Manami and Winry returned to Ed and Al's room. They had little bits of chit chat, but suddenly Al shivered.
"Hm?" Manami and Winry looked over to him.
"Wh-What if my body is rotting..?" He asked, and even Ed looked up now.
"There's no way for it to get it's proper nutrients… or sleep… so even if we do get it back…" Al whimpered. "What if it's like Barry's body and completely rotted?"
Everyone also shuddered at the thought.
"Well, I may have a theory." Ed spoke. "When we transmuted mom, we added our blood as some kind of blueprint for mom's soul. Then the both of us were sent to the portal of Truth, where we were both deconstructed."
He looked up to everyone. "It's possible that Al and I's spirits got mixed together during that."
"How?" Manami asked.
"A slim chance," Ed answered. "But our bodies may be connected, somehow… even though I'm here, and you're there. I mean… that might actually explain why I'm so sh—…"
Everyone blinked when they noticed that Ed trailed off, looking like he was struggling to finish that last word.
"Sh—… short…"
He admitted it...
"So you think that you're supplying the nutrients for Al's body?" Winry asked.
"Seems way less likely than the fact that maybe you're just a short person." Manami muttered, and Ed snapped his head to glare at her.
"Seems just as likely that maybe you're freakishly tall for a girl!"
Despite that Manami was a year younger than Ed and Winry, she was actually two inches taller than Winry…
Which made her half a foot taller than Ed.
"You just don't drink your milk, Ed… don't take it out on her." Winry sighed.
"You know what? She doesn't drink milk either!" Ed snapped as he pointed to Manami.
"I mean… I like to drink it when it's mixed with cocoa, especially at breakfast." The brunette smiled sheepishly.
"And when's the last time you drank milk with anything, Ed?" Winry asked Ed, and he shrunk a little. He huffed and crossed his arms, unable to provide an answer.
"Anyway," Winry sighed and went to get up. "I've got to get packing. I'm going back to Mr. Garfiel's tomorrow."
"Oh, okay." Ed blinked as they watched her exit the room.
Manami and the Elric brothers were quiet for a long moment, but then Ed went to pick up Tyberious's journal.
"So, this is what you found, huh?"
"You can go ahead and read it…" Manami said quietly, averting her eyes. "You'll probably have an easier time than I would, since there's nothing personal."
Ed nodded and opened up the small book and began to read.
"I see what you mean…" He mumbled, his right hand on his chin as he continued reading. "You weren't kidding when you said it was messed up... especially from someone who was your mentor."
Some time passed as Ed read through every single page, only making short comments every now and then. Not only was he focused, but... it was a lot to take in.
"It looks like your teacher never had a soul and body separated to where the body still functioned. He just focused on the dead… and we all know what happens with that." He said, as he was getting closer to the end pages.
"And... it seems that he's figuring that out too, here towards the end…"
His eyes suddenly widened at the passage Manami read earlier, but specifically because of the part she left out…
"While we as humans already have the capability to create life, it seems that we are also capable of building a body using alchemy. It's just a speculation, but is it possible to bind a mind and soul to a stronger, more resilient body made with alchemy?
Is this humanity's next evolution? I now have a new purpose for my research."
Humanity's next evolution..?
Ed didn't say anything about it. He could only imagine how Manami's stomach probably churned three times as hard as his just did.
Instead, he flipped to the last page, and read those few sentences. His sighed softly through his nose.
"... I think it's good that they got busted." Ed got up and approached the couches to hand the journal to Manami. "Not so much that people were killed, but this kind of crap needed to be put to an end…"
"That's where I worry…" Manami said quietly. "I didn't bring it... but my teacher, Tyberious, wrote a letter to me shortly before he died. He said that, after this was found out by the military, they killed everyone except for him… and gave him a position as a State Alchemist."
"What?" Ed and Al gasped.
"On the condition that he gave the military his research. So… do you guys happen to know if Tim Marcoh is still alive?" She asked, watching Ed and Al exchange glances.
"He should be," Ed answered. "Why?"
"Tyberious apparently worked with him in Lab Five." Manami answered. "Remember that transmutation circle I saw in there, the one that was different from yours?"
"Did you figure out what it meant?"
"I think so... it's just a hypothesis, but," Manami looked up to meed Ed's eye. "I think the lab I stepped into was the very same lab where Tyberious took the stones that Marcoh created... and used that transmutation circle I saw to deconstruct those stones into a liquid."
"That would explain the tanks you said you saw..." Ed crossed his arms, his brows furrowed as he thought.
"Now the reason? That I don't know…" Manami's lips pursed. "But Marcoh might."
"I don't know if he'd say anything…" Al said quietly, looking back to Ed.
"Yeah, he wouldn't tell us anything directly before." Ed shook his head. "That's why we spent a week and a half decoding his notes."
Manami looked down to her lap. "Tyberious... also confirmed something that was brought up before."
"Huh?" The Elric brothers both looked up to her.
"It turns out that the same person who ran the show for this research," Manami held up Tyberious's journal. "Was also in the military— this guy sold them out and trapped Tyberious into enlisting in the military so that they had access to this research."
Ed's eyes widened. "But why..?"
"I don't know." Manami shrugged. "All he said in the letter was that this guy inquired about the possibility of resurfacing his research of Human Transmutation, and using the Philosopher's Stones they created with it. That was when he bailed and went to change his name and live in the middle of the woods... and that's who I know him as…"
She paused to think for a moment. "He warned me to resign as soon as possible. It's like we discussed with Maes, Armstrong, and the Furher… the enemy has infiltrated the military, that much is for sure." Her lips pursed.
"But... now I'm starting to think... it may be infiltrated as high as the top."
"You mean… you think the Furher might be in on this?" Al asked.
"I'm not saying that I know it for sure, but…" She looked to Al. "In Dublith, you mentioned how you thought it was strange that the Furher killed Greed and everyone at the Devil's Nest, right?"
"Yeah… it would've made more sense if he captured all of them and made them tell them everything they knew about the Homunculi." The suit of armor answered.
"It's just a hunch, but…" Manami looked down to the journal she held in her lap. "Greed was the only Homunculus we saw in Dublith, and we know of at least three other Homunculi now… if Furher Bradley was killing their friend, wouldn't they come to help?"
"That's true…" Ed put a hand on his chin.
"So, you're saying that Greed was working on his own?" Al asked.
"Like I said, I don't know for sure, but…" Manami sighed heavily. "I don't know, resigning just doesn't sound like a good idea right now."
"Yeah. I agree." Ed nodded in agreement. "But I also agree that we should be more careful around the military, too."
"Right. Well… since all we're doing is running in circles," Manami went to stand, stuffing the journal in her back pocket. "I don't know what you two have planned, but I've got something to do."
"Huh?" Ed and Al blinked, and Manami smiled sadly at them.
"I should go apologize to Gracia and Elicia. They haven't seen me since I ran out on them last time." She said, seeing Ed's expression sadden.
"Should we come with you?" Al asked quietly, and Manami scoffed and shook her head.
"Hey, I'm not obligated to be attached to your hips anymore, remember?" She turned to walk to the door, throwing her hand up in the air as a lazy wave.
"I'll leave you two to do whatever you wanna do."
After walking across Central, Manami made it to the Hughes estate. She approached the door, taking a deep, nervous breath before ringing the doorbell. She waited for a minute or two, until the door opened to reveal Gracia, Elicia at her side.
"Nami!" The little girl shrieked in excitement and went to hug her leg.
"H-Hi Elicia..." Manami went to pick her up and hug her tight, then looked up to Gracia.
"I... owe you an apology…"
Gracia smiled back at her. "Come in, Manami."
"So, that's why it took me so long to come back…" Manami explained everything without telling too much. "But, I wanted to apologize. I acted out and didn't think of anyone else's feelings, beside my own."
"I understand," Gracia replied. "We all took it hard…" She glanced to Elicia, who was playing on the floor and not paying attention to the conversation.
"... only recently, she stopped asking when he'll be coming home."
"..." Manami felt her heart break, and turned her head.
"Have Edward and Alphonse figured out what they'll do next?" Gracia asked, and Manami looked back at her.
"That's right… you talked to them." She recalled, aloud.
"They told me everything." Gracia nodded. "A lot of it is still hard to understand, admittedly…"
"Yeah, we don't get a lot of it either." Manami offered her a weak smile. "But... they've decided to keep going. We're just going to be more careful so that no one else gets hurt... or killed."
"Good." Gracia smiled. "He would have wanted that…"
"..." Manami sighed. "But… I can't stay here anymore."
She looked up to see Gracia's widened eyes.
"I promise to visit whenever I'm in town, but… we can't endanger you more than we already have…" Manami looked down to her clenched hands in her lap.
"I'm just as much of a target as Ed and Al are. If I stay here, I can't promise that you and Elicia will be safe."
"... alright. If you think that's for the best." Gracia finally replied, smiling sadly, but then looked over to Elicia. Manami followed her glance, and her heart broke again.
It was going to be hard to break it to her…
"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Gracia broke the silence.
"..." Manami smiled softly at her. "I would love to."
That evening, it started to rain. The pitter patter of the raindrops that were hitting the windows outside complimented the warmth of a fresh, home cooked meal with family.
Though, Manami kept finding herself looking to the head of the table, where Maes always sat... empty.
"So, where will you go next?" Gracia asked after they finished eating and began cleaning up.
"I actually don't know yet," Manami answered. "We just got back into town, so I figure Ed and Al have a plan ready to tell me when I get back to the hotel tonight."
"Mm, and Winry?"
"She's fine. She's going back to Rush Valley tomorrow, I believe."
Suddenly there was a flash of light that came in from the window.
Lightning.
"!" Manami quickly threw her hands over her ears and closed her eyes to brace herself for the loud crash of thunder.
BOOM!
She looked over to see Elicia whining, also covering her ears. It made her feel a little childish, being scared of the thunder was understandable for a little kid Elicia's age, but she herself was ten years older than her and was still scared.
"Hopefully you can get some sleep tonight, Elicia." Gracia spoke up.
"Do I have to go to bed now?" The little girl whined.
"Afraid so, love." Her mother answered.
"Come tuck me in, Nami..?" Elicia went to tug on Manami's pant leg.
"Of course."
They walked to her room where Manami helped Elicia change into her pajamas and then tucked her in, going to lay in bed next to her afterwards.
"Nami..?" Elicia asked quietly. "Are you not gonna live with us anymore?"
She must have heard Manami say that earlier.
"..." Manami smiled sadly. "No... I'm sorry…"
"Why not?"
Manami struggled to find a way to answer that question.
"I'm... kind of involved in some stuff…" She said. "And I don't want you and mommy to get hurt because of it."
"Like daddy?"
Manami flinched.
"... y-yeah… like daddy."
"…" She heard Elicia sniffle.
"I-I'll come to see you whenever I'm in town." Manami tried assuring her, laying her head next to hers and putting a gentle hand on the top of her head.
Elicia didn't say anything, and Manami opened her mouth to say something, but...
"… everybody's leaving…"
Manami lifted her head to see Elicia reach to wipe her eyes.
"... what if you don't come back, like daddy..?"
Manami's eyes widened. She had no idea how to answer that.
Flash! BOOM!
Both girls jumped, Elicia curling into Manami's chest and Manami holding her tight. She heard muffled whimpers turn into broken sobs.
"I miss him..!" Elicia cried, muffled against her chest. Her little hands gripped her shirt. "I miss his stories… his kisses… his lullabies when there were scary storms… I miss my daddy..!"
The little girl broke into sobs after that, and Manami just held her for a long while... ridden with guilt and unable to think of anything to say for a long while.
It took all of her just to not cry along with her.
"... I'm so sorry, Elicia…" She finally managed to say. "This never should have happened…" She closed her eyes and let Elicia continue to cry into her chest... but then they opened again, when she thought of something.
"... hey… I know it won't be the same but… you wanna hear the song my mommy would sing to me when I was scared of the storms?" Manami asked, almost in a whisper.
"Huh..?" Elicia pulled away to look up at her. "You can sing?"
"I can hold a tune…" Manami chuckled weakly, watching Elicia roll onto her back and looking up to her eagerly.
Manami smiled back at her and went to curl around her on the bed, laying her head above hers on the pillow.
She looked to the window, seeing the raindrops and the tree outside her window dancing in the wind. She then took a breath and began to sing softly.
(Cue music track: Listen as you read along!)
"Little child, be not afraid… though rain pounds harsh against the glass, like an unwanted stranger— there is no danger— I am here tonight…"
"Little child, be not afraid… though thunder explodes and lightning flash… illuminates your tear-stained face, I am here tonight…"
"And someday you'll know, that nature is so… the same rain that draws you near me… falls on rivers and land, on forests and sand… makes the beautiful world that you see… in the morning…"
"Little child, be not afraid… though storm clouds mask your beloved moon, and its candlelight beams— still keep pleasant dreams— I am here tonight…"
"Little child, be not afraid… though wind makes creatures of our trees, and their branches to hands— they're not real, understand— and I am here tonight…"
"And someday you'll know, that nature is so… the same rain that draws you near me… falls on rivers and land, on forests and sand… makes the beautiful world that you'll see… in the morning…"
"Everything's fine in the morning… the rain will be gone in the morning…" Manami trailed off, hesitant to sing the next verse.
… But I'll still be here in the morning.
She looked down to see Elicia asleep anyway. She decided to end the song there and went to plant a soft kiss on the top of her head, before slowly getting up without disturbing her and leaving the room.
Manami sighed softly in relief when she closed the door behind her. She had gotten so close to crying many times throughout tonight, but that was easily the hardest...
She really felt the emotional drain.
Manami walked back out to the living room to see Gracia sitting alone, looking out the window. The rain was starting to let up. Still, the sight of Gracia made Manami's heart throb.
"... I don't know how you do it, Gracia…"
"Hmm?"
"... I don't know…" Manami took a few slow steps forward. "Being a widow... a single mom… yet you can still put on a smile for everyone."
"Mm... I have to, for Elicia… and besides, he wouldn't want me to be sad for too long." Gracia smiled sadly, which Manami did her best to reflect back at her.
But then the clock started to chime, and Manami looked over to see the time.
"Time to go?" Gracia asked her, and she sighed.
"I don't want to, though…"
"I know." Gracia stood and went to stand, but Manami looked back to the hall. She remembered her old room…
More importantly, she remembered somewhere safe to put Tyberious's journal.
"Hold on… I've got to do something real quick."
She went to walk back down the hallway, quietly passing Elicia's room go into the room across from it.
Manami opened the door to find her old room the same way it was… she then approached the old bedside table next to the bed she used to sleep in. She once kept her old journal in here, but now… this was probably the best place to keep Tyberious's.
Just in case, she used alchemy to stretch a portion of the cover to wrap around the book from front to back. She figured that this should never be opened again, anyway. She then made sure to bury the book at the bottom of the drawer, under all the papers and old junk.
After she closed the drawer, Manami went to leave the room, glancing back one last time before walking out and closing the door behind her. She walked down the hall to find Gracia already at the front door.
"You be safe." She said to her, and Manami nodded.
"I will."
"Good," Gracia approached her and pulled her into a tight hug. "You make sure to visit whenever you're in town… you promised."
"... yeah," Manami went to hug her back. "I promise."