnt a lot of flesh in my life, I can tell the smells. They are something I will never forget." Mustang replied.

Breda gulped. "Human Transmutation?"

"Of course not." Mustang replied before he started to walk away with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"I'm just going to whip up something that looks like a human corpse."

"But, wait, what about when they do the autopsy?" Breda asked as he followed his boss.

"Trust me, it will be too charred for them to ID it." Mustang replied.

"That won't stop them from checking the dental records." Breda pointed out.

"I've got it under control." Mustang replied.

"Can you just not tell someone your full plan ahead of time?" Ed groaned. "You trust your team so much, but you can't tell them everything?"

"There's no fun if they know everything beforehand." Mustang replied.

"What a cruel person you are." Al said, though he was chuckling a bit. He really did like to see how the Colonel and his team worked like this. He didn't get to see it often. He saw it maybe once or twice because of his brother working with them on operations, but usually he didn't see it because his brother and the team needed to work inconspicuously.

"Think you can pull it off? Breda asked.

Mustang stopped. "I'm not claiming to be an expert on human anatomy," He paused for a moment before turning around, though he looked like a silhouette because of the sun.

"But I've got plenty of experience burning corpses." Breda stared at him, blinking. "Let's go."

Maria was shown running down the alley before stopping with Mustang in front of her. "You're Maria Ross, correct?" He asked. He opened a dumpster near them and pulled out a fake body. Mustang threw the body to the ground in front of her.

She blinked at it as Mustang said, "It's a dummy. From this point on, you're dead." The Colonel raised his hand and snapped his fingers. A burst of flames spread around the scene, blinding Ross and filling the sky. When the smoke cleared, Ross was on her knees, covering her face with a burnt corpse in front of her.

Maria looked at it in surprise as Mustang approached her, "Snap out of it."

"Sounds like a pun." Ed snickered. "Really, Colonel?"

Mustang rolled his eyes. "You're going to make a stupid comment now?"

Ed blinked. "Stupid comment? Damn it! Hughes is really rubbing off on me."

"Brother, you've been making a lot of stupid comments since we got here." Al pointed out.

"It wasn't just Hughes's influence." Ed snorted.

"No, Al. Hughes has been making more of them then me. He's the one he kept going on with those annoying sexual jokes."

"Sexual jokes?" Hughes piped in.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot about those. I got so distracted that I stopped doing them."

"And you're not going to start again!" Ed and Riza shouted at him, much to everyone's surprise.

"Sexual jokes?" Lan Fan asked confused.

"Do not start." Al said, sighing.

"It was before you got here, and I think they scarred Brother pretty badly." Lan Fan stared from Al to Ed. Sexual jokes scarred him? He didn't seem to be one that was scarred easily. What was said?

Mustang grabbed her arm and pulled it up to clip her prison bracelet off. When it was off, he pulled her over to the dumpster and threw her roughly into it.

"Sheesh, you could be a bit gentler." Ross moaned, rubbing her head.

"There is no time for gentle. We don't know when someone is going to show up." Mustang growled.

Ed rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, Ross. He's rough with everyone in an operation when there is little time and it is dangerous."

"Really? Perhaps he just likes it rough." Hughes suggested.

Ed fell over in shock while Mustang glared daggers at Hughes.

"HUGHES!" Ed and Mustang screamed.

"I want my gun." Riza growled dangerously, glaring at Hughes who dared to start those horrid jokes again.

Ed glanced at her, really rooting for her here. Hughes shall pay for all those sexual jokes! "You know, Lieutenant Riza, anything can be used as a weapon, like when I threw Al's helmet at Havoc. Or, you could use one of the knives from the kitchen."

"NO!" Mustang, Havoc, Hughes, Luke, and a few other soldiers shouted. It was surprising Mustang yelled, but then again, he was probably afraid Riza would turn her knife on him if he did something stupid.

"Don't give the women any ideas!" Brody groaned, getting ready to cover his head.

General Armstrong smirked. A knife, huh? Well, if she couldn't use her sword here….

"But Hughes must pay." Ed moaned.

Hughes twitched. And here he thought Ed cared for him so much.

Mustang slammed the dumpster shut. Ross was shown, grimacing as she laid in the dumpster.

"Shhh." Maria opened her eyes to see Havoc kneeling by a hole in the wall of the dumpster and a building. The prison bracelet was shown before fire spread along it, burning it. Mustang was shown by the corpse when Ed reached them.

"Wow. That was a really close one." Ross said. "A few seconds sooner…"

"And it would have just gotten more difficult." Mustang muttered.

Mustang looked over at the heavily breathing Edward. He stood up and turned to the boy. "Hey there, Fullmetal."

Havoc was putting a board over the hole in the wall when he heard Ed yell, "What happened here, Colonel? Tell me!" Havoc looked up.

"What? Is that Chief Fullmetal?" He stood up with Ross standing by him. "Oh man, we didn't plan on this one." He scratched his head.

"We never do with Chief because we never know what he is going to pull." Fuery pointed out.

"Yeah, Chief either shows up at a random bad time or he doesn't. We never know with him." Havoc said, sighing. "As I said earlier, I have to keep you guys on your toes." Ed replied, smirking.

"Edward's here?" Maria asked.

"Yeah," Havoc said as he walked down the hall of the building.

"But I'm sure the Colonel will come up with something." Maria followed him with her eyes before looking back at the wall with a distressed look.

"Come on." Havoc ordered. "Right." Maria said and the two ran down the hall.

"And that is how adults work." Havoc said, grinning.

Ed looked at his friend with narrowed eyes. "Is that supposed to mean something?"

"Perhaps." Havoc said innocently.

"It means, watch how adults work, Fullmetal. Maybe you'll learn something from this." Mustang explained, smirking.

Ed twitched. "The way I work is fine."

"And yet, you get into so much trouble." Mustang replied.

"…Not all the time…" Ed muttered.

The ruins of Xerxes appeared on the screen. The group was shown to be sitting in a circle in the shade of the ruins. "After Madam Ross was prematurely freed, the Young Lord made a deal with Barry the Chopper."

"You don't make deals with serial killers!" Ed cried out. "What is wrong with all of you? First, Al listens to the nutcase. Then Mustang makes deals with him! And now you."

"We do what we must to get what we need." Ling replied. Ed groaned. There was something wrong with all of them.

"The orders I've been given is to personally escort this woman to the east to take refuge." Fu explained.

"So, we all agreed to rendezvous here, in one big effort to aid the Lieutenant's escape." Breda said.

Armstrong crossed his arms. "I see." Ed gave Breda a blank look. "You've got to be joking. I can't believe the Colonel was able to pull one over on us like this."

"He knew it'd be easier to convince you if you actually saw Lieutenant Ross." Breda said.

"So, I was right." Mustang said smugly.

"Just shut up." Ed grumbled. "It's like you think I have no trust in you if you thought I wouldn't believe you without seeing Ross."

"You were too angry to see sense." Mustang retorted. "And it would be a problem if you didn't see sense and stayed angry at me. I need you to trust me. You are a part of my team."

Ed shrugged, but smirked to himself.

Ed raised his hands, showing that only one had a glove on.

"Why are you only wearing one glove?" Ross asked confused. "It's the heat. It will be too hot to wear gloves on my flesh body, but not wearing a glove on my automail will cause it to get hotter and keep the heat out better. If I accidently touch a flesh part of my body with my automail hand, the glove should keep me from burning myself too badly." Edward explained. "It's why I hate the desert so much!"

"Aww, but then you'll never be able to visit us in Xing." Ling moaned. "Why would I even want to come to Xing?" Ed asked. "To visit your friends!" May said, grinning.

Ed twitched. Since when was he friends with any of them?

"Fine, I'll admit it, all right. He actually knew what he was doing this time." Ed said, smiling.

Breda leaned forward a bit. "He mentioned something else…" The Lieutenant smirked.

"he said he didn't want to take a chance on some hot-tempered kid endangering the operation. So, he sent you out here."

"Unfair! I've helped in your operations before!"

Ed protested loudly. "Yeah, but you had no idea of what was going on this time and you were angry at me." Mustang retorted.

"I can't have someone who hates me at the moment around." He turned to Breda. "And I'm pretty sure I would have said hot-tempered brat, not kid." Breda snickered.

"I don't think I will call the Chief a brat to his face. I'm not you."

"Hot-tempered kid!" Edward yelled angrily.

"You said operation?" Armstrong asked. "Is there a phase beyond liberating Lieutenant Ross?"

"Indeed. He's got a plan to reel in the puppeteer." Breda said.

"Fishing!" May exclaimed. "Is that what you meant about going fishing?"

"Smart girl." Mustang said, laughing. "Yes, I'm going fishing for my enemies. They can't hide in the shadows forever. It's time they revealed themselves."

"The one that's behind the conspiracy." Breda finished.

"No one calls me a…" Ed cut off his angry tirade to look at Breda in surprise as dramatic music began. "Wait, what'd you say?"

"You remember Barry from the Fifth Lab, right?" Breda asked, still smirking. "He went on one hell of a rampage. They'll bound to send someone to reclaim him."

The horribly disfigured body of Barry was shown to be standing on a bridge over the street. He growled. The military dorms appeared on the screen once more. "So, Lieutenant Ross is innocent." Lan Fan appeared on the screen, standing on a ledge.

"So, it was the ledge." Ed said, smirking before it disappeared. "But how did you get to the ledge?"

"Secret." Lan Fan replied, making Ed groan.

"Why takes Ed?" Winry asked as she and Ling were seen through the bedroom window. "The Colonel was just trying to keep him out of his hair, wasn't he?"

"Even Winry is against me!" Ed moaned.

"That's what you get for being rash and not willing to listen." Mustang said.

"It's your fault for betraying my trust." Ed grumbled to himself. First, was the lie. Then there was fake killing his friend without Ed knowing it so of course he was going to be pissed! And third, he punched him! He did so much to hurt the trust between them within so little time.

"Heh, you got it." Ling replied as he got a close up. Winry and Al fell into depressed states.

"So, I struck up a deal with Barry to help him out with the jailbreak in exchange for the secret of his immortality." Ling said.

"Of course, that is what you wanted in exchange." Edward said dryly. "You know, getting that body would not be exactly easy for your Emperor. One, because you need a very skilled alchemist who either has a stone or doesn't care to lose something from his body. Two, your emperor is sickly or old? Whatever, it doesn't matter. The point is, it will probably put a huge strain on his soul and body to be forcibly rip apart."

"…. You can be such a downer, you know that?" Ling replied, frowning. "It's called a reality check. Give up on the soul binding." Ed retorted.

"But I still want to know. It is good to have a huge store of information about different things." Ling said.

"But of course…" Ling trailed off and a picture of Barry appeared on the screen.

"The science guys that put me in this body are all dead and it's not like I know how they did it." Barry said.

"What? That's not fair." Ling's voice said. Barry raised a hand.

"You know what? You should ask that Alphonse kid. He's also just a soul glued to metal."

"Argh, Future Barry can't keep secrets." Al groaned.

"Were you really expecting him too?" Ed moaned, hanging his head in a dejected manner. "He's a serial murderer. He has no loyalty to you."

"It's not like I'm going to tell anyone." Ling pointed out, huffing. "And I can't believe you kept this from Future me. And here, I thought we were friends."

Ed screamed and threw his hands in the air in disbelief. "This is what I've been saying. We're not friends. I barely know you!"

"That's how friendships start." Ling pointed out gently.

Ed twitched. "You know, I really hate you."

Ling patted him on the shoulder. "No, you don't. That's just your annoyance talking."

"He's like a bloody boomerang. I keep saying things to throw him away, but he always just swings back around and comes back." Ed moaned.

The three teenagers reappeared on the screen with Winry and Al staring at Ling. "So here I am. You're supposed to tell me your secret." Ling said.

"You didn't even ask! That's not how secrets work!" Al protested.

"What's it matters?" Brody asked. "You said it yourself to Greed. You don't really know anything about it since Chief did it."

"I'm actually surprised you didn't ask Chief about it." Luke added, grinning. "I mean, weren't you ever curious as to how he saved your soul?"

Ed popped out of his miserable state and looked at his brother curiously.

Now that he thought about it, Al never really did question what he did or how he did it. He just accepted it. "Honestly, when he first did, I was in too much shock at suddenly being a suit of armour, seeing my brother missing two limbs, bleeding everywhere and close to death, and then seeing that thing we created. I didn't even think of asking about it after all that happened." Al said, glancing at his brother. Ed gave his brother a small smile. Yes, the time after their failed transmutation was horrible. The shock and horror of the whole thing didn't even set in until after they were sure Ed was going to survive. Even after Mustang visited them and it woke the boys up, they didn't bring it up in fear of throwing him or Al back into a depression.

They just focused on getting better and researching the stone. "It wasn't until after our journey began that I started to get curious about how he did it, but I never asked. Brother is usual stressed, worrying, helping civilians, busy with his job as a State Alchemist, or studying information about the stone and getting new leads, that I didn't dare ask about it. It's not a night we like to remember and I didn't want to bring it up to him ever again." Al finished his explanation.

"I see." Brody said, nodding his head. "Does Chief really get so stressed out?" "Oh, yes, it is quite common." Al replied. Ed twitched. That had nothing to do with Al's explanation. Then again, the soldiers probably didn't want to stay focused on that, but that was no reason to bring up his stressed self! He was not that bad!

"And I was promised you'd tell me." Ling said.

Winry looked away with a blank look.

Al looked away. "Yeah, but I don't exactly see how I have anything to do with it."

Ross appeared on the screen wearing a disgruntled look. "I've got nothing to do with this. Zilch. And yet here I am, stuck in the middle of it. And framed by Homunculi." Her shoulders slumped as a drawn picture of Lust was shown.

Music entered the scene as Ross looked back up at the group.

"Is Major drawing pictures of the Homunculi with Brother directing him?" Al asked confused.

"That is what it looks like. Why do you ask?" Armstrong asked. Al shrugged. "Well, why didn't you do that in the hospital after the Fifth Lab incident? Why wait to do it now?"

"Uh…" Hughes chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Because…"

"You got nothing, don't you?" Ed said, wearing a grin as he looked at Hughes.

"It happens sometimes." Hughes defended.

Five pictures placed in a circle appeared on the screen. They were of the Philosopher's Stone transmutation circle, the Ouroboros tattoo, Envy, Lust, and Greed.

"We've collected a fair amount of intelligence." Breda said as he and Fu appeared on the screen. He was looking in a little black book.

"And once we properly piece it together, we'll have the General's killer."

"Maybe, maybe you won't." Hughes said. "It is Envy you are dealing with. No matter how much he rushes his plans to see the cruelty of human, he is still smart and a Homunculi so he is highly dangerous."

"Even if they do find him, no regular soldier should face off against him." Edward added.

"I promise you this, Lieutenant. We will absolve you of this crime." Armstrong said.

"Thank God for that." Ross breathed in relief.

"You know this is a future that we are not planning to allow happen." Al pointed out.

"Yes, but future me will still be relieved. And you shouldn't talk considering the reactions you all keep having." Ross retorted.

"…Fair enough." Al said.

Ed appeared on the screen, looking down sadly. "Lieutenant Colonel…I mean, General Hughes, it's just hard to accept that he's dead."

Hughes sniffed and wiped away a fake tear. "Oh, I didn't know you cared so much, Ed."

"You keep saying that." Ed grumbled.

"I don't know what to believe anymore!" Hughes cried. "You're giving me mixed signals!"

Ed's eye twitched violently. Mixed signals?

"And what shall you do now, Edward Elric?" Armstrong asked.

Gracia flashed onto the screen saying, "You boys have to keep moving forward, any way you can."

"Al and I committed a taboo. We still have people to help us." As Ed spoke, the rest of the group was shown to be watching him. "Some people get angry at us; others support us silently." Al's back flashed onto the screen. "Each one of them has tried to help me keep my promise to my brother." Ed, who was holding his wrist, was shown. He gripped his automail wrist tightly. "So, I have no choice." His automail hand curled into a fist. "I can't turn back." He raised his arm a bit, staring at it. "Which means, all I can do is move forward, right? And I'll protect everyone I can along the way." The scene narrowed in on his narrowed eyes. "I refuse to let another person become a victim, not while I'm alive." He released his automail hand to stare down at his strange hands. "I know that's a hard promise to keep. It's hard enough just trying to take care of myself." The group was shown once more. "But to think I'm even capable of it, maybe I'm just arrogant. But it's the only thing I can think of, so I have to do it. I have too."

"What is it with you and speeches?" Mustang asked.

Ed slapped his forehead. "I give that big, amazing speech and that's the first thing you say?"

"Well, the first few lines were basically what my charming wife told you, but in different words." Hughes pointed out. "And the second part was you claiming to protect those that you could, which is what Roy claimed during the Ishvalan Civil War, again in different words."

Golden eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to say something, Hughes?"

Hughes grinned. "Noooo. What would make you think that?"

"Future me hasn't even heard of Colonel's Oath to Protect!" Ed protested. "So that part is all my own here."

General Armstrong rolled her eyes. "As fun as it must be to pick apart Fullmetal's speeches, I will not be subjected to this analysis so shut up so we can move on."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!" Hughes said in his all-business tone. General Armstrong's brow twitched in annoyance, while the Briggs soldiers winced back. "DO NOT call me that, Colonel Hughes." She growled. "Uh…righty-o…. sir, yes sir!" Hughes said quickly. He didn't care if he did like to tease people, General Armstrong would always be scary!

Breda appeared on the screen, smirking. Fu was shown next, followed by Armstrong, then finally, Ross.

Armstrong looked at Ross. "And you, Lieutenant, where do you intend to seek an asylum?" Ross smiled. "Well, I think that I'm going to give Xing a shot." Ed blinked.

Ed, Armstrong, and Breda were shown to be standing in front of six horses with Ross, Fu, and a few others getting things sorted out. Ross was petting her horse as Armstrong asked, "Any parting wishes? Shall I tell your parents?" Ross stopped petting her horse and turned around. "No sir. As much as I want them to know that I'm okay, I'm scared it would be too much of a risk. I just don't want to put them in that danger."

"You'll do that for your parents, but when Al and I tell you to butt out, you just eavesdrop right into a mess." Ed grumbled.

"My parents can't eavesdrop into this by curiosity because they have no clue as to what is happening." Ross argued.

"Now that I think about it, I'm your superior." Ed said, frowning. "I should have given you orders to not listen in." "You could punish them for listening in on a superior anyway." Havoc pointed out. Ed perked up while Brosh and Ross paled. "You're right. I could!" "No, no, no. It's alright!" Brosh and Ross said frantically.

"Very well." Armstrong said.

"Major Armstrong, Lieutenant Breda…" Ross said as the two perked up as a soft, innocent tune entered the scene.

"Please deliver a message to the Colonel. I need him to know how grateful I am for what he's done. If there's any way I can help him, tell him to send for me." She saluted the two.

"You'll always be a loyal soldier to the end." Al chuckled.

"By now, it is who I am. I can't change that." Ross replied, smiling.

"I owe him a great debt and I am willing to put my life on the line to repay it." She finished.

"Putting your life on the line to repay him would defeat the purpose of him saving your life in the first place." Ed said dryly.

"But if I put my life down to help him with his goal, then I will be repaying him. I would be doing something I believe in and helping someone who deserves it, instead of just getting shot while accomplishing nothing for the better end." Ross pointed out.

"Whatever. Just don't make it a pointless death then. I hate pointless death." Ed said with a sigh.

"Right." Armstrong said. Ed looked down for a moment before raising a hand to salute. Before he could though, Ross stood in front of him and held her hand out to him.

"Goodbye, Edward. Take care of yourself, okay?" She said.

"A handshake?" Ling said confused. "Isn't it customary for you soldiers to salute?" Ross shrugged, smiling.

"Honestly, Ed is more of a friend that I am supporting to reach his goal then a fellow soldier. I respect his intelligence and battle skills, but I cannot treat him as a soldier first. First to me, I will see a young teenager struggling through life who is a dear friend to me. I will not make that dear friend salute me." Ed smiled a bit. He much preferred being friends with soldiers then having it be superior and inferior.

Ed looked surprised for a moment before smiling. "I still owe you, for slapping me that is."

Ross smiled. "You can get me next time." She said with a smile.

Ed grabbed her hand and shook it. Their handshake faded into the background with the group riding on horses overtaking it.

"Alright, next time then." Ed said to himself.

The group riding the horses was shown with Fu saying, "You're blessed to have such good allies."

"Mr. Fu, tell me, what's Xing like?" Ross asked.

"It's a country with rich culture and the people are hardworking and honest. I'm certain you'll feel at home there." Fu said.

"So, I can expect to find a paradise on the other side of this desert?" Ross asked as her hand holding the horse's reigns was shown with a drop of water hitting it.

"No." Ed said blandly.

"What? Have something against Xing?" Fu asked.

Ed shook his head. "No, but it is humans who live there. Humans always sin. There is not a single perfect human out there. We all make mistakes. Xing is not perfect. You have princes and princesses battling to be the next leader, who is after immortality. That just screams messed up. Not to mention, I'm sure you have your criminals as well." 'If the fact Ling has had people trying to kill him is anything to go by.' "If you want a paradise, you'll have to find someplace where crime and villains don't exist."

"Way to be a downer." Ross moaned.

"It's my role in life." Ed replied dryly. "I'll give you a bright side though. At least no one there is trying to frame you for a crime and you can consider this a vacation until we get rid of the Homunculi then you can return from the dead." "That does sound nice." Ross replied.

"Yes. Although, I can assure you the trek across this desert is severe." Fu looked at her. "You'll need to be careful." Ross was shown to be wiping her eyes of tears. "I recommend preserving your fluids from this point on."

Central Headquarters was shown with Mustang's laughter ringing out.

Mustang's office was shown with soldiers sitting at their desks. "How about I swing by the shop sometime tomorrow?" The Colonel asked as he was shown to be sitting at his desk. "And if you ask me nicely, I'll bring a gift."

"Huh? I'm sorry, hold on, Roy. Hey Kate, we have a customer." Elizabeth said.

"Does that mean your target has finally arrived?" Lan Fan asked curiously, having had enough training to understand a bit of this.

Riza nodded. "Yes, it does. I was informing the Colonel, while also warning my partner for the mission."

"And your target seems to be Barry's body." Al said. "So that puts you near where Lieutenant Falman and Barry are?"

Mustang nodded, smirking. "You seem to have learned a few things about our operations as well."

Al shrugged. "Brother helps you guys out, Colonel. He tells me about some of the operations he's done with you, so I've realized a few things."

Mustang's eyes opened.

The scene changed to a dark room where a small figure was sitting with two red eyes shining behind him.

"Could you please let Jacqueline know?" Elizabeth's voice came out through the static on the radio.

"Jacqueline,"

A low male voice said as the scene changed to a figure in black clothes sitting in another room. "We have a customer."

"Seeing your operations from this angle, they look very interesting." Izumi commented, smirking.

Havoc chuckled. "This part is usually the boring part of waiting around." He rubbed his neck, thinking of all those long hours of sitting and doing nothing. They were so boring.

"Usually when Chief is involved, he is doing the undercover work and we are his backup."

"No surprise there. If he was the backup, the plan would be ruined before it even started, seeing as he can't just be quiet and wait." Izumi said.

"Hey! I resent that! I've worked as backup before." Ed protested; eyes narrowed at her.

"It's boring as hell, but I can do it." Breda nodded. "Surprisingly, he is good at the backup thing. Seeing as he is so reckless and loud, it surprised us all." Ed twitched. "Once again, I feel insulted."

"Copy that." Jacqueline said, though it could be told from his voice that it was Havoc. He pulled back his gun, getting it ready. Falman was shown to be drinking from a mug as dogs barking sounded.

"Let me guess, I still don't know about an operation in place." Falman said dryly.

Mustang smirked. "Probably not. You know it is easier to use someone as an undercover agent without them knowing it sometimes." He shot a smug look at Ed.

"Don't worry, Falman." Ed said through gritted teeth. "I know how annoying it is to not know you are being used as bait in an operation."

Ling snickered. "Your comrades put you in a lot of difficult situations, don't they?"

"You have no idea." Ed muttered.

Falman looked over his shoulder at the window. Suddenly, Barry's body jumped onto the window seal. Falman flew up from his seat, shouting in shock. When Barry's body lunged at him, Falman had his gun out. When he started to fire, Barry slammed his hand on Falman's gun, pointing it to the ground. His meat cleaver covered his head while Barry's body's hand slammed onto the wall.

"Hold on!" Barry cried.

"Why did I have to get stuck with the psychotic murderer and his animal body?" Falman moaned.

"Colonel's team just has bad luck." Ed suggested.

The males of the team, except for Mustang, suddenly turned their eyes to him, giving him blank stares.

A little unnerved by their stares, Ed twitched. "Uh, what is it? What's wrong?" When they just continued to stare, Ed growled. "Why are you giving me those stares?!"

"It's your fault." They said blankly.

"O-kay." Ed said, chuckling nervously. He turned to Mustang. "What's my fault?"

"Basically, all this craziness that entered their lives begun because a short, reckless brat who doesn't know any better joined the team." Mustang said with a shrug, but he was wearing a condescending smirk.

Ed blinked once before suddenly frowning. "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING SUCH A MIDGET THAT THE FIERY PITS OF HELL COULDN'T AFFECT HIM BECAUSE HE IS SO SMALLTHAT THE FLAMES WOULD JUST WASH COMPLETELY OVER HIS BODY, NOT EVEN CARING THAT HE WAS THERE CAUSE HE IS SO SMALL AND INSIGNIFICANT THAT EVEN THE HEAT WAVES FROM FLAMES COULDN'T SEE HIM AND REMEMBER TO BURN HIM? [1]"

The group stared blankly at the heavily breathing teenager, who was red in the face from not taking any breathes during his rant.

"Wow." Havoc said, staring at his superior as he snapped out of his shock. "We've been here for a while now and he's barely yelled like that at all."

"What the…" Brody said, not able to comprehend this. "This was a true short rant from Chief." Walkers said, grinning. "Been a while since we've heard one of those." Ling blinked once before suddenly grinning.

"I knew there was a reason I liked you." Ed punched Ling in the shoulder. "What is wrong with you?"

"But you're so amusing!" Ling said. "How can I not like you?" Ed looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"…. I really hate you."

"Oh, don't be like that." Ling replied, waving his hate off. Ed's head dropped in a dejected manner. "I'm surrounded by idiots." [2]

"Barry?!" Falman asked as dangerous active music played.

"Try and relax, Falman." Barry said, still blocking Barry's body's arm. "We want this one alive, so…" Barry ducked under his body's punch. "Don't kill him!" He finished as he swung his cleaver at his body, but his body just jumped back onto the sink. Barry charged at his body, wrapping his arms around him while Falman just stared. The door across the hall opened and Havoc, still wearing his mask came out. He pointed two guns into the room so Falman pointed his gun at him.

"And this is why you shouldn't throw surprise operations on your team!" Ed cried. "Oh, it will be fine. No one on my team is going to get shot." Mustang replied unconcerned.

Havoc kicked Falman's gun out of his hands and pointed his own at Barry's body. The body saw the gun and threw Barry aside to jump away from him as Havoc started to fire his own gun. Barry rolled across the sink to avoid the bullets. Barry jumped off the counter as Havoc switched which gun, he was using. "Smells like an ashtray–Jean Havoc?" Falman asked.

Havoc stopped firing as Barry's body growled at him. He turned to Falman, angrily. "Falman! Don't you think I'm wearing this mask for a reason? Man, I can't stand working with amateurs."

Ed snickered. "Nothing to worry about, Havoc. Barry's body probably can't understand a thing."

"That is not the point, Chief." Havoc said. "This is probably only the beginning of this operation. We are nowhere near done."

"Whatever you say, Havoc."

Falman quickly saluted. "Sorry about that."

"Yeah, and I'm sorry that you got dragged into this." Havoc replied as Barry's growling body was shown, followed by Barry. "Just don't do anything that would give away your involvement. They could be watching us from anywhere."

"And that is why I am wearing a mask." Havoc told Ed. "That and I don't want the enemy to know my face."

"Uh-huh." Ed said dryly. "Don't be a wuss! Let them see! Soldiers don't hide from fights!"

General Armstrong chuckled. She really liked this kid.

Barry's body charged at Barry and slammed him into a wall.

"Hey!" Barry said as his body ripped his arm off.

Havoc fired at Barry's body, causing him to jump away from Barry.

Barry's body jumped around before jumping onto a wall to run away from the bullets. "Take it outside." Havoc ordered.

"Uh, yeah." Barry said.

Havoc ran outside the door with Falman and Barry following.

"But either there a good chance the enemy's waiting outside?" Falman asked.

"We'll be safer there." Havoc replied.

"How is that?" May asked confused.

Scar caused his arms, leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed. He may not be a soldier, but he was smart and could follow this plan. "Because the Hawk's Eye is there, watching their backs."

"The Hawk's Eye?" May asked curiously.

Riza smiled at the girl. "It's a name I earned for myself because of my expert sniping skills."

May looked at her with a bright smile. "That's amazing! How good are you?"

"She is the best sniper out there. She never misses." Mustang said fondly.

"She is really someone you can rely greatly on."

The rundown neighbourhood was shown before the two came out the door. Havoc and Falman pointed their guns around, checking the area.

From above them, Barry's body burst out of one of the windows. As he landed on the ground, Havoc started firing at him. Barry's body jumped onto one of the building walls. He jumped off, spinning in the air, as he came at Havoc. Suddenly, Havoc's gun stopped firing. "Ah, damn it!" He shouted when his gun was seen to have a jam.

Barry lunged at Havoc.

"Lieutenant!" Falman shouted.

A sniper was shown with a bullet being fired out of it. The bullet slammed into Barry's body's hand, causing the body to go flying back and slamming into a crate. As the body rolled around, moaning in pain and clutching his hand, Barry stared at it.

"Told you it was safer." Havoc told Falman. "We've got the Hawk's Eyes watching over us out here."

Falman looked towards the tower.

"I heard a loud noise." Mustang's voice said as the scene in the rundown road was seen through a scope. "What happened?"

"It was nothing." Elizabeth replied.

"How do you get your voice like that?" Ed asked curiously. "It sounds so much softer and kinder then your usual kind voice."

"When is her voice ever kind?" Havoc and Mustang shouted.

Ed rolled his eyes. "All the time."

"Like you guys like to say, Edward." Riza winked at him when he looked at her. "Secret."

Ed huffed. "I get it. No more secrets."

"When is her voice ever kind?" Havoc asked again.

"I think she loves kids." Breda told him.

Riza was shown to be kneeling by a window, holding a sniper. "A customer was getting fresh with Jacqueline." She got her gun ready for the next round. "So, I slapped him around a little bit."

Mustang chuckled. "Oh, yeah." Fuery was shown to be sitting in a dark room with Black Hayate with a lot of communication equipment in front of him. "You don't mess around, Elizabeth."

Barry's body was crouching down, grabbing his hand as Havoc approached him. "Alright. Don't even think of moving. I've got a few questions for you–Wait a minute." Havoc lowered his guns. "I don't think he knows what I'm saying."

Barry appeared on the screen. "No way. I thought this guy looked familiar." Barry's body was shown before Barry took a step forward.

"That's my old human body!"

"What?" Havoc asked shocked. "Are you sure?"

"Those sick bastards must've dumped the soul of some feral lab animal into my body." Barry said.

"Of course. It really is an animal then." Ed said disgusted. "Who would want to perform this kind of sick, twisted alchemy?"

"And it came to find me because it wants it's real soul back." Barry said before laughing and putting his cleaver on his shoulder.

"Talk about memories." Barry's body was shown up closer. "I haven't even seen this guy since the day my soul got yanked out of him."

Ed appeared on screen, walking through the ruins of Xerxes by himself.

"Where is everyone else?" Armstrong asked worriedly.

Ed shrugged. "Maybe they are around at camp."

"Or they left you on your own in the desert." Ling suggested.

Breda waved his hand at that suggestion. "No, we didn't. That's just cruel. He would probably get lost trying to find his way back if we did that. The desert is a treacherous place to be alone in. We're probably waiting for him to finish whatever it is he needs to finish in the ruins."

Ed stopped in front of the ruined array he saw earlier. "I thought so. It's like that transmutation circle from the Fifth Lab." A symbol from the array was zoomed in on. "A two-headed dragon…" A stone sun was shown next. "And the sun…" Ed pulled at his hair. "Ah, damn it! Why does the top part have to be missing?"

Footsteps slammed on the ground before a pair of legs was seen as someone charged at Ed, who had his back turned.

"You've got to be kidding me. Even in the bloody desert?" Mustang asked.

Ed growled. "This is not my fault! I was just examining an array! I did nothing to draw someone near me."

"You don't have to apparently." Buccaneer scoffed. "You are just a good target no matter what."

The stick the person was holding came swinging down to hit Ed, but Ed just leaned to the side to avoid it as the person attacking him was shown behind him. He was an Ishvalan.

"Nice dodge." Izumi said.

"What is it with Ishvalans and attacking me?" Ed groaned.

"You're a good target." Havoc, Luke, Breda, and Brody said.

Ed snatched his wrist and slammed him face first into the ground with his knee on the man's back while he pulled the man's arm back painfully. "What do you want? I don't have any money so you've–" He cut himself off as he looked at him more closely. The man's face appeared on the screen. "You're an Ishvalan?"

"Isn't that obvious?" Miles asked. Ed shrugged.

"I'm in the middle of the desert. Who would expect to run into those guys out there?"

"It does seem to be a strange place to hide out since it's nothing but ruins, but that is also why it is a good place to live and hide in. No Amestris soldier would go hunting for Ishvalans out there." Miles replied. "Who hunts people?" Ed scoffed.

More Ishvalans came out from their hiding places to surround Ed. "Excuse me, young man." One of them said, walking forward.

"I'm afraid that we're going to have to take you hostage until your military returns our holy land to us." Ed moved the man's arm a bit to look over his shoulder at the one speaking.

"They're not going to return squat." He changed his hold on the man's arm so he was holding his hand with one hand so his other hand was free. "Not over a single kid."

Mustang snickered. "Well, actually, besides being a valuable sacrifice for the Homunculi who work in the shadows of the military, you are a valuable asset to Amestris."

"Huh?" Ed mumbled. Ling sighed. "Ed, I'm not even from this country and I get it."

"You get nothing." Ed muttered.

"Do too. You are the youngest State Alchemist in the history of Amestris. You are a very talented prodigy that everyone, even people in other countries, knows about. They see you as a high threat because of your skill and age. Not to mention, the civilians highly respect you. They call you the 'Hero of the People' for a reason, you know, and if something happened to you, they would not be very happy."

"So basically, I have a bigger target on my back then I thought?" Ed summarized. "Yep." Ling replied cheerfully. "I was just going to say you are a highly prized State Alchemist." Mustang said. "But what Ling said works too." "I think I like your answer better." Ed muttered.

"It was the death of single child that triggered the entire Ishvalan civil war." The man said. "So, you really shouldn't doubt your significance in the eyes of history."

Ed stared at him with narrowed eyes that glared.

"That's enough of your shameful behaviour." An old sounding female's voice said.

Ed looked forward once more to see an old lady with an eye patch on one eye being helped by a young teenager.

"Madam Shan." The man said.

"Well, at least you are having an interesting experience with them. Maybe you'll learn something about the war and all that from this." Riza said.

"I want to see if he escapes." Ling said.

Ed rolled his eyes. "I'm an alchemist, Ling. If they attack me, I can easily subdue them, but I doubt they will at this rate."

"Why is that?" Lan Fan asked.

"Just a feeling."

"Look at you fools. Are you all trying to dishonour the name of Ishvala?" Shan asked.

The man who was speaking gasped. "Look," The teenager said. "He won't try to attack you again. Can you please just let him go now?" Ed looked around for a moment before releasing the hold he had on the man's arm and got off his back.

He stood up as the man climbed to his knees, rubbing his shoulder. "You stood up for me. I don't get it. I always heard that you guys hated Amestrians." Ed told Shan.

Shan appeared on the screen. "Despite the atrocious acts your country has committed, I know that not all Amestrians are bad." Ed was shown to be staring at her. The teenager's shoulder was shown so a nasty scar could be seen.

"Madam Shan and I were both injured during the civil war. But then we were saved by these two Amestrian doctors. To be honest, I do hate you, but the two of them saved me and you deserve the same treatment."

"It is kind of sad that so many people in other countries hate us." Ed commented, frowning and glaring at the screen, but it was not in hate. "Hate is a big word and that kid shouldn't be throwing it around like that, especially towards people around his age. Those Ishvalans say they hate us, but what some of them don't get is that some soldiers felt horrible about that genocide and wished to stop it, but did not have the power to do so. And now the Ishvalans blame the whole country for it, despite the fact that they are throwing their hate at kids and the new generation of Amestris who did not do anything in that war. Kids only know one side; they do not know the Ishvalan's side of that war. And the new Isvalan children will only know their side and claim to hate Amestris without knowing the full story. It would just be a circle of hate because neither side will know the true story from the adults."

"What about you and Al? You are both learning both sides. Why don't you spread the truth?" Mustang pointed out.

"It's needs to come from those involved in the war. My age will show I had nothing to do with that war so I could not be a good source. If anything, someone who was involved in the war and knows everything that is going on with the Homunculi, what happened on the Ishvalan's side in that war, and why it happened should explain it." Ed shot a pointed look at Mustang. "If it came from the 'Hero of Ishval' then it would hold more weight. The full truth should not be known as it is a dangerous truth, but shedding some light might help both sides to understand a bit more and get passed this."

Mustang leaned back in his seat with a smirk. It seemed that he and Ed were really similar. He always thought of making up for Ishval, but he never thought of giving the public a bit more truth. It was a part of history and it should be passed down so no one would make that mistake again. Plus, maybe Ed was right. It would help with the hate that the Ishvalans were feeling. Feeling a burning hate in one's heart was a painful feeling so the Ishvalans must be feeling a lot of pain and anger because of that. He would like to relieve them of some of it.

Ed appeared on the screen, blinking. "Wait a minute…you're not talking about the Rockbells, are you?"

Shan and the teenager shared a look. "Are you saying you're a friend of Dr. Rockbell?"

"Uh, yeah." Ed replied with a small nod.

"They saved the lives of countless Ishvalans all throughout the course of the entire war." The boy said.

"No kidding…" Ed said with a smile.

Miles looked surprised at that. He didn't know there was a pair of doctors that went against the rules and saved people from both sides. But still, it was an amazing thing they did. They were certainly brave to do such a thing. They could have been in so much trouble with the military for doing such a thing. He had to Honour them for that. Instead of being racist, the Rockbells stuck to their code as doctors and treated anyone who needed treated.

A picture of Winry as a child with her parents behind her was shown.

"They were like an aunt and uncle to me." Ed said.

The group in Xerxes was shown again as Shan said, "They refused to abandon their post. It didn't matter how much the fighting escalated."

"How did…How did they die?" Ed asked.

The teenager looked at him in horror.

Shan sighed sadly. "They were killed. They were both murdered in cold blood, and it was by the hand of an Ishvalan they'd saved."

"W-what?" Ed hissed angrily. "Who the hell kills the people who saved him?"

Scar stiffened. He had hoped that this wouldn't come up, but he would not hide from the truth. He knew very well what he did to that couple.

"It was a war, Fullmetal." Mustang said darkly. "The one who killed them was probably a fighter."

"So?" Ed growled.

Mustang shrugged. "I'm not condoning what he did, Fullmetal, but if you woke up with the enemy by you, what would be your first reaction?"

"Find out what is going on." Ed said.

Riza sighed sadly. "In a war, your first reaction would be to escape, and to do so by any means necessary. You don't wait to see what happens. You escape or die trying. Otherwise, they might start trying to get answers out of you and any loyal soldier does not want to risk letting something slip."

"They were doctors." Al said angrily.

"To this person, they were the enemy first." Mustang said, frowning. He was sure the boys wanted to know the truth of what happened to the Rockbells, but he wished they didn't find out. They would not be able to understand it.

Ed's eyes widened in horror. "But that's so…" He started as dark music entered the scene.

"I'm so sorry." Shan said as flashes of the war from her eyes was shown. A hand dripping with blood was shown first. Following that was a picture of the dead couple with the husband half hugging his wife. Shan and the child were shown to be holding onto each other, staring in fear at the murderer. With a boom, the murder's right arm was shown coming from the wrist to the bandaged shoulder, revealing an arm length tattoo.

Mustang almost smacked his forehead. Of all the damn Ishvalans warriors it could be, it had to be him.

The brothers stared in horror at the screen.

"That tattoo…" Ed whispered.

Al felt horror rise in his soul. Their friend's parents were murdered by him? The same man who tried to kill his brother!

"…You bastard." Ed said softly, but with so much anger that it had the soldiers flinching back. The boy spun around to glare at Scar.

"Were you the one to kill her parents?" Scar stared at the boy for a moment, not saying anything.

He already realized it earlier that the two doctors that saved his life and he repaid that kind act by killing them were that girl's parents. Those doctors, he later learned, were saving Amestrian soldiers and his own people. They were doing it at a great risk to themselves. He had freaked out when he woke to see those blue eyes standing over him, just like those soldiers, and had reacted without thinking. He killed innocent doctors. It was something that should have never happened. Their deaths were some of the few that he greatly regretted. He could not ask for forgiveness in this.

"Yes, I was."

"Why the hell would you do that?" Ed shouted angrily, glaring hatefully at the man.

"They were doctors who were saving your people's lives, including yours! So why did you kill them?"

"Fullmetal, I already…." Mustang started.

"Colonel, just shut up." Ed hissed angrily. Mustang sighed and looked at Hughes.

"They were family to him, Roy, and he just discovered who murdered them. He is allowed to be angry." Hughes replied softly.

"Whenever he gets angry though, he does–"

"I was scared and angry." Scar said, surprising Mustang enough that he stopped talking.

Ed blinked, taken aback a bit. "…What?"

"Their blue eyes…I saw a lot of them during the war so when I saw those doctors' eyes when I woke up, I freaked out because right before I fell unconscious Kimblee killed my entire family." Scar spat angrily.

Ed's eyes narrowed. He barely understood because he has never been in a war, but he guessed seeing his entire family murdered before his very eyes would be traumatizing. It would be a very difficult thing to handle, then seeing the enemy upon waking up? It would be a scary and confusing experience, but still, Ed could not find it in him to even think about forgiving Scar for this. The Rockbells were a family to him and they got taken away. Scar had been the reason for Winry's suffering after that damn war. He could not be easily forgiven, if he forgave him at all. Al's hands curled into fists. Like his brother, he couldn't understand. Upon waking up, his first instinct is not to kill the people standing over him. If they had saved him, he could never want to hurt them. He just could not fathom that. All he could think about was how much it had hurt to hear that the Rockbells were killed in the war.

They were doctors, doing their job to save lives! Why would anyone want to kill them? How could Scar just kill them because he felt fear of their eyes? May looked from each brother to the next sadly. She wasn't sure what to feel or say to make this better for them, especially since it was just as hard for Scar. His whole family was killed by the Amestrians soldiers, so seeing Amestrians standing over him would freak him out. She could understand that, but she could also understand that this was incredibly hard for the boys since the Rockbells were family to them and their daughter was a close friend to them. Knowing both sides made this a highly difficult situation.

"There was nothing we could do to stop him." Shan said. "Tell me who did it!" Ed demanded.

Shan appeared on the screen. "His face was wrapped in bandages. But he was an Ishvalan monk and his right arm was tattooed." Ed's hand clenched tightly.

With the sun sinking, Ed walked down some stairs as he walked towards the exit of Xerxes.

'If you should have the chance, would you deliver a message to the resting place of the Rockbells for us?' Shan asked. The group of Ishvalans was shown with Shan and the teenager at the head of it. 'Give them our thanks and our apologies.' Ed was shown to be staring ahead as he walked on.

The scene faded to white for a second before Ed was shown to be standing on a high level of the ruins, looking at the desert. The tower Hawkeye was in was shown from the outside as Barry laughed. "Hahaha." Barry was seen to be staring at his body with Falman and Havoc standing behind him, pointing their guns at Barry's body.

"You know how amazing this is? I mean, how often does a guy get the chance to chop up his own body into tiny little pieces?"

"I'm pretty sure that would kill him and you told me not to do that." Falman said. Barry looked at him. He pointed his cleaver at him. "Well, this changes things, damn it."

"I was right. This guy is really psychotic. Who actually wants to chop up his own body?" Falman asked.

"Of course, he is psychotic. He took pleasure in chopping women up." Hughes said dryly. He really did hate that case. It was a horrible one. Seeing all those mutilated bodies was horrible, and having to tell their families or have the families ID the body…He shuddered. It was horrible seeing all those horrified, distressed looks.

Barry's body was shown as Barry continued. "I'm getting chills up and down my soul. I've got to get my knives into it."

"Back off, Barry." Havoc ordered. "I thought you were supposed to have the urge to return to your body, not chop it up into pieces."

"Tch." Barry said as a fly was shown to be flying around a rotten part of the body. "That body's way passed its expiration date."

Falman was shown to be covering his nose. "Oh, man, that's what stinks?"

Barry appeared on screen. "This is just cruel! I have to do it!" He raised his cleaver. "It's my body so it's up to me and I'm putting it on the chopping block."

Havoc looked at him angrily. "Damn it! I said no!"

"You can't reason with an insane murderer." Havoc groaned.

"I feel a headache coming on."

"That's why you shouldn't do operations with the enemy." Miles informed him. Havoc moaned. "No choice this time."

Riza was shown to be in her tower with her gun ready. "What's wrong?" Mustang asked.

"Just a squabble. One of the customers is mouthing off." Riza said. She blinked and looked over her shoulder.

"Oh no. I'm gonna have to call you right back." As active, dangerous music entered the scene, a figure walked out of the dark shadows behind her.

"I've got a customer of my own to deal with."

"Is that Gluttony?" Riza asked in horror.

"Sure, looks like." Hughes replied in dread.

"Get out of there, Lieutenant." Edward said quietly in horror. "I don't doubt your skills with a gun, but you can't handle a Homunculus with just guns."

"I know." Riza said grimly. "But this is something I cannot just run from. Gluttony will not let me."

Mustang gripped his armrest tightly. Oh hell no. Those bastards already took Hughes from him. They would not take his Lieutenant too! If they did, they would be no way to stop his smouldering flames of revenge. He would make sure they all suffered painfully before killing them.

May gripped her clothes tightly. She liked Riza. She seemed like a really nice and caring person. She didn't want to see her die or get hurt! Not here and not against those monsters! Those monsters were horrible beings!

Riza turned around and shot Gluttony in the shoulder. As Gluttony slammed into the ground, Riza prepared her gun for the next shot. To her surprise, the gunshot wound in Gluttony healed. She stared in horror as Gluttony rose to his feet and grinned evilly at her.

"Damn. This looks–" Havoc started.

"Shut the hell up." Mustang snarled. This was no time for talking. He had to make sure his Lieutenant was okay. "Next episode now."

---

FALLEN CREST A/N: [1] Funny thing. I was watching DBZ Abridged by TeamFourStar again just recently and Gohan's angry rants at his enemies amused me so much that I decided to do a short rant.

[2] You see, that line reminded me of DBZ Abridged as well. Seriously, when I wrote that part of the story, I had watched over 4 hours of DBZ Abridged earlier that day. It was a good way to get over my frustration of my stupid laptop.

---

LUCIFER SWIFT A/N: Hey guys it's been so long since I write my own A/N in this story,

Well, I have an announcement to make, don't worry I'm not dropping this fic, I will complete this fic just as I promised,

I'm thinking about taking this fic on next level, and not just this fic my other fic and also the other upcoming fic.

And this fic is just THE PHASE ONE OF MY UNIVERSE,

Yes, you guys read it right

MY UNIVERSE.

Well, I wont spoil you much about the upcoming plans,

Just remember one thing after EP- 45, The phase will start,

Cause before ep-45, this all writing belongs to fallen crest,

But after EP- 45 I will take the creativity section of this story in my own hands,

And will give my 100% to this fic,

Cause after this ep-45,

it will be like handover from STUDIO BONES TO STUDIO CLOVERWORKS

AND DON'T WORRY CAUSE IT WONT BE LIKE PROMISE NEVERLAND SEASON 2, IT WILL BE LIKE FATE GRAND ORDER

I know, I'm writing some weird shit in this author note, but on serious not I' m really excited for this plan

If every thing goes well, it will be the banger fic in the history of FMAB FIC OF THIS SITE

So, for that, FINGER CROSS

So please follow this fic, Favorite it and also give me your reviews, your precious review, your thoughts on the upcoming plans on this fic.

Our goal is to atleast reach to 800 followers or might be cross it at the end of the fic.

#GAMECHANGER.