Josh held the paper in his hands, realization dawning in his eyes. He shook his head, though whether it was in shock or disbelief was unknown to Sophie. He slumped back into his armchair.

"If this is really true-"

"Do you really doubt it?" Sophie asked. Her brother sighed.

"Soph, we've met legends, people who lived long ago who should be dead right now. Immortals, like Joan and Nicholas. Of course it's a possibility that Ed is one too. Besides, we've already said that Ed isn't normal, but that shouldn't mean we should jump to conclusions. Maybe the guy in the photo was his grandfather, and just happens to look extremely like each other. Maybe it's just a huge coincidence. Flamel said so himself that he was unaware of any immortals in Germany. That's why we came here in the first place. It just so happens that the one tiny town in the middle of nowhere that we decide to hide out in has a possible immortal resident…" His voice trailed off, suspicion slowly growing.

"It's too much of a coincidence. Do you think it's a possibility that Flamel lied?"

Sophie pondered the question, then slowly shook her head. "I don't think so. There's no reason he would lie to us in this case. Besides, Ed has made no mention of Flamel, and vice-versa. And Nicholas didn't show any recognition at Ed's name, and such."

"So from this we can conclude that either Ed is an immortal that Flamel is unaware of, or we're completely off our rockers and are making wild assumptions."

Sophie grinned. "That pretty much sums it up."

Josh sighed. "Is it just me, or is it worrying that it's easier to believe that our science teacher is immortal versus an uncanny family resemblance?"

His twin could only laugh and laugh, and the adults could only wonder what they were talking about.

The next day, they found out.

They trekked up to Ed's house at their usual time, with Nicholas tagging along. Perenelle had opted to stay back in town, doing who-knows-what. The twins were forced to go at a slower pace, due to Flamel's increasing age (or at least, his aging body).

For once, Ed was waiting for them on his porch.

"Hey guys, you're a bit slow today. Who's gramps?"

Nicholas frowned. He knew that his body was aging, but surely it wasn't that bad (he's still in denial). Besides, whatever happened to respect for your elders? He wasn't sure who this punk was, but he didn't like him.

"I'm Dr. Nicholas Flemming, physicist and mentor to these two youngsters," he said in his sternest and most authoritive voice. The young man did not look impressed. At all.

"Yeah, well, I'm Edward Elric, Ful- I mean, child prodigy. I've got a bazillion master's degrees in various fields, and I can't say I've heard of you. And you suck like scheiße at teaching these 'youngsters'. They didn't even know the basics!"

Nicholas harrumphed. Okay, so maybe saying he was a physicist wasn't the best choice. He wasn't lying, but how would he explain that he was the '' that helped test nuclear bombs in New Mexico back in the 1940's? So he settled for "I don't really publish my works, so not many people know of me."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "Really? Well, I'd be interested to read your works, Doctor. If you have any, that is."

Josh stifled a snicker. He was enjoying this, he really was. Flamel looked like he was going to explode with indignation (or he just looked really constipated, who could tell?) and Ed just looked irritated. He wasn't quite sure why, but apparently Flamel got under his skin. And he had noticed Ed's little slip-up when he was introducing himself. Ful? Ful-what? Fulcrum? What did a fulcrum have anything to do with this? Maybe it had something to do with that mysterious photo…

Sophie fidgeted. "Er…."

Everyone looked at her, and she blushed. Ed's face flushed when he realized he had not invited everyone into the house yet. Peeved he may be, but he still had manners!

"Right…. Well, come in. I'll be busy with the children, so you can either go home or amuse yourself somehow. Just… come in."

The trio awkwardly followed the blonde into the house. Ed jerked his head towards one of the rooms. "You guys know where to go. I guess you can bring Gramps along. I'll be back in a moment." Before they could say another word, he disappeared into the maze that was this house.

Josh shrugged at Sophie, who rolled her eyes. "Sheesh… are you sure he's really an immortal? He's so immature!"

He whispered back, "Dunno. He left before we could even ask him."

They walked to the living room, dragging 'Gramps' along. Nicholas was muttering under his breath, "Gramps? Who's he calling Gramps? Respect! I bet he's not much of a scientist. Hmph!"

The twins plopped themselves into their seats. Flamel entered the room, and scanned it dispassionately. However, as soon as he saw the snake insignia on the wall, he froze.

"Eh, what's wrong, Gramps?" Josh jokingly asked. However, Flamel's answer was anything but light-hearted, however.

"That's my symbol," He whispered, shocked. "I even put it on my grave. What's it doing here?"

Josh was surprised, to say the least. He had been wondering about the symbol, but had figured it had been decorative, or something. To find out it had ties with the alchemist they had been traveling was… eye-opening.

He looked at Sophie, and she nodded. He opened his mouth, "You sure you've never heard of Ed?"

Flamel looked flummoxed. The day just kept getting more and more bizarre.

"No-o… Well, the name sounds a wee bit familiar, but I can't recall where. Should I have?"

"We have reasons to believe he's older than he looks."

"With today's surgeries and makeups, that's not too hard, Josh."

Josh shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant. I mean, me and Sophie think he's immortal."

"What?"

"What?"

Flamel exclaimed, too stunned to speak. He wasn't the only one who had spoken in surprise.

A very ashen-faced Ed stood in the doorway. He shook his head. "What preposterous things are you guys talking about?"

Moment of truth and confrontation then. Josh looked at Ed in the eye. As much as he liked the guy, he wasn't completely sure about this issue. Might as well be direct, since there was no way of asking the question without sounding like he needed to be locked in the loony bin.

"Are you immortal, Ed?"

The German pursed his lips, and frowned. He leaned against the doorframe, and spat out, "Equivalent Exchange." Suddenly, his accent seemed a lot thicker and noticeable.

"Huh?"

"I said, Equivalent Exchange. If you want me to answer your question, you have to answer mine first. 'Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return'. That is how life works, and the universe stays in balance, ja?"

Flamel straightened up. Actually, he had heard of Equivalent Exchange, though it had been many years ago. Rumors, really, the kind that were passed from one immortal to another. Most scientists knew the basic concept, but there were whispers of alchemists who lived their lives strictly by that law.

"So, is that man really the infamous alchemist, Nicholas Flamel?" Ed never really had gone far. The best way to learn about someone was to observe how they react to a new environment, and listen in on their conversations. Though this new development was fairly unexpected.

"Um…." Things were moving too fast for Josh's brain to fully comprehend.

"Yes, I am. The question is, who are you?"

Ed shook his head, golden bangs covering his eyes. "No one. I'm no one in this world. Just forget about it. Although I am fairly older then I look, I bear you three no ill will, though I advise you to be more discreet in the future. If he," here, he jerked his head toward a bemused Flamel, "is Flamel, then you two must be the infamous twins of legend."

Here, Nicholas narrowed his eyes. "So you are an immortal," he hissed, accusing. Ed shrugged.

"Never said I wasn't. Besides, it's not something you bring up in an everyday conversation."

"So who's your master? Are you an ally, or an enemy?"

Ed sighed, and then slouched his way into the room. He stopped in front of the symbol on the wall, and stood there, lost in thought. When he replied, his voice was distant. "I am neither friend nor enemy. I owe my allegiance to no Elder. You have many questions, and I know many answers. But this is not the time. Come back tomorrow, and I may answer them. Josh, Sophie, I apologize for not getting anything done today. I didn't expect you two to find out so soon. Ich entschuldige mich. Please see yourselves out."

He walked out of the room. Everyone watched his receding back, and looked at each other in bewilderment.

Ed leaned against the easel, and sighed. He clutched a mug of steaming coffee in his hands, and he gazed into its murky depths as if he could see some sort of vision within the hot liquid.

He spoke aloud, "I owe my allegiance to no Elder…. But there's one fucking bastard in the universe who keeps fucking with my life."

Here, he was referring to Truth, of course. Today's conversations had managed to dredge up even more unpleasant memories. His eyes scanned his own paintings littered all over the room. He was pretty sure he had painted- Ah, yes he had. There it was. A picture of a scene littered with carnage and dead bodies, of broken buildings and broken hearts. Quite literally, in this case. It was before Al had died, but was a similar situation, just with different results.

An explosion. Or, at least another one this week. The fighting was getting more intense, and the two of them really wanted to leave before they got too caught up. Of course, the bombing took everyone by surprise. Most of all, Ed.

Blazing lights, intense heat. It had reminded the alchemist of that first time he had come to this world, trapped and dying in a blazing blimp that would soon be his grave. But this time he wouldn't be sent back to Amestris. This time was for real. If he died now, he was gone for good.

Suddenly, he felt something pierce his chest, and he cried out in pain. He fell; limp, to the ground, trying to hold in whimpers. Screw all of that, it didn't matter what happened to him. He had to make sure Al was safe!

"Ed? Oh my gosh Ed, are you alright?" Al's frantic voice somehow penetrated the gloom, and Edward could make out his brother's hazy silhouette through his rapidly dimming vision.

"'M fine….how…you… alright?" He choked out, clearly not. Alphonse noticed the growing bloom of blood staining his brother's shirt, and he gasped, panic clearly lacing his voice.

"You're obviously not!" He ripped the shirt open, and suddenly paled. Embedded in Ed's chest was a piece of shrapnel, about the size of a fist, jagged and sharp, slick and coated with blood.

Ed giggled, slightly loopy from the pain. "See? It's fine. Not as bad as that time at Brigg's where the beam skewered me through my stomach."

"Yeah, but this thing is sticking through most of your vitals!" Al exclaimed in horror. "Wait right here, I don't think you'll last long if you don't get immediate treatment."

His footsteps faded away. Ed lifted his head, and said in a slurred voice, "Al?"

The heavy clomps of footsteps returned, and Al knelt down. "Oh Gate, Brother, please hang in there!" He pleaded. "Please don't leave me alone! Please please work…."

"Al?" Ed questioned. Was the sun setting already, or was it just really dark in here? "What are you doing?"

"Brother, please forgive me."

"?"

A yank pulled the miscellaneous chunk of metal and glass out of his chest, and he felt a steady gush of red liquid exiting from the wound, pooling around him. Strangely enough, by now he felt no pain from such an action.

"It's so red…" He murmured, "just like a Philosopher's Stone…."

Just like a Philosopher's Stone… what was Al doing? Didn't he know better? He should leave already, there might be more bombs. He had to get himself to safety, and leave Ed behind. What was he thinking?

Al's face finally swam into focus. His face was pale and grimy, tear streaked. He whispered, "I'm so sorry. This is the only way to save you."

A sudden push, and Ed felt something inserted into his body. Alchemical light flared around him, and heat ran through his veins. Ed had screamed-

And had found himself unable to die, unable to age, unable to get injured.

Later on, Al had admitted that Hohenheim had left them a single Philosopher's Stone, in case of an emergency. He hadn't been thinking rationally when he saw Ed fatally wounded, and had acted on instinct. Later on, this would come back to save Ed many times… In addition, it allowed Edward to used alchemy on this side of the Gate.

Of course, everything had changed after the second explosion, when Al had died. Ed left Munich, and after the war ended, traveled around the world, going anywhere except for America. He had met some interesting people. There was that Dullahan in Tokyo, and that odd pair of Englishman when he had visited London (Ed hadn't like them that much. The boy reminded him too much of Bradley, with his eye-patch and all, and the older man seemed very… predatory). In Italy he had met two brothers, as stereotypical as can be, though they were quite different from each other. He had traded stories with them, and the younger one (what was his name again… Feliciano, maybe?) had later invited him for dinner. Ed chuckled at the memory. Whatever was said, Italians certainly knew how to cook up some delicious pasta!

And some of these (fine, many of these) people he had met weren't exactly what you would call average (So he had a knack for bumping into supernatural creatures and discovering world-shaking plots. So what?) Some of these people, as he had learned, were immortal, just like Hoenheim had been and just like Ed was now.

And through these people he had learned about magics (What a misnomer. It wasn't really magic, not really.) and leygates and Shadowrealms. He had learned about auras and Elders and prophecies.

One prophecy in particular had been spoken with hushed tones and whispers, about the end of the Age of Humans and twins and the sun and moon. And Ed had laughed and called it rubbish and scoffed at the very idea of telling the future. He had thought it was a load of bull-shit until he had seen the twins. Although he hadn't been sure, he instantly knew they were the One.

And that's what frustrated him. He hated the idea, the feeling, of just knowing. He was a scientist, and a scientist always supported his theories with fact, with proof, and with evidence.

But he was definitely sure now. Them coming out to confront him and the fact that they were traveling with Flamel was enough. He hadn't expected them to catch on so soon, but what did you really expect? They weren't your typical ignorant stupid American kids after all.

The fact that they were traveling with Nicholas Flamel (and presumably his wife Perenelle) was interesting enough. Oh, he had certainly heard of him. (He found it odd that Izumi had chosen that as her symbol as well, but it probably was just coincidence, an odd quirk from having parallel Shadowrealms.)

The infamous Nicholas Flamel. It was rumored that misfortune and death followed in his wake, and those who associated with him always met a bitter fate. Ed snorted, and nearly choked on the inhaled coffee. After a bout of coughing, he finally relaxed enough to continue his line of thought. It wasn't as if his own life could get any worse, though he did worry a bit for the villagers, the "muggles" who had no idea of the potential drama unfolding in their sleepy little town.

Why they had chose Germany, chose Risemburg out of all places, was still a mystery. Obviously, they had not expected someone like him here, though people seldom do. Ed bared his teeth in a feral grin, watching his own reflection in the remnant of coffee in his cup. He could feel the andreline pumping in his veins, the old excitement coming back. Oh yes. No one ever expected the Fullmetal Alchemist. He gave a bark of laughter and threw his head back, downing the rest of his drink. He was going to have some fun tomorrow.

Dee stepped into the plaza. The square was full of people, young couples strolling together, families out with their children. The sun was shining, and pigeons cooed. In the background, the sound of laughter and bubbling fountains could be heard.

It did not fit such a dark meeting.

He looked around, semi-paranoid. Envy had left instructions to meet him in Stollberg Plaza, but he did not know why such a creature would want to meet in such a place. Here, he would stick out like a sore thumb.

His eyes scanned the crowd once, twice, and he could still see no signs of his partner. No sign of the conspicuous long hair or outfit. He frowned, puzzled and irritated.

Dee did not like being puzzled or irritated. Perhaps he was late. Perhaps it was late.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder, and he jumped. Displeased with himself for showing such emotion, he turned around, half-expecting Envy to be leering at him. Not so. A German youth, taken back by the hostile look on Dee's face, stammered, "Excuse me ... Wollen Sie zu meiner restaurant kommen? Es ist die beste ... Gutes Essen und Trinken!" [Excuse me... Do you want to come to my restaurant? It is the best... Good food and drink!]

Dee took a minute to translate that in his head, then shrugged. Why not? It wasn't his fault that he didn't find the , he was hungry and thirsty from his flight, and he still had a few euros. He nodded once, and the boy, encouraged, led Dee to an average looking building.

Instead of going through the door as expected, the boy went through the alley, beckoning with his hands for Dee to follow. Normally Dee would've been suspicious at this point, but he was jet-lagged and weary, and obviously not thinking he followed him.

As he entered the dark alley-wayhe sensed something swinging towards his head, and ducked. Something overhead whistled through the air and missed, slamming against the wall. Acting on instinct, Dee lashed a roundabout kick-

Only to have his foot caught by the same German boy he had been following moments before.

He grinned, a leering grin, too sharp-toothed, and said in perfect English, ''My, my, Doctor, so careless! If it was anyone besides me, you'd be dead by now."

Dee's mind was a muddled mess. How had the person gotten behind him, if he was in front of him a moment ago? What was going on?

Dee had thought it impossible, but the smile grew even wider, as if the boy could sense his thoughts. He stepped back.

Energy crackled, and the boy changed. It started from his head, and gradually moved on to his feet. Blonde hair became long and green-hued. Blue eyes shifted to mavolent violent. T-shirt and jeans melted away and became that odd outfit.

Envy smirked some more.

"Really, Doctor, you disappoint. You're master spoke so highly of you, yet here…"

He waved a hand for emphasis. "Just pathetic."

Dee felt a vein throb, and swallowed. Keeping his anger in check, he changed the subject and replied, "I wasn't aware that homunculi could shapeshift."

"They don't, usually. I'm just special." He stuck his tongue out, and Dee inwardly shuddered. What a repulsive creature.

"You could have informed me. It is imperative to the mission-" He was cut short by a growl, and a strong hand grabbing him by his hair and viciously slamming it into the wall. Dee swore as he heard something crack, and stars swam in front of his eyes. Pain rose in waves from the contact point, and his eyes watered. A voice hissed in his ears, "Listen, human." The voice dripped with disdain. "You are disgustingly inferior to me. Don't go around trying to order me around, because that isn't how it works." The hand let go, and he dropped to the ground like a limp doll.

"We start tomorrow."

A/N: Yeah... I got nothing to say, besides the fact that I hate the end of the quarter. This story is a living thing, I swear. Sometimes it just flows, and sometimes it loves to give me problems.

References and shout-out galore! Can you identify them all?