Chapter 11: Battle at the Fifth Laboratory

"AL MOVE!" Zuko yelled as he pushed Alphonse out of the way just as Sixty-Six landed.

Sixty Six immediately took out a cleaver in one hand, and a knife in the other and begun to swing them at the two; which they both managed to avoid. Zuko and Al we're both able to jump back a distance away as he slashed his cleaver into the ground.

"You two move pretty fast, especially considering one of you is pretty huge. If you didn't it wouldn't be worth the effort to cut you guys down." Sixty-Six said.

"Who are you?!" Zuko demanded as he took a Firebending stance.

"I'm Number Sixty-Six. Well, that's the name they gave me when I came to work here by the way. I'm gonna cut you both up nice and neat." Al took a fighting stance with his brother. "All you have to do is sit back and scream!"

As he said that Zuko sent a fireball with the thrust of his good arm straight for Sixty-Six who was so surprised he didn't move, so he took the blunt of it sending him back. But he quickly got back up.

"Oooh, talk about getting fired up." Sixty-Six cracked. "That's a nice little magic trick you got their Scar-face."

"Oh, 'Scar-face'. Gee I never heard that one before." Zuko said sarcastically.

Inside the Laboratory

Aang and Ed just walked into a large lit room with a large transmutation circle in the center of the floor, with some dried blood stained on the floor.

"What is all this?" Aang questioned.

"I'll bet this is what they used to transmute a Philosopher's Stone." Ed answered.

"Yes, that's right." A voice spoke out from the shadows, getting their attention. "I don't know who you kids are, but you sure figured out a lot just from looking at a transmutation circle." The armored figure said.

"I'm just good like that, pal." Ed replied.

"Who are you?" Aang asked

"The one in charge of guarding this place from curious brats. For the moment, let's just say I'm Number Forty-Eight. And believe me, I'm not your 'pal'. My orders are to dispose of anyone who wonders in here, poking their noses where they don't belong. So try not to take it personally kids."

"We'll try not to." Aang replied as he took a fighting stance. As he did Ed clapped his hands, and a blade formed on his Automail arm.

"And you try not to take it personally when these 'kids' kick your ass." Ed added.

"Hm? You're an alchemist are you?" Forty-Eight asked. Before either of them knew, he quickly zipped in front of them.

'Woah! He's fast. The surprised me' Aang thought.

"Alright then, let's see what you got." Forty-Eight challenged.

Forty-Eight swung his sword, causing the two to scatter. He saw Ed was closer so he swung at him, which he blocked with his blade.

"A prosthetic arm." Forty-Eight noted. "No matter, my sword can pierce steel as well as flesh." He swung at Ed again who ducked.

Aang sent an air blast to Forty-Eight which blew him back. Aang then lifted a column of stone and sent it to him. "Can it pierce through solid stone too?" Aang challenged.

Forty-Eight sliced through the incoming column like it was nothing, much to Aang's surprise. "Yes it can." Forty-Eight answered simply.

He then came for Aang who sent a stream of fire with his fist towards Forty-Eight who blocked it with his shoulder. It didn't stop him, but it slowed him down enough for Ed to get a solid kick into the abs, which gave a low rung echoing through the armor.

Ed was surprised as he jumped back towards Aang, as Forty-Eight seemed unaffected by the attack.

"My, my, what's this?" Ed began with a cocked smile. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you're hollow inside."

"What?" the surprised Avatar questioned as he looked to Forty-Eight.

"You're a perceptive one." Forty-Eight observed.

"I can tell from the sound, I spar with someone like you all the time." Ed explained.

"Wait, this guy's like Al?" Aang questioned.

"So there are people like me on the outside to, are there? That's surprising." Forty-Eight said.

"Yeah it makes me sick." Ed said. "To think there's more than one idiot in the world who came up with the idea of bonding a disembodied soul to a suit of armor."

"Hm. Perhaps I should introduce myself again. 'Forty-Eight' was the number I was assigned when I was on Death Row. Back when I still had a living body, Iwas better known as 'Slicer'. I was a mass-murderer you see."

"So you we're slated for execution." Ed observed.

"Tell us." Aang began. "Who are these people? Why are they using criminals to make Philosopher's Stones. And who came up with the idea of how to make one in the first place?"

"That I can't tell you." Slicer responded. "It isn't in my area." He turned to Aang. "I can understand the blonde boy is an alchemists, yet I could see you controlling the wind, air, and fire. I'm gonna go out and say your one of those people on the other side of the world who can control the elements, are you?"

"So you know about that?" Aang questioned.

"I've heard Benders, but this is the first time I've ever seen one." Slicer said. "Perhaps if I we're still alive I could have gone over to where your people come from. I probably could have gotten a good fight from people like you."

"But you can't go now, can you?" Aang asked.

"No I cannot. I have to stay here." Slicer answered. "They recognized my skills, gave me this body, and made me their trusted guard dog."

"Interesting." Ed began. "I'm sure they gave you a seal, to serve as a medium between suit and armor?"

"Yes. I have a blood seal." He removed the front of his helmet and exposed it. "This is it right here. If either of you destroy it, the fight's yours"

"That's very 'generous' of you, to show us your weak spot." Aang noted.

"I like to give myself an extra challenge during a fight now and then." Slicer explained.

"Well, if you're in such a good mode, then why not just let us go?" Aang hopped. "We really don't have to fight."

"Nice try kid." Slicer said as he put his mask back on. "But what kind of mass-murder lets his prey get away so easily." He gripped his sword. "Now, lets fight."

Military command center

"Did you hear what I said?" The overjoyed Hughes said on the phone. "My dear little Elisa is about to turn three." He said happily, while the nearby secretary just looked unimpressed as she knew the Lieutenant Colonel made these calls daily.

"Lieutenant Colonel Hughes." The irritated Mustang began on the others side of the line. "Do you think this could wait, I'm at work."

"Oh, what a coincidence, I'm at work too." Hughes replied. "She's the cutest little thing, you should see her." He blushingly said as he looked at a photo of his daughter.

"I'm sure she's adorable, but stop calling me to gush over your daughter. And on a military line too."

"Not just my daughter, Colonel." Hughes replied getting serious for a moment. "I'll gush over my wife too." He said, getting goofy again while looking at a photo of her as well.

Hughes probably couldn't tell, but Mustang was not impressed on the other line.

"I know, I know, it's your turn now. Go ahead Colonel, I know your dying to gush over your very own, scar-faced Ishvalan." Hughes said, finally getting to business.

"We found many bodies on the sight where he vanished. But all of them are so decomposed it's been hard to identify them. He hasn't been sited anywhere in the East. So at the present, many people here think it's most likely that he's dead."

"If that's the case, I should be able to lift the body guard from the Elric Brothers and their new friends soon." Hughes informed.

"Is Major Armstrong still in charge of their protective detail?"

"He was." Hughes replied. "But a couple of his men have taken over now."

Hotel Room

Ross's face was purple as her jaw hung and her right eye twitched in disbelief. While Brosh was comically crying. While Katara and Sokka we're at the wall smiling innocently while Toph just had a mischievous smirk on her face as she giggled.

"We've been played!" Ross exclaimed as she saw the opened window with a rope tied to the bed leading outside. "I thought it was suspiciously quiet in here."

"Aw! Major Armstrong is gonna take off his shirt and yell at us some more." Brosh whined.

"Those brats are gonna pay." Ross angrily squeezed the rope with several veins threatening to pop. "Do they even think about how this makes us look?!"

"Hey what did you expect?" Katara questioned. "You just thought we were gonna stay cooped up in here? I'm just sorry we didn't go too."

Katara and Toph weren't too happy about being left behind, but Sokka had to agree with Zuko that they'd be too large of a group and not good for stealth if they all went.

"We're you in on this?!" Ross demanded to the water tribe siblings and blind bandit.

"Maybe." Sokka teased with a smirk.

"I just wanted to stick around to catch you guys' reactions; which we're priceless." Toph trolled as she laughed and held her stomach.

Ross growled as she began to walk out. "Let's go sergeant. You kinds are coming too."

"Uh where?" Brosh asked.

"Where else do you think Brosh? To the Fifth Laboratory."

Back inside the lab

Aang and Edward we're still fighting Slicer. This was Aang's first fight with a disembodied soul in a suit of armor, so it was quite new to him. Slicer was surprisingly fast enough to keep up with both of his opponents with ease.

Ed blocked one slice with his sword arm and moved back when he felt it come a little loose. 'What happened? My shoulder doesn't feel right?'

Slicer almost cut Ed's face if he didn't duck. Aang sent a swipe of wind with a swipe of his leg, which forced Slicer back. Taking advantage of this, Aang bent water of his satchel (that Katara gave him before he left) and sent to Slicer who cut through the stream of water with his sword, but as he did, Aang froze the water around the sword completely coating it in ice.

This didn't seem to stop Slicer as he charged to Aang and threw his sword down which Aang jumped away from as it impacted the ground shattering the ice around it. Aang threw more rocks at him, which Slicer cut through like nothing.

While Aang continued to fight Slicer, Ed tried to remember what Winry said about his new arm. 'I increased the percentage of chrome so it's less prone to rusting, but its not as strong, so don't try anything crazy.'

'We have to end this quickly.' Ed thought.

Slicer tried to bring his blade down on Aang, the young avatar coated his right arm in an stone gauntlet and blocked the blade; the gauntlet was thick enough to block the attack. Aang then threw his left arm out, sending a stream of fire to force Slicer back, only for him to duck and deliver a slash to Aang's chest.
Aang jumped back but held his chest in pain as his slashed shirt fell of revealing his bleeding cut.

Ed thrust with his bladed Automail arm, which Slicer blocked and moved back for Ed to almost tumble over he sliced down but Ed moved out of the way and threw a kick, which Slicer blocked. He kicked Ed down and tried to bring his blade down on him, Ed jumped as Slicer tried to cut him, but Ed back flipped out of the way, however, he did get a gash on his right shoulder.

He forced Ed back to a pillar. Ed ducked to avoid the next attack, while Aang came back in and threw a gust of air to try and get Ed out of the way, but Slicer kicked him in the cut, sending him rolling on the floor. He tried to strike Ed again but barley grazed his face as blood trickled down from the left side of his face.

Ed ended up near Aang as they both struggled to get up.

"I never fought against someone like him before." Aang said between breaths. "You'd think he'd be much slower with all that armor."

"What a pair of cute little monkeys." Slicer joked, noting their agility.

"Who are you calling little?!" Ed said as an anime vein appeared on his head.

"Really? Now?" Aang questioned as he sweat dropped.

Slicer laughed. "It's been too long since I've had prey that was worth hunting. But you're both tired and wounded now. Even with your bending and alchemy, you won't last much longer. Right about now, my companion should be finishing off your two friends outside."

Aang and Ed both looked in surprise.

"Is this companion of yours strong?" Ed asked.

"Yes he is. He isn't as strong as I am though."

Surprisingly Ed laughed, while Aang gave a smile in relief.

"In that case, we don't need to worry." Ed began. "I've been sparing partners with one of them for a long time, and I still never beaten him."

"And the other one taught me everything I know about Firebending." Aang added.

Back Outside

Sixty-Six was surrounded by flames, and before he knew it, an armored fist hit him square in the face, sending him flying.

Zuko and Alphonse stood together, neither of them having so much as a scratch.

"Damn it!" Sixty-Six grunted as he got up. "Why can't you guys sit still for a second so I can cut you up you jerks!"

Sixty-Six ran towards them, Zuko swiped his feet sending a stream of fire that Sixty-Six tripped over, while Al moved out of his falling path and delivered a blow to the side of the head, knocking the helmet off, much to both brothers' surprise.

Sixty-Six got back up to reveal to the two that there was nothing inside the suit of armor.

Al gave a light gasp. "You're empty?" Zuko and Al exclaimed at the same time.

Sixty-Six gave a sinister laugh as he picked up his helmet. "There's a bit of a story behind it." Zuko and Al took battle stances again.

"Would you two like to hear? It's a pretty good yarn; you probably already know it though. It all starts with a man by the name of 'Barry.' Once upon a time, right here in Central, there was a butcher named Barry who loved his work. His favorite part was cutting up the meat into little tiny pieces. But one day, Barry found out cutting up Beef and Pork wasn't enough anymore. So he took to the streets, and begun cutting up people instead, night after night. In time of course, Barry was caught, but not before 23 victims fell prey to him and his knife. Naturally, after terrorizing Central for so long, Barry was sent to the gallows for his wicked deeds and the world was happily rid of yet another evil man. At least, that's what everyone out there believes. But our story isn't over yet; we haven't even reached the good part. Barry isn't actually dead you see, he's very much alive, in charge with guarding a certain place; only without his body."

"Let me guess." Zuko said, putting the pieces together.

"Yes that's right! He's standing in front of your very eyes! I'm the infamous serial killer, Barry the Chopper!" He put his helmet back on and struck a menacing pose.

"Sorry, I've never heard of you." Al said.

Barry felt to the ground like stone as soon as he heard that.

"I'm from a small town in the east." Al explained.

"And I'm from a completely different country so…" Zuko added.

"Fine!" The irritated Barry replied. "But even if you two don't know who I am, shouldn't you at least be a little scared?!" He took his helmet on and off repeatedly for emphasis. "Shouldn't you be going 'Aahh!' or 'What happened to your body!?' or something?!"

Zuko gave a knowing smirk as Al took off his helmet revealing he was empty as well.

"Aahh!" Barry screamed. "What happened to your body freak!?"

"Hey. Now that's impolite." Al said.

"He's a serial killer, what do you expect?" Zuko told his youngest brother.

"Oh, I see. You we're on Death Row too. You had me startled there." Barry said, jumping to the wrong conclusion.

"No way! I'm not a criminal!" Al exclaimed as Zuko glared at Barry.

"Huh? Then what happened to you?"

"It's kind of a long story." Al began as he put on his helmet. "When I lost my body, my brother transmuted my soul and bonded it to this armor."

"Not that it's any business of yours." Zuko told Barry.

"Your brother?" Barry questioned. He then laughed, much to Zuko and Al's confusion.

"What's so funny about it?" Al questioned.

"Are you sure you and your brother are really related?" Barry asked.

"Well, I guess we don't look that much alike anymore..."

"No, no, no." Barry interjected. "That's not what I mean, are you sure you're not a puppet created and controlled by your so-called brother?"

Al gave a light gasp.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Zuko demanded.

"Were you ever a real person to begin with?" Barry questioned.

"How can you ask something like that?!" Al questioned. "I was a real boy, and my name was Alphonse Elric!"

Barry continued to laugh. "How can you be so sure of that!?"

"I have memories! I remember who I was before!" Al replied.

"And who's to say those memories aren't made up?" Barry continued.

"Al, don't listen to him he's lying!" Zuko told Al.

"Are you sure? Can you vouch for him?" Barry asked Zuko.

Al looked surprised. 'He's right. I only just met Zuko a short time ago.'

"But Winry and Granny, they know me."

"That's easy, they're in on it too." Barry answered. "Silly boy, you we're never alive to begin with, it's as simple as that."

"Shut up!" Zuko yelled "And anyway, how do we know you were alive?!"

"I was, trust me."

As they continued to argue, the guard who was outside was sneaking around the corner, before he quickly revealed himself and pointed his gun at the three.

"This area's off-limits! Don't mo…"

Barry nonchalantly threw his cleaver into the guard's head, killing him, much to Al's horror and Zuko's anger.

"There, did you see that?" Barry asked. "There's nothing I love more than chopping up live people." He said as he picked up his bloodied cleaver. "I can't control myself. I kill therefore I am, as long as I know that it's all I need to prove to myself that I've always been me." He laughed maniacally.

"You're a real psycho! You know that right?" Zuko scolded.

"Flattery won't save you." Barry responded.

Back inside

"Your brothers are that good are they?" Slicer said. "Then I'll have to take care of you two, so I can get around to getting them."

Aang and Ed both breathed deeply as Aang held his cut on his chest. Ed put a hand on Aang's shoulder, he motioned to the ground beneath Slicer's feet and Aang nodded.

Ed looked to the doorway, which Slicer noticed. "Zuko! Al! Do it now!"

Slicer looked to the doorway to see no one, this was it. Aang kicked his feet, causing a small shock wave, knocking Slicer off his feet, while Ed zoomed by with his bladed arm and cut of the head.

"That was dirty!" Slicer exclaimed

"There's' no such thing as 'dirty' in a fight!" Ed argued.

Ed withdrew his blade back into his Automail with alchemy and he and Aang both walked to Slicer's head.

"What's the matter?" Slicer asked. "You still haven't destroyed the blood seal I so-kindly pointed out. You're going to or not?"

Ed picked up the head. "There's something we need to know."

"The Philosopher's Stone?" Slicer guessed

"Yes. Tell us everything you know about it." Aang said

"Sorry, can't." Slicer replied.

"Hey know, we did beat you at your own game." The less-than-amused Ed told him.

"You're defeated, there's nothing more you can do." Aang said as well.

"That's where you're wrong, I'm not beaten yet."

Ed and Aang both glanced behind them to see an incoming blade; they both jumped out of the way but we're each grazed on the side by it. They looked in shock at the headless armor standing up by itself.

"What the…!?" Ed questioned.

"Ed is that even possible?!" Aang exclaimed

"I forgot to mention something about this mass-murder Slicer." The head began.

"His crimes we're really done by a pair of brothers." The body finished in a new voice.

"Two separate souls bound to one armor?!" Aang exclaimed

"That's right baldy." The brother replied.

"That's a dirty trick!" Ed exclaimed.

"Now, now. Weren't you the one who said there's no such thing as dirty in a fight?" Slicer recalled.

"You kids ready? Round two is about to begin short-stuff." The brother said

"Don't call me short!" Ed said as he was about to clap, but the brother ran fast towards him.

"I don't think so! I'm not gonna give you time to transmute!"

He began to slash and hack towards the two kids, who we're just barley able to avoid them.

'He's a lot faster than his brother.' Aang angrily thought, as he didn't have an opening to bend.

'Aang and I have lost too much blood. He's slowing down and I'm starting to feel dizzy...' Ed thought as well.

The brother slammed the back of the handle into Ed's abs and kicked Aang in his chest wound, sending them both back to the pillar behind them.

'This isn't good.' Ed thought. They both looked in fear as the brother ran towards them.

'Is this it? Are we going to die?' Aang's mind flashed to his final fight with Ozai, then new instinct kicked in. He kicked the ground and the feet of the brother sunk a bit into the ground, stopping him.

"ED! NOW!"

Ed clapped his hands and threw them to the chest of the brother, breaking the armor in half, much to Slicer's shock.

They both fell on their behinds, out of breath. "You okay Ed?" Aang asked.

"He reminded me of someone I don't like... And now I've done exactly what he did..."

As soon as Ed finished the upper body of the armor began to wiggle and rant, startling the two boys. "How could you little brats?!"

"Brother."

"As much as I hate to admit it, we've lost." Slicer conceded.

"Uh, there wouldn't happen to be a third brother or a sister or anything would there?" Aang asked, pointing to the legs.

"No, no." Both brothers replied.

"Come on, you've won. Hurry up and destroy us." Slicer urged.

"No way! I'm not doing that." Aang said in a slight shout.

"Neither will I, we're not murderers." Ed added as well.

"With bodies like these are we really even people?" Slicer questioned.

"Of course you are." Aang told them. "Even without your bodies, you still have your own thoughts and wills, your own souls, that makes you alive."

"Besides that, I consider you people; if I didn't that would mean that I didn't think my own brother was a person either." Ed added.

Back outside

Al just blocked an attack from Barry.

"Come on what's the matter little puppet?" Barry taunted.

"I told you, I'm not a puppet!" Al exclaimed.

"You keep telling yourself that." Barry replied.

Barry was soon forced back by a blast of fire from Zuko who stood with his youngest brother.

"Don't listen to him Al. He's just trying to get inside your head." Zuko told him.

"How can you know for sure? How can you know if you we're even alive?" Barry continued to taunt. "There is one way to prove your not just a puppet made from scraps of armor. You've got a blood seal too right? Destroy it. Go ahead, break it yourself. If you die, you were a real boy all along just like you want to believe."

"No! There's no way I could ever do that!" Al exclaimed

"Oh no? Then I guess I'll have to do it for you won't I?" Barry thrust his knife, which Zuko blocked with his bandaged arm, much to Barry's surprise and forced him back with a fireball from his foot.

Barry looked to his knife. "Not even a drop of blood. But I nailed you in the arm! How are you not bleeding?!"

Zuko discarded the torn bandages revealing his black metal arm. "Does that answer your question?

"First some fancy fire powers, now an Automail arm? You are really something you know that Scarface?" Barry told him, having fun in this fight.

"You'll find I'm full of surprises." Zuko replied. "If you want to kill my little brother you have to go through me first."

"Bring it on Scarface! Show me what you got!"

The two yelled as they charged towards each other; Barry with his blades, and Zuko with a flame in each hand.

Back Inside

"I know that my brother is a human being, that means you guys are human too." Ed said.

"And even if you weren't human, you're still alive." Aang added. "I believe that all life is sacred, even the tiniest spider-fly caught in it's own web. I haven't killed before and I'm not gonna start now."

"Me neither."

Slicer then laughed, much to everyone's surprise.

"Brother?"

"My brother and I have been lying, steeling, cheating, killing together for as long as we can remember. And now that we're in these suit bodies we'll be treated as humans for the first time. Don't you see the irony?" Aang and Ed looked in surprise at Slicer's statement.

"For that my boys, I will give you a parting gift. I'll tell you both everything. I'll tell you who made the Philosopher's Stone, and ordered us to guard this place."

Before Slicer could say anything else, two long elastic spears came out of the shadows and pierced the head, right through the blood seal; causing Aang, Ed, and the brother to gasp in shock.

Lust stepped out of the shadows with a sinister smile and her spear-fingers extended. "My, that was a close call." She said as her spear-fingers returned to her hand, with the helmet in-tow. "Number Forty-Eight you should know better than to talk about things that don't concern you."

Envy then stepped out from behind her. "Well, well would you look at that. What's the Avatar and the Fullmetal pipsqueak doing here?"

"Such troublesome boys. How did you find out about this place?" Lust questioned the two startled boys.

Lust expanded her spear fingers, splitting the helmet and blood seal in half, killing Slicer.

"Brother. Brother! BROTHER!"

Envy soon pierced the blood seal of the brother with Slicer's sword. "Quit your pathetic blubbering you idiot." He said as he stabbed the seal repeatedly, much to Aang and Ed's horror. "You we're trying to kill two of our most important sacrifices. Do you understand me?! You could have messed up the entire plan! What would we have done then? Huh?!" The arms fell limp as the brother was now dead as Envy just continued to stab it over and over and over.

Envy and Lust both began to walk to Ed and Aang as the two boys glared at them.

"Why did you do that?! They were on your side?!" Aang angrily exclaimed.

"Oh please, they we're just pawns. Expendable ones at that." Lust dismissed resulted in Aang glaring.

Ed strenuously got up. "Tell us who you people are. What plan are you talking about? What do you mean by important sacrifices?"

Envy closed in on their faces. "Oh my both pipsqueaks are rearing to go, I think I made them angry."

"Don't call me pipsqueak again." Ed grunted.

"Then what would you prefer? Eh pipsqueak?" Envy asked.

Ed tried to give a kick, resulting in Envy backing up.

"Whoa now. There's no need to fight here, someone might get hurt you know." Envy said with a smirk.

Ed clapped his hands again. "This is a fight you started. So come on!"

*Pop*

Ed's Automail arm fell limp much to the surprise of Ed, Aang, and Envy.

"Technical difficulties?" Lust asked with a smirk.

"AWWWW! COME ON!" Ed screamed in disbelief.

"Lucky me!" Envy happily exclaimed as he patted Ed's head, then delivered a knee to the gut causing blood to spill from his mouth.

"Ed!" Aang yelled.

"You're fortunate your arm's broken. If not for that you wouldn't be getting off so easily." Envy told him as held him up by his braid and he let him fall to unconsciousness.

Aang glared at both of them and something caught his attention. There was something emanating from them, he almost could see a dark red aura surrounding both of them. There was something inside of them, something twisted and evil.

"You… you aren't human… are you?" Aang strenuously asked, slightly catching Lust and Envy off-guard. "Who or what are you?"

"He figured it out more quickly than I thought." Envy admitted as he gave an amusing smile.

"What else would you expect from the mighty Avatar?" Lust asked with a sensual smirk.

"How do you know about that?" Aang questioned.

Aang struggled to get up, but ended up falling into Lust's grip, which she helped to bring his face to hers.

"Listen to me well boy." She began. "Don't ever forget this. Always remember we allowed you to live. And the same goes for all your little friends too." Lust then gave Aang a slow and passionate kiss on the lips. Aang's eyes widened in surprise as she did this. She slowly pulled him away and pinched his neck, resulting in him falling unconscious in her arms.

"We can't have them poking their noses around in this place again, it's too dangerous." Lust said. "It'll have to go, blow it up."

Back Outside

As Zuko continued his fight with Barry, Al couldn't help but start thinking.

"You know Al? There's something I've been wanting to tell you for a while now, but I guess I've been too afraid to say it."

"What was Ed about to tell me." Al whispered to himself. "He said he'd been too afraid to say it before, what could have frightened him that much?"

Zuko continued to blast fireballs at Barry, while he was quick enough to avoid most of them, it still kept him at bay. Barry lunged at Zuko with his cleaver, which he ducked to avoid. Zuko sent a fiery kick that forced Barry back.

"You're starting to slow down." Barry noted. "This fight's been fun, but it looks like it'll all be over soon."

"Not yet it isn't." Zuko replied.

"I'm not quite sure you understand the current situation." Barry began as they kept fighting. "You may have an Automail arm, and those fancy fire tricks of yours; but despite that you're body is still flesh and blood, mine is metal. I never grow tired, I don't need food or sleep, I can keep going forever; your body will eventually give way to fatigue."

Barry suddenly brought his blade close to Zuko's shoulder; Zuko was forced to catch it with his Automail, but it still pierced a bit into him, causing him to yell in pain.

"But the key difference between you and me…" Berry began. "My body can't feel pain!"

As Zuko yelled he blasted a large fire ball from his mouth which was just enough to force Barry back, but he planted his foot on Zuko's chest, pinning him to the ground.

"Nii-San!" Al yelled.

Barry raised his cleaver. "Ha ha ha! You're all mine Scarface!"

Before he could bring it down, a water tentacle wrapped around his wrist. "What the…?"

He turned around to see the girl who was controlling it.

"Stay away from them!" Katara exclaimed in rage.

A column of Earth rose and punched Barry in the chest, sending him flying. Toph stood in front of Zuko and Al as Sokka rushed to them.

"You guys okay?" Sokka said as he helped up Zuko.

"I'm fine." Zuko dismissed, despite his bloodied shoulder which was drizzling down his automail.

As Berry began to get up, Toph's dulled eyes widened in shock. "He's hollow." She breathed out in shock.

"What?" Katara questioned suprised.

"That armor. There's no one inside." Toph stated with surprise and shock evident in her voice.

Katara and Sokka looked to Berry with their own expressions of shock.

"Oh, it's been a while since I've chopped up girls." Barry recalled as he readied his blades. "This night's really getting interesting for me!"

Before Barry could do anything however, gun shot was heard and the cleaver was shot out of Barry's hand.

"What?"

"Stay right there!" Ross ordered as she and Brosh pointed pistols at Berry. "Or the next one puts a hole in your head."

"This isn't going quite as I planned." Berry said out loud as he rubbed the back of his head.

After a brief moment of silence, Toph's eyes widened. "Uh… guys."

The ground began to shake, causing all present to tumble. The entire building began to crack and shake as it began to fall apart. Rubble began to fall all around.

"Al! Come on let's go!" Sokka told him.

"But Ed and Aang are still inside!"

"What?!" Katara exclaimed.

"Hmm." Berry began. "I know what this means. Time to get out of here!" He then began to run away.

"Hey you!" Brosh called to Berry.

"I'd get going if I we're you." Berry said as he ran away.

"Hold it!" Brosh yelled again.

"Brother! Brother!" Al called, Ross began to pull him back.

"Ed! Aang!" Zuko yelled as well, but Toph pulled him back as well by his uninjured arm.

Katara tried to get inside as well, but Sokka held her back. "Katara no! You'll get caught in it!"

"ED! AANG!" Katara, Al, and Zuko yelled to the building at the same time.

A large chunk of the wall exploded off. Out of the dust stepped Envy carrying Ed over his shoulder, and Lust carrying Aang bridal style.

"There you are! We got some presents for you!" Envy called out.

They all rushed to Ed and Aang as the two set them down gently on the ground.

"There lives aren't in danger, but they have lost a lot of blood, so you might want to get them both to a hospital as soon as you can." Envy advised with a smile.

"Oh and also, you may want to keep a better eye on them." Lust advised as well. "Being this risky is bad for their health, they are both very precious resource's."

"Who are you two?" Sokka asked

Envy looked to Katara and gave her a wink, much to Katara's confusion.

"Lieutenant Ross! We need to go!" Brosh called as he ran to the group.

"Sergeant help us with them!" Ross said, gesturing to the unconscious boys.

"What happened?" Brosh asked

"We'll talk later." Ross replied.

"You guys should…" Sokka began turning to the two, and looked in surprise to find they we're suddenly gone.

"What the…? Where'd they go?" Katara wondered.

More rubble began to fall as the building continued to crumble.

"Talk later! Survive now!" Toph exclaimed.

The entire building began to loudly crumble and crash down; getting the attention of the next door prison.

Inside The Prison

Many of the inmates began to riot and panic in their cells at the sound of the explosion next door. The guards yelled to try and calm them down.

However, there was one prisoner that wasn't panicking. Inside a specialized cell, behind two rows of doors a voice spoke out…

"What a lovely sound." The prisoner spoke with delight. "I know it well, that's the sound of a building exploding. Close as it is, I'd say it's coming from next door, the Fifth Laboratory. Ah it such a comforting sound, the way it reverberates through your entire body."

"You keep it down in there Kimbley." The guard outside said.

"Oh, do excuse me." Kimbley began with an evil smile. He had wooden cuffs, keeping his hands apart, which had alchemy tattoos on their palms. "I was just recalling the Ishvalan War of Extermination, and it put me in such a good mood."

Outside

The group ran away from the crumbling building. Brosh carried Ed on his back, Katara helped to carry the unconscious Aang while looking at him with concern, Sokka helped to support the injured Zuko as Toph and Brosh ran near them. As Al ran, he couldn't help but think. Barry's words ran through his head.

"Are you sure you're not a puppet created by your so-called brother?"

Zuko looked to his youngest brother, no doubt knowing what he was thinking.