Oh my goodness. I could CRY. I was so stunned to see that I still had readers after my unexpected hiatus. I mean...there's still interest? I'm so floored and honored. Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who came out for the last two chapters - and a HUGE extra thank you to the people who reached out about my health issues. I am hoping it's nothing, I am, but I was given the gamut from completely terrifying to something I just need (basic, but lifetime) meds for, to literally nothing at all...so I have no idea. But seeing all this has made me feel so much better about absolutely everything. What's more, my arm played nice and I was able to get this chapter all shiny and polished for you all! So without further ado, we continue: with one of my favourite sequences to write thus far appearing in this chapter too.


'It's going to be difficult… We don't have much time before-'

'I know that, don't you think I know that? The last report said two days. But if we wait any longer…'

'We'll face the same complications. You're right.'

'The last test we ran was positive, it seems to be heading in the right direction. But it's still not finished. We'll be cutting it close—I need about thirty-six more hours before I can-'

'Shit. She's waking up.'

'Dammit, this gets harder every time… Up the dosage. We can't risk anything happening before we…'

Lissa jolted upright with a gasp, covered in cold sweat and shivering all over. She'd woken up so violently that it even awakened Ed, who sat up sleepily and peered at her in the semidarkness. "Liss? Hey, what's going on?" he breathed. His hands found hers and grabbed on, much as he could with that wood paneling around his wrists, frowning at her worriedly.

"You were talking in you sleep," Al murmured behind her. "I…think you said something in…"

He trailed off—but she knew the end of that sentence anyway. In Xingese. I said something else in Xingese.

"Just…" Lissa's voice cracked and she cleared her throat. "Just a nightmare, that's all. I'm fine."

"You're not fine," Ed argued back.

She closed her eyes a moment, focusing on her alchemical senses, on what she could feel tangibly—the wind whistling through Al's hollow body, the chill seeping in from down the hall, the soft breaths rushing past Ed's lips… Tangible. Real. Nothing like that dream. "I…don't even know why it scared me," she admitted softly, shrugging. "It was just…talking. It didn't make any sense, besides. Something about…a test being positive, and…needing time before…something. I don't know."

Al's armor clanked as he got up, moving across the cell so he could look at her—and something tumbled to place inside her mind.

"Do that again," she whispered, whipping her head around to look at him.

He stared at her. "Uh… Do what again, Lissa?"

"Just—just walk, pace for a second." She sat up straight, her nightmare melting away in the face of this—obvious answer. "Please, Al. Trust me. The noise helps."

Though he seemed a bit wary, Alphonse did it anyway, consenting to pace up and down the cell just like she'd asked. Every step made his armor clank and jangle, and the metal of his boots thudded pretty loudly on the floor, creating a sort of…base noise level that would cover most sounds coming from their cell. And with the commotion from her nightmare… It wasn't odd that she might want a little background noise. The perfect cover.

"What's going on, Liss?" Ed asked her quietly, still holding her hands.

Lissa met his golden-eyed gaze. "Al, if you can hear me…just nod, don't acknowledge it out loud," she murmured. Al nodded, just once, and Lissa took a deep breath. "Listen to me. Both of you. This is important and we can't waste time with lots of questions. Just…trust me." She tightened her fingers around Ed's. "I think Kimblee has a Philosopher's Stone. I know what they feel like, and I sensed one on him yesterday."

Ed sucked in a sharp breath. "Shit."

"I don't know what it means, and I have no idea why he has one… But we need to be careful. He's dangerous without a stone, but with one…"

"Dammit, this is bad…" Ed twisted his mouth up as he considered all the implications. "That must mean he's definitely working with the homunculi, if he's got a complete Philosopher's Stone. So they got him out of prison. But why? What would they want with him?"

Al shook his head faintly, though he didn't pause in his pacing. "Nothing good."

"Right now, we have to assume he's our biggest threat," Lissa asserted. "Raven proved he's a pushover. But Kimblee…"

"Everything I know about Kimblee tells me he's a fucking terror," Ed muttered, scowling. "He did awful things in Ishval. The Colonel was regarded as a hero, but Kimblee… He ended up in prison. That tells us enough."

"Alex used him as a cautionary tale, for why powerful alchemists need to keep their feet on the ground," she added quietly. Lissa had never heard Alex talk about anyone the way he spoke about Kimblee. "He said Kimblee killed hundreds of Ishvalans. He did it so quickly and ruthlessly that he was able to take on other commands and help out other state alchemists, just because he handled whatever tasks he was given that fast."

Ed let out a harsh breath. "Dammit. I don't like this at all. And if he's got a Philosopher's Stone, that means he's even more dangerous now."

"We have to get out of here," Al murmured. "Soon."

Lissa didn't think she'd ever agreed with anything more.

It was nearly a week later, a day the three were thankfully already awake and talking softly amongst themselves, when Neil sauntered into the cellblock, seeming in pretty good spirits. "Hey, good morning," he greeted with a wave.

"You seem chipper," Ed observed, a bit irritably. A week without any sign of change would do that to a person.

Neil grinned at him. "I come bearing news, kids."

"News?" Lissa perked up, sitting up from where she'd been slumped against Ed's shoulder. "What kind of news? If you say bad, I swear…"

He waved her off. "Nah, it's the good kind. I was ordered to come tell you that General Raven is uh, well…" Neil rubbed a hand across the back of his head. "He's dead."

"Dead?" Al repeated, stunned enough to look up from the newspaper he'd been reading.

Neil nodded. "You got it. General Armstrong killed him herself."

"She killed him?!" Ed's jaw dropped.

"General Raven?!" Al nearly dropped his newspaper. "Are you sure?"

"Yep. And that was all I was ordered to tell you." Neil grinned and stuffed his hands in his pockets, completely at ease delivering such a damned bombshell. "So… Seeya." He turned then and headed right back off down the hall without another word.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Ed shouted, leaping up and rushing to the bars. "When're you guys gonna let us out of this damn place?!"

Neil shrugged as he walked out the door. "Who knows? Take it up with the General."

"Dammit!" Ed growled, gripping onto the bars and glowering down the hall, his whole body gone rigid with fury.

Al sighed at him. "Getting angry won't do any good, Ed. We should just rest for now."

"Al's right," Lissa admitted reluctantly. "It's not like we have a choice, anyway. We're stuck now until General Armstrong lets us out."

Ed groaned and slumped over, still holding onto the bars loosely. "Ugh, I can't just sit around while all this is going on," he complained, shaking his head. "I need to do something!"

As if his prayers had been answered, the door at the end of the hall creaked open again, and somebody walked down towards their cell. Lissa cringed back when she saw Kimblee approaching, the very last damned person she'd wanted to see. Honestly, boredom and solitude might've been better. Anything was better than the Crimson Alchemist.

"Hi," Kimblee greeted, tipping his hat. "Afternoon, kids. I was hoping that I might have a word with the Fullmetal and Starlight Alchemists?"

Lissa bristled despite herself. The hell did Kimblee want with them?

Ed glanced at her over his shoulder, his expression telling her that he wasn't exactly thrilled with the situation either. She hoped he regretted complaining so much.

"Oh, don't tell me that you have some reason to dislike me, too," Kimblee sighed, approaching them. It seemed as though he was putting on some big farce, as far as Lissa could tell. Playing at courtesy. But why? "You should be grateful. After all, I brought a visitor with me to see you."

"A visitor?" Ed repeated, narrowing his eyes.

Footsteps clicked on the floor—and Lissa recoiled in complete horror as Winry popped around Kimblee and beamed at them happily.

"Winry?!" Ed cried, rearing back from her.

"Why did you come here?!" Al demanded, just as panic-stricken.

Winry glared at them. "Why?! Why do you think?! You have to adjust your automail for the north, don't you?" she demanded, gesturing angrily at Ed. "And just what are you doing in that cell? Did you get into some kind of trouble again?"

Ed matched her furious look. "We didn't ask you to come here!" he snapped.

"What's with you?" Hurt crept into Winry's face, and she took a step back from the cell. "I was worried about you, idiot! Someone from the military contacted me, so I came-"

"Wait, the military contacted you?" Lissa interjected, leaping to her feet beside Ed.

Winry frowned at her. "I—yes…"

Kimblee grinned and rested his hands on Winry's shoulders. Lissa wanted to slam him into the wall for it. "Don't be so hard on her, you three… The Führer was concerned about you. He wanted to make sure you were taken care of."

Taken care of. He was dangling poor Winry in front of them as a hostage, a clear threat, and she didn't even have a clue!

"Now, we should see to that automail, shouldn't we?" Kimblee suggested. "Fullmetal, Starlight, you can both come along. For the time being, Alphonse, I'm afraid you'll need to remain here. Is that all right?"

Al stiffened, but nodded regardless. "Of course."

Kimblee had the guards outside remove Ed and Lissa's restraints, while leaving Al's in place, and then quite happily led the way out of the cellblock and towards the medical room, where the automail workshop was located too. Lissa snagged Winry's arm on the way and kept the other girl close, letting Ed walk between them and Kimblee—a united force to protect Winry, she knew. They'd exchanged one split-second pointed glance on their way out of the cell, and that was all it took for Ed and Lissa to reach an understanding. Winry was here as a hostage…and it was their job to protect her.

With Lissa hovering anxiously, Winry set up in the medical room and had Edward lie out on a cot in front of her, stripped down to his boxers, much too vulnerable for the situation with his automail splayed out like that… But Lissa was glad she was there, at least.

It's odd for Kimblee to split us up this way, she mused, as Winry began setting her tools out, along with what seemed to be an entire new arm and leg. Why not leave me in with Al? Wrath knew all about me and Ed, he shoved that in our faces… There's no reason Kimblee wouldn't know. We're partners, sure, but that means fuck all when it comes to keeping control of us. Which means Kimblee needs me here for another reason. Shit. I have no idea what he'd want with me.

"You should've told me you were heading to the north," Winry chastised, as she worked on Ed's arm. She'd semi-attached the new one, and was making some adjustments to it before she connected the nerves, as far as Lissa could tell.

Ed looked away from her, a bit ashamed. "I didn't have a chance… We were in a hurry, okay?"

Winry rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and when are you guys ever not in a hurry," she muttered, clearly offended by the whole thing.

"I didn't know it'd be an issue," Lissa told her, grimacing. "I would've called you if I knew."

The blonde smiled up at her. "Well, at least you know for the future now, right?" she suggested, pretty gamely considering everything. "Anyway, what did you guys do to get locked up like that?"

"It's only a misunderstanding," Kimblee cut in smoothly, from where he'd posted up near the door—with two brand-new guards as well. Lissa was afraid to tune into the Dragon's Pulse here, afraid if she sensed the Philosopher's Stone too strongly it might overwhelm her and give her secret away… But she was wickedly curious about these newcomers. "Just a lack of communication," he continued, smiling benignly at Winry. "I'll have them released in no time at all."

Winry smiled right back at him, totally unaware. "Thanks a lot, Mr. Kimblee. These three are lucky to have you watching out for them," she added, with a sharp side-eye at Ed.

"It's nothing," Kimblee demurred.

Lissa glanced sideways at Ed, subtle as she could, and he tugged lightly on Winry's wrench to bring her in closer. "Win, listen to me," Lissa murmured, tilting in like she was examining Ed's automail. "You need to be careful with him."

Ed nodded slightly. "I wouldn't trust Kimblee if I were you," he agreed.

"What?" Winry gave them a baffled look. "Why not? He seems nice. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Do you have any idea what that psychopath did in Ishval?" Ed began in a hiss—but he winced and cut himself off, maybe afraid to scare her too much or questioning his own knowledge, Lissa didn't know.

She reached out and touched his shoulder lightly, the movement drawing Winry's eyes to her. "Just be careful, okay?" Lissa cautioned softly. "Everything's kind of…different up here in the north. That's all. We just wanna look out for you, Win." There. Hopefully that's enough to make her wary, without terrifying her… Winry doesn't need to be freaking out up here. She'll go back to Rush Valley soon and won't have to worry about Kimblee anymore.

Softening a bit, Winry nodded and returned to her work, grabbing up a wrench this time and bringing it to Ed's shoulder. "Okay. I'll keep it in mind, Lissa." She twisted the wrench, a single, sharp motion—and Ed cried out in a sudden burst of pain.

"What the hell, Winry?" he whined, grabbing at his automail in protest. "I told you to warn me before you connect the nerves! All right?!"

She just sniffed rather imperiously. "Yeah, yeah… Now let's do your leg. You big baby." Winry made a little shooing motion with her finger, and Ed reluctantly curled his automail arm in, letting it drape over his exposed chest while Winry shifted down to work on his leg. Lissa remained by his side, her fingers tracing the muscles of his shoulder just faintly, reminding him she was there. As Winry set about removing his leg, her face set with absolute concentration, Lissa dared to inch a bit closer and brush her fingers through his bangs.

Ed quirked a faint smile, that crooked one that made her stomach do somersaults, and tilted into her touch. And for a moment, just that one, singular moment, nothing else mattered—there was nobody but Ed, not to Lissa, nothing but their own little space together. She adored this, the trust between them, the easy way they could just…communicate with the slightest touches, those quick glances… She loved it, honestly she did, she loved…

Him.

Lissa shut her eyes as the feeling washed over her. Am I in love with Edward? Is that really…what this is? She focused on him, just for a moment, on that warm, familiar feeling of amber, the shimmer of sunlight through crystalline water, a clear night sky…

I…I love him, she realized, her heart stuttering in her chest. And I never even noticed.

A hand rested on her knee, and Lissa flicked her eyes open to see Ed staring at her, a little worry coloring his gaze, like he'd sensed something was wrong. She just tugged at his little antenna and grinned, shrugging it off. It was one thing to be with him—to call Ed her boyfriend and take that risk. They hadn't been able to stay apart. But to admit that… To say she loved him… No. Not until they'd finished with this entire mess, until the homunculi and Father were gone. It would be an unfair weight on him, a distraction—and give the homunculi even more reason to hold their relationship over them.

So for now…we'll stay just how we are, she agreed to herself, a silent promise. And later… I'll pour my whole damned heart out for you later, Ed.

Winry finished up soon enough with his leg, and Ed hopped off the cot immediately, swishing his arm around and stomping his feet to test it. "It's so light," he mused, curling and uncurling his fingers. "It's not gonna be any weaker than my last set, will it?"

"Not really," Winry told him, as she put her tools away. "It's slightly weaker, but I doubt you'll notice. I can add a shin-guard if you're worried, though. It is pretty heavily reinforced, so you'll be fine either way."

Ed pulled on his clothes as Lissa passed them to him, tugging his trousers into place and his undershirt over his head just before Buccaneer stepped out of the automail workshop. Seriously, Lissa was beginning to be utterly terrified of his resilience. Had he really gone through two changes in the handful of days they'd been at Briggs?

"All right, what are you two doin' out of your cell?" Buccaneer asked, glaring down at Ed and Lissa like he still thought they were spies.

Good acting, really.

"I don't know. Maybe some people respect the fact that we're state alchemists," Ed shot back irritably.

Buccaneer just scoffed that away. "Ah. Finally upgrading for the cold, huh?" he observed, jerking his chin towards Ed's new automail arm.

Ed nodded once, reluctantly. "Are you upgrading too?"

Winry gasped behind them as Buccaneer laughed and brandished his claw-tipped arm, an almost maniacal grin spreading over his face. "There's nothin' left for me to upgrade to!"

Lissa smirked and stepped aside as Winry let out an excited shriek, and raced over to examine Buccaneer's arm. "It's the M19 Mad Bear lightweight combat model!" Winry stared at his arm as the Captain held it out obligingly. "Woah! What kind of reinforcement is that on the claws? They're not diamond-tipped, are they?!"

Buccaneer looked at her in surprise. "Yeah. She's fully modified. It's a specially-crafted model," he told her.

Winry let out another scream of excitement. "Edward!" She rounded on him and pointed eagerly at Buccaneer's automail. "Do you want me to upgrade you to one of these?"

Ed grimaced and looked away. "Not my style," he grumbled.

Lissa just laughed and tugged him into her side, squeezing his shoulder. "What, you don't think you could rock a set of claws, Ed?"

He just turned his nose up at her.

"Who's the girl?" Buccaneer asked them, smirking. "She's way too cute to be hanging around a couple of troublemakers like you two."

Ed rolled his eyes. "She's my mechanic."

Buccaneer glared between them for a moment—then reared back his clawed automail arm to swipe it across Ed. Lissa tightened her grip on Ed and parted the air behind them, yanking him just out of reach at the very last second, causing Buccaneer to claw through empty air.

"What'd you do that for?!" Ed demanded angrily.

The Captain turned and stalked out of the room. "Because life isn't fair, kid!"

Winry giggled and clasped her hands together, unbothered by the whole thing. "Real life northern automail!" she sighed dreamily. "That's the first I've ever seen!"

Neil, who had trailed Buccaneer out like he just wanted to see the show, gave her a bright smile. "Oh, yeah?" He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "You wanna come check out my workshop then?"

"Please, please, I'd love to!" she agreed eagerly, nodding.

Ed furrowed his brow. "Hey, Winry…"

"Huh?" She turned back to face him. "What's wrong?"

He winced, probably remembering that Kimblee and a couple of his guards were still in the room. "Uh, nothing… Just… Try to keep on your toes. And don't go off exploring, not on your own." Ed sighed wearily. "It's not safe here. So be careful, all right?"

"Okay," Winry agreed hesitantly. "I will be."

"It's a rabbit warren," Lissa offered, trying to smile as she covered Ed's warning. "You'll be fine with Neil, though."

Winry returned the smile, just a bit. "Thanks, Lissa." Then she bounded off after Neil, trailing him into his workshop with a veritable flood of questions already rolling off her tongue. She'd probably be occupied in there for hours, if Neil let her stay that long.

Kimblee crossed to Ed and Lissa, smiling a bit eerily after Winry. "I see she's got her parents' enthusiasm," he observed. "It's a good trait to have." He stepped between them and the workshop, rather pointedly. "Well then. Your little upgrade's all taken care of and out of the way. So why don't we find a place to sit down, hm? I'm eager to discuss our business."

So this was it… The heart of why Kimblee had come here, why he'd brought Winry into the equation.

"Sure," Lissa agreed softly. "Down to business, then."

Ed practically shoved the rest of his clothes back on, including a brand new shin-guard that strapped to the outside of his trousers, his mood dropping further and further as the situation kept evolving—first, Kimblee brought Ed and Lissa into a smaller room, a sort of office enclosed by a door with a big glass panel at the top. That would've been all right, leaving witnesses for whatever might happen… But then the Crimson Alchemist had his guards watch Winry in the next room, plying her with tea and suggesting she could wait on Ed and Lissa there. It kept her presence in their faces, a reminder of the instant price of failing to comply.

"So," Kimblee began as he settled down across the table from them, resting his hands atop the wooden surface and smiling. "Let's get right to it, shall we? It's very simple. I have a job for you two."

"You've got a job for us?" Ed repeated, suspicious, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kimblee inclined his head. "That's correct. You are state alchemists, after all. And it's a few jobs, actually. Three. All from the Führer." He flicked up one finger, displaying the tattoo inked on his palm in the process. "First off, he wants you to hunt down Scar. You two just find him, I'll take care of the rest." Meaning deal the final blow, Lissa assumed, glaring as Kimblee lifted his second finger. "Secondly, he wants you to locate Dr. Marcoh, who has very likely fled with Scar."

"Wait, he's where?" Lissa asked, leaning forward over the table. This was news to them, they hadn't heard anything of Dr. Marcoh since he went missing.

Ed was wondering the same thing. "Why's Dr. Marcoh with Scar?"

Kimblee eyed them both. "The only thing you need to worry about is finding them," he told them firmly. Then he flicked up his third finger, pushing onward over any questions they might have. "And last but not least, he wants you to carve a crest of blood here."

A what?

"A crest of blood?" Ed frowned at him. "What do you mean by that?"

Kimblee's gaze turned harsher, and something leaden lodged in Lissa's abdomen. "Just like what I did in Ishval. It's very simple. We kill everyone and soak the land with their blood."

Lissa recoiled into the back of her chair. "No!"

Ed growled and shot to his feet, ramming his palm into the tabletop, flying headfirst into rage. "We would never take part in-"

But he cut himself off as Kimblee pressed a finger to his own lips, and cast a sly gaze towards the door.

Winry. Oh, no, he's going to hold Winry over us to make us do this!

Trembling with anger now, Ed dropped back into his chair, his arms tight over his own chest as he glared sideways. Lissa could feel his breath disturbing the air, harsh and hot with fury. For her part, she was just…stunned. Of anything she'd thought Kimblee might want…she'd never considered…this.

"Did you really join the military without being prepared to kill someone?" Kimblee asked of Ed, sounding almost amused.

Ed glowered at him. "I was determined not to kill."

Kimblee gave him an exasperated look, unaffected by the declaration. Clearly he wasn't moved too much by the idea of mercy. "Well, how original of you. I suppose you could take just as much from that decision."

"Listen, Kimblee, do you have any idea what they're doing?" Ed demanded. "What you're helping them to achieve? They're gonna-"

"I'm curious to see how the world will change," Kimblee interrupted coolly.

Lissa let out a sharp breath. "What?"

"Both sides clashing… Will against will… Life versus life… Humans or the homunculi… Which one will triumph? Which side does the world prefer?" Kimblee's voice was icy, coated with a sort of detached curiosity, like he truly didn't care what the outcome was—he just wanted a good seat to watch the horrors. "The homunculi like to see themselves as the next step in the evolution of humanity. But that's for history to decide. I just plan on helping it make up its mind."

She swallowed back a wave of nausea. "That's—that's sick, what you're doing," she breathed.

"Have you forgotten that you're a human?" Ed asked of him, his anger still winning out over his own revulsion. "How can you take their side?"

Kimblee raised his arms to display the tattoos on his palms for them. "Because they've given me complete freedom to use my alchemy however I want."

Ed's jaw clenched tight. "You're insane, Kimblee."

"My standards do tend to differ from society's," he allowed, smirking. "However, if I survive this battle then the world will have chosen my sanity over yours. I stake my being, the very core of my own existence. This is what I'm willing to bet on the outcome of this battle."

"You…" Ed sighed roughly. "You don't make any sense, Kimblee."

"Nothing you're saying sounds even remotely sane," Lissa told him sharply, her own ire rising. This man…was playing around like this was a game, like watching them fight for their lives was an interesting sport. It was sickening.

Kimblee lifted his eyebrows. "That's surprising. I had always kind of assumed that self-centeredness was a universal trait of all alchemists." He reached inside his coat, digging his fingers into some inner pocket, and withdrew his hand to rest it atop the table. "Well then," he murmured, and Lissa's senses rushed into overdrive, her skin crawling with that horrific slimy feeling from before. "Let's see if I can find something that you do selfishly crave. Something you and your brother want more than anything."

No… Dammit, no, anything but this…

"And if you do what we ask… I'll give it to you." And with that, Kimblee lifted his hand. On the table, gleaming a vibrant red in the overhead lighting, was a small, blood-tainted Philosopher's Stone. Lissa could barely keep her hands from trembling. This stone…felt so, so much stronger than the one in Liore… The false priest's… It was real. She could sense it in the thick sludge weighing down her shoulders, suppressing everything but the awful, soul-sick feeling of that stone.

A complete Philosopher's Stone. Edward and Alphonse's, for a price.

Lissa shoved her senses down with a mighty heave, smothering the Dragon's Pulse with the most monumental effort. She looked over at Ed, trying to gauge him, trying to read what was going on in his mind—but it dawned on her, with a horrid certainty, that it didn't matter.

She had another bargaining chip in this game.

"I need to consult…with Al and Winry," Ed began slowly, his hands quivering faintly in his lap.

Kimblee rested his head in a hand. "Why tell Miss Winry?"

"She has no idea she's involved." Ed breathed out heavily. "Despite what you're asking of us, I refuse to hide the truth from her."

"All right then. But you're not telling her without me there," Kimblee asserted. "I don't want you telling her too much." He started to rise from the table—but paused as Lissa held up a hand, meeting his gaze for perhaps the first time. "Is something the matter, Starlight?" he asked her curiously.

Lissa didn't look away from him. She couldn't. "I need to talk to you privately, Kimblee."

Ed jerked around to look at her. "Wait, Liss—what are you-"

"It's fine, Ed." She managed to tear her gaze away from Kimblee long enough to force a smile her boyfriend's way. "Honestly. I just…need to clear something up." Lissa reached out and took his hands in hers, wishing she could hide the way hers were shaking uncontrollably. "Please… Trust me, okay? It won't take long."

Kimblee looked genuinely intrigued. Lissa had been betting on that, on him biting long before Ed could get his feet under him. "Very well, then." He made a gesture at one of his soldiers outside the door, and the man immediately approached Winry. "I'll have Miss Winry escorted back to the cell first, and you can wait outside, Fullmetal. Though I wouldn't try anything, if I were you." He took the Philosopher's Stone back and tucked it into his pocket, rather pointedly.

Ed slowly stood up from the table, his eyes fixated on Lissa, mouth slightly agape in shock. "Liss… Whatever you're doing… You can't…"

She stood up for a moment and embraced him, tightly—then pressed a quick kiss to his lips, just to silence him. "You gotta trust me, Ed," she told him softly. "I know what I'm doing, all right? Just wait outside. Like I said, this won't take me long."

He gave her a disconsolate look, but stepped outside anyway, sitting down in the chair Winry had just vacated.

"Cute," Kimblee observed. "You and Fullmetal. Though, you know, it's just another weakness for them to exploit. You would've done better keeping it to yourself."

"I don't need your relationship advice," Lissa shot back. She sat down at the table and faced him, summoning up all her courage for what she had to do next. "Can I ask you… How much bargaining power did the homunculi give you? Was it just the stone and the three tasks, or did they hand you down more power than that?"

He eyed her curiously. "I have enough power to ensure the tasks are completed. That's all you need to know. Why?"

Lissa squared her shoulders. "And you know about the whole—thing with the human sacrifices? How Ed and Al are considered proper sacrifices, while I'm just some sort of potential candidate?" That was important to know. She had to be fully aware of what he had in his mind.

"Mh, yes, I'm aware of all that." His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Get to the point, Starlight."

She nodded, just once. "I want to make a deal. You'll get everything you want, and so will the homunculi… But I want you to leave Ed out of carving the crest of blood." Lissa twisted her fingers together atop the table, watching flickers of alchemical energy dance over her knuckles. "I can do it myself. He might've resolved himself not to kill, but I didn't. I never had a choice here, so I grew up knowing what I'd have to do."

Kimblee scoffed at her, more amused than anything else. "You think you have a way to protect your little boyfriend? Seems like at least one of you has a true alchemist's arrogance."

"It's not arrogance," Lissa shot back, irritated. "I have a trade. Equivalent Exchange. Ed and I will handle the first two tasks together—finding Scar and Dr. Marcoh. But you leave carving the crest of blood to me. I'm strong enough to do it on my own, even if you don't feel like helping. At the end, Ed and Al still get their Philosopher's Stone. And…" She crossed her arms over her chest. "In return, I'll take whatever step the homunculi need from me to turn myself into a full sacrifice."

His eyebrows shot up. Lissa had caught him off guard, she could see that. He hadn't actually expected her to have anything to offer, beyond a girl's desperation to protect the boy she cared about. "Now, this is interesting," he told her, leaning in over the table. "Do you know what you'd be required to do?"

"No. And I don't care. Ed and Al did it, clearly, so I'll handle whatever it is." This was why she'd sent Ed from the room—he would never, ever let her so much as consider this option. "That's one less person for the homunculi to find. All their tasks get completed, the boys get their stone, and one more sacrifice is on the table." Lissa sat back in her chair, trying to get her breathing under control. The truth was…she was terrified of whatever she might have to do. But in the end… She could save that part of Edward, the piece of his soul she knew would shatter if he were forced to become a human weapon.

And I still haven't reached the limit of what I'd do for that boy. For both of them. But if Ed can get the stone, then we can take it away from Kimblee… And that would make it all worth it…

At least, she could tell herself that until it was true.

Kimblee steepled his fingers and regarded her. "I must say, you've surprised me. I expected you to beg for your boyfriend's soul—but not this. You're much more cunning than anyone would give you credit for, Lissa Caito." He shook his head. "That said… The answer is no."

Lissa bit back a sharp curse.

"Turning you into a sacrifice simply isn't worth the risk of our plans not being completed. The crest of blood must be done in a certain manner, and it's more important to task you and Fullmetal to that than it is to make you a full sacrifice." Kimblee shrugged. "It was a fair try, though, I'll give you credit where it's due. However…" He smirked at her, and Lissa's skin crawled. "I will remember your offer, for the future. It's good to know what you're willing to do."

She glared down at the tabletop, energy twisting around her hands as she raged. Lissa hadn't thought he'd turn her down—she'd been fully prepared to take that step, to do what she had to in order to protect Ed. But now… Now she was just angry at the homunculi, at Father, at Kimblee, for putting Ed through this. For making him take on that role.

"Come along then, Starlight," Kimblee half-ordered, rising from the table. "I want my answers soon. I need to report back."

Lissa rose and let him show her out of the room, still furious—but the moment she saw Ed, tense and anxious, all that anger melted away to shame. He…wouldn't like what she'd done, what she'd offered… She knew that…

"Liss, you okay?" he asked her softly as she approached, rising from the table and taking her hands.

She nodded slowly. "Yeah. I'm fine." Lissa shot a glance towards Kimblee. "Nothing changed, anyway. I had to try." When he went to ask what she'd done, Lissa shook her head quickly and cut him off. "Not here, Ed. Okay? We have other things to worry about right now besides my stupid failed plan."

Ed furrowed his brow, and Lissa winced, knowing she'd tipped him off too much. Yet to her surprise he took her hand anyway as Kimblee led them from the room, his guards trailing without so much as a gesture. So… He hadn't decided to hate her just yet. But Lissa wondered if that would last once he learned exactly what she'd done. But she'd had to try, there was no other way… She had to try and protect him if she could.

Kimblee took them back to the cellblock and let the two in, standing across the hall and leaning there with his arms folded, watching. He was serious about making sure Ed and Lissa didn't reveal too much, then.

Lissa felt Ed's hand brush hers—then a quick, sharp pressure from his forefinger against one of her tattoos. She knew the one. It was the circle he'd helped her design, the one she'd been so anxious about at first… That circle allowed her to reshape the air around something else as a way to guide the transmutation, a sort of secondary alchemy they'd developed together. One alchemist just put their energy towards forcing the solid object out of its old shape, while Lissa would focus on the actual physical shape and direction the materials needed to take. The idea was to reshape and guide something while another alchemist transmuted a solid object, both lending their energy and allowing for not quite a bypass of Equivalent Exchange, but the closest they could come without using a Philosopher's Stone.

That was…specific, for him to point that one out, Lissa mused, though she didn't look at him. A method of attempting to bypass Equivalent Exchange with both our unique talents. Why, Ed? What are you thinking?

Ed sighed deeply and jumped right into it. "Winry, you were only brought to Briggs as a hostage," he told the girl bluntly.

Winry, seated on the cot just in front of them, looked up at him in confusion. "A what? What does he mean, Al? Are you joking? Tell me he's joking, Lissa…"

Ed's mouth set in a grim line, and he cast his gaze downward, unable to look her in the eye any longer. "Listen… We've been ordered by the Führer to fulfil our duties as human weapons. In other words, they're ordering me and Lissa to help them commit mass murder."

"No! Why don't you just refuse?" Winry demanded, shooting to her feet—but then she recoiled, her face going very pale. "I see… That's why." She sank back down and pressed a hand to her face. "No… I'm sorry… They're using me to hold you down…"

Lissa reached out to her. "Winry…"

"I won't cry!" Winry breathed, though her voice was tight. "I won't. I'm just…upset at myself for being so naïve." She put her other hand to her face and sighed, a bit shakily. "I'm sorry. All you were trying to do is get your original bodies back again."

Ed's finger brushed that same spot on Lissa's hand, and she nudged her palm against the pressure, acknowledging. "About that," he murmured. "They actually offered me a Philosopher's Stone as payment."

Al gasped in shock. "A stone? But…"

Lissa inclined her head. "Kimblee has one with him."

"But—we can't, brother!" Al insisted, looking to Ed with a rush of panic. "The ingredients for a stone are-"

"I know, Al!" Ed snapped. It was so, so rare for Ed to be harsh with his little brother—Lissa didn't flinch, didn't allow herself to do anything but stare the younger boy down, willing him to understand what she'd pieced together. This is why you kept tapping that tattoo, isn't it? You want to bypass this Equivalent Exchange. You don't want to take that Philosopher's Stone at all. We just need Kimblee to believe that you're desperate enough to take it.

And, though Ed didn't know it, this was all lining up with her own attempt to alter the deal. It served to underline just how badly they needed the stone, even with the ingredients. Lissa hadn't cared about the stone—she'd kept it as part of the deal if only to get it away from Kimblee. All she wanted was to get the boys' bodies back.

She just hoped Ed would understand that.

Al's body slumped, and he turned away sharply, refusing to look at them. "Go ahead and do what you want," he told them lowly.

Edward bowed his head. "I will."

Lissa nodded her agreement, conscious of Winry staring at her in shock. "Then let's go," she murmured. She and Ed left the cell together, joining Kimblee at the end of the hallway. Lissa hoped she didn't look too rattled.

"It's settled," Ed told the Crimson Alchemist. "We're in. All right?" He jammed his hands into his pockets and eyed Kimblee. "But finding Scar is the first thing that I wanna do."

Kimblee adjusted his hat on his head. "Oh, yeah? Why's that?"

Ed gritted his teeth. "Scar is the one who murdered Winry's parents," he explained tersely. "They deserve vengeance."

Down the hall, the cell door squeaked as Winry was allowed out as well, leaving Al alone.

"I see." Kimblee shrugged as they headed off down the hall with him, keeping pace. "Fine with me, if that's what you'd like."

"Also, I need Al with me. He doesn't have a body, so he's immune to Scar's bodily destruction," Ed continued on. Lissa bit back a grin—he was smart, getting Al involved in all this now. Not in the least because Al had really held his own against Scar last time… Yet also been the one to strike up a deal with the Ishvalan that saved Mei Chang's life.

"Well, that is helpful," Kimblee noted, oblivious to all the underlying reasons.

Good. Let him think this is all for real.

"And what about you, Starlight?" he asked rather curiously. "Now that your little deal fell through, are you content with going after Scar first?"

Lissa felt Ed tense beside her. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

He shrugged at her. "I just thought you might still be looking for a way to get Fullmetal out of carving the crest of blood, that's all. You seem the type."

She dug her fingernails into the palms of her gloves, both angry and horrorstruck all at once. Kimblee, you complete asshole! Why the hell did you need to interfere with that?! It's none of your fucking business!

"Get me out of…" Ed stared at her sharply. "Lissa, you didn't."

"I told you it didn't work," she muttered, tugging at her coat uncomfortably. "What, like I haven't jumped into danger for you before? I dunno how you're still surprised."

His jaw dropped. "But this—this is…so different, dammit, what did you even offer?!"

Lissa wrapped her arms around herself and stared at the ground. There was no way out now, thanks to Kimblee's meddling. "I…offered to become a full sacrifice if they didn't make you help carve the crest of blood, okay? I didn't see a way out of it, and you and Alphonse need that damn stone, so I just…"

"Dammit, why the hell would you do that?" he snarled, rounding on her in the stairwell. "You—you didn't even ask me, Lissa! You sent me out of the room because you knew what I'd say!"

She jammed her hands on her hips and glared at him. "What, do I need your permission to try and look after you now? We both know that you only joined the military for one reason—but I grew up knowing what I'd have to do, Ed. I've known for eight years of my life what I'd have to do. I came to terms with it. So—so I won't apologize for trying to protect you!"

"All right, enough!" Kimblee groaned. He seized her shoulder and pulled her away from Ed, stumbling her down a few stairs and pushing her at one of his guards. "Jeez, call off the lovers' spat. You two can clear your heads on the way to Baschool." He pointed at the guard now a foot behind Lissa. "Keep them separate until we get there, got it? Split cars, the whole deal. I didn't sign on to handle a couple teenagers bickering like that."

Lissa shot a panicked look up at Ed—only to find him glowering down at her. "Wha—hey, don't touch me!" she snapped, shoving the guard's hand away from her shoulder as he tried to pull her further down the stairs. "Ed, wait, I-"

But Ed folded his arms over his chest. "This is just like Resembool, isn't it?" he told her harshly.

Just like…Resembool? But wait, that's not…

Lissa caught sight of Ed winking at her, just before Kimblee's guard took her shoulder and forced her to walk forward.