Ed had woken before Itachi the next day. He left the room quietly, hoping not to wake him. There were no encounters with any of the Akatsuki members in the hall and the library was open with no sign of Tobi.

God, the man was such a creep.

Some scrolls still littered the ground and Ed was sure that this library was barely used. The sudden thought of why Tobi was anywhere near the place crept into Ed's mind. There was something in the air, something in this place—maybe this world—that Ed didn't quite like. There was a sense of urgency in the air, and Ed couldn't help but feel as if last night he had dreamt something important. Something that he should have remembered.

But after a while, the feeling receded and Ed focused on the task in front of him. He needed more information about this world, needed to know more, and needed to learn more. But damn it!

Ed's fist slammed into the floor beneath him. It was like he wasn't getting any closer to finding anything out about this world. There were things like Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu, but all these techniques required chakra. Although, Ed felt like he had the power of it flowing through his veins, but he knew there was something wrong with it. Even though the strength came naturally, every single time he used it, it felt like his body was being torn apart. It was painful to use this power, as if his very soul rejected the thought of something being used without equivalency.

If Ed even dared to try one of the techniques, then the pain would be a lot worse and perhaps even fatal. Ed leaned back against the bookcase, his head dropping back against it. There was a contradiction to how he felt. Ed could feel it—the energy spilling from inside of him, but there was a part of him that felt pure exhaustion. Like Ed was having an internal battle, but did not even know what it was about. The loss of control of everything made Ed want to scream.

I don't even truly know what I am supposed to do… Find the brothers….and what? Kill them? For causing some unbalance?

Ed ran a hand through his hair, sighing at the conflicting feelings. His hand dropped the scroll onto the floor.

But that can't be right—Truth would have just waited for them to die off. There has to be something bigger here that I am not seeing. Something Truth is not willing to give up.

And the thought of Truth hiding something like that made Ed growl as he stood. Avoiding the scattered scrolls on the ground, Ed made his way out of the building. Turning corner after corner, Ed's instinct pointed him towards a door—the exit—and Ed gratefully stepped on the ground, inhaling fresh air. The sun, which Ed spotted easily in the distance, was already above the horizon and slowly making its ascent through the sky. There was a feeling the pit of his stomach that Ed couldn't quite decipher, and it unnerved him.

The silence of the morning sent a shiver through Ed, and the sound of one heartbeat rang out through his chest. The quiet was unnerving. The steps that were lighter than they were supposed to be—those sent silent panic attacks to his mind.

Monster.

This world was changing him. Ed could feel it in the way he breathed, the way he thought, and the way he lived. The feverish nightmares from before were still plaguing his mind and they did not recede once he awoke.

Snap.

Ed's head tilted towards the sound of the stick breaking, waiting for something more. But when nothing else sounded out, Ed ventured into the forest. There was a prickling on the back of his neck, as if someone was watching him. But Ed kept going, even if he was leaving the only lead to back home, there was still the never fulfilled curiosity burning inside him. Ed always craved knowledge. Like a man dying of dehydration begging for water. It was a determination that burned inside of him. Al would have his body back and he would return home to him. Al would be waiting. Ed's eyes darted around trees, searching for what could have made the noise, but silence still reigned.

Why would anybody be around here anyways? Wasn't this supposed to be a secret, secure base?

The leaves filtered rays of sunlight, and Ed's golden hair lit up like fire whenever he passed underneath one. Looking down at his red coat, Ed snorted at his stupidity.

Like no one will be able to see me now.

Shrugging off the coat, Ed tied it around his waist. It won't help much but at least it's something.

Straining to hear or see something, Ed took a one-eighty. Ed froze, a man with grey hair, young in appearance and with round thick glasses covering onyx irises, stood in front of him, just feet away. The man held a confident smirk on his face and his eyes leered at Ed in a way that made him feel more like an animal than a human. Ed wondered why he had not heard the man come up behind him.

"Lost your way, did you?" the man questioned, his grey bangs and high ponytail swaying with the breeze. Ed felt the voice grate on his nerves. Something about this man just…felt like it would set him off. The guy took Ed's silence as an answer and took measured steps towards him, all the while saying, "I could help you out…all you would have to do—" a sadistic gleam entered his eyes "—is just let me do a tiny experiment."

Ed snorted, but before he could even answer the creep, there was a flash of black hair and Itachi stood in front of Ed. "He's not an option for you, Kabuto," Itachi warned with a hand on a kunai. Kabuto's curiosity grew as he asked, "Whose is he, then?"

"Mine." Itachi growled out and Kabuto took a step back with his hands in the air.

"Hold on, Itachi, no need to get so possessive. I was just curious."

Then, in a flash of purple clothing and grey hair, the Nin was gone, leaving Ed to fume and Itachi without sound.

"What was that all about, Itachi?" Ed asked, using years of advice from Al to not let his temper get the best of him. Itachi's eyes pierced into Ed's and he muttered, "That was me protecting you, and you losing your privileges of wandering around on your own."

Ed sputtered as he followed Itachi back to the base, "It's not my fault your organization seems to have attracted a bunch of creeps."

There was no answer to that and Ed said nothing more as he followed. Itachi did not speak as they travelled along the halls of the base that led to their room. Ed remained sulking, and once they had reached their room, Ed knew why he had not heard the man coming up behind him.

He had no heart.