Maes made a wave. "Hey. What up, Roy?"

Roy blinked and then swallowed. "Wait! Wait! WAIT!" He made an x with his fore arms. "Stop. You're dead."

"Nope. I'm on a windowsill..." He shrugged. "So?"

"No, no, no, no, no! You were shot in cold blood by a Homonculus!"

"Well, yeah, there's that." Maes laughed. He hopped off the sill and stood beside Aley. "This little girl here made me all better. She helped me get back on my feet and all that." He ruffled her hair.

Aley shoved him off. "Okay, so, um, I need to explain something..."

"YEAH! You need to explain a lot!"

Aley waved her hands. "Okay, okay, okay! Firstly, my name, before I was killed was Bei Xing, named for my country and a slave for the Emperor of Xing and the Yao clan. I died in the desert and was taken in by Von Hoenheim, as a corpse. He revived me by placing one of the kind souls in his body into me. I know you don't believe me, but that's how I came to be the Homonculus named Patience. I took the most kind and patient soul." She scratched her cheek. "So, I found Wrath, the most horrible Homonculus in the creation since Father or the Dwarf in the Flask. I'm not sure why, but he's not usually happy with me. For now, all I've gotta say regarding that is that he took me under his wing as his, erm, shadow."

Maes suddenly covered her mouth. "I'm also not sure how to explain this, but we're not exactly 'alive' anymore. Also, for future reference, we're the best chance at slowing Father down in his conquest of Amestris." He smiled. "I'm Maes Hughs, true, but I'm also the partial Homunculus Kindness. I've finally accepted that I'm not able to return to this world and live as a normal person, but I'm happy to say that I'm just peachy being a stepping stone in the ways of saving Amestris."

Roy suddenly took a deep breath. "So, wait, Aley is Bei, the girl described as the only one who can take care of Selim. You're also called Patience. And you're really Maes, but you're also Kindness?"

"It's like that, yeah." Maes smiled. "I think that sums up what we've told you. Wow, what happened to her." He had just noticed Riza.

"I happened," Aley said calmly. "I have to go, Roy. Maes and I have something to do. He came all this way to help me get out of here so we can find our older sister." She saluted him and smiled. "I'm sorry I can't tell you more. I wish I could, but there's so little time."

Maes gave Roy a half-hearted salute. "See ya 'round, ol' friend." He gave Roy one of his knowing smiles before he hopped onto the sill. "Let's go."

When Aley jumped out the window, she rolled into a ball and Roy watched her land in the trees before landing and chasing after Maes, who touched her arm.

As he did, Aley's shoulder-length hair suddenly spread out behind her in a streaked white and blond hair. It wove itself into an intricate fish-tail braid. Her skin grew darker and she seemed to become slightly muscular.

Roy blinked. "I don't get it."

"Sir?"

-Lucy-

She smiled at Father. "What do you want?"

"Tell me!"

She shook her head. "She does not know what this one spoke to her of."

He grabbed her hair and began to pull her head back when he felt it. Something was coming, and faster than he'd ever felt.

Purple lightning cackled out of her hair and sped up his arm. She smiled softer still. "She wishes this one would not hurt her. She wishes that someday this one will not succeed in this one's plans."

He raised his fist and was about to make contact when a pulse in the air stopped him. "That was..."

Lucy blinked and then laughed, hysterically. "You feel him? You must know him!" She slowly moved her feet so they were below her. As she started to rise, the chains pulled on her arms. She dislocated all the bones in her arms as she got to her feet. Finally, she twisted and her arm slipped lose and it shone with sparkles of purple. "You should be afraid. He's not happy with what you've done!" She reached out with her left hand and grabbed Father. "They give me strength!"

Suddenly, a pulse ripped right through her and the air became static.

The smile was dark this time. "They're here, aren't they? You brought your babies home."

"Release Father."