A/N: Hey everyone! I apologize for the unintended hiatus on this story. I'm currently working through clinical rotations and they got pretty busy for a few months there. In addition I've been working on internship applications as well as my licensing examination. Now, though, the most difficult and time-consuming aspects of my school career are out of the way and I've finally found more time to write. I doubt that my next update will take much longer since this chapter is more of a set-up for the next chapter where a lot is going to happen. I'm really looking forward to Roy and Riza finally reuniting in the next chapter!

Thank you so much for your patience and for reading! Your reviews, favorites, and follows mean the world to me. Please let me know if anything seems too rushed or if anyone seems OOC. And now, here's the final chapter of the Fort Briggs arc.

"Alphonse?!" May rushed back to the fallen suit of armor and pressed her fists against his breastplate. "Alphonse, are you okay?"

Winry immediately followed suit and collapsed onto her knees beside him. "Not again," she gasped, jostling his shoulder. "Alphonse, are you there?"

"Again?"

Winry blinked and looked up as May turned her eyes toward her. Her brows were knitted together and her mouth was hanging slightly ajar. It was never clear to Winry how much May knew about the boys other than Alphonse being in the suit of armor and Edward was without two of his limbs. Her understanding was superficial, if there at all, but the ability or even desire to explain it to her as the panic Winry tried so desperately to suppress to think more clearly was not there. She shook her head and said, "I'll explain later—"

A loud crash ripped them away from their frantic attempts to wake Alphonse and they whirled around to find that the hotel room's door had been torn off the wall and rendered to pieces. Their fleeting concern was quickly mitigated when two familiar silhouettes stepped over the fragmented wood. "Are you both okay? We heard you yell and—" Jerso's eyes widened when he saw Alphonse's empty shell sprawled out on the ground and, without a second thought, raced over to them and fell to his knees beside Winry. Zampano followed suit moments thereafter, collapsing at Winry's other side.

"What's going on? What happened?" the latter asked as he lifted his hands, stopping just short of touching Alphonse's shoulder.

"He collapsed again," Winry said, pressing her hand against Alphonse's chestplate again. "He was talking to us and then just… stopped."

"Was there anything to trigger it?" Jerso pressed. "I know it happened before. Was he doing anything at the time that could have caused this to happen?"

She shook her head. "No. Nothing. He was just talking to us. There was nothing that could have precipitated this that I saw."

At the second mention of 'us,' the two soldiers turned their attention toward the smaller girl who was seated across from Winry at the same level of Alphonse's breastplate. They locked eyes for a moment but, whether it was because of the relative insignificance of her presence given the circumstances or because she was just as rattled as them, they opted to forgo addressing her in any way other than directing a nod toward her.

"Did you check the symbol on his neck?" Zampano asked as he reached toward Alphonse's helmet.

Winry gave pause as confusion overtook her fear and she scrunched her eyebrows. It took a few moments for her in her jumbled state to connect that he had put two and two together the first time Alphonse had collapsed, realizing that the blood seal Edward had created to bind him to the armor had some significance. Once she had, she shook her head and wordlessly watched as he removed it, and then leaned across his breastplate to scrutizine it. But just like she had assumed, the blood seal was still intact.

She sighed and sat back on her heels as uncertainty began to swirl in her stomach, once again at a loss for what to do. It had happened before and he had woken up, but what if he didn't that time? What if the pull of his body proved to be too great and his soul remained trapped there? Tears began to collect in the corners of her eyes again and she raised her first to push them away. There was no use crying now, not when his collapse was so acute. She needed to give him time to sort himself out so that he could return to them. She needed to have faith in him, just like she had faith that Edward was okay.

She needed to believe it… She had to believe it.

Winry slowly exhaled and pressed her fists against her lap as she quietly sat back. "I think we have to wait it out. He should hopefully be back soon."

"Winry? What's…" Winry looked up to see that May had freed one of her hands from Al's chest plate and that she had reached across to touch Winry's arm. Now out of her reach, May slowly withdrew and instead pressed it against her chest and looked down. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I'll ask about it later. I know now isn't the time."

"So you just think we should… wait?" Jerso leaned back and scratched his head. "But we seemed to be able to shake him awake last time. Shouldn't it work this time? He has to come back eventually… right?"

Winry shrugged. "There's more to this than even Al knows. His soul's connection to the armor is weak right now, and I don't know if he'll hear us..."

The groan of metal immediately caught their attention and all heads turned toward Alphonse. Winry gasped when the balls of light that had become his eyes were alight again, peering directly at her.

"Winry…?" Alphonse croaked. "W… what's going on?"

"Al," she breathed, laying her hands on his armor again. "It's okay. You're okay."

He rolled his head to the side and his soulfire eyes slowly moved from Jerso to Zampano, and then to May. Every time his eyes fell on them, he paused for a moment, as though uncertain whether they were there or not. Then he would move on to the next as his lengthy daze persisted. Once he had moved past May, his eyes wandered up to Winry again. "I'm… back," he finally said. Then, as though the realization finally struck him, he gasped, "I'm back!"

"Al?"

"I saw my body, Winry. I saw my body and then…" He pressed his hand against his head. "And then… and then I saw Brother too."

"Wait." She leaned over. "Al, you saw Ed? Why was here there?"

Alphonse pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes and shook his head. "I don't… I don't know! I just saw Brother there and he…-" He flew into a sitting position, much to their surprise, and pulled his gloves away from his face and looked down at them. After a few moments of studying them and collecting himself, he curled them into fists and sighed. "That's right… He said that he would be back for us. For you and me. The Colonel and Lieutenant and Ling..."

"He did?" she breathed.

Alphonse shook his head. "I know this sounds crazy, Winry, but I remember it. Brother was there. He was there at the Gate and… And…"

"I believe you, Al," Winry said quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Do you know why he was there? If it's too much, you don't have to say. I guess… I guess I'm just as confused as you are."

"I…" Alphonse began as he searched his mind for a plausible explanation, his soulfire eyes darting back and forth as he rifled through everything he had ever learned. His shoulders slumped and he lowered his head. "I… have a theory, but I don't know how accurate it is."

"You can tell us, Al," she gently pressed. "Anything that you think will help."

He nodded thoughtfully before turning his eyes away from her. He curled his hands into fists on his lap, taking a moment to reflect before he said, "Do you remember when Brother said that we could be connected because we both used our blood when we performed human transmutation?" She gave a confirmatory nod and he continued, "What if it has something to do with that? What if the pull on my soul doesn't just affect me? What if his soul is being pulled back too?"

Winry's lip screwed into a thin line as she considered his proposal. It certainly seemed plausible despite her limited knowledge of alchemy if she reconfigured it in her mind to reflect a wire. If the body where two of the copper lines were braided together was pulled, both wires would move along with it. So if alchemy followed that simple principle, which she felt confident it did, then his theory was sound.

"The only thing that doesn't make sense," he continued, drawing her attention back to him. "Is that I didn't see him there the first time I saw my body. And this time," he lifted his hands and gestured vaguely, "I only saw him when the Gate was open and dragging him back inside of it."

The word she honed in on, that dropped into the pit of her stomach, being 'dragging,' Winry's eyes widened. Immediately taking notice, Alphonse waved his hands back and forth and explained, "It happened to both of us when we did the transmutation. After that we woke up back home." He froze and his shoulders slumped. "Or at least, we woke up after what had happened."

She knew that he was returning to his first memories waking up in the body he now had. Winry had heard his recollections over and over again, and it never got easier to listen to. It was difficult to imagine, and she knew that it was even worse reliving. She gave his shoulder a gentle shake to draw him out of his memories and he turned toward her. Winry's heart skipped a beat when the room's dim light caught and reflected against his helmet precisely below his eyes. And for a moment, the stream of light looked like a trail of tears.

"Maybe that is what happened, Al," she said with a heavy sigh as she closed her eyes. "Maybe it did pull Ed to the Gate. But now we know," she said, opening her eyes again after reflecting on his statement again. "We know that Ed is back in his body, right? He's back and safe at Briggs." The way she ended it was more a statement than question, though they all knew that it could be further from the truth than they could have possibly imagined. But she reminded herself, told herself, that she would continue to hold onto that hope. Now that Alphonse was back in his body and safe, she could channel that focus toward Edward and feel the same.

Alphonse caught on and slowly nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure that Brother is back in his body now. Safe and sound."

She nodded and forced a small smile.

"I'm… trying to piece everything together, Alphonse, so please correct me if I'm wrong," May said, twisting her fingers together. "I heard you two talking about the Gate. That's… the Gate that allows you to perform alchemy, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah. The Gate of Truth. It's the source of all alchemical knowledge. It's kind of a long story, but my brother and I passed through that Gate a long time ago. But in order to do so, you have to pay a toll." Her eyes grew wide and he shook his head. "Our tolls were my brother's leg and my body. He passed through a second time and gave up his right arm to pull my soul back and bind it to this armor." Lifting his hands, he gestured to himself and said, "I'm thankful that my brother has given me the opportunity to continue to live on in this body but recently, I learned there's a catch."

Winry shifted. She knew what was coming next. She still hadn't quite come to terms with it, as demonstrated by her knee-jerk reactions to his disappearances, but she knew that hearing it again would help cement it in her head. Because whether they liked it or not, it would continue until he got his body back… or if he never returned.

"The catch is that this body will eventually reject my soul. Every time it happens there's a chance that I won't come back." He reached up and lifted his helmet off his head and pointed to the blood seal. "This blood seal was made by my brother with his own blood. It's what keeps my soul in his suit of armor. As long as it stays intact, I have the best chance of moving forward and staying as long as I can." He replaced his helmet and added, "I know it's a lot to take in, so I'd be happy to talk to you about it later but," he turned to look at Winry and said, "I think we still want to go and make sure that Brother is okay."

Winry nodded. "If it's okay, May, we would like to go just like we had been talking about earlier."

May's head bobbed. "Of course it is. I just… want to make sure that you're both okay."

Alphonse and Winry exchanged quick glances. That was the question that seemed to plague them as of late. Whether they were okay or not. Though Alphonse had seen Edward, his whereabouts and condition were still technically unknown to them. And some of the most important people in their lives were being held prisoner, whether by the Homunculi or by their threats. In truth, they weren't. Though of course none of them were. With Alphonse's frequent departures from his armor and Edward's separation from them, Winry felt like their lives would never be okay again. But that resolve, she had found, was beginning to weigh on her, and them, and she again reminded herself the faith she would hold onto.

"Oh," she said as she lifted Xiao Mei in her hands again. "Just like before, you can take Xiao Mei with you to keep in your armor. I'll be around too if anything happens."

Alphonse held out his palm and the tiny panda leapt into his glove. She turned around and waved to May as he helped her up onto his shoulder.

"You say you're going to headquarters," Zampano spoke up. "Even after what just happened?"

Winry nodded. "We have to. Edward is still up at Briggs and even though Al says he saw him at the Gate, we still want to confirm. Lu- ah, Lieutenant Hawkeye will probably know how he's doing."

"And you," Jerso said, "Do you need a ride too, Miss… uhhh…"

"Oh!" May bowed at the waist and said, "My name is May Chang. I'm… a friend of theirs visiting from out of town."

Both Winry and Alphonse froze. They didn't need to exchange glances to know what the other was thinking. In the midst of everything that had been happening, they had failed to consider that Zampano and Jerso didn't know about May's existence… and supposedly the Homunculi didn't either. She was their one wild card, and if the Homunculi discovered her, they would almost certainly go after her.

"N-no, that won't be necessary," Alphonse said with a quick wave of his hands. "By being around she means that she'll still be here later, right?"

"Of course," May said. "After I heard the news about Briggs, I remembered Winry and Alphonse telling me that Alphonse's brother was up north, so I came by to make sure they were okay. Xiao Mei here," she lifted herself up on her toes and scratched the top of the panda's head, "Has always been there for me so I figured they could take her along to help ease their worries."

Both Winry and May held their breath as Jerso and Zampano considered what they said. Then their faces broke into smiles. "That's awfully kind of you, Miss May. You're a great friend," Jerso grinned. Winry sighed with relief as May smiled, her cheeks turning a ruddy hue.

"It's nothing, really. I just wanted to make sure they were both okay."

"Well then," Zampano rose to his feet and offered Winry a hand. "Do you want to head to Central Command now?"

She accepted his gesture and got to her feet. "That would be wonderful, thank you, you two."

"It's no problem, really," Jerso said. "We have the car parked out front."

Alphonse stood too and began to follow them as they headed toward the door. After taking a few steps, he turned around and raised his hand. "Thank you again, May! I promise we'll be back soon."

Her cheeks flushed again and gave him a small wave in return before she directed her eyes downward and toed the carpet. "It's no problem, really. I'm just glad you're okay, Alphonse."

Winry paused and waited for their exchange to end. After Alphonse waved again, he turned around and the corner of Winry's lip, that she realized had begun to lift, fell back to a more neutral state. "Are you ready, Al?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Let's go." He gestured toward the door and she stepped out first with him close behind. They followed the officers down the stairs and through the lobby, and out the front door of the hotel. Their military-issued vehicle came into view and Alphonse's pace slowed. "Winry," he stopped and allowed the two soldiers to walk forward a few paces until they were out of earshot. She stopped beside him and looked up at him. "Are you sure you're okay with going? I can go by myself if you want."

She shook her head. "I am, Al. Really." The little red orbs of light in his eyes flickered. She had known him in all forms long enough to know that he was skeptical of her response. To ease his concern, she lifted her hand and pressed it against his arm. "I want to know too, Al. I want to hear from her mouth that Edward is okay. I won't let her get to me the way that she has before."

They both saw out of the corner of their eyes the two soldiers turn and shoot them questioning looks and Alphonse sighed. "Alright, I believe you," he said. "Let's go find out about Brother… together."

Despite the ongoing battle in the north, the relative atmosphere of Central Command was rather somber. The soldiers stationed there continued to mill about, albeit at a slightly faster pace. But there was no panic, but whether it was because it was ordered or because they felt the battle would soon end, they were uncertain. One thing they did notice, though, that suggested the former was that very few words were exchanged related to the battle, and if Winry and Alphonse heard something even remotely close to being about the North, it was uttered in a quiet whisper.

They could have stopped. Could have asked to know the status of the battle. Winry was sure that they were more up to date than the radio station in the car was, but she knew that there were few people who would know or care about the status of the Fullmetal Alchemist.

They reached the door that led to the offices the former Colonel Mustang and his team once occupied. It was chilling to see that the small placard that had been placed on the wall beside the door had already been removed, as though erasing their presence there. Though it no longer belonged to them, they were sure that this was the only place they could find her after the secretary in the Fuhrer's office said she was not there.

Winry raised her fist and paused before striking it against the door. Was she really ready to confront Lust like she said she would be? Every time prior she had told herself that she was, she had fallen apart again and again, only to piece herself together later. She had wondered, after every encounter with Lust since she and those she held closest were taken hostage, if she was putting herself back together properly, because despite the strength she tried to exude, she always seemed to fail. Her fist began to tremble as she left it suspended there, her self-reflection pulling her in every which direction.

She wanted to believe that she was stronger now. That she had begun to construct a shield against the Homunculus's cruel demeanor. She wanted to believe that she could still reach Miss Riza, and that it wasn't too late to apologize to her. Her stomach twisted when the thought pushed itself to the forefront of her mind again, and she began to feel sick. What she said to Miss Riza was inexcusable, even if the brunt of her verbal assault was directed toward Lust. She steadied her fist and, like she told herself that Edward was okay, allowed herself to feel the same about Miss Riza. Or… as okay as she could be given the circumstances. That and the thought that Edward and Alphonse and the rest of them would continue to fight brought a sense of solace, and she resigned herself at that moment to continue the fight as well… until all three of their friends were returned home.

She rapped her fist against the door and took a small step back. Neither one of them moved, both straining to listen. After a few moments, she lowered her hand to test the handle but stopped when she heard a faint rustle just beyond the door. Winry swallowed as apprehension gripped at her. No… she quietly reminded herself of her resolve and cleared her throat. "I know you're in there," she said. "I know you're listening to me." She paused and waited for something that would prove what she had declared. Alphonse bent forward and listened too.

A few moments passed with no reply, and just when Winry was about to call out again, they heard something shift around inside. They heard it come closer and Alphonse reached his arm out, shielding Winry in the event that something, whatever it may be, would happen…

They jumped when a loud bang answered her. Winry commanded her heart to slow when she realized that it was whoever was on the other side had pounded their first against the door. She sucked in a breath and took a step forward.

"Winry…" Alphonse whispered. "Wait."

She did not heed his warning and leaned into the door, pressing her palm against it.

"What do you want, girl," Lust hissed from the other side.

A shiver traveled up her spine when the voice split the silence and her knees began to quiver as her subconscious fear of the Homunculus began to grip her again. Winry lifted her other hand and pressed it against the door to steady herself and blinked away the tears that had begun to wet the corners of her eyes.

"I'm here," she began, and then promptly stopped when her voice waivered. She took another breath and begged her heart to calm and, once it felt as though it were no longer pounding against her ribs, tried again. "I'm here because of Edward. I know you know what's going on up north, Lust. And I just… want to know. Please… just give me that and I'll leave you alone."

Silence met her plea, but she remained where she was. She wouldn't move until she heard something, anything, especially now that the Homunculus had addressed her. But after the silence had stretched for a minute longer, she prepared herself to speak again when she heard something scrape along the back of the door, much like the sound of nails against wood.

"He's fine," Lust snarled. Her voice sounded heavy, the tone strained. But the message was clear, and Winry felt the weight on heart wane.

"Edward's fine," she breathed. "He's okay?"

"Yes," she snapped.

Winry pulled away slightly from the door as a myriad of emotions played through her hair. The worry, the fear, had begun to dissolve, though it did not completely disappear. Her stomach knotted again, and she pressed her hands to the door and leaned into it again. "Miss Riza," she whispered. "I… I don't know if you're listening but I just wanted to say… to say that I'm sorry."

There is nothing on the other side of the door, and she says it again, louder. "I'm sorry about what I said. Miss Riza if you're there, I'm sorry!"

"Winry," Alphonse stepped closer to her. "Wait—"

"Leave!" Lust's fist slammed into the door and Winry jumped back. "Leave now!"

"Winry, please," Alphonse held onto her shoulders and guided her back, his eyes never leaving the door. "I don't know what's wrong, but we should go now."

She reached up and pushed the tear away, almost hoping the Homunculus would open the door. There was something else going on, and she felt this odd urge to stay and learn what it was. But she knew that the Homunculus was unpredictable. She had gotten what she wanted from her, and that should be enough.

Still, she took another step back and watched the door, hoping that it would open so she could see, could possibly catch a glimpse of the Lieutenant. But when it didn't like she had hoped, she finally relented and turned to Alphonse and said, "You're right… Let's go."

"Hey Zampano."

The addressed turned to his friend and lifted a brow. "Yeah?"

Jerso gestured down the hallway they had seen Winry and Alphonse wander down. "I know we've heard otherwise about her –Lieutenant Hawkeye, that is- but if this is how she truly is then I don't trust her. My instincts go nuts every time she's in the same room as us."

"No, I feel it too, Jerso. Something isn't right about her."

Jerso nodded, and they allowed their brief communication to lull as they reflected on the Lieutenant and Winry and Alphonse. The question that came to them both did not hang in in the silence for long.

"Do you think they're alright?"

"Alphonse and Winry?" Zampano glanced in the direction they had gone and, when they did not reappear, moved his shoulders. "I don't know…"

"Do you think we should go check on them? Just make sure they're alright?"

Zampano shrugged. "They did say they had something personal they want to talk about. Maybe about how whatever's happening to Alphonse keeps happening."

"I don't know," Jerso said. "I just don't have a good feeling about this. It just seems like they're afraid of her. Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't leave them alone with her anymore."

"I don't see a problem with going then, just to be sure."

The pressure that surrounded Lust grew heavy and she clenched her jaw. Of all the times to have Pride reappear, this time was one of the worst. She saw its shadows swirl into her periphery, and moments after they appeared she felt hundreds of eyes direct themselves toward her. Lust lowered her hands from her head and turned toward the darkest corner of the office.

"You lied to that girl," Pride said as its shadows wove around the abandoned desk and chairs. "Why?"

"If you've ever heard her wail, you would know it best to prevent her from doing so."

"She and Alphonse Elric find out eventually," it quipped. "Whether Izumi Curtis and her team or the media contact them first. Eventually, they will discover that you lied."

"You're speak as though I've committed treason," she bit back. "I've lied to the child before. Lying won't change anything."

"You're very defensive," it observed.

"And you're pressing me," she snarled.

"It would be wise of you show me the respect I deserve," Pride hissed.

She pressed her lips together and nodded tightly. "Forgive me," she muttered. "It's… difficult containing the Lieutenant's emotions."

Its eyes widened slightly. "Her soul is overpowering you?"

"No," she bit back. When her brother's eyes narrowed again, she drew in a breath and tried again. "I've slowly been integrating her soul into my stone, but it is not without consequence. The more of her I absorb, the more her emotions, thoughts, and memories affect me. The news about… Edward Elric has taken its toll on her and in turn, has taken its toll on me."

"Controlling a human seems rather simple given their natures. Even backing down shouldn't be that difficult for someone of your skill, Lust."

"You say that like it's easy," she hissed as she dug her claws into her skull. "The moment I back down the Lieutenant will spring up again. She's done so before."

The eyes narrowed as Pride gave Lust's rebuttal some thought. "Maybe…" it began, as its shadows curled. "That's precisely what you should do."

Lust's lip curled. "Do you want me to fall victim to her and become lost?" she snarled. "Whose side are you on, Pride?"

"Yours," it responded indifferently. "Your power is an asset to us, Lust. You know just as well as I that you are vital to our plans. If I wanted to exterminate you," it said as its shadows curled and twisted to form edges. "I would have done so a long time ago."

"Then what is the purpose of giving her control?"

"I merely suggested that you loosen your grip. The emotions you are feeling as a result of your hold will continue to affect your judgement. Don't forget that the former Fuhrer's funeral is in two days. We need you to be focused when that day comes."

"And if I loosen my grip and she wails about it to Catalina again? Don't forget that I have to keep her under control as well as implement security."

Its eyes narrowed as it gave pause then the shadows began to recede. "Merely a suggestion," it reiterated. "I just wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt. Just remember that if you continue to slip, I will have no choice but to report what I see to Father. Your words will not stretch as far as mine will, Lust. Take care to remember that."

She felt the more powerful Homunculus's present subside and she took a few controlled breaths. Despite the threat, the ache in her heart was still there, and her thoughts were once again migrating back to the Elric boy. If she loosened her hold, there was the possibility that she would be able to let go of that emotion and dump it onto the Lieutenant to occupy her. Give her something to wallow in, she decided. But, if she gave too much, there was a chance that the Lieutenant could garner enough energy to take over. A few moments of freedom at the wrong time could be devastating.

Lust slipped inward to revisit the Lieutenant and found that little had changed. She was curled into herself, eyes vacant and staring forward. The same, quiet plea –help me- still dripped from her lips, and the worry that had consumed Lust moments before slowly waned.

Maybe it was safe to loosen her grip, after all. The Lieutenant's current frame of mind certainly wouldn't hinder her if she did.

Winry had gotten to say everything she needed to. She knew that Edward was alive. She had to believe that Miss Riza had heard her. So… why was her heart heavy?

"Winry! Alphonse."

The silence that had wedged itself between them was broken and they looked up to see Jerso and Zampano walking toward them. They stopped a few paces in front of them and Jerso said, "We were just coming to check up on you. Uh…" His head tilted slightly. "Are you alright, Winry?"

Winry reached up and touched her cheek, surprised by the single spot of wetness her fingers had found. She shook her head and smiled. "She said he's alright. She said that the skirmish is over and that there's nothing to worry about anymore."

The two soldiers grinned. "That's great to hear! I don't even think we heard that on the radio yet. We'll have to see if we can get ahold of Heinkel and Darius to see how they're doin'."

"Are they friends of yours up north?" Alphonse asked.

"Yeah," Zampano said. "They're normally stationed here but they were dispatched a few days ago and were sent to Briggs. It's a good thing too," he added as Jerso nodded. "A few other troops were sent there as well. I'm sure they helped make a difference when the fight broke out."

"Wow, I didn't know there were more soldiers that went up there," Alphonse said. "They were really lucky then."

"Yeah," Jerso said. "Maybe if we call soon, we can contact them before the lines get clogged up."

"Is there anything else you two need to do here today? Did the Lieutenant say anything else?"

Winry felt Al's eyes on her and without stealing a glance toward him, she shook her head. "No, she said that we could go back. She said that we should wait where Edward knows we are in case he wants to get ahold of us."

"Alright then," Jerso gestured down the hallway and stepped toward its periphery to allow them to pass first. "Let's get going then. I'm sure your friend May will want to hear the good news."

Winry's nodded. "Okay," she and Alphonse both said in unison. They followed after the two soldiers, but only after Alphonse stole another glance toward Winry. She made eye contact with him and her smile widened.

For once since their nightmare started, the heaviness in her heart abated slightly and she felt a little lighter than before. For once, there was good news and she attributed the tears that had subconsciously fallen to what she had heard and believed. Because she had to believe it, she had to.

Even if she knew she was lying to herself.

"Teach…er." Edward braced his hands against the dirt and attempted to push himself up onto his elbows. Another stab of pain ignited his nerves and his arms gave out. He fell back and against something soft, and when he cracked his eyes open again he saw that Teacher had slid a jacket beneath him.

"Don't overexert yourself." The statement was gentle, drenched with relief and less of a command. Edward obeyed and relaxed, sinking the back of his head into the makeshift pillow as a wave of exhaustion from the small exertion rolled over him. She blinked the wetness in her eyes away and drew in a shaking breath. She pressed her palm against his cheek and lightly dragged her thumb across his skin. "I'm so glad you're okay," she breathed.

"Me too," he muttered as he rolled his head to the side and buried his face into his jacket. "Though I thought… I had closed it."

"You did seal the wound closed," Marcoh said. "But it looks like you continued to bleed despite that." Edward's brows knitted together and he continued, "After you stopped responding, I feared that one of the blood vessels reopened. I'm just thankful that my therapy worked."

Edward's hand crept up the side of his body and rested atop the ugly, scarified tissue that overlaid the wound, and his eyes slowly opened. "How did you…?"

The corner of the doctor's lip twitched. "It's a bit complicated, but the gist of it was that I changed the porousness of your blood vessels and encouraged the blood to migrate back into them. From there it was a matter of resealing the broken vessel and shocking your heart back into its usual rhythm." He pointed to Edward's chest and Edward craned his neck down to see a circle of pink skin in its center. "That mark right there is where I applied the electrical pulse."

Edward slid his hand across his chest and feathered his fingers across the mark. The corner of his lip curled and a soft hiss pushed through his mouth when the skin began to burn under his touch, and he drew his hand away.

"I apologize for the second wound," Marcoh smiled sheepishly.

Edward's head rolled back and forth. "No," he muttered as his eyes moved from the burn on his chest to the scar tissue on his side. "If you hadn't done it, I wouldn't have made it back…"

"'Made it back?'" he heard Teacher ask beside him.

He moved his headback and forth. "'S a long story. I'll…-"

"No," she said as her hand closed around his. "You're right. You rest for now. We'll discuss everything in more detail later. When you're stronger."

"Then I suggest we go," Scar cut in. "We're sitting ducks here. The longer we stay, the more likely it will be that the Homunculus or shadow creature will find a way to us."

"Is he safe to move?" Izumi asked, looking up at Marcoh for confirmation.

The doctor's expression soured and his brow wrinkled as he maneuvered carefully through the logistics in his head. With the exception of Edward, they all knew what it took to get there, from the trek through the steadily falling snow to locating and carefully propelling themselves through the underground tunnel and toward the fort. It was no easy feat for them, and it would certainly be more difficult with him in their care. But after juggling and weighing the options in his mind, Marcoh shook his head. "We don't have much of a choice. Either we move him now or we wait. But Scar is right: if we decide to wait around, we may end up face-to-face with the Homunculus again."

"I mean is it safe to move him?" Izumi said. "If we move him around too much is he going to bleed again?"

Edward's hand closed around his side. He winced and recoiled when a sharp stab of pain ignited the remaining nerve-endings in his skin. "I… I doubt it," he said as he drew in a breath.

Marcoh nodded. "He's right. If anything, it will be my handiwork that comes into question."

Izumi did little to hide the scowl that tugged at her lip. "So are you saying that we shouldn't move him?"

The doctor sighed through his nose and shook his head. "I'm not saying that. I know you're frustrated Mrs. Curtis, but I want you to trust me. It's difficult to say what will happen once we begin to move but I fear that the chances of another encounter with the Homunculus or that other anomaly are greater if we stay."

Before Izumi could return his thoughts with hers, a quiet, "Wrath…" drew their attention from their discussion and back toward Edward. He forced his eyes open to the point where they were small slits, just enough to peer through to them after redirecting their attention. "The Homunculus… his name is Wrath."

A heartbeat passed as they allowed themselves to digest the new information Edward had provided them. Though it changed nothing, the piece of information was oddly comforting to receive. The anonymity of the monster was a little less opaque and in some ways, it gave them a new perspective in regard to its actions. Somewhat.

Izumi mumbled something about the name being 'very befitting' under her breath as Marcoh directed his concerns back toward Edward. "I'd love to discuss your encounter with Wrath later, once you've taken time to heal, Edward."

The boy languidly bobbed his head. "I've got s'mthing I wanna talk to you about too. It's about… the Philosopher's Stone."

Marcoh's eyes widened with surprise, but before he could answer Izumi carefully placed a hand on Edward's shoulder. "You can both discuss that later. But right now, I think the doctor is right. We need to get you out of here."

Edward slowly nodded. Though brief, the conversation weakened him considerably. His eyelids had begun to feel heavy and, knowing that they would be moving, allowed himself to close his eyes for a moment.

"Scar. I need you to carry Edward."

Hearing that, his eyes opened again and immediately made contact with the rogue Ishvalan's. He looked as pleased about the assigned arrangement as Edward felt. But another glance from his Teacher told, not suggested, the task to him again. He huffed and stepped over to Edward. Feeling a confusing swell of discomfort in his gut, Edward turned his head away to focus on anyone but Scar as he lifted him up into his arms.

Now off the ground, he was able to get a better view of the party that had come to grant him egress. Teacher was already a few paces ahead of them, guiding her hand over the stone wall that led away from the hole she had sealed minutes before. Beside him stood Dr. Marcoh… Edward paused as the doctor took his arm in his hand again and pressed his calloused fingers against Edward's flesh wrist to feel for a pulse. A brief interview commenced in which the doctor asked a series of short questions, which Edward was to answer with a 'yes' or 'no.' He answered quietly, surprised by how soft his voice was, and how tiring the simple task had become.

His head lulled back and tapped against Scar's shoulder and he tensed, but the Ishvalan man made not a sound. Edward blinked and willed himself to remain awake and turned his focus back to the two remaining members of the small party. Officer Falman had followed after them… and even… Edward's eyelids began to feel heavy again as he tried to remember the former military officer's name. Yoki… was it? He'd have to forgive him if he didn't remember…

Edward heard Dr. Marcoh's voice again and he acknowledged it with a tiny grunt. He knew he was beginning to fade again and he braced himself, waiting for the doctor to alarm his Teacher. But instead, when he blinked again, he saw the doctor smile and turn to his teacher to inform her to continue her task. He saw her once more, turning toward him to see for herself, before he finally gave in to the darkness that sat around the edges of his vision.

Dr. Marcoh parted the curtains and peered outside the compound they had been granted as egress, a frown tugging at his lips. Izumi raised her brows as he left the turned toward them and shook his head. "The storm's beginning to pick up. I think it's safe to say that the chances of being followed are unlikely."

"But there's still a chance," she muttered as he stepped away from the window. "And as long as there's a chance we need to be vigilant."

The doctor's mouth formed a thin smile of reassurance and he nodded. "I've made sure to take every measure I can to ensure that we remain safe."

She nodded, despite not being totally convinced. Izumi felt as though they were sitting ducks no matter where they went. But moving Edward again after he had gotten settled in was not an option. Trying to take her mind off the fact momentarily, she turned toward Officer Falman, who had just gotten off the phone with Madame Christmas's informant. "Any news?"

He shook his head. "She was relieved to hear that we managed to come back safely. I told her about Edward and she said she would relay the information to the Madame as soon as she could."

"I'm sure Alphonse and Winry will want to hear," Izumi said. "There's no doubt they're worried sick if the battle is all over the radios."

"That's another thing," he said. "The battle is supposedly over."

She raised her eyebrows. "Is it really? So quickly?"

He pulled out a kitchen chair and sank into it. "The Briggs forces are formidable. Even though their General Armstrong is no longer there, they still function as one unit. It's something I came to admire in my short time there."

A frown tugged at her lips. "You must have liked it there, didn't you? You seem rather fond of it."

He shrugged. "I won't pretend like I didn't enjoy my time there, nor that I befriended many of the other soldiers there. But what we're doing now, and the loyalty I have for my team, far outweighs the time I spent there."

"Speaking of friends," she said. "I hope that that Captain and Major Miles are doing alright. I hated leaving them behind."

Falman sighed. "I feel the same. It was difficult leaving them behind with the Homunculus. But if I had to choose out of those at Briggs, I'd rather it be them. They're more formidable than you think."

She wanted to believe him, she really did. But they both saw the devastation Wrath could create, and she wondered if the Officer had taken that into account. Edward was an alchemist. She had experienced firsthand long ago just how 'formidable' the men of Briggs were, but an alchemically crafted monster was leagues above a housewife who was only beginning her training. If Edward fell to it, then she feared the same would happen to them once it broke free of its prison.

When she looked at the Officer's expression after he made that statement, however, she saw something about his expression change, and she realized that he was wearing the same expression her husband often wore after they had lost their child. Not only was he trying to convince her that it would be okay, but he was trying to convince himself too. There was a pain behind his eyes and he donned a smile that was strained. Maybe she had jumped too quickly to the conclusion that he didn't understand the situation's gravity. No… he knew exactly what they had done when they left those two officers behind to defend themselves and the fort.

"You're right," she said, returning his smile. "They did seem formidable."

"The Fullmetal boy is awake."

Izumi tore her eyes from Falman to look at Scar as he stepped out of the room where Edward was sleeping, then shared a look with Dr. Marcoh. He nodded and stepped around him, and into the room and she followed after him, stopping momentarily to mutter her gratitude to Scar.

The candles they lit had begun to wear down to their bases, the uneven edges casting shadows across the already dim room. Despite the darkness, Izumi could see that the boy's golden eyes were open and focused on her. She offered him a small smile and stepped over to him, crouching down beside the makeshift cot he was laying on.

Though she was closer to him, the candles with the little light they bore formed lines on Edward's face that aged him by ten years, and the color that had drained from his cheeks had yet to return. The edge of his lip twitched and she brushed the back of her hand over his cheek to chase back a bead of sweat that had trickled from his brow.

"How are you feeling?"

He huffed. "Could be better. Still sore." He attempted to push himself up onto his elbows to better address her and winced.

"Ed," she murmured as she rested a hand on his shoulder. "Don't exert yourself. You've lost a lot of blood."

There was a flash of reluctance in his eyes, but the exhaustion that lied beyond it won and he eased himself back onto the pillow. Dr. Marcoh reached over and grabbed his flesh arm, and pressed his fingers against his wrist. Edward waited as he looked down at the watch on his wrist and counted his heartbeats. After a few moments, he nodded thoughtfully and said, "Your peripheral pulse feels normal."

"Thanks again… Dr. Marcoh," Edward murmured. "You're the reason why."

The doctor chuckled and shook his head. "You're the one I should be thanking. You did all the work for me. I just took what you gave me and ran with it. It was your alchemy that saved you."

The tiny smile on Edward's face vanished and he shifted uncomfortably. "Barely," he admitted. "I still ended up at the Gate again."

Izumi gasped, startling Dr. Marcoh and Edward. The latter was the first to recover, and his face twisted apologetically for her alarm. She took a breath and waited until her heart had slowed after the sudden jolt of surprise and murmured, "What do you mean about the Gate?"

"I appeared in front of it again, Teacher. Almost like before, but not quite."

Her hands balled into fists on her lap and she pressed them against her knees to prevent them from shaking. "So that's how you did it? How you saved yourself… You performed human transmutation."

He rolled his head side to side. "No. That's not it. Though I…" He averted his gaze and focused on his automail hand as he balled the blanket overtop him into it. "I did see Alphonse again… just like the first time."

"You… You saw Alphonse?"

Edward slowly nodded. "I saw his body." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the automail fist clench tighter around the blanket. "It was so thin… his body was so thin, Teacher. He…" He took a deep breath and swallowed. "He was nothing but skin and bones."

Her vision blurred and she blinked, lifting her hand to her chest to press it over her heart. "His body… You saw it? Edward was it….?" She didn't know how to phrase it. She didn't want to imagine the state it was in. She didn't want to think about its condition or—

"No… it's alive."

The weight that had settled in her heart lifted slightly and she leaned forward. "It's… alive?"

He nodded again. "It spoke to me."

Confusion replaced her devastation, and her brows knitted together. "It spoke to you? Edward… how is that possible?"

"Because it wasn't Alphonse," he muttered. "It was Truth speaking through him." Her eyes widened, and he continued, "It kept saying these cryptic things to me that… didn't make any sense. It kept speaking as though… as though it were welcoming me into the Gate… for eternity. And during that time… the real Alphonse appeared."

"There were… two of them?"

"His body… and his soul."

The panic returned and she leaned forward and pressed her hand against his automail arm. "His soul was there?" He moved his head. "Does that mean the blood seal… Did it?"

His eyes flickered away from her. "I don't know what it meant. Maybe he returned there because I was there? Either way, he didn't see me. Not until," his eyes wandered to the doctor who was seated, quietly listening in awe, "Dr. Marcoh restarted my heart. Then he saw me and spoke to me. I told him that… That I would be back."

The faintest of smiles touched her lips as the flicker of determination she had grown to see in his eyes briefly reappeared. "I'm glad you told him that, Edward. We'll be able to take you back soon."

"How soon?"

Taken aback, she watched as the determination spread across his expression. "How soon?" he asked again. "How soon will we be able to return to Central?"

She turned to Dr. Marcoh for an answer, anything that could indicate when they would be able to take him home, but the doctor shook his head. "I'm not sure yet, Edward," he said. "We need to make sure you're strong enough for the journey back."

The resolve drained from Edward's face, but before he could properly respond an unfamiliar voice interrupted him. Izumi pinpointed the voice and jumped to her feet, padding over to the door to look outside at what had caused the disturbance. Upon opening the door, she saw a young Ishvalan boy standing in the middle of the dining kitchen waving frantically at Scar.

"Mr. Scar," the young boy –Rick, Izumi had learned before- cried. "There's an alchemist outside. He's… he's demanding to see you!"

Izumi saw Scar's face contort with confusion, and then his eyes widen slightly as a thought of whom it could possibly be cross his mind.

"Go out back," he ordered, brushing past the child and stepping over to the door. He rested his hand on the doorknob and, without looking back, added, "Tell the rest of our people to help each other evacuate. Leave no one and do not pause to take anything with you."

"But Mr. Scar, what about—"

"There's no need to worry about us," he said as he pushed the door open a crack. "We can handle this just fine."

Izumi turned to the doctor. "Dr. Marcoh, will you, Falman, and Yoki move Edward?"

The doctor opened his mount to contend, but closed it once he realized that there were no other options. He knew exactly what they were intending to do. Instead, he nodded and said, "We'll do the best we can," before he turned and beckoned for the soldier and former soldier to follow him. She heard Yoki mumble a short protest in favor of fleeing as he wandered past and she turned to watch Scar push the door open to step outside. She funneled after him and stepped into the heart of the storm, taking care to step in the prints he had already made in the snow until she reached his back.

"Why did you follow?" he asked over his shoulder. "I thought I said to go back."

"You didn't exactly make it clear," she corrected. "Besides, if there's an alchemist out there, then you may very well need backup."

"I never needed backup before."

The response sent chills up her spine, and she had to remind herself that her response was justified. Though they were forced allies, she could not forget that he had killed State Alchemists before, and had even attempted once to take Edward's life. She could not forget that he was lethal.

She drew in a deep breath and sighed through her nose, releasing a burst of condensation that was quickly carried off by the raging wind. Without giving him an immediate response, she stepped alongside him and narrowed her eyes, searching the transient wall of snow that the storm was producing. It was difficult, nearly impossible, to see more than six feet in front of them. If the alchemist the boy claimed had appeared was there, he was likely beyond what their eyes could see.

Scar's body tensed and she jerked around, honing on where his body was directed toward. Though indistinct, she saw a faint outline moving steadily toward them. Izumi squared her stance and readied her hands in front of her.

When the figure came into view, she was surprised to see that he was clad in white, hardly the appearance that she would expect of a State Alchemist. A quick glance out of the corner of her eye confirmed that the door to their small residence remained untouched, and she slid her foot toward it in preparation of a possible attack.

"I figured I'd find you all here."

They both tensed and readied themselves as five shapes began to move toward them through the falling snow. The closest to them, the one in the middle of two other forms that flanked them on either side, tipped his white hat in salutations. "I had a sneaking suspicion considering your… culture, Scar. You Ishvalans love sticking together. Like cattle huddling together before a slaughter."

"Wait," Izumi hissed and held out her arm to prevent Scar from treading forward. "There are four other men with him. We need to be conscious of that and—"

Izumi saw Scar's body grow rigid and she stopped. She turned and watched as his eyes widened, and as his face darkened as the man pushed his fedora back to better reveal his face. "You're…," he muttered, taking a slight step forward toward the man clad in white.

The man turned his eyes toward Scar and he paused in his endeavor, taking a moment to study the Ishvalan man's face. A beat passed, and something in his face changed, something sinister. A smile curved his lips and he raised his destructive palms again and faced them toward Scar. "I've heard so much about you," he said. "The Ishvalan that's been playing god with State Alchemists' lives. How quaint, finding that you're none other than a surviving monk—" His rhetoric was cut short when Scar let lose a tremendous cry and bound forward, slamming his right hand against the ground.

The ground beneath their feet split and sparks of alchemic energy poured from the fissures. Izumi leapt back and found that she was isolated in a mound of earth as it rose and fell, undulating beneath her so violently that she was unable to secure her footing. She crouched to the ground and grabbed the edge of a piece of ground that had stilled and yelled, "What are you doing?! Scar you need to think—"

Her cries fell on deaf ears as Scar lunged again and swiped at the white-suited man, missing him by a fraction of a hair. His left arm swung erratically and managed to catch him in his side, sending the man toppling into a bed of snow. A gust of wind whipped past and obscured their view of the man, though it did little to deter Scar. With a lurid cry, he leapt into the air and came down upon the knoll of snow, crushing and scattering it beneath him. Upon realizing that the man had escaped, he turned his head toward the wall of snow and bellowed, "Kimblee!"

"I remember you very clearly!" the white-clad man cried from behind their view. "You were in the Kan-ed district of Ishval. You were with other members of your family, yes?"

"Quiet," Scar yelled. Without hesitation, he plunged into the expanse of white that the wind had picked up and swung his arms around to catch Kimblee off-guard again.

The soldiers that had been flanking either side of him raised their weapons but stopped per Kimblee's command. "You stay out of this! This fight is mine!" They lowered their weapons and Izumi raised her hands to form a barrier between them, but the ground once again gave way when Scar drove his fist into the ground, sending a shockwave of energy rippling through it. She managed to catch herself on an upturned piece of earth and steadied herself, eyes gleaning over their constantly changing environment. Her eyes scanned over the spot where she had seen the soldiers and she readied her hands, but froze when she realized two were missing.

"I remember another who looked just like you. He wore a pair of glasses," Kimblee proclaimed from behind the wall of snow. "Though it can be hard to see a family resemblance when someone is covered in blood—" His taunts fell short when Scar swung and caught him again, throwing him into Izumi's sight again.

"Hang on," she yelled. "Two of his men are missing!" Izumi slammed her hands together and pressed them against the ground, sending a flurry of stone pillars toward the defect military officer. With a wave of his hand, the opposing alchemist rested his hand against the ground and sent a jolt of energy through it, breaking apart the stone beneath her feet. She fell back into the pile of rubble as the shock obscured her vision with a cloud of snow and debris. The particles coated her lungs with every shallow breath she took and she rolled herself off of the pile and the haze of debris the former soldier had kicked up. Izumi pushed herself up onto her hands and knees and was about to turn around to join the melee when something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention.

The shack they had taken refuge in had collapsed into a pile of rubble.

A second blast drove Edward up from the position he was lying in and he turned toward the window, watching the flash of red light slowly fade. A delayed jolt of pain tore through him and he grabbed at his wounded abdomen, bowing forward as a wave of nausea rolled over him. "S… shit." It wasn't the time to be useless, not when they were out there fighting to protect him and everyone else. He needed to do something. He needed to garner what little strength he had to do something – anything!

Suddenly, he heard Dr. Marcoh cry out, followed quickly by two thuds. He clenched his jaw and pushed himself onto all fours, pausing for a moment to allow the rush of lightheadedness to pass before he began to shuffle toward the bedroom door. Before he made it, the door swung open and two unfamiliar forms stepped into the room. He threw himself away from them and tried to balance himself on his knees as he raised his hands to clap. The dizziness he believed had receded returned with a vengeance, and he fell back onto the makeshift cot his Teacher had made for him.

"Is that him?" one of the unfamiliar men growled. "He's just a kid."

"A small one at that," the second added.

Another jab of pain pulsed in his stomach and the retort Edward had automatically formulated died on his tongue. His mouth fell open and he began to take quick, shallow breaths, hoping to ease the pain enough to act. When one of them moved toward him, he pushed himself away, and brought his eyes up to catch one of their gazes.

The surprise of what he saw caused his heart to skip a beat. It was impossible. No, not impossible, he reminded himself. He had seen chimeras before. Greed's crew were shining examples of that. But what he didn't understand was that these men had appeared to be men just moments before. He was certain of it. So how were they able to change so drastically?

"You're… chimeras," he wheezed, and the lion-like one's lips drew back.

"So you've heard of us, kid?"

"Not you," he said as he closed one of his hands around his wound while moving the other behind him. "I've met others though…" He had seen a fire poker there before. If he could get ahold of it, he might be able to transmute it into something more formidable…

When his hand brushed across it, the room began to shake and a blinding red light tore through it. He cracked his eyelids as the light dissolved them, and closed them when he felt it envelop him.

…

Edward!

Not again…

Edward!

Edward moved his left hand and felt a rough, rocky surface beneath it. He strummed his fingers across it until he found a sharp point and pressed his index fingertip against it until he felt it puncture his skin.

He was still alive. This wasn't like before…

"Edward!"

Edward's eyes snapped open and he immediately saw the faint outline of something hovering over him. His forehead wrinkled as he tried to make sense of it when something dripped onto his cheek. A beat later the distinguishing scent of iron wafted to his nose and his stomach rolled. The outline groaned as another bead of blood rolled down it and onto his face, and his eyes widened. "You're… one of those soldiers."

"Yeah," the chimera hissed. "I am."

"Why did you—"

"Darius," the soldier interrupted as he dropped his shoulder. The rubble above them shifted and he gasped as its weight pressed down on him. "Darius? Are you still alive?"

"I'm here," the second chimera uttered. Edward turned his head, finding that his body was obscured by the debris. "Are you alright, Heinkel?"

"Could be better," the first soldier snapped. "That damn bastard really did us in."

The other soldier began to reply, but was cut off when Edward heard his name again. He turned his head toward the noise. "Teacher? Teacher, I'm alright!" The demolished structure began to groan as she started to push away the outlying debris and he yelled, "Stop! The structure isn't strong enough! It won't be able to support itself if anything moves!"

The shifting debris immediately stilled and he heard her yell again. "We'll be alright!" he called. "I just… I just…" He drew in a heavy breath, and his eyes fluttered shut. What little energy he had mustered was already spent, and there was almost nothing left for him to grasp for. Edward breathed in again and reminded himself of the promise he had made to Alphonse. He was probably wondering how their chance encounter happened, and it was entirely possible that he had already figured out what it meant. To die after that would mean that he had failed to keep that promise, and that was something he couldn't accept.

He sucked in a third breath and made eye contact with the chimera that had protected him. "Listen," he murmured, "I'm going to get us all out of here. I need you to trust me."

He huffed. "There isn't anyone I trust more at this point, kid. You do what you need to save your hide. And if we happen to come along for the ride, then so be it."

Edward moved his head. "Right…" He couldn't forget those who had been with him just minutes before, and his eyes wandered down to the rubble that was once the door leading to the room's exit. "Officer Falman! Dr. Marcoh! Are you…?" he gritted his teeth, the exertion becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Still, he forced himself through it to complete his thought. "Are you alright?"

After a few moments pause, three muted replies reached his ears and confirmed what he hoped had been true. "Alright," he breathed, lifting his hands as far above his chest as he could. "I'm going to try something that should hopefully work."

"Hopefully?!"

"I don't have much strength," he noted. "But if I can focus enough of my energy into my alchemy, I think I can move the debris from on top of us."

As though on cue, the rubble above them groaned. The chimera grunted and sank closer to Edward, until his chest was hovering a few inches above Edward's nose. "Well hurry up and concentrate then. I don't have much strength left myself."

Edward took a final breath and focused the energy in his body into his hands. He could feel the alchemic energy electrifying his nerves; he could see the equations and varying chemical compositions of the surrounding earth sprinkled around inside his head. He held his breath and focused…

Once he felt confident he had the right chemical makeup in his mind's eye, he slapped his hands together and then brought them down on either side of him. The earth shifted and split, and massive fists formed of rock and clay burst from the ground and pushed the debris in an outward direction.

Within moments of him exposing them, something slammed into him and knocked the air from his chest. He coughed and sputtered as an explosion of stars dotted his vision, and he tried in vain for a few seconds to catch his breath. When it finally hitched and he drew enough air into his chest, the stars began to fade and he saw his Teacher's hair obscuring part of his vision. It took a few moments to register that she had drawn him into a hug and, once he realized it, allowed the tension that had settled in his bones to dissipate and his forehead fell forward against her shoulder.

His relief was short-lived, however, when the rattle of debris reminded him that the battle was still ongoing and he gasped, drawing away from her to look at the epicenter of the blast. It took his eyes a few moments to adjust as the snow continued to swirl around them, but once they had he realized that only a crater remained of where he had assumed their assailant had stood. "Edward?" A dark shape moved out of the corner of his eye, and he turned sharply to face whoever it was. Instead, he found himself face-to-face with Scar.

"Are they gone?" Izumi muttered. Scar nodded and she sighed, and turned her attention back to Edward.

"What… What happened?"

She brushed a spot of dust off his shoulder and shook her head. "The man responsible, Kimblee, was—"

"Kimblee?" Edward gasped and turned sharply toward the displaced earth. A sharp stab of pain tore through his side and he fell into his Teacher's side. He drew in another breath, commanding the pain to ebb. Once he finally caught his breath, he managed to utter, "He was… Here…?"

"I took care of him," Scar mumbled as he reached up and wrapped his hand around his right bicep.

Edward's heart sank into his stomach and his eyes wandered back to the small crater that had been left behind. "Wait…" he muttered. "You mean you…?

"When he released that wave of energy, Scar managed to catch his arm and..." Izumi turned back to Scar and their eyes met. The neutral expression that had become a mainstay on the Ishvalan's face formed into a frown. She shook her head and turned away from him. "He managed to discharge a blast of energy and kicked up enough snow and earth to blind us… and destroy the enclosure you were in. He and his men managed to escape immediately after that."

He got… away? Edward lifted his eyes again and surveyed around them as far as he could see. She was right… there was no one else. He was gone.

"Well, almost all of them," Scar countered.

The pile of rubble a few feet from Edward shifted and he turned his head to see the two soldiers –chimeras, he corrected himself- push the debris off of themselves and groan. Izumi's grip around him vanished and her hands were against the ground faster than Edward could blink, and within seconds of the chimeras' reappearance, they were enclosed in a cage melded from earth and stone.

Her hand found and squeezed his shoulder and left as she rose to her feet. When she was just within arm's reach of them, she stopped and folded her arms across her chest. "What were you planning to do with this boy?"

The lion-like soldier –Heinkel, if Edward remembered- snorted. "You won't be getting any information out of us you—"

Before he finished his thought, Izumi strode forward, grabbed his torn military jacket and pulled, slamming him against the bars. The second chimera, Darius, grabbed him and attempted to yank him away, but Izumi refused to relent. "What the hell is your problem?" the chimera barked as he attempted to free himself from her grip.

"You will tell me," she snarled. "Or we'll do ten times worse than whatever you were planning to do to Edward."

"Teacher, wait!" Edward pushed himself onto his hands and knees, sucking in a breath as another bout of pain rolled over him. When he attempted to shove himself to his feet, a hand gripped his shoulder and he turned his head to find that Dr. Marcoh had fallen to his knees beside him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Officer Falman and Yoki stop and watch as Scar eased his way forward to provide support should she need it, though Edward knew she wouldn't.

"Tell me," she snapped again.

"Look," the lion-chimera said, "We were just following orders to retrieve him. That's all we know."

"What were they going to do?"

He pulled away again and the tattered jacket tore. He stumbled back and crashed into Darius, sending them both sprawling onto the ground. Izumi stepped up until her face was nearly flush with the bars of the enclosure and she slapped her fist into the palm of her hand. Darius lifted his hands in surrender and growled, "We don't know. We didn't even know we were being sent north until a few days ago."

She scoffed and pushed herself off the bars, then began to step around the enclosure. Despite their apex animal design, the chimeras shrank back and watched every calculated step she made. When she had circled nearly half the enclosure, she lunged forward on one foot and they jumped. Izumi's lips curled back. "We should leave you here for them to find. Let them come back and collect their worthless dogs."

"What?" Darius exclaimed.

"They'll kill us if we go back now that we've told you," Heinkel protested.

Izumi's expression remained neutral, almost malicious, and she moved her shoulders uncaringly. "Why should we care what happens once we leave you here? Your military code means nothing to me—"

"It means something to me." Edward slid his feet beneath himself and slowly pushed himself onto all fours. He rose to a half-crouch and grabbed at his wound as he steadied himself and slowly edged toward her. After covering a few paces, his foot caught and he stumbled into Izumi's arms.

"Edward now isn't the time to—"

"No," he objected. "I refuse to be involved in something that leaves their necks exposed. Not after they saved my life."

"They were going to kidnap you, Edward," Izumi stated. "Who knows what could have happened if they had slipped away with you?"

"But they didn't." His eyes drifted over to the gorilla-like chimera and used his free hand to point toward him. "Mr. Gorilla here… he threw himself on top of me when the shack collapsed. If he hadn't, I would have died."

"Is this true?"

The chimera's lip curled and he turned his eyes away from them. "I didn't join the military and get a body like this so I could kidnap children. It isn't in my nature."

"I think… I think we could work together." Both chimeras whirled around and Edward nodded to solidify his claim. "What if you came with us? Back to Central."

"Edward, we know nothing about them," Izumi started.

"She's right, kid," Heinkel said. "How do you know you can trust us?"

Edward slowly shook his head. Every ounce of energy he had cultivated was beginning to wane, and he leaned into his Teacher's arms. "I don't know that but… I know enough about people who run into the face of battle to protect others despite themselves." He watched as the chimeras and Teacher mulled silently over his words. In an effort to speed up the process of deciding, his free hand drifted up and gestured toward Scar. "Besides," he panted, "If you try anything, we have the Ishvalan murderer known as Scar on our side."

The horror that crossed the chimeras' faces upon Edward's revelation was matched only by the look of satisfaction on his teacher's face, and Scar's typical stony, impassive expression.

Despite the comfortable position he had risen to, General Hakuro had seen a fair number of battles in his past. Though none of them quite compared to the one that had been laid out in front of him. For the first time since he had risen to the position of General, he had never been given a force large as large as the entirety of Briggs.

He watched in amusement as the blue-clad soldiers continue to mill around on the ground below him, circling the enclosure that had been created to contain Father's Wrath. Before he could begin to ponder the fate of the Homunculus, he felt a familiar pressure condense the air around him, and a smirk formed on his lips. Without turning, he addressed the Homunculus as it came to a stop a few paces behind him. "I was beginning to wonder if you had finally met your match." Though it was inhabiting an entirely new body, its formidable presence still managed to put him on edge.

"That container was nothing but a cheap party trick," it growled. "Its construction was mediocre at best."

Hakuro turned, and an involuntary chuckle bubbled past his lips. "I should have figured as much. You used Mustang's alchemy, I presume?"

Its dark eyes glanced over him, and Hakuro, sensing he no longer held the same power he felt moments before, wisely stood stone-still until its probe ended. Its expression did not change and it stepped over to his side. Bracing its elbows against the scaffolding, it glared down at the soldiers that continued to mill around beneath them.

Hakuro watched it out of the corner of its eye as it scrutinized them the way a predator would its prey. It was off-putting, even somewhat chilling watching as its eyes slid over every soldier. Something about it was unnatural, Hakuro noticed, even more so than the last incarnation of Wrath. Where that one had adapted to its role to some degree, this Wrath still had the untapped, raw beast inside of it that was clawing at its container just waiting to be unleashed. It was still lying in wait, and its potential was far from tapped… He cleared his throat in the hopes that he could clear the air between them and its unnerving daze fell upon him. Taking a moment to collect himself in the hopes to exude the same energy it did, Hakuro said, "There's a train leaving for Central in a few hours. It has been suggested that you return once you can."

It held its cold, unwavering gaze for a few moments longer before it turned away from him to watch the soldiers again. "To attend the former Fuhrer's funeral, I presume?"

"That's correct. Your presence there alongside your Father is pertinent."

It pressed its lips together, weighing the suggestion Hakuro had given him. Its eyes continued to track the soldiers below, as though it were looking for something or someone. But when it did not find what it was looking for, it scoffed. "Am I to leave the Elric boy then? You do realize that he escaped, don't you?"

"I do," Hakuro claimed. "I heard whisperings about intruders within the fort. I assumed it was that misfit band of allies that formed after you and the Elric child were assigned to Fort Briggs."

"He was critically injured."

Its ignorance of his comment and its continuation of its prior statement caused Hakuro to pause. He watched as the somewhat complacent expression on its face morphed into one of resentment. Its hands moved and out of the corner of his eye he saw its trembling hand subconsciously reach for the blade that no longer hung from its waist. "I dealt the final strike, and yet the boy still had the audacity to still stand before me and mock my authority. Leaving now would be a mistake. Not until I've seen him again."

"The Elric boy is not of your concern. Remember that, Wrath. Your purpose is to masquerade as a General among our ranks. You will know soon enough about the boy."

Its hands curled around the railing, compressing the metal down until it was misshapen beyond its original form, before they relaxed and uncurled again. Hakuro watched with silent alarm as undulating wave of rage began to ebb, until the darkness that clouded its eyes crawled back into the depths of its soulless existence. It straightened itself and turned away from him, walking a few paces away before it stopped and said, "Very well. I will return to Central per Father's plans. But as soon as you hear of the boy's status, I want to know. I want Mustang to know for himself the result of his transgressions."

Once it had departed, Hakuro was able to breathe again. Reaching up, he pushed away the sweat that had accumulated on his brow and begged his heart to slow. It took moments of convincing and even longer to regulate his breaths again before he was able to calm himself. It was far more malicious than its predecessor. In a way, he felt an odd mixture of sympathy and even, dare he say admiration, toward the Elric boy, because the amount of resolve it took to face a monster that volatile head-on was staggering.

"You need to take it easy, Captain. Your wound is serious."

Captain Buccaneer huffed and drove his fist into the ground in an attempt to keep himself upright. With one eye squeezed closed and labored breaths bursting through his lips having recently developed, his condition following the battle with the Homunculus continued its downward spiral. "It's fine," he snarled as he edged the foot pushed his feet beneath himself. "I just need to get up and keep—" He gasped and fell back onto his knees, wrapping his hand around the blade that still protruded from his abdomen.

"Captain!" Two of the soldiers rushed over to him and dropped to their knees on other side of him.

He waved them away and attempted to rise again when the soldiers surrounding him parted. Miles looked up from his friend and watched as General Hakuro drifted through the sea of soldiers, coming to a stop just a few feet from where Captain Buccaneer had fallen. He stared down the bridge of his nose at the Captain and the Captain, in turn, glared back. Then, the General gestured to the rest of the men and said, "May I ask what is happening here? The battle is won but aftermath is far from it. There are still things to be done."

"But, sir," one of the soldiers began as he rested a hand on Buccaneer's shoulder. "The Captain was—"

"The Captain can go to the infirmary if he was careless enough to become injured despite order to remain within the fort."

The Captain snarled and pushed himself onto his feet. His arm shot out and reached for the General, and his feet scuffed a few paces forward before he fell to his knees again. "Tell that to your damn dog, Mustang. That monster was the one who injured me on your command!"

The soldiers surrounding them froze. Hakuro strode forward and closed the space between himself and Buccaneer and offered him a hand. The Captain swatted it away and pushed himself into a crouch, lifting his free hand to point toward the tomb that laid dormant behind the General. "Why don't you go talk to the monster yourself!"

The General cast a halfhearted glance over his shoulder toward the mound of stone and studied it before he turned his attention back to the Captain. "You're saying that General Mustang is trapped inside?"

"We saw it ourselves, sir," Miles interjected, diverting the General's attention to himself. "He attacked the Fullmetal Alchemist. We both saw it. He is a danger to the fort and needs to be dealt with—"

"Can anyone confirm?" the General called above Miles. "Can anyone confirm the supposed 'attack' that took place here?"

The whispers of the soldiers surrounding them slowly drifted away, and they stood quietly, unable to provide the answer the General demanded. After a few moments, Hakuro lifted a brow and gestured to the tomb. "If the General is in there, I will gladly deal with him myself. But without the Fullmetal Alchemist here himself, I have no proof that this supposed attack took place."

Buccaneer's jaw nearly hit the floor but before he could pick it up, Miles had already closed the distance between himself and the General and stopped just short of him. "Sir," he said as he gestured toward the stone vault. "What we are saying is the truth. Edward is not present—"

"I'll show you the truth," Buccaneer spat as he angled his body and pulled his hand away from his wound. "It's right here!"

The General bent over and eyed the blade, turning and angling himself to better observe it without reaching for it. After a few moments of observation, however, he straightened himself out and said, "This proves nothing, Captain."

Buccaneer snarled, but before he could continue Miles stepped in again and said, "I implore you to ask the General yourself, sir. He's in there."

Hakuro turned again, finally acknowledging the stone and concrete formation that was erected in the center of the loading bay. He stole a quick glance toward Miles and Buccaneer before stepping over to the tomb. He ran his hand up and down the structure, as though attempting to get a feel for its thickness. "You men," he finally said to two of the soldiers nearest him, "Open this structure so that I may speak with General Mustang."

The soldiers froze and their eyes drifted from the General to Miles, who nodded his approval. The General stood solitarily and without another word once the soldiers had gathered the proper tools and began to break down the walls of the alchemically designed structure. Only when the wall had finally given and collapsed did he move again, walking without hesitation toward it.

"General, wait—" Miles' warning was cut short when the General stopped in the mouth of the opening and peered inside, and then downward.

After a few moments of silence, Hakuro shook his head and turned his back to the structure. "Am I to assume that this is some kind of prank?"

Miles' brows knitted together and he angled his head toward the structure in an effort to look inside. Just like the General had claimed, at least from what he could see, there was nothing there. When he looked to Hakuro again, he began, "Sir, you have to believe us. General Mustang was—"

"It doesn't matter now what happened. All that matters is that there is a breach to the foundation of Briggs that needs to be covered," Hakuro said as he stopped alongside Miles and rested his hand against his shoulder. Lowering his voice to only a level they could hear, he said, "It would be wise of you to drop the matter, Major, lest you befall the same fate as the Elric boy." He nodded toward Captain Buccaneer and added, "Take him to the infirmary before he loses anymore blood."

His hand left Miles' shoulder and Miles turned to call after him but was cut off when the General lifted a hand and called, "I want this structure demolished and the hole sealed by nightfall."

"That… fucker." Feeling the Captain move beneath his hands, Miles pressed his hands against Buccaneer's shoulders to prevent him from following after the General. "That goddamn piece of shit General—"

"He's right in that sense, sir," Miles admonished him. "We need to get you to the infirmary before you lose more blood."

Buccaneer drove his fist into the ground and snarled, "That monster went after them, Major. It goddamn slipped through our fingers and went after them. And just what the hell did he mean about ending up like that kid?!"

"I…" Miles sighed and loosened his grip on the Captains shoulders after Hakuro disappeared from their view. "I don't know, Captain."

"If that monster laid a hand on that kid again, I swear I'll—" Buccaneer grunted and collapsed onto his knees again. "I swear I'll kill it with my bare hands."

"I believe that Mrs. Curtis and the others are more capable and resourceful than what we believe." Miles lifted his eyes and watched as the soldiers began to dismantle the tomb that once held the Homunculus and swallowed. The Captain scoffed and muttered a sardonic remark, but Miles shoved the pessimism to the back of his mind. They were between a rock and a hard place at that point and every little bit of hope, no matter how small, was necessary if they wanted to continue to move forward.

Though Olivier had spent a number of years in Central before her transfer to Briggs, the streets felt foreign to her. The city center was suffocating and the periphery, though there were fewer people than the central-most part of the city, was still too populated for her taste. She briefly wondered why she didn't remember her time there until it struck her: she hadn't wanted to remember it. A smile tugged the corner of her lip but her expression remained passive as she turned again to look over her shoulder again.

Every half block she would repeat her pattern, looking for any face that would appear familiar to her. Until that point, she had seen nothing of that sort, though that careful observation did little to comfort her. Despite her attentive eye, she still felt as though she was being watched. She didn't want to admit it, but it was uncomfortable. Maybe that's why she had been happy once she had been transferred to Briggs. There were fewer prying eyes in the North… or at least, amongst her men. Well… there was that reason and a number of others.

She turned at the corner of Shepherd and Bennett and stopped below a streetlight. After taking a moment to survey her surroundings again to confirm that no one had followed, she pulled the scrap of paper she had found beneath her desk from her pocket and unfolded it to reveal the words 'Christmas Spirits' neatly scrawled across it. Olivier lowered it and scanned down the darkened street until her eyes caught sight of a single lamp that hung above a worn wooden door. The sign above it was as shabby as the door it hung above, but the words above it was clear enough to read.

Olivier set forth again and stopped to peer into the building's windows. She could see the dark outlines of the bar's patrons milling around inside, business as usual. A final glance around permissed her and gave her the greenlight to push the door open and step inside. The spring-loaded door slammed shut behind her and the eyes of its patrons and waitstaff immediately fell upon her. She looked across them, dismissing each and every person she in her line of sight until her eyes fell upon the woman behind the bar. Without hesitating, she marched across the room and pulled out the barstool nearest the bartender and settled into it.

The woman, almost twenty years Olivier's senior, was clad in gems and diamonds and a lavish dress that was too formal for the bar's environment. Precisely as she had been described. She cleaned the glass in her hands for a few moments before, without looking up at Olivier, she finally said, "Need something, sweetheart?"

The remark would, in any other circumstance, drive Olivier to the point of ire, and the one who dared utter it would be left worse for wear. But she had heard enough about the propensity of the Madame and her 'daughters.' She slid the note Catalina had left for her across the counter. "Nothing less than top shelf," she said as the woman picked it up and angled it toward the light.

A smile crept across her face when she recognized the writing and she lowered the note to a candle on the counter. The flames nipped at the corner and the paper ignited a few moments later. "I've been looking forward to meeting you, General," Madame Christmas said as she tossed the burning note into the bar sink. "Let's take our conversation to a more private venue."