Ed stared out of the window, just as he had been for the past two or so hours. Just two more hours, and he'll be at Central, ready to dig through that ridiculously large library known as First Branch for Doctor Marco's damn research notes on the **** Philosopher's Stone.
Ed narrowed his eyes at the memory of those ten, hellish days of decoding that stupid cookbook, only to discover the dark secret of the Philosopher's Stone. Human lives. It made him sick to his stomach, just knowing that the very thing he had sought for four years was made out of the lives of living humans.
However, despite that, Ed never regretted discovering the truth. After all, that one, single event set off a chain reaction, which led from one event, to the other, which eventually led to the Promised Day, followed by saving Amestris's population from being turned into a Philsopher's Stone.
However, while Ed never regretted being able to save Amestris, Mr Hughes's death was something he wished he could have prevented. It made him just want to give up, abandoning his search, his and Al's reasoning being, that if anyone had to die just for them, they didn't need their bodies back.
Clenching his hand into a fist, he couldn't help the soft smile that spread across his face. He had a flesh hand now. A real, flesh and blood hand. And if he handled things correctly here, Al would get back his flesh and blood body. Not to mention that he would be able to give the people who had been killed their lives back.
Perhaps his newest task was worth the effort he'll have to put in once again.
LINE BREAK
Meanwhile, on a different train bound for Resembool, Ed silently fumed at the Major who thought it was a good idea to put his brother on the livestock cart, proclaiming that it was cheaper than paying for an actual train ticket.
His brother was not a piece of luggage, or livestock, damn it! And besides, why did the major have to escort him to Resembool?! He wasn't invalid, and even if he had to be escorted, why couldn't it have been someone else?! Why Armstrong, of all the available people?!
A knock on the train window Ed was seated next to drew him out of his silent fuming, before he turned to see Hughes.
"Hey, Ed! I came to see you off." Hughes said in his usual cheerful way. "Oh! And the Roy told me to give you a message. He said, 'Don't die in my jurisdiction. It's a pain to clean up the mess.'"
Ed's eye twitched. That son of a-! "Tell him, 'Roger that. I'll never die before you, you stupid *****!'"
Hughes chuckled at Ed's blatant insult at Mustang. "They say the ones who swear more tend to live longer!"
"Unfortunately, I don't believe that to be my case..." Ed mentally deadpanned, thoughts of how many enemies he had made in just three years running through his head before he remembered something. "Oh! I just remembered something. Say, Mr Hughes, remember what Mustang and I were talking about earlier? About that guy?"
Hughes screwed up his face in thought, before replying with an affirmative nod.
"He can transmute without a circle, just like me."
Suprise flashed across Hughes's face, and almost immediately, Ed wondered if he should have mentioned that fact, since being able to transmute without a circle was an ability reserved for those who had seen the Truth.
But then again, no one actually knew that, except for the individual who had dared play god. And since that ability was rare, it would be easier to track down that person.
"Alright, I'll look into that, so have a safe trip!" Hughes said before giving a salute, which was then returned by Armstong and Ed, who had to use his left arm instead of right since his right arm was literally in pieces. And how anyone expects a uniform salute from someone without a right arm was definately baffling.
LINE BREAK
Older Ed peeked out of the shadows in the fading evening light, his eyes firmly on his destination. First Branch of Central library.
He would probably have to wait at least an hour or two more before breaking in to search for those stupid research notes, to avoid detection. It would probably be guarded at night, but then again, there was hardly anybody around at night, so breaking in at night was definately a breeze compared to the day.
However, the only thing Ed was worried about was the reason for which the library burnt down. If his memory served him right, it was going to be burnt down that very night, and honestly, Ed wasn't looking forward to meeting the culprit, even though couldn't remember for the life of him who it was.
Seconds slowly turned into minutes, before the minutes turned into hours.
One hour.
Two hours.
By then, the moon shone brightly in the sky, casting a faint flow over Central's deserted streets. Ed took a deep breath. It was show time.
Making use of the shadows as covers -at least until he remembered about Pride-, Ed darted to the back of the library, to the back door and tried it. Ed snorted. Of course it would be locked. What idiot would leave the door to a literal treasure trove of information unlocked?
Which precisely why Ed was more than surprised to find it unlocked. Ed blinked, once, twice and finally, three times, before face palming. Really? He really didn't expect that... Apparently idiots that idiotic actually existed. Ed shrugged. Eh, less work for him, and more lecture for whoever that idiot was.
Slipping into the library, he wasted no time in dawdling and set out to accomplish what he came for. Finding the hand written notes named, '1000 Easy Recipes by Tim Marco.'
But, just like Ed feared, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Only about a thousand times worst. It was like searching the Philosopher's Stone all over again. Well, technically it was, since he was looking for the notes on how to make one...
Five hours later, three hundred thousand swear words, a cup of coffee Ed got from who knows where, more swear words, albeit more creative, and finally a complete encyclopedia on all living matter falling on his head later, he finally managed to locate the damn cookbook that had been causing him so much grief.
Weighing the book in his hands -which was smaller than that stack of papers Sheska had written out for him-, Ed really wondered whether or not he should just burn the damn thing for revenge since he'd been looking for the cursed thing for five hours straight, without even stopping for a bathroom break, which reminded him that he really had to go answer the call of nature, thanks to that cup of coffee that no actually knows where he got from.
Then again, wasn't there a secret stash of coffee beans hidden in the staff's lounge, hidden in cupboard two...?
Suddenly, Ed heard the library's front door creak open slowly. Normally, that door's squeakiness just plain annoying, but at night when everything was eerily silent, it sounded like it came out of a horror movie.
Quickly shutting off the flashlight he had transmuted earlier, he ducked behind one of the many book shelves, keeping an eye out for the intruder -as if he wasn't one!-. Whoever it was, he or she probably burnt down the library.
"Doctor Marco just had to hide the notes here, didn't he?" A seductive voice sighed, sending chills down Ed's back, in an extremely bad way. The Truth had better not be making things harder for him...!
An unfortunately familiar person with a curved figure, wearing a dark dress that revealed her large bust, that would have made most men drool came into Ed's view, followed by an extremely fat, short, bald man, also clothed black. Both of them had an identical tattoo depicting a snake biting it's own tail, one just above her bust, and the other on his tongue. The Ouroborous. "We'll just have to search until we find it, don't we, Gluttony?"
Ed groaned loudly in his head. It just had to be Lust and Gluttony, didn't it? This was bad. Very bad. There was a high chance his cover was going to blown, thanks to Gluttony's stupid sense of smell. Also, even if he did survive this encounter, he was definately going on the Homunculi's radar, whether he liked it, or not. And here he thought he'd be able to stay off the radar for just a little while longer.
Hell, Ed thought, seeing Gluttony sniff the air, he was sure Gluttony was going to sniff him out any moment-
"Lust, Lust!" Gluttony sang giddily, catching said homunculus's attention. "I smell him! I smell someone who smells like Fullmetal!"
Annnnd, there it was. Great. Just great. He was going to die, and it would all Gluttony's fault. "With some luck," Ed began in his head, slowly creeping away as quietly as he could, pushing the book into one of his coat's ridiculously large pockets that the Truth decided to grace him with, "I can get away before they find me-"
An elongated nail shot out, stabbing the bookcase Ed was hiding behind, just above his head. Ed unintentionally giving a small yelp of shock before he clamped a hand over his mouth, his breath hitching slightly, even though he knew it was a lost cause to try and be quiet now. Stupid stupid stupid-! He and his big mouth, and now he's gone and given himself away.
"Looks like we've found our little mouse, haven't we?" Lust smiled as she retracted her long nails, her eyes locked directly on Ed. Fortunately, he still had his hood up, which may allow him to keep his identity as a future Ed hidden slightly longer.
And since Lust just called him little, it was becoming increasingly difficult to reign in his famous Elric temper, since Ed didn't want anything more than just punching Lust in the face for that remark.
Gritting his teeth, he clapped his hands together, transmuting a wall to give himself as much space as possible between the two Homunculi and himself, not missing Lust's look of suprise, before he bolted, his leather elevator boots pounding against the planked floors as he made sure Doctor Marco's notes were safely tucked into his coat.
However, when he was just a mere two meters from the exit, Ed felt a piercing pain in his shoulder as Lust's nails slammed into his left shoulder, nailing him to the wall.
Ed cried out in pain, his free hand reaching up to grasp the wound, trying to stop the flow of blood that flowed out steadily from his shoulder, his hand almost immediately becoming drenched with crimson.
"There's no point in running," Lust advanced on Ed, who couldn't help the fear that bubbled up in his chest. "It's a shame that you've seen us. You are a perfect candidate for sacrifice."
"Can I eat him, Lust?" Gluttony drooled. "He looks tasty. Can I? Can I?"
"Later, Gluttony."
Ed slowly brought his right hand into his outer pocket, grasping a small lighter. He had been experimenting around with the Colonel's Flame Alchemy, and now was probably the perfect time to put it to the test.
Pulling it out, Ed quickly clapped his hands together, altering the air's oxygen density before he flicked the ignition.
Almost immediately, a powerful fireball roared out, destroying everything in it's path with such intensity, that it included half the library being burnt to cinders. Did Ed forget to mention that he had almost zero control over Flame Alchemy? Reason why'll he'll never actually use it unless he absolutely has to. In fact, that was the first time he had ever tried it in battle, seeing as how it usually blew up in face, once resulting in him losing the vast majority of his eyebrows when he was travelling with Greed during that six months.
Greed never did let that one go, nor did Heinkel or Darius, much to Ed's annoyance and embarrassment.
Well, anyway, going back on point, there was good news, and bad news. The good news was that when he incinerated Lust, the nails pinning him to the wall disintegrated, freeing him. The bad news was that Ed succeeded in destroying at least half of the library, and the rest was slowly being consumed by flames.
Poor library, it seems as if it can't ever escape being destroyed, no matter what timeline it's in. Talk about bad luck.
As Lust regenerated, Ed took this chance to slip out of the building, his right hand grasping over his injured shoulder as be staggered out as fast as he could to escape the burning building.
Ed winced as another sharp stab of pain shot up his arm, his nerves feeling as if they were on fire. He really wished he had time to properly learn Alkhestry, because it sure would come in handy right about now! Eh, he can just close it up with Alchemy. He did it before, so why not now?
Looking back at the library which was currently going up in flames, the only thing he could say was, "Whoops." All the while looking slightly sheepish because there went a vast collection of knowledge, up in flames, and it was pretty much his fault. If it was any consolation, Sheska did remember the books that just literally went up in smoke word for word, so at least the people needed those materials wouldn't suffer too much... Right?
Though, Ed really couldn't help but feel bad for whoever it was who left the library unlocked, since he or she was probably going to get one hell of an earful tommorow morning. Now that he thought about it, that's probably where the phrase, 'a rude awakening' came from.
Clearing his head from those thoughts, since Ed had more important priorities to tend to, since he was kind of bleeding to death, he trudged away to his temporary hideout -which was just an alley-, to transmute the broken tissue on his shoulder back together. It was just a temporary fix, but it was better than nothing.
Trudging back to his alley, feeling the weight of Doctor Marco's notes in his pocket allowed him some sense of accomplishment despite getting injured, his mouth twitching up into a satisfied smirk. Ed, one. Homunculi, zero.
LINE BREAK
Back at the destroyed remains of the First Branch library, Lust sighed. "Not what I was planning for, but I suppose that'll do. At least the Fullmetal boy won't be able to get his hands on Doctor Marco's research."
Though she had to wonder, who was that boy she found snooping around? Normally, Lust wouldn't have given him another thought, but he was able to transmute with a circle, and also, Gluttony had said he smelled like the Fullmetal boy, which was interesting. He would be a perfect candidate for her Father's plans.
"Gluttony, come. Looks like we'll have to report to Father earlier than we expected..."
LINE BREAK
Younger Ed hopped off the train, a large grin plastered on his face as he stretched his stiff limbs from sitting still for such a long period of time. He couldn't wait to get to the First Branch's library, since that was where his first and only solid lead on the Philosopher's Stone was. "Yes! We're finally here!" Ed cheered like the child he was supposed to be.
Just then, the shuffling of feet and fabric signaled the arrival of military personnel. The two newest arrivals snapped into a salute.
"Second Lieutenant Ross, and Sargent Brosh reporting for the taking over of the Fullmetal Alchemist, sir!" Both of them said in unison, in a perfect uniform salute.
"Excellent!" Armstrong boomed, sparkling. "I'll leave it to the both of you then."
"Whaaaaat?" Ed moaned. "Just when I'm home free, I get saddled with more bodyguards?"
"Indeed, Edward! But now, I must take my leave."
Ed perked up at this. "Alright then, bye! See you!" Ed exclaimed a little too enthusiastically. In his defense, while Armstrong wasn't actually a bad person, he could get a little too... Overly emotional, and from Ed's experience, it wasn't too pretty.
"Oh, Edward Elric! I'll miss you!" Armstrong boomed, tears pouring out of his eyes as he very nearly squeezed the life out of Ed just by hugging him.
Ed swore he heard a few ribs break.
A few minutes later, he, Al, the lieutenant and the Sargent were all seated in a car headed for the library. A few minutes into the ride, Al noticed the Sargent staring at him.
"Um... Is something the matter?" Alphonse asked, tilting his armoured head slightly in confusion.
"Uh, no!" Sargent Brosh said quickly. "I was just wondering why you were wearing armour!"
"It's a hobby!" Ed and Al exclaimed, not before freezing up for a few seconds, saying the first thing that popped into their heads, no matter how lame the excuse sounded.
"A hobby?! What kind of a freakish hobby is that?!" Ross whispered to Brosh as Ed and Al stared out of the window, sweating nervously. "The weather sure is nice, isn't it?" Ed asked, desperate to change the subject, the pitch of his voice noticeably a few pitches higher than it was just ten seconds before.
"Y-yeah, brother!" Al followed his brother's lead, once again proving that it was possible for armour to sweat.
"So, how long more to the library?" Ed asked the lieutenant, still trying to change the topic. "Um, we'll be at First Branch in a few more minutes, well, what's left of it."
"...Wha? What's left of it?" Ed blinked, his mind not registering the information Ross has provided him with. Please don't be true, Ed repeated in his head like some sort of mantra.
Too bad it was true.
"THE LIBRARY!" Ed shrieked the moment he caught sight of the smoldering remains of the once proud library. "IT'S GONE!"
Once again, Ed's famous Elric luck had won out. This was just not his day.
[A/N Alright, this chapter was really fun to write, since I finally put in the Homunculi. However, I feel that some characters are OOC, like older Ed, for example.
Don't know why, but it just feels like that.
I got a writer's block somewhere at the end, so please forgive me for the poor writing!
And wow, fifteen reviews in just two days?! Damn, that's a lot! Thanks guys!
Erm... So yeah. I hope you enjoyed this, so bye! And if you spot any mistakes, please tell me!
~ Gwntan12]