Manami waited in silence in the empty room, staring down at her clenched hands in her lap. She jumped when the door opened to reveal Ed, and his eyes narrowed at the sight of her.
He could immediately see in her eyes that she was terrified.
"Where's Al?" He asked Kimblee, who had followed him in the room and went to sit in the chair he sat in earlier, across from Manami.
"This is a conversation for State Alchemists only." Kimblee said. "Have a seat."
Ed let out a small sigh from his nose and sat next to Manami. He glanced over to her, but noticed that the floor next to them looked wet, like there had just been something mopped up.
"They didn't bring more tea?" Kimblee groaned. "Yeesh."
"I told them not to bother." Manami spat, her eyes narrowing as she kept them down on her lap.
"When it was your fault we lost the last batch." Kimblee sighed and folded his hands together so that he could rest his chin on the top of his hands. "I advise you to keep your temper this time around. We're on serious business now."
"What did you say to her?" Ed asked, but Kimblee shook his head.
"Doesn't matter. Right now, I'm here to tell you two that it's time to serve your duty as State Alchemists."
Kimblee lifted his chin from his folded hands. "The Furher has three orders for you two. All of which involve working with me."
He held up one finger. "First… find Scar, who has been spotted here in the North. I stress that you only find him; I'll take care of the rest." He held up a second finger. "Second, find Doctor Marcoh, who should be traveling with Scar."
Manami's eyes widened at the name. Thankfully, Ed did as well and Kimblee just took their expressions as surprise to hear that Marcoh was with Scar.
"And third…" Kimblee smirked as he held up a third finger. "You two are to carve a Crest of Blood here at Briggs."
The room was deafeningly silent for a few moments.
"... A Crest of Blood?" Ed finally asked. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean what we did to Ishval and Liore." Kimblee's smirk grew wider. "We kill everyone and soak the land with blood."
BANG! Ed slammed his fists on the table.
"WE WOULD NEVER DO—"
He was cut off at the sight of Kimblee putting a finger to his lips, then pointing to the door where they had come from. Manami and Ed looked over to see the top of Winry's head… she was just in the other room.
"..." Both she and Ed gritted their teeth. Ed now understood why Manami looked the way she did when he came into the room. She knew…
"Guess you made the right call to not replenish the tea." Kimblee smiled to Manami. "You two really like slamming things around."
"Not as much as you like negotiations where you dangle hostages in our faces!" Manami snapped at him.
"Nothing has been mentioned of hostages." Kimblee folded his hands and rested his chin on top of them once more. "In fact, there's no negotiation to be had here. I told you two that these are orders."
There was a pause before Kimblee spoke again. "Didn't I ask you earlier, Manami… if you had considered what your duties as a soldier would entail?"
Manami flinched, her eyes starting to tremble.
"You had no right to discuss any matter with my assigned partner while I wasn't present." Ed hissed.
Manami glanced at him, blinking in surprise. Ed had never referred to her as his partner before… it was almost strange to hear.
"I simply had a chat." Kimblee retorted. "But I ask you the same question, FullMetal Alchemist. You enlisted without the nerve to kill?"
"I'd say I have the resolve not to kill." Ed answered with a glare.
"Interesting… weapons of war, yet determined to not kill." Kimblee thought aloud. "I suppose you could take just as much from that decision."
"You're on the wrong side of this war, Kimblee." Manami said. "What their plan is… you're betraying humankind itself!"
"I'm fully aware." Kimblee said simply, rendering her speechless.
"Then why?" Ed asked.
"Because I want to see how the world will change." Kimblee answered, with an eerie twinkle in his eye. "I want to see who will win this battle. Imagine it… Humans versus Homunculi. Which one will triumph? Which side does the world prefer?"
Manami and Ed's eyes widened in horror.
"Here they live by the motto, 'Survival of the Fittest.' A simple, yet powerful fact. Our history boils down to evolution, which all comes from survival. Homunculi consider themselves to be the next step in humanity's evolution— will we survive and prove them wrong? Or will we be exterminated and pave the way for the new superior species? That's up to history to decide… and I'm just helping it make up it's mind."
"You're sick…" Manami whispered.
"Most see me as such." Kimblee wasn't offended by her comment. "Though, that may be why I side with the Homunculi. At least with them, I have the freedom to use my alchemy for my own pleasure, without restraint. No one on the human side can offer me that. I fought for my very existence… and my very being is what I'm willing to bet on this battle."
"You're not making any sense…" Ed frowned.
"You're not following? I had always assumed self-centeredness was a universal trait of all alchemists..." Kimblee leaned back to reach inside his breast pocket. "Let me see if I can appeal to your selfish side, Edward."
Ed and Manami watched as Kimblee placed his hand on the table and heard a small clunk under his palm.
"It's only the one thing you and your brother have always wanted, more than anything. And once you've done your three tasks… it's yours." He moved his hand to reveal…
"?!" Ed and Manami's eyes widened at the sight of a little stone of crimson on the table.
A Philosopher's Stone. It was right in front of them.
"..." Manami slowly looked over to Ed with wide eyes, but his own were hidden behind the curtain of his bangs. He was silent for a long while.
"... I want us to consult... with Al and Winry first." He finally said in a low voice.
"Why tell Winry?" Kimblee asked, blinking in surprise.
"She has no idea that she's involved. Despite the jobs you're having us do… I don't intend to keep the truth from her."
"..!" Manami opened her mouth to protest, but Kimblee spoke over her.
"Very well." Kimblee said. "But I will accompany you. Neither of you need to say too much."
"Fine." Ed spat, going to stand up. Kimblee did as well, but Manami remained in her chair.
"... Manami, come on." Ed said quietly, turning to face her.
"..." Manami slowly looked up to him with eyes wide and trembling.
He was actually agreeing to this..? She knew they had no other choice, but...
"We gotta go." Ed said, but he gave her a certain look.
Something in his eyes expression that he had a plan...
"It's gonna be fine. I promise."
Ed and Manami stepped inside the cell with Al and Winry. Al was sitting on his cot while Winry sat on Ed's, and Manami and Ed stood with their backs against the cell's bars.
Ed glanced from the corner of his eye to see Kimblee leaning against the wall next to their cell, watching them closely.
"I'll cut to the chase… Winry, you were only brought here to Briggs as a hostage."
Winry's eyes widened. "What? What does he mean?" She glanced to Al, then to Manami.
"Are you two joking?"
"I wish we were…" Manami avoided her gaze.
"We've been given orders from the Furher… to fulfil our duties as human weapons." Ed said. "In other words… they've ordered us to help them commit mass murder."
Al and Winry gasped.
"Why don't you just refuse?!" Winry stood up. Ed and Manami avoided her stare, their eyes narrowed.
"... oh no…" Winry fell back down to sit on the cot. "I'm so sorry…"
Her shoulders started to shake. "I came here to help, but it was really only to hold you down…"
Ed went to speak, but Winry cut him off as she folded her hands over her eyes.
"I won't cry. I won't." She said. "I'm just frustrated at myself for being so naive…"
"You didn't know, Win." Manami said. "Ed's automail needed the adjustment, it was just convenient to…" She trailed off, and sighed.
"I'm sorry… you were just trying to get your bodies back…" Winry said quietly.
"About that…" Ed started, slowly. "They offered a Philosopher's Stone as payment for these jobs we're about to do."
"?!" Al looked to Ed. "What?!"
"Kimblee has one that he's willing to part with." Ed said.
"But… we can't! You know the ingredients—"
"We know, Al." Ed cut him off.
Al stared at him for a moment, then looked to Manami, who looked away. She looked miserable…
"..." Al's eyes narrowed as he looked back to Ed, who was now giving him the same look that he had given Manami earlier.
He had a plan. But he also had to keep up the act on his end.
"... do what you want." Al said, turning his head away.
"I will." Ed closed his eyes for a moment before turning to the cell doors. Manami went to follow him, but felt something grab her and hold her back. She looked back to see Winry holding her by the wrist.
"Manami… can you do this?" Winry asked softly. She had noticed Manami's eyes as well.
"... I guess we'll see…" Manami croaked, managing to force a small smile. She glanced to Al, who said nothing, and her smile faded. She turned quickly to follow Ed out the door.
"It's settled." Ed said once he saw Kimblee. "But I want to find Scar first."
"Oh?" Kimblee raised his brows. "Why is that?"
"Scar murdered Winry's parents. They deserve vengeance." Ed replied.
"I see. That's fine." Kimblee said simply.
"Also, for the search for Scar, we need Al. He doesn't have a body, so he's immune to Scar's bodily destruction." Ed mentioned.
"Well… that's helpful." Kimblee nodded in approval.
Manami walked silently behind them, her eyes on her feet.
Ed had a plan… but what was it?
Everyone had gathered outside, preparing to get in cars and drive over to the location where Scar was last sighted. Manami exited the fort with Ed and Al, but stopped as they walked ahead, and she watched everyone scattering around in preparation for the departure.
Kimblee was nearby, discussing with Miles while he had a map.
She frowned as she looked back and watched Al for a moment. He still hadn't spoken to her since Winry first got here. It made her feel awful.
What if he was mad at her?
"Psst!"
"?" Manami snapped out of it and looked around, before turning to see Winry from behind a wall and beckoning her over.
The brunette quickly looked around, making sure no one was seeing her as she snuck over to join her behind the wall.
"What are you doing?!" Manami whisper-yelled.
"I'm going with you three." Winry stated, presenting her automail case in her hands.
"Like hell you are!" Manami snapped.
"Listen to me." Winry told her seriously, making her blink in surprise.
"Ed or Al wouldn't listen to me, but you would. I have a plan, and I need to go with you!"
"..." Manami bit the inside of her cheek. She knew that Winry shouldn't come, but the pleading in her friend's eyes was hard to say no to...
But… she had a plan?
"Ed's going to kill me if he finds out…" Manami whined and rubbed her forehead. "We need to make it believable."
"Right." Winry nodded firmly.
"You run to that car," Manami pointed to the car that Ed and Al had gotten into. "And I'm going to 'try' to stop you. Get in the car with Ed and Al immediately… and don't get out. Whatever excuse you can come up with, use it."
"Roger." Winry grinned. "Thanks Manami."
"I just hope I'm not— HEY!" Winry bolted past her, and Manami jumped right into acting.
"Winry!" She ran after her. "What are you doing?! Stop!"
"Make room for one more!" Winry jumped in the car with Ed and Al. "Come on, Al, scoot over and make room!"
"What the hell, Winry?!" Manami could hear Ed yell from inside the car.
As Manami approached the car, so did Kimblee.
"I'm sorry Ms. Winry, but you need to wait here at the fort. We're not going out on a picnic." He tried convincing her.
"And neither am I." Winry said seriously. "I just performed a complicated upgrade on Ed's automail. What if there's a malfunction? It would tarnish the Rockbell name if I wasn't there to fix it."
"..." Kimblee frowned. Manami held her breath in anticipation for his response.
"Very well…" Kimblee groaned, rubbing his forehead. "But if that's the case…" He looked to Manami.
"You can join me in my car, Wind Alchemist."
"..." Manami frowned, but she nodded.
"Wait a minute!" To Manami's surprise, Al was the one to protest from inside the car.
"Don't worry." Manami put her hand on the top of the car so that she could lean in. "I'll be alright."
"But…" Ed started.
"Listen," Manami lowered her voice. "We all know that it's better that I ride with him instead of Winry." She offered a small smile and reached for the car door.
"Besides… it's just a car ride. I can handle it. I'll see you guys there."
"Damn it…" She could hear Ed growl as she shut the car door, then turned to Kimblee.
"... let's go, then."