In the hotel room that Ed and Al rented out, Ed and I sat on the couch, him on one side, me on the other, facing each other, while Al and Alex talked about who knows what on the other side of the room.

"I did know I had that in me."

"Don't feel too left out. It happens. People question the amount of Darkness in their heart, and the next thing you know . . . they commit a complete homicide."

"But how do you control it?"

"That's the thing. You can't. That's why you need to control your hidden temper. Oh, and, also, how the hell did you get a hold of one of my Blood Blades?"

"Well . . . I . . ."

"It's fine. You don't need to answer. I should've told you in the first place to save you the trouble of deciphering."

"I understand why you did it though. To prevent me from turning into . . . that."

"So . . . how long until Brosh and Ross break out our little discovery?" Just then, the door is being hammered at. "It's the Major!"

"What do we do, Brother?"

"Ignore him, that's what." Then he, literally, breaks down the door.

"How tragic! To think, the legend of the Philosopher's Stone is built with a terrible secret! Imagine the military being behind something like that. Often, the truth is too much to be bargained for.

"The truth!" exclaimed Ed. "What you can see on the surface is only a portion of the truth. There's still more to find. There has to be."

The Major brought in a map of Central. "There are currently 4 Alchemical Laboratory's in Central that have connections to the Government," said Armstrong. "We can narrow it down a bit. Marco worked in the 3 Laboratory. We should start with that one. It's the most suspect.

"Hold on a minute," I cut in. "This one has to be it." I pointed to the 5 Laboratory, which happened to be closed down.

"What's special about it?" asked Brosh.

"It's right next to a Prison. Remember what the main ingredient was? There would be plenty of criminals to execute." Everyone was giving me a sick eye, like they were getting uncomfortable with this. "Hey, we don't like talking about this anymore than you."

The Major folded the map up, and walked towards the door. "This has the potential of turning into a political nightmare. I'll look into what we've talked about, tonight. In the mean time, Officers, speak of this to no one. And you, Elric Brothers, behave yourselves! I know you two! You were thinking about sneaking into this building weren't you?!"

"We weren't! We weren't! We weren't! We promise!"

"I'll leave it to Brigadier General Xena to look after you two." He left the room, with Brosh and Ross behind him. Great, now I'm the babysitter. Can't say that I wasn't prepared for this, or didn't know what I was getting myself into.

"I don't know about this, guys," Coward Alex. "This place is giving off a weird vibe."

"Come on, sis. You were stationed in Halloween Town for how long, and you're scared of a little building?" I unsheathed my claws and gave Alex my hand signaling her to give me hers. While I climbed over the wall surrounding the building, Al and Ed used the wires above to climb.

Making it over, Al spotted a vent and took the cover off. Al helped Ed up into it, while I clawed my way in. "Will you two be okay on your own?" asked Alphonse.

"Whether we're okay alone isn't the problem. You're just too big to fit inside."

"It's not like I asked for this body!"

Crawling through the vent, it got tighter as it progressed. "Geez, how smaller is it going to get?" complained Ed. "We wouldn't be able to crawl through here normal sized." I tried so hard not to laugh. But I couldn't hold it in. Edward just called himself short! "AH! I just called myself a microscopic pipsqueak!"

I pushed Edward farther in until we found an opening and kicked the cover off. We jumped into a place that didn't look like a Laboratory. It was vacant. Pillars lined up all around the building, with a single, small, circular platform covered in dried blood.

I walked up to it, examining it, having horrid thoughts of what types of torture occurred here. I got a closer look and saw another mark on top of the platform. It was a Trinity Mark. My hand hovered over it, but I stopped when the sudden sound of clanking metal caught my attention.

"You sure know a lot just my looking at Transmutation Circle." I turned to see a . . . a suit of armor. My necklace burned at his presence. He was like Alphonse. He was just a soul.

"I get the feeling you were hired to guard this Lab?" I asked.

"And I get the feeling you are here for answers that you will receive at your grave!" he charged at me, but as I unsheathed my claws, Ed jumped in front of me, blocking his attack with his automail arm. "Automail? No surprise." The kept at it leaving me to watch. Was I invisible, or something?

They finally stopped, when the suit of armor slid to a halt. The way he did it made Ed realize that he was just like Al. "So, you're just a suit of armor, uh?" asked Ed.

"You act as if you're surprised."

"Let's just say that I know someone who's like you. So, tell me, did they use condemned criminals like you to make Philosopher's Stones?"

"That information is classified."

"Oh, really? Then you're not going to tell me that you have a Blood Seal, too?"

"Yes, I have a seal. I was the last known murderer known as the Slicer. I was finally brought in and executed. They bound my soul to this armor and I was condemned to guard this Laboratory." He took off his helmet to show his seal, which was on the inside of his helmet.

"Mighty considerate of you to show me your weak spot."

"It gives me more of a challenge."

"Well, since you're in such a giving mood, how 'bout this? If I win, you tell me the info."

"Nice try, kid. What kind of Mass Murderer lets his prey go so easily?"

They charged at each other . . . leaving me out of it. When Ed slashed at Slicer, I heard a click in his automail. That's not good. "Ed, please tell me that wasn't your arm!"

"Uh . . . tell me something I don't know!"

Slicer slashed at him, Ed dodging his every hit. Ed got kicked to the ground, and Slicer went to run him through, but Ed was able to dodge it, only getting his left shoulder sliced. Me, myself, began to feel something running down MY left shoulder. I opened my jacket to see blood running down. But Ed was the one that got cut, not me.

Ed was on the ground, Slicer staring at him. "It's been too long since I've gotten the chance to see blood fly! Can't say the same for your buddy outside. My cohort isn't very merciful." Ed started laughing hysterically.

"I don't know. He and I brawl all the time. And guess what? I still haven't beaten him!" When he brought up Al, I thought of Alex. I hope she's okay.

I was snapped out of my train of thought when Ed screamed, "Now, Al! Do it now!" Slicer looked away, and Ed ran up and slashed his helmet from his body.

"What's the matter? You still haven't stomped out the Blood Seal I, so kindly, pointed out."

"There's something I want to ask you."

"About the Philosopher's Stone?"

"Spill everything you know."

"No can do."

"Hey, now, the loser shouldn't be putting on a brave front."

"I . . . haven't lost, yet." I looked and saw that the body, itself was alive. Two souls in one?

I unsheathed my claws and blocked the sword attack meant for Edward. "Fast on your feet, huh, Wolfie?" asked Ed.

"Call me that again and your soul will be in Al's armor. And by the way, your torso's got a deep cut." I must've missed the block. I felt the exact same cut on the left side of my torso. Both of us have lost too much blood. This wasn't going to be easy.

"I forgot to mention it," began Slicer, "Slicer the Homicide . . . was actually a duo of brothers!"

"The head and the body are two different people?!"

"Jeez, you're slow," I said, still holding my blocking stance.

"That's cheating!"

"And who's the one who said there aren't any rules in fighting?"

"Let's begin round 2, Wolfie!" said the headless body.

He charged at us, me clawing at each sword attack he threw. He pushed me away, making me stop at a skid. He charged at Ed, but I caught his arm flipping him behind me, but when I turned to slash his chest, but he slashed my eyes, instead.

I fell to my knees, blood flowing from my eyes. My vision was going in and out. If we didn't finish this soon, I'll be fighting blind.

I heard the headless body of Slicer kick Ed against a wall. I looked, but it was too blurry. The pain was, also, unbearable, especially when I blinked. "Edward!"

"Xena! Just follow my voice!" I looked around and saw the blur of Slicer's "brother" charging at Ed. I charged at him, taking Ed's blow to the leg.

"Ed," I whispered, "move away, slowly. You need to trust me." I heard his body slowly move, as I clapped my hands together, getting ready to perform a Transmutation.

The body grabbed me by my ponytail and pinned me to the pillar where Ed was. He Raised his sword over my chest, but before he could run me threw, I pressed my hands against his metal body, destroying it just like Scar does.

The body split in half, scattering across the Lab. I fell to my knees, gripping my torso. "Xena!" Ed ran to me, kneeling to my level, helping me up.

"Brother . . ." exclaimed the body.

"It's shameful, but we've lost."

"There aren't 3 of you, are there?" asked Ed, askance at the scattered body.

"No, there's only two of us. Just destroy us, boy.

"Spare me from murdering someone."

"You consider us human?"

"If I didn't accept you two as human, it would mean I'm doing the same thing to my brother." Ed put his left hand over my eyes, making me close them, as he put his other arm around my waist. "My little brother is human. So are you two. That's why I don't want to kill you."

"Us two have been stealing, destroying, and murdering ever since we came of age. And we're being treated as humans for the first time, after turning into this? Interesting. I'll tell you everything as a parting gift." Just then, my necklace began to burn. Something wasn't right.

I heard the piercing of metal, as Ed gripped tightened.

"That was close." I tried to squint see who else was here, and saw a woman dressed in a black dress. I also saw that her fingers were like spears. "You can't be talking about things like that, 48."

"What's the Fullmetal runt doing here?" Another boy was here, dressed in black, as well.

"Troublesome child. How did you find out about this place?" The boy walked up to the Slicers "brother" and pierced his Blood Seal with his own sword.

I opened my eyes completely, the pain taking over my temples. The boy took one look at me, and stopped stabbing the Blood Seal. What the hell was that about?

The both of them walked up to us. "Who the hell are you?" asked Ed, through clenched teeth.

"The runt is ready to go." Put my hand on Ed's shoulder, trying to separate from him, so I can materialize my Keyblade.

Ed then tried to kick the boy in the face, but he dodged it like it was nothing. "I don't like fighting." I then heard Ed clap his hands together.

"You're the one that started it!" I materialized my Keyblade, mostly, using it as a cane. "I'll beat you to a—" And his automail is broken. That's great. I wish I could slap him in the face.

"Lucky me!" The boy grabbed Ed's braid and kneeled him in the ribs. I fell, catching myself with my Keyblade. I think I know why I feel and receive what Ed feels and receives. Our hearts are connected.

The boy dropped Ed to the floor. The poor kid was barely breathing. So was I.

"Don't forget, boy. We're keeping you alive. It'll be a shame if this place is discovered again. Let's burn it down."

The woman left, leaving Ed, the boy, and I alone. I lifted my Keyblade and charged him, only to be sharply blocked each time. "Hey, I'm not here to fight. You heard her. We're keeping you alive."

"And you believe us to trust you?!" The building began to shake, and debris from the room began to fall. "Ed—" He was passed out. I went to grab him, but I looked up and saw that an unstable beam was about to fall on the other boy. I disintegrated my Keyblade and pushed the boy out of the way, but the beam landed on my left leg, fracturing it.

Just then, my vision was beginning to black out. My surroundings were getting smaller.

"Here, take my hand!"

"Excuse me?!"

"Look, I'm just returning a favor!" I looked up at him, seeing that he had Ed over his shoulders. I grabbed his hand. He pulled me up, carrying me, bridal style. "Hang on!" He ran to the other end of the Laboratory. Lucky there was an opening beginning to break apart.

He broke through it, setting Ed down first, then me on my knees. "Both of them have lost a lot of blood. This one may have a fractured leg and is going blind. They need medical attention, immediately."

"Xena!"

"Alex!" I gripped her hand, but I couldn't see her face. My world was black, now. Who knows for how long?

"Look, kid, you should—"

"He's gone!" That fast, huh? I guess he did mean business. But why show me mercy?

Alex pulled me to my feet, but I felt Al pulled me up to carry me out. "Don't worry," began Al, "Brosh has Ed!"

We ran out of the area, me still thinking about that boy. Why the hell was he interested in me?