Al's head was spinning from the lump on the back of his head as his vision started to come back, but it was still blurry as he tried to shake his head as he tried to gain his bearings. The room was spinning like a spinning wheel, but after awhile his vision became normal as he noticed the room was now lit by candlelight and in the corner sat Fletcher, bound and gagged.

"Fletcher…is it really you?" Al asked groggily as he soon realized that he was tired to a wall behind the pulpit.

"Well, well, if it isn't the meddling Alchemist," Envy said sarcastically as jumped up to the platform.

"What happened to me?" Al asked he felt the pain throbbing through his mind as his mind started to spin again with pain.

"Oh, you got a nice boo, boo, on your head and now you're all tied up and you are at my mercy," Envy said as he punched Al in the stomach.

"Let Fletcher go you monster!"

Envy grabbed Al by the scruff of his shirt as he pinned Al to the wall with a vice like grip and tried to cut off Al's airway, but he soon let go as Al managed to kicked Envy from him and send him flying across the room and into a pew.

"You are in no position to be making threats," Envy said as he regained his grip on Al's throat and tightened his grip and as he wrenched his hand away, there was finger marks around his throat and his voice was hoarse.

"Let him go…" Al said hoarsely as he Envy punched him in the stomach once more.

"As I mentioned before to you, you have no position to make idle threats," Envy said as he hit Al in the right eye.

Al screamed out in pain as Envy walked from the pulpit and left Al to hang in pain as he screamed out," SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

Armstrong woke in the house of Scar's teacher with Rick and Leo watching over him as he struggled to deal with dreams he was facing that were more like nightmares as he soon sat up in a cold sweat with Rick and Leo watching over him.

"Where am I?" Armstrong asked as he held his right hand to his head as he tried to gain his balance.

"You are in my home stranger and may I ask why the Military is doing back in Ishbal. We have no quarrel with you and all I ask is that you answer my simple question," answered the teacher as he helped Armstrong to his feet.

"My name is Major Alex Louis Armstrong. We have not come here to start trouble with anyone in this city we are only looking to get back a young boy that was taken from us because his brother is looking for him," Armstrong said as he walked towards the door and the teacher soon followed.

"Rick…Leo…I want you two to stay here and get some sleep because you have done enough for today and I must help the Major here to where he plans to go," the teacher said as he pointed towards their rooms.

"Yes sir," Rick and Leo simultaneously as they walked toward their room.

"Why won't Master let us go with him?" Rick asked as he lay down beside Leo.

"He means well, but…" Leo said as he stopped in mid sentence.

"Did you hear that?" Leo asked.
"Hear what?" Rick asked his brother as Leo got up and started to walk towards the door.

"Someone was crying for help."

"We should go find out what's going on.
"No Rick, if we leave then we could end up in trouble."
"Leo, someone's in trouble and you want to turn your back on who ever is in trouble? We have to go!" Leo said as he left the room with Rick in soon hot pursuit as they snuck through the shadows towards the sound of the cries.

"Those boys are strong willed and willing to help people in trouble, but such actions can lead to deadly consequences," Rick and Leo's teacher said as he helped Armstrong navigate the alleyways.

"They mean well, but today they almost got caught in the crossfire of a deadly fight," Armstrong said as he tried to catch up with the man.

"I wish you and your friends to leave here once your deed is fulfilled…I don't want to see innocent bloodshed on these streets…enough was spilled years earlier," the teacher said as he looked back at Armstrong.

"I understand," Armstrong said with cast down eyes as they continued to walk the cold streets.

Armstrong and the teacher walked the cold streets of Ishbal as the navigated the labyrinth of alleyways and each turn seemed to bring back memories of the war, painful memories of those he hurt in the war by the use of the Philosopher's Stone mixed with Strong Arm alchemy. The pain of falling to floor during the heat of the day had taken its toll on Armstrong and his movements were slow as he moved slow as he tried to regain his ability to move like he had before his fall.

"Nothing can change the way the people of Ishbal fell about the Military's intervening with our lives and starting the battle that end in the life of many innocent lives, but I know now that we can't hold onto the past and use it for our workings to hurt those that suffer as well," teacher said.

"I understand where you are coming from…when I came into this war I didn't want to do harm to harmless people, but as a dog of the Military you are order to what your "Master" has commanded you to do….without question," Armstrong said as he slammed a wall's corner.

"You shouldn't take it out on yourself, you joined because you wanted to and nothing you did can be forgotten and I am sure that you're want to get back to your friends is also because you sense someone of your group is in trouble."
"How did you know?"
"I heard the screams for help earlier in the night and I'm sure you heard it as well."
"Then that is why I'm trying to get to the site of the screams."

Things are getting heated between Armstrong and Scar's former teacher and time seems to be slipping for Al, but what is going to happen to Al? Sorry for the short chapter, but I've got certain dialogue set up for particular chapters so that the story stays interesting…sorry guys, but I'll make sure the next chapter is longer .