I do not own the Fullmetal Alchemist

'So what were you really doing?'

Mustang and Hawkeye stared at Ed with total seriousness.

Ed fidgeted with his mismatched fingers in his lap under the table. 'I just put the cat out and he looked suspicious, like, acting weird. Then I followed him and he turned left on almost every turn there was. He walked in circles for a bunch of times before I lost him when I took my eyes off him.'

'Did he see you?' Hawkeye questioned.

Ed shrugged. 'I looked away for a second and when I looked back he was gone. He must've turned right or something.'

'Where were you?' Mustang asked.

Ed gave him the street he was on.

Mustang stood up. 'We need the cat to go there as our eyes and ears. Where's the bait?'

The next morning, Ed took the right turn where he'd lost the man instead of walking the right way to school. He silently grimaced as cold goops of raw meat oozed out of his loosing hand, making gloop noises as they plopped on the sidewalk in a trail as he walked.

Ed stuck his hands in his pockets as he made his way to the school. He turned into an alley and pulled out the plastic bag he'd stuffed inside his pockets to contain the bait. He dumped the stench-filled bags and gloves away and continued walking.

/

'Tell me at least one of you guys hate studying,' Angelika groaned as Ed and Miles walked to the local library Miles had been hyped up about earlier at school.

'The library's the oldest thing in South Pebble,' Miles chattered excitedly, not paying attention to a word Angelika was saying. 'It's practically a monument for this place.'

'And how amazing that is,' Angelika muttered. She sighed. 'Oh, come on. Tell me you want to play Kick The Can or something?'

'Nah.' Ed walked ahead. 'If this library's really that old then there might be something about alchemy there.'

Angelika perked up. 'Alchemy? Why didn't you say anything? That's practically our ticket out of this stinking town.'

'Here it is.' Miles stopped in front of a pair of wooden doors. Going inside, he whispered, 'The library of everything.'

Ed was instantly hypnotized by the ancient library. Shelves of books reached from the floor to what seemed like a hundred levels high. Immediately, he hunted out the alchemy sections and began to read.

Miles wandered through several stacks of alchemy books before picking out a beginner's book and sitting next to Ed. 'Don't you want to learn alchemy?' he asked Angelika, who was reading over his shoulder, making a face.

'What's with the circles?' she asked.

Ed's face lit up. 'So the circles are actually transmutation circles that conduct the flow of energy and transmute whatever you're transmuting,' he explained without taking a breath. 'And alchemy has three stages, which are construction, deconstruction, and-'

'You're reciting the beginner's manual, Charlie,' Angelika and Miles commented together.

Ed flushed as he realized they were right. He laughed awkwardly. 'Huh. Guess I reread it too many times before. Sorry.'

It wasn't until minutes later that Ed realized there was someone watching him. Turning around, he saw a tall librarian was staring directly at him from not a long distance away. He had short dark hair and wore a pair of round reading glasses. He smiled and beckoned for Ed to come like he wanted to tell him something.

Ed's face was stoic as he closed the book and walked towards the man. 'Hi, sir. Can I help you?'

'I was just wondering, it's impressive for someone as small as you to read such a complex book,' the man commented, looking at the thick volume in Ed's hands.

Ed growled and slammed the book shut. 'WHO'RE YOU CALLING SMALL!?'

The man's peaceful expression turned into a surprised one. It didn't last long, as he looked over Ed's shoulder to see Miles and Angelika snickering. 'Sorry, you...take offence to references to your age?'

Ed's eyes narrowed. 'Don't call me a pipsqueak again,' he hissed threateningly.

Realization appeared on the librarian's face. 'Oh, your height. Am I right?'

Ed's fists clenched.

'I'm Mr Brennan,' the librarian introduced himself quickly. 'I'm the head librarian here.'

Ed's fists unclenched. 'Charlie Jack Jacobs. Why are you talking to me again?'

'Charlie!' Miles hissed. 'Sorry, sir,' he added, walking up to them.

'Oh! Is that also alchemy?' Mr Brennan pointed at the book Miles had.

Miles grinned and showed him the book. 'I'm just learning, I want to do alchemy when I grow up.'

'Ah, and go somewhere else, I presume,' Mr Brennan guessed. 'Don't we all?' he added when they looked at him strangely.

'It's not too bad here,' Angelika tried to say.

'I don't know a single person who enjoys living here,' Mr Brennan said. 'Except for myself, that is.'

'Why?' Miles and Angelika elbowed Ed in the ribs. 'Uh, if you don't mind answering,' he added.

Mr Brennan smiled, unbothered. 'My wife and son used to live here,' he said. 'But they died years ago. My wife owned a beauty salon, a bit cheap here in South Pebble, but she was one of the best makeup artists there was in this town.' A wistful look came over his face. 'It's been so long since we were together.'

'We're...sorry about your losses,' Miles mumbled, looking at his feet. Ed guessed he was used to being optimistic and calm about everything so he didn't know how to react to the man's story.

Angelika nodded solemnly. 'We're sorry,' she said together with Ed.

Mr Brennan shrugged. 'It's okay. It's been so long I can barely remember what they looked like. I'm sorry for telling you that. My mind often wanders to them, so how're these books? He changed the subject.

Miles, Angelika and Ed talked excitedly about alchemy, Ed sprouting facts about it and the others chattering about their desires to learn it. Soon, the sun sank under the horizon and they needed to go home after the library closed. On the way home, Ed warned his friends as casually as he could before walking to his apartment.

On his doorstep was a rolled-up newspaper. His heart stopped when he read the first line.

Another victim murdered! A woman with long blonde hair has been found dead last night.

'Hawkeye,' Ed whispered.

He gripped the newspaper in his hand and ran up the stairs.

Thanks for reading!