The next few days were spent at the Central HQ library, where Ed, Al, and Manami desperately searched through just about every book in the library for anything on Alkahestry.
Unfortunately, the many books they got their hands on had barely any information on the country of Xing, much less it's alkahestry.
While Ed was getting more and more impatient, Manami was getting more and more upset with herself that this wasn't something she looked into while in Xing…
"This is stupid," Manami said with a heavy sigh as she slapped a book shut and tossed it in front of her on the table.
"We have to keep looking…" Al said, not looking up from the book he was reading, and sitting across the table from her.
Ed was making his billionth trip to scan the aisles of the library once more, to hopefully find books that they looked over or missed before.
"For the biggest library in the nation, it seems to only know about this nation…" Manami trailed off when she noticed people standing around, staring and pointing at Al while whispering to one another.
She lost count how many times this happened today, but this time finally set her off.
"Excuse me, could you move along?" As she stood to look the strangers in the eyes, Manami slammed her hands down on the table, making Al jump. By now, he had tuned them out to where he honestly forgot they were there, but...
"This is a library, not a circus, so quit gawking and go read! Maybe pick up a book on manners!"
"Manami…" Al hushed her as the people awkwardly scurried away. She went to sit back down in her chair with a huff.
"Someone had to call them out."
"It didn't have to be you."
"You weren't going to."
Al sighed.
"That doesn't matter. We need to be focusing…" He tried to change the subject.
"As far as I'm concerned, we should be planning a trip to Xing." Manami shook her head. "We've already wasted three days. Your brother is going to explode if we don't do anything productive soon—"
She stopped when she noticed a little boy standing nearby, staring at Al.
Great. Another snot-nosed brat staring at Al again. Manami gritted her teeth and went to scold him.
"Are you—"
"Are you Alphonse Elric, the FullMetal Alchemist's brother?!" The boy asked excitedly, starting at the same time that Manami did, but she stopped immediately once the boy said Al's name.
Not only did he know him by name, but he also knew that he was the brother of the "FullMetal Alchemist." Most people got that mixed up, since he was in the suit of armor and everything…
"U-Uh, yeah…" Al seemed to be just as surprised.
"Then are you Manami Kami, the Wind Alchemist?!" The boy whipped his head to look at Manami, and she blinked in surprise.
He knew her, too?
"Yeah... that's me." She answered.
"Awesome!" The boy squealed, way louder than anyone should in a library. Manami glanced around and noticed that people were staring at the from all around…
Well, at least it wasn't because of her this time…
"Thanks, but…" She started, but Al finished for her.
"You should be a bit quieter in here…" He whispered.
"Ah," The boy genuinely didn't notice, and put a hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry..!"
He leaned in closer to whisper to them. "So, what are you studying? Something cool?"
"It's called alkahestry." Al answered, before Manami could make up a lie.
Why was he being so open to this boy?
"What's alkahestry?" The boy blinked.
"It's alchemy from the country of Xing."
"From Xing, huh?" The boy looked over the books. "But, you guys are already such great alchemists. Why learn one from another country?"
Manami could tell from Al's body language that he now regretted telling this boy about what they were researching. He looked over to her like he wanted help with that answer, and her eyes widened.
"Like I know what to say?! I wouldn't have even told him this much!" Her expression said right back to him.
"Uh…" Al took a moment to think. "Alkahestry… h-has a bunch of medical uses!" He quickly said. "So I'm researching to see if there is a way to save and improve people's lives!"
"Wow!" The boy gasped in glee. "That's something an Elric brother would say!"
Guess he bought it…
Suddenly Ed bursted through the double doors with a loud BANG that led to their wing of the library.
"Al! Manami! Get ready, we're leaving!" He yelled as he ran to them with a big grin on his face.
"Be quiet, brother..! We're in a library..!" Al exasperated in a hushed voice.
"What are you in such a rush for?" Manami asked, putting a hand on her side.
"I'll explain everything on the way. We have to get movi—" Ed trailed off when he noticed the boy staring at him, eyes twinkling.
"Uhh, who's this kid?"
"He called you 'brother…' that means you're Edward Elric, the FullMetal Alchemist!"
"Yeah." Ed answered with a small smile.
"It's just like they say! You really are a tiny alchemist!"
Ed's smile quickly curled into a frown as Manami held a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh.
"Wh-What was that?" Ed gritted his teeth to force a smile, as he placed a hand on the boy's head. "Say it again, I'll send your little body flying into space..!"
"And you even get upset when you're called small! It's true!"
"WAAAA!" Ed couldn't contain his anger for any longer, but it was quickly capped once again when there were clicks.
Guns.
Manami and Al froze once they saw two men wearing shaded glasses pointing pistols at either side of Ed's head.
Where did they even come from?!
Ed slowly raised his hands up, not knowing what else to do.
"Step away from Mr. Selim!" One of the men ordered.
"Bahh! No, don't shoot him!" The boy cried.
But then everyone's eyes widened.
Selim… Bradley?
Oh no.
The next thing they knew, the trio was in the Furher's mansion. They sat across from Selim and Bradley's wife, Manami in between Ed and Al. The three of them sat awkwardly, straight up with their hands folded tightly in their laps.
It was so tense...
"I'm so sorry," Bradley's wife spoke, breaking the awkward silence. "It's just that Selim has admired you for the longest time, Edward."
"Huh? Me?" Ed blinked, but then his lips curled into a satisfied grin. Despite the circumstances, he was happy to have a fan nonetheless.
"Did you want to study alchemy as well, Selim?" Al asked.
"Yes! My dream is to learn alchemy and become a State Alchemist just like you, Edward!" Selim answered.
"Haha… just like me, huh?" Ed chuckled to himself, his grin only growing bigger.
Manami had to resist a strong urge to roll her eyes.
"I want to enlist and serve the military to help my father!" Selim added, which made everyone's eyes widen. Ed's smile was washed away, and he almost looked pained to ask...
"Selim, do you get along with your father? You like him?"
Manami's eyes narrowed. She was nervous the moment they stepped in this house, but this conversation was going a direction that she didn't like.
All she could think of was Bradley's warning… and his threat to strike down the ones they loved if they didn't abide by that warning.
"Yes, of course!" Selim's answer snapped her out of her thoughts. "He's an amazing man! He works harder than anyone else in the world!"
The trio hummed in response, Ed and Manami forcing smiles, which quickly faded when the door opened to reveal Bradley stepping into the room.
For a split moment, Manami and Bradley's eyes met, and she could swear that his eyes were burning into hers... making her shrink in intimidation.
"Have we already gone too far?" Was all that she could think.
"Daddy's home!" Selim squealed as he ran over to hug Bradley's legs, breaking the eye contact.
Manami's nervousness must have been outwardly showing, because Al had noticed and nudged her gently. When she looked back at him, he only gave her a nod that she felt was meant to say, "It's alright."
"Hello, little one!" Bradley sounded genuinely happy to see his son, patting the top of his head.
"What are you doing home so soon, dear?" Mrs. Bradley inquired.
"Well, I had a break in my day, so I wanted to see my family. I also heard that the FullMetal and Wind Alchemists were paying a visit."
"Hello, sir…" Manami and Ed said in unison.
"Long time no see…" Al added, but then Bradley began to laugh.
"Long time? I just saw you three in Central Command!" He guffawed, and though Manami managed to resist the urge to grit her teeth, she gripped her pant legs in tight fists.
"He's mocking us now…"
Bradley went to sit on the couch next to his wife, where tea was then served to everyone. After explaining how the trio got dragged here in the first place, Bradley nodded in understanding.
"So Selim found you three at the library… I see." Bradley went to sip his tea.
Manami wondered to herself if Selim was going to tell Bradley what they were researching… and if that meant trouble for them.
"Are you three wondering why he doesn't look like me?" Bradley suddenly asked, making the three flinch.
"Huh?" Manami blinked.
"Not at all, sir." Ed answered. "It hadn't even crossed my mind."
"Well, it's because we're not related by blood, you see." Bradley said to them.
"We couldn't conceive, so we adopted Selim as our son and he's been wonderful." Mrs. Bradley added, and Manami's eyes narrowed.
Of course. Homunculi can't reproduce.
"I'm proud of my boy," Bradley went to pat Selim's head. "He's growing into a fine young man."
"Stop daddy, you're embarrassing me!"
The trio went quiet again. Seeing Bradley like this… pretending to be a father, a family man… he probably didn't actually care about them at all.
It was all an act.
"Is something the matter?" Bradley asked, breaking their trains of thought.
"Not at all." Manami answered smoothly, despite her nervousness before.
"It's just… we only ever see you at Central Command and working, so…" Al trailed off.
"It's a side of you that we're not used to seeing." Ed finished, his voice quiet.
Bradley nodded. "I see… well, as you can see…" His expression darkened once again. "Even a man like me… has a family waiting for him back home."
Instead of shrinking in intimidation this time, Manami felt anger rising up in her.
Maes had a family waiting for him too…
"I think we should get going." She said, using all of her will to keep a neutral tone and expression.
Ed looked over and noticed her internal struggle. While she was doing a good job at hiding it, he could see it all in her trembling eyes.
"Already?" Selim whined as they went to stand.
"Don't worry Selim…" Bradley smiled softly. "The FullMetal and Wind Alchemists are welcome here, anytime."
The moment Ed, Al, and Manami stepped off the property of the Bradley mansion, Ed was the first to speak up.
"That was stressful..." He groaned.
"You said it." Al nodded in agreement.
"The words I'd use are terrifying. Humiliating. Infuriating." Manami muttered in response, stuffing her hands in her pockets and looking away.
"Interesting word choice…" Ed looked over at her, noticing how she was glaring down to her feet.
"The way Bradley looked at us when he came in the room… then that 'family' comment… like he and his real family weren't the reason that Maes never got to go home to his." She said bitterly, harshly kicking a pebble on the sidewalk. "And he just laughs as we walk on eggshells... I hate it."
The Elric brothers were silent. They could only glance at each other. She had every right to feel the way she did… so what could they say?
"So, what's your big idea?" Manami decided that changing the subject was best. "Before we had to entertain the Bradley family— you said we're going somewhere?"
"Oh," Ed blinked and then reached in his breast pocket for an envelope. "We're going north. Major Armstrong gave me this letter of introduction to get us into the Northern Wall of Briggs."
"Why north?" Al asked.
"Because that's where the Xingese girl and her cat went, of course!"
"You know that for sure?" Manami raised a brow. "Or are we just going off of nothing? Because we could go to Xing for a definite—"
"It's not nothing, and it's way more feasible of a trip than Xing!" Ed interrupted her.
"Alright, if you say so…" Manami held her hands up. "But we need to get warmer clothes than what we got." She gestured between herself and him.
"And you're buying all of it, since you still haven't paid me back yet."
"Alright, alright... yeesh."