A/N: Hello everyone! Apologies for taking so long to update, my exams are finally over (today was the last day – yes!) so I'll be able to update quicker. I'm sorry this chapter was so short and "uneventful" compared to the others, but I wanted to purely focus on things happening outside the battlefront, so this came up ^^.

ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:

AutomailSucker: Aw, thank you so much for the sweet compliments, I always enjoy reading your reviews :3 Well…Ed does use drugs to help keep him awake (among enhancing his stamina temporarily but I'll explain that later) :D

Pfeh: Hehe thanks a bunch! I missed writing about 'non-battle' related things so I switched it up, I may do it more often since I've been primarily focusing on the war up until now.

Guest: Thank you for telling me! But would you mind tell me which inconsistencies? I re-read my previous chapters but I just can't find the errors .

Katurdi: THANK YOU! Your review really made me very happy! Ah, I get so enthusiastic! :3 I'll try not to drag out the plot too long so they can finally meet a bit sooner (wrote up a few chapters on their first meeting, I think they aren't half bad ^^)

Enjoy!

Lessons in History

To hide the tree, use a forest.

Gracia Hughes was known to be a patient, calm woman, one had to be when her husband was the eccentric, over-the-top Maes Hughes after all. However, even she had her shortcomings.

And she hated doing this through the phone too, "Darling, shouldn't you be concentrating on your surroundings? I can hear Roy screaming in the background," she twirled the cord of her phone around her finger, sighing and smiling in amusement when she heard the familiar voice of her husband's best friend shout at said man, "I'm sure it's something important, we can talk later,"

"But Gracia! This is important too! DO you have any more photos of you and our precious Elicia? I'll phone in on Riza and ask her to send the mail faster! I haven't had an updated picture of the cutest wife and daughter in the world in months!" Maes' voice was whiny and high pitched, like it always got whenever he was talking about them, and no matter how that, in very rare cases, made her slightly less patient, she could never stay mad at this man.

Gracia giggled, resting a hand on her cheek to try and control the blush she always got whenever Maes gushed so fondly about her, "Oh you, it's only been a few weeks since I sent that last photograph and you know it," she covered her mouth, smiling, "I'm sure you've showed all of those pictures to everyone there at the border,"

While not quite as aggressive as her husband, Gracia herself had to admit she was always proud when she showed the family photos to her friends, especially hearing how great her husband was, both appearance and personality-wise.

But she always made sure she looked at them, every day, especially at the one of Maes.

Maes' voice brought her to reality again, ripped away from past memories, "Gracia?" her husband's serious, concerned voice startled her slightly and she shook her head at herself.

She laughed lightly, "It's nothing dear, I was just lost in memories," she tried to smile, even though he wasn't physically here, he could always tell when she wasn't.

Like now.

"Bad ones? You're sad," she bit her lip and her hand clenched in her lap.

"I'm sorry Maes…it's nothing bad I promise. I was just remembering the happy memories when Elicia was just a baby and you were home," she could feel the tears pricking at her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall. Once they did, she usually needed time to stop them, time she didn't want to waste on that.

Maes scoffed softly on the other line, seemingly expecting this from his strong wife, "You were always the strong one in our relationship you know that." Then his playful tone returned, "Well, I suppose somebody has to be, right? With an old goof like me around!" Maes laughed, boisterous and loud and Gracia giggled when she faintly heard Roy's enraged, muffled shout from somewhere distant to where Maes was.

"If you're an old goof, then what am I?" she smiled, touching her face, marveling at the ability of her husband to always cheer her up, "Promise me you will try to eat as healthy as you can, you have to relocate near a river or stream to wash your clothes and try to always have back-up in case something happens, don't let them corner you." Don't forget who's waiting for you at home. She almost wanted to say out loud, but refrained from doing so.

Her hands were trembling slightly by the time Maes answered again, his voice sincere and serious, "A beautiful woman that doesn't deserve, just like always my darling Gracia." He chuckled then, "Yes, ma'am! I'll try to heed your orders to the best of my ability! For now, I'll have to get off the line before Roy gets a seizure, you know, old age and the like,"

Gracia heard an enraged shout, followed by a loud thud and her husband's slightly nervous voice, "Uh, looks like the dragon is out of it's den, I'll hear you soon Gracia! Make sure to hug and kiss Elicia from me!" with that, he ended the call, the last thing she heard was Roy's louder, clearer voice shout in rage, 'For the hundredth time you delusional fool, we're the same age! And I'm not a dragon!'

Gracia smiled softly, setting the receiver down. She looked at her hands, still trembling slightly in her lap.

She knew Maes was a good soldier, one of the best, Roy was there with him, his whole team, all soldiers of the highest caliber, she knew that too, still, he was her husband, she worried, it was only natural.

Especially considering the nature of this war against Drachma. It was a public secret that King Bradley and Borya had a personal agenda to follow, more so due to their opposing beliefs and interests in claiming more territory, but…

Gracia rubbed her cheek worriedly, staring at the phone. She didn't know much, as it should be with a soldier's spouse, but even she knew her husband was tangled up in something that wasn't privy to the Führer's knowledge, something Maes and Roy were secretly investigating, and to an extend Riza as well.

All she knew was that in may play a big role in the war and just may turn the tides for them, but what would happen until then? Would soldiers come storming into Amestris? Would homes be destroyed and people killed or driven out of their houses?

Gracia stiffened when she felt a small hand on her own but relaxed as soon as she saw it was her adorable daughter, "My, my Elicia, you scared me," she smiled, patting her daughter's head, "What's wrong sweetie? I thought you were sleeping,"

Elicia looked slightly troubled and she looked at the phone, "Did you talk to daddy on the phone?" her eyes were sad and it broke Gracia's heart.

She rubbed her head soothingly, "Yes, dear, I'm sorry I would have called for you but daddy didn't have time," she understood Elicia's pain, hers was just as great if not greater. A family torn because of personal decisions was one thing, but one forcibly parted from one another was gruesome, especially if the military is involved.

She vividly remembered the day just before Maes was called to the front lines, it had been past midnight as they lay in their bed, talking.

Maes had never looked so serious, "Gracia, I want you to listen very carefully," her husband had leaned away from her to retrieve something from the bedside table.

Gracia had sat up worriedly, not used to her normally cheerful husband's grave voice, "…Maes? What's wrong darling?"

When he turned toward her, something cold and heavy was pressed into her hand and when Gracia, even in the darkness they were in, looked down at the object in her hand, her blood froze in her veins. Maes looked thoughtful, his eyes sad, as if he had lived a hundred lifetime's instead of his young life until now, "…You still remember the shooting lessons from a few years ago, right? And you self-defense courses?" his larger, warmer hand, such a stark contrast to the metal in her palm, closed over the gun, wrapping her hand around it securely, "Soldiers often have enemies in the weirdest places, it could be anyone, from our next-door-neighbor to the food vendor down the street. All I ask is that you take precautions when I'm not here," at her silent hesitation, he added, "Please…"

Gracia's hand had trembled, she remembered, the cold metal in her hand had felt so foreign, like an alien matter, "Maes…please," she didn't know what she had been pleading for, but she had to say it.

Her husband seemed to have understood her as he put the gun away and wrapped his arms around his wife, "I could never forgive myself if something happened to you or Elicia while I'm not here, I already feel like a good-for-nothing husband and father for abandoning you just like this, especially since Elicia is still so young but…" he had brushed her hair away from her face, wet with her tears, "I promise I'll return, even if it's in a wheelchair," she didn't want to hear it then, but she knew she had to.

"You'll hate me, and I won't blame you when that happens, you'll hate me for giving you this life instead of a normal one where we can live peacefully." He had paused, as if thinking over his next words, "But…life isn't peaceful, even if I wasn't a soldier, it would continue to be that way. But, now that I am, I can change the outcome, I can help make it peaceful again, for you and for our daughter," he had smiled so softly at her and it had taken everything in her not to break down and cry, "Gracia…my dear Gracia…I'm so sorry,"

She would never forget the feeling of helplessness she had felt then, that night, for being unable to do anything but weep in her husband's arms, weep for him, weep for their daughter, weep for herself. "I could never hate you Maes, if it's another life I don't want it. I want this life with you and only you, and I'll forever be grateful that we have each-other and Elicia. I…know how important your job is to you, I understand you have to help Roy get to the top to change King Bradley's regime but…" the tears she had tried holding back had finally spilled over her cheeks, "Please don't forget what you have left behind and…what…what you're staying alive for, please…"

As she hugged her daughter tightly to herself, she remembered how tightly Maes had held her that night, before he had left in the morning.

She also remembered the chilling feeling of the cold, empty bed when she had awoken that day.

Hours had passed since she had first started, piles of books stacked into towers on the table and the floor around her, her nose buried in another thick book.

A steaming mug of coffee suddenly blocked the words she was about to read and Sheska blinked rapidly, vision blurring for a moment from starring at books all the time.

A soft smile and kind brown eyes met her vision, it was Riza, "I thought you might need a little help and a bit of motivation," Sheska gingerly set the book down and accepted the mug of coffee, smiling when she found Riza had added more milk than coffee in it, just how she liked it. Her eyes nearly sparkled at the considerate gesture.

She stood on wobbly feet and quickly bowed, "Thank you Lieut. General," Sheska took a sip of the steaming beverage, feeling a bit better, "Working without rest! I've found quite a bit about… 'you know who' but erm…I-I was unable to find anything concerning, uh… 'that other thing'," she looked around worriedly, especially eyeing the corners of the walls and bookshelves.

She knew the library like the back of her hand, but this was a military facility, and to the inner circle, consisting of Mustang's team and a select few outsiders, traitors or double spies weren't an uncommon sight, especially now in current matters.

Riza noticed the younger woman's alarm and smiled calmly, "Don't worry, I checked the room earlier before you came in, nothing is bugged. I requested for two soldiers to be outside for as long as you are here, so you should be safe," Riza smiled as she watched her colleague gingerly sip her coffee, "And like I said, please call me Riza,"

The timid librarian nodded with a shy smile, "R-right, sorry…Riza," both women smiled before Riza eyed the pile of books on the desk and moved towards it, grabbing one and flipping through it.

"Hm…I see, you've managed to find a lot of information concerning these 'sins'," partly hideous depictions greeted her, page after page, and Riza wasn't sure if what her husband and their friends were dealing with were even remotely human.

Sheska quietly mumbled, "Homunculi…"

Riza's gaze turned to the younger woman quizzically, "Those sins…they're called Homunculi," Sheska adjusted her glasses and reached for another, thicker book, quickly finding the marked page and showing it to her superior, "I found several documents stating the same, sometimes they're referred to as 'small humans'." She flipped onto the next page and pointed to a picture.

It showed a vase of some sort, within were small humans. "So, they are human, after all," Riza glanced at Sheska's concentrated look, "So, you're saying these Homunculi…the sins, they are fully human?"

Sheska hesitated, nervously adjusting her glasses again, "Yes….and no. According to most of these books, the sins of humanity have existed since the first human ever walked upon the earth. However, they weren't created at the same time," Riza's brows furrowed and Sheska elaborated further, "The first Homunculus to be 'born' would be Pride, also referred to as the 'father' of all sins, his birth would be followed by Lust, Greed, Envy, Sloth, Gluttony and lastly Wrath." Sheska's eyes roved over the words, walls upon walls of text, "It also says that the sin of Pride is made responsible for the extinction of the Xerxes kingdom, an ancient country in the Great Desert that mysteriously disappeared, it's remains were lost to time. It is said that the king's thirst for infinite power and knowledge, as well as his prideful thinking, made him annihilate an entire race for his own selfish reasons. There is no evidence that states of what happened to the king afterwards, but many historians assumed he died shortly after, with no kingdom to support him."

Riza frowned, "But…how was a single man able to annihilate an entire race?"

Sheska shook her head, "None of the books elaborate on that, the circumstances to that tragedy remain largely unknown," Sheska scratched her cheek nervously, "Uh, but, according to them, if we believe them, it says that the Homunculi played a role in the downfall of the country. Whether or not historians meant it as a human's emotions or the tangible humans they are now…" she shrugged helplessly, "There are also several historical books that say they are humans, but there are also others that call them 'Philosopher Stones'." The familiar word struck a chord in Riza and her eyes flew open.

"Wait…Philosopher Stone?" her gaze swept over the picture with the vase and the tiny humans in it, "Isn't that…the stone of life? A ingredient alchemists have sought after for centuries?" Sheska seemed mildly surprised by Riza's knowledge but nodded nonetheless.

"Yes…but…" her brows knitted together, "…that's not it, at least according to some texts. If what it says in several of these books about Homunculi is true then…the ultimate goal for alchemists hadn't been the creation of the Philosopher's Stone but…the creation of humans," a shiver raced down her spine, the prospect frightening and alien to her.

Riza frowned, shutting the book closed and setting it down on the table, "The creation of humans?" old scripts and formulas raced through her mind, "…but no matter what anyone does, that's impossible to achieve without reproduction,"

Sheska shrugged half-heartedly, watching the illustrations on the book she was holding, "Until now, we thought it impossible that the seven deadly sins of humanity had any corporeal form…or that Homunculi even existed…" she sighed heavily, hands flying in her hair to roughly yank at it in frustration, "I'm so sorry Riza! I'm a failure! I've been reading books all my life and I know this library like the back of my hand but I can't find any information about that Project F.P. and I know we're running out of time and General Mustang needs it and-"

Riza firmly placed a hand over the frantic woman's mouth, waiting until she slowly calmed down, only then did she remove it fully, "Nonsense, considering you're doing all this work alone, you've come very far. Thank you Sheska for taking this job on, I know how difficult it must be considering your normal amount of paperwork," Riza smiled sadly.

Sheska blushed, spluttering, "N-no! No-Not at all! P-Please Riza, it's alright really! It's no trouble! I get to read all day!" her embarrassed expression suddenly turned thoughtful, "But um…I'm wondering…just what is that project about if it's not even here in the library or in the database?"

Riza sighed, looking at the dusty books, "I don't know Sheska, perhaps it's something connected to these 'Homunculi' or maybe even Bradley himself," she bit her lip, gaze sharp as it scanned the shelves of books, "I'll send in for assistance, don't worry she's an old friend of mine who can be trusted. If she causes any trouble, don't hesitate to call on me," she patted the younger woman's shoulder and smiled, before exiting the library.

Sheska blankly stared at the door, now alone again.

In the next moment, Sheska slid to her knees on the floor, coffee in hand, an exhausted expression on her face, "Ohhhhh…" she slapped a hand to her forehead, "Well….I think I might need a bit help…" there were still more books she hadn't read yet and if she didn't hand in her paperwork, it may cause some of the officers to grow suspicious. Sheska was known to be very punctual, especially in handing in her assignments, suddenly not doing so would jeopardize her secret mission here.

How she wished Hughes was here, he was the smartest and best soldier they have from the intelligence department…

Sheska groaned and slumped tiredly against the shelf behind her, robotically drinking from her cup.

It tasted like defeat.

Riza's short way back to her office was filled with silence in the hallways, but her head was filled with noise.

If what Sheska said was true…Homunculi were seen as small humans instead of the seven deadly sins, but what role could they possibly play in the downfall of the Xerxes kingdom? What role did they play now? Was any of the information relevant to finding out anything about Project F.P.?, Riza rubbed her forehead tiredly, feeling her eyes grow heavy with exhaustion. She had searched the military data-base until late in the night, has contacted several reliable sources, but came up with nothing.

Either Project F.P. didn't exist or it was such classified information that only the top brass know about or in other words, the Führer himself.

"That's right…Bradley must know something about it. Perhaps there are clues in his desk drawers," her mind brought her back to the suspicious child drawing's of Selim, "It sounds insane, but they looked forged. Why would a grown, wildly influential military man such as Bradley take the time to forge a child's drawing? Why would he keep it hidden and locked in his drawer? Usually people store important things in the first drawer," still, she had only checked the first drawer. He still had three more drawers, perhaps there was the information she was looking for.

She could only hope. In order for her to gain access to Bradley's office undisturbed, she would need an excuse similar to last time.

Which meant…

Making a detour to the parcel office, Riza smiled at the officer stationed there, stacks upon stacks of letters and other kinds of documents behind him, "I would like to fill out several forms, please,"

The officer, easily recognizing her, retrieved a smaller piece of paper to jot down her requests, "What shall it be, Lieutenant General?"

Riza smiled innocently, "I would like to request for several trucks worth of mini-skirt deliveries and the year's infrastructural requests,"

The officer lifted his head and his eyes nearly bugged out, "….Excuse me?"

Riza's smile remained, "Would you be so kind as to send them all directly to the Führer's office?" Riza's smile widened just a bit.

The officer was at a loss for words.

"She finally lost her mind," the officer thought as he shakily wrote his superior's request, mentally preparing himself on how to explain the odd nature of it to the clothing company for the mini-skirts.

INFO: By years infrastructural requests (for lack of a better word) I meant that the department responsible for the maintenance for the labs and general structure of the military buildings and facilities have a plethora of wishes for improvements they would like to be funded/made to increase efficiency (like better equipment for the labs and such).