Jan 1, 1913
"If ever there was a devilish act committed in this world, this incident would definitely have to be it." Hughes said.
"The devil, huh? We State Alchemists are human weapons in the service of the military. Whenever something comes up, we are called upon, and if ordered to, we must dirty our own hands... From the point of doing this or that with other people's lives, there's not a huge difference between the position we're in and the actions that Tucker took. That is the reasoning of an adult. But those children are still so..." Roy said.
"Brother... Brother, the Lt. Colonel..." Al said.
"It's a wasted effort. It is not possible to reconstruct a living creature once its life has been lost. Not for any alchemist." Kuri said.
"Who is it going to please to bring an abortive Chimera back to life?" Ed said.
"There will be even greater suffering and anguish than this waiting for you further down the road you have chosen. As such, you must keep moving forward, even if you have to force yourselves to accept this." Roy said.
"Accept this, you say?!" Ed said.
"There is some purpose you are trying to accomplish, right?" Roy said. "Do you have time to just stand still?"
"For crying out loud, I won't even be able to get in a good bath with my daughter.
From here on, this is a job for the Investigations Department. Stand aside." Hughes said. "This is something awful. Is this the work of that serial killer? That guy specializes in young ladies, right? What's more, this one hasn't been carved up. It's almost as if... ...they were blown up from the inside or something, from the look of it."
Xxx
Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.
An' it harm none, do what ye will. That is the Wiccan Rede's Law of Personal Gain. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.
Xxx
"That's a pretty serious look on your face." Roy said.
"For some reason, it feels like I'm at my wit's end. And here I thought I was through
wavering all over the place...So then, what are these orders?" Ed said.
"This." Roy said. "Sort out the materials here and organize them, and make yourself completely familiar with the results of Tucker's research."
"Are you telling me to take over Tucker-san's research?" Ed said.
"He went about it the wrong way, but there were portions of Tucker's research that have merit for the military." Roy said.
"Then you can let Tucker take care of it, can't you?" Ed said.
"He's...dead. Apparently, his guilt was obvious, so at the discretion of the higher-ups, he was executed." Roy said.
"You mean this was covered up! How can they...?!" Ed said.
"Pledge your loyalty to the military." Roy said. "That's the main principle governing State Alchemists. Say, it looks like Tucker-san was also doing research on the Philosopher's Stone."
"Oh? That's nice." Ed said.
"How long are you going to sulk like this, Ed?" Kuri said. "The Philosopher's Stone is the
ultimate secret to us alchemists, you know. It increases your faculty without bound, and makes transmutation beyond principles possible. In other words, the things that
we weren't able to do could be..."
"That thing is just a legend! It's a fairy tale!" Ed said.
"But if Tucker-san, a State Alchemist, was doing research on it, then..." Kuri said.
"Who gives a damn about his research?! Kuri, have you forgotten about Nina?!" Ed said.
"I cannot permit it." Roy said.
"Why not? That serial killer might have done Nina in like that, right?" Ed said. "I'll help out in finding him!"
"And the work you were ordered to do? What about analyzing Tucker's research?" Roy said.
"I don't want to. I'll investigate on my own, then." Ed said.
"Okay. In that case, leave that here." Roy said.
"I intended to." Ed said.
"Brother!" Al said.
"Just a minute! You're not the only one who is upset over not being able to do anything for Nina!" Rei said.
"We' re alchemists, right? Catching criminals is not something that we can do." Kuri said. "We do research, so that if ever another girl like Nina comes along that we can save..."
"You... you're the guy from the library." Ed said.
"If you were able to come and go at the first branch, does that mean you are a State Alchemist?" Scar said.
"At the time, yeah. But not any more." Ed said.
"Is that right? You're better off. You're better off, that is...assuming you don't want
to be destroyed by this arm." Scar said to himself.
Xxx
"Excuse me...?" Ed said.
"That's all right. But then, I don't know much about the Philosopher's Stone, either. At least, I've never heard of it actually existing. I thought it was just a legend." Hughes said.
"I see..." Ed said.
"However, I think you'd be better off not paying any interest in such a thing. It's said that bad things happen to anything that gets close to the Philosopher's Stone." Hughes said. "I don't know any particulars myself, but there are a lot of people who believe in the Philosopher's Stone. What's more, once in a while, I hear stories about alchemists who have succeeded in creating a Philosopher's Stone. Such rumors naturally have a way
of gathering around the military. There should be a number of records about it in the first branch of the Central Library."
"Really?" Ed said.
"But then, only State Alchemists are allowed to make use of it." Hughes said.
"So, a State Alchemist could verify whether the rumors are true or not." Ed said.
"See, I'm right! You think she's cute too, don't you?" Hughes showed him pictures of his daughter.
"Y-Yeah, I guess..." Ed said.
"What do you think? You think she takes after me? What can I say? Everyone says so!" Hughes said.
"Don't bother me, Pops!" Ed said.
"There's no need for that kind of talk. Not when I've been showing you the classified analysis of the serial killer." Hughes said.
"You owe me two, one for the train, and one for your wife's delivery." Ed said.
"Oh, yeah? Well, in any case, we're at a standstill." Hughes said. "The crimes happen within the city, but there are no witnesses. The bodies are outright sliced up, but nobody believes that he could do it all in such a short time."
"Could he have killed them, and then brought the bodies around? How much time has passed from the time of death?" Ed said.
"Not even the investigators are clear on that very often. But between the military and police, we've opened up and checked the trunk of every car...coming into the city. There must be some sort of blind spot. A car that can hide the bodies, or something... Or maybe it's the work of an alchemist..." Hughes said.
"Alchemists are not murderers!" Ed said.
"Er, are you Edward Elric-san?" Woman said.
"Yes." Ed said.
"There's a visitor to see you at the Headquarters reception desk." Woman said.
Xxx
"Howdy!" Barry, dressed as a woman, said. "Thanks, as usual!"
"It's all right." Man said.
"They held the state certification exams again, right?" Barry said.
"Y-Yeah." Man said. "Oh, did you hear? This time, there was a 12-year-old who passed the test. I hear he just does this with his hands, and just like that, he can transmute."
"Really?" Barry said.
"There, the blond one. And he's just a child, too...Oh, come to think of it, watch out for that one guy. They say he only cuts up the pretty ones." Man said.
"Oh my, are you worried about me?" Barry said.
"Sure." Man said.
"I sure hope they catch him soon." Barry said.
"You bet." Man said.
"So, about these incidents...have you heard anything else?" Barry said.
Xxx
"How long is Ed going to keep me waiting?" Kuri said. "That's a refrigeration unit! Central sure does have the latest cars. How nice! I sure would like to dismantle it!"
"I'm afraid having it dismantled would put me out." Barry said.
"I'm sorry! Is this your truck?" Kuri said.
"That's right. This is my food shop's delivery truck." Barry said. "Is something the matter? If you like, would you care to look inside?"
"Huh? I can?! Thanks so much!" Kuri said.
Xxx
"Huh? I told her to wait right here. That's strange..." Woman said. "Elric-san...?"
"Is this...? Kuri? Was there a car stopped here?" Ed said.
"Yeah, there are always refrigerated trucks stopping here, whose dealers serve the military's cafeteria." Woman said.
"Refrigerated truck? Something that could hide a body...? It couldn't be...!" Ed said.
Xxx
"Ed!" Kuri said.
"Kuri are you all right?!" Ed said.
"Were you kidnapped, too?" Kuri said.
"Let's get out of here, quick! I'll be here with you, so don't worry-!" Ed said.
"Good morning, junior." Barry said.
"Why, you...!" Kuri said.
"I heard that you can transmute without using transmutation circles, so just to be safe..." Barry handcuffed Ed, as well as Kuri. "Let me introduce myself. I'm the shop's owner, Barry."
"A man...?" Kuri said.
"As a reward for making it this far, let me show you something you'll like." Barry said.
"Kuri!" Ed said.
"I'm about to craftily dissect this little girl. Be sure to watch closely, now, State Alchemist-san..." Barry said.
"Stop! Why are you doing this?!" Ed said.
"Why? Well now, because I enjoy it, I suppose. The first person I killed was my wife. We were having some petty argument, you see. Then, without meaning to, I killed her. But then, she cut up so neatly, you know? After that, I started wanting to cut people up even more neatly. I wanted everyone to see." Barry said.
"How can one person kill another for something like that?!" Ed said.
"Oh, but they can! Given just the slightest opportunity, a person can kill another." Barry said.
"Stay back!" Kuri said.
"If they go off to war, it's even easier for one person to kill another. Why do you suppose that is?" Barry said.
"I-I don't know." Ed said.
"It's because people want to kill each other. On the battlefield, I saw a State Alchemist just like you kill other people with ease. Splat! Just like that." Barry said.
"No...!" Ed said.
"Why, you...!" Kuri said.
Ed ran forward after snapping the cuffs and nearly stabbed Barry with a cleaver, but Al appeared and stopped him, the cleaver hitting Al's armor.
"What?" Ed said.
"Don't!" Kuri said.
"It will take more than that to kill me, Brother," Al said.
"They're in here!" Rei said.
"Don't move!" Cops said.
"Al..." Ed said.
"Brother... does that hurt?" Al said.
"I thought I was going to get killed. I really thought that I might die...I was scared. Terribly...Terribly scared..." Ed collapsed, and Kuri caught him.
"Thanks to Hughes-san realizing that trucks from this same food shop had passed inspections many times, we somehow managed to get there in time." Rei said.
"Afterward, the case of Barry the Chopper became famous, and it would be spoken of as Brother's first distinguished achievement." Al said.
"Brother...The Philosopher's Stone might really exist." Al said.
"But, in order to search for it, you have to be certified as a State Alchemist." Kuri said.
"Since I don't have a body, I can't really feel the terror you felt, thinking you were going to be killed, Brother." Al said.
"I'm sure it must have been lonely... and painful..." Rei said.
"Sure, I want my old body back...to be human again." Al said.
"Once we find the Philosopher's Stone, even if it means having to go against the flow of the rest of the world, as though nothing will ever come of it... Having nearly been killed,
I realized something...All I could do was scream. My mind just went completely blank. I couldn't even bring myself to think there would be anyone to save me. For all that we are able to do, we'll have our hands full just trying to get our own bodies back. To that end, whether it means being a dog of the military, or cursed as the devil, I don't care... But then, we really aren't devils, much less gods. We're only human! Tiny, insignificant humans, who couldn't even save Nina..." Ed said.
Xxx
"A condition, you say?" Roy said.
"I will obey my duties to the military. As such, I would like to be told all information
there is about the Philosopher's Stone. When I have no other duties, permit me
to search for the Philosopher's Stone." Ed said.
"Are you sure you want it to get out that you committed the sin of human transmutation? Your brother will be brought into the laboratory as an extraordinary example of transmutation. At least, that's the way I could pressure you to make sure you stay in line. Okay, very well. But you will report to me everything you find out about the Philosopher's Stone. You have been given a title from the Fuhrer. It's quite an ironic title, though... "We give the name "Fullmetal" to thee, Edward Elric, in the name of Fuhrer King Bradley..." Roy said.
"Fullmetal?" Ed said.
"State Alchemists are given a silver watch, as well as a second name. The second name that you will bear is "Fullmetal." The Fullmetal Alchemist." Roy said.
"I like it. It has an oppressive feel to it. Sure, I'll take on that name!" Ed said.
"Also, Kurisuta Hikawa has been given the title "Miko." Roy handed him a second watch for Kuri and a certificate.
Xxx
"To celebrate, you're going to treat me to all kinds of delicious things!" Kuri said.
"You've got it backwards, don't you?" Ed said.
"I fixed your arm, didn't I?" Kuri said.
"Brother, I heard that the serial killer didn't have anything to do with Nina." Al said.
"No, he seems to have an alibi for that night." Rei said.
"Then, I wonder who it was that wiped out Nina like that..." Ed said.