Behold! Another longer chapter in under a week! I have no life! Next one is started, by the way. Hope you guys enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed writing it. You remember when I said there were scenes I was really looking forward to? This was one of them. Thank you again everyone who's added this to alerts, faves and lists! It's thanks to you all that this chapter got up so quickly. I didn't feel right leaving you all hanging.

I want to give a big thanks to my reviewers. It's really hard to not just tell you what's going to happen sometimes, you guys make me feel so loved! Fumetsu Kaji, thank you for realizing that Naruto's been dropping hints! I'd've sent you a message, but you dissabled it.

If I didn't message you back on your review, please know I DID read it, and LOVED the feedback, I just forgot who I got back to and who I didn't. Please enjoy while I go off to eat doughnuts and watch horror movies.

Naruto slammed his rock as hard as he could into the wall in a pique of rage. "I've been at this for hours! Why arn't I through this wall yet?" The poor abused rock disintegrated in his hand. "AHHHH FUCK!" Just then, the blue discharge that he had come to hate danced around the door. Foolishly, he stood in front of the hole he had made in an attempt to hide it.

Mustang was the first one in, followed Scar and another man carrying a bag."Not bad, Stupid. Spent all night on that, didn't you?" With a smirk, Mustang slapped the wall, simultaneously sealing the door and patching the wall.

The shinobe glared at the trio, "Prick," He griped halfheartedly. "Who's your friend? Another perv who gets his rocks off with torture ?"

"Hardly." With another flourish of Alchemic skills Mustang re-created the table from his first visit. He just rolled his eyes as Naruto clapped, "Have a seat. We're going to have a little chat."

With confidence he didn't feel Naruto strolled up to the table and sat on it, ignoring the chairs. "Didn't you already try this before? I'm telling you nothing, Charcoal-breath."

"I know you're a monster, but you could at least pretend to be civilized." Mustang sighed, holding out a chair for the stranger. Naruto flinched, he truly hated it when people called him that. With a sigh, he swung about, his butt landing in a chair. He crossed his legs as the chair rocked back, his heels still on the table's edge.

"Better?" He asked smugly, looking over at the new addition. It was an older man, his hair going silver on the bottom. His face was frightening, it looked almost as if it had been partially melted. The blond had seen similar scars once or twice on veterans of the last ninja war. I wonder what he looked like before he took that jitsu to the face...Tsunade-baa-chan could fix him up. He stared, Probably, anyway."Hey, Mister, did that happen during the war, or did you really piss someone off?"

"Why, do you find my appearance frightening?" The man asked as Mustang and Scar sat, flanking him. He placed the bag carefully on the table.

The teen contemplated the man for a moment before shrugging, "No, not particularly."

"I see. These scars are my way of atoning for my sins." The man ran a hand over his face, "I am a doctor who committed many wrongs in my youth."

"Marcoh..." Mustang's voice had a growl to it, a warning Naruto supposed.

"A doctor?" The blond frowned, "I don't need a doctor, I'm not hurt." Of course, doctors can hurt you a LOT...he mussed, thinking of his friend and her teacher. His stomach rumbled as if agreeing.

A malicious grin formed on Scar's face, "We brought Doctor Marcoh here to offer you a trade."

"No deal."

"But you haven't heard the offer, yet, Stupid."

"I thought you were going to stop calling me that, Ash-for-brains."

Mustang smirked, "But it fits you." He turned serious for a second, "If you told me what sin you were..."

"I propose a trade, homunculus," Marcoh interrupted as he dug into his bag. "If you give me the information we need, I will give you this." He pulled out a small vile and placed it on the table. Naruto stared at it in mild curiosity. Within the vial was a dark red substance that swirled around slowly. " A philosopher's stone."

Naruto blinked, "Philosopher's stone?" That is defiantly NOT a stone.

"Yes."

"Uh-huh." The chair banged into he floor loudly as he swung his legs down. He leaned forward and looked intently at the vial as he crossed his arms. His stomach gurgled but he ignored it.

"Careful, creature." Scar warned. "You have to answer our questions first."

"Why?" the blond looked at the three men, obviously confused.

Mustang steepled his fingers as he leaned in, "It's a fair trade. You've obviously used a lot of energy in the last few days. If you answer just a few questions, we'll give you this to replenish some of what you have lost. Equivalent exchange."

"Hmmm..." The blond leaned back. Why the hell would I want this? You can't eat a stone...and that shit isn't even a stone anyway! I bet it's poison...I can play this game too, asshole."How many questions?"

"All of them."

"No deal."

Mustang frowned, "fifty."

"I bet you don't even have fifty questions!"

Marcoh put a hand on the younger man's shoulder as Mustang sputtered. "Seven." The doctor said, "Answer just seven questions completely to the best of your ability without lieing and I will give you this stone."

"Seven huh?" Scar actually grinned, "How poetic of you, doctor."

Ok, now I'm confused..."Seven it is," Mustang nodded, a glint in his eye, "Agreed?"

"So, if I answer your seven questions, you'll give me that," Naruto pointed at the vial.

"Yes." Marcoh nodded, "I'll give you this to eat."

"All I've got to do is answer your questions, though." Naruto cocked his head to the side. Eat it? What is he, nuts?

"That's the deal we're offering you."

"Seven questions for a stone." The boy fell silent. It's got to be a trick. How stupid do they think I am? What the hell am I supposed to do with a not-a-rock stone? You could give it to me. The blond winced, You stay out of this! No one asked you.

The silence was interrupted by an obviously impatient Mustang, "Well?"

"It's a tempting offer." The blond grinned if I was a three year old. "But I'm going to have to say no."

The dangerous look was back in their eyes again. "Why?" Marcoh asked calmly. He truly seemed curious.

"Well...It's not going to get me out of here, for starters." Naruto explained. Something about the old man made him want to really explain it. "You guys said nothing about letting me go. Just giving me the stone."

"You could always use the stone to restore your energy and then escape." Mustang said through gritted teeth, "Stupid."

"Bull. know that little thing wouldn't fill me up at all!" Naruto slammed his hands on the table, "I'd rather eat worms again than take that stupid stone!" His stomach rumbled traitorously, "WORMS AND GRUBS I tell you!"

The three stared at him in shock. With a huff, Naruto sat back in his seat sulking as his stomach growled loudly.

Marcoh stood, tapping the other two on the shoulders, "Would you mind if I spoke with my companions outside for a moment?"

"Yes, I DO mind! He shouted at their backs as the door shut behind him

_POV MUSTANG_

Roy was as mad as he ever had been with a homunculus. He'd really thought they'd had it, this time. Pain doesn't work, bribes don't work..."That's it! I'm going to go roast that thing till is good and dead."

Scar cracked his knuckles, "Right behind you."

"I take it things didn't go according to plan, sir?"

"No, Havoc, they didn't."

"Stop it, both of you!" Marcoh stepped between the closed door and Mustang, "You need to calm down for a moment and think about this rationally."

"Oh, I'm being rational. That thing is a threat and a pest, and I'm rationallygoing to kill it. Forget answers, I'll just figure it all out after I kill the damn thing."

"No."

Mustang glared at the man who had returned his sight, "What do you mean, 'no'?"

"Havoc, could you go and get me a meal from the cafeteria please?"

"uh...Sure..." With a hesitant look at his friend, Havoc took off to retrieve the desired meal.

Scar frowned, "What exactly are you planning, Doctor?"

"Exactly what it looks like, we're going to feed him." He glared back at Mustang, "A little good will goes a long way, or have you forgotten that, Brigadier General?"

No, it's more then that..."What are you plotting, really?" Mustang asked as he forced himself to be calm.

Marcoh just shook his head, "I want to confirm something first. I will fill you in afterwards. When we go back in, both of you follow my lead." Just then Havoc came trotting back carrying a tray laden with the simple fare offered in the cafeteria. "Thank you. This is perfect. Mustang, if you could be so kind as to open the door, please?"

"All right, but When we're done here, I want answers, doctor." With a sigh he opened the door. Roy was more then a little surprised to find the homunculus sitting at the table where they had left him. His head was down and he was apparently snoring. Idiot. Maybe he really is Sloth. The moment they entered the room however, the blond head popped up, eyes on the plate of food. Or Gluttony.

"Food!"

"Yes, food. I am sure it's hard to concentrate with your stomach growling so much, so I decided to bring you something to eat."

Blue eyes watched the doctor warily as he put the plate down on the table and sat. Roy shrugged to himself and he and Scar sat as well. "Why do you care?"

Marcoh smiled, "Because I'm a doctor, of course. it's a doctor's job to help people, after all."

The blond frowned, leaning forward and sniffing the plate, "Well, I don't smell any poison."

"Why you little..." He forced himself to calm down at the doctor's gesture.

"Eat up."

The blond looked down at the plate, "Well, can't let good food go to waste, right?" The creature pulled the plate the rest of the way over and started to devour the food. "Or not so good..." He choked, "I miss ramen..." Ok, I can't really argue with the food being bad here, but what is ramen?

"Well, it's better then 'worms and grubs' I believe it was?"

"Yeah." The blond shuddered, "Shima made me a lot of grub. And by that, I mean literally. Her meals are grubs. And she doesn't even cook them half the time before we all eat!" Who's Shima? Mustang mused, Keep him talking, Doctor! We're finally getting somewhere with this. Brilliant!

"It sounds unpleasant."

"You bet!"

"I can't imagine eating grubs for a meal, can you , Scar?"

"The Ishballen people have a few dishes that contain such ingredients," Scar admitted, "I find such meals unapealing."

"Really? I'd love to try one sometime." Marcoh turned back to the humoculi as it finished the food, "Is this Shima Ishballan then?"

"Huh?" The blond blinked in confusion, "No way! Her hair isn't even white. I think she dyes it though." He laughed, "She's a toad." A Chimera?

"A toad, really?" It nodded, "Well, that explains the diet, doesn't it."

Blue eyes blinked in an unfocused way, "Crap. I probably shouldn't have told you that."

Roy couldn't help the smirk, "You just realized that now?" He stood with the others. As he rose he placed his palms on the table, creating a cot with a lovely chain that ran from one of it's legs to the leg of the blond homuculi. "I heard you wanted a bed." The blond growled at him, "No, no need to thank me."

The trio was silent on the walk back to Mustang's office. Roy, for his part, was torn between being excited about finally getting something out of the strange humucluli, and pissed off at Marcoh for obviously keeping things to himself. He kept the peace though, until they reached the room.

"Mind telling me what the hell that was all about?"

"Confirming a theory."

"Really? It looked like you were being kind to a monster."

"Careful, Scar. There are some who still see you as such." The doctor eased himself into a chair.

Roy snapped, "Are you suggesting he's not a monster? Humuculi are dangerous! Or have you forgotten that they almost destroyed this country?"

"I haven't forgotten. Far from it. Let us not forget little Selim is still left." The doctor sighed, "This one, the one you have in the cell right now, I wanted to see for myself what he was like."

"He's a pain in the ass."

"That's not what I mean. We have basically seen three distinct types of homuculus." What on earth is he talking about? "The first kind would be Father. Multiple strong abilites, able to create more like itself, and original. The second would be like Lust, Gluttony Envy and Pride. These are distinct in their abilities, and are unable to create more. They can combine though, like when Pride ate Gluttony." The man paused and looked hard at both men, "Based on what both you and Scar have told me, I suspected that this one is the third kind."

"Which is...?"

"A humuclui like Greed or Wrath."

Wrath and Greed? What does...no, wait..."Are you suggesting that he's human? We saw him turn into a monster!"

"Wrath was one and the same as Bradly, though. Bradly had existed before he became Wrath. Same goes for Greed. That stupid prince is still around." Mused Scar, "Are you saying he's like that?"

"So what if he is?"

"Greed became our ally."

"And Wrath was the hardest opponent I have ever faced."

"Wrath, no, Bradly, had been raised and trained from childhood to become a tool of Father. He lived to do Father's will. Greed and Ling came to an understanding. Greed hated Father, and so did Prince Ling." Mustang began to pace. "He could be like Wrath. It wouldn't matter if he was ever human."

"I'm a doctor. If he' was ever human, we have to try and reach him."

"We don't know that he was human." He's against what we've been doing, is what he really means. Damnit, he could have a point though. He was able to get something out of it. A Chimera...this could be so much bigger then we expected... All the signs pointed to this new humuculi being raised by a toad Chimera. He'd suggested that he had not always eaten with the toad..."Wait...he said Shima didn't cook before 'we all eat'...SHIT, there could be more like him out there."

"We need answers."

"What you need is an expert on humucli." Suggested a man as he clambered in the window.