Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or Legend of Korra

Edward

It had worked, they'd made it back! Poor Al was shaking in relief, having thought he'd lost his brother forever. Ed patted his helmet, trying to reassure him that everything was ok.

"This is unexpected. People emerging from his stomach?" A voice came from nearby, and Ed turned to see a man. He looked like…

"Hohenheim?" He gasped, and Al looked up in surprise.

The man walked over to examine them. "Have you mistaken me for someone else? Hmmm, you don't by chance mean Van Hohenheim? How do you know him?"

Al responded slowly. "He's our father."

"Oh, I had no idea he had children!" The stranger laughed, then took on a more serious look. "You seem to be injured. Here." He reached out and touched Ed's body, and he felt a warm sensation spread through his chest. Shocked, he patted himself, feeling his broken ribs for pain. There was none. "I consider you two to be valuable resources, you must be kept in good health."

As the man backed off, Edward looked around, taking in their surroundings. It looked like they were in a giant utility room, pipes ran along the ceiling and across the floor. It had a dungeon feel to it. Al was saying something to him, "I think this is the person the homunculi call their Father."

Ed was about to reply when he heard Ling say in a quiet voice, "What is it?"

He turned to see him watching Ayana intently as she stared off towards a wall on the other side of the room. There was nothing there.

She didn't respond at first, apparently too shocked to register Ling's question. After a few seconds she jumped slightly, though, and turned to look at him. "It's a dark spirit."

"Where?" Ed asked, and she pointed.

"None of you can see it?" She asked, and they all shook their heads. Ed noticed Father watching them silently with a blank expression on his face. Envy had since stood up, still in his monster form, and was watching them as well. Gluttony stood underneath him between his giant limbs.

"Show yourself, you coward!" Ayana suddenly yelled. A malicious sounding laugh echoed through the room, and as he watched, the air seemed to shimmer and morph. What was apparently a spirit materialized from seemingly nowhere.

It had a dark purple body color, so dark it was nearly black. It had a body shape similar to a bear, complete with what looked like long claws. It stood on its hind legs, reaching a staggering height of around fifteen feet. Its tail was thick and long, tapering to a point. The face resembled that of a crocodile, with a snout that sported jagged, pointed teeth. It had three eyes, two where they should be and the third in the forehead. The face and neck had glowing yellow stripes, and its entire body seemed to have a misty look to it, almost like a strong gust of wind would blow its shape away.

It smiled wickedly at them, exposing more teeth in its mouth. It spoke with a deep voice, "Avatar. You should not call me names like that, it is rude." It narrowed its eyes at her. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Bue."

"Bue. How did you get here? And why?" She demanded.

"Oh, I came here centuries ago. You need not know why; it is not important for you to know." It turned to look at Father and addressed him before Ayana could respond, "It is too early. It is not yet time."

"I know. This is all an unexpected surprise." Father responded.

"Hold on! I want answers, Bue!" Ayana shouted heatedly.

As it looked back at her, its body seemed to swell even larger. Ed couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by the thing, but like hell he was going to show it. He glared at the spirit instead, who didn't respond to Ayana.

"You're the one who brought me to this world, aren't you?" She accused. The anger was mounting in her voice. Her hands were fisted, shaking as she held them at her sides. "Why?!"

The spirit smiled malevolently. "I can truthfully say that I am not the one who brought you here, but I will admit that I had a part in it. If you are looking for a spirit to blame, you may blame La."

Ed saw surprise flicker across her face briefly. "Why would… La would never do such a thing!"

The spirit's three eyes flashed in amusement. "Recall your last moments in your world, Avatar. Who else is even a possibility?"

Ayana's rage peaked. Looking up at Bue, her eyes glowed white, and gale-force winds began to whip around the room. Ed lowered his head and brought his arms up to shield himself.

"You're lying!" She yelled angrily. Her voice sounded weirdly distorted. She ran towards Bue, jumping into a forward flip and sending fire flying from her feet as they swept downwards. All hell broke loose.

Edward watched Envy reach for Ayana, but he was quicker than the giant green monster. He clapped and transmuted a spike from the floor, impaling Envy's extended hand. He howled in pain and turned his attention to Ed instead. Al followed suit, transmuting a giant fist which hit Envy in an uppercut punch to the jaw. Ling was slashing his sword at Envy's legs. Ed could see the flashes of fireballs in the corner of his eye, but he figured Ayana could handle herself. He wasn't sure he'd be much help against a spirit, anyway. He'd never fought one and had no idea if his physical attacks would even touch it.

Gluttony seemed to not want to get involved. Instead, he stood next to Father, and both of them watched the action from afar. Good, one less monster to deal with. Ed transmuted his arm into a blade as he charged Envy, slashing deep into his stomach. Blood gushed as Envy recoiled.

"Enough of this." Father stated in a bored tone. He stomped his foot, and red energy crackled throughout the entire room. Ed watched his brother clap for another attack, but he saw no alchemic reaction. Envy reached for Al.

"Leave him alone!" Ed shouted as he clapped his own hands to transmute. But when he threw his hands to the ground, nothing happened. Envy grabbed them both and slammed them to the ground at Father's feet, pinning them there with his giant green monster hands. He did the same thing to Ling shortly after.

"What's going on? We can't transmute!" Ed shouted over to Al, who shouted back his surprise.

Whatever was going on didn't seem to affect bending, though. He spotted Ayana across the room and watched as she circled the spirit with golden glowing rings. Its body was slowly taking the same golden color as it stood, frozen. Dully, the word 'dispel' crossed his mind. She was trying to dispel the darkness in it.

Envy's long tail lashed around and caught her off-guard and sent her sailing into the wall, away from the spirit. The golden rings dissipated and Bue acted instantly, stretching his arms out to grab her. He must have stretched them twenty feet. Ed decided that spirits were definitely a force to be reckoned with, if they could distort their bodies at will like that. Bue pulled her back and slammed her into the ground, restraining her in the same way Envy was holding him and his brother.

Father looked at Ling thoughtfully. "There may be good fortune in these circumstances after all. I could always use a new pawn in the rotation." He reached up to his forehead and somehow drew a red stone from his skin.

"You're really going to do that?" Envy sounded surprised.

"Do what?" Ed asked. He fought against Envy's weight pushing him down. He could see Ayana and Al struggling to free themselves, too, but Envy was just too heavy, and Bue too strong.

"He's going to create another homunculus. A Philosopher's Stone is added to the bloodstream and if it is able to merge, a homunculus is created. More often, though, the Stone kills the host."

"Don't you dare interfere, Ed!" Ling shouted, and Ed looked at him in horror. What, he wanted to potentially die? Was he insane?

"Are you crazy?" He shouted back. "I can't let them do that to you!"

"This is exactly what I want! I came here looking for immortality and this guy's going to give it to me! I can't pass this up!" Ling called back.

Envy removed his restraining hand and Father bent down over Ling. He dropped the Stone into one of his many open cuts from the various fights he'd been in recently. It quickly absorbed into his veins and immediately Ling started screaming and writhing in pain.

Ed didn't want to watch. It was dreadful. He could see the horror on Ayana's face as she looked away and scrunched her eyes shut, trying hard not to listen. Al seemed riveted, unable to look away. After what felt like ages, Ling's voice finally went quiet, and Ed looked back to see him kneeling on the ground, gazing at his hands. "Ling?" He ventured.

Ling looked over at him. "Huh? You mean the guy I took this body from? Sorry, but your friend just checked out and left Greed this body!"

"Greed? Are you the Greed from before?" When he looked confused, Ed continued, "You don't remember us? From Dublith?"

"He was my avarice before you." Father explained dully.

"Oh. Well, if you want to hear it from me, then no. I'm not the same Greed, and I don't remember you." Greed told them.

A gushing noise came from behind them, and Ed turned his head as far as he could to see a chimera falling dead to the ground, bleeding profusely. Scar and the little girl he'd seen at the train yard were behind it. The two of them stood, taking in the scene before them.

The tiny panda bear crawled out from Al's armor and ran over to the girl, squealing happily. Apparently, she was it's real owner. The girl seemed outraged for some reason as she pointed at him and yelled something about crushing an innocent girl's dreams. He had no idea what she was talking about; how could he crush the dreams of someone he'd never met?

She threw a set of kunai at a nearby rock and drew a transmutation circle in front of her with her foot. She activated it while yelling at him that he'd pay. Pay for what? I didn't do anything!

He couldn't complain too much, though, because her transmutation punched up from the ground, sending Envy stumbling and freeing him and Al.

"All right, we can transmute again!" He yelled at Al happily, and they both clapped eagerly. Nothing happened.

"What!? Still?" Al asked as they both turned and ran away from the fighting.

"But why can they?" Ed shouted back. They hid behind a chunk of rubble and watched Envy and Gluttony attack the girl and Scar. Ayana had also freed herself and was fighting Bue again. "This makes no sense. But I've got an idea!"

He stepped from behind their shelter and shouted, "Scar! You want to know the truth behind Ishval? Who really shot that innocent child? He's standing right there! He was a soldier in disguise!" He pointed to Envy. "These guys orchestrated the entire war!"

Scar thought about his words, and his face twisted in anger. Then he slammed his hand to the floor and the ground heaved throughout the entire room, which sent everyone stumbling.

Ed saw Greed jog away from Father, towards Scar. He ran out on an intercept course and jumped in front of Greed. "Ling! I know you're in there!"

Greed stopped and glared at him, but then a sneer curled the corner of his lips. "Nope, just Greed." He raised his ultimate shield on his hands, then launched forward in an attack. Ed dodged and brought his arm around for a punch. They traded blows and evaded each other, neither one really doing much damage to the other. Ed felt like Greed was toying with him; he didn't seem like he was fighting all out.

"Ling! Answer me!" He kicked him in the gut, but the ultimate shield prevented any damage. Greed grabbed his hand and twisted, locking him in a painful hold. Ed tried to fight but found he couldn't move without extreme pain.

"Pops! I caught him for you!" Greed called over to Father.

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

Greed allowed him to stand, and he saw Envy restraining Al and Bue holding Ayana. Scar and the girl were nowhere in sight. The captives were all dragged to the other side of the room, where Ed was surprised to see an elevator. They were all shoved inside, and Envy transformed from his monster form into an Amestrian soldier. He entered the elevator with them and punched a button.

They ascended slowly. The three of them looked between each other, unsure if it was wise or not to attack Envy. As angry as Ed was, it probably wasn't smart to do anything right now. Besides, he was curious who Wrath was. The elevator dinged, the doors slid open…

To reveal Central Command.

Al exclaimed, startled, "Central Command? We were below it this whole time?"

They followed Envy out, and he led them to a locker room. "You guys are filthy."

Ed moved to follow Al into the room, but paused when he saw Ayana wasn't moving. She looked at Envy with an accusing look and said, "You expect me share a locker room with a couple of guys?"

Envy looked annoyed. "I can't guard two different rooms, so yes. You'll just have to figure it out." Ayana sighed and turned to follow Ed.

Once inside, they found a row of shower stalls on one side of the room and several lockers on the other. Envy pointed to the lockers. "Help yourself to whatever you find." He turned on his heal and left the room. Al took a seat in the middle of the floor while Ed and Ayana began digging through lockers, looking for suitable clothes and towels.

Ed was trying to hide his face; he could feel the deep blush on it. He'd never showered in the same room as a girl before. It's not like he'd be able to see anything, but still, just thinking about it…. He wondered if she was thinking the same thing. Of course she was, that's why she'd said something to Envy….

Finally finding clothes in his size and a towel, he draped them over a shower door and closed it behind him and turned on the water. He heard another shower turn on shortly after. He decided he should talk to Al, to keep his mind occupied. Plus, he had some good news to share.

"Hey Al. There is some good that's come of all this."

"What is it, Brother?"

"When we were in Gluttony's stomach, we passed through the portal of Truth to escape. On the way through the portal, I saw your body there. It's still at the gate."

"What? Really? It's still there?" Al was pumping his fists, elated. "Yes!"

Ed beamed. "Yup! Now we just have to figure out how to pull it out of there!"

"That's great news, Brother!" It had been a long time since Ed had heard Al sound so happy. It brought him so much joy to hear that tone in his brother's voice.

Having finished washing the blood and dirt away, Ed toweled off dressed, and exited the shower. He could see Ayana's head over the door to her stall; she was washing her hair. He looked away again, blushing. He thought maybe Al had noticed, because he elbowed him playfully. Ed sat next to him, humphing quietly.

"So, Al, that spirit down there, was it like the ones you've seen before?" He asked, trying to distract himself again.

"No. It was bigger and darker. All the ones I've seen are lighter colors."

"That's because those have all been light spirits." Ayana informed them as she rubbed shampoo on her head. She looked over at them. "All spirits have light and dark inside them. But when they are unbalanced, they shift to the dark side."

"Hmm." Al responded thoughtfully.

"Who's La?" Ed asked. He remembered Bue saying that name.

Ayana froze for a second, then resumed rinsing her hair again. "La is the ocean spirit."

When she didn't continue, he prompted, "Why would it send you here?"

She turned off the water and grabbed her towel. "I wish I knew. The last thing I remember, I was fighting a water-dwelling spirit, near the north pole. It dragged me deep underwater, and that's the last thing I remember." Her voice took on a sad tone. "I'd like to think La intervened to save my life. They're a peaceful spirit, I doubt their intent was malicious. But why send me here, and not somewhere else in my world? I don't know. None of it makes sense."

She finished dressing and stepped out from the shower. She'd managed to find a shirt that fit her nicely; it had just the right cut and accentuated her curves. The jeans were a bit baggy, though, but they didn't look bad. She was combing through her hair with her fingers. Ed noticed suddenly that the hair was drying as she combed it. She was either water- or airbending to dry it faster. He laughed to himself.

"What?" She exclaimed, suddenly looking self-conscious. He realized she must have thought he was laughing at her wardrobe choices.

"Oh, nothing. Just your little tricks, like drying your hair like that." He teased.

She blushed. "I could do yours too," she said hesitantly, then quickly added, "but only if you want."

Edward shot her a small smile. He wouldn't mind that at all. Turning around pointedly, he faced Al and put his back to her, and shook his loose hair meaningfully. She giggled. He felt her hands brush his neck as she grabbed a handful of hair, and the action sent a shiver down his spine. She must be waterbending because he didn't feel any air blowing. Al was watching them, and Ed thought his eyes were glowing a little brighter than usual.

"Hey Ed, I should tell you, you know that little girl that was with Scar?" Al said.

"Yeah, what about her?" Ed responded, slightly annoyed at being distracted from the feeling of Ayana's fingers in his hair.

"Well, she got injured down there, and couldn't escape. So she's, uh, in my armor."

"What!" He nearly jumped to his feet but Ayana's hand pushed him back to the floor. "Really? Alphonse!"

"I couldn't just leave her there! She's hurt bad!" Al explained hurriedly. Ed sighed.

Envy opened the door. "What's taking you so long?" He sounded annoyed and impatient.

Ayana shot back immediately, "You of all people should know how long it takes to properly wash long hair!"

Envy looked caught off guard at that. He mumbled to himself and closed the door. Ed could feel her braiding his hair now, since it was now completely dry. When she was done she stepped back, and Al got to his feet and extended his hand to him. He took it gratefully, and they all headed for the hallway.